the Father draw him g Joh 6. 44 2 To the second Person where the Apostle calleth Jesus the Author and finisher of our faith h Heb 12. 2. 3 To the third Person where the Apostle reckoneth Faith amongst the fruits of the Spirit i Gal. 5. 22 Secondly God works faith God in mercy workes faith of his meere good will So saith our blessed Saviour it is so Father because thy good pleasure was such k Mat. 11. 26. Now the end at which God aymed in working Gods ends in working faith this grace is two-fold First The setting forth of his owne glory Secondly The salvation of mankinde and therfore Saint Peter calleth salvation the end of our faith Now the Knowledge of this will First Humble us in letting of us see that it is not in our power that Faith is not hereditary God beginneth it and increaseth it and finisheth it The Apostles prayed Lord increase our faith l Luke 17. Now the meanes to get this Faith is double 1 Outward Meanes to get faith 2 Inward First Outward 1 Outward The Word The outward meanes is the Word hereupon saith the Apostle how shall they beleeve in him of whom they have not heard Rom. 10 14. and thereupon thus concludeth Faith commeth by hearing and hearing by the Word preached n Rom. 10 8. And hereupon it is called the Word of Faith o Eph. 1. 13 and Paul saith of the Ephesians that they beleeved after they heard the Gospell and finely saith S. Chrysostome Acc enditur S. Chrysoâ—t fldei lampas igne Divini verbi the Lampe of our Faith is lighted by the fire of the Divine Word And this Faith is wrought in us both by reading and preaching of the Word and both are commended and ordained of God The Word a meanes p Deut. 3. 9. 1. For reading God himselfe commandeth it P and by reading S. Augustine was converted for hee confesseth of himselfe that being inclined to the heresie of the Manichees he heard a voyce saying Tolle lege take up and reade meaning the Booke of God which hee presently did and so by reading was converted for surely the reading of the Word is a meanes appointed of God to the begetting of faith and raising up the kingdom of God in the hearts of men so that to say that bare reading is bare feeding and a thing unable to worke faith in us is to avouch a great untruth Secondly For the Word The especiall meanes ordinary is preaching preached This is the especiall ordinary meanes and the most powerfull usuall meanes this is that which the Scripture layeth downe how shall they beleeve in him of whom they have not heard how shall they heare without a preacher q Rom. 10. 14. and againe it pleased God by preaching to save r Gal. 3. 1. reading is profitable but preaching doth profit more than reading doth Spice when it is whole smelleth sweetly but when it is broken and bruised by the hand of the Apothecary it smelleth a great deale more so is the Word read of us or to us sweet as the hony and bringeth the light of life to many but if the spirituall Apothecary breake it and bruise it cut it and divide it as the Lord hath appointed by preaching then reacheth the savor of such heavenly sweet to many moe in a fuller measure by reason of the blessing God giveth unto it The Eunuch read but he understood not but when Philip preached unto him the sweet brake out to his lasting good Å¿ Acts 8. Secondly the meanes is The inward meanes for faith the Spirit of God inward whereby faith is wrought in us and this is the blessed Spirit of God which softneth and openeth our hearts and maketh them as good ground that when the seed of the Word is cast into them it taketh deepe rooting and bringeth forth the blessed fruit of faith The Apostle saith that his preaching was in demonstration of the Spirit that their faith might 1 Cor. 2 4. 5 be in the power of God and the preaching of the Gospell is tearmed a ministration of the Spirit u 2 Cor. 3. yea hee useth this phrase the Spirit of faith w 2 Cor. 8 15. because that faith is wrought inwardly by the spirit Thus yee see that faith is wrought inwardly in us by the spirit outwardly by the Word Now to propound a question and answer it Quaes How the Gospell How the Gospell works faith works faith Resp When the Gospell is preached First That commands us to beleeve in Christ and promises salvation and when wee come to heare the Spirit of God moves us for to heare and hee opens our hearts as hee did the heart of Lydia Secondly Vpon diligent hearing the Lord inlightens the minde to conceive and understand the way of salvation Thirdly Vpon this inlightning the great God perswades us to beleeve x Act. 15. 7 1 Cor. 3. 4 Fourthly After this God inclines the heart to be affected with the goodnes of the things promised which is salvation and to hunger and thirst after righteousnesse Fifthly The Lord perswades the heart to trust in the Lord Jesus for salvation Now as this knowledge serves to humble us so it will bring us to this knowledge that faith is not common this confutes the Atheists confuted Atheists that think and say so all of them say that they beleeve but faith is a gift yea a most rare gift of God God sent his Patriarchs in the ancientest age of the world and could finde no faith he sent his Prophets in a latter generation and could finde no faith last of all he sent his owne Sonne a man approved of God and approved his doctrine with miracles and signes following and could finde no faith and when the Sonne of man shall come shall he finde faith on the earth y Luk. 18. 8 We reade but of two beleevers in the hoste of Israell a Num. 14. But of eight in all the old world b 1 Pet. 3. 20. But of one family that beleeved in all Asia c 2 Tim. 1. 26. But of a hundred and twentie in all Christs time d Act. 1. 15 But of a few in all Sardis e Rev. 3. 4. Caro sanguis non dant fidem sed Pater in Coelis Flesh and blood give not faith but the Father in heaven Many boast of faith but if they have any it is the Divels faith Nay many beleeve not so much as the Divell doth but say with the foole non est Deus non est Daemon non est infernus non est Coelum there is no God no Divell no hell no heaven And in that some few beleeve it is by grace not by nature Secondly it is said in the description wrought in the heart of a sinner and this must not bee understood indefinitly of any sinner or every sinner for First
commeth shall hee finde Faith on the earth y Luke 18 8. hee saith not that when hee shall come againe hee shall finde no Faith at all in the earth for he shall finde as many kinds of Faith as there be kindes of Religion in the World neither meaneth he that hee shall finde no saving Faith for he shall finde it in many who shall then be alive at his comming a 1 Thess 4. 15 16. But the meaning is that when Christ shall come to judgement he shall finde few in the earth that have a saving Faith in comparison of them that have it not Thirdly All men have not a saving Faith because all men shall not be saved for as many as are saved are saved by Faith b Rom. 9. 27. Now that all shall not be saved it is plaine for though the number of Israel were as the sand yet but a remnant shall be saved Fourthly All men have it not because First Some make Shipwrack of it c 1 Tim. 1 19 Secondly Some depart from it and deny it d 1 Tim. 4. 1. Thirdly Many cast it off e 1 Tim. 6 10. Fourthly Many erre and are reprobate concerning it f 2 Tim. 3 8. Wee must examine our Faith because the Lord Reas 3 himselfe tries our Faith now wee must not thinke that this God doth as though hee were ignorant of our Faith for all things are naked and open before God but to teach us to trie and instruct us that upon tryall wee shall know whether wee have a saving Faith that God tries wee may see in Abraham who was tryed g Heb. 11. 17. God tryed Abraham and will try us but I neither teach nor thinke that God doth or will try the Faith of all Christians with so great a tryall as was Abrahams Examine wee must our Reas 4 Faith because there is no grace so necessary as this is First Because no grace is acceptable to God without this h Heb. 11. 6. Secondly Because no grace so necessary for this life and the life to come All good things are ours by promise the promise is made ours by Faith and it is Faith onely that layes hold on Christ Thirdly Because it is to bee desired and used above all other graces above all saith the Apostle take the shield of Faith i Eph. 6. 16 Where note that the Apostle contenteth not himselfe with a bare exhortation but with weighty reasons presseth his exhortation both behinde and before First Before comparatively preferring it before all other graces and above all Secondly Behind simply declaring the vertue and efficacy of it whereby ye shall be able to quench But it will be objected Ob. 1. We are ignorant and cannot examine to examine requires wisedome knowledge understanding Obiections Answered True it is many are ignorant but all are not so and though many bee ignorant and simple yet that little wit and understanding that they have if they would imploy it they might doe much craving Gods blessing upon the use of the meanes againe they have a light to direct them the light of Gods Word True but the Word is hard and difficult so that Ob. 2 we cannot understand it Have you not teachers Ministers resort to them Ans you have the Word publikly preached and private conference to helpe you Wee have Trades and occupations Ob. 3 Wives and Children and have no time to spare Many who make this Ans Obection have no lawfull callings or no callings at all but sure it is that there are none who have lawfull callings that are so streightned but that they may set a part some time to examine they spare some time to Eate to Drinke to Sleepe to recreate themselves and shall there bee none for so Holy a Worke as this trades-men spend not all their time in bying and selling but some in casting up their debt-book that they may know how it is with their estates how they thrive and shall there be no time spent to know how they thrive and grow in grace many have great trading and imployments so that it may be in the sixe dayes they cannot let such do it on the seventh the LORDS Day The End of the Fourth SERMON The Fifth SERMON 1 Corinthians 11. CHAP. 28. VERS Let a man examine himselfe and so let him eate of that Bread and drinke of that Cup. HAving shewed the necessity of the examination of our faith and answered some objections It now concernes all to know what saving faith is or faith in Christ Now saving Faith is a Faith described grace of the Spirit of God wrought in the heart of a sinner whereby he trusts in the Lord Jesus for eternall blessednesse And here we must take notice First that it is a grace of the Spirit of God So that it is not onely God that works it in those that have it but also that the Lord in grace mercy favour works it First it is God that God workes Faith workes it It is his gift he is called by the Apostle the Author and finisher of our faith a Heb. 12. 2. as the Athenians were called Inventrices perfectrices omnium doctrinarum the inventers and perfecters of all good learning The Romanes had their learning from the Grecians and the Grecians from the Aegyptians and the Aegyptians from the Chaldees and they from Adam Seth Noah and the old Patriarchs but the Church hath all her Learning Religion and faith from God he gave it at the first and he confirmed it he gave some to be Apostles some Prophets and some Evangelists some Pastours and Teachers for gathering together of the Saints for the worke of the Ministery and for the edification of the body of Christ til we meet together in the unity of Faith and Knowledge of the Sonne of God Saint Luke having spoken of Stephens Faith noteth the cause of it that Stephen was full of the Spirit for God worketh it by his Spirit b Acts 7. 22. all good workes are the fruits of the Spirit therfore saith the Apostle the fruits of the Spirit are love ioy peace faith c Gal. 5. 22. and it is reckoned up among the gifts of the Spirit to another is given faith saith the Apostle by the same spirit d 1 Cor. 12. 9. Every good and perfect gift comes from above e 1 Jam. 17 And that which is said of Lydia is true of all the faithfull that the Lord opened the hâ—art of Lydia so that she beleevâ—d And Christ saith that this is the Worke of God f Ioh 6. 29. that yee beleeve not the Worke of the Father alone of the Sonne alone or of the holy Ghost alone but of the whole Trinity for this is one of the Workes of God which are said to be ad extra and therefore attributed to all the three Persons First To the first Person where Christ saith no man can come unto me that is beleeve except
examined 29. Generall speciall Knowledge 29. Knowledge concerning God 30. Knowledge concerning Gods nature 30. There is a God 31. God is glorious in nature 33. Jncorporeall 33. Eternall 33. Incomprehensible 34. Immutable 34. Omnipotent 34. Omniscient 35. The summe of the second Sermon THe necessity of this generall Knowledge 3â— The fruits of it 38. God is three in persons 40. One in essence 41. God to be loved alone and above all 42. No other to bee called upon but the Lord. 42. One mediator to be used to him 42. Our knowledge is to be examined concerning Gods Works 43. Gods Worke of Creation 43. The world had a beginning 43. God made it 46. All things had one principle 46. God onely can Create 48. The Creatures to be considered 48. God to be praised 48. All things were made of nothing 49. Gods Power is to be admired 49. God to bee trusted unto 49. All things were made by the Word of God 50. All things were made good 50. God made all things freely 52. All things were made successively 52 Knowledge must bee examined concerning the Providence of God 53. God knowes and takes notice of all things 54. God upholds governes and disposes of all things 55. Gods providence reacheth to all things even the smallest 56. Of all Creatures God takes most care of man 58. God provides great things for man 59. God provides temporall things 61. God provides spirituall 61. God a royall Bridegroome 62. A royall feast-maker 63. A royall generall 63. God provides comforts 63. God provides graces 63. 64. Cleansing 64. Hearing 64. Quickning 64. Directing 65. Protecting 65. Saving 65. God watcheth over us and ours 65. God preserves us from dangers 66. God preserves us in dangers 6. God preserves us by dangers 67. God orders and disposes of all things and all acts for mans good 67. Naturall things shall worke for mans good 68. Artificiall things 68. Necessary things 69. Contingent things 69. Realland imaginary 70. All acts shall be for mans good 70. It is God that doth whatsoever he will 72. Knowledge must be examined concerning our selves 73. Rule of Knowledge concerning God 74 The Rule is the Word of God 74. It s infallible 75. Vnchangeable 75. Vndoubted 75. The summe of the Third Sermon Meanes of knowledge 80. The word must be read and meditated on 81. We must reade wisely 85. Reade with reverence 85. Order is required in reading 85. Judgement requisite 86. Meanes of knowledge the word publickly preached 87. We must heare wisely 88. What must be done before hearing 88. Le ts must be removed and helps used 89. 90. 91. 93. Reverence is required in the act of hearing 95 Attention required 96. Submission 96. Feare 97. Cheerefull alacrity 98. Conference a meanes of knowledge 101. Prayer a meanes 102. Prayer must be sent to God in the mediation of Christ 103. Pray with feare 103. Our gesture in prayer must be reverent 104. Prayer must be fervent 104. We must pray alwayes 104. Pray in the spirit 105. Motives to knowledge 108. The excellency of it 108. It doth good to us 109. It will make us doe good to others 110. It is the end of our being to know God 110. Knowledge must be examined concerning our state of innocency 111. God made man after his Jmage 111 What this consisted in 112 The time when man was made 112 The place man was put in 112 The manner of making him 112 The necessity of this knowledge 113 Mans fall 115 The summe of the Fourth Sermon KNowledge must bee examined concerning the Curse due to man by reason of his fall 121 What the Curse is in this life 121 What it is in the end of this life 123 What it is after this life is ended 123 What this knowledge will bring Christians unto 127 What the Lords Supper is 131 Why it is so called 131 The cause of it 132 The outward signe of it 133 Why he tooke bread 134 Why wine 135 The Cup not to be denied 137 The actions of the Minister represent the actions of God 138 The actions of the Receiver represent the actions of the soule and inward man 140 The inward thing signified 141 The end why it was instituted 141 Faith must bee examined 143 Degrees in faith 145 A desire of faith a token of faith 146 Reasons why faith must be examined 148 149 150 151 152 153 154 155. Objections answered 155 156 157 The summe of the Fifth Sermon FAith described 162 God workes it 163 God works it of his meere good will 166 Gods end in working faith 166 What the knowledge of this will bring us unto 167 Meanes to get this faith 167 The Word a meanes 168 The Word read 168 The especiall meanes ordinary is preaching 169 The inward meanes the Spirit of God 171 How the Gospell works faith 172 Repentance must be examined 178 179 What it is 180 Repentance act 181 Repentance turnes wholly 182 Continually 183 Repentance time 184 True Repentance lookes at God 185 At man 186 At others 187 Aâ— sinne 188 What this knowledge workes 189 Motives to repent 192 Dangers of delay 193 The summe of the sixth Sermon DIfficulties 203 Doubts 204 Repentance tearmes 205 The object of Repentance all sin 206. 207. 208. 209 Not sufficient to abstaine from sinne outwardly 210 Not sufficient to lop and cut off some sinne 211 Reasons why Repentance sets it selfe against all sin 212 The penitent sinner sets himselfe against the sins of others 213 Sets against sin sincerely 214 True repentance turnes to all good 215 Repentance is the gift of God 217 God is the worker men the instruments 219 No man can repent when hee will 220 The glory of conversion must be ascribed to God 223 Meanes of grace not to be neglected 224 God must be served freely 227 The summe of the Seventh Sermon OBedience must bee examined 232 Obedience described 232 Obedience Rules 233 True obedience is universall 234 Man able to keep the Commandements 236 True obedience is cheerefull 237 Sincere 239 Inpreaching the heart must be looked to 241 Heare with the heart 242 Pray with it 242 Sing with it 242 Hypocrisie in the best 243 Hypocriticall obedience not regarded 244 Constrained sincerity nothing 246 True obedience is constant 247 Objections answered 248. 249 The godly performe good duties of conscience though not alway with the like cheerefulnesse 250 The godly goe on and persevere 251 The godly feare falling 252 The godly desire the continuance of meanes 252 Motives to obedience 253. 254. 255 Love must be examined 257 God commands Love 258 God loves us 258 Loves commodity 260 Love ingenders love 262 Love as strong as death 262 How God is to be loved 263 What it is to love God with the heart 263 God must be loved with all the heart 264 All owe this debt to God 263 Mans love to God cold and dead 263 Love stands in keeping the Commandements 264 An honourable thing to love God 266 Nothing can give rest to the soule out God 266 God is to be loved for himselfe 267 The summe of the Eighth Sermon REasons why love must be examined 274. 275 Kindes of Love 279. 280. 281 Our love must be Christian 283 Loves properties 287 Christ came to save sinners 309 Love is the fulfilling of the Law 291 Love is beneficiall 292 The estate of those that doe not love miserable 292 The selfe examiner must be a receiver 295 Often receiving no more then needs 298 Often receiving without profit a signe we are not good 300 To forbeare comming wil make men worse 301 It s one thing to have grace another thing to feele grace 301 Every man must with conscience submit to Gods Ordinance 301 No man was ever made better by not comming 301 It s a dangerous thing to limit God 301. 340 Imperfections must not hinder us 305 Feeling a want of grace with greife is grace 306 We Tempiation of Satan dangerous concerning the want of grace 307 Christ came to save sinners 309 The end of the Table
know the estate of the flocks and will looke well to the heards p Prov. 27. 23. a wise Christian will bee as diligent to finde out the estate of his soule hee will search and try his wayes q Lament 3. 40. Wee may reade how that a stranger to the common-wealth of Israell might not eate of the holy things in the time of the Law r Lev. 22. 10. and surely a stranger to the life of grace ought not to taste of the holy things in the Sacrament in the time of the Gospell The Lord was strict concerning them who were to appeare before him at Mount Sinai in so much that if the beast did but touch the Mountaine hee must be stoned to death Å¿ Exod. 19. 13. If the Lord was thus strict concerning those O what shall become of those who dare approach into Christs presence and come to his Table with beastly affections shall not the y be lyable to judgment if the Chamber was trimmed wherein the Passe-over was celebrated and the Supper instituted t Mark 14 15. how should the Chambers of our Soules bee cleansed from prophanesse and adorned with grace The Disciples feet were washed before they did eat and shall not our hearts If the Lord did thus expostulate with a wicked man for taking his Word into his mouth saying What hast thou to doe to take my Word into thy mouth seeing thou hatest to be reformed u Psal 50. 16. will hee not be angry with those who take his body and blood into their polluted mouthes 3. Good reason there is why we must examine Reasons for examination our selves before wee come First because we are R. 1 so carefull to prepare our selves to come to the table of great men here on Earth w Pro 23. 1. more carefull ought we to bee of coming unto the Table of the Lord. Secondly because God R. 2 will examine us if we will not examine our selves He that came without his wedding garment was examined how he came x Math. 22 11 12. he saith not as S. Crysost well observed how satest thou downe but howcommest thou so that it must bee looked unto before-hand according to that of Solomon looke to thy foote when thou entrest into the House of the Lord y Eccle. 5. 1. Thirdly because the curse R. 3 of God shal be to those that doe his Worke negligently Now to come unpreparedly is to doe his Work negligently therefore dangerous Fourthly because R. 4 the Lord hath commanded us to examine our selvs it is the Apostles charge from the Lord let a man examine himselfe a Cor. 11. 18. O thae there were in us such harts to feare God and doe what he commandeth then should it bee well with us and with ours for ever b Deut 5. 29. Fifthly if wee come without examination we come unworthily and so are Guilty of the Body and Blood of the Lord IESVS c 1 Cor. 11 27. To bee guilty of death or the shedding of the blood of an innocent man is a greivous sinne therefore David when hee had killed Vriah prayed deliver mee from blood-guiltinesse O Lord d Psal 51. 14. O then what is it to bee guilty of the Blood of the Sonne of God Sixtly because whosoever come without examination Eate and drinke damnation to themselves not discerning the Lords Body e 1 Cor. 11 29. Now it is a fearefull thing to be damned to have no communion with God no participation in any of the blessings of God f 2 Thess 1. 9. Now for application If it be so that whosoever would come worthily must come preparedly then conclude wee may that the estate of many is lamentable and their condition miserable many adventure to come without preparation and what is this but to eate condemnation to themselves That all men are bound to know the Word of God and to bee skillfull in the Scriptures that therby they may bee made able to try their hearts and to examine themselves g Ioh 5 29 especially there is required of us knowledge in the doctrine of the Law not onely to be able like children to rehearse the words but to know the end and meaning of them h Rom. 3. 20. That many are debarred Vse 4 from comming to the Table Who are debarred from the Table of the Lord. of the Lord. 1. Children Infants who understand not what the Spirit speaketh what God the Father offereth what the Son performeth what Faith receiveth what it is to eate spiritually and to be nourished by him effectually 2. All Naturalls and mad men so continuing 3. All such as are come to yeares and have the common use of naturall gifts yet if they neither have the knowledg of God nor of themselves nor the knowledge of the doctrine of the Sacrament these are not to be admitted 4. All such as have knowledge yet if they remaine prophane ungodly and malicious such are not to bee admitted untill exhorted and perswaded to amendment 5. All such are excluded who are without God in the world all Atheists Infidels Turkes That all must examine Vse 5 Great things cannot bee done without care and indeavour In humane things of any importancy nothing is attempted or atchieved without some preparation more or Iesse before wee eate or drinke walke or talke sleepe something is done and shall we doe nothing before wee receive heare what is said in the Scripture kill the Passe-over and sanctifie your selves and prepare your brethren that they may doe according to the Word of the Lord i 2 Chro. 35. 6. Commune with your owne heart saith the Prophet David k Psal 4. 4. Let the profit that will come unto you move you to examine Let the First Comfort Secondly Fruit. Thirdly Benefit The Comfort is great the Fruit that is excellent the benefit unspeakeable they receive Christ remission of sinnes assurance of eternall life and if the profit will not move you let the danger terrifie you least ye be guilty of the body and blood of Christ k 1 Corin. 11. 27 29. Quest Seeing then that examination is so necessary what is it that every man must examine himself of Answ There are five What must be examinâ—d things every Receiver must examine himselfe of First Knowledg Secondly Faith Thirdly Repentance Fourthly Obedience Fifthly Love 1. The first thing the Receiver must examine himselfe of is of his knowledg Now knowledge to bee examined is two-fold First Generall knowledg Secondly Special knowledg The Generall knowledg to bee examined is threefold First Concerning God Secondly Concerning our selves Thirdly Concerning the Covenant of grace The first generall knowledg to bee examined is concerning God And this knowledg is either First Concerning Gods nature or Secondly Concerning Gods works First he must examin his knowledg concerning the nature of God and that thus First whether hee know that God is Secondly Whether hee know that this
ordinances for all are thy servants saith the Psalmist f Ps 119. 9. 1. He giveth life and breath and all things for in him we live we move and have our being g Act. 17. 25. 28. The third principle to be examined is of Gods Gods providence reacheth to all things smalest things providence reaching to all of these The providence of God reacheth to all things even the smallest things are governed and upheld by him Are not two Sparrowes sould for a farthing and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father saith the LORD h Math. 10 29 30. Yea and all the haires of your Head are numbred He it is that covereth the heavens with Clouds and prepareth raine for the Earth and maketh the grasse to grow upon the Mountaines Hee giveth Beasts their food and to the young Ravens that cry He giveth Snow like Wooll and scattereth the hoary frost like ashes he casteth forth his Ice like morsells who can abide the cold thereof hee sendeth his Word and melteth them he causeth the Winde to blow and the Waters flow i Psa 147 8 9 16 17. The next principle to be examined Of all Creatures God hath most care of man is concerning Gods care and respect of man Of all the Creatures that God made he hath most care and respect of man his delights are with the children of men k Pro 8. 31 And here our knowledge to bee examined is threefold First Concerning Gods care in providing great things for man Secondly His care in watching ouer him and his Thirdly His care in disposing and ordering of all things all Acts for his good First wee must examine our knowledge concerning Gods care in providing for man The God of Heaven provides good and great things for man The good Samaritaine is said to have compassion on the wounded man and went to him and bound up his wounds powring in Wine and Oyle and set him on his owne beast and brought him to an Inne and tooke care of him and when he departed he tooke out two pence and gave them to the Host and said unto him take care of him l Luke 10 33 34 35. The Lord IESVS CHRIST under the person of the Samaritaine bringeth the hurt and wounded man which is the sinner into the Inne which is the Church where he delivereth to the Host which is the Angell or Minister of the Church those two pence of his word and Sacraments giving him charge of him till he come againe which charge must bee continued till his second comming Now the care of God in providing is eyther First Temporall for the outward man Secondly Spirituall for the inward man First his care temporall for God provideth for our body the outward man this must bee known Hee provides for the bodies of men Children saith hee have ye any meate they said no and hee said cast out the Net on the right side of the Shippe and ye shall finde they did so and they were not able to draw it up for the multitude of Fishes m Johh 21. 5 6. A Raven shall bring Elias meate Peter shall not want money to pay tribute hee must cast forth and take a Fish with money God provids for our soules Secondly his care for the inward man the soule God provides for that First Hee is a royall God a royall Bridegroome Bride-groome that provids the best apparell for his Spouse I clothed thee with broidred worke and shod thee with badgers skinne and I girded thee about with fine linnen and I covered thee with silke I decked thee with ornaments and put bracelets upon thine handes and a chaine on thy neck and I put a Iewell on thy fore-head and eare-rings in thy eares and a beautifull Crowne upon thy head thou wast decked with gould and silver n Eze. 16. 10 11 12 This is a metaphor expressing the graces wherewith the Lord IESVS adorneth the soule of his people Secondly Hee is a royall Feast-maker making great and choise provision God a royal Feast-maker to set before his guests Hee shall make a feast of fat things a feast of wines on the the Lees of fat things full of marrow of wines on the Lees well refined o Isa 25. 6. Thirdly He is a Royall God a royal Generall Generall who provides much for his army the Lord hath provided and layd in much for his his Word his Sacraments Himselfe I they have armour also the armour of God p Eph. 6. 14. 15 16 17. the Helmet of Salvation the Sword of the Spirit the Brest-plate of Righteousnesse the Shield of Faith He makes for them provision First Of comforts Secondly Of graces First Of comforts The Lambs the young Christians hee will put them into Provision of comforts his bosome those that are with young that have breeding fits he will gently lead them q l Isa 41. 1 He is sent to binde up the broken hearted to proclaime liberty unto the Captives and the opening of the prison to them that are bound and for those that mourne in Zion to give unto them beauty for ashes the oyle of joy for mourning the garment of praise for the spirit of heavinesse r Isa 62. 1 2 3. Provision of graces Cleansing Secondly of graces First Art thou defiled with sinne he hath provided cleansing grace Secondly Art thou Healing wounded he hath provided healing grace Thirdly Art thou dead in trespasses and sinnes he Quickning hath provided quickning grace himself died that we might live Fourthly Art thou in a Directing â— wildernesse not knowing what path to take he hath directing grace Fifthly Art thou in the Protecting midst of enemies he hath protecting grace for thee Sixthly Art thou at Saving grace deaths dore he hath provided also saving grace Secondly our knowledg must bee examined concerning Gods watching over us and ours The God of Heaven watcheth over and preserveth the sonnes of men He that keepeth Israel neither slumbers nor sleepeth God it is that preserves us First From dangers God preserves from dangers that they come not no evill shall happen unto thee nor plague come nigh thy dwelling Å¿ Psal 91. 9. 10. He it is preserved David from the violent hands of Saul Secondly In dangers In dangers though they come yet they shall not ruin us hee it is saith Iob that shall deliver thee in sixe troubles yea in seven there shall no evill touch thee In famine he shall redeeme thee from death and in warre from the power of the sword t Iob 5. 19. 20. 21. 22. He it was that provided for the Widdow of Sarepta he preserved the three Worthies that preserved Daniell in the denne and it is hee that hath preserved the Church from Abel unto this day Thirdly By dangers By dangers though they come and prevaile yet all shall be for our good what can wee
by faith by hearing the Word preached ſ Rom. 10. 17. Fifthly Meditate wee must that as the rayne doth not fall upon the earth in vaine t Heb 6. 7 so this divine dew these drops of the Word the Sermons we heare wee are the better for them or the worse for the word of God if it be not the savour of life unto us it will bee the savour of death it is a two-edged sword with one edge it cuts away all sinne from the good with the other all excuse from the bad Sixthly Meditate wee must that the Word wee heare shall Judge us at the great day The second helpe to be used is 2 Meanes is Prayer Prayer to Almighty God that he would be pleased to blesse us in hearing Wee have all of us eyes and eares by nature but in regard of these Divine things they are shut Hence it is that our blessed Saviour saith in the Gospell Let him that hath eares to heare heare It is an excellent thing to have a seeing eye and a hearing eare therfore David prayed open thou my eyes that I may see the wondrous things contained in thy Law u Psal 119. 18. I it is the Lord that opened the heart of Lydia w Act. 16. 14. Now pray we also must for our Ministers that the Lord would bee pleased to assist them in speaking that hee would give unto them the dore of utterance the more the Minister is assisted the greater will our benefit be We are carefull to pray for the Pilate on the Sea for if he miscarry wee lose our lives for the Physitian that he mistake not the disease wee pray for Kings and Princes that under them we may live a quiet and a peaceable life in all godlinesse and honesty x 1 Tim ◠2. and shall we not pray for our Teachers And thus much for that that is required before we heare some thing there is required when wee heare What is required in the act of hearing in the act of hearing There are many things required as First Reverence and this 1 Reverence either inward or outward the reverence of the soule and body the inward reverence may bee seene in Cornelius y Acts. 10. 33. we are all said he here present before God to heare all things that are commanded thee of GOD with all inward reverence the outward reverence you may see in the eight of Nehemia where the people all stood up and lift up their hands and bowed their heads and worshipped the Lord with their faces to the ground a Nehe. 8. 3. 4 5 6 7. Secondly Attention Heare we must and hearken b Isa 1. 2. Wee must hearken what the Lord our God will speake not a word but we must heare c Psa 85. 8. Judgment as well as mercy but here is the misery whilest GOD hath the eare the Divell hath the heart The third duty is submission 3 Submission A yeelding and captivating of our judgements thereunto and that this may bee the better done we must search the Scriptures whether the things wee heare bee warranted Thus did the men of Berea they searched the Scriptures whether the things were so d Acts 17. 11. Wee must not beleeve every spirit but trie the spirits whether they are of God e John 1. 4. 1. If the things delivered bee the Word of God wee are bound to beleeve them and submit our selves unto them The next duty is Feare Whilst we heare there must be a holy awe feare 4 Feare in the affections to him will I looke that is of an humble spirit and that trembles at my Words f Isa 66. 2. Serve the Lord with feare saith the Psalmist and rejoyce with trembling g Psal 2. 11 If the Lyon roare all the beasts of the Forrest tremble JESVS CHRIST is the Lyon of the Tribe of Judah hee it is that speakes unto us let us therfore feare hee is a Lion and a Lambe a Lion to those that will not tremble a Lambe to those that will The last duty is cheerefull Cheerefull alacrity Alacrity Which quickens the languishing stomacks of our soules that wee loath not the Word this Alacrity you shall finde in the people in the eight of Nehemia who were attentive and cheerefully attentive from morning untill mid-day g Nehe. 8. 3. This also may be seene in the people that followed CHRIST and continued with him three dayes Here was their alacrity but alas wee are not tied to follow CHRIST three dayes together but one day in seven and that not in the desart but in the Temple and what doe wee wee sleepe and talke and looke about us and oftentimes are gone before Sermon bee ended If one should bring Commendation from a great friend wee would never bee weary of hearing him speake but the Minister may speake againe and againe from the Lord JESVS CHRIST the cheife friend and how coldly are wee affected this argues that wee love others more then CHRIST earthly things more then Heavenly whereas if there were this alacrity in us wee would love the Word above all things then Gold fine Gold it would bee sweeter to our mouthes then the Hony and the hony Combe Thus much for the second meanes to come to the true knowledge of God The third followes Conference But how is this neglected Conference some are ashamed like those who had rather die then tell the Physitian of their Disease others hate it and had rather doe any thing then confer whereas the Scripture calls upon us to exhort one another dayly whilest it is called to day h Heb. 3 13. Two are better then one if one fall the other may helpe him up if one bee ignorant another may instruct him two eyes are better then one looke into the booke of God you shall finde this commanded the word shall be in thy heart and thou shalt teach them and shalt talke of them i Deut. 6. 6. 7. This is made a marke of those that feare the Lord that they spake one unto another and it is said that the Lord heard them I and there was a Booke of remembrance k Mala. 16. 17. The last meanes to come to the true knowledge of God is Prayer earnest Prayer For what is all without Prayer this to reade the Word in private to heare it publikly preached to confer nothing without Prayer this is that that fetcheth a blessing all other meanes must bee helped out by this this is therefore placed in the last place that wee may see all the rest without it will doe no good And know we must that all our Prayers must bee sent up to God in the Mediation of CHRIST Nam quid dulcius quà m genitorem Aug. in nomine unigeniti Pray in the name of Christ invocare What is sweeter than to call upon the Father in the name of his onely begotten Sonne And