a guide to lead them in the way to true happinesse The Spirit of God Lorinus in Loc. Calvin in Loc. Isa 59. 21. Secondly The Spirit of God So some expound it of the spirit of Counsell and judgement The Spirit and the word must not be separated in this work of guiding These two are usually put together My spirit that is upon thee and my words which I have put in thy mouth shall not depart out of thy mouth They do not speak as the Oracles of God who divide between the Spirit of God and the word Those that boast of the Spirit and reject the word they set up their own vain imaginations instead of the Spirit of God By the word of God wee know the mind of the Spirit and by the work of the Spirit wee feel the efficacy of the word The word of God shews us the way and the Spirit of God leads us in that way which the word points out The Holy Ghost is called the Mind of God or which is the same the Mind of Christ 1 Cor. 2. 16. because hee is the Churches interpreter to declare unto it the meaning of God in the word The work of divine guidance is attributed to the Spirit therefore Isa 63. 11. 12. 13 14. as well as to the word Where is hee that put his holy spirit within him That led them by the right hand of Moses with his glorious arm That led them through the deep as an horse in the Wildernesse that they should not stumble As a beast goeth down into the valley the spirit of the Lord caused him to rest God made Moses a guide to Israel but it was the Spirit of God that guided Moses It was the holy Ghost that instructed Moses to lead the people and it was the divine power of the Holy Ghost that over-ruled the people and made them willing to submit to his guidance The Apostle ascribes this Office to the Spirit As many as are led Rom. 8. 14. by the Spirit of God they are the sonns of God Jesus Christ purchased the Holy Ghost and sent him down from heaven after his own ascension to be the eternall guide of his Church and therefore he tels his sorrowing Disciples that when hee was come hee would lead them into all Truth The word is Gods Counsell Joh. 16. 13. to discover the path in which wee are to walk the Spirit is the Counsell of God that teacheth us how to walk in that path The Scripture is a Rule before Isa 30. 21. us to shew us where wee must go the Spirit is a word behind us to enable us to go according to the direction of that word The word of God is the compass by which wee are to shape our course the Spirit is the great Pilot that steers us in that course Wee have no eyes to see the word till the Spirit inlighten them wee have no ears to hear the word till the Spirit open them we have no hearts to obey the word till the Spirit bow and incline them Thirdly The wise providence of God I find 3 The providence of God some Expositors that do so understand the Text of that directing providence whereby the people of God are conducted while they are on earth The providence of God is often called the Eye of God or in the plurall number the Eyes of God because of the manifold workings of it By these watchfull eyes are the servants of God guided in all the revolutions and turnings of this world I will guide thee with my eye Psa 32. 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Hebrew word which is there translated guide is from the very same root with that which is in the Text rendred counsel The guidance of Gods counsel and the guidance of his providence are one and the same thing This Eye of God is never withdrawn from the righteous but is continually fixed upon them for their preservation and defence These eyes of providence run to and fro throughout the whole earth to take care of and to make speciall provision for all Gods Psa 34. 15. Elect. The actings of divine providence are not only for the supplying of the Saints in their necessities but for the preserving of them from wandrings and for the reducing of them when they do wander The Starre of providence is usefull for the guiding of the saints feet as well as the Starre of Scripture Thus I have opened the first particular what is comprehended in this expression Gods Counsel it refers to the word of God to the Spirit of God to the Providence of God Secondly Why the people of God do so passionately desire this divine guidance These prayers are Why the godly desire this guidance grounded upon very solid reasons I shall reduce them briefly to these three First They know they are lyable to wander and therefore want a guide It s said of the wicked that 1 They are apt to winder they love to wander Jer. 14. 10. they are never better pleased with themselves than when they walk in some path that is displeasing to God To provoke God is a pastime and sport to a gracelesse heart when they do evil then they rejoyce they have such a setled Jer. 11. 15. enmity in their hearts against the holy commandement that they delight in their walking contrary to it This cannot be spoken of any godly man Every true saint can heartily say Amen to that holy breathing of Psa 119. 10. David O let mee not wander from thy Commandements Godly men do with their minds serve the law of God even when with their flesh they serve the law of sin Rom. 7. ult But though they do not take pleasure in their wandrings yet they are apt to wander and that both in point of judgement and in point of practise The Psalmist doth ingenuously acknowledg that his feet Vers 2. were almost gone his steps had well nigh slipt Had not God come in to his assistance hee had both stumbled and fallen Beleevers have flesh in them as well as Rom. 7. 23. spirit they have a law in their members warring against the law of their Minds though they have sincerity of grace yet they have not perfection of grace though their hearts are set heavenward yet they have a clog of corruption that weighs them down towards the earth unruly and unbridled affections by their violent motions turn them too often out of the way It was the sad complaint of one which may be the complaint of every good man Libenter bonus esse vellem sed cogitationes meae non patiuntur The Apostle tels us the English of it by his own experience I find that when I would do good evil is present with mee Rom 7. 21. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jam. 1. 21. Our affections which are the wings of the soul are so blinded with that superfluity of naughtinesse which is in us that
Law is Light If any Doctrin of faith if any precept for Life and manners abide obscure to us it is not because the Scriptures are dark but because our understandings are blinde or because through slothsulness we neglect to use those Spiritual keys of Prayer Meditation comparing one text with another which God hath appointed as helps to unlock the meaning of his Word All the words Prov. 8. 9. of Wisdom are right to them that finde knowledge and plain to him that understandeth He is either grosly ignorant or desperately envious that chargeth the Word of God at least in the principal Doctrins thereof with obscurity God who is the great Master both of Understanding and Language knows how to speak plainly that the meanest capacity may be edified The Sun in the Firmament doth not shine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost with more clearness than the Sun of the Scriptures doth to those that do not wilfully shut their eyes against it Whatsoever is necessary is plain evident perspicuous to him that desires understanding This makes it fit to be a guide Secondly It is a perfect word there is nothing 2 It is perfect needful to be beleeved for Salvation nothing necessary to be done but it is to be found in the Holy Scriptures either in express tearms or by necessary deduction and consequence All false ways are here discovered all Sins are here forbidden all Holiness is here commanded The Prophet David tells us that The Law of the Lord is perfect converting the Soul Psal 19. 7. and the Apostle saith that All Scripture is given by inspiraetion of God c. That the Man of God may be perfect 2 Tim. 3. 16 17. throughly furnished unto all good works and therefore is a Curse denounced against those that either adde or take away any thing from it Revel 22. 18 19. The Scripture is profitable for Doctrin for reproof for correction for instruction in righteousness as the Apostle speaks and therefore perfect It proceeds from a most perfect voluntary cause and therefore must needs be exactly every way perfect The Church of God needs not the help of any unwritten mouldy Traditions to compleat the Holy Scriptures of truth We are not commanded to beleeve Human Traditions or the Doctrins of men but such things as are promulged and written by the Prophets and Apostles Those that argue without the Scriptures do but tye Ropes of Sand such Arguments have no strength in them Ego vocem magni pastoris inquiro saith Austin Lege mihi hoc de Prophetâ recita de lege Aug. lib. de pastore cap. 14. recita de Evangelio recita de Apostolo I enquire what the great Shepherd saith read me such things out of the Writings of the Prophets rehearse out of the Law out of the Evangelists out of the Writings of the Apostles whatever is not according to the Law and the Testimony is to be rejected as that that hath no light in it As the Word of God is a pure Word so it is a perfect Word because of its perfection it is fit to be a Guide Thirdly It is a sure Word it is infallible The Apostle speaking of the written Word saith We have 3 It is sure a more sure word of Prophecy whereunto yee do well that yee take heed He had been discoursing of that voyce 2 Pet. 1. 19. which came down from Heaven at the transfiguration of Christ in the Holy Mount and yet he saith That the word of Prophecy which God hath put into the hands of the Church is a more sure guide than that he doth not say a more true Word for that voyce came from the excellent glory but a more sure word All 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Revelations are to be tried by the written word of Prophecy The Apostle commands us to try the Spirits 1 Job 4. 1. We have no other standard to try any Doctrins which men pretend to bee from the Spirit but the Word of God which we are sure was indited by the Spirit and because it is the breathing and inspiration of the holy Spirit it must needs bee infallible as the Spirit is And it is a sure word in regard of the stability of it as well as the infallibility of it it is a Word that abides for ever It is Davids comfortable meditation For ever O Lord thy Psal 119. 89. Word is setled in heaven The Mountains may fail and the Hills may be removed but the Word of God stands fast for ever Thy testimonies O Lord are very sure Psal 93. 5. The Church and People of God have no other foundation for the assurance of their Salvation but the unchangeableness of Gods Nature and the certainty of his Word and being a sure Word it is fit to be a guide Fourthly It is an Uniform word The Holy â— It is uniform Scripture is in all things constant and like to it self There is no discord or jarring but a sweet Harmony and concord in all thoâ—e blessed writings some appearing disagreement there may seem to be but no real contradiction He that compares one place with another shall finde a sweet consent in all That there is any shadow of dissent between one text and another ariseth not from any dissimilitude of Scripture to it self but from the Readers ignorance or unexperiencedness in the word of righteousness That which is forbidden by one Prophet is forbidden by another that which is enjoyned by the Prophets is enjoyned by the Apostles in their writings The Apostle Paul proves his Doctrin concerning the Messiah out of the Prophets and out of Moses he said No other things than those which the Prophetss and Moses did say should come And the Apostle Peter in that excellent Acts 26. 22. 23. Sermon which he preached to Cornelius and his Friends shews how unanimous the Prophets were in their Writings about that Doctrin To him give all Acts 10. 43. the Prophets witness that through his name whosoever beleeveth in him shall receive remission of sins And hereby indeed it appears that the Scriptures are of Divine authority because there is such a perfect harmony in them Though they were penned by several men at several times and these distant one from another not advising or conferring one with another yet they often speak the very same words and always when they write of one subject the same sense without the least contradiction which is an unquestionable Argument to prove that they were dictated unto them by the same Spirit And because of this consent they are fit to be the Beleevers guide And as the Word of God is so fit for this work so Secondly The Spirit of God is a fit Guide This will evidently appear by the ensuing considerations The Spirit of God a fit Guâ—de because 1 The Spirit makes the word plain First The Spirit of God is able to expound the VVord of God and to make it plain
to our under standing The Holy Ghost is the Churches Interpreter he gave the Scriptures and he can reveal unto us the sense and meaning of the Scriptures He is called the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation because it is his work to make known to the Church the Spiritual Eph. 1. 17. sense of that word which God hath given to be the rule both of faith and manners Our Saviour when he was about to leave the world tells his Disciples That he would give them his Spirit to bee a guide in his absence He shall lead you saith he into Joh. 16. 13 14. all truth Now how the Holy Ghost should perform this work is laid down in the next Verse He shall take of mine and shew it unto you he shall so powerfully press the Doctrin of the Gospel upon their spirits that they should understand it to be Christs Doctrin It is by the effectual perswasions of the Spirit that wee beleeve the Divine authority of the word Secondly The Spirit of God is able to incline 2 The Spirit bows the heart to obey the Word Ezek. 36. 27. and move the heart to yeeld obedience to the Counsel of the Word It is Gods promise in the Covenant of Grace to his people that he will put his Spirit within them and cause them to walk in his Statutes and that they shall keep his Judgements and do them Did the Spirit only shew the Beleever the rule according to which God would have him walk and not enable him to a ready and cheerful endeavour to conform to it he would fall short of eternal life for man by Nature doth not only want light to see his way but a heart to walk in the way when it is discovered It is a good prayer which David makes to this purpose Incline mine heart unto thy testimonies and not to covetousness Psal 119. 36. The Spirit of God sweetens the rule and renders it acceptable and grateful to the heart The heart of man needs not only Moral perswasion but the strength of effectual and determining Grace to engage it to obedience The heart is naturally imprisoned that it cannot move God-ward until it bee set at liberty the Holy Ghost therefore which God hath given to be a guide draws it and then it runs I will run the way of thy Commandements when thou shalt Psal 119. 32. enlarge my heart Heart-enlargement is as necessary for the Christian Travellor as Heart-inlightning Draw us saith the Church and we will run after thee The Spirit of God draws no man to Heaven against his Cant. 1. 4. will but yet he must and doth over-power the Will and make it willing Trahe quodammodo invitam ut facias voluntariam as Bernard glosseth upon that text Bernard in Loc. The renewed Soul findes too often an indisposition in it self to follow Christ and therefore doth still desire the attractive power of the Spirit Thirdly The Spirit of God is able to preserve the 3 The Spirit preserves from fainting Soul from tiring in the way and herein it excels all other guides No guide can give the Travellour strength when he is weary but the Spirit of God can and doth give fresh strength unto all those whom he guides The Prophet David having had experience of this in himself writes it down for the comfort of others He restoreth my soul he leadeth me in the Psal 23. 3. paths of righteousness for his names sake The Spirit of God hath a restorative vertue as well as an inlightning vertue Historians tell us that the rod of Myrtle in the hand of Travellours preserves them from weariness I know not how true that is but I am sure the Spirit of God in the heart of the Spiritual Travellor doth give him fresh strength when he is weary They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength they Isa 40. 31. shall run and not be weary they shall walk and not faint The way of the Lord could not bee strength to the upright if the Spirit did not increase strength to such as walk in those ways The Holy Ghost is not only a Guide to the Beleever but his viaticum upon which he feeds till he come to the end of his Journey The Spirit of God doth by those continual influences which he gives out to the Saints in their Pilgrimage put new life into their hearts that they cannot tire till they come to take up their lodging in Heaven He anoints their heads with the fresh oyl of his Grace whereby they are enabled to go from one measure of strength to another till they appear before God in Sion It s said of the people of God that they shall still bring forth fruit in old age they shall be fat and flourishing Psa 92. 14. Other trees have a time of bearing and a time of barrennesse but the trees that are planted in Gods house are never past bearing whence is it that the people of God dye bearing fruit but from the continuall influences of the Spirit of Grace If it be demanded how the holy Ghost preserves the Saints from fainting I answer briefly First He carries the divine promises open before them in his hand those great and precious promises as the Apostle By revealing the promises 2 Pet. 1. 4. calls them hee claps warm upon their hearts every morning and how can those tire so as to fall down who have such sovereign plasters upon their souls The promises of God are such water of life as that they will make the hearts of dying men live when Jonathan was faint hee did but dip the end of his rod in the hony comb and his Eyes were inlightned 1 Sam. 14. 27. The Spirit of God causeth the fainting travellors to dip their rods every day in the hony-comb of some promise and by such Cordialls recovers their decayed strength Secondly Hee gives them some glymses of the By giving some tasts of glory glory of that heavenly Country whither they are going Though the full meal of glory bee reserved till the saints come to heaven yet they have some litle tasts of it in this life The Scripture makes mention of the first fruits of the Spirit what are these but the foretasts Rom. 8. â—3 of eternall life they are some drops of that new wine which beleevers shall drink with Christ in the Kingdome of God they are as little bunches of grapes sent down from the celestiall Canaan The Spirit of God doth as it were cause them to peep into heaven and the least glimmerings of glory are sufficient to make the lame man leap as an Hart. The Apostles though they met with much affliction in the way to heaven yet they tell us they fainted not what was it that upheld them wee look not at the things 2 Cor. 4. 18. which are seen but at the things which are not seen The Spirit sometimes carries the Saints up to the top of
pageantry Secondly The Glory which the Psalmist doth now meditate on was a heart-quieting glory The thoughts of this Glory whatsoever it was allayed that indignation which hee had in himself because of the prosperity of wicked men and therefore it must needs bee heavenly Glory such glory as the ungodly shall never enjoy for it is opposed to their glory No worldly glory can suppresse such mutinous rageings as were now in Davids heart worldly glory doth rather swell these waters than asswage them The greater advancement an ambitious heart hath the more doth it boil with envy at the glory of others Thirdly The words following do as I conceive clearly determine the sense to everlasting glory whom have I in heaven but thee and there is none on earth that I desire besides thee The glory hee hath in his eye is that which consists in the enjoyment of God Now God is not enjoyed to a Saints full contentment till the Soul be landed in heaven Having given the sense of the Text I shall come to the Observations And I shall begin with the former branch of the Text. Thou shall guide mee with thy Counsel I shall consider this branch both as Davids desire and as Davids priviledge If wee look upon it as Davids prayer The lesson will be this That it is the desire of true beleevers to be guided in this life by the Counsel of God If we consider it as Davids privilege the point will bee this That all true Saints shall be guided in this life by the Counsel of God I shall handle these two points distinctly and then make a joint Application of both And I beginne with the first which ariseth from the Text considered as Davids prayer The First Doctrine T is the desire of Saints to bee guided by Gods Counsel It is the earnest desire of all reall Saints of all true Beleevers to be guided in this life by the Counsell of God The same spirit which taught David teacheth other Saints to make this desire to God If wee should travel over all nations and consult the children of God one by one from the rising of the Sun to the going down thereof there would not one of that vast number refuse to subscribe to this prayer Lord be our guide There is not a day passeth over the heads of any of those that use to call upon the name of the Lord but they do make this request to heaven under some expression or other that they may have the blessing of divine guidance Scripture proofs Psa 5. 8. The Prophet David very frequently in his retired Devotion beates upon this string Lead mee O Lord in thy righteousnesse because of mine enemies make thy way plain before my face Hee saw himself beset with cruell enemies which indeavoured to make a prey of him and therefore goes to a righteous God for defence and preservation for this Text as Molerus well observes is to be understood of Gods preserving Justice and not of his condemning Justice And in another place shew mee thy waies O Lord teach mee thy paths Psa 25. 4. 5. lead mee in thy truth and teach mee His heart is so exceedingly drawn out after this blessing that he doth in various expressions repeat it again and again And to the same purpose elsewhere For thy name sake Psa 31. 3. lead mee and guide me And when hee was in that benighted condition that hee did walk in thick darkness and saw no light hee goes to the God of his exceeding joy and tenders up the same prayer O send out thy Psa 43. 3. light and thy truth let them lead me let them bring me unto thy holy hil and to thy Tabernacles He knew though he was in darknesse yet God could light him a Candle and make his darknesse to be light And yet again as if hee would never let this request depart out of his heart Order my steps in thy word and let not any iniquity Psa 119. 132. have dominion over mee For the more profitable handling of the point two things are to be opened First what is to bee understood by this expression The Doctrine opened Gods Counsel Secondly Why Beleevers do so importunately pray for this divine guidance First The guiding Counsel of God comprehends Gods Counsell what it comprehends three things 1 The word of God 2 The Spirit of God 3 The wise Providence of God First The word of God Thus divers Interpreters 1 The word of God In tua lege in tuis praecepâ—is deduxisti me Menoch in loc carry it I mean the written word This is frequently called the Counsel of God because therein is contained whatsoever God would have men beleeve or do for his Glory and their own Salvation The written word is the Divine Rule which God hath given In observatione praeceptorum So Carthus both for matters of Doctrin and matters of Practice or obedience The Holy Ghost charging sinfull men with disobedience against the word of God doth express it in these terms yee have set at nought all my Counsell and again They would none of my Counsell Pro. 1. 25. 30. And the Apostle Paul speaking of his ministeriall faithfulnesse in making known the mind of God perfectly unto the Church represents it under the very same expression I have not shamed to declare unto you Acts 20. 27. all the Counsell of God The holy Scriptures are called a light shining in a dark place A Lamp unto our feet 2 Pet. 1. 19. Psa 119. 105. They are the Rule of faith and manners the very expression of the wisdome of God Austin calls the Scripture the Epistle of God to the Creatures by Quid est scriptura sacra nisi quaedam Epistola Omnipotentis Dei ad creaturam suam in qua verba Dei soâ—ant cor Dei discitur Aug. which they understand the very heart of God Almighty God hath in the sacred Scriptures as it were unbowelled himself and unfolded all his Counsell to the creatures as farre as it is necessary to be known for their direction and guidance to everlasting life The Holy Scripture is as one calls it very fitly Fidei mensura morum errorum censura ad coelos viam monstrans cynosura The measure of faith the censure of manners and errors and a guide that shews us the way to eternall happinesse in heaven It is os spiritus Sancti manus Spiritus Sancti the very mouth of the Holy Ghost whereby the Elect are called and the hand of the Holy Ghost whereby such as are called and faithful and chosen are guided to life and peace Shut up the Scriptures and men will be in the dark as to the understanding of Gods Counsel Take away the Scriptures and there will be no certain Rule to direct men what is to be done or what is to be beleeved Should this blessed word be lost the Elect would want a Counsellor and
they cannot make their way towards any good object with that speedy and direct course they desire David a man after Gods own Psa 119. ult heart had his swarvings deviations Eliah a holy prophet of God was sometimes found as a bird wandring from her nest what dost thou here Eliah Peter and Barnabas 1 King 19. 9. two stars of the first magnitude one of them at least an Apostle of Jesus Christ both of them Pillars in Gods Church were reprehended by Paul for not walking uprightly according to the truth of the Gospel Abraham 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gâ—l 2. 14. the righteous man the father of the faithful was through carnall fear turned twice out of the way of God Noah an upright man in a perverse generation had his turnings a side hee beganne to be an Gen 9. 20. 21. husbandman and planted a vineyard and hee drunk of the wine and was drunken he was uncovered within his Tent. Beleevers though they be more then men yet they are still men and because they are men they may be over taken The Apostle supposeth this and therfore gives advice to such as stand how to recover them that are fallen Brethren if a man be overtaken Gal 6. 1. Opened in a fault yee which are spirituall restore such a one in the spirit of meeknesse In this Text wee are taught these three lessons First The difference between the sins of the godly and the wicked The wicked man over 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 takes sinne the godly man is overtaken by sinne the wicked man runnes after sinne as men runne after a prey though sin runne from him yet will hee follow it the godly runne away from sinne as men do from their enemies they would be glad to flee out of the reach and out of the sight of it the wicked man prevents sinne the godly man is prevented by sinne Secondly It teacheth us that the best of saints being but frail men are liable to these sinful surprisals Quod cuiquam cuivis that which befalls one Saint may befall every Saint Thirdly It teacheth us that it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. Vos qui Spiritus virtute sustinemini Beza in Loc. by the power of Gods Spirit that any Saints are preserved from these falls The Apostle calls those that stand Spiritual men because it is by the strength of the Spirit that they are upheld True Beleevers have so much acquaintance with their own hearts that they know if a strong temptation assault them they shall miscarry if God leave them and therefore they have cause to be so earnest with God for his guidance And this the rather because 2 They know they are not able to be Guides to themselves 2 They cannot guide themselves or to preserve themselves from wandering Gods people are a Generation of Self-distrusters they dare adventure upon God without hesitancy in all Cases be they never so difficult they dare not depend upon themselves in any thing though never so facile and feasible they have read that text which Jer. 10. 23 tells them That the way of man is not in himself that it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps This they beleeve to be the Word of God and therefore dare not rest upon their own counsel They have studied Gods All-sufficiency and the experience they have of their own frailty causeth them to acknowledge Self-insufficiency for any Spiritual undertaking All Beleevers pray also that Prayer daily Domine libera me a meipso Lord deliver me from my self They know every man is vanity but of all vain men they beleeve themselves to be most vain They have learned from Solomon that He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool and their own Prov. 28. 26. experience is to them a Commentary on that text Of all Deceivers they have found their own hearts most deceitful and therefore dare not commit themselves to the guidance of such Traitors The people of God know that he that will be a Self-guider shall really prove a Self-destroyer the sense of Self-impotency makes them fly to God for the guidance of his Counsel And that especially because Thirdly They know and are perswaded that God 3 Gods Counsel is a sufficient guide is able sufficiently to guide them It is grown into a Theological Proverb They are well kept whom God keeps they shall be exactly guided whom the great God will please to guide Hold thou me up saith the Kingly Prophet and I shall be safe There is no safety Psa 119. 117 without Gods support and when God will put under his hand there is no fear of falling That you may see how fit the Counsel of God is for this work of Spiritual guidance it will be needful to say something particularly of the nature of the Word of God of the Spirit of God and of the Providence of God which I shewed you the Psalmist hath reference to in this expression of Gods Counsel First The Word of God is in every respect fit for The Word of God a fit guide this work of guiding the Children of Men while they are Sojourners in this world This will appear if the following properties of it be well studied As First It is a plain word The Papists that they may 1 It s plain have some colourable pretext for that Sacrilegious sin of forbidding the common people to read the Scriptures Censur Coloni ens p. 1117. Vid. Gerh. loc Com. de Script Sac. cap. 20. charge them with obscurity Omnia singula quae in Scriptur is comprehensa sunt tantis obvoluta sunt obscuritatibus ut ne Doctâ—ssimi quidem certam cognitionem inde colligere possint nisi eam aliunde mutuentur All and every thing contained in the Scriptures say they is so dark and obscure that they that are most learned cannot draw any certain Conclusions from thence unless they have assistance from some other hand they mean unless they be helped by unwritten traditions One of them Blasphemously enough calls the Holy Scriptures Nâ—sum Canis in oper Catech. p. 44. cereum A Nose of Wax which doth not give any certain knowledge but may be bowed to any Exposition according as he that interprets pleaseth Whatever these haâ—ers of the Word of God affirm it is very evident that the Scriptures are perspicuous and plain especially in those things which are of absolute necessity to be known and beleeved for Salvation Though some things are hard to be understood which therefore they 2 Pet. 3 16. that are unlearned and unstable wrest unto their own destruction as the Apostle speaks yet all things that are necessary to be done or beleeved for Salvation are so plain that he that runs may read them If any thing be more obscurely delivered in one place it is fairly interpreted in another place The Commandement saith Solomon Prov. 6. 23. is a Lamp and the
mount Nebo to take a little view of Canaan in the prospective glasse of faith and by this means keeps them from sinking Thus the Spirit preserves them from tiring and therefore is fit to be a guide Thirdly The Providence of God which is the Providence a fit guide because last thing I mentioned in this Counsell of God this is also fit for the work of guiding especially when the word is the foundation of acting I shall briefly shew this in four Considerations First The watchfullnesse of Providence An open 1 It is watchfull fixed eye is a fit emblem or Hieroglyphick to represent the providence of God over his people The Saints eyes are often shut Many dangers hang over their heads which they do not discern but the eye of divine providence is alwaies open and alwaies fixed upon them for their preservation Hee that keepeth Psa 12 1. 4. Israel neither slumbreth nor sleepeth Divine providence hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Basil speaks an eye that is never heavy with watching that can never be overtaken with sleep The Providence of God is indeed all eye wee read of the seven eyes of God upon one stone Zech 3. 9. shall be seven eyes The Providence of God looks every way no evill can surprize the Church from any quarter of the world but some eye of providence will discern and observe it Satan doth sometimes steal upon beleevers and tread upon their heels before they bee a ware of him but the eye of Gods carefull providence sees the very first step hee takes toward them Secondly The distinctnesse of Providence As 2 It is distinct The Schoolmen say providence is infinita in omnibus infinita in singulis there is a generall providence whereby God takes care of all his creatures and a more speciall providence whereby hee looks to his Church so there is a particular and distinct providence whereby every individuall Saint is peculiarly guarded and guided according to his particular concernments Providence watches as carefully over every sheep as over the whole flock it looks as exactly and distinctly after every beleever as if there were but one beleever Some have thought that every Saint hath his tutelar Angel I see no reason for this but wee may say that every Saint hath a particular providence which watcheth over him A carefull Father doth not only look after all his Children in common but doth consider the speciall concernments of every individuall child so doth the providence of our heavenly father take a particular cognizance of all the particular fears necessities exigences of every Child of his family as if hee had but that one to mind Austin hath a sweet meditation to this purpose O my good God saith hee Aug. soliloqu c. 14. thou dost so behold my waies and my paths and so watch for my safety as though thou hadst forgot all thine other creatures in heaven and earth and hadst cast all thy care upon mee alone having no care of the rest And in another place hee saith that God takes as much care of all his people as if they were but one and as much care of every one as if that one were all The Eye of divine providence O tu bone omnipotens qui sic curas uâ—umquemque nostruÌ„ tanquam solum cures sic omnes tanquam singulos Confess lib. 3. c. 11. looks at every Christian with a particular observance doth as carefully order every step as the whole life Job speaking of that strict observation that God took of what he did saith that hee numbred his steps Chap. 14. 16. which Junius interprets of that exact cognizance God took of every particular action The Eye of Divine providence watcheth the servants of God with a very narrow and curious inspection there is not the least motion unregarded Thirdly The powerfull working of providence 3 It s strong in working The hand of divine providence hath an almighty strength it is great in power and mighty in working whatsoever difficulties are in the way of the spiritual traveller it can remove them it can either overturn those high mountains or else lift him up above them or carry him safety another way when the beleever is environed with danger that there seems to be no way of escape Providence can either find a door or create a door of deliverance David was once surrounded by Saul and his army that there appeared no visible way of safety The text saith Saul and his 1 Sam. 23. 26 27. men had compassed him round about to take him hee was even as a bird in the snare and yet in that strait did the hand of divine Providence set him free A messenger is sent to bid him hasten away for the Philistines have invaded the land and by this unexpected providence is the snare broken and David delivered Divine providence can cause the strongest chains to break in pieces and the iron gates to open of their own accord the hand of providence esteems iron as Straw and Brass as rotten Wood. Fourthly The wisdom of Providence All the 4. It is wise in working motions of Providence are full of mysterious and deep wisdom it can make all things fall in and concur methodically for the bringing about of the intended design Divine Providence is as wise in contriving as it is powerful in effecting it can foresee dangers at a distance and it knows how to prevent them Infinite wisdom is printed on all the foot-steps of divine Providence One saith That the world in all the parts of it is ruled like a paper with Musick lines and if men could see those lines they would be as glorious as lines of gold The actings and motions of Providence are sometimes insnarled and intangled in our apprehension we judge them to be ruinous to the Church but even in those Providences there is excellent method and order David speaking of the providential foot-steps of God saith Thy way is in the sea and thy paths in the great Psal 77. 19. waters and thy foot-steps are not known They are not known to us because of our blindness but they are known to God Though wee do not know what to make of those cross lines that are drawn on the Globe of Providence yet the hand that hath drawn them knows how to use them Providence leads beleevers the right way when it seems to lead them the contrary way The Psalmist speaking of that glorious work of God in bringing Israel to Canaan saith That he led them forth by the right way that they might go to a Psal 107. 7. City of habitation The way which God led them was not the nearest way but it was a direct way yea it was the best way It is better to go a little about and follow Gods Map than to shorten our journey and go according to the Map of our own wisdom Providence moves carefully powerfully wisely and therefore is fit for
Heresies of destruction as the Apostle speaks 2 Pet. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. 1. The Lord will by his counsel so guide all his Saints that they shall not live and dye in any of these Heresies As there are Devilish Works so there are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Devilish Doctrins or doctrins of Devils as the Scripture calls them 2 Tim. 4. 1. God will by the conduct of his grace guide his Elect that they shall not embrace these Doctrins VVant of truth will shut men out of Heaven as well as want of grace Heresie is a fruit of the Flesh as well as Drunkenness or VVitchcraft Gal. 5. 19 20 Truth is a piece of Gods Image as well as Holiness The grace of faith unites us to God but the Doctrin of faith strengthens this union so farre as any swerves from the truth hee swerves from God If that which yee have heard from the beginning shall remain in you yee also shall continue in 1 Joh. 2. 24. the Son and in the Father Eximia laus sanae Doctrinae saith Calvin VVe may from this text learn what an excellent thing sound Doctrin is in it we finde whatsoever appertains to the true injoyment of God and by it we are united both to the Father and the Son That Man of Sin is become the Antichrist not only because of false worship which he maintains but also because of the Corruption of the faith Truth is a piece of the furniture and riches of the Soul as well as Holiness A Gospel-spirit is a Spirit of a sound minde as well as a spirit of faith and love 2 Tim. 1. 7. Diseases in the head are mortal as well as Diseases in the heart Now when God promiseth to guide his people hee hath respect to this he will ingrave the truth in their mindes he will lead them in the way of truth and if at any time they turn aside to the error of the wicked his grace and his power shall recover them Secondly God will guide his people in matters 2 In matters of practise of practise his Eye shall be upon them to conduct them in the paths of righteousnesse As hee will teach them what to beleeve so hee will direct them what to practise He shall keep the feet of his Saints so Hannah 1 Sam. 2. 9. in her song of thanksgiving This promise as it refers to new obedience comprizeth these four particulars First God will let them see what is sinne and 1 God will make them know his will what is duty hee will shew them his way and make his paths plain before their face When others are in the dark they shall have the light of God upon their Tabernacles The secret of the Lord saith David is with them that fear him and hee will shew them his Covenant Psa 25. 14. God will cause them to understand and know the meaning of his Law his statutes shall not be to them a riddle or a sealed book but they shall be so plain that hee that runs may read them God will interpret the holy Commandement that they shall be able in all things necessary to salvation to understand the sense and meaning of it this is that which God promiseth 1 Joh. 2. 27. the anointing which yee have received of him abideth in you and yee need not that any man teach you God will so inlighten their minds by his Spirit that when they read the word or hear it preached they shall be able to say this is the mind of God Secondly God will give them a heart and a will 2 God will give them an heart to obey to embrace his Commandements to reject sinne and close with duty When others find their hearts rebelling against the Law they shall find their hearts ready to comply and yeeld obedience universally to it David often praies that God would incline his heart to his testimonies This God doth for every Saint he doth sweetly and yet powerfully bow the soul to a free spontaneous and ready obedience so that it chuseth the way of Gods statutes and cleaves to his testimonies This is the meaning of that gracious promise I Ezek. 36. 26 27 will put my Spirit within you and cause you to walk in my statutes and yee shall keep my judgements and do them God doth not only lay his Commandements before a Beleevers face but writes them in his heart and then Jer. 31. 33. the Soul resolves never to depart from the obedience of them Gods Commandements at least some of them are grievous to an unbeleever but to one whom God guides every Commandement is sweet and precious he reads no Commandement but hee entertains it with that prayer of the Psalmist O that my Psal 119. 5. ways were directed to keep thy statutes This prayer God answers to every Soul that is led by him hee heals the Gangren of the corrupt will by removing the sowrnes that is upon it and by his enlarging grace enables it willingly to run the way of his Commandements so that the Beleever can say I delight to do thy Will O God yea thy Law is within my heart God bores the Ear and the Soul is no longer rebellious God orders the steps of his Saints and causeth them to delight in his way Thirdly God doth recover them from all their 3 God raiseth them when they fall falls The best of Beleevers have a spice of the Spiritual Falling-sickness they stumble and fall This promise of Divine guidance gives security of timely resurrection from such lapses It is upon Record in Scripture for the comfort of Beleevers that though Psal 37. 24. they fall they shall not be utterly cast down for the Lord upholdeth them with his hand When they sink into misery God will lift them up and when they slip into sin God will restore them He will put the bones into their places when they are disjoynted and when iniquities prevail over them he will purge them away David fell through the power of temptation but God restored him Peter sunk down through his heedlesness but God lifted him up again Noah and Lot were overtaken and ensnared but God cut the cords of the Net and set them both free As oft as Corruption casts the Saints down so often doth the grace of God set them on their feet again Beleevers have as many Spiritual resurrections as they have Spiritual deaths they have as many Spiritual awakenings as they have Spiritual sleeps Fourthly God will give them perseverance to 4 God gives them perseverance hold out to the end This promise of guidance implyes perseverance Gods guidance would be insufficient if it did not comprehend this grace It is promised to the righteous That they shall hold on their Job 17. 9. way and to them that have clean hands that they shall grow stronger and stronger God furnisheth beleevers with daily supplies of strength for their daily journyings He gives
into vulgar Languages it is not only useful but of absolute necessity How can men follow the guidance of Gods counsel in the Scripture if they do not understand the Language of the Scripture All the Counsels of God in his Word will be Riddles and Parables to me if I do not understand the Language in which they are delivered If the Trumpat give an uncertain sound who shall prepare himself to the 1 Cor. 14. 7 8. battel It is an Argument which the Apostle brings to prove the absurdity of worshipping God in a strange Tongue I may urge it with the same strength to the Point in hand Things without life giving sound whether Pipe or Harp except they give a distinction in the sounds how shall it be known what is piped or harped We are doubly engaged to God in that through the abilities he hath given to men the Divine guide does speak to us in a Language that wee can understand Fourthly What a happiness is it to Beleevers that the Spirit of God dwels in them It is one of the 4 The indwelling of the Spirit a rich privilege great privileges of the Saints that they are made an habitation of God through the Spirit When Jesus Christ left his Church in regard of his bodily presence hee promised to send the Spirit who should abide with it Joh. 14. 16 17. for ever He had purchased the Spirit as a Guide to his Church and he promiseth to pray the Father to make his purchase good The blessedness of this privilege appears in this amongst many other things because the Spirit with the Word is that heavenly Counsellor by which we are guided The direction of the Word would not be effectual without the teachings of the Spirit The Word shews us the way and the Spirit guides our feet in the way The Word is a Chrystal Glass which shews us our duty the Spirit gives us sight to see our duty and hearts to perform it The Word is the Christians Compass to instruct him which way to shape his course the Spirit is his Pilot which steers him in that course If God had not put his Spirit in our hearts as well as his VVord in our mouth wee should never have arrived at the fair havens of peace Fifthly It teacheth us that beleevers are very dear to God they are exceeding precious in his sight 5 True Beleevers are precious to God Severall Arguments may be given to confirm this conclusion All hee hath laid up for them all that hee laies out upon them testifieth how much the Lord delights in them This privilege of which I am speaking is a sufficient testimony of it Hee would not be so ready to guide them if hee did not respect them his Eye is upon them because his heart is upon them Because they have the affection of his soul therefore they have the protection of his hand They have been Elected in his eternall Counsells and therefore they are guided by his revealed Counsells Saith David know that the Lordhath separated him that is godly for himself Psa 4. 3. he speaks I conceive chiefly of Gods setting him a part for the Kingdome but yet there is a truth in it if wee carry it higher Beleevers are Jedidiahs they are Hephzibah's they are Gods darlings Gods delights upon all the glory shall be a defence Isa 4. 5. because they are glorious God becomes their guide Therefore doth hee guide them because hee loves them A ragged Saint is dearer to God than a glittring Emperour that wants grace Sixthly Observe from hence the safety and security 6 The safe estate of beleevers of true Beleevers They have many enemies but they have one guide that hath more strength than all their enemies He that is a guide to the Saints is a destroyer to them that would crush the saints The same Exo. 14. 19. 20. Pillar of Cloud which was a guide to Israel to shew them the way was a protection to them against the Egyptians It was both a guiding Pillar and a defensive Pillar It was a Pillar of fire to the Israelites but a cloud of darknesse to the Egyptians Gods guiding of his Saints speaks his protection Saints are better guarded and guided than the Princes of the earth they have hosts of men for their defence but the beleevers have the Lord of hosts for their Salvation Hee that meddles with Gods Saints assaults God himself He that toucheth you toucheth the apple of my eye Zech. 2. 8. The apple of Gods Eye is the beleevers guide and the beleevers guard hee that toucheth him with an intention to hurt him smites at Gods Eye which is upon him And he that lifts up his hand against God shall find Gods destroying hand stretched out against him I will lye down in peace saith David and sleep quietly because Psa 4. 8. thou Lord only makest mee dwell in safety T is not a rich bed nor a band of Souldiers that causeth sweet sleep A galled conscience will work disturbance through all such fences The guard without the door will not quiet fightings within But he that can say God is my guide my guard may sleep quietly upon the top of a Mast It is the Beleevers portion to have God for his guide and because of this portion hee is secure whatever stirs are in the world God will either lead him through the storm or hee will guide him some other way to avoyd the storm or else if hee fall under it God will by the storm lead him to that place where neither storms nor tempests are nor shall be ingendred to eternity which is indeed the best guidance of all Thus I have dispatched the first use which was Information I go to the Second which is for Reproof Secondly These points which have been handle 2 Use Reprehension to those that make other guides minister occasion of sharp reprehension and sad mourning Is it the desire of the godly that God would guide them Is it the portion of the godly that God will guide them by his Counsell may wee not then sigh even to the breaking of our Loyns that there are so many that forsake this heavenly Pillar and create other guides and other Counsellors to themselves There are very few that desire to be guided by Gods Counsell there are very few indeed but they do reject Gods Counsell and that both in matters of Faith and matters of practise this is and shall be for a lamentation There are divers guides which men create to themselves First Some there are who make their own reason 1 Those that set up Reason for a guide their guide they will march under no other conduct than reason either in matters of faith or matters of practise they will beleeve nothing but what reason dictates they will not receive the gold of the Sanctuary unlesse it be touched by the blind Assay-master of reason All the mysteries of Religion must be
Bless God for this guidance of Divine guidance When you have any occasion to go to a Lawyer for Counsel you give him his Fee without asking VVhen you hire a guide to conduct you in the way you are willing to give him satisfaction God expects that his people should with thankfulness acknowledge his great kindness in laying his VVord before them in putting his Spirit within them in making his Providence subservient for their safe conduct David wisely and Psal 16. 7. graciously resolves upon this I will bless the Lord who hath given me counsel my reins also instruct me in the night seasons God did not only give him his VVord to advise him but his Spirit to teach him The Holy Ghost did stamp such powerful impressions on his affections which he calls his reins that hee was effectually bowed to embrace the Counsels of the VVord VVhen the Wise Men that went to finde out Christ saw the Star the text saith they were exceeding Mat. 2. 10. glad had not that directing Star gone before them they had never found the Babe Jesus No doubt the Children of Israel lift up their hearts and glorified God when that pillar of Cloud and Fire was erected among them And should not the Beleevers heart rejoyce and leap for joy that hath as certain a guide to go before him as that was Let mee but hint some advantages which accrue to the people of God by reason of this guiding Counsell and they cannot but see cause of continuall thansgivings I shall but instance in three particulars First By vertue of this divine guidance you are 1 Hereby are wee preserved from sin preserved from those sinfull waies in which others walk to their everlasting ruine The Prophet David found this benefit Concerning the works of men by the word of thy lips I have kept me from the paths of the destroyer hereupon he praies in the very next words hold Psa 17. 4 5. up my goings in thy paths that my footsteps slip not Why is it that the Saints do not defile their precious Souls with those horrid blasphemies wherewith others are infected but because they are guided by the Counsell of God That you are not Drunkards Murtherers Covenant-breakers Idolaters Lyers is from hence because God is pleased continually to guide you That you do not swim down the stream with others in a corrupt age that you keep faith and a good conscience in a faithlesse and adulterous generation it is to be ascribed to this guidance of heaven That you do not deny Christ that bought you that you do not reject the Scriptures that you do nor forsake the Ordinances and Ministry as many do that you have not washed your hands in innocent blood and conspired against the life of the righteous it is because God hath led you by the Counsell of his word and spirit The best and holyest person in this assembly would have acted his part in the most horrid designs that others have been imployed in carrying on if God had left him to his own heart If you therefore account it a mercy that you have not stained your hearts and hands and consciences with the black and bloody guilt of the worst of sinnes bless the Lord who hath given you Counsell Secondly By means of this guidance you are kept safe from those dangers whereby others have been 2 Hereby are wee kept from danger overtaken It was by reason of the Pillar of Cloud that the people of God escaped the fury of Pharaoh Exo. 14. 20. and his host when they did pursue them with such impoysoned malice The Pillar came between the Camp of the Egyptians and the Camp of Israel so that the one came not neer the other all the night Gods guiding presence with beleevers is for protection as well as direction As God marcheth in the Vann of the Army to shew his people the way so his presence is in the â—ere to prevent their danger Thy righteousnesse shall go before thee saith the Prophet to the beleever and the glory of the Lord shall be thy rereward Isa 58. 8. The fiery darts of Devills would long since have gangren'd your flesh and the venom of their Arrows drunk up your spirits if God by his guiding presence had not stood by you for defence The same God that hath been a wall of fire for your protection hath been a wall of fire for your enemies destruction When Israel saw themselves on dry land and the Egyptians dead on the shore then they sung praises to God Exo. 15. 1. It is by vertue of the fiery Pillar that you have to this day escaped the rage of your Pursuers let the remembrance of it inflame your hearts into the highest praises 3 Hereby is our way sweetned Thirdly by means of this guidance the way of your pilgrimage hath been sweetned to you A good guide doth not only preserve the passenger from dangerous paths but by his discourse and company renders the journey comfortable Through Gods guiding presence that hath been with you in the way you have enjoyed sweet communion with him you have had many a daies comfortable converse with God you have hereby had opportunity to open your souls to him to lay your doubts fears temptations before his face God did not only direct the people of Israel by the Pillar of Cloud but hee did from thence reveal himself to them upon all occasions Hee spake to them saith David out of the fiery Pillar God in guiding Psa 99. 7. the Saints by his Counsell doth familiarly make himself known to them who is this that commeth out Cant. 8 5. of the Wildernesse leaning upon her beloved The phrase doth not only signify conduct but familiarity God by the guiding of his people gives them opportunity to see the boylings of his affection towards them and to unlock all their secrets unto him Hee tels them many a pleasant story whereby their drooping hearts are cheered and gives them leave to declare all their griefs whereby their souls are dis-burthened Now let mee again beseech you and charge you O yee holy ones of God by all the sinnes from which you have been preserved by all the dangers from which you have been delivered and by all the sweet comforts which you have received by the guiding Counsell of God to get your hearts fired into flames of holy praises Secondly Bee willing to submit to the guidance 2 Submit to this guidance of Gods Counsell Do not pull away the shoulder do not harden your hearts be not stiff-necked but where Gods bids you go thither resolve to go The Children of Israel did move when the Pillar of Cloud moved and they went which way soever it went and when the Pillar stood still then they pitched their Tents At the Commandement of the Lord they journeyed and at the Commandement of the Lord they pitched Num 9. 17 18 19 20 21 22 23. their Tents
If the Cloud did not move for many daies together they abode in their Tents and if the Cloud moved at mid-night they moved after it whether it was by day or by night that the Cloud was taken up they journeyed This story sets a holy pattern before all true Israelites As Israel did follow that Pillar so should wee follow our Pillar Israel followed the guidance of the Pillar universally which way soever it moved 1 Universally they marched after it Beleevers must eye the Counsell of God in one thing as well as another It is said of Caleb that hee wholly followed the Lord. Hee that Deut. 1. 36. doth not obey universally doth not obey wholly He that doth not regard the divine Counsell in every thing doth not truely regard it in any thing David expresseth the integrity of his heart by this that hee hated every false way One by-path will hinder the Travellor Psa 1â—9 104. from attaining to the end of his journey as well as an hundred by-paths Walking in one sinfull way will shut the Soul out of heaven as well as if it imbraced every sinfull way Again Israel followed the Pillar constantly not only for a day or a month but all the time they were 2 Constantly in the Wilderness Beleevers must submit to the guidance of Gods Counsel constantly David resolves upon this I have inclined my heart to perform thy statutes Psa 119. 112. alway even unto the end If a Travellour do not follow his Guide to the end of his Journey hee may lose himself at the last A Beleever shall finde as much need of Gods Counsel the last day of his travel as he did the first day of his setting out The greatest Conflicts are many times at the hour of death Many Ships have miscarried in the Harbour for want of care The nearer any person thinks himself to Heaven the sadder will it be to him to be shut out of Heaven Let me but propound two or three Arguments Motives to follow Gods counsel to perswade you to follow this Counsel of God and I shall shut up this point Consider First The infallibility of Gods Counsel God never did God never will misguide any poor Soul that 1 God cannot misleade follows his counsel Men are either Deceivers or apt to be deceived but God cannot be deceived nor will he deceive any Infallibility is tyed to Gods Throne but to no other in the world It is impossible the Ship should be cast away when God sits at the Helm Could we speak with all those Passengers that are now landed in Heaven they would bid us shut our eyes and follow God without the least doubting How confident is the Prophet of his safety upon this account I have set the Lord always before me because he Psal 16. 8. is at my right hand I shall not be moved He that follows Gods counsel may be assaulted but he shall not bee moved We read of the Devils standing at the right hand of Joshua Zech. 3. 1. He is a shaking the people of God by his temptations but he cannot move them A Beleever needs not fear how many Devils stand before him so long as God stands at his right hand Jacob might perhaps think himself missed when hee heard of Esau's coming to meet him but God gave Gen. 32. 90. him cause to acknowledge that that was the best way for his safety Secondly If wee do not follow the guidance of 2 He that will not have God for his guide shall be given up to his own guidance Gods Counsel he will give us up to follow our own counsels There is not a greater judgement in this World than for a man to be left to his own guidance He that is a Self-counsellor will be a Self-murtherer When a man is delivered up to walk in the wayes of his own heart and in the sight of his own eyes hee will never stop till he come to ruine When the Pilot and Mariners forsake the Ship and let her drive she doth soon dash her self against Rocks or fall into the quick-sand A mans own counsel will deal by him as Absoloms Mule did by him it will carry him to the place of danger and there leave him Now one punishment which God inflicts on those that will not wait for his counsel is to surrender them to the conduct of their own counsel The Prophet observes this in Gods dealing with Israel My people would not Psal 81. 11 12 hearken to my voyce and Israel would none of me so I gave them up to their own hearts lust and they walked in their own counsels He that will not have God to bee his guide shall have Lust to be his guide and it is Nihil magis timendum quà m ita emaucipari homines à Deo ut laescivicâ—tes in suis cousiliis à Satanatrahantur Calv. easie to conclude where he will take up his Inne that is guided by his Lust It is the most dreadful thing in the World saith Calvin for God to punish men with this liberty as that they should be left to their own devices God threatens the Jews that a Leopard shall watch over their Cities Jer. 5. 6. It is ill living in those Cities where Leopards keep the Keys When God gives a man up to his own counsels he doth make a Leopard his watch-man When God delivered up those Gentiles to their own imaginations into what excess of wickedness did they run They were filled with Rom. 1. 29 30 31. all unrighteousness fornication wickedness covetousness maliciousness full of envie murther debate c. These are the best fruits that can be expected when God leaves a man to himself Thirdly If we will not follow Gods guidance wee 3 Else God will not provide for us shall not enjoy Gods provision God is compared to a good Shepherd who doth both lead and feed his sheep if he may not be permitted to bee a guiding Psal 23. 1 2. Shepherd he will not bee a feeding Shepherd Hee that will not be led by Gods Hand cannot expect to be fed out of Gods Basket The Spirit of God is called both a Comforter and a Guide He that will not follow the guidance of the Spirit shall never reap the comforts of the Spirit The Word of God is profitable both for Consolation and direction He that will not submit to the directing VVord shall never enjoy the comforting Word God will not suckle you at his breasts if you will not bee guided by his hand A Servant can have no confidence to come to his Masters house for meat and lodging that will not be advised by him in doing his work He that will not walk according to the conduct of Gods eye shall have no share in the bounty of his hand Let what hath been said perswade you to a ready constant universal submission to the guidance of God Thirdly Labour to be so qualified that you
have all his Sons with him in his own Kingdom The glorious bosome of Abraham is ordained for the Sons of God and the Sons of God are ordained for it Heaven is entayled upon the Sons and Daughters of God and this Entayl can never be cut off This is sufficient to prove that which was asserted namely That those that are guided by the Counsel of God shall be received into glory Thirdly When shall the Saints enter into the actuall 3 When this glory is to be possessed possession of this glory For the resolving of this question I shall briefly lay down two Propositions which contain the whole state of the matter First The Souls of Gods Elect do immediatly upon 1 The Soul enters upon it at death their departure out of the body posses this happiness There were some of old in the Church who thought that the Souls of men did sleep with their Bodies and that they did not either enjoy happiness or suffer torment till the Resurrection Reverend Calv. Tractat. Theol. par 2. Calvin hath a learned Treatise which he calls Psychopannychia wherein he doth confute this absurd Opinion which it seems had infected many in those times the very mentioning of it is a sufficient Confutation Those that know any thing of Scripture or of the Spiritual Nature of the reasonable Soul of Man cannot but understand the vanity of this opinion If I could swallow down such a gross Opinion as that of Soul-sleeping is I should imagine those mens Souls were in a dead sleep who did first broach this Doctrin The Soul of Man is a Spirit and Spirits do neither eate nor sleep as Bodies do The reasonable Soul is a substance distinct from the Body and therefore doth not dye or sleep with the Body Our Saviour speaks of men that can kill the Body but hee tells his Disciples they could not kill the Soul If Mat. 10. 28 the Soul did sleep with the Body those that did kill the one would kill the other also The Apostle Paul Phil. 1. 23 desires to be dissolved and to be with Christ His Body was not presently to be with Christ He did beleeve that that should lodge in the dust for a time but his Soul he knew should ascend to Heaven when the Body did descend to the Grave Jesus Christ tells that Luk. 23. 43 penitent Thief that he should be with him that very day in Paradice The Body of our blessed Saviour went to the Grave and so also did the body of the Thief but both their Souls ascended immediatly to Heaven The Preacher speaking of the dissolution of Man by death tells us That the dust shall return to the Eccles 12. 7 earth as it was and the Spirit shall return to God that gave it The Soul of Lazarus was taken into Heaven as soon as it was breathed out of the sheath of the body When the bodies of the Saints retire to the House of Sleepers as the Grave is called their Souls are immediately transported to Heaven the Land of the Living Secondly Both Soul and Body shall enjoy all this 2 The whole man shall enjoy it at the Day of Judgement glory at the Day of Judgement The Scripture speaks of a general Resurrection both of the just and unjust As there is an Autumn or Leaf-fall of Death so there will be a Spring-time of Resurrection Those two old Friends the Soul and Body which have been separated by death shall then meet again and then they shall partake together of the same condition The Saints compleat glory is adjourned to that day but then it shall be fully enjoyed When Christ who is our life shall appear then shall yee also appear with Col. 3. 4 him in glory In that day shall all Saints bee glorified together and every Saint wholly glorified The Apostle Paul tels us that Christs appearing to Judge the World is the day of the Elects general Coronation 2 Tim. 4. 8. The Crown is laid up amongst the other Regalia but at that day the Diadem shall be actually set upon the head of the Beleever and after that shall he wear it without weariness or fear of losing it to all eternity Having thus opened the Doctrin I come to the The Application Application which I shall dispatch in a few particulars First It strengthens our faith in that Article of 1 That there is an eternal life eternal life Though Atheists and Epicures scoff and deride the Doctrin of everlasting Life yet let the Saints of God beleeve it If in this life only we had 1 Cor. 15. 19. hope in Christ we were of all men most miserable but blessed be God there is another and a better being than can be expected in this World Every stripe inflicted upon the backs of Gods Saints every mournful tear that distilleth from their eyes every pensive thought arising in their hearts every temptation assaulting them every hours defection every moments hiding of Gods face in this life are to them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Apostle speaks manifest tokens of a 2 Thes 1. 5. righteous Judgement to come and of a state of happiness to be possessed The present condition of the Saints should not be so afflicting if there were not an Afterward of everlasting blessedness to be enjoyed God would not suffer his holy ones to eate so many sowre Breakfasts on Earth if he had not prepared for them such a sweet Supper in Heaven Secondly It shews us that a holy life is of absolute 2 That holiness is necessary for the attaining of happiness necessity unto salvation There is no admittance unto glory but to those who are guided by the Counsel of Gods VVord and Spirit Mans holiness is not the Meritorious cause of salvation but it is the way which leads to salvation The way of holiness is that which brings the Soul to communion with the God of holiness No person shall have one foots breadth in Gods Tabernacle but he that is of cleanhands and a pure heart Psal 15. 1 2. There is no coming to the Non est via ad regnam sine primitiis regni c. Bern. Kingdom without the first fruits of the Kingdom No man shall reign with Christ in Heaven but hee that first reigns as a King over his own corruptions Sinners would be as weary of Heaven should they bee taken thither unrenewed as Saints would be of Hell Men do but deceive themselves who think to pass immediately from a state of Corruption into a state of Glory There is neither work nor company in Heaven fit for wicked men Without holiness no man Heb. 12. 14. shall see the Lord. He shall never sit down with Christ at Gods right hand of glory who hath not been guided by the right hand of his grace Thirdly Let the Saints meditate much on this 3 Medtâ—te on this glory Coelestial glory God hath revealed to the Elect this