and private conference with this Friend which I here present unto you as a thankeful testimonial of that duty which I owe you and I am assured it will speak a word in season to your heart and furnish you with some comfortable Cordial to revive your fainting spirits in the saddest condition that you can be under For it is onely the assurance of God's friendly love and favour that gives the Godly satisfaction in their soarest Afflictions Nor shall I be wanting whilest I am in this Earthly Tabernacle to assist you with my poor Prayers Beseeching The Father of all Blessings that He would bless you both with the Blessings of the Throne and of the Foot-stool and enable you so to glorifie him in this life that you may be glorified of him in the next Desiring still to be esteemed one that is Devoted in any Christian Duty to serve you Nehemiah Rogers To the Reader And more especially to the Inhabitants of Chich St. Oâ—yth in Essex with the Neighbourhood thereof Mr. Benjamin Rouse Mr. Gregory Rouse Mr. William Jeffery Mr. Longly Mr. Owles Mr. Will Scot and divers others unnam'd with their good Wives my Christian Friends and constant Auditors Peace be to you all Friendly Reader THere are two principal Organs of Sense the Ear and the Eye and by the wise Exercise of both our gracious God brings us to the knowledge of Himself and other Mysteries of salvation The preheminence is given to the Ear Rom. 10 1â— as being the principal Organ to derive Salvation to the Soul in which regard it is conceived that when our Saviour commanded the Abscission Mark 9.43 of the offending member he mentions the Hand the Foot and Eye but not the Ear Yet in some other respects the Eye hath the preheminence of the Ear and in this more particularly in that it is a surer Friend to Memory For albeit words spoken move very much for the present in the lively delivery of them Vox audita perit litera scripta manet yet ordinarily they fly and dye No sooner are they spoken but they vanish like a sound in the Air and are forgotten when as this loss of the Ear is restored by the Eye in the reading of things written insomuch that when we read a Sermon printed that formerly we heard preached we have a conceit that we hear the Preacher preaching the same again unto us that formerly we heard in as lively a manner as he did at the first delivery and by this means things formerly taught become better secuted in our minds See here good Reader if thou beest one of those that were my Auditors I now present unto thy Eye what formerly was presented to thine Ear and therein have satisfied the desires of some rejoycing much if I may any way be serviceable to you in the furthering of your Souls salvation Whilst God was pleased to cast out my lot amongst you at St. Osyth for the space of six years and upward I can comfortably use the Apostles words Gal. 4.19 2 Cor. 12.14 I travelled in pain that Christ might be formed in you Nor did I seek yours but you you your selves are my witnesses desiring to spend those Talents which God had intrusted me withall and be spent in the laying of them forth for your Souls benefit St. Paul goes further and tells the Corinthians that Vers 15. notwithstanding this yet the more abundantly he loved the lesse he was beloved of them but that was not my case and it was a great part of my happinesse that it was not for it is many a good Minister's Case I found you for the generality at my first coming amongst you to be a most loving and willing People and so you continued so many as God continued life unto even unto the time of my departure from you You prevented me with your abundant courtesies nor could I modestly desire any thing of you that was not readily granted To which if I should ad the great encouragements that I had from those Honourable Persons now residing amongst you both in countenancing of my Ministry other great Favours received it may raise a wonder how it came about that I deserted you But I was not at my own dispose for had I been albeit I saw not that fruit of my Labours which I could have wisht both for my comfort and yours yet I should have followed the Apostle's rule â— Tim. 2.25 26. and with patience have instructed them who did oppose themselves if God peradventure would give them Repentance that they might recover themselves out of the snares of the Devill who were taken by him at his will But God having otherwise disposed And now that I am removed from you I cannot forget you and my desire is that I may not be forgotten of you That I remember you these few lines may let you understand And that I may not be forgotten of you my hearty desire is that my labours amongst you whereof I have sent you here a part to stirr you up by way of remembrance may live in your hearts and lives and that those beginnings of Grace 2 Pet. 3.1 and inward stirrings and workings which were wrought in any of you by my Ministry may not be quenched nor stifled but nourished and enkindled through your own industry being accompanied with the labours of those whom God shall please to place amongst you and set over you and the workings of his holy Spirit and that you may be filled with the Knowledge of Gods will in all Wisdom and spirituall understanding fruitfull in every good work Colos 2.9 10 11. strengthned with all Might according to his glorious Power that you may not be led away with the Error of the wicked 2 Pet. 3 17. Heb. 10.38 and so fall from your own Stedfastnesse For if any one draw back my Soul shall have no pleasure in him saith God And so Brethren I commend you to God and to the Word of his Grace which is able to build you up and to give you an Inheritance amongst all them which are sanctified Act. 20.32 being the last Text that was preached amongst you by him who is Dodinghurst July 22. 1658. A Servant to you all for the furtherance of your Souls Salvation Nehemiah Rogers The Text. Luke Chap. 11. Vers 5 -11 Vers 5. ANd he said unto them Which of you shall have a Friend and shall go unto him at Mid-night and say unto him Friend lend me three loaves 6. For a Friend of mine in his journey is come to me and I have nothing to set before him 7. And he from within shall answer and say Trouble me not the door is now shut and my Children are with me in bed I cannot rise and give thee 8. I say unto you Though he will not rise and give him because he is his Friend yet because of his Importunity he wil rise and give him as many as he needeth 9. And I say
and is clad oftentimes in Sheep-skinns and Goats-skinns Heb. 11. â—â— albeit it hath leane cheeks hollow eyes staring bones and is of a sad countenance yet despise it not seeing there may be a blessing in it many have cause to blesse God that ever they came acquainted with it Priissem nisi periissem If I had not perished I had perished said Themistocles having been first banisht by the Greeks and after advanced by the Persians Thus farr the letter of Parable hath carryed us Now let us take notice of the sense mystical and morall Application Who this Friend should be that in his journey comes out of the way to visit his Friend is questionable Theophylact's opinion is that the Angels of God who assist us in all our wayes are to be understood thereby Bernard conceives that it is man himself who in his journey to the grave comes out of the way wherein he naturally is the way of Sin and Vanity and by true conversion visits his own soul by sad and serious thoughts of his sad condition as did the Prodigall upon his returne to his Fathers house Luke 15. And this his opinion is best liked and most followed Gualter observes from hence that Doct. Whilst we are in the body we are in our journey we are all of us but a brood of Travailers during our abode on Earth To which point I shall speak somthing In a two-fold respect man in this Life may be said to be in his journey In respect of his Being and in respect of his Doing In respect of his Being he is a Travailer or Pilgrim for he Travailes from the Wombe to the Grave from the Cradle to the Coffin without Intermission whether he be by Sea or by Land on horse-back or on foot sleeping or waking he is upon his journey still and daily shortens it As Rivers run back into the Sea from whence they came and Bees into their Hives from whence they fly Gen. 3.19 so dust we are and to that we must return Indeed Rivers and Bees goe often into their journeys man only once and when he returnes to the Grave he is come to his hou e Job 17.13 And there he is well known and amongst his kindred Job 17.13 14. Job 17.14 And yet the Grave is not the furthest end of mans journey The way of his Doing carryes him to a further home Every Action is a step that tends to Life or Death to Heaven or Hell 2 Cor. 5.6 Rom. 2.7 Acts 1.25 Rom. 2.8 9 Heaven is the Godly mans home the end of well Doing 2 Cor. 5.6 Rom. 2.7 And Hell is the wicked mans home Act. 1.25 and the end of wicked Doing Rom. 2.8 9. Thus every one is in his journey and upon his travaile all the while he liveth here he is from home upon the way and so properly a Pilgrim on Earth he is borne out of his own Country as no other Creature is The steps or paces that the Godly take in the wayes of well-doing are holy motions godly resolutions pious actions c. And so they proceed from strength to strength till they see God in Sion Psal 84.7 Heb. 11.14 which is the City and Country the Ancient Beleevers sought Heb. 11.14 There be also the paces or steps of sin evill suggestions consent doing defending c by these the wicked are carryed to Hell in the broad way as to their own Country Use 1 By this then we may be informed both of our present and future condition For the present you see we are all but Journey-men this world is not our resting or abiding place think not of staying here away you must home home must be thought on And for your future estate that may be judged of by the way you take Such as the way is wherein a man walks such shall his end be that he will come unto at last Deut. 30.19 Deut. 30.19 The broad way tends to death the narrow way is the way of Life Math. 7.13 14 Math. 7.13 14. Use And from hence we may be directed for the ordering of our Conversation aright 2. Psal 50.23 are we in our journey in our Pilgrimage why then shew your selves wise Travailers and that First in choosing the good way to walk in Jer. 6.16 Jer. 6.16 there are more wayes we say to the wood then one So to Hell there is the way of Hatred that was Cains way the way of Pride that was Absoloms way the way of Covetousness that was Balaams way the way of Envy and murmuring that was Corah's way And many such wayes there are all crooked dark and durty wayes woe to those that walk in those wayes Jude 11. John 14.6 but the way to Heaven that good old way is but one I am the way saith Christ and he was before the world was a safe way a strait way a plain way and a pleasant way walk in the steps of faithfull Abraham Rom. 4.12 that is the way verse 5 John 14.4 Secondly get a good Guide Whither I goe you know said Christ to his Disciples and the way you know Should he say so to many of us our answer must be the same with Thomas Lord we know not whither thou goest and how can we know the way our knowledge of the way is but confused and indistinct at best and Rom. 3.17 by nature none at all Rom. 3.17 The best needs a guide because of our blindnesse Math. 4.14 Isay 48.17 Psal 32.8.143.10 Exod. 33.12 blind guides are dangerous get the Spirit of God to guide thee Isay 48.17 Psal 32.8 and 143.10 This was a speciall favour that Moses craved God granted Exod. 33.12 The Pillar should goe before them still as it had done and shew them the way God goes with his Church by his Spirit and that in a Pillar it guides us in the word and by the word 1 Tim. 3.15 Ephes 5.15 Colos 4. Isay 30.21 which is the Pillar of Truth by that we come to know the way and are directed in the way how to walk Ephes 5.15 Colos 4. Isay 30.21 Thirdly affect good company in your journey David called on others to accompany him and was glad when he had associates Psal 122.1 Isay 2 3. Psal 16.3 Psa 122.1 so Isay 2.3 But make choyce of good company else better goe alone Psal 16.3 Fourthly provide for your journey first lay by what may clogg you Hâ—b 2.6 2 Cor. 7.29 Heb. 12.1 2. Heb. 2.6 clogg not your selves with thick clay Of the Christian Pilgrim the Apostle speaks 2 Cor. 7.29 Nor with heavy garments Heb. 12.1 2. A Viaticum is enough for a Viator 1 Tim. 6.8 Mark 6.8 9. Math. 10.10 1 Tim. 6.8 Then provide your selves of what is necessary So Mark 6.8 9. A staffe must be taken although staves were forbidden Math. 10.10 A staffe is necessary to stay us but not staves to load us So shoes and a sword Ephes 6.16 For
Sheba of all the doubts she did reproofe who came to prove him with hard questions 1 King 10.1 2 Chron. 9.1 Colos 2 3. John 2.25 1 King 10.1 2. 2 Chron. 9.1 but the Son of man excells him for he was the Wisdome of the Father all the Treasures of wisdome and knowledge dwelt in him Colos 2 3. He knew what was in man John 2.25 which Solomon did not but was enforced to discover the inward affection by the outward action as in the deciding that controversie betwixt the two Mothers 1 King 3.24 25 26. 1 King 3.24 25 26. Use Be we directed then to whom to seek in all our scruples for satisfaction There is none that hath a care to know Gods will that doth read the word dilligently heare attentively but he shall have some doubt some objection some scruple or other to arise concerning what he heares or reades Nor did ever any proove good Scholler in any kind of Learning who was not a Questionist that had not some doubts to propound Now in such Cases to whom should we go but to this learned Casuist for resolution who will not be wanting nor is at any time without an answer in readinesse for us if we ask him humbly and sincerely Obj. But Christ is now ascended into Heaven and who can ascend up after him there to enquire of him Rom. 10.7 Rom. 10.7 Resp Nor is there any need of that for the word is nigh thee even in thy mouth and in thine heart Rom. 10.8 Two wayes he speaks unto us Inwardly and outwardly Sometimes Inwardly Rom. 10.8 by the immediate suggestion of the spirit but this is in extraordinary cases Outwardly ordinarily by the Scriptures and by his Ministers by both his Spirit speaks unto us It speaks evidently unto us in the Scriptures by it he resolves his Church no lesse then by an Oracle from Heaven all questions and controversyes in matters of Faith and substantialls of Religion must by them be decided and determined as the supreme Judge of all And for our further direction and resolution he hath given the knowledge of his word to his faithfull Ministers who draw all their light from the word and do thereby aske counsell at the mouth of God for us to whom we may resort and on whose Ministery we must depend which if we carefully and conscionably do we shall experimentally find that there is scarce any objection of moment that ariseth up in our hearts be it never so secret but some time or other it will be met withall and answered we shoot at adventures but God guides the Arrow as 1 King 22.34 So Austin 2 King 22.34 besides his purpose fell upon a discourse against the Manichees concluding from thence that God had some work to do that he was ignorant of and it fell out to be so for at that Sermon was one of the chiefest of the Manichees converted As for those marvellous discourses of some fram'd upon presumption of the Spirit 's help in private in judging or interpreting of difficult places of Scripture saith a very learned and judicious Divine Mr. Hales on 2 Pet. 3 16. pag. 25. I have oft wondered at For the spirit is a thing of darke and secret operation the manner of it none can descry As underminers are never seen till they have wrought their purpose so the Spirit is never perceived but by its effects The effects of the Spirit so farr as they concerne knowledge and instruction are not particular information for resolution in any doubtfull Case for this were plainly revelation but as the Angell which was sent to Cornelius informes him not but sends him to Peter to School so the Spirit teacheth not but stirrs in us a desire to learne Desire to learne makes us thirst after the meanes and pious sedulity and carefullnesse makes us watchfull in the choyce and dilligent in the Use of the meanes The promise to the Apostle of the spirit which should lead them into all Truth was made good to them by private and secret informing of their understandings with the knowledge of high and heavenly mysteryes which as yet had never entered into the conceit of man The same promise is made to us but fullfilled after another manner For what was written in their hearts by Revelation for our instruction have they written in their bookes To us for our information otherwise then out of these bookes the Spirit speaks not Thus far he To conclude the Point Remember what you read 1 King 1.13 1 King 1.13 There was a great contention betwixt Adoniah and Solomon who should reigne and there was great parts taking Priests were against Priests Captaines against Captaines and mighty men against mighty men Nathan in this Case adviseth Bathsheba to go to David himself and to know his pleasure in the businesse So in points of Faith and matters of Religion when Councell is against Councell Assembly against Assembly writer against writer Preacher against Preacher c let us fly unto the Scripture and put on the resolution of David Psal 85.8 Psal 85.8 I will heare what God the Lord will say in the businesse Yet one thing more from this I say wherewith our Saviour determines the Case It was Christ's usual Form of confirming Divine Truths Joh. 3 3 5. Isa 21.10 1 Ioh. 1.1 1 Cor. 11.23 Act. 28.23 No Prophet nor Apostle spake in their own names but delivered what they had heard and seen 1 Joh. 1.1 The Apostles preached nothing but either by immediate Commission from Christ 1 Cor. 11.23 or out of the Law and Prophets But our Blessed Saviour propoundeth his Doctrine in his own Name that he may be known to be the chief Doctor of the Church the Author and Fountain of all Heavenly Doctrine So that we may hence conclude That Doct. Christs I say his bare Word is confirmation sufficient No other Proof needs necessarily to be brought for confirmation of any Point of Doctrine Woman believe me saith Christ to that Samaritane Ioh. 4.21 Ioh. 14.11 Joh. 4.21 The like to his Disciples Joh. 14.11 Believe me Take my bare word without any further pawn or proof This honour he claimeth over the Consciences of men Math. 5.20 22 28 32 34. to over-rule their Assents against all Mists of Errour or Sophistical Glosses of false Teachers as appears Math. 5.20 22 28 32 34. Audistis and Audiistis this and that you have heard others say saith Christ to them that come to hear him but I say thus c. and that is your Rule to follow Reas He onely is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the faithful and true Witness Rev. 1.5 3.14 1 Ioh. 5.7 1 Pet. 2.22 Rom. 3.4 1 Cor. 13.9 Iohn 14.6 Ioh. 1.1 Rev. 1.5 He bears Record with the Father and Spirit 1 Joh. 5.7 and they agree in one Testimony and Witness As Man there was no errour nor sinne in him 1 Pet. 2.22 which cannot be said of any
Psal 81.10 Psal 3. 5.1 2. 19.14 17.1 57.7 8 and I will fill it And this the Godly have done as might be shewed in infinite examples the frequent mentioning of mouth lips words voyce cry call in Scripture in relation to prayer is sufficient proofe Obj. But seeing God knowes the heart what need is there of words Resp But men know not the desires of one anothers heart further then they are discovered by words which is requisite that we may partake of the mutuall prayers one of another as in publique assemblyes private familyes and meetings and joyne our assent with their desires which if we understand not we cannot do Cor. 14 15 16. 1 Cor. 14 15 16. Secondly words add more force to our inward devotion they stirr up and encrease the Affection of the heart As the beames of the Sun wax hotter by reflexion so doth the desires of the heart saith one by expression Pet. Mart. in 1 Sam. 1.12 To this purpose speaketh Peter Martyr Though there is no need at all of voyce when we make our private prayers unto God in regard that God heareth and beholdeth our hearts and mindes yet sometimes saith he it may be used to very good purpose because it may fall out that we may languish in our prayers and our mindes may be wearyed which the voyce againe will refresh and give thereunto a new vigour Use They therefore that content themselves with the Ejaculations of the Spirit and devout thoughts and meditations neglecting the use of the tongue in prayer are too blame and that not only for the Reasons before mentioned but for that they neglect to imploy their tongue to that use for which it was given which is to blesse God withall Jam. 3.9 Psal 16.9.57.8.108.1 Jam. 3.9 in which regard by an excellency the tongue is termed Man's glory Psal 16.9 57.8 108.1 Some indeed have thought it a wise course in the Confession of our secret sinnes residing in the heart not to use the outward voyce for feare of acquainting Sathan with them thereby and so he over-hearing us will take advantage of our words and apply himself in his temptations to that wherein he seeth us likest to sin But albeit he knoweth not our thoughts directly and by immediate insight as God doth but gathers them by the motions and manifestations of the body yet considering that he himself is the originall of all evill mediately Robins Essay on Tempt or immediately it is like that by confession of our secret and bosome sinnes we shall acquaint him with no newes but with his own work in us nor is it probable that any of us have managed our secret sinnes with such privacy but that he by some circumstance or other knowes well enough what they were and are and therefore it is good wisdome in us to preferr the best manner of acknowledging our sins to God and for our best advantage before the feare of discovering our sinnes to Sathan Wherefore saith a Reverend Divine for the future Tho. Full. his mixt Cont. Med. 17. I am resolved to acknowledge my darlings faults though alone yet aloud that the Divell who rejoyced in partly-knowing my sin may be grieved more by hearing the expression of my sorrow As for any advantage he may make from my confession this comforts me Gods goodnesse in assisting me will be above Sathans malice in assaulting me Text. Aske Qui non eget non petit saith Luther Multa petentibus desunt multa This then implyes a sense of want and gives us to understand that Doct. True Prayer must be accompanyed with a sense of the want of those things we crave When we come to God by Prayer a sense of those things we aske must be brought with us This is required Jam. 1.5 If any man lack wisdome i. e. if any be sensible of the lack of it and desires it Jam. 1.5 In the sense of want have Gods Servants come before him continually So Jehosophat We know not what to do 2 Chro. 20.12 1 Sam. 1.6.15 Psal 60.11 Luk. 15 16 17. Math. 9.12 2 Chron. 20.12 So Hannah 1 Sam. 1.6.15 So David Psal 60.11 So the Prodigall Luke 15.17 So all the Godly from time to time This is that that puts us in a praying condition for first no man will aske that which he supposeth he hath no need of Math. 9.12 the proud Pharises begged nothing though he pretended thankfullnesse for he had no sense of the want of any thing Luke 18.11 Revel 3.17 Gen. 4.26 Luke 18.11 So the Church of Laodicea Revel 3.17 Seth called his Son Enosh that is miserable or calamitous Gen. 4.26 And then men began to call upon God Felt-misery makes men to be religious Secondly This is that that humbles us and causeth us to be lowly in our own eyes It is the having of some good that puffeth up not the want of it The Publican being sensible of his wants fell prostrate on the ground Luk. 18.13 Jam. 4.6 and to be humbled thus is necessary to the offering up of an acceptable prayer Jam. 4.6 Thirdly without a sense of the want of what we aske we shall never earnestly desire it nor use the meanes for the obteyning of it It is want that makes us to seek out as it did that man we heard of before who went to his Friend at Mid-night Now you have heard It is importunate prayer that is prevayling Fourthly should we have what we crave yet without sense of want of the mercy we should never prize it Alexander was wont to say that his hungry dinner was his suppers sawce Unlesse a man bring this sawce with him mercy would be no mercy Christ no Christ Heaven no Heaven but this want makes common blessings sweet as Darius said of the puddle water he drank in his flight from Alexander that he never drank better liquor Now there is a three-fold want that must be taken speciall notice of when we come to God by Prayer First of the blessing it self which we desire to have be it outward or inward Corporall or Spirituall Temporall or Eternall of what kind soever it be we must be sensible and have a feeling of it and valew it accordingly as for outward and bodily wants of health wealth strength and things of the like nature these are not the greatest and yet usually they most pinch and of them we take most notice and first complaine but Spirituall wants are the greater albeit least regarded yet they pinch most at last How many ramp like lyons when the world doth frowne upon them but under the want of Knowledge Faith Repentance and other Graces of Gods Spirit yea of Christ himself they couch as Issachar under his burthen and lye down to sleep as Jonah did in the bottome of the ship but a true valuation should be had of our wants and of our greatest wants should we most complaine A second want that we