by prayer to remove the cloud that hangs over our heads the sooner it passeth by many help much as many brands make a great fire and many little rivers running into a common channell they make the river swell greater so prayer is strong when it is carried by the spirits of many yea those that are not perhaps so well experienced But as I said sometimes men not only great in place but great in grace need the help of others the Spirit of prayer is not in a like measure in them sometime they are too secure sometime they are too presumptious sometime too negligent and carelesse in stirring up the Grace of God in them sometime they are prone to be lifted up too much sometime to be cast down too much If this be so what a benefit is this then to have the help of others when oft-times a man meaner in gifts may have as great a measure of the Spirit of prayer as another Prayer it is not a work of gifts but of grace it is a work of a broken heart of a believing heart And in prayer there be diverse gifts which are far more eminent in one then in another yet all excellent good in their kind some have the gift to be fluent to be large in words in explication of themselves some men have not so much in that but they have a broken heart some again have it in zeal and earnestnesse of affections so that there is something in the very action of prayer which helps in many one helps with his ability with his large gift of Speech another with his humble and broken spirit another with his zeal and ardencie to wrastle and strive with God to get a blessing Moses was a man of a stammering tongue and yet Moses was a man for prayer Aaron and Hur were silent and were fain to hold up his hands but Moses must pray and yet Moses was no man of eloquence and he pretends that for his excuse when he was to go to Pharaoh Therefore it is a matter of the heart a matter of grace of humilitie of strong faith and not a matter of words though that be a speciall gift too God will have it thus in his wise dispensation because he will have every man esteemed and because he will have no man to be proud he will humble his own to let them know that they stand in need of the prayers of the weakest Every man in the Church of God hath some gifts that none should be despised and none have all gifts that none should presume over-much and be proud In the Church of God in the Body of Christ there is no idle member in the communion of Saints there is none unprofitable every one can do good in his kind God will have this because he will have none despised It was a fault in St. Jame's time The brother of high degree did despise the brother of low degree that is the rich Christians despised the poore Christians but saith Saint James Hath not God chosen the poore in the World rich in faith Now faith is the ground of prayer It is a fault in all times men have swelling conceits against the meaner sort and undervalue them God will not have it so he will have us see that we stand in need of the meanest Christians and by this he will raise up the dejected spirit of weak Christians What a comfort is it then that I should be able to help the greatest man in the World that he should be beholding to me for that duty So it abaseth the greatest that they stand in need of the meanest and it raiseth the meanest that the greatest are helped by them and it knits all into a sweet communion For when a great Christian shall think yonder poore Christian he is gracious in the Court of heaven howsoever he be neglected in the world he may do me good by his prayers It will make him esteem and value him the more and it will make him value his friendship he will not disparage him he will not grieve the spirit of such a one whose prayer may prevail with God and draw down a blessing for him We see here the Corinthians help the Apostle by their prayers You see the reason of it that God will knit Christians together and humble them that think themselves great and that he might comfort every mean Christian. Therefore let no Christian slight his own prayers no not those that are young ones That great divine Paulus Phagius who was a great Hebrecian in his time and one that helped to restore the Gospel in England it was a good speech of him he was wont to say I wish the prayers of younger Scholars for their souls are not tainted with sin and God often hears the poore young ones that are not tainted and soiled with the sins of the World as others are sooner then others a weak Christian that hath not a politick head and a divellish spirit meaner persons that are but young ones they have more acquaintance many times with God then others despise not the prayer of any And let none despise his own prayer Shall I pray to God will some say I pray do you pray for me Why dost thou not pray for thy self I am unworthy Unworthy dost thou so basely esteem of it when God is not onely willing that thou shouldest pray for thy self but requires thee to pray for others hast thou so base an esteem of this incense Let my prayers be directed in thy sight as incense saith David God esteemes this as odour and wilt thou say I am not worthy abase not that which he hath vouchsafed so to honour God esteemes so highly of it that he will not only hear thy prayers for thy self but for others Again there is no pretence for any man to be idle in the profession of Religion Thou hast not riches thou canst not give thou hast not place thou canst not shew countenance to others but if thou be a Child of God thou hast the Spirit of prayer the Spirit of Adoption the Spirit of a son in thee which enables thee to pray for thy self and others there is no Christian but he may do this you also helping together by your prayers for me The fourth and last observation out of these words is that Prayer is a prevailing course with God It prevailes for the removing of ill or for the preventing of ill or for the obtaining of good I shall be delivered I shall be continued in the state of deliverance but yet you must pray your prayers will obtain and beg this of God Prayer is a prevailing course because as I said it is obedience to Gods order he bids us call upon him and he will hear us prayer binds him with his own promise Lord thou canst not deny thy self thou canst not deny thy promise thou hast promised to be near all those that call upon thee in
Christ the Father of mercies c. That which to the flesh is matter of scandall and offence that to the spirit and to a spirituall man is matter of glory so contrary is the flesh and the Spirit and so opposite is the disposition and the current of the fleshly man to the spirituall man Job was so farre from cursing God for taking away that he saith Blessed be the name of God not onely for giving but for taking away too What ground there is in troubles and persecutions to blesse God we shall see in the current and passages of the Chapter To come then to the very verse it selfe where there is a blessing and praysing of God first And in this praysing consider The Act Object Reasons The Act Blessed be God which is a praysing The Object is God the Father The Reasons are inwrapped in the Object Blessed be God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ because he is the God and Father of Iesus Christ therefore blessed be he Secondly another reason is because he is the Father of mercies Another reason is from the Act of this disposition of mercie in God he is the God of all comfort and as he is comfortable so he doth comfort Thou art good and doest good saith the Psalmist thou art a God of comfort and thou doest comfort For as he is so he doth he shews his Nature in his working Blessed be God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ the Father of mercies and God of comfort of which I shall speake when I come to them Blessed be God the Father c. We see here the heart of the blessed Apostle being warmed with the sense and taste of the sweet mercy of God stirrs up his tongue to bless God a full heart and a full tongue We have here the exuberancie the abundance of his thankfulness breaking forth in his speech his heart had first tasted of the sweet mercies and comforts of God before he prayseth God The first thing that we will observe hence is that It is the disposition of Gods Children after they have tasted the sweet mercy and comfort and love of God to break forth into the praysing of God and to thanksgiving It is as naturall for the new creature to doe so as for the birds to sing in the Spring when the Sun hath warmed the poore creature it shews its thankfulnesse in singing and that little blood and spirits that it hath being warmed after winter it is natural for those creatures so to do and we delight in them It is as natural for the new creature when it feels the Sun of righteousness warming the soul when it tastes of the mercy of God in Christ to shew forth it self in thankfulnesse and praise and it can no more be kept from it then fire can keep from burning or water from cooling it is the nature of the new creature so to do The reason is every creature must do the the work for which God hath enabled it to the which God hath framed it the happinesse of the creature is in well doing in working according to its nature the heathen could see that Now all the creatures the new creature especially is for the glory of God in Christ Jesus All the new creature and what priviledges it hath and what graces it hath all is that God may have the glory of grace why then it must needs work answerable to that which God hath created it for therefore it must shew forth the praise and glorie of God Blessed be God saith the Apostle Ephes. 1. And the blessed Apostle St. Peter begins his Epistle Blessed be the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who hath begotten us to an Inheritance Immortal and undefiled which fadeth not away reserved for us in Heaven I shall not need to set down with the exposition of the word Blessed How God blesseth us and how we blesse God His blessing is a conferring of blessing our blessing is a declaring of his goodnesse it is a thing well enough known Our blessing of God is a praising of God a setting out what is in him Onely one thing is to be cleared What good can we do to God in blessing of him he is blessed though we blesse him not and he is praised whether we praise him or no he had Glorie enough before he made the world he contented himself in the Trinity the blessed Trinity in it self before there were either Angels or men or other creatures to blesse him and now he can be blessed enough though we do not blesse him It is true he can be so and he can have heaven though thou hast it not but be a damned creature and he will be blessed whether thou blesse him or no. Our blessing of him is required as a dutie to make us more capable of his graces to him that hath shall be given To him that hath and useth that he hath to the Glorie of God shall be given more we give nothing The stream gives nothing to the fountain the beam gives nothing to the Sun for it issues from the Sun our very blessing of God is a blessing of his It is from his Grace that we can praise his Grace and we run still into a new debt when we have hearts enlarged to blesse him We ought to have our hearts more enlarged that we can be enlarged to prayse God And to others it is good for others are stirred up by it Gods goodnesse and mercy is enlarged in regard of the manifestation of it to others by our blessing of God Yea this good comes to our souls besides the increase of Grace we shall find an increase of joy and comfort that is one end why God requires it of us though he himself in his essence be alway alike blessed yet he requires that we should be thankful to him alway that we should blesse and praise him even in misery and affliction why then because if we can work upon our hearts a disposition to see Gods love and to praise and blesse him we can never be uncomfortable we have some comfort against all estates and conditions by studying to praise God by working of our hearts to a disposition to praise and bless God for then crosses are light crosses are no crosses then That is the reason that the Apostles and Holy men so stirred up their hearts to praise and thansgiving that they might feele their crosses the less that they might be lesse sensible of their discomforts for undoubtedly when we search for matter of praysing God in any afliction and when we see there is some mercy yet reserved that we are not consumed the consideration that there is alway some mercy that we are yet unthankfull for will inlarge our hearts and God when he hath thanks and praise from us he gives us still more matter of thankfulnesse and the more we thank him and praise him the more we have matter of praise
Other reasons there may be given but these are sufficient If this be so then we ought from hence to learn that whatsoever we have we are debtors of it to others whatsoever comfort we have whether it be outward or inward comfort And even as God hath disposed and dispensed his benefits graces to us so let us be good stewards of it we shall give account of it ere long Let every man reason with himself why have I this comfort that another wants I am Gods Steward God hath not given it me to lay up but to lay out To speak a little of outward comforts It is cursed Athiesme in many rich Persons that think they are to live here only to scrape an estate for them and their children when in the mean time their Neighbour want and Gods Children want that are as dear to God as themselves and perish for want of comfort If they were not Athiests in this point they would think I am a steward and what comfort shall I have of scraping much that will but increase my account Such a Steward were mad that would desire a great account the more my account is the more I have to answer for and the more shall be my punishment if I quit not all well Now men out of Athiesme that they do not believe a day of Judgment a time of account they ingrosse comforts to them and theirs as if there were not a Church as if there were not an afflicted body of Christ they think not that they are Stewards Whereas the time will come when they shall have more comfort of that that they have bestowed then of that that they shall leave behind them to their children That which is wisely dispensed for the comfort of Gods people it will comfort us when all that we shall leave behind will not nay perhaps it will trouble us the ill getting of it And so whatsoever inward comforts we have it is for the comfort of others we are debtors of it whatsoever ability we have as occasion is ofâ—…ered if there be a necessity in those that are of the same body with our selves we ought to regard them in pitty and compassion If we should see a poor creature cast himself into a whirlpoole or plunge himself into some desperate pit were we not accessorie to his death if we should not help him if we would not pull one out of the fire Oh yes and is not the soul in as great danger and is not mercy to the soul the greatest mercy shall we see others ready to be swallowed up in the pit of despair with heaviness of spirit shall we see them dejected and not take it to heart but either we are unable to Minister a word of comfort to them or else unwilling as if we were of Cains disposition that we would look to our selves only we are none of their keepers It is a miserable thing to professe our selves to be members of that body whereof Christ is the Head to professe the communion of Saints and yet to be so dead hearted in these particular Exigences and occasions It lies upon us as a duty if God convey comfort to us from others and his end in comforting us any way of putting any comfort in our hands outward or inward it is to comfort others if we do it not we are liable to sin to the breach of Gods command and we frustrate Gods end But if this lie upon us as a duty to comfort others then it concerns us to know how to be able to do it That we may be able to comfort others let us be ready to take notice of the grievance of others as Moses went to see the afflictions of his brethren and when he saw it laid it to heart It is a good way to go to the house of mourning and not to balk and decline our Christian brethren in adversity God knowes our souls in adversitie so should we do the souls of others if they be knit to us in any bond of kindred or Nature or Neighbourhood or the like that bond should provoke us for bonds are as the veins and Arteries to derive comfort All bonds are to derive good whether bonds of Neighbourhood or acquaintance c. A man should think with himself I have this bond to do my Neighbour good It is Gods providence that I should be acquainted with him and do that to him that I cannot do to a stranger Let us consider all Bonds and let this work upon us let us consider their grievance is a bond to tie us And withall let us labour to put upon us the bowels of a father and mother tender bowels as God puts upon him bowels of compassion towards us So St. Paul being an excellent comforter of others in 1 Thess. 2. he shewes there how he carried himself as a Father or Mother or Nurse to them Those that will comfort others they must put upon them the affections of tender creatures as may be they must be patient they must be tenderly affected they must have love they must have the graces of communion What be the graces of communion The graces of Christian communion to fit us in the communion of Saints to do good they are a loving meek patient spirit Love makes patient as we see Mothers and Nurses what can they not endure of their câ—…ildren because they love them And they must be likewise wise and furnished they that will comfort others must get wisedom and abilityâ—… They must get Humility they must abase themselves that they may be comfortable to others and not stand upon terms these be the graces of communion that fit us for the communion of Saints What is the reason that many are so untoward to this duty and have no heart to it that they cannot indeed do it The reason is they consider not their Bonds they do not Consider the poor and needy Psal. 41. they have not the graces of communion they want loving spirits they want ability they are empty they are not furnished they have not knowledge laid up in store they want humble spirits the want of these graces makes us so barren in this practise of the communion of Saints Therefore we should bewaile our own barrennesse when we should do such duties and cannot And beg of God the spirit of love and wisedom that we may do things wisely that we may speak that which is fit a word in season is as apples of Gold with Pictures of Silver And let us beg a humble spirit that we may be abased to comfort others As Christ in love to us he abased himself he became man and when he was man he became a servant he abased himself to wash his Disciples feet talk with a silly woman and such base offices and if the Spirit of Christ be in us it will abase us to offices of love to support one another to bear one anothers burthens Again if we would comfort
to do this daily so when we are to comfort others we ought not onely to comfort them but to search them as much as we can what sin is in them and what miserie is upon them and acquaint them with their own estate that they are in as far as we can discerne we may judge of them partly by our selves For we must not prostitute comforts to persons that are indisposed till we see them fitted God doth comfort but it is the abject Christ heales but is the wounded spirit he came to seek but it is to those that are lost he came to ease but it is those that are heavy laden Therefore that we may comfort them to purpose we ought to shew and discover to them what estate they are in that we may force them to comfort if they be not enemies to comfort and to their own souls He is an unwise Physitian that administers cordials before he gives preparatives to carry away the noysome humours they will do little good we ought therefore to prepare them this way if we intend to do them good And then when we see what need they stand in bring them to Christ and the Covenant of Grace that is the best way to comfort them to bring them to see that God is their father when we discern some signs of grace in them For this is the maine stop in all comfort that there is none but they shall find by experience they are ready to say you teach wondrous comforts that there is an inheritance in heaven that God hath provided and on earth there is an issue of all for good and there is a presence of God in troubles this is true but how shall I know this belongs to me This is the cavil of flesh and blood that turnes the back to the most heavenly comforts that are The main and principal thing therefore in dealing with others and with our own hearts is to let them see that there are some signs and evidencies that they are in the covenant of grace that they belong to God Unlesse we see that all the comfort we can give them is to tell them that they are not yet sunk into hell and that they have space to repent But as long as men live in sinful courses that they are not in the state of Grace we can tell them no comfort except they will devise a new Scripture a new Bible if they do so they may have comfort but this word of God and God herein speaks no comfort to persons that live in sin and will do so we should labour therefore to discern some evidence that they are in the state of Grace And ofttimes those are indeed most intitled to comfort that think it furthest from them therefore we should acquaint them with the conditions of the covenant of grace that God looks to truth therefore if we discern any true broken humble spirit a hungring and a thirsting after righteousnesse and a desire of comfort Blessed are those that hunger and thirst it belongs to them we may comfort them If we see spiritual poverty that they see their wants and would be supplied blessed are the poore in spirit be of good comfort Christ calls such If they see and feel the burden of their sins we may comfort them Christ calls them Come unto me yee that are weary and heavy laden If we descern spiritual and heavenly desires to grow in grace and overcome their corruptions if we discover and descern this in their practise and obedience God will fulfil the desires of them that fear him And he accepts the will for the deed There is a desire of happinesse in nature that comforts not a man it is no sign of grace to desire to be free from hell and to be in heaven it is a naturall desire every creature wishes well to heaven but if there be a desire of the meanes that tend to heaven a desire of Grace these are evidences of grace these are the pulses that we may find grace by when they see their infirmities and groane under them and would be better and complain that they are not better and are out of love with their own hearts there is a combat in their hearts they are not friends with themselves When we see this inward conflict and a desire to better and to get victories against their corruptions though there be many corruptions and weaknesses a man may safely say they are in the state of Grace they are on the mending hand For Christ will not break the brused reed nor quench the smoaking flax And where he hath begun a good work he will perfect it to the day of the Lord. He will cherish these weak beginnings therefore we may comfort them on good ground Then besides that in our dealing with them when we have discovered by some evidence that they belong to the covenant that we see by some love to good things and to Gods Image in his Children and by other evidences then we may comfort them boldly and then to fetch from our own experience what a comfort will it be to such When we can say my estate was as yours is I found those corruptions that you groane under I allowed not my self in them as you do not when a man can say from his own experience that notwithstanding these I have evident signs of Gods spirit that I am his then he can comfort others by his own experience And what a comfort is it to go to the experiments of scripture it is an excellent way As now let a man be deserted of God David will comfort him by his experience Psal. 77. Where he saith he found God as his enemie and as Job saith the terrors of God drank up his spirit be of good comfort David would come and comfort thee if he were alive If the terror of God be against thee for sin that thy conscience is awakned be of good comfort Christ if he were on earth would shew thee by his own example that he indured that desertion on the Cross. My God my God why hast thou forsaken me If thou be molested and vexed with Satan Job will comfort thee by his example his book is most of it combating and comfort and so for all other grievances go to the scriptures whatsoever is written is written for our learning Pray to God and he will heare thee as he did Elias Oh but Elias was an excellent man The scripture prevents the objection Jam. 5. he was a man subject to infirmities if God heard him he will hear thee Believe in Christ as Abraham did the Father of the faithful in the promised Messias and he will forgive thee all thy sins Oh but he had a strong faith What hath the scripture to take away this objection In Rom. 5. This was not written for Abraham onely but for those that believe with the faith of Abraham I but I am a wretched sinner there
the dead soul the despairing soul that it should trust in him Therefore retort the temptation upon Satan because I see my sins and despaire in my self therefore I trust in God He that is in darknesse and sees no light let him trust in the Lord his God Mark for thy comfort the Gospel calls men who in their own sense and feeling think themselves furthest off he that is poore and sees his want Blessed are the poore in Spirit But I have no Grace Oh that I had grace Blessed are they that hunger and thirst If thou mourn for thy sins Blessed are they that mourn Thou findest a heavy load of thy sins Come unto me all ye that are weary and heavy laden and I will ease you The Gospel takes away all the objections and misdoubtings of the unbelieving heart God is so willing to come to him Therefore stand not cavilling interpret all to the best God will have us to despair in our selves that we may trust in him and then we are fittest to trust in God when we despaire in our selves then we make God all in all he hath righteousnesse enough holinesse enough satisfaction enough he hath all enough for thee And for men that are not yet believers how wondrously doth God labour to bring such men to a good hope If they yield themselves and come in there is an offer to every one that will come in and take the water of life There is a command he that hath commanded Thou shalt not murder Thou shalt not steal he layes a charge on thee that thou believe 1 John 3. This is his câ—…mmand that we believe in the Son of God And think with thy self thou committest a sin against the Gospel which is worse then a sin against the law for if a man sin against the law he may have help in the Gospel but if he sin against the Gospel there is not another Gospel to help him God offers thee comfor the commands thee to trust in him and thou rebellest thou offendest him if thou do not believe Is not here incouragement if thou be not more wedded to thy sinfull course then to the good of thy soule If thou wilt still live in thy sins and wilt not trust in God then thou shalt be damned there is no help for thee if thou believe not the wrath of God hangs over thy head Thou art condemned already by nature if thou believe not thou needest no further condemnation but only the execution of Gods justice Naturally thou art born the Child of wrath and God threateneth thee to stir thee up and to make thee come in he useth sweet allurements besides the commands and threatnings Come unto me all ye that are weary and heavy laden and I will ease you And Why will ye perish O house of Israel And O Jerusalem Jerusalem how oft c God complaines of thee he allures thee he sends his Embassadours We are Ministers in Christs Name to beseech you to be reconciled to come in to cast down your weapons your sins to believe in God and trust in his mercy and to hope for all good from him What should keep thee off he is willing to have thee believe Oh if I were elected c. Trouble not thy self with dark scruples of his eternall decree obey the command obey the threaning and put that out of doubt if thou yield to the command if thou obey the threatning if thou be drawn by that undoubtedly thou art the child of God Put not in these doubts and janglings things that are too high for thee till thou believe Indeed when thou believest then thou mayst comfort thy self I believe therefore I know I shall be saved Whom he hath chosen them he calls and whom he calls hè justifies I find my self freed from the sentence of condemnation in my heart therefore I know I am called I know I am elected then with comfort thou mayest go to those disputes But not before a man obeys put those cavils out and obey the Gospel when salvation is offered when Satan puts these things to thee when thou art threatned and commanded How shall this justifie God at the day of judgment against damned wretches that have lived in the bosom of the Church and yet would not believe They will believe after their own fashion if God will save them and let them live in their sinful courses but they will rather be damned then they will part with them Are they not worthy to be damned judge thy self that rather then they will alter their course and receive mercy with it rather then they will receive Christ whole Christ as a King and a Priest to rule them as well as to satisfie for them they will gild over their wicked courses and will have none of him at all they will rather be damned then take another course their damnation is just If thou take whole Christ and yield to his government he useth all meanes to strengthen thy faith after thou believest and he useth all means to allure thee to believe It is a point of much consequence and all depends upon it it is the summe of the Gospel to trust in God in Christ therefore I have been a little the longer in it till we can bring our hearts to this we have nothing When we have this then when all shall be taken from us as it will ere long all the friends we have and all our comforts yet our trust shall not be taken from us nor our God in whom we trust shall be taken from us we shall have God left and a heart to trust in God that will stand us in stead when all other things shall fail That we might not trust in our selves but in God Which raiseth the dead These words have a double force in this place First St. Paul might reason thus I am brought to death as low as I can be even to receive the sentence of death but I trust in God who will raise me when I am dead therefote he can raise me out of sicknesse though there be no means no physick he can do it himself Or if it were persecution he might reason I am now persecuted but God will raise me out of the grave therefore he can raise me out of this trouble if it be for my good It hath the force of a strong argument that way And it hath another force that is put case the worst I received the sentence of death that is if I die as I look for no other yet I trust that God that raiseth the dead he will raise me the confidence of the resurrection makes me die comfortably As we sleep quietly because we hope to rise again and we put our seed into the ground with comfort why we hope to receive it in a more glorious manner in the harvest so though my body be sowen in the earth it shall rise a glorious body I trust in God though I receive the sentence of
the promises in Jesus Christ This that while there is life there is hope to get into Christ and so to get interest in the promises for the promises are free the word is Epangelia free promise it is not a promise on this or that condition but a free promise out of meere love a mercie Then though thou be yet in the state of corruption in Old Adam yet the promise is free But I have no worthinesse in me thou wilt say I have no faith no grace in me at all But remember the promise is free the condition is onely if thou wilt receive Christ which is not properly a condition of worth in thee it is not propounded by way of condition of any worth but thou must come with an empty hand with a receiving hand as a man must let fall what he hath before he can hold and take any thing A man must let go other things he must let go his hold of the creature he must not be so proud of the creature and so confident in it as he was he must see the emptinesse of the creature and of all things in the world thou must see that if thou be not in Christ thou art a wretched damned creature The hand of thy soul must be empty and then a sight of thy unworthinesse is all that is required before thou come to Christ and the promises a sight of thy unworthinesse and a comming to graspe with Christ and the promises for what is faith but a beggars hand empty of all things comming to receive a benefit They are most unworthy that find themselves most unworthy But you will say the promise is made to the poor in spirit and to those that hunger and thirst It is true but it is by way of preventing an objection of these men that are cast down in the sight of their unworthinesse As if Christ had said You think these men the unworthiest men in the world that are poore and hungry and thirsty you think you are destitute and have nothing but you are blessed you have interest in Christ and in the promises they are for you Let no man therefore be discouraged the promises are free therefore be not rebellious stand not out against Gods command God layes a command upon thee though thou be not in Christ and hast no right to the promises he laies a command on thee to believe Thou wilt ask what ground or title or right hast thou to believe to claim Christ and the promises This right thou hast thou hast the offer of Gods love in Christ. And thou hast not onely Gods offer but his command God commands thee to do it as St. John saith he hath commanded us to believe in his Son Christ as well as not to commit adultery or murther and thou art guilty if thou break this command as if thou break the other of murther or adultery And men that live under the hearing of the Gospell they shall be damned more at the day of judgement for disobeying this command for not receiving of Christ then for the other for the breach of all other commands may be forgiven if this were obeyed Therefore there is an offer of Christ with a command to receive him and a promise if thou receive him all shall be well all thy sins shall be forgiven is not here incouragement enough And then there is an invitation Come unto me all ye that are weary and heavy-laden And put case thou hast nothing yet notwithstanding come and buy without silver saith the Prophet If thou say thou hast nothing yet all is free here Come whosoever will and drink of the water of life And he threatens damnation if thou wilt not the wrath of God hangs on thee if thou do not come in I but I am a sinner But where sin hath abounded Grace shall more abound So if a man stand out of Christ and come not in to him there are many incouragements for him to come and terrible denunciations of wrath if he come not the wrath of God hangs over his head for if he be not in Christ he sinks into hell when this short life is ended So there is this to incourage a man there is Gods command and his sweet invitation Come unto me And add to that his beseeching We are Ambassadours in Christs Name to beseech you to be reconciled to God to come to Christ to come out of the state of nature and out of the curse of God that you are under to come out of the uncertain condition that the world affords we beseech you to be reconciled to God to cast away your weapons whereby you are enemies to God he seeks to you for your love And if you have nothing come and buy without money have you a will to come If you be besotted and will continue in your estate then be damned and rot in your estate but if you will come and drink of the waters of life freely Let none be discouraged Christ and the promises are open to all Therefore how will Gods vengeance be justified at the day of judgment when these courses have been taken and yet men will not come in As Christ said to the Jewes You will not believe in me that you might have life Men will not men are in love with the profits and pleasures and fading things they will not imbrace the promises that are Yea and Amen It is nothing but wilfull rebellion that keeps men off that rather then they will leave their sins and come under the government of Christ they will reject the offers of merey if they cannot have Christ with their sins away mercie If they can have him to lead them to hell to swear and cozen c. then welcome Christ if he will come on those tearms he is welcome but rather then they will have him upon his own tearms they reject him So there is great reason for God to justifie the damnation of wretched hard-hearted persons that rather then they will alter their course they will reject mercy and Christ and all If they may have half Christ they will they will have him with mercie to forgive them but they will not have whole Christ as a King to govern them So there is ground for those that are not yet in the state of grace to come to Christ if they will receive him upon his own termes to take him as a King as well as a Priest to take him as a King to rule them as well as a Priest to reconcile them to his Father Nay God as I said in the Ministery intreats them to receive Christ to cast away the weapons of their rebellion to come under his government and all shall be well with them But for them that are in Christ that have imbraced and clasped him in some comfortable measure what comfort is it for them that all the promises in Christ are Yea and Amen I answer
his bowels that is in his affections he can love and joy in God and hate sin and overcome revenge c. The Spirit sheweth him Divine things by a Divine light he sees heavenly things with a heavenly light and Divine spiritual knowledge is a working knowledge of the same nature with the things known The poorest Christian in the world having this anointing sees good things with such a convincing light and evill things with such a convincing hatred that he is doing and acting whereas a Christian that hath not the Spirit he may know heavenly things by a natural light by a discoursive knowledge he may know what he should do and so perhaps he may talk but he cannot do he may talk of death but he cannot dye he may talk and discourse of suffering but when it comes he cannot suffer he may speak much of patience but he cannot act patience when occasion is A true Christian hath the knowledge of doing things And likewise he is able to speak a word in due season to reprove to admonish to comfort Every member in the communion of Saints hath some qualification in regard of knowledge when he is put to it But especially he hath received this anointing as a Priest and a King As a Priest to stand before God and to offer up prayers for himself and others Every Christian is a Favourite in heaven he hath much credit there he hath Gods ear open at all times and he improves it for the good of the Church for the good of others as well as for his own And as to pray for our selves and others so to blesse our selves and others that was one part of the Priests Office and so as the Scipture saith we are called unto blessing and therefore those that are given unto cursing are not Priests And again a Christian that hath received this anointing as a Priest he keeps himself unspotted of the world You know the Priests were to touch no unclean thing nor to defile themselves with any manner of pollution so every Christian in some measure is enabled to abstain from the common pollutions of the times to hate even the garment spotted with the flesh he is not carried with the stream of the times he will not converse amiably with those that may stain him but as his calling leads him lest he contaminate his spirit And likewise a Christian hath his heart alwayes as the Holy of Holies that so he may offer up thanks and praise to God there is a disposition in him alwayes to praise God As the fire in the Sanctuary must never go out so the fire that is kindled by the Spirit of God in the heart of a Christian it never goes out the Holy Ghost maintains it continually he is ready to praise God upon all occasions ready to offer up himself unto God as a sacrifice The sacrifices of a Christian are a broken heart and as in the Law the sacrifices for sin must first be killed and then offered so now in the Gospel it is the work of every Christian to mortifie to kill and slay those beasts those corruptions that are in him contrary to God A Christian must not offer himself to God as a sinner but he must first slay his corruptions he must mortifie his sins and then offer up himself slain to God Therefore our care must be to mortifie every corruption every faculty of the soul and every part of the body we must circumcise our eyes that they behold not vanity and our eares that they hear not and delight not in unchaste things and our thoughts and every part our wills and affections and then offer up soul and body as a living sacrifice unto God that all may be dedicated and sanctified unto him and then it is a sweet sacrifice then when a Christian hath dedicated himself to God it is an easie matter to give him his goods when he calls for them then he will be ready to let all go as the Apostle saith of the Corinthians they first gave themselves to God and then to others other sacrifices will follow when we have first given our selves to God therefore the first sacrifice is to kill our corruptions to offer our selves to God and then we shall be ready to offer our estates and to have nothing but at Gods disposing Oh Lord of thy hand I have my body and my life and my goods and all I give them unto thee if thou wilt have me to enjoy them I do but if thou wilt have them sacrificed I am a Priest I am willing to offer my self as a burnt-sacrifice to thee even to the death and all other things when thou shalt be pleased to call for them and indeed all other sacrifices of our goods and thankfulnesse in words they will easily come off when we have offered our selves as I said before What is the reason that men will not part with a penny for good uses They have not given themselves as sacrifices unto God therefore in the Scripture we are pressed to give our selves unto God first and it useth arguments to that purpose as that we are not our own but bought with a price c. And so for the Kingly office Every Christian by this anointing is made a King Rev. 1. 6. He hath loved us and washed us and made us Kings c. But how are we Kings to take away an Objection that ariseth in the hearts of carnal men Oh say they they talk that they are Kings when perhaps they have not a penny in their purse they talk they are Kings when in the mean time they are underlings in the world here are Kings indeed think prophane conceited persons Indeed all other things are but shadowes these be realities this is a Kingdome to purpose Thou livest by sense and by fancy or else if thou haddest the spiritual eye-salve if thou haddest thine eyes open to see the dignity of a Christian thou wouldest judge him to be the onely King in the world and therefore I do not enlarge the Point to set colours upon matters but indeed I rather speak under there is no excellency that we can think of in this world that riseth high enough to set out the state of a Christian he is indeed a King For I beseech you what makes a King Victory and Conquest that makes a King Is not he a Conquerour that hath that in him that conquers the world and all things else others that are not Christians they are slaves to lusts and pleasures A Christian that is chief Conquerour in the world he conquers the world in his heart and all temptations are inferiour to him he sees them as things that he hath gotten the mastery of He subdues the principal enemy a Christian fears not death he fears not Judgment he fears not the wrath of God he knowes God is reconciled in Christ and so all things are reconciled with him God being at peace all things else are at peace so
because they grieve the Spirit and quench the Spirit by doing that which is contrary to the Spirit Let us therefore that we may have the more comfort preserve the stamp of the Spirit fresh by the exercise of all grace and communion with God and by obedience and by faith honour God by believing and he will honour thee by stamping his Spirit on thee more and more And let this be our work every day to have the stamp of the Spirit clear Oh what a comfort it is to have this in us at all times if a man have nothing in him better then nature if he have nothing in him in regard of grace if he have not Christs Image upon his soul though he be a King or an Emperour yet he shall be stript of all ere long and be set on the left hand of Christ and be adjudged to eternal torments It is the folly of the times come up of late there is much labouring for Statues and for curious workmanship of that kind and some pride themselves much in it and account it great riches to have an old Statue Alas alas what a poor delight is this in comparison of the joy that a Christian hath by the seal of the Spirit and what is this to the ambition of a Christian to see the Image and representation of Christ stamped in his soul that he may be like the second Adam that he may be transformed more and more by looking on him and seeing himself in him to love him considering that he hath loved us so much for we cannot see the love of Christ to us but we must love him the more and be transformed into him Now this transforming our selves into the Image of Christ is the best picture in the world therefore labour for that every day more and more There is besides the common broad seal of God his Privy Seal as I may call it It is not sufficient that we have the one that we have admittance into the Church by Baptisme but we must have this privy seal which Christ sets and stamps upon the soul of the true Christian Alas for a man to build onely on the outward seals and outward prerogatives which in themselves are excellent yet the standing upon them betrayes many soules to the Devil in times of distresse It is another manner of seal then the outward seal in the Sacrament that will satisfie and comfort the conscience in the apprehensions of wrath at the hour of death or otherwayes It must be this privy seal and then comes the use of those publick open known seales the broad seales then a man with comfort may think upon his Baptisme and upon his receiving the Communion when he hath the beginnings of faith wrought in him by the Spirit of God when a man finds the beginnings of faith in him then he may make use of the broad seal to be a help to his faith We must not be so prophane as to think slightly and irreverently of Gods Ordinances they are of great and high consequence for when Satan comes to the soul and shakes the confidence of it and saith Thou art not a Christian and God doth not love thee Why saith the soul God hath loved me and pardoned my sins he hath given me promises and particularly sealed them in the Sacrament here is the excellency of the Sacrament it comes more home then the Word it seales the general promise of God particularly to my self I am sealed in the Sacrament and withall I find the stamp of the Spirit in my heart and therefore having the inward work of the Spirit and God having fortified the inward work and strengthened my faith by the outward seal I can therefore stand against any temptation whatsoever They are excellent both together but the speciall thing that must comfort must be the hidden seal of the Spirit Let us labour therefore to be sealed inwardly and observe Gods sealing-dayes as we use to speak which though it may be every day if we be in spiritual exercises yet especially on the Lords Day for then his Ordinance and his Spirit go together Now as there is a sealing of our estates that we are the children of God so there is of truths and both are in the children of God as for instance this is a truth Whosoever believes in Christ shall not perish but have everlasting life now the same Spirit that stirred up the soul to believe this seales it in the soul even to death and in all times of temptation and likewise there is no promise but upon the believing of it it is sealed by the Spirit upon the soul for those truths onely abide firm in the soul which the Spirit of God sets on What is the reason that many forget the comforts and consolations that they hear because the Spirit sets them not on the Spirit seales them not What is the reason that illiterate men stand out in their profession to blood whereas those that have a discoursive kind of learning they yield the reason is this the knowledge of the one is sealed by the Spirit it is set fast upon the soul the Spirit brings the knowledge and the soul close together whereas the knowledge of the other is onely a notional swimming knowledge it is not spiritual Those therefore that will hold out in the end and not apostatize those that will stand out in the hour of death against temptation and those that will hold out in the time of life against solicitations to sin they must have a knowledge suitable to the things they know that is they must see and know heavenly things by a heavenly light spiritual things by the Spirit of God And therefore when we come to hear the Ministers of God we should not come with strong conceits in the strength of our wit but with reverend dispositions with dependance upon God for his Spirit that he would teach us together with the Ministers and close with our soules and set those truths we hear upon our soules we shall never hold out else And it must be the Holy Ghost that must do this for that which must settle and seal comfort to the soul must be greater then the soul especially in the time of temptation when the terrours of the Almighty are upon us and when the hell within a man is open when God layes open our consciences and writes bitter things against us and our consciences tell us our sins wondrous near they are written as it were with a pen of Iron and the point of a Diamond upon our soules now I say those truths that must satisfie conscience that is thus turmoiled must be set on by that which is above conscience the Spirit of God who is above our spirits can onely set down our spirits and keep them from quarrelling and contending against the truth and quiet the conscience and this the Spirit doth when it sets the truth upon the soul. And therefore when our soules are disquieted
case it be in a dungeon if he have a little light shining into him from a little crevice that little light discovers that the Day is broke that the Sun is risen Put the case there be but one grape on a vine it shewes that it is a vine and that the vine is not dead So put the case there be but the appearance of but a little grace in a Christian perhaps the Spirit of God appeares but in one grace in him at that time yet that one grace sheweth that we are vines and not thistles or thorns or other base plants and it shewes that there is life in the root The Spirit of God appears not in all graces at once it appears some time or other in some one grace We see in plants the vertue of them appears diversly In Winter the vertue of them lyes in the root In the spring-time in the bud and the leaf In the Summer in the fruit it is not in all parts alike so it is with the Spirit as it is an Earnest it appears not in all graces in a flourishing manner at the first sometimes it appears in the root in humility sometimes in faith sometimes in love sometimes in one grace sometimes in another though the Spirit be in every grace yet in appearance to a mans self and others it appeares but in one An Earnest is little especially at the first Weak Christians therefore should not be discouraged Despise not the day of little things there is cause of mourning we that have received the first fruits of the Spirit we mourn because we have but the first-fruits and we would have the full harvest but as there is cause of mourning because we have but the first-fruits so there is cause of comfort because it is the first-fruits it is an Earnest onely and not the whole bargain therefore we have cause of mourning that it is so imperfect that it is so weak as it is yet there is cause of comfort because though it is not the whole yet is a part and secures us of the whole And therefore Christians should labour to mingle duties and let one grace qualifie another For indeed a Christian is a mixed Creature his comforts are mixed and his mourning is mixed With a carnal man it is all otherwise if he mourn he is all a mort because he hath no goodnesse if he joy he is mad his mirth is madnesse A Christian joyes indeed some times he hath joy unspeakable and glorious because he looks to his hope and the accomplishment of it and yet he mourns because he hath but the Earnest because he hath but the beginnings because he hath but the first-fruits here And therefore again as it should comfort us if we have any thing so it should exhort us to examine rather the truth then the measure of any grace we have examined the truth it is the truth of this Earnest the truth of grace and comfort it is an excellent speech of our Saviour Christ in Rev. 3. to the Church of Philadelphia in verse 8. Because thou hast a little strength and hast kept my Word and hast not denyed my Name there is a great promise made to the Church of Philadelphia and why Because thou hast a little strength how is that discovered Thou hast kept my Word and hast not denyed my Name So then if that little be true God respects not that little as it is little in quantity but as he means to make it ere long he looks upon the Earnest as he means to make up the bargain he looks upon the foundation as he means to rear up a goodly building he looks upon the first-fruits as he means to adde the harvest and therefore Ephes. 1. and other places We are elected to be holy and blamelesse in his sight So Ephes. 5. latter end He purgeth the Church that she may be presented to him without spot So Christ looks upon his Church as he is purging and washing till he have made it holy in his sight We are elected not to Earnest not to first-fruits but to be unblameable we are elected to perfection it is the comfort of Christians that God looks upon his not as they are imperfect here but as they are in beginning and as they are growing and as he intends to bring them to perfection afterwards For all things are present we know to him the time to come what we shall be he considers us as if we were in heaven already we are in our degree and in our faith So now we sit in heavenly places therefore as he looks on us as we shall be so faith answers his looking when we are framed by the Spirit to comfort faith looks not upon the weak Earnest the poor beginnings but as we shall be after in heaven without spot and wrinckle I but how shall we know the truth of his Earnest that it is true though it be little To speak a word or two of that for tryal Where the Spirit of God is with the relation of an Earnest he is as an Earnest by way of grace and comfort for those two wayes the Spirit discovers himself in us to sanctifie our nature or by comfort and peace and joy and such like Then it doth stir up the soul to mourn that is but an Earnest as I said before and to wait for the accomplishment as the Apostle saith in Rom. 8. We that have received the first-fruits of the Spirit mourn in our selves that it is no better with us then it is and withal We wait for the redemption of the sons of God the adoption of the sons of God we wait for the accomplishment hereafter it is the nature therefore of the Spirit of God as it is an Earnest to stirre up the spirits of Gods children to mourn something and likewise to wait patiently to wait for the full accomplishment hereafter and as a fruit of their waiting to endure quietly patiently and comfortably that which is between the Earnest and the accomplishment of it and therefore God gives them the grace of hope and constancy and of perseverance till all be accomplished for there is the tediousnesse of time between which is irk some hope deferred and a tediousnesse of deferring and besides many afflictions withal Now Gods children that have the Earnest of the Spirit they have a spirit likewise to wait and that they may be strengthened to wait they have the Spirit of Constancy a Spirit of patience to endure trouble and to persevere and to hold out in regard of the tediousnesse of the time So that they may not give over religious courses though they have it not fully here but go on still and wait And likewise those that have the Earnest of the Spirit that have the Spirit as it hath this qualification upon it of an Earnest it stirres them up to frame themselves answerable to the full ccaomplishment for He that hath
imperfection that desires to be searched in preaching hearing searching Sermons and desiring to be searched in Conference and that doubts not his conscience but would be searched throughly When men fret at the searching of their sins they will not be searched and are content to go on in presumptuous courses and think all is well it is a sign there is not so much as an Earnest But not to go farther that in the Revelation shews the truth of a little grace what saith he Thou hast a little strength what doth that little strength move the Church of Philadelphia to do Thou hast kept my Word and hast not denyed my Name Where there is a little strength there will be a keeping of the Word in obedience a keeping of it in conversation where is not a regard to Gods Word a moulding of the soul into it in obedience of it there is not so much as a little strength of grace and therefore those that live in rebellious courses have not so much as an Earnest to them yet Thou hast kept my Word and withal thou hast not denyed my Name Where a little strength is there they will not deny Christs Name they will hold out in the profession of the truth and confesse it if occasion serve and therefore where any are slight in their profession that give in if they be ready to dash upon any displeasure of any one if they be to venture their estates or so then they are ashamed of Christ and that profession which they took upon them they deny his Name at least they do not own it they have not so much as a little strength if they do not recover Peter was in such a temptation but he recovered his strength and got more strength and a firm standing upon it the shaking of Peter was for the rooting of him So God to shame his children suffers them sometimes to have dastardly spirits but they recover themselves they are ashamed of it but those that are common Politicians in this kind that will not stand out in a good cause to maintain their truth and profession when God thrusts his cause into their hands specially at such times when God saith to them Who is on my side who now is the time to appear then if they have not a word for God they will not own the quarrel and cause of God and Religion they have not a little strength for they that have a little strength here keep the Word and have not denyed the Name Those therefore that can fashion themselves to all Religions to all companies they will have a Religion mutable and flexible to their occasions where is the Earnest of the Spirit the Spirit as much as he is is strong and vigorous and powerful these men have not so much as a little strength that are as water which is fashioned to the vessel it is in like to the Samaritans as Joseph the Historian of the Jews writes of them When the Jewes prospered oh then they would be Jewes when the Jewes had ill successe then they were great enemies to the Jewes so you have many that are no friends to the afflicted to the disgraced truth but as long as the Cause of Religion is carried out with the Countenance of the State with the favour of great ones so far they will own it but if Christ once comes to be abased they will not know Christ nor his Cause I beseech you let us take notice of it it is a sign there is no grace at all where there is such an habitual disposition without shame or grief or repentance for Gods children sometimes may be overtaken with a spirit of dastardlinesse which afflicts them sore afterwards that they gather more strength A man may know if he be Gods child in such a state for it is universally true Gods children are never overtaken with a spirit of cowardlinesse and fear but they regain it and grow more strong upon it as we see in Cranmer and others God purposeth sometimes to let them see what they are in themselves without his support and strength but afterwards they gather new resolutions new purposes to stick firmer to the truth then ere before I might adde many other things but I go on to that which followes You see here now how we may try if we have any true Earnest in us at all or no. Now I beseech you let us labour to have this Earnest if we have it not to have this assurance especially let me desire those of the younger sort to labour to have the seal of this Spirit and the Earnest before they be further and further engaged into the world and before they be so hardened that they will not receive a contrary stamp to their corruptions It is a wondrous advantage that Gentlemen and others that are young before the world hath soiled them and before their understandings be darkened and their affections are crooked and carried away much with the stream and errours of the time they have much advantage above others for they have spirits fitter for grace fitter to receive the impression of this seal of the Spirit fitter for the Earnest Let us labour for this Earnest betimes what a comfortable thing will it be to carry along with the Earnest an assurance of a better estate from our youth to our age and from our age to our old age and so to heaven with us what a deal of comfort do young ones deprive and rob themselves of that will not be gracious betimes Let us labour to have the stamp of the Spirit set on us in our prime time in the strength of our years But I will presse the Point if the time will give leave afterwards Now we must know that God gives this Earnest not for himself but for us to secure us and that is one reason why it is called an Earnest There is besides bargaining another state and condition that Earnest is applyed unto which perhaps the Apostle aimes at as marriage whatsoever was before the Consummation of the marriage was a kind of Arrah a kind of Earnest to assure the affection of the contracted person and persons that loved one another till the Consummation of the marriage So Christ now contracts us on the earth and having love to us and taking our Nature on him that he might woo us in our own flesh and in our own nature taking upon him the Earnest of our flesh he gives us the Earnest of his Spirit and to assure us thaâ—… he loves us and that he means to make up the bargain afterwards he sends us love-tokens graces and comfort and joy Even as Isaac when he was to marry Rebecca he sent by his servants Bracelets and Jewels and such things to secure her of his love So Christ in heaven intending the consummation of the Match he sends us here graces and comforts of the Spirit and all to secure us all is for us I say
ready to any action This I mention onely as a ground A Christian that hath given his name to Christ is either in a state of joy or else should labour for it The second which is the main is That The Word of God as it is unfolded is that that helps this joy We are helpers of your joy we Ministers S. Paul spake of himself as a Minister The Word of God is a helper of joy especially as it is unfolded considered as it is dispensed in the Ministery You know the Word of God it is called The Word of reconciliation because it doth unfold the Covenant between God and us It is called The Word of the Kingdom The Word of life c. which all are causes of joy therefore the Word breeds joy Psal. 19. 8. One commendation of the Statures of God is that They comfort the heart and refresh the heart He followes the commendations of the Word at large The Statutes of God are perfect converting the soul The Testimonies of God are sure making wise the simple And among the rest of the commendations as a commendation issuing from the rest The Statutes of God are right rejoycing the heart The Word of God is a Cordial especially to refresh and solace the heart Saint Paul Rom. 15. 4. makes it the scope of the Word Whatsoever was written afore-time was written for our learning that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope So likewise 1 Cor. 14. He that Prophesieth speaketh to men to edification to exhortation and to comfort He that prophesieth that unfoldeth the Word he speaketh to men to edification to exhortation and to comfort So the end of the Word and the end of prophesying the Ministery of the Word is to help our joy our comfort to support us against all ills eithert felt or feared by greater arguments then the ill is For that is to comfort and rejoyce to make any to joy it is to support the soul against all grievance either spiritual or outward either felt or feared and that from stronger arguments then the grievances are If they be equally poized it is no comfort if the comfort be inferiour it is no comfort As the Heathen man complained of those comforts he had I know not how it is but the Physick I have to cure the grievance of my mind it yields to the malice of the disease the disease is above the cure So it is true of all Philosophical comforts that are fetched out of the shop of nature the Physick yields to the disease the malady or disease exceeds the remedy therefore there is no comfort Comfort is when the inward support is greater and stronger then the grievance is whatsoever it be Now such comfort must onely be fetched out of the Word The Scripture is a common treasury of all good and comfortable doctrines but especially as it is dispensed in the Ministery as it is divided by the Ministers of God thereafter as they see the necessity of Gods people and the exigents they are brought to accordingly they should draw comfort out of this common treasury Thereupon that that Christ saith of himself Esay 50. Thou hast given me the tongue of the learned to speak a word in season to the weary soul it is true of all the true Ministers of Christ that have that spiritual anointing that have the same Spirit that Christ had God hath anointed them that they might speak a word in season to poor distressed soules God hath given them the tongue of the learned for this very end and purpose God hath given them a healing tongue for a wounded soul. Indeed they carry Physick in their tongues and the very leaves the very words have a medicinal force When those that are true Ministers speak a word in season to a wounded distressed soul the Spirit goes with the Word and it hath wondrous efficacy for the comfort and raising up of the soul. Experience shewes this Now to give a few instances how it is done how the Ministers do it how they are helpers of our joy They do it first of all by acquainting people with the ill estate they are in for all sound comfort comes from the knowledge of our grief and freedome from it They acquaint people with their estate by nature that they are in the state of damnation that they are under the curse of God under the wrath of God that they are in a spiritual bondage they labour that they together with the Spirit of bondage may make people to see their state of bondage For they must plow before they sow and the Law must go before the Gospel The Law shewes the wound but the Gospel heales the wound Now they must know the wound the commanding part all the threatening part of the Word They must know what they are before they can know their comfort Therefore John Baptist he came before Christ he made way for the sweet doctrine of Christ that came with blessing in his mouth Blessed are the poor in spirit Blessed are they that hunger and thirst Blessed are those that suffer persecution c. Even as to Elias there was a strong wind came before the still voyce so there must be somewhat to rend and to open the heart before this oyl of comfort can be poured in Now that is the first thing the Ministers help people to comfort by helping them to understand themselves what they are in the state of nature They labour to search the wound first to cure the soul as much as they can of all guile of spirit that the soul may not be guilefull to misunderstand it self And when they have done this then they breed joy by propounding and shewing the remedy which is in Jesus Christ then they open the riches of Gods love in Christ then open the sweet box of oyntment in Christ they shew to man his righteousnesse As you have an excellent place in Job Chap. 33. 14. of the whole force of the Ministery it is followed at large what the Minister doth to bring a man to joy he begins verse 14. God speaks once and twice but man perceives it not In visions and dreams by night when deep sleep falls upon them then he opens the eares of man and seales instruction c. He chastiseth him with pain upon his bed and the multitude of his bones with strong pain so that his life abhorres bread He speaks of a man that is brought down by the sight of sinne His flesh is consumed away it cannot be seen his bones stick out c. A strange description of a man in a disconsolate estate his soul drawes near to the grave and his life to the destroyers What of all this what is the way to bring him out of this If there be a messenger with him an interpreter one of a thousand one that hath the tongue of the learned to shew a man his righteousnesse then God is gracious to him
Use. Not to set a period to our growth in Grace Triall of our estate by desire to grow Simile Doctr. Every blessing a Grace Use. To look on every bâ—…nefit as a Grace Thankfulnesse Application 〈◊〉 the Sacrament Observ. A good man must take all occasions to do good Saint Paul's Circuit Observ. A commendable custome for Christians to bring one another on their way Religion teacheth not incivility Observ. Men prone to suspition Suspition what Whence it is 1. From guilt 2. Envy Quest. Answ. How to arm against suspition 1. By Innocency 2. Patience 3. Prayer 4. Apology Quest. Answ. Suspition when evill 1. 2. 3. Doctr. Publick men to avoid the imputation of lightnesse Reason To preserve Authority Obstinacy like Constancy Grounds of lightnesse and inconstancy 1. Temper of body 2. From the disposition of the mind 1. Inconsideration 2. Passion Inconstancy mistaken Simile 5. Want of dependance on God Christians modest for the future Remedies against lightnesse 1. Deliberation 2. Suppresse passion Inconveniency of passion Dependance on God Flesh what Why so called Wicked men called the world Use. Take heed by whom we are led Observ. A Christian to avoid the imputation of carnal policy Reason It is Gods and our enemy Use. To suppresse it Observ. To purpose according to the flesh a ground of lightnesse A wicked man no sound friend Nor a good Christian. How to know we consult with the flesh We consult not according to the flesh 1. In denial of parts 2. Of opportunities 3. When we are humble in our consultations Quest. Answ. How to avoid fleshly wisdom God judgeth us not by passion but by our tenour of life Worldly men make all serve the flâ—…sh Application to the Sacrament Observ. Carnal men inconstant Not over-much to trust carnal men Observ. Carnal men vehement Simile Ground of yea and nay Falshood and dissembling Equivocation 1. If it be allowed there can be no lie 2. It hinders suffering 3. Equivocation a lie A lie what Quest. Answ. S. Paul sustained three persons Holy men are but men Not knowing things to come no sin Difference in the things delivered by Apostles as Apostles and as men Our journey to heaven certain Men prone to censure mens callings for particular actions Saint Paul's care to fence his doctrine from suspition An Oath what Kinds of oathes Conditions of an oath An oath not good unlesse necessary Qualifications of an oath What meant by the prohibition not to swear at all Observ. A matter of consequence to believe Gods Word is certain Reason We cannot else resist temptations to sin Or to despair Ground of going on in sin Use. To be thankful for means of strengthening faith in this Doctr. God is true and faithful God true out of necessity of his nature Object Answ. Promises absolute or conditional That God is and is true the prime truth Evidences of faith in us ground of it out of us The relations of God to us comfortable from his truth Use 1. Gods threatenings true Use 2. Comfort Use 3. Gods Word Judge of all Controversies Properties of a Judge No other Judge alway yea Use 4. What agrees not with Gods Word is false Popery crosseth the Word of God Popery contradicts it self Popery full of uncertainties Quest. How to know the Word to be true Answ. 1. 2. Quest. Answ. To yield obedience to Gods Word Four Points Doctr. 1. Chrise the main object of preaching Prerogatives of Christs Generation Preaching an instrument to work faith Use. To desire most to hear of Christ. How to think of Christ. Doctr. 2. All good by Christ conveyed by the Ministery Doctr. 3. Consent of Ministers a help to faith Doctr. 4. Evangelical truth is most certain Quest. How to know the doctrine of the Gospel true Answ. Office of the Church concerning Gods Word Simile Object Answ. How God speaks in the Church Quest. How to know our faith is the true ancient faith Answ. August One Faith One Catholike Church Rock what Object Answ. Papists and we have the same affirmatives Popish negatives novelties Quest. Answ. Additions in Popery dangerous Quest. Answ. Safer to be a Protestant then a Papist Quest. Answ. Whether a Papist may be saved Papists give what sense they will of Scriptures No dispensing with Gods Lâ—… Use. To get certainty of faith answerable to the certain truth Three senses of Amen God since the Fall hath made a Covenant of Grace Observ. God deals with man by Promises Reason 1. Else man dares look for nothing from God Reason 2. To exercise faith and hope Reason 3. To arm us against discouragements Quest. Answ. Promise what Three degrees of love No promise no faith nor hope Observ. 2. All Promises in Christ. Christ first beloved 1. As God 2. As Man 3. As Mediatour 4. As our Head and Husband Our nature odious to God since thn fall Gods love first in Christ and then in us in regard of execution All in Christ first Use. Ground of boldnesse to God Observ. 3. All the promises yea in Christ. Christ the first promise All types fulfilled in Christ. 1 Personal types 3. Real types 2. All promises and prophecies All good things by Christ yea Benefit to former ages by Christ. Simile Inlargment of Grace by Christs coming Christ the word how Use. A comfortable way to study Christ in promises and acplishment All other promises Amen for Christ. Pròmises yet unfulfilled Use. Direction of judgment that every man cannot be saved by his own Religion Use. To magnifie God for promises Use Direct in to go to God in Christ. Severall kinds of promises 1. Universal to all mankind 2. Concerning the Church Manner of promising 1. Absolute 2. Conditionally propounded but absolutely performed Conditional of outward things Use. To get into Christ. Object Answ. The good things wicked men enjoy are not blessings How to know blessings are snares How to know we have them in love Attend on the meanes to get into Christ. Rest in Christ. Use. The stability of the estate of a Christian. Comfort in dangers * 1625. Quest. Answ. Till a man be in Christ he hath no good by the promises Quest. Answ. Hope of wicked men while they live Object Answ. Object Answ. How the promise is made to the poor in spirit Quest. What right a man out of Christ hath to claim the premises Answ. Wilful rebellion keeps men from Christ. Comfort from the promises to them that are in Christ. Of forgivenesse In want of Grace In imperfections Object Against falling away In Troubles of this world For issue of our labours In weak performances Promise to posteritys Comfort to Parents Comfort to Children Wicked Pare cruel to poste rity How to make use of the Promises To suit the promises to our wants Look to Christ in whom they are made Look to God in Christ. God our Father God our Husband Christ our Head Christ our brother The Spirit ours What to do when we remember not particular Promises Rules touching the Promises 1. Not to