18. And ye shall be brought before Governours and Kings for my sake for a testimony against them and the Gentiles It is for a testimony and that should comfort them in all their sufferings Mark 14. 9. Verily I say unto you wheresoever this Gospel shall be preached throughout the whole world this also that she hath done shall be spoken of for a memorial of her The testimony is more valid as being confirmed by their Courage in troubles they are Principles that they will suffer for which as it is a warning to the professors of Religion that they should own no principles in a time of peace but what they would confirm by their avowed testimony in the extremity of trials so also it should convince their enemies in case they be put upon this exercise It is needful that every truth should have a sealed testimony that is we should not only vent opinions but be willing to suffer for them if God should call us out so to do God hath been ever tender of imposing upon the world without sufficient evidence and therefore would not have his people stand upon their lives and temporal concernments that thereby they may give greater satisfaction to the world concerning the weight of those truths which they do profess Secondly On the Persecutors part or the persons molesting so the causes are 1. Their ignorance and blind zeal Joh. 16. 2. They shall put you out of their synagogues yea the time cometh that whosoever killeth you will think that they do God good service They think it to be an acceptable service to God to molest and trouble those that are indeed his people Those Princes that sate and spake against David were not Pagans and men of another Religion but of Israel and it is often the lot of Gods people to be persecuted not only by Pagans and openly prophane men but even by men that profess the true Religion Pseudo-Christians Rev. 14. 13. those that pretend they are for God and his cause and seem to be carried on with a great zeal and do not oppose truth as truth but their quarrel is coloured by specious pretences 2. Their prejudices lightly taken up against the people of God Satan is first a lyar and then a murderer Joh. 8. 44. Ye are of your father the Devil and the lusts of your father ye will do he was a murderer from the beginning and abode not in the truth because there is no truth in him when he speaketh a lye he speaketh of his own for he is a lyar and the father of it By lyes he bringeth about his bloody design Christ was first called a Samaritan and one that had a Devil and then they did persecute him as such an one And as was observed before as Christians of old were covered with the skins of wild beasts that Dogs and Lyons might tear them the more speedily so by odious imputations Gods people are brought into distast with the world and then molested and troubled represented as a company of hypocrites and unjust dealers and under that cloak true Religion is undermined Now in the Persecutor this is faulty because they lightly take up every false suggestion and so Christians are condemned 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Iustin Martyr complained because of the common reproach without any distinct inquiry into their way and practice Nolunt audire quod auditum damnare non possunt 3. Their erroneous Principle in Civil Policy That Christs Kingdom and the freedom of his worshippers is not consistent with Civil Interests Whatever hath been the matter worldly Rulers have been jealous of Christs Interest and Kingdom as if it could not consist with publick safety and the civil interests of that State and Nation where it is admitted and suggestions of this kind do easily prevail with them Esther 3. 8. It is not for the Kings profit to suffer them and John 11. 48. If we let him alone all men will believe on him and the Romans shall come and take away both our place and Nation Reason of State is an ancient plea against the interest of Religion In the Roman Empire though the Christians were inconsiderable as to any publick charge yet they had a jealous eye upon them Iustin Martyr sheweth the reason of it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because they were often speaking of a Kingdom though they meant it of the Kingdom of heaven and were far enough from all Rebellion USE 1. It informeth us that we should not measure the verity of Religion by the greatness of those that are with it or against it This was one of the Pharisees arguments Do any of the rulers believe in him Joh. 7. 48. but this people that know not the law are accursed Alas men of Authority and great place may be often against Gods Interest James 2. 1. Have not the faith of our Lord Iesus Christ the Lord of glory in respect of persons Mark that title that is given to Christ the Lord of glory he is able to put glory enough upon his worshippers though they have nothing of outward pomp and splendor and not many mighty are called 1 Cor. 1. 26. Many will say they have none of quality to join with them none but ignorant people If a man had judged so in the first times when the Gospel came first abroad in the world would not Christianity it self have seemed a very contemptible thing Therefore a simple plain-hearted love to Christ and his Truth whether Powers be averse or friendly is that which is required of us 2. It reproveth those who are soon discouraged even with the reproach which base people cast upon the ways of God David stood both in the one temptation and in the other the reproach and contempt of the Vulgar and also when Princes sate and spake against him But to these we may say as Jer. 12. 5. If thou hast run with the footmen and they have wearied thee then how wilt thou contend with horses If we be such tender milk-sops that we cannot suffer a disgraceful word from the basest of the people what shall we do when we meet with other manner of conflicts and oppositions in the farther progress of our duty to God If we are tired out with the disgrace and affronts of these mean ones and cannot put up a scornful word at their hands without disorder what shall we do when we are to contest for Gods Interest with those great and masterly ones that are armed with Power and Authority and it may be the advantage of Laws against us Scommata nostra ferre non potes said the Antiochians to Iulian in another case quomodo feres Persarum tela Gods servants do often receive discouragement from the people and from Authority but the goodness of their Cause and the favour of God makes them joyfully persevere 3. It teacheth us what to do when this is not our case I have treated as this Scripture hath led me of the oppositions of Princes and worldly
the children of God 2. It is a perversion of the Order of Nature The tongue is the Interpreter of the mind and therefore if the Interpreter of another man speak contrary to what he pronounceth there were a manifest wrong and disorder so when the tongue speaks otherwise than the man thinks there 's a great disturbance and deordination 3. We resemble Satan in nothing so much as in Lying and we resemble God in nothing so much as in Truth Falshood is the Devil's character Joh. 8. 44. He was a lyar from the beginning that is the first inventor of lyes as Iubal was the father of them that played upon the Harp the first Inventor and herein we most resemble Satan On the contrary there is nothing wherein a man resembleth God so much as in Truth Truth is no small part of the Image of God for he is called the God of Truth and it is said of him Tit. 1. 2. That he cannot lye It is contrary to the perfection of his Nature Nor command us to lye God hath commanded many other things which otherwise were sinful as to kill another man as Abraham to slay his Son to take away the Goods of others as Lord of all as when the Israelites spoiled the Egyptians of their Jewels but God cannot lye 't is against his nature Eph. 4. 24 25. Put off the old man which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts and put on the new man which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness Then presently Wherefore put away lying speak every man truth with his neighbour Wherefore that is from your regeneration when the Image of God is planted in you So the same Col. 3. 9. Lye not one to another seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds There may be sin in the children of God but there should be no guile in them habituated guile is the old man that is deceitful the new man is framed to truth and according to the will of God 4. This is a consideration that God never dispenced with this Precept He hath upon special occasion dispenced with other Commands but never with the ninth With the seventh Commandment in the Polygamy of the Patriarchs and with the second in Hezekiah's Passover but a man must not lye for God Job 13. 7 8 9. because this Commandment hath more in it of the Justice and Immutable Perfection of God than others 5. By the light of Nature nothing is more odious We love a just and true man one that is without guile we acknowledg it as a Moral perfection but a Lye is counted the greatest disgrace we revenge the charge of it It is counted a base thing to lye why because it comes from fear and it tends to deceit both which argue baseness of spirit and are contrary to the gallantry of a man therefore it is shameful in the eyes of Nature and those that are most guilty of it cannot endure to be charged with it When the Prophet Micajah told Zedekiah of his lying spirit he smote him on the cheek 1 King 22. 23. So men take it ill to be charged with a lye We count it a shameful sin among men The old Persians had such a great respect to Truth that he that was three times taken with a lye was never more to speak in publick upon penalty of death 6. It is a sin that is most hateful to God therefore it should be far from the children of God We hate that most which is contrary to our nature so it is contrary to God's nature There are six things God hates and a lying tongue is one of them twice it is mentioned Prov. 6. 17. 19. and Prov. 12. 22. Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord but they that deal truly are his delight Now certainly because God hates it therefore we should hate it To will and nill the same thing that 's true friendship God hates it therefore a righteous man hates it Prov. 13. 5. A righteous man hateth lying but a wicked man is loathsome and cometh to shame 7. It 's a sin which God hath expresly threatned to punish in this life and in the life to come In this life Psal. 5. 6. Thou shalt destroy them that speak leasing And Prov. 19. 5. He that speaketh lyes shall not escape God will cut them off as not being fit for human society The first remarkable instance we have in the New Testament of God's vengeance was for a lye Acts 5. 5. yea it is one of the sins that draws down publick and national Judgments and therefore it is said Hosea 4. 2. By swearing and lying therefore doth the Land mourn And when God gives advice to his people how they should prevent his Judgments Zech. 8. 16 17. These are the things that ye shall do speak ye every man the truth to his neighbour execute the judgment of truth love no false Oath for all these are the things that I hate saith the Lord. When men have no care of their speeches when a people bind themselves by Oaths to do that which they mind not to perform or wilfully do not perform they are ripe for a Judgment And so in the life to come Rev. 21. 27. And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth neither whatsoever worketh abomination or maketh a lye And Rev. 21. 8. All lyars shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone and Rev. 22. 15. For without are dogs and sorcerers and whoremongers and Idolaters and whosoever loveth and maketh a lye USE O then let us beware of all lying and dissimulation with respect to God and men Let our words consent with our minds and our minds agree with the thing it self A lye is most odious to God a proud look and a lying tongue and therefore a Christian that loves God shall he do that which God so expresly hates will you rush upon the pikes kick against the pricks and run against the Judgments of God a lying tongue shall not escape Nay God reckons upon his Children Isa. 63. 8. Surely they are my people children that will not lye Disappointment that 's the worst vexation God reckons upon it surely you will make Conscience of truth not only in your Oaths certainly that 's a barbarous thing to break the most sacred engagements that are among mankind therefore you will be careful to perform what you have sworn to the Lord with your hands lift up to the most high God but also in your promises and ordinary speeches Good men have been foiled by it David begs Keep me from a way of lying and it is a sin more common than we imagine it 's very natural to us Isa. 58. 3. As soon as we are born we speak lies before we could go we went astray and before we were able to speak we spake lies the seed of it was in our nature It is a sin most natural for it was
your hearts upon your beds When our reins should instruct us and suggest wholsom thoughts to us Psal. 16. 7. Or when we should direct our Prayer to God in the morning Psal. 5. 3. then they employ their thoughts and musings on Evil the Apostle maketh it to be their disposition that are given up by God to a reprobate sense to be inventers of evil things Rom. 1. 30. 3. They that plot Evil they are of the Devil's Trade whose work it is to hurt and mischief those who are broken loose from him 't is his business to lay snares 2 Tim. 2. 26. And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil who are taken captive by him at his will When Iudas plotteth against Christ the Devil entereth into him So Acts 13. 10. 't is said to Elymas the Sorcerer O thou full of all subtilty and mischief the child of the devil They are like the Devil in their hatred of God and the Truth and the Persecution of the Church and like him for subtilty and politick contrivance bloody designs and inventions are the venom and poyson of the old Serpent sinked into mens hearts there are both cruelty and lying John 8. 44. Ye are of your father the devil and the lusts of your father ye will do he was a murtherer from the beginning and abode not in the truth because there is no truth in him When he speaketh a lye he speaketh of his own for he is a liar and the father of it 4. 'T is a sin contrary to the love of God and man against double light and double obligations from both the Tables Grace and Nature condemneth it 't is against God for if we did love him we would love his image the Saints that are so near and dear to him they are his jewels Mal. 3. 17. they cost him dear he gave an infinite price for them the blood of Christ they are the Apple of his Eye to strike at them is to strike at God himself And 't is against man if Reasons of Grace do not restrain such yet Reasons of Nature should to plot mischief against one that is of the same nature with us natural light will teach us we should do as we would be done by Oh what a cruel creature is man to man when God lets him alone to the sway of his own heart and natural fierceness 5. The contrary to the gentleness and simplicity of the Christian Religion Christian Religion is a simple and harmless thing Phil. 2. 15. That ye be holy and harmless the sons of God without rebuke in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation 2 Cor. 1. 12. This is our rejoicing that in simplicity and godly sincerity we have had our conversations in the world 'T is a sign men have drunk in a false Religion when their spirits are efferated and grow Monsters in wickedness Men addicted to false worship are subtle and cruel subtle for where there is real worth there is no dissimulation they carry things open and fair they have a God and Conscience to bear them out and this is worth all the world and if things do not suit to their minds they can tarry God's leisure without base and creeping acts and underhand designs and machinations but a false Religion that hath not a God to depend upon breadeth fears and fear and pusillanimity puts men upon Plots and bloody designs as Herod when afraid seeketh craftily to murther Christ Mat. 2. And as a false Religion is crafty so 't is mischievous and cruel Jude 11. These walked in the way of â—…ain For a false Religion cannot subsist without the Plots of Blood and Tyranny and Cruelty When Iudaism begun to fall the Iews bound themselves under an Oath That they would neither eat nor drink till they had killed Paul False worships put men upon a blind zeal that breaketh out in Tragical Effects Tantum Religio potuit suadere malorum So much of Truth so much of Meekness Openness and Plainness as the other is of Spight and Malice Use. Oh then let the Children of God abhor this hateful disposition take heed of those kind of sins that have subtlety and malice in them these are the Devil's sins the cursed old Serpent that hath been a Murtherer from the beginning take heed of plotting mischief and secretly designing the ruine of others I would have you Christians that are of the true Religion carry it meekly towards others beware of deliberate sins 't is possible in some great temptation the Children of God may fall into these of sins as David plotted Uriah's death but that sin was laid to his charge more than all the sins that ever he committed These sins are accompanied with some notable affliction and judgment as on David's sad house they leave an indelible stain and blemish and cost us dear 1 Kings 15. 5. David did that which was right in the eyes of the Lord and turned not aside from any thing that he commanded him all his dayes save in the matter of Uriah How many failings have we left upon Record His distrust I shall one day perish by the hand of Saul His dissimulation with his rash Vow to destroy Nabal his injustice in the matter of Ziba and Mephibosheth indulgence to Absolom numbering the People wherein he shew'd his carnal confidence All these are passed over in silence as his infirmities save only in the matter of Uriah And they will cost dear there is always some eminent trouble and affliction that accompany such sins When David had sin'd in the matter of Uriah what troubles were there in his house his daughter ravish'd Amnon slain in his drunkenness Absolom driveth him from his Palace Royal and then poor man his Subjects deserted him he forced to go weeping up and down and shift for his life all Israel came to Absolom his Wives defiled by his own Son Thus you see what is the fruit of deliberate sins These sins cost us a great deal of bitter sorrow sighs and tears to recover our peace and God's love and favour Again how bitterly did David remember his sin and beg that God would restore to him the joy of his salvation Psal. 51. therefore take heed of deliberate sins when we have time enough to have serious and sufficient consideration of the evil and yet do it when a man knoweth a thing to be evil and yet resolveth to go forward with it Sin is not done suddenly in heat of blood but at leisure not limited to a minute or an hour or any short space of time and yet to do it this grieves the Spirit and will cost us dear SERMON CXXI PSAL. CXIX VER III. Thy Testimonies have I taken as an heritage for ever for they are the rejoycing of my heart IN this notable Psalm there are many independent Sentences expressing David's affection to the Word of God In this Verse you have I. David's Choice Thy Testimonies have I taken as an heritage for
7. 22. Doctrine III. That among other sins we must hate falshood and lying and all kind of frauds and deceits I. I shall open the particular Notion of Lying in the Text. II. Shew you the Reasons against it I. To open the particular Notion of Lying 1. In the Vulgar Accceptation and sense of it we take it to be speaking an Untruth or that which is False with an intention to Deceive Now this is a sin contrary to the New Nature Col. 3. 9. Lye not one to another since ye have put off the old man with his deeds 'T is not only contrary to that natural Order which God hath appointed between the Mind and the Tongue but to that Sincerity and true Holiness which is our great Qualification and the fruit of Regeneration Therefore God saith Isa. 63. 8. Surely they are my people children that will not lye God presumeth that his People will not deal falsely but speak as they think and think of what they speak as it really is and that Christians will not deceive and circumvent others since they are members of the same Mystical Body and should seek one anothers welfare as much as they do their own Eph. 4. 25. Wherefore put away lying speak every one truth with his neighbour seeing ye are members one of another No 't is more unseemly in a Christian more inconsistent with Grace In short no sin maketh a Man more like the Devil Iohn 8. 44. Ye are of your father the devil and the lusts of your father ye will do he was a Murtherer from the beginning and abode not in the truth because there is no truth in him When he speaketh a lye he speaketh of his own for he is a liar and the father of it 2. Concealing the Truth which should be Confessed God would not have his People hide themselves in necessary Truths he would have them believe with the Heart and Confess with the Mouth Rom. 10. 9 10. And Christianity is called a Confession Heb. 3. 1. and all Christians are saved either as Martyrs or as Confessors But how far we are to Confess lesser Truth is a great Case of Conscience Certainly we must do nothing against a Truth not appear in the garb of a Contrary party nor must we lye hid when God in his Providence cryeth out Who is of my side who We read of some Iohn 12. 42. who believed in Christ yet they did not confess him lest they should be put out of the Synagogue for they loved the praise of Men more then the praise of God Faith is in a very weak Condition when Confession is not joined with it when men will not own Christ in troublous Times and appear in their own shape Men that have much to lose have many Worldly Considerations they think these lose more than they can gain and lose by the Praise of God rather than the Praise of Men. Now the sincere Christian saith in these Cases I hate and abhor lying 3. 'T is contrary to that Obedience to God which we do profess there is a practical Lye as well as a vertual Lye when our practices do not Correspond with our Profession there is a lye acted as well as a lye told So Ephraim is said to compass God about with Lyes Hosea 11. 12. To say we have fellowship with God and walk in darkness is a Lye 1 Ioh. 1. 6. A Lye that tendeth to the disgrace of Religion in opprobrium Christi 1 Ioh. 2. 4. He that saith I know him and keepeth not his commandments is a Liar and the truth is not in him So he that speaketh much of the Spirit and walketh after the Flesh. Reasons 1. God is a God of Truth God cannot nor will not Lye and his People must be like him 2. His Word is the Word of Truth his Law requireth Truth and all falsehoods and deceits are contrary to that Justice and Charity which it establisheth His Gospel is a Gospel of Truth Eph. 1. 13. After ye heard the word of truth the Gospel of your Salvation 3. He requireth and worketh Truth in the Reins and inward parts Psal. 51. 7. Behold thou desirest truth in the inward parts Use. Oh then hate and abhor Lying you cannot be accepted of God else Ier. 5. 3. O Lord are not thine eyes upon the truth You cannot have Grace in your own hearts 2 Cor. 1. 12. This is our rejoycing that in simplicity and godly sincerity we have had our conversations in the world nor long continue undiscovered before men Prov. 26. 26. His wickedness shall be shewed before the Congregation Let us not Lye to God in our Promises we make to him Psal. 78. 34 35 36. When he slew them then they sought him and they returned and enquired early after God and they remembred that God was their rock and the most high their redeemer Nevertheless they did flatter him their mouth and they lyed unto him with their tongues In your Worship do not compass him about with Lyes complain of burdens which you feel not express desires which you have not In your Profession do not make it a Vail and Cover for your Lusts. A wicked or carnal design is inconsistent with uprightness of heart As to men abhor all false and deceitful practices and speeches When the Apostle biddeth us abhor that which is evil he first saith let love be without dissimulation Rom. 12. 9. You are not to live by Interest but by Conscience Therefore abhor all Hypocrisie Falsehood Treachery which are unworthy any ingenious Man much more a Christian. SERM. CLXXVIII PSALM CXIX VER 164. Seven times a day do I praise thee because of thy Righteous Iudgments IN these words the man of God giveth further proof of his love and delight in the Word by praising God for that benefit His praise is illustrated First By the frequent repetition of that duty seven times a day do I praise thee Secondly The subject matter because of thy Righteous Iudgments i. e. Gods dispensations agreeing with his Word First The frequency of the duty seven times a day that is very often Numerus definitus pro indefinito a number certain put for an uncertain seven is often used for many as Levit. 26. 18. I will punish you seven times more for your sins That is not exactly seven but many and divers times Prov. 24. 16. A just man falleth seven times a day and riseth up again Prov. 26. 25. There are seven abominations in his heart 1 Sam. 2. 5. She that is barren hath born seven and she that hath many Children is waxed feeble So here I gave thanks to thee as often as I meditate of them Some of the Jewish Rabbins stick in the very literal number seven twice in the morning before the reading of the Law and once after it and at noon and so in the evening as in the Morning so Rabbi Solomon indeed elsewhere Psal. 55. 17. Evening and Morning and at noon will I praise the Lord but
hath signatures and characters of God enough upon it to shew from whence it came The Creation is a manifestation of God now whoever looks upon it seriously and considerately may find God there may track him by his foot-prints By the things which are made his invisible being and power Rom. 1. 20. The Creation discovers it self to be of God and if the lower testimony hath plain evidences much more the Gospel why for he hath magnified his word above all his name Psal. 138. 2. The name of God is that by which he is made known Now there are more sensible Characters and impressions of God left upon the word that doth evidence it to be of God than upon any part of his name 3. This advantage we have by this notion a testimony is a ground of self-examination or a Rule whereby we may judg of our state and actions for it witnesseth not only de jure what we must do or de eventu what we may expect but de facto whether we do good or evil what we are and what we may look for from God upon our obedience or disobedience Mat. 24. 14. The Gospel of the Kingdom shall be preached in all the world 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for a witness unto all Nations first to them next against them Mark 13. 9. The word is a testimony to them of Gods will in Christ if they receive it against them if they reject neglect or believe it not Hereby we may judg of our condition by our conformity or difformity and contrariety to the Word of God Christ saith at the day of Judgment Moses will accuse you Ioh. 5. 45. There is one that accuseth you even Moses in whom ye trust The Gospel will accuse What is now an offer will then be an accusation God will not be without a witness at the day of Judgment The Creatures which had an evident impression of God upon them they will witness against the Gentiles so that they are without excuse Rom. 1. 20. and the Iews that were under the Dispensation of Moses he will accuse them there was light sufficient to convince them So the Gospel which is Gods testimony concerning his Son will accuse you if it be not received Therefore it is good to see what the word doth witness or testifie doth it testifie good or evil for accordingly shall we be treated with in the day of Judgment It is sad when we can only say of the Scripture as that King of the Prophet of the Lord He witnesseth nothing but evil against me 1 King 22. 8. Let us see what Gods testimony speaks whether it will plead for us or against us at the great day of the Lord. 4. It upbraids our unbelief that when God hath not only given us a Law but a testimony still we are backward and careless If the Word of God were no more but a Law we were bound to obey it because we are his Creatures but when it is his testimony we should regard it the more for now God stands not only upon the honour of his authority but of his truth 1 Joh. 5. 10. He that believeth not hath made God a lyar because he believeth not the testimony which God hath given concerning his Son We may urge it thus upon our hearts What shall we make God a lyar after he hath so solemnly given his word that word which hath many signatures characters and stamps of God upon it Carelesness now is not only disobedience but unbelief it puts the highest affront upon God to question his veracity and truth and does not only unlord him but ungod him by making him a lyar So much for the first thing The testimony of the Lord. Secondly The respect of the blessed man to these testimonies they keep them What is it to keep the testimonies of God Keeping is a word which relates to a charge or trust committed to us Christ hath committed his Testimonies to us as a trust and charge that we must be careful of Look as on our part we commit to Christ the charge of our souls to save them in his own day 2 Tim. 1. 12. So Christ chargeth us with his Word 1 To lay it up in our hearts 2 To observe it in our practice this is to keep the Word 1 To lay it up in our hearts In the heart two things are considerable the Understanding and the Affections God undertakes in the Covenant for both Heb. 8. 10. I will put my Law in their mind and write it in their hearts The meaning is that he will enlighten our minds for the understanding of his will and frame our affections to the obedience of it Well then you must keep it in your minds and affections 1. In your minds We must understand the Word of God assent to it we must revolve it often in our thoughts and have it ready upon all occasions Understand it we must if we would be blessed He that hath my commandments and keepeth them he it is that loveth me Joh. 14. 21. We cannot make conscience of obedience till we know our duty He that would keep a thing must first have it we have the law in possession when we get knowledg of it Matth. 13. 23. He that receiveth the word into good ground is he that heareth the word and understands it And Luk. 8. 13. They that hear the word and keep it and bring forth fruit with patience It is not enough to hear the word but we must understand it and yet that is not all an adversary may understand a truth or else he cannot rationally oppose it There is Assent required that we believe it as Gods Testimony and accordingly embrace it and give it place in the heart Faith is a receiving of the word Act. 2. 41. nay we must have it ready upon all occasions Rational memory belongs to the mind or understanding therefore we keep the word in our minds when it is ever ready with us either to check sin or warn us of our duty Psal. 119. 9. Forgetfulness is an ignorance for the time Prov. 3. 1. My son forget not my law and let thine heart keep my commandments We should be ready to every good word and work as occasion is offered to us 2. To keep it in our hearts is to have an affection to it Keeping the Word relates to our chariness and tenderness of it when we are as chary of the word as a man would be of a precious Jewel Prov. 6. 20 21. My son keep thy fathers commandments bind them continually upon thine heart and tye them about thy neck Sometimes it alludes to the apple of the eye Prov. 7. 1 2. Keep them as the apple of thine eye Such tender affections should we have to the Testimonies of the Lord as a man has for his eye The least offence to the eye is troublesome a man should be as chary of the Commandment as he would be of his eye Sometimes it implies the similitude of
keeping a way Iosh. 1. 7. Turn not to the right hand or to the left A traveller is very careful to keep his way so when we are thus careful tender chary of Gods Commandments and Testimonies this is an argument of a blessed condition Thus we are to keep it in the heart 2 We are to observe it in practice Luk. 11. 28. Yea rather blessed are they that hear the word of God and keep it That is not only that hear it but do it Many have this word in their mind and memory but not in their lives Without this hearing is nothing liking knowing assent pretended affection is all in vain 1 Ioh. 2. 4. He that saith I know him and keeps not his commandments is a lyar and the truth is not in him Our actions are a better discovery of our thoughts than our words When we get a little knowledg and make a little profession we think we observe his commands but he is a lyar if he be not exact and walk close with God It is not enough to understand the Word to be able to talk and dispute of the Testimonies of God but to keep them It is not enough to assent to them that they are Gods Laws but they must be obeyed The Laws of earthly Princes are not obeyed as soon as believed to be the Kings Laws but when we are punctual to observe them This is to keep the Commandment of God it implies both exactness and perseverance Rev. 3. 8. Thou hast kept my word that is thou hast not apostatized as others have done And Prov. 6. 21. Keep thy fathers commandment and forsake not the Law of thy mother that is perseverance You see by the first note who are the blessed men they which own Gods Testimony in his Word and accordingly look upon it as a great charge and trust Christ hath reposed in them and given to them that they should keep his Law Now certainly these are blessed Why 1. They are blessed or cursed whom Christ in the last day will pronounce blessed or cursed Now in the last day to some he will say Come ye blessed of my father to others Go ye cursed and he hath told us before-hand that it is he that keepeth his Testimonies whom he will own in that day Mat. 7. 20 21 22. Many will come and challenge acquaintance with Christ Lord we have prophesied in thy name c. thou hast taught in our streets so it is in Luke but Christ will disown them I know you not depart from me ye workers of iniquity Many will pretend to be of Christs side take up the opinions of the Country wherein they live frequent Ordinances c. but because they kept not his Testimonies Christ will not own them When men are to be posed they count it a favour to know the questions aforehand God hath told us what will be the great evidence according to which he will proceed in the day of Judgment Have you kept my Testimonies he that keeps close to Gods Word will find acceptance 2. They are blessed for whom Christ mediateth Now Christ mediateth for those that keep his Word Ioh. 17. 6. They have kept thy word It is a grief to your Advocate when he cannot speak well of you in heaven But as soon as he seeth any fruits of obedience where they consult often with Gods testimony though they have many failings yet are careful as much as in them lyes then he goes to the Father and acquainteth him with it 3. Those that are taken into sweet fellowship and communion with God certainly they are in a blessed condition Those to whom God will be intimate and manifest himself in a way of gracious communion are blessed Now thus he doth to those that keep his testimonies If any man love me and keep my commandments my father will love him and we will make our abode with him The whole Trinity will come and dwell in his heart But now you must know there is a twofold keeping of Gods Testimonies Legal and Evangelical Legal keeping is in a way of perfect and absolute obedience without the least failing so none of us can be blessed Moses will accuse us there will be failings in the best But now Evangelical keeping that is a filial and sincere obedience is accepted and the imperfections Christ pardoneth If Gods pardon help us not we are for ever miserable The Apostles had many failings sometimes they manifested a weak faith sometimes hardness of heart sometimes passionateness when they met with disrespect Luke 9. yet Christ returns this general acknowledgment of them when he was pleading with his Father Holy Father they have kept thy word When the heart is sincere God will pass by our failings Iames 5. 11. Ye have heard of the patience of Iob I and of his impatience too his cursing the day of his birth but the Spirit of God puts a finger upon the scar and takes notice of what is good So long as we bewail sin seek remission of sin strive after perfection endeavour to keep close and be tender of a command though a naughty heart will carry us aside sometimes we keep the testimony of the Lord in a Gospel-sense Bewailing sin that owns the Law seeking pardon that owns the Gospel striving after perfection that argueth sincerity and uprightness Well then here is the discriminating note if we would know whether we come within the compass of David's blessed man if we have a dear and tender esteem of Gods testimonies when we would fain have them imprest upon our hearts and exprest in our lives and conversations They keep his testimonies The next now is 2. They seek him with the whole heart This is fitly subjoin'd to the former for a double reason partly because the end of Gods testimonies is to direct us how to seek after God to bring home the wandering creature to its center and place of rest partly because whoever keeps the commandments of God he will be forced to seek God for light and help Obedience doth not only qualifie us for communion with God but where it is regarded in good earnest necessitates us to look after it for we cannot come to God without God and therefore if we would keep his testimonies we must be seeking of God Well then Doct. 2. Those that would be blessed must make this their business sincerely to seek after God 1. Observe the act of duty they seek the Lord. 2. The manner of performance with the whole heart First What it is to seek the Lord 1. To seek the Lord presupposeth our want of God for no man seeks what he hath but for what he hath not All that are seeking are sensible of their want of God For instance when we begin to seek him at first it begins with a sound remorse and sense of our natural estrangement from him The first work and great care of returning-penitents is to enquire after God So long as men lye unconverted they are
not only opens the Scripture but opens the understanding Luk. 24. 45. The subordinate Teachers are the Ministers of the Gospel whom God useth for this work not out of any indigence but indulgence not for any efficacy in the Preacher but out of a suitableness to the hearer as a means most agreeable to our frail estate to deal with us by way of counsel God can teach us without men by the secret illapses of his Spirit but he will use those that are of the same nature with our selves that have the same temptations necessities and affections which know the heart of a man He would use them who if they deceive us must deceive themselves he would use men of whose conversation and course we are conscious we know their walk and way he would use them as Ambassadors to pray us in Christs stead to be reconciled to God 2 Cor. 5. 20. 4 The lesson which we learn is not only to know but to obey Science without Conscience will not fit our turn nor suit with the dignity of our teacher To be like children that have the Rickets swollen in the head when the feet are weak we do not learn truth as it is in Jesus till we be regenerated for that 's a truth for practice and walking not for talk Eph. 4. 21. He is most learned that turns Gods word into works 1 Ioh. 2. 4 5. He that saith I know him and keepeth not his commandments is a lyar and the truth is not in him But whoso keepeth his word in him verily is the love of God perfected In this School there is no man counted a Proficient but he that grows in practice It is not the curious searcher that is the best Scholar but the humble Practitioner when we are cast into the mould of this Doctrine and have the prints the stamp and character of it upon our heart as Rom. 6. 17. Ye have obeyed from the heart that form of Doctrine which was delivered you In the Original it is Whereto ye were delivered When we come to a Physician it is not enough to know his Prescriptions but they must be followed we do not come to Christ as Students of Physick to be train'd up in the Theory but as Patients not as one that minds the Art but the Cure to do what is prescribed that we may know how to get rid of our soul-diseases Therefore Christ saith John 8. 31. Then are ye my disciples indeed if my word abide in you There are Christs Disciples in pretence and Christs disciples indeed those that make it their work to get from Christ a power and vertue to carry on an uniform and constant obedience these are the true learners Therefore it will not fit our turn unless we labour to come under the power of what we learn as well as get the knowledg and it will not suit with the dignity of our Teacher who doth not only enlighten the mind but change us by his efficacy and leaves a suitable impression upon the soul. God writeth the lesson upon our hearts that is not only gives us the lesson but an heart to learn it Man's teaching is a pouring it into the ears This is Gods teaching to inform our reason and move our will Phil. 2. 13. It is God that worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure He teacheth us promises so as to make us believe them and commandments so as to make us obey them and the Doctrine of the Gospel teacheth us so as to stamp the impression of it upon the soul to change us into his image and likeness 2 Cor. 3. 18. Use. It presseth us to give up our selves to this Learning Study the word but take God for your Teacher Look to him that speaks from heaven if you would learn to purpose otherwise our natural blindness will never be cured nor our prejudices removed nor our wills gained to God or if they should be gained to a profession of truth it will never hold long When men lead us into a truth we shall easily be led off again by other men and all a mans teaching will never reform the heart Man's light is like a March-Sun which raiseth vapours but doth not dispel and scatter them so it discovers Iust but doth not give us power to suppress it therefore our main business must be to be taught of God Secondly Observe your proficiency in this knowledg Heb. 5. 14. To have your senses exercised to discern both good and evil We should every day grow more skilful in the word of righteousness John 14. 9. Have I been so long time with you and yet hast thou not known me Philip To be backward in the knowledg of grace after long teaching and to be still conflicting with fleshly lusts which is the exercise of beginners so much means and so small experience and get no further this is sad Thirdly The fruit of this benefit obtained Then shall I praise him From hence observe 1. Upon receit of every mercy we should praise God We are forward in supplication but backward in gratulation This is a more noble duty and continueth with us in heaven It is the work of glorified Saints and Angels to praise God All the lepers could beg health yet but one returned to give God the glory This is sad when it is so for this is a more sublime duty therefore it should have more of our care This is a profitable duty Psal. 67. 5 6. Let the people praise thee O Lord let all the people praise thee Then shall the earth yield her encrease and God even our own God shall bless us The more vapours go up the more showers come down and the more praises go up the more mercies There 's a reciprocal intercourse between us and God by mercies and praises as there is between the earth and the lower heavens by vapours and showers There are two words by which our thankfulness to God is exprest Praising and Blessing Psal. 145. 10. All thy works shall praise thee O Lord and thy Saints shall bless thee What 's the difference Praise respecteth Gods Excellencies and Blessing respecteth Gods Benefits We may praise a man that never hath done us good if he be excellent and praise-worthy but blessing respecteth Gods Bounty and Benefits yet they are promiscuously taken sometimes as here Praise is taken for Blessing 2. Observe We should praise God especially for spiritual blessings Eph. 1. 3. Why partly because these come from the special love of God God bestows Corn Wine and Oil in the geral upon the world but now knowledg and grace and blessed experiences of communion with God these are special things he bestows them upon the Saints therefore deserves more thankfulness Protection it is the common benefit of every subject but Preferment and Favour is for friends and those that are near to the Prince so this is the favour of his people called so Psal. 106. 5. Shew me the favour of
to throw off the scum but she hath wearied her self with lyes And in this sense it is said Hosea 7. 16. They return but not to the most high they are like a deceitful bow that is they did not seriously intend when they did promise As a man that shoots if he do not level right and take care to direct the arrow to the mark it will never hit So they shoot that is they cast out promises to flatter God till they get out of trouble but they do not seriously set their hearts to accomplish it Secondly As to men there are three sorts of lyes Mendacium jocosum officiosum perniciosum there 's the sporting lye tending to our recreation and delight there 's the officious lye tending to our own and others profit and there 's the pernicious and hurtful lye tending to our neighbours prejudice 1. The sporting lye when an untruth is devised for merriment We have no instance of this in Scripture but it is a sin to speak untruth and we must not make a jest of sin Prov. 26. 19. As a mad-man that casteth firebrands arrows and death so is the man that deceiveth his neighbour and saith Am not I in sport Have we nothing wherewith to refresh our neighbour but with the breach of Gods Law If a Christian will be merry let him sing Psalms Jam. 1. 13. let him give thanks Eph. 5. 4. Not filthiness nor foolish talking nor jesting which are not convenient but rather giving of thanks that is let him remember the sweet loves of God in Jesus Christ and that 's spiritual refreshment to a gracious heart Let him not speak things against the sense of his own mind let him use honest recreation Certainly we that are to give an account for every idle word should not allow the sporting lye Now to this sporting lye a Fable or Parable is not to be reduced for that 's only an artificial way of representing the truth with the more advantage and putting of it into sensible terms which most are apt to apprehend As Iotham brings in the trees that went forth to anoint a King over them Iudg. 9. 8. Neither such sharp and piercing Ironies as we find used by holy men in Scripture 1 Kings 18. 27. As Elijah mocked them and said Cry aloud for he is a God either he is talking c. For this is a notable way to make truth strike upon the heart with some force and therefore this must not be reduced to this sporting lye 2. The officious lye for the help and relief of others Many instances of this we have in Scripture Thus Rebekah teacheth Iacob to lye that he might gain the blessing Gen. 27. and the Egyptian Midwives saved the male-children of the Israelites by feigning they were delivered before they came to them Exod. 1. 21. yet it is said they feared God and it is rewarded by God Non remunerata est fallacia sed benevolentia not their lye but their mercy is rewarded their mercy is commended as proceeding from the fear of God and their infirmities are pardoned So Rahab spared the lives of the spies by telling the men of her City that they were gone when she had hid them under the stalks of flax Ioshua 2. 4 5 6. Thus Michol to save David from the fury of her Father feigned him sick 1 Sam. 19. 14. and David advised Ionathan to an officious lye 1 Sam. 20. 6 7. so 26 28 29 verses Thus Hushai by temporizing with Absolom preserved David 2 Sam. 16. 17 18 19. to divide his counsels pretendeth hearty affection to him 3. There 's a pernicious lye that is to the hurt and prejudice of another Of this nature was the first lye by which all mankind was ruined the Devils lye to our first Parents Ye shall be as Gods Gen. 3. 4 5. And of this nature was the Patriarchs lye concerning Ioseph when they spake to his Father Gen. 37. 31 32. This have we found and know not whether it be thy sons coat or no yet they knew well enough And that of the Iewish Elders that said Mat. 28. 12 13. Say ye his Disciples came and stole him away while we slept All these are severely forbidden but especially in point of witnessing in Courts of Judicature Exod. 23. 1. Put not thine hand with the wicked to be an unrighteous witness and verse 7. Keep thee far from a false matter c. Now some question whether all these lyes be sins or no sporting or officious lyes All these sorts of lyes are sins For 1. The Scripture condemns all without restriction Eph. 4. 25. Wherefore putting away lying speak every man truth with his neighbour Rev. 21. 8. all lyars are shut out of the new Ierusalem And all lyars shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone and Rev. 22. 15. Whosoever loveth and maketh a lye 2. They all violate the natural Order and Conformity which God hath appointed between the heart and the tongue and though officious lyes are not for the hurt but the good of others yet it is to the hurt and prejudice of truth a man is not to lye for the glory of God therefore certainly not for the good of another man you hurt your own soul more by sin than you can do him good Augustine treating of officious lyes he tells of one Firmus who was Firmus nomine firmior voluntate Firm by name but more firm and fixed by will and resolved purpose therefore when one was pursued for casual homicide he conceal'd him and being asked for him answered Nec mentire se posse nec hominem prodere He could neither lye nor betray him So much for the first thing namely what is a lye and lying Secondly For the Reasons why the Children of God should be far from it 1. In regard of outward Commerce That which is contrary to humane society that should be odious to the Children of God who as they are in a peculiar sense members one of another so are also of the same Political body and therefore should speak truth one to another Eph. 4. 25. Humane society is mostly upheld by truth Where there is no truth there can be no trust where there is no trust there can be no commerce it makes men unfit to be trusted When a man hath much counterfeit money offered to him in payment though there may be some true gold and silver yet he casts it away and suspecteth it all Men that are given to lying can have no credit nor faith with man so they are unfit for human commerce therefore it should be far from men Nay it is the right of our neighbour that we should speak truth for speech is a kind of traffique and commerce and therefore it is a kind of theft to defraud your neighbour of his right if you give him false words for true Now because it is the band and foundation of human society therefore it should be far from
the occasion of the first sin and therefore we had need be cautioned against it Consider there is a lying to God in publick and private worship In publick worship How often do you compass him about with lyes We shew love with our mouths when our heart is at a great distance from God O how odious should we be to our selves if our heart were turned inside outward in the best duty and all our thoughts were turned into words for in our worship many times we draw near to God with our mouths when our heart is at a great distance As when their bodies were in the Wilderness their hearts were in Egypt so we prattle words without sense and spiritual affection Nay in our private worship we confess sin without shame we pray as if we cared not to be heard Conscience tells us what we should pray for but our hearts do not go out in the matter and we throw away our prayers as children shoot away their arrows which is a sign we are not so hearty as we should be We give thanks but without meltings of heart Custom and natural light tells us something must be done in this kind but how hard a matter is it to draw near God with truth of heart Again Would we not be accounted better than we are who would be thought as ill as he hath cause to think of himself We storm if others but speak of us half of what we speak of our selves to God therefore all had need look to it to be kept from a way of lying And for gross lying how far are we from being willing that should be accomplished which the Lord speaks of Zeph. 3. 13. The remnant of Israel shall not do iniquity nor speak lies neither shall a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth rather we may take up Davids complaint Psal. 12. 1 2. The godly man ceaseth the faithful fail from among the children of men they speak vanity every one with his neighbour with flattering lips and with a double heart do they speak Promises Oaths Covenants all broken and therefore so many jealousies because so much lying all trust is lost among us This lying is always ill but especially in Magistrates men of publick place Prov. 17. 7. Lying lips become not a Prince So Ministers Rom. 9. 1. I say the truth in Christ I lye not 2 Cor. 11. 31. The God and Father of our Lord Iesus Christ knoweth that I lye not Among private Christians are we not too rash in our suspicions and speak worse of others than they deserve do we not take up and vent reports without search it may be out of envy at the brightness of their profession Do not unwary Expressions drop from us much talk cannot be justified Are there not rash promises we make noconscience to mind and look after Many ways may we trace our selves in this sin of lying Therefore look to the prevention of it what remedies are there against it 1. Hate it do not think it to be a venial matter Psal. 119. 163. I hate and abhor lying not only hate it nor simply I abhor it but hate and abhor to strengthen and increase the sense and make it more vehement Where the enmity is not great against the sin the matter may be compounded and taken up O but I hate and abhor it and hate it with a deadly hatred Slight hatred of a sinful course is not sufficient to guard us against it 2. Love to the Law of God if that be dear to you you will not break it upon any light occasion In the Text Grant me thy law graciously If a man prize the Laws of God and would fain have them printed in the heart he will not so easily break them 3. Remember your spiritual conflict you never give Satan so great an advantage as by falshood and guile of spirit The Devil assaults by wiles but your strength lyeth in down-right honesty Eph. 6. 11. That ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil Satans strength lies in wiles but you must beat him down in sincerity The first piece of the spiritual armour is the girdle of truth that is the grace of sincerity whereby a man is to God and men what he gives out himself to be or seems to be This is that which will give you strength and courage in sore tryals O when Satan shall accuse and challenge you for your base hypocrisie then how will you hold up your heads in the day of spiritual conflict if you have not the girdle of truth But now uprightness gives us courage strength and stands by us in the very agonies of death 4. Heedfulness and a watch upon the tongue Psal. 39. 1. I said I will take heed to my ways that I sin not with my tongue Let us speak of what we think and think of what we speak that the mind may conform it self with the nature of truth 5. Avoid the causes of lying There are three of them 1. Boasting or speaking too much of our selves When men are given to boasting whatever thing of weight is done they were privy to it their hand was in the work in contriving and prosecuting the business their counsel was for it Nothing can be acted without their knowledg and approbation This spirit of vain-glory is the Mother of vain talking therefore of a lying tongue Psal. 12. 3. Flattering lips and the tongue that speaketh proud things are joyned together 2. Flattery or desiring of ingratiating themselves with those that are great and mighty in the world when they have mens persons in admiration Psal. 12. 2. With flattering lips and with a double heart do they speak So Hosea 7. 3. They make the king glad with their lyes To please their Rulers they sooth them up with flattering applause and fawning upon them 3. Carnal fear and distrust This was that which put David to his shifts in his dangers he was apt to fail and deal a little deceitfully in time of temptation and danger We had need pray to God to be kept from all ways and counsels that are contrary to Gods word The Scripture speaks Deut. 33. 29. of Counterfeit submissions to higher powers Thine enemies shall be found lyars unto thee thou shalt tread upon their high places the meaning is shall be subdued by thee So Psal. 18. 44. Strangers shall submit themselves to me Psal. 66. 3. 81. 15. and many other places The word implieth feigned submission Obj. But are we openly to profess our mind in all things in time of danger I answer Prudent concealment may be without fault but a professed subjection should be sincere for open and free dealing doth best become Gods Children It is true we are not bound to speak all the truth at all times to every person In some cases we may conceal something Luk. 9. 21. Our Saviour straitly charged them and commanded them to tell no body that he was the Christ. 1 Sam. 16. 2. When the Lord
from the beginning as the good Angels continued in their first estate Men that are engaged in an evil course often continue in it without retractation they are no changelings always the same that 's no honour to them Luther when he was charged with apostasie for appearing against the Pope Confitetur se Apostatam esse sed beatum sanctum qui fidem Diabolo datam non servavit He confesseth he was an Apostate but a holy and blessed one that he did not keep touch with the Devil Constancy must ever be understood with respect to a right choice for to break faith with Satan is not matter of dishonour but of praise We must go on with an accurate prosecution for that giveth us experience and causeth us to find joy and sweetness and power in the truth and is a great means of constancy If men would be constant the next thing they must do is to practise that Religion they chuse and live under the power of it Holiness is a great means of constancy 1 Tim. 3. 9. Holding the mystery of faith in a pure conscience As precious liquors are best kept in clean vessels so is the mystery of faith in a pure conscience Men may be stubborn in their opinions out of natural courage and the engagement of credit and interests but this is of little worth without practical godliness their Orthodoxy and rightness in opinion will not bring them to heaven nor shall they be saved because they are of such a sect or party But then all must be closed up by persevering in our resolutions otherwise all our former zeal will be lost I have chosen the way of truth thy judgments have I laid before me and then now I have stuck unto thy testimonies O Lord put me not to shame 2 John 8. Look to your selves that ye lose not those things which ye have wrought All that a man hath done and suffered watching striving praying they come to nothing unless we stick to it and persevere Under the Law a Nazarite was to begin his days of separation again if he had defiled himself if he had separated himself for a year and kept his vow within two days of the year he was to begin all anew Numb 6. 12. and the interpretation of that type I cannot give you better than in the Prophets words Ezek. 18. 24. When the righteous turneth away from his righteousness and committeth iniquity all his righteousness that he hath done shall not be remembred When they turn head against their former profession it comes to nothing Thus you see what a perfect dependence there is between this Verse and the former In the words there is 1. A profession I have stuck unto thy testimonies 2. A prayer O Lord put me not to shame First For the profession I have stuck to thy testimonies Saith Chrysostom he doth not say I have followed thy testimonies but stuck or cleaved stuck so fast that nothing could remove him no difficulties tryals shakings he was still firm Doct. Those that have chosen the way of God and begin to conform their practice thereunto ought with all constancy to persevere therein First We have the same reasons to continue that we had to begin at first there 's the same loveliness in God's ways Christ is as sweet as ever Heaven is as good as ever if there be any difference there is more reason to continue than there was to begin why because we have more experience of the sweetness of Christ you knew him heretofore only by report and hearsay but now when you have walked in the way of holiness then you know him by experience and if you have tasted 1 Pet. 2. 2. then certainly you should not fall off afterwards Upon trial Christ is sweeter and the longer you have kept to conscience heaven is nearer and would a man miscarry and be discouraged when he is ready to put into the Haven Rom. 13. 11. Your salvation is nearer than when you first believed The nearer we are to the enjoyment of any good the more impatient in the want of it As natural motion we find swifter in the end because it 's nearer to the center but Violent motion is swiftest at first as when a stone is thrown upward it is swifter at first but when the impression of the external force is more spent then the motion is weaker It argues that you are not seriously through with God if you should break with him after some profession of his Name now your motion should be more earnest more strong towards him I speak this because we are so apt to cast off our first faith 1 Tim. 5. 12. and to lose our first love Rev. 2. 4. and to grow remiss and lazy and neglect our first works 2 Chron. 17. 3. Iehoshaphat is said to walk in the first ways of his father David We see many at the first are carried on with a great deal of affection and zeal and there are many promising beginnings of a very flourishing spring but yet they are no sure prognostications of a joyful harvest why consider with your selves we have the same reasons to continue as to begin yea much more as heaven is nearer In a marriage-relation true affection encreaseth but adulterous love is only hot while it is new If our hearts be upright with God we will encrease with zeal for his glory and love to his testimonies Secondly The danger and mischievous effects of apostasie and falling off that 's another reason why we should stick to his testimonies 1. It is more dishonourable to God than a simple refusal for you bring an ill report upon him as if he were not a good Master A wicked man that refuseth grace doth not so much dishonour God because his refusal is supposed to be the fruit of his prejudice but now you that cast him off after tryal your apostasie is supposed to be the fruit of your experience as if the Devil were a better Master when you have tried both you return to him again Tertullian in his Book de Poenitentia hath this saying After you have tried God you do as it were deliberately judg Satans service to be better or at least you do not find that in God you did expect Therefore the honour of God is mightily concerned and lies at stake when you fall off after you have seemed to begin with him with a great deal of accurateness And God pleads for himself and stands for his credit which seems to be wronged by this apostasie Ier. 2. 5. casting off his service for the Idols of the Nation What iniquity have your fathers sound in me that they are gone far from me And Mic. 6. 3. O my people what have I done unto thee and wherein have I wearied thee testifie against me What can you complain of God Is God hard to be pleased backward to reward What cause of distast have you found in him for implicitely you do as it were accuse him 2.
11. Let the Lord do what is good in his Sight 1 Tim. 4. 10. Therefore we both Labour and Suffer reproach because we trust in the living God who is the Saviour of all Men especially of those that believe And so are encouraged to go on Cheerfully with their Duty Trust in God is not idle Expectation or a devout Sloath but such a Dependence as giveth Life to our Service that we may go on Cheerfully without disquiet in our Work and in ways wherein he hath appointed us to walk The Law gives Protection to those that travel on the Road not in by-ways he shall keep thee in all thy Ways in Viis non in Praecipitiis otherwise you seek to draw God into a fellowship of your Guilt and do make him serve with your Iniquities Isa. 43. 24. he was doubly censured among the Heathens that took a Lamp from the Altar to steal by to make Gods Providence subservient to the Devils interest Pet. 4. 19. Commit your Souls to God in Well-doing God never undertook to Protect us in the Devils service II. Reasons Why it is our Duty 1. Trust as it implieth recourse to God in our Necessaries is Necessarily required in the fundamental Article of the Covenant in the choice of God for your God Nature teacheth men in their distress to run to their Gods Ionah 1. 5. The Marriners cryed every man to his God it immediately results from the owning of a God that we should trust him with our safety much more when taught thus to do and how to do so in the word 2. Else there can be no Converse with God Truth is the ground of Commerce between Man and Man so our Dependence which is built upon Gods Fidelity is the ground of Commerce between God and us Man fell from God by distrust by having a Jealousie of him and still the evil Heart of unbelief doth lead us off from God Heb. 3. 12. Take heed Brethren lest there be in any of you an evil Heart of unbelief in departing from the living God But the more we believe him the more we keep with him God doth not give present Payment not govern the World by Sense therefore Faith is necessary 2 Cor. 5. 7. For we walk by Faith not by Sight Sight is for Heaven Faith for the present Dispensation We are now under Sense and that will mis-lead us Reason is either refined by Faith or depressed by Sense 3 Consider whose Word it is Gods word is the Signification of his Will who is Merciful Able True 1 There is Benignity and Goodness by which he is willing to help poor Creatures though we can be of no Use and Profit to him the Hen receiveth no benefit by the Chickens only her trouble of Providing for them is increased but they are her own Brood therefore she leadeth them up and Down that they may find a Sustenance so doth God to the Creatures We are the work of his Hands therefore he pittieth us and is willing to save us and not only so but carried us in the Womb of his Decree from all Eternity 2. His Truth and Fidelity is layed at Pawn with the Creature in the Promises Psal. 138. 2. Thou hast Magnified thy Word above all thy Name He standeth much on his Truth is punctual in his Promises It is a great Disgrace done to God if we do not trust him upon his Word we make him a Lyer 1 Iohn 5. 10. He that believeth not God hath made him a Lyer and so not God 3. He is able to make it good his Word never yet found Difficulty He spake the Word and it was done There is the same Power that goeth still along with his Word if he say he will do this who can lett Therefore none that ever yet trusted in God were Disappointed Psal. 22. 5. They trusted in thee and were not Confounded 4. From the Benefits of this Trust 1. This fixeth and Establisheth the Heart against all fears which so often prove a Snare to us Psal. 112. 7. He shall not be afraid of evil Tidings his Heart is fixed trusting in the Lord. Ill News and cross Accidents falling out in the World do not dismay him because he looketh higher because he hath set God against men the Covenant against Providences Eternal things against Temporal he is not fearless yet his Heart is Established and fixed 2. It allayeth our Sorrows and maketh us Cheerful in the midst of all Difficulties and Discouragements Psal. 13. 5. I have trusted in thy Mercy my Heart shall rejoyce in thy Salvation So Psal. 52. 8. I am like a green Olive Tree for I trust in the mercy of God for ever and ever As some Trees are green in Winter this will make a man flourish notwithstanding Opposition and all the bitter Cold blasts of Trouble and Worldly distress 3. It quiets the Heart as to Murmurings and unquiet agitations of Spirit to wait Gods Leasure when there was a Storm in Davids Spirit he allayeth it thus Psal 42. 5. Why art thou disquieted O my Soul hope thou in God for I shall yet Praise him On the contrary Murmuring Impatience and Vexation is the fruit of distrust Psal. 106. 29. They believed not his Word and murmured in their Tents They that distrust Gods promise fall a Quarrelling with his Providence did we believe that the wise God is still carrying on all things for our good we would submit to his Will 4. It banisheth and removeth far from us distracting Cares and Fears these are a great sin a Reproach to our heavenly Father Mat. 6. 25. Therefore I say unto you take no thought for your Life what ye shall Eat nor what ye shall Drink Nor yet for your Body what ye shall put on And verse 32. After all these things do the Gentiles seek for your Heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things As if your Children when you are able to maintain them should distrust your Allowance and beg their Bread from Door to Door we are forecasting many things take Gods work out of his hands and are anxious in inquiring what we shall eat what we shall drink what shall become of such a business and affair Now how shall we be eased of these tormenting thoughts Prov. 16. 3. Commit thy works unto the Lord and thy thoughts shall be established 2 Chron. 20. 20. Believe in the Lord your God so shall ye be established 5. It keepeth us from warping and turning aside to crooked paths as long as we are perswaded that God will maintain us by honest and lawfull means we are kept upright with God but an unbelieving Person makes hast right or wrong he will be his own Carver Men if they have not Faith enough to trust God in an ordinary course of Providence think God is a bad Pay-master and therefore take up with present things Zeph. 3. 2. She obeyed not my Voice She trusted not in the Lord that was the Reason of her Corruption
needy was not this to know me saith the Lord That is true Knowledge that produceth its Effect So Iames 2. 23. By works faith is made perfect Faith hath produced its End So Love is perfected in keeping the Commandments 1 Iohn 2. 5. Whoso keepeth his word in him verily is the love of God perfected as all things are perfect when they attain their End and their consummate estate The Plant is perfect when it riseth up into Stalk and Flower and Seed so these Graces 4. The Person or Christian is judged not onely by what is believed but what is done not by what is approved but what is practised Many profess Faith and Love but if it be not verified in Practice they are not accepted with God 1 Pet. 1. 17. If ye call on the father who without respect of persons judgeth according to every mans work And Rev. 20. 12. I saw the dead small and great stand before God and the books were opened and another book was opened which is the book of life and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books according to their works God will judge Men according to their Works and what they have done in the Flesh whether it be good or evil Iohn 5. 29. They that have done good shall rise to the resurrection of life and they that have done evil to the resurrection of condemnation The Redeemed Sinner shall have his Tryal and Judgment Use 1. Is for the disproof of two sorts Preachers and Professors 1. Preachers if they be strict in Doctrine and loose in Practice do they lift their hands to God's Commandments No they are like the Pharisees who bind heavy burdens upon others and do not touch them with their own little finger Matt. 23. 4. It is not enough to lift up our voice in recommending but we must lift up our hands in practising lest like a Mark-stone they shew others the way to Heaven but walk not in it themselves and contribute nothing of help by their Examples 2. Professors 1. That approve the Word onely There may be an idle naked Approbation Rom. 2. 18. Thou knowest his will and approvest the things that are most excellent being instructed out of the law Video meliora probóque They esteem these things better but their hearts incline them to what is evil and their Reason is a slave to Appetite 2. That commend as well as approve Rom. 2. 20. Who hast a form of knowledge and of the truth in the law but without Action and Practice Have many good words their voice Iacob's but their hands Esau's Psal. 50. 16 17. What hast thou to do to declare my statutes or to take my covenant in thy mouth since thou hatest instruction and castest my words behind thee It pertaineth not to thee to profess Religion since thou dost not practise it to commend the Law which thou observest not or to profess love to what thou dost not obey Use 2. Is to press you to lift up your hands and to obey and do the things which God hath prescribed in his Word Do not rest in the Notional part of Religion That which will approve you to God is not a sharp Wit or a firm Memory or a nimble Tongue but a ready Practice God expecteth to be glorified by his Creatures both in Word and Deed and therefore Heart and Tongue and Hand and all should be imployed I will urge you with but two Reasons 1. How easie it is to deceive our selves with a fond Love a naked Approbation or good Words without bringing things to this real Proof Whether the Truth that we approve esteem and commend have a real dominion over and influence upon our Practice 1 Iohn 2. 4. He that saith I know him and keepeth not his commandments is a liar and the truth is not in him James 1. 22. Be ye doers of the word not hearers onely deceiving your own souls Respect to God and his Word is a true Evidence of a Gracious Heart Now how shall we know this Respect is real but by our constant and uniform Practice 2. That it is not so easie to deceive God He cannot be mocked with a vain shew sor he looketh to the bottom and spring of all things 1 Chron. 28. 9. And thou Solomon my son know thou the God of thy father and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind for the Lord searcheth all hearts and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts He searcheth our Hearts knoweth our inward Disposition whether firm strong or productive of Obedience Now to him you are to approve your selves and he will not be mocked with lying pretences and excuses Gal. 6. 7. Be not deceived God is not mocked The all-seeing God cannot be blinded he knoweth our thoughts afar off and seeth all things in their Causes much more can he judge of Effects Therefore whatsoever Illuminations we pretend unto if we do not live in the Obedience of the Commands of Self-denial Humility Justice Patience Faith and Love he can soon find us out If our Actions do not correspond to our Profession it is a practical Lye which the Lord can easily find out 2 Doct. Whosoever would lift up his hands to God's Commandments and seriously address himself to a course of Obedience must use much Study and Meditation On the one side Non-advertency to Heavenly Doctrine is the bane of many Mat. 13. 19. When any one heareth the word of the kingdom and understandeth it not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 non advertit animum then cometh the wicked one and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart And so Iames 1. 23 24. If any be a hearer of the word and not a doer he is like a man beholding his natural face in a glass for he beholdeth himself and goeth his way and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was God's great complaint of his People is that they will not consider Isa. 1. 3. The ox knoweth his owner and the ass his masters crib but Israel doth not know my people doth not consider So Ier. 8. 6. I hearkned and heard but they spake not aright no man repented him of his wickedness saying What have I done The Heathens have commended such Recollection On the other side the Scripture recommendeth Meditation as one great help to Obedience Lydia's Conversion is described by Attendency Acts 16. 14. The Lord opened her heart that she attended unto the things which were spoken by Paul because that is the first step to it minding chusing prosecuting So the Man that will benefit by the Word of God is he Iames 1. 25. that looketh into the perfect law of liberty and continueth therein that is abideth in the view of these Truths for a glance never converted nor warmed the heart of any Man This man being not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the word this man shall be blessed in his end Now more particularly Why Meditation is
perswasions but when our hearts are fixed upon these holy Purposes then all contrary solicitations and oppositions will not break us or divert us Satan hath small hopes to seduce or mislead a resolved Christian loose and uningaged men lie open to him and are ready to be entertained and imployed by any new Master 3. Without the directing Act of Judgment how easily shall we miscarry and make Religion a burthen to our selves or else a scorn to the World Want of Judgment causeth different effects not onely in divers but in the same person sometimes a superstitious scrupulousness at other times a prophane negligence sometimes make conscience of all things then of nothing as the one weareth off the other succeedeth as the Devil cast the Lunatick in the Gospel sometimes into the water sometimes into the fire either fearfull of Sin in every thing they doe or bold to run into all Sin without fear Whereas a Truth judiciously understood would prevent either extream So again for want of Judgment sometimes men are transported by a fiery and indiscreet Zeal at other times settle in a cold indifferency and all things come alike to them the way to prevent both is to resolve upon evidence 1 Thess. 5. 21. Prove all things hold fast that which is good Certainly the clearer our Judgment is the more stedfast is our Faith the more vehement is our Love the more sound our Joy the more constant our Hope the more calm our Patience the more earnest our Pursuit of true Happiness otherwise we shall never carry it evenly between vain Presumption and feigned Reverence between legal Fear and rash Hopes uncomely Dejections and a loose disregard of God Wisdome is the Faculty by which we apply that Knowledge we have unto the end why we should have it 2. It makes us troublesome to others by preposterous carriage rash censuring needless intermedling Phil. 1. 9 10. And this I pray that your Love may abound yet more and more in Knowledge and in all Iudgment That ye may approve things that are excellent that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ our Corruptions will otherwise break forth to the offence of others An injudicious Christian increaseth the Reproaches of the World as if the Servants of God were the troublers of Israel by unseasonable Reproofs mistiming of Duties medling with that which no ways appertaineth to him All lawfull things are not fit at all times nor in all places nor to be done by all Persons Much folly indiscretion and rashness remaineth in the best whereby they dishonour God and bring Religion into contempt 3. They trouble the Church of God it hath suffered not onely from the Persecutions of Enemies but from the folly rashness and indiscretion of its Friends There are different degrees of Light some Babes some Young men some grown Persons in Christ Iesus 1 Iohn 2. 13. I write unto you Fathers because ye have known him that is from the beginning I write unto you Young men because ye have overcome the wicked one I write unto you little Children because ye have known the Father Now Children have their Fancies and Young men their Passions and Old men their Humours When the one would prescribe to the other they hurry all things into Confusion the Injudicious generally seek to carry it and would govern the World In Young ones there are great Affections but little Knowledge and Judgment they have a great Zeal but little Prudence to moderate it and when this is joyned with Perverseness and Contumacy it is not easy to be said how much evil it bringeth to the Church of God as a fiery Horse routeth the Troop and bringeth disorder into the Army The Devil loveth to draw things into extreams to set Gift against Gift Prudence against Zeal the Youth of Christianity against Age and so to confound all things and so to subvert the Kingdom of Christ by that comely vanity which is the beauty of it In the general all overdoing in Religion is undoing The Use is Let all this press us to seek this Benefit of good Judgment and Knowledge To this end 1. Consider the value and necessity of it without it we cannot regularly comfort our selves in the Promises but it will breed a carelesness and neglect of our Duty nor fulfil the Commandments of God but it will breed in us a self-confidence and disvaluing of the Grace of God nor reflect upon our Sins but we shall be swallowed up of immoderate sorrow nor suffer for the Truth but we shall run into indiscrect reasoning and oppositions that will trouble all and it may be subvert the Interest of Religion in the World or else grow into a loose uncertainty leaping from one Opinion into another This uncertainty cometh not so much or not altogether from vile Affection as want of information in Religion professing without Light and Evidence having more of Affection than Principles There is a twofold Injudiciousness Total or Partial 1. Total when men are given up 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into a reprobate sense or an injudicious Mind Rom. 1. 28. when utterly uncapable of heavenly Doctrine or discerning the things of the Spirit This is one of God's heaviest Judgments that is not the case of any of you I hope 2. Partial and that is in us all alas we are ignorant of many things which we should know at least we have not that discretion and prudence which is necessary for directing our Faith tempering our Zeal ordering and regulating our Practice which is necessary to avoid evil to doe good or to doe good well Or if we have Light we have no Sense or Tast. Many never felt the bitterness of Sin to purpose or sweetness of Righteousness therefore we have need to cry to God Lord give me good Tast and Knowledge 2. If you would have it you must ask it of God We can have no sound Knowledge till God teach it us By Nature we are all blind ignorant vain after Grace received though our Ignorance be helped it is not altogether cured you must still fetch it from Heaven by strong hand Without his Spirit we cannot discern spiritual things 1 Cor. 2. 14. The natural man receiveth not the things of the spirit of God for they are foolishness unto him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned that is chiefly the main things of the Gospel and universally all things so far as Conscience and Obedience to God is concerned in them It is the Unction must teach us all things 1 Iohn 2. 20. But ye have an Unction from the holy One and ye know all things the things of God must be seen in the light of his own Spirit The Spirit of God first giveth us the desire of these things and then satisfieth us with them it is the Spirit of God purifieth this desire that it may be holy as having an holy end that we may avoid whatever is displeasing to God and doe whatever
fulfilled on earth but decreed in Heaven fixed and setled there by God's unalterable Purpose and Will 2. That in Heaven there is an Emblem of it 'T is usual in Scripture to set forth the stability and constancy of God's Word by this similitude as Psal. 89. 2. Mercy shall be built up for ever thy faithfulness hast thou established in the very heavens So when 't is compared with the Covenant of day and night Jer. 33. 20 21. Thus saith the Lord if you can break my Covenant of the day and my Covenant of the night that there should not be day and night in their seasons Then may also my Covenant be broken with David my servant So Ier. 31. 35 36 37. This sense I incline to because in the next Verse 't is compared with the stability of the earth Well then his Word is setled in Heaven partly because the Heavens stand fast by the same Word by which they were first made Gen. 1. 3 6. And God said Let there be light and there was light Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters and divide the waters from the waters and it was so So Midrash Tillim And partly because the Being and Order of Heaven sheweth the setledness of God's Word as the Heavens were created and setled in a course which they constantly observe in their motions and this duration and equability in the motion is so exact that men can foresee Eclipses long before they happen therefore the Psaâ—…st saith Psal. 114 19. The Sun knoweth his going down that is keepeth so to the just Poâ—…ts of his Compass as if he were an intelligent Agent and knew the exact time when to set and rise Now when we lift up our eyes to Heaven and see how punctually and exactly the Order is observed which is once setled by God's Will even from the beginning of the world to this day no remarkable change hath been observed the heavenly bodies keep their tenour and course and by their constant motions distribute their light and influence to the world and this from their first Creation and all because he hath said It shall be so in the strength of his Word they abide This continuance of the Heavens sheweth the permanency of his Word DOCT. That God's Word is of an Eternal Truth and Immutable Constancy By his Word is principally meant the Gospel Covenant It is said by the Prophet Isaiah Chap. 40. ver 8. The grass withereth and the flower fadeth but the word of our God shall stand for ever And the Apostle Peter quoting and improving the same place saith The word of God is the Gospel preached unto you 1 Pet. 1. 24 25. And more especially the promise of eternal life for that is opposite to the fading glory of the present life and is the eternal effect of the Word of God abiding in our hearts when all other things fade and decay this blessed estate offered in and conveyed by the Gospel will not fail us 1. I shall give you the Reasons 2. The Emblem and Representation 3. The Profit and Usefulness of this Meditation 1. The Reasons In every Promise that it be certain and firm three things are required First That it may be made seriously and heartily with a purpose to perform it Secondly That he that hath promised continue in his purpose without change of mind Thirdly That it be in the power of him that promiseth to perform what he hath so promised Now of all these things there can be no doubt 1. Certainly God meaneth as he speaketh when he promiseth to give eternal life to those that believe and obey the Gospel There is no question but he is so minded when he hath written a Book to assure the world of it for what need God to courâ—… the Creature with an imaginary happiness or to tell them of a glorious Estate which he never meant to bestow upon them Yea why should Amen the faithful Witness come from Heaven farther to assure us of it by his Doctrine dye the death to purchase it for us and afterward rise again and enter into that happiness which he spake of That our faith and hope may be in God 1 Pet. 1. 21. Why should he as soon as he was ascended give gifts unto men send forth messengers into the world to preach this doctrine and give notice of this blessed Estate to be had upon these terms and attest it by divers signs and wonders partly to alarum the drowsie world to regard it and assure the incredulous world of the truth of this salvation Heb. 2. 3 4. Not to believe that God is serious in all this is to make him a Lyar indeed yea to establish a Lye and Falshood with great Solemnity 2. That God doth continue his purpose is no doubt if we consider his eternal and unchangeable Nature Mal. 3. 6. For I am the Lord I change not therefore ye sons of Iacob are not consumed And James 1. 17. With him is neither variableness nor shadow of turning And what should alter his purpose Doth he meet with any thing that he foresaw not and knew not before God doth never repent and call back his Grant that he hath by this Act of Grace ensured Eternal Happiness to the Saints on such terms 1 Sam. 15. 29. For the strength of Israel will not lye nor repent for he is not a man that he should repent Psal. 110. 4. I have sworn and will not repent thou art a Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedech Christ is instated in full power of entertaining and blessing his faithful Servants which shall never be retracted To take off all doubt he hath given us double assurance his Word and his Oath Heb. 6. 17 18. God being willing more abundantly to shew to the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel confirmed it by an oath That by two immutable things wherein it was impossible for God to lye we might have strong consolation who have fled for refuge c. God hath ever been tender of his Word above all that is famed or believed of God this is most conspicuous Psal. 138. 2. Thou hast magnified thy Word above all thy Name Now this needed not for an Oath is interposed in a doubtful matter but it sheweth God's extraordinary care for our satisfaction his good will is seen in the Promise his solicitude in the Oath In short God would never be so fast bound but that he doth continue his purpose 3. That he is able to perform it Mat. 19. 26. With God all things are possible Rom. 4. 21. Being fully persuaded that what God had promised he was able to perform Phil. 3. 21. According to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things to himself He is able to find out a way whereby sinners may be reconciled sanctified subdued by his Spirit whereby his Interests may be preserved in them against the assaults of the Devil the World and the Flesh finally able to
ever II. The evidence of that Choice For they are the rejoycing of my heart I call it the evidence for so it is a proper demonstration that he took Gods Precepts for his heritage this is the mark and sign of it they are the rejoycing of my heart it did his heart good to think of his heritage and what an ample Portion he had in his God I. Let me speak first of his Choice Whence this Observation It is the property of Believers to take Gods Testimonies for their heritage In the management of which Truth I shall shew 1. What are Gods Testimonies 2. What it is to take them for an heritage 3. The reason why it is their property to do so First What are Gods Testimonies Any Declaration of his Will in Doctrine Precepts Threatnings Promises The whole Word 't is the the testimony which God hath proposed for the satisfaction of the World It is Gods Deposition or Testimony to satisfie men what is his mind and will concerning their salvation Gods Testimony is the publick Record that may be appealed unto in all Cases of doubt Psal. 19. 8. The Statutes of the Lord are right rejoycing the heart c. The testimonies of the Lord are sure making wise the simple By the Statutes of the Lord is meant in general the whole Counsel of God delivered in the Word But then more specially and chiefly they imply the Evangelical or Gospel Part of the Word the Promises of the Covenant of Grace Isai. 8. 20. To the Law and to the Testimonies Testimony in this sence is contradistinguish'd to the Law or Gods Precepts what is required of us thus the Ark of his Testimony is called by that name Mark this Notion of calling the Word Gods Testimony it shews us what regard we should have to the Precepts and Promises of God you need regard them it is Gods Testimony to you and then against you Christ would have his Word preached as a testimony against them Mat. 24. a testimony to them that they might know Gods Mind and then if it were not received a testimony against them at the last Day when God comes to Judgment the Sinner will be without an excuse but will not be without a testimony every Sermon will rise up against him in judgment it will be a testimony for their Conviction And as we should regard his Precepts so it shews in what regard his Promises are which are chiefly his testimony therefore it is said Iohn 3. 33. He that hath received his testimony hath set to his Seal that God is true You give God the Glory of his Truth by venturing your Souls upon his testimony whereas otherwise you make him a Liar a Blasphemy which is most contrary to the Glory of his Being 1 Iohn 5. 10. He that believeth not makes God a Liar Look upon the Promises as Gods Testimonies you may urge it to your own heart and to God We may urge it to our own heart when we are full of doubts and troubles here we have Gods testimony to shew for it Why do ye doubt O ye of little Faith Here 's Gods testimony Nay it is a testimony under an Oath that the Heirs of Promise might want no satisfaction Heb. 6. 18. If we had but Gods bare word it should beget Faith for God stands much upon his truth but we have his Oath his Hand and Seal why after such a solemn assurance shall I make God a Liar as being in doubtful suspence And they are a testimony which you may produce to God himself Lord thou hast said and here 's a Promise wherein thou hast caused me to hope I expect nothing but what thou wilt perform Look as Tamar shewed the Tokens to Iudah when he was about to condemn her shewed him the Ring and the Staff as a testimony and said Whose are these Gen. 28. 25. You put God in mind oâ—… his Pâ—…ise here 's the testimony he hath called you to these hopes whereby you should wait upon him how shall we take it here for the Precepts of God or the Promises or both Surely the Precepts of the Word are the Heritage or the Gospel and Treasure of the Church a Treasure not to be valued and every single Believer is to take up his share and count them his Treasure and his Heritage No man can take the promissory Part of the Word for his Heritage but he is to take the mandatory Part also As in every Bond and Indenture the Conditions must be kept on both sides so if you should take it for the whole Covenant of God wherein God is bound to us and we to God there were no incongruity Yet the Notion of an Heritage is most proper to the Promises and these are the rejoycing of our Soul the foundation of our solid comfort and hope the Promises are a witness in our hearts how he stands affected to us of which we are most apt to doubt through our unbelief Natural Light will convince us of the Justice and Equity of his Precepts therefore by the special use of the Word the Promises of God are called his Heritage Again the Promises are put for the things promised and Testimonies for the things contained and revealed in them for the Promises properly are not our heritage but they are the evidences the Charters which we have to shew for our Heritage The Blessings of the Covenant are properly our Heritage and the Promises are the Assurance and Conveyances by which this Heritage is made over to us As we say a Mans Estate lies in Bonds and Leases meaning he hath these things to shew as his right to such an Estate so the Promises that is the Blessings contained or the Testimony revealed there they are the things a Believer takes for his Portion Thus I have shewed what is meant by the testimonies of God Secondly What is it to take them for our Heritage There are two words Heritage and I have taken them The word Heritage first notes the substance of our portion or what we count our solid and principal Estate Secondly it notes our right and propriety in it Thirdly The kind of tenure by which we hold it Fourthly Many times actual possession Now saith David I have taken that implies actual choice on our part We are not born Heirs to this Estate but we take it we chuse it for our portion And mark he doth not say they are but I have taken them for my heritage Every Believer cannot say these are mine they are my heritage for every one hath not assurance but yet every one should say I have taken them there I look for my happiness for every Believer is alike affected though not alike assured David doth not here so expresly mention his interest though that is implied as his choice Briefly to take Gods testimony for our heritage implies four things 1. To count them our chiefest portion let others do what they will this is my share my lot my portion saith
temptation overtaken or overborn but he doth not propose to do evil that 's the property of the wicked 2. Be always exercising righteousness as God giveth opportunity and occasion 1 Iohn 3. 7. He that doth righteousness is righteous Psal. 106. 3. Blessed are they that keep judgment and he that doth righteousness at all times Justice must be observed in lesser things a well as in great for where Heaven and Hell are concerned nothing is little Luke 16. 10. He that is faithful in that which is least in minimo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he that is faithful in a little thing will not be unfaithful in any thing Many will be righteous in some thing but in some others dispense with themselves 3. Do not depart from your rule and resolution of just dealing upon any temptation whatsoever Men resolve to be just but when the temptation cometh their resolution is shaken Oh remember the greatest gain will not countervail your loss Matth. 16. 26. What is a man profited if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul 'T will prove a poor bargain in the end And that there is no profit in what is gained unjustly 't is a certain loss and so it will prove in the issue Hab. 2. 9 10. Wo unto him that coveteth an evil covetousness to his house that he may set his nest on high that he may be delivered from the power of evil thou hast consulted shame to thy house and hast sinned against thine own soul. You think to avoid all emergent evils there needs no more to pull down the power and greatness of the Oppressour than his studying to make it great nothing destroyeth it so much 4. Take special heed to thy self that thou beest not unrighteous when opportunity is offered when put in places of power and trust Many are innocent because they have no opportunity to be otherwise 'T is said Iohn 1â—… 6. He was a thief and had the bag and bare what was put therein When corrupt affections and suitable temptations and objects meet then 't is dangerous to the soul. 5. Take heed of covetousness 1 Tim. 6. 10. The love of money is the root of all evil It will make a breach on thy duty when 't is indulged therefore take away the lusts and temptations will have less power over thee For Motives 1. Righteousness is a Christians Breast-plate Ephes. 6. 14. And having on the breast-plate of righteousness to defend the heart and vital parts It keepeth the heart whole if the breast be covered with a firm resolution to shun whatsoever is evil and unjust temptations will not pierce us Unless you arm your self with this resolution you will lose comfort and lose Grace 2. Consider how soon God breaketh in with a Judgment when once men transgress righteousness 1 Thess. 4. 6. Let no man go beyond his brother nor defraud his brother for God is the avenger of all such God that is the Patron of humane Society will not suffer unrighteousness and injustice to go unpunished 2. In your publick engagements see that you have a good Cause and a good Conscience and in due time God will plead your Cause First See that you have a good Cause you must not intitle God to your petty quarrels and revenges 1 Pet. 2. 19 20. For this is thank-worthy if a man for conscience towards God endure grief suffering wrongfully for what glory is it if when ye be buffetted for your faults ye shall take it patiently But if when ye do well and suffer for it ye take it patiently this is acceptable with God 1 Pet. 3. 16 17. Having a good conscience that whereas they speak evil of you as of evil doers they may be ashamed that falsly accuse your good conversation in Christ for it is better if the will of God be so that ye suffer for well-doing than for evil-doing That Epistle was penned in a suffering time When you are exposed to hardships be sure you are in Gods way Secondly As the cause is good so must your carriage be do not step out of Gods way for the greatest good So many if they may drive on their designs they care not what they do as if a good end would warrant them Christ need not get up on the Devils shoulders God is now bound to avenge this for the wrath of God is revealed from Heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who hold the truth in unrighteousness In this evil day the righteous shall be saved God saved Noah a Preacher of righteousness and delivered just Lot 2 Pet. 2. II. We have David's Prayer Leave me not to mine Oppressours He beggeth help against the oppression of the enemy I might observe 1. That 't is no new thing to see innocent men troubled oppressed persecuted He that could say I have done Judgment and Justice yet had his Oppressours As long as Satan wants not instruments the people of God shall not want troubles and the two Seeds will never be reconciled Therefore we should not censure the oppressed and those that are fallen under the displeasure of men and the oppressed themselves should not wonder at it wicked men do but their kind 2. That to be left of God under the oppression of wicked men is a grievous calamity and earnestly to be deprecated When are we said outwardly and visibly to be left by God under the oppression of wicked men First When he taketh off the restraints of his Providence and the hedge of his protection is broken down and le ts loose the enemy upon us and we are left in the power of their hands Dan. 1. 2. The Lord gave the King of Iudah into his hands Secondly When he doth not comfort us in such a condition particularly when Gods assistance is not vouchsafed Sometimes he doth so 2 Cor. 1. 4. Who comforts us in all our tribulations At other times all is dark Psal. 74. 9. We see not our signs there is no more any Prophet neither is there among us any that knoweth how long Thirdly When he doth not direct us and shew us our duty Psal. 143. 10. Teach me to do thy will for thou art my God thy spirit is good lead me into the land of uprightness It was a time when his enemies prevailed over him Now if God hide counsel from us we grope at noon day Fourthly When he doth not support us Sometimes this Psal. 138. 3. In the day when I cryed thou answeredst me and strengthenedst me with strength in my soul. And Psal. 94. 18. When I said my foot slippeth thy mercy O Lord held me up Psal. 73. 23. Nevertheless I am continually with thee thou hast holden me up by my right hand David prayeth Put me not into their power do not let loose the reins thou hast hindered them hitherto 't is thy mercy that all this while I have not been given up as a prey to their teeth they want not malice and a will to
blind guesses Promises are the eruptions and overflows of Gods love he cannot stay till accomplishment but will tell us aforehand what he is about to do for us that we may know how to look for it Use 2. Is to exhort us to rest contented with Gods word and to take his promises as sure ground of hope I shall shew you how you should count it a word of righteousness what is your Duty and that first you are to delight in the promise though the performance be not yet nor like to be for a good while Heb. 11. 13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being perswaded of them they embraced them Oh how they hugged the promises at a distance and said in their hearts O blessed promise this will in time yield a Mâ—…siah Iohn 8. 56. Your father Abraham rejoyced to see my day and saw it and was glad Yâ—… hold the blessing by the root this will in time yield deliverance Heb. 6. 18. not only yield comfort but prove comfortable Psal. 119. 111. Thy testimonies I have taken fâ—… an heritage for they are the rejoycing of my heart For your Duty Secondly You are to rest confident of the truth of what God hath promised and be assured that the performance will in time be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 11. 13. Faith is not a failable Conjecture but a sure and certain Grace Rom. 8. 28. We know that all things shall work together for good to them that love God So Psal. 140. 12. I know that God will maintain the Cause of the afflicted and the right of the poor There is a firm perswasion I know I shall find this to be a truth Men who are conscionable and faithful in keeping their word are believed yet being men they may lye Rom. 3. 4. Let God be true and every man a liar Every man is or may be a liar because of the mutableness of his Nature from interest he will not lye but he can lye If we receive the testimony of men the testimony of God is greater Surely God cannot deceive or be deceived He never yet was worse than his word Thirdly You are to take the naked promise for the ground of your hope however it seem to be contradicted in the course of Gods Providence when 't is neither performed nor likely to be performed 't is his word you go by whatsoever his dispensations be Many times there are no apparent evidences of Gods doing what he hath said yea strong probabilities to the contrary 'T is said Rom. 4. 18. That Abraham against hope believed in hope 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Abraham had the promise of a Son in whom all the Nations of the Earth should be blessed but there was no appearance of this in Nature or natural hope of a Child both he and Sarah being old yet he believed 'T is an Antanaclasis an elegant Figure having the form of a contradiction he goeth upon Gods naked word Then Faith standeth upon its own Basis and Legs which is not probabilities but his word of promise Every thing is strongest upon its own Basis which God and Nature have appointed For as the Earth hangeth on nothing in the midst of the Air but there is its place Faith is seated most firmly on the word of God who is able to perform what he saith Fourthly This Faith must conquer our fears and cares and troubles Psal. 112. 7. He shall not be afraid of evil tidings his heart is fixed trusting in the Lord. He must fix the heart without wavering Psal. 56. 4. In God I will praise his word in God have I put my trust I will not fear what man can do unto me The force of Faith is seen in calming our passions and sinful fears which otherwise would weaken our reverence and respect to God Fifthly Above all this you are to glorifie God publickly not only in the quiet of your hearts but by your carriage before others Iohn 3. 33. Put to his Seal that God is true 't is not said Believed or professed but put to his Seal We seal the truth of God as his Witnesses when we confirm others in the faith and belief of the promises by our joyfulness in all conditions patience under crosses diligence in holiness hope and comfort in great streights Numb 20. 12. God was angry with Moses and Aaron because ye believe not to sanctifie me in the eyes of the Children of Israel We are not only to believe God our selves but to sanctifie him in the eyes of others as when the Thessalonians had received the word in much assurance in much affliction and much joy in the Holy Ghost The Apostle telleth them They were examples to all that believed in Achaia and Macedonia 1 Thess. 1. 5. The worthiness and generousness of our Faith should be a confutation of our base fears but a confirmation of the Gospel But we are so far from confirming the weak that we offend the strong and instead of being a confirmation to the Gospel we are a confutation of it Use 3. Is reproof to us that we do no more build upon this word of righteousness 1. Some count these vain words and the comforts thence deduced fanatical illusions and hopes and joys phantastical impressions Psal. 22. 7 8. All they that see me laugh me to scorn they shoot out the Lip they shake the head saying He trusted on the Lord that he would deliver him let him deliver him seeing he delighted in him Nothing so ridiculous in the worlds eye as trust or dependance or unseen comforts Ungodly Wits make the life of Faith a sport and matter of laughter 2. Some though not so bad as the former they may have more modesty yet as little Faith since they are all for the present world present delights present temptations With many one thing in hand is more than the greatest promises of better things to come 2 Tim. 4. 10. they have no patience Afflictions are smart for the present Heb. 12. 11. No affliction for the present seemeth joyous but grievous Yea they do not deal equally with God and man If a man promise they reckon much of that Qui petat accipiet c. They can tarry upon mans security but count Gods nothing worth They can trade with a Factor beyond Seas and trust all their Estates in a mans hand whom they have never seen and yet the word of the infallible God is of little regard and respect with them 3. The best build too weakly on the promises as appeareth by the prevalency of our cares and fears If we did take God at his word we would not be so soon mated with every difficulty Heb. 13. 5 6. Let your conversations be without covetousness and be content with such things as you have for he hath said I will never leave thee nor forsake thee So that we may boldly say The Lord is my helper I will not fear what man can do unto me There would be more resolution in trials more hardness
warnings to us As a Beacon on fire warneth all the Countrey to be in Armes You see what 't is to give way to the beginnings of sin not to be under the blessed Conduct of Gods Spirit Some are notoriously wicked judicially given up to be more visibly under the dominion of sin that others may take warning how they come into that woful slavery Phil. 3. 19 20. For many walk of whom I have told you often and now tell you even weeping that they are enemies to the Cross of Christ whose end is destruction whose God is their belly who glory in their shame who mind earthly things but our conversation is in Heaven 3. It should make us fly to God for Grace when the whole world lyeth in wickedness Isai. 6. 5. I am a man of unclean lips and I dwell among a people of unclean lips 'T is hard to converse with defiled ones and not be defiled to keep our selves unspotted from the World Psal. 106. 35. They were mingled among the heathen and learned their works The contagion of sin overspreads presently as a man by touching that which was unclean became unclean We easily catch a sickness from others but we cannot convey our health to them Use 2. Teacheth us to keep up our profession even in lesser truths I esteem all thy precepts concerning all things When men would wrangle us out of our Duty we are to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 faithful in a little Great matters depend on little things We are tryed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Pet. 1. 12. by the present truths whether we will owne the ways of God Revel 14. 13. Blessed are the dead which dye in the Lord or for the Lord from henceforth yea saith the spirit that they may rest from their labour Why from henceforth Why before the sufferings of Christians were from Heathens and professed enemies and they were acknowledged blessed as dying for the Lord. But now when Anti-Christ and false Christians came up they did pretend to be for Christ and friends to him and this might be a discouragement to them in their suffering but saith the Holy Ghost From henceforth blessed are they which dye for the Lord when Pseudo-Christians begin to come up and persecute the heavenly Christians 'T is as blessed a thing to suffer under Pseudo-Christians and Anti-Christianism as it was to suffer under Heathens and Pagans professed enemies to Christianity I speak of this because the Orthodoxy of the world is usually an Age too short In things publickly received 't is easie to be right Christ is forced to gain upon the world by inches A man may acknowledge the Trinity the satisfaction of Christ among Papists but 't is exceeding praise-worthy to owne Christ when others scorn and reject him The world will allow us to esteem the ways of God in some lesser things that are out of Controversie and are not maligned but this esteem must have that extent as becometh the people of God to have an hearty esteem of all the precepts of God and all things contained therein 2. Let me come to his respect to the ways of God and from his respect with the extent I shall observe this Doctrine Doctr. That it becometh the people of God to have a practical heart-engaging esteem of all the precepts of God and all things contained therein Let meshew you what is this esteem the Children of God have for his precepts First There is something implyed and presupposed Secondly Wherein it doth formally consist Thirdly The qualifications of a right and saving esteem of the ways of God First There is something implied and presupposed before we can come to esteem the precepts of God As First Knowledg and a right discerning This is necessary partly that a man may be able to make a distinction between good and evil otherwise he cannot esteem the good and eschew the evil for without knowledg the heart is not good Prov. 19. 2. If we should stumble blindfold upon a good way we are not the more accepted with God nor advantaged in our spiritual Course The clearer our light the warmer our love The more clear and certain apprehension we have of spiritual things our faith is more stedfast love more vehement joy more sound hope more constant patience more sublime our pursuit of true happiness more earnest And partly because a man cannot esteem that which he knoweth not The will being caeca potentia blind in it self followeth the direction and guidance of the understanding The ignorance of the nature and necessity of holiness is the cause of the neglect of it Iohn 4. 10. If thou knewest the gift c. Many condemn good for evil take evil for good boldly rush into sin reject the ways of God for want of knowledge But then 't is spiritual illumination that begets estimation 1 Cor. 2. 14. The truth and worth of spiritual things must be seen by a spiritual eye When the Spirit enlighteneth a man he beginneth to see that which he knew not before to see things in another manner Secondly Advertency or application of the mind to the object or things esteemed that he seriously consider of the matter and what it is best to do it 's not a sudden rash undertaking The Scripture speaketh of applying our hearts to wisdom Psal. 90. 12. and Prov. 2. 2. Apply thy heart to understanding Prov. 23. 12. Apply thine heart to instruction and thines ears to the ways of knowledg Make it your business seriously to consider things that differ But then Secondly Wherein lyes this esteem or wherein doth it formally consist Esteem is an approbation of the will or an hearty love There is the approbation of the understanding and the approbation of the will The approbation of the understanding is a naked sense or an acknowledgment of what is good Rom. 2. 18. Thou knowest his will and approvest the things that are more excellent There is an excellency in holiness that winneth esteem even there where it is not embraced All convinced men see the evil of sin and are half of the mind to quit it they approve the Law which they violate by a bare naked approbation But then there is the approbation of the heart or will there is love and liking in it and this is called esteem This is seen in two things consent and choice Consent to take this Law for our rule and choice whatever temptation we have to the contrary Men chuse what they highly esteem In short 't is such an approbation as doth engage affection such an affection as doth engage practice Esteem is the fruit of love First There is a consenting to the Law that it is good Rom. 7. 16. There is a difference between assent and consent A man may assent to the truth and goodness of the Law that doth not consent to the goodness of it as the Devils assent to the truth of Gods Being that do not consent to take him for their portion Iames 2. 19.
therefore though God will give sufficient means of Conviction yet not always such evident marks of his Favour to the best Cause in Temporal things as that mere sense shall lead them to embrace it No he will onely set a good Cause a-foot and then suffer it to be exposed to the hatred of the World and sometimes to be over-born as to any Temporal Interest it can get that the mere Evidence and Love of Truth may gain men and not any secular motives All the countenance and owning God will give to it is by infusing Courage and Constancy to his Servants to suffer for it and so they overcome by the blood of the Lamb and not loving their Lives to the Death Rev. 12. 11. he speaketh of such a time when the Church seemeth weakest like a poor woman Travelling and her Enemies seem strongest like a great Red Dragon ready to devour the Child assoon as born Now though at such a time the Church is overcoming and the Devil and his Instruments are but pulling down their own Throne and establishing Christs while they are shedding the Blood of his Saints Yet none of this appeareth and is visibly to be seen Though suffering be a sealing and ratifying of the Truth yet to the Worlds eye it seemeth a suppressing and over-bearing of it Therefore few will own such a despised hated persecuted way and the difficulty is the greater when there is much of Gods Truth owned by the persecuting side and the contest is not about the main of Christianity but some lesser Truths and so the opposition is more disguised then certainly it may be said Isa. 59. 4. None calleth for Iustice nor any pleadeth for Truth all half Friends are discouraged therefore nothing is left the people of God but their Prayers Lord plead my cause David in the Text appealeth to Gods Judgment when he was deserted by men burdened by prejudices oppressed by mans wrong Judgment So often Gods People are not able to defend themselves and few in the World will own them or be Advocates for them then God will take their cause in hand In the Civil Law if a man could not get an Advocate metu adversarii the Judge was to appoint him one to plead for him So God taketh notice of his Peoples Condition Ier. 30. 13. There is none to plead thy cause that thou mayst be bound up Often among men none can or dareth undertake the defence and patronage of oppressed Right 2. Though we have a good Cause and hopeful Instruments yet we cannot plead it with any effect till God shew himself from heaven Nay though the Cause be never so right and just and Instruments and Means hopeful yet it requireth God's power to keep it a-foot For the justice of the Cause must not be relyed on nor probable means rested in but God must have the Trust of the Cause and the Glory of maintaining it otherwise by our own ill managing or by some secret and unseen opposition it will Miscarry Psal. 9. 4. Thou â—…st maintained my right and my cause thou satest in the Throne judging right This is a work wherein God will be seen while it is in agitation or under decision God will have the Trust and when it is over he will have all the Glory III. What Hopes or Grounds there are to expect that God will plead the Cause of his People 1. He can 2. He will Infinite Power and infinite Justice can do it 1. He can The Lord is able he that pleadeth our Cause hath infinite Power Prov. 23. 11. Their Redeemer is mighty he shall plead their cause with thee It is easie to bear down a few afflicted Creatures that have no strength or heart to oppose being in bonds and under oppression but there is a mighty God who when he pleadeth any ones cause he will do it to the purpose really and effectually delivering them for whom he pleadeth Ier. 50. 34. Their Redeemer is strong the Lord of Hosts is his name he will throughly plead their Cause that he may give rest to the land and disquiet the inhabitants of Babylon 2. He will Considering 1. Their Relation to God 2. God's Relation to them and to the whole World 1. Because of their Relation to him the Dominus the Lord whom they had chosen was to be their Patronus they that have put themselves under Gods Protection and are faithful to him keeping close to his Word he will plead their cause and manage it as his own Isa. 51. 22. Thus saith thy Lord the Lord and thy God that pleadeth the cause of his people Behold I have taken out of thy hand the cup of trembling even the dregs of the cup of my fary thou shalt no more drink it again He being their Soveraign Lord had undertaken to protect his Servants he counteth the wrongs done to them done to himself Acts 9. 4. Saul Saul why persecutest thou me Especially since molested for his Truth 2. Because of his Relation to them he is the Supream Potentate and the righteous Judge of the World and so bound by his office to defend the weak and innocent when oppressed Psal. 146. 7. He executeth judgment for the opppressed those that should maintain Right upon Earth and punish Wrongs are often prevaricators but the Judge of all the Earth will do Right he is an impartial Judge and will maintain the cause of his People Prov. 22. 22 23. Rob not the poor because he is poor neither oppress the afflicted in the gate For the Lord will plead their cause and spoil the soul of those that spoiled them Though no Relation to him yet if poor if afflicted if destitute of humane help the Lord taketh himself to be the Patron of all such much more his People Use. I. To rebuke our Fears and Mis-giving of Heart When we see the best men go to the Walls and to be made objects of Scorn and Spight we are apt to say as the Church doth in the Prophet Isaiah Chap. 40. 27. My way is â—…id from the Lord and my judgment is passed over from my God that is in effect that God doth wholly neglect them and will not plead their Cause Oh no! he knoweth what strife there is between us and our Adversaries and how good our Cause is and how much he is concerned in it onely we must wait his leisure and bear his Indignation until he plead True submission to God ought to prescribe no day to him but referr all to his Will Use. II. Let us commit our Cause to the Lord as the expression is Iob 5. 8. I would seek unto God and unto God would I commit my cause who is the Friend and Advocate of the Afflicted and hath promised to be so and to keep us from the hand of the wicked and the mouth of the wicked from their hand and violence so far as it shall be for his Glory Isa. 49. 25. I will contend with him that contendeth with thee and I