since through means of that deliverance vouchsafed unto us I say it behoves us to provoke our selves to all kind of Thankfulness in this regard and to take advantage of this Annavasary Commemoration which is appointed to this purpose That it may not be onely a matter of Course and Formality which we cannot well decline but may have a real Influence and Impression upon us to raise our Hearts in the praysing of that God who hath done so great things for us Secondly As to matter of Faith we are to improve it to that likewise having had Experience of God's Goodness hitherto to be ready to expect as much from him for time to come That he that hath kept the feet of his Saints will do so still Sutable to the manner and Carriage of the expression here in the Text which is not in the time past but in the Future Not he hath kept onely but he will and therefore will because he hath experience of former Mercies should teach us to trust and to depend upon God for following as 2 Cor. 1.10 Who delivered us from so great a death and doth deliver In whom we trust that he will yet deliver us Thirdly and Especially To Fruitfulness and Obedience God having done so great things for us we should indeavour to do somewhat for him And being thus Delivered out of the hands of our Enemies should study to serve him as now without Fear in Holiness and Righteousness all the days of our Life And this for the keeping of the feet of his Saints In the deliverance of his people Now further Secondly For the Wicked's silence in Darkness in the Disappointment of his Enemies we may observe the Parallel in this also Here was both Darkness and silence in Darkness Darkness there was in the very Letter It was a work in the Dark And that both as to Place and Time in which it was wrought There was Darkness in the Place For where did these Wicked Conspirators prepare their Devices Surely it was in the Seller and in the Vault which they had fitted to that purpose They dig'd deep to hide their Counsell from the Lord and their work was in the Dark saying who seeth us and who knoweth us as the Prophet speakes in Esay 29.15 And there was Darkness likewise in the Time For it was the Night which they chiefly made choyce of for the carrying on of their wicked Designes A time and place of Darkness sutable to a work of Darkness And then there was Silence as to this Darkness When they were Discovered they were in a manner Confounded and knew not what to say for themselves As others were silent in a way of Astonishment at the Horridness and Strangeness of the Fact so were themselves silent in a way of Confusion being Prevented and Disappointed of it and as a Reproach not onely to their Persons but also to their Religion the Principles whereof led them and carryed them thereunto in the full extent and improvement of it But that which made them chiefly to be so was the last thing of all And that is That by their strength they could not prevail Neither by the strength of their interest and Combination Nor by the strength of their Wit and Conspiracy God infatuated their Counsels and turned all their Wisdom into Foolishness And in the things wherein they dealt proudly he was above them Their strength it was proved to be Weakness both ways both to the hurting and spoyling of us And as to the helping and securing of themselves as sayling in either I will Conclude all at this time with these words of the Prophet David in the name of the People of Israel which are applyable likewise to our selves Blessed be the Lord who loadeth us daily with Benefits even the God of our Salvation Selah He that is our God is the God of Salvation and unto God the Lord belong the issues from Death SERMON IX Job 20.11 His bones are full of the Sins of his youth which shall lie down with him in the dust The Scope of this present Scripture which we have here in hand is to set forth to us the miserable Estate of an Ungodly Person And for sureness sake it takes him in his full Latitude and Compass from his Youth to his riper Years from the Beginning of his Life to the end of it wherein the Evil of his sinful Courses does continually pinch upon him His bones are full of the Sins c. IN the Text it self there are two General parts observable First The State or Condition of a Wicked man Secondly The Extent or Amplification of this his Condition His State that 's exprest in these words His bones are full of the Sins of his youth The Amplification or extent of it in these Which shall lye down with him in the Dust We begin with the first General viz. The State or Condition His bones are full of c. Wherein again two Particulars more First The Sin and Secondly The Punishment of the Sin The Sin That is Youthfulness in the Miscarriage of it The Sin of his youth The Punishment of his Sin that is Exprest in this that his Bones are said to be full of it First For the Sin here mentioned It is the Sin of the youth The word in the Hebrew Text is Gnalumaw which signifies properly his Youths and being applyed to a matter of Guilt Youthful prankes These are things which are laid to the Charge of evil men By Sins of youth for the better opening of this passage to us we may understand two things Especially either the kinds of Sin or the time of Sin The kinds of Sin that is such Sins as are more Especially proper and incident to that particular Age and Condition of Life to wit his youth The time of Sin that is such Sins as are indifferent to any Age but which for the Commission of them have been Acted very Early and betimes First The Sins of youth it does denote the kinds of Sins by way of Specification and does signify such kind of Sins as are more proper and peculiar to that Age as some Sins there are Corrupt Nature though it cleave to all Conditions of Life in the whole latitude and Extent of it yet it does not Act and put forth it self alike in all but as is it varies to other things besides In Constitution in Improvement in Place and the like so amongst the rest in matter of Age and the periods of Life There are the Sins of Elder years and there are the Sins also of Youth which are to be observed and taken notice of by us and to be understood and avoyded Thus 2 Tim. 2.22 Fly Youthful Lusts Such Lusts namely as Youth is more Especially subject unto St. Paul would have Tymothy a Young man Especially to take heed of those These they are of divers sorts ' I le instance briefly in some few of the Cheifest of them which may give us an hint of the rest
and see what we are according to our care and indeavour in this particular If we shall go from day to day and never care to improve in Grace and the strengthning of our inward man but rather by wilfull neglect and carelesness weaken it and diminish from it this does too palpably discover that we are not that which we ought to be in Christianity For if we we we should find this disposition working in us to abound more and more as the Apostle Paul speaks to the Thessalonians 1 Thes 4.1 we should still find our selves getting up in spiritual strength Look as it is with a man which is in part cured and recovered out of some bodily distemper by how much the disease weakens the man strenthens as that looses of its power so he gains and gets more in his Even so it is also with that person which is brought out of his natural condition when the sinfull corruption of nature is healed in him Look how that does any thing decay so does Grace flourish in him and increase As it was in those two opposites for the Kingdom Saul and David David waxed stronger and stronger and the house of Saul waxt weaker 2 Sam. 3.1 Even so is it likewise here As Grace weakens so corruption does more and more increase and as Grace encreases so does Corruption loose of its strength These two they are like a pair of ballances when the one goes up the other is sure to go down and so contrarily That heart which has the work of Grace truly and indeed wrought in it it will be desirous and indeavouring after improvement and settlement of it self Let none therefore plead weakness and justifie and allow themselves in such a condition as that is for it is not sutable to a Christian temper The best Christians that are they may have weaknesses in them but they do not content themselves with those weaknesses They have so much strength in them as to be sensible and apprehensive of their weakness and so much Grace in them as to labour as soon as may be to come out of it and to gather strength And where we find it otherwise with our selves we have cause to bewail our selves and to be truly humbled for it As for those which have no strength at all they do not care for the renewing of strength nay indeed they cannot they are uncapable of it The renewing of strength does suppose the having of some strength allready to be renewed Carnal and natural men which have no work of Grace in their hearts nor the Spirit of Christ stirring in them they are not weak but dead and so uncapable of getting more strength The Impotency of corrupt Nature it is not weakness but wickedness and so to be accounted but where there 's weakness there is in part some strength which is mingled with it and where there is this strength there 's an indeavour to work out that weakness and to recover after some former abatings and diminishings of Grace in it self That 's the second particular viz. A Christians Disposition joyn'd with his Duty They that wait upon the Lord will renew their strength that 's their Inclination The Third is their Priviledge what they may do or does indeed actually befall them They shall renew their strength that is This happiness belongs unto them This is their state and condition And this indeed seems to be the proper sense and meaning of the Text to express thus much to us wherein the Spirit of God shewes us the difference between these and others in a way of opposition The youths shall faint and be weary and the young men shall utterly fall But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength The word which is here rendred Renew is in the Hebrew Text. Jachalifu which signifies properly they exchange it commut abunt vires that is they shall have another kind of strength bestowed upon them then that which they formerly had For there is a double kind of change to be observed and taken notice of by us There 's a change in Quality of the worse for the better And there 's a change in Quantity of the less for the Greater Now both of these Changes are in a Christian as to spiritual strength First They have a change in Quality Another sort and kind of strength then what they had before Conversion And Secondly A change in Quantity more strength then at their first Conversion First I say there 's a change in Quality They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength that is they shall have a new kind of strength bestowed upon them over what they had before Conversion as Caleb had another Spirit and Saul another heart For we must know that even before Conversion in natural and unregenerate persons there is a kind of strength which does appear in them and that also in reference to Religion and the Duties of it but it is not such a strength as is here meant in this present Text nor yet such as any are to satisfie and to rest themselves contented withal To explain it a little unto you ye may take it in these particulars First There 's the strength of temper and natural Constitution Secondly There 's the strength of Custome and Religious Education Thirdly There 's the strength of Civility and Moral principles Each of these kinds of strength there are and that also before Conversion First I say There 's the strength of Temper and natural Constitution this is such as may go very far and a man may be able both to do and suffer very much by it This is that which does for the most part extend it self to the outside and form of Religion and in those performances which belong to that Men by a natural strength may be very much in them whether a strength of bodily frame or a strength of Natural parts but it is not this which is sufficient and yet it is that which many rest themselves in and are contented withal The strength of Wit and Reason and Vnderstanding and Memory and the like whiles their heart and will and Affections have no saving work at all upon them Secondly There 's the strength of Custom and Religious Education This it will go very far likewise many which have been piously Educated and brought up and accustomed to such and such Performances they through Vse and Exercise contract some kind of strength to themselves for the doing of them and become strong in the outward bulk of Religion This was such a strength as was in Joash whiles his Uncle Jebojada liv'd He did that which was good and right in the sight of the Lord though afterwards he departed from it And so 't is also with many others besides They have nothing which does so much act them and put them forward to any thing which is good but as it is that which they have been alwayes used and accustom'd unto Thirdly There 's the strength of
we see here how we have no cause to despair even in the saddest Conditions of Poverty of Solitariness of Exile of Remoteness of Friends of pursuit of Enemies All which were the Cases of Jacob here in the Text. For God himself will draw near unto us in such Conditions and then to chuse more especially he will draw near to us Himself And he will give his Angels charge over us to take care of us What is presented here to Jacob it is made good to every Israelite and such persons as are of Jacobs seed And whatever is written aforehand it is written for our Satisfaction that we through patience and Comfort of the Scriptures might have hope which accordingly we should nourish in our selves It is that which a Christian may make use of even in Death it self and in his passage from Earth to Heaven when he is going out of the World That the holy Angels themselves shall attend him as they oncedid Lazarus and carry him into Abraham's Bosome and God himself will appear for him Indeed that we may have the full Comfort and Benefit of these Truths to our selves it concerns us to indeavour to make good our Interest in Christ and to see that we are truly and really members of him For this is the Ground-work and Foundation of all other Comforts besides And amongst the rest of this here in the Text of the Ministry of Angels Take us out of Christ and they are our Enemies rather then our Guardians so far fom Ministring to us as they are ready rather to fight against us as the Cherubims had their Sword drawn to keep man out of Paradise when he had fallen and departed from God But it is Christ and our Interest in him that Reconciles them to us and that makes them subservient for our good Thirdly With an eye of Dependance we should look upon it so likewise In all the Businesses of Difficulty that we undertake go about them in the strength of Christ And in all our approaches to the Throne of Grace make them still in the name of Christ as being the Ladder which is set up for this purpose that thereby we might get up into Heaven and have Communion with God himself He is able to save to the uttermost those that come unto God by him Hebr. 7. vers 25. A Ladder that will never break nor slip nor any way disappoint us And therefore we should be willing to make use of it and to venture our selves upon it We should look upon God as our utmost End it is he that stands above And we should look upon Christ as our principal Medium and Conveyance that brings us to God and that lifts us up to him Last of all We should look upon this sight with Thankfulness and all due Acknowledgement of the goodness of God to us that hath thus graciously provided for us And our Hearts and Tongues should be full of his Praises for so much goodness towards us What is man O Lord that thou art mindful of him or the Son of man that thou so regardest him Thou hast made him but a little lower then the Angels as the Psalmist crye's out in Psal 8.4 5. We should not give the Honour and praise to the Angels but to the Lord himself that standeth above them and has the Ruling and Governing of them for our good as we made mention before We should take heed of doing any thing which may be grievious to those Glorious Spirits and may cause them to remitt of their care and Custody of us and attendance upon us That they may be Regular and Orderly and Compleat in their Motions towards us in ascending and in descending both not onely to ascend and to declare our Conditions to God But also to descend and to bring down his Blessings upon us and then especially when they are most seasonable for us In a word We should shew our Thanksulness in all Cheerfulness of Obedience to God upon all occasions Whom now we may serve as it were without fear all the dayes of our life in this Security that he hath provided for us It should very much animate us and quicken us and inliven us in God's Service and in the doing of those things which he does at any time call for from us and requires at our hands And more particularly It should keep us from Complyance with all Allurements and Temptations to Sin though never so Secret the Closest and privatest Abominations Here are two Arguments in the Text The one is the Observation of Angels and the other is the Supervising of God himself The Angels they see us and behold us and take notice of us what ever we are doing and we should be ashamed to grieve them in their passages and intercourses amongst us Though we owe them not an honour of Adoration yet we owe them an honour of Reverence in this particular as we do in like case to the presence of some Grave and Austre-man Then God himself also he sees us and beholds us and takes notice of us also and we should be affraid to provoke him by any thing that is unworthy coming from us For he is higher than the Angels and stands above them And if they see us which moves upon the Ladder how much more does He that is far above it Thus we should answer one Beholding with another as the Angels beheld us in a way of Attendance we should behold them in a way of Reverence And again as the Lord himself beholds us in a way of pittying we should also behold him in a way of Awfulness and dreadful observance so much for that And likewise for the whole Text which I have now dispatched Behold a Ladder set upon the Earth and the top of it Reaching from Earth to Heaven c. SERMON II. Deuter. 8.18 But thou shalt remember the Lord thy God for it is he that giveth thee Power to get Wealth It was the Care even of some of the Heathens which they were carryed to by the Light of Nature to begin all things with God A Jove Principium According to those Notions and Apprensions which they had of him they were careful to apply themselves to him But it is that which is very requisite and Commendable in Christians and those that Worship the true God above all others besides That they should remember him and take him in with them upon all occasions because it is his Assistance which is the strength of all Performances And because it is his Presence which is the Safety of all Conditions And accordingly this is that which the holy Man Moses in this Scripture does suggest to the People of Israel whom he had to deale with all in his Counsells and Exhortations to them That in the midst of their Sufficiency they should be still mindfull of God himself so far forth as to acknowledge Him in it and to bless Him for it When thou hast Eaten and art full then shalt thou Bless
First Vanity both of Spirit and Conversation That 's one kind of Distemper which this Age is Exposed unto so the Preacher has told us Eccl. 11.10 Childhood and Youth are Vanity Not onely Vain but Vanity it self in regard of that frame and temper of Spirit which is upon them They mind and imploy themselves chiefly about Toys and Trifles and Superfluities but in the mean time neglect Solider matters and those things which are more Real and Substancial How much part of men's time even the prime and floure of their Age is as Samuel speaks to the People 1 Sam. 12.1 Carryed after vain things which cannot profit nor content in the latter end because they are Vain Pastimes and Pleasures and Sports and Gaming 's and such things as these are they are made not onely the Play and Recreation and Refreshment but even the Work and Business and Imployment oftentimes of that Age. Lovers of Pleasures more then lovers of God 2 Tim. 3.4 Secondly Flexibility to Evil that 's another Evil in Youth easily wrought upon and drawn away and intised to that which is Evil. The very Heathen Poet Himself couldtake notice of it Cereus in vitium Flecti Like wax to any sinful impression which shall be fasten'd upon them Like dry Tinder to Sparks of Fire thus is Youth for the most part to Temptation quickly takes no sooner can they meet with any Persons which are willing to Corrupt them but they are presently Corrupted by them In matter of Judgment to such in any new Opinion though never so Gross In matte of Practise to conform to any sinful Course though never so vile this is that which is very much incident to the Age of Youth A Flexibility to that which is Evil. Thirdly Unteachableness and Untractableness and Uncapableness of Admonition that 's another thing in Youth Monitoribus asper that Age does disrellish such as would reform them and bring them into rights so deferring of Repentance c. Wax to Temptation and Flint to Admonition and the means of Reforming These and the like are the Distempers which that Age is subject unto in regard of the frame of their Spirit Now as for outward Practises and the actings of Sin so Impetuousness and Intemperance and Violence and Uncleaness and such Bodily Lusts they are such as though all are not guilty of which is not the meaning of this Discourse yet the Age it self is exposed unto which accordingly does give this Denomination of the Sins of Youth that is as it is First of all to be understood by way of Specification as denoting the kind of Sin The Second is as denoting the Time Thus a Sin may be in some sense call'd the Sin of a mans Youth when it has been committed by him in his Youth though it may be as to the Quality of it it was a Sin of riper years There are some kind of People in the World which do Antedate their Age to themselves as in other things so in matter of Sins in which they grow old betimes and make hast unto it As there are some which are guilty of the Sins of Youth in the time of Age so there are others which are guilty of the Sins of Age in the time of Youth Malitia supplet aetatem Their Wickedness it makes up their years when they were Defectives Now these also are as well as the other the Sins of Youth what ever Sins men committed in the time of their Youth they are to them Youthful sins by way of Denomination And so much briefly of the first Particular Considerable in this first General viz. The sin he Sins of his Youth The Second is the Punishment of his sin which is exprest and propounded in those words where it is said that his Bones are full of them Thus although it may be very well applyed as to the matter of Guilt as we shall hear more anon Forasmuch as Sin does as it were Incorporate it self into Wicked men and is as a part of their Substance yet as I conceive in this place it does refer Especially rather to the Punishment The Spirit of God would hereby signify to us the sad and miserable Condition of an obdurate impenitent sinner that has Especially lived for a long time in a Course of sin That he possesses the iniquities of his Youth as it is Exprest in another place of this Book His bones are full of it This word Bones it may be taken here in this Text two manner of ways either in a Corporal sense or in a Spiritual Either proper in a Literal or in a Mystical If we take it in the next and Literal sense Corporally so it does denote the Body and outward man If we take it in the Remote and Qualified sense Spiritually so it does denote the Soul and the more particularly the Conscience each of these are full c. First The Bones that is the Body and Flesh and outward man taken it Literally There are many which in old Age feel the sins of their youth in their Bones according to this Interpretation which mourn at last when their Flesh and Body is Consumed Prov. 5.11 And which receive in themselves that recompence of their Errour which is meet as the Apostle speaks Rom. 1.27 Namely in regard of those Diseases which does attend their Vicious Courses and hasten their Bodily Destuction There are some kind of Sins which God does punish even in this present Life and as they are committed with the Body so are they avenged upon the Body which is made the Subject of Punishment as it has been before of Miscarriage and all little enough to take off such Persons from them as are addicted and given up unto them Secondly By Bones here we are to understand not onely the Flesh but the Spirit and more particularly the Conscience Thus we shall find the phrase used in some other places besides of Scripture As Psal 6.2 Have Mercy upon me O Lord for I am weak O Lord heal me for my Bones are vexed So Psal 38.3 There is no Soundness in my Flesh because of thine Anger There 's the remembrance of sin in the Body Neither it ther any rest in my Bones because of my Sin There 's the remembrance of sin in the Soul So again Psal 51.8 Make me to hear Joy and Gladness that the Bones which thou hast broken may rejoyce The broken-Bones i. e. The broken Spirit and that occasion'd from the sense of sin Sin it will stick in the Conscience for a long while after the Commission of it And when men are grown old they then pay for the Sins of their Youth in the reflections of them God charges the Guilt of them upon their Souls when the things themselves are past and gone Thus it hath several ways and degrees whereby it does proceed First In rubbing up their Memories and bringing their sins to Remembrance There are many which in the heat of their Lusts and while they are in the full
Prosecution of their wicked Courses little think of them or call themselves to an account for them who yet afterwards when the sin is over and past have leasure to be think themselves and to Consider what they have done Yea God himself does by his Spirit oftentimes suggest it to them and suffers even Satan also though for no good to do it for them When men are past the time of Committing sin then he thinks he may very safely remember of it that he may drive them to dispair about it which is all the thanks they have from him for hearkning to Him Secondly As there 's an Exciting of the Memory for the calling of such sins to mind which have been committed in Youth so there is likewise a Convincing of the Judgment in the nature of the sins themselves how grievous and notorious they are that those which have been formerly slighted and neglected and made nothing of as no more but tricks of youth it may indeed appear in their colours to be breaches of the Law of God And that in all the several Circumstances and Aggravations of them and especially in that amongst the rest of sinning against all the Counsel and Admonition which has been given to the Contrary by Ministers and Masters and Parents and Christian Friends as we find an Expression to that purpose in Prov. 5.12.13 Thou shalt say How have I hated Instruction and my Heart dispised Reproof I have not obeyed the voyce of my Teachers nor inclined mine Ear to them that instructed me Thus will God not onely remember men but convince them of the sins of their youth And then Thirdly Afflict them also for them That 's like wise in this filling of the Bones The Conscience made sensible of sin and perplext for it which is done in succeeding times When God deals Effectually with men's Hearts and calls them to an Account for their Miscarriages he does not onely set home upon them their present iniquities but also their former Miscarriages This he does both in order to true and real Conviction as also upon any other occasion Yea and those sins also which have been most secret as I shewed the last day at large upon another Scripture the same word which is here used in the Text for the sins of the Youth it signifies in the Hebrew Language secret sins which such sins oftentimes are and so we find it to be taken in Psal 90.8 Thou hast set our secret sins in the light of thy Countenance Gnalâ—meni The reason why God does proceed against sins of Youth and set them home a great while afterwards First Because he will maintain his own Right and Interest in the world we use to say Nullum tempus occurrit Regi There 's no time which is slipt which can prejudice a Prince in his due no more can God Himself who is the cheif of all Sins of Youth they are sins still in their own Nature and so to be accounted Time does not alter the quality of them though it alters the Apprehensions of them through the weakness of our mindes Nay the longer agoe that sins have been committed by any the more they stand in Arrears to God Old and Ancient Debts they are the Greatest Debts of all because they have been so long without payment and satisfaction for them And so it is likewise to this purpose with old and Antient sins Continuance and Perseverance in sin for a long while and time together without reformation and renewing to God it becomes a further advancement and aggravation of it Secondly Because sins of youth they are commonly acted with greater Violence and vehemency of spirit It is observed by the Philosopher of Young-men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They do every thing with much intention in that which they do Quicquid volun Valde volunt Now sin by how much men's Spirits are more intent and carried out in it by so much the worse it is and more provoking of the Majesty of God who is offended by it Thirdly It is a Foundation of more Sin the sins of Youth There 's a Ground work laid for sin in after times and succeeding Generations where Youth is naught there is a great hazard upon old Age which is very difficulty reclaimed and reduced in such cases Therefore says the Young-man in the Proverbs being overtaken with Wantonness I was almost in all Evil in the midst of the Congregation and the Assembly Prov. 5.14 A Vessell what Liquour it receives at first into it it long retains the savour and relish of it And so it is likewise with the Heart and the Life and the Conversation It is much what it was at first The Consideration of this present point in hand is of Various Improvement to us First To those which are Young that from hence they would be so much the more careful and watchful of themselves and take heed of doing any thing which may stain and defile their first years and the Flower of their Age for if they do so they wlll find enough of it in following times and when as they think the worst is past Their Bones shall be full of the sins of their youth Perhaps their Bodies and outward man through Corruption and rotting Diseases which shall cleave unto them or if not so yet at least their Consciences either here or in a worse place And therefore let them not be secure and vainly flatter themselves as for the most part they are ready to do Youth is commonly full of Hopes and sometimes of Presumpteous hopes which have little ground or bottom for them and so in this amongst the rest of escaping the Alarms of sin But let none deceive themselves in this particular as Moses once told the Israelites in Numb 32.23 Be sure your sin will find you out Find you out to discover you and to manifest what you are And find you out to punish you and to afflict you for being so bad And the longer time of Intermission the Heavier the Account when it comes Beloved we should all study to Consecrate and devote our best time to God and to his Service And that is the time of our Youth while it lasts to any of us when we have health and strength and parts in the Vigor and Activity of them Remember thy Creator in the days of thy youth before he Evil days come and the years draw nigh when thou shalt say I have no pleasure in them Eccl. 12.1 And thus as for the thing it self so moreover in reference to old Age that so if we live unto it it may be so much the more Comfortable to us and free from Disturbance it is observed as to matter of the Body and Corporal strength and it holds as well in regard of the Soul that an orderly and well-temper'd youth it breeds an Easy and pleasing old Age and so the Contrary Moderata juventus efficit senectutem facillem Immoderata Gravem Oh it is a Blessed thing when Old
to it how can they expect to be in good terms with God to whom Sin is so Loathsom and Abominable and Odious as nothing more it cannot be These do thwart and contradict one another as we have it most clearly there in that Scripture Psal 54.5 Thou art not a God that hath pleasure in Wickedness neither shall Evil dwell with thee The foolish shall not stand in thy sight thou hatest all the workers of Iniquity God will not favour those that favour themselves in any Evil or sinful course Secondly We must also walk fruitfully in regard of Performances it is not enough for us to eschew Evil but we must also do Good and that good which God requires at our hands we see how it is amongst men that they keep up their terms of favour and respect by Obsequiousness to one another and so we likewise in our dealings with God as we would preserve our selves in good terms with him be active in our Duties but so much may suffice to have spoken of Gods Loving-kindness in the first Notion or Acceptation of it as it may be taken Secundum Affectum as an eminent Act in Himself the Loving-kindness of Affection The Second is as it may be taken Secundum Affectum as it is a Transient act upon us the Loving-kindness of Expression How Excellent is thy Loving-kindness O God That is how Excellent art thou O God in thy favourable Manisestations of thy self towards thy People So that the Psalmist blesses God in this sense for his Activity of Goodness to his Church for that Loving-kindness which does put it self forth in his proceedings and Dispensations to them Now this also as well as the former is very Excellent and that in these regards First In regard of the Substance of it and the Materials whereof it consists which are sundry and various God has shewn his Loving-kindness to his Church in divers Expressions First In giving them his Son for their Redemption and Reconciliation to Himself how Excellent is his Loving-kindness here in that he spared not him for our sakes but delivered him to Death for us as the Apostle speaks Rom. 8.32 This was certainly a great piece of favour especially if we shall consider what a kind of Son this was and the great Benefits which are purchased by Him The Apostle reckons them up 1 Cor. 1.30 Wisdom Righteousness Sanctification and Redemption Christ is of God made these unto us look what excellency there is in any of these there is answerable excellency in Christ and look what excellency there is in Christ himself there is answerable excellency in that loving-kindness which hath bestowed Christ upon us Secondly Gods loving-kindness is excellent in the Ordinances and means of Grace which he hath also given for the furtherance of our acquaintance and communion with Christ the Gospel it is a great part of Gods good-will and loving-kindness not onely in the matter of it which is Christ himself but in the Ministery of it which is the discovery of Christ and the Publication of these glad tidings to the world Therefore we shall find the Angel to Proclaim upon this first occasion Luk. 2.14 Glory to God on the Highest on earth peace Good will unto men God does as a special piece of favour if we could think it so to vouchsafe us the Ministery of his word and those Heavenly Doctrines which are contained in the Dispensation of it as being such as the very Angels themselves desire to peep and look into 1 Pet. 1.12 And the Ministers themselves in a diversity of gifts and Ministerial qualifications but upon some in one kind and some in another which by the way should make us so much the more carefuller to attend hereupon That we may not despise the loving-kindness of the Lord what does God in so much love and bowels as indeed he does afford us his Word and Ordinances and shall we in the mean time slight them and make nothing of them oh by all means take heed of that It is a dangerous thing to trespass upon so much favour Sins against loving-kindness do provoke the greater judgements and in nothing more then that of loving-kindness which God hath shewn in his Word and Ministery Thirdly Gods loving-kindness is excellent towards his Church in his Spirit and the workings thereof whereby His Ordinances and Ministery are made effectual to those which injoy them and this indeed is that wherein it does chiefly shew it self Here 's the heigth and breadth and depth of Gods favour and loving-kindness towards us in shewing us the wretchedness and miserableness of our natural condition and in bringing us out of the same by the powerful work of his Spirit changing and altering our natures and putting another and new frame and disposition of heart into us Oh how excellent is this loving-kindness if we do but duely and thoroughly consider it for God to open our eyes to turn us from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God as it is in Act. 26.18 And so as for the Graces of the Spirit so for the Comforts of the Spirit likewise Gods loving-kindness is wonderfull here in the for-tastes and first-fruits of the Spirit which the Servants of God do here injoy and partake of even in this present life as a pledge of what they shall have more of hereafter These are so many love tokens from God which he gives us to satisfie us withall whiles we are here below Lastly Gods loving-kindness is excellent towards his Church in his care of it and Providence towards it in reference to this present world and this is that which not excluding the former seems here principally to be understood by the Psalmist in this present place who having in the verses before spoken of Gods General Providence over all his creatures preserving man and beast Here in this present Text before us does more particularly apply himself to Gods special Providence over His Church where he breaks forth into this expression of admiration How excellent is thy Loving-kindness O God! therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings Gods dispensations here are very admirable and much to be observed in this Protection and Defence of His Church in the midst of so many enemies which it is incompast about with that all the power of Hell and darkness cannot prevail against it nor be able by any means to extinguish it Secondly Gods Loving-kindness to His Church is excellent in regard of the extent of it inlarging and diffusing it self It is manifold-wisdom 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And it is manifold loving-kindness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so the Septuagint Translation reads it How hast thou multiplyed thy loving-kindness O God! It is multiplyed in regard of the parts of it as I shewed in the Illustration before and it is multiplyed also in regard of the persons which are made partakers of it being now under the Gospel more inlarged It is not now as
satisfie us and content us though we had nothing else but them If God will but forgive us our Sins and change our Natures and put his Grace into our Hearts and give us the Seal of his Spirit that we are his Children certainly we may very well bear with him in the denyal of many other things besides unto us and therefore let us not limit and confine God too much in this particular but let us leave it to his Holy Wisdom and providence who knows what is best for us better then we do our selves and in the supply of his own Gracious Spirit and presence with us can make up to us all things else whatsoever we can desire And further where we do injoy these Comforts let us preserve them all we can and take heed of parting with them let us not be prodigal of Spiritual Comfort or careless or negligent of it If we do herein we forsake our own Mercy and are Enemies to our own greatest Good Let us take heed of offending and displeasing the blessed Spirit of God and of grieving him whose office it is to comfort us Lastly Let us see also here what cause there is for us to look after true Godliness and Religion and to become true Christians indeed that so from hence we may come to partake of these Divine Comforts which we do no otherwise then so far forth as we have the Spirit of God in us and are become his Children Those which are Strangers in Religion they are also Strangers to the Comforts of Religion and to the sweetness which is in that Condition so that though there be Comforts Enough in God yet they have no Interest in them nor no Ability whereby to derive them and to convey them to themselves therefore let us look to that by all meanes Yea and moreover to abound in Grace and Holiness all we can for as we come to be partakers of Gods Comforts by being Godly and Religious so we partake of them the more as we are Godly and Religious in greater measure The closer we walk with God the more comfort we have from him not onely hereafter in Heaven but also now at present here upon Earth which should therefore be a further spur to incite us hereunto And so much for these Comforts in the first Notion considered absolutely and distinctly The Second is by considering them connexively in reference to what went before in the beginning of the verse In the Multitude of my thoughts The words in the Hebrew are Be-rov or as some would have it Ke-rov The one makes it to be in multidine as our Translations render it to us the other makes it to be secundum multitudines as the Vulgar Latin following the Septuagint 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It makes no great matter which there being but little difference betwixt them according as they run in the Text whether in the sound or in the sight From both together we have a singular commendation of these Divine Comforts which David was now refresht with in three particulars First For their Concomitancy Secondly For their Opportunity Thirdly For their Conveniency each of these are in this expression First Here is their Concomitancy by making in to be as much as cum In my thoughts that is altogether with them and so it does imply thus much unto us That the children of God they are never wholly and absolutely disquieted and dejected in themselves but as God does in his providences suffer them now and then to be troubled with sad thoughts so at the very same moment and instant of time does he administer comfort more or less unto them They have some light in their greatest darkness and they have some refreshment in their greatest sadness and they have some comfort in their greatest Distraction In the very midst of judgement upon them does God remember mercy towards them This is the state and condition of Gods people God does secretly uphold their hearts from sinking when it seems to be never so ill and sad with them This proceeds from his singular love and indulgence towards them who does not afflict his servants willingly nor does not desire to lay upon them any more then they may be able to bear If we should have all thoughts and no comforts there were no subsistance or holding out but God does now graciously mitigate and qualifie his dispensations towards us that so the spirit may not fail before him nor the souls which he has made as Himself gives that very reason and account of it Isa 57.16 He corrects in measure Isa 27.8 This teaches us both to expect it and also upon occasion to acknowledge it it serves both to excite our patience and thankfulness First Our patience in expecting it and making account of it when we fall at any time into trouble let us not aggravate it and make it worse then it is for it is neither so much as it might be nor yet so much as we deserve And therefore let us take heed of charging God foolishly in this particular as we are many times subject to do if we do but a little reflect and consider how it is with us we shall find that it is so as is here presented to us namely Comforts and some glimpse of mercy in the greatest sorrows And this is the great difference now betwixt the condition of men here in this world and of the damned in Hell those sad creatures there they have the thouhgts but not the comforts they have the destractions but not the qualifications there is sorrow without any refreshment but those which live here in the world especially those which are Gods children they have a mingling of some sweetness with their greatest grief And this Secondly excites our thankfulness and calls us to the acknowledgement of it upon all occasions and to bless God for it as David else-where does in Psal 119.75 I know O Lord that thy Judgements are right and that in faithfulness thou hast afflicted me And that 's the first particular which is commended to us in these Comforts viz. their Concomitancy The Second is their opportunity In the Multitude of distracting thoughts That is just when they were come to their height and extremity in me The Comforts of God are seasonable and observe the proper time for their coming neither too soon nor too late not before that were too soon nor after that were too late But in That is just in the very point and nick of Time This is another thing here spoken of In the Thoughts and in the Multitude of the Thoughts not in the indifferency of thoughts but in the perplexity not in the Paucity of thoughts but in the Plurality our extremity is Gods opportunity In the mount will the Lord be seen when we have thought and thought and thought all what we could and know not what to think more then does God delight to tender and exhibit his Comforts to us There are divers instances and examples
and is confident Still to the same purpose and effect So which is also much at one with it Prov. 28.5 Evil men understand not judgment but they that seek the Lord understand all things And again Eccles 2.14 The wise man's eyes are in his head but the fool walketh in darkness It is true as concerning God's Judgments If we shall ask how this comes about that a Godly man hath this fore-sight in him we may take it thus First By the Dictates of the Word of God He fore-sees it from hence A Christian considers what God has threatned against such and such ways and sinful courses and finding those courses to be taken does hence conclude that such Judgments will in all likelihood follow upon them For God he is true to his Word and what he has threatned he will bring to pass As nothing shall fail of his Promises and of the good things which are foretold by him so not of his Threatnings neither We may conclude it and build upon it Secondly by the Observations of Prudence and the concurrence of one thing with another We may see what God will do hereafter by that which he hath done already and the comparing and laying of things together God does usually things in their Preparations before he does them in the things themselves And there are the Warnings of Judgment before the Accomplishments and Consummation of it Now a wise man he has regard to these which he takes notice of A good Christian he studies Providence he marks what God does in the World and for what end and purpose he does it and so thereby does satisfie himself as to the Expectation of it and it is no strange matter to him then when it comes For every thing which God does it has a Voice and Tongue in it and speaks somewhat or other to us by it if we will listen and give heed unto it This is that which the prudent man does He is an Observer and from thence a Fore-seer Thirdly By the Inward Hints and Suggestion of the Spirit of God it self There is a Spirit of Discerning which God does in these Cases bestow upon his Servants whereby they are able to say much to future things I know Abraham says God and shall I hide from him the thing that I will do speaking of the Destruction of Sodom Gen. 18.17 And the Lord will do nothing but he reveals his secrets to his Prophets Amos 3.7 It is true there are not now to be expected those direct and immediate Revelations which were to the Prophets in former times but yet there is somewhat answerable to them There are certain General Discoveries and Intimations of things at large so many of Gods servants even now as of what he will bring to pass in the world so as may tend to their preparation and qualification and predisposition for it Those which are much acquainted with God and are accustomed to Communion with him they have many an hint tendred to them which every one is not acquainted withal And that as in reference to Gods Judgments and Dispensations And that 's the First part of Spiritual Wisdom which is considerable in a Christian Namely this That to fore-see the evil in reference to it The Second is in reference to Activity or Practise And hides himself this must be joyned with the other or else it is in vain It is to no purpose for any one to fore-see evil and to rush into it for so it were no better for him than if he were wholly ignorant of it But upon fore-sight of it to avoid it This a Godly man does He improves his fore-sight and discovery of evil coming on to his own safegard and protection Thus t is said of Noah that being moved with fear he prepared an Ark He did not only fear and rest himself in that fear but his fear put him upon Preparation and Provision against the eminent danger or that which was fore-seen by him And so it is also with every good Christian As he has wisdom to preapprehend evil so he has care likewise to prevent it and keep it from himself This is signified in this expression of Hiding which implies an Indeavour to Escape the danger which is fore-seen It is that which we often meet withall in Scripture the Saints hiding of themselves against Time of Trouble especially in the Book of Psalms It is that which David makes mention of again and again of Gods Hiding of him and of his hiding himself with God we can hardly turn a leaf but we find it he makes mention of it upon all occasions Now this is that which is here also signified to be the property of every other Beleiver even to hide himself in such times as these are If we would know how this is done I answer in the Exercise of all such Graces as are pertinent hereunto As First of all Meekness and Humility that 's an Hiding-Grace A Grace which keeps men safe from a storm Proud and lofty Person they are liketrees exposed to wind and weather but the humble and lowly they are preserved as it is in Job 22.29 When men are cast down then they shall say There is lifting up And he shall save the humble person So Zeph. 2.3 Seek ye the Lord all ye meek of the Earth which have wrought his Judgement seek righteousness seek meekness it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the Lords anger The meek they are most likely to be hid of any other besides Secondly Repentance that 's another Hiding Grace The more we hide our sins the less we hide our selves but when by Confession and Humiliation before God we lay them open to him he covers them and our selves with them There 's no better way for any one to be kept in safety from any eminent evil than by repenting and turning to God with all his heart such as these they do receive special safeguard and protection from Him and shall be kept from Evil. Thirdly Faith that 's another Faith it shrowds it self under Gods wings and keeps it there A true Beliver betakes himself to Gods Attributes and finds a great deal of satisfaction from them his power and truth And God himself takes such an one into his protection How great is thy goodness which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee which thou hast wrought for them that trust in thee Thou shalt hide them in the secret af thy presence from the pride of man Thou shalt keep them in the secret of thy presence c. Psal 31.19 20. Fourthly Charity and Bounty to the poor That 's a Grace also which Hides He that hides his money he does not hide himself but he that distributes it and gives it abroad The Lord takes special care of such as those in time of trouble to secure them and protect them from evil And that also as the fruits of those mens prayers whom they are kind unto According to that in
of Christ's Satisfaction Therefore will God abundantly pardon because Christ has abundantly satisfied and payed the Debt which was required at our hands If we have no more to say for our selves than God's Nature and the Infiniteness of that it will not serve our turn for as God is infinite in Mercy to pardon us so he is infinite in Justice to punish us And where are we then But now in Christ his Justice is fully answered and there is an opportutunity for the Expression of his Mercy together with it This is that which is our great releif and accordingly we should make much of it for our great Comfort and Consolation that God hath set him for a Propitiation for our sins Christ has payed a Ransom which is sufficient for the taking away of the greatest sins that may be and therefore will God also pardon those greatest sins God's mercy must needs reach as far as Christ's death Now this takes away all sins whatsoever The Blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all sin He is a Physician that is able to cure all Diseases What matter what the Disease be whilst the Physitian has skill to remove it and to cure it and to take it away Or what matter what the Debt be where the Surety has already payed it and made satisfaction for it Christ has satisfied for great sins and God forgives great sins yea the greater the sins are the more does he delight to manifest his Goodness in the Forgiveness of them That where sin abounds Grace may much more abound as the Apostle expresses it in Rom. 5.20 The Consideration of this Point is matter of singular Comfort to all such Persons as are humbled and broken in heart and lie under the burthen of their sins and are willing to leave and forsake them and in good earnest to quit themselves of them Here is Grace and Mercy and Reconciliation offered unto them if they will accept it upon those Terms and Conditions whereupon it is offered And therefore let none reject it or refuse it or put it away from themselves Take heed of denying or diminishing this Free Grace of God which is thus richly tendered in the Gospel as there are some kinds of persons are now and then apt to do There are some sullen Spirits in the World which will be damned as we may say whether God will or no that will have none of that Mercy which God offers and holds out unto them that cry out with desperate Cain My sin is greater than can be forgiven Oh take heed of that It is not the greatness of thy sin but the greatness of thy stomach and the pride of thine own corrupt heart that lies in thy way Thou wouldst fain stand upon thine own bottom and be justified from thy self and go to Heaven through thine own Righteousness and art loath to be beholden to God for such a favour as Pardon is and therefore it is that thou opposest it and standest out against it Or it may be thou hast a false heart and art willing to keep thy Lusts still and not to come up to God's Conditions But do not thou any longer nourish such a corrupt disposition in thy self as being that which is very odious and abominable in the sight of God Despair is in a manner the greatest sin of all a devillish and hellish sin and such as is worse than any other which is there made the occasion of it because it is a sin against the sweet Bowels of God and the Riches of his Mercy in the Gospel which he desires to extol and magnifie above all other things in the World Therefore by all means take heed of it and withdraw from it Remember to observe the Condition and thou mayest undoubtedly expect the Promise to be accomplished and made good unto thee Though thy sins be many though they be great though they be repeated again and again yet at last wholly left and renounced there is mercy for them God looks not so much at the greatness of thy sin in its own nature as rather at thine affection to it That sin which is not too great to be forsaken it is not too great to be forgiven A great sin being left shall be pardoned whereas a smaller sin being returned shall plunge thee into Everlasting Death and Condemnation And so much may be spoken of the Word of Promise or Encouragement here mentioned He will abundantly pardon Now the Second is the word Motive or Inforcement in the Counsel For For he will abundantly pardon Because God will abundantly pardon therefore let the wicked forsake his evil ways And so there is this in it That God's Mercy is a special Argument and Motive for Man's Reformation Because he is so ready to forgive sin therefore we should be as ready to forsake it Thus the Scripture still sets it as in Psal 130.4 And it holds upon this account because here now we see that our labour is not in vain If a man might repent and turn to God and for all that God would shew him no mercy he were still but in the same case as before and might be ready to think with himself that he had as good go on in his sins still and enjoy the present delight and sweetness of them But now when he hears that upon his Repentance God will forgive him this Carnal Objection is removed and taken off from him And then it holds also in a way of Thankfulness and Ingenuity in answer to God's goodness Seeing God is ready to do so much for us as to pardon our sins so we should be ready to do so much for him as to remove our sins from us Therefore let us accordingly make this Use and Improvement of it Let us take heed of abusing such a sweet Truth as this and so turning God's Grace into wantonness as many sometimes are subject to do for God will be sure not to hold us guiltless if we do so Whosoever shall commit any sin with these thoughts of presuming on God's mercy without Repentance he does so far forth deptive himself of the comfort of this present Doctrine which still supposes the Renouncing of sin as the Condition annexed to the Promise Carnal and corrupt persons they pull this Text asunder which is to be taken still in its Connexion They are for the latter part of it only where it is said God will have mercy and will abundantly pardon But they are not for the formre part of it where the wicked is required to forsake his evil ways Now the one is of noforce without the other that so as men may not despair so they may not presume and as they may not deny God's Mercy so they may not retain their own Iniquity but rather search and examine their hearts in such cases as these are and observe God's dealings with them who oftentimes suffers them to fall into great sins for the punishing of their neglect of smaller And that also occasionally
behind us saying This is the way walk ye in it when we turn either to the right hand or to the left But now farther if we please we may take these words a little more at large as I in part hinted before When ye turn to the right hand or to the left not as touching it of two extreams but in reference to all the passages of our lives whatsoever they be When ye turn to the right hand or to the left that is whatsoever place ye are in whatever business ye are about whatever condition befalls you ye shall have the hints of the Word and Spirit of God assistant to you This is the promise which is made to the Saints and Servants of God And it is made not only here in this Text but also in divers other places besides as Psal 37.5 Commit thy way unto the Lord trust also in him and he shall bring it to pass So Prov. 3.6 In all thy ways acknowledge him and he shall direct thy pathes So again in Prov. 16.3 Commit thy Works unto the Lord and thy Thoughts shall be Established This Disposition in God towards his People is founded on his Affection to them He loves them and therefore he Counsels them and cannot abide to see them miscarry Love it is full of direction of the party which it is placed upon and will not suffer him to go out of his way And so it is with God to us This is a great Comfort and Incouragement to us and should quicken us especially in his service wherein especially we are sure to have him to guide us and go before us and be assistant unto us And that in the darkness of this World wherein we walk If a man have a bad way yet if he have a good guide it is some Comfort to him This is the Lord to his Servants He teaches them to go taking them by the hand as it in Hos 11.3 Oh how much should we be affected herewith Especially in this Age and Time wherin we live In which we have so many Labarynths and uncertainties that a great many do not know what to do nor what way to betake themselves to We have so many humours and conceits amongst us that we know not almost what to believe nor what to practise It is the case and condition of many people that they are at a nonplus and almost at their wits ends in this particular Well in all these uncertainties and distractions Here 's the Comfort and Incouragement of Gods servants which do not provoke him to do otherwise with them from some default or miscarriage in them in which case it may be suspended to them That they shall hear a word behind them saying this is the way walk in it when they turn c. But here it may partinently be demanded How this word shall be discerned and known because there 's a great deal of deceit and mistake in the particulars many taking that to be the word and spirit of God which is no more but their own foolish fancy and the suggestions and intimation of the Devil joyning with their own corrupt hearts It is the condition of many people now in these present days and never more than now it is For this There are divers Touchstones and discoveries of it which we will briefly instance in First Let this within thee be regulated by the word without thee And the motions and suggestions of the Spirit examined by the Rule of the Scripture and the written word of God to the Law and the Testimony If they speak not according to this word it is because there is no light in them Isa 8.20 God never speaks in the Conscience contrary to what he speaks in the Scripture for he is unchangeable and cannot deny himself If therefore we have any motions in us which are cross and opposite hereunto we have very greet cause to suspect them as coming to us from another hand yea to abandon them and to bid defiance to them For which as the Wind does not sit at the same time in two contrary corners North and South so neither does the Spirit breath in two contrary motions Good and Evil. The motions of the spirit are always suitable and agreeable to it self Secondly They are also orderly and regular They keep men within the compass of their Callings and the spheres and the place which God has set them in Motions either from mens own Spirits or the spirit of Satan acting in them they are many times out of course they carry them above their line and make them to stretch themselves beyond their measure as the Apostle speaks But those which come from God and the suggestions and inclinations of his spirit they confine them and keep them within bounds They order them and frame them and keep them within bounds suitable to their several stations and Relations and Conditions and Circumstances in the world which they have regard and heed unto So likewise which we may refer hereunto they are agreeable also to the law of Nature and Civility and ingenuity in us Therefore such motions as cross these they are not such as come from Gods spirit but from the spirit of the Devil when any are carried to such acts as are against Civility and common modesty it self Thirdly They are also mild and gentle and seasonable They are not ordinarily violent raptures but such as leave a man in a right apprehension of what he does and reflexion upon it A man knows where he is and what he does while he is followed with them which in the motions of Satan is otherwise Fourthly They are discernable also from their Effects and the ends which they tend unto all the hints and motions of Gods spirit they still tend to make us better and to carry us nearer to himself one way or other they serve to promote Piety and Holiness in us and to better us especially and above all in our Inward man whereas those which are contrary and do serve to weaken Grace in us they have another spring for them Lastly In all these Cases the Spirit commonly brings his own Conviction and Evidence with him And as he says This is the way walk ye in it so he does likewise manifest that it is he that says it from whence the Soul of a Christian may be assured that he is not mistaken or deluded in it Look as those which had the Spirit of Prophesy they did by the same light know both the truth of the things themselves which they prophesied about as also that it was from God that message which they delivered even so is it with those also still which have any motions of the Spirit of God in them they do at one and the same time know both the things themselves which they are moved unto as also the Authour and Original of them But so much for that In these hints and suggestions of the Spirit this voice behinde us may be discovered by
us Now to shut up all with a word of use and Application and so to Conclude We have heard out of the words of the Text three things that there is such a Monotor as this is A word behind us the Effect and matter of the Admonition This is the way c. and the occasion of it When we turn to c. Now what remains to ourselves to be done by us upon these considerations two things especially This observation is to be improved by us two manner of ways First In a way of Thankfulness And Secondly In a way of Obedience In a way of Thankfulness First we are to bless God that he is pleased thus Graciously to provide for us not only to instruct us by his word and his voice sounding in out Ears in the ministerial Dispensations but also to admonish us by his Spirit and the Holy Ghost moving in our Hearts in our Christian Conversation This is a matter of great Thankfulness and Acknowledgment to us A faithful Monitor is a very great advantage it is so betwixt man and man betwixt one friend and another to have one to tell them when they do amiss and to reform them in it or to direct them where they are at a loss and to instruct them about it This is that which God Himself does for his people as we have heard all this while out of the Text which is matter and occasion of great thankfulness and acknowledgment to them which their hearts should be very much taken and affected with all It is a mercy and favour that God will afford these helps unto us Secondly We are to improve it by Obedience and closing with it seeing we have this word speaking to us let us not stop our Ears against it take heed of that do not neglect the whispers of the Spirit and of the word of God set home upon thy heart How many are there in the world which have such things as these are daily and continually sounding in their Ears in case of Omission and neglect of Duty This is the way walk ye in it These things they are to be done and perform'd by you it is not safe for you to let them alone Again in case of committing of Evil and wayes of Extravagancy this is out of the way do not walk in it ye are out of your place of your Calling of your Duty which is to be done by you Nay ye walk opposite and contrary to it How many are there in the World which in their lewd and ungodly Courses of Drunkeness Filthiness Uncleanness evil Company Consuming and such practises as these have many a sad check upon their Consciences restraining of them and a voice behind them pulling them back now let all these consider how far they hearken and give ear unto it It is a dangerous thing to stifle the motions of Gods spirit or to stop their Ear against the voice of his word No but there should be a present closeing and compliance with it As young Samuel when God call'd him speak Lord thy servant heareth so should we do in these cases we should receive and entertain his motions and turn those motions into purposes and those purposes into practises in our selves we should never suffer such good hints as these are to die in us Especially considering this for our Incouragement that as Gods motions follows his Instructions so his Assistance always follows his motions in the tenders of it Look as he never shewes us the way but he does also move us to walk in it that our practises may be answerable to our knowledg so likewise he never moves us to walk in any way which he shews us but he does likewise offer us at the same time some kind of help to walk in it Therefore now not to close with him is not onely to refuse his Counsell but likewise consequently to reject his Assistance more or less which he does exhibit to us whereby we offer a double injury to the Spirit of Grace And here further let us consider the danger and hazard of such a course as this is which is manifold and various First Gods future silence where he is not regarded he will speak no more especially having spoken to us very often for some time already past and let us think with our selves what it is to be deprived of such a Blessed motion as this is But Secondly That 's not all thare's a suffering of another voice to speak in us and if we look not to it to prevail upon us they that hearken not to the voice of God in them they are many times given up to Satan and their own Corruptions to work upon them to rule and bear sway in them This is plain by that of the Prophet David speaking in the Name of God concerning Israel My people would not hearken to my Counsell and Israel would have none of me so I gave them up to their own hearts lusts and they walked in their own Imaginations Prov. 1.30.31 SERMON XL. Esay 40.31 Butthey that wait upon the Lordsh all renew their strength they shall mount up with wings as Eagles they shall run and not be weary and they shall walk and not faint As God is a God of strength so there is nothing wherein he does appear more to be so than in the Dispensations of Himself to his people to whom he does in part Communicate of that strength which is in himself for their greater Supportment and Incouragement in the worst Conditions that may happen unto them He delights to manifest his power in their weakness and to shew his strength in their Infirmity as he sometimes elsewhere expresses it As he himself faints not neither is weary so he gives power to them that are faint and to them that have no might he increases strength as it is in 28. and 29. verses of this Chapter Yet still he does it so as may be with the greatest furtherance and advantage to themselves As it was in the Miracle of Canaan The wine which Christ produced it was the best wine of all and better then all other before it so is it indeed in every thing else which God does and amongst the rest in this particular the strength which he does vouchsafe to his Servants It is better and surer and firmer then any other strength besides That strength which comes from God directly and in the way of the new Covenant in Christ it is far surpassing and transcendant to any Natural or Corporal strength whatsoever which is that which the Holy Ghost does here signifie and Illustrate by an Elegant opposition in this Scripture which I have now read unto you Even the Youths shall faint and be weary and the young men shall utterly fall those which have either the advantage of Age or Exercise or Bodily temper and Constitution But they that waite upon thee c. IN the whole Verse before us we have two General Parts considerable First A Proposition
gave him a secret hint of the nearness of his dissolution Thus much for it Take it which way ye will for the manner of God's speaking it 's evident by collection from the context that it was an interrupting word a word whereby God did interrupt this wretch in his self-conference and in a manner take him off The man was very eager in his employments and God comes in between he 's building his barns and God demolishes them he 's laying up his goods and God unloads them he 's telling his money and God scatters it he 's lengthening his daies and God contracts and shortens them he 's promising his soul comfort and God takes his soul away the man 's busie accounting and the voice puts him out But God spake Thus it pleases the Lord to deal with men many times in such cases as these are He graciously interposes himself in their sinful courses and in their vain projects and in their foolish imaginations he puts them out of their tract he laies a rub in their way he will not suffer them to go on he so sweetly guides and over-rules them by the hand of his providence that he prevents them commission of those sins which their hearts lust after and in a manner takes them off And happy were it with us if we would observe his dealings in this kind God's interruptions are promotions The more he hinders us the more he puts us forward and so we should make account There cannot be a greater mercy than to be stopt and interrupted in sin as there cannot be a greater judgment than not to observe this interruption It 's a dangerous business to neglect the awakenings of the Almighty when they shall come home to a man's conscience and tell him of such and such courses divert him and turn him from them and he shall make nothing of it but when he is wounded run away arrow all and when he is stopt make the greater means to get on This is a fearful condition it is a sign of a man for the present under a spirit of slumber Therefore let us examine our selves in this particular and see how the case is with us Consider how often God hath interrupted thee in thy ungodly courses and thou hast not given him any heed He has spoken to thee but thou hast not regarded him he has visited thee but thou hast not observed him he has come home to thy soul and spirit and thou hast been never a whit the better for all his admonitions of thee he has spoken to thee by his Ministers and all in vain This is a miserable estate and therefore look to it whosoever are guilty of it think what a sad thing it is to hearken to the interruptions of Satan and not to hearken to the interruptions of God Satan speaks to us in duties and the exercise of holy performances and him we can give attention to with all kind of readiness and entertain chat with him and close with his unseasonable suggestions God interrupts us in fin and when we are going about unwarrantable actions tells us we should not do this and tells us we should not do that and we commonly make nothing of it But I must not stand long now upon the prosecution of this point That 's the first thing to be observed and taken notice of by us God interrupts him This But it has an emphasis of interception Secondly God opposes him or contradicts him in this his speech He does not only interrupt him but oppose him This at the first hearing may seem to be the same with the former but yet there is some difference in that there is somewhat superadded For God might have spoken between and yet have spoken the same he might have interrupted him and yet said as he said God interrupted Abraham in the offering up of his Son but he interrupted him by way of favour God interrupted Cornelius in the offering up of his prayers but he interrupted him by way of acceptation God interrupted Zacharias in the offering up of Incense but that was an interruption of agreement All interruptions are not presently arguments of dislike and contradiction but this in the Text it was so This interruption of this rich man it was like God's interruption of Paul when he was going poste to Damascus with letters against the Church of God The Lord there took him off and opposed him Saul Saul why persecutest thou me it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks Such was this speech here a speech of opposition and the opposition as ye shall observe is various for besides the opposition in the subjects speaking God spake and man spake The Rich man spake to himself and God spake to him here 's a manifold contrariety in the things spoken themselves and that in these particulars First The Rich man spake to himself by way of applause God spake to him by way of reproach Secondly The Rich man so spake to himself as that he did promise himself ease and pleasure and contentment God so spake to him as that he threatned him with dissolution Thirdly The Rich man promised himself ease and pleasure and contentment for many years God threatned him with dissolution that very night Last of all The Rich man did appropriate all this provided peace and comsort and contentment to his own soul God questioned who should have the things which he had provided we see the opposition before us Thus then 't is plain that God does not only interrupt men sometimes in their self conferences and pleasing imaginations but also does contradict them and goes contrary to them He confounds the wisdom of the wise he disappoints the devices of the crafty he brings to nothing the understanding of the prudent he scatters the proud in the imaginations of their own hearts he thinks not as they think neither are his waies like unto theirs There 's a manifest contrariety to them The Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise that they are vain It were a very pretty thing if a man could but sometimes peep and look into mens closets and counting-houses and the secret Cabinets of their hearts and see what fine work there 's there now and then projecting One man cutting out to himself such a Lordship another such a dignity another such a preferment One man providing for this another for that another for a third thing each man promises to himself some great matter and that for some space of time and at last when all comes to all God comes in and takes them away when men have spun a fair Thread God cuts it and when men have woven a dainty Web God breaks it and when men have built them a brave and goodly Tower a Castle in the Air God overturns it overturns it c. according to that elegant repetition which we meet with in Ezek. Yea when they have raised their thoughts to the highest pitch that they can in that day their thoughts Oh
and over-whelm'd in her business and domestical distractions that she wanted a little quickening and exciting and stirring up that so she might the better heed and give care to that which was spoken and this Christ is not wanting in to her Whence by the way we may observe thus much That in our teaching and admonishing of others we must apply our selves carefully to the temper and disposition of their spirits Those which are more tender and apprehensive they will need less stirring and provoking Those which are more heedless and negligent and minding of other things as Martha here was they need a little rouzing and awakening and stirring up like those which are fast a-sleep Martha Martha This the Apostle Jude presses to Jude ep 22.23 And of some have compassion making a difference and others save with fear pulling them out of the fire i. e. in great haste And the ground hereof is this because the manner and carriage of the business has a very great influence and efficacy upon the success of the thing it self Our counsel and admonition does so far forth prevail or miscarry as we in the administration of it have a respect to the condition of the parties we deal withal That wind which would but cherish some fruits it would nip and blast others And those expressions which would quite deject and discourage some kind of spirits for others are no more but necessary which they cannot well miss or be without This should therefore very much guide us and sway us in this particular But to come closer to the Text it self Martha Martha c. Here are two things briefly observable and considerable of us First his reprehension it self which he does here exhibit to her He does here gently check her And Secondly the ground and cause of it thou art cumbred c. First Here 's the reprehension it self he checks and reproves Martha and thus it may be amplified to us according to a various and different apprehension and notion in which we may here look upon her and that especially three-fold First as she was a good and godly woman And Secondly as she was a kind and friendly woman Thirdly as a woman beloved First She was good and yet Christ reproves her and checks her where she was now amiss Martha c. Though she failed in this particular yet she was otherwise a godly woman as well as her Sister Mary perhaps not inferior to her in that particular But though she was godly yet she was not to be let alone in her miscarriage Whence we note that even those which are good are to be reproved when they do that which is evil Thus it was here in the Text and thus also in other places Peter a good man yet Christ reprov'd him when he did that which was faulty and call'd him Satan Matth. 16. verse 23. Get thee behind me Satan for thou art an offence unto me for thou savourest not the things that be of God but the things that be of men c. And so Paul reprov'd him also because he was to be blamed Gal. 2.4 And so David a good man but the Prophet Nathan came and told him his own when he fell into sin c. And so Sarah a good woman but she was reproved as we read when she had offended and many such like instances besides And good reason for it For First The goodness of the person does not change the nature of the action Sin is no better than sin whosoever they be that commit it Evil and corrupt acts they cast a blemish upon the person but good and holy persons do not take off a tainture from these acts There 's a deep dye and stain in sin which pollutes and defiles and mars all that comes near it and which have any thing to do with it and it is the same where-ever it is found though in the best and holiest person that is which does not change the nature of it Secondly The goodness of the person sometimes makes the action worse The better any man is the worse is sin when it comes and proceeds from him It 's worse in regard of its appearance as carrying a greater ugliness and deformity in it like a spot in a fair face And it 's worse in regard of its influence as doing more hurt abroad and mischief to other men Good men are the rather to be reprov'd that others may not become the worse for their sakes Thirdly Those which are good may be better and this is a means so to make them therefore the rather to be reproved in this regard Wise and seasonable reprehension is a means which God has sanctified and appointed for this purpose let us take it from the mouth of a good man himself David in Psal 141.5 Let the righteous smite me and it shall be a kindness and let him reprove me and it shall be an excellent oil which shall not break my head c. Thus then it shews the weakness of those which except against the just reprehensions of such as these as now in these days we live in We have many good people in the World that is which are so in the general and which there is cause to hope well of which yet abound with many strange humors and extravagancies and also sometimes even in order to Religion it self which they are given over to What! shall these now be let alone and have nothing at all said to them but to run on in such kind of ways Soft not so by no means There is a just and due censure and reproof which belongs unto them All that good people do is not a piece of goodness in them which accordingly they ought to suffer that so corruption may not proceed in them nor proceed from them And it is a piece of love to do it as it should be Peter was more reproved than Judas by Christ himself Indeed in the reproof of good persons there are some cautions which are sit to be observed First That we be sure to reprove them for that which is evil and no other we must take heed of censuring them for goodness This Eli did to Hannah 1 Sam. 1.14 Secondly we must do it with another kind of spirit than those which are commonly profane persons looking upon them as Brethren and Sisters in Christ Thirdly So order the business as neer as we can that our reproof of good persons may not reflect upon goodness it self And so much for that notion Martha consider'd as a good woman Secondly We may look upon her as a friendly woman She was one that entertain'd Christ took him into her house made much of him was very careful of him and respectful towards him yet for all this he checks her and reproves her there where she was in fault Whence we note that the receiving of courtesies from any persons does not discharge us from our duty towards them where by our place and occasions we are call'd to the
does it freely and willingly and of his own accord without any thing in us either to move him or mind him of it or to perswade him and engage him to it There 's nothing so free as Grace in the Collations and Distributions of it It is bestowed without any worth or Dignity in us at all to Promerit it This may appear if we shall consider but the Persons upon whom it is bestowed who are often times such as have nothing in them tending hereunto whether we take it as to worldly qualifications or else to moral It is very free in either Consideration As to worldly Qualifications first of all the Aposte Paul has here informed us how that not many wise men after the Flesh not many mighty not many noble are called But God hath chosen the foolish things of the World to confound the wise c. And Secondly as for moral Qualifications God sometimes makes choice of such as are the greatest Sinners where he passes by some other Persons of greater Civility Matthew the Publican Mary Magdalen the Harlot Saul the Persecutor the Barbarian Jaylor That Gods Spirit should blow upon these whiles it blew over others which were better what does this speak unto us but that it bloweth there where it listeth Into what can we possibly resolve it but into the will and good pleasure of God! Look what St. Paul says sometimes of the common gifts the same may we say also of the sanctifying But all these worketh that one and the self-same spirit dividing to every man severally as he will 1 Cor. 12.11 And again Vnto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gist of Christ Whatever Grace any man partakes of he has it purely from the Spirit of God who of his own accord bestows it upon them And therefore it is said in 1 Cor. 2.12 We have received the Spirit of God that we might know the things that are freely given us of God All we have it is of free grace and it is freely given and conferred upon us The consideration of this point may be thus far useful to us First as it may teach us where to acknowledge all that we receive If any have more Grace than others let them see here how they came by it not by Merit but by Gift not by any thing as deserving it in themselves but from the goodness of the Spirit of Godas bestowing it upon them and therefore not to attribute it to themselves but to Him who is the Author and Giver of it as St. Paul himself gives us an example in 2 Cor. 15.10 By the Grace of God I am that I am and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain Yet not I but the grace of God which was with me Secondly We have here an account of the difference and variety of Christians both from one another and from themselves we see why one Christian abounds in Grace more than another and we see also why the same Christian is better at one time than he is at another Both are from this ground in the Text because the Spirit bloweth there where it listeth And every one to this purpose should rest satisfied in this equal dispensation God may do with his own as he pleases and he pleases thus to do with it that so hereby he may shew his own liberty and freedom in this particular We are able to move no farther in good than the Spirit of God helps us so to do As ye know it was in the Vision in Ezekiel as the Spirit moved the living Creatures which were in the wheels so the wheels went when that went they went and when that stood still they stood still with it Ezek. 1.2 Even so is it here in these motions of the Soul we are so far forth more lively in regard either of Grace or Comfort as the Spirit of God is pleased to breathe and to infuse either of them into us And without Him we are able to do nothing as may be worth any thing to us Therefore thirdly Let us also make this use of it To be depending upon him for it If we cannot do any thing without his blowing and his blowing be onely there where he pleases we see what cause we have to keep in good terms with him and to do nothing which may be displeasing to him for if we lose his favour we lose his influence and his assistance which is the effect of it it is where he lists and onely there where he blows And therefore make much of him and wait upon him take heed of grieving so good and so gracious a Spirit as this is and besides who is so useful to us and necessary for us And further Fourthly let it teach us also tenderness and compassion towards others who it may be do not partake of so much grace or comfort as our selves For it is God and his Spirit who makes this difference betwixt us it is not we our selves Let us take heed of insulting too much over others weaknesses forasmuch as it is that Grace that distinguishes us and makes that difference that is betwixt us And that 's the second thing also in this motion its freeness that it is not engaged The third and last is its Efficacy or unresistableness that it is not nor cannot be hindred Whereever the Spirit of God will blow there is no standing out against it it blows where it lists that is it obtains whatsoever it endeavours Who hath resisted his will Surely none at all to any purpose Indeed corrupt Nature sometimes opposes the motions of Gods Spirit and that even Conversion in it self reluctates and strives against it but all in vain where he sets to the work Look as it is not in the power of a Child to hinder his own first birth even so it is not in the power of a sinner to hinder his own new birth where God undertakes and sets himself to it because his Spirit it does effect whatsoever he pleases Who hath gathered the wind in his fist as Agur makes the question in Prov. 30.4 Surely it is not Man but God Look as no man can hinder the wind or stop the blowings and motions thereof so neither can any man hinder the Spirit and stop the motions and influences thereof that they should not prove effectual This is a comfortable point in all contrary blasts whatsoever Satan who is the evil Spirit he has his blowings too and he oftentimes blows very hard 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as St. Chrysostom speaks but yet he does not blow where he lists nor can his blowings prevail against this blowing which we have here before us in this present Text which carries all before it and shall overturn and overthrow whatsoever stands in opposition to it It is said of Antichrist the man of sin and who is a great instrument of Satan that the Lord shall consume him with the spirit of his mouth and destroy
to help us and that 's one encouragement so he hath likewise Will and that 's another For to be told that we are able to do nothing without such an ones assistance and withall to hear that it were such an one as had no good will or affection for us nor any mind at all to help us this would be little comfort to us But now this is here such encouragement that we do not more need his help than he is willing to send his help unto us and to concur with us that so we may be the more effectually perswaded to have recourse to him for it This is done in the exercise of two Graces more especially in us to wit of Humility and Faith First Humility whereby we are emptied of our selves and any conceits of our own sufficiency Those that think they can do well enough by any power of their own they will never once look after Christ for such is that desperate pride and stubbornness which is in our hearts by nature that we care not to be beholding to Christ more than needs if we can any thing shift without him we never care to come to him But when we see that without him we are lost and that there is no help for us this will make us to apply our selves to him as much as we can Lay this then for a ground which is here the Doctrine of this Text That without Christ we can do nothing Secondly The Grace of Faith let us also stir up that in us which is that whereby we suck and draw from Christ that which is in him and apply it and bring it home to our selves Without Christ we can do nothing and without Faith we can do nothing neither even there where Christ of himself is both able and willing also to do any thing for us This is that which like the Womans touch of the them of his garment draws forth strength and virtue out of him both for the stopping of the issue of sin and for the walking in the ways of Piety Therefore let us be sure to exercise and set this on work and that according to those two great Mysteries which are eminent in him his Death and his Resurrection Fetch by Faith power from Christ's Death for the mortifying and killing of sin in us which is very agreeable and appliable to this purpose And fetch by Faith also power from his Resurreâ—â—on in the raising up to newness of life and to the practise of all the works of new obedience which are to be performed by us Now further that we may still do it more successfully let us be advised on this which is much conducing and tending hereto and that is That we be careful to keep in good terms with Christ and to walk in all well pleasing to him forasmuch as without him we can do nothing It concerns us very much to take heed that we be no ways offensive to him or do any thing which may alienate his affections from us which is the ground of his assistance of us We see how it is ordinary in the affairs here of the world such persons as men do absolutely depend upon for all that is to be done by them such without whom they are able to do nothing which is of any concernment to them they will not offer to displease them of all other persons besides but labour and endeavour to give all the satisfaction to them that possibly they can give Even so should it now also be with us in reference to Christ we should take heed of grieving him because we do all things by him and are able to do nothing without him The more dependant we are upon him the more serviceable should we be to him And especially take heed of presumption and rebellion against him to take heed of quenching the motions of his Spirit of turning his grace into wantonness of rejecting or refusing that help which he does at any time offer unto us either for the shuning and avoiding of evil or for the doing and working of good for then we provoke him to withdraw his assistance from us and to give us up to the power of Satan and the vanity of our evil hearts When Christ shall offer to heal men and they will not be healed to help men and they will not be helped this does sadly provoke him even to deny his help unto them at such time as they shall most of all desire it and stand in need of it This is a very lamentable condition if it be duly thought of when Christ shall at any time deny men the benefit of his assistance either the benefit of his Intercession and speaking a good word for them without which they can obtain nothing in matter of request or the benefit of his co-operating grace and effectual winning of them without which they can do nothing neither in a way of Christian and Spiritual performance Either of these cases are very sad and such as are to be shunn'd by us by giving all content to Christ And so now I have done with these words in both the senses and acceptions of them whether as to matter of Interest or Influence Without me that is without union to me and Without me that is without assistance from me and dependance upon me can ye be able to do any thing which is good SERMON XXV ACTS 1.7 It is not for you to know the times or the seasons which the Father hath put in his own power We are now this very day by the good hand and providence of God according to the common style and computation of time amongst us entred upon another new year And that after all the fears and dangers and hazards and calamities which have been upon us both in the City and divers places of the Kingdom for the year now past we have arrived to that year which hath been so much spoken of before-hand a great while ere the coming of it 1666. Many Prognostications there have been in the World concerning it many Characters and Significancies put upon it and many strange surmises and expectations have been had of it and what may be in the bosome or bowels of it we cannot tell We hear of wars and rumors of wars we hear of plagues and pestilences we have heard also of earthquakes and tempests and strange commotions These are such as do shew the World to be in a fading and declining condition and do bespeak the consummation of it But yet they are such as do not amount or come up to a full determination nor give us any warrant to make any absolute judgment or conclusion upon it They serve to awaken and humble us but they do not serve to dishearten or discourage us nor especially to take us off from that work which is to be done by us but rather so much the more eagerly and earnestly to put us upon it And therefore I have made choice of this Text at this present time as
as to be preferred before the other the more excellent way before the better gifts and so likewise should we upon all occasions do our selves labour for those gifts most which tend most to edification and labour more to edifi◠with our Gifts than to glory and boast of them more to profit and to advance the Church than to promote and set out our selves This is that which we should give our selves to But so much my suffice to have spoken of the first particular in this second general and that is the thing it self which is propounded to wit the more excellent may The second is the Proposition of it That we have in this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I shew it unto you Shew it How did he shew it Two ways as we may conceive more especially First He shewed it in Thesi and Secondly he shewed it in Hypothesi First he shewed it in the Proposition and Secondly He shewed it in the practice in the Rule and in the example He shewed it in his Doctrine and Ministry declaring as much unto them and he shewed it also in his life and conversation as giving them an example of it in himself for his own particular He gave it them in the Rule and he gave it them likewise in the Pattern for the better inforcing of the Rule upon them that so he might be no ways wanting unto them for their instruction and direction herein each of these ways he shewed this way unto them First He shewed it them in his Dictrine and by way of simple proposition he publisht it and declared it unto them and that at large here in this Epistle in the Chapter immediately following he shewed it them by rhetorical inlargements and amplifications Though I should speak with the tongue of men c. And so if we please we may understand that phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here in the Text not only as referring to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but also to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not to the way only but to the shewing of it According as St. Basil of Caesarea seems to carry it in his Epistle Ad Neocaesarienses 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I do in an Hyperbolical manner shew this unto you which he does indeed in the very next words that follow etsi linguis c. Here I might by the way shew you which I have also observed lately elsewhere an use of Rhetorick and Hyperboles in such discourses as these are so it be done in a grave and sober manner without ridiculousness and affectation there is good warrant and authority for it but I shall at this time pass over that The Apostle shewed unto these Corinthians the most excellent way and he shewed it first of all in his Doctrine Here are divers things which from hence I might very pertinently insist upon as First In that the Apostle speaking of Piety and Religion says here Demonstro Vobis we see here that Religion is capable of Demonstration It is such as may be clearly evidenced and demonstrated and made good to those who will not be pee◠vish and refractory and perverse A good and sound Christian he does not go upon conjectures only and meer guessings and doubtings and uncertainties but has firm footing for his treading he is sure and very well perswaded of the way in which he walks and is able to shew it to others If men will mot be peremptory and obstinate there is such an Autopistie and authority in Religion as does command their assent unto it so as they may as well deny a demonstration as they may deny that Here are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Clemens Alexandrinus speaks Words and Reasons that do compel yieldance to them Again secondly In that the Apostle here speaking of his Preaching and Writing and Ministerial Dispensation says 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I shew it unto you We see here in what kind of way Preaching and Teaching is to be carried namely as the Apostle does also express it in another place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In the Demonstration of the spirit and power 1 Cor. 2.4 It is not enough for us simply to propound truths but as near as we ean to evidence them and demonstrate them and make them clear and to deliver them in such a manner as whereby we may convince the gainsayer of the truth of them I shew it unto you Therefore we are here especially to take heed of any thing which may be any hinderance or prejudice hereunto and that is as the Apostle has noted an affectation of the enticing words of mans wisdom This St. Paul in that place before mention'd does oppose to this demonstration of the spirit and in the 17th verse of the first chapter he tells us that it makes the Cross of Christ to be of none effect As too many flourishes about a Letter keep the Letter it self from being discerned or as Chrysostom makes the comparison 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Look as fair and beautiful bodies when they are set out with paint and colours they do lose of their native beauty and comeliness so likewise the Word of God when 't is too much tricked up with humane illustrations it loses of that demonstrative power and efficacy which is indeed in it and becomes no more than an ordinary discourse Thirdly Here 's a further Rule likewise for Ministers in order to the matter of their Doctrine and the things themselves which are delivered by them whatever they teach men besides especially to build them up in Grace and to press such points home upon them as do tend to the furthering and promoting of a godly and holy conversation St. Paul would stir up these Corinthians to the coveting of the best gifts they could Oh! but he woule be sure in the mean time not to forget to propound unto them the most excellent way Yet I shew unto you or moreover the word in the Greek is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as who should say I have not as yet done with you I have somewhat more to say to you than so And thus he shewed it First of all in Thesi in the bare and simple Proposition Secondly He shewed it also in Hypothesi in his own practice and example this we may gather from the next Chapter Though I should speak c. without charity c. Though I should is here as much as I do not and I is not only persona supponens but persona proponens and this is another kind of shewing which does belong to all Ministers else whosoever they be Without which the other shewing will do little or no good at all The Apostle Paul as he was a sound Teacher so he was likewise a Follower of that which himself did teach This is requisite to be thereby to make our Doctrine more effectual and full of success Who will believe our report when we do not believe it our selves As we give just occasion to suspect when we report that which
they still put all spirituality in the outside of Duties themselves reckoning them for the only spiritual men in the world which are mured and shut up in a Cloyster and are imployed in their superstitious Devotions and practices of Will-worship and in the mean time wirhdrawing themselves from all serviceableness and usefulness to the world and places wherein they live This is not to walk in the spirit but rather in the flesh We must therefore take a further account of this business than as yet we have done and here to walk in the spirit will be as I in part intimated before to be heavenly and spiritually minded in our whole course and conversation Whatever the things themselves be so not sinful which we are occupied about let them be matters but of our ordinary callings yea even lawful recreations themselves a gracious heart will be spiritual in them and so we ought to be when we do every thing as in God's Presence to his Glory and as accountable to him for whatever we do then do we indeed walk in the spirit when we are in the fear of the Lord all the day long Prov. 23.17 Which makes up the first Explication understanding by the spirit the spirit as bestowing grace as subjected in us Secondly By the Spirit we may here understand his motions and suggestions as objected to us Walk in the spirit that is walk according to the guidance and dictate and moderation of the Spirit of God And this again in two particulars more First In the directions of the Spirit Walk as the Spirit of God inclines you Secondly In the Consolations of the Spirit Walk as the Spirit of God comforts you and gives encouragement to you First Walk in the spirit that is after the directions of the spirit as the Spirit of God inclines you be sure and careful of that It is the blessed and happy advantage of those which are the servants of God that as they have the Spirit of God working grace in them at first so they have also the same gracious spirit still exciting and provoking and stirring up that grace which he has wrought in them for following times Thou shalt hear a voice behind thee saying This is the way walk ye in it c. Isa 30.21 Now then are we said to walk in the spirit whensoever we listen and hearken hereunto and move our selves accordingly when we do that which the spirit commands us and provokes us to do and when we shun that which the spirit forbids us and takes us off from not only in the word but in the conscience wherein he does also apply himself to us and that in a suitableness and correspondency unto the word look what he commands in the one he suggests in the other and never contrary or opposite thereunto whereby it may be discerned whether it be the Spirit of God or no. There are many who sometimes pretend to follow the dictates and motions of the spirit when-as it is rather the propensities and inclinations of their own corrupt and carnal hearts but such as these delude them This is the priviledg and duty of Christians to be guided by a better spirit than their own even the Holy Spirit to suffer his motions and suggestions to take place in their hearts and to rule and bear sway in them This we should labour still to do upon all occasions whenever we find any stirrings of good in us presently to close with them and to improvethem all we can toturn the motions of the spirit to resolutions on our behalf and not only into resolutions but into practice which is the life and vigor of all This is to walk in the spirit And this is that which we should apply our selves unto in obedience to this command or counsel which is here given us in the Text especially such amongst us as have any thing more of this Spirit of God dwelling in us the more that any partake of the spirit the more it concerns them to walk in the spirit and to yield themselves up to the Power and Authority of the Spirit upon them because that such as these have greater and larger opportunities than other have As for other men which are but of common and ordinary principles yet living within the bosom of the Church and there partaking of the means of grace there are very few of them except they be such as are desperately concluded but they have now and then some kind of stirrings and workings of the Spirit of God moving in their consciences whereby he diverts them from evil and puts them on to the doing of good and it concerns such as these accordingly to walk in the spirit and to follow those motions and suggestions which are thus offer'd and tender'd unto them yea but now as for the children of God which are regenerate and born again and have saving grace wrought in their hearts such as these they are seldom without them but are frequently and continually exercised and inured unto them And therefore for them not to walk after them is a matter of great indignity which is hereby offered to so holy a Spirit and such as does not pass in them without some trouble and affliction upon their own spirit usually for it that so they may take the greater heed of being guilty or neglectful herein at another time as is manifest from the experiences of many which have made complaint in this partiular and should be a caution and warning to all the rest We should take heed of grieving the Holy Spirit of God by refusing his gracious Motions and Applications of himself to our hearts but walk in the spirit that is first after the spirits directions as the Spirit of God inclines us Secondly Walk in the spirit that is walk in the spirits Consolations as the Spirit of God comforts and incourages you This is such a kind of walking in the spirit as the Scripture does sometimes make mention of as Act. 9.31 it is said there of the Churches That they walk'd in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost This is also our duty to do and though perhaps it be not that which in this place is chiefly intended yet neither is it altogether excluded it is the special office of the spirit to be a comforter therefore to walk in the spirit is to walk in his comforts We find among other fruits of the spirit which are reckoned up here in this Chapter Joy is named for one as that which does belong thereunto and certainly we do then walk in the spirit when we do preserve this joy in our selves When we labour to keep terms of peace and reconcilement betwixt God and us from whence our hearts may be filled with comfert When the Consolations of God are not small with us but we do value them and make much of them and do not easily do any thing which may forfeit them or provoke God to take them
of their reward All which laid together should most effectually work upon us to perswade us to take heed of it and to put in practise what the Apostle here advises of Looking to our selves Seeing a little care and heed will do it let no us be wanting to it but improve it all we can that we may not be on the losing hand If a man will watch his house how much more should he watch his soul And if he will look to himself in such matters as in comparison are hardly worth looking after how much more should he do so in such matters as are of such infinite concernment So much for that sense of the words as they may be read in the second person That ye lose not what ye have wrought Now further secondly Take it in the first as it is here in our own Textual Translation That we lose not what we have wrought The Apostle John was desirous of these Believers that they would not frustrate his labours to him and make them in vain It is that which has been the answerable care of other of God's Servants besides and that very rationally Paul he desired it for himself Gal. 2.2 Lest by any means I should run or had run in vain So Phil. 2.16 That I may rejoyce in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain nor labour'd in vain So here now in this Text That we may not lose the things which we have wrought There are two things here considerable First Here is somewhat which is imply'd And secondly Here is somewhat which is exprest That which is imply'd is this That the heedlesness of people frustrates the labours of the Ministers That which is exprest is this That Ministers do above all things desire that their labours may not be frustrated by them First I say the heedlesness of people frustrates the labours of their Ministers it makes them lose the things which they have wrought Look to your selves that we do not therefore if ye do not we shall Let a Minister be never so careful of his work for his own particular as it comes from himself yet if his people do not look to themselves and their own ways it will be in the event lost as to them as it is in other matters besides Let a Physician give never so good Physick yet if his Patient shall distemper himself of his own accord he loses his Physick because it attains not its proper and intended effect This should therefore among other Arguments provoke our diligence and circumspection and cause us to take heed what we do for this among other things will be a further aggravtion against us God will one day call all wicked men to an account as for the motions of his Spirit and the checks of Conscience and the dispensations of his Providence so likewise for the labours of his servants which have been neglected by them whom he sets at a great rate even then when men despise and undervalue them There are two sorts of persons which make Ministers to lose the things which they have wrought the one is those that refuse to come to hear them when a Minister hath taken sad pains to prepare himself for the good of such a people to speak seasonably and pertinently and properly to them to their particular profit and comfort and edification and they now upon what pretence soever it may be some conceits or punctilio's shall withdraw themselves from him This is to make him to lose the things which he has wrought and God will be answered for this at another day and his Spirit will not always strive with them in this particular but being grieved will withdraw it self Another sort are those which though they hear are never the better for hearing can live many years under a Ministry and get nothing by it such as these they make us to lose the things which we have wrought and of these especially do we now speak at this time as here chiefly intended It is a very sad and grievous business we are tender of other workmen that they may not lose their labour amongst us but for this which is the greatest work of all we make nothing of it Well you see what St. John says of it It is a matter of heedlesness and disregard if people would more look to themselves they would prevent us from this inconvenience and evil that it happened not unto us Thus much for that which is here implied in the connexion of the words one with another Now secondly For what also is exprest That Ministers are justly very tender of the frustrating of their labours and of losing that which they have wrought It was that which the Apostle here stood upon more than any thing else as that which was most grievous to him This it is in three particulars First In regard of the person they work from Secondly In regard of the person they work for Thirdly In regard of the nature and condition of their workings First The person they work from and that is God himself it is he which imploys them and because it is so they would not willingly lose their work in reference to their Master who consequently so far as he is capable should lose by it also The miscarriages of the Ministry redound to the dishonour of God Secondly The persons they work for and that is the Church and People of God for the edifying of the body of Christ and perfecting of the Saints Ephes 4.12 They watch for your souls Heb. 13.17 And those that watch they hope not to lose for they therefore watch to prevent it but where love and affection to the Parties is joyn'd with it it makes it the more and so it is here They would not lose their work in reference to those they work for Thirdly For the work it self and that in sundry respects First The Labor of it it is a painful work and therefore is it so often in Scripture set forth by such an expression Those that labour in the Word and Doctrine The more pains that any man takes the less willing is he to lose it Where men do but play and toy and trifle their works are lost with a great deal less charge but where they are laborious here 't is more difficult that which costs the greater labour procures the greater loss Secondly The Dignity of it there 's somewhat also in that Men may take pains in a thing of nought it is the unhappy lot of sinful persons whose lusts are very chargeable to them in this respect they take a great deal of pains many times for the wronging of their own poor souls Now for such as these to lose that which they have wrought an to be disappointed in their sinful indeavours it is no great matter they may be the rather glad of it as an advantage to them But when-as besides the labour of the work there shall be the excellency this is an addition hereunto
nature of the Ministry is the same should be the temper of heart which is wrought by it those that hear much of Christ the Excellencies which are in him and the good that comes by him and the inclinations of his soul towards them it is a shame for them to be of any other than of a Christian spirit such as these they should be moulded and changed and transformed into the Truths themselves with which they are acquainted That 's the first object of his hearing to wit the voice of Christ in the Ministry The second is the voice of the spirit in the conscience This we have also in the Text where it is said the Spirit says Come namely the spirit in the heart of a Believer as we have already expounded it This it prompts a Christian to desire this coming of Christ now when it does so and when a Christian hears it to do so it behoves him presently to say Come And so there is this in it That the motions of God's Spirit in our hearts they should be always and out of hand received and entertained by us when he calls we should answer when he beckens we should come when he raises we should rise when he puts on we should run when he commands we should obey and submit and put in practise what he requires of us we should be careful not to give any repulse to any suggestion of God's Spirit unto our minds This has still been the care of the Saints and Servants of God to eccho back as it were upon God again according to his Applications of himself to them When God calls Samnel he answers Speak Lord thy servant heareth When God calls Abraham he says Here I am When God calls Paul he is presently obedient to the heavenly vision When God says to David Seek thou my face his heart presently answers Thy face Lord will I seek Psal 27.8 In all the intercourses and invitations of God to a gracious soul still he that heareth says Come and so he should do it is that which is here in the Text required of him Therefore let us for our particular take heed of doing otherwise It is a dangerous business for any one to resist the motions of Gods Spirit upon his heart or to delay the performance of them it is that which does very much provoke Gods wrath and indignation against him and cause him to withdraw himself from him as he hath sometimes threatened as Psal 81.12 My people would not hearken to my counsel and Israel would have none of me therefore I gave them up c. And again Prov. 1.24 Because I have called and ye have refused I have stretched out my hand and no man regardeth therefore I will laugh at your calamity I will mock when your fear cometh We should not think it a light or small matter to be guilty of such a sin as this is That 's the second object of this Hearing viz. The voice of the Spirit of Christ in the Conscience The third and last is the voice of the Spouse of Christ in the Church And this again is also in the Text the Spirit and the Bride say come as the Spirit in or to the Bride so the Bride by and from the Spirit It is the voice of the generality of Christians which are led by the Spirit of Christ in them thus to pray for the second coming of Christ and whosoever hears them doing so is to do so likewise Here 's the duty which lyes upon us for the following of good Examples and labouring to frame our selves to the temper and disposition of all vigilant and zealous Christians with whom we converse when we hear such gracious expressions and holy breathings coming from them we should endeavour that they may be in us likewise and should eccho as it were to them also Let him that hears others say come let him say come likewise himself As we must have an ear to hear what the Spirit says to the Churches so we must have an ear to hear what the Churches answer again to the Spirit and hearing the Heavenly words that are uttered by them conform to them in our own particular practise This we shall observe to have been sometime with the Daughters of Jerusalem in the Canticles when they heard the Spouse of Christ inquiring after her Beloved her self and longing for his coming to her they fall inquiring after him also and have the same affection occasionally wrought in them as we may see in that Book Whither is thy Beloved gone Oh thou fairest amongst women whither is thy Beloved turned aside that we may seek him with thee Cant. 6.1 It is a great advantage to light upon good company and the society of affectionate Christians who having first warmed their own hearts with the love of Christ and the meditation on it will be so much the readier to warm ours also occasionally from it And it is our duty to take occasion here from them in some manner to warm them our selves as those who are accountable to God for good patterns and presidents and examples which are afforded unto us and the speeches and actions and lives of others which are set before us We know how it was with Saul himself when he fell into the company of the Prophets and heard what came from them even he himself fell on Prophesying inso much as it came to a Proverb And how much rather then should those who are truly and really good be much quickened and in-livened from one another to such things as these are It is the great benefit this of the Communion of Saints which as it is a business which we all profess to believe so we should also all endeavour to promote and further both in our selves and others And so I have done with the first General Part of the Text viz. The provocation of desire or longing affection in those words Let him that heareth say come The second is the Invitation of access or seasonable Application in those And let him that is athirst come This is to be understood in a spiritual sense suitable to the scope and drift of the whole Discourse which is here presented unto us Christ directs his Invitation especially to thirsty persons and desires such of all others to come unto him Thus Isa 55.1 Ho every one that thirsteth come unto the waters c. And Joh. 7.37 Jesus stood and cried saying If any man thirst c. There are two things in thirst which are considerable as pertinent to this purpose the one is as it is a word of indigency and the other is as it is a word of appetite where there 's thirst there 's want of somewhat an where there 's thirst there 's desire of somewhat And so Christ does here graciously provide for his servants in each particular He supplys their wants by giving them that which they stand in need of and he fulfills their desires by giving them that which they are
they are but rather of higher and greater rank and quality no but it is far otherwise This word Whosoever in the Text as it is exprest as I have shewn in the indefinite it 's a pair of Compasses which takes in all of what rank or condition soever We see here of a truth how that God is no respecter of persons as the Apostle Peter declares to us But in every Nation and so in every condition he that cometh to him is accepted of him high and low great and small rich and poor one as well as another Whosoever will Secondly There are some others that are apt to object their sinfulness that being such and such great sinners there 's no mercy belonging to them Now these are also taken off by the Text in the word freely on Gods part added to willingness on theirs Whosoever is willing to come to Christ upon those terms as he is invited to come that is in good earnest to leave his sins and abominations and wicked courses and now to lead a new life for time to come his former sinfulness shall not be able to prejudice him for Salvation it is not tendered upon the terms of merit but of free Grace This water of life it is bestowed upon every one freely Therefore let none straiten the Grace of God where himself has enlarged it but understand aright the full sense and drift of the Gospel and the Incitations of it If any man has a mind still to keep his sins and to allow himself in them he shall have no mercy be they never so small Again if any man have a mind to leave his sins and to forsake them and to depart from them he shall not be excluded from mercy be they never so great It is not the greatness or smallness of the sins which is considerable in this particular but the reality of affection and disposition of soul towards them either to the keeping or leaving of them Whosoever confesseth and forsaketh his sin shall find mercy So much for that and so also of the whole Text Let him that heareth say come and let him that 's athirst come and whosoever will let him take the water of life freely SERMON L. Hebr. 2.1 Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard lest at any time we should let them slip It falls out in the case of the Soul as it does sometimes in the condition of the Body that as there are some meats which have need to be given for the satisfying of hunger so likewise there are others which have need to be given for the furtherance of conviction for the provoking of the appetite to them and for the helping of the stomach to retain them and to digest them after that they are received There is need of Sermons not only in a way of Instruction and Information in case of ignorance but likewise as well of strengthning and confirmation in case of knowledg that we may make the better improvement of what already hath been heard by us And this is that which we have offered unto us occasionally from this Text now before us Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard lest at any time we should let them slip IN the Text it self we have two General Parts considerable of us First The positive Admonition or Instruction it self Secondly The inforcement of the Practise or Observation of it The Admonition it self that we have in those words We ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard The inforcement or argument which is used for the Obseration of it is two-fold the one is antecedent in the word of Connexion Therefore and the other is consequent in the close and conclusion of the verse taken from the danger which otherwise we are subject unto Lest at any time we should let them slip We begin with the first General viz. The Admonition or Instruction it self We ought to give the more earnest heed to the things Wherein again two particulars more First The thing it self simply required and that is attention to the word Preached We ought to give heed c. Secondly The Comparative illustration or inlargement of it We ought to give heed more abundantly or more earnest heed First I say here 's the Duty it self in its simple Proposition attention to the word Preached and heard We ought to give heed c. This is that which every Christian owes to such Dispensations as these are Whiles the Lord does afford us his Ministry and the Preaching of his Word and Gospel amongst us we ought to attend and give good heed hereunto For the opening of this a little unto us there 's a threefold Attention which is required of us to this purpose First Before we hear Secondly In hearing Thirdly After we have heard Before we hear to bring us to it In hearing to order us at it After hearing to make us partakers of the benefits and comforts and priviledges which are conveyed by it First I say Before we hear we are to give heed that is to attend upon it forasmuch as God does offer and hold forth his Gospel unto us in the Preaching and Ministry of it it concerns us to attend hereupon with all diligence that is to take all good advantages and opportunities which are afforded unto us of hearing such things as these are It is the voice and conclusion of wisdom Prov. 8.34 Blessed is the man that heareth me watching daily at my gates waiting at the posts of my doors We ought to take care that we hear to attend upon that 's the first attention Secondly When or whiles we hear to attend unto that 's another It is not enough for us to present our Bodies in these services no but we must our minds likewise we must not only hear a noise or sound in general but we must also mark what we hear in particular as Lydia it is commended in her Act. 16.14 Whose heart the Lord opened that she attended unto the things which were spoken by Paul She observed what came from him so should we do likewise when we are imployed in such performances as these are which we are now about we should mind what we are a doing and take heed of all extravagancy and aberration of spirit whatsoever Thirdly After hearing that 's another attention also requisite and to speak truly that which is more especially here intended in this place We ought to give earnest heed to the things which we have heard that is not to satisfie our selves in this that we have heard them but to take care of them afterwards that we keep and retain them we are to apply our minds unto them as the Original word here signifies and imports in the proper notion of it The things which we have heard What were they that is the blessed Truths of salvation the pardon of sin and the free merey
of God in Christ These are the things which he means the particulars are not set down but we are to take them under this general expression whereby he intends the Doctrin of the Gospel and that in all the Branches and Parts of it these are the things which we have heard and these are the things which we ought to give heed unto and that to several purposes and intents as we may take them in this following Explication First We are to take care that we understand them we have heard them but that 's not all which is required of us we must in some manner comprehend them likewise The Gospel calls for this from us in the hearing of it Vnderstandest thou what thou readest says Philip to the Eunuch of Ethiopia Act. 8.30 when he read a piece of the Gospel so say I here Understandest thou what thou hearest also we must be careful to hear with understanding in Matth. 13.19 When any one hears the word of the kingdom and understands it not then comes the wicked one and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart this is he which received the seed by the way side So then we must take heed that we understand it that 's one Branch of the Caution here propounded Secondly We must also believe it that 's another thing which this our heed and carefulness must extend unto likewise as conceive of it so assent unto it The Gospel it calls for this to make it effectual as we may see by the opposite miscarriage Heb. 4.2 Vnto us was the Gospel preached as well as unto them but the word preached did not profit them because it was not mixed with faith in them that heard it or because they were not by faith united to it without faith no prosit at all by the word Preached or heard by us Thirdly Remeber it take care of that also we must lay it up in our memories and minds Blessed are they that hear the word of God and keep it Luk. 11.28 Look as it is with meat in the stomach if it be not there kept and retained it will not do any good as to the nourishment of him that receives it even so is it likewise with the Word of God in the mind where it is not in some manner remembred it will not be improved Fourthly Be ingrafted into it that 's the head which is here principally required We must take care that the things which we have heard be wrought and riveted into us and digested in us and made our own it is not enough for us to hear the word nor understand it nor to yield assent unto it nor to remember it in a notional manner no but it must as it were be incorporated an naturalized into our hearts our souls must do with it as nature does with meat in the stomach sucking out a strength suitable to every part and member of the body we should never leave thinking of it till we are changed and transformed into it and have the proper impressions of it fastned upon our souls and spirits This is that which we must take care of and apply our selves unto and which as I conceive is chiefly here meant by the Apostle when he here tells us That we ought to give heed to the things c. So to hear them as to close with them and to be changed and wrought upon by them This is to give heed as we ought And observe that we ought to do it likewise Take notice of that it is not a matter of advice only but a matter of command it is not arbitrary only but necessary there 's an oportet in it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We must give heed It is our duty and concernment so to do that which God requires of us and that which he will call us to an account for if we neglect to do it that we may not think our selves at liberty in this particular We ought to give this earnest heed that those things which we have heard be imprinted and fastned upon our hearts But how may some say may this be done what course shall we take for the effecting and doing of it Now for this there are four Helps which do very much conduce hereunto The first is Meditation upon them that 's a good means to fasten them and to make them to take rooting in us when we revolve them and turn them in our minds when we are often thinking of them those things which are much in the thoughts will be much in the affections consequently which do follow from them As on the other side take it in evil What 's the reason that carnal persons are many times so ill disposed and affected in their carnal way It is because they have answerable musings and workings and meditations in their own minds they have naughty thoughts and devices and accordingly have naughty practises suitable to them even so is it also here in Goodness Those that have gracious and holy Meditations they are in a fair way for holy Affections Those which are much in thinking of the word they are likely to have much benefit by it For this we have an example in the Prophet David who made the Law and Word of God his continual Meditation and we see what he got by it It is this ruminating and chewing of the cud which is most beneficial as it is the third concoction which causes nourishment Therefore let us look to that it is a great means to make us to profit and benefit by the word this Meditation The second is Conference that 's another help likewise as working them in our own thoughts so discoursing with others likewise about them that 's a good means to imprint them and to get them written in the tables of our hearts therefore we find them both joyn'd together Meditation and Discourse Deut. 6.6 7. These words which I command thee this day they shall be in thine heart and thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house and when thou walkest by the may when thou lyest down and when thou risest up Whiles we speak of these things to others we do hereby the better work them into our selves that 's the second The third is Prayer and calling upon God for his blessing of them to us As it is not our meat eating that nourishes us but the blessing of God upon it so it is not the word of God heard that profits us any further than as he concurs with it Therefore we should thus far also take heed to the things that we have heard as to beg the influence of his Spirit upon us that we may reap benefit by them we should desire him to set home every Truth most effectually upon us and to give us affections in our selves answerable to the nature of it humble spirits from Truths of Conviction and cheerful spirits from Truths of Consolation and setled spirits from Truths
All things disparaged in comparison of the one thing necessary 51 58 59 To chuse the one thing necessary an argument of four things 55 Natural ability See free-will and free-grace What it may what it cannot do 155 Pelaginas confuted 166 Natural condition A miserable condition 159 160 O Ordinances Touching those who are without Gospel-ordinances 9 Whence their efficacy arises 31 P Pharisee What their righteousness was 1 Touching Pharisaical righteousness See Rightousness Prodigies and signs 266 Punishments Degrees of punishments 4 Peace What peace Christs death obtains 275 What it implies 406 Patience Of God 29 Why God bears long Ibid Pride How it discovers it self 39 430 Proveing How taken 385 Prayer Satan sometimes prays 65 Comfort when we cannot pray See Comfort VVhy Christ prayed although he could do all things without it 72 Incouragement to it 446 Papist And Jew wherein a like 266 Transubstantiation 267 269 Against their Tradition 339 Perseverance True Christians shall persevere 76 87 369 See Grace Persevere in two things 103 Helps to it Ibid VVhence the opinion of falling away arises 369 Motives to it 408 Providence Our ignorance touching Providence twofold 111 The intricacies of Providence and the reason thereof 112 Not for us to foretell its future events 113 VVhat in Providence God will at last make manifest 114 The properties of Gods Providence Ibid. VVhen God will vindicate his Providence 115 Prophesie See Enthusiasts Not for its to foretell future events of Providence 174 213 Imagainary Revelations censured 337 Opposers of Christs prophetical office 436 Perswading How taken 305 Preaching How men come to count it foolishness 261 VVhat it is 261 337 VVhence its efficacy arises 261 VVhy it profits not without faith 263 Directions touching it 270 271 298 350 274 278 437 382 301 VVhat it is to preach Christ crucified 276 VVhence it becomes unprofitable 263 279 280 Parents Duty to their Children 266 R Pighteousness OF Scribeds and Pharisees what 12 Defectiveness of the righteousness of Scribes and Pharisees 3 10 The Principles of Pharisaical righteousness 3 VVhy Pharisaical righteousness cannot bring to Heaven Ibid. Pharisaical righteousness in a sense worse than notorious sins 4 Civil righteousness commended 5 The righteousness exceeding that of Scribes and Pharisees Ibid. Moral righteousness not meritorious of saving-grave 11 Reproof How to be administred 41 46 The best of Christians ought to be reproved 41 Cautions to be observed in reproving a good man 42 Riches Their vanity 25 Resurrection VVhy Christ is so called 144 Religion The one thing necessary 47 Motives to diligence in it See Diligence VVhat required unto being acceptably religous 56 VVhence staggering in it arises Ibid. Religion justified 59 47 91 VVhat in it chiefly to be minded 296 Relations VVhence discord between nearest relations especially arises 53 Comfort under the loss of them 132 450 Reason The impotency of humane reason 90 91 112 173 254 255 259 269 How it discovers God 133 A check to the Contemners of it 269 Rehearsed In Scripture of the same words what it implies 341 Repentance How the goodness of God leads unto it how not 353 Reward Touching it 423 S Scribes Their office 1 Stumling-block 281 Satan Why he most tempts the godly and those especially most godly 62 Why most of all be iempts Ministers 64 His winnowings what 67 Sincerity A double effect of it 101 Sinner In what respects a fool 19 His danger and misery in this life 24 426 His ignorance 90 Incouragement ot prosligate sinners to repent 108 His impotency 163 Different sinners have their different corruptions whence it is 265 Why God bestows many good things on them and bears long with them 347 How without God in the world 426 Spirit Of God why compared to wind 85 How to get its supplies 168 What it is to walk in it See Walk How it witnesseth the Truth of Scripture 435 Scepticism The danger of it 266 Scandal VVhat it is implied 281 Lords-Supper What eating and drinking damnation signifies 282 Sin An umprofitable thing in what respects 356 Whence men come to be ashamed of it 359 Its aggravations 422 Its heinous nature discovered 442 How men sin against the blood of Christ 443 Speaking A threefold speaking 411 Security The danger of it 416 417 Salvation A Christians certainty of it 433 In what sense it 's said a Child of God cannot sin 325 T Thoughts Vanity of them 18 The evil of distraction in them 45 50 Causes of distraction in them 45 52 Remedies against their distraction 45 52 Taking freely what it imports 458 Temptations Why Satan must tempts the godly and those especially most godly 62 Why he most of all tempts Ministers 64 Support under Temptation 65 72 75 79 87 Walk against them 66 74 Why God suffers his to fall into them 73 How faith helps under them 75 Whence Christians come to recover out of them 78 The evil that comes by them 80 The good that comes by them 62 Time What knowledg of the times concerns us what not 113 130 171 What times it 's not fur us to know 169 Terrors Of the Lord what 303 Thirst spiritual what it implies 455 The excellency of spiritual thirst 456 Teason Gun-powder Treason 317 Truth How taken in Scripture 328 Toleration Against universal toleration 337 Tradition When equalized with Scripture condenned 339 V Vanity OF Thoughts See Thoughts Unity Among Christians 408 409 Bounded 409 Unbelief The hainousness of it 436 Voice of Christ in the Ministry the voice of the spirit in the conscience and the voice of the spirit in the Spouse to be heard 453 454 W Way Incourage any coming on in the Ways of God why 14 Word Ingemindation of words its end 41 60 World Take heed of worldly-mindedness See Mind Why continued 106 How taken in Scripture 152 Watch. Against temptation why 66 67 Motives to it 418 Work How Christ helps to the performance of a good work 164 Good works in what respects disparaged 156 Wisdom Humance in what respects disparaged 156 Walk To walk in the spirit what 372 373 What it implies 374 400 How walking in it secures against sin 380 Touching a Christians rule to walk by 403 404 Water of life what understood by it 456 What understood by Whosoever will let him take of the water of life Y Youth Motives to early Godliness 52 Good education a great blessing 266 Z Zeal How Christians come to decay in it 421 FINIS