our good that God sent him to be bread and water of Life unto us that we might live through him God sent him to be our Mediator our Saviour our Redeemer and the like we are to receive these truths that God hath revealed concerning Jesus Christ Secondly It is to take Christ for the foundation and building and top stone of our Salvation 1 Cor. 3.11 Other foundations can no man lay then that is lay'd which is Jesus Christ To take the Lord Christ to be our Prophet to be our King to be our High Priest to be all in all unto us Thirdly It is to rely upon him and trust in him for the removal of all our sins supply of all our wants and investment of us in his own Righteousness this is to believe in the Name or in the Son and to depend upon him for Redemption for Sanctification for Reconciliation for Adoption for Salvation So then you see the point is that believing lyes under a command this is his Commandement that we should believe on the Name of his Son Jesus Christ I shall now come to some questions and the Qu. First is Have we power to believe can any do it may they not as easily keep the Law as believe on the Son of God is there any power in us to do it An. You know that there are in the world divers sorts of people that do acknowledge power in us to do it But know that man simply considered in himself hath no power to believe in the Son of God 2 Cor. 3.5 we are not sufficient of our selves to think a good thought but all our sufficiency is from him if we ben't sufficient of our selves to think any thing of our selves as good but our sufficiency is of God surely we cannot believe then which is so great a work and glorious a work and in Col. 2.12 Faith is said to be the opperation of God not of Man But for the further clearing of the point know First that as God commandeth us to believe so he hath promised to give us faith Mat. 12.21 it 's said in him shall the Gentiles trust here is a promise made to us that are Gentiles that we shall trust in the name of Christ God will work that power in them that they shall trust in Christ and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and Joh. 6.37 all that the father giveth me shall come to me here 's a promise they shall come that is they shall believe And faith is called the gift of God Eph. 2.8 By grace are ye saved through faith and that not of our selves it is the gift of God None but God can give Christ and none but God can give power to believe in Christ As faith is the Command of God so faith is likewise the work of God Joh. 6.29 This is the work of God that ye believe on him whom he hath sent that 's the first answer Secondly The Lord giveth the means whereby it is wrought namely the Gospel The Gospel is the means whereby faith is wrought which he hath appointed and ordained for that very purpose and therefore the Gospel is called faith Gal. 1.23 speaking of Paul that he which persecuted us in times past now preacheth the faith which once he destroyed preacheth the faith that is the Gospel which works faith and is the means that God uses to work faith in the Souls of Men and Women The brazen Serpent was appointed of God to cure the stingings of the fiery Serpent no other Serpent would do it nor no other means would do it if they had used all the Physitians in the world they could not have done it but the brazen Serpent which God had appointed So no other word will work it but the Gospel which he hath appointed to work faith and therefore the Apostle tells you that faith comes by hearing hearing of the Gospel which is appointed by God for that very end Thirdly The Lord he doth accompany his word with his spirit to make it effectual the word without the spirit would not be effectual and therefore God doth accompany his word with his spirit that it may be effectual to work faith in the hearts of Men and Women Hence it is that the spirit is called the spirit of faith 2 Cor. 4.13 We having faith the Apostle the same spirit of faith it 's called the spirit of faith because by the Gospel it doth work faith in the hearts of Merrand Women and Gal. 3.2 This would I know of you saith the Apostle received you the spirit by the works of the Law or by the hearing of Faith why you heard the Doctrine of Faith the Gospel and by the hearing of Faith you received the spirit for the Gospel is the Ministration of the spirit and the Chariot of the spirit and so God doth by the Gospel convey the spirit into the hearts of men and women and by the spirit works faith in their Souls Fourthly The Lord commands things that are hard for us yea impossible unto us that so we may seek to him to whom nothing is impossible Luke 1.37 for with God nothing shall be impossible no word is impossible to God whatever he hath said he is able to make it good and you know in the Gospel that blind Bartemeus he seeks unto Christ for the Cure of his eyes The blind man in Joh. 9. that was born blind his eyes were opened so we that were born blind and born dead still-born without grace without faith without spiritual life the Lord commands us to believe that we may look to him to convey life and work grace and faith in our souls But Fifthly There is in the Gospel the offer of Christ to sinners you shall see it clear in 13 Acts that the offer of the Lord Jesus Christ is offered in the Gospel and tendered unto sinners v. 26. Men and Brethren Children of the Stock of Abraham and whosoever among you feareth God to you is the word of this salvation sent to you it 's sent and v. 38. Be it known unto you therefore Men and Brethren that through this man is Preached unto you the forgiveness of sins and in the 46. and 47. verses Paul and Barnabas waxed bold and said it was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you but seeing ye put it from you and Judge your selves unworthy of everlasting life loe we turn to the Gentiles For so hath the Lord commanded us saying I have set thee to be a light to the Gentiles so that Christ and salvation and all spiritual mercies are offered and tendered in the Gospel unto us unto us Gentiles unto us Sinners And surely such an offer is worthy of acceptation This very offer hath some efficacy and virtue in it to stir up souls to receive Christ 1 Tim. 1.15 This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation that Jesus Christ came into the world to save Sinners O 't is a faithful
for us who knew no sin that we might be made the Righteousness of God in him made the righteousness how come we to be made why by faith in him Phil. 3.9 and be found in him not having mine own Righteousness which is of the Law but that which is through the faith of Christ the Righteousness which is of God through faith So that the way for a soul that 's troubled with sin and guilt of sin and the like is to believe in the Lord Jesus and to rest upon him who takes away sin and brought in a righteousness that is sufficient for us Fifthly if we must believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and can never be truly setled in our comforts and peace without faith in him then let us fetch our comforts our peace our assurance from Christ by believing and not from any thing of our own not from our repentance and obedience and Sanctification for these are mixt with imperfections these are defiled with our corruptions these are ebbing and flowing so will your comforts and peace and assurance be so long as you feed them from these these do not make us righteous before God it may be before men or in our own eyes may make us righteous our repentance our obedience our holiness but they do not make us so before God if we raise our comforts and peace and assurance from these it is from our own actings and this savours too much of a legal spirit if we believe in Christ and fetch all from him it will be certain and lasting and solid and will be unshaken Isa 45.24 It 's a Prophesie of the Gospel times Verily shall one say in the Lord have I righteousness and strength I have none in my self and I can draw none from what self doth but in the Lord have I righteousness and strength There is sufficient righteousness and there is sufficient strength to bear up my peace and comfort and assurance so that the way to have solid comfort peace and assurance is to believe in the Lord Jesus and to fetch all from him Sixthly If believing in the Son of God do lye under a command then I infer from hence that it will be our duty to enquire whether we have obeyed this command and do believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and believe the right way for there is some kind of faith in Christ which is not a right faith the Gospel tells us of some that believed yet afterwards fell off from Christ Now how shall we come to know whether we do believe aright in the Lord Jesus Christ the Son of God or no this may be of use unto us I shall answer it in several particulars First that faith which is a true and right faith in the Lord Jesus Christ it follows conviction of unbelief Joh. 16.8 9. When he is come he will reprove or as it is in your Margins Convince the world of sin because they believe not on me that 's the Son The spirit of God when it comes convinces men and women of their unbelief convinces them of the evil of the greatness of this sin above all sins you think it may be other sins are very great and grievous sins Drunkenness Whordom Idolatry and the like yea but unbelief is the great sin of all that 's the soul damning sin and when faith comes all other sins are taken away but if you be unbelievers the guilt of all your other sins are bound upon you so that it convinces the soul of unlelief now have you had any conviction of what unbelieving hearts you have naturally how backward you are to believe how you put away promises and motions of the spirit well if you have a right faith it follows conviction of unbelief Secondly if you would know whether your faith be right or no in the Son of God then answer how you came by your faith How came you by your faith is it from your selves wrought by your own fancies from your reasonings is it a fillogistical faith only as thus he that believes shall be saved I believe and therefore I shall be saved this now is but a work of your own reasoning but the faith that is right is wrought by the power of God and is the gift of God Col. 2.12 Buried with him in Baptism wherein you are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God who hath raised him from the dead There was the operation of God in raising Christ from the dead and the same operation of God is put forth in the hearts of those that do believe and the Ephesians they could witness unto it Eph. 1.19 And what saith he is the exceeding greatness of his power to us ward who believe according to the working of his mighty power which he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places Why there was power and greatness and exceeding greatness of power towards us who do believe yea according to the working of his mighty power the power that raised Christ from the dead even that mighty power was put forth in our souls to raise us out of the grave of unbelief to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ so that in the 1 Thess 1.5 our Gospel saith he came not unto you in word onely but also in power and in the Holy-Ghost The power of the Holy-Ghost was put forth in working faith in the Thessalonians and so the power of God and his spirit is put forth in the working faith in any soul and usually some promise or some Gospel truth is set upon the heart in power where there is a right faith wrought as Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest and God so loved the world as he gave his onely begotten Son that whoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life and whoever will let him come without money and without price c. Gal. 4.28 29. Now we Brethren as Isaac was are the Children of promise Children that are born of the promise But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit c. so then they are born after the spirit the spirit sets on some promise some word of God which is a seed of faith and of grace and life in the soul and so you come by your faith that way Thirdly That faith which is right in the Son of God excludes all boasting Rom. 3.27 where is boasting then 't is excluded by what Law of works nay but by the Law of faith 't is faith that excludes boasting and Rom. 4.2 If Abraham were justified by works he hath whereof to glory but not before God So the soul now if it were justified by its own actings it hath cause to boast but he that is justified in Christ he hath no cause to boast the soul sees it could never come to Christ except
highly dont think meanly of the word of God Phil. 3.8 Paul did esteem the knowledge of Christ above all knowledge in the world the excellency of the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ that is the knowledge of the Gospel and the knowledge of the word There 's an excellency in it beyond all knowledge all Histories and all Arts and Sciences whatsoever there is not that excellency in them as in the word of God therefore esteem it highly Psal 84.10 A day in thy courts is better than a thousand In the courts of God There was the word of God preached and held forth and read and interpreted and therefore a day there is worth a thousand dayes elsewhere Seventhly If the word of God be so sweet sweeter than the Honey and the Honey-comb then feed much upon the word of God in the 24. Prov. 13. saith Solomon to his Son My Son eat thou Honey because it is good So let me say to you Eat this Honey because it is good Honey hath three great properties Honey doth cleanse it doth preserve and honey doth please Eat this spiritual Honey 't will please your spiritual souls and appetites it will preserve you from all evil it will cleanse you from all your pollutions David loved to be in the courts of God and to be feeding upon this Honey continually and to be satisfied with it Psal 65.4 We shall be satisfied with the goodness of thy house it will satisfie me in point of cleansing in point of preserving in point of pleasing I am never better pleased nor safer nor in a purer condition then when I am under thy word seed much upon this others feed upon Acorns and upon the Wind and Ashes and the like but Saints feed upon Honey the Honey of Gods word the Honey that will do your souls good to eat it will sweeten all of your afflictions Eighthly Lastly if the word be sweeter than Honey and the Honey-comb then try whether it be so to you or no Try whether you have found the word to be sweet to you sweet as Honey and as the Honey comb Honey will sweeten other things so if the word have been Honey to you it will sweeten you it sweetens men and women it sweetens their spirits men have harsh sowr and bitter spirits of themselves but if the word have been Honey to them it hath sweetned their spirits and calm'd and meekned their spirits Eph. 4.31 32. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamur and evil speaking be put away from you with all malice put away all of this nature this is sowr leaven and be ye kind one to another tender hearted for giving one another even as God for Christs sake hath forgiven you Have you found the word to be Honey to you to sweeten your spirits and make them peaceable and plyable to the will of God it 's an argument that you have tasted the sweetness that is in the word of God and so in the 4. Cant. 11. where it 's said Thy lips O my Spouse drop as the Honey-comb That is her words and expressions were sweet a Law of kindness was in her lips so if the word of God have been sweet to us there will be sweetness and meekness of spirit in us therefore try whether the word have been Honey unto you Thus you see that the Statutes and Law of the Lord they are more to be desired than Gold yea than much fine Gold sweeter also than Honey and the Honey-comb And the Lord make them sweet to every one of your Souls Against Love of the World 1 Joh. 2.15 Love not the World neither the things that are in the World IOhn was the beloved Disciple of Christ and he writes this Epistle unto those that were dear unto Christ and his great scope is to confirm them in the faith of Christ and to put them on to holiness and love as may appear in the 23. v. of the third Chapter This is his Commandment saith he that we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another as he gave us Commandment And in the second Chapter he lay'd down a remedy against the infirmities of weak Christians in the first and second verses that if any sinned they had an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the Righteous And lest that should be abused and men take liberty to sin seeing there was such a remedy he puts them upon keeping the Commandments of the Lord in the 3 4 5 6. verses that if they have any benefit by Christ they will love Christ and if they love Christ they will keep the commands of Christ and walk as Christ walked And in the 7 8 9 10 11. verses he puts them on to love shewing that it is a new Commandment and an old Commandment in divers respects And then he comes and speaks in particular unto little Children verse 12. and to young men in the 13 verse and to fathers in the 14 verse and tells them in the Text that they must not love the world neither the things that are in the world for this is a great impediment both to holiness of life and love one to another The words will afford us two observations Obs The first is that there is a proness even in Saints to love the world There would not be a prohibition against it unnless there were a proness in us to it Even Christians and Believers are too apt and prone to love the world and the things of the world There is a great suitableness between the world and our corrupt hearts and natures Pleasures Profits Honours and things of that nature do suit with our sancies and suit with our affections dispositions and inclinations and therefore he saith Love not the world but this I shall not stand upon Obs The second observation which I shall insist upon is this That those that are in a state of Grace be they little Children or be they young Men or be they Fathers they are not to love the world Love not the World nor the things that are in the world Now here I must shew you what is meant by the World 2. What it is to love the World 3. Some reasons why we should not love the World 4. Answer a question or two For the first what is meant by the World By world in the first place is meant the visible Heavens and Earth with all the creatures in them as they came out of the hand of God Gen. 1.1 In the beginning God created the Heavens and the Earth and afterwards he tells you of particulars that were created Joh. 1.3 It 's said By him all things were made and verse 10. he was in the world and the world was made by him The world and all things were made by Christ God imployed Christ in making of the world and the things of the world So that all the visible things in this world are the workmanship of God and Christ and are
of mind lyes in sound principles sound apprehensions of God of Christ of the Spirit of Scriptures and of the great points of Religion of the Resurrection Justification and Sanctification many are unsound touching God unsound in the things of God They deny a Trinity of persons they deny Gods Omnipotency they deny Gods Omnipresence these are unsound they have not sound hearts So concerning Christ how corrupt are many concerning Christ that he is meer Man and not God that Christ did not dye to satisfie for sin but to be an example and many other opinions one might tell you of that are rife in these dayes and people have drunk in now these are unsound hearted men and women So concerning the Spirit of God that it is a quality and not a person concerning Justification many untoward opinions are abroad as that we are justified by inhaerent righteousness and by works that a justifyed man may be unjustified c. So concerning Sanctification that we are without sin perfect that we can fulfil the Law and do works without defect or defilement So for the Resurrection they say the Resurrection is past that Bodies never rise and the Soul sleeps these are corrupt opinions and men are not sound hearted that hold them When therefore we have right apprehensions and sound principles within touching the things mentioned herein lyes soundness of heart let my heart be sound in thy Statutes let me have nothing but what is according to thy Statutes according to thy word Secondly Soundness of heart lies in a healthiness of heart soul and spirit when a man hath any sickliness or distempers in him he is not sound we say he is a sickly man now soundness of heart lies in healthiness of heart in healthiness of soul and spirit and so soundness is opposed to sickliness Isa 1.6 From the sole of the foot even unto the head there is no soundness in it but wounds and bruises and putrifying sores You see hear soundness is opposed to wounds and bruises and putrifyed sores A man that 's sound hath no wounds nor bruises nor putrified sores and here saith David in the 38 Psal v. 3. There is no soundness in my flesh c. there were diseases distempers and in the 41 Psal v. 4. I said Lord be merciful unto me heal my soul for I have sinned against thee Now when either guilt is upon the heart or either lust or passion predominate in the soul the heart is not sound For the first see the 33. Isa last The Inhabitant shall not say I am sick the people that dwell therein shall be forgiven their Iniquity Why they shall be forgiven their Iniquity and then they are not sick And so for distempers or lusts or any other sin Psal 66.18 If I regard iniquity in my heart the Lord will not hear my Prayer why it s the Prayer of an unsound heart and in the 141 Psal 4. v. Incline not my heart to any evil thing If there be any strong inclination to any evil thing in the heart that heart is not sound that 's a lust and the heart is sick now saith David Lord let not my heart be inclin'd to any evil thing So that when a heart is purged from sin the guilt of sin the power and pollution of sin then the heart is sound for sin is a sickness in the soul a disease in the soul especially when it rises up to incline the heart to evil now when it 's purged from sin then it 's sound when it 's purged with the blood of Christ and sanctified by the Spirit of Christ then a heart is sound indeed there 's a heart sound before God sound in the Statutes of God that 's a second thing wherein soundness of heart doth lye Thirdly Soundness of heart doth consist and lye in the total carriage of the heart to God and to his Statutes when the heart is totally carried to the Lord and to his Statutes and not to other things and so soundness is opposed to dividedness Let my heart be soond in thy Statutes let it not be divided between thee thy Statutes and other things the word here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth note compleat and perfect let my heart be perfect compleat and totally in thy Statutes and with thee when a heart is divided you know it is not a sound heart so when mens and women hearts are divided between God and the creature between the Word of God and the things of the world their hearts are not sound Hos 10.2 Their heart is divided now shall they be found faulty their heart is not sound saith God their heart is not perfect nor compleatly with me their heart is not carried wholly to me but their hearts are divided and now shall they be found faulty it 's a fault indeed and a foul fault to have the heart divided between God and any other thing whatsoever when the heart is not perfect with God 1. K. 18.21 Elijah came unto all the people and said how long halt ye between two opinions if the Lord be God follow him and if Baal then follow him and the people answered him not a word they were all guilty why halt ye between two opinions why is your heart divided they were for God and for Baal too it 's said they feared the Lord and served Idols Many are for God and the world too but why are ye divided If the Lord be God follow him and if the World be God follow it the heart must not be divided if it be it is not sound 1. Cor. 10.21 ye cannot drink the Cup of the Lord and the Cup of Devils ye cannot be partakers of the Lords Table and the Table of Devils your hearts are not sound if you divide ye cannot serve God and Mammon saith Christ because there 's a divided heart and this is not a sound heart 2 Chron. 25.2 It 's spoken of Antazia he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord but not with a perfect heart he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord for the matter but not with a perfect heart his heart was divided his heart was not perfect his heart was not sound but now see what David saith this way in the 119 Psal touching the soundness of his heart v. 10. with my whole heart have I sought thee there was the whole heart and the whole of the heart there was no division here was a sound heart it was not divided a piece here and a piece there half one way and half another way but with my whole heart have I sought thee and in the 69. v. saith he I will keep thy precepts with my whole heart here was a heart sound in God's Statutes Fourthly Soundness of heart doth lye in the truth and reallity of Grace in the heart the heart is never sound till it have true Grace when there is truth of Grace and truth of Comforts wrought by the Word and
Spirit in the heart then it 's a sound heart there may be seeming Graces and seeming Comforts but these do not cause soundness Take Brass Tin Cooper let it be Silver'd over by the Art of man this is not sound it is not Currant money so many have parts and they may have seeming graces and seeming comforts and yet not be real not be true such a heart is not sound you read in Scripture of a feigned faith a dead faith you read likewise of feigned love and there are feigned comforts flashy comforts and groundless hopes Now where the heart is sound these are graces comforts wrought by the Word and Spirit hence you read of faith unfeigned 2 Tim. 1.5 and you read of Love the fruit of the Spirit Gal. 5.22 and so peace and joy There 's false peace and false joy but you read of these wrought by the Spirit and love shed abroad in the heart by the Spirit you read of a lively hope of a hope that 's grounded upon the promises 2 Pet. 3.13 Nevertheless we according to his promise look for new Heavens and a new Earth now when graces are real in the heart and comforts are real in the heart and there 's a real truth in them Then the heart is sound And so soundness is opposed to the fancies conceits and dreams of men and their mistakes but their hearts are rotten notwithstanding all their dreams and fancies Fifthly Soundness of heart doth lye in sincerity Let my heart be sound in thy Statutes let it be sincere and upright and so some read the words And the word signifies upright and sincere and so it 's opposed to Hypocrisie O let me not be an Hypocrite let me not be a deceiver a sound heart is a sincere heart where there is Hypocrisie in men and women there 's an unsound heart there 's a rotten heart the Apostle speaks of love without dissimulation Rom. 12.9 So all must be without dissimulation where there is soundness and here both the end and the means and the manner are respected First where the heart is sound there will be sound ends sincere ends and among the rest there be three great ends that a sound heart aims at First the Glory of God Secondly Publick good Thirdly the Spiritual and Eternal good of the Soul First the Glory of God that 's the great end of a sound heart such ends will a sound heart have as Gods Statutes doth propound and hold out now this is one great and high end that God holds out in his word the glorifying of himself Prov. 16.4 God hath made all things for himself for his own glory for his own honour God hath set up his own Glory as his own end and so a sound heart hath that end that God hath propounded So in the 11 Rom. last saith the Apostle there From him and through him and to him are all things to whom be glory for ever Glory is the end 1. Cor. 10.31 Do all to the Glory of God whether you eat or drink or whatever you do that 's the great end 1. Cor. 6. you are not your own you are bought with a price Glorifie God in Soul and Body That 's the great end of a sound heart Secondly the end of a sound heart is publick good Do good to all but especially to the Houshold of Faith not a private and domestick end but do good to all the world if possible but especially to Sion to the Church of God to the people of God saith Hester if I perish I perish Sion is in danger Gods people are in danger I will not stand upon my self and my own safety and upon the Kings Law but Gods glory the welfare and good of Sion lyes at the Stake and I will venture here was a sound heart that had a right end if I perish I perish I will venture my self for God and for his cause and people Thirdly It hath a right end in regard of it self viz. it 's Spiritual and Eternal good A Godly man will have a care of his body but his great care is of his soul and the spiritual and eternal good of his soul Joh. 6.27 Labour not for the meat that perisheth but for that which indureth to everlasting life that meat that perishes concerns the body but there is meat saith Christ which indures to everlasting life and that 's the meat you must look at and that 's the meat a sound heart doth aim at and seek to find out and to feed upon First seek the Kingdom of Heaven and the Righteousness thereof and saith the Apostle in 2 Cor. 4.18 our scope is not to look at the things that are seen but at the things that are not seen things that are eternal and that concern the eternal good of our souls Secondly It is sincere likewise in regard of the means a sound heart will use all the means Psal 119.6 Then shall I not be confounded when I have respect to all thy Commands there must be respect to all Gods Commands to all his Threatnings to all his Promises to all Examples to all Invitations to all Admonitions to all Counsels to the whole will of God a sound heart hath respect to all that God hath revealed to all the means whatsoever they have unsound and rotten hearts who throw off the Law or the Gospel who throw of all Ordinances who throw off the Scriptures but then shall I not be confounded when I have respect to all thy Commands Thirdly So likewise for the manner of using the means many come and hear the word but not with trembling Isa 66.2 not as the word of God 1 Thess 2.13 they receive it not with love 2 Thess 2.13 they mingle it not with faith Heb. 4.2 they hear it not as the word that shall judge them John 12.48 so many pray but not spiritually Ephes 6.18 not feelingly and fervently Rom. 12.11 Jam. 5.16 not believingly Jam. 1.6 so many receive but descern not the Lords Body 1 Cor. 11.29 and many give but not with simplicity Rom. 12.8 and secresie Mat. 6.3 Now a sound heart respects the manner in these and all other duties as much as the duties themselves and is much humbled for failings in the manner of performing duties Sixthly Lastly soundness of heart lyes in this in the hearts putting forth to practice what is revealed to it or received by it when a man hath truth and witholds truth in unrighteousness that man is not sound at the heart but where the heart is sound the soundness of it carries him to practice what is revealed and given in unto it you may see it in David and in Hezekiah 1 K. 15.15 David did that which was right in the eyes of the Lord and turned not aside from any thing that he commanded him all the dayes of his life whatsoever God commanded him that he did his heart was sound in his Statutes And so here in Isa 38. v. 3. Remember now O Lord
I beseech thee how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart and have done that which was good in thy sight I have walked before thee with a perfect heart a sound heart an upright heart an undivided heart And have done that which is good in thy sight that heart which is sound cannot sit still cannot imprison truth in unrighteousness cannot be negligent Christ who had soundness of heart went up and down doing good So then you see wherein this soundness of heart lyes Q. Why is a good man so earnest for soundness of heart An. First because all he doth be it never so much comes to nothing if his heart be not sound saith a good man I shall lose all if my heart be not sound If my heart be not sound and free from false principles if my heart be not sound if it be not healthy and free from guilt and sickness of sin if my heart be not free from dividedness perfect with God if my heart be not so and so that I have soundness if I be not sincere but hypocritical and the like all I do is nothing Pray Hear Preach give to the Poor do what you will all your service falls to the ground it never is accepted of God in Heb. 11.6 saith the Apostle Without faith it is impossible to please God for he that cometh unto God must believe that he is and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him without faith 't is impossible to please God why if your faith be not real faith if it be not true faith but a faith of your own making if it be not a faith wrought by the word and spirit a faith of the operation of God Coloss 2. you will never please God whatever you do you must have a faith will purifie your hearts and unite your hearts to God and not suffer them to be divided a faith that will carry you to God with the whole heart otherwise you please not God and so your hope must be so and your love must be so they must be real so also the obedience that pleases God is the obedience of faith Rom. 16. latter end do what you will if you be not right principled if you have not truth of grace if your hearts be not united to God if you be not free from hypocrisie and sincere all falls to the ground and is rejected of God all you do is nothing but is like what Simon Magus did Acts 8.13 Then Simon himself believed also Mark he had a faith such as most people have And when he was baptised he continued with Philip and wondered beholding the miracles and signs which were done he continued with Philip he was in a Church State now see what he saith because his principles were not right When Simon saw that through laying on of the Apostles hands the holy Ghost was given he offered them money saying give me also this power that on whomsoever I lay hands he may receive the Holy Ghost but Peter said unto him thy money perish with thee because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money O thou hast a wretched principle thou hast a rotten heart it is not right in the sight of God what 's thy believing now Simon what 's thy baptizing now what 's all thou hast done So say I what 's your faith and your baptism and your obedience and serving of God if your hearts are not right Ananias and Saphira sell their estate and bring it and lay it down at the feet of the Apostles I but their hearts were not right and therefore you know how it went with them all you do is but as a woman that brings forth a dead Child without a soul which is not acceptable to Father Mother or any present 'T is like Chaff without Corn Bones without Marrow Bottels without Wine Breasts without Milk God regards not any thing you do it is not acceptable it falls to the ground it comes to nothing if your hearts are not sound and upright and that 's the first reason why a Godly soul is so earnest to have its heart sound Secondly Hereby you shall discourage and disappoint the Devil the Devil seldom prevails where there is soundness of heart Job you know was a man that feared God and eschewed evil a perfect man The very word that is here in my Text and could the Devil prevail with him God le ts loose the Devil and gives him more power over Job than ever we read he had over any other man and could the Devil prevail against Job No he was a sound hearted man and he could not prevail Job wearied out the Devil he did strike him in his Servants and Cattel and Children and in his body and by his Friends and by his Wife he tempts him yet nothing could do why here was a sound hearted man and when a man is sound hearted he will not stand parlying with the Devil but he will resist the Devil he shuts the door presently and turns his back upon him he brings forth the Shield of Faith and quenches his fiery Darts he brings forth the Scripture It 's written Satan he resists the Devil and he flyes but if thou be sickly or faint hearted he will make thee flye or fall but a sound hearted man resists the Devil and makes him flye and so the Devil is discouraged and disappointed Thirdly Because such a heart will be a support to a man in any condition in the worst of conditions if you look into the 14 Pro. 20. A sound heart is the life of the flesh The Original is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the lives of the flesh a man that hath a sound heart sound in a spiritual sence that soundness of his heart is the lives of his flesh his flesh may have many deaths many diseases many temptations and discouragements many hard things to encounter with yet the soundness of the heart is the lives of the flesh a sound heart will keep up a man bear up his Spirits notwithstanding the flesh be full of pain yielding drooping and wearing away saith Paul the outward man decays day by day I but the inward man is renewed when a man hath a sound heart a sound soul soundness of grace in him the inward man is renewed So in Prov. 18.14 The Spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity when his spirit is sound but if a mans spirit be not sound it will not sustain his infirmity if there be guilt if there be sin lust and sickness in the soul it will not support therefore a Godly man desires soundness of heart he knows not what times he may meet with he knows not what storms he may meet with a Godly man may meet with very shrow'd things in the world but if his heart be sound it will bear him up in the 38. of Isa saith Hezek when the storm came upon him that he must dye
to believe And that should be one great request of our soules dayly that God would enable us to believe and that he would work Faith in us why it's the gift of God and he is a giving God he gives liberally and upbraids not he will not upbraid you with your unbelief but if you will come and beg Faith in God and power to work that grace in you he is ready to do it in the 17. of Luke say the Disciples Lord we believe encrease our faith so say you Lord work faith in my soul I can never please thee nor get any good unless thou work faith in me and that in Joh. 6.45 Every man therefore that hath heard and learned of the Father cometh unto me O hearken to the Fathers teaching in the Gospel the fathers revealing of Christ and discoveries he hath made and receive every truth he hath given out concerning Jesus Christ and then he that hath heard and learned of the Father cometh unto the Son O pray unto the Father to speak to your hearts and to teach your souls that so you may come to Jesus Christ and believe in the Son and have all those great things that are to be had by him Christians ought to be of Christs mind Phil. 2.5 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus THe Apostle Paul writes to the Church of Philippie and notwithstanding they were precious Christians and a choice Church yet they had need of exhortation and quickning up to their duty and by strong arguments he presses them here to many duties If therefore there be any consolation in Christ if any comfort of love if any fellowship of the spirit if any bowels and mercies fulfil ye my joy that ye be like minded having the same love being of one accord of one mind And so in the third and fourth verses he exhorts them to duties and in this verse Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus here 's nothing difficult in the words We read in Scripture of the mind of God Jer. 19.5 neither came it into my mind saith God we read of the mind of the spirit Rom. 8.27 he that searcheth the heart knoweth what is the mind of the spirit and here we read of the mind of Christ let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus Now the word mind in Holy writ doth signifie sometimes the heart Acts 20.19 serving the Lord with all humility of mind that is with all humility of heart and Deut. 18.6 If a Levite come c. with all the desire of his mind Desire is in the heart and so mind here notes the heart Sometimes it signifies the understanding as in 2 Cor. 3.14 Their mind was blinded speaking of the Jews that is their understandings were blinded Sometimes it signifies the thoughts of the heart Prov. 29.11 A fool uttereth all his mind that is all he thinks all the thoughts of his heart Sometimes it signifies the will 1 Pet. 5.2 feed the flock of God which is among you taking the oversight thereof not by constraint but willingly not for filthy lucre but of a ready mind that is with your wills willingly and cheerfully Sometimes it s put for the affections and the affecting of those affections 2 Cor. 7.7 he was comforted in you when he told us your earnest desire your mourning your fervent mind towards me that is your fervent affection towards me Mind signifies the affections And the affecting of a thing Rom. 8.5 Those that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh that is their affections do affect the things of the flesh Lastly Mind in Scripture doth signifie the aims and intentions of a man Pro. 21.27 The Sacrifice of the wicked is abomination to the Lord how much more when he bringeth it with a wicked mind that is with a wicked intention When the intentions and aims of a man are wicked then his Sacrifice is much more abomination So that in all the senses the word mind is used in Scripture and all these may be taken in here for the heart and the understanding and the thoughts and the will and affections and the intentions now the point that I will commend unto you is onely this Doct. That Churches and Christians should be of the same mind that the Lord Jesus Christ is of 1 Cor. 2.16 saith the Apostle there speaking of himself and the Church of Corinth We have the mind of Christ We have Christs understanding Christs heart and the like so in 1 Pet. 4.1 arm your selves likewise with the same mind let the same mind be in you Now it may be said is it possible for any Church or any person to have the mind of Christ First I answer we must aim at it to have the mind of Christ Christ is the Copy written for us to aim at The Scripture doth hold out perfect rules and perfect patterns unto us which dont note our perfection but helps our imperfection that we which are imperfect should reach to perfection aim at the mind of Jesus Christ Secondly I answer we are to have the same mind in kind though not in degree a new born Babe is of the same kind that a man is though he be not come to that degree and state of a man Q. Well now what is the mind of Christ A. In general I say the whole Gospel is the mind of Christ the whole word of God there you have Christs mind and Gods mind But that 's large we will therefore come a little more close and what I find by searching the Gospel I shall give you in particulars First Christ's mind was a Publick mind not a private Domestick selfish mind he did not seek nimself but he sought the good of others saith the Apostle in the verse before my Text Look not every man on his own things but every man also on the things of others Christ had a publick mind and would have a publick mind in us Christ neglected himself to do good to others he sought not his own cred it nor his own pleasure or preserment and advantage when they would have made him a King he denyed himself Joh. 6.14 The Lord Christ did nothing for himself but all for us he came from heaven for us he took our nature upon him for us he Preach'd for us I and he suffered for us Dan. 9.26 Messiah shall be cut off but not for himself He was cut off by death but not for himself but for us So that the Lord Jesus Christ he had a publick mind a publick spirit a publick heart he became poor for us 2 Cor. 8. He pleaved not himself Rom. 15.3 So then let this mind of Christ be in you to have a publick mind for the publick good to act for others and not a selfish mind altogether for self Secondly The Lord Christ had a pure mind the Scripture speaks of a defiled mind Tit. 1.15 Those that believe not
All true children of Zion are precious and comparable unto fine Gold to the finest Gold or Silver that is in the world 2 Tim. 3.16 They make wise unto Salvation they furnish and fit a man for every good word and work they make precious Vessels Thirdly Gold is said to be a Cordial likewise and is not the word of God a Cordial the best Cordial we have in this world next to Christ and God himself The Word of God 't is a sweet Cordial a sweet Comfort unto the Soul 7. Gold endures tryal it will endure the fire the exactest tryal that can be Zech. 13.9 I will bring them through the fire and try them as Gold is tryed Gold is tryed and tryed in the fire and therefore it is esteemed because it will endure the fire so the Word of God is a tryed word Psal 12.6 The words of the Law are pure as Silver tryed in a furnace of earth purified seven times The Word of God is a tryed word Psal 18.30 The word of the Lord is tryed his promises have been tryed in all Ages they have had tryals several times and several wayes Those that have received the word have been tryed the Martyrs have been tryed and they find the word to hold out in the sharpest tryals and to stand them in stead So that you see Gold is desirable and upon what accounts and upon the same account the Word of God is desirable 2. Now the second thing is to shew you that Divine truths are more to be desired than Gold yea than much fine Gold More to be desired and that will appear several wayes First Gold and Silver and earthly treasures are at the will and command of men and we may be deprived of them Dan. 11.43 He shall have power over the treasures of Gold and of Silver and ever all the precious things of Egypt The King should have power over them and take them away from them and we see how Gold and Silver is subject to Thieses and to others and we may be deprived thereof But the Word of God when 't is ours when 't is written in our hearts once there 's none can take it from us nor deprive us of it Secondly The Word of God and Divine truths are more desirable than Gold because it 's better than Gold Psal 119.72 The Law of thy mouth is better unto me than Thousands of Gold and Silver There 's a betterness in the Word of God than in Gold and Silver it exceeds it and that in several respects First Gold and Silver are subject to cankering and so to perish James 5.3 Your Gold and Silver is cankered and the rust of them shall be a witness against you and it is subject to corrupt 1 Pet. 1.18 ye are not redeemed with Corruptible things as Silver and Gold and in the 1. Ch. 7. Gold that perisheth But the word of the Lord perisheth not corrupts not The word of the Lord endures for ever 1 Pet. 1.25 there 's no corrupting no cankering no perishing of the Word of God Therefore it 's better than Gold Secondly The word is better than Gold or Silver because it doth that which Gold and Silver cannot do nor all the treasures in the world can do and what 's that First It is not in the power of Silver and Gold and Riches or earthly Treasures to sanctifie any mans heart or nature They may pollute men and they do pollute most but sanctifie none But in Joh. 15.3 saith Christ Now are ye clean through the Word which I have spoken unto you The word of Christ and of God is a cleansing word it will cleanse your heads your hearts your lips your lives where withall shall a young man cleanse his way by taking heed thereto according to thy word But all the treasures in the world will never cleanse any Joh. 17.17 Sanctifie them through thy truth thy word is truth Gods word is a word of truth and 't is a word of Sanctification that will make men and women holy the more of the word is in you the more holy you are the more filthiness of flesh and spirit is purged out of you So that it 's better than Silver and Gold upon this account Secondly Silver and Gold can never satisfie you Eccles 4.8 The eye is not satisfied with Riches Alexander had the world and yet he was not satisfied he would have another world Eccles 5.10 He that loveth Silver shall not be satisfied with Silver nor he that loveth abundance with increase A man is never satisfied with these things that are below The heart of man is triangular and the whole world being round can never satisfie a triangle but the truths of God are satisfying truths Open thy mouth wide and I will sill it saith God I will fill it with Divine truths Psal 36.8 They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house the word of God hath that in it will satisfie your souls Eye hath not seen nor ear heard neither hath it entered into the heart of man to conceive what God hath prepared for them that wait for him and for them that love him There is more prepared than you can expect or look for and that will satisfie Psal 65.4 We shall be satisfied with the goodness of thy house there is so much goodness in the house of God there you have Communion with God himself and with the Spirit and with Jesus Christ and these will satisfie the soul if ever it will be satisfied Thirdly They are more desirable than Gold and Silver because it is desire that makes the subject fit to receive the thing desired If a man be hungry and thirsty his hunger and thirstiness makes him fit to receive bread and to take drink Now the more excellent the thing to be received is the more must it be desired Matth. 10.37 He that loveth Father or Mother more than me is not worthy of me and he that loveth Son or Daughter more than me is not worthy of me Why I am the most excellent therefore I must have the most love and the most desire That Soul will never receive any real good by the Word that doth not desire it more than any other thing If you desire the Word but in competition to another thing or equal to another thing you will have no good by the Word but you must desire it more than other things and therefore it is better than other things Fourthly If our desires be more after the Word than after Gold and Silver and these outward things then these will fall in of course Mat. 6.33 First seek the Kingdom of God and the Righteousness thereof and all these things shall be added unto you we must first therefore seek the Kingdom of God that is we must more desire the Kingdom of God than these things if we labour to know the Gospel to know God and Jesus Christ and desire the knowledge of these other things will be given in
little light little grace little strength it may be I have none at all this will strengthen your desires after the Word of God which will enrich you Secondly Let every one of us consider what vile and base creatures we are we are earth-born and flesh-born but now the Word of God will enoble us and make us Heaven-born Spirit-born 't will elevate us If a man be a poor beggerly creature and shall consider if I take such a course I shall be a Noble-man a Prince a King 't will inflame his desires to be in such a state and condition Now it is the Word that will enoble us Joh. 1.12 To as many as received him to them gave he power to become the Sons of God even to them that believe on his Name If you will believe on his name on his Word you will be enobled and made the Sons and Daughters of God which were born not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man but of God And when are we said to be born of God but when we are born of the incorruptible seed of the Word of God 1 Pet. 1.23 Being born again not of corruptible seed but of incorruptible by the Word of God which liveth and abideth for ever If therefore you would consider what a base spirited creature am I but I would have a noble spirit a divine and heavenly spirit and that 's to be had by the Word of God 't will enflame your desires towards the word Acts 17.11 These were more noble than those in Thessalonica they were better born than they In that they received the Word with all readiness of mind and searched the Scriptures daily whether those things were so If you would therefore look into the Scriptures and search them and mind them you would be more noble Christians than others better born of heavenly spirits Thirdly Consider what beauty is in the Word what reallity what excellency what duration If men and women would consider what beauty there is in the Word of God what excellency if they did consider this it would inflame their desires abundantly that way See Psal 27.4 Fourthly Lastly consider the sutableness of the Word unto your conditions There is somewhat sutable in the Word to every man and womans condition in the world and when we think of a thing sutable to our conditions 't will stir up our desires to it when men and women are sick and they hear of a Medicine will cure them their desires are carried out strongly to that Medicine now the Lord Christ hath Medicines for all Sores and all Conditions and the Word of God will be a Plaister for every Sore if a man be sick there 's something to comfort him if a man be dead the word is a quickning word if a man be in darkness the word is an enlightning word Therefore consider of this and it will cause you to desire the Word of God more than Gold and Silver or any thing else in this world It follows now in the latter part of the verse Sweeter also than Honey and the Honey-comb IN the first part of this verse you have the worth of the Word and in this latter part you have the sweetness of the Word Gold is very precious Honey is very sweet and by these two Metaphors it pleases the spirit of God to set out the worth and sweetness of the Word I must open this word Honey Honey sometimes in Scripture is taken literally for a creature we call Honey Judg. 14.8 there was a Swarm of Bees and Honey in the Carcass of the Lyon that Sampson had killed and there 't is in a literal sence Sampson eats of it So it s said the taste of Manna was like unto Honey Exod. 16. Wafers made with Honey Sometimes in Scripture Honey is taken Metaphorically and that First For things sweet and pleasing to the taste things that are sweet and pleasing to the taste are called Honey Deut. 32.13 he made him to suck Honey out of the Rock that is the water that came out of the Rock was as sweet as Honey unto them it was not Honey but sweet as Honey And Prov. 25.16 Hast thou found Honey eat so much as is sufficient for thee that is hast thou found any thing delightful and sweet and pleasing to thy taste eat that which is sufficient for thee any thing delightful to the taste is to be understood by Honey often in Scripture so a full Stomach loaths the Honey-comb that is loaths sweet and pleasing things 2. This Metaphorical sense is put for gracious comfortable words in Cant. 2. it 's said Thy lips O my Spouse drop as the Honey-comb Honey Milk are under thy Tongue that is thy Words thy Conferences thy Prayers are very sweet and pleasing So in Prov. 16.24 Pleasant words saith he are as the Honey-comb That Honey which drops from the Honey-comb is the sweetest Honey that is not press'd and squeezed out but drops from the Honey-comb as the Juyce which runs from the Grape without pressing makes the sweetest Wine Now there are many things which are said to be sweet in Scripture sweet Wines sweet Fruits sweet Sngar sweet Cane sweet Calamus sweet Spices sweet Incense but none of all these are so sweet as Honey Judg. 14.18 what is sweeter than Honey they could not tell of any thing sweeter than Honey of all earthly things that is the sweetest But David could tell them of something sweeter than Honey thy Law thy Testimonies thy Statutes are sweeter than Honey and the Honey-comb Take Honey in a litteral sence or Honey in a metaphorical sense for any sweet thing the Word of God is sweeter than all Psal 114.103 How sweet are thy Words unto my taste yea sweeter than Honey unto my mouth And the Church saith of Christs mouth Cant. 5.16 that it is most sweet The gracious words of Christ are sweet are sweeter than Honey yea they are most sweet So that all the degrees of Comparison are in the Words of God and Christ they are sweet they are sweeter than Honey they are most sweet The very words themselves are a Doctrine or Observation Doct. Gods word is very sweet yea the sweetest thing of all A little to instance in some things in the word of God First Are not the Counsels of God sweet David saith that the counsel he took with Ahithophel was sweet Psal 55.14 what then was the counsel he took with God how sweet was that counsel Psal 119.24 Thy Testimonies are my delight and my Counsellers Gods Testimonies were his Counsellers and they were sweet Counsellers and gave him such sweet counsel as he delighted in them he had such counsel from the word of God as even ravish'd his soul such sweetness he found in it that he would be guided by Gods counsels all the dayes of his life Psal 73.24 Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel and afterward receive me to glory so in Rev. 3.17 I
wash his Disciples feet and Christ saith Learn of me I am meek and lowly c. Take my yoke upon you and do you imitate me The Lord Christ is the sweetest example for us to imitate that is in all the Scriptures Sixthly The parables of the Lord Christ or the parables that are held out in the Word of God are very sweet parables In the 15. Luke what sweet parables are in that Chapter the lost Sheep is found out the lost piece of Silver is found the Prodigal Son comes home and what sweet entertainment hath he of his Father The Father runs out to meet him and doth not upbraid him but runs and falls upon his neck and kisses him Seventhly The Providences that are held out in the Scripture are sweet providences That of Joseph who was envyed of his Brethren and sold into Egypt was it not a sweet providence to save the Egyptians lives to save the Israelites lives So the providences about Esther Vashty she is remov'd and Virgins are sought out and Mordecai discovers Treason Haman gets up and seeks the ruine of all the Jews Esther is taken to be Queen and brought in to save the Jews lives and to take Haman out of the way Eighthly There is sweetness in the experiences of the Saints of God saith David God hath delivered me out of the jaws of the Lion and out of the paw of the Bear and he will deliver me still and Psal 116. Thou hast delivered my soul from death mine eyes from tears and my feet from falling and so Paul God hath delivered and he doth deliver and he will deliver The word is full of sweet experiences of the Saints of God Ninthly the word of God is full of sweet titles titles that are given to God and titles that are given to Christ and titles given to the spirit and titles given to the Saints Titles that are given to God as that God is a Father a Father of mercies a God of all consolation In the 68. Psal 5. These are helpless and friendless God is a Father to them A Father of the Fatherless how sweet is this to fatherless ones and helpless ones Psal 10.14 Thou art the helper of the fatherless so in Hos 14. In thee the fatherless findeth mercy so God is a fountain and that of living waters Jer. 2.13 A fountain that 's alwayes flowing and alwayes overflowing overflowing with living waters Isa 35.5 6. The eyes of the blind shall be opened and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped then shall the lame man leap as an hart and the tongue of the dumb sing why for in the wilderness shall waters break out and streams in the desert God who is such a fountain will make waters of life to overflow and be in deserts and wildernesses So God is the hope of Israel Jer. 14.8 O thou the hope of Israel the Saviour thereof in the time of trouble That God is the hope of Israel it 's a sweet title Thou art my hope in the day of evil be not thou a terrour to me Who is your hope in an evil day but God and he is sweet to those that hope in him So God is stiled a God ready to pardon and forgive sins Neh. 9.17 he is not backward but ready and forward to forgive sins to pardon iniquities sins and transgressions Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts and let him return unto the Lord and he will have mercy upon him and to our God for he will abundantly pardon Isa 55.7 So he is the God of grace and glory There is no grace but in him no glory to be had but by him So for the titles of the Lord Christ There are sweet titles in Scripture given to him that he is the Shepherd and the true and faithful Shepherd 1 Pet. 2.25 and in the 10. Joh. he is the faithful Shepherd the great Shepherd of the sheep Heb. 13.10 The good Shepherd that will see you shall want nothing Psal 23.1 2 3. The Lord is my Shepherd I shall not want He maketh me to lye down in green pastures he leadeth me besides the still waters he restoreth my soul he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness What a Shepherd is Christ in Isa 40.11 A Shepherd that gathers his Lambs with his arms carries them in his bosom and gently leads those that are with young he is a faithful Shepherd to all his Sheep and Lambs So Christ is a Physitian to heal all your wounds yea the good Samaritan mentioned in Luke when the Priest and the Levite past by the man that was wounded the Lord Christ was a good Samaritan and drops oyl into his wounds and gives him wine to drink sets him upon his beast and carries him to an Inne and hath him look'd after what a sweet title is this of the Lord Jesus He is called likewise The childrens bread Matth. 15.26 It is not meet to take the childrens bread and to cast it to dogs he speaks of himself what good bread is that bread My flesh saith Christ is meat indeed and my blood is drink indeed Joh. 6.53 55. The Lord Christ is stiled the Desire of all Nations What a sweet title is that Hag. 2.7 The Desire of all Nations shall come a blessing to all Families In thee shall all the Families of the earth be blessed he was therefore the desire of all Nations so he is called a Friend Joh. 15.15 a Bridegroom Joh. 3.29 a Husband 2 Cor. 11.2 a Mediator 1 Tim. 2.5 an Advocate 1 Joh. 2. a Brother Heb. 2.12 a Father an everlasting Father Isa 9.6 and there is one more which hath all these in them he is called The Consolation of Israel Luk. 2.25 If Israel have any true consolation it must be from the Lord Jesus Christ if the soul ever have any true comfort it must be from him He finishes the transgression makes an end of sins makes reconciliation for iniquity brings in everlasting righteousness Dan. 9.24 So the titles that are given to the Blessed Spirit of God are all sweet titles The Spirit is called a Remembrancer Joh. 14.26 'T is a sweet thing to have one to put you in mind of every thing So the blessed Spirit is the Recorder in the Church to put the Church in mind of her duty to mind her of the counsels of God and invitations and promises and doctrines and the like The Spirits title is an Helper we know not what to pray for but the Spirit helpeth our infirmities Rom. 8.26 the Spirit is a Teacher 1 Joh. 2.27 the Spirit is a Sanctifier Rom. 1.4 according to the Spirit of holiness Rom. 15.16 she Gentiles were sanctified by the Holy-Ghost 'T is a revealer of deep and hidden things Eph. 1.17 1 Cor. 2.9 10 11 12. Lastly the Spirit is a Comforter Joh. 14.26 he shall send you the Comforter and it 's the best Comforter that we can have So likewise the titles that are given to the
Church of God and to believing souls the Church is called the Temple of God 1 Cor. 3.16 So is every believer the Church is said to be the Lords portion and his treasure Jer. 12.10 So is every believing soul Gods portion and his pleasant portion Again it 's called the ransomed ones Isa 35.10 the ransomed of the Lord. God hath been at great cost and charges to ransome the Church purchased it with his own blood Acts. 20.28 It 's called Christs body and how sweet is it to the thoughts of Saints to think I am a member of Christs own body I am a member of the precious body of the Lord Jesus It 's called Gods beloved Psal 108.6 The dearly beloved of his Soul Jer. 12.10 The Church is the Bride the Lambs wife Rev. 21.9 The Church is the blessed of God and so is every believing soul Isa 61.9 It 's the seed which the Lord hath blessed The other seed is a cursed seed but this seed is a seed which the Lord hath blessed yea blessed with all spiritual blessings in Christ Lastly it 's the glory of God the Church is the glory of God and every believing soul is the very glory of God Isa 4.5 Upon all the glory shall be a defence All true believers they are accounted the glory of God Thus you see there is sweetness in the word But wherein is the word sweeter than Honey and sweeter than the Honey-comb In several particulars First the sweetness of Honey is Natural that of the Word is Divine and Spiritual and look how much spiritual doth exceed natural so much the sweetness of the word doth exceed the sweetness of honey All spiritual things do exceed natural things and the word is from Heaven a divine word a heavenly word and honey is but from the earth Rom. 7.14 The Law is spiritual and the Gospel is spiritual it is the Ministration of the Spirit and Heb. 6.4 and have tasted of the heavenly gift The word is a heavenly gift and it hath heavenly sweetness in it It is sweeter in the taste than any earthly gift whatsoever Secondly The sweetness of the word refresheth the heart of a man so doth not honey honey dont affect the soul it doth affect the pallate and the taste but it dont refresh the heart and the soul but the word doth affect the soul and the heart of a man or woman Psal 110.111 Thy Testimonies are the rejoycing of my heart the Testimonies Statutes and truths of God they do rejoyce the very heart and soul of a man or of a woman and v. 77. Thy Law is my delight and Psal 19.8 The Statutes of the Lord rejoyce the heart when the heart is heavy and sad the word of God will rejoyce it and revive it which all the honey in the world can never do Thirdly Honey and Honey-combs they cannot sweeten bitter afflictions they may sweeten bitter waters or bitter things but they cannot sweeten bitter afflictions But the word of God doth sweeten bitter afflictions and can do that which honey cannot do If a man eat never so much honey it will not sweeten his affliction Psal 119.49 Remember the word unto thy Servant upon which thou hast caused me to hope This is my Comfort in my affliction for thy word hath quickned me The word of God will comfort you in any affliction whatsoever it will sweeten the bitterest waters that can be and so in the 92. v. Unless thy Law had been my delights I should then have perished in mine affliction Men and Women would perish in their afflictions if they had not some word of God to uphold them and to comfort them and in the 54. v. Thy Statutes have been my Songs in the house of my pilgrimage So that they are sweeter than honey and can sweeten any affliction that we meat withall As the bough that was cast into the bitter waters it sweetned them so doth this bough the word of God sweeten the most bitter waters that are Fourthly The Word doth sanctifie all things and makes them sweeter than they were yea the word doth sweeten honey it self 1 Tim. 4.5 Every creature of God is good and nothing to be refused if it be received with thanksgiving for it is sanctified by the Word of God and Prayer Sanctified by the word of God let your mercies be covenant mercies and choice mercies they are sanctified more now by the Word of God They are sanctified by the Word of God and Prayer your very honey which is so sweet is made sweeter when it is sanctified honey by the Word of God and Prayer So that the word of God is sweeter than honey it sweetens all things unto us Fifthly Men may eat too much of honey Prov. 25.27 'T is not good to eat much Honey and in the 16. v. you have the reason of it Hast thou found honey eat so much as is sufficient for thee lest thou be filled therewith and vomit it If you eat too much honey you may vomit it But now for the word of God we can never eat too much of that honey John did eat up the little book Rev. 10. he eat up the whole book So if we should eat up the whole book of God 't would never be too much it will never make us vomit Col. 3.16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly and in the 119. Psal 27. O how I love thy Law it is my Meditation all the day you can never meditate too much in the Law of God nor feed too much upon the promises invitations c. Sixthly Lastly The word is the savour of life unto life so is not honey honey cannot produce life it cannot work in any man a spiritual life but the word is the savour of life unto life it begets life in the soul 't is called the word of life and Phil. 2.16 't is the savour of life of spiritual life yea of eternal life The words that I speak they are spirit and they are life And saith Peter Thou hast the words of eternal life how sweet is life and how sweet is eternal life and the word of God hath this sweetness in it Qu. Now having shown you that the word is sweeter than honey and wherein a question may arise here if the word be so sweet what is the cause that persons taste not the sweetness of it There be many read the word and hear the word but dont taste the sweetness of the word There be several reasons for it An. First Because some have no spiritual taste no spiritual sense We read of Barzillai that said to David when he would have had him gone with him to the Court saith he thy Servant cannot taste what I eat or what I drink so many there be that have no spiritual taste at all in them And where there is no taste all things are alike Cant. 2.3 his fruit was sweet unto my taste the Church had a taste and found sweetness in the
fruit of Christ where there is a spiritual life there is a spiritual taste where there is no spiritual life there is no spiritual taste at all Heb. 5. They had their senses exercised to discern between good and evil some have no spiritual senses they cannot discern between good and evil therefore they find no â—â—etness in the word of God that 's one reason men and women are dead in sins and trespasses and never are quickned with the life of grace Secondly Some have their tastes yet find no sweetness because they have a fullness of other things in them Prov. 27.7 The full soul loatheth an Honey-comb If there be a fulness in us nothing is sweet unto us now men and women are full of several things First some are full of the world Amos 8.5 when will the new moon be gone that we may sell Corn and the Sabbath that we may set forth wheat and the like these were full of the world and so they could not taste of spiritual things Matth. 13.12 He that received among Thorns is he that heareth the word and the care of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the world and he becometh unfruitful Secondly Some are full of conceitedness in Luke 18.11 The Pharisee he was conceited of his own goodness righteousness and doings and the Church of Laodicea she was full and wanted nothing and so could not taste the dainties of the Lord nor the sweetness that was in his Ordinances and his word there was such a fullness in them of their own conceitedness that they wanted nothing Thirdly There is a fullness of errors in many a fullness of opinions Scribes and Pharises they found no sweetness in Christ nor in Christs way they were full of their own opinions errors traditions and false doctrines So many now are full of their own light and the light within that 's all in all unto them and they find no sweetness in Ordinances nor in the means of Grace Fourthly Many yea most are full of creature delights and creature contentments and creature comforts full of sensual pleasures they take so much pleasure in the creature in their outward comforts contentments in their estates and relations in their gifts and parts and things of that nature that they can taste no sweetness in the word of God Thirdly Men taste not the sweetness in the word because of their slighting of the word and hence it is a just Judgment of God to suffer them not to taste the sweetness that is in the word when they made light of the Gospel and the Gospel dainties prepared for them Matth. 22.5 They went away and flighted the invitation to the Gospel feast It is said in Luke 14.24 none of them shall Taste thereof that is none of them shall ever taste the sweetness or goodness therein they might hear but they should taste no sweetness in their hearing and therefore to slight the word of God is a great evil and will hâ—nder persons from tasting the sweetness that is in the word of God Fourthly A fourth reason is that formality that is in the people they come to the Word and Ordinances of God with formal hearts and spirits we come not to the Ordinances as the Ordinances of God we come not to the word as the word of the great God we hear not for time to come we hear not for eternity we hear not as matters of life and death and therefore we dont find that sweetness as they do that hear so Men pray but not in the Spirit serve God but not in Spirit they draw near God with their lips but their hearts are far from him Fifthly And I may add one thing more people dont find sweetness in the word of God because they do nourish some base lust or corruption in their hearts And Peter gives you an intimation of this 1 Pet. 2.1 Wherefore laying aside all malice and all guile and hypocrisie and envies and evil-speakings as new-born babes desire the sincere milk of the word that ye may grow thereby If there be in our hearts such things we shall not taste the sweetness of the sincere milk of the word neither shall we grow thereby so now you see what hinders the tasting of the sweetness of the word Qu. Another question may arise hereupon and that is What should we do to find sweetness in the word of God An. First If you would find sweetness in the word of God get hungry souls Prov. 27.7 To the hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet If we had hungry souls the bitterest truth in all the word of God would be sweet unto us Now there be three things which beget hunger in men and women there 's Fasting Purging and Excercise First If you would have hungry souls you must fast much I dont mean a fasting from bread meat and drink but from sin fasting from pleasures and delights fasting from lawful things of the world 1 Cor. 7.29 The time is short It remaineth that both they that have Wives be as though they had â—one and they that weep as though they wept not and they that rejoyce as though they rejoyced not and they that bay as though they possessed not Fast from your lawful enjoyments from your pleasures delights and contentments and this will breed an appetite to the word of God Secondly Purging we take bitter things to purge us so we should take something to purge our Hearts our Heads and Consciences Be sensible of sin and the bitterness of sin what a bitter and evil thing sin is what danger sin doth involve the soul in and expose it to the wrath of God hell and damnation we should take some pills to mortifie our lusts and then the word of God would be sweet unto us indeed Thirdly Exercise will beget a stomach 1 Tim. 4.7 Exercise thy self to Godliness If men and women did pray much read much meditate much and have their hearts much in Heaven they would have hungry souls after the word of God and find a sweetness in the word of God Joh. 7.17 saith he there If any man will do his will he shall know of the doctrine whether it be of God or whether I speak of my self He shall know whether the Doctrine be not an heavenly Doctrine and a sweet Doctrine he shall taste the sweetness of my Doctrine that I have brought down from my Father if he will do the will of God So that that 's the first thing to get hungry Souls and then we shall reâ—ith the word of God and find sweetness in it Secondly If we would find sweetness in the word of God we should make much Conscience of the Lords time and day and sanctifie the Lords day if we did sanctifie the Lords day as we ought to do we should find sweetness in his Ordinances and sweetness all the week after in his Ordinances and in his word Isa 58.13.14 If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath from doing
and to overtake them to be as great and high and honourable as they to have as great Purchases as they have to have as great Revennues and In-comes as they have but they look not at those that are rich in grace those that are very spiritual and heavenly and Godly and walk close with God and say I would I were like to them and so labour to get more grace and to walk with God as Enoch did for three hundred years together now when it is thus it 's an argument men love the world Ask your own hearts therefore whether it be so or no with you that you are desirous of more and more of the world but are not desirous after more and more of heaven and of God and covetous after the best things Fourthly Ask your hearts what they do find most sweet and content in is it not in the world and the things of the world how sweet and pleasing are they unto our natures but for the things of heaven what are they what are the things of heaven unto you they are like the white of an Egg they are unsavory things to men and women or very little savour in them There be many that say who will shew us any good who will shew us a good bargain who will shew us a good purchase who will shew us any good But Lord saith David do thou lift up the light of thy countenance upon me There was good in that that was sweet unto him the light of Gods countenance Psal 34.8 Taste and see that the Lord is good the Lord is good and the Lord is sweet to my soul and he would have others taste how good the Lord is to have the favour of God communion with God peace with God joy in the Holy Ghost oh these have a sweet taste and relish to a gracious heart and soul Others say who will shew us any good Corn and Wine and Oyl Pleasures and Profits and the like these are pleasing to them and as for spiritual and heavenly things they are notions and shaddows and they make small account of them but a gracious soul he finds it as in the 19. Psal The Statutes of the Lord are right saith David Rejoycing the heart his Crown and Kingdom did not so rejoyce his heart as God's Statutes did and v. 10. More are they to be desired than Gold yea than much fine Gold sweeter also than Honey and the Honey-comb Give me Gold say some Gold Gold but saith David the Statutes of God they are more desirable than fine Gold the choicest Gold they are sweeter than Honey and the Honey-comb Honey is sweet but the Honey-comb the Honey that runs out of it self out of the Honey-comb that 's sweetest of all now saith he they are sweeter than Honey and the Honey-comb Now what sweetness do your souls find in these things In the 3. Mal. 14. What profit is it say they that we have walked mournfully before the Lord of Hosts we find no profit in this serving of God and in being much in prayer and reading and meditation and holy conference in hearing and worshipping of God We find no profit in it what profit is it To such men Gain is Godliness but to a gracious heart any thing of God is sweet and great gain Qu. Fifthly put this question to your hearts heart dost thou not use questionable and unlawful means to get the world and neglect lawful means and unquestionable means that would get heaven and get spiritual things Many do use things questionable and means questionable and unlawful too to get the world you have it in the 1 Thess 4.6 That no man go beyond anâ— defraud his Brother in any matter because that the Lord is the avenger of all such dont men go beyond others and defraud others to get the world oppress or over-reach them as the word signifies they have a deep insight into things and they will over-reach a man that 's simple and labour to wring from them and draw from them that so they may encrease their estates these love the world so in the 8. Amos 5. saith he They do falsifie the ballances by deceit when men do falsifie the haslances have false weights false wayes false lights it 's an argument they love the world and the things of the world that will hazzard their souls to get the world and grate upon their own Consciences for if ever their Consciences be awakened they will speak and accuse and condemn for such practices This is a manifest argument of loving the world if we can use questionable means and unlawful means and then neglect the means that are unquestionable and very lawful God hath appointed means to get Grace Prayer Meditating hearing the Word searching the Scriptures these are means that are unquestionable and will bring in gain whereas the other are questionable and unlawful means Qu. Sixthly put this question to your souls Soul dost thou not affect notions and learning and wisdom of words and parts and gifts and things of this nature All these things are of the world and how are mens fancies tickled with these and affected and taken with these Humane Learning Fathers and Latine Greek Hebrew and Authors how it pleases some men which shews they are but carnal natural and worldly as Paul saith 1 Cor. 2.4 My Speech and my Preaching was not with the enticing words of mans wisdom but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power that your faith should not stand in the wisdom of Men but in the power of God The faith of such men stands in the wisdom of men he is a brave Orator he is a Learned man and he hath singular notions and expressions and these things please them and so they have a faith that stands in the wisdom of men but now as for the simplicity of the Gospel and plain wholsom truths these are hardly welcome to them Now that which is of God is plain and spiritual and the more spiritual any truth is the more welcome to a gracious heart but the more spiritual it is the less acceptable to that man whose heart loves the world because it strikes at his carnalness and his corruptions So that ask your hearts that question Qu. Seventhly Lastly put this question to your hearts whether thou art not more griev'd and troubled for the loss of outward things worldly things then thou art for the loss of spiritual things or the removal of spiritual things many mourn bitterly for Relations Husband taken away a Wife taken away Children taken away Estate taken away how they mourn and weep and hang down their heads and forsake their dyet and take to their Chambers and Beds and will not be comforted many times But if a Godly Minister be taken away Ordinances taken away Sabbath taken away Meetings taken away these things dont much trouble them Now it 's an argument that we love the world when we can be affected so with the loss of these