must doe as Mary did shee layed up all the sayings that shee heard of Christ and pondered them in her heart Luke 2.51 The Disciples often questioned of Christ which proves that they pondered his Words in their hearts So the Nobles of Berea they searched the Scripture so Iacob hee noted the saying of Ioseph and laid it up Yee doe not heare thus if you doe but lend your eares for the time if yee worke it not upon your affections ye profit not The reason why there is so much preaching and so little profit is for want of this There are two kinds of ill hearers the first are such as heare as Swine and trample all they heare under feete the second such as heare as Dogs snarling at the doctrine if yee offend in eyther of these yee heare amisse Of all the foure grounds that was worst which received not the Word When men heare the Word there is more than a naturall forgetfulnesse in them the Divell helpes it Iam. 1.23.24 He that heares the Word and recals it not or practiseth it not is like one that beholdeth his face in a glasse for he beholdeth himselfe and goeth away and straight way forgetteth what manner of man he was yee must recall it before yee can practise it else yee will be like to those that behold their face in a glasse and wipe not away their spots Be not therefore forgetfull hearers and for this first recall and repeate what yee have heard when yee are gone Secondly practise it afterwards there is a blessing promised to mindfull hearers there is a curse denounced against those that are forgetfull Ioh. 13.15 If yee know these things happy are ye if you doe them but there is a curse for you if you doe not profit God will make you to heare and will not give you his Spirit Regard to prize the Word if ye will not be forgetfull Rom. 1.28 those that did not like to retaine God in their knowledge those that did heare the Word and not regard it God gave them up to a reprobate sence to an Injudiciousnesse to doe those things that were not convenient not being able to profit by it The ancient Fathers much pressed the repetition of Sermons and one of them useth this similitude A man that comes into a pleasant garden will not content himselfe with the present sent only but he wil carry some of the flowers home with him So in a cold day a man will not be content to heate himselfe at anothers man fire but he will carry away some fire with him to keepe him hot at home So doe yee when ye come to heare the Word carry home some flowers of it with you carry some fire home with you to heate and warme your hearts God regards not flashes and moodes and such negligence in performing of holy duties as will not warme your hearts Men are like a Sive in the water it is full whiles it is in the water but being taken out of it it hath nothing it is not the hearing of the Word of God or the doing of it negligently that will profit if ye heare it only pro forma and negligently it doth you no good but it brings Gods curse upon you Gods curse is on many they grow not in knowledge or grace for want of diligence wherefore in the 2 Pet. 3 17. the Apostle bids us beware least being led away with the error of the wicked we fall from our owne stedfastnesse to prevent this grow in grace and for this purpose grow in knowledge for then ye grow in grace The fift meanes to heare profitably is to prize the Word and the voyce of Christ speaking to the heart pray earnestly for it that ye may seeke it earnestly at Gods hands beseech him to speake to your hearts your hearing is nothing without this it is the great sheapheard of the flocke that must feede you It is the Spirit that must teach you Therefore when as you come to heare pray earnestly to God to speake unto you by his Spirit It is the Spirit that quickneth Ioh. 6.63 the Word is spirituall and wee are carnall therefore wee must pray for the Spirit to helpe us for to heare the Spirit is not bestowed without prayer Act. 1.14.15 God promised to give his Spirit to his Apostles yet they continued long in prayers ere he gave it them Luk. 11.13 God gives not his Spirit but to such as aske it to such as coÌ„tinue praying asking and knocking Dauid prayes to God to open his eyes that he might see the wonders of his Law Men may heare the Word yet God opens not their eyes without seeking to him God speakes unto you by his Ministers Paule and Apollos are yours we are the Ministers of God for your sakes for your service If God open the dore of utterance it is not for our sakes but yours that you might seeke the Word at our mouthes and beleeve Act. 14.1 a great company of Iewes and Gentiles beleeved by hearing the Word preached and receiving of it The world receives not the Spirit because they seeke it not Ioh. 14 17. We in preaching can doe nothing it is the Spirit that must doe it 2 Cor. 3.18 we can shew you the Image of God but it is nothing to you if ye be not transformed into the same image from glory to glory and it is the Spirit that must thus transforme you Conclude therfore with God in prayer let not him deny you one Word from him is more than a thousand from us God fastning his Word upon your hearts it changeth you without him we preach in vayne The sixt meanes to heare profitably is to come with vacuity of minde free from all things that hinder else wee sow but amongst thornes Ier. 4.4 we speake to men prepossessed the seed falles on fallow ground we speake to men whose hearts are full of lusts they have a noyse of businesse within them and so they heare us not because their hearts are forepossessed The arrowes head being in the wound it is in vaine to lay plaisters upon it therefore Iam. 1.24 when as wee come to heare the Word wee are commanded to lay aside all superfluity of naughtinesse and to receive with meekenesse the ingrafted Word which is able to save our soules Dâ—e in hearing the Word as men doe in grafting cut off all superfluous branches come with empty minds attend to the matters of grace Men who have full stomacks God feeds not He feeds the hungry others are sent empty away they are alwayes hearing but never profiting I should speake now to Ministers and people to Ministers that they speake in the voyce of Christ that they speake as he did not in wisedome of words but in the evidence of the Spirit To the people that they must heare them by whom Christ speakes those who have Livings to bestow ought to bestow them on such as speake the Words of Christ they that
not onely doe the duty and therefore when wee exhort you to it not onely to call upon God for men are ready enough to doe that especially in the time of distresse but with these conditions I have named You know Gehazi when hee had got the staffe of Elisha hee went to the Child but it was not the staffe that could raise the child from death to life there was something more required So in prayer it is not meere prayer that will doe it there is something else there must be other conditions that must bee observed For wee are wont to doe with it as those Conjurers were wont to doe with the name of Iesus they thought if they used the name of Iesus it was enough but yee know what answer the Spirit gives them Iesus we know and Paul we know but who are yee So I say we are wont to doe in this case we thinke it is enough to make our request and that is all No there is somewhat more required you must make your request in such a manner as ye ought Then I adde this further that when thou makest them in such a manner yet thou must not thinke to be heard for thy praiers sake that is another thing we are apt to faile in When wee have made fervent prayers and have beene importunate with the Lord wee thinke now surely we shall not faile No you must know this the promise is not made to the prayer but to the person praying You shall not finde throughout the whole scripture that any promise is made thus because wee pray fervently wee shall be heard but it is made to the person praying the prayer is but the instrument but the meanes by which the blessing is conveyed to us is a meanes without which the Lord will not doe it for the promise is made to the party A cold prayer so there be no neglect in it so a man seeke the Lord and pray as well as hee can it will prevaile sometimes as well as a fervent prayer Who indites the petition who makes the prayer fervent Surely not thy selfe but the Holy Ghost he makes request in us sometimes hee makes thee more fervent hee enlargeth the heart more sometimes againe the heart is more straitned in the performance of this duty but both may come from the same Spirit Not but that wee have cause of much comfort when wee are able to pray fervently for this is a ground of our comfort that when we pray fervently it is an argument that the Holy Ghost dwels in our hearts and that our prayers are dictated by him it is an argument that our prayers come from a holy fire within And therefore fervent prayer may give us hope of being heard but yet it is not meerely the prayer but because it is an evidence that it comes from a right principle that it comes from the regenerate part and is made by the assistance of the Holy Ghost it is not the very fervency that prevailes And therefore when you heare this that the Lord is ready to heare I say make that use of it bee fervent in this duty remember the conditions and yet withall know that you are not heard for the very prayers sake but for Iesus Christ his sake He makes every praier acceptable hee mingles them with his sweete odours And if you object O but I am a man full of infirmities You know how it is answered in the Fift of Iames saith he Eliah when hee was heard he was a man and a man subject to passions to the like passions that wee are As if he should say do not thinke that Eliah was therefore heard because hee was an extraordinary Prophet for it was because the Lord had made a promise to him and hee comes and urges that promise to the Lord and therefore the Lord heard him So saith hee should every one of you if you have the promise you may goe and urge it as wel as Eliah did though you be subject to many infirmities Eliah was even so You know there are infirmities and passions expressed in the Scriptures that he was subject to And this is the first use we are to make of it to be frequent and fervent in this duty since wee have such a promise Secondly if wee have such a promise then wee should learne hence when we have put up our prayers at any time to make more account of them than we doe for the truth is that we pray for the most part for fashion sake many a man saith thus with himselfe I will seeke the Lord if it doe me no good it will doe no hurt but if wee made that account of our prayers as we should we would performe this duty in another manner but we doe not make that account of them as wee ought Wee thinke not with our selves that the prayers that wee make are surely heard ther be many evidences of it what is the reason that when wee seeke the Lord we doe it so remisly that wee have scarce leasure to make an end of our prayers we are so ready to hasten and goe about other businesse wee are ready to turne every stone to use all meanes to seeke the creatures with all diligence but who prayes to the Lord as he ought to worke his heart to such a fervent performance of that duty as hee should men have scarcely leasure for it is usuall with them when they have businesse to doe and enterprises to bring to passe they are exceeding diligent to use all meanes and yet are remisse in the chiefe what is the reason els that wee see the doores of Princes and great men so full of suiters though there bee porters set on purpose to drive them away but the gates of heaven are so empty It is indeed because wee doe not beleeve our prayers are heard wee do but make our prayers for fashion What is the reason likewise that we use prayer in the time of distresse if it will be an effectuall meanes to helpe us when all other meanes faile why use we it not before But that is an argument that wee trust not to it seeing we use it onely in the time of extremity for if it be not effectuall why do we use it then If it be effectuall why do not wee use it till that accident Therefore this use wee must further make when wee heare that the Lord heares our prayers to make more account of them than wee do to thinke that our prayers when they are put up to the Lord shal be heard Say thus with thy selfe Well now I have prayed and I expect that the thing should be granted that I have prayer for when I seeke to the Lord. It 's true I deny not but wee must use the meanes too wee must lay the hands upon the plough and yet pray both ought to be done as sometimes we use two friends but we trust one wee use two Physitians but
else but affection misplaced proceeding from error and that holinesse in which God delighteth in which his Image consists comes from truth When Adam was alive hee judged aright because then the wheeles and affections of his soule were right Being dead by reason of his fall he lost his sight hee saw no beauty in the wayes of God and this is the case of all unregenerate men but when the Spirit rectifies the judgement and convinceth men of sinn◠and righteousnesse then they beginne to revive To be dead is to have the understanding darkned the judgement erronious to be alive is to have the understanding inlightened and the judgement rectified And thus much for the first what this death is We come now to the kindes of this death which are three First there is a death of guiltinesse one that is guiltie of any offence that is death by the Law is said to be but a dead man So every one by nature is a dead man bound over to death though he be not executed Secondly there is a death in sinne that is opposite to the life of sanctification Ephe. 2.1 You hath he quickned who were dead in trespasses and sinnes and there is a death for sinne that is contrary to the life of Glory Thirdly there is a death that is opposite to the life of joy in hell there is a life man is not quite extinguished but yet men in hell are said to be dead because they have no joy This death consists in the separating of God from the soule when God is separated from the soule then man dies this death of sorrow God joynes himselfe to the soules of good and bad to those that are not sanctified he joynes himselfe in a common manner and thence it is they have common joy common comfort common civility to the godly he joynes himselfe in an extraordinary manner by which they have extraordinary joy now when God is separated from the soule then comes a perfect death see it in the separation of God from Christs humanity God withdrawing himselfe from him but for a time he crieth out My God my God why hast thou forsaken mee As God withdrawes himselfe more or lesse so is our joy our sorrow more or lesse Thus much for the kinds of this death Wee proceed now to the Symptomes or signes of this death and they are foure The first is this men are said to bee dead when they understand nothing when as there is no reason exstant in them when they see no more than dead men The life is nought else but the soule acted then a man is said to live when the understanding part is acted So man is spiritually dead when as his understanding is darkened when as hee sees or understands nothing of Gods wayes because they are spirituall and he carnall But it may bee objected men understand things belonging to faith and repentance carnall men not yet sanctified have some understanding of these I answer that they may understand the materials belonging to godlinesse as well as others but yet they relish them not they see them not with a spirituall eye Tit. 1.16 They are to every good worke reprobate they cannot judge aright of any good workes as to like approve and love them to see a beauty in them as they are good Rom. 8.7 the wisdome of the flesh is enmitie with God for it is not subiect to the Law of God the Greeke word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the meaning is not that they understand it not but they like it not they relish it not they tast it not they thinke of Gods wayes that they are but folly 1 Cor. 2.14 They are at enmity with them they count them drosse The second symptome of death is want of motion where there is no motion there is death All men naturally want this motion they cannot judge or doe any good thing by nature they may doe the opus operatum but they cannot doe it in an holy manner their prayers their hearing receiving of the Sacrament and the like are dead workes without faith the principall of life how ever they may be faire in other mens eyes The third signe of a naturall death is sencelesnesse so men are spiritually dead when they are not affected with Gods judgements when they have hard hearts which cannot repent Rom. 2.5 when they have hearts as hard as a stone Ezek. 36.27 or when they are affected with them onely as naturall men apprehend evill not from a quickning Spirit but from a selfe-love Lastly in naturall death there is a losse of that vigor that beauty in the face and countenance which is in living men So in men that are spiritually dead there is no beauty no vigor they have death in their faces they may have painted beauty which may be like the living as he said pictum putavi esse verum verum putavi esse pictum they may be much alike yet they haue not that livelinesse and beauty as living men have Gods beauty the beauty of holinesse is not found in them But it may bee objected they have many excellencies in them they know much they excell in morall vertues I answer they may have excellencies as a dead man may have Iewels and chaines about him yet they are dead they have them but yet they are as Iewels of gold in a Swines snoute they are as Swine their good things make them not men they are beautifull yet they are but dead men as the evill workes of good men make them not bad men so the good workes of evill men make them not good Thus much for the signes of this Death We come now to the degrees of this death in all these deathes there are degrees First in the death of guilt if you have had more meanes the guilt is greater if you make no use of them The Gentiles they shall onely be condemned for breaking the Law of nature because they knew no other Law The Iewes they shall be condemned for sinning against the Law of nature and the Law of Moses they had a double Law and shall be condemned for the breach of it Christians having a treble Law the Gospell the Law of nature the morrall Law shall be condemned for all three and among all Christians such as have had more meanes and better education the greater shall their punishment be Secondly in the death opposite to the life of sanctification there are degrees Now yee must know that there are no degrees in the privative part of death but they are onely in the positive The lowest step in this second death is to have enmity to the wayes of God being fighters against God and enemies to the Saints this is the lowest step The second degree is when as men are not so active that way but yet are dead in pleasures ambition covetousnesse and the like There is a generation of men which trouble not
our other enterprises To this I answer that this will not hinder them but they shall be done the better as oyling of the wheeles makes them goe the better Psal 1.2 hee is said to be blessed that doth meditate in the Law of God day and night Your knowledge being brought to action helpes you much often hearing of the word which puts you in remembrance addes to your life though it hinders you in other things Those who have not the word to heare live not under preaching Ministers who will not be at the cost to get them or live where they are not are much to blame and live not this life Simon Magus sinned in thinking that the holy Ghost might be bought with mony doe not they also sinne who doe lesse than hee that will not give mony for to have the Gospel brought unto them There is the like fault when as men may have the word and come not to it If they come to it though it addeth not to their knowledge yet it helpeth their acting and life Those who neglect the constant reading of the word who are not constant in private prayer those who neglect the speaking and talking of good things they neglect this life That Arabian proverbe Shut up the five windowes that the house may bee full of light will be of good use here that is the five senses being shut up the fuller of light shall wee be the not stopping up of them makes men ignorant cares and businesses possessing mens mindes there is no roome left for better things Let your minds be still plodding on that which may further you in grace and truth It is ignorance that makes men strangers from the life of God Ephe. 4.18 and this is not an ignorance that proceedeth from want of knowledge but from the badnesse of your hearts Hard hearts make men ignorant why doe men heare and yet are ignorant but because their hearts are hardened they regard not the word and so they grow not in knowledge The second meanes to get this life is to bee much in doing be much in doing in acting the duties of new obedience the more yee are occupied the more ye live else deadnesse will possesse you be therefore still praying and meditating these will revive you these are the coales that keepe the heart warme this life like water is apt to grow cold unlesse it be acted and stirred up But I must be full of life ere I can doe actions I answer that one begets the other action begets life and life begets action as health produceth exercises and exercise procureth health But I am indisposed and unfit for such actions I answer that if ye are indisposed the more need you have to be doing else you are more unexcusable the way to get heate is to bee acting as motion doth bring life to a benummed member so doth it to the soule be awaked be stirring this will revive you againe Christians hearts are awaked when as they themselves sleepe if they stirre them up there will be more life in them Rom. 2.13 when Christians begin to languish their medicine is to rise up and be doing whence Saint Paul admonisheth the Galatians Gal. 5.16 To walke in the Spirit those who have the Spirit stand not still as one that cannot stirre but they are still acting and walking this acting helpes this spirituall life first by inlarging and intending this life Secondly by preventing that which increaseth death the more we walke in the wayes of life the more we prevent the way that leades to the Chambers of death Be doing therefore if not one duty yet another In the steppings out of your callings be doing be reading and praying Conferring and talking of good things the neglect of this is the cause why there are so many dwarfes in grace Men content themselves with morning and evening duties and it is well if they doe them but doe you the actions of life more constantly and abundantly It is the corruption of our nature that wee are not doing life is maintained by the actions of life habits are mainetained by actions that are sutable to them We live in the commandements by well doing as the creature doth by food Good actions mainetaine life it receives strength from well-doing Set therefore your selves to pray to doe holy duties be still praying doing more and more the more ye doe the more life increaseth The third meanes to get this life is to get faith Faith helps this life it is a life of faith and it makes us to live this life by three several waies First it gives a reality to the priviledges of life and makes you see they are priviledges indeed therefore is it that yee act the duties of this life because ye beleeve that God is such a God that ye have such priviledges that yee are heirs of all things If yee thinke that God is such a one as he is in wisedome power and mercy if ye intend and minde the priviledges of this life then will you live the life of grace If ye doubt and question with Atheists whether these things be but dreames then ye intend them not and live not this life He that beleeves saith let me have God sure the other saith let me have that I touch and feele but the imaginary things consisting in faith and hope I care not for The more ye beleeve these things the more ye are occupied about them Secondly faith drawes you on to action and this life is but the acting of the duties of new obedience Faith and perswasion further other things as if one be perswaded that such a thing will hurt him it produceth an action of the will abstinence if a man be perswaded that he shall dye without the Physition he sends for him So in all other actions perswasion is that which sets a man on worke So in spirituall actions if we are perswaded that such a sinne committed wil not make our bodies sicke but our soules we will not doe it if we are perswaded our soules shall fare the better if wee doe such a thing this make us to doe it being perswaded wee shall have a recompence of reward it produceth action and the more action the more life Thirdly faith doth it by fitting us for Christ from whom our life comes 1 Ioh. 5.12 he that hath the Sonne hath life First the Sonne of God infuseth life into him to whom he is conjoyned the conjunction betwixt Christ and us is but relative as betweene the King and the subject when the subjects resolve to take such an one for their king they are conjoyned to him so when a woman resolves to take such a man for her husband shee is conjoyned to him The action of taking Christ is to take him as a Lord to serve him as a Saviour to have all comfort by him hee that hath the Sonne in the relative union shall have him in the reall union the Sonne
laid open to the heart all things necessary to salvation must be manifested to it then there must be light in the heart to apprehend those reasons which are propounded The Scripture propounds things by authority and when as things are thus expounded the holy Ghost doth kindle light to apprehend them which another doth not Marke how Moyses beginning his booke saith that in the beginning it was thus and thus God did he doth not perswade them by arguments to beleeve it so Iohn begins his Gospel without perswasions In the begining was the word c. so the Apostles commission was Goe and preach that Christ is Come he that beleeves shall be saved he that beleeves not shall be damned The word of it selfe is sufficient authority when the Gospell it selfe is thus propounded then the holy Ghost kindles light in men And when as the Gospell is propounded and light kindled then this life is wrought Now there are three degrees of working this life by the Spirit First there is a stirring up of men to attend to the voyce of Christ many there are that heare yet attend not Act. 16.14 The holy Ghost opened the heart of Lydia to attend unto Pauls preaching We sow on fallow ground till the Spirit opens the heart to attend to the things that are spoken The second worke of the Spirit is to convince and perswade effectually and fully Ioh. 16.8 The Spirit shall convince the world of sinne that is it shall convince and perswade thorowly none can doe this but the Spirit It doth also farther perswade men that it is good for them to be convinced and this is when the knowledge is full when as all the corners of the heart are answered and the minde resolved to practise Hypocrites and civill men are perswaded yet not fully therefore they never practise if one objection of the heart bee unanswered yee never come to practise The last worke of the Spirit is to keepe this voyce on the heart that it vanish not Iames 1.21 The ingrafted word is that which is made able to save your soules and none else Men may attend for a flash but the Spirit must ingraft the Word into the heart which as a sprig ingrafted growes bigger and bigger and hath fruit from the sap other men having truthes not fastned on them they grow weaker and weaker To understand fully what this voyce of the Sonne of God is ye must know that there is a double voyce First an outward voyce of the word which all heare Secondly an inward voyce of the Spirit This I collect out of Esa. 6.9 Goe to that people and tell them heare ye indeed but not understand see yee indeed but not perceive that is they shall have an outward hearing an outward knowledge but not an inward There is a common knowledge which all those have who live in the Church and there is a knowledge that is onely proper to the Saints which saves them The differences twixt these two knowledges that of hypocrites and of them in sixth of the Hebrewes twixt common knowledge and effectuall knowledge that is wrought in the hearts of the elect are these First common knowledge is confused and generall this is distinct inward and particular that is the voyce of the Sonne of God speaking in the Ministry to all may breed a knowledge of truthes in men yet they apply them not to their hearts and the turnings of them Heb. 4.11 The Word is sharper than a two edged Sword discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart piercing even to the dividing asunder the soule and spirit and of joynts and marrow that is that Word of God that is lively indeed that voyce of God that is effectuall to salvation it is sharpe it strikes not in generall but enters the inward parts A staffe cannot enter the flesh it may bruise it but the voyce of Christ enters like a two edged Sword discerning twixt morrall vertues and supernaturall things wrought by the Spirit it distinguisheth exactly twixt the rectitude and obliquity of mens hearts this is proper onely to the saving knowledge of the Word As nothing is hid from God but it is naked to his sight so it is to his word See if the word be distinct to you else you know nothing A man never knowes any thing till he knowes the Elements parts and grounds of it the voyce of the Sonne of God onely makes you know things thus particularly So in other things yee know not till you know particulars Aristotle saith a man is not a Physition that knowes things in generall in the grosse but he that knowes them in particular This is not to be a Physition to know that such dry meates are good for a moyst stomacke unlesse he also know dry meates and the Symptomes of a moyst stomacke so it is in the knowledge of the Word To know what regeneration is is not enough except yee know the parts the kinds and signes of it To know that none are translated from death to life that love not the brethren is not enough except yee know the brethren and love them To know that hee that is in Christ hath crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts thereof is nothing except yee know that yee your selves have crucified it This particular knowledge is that which makes manifest to a man the secrets of his owne heart 1 Cor. 14.25 that is the voyce of the Sonne of God discerneth the secrets of the heart to know things particularly that are in it The sheepe distinguish the voyce of the sheapheard from the voyce of a stranger when men come to heare they heare the voyce and distinguish not the sound because they want this particular knowledge Secondly this hearing of the voyce of the Sonne of God workes a quicke sence in the hearts of those that heare it which the outward voyce doth not and this followes the former Let knowledge be particular it workes quicke sence Heb. 4.11 the word is called lively in operation now life consists in quicknesse and motion the voyce of Christ speaking effectually breeds quicknesse Sola individua agunt et sentiunt A knife in generall cuts nothing the particular knife cuts To know in generall you are sinners have corrupt natures offend in many things workes nothing it is the reflection on your particular sinnes that workes this makes men tremble Act. 2.36.37 Peter having told the Iewes that they had crucified Christ that pricked them at the heart As it is of sinnes so is it of comforts particular comforts only worke If one can say I am thus and thus then comfort followes so particular threatnings make men sensible When God said to Adam Hast thou not eaten of the tree whereof I said thou shouldest not eate this made him feare The word doth breed a quicke sence they who have not this true voyce sounding to them Esay 6.9 In hearing they doe not heare and seeing they doe not
see their hearts are fat their eares heavy and their eyes shut Rom. 11.8 God hath given them the spirit of slumber that is when as men heare his voyce in a common manner they are as a man in a slumber it stirres them not their hearts are fat that is they are sencelesse for fat is without sence The property of them that heare in an ineffectuall manner is this they have a spirit of slumber they are as one hearing a tale when as his minde is otherwhere If the things propounded were naturall they would heare them well enough but they are spirituall therefore they are dull of hearing them Thirdly which followeth the second those that heare the voyce of the Sonne of God have experimentall knowledge the other is but speculative 1 Cor. 2.6.9 Wee preach wisedome to those that are perfect such wisedome as eye hath not seene eare hath not heard neither hath it entered into the heart of man but God revealeth it to us by his Spirit that is the cheefest in knowledge have not seene with their eyes or heard with their eares but those that heare the voyce of the Sonne of God have an experimentall knowledge which others have not This experimentall and saving knowledge hath triall 1. Ioh. 2.13 I write unto you fathers because you have knowne him that was from the beginning expound this by the 33. of Ezekiell 33. When this commeth to passe then shall yee know that a Prophet hath beene amongst you that is when I shall doe this they shall know experimentally that there was a Prophet amongst them 1 Ioh. 5.19 wee know that wee are of God that is wee know it experimentally they can say of this as it is said in the 1 of Ioh. 1.1 That which we have heard that which wee have seene with our eyes that which wee have looked upon and our hands have handled of the words of life delare we unto you David takes it as peculiar to himselfe Psal. 9.10 They that know thy name will trust in thee for thou Lord hast not forsaken them that seeke thee that is they that experimentally know thee will trust in thee for thou never faylest them that trust in thee they know it by experience 1. Pet. 2.3 Desire the sincere milke of the word that you may grow thereby if yee have tasted that the Lord is gracious We find in the Saints a longing after God they desire him which others doe not thus did David Moreover they have assurance of salvation which others have not and this assurance comes from sence optima demonstratio est a sensibus the best demonstration is from sence as he that feeles the fire hot knowes it best tasting breeds longing assurance from experience breeds certainty Fourthly effectuall knowledge that is bred by the voyce of the Sonne of God makes men approve and justifie the wayes of God makes them to relish them this followes the other when men have tryed them they approve them Ioh. 6.63 The Spirit quickens the flesh profiteth nothing the words then that I speake they are Spirit and life Christ having spoken that his body was meate indeed many were offended at it then hee said The Spirit doth quicken that is yee accept not my words because yee have not the Spirit yee have but flesh that is a common knowledge my words are spirituall and you are carnall therefore they doe not relish you These words are otherwise interpreted by some that is these materials profit nothing without the Spirit but the other is undoubtedly the meaning for so it is through the Scripture the Spirit profits that is saving knowledge wrought by the Spirit men not having it doe not approve it It cannot be otherwise where the voyce of Christ doth sound effectually there they justifie this Wisedome is justified of her children Luk. 7.35 Rom. 10.15 How beautifull are the feete of them thaâ— preach the Gospel of peace that is they see much beauty in the wayes of God that they are beautifull to them they are vile to others The Scripture often toucheth this that when as there is but a common knowledge men relish not the word Rom. 8. they tast not the word the spirituall part of the word crossing them is bitter to them 2 Cor. 2.15 The word is compared to a sweet savour to many it is not so to some it is the savour of death to death it is a savour diffused through the house many there are who abhorre it and being guilty of death it leades them to death In others it is the savour of life that is they smell a sweetnesse in it it brings them to life to heaven the word being powerfully taught there comes a savour some smell sweetnesse in it others doe not so Luk. 2.35 When Christ shall come the hearts of many shall be opened to approve or disapprove him therefore he is said to be set for the fall and rising of many So when he came some said he was a good man others that he was a divel some said that the Apostles were good some that they were bad See how yee approve the word in its selfe and as it is expressed in mens lives Fiftly if it bee a right knowledge it breeds holy affections the other doth not this followes the other If men justifie the Word then they affect it It s a generall rule that all full perswasions draw on affections let it bee but a perswasion in habit it stirres as the habit is 1 Thes. 1.6 My word was to you not in word but in power because it did worke in you ioy in the holy Ghost Ier. 23.29 God comparing the word of true and false Prophets together saith thus My word is as fire and as the hammer that breaketh the stone it is the powerfull word if it stirres your affections Luke the last Christ speaking to the Disciples that went with him to Emmaus their hearts burned within them they were full of holy affections Consider if yee have these holy affections Holy affections in the Scripture are ascribed to this knowledge every where where men heare or know a. right Psal. 112.1 Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord that delighteth greatly in his Commandements Psal. 1.2 Blessed are they that delight in the Law of the Lord See whether there be holy affections wrought in you by the word Felix did tremble at the word so the second ground received the Word with joy but not with holy joy But how shall wee distinguish them I answer that if your joy be holy joy afflictions will not put it out if your ioy be carnall joy persecution puts it out but ioy in the holy Ghost is not extinguished by the contrary Sixtly that knowledge which is lively brings forth action it is powerfull in mens actions it is active and mighty in operation Heb. 4. It workes in mens hearts and lives mightily to overcome all contraries Esa. 6.10 Make the heart of this people fat make their
bee like me ready at a watch word to turne which way I will have you There are all the relations that may be betweene Christ and us which may cause us for to follow him Hee is our King our Father and our Maister therefore we must follow him There are two sorts of men in the world the first are straglers such as straggle abroad like sheepe without a sheapheard lawlesse men that follow their lusts these men are priviledged men and may goe whither they will The second sort of men are they that give themselves to serve Christ looking for Salvation from him these must resolve to follow Christ. But here may be some objections raised you will say that the Law is the rule of a mans life how then is Christ the rule I answere that Christ is the example of the rule as in Grammar and Logicke after the rule you have an example put and Christ by his example gives you more facility to performe it Yea but this rule is too high for us who is there that can reach it Take away hope you take away indevour I answere that it is true that none can reach it yet wee must goe as nigh it as wee may First therefore consider that it is for our advantage to have such a rule in other things men labour for the best copies and samplers It is absurd for a man to say I cannot follow the straite rule Therefore will I have a crooked one I cannot hit the marke therefore I will have a false one set vp Secondly it is needfull to have the best rule because we must alwayes grow forwards to perfection Phil. 3.13.14 We must forget that which is behinde and looke to that which is before Thirdly we must have a perfect rule to humble our selves by it taking Christ for our rule comparing our selves by him we see our owne filthinesse and with Peter say to him Luk. 5.8 Depart from us we are sinfull men So Iob seeing God abhorres himselfe and repents in dust and ashes Iob 42.6 But you will say If Christ lived with us and we saw him if he would as it were leade us by the hand it were something but hee is gone I answere that though hee be gone yet hee hath left guides to leade us in his stead he hath left the holy Ghost and his Spirit with us who Iohn 16.13 shall leade us into all truth necessary for Salvation he hath left us his Spirit to tell you that this is the false way this the true and this Spirit hee sends into every regenerate mans heart Gal. 4.6 As soone as you are sonnes he sends his Sonnes Spirit into your hearts whereby you cry Abba Father But you will say how shall wee know when the Spirit speakes I answere by the Word what the Word saith the Spirit saith But these are but remote guides Therefore you have the Saints that went all in one path First the Saints that are dead and gone and then those that now live You have the Spirit the Word and the Saints to teach you onely remember this caution that the Saints are a rule to you yet not a perfect one they goe in and out eye them but yet eye Christ beyond them who is the author and finisher of our faith Heb. 12.2 In all other things and artes Non est eiusdem invenire perficere one man begins and an other finisheth but Christ as hee is the author so hee is the finisher of our faith hee hath begun the Doctrine and the thing and hee will finish it For the better understanding of the point I will shew you these two things First the action what it is to follow Christ. Secondly the object and patterne that wee must follow and that is Christ. For the first what it is to follow Christ I answere That to follow Christ is to resolve to do or suffer with all our hearts or willingly what ever he commands at all times and all manner of wayes Thete are foure things in this definition which expresse what it is to follow Christ. First wee must resolve to doe or suffer any thing that he commands we must except nothing wee must resolve to obey and doe all righteousnesse and to abstaine from all unrighteousnes we must resolve to go through thicke and thin rough and smooth we must do as the Romans did Rom. 6.17 Obey that forme of Doctrine that is delivered to us not one part onely but every particular from the very heart The reason for which we were deliuered by our Saviour from the hands of our enemies was that wee might serve him without feare in holinesse and righteousnesse before him all the dayes of our lives Luke 1.75 Let the passage be what it wil safe or dangerous pleasant or difficult by poverty or aboundance let Christ leade us thorough good report bad report we must follow him I put in the definition to do or suffer suffering is but an higher kinde of action to do though you suffer for it Suffering of it selfe as the Philosopher well observeth is not commendable but to suffer in doing Gods will in simple obedience is to obey without any difficulty Secondly you must doe this with all your hearts and willingly this is expressed in the Scripture in 3. tearmes Deut. 6.5 to love serve or follow God with all your minde with all your soule and with all your strength I chose this Word with all your hearts the rather because it comprehends all the rest First to serve God with all your mind is to search his will to plant on it and to know it some there are that follow Cephas others that follow Paul addicting themselves to their opinions there are diverse opinions of men Some thinke this good others that without looking to Gods will this is not to follow Christ with all our minde When we submit our minds to his and make his minde to be ours then wee follow him Secondly to follow God with all our hearts is to affect that which he doth and all that hee doth affect when as all that he doth is comely to us when as we see his Image in his word and in his Saints and follow it men follow the actions in which they see a beauty and comelinesse Thirdly to follow God with all our strength by which we must note the executive powers and faculties is to do all that we do with all our might and by Gods direction nothing against his will or liking he that serves God thus with all his heart when any thing is suggested contrary to Gods will hee saith I know my masters will I depend on him I will follow his advice and nothing else this is to follow him with all our hearts I adde to follow him willingly it is not enough to doe the action commanded but we must follow him as the sheepe doth the bough with readinesse and willingnesse Being right it comes
is not to have body and soule joyned together to be a living man in that sense we usually take life for if that were life then those in hell should not bee said to dye the death for you know in hell there is a conjunction of soule and body and yet men are not said to live there for it is death which is the punishment of sinne and indeed you shall finde that there is something a mans heart cleaves unto wherein hee rejoyceth which is the same with his life Therefore looke as the Soule enlivens the body so the conjunction of the present things which hee reckons his joy that is his life enliven his soule he cannot live without them Now if Christ be thy chiefe joy thou wilt finde this that thou canst not live without him as men are wont to say of their delights Such a man cannot live without such a thing so it is true of every man that hath taken Christ he is not able to live without him This life is no life and therefore if there be but a separation betweene thee and Christ if a mans conscience bee as it were clouded for a time hee findes no rest he doth as the Spouse in the Canticles She seekes from one place to another and gives her selfe no rest till she finde him and why because it was he whom her soule loved So you shall finde Beloved whatsoever it is that your soules love whatsoever you make your chiefe joy you will take no rest but as farre as you love and enjoy it Therefore for the finding of this whether Christ be thy life and thy chiefe joy consider what it is that thy thoughts feede upon every wicked man every man that is out of Christ there is something that his thoughts feed upon some things there are in contemplation of which the soule solaceth it selfe some pleasures that are past present or to come the very thinking of these are the greatest joy of his heart he roules them under his tongue even as a Servant that hath got some dainty bit out of his Masters presence and â—ates it in a corner so the soule of a man hath out of Christ some secret some stolen some unlawfull delights that it feeds upon and delights in Consider therefore well with thy selfe what breakfast thy morning thoughts have that I may so say what breakefast they have every morning what is that Pabulum that food of thy soule wherewith thy thoughts and affections are nourished and refreshed from day to day whether it be some carnall pleasure some reflecting on thy state upon thy wealth upon thy friends or whether it be on Christ. See as David exercised it whether be they thy songs in the night time All carnall men have something past whereby they comfort themselves something present where by they cheare up their hearts something to come something in hope So every man that is in Christ he hath the comforts of the Spirit the meditation of the priviledges that he hath in Christ the hope of Gods favour These are his appointed food these are the things that his soule feedes on in secret yea the very workes that he doth that seemes to be the hardest part of a Christians life the very workes that hee doth in serving the Lord from day to day even that is his meate and his drinke that is it is as sweet and acceptable to his soule as meate and drinke is to the hunger and thirst of his body Now consider with thy selfe whether it be so with thee whether that which is thy continuall feast without which thou canst not live bee Christ or the assurance thou hast that he is thine and thou art his whether it bee the priviledges thou hast in him and the things that belong to the kingdome of God See whether these be thy life the things without which thou couldst not live or whether it bee some thing else some stollen delights some unlawful pleasures some thing else that thy soule and affections are set upon This is the next thing by which thou maiest try thy selfe whether thou belong to Christ or no to consider whether he bee thy chiefe joy whether thy soule bee most filled and satisfyed with him And this is the third thing 4 The fourth is to know whether he be thy chiefe Refuge If thou bee one that hath tooke him and received him I say he is thy chiefe refuge For every man hath some refuge some castle or other to which his soule retires in all difficult and doubtfull cases by reason of that indigency that insufficiency to which the nature of man is subject There is something that hee must have to leane unto marke it for mankind is like that generation which the Wiseman speakes of You know it is sayd of the Connyes They are a generation not strong and what then and therefore they have their burrowes to hide themselves in I say such is the generation of mankinde he is a weake creature a generation not strong therefore there is something that he must leane to something out of himselfe some sufficiency besides himselfe some strong hold some refuge every man hath I say every man hath some refuge or other whither he thinkes his soule may goe and there hee may have succour in cases daungerous and in troubles Now consider what is thy refuge whither thy heart runnes in all such cases to what wing to what strong hold In daungerous cases you see every creature hath some refuge or other The Child runnes to his Mother The Chickens runne to the henne The Fox to his earth the Connyes to their burrowes so every creature to their severall corners and receptacles proper to them I say so it is with every man so hath every one of you to whom I speake there is somewhat that is a secret refuge to which your hearts fly Now consider whether that be Christ or somewhat else A covetous man or rather a man of this world he hath wealth for his strong hold in which his heart comforts it selfe well saith he what change of time so ever come yet I have an estate to hold me up and when he is ill spoken of abroad yet hee applaudes himselfe with that hee hath at home The Courtiers they have the Princes favour that is their refuge wherein they comfort themselves Those that are given to Company they have good fellowes such as they that are their compaâ—ions and so long as they speake well of them they â—are not who speake ill of them Some have a refuge of this kind some of another every man hath his refuge If you will looke into the Scriptures you shall see Davids refuge in any distresse upon any occasion At Ziglag he comforteth himselfe in the Lord his hart did fly to him as the chickens fly to the henne there he comforted himselfe there he shrowded himselfe there he encouraged himselfe in the Lord. When he fled from his son Absolon was not the Lord
in old garments that will do thee no good at al the Lord regards not that like new wine in old vessells so it is where there are some new things that are good things in themselves in a carnall and old heart they are not fit for the heart and therefore they never stay long there So saith the text Put a new peece into an old garment and it makes the rent greater Therefore all must be new I say there must be a new nature that these new things may bee there even as the severall creatures are in their severall elements as the elements are in their owne place as the plants are in their proper soyle as the branches are upon their own roote For then they florish then they hold out then they continue Therefore see whether this vigor this efficacy this vertue hath gone out from Christ into thy heart whether it hath not only renewed al in thee but also hath given thee a new nature That is whether it hath wrought such a change in thee that all the wayes of godlines and new obedience become in a measure naturall to thee so that thou canst doe them cheerefully even as wee heare and see and do naturall actions and that thou dost them without wearinesse for you know things that are naturall wee are not weary of them And so thou wilt doe them constantly for what is naturall stayes and abides by us that it out-growes and out-wearies what ever is in us beside Now hath there a vertue gone out from Christ that hath wrought all this in you that hath made all new hath not onely done so but hath made it naturall to thee But you will say must it needs be so cannot Christ take and comprehend me but there must be this wonderfull change wrought who can be saved then I have then but little hope when I am upon my death-bed and then shall looke upon my old nature and finde no such worke as this wrought upon me Beloved I beseech you consider this that there is a necessity of it It is so and it must be so and except you have it you cannot be saved you see the words in the Scriptures are most cleare Whosoever is in Christ is a new creature Doe but consider whether it be so or no there must bee a new-heaven and a new earth You see that was the great promise that was to bee fulfilled in our times of the Gospell Is there not a new priesthood is there not a new covenant and hath not the Lord said there must be a new heaven and a new earth That is new graces from heaven and a new company of men wrought on and changed by those graces Shall those that are borne of old Adam receive a power from him to make them like to him to carry his Image to be corrupt carnall and sinfull as he is And do you not thinke that the New Adam the Second Adam shall have as much efficacy in him to make those new creatures that are in him that come to him Certainely there is as much power life and vigor in the new Adam to change every man that is in him that comes to him to make them new creatures as in the old Adam to make them like to him Besides hath not Christ said plainely I came not into the world to save soules only that is not my busines alone though that was a great part of the businesse and errand for which hee came into the world but saith he I came to purifie a people to my selfe zealous of good workes in the 2 Tit. Now if that were the end of Christs comming dost thou thinke that hee will loose his end Wherefore its impossible that any man should bee saved or have part in Christ that hee should bee in Christ and Christ in him except his heart bee purified so as to be zealous of good workes If Christ dwell in thy heart thou mayest easily know it for dost thou thinke that Christ will dwell in a foule and uncleane place hath hee not pure eyes And therefore it is certaine wheresoever hee dwells that place must bee a fit Temple for him to dwell in Wherefore of necessity hee must cleanse thy heart hee must fashion it and keepe it pure cleane and sweet so as it may bee a fit Temple for him and his Spirit to dwell and delight in Besides doth hee not looke to his glory in all those that belong to him he hath many eyes to looke upon them as it were there are many spectators men and Angells to see what they are and how they behave themselves If he should have a company of men to belong unto him that are carnall perverse and worldly minded that have crooked wayes like other men would this be for his honour would it not be said Like men like Master would it not reflect upon him Certainely it would and therefore the Lord so orders it that those whom he hath redeemed shall be holy in all manner of conversation Saith he you must be as I am else it will bee for my dishonour As I am holy so every one of you must be holy in all manner of conversation Therefore let no man deceive himselfe to thinke hee can goe away and yet bee in Christ and bee saved through Christ and the mercies of God in Christ when there goes out no such vertue and power from Christ to change him to worke on him to alter him to make him another creature And therefore I beseech you in the examining of this for its a matter of great moment to consider with your selves if this be wrought in you or no whether you finde any experiment and effect of this mighty power efficacy and vertue and let me bring you a little to particulars Hath there gone out a vertue from him to enable thee to beleeve There is a faith required in the Deity there is a faith required in the promises of God and there is a faith required in the providence of God to thinke that every particular thing is ordered by it There is also a faith in all the threatnings of God Now for the manner of propounding when the Scripture comes to propound any thing it propounds it thus and no more as you see in Moyses he writes nothing but In the beginning God made heaven and earth c. And so the Apostles write Such a thing was done Iesus Christ was borne of the Virgin Mary Thus and thus he did Now when the naked object is propounded other writers wht they deliver or write is rationall They use Reasons and arguments to convince men of those things which thy deliver but when the Scripture sets downe any propositions of faith it doth but barely propound them for there is the Majesty and authority of God in them to confirme them But now here you will demand the proposition being but nakedly laid downe in the Scriptures what will
that even as it is with all things that are symbols of other things as take markes in feilds that stand for the division of severall mens rights take counters thâ—â— stand for Thousands and Hundreds the very essence of these things stands in the very institution of them So in the Sacrament except these words were from the Lords owne mouth that delivered it this very delivering of the bread and wine being a signe to you of the forgivenes of your sinnes except the Lord had thus instituted it there had beene no force in it I say consider they are words that the Minister speaks not in an ordinary course but he is appointed by the Lord himselfe to speak them and now wheÌ„ these words make a new impression upon thy heart it addes an intention to thy faith and love For example to make it a little more cleare to you that you may understand it distinctly The Lord hath said this he will forgive the sinnes of all those that come unto him hee will forgive them that forsake their sinnes and take Christ Iesus and love and feare him for the time to come The Lord might have suffered it to goe thus in generall that hee hath delivered it unto you and no more But hee thought good to goe further and say thus to mankind It s true I have said it but I will not content my selfe with that but will adde certaine seales and symbolls certaine externall signes that thou shalt see and looke on and I say to thee this covenant have I made with thee and when thou seest the bread and wine delivered by the Minister know this that the thing that thou seest is a witnesse betweene thee and me That as it was said by Laban and Iacob when they made a covenant This stone be witnesse betweene us And God said to Noah when I looke upon the rainebowe it shall bee a signe that I will destroy the earth no more after this manner when the Lord hath said it and hath appointed this outward Symboll that thine eies looke upon I remember the covenant and this as a signe betweene us this shall bind mee to it and him likewise Now when this is done anew it may be every month this is a wondrous great mercy this is a marvellous great helpe if it be rightly understood to strengthen our faith Doth it not helpe us when wee see the Rainebowe which the Lord hath appointed to put him in mind of his covenant I will remember my covenant when I looke on the Bowe in the Cloud it shall confirme me and I will not breake my covenant to destroy the world with a flood So this administration of the Sacrament when the Lord lookes upon it hee cannot but remember his promise and his covenant of pardoning our sinnes And when thou lookest on it thou art assured of it for hee hath said it it shall bee a signe and a witnesse betweene us Now I say that new impression that these words thus contrived and understood and delivered by the Minister make upon the heart intends our faith and love as indeed it is a great matter to have it spoken to us by a Minister of the Gospell sent from Christ from his owne mouth Take and eate this is my body that is broken for you and this is my blood that was shed for you and for many for the remission of sinnes This is the fourth qualification that is required that our faith and love be intended and our union increased that the will resolution and purpose of taking Christ for our Lord receive more degrees that so we may be more fast and firmely united and knit to him which I say is done partly by the repetition on both sides for the very repetition doth it and partly by a new impression that these words take eate c make on the soule Now I adde the last thing which is required still remember the maine thing wee are upon that it is not enough for thee to be in Christ but if thou wilt bee a worthy receiver thou must have these foure qualifications in thee that I have named already Thou must reconcile thy selfe anew thou must rub off the rust from thy soule which it hath gathered thou must recover the distance that is growne betweene God and thee Thou must adde an intending and an increase Thou must adde more degrees to thy faith and love and after all these Fiftly and lastly this is also required which is much for our benefit and comfort namely to put up thy request when thou comest neere to the Lord in the Sacrament Now thou must not onely do this but thou must also make some use of the covenant which the Lord hath made with thee for his part so that thou mayest think this with thy selfe When I come to receive the Sacrament I have but two workes to do one is to recovenant with the Lord to renew my repentance and to set all eaven and the other is to remember the Lords covenant You will say what is the Covenant It 's a Covenant that consists of these three things or points Iustification I will forgive thy sins Sanctification I will make you new hearts and new spirits and the third All things are ours that is I have made you heires of the world heires of all things you have all the promises belonging to you that belong to this life that which is to come this is the Covenant which the Lord hath made Now thou art bound when thou comest to receive the Sacrament not onely to remember this Covenant Doe this saith hee in remembrance of Mee and not barely of me and of my being crucified for thee of all the love that I have shewed unto thee but also in remembrance of the Covenant and of those gracious promises which are the particulars of which that Covenant is the summe and therefore thus a man is to do What hath the Lord vouchsafed mee this favour that I may come to his Table I may come and renew the nuptials and my covenant with him Surely then I will looke about and consider what I want what request I shal put up unto him for there is nothing that is wanting but it is within this Covenant and thou art to put up thy request in a speciall maner whatsoever it be be it concerning things belonging to thy soule to have a strong lust mortified to have thy hard heart softned to have some sin that lies upon thy conscience forgiven to have that forgivenes assured to thee be it any thing that concernes thy particular estate if it be to be delivered from a potent enemy or whatsoever it be put up thy request and that largely open thy mouth wide that is make thy request full feare it not Put the case againe it be somewhat that doth not concerne thee but that it concerneth the Church abroad or the Church at home it is a case that much concernes
is expressed 4 Phil. in these words Be in nothing carefull saith the Apostle And that you may see wee have ground for this generality In nothing bee carefull but in all things make your requests knowne unto God That is whatsoever your case bee I make no exception at all but whatsoever you stand in neede of whether it concernes your soules or your bodies your name or your estate yet be in nothing carefull This is a great matter There is none amongst you that heares me now but sometime or other hee is carefull of something or other for which he is solicitous Now when a man hears such a voyce from heaven that the Lord himselfe saith to us Bee carefull for nothing doe no more but make your request knowne it is well enough I will surely heare in heaven and grant it It is a great comfort Beloved comfort your selves with these words and thinke this with your selves that this is that Charter great Grant that the Lord hath given you and to none but you that what prayers you make to him hee heareth you But it will be objected why is this said so generally That wee must in nothing be carefull but in all things make our request knowns For then if a man were but a poore man it is but going to the Lord and asking riches and hee shall have them If a man were sicke of an incurable disease it were no more but going to the Lord and hee should be sure to be recovered If a man hath an enterprise to bring to passe it is no more but goe to him and it shall be done what is the reason then that godly and holy men have not these things granted to them To this I answer you must understand it with this condition even as it is with a Father I will prove it to you by that suppose he should say to his sonne I will deny thee nothing whatsoever I have I will deny thee nothing but thou shalt have part in it Though he say no more yet we understand it with these conditions First that if his Childe shal aske him for that that is not good for him or if the child should refuse to have that done or pray his Father and say I beseech you doe it not when the Father knowes it is good here the Father is not bound hee thinkes as for example if a Father sees his childe needes Physick it may be the child finds it bitter and therefore is exceeding loath to take it it makes him sicke and is irkesome unto him so that hee earnestly desires his Father that hee may be excused that he might be freed from it In this Case the father will not heare him for hee knowes the Child is but mistaken On the other side if the Child aske something that is very hurtfull if he aske for wine in a feaver the Father denyes it him No saith hee you are mistaken I know your desire is that you might have health and recover and this I know will hurt you though you know it not This the Father understands and therefore he puts in that condition So when the Lord saith In nothing be carefull but in all things make your requests knowne If you mistake the matter at any time and your prayer shall not bee the dictate of the Spirit so that yee alway make request according to his will but the dictate of your owne hearts and shall bee the expression of your naturall Spirit and not the Lords Spirit In this case there is no promise of being heard and yet the Lord makes his Word good Be in nothing carefull but in all things make your requests knowne Secondly a Father when he saith to his Child I will deny you nothing but you shall have part in all that I have yet the Child may carry himselfe so that the Father upon such an occasion may deny him and bee ready to say unto him Well if you had followed your Booke if you had not runne into such disorders if you had not bin negligent to doe what I gave you in charge I would have done it In this case the Father withholds the blessing that hee will bestow upon his Child not because he is unwilling to bestow it but because he would thus nurture his Child he useth it as a meanes to bring him to order So the Lord saith to Moyses That because he had spoken unadvisedly because he had not honoured him before the people at those waters the waters of strife therefore the Lord tels him by the Prophet he should not goe into the good land And so he tels David that because he had sinned against him hee would not give him the life of the Child So the Lord saith to us sometimes I will not grant you this request for though I bee willing to grant it yet this is one part of the discipline and nurture that I use to my Children That such a particular request I will deny you for such an offence as worshipping of Idols c. Beloved this is not a generall denyall this is not for our disadvantage but it is a helpe to us it makes us better that sometime we should be denyed knowing hereby that it is denied to us for our sinne that we may learne to come to the Lord and renew our repentance and to take that away that we may come to prevaile in our prayers with him Thirdly when a Father is willing to grant it yet hee will thus say to his Child Though I be willing to doe what you aske at my hands yet I will not have you aske it rudely I will have you aske it in a good manner and a good Fashion For when wee come to call upon God come in an unreverent manner in such a case the Lord heares not Or againe hee will say to his child I am ready to heare you but you must not aske in a negligent manner as if you cared not whether you had it or no So the Lord saith to us I wil have you to pray fervently you shall aske it as that which you prize Againe he will say to his child I am willing to bestow this upon you but I do not give you this mony to spend it amisse to play it away to spend it in trifles and geugawes that will do you no good So saith the Lord I am willing to give you riches but not to bestow upon your lusts Thus speakes the father to his child when hee comes to aske hee tels him hee must come in such a manner as becomes a child hee must speake to him as to a Father he must spâ—â—ke with confidence to receive it So also the Lord tels us wee must come in faith So that in a word this is to be remembred That though the Lord promise that hee will give whatsoever we aske and bids us In nothing be carefull but make our requests knowne yet notwithstanding this hee would have us