inordinate Desire of Reputation and Respect with Men. Now when we are plucking out our right Eye and cutting off our right Hand Mat. 5. 29. When we are mortifying and subduing our Lusts when we can deny our selves in those things to which the Heart is most wedded that 's a Sign of Compliance with the Will of God The second Point Doct. 2. That it is the Lord which giveth to will and to do those Things which are pleasing in his sight Therefore we ask it of him Thy Will be done that is as I explain'd it we ask of him a Heart Skill and Strength to do his holy Will Here I shall tell you 1. What I mean by the Point 2. Give you the Proof of it I. What I mean by the Point 1. I mean thus That in the Work of Conversion God doth all Ezek. 11. 19. I will give them one Heart and I will put a new Spirit within you and I will take the stony Heart out of their Flesh and I will give them an Heart of Flesh. The Benefit of a tender sanctified Heart is God's Gift Ezek. 36. 26 27. A new Heart also will I give you and a new Spirit will I put within you and I will take away the stony Heart out of your Flesh and I will give you an Heart of Flesh and I will cause you to walk in my Statutes Mark a new Heart that is another Heart a Heart to understand a Heart to love a Heart to do the Will of God he gives it He doth not only remove it or prepare it make way for it but I will give you a Heart of Flesh. 2. This is that I mean That after Conversion God still concurreth He doth not only give Grace but actual Help in the Work of Obedience He worketh all our Works in us Isa. 26. 12. His actual Help is necessary to direct quicken strengthen protect and defend us To direct us Psal. 73. 24. Thou shalt guide me by thy Counsel and bring me to thy Glory In our way to Heaven we need not only a Rule and Path but a Guide The Rule is the Law of God but the Guide is the Spirit of God To quicken and excite us by effectual Motions A Drousiness and a Deadness is apt to creep upon our Hearts and we see in the same Duty it is a hard matter to keep up the same Frame of Spirit the same Vigor of Affection Life and Warmth and therefore vve had need go to God often as David Psal. 119. 37. Quicken thou me in thy Way It is God vvhich doth renew the Vigor of the Life of Grace upon all occasions when it begins to languish and droop To corroborate and strengthen vvhat vve have received Ephes. 3. 16. the Apostle prays there that he would strengthen with might by his Spirit in the inner Man and 1 Pet. 5. 10. Make you perfect stablish strengthen settle you There are many Words heaped up there to shew how God is interested in maintaining and keeping afoot that which he hath planted in the Soul In protecting and defending them against the Incursions and Assaults of the Devil who always lieth in wait to surprize the Soul to withdraw us from God The Regenerate are not only escaped out of his Clutches but are advanced and appointed to be Satan's Judges which an envious and proud Spirit cannot endure therefore he maligns assaults and besiegeth them with Temptations daily Now it is God that defends Iohn 17. 11. Keep through thine own Name those whom thou hast given me By thy Name that is by thy Power 3. God must not only help us in the general and upon weighty occasions but in every Act from the beginning of the Spiritual Life to the end It is not enough to say that the first Principles and Motions are of God but the flowing forth of all Motions and Actions according to those Principles Phil. 2. 13. It is God that worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure God not only gives the Desire and Purpose but he gives Grace to do the Good which we will and purpose to do These two are distinct and we may have Assistance in one kind and not in another Willing and Doing I mean are different Paul saith Rom. 7. 18. To will is present with me but how to perform that which is good I find not To will is more than to think and to exert and put forth our Will into Action it is more than both and in all we need God's help We cannot think a good Thought nor conceive a holy Purpose much less perform a good Action without God so that every moment we need renewed Strength As long as the Work of Grace is powerful and renewed in us so long we are kept in a warm and healthful Frame but we grow vain loose earthly carnal again and off from God when this Heat and Warmth of Grace is withdrawn And therefore God still concurreth in the whole Business of our Obedience to him II. Having shewed what I mean and how far God is interested in this Work what need we have to desire we may do his Will let us prove it And because it is a weighty Point I shall prove it by parts 1. As to the first Grace that it is God alone which frames our Hearts to the Obedience of his Will 2. That vvhen vve are thus framed by Grace after Conversion it is God still concurs and must help us to do his Will First As to the first-Grace I shall prove that it is God alone by the Power of his own Spirit vvhich frames our Hearts to the Obedience of his Will This vvill appear by considering 1. What Man is by Nature 2. The Words by which our Cure is expressed and the Way God takes to put us into a Course of Obedience 3. What the Scripture speaks as to the utter Impotency of Man to the framing of his â—eart to the Obedience of God's Will First This will appear by those Motions or emphatical Terms by which the Scripture doth set forth Man's Condition before God works upon him He is one that is born in Sin Psal. 51. 5. Behold I was shapen in Iniquity and in Sin did my Mother conceive me and things natural are not easily altered And as he is born in Sin so he is greedy of Sin Iob 15. 16. He drinketh in Iniquity like Water it noteth a vehement Propension as greedy to Sin as a thirsty Man to Drink Thirst is the most implacable Appetite Hunger is far better born It is the constant frame of his Heart Gen. 6. 5. Every Imagination of the thoughts of his Heart is only evil continually O how many aggravating and increasing Circumstances are there named c. There is a Mint that is always at work the Mind is coining evil Thoughts and the Heart evil Desires and carnal Motions and the Memory is the Closet and Store-house where they are lodged and kept This is the case of Man
there 2. He seeth how you pray Rom. 8. 27. It is propounded as the Comfort of the Saints And he that searcheth the Heart knoweth what is the Mind of the Spirit God knoweth you throughly and can distinguish of your Prayers whether they be customary and formal or serious Acts of Love to God and Communion with him 2. The other thing which is propounded here is God's Reward And he will reward thee openly How doth God reward our Prayers Not for any Worth or Dignity which is in them What Merit can there be in begging what doth a Beggar deserve in asking Alms But it is out of his own Grace and Mercy having by Promise made himself as it were a Debtor to a poor faithful and believing Supplicant But He will reward thee openly how is that Either by a sensible Answer to thy Prayers as he doth often to his Children by granting what they pray for as when Daniel was praying in secret God sent an Angel to him Dan. 9. 20. Or by an evident Blessing upon their Prayers in this World for the conscionable Performance of this Duty Abraham Isaac and Iacob that were Men of much Communion with God were eminently and sensibly blessed they were rewarded openly for their secret Converse with him Or it may be by giving them Respect externally in the Eyes of others A praying People dart Conviction into the Consciences of Men. It is notable that Pharaoh in his Distress sent for Moses and Aaron and not for the Magicians The Consciences of wicked Men are open at such a time and they know God's Children have special Favour and great Audience with him and he having the Hearts of all Men in his hands can manage and dispose Respect according as he pleaseth And when they are in Distress this Honour God hath put upon you they shall send for you to pray with them and those which honour him tho but in secret God will openly put Honour upon them 1 Sam. 2. 30. But chiefly this is meant at the Day of Iudgment then those which pray in secret their heavenly Father will reward them openly When thou relievest the Poor and shewest Comfort to the Needy they cannot recompence thee but then thou shalt be recompensed at the Resurrection of the Just Luke 14. 14. There 's the great and most publick Reward of Christians 1 Cor. 4. 5. Then he will bring to Light the hidden Things of Darkness and will make manifest the Counsels of the Heart and then shall every Man have Praise with God That is every Man that is praise-worthy however he be mistaken and judged of the World for the Apostle speaks it to comfort them against the Censures of Men. And mark this is opposed to the reward which the Pharisees pleased themselves with It was much with them to be well thought of in such a Synagogue or before such a Company of Men but your Father which seeth in secret will reward you openly that is not only in the Eyes of such a City or Town but before all the World The Point is this Doct. That private solitary and Closet-Prayer is a Duty very necessary and profitable It is a necessary Duty for Christ supposeth it of his Disciples to whom he speaks But thou when thou prayest c. And it is profitable for unto it God makes Promises you have a Father which seeth in secret and one day shall be owned before all the World First It 's a Duty Necessary and that will appear 1. From God's Precept That Precept which requireth Prayer requireth secret and Closet-Prayer For God's Command to pray first falls upon single Persons before it falls upon Families and Churches which are made up of single Persons therefore where God hath bidden thee to pray you must take that Precept as belonging to you in particular I shall give some of the Precepts Col. 4. 2. Continue in Prayer and watch in the same with Thanksgiving And 1 Thes. 5. 17. Pray without ceasing These are principally meant of our personal Addresses to God every Man for himself for in joyning with others the Work is rather imposed upon us than taken up upon choice and that can only be at stated Times when they can conveniently meet together but we our selves are called upon to continue to pray and that without ceasing that is to be often with God and to keep up not only a praying Frame but a constant Correspondence with him Surely every Man which acknowledgeth a God a Providence and that depends upon him for Blessings much more every one that pretends he hath a Father in Heaven in whose Hands are the Guidance of all the things of the World is bound to pray personally and alone by himself to converse with God 2. I shall argue it from the Example of Christ which bindeth us and hath the force of a Law in things moral as Christ's Word is our Rule so his Practice is our Copy This is true Religion to imitate him whom we worship In this you must do as Christ did Now we often read that Christ pray'd alone he went aside to pray to God therefore if we be Christians so it should be with us Mark 1. 35. And in the Morning rising up a great while before Day he went out and departed into a solitary Place and there prayed He left the Company of his Disciples with whom he often joyned that he might be alone with God betimes in the Morning And again you have it Mat. 14. 23. And when he had sent the Multitude away he went up into a Mountain apart to pray and when the Evening was come he was there alone And Luk. 6. 12. It is said He went out into a Mountain to pray and continued all Night in Prayer to God You see Christ takes all Occasions in retiring and going apart to God Now the Pattern of Christ is both engaging and encouraging It is very engaging Shall we think our selves not to need that Help which Christ would submit unto There are many proud Persons which think themselves above Prayer Christ had no need to pray as we have he had the Fulness of the God-head dwelling in him bodily yet he was not above Prayer And if he had need of Prayer he had no need of Retirement to go and pray alone his Affections always served and he was not pestered with any Distraction and all Places and Companies were alike to him and yet he would depart into a solitary Place that he might be private with God Then the Pattern of Christ is very encouraging For whatever Christ did he sanctified in that respect his Steps in every Duty leave a Blessing Look as Christ sanctified Baptism by being baptized himself and made the Water of Baptism to be saving and comfortable for us and the Lord's-Supper by being a Guest himself and eating himself at his own Table So he sanctified private Prayer when he prayed a Virtue went out from him he left a Strength to enable us to pray
And it is encouraging in this respect because he hath experimented this Duty he knows how soon human Strength is spent and put to it for he himself hath been wrestling with God in Prayer with all his Might His submitting to these Duties gave him Sympathy he knows the Heart of a praying Man when wrestling with God with all Earnestness therefore he helpeth us in these Agonies of Spirit Again his praying is an Encouragement against our Imperfections Christians when we are alone with God and our Hearts are heavy as a Log and Stone what a Comfort is it to think Christ himself prayed and that earnestly and was once alone wrestling with God in human Nature Matth. 14. 23. and when the Enemy came to attach him he was alone striving with God in Prayer he takes all occasions for Intercourse with God and if you have the Spirit you will do likewise 3. I might argue from God's end in pouring out the Holy-Ghost wherefore hath God poured out his Spirit Zech. 12. 11 12 13 14. I will pour out the Spirit of Grace and of Supplication c. He poureth out the Spirit that it may break out by this Vent the Spirit of Grace will presently run into Supplication the whole House of Israel shall mourn there 's the Church they have the Benefit of the pouring out of the Spirit and every Houshold hath benefit that he and his Family may mourn apart and every Person apart that we may go and mourn over our Case and Distempers before God and pour out our Hearts in a holy and affectionate manner This Argument I would have you to note that this was God's end in pouring out his Spirit for a double reason both to take off Excuses and to quicken Diligence Partly to take off Excuses because many say they have no Gifts no Readiness and Savouriness of Speech and how can they go alone and pray to God Certainly Men which have Necessities and a sense of them can speak of them in one Fashion or other to God but the Spirit is given to help Such is God's Condescention to the Saints that he hath not only provided an Advocate to present our Petitions in Court but a Notary to draw them up not only appointed Christ for help against our Guilt and unworthiness but likewise the Spirit to help us in Prayer When we are apt to excuse our selves by our Weakness and Insuffâ—ciency he hath poured out the Holy-Ghost that we may pray apart Partly to this end the more to awaken our Diligence That God's precious Gift be not bestowed upon us in vain to lie idle and unimployed he hath poured out the Spirit and therefore we should make use of it not only that we may attend to the Prayers of others and joyn with them but that we may make use of our own share of Gifts and Graces and open and unfold our own Case to God 4. That it is a necessary Duty I plead it from the Practice of the Saints who are a praying People O how often do we read in Scripture that they are alone with God pouring out their Souls in Complaints to him nothing so natural to them as Prayer they are called a Generation of them that seek God Psal. 24. 6. As light Bodies are moving upward so the Saints are looking upward to God and praying alone to him Daniel was three times a day with God and would not omit his hours of Prayer though his Life was in danger Dan. 6. 10. And David seven times a day do I praise thee Psal. 119. 164. And Cornelius 't is said that he prayed to God always Acts 10. 2. not only with his Family but alone in holy Soliloquies He was so frequent and diligent that he had gotten a Habit of Prayer he prayed always Well then if this be the Temper of God's People then to be altogether like them when we have no delight in these private Converses with God or neglect them it gives just cause of Suspition 5. Our private Necessities shew that is a necessary Duty which cannot be so feelingly spoken to and exprest by others as by our selves and it may be are not so fit to be divulged and communicated to others we cannot so well lay forth our Hearts with such largeness and Comfort in our own Concernments before others There 's the Plague of our own Hearts which every one must mourn over 1 Kings 8. 38. As we say no Nurse like the Mother so none so fit humbly with a broken Heart to set forth our own Wants before the Lord. There is some Thorn in the Flesh that we have cause to pray against again and again For this I sought the Lord thrice saith St. Paul 2 Cor. 12. 7 8. We should put Promises in suit and lay open our own Case before the Compassions of God It is a Help sometimes to joyn with others but at other times it would be a Hinderance we have peculiar Necessities of our own to commend to God therefore must be alone Secondly This Closet and Solitary Prayer as it is a necessary Duty so it is a profitable one 1. It conduceth much to Iâ—largement of Heart The more earnest Men are the more they desire to be alone free from Trouble and Distraction When a Man weeps and is in a mournful Posture he seeks Secreâ—y that he may indulge his Grief They were to mourn apart Zech. 12. and Ier. 13. 17. My Soul shall weep sore for your Pride in secret Places So here when a Man would deal most earnestly with God he should seek Retirement and be alone Christ in his Agonies went apart from his Disciples When he would pray more earnestly it is said He was withdrawn from them about a Stones cast Luke 22. 41 44. it is said He went apart Strong Affections are loth to be disturbed and diverted therefore seek Retirement And it is notable Iacob when he would wrestle with God it is said Gen. 32. 24. And Jacob was left alone and there wrestled a Man with him until the breaking of the Day When he had a mind to deal with God in good earnest he sent away all his Company A Hypocrite he finds a greater flash of Gifts in his publick Duties when he prays with others and is the Mouth of others but is slight and superficial when alone with God if he feels any thing a little overly matter serves the turn But usually God's Children most affectionately pour out their Hearts before him in private where they do more particularly express their own Necessities there they find their Affections free to wrestle with God In publick we take in the Necessities of others but in private our own 2. As it makes way for Enlargement of Heart on our part so for secret Manifestations of Love on God's part Bernard hath a Saying The Churches Spouse is bashfull and will not be familiar and communicate his Loves before Company but alone The sweetest Experiences which God's Saints receive many times are
Instrument out of Tune but it s being neglected and not looked after Certainly by Experience we find none so tender so holy so humble and heavenly as they which are often with God This makes the Heart tender which otherwise would grow hard dead and stupid 2. It is not only an Omission in general but an Omission of Prayer which is first a Duty very natural to the Saints Prayer is a Duty very natural and kindly to the new Creature As soon as Paul was converted the first News we hear of him Acts 9. 11. Behold he prayeth As soon as we are new-born there will be a crying out for Relief in Prayer It is the Character of the Saints This is the Generation of them that seek thee Psal. 24. 6. a People much in calling upon God And the Prophet describes them by the Work of Prayer Zeph. 3. 10. My Supplicants And Zech. 12. 10. I will pour upon them the Spirit of Grace and Supplication Where ever there is a Spirit of Grace it presently runneth out into Prayer Look as a Preacher is so called from the frequency of his Work so a Christian is one that calleth upon God Every one that calleth on the Name of the Lord shall be saved Rom. 10. 13. In vain he is called a Preacher that never preacheth so he is in vain called a Christian that never prayeth As Things of an airy Nature move upward so the Saints are carried up to God by a kind of Naturality when they are gracious God hath no Tongue-ty'd or dumb Children they are all crying Abba Father Then it is an Omission of a Duty which is of great Importance as to our Communion with God which lieth in two Things Fruition and Familiarity in the Enjoyment of God and in being familiar and often with him Fruition we have by Faith and Familiarity is carried on by Prayer There are two Duties which are never out of season Hearing and Prayer both which are a holy Dialogue betwixt God and the Soul until we come to Vision the Sight of him in Heaven Our Communion with God here is carried on by these two Duties We speak to God in Prayer God answereth us in the Word God speaks to us in the Word and we return and eccho back again to him in Prayer Therefore the New Creature delighteth much in these two Duties Look as we should be swift to hear James 1. 19. until we come to seeing we should take all Occasions and be often in hearing So in Prayer we speak to God and therefore should be redeeming Time for this Work In the Word God comes down to us and in Prayer we get up to God therefore if you would be familiar and often with God you must be much in Prayer This is of great Importance You know the very Notion of Prayer it is a visiting of God Isa. 26. 16. O Lord in Trouble have they visited thee they poured out a Prayer when thy Chastening was upon them Praying to God and visiting of God are equivalent Expressions Now it argueth very little Friendship to God when we will not so much as come at him Can there be any Familiarity where there is so much Distance and Strangeness as never to give God a Visit 3. It is the Omission of personal and secret Prayer which in some respects should be more priz'd than other Prayer Partly because here our Converse with God is more express as to our own Case When we join with others God may do it for their sakes but here Psal. 116. 1. I love the Lord because he hath heard my Voice and my Supplication When we deal with him alone we put the Promises in Suit and may know more it is we that have been heard We put God more to the Trial we see what he will do for us and upon our asking and striving Partly here we are more put to the Trial what Love we will express to our Father in secret when we have no outward Reasons no Inducements from Respects of Men to move us In publick Duties which are liable and open to the Observance of others Hypocrites may put forth themselves with great vigor quickness and warmth whereas in private Addresses to God they are slight and careless A Christian is best tried and exercised in private in those secret Intercourses between God and his own Soul there he finds most Communion with God and most Enlargement of Heart A Man cannot so well judg of his Spirit and discern the Workings of it in publick because other Mens Concernments and Necessities mingled with ours are taken in and because he is more liable to the Notice of others But when he is with God alone he hath only Reasons of Conscience and Duty to move him When none but God is conscious and our own Hearts then we shall see what we do for the Approbation of God and Acceptance with him And partly in some respects this is to be more prized because Privacy and Retiredness is necessary and is a great Advantage that Mens Spirits may be setled and composed for the Duty Sinful Distractions will croud in upon us when in Company and we are thinking of this and that How often do we mingle Sulphur with our Incense carnal Thoughts in our Worship How apt are we to do so in publick Duties But in private we are wholly at leasure to deal with God in a Child-like Liberty Now will you omit this Duty where you may be most free without distraction to let out the Heart to God And partly because a Man will not be fit to pray in publick and in Company which doth not often pray in secret he will lose his Savour and Delight in this Exercise and soon grow dry barren sapless and careless of God Look as in the Prophet Ezekiel you read there that the Glory of the Lord removed from the Temple by degrees it first removed from the Holy Place then to the Altar of Burnt-Offerings then to the Threshold of the House then to the City then to the Mount which was on the East Side of the City there the Glory of the Lord stood hovering a while as loth to be gone to see if the People would get it back again This seems to be some Emblem and Representation of God's dealing with particular Men First God is cast out of the Closet private Intercourses between God and them are neglected and then he is cast out of the Family and within a little while out of the Congregation publick Ordinances begin to be slighted and to be looked upon as useless things and then Men are given up to all Prophaneness and Loosness and lose all So that Religion as it were dieth by degrees and a carnal Christian loseth more and more of the Presence of God And therefore if we would be able to pray in Company we must often pray in secret 4. Consider the Mischief which followeth Neglect of private Converse with God Omissions make way for Commissions If
of Hagar and Religion be crouded out of Doors Faelix illa domus ubi Martha queritur de Maria That 's a happy House where Martha complains of Mary Martha which was cumbred with much Service complained of Mary that she was at the feet of Jesus Christ hearkning to his gracious Counsel but in most Houses Mary may complain of Martha Religion is neglected and goes to the Walls 2. Some want a Place He that doth not want a Heart will find a Place Christ went into a Mountain to pray and Peter to the top of the House 3. Many say they want Parts they cannot tell how to pray Wherefore hath God given his Spirit In one fashion or other a Man can open his Case to God he can go and breath out his Complaints the Lord will hear Breathings Go chatter out thy Requests to thy Father tho you can but chatter like a Crane yet do it with fervency and with a Spirit of Adoption We have not only Christ given us for an Advocate but the Holy-Ghost to help our Infirmities He hath given us the Spirit of his Son whereby we may cry Abba Father Gal. 4. 6. A Child can acquaint a Father with his Wants VSE 2. To exhort God's Children to Frequency in this Duty and to much Watchfulness and Seriousness in the performance of it First To Frequency For Arguments again to press you 1. It argueth more Familiarity to pray to God alone than in Company He that goeth to a Prince alone and upon all Occasions hath access to him in private when Company is gone hath nearer Friendship and a greater Intimacy with him than those which are only admitted to a Speech with him in the Company of others So the oftner you are with God alone the more familiar He loves to treat with you apart as Friends are most free and open to one another when they are alone 2. Then you will have a more sensible Answer of your own Prayers you will see what God hath done upon your Requests Dan. 9. 21 22. Daniel was praying for the Church and an Angel comes and tells him It is for thy Prayers and Supplications that I am come Therefore surely a Man would take some time to go and plead the Promises with God But further by way of Means 1. Consider the Omnipresence of God which is the Argument in the Text He is in secret and seeth in secret If Men were convinced of that they would make Conscience of secret Prayer Look as Jesus Christ says of himself Iohn 16. 32. You leave me alone and yet I am not alone for the Father is with me So when you are alone you are not alone there is a Father in secret tho no-Body to see and hear yet God is there We are apt to think all is lost which Men are not conscious to and done in their â—â—ght Acts 10. 4. Thy Prayers and thine Alms are come up for a Memorial before God God keeps a Memorial of your private Prayers there is a Register kept in Heaven and never a Prayer lost 2. Consider the Excellency of Communion with God Ier. 2. 32. Can a Maid forget her Ornaments and a Bride her Attire Women are very curious and careful of their Ornaments and will not forget their Dressing-Attire especially a Bride upon the Wedding-Day she that is to be set forth in most costly Array she makes it her Business to put on Jewels to be seen in all her Glory God is as necessary to us as Ornaments to a Bride We should be as mindful of Communion with God as a Bride of her dressing Ornaments Yeâ— they have forgotten me days without number What ever is forgotten God must not be forgotten 3. Make God a good Allowance resolve to be much in the practice of it It is best to have set Times for our Religious Worship For Persons which are sui juris at their own dispose it is lawful and very convenient to dedicate a certain part and portion of our Time to the Lord of Time Lazy idle Servants must be tasked and required to bring in their Tale of Brick So it is good to task the Heart to make God a fair and reasonable and convenient Allotment of some part of our Time David had his fixed Hours Three times a day will I call upon thee And Daniel had his set Times he pray'd three times a day Tho we cannot charge you to observe these Hours yet you should make a prudent Choice your selves and consecrate such a part of Time as will suit with your Occasions your Course of Life according to your Abilities and Opportunities It is an Expression of Love to God to give him somewhat that is your own and it will be of exceeding Profit to you and make your Communion with him more seasonable and orderly This will make you careful and watchful how you spend your other Hours that you may not be unfit when Times of Prayer come 1 Pet. 3. 7. Husbands dwell with your Wives according to knowledg that your Prayers be not hindred But do not propose a Task too great for your Strength and perplex your selves with such an unreasonable Allowance as will not suit with your Occasions Men create a Trouble to themselves and bind themselves with Chains of their own making when they propose more Duty than they can well discharge The second Part of the VSE Do it seriously with Caution and warily Here Christ gives direction When thou prayest enter into thy Closet and shut thy Door and then think of thy Father which is in secret We need a great deal of Caution for 1. When you shut the Door upon all others you cannot shut the Devil out of your Closets he will croud in When you have bolted the Door upon you and shut other Company out you do not lock out Satan he is always at hand ready to disturb us in holy Duties where-ever the Children of God are he seeks to come at them When the Sons of God met together Satan was in the midst of them Iob 1. He meets in Congregations he gets into the Closet When Ioshua the High-Priest was ministring before the Lord Satan stood at his right-hand ready to resist him Zech. 3. 1. 2. There needs Caution because in private Duties there may be many Failings and Evils which we are apt to be tainted with in our private Addresses to God 1. There may be danger of Ostentation therefore Christ gives direction here that it should be managed with the greatest Secrecy both as for Place Time and Voice Let none but God be conscious to our drawing aside that we may be alone Withdraw your selves out of the sight and hearing of others lest Pride and Ostentation creep upon you The Devil will seek to blast this serious Acknowledgment to God one way or other 2. There may be Customariness for fashion sake It is said of Christ That he went into the Synagogue on the Sabbath-Day as his Custom was We may use accustomed Duties
5. 2. Be not rash with thy Mouth and let not thine Heart be hasty to utter any thing before God for God is in Heaven and thou upon Earth therefore let thy Words be few Remember you have to do with a great God and do not babble things over impertinently in his Ears It is a Truth evident by the Light of Nature Paucis verbis rem divinam facito Platinus If you be to worship God a needless Prolixity doth not become Addresses to him But because this Text may be abused I shall endeavour to clear it a little further There are two Extremes the slight and careless Spirit and Babling 1. There is the slight and careless Spirit who doth the Work of an Age in a Breath and is all for Starts and sudden Pangs which pass away like a Flash of Lightning in a dark Room whose good Thoughts are gone as soon as they rush into the Heart A poor barren and slight Spirit which is not under the Influence and Power of that Celestial Love which keeps the Soul in converse with God cannot endure to be any while with God Alas we need Stroke upon Stroke to fasten any thing upon the Heart We are like green Wood that will not presently take Fire until it lie long there and be throughly and well warmed so until we have gone far in the Duty we can hardly get any warmth of Heart They which are short in Prayer had need of much habitual preparation of Heart The Babler is another Extreme who thinks the Commendation of a Duty is to be long in it and affects to say much rather than well whereas serious and short Speech makes the best Prayer Prov. 10. 19. In the multitude of Words there wanteth not Sin Either to God or Men 't is true but especially when affected So they do but beat the Air rather than pray to God These then are the two Extremes Shortness out of Barrenness or Slightness or Length out of Affectation â—â—d we must carefully avoid these Christ would 〈◊〉 justify that Shortness which comes from Slightness and Barrenness of Heart nor on the other side indulge the Affectation of Length in Prayer Therefore let us a little see I. What is the Sin II. Give you the Force of our Lord's Reasons here urged or how conclusive our Saviour's Arguments are against this Practice What is the Sin That 's necessary to be known for all Repetitions are not vain nor is all Length in Prayer to be accounted Babling First For Repetitions 1. When they express Fervency and Zeal they may be used And so we read Christ prayed over the same Prayer thrice Mat 26. 44. O my Father if it be possible let this Cup pass from me And another Evangelist sheweth that he did this out of special Fervency of Spirit Luk. 22. 44. Being in an Agony he prayed more earnestly And so we read of the Prophet Daniel chap. 9. 17 18 19. O our God hear the Prayer of thy Servant O my God incline thine Ear and hear O Lord hear O Lord forgive O Lord hearken and do defer not for thine own sake O my God All this was out of vehemency he goes over again and again the same Request When we use many Words of the same kind and signification and it be out of vehemency and fervency of Spirit it is not forbidden 2. This Repetition is not to be disproved when there is a special Emphasis and spiritual Elegancy in it as Psal. 136. you have it twenty six times repeated For his Mercy endureth for ever because there was a speciâ—â—â—eason in it his purpose there being to sheâ—â—â— Unweariedness and the unexhausted Riches of God's free Grace that notwithstanding all the former Experiences they had had God is where he was at first We waste by giving our Drop is soon spent but God is not wasted by bestowing but hath the same Mercy to do good to his Creatures as before Tho he had done all those Wonders for them yet his Mercy was as ready to do good to them still All along God saved and blessed his People For his Mercy endureth for ever But as there are Repetitions which have their Use so there are useless Tautologies and vain Repetitions And such they are when they neither come from the Heart nor go to the Heart when they come not from the abundance of the Heart but rather the emptiness of the Heart because we know not how to inlarge our selves to God therefore fall upon idle and useless Repetitions of the same Words and Requests As a Man that hath small Skill in Musick doth only play over the same Note so when Men have not a full spiritual Abundance they waste themselves in Prayer in these idle Repetitions And then they go not to the Heart they do not conduce to warm the Affections A vain clamorous ingeminating the same thing without Faith and without Wisdom meerly to fill up the Tale of Words or to wear out a little time in a religious Exercise that 's it which is here condemned under the notion of vain Repetitions Secondly For the other word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or much speaking Every long Prayer is not forbidden for our Lord Jesus himself centinued all Night in Prayer Luke 6. 12. And in extraordinary Duties of fasting Length seems to be very necessary Esther 4. 16. They fasted and prayed together for three days and nights without eating any Bread And Solomon pray'd long at the Dedication of the Temple But that which is forbidden is when Men speak Words without need and without Affection a needless lengthening out of Prayer and that upon a Conceit that it is more acceptable to God 1. In the General Prayer should be short as all Examples of Scripture teach us and the Lord's Prayer you see how concise and short it is for presently upon this our Lord teacheth his Disciples to pray For Prayer is a spending rather then a feeding Duty Those which affect long speaking many times run into this they make it a feeding Duty for they mingle Exhortations with Prayer which is a great Abuse A Man can bear up under the hearing of the Word for an Hour or two better than half an Hour in Prayer with that necessary Vigor of Spirit which God hath required Therefore the general Rule is Let your Words be concise but full of Affection Look as in vast and great Bodies the Spirits are more diffused and scattered and therefore they are more unactive than those which are of a smaller Compass so in a long Prayer there may be more of Words but less of Life 2. The Affectation of Prolixity is naught usually it comes from some evil Ground either from Pride and Ostentation of Gifts Thus we read the Pharisees were taxed for making long Prayers Mat. 23. 14. that under the colour of them they might devour Widow's Houses that is be credited and trusted with the Management of their Estates Or else it may come from Superstition such
that we may know God doth all that he governeth all humane Affairs that we may live upon his Allowance and take our daily Bread from his hands and that we may see we hold all these Things from our great Landlord therefore we pray unto him We are Robbers and Thieves if we use the Creature without his Leave God is the great Owner of the World who gives us our daily Bread and all our Supplies therefore he will have it asked that we may acknowledg our dependance 2. It is most for our Profit Partly that our Faith should be exercised in pleading God's Promise for there we put the Promise in Suit Faith is begotten in the Word but it is exercised in Prayer therefore it is called the Prayer of Faith In the Word we take Christ from God in Prayer we present Christ to God That Prayer which is effectual it is an Exercise of Faith Rom. 10. 14. How shall they call on him in whom they have not believed And as it concerns our Faith so also our Love which is both acted and increased in Prayer It is acted for it is Delight in God which makes us so often converse with him Thus the Hypocrite Iob 27. 10. Will he always call upon the Lord Will he delight himself in the Almighty They that love God cannot be long from him they that delight in God will be often unbosoming themselves to him It doth also increase our Love for by Answers of Prayer we have new Fuel to keep in this holy Fire in our Bosoms We pray and then he gives direct Answers Psal. 116. 1. I love the Lord because he hath heard my Voice and my Supplication So our Hope is exercised in waiting for the Blessing pray'd for Psal. 5. 3. O Lord in the Morning will I direct my Prayer unto thee and will look up That looking up is the Work of Hope when we are looking and waiting to see what comes in from pleading Promises It is much too for our Peace of Conscience for it easeth us of our Burthens It is the Vent of the Soul like the opening of a Vein in a Fever When our Hearts swell with Cares and we have a Burthen upon us and know not what to do we may ease our selves with God Phil. 4. 6. Be careful for nothing but in every Thing by Prayer and Supplication with Thanksgiving let your Requests be made known to God And the Peace of God shall keep your Hearts O blessed Frame that can be troubled at nothing here in this World where there are so many Businesses Encounters Temptations What 's the way to get this Calmness of Heart Be much in opening your Hearts to God let your Requests be made known to God Look as in an Earthquake when the Wind is imprisoned in the Bowels of the Earth the Earth heaves and shakes and quakes until there be a Vent and the Wind be got out then all is quiet So we have many Tossings and Turmoilings in our Minds till we open and unbosom our selves to God and then all is quiet Also it prepareth us for the Improvement of Mercies when we have them out of the hands of God by Prayer For this Child I prayed said Hannah and I will lend him unto the Lord. 1 Sam. 1. 27 28. Those Mercies we expresly pray'd for we are more throughly obliged to improve for God What is won with Prayer is worn with Thankfulness APPLICATION VSE 1. To caution us against many Abuses in Prayer which may be disproved and taxed either formally or by just Consequence I shall instance in five 1. An idle and foolish Loquacity when Men take a liberty to prattle any thing in God's hearing and do not consider the Weight and Importance of Prayer and what a Sin it is to be hasty to utter any thing before God Eccles. 5. 2. It is a great Irreverence and Contempt of the Majesty of God when Men go hand over head about this Work and speak any thing that comes into their mind As Men take themselves to be despised when others speak unseemly in their presence Surely it is a lessening and a despising of God when we pour out raw tumultuous undigested Thoughts and never think of what we are to speak when we come to God Psal. 45. 1. My Heart is inditing a good Matter The Word signifieth it boils or fryes a good Matter It is an Allusion to the Mincah or Meat-Offering which was to be boil'd or fry'd in a Pan before it was to be presented to the Lord that they might not bring a Dough-bak'd Sacrifice and Offering to the Lord. Such ignorant dull sensless Praying it is a blaspheming of God and a lessening of the Majesty of God 2. A frothy Eloquence and an affected Language in Prayer this directly comes under Reproof As if the Prayer were more grateful to God and he were moved by Words and Strains of Rhetorick and did accept Men for their Parts rather than Graces Fine Phrases and quaint Speeches alas they do not carry it with the Lord They are but an empty Babble in his Ears rather than an humble Exercise of Faith Hope Love and Child-like Affections and holy Desires after God If we would speak with God we must speak with our Hearts to him rather than with our Words This is a Sin of Curiosity as the other was of Neglect 'T is not Words but the Spirit and Life which God looks after Prayer it is not a Work of Oratory the Product of Memory Invention and Parts but a filial Affection that we may come to him as to a Father with a Child-like Confidence Therefore too much Care of verbal Eloquence in Prayer and tunable Expressions is a Sin of the same nature with Babling Tho Men should have the Wit to avoid impertinent Expressions and Repetitions yet when Prayer smells so much of the Man rather than of the Spirit of God alas 't is but like the unsavoury Belches of a rotten Breath in the Nostrils of God We should attend to Matter to the Things we have to communicate to God to our Necessities rather than to Words 3. Heartless speaking filling up the Time with Words when the Tongue out-runs the Heart when Men pour their Breath into the Air but their Hearts are dead and sleepy or their Hearts keep not time and pace with their Expressions We oftner pray with our Tongues than with our Minds and from our Memories than our Consciences and from our Consciences than our Affections and from our Affections as presently stirred than from our Hearts renewed bended and inclined towards God Be the Prayer long or short the Heart must keep pace with our Tongues As the Poet said Disticha longa facit his Disticks were tedious so it is tedious and irksom to God unless we make Supplication in the Spirit Eph. 6. 18. Remember God will not be mocked 4. When Men rest in outward Vehemency and loud Speech Saith Tertullian Quibus Arteriis opus est si pro streno
audiamus What Lungs and Sides must we have if we be heard to speak to Heaven by the Noise and Sound In some there is a natural vehemency and fierceness of Speech which is rather stirr'd up by the heat and agitation of the bodily Spirits than any vehemency of Affection There is a Contention of Speech which is very natural to some and differeth much from that holy Fervor the Life and Power of Prayer which is accompanied with Reverence and Child-like Dependance upon God It is not the loud Noise of Words which is best heard in Heaven but the fervent affectionate Cries of the Saints are those of the Heart rather than of the Tongue Exod. 14. 17. it is said Moses cried to the Lord We do not read of the Words he uttered his Cry was with the Heart There is a crying with the Soul and with the Heart to God Psal. 10. 17. Lord thou hast heard the Desire of the Humble It is the Desires God hears Psal. 39. 9. Lord all my Desire is before thee and my Groaning iâ— not hid from thee The Lord needs not the Tongue to be an Interpreter between him and the Hearts of his Children He that hears without Ears can interpret Prayers tho not uttered by the Tongue Our Desires are Cries in the Ears of the Lord of Hosts the vehemency of the Affections may sometimes cause the extention of the Voice but Alas without this it is but a tinkling Cymbal 5. Popish Repetition and loose shreds of Prayer often repeated as they have in their Liturgy over and over again their Gloria Patri so often repeated their Lord have Mercy and in their Prayer made to Jesus Sweet Iesus Blessed Iesus and going over the Ave Maria and this to be tumbled over upon their Beads and continuing Prayer by tale and by number Surely these are but vain Repetitions and this is that much-speaking which our Lord aims at Thus I have dispatched the abuses of Prayer Vse 2. To give you direction in Prayer how to carry your selves in this holy Duty towards God in a comely manner I shall give you Directions 1. About our Words In Prayer 2. About our Thoughts 3. About our Affections First about our Words there is a use of them in Prayer to excite and convey and give vent to Affection Hos. 14. 2. Take with you Words and turn to the Lord and say Take away all Iniquity and receive us graciously Surely the Prophet doth not only prescribe that they should take Affections but take with them Words Words have an Interest in Prayer Now these may be considered either when we are alone or in Company 1. When we are alone Here take the advice of the Holy-Ghost Eccl. 5. 2. God is in Heaven and thou art upon Earth therefore let thy Words be few How few Few in Weight Conscience Reverence Few in Weight affecting rather to speak Matter than Words concisely and feelingly rather than with curiousness to express what you have to say to God Few in Conscience Superstition is a Bastard-Religion and is tyrannous and puts Men upon tedious Services and sometimes beyond their Strength therefore pray neither too short nor too long do it not meerly to lengthen out the Prayer or as counting it the better for being long the shortness and the length must be measured by the fervency of our Hearts our many necessities and as it tendeth to the inflaming our Zeal as it can get up the Heart let it still be subservient to that Few with Reverence and managed with that Gravity Awfulness and Seriousness as would become an Address to God As Abraham Gen. 18. 31. had been reasoning with God before therefore he saith Let not God be angry if I speak to him this once when he renewed the Suit Thus alone 2. In Company there our Words must be apt and orderly moving as much as may be not to God but to the Hearers managed with such Reverence and Seriousness as may suit with the Gravity of the Duty and not encrease but cure the Dulness of those with whom we join And what if we did in publick Duties choose out Words to reason with God as Iob saith Chap. 9. 14. Choose out my Words to reason with him If we did use Preparation and think a little before hand that we may go about the Duty with serious Advice and not with indigested Thoughts But this hath the smallest Interest in Prayer Secondly Our Thoughts That we may conceive aright of God in Prayer which is one of the greatest difficulties in the Duty 1. Of his Nature and Being 2. Of his Relation to us 3. Of his Attributes First Of the Nature and Being of God Every one that would come to God must fix this in his Mind That God is and that God is a Spirit And accordingly he must be worshipped as will suit with these two Notions Heb. 11. 6. He that cometh to God must believe that God is and then that God is a Spirit for it is said Ioh. 4. 24. God is a Spirit and they that worship him must worship him in Spirit and Truth O then when ever you come to pray to God fix these two Thoughts let them be strong in your Heart God is I do not speak to an Idol but to the living God And God is a Spirit and therefore not so much pleased with plausibleness of Speech or tuneable cadency of Words as with a right Temper of Heart Alas when we come to pray we little think God is or what God is much of our Religion is performed to an unknown God and like the Samaritans We worship we know not what It is not Speculations about the Divine Nature or high strain'd Conceptions which doth fit us for Prayer the discoursing of these things with some Singularity or Terms removed from common Understanding this is not that which I press you to but such a sight of God as prompteth us to a reverent and serious worshipping of him Then we have right Notions of God in Prayer when we are affected as Moses was when God shew'd him his Back-parts and proclaimed his Name Exod. 34. He made haste bowed his Head and worshipped when our Worship suiteth with the Nature of God 't is Spiritual and Holy not Pompous and Theatrical Well then these two things must be deeply imprinted in our Minds that God is and that He is a Spirit And then is our Worship right For Instance 1. For the first Notion God's Being Then is our Worship right when it doth proclaim to all that shall observe us or we that observe our selves there is a great an infinite eternal Power which sits at the upper end of Causes and governeth all according to his own Pleasure Alas the Worship of many is flat Atheism they say in their Hearts either there is no God or believe there is no God Therefore do you worship him as becomes such a glorious Being Is his Mercy seen in your Faith and Confidence His Majesty in your
Humility and Reverence His Goodness in your Soul 's rejoycing His Greatness and Iustice in your trembling before his Throne The Worship must be like the Worshipped it must have his Stamp upon it 2. For the other Notion God is a Spirit therefore the Soul must be the chief Agent in the Business not the Body or any Member of the Body Spirits they converse with Spirits The Body is but employed by the Soul and must not guide and lead it but be led by it Therefore see whether there be the Spirit otherwise that which is most Essential to the Worip is wanting To have nothing employed but the Tongue and the Heart about other Business is not to carry your selves as to a God and a God that is a Spirit Recollect your selves where 's my Soul in this Worship And how is it affected towards God Secondly As there must be Thoughts to direct us in his Being and Nature so also in his Relation as a Father As one that is inclinable to pardon pity and help you We have the Spirit of Adoption given us for this very end and purpose that we may cry Abba Father and Gal. 4. 16. Because you are Sons therefore he hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your Hearts crying Abba Father And Rom. 8. 15. We have received the Spirit of Adoption crying Abba Father that we may come to God in a Child-like manner dealing with him as with a Father acquainting him with our Wants Necessities Burdens with a hope of Relief and Supply Object Ay saith a distressed Soul if my Heart be thus carried up to God if I could discern such a Spirit of Adoption prompting me to go to God as a Father then it would be better with me To this I answer 1. Many times there is a Child-like Inclination where there is not a Child-like Familiarity and Boldness What 's that Child-like Inclination The Soul cannot keep away from God and that 's an implicite owning him as a Father Jer. 3. 19. Thou shalt call me My Father and shalt not turn away from me It is a Child-like act to look to him for all our Supplies and to recommend our Suit As when a Child wants any thing he goes to his Father 2. There 's a Child-like Reverence many times when there is not a Child-like Confidence the Soul hath an awe of God when it cannot explicitely own him as our God and Father yet it owns him in the humbling way Luk. 15. 18. I have sinned against Heaven and before thee and am not worthy to be called thy Son Tho we cannot confidently approach to God as our reconciled Father yet we come with Humility and Reverence Lord I would fain be but I deserve not to be called thy Child 3. There 's a Child-like dependance upon God's General Offer tho we have not an Evidence of the Sincerity of our particular Claim God offereth to be a Father in Christ to all penitent Believers Now when a broken-hearted Creature comes to God and looks for Mercy upon the account of the Covenant tho he cannot see his own Interest for then we come to God tho not as our Father yet as the God and Father of our Lord Iesus Christ and that 's a Relief in Prayer as Eph. 1. 3. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Iesus Christ. And vers 17. The God of our Lord Iesus Christ the Father of Glory And Eph. 3. 14. I bow my Knees unto the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ. Mark when we come to him as the Father of Christ we believe what God offereth in the Covenant of Grace namely that he will deal kindly with us as a Father with his Children that he will be good to those that come to him by Christ. The Term Father is not only to be considered with respect to the Disposition or Qualification of the Persons but the Dispensation they are under 'T is the New Covenant In the new Covenant God undertakes to be Fatherly that is to pitty our Miseries to pardon our Sins to heal our Natures to save our Persons Now all that come for refuge to take hold of this hope set before them may come to God as a Father if they believe the Gospel in general tho they are not assured of God's love to themselves 4. There may be a Child-like Love to God when yet we have not a Sense and Assurance of his Paternal Love to us God hath a Title to our choicest and dearest Love before we can make out a Title to his highest Benefits We owe our Hearts to him Prov. 23. 26. My Son give me thy Heart If you give him your Hearts you are Sons tho you know it not God may be owned as a Father either by our Sense of his Fatherly Love or by our Choice and Esteem of him Optando si non affirmando Come as Fatherless without him Hos. 14. 3. or to speak it in other Words the unutterable Groans of the Spirit do discover the Spirit of Adoption as well as the unspeakable Joys of the Spirit 1 Pet. 1. 8. There is an Option and Choice tho we be not assured of our special Relation 5. God is glorified by an Affiance and a resolute Adherence where there is no Assurance When you are resolved let him deal with you as an Enemy you will stick to him as a Father Job 13. 15. Tho he slay me yet will I trust in him Faith can take God as a Friend and Father and put a good construction upon his Dealings when he seems to come against us as an Enemy And we give Glory to God when we can adhere to him as our only Happiness and trust his Fatherly Kindness and Goodness tho he cover himself with Frowns and hide himself from our Prayers and you own him as the Father of Mercies tho it may be you have no Sense and Feeling of his Fatherly Love to you 6. There is a difference between the Gift it self and the Degree We cannot say we have not the Spirit of Adoption because we have not so much of the Spirit of Adoption as others have I mean as to the Effects We may have the Spirit as a Sanctifyer tho not as a Comforter tho he doth not calm our Hearts and rebuke our Fears yet if he doth sanctify us and incline us to God The Spirit was only given to Christ without measure but to Christians in a different Measure and Proportion and usually as you submit more to his gracious Conduct and overcome the Enemies of your Peace the Devil the World and the Flesh. The impression is left upon some in a smaller and upon others in a larger Character All are not of one growth and size some are more explicitely Christians others in a Riddle Much Grace doth more discover it self than a little Grace under a heap of Imperfection Some are more mortified and Heavenly-minded than others 7. When all other Helps fail Faith will make use of our common Relation
to God as a Creator as we may come to him as the workmanship of his Hands It is better to do so than keep off from him And we may come to him as the workmanship of his Hands when we cannot come to him as Children of his Family The Church saith Isa. 64. 8. Now O Lord thou art our Father we are the Clay and thou our Potter and we all are the work of thy Hand They plead for Favour and Mercy by that common Relation as he was their Potter and they his Clay And David Psal. 119. 73. Thy Hands have made me and fashioned me give me understanding that I may learn thy Commandments Surely it is some Comfort to claim by the Covenant of Noah which was made with all Mankind when we cannot claim Mercy by the Covenant of Abraham which was made with the Family of the Faithful The Scriptures warrant us to do so Isa. 54. 9. For this is as the Waters of Noah unto me All this is spoken to shew that one way or other we should bring our Hearts to depend upon him as a Father for Succour and Relief Thirdly His Attributes Three this Text offereth God's Omnisciency He knows His fatherly Care Your Father knows what you stand in need of And his Readiness to help even before we ask 1. He is Omniscient He knows our Persons for Christ calleth his own Sheep by Name Joh. 10. 3. He knoweth every one of us by Head and by Pole by Person and Name Yea and he knows our State and Condition Psal. 56. 8. Thou tellest my Wandrings put thou my Tears into thy Bottle are they not in thy Book All our Wandrings he tells them all our Tears he hath a Bottle for them to shew God's particular Notice they are Metaphorical Expressions And he observes us in the very Posture when we come to pray and where Acts 9. 11. Go to such a Street in such a Place and enquire for one Saul of Tarsus for behold he prayeth The Lord takes notice in such a City in such a Street in such a House in such a Room and what you are doing when you are praying And he seeth not only that you pray but how you pray Rom. 8. 27. And he that searcheth the Heart knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit because he maketh Intercession for the Saints according to the Will of God He can discern between Lustâ— and Groans Words and Affections and such Words as are the Belches of the Flesh and such as are the Breathings of the Spirit 2. There 's his fatherly Care for it is said Your Father knows what Things you have need of He knows what pincheth and presseth you 'T is said 1 Pet. 5. 7. Casting all your Care upon him for he careth for you It is not said that he may take care of you but he doth take care God is afore-hand with us and our carking Care doth but take the Work out of God's hand which he is doing already Our Cares are needless fruitless burthensom but his are assiduous powerful blessed A small Matter may occassion much Vexation to us but to him all things are easy Upon these Considerations We should be careful for nothing but make known our Requests unto God Phil 4. 6. Praying for what we want and giving thanks for what we have For your Father knoweth you have need of these Things Mat. 6. 32. His fatherly Love will not suffer him to neglect his Children or any of their Concernments Therefore if you have a Temptation upon you to Anxiety and Carefulness of Mind and know not how to get out of such a Strait and conquer such a Difficulty remember you have a Father to provide for you This will prevent tormenting Thoughtfulness which is good for nothing but to anticipate your Sorrow 3. The next Thought is his Readiness to help This should be deeply impressed upon your Minds and should habituate these Thoughts how ready God is to help and to run to the Cry Psal. 32. 5. I said I will confess my Transgressions unto the Lord and thou forgavest the Iniquity of my Sin Before his Purpose could be brought to pass Isa. 65. 24. Before they call I will answer and whiles they are yet speaking I will hear So Jer. 31. 20. I heard Ephraim bemoaning himself c. God's Bowels were troubled presently He is more ready to give than you to ask This will help and direct you mightily in the business of Prayer for God hath a care for his Children and very ready to help the weak and relieve them in all their Straits Thirdly For Directions about our Affections in Prayer three things are required viz. Fervency Reverence Confidence 1. Fervency that usually comes from two grounds a broken-hearted Sense of our Wants and a desire of the Blessing we stand in need of For the broken-hearted Sense of our Wants especially Spiritual Weaknesses are incident to the best All Christians have continual need to cry to God We have continual Necessities both within and without Go cry to God your Father without Affectation but not without Affection and seek your Supplies from him Let me tell you the more Grace is increased the more sense of Wants is increased For Sin is more hated Defects are less born And then there must be a desire of the Blessings especially Spiritual our Needs must stir up fresh Longings and holy Desires after God Mat. 7. 7. Ask Seek Knock. Luk. 11. 8. For his Importunity he will rise and give We spend the earnestness of our Spirits in other Matters in Disputes Contests Earthly Pursuits our importunate earnestness runs in a worldly Channel No no it must be from simplicity and sincerity pouring out your Hearts before him No Sacrifice without him Jam. 5. 16. The effectual fervent Prayer of a righteous Man availeth much 2. Reverence a reverent respectful Carriage towards our heavenly Father Psal. 2. 11. Serve the Lord with Fear and rejoice with Trembling Mark there is in God a mixture of Majesty and Mercy so in us there must be of Ioy and Trembling God's Love doth not abase his Majesty nor his Majesty diminish his Love We ought to know our distance from God and to think of his Superiority over us therefore we must be serious Remember God is greatly to be feared in the Assembly of the Saints and to â—e had in reverence of all them that are about him Psal. 89. 7. 3. With Confidence Eph. 3. 12. In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the Faith of him There is boldness in pouring out our Requests to God who will certainly hear us and grant what is good we must rely upon his Goodness and Power in all our Necessities He is so Gracious in Christ that he will do that which is best for his Glory and our Good and upon other Terms we should not seek it If you would not turn Prayer into Babling much-speaking to Affectation of Words take heed of these Abuses and labour
And all baptized Persons are baptized in the Name of the Son and Holy-Ghost as well as in the Name of the Father But usually Christian Worship is terminated upon God the Father as being chief in the Mystery of Redemption and so it is said Eph. 2. 18. Through him by one Spirit we have access to the Father We come to him through Christ as the meritorious Cause who hath procured Leave for us and by the Spirit as the efficient Cause who gives us an Heart to come and to the Father as the ultimate Object of Christian Worship Christ procureth us Leave to come and the Spirit gives us a Heart to come So that by the Spirit through Christ we have access to God So that now you may see what is meant by the Father Our Father But now let me distinguish again God is a Father to Mankind either 1. In a more general consideration and respect by Creation or 2. In a more special regard by Adoption First By Creation God is a Father At first he gave a Being to all Things but to Men and Angels he gave Reason Iohn 1. 4. And this Life was the Light of Man Other Things had Life but Man had such a Life as was Light and so by his original Constitution he became to be the Son of God To establish the Relation of a Father there must be a Communication of Life and Likeness A Painter that makes an Image or Picture like himself he is not the Father of it for tho there be Likeness yet no Life The Sun in propriety of Speech is not the Father of Frogs and putrid Creatures which are quickned by its heat tho there be Life yet there is no Likeness We keep this Relation for univocal Generations and rational Creatures Thus by Creation the Angels are said to be the Sons of God Iob 38. 7. When he was laying the Foundations of the Earth the Sons of God shouted for Ioy that is the Angels And thus Adam also was called the Son of God Luke 3. ult Thus by our first Creation and with respect to that all Men are the Sons of God Children of God And mark it in respect of God's continual concurrence to our Being tho we have deformed our selves and are not the same that we were when we were first created yet still in regard of some sorry Remains of God's Image and the Light of Reason all are Sons of God and God in a general Sence is a Father to us Yea more a Father than our natural Parents are For our Parents they concur to our Being but instrumentally God originally We had our Being under God from our Parents He hath the greatest hand and stroke in forming us in the Belly and making us to be what we are Which appeareth by this Parents they know not what the Child will be Male or Female beautiful or deformed they cannot tell the Number of Bones Muscles Veines Arteries and cannot restore any of these in case they should be lost and spoil'd So that he that framed us in the Womb and wonderfully fashioned us in the secret Parts he is our Father Psal. 139. 14. As the Writing is rather the Work of the Pen-man than of the Pen so we are rather the Workmanship of God than of our Parents They are but Instruments God is the Author and Fountain of that Life and Being which we still have And again consider The better Part of Man is of his immediate Creation and in this respect he is called the Father of Spirits Heb. 12. 19. They do not run in the Channel of carnal Generation or fleshly Descent but they are immediatly created by God And it is said Eccles. 12. 7. The Spirit returneth to God which gave it Well then you see how in a general Sence and with what good reason God may be called Our Father Those which we call Fathers they are but subordinate Instruments the most we have from them is our Corruption our being depraved but our Substance and the Frame and Fashion of it our Being and all that 's good in it that 's from the Lord. Now this is some Advantage in Prayer to look upon God as our Father by virtue of Creation that we can come to him as the Work of his Hands and beseech him that he will not destroy us and suffer us to perish Isa. 64. 8. But now O Lord thou art our Father we are the Clay and thou our Potter and we are all the Work of thine Hand There is a general Mercy that God hath for all his Creatures and therefore as he gave us rational Souls and fashioned us in the Womb we may come to him and say Lord thou art our Potter and we thy Clay do us good forsake us not What Advantage have we in Prayer from this common Interest or general Respect of God's being a Father by virtue of Creation 1. This common Relation binds us to pray to him All things which God hath made by a secret Instinct they are carried to God for their Supply Psal. 145. 15. The Eyes of all Things look up to thee In their way they pray to him and moan to him for their Supplies even very Beasts young Ravens and Fowls of the Air. But much more is this Man's Duty as we have Reason and can clearly own the first Cause And therefore upon these natural Grounds the Apostle reasons with them why they should seek after God Acts 14. 17. 2. As this common Relation binds us to pray so it draweth common Benefits after it Mat. 6. 25 26. Is not the Life more than Meat and the Body than Raiment Behold the Fowls of the Air for they sow not neither do they reap nor gather into Barns yet your heavenly Father feedeth them Christ saith where God hath given a Life he will give Food and where he gives a Body he will give Raiment according to his good pleasure He doth not cast off the Care of any living Creature he hath made as long as he will preserve it for his Glory Beasts have their Food and Provision much more Men which are capable of knowing and enjoying God 3. It giveth us Confidence in the Power of God He which made us out of nothing is able to keep preserve and supply us when all things fail and in the midst of all Dangers Saints are able to make use of this common Relation And therefore it is said 1 Pet. 4. 19. That we should commit our Souls unto him in well-doing as unto a faithful Creator The Apostle speaks of such Times when they carried their Lives in their hands from day to day They did not know how soon they should be haled before Tribunals and cast into Prisons Remember you have a Creator which made you out of nothing and he can keep and preserve Life when you have nothing Thus this common Relation is not to be forgotten as he gives us our outward Life and Being Psal. 124. 8. Our Help is in the Name of
lost Man might be restored in Blood and have a Right and Interest in God and when Justice put in Exceptions against us Jesus Christ was content to be made under the Law that we might receive the Adoption of Sons Gal. 4. 4 5. There could be no Reconciliation no Amity no Alliance until Sin was expiated and Justice satisfied therefore Christ was not only made of a Woman but made under the Law first our Brother by Inâ—â—rnation and then our Redeemer by his Death and Suffering As under the Law if a Man had waxen poor the next of Kin was to be his Redeemer Levit. 25. 25. Or if he had sold himself v. 47. one of his Brethren was to redeem him Christians there was a kind of Sale and Forfeiture on our part of the Inheritance and Right and Title of Children therefore Jesus Christ when he became a Man jure propinquitatis by virtue of his Kindred and Nearness to us came to redeem his People and purchase us to God And this is the Relation which is mainly intended in this place for mark Christ taught his Disciples to pray Our Father others they cannot speak of this Relation and in them all that believe and all that walk in the Spirit these alone can come to God as a Father II. What Advantage have we in Prayer by taking up God under this Notion and Relation when we can come to him and say Our Father 1. It conduceth to our Confidence in Prayer 2. It furthereth our Duty First It conduceth to our Confidence in Prayer For it is not an empty Title or a naked Relation but this is the ground of all that Favour and Grace which we stand in need of and receive from God â—It is notable 2 Cor. 6. 8. saith God I will be a Father unto you and ye shall be my Sons and Daughters In other places it is said Ye shall be called my Sons but here You shall be my Sons you shall not only be called so but be so He will really perform all the parts of a Father to us yea no Father like God The outward Father is but a Shadow as still in the Comparison outward Things are but the Shadow and Similitude the Reality is in inward Things A Servant is not always a Servant there may be a Release a Husband is not always a Husband there may be a Separation by Divorce but a Father is always a Father and a Child a Child I am the true Vine The ouâ—ward Vine is but a Shadow but Christ himself hath the true Properties of a Vine So the outward Father is but a Shadow and Similitude the Reality is in God none so fatherly and kind as he Mat. 7. 11. If ye being evil know how to give good Gifts unto your Children how much more shall your Father which is in Heaven give good Things to them that ask him There is a how much more upon the fatherly Care of God Natural Parents whose Affections are stinted and limited nay corrupt and sinful when a Son comes for a Fish will not give him a Scorpion when he comes for Bread will not give him a Stone that were a monstrous thing vile and unnatural So Isa. 49. 15. Can a Woman forget her sucking Child that she should not have Compassion on the Son of her Womb yea they may forget yet will I not forget thee Passions in Females are more vehement the Mother hath stronger Affections if the Mother could do so as totally to forget that ever she had such a Child yet she would not forget her Sucking Child a poor shiftless helpless Babe that can do nothing without the Mother a Child which never provoked her she would not forget such a Child they may forget yet will I not forget thee Certainly God which hath left such an impression upon the Hearts of Parents hath more of Pity Bounty and Goodness in his own Heart for whatsoever of God is in the Creature is in God in a more eminent manner But particularly How will God perform the parts of a Father 1. In allowing them full leave to come to him in all their Necessities Gal. 1. 6. Because ye are Sons God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your Hearts crying Abba Father There is a Spirit that attendeth upon this State They which are Sons shall have the Spirit of Sons and God will incline their Hearts to come and call to him for Supplies This is a great Advantage When he gives a Spirit of Prayer then he will be ready to hear and grant our Requests not only to give us a Heart to ask them but to incline his Ear. Luk. 11. 13. How much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him When we ask for the highest Blessing when we come and are importunate with him and will take no nay 2. In supplying all our Wants Mat. 6. 32. Your Father which is in Heaven knoweth you have need of these things A Father will not let his Child starve certainly none so Fatherly as God You have not such a Father as is ignorant regardless of your Condition but takes an exact notice of all your Wants and Pressures It is notable to observe how God condescendeth to express the particular notice he taketh of the Saints Isa. 49. 16. Behold I have graven thee upon the Palms of my Hands As we use to tye things about our Hands that we may remember such a Work and Business So God doth as it were put a print and mark upon his Hands to speak after the manner of Men. Nay Mat. 10. 30. The Hairs of their Heads are numbred God hath a particular notice of their Necessities And Jesus Christ he is his Remembrancer one that ever appeareth before him to represent their Wants Heb. 9. 24. As the High-Priest in the Law was to go in with the Names of the Tribes upon his Breast and Shoulder when he did minister before God Exod. 28. Which is a Type how much we are in the Heart of Christ ever representing himself before the Lord on the behalf of such and such a Believer 3. Pitying our Miseries As he taketh notice of them so he will pity their Miseries as a Father pityeth his Children when he seeth them in an afflicted Condition Psal. 103. 13. Like as a Father pityeth his Children So the Lord pityeth them that fear him Nay he will pardon their Sins Maâ— 3. 17. And I will spare them as a Man spareth his own Son which serveth him An only Son needs not fear much if his Father were to be his Judg tho he hath done unworthily They may exhaust and draw up all their Pity their Bowels may shrink when they meet with multitude of Provocations Now God will spare us as a Man spares his only Son Nay not only his only Son but his dutiful Son which serves him Many times we forget the Duty of Children but God will not forget the Mercy of a Father I will go
you believed you were sealed by the holy Spirit of Promise Ephes. 1. 13 14. 2. There is a Witness which is given to the Saints that the thing may not be always dark and doubtful The Holy-Ghost is given as a Witness If you would know whether or no you are the Children of God see that of the Apostle Rom. 8. 16. The Spirit it self beareth witness with our Spirit that we are the Children of God As under the Law in the Mouth of two Witnesses every doubtful Thing was to be established Deut. 17. 6. So here the Spirit beareth Witness together with our Spirits that we are the Children of God Our Spirits alone may be lying deceitful we may flatter our selves and think we are the Children of God when we are Children of the Devil All certainly comes from the Holy-Ghost and therefore the great Question which is traversed to and fro in the Heart is Whether we be God's Children What is the Spirit 's Witness 1. He lays down Marks in Scripture which are the Ground and Decision of this Debate for the Scriptures are of the Holy-Ghost's inditing and so may be said to bear witness Rom. 8. 14. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God they are the Sons of God 1 John 3. 10. In this the Children of God are manifest and the Children of the Devil Whosoever doth not Righteousness is not of God neither he that loveth not his Brother Thus the Spirit beareth witness to our Spirits by laying down such Marks as we by our own spiritual Sense and renewed Conscience feel to be right within our selves And this is the main thing called the Witness of the Spirit 2. He worketh such Graces as are peculiar to God's Children and are Evidences of our Interest in the Favour of God and therefore it is called the Sanctification of the Spirit 2 Thess. 2. 13. and the renewing of the Holy-Ghost Tit. 3. 5. Look as Iohn knew Christ to be the Son of God by the Spirit 's descending and abiding upon him Iohn 1. 32. So by the Spirit 's Work and the Spirit 's Inhabitation we know whether we are the Children of God or no whether we dwell in God and God in us because of his Spirit that he hath given us that is because of those Graces wrought in us And this is called the Seal of the Spirit for the Holy-Ghost stamping the Impress of God upon the Soul working in us an answerable Likeness to Christ is said to be the Seal then we have God's Impress upon us 3. The Spirit goes further he helpeth us to feel and discover those Acts in our selves There is a stupid Deadness in the Conscience so that we are not always sensible of our spiritual Acts. Hagar saw not the Fountain near her until God opened her Eyes So we may not see the Work of the Spirit without the Light of the Spirit We cannot own Grace in the midst of so much Weakness and Imperfection there is a misgiving of Conscience therefore the Spirit of Sanctification is also a Spirit of Revelation Eph. 1. 17. The Author of the Grace is the best Revealer and Interpreter of it He works and he gives us a sight of it As a Workman that made a thing can best warrant it to the Buyer he knows the Goodness and Strength of it and how it is framed and made So the Holy-Ghost which works Grace he reveals and discovers this Grace to us 4. The Spirit helps us to compare them with the Rule and accordingly to judg of their Sincerity The Spirit opens our Understandings that we may be able to discern the Intent and Scope of the Scripture that so we may not be mistaken We must plow with God's Heifer if we would understand the Riddle In thy Light we shall see Light We shall be apt to misapply the Rule so as to judg of our own Actions Rom. 9. 1. I lie not the Holy-Ghost bearing me witness when he had spoken of some eminent Thing wrought in him We are apt to lie and feign and misapply Rules Comforts and Privileges But now the Holy-Ghost bearing witness with our Spirits by this means we come to have a Certainty There are so many Circuits Wiles Turnings in the Heart of Man that we are not competent Judges of what is wrought in us therefore it is usually ascribed to the Spirit to be the Searcher of the Heart Psal. 139. 7. Whither shall I go from thy Spirit or whither shall I flee from thy Presence Acts 5. 4. Thou hast not lied unto Men but unto God The Holy-Ghost is rather spoken of than any other Person because it is his personal Operation to abide in the Hearts of Men and to search and try the Reins It is more particularly ascribed to him tho it belongs to all the Persons 5. As the Spirit helps us to compare that which is wrought with the Rule the impression or thing sealed with the Stamp or the thing sealing so he helps us to conclude rightly of our Estate For many times when the Premises are clear the Conclusion may be suspended either out of Self-Love in case of Condemnation or out of legal Fear and Jealousy in case of Self-acquitment Therefore the Conclusion is of the Holy-Ghost 1 John 4. 13. Hereby we know that we dwell in him and he in us because he hath given us of his Spirit There 's a great deal of do to bring us to Heaven with Comfort There needs a Person of the Godhead to satisfy us as well as to satisfy God and help us to determine concerning our Condition 6. He enlivens and heightens our Apprehensions in all these Particulars and so fills us with Comfort and raiseth our Joy upon the feeling of the Sense of the Favour of God for all this is the Fruit of his Operation Therefore it is said Rom. 5. 5. The Love of God is shed abroad in our Hearts by the Holy-Ghost which is given unto us Those unspeakable Glimpses of God's Favour and sweet Manifestations of God's Love in the Conscience which we have these are given by the Holy-Ghost There is not one Act of the Soul but the Holy-Ghost hath a stroke in it for our Comfort in every degree all comes from God So that if you would know what the Witness of the Spirit is consider What are the Marks in Scripture What Graces are wrought in your Hearts How doth the Spirit help you to discern those Graces to compare them to the Rule to make accordingly in these Things a Determination of our Condition And what Joy and Peace have you thereupon wrought in your Hearts by the Holy-Ghost For an immediate Testimony of the Spirit the Scripture knows of no such thing All other is but Delusion besides this 3. There are certain Fruits and Effects which do more sensibly evidence it unto the Soul What are those Fruits of the Spirit of Adoption in our Hearts by which we may further evidence it whether we are the
Children of God or no 1. In Prayer by a kind of Naturalness or Delight in this Duty of holy Commerce with God Rom. 8. 15. We have received the Spirit of Adoption whereby we cry Abba Father Gal. 4. 6. Because ye are Sons God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your Hearts crying Abba Father And Zech. 12. 10. I will pour upon the House of David and upon the Inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of Grace and of Supplication Where-ever the Spirit of God is dispensed and dwelleth in the Hearts of any the Heart of that Man will be often with God The Spirit of Grace will put him upon Supplication he will be often acquainting God with his Desires Wants Fears 2. You will be mainly carried out to your Inheritance in Heaven Those which are the Children of God do look after a Child's Portion and will look for an Estate in Heaven and cannot be satisfied with present Things Worldly Men they have their Reward Mat. 6. 2 They discharge God for other Things If they may have Plenty Honour worldly Ease and Delights here they never look after Heaven As a Servant hath his Reward from Quarter to Quarter but a Child waits until the Inheritance comes So when we are begotten for this lively Hope when there is an Heavenly-mindedness in you this is a Fruit of the Holy-Ghost wrought in the Heart by which you might know you are the Sons of God Rom. 8. 23. Having the First-Fruits of the Spirit we groan within our selves waiting for the Adoption to wit the Redemption of our Body 3. By a Child-like Reverence and Dread of God when we are afraid to offend God Ier. 35. 5 6. The Sons of Rechab their Father had commanded them that they should drink no Wine now saith God by the Prophet Set Pots full of Wine and Cups and say unto them Drink ye Wine That is present the Temptation No they would not Our Fathers have forbidden us So when a Child of God is put upon Temptation his Heart recoils and reasons thus How can I do this Wickedness and sin against God I dare not my Father hath forbidden me There is an Awe of his Heavenly Father upon him 1 Pet. 1. 17. If you call on the Father who without respect of Persons judgeth according to every Man's Work pass the Time of your sojourning here in Fear We now come to speak of the Possessive Particle Our Father The Word is used for a double Reason 1. To comfort us in the Sense of our Interest in God 2. To mind us of the common Interest of all the Saints in the same God It is not my or thy Father only but our Father First Observe the great Condescension of Christ that poor Creatures are allowed to claim an Interest in God If Christ had not put these Words in our Mouths we never had had Boldness to have gone to God and said Doubtless thou art our Father But he which was in the Bosom of God and knew his Secrets hath told us it is very pleasing to God we should use this Compellation to him This is a Privilege which cannot be sufficiently valued if we consider 1. The Unworthiness of the Persons which enjoy it poor Dust and Ashes sinful Creatures that were Children of the Devil that we should lay Claim and Title to God for our Father And 2. If we consider the Greatness of the Privilege it self O behold what manner of Love the Father hath bestowed upon us that we should be called his Children 1 John 3. 1. We think it much when we can say This Field this House is mine but surely this is more to say this God is mine Again Observe here That Interest is a ground of Audience So Christ would have us begin our Prayers Our Father God's Interest in us and our Interest in God God's Interest in us When Christ mediates for his Disciples he saith Ioh. 17. 6. Thine they were and thou gavest them me And David Psal. 119. 94. I am thine save me That 's his Argument the Reason is Because God by taking them for his own binds himself to preserve and keep them Every Body is bound to look to his own He that provides not for his own is worse than an Infidel Now what a sweet thing is it when we can go to God and say we are thine So it is the same as to our Interest in God it is an excellent Encouragement Psal. 42. 11. Hope thou in God saith David to his Soul why for he is my God And elsewhere reasoning with himself Psal. 23. 1. The Lord is my Shepherd I shall not want First his Covenant-Interest is built and then Conclusions of Hope So 2 Sam. 30. 6. David encouraged himself in the Lord his God It is sweet when we can go to God as our God Luther was wont to say God was known better by the Predicament of Relation than by his natural Properties Why is Interest such a sweet thing Because by this Relation to God we have a Claim to God and to all that he can and will do God hath made over himself quantus quantus est as great as great he is for his Use and Comfort Therefore the Psalmist saith Psal. 16. 5. The Lord is the Portion of mine Inheritance and of my Cup. A Believer hath as sure a Right and Title to God as a Man hath to his Patrimony to which he is born Look as the Right was any Israelite had to that Share which came to him by Lot so we may lay claim to God and live upon his Power and Goodness as a Man doth upon his Estate Well then labour to see God is yours if you would find acceptance with him It is not enough to know the Goodness and Power of God in general but we must discern our Interest in him that we may not only say Father but Our Father It is the Nature of Faith thus to appropriate and apply Iohn 20. 28. My Lord and my God How is God made ours How shall we know it that we may come and lay our Claim to him Behold Christ teacheth us here to say Our Father by taking hold of his Covenant and this is God's Covenant-Notion I will be your God and you shall be my People When we give up our selves to be God's then he is ours Resignation and Appropriation go together I am my Beloved's there 's the Resignation of Obedience And he is mine there 's the Appropriation of Faith A Believer cannot always say God is his but I am thine however it be with him he would be no others but the Lord's If he cannot say he is God's by an especial interest yet he will be God's by the resignation of his own Vows He knows God hath a better Right and Title to him than he hath to himself Quest. But how shall we know that we do indeed resign up our selves to God I answer When we make him our chief Good and our utmost End that is
where he discovereth his Glory in the utmost Latitude It is notable in Scripture sometimes God is said to dwell in Light 1 Tim. 6. 16. And sometimes to make Darkness his dwelling place Psal. 18. 11. How doth he dwell in Light and how in Darkâ—ess Because of the glorious maniâ—estations which are above therefore it is said he dwells in Light and because of the weakness and incapacity of our apprehension therefore he is said to dwell in Darkness 2. To try our Faith and our Obedience that he might see whether we would live by Faith yea or no whether a Believer would love him and obey him tho he were invisible and withdrawn within the Curtain of Heaven You know when the Israelites saw the Glory of God then they cryed All that God hath commanded us we will do Deut. 5. 27. But as soon as that Manifestation ceased they were as bad as ever If all were liable to Sense there would be no trial of this World but God hath shut up himself that by this means the Faith of the Elect might be manifested for Faith is the Evidence of things not seen Heb. 11. 1. Where there is no sight there is exercise for Faith And that our Love might be tried 1 Pet. 1. 8. Whom having not seen ye love in whom tho now ye see him not yet believing ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of Glory And this is that which discovereth the Faithless and disobedient World Job 22. 12 13 14. Is not God in the height of Heaven How doth God know Can he judg through the dark Cloud Thick Clouds are a Covering to him that he seeth not and he walketh in the circuit of Heaven 3. It is fit there should be a better place into which the Saints should be translated when the course of their Obedience is ended Eph. 1. 3. He hath blessed us with Spiritual Blessings in Heavenly Places The main of Christ's Purchase we have in Heavenly Places It is fit the place of Trial and place of Recompence should differ therefore the place of Trial that 's God's Foot-stool and the place of Recompence that 's God's Throne The World that 's a place of Trial it is a Common Inn for Sons and Bastards for the Elect and Reprobate a Receptacle of Man and Beast Here God will shew his Bounty unto all his Creatures But now in the place of his Residence he will show his Love to his People Therefore when we have been tried and exercised there is a place of Preferment for us Fourthly What Advantage have we in Prayer by considering God in Heaven Very much whether we consider God absolutely or with respect to a Mediator both ways we have an Advantage First If we consider the Father Son and Holy-Ghost who have their Residence in Heaven consider them without respect to a Mediator Why the looking up to God in Heaven 1. It sheweth us that Prayer is an act of the Heart and not of the Lips that it is not the sound of the Voice which can pierce the Heavens and enter into the Ears of the Lord of Hosts but Sighs and Groans of the Spirit Christians in Prayer God is near to us and yet far from us for we must look upon him as in Heaven and we upon Earth How then should we converse with God in Prayer Not by the Tongue only but by the Heart The Commerce and Communion of Spirits is not hindred by local Distance but God is with us and we with him when our Heart goeth up 2. It teacheth the great work of Prayer is to lift up the Heart to God To withdraw the Heart from all created things which we see and feel here below that we may converse with God in Heaven Psal. 123. 1. Vnto thee lift I up mine Eyes O thou that dwellest in the Heavens And Lam. 3. 41. Let us lift up our Heart with our Hands unto God in the Heavens Prayer doth not consist in a multitude and clatter of Words but in the getting up of the Heart to God that we may behave our selves as if we were alone with God in the midst of glorious Saints and Angels There 's a double Advantage which we have by this getting the Soul into Heaven in Prayer It 's a means to free us from Distractions and Doubts To free us from Distractions and other inter-current Thoughts Until we get our Hearts out of the World as if we were dead and shut up to all present things how easily is the Heart carried away with the Thoughts of earthly Concernments Until we can separate and purge our Spirits how do we interline our Prayers with many ridiculous Thoughts It is too usual for us to deal with God as an unskilful Person that will gather a Posy for his Friend and puts in as many or more stinking Weeds than he doth choice Flowers The Flesh interposeth and our carnal Hearts interline and interlace our Prayers with vain Thoughts and earthly Distractions When with our Censor we come to offer Incense to God we mingle Sulphur with our Incense Therefore we should labour all that we can to get the Heart above the World into the Presence of God and company of the Blessed that we may deal with him ad if we were by him in Heaven and were wholly swallowed up of his Glory Tho our Bodies are on Earth yet our Spirits should be with our Father in Heaven For want of practising this in Prayer these Distractions encrease upon us So for Doubts when we look to things below even the very manifestations of God to us upon Earth we have many Discouragements Dangers without and Difficulties within till we get above the Mists of the lower World we can see nothing of Clearness and Comfort but when we can get God and our Hearts together then we can see there is much in the Fountain tho nothing in the Stream and tho little on Earth yet we have a God in Heaven 3. This impresseth an Awe and Reverence if we look upon the Glory of God manifested in Heaven that Briâ—ht and Luminous Place This is urged by the Holy-Ghost Eccles. 5. 2. Thou art upon Earth and God is in Heaven therefore let thy Words be few Gen. 8. 27. Who am I that I should take upon me to speak unto the Lord who am but Dust and Ashes We are poor crawling Worms and therefore when we think of the Majesty of God it should impress an holy awe upon us Mean Persons will behave themselves with all Honour and Reverence when they supplicate to Men of Quâ—lity So should we to God who is so High and so much above us he is in Heaven It is a Diminution of his Greatness Mal. 1. 14. when we put off God with any thing and come slightly and carelesly into his Presence 4. It teacheth us that all our Prayers should carry a Correspondence with our great Aim What 's our great Aim To be with God in Heaven as remembring that 's the Center
my Body be taken to Heaven in glory or whether it be exercised or worn out with Ministerial Labour We need to deal with God that we may have the End and leave the Means to his own chusing that God may be glorified in our Condition whatever it be If he will have us rich and full that he might be glorified in our Bounty if he will have us poor and low that he may be glorified in our Patience if â—e will have us healthy that he may be glorified in our Labour if he will have us sick that he may be glorified in our Pain if he will have us live that he may be glorified in our Lives if he will have us die that he may be glorified in our Deaths And therefore Whether we live or die we are the Lord 's Rom. 14. 9. A Christian is to be like a Dye in the hand of Providence content whether he be cast high or low and not to grudg at it whether he will continue us longer or take us out of the World As a Servant employed beyond the Seas if his Master will have him tarry there he tarries if he would have him come home home he comes So that we had need to deal seriously with God about this submissive Spirit 5. Humility that we may not put the Crown upon our own Heads but may cast it at the Lamb's feet that we may not take the Glory of our Graces to our selves God's great Aim in the Covenant is That no Flesh should glory in it self but whosoever glories may glory in the Lord. 1 Cor. 1. 27 -31. He would have us still come and own him in all that we are and in all that we do As the good Servant gave account of his Diligence Luke 19. 16. he doth not say My Industry but Thy Pound hath gained ten Pounds And Paul was a zealous Instrument that went up and down doing good he laboured more abundantly than they all Yet not I but the Grace of God which was with me 1 Cor. 15. 10. In this Case if we would honour and glorify God we must do as Ioab did when he was likely to take Rabbah He sent for David to gather up more Forces and encamp against the City and take it Lest I take the City and it be called after my Name 2 Sam. 12. 28. How careful was he that his Sovereign might have the Honour So careful should we be that the Crown be set upon Christ's Head and that he may have the glory of our Graces and Services that they may not be called after our own Name that God may be more owned in them than we Now what more natural than for Creatures to intercept the Revenues of the Crown of Heaven and to convert them to their own Use It is a vile Sacriledg to rob God of the Glory of that Grace he hath bestowed upon us and yet what more common The Flesh is apt to interpose upon all occasions and therefore we need to put up this Request Hallowed be thy Name 6. There is Holiness required that we may not be a Disgrace to God and a Dishonour to him The Lord saith Ezek. 20. 9. That his Name should not be polluted before the Heathen among whom they his People were The Sin of God's People doth stain the Honour of God and profane his Name When Men profess much to be a People near God and live carnally and loosly they dishonour God exceedingly by their Conversation Men judg by what is visible and sensible and so they think of God by his Servants and Worshippers as the Heathens did of Christ in Salvian's time If he was a holy Christ certainly Christians would live more temperately justly and soberly They are apt to think of God by his Worshippers and by the People that profess themselves so near and dear to him therefore it concerns us to walk so that our Lives may honour him Mat. 5. 16. Let your Light so shine before Men that they may see your good Works and glorify your Father which is in Heaven As the Loins of the Poor saith Iob blessed him Job 31. 20. namely as they were fed and cloathed by his Bounty So our Lives may glorify God David saith Psal. 119. 7. Then shall I praise thee with Vprightness of Heart when I have learned thy righteous Iudgment There is no way to praise God entirely and sincerely until we have learned both to know and do his Will Real Praise is the Praise God looks after Otherwise we do but serve Christ as the Devil served him who would carry him upon the Top of the Mountain but it was with an intent to bid him throw himself down again So we seem to exalt God much in our Talk and Profession yea but we throw him down when we pollute him and deny him in our Conversation Our Lives are the Scandal of Religion and a Pollution and Blot to the Name of God So that with respect to our selves you see what need we have to go to God that he will give us Grace that we may please him and glorify his Name Secondly In regard of Others A Christian cannot be content to glorify God himself but he would have all about him to glorify God As Fire turns all Things round about it into Fire and Leaven it spreads still until it hath subdued the whole Lump So is Grace a diffusive a spreading thing As far as we can reach and diffuse our Influence we would have God brought into request with all round about us Being converted saith Christ to Peter strengthen thy Brethren So it will be where there is true Grace Mules and Creatures which are of a Mongril and Bastard-Race they beget not after their kind So Bastard-Christians are not for the calling in of others and the gaining of those about them But a true Christian will be earnest and much in this Matter Now their Hearts are not in our Power but in God's therefore we need to be much in Prayer and make this our main Request Lord hallowed be thy Name For hereby 1. We acknowledg God's Dominion over the Spirits of Men which is a great Honour to God and a quieting to us It is a Title often given to God in Scripture that he is the God of the Spirits of all Flesh. If they had a Magistrate to chuse they go to God Numb 27. 16. Let the Lord the God of the Spirits of all Flesh set a Man over the Congregation If a Judgment to be averted Numb 16. 22. O God the God of the Spirits of all Flesh shall one Man sin and wilt thou be wroth with all the Congregation This is a great Honour to God when we acknowledg the Power and Dominion that he hath over the Hearts and Spirits of Men. To roll a Stone is not so much as to rule the Creatures and to keep the Sun in his Course is not so much as to rule the Spirits of Men and to work them to the glorifying of his
holy Name God can turn the Hearts of Men this way and that way according as he pleaseth Prov. 21. 1. The King's Heart is in the hand of the Lord as the Rivers of Water he turneth it whithersoever he will As a Man can dispose of a Water-Course turn it hither and thither as the Necessities of his Field or Garden require So can God draw out the Hearts and Respects of Men. Surely there would not be so many Disorders in the World if we did often reflect upon 〈◊〉 Attribute or did deal with God about his Power over the Spirits of Men. We are wrathful and think nothing but the Confusion of Men would serve the Turn and there is no Riddance of our Burthen but by the Destruction of those who stand in our way Whereas the Conversion of Men a Change of their Spirits and Hearts would be a better Cure and bring more Honour to God and Safety with it The truth is we look more to Men than to God and that is the Reason why we pitch rather upon the Destruction than the Conversion of others Destruction that may be executed by the Creature but Conversion that is a Power to order and regulate the Spirits of Men which God hath reserved in his own hands One Angel could destroy above an Hundred and Eighty Thousand in Sennacherib's Camp in one Night but all the Angels with their united Strength cannot draw in one Heart to God But now the God of the Spirits of all Flesh who is too hard for him O did we often reflect upon this we would be dealing with God about this Matter that he would work upon the Spirits of Men. If there be a wicked Ruler or an obstinate Child or Servant c. that he would sanctify himself upon them and change their Hearts 2. You discover much Love to God when as you would not dishonour him your selves so you are careful others may not dishonour him Praise him all ye Ends of the Earth Psal. 98. 4. 100. 1. You would have all the World own him Private Spirits that would impale and enclose Religion that they may shine alone they do not love God but themselves their own Credit and their own Profit Would to God all the Lord's People were Prophets Numb 11. 29. That was a free and noble Speech God is resembled to the Sun because it is He that must shine alone but the Church is compared to the Moon and Stars where all may shine but every Star in its own glory True Christians would have all to be as they are unless it be with respect to their Bonds and Incumbrances 3. You discover Love to others you would have them glorify God The Angels they rejoice when a Sinner is converted they have a great Love to Souls Luke 15. 7. And so do Christians the more spiritual they are the more they come near to the blessed Spirits above and the more affected they are with the good done to others and with their Conversion Saith Paul Rom. 9. 3. I could wish that my self were accursed from Christ for my Brethren my Kinsmen according to the Flesh Such a Zeal and entire Affection he had to the Souls of others that he could lay all his personal Happiness at Christ's feet And thus you see what need we have to deal seriously with God in this Business if indeed we make this our Aim Especially those which are in publick Relations as Paul was which had an Office put upon him to procure the Salvation of others how will their Hearts run out upon it Secondly It is needful we should deal with God about the sanctifying of his Name as in regard of Persons so of Things and Events God hath the disposal of all Events in his own hands There are many Things which concern the Glory of God that are out of our Reach and are wholly in God's hands and therefore it discovers our Love to his Glory and our Submission to his wise and powerful Government of all Affairs when we deal with God about it and refer the Matter to his disposal and say Lord hallowed be thy Name take the Work into thy own hands We discover our Love to his Glory because we make it a part of our Request that all these Events may conduce to the glory of his Majesty As Ioshua when Israel fell before their Enemies Iosh. 7. 9. Lord what wilt thou do for thy great Name There was his Trouble And Moses Numb 14. 15 16. What will the Nations say round about Because the Lord was not able to bring this People into the Land which he sware unto them therefore he hath slain them in the Wilderness It goeth near to the Heart of God's Children when they see any thing that will tend to God's Reproach But that is not all it is not enough we discover that but also our Submission to his wise and powerful Government when we refer the Matter to his disposal and can see that he can work out his own Ends out of all the Confusions which happen there out of Sins Errors Wars Blood Psal. 76. 10. The Wrath of Man shall praise thee the Remainder of Wrath shalt thou restrain In the Septuagint it is the Wrath of Man shall keep Holy-Day to thee shall increase a Festival for thee God many times gets up in the World upon Satan's Shoulders When Matters are ravell'd and disordered he can find out the right End of the Thread and how to disentangle us again and when we have spoil'd a Business he can dispose it for good and make an Advantage of those things which seem to obscure the Glory of his Name By the way both these must go together our Love to his Glory and our Submission to his Providence Our Love to his Glory for we should not be altogether wretchless and careless how Things go and yet not carking because of the Wisdom and Power of his Providence The truth is we should be more sollicitous about Duties than Events The Glory of Events belongeth to God himself and we are not to take his Work out of his hand but mind him in it Look as some would lern their School-fellows Lesson better than their own so we would have Things carried thus and thus And so by murmuring we tax Providence rather than adore it and we eclipse the Glory of God Yet we must be sensible of the Reproaches cast upon God and must pray the Lord to vindicate and right his Name to take the Way and Means into his own hands Thus you have seen the Necessity of putting up such a Request to God Hallowed be thy Name Vse 1. Is for Information It informs us That whatever we bestow upon God we have it from God at first 1 Chron. 29. 11. Of thine own have we given thee The King of all the Earth we cannot pay him any Tribute but out of his own Exchequer When we are best affected to God's Interest and pray for God's Concernments we must beg the
their trust in him 3. Submit to his Providence without Murmuring When we can speak well of him tho he seem to deal most hardly as the Bethshemites when there was such a Slaughter made among them fifty thousand slain They do not say murmuringly who can stand before this severe cruel God but before this Holy God They own his Holiness in the Dispensation tho it were so dreadful 1 Sam. 7. 20. It is a great Glory to God when you own him as just in all his ways when he deals most hardly Whatsoever be our Lot and Portion yet he is a Holy God But to cavil and murmur it is to tax and blemish God before the World 4. Live to publick Ends that is to draw God into Request with others Let this be the aim of your Conversation not only to get Holiness enough to bring you to Heaven but to allure others and recommend God to them that by the Purity and Strictness of your Conversation you might gain upon others and bring them to be in love with God and acquainted with him And Lastly be sensible when God's Name is dishonoured by your selves and others not enduring the least prophanation of it Thy Kingdom come THE first Petition concerneth the End the rest the means Now among all the Means none hath such a near and immediate respect to the Glory of God as Christ's Kingdom for here there is more of God discovered more of his infinite Grace Justice Wisdom and Power than possibly can be elsewhere All other things are for the Church and the Church for Christ as Head and King and Christ for God 1 Cor. 3. 22 23. So that Christ's Kingdom is the primary Means of advancing God's Glory and therefore among all the Means it must be sought in the first place Mat. 6. 33. Seek first the Kingdom of God First not above the Glory of God it doth not come in competition with that but above all other things whatsoever before Pardon and Grace In the Words observe three things 1. We grant a Kingdom 2. By way of Distinction and Appropriation we say Thy Kingdom 3. By way of Supplication we beg of God that it may Come The Concession the Distinction the Supplication are the three things to be opened First The Concession of a Kingdom which our heavenly Father hath A Kingdom in the general signifieth the Government of a People under one Head or Governour and therefore the Term may be fitly applied to God who alone is Supream and we are all under his Dominion Now God's Kingdom is twofold 1. Universal 2. More Particular and Special First There 's a Universal Kingdom over all Things over Angels and Devils over Men Elect and Reprobate over Beasts and Living Creatures and over inanimate Things Sun Moon and Stars This is spoken of 1 Chron. 29. 11. Thine is the Kingdom O Lord and thou art exalted as Head above all And again Psal. 103. 19. The Lord hath prepared his Throne in the Heavens and his Kingdom ruleth over all There is no such Monarch as God is for largeness of Empire for absoluteness of Power and Sublimity of his Throne This is not principally understood here but is implied as a Foundation and Ground of Faith whereupon we may deal with God about that Kingdom which is specially intended in this Request Secondly More Particularly and Especially God hath a Kingdom over a certain Order and Estate of Men. Of this especial Kingdom there are two notable Branches and Considerations One is that Administration which belongeth to the present Life and is called the Kingdom of Grace and the other belongeth to the Life to come and is called the Kingdom of Glory 1. The Kingdom of Grace is spoken of in many places specially that Luk. 17. 20 21. When he was demanded of the Pharisees when the Kingdom of God should come he answered them and said The Kingdom of God cometh not with Observation Neither shall they say Lo here or lo there for behold the Kingdom of God is within you or among you He speaks of a Kingdom of God that was already come among them in the dispensation of his Grace by Christ. And then the other belongeth to the Life to come called the Kingdom of Glory Mat. 25. 34. Come ye Blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the Foundation of the World 1 Cor. 15. 50. Flesh and Blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God Now the Kingdom of Grace may be considered two ways as Externally administred and as internally received 1. As Externally administred in the Ordinances and Means of Grace as the Word and Seals and Censures and the like In this Sence it is said Mat. 21. 43. The Kingdom of God shall be taken from you and given to a Nation bringing forth the Fruits thereof The Gospel or Means of Grace administred in the visible Face of the Church they are called God's Kingdom upon Earth and a very great Priviledg they are when they are bestowed upon any People Surely when Christ saith The Kingdom of God shall be taken from you he doth not mean it of the inward Kingdom that they had not that cannot be lost but of the outward and external Means 2. As internally received and then by it is meant the Grace of God which rules in the Hearts of the Elect and causeth their Souls to submit and subject themselves unto the Obedience of Christ and unto his Scepter and to his Word and Spirit and this is that Kingdom properly which is within us This is the Kingdom of God which consisteth in Righteousness Peace and Ioy in the Holy Ghost Rom. 14. 17. And this differeth from the Kingdom of Glory not so much in Nature as in Degree Well then That by the Kingdom of God is here meant not his general Empire over all the World and all the things of the World tho that be not wholly excluded but his special Kingdom which he doth administer by Christ And that either as externally managed by Ordinances and visible means of Grace or as internally received and administred in the Hearts of the Elect This is that Kingdom we beg that it may flourish and get ground more and more 2. Then for the Kingdom of Glory it is either begun and inchoate or else consummate and perfect 1. 'T is begun and inchoate upon our Translation to Heaven in the very moment of Death In which Christ reigns in the other World in the Spirits of just Men made perfect that is being perfectly freed from Sin and admitted into the clear and immediate Vision and Fruition of God tho our Bodies abide in the Grave expecting full Redemption and Deliverance That there is such a Kingdom carried on many Scriptures intimate Phil. 1. 23. I desire to depart and to be with Christ. As soon as the Saints are loosed from the Body they are with Christ under his Government Luk. 23. 43. This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise As soon as Christ died
difference there is between serving God and serving others If you refuse God's Government you are under a worse under Sin and the Power of Darkness you are under your own Lusts nay and by a just Judgment God may give you over to live in Bondage to unmerciful Men. How many Kings and Lords doth he serve that will not serve one Lord O therefore renounce those other Lords that have Dominion over you and come under this Kingdom which God hath set up Vse 2. To press the Children of God 1. To walk worthy of the Gospel it is a Kingdom The Apostle hath an Exhortation and Charge to this purpose 1 Thess. 2. 11 12. That ye would walk worthy of God who hath called you unto his Kingdom and Glory Walk in obedience to Christ that 's one thing Christ is a King by a natural Right God hath chosen him God hath set him upon his holy Hill The Lord hath made him to be Head over all Things Ephes. 1. 22. Nay the Church chuseth Christ They shall appoint to themselves one Head Hos. 1. 11. And therefore for you that are called to his Kingdom and Glory that have entred into Covenant with Christ that have subscribed to him as Head and King for you to be disobedient give way to Sin it is worse in you Will ye go away also saith Christ to his Disciples Christ hath a Right to reign over wicked Men but you have actually chosen him Treason is less culpable in those which have not submitted to a Power and Prince and owned him for their King than in those that have sworn Faith and Allegiance You have passed under the Bond of the holy Oath God hath called you to his Kingdom and Glory therefore you should be more obedient than to allow a disloyal Thought or rebellious Lust against Christ. 2. As you should be more holy wary watchful that you do not break the Laws of Christ for you have consented to him so live as Kings exercising all Acts of Regality within your own Souls ruling your own Spirits exercising Judgment over your own Hearts and over every Affection that will not be bridled It is a Disgrace to the Regal Estate of the Gospel for you to be over-mastered by a Lust to lie under the Power of any Sin yet thus it is God's Children are conflicting with one Sin or other more than the rest So far you have not experience of that Truth Iohn 8. 32. And ye shall know the Truth and the Truth shall make you free A Man that liveth in Bondage to his Lusts how can he chuse but doubt of those glorious Privileges Have you found the State of the Gospel to be a Kingdom do you walk worthy of the Gospel 3. It teacheth us Contempt of the World and earthly Things Phil. 3. 14. I press toward the Mark for the Prize of the high Calling of God in Iesus Christ. It is not for Princes to embrace a Dunghil nor for Eagles to catch Flies Remember thou wilt one day be a King with God in Glory and therefore shouldst not be as low and base as the Men of the World are but walk worthy of God who hath called you to a Royal State 4. A generous Confidence in the midst of the Troubles and Abasements of the World What tho you be accounted as the Scurf and Off-scouring of all Things tho your outward Condition be low and mean know the Worth of your high Calling in Christ. How poor and despicable soever you are in this World yet you are Heirs of a Crown and Kingdom Therefore remember you are Princes that walk up and down in disguise in a foreign Country If you are kept in a mean Condition it is but a Disguise God hath put upon you We are the Sons of God tho for the present it doth not appear what we shall be God's Heirs make little shew in the World But there is a high Dignity a mighty Privilege put upon you you are called to be Heirs of this Kingdom and this blessed and Royal Estate which God hath provided for them that love him Vse 3. Are we translated into this Kingdom Col. 1. 13. He hath delivered us out of the Power of Darkness and translated us into the Kingdom of his dear Son Every Man naturally is under other Lords the Devil hath Dominion over him and he is under the Government of his own Lusts but now are we translated into the Kingdom of Christ The Second Point is Doct. 2. All those that are affected with God's Glory should desire the coming of this Kingdom and seriously deal with God about it None else can rescue and pluck them out of the Power of Darkness and deliver them from the Thraldom of those other Lords that hold them and none else can defend and preserve them I shall handle the Point 1. In a private 2. In a publick Respect First In a private respect Every Man should desire that the Kingdom of God should come down and be set up in his own Heart Here I must repeat and apply the Distinctions of Christ's Kingdom He is to desire the Kingdom of Grace and the Kingdom of Glory may come to himself and others I. The Kingdom of Grace that it may be begun continued and encreased First That this Kingdom may be begun and a Throne erected for Christ in our Hearts The great Necessity of this Request will be evidenced in these Considerations 1. That every Man by Nature is under another King under the Kingdom of Sin and Satan Satan is the Monarch and Sin is the Scepter Christ and the Devil divide the World either we belong to the one or the other Now the Devil by reason of the Fall of Adam he hath the Start of Christ and the Lord Jesus coming to possess the Heart doth not seize upon it as a Waste which belongeth to the next Occupier but he seizeth upon it as already possessed by Satan The Devil quietly ruleth in the Hearts of the Unregenerate he keeps House and all the Goods are in Peace Luke 11. 21. And therefore wicked Spirits are called The Rulers of the Darkness of this World Eph. 6. 12. All the ignorant and carnal part of the World falls to his share and he doth not easily quit possession Christ indeed employeth Men to wrestle with Principalities and Powers The Work of the Ministry is to shake and batter the Empire of the Devil You must be turned you must be rescued You must be turned Acts 26. 18. To turn them from the Power of Satan unto God You must be rescued and plucked out of this Captivity by strong hand Col. 1. 13. Who hath delivered us from the Power of Satan who hath taken us out of Darkness by a powerful Rescue Even as the Israelites were brought out of Egypt by a strong Hand and stretched-out Arm so are we brought out of the Power of Darkness By such an irresistible Power of Grace must God recover you otherwise Men yield themselves
up to his Scepter Look as the Spirit of God works holy Motions and gracious Desires in the Hearts of God's Children So the Devil is at work in the Children of Disobedience Eph. 2. 2. framing wicked Devices carnal Desires evil Thoughts against God Man is such a perfect Slave to the Devil that he can do nothing but sin 2. This Kingdom which Satan exerciseth is an invisible Kingdom The Devil doth not sensibly appear to his Vassals and Slaves When Christ's Kingdom and Regiment was more external so was the Devil's also As when God was served by Sacrifices and delivered his Mind by Oracles so Men did then more professedly own the Devil by observing his prescribed Rites of Worship and by being deluded by lying Oracles and Answers to their Prayers and Quesâ—ions But now since the Kingdom of Christ is more spiritual and managed by the Holy-Ghost in the Hearts of his Saints so is Satan's Kingdom invisible So that Men may be Christ's Subjects by external Profession and the Devil 's by internal Obedience and Constitution of Mind tho they worship not by Pagan Rites as he ruleth in their Hearts and takes them off from obeying the Gospel they profess The God of this World hath blinded their Eyes 2 Cor. 4. 4. All carnal Men however they defy Satan and abominate the thoughts of serving him yet while they remain in their Sin and Ignorance they still hold the Crown upon the Devil's Head Look as God's Subjects may own him in verbal pretence yet their Hearts may be far from him Mat. 15. 8. So that wicked Men may defy the Devil in pretence and words and cannot endure to hear of him but they are under the God of this World he hath blinded their Hearts So that this Kingdom is to be sought for in the Heart Christ made a great Inroad upon the Devil beat him out of his Quarters Yet as the Sea gets in one place what it loseth in another so tho the Devil hath lost Ground in the Christian World as to external Profession whilst People renounce the Superstitions of the Gentiles yet still he gets Ground in the Hearts of wicked Men by their carnal Dispositions his Empire is upheld still tho professedly they are Subjects of Christ. 3. Until Satan be cast out of the Throne Christ can have no Entertainment in the Heart The Ark and Dagon cannot sink and stand together either the Ark must be removed or Dagon will down upon his Face So 2 Cor. 6. 14. What Communion hath Christ with Belial and Light with Darkness It is impossible both Kingdoms can stand together or both Kings be set up in the same Heart The Marriage-Bed will admit no Partner nor Rival A Man must be under Christ or Satan Until he be cast out Christ hath no room to be entertained Mat. 6. 24. No Man can serve two Masters Ye cannot serve God and Mammon Look upon the Devil under that Notion as he is Mammon as he doth entice to Worldliness it is impossible to serve him and Christ. Both Masters have Work enough for their Servants and their Commands are contrary If two Masters consent to employ one Man in the self-same Business tho they are two Men yet they are but one Master But now to execute the Wills of Men which differ in their Design and which have a several and full Interest in our Labours and Actions it is as impossible as to move two contrary ways at once Well then Mammon and Christ Belial and Christ divide the World It is impossible to be under Belial and Christ both have full Work for us to do and their Designs are contrary So that either it must appear we have changed Masters or we are under the Power of the Devil still We must come out of the Power of Darkness else we cannot be brought into the Kingdom of the Lord Jesus that we may obtain Remission of Sins 4. Satan may be cast out in part and yet still retain a supreme Interest in the Heart I prove it out of that Parable Mat. 12. 43 44 45. When the unclean Spirit is gone out of a Man he walketh through dry Places seeking Rest but findeth none Then he saith I will return into my House from whence I came out c. Out of that Parable we may plainly conclude there may be a shaking of Satan's Empire Satan may be cast out of a Man in some sort yet the Man not plainly renewed Well how may he be cast out and yet his Empire remain unbroken He may be cast out partly by Conviction and Illumination yet as long as any Lust remaineth there unmortified and unsubdued he still keeps his Sovereignty in the Heart Many begin to be troubled and to be thoughtful about Eternity that see better yet they do that which is worse in the Issue When there 's a Conflict between Corruption and Conviction Corruption carrieth it away As Iron oft heated and oft quenched is so much the harder So when they had some Wamblings of Conscience and the Heart begins to boggle and after this Sin breaks out the more This is the Scope of that place They were convinced of a better Estate and had some thoughts of the Messiah but did not give him entertainment Again the Devil may be cast out in regard of some external Reformation A Man may a little wash his polluted Life and abstain from gross Sins yet Satanâ— have full possession of the inner Man A Man may abjure his former ill Life and for a while carry it fair but afterwards retain his former Filthiness and keep a secret League with his Lusts and so he is entangled again and then his latter End is worse than his Beginning and as it is in 2 Pet. 2. 22. The Dog is turned to his own Vomit again and the Sow that was washed to her wallowing in the Mire A Prisoner which hath made some Escape if ever the Goaler get him into his Clutches is sure to be loaden with Irons So one that hath had some partial Reformation O when the Devil gets such a Man into his power again he is ten times worse than he was before 5. The Difficulty of casting off the Sovereignty of Satan lieth partly in our selves and partly in the Devil Partly in our selves As in the Israelites going out of Egypt the difficulty lay not only in gaining the Consent of Pharaoh for he pursues after them when they were gone but also in persuading the People to give their Consent it was long ere Israel desired to be gone So in our natural Condition the Mind of Man is so depraved that he thinks his Bondage to be his Freedom and that there is no such merry Life as to wallow in carnal Satisfactions and our Affections are so far engaged to this sinful Estate that we dote upon our Shackles and are unwilling to hear of a Change The first Step of coming out of this Kingdom of Darkness is when we find it to be a heavy Burthen
only forbid Acts but Thoughts and Desires therefore is it lawful to long for Death Answer Yes but yet we are not anxiously to long after it till the time come not to grow weary of Life our of Desperation and Tiresomness of the Cross as Ionah did chap. 4. 3. but in order to God's Glory and Accomplishment of our Happiness See more at large Psal. 119. vers 17. pag. 104. Case 2. Secondly Do all that have an Interest in Christ desire to die Is not Death terrible Certainly Death is terrible both as a natural and a penal Evil. As in it self it is the Curse of the Covenant and as it depriveth us of Life the chiefest Blessing Yet we should train up our selves in an expectation of Death we should look and long for it that when the time is come we might be willing to give up our selves into the hands of God It is required of a Christian that he should not only be passive in his own Death to die in Peace but active How to hasten his Death No but to resign up himself willingly into the hands of God that his Soul might not be taken away but given up and commended to God We should be willing to be in the Arms of Christ to be there where he is to behold his Glory If Christ had such a good-will to Men as that he longed to be with us solacing his Heart with the thought of it before all Worlds Prov. 8. 31. He was thinking of us how he should come down and converse with Men Surely we should not be so backward to go to Christ. And therefore as Iacob's Spirit revived when he saw the Chariots Ioseph sent to carry him into Egypt so our Hearts should be more chearful and comfortable when Death approacheth Especially since Death is ours it is changed therefore we should be framing our selves to such a temper of Heart by degrees that we might be ready Vse 1. For Reproof to those that would be glad in their Hearts if Christ's Kingdom would never come As to the Kingdom of Grace in the external Administration they hate the Light and will not come to the Light lest their Deeds should be reproved Iohn 3. 20. A wicked Man is loth to be troubled God's Witnesses are the Worlds Torment Rev. 11. 10. They tormented them that dwelt on the Earth A Man that is bodily blind would have a sit Guide but these wretchedly blind Sinners nothing so troublesom and hateful to them as one that would lead them to the Kingdom of God And then as to Internal Grace when this Kingdom of Heaven breaks in upon their Hearts when any Light and Power darts in they seek to put it out they resist the Holy-Ghost Acts 7. 51. and refuse his Call And for the Kingdom of Glory they say It is good to be here and would not change their Portion here for their Portion in Paradise Vse 2. To exhort us to desire the Coming of Christ's Kingdom to our selves If you have any Love to the Lord's Glory or your own Good you should do it Rev. 3. 20. Behold I stand at the Door and knock If any Man hear my Voice and open the Door I will come in to him and sup with him and he with me Will you not open to God that hath the best Right Will you not set open the doors to the King of Glory When Christ comes to bring entertainment to you to sup with you Again all Men will they nill they are subject to Christ either they must come and touch his Golden Scepter or feel the Bruises of his Iron Mace they must own him as King Every Knee shall bow Phil. 2. 10. Therefore be more willing to have the Kingdom of Glory come Again if God be not your King you will have a worse Master every Sin every Lust Tit. 3. 3. Serving divers Lusts and Pleasures You will be at the Beck of every Lust and carnal Motion and the Devil will be your Master to purpose for upon the refusal of Christ's Government there 's a Judicial Tradition you are given up to your own Hearts Lusts. Psal. 81. 12. Israel would none of me so I gave them up to their own Hearts Lusts and they walked in their own Counsels And to Satan to be insnared by him 2 Tim. 2. 26. Taken captive by him at his Will and Pleasure Not to buffet them as Paul was but to ensnare and harden their Hearts Again if you be not subject to God you go about to make God subject to you in effect You would have the Kingdom of Glory and yet continue in your Lusts. Isa. 43. 24. Thou hast made me to serve with thy Sins thou hast wearied me with thine Iniquities When you would have God patient hold his hand and be merciful to you and yet would continue in your Lusts then you make God serve with your Sins Again many temporal Inconveniencies will follow if we do not give way to the Kingdom of Christ to seize upon us when we make no difference between God's Service and the Service of other Lords then he gives us up to the Service of Men to a foreign Enemy to an oppressive Magistrate or breaks the Staff of Government among Men that we might know what it is to be under his Service and Government Therefore give willing Entertainment to the Kingdom of Christ. So much for the private Consideration of this Request Thy Kingdom come that is to us and our Persons both the Kingdom of Grace and the Kingdom of Glory Secondly Having spoken of the Kingdom of Christ in a private now I come to speak of it in a publick Consideration And that is twofold 1. The publick visible Administration of the Kingdom of Grace 2. The publick and solemn Administration of the Kingdom of Glory at the Day of Judgment when Enemies shall have their final Doom and Saints have their Crowns set upon their Heads in the sight of all the World I shall speak of both but because the Discourse may be more fresh and lively upon other Texts 1. The publick visible Administration of the Kingdom of Grace on Psal. 51. 18. Do good in thy good pleasure unto Sion build thou the Walls of thy Jerusalem 2. The Kingdom of Glory on Rev. 22. 20. Surely I come quickly Amen Even so Come Lord Iesus For the first Tho the Church be never so afflicted Psal. 102. 14. when all is defaced as to external appearance lying in a ruinous Heap yet it is beloved and pitied by God's Servants Thy Servants take Pleasure in her Stones and favour the Dust thereof There is nothing God's People desire so much as Zion's Welfare Psal. 106. 54. That I may see the Good of thy Chosen that I may rejoyce in the Gladness of thy Nation that I may glory with thine Inheritance And David in this Psalm Psal. 51. 18. having prayed for himself prayeth for Mercy to the Church and State Do good in thy good pleasure unto Zion build
thou the Walls of thy Jerusalem But how cometh David who was in the depth of private Humiliation so suddenly to fall upon the Case of the Church There was a special Reason for annexing this Request to his own private Complaints and Confessions The Reasons will occasion so many Observations 1. Because of the Offence Scandal and Mischief done to the Church by his Fall and to make amends he prayeth the more earnestly Let not Zion fare the worse for my sake From thence observe That the Sins of particular Persons oft bring a Mischief upon the whole Community David had made a Breach in the Walls of God's Protection and left them naked and more in danger of Judgment Therefore do good c. 2. David was not only a private Member but a Prince and their Sins have a more universal Influence The Sins of Magistrates draw down Judgments on their People all smart for their Miscarriages Hezckiaâ— â—s Pride cost Israel dear 2 Chron. 32. 25. Wrath was upon him and upon Judah and Jerusalem It did not stay upon his Person As a great Oak cannnot fall but all the Shrubs about it suffer Loss But 3. David having some comfortable Assurance of the Pardon of his Sins doth now seek Mercy for the Church From thence observe That we are never fit to pray for the Publick till we have made our Peace with God As the Priests under the Law offered Sacrifice first for their own Sins and then for the Peoples Heb. 7. 27. 4. Because being brought by such a solemn but sad occasion into God's presence he could not but have some thoughts of Zion And from thence observe That we should never come to God upon any private occasion but we should remember the Publick We are to pray in Love as well as Faith Christ hath not taught us to say My Father but Our Father to shew that we should take in the Interests and Concernments of the whole Body that there may be a Spirit of Communion breathing in our Prayers David doth not only say Have mercy upon me according to thy Loving-kindness but Do good unto Zion in thy good pleasure Every living Member will be careful for the Body Members should be careful one for another much more for the whole Is any Member pained or grieved all suffer If the Toe be trod upon the Tongue complaineth you have hurt me but now much more when all is concerned Therefore we should not altogether seek our own Things but wrestle with God for the Publick 1. This reproveth divers sorts of People Some are Enemies to the Publick Welfare as Vipers eat out the Dam's Belly especially Enemies to Zion Down with it down with it even to the Ground What Monsters hath this Age brought forth Others are indifferent and careless which goeth up Christ or Antichrist they only mind the Matters of their own Interest and Concernment All seek their own Things As to the Publick Interest of the Church let all go how it will Let me tell you To be selfish is a sort of Self-Excommunication you cast your selves out of the Bundle of Life And to be sensless 't is an implicit renouncing the Body Others there are that are gracious but full of discontent at some Passages of Providence and these seem to have lost their publick Affections 'T is a sad Symptom when a praying People are discouraged from praying for Publick Welfare God is very tender of the Prayers of his People he is loth they should be lost and sorry they cannot be granted We may sin in ceasing to pray 'T is a sad Judgment when the Hearts of God's People are taken off from praying Again Those that pray too coldly for the Publick not as those that would do their Work There is a great Decay of the Spirit of Prayer which is also a sad Presage But now to shew you II. What we should pray for for Zion 1. The Dilatation or Enlargement of it throughout the World The more ample God's Heritage is the more is his Glory known Prov. 14. 28. In the Multitude of the People is the King's Honour and the Glory of a Shepherd lieth in the Number of his Flock So Christ's Kingdom the more it is enlarged the more Honour God hath Psal. 67. 2. That thy Way may be known among the Heathen and thy Saving-Health among all Nations Especially when the Fulness of the Gentiles is brought in Psal. 54. 2. and when the Jews are brought in Hos. 3. 5. To be instrumental to enlarge Christ's Kingdom 't is an Honour to us to draw on Christ's triumphant Chariot let us be sure to have an hand in it These Prayers if sincere are never in vain if they profit not others they promote the Kingdom of God in our selves 2. The Preservation and Defence of the Churches already planted frustrating the Plots and Power of the Enemies That God would be a Wall of Fire round about them Zech. 2. 5. Qui comminus arccat eminus terreat When at the weakest God can protect them bridling by his secret Power the Rage of Adversaries or defeating their Attempts 3. For Comfort and Deliverance in Afflictions We should pity the distressed Church as before That God would redeem them out of all their Troubles Every true Member of the Church hath Life Christ and that Life giveth Feeling and that Feeling Affection and Sympathy to rejoice and mourn They that mourn for Zion rejoice with her Isa. 66. 10. Rejoice ye with Jerusalem and be glad with her all ye that love her rejoice for Ioy with her all ye that mourn for her 4. For the Furniture of the Church a Supply of all Good internal and external 1. Internal That God would bless them with Ordinances enrich them with Graces preserve Truth and Unity and continue his Presence with them his Ordinances that they may enjoy them in Purity that the Word Seals and Censures may be rightly administred till the Lord come These are Things pertaining to the Kingdom of God concerning which Christ spake to the Disciples Acts 1. 3. These are to be kept till Christ's appearing â— Tim. 6. 14. 'T is an Honour to God and of great Profit to the Church and a rejoycing to God's People to see them pure and unmixed Tho absent in the Flesh yet I am with you in the Spirit joying and beholding your Order Col. 2. 5. And then that God would enrich them with his Presence Mat. 28. 20. Lo I am with you always even unto the end of the World 'T is God that giveth the Increase Paul may plant and Apollos water but God giveth the Increase 1 Cor. 3. 6. for Conviction Conversion Confirmation 'T was not the Ark nor Mercy-Seat covered with Cherubims but the Answer from between the Cherubims given immediately by God that manifested his Presence It is not the Sound of the Gospel or outward Ministry but the Work of his Spirit Psal. 84. 2. My Soul yea even fainteth for the Courts of the Lord my
14. Peace upon Earth Now God offereth Grace and now it is his Will we should come out of our Sins and accept of Christ to the ends for which he hath appointed him And here we must be sanctified else we shall be filthy for evermore Corn grows in the Field but it is laid up in the Barn Now is the time of minding this Work here upon Earth 3. That while we are upon Earth we might long for that happy Estate we shall have in Heaven wherein we might serve God Therefore Christ in his Prayer would have us think how God is glorified and obeyed there that we might send up hearty Wishes after that perfect Estate when we shall serve God without Weariness and without Distraction 4. Upon Earth to shew that we pray not for those in the other World but for those upon Earth We do not pray for the Saints departed they are out of harms way past our Prayers being in their final Estate We pray not for the Dead but for the Living Thus for the first Circumstance in this Petition the place where Secondly There remains nothing but the last and that 's the manner how this is to be done As it is in Heaven Chrysostome observes that this Clause may be referred to all the former Petitions Hallowed be thy Name upon Earth as it is in Heaven Thy Kingdom come upon Earth as it is in Heaven But certainly most proper it is to the matter in hand But what is the sense How is God obeyed in Heaven There are in Scripture three Heavens the Airy Heaven the Starry Heaven and the Heaven of Heavens In all these Heavens God's Will is done God is obeyed in the lower Heaven you shall see in Psal. 148. 8. Fire Hail Snow and Vapours stormy Winds fullfilling his Word Winds and Storms and all those things which seem to be most tempestuous and unruly to be the disorders of Nature they are at God's beck Then in the Starry Heaven vers 6. He hath made a Decree which shall not pass They are under a Law and Statute and are not exorbitant and excentrick do not alter their Path the Sun riseth setts and knows the just point of his Compass But it is chiefly meant of the Heaven of Heavens where Angels and blessed Spirits are and they obey God perfectly Psal. 103. 20 21. Bless the Lord ye his Angels that excel in Strength that do his Commandments hearkening unto the voice of his Word Bless ye the Lord all ye his Hosts ye Ministers of his that do his Pleasure The Angels do his Commandments and are hearkening to the Voice of his Word are at God's beck to be sent up and down to ascend and descend as God will have them so with respect to this doth Christ say Thy Will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven But here again why is this added As it is in Heaven 1. To sweeten our Subjection to God's Will We upon Earth are not held to a harder Law and Task than they in Heaven The Angels they are not sui juris at their own dispose They have many Priviledges above Man yet have no Exemption from Homage and Duty to God They have an Exemption and Freedom from Trouble and Sicknesses and Diseases and the necessities of Meat and Drink and all the Molestations and Infirmities of the Flesh which we lie under but are not freed from the Will of God but they obey his Commandments hearkning to the voice of his Word These Courtiers of Heaven are Servants of God and Fellows with us in the same Obedience none is too great to obey God The Angels which excel in Strength they obey his Will and so must we nay they obey his Will with a holy Awe and Fear that they may not displease him in the least for it is said of Michael the Arch-angel Iude vers 9. That he durst not bring against the Devil a railing Accusation but said The Lord rebuke thee He had not boldness to speak one uncomely Word or one unseemly Word to do any thing that was displeasing to God 2. As to sweeten our Obedience so to shew us the Reasonableness of this Obedience We would have the Happiness of the Angels and therefore certainly we should come into a Fellowship in their Duty it is but equal we should imitate their Holiness If we would have Communion with them in Glory we should have Communion also with them in Grace Mat. 22. 30. it is said we shall be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 like the Angels of God We seek after the same Glory and Happiness which they have to stand before the Lord and to behold his Face that 's their Happiness Surely if we would have the reward of Angels which we upon Earth are aspiring and looking after it is but equal we should do the Work of Angels and write after their Copy 3. Therefore doth Christ use this Comparison that we might not miscarry by a low Example How apt are we to follow the track and to take up with an easy and low rate of Obedience Luke 18. 11. that put great Confidence in that God I thank thee I am not as other Men. Now because we have few Examples in the World and those we have have their Spots and Defects and are very susceptible of Evils and apt to miscarry by them therefore Christ would carry us up to look after a Heavenly and Coelestial Patern he propoundeth the Angelical Perfection as a Patern and Example He that shoots at a Star will shoot higher than he that aims at a Shrub Surely the higher the Patern that we aim at the greater will our Obedience be Wicked Men they think that every thing is enough in Religion though it be never so little but the Godly cannot so easily satisfy themselves they are pressing and hastening on more and more 4. To teach us that we are not only to look to the Quid but to the Quomodo not only to what we do but also in what manner we yield Obedience to God therefore Christ would not teach us to pray only Thy Will be done but as it is in Heaven in such a manner God respects not only the doing of what he hath required but also the manner of it that we may not only do good but well it is the Adverb which crowns the Action We are to consider with what Heart we go about it Prov. 2. 16. The Lord weigheth the Spirits That which he putteth into the Ballance of the Sanctuary is with what Spirit with what Heart we go about the Work that 's it he weigheth and regardeth Now that we may look not only to the matter of Obedience but also to the manner how we do it therefore doth Christ give us this Patern Object But you will say Our Obedience is accompanied with many Defects and Infirmities therefore how can we serve God as the Angels do in Heaven How shall we take Comfort in our Obedience if this be our Patern I answer
was the Will of their Father and they would keep to the Will of the Dead Ier. 35. 14. But now the Lord seeth whether his Will be kept yea or no. Prov. 15. 3. The Eyes of the Lord are in every Place beholding the Evil and the Good Where ever you are God is with you As the Prophet said to Gehazi Went not mine Heart with thee 2 Kings 5. 26. meaning his prophetical Spirit The Lord's Spirit goeth along with us where ever we go he observes what we do When Jesus Christ was in the Throng he saith Who is it that toucheth me He was sensible Virtue passed out from him when one touched him by Faith So in the Throng of Creatures we depend upon God he knows what Virtue goeth out to preserve thee and me in Being These are fit Instances to ingenerate in our Minds a sense of God's Omniscience 2. He will severely punish Iam. 4. 12. There is one Law-giver who is able to save and to destroy There are many Law-givers in the World that have Power of Life and Death but that 's only of Life Temporal But there is one Law-giver that can reward with eternal Life and punish with eternal Death So God truly and properly hath the Power of Life and Death Therefore since he can punish so severely we should not stand out against God's Will Many times the doing God's Will is irksom to Flesh and Blood but remember Hell will be worse When we press Men to Faith Repentance and new Obedience and tell them this is the Will of God concerning you that you do believe in Christ walk holily and humbly with God what saith the Man Shall I mope my self and sit mourning in a Corner and spend my Life in a dark melancholy manner in going from one Duty to another This is far better than to sit howling under the Wrath of God for evermore For Directions If you would do the Will of God then 1. There must be some solemn Time of resigning and giving up thy Will to him Naturally we are averse Now whosoever is brought unto God he comes and lays down the Weapons of his Defiance at God's feet God hath a Right to us and he will have this Right confirmed by our Grant and Consent Rom. 12. 1. I beseech you by the Mercies of God that ye present your Bodies a living Sacrifice holy acceptable unto God There cannot be a more acceptable Sacrifice to God than the Resignation of our own Will to him See how Paul comes and layeth down the Buckler when God had him under Acts 9. 6. And he trembling and astonished said Lord what wilt thou have me to do There will be a time when you will solemnly give up the Keys of your own Hearts to God and bid him come and enter Paul that now did nothing but threaten and breath out Terror to the Children of God when God had humbled him then he lies at God's Feet When you are truly humbled you will desire God to come and take possession of your Hearts and resolve to come under his Yoke Mat. 11. 28. Take my Yoke upon you and you shall find Rest for your Souls Christ will force it upon none In the Matrimonial Contract Consent is not to be forced Take my Yoâ—e 2. When you give up your selves to God it must be without Bounds and Reservations That ye may stand perfect and compleat in the VVill of God Col. 4. 12. That was his Prayer for them And Acts 13. 22. I have found David the Son of Jesse a Man after my own Heart he shall fulfill all my VVill. We should so perfectly obey as if we had no Will of our own not reserving a Property in any thing Our Thoughts are not our own to dispose nor our Desires nor Delights but as God will The least Sin reserved is a Pledg of the Devils Interest and Right in us And therefore give up all to God resign up your selves wholly to him as remembring that every Motion every Thought every Affection is under a Rule and in every Action we should say Will God have this to be done yea or no 3. There are some special Things concerning which God hath more expresly signified his Will and given special Charge and these we should make greatest Conscience of how distasteful soever they be to Flesh and Blood or prejudicial to our own Interest For Instance Concerning Repentance and turning from Sin Ezek. 33. 11. you have God's Oath that he delights in it As I live saith the Lord God I have no Pleasure in the Death of the VVicked but that the VVicked turn from his way and live And God would not have any to perish but that all should come to Repentance 2 Pet. 3. 9. This is the Will of God he hath told you what a great deal of Pleasure he takes in Repentance that you should come and mourn over your Sins and bewail your Straglings When a prophane Esau knew what his Father desired he takes his Bow to go and kill Venison When we know any thing more pleasing to God ' we should do it And then he takes pleasure also in the Work of Faith believing in Christ. Iohn 6. 29. This is the VVork of God that ye believe on him whom he hath sent And 1 Joh. 3. 23. This is his Commandment that we should believe on the Name of his Son Iesus Christ. Therefore we should be much in the Work of Faith and in receiving Christ that we may accomplish the good pleasure of God in us It is very pleasing to God we should thus repent believe and return to him The very first Motion how welcome is it to the Lord Psal. 32. 5. I said I will confess my Transgressions unto the Lord and thou forgavest the Iniquity of my Sin So Luk. 15. 20. the Father ran to meet him when the Prodigal thought of returning So that you should live a sanctified Life 1 Thess. 4. 3. This is the VVill of God even your Sanctification That you should walk holily God hath expresly declared his Will Then for Duties of Relations God takes a great deal of pleasure in Obedience to Magistrates Parents Masters 1 Pet. 2. 15. For so is the VVill of God that with well-doing ye may put to silence the Ignorance of foolish Men. Then that we should observe Providences ever be in a thankful frame 1 Thess. 5. 18. In every thing give thanks for this is the VVill of God in Christ Iesus concerning you It is a great Rebellion and Disobedience not to obey God's solemn Charge 4. We should be willing to obey God whatever it cost us The least Sin is not to be committed to avoid the greatest Trouble You would think it were a small Sin for Moses to tarry in Pharaoh's Court where he might be helpful to the People of God yet he chose rather to suffer Affliction with the People of God than to enjoy the Pleasures of Sin for a Season Heb. 11. 25. 5. For the
born in Sin greedy and thirsty of Sin and one whose Thoughts are evil continually But may not a Man be reclaimed Oh no for he hath a Heart of Stone Ezek. 36. 26. I will take away the Heart of Stone Every Man that comes to be converted hath a Heart of Stone and what 's that insensible inflexible Insensible he hath no feeling of his Condition Inflexible he will not be moved and wrought upon by the Word and the Spirit and Providence How many means are wasted upon him and to no purpose And Ier. 17. 9. The Heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked who can know it It invents all kinds of Shifts and Excuses to elude God or rather to cheat it self When God comes to work upon Man it slides away from under his hand as if Salvation it self should not save them Yea but is not the New-Testament more favourable to Man than the Old Or is not Man grown better now there is so much of God's Grace discovered I answer there 's a perfect Harmony between the Testaments there he is stiled a Child of Wrath by Nature Eph. 2. 3. the Elect as well as others were so There you will find him to be a Servant of Sin Rom. 6. 17. Never such an imperious Master as Sin is never such a willing Servant as Man is Sin never leaves commanding and we love to work and therefore are at its beck There you will find him to be represented to a Man that hath a blind Vnderstanding and a hard Heart and one that is averse from the Life of God Eph. 4. 18. There you will find one that is an Enemy to the Law of God Enmity it self Rom. 8. 7. one that neither will nor can please God One that is blind and knows not what to do 2 Pet. 1. 9. He that lacketh these things is blind and with such a Blindness as is far worse than bodily A Man that is blind in his bodily Eyes would think it to be a great Happiness to have a fit Guide as in Acts 13. 11. when Elymas was smitten blind he sought about for some body to lead him by the hand But he that is spiritually blind cannot endure to have a Guide or if one would lead him and direct him in the right way he is angry And as the Scripture represents him as blind so without Strength Rom. 5. 9. Dead in Trespasses and Sins Eph. 2. 5. yea worse then dead a dead Man doth no more hurt his Evil dyeth with him but there 's a Life of Resistance and Rebellion against God that goeth along I have spoken but little yet put all together and then it shews what a miserable wretched Creature Man is The Scripture doth not speak this by chance it is not an Hyperbole used once or twice but every where where it speaks of this matter it sets out Man to be blind hard dead obstinate and averse from God Certainly Man contributes little to his own Conversion if the Word of God sets him out every where to be such a one he cannot hunger and thirst after Christ that drinks in Iniquity like Water nothing in his Nature to carry him to Grace who is altogether sinful If the Scripture had only said that Man had accustomed himself to Sin and were not born in Sin If it had said that Man is very prone and not greedy and thirsty in Iniquity If it had only said that Man did often think Evil but not continually If the Scripture had said that Man were somewhat obstinate but not a Stone an Adamant and like the nether Milstone That he had been indifferent to God and the World God and the Flesh and not a professed Enemy That he had been a Captive of Sin and not a Servant of Sin That Man had been weak and not dead only a Neuter and not a Rebel Then there might have been something in Man and the work of Conversion and reducing to God had not been so great But the Scripture saith the quite contrary that Man is all this and much more therefore this clears it up that his Conversion is not in himself but it is God must work this good Work upon him or else he can never be renewed Secondly Let us consider the Terms how the Cure is wrought Certainly to remedy so great an Evil requireth an Omnipotent an Almighty Power Therefore see how Conversion is described in Scripture sometimes by enlightning the Mind Ephes. 1. 18. The Eyes of your Vnderstanding being enlightned that ye may know what is the hope of his Calling c. Man the best Creature on this side Heaven is stark blind in the things of God If he should go to see with the Light of Nature how would he grope at Noon-day If he should put on the Spectacles of Art he will be but little better Nay let him take further the Glass of the Word yet how blind in a spiritual sence Something there must be done upon the Faculty the Object must not only be revealed but the Eye must be enlightned There are thick Scales upon his Eye as Paul had in his Blindness that must be taken off before he can see into the things of God But is this all enlightning the Eye No the Scripture describeth this Work of God by opening of the Heart Acts 16. 14. God opened the Heart of Lydia that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul God doth not only knock at the Heart that he doth by his Word and by the external means but he openeth the Heart he must open the Door before he can come in enter and take Possession As to the means God trieth Key after Key one Providence after another As when a Man would open a Door he knows not what Key will fit the Lock he trieth Key after Key So God trieth one Cross one Affliction after another one Sermon one Message after another but until he puts his Fingers upon the hole of the Lock we shall not open But these Words are not emphatical enough therefore it is expressed by a Regeneration John 3. 3. Except a Man be born again he cannot see the Kingdom of God Mark they must not only be reformed but must be regenerated and born again Now because this is an ordinary Work which falleth out in the course of Causes therefore there 's a more solemn Notion used it is exprest by a Resurrection Eph. 2. 5. He hath raised you up together with Christ. Yea but that which hath been may be again therefore it is exprest not only by a Resurrection but by a Creation Ephes. 2. 10. We are his Workmanship created in Christ Iesus unto good Works 2 Cor. 4. 6. He that commandeth the Light to shine out of Darkness hath shined in our Hearts And we are called New-Creatures And higher than this it is expressed not only by a Creation but by a Victory and overcoming It is resembled by beating and binding of the strong Man and rescuing and
but they are hidden among others Therefore Reprobates are called obiter by the by as others are called according to purpose and therefore they have the Benefit of the common Call and the common Offer The World stands for the Elects sake yet others have the Benefit of the World and worldly Things So the Word is preached for the Elects sake yet others have the Benefit of an external Call The Sun shines tho blind Men see it not The Rain falls upon Rocks and Mountains as well as fruitful Valleys So God may suffer these Exhortations to light upon wicked Men. And again as to them it is for their Conviction it is to bridle their Corruptions it is at least a means to civilize them and keep them from growing worse Therefore such kind of Doctrines and Persuasions restrain their Wickedness Therefore it stands well enough with the Wisdom of the Law-giver to call upon Men and invite them with Promises and Threatnings to Repentance Therefore now let me shew How doth God reduce and frame our Hearts to the Obedience of his Will The Ways God useth are of two sorts Moral and Real 1. God works morally so as to preserve Man's Nature and the Principles thereof therefore he works by sweet Inclination not with Violence So he comes with Blandishments and comfortable Words Hos. 2. 14. I will allure her and bring her into the Wilderness and speak comfortably unto her So Gen. 9. 27. The Lord shall persuade Japhet and he shall dwell in the Tents of Shem. By fair and kindly Words he draweth on Men to the liking of the Gospel He offereth no violence to our natural Principles but to our Corruptions God doth not make the Will to be no Will but to be a good Will He restoreth the Faculties to their right Use and Exercise He layeth forth the Beauty and Excellency of his Grace and a glorious Estate he sets before our Eyes and â—o out-bids Temptation and draweth our Hearts to himself And God not only doth work suitably to our general Nature as we are reasonable Creatures but suitably to the particular Frame of the Heart Some are of a stout and stubborn Temper and will not be subdued by milder Means and Motives therefore God breaks them with Fears and Terrors and with a Spirit of Conviction And others he draws them on by Love and by a gentle Application That God hath respect to Mens particular Tempers was figured in those extraordinary Ways of Appearance and Manifestation they are fitted according to the State of Men. To Moses that was a Shepherd and was acquainted with Bushes God appears in a Bush of Fire And to the Wise Men that were skill'd in the Motions of the heavenly Bodies he appears in a Star And to Peter that was a Fisherman he appears to him and shews his Power first in the Draught of Fishes So still these are Pledges of this kind of Dispensation that God will work suitably not only to our general Nature as Men but to our particular State and Temper Yea yet further to set on this moral Way of working there is a fit Subordination of the Circumstances of Providence God takes the wild Asses in their Month and he hath his Season wherein to surprize the Heâ—rts of Sinners Prov. 25. 11. A Word fitly spoken is like Apples of Gold in Pictures of Silver God comes in in a fit Season as when a Soul is humbled by some sudden Accident As one was converted by seeing a Man fall down dead suddenly by him God ordereth some Providences to work and awaken the Hearts of Men. Or else by some great Affliction Hos. 2. 14. I will bring her into the Wilderness and speak comfortably unto her God finds many a Sinner in the Briars as Abraham found the Lamb. Stubborn Humors are then most broken Metal in the Furnace is capable of any Form God may suit and dispose us so that he may come in in a fit season to the Soul Or in Terrors of Conscience when the Heart is scourged with remorse for great Sins All this is God's moral Work 2. There is a real Work which goes along with this Persuasion there is an Almighty Power For bare Persuasion cannot make the Blind to see the Dead to live or open the Heart of Man that is so desperately and obstinately wicked until he puts his Fingers upon the Holes of the Lock until he begins to open the Heart Concerning this real Work observe it is secret yet thorow and prevailing so as the Effect doth follow when God will convert The exact Manner of God's drawing is unknown Austin calls it an inward hidden and unspeakable Power which God putteth forth together with the Word it is marvellous in our Eyes but he that knew how to creat Souls knows how to work upon them This Power it is like the Influences of the Heavens which so insinuate themselves with the Operation of second Causes that they cannot be seen so there is such a mighty Power working in us tho we cannot tell how to express it We cannot say there is no such Power because we do not know what it is And as this Power is secret so when this Power is put forth it is prevailing he works prevailingly so as the Effect must necessarily follow The Grace God gives to Men to convert them it is not a Power to be converted repent and believe if they will no but he gives Repentance he gives Faith and works so as the Effect shall succeed He works efficaciously and determinately so as to oppose all the Resistance of the Will and accomplish his Work That 's the first Branch Secondly When we are thus framed by Grace after Conversion God still concurreth and must help us to do his Will He doth not only give us the Habit of Grace but actual Help in the Work of Obedience Isa. 26. 12. Thou hast wrought all our Works in us But why is it that still the Lord worketh in us both to will and to do unto the last and not only begins with us but still keeps Grace in his own hands so as we shall have our Supplies from Heaven from day to day There are several Reasons 1. Because it endeareth God to a gracious Soul The more Visits we have from God and the more he is mindful of us at every turn the more is God endeared to us In such a Duty there we met with Comfort and Enlargement because God was there that is noted and regarded so that the Lord is rendred the more precious The Experiment we have of God in every Duty doth the more make us prize his Grace As David Psal. 119. 93. I will never forget thy Precepts for with them thou hast quickned me I shall never forget such a Sermon and such a Prayer because there I met with God So in Affliction Rom. 5. 3. Patience worketh Experience or in such a Conflict we had such a Support this endeareth God to the Soul As mutual Acts of
him out of all his Troubles He doth not say this wise Man this eminent Saint but this poor Man This was the Doctrine of the Gentiles That the Divine Powers did only care for the great and weighty Concernments of the World but other things he left to their own Event and their own Chance as if God in the great throng of Business were not at leisure to attend every private Man's Request These were the fond Surmises the Gentiles had of God But we are taught better This poor Man cried unto the Lord and be heard him Poor Men in the World when they have any thing to do with great Persons they must look long wait pray and pay to seek their Face and Favour at length meet with a rough Answer and sour Look But God will not shut the Door the Throne of Grace lies open for every Comer You will say this would sweeten Mercies to the Poor Nay it concerns not only those that are actually poor but the great ones of the World for they are poor and shiftless in themselves if God did not provide for them others are but Glasses where they might see their own Misery If they did well weigh the Wants and Necessities of others they might see what would have been their own Case if the Lord had not been merciful to them As Austin when he saw a Beggar frisking and leaping after his Belly was fill'd the Spectacle wrought much upon him that he had not such rejoycing in God who tasted so much of his Abundance Saith Chrysostome If you are not thankful for Health go to the Spittles and Lazar-houses and see what might have been your own Case Thus if you are not thankful for abundance go to the Families where there are Children that want Bread It is the Lord's Mercy to the richest for they were miserable and indigent It is a great Mercy to relieve those from Hand to Mouth But you that have abundance it is a double Mercy to you for he prevents the Necessity before it was felt as Psal. 21. 3. Thou preventest him with the Blessings of Goodness David takes notice of the Goodness of God to him Before the need is felt and observed you are stored and this should be a great Indearment of the Lord's Mercy to you 2. It is Mercy if we consider not only our Want but our Forfeiture It is not only Mercy but pardoning Mercy at least a reprieving from Trouble for we deserved the contrary There is a kind of Temporary-Pardon which continueth all these Blessings It is as great a Curse as possibly David could thunder out against obstinate Sinners and God's implacable Enemies Psal. 28. 4. Give them according to their Deeds and according to the wickedness of their Endeavours Do we think this would be matter of Mischief only to David's Enemies No every one of us if we had our Deserts we should soon be shiftless harbourless begging from Door to Door yea howling for one drop of Mercy to cool our Tongues O then surely the Lord is to be praised and acknowledged in bestowing the good things of this present Life Well then As these Blessings come from God let them carry up your Heart to God again As all Rivers they run from the Sea and they discharge themselves into the Sea again so let all be returned to God with Thankfulness with acknowledgments that you have received them from God I shall urge it with one Example Jesus Christ though he were Heir Lord of all things Who thought it no Robbery to be equal with God yet you find him ever giving Thanks when he used the Creatures Mat. 15. 36. And it is the main thing Iohn taketh notice of and passeth by the Miracle Iohn 6. 23. Where they did eat Bread after that the Lord had given Thanks Nigh to Tiberias there was the place where our Lord fed many with five Loaves and two Fishes but he only saith this where they did eat Bread after that the Lord had given Thanks he saw this was a notable Circumstance so he doth but cursorily mention the Miracle only calls it eating Bread but expresly mentioneth Christ's blessing the Creature He would teach us that the blessing of all Injoyments is in God's Hand VSE 4. If the Lord be the Donor and Giver of all these outward things let us beware we do not abuse these Gifts of God as Occasions of sinning against the Giver that we fight not against him with his own Weapons Jesus Christ speaking to his own Disciples though they were trained up with him a Company chosen out and select Family who were to be his Heraulds and Ambassadors to the World yet he gives them this Caution Luke 21. 34. Take heed to your selves lest at any time your Hearts be over-charged with Surfeiting and Drunkenness and Cares of this Life and so that day come upon you unawares He saw it needful to warn his own Disciples We had two common Parents Adâ—m and Noah and one miscarried by eating and the other by drinking these Sins are natural to us The Throat is a slippery place and had need well be looked unto Mark Christ there doth not mean Surfeiting and Drunkenness meerly in a gross Notion When we hear of Surfeiting and Drunkenness we think of spuing staggering reeling vomiting and the like but we are to consider it in a stricter Notion Take heed lest the Heart be over-charged The Heart may be over-charged when the Stomach is not that is when we are less apt to praise God grow more lumpish and heavy or rather when we settle into a sensual frame of Spirit and by an inordinate delight in our present Portion are taken off from minding better things Look as the Heart is over-charged with the Cares of the World so likewise with Creature-Delights and Comforts of this World when it is set for Ease and Vanity Many that would be loathers of the other Drunkenness yet are guilty of this kind of Surfeiting and Drunkenness the Heart is over-charged with an inordinate Affection to present things There cannot be a more heavy Judgment than when our Table is made our Snare Psal. 69. 22. A Snare it is God's spiritual Judgment when the Comforts of this Life serve not so much to lengthen and strengthen Life but when their Hearts are hardned in Sin and they grow neglectful of God and heavenly things Raining Snares is an Argument of God's Hatred First The Lord shall rain Snares and then Brimstone and an horrible Tempest shall be their Portion Psal. 11. 6. So it makes way for his eternal Anger VSE 5. Let us be contented with that Portion which God hath given us of worldly things if the Lord be the Donor Why 1. Because God stands upon his Sovereignty you must stand to God's Allowance though he gives to others more and to you less for God is supream and will not be controll'd in the disposal of what is his own The good Man of the House pleaded Mat. 20. 13
wicked Wretch takes advantage against David and rails at him yet David forgives him when restored to his Crown He shall not die 2 Sam. 19. 23. Nay he sware to him So his Estate When a Debtor is not able to pay and yet submits So Paul bids Philemon to forgive the Wrongs of Onesimus Put it on my Score Philem. Vers. 18. that is for my sake forgive this Wrong 3. We must be ready to perform all Offices of Love to them Luke 6. 27. Love your Enemies do good to them which hate you Mark do not only forbear to execute your Wrath and Revenge upon them but do good to them yea tho they be Enemies upon a religious ground tho Religion be made a Party in the Quarrel and so engage us to the greater Fury when that which should bridle our Passions is the Fuel of them Pray for them which despitefully use you and persecute you Mat. 5. 44. Miriam when she had wronged Moses yet he falls a praying for her Numb 12. 13. that the Lord would forgive the Sin and heal her For the Reasons why those that would rightly pray to be forgiven of God must forgive others It should be so it will be so there is a Congruency and a Necessity 1. The Congruency it should be so It is fit that he that beggeth Mercy should shew Mercy it is exceedingly congruous For this is a general Rule That we should do as we would be done unto and therefore if we need Mercy from God we should shew Mercy to others and without it we can never pray in Faith He that doth not exercise Love can never pray in Faith why His own revengeful Disposition will still prejudice his Mind and make him conclude against the Audience of his Prayers for certainly we muse on others as we use our selves And that 's one reason of our Unbelief why we are so hardly brought to believe all that tender Mercy which is in God because 't is so irksom to us to forgive seven times a day we are apt to frame our Conclusions according to the Dispositions of our own Heart Can we think God will forgive when we our selves will not forgive A Man 's own Prayers will be confuted What is more equal than to do as we would be done unto And therefore it is but equal if he entreat Mercy for himself he should shew it unto others Look as the Centurion reasoned of God's Power from the Command that he had over his Souldiers Mat. 8. 9. I am a Man under Authority and I say to one Go and he goeth and to another Come and he cometh Those things we are accustomed to they are apt to run in our Minds when we come to think of God Now he that kept his Souldiers under Discipline that if he said Go they go he reasons thus of God Surely God hath Power to chase away Diseases So accordingly should we reason of God's Mercy according to the Mercy that we find in our selves Therefore it is very notable that when Christ had spoken of forgiving our Brethren not only seven times but seventy times seven the Disciples said unto the Lord Increase our Faith Luke 17. 5. How dotâ— this come in In the 4 th Verse Christ had spoken that they should forgive not only seven times but seventy times seven and they do not say Lord increase our Charity but our Faith implying that we cannot have such large thoughts of God when our own Hearts are so straitned by Revenge and our private Passions 2. In point of Necessity as it should be so so it will be so for God's Mercy will have an Influence upon us to make us merciful All God's Actions to us imprint their stamp in us his Election of us makes us to choose him and his ways his Love to us makes us love him again who hath loved us first so his forgiving of us makes us to forgive our Brethren There is an answerable Impression left upon the Soul to every act of God why for a true Believer is God's Image The new Man is created after God Eph. 4. 24. and therefore he acts as God Certainly if there be such a Disposition in our Heavenly Father it will be in us if we have an Interest in him Look as a Child hath Part for Part and Limb for Limb answerable to his Father tho not so big in Stature and Bulk so hath a Child of God which is created after God he hath all the Divine Perfections in some measure in his Soul And this Consideration is of more force because the New-Creature cannot be maimed and defective in every Part but is entire lacking nothing And therefore if God forgive others certainly the Godly will be inclinable to forgive too Vse 1. Here 's a ground of Tryal whether we are pardoned or no. Is our revengeful Disposition that is so natural and so pleasing to us mortified That 's one Trial or Evidence whether we are forgiven of God can we freely from the Heart forgive others Object But it may be objected against this Do you place so much in this property of forgiving others It doth not agree only to pardoned Sinners because we see some Carnal Men are of a weak and stupid Spirit not sensible of Injuries And on the other side many of God's Children find it hard to obtain to the perfect Oblivion of Injuries that is required of them Answ. As to the first part I answer We do not speak of this Disposition as proceeding from an easy Temper but as it proceedeth from Grace when in Conscience towards God and out of a Sense of his Love to us in Christ our Hearts being tendered and melted towards others to shew them such Mercy as we our selves have received from the Lord that 's the Evidence And again we do not press to judg by this Evidence single and alone but in Conjunction with others when they are humbly Penitent and confessing their Sins and turn to the Lord which is the great Evangelical Condition Job 33. 27. If any say I have sinned and perverted that which was right and it profited me not Then will he restore light to him When a Man is soundly touched with remorse and seeth the folly of his former Courses and asketh Pardon of God then is God gracious to him But this is that we say that this Disposition of Pardon in Conjunction with the great Evangelical Condition of Faith and Repentance it helpeth to make the Evidence more clear 2. As to the other part of the Objection which was this it will be a great weakening of the Confidence of God's Children who cannot get such a perfect Oblivion of Injuries they have received but find their Minds working too much this way I answer As long as we live in the World there will be Flesh and Spirit Corruption as well as Grace there will be an intermixture of the Operations of each Carnal Nature is prone to Revenge but Grace prevaileth and inclineth to a Pardon
Well then if this be the prevalent Inclination of the Soul and that which we strive by all good Means to cherish in us this meek Disposition passing by of Wrongs we receive by others then we may take Comfort by this Evidence tho there be some reluctancies and regrudgings of the old-Nature Vse 2. To press us to this ready Inclination to forgive Wrongs and Injuries We are not so perfect but we all need it from one another There will be mutual Offences while we are in the World especially in a time when Religious Differences are on Foot therefore it concerns us to look after this Disposition of forgiving others as we would be forgiven of God Human Society cannot well be upheld without this mutual Forbearance and Forgiving Now imitate your Heavenly Father No Man can wrong us so much as we daily trespass against him and yet God pardoneth us He doth not only pardon the lesser Failings some Venial Errors and Sins of Incogitancy and sudden Surreption which creep upon us we know not how but he pardons the greatest Sins tho they be as Scarlet Isa. 1. 18. Those that are of a Crimson hue God can wash them out in the Blood of Christ. And mark what is it then that you will stand upon Is it the greatness of the Offence God pardons great Sins Or is it the baseness of those that injure you this is the Circumstance When we have received wrong from those which are our Inferiors that owe us more Reverence and Respect What are we to God Notwithstanding the baseness of those which affront him daily all Men to him are but as the drop of the Bucket and the small Dust of the Ballance Isa. 40. 15. yet God pardons them And then again cast in the consideration of God's Omnipotency He is able to right himself of the wrongs done to him and no Man can call him to an account Many times it is not in our Power He can cast Body and Soul into Hell Mat. 10. 28. God is thus offended and by sawcy Dust that is ready to fly in his Face inconsiderable Man and yet the Lord pardons and this he doth freely Luke 7. 42. He frankly forgave them both And he pardons fully as if it were never committed Mich. 7. 19. He casts all our Sins into the Depths of the Sea Then he pardons frequently His Free Gift is of many Offences unto Iustification Rom. 5. 16. And he multiplies to pardon Isa. 55. 7. And mark he pardons too in some sence before they Repent there 's a Purpose he provided Christ before we were born And he gives us Grace to repent or else we could never humble our selves at his Feet the offended God he gives them the Grace whereby they shall acknowledg the Offence Christ prayed for his Persecutors when they had no sense of the Injury they had done him they were converted by that Prayer afterwards Luke 23. 34. Father forgive them for they know not what they do therefore certainly much more when they repent and submit Oh therefore let us not be drawn hardly to this Duty or at least we should not upon every petty Offence cherish Hatred and Rancor against our Brethren But here are certain Cases that would come into debate First Case Whether it be consistent with this Temper forgiving of others to seek reparation of wrongs in a way of Justice and pursue Men at Law for Offences they have committed against us Answer Yes For 1. Certainly one Law doth not cross another By the Law of Charity the Law of Iustice is not made void A Magistrate tho he be a Christian and bound to forgive others is not bound up from executing his Office against publick Offenders Nor yet are private Men tyed from having recourse to the Magistrate for restoration to their Right or reparation of their Wrong For to demand ones Right is not contrary to Love nor to seek to amend and humble the Party Nocent by the Magistrates Authority who is the Minister of God for Good Rom. 13. 4. And that others may hear and fear Deut. 19. 20. And the Party damnified may for the future live in Peace Forgiving is an Act of private Jurisdiction The Offence as far as it is private to us it may be forgiven but there are many such Offences as are not only an Offence to us but to the Publick Order and that must be left to the Process of the Law 2. Whosoever useth this Remedy must look to his own Heart that he be not acted with private Revenge nor with a Spirit of Rigor or Rankor against the Party offending but that he be carried out with Zeal to Justice with pity to the Person that he and others may not be hardned in Sin For this is the general Law of Christ That all things should be done in Love 1 Cor. 16. 14. Therefore when we are acted by our private Passion and secret desires of Revenge we abuse God's Ordinance of Magistracy and make it to Lacquey upon our Lusts. And therefore there must be a taking heed to the frame of our own Hearts that they be upright in these things Tho it seem hard to Flesh and Blood yet remember Flesh and Blood shall not inherit the Kingdom of God Grace must frame your Hearts to the Obedience of God's Will 3. These Remedies from Authority must be in weighty Cases and in matters of moment and importance Their contending in Law one with another about the smallest matters is that which the Apostle taxeth 1 Cor. 6. 7. Not upon every trifling occasion It must be after other means are tryed and used as the help of Friends to compound the matter for Charity tryeth all things 1 Cor. 13. 4. And the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 6. 5. Is there none to judg between you that is none to decide and arbitrate the difference for the refuge to Authority should be our last Remedy And it must be too when the Party wronging is able to make Satisfaction otherwise it is Rigor and Inhumanity 2 Kings 4 1. As When the Creditors came to take the Sons of the Widow for Bondmen When you are rigorous with those that come to Poverty not by their own Default but by the discharge of their Duty brought Poverty upon themselves 't is contrary to Christianity Look as Physicians deal with Quick-Silver after many Distillations they make it useful in Medicines So after many preparations is this Course to be taken 2. Another Case Whether in forgiving Injuries we are bound to tarry for the Repentance of the Party The ground of doubting is because Christ saith Luke 17. 3. If thy Brother trespass against thee rebuke him and if he repent forgive him and because of God's Example who doth not forgive an obstinate Sinner but him that repents Certainly even before Repentance we are bound to lay aside Revenge and in many cases to go and reconcile our selves with others Saith our Saviour If thou hast ought against any one go reconcile
God God is greater than our Consciences His Authority is greater for God is Supream whose Sentence is decisive Now tho Conscience should not do its Office 1 Cor. 4. 4. For I know nothing by my self yet am I not hereby justified but he that judgeth me is the Lord. All depends upon God's Testimony 2. Because of his Power who only can still the Conscience Isa. 57. 19. I create the Fruit of the Lips to be Peace Peace That is the Lips of his Ministers or Messengers who bring the glad tydings of Peace or the reconcilement of God to his People And therefore 't is called the Peace of God Phil. 4. 7. as wrought by him The Gospel is a sovereign Plaister but 't is God's Hand that must make it stick upon the Soul otherwise we hear Words and return Words 't is by the lively Operation of his Spirit that our Hearts are setled God cometh in with a sovereign powerful Act upon the Soul Otherwise one Grief or sad Thought doth but awaken another Till he command Loving Kindness Psal. 42. 8. We are still followed with Temptations As the Rain swells the Rivers and Rivers the Sea and in the Sea one Wave impelleth another so doth one Temptation raise another Vse 1. It reproveth those that do not deal with God about the Pardon of their Sins If God alone pardon Sins then God must be sought to about it For tho there be none in Earth to call us to an Account yet God may call us to an Account and then what shall we do Many if they escape the Judgment of Man think they are safe But Alas your Iniquities will find you out You think they are past and never more to be remembred but they will find you out in this World or the next our Business lieth not with Man so much as with God Therefore this should be the question of your Souls Job 31. 14. What then shall I do when God riseth up and when he visiteth what shall I answer him Which way shall I turn my self when God calleth me to an Account He will come and enquire into our ways are you provided of an Answer David's Sin was secret his Plot for the Destruction of Vriah closely carried Nathan tells him 2 Sam. 12. 12. Thou didst it secretly But against thee have I sinned Many escape blame with Men but God's Wrath maketh Inquisition for Sinners You cannot escape his Search and Vengeance if you do not treat with him about a Pardon Vse 2. It shews the Folly of those that have nothing to shew for the pardon of their Sins but their own secure Presumptions 'T is God's Act to pardon Sin Man may forget his Sin But if God remember it he is miserable Man may hide his Sin but if God bring it to Light Man may put off the Thoughts but if God doth not put away Man may excuse his Sin but if God aggravate it the Debtor may deny the Debt but if the Book be not crossed he is responsible Psal. 32. 1 2. Blessed is he whose Transgression is forgiven whose Sin is covered Blessed is the Man to whom the Lord imputeth not Iniquity c. We must have God's Act to shew for our Discharge then we may triumph 'T is God that justifieth who is he that condemneth c. Rom. 8. 33 34. God is the offended Party and the Supream Judg. Then Conscience hath nothing to do with us nor Satan neither as Accuser or Executioner Not as an Accuser for then he is but a Slanderer not as an Executioner for he is turned out of Office Heb. 2. 14. That he might destroy him that had the power of Death even the Devil Have you your Pardon from God Is your Discharge from him When have it we from God 1. Have it you from his Mouth in the Word or Prayer upon suing to him in Christ's Name and earnest waiting upon him If Men would consider how they come by their Peace they would sooner be undeceived You were praying and wrestling with God and so your Comfort came God speaketh Peace But when it groweth upon you you know not how it was a thing you never laboured for like Ionah's Gourd it grew up in a Night 't is but a fond Dream 2. Have it you under his Hand Is it a Peace upon Scripture terms of Faith Rom. 5. 1. Therefore being justified by Faith we have Peace with God through our Lord Iesus Christ. Repentance Luke 24. 47. That Repentance and Remission of Sins should be preached in his Name among all Nations c. And the Exercise of Holiness Then have you God's word to shew for it But if it be not a Peace consistent with Scripture-Rules nay you are afraid of the Word Ioh. 3. 20. You are loth to be tried 't is a naughty Heart 3. Have it you under his Seal 2 Cor. 1. 22. Who hath also sealed us and given us the earnest of the Spirit in our Hearts Have you the Impress of God upon you God's Seal his Image Doth the Spirit of Promise assure your Hearts before God that you can live in the Strength of this Comfort and go about Duties chearfully Then 't is God's Pardon otherwise 't is but your own Absolution which is worth nothing Vse 3. It sheweth that we need not fear the Censures of Men nor the Hatred of the Ungodly for 't is God pardoneth and who can condemn God will not ask their Vote and Suffrage who shall be accepted to Life and who not 1 Cor. 4. 3. But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you or of Mans Iudgment c. A Man must expect Censure that will be faithful to God but if he acquit us it is no matter what our guilty Fellow-Creatures say Vse 4â— Is Comfort to broken-hearted Sinners to those that need and desire Pardon 'T is well for them that God doth not put them off to others but reserveth this power of pardoning Sins to himself 1. 'T is his Glory to forgive Sins Exod. 33. 18. And he said I beseech thee shew me thy Glory compared with Exod. 34. 6 7. And the Lord passed by before him and proclaimed The Lord the Lord God merciful and gracious long-suffering and abundant in Goodness and Truth Keeping Mercy for thousands forgiving Iniquity Transgression and Sin c. 'T is not only the Glory of a Man who is so offensive himself and so passionate that this Passion will draw him to what is unseemly but of God 2. 'T is his Glory not only above the Creatures but above all that is called God in the World Mic. 7. 18. Who is a God like unto thee that pardoneth Iniquity and passeth by the Transgression of the Remnant of his Heritage He retaineth not his Anger for ever because he delighteth in Mercy The Heathen Gods were known by their Terrors rather than their Benefits and feared rather for their Revenges than their Mercies We may boast of him above all Idol Gods
Honour and Being of God Though the Devil should stand by and say nothing to us we have enough within us to put us upon all kind of evil Jerem. 17. 9. The Heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked who can know it As to Actual Sins there is a difference but as to Original Sin it is the same in all All the Sins that ever have been or shall be committed in the World they are vertually in our Natures they are but Original Sin acted and drawn out this way and that way as all numbers are but one multiplied Cain's Murder Iudas's Treason Iulian's Apostacy and Enmity to Christ the Seed and Root of all is in our Nature and if we were but left to our selves and had the same Temptations and Occasions we should be as bad as others such as we would not imagine that ever we should commit is in our heart 2 King 8. 13. Is thy Servant a Dog that he should do this great thing when he had been told of those horrid Cruelties he should act upon the Women and Children of Israel No Man knows the depth of his own Wickedness if loosned of his Chain and the Restraints are taken off At first Nature abhors them in the conceit of them but when God permits us to lie under the Temptation and fair Occasion Man is not to be trusted We see in this respect what need there is to pray that God would not leave us under the Power of Temptation because the Heart of Man is prone naturally inclinable to all evil There are new Actual Sins but there is no new Original Sin that is but one and the same in all Persons and at all Times the Root of all the Mischief which hath been in the World is within us 2. That without the Flesh the World and the Devil can have no power over us A Man cannot be compell'd to sin against his own consent he may be compell'd to suffer Temptation but he is a Sinner by his own choice The World would not hurt us were it not for Lust in the Heart 2 Pet. 1. 4. Escaping the Corruption of the World through Lust. I say it is not the beauty or sweetness of the Creature but Lust which is our Ruin and Undoing and that makes the World so dangerous unto us A Spider sucketh Poison from the same Flower from which a Bee would suck Hony the fault is not in the Flower but in the Spider The Devil can do nothing unless we give him leave The Fire is kindled in our own Bosoms Satan only doth blow it up into a Flame saith Nazianzen We have the Coals in our own Hearts the Devil doth but come and blow them up Suggestion doth nothing without consent In vain doth one knock at the Door and none within to look out and make answer So all other Temptations would be in vain if there were not somewhat within that would close with what is suggested from Satan James 1. 14. Every Man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own Lust and enticed by his own Concupiscence If your Hearts did not yield if you did resist the Devil and the World could not force you When Satan came to Christ he might molest him but he found nothing in him Iohn 14. 30. As a Glass of pure Water may be shaken but there is no Filth no Mud there discovered But now the best of Men they have somewhat within them Naughtiness and Corruption enough in their own Hearts upon which Satan may work and inflame them with his fiery Darts In short We may commit Sin without Satan but Satan cannot betray us to sin without our selves cannot have his desire upon us without us 3. The Flesh doth not only make us flexible and yielding to Temptations but is active and stirring in our Hearts to force and impel us thereunto There 's a Law in our Members Rom. 7. 23. a powerful active Principle within us that is always urging us to sin We think and speak too gently of our own corrupt Hearts when we think the Corruption is sleepy and works not untill it be irritated by outward Objects and Satan's Suggestions No there 's an active stirring Principle within us that poureth out Sin as a Fountain doth Waters though no Body comes to drink of them as Gen. 6. 5. Every imagination of the Thoughts of his Heart is only evil continually There is a Mint in Man's Heart that is always at work coining evil Thoughts evil Desires evil Motions and the flesh lusteth against the Spirit Gal. 5. 17. And Sin wrought in me all manner of Concupiscence Rom. 7. 8. Though there were no other occasion to irritate but God's Law and the Motions of his Spirit yet there 's a continual Fermentation wrought by these corrupt Humors in our Hearts Natural Concupiscence doth not lie idle in them but is active and warring and the Objects that are in the World and the Solicitations of the Devil make it more violent 4. The Temptations of the Flesh and the World go in conjunction and do mutually help one another And therefore it is said 1 Joh. 2. 16. For all that is in the World the Lust of the Flesh the Lust of the Eyes c. Mark whatever is in the World he doth not mention the Object but the Lusts because these are complicated and folded up together in the Temptation The Bait is the World but the Appetite and Desire we have from the Flesh. And this is intimated in that Passage Jam. 1. 14. Every Man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own Lust and enticed There 's two Words there drawn away and enticed the drawing away notes the vehemency of desire or Inclination of our own Hearts and the enticement that 's from the Object Both ways doth Corruption work by Force and Flattery The great Bait is Pleasure the contentment that we take in outward Enjoyments And we are carried out to it by the vehement propension of corrupt Nature 5. This vehement propension of Corrupt Nature to outward things is set at work by a hope of gaining them or a fear to lose them and so we are assaulted on every hand by right-hand and left-hand Temptations By right-hand Temptations from the Flatteries and Comforts of the World which are the more dangerous because of their easy Insinuation into and strong Operation upon our Hearts and so our Comforts prove a Snare to us and an occasion to the Flesh as the Apostle saith Gal. 5. 13. And then there are left-hand Temptations which arise from shame or fear of worldly Evils as the other did arise from a desire or hope of good So the Apostle Gal. 6. 12. As many as desire to make a fair shew in the Flesh they constrain you to be circumcised only lest they should suffer persecution for the Cross of Christ. That was their temporizing then to comply with the Iews who had some National Priviledges under the Roman Government and had
say they had sinned more if they had sinned less They are more acquainted with the Wiles and Depths of Satan and Naughtiness of their own Hearts and so are more solicitous 6. To make us more meek to others Gal. 6. 1. If any Man be fallen ye which are spiritual restore such a one in the Spirit of Meekness considering thy self lest thou also be tempted We are very apt to be severe and fierce upon the failings of others But now when we are tempted our selves we learn more pity and compassion towards them Severe Censurers are left to some great Temptation that they may be acquainted with their own Frailties they are tempted to some Sins to which their Hearts were not so inclinable before Well then that we may pity others mourn over them and have a fellow-feeling of their Condition God will make us know the Heart of a tempted Man that we may have more compassion over poor tempted Souls Possibly that may be a part of the Apostle's sense 2 Cor. 1. 6. Whether we be afflicted it is for your Consolation and Salvation or whether we be comforted it is for your Consolation and Salvation Persons in Office in the Church they are afflicted and tempted and it may be have a greater measure of Afflictions and Temptations that they may shew more pity to other Souls Therefore Luther was wont to say Three things made a Minister viz. Prayer Meditation and Temptation When he is much in communion with God much in the study of the Word and hath been exercised in Temptation then he will be of a tender and compassionate Heart over others and that he may help them out of the Snares of the Devil he is more fitted to his Work by Temptation 7. It occasions much Experience of the Care and Providence of God and the Comforts of his Promises A Man doth not know what the Comforts of Faith mean till he be exercised by Temptation And Spiritual Experiences will countervail all other Troubles This is an Hour of Temptation Rev. 3. 10. What should we do in this Hour of Temptation Be not over-confident nor over-diffident in an hour when God casts us upon trying Times Not over-confident in casting your selves upon needless Troubles without cause Mat. 14. 28. Peter said Lord if it be thou bid me come unto thee on the Water Peter thought he could do any thing in the strength of Christ's Word Peter seeks a Call before it be given him Nor yet be over-backward and diffident to own God and the Truths of God As Paul taxed Peter for dissembling Gal. 2. 12. when those false Brethren were likely to bring great trouble Peter dissembled and runs with them and separates himself from the purer sort of Christians he is taxed there for it We should not run into them without cause nor yet be ashamed to own the ways of God those which are most agreeable to his Holy Word Not be solicitous so much about Events as Duties for God is far more concerned than we and hath a greater Interest than we can have What 's our Interest and the Interest of our Families and our Children to the great Interest of God the Safety of his Children the Safety of his Glory and Cause of his Church Be not troubled about Events for all our Business is to understand our Duty that we may not sin but keep blameless in the Hour of Temptation Vse If Temptations be an usual Evil wherewith we encounter in the present World Then First We should not be dismayed at them Secondly We should be prepared for them First We should not be dismay'd at them as if some strange thing did befal us When we enter into the Lists with Satan resist the Devil Why 1 Pet. 5. 9. For all those things are accomplished in your Brethren that are in the Flesh. They are all troubled with a busy Devil a naughty World and a corrupt Heart And why should we look for a total Exemption and to go to Heaven in an unusual way That we may not be dismay'd by Temptation I shall give you several Considerations 1. We took an Oath to fight under Christ's Banner Baptism it is Sacramentum Militare our Military Oath which we took to fight in Christ's Cause against all the Oppositions and Difficulties we meet with in the World 1 Pet. 3. 21. The Apostle calls Baptism The Answer of a good Conscience towards God An Answer supposeth a Question It is an Allusion to the Questions propounded by the Catechist to the Catechumen When they came to desire Baptism they asked them Abrenuncias dost thou renounce the World the Flesh and the Devil And they answered Abrenuncio I do renounce them So Credis Dost thou believe in Jesus Christ with all thy Heart as Philip propounds the Question to the Eunuch and they answered Credo I do believe Wilt thou undertake to walk in all Holy Obedience and the Answer is I do undertake before God Conscience which is God's Deputy puts the Question in God's Name to those which take the Seals of his Covenant Are you willing to renounce the Flesh and worldly Vanities Will you cleave to God and his Ways what-ever they cost you Whosoever makes this Answer is supposed that he makes it knowingly that he doth understand the Difficulties of Salvation and what he must meet with in his way to Heaven So the Apostle saith You are not Debtors to the Flâ—sh Rom. 8. 12. A Man is a Debtor to another either by the Obligation of some received Benefit or by his solemn Promise and Engagement both are of use in that place They that would seek the well-being of their Souls need not gratify the Flesh. They that are engaged to walk after the Spirit and come under the Bond of an Holy Oath and that are thus solemnly engaged cannot expect to carry on the Profession of Godliness without Conflicts and multiplied Difficulties 2. That is not the happiest Condition which is most quiet and free from the Temptations of Satan for Luke 11. 21. When the strong Man armed keepeth his Palace his Goods are in peace When the Devil hath-quiet possession he doth not trouble Men. The Sea must needs be smooth and calm when Wind and Tide go one way There are some which suspect their Condition because of continual Temptation and others because they have no Temptation Neither is a safe Rule for the time of our Conflict may not yet become But if any have cause to suspect themselves it is the last sort for they that are least troubled may be most hurt they are quiet and secure because Satan hath got them into his Snare and hath a quiet Dominion in their Souls 3. Jesus Christ himself was tempted and therefore we should not be dismayed with Temptations Upon several Accounts is this a Comfort to us partly as it shews that we cannot look for an Exemption for the Captain of our Salvation was thus exercised Heb. 2. 10. Be not disconsolate it becomes good
him this is a Lye which is told to the very Face of God But if this be a Truth that all those which would pray aright must clear up their Adoption and get a sense of it then here will Doubts arise Therefore here I shall handle three Cases 1. What shall natural Men do Must they desist from Prayer for they have no right to it 2. What shall they do which have not as yet received the Testimony of the Spirit For a Child of God may have the Right of Children yet have not a sense of his Adoption 3. What are the Evidences by which our Adoption may be cleared up to us how we may know we are taken into a Child-like State First What shall natural Men do must they desist from Prayer for they have no Right to it I answer You may see here the miserable Condition of wicked Men how much they are bound to pray and yet what an Impossibility lieth upon them of praying aright Certainly none should desist from this Duty of Prayer because they cannot perform it aright for tho we have lost our Power and Fitness yet there is no reason God should lose his Right and his Power to our Obedience There is an Obligation and Precept from God as a Father by Creation upon all Mankind all which are reasonable Creatures they are to own God as a Father in this way I say Prayer is an Homage we owe to God by natural Right therefore no doubt wicked Men do sin when they cease to pray It is one of the Accusations brought against natural Men and is an Aggravation of their Sin Psal. 14. 1. They do not call upon God Rom. 3. 10. it is applied to natural Men. This is the Misery they have subjected themselves to that their Prayer is turned into Sin As a natural Man must not omit Hearing because it is a means to bring him to be acquainted with God tho he cannot hear in Faith So he must not omit Prayer because it is one Means to bring us to own God as a Father by Adoption A Man is not to turn the Back upon him but call him Father as well as he can Ier. 3. 19. But I said How shall I put thee among the Children and give thee a pleasant Land a goodly Heritage of the Hosts of Nations And I said Thou shalt call me My Father and shalt not turn away from me Better to own God any way than not to own him at all than not to enquire after him to own him rationally if not spiritually to own him by Choice if not out of Sense If we cannot come and clear up our Title to this great Privilege by the Spirit of Adoption yet any way Thou shalt not turn away from me We should not shut the Door upon our selves It is required of a natural Man being weary of his Sins to flie to God in Christ Jesus for his Grace and Favour that he might become his God and Father Secondly What shall they do which have not as yet received the Testimony of the Spirit that do not know their Adoption I answer A Child of God may have the Effects and Fruits of Adoption yet not always the feeling of it to witness to him that God hath taken him into a Child-like Relation to himself Certainly they are in a very uncomfortable Condition for they want an Help in Prayer Doubtless thou art our Father O what an Advantage is that How much of Eloquence and Rhetorick is there in that when we can speak to God as a Father Yet they are not to neglect their Addresses to God for this is a means to obtain the Spirit of Adoption Luke 11. 13. He will give the Spirit to them that ask him Therefore in what ever Condition we be we must pray otherwise we shut the Door upon our Hopes You continue the Want upon your selves and so wholly detain your selves in a comfortless Condition There is a fourfold spiritual Art we must use in Prayer when we have not the Sense of our Adoption that we may be able to speak to God as our Father 1. Disclaim when you cannot apply When you cannot clear up your own Relation and Interest then disclaim all other Confidences If thou canst not say Father yet plead Fatherless Hos. 14. 3. In thee the Fatherless find Mercy Come as poor helpless shiftless Creatures seek Peace and Reconciliation with God in Christ It may be God may take you into his Favour He is a Father of the Fatherless 2. Own God in the humbling way Learn the Policy of the Prodigal Luke 15. 18 19. Father I have sinned against Heaven and before thee and am no more worthy to be called thy Son This is the Policy and Art of an humble Faith to call God Father As Paul catcheth hold of the Promise on the dark Side Iesus Christ came to save Sinners and presently he addeth Whereof I am chief So when a Believer can come and say Lord I am not worthy to be called thy Son make me as one of thy hired Servants 3. The third Policy we should use in Prayer is to call him Father in Wish Optando si non affirmando If we cannot do it by direct Affirmation let us do it by Desire Let us pray our selves into this Relation and groan after it that we may have a clearer Sense that God is our Father in Christ. 4. Faith hath one Art more it maketh use of Christ Jesus God hath a Son whose Name signifieth much in Heaven therefore if you cannot come to him as your Father come to him as the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Eph. 3. 14. For this cause I bow my Knees to the God and Father of our Lord Iesus Christ. Let Christ bring you into God's presence He is willing to change Relations with us Take him along with you in your Arms go to God in Christ's Name Whatsoever you ask in my Name shall be given to you Thirdly But what are the Evidences by which our Adoption may be cleared up to us How shall we know that we are taken into a Child-like State 1. Consider how it is brought about How do we come to be related to God by Christ Jesus By receiving Christ as he is offer'd in the Gospel John 1. 12. To as many as received him to them gave he Power to become the Sons of God It is a Prerogative and special Grant those which receive Christ even those that believe in his Name that is those who out of a sense of their own Need and Sight of Christ offered in the Promise do really consent to take him for the Ends for which God offereth him to wit as Prince and Saviour that he might give you Repentance and Remission of Sins not in pretence but in your Hearts These have full liberty to call God Father to come to treat and deal with him tho they have not a sense of the Blessedness of their State for this followeth Believing After