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
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
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
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
our works for us Isa. 26. 12. Now this actual help is necessary 1. Partly to direct us Psal. 74. 24. Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel and afterward receive me to glory We need not only a principle within and a rule without but need also a guide Though we have grace in our hearts though we have the Law of God to direct us yet we need also a guide upon all occasions the Rule is the Scripture and the Guide is the Spirit of God 2. Partly to quicken and excite us by effectual motions The heart of man is very changeable and it is like the eye easily discomposed and put out of frame Deadness creeps upon us and we drive on heavily in the work of God Psal. 119. 37. Quicken thou me in thy way God doth renew the vigor of the life of grace upon all occasions 3. Partly to corroborate and strengthen that which we have received and make it encrease and grow in the soul and more firmly rooted there Eph. 3. 16. The Apostle prays That God would strengthen you with might by his spirit in the inner man the inward man the frame of grace that we have received needs to be strengthned encreased and be more deeply rooted in the soul. So 1 Pet. 5. 10. The God of all grace make you perfect stablish strengthen settle you Many words are used to shew how God is interested in maintaining and keeping a foot the grace he hath planted in the soul. 4. Partly in protecting and defending them against the incursions and assaults of the Devil The regenerate are not only escaped out of his clutches but appointed to be his Judges which an envious and proud spirit cannot endure therefore he maligneth assaulteth and besiegeth them with temptations daily therefore Christ prays Joh. 17. 11. Keep through thy own name those whom thou hast given me When a City is besieged fresh supplies are sent in they are not kept to their standing-provision so it is not the ordinary power of God that doth preserve and keep us from danger there 's new relief and fresh strength We are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation 2 Pet. 1. 5. Now we experience the help we have from God partly by the change and frame of our heart when we are acted by him and when we are not When God by the impulsions of his grace doth quicken and awaken our hearts we are carried on with a great deal of earnestness and strength but at other times we seem to be much bound and have not those breathings from the Spirit of God to fill our sails and carry us on with the same life and strength Yea in the same duty how is a Christian up and down carried out sometimes with a great deal of zeal and warmth but if God withdraw that assistance before the duty be over how do the affections flag So that we are like the wards of a Lock kept up while the key is turned but fall again when the key is turned the other way While the work of grace is powerful we are kept in a warm and heavenly plight Thus as to duties we need spiritual relief Likewise in temptations when we are ready to fall into such a sin with great proneness of heart and the Lord quickens and excites us by his grace It is often with a Christian as with David Psal. 73. 2. My feet were almost gone my steps had well nigh slipt even carried away by the violence of Satan and importunate motions of our own lusts then the Lord gives grace to help in a time of need Heb. 4. 16. in the Original it is no more but this seasonable relief God vouchsafeth Object I but are we to do nothing when we are indisposed This case is often traversed in this Psalm 1. The Precept of God falls upon us as reasonable creatures and doth not consider whether we are disposed or indisposed and God's influence is not our rule but our help We are to stir up our selves the Lord complains Isa. 64. 7. There is none that stirreth up himself to take hold of me And Timothy is bid to stir up the gift of God which is in him 2 Tim. 1. 6. God's assistance will be best expected in a way of doing Up and be doing and the Lord will be with thee 2 Chron. When we stir up our selves and set our selves to the work in the conscience of our duty we can better expect God's help and assistance 2. In great distempers there may be some pause Elisha would not prophesie when he was under a passion of anger therefore he calls for a Minstrel to sing a Psalm 2 King 3. 13 14 15. and as he plaid upon an Instrument the Spirit of the Lord came upon him He was under a passion offended with the King of Israel therefore he would not prophesie until his spirit was composed Certainly we are not to run head-long upon duties in the midst of these distempers Sailing is more safely delayed in time of an extreme storm When the heart is put into some great disorder in a great storm of spirit the distemper should first be mourned for and prayed against The Reasons why that from first to last he must make us to go in the way of his Commandments 1. God keeps this power in his own hands that his grace might be all in all and 't is the glory of his actions always to set the crown upon graces head Not only those permanent and fixed habits which constitute the new man but those daily supplies without which the motions and operations of the spiritual life would be at a stand are for grace When the Lord reckons with his servants about the improvement of their talents he doth not say My industry but Lord thy pound Luke 19. 18. He puts all the honour upon grace So 1 Cor. 16. 10. Not I but the grace of God So Gal. 2. 20. I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me So that still they are giving the glory to grace Acts are more perfect than habits therefore if we had only the power from God and acts from our selves we should not give all to God That acts are more perfect than the power is clear it is more perfect to understand than to have a power to understand power is in order to the act and the end is more noble than the means 2. This is a very great encouragement to us to set upon the exercise of grace in the midst of weaknesses and several difficulties and temptations wherewith we are encompassed because God will enable and assist us he will not leave us to our standing strength but he concurs Phil. 2. 12 13. Work out your salvation with fear and trembling why for it is God that worketh in you to will and to do of his good pleasure When God will concur to the will and to the deed to both when we have wind and tide he is very lazy that will not take his
coming to them by chance They not onely say good in general but who will shew me c. As they look after uncertain Blessings so they look after an uncertain Authour as they fall out in the course of second Causes if they have these they bless their Hearts and content themselves To convince these Men of the baseness of their Choice and make them bethink themselves their Choice is part of their punishment There cannot be a greater Punishment than that they should have what they choose that they should be written in the Earth Ierem. 17. they shall have this and no more That God should say to them Silver and Gold you shall have but in this matter no Lot nor Portion Act. 8. Their Bellies shall be filled with hid Treasure they shall have gorgeous Apparel dainty Fare Substance enough to leave to their Babes but be deprived of Heaven It 's the greatest Misery that can be to be condemned to this kind of Happiness That we should thus degrade our selves and sit upon the Threshold when they might sit upon the Throne and lick onely the dust of his Footstool But wicked Men will not be sensible of this now but one day they shall of the Misery of this their foolish Choice at death usually Ier. 17. 11. At his latter end he shall be a fool Then his Heart will rave against him O Fool Mad-man that thou wert not as carefull to get the Favour of God as to get this worldly Pelf when he must goe into another World and he is launching out into the great gulph of Eternity And in Hell they will be sensible Luke 16. 25. Son remember that thou in thy life-time receivedst thy good things c. The Conscience of their foolish Choice is a part of their Torment when their Heart shall return upon them and say This was because thou wouldst look after temporal Things when Snares and Brimstone and an horrible Tempest is poured out upon them what Thoughts have they of their Portion when they are cast out with the Devil and demned Spirits Carnal Men think the difference between them and others will ever hold out when they glitter in the World O but the time is coming when Death will undeceive them And at the day of Judgment they will be sensible of it when they shall be refused as the Out-casts of the World and when the Saints shall have their Portion when the Lord shall take the Godly to himself receive them into his Bosome and welcome them to Heaven and call them to his Right hand and they shall be banished out of his presence with a goe ye cursed when they shall become the loathing of God the scorn of Angels and blessed Spirits when it shall be said as in Psal. 52. 7. Lo this is the man that made not God his strength but trusted in the abundance of his riches and strengthned himself in his wickedness O then how will Conscience return upon the wretchedness and folly of their Hearts and be exercised upon it this will vex and gaul them in Hell with anxious thoughts of it to all Eternity As by the fire that never shall be quenched is signified the Wrath of God so by the Worm that never dies the violent working of Conscience upon the folly of choosing perishing Vanities Use 2. It exhorts us to this necessary Duty to choose God for our Portion It is not a slight thing but that upon which your eternal Happiness doth depend it 's the fundamental Article of the Covenant of Grace and the Question God puts you to is whether you will choose him for your Portion therefore he begins the Commandments with this Thou shalt have no other Gods before me God is not your God unless he be set uppermost in your Souls he cannot be your Portion unless he be your chiefest Good There is no possibility of entring into Covenaâ—…t with God unless you subscribe to this main Article Again as 't is a very necessary Work so 't is an Evidence and Fruit of God's Election if a Man would come to know the Thoughts of God concerning him before all the World what his Destiny is God's Election or Choosing of you is manifested by your Election or your choosing of God for all God's Works leave an Impression upon the Creature he chooseth us that we might choose him I will say you are my People and you shall say I am your God Again you must have something for your Portion There 's no Man hath a sufficiency in himself The Soul is like a Spunge always thirsting and seeking of something from without to be filled a Chaos of Desires Man was made to live in dependance Now of all Portions in the World there is none worth the having but God himself nothing else can make you compleatly blessed and satisfy all the Necessities and all the Capacities of Soul and Body When you have outward things what have you for your Conscience If these things could fill up your Affections they bear no proportion with Conscience your Sore will run upon you and your inward Griefs will not be cured But this is such a Portion that besides internal Grace there shall be a competent measure of outward things God will provide for you Psal. 23. 1. The Lord is my Shepherd what then I shall not want This Interest will give you temporal Things and the Comforts of this Life so that you have the Fountain of all other Mercies While others do but drink of the Streams and of Streams where they are muddy where they partake of the Soile through which they run you goe to the clear Fountain Alas others do but pluck the Leaves and Flowers but you have the Fruits and very Root it self the perpetual Fountain and Well-spring of Comfort and Root of all the blessedness the Heart can wish for Again all other Comforts grow upon this Interest and when all other things are lost this can supply you again All worldly Things when we have them yet they have not a Root but you have the Root so that when other things faile this will yield you all manner of Supplies Yea this is that which seasons and makes all other things comfortable when we have them and the Love of God with them This Man of God had a Kingdom and a great deale of Wealth he was a Victorious King as we may see by his Offering 1 Chron. 29. what Cart-loads of Gold and Silver he offers to God yet in the midst of all this fulness he saith Thou art my Portion Other Portions may turn to a Man's hurt as they are occasions of Sin as they expose to Envy and Danger many a man is undone both here and hereafter by making the Creature his Portion but never any man was undone by making God his Portion It was the end of our Creation God passing by all other Creatures set his Heart upon Man He made all things for Man and Man for himself All other things were
the good of their souls returning friendly words for railing and evil speaking feeding and cloathing them when hungry thirsty or naked desiring pardon and grace This is our Rule but how few Christians comply with it and conquer their unruly Passions no rather justifie them by the greatness of their temptations and if they be kept from retaliating of injuries that 's rare Most have too great a coldness and indifference for enemies Prov. 24. 29. I will do so to him as he hath done to me I will render to the man according to his work This is to take the work out of God's hands to review the arrogance of Adam Be as Gods Generally Men are vindictive and transported with uncomely Passions when wronged by Men. 2 Sam. 16. 9. Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king let me go over I pray thee and take off his head This was the ruffling humor of Abishai But David was in a calmer cooler frame and temper of spirit no God bid him curse Many a man can bear afflictions but not injuries No Man is troubled at a showr of rain but if one cast a bucket or bason of water upon us we shall not let it pass if it be in the power of our hands without revenge 3. Using indirect means for our Relief 'T is better to pine away in affliction than to be freed from it by sin to be as a bottle in the smoke than to forget our duty Therefore no trouble should drive us to sin or to use sinful means for our escape though worn out with expectation let our duty hold our hands from evil Whatever our trouble be from the hand of God or Men we have no reason to go to the Devil to ease us of it as Saul goeth to the Witch of Endor 1 Sam. 28. 7. Seek me out a woman that hath a familiar spirit And to the Devil we go when we use bad means Carnal shifts are very natural to us and when we cannot trust God and depend upon him we presently are apt to take some indirect course of our own Affliction is often compared to a Prison and the sorrows which accompany it to Fetters and Chains Now God that puts us into Prison can only help us out again for he is the Governor and Judge of the world Now to use carnal shifts is an attempt to break Prison We are not able to hold out till God send an happy issue but take some carnal course of our own if the heart be not the better resolved thus it will be The Devil will make an advantage of our afflictions if he can he tempted Christ when he was hungry Mat. 4. 3. so he tempteth us when he seeth us needy disgraced reproached trampled under foot No though our Estate be low and the Fountain of our supplies be dryed up though our credit be smutched and blacked with slander and reproach though we be cast out as useless things as an old withered skin bottle counted unfit to hold Wine yet we must not forget God's Precepts We need not take a sinful course for the vindication of our credit from unjust reproaches Isa. 51. 7. Hearken unto me ye that know righteousness the people in whose heart is my law fear ye not the reproach of men neither be afraid of their revilings You that make reckoning of keeping close to my word that have my Law not only in your heads but in your hearts God hath his times to vindicate you you need not distrust the Providence of God under streights When Iacob was low he tells Laban My righteousness shall answer for me Gen. 30. 33. The hand of God will help us and reward honest labors without our being false or unfaithful to men We need not make a foul retreat in the day of tryal nor shift for our selves by complying with the lusts of Men nor wax weary of our duty as quite discouraged and disheartned Heb. 12. 3. as we are apt to do when troubles are grievous and long continued 4. Another Evil is desponding and distrustful thoughts of God David after all his experiences was surprized with these kind of thoughts 1 Sam. 27. 1. I shall one day perish by the hand of Saul He had a particular promise and assurance of the Kingdom and had seen much of God's care over him and yet after all this David doubteth of the Word of God and bewrayed his weakness of faith and affiance in him who had watched over him and delivered him out of many great and imminent dangers in a marvellous manner when there was less appearance of hope than now 1 Sam. 22. 5. So Psal. 31. 22. I said in my haste I am cut off from before thine eyes nevertheless thou heardest the voice of my supplications when I cryed unto thee God hath no more care and thought of me than if I were not This was said at the very time when deliverance was a coming Here David yielded a little to foolish haste and lost the stayedness of his faith So Psal. 77. 7 8. Will the Lord cast off for ever will he be favourable no more Is his mercy clean gone for ever doth his promise fail for evermore Questions to appearance full of despair and despondency yet there is some Faith couched under them Will the Lord cast off It implieth the soul cannot endure to be thrust from him Will he be favourable no more It implieth some former experience and desire of new proof Is his mercy clean gone I have deserved all this but God is merciful Will not Mercy help To appearance indeed Despair carrieth it from Faith That 's upmost 5. Questioning our Interest in God meerly because of the Cross. Our Lord hath taught us to say My God in the bitterest Agonies but few learn this Lesson Iudg. 6. 13. If God be with us why is all this befaln us As if they were never exercised with trouble who have God with them Sometimes we question the love of God because we have no afflictions and anon because we have nothing but afflictions as if God were not the God of the Vallies as well as of the Mountains and his love did change with our outward condition and worldly prosperity were a mark of grace which when lost our evidence were gone How hardly soever God dealeth with his People yet he loveth them Heb. 12. 6. Whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth So Rev. 3. 19. As many as I love I rebuke and chasten A Father is a Father when he smileth and when he frowneth he may have love in his heart when a Rod in his hand And we have no reason to question our Adoption meerly because we are put under the correction and discipline of the Family 6. Not only despairing thoughts do arise but Atheistical thoughts as if there were no God no Providence no distinction between good and evil and it were in vain to serve him Psal. 73. 13. I have cleansed my heart in vain and washed my hands in
mischievous ungodly treacherous Designs Attempts and Actions V. That the Innocent should not be much troubled to be maligned and hated by them who contemn God's Laws as well as oppose his People I shall gloss on these Points and then close all with Application I. That secret Plottings against the Interest of God and his People are an ancient practice David here complaineth that the proud had digged pits for him and Psal. 37. 12. The wicked plotteth against the just yea verse the 7th 't is a description of a wicked man The man who bringeth wicked devices to pass 'T is so known a practice that it is gotten into their name and stile A wicked Man's Brain is a Forge that is always hot So Psal. 7. 14. Behold he travelleth with iniquity and hath conceived mischief and brought forth falshood Wicked men conceive and then travail but usually the Birth proveth abortive To represent the truth to you I shall give you a draught of some of the designs of wicked Men 1 For the suppressing of God's Interest and People in the world 2 Private persons For the first you cannot imagine that I should unravel all the secrets of the Kingdom of darkness and break open the Devil's Cabinet I shall only point at some few Plots and Contrivances for the Ruine of God's Interest in the world I. Plots to foment and promote Divisions either between them and themselves them and their Rulers or them and God himself 1. Them and themselves Ever since God had a People in the world the Devil and his Instruments have sought to divide them that they may first ruine one another and then become a Prey to their common Adversaries Nothing hath hindred the growth of Christianity so much as the spirit of division 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sozomen And Chrysostom's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in his Homilies upon the Acts There came a certain Ethnick to him and told him I would fain be a Christian but there are so many Parties among you that I know not to whom I should join my self and Christ's Prayer intimates John 17. 21. That they all may be one as thou Father art in me c. The world are apt to look upon Christ as an Impostor and his Religion as a fond Superstition when they see his People so divided and scattered one from another Divisions in the Church breed Atheism in the World Now Satan and wicked men have endeavored all they can to keep up these divisions and hatred among Christians This was Iulian the Apostate's design when he had a mind to suppress Christianity he did not openly persecute it but took the worst sort of Christians and upheld them that they might still maintain a quarrel between them and others In Germany the Jesuites go over to the Lutherans to keep up the difference They blow the Coals and then warm themselves by the Flame And among us the envious Man hath sown Tares Is not the hand of Joab in all this By what spirit are the Quakers and others acted and why are these things kept up but to render Christianity odious Sanballat and Tobias set up a Party among the Iews to hinder the work of their Restauration Ezra 4. 4. that they might foment division among them and so hinder the growth of the Peoples prosperity for they had now the countenance of the King of Babylon and by this means they thought to do so 2. To divide between them and their Rulers The Devil knoweth what an advantage it is to Religion to have the countenance of Princes and on the other side how jealous they are of their Authority and Prerogative and therefore by his Instruments seeketh to prejudice and preposses them against it and those that profess it in strictness and power Thus Amos 7. 10. Amaziah the priest of Bethel sent to Ieroboam king of Israel saying Amos hath conspired against thee in the midst of the house of Israel the land is not able to bear all his words He chargeth him with Treason and open Rebellion that he withdrew Subjects from their Duty and excited the People against his Authority and this by clancular insinuation when Amoz was not called or heard Thus they pretend great friendship to Authority to sharpen the Rage of Princes against God's servants So Ezra 4. 1â—… Be it known unto the king that the Iews which came up to thee from us are come unto Ierusalem building the rebellious and the bad city c. So Saul against David as appears by his Expostulation with him about it 1 Sam. 24. 9. Wherefore hearest thou mens words saying Behold David seeketh thy hurt So Haman against the Iews Esther 3. 8. Haman said unto king Ahasuerus There is a certain people scattered abroad and dispersed among the people in all the provinces of thy kingdom and their laws are divers from all people neither keep they the kings laws therefore it is not for the kings profit to suffer them So in primitive times thus did they take the Christians who were most innocent though they were more numerous yet still they were faithful to their Prince Bibamus pro salute Imperatoris they would rather endure to dye than venture upon it for they did apprehend it as an Heathen Sacrifice Thus Whisperers make Princes conceive an ill opinion of Religious Men. 3. To divide between them and God The Devil turneth every stone Would you ever think Malice should rise so high as to disengage God from the protection of his People and to disaffect him against them How can it be Have Satan and his Instruments a Plot upon God himself What else should be the meaning of all his Temptations But see Balaam's Plot Micah 6. 5. O my people remember what Balak the king of Moab consulted and what Balaam the son of Beor answered from Shittim unto Gilgal c. Balak and Balaam are framing a Project how to overcome the Israelites and that can never be as long as God is with them and how shall they do to get away God from them Iehovah was not as an Heathen God to be called out by Sacrifices and Inchantments as they had their Charms and Rites among the Heathens to call out their tutelar Gods from among the Nations against whom they came to fight Macrobius hath a Chapter de Ritu evocandi Deos. They were now to deal with the God of Israel who would not be moved with such deceits and blandishments therefore they will have a Plot to disengage him from his People 'T is insinuated Numb 24. 14. Come now and I will advertise thee what thou shalt do Moses doth not express the counsel given because 't was whispered secretly into Balak's ear therefore you see the sense is imperfect in that place and indeed there is a pause in the Hebrew to shew that something must be supplied But what the Plot was may be known by the effect in the 25th of Numbers and is in brief set forth Rev. 2. 14. where it is said
the respect which the word hath to these benefits III. Of the necessity and use of faith and hope in the word I. For the nature of this protection it is set forth in two Notions a hiding place and ashield Upon which I observe 1. David was a military man and therefore often makes use of Metaphors proper to his function when he wandred in the Wilderness and the Forest of Ziph and they yielded to him many a lurking hole and so he knew the benefit of a hiding place and being a man of war he was more acquainted with the use of a shield in battel That which I observe is this That it is good to spiritualize the things that we often converse with and from earthly occasions to raise heavenly thoughts You will ever find our Lord Jesus so doing When he sate at meat in the Pharisees house he discourseth of eating bread in his Fathers Kingdom Luke 16. 14. When he was at the Well of Samaria he falls a discoursing of the Well of Life of the water that springeth up to eternal Life Iohn 4. Again when he was at the Feast of Tabernacles you will find there it was the fashion of the people at that Feast to fetch water from the Pool of Siloam and to pour it out until it ran in a great Stream and then at the Feast of Tabernacles Christ cried out He that cometh to me out of his belly shall flow Rivers of living water John 7. He spiritualizeth that occasion Thus should we learn to turn Brass into Gold and by a holy Chymistry to extract useful thoughts from these ordinary objects that we are cast upon Thus doth David he had been acquainted with the use of a hiding place and with a shield and accordingly expresseth his confidence by these Notions The Septuagint render it simply and without the Metaphor my help and my undertaker but we from the Hebrew my hiding place my shield 2. Observe again Both the Notions imply defence and protection a shield is not a weapon offensive but defensive Indeed elsewhere Deut. 33. 29. God said to Israel I am the shield of thy strength and sword of thy excellency God is a sword as well as a shield a weapon offensive as well as defensive in the behalf of his people But here both Metaphors imply only defence and protection It is not here a hiding place and a sword but a hiding place and a shield Why The Godly are subject to many dangers and perils from adverse powers spiritual and bodily and therefore need much preservation and defence 1. The Soul is in danger of Satan and his temptations There are spiritual enemies that will put us upon the need of a shield and a hiding place Ephes. 6. 12. We wrestle not against flesh and blood c. that is not principally we do not wrestle against bodily or humane powers Outward Agents are not Principals but Instruments our chief war is with Devils and evil Spirits who have a mighty power over a great part of the world they are the Rulers of the darkness of this world the ignorant and carnal part of the world and they assault us with much cunning and strength and invisible enemies are the worst none like to them for craft for strength for malice for number They easily get the advantage over us by their crafty insinuations and applying themselves to our humours and feeding every distemper with a Bait suitable and they are always about us unseen and unperceived they lye in ambush for our souls and assault us in company and alone in business and in recreations in the duties of Religion and in our ordinary Affairs they follow us in our retirements and pursue us with unwearied diligence No such enemies as these for craft and subtilty of address And then for their power and strength they have their fiery Darts to throw-upon us ver 16. they inject and cast in blasphemous thoughts and enkindle and awaken in us burning lusts or fire us with rage and despair their power is exceeding great because they have the management of fiery Darts And their malice is great it is not to hurt our bodies chiefly that 's but the shell of the man but the chiefest part our immortal soul and therefore we need a hiding place and a shield when we have to do with spiritual wickednesses that always are assaulting us in this manner upon all occasions And for their number there 's many of them and all engaged in this spiritual warfare against the Saints we cannot dream of ease if we would be Christs Souldiers In the Gospel we find one man possess'd with a whole Legion of them Mark 5. 9. My name is Legion for we are many they cease not in this manner thus continually to assault and vex us and therefore we need a hiding place and shield 2. The Bodies of Gods people and their temporal lives are exposed to a great deal of hazard and danger from evil men who are ready to molest and trouble us sometimes upon one pretence and sometimes upon another They that indeed would go to Heaven and have a serious sense of the world to come upon their hearts they are a different party from the world and therefore the world hates them Iohn 17. 14. and Rom. 12. 2. Be not conformed to this world It was never yet so well with the world but they were forced to stand upon their defence and usually as to any visible interest they are the weakest when their enemies are mighty and strong and therefore they had need of a hiding place to run to and a shield to defend them to run to the covert and defence of Gods Providence 3. Observe the difference between these two Notions hiding place and shield Sometimes God is said to be our strength and our shield Psal. 28. 7. he furnisheth us within and without he strengthens and fortifies the heart then wields and keeps off dangers And sometimes again he is said to be a Sun and shield Psal. 84. 11. We have positive and privative Blessings or a Sun to give us light and a shield to give us strength he promiseth to be both but usually he so attempereth his Providence that where he is more a Sun there he is less a shield that is to say the more sparingly he vouchsafeth the knowledge of heavenly Comforts the more powerfully doth he assist his people in their weakness by his Providence As the Jews that were conversant about the shadows of the Law and lived under the darkness of that Pedagogy God was less a Sun to them than he is to us but yet they knew more of his powerful Providence of his temporal protection Now here it is a hiding place and a shield what 's the difference between these God is a hiding-place to keep us out of danger and a shield to keep us in danger Either we shall be kept from trouble that dangers shall not overtake us or if they do overtake us they shall
by mourning for this Carnal men are hot in their own cause cold in Gods Gods Children are quite otherwise cold in their own cause and hot in Gods Therefore they are deeply sensible when Gods honour is weakned Moses was the meekest man upon Earth yet he brake the Tables How doth this agree The injuries that were done to himself he could look upon with a meek quiet spirit easily put them up but when he saw the people bring dishonour to the name of God then he hath a high and deep affection They cry out Iosh. 7. 9. Lord what wilt thou do for thy great name So Psal. 115. 1. Not unto us O Lord not unto us but unto thy name give glory They go to God not to advance our faction and interest we are brought very low yet the wrath of man shall praise thee Thy name is dear and precious they are sorry to see any prophane it God hath abundantly provided for their respect he hath bid all men love them when he bid us love one another So that in effect all the respects of the world are devolved upon one person And they would have all men love God and honour God Secondly It comes from their compassion and pity and love to men O it grieves them to see so many that do not grieve for themselves and their eyes are wet because yours are always dry I tell you weeping saith Paul Phil. 3. 18. Compassion over the miserable estate of such Teachers and those that are led by them they and whole Droves run after fancies that endanger their souls False Teachers and their Proselytes should not only fall under our indignation but our pity They are Monsters in nature that want Bowels much more in Grace Religion doth not harden the heart but mollifie it Jesus Christ was made up of compassion and all Christians partake of Christs spirit Phil. 1. 8. God is my record how greatly I long after you all in the bowels of Iesus Christ. Pray mark Paul had got some of Christs bowels and let me tell you they were tender ones Compassion towards others and weeping over their sins is somewhat like the love of Jesus Christ. He would take our burthen upon himself when he was not interested so the spirit of Christ worketh in all his Members he hath distributed his bowels among them and therefore they cannot but long for the salvation of others yea their heart is broken and mollified with Christs compassion to them and therefore long for fellows in the same Grace Though they have received personal and private injuries yet they pity their case and mourn for them 'T is matter of humiliation and lamentation 2 Cor. 12. 21. When I come again I fear my God will humble me among you and that I shall bewail many which have sinned already and have not repented of the fornication uncleanness lasciviousness which they have committed It is matter of grief to see so many thousands perish or in a perishing condition Thirdly This disposition cometh from the antipathy and zealous displeasure that is in their hearts against sin They know what sin is the greatest enemy that God and Christ and their own souls have in the world It was sin that made Angels become Devils it was sin that blew up the sparks of Hell fire it was sin that opposed God that crucified Christ it is sin that grieves the Spirit of God and therefore they mourn when sin gets Proselytes A man cannot endure to see a Toad or Viper near him your hearts rise when you see them creep upon another so do the hearts of the Children of God rise that their enemy and Gods should find such respect and entertainment in the world It is said of the Church of Ephesus Rev. 2. 2. That she could not bear those which were wicked And David saith Ps. 101. 3. I hate the works of them that turn aside They know this will grieve the spirit of God that this will press him as a Cart is pressed with sheaves and shall God be pressed and burthened and they not troubled It cannot be They that love the Lord will hate evil Psal. 97. 10. both in themselves and others Fourthly This disposition comes out of a sagacity of faith and serious foresight of the effects of sin They know what sin will come to and what is the danger of it therefore when they see sin encreasing Rivers of water run down their eyes Wicked men tremble only at the Judgment of God but good men tremble at his Word and therefore they mourn when others fall into danger of the threatning When Ezra plucked his beard and was in such a zealous indignation against the sins of the people bewailing them before the Lord Ezr. 9. 4. Then were assembled unto me every one that trembled at the words of the God of Israel At fasts others are sleight and obdurate they look on threatning as a little mock Thunder they are not sensible of the danger I may set forth this by that allusion 2 Kings 8. 11. The Prophet Elisha wept when he saw Hazael that he looked wishly on his face till he blushed The man of God wept and Hazael said Why weepeth my Lord And he answered Because I know the evil thou wilt do unto the Children of Israel their strong holds wilt thou set on fire and their young men wilt thou slay with the sword and wilt dash their Children and rip up their women with child and Hazael said But what is thy servant a Dog c. So when the Children of God look upon sin they know by the complexion of it what will be the dreadful effects This will be bitterness in the issue in time this will produce pestilences famine fire sword and all other mischiefs and judgments and expressions of the angry indignation of the Lord. They foresee a Storm when the Clouds are but a gathering therefore they tremble when they see them This is the sagacity of faith Now carnal men on the other side look upon the threatnings of Scripture but as words of course used as in way of policy that God only would awe and scare them but doth not purpose to condemn them But Faith is sagacious Look as to the promises Faith is the substance of things hoped for the evidence of things not seen So as to the threatnings the same evidence of things not seen The Apostle doth not only instance when he had given the general description of the objects of hope for the recompence of reward but he instances in the threatnings Noah being moved with fear prepared an Ark c. They know however men sleight the word of God one day it will be found true and therefore when they see men add sin to sin they are troubled The Word is as sure as execution and works upon them accordingly They have all things in a near view the nearer the objects of our faith are in our view the more they stir up our affections Dangers and death
draweth Light out of Darkness is able to revive our Credit and Esteem if not in this World yet in the World to come we shall be glorious though our condition be never so contemptible here Our reward is not in this Life When we die the Beggar is carried into Abrahams bosom would you be in Dives his condition or Lazarus To wallow in Ease and Plenty and go to Hell and be cast out with the Devil and Damned Spirits or to be poor and despised here to be carried by Angels into the presence of God hereafter So at the day of Judgement Matth. 10 32. Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men him will I confess also before my Father in Heaven we shall be publickly owned 8. Great contempt shall be poured upon those that now contemn you When Hâ—…non offered injury to Davids Servants he took severe Revenge of it God will require an account of all the Wrongs and Affronts are put upon his Servants The wicked shall be made the Scorn of Good Men and Angels Psal. 52. 6 7. The Righteous also shall see and fear and laugh at him Lo This is the Man that made not God his strength but trusted in the abundance of his Riches and strengthned himself in his wickedness But I am like a green Olive Tree c. 3. Doctrine That though our Condition be small and despicable yet we should be still faithful in our respects to God and his Word 1. The Temptation will not excuse us esse bonum facile est ubi quod vetat esse reâ—…tum est our Tryal is expresly mentioned in the promise as necessary for our Crowning Iam. 1. 12. When he is tryed when the Temptation is over the Tryal is past 't is no praise for a woman to be chast that hath no Suitors Adam was tempted by Eve and Eve by Satan yet both bore their burden Si taceret Deus â—…queretur Satan c. why should we hearken to Satans Suggestions rather than Gods Admonitions 2. God observeth what we do in our Trouble Psal. 44. 20 21. If we have forgotten the Name of our God or stretched out our hands to a strange God shall not God search out this for he knoweth the secrets of our hearts If we slacken our service to God or fall off to any degree of Apostacy the Judge of hearts knoweth all God knoweth whether we have or would deprave and corrupt Doctrine Worship or Ordinances or whether we will Faithfully adhere to him to his Word and Worship and Ordinances whatever it cost us 3. God and his Law are the same and therefore though our condition be altered our Affections should not If we love the Word of God upon intrinsick Reasons there is the same reason we should adhere to it with Love still as to embrace it out of Love Ver. 142. Thy Righteousness is an everlasting Righteousness and thy Law is the Truth Among men that may be just to day which is not so to morrow because they and their Lawes alter but Gods Law is the Eternal rule of Righteousness that never alters 4. In our poor and despicable condition we see more cause to love the Word than we did before because we experiment supports and comforts which we have thereby Rom. 5. 3. Knowing that Tribulation worketh Patience c. 2 Cor. 1. 5. For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ. God hath special consolations for his afflicted and despised people And makes their consolation by Christ to run parallel with and to keep pace with their sufferings for Christ. 1. Use. Carry your Duty still in Remembrance The first step of defection is to forget what God hath commanded There is an oblivion and a darkness for the present on the Mind so that a man knoweth not what he knoweth as Hagar saw not the Well that was before her till God opened her eyes therefore revive the grounds of your Adherance if you would constantly adhere to God The Temptation cometh afresh upon you every day with all the inticing Blandishments so should the reasons of your Duty It helpeth our perseverance to consider how strong and cogent they are and what wrong we should do to God and Religion to consent At first a man beholds Temptations with Horrour but being familiarized our thoughts are more reconciled to them therfore recollect your selves and remember the Reasons you first had to put you upon your Duty and if you duly consider them they will be strong and cogent to repel the Temptation that would take you off from it 2. Use. It sheweth who are Lovers of the Word and who not On the one hand some love the precepts of God when they are in Honour and Esteem have many to joyn with them and they see peace and plenty follow the Profession of it But rather than they will indure trouble and contempt forsake it The Samaritans would be Iewes when the Iewes were favoured but in the time of Antiochus Epiphanes when the Iews were in trouble they would be called Sidonians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dedicating their Temple not to Iehova but Iupiter Iosephus These never received the Love of the Truth On the other side when a Man loveth it alike in all times and in all conditions when Rich when Poor in Liberty and in Bonds when the wayes of God are countenanced or when despised 't is all one to him they love it not for outward Respects but internal Reasons SERMON CLIX. PSALM CXIX VER 142. Thy Righteousness is an Everlasting Righteousness and thy Law is the Truth IN this Verse the Word of God is set forth by a double Notion of Righteousness and Law accordingly two things are predicated of it as it is Righteousness 't is said to be an Everlasting Righteousness and as it is Law 't is said to be the Truth Both imply our Duty as there are Truths in the Word 't is mans Duty to Believe them as there are Commands 't is Mans Duty to Obey them I shall treat First of the Notions Secondly of the Predications 1. The Notions And there the Word is first called Righteousness thy Righteousness Gods Righteousness is sometimes put for the Righteousness which is in God himself as Verse 137. Righteous art thou O Lord. Psal. 145. 17. The Lord is Righteous in all his ways And sometimes for the Righteousness which he requireth of us as Iam. 1. 20. The Wrath of Man worketh not the Righteousness of God That is the Righteousness which God requireth of us and here in the Text. Once more that Righteousness which God requireth of us in his Word 't is sometimes taken in a limited sense for the Duties of the second Table and so usually when 't is coupled with Holiness Luk. 1. 75. Eph. 4. 24. The new Man is Created after God in Righteousness and true Holiness Holiness giveth God his due and Righteousness giveth man his due Sometimes 't is taken in a more general sense as
to plead and standeth to judge his people He will bring matters under a Review and will powerfully shew himself against their Oppressors To this pleading Iob alludeth when he saith Iob 23. 6. Will he plead against me with his great power if he should use his Almighty and Invincible power against me he would easily ruine me So Ezek. 38. 22. I will plead against him with Pestilence and with Blood against Gog and Magog that is the Sythians Turks and Tartars So that you see that God's pleading is not by speaking or by Word of Mouth but by the Veugeance of his Providence against those that wrong his people So against Babylon Ier. 51. 36. Thus saith the Lord Behold I will plead thy cause and take vengeance for thee But that this is a mixt act of Patron and Judge see Micah 7. 9. I will bear the indignation of the Lord because I have sinned against him until he plead my cause and execute Iudgment for me he will bring me forth to the light and I shall behold his Righteousness When Gods People provoke him to anger by their sins he casteth them into Troubles and then their Adversaries are Chief and their Cause is much darkned and obscured all this while God is pleading against them but it is not the Enemies Quarrel but his own Vindication of abused Mercy and Goodness but when once the controversie is taken up between God and them by their Submission and clearing his Justice and imploring his Mercy then God will plead their Cause and take their part against the instruments of his Vengeance and clear their righteous cause who only sought their own ends in afflicting them when God hath exercised their Humility and Patience he will thus do and how I pray you will he plead for them the Text saith there by executing Judgment for them that is by putting his sentence in Execution and then will restore to them their wonted priviledges and own them in the publick view of all and make manifest they are his he will bring them forth to the Light and they shall see his Righteousness 3. The Effect of God's pleading which is the clearing of God's people and the convincing of their Adversaries which God doth partly by the Eminency and Notableness of the Providences whereby he delivereth his people and the markes of his Favour put upon them Nehem. 6. 16. And it came to pass that when all our Enemies heard thereof and all the Heathen that were about us saw these things they were much cast down in their own eyes for they perceived that this work was wrought of our God Their own Judgments were convinced of their folly in opposing the Iews the extraordinary success shewed the hand of God was in it by such incredible and remarkable occurrences doth God bring about their deliverance So Micah 7. 10. When God shall plead her cause then she that is mine enemy shall see it and shame shall cover her which said unto me where is the Lord thy God mine eyes shall behold her now shall she be trodden dâ—…wil as the mire of the streets Those who mocked her Faith should be confounded at the sight of her Deliverance Thus God delights to make the happiness of his people Conspicuous So Rev. 3. 9. Behold I will make them which are of the Synagogue of Satan which say they are Iews and are not but do lie behold I will make them to come and worship before thy feet and to know that I have loved thee He will make their Enemies to know that he hath loved them and ask them forgiveness for the wrongs and outrages done to them Partly by the Convictions of his Spirit undeceiving the World and reproving them for the hatred and malice against his People Ioh. 16. 8. The Comforter when he is come shall reprove the world of Sin of Righteousness and of Iudgment The word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not Comfort but Convince or Reprove put them to silence so as they shall not in Reason gainsay The Object the World the Unconverted if not the Reprobate The things whereof Convinced of Sin and Righteousness and Judgment of the Truth of Christs Person and Doctrine This was spoken for the Comfort of the Disciples who were to go abroad and beat the Devil out of his Territories by the Doctrine of the Cross that were weak men destitute of all Worldly sufficiencies and Props and Aids Their Master suffered as a seducer their Doctrine cross to mens carnal Interests for them in this manner to venture upon the raging World was a heavy discouraging thing Now the Spirit should come and convince the opposing World so far that some terrified before brought to Evangelical Repentance Acts 2. 37. Now when they heard this they were pricked in their heart soon desire to share in their great Priviledge Acts 8. 18 19. And when Simon saw that through laying on the Apostles hands the holy Ghost was given he offered them money saying Give me also this power that on whomsoever I lay hands he may receive the Holy Ghost but he was yet in the gall of bitterness and bond of iniquity Some almost perswaded Acts 26. 28. Then Agrippa said unto Paul almost thou perswadest me to be a Christian. Some forced to magnifie them who did not joyn with them Acts 5. 13. And of the rest durst no man join himself to them but the people magnified them Some would have worshipped them being yet Pagans Acts 14. 11 13. And when the people saw what Paul had done they lift up their voices saying in the speech of Lycaonia the Gods are come down to us in the likeness of men Then the Priests of Iupiter which was before their City brought Oxen and Garlands to the gates and would have done sacrifice with the people Others bridled that were afraid to meddle with them Acts 5. 34 35. Then stood there up one in the Council a Pharisee named Gamaliel a Doctor of Law had in reputation among all the people and commanded to put the Apostles forth a little space and said unto them Ye men of Israel take heed to your selves what ye intend to do as touching these men That Christ that Messias that Righteous Person one able to Vanquish the Devil thus without any visible force and with mere Spiritual Weapons by this conviction of the Spirit did the Lord subdue the World to the owning and receiving Christs Kingdom at least not go on in an high hand to oppose it God cleared Christ as righteous and Lord. II. The Necessity of this pleading 1. Because the People of God are often in such a Condition that none will plead their Cause unless the Lord plead it and therefore we are driven to him as our Judge and Patron God's design is not to gain the World by Pomp and Force but by spiritual Evidence and Power and therefore as to Externals it is often worse with his People than with others for the World is upon their Tryal and
his chosen Psal. 106. 5. That I may see the good of thy chosen that I may rejoyce in the gladness of thy nation that I may glory with thine inheritance It is a Favour Psal. 50. 23. Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me to him that ordereth his Conversation aright will I shew the Salvation of God Thirdly For Quickning Quicken me in which he prayeth either to be kept alive till the Promises be fulfilled or rather to be Comforted and Encouraged in waiting Doctrine We need continual influence from God and lively encouragement especially in our Troubles I. We are apt to faint before God sheweth himself Isaiah 57. 16. I will not contend for ever neither will I be alwayes wroth for the spirit should fail before me and the souls which I have made The Devils design is to Tire and Weary us out some are of a poor Spirit that they will Tire before their strength faileth them Prov. 24. 10. If thou faint in a day of adversity thy strength is but small Yea there a readiness to faint in the best through many Troubles delayed hopes those that have upheld others by their good Counsel are apt to sink themselves II. At least we are clogged cannot so chearfully wait upon God and walk with him Heb. 12. 12. Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down and the feeble knees We grow weak sloathful remiss in Gods service Fear and Sorrow weakeneth the hands indisposeth us for Duty Use. Let us Encourage our selves Rowse up our heavy Hearts and wait for Gods Quickening let us not give God cause by our Negligence to deny support no us SERMON CLXXIII PSALM CXIX VER 155. Salvation is far from the wicked for they seek not thy statutes DAvid had begged his own Deliverance as one of Gods Servants or Clients in the former Verse now he illustrateth his Petition by shewing the opposite state of the Wicked they could not with such Confidence go to God or put in such a Plea for Deliverance Salvation is far from the wicked Some read it Prayer-wise Let Salvation be far from the Wicked for in the Original the Verb is understood and it is only there Salvation far from the Wicked but most Translations read it better Proposition-wise For as the Man of God comforts himself in his own Interest and Hopes so also in this that God would not take part with the wicked Enemies against him who had no interest at all in his Salvation and protecting Providence and therefore would keep him from their rage In the Words I. An Assertion II. The Reason of it I. In the Assertion we have the miserable condition of Wicked Men Salvation is far from them II. In the Reason we have the evil Disposition of Wicked Men they seek not thy Law which will give us the true Notion and Description of them who are wicked Men Such as seek not Gods Statutes busie not themselves about Religion study not to please God In the Words two Propositions Doctrine I. That Salvation is far from the Wicked Doctrine II. They are wicked who keep not Gods Statutes Doct. I. That Salvation is far from the the Wicked Salvation is of two sorts Temporal and Eternal the Proposition is true in both senses they are far from Salvation and Salvation is far from them To be far from Salvation is to be in a dangerous Case as to be far from Light is to be in extream Darkness To be far from Gods Law ver 150. is to be extreamly Wicked To be far from Oppression Psal. 54. 14. is to be in a most safe Condition So that the point is That the Wicked are in a very dangerous case both as to their Temporal and Eternal Estate First Temporal Salvation is far from them and they are in a dangerous Condition as to their outward happiness This seemeth to be the harder part and to have most of Paradox in it but this will appear to you if you consider 1. That all these outward things are at Gods disposal to give and take according to his own pleasure Iob 1. 21. The Lord gave and the Lord hath taken away not the Sabeans and the Chaldeans 1 Sam. 2. 7. The Lord maketh poor and maketh rich he bringeth low and lifteth up He that cast the World into Hills and Valleys disposeth of the several Conditions of Men that some shall be high and some low some exalted some dejected all things that fall out in the World are not left to the Dominion of Fortune or blind Chance but governed by the wise Providence of God Their good is not in their hands Iob 21. 16. 2. That it belongeth to God as the Judge of the world to see ut malis male sit bonis bene Gen. 18. 25. That be far from thee to do after this manner to stay the righteous with the wicked and that the righteous should be as the wicked that be far from thee shall not the judge of all the World do right Rom. 3. 5. For if our unrighteousness commend the righteousness of God what shall we say is God unrighteous that taketh vengeance I speak as a man God forbid for then how shall God judge the World Iob. 34. 17. Shall even he that hateth Right govern and wilt thou condemn him that is most just Iob. 34. 11. For the work of a man shall he render unto him and cause every man to find according to his ways He is not indifferent to good and evil and alike affected to the Godly and the Wicked but hateth the one and loveth the other he hateth the wicked Psal. 5. 5. Thou hatest all the workers of iniquity and on the other part he loveth the good and the holy Psal. 35. 27. He hath pleasure in the prosperity of his servants it is his delight to see them happy and flourishing This different respect is often spoken of in Scripture Psal. 31. 23. The Lord preserveth the faithful and plentifully rewardeth the proud doer That he will uphold and maintain those that are faithful to him and avenge himself upon the Pride and Oppression of the Wicked though all the World be against the Godly God will preserve them and ruine the Wicked though all the World should let them alone So 1 Pet. 3. 12. For the eyes of the Lord are over the Righteous and his ears are open unto their prayers but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil There is a watchful eye of God over the righteous to supply their wants to direct them in their ways to uphold them against dangers to comfort them in their Griefs to deliver them out of all their Troubles God hath an eye to take notice of their Condition and an ear to hear their Prayers but his face is set to pursue the Wicked to their Ruine so that this is enough to assure us that Holiness is the way to live Blessedly even in this Life where Misery most aboundeth because this is a part of the care that belongeth to
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
the Necessity 2. From the Congruity and Conveniency 3. From the Utility and Profit of it 1. The Necessity of it It must needs be so that Gods wayes must be taken up upon choice because there are several Competitors that bid for the heart of Man where there is but one thing there is no choice There is the Devil by the World through the Flesh seeks to get in and reign in your Hearts and there is God Christ and the Spirit Now there must be a casting out of one and putting in the other Look as in the 9. Prov. the whole Chapter there Wisdom and the foolish woman are brought in pleading to draw in the heart of unwary man to themselves Wisdom is pleading and the foolish woman is pleading In the beginning of the Chapter Wisdom tells what Comfort what Peace they shall have if they will take her Institutions Wisdom offers solid Benefits but Folly offers stolen waters and bread eaten in secret some carnal Mirth when Conscience is asleep ay and the dead are there too The intoxicating Pleasures of this World bring Death along with them when they can choak the sentiments of God that are in his heart Whoso is simple let him turn in hither saith Wisdom and who is simple let him turn in hither saith Folly As the Poets feign of their Hercules that Vertue and Vice appeared to him and the one shewed him a rough and the other a pleasant way Certainly as soon as we come to years of discretion we come to make our choice either to go on in the ways of death or to choose the ways of God either to give up our selves to the Pleasures of sin or else to seek after the comforts of the Spirit Now since there are two Competitors for the heart of man and his love cannot remain idle it must be given to one or another Love and Oblectation cannot lie idle in the Soul either it must leak out to the World or run out to God There is a necessity of a choice of renouncing the bewitching Vanities of the World that we may seriously betake our selves to the service of God 2. Consider the Congruity and Conveniency of it both to the honour of God and nature of Man that no man should ever be happy or miserable but by his own Choice 1. 'T is not for the Honour of God that a man should be Happy or have such great Priviledges setled upon him without his own choice such great benefits as Justification Sanctification and Eternal Glory On the other side that a man should be Miserable without his knowledge or against his will or besides his purpose and consent that God should give Eternal Life whether men will or no. It is not agreeable to the Honour of God to inflict Eternal Death upon them without their consent unless they choose the ways of death Mans Heart else would have a Plea against God Certainly the wise God will never make any happy without their own consent and never make any Miserable but their Destruction is of themselves Hos. 13. 9. 2. Neither will it agree with the Nature of Man who is a reasonable rational Creature or any agent capable of Election or Choice The Brutes are rul'd with a rod of Iron God guides all things by his Providence inanimate Creatures by meer Providence Brutes by their own instinct and Man as a free Agent capable of knowing and prosecuting his Chief End Now every Creature of God is governed according to the nature which is put into it and therefore since man is a free Agent God expects in submitting to his service the Creatures consent and choice and before we can submit to his service before he will admit us to the benefits there must be a choice and an actual will on our parts Rev. 22. 17. Whosoever will let him take the water of life freely The business is brought home to us and left with our will If we miss of happiness it is because we would not choose it and the way that leads to it The Lord chargeth it still upon mans Will Iohn 5. 40. Luke 19. 14. Matth. 23. 37. Psal. 81. 11. our Misery is from our wilfulness But in all that are brought into Grace there is a Will 't is true but God prevents them and inclines their Will Psal. 110. 3. Thy people shall be willing in the day of grace and power You have a grant and an offer of mercy from God and then he inclines and moves you to make a right choice So that of the good and bad it may be said they have their choice If you neglect and refuse holiness you choose your own destruction and neglect life your Hearts must tell you this Thou hast been the fault of it as Plutarch brings in one Apollodorus that dreamt one night that he was boyling in a Kettle of scalding Lead and that his heart cried out to him I have been the cause of all this This Heathen improves it to shew there is a Vengeance that attends sinners I mention it only allusively Now it was your own perverse Choice and Will that made your Hell thou hast but the fruit of thine own choice Indeed as to what is good if you have chosen the Precepts of God there God must have the Glory you must say not I but Christ as the Apostle Ay but there you come in there 's an Act of your Will but as disposed and rightly enclined by God You come both to the Duties and Priviledges of Religion by a choice also though not of your selves but of God 3. Let me reason from the Utility and Benefit A man that takes up the wayes of God upon Choice 1. He is able to justifie the wayes of God for he seeth a Reason for what he chooseth When Temptations come strong there will be many mis-giving thoughts ay but then Wisdom should be justified of all her Children Matth. 11. 19. A blind accidental Love is the fruit of chance but a Love that is grounded upon knowledge and Judgment that 's choice this is so grounded therefore he seeth Reason for what he doth Phil. 1. 9 10. I pray God that your love may abound in all wisdom and understanding That ye may approve things that are excellent They see a Reason for they took it upon choice The Lord hath shewed them the worth and excellency of his wayes therefore they can better justifie God against all their prejudices 2. Such will be more firm and stedfast The cause of all halting in Religion is is the want of a Choice of a purpose resolutely set A wavering double-minded man that is half off and half on will be unstable in all his ways Iames 1. 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a two-soul-man a man that seems to have a soul for God and a soul for earthly things and the heart hangs sometimes for one and sometimes for another A scoff or scorn or a little inconvenience a little fear a little enticement or stirring of
not allowed a ground of Comfort p. 37 All Sin must be refrained 1. notorious and plausible 2. inward and outward 3. pleasant as well as not pleasant 4. sins against both Tables 5. great and small p. 660 661 Sin weakens both Grace and Comfort p. 663 1040 Heynousness of sin in breaking Gods Law striking at Gods being contradicting his Soveraignty p. 686 Sin removed 1. in Justification 2. Sanctification p. 185 Sin its Dominion p. 917 918 919 920 Differences of Sins p. 920 921 Sin brings trouble two ways 1 meritoriously 2. effectively p. 315 316 Sincere prayer must be sincere as well as fervent p. 902 909 910 Sincerity in prayer implies 1. Seriousness 2. Affectionateness 3. prevalency of those affections 4. universal Care to please God p. 903 Sincerity of Sanctification what it is p. 5 Marks of Sincerity 1. Carefulness to practice what we know 2. inquisitiveness to know more of our duty 3. to stand in awe of Gods Word p. 6 11 It makes God judge of its heart p. 627 Sincerity may be accompanied with failings p. 11 Sincerity and Integrity constitute the whole Heart p. 15 It aims at universal Obedience p. 33 59 It is to be asked of God with earnestness p. 530 It gives confidence with God p. 6 533 It keeps us good in bad times p. 866 Two Notes of Sincerity 1. the manner 2. the principle of Obedience p. 1042 Sinking under Burdens by looking on the bare Affliction p. 591 Prevented by considering that God is 1. Wise 2. Just 3. Good in afflicting p. 884. 885 Sinners the greatest when converted are the greatest mourners for the sins of others p. 930 Reasons ibid. Slander not only in the Deviser but the Receiver p. 141 299 300 Sleep there 's a surfeit in sleeping as well as eating p. 926 Slight prayers argue low thoughts of God p. 899 We are apt to be slighty in our prayers p. 915 Sluggish prayers teach God to deny p. 29 899 Snares of the Devil and wicked Men of several kinds p. 735 736 What use we are to make of these Snares p. 137 Song Gods word is our song in the house of our Pilgrimage p. 358 359 vid. Rejoycing Sorrow wasts the natural Spirits p. 554 176 It must be proportionable to sin p. 405 Sorrow of Gods Children greater than others why p. 177 Sorrow affect solitude joy company p. 503 Soveraignty of God must be submitted to p. 119. 789 God sometimes forsakes his people out of Soveraignty p. 51 Soveraignty of God in distributing wisdom p. 648 653 Soul is the Man p. 43 1093 God must be served with the Soul as well as the Body p. 1043 1044 Soul-Blessings are special Blessings p. 43 they are pledges of eternal Blessings ibid. to take ones Soul in his hand what the phrase imports p. 726 Souls life is Gods favour p. 518 Soul is 1 fons actionum ad extra 2. terminus actionum ad intra p. 1044 Soundness of heart what it is p. 530 531 532 Speedy turning to God necessary why p. 402 403 Pressed in general and particular p. 410 Speeding with God should make us come again p. 168 How to speed with God p. 162 H. Spirit is a spirit of Peace 1. as a Sanctifier 2 as a Comforter p. 1027 Spirit of God our Guide as the word is our Rule p. 8 152 153 Spirits work to draw the heart from earthly things to God p. 3 H. Spirit beareth witness to the Gospel p. 9 H. Spirit gives help as Christ gives leave to come to God p. 15 Spirit VVater and Blood how they bear witness p. 9 Spirit Word and holy Heart agree p. 934 H. Spirit gives 1. direction how to apply the Rule 2. to make a good choise 3. to act Grace 4 to manage civil Affairs p. 31 H. Spirit gives Liberty 1. from slavish Fears 2. from potent Lusts p. 304 H. Spirit encreaseth our delight in Gods Commandements p 316 H. Spirit the Author the Scripture the Means of Light p. 694 Spiritual seeing requires 1. that the object be clear 2. that the Organ be right p. 694 Spiritual Blessings call for praise why p 1057 Spiritual Blessings give us a heart to praise God temporal Blessings only give us an occasion p. 43 Spiritual sense and Life p. 671 672 673 It differs from the bare understanding p. 673 Spiritual Delight exceeds that in worldly things p. 87 593 There are three spiritual Senses chiefly 1. seeing 2. tasting 3. feeling p. 671 672 Spiritualizing common and earthly things p. 90 763 Springs of Comfort all in God by the word p. 514 Stability of the earth an Emblem of the Stability of Gods word p. 582 and of his Being 588. Stability of Gods Testimonies p. 889 890 620 956 957 Stability of Gods word opposed to the Creatures Vanity p. 618 620 Stablishing of the word to us two ways p. 284 how to get the word stablisht to us p. 287 288 Statutes of God what what it is to seek them p. 987 Strangers on Earth the Condition of all Gods Children p. 114 Men may be strangers on earth as to their Condition who are not so in Affection p. 114 Why Gods Children are and account themselves to be Strangers p. 114 115 116 How to carry our selves as Strangers in this world p. 118 119 Straights he that makes Conscience of Gods Commands may boldly seek help from God in his straights p. 1079 In all straights we are to delight in Promises p. 1035 Strength natural and spiritual both may fail as they are ours p. 538 Strength spiritual what it is how given out how God is concern'd therein p. 181 182 How to get spiritual Strength p. 182 183 Study the word but take God for your teacher p. 42 Arguments to study the Word p. 652 653 Study the word 1. not out of curiosity 2. nor meerly to be able to teach others 3. nor meerly for delight c. but in order to practice p. 68 68 Study Gods Name 1. what 2. how Stumbling preservatives against it p. 1032 v. scandal Stupidity under the Rod a great evil p. 159 It argues Stupidity to be careless in Prayer p. 906 907 Stupidity not to be affected with Gods Judgments on others p. 812 Subjection to God to be chosen before liberty p. 707 Subjection to God pressed from two grand Motives p. 308 309 Submission to Providence advanced by thanksgiving for received Mercies p. 421 Submission to Gods disposing and commanding Will p. 588 Submission to God 1. for the mercy 2. for the time of the mercy 3. for the way and means of it p 826 Suffering for Christ very reasonable who suffered such hard things for us p. 870 Suffering better than sinning p. 148 525 842 731 732 928 Sufferings are like to be long 1. when Reformation is rejected 2. when Deliverance would be a greater mischief 3. when there is a damp on the Spirit of Prayer 4. when god is about to punish us and we go not about to reconcile our selves to