on a spirit of zeal and activity How wonderfully is God pleased with Phineas zeal Numb 25. 11 12 13. What a great approbation doth he manifest of him What an attestation doth he give to him he is so greatly pleased with his zealous appearance for him that he turns away his displeasure from the whole congregation of Israel and overlooks their crimson provocations against him On the contrary there is nothing that God is more displeased with then the remisness and lifelessness and indifferency in Religion The luke-warm water is not a greater offence to the stomach then the luke-warm Professour is to God and therefore he will spue such a one out of his mouth Rev. 3. 16. Christians where is your zeal for the Lord of Hosts Christs redeemed must be zealous of good works Tit. 2. 14. not slothful in business but fervent in spirit serving the Lord Acts 18. 25. Rom. 12. 11. Acts 26. 6 7. instantly night and day for the hope of the promise do not only that which is right in the sight of the Lord but do it with all your heart The Lord loveth a willing servant Bestir your selves for the Lord. Be ye followers of Christ who went up and down doing good Every Christian should be a common blessing A publike good This is to be the children of your Father which is in Heaven who is good unto all and his tender mercies are over all his works And be sure the Father doth best love that child that is most like him A private narrow spirit is a low and a base spirit unworthy of a Christian. A Catholick communicative spirit full of great desires and great designes A large heart set upon doing good whose fire though ever hottest within will be breaking forth of his breast and provoking others whose love will not be confined to a party but gladly and thankfully owneth Christ where-ever he sees him This Catholick spirit I say is the glory of Religion the Churches blessing and Gods delight IV. Live by faith Heb. 10. 38. This is a precious grace in Gods account 2 Pet. 1. 1. 1 Pet. 1. 7. It giveth glory to God and therefore God taketh no small pleasure in it By faith Enoch obtains that testimony that he pleased God Rom. 4. 20. Heb. 11. 5. 2 Cor. 4. 18. Heb. 11. 39. Matth. 8. 10. If you would so walk as to please God you must walk by faith Christians must look to the things unseen they must not live at the common rate Christ must be their life and breath their prayers and their promises their dayly bread By faith did the Elders obtain that good report 't was Faith that Christ was so greatly taken with in the Centurion which made him to commend him for a none-such This was that which won such a singular praise and approbation from our Saviour to the woman of Canaan even her victorious faith Matth. 15. 28. Thou hast taken away my heart my Sister my Spouse thou hast taken away my heart with one of thine eyes Cant. 4. 9. that is with thy faith Live in the power of faith and thou wilt please him to the heart Give glory to him by believing Let the life thou now livest in the flesh be by faith of the Son of God Live by faith in prosperity though thou hast the world about thee let it not be above thee Keep it at thy feet use it as thy servant Be much in the views of glory and contemplation of Eternity Buy as though thou possest not rejoyce as though thou rejoycedst not love as though thou lovedst not use this world as not abusing it it is but a fashion not a substance and that which it is passeth away 1 Cor. 7. 30 31. Use it therefore with mortified affections and prove the sincerity of your faith by the victory over your inordinate content and delight in and desires after and cares for the things of this world 1 Iohn 5. 4. Live by faith in adversity Weep as though you wept not enduring the cross and despising the shame as looking unto Jesus Heb. 12. 2. Heb. 11. 26. accounting Christs reproaches your riches his shame your glory Acts 5. 41. Compare these light afflictions with the weight of glory 2 Cor. 4. 17. Rom. 8. 18. Ply your hearts with the Promises Count if you can the riches that are laid up in them Roll your selves upon the Lord Psal. 37. 5. and know that your heavenly Father hath no greater delight then to see his Children trust him with confidence when all visible helps are out of sight and he seems to be their enemy Iob 13. 15. V. Put on the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit this is in the sight of God of great price 1 Pet. 3. 4. Study to be like your Father slow to anger ready to forgive Psal. 130. 1. 8. forgetting injuries loving enemies requiting ill-will with kindness ill words with courtesies neglects with benefits and if any wrong you do him a kindness the sooner so shall you bear his likeness and be his delight And know ye that are of unmortified passions and unbridled tongues God hath an especial hatred and displeasure against a froward heart and a froward tongue Prov. 3. 32. 11 20. 1. 12. 8. 12. Oh seek meekness How can the holy Dove rest in a wrathful heart Christ is a Lamb of meekness how can he take pleasure in an unquiet contentious spirit Verily with the froward he will shew himself froward Psal. 18. 26. If you will not forgive others he will not forgive you Art thou hard to be pleased a froward wife a froward master a cross and willful servant surely God will not be pleased with thee he will mete to you as you measure to others Matth. 16. 24. VI. Get a spirit of self-denyal God is then pleased best when self is displeased most When we can be content to be emptied content to be abased that God may be honoured and with the Holy Baptist are wiling to be eclipsed by Christ willing to decrease that he may increase counting our selves no losers whilst his interest is a gainer Iohn 3. 29 30. rejoycing that we are made low for Christs advancement This is well-pleasing unto God How greatly was he pleased with Solomon's self-denying choice and gives him his asking throwing in riches and honours into the bargain 1 Kings 3. 10 11 12. Strange was Abraham's self-denyal What! to sacrifice with his own hand the whole hope of his Family the Heir of Promise the Child of his Years a Son an only Son when his life was bound up in the lads life Was ever mortal thus put to it But Abraham shall not be a loser God gives him a testimony from Heaven blesses him blesses his Seed blesses all Nations in him Gen. 22. 15 16 17 18. Wonderful was Moses his self-denyal but more wonderful was his acceptation and reward Heb. 11. 24. none like Moses Deut. 34. 10. God preferred him in another manner then Pharaoh could He
hands Other losses may be repaired But thy Soul being once lost God is lost Christ is lost Heaven all lost for evermore Q. IV. What do I do for my Soul What have I a Soul and immortal Soul to care for and look no better after it nor bestow no more of my time nor pains upon it no more of my thoughts about it When Augustus the Emperour saw the out-Landish Women carrying Apes and such kind of strange Creatures in the Streets in their Armes he asked what have the Women in these Countries no children So it may be said of many among us that are early and late at their worldly business but let the care of Religion lie by neglected what have these men no Souls why man hast thou a Soul and yet dost so little in thy Closet so little in thy Family from day to day for it what meanest thou O sleeper Arise call upon thy God that thou perish not Ionah 1. 6. what will become of thy Soul it thou lookest to it onely at this careless rate Q. V. What if God should this night require thy Soul where would death land thee Luke 12. 19 20. There was one that promised himself many merry daies and years as it is like thou doest but that same night God called for his Soul Sirs are you in your postures are you fit to die oh dare not to live in such a case nor in that course in which you would not dare to die Q. VI. What a happy case were I in if I had but secured my Soul oh if this were but once done how sweetly mightest thou live Then thou mightest eat thy bread and drink thy wine with a merry heart when assured that God accepteth thee and thy worke Eccle. 9. 7. Then thou mightest lie down in peace and rise up in peace go out and come in in peace then thou mightest look death in the face thou mightest look dangers in the face yea look Devils in the face and never be afraid Oh Sirs if there be any ensurance office for Souls in all the world one would think you should be seeking to it And thus much for the Questions which though of use to all yet were intended chiefly for unconverted impenitent Souls Counsels and Cordials for the CONVERTED The Counsels are These Coun. I. THat you put hard to it to get that by these hazardous opportunities that may quit all your Cost What pitty is it that you should adventure much and yet gain but little How sad would it be if you should at last suffer deeply for your Conscientious attendance upon God in such seasons and when you come into a Prison or into Banishment should find that you had not got that by them that would bear you out Coun. II. That you value no mercy barely as it serves in content to your flesh but as it stands in order to Eternity and may serve to the furthering of your Makers Glory God hath preserved your liberties and hath restored mine But what of all this unless we improve our liberties for Eternity what are we better then those that are in Prison If this be all the advantage we have a little more content to our flesh The Cypher put to the Figure is of great consideration but put by it self it signifies nothing at all These Creature comforts separated from their respect to God and Eternity are of no value but in order to these ends they signifie much We have ease and fullness when many others are in pains and in poverty And we have much the start of them if we be wise to improve our health in laying in apace against a wet day and preparing apace for Eternity and if we serve the Lord with the more abundant diligence and chearfulness and gladness of heart in the abundance of all things But if this be all we have by it that our bones do lie a little softer and our pallats are tickled with a little the more delight what profit have we by our health or our estates If they that be sick or poor do love the Lord as well or serve the Lord as much as we they have the advantage of us and better were it for us to be poor and sick as they be Coun. III. Rest not in probabilities for Heaven but labour for certainties Beloved certainty may be had or else the counsel of God to make our Calling and Election sure were in vain 2 Pet. 1. 10. Else the experience of the Saints were but a delusion who tell us they know they are passed from death to life 1 Iohn 3. 14. 2 Cor. 5. 1. Iob 19. 25. 26. else the power of self-reflection were to no purpose and the spirit which is in man should not know the things of the man 1 Cor. 2. 11. Now if a certainty may be had will you not put in for it and turn every stone but that you will get it Sirs now if ever you have need to put hard to it to get assurance We are at miserable uncertainties for all outward enjoyments we know not how soon we may be called to part with them all Christians what do you mean will you be content to have nothing sure will you not settle your everlasting conditions now you are so unsetled as to your outward condition What will you do in the day of visitation when extremity comes upon you if you have not assurance that God will receive you It would make ones heart tremble to think of being put upon such a fearful temptation to part with all for Christ and not to be sure of him neither O man what an advantage will the tempter now have upon thee when he shall suggest wilt thoube such a fool as to let go all at once Thou seest Heaven is not sure Christ is not sure therefore keep the world while thou hast it and hold what thou hast sure Beloved what a fearful slighting of God and contempt of Heaven and Glory and all the Promises doth this argue that you can be content to be at uncertainties whether they be yours or not How many of you be there that do not know whether you be going to Heaven or to Hell and what desperate carelesness doth this argue to go on from week to week in such a case Some hopes you have that you shall do well but put not me off with hopes never be satisfied till you are able to say not only I hope I shall be saved but I know I am passed from death to life I know that when the earthly house of this Tabernacle shall be dissolved I have a building not made with hands c. 2 Cor. 5. 1. Coun. IV. Be not satisfied with the truth of Grace but reach after the Growth Do not think all is done when you have attained the evidence of Grace but put on hard towards the increase That person that doth not desire and design perfection never came up to Sincerity He that desires Grace truly desires it not
Approach him not but in the garments of your elder Brother lest you carry away the curse Ioshua's filthy garments must be put off and Christs Rayment put on or else there is no standing before the bright and burning eyes of infinite holiness Put on the Lord Jesus in believing that is accept of him in all his Offices with all his inconveniencies and deliver up thy self to him and this will intitle thee to his merits and righteousness Without this nothing will avail If thy head were waters and thine eyes a fountain of tears if thou shouldst wear thy tongue to the roots with praying if thou shouldst weep an Ocean and wash thy self in thine own brine all could not get out one spot nothing can be accepted while thou art out of Christ and therefore in the first place apply thy self to him God will accept of no Gift but off his Altar Secondly The white Robe of his grace of Sanctification Rev. 5. 11. Thou that art in the flesh that is unrenewed unsanctified canst not please God Rom. 8. 8. Never think to make up the matter by a little mending and reforming particular Acts Man thy heart must be renewed thy state must be clean altered or God cannot be pleased Matth. 7. 16 17 18. The Tree must be made good the Fountain must be healed or else the Stream will be salt and the Fruit sowr If Christ be once formed in thee that is his image in his grace Likeness is the ground of Love Similitude and suitableness of nature is the loadstone of Affection God cannot but love his own likeness wouldst thou have his Favour wouldst thou be his Delight then conform to his pleasure study to be like him purifie thy self as he is pure The righteous Lord loveth righteousness he desireth truth in the inward parts and takes infinite complacency in the graces of his people These are the Spikenard and the Saffron the Spices the Beds of Lillies the sweet Ointments that Christ is so taken up with These are the Cinamon and the Trees of Frankincense the Calamus and the Camphire the Myrrhe and the Aloes the Chains of the neck and the precious Pearls that he is so ravished withall and doth so superlatively commend Cant. 4. 9. This is the Rayment of Needle-work and Gold of Ophir wherein the Queen is presented to her Royal Husband Psal. 45. 9 13. Therefore as the Elect of God holy and beloved Col. 5. 12 13. Put ye on bowels of mercy kindness put off all these anger wrath malice filthy communication and put on the new Man Col. 3. 9 10. Particularly let me commend to you some special graces which God doth manifest himself to be wonderfully pleased withall As ever you would please God get on these I. Be cloathed with Humility 1 Pet. 5. 5. This is a Garment which must be put on or else you cannot be accepted or saved Matth. 18. 3. Here is the dress that you must come to God in He must be served in humility of mind Acts 20. 14. You must humble your selves to walk with him Mich. 6. 8. Humility is a plain but yet a comely garment This grace doth eminently honour God and therefore God doth put a peculiar honour upon and manifest a most special delight in this Of all the men in the world this is the man that God will lock unto even he that is poor and of a contrite spirit that trembleth at his Word Isa. 66. 2. Though he be the high and lofty One who inhabiteth Eternity whose Name is Holy from whence the trembling soul is ready to conclude that surely such a fearful Majesty cannot but despise him such sin hating purity cannot but abhor him yet he will lay Isa. 47. 15. aside his Majesty and bear with mans impurity and condescend to most familiar and constant communion and cohabitation with his poor dust when contrite at his feet and prostrate in humility If thou wouldst be accepted of God come as Benhadads servants to the King of Israel with a rope about thy neck and ashes on thy head 1 King 20. 32. think meanly of thy self and God will honour thee 1 Sam. 2. 30. Put thy self in the lowest room and God will set thee higher Be little in thine own eyes and thou shalt be high in his A proud heart and a proud look is with God the first-born of abomination As ever thou wouldst have God well-pleased with thee be throughly displeased with thy self If thou dost throughly loath thy self God doth love thee If thou abhorrest thy self God delighteth in thee Be angry with thy self and the Almighty will turn away his anger from thee Condemn thy self and God will acquit thee In no wise extenuate thy sins nor justifie thy self Think the worse of thy self and be willing that others should think meanly of thee and heartily love them that slight thee This is the frame in which God is well-pleased pass sentence on thy self and God will absolve thee Set thy self at his foot-stool and he will lift thee up into the Throne Rev. 2. II. Labour for sincerity This is not a distinct grace from the rest yet for Doctrines sake I speak to it distinctly Vprightness is the great thing that God looks after and covenants for Gen. 17. 1. It renders all our persons and performances acceptable before God Prov. 15. 8. Such as are upright in the way are Gods delight Prov. 11. 20. To these are all the promises of peace Salvation Pardon preservation Blessedness Psal. 87. 10. In a word there is no good thing God will with-hold from them that walk uprightly Prov. 28. 10. This was Noah's praise that he was upright in his generation This was that set off Iob at such a rate that God doth so extol him for and as it were make his boast of him the singular sincerity and integrity of his heart Study to be upright See that the main bent of your hearts be to please God and honour him That Gods interest be uppermost with you That he hath the chief share in you and the eye of the soul be principally to him for in this sincerity doth consist as to your main state Let your great care be of your hearts Here is a Christians great work The Lord seeth not as man seeth for man looketh on the outward appearance but the Lord looketh to the heart see therefore that thou look to it Let thine eye be chiefly there where Gods eye is He looketh not so much what thou dost as with what a heart Go then and do likewise yet be not satisfied in this that you are upright as to your states but labour to approve your selves in uprightness to God in your particular actions Do common as well as spiritual actions with holy ends Much of our lives are lost for want of this So much as is done for God of his strange grace he accounts himself our debtour But what is done for no higher end then self is lost from our account III. Put