forme and matter to furnish our prayers if wee will bee heard some thinke 't is enough to say the words but therein may be the sacrifice of fooles and vaine babling of hypocrites The more excellent the worke is the more prudently it ought to bee performed here is great fruit or danger let us therefore seriously marke the conditions of prayer which must be 1. In true faith without doubting Whatsoever yee aske in prayer beleeving yee shall receave it which hee that doubteth cannot Jam 1. 6. 7. the prayer of faith shall save the sicke 2. In fervency of spirit it is a spirituall incense and must have the heavenly fire of zeale to make it an ascending sweet savour to God as was shadowed out in the Leviticall incense and the whole burnt offerings which they called ascensions which could not be offered without fire nor might with any but that which came from heaven the fervency of Gods owne spirit in us The effectuall fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much But he that asketh drowsily fearefully and diffidently cannot obtaine because he distrusteth Gods power mercy or truth and let me tell the secure man here he that is cold and negligent to performe this duty in health peace prosperity shall hardly be confident of audience in sicknesse affliction 3. In the spirit I will pray with the spirit and I will pray with the understanding also that is with hearty and intent devotion to God who looketh on my thoughts and heareth the petitions which his own spirit dictated I will pray to my own and others understanding who joyne with me in prayer without this we offer the sacrifice of fooles not knowing or intending what we say nor can the present conception or saying prayers by roat of heart make them spirituall if the spirit and inward man pray not and with this inward sense and intention of the minde set formes of prayers may also be praying in the spirit wee read many formes in the holy Scripture Aaron and his sonnes were prescribed a forme of blessing the people The Lord blesse thee and keep thee the Lord make his face to shine upon thee and be gratious unto thee the Lord lift up his countenance upon thee and give thee peace And doubtlesse Aaron and his sonnes did as often as occasion served pray the same prayer in the spirit and intention of minde and were heard of God in the solemne fasts the Prophet saith let the Priests the ministers of the Lord say spare thy people O Lord and give not thine heritage to reproach and I doubt not but the Priests using those very words as we now may did pray effectually and in the spirit The Psalmes are many of them set formes of prayers and thankesgivings endited on severall occasions and appointed for the Churches use and surely as David and others used them though set formes to God's glory and sang them in the spirit and so doe we and why shall I not beleeve that Paul did sing these same Psalmes as he saith I will sing with the spirit and will sing with the understanding also and intimate the singing of the same by us with grace in our hearts to the Lord I finde no precept for singing or praiing ex tempore I finde many prayers of the Saints recorded in holy writ for what Except to teach us imitation Above all is that sacred form which Christ intreated to teach his disciples to pray taught them and us we have no Scripture obliging us to conceaved prayers intimating them only to be spirituall or prohibiting set formes as not spirituall we have expresse Scripture for set formes The most spirituall prayer is that which is so indited and by the Spirit helping our infirmities so uttered that therein our hearts and mindes be attentive to God's holy presence and that which we pray this may bee in the heart without words uttering it or in words conceived written and red for the spirit of God as well worketh in writing as speaking as appeareth in his dictating the Scriptures nor is the writing of prayer to be read any more a restraining the Holy Ghost or straitning it then the writing of the Scriptures to be read Nor can any man reasonably thinke that Gods will is to endite holy prayers by the inspiration of his Spirit which might not be as well read as spoken or which 't was lawfull once or sometimes to use but no more or not alwaies on occasion seeing Christ three times together prayed the same words and said When ye pray say Our Father which art in heaven c. on two severall occasions prescribing the same form it skilleth not if we pray in spirit whether the eie by reading the memory by exhibiting spirituall habits and impresses of the soule or the inventioÌ„ do furnish the tongue with praior though herein mans frailty be very considerable whose industry in studying to pray as well as to preach for the peoples edification I shall believe God equally blesseth by the assistance of his spirit infirmities all men are conscious of who is sufficient for these things he that prayeth may have some failings now the more solicitous he is of words form for their sakes who heare him pray probably the lesse attentive his thoughts are to God so that he may endanger the life vigour efficacie or substance of prayer by reaching after a circumstance without which it might be a truly spirituall and acceptable prayer for who can deny but that the Lords prayer or any other set form in holy Scripture or elswhere endited by the spirit of God assisted by the same faithfully said in the silent language of the heart or in words pronounced before men is a spirituall prayer who can reasonably affirme that without the attention of the mind or in case of deviation wandring thereof any conceived prayer can be spirituall either to him that heareth saith amen or to the speaker so that if a set form of prayer be endited by the assistance of God's spirit which is to be examâ—ned tried by its consent with the holy Scripture repeated by the assistance of the same spirit 〈◊〉 â—â—derstaÌ„ding intentioÌ„ of the soule it is to God a spiritualâ— prayer to our sense it must be so except we will examine prayers by the eie for who behind a curtain could discern the difference between a new prayer conceived ex tempore or penned read 4. With a sincere heart they who pray to be heard of men have their reward they who under colour of long prayers devouer widowes houses shall have it among hypocrits The Emblem of prayer was an heart upon an alter a broken heart is a sacrifice to God but it must be sincere prayer is the soules incense Rev 8. 4. which was to bee made pure and holy Exod 30. 35. attend unto my prayer that goeth not
holy â—host dwelling in him and cleansing his heart to entertaine him as t is written yee are the temples of the living God 2. Cor 6. 16. 2 The holy Ghost proceeding of the Father and the Sonne is truly God See Act 5. 3 4 1. Cor 3 16. 1. Cor 6. 19. 1. Cor 12. 4 5 6. 2. Cor 6. 16. Isaâ— 6. 19. Act 28 25. Therefore we are commanded to baptize in the name of the Father Sonne and holy Ghost Math 28. 19. So the Apostle 2. Cor 13. 13. in his prayer uniteth the three persons it appeareth that he is God by his effectuall working he regenerateth Joh 3. 6. sanctifieth teacheth us all truth Joh 14. 21. 26. sealeth up our redemption Ephes 1. 13. he giveth utterance to his speakers Math 10. 20. dictateth the holy Scriptures 2. Pet. 1. 21. he appointeth overseers of the Church Act 20. 28. foretelleth things to come 1. Tim 4. 1. which is an evident argument of his Godhead 3 The holy Ghost is essentially in God the Father and the Sonne and so proceedeth of them not as a part of them for no infinite hath parts and he is equally God with the Father and Sonne nor as parting from them nor as the creatures are in God which are not of his substance and being though in him they live move and have their being but hee is of the same eternity substance power and Majestie in the unity of the Deity His proceeding is spoken of in Scripture Joh 15. 26. Whether we speake of his essentiall eternall proceeding or of that admirable effusion of his graces on men in ordinary or extraordinary gifts Act 2. 2. Gal 4. 6. these three are one 4 Though the holy Ghost be one in the unity of the Godhead with the Father and the Sonne yet is he a distinct person from them both for though the Father be a spirit and the Son a spirit according to his Deity and both are most holy yet neither are called the holy spirit which is a peculiar name to the third person of the blessed Trinity 1 Be not overcurious to search into the being of the holy Trinity but examine thy selfe whether the holy spirit dwell in thee or not Whether thy heart be purified from those unhallowed thoughts and desires of corrupt â—lesh and blood Whether thou hast the love of God shead abroad in thy heart as also true charity to all men for God's sake Whether the holy Ghost testifie to thy spirit that thou art a sonne of God Rom 8. 15. 16. teach thee to cry abba father help thy infirmities and endite thy prayers 2 Grieve not the holy spirit with which thou art sealed up to the day of redempt oÌ„ Eph 4. 30. doe not that which may make him depart from thee hurt or greiue thy selfe or the saints in whom he liveth 3 Be sure thou walke according to and by the guidance of the holy Ghost that thou maist be assured thou art in Christ Rom 8. 1. that the spirit of him who raised up Jesus from the dead dwelleth in thee and quickneth thy mortall body to the life of grace That thou art led by that spirit and art indeed a sonne of God A man that had seene those Palestine Kine going straight to Bethshemesh with the the Arke of God would have thought there must be some supernaturall power therein so when we see men going the way of God contrary to the affections of â—lesh blood we may certainely conclude that God's spirit ruleth there CHAP. VII § 1. Concerning the Catholike Church § 2. Conclusions belonging hereto § 3. Rules observable 1 AFter our meditation on the holy Trinity a due order of confession requireth that wee should thinke of the Chuch as the sacred Temple thereof because his beleefe and confession is vaine who is not of this Church nor can be possibly be a sonne of God who is not of this Church This is the pillar and ground of truth 1. Tim. 3. 15. as bearing the light to direct men to salvation the Keeper of the Oracles of God Rom 3. 2. Rom 9. 4. not that the truth of God is subjected to the authority of men but because it useth mans ministry the Gospell is not proved but approved by the testimony and authority of the Church in which it not so much receiveth as it giveth the Church credit and a sure marke of distinction 2 Though we are to beleeve in God the Father Sonne and holy Ghost we are to beleeve the Church not in the Church as God we beleeve an holy Catholike Church wee beleeve the chiefe pillars thereof the Prophets and Apostles we beleeve not in them as we doe in the foundation Christ we beleeve their words to be the infallible dictates of him in whom wee beleeve and looke for salvation 3 The Catholike Church is a peculiar company of men predestinate to eternall life called and incorporated into Christ their head wherefore she is the body Colos 1. 18. the slock and shepheard of Christ the Lord's sloore which he came to purge Math 3. 12. his Vineyard and pleasant plant Isay 5. the Arke in which we are saved 1. Pet 3. 21. the Spouse and sacred bride of Christ the Temple of God fouÌ„taine of truth house of faith and the holy City 4 This Church as God elected and redeemed by the blood of his holy sonne Jesus so he called her by his spirit working powerfully on the use of the word preached and Sacraments administred he sanctifieth her and governeth her duly is she his and therefore holy because his who maketh her so Holy by Christ's imputed righteousnesse and that which his spirit worketh in her however blacke yet comely Cant 1. 5. an holy nation a chosen people 1. Pet 2. 9. this holinesse is inchoative in this life she is now throughs many infirmities like Jacobsâ—lock â—lock at Padan Aram all spotted shee shall bee without spot or wrinckle in the life to come 5. This Church is Catholike or universall in respect of 1. Time she hath beene in all ages God hath still and will have his Church here untill the number of the elect being finished she shall be triumphant in heaven 2. Persons in it are some of all sorts conditions and degrees male and female rich and poore honourable and obscure God is no respecter of persons though he set in order and appoint the distinctions for and with men 3. She is Catholicke in respect of place because she is spread over all the world and gathered from all parts under the Gospell 4. Lastly it is called Catholicke to distinguish it from particular congregations or Churches of one denomination as the Church of Jerusalem Antioch Corinth England France c. For the better understanding hereof consider these conclusions 1. The Church of God in respect of her extent is either Catholike or particular and
179. l 11. had perished 204. l. 8. strings of musiâ—all ib. l. 23. therefore 1 in every ib. l. 26. ease of sorrows 213. l. 1. haâ—e some remission 216. l. 6. so Haman 229. l. 12. in any creature may be defeated p. 246. l 4. who cannot give 249. l. 24. his posterity ib. l. 29. repaire 252. l. 11. the same speâ—ch as reason 259. l. 12. seasonable 260. l. 16. his by just meanes 261. l. 31. themselves heires thereof 268. l 31. for or by any 273. l. 16. see thee impious 288. l. 19. there is compulsion 295. l. 19. to foment discord 296. l 14. with discretion 300. l. 18. did I desire a son 306. l. 33. or fatherly 307. l. 6. is no easier The prudent Reader may be pleased to amend other light slips and mispointings as the sense requireth A GVIDE TO THE HOLY CITY c. CHAP. 1. Concerning the necessity of a Christians aiming at a right end in all his actions 1 THere is an end of every action and intention which as the rudder of the ship though it come last is first purposed and guideth â—he whole course 2 By the instinct of Nature every thing worketh to some end which shewes is the perfection thereof to which what ever is not conducing is uselesse especiaâ—ly reasonable creatures who have Will and Preëlection among them they propose to themselves more divine and excellent ends of their desires and actions who understand the cheife good to be attained true and â—ternall blessednesse in Christ are regenerate and repaired by the holy Spirit and wisdome of God 3 In every undertaking propose some certaine end and before thou enterprise examin that diligently run not on at adventure as children use in some unknown path till they loose themselves but carefully look to what end the way thou takest â—eadeth thee consider seriously what danger or profit is therein who knowes not that the end of sin cannot be happy because there remaineth something after it And that the end of the just man shall be peace at last The cause why so many run the broad way to destruction and so few the strait to eternall life must principally be want of a due forecasting what will be the end of that they doe fixing their hearts on the present evill which pleaseth them they regard not the misery which followeth their tasting the forbidden fruit but for its sake wilfully shut their eyes against their dangers or seeing and thinking them much lesse or the recovery more easie they desperatly venture in vaine hope of repentance and pardon and on the other part beeing too sensible of the difficulties which beset the way to heaven they doe not enough consider their future blessednesse and therefore either faint in their trialls their heart saying with prophane Esau Lo I am almost dead what is then this birthright to me Or doting on this world resolve to settle their affections hereon this is the Jazer and Gilead which they would were their portion 4 The supreame and best end of all is Gods glorie into which ocean all desires and actions of the reasonable creature must emptie themselves subordinate hereto is the true blessednesse of the elect in the fruition of God the fountaine of all good in the life to come which naturall men mistaking sought in pleasures riches and such things as the world adoreth whereas indeed all those things if they could have met in one man should have come as short of making him truly happy as the intended top of Babel would have been from landing the builders in heaven 5 The way to this end is true holinesse that is faith ad obedience the end of the Commandement without faith apprehending Christ for our justification no workes are more acceptable to God then Cains sacrifice the sacrifice of the wicked Whatsoever is not of faith is sinne And without obedience there is no justifying faith Faith without workes is dead it saith as once barren Rahel give me Children or I die 6 That which we are to beleeve and obey is the infallible truth of God the first and second trueth God and his oracles and his will concerning our salvation sufficient to make a man wise there to revealed in his word the word and testimonie of man may be the ground of opinion which is of things probable but faith can stand on nothing but the word of God which is infallibly certaine and can have no falshood in it because he cannot ly this is contained in the bookes of the Old and New Testament this is a sure word 2. Pet. 1. 16. 19. for it was indited by the Spirit of God 2. Tim 3 16. 2. Pet 1 21 the same is the rule of obedience like the clowdie Pillar leading Israël into their promised rest Num 14 14 and the star to lead the wise men to Christ Math 2 9 whosoever will be saved must follow this guid hee that walketh without this gâ—eth like those Israëlites Num 14 40 to the Mountaine of the Canaanites to their own destruction for the Lord is not with him 7 That which is the object of faith is comprehended in the Creed which is the summe of the Gospell our obedience to God is set downe in the Law the summe whereof is love to God and to our neighbours Luk 10 27 28 The Prayer MOst gratious and most holy Lord God who dwelling in unaccessible light of Majestie and glory hast yet been pleased to manifest thy infinite power and unsearchable wisdome in all thy creatures especially those who thou hast created to thine own image to praise and glorifie thee in their eternall participation of thy divine blessednesse Give us true wisdome to consider the end for which thou hast made us make us truely understand that thy glory is incomparably better then all the creatures and our salvation then all the world Lord open our eyes that we sleep not in death let not the transitory dreames of this present life beguile us let not the malitious temper so prevaile upon our infirmities as â—o cause us sâ—curely to run on in the easie way to destruction but gratious Lord as thou hast appointed the end our eternall life so be pleased to dispose the meanes which may lead us thereto Thou canst as easily make us holy as command us to be so Lord therefore make us such as thou hast commanded us to be make us faithfull to beleeve in thee and obedient to serve and please thee as thou hast in thy great and tender mercy given thy holy word to be a light and true guid unto us so blessed Lord give us of the same spirit by which it was endited which may lead us into all truth and holinesse and these daies of sinne being ended into that holy and blessed inheritance which thou hast prepared for all those whâ—m thou hast elected to eternall
life and salvation through JESUS CHRIST our onely Saviour and Redeemer to whom with thee and the holy Ghost be all honour and glory ascribed in heaven and earth henceforth and for ever AMEN CHAP II. Of Religion and Faith § 1 Of true Religion wherein it consisteth § 2 Of Faith and those things which concerne the same THere is no nation so inhumane and barbarous but it pretendeth to some religion and worship divine Satan cannot put out all the light of conscience still there is a slender remainder which sheweth the very wicked that there is a God therefore he hath ever laboured to beguile men with false religions or corruptions of the true 2 True Religion is the right worship of the true God in imitation of his holinesse all other worship not agreeing with his revealed will is profanation and irreligion this is life eternall to know God and whom he hath sent Jesus Christ. He that will with such knowledge come unto him must beleeve that he is no man hath seen Gods essence that is greater then any finite apprehension so that we walke by faith not sight and therefore Christ when he had assumed a visible nature for the worke of our redemption would not long be conversant on earth in his publike ministry that our salvation might not be in sense but beleeving and blessed are they which have not seene and have beleeved 3 Concerning faith these things are considerable 1. What it is 2. Whence it is 3. Whose it is 4. How necessary it is 5. How excellent it is 6. Of what measure it is 7. What we must doe concerning it 8. What is the object thereof 1 Faith is the evidence of things not seene and the substance of that we hope for it is a grace and guift of Gods spirit whereby we assent to the word of God and apply the promises thereof to our selves it cannot be forced it is wrought in our minde by perswasion not compulsion faith is by hearing this is the unchangeable rule thereof one and the same forever 2 Faith is the worke of Gods spirit in us applying the promises bearing witnesse with our spirit that we are the children of God opening the hearts of hearers to the word preached and Sacraments administred Paul may plant and Apollos water but except God give the encrease who shall beleeve their report The naturall man perceiveth not the things of the spirit neither can he without a spirituall eie they shall seeme foolishnesse to him so that Paul and Apollos are but the ministers by whom we beleeve as the Lord gives to every man 3 All have not faith many talk of it and professe it but as the heathens among the multitude of their Gods made Faith a Goddesse and were farre from beleeving in God faith here intended is the White stone with a new name written which no man knoweth save he that receiveth it a peculiar of the elect as many as were ordained to eternall life beleeved the seale and earnest of the spirit of promise therefore though we are taught to say our father give us forgive us yet in profession of our faith we say I beleeve in God c. we must pray one for another but every man must beleeve for himselfe 4 The necessitie of faith appeareth in that 1 the just shall live by it Heb 2. 4. 2. By faith onely we are justified Rom 3. 28. 3. Without Faith it is impossible to please God whatsoever is not of faith is sin 4. God hath appointed this meanes for us to take hold on the merits of Christ that we may be saved 5 The excellency of faith is in that it apprehendeth that is Christ and in him the unspeakable treasure of Gods mercy peace of conscience reconciliation with God remission of our sinnes indemnity from the guilt and punishment thereof justification sanctification in fine all things which concurre to the accomplishment of an happy man it is the rocke against which the gates of hell shall not prevaile the shield against the spirituall enimie it stiled Abraham Gods freind and us his sonnes it is the sanctuary of a troubled spirit the first fruits of the heavenly Paradise the effect and cause of illumination the eye which enlightneth the conscience if we beleeve we shall understand commendable is that faith which beleeveth that all the word of God is true and to be obeyed before it understandeth the particulars faith made Noah an Arke to preserve mankinde in gave Abraham possession of Canaan it hath subdued kingdomes wrought righteousnes obtained the promises stopped the mouthes of Lyons quenched the violence of fire delivered from the sword made men strong of weake and valiant in battle it is the doore keeper of heaven it lets in the theeâ—e from the crosse the Bathsheba which can have no repulse Whatsoever yee aske if yee beleeve yee shall receive it it is in effect all the world all things are yours the world and life were made for the Saints it is that one thing with which we have all things without which nothing it giveth us confident entrance to God and salvation of our selves through Jesus Christ. 6 The measures of true faith are divers yet sufficient to every one to salvation as 't is written he that gathered much had no superfluity and he that gathered little had no want In all ages God gave some great and eminent measures of faith as to the Prophets Apostles and Martyâ—s not that they should by their greater faith obtaine greater salvation then we who have received a farre lesse measure but because God appointed them to encounter greater tryalls to his honour and that the example of their constancie might be helpfull to our infirmitie as in the body of man there are veines sinewes flesh and bones to strenghthen all these not that the bones have more life then these so is the mysticall body of Christ 't is certaine that weake faith may lay sure hold on Christ and therefore be a saving faith yea the power of God is perfected in mans infirmitie to conclude it is not the merit of faith but of Christ apprehended by faith which saveth us so God crowneth his owne gifts in us 7 We must 1 examine our faith 2. Use the ordinance of God for the attaining it as hearing the word and receiving the sacraments praying c. They best know what need we have of frequent examination of our selves herein who are deeply sensible of their owne wants to them who are deluded with false lights tentations of security there appeareth no want either of faith in them selves or examination of their faith That we may examine profitably we must knowe there is a common faith which reprobates may have and it is
understanding there are many Concerning which we must hold First That the essentiall properties of God are all really the one essence of God for there is nothing in God which is not God there is no accident in him a man hath wisedome power justice but not of himselfe not ever not infinitely neither as his essence for the wisedome power justice c. of a man are not man but whatever is in God is of God and his eternall essence of himselfe subsisting independently inseparably neither are they after his essence but coeternall and coessentiall though they have not alwaies beene declared to the creatures so his wisedome and omnipotency was from all eternity though they were not manifested till that time he had appointed for the creation of the world wherein he made men and Angels witnesses thereof the same is to be understood of his other properties mercy justice patience c. Secondly That these properties are not parts of Gods essence for that which is infinite hath no parts and that which hath parts cannot be infinite but every essentiall property is the being of God who is indivisible and truly one Thirdly The essentiall properties of the deity are inseparable and incommunicable so that no creature can become a deity or have such an essence as is infinite omnipotent omnipresent c. Fourthly Some things absolutely spoken of God are in the abstract to intimate his selfe-being as when we say he is life wisedome goodnesse c. Some things in the concrete to import to us the reallity of his existence as when we say he is good just holy c. in both we understand that whatsoever is attributed to him herein is the essence of God Fifthly We are taught in Gods Word that he is an uncreated Spirit of selfe-being infinite perfect eternall immense immutable everlasting life it selfe infinitely blessed wise omniscient good gracious loving mercifull just true holy omnipotent freely and by his owne independent power doing whatsoever he will in heaven and in earth and all creatures of infinite glory and majesty 4. The foole hath said in his heart there is no God none but the foole can think so considering 1. What we reade in the booke of Nature where that which may be knowne of God is manifest Rom. 1. 19. the admirable forme masse making preservation of the world with the diversities and perpetuities of motions demonstrate a present God whence could all these things at first come who set that admirable order and constant lawes who reduced those vast and discordant seeds of this great fabricke of the world into the harmony which still preserveth it can any man thinke of an effect without a cause thou wilt say how shall we know that God made this who saw him creating why if thou seest an house thou canst easily conclude it had some builder if none but the builders were privy to it and wilt thou not believe Gods worke except thou see him that all see this none can Whatsoever thou canst see is not God Neither let this seeme strange that he is invisible thou feelest the stormy winds thou believest they are winds without the testimony of thine eies thou knowest thou canst not see them thou thinkest speakest movest and livest by thy soule didst thou ever see it if thou canst not see the creatures part of thy selfe wouldst thou examine thy invisible Creatour with carnall eies with what sense canst thou apprehend a spirit The eye cannot see him except hee be coloured the eare cannot receive him except he bee some sound the feeling cannot perceive him except he be a body hee might therefore needs passe by thee as Job said and thou not see him being obvious to no sense and above and more pure then any created understanding Thou wilt say all these things are by nature such And what is nature but the ordinary power of God Which when he pleaseth he dispenseth with parting the red sea smiting the rock and bringing the fountaines thence dividing Jordan restraining the Babylonish sier and the like that all may know that he only is Lord of the creaturs who but spake and they were made whose will is his word and his word his worke Thou seest the heavens incessantly and without any rest turning about day and night in uniforme and unwearied motion who could have set up and furnished those admirable starres and planets with a never-failing light who could move them thus but a God of infinite power thou seest and treadest on this vast ball of earth hanging in the midst of heavens which turne about it who could substaine it but God thou seest the sea ebbing and flowing the wonders of the deepe on earth the plants and flowers keeping the first law of their creation preserved by a kind of mortall immortality dying and reviving as it were in a yearly resurrection who can do the least of these things amongst all the creatures where is he in heaven or earth can imitate these things which can give life to the poorest fly when thou hast considered all thou shalt know that none but a stupid foole can thinke there is no God 2 If we consider the testimonie of mans own conscience trembling at the apprehension of suddaine dangers stormes earthquakes thunders as Caligula was wont feare of death sheweth an Atheist the same if there be nothing after death nor God to punish the wicked what art thou afraid of 3 If we consider the punishments of the wicked in this life so following sinnes that it appeareth no fortuitous hand or chance that strooke them but the all-seeing just God so fitting his rods to mens sinnes that the punishment pointeth out the crime so in Sodoms unnaturally burning lust punished with a supernaturall shower of fire and brimstone so in Pharoahs drowning Adonibezecks cruelty requited with the like it were too long to recite all the remarkable instances of this kinde wherein the consciences of wicked men convincing them they have confessed with those Egyptianâ—orcerers â—orcerers this is the singer of God 4 If we consider the constancy of the Martyres suffering death where sometimes the casting one graine of incense upon an alter might have saved their lives they constantly resolving we will not serve your Gods our God whom we serve is able to deliver us When they endure such varieties of torments under the wearied hands of tormenters in hope of that which God hath promised them who suffer for his truth we may certainly conclude that neither the consent of so many nor the perseverance of dying men would be vaine or disâ—embled and that patience it selfe could never have willingly endured such tortures without the admirable assistance of God 5 If we consider predictions of things to come and their certaine fulfilling in the appointed time and manner who but God
thee Lord despise not as I have justly deserved thine owne handy worke but mercifully repaire all my decayes it is indeed life everlasting to know thee and thy Sone Iesus but none can know thee but those to whome thou pleasest to reveale thy selfe Lord open mine eies that I sleepe not in death shew the light of thy countenance upon mee make mee to know thee in a comfortable participation of thy grace and communion of thy holy and sanctifying spirit that I may worship thee aright by serving thee sincerely take off the vaile from my heart in the reading and hearing thy holy word which testefieth thee give mee a constant assurance of thy gratious favour toward me and a comfortable sense of thy presence ever with me that in all my thoughts words and actions I may ever set my selfe in thy holy presence and walke with thee in purity of heart and sanctimony of life assure me of my interest in thee that I may in life and death depend upon thy fatherly providence that I may know that thou art my God my Saviour and mercifull preserver Lord thou art neere every one of us in thee we live move have our being Thou passest by us and we see thee not thou art about all our paths knowest all our waies the words we speak what ever we doe and the secrets of our hearts specially thou art neere unto them that call upon thee in truth thou wilt not conceale thy selfe from those who faithfully seeke thee and thy saving health which seeing none can doe except thou draw them Lord finde us that we may seeke thee and seeking finde thee Draw us with thy preventing grace that wee may follow thee and supply us with that strength that wee may not seeke thee in vaine good Lord manifest thy selfe and reveale thy will to us that doing it faithfully we may at last with all thy Saints and holy Angells enjoy thy blessed presence wherein is the fulnesse of joy for ever and ever through thy only sonne our Saviour JESUS CHRIST AMEN CHAP. IV. Of that which we are to beleeve concerning § 1. Iesus Christ Gods only sonne our Lord. § 2. Conceived by the holy Ghost § 3. Borne of the Virgin Mary THis is a sweet and comfortable part of our Creed and hath excellent promises annexed to it when Peter confessed Christ to be the sonne of the living God Christ replied upon this Rock will I build my Church and the gates of Hell shall not prevaile against it that is this confession shall be an unmoved foundation of them that beleeve All that beleeve in him shall receive remission of sinnes Act 10. 43. So Paul said to the Gâ—aler Act 16. 31. Beleeve in the Lord Jesus and thou shalt be saved and all thy houshold and that upon excellent ground for God dwelleth in true beleevers 1. Joh. 4. 15. and the confession hereof maketh the Church of God as the blood of Paschal Lambe did the doores of Israel that the destroyer might not enter as the red clew did Rahabs house distinguishing it from the rest of perishing Jerico 2 In the Articles of our faith wee finde foure titles of our Saviour 1. Jesus 2. Christ. 3. God's only Sonne 4. our Lord. 1 This name Jesus in the Hebrew Jehoscua a Saviour which the Greeks rendred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and other languages Jesus signifieth his office which was to save his people from sin and death eternall it was preâ—igured in the type which bare his name Joshua to whom the leading of Israël into Canaan and the division of the inheritance was received Moses stood on Pisga and shewed the people the holy land But Joshua led them in the law shewed us heaven and the holy way to it but it brought nothing to perfection by reason of our infirmity Rom 8. 3. but Jesus Christ condemned sinne in the flesh that the righteousnesse of the law might be fulfilled in us and wee bee saved in him so all the Prophets give testimony to him that as I noted through his name all that beleeve in him shall receive remission of sinnes for the chastisement of our peace was upon him and with his stripes we are healed This name was given him by the father and brought from heaven by the Angell Gabriel thou shalt call his name Jesus he is the only Saviour Neither is there salvation in any other for among men there is given none other name under heaven whereby we must be saved He only is able perfectly to save them that come unto God by him So often then as wee heare of this sweet name Jesus we must remember all the comforts through him acrewing to us that in no affliction nor death it selfe we despaire seeing that he beareth not that name in vaine 2 The second title of the Sonne of God is Christ which signifieth annointed as also the name Messiah doth The Law and custome was to ancient Kings Priests and Prophets Exod 9. 7. 30. 30. 23. 24. and therefore is Christ eminently and above all others called the Lords Christ or annointed Psal 45 7. Isai 6. 1. Luk 4. 18. Act 10. 38. Kings and Priests thus annoited were types of Christ the annointed not with bodily oile compounded of Mirrhe Calamus and Cassia but with the spirit of God which he receaved without measure as a fountaine to derive graces to others he was appointed of God to this triple office to bee a King to governe and preserve his people a Priest for ever who was once for our redemption the Priest sacrifice and altar first to offer up himselfe a sufficient sacrifice to expiate the sinne of the world and then to mediate and appeare before God for us as the great Master of requests to present our petitions to get us audience by his never-dying merit as t is said his blood speaketh better things for us then the blood of Abel that cryed for revenge this for pardon and attonement And lasâ—â—y he was appointed a Prophet to reveale and teach us his fathers will for that kingly Priesthood and holy kingdome in which consisteth our eternall peace and happinesse was to be established by the Scepter of his word and vertue of his holy spirit with which he was annointed his annointing as a Prophet importeth that he who is in the bosome of the father eternall God took on him an humane nature annointed with the fulnesse of the spirit that he might reveale to us the will of his father concerning our redemption and salvation and thereby manifest that great mystery which had been hid from the beginning of the world in darke shadowes and representations untill the fulnesse of time so preaching peace to them a far off and to them that were neere and that he might effectually teach us by his holy spirit and ministry of the word and sacraments unto the
end of the world assisting it with his owne spirit in the speakers and faithfull hearers The subject of this annointing was the manhood of Christ made the full storehouse of Grace The spirituall oyle we must understand not of the essentiall properties of the Godhead as omnipresence infinitude uncircumscribednesse and the like for these are incommunicable in respect of the incapacity of the creature but certaine created gifts and graces placed in the humane nature The deity of Christ is infinite and therefore nothing can be added thereto neither was that nature annointed by any such addition though the person of Christ consisting of two natures was annointed and eternally consigned to the office of a mediatour as Athanasius proved against the Arians which being laid downe it may appeare that however men confesse Christ in word yet they deny him in deeds who 1. say his humane nature is omnipresent 2. Who attribute that kingly office which is peculiar to Christ to any other pretended Vicar generall or the like 3. Who depend on any other or pretend to any other Priesthood and proper expiatory sacrifice for the living and dead then the Priesthood and once sufficient expiatory sacrifice of Christ for our redemption once offered 4. Who obtrude traditions of men for his doctrine who ought to be our teacher in whose ipse dixit we must rest equalling them with the word of God 5. Who appoint other mediatours of intercession contrary to his word 1. Tim 2. 5. which saith there is one God and one mediator betweene God and men the man Christ Jesus 6. Who joine mens merits with the merits of Christ for their salvations 7. Who walke not worthy of their high calling in Christ but content themselves with the bare names of Christians whereas to be so maketh happy if thou hast indeed received the holy annointing thou shalt be a spirituall king to rule over and subdue thy corrupt affections a spirituall Priest to offer up sweet smelling sacrifices to God that will like that box of pretious oyntment powred on Christ fill all the house with the savour thereof all the faculties of body and soule shall relish of Christ it shall enlighten thy understanding make sin loathsome to thee and comfort and cheere thee in all estates this is the oyle of gladnesse when the Eunuch had but a litle touch thereof he went rejoycing home so constant and solid that it maketh men rejoce in afflictions and that they are counted worthy to suffer for the name of Christ. 3 The third title is his only sonne We are here to consider two things 1 That Christ is the son of God 2. That he is the only Sonne 1 We are in two relations to consider Christ as he is a Son he is of the father begotten not made as the raies are of the Sunne only we must take heed that we fix not on any finite thing further then it may serve to bring home to our finite understanding some notions of infinites this mystery is without and above all comparison as he is God he is of himselfe neither begotten nor proceeding for as the essence of the Father is its own selfe-being so is the Godhead of the Sonne for they are not divers Godheads or beings but one and the same but as he is the Sonne he is of the Father as light of light very God of very God 2 The Sonne is of the same substance with the Father and the deity of the Father is not lessened by the same nor is the Sonne divided from the Father the Father communicateth his whole nature to the Sonne not by division for infinites have no parts and therefore cannot be divided but by an incomprehensible and unspeakable communication of the whole essence of the Father to the Sonne so as that they are one and the same God coëquall coëternall for before all time he was with the Father Prov. 8. 2. Joh 1. 1. Phil 2. 6. Joh 16. 15. 3 He is the only Sonne by nature not adoption wee are Gods Sonnes by adoption not by nature as he is 4 The fourth title is our Lord so the Psalmist stileth him Psalm 110. 1. so Math 22. 44. Act 2. 36. Let all the house of Israel know for a certainty that he is made of God Lord and Christ. This Jesus I say whom yee have crucified So 1. Cor 8. 6. We have one God one Lord Jesus Christ. See Rev 1. 5. Phil 2. 10. It is not unworthy our noting that when this Lord of Lords was come into the world God's secret hand of providence made the great Master of the world Augustus Caesar vaile bonnet by a strict edict commanding that no man should give or receive the title of Lord. Christ is our Lord by right 1. of creation Joh 1. 3. 2. Redemption 1. Cor 6. 20. 3. Preservation and government Ephes 5. 23 that we may obey him trust in him and acknowledge him our Lord and God as Thomas did that we may worship him in the unitie of the sacred Trinity and finally commend our spirits into his hands as the first Martyr did Lord Jesus receave my spirit 1 We are also to beleeve that Jesus Christ our Lord was conceived by the holy Ghost as Luk 1. 35 this is that great mystery of godlinesse God manifested in the flesh for though he was to be truely man consisting of an humane body and reasonable soule of the seed and posterity of Abraham yet was he not conceived of humane propagation but an extraordinary way The first Adam in whom all dye was not begotten by man but framed and made by the power of God and so it became the second Adam by whom we are restored to life to become man by the immediate sanctifying power of God whose word caused the vast seeds of the world to conceive and frame the severall parts thereof the heavens aire water and earth as now we see them And so the spirit of God was said to move upon the face of the deep Gen 1. 2. which is spoken to expresse an omnipotent and lively efficacy of the spirit and power of God digesting forming and framing the creatures according to his wisedome so must we here understand Christs humane conception to be by the power of Gods spirit so commanding and therefore so framing Christ of a sanctified masse as that the deity and humanity of Christ became one person Neither may we think that the father and the eternall word and sonne of God were here excluded because the action is attributed to the holy Ghost but this is said to intimate that this was so by the free gift and grace of God for 't is said the power of the most high shall overshadow thee Luk 1. 35. that the manhood of Christ being but a creature should be so annointed with the oyle of gladnesse above his fellowes that it should become a part of the sonne of God
prosperous rich mighty and glorious 3. Thus would he be borne poore to make us rich to expresse his love to us 4. Thus he would teach us humility how intolerable is the pride of sinfull man repining at some wants when the sonne of God was thus humbled for our sins 5. He would have this difference betweene his first and second comming first he descended like raine into the fleece without noise he came not then to make any externall politicall â—â—changes in the kingdomes of the world but only to overthrow the spirituall kingdome of Satan and to worke not the Jews temporall redemption as they dreamed but their eternall salvation who beleeve in him both of Jewes and Gentiles And so the manifestation of Christs birth was not to the kings or great Doctors of the Law but to poore shepheards first though not by men but glorious Angels Having considered these things we must learne 1 To subject our reason to the word of God in assurance that all things are possible to him which he will and certainly true which he speaketh Thou wilt say but how shall I doe that I may be assured thereof I conceive these rules very necessary here in 1. That thou understand this word is not discerned by any light but by the same spirit which indited it Therefore said our Saviour when the spirit of truth is come He will lead you into all truth These things seeme foolish and improbable to our carnall man because he wanteth the spirit of God whereby hee might bee able to discerne those things which are not otherwise then spiritually discerned 2. If thou read or heare the Gospell be sure thou bring a beleeving heart resolved in this one principle at least Gods word is certainely true though many particulars are above my apprehension it is but lost labour for him to take the holy word of life into his hand who is resolved to beleeve no more then that which he can bring within the reach and dimension of his own carnall reason which erreth grosly in many things obvious to common sense 3. In this as many other matters necessary to be beleeved the onely way being to apprehend by faith doe thou not attempt the examination of all by reason but rather renounce it as unable to measure these things as thou art to take up the vast ball of earth into thy hand or measure the orbs of heaven by the span the rather in this because the holy Ghost hath told us it is the great mystery of godlinesse God manifested in the flesh 4. Lastly remember when ever thou commest to read or heare of how high a consequence that is to which thou art come it is no vaine word concerning thee but thy life and salvation if thou beleeve and obey or thy destruction on the contrary and thou wilt easily be perswaded to prepare thy selfe by earnest prayer to God for his assistance and blessing who only hath the key of David which openeth and no man can shut the want of this one duty is the cause of so much unbeleefe and impiety in so abundant a light of the Gospell as we had long amongst us 2 That thou know that Christ thus conceived and borne hath sanctified our conception and birth in sin thus are the fountaines of our naturall propagation healed holy wedlock declared an undefiled bed and sacred virginity interressed in eternall attendance on Christ the Lambe of God 3 To be contented in every estate and comforted though in a dejected considering to what Christ descended for thy sake 4 To prepare and magniâ—ie the inestimable love of God shewed us in Christ. So did the holy Angels Luk 1. 46. 47. Luk 2. 14. 5 Where thou hast the promises of God for thy assurance not to feare how impossible or improbable soever they seeme to flesh and blood they shall be fulfilled in their appointed time and manner How impossible did this promise seeme to carnall reason a Virgin shall conceive and beare a sonne the ' B. Virgin her selfe was herewith posed how can this be Yet was it fulfilled in the fulnesse of time though many ages after the promise made Though he seeme to delay yet expect it that cannot faile which God promiseth so also thinke of the promises of thy resurrection and eternall life what ever carnall reason witty to its own destruction or the malitious tempter can object against the word of truth in due time it shall be fulfilled CHAP. V. What we are to beleeve concerning § 1. Christs suffering under Pontius Pilat his crucifying death and buriall § 2. His resurrection § 3. Ascention § 4. Sitting at the right hand of God the Father § 5. His comming to judge 1 THe humiliation of Christ is considerable 1. In generall comprehending all that he suffered in the forme of a servant the whole curse of the Law all kindes of aâ—â—lictions both of body and soule quae à peccato sunt non quae ad peccatum all the effects of sinne without sinne as in his birth circumcision subjection to men temptations blasphemous contradictons and contumelies desertions of friends and most injurious malice of enimies apprehension of his fathers wrath against sinne the paines of death and torments of hell all that which is incident and due to sinfull man sin onely excepted whereby he became the man of sorrowes 2. In particular that which he suffered under Pontius Pilat the then Roman deputie for that Province 2 Concerning the generall we must observe 1. That the divine nature though personally united to the humane suffered not but only the humane yet the suffering is attributed to the person and sometimes to the deity by reason of the communication of proprieties and union of the two natures in one person so God is said to have purchased the Church with his own blood because his blood who is truely God and man was shed for the redemption of his Church As the Athenian Codrus disrobing himselfe and falling into the enemies quarters in the habit of a poore man with a burthen on his back that he might steale a death to make his people conquerers according to the Oracle which said that people should overcome whose king should be slaine in the battle So Christ assumed the forme of a servant and became of no repute so bare he the Crosse that his own knew him not but slew the Lord of life that in his death who so loved us wee might be more then Conquerers He was impatible in his deity therefore he assumed an humanity which could suffer that he might become a ransome and sacrifice for our sinnes that the dignitie and merit of his passion might be vallewed according to the dignitie of the person suffering now because the worth of his passion was to be estimated from the united deity therefore his temporall and short suffering was of infinite merit to redeeme and free us from that which we should
Act 1. 3. Wee are next to beleeve his ascension into heaven the third heaven where God manifesteth his glory to the Angels and blessed spirits this was in the sight of his Disciples when he had sufficiently instructed them and confirmed them by his often appearing to them and conversing with them He ascended from the Mount of Olives neere Bethanie when he had lifted up his eyes and blessed them hee went apart from his Disciples and while they beheld was taken up and a cloud received him out of their sight to teach us no more to seeke him with carnall eyes The ancient Prophecies foretold this Psal 68. 18. Thou hast ascended up on high thou hast led captivity captive The high Priest entering into the holy of holies prefigured it It demonstrateth the Justice of God fully satisfied and our sinnes discharged Heb 9. 12. If any one sinne of the elect had beene unexpiated hee had still remained in death but he not only rose againe for our justification but is ascended into heaven the first fruits and earnest of our ascenâ—ion carrying up with him a portion of our flesh blood as it were to take livery and seison for us as he gave us the earnest of his Spirit thereby to make us secure of inheriting the kingdome of God Thus he declared himselfe the very Son of God who came from heaven ascending who before had descended from thence Eph 4. 10. Thus became he our faithfull high Priest to appeare before God for us to open to us the way to the holy of holies to prepare vs place and give us confidence against all Satans machinations Who shall condemne us It is Christ who is dead for us yea rather who is raised againe who also sitteth at the right hand of God and intercedeth for us which was prefigured in the high Priests bearing the names of the people engraven on the stones upon the shoulder of the Ephod for a mâ—moriall of the children of Israel which he was to beare before the Lord. Next we must beleeve that Christ now sitteth at the right hand of God the Father So Mark 16. 19. so was it foretold Psal 110. 1. Math 22. so the Scriptures evidently speak yet must we not with the foolish Anthropomorphites dreame that God is like man that he hath a right hand and a left this is a translatitious and borrowed manner of speaking sitted to our understanding God pleasing thus to descend to our infirmitie Men give honour by setting others at their right hand as Solomon set his mother 1. King 2. 19. but there is indeed no leâ—t hand or inferiour place betweene the Father and the Sonne all is equall he is neither lesse then the Father nor inferiour to him It is said at his right hand in respect of the order of divine power not humane honour God is not circumscribed in place nor hath the Deity any left hand â—importeth here a wonderfull exaltation to power authoritie and majestie so the Apostle expresseth it Phil 2. 9 He hath highly exalted him and given him a name above every name as also 1 Cor 15. 25. He must reigne till he hath put all his enemies under his fect It importeth an entrance into and full possession of his kingdome over all as he saith Luk 24. 26. Ought not Christ to suffer these things and so to enter into his glory So Act 5. 31. This Jesus hath God lifted up by his right hand to be a Prince and Saviour farre above all principalities and power and might and dominion and every name that is named not only in this world but also in that which is to come and hath put all things under his feet and gave him to bee the head over all things the meaning is that Christ doth actually reigne in heaven with the Father in infinite glory and majestie And this honour is thus peculiar to him that God the Father will governe all things by him and that because he onely and none other is able thus to performe all parts of King and Saviour of his Church yet must we know that in his severall acts the Father and holy Ghost unite and worke by him All serves to terrifie the enemies of Christ and obstinate sinners by his present power to destroy them could not malitious Haman prevaile against Esther and her allies because of her interest in the kings favour and shall the enemies of Christ and his ever prevaile against them And to comfort the afflicted could Joseph being exalted and set next unto Pharaoh in the kingdome of Egypt provide for all his Fathers family and preserve them in the famin and shall not Christ much more be able to save and deliver us in all our necessities when he was in his state of humiliation and forme of a servant who ever came unto him for helpe and went away unrelieved sicknesse lamenesse deafnesse blindnesse wants stormes devils death no difficulty could intercept his mercy shall we feare he hath lesse power or will to helpe and succur us now he sitts at the right hand of God in heaven no no make thy requests to him feare not he that hath had experience of our miseries is both willing and able to succour us t is he that helpeth our infirmities we know not what to pray us we ought our best prayers are dull and inactive but he is our faithfull high Priest to intercede for us When Adoniah knew he could not of himselfe prevaile he intreated Bathsheba to speake for him in assurance that the king would deny her nothing how much more may we be assured of attaining seeing we have such an high Priest if we draw neere with a true heart in full assurance of faith to the throne of grace by this new and living way Court friends like Pharaohs butler eftsoone forget the afflictions of Joseph but Christ can never he prayed that Peters faith might not faile him and professed I pray not for these alone but for them also which shall beleeve in me through thy word I have many times feared that I have cryed and lifted up my hands in vaine and effectlesse votes till I remember that my Saviour â—itteth at Gods right hand able to helpe how and when he knoweth best I want faith patience and the spirit of prayer but therefore hee is ascended up on high that he may give these gifts unto men and he will supply me he will keepe me from evill When he was in the forme of a servant the devill could not enter into the heard of Swine before he gained leave and shall all the powers of hell be able to hurt me while he now in the state of glory protecteth me he to whom all power in heaven and earth is given Lord only give me a faithfull heart to depend on thee and thy saving health and I shall not
direct to salvation comfort the soul and make a man truly wise but only that which cannot be false that only is the ground of faith whatsoever is lesse is but opinion at most this infallible certainty is only in the word of God who cannot lye Let others magnifie traditions of men I will learne my religion here who but God could teach me Gods will and the mystery of salvation If the Oratour did justly reprove him that learned Greeke at Lilybaeum not at Athens and Latine at Cilicia not at Rome how much more culpable are they who neglecting Gods word will elsewhere learne religion 3. God hath spoken at sundry times and in divers manners by the Prophets and Apostles whose writings the same his infallible spirit endited to reveale his will concerning the duty and salvation of man and for a constant and unchangeable rule of faith and manners leading to the same As when he had shewed the Israelites his power and providence to feed them with Manna from heaven hee commanded that a part thereof should be laid up for posterity in the golden urne so when those divine clouds the Prophets and Apostles had showred downe their heavenly food of soules the commission was to them all which was to some write this for a memoriall in a booke Exod 17. 14. write the vision and make it plaine upon tables Habac 2. 2. what thou seest write in a booke Rev 1. 11. write for these words are true and faithfull Rev 21. 5. This is that Manna which was accommodate to every Palate it was milke to the child and strong meat to the man the Scripture is for all estates ages and conditions 4. Though the Scriptures are the only infallible dictate of the holy Ghost appointed to be the rule by which to try all doctrines yet the preaching of the same word expounding applying it by the Ministers of Christ is likewise the ordinance of the same God assisted by a sufficient measure of his spirit to the edifying and salvation of the hearers so is it the power of God to salvation to every one that beleeueth he hath said it is not you that speake but the spirit of your father which speaketh in you and take heed unto thy selfe and unto the doctrine for in doing this thou shalt both save thy selfe and them that heare thee 5. As Christ was the Prophet which God promised to raise up which every soule must heare which will be saved so was and is his spirit now speaking in the Preachers of the Gospell See Luk. 10. 16. and as salvation is by faith onely so is faith by hearing and that by the Word of God and how shall they learne without a teacher or preach except they be sent and furnished of God when he sent the Angell to Cornelius he could by the same have instructed him concerning his will but he remitted him to the Ministrie of Peter so when Christ appeared to Saul on the way he could as easily have told him what he should do as send him blâ—nd to Ananias to restore him at once a double light but he would thus teach men a reverend esteeme and dependance on the ministry by which his purpose was ordinarily to bring men to faith and salvation To incite us to this duty of hearing let us consider that 1. As Aaron must be heard when he went into the holy place and the Prophet must heare the Word at Gods mouth and warne the people thereof upon paine of death so if they will not heare and be warned they wilfully perish 2. The Word is Gods Scepter of his Kingdome 't is his great mercy to give the light of the Gospell to a people as a starre to lead them to Christ when hee removeth the Candlesticke from others by nature as good as they The Queene of Saba said that Solomons servants were happy in that they might stand and heare his wisedome how much more happy are they who may in the Gospell heare the wisedome of Christ and be sensible of his saving power therein 3. This word as God owneth it for the dictate of his spirit and his ordinance so doth he indeed make it effectuall to convert the soule to make the simple wise unto salvation and the wise perfect and throughly furnished to all good workes 4. Hereby Satans Captives may be brought to repentance acknowledge the truth recover themselves out of his snare 2. Tim â— 24. to whom they must else like those care-bored servants be in vassalage for ever 5. The word of truth is safely heard though not alwaies so preached truth begetteth malice and so createth danger to the speaker where itching eares will not endure sound doctrine 2. Tim 4. 3. 6. It is the word of reconciliation 2. Cor 5. 19. the embassie of God to entreat us to be reconciled to him in Christ it profereth peace if we will embrace it if we hearken unto it as Jothan said God will hearken unto us it is the gladsome tydings of salvation the Gospell of peace Rom 10. 15. the savour of life to them who receave it as of death to them that reject it or neglect it every sermon setteth before us life and death blessing and cursing that we may choose as Fabius said to the Carthaginians when he shooke his robes In this bosome I bring you warre and peace choose which you will 7. The dangers are unavoidable to the refuser to heare this word 1. It is a desperate condition to be deafe to the ordinary remedy appointed by God to cure us read 2. Chron 36. 15. c. The Lord God of their fathers sent unto them by his Messengers rising early and sending because he had compassion on his people and on his dwelling place but they mocked the Messengers of God despised his words and misused his Prophets untill the wrath of God arose against the people and there was no remedy Therefore brought hee up them the King of the Chaldeans who slew their yong men with the sword c. See Jer. 19. 15. Jer. 29. 18 19. Jer 25. 8. 9. c. Levit. 26. 18. c. Deut. 21. 13. 15. Therefore did we heare a voyce of trembling and fear and not of peace therefore a voyce is heard in Ramah lamentation and bitter weeping for indeed hereby men desperately prevoke God Heb. 3. 16. It is the height of rebellion against him wherein they will admit of not treaty Deut. 1. 43. Isay 30. 9. the Physitians say deafnesse in a sharp fever is a signe of madnesse 't is nothing lesse here God will give them over to strong delusions to beleeve lies and be damned who will not receive the love of truth that they may be saved I will choose their delusions saith the Lord and bring their feares upon them because when I
called none would answer When I spake they did not heare the best that a contemner or neglecter of Gods Word can expect is to be severely afflicted that at last hee may hearken and learne to acknowledge with David before I was troubled I went wrong but now have I learned thy testimonies as Elihu said Job 36. 15. he openeth their eares in oppression 2. God will cut him off Act. 3. 23. Jer. 7. 13. 15. Deut 30. 17. 18. they are none of Christs sheepe who will not heare his voyce they dispise Christ Luk. 10. 16. whose word it is Math. 16. 20. therefore shall it be more tolerable for Sodome and Gomorrah in the day of judgement then for them 3. God will not heare them when they crie unto him in distresse Though they cry in mine eares with a lowd voyce yet will I not heare them and againe he saith as I cryed and they would not heare so they cryed and I would not heare saith the Lord Zach 7. 13. 8. 8. The fruits of hearing are very necessary and most comfortable The Tempter laboureth to keep us from Church by presenting us many lets pleasures profits and the like whose losse he pretendeth if we spend an houre to heare but upon a due account it will appeare that never any faithfull hearer lost by performing this duty for 1. Faith is by hearing Rom 10. 17. faith apprehending all the riches of Gods mercy in Christ. 2. Hereby thou shalt understand the feare of the Lord and finde the knowledge of God sound wisedome and understanding to preseâ—â—â— thee and deliver thee from the way of the evill man 3. Hereby thou shalt abide in Christs love and live as it is written encline your eare heare and your soule shall live I will make an everlasting covenant with you see Joh 15. 10. Rev 3. 20. 4. It is the better part that one necessary thing which shall never bee taken away Luk 10 39. what ever else with expence of pretious time we get shall puickly bee taken from us but the treasure we gaine in hearing Gods word shall goe with us to eternity 5. The holy Ghost accompanieth his owne ordinance though â—ot alwaies in visible effects as Act. 10. 44. c. yet in that which is better to the hearers justification by faith whereby Christ becommeth ours to his sealing with the spirit of promise and being made fruitfull to all good workes all which is better then faith of miracles which a man may have and yet be a reprobate Math. 7. 22. 23. 6. They are blessed who heare the word of God and keepe it blessed with health and plenty peace wisedome an attentive care makes a prudent heart He that hearkneth unto Councell is wise and which is best confidence in Christ who never faileth trust 7. Their prayers shall be heard If yee abide in me and my word in you yee shall aske what yee will and it shall bee done unto you it was the answer of God to Josias by the Prophetesse Huldah because thy heart was tender and thou didst humble thy selfe before God when thou heard'st his Words against this place I â—ave even heard thee also saith the Lord lay up his words on thy heart saith Eliphaz Job 22. 22. 27. thou shalt make thy prayer unto him and he shall heare thee The lets unto the right performing this duty are 1. Hardnesse of heart as 't is written they refused to hearken and stopped their cares that they should not heare yea they made their hearts as an adamant stone least they should heare the law and againe this peoples heart is waxed grosse and their eares are dull of hearing and againe if yee Will heare his voice harden not your hearts Miserable is the state of those deafe adders who refuse to be charmed who is so deafe as hee that will not heare The deafe heart is incomparably worse then the deafe eare this is an affliction that a sinne this a bodily infirmitie that a spirituall and fearefull curse there may bee true comfort in this there can be none in that The deafe man is secure from the dangerous voices of railers and slatterers and though he be deafe to man may listen and freely speake to God have his comfortable soliloquies wherein hee may confer with his own soule as by writing he may speak to others and by reading heare others speake nor can I more doubt concerning the inward comfort of the naturally deafe then of the infant who though he cannot understand the outward ordinary meanes yet is capeable of the spirit of sanctification and consequently of salvation as may appeare in Jeremie sanctified from the wombe and John Baptist in the wombe As it is in not receiving the sacraments which represent Christ to the other senses so in not hearing the word it is not the privation but the contempt which condemneth Where God denieth either meanes or capacity hee can save by some other way of applying Christ to the elect then he hath revealed to us whom it concerneth not we being made capable of the word preached therefore unexcusable if we will not hearken and obey that we may be saved 2. Unbeleefe if we beleeve not Gods threatnings and promises neither the law nor Gospell can profit us The faithfull Minister prepareth to give amongst others to unbeleevers also the sincere milke of the word that they might grow thereby but as the true mother to the dead child when I rose in the morning to give my child sucke behold it was dead said she 3. Want of discerning spirit and true wisedome the word of God is a reproach to the uncircumcised eare the carnall apprehended it not hee that is of God heareth his words therefore yee heare them not saith Christ because yee are not of God he that is not of God heareth us not hereby know we the spirit of truth and the spirit of errour every one that is of the truth heareth Christ's voice When for mens obstinacy God giveth them over hearing they shall not understand 4. Corruption of a carnall heart ever resisting the holy spirit we are naturally deafe to Gods word till Christ say to our spirits as to deafe man Ephphata be opened a naturall Gileadite hath taken the passages of the soule and nothing can enter which speakes not it Shibboleth which pronounceth not according to its custome and affection the itching eare cannot endure wholsome doctrine Herod cannot endure to heare his incest reproved nor Ahab his murder the Pharises their hypocrisie nor Demetrius his artifice of silver shrines the Grecians must have wisedome the Jewes signes and wonders the nice compture of the words witty and pleasing things because they bring only a carnall eare the Atheniaus some newes the Gospell to Gallio is but contention of words and questions of names Jeremies preaching truth
laws we will obay and which we will dispense withall so Herod would obay Mark 6. 20. The Athenians listned till Paul spake of the resurrection then some mocked Act 17. 3â— and the Jewes heard him till he mentioned his mission to the Gentiles they gave him audience unto this word then they lifted up their voices and said away with such a fellowe from the earth for it is not fit that he should live if we heare and resolve to obay all we shall be prudent builders and the word shall be a savour of life unto life to us if not all a savour of death unto death our owne consent to the good word in that we heare whereof in effect we say as Sheimei to Solomon the word that I have heard is good shall pronounce to us as to him it did our own doome when we keepe not the commandement wherewith we were charged when men will be making their own rules choice and dispensations they easily erre then Jehoiakim burneth the Prophets rowle Jer 36. 23. then the rich man departeth from Christ in discontent and the Jewes from Paul 2. Opportunely in the accepted time while hee speaketh today if yee will heare his voice harden not your hearts you know not how soone the Candlestick may be removed how soone you may be taken hence and whether you that neglect one sermon shall live â—o heare another there was no noise as hath beene noted of the hammer in the rearing up of Solomons Temple neither shall there be any noise in the heavenly Jerusalem of the word of prophesie which like an hammer and fire here fashioneth the living materialls of the spirituall temple There all shall cease 1. Cor 13. 8. as when the Children of Israel had tasted the fruit of Canaam the Manna ceased so shall this food of soules when wee come to our promised rest 3. Hearing it as the word of God not as the word of men knowing that whether Paul plant or Apollos water God only giveth the encrease when auditors faile of this rule they securely contemne the word which they durst not doe were they indeed assured that the contempt thereof reflected on God himselfe whose Word and Ordinance it is 4. Having not the Word in respect of mens persons as the vulgar use The poore mans wisedome is despised and his words not heard The prudent man will value this heavenly treasure though God send it him in earthen vessels to beat downe that vaine affection of man which too much looketh on second causes God chose not the learned rich wise or eloquent to preach the Gospell but the ignorant poore and despised yea the foolish things of the world to confound the wise the weake to confound the mighty that no flesh might glory in his presence and that our faith might not stand in the wisedome of men but in the power of God 5. Hearing diligently for what knowest thou when God will call thee effectually comfort and confirme thee Thomas was but once away from the company of the Apostles and in that one neglect he once lost and for ought he knew might finally the oportunity of seeing Christ risen from the dead and therefore till Christ in mercy came againe to shew himselfe continued in his unbeliefe some come too late to Church either lazinesse or Martha's many encumbrances keepe them long at home they who stayed too long before they sought for manna found none and seldome do slow commers to Church find comfort in that they carelesly heare all the people came early in the morning to heare Christ in the temple Luk. 21. 38. the wise merchant will part from all ease sleep worldly pleasures and emoluments to purchase this treasure make it as David did thy hearts delight and treasure and thou wilt be sure to loose nothing of it 6. Hearing with an heart desirous rather of things profitable then pleasing thy curiosity 't is better to be made good then witty to be wise then to be reputed learned he is learned indeed who is good but he is not alwaies good that is learned the wicked is truly foolish and the foolish wicked for he saith in his heart there is no God Psal 14. 1. 7. Being not a captious hearer some bring itching some treacherous eares to Church as Jeremies enemies did who watched for his halting that they might prevaile against him This is but a Witty folly at best concluding rather a dainty then a wise hearer a censurer then a scholler one that commeth to Church to teach not to heare nothing but curiosities please them but the truely thirsty are not so solicitous to drinke in gold or Corinthian vessels as to quench their thirst with that which is wholsome there are some Philoxene's so full of censorious acrimonie that they had rather be condemned twice to the mines then once to forbeare their rigid censure a prudent hearer will be advantaged both by that which is delivered with much politure and elegancy and that which is roughly even the speakers errours shall adde to his knowledge the ancient Heathens woont to place the Graces by the statue of Mercury to signify with what candor auditors ought to passe by some slips of speakers The Rules of practice are either 1. before 2. in 3. or after hearing the word 1. Before thou commest into the house of God 1. Looke to thy foot whether thou stand right before God by a through examination of thy state whether thou art in the faith repent thee of all thy sins breake up your fallow ground and sow not among thornes without this what hope can we receive of any fruit One maine reason why we doe often heare and so litle profit is the neglect of this duty how can wee hope that Gods word will doe us good when we continue in impenitency and resolution to sinne 2. Pray God for a blessing that he would assist the speaker with an enlarged heart faithfull memory a doore of utterance and that evidence of his spirit which may make his ministry powerfull to convert and comfort If Paul had need of such assistance how much more have wee Pray that God would bee preased to take from thee all spirituall blindnesse hardnesse of heart prejudicate opinion wandering thoughts and prophanation that hee would restraine the busie malice of the Tempter that he would give thee a discerning spirit that he would open thy heart and eares as he did Lydia's that thou maist attend and lay up his words in thy heart that thou maist understand beleeve and bring forth fruits to life eternall 2. In hearing 1. Attend without distraction that thou maâ—st minde understand and loose no part least thou mistake the rest 2. In case of distractions send up breife and frequent ejaculationâ— for Gods gratious assistance thus must wee build like an Iâ— raelite among our enemâ—es with
a weapon in one hand and a building instrument in the other that wee may at once desend and ediâ—ie 3. Compose thy body to such a reverend posture in respect of Gods presence and the testimony of men and Angells who behold thee that thou maist thereby contribute to the Minister hearers the assistance of thy devout gesture attention countenance and voice as occasion serveth to say Amen 3. After hearing 1. Lay up the seed in a faithfull memory least the evill one come take it away and leave thee fruitlesse that thou maist be a doer of good works and not a forgetfull hearer and so bee blessed indeed as 't is written Heare therefore O Israâ—l observe to doe it that it may bee well with thee lay that to heart which thou hearest throughly applying it to thy selfe as if God pickt thee out of all the congregation to speake to thee that he might draw thee to repentance and salvation thus must thou lay up his words in thine heart and hald fast that thou hast received thou learnest only so much as thou remembrest excuse not thy selfe upon a bad memory thou seldome forgettest where thou seriously lovest where is that old man that hath forgotten where he hath laid his gold Use the best meanes by repeating writing calling to memory some things at least when thou commest home thou shalt in this constant practice â—inde thy memory amend 2. Meditate and examine how thou hast profited by hearing in case thou finde hardnesse of heart and baâ—rennesse in thy soule be not discouraged God hath his times Moses smote the rock at Horeb twice before it would yeeld at last it sent out abundant streames of living waters God speaketh once and twice and man perceiveth not line must be unto line and precept unto precept happy he who once resenteth give it not over still practise the beast which ruminateth not was reputed uncleane the morall is they are wicked who call not oft to minde that which they have heard Be constant in examination of thy selfe after every sermoÌ„ thou hearest to dresse our selves we are contented often to consult our glasse how well and decently 't is done how few doe it after hearing If thou wilt doe thy selfe right herein thou shalt at last feele the power of Gods word in thy soule Doth any enquire how shall I knowe when I heare the word as I ought The signes are 1. Joy of the holy Ghost so went the shepheards home so the Eunuch so many of the faithfull 2. Desire to heare more as those happy converts Act 13. Act 17. 32. the spirituall eare is not satiate with hearing when good Josiah had heard the Law read he gave present charge goe and enquire the Lord for us 3. Profitting by the sincere milke of the word growing thereby from strength to strength from grace to grace 4. Faithfull resolution to doe all that which thou hast learned as Israel once professed otherwise it had beene better never to have knowne the holy commandement it being lesse sin to be ignorant of Gods word then to despise it knowne Herod did many things but his dispensation with one sinne overthrew all the rest 5. Hearty and unfeigned repentance such as we read of in the Jewes at Peters sermon Act 2. 37. such as is commanded Rev 3. 3. 6. Filial feare of God this is the end of speaking and hearing to feare God and keep his commandements is the whole duty of man 7. Readinesse to impart to others what we have learned that they may teach their children said Moses Deut 4. 10. so did holy Abraham his family 3. Lastly againe commend thy soule to God that hee may send thee the former and later raine upon the seed sowed in thine eares to enable thee to bring forth happy fruitsthereof to make it powerfull and comfortable to thee in life and death A Prayer before hearing the word O Lord God eternall who hast laid the foundation of the earth and formest the spirit of man within him who art the father of light and causest the Sunne of righteousnesse to shine unto people sitting in darknesse in the region and shaddow of death that the glorious light of the Gospell might appeare to them that they may therein knowe thee beleeve see thy saving health and bee fruitfull in good workes to thy glory and the assurance of their own hearts before thee wee humbly acknowledge that we we are most unworthy of the least of all thy mercies specially of that light of truth which thou hast abundantly and long bestowed upon us seeing wee have not yet brought forth fruits worthy amendment of life but have walked every man in the stubbornesse vanity and security of his owne heart as if we had not knowne thy will thou hast allured us with promises and deterred us from our wicked waies with threatnings and sore afflictions accordingly sent upon us but wee have answered all with contempt security adding transgressions to transgressions till they have beene multiplied over our heads ascended up into thy presence and thence with wilfull hearts and violent hands pulled downe thy severe judgements upon-our selves as appeareth this day so that in our own consciencâ—s we doe deserve to heare that sentence on the barren tree cut it downe and cast it into the fire why keepeth it the ground barren That thou shouldst give us over to our owne vile affections and destruction of body and soule by taking away the comfort of thy word from this sinfull nation by permitting those sonnes of confusion who of our selves have risen up speaking perverse things still to prevaile against the unity of this Church and State that thou shouldst send us strong delusions who would not receive the love of the truth that thou shouldst suffer a fearefull darknesse againe to cover this land that night should be to us for a vision and darknesse for divination that the Sunne should goe downe upon our Prophets whose words and ministry we have so much sleghted and contemned and that the day should prove darknesse over them that thy word should become a savour of death to us and every prophesie wee heare rise in judgement against us O Lord we cannot be ignorant that our obstinary is such as that thou who art an holy and just God canst have no pleasure in us we have so often stopped our eares to thy law that we may well expect that thou wilt not accept our offerings and incense of prayers in our distresse who have wearied thee with our words and drawne neere to thee with â—eigned lips bâ—t our hearts have beene far from thee we are become the border of wickednesse and thou hast beene sore displeased with us because we have not hearkned to thy Prophets who cryed to us to turne from our wicked waies we have indeed not layed their messages to heart but refused to hearken and pulled away the shoulder we made
our hearts as Adamant stone least we should heare thy law and the words which thou sentest in thy spirit by the former Prophets therofore came this great wrath from thee the Priests have offered polluted bread on thy altar with the strange â—ire of their owne inventions the oppressing Cities obeyed not thy voice nor received correction they trusted not in thee neither drew neere unto their God their Princes within them were roaring Lyons and their Judges evening Woolves yea their Prophets were light and treacherous persons their Priests have polluted thy sanctuary done violence to thy Law we have itching eares for heapes of teachers which preach pleasing things crying to us peace peace even when misery and destruction is upon us because we would not abide wholsome doctrine we have not feared thee nor received instruction but corrupted all our waies therefore are wee to this day consumed by the fire of thy jealousie we are become an aâ—â—licted poore people and we deserve that thou shouldst still be terrible unto us and powre upon us thy indignation bring distresse upon us and that our blood should be powred out like water on the bosome of this good land which we have stained with cruelty murder rapine oppression uncleanesse and that fulnesse of sinnes which is scarse heard of among those who have not heard thy law to teach them better But O Lord our God there is none holy whom thou hast not made such nor any so wicked but thou canst make him holy Lord we are in thy gracious hands we humbly pray thee to frame our hearts according to thine owne will and make us such as thou wouldst have us to be O God of mercy have compassion on them who would not swerve from thee make us a people of circumcised hearts and pure language that we may all yet once againe serve thee with one consent convert us that thou maist turne unto us and establish thy covenant of life and peace amongst us O Lord in the amazing feares and bitter aâ—â—lictions of our soules answere with good and comfortable words returne unto Jerusalem with mercies comfort Zion be still our God and let us be thy people in truth and righteousnesse be thou a wall of fire round about her the glory in the midst of her dwell thou in her that she may againe be called a city of truth the mountaine of the Lord of hoasts the holy mountaine Cut of the remnant of Baal from this place and the name of the Chemarims with their Priests who turned back from thee unto vanity and superstition shew us thy waies O Lord and teach us thy statutes lead us in thy truth O God of our salvation set thy feare in our hearts that thy secret may be with us open our eyes that we sleep not in death shew us our sinnes and the way to avoid them by the knowledge of thy law and the spirit of sanctification assure us of our interest in Christ by the comfortable testimony of thy holy spirit applying the promises of the Gospell to our wounded consciences continue forth the light of thy word to us and the purity of religion and thy holy worship amongst us put thy holy spirit the spirit of prayer and prophesie abundantly upon the Ministry assist them with enlightned understandings sound knowledge of all the mysteries of eternall life and salvation enlarged hearts holy affections faithfull memories and hasâ—owed lips for the powerfull delivery of thy holy word unto us forgive us all our disobedience barrennâ—sse and unfruitfulnesse give us true and hearty repentance for all our sinnes past with a stedfast purpose and faithfully resolution never to commit the like againe take from us all spirituall blindnesse hardnesse of heart unbeleefe prejudicate opinion wandring and profane thoughts and what ever else hath hitherto hindred the fruit bearing of thy holy word resist the vigilant malice of the tempter that he may not distract us nor take away the seed of thy word out of our hearts Give us sanctified thoughts and holy reverence towards thine ordinance an hearkening eare and attentive heart O God who hast the key of David which openeth none can shut who said'st unto the deafe eares be opened and they presently were so say it unto our hearts and eares so sanctify our affections and prepare us to heare and receive thy word that we may attend unto it as thy word and not the word of man that it may prove a savour of life to us that we may bring forth better fruits then ever we have done that leading us in thy way it may bring us to Christ the truth the way and the life the end of the law to every one that beleeveth and the fruits of our hopes endeavours the salvation of our bodies and soules through thy sonne our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. AMEN A Prayer to be used after hearing the word O Lord our God we humbly present unto thee the fruits of our hearts and lips praise and thankesgiving as for all thy gratious mercies and favours spirituall and temporall so specially for the light of truth in thy holy word preached unto us whereby thou pleasest to reveale thy will concerning our duty towards thee and our salvation in Christ Jesus More particularly wee thanke thee for that portion thereof now bestowed upon us we humbly pray thee to pardon our unholy and unreverend hearing our profanesse of heart and minde inattention wandring of thoughts and drouzinesse of spirit And now holy father prosper thine owne ordinance send downe the former and the latter raine the dew of grace to mollifie our hard and stony hearts that the seed now sowed in our outward eares may be fixed in our memory and take deepe root in our hearts and affections that the fruits of our faith and entire obedience may appeare in our lives and conversations to thy glory and our comfort and salvation through Jesus Christ our Lord. AMEN CHAP. XIV § 2. Of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper § 2. Who receive the grace thereby represented § 3. How we ought to prepare for the right receiving thereof how to receive it and what to doe after receiving 1 OUr Saviour Christ hath left us under the Gospell onely two Sacraments Baptisme the Sacrament of initiation and the Lords Supper the sacrament of confirmation that admitteth us into Christs visible body the Church this feedeth and strengthneth in the same 2. A Sacrament is a visible signe of an invisible grace an holy seale ordained of God to strengthen our faith in his promises in Jesus Christ for the free remission of our sinnes which God therefore annexed to his word to confirme us by representing the suffering of Christ to our sight and tasting as the Gospell preacheth it to our eares 3. This Sacrament is called the Lords Supper because Christ ordained it at his last supper wherein to fulfill the law he eate the Pascall Lambe and to shew the determination
his voice wherein are the issues of life and death remember that the time is holy by Gods owne institution that the place is consecrated and set apart for Gods publike worship and let that come into thy minde which God said unto Moses approaching towards him loose thy shooes from thy feet for the place thou standest on is holy ground to thy selfe thus appliable put off all thy carnall affections resigne thy selfe body soule unto the guidance of Gods holy word and spirit Christ said not in vaine my house shall be called an house of prayer to all nations and where two or three are gathered together in my name there am I in the midst of them 6. Pray privatly that God would forgive thee thy sinnes give thee such a measure of his spirit to enable thee to serve him as may make thee therein acceptable to him blesse his owne ordinance unto thee sanctify thee body and soule to his service that thou maist sanctify his Sabbath with that zeale care and fervency of spirit which may please him that hee would assist the Ministers of his word and thy selfe and the whole congregation so that the word may profit you to the amendment of life and building you up to the assurance of salvation in Christ. In the Sabbath if thou wilt performe thy duty well thou must 1. Begin with delight in it and all the service of God therein to be performed this was God's condition of prospering Israel that they should call the Sabbath a delight the carnall man for feare of humane law or censure resteth from his ordinary workes goeth to Church joyneth with the Congregation in prayer hearing c. but it is irksome to him he thinkes the time long because he delighteth not in the Lord and his Sabbath but he that through delight therein keepeth it not as in help to sanctification keepeth it no better then a beast 2. Glorifie God therein In hearing praying receiving the holy Sacrament singing praises c. thou shalt honour him not doing thine owne waies any servile worke Those things may be done which are subordinate to the sanctification of a Sabbath as the Priests laboured in sacrificing the Ministers now doe in preaching and officiating without breach of this precept Workes of necessitie or mercy to man or beast are to be done the Ox fallen into a pit must be releived the Physitian Apothecary Chirurgion or others in case of necessitie may and must respectively helpe though it be the ordinary worke of their calling because it is a worke of mercy so to doe is to honour God as on the contrary it were to his dishonour as if his law bound any man from doing all the good hee can or shewing mercy to the distressed whereas indeed he is a God of mercy loveth the same in all those who beare his image but thou must not for gaine doe that which might equally be omitted as bargaining bearing burdens or other servile worke or labour of thy calling or travelling except in case of necessity or subordination to a Sabbath dayes workes it is certainly an ingratefull sacriledge to rob God of his owne daies service appointed for no necessitie of his but only for our own good and salvation and to entrench on that which he hath reserved to himselfe whereas he hath allowed men six daies to doe their workes and take their lawfull delights therein Therefore hee saith as we must not on the Sabbath doe our own waies so must not we finde our owne pleasures nor speake our owne words it is an hatefull robbery of God to use pastimes on that day though lawfull on others much worse those which are never lawfull whereby the Devill is more served on that day then any other The many fearefull judgements of God on offenders herein and that which usually befalleth them in that God seldome prospereth the most probable industries of such is enough to deter all considering men from profanation of the Lords day 3. Doe what good thou canst to thy selfe in that which concerneth thy soule or thy body health and preservation in case of necessitie or to others in the like at convenient times when the publike or private worship of God require not thy attendance walke in the fields or gardens that thou maist contemplate on Gods creatures and his benificence power providence and wisedome therein visit the sick and imprisoned if thou have ability and convenience of releiving or comforting them 4. Absteine from immoderate drinking feeding sleeping and whatsoever else may render thee lesse apt for the sanctification of this day 5. As all thy life thou must rest from sinne so specially on this day wherein the very sanctity of the time violated doubleth the offences committed there when God specially requireth the sanctimony and endeavours to learne his will and doe not thinke it enough to rest from labour as God resteth not in an inactive contemplation and as the glorified Saints in the life to come in their rest aud refreshing shall yet continually sing their Halleluiahs and doe those things which shall be to the eternall glory of God in them so doe thou now compose thy selfe to have thy present conversation in heaven and to begin thy rest and Sabbath here which shall never end When the Sabbath is ended if thou canst write down some principall heads for directions or of comforts heard that day and by often perusing them commit all to memory However repeat to thy selfe if single or with thy family the summes of that thou hast heard praise God for the same sing Psalmes meditate of the eternall rest whereof this is a type frame thy whole life for the attaining thereto beg pardon of God for thy severall failings and defects and pray for the assistance of his good spirit and that his ordinance may be powerfull in thee and thine to life eternall A Prayer for the Sabbath day morning O Lord our God holy and merâ—â—â—â— Wâ—â—umbly pray thee for Jesus Christ sake to forgive 〈◊〉 our sinnes to cleanse us bodies and soules from all those corruptions which make us lesse able to serue thee as we ought and unworthy to appeare before thee O our God be pleased to send the Comforter to enlighten us and to open our understandings that being now sequested from all worldly cares affections and thoughts we may lift up our hearts to thee serving thee in fervency of spirit and truâ—th that we may this day beginne our heaven on earth in doing thy will here as it is there done And because they are unworthy of new blessings who are unmyndfull of those they have received we here desire to render thee the fruites of our hearts and lipps praise and thanksgiving for all thy mercies and favours eternall and temporall for thy unspeakable love in electing us to salvation for thy infinite goodnesse in creating us after thyne owne glorious image to a capacity of light and understanding that we might be able in some measure
much as thou canst every part must serve to Gods love that wee may love God not only giving us but also severely correcting us and denying us that which we aske and thinke best for us in assurance that he is most just wise and mercifull to dispose all for the best as may be seene in Christ and the Martyres whom nor life nor death nor any pressure could separate from the love of God 4. Though the love of God in mans state of innocency was lost by sinne yet that which is infused in our regeneration shall never fall away because it dependeth on Gods immutable love to us who not only giveth grace but also perseverance there in it was never true love of God which ever faileth if it be true it knoweth no end being ever invincible for the gifts and graces of God are without repentance Rom. 11. 29. faith operative by love cannot be lost neither can true love it may be remitted not lost clouded not extinguished that which in the reprobate seemeth the love of God shal be lost the true which is in the elect can never because though men may be deceived concerning their election God cannot 5. This love of God is never perfect in the best in this life here it may stil receive encreases doth as the Apostle Phil. 1. 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yet more and more in knowledge We love according to our knowledge which being but in part no more is this our whole regeneration is yet imperfect in degrees and so is our love to God 6. Love of God shall remaine and be perfect in the life to come when riches honours pleasures deare friends nay whē those excellent gifts of learning and prophesie shall leave us when faith shall end in enjoying this one treasure shall be secure and encrease to eternity 7. As he that hateth God is herein more excusable then all other sinners because hate of God is more apparently impious then failing in attaining it or falling from it by infirmity for here may be a will to doe good but there cannot so also herein that having but one extreame to fall into the malitious will fall there all other sinnes may be in excesse and in defect because every other vertue this love excepted hath two bastard sisters as valour hath in excesse temerity and in defect timidity justice hath on the right hand too much severity on the left too much mildnesse and indulgence to sinne so is it in the rest only this most amiable vertue hath nothing but defect to oppose it no creature can love God too much because none can love him enough or infinitely This also aggravateth the sinne that there can be no cause in God of any hatred toward him because the only chiefe and true good cannot bee the proper object of hatred nor could the most wicked hate him but that they have sins which his justice must punish because he is good and they have set up their impious desires lusts after pleasures and reveuge in his place and therefore hate all that oppose them so is the wisdome of the flesh enmity with God because it is not subject to the law of God which the signes and effects thereof declare such as are despaire servile feare of God's presence fleeing from him as Adam would have done audacious liberty of sinning c yet are there degrees herein the formall hypocrite doth not professedly and out of destinate malice hate God nor truely love him he professeth love but preferreth the world before God and if any man so love the world the love of God is not in him 1 Joh 2. 15. Now whereas all pretend love as obedience to God yea when they doe no lesse then rebell against him and would if it were possible unthrone him it is necessary to consider some markes and signes of this love which are these and the like we love God 1. If in our hearts desire wee choose him for our chiefe good and preferre him before all loves as the spouse saith thy love is beter then wine if we fix our hearts and affections on God we love him if we delight in him and his law and desire to know more of him for as one saith of Magdalens looking againe into Christs sepulchre the power of love multiplieth the intention of inquisition if we rejoyce at the gaine of his favour above all gaines requirable in heaven or earth if we delight in his presence ordinances and the places where his honour dwelleth in his publike worship as that man after Gods heart whose very name signified love my soule thirsteth after the living God when shall I come and appeare before God Psal 42. 2. If wee desire and delight to heare those who bring his messages to us as Psal 119. 162. if wee often think of him where our love is our thoughts will be if we love to speake of him and to him in fervent and frequent prayers if we have a secret joy of heart at the apprehension of his presence and gratious assistance of us in any thing which may please him at attentive hearing his word zealous prayer secret giving for his sake or for the inward testimony of his spirit assuring us that we are his children because we hold him most deare 2. if we be heartly sorry when God is dishonoured so David mourned because men kept not his word certainly no man can without greife of heart remember or behold his owne or others sinnes whereby God is displeased if he love God they are but hollow freinds that can be pleased and make themselves merry with that which they know hurteth or greiveth those to whom they professe love therefore David Peter and all those that truely love God weep and mourne for their sinnes 't is griefe of soule to them that they cannot serve him as they ought without all sinne therefore David frequent and Peter abundant in teares for their sinnes professed that they loved the Lord this with better confidence then before when hee professed hee would lay downe his life for Christ said Lord thou knowest all things thou knowest that I love thee 3. If we keep his commandements which signe his selfe giveth Joh 14. 15. 23. as also the◠beloved Disciple 1 Joh. 2. 5. this is indeed to walke with him it is an impudent falshood to say we love God while we contemne his lawes as 't is to affirme we love him and hate our brother 4. If we love those that love him and are beloved of him as David did Psal 16. 3. Sec 1. Ioh 5. 1. if we love God whose spirit regenerateth we shall love the regenerate for his sake whose image they beare 5. If we hate that which is evill and delight in that onely which is pleasing to God Among lovers there must bee idem velle idem nolle he that saith he abideth in him ought himselfe also to
nolle let no man be thy freind who is not God's least thou heare Jehoshaphats reproofe from Jehu the Seer shouldst thou helpe the ungodly and love them that hate the Lord Therefore is wrath upon thee from before the Lord. 4. Lastly we are to consider whom to avoid as not accommodate to true frendship 1. The Parasite or flatterer hee must bee a very wise and good man who can safely heare his own praises they beat me said Ignatius the Martyr who praise me what praises doe to the foolish I observe not how they affect the prudent may appeare in Demosthenes taken with the whisper of a silly woman saying as he passed by this is that Demosthenes if they said Augustine with whom thou livest well commend thee not they are in fault but if they doe thou art in danger Betweene Pride and selfe-love too vaine credulity of a mans owne worth on the one part and inactive and fruitlesse dejection of mynde on the other the soule is in danger of the rocke in one extreame the safest use of praises is a serious calculation of that summe of merit which we owe to opinion if false or to God if true that we may strive to be such as we are reported though perhaps falsely The Philosopher said of all wild beasts the railer is most dangerous of tame the flatterer that can be no true friendship where there is deceitfull flattery when he speaketh faire beleeve him not for there are seven abominations in his heart Prov 26. 25. 2. The Backbiter he that will secretly raile at others absent is of an ill kinde and if thou displease him will not spare thee 't is their nature to bite beware of such trust them not with any interests of freindship when thou art present he will speake sweetly and will admire thy words but at last he will alter his speech and slander thy sayings I have hated many things but nothing like him for the Lord will hate him To this classis may be referred they who be of bitter spirits and so by reason of that gall overflowing the tongue distastfull acrimony of censuring all men and rugged morosity are rather company for beares then men such was churlish Nabal so wicked that a man could not speake to him David sent a civill message to him and he railed on the messengers 3. The Proud man can never bee a true freind who overvalueth himselfe and despiseth others he is apt to conceive indignity quarrell or some secret bitternesse on every occasion 4. The Talkative man can be no good freind because he cannot keep counsell there bee some men of such unguarded lips then rather then not tell some secrets they will reveile their owne never thinke they will conceale thine 5. Neither the man of a treacherous nature if thou wouldest ingratiate with a serpent feed him warme him in thy bosome thou shalt never make him better then a serpent hee will sometimes make use of his venome 't is so wtih a treacherous freind 6. Neither the contentious froward factious or seditious man make no freindship with the angry with a furious man thou shalt not goe meddle not with them that are seditious or given to change 7. Neither the wicked my sonne walke not thou in the way with them refraine thy foot from their path they are blessed who walke not in their counsell as Jacob said of Simeon and Levi O my soule come not thou into their secret unto their assembly mine honour be not thou united Take heed of any familiarity with those who must render thee suspected of that which any waies may whatsoever may bee probably feigned of thee prevent it that it may not be which rule of his owne if Jerom had practised he had avoided that malitious censure and calumny of some concerning his familiarity with Eustachium and others 8. Lastly take heed of him that loveth no man but for his owne ends 't was noted of Alexander's two freinds Craterus and Hephestion he loved the King but this Alexander there are table-freinds which like those domestick vermine daily on thee will be sure to leave thee when thy house is falling the wise man noted it Ecclus. 6. 10. c. So come we to speake of love towards men considerable in the last branch therof how it ought to be even to our enemies There is no good man liveth without some enemies who liveth by men which of the Prophets have they not persecuted There 's nothing so sacred with that sad Erynnis malice will not â—ly at no wonder that kings the greatest of men Solomon the wisest of kings and David the best of wise men had enemies Christ Jesus the king of kings had no fault but yet many enemies and to shew us the bitternesse of the enmity he suffered for us those the seeming holiest of that age the austere Scribes and Pharisees the reason is because there is a malitious devill who being truly hatefull by the enmity set betweene man and him ceaseth not to infuse the bitternesse of his own cursed spirit into men that they may be like him hating one another The maine businesse therefore is not so much to strive that we may have enemies as to make a right use of them which may be if we can 1. Beare no malice 2. Love them 3. Better our selves by their wickednesse 1. Malice is inveterate anger unadvised anger is murder of the heart but if deliberate wilfull Let not the sunne goe downe on thy wrath What shall they doe at the day of judgement on whose anger many yeares sonnes go down witnesses The parents of anger are opinion of injurie and vaine elation and pride of minde making men thinke none so good as themselves God forbiddeth this bitternesse of soule Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart Levit 19. 17. it maketh men homicides and like Cain murderers of their brethren subject to eternall death it is that which separateth a man from the love and knowledge of God it is the mother of contention a devillish influence on the soules of men and Satan's lively image in the wicked as love is of God in the regenerate whom hee laboureth to destroy by each others hands at whose contentions and actions of hostility he stands and secretly rejoyceth while hee who hateth all can set them one upon another to their mutuall destruction so he engaged Paul with unreasonable men not only with beasts at Ephesus but sundry other places The heathens seemed to knowe this venome of society in the fable of the Serpents teeth sowed by Cadmas of which sprang up those earth-borne brethren who with intestine discord and warre presently destroyed each other The Apostle warned hereof If yee bite and devouer one another take heâ—d yee bee not consumed one of another Serpents live quietly with Serpents what a shame is it for
first Adam that native inclination to sinne which continually carrieth us away captive to the lawes thereof to that evil which wee would not do which wee loath abhorre and in bitternesse of soule repent us of Lord create cleane hearts in us renew right spirits enlighten our understandings with a sound knowledge of all the mysteries of eternal life and salvation sanctifie our wills and affections and according to thine owne gracious promise put thy Law in our inward parts and write it in our hearts that wee may know thee from the least to the greatest forgive our iniquity and remember our sinne no more O Lord who didst by thy Word so heale the fountaines so that death and barrennesse was no more therein heale wee humbly intreat thee the wretched corruptions of our hearts cleanse and sanctifie all the thoughts thereof by the sweet and blessed influence of thy holy Spirit so guiding governing and directing us in the way which thou wouldst have us walke in as that wee may in all our thoughts words and actions be acceptable to thee mortifie and subdue all our evil desires and thoughts subject them all to thy holy will and pleasure that wee may constantly resist all temptations to sinne and wickednesse Keepe us and counsel us in all our affaires spiritual and temporal that wee may be filled with the holy fruits of the spirit of sanctification appearing in new and hollowed thoughts of words and actions to thy glory and our further assurance before thee so that in our bodies and in our spirits wee may be kept blamelesse in this sinful and miserable world unto the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ To him with thee O Father of mercy and the holy Spirit the Comforter of the Elect be â—rendred all honâ—r and glory in heaven and in earth from this time forth and to all eternity Amen CHAP. XXI Concerning the guidance of the Tongue § 1. Of the excellent use al use and evils of the Tongue concluding the necessity of a right guidance thereof § 2. Motives thereto § 3. Rules by which it may be done 1. THe use of the Tongue and speaking is a singular gift of God to man whom he furnished herewith that hee might communicate that inward and secret light of reason which hee created in the soule and the divine motions which by his holy Spirit hee infuseth into the same speech as reason is peculiar to man of all earthly creatures It is the soules image and interpreter neither could one soule shut up within the houses of clay other waies convey its notions into another soule or enterchange thoughts with another hereby we declare the counsell of God for our salvation in Christ hereby wee blesse God comfort and edifie one another hereby wee instruct direct aske and give counsel it were too long to reckon all 2. As Satan hath been malicious to poison the fountain of words and actions the heart so hath hee to corrupt the speech perverting that to God's dishonor overthrow of religion and sanctity and embittering of humane society by that which God ordained for the advancement of that and comfort of this God appointed the tongue for a main agent for his Kingdome but the enemy usurpeth it for the building up of his nor is there any â—acultie of man spiritual or corporeal by which hee more effecteth it there is no sinne which he promoteth not hereby the evil tongue is lusts bawd heresies disperser 〈◊〉 factor impostures agent sinnes soliciter generall ready to advance any mischiefe Art thou angry thy tongue runneth to usher in murder calumnie slander proâ—anations what mischiefe can wee think of turpâ—â—oquie perâ—ury blasphemy lying any sinne wherein the tongue is not a ready advocate and procurer 3. The holy Ghost intimatâ—th the variable mischiefes of the tongue under the severall characters wherewith hee brandeth the flattering tongue the deceitfull the double the censuring vexing bitter backbiting railing slandering lying perverse raging scandalous busie obscene and profane tongues these are the divels organs lusts bellows adulteries brokers the troublesome mischiefe of humane societies going through the world medling with and censuring every man this is the Epidemick evill so bitter as that none can well avoid it nor patiently endure it It is a fire a world of iniquity it defileth the whole body and setteth on fire the whole course of nature being it selfe set on fiâ—e of hell it is a little but unruly untamed member full of deadly poison 4. These being the diseases of the sinne-infected tongue followed with many severe judgements the necessity of a better and more holy guidance thereof appeareth which being neglected is the cause of all that evill which these worst times complain of What mischiefe is done which is not begun and fomented by the evill tongue as it is written his heart gathereth iniquity to it selfe when hee goeth abroad hee telleth it So one encourageth another or tempteth to a mischievous consent in that which is dishonour to God disadvantage to humane society and destruction to themselves That therefore every one may addresse himself to some meanes of a through reformation herein it is behovefull that we seriously weigh these ensuing motives to a matter of râ—high concâ—â—â—ment 1. Who so keepeth his mouth and his tongue keepeth his soule from troubles The inconsiderate man is snared and taken with the words of his own mouth Hee that loveth life and would see good daies let him refraine his tongue from evil and his lips that they speak no guile Many saith the wise man have fallen by the edge of the sword but not so many as have fallen by the tongue How happy had it been for many a man to have been dumb some thinke it a glorious liberty to speak what they list to exercise their dogged eloquence barking at all that passeth by them snapping at every thing but so shall they make their owne tongues to fall upon themselves therefore the wise man saith Who shall set a watch before my mouth and a seale of wisedome upon my lips that I fall not suddenly by them and that my tongue destroy me not for the lips of a foole will swallow up himselfe death and life are in the power of the tongue For saith our Saviour by thy words thou shalt be justified and by thy words thou shalt be condemned 2. If a man offend not in word the same is a perfect man and able to bridle the whole body but if any among you seem to be religious and bridleth not his tongue but deceiveth his own heart this mans religion is vaine 3. Men shall give an account at the day of judgment of every idle word how much more of malicious and impious words there 's not a word in thy tongue but God heareth it Therefore for the better guidance of thy tongue observe these and
the like rules 1. Strive to have an holy and sanctified heart out of the abundance thereof the mouth speaketh if that fountain be healed death and barrennesse shall be no more in the sources of our tongues if there be trueth peace charity wisedom temperance modesty patience chastity and sanctity there such will thy discourses be if the word of God dwell plentifully there and the holy spirit have his temple there accordingly shall thy discourses be The reason why we hear so many evill words is because what ever men professe to the contrary their hearts are unhallowed atheisticall and corrupt 2. Use thy selfe to holy speeches and let thy words be of the uprightnesse of thy heart The thoughts of the wicked are an abomination to the Lord but the words of the pure are pleasant words There are vaine and evill thoughts in the best men eftsoon ariâ—ing from the noisome remainder of the old Adam in us or suggested by the malicoius tempter even such as wee loath and startle at but good and wise men smother and suppresse them within setting a strong guard upon them as Jehu did on Baals Priests lest any of them should escape out alive to corrupt others according to the precept Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth but that which is good to the use of edifying seasoned with wisedom and sanctity My tongue shall speak of righteousnesse and of thy praise all the day long said holy David and the mouth of the righteous speakâ—th wisedom the law of God is in his heart 3. Weigh thy words in thy heart before thou speak let not thy tongue out-runne thy minde that thou maist not speak any thing of which thou must repent thee Let the balance of thy minde weigh out and give thy tongue his task A fooles aime is only to speak something not caring what as taking silence to be a mark of some impotency of minde but he that considereth only what hee hath spoken not what he ought to speak is like him that first shooteth and then taketh aime The word is in thy power before thou utter it but once spoken irrevocable therefore take heed before thou speak 1. to whom 2. of whom 3. what thou speakest Thou must take heed and set a watch before the doors of thy lips foolish men are weak in understanding and precipitate in speech but the hearer must first be considered Speak not in the eares of a foole said Solomon no nor in the eares of a knave for as the one will dispise so the other will pervert thy words Davids rule is necessary I will keep my mouth with a bridle while the wicked is before me they lay wait to entrap thee in thy words it is therefore an argument of high indiscretion and folly to open thy minde to any stranger because thou knowest not to whom thou speakest a When thou speakest of others consider their persons and qualities speak ill of no man of whom thou canst justly speak well God hath said Curse not the King and thou shalt not speak evil of the ruler of thy people The God of order hath set a distance between man and man it is not only unmannerly but impious to speak of Kings Governers Parents Ministers Masters or Superiors as thou wouldst of thy equal or inferior and when thou speakest of others 't is wisdome to be carefull whom thou commendest least his faults reflect on thee and whom thou censurest least thou become an accession to injurious slanderers and wound thy repute with thine owne censure of men better then thy selfe Justice is to give every man his due there may be something good in the worst man as something evil in the best some vertue shining in a vitious life which wee may value as the jewell in the serpents head It is wisdome to distinguish in thy praises as Salust judged of Aurelia Oristella of whom saith hee no good man ever praised any thing but her beauty And to speak much evil of any without eviction of the least crime demonstrateth thee a railer not him guilty whom thou accusest 3. To weigh thy words well thou must lastly consider what thou saiest speak not crudities but let thy minde well digest what thou wouldst say speak premeditated things and thereof onely a discreet choice 't is no small part of wisedom not to speak foolishly study to speak aptly not so much to affected curiosity as prudently not as if thou wert to dictate to the presse and put all thy words in print but as resolved to be wise and honest and so to expresse thy selfe A fooles heart is in his tongue but a wise mans tongue in his heart Weigh thy words in a ballance and make a doore and a baire for thy mouth It is not in vaine that nature God's ordinary power hath so fenced the tongue and guarded it with a double set of teeth a strong fortification if we can understand and make use of the morall 4. Be not hasty to speak Seest thou a man that is hasty in his words there is more hope of a foole then of him Let a man be swiâ—t to hear and slow to speak deliberation giveth maturity to that thou wouldest speak and 't is much advantage which a little time to bethink a mans self affordeth him because the second thoughts are commonly wiser the errors of the former appearing by a more prudent examination therefore the Philosopher resolved that to be hasty in speech was indicium insaniae 5. Either be silent or be sure to bring forth something better then silence specially in passion that reason may recover it seat again out of which the agitations of vehement affections doe commonly prâ—cipitate it as Caesar said to Athenodorus there are safe rewards of faithfull silence In a prudent silence thou concealest thine own infirmities and better discoverest other mens There are some strange volubilities of tongues whose fountains run mirth and fancy rather pretty then prudent such elegancies are like those red and blew flowers among the wheat rather pleasant then profitable it is no little skill nor small commendation to know when to be silent Archidamas rule was good hee who can speak well knoweth also when to speak and wherein certainly it must be a great advantage to the wise which maketh the foole seem wise and the wise man deep Therefore whereas other schools of literature taught their pupils to speak Pythagoras enjoyned his scholars silence for a certaine time after their admission that they might learne what to speak within themselves before they made others witnesses of their thoughts hee that knoweth not how to be silent which few fooles doe knoweth not how to speak It seemeth the prudent Zeno took it to be no small honor to know when to be silent who sitting silent at supper with a Kings Ambassadours they asking him but what
not on theâ— Cursing is the language of reprobates the bitterness of a malevolent heart overflowing the tongue these vices as they are fearful sins so dangerous symptoms of an impious soule loathsome habits such as could not become an heathen Mahumetan why any Christian should think them gratefull I could never understand 8. Let thy study be in Gods word acquaint thee with his oracles and make their language familiar to thee so shalt thou finde an holy savor in them beyond all excellency of the tongues of men and if thou give thine heart sincerely to obey them the holy Ghost will derive thence a sweet influence into thy tongue and so season thy heart that all the tempters suggestions shall be bitter to thee 9. Lastly because even the answer of the tongue is from the Lord who made the mouth pray him to heale thy natural corruptions to sanctifie thy heart and tongue and watch thou over thy selfe according to all these and the like rules A Praier O Lord God my helper and guide of my soule to thee are all the fruits of my heart and lips praise and thanks-giving most due touch thou my tongue with a coale from thine altar purge my sins and take away mine iniquity thou hast the key of David which openeth and none can shut open my lips that my mouth may shew forth thy praise remove far from me vanities and lies a deceitfull tongue bitternesse reviling injurious unpeaceable profane uncharitable and all unhallowed speeches which may any waies displease thy holy Majesty or hurt my neighbour heale the corrupt fountaines of my soule season them with true wisedome and sanctity cause thy word to dwell â— leâ—tifully in mee set a watch before the doores of my lips that no corrupt communication may proceed thence but that onely which may relish of thy good spirit administer grace unto the hearers and give good example unto my brethren to the advancement of thy kingdome and the comfortable assurance of my conscience before thee through Jesus Christ our blessed Lord and Saviour Amen CHAP. XXII Of external actions in general § 1. Whence good Actions are How requisite How regulated § 2. Rules concerning them 1. THe Actions of men are the proceed and fruit of their thoughts as we owe sanctimony to God and our consciences within so doe wee good example to our neighbour in things external as Christ saith Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorifie your father which is in heaven 2. Good actions proceed from sound faith without which they cannot be good nor pleasing to God for whatsoever is not of faith is sinne faith apprehending Christ to the justification of our person maketh our workes acceptable to him so farre as they are fruits of regeneration and uniting us to Christ giveth us a capacity of his spirit sanctifying and enabling us in some measure to overcome sinne and doe that which is holy in his sight therefore the Scripture saith Shew mee thy faith by thy works which yet saith also a man is justified by faith only without the workes of the Law 3. Though the best of our works cannot justifie us before God because they are imperfect yet are they never severed from true faith and they are the way to Gods kingdom though they cannot be the cause of our arrival there therefore to the yong mans quaere who would be justified by workes Christ answereth Keep the Commandements thus hee convinced him who had not yet learned the righteousnesse of faith which saith Beleeve and thou shalt be saved Thereby shewing that yet he wanted something who excelled many men in most things and therefore must seek salvation in something else that is by faith as also that the way to heaven is onely by sanctity this is a condition not the cause of our salvation wee can never be saved for it because our best is imperfect nor without it because wee owe our best endeavours to Gods honor 4. It is not enough to intend or speak good Satan is contented either that men should draw neer unto God with their lips if their hearts he farre off or that they speake well if they will doe evill Words at best are but feminine vertues workes are masculine of these the spiritual Pharoah giveth charge to smother them but we desire to convert our words into actions and not onely to speak but to doe holy things 5. Actions humane natural or civil are no otherwaies here concerned then as they are in order to the moral and so regulated by the Law and holy Word of God in the affirmative or negative precepts which is the onely rule of all our moral actions toward God or man neither example of others prescription universality of consent nor commands of men may carry us against the expresse word of God these have place onely in those things which Gods law alloweth commandeth or leaveth arbitrary Concerning thy actions in generall these Rules are to be held 1. Neither propose nor doe any thing evil or unjust for any worldly gaines honors or pleasures because it is an undeniable losse to get the world with the losse of thy soule what can secular honors advantage thee when God condemneth thee when all the world cryeth thee up when opinion of the multitude canonizeth thee for a Saint or applaude thy actions as the people Herods speech for more then humane Gods Angel may smite thee and the wormes destroy thee What are pleasures in their birth they look toward a precipitate end and the change of this scene serveth onely to aggravate the misery Dives heard in hell Sonne remember thou receivedst good things present remembrances of pleasures past embittereth the torments 2. Make God's Law thy counsellers in all things weigh all thy purposes hereby before thou â—ut any thing in execution resolving to do nothing but that which is there permitted or agreeth thereto David could not enterprise before he had consulted God's oracles not the very â—eathens but would send for the doubtful Effataes of their priests When the word of God is our rule we will not set up strange gods in our hearts as they doe who adore their owne inventions in will-worship and voluntary religion wherein all even the most zealous and painful actions as pilgrimages superstitious fasts foolish penance and idolatrous oblations or costly dedications shall be rejected with a Who required this at your hands The Lord will not be pleased with thousands of rams or ten thousand rivers of oile for saith the Prophet hee hath shewed thee O man what is good and what the Lord requireth of thee In religious acts as wee have noted God left not Israël to their owne wills in the least things but commanded See thou make all things according to the pattern shewed thee in the mount Also when God's word is our rule wee will neither lay snares upon
Rebecca cry I am weary of my life because of the daughters of Heth. Now though it be true he that doubteth whether he ought to worship God and honour his parents rather wanteth stripes then arguments yet seeing the corrupt nature of man is prone to all impiety I will hereto adde some motives to this duety 1. It is the only commandement with promise of reward Honour thy father and thy mother that thy dayes may be long in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee that it may goe well with thee the son of Sirach saith Honour thy father and thy mother that a blessing may come upon thee from them 2. This is just before God and pleasing to him releeving thy father shall not be forgotten in the day of thy affliction it shall be remembred 3. A third motive may be taken from the contrary curse to him that any way dishonoreth father or mother 1. Cursed is he that setteth light by his father or his mother there is no more evident signe of an impious minde then contempt of parents 2. He that wasteth his father and chaseth away his mother is a son that causeth shame and whosoever robbeth father or mother and saith it is no transgression the same is the companion of a destroyer 3. The eie that mocketh at his father and despiseth to obey his mother the ravens of the valley shall pick it out 4. Whoso curseth his father or his mother his lamp shall be put out in obscure darknesse every one that curseth his father or his mother shall surely be put to death his blood shall be upon him so he that smiteth father or mother there is no lesse punishment severe enough for such an unnatural prodigie as a parricide or hee that retributeth injury where he oweth highest gratitude 5. Lastly I wish all disobedient children to read Deut. 21. 18 c. If a man have a stubborn and rebellious son which will not obey the voice of his father or the voice of his mother and that when they have chastened him will not hearken unto them then shall his father and his mother lay hold on him and bring him unto the Elders of his city c. and the men of the city shall stone him with stones that he dye so shalt thou put away evil from among you A Praier for children to use O Lord God who hast ordained strength in the mouthes of babes and sucklings sanctifying them from the womb open our lips that wee may shew forth thy praise holy Lord Jesus who taking up children into thy sacred armes declaredst that unto such belongeth the kingdome of God who for our redemption becamest an infant and for our instruction obedient to humane parents who art the eternal son of God have mercy on us sanctify us bodies and soules unto thy kingdom and service keep us in our tender years by thy holy spirit from all the errors sins and pollutions of youth make us sincerely obedient to our God that in him wee may honor and obey our parents in all things in reverence and thankefulnesse for their tender care over us blesse their endeavours to provide for us spare them that they may live to bring us up in thy faith feare and love that thy great name may be glorified and they comforted in us and we with them preserved unto thine everlasting kingdom through Jesus Christ our ever blessed Lord and Saviour AMEN CHAP. XXVI Of the wounded spirit or conscience afflicted by the apprehension of Gods wrath against some great sinnes spiritual wants or fear of tentations § 1. What a wounded spirit is how great an affliction what the conscience is how comfortable the peace thereof why God afflicteth his § 2. What things principally wound the conscience § 3. What they who are afflicted with the apprehension of Gods wrath against them must consider § 4. What they must examine § 5. What they must practice 1. I Have spoken concerning the guidance of the Thoughts Words and Actions in generall and in some particular relations to external dueties I shall now endeavour to give directions suitable to some conditions first of the inward man and next of the outward The spirit of man will bear his infirmity but a wounded spirit who can beare saith Solomon The word signifieth a smitten contrite or broken spirit It is a manner of speaking borrowed from bodily afflictions by stripes contusions bruises or wounds wherein by cutting or hurting the sinews and veins the body weakened and endangered without cure to death disabled so that it cannot support it self is apt to inflammations and distempers every light touch hurteth it it depriveth a man of rest so that he is impatient of this present posture and more grieved at the change To expresse the intense sorrow of the soule weak confidence and enfeebled life of the spirit God calleth it a wounded spirit 2. This affliction is so great as it exceedeth all other temporal sorrows and is such as none can truely judge of but they who have with David seen confinia inferni as he saith Psal. 116. 3. The sorrowes of death compassed me and the paines of hell gat hold upon me or found me Other sorrowes may be eased by giving the afflicted something equivalent to that whose losse grieveth him as where one treasure is lost and another found or by some compensation and repair as Job had a second brood and encrease of wealth Elkanah intimated such a medium consolationis when hee said to afflicted Hannah Am not I better to thee then ten sonnes but so can this never be if you give a man of an afflicted spirit riches company of dearest friends or that which might relieve refresh or delight some others you do no more ease him then you could the broken bones by putting on some purple or rich robes no no the grief is within and there must be cured nothing external can do it in other griefes time will mitigate sunt verba voces excellent lenitives of sorrow in some other kindes wine merry company musick or the like meanes may have some part as the wise man saith Give strong drink to him that is ready to perish and wine to those that be of heavy hearts let him drinke and forget his poverty and remember his misery no more So Davids harp could for the time refresh Saul and charme the evil spirit but this grief admitteth of no efficacy in such comforts In other pressures wee may be eased or conveyed away from the evil as Paul was from the Jews conspiracy as David from Saul but there is no flight from a wounded spirit Whither ever we goe we carry our affliction with us our secret tormenter in us In fine as it is in sense of a separation from God the reality whereof is the second death so no creature in heaven or earth can cure it there can be
no sanctuary for a troubled soul but only Gods favourable presence till hee return and comfort nothing can So terrible in the meane time is this affliction that the desperate Judas took death for his sanctuary against that which to him was more tolerable then death how heavily it sitteth upon the hearts of Gods elect may appeare in the words of Job and others Wherefore is light given to him that is in misery and life unto the bitter in soule which long for death but it cometh not and dig for it more then for hid treasures which rejoice exceedingly and are glad when they can finde the grave See Jer. 20. 14 15 16 17 18. 1 King 19. 4. Jonah 4. 8. 3. The conscience is the knowledge of the heart knowing that which God knoweth with it it is a divine light in us which we cannot extinguish if wee would a supream court in us above us a silent register of all we do or say a thousand witnesses accusing or excusing an impartial Judge which cannot be bribed to justifie the wicked or condemn the just the first revenge of impiety wherein none guilty can be absolved though there were none other Judge 4. In true peace of conscience the heart is cheerful in every estate and condition Rom. 5. 1. 3. it feareth no judge nor witnesse it is a continuall feast the soules Eden the mindes faire haven an unvalueable possession which maketh every owner happy a riches which shall never be taken away the first fruits of heaven an immoveable comfort as no winde can move or shake the sun beams so can neither life nor death prosperity or adversity this as long as this is safe though men receive many sharpe charges as did the citizens of Ai yet are they confident to resist they can resolve with Job though he kill me yet will I trust in him but if that faile and the smoke arise thence their hearts fail them 5. God woundeth and healeth it is his justice and mercy wee wound our selves by sin and God healeth us by afflictions as Chirurgions doe with the lancet and cautery Sins are the theeves which spoil us and leave us wounded by the way till the good Samaritan come with his wine and oile to cleanse supple and binde up our wounds he smiteth the conscience with sense of his anger danger and bitter smart to make us sensible of our sins and bring us to a loathing of them this he doth sometimes by external afflictions sometimes by the word of the Spirit the word preached wounding the heart terrifying the conscience and then Peters hearers cry out Men and brethren what shall wee do sometimes by smiting the conscience with an inward sense and apprehension of his fierce wrath and severe judgements imminent in which an horrible feare overtaketh them like the earth-quake at Horeâ— preceding the still voice of mercy in sense of a spiritual disertion while he hideth away his face spiritual wants or permission to some grievous tentation cold fits of despair and buffeting by the messengers of Satan in all which though there be meanes of comfort appointed yet none can prevaile till the spirit of God the comforter return and heale the same hand giveth vulnus opemque the wound and plaister as it was said the Assyrians and Jareb could not heal Judah and Ephraim of their wound so no creature can the wounded spirit till he who correcteth in measure cometh and bindeth up he onely hee healeth the broken hearts and bindeth up their wounds even hee who was wounded for our sins and bruised for our iniquities by whose stripes wee are healed 1. There are some things principally wounding and afflicting the conscience coming up like those Philistim spoilers in three companies to destroy and drive men into despair first apprehension of Gods wrath for some grievous sins committed so â—ain having murdered his brother cryed My sinne or punishment is greater then I can beare Judas having betrayed Christ durst not come to him to beg mercy because he apprehended an implacable anger in Christ it is true that the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience for their sinnes that his wrath is revealed from heaven against all ungodlinesse and unrighteousnesse of men that the impenitent by their hardnesse of heart treasure up to themselves wrath against the day of wrath that there shall be indignation and wrath to them that obey not the trueth but when thou who art of a wounded spirit and broken heart hast well considered it may be thou shalt finde that these things concerne thee not but those who live in sin and so would do 2. The second thing wounding the conscience is sense of spiritual wants as of hope faith assurance of salvation the spirit of sanctification praier c. which being Gods grace and the presence of his holy Spirit in the regenerate may yet for the time be an hidden treasure an immortall seed under the frozen clods without any appearance of life and the saints may weep and complain like Magdalen in the garden of the losse of Christ when he is with them speaketh to them and they know him not 3. The third is fear of some strong tentations and trials in which the afflicted and affrighted conscience startleth as the Disciples when Jesus slept in the storm their ship filled with waves and ready to founder in the sea or like Peter on the water when he saw the rough billows coming and cryeth out Save Master we perish when 't is sure enough they cannot perish who are with Christ. Now concerning him that will receive any solid comfort in any of these cases it is very necessary that he 1. Well consider that state in which he seemeth to be 2. Examine his conscience throughly 3. Practice some rules proper for any of these estates Concerning the conscience afflicted with the apprehension of Gods anger against his sinnes let him consider that 1. As God is just so is he merciful he is no inexorable Radamanth he is easie to be entreated concerning whom we have a word more sure then any testimony of man God sufficiently known to himselfe onely hath thus proclamed himself Exod. 34. 6. The Lord God merciful and gracious long suffering and abundant in goodnesse and trueth keeping mercy for thousands forgiving iniquity and transgression Now if that which others said of the Kings of Israël that they were mercifull Kings could perswade them to seek mercy and desire quarter that they might be saved how much more should that which God who cannot lie as fame can and commonly doth hath declared of himself move the afflicted soule to submit and beg mercy of him more ready to grant it then wee are or can be to entreat it for aske it wee never could except his preventing grace moved us thereto 2. God
obtained mercy for as much as he did it ignorantly and in unbeleefe in his conversion these sinnes were taken off as his Melita viper without more danger to his life so God pronounceth of the convert all his transgressions that he hath committed they shall not be mentioned unto him 3. Great and grievous sins of the regenerate through violent perturbations of minde or tentations overtaking them are not to be reckoned among symptomes of reprobation or apostasie such was Peter's denial and David's adultery and murder therefore the Apostle saith If any man be overtaken in any fault yee that are spiritual restore such a one with the spirit of meeknesse considering thy self lest thou also be tempted and Christ teacheth us without distinction of great and little sinnes to say daily Forgive us our trespasses this life is a spiritual combate a trucelesse warre against the powers of darknesse wherein the strongest may be and often are carried away captive and yet be healed and recovered their captivity concludeth not their not being true Israëlites who would fain return 4. Every sinne against knowledge doth not presently conclude a reprobate minde the best and most knowing are sometimes taken in Satan's snares Peter though forewarned denied Christ through sudden apprehension of fear not out of malice but infirmity we nay the best of men are but partly flesh and partly spirit so that we can neither do the good we would nor avoid the evil which wee see and hate Paul and all the regenerate knowing and allowing the law of God yet sometimes feele another lawlesse law carrying them away captive to sin 5. Though every sin against conscience be very dangerous and every perseverance therein the very suburbs of hell yet every such failing concludeth not against repentance and remission because sinne not onely allureth but sometimes exerciseth the rage of a tyrant and captivateth us against our will there may also be a lethargie or epilepse of the soul there is such mischievous subtilty in Satan that his snares though seene are not alwaies avoided whose messengers though felt with grief of soul are not alwaies overcome yet heâ— that gave waters to the Horeb rock can smite our harder heartr and make the waters of life slow plentifully to repentance never to be repented of 6. Though every relapse into sin be very dangerous yet if a man be not entangled and overcome therein it concludeth not against repaire by repentance the most holy fall seven times a day Satan doth not alwaies present new scenes but sometimes dresseth up his old artifices therewith to beguile 7. Though our infirmities be many Gods power is made manifest therein sustaining us that though we fall wee shall not fall away though Satan's power subtilty and restlesse malice be very great yet hee and his messengers cannot go beyond their chain wherewith they are limited no not so much as into an herd of swine without God's leave who will not try us above that hee will make us able so that we may resolve that neither life nor death nor any creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus The rules of practice hereto belonging are 1. Do thy utmost endeavour to keep the testimony of a good conscience which thou canst by no means doe but by watching over thy soul and with unyeelding constancy resisting temptations every sin the least woundeth the soule afresh be not secure of little sinnes let a good conscience be most precious unto thee part not from it for any pleasures honours or riches of this world rather part from thy life have a tender conscience a seared one like callous flesh is hardly sensible of that which toucheth it to this custome bringeth a man taking away the sense of sin 2. Approve thy selfe in every action to God setting thy selfe ever in his presence who seest all thou doest oâ— thinkest and care not who ever else blame thee when hee approveth thee walke not according to the wisedom of the flesh but by God's grace which shall at last be thy rejoicing 3. Be sure sin reign not in thee which cannot be except thou sell thy self thereto by consenting to thine own captivity as the eare-bored servants who professed love to their masters and so would not be manu-missed and freed from them hate sin and none shall hurt thee no sin is so pernicious as that which pleaseth most specially take heed of presumptuous sins that they get not dominion over thee Psalm 19. 13. Numb 15. ver 30 31. Deuteron 17. vers 12. 4. Looke on Gods justice and mercy together part them not in thy thoughts if thou look on his justice onely thou must needs despair in the sight of thy sins if thou look on his mercy onely thou wilt easily presume when thou shalt see the admirable immensity thereof so ready to pardon sinnes the old sea-men noted the ignis lambens sitting sometimes on the yards of their ships for a good or a mischievous presage if they saw but one flame they called it an unlucky Helena if two they tooke it for Castor and Pollux good abodements of faire and prosperous weather it is much like here to consider either mercy to presumption or justice to despair is destructive it is happy to finde them thus together that thou neither in thy security presume to sinne nor despair for the greatnesse of any sinne in thy repentance 5. Labour for true faith in Christ who is the propitiation for our sinnes whose blood cleanseth us from all holding faith and a good conscience that wee may not be wrackt There was no cure for a wounded Israelite against the venome of fiery serpents but to looke up to the brazen Serpent which prefigured Christ apprehensible by faith the only cure of sinne-wounded consciences 6. Let but this very sense and apprehension of God's wrath which now terrifieth thee cause thee the more heartily to loath all sinne and thou shalt thereby be assured that God hath wounded thee only to heale the. 7. Remember that what the law saith it saith it only to them who are under the law not under grace they are under the law who plead not guilty and stand upon their justification by works of the law wee are under grace who seeing our sinne and misery by the law flee wholly to him for mercy who freely justifieth the sinner the curses and threatnings of the law are not to breake the bruised reed nor quench the smoking flax the penitent soule trembling at God's word grieving for his sinnes the man of a wounded spirit Christ came to call and save such but to beat down the heart lifted up with opinion of self-merit safety in and presuming to sin 8. Repent thee quickly let not sinne get râ—ot in thy heart let not the wound grow blew before thou apply the medicine high thee
quickly to the throne of Grace to implore mercy before wrath come out against thee catch hold quickly on this second table repentance who hast lost the first of innocency condemne thy selfe and Christ will justifie thee hee onely expecteth thy voice when thou sayest I have sinned hee saith I forgive thee Doe but mark how quickly the pardon followed David's confession no sooner had hee said I have sinned against the Lord but the Lord said by the Prophet the Lord also hath put away thy sinne Peter quickly repented and as quickly found mercy Esau staied too long and so found no place for repentance though hee sought it carefully with teares If the grando fiered be suddenly cast back againe it proves only the assailants harme or danher such shall Satan's fire-works prove if thou presently cast out his tentations and heartily repent thee where any of his darts touch thee 9. Give not thy selfe over to pensive dedolency worldly sorrow and fruitlesse solitarinesse that will but feed the bitternesse of spirit think not too much of thy afflictions but sweeten them with the frequent remembrance of God's mercy toward thee take heed of worldly sorrow that is unto death cheer up thy selfe in God as David did Why art thou so sad O my soule and why art thou so disquieted within mee trust in God for I shall yet praise him a merry heart doth good like a medicine but a broken spirit drieth the bones A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance but by the sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken 10. Hearken diligently to the word of God hee is the God of all consolation and the word is his minde and revealed will for our good that is a full store-house there is no affliction incident to man which may not there finde a proper cure here thou shalt finde rules to guide thee and keep thee from sinne here thou shalt finde the sweet mercy of God in Christ Jesus to wash away the guilt of all thy transgressions but be thou not only a hearer but a constant doer of the word and lay the gracious promises up in thine heart so shalt thou in due season feele the work of God's spirit distilling the former and the later rain upon the seed to make it take root and be fruitfull 11. Hereto adde zealous and frequent prayer as the Saints have done in all their distresses and be assured that hee will not leave thee comfortlesse but at last coming with great assurance of thy salvation will abundantly recompence thy patience in suffering and perseverance in praying for pardon Satan is never more foiled and fooled in his own work then when hee gets leave to wound the hearts of the elect for as Romanus the martyr told the tormenter look how many wounds hee gives them so many mouthes hee setteth open for them to cry to God for helpe and indeed these jewels cannot come to their glorious lustre without hard grinding by afflictions A Praier for them who are of a wounded spirit in respect of their grievous sins O Lord God gracious and merciful rebuke not in thine anger neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure my soule is sore vexed and Lord how long Have mercy on mee for I am weak Lord heale my soule and deliver it O save mee for thy mercy sake I am weary of my groaning mine eie is consumed with griefe Lord heare my supplications receive my praier I am sorely afflicted Lord quicken mee according to thy word in thy loving kindenesse and multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions wash me throughly from my sinnes cleanse me from all mine iniquities the greatnesse and number whereof is such as that I am ashamed and afraid of thy blessed presence I acknowledge my selfe unworthy to look up to heaven to appeare before thee with petition for mercy who have so uncessantly provoked thy justice the filthy leprosie of my sinnes stop mine own mouth my heart answereth that I am unworthy that ever thou shouldst encline thy gracious eare unto so wretched a sinner These terrors of conscience wherewith thou hast now afflicted my soule are thy just judgments the fears of hell and eternal condemnation wherewith thou hast wounded mee are incomparably lesse then my sinnes but Lord remember them not who canst not forget the sufferings of thy holy sonne Jesus for them all I am not able to answer thee one of a thousand nor can thy justice require that of mee for which my Saviour and redeemer hath satisfied therefore I renounce my selfe that I may be found in thy Christ not having on our owne righteousness according to the condemning letter of the law but that I may be clothed in his righteousnesse who hath long since cancelled the hand-writing of ordinances that were against me and payed the debt for me Lord for his sake I humbly entreat thee to turne this judgement under which I now labour into mercy let it beget in my soule a true loathing of all sinne a stedfast purpose to forsake all my evil waies a comfortable experience of thy mercy pronouncing pardon to my afflicted conscience by the infallible evidence of thy holy spirit and assurance of peace with thee make mee to hear of joy and gladnesse that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice in thee cast me not away from thy presence take not the holy Spirit the comforter from mee but restore mee to the joy of thy salvation and uphold mee with thy free spirit despise not a broken and contrite heart but heale my wounded spirit then will I teach transgressors thy way that they may fear thee who art so terrible in thy justice and convert unto thee who art so abunâ—amt in thy mercy Lord heare mee Lord encline thine eare to a poore distressed soule Lord consider and do it for thy only sonne our Saviour Jesus Christ his sake to whom with thee O heavenly father and the holy spirit be all honour and glory in heaven and earth from this time forth and for ever Amen CHAP. XXVII § 1. Sense of spiritual wants afflicteth but not so much endangereth the soule § 2. What we are herein to consider § 3. How we must examine the conscience § 4. Rules of practice hereto necessary THe second thing wounding and afflicting the conscience is sense of defects and spiritual wants as want of faith hope assurance of salvation want of sanctification purity of heart the spirit of praier and hearing want of ability rightly to performe other holy dueties In these the spirit is stupified and fearfully darkned in the saint for a time a man sometimes feeleth dulnesse to and want of fervency in praier and want of comfortable assurance that God heareth or regardeth it because hee doth not presently answer or not at all grant that which wee aske sometimes hee feeleth a deviation of his minde and discomposure of thoughts in attention and unbeleef in hearing the word or reading the
a measure as thereby to know the things that are freely given thee of God thou shalt finde that Blessed is the man whom the Lord chasteneth and teacheth in his law that hee may give him rest from his daies of adversity 3. In sense of spiritual wants aske thy soule whether ever thou hadst that whereof thou now feelest the want if thou hadst be assured it shall revive againe and finally overcome as it is written Whosoever is born of God overcometh the world and this is the victory that overcometh our faith And this sense and sorrow is a certain token of thy recovery and soules health as that seven times neesing of the Shunamites sonne before hee opened his death-closed eies was of his lifes returning If thou never yet hadst the grace whereof thou now beginnest to feele the want it appeareth by this sense that now thou shalt have it and this trouble of thy soule is but as the moving of Bethesda waters a certain signe of an healing power descended thereinto 4. Aske thy conscience as the Prophet saith Hast thou not procured this unto thy selfe this of which thou complainest of hast thou not neglected the appointed meanes Suppose want of faith perplexe thee hast thou not carelesly heard the Gospel hast thou layed it up in a carefull heart hast thou valued it and begged it fervently and frequently of God above all things in the world Thou complainest of want of the spirit of praier hast thou not neglected this duety in times past doest thou duely prepare thyself thereto doest thou use that vigilancy which Christ enjoined Watch and pray by re-calling thy profane and wandring thoughts from their extravagancies and in all attention of spirit fixing them on Jesus Christ thou feelest the want of sanctification in thy heart tongue and actions Ask thy conscience if thou hast not heretofore buried the checks thereof for some vaine pleasure or profit's sake If thou wouldst have the effect cease remove the cause God will have his ordinances duely observed wherein they shall never want their promised effect 5. Ask thy conscience whether thou doest not live in some grievous sinne It is but folly to cry out of the heat and still cast oil on the fire if it be an Achan's wedge hidden search for the cursed thing and the plague in thine own heart in the cure whereof thou shalt be comforted if it be a sleeping Jonah cast him over-board as Eliphaz said If thou return to the Almighty thou shalt be built up thou shalt put iniquity farre from thy tabernacles the Almighty shall be thy defence then shalt thou have delight in the Almighty and shalt lift up thy face unto God thou shalt make thy praier unto him and he shall hear thee The rules of practice are 1. Heare God's word preparedly that is as hath been said renew thy repentance and pray for a blessing thereon heare it reverendly and attentively faith is by hearing so is sanctification Gods spirit working upon his own ordinance to make it active thereto The very cause why so many hear so often and so few so seldome practice and receive true comfort thereby is because they prepare not but are like men that sow among thorns 2. Let faith and all other graces be precious to thee for his sake whom it apprehendeth God will never bestow his inestimable gifts on men who sleight and undervalue them how few set a right estimate on precious faith the spirit of praier or memory of good things till it be too late things of this world are rated high enough but where is the man that riseth early late takes rest eats the bread of carefulnesse ventureth sea and land to get faith and sanctity doe but thou so value and desire these best gifts and God will not with-hold them from thee Psal. 84. 11. 3. Jesus said Hee that beleeveth in mee out of his belly shall flow rivers of living waters that is the abundant graces of the holy Ghost labour for this faith but if thou wilt attain it endeavour to remove all lets and obstructions thereto resolution to continue in any known sin and true faith are inconsistent Hardnesse of heart is like the great stone on the mouth of the well at Padan-Aram which keepe men from the refreshing waters these must first be removed sin in the affections is like a venemous toad in the mouth of the fountain stopping up the waters of life 4. Consider God's work in thee by comparing thy condition with others thou art possibly not heard in thy prayers not to say Doest thou aske according to his will I say mark Gods work which is to save thee and make thee eternally blessed if he do that by a means which he knoweth best Wilt thou be impatient with Naaman if thou art not healed and helped according to thy way which thou proposest Is it not enough that hee will do that which is best for thee and canst thou judge so well of that as God nay but subject to God's good will and infallible wisedom thou maist erre in asking who hath not but hee cannot in giving for the best it may be hee seeth best to try thy perseverance patience whereof I confess I know no harder object then opinion of his not hearing our praiers It was no small tryal when David cryed out My God my God why hast thou forsaken mee why art thou so far from helping mee and from the words of my crying It was the greatest when our Saviour repeated the same Moses was denied entrance into Canaan but received into heaven the cup did not passe away from Christ but Gods will was done in the work of mans redemption and so hee was heard Thy faith beareth many sharp charges of the tempter mark Gods work therein Doth hee not even by this means more confirm it Is not every temptation as the shaking of the trees which loosning the ground maketh them take the deeper root thou feelest great defects of sanctification and thence many dubious conflicts between the spirit the flesh making thy soul cry w th Rebecca perplexed with her wrestling twins why am I thus despair not but consider Gods work thus he forceth thee often to fly to him and to consult his oracles thus hee exerciseth thee to humility without which the most excellent graces could not save thee He that prayed for Peter fallen could have kept him from falling into that sin but thus he kept him from presumption and fitted him to confirm his brethren 5. Begge holinesse of God who hath said Aske and yee shall have it is a vehement motive hereto to consider that God is holinesse and certainly hee cannot chuse but love his own image in us and give us that which hee loveth it pleased God that Solomon before riches revenge and life it selfe begged of him Wisedom so that he did not only grant his request but over and above gave him riches
and to guide all thy thoughts words and actions so that waking thou maist walke sincerely in his presence and sleeping rest confidently in his protection 2. Prepare and arme thy selfe against these encounters of tentations with the whole armour of God look before hand for tryals thou hast to resist flesh and blood principalities and spiritual wickednesses it is a conflict by so much more terrible by how much more hidden and with an unseen puissant unwearied and restlesse enemy with whom thou canst have no safe truce therefore cast before-hand like the wise builder to lay the foundation upon the rocke against which no windes stormes or floods can prevaile The sea-man doth not contrive his shippe for calmes onely but also against furious storms and rough seas prepare thee good ground-tackle the anchor of the soule hope to lay hold on Christ who therefore suffered and was tempted that hee might deliver thee from and in temptations get the ballast of patience and all things necessary for tryals which thou must in reason look for before thou canst make thy port It were great incogitancy to thinke that Satan who could not abstaine from tempting Christ in whom hee found no sinne will ever give thee rest from temptations in whom hee conceives some hopes of prevailing because some sinnes to foil and grieve thee though not to make thee finally his 3. Watch least yee enter into temptation your adversary continually watcheth to destroy you be not lesse vigilant for your own salvation Many a man not marking whether a mischievous temptation carrieth him hath been surprized and led into some desperate sinnes which waking hee abhorred and trembled at looke for more and more assaults Satan leaveth men sometimes to returne with seven worse spirits that security may destroy them whom nothing else could 4. Be not precipitated into any sudden undertaking but consult with God's Oracles first and resolve to be directed thereby Let them be as the cloudy pillar to Israël where that designeth thy stations or marches there rest or thence advance 5. Resist the devil and hee will flee if thou yeeldest or givest him the least ground hee is tyrannous flee from thy lusts they are like serpents there 's no safe debate with them except by fasting and praier the best way is flight stop thine ears to the enchanting Syrens make a covenant with thine eies not to see that which thou maist not desire in thine heart Take heed of all incentives and occasions thereto beware of Tamar's waies and Delilah's embraces the curtisans invitations and presented opportunities suspected company lascivious entertainments betraying gifts and whatsoever may lead thee to the pathes of death 6. As the subtile enemy sets his snares according as hee findeth men inclinable to be taken therewith as hath been said so be thou carefull most to fortifie thy selfe where thou findest him placing his main batteries there most carefully watch over thy selfe where hee most frequently assaileth thee and be constant herein because hee is so in his malice to destroy thee he sometimes changeth his artifices now hee cometh like a mischievous fruiterer with his destructive commentaries on the forbidden fruit sometimes like an holy prophet with lying visions to bewitch the foolish and unstable sometimes like a beguiling courtier with large promises of worlds of honor and wealth sometimes hee plaies the pander shewing a naked Bathsheba sometimes the secret conspirator and puts into Judas heart to betray the King of Kings and presently the executioner presenting the desperate traitor an halter to make away himself the rule therefore is be careful and search again and again into his gifts whatever they are feare the enemy as Saul said of David See his place where his haunt is for hee dealeth very subtilely he never offereth any good but for some mischievous end hee is a great studier of men where hee findeth a gentle nature hee tempteth to luxury where an ambitious to some high and impious designes where an angry to revenge be thou as cautious learne thy selfe well and where thou art most weake most fortifie thy selfe against him 7. Take heed of idlenesse that lazy mother of all evil ever set thy selfe about something which is good that the tempter as I said may never finde thee at leisure to entertaine him What fearful advantages found hee on David in his few houres vacancy to staine so glorious a life 8. Dally not with temptations happy shall be hee who dasheth them yong as Elisha said of Jehoram's messenger Looke when hee cometh shut the doore and hold him fast there is not the sound of his masters feet behinde him So must we do with Satan's messengers sent to take away our lives wee must destroy the cockatrice egges least breaking out into a fiery serpent wee cannot overcome it but say too late as the Turke of Scanderbeg this enemy should have been subdued in his minority a tentation is nourished that houre it is not mastered 9. Pray constantly and fervently leade us not into temptation oft-times these are a divine revenge on some precedent unrepented sinne against which the Saints usually pray and if as often as Satan assaileth wee could betake our selves to hearty prayers wee should beat him at his owne weapon and hee should give us frequent alarms to awaken us to a stronger guard and occasions of fleeing to the shadow of God's wings The first enemy that assailed Israël in his way to Canaan was overcome by prayer when Moses held up his hands Israël prevailed the greatest of our enemies shall so be repulsed Mat. 17. 21. An ejaculation fit to be used as sonne as thou wakest LOrd be merciful unto us blessed be thy name as for all thy mercies so for thy gracious preservation of us this night continue thy goodnesse to us this day keep us from sinne and shame preserve us bodies soules and estates let no evil come neer our dwellings let not the mischievous tempter gaine any advantage upon us or ours this day but direct thou all our thoughts words and actions by the continual presence of thy holy spirit that wee may wholly spend this day to thy glory and our comfort Preserve the Church this family and all those whom thou hast stirred up to shew thy goodnesse to us or appointed to receive it of us blesse us all and keepe us this day through Jesus Christ our Lord. AMEN After thou hast strictly examined thy conscience what good dueties thou hast omitted or what evil thou hast done in the day and hast heartily repented of the sin compose thy last waking thoughts with such an ejaculation LOrd forgive us all our sinnes and failings this day seal up our redemption by thy good spirit the comforter of thine elect give us that peace of conscience which may cause us to rest securely on thy mercies let our sleep be reâ—reshing and comfortable unto us restrain the enemy that
hast left may best appear in thy tryals how many of these shadowes follow thee now thou art clouded doe they not feare thy mine doth not that set a strange distance between you are these thy friends or such acquaintance as thou maist every where finde Againe how many malicious enemies hast thou left behinde who have often so embittered thy soule that thou hast cryed out Wo is mee that I sojourne in Meshech that I dwell in the tents of Kedar my soul hath long dwelt with him that hateth peace so that upon a just account thou art not so much banished thy country as taken from impious enemies 4. Lastly be confident that what ever is good wee shall meet withal again in the immutable happinesse of heaven what ever cannot come thither is not worth our lamenting here it being truely rather a gaine to loose it then to recover it 7. Consider how popular inconstancy usually retributeth evil to best deserts as Aristides the just Alcibiades as hee also whose epitaph sayed to posterity Ingrateful native soile thou hast not so much as my bones had experience of it Wee have examples in holy writ of those who wandred in deserts and mountaines of whom the world was not worthy All is little to that one example of Christ persecuted from his infancy carried into Egypt to avoid Herod's tyrannous fury and all his life made a man of sorrows by them hee came to save That condition to which Christ is a pattern can make no man unhappy hee came amongst his own and they received him not hee did only good to them their owne testimony was hee hath done all things well yet they crucified him remember his words The disciple is not greater then his master and doest thou think much that being innocent thou art banished thy native soile few good men live where they first drew breath or best deserve 8. Learne the good which God doth for thee who best knoweth how to make all things work for the best as in thy exile thy security from thine adversaries whose restles malice is as trucelesse as the Divells which ruleth in the enemies of Gods children that he hath set thee by better neighbours or lesse pernicious who canst not have worse then thou hast lost however thou valew this the Prophet fervently wisheth for it O that I had in the Wildernesse a Cottage of a Wayfaring man that I might leave my People and goe from them for they be all an assembly of treacherous men they bend their tongues like their bow for lies 9. Learne to seek happinesse and content in thy selfe in peace of conscience purity of heart sanctified will and affections faith patience meeknesse temperance humility and the like and no losse of these outward â—hings shall much trouble thee who hast set thy affections on heaven and to a man assured that he must ere long change this life for an eternall what matter is it from what point of the earth his soule taketh her flight whether from Pisga with Moses from the bankes of Jordan with Eliah from the Prison with John Baptist from the field mill or bed or from the mount of Olives whence Christ ascended into Heaven it is not much considerable whence thou comest thy happinesse in spight of secular afflictions and active malice shall be once to arrive at heaven where all shall be securely unchangeably and eternally happy The Banished mans Petition O Lord God holy and mercifull whose providence ruleth over all the earth is thine and thou assignest the parts thereof to the children of men thou brougâ—st a Vine out of Egypt and plantedst it thou madst the branches thereof to fill the land and spread themselves from the river to the flood but in thy displeasure thou didst cast them out of the inheritance which thou hadst given them Thou art the Lord of Mountaines and vallies land and sea and the God of the exiled and outcast Thou dost with much patience behold oâ—â—ression and wrong untill the measures of iniquity be filled up ô Lord behold the pressures of me thy poore despised and dejected servant thy mercy and gracious audience of the afflicted is neither limited to Jerusalem nor this mountaine every place is equally neere heaven where ever men lift up pure hands and hearts worshipping thee in spirit and truth thou art there present to heare and help them Gracious Father though thou seest good to permit me to the power of men to exercise me yet can they not shut thy mercifull eare against me O let my complaint therefore come before thee let thy word be as the clowdy Pillar to lead me in thy way let thy good spirit direct me cast me not from thy presence take not thy mercies from me give me grace to forsake all those sinnes for which thy chastisement is now upon me that I may happily profit by thy Fatherly corrections and if it be thy holy will restore me to these blessings and comforts which thou gavest me for my support if otherwise yet good Lord give me assurance of thy mercy and patience to expect thy saving health leave me not destitute and comfortlesse in my afflictions be my guide and helper in this earthly pilgrimage and vally of teares unto and in the howre in which thou hast appointed to take me hence into the incorruptible and undefiled inheritance by thy power reserved in heaven for all that beleeve in thee to which no hand of the oppressor shall reach where shall be no curse no sinne nor feare of forfeiture into which no enemy shall be admitted from which no inhabitant shall ever be cast out Lord heare and help me Lord have mercy on me and grant me that which I aske according to thy will and that which I should aske which thou knowest best for me through the infinite merits of the Sonne of thy Love the author and finisher of our Salvation and eternall happinesse Christ Jesus the righteous AMEN CHAP. XXXIII Of old Age directions counsels and comforts therein § 1. Age common evils thereof § 2. How the foundation of an happy Age must be laid in youth § 3. How the evils of Age may be lessened § 4. Or more patiently borne § 5. By what Rules of practice it may be improved to the comfort of the Aged 1. OLd Age is our times sun-set the last of this life and first-fruits of death that which all desire and but few like or patiently bear so ingrateful are men to God that they would be yong again so waiward doth sinne make them that they like no present state of so discomposed and foolish a minde are those aged children whose desires look to the Sodom whose dangerous â—lame they had escaped 2. It is the condition of all that groweth in time to decay Time is the devourer of his children here is nothing but perpetual changes we shall not be to morrow what wee were