common field but when the sunne shines and appeares then the hearbs appeare in their lustre so it is with a Christian there is light and immortality and happinesse sowne for him when Christ the Sonne of Righteousnesse shall appeare then we shall appeare with him in glory As wee may say of all things below they have a hidden life the plants and the flowers in the winter they live by the roote and when the Sunne appeares then they also appeare with the Sunne in glory So it is with the Righteous they have a hidden life it is hid now in the roote in their head in this life when Christ the Sonne of Righteousnesse shall appeare when the spring comes when the resurrection comes then we shall appeare with him in glory and so I come to speak of that verse When Christ who is our life shall appeare then shall yee appeare also with him in Glory Our life is now hid our happinesse is vayled over there are many things betweene us and our life but shall it alwayes bee so Oh no When Christ who is our Life shall appeare wee shalt appeare also with him in Glory hee meets with a secret objection The parts here to be stood on are these First Christ hee is our Life hee shall appeare in Glory as our Life This is taken for granted it is a supposed truth When Christ who is our Life shall appeare it is taken for granted that he shall appeare in glory The next thing is that wee shall appeare likewise with Christ. Christ shall appeare and wee And then the consequence how these depend one upon another because Christ appears in Glory therefore we when Christ who is our life shall appeare The Apostle cannot mention Christ without an addition of comfort and the Christian soule loves Christ it sees such matter of comfort and such righteousnesse in him that it cannot thinke of Christ without a comfortable addition of Lord Saviour Life Hope Glory c. Christ carryes with him all comforts hee is food the bread of life the water of life all that is good to the soule therefore the Apostle gives this sweet addition Christ out life How is Christ our life He is every way the cause of the Life of Grace and of Glory And not only so the cause but the roote and spring in whom it is wee have it from Christ and in Christ wee have it in Christ as a root and from Christ as a working cause and by Christ as a Mediator For Christ procured Life at Gods hands by his Sactifice and Death Wee have it in Christ as a head from him as a cause together with both the other persons and through him as Mediator who by his death made way to life appeasing the wrath of God so we are reconciled and pardoned by the death of Christ. Christ is not only our Life so but as the matter of our life that wee seed on when hee hath wrought spirituall life in us then the Soule lives by Faith in Christ still and seedes upon him hee is our life because wee feed on him for as food nourisheth the body so the Soule being every day set on by fresh temptations and afflictions and troubles and fresh discomforts the Soule of necessity is forced to looke to Christ every day and to feed upon Christ to feed upon his blood afâ—…esh which runnes conti nually for hee is a Mediator for ever and he is in Heaven to make good that hee hath done by his death and wee looke upon him every day and feed on him and so hee maintaines the life he hath begun Christ is our life thus More particularly for memorie sake Christ when by faith wee have union with him once as we can have no communion without union with him when wee are one with him once by faith wee have life from Christ the life of reconciliation in law opposite to our death in law and in sentence for by nature we are all dead and damned as soone as we are borne for our owne sins and the sins of our first parents wee are dead in sentence Now by Christ there is a reversion of this sentence Christ by his obedience and suffering hath satisfied his father so by our union with Christ wee are alive in sentence we are absolved in GODS court of justice for hee will not punish sin twice And then after the life of justification being justified by faith we have the life of sanctification and holinesse for GOD out of his love when he hath pardoned our sin he gives his spirit as the best fruit of his love and we having our consciences absolved and acquitted by the spirit of GOD through the obedience of Christ wee love GOD. GOD so loveth us when he is appeased by Christ that the barre being taken away our sinnes being pardoned and the sluce of mercy open there is way made for another life the life of sanctification by the spirit upon pardon of our sinnes he gives the spirit and we feeling that love have love wrought in us to him againe and that love stirs up every Christian to obedience In the next place after he hath acquitted us by his Alsufficient satisfaction being God and Man and hath given us his spirit there is another life the life of comfort which is the life of our life in peace of conscience and joy unspeakable and glorious this life issues from the former for when we find our conscience appeased that God saith to our soules hee is their salvation and find a newnesse wrought in our nature by the spirit of God and some strength to obey him then we begin to have a sweet peace as the Children of God find in themselves and joy unspeakable and glorious This is the life of this life having union with Christ and his Righteousnesse and spirit wee have this peace which is the way to Glory and the beginning of it For besides that Christ is our life in Glory afterwards in this life he is our life Answerable to our servile feare as wee are dead in law we have a life in justification As wee are dead in nature so we have a life in sanctification wee are dead in despaire and runne into terrours of Conscience so wee have a life in joy and peace But all those in this life are imperfect because there is only an union of Grace here till wee come to the union of Glory in Heaven and then at the day of judgement there will bee a perfect justifying of us wee shall not only be acquitted in our conscience as we are now but wee shall bee acquitted before Angels and Divels and Men and Christ will acknowledge us these are they for whom I dyed these are they for whom I made intercession in Heaven we shall be acquitted there and there wee shall be acknowledged And then the life of sanctification that is now in part shall then be perfect and likewise the peace that now passeth understanding shall then bee
there be a sutablenesse of obedience to the word thereafter as the word is Let us have a spirituall desire to these things to imitate the holy man of God as we desire to share in his comforts I will follow this point of the answerablenesse of obedience a little further and then come to the particular of seeking Let our obedience bee every way answerable first let the heart thinke what God saith what God commands and promiseth let the heart take the word of God the second time and ruminate on it and goe over it againe Let us looke into the word and see what is commanded and what is promised and then let the heart goe over it againe And then upon that all eage it to God Put case a man be in trouble Lord thou hast commanded Call upon me in the day of trouble and I will bâ—…re thee Psal. 50. Let the heart thinke of it and goe over that incouragement it is rather an incouragement then a command though indeed God lay a command on us to be good to our own soules it is a duty to love our selves Therefore he commands us to goe to him to seeke his face as though wee wronged him by disobedience when wee injure our selves by our peevishnesse as indeed we doe God loves us better then we love our selves let us thinke of the command and invitation thou hast commanded mee Lord and incouraged mee to come I am now in trouble experience teacheth me I come to thee thou hast said He that sitteth in darknesse and seeth no light let him trust in the name of the Lord. I am in darkenesse and see no light now I trust in thy name let the heart thinke of the promise and then alleage it to God and come with an obedient answer and cast it self upon him and trust in him We are in want perhaps and see no issue no supply thinke of Gods gracious promise I will not faile thee nor forsake thee I come to thee and claim this promise I am in covenant with thee c. So wee should take the promise thou hast said At what time soever a sinner comes to thee with a repentant heart thou wilt forgive his iniquities and though his sins were 〈◊〉 scarlet thou wilt make them as snow and white as wooll my soule thinkes of that command and I come to thee Thou hast bid all that are wearie and 〈◊〉 laden in soule that are troubled in conscience with the sense of their sins to come unto thee my heart thinkes of thy command and invitation I come to thee I am weary and heavie laden First let us thinke of the incouragement that is our warrant and then yeeld present obedience And then what will bee the issue what will spring from it when the heart and obedience joyn with the command that there is a meeting that they concentrate the heart and obedience God bids the heart obey the heart saith I doe obey when these meet the issue must bee exceeding comfortable it cannot be otherwise When the obedient heart meets God in his command in his promise In all perplexity of busines Commit thy way to the Lord and hee shall establish thy thoughts Prov. 3. Prov. 13. and other places Lord I commit my wayes to thee establish my thoughts and designes agreeable to thy will because thou hast bid mee commit my wayes to thee In the houre of death let us commend our selves to God as to a gracious and mercifull Creator 1 Pet. 4. Lord I commend to thee my soule who art the Creator of my soule and the Redeemer of it here is an obedience answerable what can be the issue of it but comfort Therefore let us learne by the example of this blessed man that when he had but a hint from God seeke yee my face answers Thy face Lord will I seeke Faith will see light at a little crevice when it sees an incouragement once a command it will soone answer and when it sees a promise halfe a promise it will welcome it it is an obedient thing The obedience of faith it beleeves and upon beleeving it goes to God As the servants of the King of Assyria they catch the word presently Thy servant Benhadad so faith it catcheth the word To put God in mind it is an excellent thing with the Prophet whosoever penned the 119. Psalme whether David or some other Remember thy promise wherein thou hast caused thy servant to trust As it is Nehem. 1. Remember Lord hee puts God in mind of his promise and so it is good often to put God in mind Lord thou hast made such and such promises I know thou canst not deny thy selfe if thou shâ—…uldest deny thy word thou must deny thy selfe thy word is thy selfe Remember thy promise wherein thou hast caused thy servant to trust If I be deceived thou hast deceived mee for thou hast given me this promise and this command This is an excellent way to deale with God as it were to wrastle with him By tâ—… promise thou hast quickned me Psal. 119. Wheâ—… I was dull and dead hearted then I thought oâ—… such and such a promise I alleage that promise and apply it by a spirit of faith and that quickned me And indeed as I said God hath made us fit to answer him and wee should study in all things to returne unto him by his spirit whatsoever God doth the heart should returne back againe love for love knowledge for knowledge seeking for seeking chusing for chusing He begins with us he chuseth us he loves us he seekes us and wee if ever we intend to be friends with God and to entertaine a holy communion as all that shall be saved must doe we should labour to have our hearts to returne to God what wee find from God first Thy face Lord will I seeke To come more particularly to this seeking which is the particular of the obedience and of the application Thy face Lord will I seeke Seeking implies that our happinesse is out of our selves it implies that there is somewhat in our selves in the application to which there must be some happinesse therefore wee goe out of our selves to seeke It is a motion and it is out of an apprehension of some want a man seekes out of some want or out of some losse or out of some duty Ether hee hath losse and therefore hee seekes or else hee wants and therefore he seeks or else he owes respect and dutie and therefore he seekes it is somewhat without a man that moves his seeking God need not seeke the creature hee hath all fulnesse in himselfe Indeed his love makes him seeke for our love to bee reconciled to him But the creature because his happinesse is out of himselfe in communion with God the Fountaine of all good he must seeke Christians must be Seekers This is the generation of Seekers Psal. 24. All mankind if ever they will
the eye sees the heart imbraceth in good And in what measure our eye sight of heavenly things is clearer and our perswasion stronger in that measure our imbracing is lovely and full of joy and delight Therefore let us labour to grow in knowledge in supernaturall spirituall knowledge and that our perswasion may be stronger every day more and more for answerable to that our affections will grow and will be carried to the things discovered And there is nothing more effectuall to commend knowledge to us then this that it is a meanes to work a holy and heavenly disposition and temper in us especially if it be spirituall And let us meditate upon what wee seeme to know and are perswaded of let us dwell upon things still to work them upon the will and affections let us dwell upon them till our hearts bee warmed well with the things knowne and that we professe our selves to be perswaded of And joyne with it an enquiry upon the soule are these things so doe I know these things and am I perswaded of these things that they are so how is my disposition answerable then am I so affected as I should be is my love so hote and my joy so working and spiritly and quicke as it should or no and hereupon take occasion to stirre up our selves and to checke our owne soules Alas that I should have such things discovered and that I should see such things in such a strong perswasion in the booke of God and professe my selfe to be perswaded of these things and yet be so dead at all times And if we find our affections any thing working that wee are disposed to imbrace these things then wee cannot but be in an excellent temper and blesse God that vouchsafed together with the excellency of the things themselves to shew us our portion by his holy spirit to enlighten our understandings and to perswade us let us blesse God for this for it is a worke above nature And withall because the soule cannot close with and imbrace these things but it must let loose other things for you know in imbracing there must bee a letting goe of those things that were formerly within the gripe if we would gripe these things in our affection and will we must have them only we must not think to graspe the world and them together the things here below and them together as wee shall see after in that point they accounted themselves strangers to earthly things Therefore this is one way to come to this imbracing to come to the sight of the vanity and insufficiency of all things in comparison of Christ and the happinesse wee have by Christ. To see in matter of judgment the insufficiencie of workes and merit and such like in the matter of justification the insufficiency of all such trash as the popish religion abuseth the world withall And so in matter of conversation to see the insufficiency and empâ—…nesse and vanity yea the vexation of all things besides these good things here offered the good things that Gods spirit offers to the eye of our soules that he offers to our wills and affections what are all to these and effectually thinke so thinke what should draw a mans affections after it beauty or strength consider what will become of these ere long And then withall consider the excellency of the estate of the body and soule in heaven if we carry our selves as wee should doe and preserve our selves in our spirituall condition let us lay these things together and then wee shall see how infinitely the one is beyond the other If it be for honour and favour of the world consider the vanity of them and how short a time wee may enjoy them and the things themselves are subject to alteration And withall consider the constant excellency of the favour of GOD in Christ Iesus which will comfort us in life in death and for ever And so for riches and possessions in this world consider how soone all here must be left and how the soule is larger then all these things if wee had a thousand times more abundance then we have and that our soules that are more large and more excellent they are not made for these things but for better and what use we shal have of better things when these faile the soule being immortall and eternall This will make us let goe earthly things in our affections and hold them in their place in a secondary place as things serviceable in the way to heaven and not to graspe them in our affections for then they pierce the soule to death and damnation And if we would be affected as we should be to good things let us keepe our affections tender and keepe them cleare from the guilt of any sinne that may work feares and doubts for together with sin goes feares and doubts they are bred in sinne naturally therefore if we would maintaine this imbracing oh let us keepe our soules as we keepe our understandings cleare so keepe our affections tender by all meanes and keepe our consciences unspotted that so our affections of joy and delight and love may bee ready prest to good things even to the best things Another way is in particular to meditate of the love of Christ the love of GOD in Christ and of his imbracing of us For wee must know that our imbracing is upon perswasion of Gods imbracing of us We imbrace not the promises of Christ as a man imbraceth a dead post that cannot returne imbraces to him againe this imbracing of Christ and heaven it is a mutuall imbracing and it is a second reflexive imbracing wee imbrace God and Christ because we find God in Christ imbracing our soules first in the armes of his love therefore we imbrace him again in the armes of our affections because we find Christ imbracing us in the armes of his affections Therefore let us attend upon the meanes upon private reading of the word and upon the ministry for what are the ministers but to contract Christ and the soule together they are friends of the Bridegroome to discove CHRISTS love to us and his lovelinesse his lovelinesse in himselfe his riches in himselfe and his love to us to allure us againe to CHRIST the ministery is for this end especially to draw Christ and the foule together And what is the Scripture in the intent and scope of it but to discover to us the excellen ciâ—… of Christ and the good things we have by him his love good intention to our soules Now hearing these things in the ministery they are effectuall together with the spirit to draw our affections backe againe to him And naturally wee cannot but love those that love us Now when we are perswaded of Gods love tous in Christ and Christs love to us God having made our soules for love to himselfe and friendship with himselfe and the nearest and sweetest conjugall friendship now therefore the more his
Circumcision availeth any thing or uncircumcision but a new creature you stand too much on outward things that that God requires especially is the new creature So in the old Testament when God prescribed both outward and inward worship they attributed too much to the outward and let the inward alone As in Psal. 50. God complaines how they served him therefore saith he what hast thou to doe to take my Covenant into thy mouth and hatest to be reformed And so in Isay 1. and Isay the last we see Gods peremptory dealing with them I will none of your new Moones I abhorre your offerings And in Isay ult It was as the cutting off of a Dogges neck the offering of sacrifice and yet they were sacrifices appointed by God himselfe What was the reason of this They played the hypocrites with God and gave him onely the shell they brought him outward performances they attributed too much to that and left the spirituall part that God most esteemes So our Saviour Christ to the Pharises we see how he takes them up say not with your selves we have Abraham to our Father They boaâ—… ed too much of their outward privileges You see through the current of the Scriptures those especially that belong not to God they are apt to attribute too much to outward things It were well if they would joyne the inward too which they neglect There are 2 parts of Gods service outward inward that is harsh to flesh and bloud As in Baptisme there are 2 parts outward and inward washing and in hearing the Word is the outward man inward soule when it bowes to heare what God saith so in the Lords Supper there is outward receiving of Bread and Wine and inward making of a Covenant with God Now people give too much to the outward and thinke that God is beholding to them for it but now for the inward because they are conscious of their lusts they care not for that But more particularly the reason is in corrupt nature First because the outward part is easie and glorious to the eye of the world every one can see the Sacrament administred every one can see when one comes and attends and heares the word of God they are easie and glorious in the eye of the world And then againe people rest in them because somewhat is done by it to dawbe conscience that would câ—…mour if they should do nothing if they were direct Atheists therefore say they we will heare the word and performe outward things and being loath to search into the bottome of their conscience rest in outward things and satisfie conscience by it these and the like reasons there are Let us take notice of it and take heed of the corruption of nature in it Let us know that God regards not the outward without the inward nay he abhors it he abhors his owne worship that he hath appointed himselfe if the inward be not there much more devises and ceremonies of mens owne devising Poperie is but an out-side of Religion they labour to put off God with the worke done they have an opinion fit to corrupt nature that is that the Sacrament administred confersgrace without any disposing of the partie One of the Chiefe of them a great Scholler he will have the water it selfe to be elevated above its owne nature to conferre grace as if grace had any communion with a dead element And thus they speak to make people dote too much upon outward things I will not stand to confute this opinion this very text sheweth that the outward part of Baptisme without the inward is nothing not the washing of the body but the answer of a good Conscience saith S. Peter Let us labour therefore in all our services of God to bring especially the spirituall part The Prophet Hosea findes fault with Ephraim They loved to tread out the Corne but not to weare the Yoake Now the Oxe that weares no yoake it is no trouble to tread out the Corne they fed upon the corne as they trod it thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the Oxe that treadeth out the Corne So Christians are like Ephraim they are content to take the easie part of Religion but to take the yoake that which is hard that they love not now wee must labour tob eare the yoake of Religion What the heart doth is done in Religion what the heart doth not is not done and there is a kind of Divinity a Divine power in all the parts of Gods worship that is requisite besides the bringing of the outward man As in hearing there is required a divine power to make a man heare as he ought to doe to bow the neck of the inward man of the soul so to receive the Sacrament more is required then the outward man There is a forme and power in all the parts of Religion Let us not rest in the forme but labour for the power there is a power in hearing of the Word to transforme us into the obedience of it and a power in the Sacrament to renew our Covenants with God for a new life and to cast our selves altogether upon Gods Mercy in Jesus Christ besides the outward elements to have further Communion with Christ. Wee see what kind of persons those were in 1 Tim. 3. That practised a form of Religion without the power hee names a Catalogue of sinnes there They were Lovers of pleasures more then Lovers of God yet these people will have a forme of Religion notwithstanding but they deny the power of it But I hasten to that that I will more dwell on The Ministers likewise are to learne their duty hence to observe the dispositions of people and what barres they lay to their own salvation if wee see them superstitious that they swel in outward performances and so are deluded by Sathan in an ill state and feed themselves with huskes then we are to take away such objections as much as wee can as S. Peter here when he had said that Baptisme answers to the Flood both shew the deliverance of Gods people by the blood of Christ I saith he not the outward Baptisme the washing of the Body but the answer of a good Conscience So Christ takes away a secret objection say not with your selves we have Abraham to our Father And to feed people in their ill humours this is not the way but to labour to make them spirituall for God is a spirit and hee loves that part of his worship that is spirituall and inward Wee shall have no man damned in the Church if there were not an inward spiritual part of Gods worship for the worst men of all wil be busiest in outward performances and glory most in it of any other It is a delusion that brings thousands to hell and that made me a little dwell upon it But I goe on Not the washing away the filth of the body But the answer of a good
Lord will I seeke therefore I am incouraged to pray to thee In the words are contained GODS Command and Davids Obedience Seeke my face thy face Lord will I seeke Gods warrant and Davids worke answerable the Voice and the Ecchoe the Voice Seeke mâ—… face the rebound backe againe of a gracious heart Thy face Lord will I seeke When thou saidst it is not in the originall iâ—… only makes way to the sense passionate speeches are usually abrupt seeke my face thy fâ—… Lord will I seeke The first thing that I will observe from the incoâ—…ragement is that God shews himselfe to his understanding creature God begins you see seeke my face he muâ—… open his meaning and shew himselfe first God comes out of that hidden light that hee dwels in and discovers himselfe and his will to his creature especially in the word It is our happinesse now that we know the mind and meaning of God What is the ground of this what need God stoope thus There is the same ground for it as that there is a God these things goe in an undivided knot God The reasonable understanding creature and Religion that ties that creature to God a discovery of God what that Religion shall be For in the entercourse betweene God and Man man can doe nothing except he hath his warrant from God It is extreme arrogance for man to devise a worship of God Doe we thinke that God wil suffer the creature to serve him as hee pleaseth No that were to make the creature which is the Servant to be the Master It belongs to the Master or Lord to appoint the service what Master or Lord will bee served according to the liberty and wisedome and will of his servant And shall â—…he great God of Heaven and earth bee worshipped and depended upon as man pleaseth or from any incouragement from himselfe shall not hee designe his owne worship hee that singles out his owne worke makes himselfe master in that therefore God begins with this command seeke my face and then the heart answereth thy face Lord will I seeke God must first discover his mind of necessity to the creature Scriptures might be forced hence to shew the dutie owing from the creature Man to God for the creature must have a ground for what â—…he doth it must not be will worship Infringit c. It is a rule it weakens the respect of obedience that is done without a cause though a man doth a good deed yet what reason what ground have yee for this and that wee may doe things upon ground God must discover himselfe therefore he saith Seeke my face It may bee objected that every thing proclaimes this to seeke God though God had not spoken nor his word every creature hath a voice to say seeke God all his benefits have that voice to say seeke God whence have we them If the creature could speake it would say I serve thy turne that thou mayest serve God that made thee and me as the Prophet saith the rod and chastisement hath a voice Heare the Rod and him that smiteth every thing hath a voice We know Gods nature somewhat in the creature that he is a powerfull a wise 〈◊〉 just God we see it by the works of creation and providence but if we should know his nature and not his will towards us his commanding will what hee will have us doe and his promising will what he will doe for us exceâ—… wee have a ground for this from God the knowledge of his nature is but a conâ—…ed knowledge it serves but to make us unexcusable as in Rom. 1. it is proved at large It is too confused to be the ground of obedience unlesse the will of God bee discovered before therefore we must know the mind of God And that is the excellencie of the Church of God above all other people and compâ—…nies of men that wee have the mind and will of God what heere quiâ—… of us by way oâ—… dutie to him and what he will doe to us as a liberall and rich God These two things which are the maine are discovered what wee looke for from God and the dutie wee owe backe gaine to God these are distinctly opened in the word you see here God beginâ—… with David seeke yee my face Indeed God is a God of order in this subordination of God and the creature it is fit that God should begin it is Gods part to command and ours â—…o obey This point might be inlarged but it is a point that doth but make way to that that followes therefore I will not dwell upon it Againe in this first part Gods command or warrant seeke yee my face you see here God is willing to be knowne He is willing to open and discover himselfe God delights not to hide himselfe God stands not upon state as some Emperours doe that think their presence diminisheth respect God is no such God but he may bee searched into Man if any weakenesse be discovered wee can soone search into the depth of his excellencie but with God it is cleane otherwise the more we know of him the more we shall admire him None admire him more then the blessed Angels that see most of him and the blessed Spirits that have communion with him therefore hee hides not himselfe nay hee desires to be knowne and all those that have his Spirit desire to make him knowne Those that suppresse the knowledge of God in his will what he performes for men and what he requires of them they are enemies to God and of Gods people they suppresse the opening of God cleane contrary to Gods meaning seeke my face I desire to be made knowne and lay open my selfe to you Therefore we may observe by the way that when wee are in any darke condition that a Christian finds not the beames of God shining on him let him not lay the blame upon God as if God were a God that delighted to hide himselfe oh no it is not his delight he loves not strangenesse to his poore creature it is not a point of his policie hee is too great to affect such poore things No the fault is altogether in us we walke not worthy of such a presence wee want humility and preparation If there be any darkenesse in the creature that he finds God doth not so shine on him as in former times undoubtedly the cause is in himselfe for God saith seeke my face he desires to open himselfe but it is a point that I will not be large in We see hence likewise that Gods goodnesse is a Communicative spreading goodnesse That is peculiar to God and to those that are lead with the Spirit of God that are like him they have a communicative diffsive goodnesse that loves to spread it selfe Seeke my face I am good in my selfe but I desire to shine on you to impart my goodnesse to you If God had not a communicative spreading goodnesse hee
therefore they labour to be voluntarie It is a good saying there is no vertue in men that doe things against their wils for that is vertue and grace that comes from a man from his owne principles from cheerfulnesse God loves a cheerfull giver I might inlarge this but I doe but take it as it may strengthen the point our obedience to God it must be pliable and cheerfull and voluntary Againe obedience if it be true it is perfect and sincere looking to God Thy face Lord will I seeke we must eye God in it and Gods commandement and not have a double eye wee must not looke to our own selves it must be perfect obedience that is opposite to that which is hypocriticall that is the best perfection for the perfection of degrees is not to be attained here but this perfection of soundnesse is to be laboured for as wee see here it was a sound obedience Thy face Lord will I seeke I will not seeke thy favours and blessings so much as thy face It was perfect obedience as perfection is opposed to unsoundnesse It was likewise a professed obedience before all the world in spight of Satan Thy face will I seeke let the devill and the world doe what they can let others doe as they will but as Iosua saith If you will worship other Gods if you will fall away doe But I and my house will serve the Lord what if his house will not serve the Lord If my house will not serve the Lord I will So wee should all be of Iosua's mind I and my house will serve the Lord let the world goe which way it will In blessed Saint Pauls time oh saith he There are many of whom I have told you often and now tell you weeping who are enemies to the Crosse of Christ whose end is damnation who mind earthly things What doth Paul in the meane time oh but our conversation is in heaven we swim a contrary way we care not to let the world know it our conversation is another way So our obedience must not only be present and pliable and perfect but a professed obedience that is to breake through all the oppositions of the Devill and the world with an invincible resolution to bâ—…eak through all difficulties and scandals and examples of great persons and of this and that if we will goe to God and say truely Lord thy face will I seeke Let other men seeke what they will let them seeke the face and favour of others thy face will I seeke thou shalt be in stead of all to me as indeed hee is Againe as it is a professed so it is a continued a perpetuall obedience hee is resolved for the time to come Thy face will I seek not onely now and then turne my back upon thee afterwards but I will seeke thy face till I see thee in heaven I see thy face in thine ordinances in the word in thy people where two or three bee gathered thou are among them I will see thy face as I may till I see it in heaven so here is a perpetuall resolution Thy face I will seeke Lastly theâ—…e is one thing more in this obedience and answer to Gods command that his answer to God is an answerable answer that is the answer and obedience is sutable to the command Gods command was seeke my face his answer is thy face Lord will I seeke So the point is that Our obedience to God must be proportionable to that that is commanded It must not be this or that devised by men when the Lords eye is on you in this place and gives you a charge to doe thus the obedience must be sutable when he saith seeke my face wee must obey thy face Lord will wee seeke Therefore it may in some poor sense be compared to an Eccho we returne obedience in the same kind the Spirit of God teacheth the children of God to doe so to answer God in al the things hee doth I know not a better evidence of a child of God then this answering Spirit How shall I know that God loves me I love him againe therefore I know hee hath loved me first it is an undoubted argument How shall I know that God hath chosen mee I chuse him Whom have I in heaven but thee and what is there in earth in comparison of thee It is an undoubted Argument shall I be able to single out God to be instead of all to me and hath not hee chosen me first Can there bee any thing in the Current that is not in the Spring before It is impossible I know God I looke on him as my father certainly he hath shined on me first I have said to him thou art my God certainly he hath said before thou art my servant If I say to him thou art my God certainly he hath said before I am thy salvation hee hath begun for this is the order God begins he saith Seeke my face then if wee have grace to returne answerable obedience to God Thy face Lord will I seeke when thou biddest me Lord I will love thee I will chuse thee and delight in thee thou shalt bee my God if we have this returning spirit back againe we cannot have a better argument that God loves us then by answering Gods course This is that that Saint Peter hath in 1 Pet. 3. that that doth all in Baptisme it is not the washing of the filth of the body but the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the answer or the demand of a good conscience but answer is better the answer of a good conscience cleanseth in Baptisme What is that In Baptisme dost thou beleeve saith the Minister in God the Father Almighty I doe beleeve that was the answer dost thou beleeve in God the Son I doe beleeve dost thou beleeve the Forgivenesse of sins the Resurrection of the body and the life everlasting I doe beleeve dost thou renounce the Devill and his workes I renounce them that is the answer of a good conscience where that is from the heart there God hath spoken to that heart before and there is obedience to purpose Thy face will I seeke it is that that brings comfort not the washing of the water it is not the eating of the bread and drinking the wine and hearing the word of God when there is not the answer of a good conscience when we say we beleeve and we will doe this to doe it indeed Lord I will beleeve I will goe out of the Church with a purpose to practise what I heare Here is the answer of a good conscience when wee mingle what we heare with faith and labour to practise it or else it will doe no good Our obedience must be sutable and answerable as I said before if it be a direction to follow it if it be a command to obey it if it be a threatning to feare it if it be a comfort a promise to rest upon it Let
manner is by removeing contratraries and moving the heart and drawing it With the word of man God enters into the very will and affections for as hee made the soule and framed it so hee knowes how to worke upon it and to draw it sweetly by reasons but yet strongly that it may be carried to the things revealed GOD at the same time workes strongly by carrying the soule and sweetly with reasons For God first comes into the soule by divine light by reasâ—… â—…nd then he sinkes into the soule by his spirit â—…o draw the soule to these reasons without this we never yeeld to those reasons but stand â—…ut in rebellion GOD perswades the soule sweetly of the â—…ruth by shewing a man the goodnesse of it and â—…he sutablenesse to our condition and the reasons of it how they agree to our nature hee doth not force the soule but doth it with reasons and arguments sweetly And â—…e doth it strongly that the soule when it is perswaded would not for all the world bee of another mind it is so strong that the perswasion and â—…he promises are stronger then the temptations of Saran and the corruptions of the â—…esh or then the candals of the world that nothing â—…an separate us from Christ nothing can drive â—…s from our faith and hope the perswasion is â—…et so strongly upon the soule because it is a divine perswasion It is a strong worke to perswade the soule For the spirit of God When it brings a light into the soule it brings agreat many graces with it when it shines upon the soule and discovers better things it brings other graces â—…o perswade and to imbrace the things it discovers As it is an infinite mercy and goodnesse of God to discover to our soules such excellent things as we may be perswaded of as if 〈◊〉 estate to be such as indeed it is above our 〈◊〉 prehension in this world neither eye hath 〈◊〉 nor â—…are heard nor hath entred into the heart 〈◊〉 man the things that God hath prepared for 〈◊〉 that love him so likewise it is Gods infinite worke of power to frame the soule to be perswaded of this it is as mâ—…ch power to 〈◊〉 the soule to this perswasion as it is mercy 〈◊〉 discover them in a manner there is such 〈◊〉 ward rebellion and distrust in the soule 〈◊〉 ling these truths into question as if theâ—… things were too good to be true Considerâ—… our owne unworthinesse and vilenesse 〈◊〉 the excellency of these things laying theâ—… together the unbelieving heart of man 〈◊〉 prone to unbeliefe above all other sinnes 〈◊〉 can hardly conceive that there are such thinâ—… for Gods children except the heart be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tily wrought on unlesse together with 〈◊〉 swasion there be some worke in the soule whence it may gather by the work of the spirit that they are those to whom such good things belong because the spirit of God hath singâ—…ed them out and set his seale and stampe on them above other men by some evidenceâ—… of grace It is another manner of worke then the world takes it to be For as I said before together with the Scripture there must a spirit of perswasion goe there is a secâ—…et messengeâ—… goes with the outward peech both of the preacher and of the Scripture or else all the â—…guments will not be to purpose they will be â—…f no efficacy As the Israelites they had arguments and â—…otives enow to perswade them of Gods love â—…nd care to them yet notwithstanding GOD â—…ave them not a heart Deut. 29. In Christs â—…me what miracles did they see yet their â—…earts were hardned because God together â—…ith his shining in the outward meanes did â—…ot subdue the rebellion of their wiâ—… and afâ—…ections and therefore the more they saw â—…he more they were hardned the Scribes and â—…harisees and some of their desperate folâ—…owers Well then considering that the spirit doth â—…his great worke let us labour that our knowâ—…edge may be spirituall that our perswasion of divine truth in generall and our part and â—…ortion in divine truth that it may bee spirituâ—…ll for as Saint Paul divinely and excellentâ—…y sets it downe 2 Cor. 2. 10 11. that as no â—…an knowes the things that are in man but the spiâ—…it that is in man so no man knowes the things of Gods word divine truths nor his part and porâ—…ion and interest in them but by the spirit of God If wee bring the Engine of our owne â—…it and parts to Gods truth â—…o sermons and â—…ookes wee may never be the better if wee â—…ome not with a spirituall intention with â—…everent and humble hearts and implore the â—…eaching of the spirit that together with the revelation of the word there may beeâ—… 〈◊〉 ving of the vaile by the spirit that vvith 〈◊〉 outwâ—…rd teaching there may bee the inwarâ—… teaching of the spirit that with the 〈◊〉 opening the â—…are there may be the opening 〈◊〉 the hearâ—… that he that hath the key of 〈◊〉 may open and inoline and perswade the 〈◊〉 that hee may perswade Iaphet as the Scripâ—… phrase is It is facâ—…legious presumption to come 〈◊〉 holy places and to set upon holy duties 〈◊〉 heare or read the word of God without 〈◊〉 ting up our hearts to God for his holy 〈◊〉 We cannot plow without his Heifer Can 〈◊〉 know the mind of God without the 〈◊〉 God What arrogancy is this to thinâ—… 〈◊〉 be saved and the spirit never tell us with 〈◊〉 word so but it is only a presumpâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This is a sacrilegious surpation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gods glory The spirit of God knowâ—… 〈◊〉 things are in God towards us and reveales 〈◊〉 our spirits Gods inward love to us The 〈◊〉 â—…eacheth us to know the things that are 〈◊〉 God Wee only know the good that Gâ—… meanes us by his owne 〈◊〉 and therefore let us labour every day more and more 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 spirituall and heavenly minded And above all things to make it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of our desires as it 〈◊〉 Luke 11. to pray 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 spirit he will give his holy spirit to them that 〈◊〉 it it is the best and the chiele gilt of all 〈◊〉 this makes our knowledge heavenly our 〈◊〉 swasion heavenly and sound and constant in â—…e and death And this spirit carries the whole soule with it this spirit makes us like the word of GOD because it is spirituall it makes us so and we love it in our inward man and consent to it and joy in it Whereas naturally there is inward rebellion in the greatest Scholler in the world against the word of God the heartriseth against divine truths they are as opposite as fire and water as heaven and hell The proud heart of man slights the promises of mercy as nothing to petty things of the world it slights the comforts of the word to carnall comforts and the Commandements of GOD in respect of the commandements of men The proud man
love is discovered to us the more we shall love him Therefore let us be constant in attending upon good meanes we shall alway heare something that will either strengthen our faith in the promises of God or shew us our duty to God againe we shall have something discovered whereby the spirit will bee effectuall to help this imbracing Let us go to reading and hearing with this scope and intention Now I come to heare I come to have my soule wrought on I come to heare some message from heaven to heare some good thing to draw my minde from the world and worldly things and upon hearing our duty to God to walke lowly in thankefulnesse for those good things that wee have and that wee hope for in another world It is no wonder that men lose their affections that are carelesse in the use of meâ—…nes and if they loose them will they not loose all The best man living if he be care lesse in using the meanes of salvation and give himselfe to the world altogether or to his calling things not in themselves unlawfull his affections will be dead he shal loose them for God hath ordained that our affections should be quickned by heavenly meanes and GOD knoweth better than wee our selves that hath sanctified these meanes to this purpose In attending upon the meanes we shall heare a discovery of good things and heare comforts and have our light strengthened by new discovery of new Scripture or by old Scriptures lively applyed something to increase the life of our perswasion at every Sermon and reading good bookes and by every good company and that which increaseth knowledge and perswasion makes our affection and imbracing stronger I beseech you let us take these courses or else all is to no purpose the maine thing in religion is the will and affections and when the wil and affections are wrought on the worke is done in the matter of grace And there is no other way to know whether the former worâ—… of the understanding and perswasion bee effectuall and to purpose or no but this to know whether the will choose and cleave to good things and whether our affections joy and delight in them there is the tryall of the maine worke The worke indeed is especially in the judgment when it heares soundly and supernaturally of the ills that are to bee avoyded and of the good things that are to be imbraced buâ—… where is the tryall of the judgement but when it carries the whole soule with it when it carries the sterne of the soule with it Now that which is immediate to our soules is our affection of joy and delight and the the like Therefore let us take to heart these things and never think we are any thing in religion till our hearts and affections be wrought upon till our knowledge be such as may sway that whole inward man Againe consider the excellency of these good things that we have discovered to us in the Gospell that are the object of our imbracing together with the necessity of them that without them we are wretched creatures there is no hope for us Let us every day consider what ground of hope wee have though the things be not yet possest whether the things be true that we hope for whether they bee confirmed to be true or no and how we rest on them for let things be never so excellent and necessary unlesse the soule conceive of them as things attainable as things belonging to us all is to no purpose this effect of imbracing will not bee wrought in the soule Therefore consider more and more the hopefulnes of them that may help this imbracing A Christian when he believes and hopes for that happines that shall be revealed to him the things promised what a world of grounds of hope hath he for it hee hath the word of God for an inheritance immortall and 〈◊〉 he hath the will of Christ Father I will thâ—… where I am they may bee Ioh. 17. his prayer to his father is his will and his will must be performed for he lives for ever to make good his own legacy to his Church And he is now in heaven preparing that happinesse for us that we so imbrace with faith And he hath left us here his spirit to be a pledge that he will come againe he hath left his spirit and hath taken our flesh to heaven to strengthen our hope that this shall follow Our flesh is in heaven in him already and his spirit is in earth in 〈◊〉 as a mutuall depositum in trust betweene him and us and all to strengthen the hope of that happinesse that is reserved Besides the Seale of the Sacrament the end of which is to cherish hopefulnesse of Christ and of all the good we have by him His oath is added to his promise that all things might be immutable and unchangeable of the forgivenesse of sinnes and life everlasting c. Now especially when we find our hearts 〈◊〉 sinke downward and not to have that life 〈◊〉 they should have by meditating on these things of their excellency and necessitie and to conceive in Scripture the grounds of hope of them it will quicken us Adde likewise for our owne interest what worke of the spirit we have and then what singular promises we have that where GOD hath begun he will make an end For why is the worke of the spirit called an earnest but that God will make good the bargaine Consider what worke of the spirit we have for whatsoever is spirituall is eternall in a man what joy is spirituall what love is spirituall what knowledge is spirituall it shall be made up in perfection it shall never be taken away See then how the spirit seales us by the worke of it and what earnest wee have in peace of conscience and the work of it This will cherrish hope for that is part of this imbracing to imbrace them with faith and hope And this should be a daily course to work upon the affections to estrange them from all things and from the meditation of all things else And as I said before to consider the love of God to us and to love him again And consider likewise the hopefulnesse of good things that nothing in the world is so made good to us as the things of a better life the things of grace and glory And God hath borrowed from all assurance amongst men terms to shew the assurance of the good things we have in hope and faith The pledge of the spirit the earnest of the spirit the seale of the spirit the witnesse of the spirit What termes are there used among men that may confirme any thing that you have not used to strengthen this supernaturall assurance of these supernaturall good things GOD herein succours our weakenesse knowing how prone we are to call these things into question And consider especially our owne unworthinesse our vilenesse and basenesse that we deserve none of
from heaven to earth and here he conversed as a stranger he dwelt in his body here as a tabernacle which he layd aside for a while to work the worke of out redemption and then after to dwell in it for ever He was the prime stranger of all strangers he that makes us all strangers here and Citizens of heaven he was a stranger on earth He was not indeed a stranger for hee was Lord of heaven and earth yet in regard of his state of exaltation that was to come after in regard of dispensation he was here as a servant he lived here as a stranger And indeed he was as strangely used for hee came among his owne and his owne knew him not as it is in Iohn 1. he was not knowne among his owne Countrie men the Iewes hee was a stranger on earth He conversed with us here and was among us as a stranger you see how his speech and carriage and conversation on earth it was as a strangers He was talking alway of his fathers house and of the kingdome of heaven When he speakes of the estate of the Church which is the only company of people here in whom God rules by his spirit yet because they are ordained for the kingdome of heaven he calls them strangers here and termes them by that that they are ordained to All his minde was of the kingdome of heaven we see after he was risen the matter of his discourse as the Gospell tells it was of the kingdome of heaven he talked of things that belonged to the kingdom of God all his speeches were that way and his comparisons were fetched that way The kingdome of heaven is like to such a thing and such a thing And all his worke was to draw men from the earth As it was his grand work to redeem men from the earth that is from hell and from their cursed condition so the matter of his teaching was answerable to his work to draw men to heaven all the paines that he tooke before and after his death till he was taken into heaven it tended that way He came from heaven to earth to wooe us to be a spouse to himselfe he came from heaven into a strange countrie to take us for his spouse to take our nature and in our nature to winne us to die for us he carried himselfe as a stranger every way he regarded not earthly things Now answerable to our head Christ must all Christians bee in their affections and dispositions we must be conformable to him we must be strangers as he was All that looke to die in the faith of Christ and to be happy for ever they must witnesse their believing and loving of better things by an answerable carriage to all things here below they must have the affection of strangers and travailers Faith doth enforce this It is the nature of the soule from a principle and ground of nature that when the soule is carried up one way it is shut another when it cleaves unto and imbraceth better things when it is open to heaven the point of the soule is shut to the earth and wee looke upon these things as strangers and pilgrims only for necessary use These holy men the Patriarchs were strangers Strangers in their owne esteeme As Abraham and Iacob they confesse they were sojourners and David though he were a King yet he saith he was a stranger as all his fathers were So all the Patriarchs they professed themselves to be strangers and sojourners and they did it not in word only but in deed they shewed it by dwelling in tabernacles and tents poore things fit for strangers heaven was their house Tabernacles are moveable weak things that have no foundation So they knew their life was like a tabernacle here And their manner of life shewed what they looked for they carried themselves as those that hoped and looked for better things They were strangers in their dispositions they affected things above and cared no more for these things then for necessary use to helpe them to serve God in their places and those that are strangers in their dispositions they desire to be at home Againe they were strangers in GODS esteeme God termed them so and so it is with all that believe in Christ when we once believe and are new creatures new borne to a better inheritance presently at the same time we are strangers here Strangers likewise in the esteeme of the world The world used them as strangers strangely When a man leaveth the world and cleaveth to God presently the world setteth on him by reproaches and all they can because they think he will disgrace them by his change therefore they labour to make him as black as they may that way they use all strangely that breake from them God will have it so because he will have his children not to love the world therefore he will have the world hate them So they are strangers in that respect they think it strange that they doe not as they did formerly that they doe not as they doe wicked men thinke it strange that they runne not with them into the same excesse of ryot so they are strangers in the esteem of wicked men So they are strangers in regard of their place heaven is their hope they are begotten to an inheritance immortall undefiled c. they live in a place where they are strangers they are every way strangers But you will say wicked men are strangers and pilgrims too I answer they are indeed so for in regard of the shortnesse of their lives and the uncertaintie of the things they injoy for they out-live all their happines here they are snatched hence before they bee aware therefore they are but travellers here but they goe from ill to worse yet in regard of their affections they are no strangers but account themselves at home from a spirit of infidelity and pride and earthlinesse Therefore they are called men of the earth and those that dwell on the earth in the Revelation because they looke no furtherthen the earth and here they roote and fix their affections upon this earth they do not fix their hearts and affections upon the things above they looke not after them they care not for them they value them not nor esteeme them Therefore answerable to their thoughts and bent of their soule and mind is their discourse their speech and carriage and thereupon they are called men of the earth and called the world because they love nothing but the world they are as it were changed into the things they love they are earth as the Prophet saith Oh earth earth c. and they are the world because their affection of love joynes them to these earthly things The Church in the Revelation is called heaven but the beast is said to rise out of the earth for that which bred the carnall religion of Popery it was nothing but earth and
blessed meanes either in private admonitions or publike teaching let men pretend what they will there is no true desire of grace and to be in the estate of Gods people for then they would not be contrary to the means This wretched man Balaam when the Angell stood in his way with his sword drawne to stoppe his way yet notwithstanding he goes on still he was so carryed with covetousnesse and so blinded that neither the miracle of the beast speaking nor of the Angell in his way nor God in the way could stoppe him alas where was this desire then No no the glo ry of earthly things dazeled the glory of the estate of Gods people therefore wee see hee goes against all meanes that was used to stop him in his journey If a man desire to be good and to leave his sinnes he will not stand against the meanes Have wee not many that stand against the Ministery of Gods Ministers are Gods Angels they stand in the way and tell people if you live in this course you shall not inherite heaven if you live in oppression and base lusts unlesse you be changed you shall all perish They come to particular reproofes and hold forth the sword of Gods Spirit yet men breake through all and wreake their malice upon Gods Messengers Is here a true desire when they are not willing to have the hinderances removed when there is not respect of the meanes that should be used Againe true desires of grace they are growing desires though they bee little in the beginning as springs are yet as the springs grow so doe the waters that come from them so these desires they grow more and more still They grow sometimes in Gods children that they will have no stop till they come to have their sull desire to have perfect union and communion with God in heaven The desires of a blessed soule they are never satisfied till it come to heaven Let him kisse me with the kisses of his mouth saith the Church oh let mee have nearer communion with Christ. It desires in the vord and sacraments to come nearer and closer to God and in death then Come Lord Iesus come quickly And when the soule is in heaven there is yet nearer union a desire of the bodies resurrection that both may be for ever with the Lord. Till a Christian be perfect in body and soule there is desire upon desire till all desires be accomplished they are growing desires as S. Peter saith As new born babes desire the sincere milke of the word that yee may grow thereby It is a desire that is never satisfied because there is alway somewhat to be desired till we be perfectly happy And then they are desires that will not bee stilled A child if it have not strong desires it will be stilled with an apple but if the desires be strong nothing will still it but the dug so Gods Children if their desires be strong it is no bauble they desire nothing but grace and inward comfort will quiet the inward man It is a desire that is growing and strong it will not be staid with any thing in this world but wil break through all impediments as a strong stream it will never rest till it have communion with God And therefore the desires that men think are good and earnest enough that goe on plodding in a constant course and never labour to grow they are no desires at all no sanctified desires from a supernaturall principle of grace The desires of a Christian grow and are never satisfied till hee have perfect happinesse The three worthies of David brake through the host and got the water of Bethel for David oh that I had of the water of Bethel So where there are strong desires they are like Davids worthies they carry the soule through all impediments they grow stronger and stronger and are never satisfied till they come to the water of life Let us consider these things whether we have this desire or no if we have but sometimes flashes inconstant ineffectuall desires desires that grow not that are soone satisfied and are stilled with any thing alas these desires the spirit of God never kindled and bred in the heart they are ordinary flashes that shall serve for our deeper damnation Therefore let us take heed and not rest in a cast-awayes estate let us not rest in Balaams state but labour that the desires of our souls may be as they should Desires I confesse are the best character to know a Christian for workes may be hypocriticall desires are naturall Therefore wee ought to consider our desires what they are whether true or no for the first thing that issues from the soul are desires thoghts thoghts stir up desires This inward immediate stirring of of the soule discovers the truth of the soule better then outward things Let us oft therefore examine our desires And let me adde this one thing to the other let us examine our desires by this besides the rest whether we desire holinesse and the restauration of the Image of God the new creature and to have victory against our corruptions to be in a state that we may not sinne against God to have the spirit to be new born as well as we desire happinesse and exemption from misery Balaam desired happinesse but hee desired not the Image of God upon his Soule for then he would not have bin carried with a covetous divell against all meanes No his desire was after a glympse of Gods childrens glory only A wicked man can never desire to be in heaven as he should be for how should we desire to be in heaven to be freed from sinne that wee may praise God and love God that there may be no combate betweene the flesh and the spirit Can he wish this No his happinesse is as a swine to wallow in the mire and he desires to enjoy sensible delights as for spirituall things especially the Image of God and the vision of God they are not fit objects for him as farre as it is a freedome from sin but as hee hath a conceit oh there are goodly things to be seene c. So it corresponds with his disposition but to bee free from Sin and from the conflict of the flesh and spirit and to be set at liberty to serve God alway he cannot desire it so Tell him of heaven he loves it not there is no gold there is not that that he affects therfore he cares not for it he cannot relish it he is not changed Therefore it is a notable Character of a true Christian to desire heaven to be freed from sinne to have communion with God in holinesse other prerogatives will follow this Let us therefore consider what our desires are how they are carryed for desires discover what the soule is As a spring is discovered by the vapours that are about it so is this hidden state of the soule discovered by the
therfore all Christians are reverent creatures they doe all in feare they passe the whole time of their conversation here in feare they make an end of their salvation with fearâ—… and trembling they enjoy their liberties in feare Saint Iude makes mention of a number of wretched people in his time that eate without feare you may know a man that hath not this grace of God in his heart by his unreverent carriage hee never thinkes of the presence and All-seeing eye of God A Christian that hath God to his God knowes that wheresoever hee is hee is in the eye of heaven therefore he is jealous even of his owne most secret corruptions he knowes that they are lawlesse of themselves and therefore he alwayes sets himselfe in the presence of God he is full of reverence full of feare even in the enjoying of his Christian liberties So likewise for the affection of love if God be thy God thou hast grace given thee to love him above all things with whom God is graciously reconciled he giveth them his Spirit to be reconciled backe againe to him He loveth us and we love him againe for wee are by nature enemies to God as hee is to us there is no wicked man in the world can love God indeed as God is a God that promiseth salvation he loveth him hee would faine have that and therefore would faine be in his favour but hee cannot love God as he is in all respects but he hateth him and hee hateth his children hee trifleth with his name by oaths and blasphemy and the like hee scorned God hee wisheth that there were no God can this man say that God is his God when he doth not carry himselfe backe againe to him in his affection as his God no such matter he is Gods enemie and God is his enemie So if God be our God if hee have set his love upon us wee cannot but love him againe if hee be reconciled to us wee are reconciled to him This is a sure signe that God is our God if we love him above all Now that may be knowne if wee be zealous when God is dishonored any way for whatsoever we make our God wee will not endure to have touched if a man make his lust his God if that be touched hee is all in a chafe when that which a man loveth is touched experience shews it hee is presently all on a fire And here the best Christians have cause to be abased hath God their love when they can heare him disgraced and his name abused without being greatly mooved and yet notwithstanding in the meane time will not endure their owne credit to be touched but they are as I said all on a fire where there is no zeale there is no love certainely when vvee can heare Gods children misused and Religion indangered and profession scoffed at c. and yet not be affected nor cannot take Gods cause to heart this is great fault in our love And so for joy and delight wee make God our God when we joy in him above all things in the world when wee make him our boast all the day long as it is Psalm 44. 8. when we make him our glory as he is called our Glory in Ierem. 2. 11. They changed their glory God is our glory if hee be our God wee count it our chiefest glory that we are his that he is ours whatsoever our estates be we glory in God and not in our selves a Christian when he would joy and glory hee goeth out of himselfe to God He is his joy But doe not men joy in the creature and delight in it ofttimes more then in God It is a great shame for us and that for which even the best of us all may be abased to consider what a deale of delight and comfort wee take in the creature more then in God We see Ionah a good man when his Gourd was taken from him that God raised up to be a shelter for him a poore simple defence it was and yet we see how pettish the good man was all the comfort he had could not keepe him from anger and fretting when the Gourd was gone and yet God was his God So many men whereas they should joy in God above all things yet if God take outward comforts from them they are as if there were no God in heaven no comfort there as if there were no providence to rule theworld as if they â—…ad no Father in covenant with them I say this is a great shame for us Againe if God be our God wee will trust in him relye and depend upon him above all things for whatsoever our trust is most in that is our God now if our conscience tell us that wee trust most in God more then in wealth or friends and will not to displease God please any man it is a signe that we have make God our God because we trust in him And surely if we would examine our selves the best of us all it would bring us on our knees make our faces be confounded to consider what a deale of Atheisme there is in our hearts though we are not altogether Atheists yet what a deale there is that must be mortified and subdued For if an honest man and that we know is faithfull should say to us I will be yours I will take upon me to provide for you to defend you to protect you to stand by you against all adversaries wee beleeve and hope that hee will doe it but doe we so to God hath he our trust and affiance Alas no so farre forth I meane as wee are not subdued to God a Christian indeed in some measure is inabled to make God his trust and confidence but there remaines abundance of Atheisme even in the best of us If God be our God why doe we not trust in him depend upon him for all things depend upon him for protection and deliverance from all ill spirituall ill specially from sin Satan hell and wrath depend upon him for all good the good of grace specially for the change of our nature and the forgivenesse of our sinnes for spirituall priviledges adoption and sonneship for the inheritance of heaven c. It is a signe I say that God is our God when wee trust in him above all the world and trust other things onely from him and for him I will trust man but man may deceive me I will not trust him therefore with an absolute confidence no that were to make a God of him What is the reason that God confoundeth proud men at last David shewes the reason this man he tooke not the Lord for his God when men will in contempt of Religion set up themselves and somewhat else to relye on besides God God at the last brings it to passe that the world shall note them out this man trusted in his greatnesse he trusted in his policy in his wit in his friends this man tooke not the Lord for
his God Againe if we make God our God we may know it by our obedience especially by the obedience of the inward man when the inward man is vowed to God when a man yeeldeth inward obedience to God it is a signe that God is his God when a man can araigne his thoughts and desires before God when lusts rise in his heart contrary to the Spirit he checks them presently this becommeth not those that are Gods it beseemeth not those that walke after God that have Gods Spirit for their leader therefore he is ashamed presently of base tentations A Christian can performe the first and last Commandements which are the most spirituall Commandements hee can make God his God in his affections his affections are placed upon him alone as I have shewed before he can yeeld up all his inward affections of feare and love and joy and such like unto God which is the summe of the first Commandement and hee can be content not to have his lusts rage and range suppresses his very thoughts and desires will not suffer any thing to rise in his heart unchecked and uncountrouled which is the summe of the tenth Commandement I meane he can doe it in some measure And there is a inward passive obedience too It is God as David and other Saints said It is the Lord let him doe what seemeth him good in his owne eyes I am Gods and he shall dispose of me the soule that knoweth God to be his God hath an inward obedience of contentation with his estate God is my portion and it is large enough the earth is his and the fulnesse thereof therefore I will be content to be at his disposing whether it be more or lesse and if any murmuring arise in his heart against God in respect of his estate or otherwise he presently suppresseth it as being contrary to the blessed government that a Christian is under that should resigne his whole soule unto God Thus by our affections by the tryall of them wee may know whether God be our God if wee give him the affections of the heart which Religion most stands in when we make the whole inward man stoope and bow and bend unto him when we make him our King and give him the supremacy when we set the Crowne upon his head when hee hath our feare our joy and delight our love our trust I meane when he hath the supreame of all for we may love man as God deriveth good to us by him and so for the rest but God must be supreme others must be loved and feared c. in him and for him but hee chiefely when wee depend upon him for all deliverance out of ill and for all good and shew our dependance on him by our subjection to him in all his wayes by our yeelding to him obedience answerable to all this and especially when we shall shew it by performing inward worship to him when we walke before him pefectly sincerely as it is in the beginning of this Chapter I am God All-sufficient walke before me and be perfect By this we may know that God is our God I need not enlarge it the practise of the first Commandement will teach us what is our God whatsoever we give the supremacy of the inward man to whatsoever we love most whatsoever wee trust most whatsoever we feare most whatsoever we joy and delight most whatsoever wee obey most that is our God I am the Lord thy God in the first Commandement there is the ground what followes Thou shalt have no other Gods but me that is thou shalt love nothing in the world nor feare nothing nor trust in nothing nor joy in nothing more then me no nor with me but all things else thou shalt trust them and feare them c. in me and for me otherwise what is our love is our God what is our trust is our God what is our greatest feare is our God if wee feare man feare him to doe ill man is our God if we love the creature or sinne that is our God if wee cracke our consciences for wealth the covetous mans wealth is his God if wee cracke our consciences for pleasures or for our bellies our pleasures and our bellies and our lusts are our God we make not God our God except we give him the supremacy of the inward man But to proceed and to come to some few familiar signes more that will try us though these may try us in the intercourse that is betweene God and us Whosoever hath God for their God they have the spirit of supplication prayer to cry unto God to run unto him specially in extremity all Gods children have the spirit of adoption to crie Abba Father they have the spirit to give them boldnesse to God when otherwise their nature and likewise trouble joyning with nature and tentations would make them runne from God yet the Spirit of God in them makes them bold to goe to God in Jesus Christ Gods children that are in Covenant vvith him can at all times pray to God if they cannot pray they can chatter and sigh to God there is somewhat they can doe there is a spirit in them that groaneth and sigheth as Rom. 8. and God heareth the voyce of his owne Spirit they are cryes in his eares My groanes and sighs are not hid from thee saith the Psalmist The spirit of supplication vvill shevv God to be our God because if he vvere not ours vvee could not be bold to goe to him in the time of extremity especially this signe you have in the 13. Zach. last They shall call upon my name and I will heare them they shall be my people and I will be their God Invocation prayer is a signe that God is our God vvhen vvee goe to God presently in all our vvants and necessities by prayer Pharaoh and reprobate spirits say to Moses pray you for me but as for a spirit of supplication in themselves they have not they may speake of prayer but they cannot pray whosoever is Gods he can crie to God a child wee know the first voyce it uttereth as soone as it is borne it cryes so Gods new borne children they can crie unto God Paul in the 9. Acts you shall find him praying as soone as ever he was coverted and certainely those that use not to pray morning and evening and upon all occasions that acquaint not themselves with God God is not their God if he were their God they would seeke to him and be acquainted with him the Spirit will teach them to goe unto God as to a Father Againe wee may know that God is our God by this by our separating from all others in our selves and out of our selves there is a separation in our selves for there is the first separation God whose God hee is hee giveth them his Spirit and that like fire severeth the drosse and gathered the sold together and as heate in the body that severeth
they rather reproach and upbraid him with his singularity where is thy God You are one of Gods darlings you are one that thought no body served God but you you are one that will goe alone your God So this is an ordinary reproach an ordinary part for wicked men to cast at the best people especially when they are in miserie what is become of your profession now what is become of your forwardnesse and strictnesse now what is become of your much reading and hearing now and your doing such things now what is become of your God that you bragged so of and thought your selves so happie in as if he had beene no bodies God but yours We may learn hence the disposition of wicked men it is a character of a poysonfull cursed disposition to upbraid a man with his Religion But what is the scope The scope is worse then the words where is thy God The scope is to shake his faith and his confidence in God and this is that that touched him so neerly while they upbraided him where is thy God Indeed they had some probability and shew of truth for now God seemed opposite to him when he was banished from his house from that blessed communion with him that he had Their purpose was therefore to shake his faith and affiance in God and herein they shewed themselves right the Children of the Devill whose scope is to shake the faith and affiance of Gods people in all his temptations and by his instruments For the Devill knowes well enough that as long as God and the soule joyne together it is in vaine to trouble any man therefore he labours to put jealousies to accuse God to man and man to God He knowes there is nothing in the world can stand against God as long as we make God our confidence all his enterprises are in vaine his scope is therefore to shake our affiance in God where is thy God So he dealt with the head of the Church our blessed Saviour himselfe when he came to tempt him If thou be the Sonne of God command these stones to be made bread he comes with an If he laboured to shake him in his Sonneship The Devill since he was divided from God himselfe eternally is become a spirit of division he labors to divide the Sonne from the Father he labors to divide even God the Father from his owne Sonne If thou be the Sonne of God So he labors to sever Christians from their head Christ subjects from their Princes and Princes from their subjects friends from friends and one from another he is a spirit of division where is thy God There was his scope to breed division if he could betweene his heart and God that he might call God into jealousie as if he had not regarded him thou hast taken a great deale of paines in serving thy God thou seest how he regards thee now where is thy God We should labour to make this use of it to counter-worke Satan to strengthen that most of all that the Devill labours to shake most of all shall the Devill labour to shake our faith and affiance in God above all other things and shall we not labour to strengthen that Above all things let us looke to our head as the Serpent winds about and keepes his head Keepe faith and keepe all if faith be safe all is safe let us strengthen that and strengthen all weaken that and we weaken all What cares Satan for other sins that we fall into he aymes at our assurance that we may doubt of Gods love whom we have beene so bold as to sinne against that is it he aymes at to make weake faith in the particular acts of sinne we commit He knowes that sinne naturally breeds doubts as flesh breed wormes where sinne is if it be in never such a little degree he knowes it will breed doubtâ—… and perplexities and where they are he hath that he would have he labors to hinder that sweet communion that should be betweene the soule and God where is now thy God You see wicked men are the children of the Devill right in this Againe they instance here in matter of Religion against him You see how readie wicked and divelish minded men are to tread over the hedge where it is lowest as the proverbe is to adde affliction to affliction especially in that that may touch a man nearest they could not touch him nearer then in this Where is thy God They knew it well enough where is now your Religion this they thought would anger him to the heart here is a devilish disposition you have a terrible Psalme for it Psalme 109. of those that ad affliction to the afflicted They are cursed persons This is the disposition of wicked men they have nomercy malice we say is unsatiable One would thinke that our Saviour Christ when he was upon the Crosse racked there in all his parts a man exposed to so much misery and scorne as he was that they should have had pitty upon him but upon the Crosse they reproached him Aha hee saved others himselfe be cannot save let him come from the Crosse and we will believe in him What abitter Sarchasme was this that came from hekl it selfe Nay when he was dead one would have thought their maliee should have beene buried with his body Malice is ordinarily among men living not the dead but when he was dead This Impostor said c. They laboured to bury his good name that nothing tending to his honour might remaine of him Indeed it is the nature of malice to wish the not being of the thing it maliceth no not the name Let his name perish from the earth It was extremity of malice to worke upon this disadvantage when they see him thus afflicted to vex him with that he was most affected with where is thy God Therefore let those that feele and feed that divellish disposition in themselves to insult over Gods people especially in matters of Religion to vexe them and when there is a wound already to make the affliction greater to adde affliction to affliction let them iudge of what disposition they are They say unto me You see here another circumstance They say unto mee They are so impudent that they are not affraid to reproach him to his face they say to him as if they would stand to their reproach This is one circumstance of aggravation indeed malice is very impudent when it is come to the extremity I onely observe it that if we meet with such insolencie of malice not to be discouraged it hath bin thus before and thus it will be to the end of the world And then they are not wearied their malice is unwearied they say to mee Daily Day by day their malice is fed with a spring with a malicious heart A malicious heart and a slanderous tongue alway goe well together The Divell that was the first grand slanderer hath communion with a malicious heart and