it is very needful they should be seasoned with the word betimes 3. Consider the many inconveniencies that will follow if they do not presently mind this work 1. Death is uncertain and therefore such a weighty business as this will brook no delay God doth not always give warning Nadab and Abihu two rash and inconsiderate young men were taken away in their sins and the Bears out of the Forest devoured the children that mocked the Prophet The danger being so great as soon as we are sensible of it we should flye from it When children come to the fulness of reason they stand upon their own bottom before they are reckoned to their Parents Oh! wo be to you if you dye in your sins Certainly as soon as a man is upon his own personal account he should look to himself lest God cut him off before he hath made his peace with him 2. Sin groweth stronger by custom and more rooted it gathereth strength by every act A brand that hath been in the fire is more apt to take fire again A man in a Dropsie the more he drinks the more his thirst increaseth Every act lesseneth fear and strengthneth inclination Jer. 13. 27. Wo unto thee O Ierusalem wilt thou not be made clean when shall it once be A twig is easily bowed but when it grows into a Tree it is more troublesome and unpliable A Tree newly set may be transplanted but when long rooted not so easily The man that was possessed of a Devil from his childhood how hardly is he cured Mark 9. 29. 3. Justice is provoked the longer and that will be a grief to you first or last If ever we be brought home to God it will cost us many a bitter tear not only at first conversion Jer. 31. 18. I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself thus Thou hast chastised me and I was chastised c. but afterwards David though he began with God be-times Psal. 25. 7. yet prays Remember not the sins of my youth nor my transgression And Iob 13. 26. For thou writest bitter things against me and makest me to possess the iniquities of my youth Old bruises may trouble us long after upon every change of weather and new afflictions revive the sense of old sins They may stick by us We think tricks of youth are not to be stood upon you may have a bitter sense of them to your dying day 4. You will every day grow more useless to God the exercise of Religion dependeth much on the vigor of affections Again it is very profitable it brings a great deal of honour to God to begin with him betimes All time is little enough to declare your respects to God And it is honourable for you Seniority in grace is a preferment They were in Christ before me saith Paul An Old Disciple is a title of honour To grow gray in Christs service and to know him long it maketh the work of grace more easie The dedication of the first-fruits sanctified the whole lump Lam. 3. 27. It is good for a man that he bear the yoak in his youth to be inured to strictness betimes Dispositions impressed in youth increase with us Again it will be very comfortable when the miseries of old age come upon you As the Ant provideth in Summer for Winter so should we provide for age Now what a sweet comfort will it be when we are taken off from service that while we had any strength and affections God had the use of them Then our age will be a good old age USE 1. is for Lamentation That so few youths take to the ways of God No age doth despise the word so much as this which hath most need of it It is a rare thing to find a Ioseph or a Samuel or a Iosiah that seek God betimes Go to the Universities and you will find that those that should be as Nazarites consecrated to God live as those that have vowed and consecrated themselves to Satan Amos 2. 11. And I raised up of your sons for prophets and of your young men for Nazarites c. The sons of the prophets in their youth were bred for a more strict discipline in their holy calling separated from worldly delights to be a stock of a succeeding Ministry But alas they spend their time in vanity bringing nothing thence but the sins of the place and vainly following the sinful customs of the Countrey How few regard the education of their youth in knowledg or religious practice Families are Societies to be sanctified to God as well as Churches The Governours of them have as truly a charge of souls as the Pastors of Churches They offer their children to God in baptism but educate and bring them up for the world and the flesh They bewail any natural defect in them if their children have a stammering tongue a deaf ear or a withered leg but not want of grace We have a prejudice and think they are too young to be wrought upon but Gods word can break in with weight and power on young ones Luke 11. 1. One of his disciples said unto him Lord teach us to pray as Iohn also taught his disciples And Mat. 21. 15. When the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that he did and the children crying in the temple and saying Hosanna to the son of David they were sore displeased and said unto him Hearest thou what these say And Iesus said unto them Yea have ye never read Out of the mouths of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise They learned it of their Parents Mat. 21. 9. And the multitudes that went before and that followed cryed saying Hosanna to the Son of David We should often be infusing good principles in youth Corruption of youth is one of the saddest symptoms of approaching Judgment USE 2. Is exhortation to young ones You that are to begin your course begin with God you have no experience yet you have a rule You have mighty lusts but a stronger Spirit No age is excluded from the promise of the Spirit Joel 2. 28 29. And it shall come to pass afterward that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh and your sons and your daughters shall prophesie your old men shall dream dreams your young men shall see visions and also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit Of Iohn Baptist it is said Luke 1. 15. He shall be filled with the Holy Ghost even from his mothers womb And Mark 10. 14. Suffer little children to come unto me and forbid them not for of such is the kingdom of God There is power to enlighten you notwithstanding all your prejudices to subdue your lusts notwithstanding the power of corruptions 1 Joh. 2. 13 14. I write unto you young men because ye have overcome the wicked one I write unto you little children because ye have known the Father c. And see Gen. 39. 9. It will be a
his mouth and walk in the way that is pointed out by his Word and Spirit you shall have enough to direct you in all your ways 2. It doth warn us of all our dangers It doth not only in the general call upon us to watch Mat. 13. 37. and walk circumspectly Eph. 5. 15. but it discovers all those deceits particularly whereby we may be surprized diverted and turned out of the way There are snares in Prosperity snares in Adversity Temptations you meet with in praying trading eating drinking in your publick undertakings and in your private converse it shews your danger in all your ways before you feel the smart of them therefore give up your selves to God's direction reading hearing meditating believing and practising read hear it often then the deceits of Satan will be laid open and the snares of your own hearts Christians an exact Rule is of little use if you do not consult it Gal. 6. 16. Peace and mercy be upon all them that walk according to this Rule That order their conversations exactly the word signifies that try their work as a Carpenter doth by his square they examine their actions by the Word of God what they are now a doing therefore consult with it often then meditate of it ponder it seriously 2 Tim. 2. 7. Consider what I say and the Lord give thee understanding in all things If we would have understanding by the Word there must be consideration Man hath a discursive faculty to debate things with himself Why this is my duty what would become of me if I slep out of God's way here 's danger and a snare What if I should run into it now it is laid before me And then believe it surely Heb. 4. 2. The Word profited not not being mixed with faith in them that heard it Believe God upon his Word without making tryal You hear much of living by sense and by saith living by faith is when we bear up upon the bare Word of God and encourage our selves in the Lord but living by sense is a trying whether it be so or no as they that will not believe Hell shall feel Hell and they that will not believe the Word of God shall smart for it Heb 11. 7. Noah being warned of God of things not seen as yet moved with fear prepared an Ark. It may be there were no preparations to the accomplishment of the Curse and Judgment the Word threatned it 's a thing not seen yet he prepared an Ark. When a man is walking in an unjust course all things prosper for awhile the misery the Word threatens is unseen Ay but if you would grow wiser by the Word than men can by Experience you must look to the end of things Psal. 73. 17. I went into the sanctuary of God then understood I their end And then practise it diligently A young Practiser hath more understanding than an ancient Notionallist Psal. 111. 10. A good understanding have all they that do his commandments It is not they that are able to speak of things and savor what the Word requires but they that do what they hear and discourse of Gregory saith We know no more than we practise and we practise as we know these two always go together The Word doth us no good unless there be a ready obedience therefore this is wisdom when we give up our selves to God's direction whatever it cost us in the world Doct. 2. That young ones may have many times more of this wisdom than those that are ancient Divers instances there are Ioseph was very young sold into Egypt about 17 years of age and when he was in Egypt Psal. 105. 22. He taught his Senators wisdom speaking of the Senators of Egypt With how much modesty did he carry himself when his Mistriss laid that snare Isaac was young and permitted himself to be offered to God as a Sacrifice Samuel was wise betimes 1 Sam. 2. 26. It is said The child Samuel grew on and was in favor both with the Lord and also with men From his Infancy he was dedicated to God and God gives him wisdom to walk so that he was in favor with God and men yea God reveals himself to Samuel when he did not to Eli. David when he was but 15 years of age fought with the Lion and Bear and somewhile after that with Goliah when he was a ruddy youth Iosiah when he was but eight years old administred the Kingdom before he was twelve sets upon serious Reformation Ieremiah was sanctified from the womb Ier. 1. 5. And Iohn the Baptist leapt in his Mother's womb Luke 1. 35. In the 32d of Iâ—…b the Ancients Iob's Friends are spoken of pleading their Cause wise young Elihu brings wiser words and better arguments than those that came to comfort Iob. Solomon asked wisdom of God when he was young Daniel and his Companions those four children as they are called Dan. 1. 17 18. it is said The Lord filled them with wisdom above all the ancient Chaldeans And Timothy the Apostle speaks of his youth and bids him flee youthful lusts he was young yet very knowing and set over the Church of God Our Lord Iesus at 12 years old puzled the Doctors In Ecclesiastical Stories we read of one at 15 years of age dyed with great constancy for Religion in the midst of sundry tortures Ignatius pleads the cause of the Bishop when he was but a very youth but a man powerful in doctrine and of great wisdom and therefore he saith He would have them not look to his appearing youth but to the age of his mind to his wisdom before God And he saith There are many that have nothing to shew for their age but wrinckles and gray hairs So there are many young ones in whom there is an excellent spirit and in all Ages there are instances given of youth of whom it may be said That they are wise beyond their years For the Reasons why many times young ones may have more wisdom than those that are aged God doth so 1. That he might shew the freedom and sovereignty of his grace He is not bound to years nor to the ordinary course of nature but can work according to his own pleasure and give a greater measure of knowledge and understanding to those that are young and otherwise green than he will to those that are of great age and more experience in the world You have this reason rendred Iob 32. 7 8 9. I said days should speak and multitude of years should teach wisdom There 's the ordinary course But there is a spirit in man and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding Great men are not always wise neither do the aged understand judgment Though all men have reason and a spirit yet the Spirit of God is a wind that blows where he lists Those that exceed others in time may come behind them in grace He gives a greater measure many times of grace and knowledge to shew his
freedom and sovereignty 2. Sometimes to manifest the power of his grace both in the person that is endued with it and the power of his grace upon others As to the person himself in whom this wisdom is found when they are young the Lord doth shew he can subdue them by his Spirit and make their prejudices vanish enlarge their understanding and over-rule their heart 1 Iohn 2. 14. I write to you young men because ye are strong and the Word of God abideth in you and ye have overcome the wicked one In that slippery Age when Lusts were boistrous Temptations most violent and they usually uncircumspect and head-strong and give up themselves to an ungoverned licence yet then can God subdue their hearts and make them stand out against the snares of the Devil And then with respect to others when by the foolish he will confound the wisdom of the wise and blast the pride of man and cast down all conceit in external priviledges and give young ones a more excellent spirit than the aged as the Apostle intimates such a thing 1 Cor. 1. 26. Not many wise men after the flesh not many mighty not many noble are called But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things that are mighty And our Lord Mat. 11. 25 26. Thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent and revealed them unto Babes Even so Father for so it seemed good in thy sight Usually God will do so when he will punish the unfaithfulness of those that are in publick place and office The Law shall perish from the Priest and Counsel from the Ancient God will not take the usual way and course but will give his Spirit and graces of his Spirit to them and deny it to those that should be Builders Now what Use shall we make of this There may be an Abuse of such a Point as this and there may be a very good Use. To prevent the Abuse 1 This is not to be taken so but that there should be reverence shewed to the aged Job 32. 4 5 6. Elihu had waited till Iob's Friends had spoken because they were elder than he It is an abuse of men of a proud persuasion of their own knowledge and learning to despise the aged especially when they also have a competent measure of the same Spirit The Scripture speaks of Paul the aged certainly there is a reverence due to gray hairs And it argues a great disorder when the Staff of Government is broken and the established Order is overturned when a child shall behave himself proudly against the ancient Isa. 3. 5. And young men shall peark up to the despising of their Elders Deut. 28. And 2. this is not to be applied so to prejudice the general case of consulting with the Ancients which was Rehoboam's sin though God sometimes giveth wisdom to young men yet the usual course is that Iob 32. 7. I said days should speak and multitude of years should teach wisdom Certainly those that are old they are freer from passions bettered by use and experience and long continuance in study have more advantages to add to their knowledge therefore usually though the bodily eyes be dim the understanding may be most clear and sharp Use 2. The Use in general is twofold That young men should not be discouraged nor despised 1. Not discouraged We use to say youth for strength and age for wisdom but if they apply their hearts to Religion and the study of God's will and with knowledge join practice they may profit and so as they may be a means to shame those that are elder while they come behind them in many gracious endowments They are not to be discouraged as if it were too soon for them to enter into a strict course or grow eminent therein for God may glorifie himself in their Sobriety Temperance Chastity Zeal Courage and the setting their strong and eager spirits against sin it is a mighty honour to God Psal. 8. 2. Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies c. The graces of God in young ones do mightily turn to the praise of his glorious grace and God is admired in them and it is an honour and comfort to you also Eph. 1. 12. In Christ before me it is a just upbraiding to elder people that lie longer in sin 2. Nor yet should youth be despised 1 Tim. 4. 12. Let no man despise thy youth God's gifts should not be despised in any nor stir up rancor God may speak by them as he spoke by Samuel and to Samuel when he spoke not to old Eli. Having premised this let me come to apply it particularly though briefly it conduceth then 1. To the encouragement of youth to betake themselves to the ways of God O consider let us begin with God betimes do not spend your youth in vanity but in a serious mortified course This is your sharp and active time when your spirits are fresh therefore if your Watch is set right now you may understand more than the Ancients Give up your hearts to a religious course let not the Devil feast upon the flower of your youth and God be put off with the fragments and scraps of Satan's Table while you are young take in with God it 's a great honour to God and it will be an honour and advantage to you Mat. 11. 15 16. When the Children cry Hosanna to the Son of David and the Pharisees reproved him for it Christ approves of it saying Have ye never read Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise When young ones take kindly it is a great blessing therefore is judgment hanging over this Nation that youth is so degenerated whereas formerly they were addicted to Religion now they are addicted to all manner of lusts and vanity Then it would be an honour and comfort to you the sooner we begin with God the more we glorifie God and the more praise to God Eph. 1. 12. That we should be to the praise of his glory who first trusted in Christ. They that get into Christ above others they glorifie Grace above others Rom. 16. 7. They were in Christ before me He that first gets into Christ he hath the advantage of others Seniority in Grace is a preferment as well as in Nature And then it is a great advantage Eccles. 12. 1. Remember thy Creator in the days of thy youth When we begin betimes with God we have more opportunity of serving and enjoying God than others have A man should bear the yoke in his youth Lam. 3. If the bent of our inclinations were set right in our youth it would prevent much and hinder the growth of sin Though a man cannot plant Grace in his heart that 's the Lord's own work yet it keeps sin in and prevents inveterate custom
blood of the Covenant Exod. 24. 7 8. In the Ordinance of the Lords-supper there we come to take an obligation upon us half of the blood is sprinkled upon us And this purpose and resolution to it is still continued and kept a foot in our daily exercise invocation and prayer wherein either we explicitly or implicitly renew our obedience for every prayer is an implicite vow wherewith we bind our selves to seek those things we ask or else we do not engage God to bestow them Thus it is a course that God will bless 2. 'T is of great necessity to prevent uncertainty of spirit until we come to resolution we shall be lyable to temptation until we fully set our faces towards God and have a bent and serious purpose of heart we shall never be free from temptation from the Devil and from evil men or from our selves From the Devil Iam. 1. 8. A double-minded man is unstable in all his ways As long as we are wavering and suspensive we can never carry on uniformity of obedience While we halt between God and Baal Satan hath an advantage against us So for evil men David doth express himself as coming to a resolution in this Psalm vers 115. Depart from me ye evil doers for I will keep the commandments of my God There is no way to shake off those evil companions and associates till there be a bent seriously towards heaven So for our selves we have changeable hearts that love to wander Ierem. 14. 10. We have many revoltings and reluctancies therefore until a sanctified judgment and will concur to make up a resolution and holy purpose we shall still be up and down The Saints being sensible of their weakness often bind this upon themselves Psal. 119. 57. I have said that I would keep thy words there was a practical decree past upon the conscience And vers 106. I have sworn and I will perform it that I will keep thy righteous judgments An Oath is the highest assurance among men and most solemn engagement and all little enough to hold a backsliding heart under a sense and care of our duty As long as the Israelites had a will to Canaan so long they digested the inconveniencies of the Wilderness Every difficulty and trouble will put us out of the way and we cannot be secured against an unsteady heart but by taking up such a course a serious resolve of maintaining Communion with God And as it is useful to prevent temptation so to excite and quicken our dulness We forget our vow and purpose and therefore we relapse into sin The Apostle saith 2 Pet. 1. 9. He hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins that he did renounce these things in Baptism And Paul puts us in mind of our engagement Rom. 8. 12. We are not debters to the flesh to live after the flesh You make vows and promises to God to renounce the flesh and vanities of the world and to give up your selves to Gods service and these things are forgotten and therefore we grow slight cold careless in the profession of godliness Use. The first Use is to press us to come to a declared resolution to serve and please God and to direct us in what manner First Make it with a full bent of heart Rest not upon a shall I shall I but I will keep thy statutes As Agrippa was almost perswaded to be a Christian but not altogether so men stand hovering and debating You should resolve Psal. 119. 112. I have inclined my heart to perform thy statutes alway to the end It is Gods work to incline the heart but when the work of grace is past upon us then the believer doth voluntarily incline himself his will is bent to serve God not by fits and starts but alway to the end 1 Chron. 22. 7. Now set your hearts to seek the Lord. That is resolve be not off and on But Secondly In what manner shall we make it 1. Seriously and advisedly not in a rash humour The people when they heard the Law and were startled with the Majesty of God Deut. 5. 28 29. answered All that the Lord hath spoken we will do It was well done to come to a purpose and resolution But O that there were such a heart within them saith God that they would fear me c. Josh. 24 19. We will serve the Lord say the people you cannot serve the Lord saith Ioshua Do you know what it is Rash undertakings will necessarily be accompanied with a feeble prosecution and therefore count the charges lest you repent of the bargain Luke 14. 23. 2. Make Christ a liberal allowance if you would come to a resolution Matt. 16. 24. He that will come after me he that hath a heart set upon this business let him know what he must do let him deny himself c. When we engage for God he would have us reckon for the worst to be provided for all difficulties A man that builds when he hath set apart such a sum of money to compass it while he keeps within allowance all is well but when that 's exceeded every penny is disbursed with grudging So if you do any thing in this holy business make Christ a liberal allowance at first lest we think of returning into Egypt afterward when we meet with fiery-flying-Serpents and difficulties and hardships in our passage to Heaven Let it be a through resolution that come what will come we will be the Lords There should be a holy wilfulness Paul was resolved to go to Ierusalem because he was bound in spirit and though they did even break his heart yet they could not break his purpose 3. Resolve as trusting upon the Lords grace You are poor weak creatures how changeable in an hour not a feather so tost to and fro in the air therefore we shall fail falter and break promise every day if we go forth in the strength of our own resolutions Resolve as trusting in the direction and assistance of Gods holy Spirit if God undertake for us then under God we may undertake To resolve is more easie than to perform as Articles are sooner consented to than made good a Castle is more easily built in time of peace than maintain'd and kept in a time of War and therefore still wait and depend upon God for his grace 4. You cannot promise absolute and through obedience though you should strive after it for this you will never be able to perform and your own promises purposes and resolutions will but increase your trouble though you are still to be aiming after it Doct. 2. Those that will keep Gods statutes must flye to Gods help As David doth here O forsake me not utterly that is O strengthen me in this work Three reasons for this 1. We are weak and mutable creatures 2. Our strength lyes in Gods hands 3. God gives out his strength according to his own pleasure 1. We are weak and mutable creatures When we were
greater influence of grace from God How often doth it fall out thus with Gods children that their right is more confirmed to spiritual blessings when their sense is lost then they are more industrious and diligent to get a sense of Gods love again A Summer's Sun that 's clouded yields more comfort and warmth to the earth than a Winters Sun that shines brightest These cloudy times have their use and their fruit and Christians have the less of a happy part of communion with God that they may have more holiness and less of sweetness and sensible consolation that they may have more grace 4. There is desertio correctiva eruditiva a desertion for correction and a desertion for instruction Sometimes the aim of it is meerly for correction for former sins it is a penal over-clouding for our unkind and ungracious dealing with him God may do it for sins nay many times for old sins long ago committed he may charge them anew upon the conscience Job 13. 24. compared with v. 26. Wherefore hidest thou thy face and holdest me for thine enemy Thou makest me to possess the iniquities of my youth An old bruise may trouble us long after upon every change of weather Many that have grieved Gods Spirit in their youth after they have been converted God will reckon with them about it in their age A man will smart for his ungracious courses first or last Sometimes it is meerly for Instruction it instructs us chiefly to shew us Gods Soveraignty with the changeableness of the best comfort on this side heaven To shew us his Soveraignty that he will be free to go and come at his own pleasure He will have his people know he is Lord and may do with his own as pleaseth him The heavenly irradiations and outshinings of his love are not at our beck God will dispense them according to his pleasure A Mariner hath no cause to murmure and quarrel with God because the wind bloweth out of the East when he desireth a Westerly gale why because it is his wind and he will dispose these things according to his pleasure So the comfort and outshinings of his love are his and he will take them and give them as he thinks good Again to shew us the changeableness of the best comforts on this side heaven When Christ hath been in the soul with a full and high influx of comfort this doth not remain long with us God may withdraw Observe it often after the highest enlargements there may be some forsaking Cant. 5. 1. there we read of a Feast between Christ and his beloved Come eat O friends drink yea drink abundantly O beloved Here they are feasted with love presently we read of desertion the Spouse waxeth lazy and drowsie and Christ is gone then she is forced to go up and down to find him Paul had his Raptures then a Messenger of Satan to busset him The same Disciples that were conscious to Christs Transfiguration Peter Iames and Iohn Mat. 17. the same Disciples are chosen also to be conscious to his Agonies Mat. 26. 37. He took with him Peter Iames and Iohn First they had a glimpse of his Glory then a sight of his bitter Agonies and sufferings Ieremiah in one line singing of praise and in the next cursing the day of his birth Jer. 20. 13 14. After the most ravishing comforts may be a sad suspension Iacob saw the face of God and wrestled with him but his thigh halted There needs something to humble the Creature after these experiences 5. Desertion is either felt or not felt not felt and then it is more dangerous and usually ends in some notable fall as Hezekiah 2 Chron. 32. 31. God left him and he was not sensible and then he runs into pride and vain-glory and draweth wrath upon him and his people God's children when they do not observe his comings and goings they fall into mischief it begins their wo. We do not observe what experiences we have of God then we faint we do not observe his goings then that makes way for some scandal and imprudent and unseemly action and that makes way for some bitter and sharp affliction But if it be felt it is the better provided against If we do not murmur but seek to God in Christ to get the loss made up then it is better Meek acknowledgments are better than complaining expostulations It is a sign it works kindly 6. There 's a total and a partial desertion Those who are bent to obey God may for a while and in some degree be left to themselves We cannot promise our selves an utter immunity from desertion but it is not total We shall find for his great names sake The Lord will not forsake his people 1 Sam. 12. 22. and Heb. 13. 5. I will never leave thee nor forsake thee Not utterly yet in part they may be forsaken Elijah was forsaken but not as Ahab Peter was forsaken in part but not as Iudas that was utterly forsaken until he was made a prey to the Devil So carnal professors are forsaken utterly until they are made a prey fit for the Devils tooth David was forsaken to be humbled and bettered but Saul was forsaken utterly to be destroyed Saith Theophylact God may forsake his people so as to shut out their prayers Psal. 80. 4. so as to interrupt the peace and joy of their heart to abate their strength the spiritual life may be much at a stand and so as sin may break out and they fall foully but not utterly forsaken But one way or other God is present present in light sometimes when he is not present in strength when he manifests the evil of their present condition so as to mourn under it and present in awakening desires though not in giving enjoyment As long as there is any esteem of God he is not yet gone there is some light and love yet left manifested by our desires of Communion with him 7. There is a Temporary desertion and an Eternal desertion One is spoken of Isa. 54. 7 8. For a small moment have I forsaken thee but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee God may forsake his servants for a little while Indeed they may have a long winter of it sometimes as David lay for many months under his sin until Nathan rouzed him but this is but a moment to the eternity wherein God loves them But the eternal forsaking is of the final Impenitent when God saith Never see my face more go ye cursed c. Thus for the kinds Secondly The Reasons of Desertion 1. To correct us for our wantonness and our unkind dealing with Christ. If we neglect him upon frivolous pretences certainly he will be gone Cant. 5. 2. I have put off my coat how shall I put it on See v. 6. My beloved had withdrawn himself and was gone When we are not at Gods call he will not be at our beck She that would not open to Christ when
of neither have entred into the heart of man to conceive Therefore the word hath a notable instrumentality that way 3. The Doctrine of the Scripture holds out the remedy and means of cleansing Christs blood which is not only an argument or motive to move us to it So it is urged 1 Pet. 1. 18. Whom having not seen ye love in whom though now ye see him not yet believing ye rejoice with joy unspeakable c. It presseth holiness upon this argument why God hath been at great cost to bring it about therefore we must not content our selves with some smooth morality which might have been whether Christ had been yea or no. Again the word propounds it as a purchase whereby grace is procured for us so it is said 1 Ioh. 1. 7. He hath purchased the spirit to bless us and turn us from our sins And it exciteth faith to apply and improve this remedy and so conveyeth the power of God into the soul Act. 15. 9. Purifying their hearts by faith 2. The manner how the word is applied and made use of If he take heed thereunto according to thy word This implieth a studying of the word and the tendency and importance of it which is necessary if the young man would have benefit by it David calleth the statutes of God the men of his counsel Young men that are taken with other books if they neglect the word of God that book that should do the cure upon the heart and mind they are with all their knowledg miserable Psal. 1. 2. His delight is in the Law of the Lord and in his Law doth he meditate day and night If men would grow wise to Salvation and get any skill in the practice of godliness they must be much in this blessed book of God which is given us for direction 1 Ioh. 2. 14. I have written unto you young men because ye are strong and the word of God abideth in you and ye have overcome the wicked one It is not a slight acquaintance with the word that will make a young man so successful as to defeat the temptations of Satan and be too hard for his own lust it is not a little notional irradiation but to have the word dwell in you and abide in you richly The way to destroy ill weeds is to plant good herbs that are contrary We suck in carnal principles with our milk and therefore we are said to speak lies from the womb A kind of a riddle before we are able to speak we speak lyes namely as we are prone to error and all manner of carnal fancies by the natural temper and frame of our hearts Isa. 58. 2. And therefore from our very tender and Infant-age we should be acquainted with the word of God 2 Tim. 3. 15. And that from a child thou hast known the holy Scriptures It may be children by reading the word get nothing but a little memorative knowledg but yet it is good to plant the field of the memory in time they will soak into the judgment and conscience and thence into the heart and affections 2. It implieth a care and watchfulness over our hearts and ways that our will and actions be conformed to the word This must be the young mans daily prayer and care that there be a conformity between his will and the word that he may be a walking Bible Christs living Epistle copy out the word in his life that the truths of it may appear plainly in his conversation All that I have said issueth it self into three Points 1. That the great Duty of Youth assoon as they come to the full use of reason is to enquire and study how they may cleanse their hearts and ways from sin 2. That the Word of God is the only rule sufficient and effectual to accomplish this work 3. If we would have this efficacy there is required much care and watchfulness that we come to the direction of the Word in every tittle not a loose and unattentive reflection upon the Word careless inconsiderateness but a taking heed thereunto Now why in youth and as soon as we come to the use of reason we should mind the work of cleansing our way 1. Consider how reasonable this is It is fit that God should have our first and our best It is fit he should have our first because he minded us before we were born His love to us is an eternal and an everlasting love and shall we put off God to old age shall we thrust him into a corner Surely God that loved us so early it is but reason he should have our first and also our best for we have all from him Under the Law the first-fruits was Gods to shew the first and best was his portion All the Sacrifices that were offered to him they were in their strength and young Levit. 2. 14. And if thou offer a meat-offering of thy first-fruits unto the Lord thou shalt offer for the meat-offering of thy first-fruits green ears of corn dried by the fire even corn beaten out of full ears God would not stay till ripened God will not be long kept out of his portion Youth it is our best time Mal. 1. 13. when they brought a weak and sickly offering should I accept this of your hand saith the Lord The health strength quickness of spirit and vigour is in youth Shall our health and strength be for the Devils use and shall we put off God with the dregs of time Shall Satan feast upon the flower of our youth and fresh time and God only have the scraps and fragments of the Devils Table When wit is dulled the ears heavy the body weak and affections are spent is this a fit present for God 2. Consider the necessity of it 1. Because of the heat of youth the passions and lusts are very strong 2 Tim. 2. 22. Fly also youthful lusts Men are most incident in that age to pride and self-conceit to strong affections inordinate and excessive love of liberty 1 Tim. 3. 6. Not a Novice lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the Devil A man may make tame fierce creatures Lyons and Tygers and the fury of youth needs to be tempered and bridled by the word It is much for the glory of Grace that this heat and violence is broken when the subject is least of all disposed and prepared 2. Because none are tempted so much as they Children cannot be serviceable to the Devil and old men are spent and have chosen their way but youths who have a sharpness of understanding and the stoutest and most stirring spirits the Devil loveth to make use of such 1 Joh. 2. 13. I write unto you young men because ye have overcome the wicked one They are most assaulted but it is for the honour of grace when they overcome when their fervency and strength is employed not in satisfying lusts but in the service of God and fighting against Satan Therefore
acts of Duty but by every act of Mercy what 's the argument he urgeth for Sion Zech. 3. 2. Is not this a brand pluckt out of the fire The Lord rebuke thee Satan Have not I delivered Sion and shall I suffer that to be destroyed which I have delivered the Lord urgeth his own mercy and his former kindness USE To quicken us not to grow weary of dealing with God Let us go often to God Men think it an uncivil importunity to require to do more when they have done already Solomon gives us that advice Prov. 25. 17. Withdraw thy foot from thy neighbours house lest he be weary of thee and so hate thee men waste by giving but God doth not when you have been with him and he hath done liberally for you yet he upbraids you not God that hath vouchsafed Grace you may desire the continuance of his Grace and to crown his own Grace II. Secondly Observe the mercy which he asks is Gods help in a course of holiness namely to walk worthy of the mercy Doct. 2. They that upon declaring their ways have found mercy with God their care should be to walk worthy of the mercy The Lord hath heard me what then teach me thy statutes So Psal 85. 8. The Lord will speak peace to his people but let them no more return unto folly Mark when God hath spoken peace when they have an answer of peace after you have prayed to God take heed of turning to folly do not lose the favour you have got walk more holily and more worthy of such a mercy Mat. 6. 12. forgive us our sins what then lead us not into temptation Upon supposition the Lord hath forgiven us our sins O let us not sin again Many would invite God to favour their ways when they have no respect to his ways which is in effect to make God a servant to our Lust but if you would have mercy from the Lord beg that you might walk worthy of the mercy The Children of God should do so upon a double ground in point of Prudence and Thankfulness In point of Prudence as they have smarted under their former folly and in point of Thankfulness as they have tasted the Lords Grace in his answer 1. When you have declared your way with brokenness and bitterness of heart you have experience of the evil of sin and when you know how bitter it is by sound remorse it is folly to return to it again Ioshua 22. 17. mark the reason Is the iniquitie of Peor too little for us from which we are not cleansed unto this day Our former sense of the evil of sin when declaring it should be a restraint to us else your cure is in vain A man that is recovered out of a deep disease is willing to escape the like again or as Christ said to the man that had an infirmity 38 years Go thy way sin no more lest a worse thing happen unto thee When a man hath had the bitter sense of the fruit of sin this will make him more cautious for the future they are foolish children that remember beating no longer than it smarts when they are scarce yet whole of the old wound Though God hath taken out the sting of the sin and granted us comfort yet remember your former smart that you may not fall into it again 2. Out of Thankfulness for Gods gracious answer Every answer of Grace leaves an obligation upon the sinner that he may not offend God again See what a holy argument is used Ezra 8. 13. Should we after such a deliverance as this break thy Commandment will you again relapse So Luke 7. 47. for her sins are forgiven her therefore she loved much Grace melts the heart When a man hath received much mercy from God his heart his wrought out into thankfulness and the more they have been in sin the more will they be in godliness when once they have tasted the sweetness of pardon and had an answer of Grace from God Thirdly Note They that would steer their course according to Gods holy Will had need of the conduct and assistance of his holy Spirit for he goes to God Lord teach me thy statutes Psal. 25. 4. Shew me thy ways O Lord teach me thy paths And Psal. 27. 11. Teach me thy way O Lord and lead me in a plain path because of mine enemies And Psal. 86. 11. Teach me thy way O Lord I will walk in thy truth unite my heart to fear thy name These places shew that he addrest himself to God that he might not follow any sinful course in the time of trouble and temptations that he might not dishonour God SERMON XXVIII PSALM CXIX 27. Make me to understand the way of thy precepts so shall I talk of thy wondrous works IN the former Verses the man of God layeth forth his calamitous condition and beggeth comfort and audience not meerly to prosper his affairs but to better his heart Many will invite God to favour their ways when they have no respect to his ways which in effect is to make him a servant to their lusts But David's chiefest care was about Duty rather than Success therefore he desireth God to direct him how to walk in the way of his precepts his heart was much upon that In the close of the former Verse he had said Teach me thy statutes And here again Make me to understand the way of thy precepts c. In the words there is 1. A Request 2. An Argument Wherein is intimated 1. The fruit of Divine Illumination He should thereby see his wondrous works 2. His duty thereupon Then will I talk of them The word signifieth also to meditate Sept I will exercise my self It should be his delight to think and speak of the admirable goodness of God and the divine excellencies of his word and the pleasures that result from the practice of it 3. He intimateth the sincerity of his desire propounding this as his end That I may talk that I may be useful and edifying in my converse with others 1. The first thing that I shall observe is That David doth so often beg again and again for understanding Doct. That a sound and saving knowledg of the Truths of the Gospel is such a blessing as the children and people of God think they can never enough ask of him We have abundant proof of it in so much of this Psalm as we have already gone over 1. What is a sound saving knowledg 1. Such as doth establish the heart against all delusions and keepeth us on Truth 's side Many have some scraps of knowledg loose and uncertain motions but they are not setled and grounded in the Truth and therefore the unlearned and unstable are joyned together 2 Pet. 3. 16. Which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest as they do also the other Scriptures to their own destruction Unskilful and unsetled Christians lye open to every fancy they have not such a stock
love for that enlargeth the heart but sorrow straitens it and puts it in bonds The word that we translate grief Judg. 10. 16. His soul was grieved for the misery of Israel in the Hebrew it is shortned or lessened A man's mind is lessened when he is under that passion Griefs contract and lessen the soul but joy enlargeth it as Isa. 60. 5. and in this sense it is said Psal. 4. 1. Thou hast enlarged me when I was in distress In sorrow the spirits return to comfort and support the heart but in joy they are dilated and scattered abroad and so this is that affection which sends abroad strength and life unto all our actions As this is true of joy and sorrow in common so especially of spiritual joy and spiritual sorrow which are the greatest of the kind no sorrow like that sorrow no joy like that joy therefore nothing more enlargeth the heart When God hides his face when pressing troubles do revive a sense of wrath alas my soul is troubled saith the Psalmist I cannot speak we cannot pour out our hearts to God with that largeness that measure of strength spirit and life as before But now when we can joy in God as those that have received the atonement when we have the comfort of a good conscience the joy in the Holy Ghost this causeth a forward and free obedience and those that could hardly creep before but languisht under the burden of sorrows when cheered and revived with the light of God's countenance they can run and act with vigor and alacrity in Gods service Neh. 8. 10. The joy of the Lord is their strength It is as oil to the wheels as wings by which we mount to meet with God Psal. 30. 11. Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing thou hast put off my sackcloth and girded me with gladness It is an allusion to those Eastern Countreys when their garments were girded and tucked up they were more expedite and ready to run so here when thou shalt enlarge my heart then I will run the way of thy commandments when our soul is fill'd with gladness and comfortable apprehensions of the Lord's grace we are carried out to God with greater strength and liveliness 4. We may look upon it as a fruit of love For thus the Apostle doth express his love to the Corinthians 2 Cor. 6. 11. O ye Corinthians our mouth is open unto you our heart is enlarged It is love which is the great poise and weight upon the soul that sets all the wheels a going When love is strong the heart is carried out with fervour and earnestness Neh. 4. 6. We built the wall why for the people had a mind to the work then it went on speedily Where we have no affection to a thing the least service is burdensome but when our hearts are for it then the most difficult thing will seem easie Iacob's seven years hard service were sweetned by his love to Rachel Yea duties against the hair as Sechem for Dinah's sake submitted to be circumcised Love sets us a-work strongly Thus the general enlargement is when we are freed from the slavery of sin and bondage of conscience that we may serve God cheerfully and the particular enlargement you may look upon it as a fruit of wisdom and knowledg or of faith or of joy or of love When we have a fruitful understanding a large faith a sweet delight in God and a strong love to him Secondly For the necessity of this that the heart should be enlarged before we can run the way of God's commandments 1. There needs a large heart because the command is exceeding broad Psal. 119. 96. I have seen an end of all perfection but thy commandment is exceeding broad A broad law and a narrow heart will never suit we need love faith knowledg and all to carry us through this work which is of such a vast extent and latitude 2. We need an enlarged heart because of the letts and hindrances within our selves There is lust drawing off from God to sensual objects James 1. 14. Every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lust and inticed Therefore there needs something to poise us to incline us to draw us on to carry us out with strength and life another way to urge us in the service of God Lust sits as a clog upon us it 's a weight of corruption Heb. 12. 1. retarding us in all our flights and motions thwarting opposing breaking the force of spiritual impulsions if not hindering them altogether Gal. 5. 17. Well then lust drawing so strongly one way God needs to draw us more strongly the other way When there is a weight to poise us to worldly and sensual objects we need a strength to carry us on with vigorous and lively motions of soul towards God an earnest bent upon our souls which is this enlargement of heart USE 1. Let us therefore look after this benefit and acknowledg God in it First Ask it often of God God keeps assisting grace in his own hands and disposeth it at pleasure that he may the oftener hear from us The prodigal that had his portion in his own hands went away from his Father and therefore we have but from hand to mouth that we may be daily kept in a dependence and constant course of communion with God It is pleasing to God when we desire him to renew his work to bring forth the actings of grace out of his own seed to blow with his wind with the breath of his spirit upon our gardens that the spices may flow out Cant. 4. 15. But now when we depend upon our selves and neglect God and think to find always a like largeness of heart and a like savouriness of spirit we shall be but like Sampson Judg. 16. 20. When his locks were gone he thought to go forth and shake himself as at other times and wist not that the Lord was departed from him So when our strength is gone and God withdrawn we shall not find a like pregnancy and consistency of thoughts a like readiness and vigor of affections in holy duties but all will be out of order the understanding is lean dry and sapless the heart averse and dead and therefore God will be acknowledged in our enlargements both as to prayer and praise In a way of prayer we should often seek to him and he will be acknowledged in a way of praise likewise Ps. 63. 8. My soul followeth hard after thee thy right hand upholdeth me If you find any strong actings of faith and love stirr'd up to follow hard after God to pursue him close in holy duties when you feel any of these vigorous and lively motions ascribe it not to your selves but to God's right hand he is to be owned in the work Not I saith the Apostle but the grace of God wrought in me Secondly Avoid the causes of straitning if you would have this enlarged heart What are they 1.
day or else we shall soon miscarry by our mistakes and prejudices David is often pressing God with this request Lord teach me which plainly sheweth that not only Novices but men of great holiness and experience need new direction every day The shameful miscarriages of Gods wisest people are enough to shew the necessity of this and the many cautions in the Word of God do abundantly confirm it Prov. 3. 5 6. Trust in the Lord with all thine heart and lean not to thine own understanding In all thy ways acknowledg him and he shall direct thy paths There is nothing that keepeth up our dependance upon God and should quicken us in our daily prayers as the sense of this Many times we come to God in the morning and pray coldly and drowsily because we go forth to the occasions of the day in the presumption of our wit but it is a thousand to one but we smart for our folly before the evening come Alass such is the inconstancy and uncertainty of mans understanding that unless we have continual light and direction from God and he lead us by the hand through all our affairs passion or unbelief or some carnal affection will make us stumble and dash against one Divine precept or another This concerneth all Christians much more those in publick station whose good or evil is of a more universal influence such was David Men of place and power and interest had need have this often in their mouths and hearts Lord teach me the way of thy statutes Homer has a notable saying in his Odysses 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 See Causabon Ep. 702. a most Divine sentence from an Heathen Poet that mortal man should not be proud of his wit for he hath no more understanding of his affairs than God giveth him from day to day A Sentence so admired by the Heathens that many of them transcribed it in their writings with admiration as Clemens Alexandrinus speaketh of Archilochus who as he took other things from Homer so his putting into his Verse thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Augustin de Civitate Dei telleth us Lib. 5. Cap. 8. Cicero rendred it into Latin verse thus though with some loss of the sense Tales sunt hominum mentes quales Pater ipse Iupiter auctiferas lustravit lumine terras I quote all this to shew you how precious such an hint was to Heathens as expressing a great deal of reason and shall not we Christians wait upon God for the continual direction of his Spirit Now there is a Twofold Reason for this 1. Because this actuateth our knowledg which would otherwise lye asleep in the habit and then though we are wise in Generals we should be to seek for direction in particular cases or at least not have such a lively sense of Gods will as to check the present temptations we meet with in the course of our affairs and do too often induce us to miscarry The temptation being dexterously managed by Satan and entertained by our present thoughts will easily overbear a latent principle long ago received unless it be afresh revived and set awork by Gods Spirit therefore we need that the Spirit should be our Monitor and cause Truths formerly delivered to return with fresh force upon the heart And indeed it is his main work to bring things to our remembrance Joh. 14. 26. and to blow up our light and knowledg into an actual resistance of whatever is contrary to the will of God or to furnish us with seasonable thoughts in every business and temptation 2. We have but a glimmering light when we are blinded with passions and are in some sort ignorant of what we know cannot deduce those conclusions which are evidently contained in known and avowed Principles Hagar could not see the Well before her eyes by reason of her passion and grief till God opened her eyes Gen. 21. 19. And God opened her eyes and she saw a Well of water The ground was not opened to cause the fountain to bubble up but her eyes were opened to see it And Calvin giveth the reason why she saw it not because Dolore attonita quod expositum erat oculis 〈◊〉 cernebat things at hand cannot be seen when the mind is diverted by the impression of some strong passion and it is true of the eyes of the mind we do not see what we see being overcome by love or fear or hope or anger or some cloud that interposeth from the passions As David when he fumbled about Gods Providence being blinded by the prospering of the wicked calleth himself beast for not discerning his duty in so plain a case Psal. 73. 22. So foolish was I and ignorant and as a beast before thee In the perplexities of his mind he could not see clear principles of faith which before he had sufficiently learned but could not then make use of for the setling and composing his heart First Use is for Information 1. The difference between the way of God and the way of sin We have need of none to teach us to do evil Vitia eatiam sine magistro discuntur we have that from nature but in the way of God we must be taught and taught again God must be our Teacher and daily Monitor 2. It informs us that as to knowledg and direction there must be much done Poor man lying in the darkness and shadow of death it was necessary for him 1. That some Doctrine should be revealed by God by which he might understand how God stood affected towards him and he ought to be affected towards God 2. That this Doctrine being revealed by God it should be kept safe and sound free from oblivion and corruption in some publick and authentick record especially in these last times when not only the Canon is enlarged but the Church propagated far and near and obnoxious to so many calamities and men are short-lived and there are not such Authentick witnesses to preserve the credit of a Divine Revelation 3. That this writing and record be known to come from Gods own hand by some infallible proof to the end that it may be entertained with the more reverence 4. To own this Authority and discern Gods mind we need a suitable faculty or an heart disposed by the Holy Ghost to receive the proof which God offereth namely that we should be renewed in the spirit of our minds and open our eyes 5. It is not enough to own our rule but we must be continually excited to study it that we may come to a saving measure of the knowledg of Gods mind in the word 6. After some knowledg our ignorance is apt to return upon us unless the Holy Ghost do still inlighten us and warn us of our duty upon all occasions 2 Use. In the sincerity of your hearts go to God for his teaching 1. God is pleased with the request 1 King 3. 9 10. Give therefore thy servant an
Hope in him to be born out in his Work Now if God hath specially excited your Faith it is not a foolish Imagination or vain Expectation like as of them that dream it is God's Word you build upon and it is by a Faith of God's operation he raiseth it in us 2. The Prayer of Faith is the Voice of the Spirit and God heareth the Voice of the Spirit always who maketh requests 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to the will of God Rom. 8. 27. He that searcheth and trieth the hearts knoweth what is a groan of the spirit and what is a Fancy of our own what is a Confidence raised in us by the operation of his own Spirit For there may be a mistaken Faith seemingly built upon the Promises whenas it is indeed built upon our own Conceits Now God is not bound to make that Faith good But when we can appeal to the Searcher of Hearts that it is a Faith of his own working surely we may have confidence Now how shall we know that it is a Faith of God's raising 1. If the Promise be not mistaken and we do not presume of that absolutely which God onely hath promised conditionally and with the limitations of his own Glory and our good which are joyned to all Promises which concern the present Life In temporal things God exerciseth his Children with great uncertainties because he seeth it meet to prove our submission in these things for our Happiness lieth not in them Those things wherein our Happiness doth consist as Remission of Sins and Eternal Life are sure enough and that is encouragement to a gracious heart 2 Tim. 3. 18. God hath delivered me out of the mouth of the lion and will deliver me from every evil work In the Old Testament when God discovered less of Heaven he promised more of Earth but in the New Testament where Life and Immortality are brought to light we are told of many Tribulations in our passage yea the eminent Saints of the Old Testament that had a clearer view of things to come than others had were more exposed to the Calamities of the present Life because God thought the sight of Happiness to come sufficient to countervail their Troubles and if he would give them Rest in another World they might well endure the Inconveniencies of their Pilgrimage Heb. 11. 16. But now they desire a better countrey that is an heavenly wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God for he hath prepared for them a city The holy Patriarchs lest their Countrey flitted up and down upon this hope but to us Christians the case is clear Rom. 8. 18. For I râ—…on that the sufferings of this present life are not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed in us 2 Cor. 4. 17. For this light affliction that is but for a moment worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory 2. When the Qualification of the Person is not clear we must not absolutely promise our selves the Effect Ionah 3. 9. Who can tell whether God will turn away from his fierce anger that we perish not So Ioel 2. 14. Who knoweth if he will return and leave a blessing behind him In this Clause I put Believers who have sinned away their Peace and Assurance 2 Sam. 12. 22. Who can tell if God will be gracious unto me that the child may live He speaketh doubtfully Zeph. 2. 3. It may be ye shall be hid in the day of the Lords fierce anger Amos 5. 15. Hate the evil and love the good it may be the Lord God of hosts will be gracious to the remnant of Ioseph In such cases the Soul is divided between the expectation of Mercy and the sense of their own Deservings and can speak neither the pure Language of Faith nor the pure Language of Unbelief half Canaan half Ashdod There is a Twilight in Grace as well as in Nature God in these cases raiseth no other Confidence to heighten Mercy and try how we can venture upon God and refer our selves to his Will when we have any business for him to do for us Mat. 8. 2. Lord if thou wilt thou canst make me clean 2 Sam. 15. 25 26. And the king said to Zadok Carry back the ark of God into the city if I shall find favour in the eyes of the Lord he will bring me again and shew me both it and his habitation But if he thus say I have no delight in thee behold here am I let him do to me as seemeth good to him 3. In the Promises of Spiritual and Eternal Mercies when God's Conditions are performed by us we may be confident and must give glory to God in believing and being persuaded that he will fulfil them to us 2 Tim. 1. 12. I know whom I have believed and I am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day Rom. 8. 38 39. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life nor angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. I am persuaded there is no doubt The stronger our Confidence the better 2. When God raiseth in our Minds some particular express Hope as in some cases he may do to these things that are of a Temporal nature and are conditionally promised and where our Qualification is clear he will not disappoint us 2 Cor. 1. 12. Though the Promises of Temporal things have the limitation of the Cross implied in them and are to be understood in subordination to our Eternal Interest and God's Glory without which they would not be Mercies but Judgments yet his usual course is to save deliver and supply them here Psal. 9. 10. And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee for thou Lord hast not forsaken them that seek thee And when God by his Spirit doth particularly incline his People to hope for Mercy from him he will not fail their Expectations Where the Qualification is uncertain yet the Faith of general Mercy wrastleth against Discouragements as in the case of the Woman of Canaan There is the Plea of a Dog and the Plea of a Child in grievous Temptations to fasten our selves upon God God will make good the Hope raised in them by his Spirit Use is for Direction what to do in all our Distresses Bodily and Spiritual Our Necessities should lead us to the Promise and the Promise to God 1. Be sure of your Qualification for David pleadeth here partly as a Servant of God and partly as a Believer First Remember thy word unto thy servant and then wherein thou hast caused me to hope There is a double Qualification with respect to the Precept of Subjection with respect to the Promise of Dependence The Precept is before the Promise They have right to
and great Concord among the Professors of the Gospel they were rare and unfrequent Before Mens Senses were benummed with the frequent Experiences of God's Power and the customary Use of Religious Duties and the Notions of God were fresh and active upon their Hearts they were not heard of but when the Profession of Christianity grew into a form and National Interest and men fell into it by the chance of their Birth rather then their own choice and rational Conviction the Church was pestered with this kind of Cattel But especially are they rife among us when men are grown weary of the Name of Christ and the ancient Severity and Strictness of Religion is much lost and the memory of those Miracles and wonderfull Effects by which our Religion was once Confirmed almost worn out or else questioned and impugned by subtle Wits and Men of a prostituted Conscience Therefore now are many Mockers and Atheistical Spirits every where who ask where is the promise of his coming question all and think that there are none but a few credulous Fools that depend upon the Hopes of the Gospel 2. Their Obedience to his Precepts And so whosoever will be true to his Religion and live according to his Baptismal Vow is set up for a sign of contradiction to be spoken against It is supposed the mocking by the Heathen of the Iews is intended in these words Lam. 4. 15. Depart ye it is unclean depart depart touch not when they fled away and wandred The Words are somewhat obscure but some judicious Interpreters understand them of the detestation of the Iewish Religion their Circumcision their Sabbaths c. But however that be certainly the Children of God are often mocked for their strict Obedience as well as their Faith 3. Observe the Degree greatly The Word noteth continually the Septuagint translate it by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Vulgar Latine by usque valde and usque longe They derided him with all possible bitterness and â—…y by day they had their Scoffs for him so that it was both a grievous and a perpetual Temptation 2. His Constancy and Perseverance in the Duty that is set forth 1. By the Rule in the Word thy Law If we have God's Law to justify our Practice it is no matter who condemneth it we have God's Warrant to set against man's Censure It must be God's Way wherein we seek to be approved otherwise our Reproach is justly deserved if it be for Obstinacy in our own Fancies 2. The firmness and strictness of his Adherence I have not declined The Word signifies either to turn aside or to turn back Sometimes it is put for turning aside to the right hand or to the left as Deuter. 17. 11. Thou shalt not decline from the way which they shall shew to thee to the right hand or to the left Sometimes for turning back Iob 23. 11. My feet have held his steps his way have I kept and not declined neither have I gone back from the commandment of his lips As it is taken for turning aside it noteth errour and wandring as it is taken for turning back it noteth Apostasie and Defection Now David meaneth that he had neither declined in whole nor in part understand it of his Faith all their Scoffs and bitter Sarcasmes did not discourage him or tempt him to forsake his hold or let goe the Comfort of the Promise Understand it of his Obedience he still closely cleaved to God's way A Declining implyeth an Inclining first Well then David did not onely keep from open Apostasie but from declining or turning aside in the least to any hand Testimonies we have of his Integrity in Scripture 1 Kings 14. 8. David kept my commandment and followed me with all his heart to doe onely that which was right in my sight His great Blemish is mentioned elsewhere 1 Kings 15. 5. David did that which was right in the eyes of the Lord and turned not aside from any thing which he commanded him all the days of his life save onely in the matter of Uriah the Hittite However the Derision of his Enemies made him not to warpe Doct. That a Christian should not suffer himself to be flouted out of his Religion either in whole or in part Or No Scorn and Contempt cast upon us should draw us from our Obedience to God In the managing of it observe 1. That an Holy Life is apt to be made a Scorn by Carnal men 2. That this as it is an usual so a grievous Temptation 3. That yet this should not move us either to open Defection or partial declining I. That an Holy Life is apt to be made a Scorn by Carnal Men and they that abstaine from Iniquity are as Owles among their Neighbours the Wonder and the Reproach of all that are about them To evidence this I shall give you an account of some of the Scorns which are cast upon Religion with the Reasons of them 1. Some of the Scorns are these 1. Seriousness in Religion is counted Mopishness and Melancholy When men will not slant it and rant it and please the Flesh as others doe but take time for Meditation and Prayer and Praise then they are Mopish 2. Self-denial when upon Hopes of the World to come they grow dead to present Interests and can hazard them for God and can forsake all for a naked Christ the World thinketh this humorous Folly To doe all things by the Prescript of the Word and live upon the Hopes of an unseen World is by them that would accommodate themselves to present Interests counted Madness 3. Zeale in a good Cause is in it self a good thing Gal. 4. 18. It is good to be zealously affected always in a good thing but the World is wont to call Good Evil. As Astronomers call the glorious Stars by horrid Names the Serpent the Dragon's Taile the greater or lesser Bear the Dog-star so the World is grosly guilty of Misnaming God will not be served in a cold and careless fashion See Rom. 12. 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fervent in spirit serving the Lord. But this will not suit with that lazy and dull pace which is called Temper and Moderation in the World 4. Holy Singularity as Noah was an Upright Man in a corrupt Age Gen. 6. 9. Noah walked with God And we are bidden not to conform our selves to this world Rom. 12. 2. Now because they would have none to upbraid them in their sins and to part ways and the number of the Godly is fewer they count it a Factious Singularity in them that walk contrary to the course of the World and the stream of common Examples 5. Fervour of Devotion and earnest conversing with God in humble Prayers is call'd Imposture and Enthusiasm The World who are wholly sunk in Flesh and Matter are little acquainted with these Elevations and Inlargements of the Spirit think all to be Imposture and Enthusiasm And though praying by the Spirit be a great Priviledge Iude 20.
weighty matter of Life and Death Psal. 4. 4. Commune with your Hearts and be still this is the way to check sin and to come on most hopefully in a course of Obedience 3. Drive your thoughts to a Resolution to rectify whatever is amiss never leave thinking of your ways till you grow anxious about Eternal Life nor let your anxiousness cease till you bring it to somewhat grow to some resolution about the wayes of God Pray God to make your Consideration effectual 2 Tim. 2. 4. Consider what I have said and the Lord give you understanding in all things this is but the means God giveth the Grace SERMON LXVII PSAL. CXIX 60. I made haste and delayed not to keep thy Commandments IN the Verse immediately preceeding the Man of God speaks of Repentance as the Fruit of consideration and self-examining I considered my wayes and then turned my Feet to thy Testimonies But when did he turn for though we see the evil of our wayes we are naturally slow to get it redressed Therefore David did not onely turn to God but he did it speedily we have an account of that in this Verse I made haste c. this readiness in the work of Obedience is doubly exprest Affirmatively and Negatively Affirmatively I made haste Negatively I delayed not This double Expression increaseth the sence according to the manner of the Hebrews as Psal. 118. 17. I shall not die but live that is surely live so here I made haste and delaied not that is I verily delaied not a moment assoon as he had thought of his wayes and taken up resolutions of walking closely with God he did put it into Practice The Septuagint read the words thus I was ready and was not troubled or diverted by fear of danger Indeed besides our natural slowness to Good this is one usual ground of delaies we distract our selves with fears and when God hath made known his Will to us in many Duties we think of tarrying till the times are more quiet and favour our Practice and our Affairs are in a better posture A good improvement may be made of that translation But the words run better as they run more generally with us I made haste and delaied not c. and from thence observe Doct. That the call of God whether to amendment and newness of Life or to any particular Duty must be without delay obeyed To illustrate the point by these Reasons Reason 1. Ready Obedience is a good Evidence of a sound impression of Grace left upon our Hearts There 's a slighter conviction which breedeth a sense of Duty but doth not urge us throughly to the performance of it and so men stand reasoning instead of running debating the case with God and there 's a more sound conviction which is accompanied with a prevailing Efficacy and when we have this upon our Spirits then all excuses and delaies are laid aside and we come off readily and kindly in the way of complyance with Gods call This is Doctrinally spoken of Cant. 1. 4. Draw me and we will run after thee Running is an earnest and speedy motion from whence comes it From drawing it is a Fruit of drawing or the sweet and powerfull attraction which the Spirit of God useth in the Hearts of the Elect. Instances I might give you in several calls and conversions spoken of in Scripture When Christ called Andrew and Peter they left their Father and followed after him Mark 1. 20. So when Christ called Zaccheus he made haste and came down from the Tree and received him joyfully Luke 19. 6. So Christ to Matthew follow me and straightway he followed him Matth. 9. 9. Iulian the Apostate scoffs at these passages as if it were irrational to conceive such a thing could be that men should so soon leave their course of gain and their calling or else that Christs followers were a kind of sotts and fools weak and poor spirited Creatures that upon a word speaking they would come off presently all of a suddain but impulsions of the Spirit carry their own reason with them and draw the Heart without any more adoe But such as he were not acquainted with the workings of the Holy ghost in Conversion therefore scoff at these things So Gal. 1. 16. Immediately I conferred not with Flesh and Blood When our call is clear there needs no debate When Men stand reasoning instead of running there is not a through work upon them Reason 2. The sooner we turn to the wayes of God the better we speed How So 1. Partly in this that the Work goes on the more kindly as being carried forth in the strength of the present influence and impulsion of Grace whereas if the heart grow cold again it will be the more difficult A blow while the Iron is hot doth more than ten at another time when it grows cold again so when thy Heart grows cold thou wilt not have that advantage as when thou art under a warm conviction And indeed that 's the Devils cheat to speak of hereafter to elude the importunity of the present conviction that is upon you Iohn 5. 4. You know when the waters were stirred then was the time to put in he that stept in first had experience of the Sanative vertue of the Waters So when the Heart is stirred we should not lose this advantage but come on upon that call There are several Metaphors in Scripture that do express this sometimes we must open when God knocks Cant. 5. we must enter when God opens lest the door be shut against us Matth. 25. we must come forth when he bids us as Lot out of Sodom lest we perish when a thing is done speedily and in season it 's a great advantage 2. The more welcome to God the sooner we turn to him We value a gift not onely by its own worth but by the readiness of him that gives if we have it at first asking we count it a greater kindness and give the more thanks so the less we stand hucking with God and demurring upon his call the more acceptable is our Obedience Pharaoh did at length let Israel goe but was forced to it and with much adoe no thanks to him It is true indeed if we turn at length seriously heartily we are accepted with God but not so accepted as when we come in at first Surely the sewer calls we withstand the less we provoke God and the more ready entertainment do we finde The Spouse that would not open at the first knock but onely at length when her bowels were troubled when she thought of her unkindness then she went out to open to her Beloved but then her Beloved was gone You will not finde God at your beck when you dally with him Your Comforts will cost you longer waiting for when you make God wait for entrance and would not give way to the work of his Grace 3. You speed better because your personal benefit is the greater the sooner you
some renewed evidences of God's favour ask him then is it good to be afflicted Oh yes I had else been vain neglectfull of God wanted such an experience of the Lord's Grace Faith should determine the case when we feel it not Secondly That according to these Measures you will find it Good to be Afflicted 1. 'T is Good as 't is Minus Malum it keepeth us from greater evils Afflictions to the Righteous are either cures of or preservatives from spiritual Evils which would occasion greater Troubles and Crosses They prevent sin 2 Cor. 12. 7. And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of Revelation there was given me a Thorn in the Flesh the Messenger of Satan to buffet me lest I should be exalted above measure They purge out Sin Isa. 27. 9. By this shall the Iniquity of Iacob be purged out We are apt to abuse prosperity to Self-confidence Psalm 30. 6 7. In my prosperity I said I shall never be moved Lord by thy Favour thou hast made my Mountain to stand strong And Luxury Deut. 32. 15. But Iesurun waxed fat and kicked thou art waxen fat thou art grown thick thou art covered with fatness then he forsook God that made him and lightly esteemed the rock of his Salvation The Godly have evil Natures as well as others which cannot be beaten down but by Afflictions We are froward in our Relations Hagar was proud in Abraham's house Gen. 16. 4. her Mistriss was despised in her Eyes but very humble in the Desart Gen. 21. 16. David's heart was tender and smote him when he cut off the lap of Saul's garment 1 Sam. 24. 5. but how stupid and senseless was he when he lived at ease in Ierusalem 2 Sam. 12. His Conscience was benum'd till Nathan roused him Before we are chastened we are Rebellious Frail Fickle Mutable apt to degenerate without this continual discipline we are very negligent and drowsy till the Rod awakeneth us God's Children have strange failings and negligences and sometimes are guilty of more hainous sins 'T is a great Curse for a man to be left to his own ways Hos. 4. 17. Let him alone So Psalm 81. 12. I gave them up to their own hearts Lust Men must needs perish when left to their selves without this wholesome profitable discipline of the Cross. 2. 'T is Good because the Evil in it is counterpoised by a more abundant Good 't is Evil as it doth deprive us of our natural comforts Pleasure Gain Honour but 't is Good as these may be recompensed with better Pleasures richer Gain and greater Honour There is more Pleasure in Holiness than there can be Pain and Trouble in Affliction Heb. 12. 11. No Affliction for the present seemeth Ioyous but Grievous but afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of Righteousness more gain than Affliction can bring loss Heb. 12 10. But he for our profit that we might be partakers of his Holiness more honour than Affliction can bring shame surely then 't is good There is a threefold Profit we get by Affliction 1. The time of Affliction is a serious thinking time Eccles. 7. 14. In the day of Adversity consider 1 Kings 8. 47. Yet if they bethink themselves in the Land whither they are carried Captive We have more liberty to retire into our selves being freed from the attractive allurements of Worldly vanities and the delights of the Flesh. Adversity maketh men serious the Prodigal came to himself when he began to be in want Luke 15. 17. Sad objects make a deep impression upon our Souls they help us to consider our own ways and God's righteous dealings that we may behave our selves wisely and suitably to the dispensation Micah 6. 9. The man of wisdome will hear the Rod. 2. 'T is a special hearing time in the Text That I might learn thy statutes and 't is said of Christ Heb. 5. 8. that He learned obedience from the things that he suffered he did experimentally understand what obedience was in hard and difficult cases and so could the better pitty poor Sinners in Affliction we have an experimental knowledge of that of which we had but a notional knowledge before We come by experience to see how false and changeable the World is how comfortable an interest in God is what a burden Sin is what sweetness there is in the Promises what a reality in the Word Luther said qui tribulantur c. The Afflicted see more in the Scripture than others do the secure and fortunate read them as they do Ovid's Verses Certainly when the Soul is humble and when we are refined and raised above the degrees of Sense we are more tractable and teachable our understandings are clearer our Affections more melting our spiritual learning is a blessing that cannot be valued if God write his law upon our Hearts by his stripes on our backs so light a trouble should not be grudged at 3. 'T is an awakening quickening time 1. Some are awakened out of the sleep of Death and are first wrought upon by Afflictions this is one powerfull means to bring in Souls to God and to open their Ears to Discipline God began with them in their Afflictions and the time of their Sorrows was the time of Loves The hot Furnace is Christ's Workhouse the most excellent Vessels of honour and praise have been formed there Isa. 48. 10. I have chosen thee in the Furnace of Affliction Manasses Paul the Jaylor were all chosen in the Fire God puts them into the furnace and chuseth them there melts them and stamps them with the Image of Christ. The Hogs Trough was a good School to the Prodigal Well then doth God do you any harm by Affliction when he saves you by it If we use violence to a man that is ready to be drowned and in pulling him out of the waters should break an Arm or a Leg would he not be thankfull it you have broken my Arm you have saved my life So God's Children 't is good that I had such an Affliction felt the sharpness of such a Cross. Oh Blessed Providence I had been a witless Fool and gone on still in a course of Sin and Vanity if God had not awakened me 2. It quickeneth others to be more carefull of their Duty more watchfull against Sin and doth exercise and improve us in heavenly Vertues and Graces of the Spirit which lay dormant in us through neglect since pleasing Objects which deaden the Heart are removed Even God's best Children when they have gotten a carnal Pillow under their Heads are apt to sleep their Prayers are dead Thoughts of Heaven cold or none little Zeal for God or delight in him Isa. 26. 16. Lord in trouble they have visited thee they pour out a Prayer when thy Chastening is upon them Hosea 5. 15. In their Afflictions they will seek me early Because they do not stir up themselves God stirreth them up by a smart Rod. The Husbandman pruneth the Vine left it run
as the little ones were able to bear so when the Temptation continued is like to doe us hurt either God will remove it 2 Thess. 3. 3. Faithfull is the Lord who will establish and keep you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the evil the persecutions of unreasonable men are there intended or else support them under it 2 Cor. 12. 9. My grace is sufficient for thee Use 1. Is to check and reprove divers evils which are apt to grow upon our Spirits in our Troubles 1. Murmuring and repining thoughts against God's Providence Why should we murmur and complain since we justly suffer what we suffer and 't is the Lord's condescention that he will make some good use of these Sufferings to our eternal Happiness that we may be capable of everlasting Consolation His Justice should stop Murmurings Lament 3. 39. Wherefore doth a living man complain a man for the punishment of his sins If he complain he can complain of none but himself that evil choice he hath made for his own Soul which it may be he would never have thought of but upon this occasion His Punishment here carrieth no proportion with his Offence 't is Punishment in the singular number Sins in the plural one Punishment for many acts of Sin and a living man on this side Hell what 's this to everlasting Torments Life cannot be without many Blessings to accompany it while living we may see an end of this misery or have time to escape those eternal Torments which are far worse The form of the words sheweth why we should thus expostulate with our selves Wherefore doth a living man complain why do we complain God hath not cut us off from the land of the living nor cast us into Hell 't is the punishment of Sin and 't is far less than we have deserved Again the Faithfulness of God checketh Murmurings God knoweth what way to take with us to bring us to glory therefore trust your selves in God's hands and let him take his own methods Commit your souls to him in well-doing as unto a faithfull Creatour 1 Pet. 4. 19. He is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as he is a Creatour he doth not love to destroy the work of his hands as he is faithfull in his Covenant he will take the best and safest course to bring you to Heaven 2. Let it check immoderate sorrow and uncomely dejection of spirit he is just in the Afflictions of his People but yet so that he is also faithfull he is a Father when he beateth and indulgeth when he smiles and when he frowns Afflictions do not make void our Adoption they rather increase our confidence of it Heb. 12. 5. Whatever we doe upon other reasons we should not suspect his Love because of our Afflictions God's strokes do not make void his Promises nor doth he retract his gift of Pardon when he chastiseth Mere Crosses and Troubles are not an argument of God's Displeasure but acts of his Faithfulness so that we have reason to give thanks for his Discipline rather than question his Love In the book of Iob 't is made a mark of his Love as in those words which are so frequent Iob 7. 17 18. Lord What is man that thou art mindfull of him that thou chastisest him every morning and tryest him every moment We are not onely beneath his Anger but unworthy of his Care as if a Prince should take upon him to forme the manners of a Beggers Child 't is a condescension that the great God should deal with us and suit his Providences for our good 3. This should check our fears and cares his Judgments are right and full of faithfulness he will bear us through all our Tryals and make an advantage of them and perfect that Grace which he hath begun and finally bring us to eternal Glory The Lords faithfulness in keeping Promises is often propounded as a strong Pillar of the Saints Confidence 1 Cor. 1. 9. Faithfull is God by whom ye are called 1 Thess. 5. 24. Faithfull is he that calleth you who also will doe it He dispenseth all things with respect to our eternal welfare But I am afraid of my self I have provoked the Lord to leave me to my self but the Lord will pardon weaknesses when they are confessed 1 Iohn 1. 9. If we confess our sins he is just and faithfull to forgive them speaking to reconciled Believers and when we fall the Lord hath ways and means to raise us up again that we perish not by checks of Conscience 2 Sam. 24. 10. And David's heart smote him when he had numbred the people Psal. 119. 59. I thought on my ways c. by the Word as Nathan roused up David Thou art the man God that foresaw all things hath ordered them so that nothing shall cross his eternal Purpose and Promise made to us in Christ. Use 2. Let us acknowledge God's Justice and Faithfulness in all things that befall us for Motives consider 1. 'T is much for the honour of God Psal. 51. 4. that under the Cross we should have good thoughts of God and clear him in all that he saith and doth see love in his rebukes 2. 'T is for our profit 't is the best way to obtain Grace to bear Afflictions or to get deliverance out of them When God hath humbled his People exercised their Grace he will restore to them their wonted Priviledges he waiteth for the Creatures humbling Levit. 26. 41 42. For means 1. You must be one in Covenant with God for to them the Dispensations of God come marked not onely with Justice as to all but Faithfulness Psal. 25. 10. All the ways of the Lord are mercy and truth to them that keep his Covenant 2. You must examine your selves the Lord complains of the neglect of this that when they were in Affliction they would not consider Ier. 8. 6. No man said What have I done If you would consider you would see cause enough to justify God Lament 3. 39 40. Wherefore doth a living man complain Let us search and try our ways and turn to the Lord. 3. You must observe Providence and your hearts must be awake and attend to it Psal. 107. 43. Whoso is wise and will observe these things even they shall understand the loving kindness of the Lord. Eccles. 7. 14. In the day of adversity consider 4. You must be such as value not your happiness by the increase or decrease of worldly Comforts but by the increase or decrease of Grace in your Souls 2 Cor. 4. 16. For this cause we faint not because though our outward man perish yet our inward man is renewed day by day If you value your selves by your outward Condition you will still be imbrangled you should more highly esteem of and be more solicitous about the welfare of your Souls in a time of Affliction than of all things else in the world and you will more easily submit and more wisely consider of his doing and the better understand
love Much work driveth them oftner to the Throne of Grace None rest in duties so much as they that have least cause Mal. 1. What a weariness is it 2. These ask more regularly therefore 't is said Psal. 37. 4. Delight thy self in the Lord and he shall give thee the desire of thy heart Why so unlimitedly Because delight in the Lord retrencheth carnall desires and moderateth earthly desires their hearts are not so set upon outward things as the hearts of other men are Iohn 15. 7. If ye abide in me and my words abide in you ye shall ask what ye will and it shall be done unto you Why doth God make so large an offer he trusteth such as keep communion with Christ. There is a conformity between their wills and ' Gods in the matter of their desire so far as we are renewed and hold communion with him their unruly lusts will be subdued and their unlawfull desires for matter manner and end be laid aside and they will acquiesce in the good pleasure of God and the most excellent things Therefore God maketh them this offer ask what ye will not that men are warranted to pray for what they will or to expect an answer in whatsoever they desire but as their delight in his Law is prevalent their wills are limited by his word and will and the Spirit in them maketh intercession according to the will of God Rom. 8. 26 27. 3. These may with most confidence ask mercy Others are excluded Prov. 28. 9. He that turneth away his ear from hearing the Law his Prayer is an abomination to the Lord. These are included 1 John 3. 22. And whatsoever we ask we receive of him because we keep his commandments and do those things that are pleasing in his sight If we refuse God speaking to us in infinite wisdom as he does in the word no wonder if God refuse us stammering foolishly in Prayer Ier. 9. 21. Men that purpose to continue in their sins shall not be heard in other things otherwise the grossest sinners may come to God to have their sins pardoned and removed and expect to be accepted and heard through Christ but the perpetuall assistance and favour of God is not given to them Such as would be heard and accepted and come with assurance of welcome and audience ought to be devoted to him to worship him to call on him 2. These are qualified to receive mercy according to the tenour of that covenant in which mercy is dispensed and magnified in the covenant of Grace or the covenant of Gods mercy in Christ Heb. 5. 9. and Heb. 10. 14. This being apt to be abused let us explain how obedience is a condition of the covenant A condition meriting and purchasing the blessings of the covenant it cannot be For God giveth the ability to obey whole and solely of his own Grace it is short of the rule and infinitely inferiour to the reward A condition applicatory whereby we apply our selves to the covenant on our part it is and therefore necessary It is a secondary condition disposing us to communion with God in and by the covenant At first we must be turned by repentance towards God through faith in the Redeemer before we receive remission of sins Acts 20. 18. Faith and Repentance are conditions of Pardon and sincere Obedience a condition of Salvation The first condition containeth a resolution of obedience for the future though we have not actually so obeyed The secondary condition that we should make good our resolution We must keep covenant as well as make covenant Faith is an entring into covenant for 't is a consent to take Christ as Lord and Saviour and constant and delightfull obedience is a constant keeping covenant Psalm 25. 10. and Psa. 103. 17 18. The making covenant was necessary for our entrance the keeping covenant for our continuance Consent to take any for King Husband Master draweth another condition after it that we carry our selves in these relations dutifully besides promising there must be performing he that is my soveraign must be obeyed There must be conjugal fidelity to the Husband and faithfull service to the chosen Master so in the covenant between us and God us and Christ. Object But you will say how then shall we take comfort in the new covenant who are so many ways faulty Answ. We must consider 1. What it exacts 2. What it accepteth 1. What it exacts To quicken us to more earnest endeavours and humble confession of failings It exacteth perfect obedience admits of no imperfection either of parts or degrees 2. It accepteth a perfection of parts there being truth of Godliness and a single-hearted inclination to observe the whole will of God then our defects and weaknesses are covered by Christ's perfect righteousness The unregenerate lye under the rule of exaction but being out of Christ are denyed the benefit of acceptation The Use Is to inform us that Petitions of mercy and the plea for new obedience are very consistent Let thy tender mercies come unto me And his argument is For I delight in thy Word Mercy is nevertheless free though the creature mind his duty for when we have done all we are but unprofitable servants Luke 17. 10. and Grace helpeth us to doe what we doe Luke 19. 18. Thy pound not my Industry And 1 Cor. 15. 10. By the Grace of God I am what I am and his Grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain But I laboured more abundantly than they all yet not I but the Grace of God which was with me 'T was Grace to appoint such reasonable terms to accept of them though done in that sorry fashion which our frailty permitteth us to tender them to God 2. Use. To quicken us to a delightfull course of Obedience if we would have the sense of Mercy The same spirit that urgeth us to obey a sense of God's Love urgeth us also to delight in his Law The same Spirit that urgeth us to sue out the Promise urgeth also to obey the Precept 1. Consider how God hath twisted his Honour with our Interest and ordered both for his own Glory God's Interest and Honour is to be considered as well as our Salvation We must never look for such Mercy and Grace from God as shall discharge us from our duty and subjection to God or give you liberty to dishonour and disobey him No Christ redeemed us to God Rev. 5. and Luke 1. 74 75. Salvation is our benefit Obedience is Gods Right and Interest Happiness man is not averse from but he sticketh at the terms Some part of this Happiness suiteth well enough with our natural desires as Pardon and life But we care not for his Law and the Obedience we owe by virtue of it We are naturally more willing of what maketh for our selves for our comfort than what maketh for the Honour of God 2. Consider A great part of Gods first mercy is expressed in healing our natures and
is a sure effect of great arrogancy and pride They think they may do what they please They have no changes Therefore they fear not God and put forth their hands against such as be at peace with them Psal. 55. 19 20. whilest they go on prosperously and undisturbedly they cannot abstain from violence and oppression This is certainly Pride for it is a lifting up the heart above God and against God and without God And they do not consider his Providence who alternately lifts up and casts down that Adversity may not be without a Cordial nor Prosperity without a Curb and Bridle But when men sit fast and are well at ease they are apt to be insolent and scornful Riches and worldly greatness maketh men insolent and despisers of others and care not what burdens they impose upon them they are intrenched within a mass of wealth and power and greatness and so think none can call them to an account Solomon speaketh of two sorts of people Prov. 18. 10 11. The Name of the Lord is a strong tower the righteous runneth into it and is safe The rich mans wealth is his strong city and as an high wall in his own conceit Every man is as his trust is For as the Psalmist speaketh of Idols in general They that trust in Idols are like unto them so it is true of spiritual Idols If a man trust in vain things his heart groweth vain proud and insolent promiseth him an uninterrupted course of felicity from poor perishing things that come and go at God's pleasure If a man trust in God then he is kept holy humble carried on with a noble and divine Spirit and findeth more safety than another that hath all the strength and power of the world to support and back him The Name of the Lord is a real Refuge but wealth and honour and worldly greatness is but an imaginary Refuge He that hath nothing but the Name of the Lord to trust in Worldlings think he buildeth Castles in the Air but the Godly knoweth that Worldlings indeed build Castles in the Air while they look big and and think their greatness shall bear them out Alas Wealth is but a Wall and a strong Tower in their own conceit not really so but this puffeth them up and they are quite other men when they are at top than what they were when they were under 3. Because they affect a life of Pomp and Ease and carnal Greatness and so despise the Affliction and Meanness and Simplicity of the People of God The false Church hath usually the advantage of worldly Power and external Glory and the true Church is known by the Divine Power Gifts and Graces and the lustre of Holiness Psal. 45. 13. The kings daughter is glorious within is found out by Faith Love Patience Sobriety Heavenly-mindedness Humility Purity and the like rather than by a splendid appearance And holiness becomes God's house Psal. 93. 5. rather than Gold and Silver and costly Furniture The false Church vaunts it self in costly Temples Officers richly endowed with Temporal Revenues and a pompous attendance And so the simplicity of the Gospel is corrupted and turned into a worldly Domination As for instance The Church of Rome boasts of her Grandeur and Magnificence and upbraids the Reformed with their abject condition Ministris eorum nihil vilius saith Campian They can tell of the pompous Inauguration of their Popes their stately Train of Cardinals Lordly Prelates whereas the poor Ministers of the Gospel live hardly and precariously Whereas indeed the glory of the true Church doth not make a fair shew in the flesh is not external corporeal and visible but internal incorporeal and invisible Cant. 1. 5. And like its Head Jesus Christ who to appearance was humble poor and afflicted but in him were hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge yea the fulness of the Godhead dwelt bodily External splendor pleaseth the flesh and is not a sign of Virtue so much as Pride Luke 16. 19. What shall become of the Primitive Church for the first 300 years if outward greatness be a mark of it Naz. Orat. Con. Aroc The World is with them but the Faith with us they have pure Gold but we pure Doctrine So â—…ilary against Auxentius Unum moneo cavete Antichristum male enim vos parietum amor cepit male Ecclesiam Dei in tectis artificiisque veneramini male sub iis pacis nomen ingeritis anne ambiguum est in iis Antichristum cessurum Montes mihi Sylvoe Lacus Carceres Voragines sunt tutiores in iis enim Prophetoe aut manentes aut demersi Dei Spiritu prophetabant Well because of their affectation of worldly greatness they are called proud and so it is taken Mal. 3. 15. Ye call the proud happy And because of this they hate and molest the People of God because there is a contrary spirit They hear Christ's voice Mat. 11. 29. Learn of me for I am meek and lowly They hate them because they contemn that Felicity which they affect and so put a scorn on their way 1 Pet. 4. 4. think it strange that you run not with them into the same excess of riot speaking evil of you 4. They are called proud because of their insolent carriage towards the Lord's People partly in their Laws and Injunctions requiring to give them more Honour Respect and Obedience than in Conscience can be afforded them as Haman would have Mordecai to devote himself to him after the manner of the Persians Esther 3. 5. The man though a Favourite was an Amalekite one that came of that stock whose remembrance God would have to be blotted out Exod. 17. 14. And possibly more worship and honour was required than was due to a man God had forbidden to give divine honour to any but himself now according to the custom of Persia these honours did somewhat savor of divine worship vide Brisson pag. 10 11 12 13 14 with the 18th So Ieroboam would have his Calves worshipped 1 Kings 12. 32. And yet all that complied with him therein are charged for walking so willingly after the Commandment Hosea 5. 11. We dare not offend God to please men the good Levites are commended 2 Chron. 11. 14. So it was Pride in Nebuchad-nezzar to command all men to bow before his image Dan. 3. 15 16. God's Prerogative must not be incroached upon there is a superior Sovereign Partly in vexing molesting and oppressing them at their pleasure the formal Christian hateth the spiritual Gal. 4. 29. Now this cometh from their Pride Psal. 10. 2. The wicked in his pride doth persecute the poor Would not have their lazy course upbraided and disgraced by the seriousness and strictness of others they malign what they cannot imitate And 't is carried on by their Pride or abuse of Power God counteth it Pride Psal. 12. 5. For the oppression of the poor for the sighing of the needy the Lord will arise to deliver him and
quickned me O! when a child of God is even dead and hath many damps and discouragements upon his heart when he goes to the Word there he hath quickning reviving and is encouraged to wait upon God again All our discomfort comes from forgetting what God hath spoken in his Word Heb. 12. 5. Ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children There 's abundant consolation in the Word but we forget it and do not carry it always in our mind and then we lie under much dejection of heart if we do not study it discomfort will come upon us In the Word there 's a remedy for every malady and an ease for every smart and therefore this is that which makes it precious to the children of God II. Secondly The Saints readily yield this love to the Word Why 1. Because their hearts are suited to the Word The Word is every way suited to the sanctified nature and the sanctified nature is suited to it for that which is written in God's Book is written over again upon their hearts by the finger of the Spirit while we are in our natural state there is an enmity to the Law of God For we are not subject to the law of God neither indeed can be Rom 8. 7. I but when they come to be written upon the heart and mind then our affections are suited to the Word Carnal men do not love the Word why because it is contrary to them as Micaiah to Ahab He prophesieth nothing but evil to me it only rubs their sores and discovers their spots to them and that 's grievous and proud spirits think it to be a simple plain doctrine Worldly spirits love it not for it draweth them off wholly to think of things to come but they whose hearts are suited to it they have a mighty love to it 2. They have tasted the goodness of the Word therefore they love it 2 Pet. 2. 3. As new born babes desire the sincere milk of the Word why If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious if you have felt any benefit Ier. 15. 16. Thy words were found and I did eat them and thy Word was unto me the joy and rejoycing of mine heart When they come to taste digest and have experience of the benefit in comforting changing supporting their own hearts then they love the Word of God that hath been the instrument of it Iam. 1. 18. He hath begotten us by the word of truth then what follows Be swift to hear If a man be begotten if he hath felt the benefit of the Word then he will be taking all occasions to delight himself and refresh his soul in the VVord of God in reading hearing meditating because he hath found sensible benefit Use 1. To shame and humble us that we are so cold in our love It is an admirable and an incredible affection David here speaks Consider who it was that speaks thus David he that was incumbred with the employments of a Kingdom he that had so many Courtly pleasures so many great businesses to divert and draw him aside yet all his employment could not with-hold him from delighting himself in the VVord of God It was David that was a King and mark how he doth express himself he doth not say I endeavor to keep thy Word but I love thy Word Nay he saith more he speaks of it as a thing he could not express How I love thy Law No great wonder that we cannot express the excellency of the Word but that our affections which are so finite that these should not be exprest this is wonderful Then he speaks of it with Exclamation too O how I love thy Law and he speaks this to God the Septuagint read it Lord how have I loved thy Law He makes God himself to be Judge not only of the truth of his love as Peter makes Christ the Judge of the truth of his love I have many failings I have fallen foully of late but Lord thou knowest all things thou knowest I love thee but he makes God the Judge of the strength of his love Lord how do I love thy Law Have we any thing answerable Heart should answer heart Are there such affections wrought in us as David expresseth to be in himself This should shame us for we have more reason there is more of the VVord of God revealed to us more of the counsel of God discover'd the Canon of Scripture being enlarged more discover'd than ever was to David yet our affections so cold SERMON CII PSAL. CXIX VER 97. Oh how love I thy Law c. I Come now to a second Use. To press us to get this Love Take three Arguments 1. This will wean us from sinful delight that is apt to insinuate with us and take our hearts it will draw us off from carnal pastimes curious studies vain pamphlets if you had this Love here would be your recreation in the word of God Castae deliciae meae sunt Scripturae tuae saith Austin here are my chaste delights thy holy Scripture to be ruminating and meditating there Here you will be employing your time and strength of your thoughts There are two things mightily concern us to make Religion our business and recreation our business in regard of the seriousness and our recreation and delight in regard of the sweetness Now if you have a word from God here will be your delight you will be exercising your selves contemplating the height depth and breadth of God's Love in Christ Jesus and turning over this blessed book Iob 23. 12. I have esteemed the words of thy mouth more than my necessary food Your very food for sustentation of your bodies will not be so sweet to you as the word of God for the comfort and refreshing of the Soul when the promises are as dry breasts and withered flowers when men have little or no feeling of the power of it upon their hearts no wonder they are besotted with the pleasures of sin Mans mind must have some pleasure and oblectation but their harts are chained to carnal delights so that they cannot mind the business of their souls 2. Your hearts will be more stable and upright with God more constant in the profession of godliness when you come to love the word and love the truth for the truths sake 2 Thes. 2. 12. Because they received not the truth in the Love of it therefore God gave them up to strong delusions that they might believe lyes The Lord hath seen it sit ever to continue this dispensation in the course of his Providence to suffer seducing spirits to go forth to try how we have received the truth whether only in the bare profession of it or received it in the Love of it Many have received the truth in the light of it that is compelled by Conscience and by humane tradition and currant opinions and custom of the country to profess it but they do not love it therefore they
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
fire is sure to be led out of the way of peace and happiness When they forsake the light of God's Word and Spirit and follow a false light they run into sorrow and inconvenience and therefore weaker Christians are sometimes safer than those of stronger parts that lean to their own understandings and trust to carnal Policy Use 2. To prize the Scriptures because of this wisdom that is to be gotten in them A very poor creature that walks in the fear of God is wise to avoid the chiefest dangâ—…r to secure the greatest interest to avoid Hell beneath Prov. 15. 24. That wisdom hath escap'd the greatest danger the wrath of God and made sure of Heaven Christ and Salvation his great interest He that gives up himself to be govern'd by God's Word though never so plain and simple will be found to be the wisest man in the issue Psal. 119. 24. Thy testimonies are my delight and my counsellors When God's Testimonies are the men of our counsel this is that which will give true wisdom All things in this world are mutable and uncertain they continue not long we cannot foresee all changes therefore a wise man may be mistaken sometimes and do things he could wish were never done if he had consulted with God therefore now be wise this will tell you when to act and when to forbear not to be over-wise nor over-foolish Use 3. To get this wisdom from the Word of God that will make you wiser than your Adversaries Prov. 4. 7. Get wisdom that 's the principal thing and with all thy gettings get understanding There are some Maxims if we would have this wisdom so as to be wiser than our Enemies and some Graces First some Maxims 1. Season the heart with this Principle That it concerns you to secure your interest in Christ rather than the world Mat. 6. 34. Luk. 14. 26. 2. That we should not be sollicitous about events so much as duty or about dangers so much as sin 1 Chron. 19. 13. 2 Tim. 4. 17 18. 3. That in a way of duty it is better to depend upon Christ's care over us without using any carnal reaches to secure our selves 1 Pet. 5. 7. 1 Pet. 4. 19. 4. All which befalls the People of God is either good or tends to good Rom. 8. 28. 5. That when deliverance is more for our turn than bondage yokes and oppression we shall be sure to have it God hath engaged himself by Covenant that he will with-hold no good thing Psal. 84. 10. 6. Close adherence to God and constancy in obedience is the surest way to present ease and future deliverance Psal. 125. 3. 7. It is better to attend Gods leisure than to get out of trouble by any carnal means of our own Isa. 38. 15. 8. No man can be a loser by God though he suffers never so much for him Rom 8. 18. 2 Cor. 4. 17. 9. Then is our Adversary wiser than we when his opposition draws us to sin then and then only are we foiled by our Adversary Secondly There are some Graces also make us wise 1. To this wisdom Faith is necessary If we could but depend upon God in a good plain and down-right course we would not run to shifts nor change our selves into all shapes and colours Camelion-like unless it be white but you would support your selves with this that he would maintain you and bear you out 2. Fear of God which makes us tender of spirit that we dare not offend God nor break a Rule for all the World he fears a commandment more than a thousand dangers Prov. 13. 13. He that fears the Commandment shall be safe from fear of danger If a Commandment stand in his way he dares not go through it is more than if all the terrors of the World stand in his way he will endure all hazards rather than break through a Command SERMON CV PSAL. CXIX VER 99. I have more understanding than all my Teachers for thy testimonies are my meditation DAvid had spoken of his affection to the Word of God and then mention'd one special ground thereof which was the wisdom that he got thereby now this wisdom is amplified by comparing it with the wisdom of others Three sorts of men he mentioneth Enemies Teachers Ancients the Enemies excel in Policy Teachers in Doctrine and Ancients in Counsel and yet by the Word was David made wiser than all these Malice sharpens the wit of Enemies and teacheth them the Arts of opposition Teachers are furnish'd with Learning but Ancients they grow wise by Experience yet David by the study of the Word excell'd all these in the Text we may observe two things 1. David's Assertion concerning his profiting by the Word of God I have more understanding than all my Teachers 2. The Reason taken from his diligent use of the means For thy testimonies are my meditation For the first of these I have more understanding than all my Teachers To clear the words 1. It is certain that he speaks not this of his extraordinary Revelations as a Prophet but of that wisdom which he got by ordinary means The holy Men of God in the Old Testament consider'd as Prophets so they had extraordinary Visions and Revelations Now David speaks of that kind of knowledge got by the ordinary means not those special Revelations made to the Prophets for he renders the reason of it Thy testimonies are my meditation 2. It is certain he speaks not this by way of boasting for this is a Psalm of Instruction not an History or Narrative Now the Children of God would not commend their failings to the imitation of others and this which David speaks is rendred as a reason of his respect by the Word he got Wisdom above his Teachers Enemies and Ancients Briefly The intent and use of this Assertion will be knovvn by considering the quality of these Teachers here mention'd you may look upon them either 1 as faulty or defective in their duty 2 as performing their duty In both these Notions David vvas vviser than they or a Man of a better understanding 1. If you look upon them under a diminishing Notion so some vvould understand it thus that those vvhich instructed him in Humane Learning and Civil Discipline had not understanding as he that meditated in God's Testimonies If this vvere the sense there is no boasting but only comparing knovvledge vvith knovvledge the knovvledge of the Word vvith the knovvledge of ordinary Sciences and it gives us this Lesson That the great Sages of the World that do excel in secular Wisdom are but Fools to a Child of God they knovv the Secrets of Nature and he knovvs the God of Nature they dispute about the chiefest good and he enjoys it they knovv the use of natural things and he knovveth the use of spiritual This vvisdom and skill in outvvard things compar'd vvith the fear of God is but vanity and the vvisest Man must become a fool that he may be wise with
shew it by a constant and exact adherence to the directions thereof whatever temptations he meet with to the contrary David produceth this as one evidence of that affection in the first verse of this section or part O how I love thy Law I shall shew you 1. What Temptations there are to the contrary 2. What Reason there is to be exact and constant 1. What temptations to the contrary 1 From the Natural instability of our own hearts nothing is so changeable as man We have certain hearts for the present but we soon cool again and when temptations arise are carried off from God and that exactness and care that we were wont to shew in our Obedience to him what was said of Reuben is true of every man in some degree Gen. 49. 4. unstable as water 'T is carried hither and thither in various and uncertain motions So are we up and down off and on ebbing and flowing not stedfast in any good frame sometimes seen to have strong motions towards God and holiness but anon grow cold and careless or as a bird is now upon the top of a tree by and by upon the under branches and then upon the ground Such a different posture of spirit may every one observe in himself and sometimes in the same duty God is always the same and so are his ways they have the same lovelyness which they had before but we are not always the same The Rock standeth where it did but the waters slow too and again The least blast of a temptation maketh us break off our course Now this natural levity of spirit is a great hinderance to us We do not always see with the same eyes nor have we with the same degree of affection You did run well who hindred you Gal. 5. 7. There may be a ready forwardness and yet a great defection afterwards This uncertainty is not only at first before we are settled by grace or have any sound acquaintance with God's ways Then 't is most Iames 1. 8. But after conversion it remaineth with us in part Those measures of affection and zeal which we once obtained are not constant with us but suffer some notable decay and our edge is often taken off and blunted Especially our first love is not of long standing and our after carriage not answerable to our promising beginnings Now there is no satisfying reason for this change why we should make an halt and grow remiss and lag in the profession of Godliness and leave off our first works nothing but our changeableness of spirit 2 From the furious oppositions and malice of Satan and his instruments 1. Satan pursueth after men that would cleave to God's ways as Pharaoh did after the Israelites either to bring them back again or to weary them and vex them and make their present course uncomfortable to them Now the violent assault of multiplied temptations is apt to make us stagger and depart from that good course that we have propounded to our selves as the Israelites were running back to Aegypt because of the inconveniences of the wilderness But it should not be so a Christian should stand his ground Whom resist stedfast in the faith knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your Brethren that are in the world 1 Pet. 5. 9. They that make Conscience of their duty and are most set to serve and honour God must reckon upon the hottest battel and forest conflict from Satan to hinder or discourage them therein He watcheth all advantages and is still in action against them Now this should not shake us or loosen our adherence to the truths of the Gospel for so it is with every one that goeth to Heaven he must be watching praying striving yielding is not the way to be quiet but resisting if you yield to him in the least he will carry you farther and farther till he hath left thee under a stupified or terrified Conscience Stupified till thou hast lost all thy tenderness A stone at the top of a hill when it beginneth to rowl down ceaseth not till it come to the bottom Thou thinkest it is but yielding a little and so by degrees art carried on till thou hast sinned away all thy Profession and all Principles of Conscience by the secret witchery of his temptations And of the other side terrified till thy peace comfort and sweet sense of God's love be gone and thou brought under the black horrors of a dreadful despair Therefore a stout and peremptory resistance is the only means of safety Consider your case is not singular your lot is no harder than the rest of God's Children therefore do not depart from God 2 Satan's instruments may rage against us and yet we must not depart Psal. 44. 17 18. All this is come upon us yet have we not forgotten thee neither have we dealt falsly in thy Covenant our heart is not turned back neither have our steps declined from thy way All this what Scorn Disgrace Bloody Cruel Reproved Maligned Butchered yet stedfast with God in the profession of the faith hazards and troubles are no excuse this is but a time to shew our love to God our duty to God is the same still 3 From the example of others especially who are of esteem for Godliness example hath a mighty force upon men Man is a ductile Creature like sheep they run for company Not what we ought to do but what others do There are three Reasons of Natural Corruption the Flesh the Devil but first example of others Eph. 2. 2. In time past ye walked according to the course of this world The universal corrupt Course and custom of these among whom we live is a great snare To follow a multitude to do evil is a strong excitement but no sufficient excuse especially of good men They that are gracious may stagger strangely in reeling times and be overtaken with dangerous mistakes Now their sins authorize others and draw them into the snare Gal. 2. 12. Carried away with their dissimulation A strong stream or current impetuously doth carry all things away with it They take all for current that they do without examining their actions and so run away from the rule by their errors 4 From the Providence of God which may seem to be against those that are exact right or the sure way pointed out to us in his Word Two ways 1. In the manifold disapointments as to his favouring a good cause Their endeavours blasted many troubles befal them God's people are often put to tryals by God himself to try the sincerity of their love Blind Bartimeus rebuked by the Disciples 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 upon me And so Christ to the woman of Canaan Matth. 15. 22. to the 27th ver puts her off and are not we put to such tryals in these latter times when we own him God seemeth to put us
first declinings are a cause of all the rest remitting your watch and spiritual fervor by degrees you do not walk with such a strait foot he that looketh to the House to keep it tight and in constant repair prevents the fall of it 2. If through our infirmity we miscarry at any time we must not persist in a wrong course but reclaim speedily not depart wickedly Psal. 18. 21. not lie in the dirt when we have caught a fall There is a departing out of infirmity and a departing wickedly A Candle sucketh light if presently kindled again the longer we lie in our sins the worse the more care and the more speedy the more likely to succeed when there is any breach between us and God not lie in it 2dly As to publick Actions We live in changeable times but it is well that we have a sure Rule this may stablish your hearts if governed by sense and interest with what a gracious face shall we appear to the world Though you meet with troubles for being exact and punctual as to principles of Conscience and many disappointments from God yet in the issue that will be found to be the best course for you and yours Now when you see your duty for which you must consult both with Word and Spirit take heed of two things 1. Unbelief Heb. 3. 12. Take heed lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God The cause of Apostasie is Unbelief they do not look upon God's directions as judgments Men that look to the present face of things cannot see things to come and so miscarry Hezekiah in the midst of dangers and difficulties was steddy to God 2 Kings 18. 5 6. He trusted in the Lord God of Israel He clave to the Lord and departed not from following him but kept his commandments which the Lord commanded Moses Every duty hath a sanction invested with promises and threatnings therefore as there needeth obedience to make conscience of the precept so faith to believe the sanction which doth enliven the duty and keep our hearts under the awe of it 2. Mortification For till there be an indifferency to all events in temporal things we shall ever be departing and turning off from God sometimes allured out of our obedience sometimes afrighted out of it therefore till dead to worldly accidents and interests we are easily turned out of the way Heb. 12. 13. Lest that which is lame be turned out of the way That which is lame feeble and fearful good men may be carried away thus as Peter Too weak and unconstant are the best of men the least blast of temptation will make them leave off the course of well-doing and without respect had to conscience or credit openly to desert it For fear of man's offence Peter slippeth from his duty fear of losing applause or incurring hatred with men maketh us venture on God's dishonour unmortifi'd lusts make us more tender of our selves than of God Second Point That Divine Teaching causeth Constancy For therefore David saith I departed not for thou hast taught me Here 1. What it is to be taught of God 't is often spoken of in Scripture Isa. 54. 13. All thy children shall be taught of the Lord. John 6. 45. All taught of God Now God teacheth outwardly by his Word but inwardly by his Spirit these two must not be severed Our hearing is necessary Eph. 4. 21. If so be ye have heard him and have been taught by him as the truth is in Iesus The ordinary means of hearing him preached and set forth in the Gospel and publick Ministry and by that means doth Christ make use of it to teach us by his Spirit so Iohn 6. 45. Heard and learned of the Father it doth not seclude a teaching Ministry in the Gospel but it is said 1 Thes. 4. 9. Ye your selves are taught of God to love one another And 1 Iohn 2. 27. But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you and ye need not that any man teach you but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things and is truth and is no lye and even as it hath taught you ye shall abide in him It is a Rhetorical insinuation the Negative to be understood comparatively man 's teaching is nothing to what you have already by the Spirit On the other side much more doth it not exclude the Spirit upon whom the efficacy dependeth God teacheth by men but the effect is from his grace Mark 16. 20. They went forth preaching the Word the Lord working with them 1 Cor. 3. 6. Paul may plant and Apollo water but God giveth the increase The internal efficacy working by external means Docet Spiritus Sanctus sed per verbum saith Ferus docent Apostoli sed per co-operationem Spiritus Sancti God worketh in and by the means 2. Inwardly God teacheth two ways 1. By common Illumination 2. Special Operation 1. Common Illumination barely enlightning the mind to know or understand what he propoundeth by his Messengers so Rom. 1. 20. God shewed it to the Heathen For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen being understood by the things that are made even his eternal power and Godhead so that they are without excuse But then 2dly By way of special Operation effectually inclining the will to embrace and prosecute duties so known Ier. 31. 33. I will put my law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts This way of teaching is always effectual and persuasive now in this sense they are taught of God that they do not only get an ear to hear but an heart to understand learn and practise Secondly Why this teaching is the ground of constancy 1. They that are thus taught of God see things more clearly than others do God is the most excellent Teacher One man seeth a thing by candle-light another by day-light he seeth most clearly that seeth by noon-day The light of the Spirit doth clearly manifest things both Object and Faculty The Unction teacheth us all things 1 Iohn 2. 20. 2 Cor. 3. 18. A distinct clear abiding light Carnal men are blind 2 Pet. 1. 9. How sharp sighted soever in other things yet blind they do not see so as to affect their hearts 2. They know things more surely and with certainty of demonstration whereas others have but dubious conjectures and loose and wavering opinions about the things of God Iohn 6. 69. We believe and are sure that thou art that Christ the Son of the living God John 17. 8. Known surely that I came out from thee The many temptations and assaults we meet with need such a certain apprehension 3. This teaching is so efficacious and powerful as that the effect followeth Psal. 86. 11. Teach me thy way O Lord I will walk in thy truth 1 Cor. 2. 4. 'T is a lovely teaching causing us to cleave to what is taught 4. God reneweth this
prey is a man to Satan and is carried headlong to destroying courses when a man hath more zeal and earnestness of spirit than knowledge to guide him how will he stumble and dash upon things that are very contrary to the will of God 2 If they can discern them they shall not have a heart and skill to remedy them without understanding VVe shall not have a heart for light will be urging calling upon us minding us of our duty warning us of danger whereas otherwise we shall go on tamely like an Ox to the slaughter and like a Fool to the correction of the Stocks we shall not have this restless importunity of Conscience which is a great restraint of sin And then we shall not have the skill for all is misapplied and misconceived by an ignorant spirit for the whole business of his Religion is making Cordials instead of Purges and Potions instead of Antidotes catching at Promises when Threatnings belong to him lulling his soul asleep with new strains of grace when he should awaken himself to duty 2. Never count your selves to have profited in any thing till your hearts are awakened into a further hatred of sin Christians they are but Notions it is not saving knowledge unless it be in order to practice men have no understanding that have not this active and rooted enmity against sin Psal. 111. 10. A good understanding have all they that do his commandments They that hate sin more and are more weary of corruption He is made wiser by the Word that is made better by it It is not the talker against but the hater of iniquity that is the wise man If wisdom enters upon the heart and breaks out in our practice by that is our thriving in knowledge to be measured 1 Iohn 2. 3. Hereby we know that we know him if we keep his commandments This was God's scope in giving the Word not to make trial of mens wits who could most sharply conceive or of their memories who could most faithfully retain or of their eloquence who could most nimbly discourse but of the sincerity of the heart who could most obediently submit to the will of God Ier. 22. 16. when he had spoke of hating of sin and doing good Was not this to know me saith the Lord This is to know God to hate sin Outward things were not made for sight only but for use as Herbs Plants and Stars so our Reason and the Scriptures the Lord hath given us it is not only for sight but for use that we may be wise to salvation not that we may please our selves with acute notions about the things of God but seriously set our hearts to practise The fourth thing in this general Point is That this wisdom and understanding is gotten by God's precepts Mark I hate every false way why Because by thy precepts I get understanding Where have we it by studying God's Word Rom. 3. 20. By the Law is the knowledge of sin How is the knowledge of sin by the Law three ways according to the nature of the sin according to who is the sinner and according to the guilt and dreadful estate of them that lie in a state of sin so the knowledge of sin that is the nature of it and where it lives and where it reigns and what will be the effects of it all this knowledge is by the Law 1. By the Law is the knowledge of sin quoad naturam peccati There are many things we should never know but by the Law of God though we have some general notions of good and evil Rom. 7. 7. saith the Apostle I had not known sin but by the Law for I had not known lust except the Law had said Thou shalt not covet Those first stirrings and secret lingrings of heart and inclinations to that which is cross to the Will of God that they go before all consent of will and all delight these things we could never discern by the light of nature 2. Quoad subjectum what is the sinner and who is guilty of it So Rom. 7. 9. I was alive without the Law once but when the Commandment came sin revived and I died He saw his lost miserable undone condition by the Law of God The acts of sin are discovered by the Word of God it discovers the thoughts and intents of the heart Heb. 4. 12. and state of sin our natural face the condition wherein we are is to be seen in this glass 3. Quoad reatum magnitudinem peccati what will be the effects of it Rom. 5. 20. The Law entred that the offence might abound Therefore the Law was given that it might work a deep sense of the evil consequents of sin and what wrath man was bound over to for violating the righteous Law The Law represents the heinous nature of sin as it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a transgression of the Law as it strikes at God's Being or at God's Authority seeks to justle him out of the Throne as it contradicts his Sovereignty and plucks the Scepter out of his hand and the Crown from his head and makes men to say Who is Lord over us As if we had nothing to guide us but our own Lusts the Word of God discovers this pride of heart and then the manifold mischiefs of sin are discovered we get this understanding by the Word It is better to know these mischiefs of sin by the threatnings of the Word than by our own bitter experience it is sin that separates from God and renders us uncapable of all blessings Use 1. Study your selves and take a view of the case and state of your souls by the glass of the Word see what you gain by every reading hearing every time you converse with him what is given out to convince you of sin or awaken your soul against sin 2. When you consult with the Word beg the light of the Spirit which is only lively and efficacious The Apostle speaks of knowing things in the evidence and demonstration of the Spirit and of power 1 Cor. 2. 4. There is the same demonstration of the Spirit there 's a manifest difference between the evidence of Reason and Arguments held out from a natural understanding and between the illumination or the demonstration of the Spirit There are many that may have a full knowledge of the letter and the sense of the words as they lie open to the evidence of reason yet be without the light and power of those truths for that 's a fruit of the demonstration of the Spirit the lively light of the Holy Ghost that goes along with the word SERMON CXII PSAL. CXIX VER 105. Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path THE present world as much as it suits with our carnal nature 't is but like a howling wilderness with respect to Canaan in which there are many crooked paths and dangerous precipices yea many privy snares and secret ambushes laid for us by
want of those good things for which he comes and his unability to supply himself with any thing without God nay his ill deservings how just he might be denied of God and cursed by all manner of plagues how he hath forfeited all manner of blessings this must be at the bottom 2. The Sacrifices implied an eying of the Redeemer by vertue of whose oblation and intercession we are accepted with God for every one that came with his Sacrifice was to lay his hand upon the head of the Beast to put his sins there to shew Christ bore the iniquity of us all and in every Prayer we make there is this Evangelical Equity by vertue of the old Sacrifice remaining upon us that we should eye the Redeemer even Christ Jesus our Lord Who hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savor Eph. 5. 2. He is the Expiatory Sacrifice and therefore in all our supplicatory or gratulatory offerings to God we must still look to him The word an offering relates to things destitute of life that were dedicated to God as Flour Oil Frankincense that which was signified thereby was accomplish'd in Christ And for the other word Sacrifice gave himself as an offering and sacrifice The Beasts whose blood was shed those things which had life in them were call'd a real Sacrifice offer'd to God to appease his justice Thus Christ Jesus was given as a Sacrifice to obtain all manner of blessings for us We should look upon God as an Allsufficient Fountain of grace and the Author of every good gift depending upon him for his goodness and bounty for Christ's sake 3. In Sacrifices there was implied a renewing of Covenant so the Lord saith Psal. 50. 5. Gather my Saints together that have made a covenant with me by sacrifice As they did dedicate the Beast offer'd to God so was the Worshipper to dedicate himself to God Now we must renew this dedication of our selves to the Lord's service all this was morally in the Sacrifices and is to be done every day in our future prayers with brokenness of heart eying our Redeemer casting our whole dependance upon him and in a sense of his love dedicating and devoting our selves to God Secondly For the other duty of Thanksgiving and Praise for mercies receiv'd Every point and passage of his undeserv'd favor to be own'd and praise thereof to be given to God and still to look on all done not for our sakes but for the sake of Christ Jesus You read under the Law Lev. 3. 3. when the thank-offering was brought to God it was to be laid upon the top of the burnt-offering First they were to bring the burnt-offering and offer that to God then to lay upon it the peace or thank-offering to shew that first we must be reconcil'd to God and by vertue of that all mercies descend and come down upon us and then upon this solemn occasion they were to give up themselves anew to the Lord. So the Apostle presseth this Rom. 12. 1. I beseech you Brethren by the mercies of God that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice holy acceptable unto God which is your reasonable service And this is one part of the offering of our lips namely when we come solemnly by vertue of every mercy receiv'd and promise obedience anew and afresh to God To apply this 1 Are you Priests 2 Do you offer Sacrifices of prayer and praise to God continually First Are you Priests unto God Are you Priests by separation Hath God call'd you out from amongst men Psal. 4. 3. The Lord hath set apart the man that is godly for himself Hath God call'd you off from sin to holiness from Self to Christ from the Creature to God For these are the three things wherein Conversion consists From the Creature to God as our last end from Self to Christ as the onely means to come to God and from sin to holiness as the onely way to get an interest in Christ. Are you call'd off from the common course of living wherein most men are involv'd that you may live and act for God Are you Priests by Unction Are you anointed by the Spirit as to gifts and graces and qualifi'd and made meet for this holy ministration unto God Christ hath purchas'd gifts in some measure for his people For as we were maim'd in Adam not only as to graces but also as to gifts so is our restitution by Christ that the plaister may be as broad as the sore We have necessary gifts given us by vertue of his Ascension whereby we may lay open our state and case to God Indeed all God's people have not a like measure of gifts and carnal men may come behind in no gift therefore have you the grace of prayer Zech. 12. 10. I will pour upon them the spirit of grace and supplication Have you a heart qualifi'd by grace made meet to converse with God The tendency and disposition of your souls that carrieth you to God Grace that seeks a vent and utterance in prayer and holy converses with God And are you Priests by Purgation Every Priest was to be washt in the great Laver Are you washt and purg'd from sin that you may serve God acceptably Mal. 3. 3. first they must be purifi'd then offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness God will not take a gift out of a carnal man's hand and therefore you should look to this that you be purifi'd and purg'd Secondly Do you offer spiritual Sacrifices to God of Prayer and Praise 1. Prayer a duty very kindly to the Saints It is natural to them it is as it were the sphere of their activity the Spirit discovers himself to men in Prayer as soon as they are converted to God they will fall a praying and be dealing with God often in this kind therefore the children of God are described by this as a duty wherein they are most exercis'd Zeph. 3. 10. My Suppliants And Psal. 24. 6. This is a generation of them that seek thee To shew this is a vital act a usual and constant expressing of the new nature that is put into them surely they that love God will be always seeking him and a broken heart sensible of its condition can never want an Errand to the Throne of Grace You are to offer Sacrifices as they did under the Law now under the Law there was a daily Sacrifice every morning they were to offer a Lamb without spot Num. 28. 3. to shew that every morning they should come and sue out their pardon by Christ and every evening to look to the Messiah the Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the World that was the intent of the Type Now I reason thus certainly we have as much need as they we are sinners as well as that people which liv'd under that dispensation therefore every morning we must look to the Lamb of God Nay we have more reason for
before them all saying I know not the man Or when we take any sinful course for temporal safety as when David seigned himself mad before Achish 1 Sam. 21. 13. Or when our spirits are fill'd with passion against the instruments of our trouble and with uncomely heats as Peter drew a Sword in a rash zeal and had no thanks for it but a Rebuke from Christ. Or when we suffer in a heartless and uncomfortless manner as God's children sometimes are in dejections of spirit David took notice of his drooping and disconsolateness Psal. 42. 5. when he flitted up and down in the Wilderness and pursu'd with Saul's Army he had his droopings and discomforts in these Cases we forget the Word of God 2dly To press you to courage and constancy in a time of danger to endure all Extremities rather than do any thing against the Word of God Here I shall inquire 1. What is this Christian Courage There is Military Valor and Christian Valor The one consists in doing the other in suffering great things Peter at Christ's death had more of the Military Valor and Fierceness than of the Passive Valor for he that could venture on a Band of Men was foiled by a Damsels question The one dependeth on hastiness of temper greatness of blood and spirits the other upon Faith and submission of God's Will Acts 7. 55. He being full of the Holy Ghost look'd up stedfastly into heaven and saw the glory of God and Iesus standing at the right hand of God It is spoken when the People gnashed on him with their teeth then full of the Holy Ghost There is the Habit of Fortitude and the Act of it when led on There is a great deal of difference between the courage of wicked men and the faith and fortitude of good Christians We see rude men are undaunted in the face of danger but the fortitude of Christians consisteth in lifting up their eyes and hearts to Heaven others not for as soon as they think of God their courage faileth the more brave the more they shut out the thought of divine things all sense of God and immortality 1 Cor. 15. 32. Let us eat and drink for to morrow we shall dye It is a brutish fury inflam'd by Wine stir'd up by Trumpets and Drums not stir'd up by the consolations of God or remembrance of his Covenant then they are dejected Rev. 6. 15 16 17. 2dly To remove such Objections as may hinder your Courage and Constancy 1. It is a sore temptation to keep our service but we must stand to God's Providence to honour him by service or by suffering as he shall think good We are to honour God in his own way we are not to stretch Conscience in the least degree to continue it God hath no need of thy sin when God hath a mind to lay you aside submit 2. The smalness of the difference is another Objection If it were to turn Turk or Heathen or Papist men will say They would not do so and so God standeth upon every peek of his word every dust of truth is precious 3. Another Objection is this We shall be interpreted to hinder the Publick Peace I answer If it be possible as much as lieth in you live peaceably with all men Rom. 12. 18. But be sure not to betray the Cause of God nor lose the Interest of Christ that is not possible which is not lawful in a moral sense 4. Another Objection is That we shall be accounted peevish rash stubborn I answer We must be led to credit There is a difference between men stubborn and obstinate and zealous Many may sacrifice a stout body to a stubborn mind but be couragious and constant in the service of God 3dly What is necessary to this well-temper'd Courage that we may suffer not out of humour but out of conscience towards God not because formerly engag'd by profession or out of a desire of a name and esteem among Religious persons but out of Obedience to God who commandeth us to chuse afflictions rather than sin To this Resolution there is necessary 1. An heart weaned from the World Mat. 6. 24. otherwise a man will act very uncertainly and his zeal for God be very uneven 2. An heart intirely devoted to God Every one that cometh to Christ must be thus resolved Luke 14. 26. 3. An heart purged from sin or else our zeal is not uniform besides that our lusts will weaken our courage A carnal person suffering in a good cause is of no account with God The Priests were to search the Burnt offering if sound or had any defect or blemish upon them He that keepeth the Commandments is best able to suffer for them Mat. 5. 10. Blessed are they that suffer for righteousness sake A Martyr must have all the precedent graces 4. An heart that lieth under a deep sense of Eternity and things to come 1 Ioh. 5. 4. This is the victory we have over the world even our faith Not any looking backward but forward SERMON CXX On the Fifth of NOVEMBER PSAL. CXIX VER 110. The wicked have laid a snare for me yet I erred not from thy precepts HEre is the second Assault made upon David's Integrity the secret snares laid for him The Enemies of God's People do not always go to work in the way of open Persecution and directly for Righteousness sake but then they lay snares what they cannot do by open force they seek to do by fraud Many that have stood out with courage against the shock of violence have been taken in a snare as the Prophet that resisted the King was enticed by the blandishments of the old Prophet 1 Kings 13. Persecution is a more gross way and liable to Exception and therefore they must go secretly to work Sometimes this life is a continued temptation and a Christian that walketh in the world walketh in the midst of snares set for him by his Enemies bodily and spiritual The Devil is the great Snare-layer and wicked men learn it of him The wicked have laid a snare for me c. In the words observe 1. David's Temptation A snare laid for him 2. The Persons who manag'd the Temptation The wicked 3. The Success and Issue Tet I erred not from thy precepts Doct. The Godly have often Snares laid for them not only by Satan but by wicked men Now Snares are to entice or endanger or of a mixt nature 1. Snares to entice them from their Duty Thus the blandishments of the whorish Woman are call'd a snare Prov. 7. 23. As the Bird hasteth unto the snare and knoweth not that 't is for his life Of this nature are crafty Insinuations Baits of Preferment Profit Pleasure or any carnal advantage to pervert our Judgments and draw us off from our Duty 2. Snares to endanger their safety clog'd with some spightful condition to entrap others or when there is a Plot-laid to endanger others as Ieremy complaineth Jer. 18. 22. They have digged
when all humane probabilities are taken away and we have nothing but Gods Providence to live upon II. Second Consideration Though he bear long yet he hath his times to punish and arise to judgment First With respect to himself and his own Glory Psal. 9. 16. The Lord is known by the judgment which he executeth Little of God would be taken notice of in the World unless he did now and then give out sensible demonstrations of his power and justice and mindfulness of humane affairs What strange conceits would men else have of God! as if no God no Providence no distinction between good and evil but as if God were indifferent to either and did favour good and bad alike and therefore 't is in vain to trouble our selves about the Worship and Service of God no reward nor punishment These are the uses the wicked make of Gods forbearance either to deny God and Providence Psal. 55. 19. Because they have no changes therefore they fear not God If they be shifted from Vessel to Vessel they corrupt and settle upon the Lees Zeph. 1. 12. they say God will not do good neither will he do evil nor interpose but suffereth enemies to trample upon his people and glorious name or else pervert the interpretation of Providence Psal. 50. 21. Thou thoughtest I was altogether such a one as thy self as if he did favour their ways They misinterpret Providence and make the Sun go according to their Dial or else ascribe the act of Providence to themselves Deut. 32. 27. Lest they should say Our hand is high and the Lord hath not done all this When long permitted to prosper they think they have mastered Heaven that there is no power superior to theirs and they can carry all before them at their pleasure Therefore God must vindicate himself by his works and give out some demonstrations to sense that there is a distinction between good and evil That God is differently affected to either that he hateth the evil and loveth the good and accordingly there is a reward and punishment Psal. 58. 11. Verily there is a reward for the righteous God is fain to teach them by Briers and Thorns or else the stupid World would not take notice of it but think the World is governed by Chance not administred by an Almighty Alwise and most just Providence they knew not what to think of Providence when they saw the Godly oppressed and the Wicked high in power Secondly With respect to his people Surely God will not always chide for God considers the weakness of man Psal. 103. 14. He remembers we are but Dust. The hearts of his people would fail and faint and they would be tempted to some forbidden course to ease themselves Isai. 59. 16. He knows our spirits would fail God would not have us utterly to be discouraged We are liable to temptations Psal. 125. 3. The Rod of the wicked shall not rest upon the lot of the righteous lest the righteous put forth their hands to iniquity Therefore he hath his breathing times and times of intermission from trouble The spirits of a poor Creatures would soon be drunk up if there were not some well days therefore he will shew himself to his people Thirdly With respect to the wicked who would grow excessive and outragious in sin Rom. 2. 5. But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thy self wrath against the day of wrath Eccl. 8. 11. Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily therefore the hearts of the sons of men are fully set in them to do evil grow bold resolute and setled in an evil way go on without remorse because they go on without trouble and so grow to be Monsters in sin 'T is only faith that can see afar off but Infidelity and Atheism mind not what is to come and look only to what is present Well then lest wicked men should thus continue themselves in sin God hath his time to reckon with them his Justice is not asleep all this while but God keeps a petty Sessions in this World before the general Assizes Now concerning this time let me tell you four things 1. There is a time appointed There is an end of all things not only an expected end but also an appointed end Hab. 2. 3. The vision is for an appointed time things are not left to their own hazard and chance to work out their own end but ordered and appointed by the wise God Dan. 11. 27. Yet the end shall be at the time appointed Verse 35. To try them and purge them and to make them white even to the time of the end because it is yet for a time appointed There is a course of Providence set by God which shall at length come to its end and period 2. This is the best time 1 Pet. 5. 6. That he may exalt you in due time There is a due time as well as a set time There is nothing in the whole administration of God preposterous unseasonable or disorderly Wait but a little and you shall see the reason of all this course of dispensations for God doth all things in number weight and measure If it had come sooner or later it would not have come so seaâ—…nably Eccl. 11. 3. He hath made every thing beautiful in its time When Gods work is done and all things are put together you will see a marvellous beauty in it 'T is just with the work of Providence as with the work of Creation every days work was good But when God saw all his works together in their frame and correspondence All was very good Gen. 1. 31. We would think that God should come sooner to our deliverance God is not slack but we are too hasty if he should come sooner it would be the worse for us We would have thought God should have owned Ioseph in the Pit No God stays till he be cast into Prison and in Prison Ioseph would fain come out as soon as Pharaoh's Butler was come out but he forgot him God would not have it so he must tarry there till Gods time was come and then had not only deliverance out of Prison but preferment So many times we would be contented with half a deliverance and would have it now but God will give it us in the best season 3. 'T is but a short time Say sense what it will 't is but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a little little while and he that shall come will come and will not tarry Heb. 10. 37. 'T is not so long as enemies would make it for they would root out the memorial of Gods Children Not so long as sin would make it or as fancy would conceive it Suffering hours pass tediously we count Quarters and Minutes when we are in pain or anxious expectation we think an hour a week a week a month a month a year and every year seven Yea not so long as reason would make it as to probabilities and
when in hand and in present expectation work far otherwise than they do when they are considered at a distance So when the effects of sin are looked upon as near at hand when faith makes them present then they stir up these affections in the soul. Fifthly A fifth cause is from their publick Spirit and tender respect to the common good When they wisely foresee approaching dangers they are moved with the love and care of their Countrey and this melteth them They know sin is of a destroying nature that one sinner destroyeth much good Eccl. 9. 18. One sinner may do his Countrey a great deal of mischief an open bold fac'd Sinner Achan troubled the whole Camp Iosh. 7. 11 12. much more when a multitude of Sinners are encreased therefore they sigh and mourn Godly men are the truest friends to their native soil they are the Chariots and Horsemen of Israel Those that plead with God stand in the Gap keep off Judgments and have the most publick spirit therefore the least they can do is to sigh for it and to plead with wicked men as Tertullian Si non vis tibi parcere parce Carthagini If thou wilt go on with thy soul-destroying course and wilt not spare thy self yet spare Carthage This will be bitterness in the issue The Children of God are always of a publick Spirit David fasted for his enemies Psal. 35. Abraham prayed to God for Sodom a neighbour Countrey the godly Israelites were good friends to Babylon in their Captivity Ier. 29. 11. Seek the peace of the City whither I have caused you to be carried captive and pray unto the Lord for it for in the peace thereof ye shall have peace If nothing but their interest and share in the common rest and quietness Passengers are concerned in the welfare of the Vessel wherein they are imbarked Babylon fared the better for the Jews prayers Now more especially are their hearts carried out with a respect to their native Soil and dearest comforts therefore this melteth them to see the Land defiled with sins and ready for Judgments SERMON CLII. PSAL. CXIX VER 136. Rivers of water run down mine eyes because they keep not thy Law USE 1. For reproof of two sorts of persons 1. Those that do not lay to heart their own sins Usually men make their affections to prescribe to their judgment and cavil at the fervorous exercises of Religion because unpleasant to flesh and blood To humble our selves before the Lord with a pressing sorrow seriously and indeed to rend our hearts and not our garments In this wanton and delicate Age men are apt to think I speak of a Theam obsolete and out of date as calculated for former times when men were more tender hearted if we could awaken some of the old godly professors out of their Graves as the Prophet calleth up Rachel to weep in Ramah for her Children Ier. 31. 15. then we might hope to prevail Alas to plead now for mourning over the sins of others when men think it a crime to mourn for their own this is like to be lost labour Were this the humour only of ungodly Wretches it might be born with silence and patience but those that would be taken for Christians of the highest form are altogether prejudiced against such Doctrines as this Men would be honeyed and oyled with Grace and distaste the wholesome discipline of repentance as too severe They cry out we are legal How may the poor Ministers of the Gospel go to God and say as Moses did Exod. 6. 12. The Children of Israel have not hearkened unto me how then shall Pharaoh hear me The Professors of Religion will not brook such Doctrine and how shall we hope to prevail with the poor blind carnal world To scoff at Doctrines of repentance and humiliation was once a badg of prophaneness many now adopt it into their Religion But be not deceived the Gospel doth not take away the Conscience of sin It may take away the fear of Hell and damnation upon right terms The heart of flesh is a promise and the spirit of Grace is a promise or mourning apart is a promise You that say that justified persons must no more mourn for sin you may as well say they shall no longer have an heart of flesh or a spirit of Grace and supplications that they shall no longer have a tender Conscience Be not deceived there must be some time to weep for your own sins as Peter went out and wept bitterly Sorrow must have its turn in the Christian life I would press it upon you by this Argument You cannot be sorrowful for others sins unless you be first sorrowful for your own sins Grief must begin at home there where you have the advantage of Conscience and inward remorse 'T is hypocrisie to pitch upon other mens sins and neglect our own as some will zealously declaim against publick disorders yet neglect their own hearts as the crafty Lapwing will go up and down fluttering and crying to draw the Fowler from her own Nest. We have a nest of sin of our own and we are loth it should be rifled and exposed to publick view 2. It reproveth them that in times of publick defection never take care to mourn over Gods dishonour We complain and murmure under our Judgments but do not weep over our sins every person and family apart Whether it be out of negligence and carnal security or out of distaste and displeasure against the conduct of present affairs we seem to have lost our publick affections and can only wonder at the Children of God in former times since they were so broken and tender To many that would now go for Professors this Doctrine seemeth a Riddle a mere strain of wit and fancy like a precept wire-drawn or elevated beyond its pitch and tenour But in the fear of God consider what hath been spoken There are many abuses in our reflections upon the sins of others Wicked men are quite otherwise disposed they do not only do evil themselves but take pleasure in those that do so Rom. 1. 32. would be glad that sin were more common that it might be less odious and then there would be none to put them to the blush Prov. 2. 14. It is said they rejoyce to do evil and delight in the frowardness of the wicked So the Prophet speaks of some corrupt men in the Priesthood They eat up the sin of my people and they set their heart on their iniquity Hos. 4. 8. God had appointed those that served at the Altar should live of the Altar have a proportion of those Offerings Now they flattered them in their sins so they might have meat and get a portion of the Sacrifices Many that would be accounted Ministers care not for the sins of the people but think the less serious men are in Religion the better they can work them to their private advantages and have more respect among them Then there are some
Trouble and I will deliver thee and thou shalt glorifie me So Col. 4. 2. Continue in Prayer and watch in the same with thanksgiving We are to gather up matter of Praise to God we should not be so barren in gratulation if we did observe more of these experiences You would not only be glorifying God by way of invocation but Commemoration you may Commend him to others from your own experience Psal. 34. 8. O taste and see that the Lord is good 1. Use. Is to reprove them that throw away their Prayers and never look after them that play with such a Duty as this as Children that shoot away their Arrows and never look where they light Surely this argueth great Contempt and low Thoughts of God Formality in prayer and Stupidness of Heart It bespeaks low thoughts of God and of his Providence for if they did believe such a particular Providence reacheth to all persons and things they would study to produce some of these Experiences to be able to say I was in such a streight and God delivered me Psal. 34. 6. This poor man cryed unto the Lord and he heard him Great Formality in Prayer for if we pray not out of Course but in good earnest we cannot but hearken after the speeding of our requests Great stupidity of Spirit hearts that have any sense of life in them are observing Gods dealings and suit their Carriage accordingly Lively Christians are putting Cases 2. Use. Is to press us to hearken after the Answer of our Prayers Gods Children do so and get much Comfort thereby and Evidence of his Love Psal. 66. 18 19. But verily God hath heard me he hath attended to the voice of my Cry 't is no small favour and respect we have from Gods love to us 't is a great owning of our Persons our Mercies are the sweeter there is a double lustre and beauty put upon them when they come in the way of prayer out of the hand of God not by a Common Providence but by Covenant and by vertue of the Covenant put in suit by us as well as granted by God which is a pledge of God's respect to us To this End 1. Be perswaded that God will hear you and answer you when you pray according to his Will 1 Ioh. 5. 14. And this is the Confidence that we have in him that if we ask any thing according to his Will he heareth us This is absolutely necessary for all that will pray aright and mind what they do for none can come to God aright but those that are perswaded they shall be the better for coming to him Iames 1. 5. Pray in Faith nothing wavering There must be a relying upon God if indeed we pray to him He that expects little in Prayer will neither be much in it nor serious about the answer of it 2. This Answer must be heedfully observed Careless Spirits will not easily discern it Psal. 130. 5 6. I wait 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 As those that watched in the Temple for the dawning of the day this earnest waiting is an happy Token when we make much of prayers they are not lost Therefore as they watched for the Word Brethren so must you wait upon God for some discovery of his Love by a gracious answer and return unto your Prayers 3. Sometimes God giveth an answer presently sometime it may be after some competent space of time 1. Sometimes presently as Cornelius in the time of Prayer and while the duty is a doing God giveth in some tokens of Acceptance as an Angel was sent to Cornelius at the ninth hour which was the hour of prayer to assure him that his prayers were heard and duties accepted Acts 10. 3. Peter and Iohn went up to pray at the ninth hour Acts 3. 1. So Daniel Whilst I was speaking and praying and Confessing my sin yea whilest I was speaking in prayer the Man Gabriel was caused to fly swiftly The Lord is ready to answer the prayers of his servants in the very instant of their praying So Acts 4. 3. While they prayed they were filled with the Holy-Ghost The Cases brought are singular and extraordinary as to the token and manner of Assistance but as to the substance of the Blessing 't is the common practice of Gods free Grace Isa. 58. 10. When they call I will answer while they are yet speaking I will hear Acts 12. 12 18. A Company was met together in Prayer when Peter in Prison heard of the time of his Deliverance 2. Sometimes a good while after the prayers are in Gods book Mal. 3. 16. Now these must be waited for My God will hear me Mich. 7. 7. We cannot say assoon as the prayer is made for he saith I will wait for the God of my Salvation Paul prayed thrice for the removal of the Messenger of Satan 2 Cor. 12. then God said My grace is sufficient for thee We must knock again and again God heareth assoon as the prayer is made but he taketh his own time to dispatch an answer Abraham prayeth for a Child but many years pass over till he hath him in his Armes 4. When God giveth an Answer own it as an Answer sometimes we will not take notice of what is before our Eyes out of deep distress of Spirit 't is said Iob 9. 16. Though I had called and he had answered yet would I not believe that he had hearkned to my Voice Thus we mis-interpret Gods dealings in our troubles that we will not own Gods work as an Answer 5. Consider the several ways how God giveth Answer to his Peoples prayers 1. Extraordinarily as in Ancient time so an Angel was sent to Cornelius to tell him his Prayers were heard So to Daniel so to Abel Heb. 11. 4. probably by Fire from Heaven by Vision to Abraham by Voyce or visible token to Moses and the High-Priest in the Tabernacle of the Congregation from above the Mercy-seat But these returns were proper to those times 2. Ordinary and this several wayes 1 Either by granting the Mercy prayed for as to Hannah 1 Sam. 1. 27. For this Child I prayed and the Lord hath given me the Petition I asked of him So to David Psal. 21. 2. Thou hast given him his hearts desire and hast not with-holden the request of his lips So often to his People when they have humbly sought to him Sometimes instantaneous at the very praying 1 Sam. 7. 9 10. And Samuel cryed unto the Lord for Israel and the Lord heard him and as Samuel was offering up the burnt-offering the Philistines drew neer to Battel against Israel and the Lord discomfited the Philistines Or by degrees when God is preparing Instruments before he giveth Consummate deliverance Acts 7. 34. I have heard their groanings and I will send thee into Aegypt Their
powerful to Convert from one Religion to another from one state to another 1. From one Religion to another have any of the nations changed their gods Ier. 2. 11. there needs much ado to bring men from a false Religion wherein they have been brought up how vain and foolish soever it be yet this power the Word hath Though the Doctrine of a Crucified Christ were so distastful partly as now drawing men from their old Temples and Altars and Ceremonies wherein they were educated especially as incredible offering Life by one that died and partly as contrary to the carnal Gust as requiring Duties distastful to flesh and blood and ingaging in Troubles and Persecutions yet it prevailed 2. Converting men from a state of Nature to a state of Grace so that they are as it were born To bring men to hate what they naturally love and love what we naturally hate 't is hard to alter the nature of things Isa. 11. 6. To quicken the Dead to purifie the Unclean confirm the Weak to meeken the Proud and Passionate Oh who would not reverence such a Word such a Law and Doctrine as can do all this yet this and much more hath the Word done 3. It s Authority Eccl. 8. 3 4. Where the word of a King is there is power or Authority to back it how is it where God's is We reckon not of the words of a private Person though never so wise Eccl. 9. 14 15 16. The poor mans wisdom is despised and his words are not heard Where the command of a King cometh it cometh with Authority for he hath power to back it and to avenge himself on whosoever shall contradict it but wise counsel where there is no Authority to enforce it is little regarded but now with God is Soveraign Majesty and in his Word wherein Sentence is pronounced concerning every Person and Action according to which Judgment doth proceed and will be executed 2. Reason is taken from the matter of the Word 't is direction about our Everlasting concernments Deut. 32. 46 47. Set your hearts unto all the things which I command you this day for it is not a vain thing it is your life In a matter of Life and death a man cannot be too exact and nice yea in the obedience or disobedience of the Word Life or Death Eternal is concerned yea in every action morally considered the Word telleth you what is the Merit of it and what will be the Event or an evil or a good estate Man would fain know his destiny whether happy or miserable here you may know whether you shall live for ever with God Man in his Laws doth not Threaten or Promise beyond his Power his Power reacheth to mens outward Estate and no further and is only limited to the bounds of the present Life therefore the sanction of their Laws are never extended beyond the Promises or Threats of present and outward Good to give or take away mens Liberty Wealth Estate Life at most But God Threatneth everlasting Fire Matth. 25. 41. Promiseth an Inheritance Immortal 1 Pet. 1. 4. As God commandeth inward Holiness Righteousness Love so Eternal Rewards and Eternal Penalties things that concern us more nearly than Estates Liberties Peace yea our Lives themselves 3. Reason Because of the profit of standing in Awe of the Word 1. It fortifieth us and preserveth us in such Temptations as arise from the Fear of Man where there is a Reverence and Awfulness of Gods Word the greater Awe overcometh the less In such a Temptation a Man may miscarry two ways by Distrust of God and Disobedience to him The one is the Cause of the other Now that we may not distrust him 't is good to set Fear against Fear God against the Creature Ier. 1. 8. Be not afraid of their face for I am with thee to deliver thee saith the Lord. His powerful Protection should incourage us against their wrathful disposition Isa. 51. 12 13. Who art thou that thou shouldest be afraid of a man that shall die and the son of man that shall be as grass and forgettest the Lord thy Maker The Immortal and Almighty God is able to bear us out a due sense of the Power of the Almighty checketh the Fear of Men. Or by Disobedience we dishonour him certainly a gracious heart feareth more to offend God than to fall into any Temporal inconvenience Isa. 8. 12 13. Neither fear ye their fear nor be afraid but sanctifie the Lord of hosts himself and let him be your fear and dread 1 Pet. 3. 14 15. But if ye suffer for righteousness sake happy are ye and be not afraid of their terrour but sanctifie the Lord God in your hearts But let him be your Fear and your Dread Be afraid to offend so Holy a Majesty the Countenance of Princes is very awful unto Men but the Fear of Gods Wrath should overcome the fear of Mans Displeasure even of the Greatest Heb. 11. 27. He feared not the wrath of the king because he saw him that was invisible 2. It maketh a man sincere When a Man standeth in Awe of the Word he obeyeth in Presence and Absence Phil. 2. 12. and avoideth secret as well as open Sins Gen. 39. 9. Sins of Thought as well as in Deed. Heart-sins which the Laws of Men cannot take hold of but the Fear of God is in stead of all Laws 2 Cor. 1. 12. Conscience is to them more than shame of men Something without keepeth back wickedmen but something within the Godly Abners question was not good how shall I hold up my face to thy brother Ioah 2 Sam. 2. 22. he should have said how shall I hold up my face to the Lord thy God Though an upright man might do wickedly uncontrouled of man and no body seeth him or punisheth him yet Reverence of God and his Word restraineth him 3. It maketh a man punctual and exact when afraid to do any thing contrary to Gods revealed Will 't is Universal and 't is Powerful 'T is Universal the Soul that maketh Conscience of the Word is more thorough in Obedience there will be failings but for the main his Heart is sound with God and lesser failings are retracted by Repentance Psal. 141. 1 2. And Powerful stand in Awe and sin not Psal. 4. 4. this will cause us to stop in an evil Course on the remembrance of our Duty as Davids Heart smote him when he cut off the Lap of Sauls Garment Some think the Text then verified my heart standeth in Awe of thy Word a Commandment was in his way Use. I. Is to shew us what frame of Spirit they are under who despise the Word 1. All do so who Deliberately and Voluntarily prefer their own Will before the Will of God 2 Sam. 12. 9. Wherefore hast thou sinned in despising the commandment They obeyed their own inclination whatever the Word saith to the contrary Despising the commandment is the root of all Sin as Formality of wilful
of the Lord. By seeing him in the Word considering him as alwayes present with us the heart is Coloured and Dyed by the Object it often thinketh upon Oh! therefore be perswaded to set the Lord before you For Means 1. To see God aright we need Faith for God is Invisible and invisible things are only seen by Faith Heb. 11. 1. and the Instance is in Moses Verse 27. By faith he saw him that was invisible Many have an opinion that God knoweth all things but they have not a sound belief of it 't is what is owned by the Tongue rather than the heart Cold and dead opinions are easily taken up but a lifely Faith is Gods gift this is a sight not easily gotten 2. We must often revive this Thought for the oftner we think of it the more deeply it is impressed upon the Soul Psal. 9. 17. The wicked shall be turned into hell and all the nations that forget God 'T is not said that deny him but forget him On the other side there is a book of Remembrance for those that thought upon his Name Mal. 3. 16. God takes it kindly when our minds are set a work upon him and upon his Attributes We have every moment Life and Breath and all things from him he thinketh of us and therefore out of a necessary gratitude we should oftner think of God Nazianzen saith twice Naz. Orat. de cura Pauperum Orat. 10. and Orat. de Theol. Orat. 11. We should as often think of God as breathe for we cannot breathe without him and without his continual providential influence we fall into nothing as Sun-beams vanish when the Sun is gone Therefore the Apostle telleth the Ephesians they were in their natural Estate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eph. 2. 12. There are two sorts of Atheists they that deny God and they that wholy forget God The latter are more common and the latter sort are described Psal. 10. 4. God is not in all their thoughts Oh what is Misery is this that we have thoughts more than we can tell what to do with all and yet we will not afford God the least share in them He was a cruel man that would cast his provisions and superfluities into the street and deny them to the poor that should let his drink run into the Kennel rather than they should taste a drop of it Such are we to God we know not what to imploy our thoughts upon and yet we will not think of his Name We go musing of Vanity all the day long and be grinding of Chaffe rather than take in good Corn into the Mill. 3. There are certain Seasons when we are bound not only habitually but actually to think of God 1. In a time of Temptation when the flesh being inticed by profit or pleasure or feared by Fears tempts us to do any thing contrary to the Will of God Thus did Ioseph when he might have sinned securely and with advantage Gen. 39. 9. The thoughts of Gods Eye and Presence dashed the Temptation We forget him that seeth in secret and therefore take the liberty to indulge our Lusts can I consider that God looketh on and can do thus unworthily 't is a daring him to his face to go on with these thoughts therefore God seeth what I will now do 't is a seasonable relief to the Soul 2. We should actually revive this thought in Solemn Duties when we come to Act the part of Angels and to look God in the Face Surely God is greatly to be had in fear of all that are round about him it would prevent a great deal of Carelesness in Worship to remember who is the Party with whom we have to do who is speaking to us in the Word and to whom we speak in prayer Heb. 4. 13. All things are naked and open unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do He knoweth how we hear what Thoughts and Affections are stirring in our hearts Acts 10. 33. We are all here present before the Lord to hear all things that are commanded thee of God We come not hither to see and to be seen of men but to see God We are here before God as if God himself were speaking to us God is every where with us but we are not always every where with God but when we lift up our hearts and set him before our Eyes So in prayer when we speak to God we should think of him who is an eternal Being to whom belongeth Kingdom Power and Glory Prayer is called a coming to God we beg his Eyes be open Neh. 1. 6. to behold us as well as hear us Now what an awing Thought is this in Prayer that our Preparations Motions Affections Dispositions Aims are all naked and open to his Eyes 3. When God findeth us out in our secret sins by his Word Spirit and Providence or the Wrings and Pinches of our own Consciences by his Word 1 Cor. 14. 25. And thus are the secrets of his heart made manifest and so falling down upon his face will worship God and report that God is in you of a truth And Heb. 4. 12 13. For the word of God is quick and powerful and sharper then any two-edged sword pierceing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit and of the joints and marrow and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart Neither is there any Creature that is not manifest in his sight for all things are naked and open unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do So by his Spirit setting Conscience a-work Iob. 13. 26. Thou makest me possess the sins of my youth Old forgotten sins come to remembrance own God and his Omnisciency in the dispensation When God sets our sins in order before us as if a new Committed So Providence Gen. 42. 21. We are verily guilty concerning our brother c. Afflictions openeth the eyes 't is his Rack to extort Confessions from us 4. Consider upon what good reason God's knowing all things is built his Creation and Providence If he made all things and sustaineth all things surely he knoweth all things in particular for every wise Man knoweth what he doth A Father cannot forget how many Children he hath He that leadeth us by the hand wherever we go knoweth where and how we go Christ knew when vertue passed from him in a Crowd he said some-body toucheth me for I perceive that vertue is passed out from me Luk. 8. 45 46. Certainly God knoweth there is such a Creature as thou art such a Man or Woman of the World knoweth thy uprising and down-lying Psal. 139. 2. Thou understandest my thoughts afar off He knoweth whether we are Laughing Mourning or Praying He that will Judge thee knoweth thee or else he were an incompetent Judge 5. Humble thy self for walking so unanswerably it would trouble us to have our Thoughts Counsels Actions all we think and speak divulged and published All is naked and open to God
make this Petition to God to beg his watchful Providence and Shepherd-like care over us and we may do it with Encouragement to be heard of God if our Hearts are unfeignedly set to keep his Law that God will hear us and keep us from our wandring Doctrine That a Christian that is obedient for the main yet may run into many Faylings and Errors of Life David was right for the main course of his Life he professeth here he did not forget Gods Precepts he did not cast off the Yoak of his Law but yet in particular acts he acknowledgeth he did erre and fail and went astray like a lost Sheep And so many who are Gods own Servants that do not forget his Precepts may thus erre and go astray First In our Natural Estate man is of a straying nature apt to turn out of the way that leadeth to God and true happiness The Holy Ghost sets forth the Degeneration of Man-kind by the similitude and embleme of a strayed or lost Sheep Luke 15. and Isa. 53. 6. All we like Sheep have gone astray we have turned every one to his own way Mark he speaks of our Estate by Nature Collectively and Distributively Collectively and in Common All we like Sheep have gone astray And distributively Every man to his own way We all agree in forsaking the right way of pleasing and enjoying God but we disagree as each one hath a by-path of his own Some are running after this Lust Some after that and so are not only divided from God but divided from one another whilst every one makes his own Will his Law quiequid velit licet As the Channel is cut so corrupt Nature in every one finds an Issue and Passage Psal. 14. 3. They are all gone aside they are altogether become Filthy there is none that doth good no not one Some run this way some that way some are enslaved by Pleasures others are captivated by the Honours of the present World and some are opprest by the Cares of this Life Every man hath his way of sinning and running away from God But however the Emblem and Similitude of the Holy Ghost is to be considered that our departing from God and his ways is like the straying of a sheep what doth that note 1. In general it implies this that we are brutish in our sin and defection from God led by sense fancy and appetite and therefore our Condition could not be exprest but by a Comparison fetched from the Beasts Silly Sheep are carried away by their fancy and appetite from the Flock Psal. 49. 12. Man being in Honour abideth not he is like the Beasts that perish that is he abode not in the Honour of his Creation some would render it for a Night Adam abode not for a Night What we translate Man is Adam the excellency and dignity wherein God had set us he became like a Beast How is man like a Beast we are governed by our Sences and lower Appetites The Sences are grown masterly and inordinate so eagerly set upon their Objects that they will not be reclaimed and mans Life just like that of the Bruits it is things of the same nature we value and adhere unto Terrene and Earthly things the Comforts of the Animal Life and as we have the same objects so the same ends to enjoy our sensual pleasures and satisfy our Fleshly Minds as long as we may now what is this but to suffer the Beast to ride the Man to put Reason and Conscience in Vassallage and Subjection to Sense and Appetite 2. This Similitude is used to shew our proneness to erre There is no Creature more prone to wander and lose its way without a Shepherd then the Sheep Sheep are Creatures subject to straying if they be not kept in the Pasture so all Men are obnoxious to Erring and Straying Ier. 14. 10. They love to wander it s a delight to us to be pleasing our Flesh and gratifying our Carnal Senses So Psal. 95. 10. It s a People that do erre in their Hearts We do nor only erre in our Minds but erre in our Hearts To erre in our Mind is to erre out of Ignorance but to erre in our Heart is to erre out of Sensual Obstinacy so are we carryed away with the Desires of the Flesh think our selves never better then when we run away from God Ah the best of us is soon out of the way If God takes off his Guidance and leaves us to our selves we are apt to Transgress the Bounds wherewith God hath hedged up our way and make it our Business still to be running away from the Chief Good into the Bushes and Thickets of Carnal Error wherein we are entangled 3. Our inability to return and set our selves into the Right Way again for we stray like Sheep not like Swine and Dogs Swine and Dogs though they wander they will find the way home again but a Sheep is irrecoverably lost without the Shepherds Diligence and Care Ier. 50. 6. My People hath been lost they have gone from Mountain to Mountain they have forgotten their resting Place So should we run and keep running away from and forget our Resting Place I remember Austin in his Meditations hath this Passage Domine errare potui redire non potui Lord I could go astray by my self but I cannot return of my self The sheep easily straggle but it is the Shepherd must bring home the lost Sheep upon his own Shoulders Luke 15. 5. And to this we may apply that of the Prophet Hosea 13. 9 O Israel thou hast destroyed thy self but in me is thy help We could destroy and ruine our selves but we cannot recover and save our selves The shiftless Infant can defile himself but 't is the Nurse must cleanse it and we our selves can fall from God but to recover us to God that 's the Shepherds Care 4. It shews our readiness to follow evil Example A Sheep is animal sequax a Creature that runs after the Drove they run out of the Gap one after another and one Stragler draws away the whole Flock When the Apostle speaks of the sinful state of Man-kind Eph. 2. 2 3. He reckons up Example as one walking according to the Course of this World according to the Prince of the Power of the Air the spirit that now worketh in the Children of Disobedience In that place there 's the Devil the World and the Flesh. There 's the Prince of the Power of the Air and there 's the Course of this World that I quote it for now there 's Satan Corrupt Example and Evil Inclination all which are Depravers of Man-kind and all concurr to our ruine and destruction we easily swim with the Stream and the Torrent of Common Example do as others do and so mutually propagate and receive taint from one another Imitation is not the Whole Cause of Sin but Propagation and Inclination of Nature yet Imitation and Example doth much to the perverting of the World