bring us into his prâ—sâ— Tâ—ke heed then of quenching the Spirit of God He that is 〈…〉 knows the sound 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 John 3.8 the voice of the spirit When th◠〈…〉 word or softned by afflictions or feels some holy groans and sighs excited by the spirit that 's a warm time for prayer Rom. 8.27 then we enjoy the sense 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the intimations of the spirit of God or when prophesies are nigh to expire then there are great workings and searchings of heart in Daniel Zechary Simeon and Anna or when some promise comes with applying power Therefore hath thy Servant found in his heart to pray this prayer unto thee 2 Sam. 7.27 28. Cant. 7.9 for thou hast promised this goodness unto thy Servant When we find promises dropt into the soul like wine it causes the lips of them that were asleep to speak 3. Keep Conscience tender of and clean from secret sins With what face can we go to a friend to whom we have given any secret affronts and will ye be so bold as to come before the God of heaven when he knows ye maintain some secret lust in your heart De Orat. p. 213. Prov. 28.9 Darest thou to bring a Dalilah with thee into this sacred closet True is that of Tertullian Quantum à praeceptis tantum ab auribus Dei longè sumus He that turns his ear from God's precepts must stop his mouth in the dust if God turn his holy ears from his cries When our secret sins are in the light of his countenance we may rather expect to be consumed by his anger and troubled by his wrath Psal 90.7 8. Object But then who may presume and venture into Secret Communion Ans True if God should strictly mark what we do amiss who can stand David was sensible of this objection Psal 130.3 4. but he answers it humbly There is forgiveness with thee that thou mayest be feared If we come with holy purposes to leave all sin he hath promised to pardon abundantly His thoughts and waies are not as ours Isa 55.7 guilt makes us fly his presence but proclamation of pardoning grace to a wounded soul that comes for strength from heaven to subdue its iniquities Mic. 7.19 sweetly draws the soul to lye at his foot for mercy Though we cannot as yet be so free as formerly while under the wounding sense of guilt Psal 51.12 Psal 69.5 yet when he restores to us the joy of his salvation he will again uphold us with his free spirit Yet take heed of Scars upon the soul God knows our foolishness and our guiltinesses are not hid from him yet we come for purging and cleansing mercy A godly man may be under the sense of divine displeasure for some iniquity that himself knoweth as the Lord spake of Eli yet the way to be cured 1 Sam. 3.13 Mark 5.23 is not to run from God but like the distressed woman come fearing and trembling and fall at his feet and tell him all the truth But if prayer have cured thee sin no more lest a worse thing come unto thee For if we regard iniquity in our heart Psal 66.18 the Lord will not hear us but the guilt may stare conscience in the face with great amazement As 't is storied of one that secretly had stoln a sheep it ran before his eyes in prayer that he could have no rest How strangely will memory ring the bell in the ears of conscience If we have any secret sin in deliciis if we look but a squint with desires and secret thoughts after our peace-offerings to meet our beloved lusts again this is dangerous Prov. 7.14 God may justly give up such to cast off that which is good to cleave to their Idols and let them alone Hos 4 17. 6.3 Gerson T. 2. p. 76.6 But if the face of the heart be not knowingly and willingly spotted with any sin or lust bating infirmities which he mourns under then thy countenance through Christ will be comely in the eye of God and thy voice sweet in his ears and as he said Qui benè vivit semper orat a holy life vvill be a vvalking continual prayer his very life is a constant petition before God 4. Own thy personal interest with God and plead it humbly Consider whom thou goest to in secret pray to thy father who seeth in secret Canst thou prove thy self to be in Covenant vvhat thou canst prove thou mayest plead Psal 50.15 16. and have it successfully issued In prayer vve take God's Covenant into our mouths but without a real interest the Lord expostulates with such what have they to do with it God never graciously hears but 't is upon interest This argument Solomon presses in prayer for they be thy people and thine inheritance 1 Kings 8 51. Thus David pleads (a) Ps 140.6 Thou art my God hear the voice of my supplication (b) 119 94. I am thine Lord save me (c) 116.16 Truly I am thy servant I am thy servant Arias turns 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by obsecro quaeso I beseech thee O Lord I am thy servant God will avenge his elect when they cry unto him I was cast upon thee from the womb Luke 18.7 Psal 22.10 thou art my God from my mothers belly Therefore Asa turns the contest heavenward O Lord thou art our God let not mortal man prevail against thee 2 Chron. 14.11 Psal 119.176 Thou takest me for the sheep of thy fold and the servant of thy houshold therefore seek me When Israel shall be refined as silver and tried as gold they shall call on his name and he will hear them I will say it is my people my tried refined golden people and they shall say the Lord is my God Zech. 13.9 When thou canst discern the print of the broad seal of the Covenant upon thy heart and the privy seal of the spirit upon thy prayers and canst look upon the Son of God in a sacerdotal relation to thee thou may'st (a) Heb 5.16 come boldly to the throne of grace in time of need 5. Be very particular in secret prayer both as to sins wants and mercies (b) Psal 32.5.51.9 Hide none of thy transgressions if thou expect a pardon Be not ashamed to open all thy necessities David argues (c) Psal 40.17 70.5.86.1.109.22 because he is poor and needy four several times he presses his wants and exigences before God like an earnest but holy beggar and (d) Psal 142.2 Job 23.4 shewed before him his trouble from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Coram presents before him his ragged condition and spreads open his secret wounds as Job said he would order his cause before him from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 disponerem instruerem marshal every case as a battel in rank and file There we may speak out our minds fully and name the persons that
steps and the World beginneth at that which is nearest to them and Reason will proceed by these degrees 1. The excellent holy lives of Christians are better than other mens 2. Therefore Christians are better than other men 3. Therefore their Religion is the best or the Word and Work which make them such 4. Therefore the Spirit is good which makes them good the Saviour is good who giveth them that Word and Spirit and God the Fountain of all even the Father of Mercies Is the Fountain of all good and consequently the End of all And thus God is known and glorified by our works II. The works which thus glorifie him are first to be described in general and then enumerated in special I. In General 1. They must be such as make or shew men to be in their places like to God They must be such as represent the particular Perfections of God which are called his Communicable Attributes and such as declare his Relations to us and such as declare his Attributes as so related and his works Aâ— 1. We must so live that men may see that indeed we take not our selve to be our own but God to be our absolute Owner and that it is not our selves but He that must of right dispose both of us and ours and that we willingly stand to his disposal 1 Cor. 6.19 Ye are not your own 2. We must so live as may declare that we are not lawless nor the mere servants of men but the resolved Subjects of God the Soveraign King of all and that really we are ruled by his Laws and Will and not by our own lusts or wills nor by the wills of any but as under him and that we fear not any hurt to the flesh or them that can but kill the body in comparison of that one Law-giver and Judge who is able to save or to destroy for ever Luke 12.4 Jam. 4.12 1 Cor. 7.23 and that we are moved more by his Promises than by all that mortal men can give us and trust wholly to the Heavenly reward of glory and not to the transitory prosperity of this world believing that God is True and Just and none of his Word shall ever fail 1 Pet. 1.3 We are begotten again unto a lively hope through the Resurrection of Christ to an Inheritance incorruptible c. 3. We must so live as may declare that God is our Grand Benefactor from whom we have all the good that ever we received and from whom we hope for all that ever we shall possess and that he is infinitely good the Original and End of all created good We must live as those that believe that we are made for God even to glorifie him and please his blessed Will not by making him beholden to us but by a willing receiving of his mercies and a willing improvement of them to our own felicity And as those that believe that his love is better than life it self and that to know him and love him and glorifie him for ever is the ultimate End and Happiness of man Psal 4.7 8. and 63.3 and 73.25 26 28. Phil. 3.7 8. Matth. 6.33 1 Pet. 1.5 6 8 9. 2 Cor. 5.1 2. And we must so live in relation to Christ and to his Spirit as may declare to the world that the mercy of the Father is conveyed to us by the Son and the Grace of the Father and Son by the Spirit and what wonders of Wisdom Goodness and Power Truth and Justice Holiness and Mercy are manifested in Christ and his Mediation to Mankind Gal. 2.20 Eph. 3.16 17. Phil. 1.20 21. Job 17.10 3. In sum the works that glorifie God must have these three parts of his likeness upon them 1. They must be works of Light like the Light which from the Father of Lights doth illuminate us Christians must be much wiser than the men of the world in holy though not in worldly things Col. 1.9 28. and 3.16 Darkness is the state of Satan's Kingdom and ignorant Christians are scandalous and a dishonour to Christ not those that are ignorant of unnecessary unprofitable or unrevealed things but those that are ignorant of revealed necessary saving truths 1 Cor. 3.2 Heb. 5.11 12. 2. They must be works of Holy Love to God and Man which shew that God and Goodness have our hearts and that we would imitate God in doing good to all according to our places and power Gal. 6.10 Rom. 13.10 11 12. 3. They must be works of Life and Power where serious diligence expresseth zeal and we set our selves no lower bounds than with all our heart and mind and might 2 Tim. 1.7 Rom. 12.11 Thus much for the general description of them II. The description of a Christian whose works glorifie God according to Scripture and Experience may be given you in the following particulars I. He is one that placeth his saving Religion in the practical knowledge of the only true God and Jesus Christ the Saviour whom he hath sent Joh. 17.3 He puts no limits to his endeavours after useful knowledge but what God hath put by his Word or Providence He would abound in holy wisdom and thinks it worth his greatest diligence and is still upon the increasing hand He hath so much knowledge of the lesser matters of Religion as to keep him from scandalous miscarriages about them but it is the knowledge of God and of a crucified and glorified Christ in which he taketh wisdom to consist Joh. 17.3 1 Cor. 2.2 This is the Light in which he hath his daily conversation the Light which governeth his will and practice which feedeth his Meditations his prayers and his discourse which repelleth his temptations which maintaineth his hope and is his daily work of Recreation his Food and Feast For Men will now perceive 1. That his Religion is not a matter of names and words and trifling Controversies but hath the greatest and most excellent Subject in the world And as Nature teacheth all to reverence God so it will tell them that they must reverence that Religion that Conversation and that Person who is most Divine and where the most of God appeareth 2. And they will see that his Religion consisteth not in uncertainties which no man can be sure of when he hath done his best but in things so sure as none should doubt of which will easily bring men over to consent and shame or silence Contradicters 3. And then they will see that it is a Religion which all sober personr are united in and doth not lose its Authority or Reverence by the divisions wranglings and digladiations of Sects of different minds for God is denied by no sober man nor the Essentials of Christianity by any true Christian 4. And men will see that our Religion is no matter of Indifferency which one may do well enough without but of absolute necessity to Salvation and that which man was made and redeemed for And a Religion of the greatest Subject the greatest
that have like precious Faith spoken of in v. 1. and that Live in the Exercise of it upon Christ as Paul did Gal. 2.20 This Faith in Christ's Name being Exercised in a way of Prayer is the way to obtain whatever we ask Joh. 16.23 Every Believer doth live a life of Faith Heb. 10.33 In all conditions and at all times in the whole course of his Life so that what Peter said of the healing of the Cripple may in a sort be said of a Believer in the course of his Life by Faith in Christ's Name he does all 6. To do all in the Name of the Lord Jesus it is to walk in the Religion of the Lord Jesus according to his Rule for Doctrine Worship and Practice of Life Micah 4.5 The People of God do say we will walk in the Name of the Lord our God The Heathens did own and honour the Names of their gods especially in the Religion Worship and Institutions of their gods and so the People of God that walk in the Name of the Lord Jesus keep close to the Religion of Christ 2 Tim. 2.19 He that nameth the Name of Christ must depart from Iniquity It is on this account that the Servants of Christ are hated and persecuted Mat. 10.22 Luke 21.17 for his Religion which they Professed so Rev. 2.3 they are said for his Name 's sake to have laboured c. 13. to hold fast his Name and Rev. 3.8 not to deny his Name All People joyn in Communion with their God and one another that trust in the Name of their God Acts 2.42 43. The Primitive Christians did walk and continue in the Apostles Doctrine and Fellowship and they about the Throne at the Sea of Ordinances appointed by Christ Rev. 15.2 worshipping of him in a way of visible Communion with all such as are joyned to the God of Abraham Psal 47.9 All that walk in the Name of Christ walk in all the ways and Ordinances of Christ Deut. 8.6 In all his ways Deut. 11.22 and in no other Mat. 28.19 20. observe all things which I command you 7. It is to follow his Example The Examples of Persons who have had great Names in the World have prevailed much for doing and suffering All such as are professedly the Disciples of Christ his Name is upon them in a special manner and therefore they should follow his Example Mat. 16.24 And follow me We must walk as Christ walked 1 Joh. 2.6 We must follow his Example for his Life was Exemplary 1 Pet. 2.21 22 23. He presseth his own Example Mat. 11.29 for meekness and lowliness and Joh. 13.15 I have given you an Example that you should do as I have done to you It was an Example of the greatest condescension in the eleven Offices of Love Eph. 5.25 Husbands have Christ propounded as an Example of Love to their Wives Persons of Eminency and Dignity have great Names and carry many followers and many walk according to their Example and upon that account are called by their Names for Examples prevail more than Precepts The second thing proposed was the reasons why we must do all in the Name of Christ 1. Because all we have are or can do is of Christ 1 Cor. 3.22 23. All Grace and strength to us is from him 1 Cor. 1.30 So that he is a Believer's all and in all Col. 3.11 All that God gives to us is through him and by him only Eph. 1.3 c. Adoption is by him v. 5. the Seal of the Spirit and the earnest of our Inheritance is by him v. 13 14. We are created to good works in him Eph. 2.10 Reconciliation and Peace is by him 2 Cor. 5.18 All our actual supplyes are by him Phil. 4.19 His Grace is exceeding abundant in him 1 Tim. 1.14 15. For he is a Super-excellent Person and hath the preheminence above all things a Name above every Name in him all things subsist in him all fulness dwels as the Apostle shews Col. 1.16 17 18 19. and therefore it pleaseth the Father that we should receive all Grace for Grace through him 2. Because the Father hath exalted Christ and given him a Name above every Name that he who was so much despised and rejected and whose Name was a Reproach and Scorn to all Isa 53.2 3 c. that Name so much abased the Father hath appointed that it shall be exalted above every Name Phil. 2.8 9 10. and all other names shall vanish and be as nothing before this Name Acts 4.12 there being no other Name in Heaven or in Earth by which we shall be saved therefore all must honour the Son as they honour the Father Joh. 5.23 Upon this account all People shall be beholding to him for all the good that ever they do or have or are 3. Because we cannot be accepted either as to our Persons or performances but by him Eph. 1.6 accepted in the beloved in him alone he is well pleased Mat. 3.17 so that all that goes to God from us is by his hand it must be presented by his hand and perfumed with his Incense Rev. 8.3 4. Abel's Sacrifice found acceptation by faith in the Messiah when he presented it to God Heb. 11.4 We have our Lord Christ Rev. 5.6 in the midst of the Throne to negotiate between him that sits upon the Throne and the Saints that are about the Throne so that nothing comes from Heaven to us in a way of Blessing but what comes through his hand and nothing goes from us to Heaven in a way of Duty so as to be accepted but only by his hand Joh. 16.23 So that his Name is the only prevailing Name with God he having satisfied the Justice of God pacified the wrath of God and removed the Curse of God from us so that all Sacrifices whatever that find the way to Heaven and find acceptance there must of necessity be in his Name Heb. 13.15 Heb. 5.1 4. Because all that comes from God to us must be by his hand he is the Jacob's Ladder spoken of Gen. 28.12 God acts towards us as a God in a Covenant of Grace and Peace with us only in Christ Heb. 13.20 21. 1 Pet. 5.10 and therefore the Apostolical Benedictions and Prayers for Grace Mercy and Peace are from God through our Lord Jesus Christ Rom. 1.7 1 Cor. 1.3 4. 2 Cor. 1.2 Eph. 1.2 3. 1 Pet. 1.2 3. He calls them Elect c. by God the Father through Sanctification of the Spirit and blood of Jesus v. 3. We are said to be blessed by the Father and begotten c. through Christ and therefore since God doth act as a God of all Grace and Peace we must do all in his Name by which the Father is propitiated toward us he being made sin for us 2 Cor. 5.20 and a Curse Gal. 3.13 But here comes in a Quest How they can be said to do any thing in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ that are not one with him though
some commands may be observed without so much as common grace as duties meerly moral but this must have a great measure of the spirit it speaks much acquaintance with God through experience of his wayes and much conformity to Christ in a well composed conversation in short it includes the highest perfection possibly attainable in this life yet let not this difficulty fright you for through Christ our sincere love though weak is accepted and our imperfect love because growing shall not be despised 8. This is the first and great command in respect of the End 8 Ratione finis All the commands of God are referr'd to this as their end and last scope which was first in the mind of the Law-giver 9. This is the first and great command in respect of the lastingness of it 9 Ratione perperuitatis Thou shalt love the Lord thy God it is not only spoken after the Hebrew (e) Futurum pro imperativo way of commanding but it notes singular perseverance Most of the other commands expire with the world as all or most of the commands of the second table but this remains and flourishes more than ever When Repentance and Mortification which now take up half our life when Faith which is now as it were Mother and Nurse to most of our Graces when Hope which now upholds weak faith in its languors when all these shall as it were dye in travail perfection of grace being then in the birth love to God shall then be more lively than ever That love which as it were passed between God and the Soul in letters and tokens shall then be perfected in a full enjoyment Our love was divided among several objects that cut the banks and weakned the stream henceforth it shall have but one current Our love is now mixt with fear fear of missing or losing what we love but that fear shall be banished There shall never be any distance never any thing to provoke jealousie never any thing to procure cloying never any thing more to be desired than is actually enjoyed Is not this then the first and great Commandment is it not our priviledge and happiness to be swallowed up in it this may suffice to evidence it to be our duty But then What abilities are requisite for the well performance of this duty and how we may obtain those abilities 3. What Abilities are requisite to the performance of this duty and how may we attain those Abilities This we must be experimentally acquainted with or all I can say will at best seem babling and therefore let me at first tell you plainly nothing on this side Regeneration can capacitate you to love God and it is God alone that giveth worketh infuseth impresseth the gracious habit of Divine Love in the Souls of his people Our love to God is nothing else but the eccho of Gods love to us Through the corruption of our Nature we hate God God implanted in our Nature an inclination to love God above all things amiable but by the fall we have an headlong inclination to depart from God and run away from him and there is in every one of us a natural impotency and inability of turning unto God The grace of love is no Flower of Nature's Garden but a Forreign p Non secundum bona naturalia sed secundum dona gratâ—ita Aquin. plant We may possibly do something for the meerly rational inflaming of our hearts with love to God e. g. God may be represented as most amiable we may be convinced of the unsatisfyingness of the Creature we may understand something of the worth of our Souls and what a folly it is to expect that any thing but God can fill them and yet this will be at the utmost but like a solid proof of the truth of the Christian Religion which may Non-plus our cavils but not make us Christians This may make love to God appear a rational duty but it will not of it self beget in us this spiritual Grace It is the immediate work of God to make us love him I do not mean immediate in opposition to the use of means but immediate in regard of the necessary efficacy of his Spirit beyond what all means in the world without his powerful influence can amount unto 'T is the Lord alone that can direct our hearts into the love of God q 2. Thes 3.5 Exoplat a Leo quod non ambigit posse praestari Ambros God is pleased in a wonderful and unexpressible manner to draw up the heart in love to him God makes use of Exhortations and Counsels and Reproofs but though he works by them and with them he works above them and beyond them r Deut. 30.6 19 20. The Lord thy God will circumcise thine heart and the heart of thy seed to love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul that thou may'st live And again I call heaven and earth to record this day against thee that I have set before thee life and death blessing and cursing therefore chuse life that both thou and thy seed may live that thou may'st love the Lord thy God and that thou may'st obey his voice and that thou may'st cleave unto him for he is thy life and the length of thy dayes He is thy life i. e. effectively and that by love saith Aquinas it is reported s Sales of the love of God p. 63. that it often happens among Partridges that one steals away anothers eggs but the young one that is hatcht under the wing of a stranger at her true Mothers first call who laid the egg whence she was hatch'd she renders her self to her true Mother and puts her self into her Covey 'T is thus with our hearts though we are born and bred up among terrene and base things under the wing of corrupted Nature yet at and not before God's first quickning call we receive an inclination to love him and upon his drawing t Cant. 1.4 we run after him God works a principle of love in us and we love God by that habit of love he hath implanted hence the Act of love is formally and properly attributed to man as the particular cause u Psal 18.1 116.1 Vâ—â—tius I will love thee O Lord my strength and I love the Lord because he hath heard my voice the Soul works together with God in his powerful working the Will being Acted of God Acteth It is a known saying of w Non ideo bene currit vt rotunda sit sed quia rotunda est Augustine The wheel doth not run that it may be round but because 't is round The Spirit of God enables us to love God but 't is we that love God with a created love 't is we that acquiesce in God in a gracious manner What God doth in the Soul doth not hurt the liberty of the will but strengthens it insweetly and powerfully drawing it into
conformity with the will of God which is the highest liberty where the x 2 Cor. 3.17 spirit of the Lord is there is liberty It is a poor liberty that consists in an indifferency Do not the Saints in heaven love God freely yet they cannot but love him As the only Efficient cause of our loving God is God himself so the only procuring cause of our loving God is Jesus Christ that Son of the Father's love who by his Spirit implants and actuates this grace of love which he hath merited for us Christ hath a Col. 1.20 made peace through the blood of his Cross Christ hath as well merited this grace of love for us as he hath merited the reward of glory for us Plead therefore Dear Christians the merit of Christ for the inflaming your hearts with the love of God that when I shall direct to rules and means how you may come to love God you may as well address your selves to Christ for the grace of love as for the pardon of your want of love hitherto Bespeak Christ in some such but far more pressing language Lord thou hast purchased the grace of love for those that want and crave it my love to God is chill do thou warm it my love is divided Lord do thou unite it I cannot love God as he deserves O that thou would'st help me to love him more than I can desire Lord make me sick of love and then cure me Lord make me in this as comfortable to thy self as 't is possible for an adopted Son to be like the Natural that I may be a Son of God's love both actively and passively and both as near as it is possible infinitely Let 's therefore address our selves to the use of all those means and helps whereby love to God is b Fovetur augetur excitatur exeritur nourished encreased excited and exerted I will begin with removing the impediments we must clear away the rubbish e're we can so much as lay the Foundation Impediment 1. Self-love Impediments of our love to God this the Apostle names as Captain general of the Devil's Army whereby titular Christians manage their enmity against God in the dregs of the last dayes this will make the times dangerous Men shall be lovers of their own c 2 Tim. 3.1 2. selves When men over-esteem themselves their own endowments of either body or mind when they have a secret reserve for self in all they do self-applause or self-profit this is like an errour in the first concoction get your hearts discharg'd of it or you can never be spiritually healthful the best of you are too prone to this I would therefore commend it to you to be jealous of your selves in this particular for as conjugal-jealousie is the bane of conjugal love so self-jealousie will be the bane of self-love Be suspicious of every thing that may steal away or divert your love from God Imped 2. Love of the world this is so great an obstruction that the most loving and best beloved Disciple that Christ had said (d) 1 Joh. 2.15 love not the world nor the things that are in the world if any man love the world the love of the Father is not in him and the Apostle James makes use of a Metaphor (e) Jam. 4.4 calling them Adulterers and Adulteresses that keep not their conjugal love to God tight from leaking out toward the world he chargeth them as if they knew nothing in Religion if they knew not this that the friendship with the world is enmity with God and 't is an universal truth without so much as one exception that whosoever will be a friend of the world must needs upon that very account be God's enemy the Apostle Paul adds more weight to those that are e'en press'd to Hell already (f) 1 Tim. 6.9 10 11. They that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare and into many foolish and hurtful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition for the love of money is the root of all evil which while some coveted after they have erred from the faith and pierced themselves thorow with many sorrows but thou O man of God flee these things c. when men will be some-body in the world they will have Estates and they will have honours and they will have pleasures what variety of vexatious distractions do unavoidably hinder our love to God when our hearts are hurried with hopes and fears about worldly things and the world hath not wherewithall to satisfie us how doth the heart fret under its disappointments and how can it do otherwise we would have happiness here Sirs I 'le offer you fair name me but one man that ever found a compleat happiness in the world and I dare promise you shall be the second but if you will flatter your self with dreams of impossibilities this your way will be your folly though 't is like your posterity will approve your sayings (g) Psal 49.13 and try experiments while they live as you have done but where 's your love to God all this while 't is excluded by what Law by the Law of Sin and Death by the love of the world and destruction for Christ tells us all that hate him love death (h) Prov. 8.36 Imped 3. Spiritual sloath and carelessness of Spirit when men do not trouble themselves about Religion nor any thing that is serious Love is a busie passion a busie grace love among the passions is like Fire among the Elements Love among the Graces is like the Heart among the Members now that which is most contrary to the nature of love must needs most obstruct the highest actings of it the truth is a careless frame of Spirit is fit for nothing a sluggish lazy slothful careless person never attains to any excellency in any kind what is it you would intrust a lazy person about let me say this and pray think on 't twice e're you censure it once Spiritual sloath doth Christians more mischief than scandalous relapses I grant their grosser falls may be worse as to others the grieving of the Godly and the hardning of the wicked and the Reproach to Religion must needs be so great as may make a gracious heart tremble at the thought of falling but yet as to themselves a sloathful temper is far more prejudicial e. g. those gracious persons that fall into any open sin 't is but once or seldom in their whole life and their repentance is ordinarily as notorious as their sin and they walk more humbly and more watchfully ever after whereas Spiritual sloath runs through the whole course of our life to the marring of every duty to the strengthning of every sin and to the weakning of every grace Sloath I may rather call it unspiritual sloath is a soft moth in our spiritual wardrobe a corroding rust in our spiritual Armory an enfeebling consumption in the very vitals of Religion Sloath and
quoad modum tendâ—nd in objectam 1 Cor. 13.8 Voet. ibid. Love never faileth the same kind of love the same Numerical love that was in gracious Persons on Earth shall be continued in Heaven and receive it's perfection presently after its delivery from the Body of Death There will be a greater change in all our Graces than in our Love A great part of our Life is taken up in the Exercise of those Graces that I may in some respect say dye with us The one half of our Life is or should be spent in Mortification The whole of our time needs the exercise of our Patience Our Life at best is but a Life of Faith much of our sweet Communion with God is fetch'd in by secret Prayer But now in Heaven there shall be no sin to be mortifi'd nothing grievous to be endured Faith shall be swallow'd up in Enjoyment and your Petitions shall be all answer'd So that now Christians set your selves to love God and you shall no way lose your labour Other Graces are but as Physick to the Soul desirable for something else which when obtained they are useless but Love to God is the healthful Constitution of the Soul there 's never any thing of it in any sence useless Most of the Graces of the Spirit do by our Souls as our Friends by our Bodies who accompany them to the Grave and there leave them But now love to God is the alone Grace that is to our Souls the same that a good Conscience our best Friend in both Worlds 4. This Divine Love is so unknown to the World that when they behold the Effects and flames of it in those that love God in an extraordinary manner they are ready to explode it as meer Vanity Folly Madness Ostentation and Hypocrisie When Paul manag'd his Audience more like a Sermon than a Defence Festus cries out upon him as mad (h) Acts 26.24 Yea when Christ himself in love to God and Souls is more hungry after Converts than Food his nearest Relations think him craz'd and the multitude cometh together again Mark 3.20 21 32. so that they could not so much as eat bread and when his Friends heard of it they went out to lay hold on him for they said he is beside himself But were they any other but his carnal and graceless Relations that did this See behold thy Mother and thy Brethren without seek for thee (i) 1 John 3.13 No marvel then that Enemies reproach you Friend forsake you Relations slight you and the World hate you Christ tells us (k) Joh. 15.18 23. if the World hate you ye know that it hated me before it hated you But how can the World hate Christ who in love to it came to dye for it Christ tells his Hearers the true Reason (l) Joh. 5.40 42. I know you this is no groundless surmise nor censorious rashness but I know you that you have not the love of God in you Let what will appear at the top this lies at the bottom And therefore judge I pray you who more phanatick those that hate God when they pretend to love him or those that are counted phrantick for their serious Love to God I shall neither name more nor enlarge further on this first rank of Characters but be brief also in the second The Absolute Properties of Love to God are among many some of them such as these 1. It is the most ingenious of all Graces In poor inconsiderable Loves not worth the mentioning how do persons contrive wayes for the expressing and exciting of Love and there 's no way to prevent it Oh how much more when the Soul loves God there 's nothing meliorates the parts like Grace Divine Love makes the best improvement of Wit Parts Time when a Person loves to pray though he can scarce speak sence to men he can strenuously plead with God a person that loves to meditate though he knows not how to make his thoughts hang together in other things they multiply on his hand with a spiritual and profitable consistency In short to do any thing that may engage the Heart to God what gracious stratagems doth Love abound with That (m) Nieremberg de art Vol. p. 114. as he that beholds his Face in a Glass makes the Face which he sees his very look is the Pensil the Colour the Art so he that loves God sees such a Reflexion of God's love to him that a proud person doth not more please her self in her own fancyed beauty than this gracious Soul is graciously delighted in the mutual dartings of Divine Love Keep from Will-worship and humane Inventions in the things of God especially from imposing upon others your Prudentials of Devotion and then I will commend it to you to try all the Experiments which the Scripture will warrant to encrease the flame of your Divine love 2. Love to God is the most bold strong constant and daring Grace of all the Graces of the Spirit of God (n) Cant. 8.6 Love is strong as Death every one knows what work Death makes in the World It is not the Power of Potentates nor the Reverence of Age nor the usefulness of Grace can prevent its stroke it conquers all So doth love to God Nothing can stand before it what dare not love to God attempt It designs impossibilities viz. Perfection and is restless for the want of it I may in some sence say it would fain have contradictions true viz. to be without the Body while in it the Body's being a clog is so wearisome Love to God not only baffles Satan but through God's gracious condescension it even prevails with God himself that God will deny nothing to the Soul that loves him 3. Love to God is the onely self-emptying and satisfying Grace (o) Nieremb p. 322 c. spaâ—siâ— Love 't is self's egress 't is a kind of Pilgrimage from self he that loves is absent from himself thinks not of himself provides not for himself But oh how great is the gain of renouncing our selves and thereby receiving God and our selves we are as it were dead to our selves and live to God nay more by love we live in God (p) 1 John 4.16 God is love and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God and God in him By Faith we live upon God by Obedience we live to God but by Love we live in God It is herein alone that we can give something like a carnal though 't is indeed an highly spiritual answer to Nicodemus his question (q) Joh. 3.4 How can a man be born when he is old can he enter the second time into his mothers Womb and be born We have our Soulâ— immediately from the Father of Spirits by Regeneration we return to God again from whom by Sin we are estranged and by love we live in him in some little resemblance to the Child's living in the Mother's womb what the mother loves the
child loves what the mother longs for the child longs for in the mothers health the child is well the child lives there in a far different manner from how it lives in the world though it can't stir out of its enclosure yet it never cries nor complains of it's Imprisonment So the Soul that entirely loves God hates what God hates and loves what God loves its life is far above the life of others and it desires no greater liberty than to be as it were imprison'd in God to have no will of its own no one motion but what God graciously concurs in yet 't is so far from esteeming this a restraint that it counts it the highest happiness of its imperfect state he feels a sweetness in that beyond what the Heathen that spake it ever thought of in God we live move and have our being 4. The love of God makes us anxiously weary of Life it self in this love there 's one Death and two Resurrections (r) Gal. 2.20 I am crucified with Christ nevertheless I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me Christ lives and the Soul lives and both by Love I must acknowledge all manner of love is apt to be extravagant and irregular our very love to God is in this blind when it comes to any considerable height 't is apt to overlook not in a way of Neglect but Extasie what is to be done and suffer'd and would fain be at the enjoyment of God in Heaven By the way let not doubting Christians be discourag'd because it is not thus with them Though these Properties be but in the bud they may in time be full blown therefore believe and wait heights of grace are ordinarily as well the work of time as of the Spirit of God Besides you know there 's nothing more common than for Lovers to dissemble their love so here 't is too common for gracious persons rather to bely the Spirit of God than thankfully to own their love to God because they are afraid of being mistaken and they are afraid of boasting of a false Gift and here though Love when 't is perfect it casteth out Fear yet while it is imperfect Fear proveth our Love Thus much of the Positive Properties I 'le be very brief in the transcendent properties of our love to God 1. Love to God is the great General directing Grace containing all other particular Graces in it and most intimately goes through the Acts of all of them (s) Vâ—et ibid. 1 Cor. 13. Love in the Soul is as the Pilot in the Ship who steers the Ship and all its Passengers Love steers the Soul and all its Operations Love is the Needle in the Compass that 's still trembling towards its Divine Loadstone Euseb Nieremb compares other Graces to Bullion uncoyn'd which though it have an intrinsick value yet 't is not that Money that answers all things what shall I say find out a thousand transcendent Metaphors love will answer them all 2. It is in a singular manner infinite Among all the Faculties of the Soul there 's none but the Will that can in any sound sence be said to be infinite all the other Faculties are more bounded than the Will now love is the natural Act of the will and love to God is the supernaturally natural Act of the renewed Will Its desires which is the love of desires are to be united unto God the Fountain of all Blessedness And here those that love God least so it be sincerely their desires are infinite e. g. Desires are the feet of the Soul their love will creep when it cannot goe Desires are the wings of the Soul love will flutter when it cannot fly Desires are the breathings of the Soul love will pant and groan and gasp where it can do no more Again the contentment and satisfaction of the Will which is the love of complacency is infinite in as large a sense as that word can be ascribed to Creatures desires are the motion and exercise of love delight is the quiet and repose of it My beloved to have the heart to delight in God or to ake and tingle with the discourse of the love of God through reflection upon the want of it as unable to stand under his own thoughts this infallibly shews great love and this Soul's satisfaction in God is in some sort infinite Effects of love to God they relate either to God himself or to our selves or they are mutual I 'le speak briefly of each Effects that relate to God Effects of love to God are such as these I do not only say these but these and such as these 1. Hatred of and flight from all that is evil Joseph may be our instance his mistriss would have inveigled him into sin but though (t) Gen. 39.10 she spake to him day by day yet he hearkned not unto her to lye by her or to be with her he that fears sin will get as far as he can out of the reach of a temptation Hatred of sin always holds proportion with our love to God our inward hatred of sin with our inward love of God our return to sin with the decay of our love to God The renewing of our repentance answers the reviving of our love to God Every one that doth not love God loves sin plain down-right sin sin without any excuse e.g. either some moral wickedness or a resting in their own righteousness 2. The fear of God A reverential tenderness of Conscience lest we sin against God It is not onely fear of hell but fear of God's goodness (u) Hos 3 5. they shall fear the Lord and his goodness in the latter days The soul that loves God is troubled that he either does or omits any thing for fear of hell and that he is no more affected with love-arguments Though pray take notice by the way That all fear of hell doth not presently argue a spirit of bondage Hopes and Fears poyse the Soul while in this World I would therefore leave this charge upon you viz. Be sure that you love God better than the blessed Apostle loved him before you censure any for want of love who are diligent in duty upon this motive lest they be at last cast-aways (w) 1 Cor. 9.27 But to return Though Gods gracious condescention be so great as to allow those that love him a non such familiarity yet that never breeds the least contempt Sense of distance between God and the Soul between the holy God and a sinful Soul between the faithful God and the fickle Soul O this causeth holy tremblings and humble Apologies in our most familiar pleadings with God The Father of the faithful whom God honoured with the title of his friend of whose love to God you have already heard when he pleaded with Christ face to face in so familiar a way never any like him see how he then prefaceth his prayer (y) Gen. 18.27.30 Behold now I have
is so far from forsaking God that he will forsake all things for God yet he may till he recollect himself be more moved with some petty loss In short he may have some violent Gust of Affection after other things but the constant breathings of his Soul is after God 2. We must distinguish between the solidity of our Love and the flashiness of it between a superficial and a lasting Joy e. g. A Covetous man may laugh more when he is tickled than when you give him a thousand pound but he is a thousand times more joyful of his thousand pound than of his being tickled The Souls love to God is Well rooted (b) Eph. 3.18 As a sick man is pleased with one that will sit with him and alleviate his pains by diversion but he is more pleased with that man that shall cure him While our Souls are in a sickly frame we are pleased a little with variety of Diversions but we soon see their emptiness and charge our Souls to return unto God for a perfect cure 3. We must distinguish between our spiritual love and our sensible love while we live in this world such is our weakness through the remainders of Sin and imperfection of Grace that our Animal and Vital spirits are more affected with sensible things than with spiritual The things of the World are neer to us and we cannot live without them but yet he that loves God never sayes upon the Enjoyment of them (c) Luk. 12 i9 Soul take thine ease Oh no he is angry and grieved that he is at all pleased about such things 2. Complaint I hope I am not wholly destitute of this excellent Grace yet I am afraid to own that I have it Is it impossible to get my Heart above this uncomfortable uncertainty O that my heart were more raised and fixed above this anxious temper I 'le close all with an Essay to answer this Complaint onely premise Let not any thing that shall or can be spoken be wrested to give the least encouragement imaginable to any thing of Sin take heed you do not upon any account gratifie your sloth or indifferency of spirit or any sins of Omission keep off this Rock and then thy solicitude about thy fickleness gives thee grounds of hope to get above it Take therefore these short Directions how to get and keep the most certain constant comfortable spiritual frame of Divine love that is to be had upon Earth 1. Keep a severe Watch against all sins yet give not way to drooping Fears because of unavoidable infirmities (d) Psal 130 3 4. If thou Lord shouldest mark iniquities O Lord who shall stand But there is forgiveness with thee that thou mayest be feared 2. Observe your own temper what it is that most draws out your love to any person or thing in this world and improve that very inducement to love God (e) Cant. 5.16 He is altogether lovely that is Imagine or name any thing that is most desirable most worthy to be loved and admired and that 's he 3. Endeavour to love God out of Duty when to your own apprehension you cannot love him out of Grace I would commend this to you for all your gracious carriage towards God and for all the kindness you would receive from God e. g. Repent as 't is a duty even while you fear you want the Grace of Repentance Believe as 't is a duty while you think you cannot act Faith as a Grace So justifie God i. e. acknowledge God to be Righteous though he condemn you when you fear God will not justifie you Sanctifie God i. e. celebrate God's Holiness when you fear he 'l not sanctifie you i. e. not make you holy So set your selves to love God i. e. take heed you do not offend him do all you can to please him take up with nothing on this side himself In short Let God find you in a way of Duty and you 'l find God in a way of Grace 4. Study Christ What Divine love we either receive or return 't is through Christ You may look for encouragement from Christ for every thing but Sin In every thing have recourse to Christ (f) Col. 2.10 for the performance of every Duty for the attaining of every Grace when you fear Grace is withering Christ will revive it (g) Cant. 3.10 In a word pray and strive that you may feel what it is for Christ to be all in all Christians practically mind these four Directions and they will be as the Wheels of Christ's Chariot that 's pav'd with Love to bring his Beloved to Glory How ought we to love our Neighbours as our selves Serm. II. Math. 22.39 Thou shalt love thy Neighbour as thy self THE Apostle bids us consider Christ Heb. 12 3. who indured (a) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Emphati 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 posuit declarans magnitudinem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aretius such that is so great contradiction of sinners against himself It was from a great spirit of this kind that his adversaries used to propose so many captious questions to him We find him no less than three times opposed in this one chapter First by the disciples of the Pharisees and the (b) Forsitan in populo tunc qui dicebant oportere dare tributum Caesari vocabantur Herodiani ab his qui hoc facere recusabant Vide Drus com ad voces N. T. L. De Dieu Herodians about the lawfulness of giving tribute unto Caesar again the same day by the Sadduces with a question about the resurrection which they denied When he had so well acquitted himself of both these that the first marvelled and left him and the last were put to silence behold he is again set upon by the Pharisees who seem to have chosen out one of their number to oppose him with a question Then one of them which was a Lawyer asked him a question tempting him ver 35. The same person is by another Evangelist called a Scribe Mark 12.28 One of the Scribes came c. There were two sorts of Scribes among the Jews viz. Scribes of the People who were Actuaries in and about matters of publick concernment and Scribes of the Law whose business was to read and interpret the Law of God unto them such a one was Ezra who is said to be a ready Scribe in the Law of Moses Ezra 7.6 and upon this account they are said to sit in Moses's seat of this last sort was the person in the Text Math. 23.2 as plainly appears by joyning both Evangelists together Mark says he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one of the Scribes Matthew says he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Lawyer if we put them both together they say he was a Scribe of the Law And the question that he tempted Christ with is concerning the Law Master Luke 2.46.47 which is the great Commandment in the Law v. 36. He who was able at
visited us So God loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son Christ's whole work was to love and his whole love was free We purchase nothing without leaving of our money behind us All his saved ones have nothing of their own but impotency and antipathy nothing of their own to move God to save them The Law discovers God's will and the gospel discovers his good will 3. The gospel is called grace because it is the instrument under the Spirit of God of bestowing the benefits of free grace upon us It is an invitation to the benefits of free grace and it is our warrant of receiving those benefits and of applying them The Gospel is not only a story to tell us what is done and what is obtained for believers but it is a Testament to cause and to shew unto us our interest in them by Faith We shall lay hold upon it when he who Ordained the Gospel doth accompany it The Gospel brings Salvation Tit. 2.11 Therefore the Gospel is called the Ministration of Righteousness and the Ministration of the Spirit 2 Cor. 3.8 9. The Instrument made use of by the Spirit of God for enabling us to apply the Righteousness of Christ and all the benefits of Free Grace contained in it And so I have opened the first thing in the Exhortation and shewn vvhat vve are to understand by the Grace of God even the Doctrine of the Gospel Sect. 3 2. The second particular in the Exhortation to be opened is The receiving thereof in vain How is the Doctrine of the Gospel said to be received in vain In the Greek it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The word signifies to receive it emptily unfruitfully unprofitably and indeed so it is too often received It is true the Gospel is to be received and it cannot save us unless it be received and therefore you read several times in the Scripture of receiving it Mat. 13.23 The receiving of the seed into good ground Act. 22.41 They received the word of God gladly And in Act. 11.1 The Gentiles received the word And in Act. 17.11 They received the word with all chearfulness So in 1 Thes 1.6 They received the word in much affliction But as the Gospel must be received so it may be received unprofitably ineffectually and in vain And for the opening of this the Gospel may be said to be received in vain in two respects I. In regard of the manner of receiving II. In regard of the Event or the Issue of receiving it First It is received in vain in regard of the manner of receiving it And that is When we receive the Gospel but not with an Empty hand When the grace of the Gospel is not so received as to be empty of the the opinion of our own works and righteousness This is a vain empty reception for the Rich are sent Empty away 2. It is received in vain when it is not received with the highest Estimation and Valuation ◠Tim. 1.15 When it is not looked upon to be worthy of all acceptation as the Apostle expresseth it When it is not received as a Pearl as a Jewel of greatest price If all be not sold for it soon will it be left fot any thing 3. When it is not received vvith the greatest ardency of desire with hungring and thirsting after the benefits contained in it All the inclinations of our souls towards all Earthly objects we owe to the benefits of the Gospel which if vve pursue not ardently we shall never procure succesfully 4. When we do not receive it with a particular fiducial application of Jesus Christ upon the warrant of the Infallible Gospel but only by a general assent When vve receive in into our Heads by Light but do not receive it into our Hearts by Faith When vve do not believe with the Heart but only assent vvith the head When we receive it only into our Ears and into our lips and into our Professions but dot receive it as the good seed vvhich is to be laid up in the furrows and the soil of the soul Thus the Gospel is received in vain in regard of the manner of receiving it Secondly It is received in vain in regard of the Issue the Event of receiving it and that several ways 1. When it is not received so as to purifie the heart as to kill corruption when this grace of God doth not teach us effectually to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts when men will have an Angelical Gospel but will live Diabolical lives when they are not thrown into the mould of the Gospel and have not Hearts and practices sutable to it 2. When it doth not quicken us to new obedience when there is a receiving without returning without any activity for God in holy walking where there is no Delight in the Law of God when his commandments are grievous when the law doth only compell but the Spirit of the Gospel doth not encline our wills to the obedience of the Gospel when by the receiving of the Gospel we are not made a willing people to give up our selves to God in the ways of duty when faith is not made incarnate as Luther speaks by maintaining good works Tit. 3.8 3. When we so receive grace as that it doth not sustain us in our troubles nor bear us up in our sufferings when it is not a word of patience as it is called Rev. 3.10 Thou hast kept the word of my patience The Gospel duly received as to the Issue of its reception maketh us patient to bear whatever is displeasing and ungrateful unto sense When we see that the Justice of God is satisfied we can easily bear the injustice of men When we see that God's wrath is appeased towards us we shall look upon the wrath of man yea all outward troubles to be cold and feeble 4. When we so receive grace as not to impart it and communicate it unto others If we be living we shall be lively Christians If we have the life of Grace in us we shall warm others If we do no good it is a sign we have got no good If there be a Spiritual Life bestowed upon us by the Gospel there is always a Seminal virtue an inclination to disseminate and to scatter Grace among others 5. And lastly grace is received in vain as to the Issue of our receiving of it when it is so received as that thereby we do not obtain salvation It is the Gospel of Salvation but a mere visible owning of the Gospel saveth none The receiving of it into your houses into your heads into your mouths brings not any to Heaven Christ will profess to those that are empty Professors and only have externally and as to the outward priviledges of Grace received the Gospel I never knew you depart from me Mat. 7.23 We are not only to received the priviledges of Grace but Grace by the priviledge if we expect Glory Thus I have shewn what is meant by
Families Husbands towards their Wives Wives toward their Husbands both toward their Children and they again toward their Parents In a word Men are to study those things which are most profitable such as will better their condition and not only improve their understanding You know a sick Man had rather have a good Medicine than fine Clothes he minds more the easing of his Pain than the dressing up of his Body That which will make you spruce will not always make you well Fine trappings will not Cure a lame Horse nor the Painting of the Face heal the Diseases of the Spleen or Liver That knowledge which adorns your Mind yet may not always mend your Heart To conclude this Men must labour to know the truth as it is in Jesus Eph. 4.21 So to know it as to feel it and be under the influence of it or to know the truth to that end for which Christ teacheth it that is that Men may be better as well as wiser more ready to do their Master's will as well as know it Men know the truth as they should and as Christ would have them when their knowledge puts them upon the great duties of Mortification and Sanctification v. 22. That ye put off as to your former Conversation the Old man and v. 23 24. Be renewed in the Spirit of your Mind and put on the New man Prop. 7. Every Man should labour to get as much Spiritual knowledge as he can by the means of the knowledge he hath and as he can get without the neglect of other necessary duties It is not for nothing that the Apostle prays for the Collossians Ch. 1.9 that they might be filled with the knowledge of God's will in all Wisdom and Spiritual understanding and exhorts the Corinthians Epist 1.14.20 though in Malice they were Children yet in understanding to be Men. If Christians ought to grow in every Grace why not in knowledge which is it self a Grace and helpful to all other Graces We are to be accomptable for the means we have of getting our knowledge increased and therefore sure are to labour that we may get it encreased And though a less measure of knowledge might serve turn to bring a Man to Heaven yet 1. It is contrary to that Spirit of Ingenuity that largeness of Heart towards the things of God which is supposed to be in Believers to stint themselves in the knowledge of the truth and to be content to know only just so much as may carry them to Heaven That were to study Spiritual truths not so much because they love them as because they cannot want them and so not of choice but necessity 2. Even where a less measure of knowledge might save a Man yet a greater should be endeavoured after because it might be otherwise so useful For 1. It might make his work more easie Clearness of knowledge takes off much from the Difficulty of Duty The better a Man sees his work the more easily he may do it The most skilful Artist may sumble when he works by a dim light That Man is like to go on most readily in his way who not only knows the right one but the wrong ones too those turnings and by-paths which might mislead him and seeing the Monuments of others mistakes may be warned by their wandrings 2. More knowledge might make his way more pleasant The more delectable Objects a Man hath to entertain his Eyes the more delight he may take in Travelling When Night-journeys as they have more of Danger so have less of Pleasure A clear sight of Spiritual things may help a Christian in his way not only as a Direction but as a Delight 3 It might make himself more useful more helpful to others Nec in hoc tantùm te accerso ut proficias sed ut prosis Sen. Epist Though less knowledge might suffice us for our selves as to our general Duties yet more will make us helpful to others and enable us better for the performance of relative Duties The more knowledge we have the more we may communicate Those that understand most themselves may best instruct and direct others They that are well skilled in their own duties are most sit to teach others theirs Rom. 15.14 Filled with knowledge able also to admonish one another And thus we see in these propositions what knowledge we are to labour after in order to Salvation Only I add two Cautions against two ordinary vices which Men are very liable to in their enquiring after knowledge Nihil igitur certius est quà m alterū Angelicae cognitionis genus quo post Deum quae in Deo sunt reliqua intelligunt non ita perfectum esse quin in hoc cognitionis genere quotidie proficere possint novi Semper aliquid discendo ac novo modo cognoscendo Zanch. de dei ope ib. Caut. 1. Take heed of curiosity which is the itch of the mind It is not a kindly appetite but a fond longing or an ambitious vain affectation of knowing those things which we are least concerned or not at all concerned to know and which if known would do us little good It is a lust and therefore not to be indulged in our selves but mortified It appears 1. In making inquiries into these things which God hath not revealed Deut. 29.29 Secret things belong to the Lord our God but things that are revealed unto us and to our Children c. This curiosity our Saviour checks in his Disciples Act. 1.6 Wilt thou say they at this time restore the Kingdom to Israel Our Saviour replies It is not for you to know the times and the seasons which the Father hath put in his own power God hath revealed enough to us in his Word for our use and furtherance in Faith and Holiness and to desire to know more is to desire to be wiser than God would have us We must not pry into those things which it is only God's Prerogative to know The Angels themselves know not some things and we should be content as well as they not to be omniscient It is dangerous peeping into God's Ark you know who smarted for it 1 Sam. 6.19 If knowing what God hath revealed do not save us I am sure searching into what he hath not revealed will not God hath told us so much of his mind in the word as may take up our whole Man in the study of it and we cannot busie our selves in inquiring into his secrets without neglecting the study of those things which are revealed and are most useful for us 2. Curiosity appears in enquiring into the reason of God's will If Rulers in the World will not have their Laws disputed If volumus jubemus be their stile and though they do not give the reason of their Commands yet they count their Commands reason enough for their Subjects obedience Sure we should allow God as much as we do his Creatures We should reckon God's will is never unreasonable His
is the very spring upon which the holy conversation of the whole week is turned and moved And therefore it is observable that the Sabbath stands as it were betwixt the two Tables the last precept of the first Table and the Preface to the Second To shew us that it is the Bond of union between both Tables that without a severe sanctification of the Sabbath the Duties of both Tables will fall to the ground Whence in the Primitive times of Christianity the strict observation of the Sabbath was accounted the principall character of a true Saint And so it is even at this day there are such Christians for exemplary holiness as those which are taken notice of to make most conscience of sanctifying the Sabbath But so much for the second duty I come now to the Third Branch or Duty of Duties wherein sabbath-sanctification consists Sc. Honourable If thou call it or make it or keep it as an Honourable day Heb. Mecubbar which signifieth honourable or glorious The Duty implied is we must keep the Sabbath as the Honourable Glorious Day of Jehovah Truly glorious things are spoken of this Honourable Day The Jews were wont to call it the Queen of Days the week-days they called prophane days but the Sabbath after Gods example here they called Holy My Holy Day saith God it 's Gods peculiar One of ours now translated into his glorious rest honours it thus calling it The Map of heaven the golden spot of the week Vide Mr. Gee Swinnock in his good wish to the Lords day the market-day of the soul the day-break of eternal brightness the Queen of days the blessed amongst days the cream of time the Epitome of eternity Heaven in a glass the first-fruits of an everlasting and blessed Harvest and much more to that purpose The week-days are as it were the back-parts of the week made to carry burdens a meer Servant or Slave made to do the drudgery of the humane life The Sabbath is the face the seat of Majesty which God hath made to look upward and to contemplate the glory of the Heavens and of the maker thereof The week-days are like the Terrestrial Globe wherein are painted to us the Earth with the inferiour and more ignoble creatures The Sabbath is the Celestial Globe Heb. 12.22 23 24. wherein we have the prospect of Mount Sion the City of the living God the heavenly Jerusalem and of an innumerable company of Angels of the general assembly and Church of the first-born and of God the Judge of all and of the spirits of just men made perfect and of Jesus the Mediator of the New Covenant c. The beholding of these glorious visions truly beatifical are the work of a Sabbath Moreover to discover to you the glory of a Sabbath consider we another excellent passage in our quoted Author ut sup speaking of the Sabbath All the graces triumph in Thee All the Ordinances conspire to enrich Thee The Father ruleth Thee The Son rose upon Thee The Spirit hath overshadowed Thee Thus it is done to the Day which the Lord delighteth to honour on Thee light was created the Holy Ghost descended Life hath been restored Satan subdued the Grave Death and Hell conquered c. Much more might be added but rather The Question Question is When do we make the Sabbath or how may we make it to us an Honourable Glorious day Answer 1 Then we call the Sabbath Honourable when we make Honourable preparation for it To which purpose it is useful to mind seriously that word which stands as a watch-man at the door of the fourth Commandment Remember the Sabbath to keep it holy Remember It is like the Baptist the voice of one crying prepare ye the way of the Lord or that Eccl. 5.1 keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God c. It calls for solemn preparation for a Sabbath and the ordinances of a Sabbath a duty wofully neglected amongst Christians some little preparation people make for a Sacrament and it is to be feared there is more of superstition in it than Evangelical affection to the day consisting rather in a Ceremonial abstinence from meat and drinks than a serious separation of the heart and affections for communion with God But as to the Sabbath there is rarely any thing to separate between the drudgery of the week and the solemnities of the sabbath but a little sleep and that usually less than any other night is allowed people loading the Saturday-night with so many worldly affairs that the Lords-day-morning is too little to satisfie their sluggish indulgences of the flesh and there is not time either for closet or domestick devotion they cannot force themselves out of their bed time enough to join with the Congregation until half the publick worship be finished The Jews shall rise up against this generation and shall condemn them of whom it is reported they were so severe in their parascueves or preparations for the Sabbath which were precisely to begin at three of the clock in the afternoon Buxtorf that if the servants in the Family were cast behind in dispatching the servile labour of the Family the Master of the house though he were a Nobleman would not refuse to set his hand to the lowest drudgery that they might observe the punctual time of preparation this argued an honourable estimation of the Sabbath 2. Then we call it honourable when we give it honourable entertainment When we awaken our selves in such good time yet so as we may not indispose nature for the service of the day as David did Psal 108.2 awake my Psaltery and Harp I my self will awake right early I say to get up early in the morning Maâ—h 28.1 to meet our blessed Lord and Bridegroom coming from his Sepulchre to visit us That which is but fancied of the natural Sun its dancing upon Easter-day in the morning for joy of the Lords Resurrection I have known reallized by some excellent Christians whose hearts have not only leaped in them but themselves have hasted out of their beds and have leaped and skipped up and down in their chamber when the morning light of the Sabbath hath shined on them in remembrance of the Sun of Righteousness arising from the grave with healing under his wings Such extraordinary impulses and ravishments are not every Christians attainment and must not be imitated to the prejudice of the Body the spirit may be willing but the flesh is weak but certainly every Christian that hath the love of Christ shed abroad in his heart will be careful to abate himself somewhat of his wonted indulgences on that morning which was his redeemers Birth-day that he may have time to get on his wedding Garment by meditation Psal 2.7 reading and prayer that he may go forth to meet him whom his soul loveth in the publick solemnities of the Sabbath and bring him home with him into the chamber of her that conceived him
The Word of the Lord is tried he is a buckler to all that trust in him John 3.15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish Unbelief is a God-affronting Sin 1 John 5.10 He that believeth not God hath made him a lyer it is a Soul murdering Sin John 3.36 He that believeth not the Son shall not see life but the wrath of God abideth on him Thus in reading observe those Scriptures which do rem acu tangere touch upon your particular case Although all the Bible must be Read yet those Texts which point most directly to your condition be sure to put a special Star upon Take special notice of the examples in Scripture (o) Praecepta docent exempla movent make the examples of others living Sermons to you 1. Observe the examples of God's Judgments upon Sinners They have been hanged up in Chains in terrorem How severely hath God punished proud men Direct 19 Nebuchadnezzar was turned to grass Herod eat up with Vermin How hath God plagued Idolaters Numb 25.3 4 9. 1 Kings 14.9 10. What a swift witness hath he been against lyers Act. 5.5 10. These examples are set up as Sea-marks to avoid 1 Cor. 10.11 Jude ver 7. 2. Observe the examples of God's mercy to Saints Jeremy was preserved in the Dungeon the three Children in the Furnace Daniel in the Lyons den These examples are props to Faith spurs to Holiness Direct 20 Leave not off reading in the Bible till you find your hearts warmed Psal 119.93 I will never forget thy precepts for with them thou hast quickned me Read the Word not only as an History but labour to be affected with it Let it not only inform you but inflame you Jer. 23.29 Is not my Word like as a fire saith the Lord Go not from the Word till you can say as those Disciples Luk. 24.32 Did not our hearts burn within us Set upon the practice of what you read (p) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrys Psal 119.66 I have done thy Direct 21 Commandments A student in Physick doth not satisfie himself to read over a systeme or body of Physick but he falls upon practising Physick the life-blood of Religion lies in the practick part So in the Text He shall read in the Book of the Law all the days of his life that he may learn to keep all the Words of this Law and these Statutes to do (q) Tantum scimus quantum operamuâ— them Christians should be walking Bibles Zenophon said many read Lycurgus his Laws but few observed them The Word written is not only a rule of knowledge but a rule of obedience * Bis memin â— legis qui memor est â—peris Bill Autholog it is not only to mend our sight but to mend our pace David calls God's Word a lamp to his feet Psal 119.105 It was not only a light to his eyes to see by but to his feet to walk by by practice we trade the talent of knowledge and turn it to profit This is a blessed reading of Scripture when we fly from the Sins which the Word forbids and espouse the duties which the Word commands reading without practice will be but a torch to light men to Hell Make use of Christ's Prophetical Office He is the Lyon of the tribe of Judah Direct 22 to whom it is given to open the Book of God and loose the seals (r) A canorum Dei revelator Paâ—eus thereof Rev. 5.5 Christ doth so teach as he doth quicken John 8.12 I am the light of the world he that followeth me shall have lumen vitae the light of life The Philosopher saith light and heat increase together (s) Calor lux concrâ—scunt 't is true here where Christ comes into the Soul with his light there is the heat of Spiritual life going along with it Christ gives us Spiritualem gustum a taste of the Word Psal 119.102 103. Thou hast taught me how sweet are thy words to my tast it is one thing to read a promise another thing to tast it Such as would be Scripture-Proficients let them get Christ to be their Teacher Luke 24.45 Then opened he their understanding that they might understand the Scriptures Christ did not only open the Scriptures but opened their understanding (t) Cathedram habet in caelo qui corda docet in terâ—d Aug. Tread often upon the threshold of the Sanctuary Wait diligently on a rightly constituted Ministry Prov. 8.34 Blessed is the man that heareth me waiting diligently at my Gates Ministers are God's Interpreters it is their work to expound and open dark places of Scripture We read of Pitchers and Direct 23 Lamps within the Pitchers Judg. 7.16 Ministers are earthen Pitchers 2 Cor. 4.7 But these Pitchers have Lamps within them to light Souls in the dark Pray that God will make you profit Isa 47.18 I am the Lord thy God Direct 24 which teacheth thee to profit make David's prayer Psal 119.18 Open thou mine eyes that I may behold wondrous things out of thy Law Pray to God to take off the vail on the Scripture that you may understand it and the vail on your heart that you may believe it Pray that God will not only give you his Word as a rule of Holiness but his Grace as a principle of Holiness Implore the guidance of God's Spirit Nehem. 9.10 Thou gavest them thy Good spirit to instruct (u) Christuâ— sedens ad d xtram Dei misit Vicariam Vim spiritus sancti Tertul. them Though the Ship hath a Compass to Sail by and store of Tackling yet without a gale of wind it cannot sail though we have the Word written as our Compass to sail by and make use of our endeavours as the tackling yet unless the Spirit of God blow upon us we cannot sail with profit When the Almighty is as dew unto us then we grow as the Lilly and our beauty is as the Olive-tree Hos 45.6 Beg the anointing of the Holy (x) 1 John 2.20 Ghost One may see the figures on a Dial but he cannot tell how the day goes unless the Sun shine we may read many Truths in the Bible but we cannot know them savingly till God's Spirit shine in our Souls 2 Cor. 4.6 The Spirit is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation Ephes 1.17 When Philip joined himself to the Eunuch's Chariot then he understood Scripture Acts 8.35 When God's Spirit joins himself to the Word then it will be effectual to Salvation These rules observed the Word written would through God's blessing be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an ingraffed Word Jam. 1.22 A good Cyens grafted into a bad stock changeth the nature of it and makes it bear sweet and generous fruit So when the Word is graffed savingly into mens hearts it doth sanctifie them and make them bring forth the sweet fruits of Righteousness Phil. 1.11 Thus I have answered this question how we may read the Scriptures
God 3. Odes or spiritual Songs may belong to natural things what we ought to debate discuss viz. The Race Order Harmony and Continuance of the World and God's infinite Wisdom manifested in it 2. Some distinguish these according to the Authors of them 1. Psalms they are the Composures of holy David 2. Hymns they are the Songs of some other excellent men recorded in Scripture as Moses Heman Asaph c. 3. Spiritual Songs they are Odes of some other holy and good men not mentioned in Scripture as the Song of Ambrose Nepos and others 3. Some aver that these several speeches mentioned in the Text answer the Hebrew distinction of Psalms Among them there were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mizmorim which treated of various and different Subjects 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which only mentioned the Praises of the most High 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which were Songs more artificially and musically composed and some Divines observe were sung with the help of a musical Instrument But I may add Are not all these several species mentioned to prefigure the Plenty and the Joy which is reserved for the Saints within the Vail when they shall join in consort with the glorious Angels in singing their perpetual Hallelujahs to their glorious Creator 3 The manner of Singing Our Text saith with Melody with inward joy and tripudlation of Soul If the Tongue make the Pause the Heart must make the Elevation The Apostle saith to the Colossians Colos 3.16 We must sing with grace which is as some expound it 1. Cum gratiarum actione with giving of thanks And indeed thankfulness is the very Selah of this duty that which puts an accent upon the Musick and sweetness of the Voice and then we sing melodiously when we warble out the Praises of the Lord. 2. With gracefulness with a becoming and graceful dexterity And this brings both profit and pleasure to the Hearers as Davenant observes Psalms are not the Comedies of Venus or the jocular Celebrations of a wanton Adonis but they are the Spiritual ebullitions of a composed Soul to the incomprehensible Jehovah with real grace God's Spirit must breathe in this service Et prodessâ— veliat dâ—lectâ—re Dav. Cantemus cum gratia à Spiriâ—u Sâ—ncto donata Chrysost Hoc quod praecinitur sine gratià Dâ—i impleri non potest Oecâ—m Sine corde nulla est modalatio Bod. here we must act our joy our confidence our delight Singing is the triumph of a gracious Soul the Child joying in the praises of his Father In singing of Psalms the gracious heart takes wings and mounts up to God to joyn with the Celestial Quire It is grace which sits the heart for and sweetens the heart in this duty And where this qualification is wanting this service is rather an hurry than a duty it is rather a disturbance than any obedience 4. The Master of the Chore the Preceptor that is the Heart We must look to the Heart in singing that it be purged by the Spirit and that it be replete with spiritual Affection He plays the Hypocrite who brings not the heart to this Duty One observes There is no Tune without the Heart Singing takes its proper rise from the Heart the Voice is only the further progress And indeed God is the Creator of the whole man and therefore he will be praised not only with our Tongues but with our Hearts The Apostle tells us He will sing with the spirit 1 Cor. 14.15 And David informs us his heart was ready to sing and give praise Nâ—n vox sed votum non musica cerdula sed cor Aug. De modo benè vivendi Bern. Psal 57.7 8. 108.1 Augustine admonisheth us It is not a Musical-string but a Working-heart is harmonious The Virgin Mary sings her Magnificat with her heart Luke 14.47 And Bernard tells us in a Tract of his That when we sing Psalms let us take heed that we have the same thing in our Mind that we warble forth in our Tongue and that our Song and our Heart do not run several ways If we in singing only offer the Calves of our Lips it will too much resemble a Carnal and a Jewish service 5. The End of the Duty To the Lord. So saith the Text viz. To Jesus Christ who is here principally meant Our singing must not serve our Gain or our Luxury or our Fancy but our Christ our Lord and dear Redeemer In this Duty it is his Praises we must mainly and chiefly celebrate And most deservedly we magnifie the true God by Psalms and Singing when the Heathens celebrate their false and dung-hill-Gods Jupiter Neptune and Apollo with Songs and Hymns One well observes Singing of Psalms is part of Divine Worship Deus est canendi Vnicus Scopus Bod. and of our Homage and Service due to the great Jehovah Bodius takes notice that God is the true and only scope of all our singing And truly if the Spirit of God be in us he will be steddily aimed at by us Thus Deborah and Barak sang their Triumphal Song to the Lord Judges 5.3 The several parts of the Text being thus opened they may be set together again in this Divine and Excellent Truth Doct. Non franges vocem sed frange voluntatem non serves tantùm Consonantiam Vocum sed concordium Mo um Bern. Aug. In the Ordinance of Singing we must not make Noise but Musick and the Heart must make Melody to the Lord. So the Text. Augustine complained of some in his time That they minded more the Tune than the Truth more the Manner than the Matter more the Governing of the Voice than the Raisedness of the Mind And this was a great offence to him Singing of Psalms must only be the joyous breathing of a raised Soul and here the cleanness of the Heart is more considerable than the clearness of the Voice In this Service we must study more to act the Christian than the Musitian Many in singing of Psalms are like the Organs whose Pipes are filled only with Wind. The Apostle Col. 3.16 tells us we must sing with our Heart We must sing David's Psalms with David's Spirit One tells us God is a Spirit and he will be worshipped in Spirit even in this duty Now to traverse the Truth 1. We will shew the Divine Authority of this Ordinance 2. We will shew the Sweetness of it 3. The Universal Practice of it 4. We shall shew the Honours God hath put upon this Ordinance 5. And then come to the main Case 6. And make Application For the first We shall shew the Divine Authority of this Ordinance 1. By Scripture-Command 2. By Scripture-Argument 3. By Scripture-Pattern 4. By Scripture-Prophesie 1. From Scripture-Precept And here we have divers commands laid upon us both in the Old and New Testament David who among his honourable Titles obtains this to be called the Sweet Singer of Israel 2 Sam. 23.1 he frequently calls upon himself Psal 7.17 I
Parent is to take care that the Child Sanctifies the Sabbath day Joshua read all the words that Moses commanded before all the Congregation of Israel Josh 8.35 Joel 2.15 16. Jon. 3.5 Omnes sine ullo discrimine ne infantibus exceptis Drusius Mark 10.13 Luk. 18.15 Vt Patres majores natu in illis perspicerent quid essent meriti magis exhorrerent scolerasua prâ—pter quae nou sibi solum sed et liberis suis imminebat interitus Calv. Deut 66. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Et exacues ea accuratè commodissimè mâ—â—lcabis â—â—no 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Proverbium quod in ore sit inculcetur Act. 17.11 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of better descent Non per civilem dignitatem sed per spiritualem dignationem Trap. with the women and the little ones And Deut. 29.11 not only Captains and Elders and Officers with all the men of Israel but their little ones also stood before the Lord to enter into Covenant with him Mat. 19.13 14. There were brought unto Christ little Children that he should put his hands on them and pray but the Disciples rebuked them But our Saviour gives check to their rebukes and commands them to suffer little children and forbid them not to come unto him and that on a weighty reason because of such is the Kingdom of Heaven and those little ones enjoyed the benefit and blessing of Christ's hand and prayer Sanctifie a Fast call a Solemn Assembly gather the children and those that suck the breast Joel 2.15 16. Isa 17.5 7. After their return from the publick be sure to call them to an account according to their capacity Examine and try how they profit how they understand and remember anything at all that they have heard Repeat it and make it still more and more plain to them and in repeating it apply it also to their Consciences This is that which some Divines understand by that whetting or sharpning of the Word on our Children i. e. teach them by way of repetition going over and over again as men do with knives when they whet them that so as knives by such whetting are more keen and fit to cut so the Truths of God by often turning and returning them on the ears and tongues of children may pierce more deeply into their hearts consciences for their better understanding and affecting of them This was our Saviour's practice to call his Disciples to an account and to know of them what they remembred and understood of what they heard Mat. 13.51 Jesus saith unto them have ye understood all these things and Mark 4.34 when they were alone he expounded all things to his Disciples How careful will the child or servant be heedfully to mark what he hears if he knows he shall be examined when he comes home How much will this course help and confirm your children and servants yea your selves also to understand believe and practice that which hath been taught you When those Noble Bereans had publickly received the Word with all readiness of mind i. e. took the heads of Paul's Sermon truly they privately searched the Scriptures daily to see whether things were so and finding on their search that the Truths deliver'd were consonant to the Scriptures 't is said therefore i. e. for that very reason many of them believed and not your understandings only but your memories also This way with your Family will make you the Governours of it better able to retain This is clearly infer'd from Deut. 4.9 Take heed to thy self and keep thy Soul diligently lest thou forget the things c. But how shall this forgetfulness be prevented Why by teaching them thy Sons and thy Sons Sons 2 Pet. 1 13. And this refreshing of your memories will not a little conduce to the stirring up of your affections and to work in you greater sense and deeper feeling of the Truths you have heard 8. In all your instructions most carefully avoid all tedious prolixity Nothing more disgusts a Child's spirit than long and tedious discourses Make up the shortness of your discourse by frequency a little now and a little then not all at once Drop by drop as you pour liquor into narrow-mouth'd Bottles As you do when you first begin to feed their Bodies with a Spoon so must you do when you first begin to feed their Souls with instruction Long Speeches burthen their small memories too much and through mens imprudence may unhappily occasion them to loath spiritual Manna As Physitians therefore in their Diuretick Precepts prescribe to children little and often so must we Young Plants may quickly be even over-glutted with rich manuring and rotted with too much watering Weak eyes newly open'd from sleep at the first can hardly bear the glaze of a Candle Line upon line therefore and Precept upon Precept here a little and there a little Isa 28.10 Gen. 33.13 You must drive the little ones towards Heaven as Jacob did his towards Canaan very gently Fair and soft goes far 9. Having thus far season'd your little ones Dr. Jacomb Dom. Deo 167. and their understandings being somewhat grown with their years now is the fittest time to put a Catechism into their hands i. e. a plat-form of sound words 2 Tim. 1.13 by way of Question and Answer in a short compendious Method whose terms being clear and distinct Morn Exercise at Cripplegate p. 196. should be phrased as near as may be out of the Holy Scripture and fitted to their capacities by a very plain and solid stile and to their memories by brief expressions And here I would humbly offer this advice make use of a double Catechism a shorter and a larger A shorter to be learned by those that have weak memories and capacities A larger to be got by heart by those that have more years greater parts and larger capacities Nov. 30. 1618. Sess 17. Lib. 2. Cap. 2. Thus I find the Synod of Dort prescribing in their Act for Catechizing In this we agree with that burning and shining Light Mr. Crook of Winton in Somerset and that acute grave and pious Pastor of Sutton in Bedfordshire Mr. Bowles in his Pastor Evangelicus and especially we find it done to our hands by the late Assembly of Divines sitting at Westminster in their lesser and larger Catechism And that upon this solid reason lest on the one hand whilest we impose a burthen on such weak shoulders as are not able to sustain it they should despond and sink and on the other hand when we require of others that which is much beneath their supposed ability they should pass it by with neglect at least if not throw it off with scorn But what are the Forms of Catechizing I would propose I answer 1. For the youngest and lowest Rank I suppose the Articles of the Christian Faith contained in that very Antient Creed commonly called the Apostles Creed The Decalogue or Ten Commandments the Lord's Prayer and
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from holes pits caves cut out in rocks shews that it notes secret places for retirements or repositories It 's accordingly rendred by secret chambers Math. 24.26 and by closets Luke 12.3 2. Shut the door or lock it as the word insinuates 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from whence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a key is deduced and are both put together as appears by Rev. 3.7 and 20.1 3. implying that we must bar or bolt it 3. Pray to thy Father in secret Father which is pietatis potestatis appellatio as Tertullian notes a name hinting both piety and power to thy Father De Orat. noting both propriety and intimacy 2. A gracious promise which may be branch't into three parts 1. For thy Father sees thee in secret his eye is upon thee with a gracious aspect when thou art withdrawn from all the world 2. He will reward thee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 retribuet reponet or as Ambrose reads it redder so the word is sometimes translated by rendring De Cain and Abel Math. 22.21 Rom. 2.6 13.7 by delivering Math. 27.58 Luke 9.42 by yielding or affording Heb. 12.11 Rev. 22.2 All which comes to this he will return thy prayers or thy requests amply and abundantly into thy bosom 3. He will do it openly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 perspicuously and manifestly before the world sometimes and most plentifully and exuberantly before men and Angels at the great day secret prayers shall have open and publick answers 3. Here 's a demonstration of sincerity from the right performance of this duty set forth by the Antithesis But thou shalt not be as the hypocrites verse 5. When i. e. as often as thou prayest by thy self enter not thy house only thy hall or thy common chamber but thy closet the most secret and retired privacy Shut the door that others may neither discern thee nor rush in suddenly upon thee He shall reward thee i. e. he shall answer thee and perform thy request as a gracious return to thy secret sincerity God is pleased by promise to make himself a debtor to secret prayer It brings nothing to God but empty hands and naked hearts to shew that reward in Scripture sence does not slow in upon the streams of merit but grace It 's monkish divinity to assert otherwise for what merit strictly taken can there be in prayer the meer asking of mercy cannot merit it at the hands of God who out of our most sincere petitions being at best impregnated with sinful mixtures might take up matter enough to sling as the dung of our sacrifices in our faces Mal. 2.3 We halt like Jacob both in and after our choicest and strongest wrestlings But such is the grace of our heavenly Father who spies that little sincerity of our hearts in secret that he is pleased to accept us in his beloved and to smell a favour of rest in the fragrant perfumes and odours of his intercession Hence though I might draw forth several notes yet shall treat but of one containing the marrow and nerves of the Text. Obs That secret prayer duly managed is the mark of a sincere heart and hath the promise of a gracious return Prayer is the soul's colloquy with God and secret prayer is a conference with God upon admission into the privy chamber of heaven When thou hast shut thine own closet vvhen God and thy soul are alone with this key thou openest the chambers of paradise and enterest the closet of divine love When thou art immured as in a curious Labyrinth from the tumultuous world and entered into that garden of Lebanon in the midst of thy closet thy soul like a spiritual Daedalus takes to it self the wings of faith and prayer and flies into the midst of heaven among the Cherubims I may term secret prayer the invisible flight of the soul into the bosom of God out of this heavenly closet rises Jacobs ladder vvhose rounds are all of light its foot stands upon the basis of the covenant in thy heart its top reaches the throne of grace When thy reins have instructed thee in the night season with holy petitions vvhen thy soul hath desired him in the night then vvith thy spirit vvithin thee wilt thou seek him early Psal 16 7. Isa 26.9 When the door of thy heart is shut and the windows of thine eyes seal'd up from all vain and worldly objects Zach. 3.7 up thou mountest and hast a place given thee to walk among Angels that stand by the throne of God in secret prayer the soul like Moses is in the backside of the desart and talks with the Angel of the Covenant in the fiery bush Exod. 3.1 Gen. 24.63 1 Kings 19.4 v. 12. Here 's Isaac in the field at eventide meditating and praying to the God of his Father Abraham Here 's Elijah under the Juniper-tree at Rithmah in the wilderness and anon in the cave hearkning to the still small voice of God Here 's Christ and the Spouse alone in the wine cellar and the banner of love over her Cant. 2.4 Gersâ—n Eph. 5.18 John 1.48 where she utters verba dimidiata ubi bibit ebriam Sobrietatem spiritus but half words having drunk of the sober excess of the spirit Here we find Nathaniel under the fig-tree though it may be at secret prayer yet under a beam of the eye of Christ There sits Austin in the garden alone sighing with the Psalmist usque quo Domine Confess 1. l. 8. c 12. how long O Lord and listning to the voice of God tolle lege take up the Bible and read It 's true hypocrites may pray and pray alone and pray long and receive their reward 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from such whose observation they desire but take no true delight in secret devotion Mat. 23 14. Chrysost in loc Cant. 2.14 they have no spring of affection to God But O my dove says Christ that art in the clefts of the rock let me hoar thy voice for the melody thereof is sweet A weeping countenance and a wounded spirit are most beautiful prospects to the eye of heaven when a broken heart powrs out repentant tears like streams from the rock smitten by the rod of Moses law in the hand of a Mediator Oh how amiable in the sight of God Psa 130.1 out of the depths have I cried to thee as Chrysostom glosses 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 draw sighs from the furrows of thy heart è sulco pectoris Let thy prayer become a hidden mystery of divine secrets like good Hezekiah upon the bed with his face to the wall Isa 38.2 5. that none might observe him or like our blessed Lord that grand example who retired into solitudes and mountains apart and saw by night the Illustrious face of his heavenly Father in prayer the reasons follow 1. Because a sincere heart busies it self about heart-work to mortifie sin to quicken grace to observe and resist
Luke 6.12 But such as are fill'd with impertinent multiplications of vain words and have neither holy reasonings nor spiritual and warm affections and yet think to be heard for their much speaking Qu. But can God be moved by our arguments or affected with our troubles He is the unchangeable God and dwells in the inaccessible light James 1.17 There 's no variableness or shadow of turning A metaphor from the fixed stars which admit no parallax Kepler Astron l. 4. p. 495. Fran. 1635 c. Argol Tab. p. 72. and therefore Astronomers cannot demonstrate their magnitude for our eyes or instruments can yet give no intelligence of any increase or diminution of their diameter or light Ans Those holy motions upon the hearts of Saints in prayer are the fruits of the unchangeable decrees of his love to them and the appointed ushers of mercy God graciously determines to give a praying arguing warm affectionate frame as the prodromus and forerunner of a decreed mercy That 's the reason that carnal men can enjoy no such mercies because they pour out no such prayers Jer. 29 10 12. Isa 45.1 2 4.11 19. The spirit of prayer prognosticates mercy ensuing Wherefore vvhen the Lord by Jeremy foretold the end of the Captivity he also pre-signifies the prayers that should open the gates of Babylon Cyrus vvas prophesied of to do his vvork for Jacob his servants sake and Israel his elect but yet they must ask him concerning those things to come and they should not seek him in vain The glory of the latter days in the return of Israel is foretold by Ezekiel Ezek. 36.24 37 Rev. 21.12 17 20. but yet then the Lord will be enquired of by the house of Israel to do it for them The Coming of Christ is promised by himself but yet the Spirit and bride say come and he that heareth must say come and vvhen Christ saies he vvill come quickly Even so come Lord Jesus Divine grace kindles these ardent affections vvhen the mercies promised are upon the wing Gerson T. 2. K K. 3 6. Prayer is that intelligible chain as Dionysius calls it that draws the souls up to God and the mercy down to us or like the Cable that draws the ship to land though the shoar it self remain unmoveable Prayer has its kindlings from heaven 2 Chron. 7.1 like the ancient sacrifices that vvere inflam'd vvith celestial fire 6. Submission to the allwise and holy Will of God This is the great benefit of a Saint's communion with the spirit that he maketh intercession for them according to the Will of God Rom. 8.27 When promised mercies are revealed in more absolute terms the sanctified Will concenters with the Will of God When vve pray for holiness there 's a concurrence with the Divine Will 1 Thess 4.3 Rom. 12.1 2. For this is the Will of God even your sanctification When we pray that our bodies may be presented a living sacrifice acceptable to God vve then prove vvhat is that good acceptable and perfect Will of God But I speak here as to outward mercies and enjoyments and the gradualities or degrees of graces and spiritual mercies But as to substance of spiritual mercies the pomises in such cases run freely as if in any place there seem to lye any limitations or conditions those very conditions are otherwhere graciously promised to be vvrought in us In the Covenant of grace God does his part and ours too As when God commands us to pray in one place he promises in another place (a) Zec. 20.10 to pour out upon us a Spirit of grace and supplication God commands us to repent and (b) Ezek 14.6 turn unto him In another place (c) Lam. 5.21 Jer. 31.18 Turn thou me and I shall be turned for thou art the Lord my God and again turn thou us unto thee O Lord and we shall be turned (d) Ezr. 18.31 make you a new heart and a new spirit otherwhere (e) Ezek. 36.26 27. A new heart will I give you and a new spirit will I put within you c. and cause you to walk in my statutes that (f) Col. 1.9 10. ye might walk unto all pleasing says Paul for this cause I cease not to pray for you c. that he would (g) Heb. 11.21 work in you that which is well-pleasing in his sight Work out your salvation (h) Phil. 2.12 13. for it is God that worketh in you to will and to do of his good pleasure Precepts promises and prayer are connext like so many golden links to excite encourage and assist the soul in spiritual duties But in other cases as to temporal and temporary mercies let all thy desires in prayer be formed with submission guided by his counsel and prostrate at his feet and acted by a faith suitable to the promises of outward blessings and then it shall be unto thee (i) Mat. 15 28. Gerson T. 2. even as thou wilt He said well cardo desideriorum sit voluntas Dei exaudiat pete cardinem Let all thy desires as to temporals turn upon the hinge of the divine good pleasure That man shall have his own Will that resolves to make God's Will his God will certainly bestow that which is for the good of his people Psal 34.18 and 84.11 Math. 7.11 Rom. 8.28 One great point of our mortification lies in this to have our Wills melted into God's and 't is a great token of spiritual growth when not only content but joyful to see our Wills crost that his may be done We pray that his Kingdom may come let it appear by sincere prayer that his Will may be done When our Wills are sacrificed in the flames of holy prayer vve many times receive choicer things then we ask expresly 'T was a good saying non dat quod volumus ut det quod malimus God many times grants not what we will in the present prayers that he may bestow what we had rather have when we have the prayer more graciously answered than we petitioned we know not how to pray as we ought but the spirit helps us out with groans that secretly hint a correction of our wills and spirit in prayer Rom. 8.26 In great anxieties and pinching troubles nature dictates strong groans for relief but sustaining grace Heb. 12.10 and participation of divine holiness mortification from earthly comforts excitation of the soul to long for heaven being gradually weaned from the Wormwood-breasts of these sublunary transient and unsatisfying pleasures and the timeing of our hearts for the seasons wherein God will time his deliverances are sweeter mercies than the present return of a prayer for an outward good into our bosoms What truly holy person would lose that light of God's countenance Psal 4.6 7. which he enjoyed by glimpses in a cloudy day for a little corn and wine Thou hast put more gladness into my heart says David Nay in many cases
open denials of prayer prove the most excellent answers and God's not hearing us is the most signal audience Therefore at the foot of every prayer subscribe fiat voluntas tua and thou shalt enjoy preventing mercies that thou never soughtest and converting mercies to change all for the best resting confident in this that having askt according to his will he heareth thee 1 John 5.14 7. Lastly present all into the hands of Christ This was signified of old by praying towards the Temple 1 Kings 8.33 Heb. 8.3 because the golden mercy-seat typifying Christ was there he is ordained of God to offer gifts and sacrifices and therefore 't is of necessity that he should have something from us to offer being (a) Heb. 10.21 the high priest over the house of God What does Christ on our behalf at the throne of grace Put some Petition into the hands of Christ he waits fâ—r our offerings at the door of the oracle leave the sighs and groans of thy heart with this compassionate intercessor who is toucht with the feeling of our infirmities Heb. 4 15. who sympathizes with our weaknesses He that lies in the Father's bosom and hath (b) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 John 1.18 expounded the Will of God to us adds (c) Rev. 8.3 much incense to the prayers of all Saints before the throne of God and explains our Wills to God (d) Psal 141.2 so that our prayers perfumed by his are set forth as incense before him He is the (e) Job 9.33 days-man the heavens-man betwixt God and us Whatever we ask in his name he puts into his golden censer (f) John 15 16 and 16.23 that the Father may give it to us When the sweet smoak of the incense of Christ's prayer ascends before the Father our prayers become sweet and amiable and cause a savour of rest with God This I take to be one reason why the prevalency of prayer is so often assigned to the time of the evening sacrifice pointing at the death of Christ about (g) Mat. 27.46 Act. 3.1.10.30 the 9th hour of the day near the time of the evening oblation Hence it was that Abraham's sacrifice received a gracious answer being offered (h) Gen. 15.12 24 63. about the going down of the Sun Isaac went out to pray at eventide Elijah at mount Carmel prays and offers at (i) 1 Kings 18.36 the time of the evening sacrifice Ezra fell upon his knees and spread out his hands (k) Ezr. 9.5 at the evening sacrifice David begs that his prayer may be virtual in the power of the (l) Psal 141.2 evening sacrifice Daniel at prayer was toucht by the angel about the time of the (m) Dan. 9.21 evening oblation All to shew the prevalency of our access to the throne of grace by the vertuous merit of the intercession of Christ the acceptable evening sacrifice Yea and therefore we are taught in our Lord's prayer to begin with the title of a Father in him we are adopted to children and to use that prevalent relation as an argument in prayer There are some other particulars in respect to prayer in general as it may be connext and coincident with secret prayer as stability of spirit freedom from distraction by wandring thoughts the actings of faith the aids of the spirit c. which I pass by and come to the second branch Directions special and peculiar to secret prayer 1. Be sure of intimate acquaintance with God Can we presume that are but dust and ashes to go up into heaven and boldly to enter the presence-chamber and have no fellowship with the Father or with the Son (a) Job 22 2â— 26 27. Acquaint thy self witb him and be at peace c. Then shalt thou have thy delight in the Almighty and lift up tby face unto God thou shalt make thy prayer unto him and he shall hear thee (b) v. 28. The decrees of thy heart shall be establisht to thee and the light shall shine upon thy ways First (c) Job 29.3 4. Dan. 9.3 shining acquaintance and then shining answers Canst thou set thy face unto the Lord God then thou mayest seek him by prayer First Daniel sets and shews his face to God and then seeks him by prayer and supplications Does God know your face in prayer do you often converse in your closets with him Believe it it must be the fruit of intimate acquaintance with God to meet him in secret with delight Can ye come familiarly as a child to a father considering its own vileness meanness or unworthiness in comparison with his divine love the love and bowels of a heavenly father Such a father the father of fathers and the father of mercies 2 Cor. 1.2 3. How sweetly does the Apostle joyn it God is our Father because the Father of our Lord and because his Father and so our Father therefore the Father of mercies Oh what generations of mercies flow from this paternity But plead we must to that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that manuduction and access to this father through Christ by the spirit We must be gradually acquainted with all three Eph. 2.18 Gal. 4.6 Eph. 1.4 First with the spirit then with Christ and last with the father first God sends the spirit of his son into our hearts and then through the son we cry Abba father The bowels of mercy first wrought in the father to us he chose us in Christ and then sends his spirit to draw us to Christ and by Christ to himself Have ye this access to God by the spirit bosom-communion flows from bosom-affection If your souls are truly in love with God he will graciously say to your petitions be it unto you according to your love Times of finding God A godly man prays in finding seasons 2. Obser When God's heart and ear are inclined to audience vvhen God is said to (a) Psal 31.2 Isa 55.6 Psal 32.6 Cant. 2.9.5.2 bow down his ear unto us There are special seasons of drawing nigh to him vvhen he draws nigh to us times when he may be found When thy beloved looks forth at the window and shews himself through the lattess That 's a time of grace when he knocks at the door of thy heart by his spirit Motions upon the heart are like the Doves of the East sent vvith letters about their necks As he said of Bernard Ex motu cordis spiritus Sancti praesentiam agnoscebat he knew vvhen the holy spirit vvas present with him by the motion of his heart Gerson T. 2. 27. a. 2 â—am 7.27 Psal 27.4 8. When God reveals himself to the heart he opens the ears of his Servants for some gracious message When God bids us seek his face then the soul must answer one thing have I desired that will I seek after First holy desires warm the heart and they sâ—t the soul on seeking They are â—ikâ— mâ—ssengers sent from heaven to
afflict affront and troubles us and wo to them that a child of God upon a mature judgment names in prayer I find not that such a prayer in Scripture return'd empty Jacob in a great strait Deliver me from the hand of my brother Gen. 32.11 from the hand of Esau David in the ascent of Mount Olivet O Lord I pray thee turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness 2 Sam 15.31 2 Chron. 20.10 Prayer twisted the rope for him at Giloh Thus Jehoshaphat in his prayer names Ammon Moab and Edom conspiring against him Thus Hezekiah spreads the railing letter before the Lord Isa 37.14 Psal 83.6 c. Act 4 27. Joseph l. 18. c. 9. Euseb Chron. l. 2. p. 159. Eph. 3.14 Luke 17.5 2 Cor. 12.8 and the Psalmist takes them all in a round Catalogue that consulted against Israel Thus the Church in her prayer names Herod-Antipas and Pontius Pilate whereof the first was sent into perpetual banishment and the latter slew himself It 's of great use in prayer to attend to some special case or single request with arguments and affections suitable For this cause says Paul I bow the knee Suppose a grace deficient in its strength Lord increase our faith or a temptation urgent For this I pray'd to the Lord thrice A great reason why we reap so little benefit by prayer because we rest too much in generals and if we have success 't is but dark that often we cannot tell what to make of the issues of prayer Besides to be particular in our petitions would keep the spirit much from wandring when we are intent upon a weighty case and the progress of the soul in grace would manifest its gradual success in prayer 6. Holy and humble appeals before the Lord in secret when the soul can submissively and thankfully expose it self to divine searching about some measures of holiness and grace wrought in the heart Psal 139.23 Tertal de orat p. 213. The soul cannot bide by the presence of God under flashings of defilement neque agnosci poterit à spiritu sancto spiritus inquinatus neither will the holy spirit own a defiled soul But when a person can humbly modestly and reverently say search me and try my reins and if there be any way of wickedness in me lead me in the everlasting way it vvill be the means of the ebullitions and boilings up of joyful affections and meek confidence at the footstool of grace especially in pleas of deliverance from wicked and proud enemies When David can plead in comparison with and in the case stated between his enemies and himself For I am holy Psal 86.2 14 17. It shews him a token for good or when we plead against the assaults of Satan can we be conscious that we have watcht and prayed against entring into temptation When in the main we can wash our hands in Innocency Psal 26 6. Psal 18.20.7.3 we may then comfortably compass God's altar about In case of opposition and injustice He rewarded me says David in the point of Saul according to my righteousness and the cleanness of my hands before him Or about the truth of the love that is in the heart to God Thou that knowest all things John 21.17 Neh. 14.14 22 Isa 38.3 Isa 26.8 says Peter knowest that I love thee As to zeal for the Worship and Ordinances of God so did Nehemiah As to the integrity of a well-spent life so did Hezekiah or if we cannot rise so high yet as the Church did The desire of our soul is to thy name and to the remembrance of thee Or lastly when we can unfeignedly plead the usefulness of a mercy intreated in order to the divine glory As when a minister or the Church of Christ for him prays for such gifts and graces Eph. 6.19 Col. 4 3. such knowledg and utterance that he may win souls to Christ and can appeal that it is his principal aim this is glorious 7. Pray for the spirit that ye may pray in and by the spirit Awaken the North and the South to blow upon thy garden that the spices thereof may flow forth Cant 4.16 Then thou mayest invite Christ Let my beloved come into his garden and eat his pleasant fruits that the soul may enjoy him and hold sweet communion with him All successful prayer is from the breathing of the spirit of God when he inspires and indites when he directs the heart as to matter and governs the tongue as to utteranee 1 Cor. 2.10 Rom. 8.27 Psal 147.18 Ezek. 47.1 Gerson T. 2. K. K. 4. 49. Zech. 12.10 God graciously hears the sighs of his own Spirit formed in us He sent forth his spirit and the waters flow That I may allude the waters of contrition flow upon the breathing of the spirit and the soul is as it were all afloat before the throne of grace when these living waters issue from under the threshold of the sanctuary Sequitur lachrymosa devotio flante spiritu sancto Devout tears drop down from the spirit's influences Melting supplications follow the infusions of grace by the spirit Then they shall mourn for piercing of Christ says the Prophet and be in bitterness as for a first-born like the mourning at the town of Hadadrimmon where Josiah was slain Then (a) 13.1 2 4 14.8 Isa 66.12 Rich. de Sâ—ult p. 321. in that day what inundations of mercy shall refresh the Church when the Lord will extend her peace like a river and the glory of the Gentiles like a flowing stream great things to the Church and gracious things to the soul Inter orationem suspiria cognoscit holy sighs in prayer give intelligence of great mercies to follow Nay to withstand powerfully all the wiles of Satan one means is Eph. 6.18 to consecrate every part of the spiritual armour by prayer in the Spirit 8. Apply special promises to special cases in prayer For God hath and will magnifie his word of promise above all his name Psal 138.2 John 12.28 when we are under the word of command for a duty we must seek for a word of promise and unite them in prayer When a promise of aid suits to the precept it renders prayer victorious and obedience pleasant when we come with God's own words into his presence when we take his words with us that he would take away all iniquity he 'll receive us graciously Hos 14 2. Gen. 32.9 1 Kings 8.24 Jacob urged that God had bid him return from his Country and kinred Solomon urges the word of promise to David Jehoshaphat urges the a 2 Chron. 20.8 9. word of promise to Solomon Daniel fills his mouth (b) Dan. 9.2 3 with the promise given to Jeremiah he reads and then applies it in prayer First search the Bible and look for a promise and when found open it before the Lord. Paul teaches us to take the (c) Heb. 13.5 6. promise given to
shall keep the way of the Lord. This then is undeniable if the Word is to be believed received as our Rule and obedience to be yielded thereunto And the Heathens taught a necessity of instructing youth betimes The reason of this consequence from Family reading and instructions 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Justin dialog cum Tryph 173. Scriptura sacra est 1 DEI cathedra ex qua ad nos loquitur 2 Dei Schola in qua nos erudit informat 3 Dei 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 spiritualis rerum medicarum officina 4 Dei 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 armamentarium in quo â—unit armat nos contra omnis generis hostes 5 Dei manus qua nos per semitas fidei justitiae ducit ad vitam aeternam Gerhar loc com Tom. 1. p. 141. to Family praying is evident we need to beg of God the illumination of his Spirit the opening of the eyes of every one in the Family the blessing of God upon our endeavours without which it will be to no saving benefit and vvill be more manifest if vve consider and lay together these things following First Whose Word it is that is to be read in the Family together the Word of the eternal blessed glorious God And doth this call for and require preceding Prayer no more than if you were to read the Book of some mortal man The Word of God is that out of which God speaketh to us it is that by which he doth instruct us and inform us in the highest and weightiest concernments of our Souls it is that from which we must fetch remedies for the cure of our spiritual maladies it is that from whence we must have weapons of defence against our spiritual enemies that do assault our Souls and be directed in the paths of life and is not Prayer together needful then that God would prepare all their hearts to receive and obey what shall be read to them of the mind of God Is all the Family so serious and so sensible of the Glory Holiness and Majesty of that God that speaketh to them in his Word that Prayer is not needful that they may be so And if it be needful should it not first be done And when it hath been read and the threatnings commands and promises of the glorious God been heard and your sins discovered and God's wrath against them and duties enjoined and precious priviledges opened and promises of a faithful God both great and precious promises made to such as do repent believe and turn to God with all their hearts unfeignedly have you not all need together to fall down upon your knees to beg and cry and call to God for pardon of those sins that by this Word you are convinced you are guilty of and to lament them before the Lord and that when your duty is discovered you might have all hearts to practise and obey and that you might unfeignedly repent and turn to God that so you may apply those promises to your selves and be partaker of those priviledges From this then there is great reason when you read together you should also pray together Scripturis sacris incumbat Christianus fidelis ibi inveniet condigna fidei spectacula spectabit mundum in delictis suis Piocum praemia Impiorum supplicia religione superatas feras in mansuetudinem câ—nversas intuâ—bitur animas ab ipsa morte revocatas in his omnibus jam majus videbit spectaculum diabolum illum qui totum triumpharet mundum sub pedibus Christi jacentem quà m hoc decorum spectaculum fratres quam jucundum quam necessarium Cyprian 416. Secondly Consider what great and deep mysterious things are contained in the Word of God which you are to read together and there vvill appear a necessity of praying together also Is there not in this Word the Doctrine concerning God how he might be known loved obeyed worshipped and delighted in concerning Christ God-man a mystery that the Angels wonder at and no man fully understands or can express and fully unfold concerning the Offices of Christ Prophet Priest and King the example and the life of Christ the miracles of Christ the temptations of Christ the sufferings of Christ his death the victories of Christ the Resurrection Ascension and Intercession of Christ and his coming to Judgment Is there not in the Scripture the Doctrine of the Trinity of the misery of man by sin and his remedy by Christ of the Covenant of Grace the Conditions of this Covenant and the Seals thereof the many precious glorious priviledges that we have by Christ reconciliation with God justification sanctification and adoption the several graces to be got and duties to be done and of mens everlasting state in Heaven or Hell are these and such like contained in the Word of God that you ought to read daily in your houses and yet do not you see the need of Prayer before and after your reading of it Weigh them well and you will Thirdly Consider how much all the Family are concerned to know and understand these things so necessary to Salvation If they are ignorant of them they are undone If they know not God how shall they love him Invisa possunt amari incognita nequaquam Things unseen may be loved but things unknown cannot We might love an unseen God and an unseen Christ 1 Pet. 1.8 But not an unknown God If they in your Family know not Christ how shall they believe on him and yet they must perish and be damned if they do not They must for ever lose God and Christ and Heaven and their Souls if they do not repent believe and be converted and yet when that Book is read Petit se doceri divinitus ut doctrinam rectè intelligat ex antithesi verò monet omnium hominum mentes esse coecas nec intelligere doctrinam quamdiu non illuminantur à Spiritu sancto monet igiâ—ur quasi velamen esse obductum oculis nostrae mentis vel volumen legis seu doctrinae clausum convolutum esse ut legi intelligi non possit nisi spiritu detrahente velamen oculis nostris evolvente volumen ut oculis nostris subjiciatur ideóque assiduè petendum esse significat ut hic dâ—ctor mittatur in corda nostra qui ea illuminet sapientia coelesti imbuat Moller in Psal 119.18 by which they should understand the nature of true saving Grace is not Prayer needful especially when many have the Bible and read it yet do not understand the things that do concern their peace Fourthly Consider further The blindness of their minds and their inability without the teachings of God's Spirit to know and understand these things and yet is not Prayer needful Fifthly Consider yet further The backwardness of their hearts to hearken to these weighty necessary truths of God and their unwillingness naturally to learn shews Prayer to be necessary that God would make them able
with crosses and then it breeds murmuring thoughts and sometimes it is crown'd with success and then it starts proud and self-applauding thoughts 1 Tim. 6.9 Those that will be rich fall into many foolish and hurtful lusts Such lusts that make men fools and one part of folly is to have wild and sensless fancies Mists and fogs are in the lower region near the earth but reach not that next the Heavens Were we free from earthly affections these gross vapours could not so easily disturb our minds but if the World once settle in our hearts we shall never want the sumes of it to fill our heads And as covetous desires will stuff us with foolish imaginations so they will smother any good thought cast into us as the thorns of worldly cares choak'd the good seed and made it unfruitful Mat. 13.22 As we are to rejoyce in the world as though we rejoyced not so by the same reason we should think of the world as though we thought not A conformity with the world in affection is inconsistent with a change of the frame of the mind Rom. 12.2 3. Avoid idleness Serious callings do naturally compose mens spirits but too much recreation makes them blaze out in vanity Idle souls as well as idle persons will be ranging As idleness in a State is both the mother and nurse of faction and in the natural body gives birth and encrease to many diseases by enfeebling the natural heat so it both kindles and foments many light and unprofitable imaginations in the soul which would be sufficiently diverted if the active mind were kept intent upon some stated work So truly may that which was said of the servant be applyed to our nobler part Mat. 25.26 Thou wicked and slothful servant Mat. 13 25. that it will be wicked if once it degenerates into slothfulness in its proper charge As empty minds are the fittest subjects for extravagant fooleries so vacant times are the fittest seasons While we sleep the importunate enemy within as well as the envious adversary without us will have a successful opportunity to sow the tares Whereas a constant imployment frustrates the attempt and discourageth the Devil because he sees we are not at leasure Therefore when any sinful motion steps in double thy vigour about thy present business and the foolish impertinent will sneak out of thy heart at this discountenance So true is that in this case which Pharaoh falsly imagined in another that the more we labour the less we shall regard vain words †Exod 5.9 As Satan is prevented by diligence in our callings so sometimes the Spirit visits us and fills us with holy affections at such seasons as Christ appeared to Peter and other Disciples when they were a fishing †Joh. 21.3 4. and usually manifested his grace to men when they were engaged in their useful businesses or religious services But these motions as we may observe by the way which come from the Spirit are not to put us out of our way but to assist us in our walking in it and further us both in our attendance on and success in our duties To this end look upon the work of your callings as the work of God which ought to be done in obedience to Him as He hath set you to be useful in the community Thus a holy exercise of our callings would sanctifie our minds and by prepossessing them with solid business we should leave little room for any spider to weave its Cobwebs 4. Awe your hearts with the thoughts of God's omniscience especially the discovery of it at the last judgment We are very much Atheists in the concern of this Attribute for though it be notionally believed yet for the most part it is practically deny'd God understands all our thoughts afar off †Psal 139.2 as He knew every creature which lay hid in the Chaos and undigested lump of matter God is in us all * Eph. 4.6 as much in us all as He is above us all yea in every creek and chink and point of our hearts Not an Atome in the spirits of all men in the world but is obvious to that all-seeing eye which knows every one of those things that come into our minds †Ezek. 11 5. God knows both the order and confusion of them and can better tell their natures one by one than Adam named the creatures Fancy then that you hear the sound of the last Trumpet that you see God's tribunal set and His omniscience calling out singly all the secrets of your heart Would not the consideration of this allay the heat of all other imaginations If a foolish thought break in consider What if God who knows this should presently call me to judgment for this sinful glance psal 44 21. Say with the Church Shall not God search this out Is it fit either for God's glory or our interest that when He comes to make inquisition in us He should find such a nasty dunghil and swarms of Aegyptian lice and frogs creeping up and down our chambers Were our heads and hearts possest by this substantial truth we should be ashamed to think what we shall be ashamed to own at the last day 5. Keep a constant watch over your hearts David desires God to set a watch before the door of his lips Psal 141.3 much more should we desire that God would keep the door of our hearts We should have grace stand sentinel there especially for words have an outward bridle they may disgrace a man and impair his interest and credit but thoughts are unknown if undiscovered by words If a man knew what time the thief would come to rob him he would watch We know we have thieves within us to steal away our hearts therefore when they are so near us we should watch against a surprize and the more carefully because they are so extraordinary sudden in their rise and quick in their motion Our minds are like idle School-boys that will be frisking from one place to another if the Master's back be turned and playing instead of learning Let a strict hand be kept over our affections those wild beasts within us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plato because they many times force the understanding to pass a judgment according to their pleasure not its own sentiment Young men should be most intent upon their guard because their fancies gather vigor from their youthful heat which fires a world of squibs in a day which mad-men and those which have hot diseases are subject to because of the excessive inflammation of their brains and partly because they are not sprung up to a maturity of knowledg which would breed and foster better thoughts and discover the plausible pretences of vain affections There are particular seasons wherein we must double our guard as when incentives are present that may set some inward corruption on a flame 1 Tim. 5.2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Timothy's office
yet they pretend to do all in his Name Mat. 7.22 23. but are not owned by him I Answer It is one thing to pretend to do a thing in the Name of Christ another thing to do it indeed that is by true Faith in his Name by which they are made one with him 2. There was in that Age a Faith of Miracles which though it were an Extraordinary gift and common both to Believers and Reprobates they might be said to do those great things in Christ's Name that is by a Power derived from him though they were not in Christ neither did own him as their Saviour nor were owned by him Ponum non nisi ex integra causa malum ex quolibet dâ—fâ—ctu 3. What is done properly in his Name in the sence of the Text must take into its compass all the foregoing particulars mentioned else it will not be accepted it must be done in the Name of Christ as Mediator Many things may be done in the Name of Christ even Mountains may be removed 1 Cor. 13.2 and yet not be done by Faith in his Name as has been said The third thing propounded was how we may come to do all in the Name of our Lord Jesus and this may be instead of a Use of Direction to us 1. We must be supposed to be in Christ before we can do any thing in Christ's Name according to that in John 15.4 5. where he tells us that except we abide in him that supposeth that they are in him first we can do nothing v. 5. for he compares our being in him to that of a Branch in the Vine which cannot bear Fruit of it self unless it abide in the Vine Luther enquiring into the reason why so many ordinary things done by the Saints are set down in Scripture with a mark of Honour upon them and yet the moral vertues and famous deeds of the great Philosophers and others are passed by Answers that the reason is because their Persons are not in Christ and therefore their actions are not accepted and saith Si vel Cicero vel Socrates sanguinem sudasset tamen propterea non placeret Deo If Socrates or Cicero had sweat drops of blood their actions had not pleased God Coment in Gen. 29. 2. Supposing we are one with Christ we must Exercise Faith upon him and have constant recourse to him in all that ever we do for the supplyes of his Grace and Spirit 1 Pet. 2.20 By Faith resigning all to him casting all our burdens and cares upon him committing our selves and all our affairs to him and fetching in all our strength from him Christ tells us Whatever we ask the Father in his Name shall be given to us John 15.16 John 16.23 26. For whatever we ask in Prayer believing we shall receive Mat. 21.22 Jam. 5.15 So that if we would be enabled to do all in the Name of Christ we must Exercise Faith in his Name in Prayer to God for all things for he is in Office in Heaven for this purpose Heb. 7.25 for he ever Liveth to make Intercession for us The hand of Faith put forth in Prayer though but in ejaculatory Prayer draws vertue from Heaven as we read when he was on Earth those that did but touch him drew vertue from him Luke 6.19 Luke 8.46 3. Living close and secret Communion with the Lord Jesus in the use of all his Ordinances by and through which he communicates himself in the fulness and freeness of Life Light Love and Grace to our Souls for they be the Golden Pipes spoken of Zach. 4.12 by which the Golden Oyl is convey'd to our Souls for his Name is an oyntment poured forth in dayes of Holy Communion Cant. 1.3 By this means we come to have further acquaintance with him and peace from him to see his Power and Glory and our Souls to be satisfied as with marrow and fatness Psal 63.5 and to be changed into his Image 2 Cor. 3.18 and to be refreshed with fuller tasts of his love which is better than Wine 4. Exercise your thoughts much upon him and be much taken up with him in the course of your lives but in a special manner upon singular occasions The Psalmist Psal 73.23 saith I am continually with thee that was in his heart and thoughts Let your thoughts be taken up much in the consideration how to manage your affairs so as may be according to the mind of Christ by strength derived from him and for his honour that we may be accepted in our works Perhaps you will object that it is impossible we should in every business of our lives have actual thoughts of Christ and his Glory or go actually to him for assistance and guidance in every particular business I answer 1. There may and must be an habitual gracious holy frame of heart in us wrought by the Spirit by which we may be strongly inclined to the Lord Christ and his Word as our Rule and his Glory as our end so that we do in the full purpose of our hearts resolve to trust in him and commit our selves to him and rest upon him for help assistance guidance acceptance and success in all things What David pray'd for for himself and people when they were in a good frame of heart is the desire and endeavour of every believer 1 Chron. 29.18 viz. that the Lord would keep this for ever in the imagination of the thoughts of their hearts and prepare their hearts unto him This is the habitual preparation of the heart for God this frame of heart is the New Creature in us 2. When we have especial and particular work to do for Christ then there ought to be an actual preparation of our hearts for him and stirring up the grace that is in us an actual making out after him and laying hold on him for strength and grace from him in time of need Heb. 4. last This is especially to be done upon more solemn and momentous occasions then we must in an especial manner think upon that word that was spoken to Israel Amos 4.11 Prepare to meet thy God We read Exod. 40.30 31. there was a Laver before the Altar in which they were to wash before they went into the Congregation for service We cannot sanctifie God in an Ordinance except we prepare for him which is all one with sanctifying of God Levit. 10.3 1 Sam. 16.5 Samuel when he came to sacrifice to the Lord said to the Elders of Bethleem Sanctifie your selves and come with me to the Sacrifice 3. The more frequent actual thoughts we have of Christ and his Word and our eye upon the Rule and his Glory as our end it is the better ever therefore we should often call upon our selves as Deborah did Judges 5.12 Awake Deborah awake c. There must be an actual excitation of our selves and exercising of our Graces when we have some special duty to perform It is said of Sampson Judges 16.20 That he went
the more conspicuous and glorious Hence are those commendations of grace where it is in any eminency So great faith no not in Israel Mat. 8.10 O woman great is thy faith Mat. 15.28 The Scriptures do exhort us to grow in every grace Let these things be in you and abound 2 Pet. 1.8 1 Thess 4.1 More and more we can never have too much Paul prayes Rom. 15.13 that we may abound in hope Presumption does not lye in having too high thoughts of the mercy of God in Christ for that is infinite beyond all our conceptions but in a vain expectation of that from God which is inconsistent with his justice and holiness and contrary to his revealed will 't is not the Great hope but the Groundless hope that is presumption therefore tell the Devil to his face thou wilt hope more and more Psal 71.14 That thy hope is a growing hope so far from being too great that thou dost judge it yet too little daily praying for its further increase this is the way to quench those fiery darts We may observe that when temptations do work so contrary to the Devils intentions that instead of drawing us into evil they incite us to more watchfulness and prove occasions of good and provocations to duty they presently vanish and die the Devil would have it so and usually it is so unless God by a special hand do continue us under them for the further exercise of grace 2. If thy Hope be small and weak the Devil will call it Despair he would make thee believe a little grace is no grace he will argue from thy weakness in grace to thy total want of it If under such temptation thou findest thy spirit sinking ready to faint away rouze up thy self and bespeak thy Soul as David did Why art thou cast down O my soul and take these following directions 1. Consider it is not the degree of grace but the truth of grace to which Salvation is promised 2. Put a just value and estimate upon the lowest degree of grace that it may not seem contemptible and as nothing in thy sight 't is more worth than the whole world a pearl of great price 3. Labour to distinguish aright between the weakness of thy grace and the grace it self that is under that weakness and whilest thou art mourning under one be sure you rejoyce in the other do not throw away one corn with the chaff do not sweep up one groat with the dust behind the door but light thy candle and find it out don't bury thy talent because 't is a single one but be faithful over a little and thou shalt be made ruler over many things Mat. 15.21 4. Consider the many promises that are made to the lowest degree of grace if there be any good thing in thy heart towards the Lord thy God he accepts of the Will for the Deed of the day of small things he will not quench the smoaking flax nor break the bruised reed to whom little is given of them little is requir'd the widow's mite is a great deal in the account of God Therefore think and judg of thy self not according to any thing inherent in thee be it more or less but according to the measure of acceptance thou hast with God 't is his kindness that makes thee great 2 Sam. 22.36 his favour is better than life if he hath wrought that in thee which is beautiful in his fight why should you so much except against his workmanship as to blot all out again drawing the black lines of dismal despair upon the comely features of true and saving hope though weak and small for the present the high esteem God hath of the lowest degree of true grace in his Saints should make them not to droop so much under it but rather be better pleased with what God is so well pleased with 5. Consider how ill God takes it of his children when they suffer them selves to be perswaded by the Devil out of all good liking and esteem of those smaller measures of grace that God hath given them when they are brought out of conceit of themselves and of every thing that God hath done for them as if their case were now desperate Why saist thou O Jacob and speakest O Israel my way is hid from the Lord and my judgment is passed over from my God Isa 40.27 Let me speak my thoughts out My brethren to deny the least measure of grace in us or to us against plain demonstrations and evidences brought to convince us of it is a kind of denying Christ himself which we would be loath to be guilty of for a thousand worlds and yet may not Christ say I have sent in provision into such a soul and have often invited my self to come and sup with him I have come into my garden to gather my myrrh and to eat of my pleasant fruits which my own hand had planted there Cantic 5.1 But I had no entertainment no welcome they would be known of nothing that ever they had from me plead nothing but poverty and bare walls and did I not know it to be otherwise that I have laid in a sufficiency of grace and that there is that in the house which I love and could feed heartily upon I should not take it ill that they set nothing before me but 't is great unkindness not to give me of my own not to entertain me at my own cost but to tell me to my face that all my fruit is rotten fruit all my meat unsavoury meat all my wine adulterated wine nothing fit for them or me to feed upon all is stark nought they are never the better for any thing I have yet done for them to seek of every thing their faith is dead their hope is presumption or else quite vanished into despair their love is cold and false every grace is counterfeit Christ must needs take this very ill many of the Children of God are greatly guilty in this thing I would press this consideration upon those who do too too much indulge themselves in these despondencies still multiplying objections against themselves and meditating evasions how to put off Christ and the promises how to distinguish themselves out of the favour of God I know there is a great deal of pity and commiseration due to such but when other meanes will not prevail they must not take it ill if we endeavour to fright them out of their fears and doubts telling them plainly what an offence what an affront it is to Christ to have all his kindnesses overlook'd and slighted as nothing worth by a froward habitual querulous scrupulosity which is jealous of every thing but it self 6. When the Devil is urging thee to conclude thy weak hope to be down-right Despair instead of disputing with the Devil about the truth of any grace labour through the help of the Spirit to act it in that degree which thou hast attained then if it be as a
grain of mustard-seed it will remove mountains 't is not imaginable what great things a little grace will do when stirr'd up and acted the strength of God is in it out of the mouths of babes and sucklings he ordains strength Psal 8.12 The smallest degree of true grace is able to secure it self against the gates of hell at least so far as to prevent a total overthrow Nay let me say further though with submission I am perswaded that never any child of God fell before a temptation under the actual exercise of that measure of grace be it more or less that God hath given him to withstand it I do not Arminianize upon facienti quod in se est c. I speak not of the power of nature but true grace acted to the highest degree of attainment 't is that which does great things and hath the blessing he that is faithful in a little shall be ruler over much but if the good man slumber and sleep no wonder if the enemy break in upon him when we are putting forth our selves to the utmost in any conflicts with Satan God with the temptation will find out a way of escape that we may be able to bear it 1 Cor. 10.13 in that very hour it shall be given Mark 13.11 Mat. 10.19 when we seem to be surpriz'd and over-matched by a temptation God will come in with more strength and out of weakness we shall become strong Heb. 11.34 thus little David overcomes great Goliah with a sling and a stone the Devil himself flyes from the Children of God when they resist him in the strength of that grace they have to him that hath shall be given the weak shall be as David and David as God vel as the Angel of God Many times weak Christians don't put forth that strength which they have would they but lift up the hands that hang down and the feeble knees Heb. 12.12 their spirits would return and their courage would increase and something might be done but alas they give way to their fears and despairing thoughts lye flat upon the ground and give up all for lost they don't attend to the actings of their hope whilest it goes by another name all is despair as good never a whit as never the better 't is to no purpose for them to do any thing they are past recovery undone for ever O my brethren don't give the Devil such an advantage against you but set your selves to act that grace you have be it never so little look among the ashes blow up the least sparks you see you don't know how soon it may break out into a flame and remember this that repeated acts of weak grace are equivalent to strong grace both as to thy success and God's acceptation who requires no more of thee than what is proportionable to that which he hath given to thee 7. Consider that all graces are joyn'd with their contraries in this state of imperfection here below no faith but is unequally yoked with some unbelief no hope without some despair and desponding that which is perfect is not yet come and that which is imperfect is not yet done away we are flesh as well as spirit and they two are contraries As there is some kind of hope in presumption so there may be some kind of despair in hope no degree of true Christian hope is consistent with the damning sin of final despair but some degrees of despondency and that which thou callest despair and which in a degree is so may be consistent with saving hope and so it holds true in all other graces from that mixture of corruption wherein the weakness of every grace doth lye yet grace is grace still hath all its essential parts and deserves not that nick-name which thou puttest upon it all dimness is not stark blindness every cloud doth not make mid-night what must you have all or none 't is indeed a sign of sincerity to covet all grace and as true a sign of humility and submission to the will of God thankfully to accept of a little owning those first fruits of the Spirit which in due time will be seconded with an after increase to thy plenary content and satisfaction our heavenly Father waters every plant of his own planting that it may bring forth more fruit therefore do not call every weak act of Hope despair do not call every fit of despair final despair what if the Sun be set must it never rise more if thou art cast down art thou utterly forsaken if mercy is at present gone out of thy sight must it be clean gone for ever these are but the breakings out of those peccant humours that will be predominant sometimes in the best of men By what hath been said we may answer those Objections which the Devil makes against our hope from the weakness of it I have but one thing more to add by way of direction to weak Believers who are never in more danger of being drawn into despair than when they are musing upon their sins examining and judging themselves by the Law charging themselves home with all that guilt that lyes upon them in order to their further humiliation in the sight of God then does the Devil many times strike in and suggest such frightful considerations to them that make them start back further than God would have them Therefore I shall now shew how we should prepare our selves for how we should order and manage our selves under a deep and serious consideration of our sins and unworthyness which we are called to and it is requisite the swelling temper of our proud hearts requiring it sometimes to set our selves apart for this work Zach. 12.12 The Direction is this Take down along with thee into the Valley of conviction contrition and self-abhorrency so much of a sense of Gods love and free grace in Christ as may keep thee from being overwhelm'd and from sinking into despair before you set out be sure you have some hold at least of the hemm of the garment of Christs righteousness you know not what foul weather what storms and tempests what thunder and lightning you may meet with before you return carry your cordial along with you though you never smell to it or tast it but in a fainting fit my meaning is you should take at least some general view of mercy before you take a strict particular view of sin usually they are the deepest and truest humiliations that are occasion'd by some previous sense of Gods love to us Ezek. 16.61 63. A man that is to go down into a deep pit he does not throw himself head-long into it or leap down at all adventures but fastens a rope at top upon a cross beam or some sure place and so lets himself down by degrees So let thy self down into the consideration of thy sin hanging upon Christ and when thou art gone so low that thou canst endure no longer but art ready to be overcome
with the horror and darkness of thy miserable estate dwell not too long at the gates of hell lest the devil pull thee in but wind thy self up again by renewed acts of faith and fly for refuge unto the hope that is set before thee Heb. 6.18 And all the way thou goest admire the infinite grace and love of God to thee in delivering thee from so great a death My brethren there 's no entring into the maze and labyrinth of sin without this clew in your hands Solitary considerations of sin if we dwell too long upon them will work too violently therefore we should make frequent transitions from sin to free grace from the Law to the Gospel from our miserable and wretched selves to our merciful and mighty Redeemer But you 'l say how can this be to pass from one contrary passion to another who can make such transitions The Schools tell us it must be per magnum conatum by some great endeavour that is a strain beyond ordinary and such endeavours we must put forth counting it as much our duty to rejoyce in mercy as to mourn for sin and we cannot do both at once though there be a connexion of divine Graces as well as moral vertues yet this implies rather a successive continuation than any simultaneousness at least as to the intense actings of different graces 't is true where there is one grace there is every grace that is in semine in the seed or root of it and it may be also as to some weaker latent actual influences yet those particular graces which upon different distinct considerations do work contrary passions in us they cannot be both intensely acted at the same time sed per vices intervalla there is a time to mourn and a time to rejoyce a time to fear and a time to hope particular graces do take their turns in the soul and act sutably unto the present occasion 2. Direction against despair for unbelievers convinced of sin but unacquainted with Christ and free Grace The distraction fear and amazement of spirit that seizes upon such is unexpressible till God break in upon them and begin with them speaking peace to them man can do little yet means must be used I shall name a few things 1. Look upon this conviction of sin thou lyest under rather as a mercy than a judgement as a token for good in as much as God hath given thee timely notice of thy danger and fair warning to flee from the wrath to come 2. Look upon thy self now in a far greater capacity for grace and pardon than ever heretofore 3. Set thy self with all seriousness to study the doctrine of free grace in Christ never more need than now meditate much upon the great goodness of God and his excellent loving kindness Psal 31.19 Psal 36.6 Intense thoughts of sin and slight perfunctory thoughts of mercy drive us to despair 4. Be perswaded to come to Christ under all thy fears Hast thou been as a Dove of the valley mourning on the mountains for thy iniquity Ezek. 7.16 come down from those mountains those solitary places and go weeping to the Lord Jer. 50.4 Bemoan thy self at the feet of Christ he will hear thee Jer. 31.18 19. tell God all thou hast to say of thy miserable condition complaining to thy self and to men signifies little it heightens thy fear but God sympathizes with thee Jer. 31.20 put thy self into his hands he will lead thee ver 9. refreshing will come from the presence of the Lord Acts 3.19 there will be a lifting up Job 22.29 what ever the issue be thou canst be no worse than thou art in thy own judgement to sin is mors animae but to despair is descendere in infernum sin is death and despair is hell cry out of the belly of that hell to Christ and see if he do not bring thee forth But alas those who are under a spirit of bondage and fear have a thousand objections against this I have been pressing them to I shall go over some of these and answer them as I go they come to Christ they 'l tell us They cannot come Tell the Lord then thou art willing to come but canst not be perswaded to come as thou canst canst thou not go into thy chamber into thy closet and shut thy door and throw thy self down in the dust before the Lord this is coming and this thou canst do I am sure do it then and call upon the name of the Lord. But Object 2 I cannot pray Answ It may be not now at this time but how canst thou tell what thou maist do at such a time when in obedience to an Ordinance of God thou hast put thy self into a praying posture in that very hour it may be given and hath been I am perswaded to thousands of God's children he will prepare thy heart Psal 10.17 if thou canst not utter thy mind as thou wouldest pray as thou canst and if thou hast nothing to say if no one savoury expression drops from thee it may be it is because the inward sense thou hast of sin is too big for utterance it may be so sometimes and 't is best when it is so and then out of the abundance of thy heart weep and mourn out thy inward meaning Lacrymae pondera vocis hahent groan and sigh and look wishfully towards heaven and believe that God sees thee when thou hast no sight of him this is prayer But Object 3 I have lived hitherto as without God in the world neglecting prayer altogether I am a mere stranger unto Christ and will he hear such a one as I who come upon this pinch just when necessity drives me certainly no he will tell me to my face as well he may he knows me not and bid me go to those empty creatures I formerly trusted in Answ Don't you take upon you to personate Christ in his dealings with sinners his thoughts are not as your thoughts what if you would do thus and thus if you were in Christs stead does it therefore follow that he must do so too O no as the heavens are higher than the earth so are his thoughts above thy thoughts Isa 55.8 9. do you think and say what you will Christ will act like himself and do that for thee that never entred into thy heart to conceive of his wayes are unsearchable and past our finding out his love passeth knowledge thou dost not know thou canst not tell before-hand what infinite rich grace is able to do for thee O come then and make a tryal and know for thy further encouragement that poor humble sinners are alwayes welcome to Christ but never more welcome than at their first coming Luke 15.22 c. There are two jubilees kept in heaven one at the conversion of a sinner here on earth Luke 15.7 the other at his glorification in heaven Jude 24. Christ does then present us to glory with exceeding joy how glad is Christ
the fruit of it which was great joy v. 3. And then 6. here is their perseverance and how that is effected they were kept by the power of God to Salvation v. 5. No doubt but holiness is loseable the Angels lost theirs and we lost ours and the Saints at this day would quickly lose theirs totally and finally if they were left to a stock of grace received to trade for another world to grace received there must be grace supplyed the grounds of perseverance are without us viz. the promise of the Father the purchase and intercession of the Lord Jesus the power and supply of the blessed Spirit a Doctrine full of comfort but for certain as full of grace and humility too indeed if the comfort were not sanctifying it were not found So that here we may see the Doctrine of the glorious Trinity and every person in his work according to the most wise and divine Oeconomy and propriety in working towards fallen men quite dead in sin and dead in law and that irrecoverably as to themselves or any created power in heaven on their behalf here is I say the Father electing to life and glory here is Jesus Christ dying and rising here is the blessed Spirit sanctifying here the three Graces Faith Hope and Love inseparably accompanyed with obedience cherished with joy and comforts and crowned with perseverance by the power of God all arising from the Soveraignty of God's will and his rich abundant mercy to the praise of the riches of his glorious grace that they that glory should glory in the Lord. Pelagius was the first that set up nature for which the Church of God abhorred him saith Austin and the Fathers call it virus illud Pelagianum the most learned Vsher called it detestandam illam haeresin that pestered the Church of Christ olim bodie saith that holy man in his Hist Pel. But to proceed these strangers notwithstanding their holiness were undeâ— manifold temptations v. 6 7. persecutions in a tumultuary way were raised against them by the unbelieving Jews who were egged thereto by the Priests Priests who did stir up the people against them there was no Imperial Edict at this time against the Christians Nero was the first he was dedicator damnationis nostrae I need not quote Tertullian every Lad of the upper form may know this out of Suetonius and Tacitus God kept the Gospel in the first publishing of it free from any disturbance by the civil powers about 34 years that Claudius banished John into Patmos and that then he had the revelation is a mere figment of the learned Grotius and his Annotations built upon it have neither sap nor sense Under these persecutions their Faith did not only continue but shine and their love was evident and their comforts were so far from abating that they did rejoyce with joy unspeakable and glorious But you will say what is this to the question I answer here are two directions how a Christian may get that Faith whereby he may live comfortably as well as die safely 1. Be clothed with humility 1 Pet. 5.5 ascribe all thy gifts and graces thy profiting under afflictions ordinances thy peace and comfort wholly to the grace of God by Jesus Christ through the Spirit of holiness If there be any way in the world to get special Faith and to live comfortably it is this to live humbly the evangelically humble soul is the serene chearful soul heart-pride doth not only deprive believers of comfort but brings vexations disappointments and disgusts which are a torment to pride where ever it is 't is a sin that is very incident very pleasing to us very displeasing to God and very disquieting 't is an easie thing to preach and hear and discourse humility but believe it it is not so easie to live it a man's soul is never so fit to receive the shines of Gods love as when he is nothing in himself be sure to crush the sprawlings and motions of this cursed pride see God in all bless him for all see the Lord Jesus the purchaser of all and the blessed Spirit the Sanctifier of all study this well and live that Text in Rom. 11. last God is Principium efficiens finis of him through him and for him are all things give him the glory reduce this to practice this is every day practicable and were it practised would make every day comfortable envyings and provokings arise from vain-glory Gal. 5. last Inde nata sunt schismata quippe Hierome cum dicunt homines nos justificamus impius nos sanctificamus immundos we would be some-bodies away with these thoughts let God have the glory and thou wilt have the comfort in this way God will give Faith special and that is the Faith that brings comfort 2. The way to comfort is to do as these believers in my Text did they did choose rather to forego their earthly comforts than their consciences made choice of affliction rather than iniquity esteemed the reproaches of Christ rather than their safety prisons are not so terrible as they are imagined the best men have rejoyced in the honour of suffering they suffered joyfully the spoiling of their goods all patience and long-suffering with joyfulness Col. 1.11 Scripture-History primitive and modern abound with instances of all Sexes Ages Conditions in this particular The noble Galeacius had that joy in Christ at Geneva beyond all the Marquisates in Italy or the whole world In suffering comes assurance and that is comfort You will say we are not called to suffering and I say the God of peace give us truth and peace always but then if you would live comfortably live in religious honesty chuse poverty before knavery an honest meanness before secretly sinning gains Conscience is the best friend next to Jesus Christ Our rejoycing is this not that we are Preachers so was Demas nor an Apostle so was Judas but the testimony of our conscience that not in fleshly wisdom but in godly sincerity through the grace of God we have had our conversation in the world 2 Cor. 1.12 Light i. e. comfort is sown for the righteous and joyful gladness for the upright Psal 97.11 Now I come to my Text. The words contain the essence of Christianity or godliness The constituent parts of it are Faith and Love the necessary consequences are obedience evangelical and joy unspeakable Faith in Jesus is the great command of the Gospel Joh. 1.5 last 'T is the work of God Joh. 6.29 this is that work Love is the great command of the Law Matth. 22.36 Thou shall love the Lord thy God with all thy soul Faith acts upon Jesus and sets Love on work Love desires after him and delights in him and sets obedience on work divine comfort flows in proportionably In this is the formal nature of Christianity and what ever is not this in truth is but nature The revelation left in nature tells us that there is a God that he is
heart Psal 4.5 Out of these premisses we conclude that Christianity is a glorious thing which is the second particular 2. Particular or vindication which I call a Vindication of the Truth Religion is not a little formality in duties joyned with some morality in life but it consists in the new creature or Faith working by love Gal. 5.6 6.16 It consists in the exercise of Repentance self-loathing hatred of Sin as such for these are necessarily implied Faith actual in Jesus love to him obedience before him communion with God by him peace and comfort from him and well grounded hope of eternal life through him the smell of his garments Psal 45.8 the savour of his oyntment Cant. 1.3 the taste of his preciousness makes a Believer think he can never do enough for Jesus If his Holiness were as an Angel and his days as the days of Heaven yet all were too short too little for such a Saviour the love of Christ constrains him He is a debtor to the Spirit to live after the Spirit and what ever is not this in truth there is a difference in degrees is as you heard before but nature raised and varnished and modified with distinctions still it is but nature Wash and dress a Swine as you please 't is a Swine still The Fathers when the breaking out of Pelagianism made them more studious in the point of grace and more wary in their expressions have left us their judgment in this case you bring in a kind of doctrine saith Austin to the Pelagians that men do righteousness and please God without Faith in Christ by the Law of nature this is that for which the Church doth most of all detest you Hoc est undè vos maximè Christiana detestatur Ecclesia Lib. 4. Cap. 3. contr Again saith he far be it from us to think that true vertue should be in any man unless he were righteous and far be it from us to think that any man should be truly righteous unless he did live by Faith for the just shall live by Faith absit autem sit justus vere nisi vivat ex fide and again who would say that a man Diabolo mancipatus a slave to the Devil were a righteous man though he were Fabricius or Scipio To cloath the naked saith he is not sin as the fact is considered in it self but of such a work to glory and not in the Lord none but a wicked man but will grant this to be sin thus far Austin with more to the same purpose in the same place and upon this account he did correct some expressions Lib. 1. Cap. 3. Retract The whole Chapter is seasonable the sum this Austin had called the Muses Goddesses had highly advanced the liberal sciences now corrects it upon this reason viz. that many Godly men knew them not and many that did know them were ungodly the same he doth about Pythagoras his books in which saith he are Plures many errors iidemque capitales Especially this he recants that he formerly said the Philosophers who were not pious were yet shining in vertue no Faith in Christ no vertue 't is spectrum 't is but simulacrum but imago virtutis it is not vertue painted fire is not fire Hierom to the same purpose in Cap. 3. Galat. Paul saith he blameless did not live he was dead while blameless Paul the Christian was indeed alive Men speak of temperance and justice without Faith that cannot be none live without Christ sine quo omnis virtus est in vitio without Christ all vertue is accounted vice thus he 'T is most evident there dwelleth no vertue in the minds of ungodly men their wisdom is not heavenly but earthly not from the Father of lights but from the prince of darkness ac sic vitium quod putatur virtus and so that is a vice which is accounted vertue Non Deo serviunt sed diabolo they serve the devil not God Prosp Con. Coll. Cap. 28. tota vita infidelium est peccatum the whole life of unbelievers is sin idem sent 106. to the same purpose saith Fulgentius with others The Scripture is full and clear an evil tree cannot bring forth good fruit The carnal mind cannot please God Rom. 8.7 1 Cor. 1.2.3 the Apostle doth raise his discourse to the highest strain Though I speak with the tongue of Angels which no man doth if I had all knowledge which no man hath if I could move mountains which no man can if I give all my goods to feed the poor the highest beneficence and my body to be burnt the greatest suffering yet if I have not love I am nothing he doth not say these things are nothing he doth not say knowledge is nothing or giving to the poor is nothing but I am nothing I have no profit I am a hollow tub an empty vessel I make a noise amongst men while I live and go to hell when I die And according to Scripture and Fathers the doctrine of our Church hath determinated in her thirteenth Article thus Works done before the grace of Christ and the Inspiration of his Spirit are not pleasing to God forasmuch as they spring not from Faith in Jesus Christ yea rather for that they are not done as God hath commanded them to be done we doubt not but they have the nature of sin and this is the judgment of the reformed Churches also Sirs be sure you get and exercise this Faith unfeigned in Jesus Christ and love sincere to him A fair deportment with great gifts and splendid performances without Christ is but a more gentile way to perdition everlasting 3. Resolution of the case I come now to the resolution of the practical case How a Christian may get that Faith by which he may live comfortably as well as die safely Where this I think fit to premise first he must not only get such a Faith but he must keep it in exercise for without this there is no living comfortably then this also I premise that to get and keep comfort or that a Christian may have comfort two things are necessary viz. proportion and propriety ex parte objecti it must be a good proportionable and then ex parte subjecti it must be mine it must be commensurate and adaequate to the soul and it must be the souls own tolle meum and tolle gaudium The comfort and sweetness of the Gospel lyes in pronouns as the common saying is as for instance suppose the conquests of Alexander and triumphs of Pompey nay all the world were thine there is propriety 't is thine but herein would be no comfort at all to thee because here is no proportion no sutableness to an immaterial vast and immortal soul on the other side Christ is proposed to thee and in him there is proportion for in him dwelleth all fulness he is an infinite spiritual and eternal good but what comfort is this without propriety unless he be thine
my spirit rejoyceth in God my Saviour Luke 2. I will rejoyce in the God of my salvation Hab. 3. your Father Abraham saw my day and did rejoyce to see it the plain English is this Abraham saw Jesus Christ in the promises sc his obedience and sufferings and the glory that came by Christ's righteousness and did apply it to himself by Faith and was assured of his interest in it which made him to rejoyce in that sight Though a Prince may have a legal right to a treasure hid in the field yet till it be discovered to him there is no joy the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost and so we rejoyce in the hope of the glory of God Rom. 5.2 5. I will not dispute whether assurance be of the nature of Faith our Reformers were of renown and other learned men since at home and abroad that are for assurance do not at any hand exclude adherence some think that Faith is a mixed habit adherence and assurance are two acts of the same Faith two flowers from the same root 'T is true there may be adherence without assurance but it is as true that there cannot be assurance without adherence If I know and believe that Christ died for me I should stick to it in negotio justificationis without taking notice of any inherent holiness either in men or Angels how do the stars disappear at the rising brightness of the Sun yet no disparagement to the stars at all But I say I will not dispute and if I could it were both unseasonable and needless for whether assurance be of the nature of Faith or whether it be an effect of Faith is all one in this case before us for there must be something of assurance that must bring in joy and comfort The believers here in my Text they loved Christ and in whom after they believed they did rejoyce with joy unspeakable their first acts of Faith might be recumbency afterwards evidence then joy so the Ephesians after they believed in Christ they were sealed with the holy Spirit of promise as an earnest Ephes 1.13 14 15. The note of the old learned and pious Piscator is unusquisque fidelis verus est not esse potest or esse debet but est certus suae salutis I will name but one Scripture more 't is Cant. 2.6 my beloved is mine and I am his he feeds among the lillies my beloved is mine there is the Gospel with its marrow in the heart of a believer there is assurance and I am his there is the law in the same heart there is obedience he feedeth among the lillies there is joy and comfort he died for me and I am his soul and body for his service Hence comes joy and sometimes such that even overwhelms This for the entrance now to the directions First If you would get Faith comforting in life as well as saving at death you must not sit down satisfied with a bare recumbence on Jesus Christ Mistake me not I do not discourage and I dare not disparage it If it be right as I take that for granted it is a grace more precious incomparably than all treasures and happy is the bosom that wears so inestimable a Jewel But when Christians sensible of their sin and hell do attain to this they rest satisfied here They are told and that is truth that their state is safe there they acquiesce set up their staff behind the door and go no further they do not press on for assurance they will rather argue against it thus Object That assurance is not so necessary Answ So necessary what do you mean is it not commanded is it not promised is it not purchased is it not attained by the people of God sure it is necessary to the vigor of grace and to the being of joy and comfort be of good comfort thy sins are pardoned Object 2. Yea but many do live and die and do well without it Answ Who told you so the Scripture saith the Spirit himself doth bear witness with our spirits that we are the children of God Rom. 8.16 and we know and believe the love that God hath given us 1 John 4.16 with many very many more Texts to that purpose A tempted believer may bear false witness against himself sure such a position as this with mercy upon uncertainties is not the way to comfort him the sure way were to advise him to see his sins more and humble his soul more for them and to study Jesus Christ and to come to him more with the like and God will return and speak peace they that sow in tears shall reap in joy Object 3. But this joy is not so necessary Resp What do you mean again so necessary why 1. It is frequently commanded take one Text Phil. 4.4 Rejoyce in the Lord i. e. Christ always and again I say rejoyce 2. It is frequently promised I will make them joyful in my house of prayer Isa 56.7 I will see you again and your heart shall rejoyce and your joy no man taketh from you 3. It is practised frequently we rejoyce in Christ Jesus Phil. 3.3 4. It is often prayed for the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing Rom. 15.13 5. It is Christ's office to give the oyl of gladness for the spirit of heaviness Isa 61.3 6. It is the special work of the blessed Spirit who is therefore the Comforter Take the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in what notion you will his work is either comforting or tending to comfort Lastly It is the priviledge of the Gospel-Ordinances to feast the soul with marrow and fatness and with wine well refined i. e. God hath not given us the spirit of bondage to fear again as formerly but the Spirit of adoption whereby or rather by whom i. e. cujus ope we cry abba Father Surely joy and comfort is necessary for the measures of grace If you had a child infirm sickly hard-favoured and a friend should say this strength quickness and comeliness is not so necessary your child is alive is it not you would think this were hardly sutable much less comfortable Object 4. A Christian that doth come to and rely on Christ for righteousness may have comfort Answ yes but then it must be by the way of a practical syllogism He that cometh to Christ shall never perish Joh. 6. but I do so therefore Here his coming together with repentance and obedience which are concomitants beget evidence and from thence comfort Object 5. but many good people want this joy and comfort Answ confessed but then it is our own fault did we use the means especially secret duties meditation prayer which we neglect it would be otherwise Object Last But those that do these yet are in great darkness Answ Yea for sometime The holy spirit teacheth many lessons excellent ones in this School chiefly these three 1. They learn what dismal creatures
not ingenit or connate with me I had it not from nature or natural light No it was purely adventitious being in part infused by God and in part acquired by my self I was not made with it but I was taught it Where and how did he learn it not at the feet of Gamaliel not in the Schools of the great Philosophers but in the school of Christ and by the teachings of the Spirit He might say of this what he saith of his Office Gal. 1.1 it was not of man nor by man but of God 1. He attained unto it not by the teachings of man's wisdom but by the teachings of the holy Ghost to allude to that 1 Cor. 2.13 This blessed Spirit set up a supernatural light in him wrought a supernatural work in him gave in divine and supernatural discoveries to him and so he arrived at his Contentment And further he learnt it in a subordinate sense by his own prudent observation Christian experience dayly and constant †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost Homil. 15. in C. 4. ad Philip. 41. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Oecum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Phot. Dicens didici significat hanc rem esse disciplinae exercitationis atque hujus rei habitum longo usu se assecutum Estius exercise all of which when Sanctified and blessed by God do contribute much to the making of the heart quiet in every condition The word notes also the mysteriousness of heavenly Contentation I have learnt it saith the Apostle as a great Secret as a thing that lies out of the Common road and is not so easie to be understood This notion is not so fully reached by the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here used as it is by another word used in the next verse Every where and in all things I am instructed c. 'T is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we render by instructed others by initiated It implies * Initiatus sum Beza Utitur verbo quod rebus Sacris convenit ut significet pio esse ad haec omnia à spiritu sancto sanctificatos consecratos 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 enim est sacris initiari Est igitur Sacra institutio Zanch. I am consecrated to this knowledg of Contentment in all estates Dr. Sibbs Saints-Cordial p. 4. Est propriè initiari mysteriis Erosm Dicit institutus sum ut in sinuet hanc ratio nem vitae velut sacrum mysterium se divinitus edoctum esse Est enim in Graeco verbum à quo mysteria dicuntur Estius Initiatus sum i. e. institutus Non formidavit Apostolus vocem Graecae superstionis ad meliores usus transferre Nam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vox hinc venit In Glossario 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 initio imbuo Diod. Siculus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Grot. Usurpavit hoc verbum omnium pertinentissimé Nam omnino sacra est haec disciplinae Christianae Scientia c. Et institutio illius non est simpliciter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sed sacra 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Muscul Innuens Apostolus hanc vitae rationem velut grande sacrumque mysterium à Deo divinitus accepisse Velasquez both initiation and also instruction in things sacred and mysterious as is commonly observed Now saith Paul I am instructed both to be full and to suffer hunger as if he had said This indeed is a very mysterious thing yet God hath brought me to the knowledg and practice of it So that Contentment is not a facile or common matter such as is open and obvious to every person but 't is an abstruse hidden secret thing there are mysteries in it which only some few do discern it carries an holy art and skill in it which he that hath learned is one of the greatest Artists in the world Paul had arrived at this Art for he had learned in every c. The observations from the words are four Observations raised Obs 1. Such who are true Disciples of Christ partakers of the true spirit of Christianity they have learned to be Content Obs 2. True Contentment is a divine and supernatural thing 'T is a flower which doth not grow in nature's garden but God plants it in the Soul He only knows and lives it who is taught of God and who learns it by the teaching of the Spirit Some of the †Plutarch 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Seneca de tranquil animi As Austin speake of Seneca upon another account Libertas quae Scribenti affuir viventi defuit See this opened in M. Burroughs of Contentment P. 17. c. Heathen Moralists have spoke much and wrote very well of it but yet they 't is to be feared were great strangers to the practice of it 'T is the sincere Christian only who doth indeed live it There must be a Divine light beamed into the Soul the communication of special grace from Christ the supernatural workings of God's Spirit in the heart or else there can be no true Contentment Obs 3. Christian Contentment hath great mysteries wrapped up in it A contented life is a mysterious life The Apostle speaking of the Doctrine of Godliness saith 't is a great mystery 1 Tim. 3.16 Wee may say the same of the practical part of godliness as it lies in Contentment 't is a great mystery Here is a man that hath very much and yet he is not contented here is another that hath little or nothing and yet he is contented surely there is a mystery in the case Obs 4. Then a man doth truly know and live Contentment when he hath learned in every state and condition therewith to be content Paul's contentment was universal extending to all occurrences of Providence I have learned in every state c. every where and in all things I am instructed c. 'T is not enough in this or that want and cross to be contented but in every thing that befalls us we must be so and then we have indeed learnt this heavenly lesson These are the Doctrinal Truths which the Text presents us with I have named them but shall not fall upon the prosecution of all or any one of them 'T is the Duty it self which I am only to speak unto And concerning that too I am not to lanch out into the General handling of it so as to treat upon the several Heads which are proper to it which work is already done fully and profitably by many of our own Writers I am confined to one Particular about it which will be mainly directive to shew How and by what means this blessed Contentation may be attained The main Question propounded and answered A threefold notion of Contentment 'T is a very important Question which I am to answer this Morning viz. What are all Christians to do that they with Paul may learn in every state to be content For the more distinct answering of which I will consider Contentment in a threefold notion as it
and to shew how Consideration is to be managed to help on the practice of the Duty in each of them I have in vvhat hath gone before seldom made any particular mention of these Instances because I designed to speak particularly and apart to them under this Head To speak to all and that too according to the copiousness of the subject vvould be a vast work I shall only single out some few of the most usual Cases and be also but very brief upon them Heart-inquietude or Discontent doth too often arise from what is in and about the inner man and is of a spiritual nature as lowness of gifts weakness of grace the continuance and strength of sin temptations by Satan God's withdrawings want of Assurance and of the Comforts of the Spirit and the like But most commonly it ariseth from things of a worldly nature wherein the outward part is concerned for that is our tenderest part and therefore if we be troubled there we are most apt to complain such as lowness of Estate crosses in Relations bodily Infirmities badness of the Times injuries and bad usages of Men meanness of rank and Quality in the world c. These are the things which usually disturb and disquiet us But now for each of them there is that Consideration which is proper for the settling and composing of our minds I must speak only to the two first Lowness of Estate As to lowness of Estate how is the world filled with Discontent about that Poverty is an affliction which few do with patience undergo When the belly pines the backstarves 't is hard to keep the heart in a submissive frame 'T is an easie matter for them that are full to advise them that are in want to be content but if they themselves were in wants they would not find it so easie a matter to follow their own advice To live Faith and Patience under straits as to worldly things is sooner spoken of than done The several discâ—ntents of several men about worldly things But to take in more than what thâ—s Head in strictness leads me to because I would speak a little to the several discontents of men about their earthly Estates I will consider them as thus diversified Some are poor indeed having little or nothing of this world's goods some have a competency some have abundance but yet they are not satisfied and some lose what once they had Now all of these though in different circumstances are to endeavour after contentment how by Consideration How is that to be managed thus Such who are in poverty what they are to consider of in order to contentment 1. Is extreme poverty the case Consider then 1. The Lord maketh poor and he maketh rich 1 Sam. 2.7 God measures out to every person his proportion of these things He makes what Dividend and gives what Allowance he pleases to every man in the world Is this considered I wish we could see it in the calmness of their minds who are under a low estate The Father divides his estate among his children giving to every one of them his share more or less as he thinks meet and this being his act and will they all submit and acquiesce therein And shall your heavenly Father's allotting to you what he thinks meet signifie nothing to the making of you contentedly to rest in his will may not this great dispenser of Blessings do with his own what he pleaseth 2. None so poor but they have more than what they deserve Who can claim or challenge any thing at God's hands surely he that merits nothing must not murmur because he hath but little Thy apparel is very mean thy diet is very course thy habitation very uncomfortable be it so yet even in these there is mercy 't is from the wisdom of God that thou hast no better from the mercy of God that thou hast so good Mat. 20.15 3. As low as you are in these things hitherto the Lord hath provided for you and yours and assuredly you being his people walking in his fear trusting of him he will still provide You have in the promise what you want in the visible estate Discontent is in part founded in distrust take but this out of the heart and the other vanisheth Now why should God's poor I spâ—ak only of such distrust his provision what abundant assurance hath he given thereof read Psal 73.3 Psal 39.10 Psal 111.5 Mat. 6.25 ad finem cap. Rom. 8.32 Heb. 13.5 with many other Scriptures 4. A little with God's blessing will go very far and do very well Psal 132. 15. I will abundantly bless her provision I will satisfie her poor with bread Exod. 23.25 Ye shall serve the Lord your God and he shall bless thy bread and water Daniel and his companions fed upon nothing but pulse and water and yet their countenances appeared fairer and fatter in flesh than all the children which did eat the Kings meat Dan. 1.12.15 1 Kin. 17.12 The widow was reduced to a low â—bb there was left but a little oyl in the cruise and a little meal in the barrel yet these held out and the more she spent of them the more they encreased what strange things are done with small pittances where the blessing of God is 5. The Saint's Little is better than the Sinner's All. Prov. 15.16 Better is a little with the fear of the Lord than great treasure and trouble therewith Psal 37.16 A little that a righteous man hath is better than the riches of many wicked 6. No man can judge of God's love or hatred by these things for he often * Eccles 9.1 Et iratus dat propitius negat Aug. gives riches to those whom he hates and denies them to those whom he loves 'T is very usual for those who have most of his love to have least of worldly things Joseph and Mary themselves could bring but a pair of Turtle doves the poor man's offering Luke 2.24 Nay how poor was our Lord himself The foxes have holes c. Math. 8.20 2 Cor. 8.9 7. God keeps you low in earthly possessions but how is it with you in higher and better things You are poor without are you not rich †Intus dives foris Pauper Pauper in cella dives in conscientia arcam respicis auâ—o inanem conscientiam respice Deo plenam Aug. in Psal 36. In animo divitiae sunt non in patrimonio Senec. within Prov. 13.7 There is that maketh himself rich yet hath nothing there is that maketh himself poor yet hath great riches Rev. 2.9 I know thy poverty but thou art rich No riches like to Soul-riches To be rich in faith Jam. 2.5 in good works 1 Tim. 6.18 towards God Luk. 12.21 this is to be rich indeed Mountains of gold are nothing to one dram of true grace in the Soul 8. You think God is strait-handed towards you in temporal but is he not abundantly gracious in spiritual
fed with these comforts have no losses or crosses in the world we are apt to grow proud secure wanton to forget God to cast off Duty to dream of an earthly paradise to say it's good being here to neglect spiritual and divine things 't is high time therefore for God by these waies to cut us short thereby to reduce us to a little better temper of soul If the sap run out too much into the branches there 's no way to preserve the root but by the cutting off the luxuriant branches God will have a thousand Estates to be lost rather than that one soul should be lost the burning of Cities is nothing if that be necessary to the saving of souls 4. Suppose all be lost in that All we lost but little for the All of this world is but one remove from a mere Nothing Perdidit infoelix totum nil is applicable to the losses of the rich as well as of the poor Is there any thing in this but what might be expected from the nature of the thing therefore there should be no disturbance about it Who will be concern'd at the melting of snow what wise man will be moved for the breaking of a glass 'T is strange that a Jonah should be in such a pet for the withering of a gourd Prov. 27.24 Riches are not for ever and doth the Crown endure to every generation 1 Cor. 7.31 The fashion of this world passeth away All the estate here is made up of Moveables that usual distinction which is good in Law is not so in Divinity 5. Again thou sayest all is lost perdiderat omnia quae dederat Deus sed hahuit ipsem qui omnia dederat Deum August but if thou beest a child of God the best is yet secure God and Christ and Grace and Heaven are yet thine and no loss is very considerable so long as these are safe O believer in all thy losses be quiet and chearful God who is thy portion is the same for ever Job lost all he had from God but God himself he did not lose and in him he had all that he had lost Never complain till God be lost Fas tibi non est de fortunâ conqueri salvo Caesare said Seneca to Polybius Let the stars disappear if we may have the Sun who will be troubled let earthly things vanish so long as God abides 't is enough Had we the whole world to lose one God would abundantly recompense the loss of all of it Many are inward gainers by their outward losses by having the less of the Creature they have the more of God O happy exchange the worse their condition is without the better it is within in respect of grace and comfort 6. 'T is an excellent frame of spirit under losses to be patient and contented All the possessions of Job when he was in the height of them did not reflect so much glory upon him as his blessed submission when he was deprived of them then God blessed him now in another sense he blessed God All are convinced they should do this when God gives but 't is very rare for any to do it when God takes away Micah's mother had some shekels of silver taken from her and she falls a cursing Judg. 17.2 this precious Saint had all taken from him yet no cursing as Satan had belied him no nothing but blessing God 'T is an excellent temper comfortably to enjoy outward blessings whilst God shall continue them contentedly to part with them when God shall remove them Suave est si quid dás parvus dolor hoc ubi tollis When I see any carrying it thus I conclude that earthly things are not too fast rivetted in their hearts as 't is a sign the tooth is loose which is drawn out without much pain and that they are duly affected towards God heaven and heavenly things These are some of the things the due consideration whereof would much help on Contentment under Losses And so much for the using of this Means towards the furtherance of tranquillity of mind with respect to what may disturb it in and about the Estate How Consideration ought to be acted in order to Contentment under cr ssâ—s in Relations 2. Secondly I 'le instance in Relations In and about whom there is as much of mercy or affliction of comfort or discomfort and consequently of content or discontent as in any one thing whatsoever The Discontent usually is occasioned and vented in these three Cases The want of Relations much desired The death of Relations much beloved The uncomfortableness of Relations who are spared Now Consideration wisely and faithfully managed would be of great use to allay all storms and to keep the heart even and calm in all these Cases and therefore my next work is to shew what we are under each of them to consider in order to the promoting of this frame But I must of necessity be briefer under this Head than I was under the former that I may not draw out this Discourse to too great a length Wherefore I will but shortly set the Particulars before you that you are to consider of and leave the enlargement of them to your selves in your consideration 1. When Relations are much desired but denied and withheld there is too often discontent How as to the want of Relations desired As to instance only in Children what daily inquietudes of spirit are there in some because of the want of these they have many other Comforts but the not having of this imbitters all Abraham himself was much troubled about it Gen. 15.2 3. Lord God what wilt thou give me seeing I go childless Behold to me thou hast given no seed and lo one born in my house is mine heir But Rachel's passion rose very high Give me Children saith she to her husband or else I die Gen. 30.2 Children are very great blessings they are promised as such Psal 128.3 4. and in other places and indeed they are one of the sweetest flowers that grow in the garden of earthly comforts hence 't is hard for persons contentedly to bear the want of them But whoever you are upon whom this affliction lies pray labour after a contented mind under it and in order thereunto Consider 1. It is the Lord who withholds this mercy for he gives it or withholds it as seems good to him Providence is not more seen in any of the affairs and Concerns of men than in this of Children that there shall be many or few some or none Gen. 32. all falls under the good pleasure and dispose of God When Rachel was so passionate under the want of these Jacob rebuked her sharply am I in God's stead who hath withheld from thee the fruit of thy womb Psal 127.9 Lo children are an inheritage of the Lord and the fruit of the womb is his reward Psal 113.9 He maketh the barren woman to keep house and to be a joyful Mother of
because they being conjoyned do make the Christian Compleat in Godliness he submitting to the Praeceptive in Contentment to the Providential will of God or because Godliness gives the highest motives to contentment and that again reflects a great beauty and lustre upon Godliness but chiefly because Godliness issues out in contentment and causes that blessed frame of heart and because without Godliness there can be no Contentment He that is not a Godly man i. e. a sanctified and gracious man for I shall consider Godliness principally in its habitual notion cannot be a contented man in that sense wherein the Apostle speaks of it in the Text. Many of the old Heathens seemed to go very far in contentment to have a great mastery over passion in all occurrences to be very sedate and calm They notably improved their Reason and consideration if not wholly to suppress Discontent yet however to keep it in so as that Others should not perceive it and many of them through the firmness and greatness of their spirits could and did bear much with great tranquillity of mind for the spirit of a man may bear his infirmity Prov. 18.14 But yet as to true Evangelical Contentment they knew nothing of it for that necessarily requires a divine principle within and a divine and special assistance from above to both of which they were altogether strangers And so it is still with all mere Moral men such as are destitute of Grace and of the Spirit So that as ever you desire to learn in every state to be content you must look to this that ye be renewed and sanctified All motives without let them be never so high all consideration within let it be never so serious will not prevail to the keeping of the heart quiet under crosses unless there be a work of saving grace there The true and only way to be content is to be godly for indeed Contentment is the daughter of Godliness For the better opening of this Direction How Godâ—iness doth further Contentment it will be requisite that we enquire How Godliness or Grace doth produce this effect of Contentation Ans It doth it by these wayes or methods 1. As it rectifies and works in and upon the several Faculties of the Soul For this is necessary to be done in order to Contentment and it being done Contentment cannot but follow upon it Let me make this out particularly 1. Grace rectifies the Vnderstanding which it doth by dispelling its natural darkness and setting up a clear and saving light in it Now this light hath a great influence upon Contentment for the Vnderstanding being thus enlightned Fancy and Imagination do not carry it in the soul as before they did and hereupon the heart is brought to a more quiet temper Our inquietudes of mind are founded in the power and prevalency of Fancy We fancy such and such things to be evill when in truth they are not so at leastwise as God sanctifies them or to be more evil then in truth they are and upon this when those things are laid upon us we fret and vex whereas do but take away this vanity and mistake of fancy Nihil est miserum nisi cum putes Boeth de Consol l. 3. Phil. 3.8 there would be no such great evil in what we suffer Nihil admodum atrox passus es nisi id tu tibi fingis as he of old truly said And again we fancy such and such things to be good yea good in a very high degree and then upon the want of them we are disturbed Whereas if Fancy did not delude us they have but very little good in themselves and as to us in our special circumstances may be none at all and therefore why should we be troubled about them The winds then arising from this point Grace lays them by freeing the person from the power of fond imagination and instead thereof by setting up solid judgment in him so that he shall be able to judge aright of things and not to perplex himself one way or another further than the nature of the thing before him will bear Men generally are unquiet because they are injudicious if sanctifying grace therefore by that heavenly light which it brings into the Understanding shall make them more judicious by doing of this it must also make them more quiet An enlightned head promotes a submissive heart when 't is right counting about worldly things then 't is contentedness No wonder that Paul had learned in every estate to be content he having before learned to count all things but loss for Christ 2. Grace rectifies the Will thus in causing it to comply with and yield unto the Will of God Whenever this supernatural habit is infused into a man there is a melting of his will into God's Will so that there is but one and the same will between them Now by this means it doth the work which I am speaking of for when 't is thus certainly there can be nothing but Contentment What can put the spirit into disorder when 't is come to to this Not as I will but as thou wilt When wind and tide go contrary wayes then the waters are rough and boisterous but when they both go the same way then all is calm and smooth So here when God's will and Ours differ then storms of passion rise but when they agree there 's nothing then but evenness and stilness in the spirit Oh! we are never discontented but 't is from the jarring and clashing of our wills with God's Quod siâ— esse velis nihilque malis As he said Cesset voluntas propria non erit infernum so say I Let but Christians lay aside their own will and rest in the will of God and assuredly there will be no perturbation of mind in them Indeed the duty of universal contentment is unpracticable till it come to this and grace bringing the Creature to it so it works Contentment 3. Grace rectifies the Affections in taking away their inordinacy towards earthly things in keeping of them within their due bounds and limits and so it works Contentment What is it that causes unquietness in us for the most part we may resolve it into the unmortifiedness of some affection or other Lust is the fuel that kindles and feeds this fire that makes us to quarrel and fall out with God because our conditions are so and so Great Vessels must have much water or else they split themselves Where the love is too great to earthly things if much of them be not possest there 's great danger of discontent but where 't is duly bounded a little of these things sufficeth as smaller vessels sail well enough even in shallow waters The pain in the head proceeds from the foulness of the stomach Purge but that and the head hath ease Purge but the heart from its unholy affections and a man hath ease and comfort in every condition That which indangers impatience is the greatness
of the Affliction but what puts a greatness into the affliction why the greatness of the Affection If the Relation was not overloved the loss of him would not amount to such an affliction as 't is usually made he that over-loves will over-grieve Qui nimis amat nimis dolet and he that overgrieves will be apt to murmur Grace then confining the Affections to these sublunary things so it furthers Contentment 4. It makes the Conscience good And a good conscience is that Ark into which God uses to put the manna of concentment It carries joy in it 't is a continual feast Prov. 15.15 now he that hath this joy within is not easily or much moved at any trouble without let the weather be what it will there is nothing but serenity in his soul If the part be sore you cannot touch it but 't is in pain let it be but firm and sound and it can bear a smart blow without complaining when Conscience is sound and good a man can bear any thing but when 't is not so he can bear nothing without being under great anguish of mind 2. Secondly Godliness works Contentment by making a person to have a powerful sense of God's Glory so as alwayes to rest in that as his ultimate end and most desirable good this is that glorious effect which Grace produceth in the heart And thereby it doth effectually further quietness of spirit in every condition Pray observe it Selfishness and lowness of mens ends is at the bottom of all their discontent they look no higher than their sensual ease delight and satisfaction and if they be crossed in these then they storm and are angry But now a Godly man living up to his Godliness his eye is upon God's glory as the thing which he chiefly aims at and mainly centers in and upon this he is content in every state For saith he let my state be what it will God will glorifie himself by it and 't is that state which God did see would most tend to his glory otherwise he had not put me into it oh therefore I 'le like it yea rejoyce in it in as much as it is most conducive to that which is better than all my little comforts namely the Glory of God Methinks he should live in all contentedness who knows and minds these two things that all occurrences tend to the promoting of God's Honour and then too of his Own Good but the knowing and minding of these is proper only to one that is Godly how necessary therefore is Godliness to contentment Take an unregenerate man these neither doe nor can signifie any thing to him for as to the First the advancement of the Honour of his Creator he being all for Self for so every one is before conversion the honour of God is nothing to him and so it can have no influence upon him for the quieting of his heart under troubles and as to the second the advancement of his own good he not being in Covenant with God on which the sanctification of all Providences doth depend can have no assurance of this and therefore cannot from this fetch that which may quiet and comfort him but both of these have their full power and strength where grace is and thereupon it becomes an effectual means to contentment 3. Thirdly In the general habit of Grace there are contained certain special Graces which do very much further Contentment I 'le instance in Humility Faith Repentance Heavenly-mindedness Self-denyal 1. Humility The humble man is alwayes a contented man the proud man is alwayes of a contrary temper Pride puts us upon contending with God Humility upon yielding and submitting to him Pride makes us think we are wiser than God can order our conditions better than he Humility dreads this heart-blasphemy Pride must be at the top of the pinacle no condition no mercy is high enough for it a proud person cannot bear a low state he looks upon himself as wronged if he be not chief as he said to his Daughter Si non dominaris injuriam te accipere existimas Sueton. Humility accepts of the lowest condition and the lowest mercy Oh! saith the humble person what can be too low for me who deserve to be in Hâ—ll what too little for me who am less than the least of all mercies Pride is for charging God Gen. 32.10 Humility is altogether for admiring God that will be finding faults with what God doth this only finds faults with what we our selves do Pride is the heart-disquieting sin Humility is the heart-quieting grace 'T is never well enough with the proud the Angels that fell even when they were in Heaven and Adam even in Paradise in all his Glory were 〈◊〉 â—f his 〈◊〉 alwayes very well with the humble Well Godliness work◠〈…〉 by â—he â—ooâ—ing out of pride and planting humility in the 〈◊〉 2. Faith That 's another Grace which doth eminently help on Contentation how readily and how aptly doth it interpose upon all occasions for the keeping down of all turbulent risings in the heart Doth the man begin to be froward What will become of me and mine be still saith Faith God will provide for thee and thine Oh but such and such blessings are denyed me yet be still Of the pride and vanity of this speech of Alexander see Philo. l. de Cherubim p. 91. saith Faith thou hast all in God thou may'st say that truly which the great Conquerour once vainly said when he had Europe and Asia in his eye haec haec mea sunt these and these blessings yea all are mine for God is mine But the Providences of God towards me are very bitter yet be still saith Faith there is abundant sweetness in the Promise to take off that bitterness that is in the Providence But it is at present very ill with me yet be still saith Faith wait but a little and it will be better But what have I to comfort me why saith Faith enough and enough the unchangeable love of God the pardon of all thy sins the Covenant-state eternal life c. They saith an holy Writer never felt God's love or tasted the forgiveness of sin who are discontented Thus Faith with great readiness and strength answers all Objections which tend to the disturbing of the spirit 'T is the Grace which keeps from * Psal 27.13 fainting and from †Psal 42 11. fretting also 3. Repentance He that truly mourns for sin doth not easily murmur because of some outward cross Where sin is heavy nothing besides comparatively 2 Cor. 4.17 is heavy What light things are afflictions to him who groans under the burden of sin Godliness turns the grief and anger into the right channel it works Contentment by diversions when the sinner would be grieving and complaining because of poverty sickness c. this makes him to look into the naughtiness of his heart and to grieve for that pride and passion and
unbelief that is within and so it prevents or puts a stop to inordinate sorrow for what is externally afflictive as bleeding at the arm stops bleeding at the nose Where 't is repenting there 't is not repining 4. Heavenly mindedness The more a man doth mind things above the less he is concerned about things below he who hath his heart and conversation in heaven will not be sollicitous or querulous about what befalls him here on earth Math. 6.21 Phil. 3.20 Nihil sentit crus in nervo cum animus est in coelo Tertul. 5. Self-denyal A grace that hath a great tendency to Contentment because it takes men off from their own wisdom will and affections and causeth them wholly to resign up themselves to the wise and gracious dispose of God Oh saith the self-denying Christian I am not fit to be my own chooser God shall choose for me I would not have my condition brought to my mind but my mind brought to my condition I would not have God give me what I desire 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iambl in V. Pythag. L. 1. C. 28. but I would desire nothing but what God sees good to give me As that Philosopher when one wished for him that he might have from the gods whatever he would nay rather saith he wish for me that I may will nothing but what the gods will give me Surely when 't is once come to this it must needs be Contentment These are some of the wayes others there are but I must pass them over by which Godliness doth promote and work Contentment So that as you desire to learn it you must look to this that you be gracious and godly persons without Grace in the habit and exercise thereof it cannot be composedness and tranquillity of spirit in every state I do not affirm that he who hath grace is so constant and universal in this frame as that he is never under discontent for even such a one hath his infirmities and surprisals and pro hic nunc corruption may be too hard for grace but this I say he as to the general course and when he is himself is contented and that he is the person who is fitted and qualified to live contentment The Third and last Means is Prayer The third Help to contentment viz. Prayer without this the two former will be ineffectual Let a man be never so considerative yea never so Godly yet Prayer is necessary to his being contented Humility Faith Repentance Heavenly-mindedness self-denial are the heart-quieting Graces and Prayer is the heart-quieting Duty He that hath not learnt to pray will not learn to be content When God is seldom spoke to he will be often hardly thought of There must be good striving with God in prayer or else there will be bad striving with him in the way of Discontent O Sirs are you afflicted pray Jam. 5.13 do you meet with crosses pray doth the Estate decay the Relations die the Body consume by pain and sickness pray The best way to be content in every state is to pray in every state We study this hard lesson best upon our knees Prayer furthers contentment 1. As it gives a vent to the mind under trouble Vessels that are full if they have not some vent are apt to burst and so when the heart is full of grief if it hath not a vent it breaks Sorrow kept in overwhelms the spirit Strangulat inclusus dolor let it be vented a little and the spirit is much at ease Now prayer is the best vent the poor Christian goes to God tells him his case pours out his heart before him upon this his heart that was ready to break before is now greatly relieved When Hannah had prayed under her trouble she went away and did eat and her countenance was no moâ—e sad 1 Sam. 1.18 What sad work doth the wind make where 't is pent up whence come the dreadful shakings of the earth but from its being shut up in the cavities thereof And so here when we keep in our troubles do not open them first to the Lord in prayer and then to some experienced Christian what commotions and perturbations of mind is that the occasion of 2. As it obtains Grace and strength from God to enable the creature to be contented For 't is he and he only that can work up the heart to this excellent frame he that stills the sea when it rages doth also still the soul in all its passions and discontents When Paul had spoken thus high of his Contentment lest any should think he ascribed this * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theophyl Quia de maximis â—eâ—us gloriatus f erâ—t â—e superbiae id tribueretur vel nè aliis jactantiaâ— occasionem daret suâ—jicit hâ◠fortitudine se à Christo instrui Calvin in loc to himself or had it from himself immediately he subjoyns I can do all things through Christ strengthning of me to note that the quietness of his mind was divine and supernatural We read of our Saviour how he being at sea and a great tempest arising he rebuked the winds and the sea and there was a great calm And the men marvelled saying what manner of man is this that even the winds and the sea obey him Matth. 8.24 c. Truly the calming of the heart in its inward storms is a thing every way as marvellous as what Christ here did and that which requires as great a power to effect it If therefore you desire to arrive at this even temper of mind in every condition often go to God and beg it of him Say Lord I have a Peevish froward discontented heart that is ready upon every cross to vex and fret against thee this I hope is my burden I would fain have it otherwise but I cannot get victory over my passion I cannot bring my self to a calm and submissive frame wherefore I seek to thee to inable me thereunto Blessed God do thou help me through the power of thy grace let there be evermore a contented mind in me such and such crosses I meet with but Lord under all let me be patient here 's an hard lesson for me to learn but through the teachings of thy spirit let me learn it Oh do but thus pray and in due time God will give you what you pray for Thus I have answered this weighty Question What Christians are to do that they may learn in every state to be content Now to close all I leave it with your selves to enquire what your attainments are as to this Contentment 'T is a sad thing that even amongst Christians there is so little of it that many mere Heathens who had nothing but reason and the dim light of Nature seem herein to outstrip those who have far greater helps to it Nemo facile cum fortunae suae conditione concordat Boeth de Coâ—sol Phil. l. 2. prosâ 4. Quis est tam compositae foelicitatis ut non
are in a better state than Adam was in his first Creation None will deny who read and believe the Scriptures that Adam was Blessed before he sinned there was no Curse of the Law upon man until the Law was broken by him and as God made all other things good so man as he came out of God's hand was made both Good and Happy The primitive Blessedness of Adam consisted chiefly in two things First In the Innocency which was in him Secondly In the Image of God which was upon him whereby he was capacitated for and had a nearness of Communion and fellowship with God In both respects pardoned Persons are in a better estate than Adam 1. In respect of Innocency although they cannot so properly be called Innocent in themselves doubtless they are not so Innocent as Adam before his fall yet upon their pardon they are guiltless they are reputed Innocent in the sight of God and however God may chastise them for sin here they shall no more be punished for any sin in the other World than if they had never offended than if they had never committed any the least sin from their Birth unto their Death but had been as white and clean as pure and Innocent as the first Adam before his fall or the second Adam who never fell and herein their condition is better than that of Adam in Innocency because no guilt shall be charged upon them unto their Condemnation whereas Adam had no such security against Condemnation for afterward he falling into sin would certainly have fallen into Hell had not pardoning mercy prevented it 2. In regard of the Image of God that is repaired in all those that are pardoned when God forgiveth their sin he changeth their nature and that Faith which justifieth the Person doth also purifie the heart Acts 15.9 Indeed pardoned Persons are renewed but in part and the inherent Righteousness and Holiness which they attain unto in this life is but imperfect yet in this they are in a better condition than Adam was at first because although Adam's inherent Righteousness were perfect yet it was left to his own keeping and he quickly lost it and fell quite off from God putting himself out of God's favour and out of Covenant together and there was no Salvation attainable by him until God had promised Christ and made a New Covenant of Grace with him But the inherent Righteousness of pardoned Persons although it be far short many degrees of absolute perfection yet it is committed to the keeping of Christ by the Spirit in them who is both able and hath promised to bring it unto perfection so that they shall never totally fall from Grace but grow up from one degree of Grace unto another until they arrive unto Heaven where they shall be absolutely perfect both in Holiness and happiness and in the mean time they are accepted as compleat and perfect in their head the Lord Jesus Christ whose perfect Righteousness is through Faith imputed unto them whereby the defects of their righteousness are supplyed and they adopted to eternal Life Pardoned persons are in a better state than Adam therefore they are blessed Reas 5. Such whose iniquities are forgiven are blessed because they shall be blessed the blessedness of pardoned persons is chiefly in hope of future blessedness without which hope in some circumstance of time they would be as the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 15.19 of all Men most miserable and therefore I shall chiefly speak of the future blessedness of the pardoned and here 1. Shew what the future blessedness is which pardoned persons shall have 2. Prove that pardoned persons shall most assuredly attain this blessedness 3. Shew how this future blessedness doth render them blessed at the present and this will be a full proof that pardoned persons are blessed 1. The first thing is to shew what the future blessedness is which pardoned persons shall have and here I must premise that there is but little of this future blessedness revealed in comparison of what it really is and what pardoned persons will find it to be Ministers have preached and written much concerning it but they have not told one half no nor the thousand part of the Glory and excellency thereof and it must be but little then that I have time or room to speak of it in this discourse yet something I must say and it is no difficult thing to set it forth by Scripture-light and in a few words as far exceeding all outward happiness and earthly felicity The blessedness which pardoned persons shall have doth lye in three things 1. In the blessed and glorious place where they shall live 2. In the blessed and glorious company which they shall converse withal 3. In the blessed and glorious state which they shall attain to 1. Pardoned persons shall live and take up their eternal abode in a most blessed and glorious place Here they have no continuing City but they seek one to come Heb. 13.14 The most strong and flourishing Cities in the World may be demolished by the hands of Men or overthrown by Earthquakes or consumed and turned into ashes by the devouring flames of fire but the City they shall dwell in cannot be demolished overthrown or consumed that City will abide and continue so long as God shall abide the Maker of it They look for a City which hath Foundations whose Builder and Maker is God Heb. 11.10 The Foundations of this City are sure and strong such as shall never be moved the Cities and Houses they now dwell in are made by man and therefore are but mean but the City they shall dwell in is of God's Building and Making and therefore is very glorious It is the New Jerusalem which they shall hereafter inhabit the Jerusalem which is above the Walls and Gates thereof are Pearls and the Streets thereof pure Gold as it is described Rev. 21. at the latter end of that Chapter But the place is beyond all comparison and doth exceed in glory whatever description may be made of it 2. Pardoned persons shall have most blessed and glorious company to converse withal in Heaven 1. In Heaven pardoned persons vvill have the company of all the Saints there they vvill find all their godly friends and acquaintance and that both such as die before them and those that die after them in vvhose Society they vvill have a mutual sweet complacency and their joy one in another vvill exceed vvhat tongues can express There they shall have the company of all those Godly Ministers either vvhom they have known and heard or vvhose Writings only they have seen and read and how vvill the spiritual children delight to see the glory and live always in the company of their spiritual Fathers vvhom God hath made instrumental for their conversion then they vvill rejoyce indeed that ever they saw their face that ever they heard their voice that ever they believed their report that ever they vvere perswaded by them to
or other make them ashamed and so will the hopes of the Hypocrite too but the hopes of pardoned persons which they have of future blessedness have an excellency in them beyond the hopes of all others and they shall never be ashamed of them The happiness they hope for they shall certainly have none can deprive them of it men cannot deprive them they may take away their earthly Inheritance but they cannot touch their Heavenly Inheritance Devils cannot deprive them they may attempt it but they cannot effect it Death cannot deprive them death will bereave of whatever riches of the world any of them have but it will put them into the possession of their Treasures in Heaven none can deprive them but God and God will not do it as hath been already proved and therefore their hopes are of a certain thing which they shall not fail of and withal they know that the happiness of Heaven will exceed all their expectations even the highest which ever they have had of satisfaction and contentment there that they shall find more sweetness and joy there than ever hath entred into their hearts to conceive and therefore their hopes shall not make them ashamed yea in their very hopes of Heaven especially at some times they find more real satisfaction than ever was found by any in the fullest and sweetest enjoyment which they have had of the good things of this life 3. Pardoned persons have the beginnings of future blessedness here in this life in the Work of Grace and sometimes foretasts and first fruits of it through the witness seal and earnest of the Spirit and this renders them blessed in this life 1. They have the beginnings of Heaven in the work of Grace upon their hearts Grace is the beginning of Glory Grace is Glory in the bud Glory is Grace in the flower and when the work of Grace is carried on the Scripture saith that they proceed from Glory to Glory 2 Cor. 3.18 But we all with open face beholding as in a Glass the Glory of the Lord are changed into the same Image from Glory to Glory even as by the Spirit of the Lord They are happy here as they have some degrees of that Holiness and likeness unto God in the perfection of which hereafter in Heaven their perfect happiness doth consist 2. They have the beginnings of Heaven in the first fruits and foretasts of it through the witness seal and earnest of the Spirit God sometimes gives them first fruits of the Heavenly Canaan he sends in a few bunches of those sweet Grapes that are there and lets them have some foretasts of those Soul-ravishing Heavenly joys which hereafter will be full and for ever abiding he sometimes takes them up into the Mount and gives them a Pisgah-sight of the Land of promise through the prospective-Glass of his Ordinances he brings some even to the Gate of the New Jerusalem in their Heavenly Contemplations and le ts out such beams of that Glorious Heavenly light and drops into their hearts such taste of future joys through the sudden elapses of the Spirit of Glory upon them that they are rapt up into an extasie and such a sweetness they feel in their Spirits as is ineffable such as words cannot utter nor the minds of any conceive but those that have had the like when God giveth them the witness of his Spirit that they shall assuredly attain eternal life and sealeth them up by his Spirit to the day of Redemption he doth commonly give the earnest also of the Spirit in some Soul-ravishing joys in comparison of which the softest pleasures of the flesh and the sweetest delights that can arise from any objects of sense are most vain thin empty and not worthy to be named with them And thus the Eternal blessedness which pardoned persons shall have doth render them blessed here in this life beyond all others whatever confluence of good things they be surrounded withal The fore-sight first fruits hopes and sweet fore-tastes of this future blessedness do sweeten their life but especially they do sweeten their death they knowing that death will be their friend and prove an out-let to all earthly misery and an in-let to their heavenly glory that death will open the prison doors of this world unto them and usher them into the palace of the great King they know their death will be like a Ship to convey them over Sea as it were from the far strange and Enemies Countrey unto the heavenly Countrey where their glorious Jehovah their heavenly Father where the Lord Jesus Christ their elder Brother and dear Saviour and where the departed Saints their chief kinred are together and where their inheritance doth lye and where they shall take up their Eternal abode Where pardoned persons have a clear fore-sight and strong hope of this death is no more to them than a sleep they can as willingly put off their flesh and go into their graves as they can put off their clothes at night to go into their beds they can as willingly compose themselves to die as they can compose themselves to sleep after a weary day Thus much for the proof of the blessedness of forgiveness or of all those persons whose sins are pardoned Quest 2. The second Question wherein I must be more short is How this blessedness of forgiveness may be attained That this blessedness of forgiveness may be attained there are some things must be known and believed and there are some things must be done and practised 1. Some things must be believed I shall instance in one or two chief Doctrines of the Gospel which all sinners must know and believe if they would attain forgiveness of sin The First is The Doctrine of Christ's satisfaction unto God's Justice for the sins of men The Second is The Doctrine of justification by the righteousness of Christ 1. Sinners must know and believe the Doctrine of Christ's satisfaction unto the Justice of God for the sins of Men. To discourse fully of this great Doctrine of Christ's satisfaction would require a Treatise which might fill a great volume but I must comprize it within a little room who am to speak of it only in the direction of a Sermon Briefly 1. That there is absolute need of satisfaction to God's justice for the sins of men without which forgiveness of sins would be impossible and utterly unattainable is evident both from the nature of God's justice which doth oblige him to punish all sinners Eternally without it and from the truth of God's threatnings wherein he hath revealed that he will thus punish them without it 2. That there is need of the satisfaction of Christ is evident because sinners themselves being finite cannot give that satisfaction unto God which shall bear any proportion to the demands of his infinite justice and if any be in a capacity to give it it must be such a one as is both innocent and so cannot suffer for his own faults and
a double state 1. As to this mortal Life it is implied in the Text and express'd in the Context that it is a Theater of smart contentions and miseries and that he was concerned in the agonistical exercises thereof 2. As to the other Life he had the prospect of transcendent joys exhibited to his views and hopes as the determined and proposed reward of his well-managed exercises the influences and impressions whereof did strangely invigorate and fix his resolutions to maintain such a Masculine frame of spirit as should entertain and answer all the challenges of danger difficulties and temptations and to preserve that necessary liberty from and useful indifferency to the hopes and love of Life and fears of Death and Danger which might secure the spirit and prowess of a resolved and successful valour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I make no reckoning of any thing and he grows regardless of his life and hath mortified the vigour of all the arguments and inducements that can be fetcht therefrom for the utmost reach of rage and villany is to effect no more and can extend no farther than the loss of Life Mat. 10.28 And all those Comforts which are liable to the casualties and sequestrations of transient time and cannot run parallel with our capacious souls beyond the limits of a dying breath cannot be valued beyond the value of their end and therefore he that conquers and subdues the estimation of his Life hath so far overcome all the disturbing and ensnaring influences of hopes and fears relating to it and derived from it Well we have here an instance and example in this great and gracious Apostle of a resolved and proficient Christian yea and a visible practical demonstration of what Blood and Spirits are in the veins of Christianity and are bred there and what an energy and force there is in one right believing look and glance at things to come 2 Cor. 4.16 18. Heb. 12.2 And if it be objected that as the Apostles course was ministerial so were his joys which fix'd his eye and therefore in neither can he be proposed to others as their imitable pattern or exact encouragement seeing all are not Ministers neither can all expect his Exercises Furniture Encouragements and Attainments and so that we pluck not the fruit from the right tree I answer This doth not prevent his being our pattern argument and encouragement if but these few things be seriously considered 1. The Apostle had a double Course to run he had the trust and business of a Christian as well as of a Minister to discharge he had a God to please a Soul to save an Hell to escape an Heaven to reach an Heart to cleanse and Sins to mortifie unruly Passions and impetuous Affections to be curbed and managed by their proper Discipline as well as others he was a man subject to like Passions with our selves he dwelt in flesh and was opposed by the Devil as well as others he had Corruptions to be mortified and pardoned and loved his Life and what might make it comfortable saving where Inordinacies were to be corrected and subdued because of inconsistency with better work and joys yea he had such forcible inclinations to desire and beg some intermissions of and respite from his tedious Exercises as forced him to repair to Prayer and Arguments to get support so that he might not Oneri succumbere and thus I understand that Thorn in the flesh 2 Cor. 12.7 10. And so the Sense seems facil and it amounts to this The Apostle had been labouring in the fire for God and for the interest of Christianity and managed all his Exercises in the face of danger and growing aged he was tempted to desire of God that he might spend the residue of his declining age in liberty and quietness but when the flesh so weather-beaten by the storms grew so desirous of some respite from the severity of Travel Chains and Labours the messenger Satan comes again threatning and acquainting him with designed and determined repetitions of former Buffetings and the renewals of Reproaches Necessities Persecutions c. for Christ's sake Which when he understood and apprehended that Christ and his Gospel were so concerned in them he thought and took them as the matter of his Glory in that they might be serviceable to the Interest of Christ and great occasions of some special Illustrations of the remarkable Power and Grace of Christ but this pace aliorum The truth is Sirs he had such Exercises and Temptations as that had not the expectations and perswasions of these joys above which succeeded the Course well finished interposed to fortifie and compose his spirit this world had never been conquered nor so easily forsaken and disclaimed by him nor Death so tamely entertained nor Hopes and Fears so managed and subordinated as they were 1 Cor. 15.19 31 32 58. Now thus far he stands on equal grounds with other Christians and hath the same Exercises Arguments Encouragements Interest and Obligations that every Christian hath and if it was possible for him to finish his course under the powerful Influences of this Prospect and Design it is as possible for us for no impossibility whilst such can be our duty 2. His Ministerial Work and Trust was as to its full discharge a necessary and essential part of his saving Christianity No Minister of Jesus Christ by office can be a sound and faithful Christian that is unfaithful in his Ministry it is in so doing that he must save himself as well as those that hear him 1 Tim. 4.15 16. 3. Our accommodations being made answerable to Trust and Work our faithful management thereof is of equal necessity in much or little for we must be answerable to Relations Trust and Places and other Circumstances as God hath placed us in and under them for we must be judged and are to act accordingly to what we have received No man is commanded and encouraged faithfully to discharge his Ministry but upon some supposition that the Ministry is his lawful Calling and where that is unfaithfulness will damn him that is guilty of it for it is his place of Service even as faithful service of all Servants in general is their Duty Yet places of Service and the matter and measure of their service may be different according to the master's pleasure and affairs 4. The close connection of his whole Course and Comforts clears the Case For 1. It is not imaginable that any man can be a faithful Minister whose heart is alienated from the true powerful Principles Sentiments and Impressions of Christianity For how can any man be separated cordially to this most costly painful Calling and regularly bear the heat and burden of his Place and Day who hath not well concocted the Substance Evidence and Importance of this great Mystery of Salvation which is the indispensable and adequate exercise of his Function into deep perswasions warm affections and most unconquerable resolutions Who can unweariedly pursue
consolations proper for that hour O! what refreshments do oft times issue and arise from those discoveries of God's image in us presence with and favour for us which are made by us when we are forced to retire within when all things round about us fail and lose their interest in and favour with us because our flesh decays and wasts through pains and rottenness to which the bewitching dotages of time could make their easiest and most successful applications And it oft-times happens that our fears exceed our pains and that the King of Terrors doth not gripe so hard nor stab so painfully as we are apt to think and look for but when the stroke is given indeed and the pains are gone how easily and quickly do the first openings of our eternal morning even swallow up all the remembrances of our dying sorrows Oh when the joys and visions of our God invade and exercise our departed Souls then comes the great prelusion and welcome pledge of our eternal conquest of this last enemy and after a short sleep of Bodies in the dust whilst Souls retire and go to God the Trump will found the Lord will come the World shall perish or be refined by the flames and the dead rise again and die no more 3. Is it because you fear a change of state to your great disadvantage when you are dead that you are loath and dread to die If so then it is because either 1. You credit not or question the certainty and excellency of the world to come Or 2. Because you do not understand and value it Or 3. You do suspect your interest in and fitness for it If it be the first concoct those Arguments and Intimations which God hath given you by diligent enquiries sober pauses faithful meditation reflect upon the first and second Propositions and those more cogent useful Treatises which are written on this Subject and wherewith the world abounds and let not the bribes and flatteries of a vain world divert you nor the malignant influences of a wanton Fancy corrupt and mortifie the Faculties which God hath given you for this end for here the light is ready for the prepared eye 2. If you do not understand its excellence and so have no value for it compare both states together that so your choice and value may result from wisdom and be the product of true and sober judgment Is it so good to dwell delight and perish in the flames of smart contention betwixt God and you or to have your breath and spirits expended in dreadful groans and ecchoes to the Apostle's deep complaints and cries in Rom 7.18 21 23 24. Is there no melody like heart-reproaches for practical despising and displeasing God Psal 51.3 4. Is there such harmony and advantage in the sluggish exercises motions of diseased souls Is there such pleasure in dark and difficult discoveries which are but one remove from the thick darkness of damning Ignorance and Blindness as that your aversation to be sent away unto that Element of clearer views and visions in the other world may well be fixed there Can you delightfully be exposed to temptations to injurious and unworthy thoughts of God and dwell where God is little discerned prized and served What! is an Hospital such a desirable habitation that you are loth to quit it Are the distractions pains and vanities of a forsaken world such Charms and Loadstones to your hearts as to set you on building Tabernacles and fixing there Who ever loved to be exposed to miseries or to build his Palace on the sands or hasty Streams and what is this state of Life but the true Theatre and Center of all these woes and miseries But of this see more in Prop. 2. But if you look above and pierce the Heavens there you will meet with clear discoveries and vehement flames of Love and all desirable unconceivable vigour liberty and satisfaction in an immortal state 4. Is it because you do suspect your interest in and fitness for the life to come If so then know the terms of Life and try your state thereby Do you not know what God is believe what he saith accept what he tenders and do what he commands Know you not who Christ is what he hath done what he expects what he promises and will do Are you an enemy to the Graces Truths and motions of the Spirit and to his directing quickning and comforting influences Are ye not dead to sin alive to God through Christ Is not another Life the exercise and object of your chief desire pursuit and satisfaction have you no prevalent inclinations affections and resolutions to renounce the World Flesh Devil and to discharge all your Duties to God yourselves and others with wisdom holiness activity and courage And to do all this as in the sight of God and with delight as in the hopes and prospect of a better world and to expect what God hath promised in the ways which he commands If these things be in you and abound your hearts are right condition safe and title good If you be wanting here this is your way of reparation and security Do these things and Death is yours and when these things are done all your discouraging doubts fears are answered and dispelled by being clearly understood For 1. It is one thing to be fit to die and another thing to know it 2. It is one thing to have your Title good another thing to be sinless and so fully ripe for Heaven immediately 3. It is one thing to have a serious fixed heart and will for God and another thing to have passionate affections which depend more upon the temper of the Body than the power and ripeness of the Grace of God upon the heart 4. It is one thing what we cannot be though we would be with strength and readiness of will another thing what we have little or no will to be 5. It is one thing to love and hate proportionably to what God and sin are and deserve and 't is another thing to love and hate as God requires in proportion to our strength and with reference to our Work and Joy And 6. It is one thing to have Corruption dwell in us and another thing to have it rule 7. It is one thing to be tempted of the Devil and another thing to yield thereto And 8. It is one thing to have ground of Hope and Joy and another to have the sense thereof 9. Joy is also considerable as our Duty and God's Gift And these 9 Distinctions well observed rightly applied and carefully improved will go exceeding far towards answering all those Doubts which animate unwarrantable Fears of Death in those whose hearts are right whilst their hopes are low their jealousies great their Spirits faint and so their Lives uncomfortable through their own ignorant and sad Mistakes Infer 1. Christian Religion at the worst is better than a course of wickedness at the best Inf. 2.
and therefore the Blessing is null and moreover what the meaning of this Providence is that my Brother should come forth against me in this hostile manner I knovv not Wherefore I humbly beg thy Blessing and the confirmation of that Title vvhich hath so great an error in it Thus God brought an old reckoning to his remembrance in an evil day and set it on his conscience and put him to repent and mourn for he wept and made supplication to the Angel Hos 12.4 He came not off so easily but was fain to vvrestle hard all night to lose his rest and to struggle and sweat and pray and vveep and shed many a tear and to go halting aftervvard upon his Thigh unto his dying day Take heed therefore of old Reckonings undischarged look back and consider hovv it hath been and omit not a day vvithout revievving your Actions and Repentings I say as duly as the day determineth let not the Sun go dovvn upon any guilt contracted that so your sins may be blotted out when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord and exercise your self to have always a Conscience void of offence towards God and men and this vvill the better prepare you for the coming of Jesus Christ both by Death and Judgment Fifthly Be much in the exercise of Goodness Mercy and works of Liberality towards Christ in his needy Members according to your opportunity and power For though you shall be saved by your Faith yet you shall be judged according to your Works And it greatly concerneth us to be laborious in that Service upon vvhich the judgment shall pass at Christ's appearance Mat. 25.35 36. Call your self therefore to an account what you have done in this way for Christ as how you have fed cloathed visited relieved him in his Members here on earth And if this were more considered such as profess to Christ would be more active for him in ought wherein they might be more serviceable to him but when we see but little activity in the exercise of this Grace we may well fear there is but little Oil in the Vessel for rich anointings will make men agile and ready for every good work inasmuch as the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and they that hope for eternal Life when Christ shall come by Death and Judgment must seek for Glory Honour and Immortality not only in well-doing but in continuance in it Beware of Omissions and among others of this great duty The Judgment will reach unto all sins In the Narrative of his Life and Death and to omissions in a special manner Mat. 25.37 38. For which that learned and holy Vsher was humbled upon his death-bed The Nobleman hath put a Pound into your hand saying Occupy till I come yea he hath given you many Pounds in a literal sense with which you must trade as well as with the Talents of your Parts and Gifts of Grace And I know you would be glad to find Mercy with Onesiphorus in the day of Christ Remember therefore Blessed are the merciful for they shall obtain mercy Mat. 5.7 But He shall have judgment without mercy who hath shewed no mercy whereas mercy rejoyceth against judgment A merciful man is so far from fearing judgment at Christ's coming that he rather rejoyceth at the thoughts of it Sixthly Exercise diligence and faithfulness in your particular Calling For when Christ speaketh of his Coming saith he Be ye ready for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh What followeth Who then is a faithful and wise servant whom his Lord hath made Ruler over his houshold to give them meat in due season Blessed is that servant whom his Lord when he cometh shall find so doing Mat. 24.44 45 46. When Christ was speaking to this Point saith Peter Lord speakest thou this Parable to us or even unto all Luke 12.41 Truly Christ spake it unto all though in a special manner to such as Peter for Christ will have an account how every one of us have managed our particular Callings But they that are Stewards in the House of God which is his Church have a very great account to give and it is required of them in a special manner that a man be found faithful and of all Christ's servants his Stewards have most to answer for that if a dispensation of the Gospel and the care of souls were not committed to them he that understandeth the weight of Stewardship would dread to undertake it but a necessity is laid upon them and wo unto them if they Preach not the Gospel It is said of Calvin that when Nature began to decline in him Melch. Adam in vit Calv. and the symptoms of a dying man appeared on him he would be diligent at his Studies from which his friends disswading him saith he Nunquid me Dominus inveniet otiosum Shall my Master find me idle Let such therefore and all be diligent and faithful in their respective place and employments And indeed every man is a Steward more or less You know what the Master saith of the slothful Servant Take him and cast him into outer darkness there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth Such slothful servants shall be under the tribute of eternal pains Prov. 12.24 when the good and faithful Servant shall be made ruler over many things and enter into the joy of his Lord Mat. 25.23 Would you stand before Christ at his coming Oh dread Idleness and unfaithfulness in your Callings as you desire to be sound of him in peace at his appearance Fill up your days with Duty and give your time to him who gave it to you Paul was a great lover of Christ and his Appearance and who more abundant in his Labours for him For he had the Conscience of his indefatigable industry and fidelity in his work for his Master Saith he I have fought a good fight I have finished my course I have kept the Faith 2 Tim 4.7 8. He meaneth especially his military faith and oath in fighting a good fight for Christ And wherefore do we hear him groaning so earnestly desiring to be cloathed upon with his house which is from Heaven It was because he laboured ambitiously that whether present or absent he might be accepted of him For saith he We must all appear before the Judgment-Seat of Christ that every one might receive the things done in his body according to that he hath done whether it be good or bad 2 Cor. 5 2. with 9.10 Lastly That I might not multiply particulars let me add what Christ hath joined together Sobriety Watchfulness and Prayer Luk. 21 34.36 And therefore take heed to your selves lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfetting and drunkenness and cares of this Life and that Day come upon you unawares Gird up therefore the loins of your minds be sober and hope to the end for the Grace that is to be brought
Whatever you say of God you may put an onely to it God so loves every gracious Soul as if he had no other Person to bestow his Love upon therefore thou must so love God as if there were nothing else in the world to bestow thy love upon Alas what 's thine to day as to outward things may be none of thine to morrow thou canst not say so of God God once thine and for ever thine But perhaps you will say Were God mine you should need to say no more to inflame my heart to love him Propriety in God! could I attain this I had enough This is it I wait for I pray for I think nothing too much for it I onely fear I shall never attain it the very comforts of my Life are imbitter'd for want of it To this I answer we cannot shake off God's Soverainty over us nor Propriety in us this you will grant God is and will be Thy God Thy Lord thy Sovereign Thy Commander let thy carriage be what it will the vilest wretches in the World cannot sin themselves from under God's dominion But there 's no comfort in this Well then I will therefore add thou that mournest after propriety in God God is thy God thy gracious God and Father thy God in Covenant thy God in mercy and loving kindness Do'st thou unfeignedly desire to love God then thou may'st be sure God loves thee for God loves first u 1 Joh. 4.19 Do'st thou not out of choice prefer the Service of God before all other Service then you shall abide in the love of God w Joh. 15.10 Brethren Love God as if he were peculiarly yours and you 'l thereby have an evidence that he is peculiarly yours It is reported of one that continued a whole night in Prayer and said nothing but this x Deus meus omnia mea Avend p. 382. My God and my All or God is Mine and all is Mine repeating this a thousand times over Let this be the constant breathing of thy Soul to God My God my All. 2 Ratione ordinis dignitatis 2. This is the first and great command in respect of order and dignity This is the great command because we must place this before all others in the very y In intimo cordis Anselm yelk of the heart as the only foundation of piety whatsoever is taught in the Law and in the Prophets flows from this as from a fountain grows upon this as upon a root z â— use If I forget not this is somewhere Augustin's Metaphor this is to the other commands as the needle to the thred it draws all after it 3 Ratione debiti 3. This is the first and great command in respect of obligation To love God is so indispensable that let me with Reverence say God cannot dispence with it As God first bestows his love upon us before any other gift and then whatever he gives afterwards he gives it in love So God requires that we first give him our hearts our love and then do all we do out of love to God Sometimes God will have mercy and not sacrifice divine duties shall give place to humane nay sometimes duties to God must give way to duties to a beast a Luk. 14.5 but however duties to God and Men may be justled to and fro yet there is not any duty can warrant the intermitting of any love to God so much as one moment 4 Ratione materiae 4. This is the first and great command in respect of the matter of it Love to God is the most excellent of all graces b 1 Cor 13.13 love among the graces is like the Sun among the Stars which not only inlightens the lower world but communicates light to all the Stars in the Firmament So love to God does not only its own office but the offices of all other Graces The Apostle names four graces that are necessary to government which love doth all their offices e. g. beareth all c 1 Cor. 13.7 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 candâ—r lenitas patientia Melanc in loc things i. e. love parteth with something of its right beareth the weaknesses of friends to preserve concord believeth all things i. e. candidly makes the best interpretation of all things is not distrustful or suspicious upon light and frivolous occasions hopeth all things that is gently waits for the amendment of that which is faulty endureth all things that is patiently bears injuries c. If you except this is spoken of love to men I readily answer that surely love to God for whose Image in men and command concerning men we love them will do greater things 5 Ratione amplitudinis 5. This is the first and great command in respect of the largeness of it This requires the whole man the whole heart the whole soul the whole mind the whole strength whatever else we entertain some other room may be good enough for it let the heart be kept for Gods peculiar presence Chamber God requires the whole Soul all the inferior powers of the Soul our whole life must be spent in the love of God This command reaches the whole mind God expects that we should in Judgment reason down every thing into contempt that should pretend a loveliness to justle out God 6. This is the first and great command in respect of its capacity 6 Ratione capacitaâ—â— because it contains all commands no man can love his Neighbour unless he love God and no man can love God but he must observe all his Commandments Origen makes enquiry how the Commands about legal purification may be reduced to the love of God every command of God hath its peculiar obligation but this Law of love hath a super-ingagement over them all e. g. Men may accept and commend several duties to them that have not one drop of love in them e. g. If I give bread to one that is ready to famish or Physick to one that is dangerously sick these things do good according to their own Natures and not according to the good will of the giver Alas Man needs relief and catcheth at it and never examines the heart or and whence it comes but now God is infinitely above needing any thing from us it is his gracious condescention to receive any thing from us and therefore God never accepts of any thing we do but what is done out of love to him 7. This is the first and great command in respect of the difficulties of it 7 Ratione difficultatis because through our infirmities not to mention worse we cannot presently love God the prime difficulty is the spirituality of it This wisdom (d) Prov. 24.7 is too high for foolish Sinners Though it is most rational yet it is the most spiritual and consequently the most difficult part of Religion Some commands may be observed without special grace as all the outside of Religion Yea
Praise the Lord for his mercy endureth for ever And when they began to sing and to praise the Lord set ambushments against the Children of Ammon Moab and Mount Seir which came against Israel and they were smitten Israel's success follows Israel's singing If the people of Israel will look to their Duty God will look to their Enemy and lay that Ambush which shall ensnare and overthrow their power 3. With Evident Miracles This we find upon Record Acts 16.25 26. And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed and sang praises to God and the prisoners heard them and suddenly there was a great Earth-quake so that the Foundations of the prison were shaken and immediately the doors were opened and every ones hands were loosed Behold here an eminent Miracle Prisons saluting the Prisoner's Liberty Paul and Silas singing set God on working and if their Tongues were loosed in Duty their hands shall be loosed for Liberty Singing like praying can work wonders Lorinus observes Angelicà peculiari â—peâ—d Sâ—lâ—tio Vinculorum accidit Lorin Case that the prisoners Chains were taken off and their bands loosed by the peculiar power and work of Angels And now I come to the main Case How we may make melody in our hearts to God in Singing of Psalms Answ 1. We must sing with understanding We must not be guided by the Tune but the Words of the Psalm we must mind the Matter more than the Musick and consider what we sing as well as how we sing The Tune may affect the fancy but it is the Matter affects the heart and that God principally eyes The Psalmist adviseth us in this particular Psalm 47.7 and so doth the Apostle 1 Cor. 14.15 Otherwise this sweet Duty would be more the work of a Chorister than of a Christian and we should be more delighted in an Anthem of the Musician's making then in a Psalm of the Spirit 's making A Lapide observes that in the Text 1 Cor. 14.15 the word understanding is Maschil 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 profound judgment We must sing wisely if we will sing gratefully we must relish what we sing In a word we must sing as we must pray now the most rude Petitioner will understand what he prays 1 Cor. 14.15 If we do not understand what we sing it argues carelesness of Spirit or hardness of Heart and this makes the Service impertinent Upon this the worthy Davenant cries out Facessunt Boatus Papistarum qui Psalmos in Templis reboant sed linguà non intellectu Dav. Non clamans sed amans cantat in aure Dei Aug. Adieu to the bellowing of the Papists who sing in an unknown Tongue God will not understand us in this Service which we understand not our selves One of the first Pieces of the Creation was Light and this must break out in every Duty 2. We must sing with affection Love is the fulfilling of this Law It is a notable saying of Augustine It is not Crying but Loving sounds in the Ears of God In Isa 5.1 It is said I will sing to my Beloved The pretty Child sings a mean Song but it delights the Mother because there is love on both sides It is love not skill makes the Musick and the Service most pleasing When we go about this Work we must lay our Book before us a heart full of love The Primitive Christians sang Hymns to Christ whom they entirely loved Love indeed is that ingredient which sweetens and indulcorates every Service 3. We must sing with real Grace This the Apostle admonishes us Col. 3.16 It is Grace not Nature sweetens the Voice to sing We must draw out our Spices our Graces in this Duty The Hundred forty four thousand which were Elected and Glorified Saints sang the New song Rev. 14.3 Singing is the tripudiating of a gracious Soul Gratia est devotionis radix Gorran Gorran well notes That Grace is the Root of true Devotion Wicked men only make a noise they do not sing they are like crackt Strings of a Lute or a Viol they spoil they do not make Musick The Righteous rejoice in the Lord Psal 33.1 The Raven croaks the Nightingale sings the Tune As God will not hear Sinners when they pray so neither when they sing the singing of Wicked men is disturbance not obedience Indeed the Saints singing is a more solemn Ovation Praising Him who causeth them to triumph in Christ 2 Cor. 2.14 The Saints above sing their Hallelujahs in Glory and the Saints below must sing their Psalms with Grace Fashion Puppets as you please they cannot sing it is the alive Bird can chirrup that pleasing noise 4. We must sing with excited Grace Not only with Grace habitual but with excited and actual the Musical Instrument delights not but when it is plaid upon In this Duty we must follow Paul's advice to Timothy 1 Tim. 4.14 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 stir up the Grace that is in us and cry out as David Psalm 57.8 Awake Love awake Delight The Clock must be pluckt up before it can guide our Time the Bird pleaseth not in her Nest but in her Notes the Chimes only make Musick while they are going Let us therefore beg the Spirit to blow upon our Garden that the Spices thereof may flow out when we set upon this Joyous Service Cant. 5.16 God loves active Grace in Duty that the Soul should be ready trim'd when it presents it self to Christ in any Worship 5. We must sing with spiritual joy Indeed singing only makes joy articulate it is only the turning of Bullion into Coyn as the Prophet speaks to this purpose Isa 65.14 Isa 65 14. Singing is only the triumphant gladness of a gracious heart a softer Rapture We must sing as David danced before the Ark 2 Sam. 6.15 with shouting and rejoycing in God We sing to Christ And Dr. Bound observes There is no joy comparable to that we have in him this is joy unspeakable and full of glory Joy must be the Selah of this Duty 6. We must sing with Faith This grace only puts a pleasingness upon every service if we hear the Word must be mixt with Faith Heb. 4.2 if we pray it must be the prayer of Faith Jam. 5.15 We must bring Faith to Christ's Table or else as Austin saith Dormit Christus si dormit Fides Dormit Christus si dormit Fides Aug. if Faith sleeps Christ is likewise asleep and so Faith must carry on this Ordinance of Singing especially there must be a credence in the Hallelujahs above we must believe that the Saints here are only tuning their Instruments and the louder Musick will be above that in glory there will be such pleasing sounds which the Apostle tells us 1 Cor. 2.9 No Ear ever heard 7. We must sing in the Spirit As we must pray in the Spirit Jude v. 20. so we must sing in the Spirit the Spirit must breathe as well as Grace act or the Voice sound in this Duty
Davenant well observes they are called spiritual Songs ratione Originis in point of their Original Spiritu Sanct. impellente excitante Dav. the Spirit excites and impels the Soul to this holy Service and he observes that the Spirit is the prime Artificer in this work Thus in the foregoing Verse to the Text Ephes 5.18 the Apostle adviseth us to be filled with the Spirit and in the Text it self he calls us to be singing of Psalms and Hymns c. When the Spirit fell upon the Apostles Acts 2.1 then they spake those glorious things recorded and so must we sing being sublimated and raised with the Spirit This Wind as the Spirit is call'd John 3.8 must fill our Organ In Psalmis canendis praecipua Christianorum cura esse debet ut cor ritè afficiatur Dav. Quatuor sunt conditiones rectè canendi 1. Vocis abieritas 2. Operis conformitas 3. Cordis attentio 4. Pia rectitudo Gor. Cantas ut placeas populo non Deo francis vocem c. Bern. before we can make any Musick 8. And what Davenant suggests is very pertinent here In singing of Psalms our principal care must be of our Hearts and to follow the Wise man's counsel Prov. 4.23 to keep our Hearts with all diligence And this Learned man gives us a good reason For they who neglect their Hearts may please men with the artificial suavity of their Voice but they will displease God with the odious Impurity of their Hearts And we must watch our Hearts for vain and sinful Thoughts will fly-blow this Duty as well as others Gorran well observes There are four Conditions of right Singing There must be 1. The Alacrity of the Voice 2. The Conformity of the Work 3. The Attention of the Heart 4. A Rectitude towards God And holy Bernard draws up an Indictment against Offenders in this kind Thou singest saith he to please the people more than God thou breakest thy voice musically break thy Will morally thou keepest a Consonancy in thy Voice keep a Concord and Harm my in thy Manners A holy heart and life make them that sing to chant melodiously First purifie then thou wilt tune thy Heart 9. Neglect not Preparatory Prayer Prayer prepares for singing as well as other Ordinances Indeed Jehovah est Archimusicus the great Harmonist who must put every heart in tune he must screw up every peg of affection and strain every string of meditation in this Ordinance The Wise man observes Prov. 16.1 The preparations of the heart are from God Preparations in the plural number preparation to Hearing Preparation to Praying Preparation to receiving of the Holy Supper and so preparation to Singing Our singing must needs be melody to the Lord if it be assisted by the Lord God will surely hear the melody he himself makes in a gracious heart engaged in this duty Thus the Case may be answered Vse 1 This checks those who despise this Ordinance Who look upon it as Noise but not singing as the crackling of thorns but not the Musick of Hearts But these do not consider 1. The Holy Ends of this Duty viz. Sâ—ientiam quam compâ—ravimus ex serâ—pturis exprominus ad fratrem aedificandum In est appetitus piis gen randi pâ—â—s fideles Clem. Alex. 1. Psalms are sung for Instruction We instruct one another in this service this duty is for Spiritual and mutual Edification As a Learned man well observes That knowledge we acquire from the Scriptures we draw out in this duty for our brother's edification We edifie our brother by singing as well as by speaking by warbling forth the Word in Holy Singing as well as by urging and pressing the Word in Holy Discourse A Proclamation is never the less authentical because it is proclaim'd by sound of Trumpet the Tune only accents the Matter Clemens Alexandrinus well observes There is an appetite in good persons to strengthen their brethren and this may be done in singing as well as in other Ordinances 2. Psalms are sung for Admonition This the Apostle expresly intimates Col. 3.16 Teaching and admonishing one another in Psalms and Hymns we may reprove a sin in singing of a Psalm as well as in the quoting of a Text and incourage Vertue as well by lifting up our voice as by giving of our praise Thus David Psal 51.13 We may truly be Satyrists in this very Ordinance When we sing a Psalms of Judgment we may awaken sinners and when we sing Psalms of Mercy and loving-kindness we may incourage Saints 3. Psalms are sung for Praise and Thanksgiving Then as the Psalmist speaks Psal 17.8 We awake our Glory which Interpreters call the Tongue an excellent instrument for praising God Singing of Psalms is only the Eccho of Praise the rebound of a joyous heart in a laudatory Speech Praise loudly and Musically proclaim'd that men may hear our Thanksgivings and bear testimony to our gratulatory enlargements as the passenger bears witness to the Musick of a Grove there the pleasant birds sit and sing Now do such consider the rare effects of this Duty viz. of singing to the Lord and they are 1. Singing can sweeten a Prison Thus Paul and Silas indulcorated their bondage by this service Ne sit hora gratiae immunis gaudio Conventus nostri sonent Psalmos Cypr-Hoc genus delectationis est animae nostrae valdè cognatum Deus Psalmos instituiâ— ut ab iis simul caperetu utilitas Voluptas Chrysost Acts 16.25 As prayer can shed a perfume so singing can cast a delight on the most displicent dungeon this truly Divine Service can turn a prison into a paradise a place of restraint into the glorious liberty of the Sons of God As Cyprian used to triumph Our Conventions sing our Psalms 2. Singing can prepare us for sufferings When Christ was ready to be offered up he sang an Hymn with his Disciples Christ sups and sings then dyes Joy in the Lord whereof singing is only the rebound arms against the dint of suffering It is a good saying of Chrysostome Hoc genus delectationis c. This kind of delight is most natural to the Soul God appointed Psalms that from thence profit and pleasure may flow together Singing raises the heart above the discouragement of suffering nor can we so well muse upon our pains while we are so sedulously tuning our praises 3. Singing lightens and exhilarates the Soul We may say of this duty as Tremelius speaks of David's harp that by the Musick of it the storms of Saul's Spirit were allayed and he was composed and serene Singing both reveals and amplifies our joy It is not only a discovery but an improvement Psalmis nos oblectemus ex hisce hilaritatem nostram promanare annotandum est As a learned man well takes notice Let us delight our selves in singing Psalms and from them let us draw our Chearfulness and Delight Let all our sweet Waters gush from this spring Nor do such consider