6. 16. and all pretending to God Therefore what should we do but search pray resolve to be thus with God and take the way God will direct us As the King of Babylon stood at the parting of the way or at the head of the ways to make divination Ezek. 21. 21. So you meet with parting 's of ways that you need deliberate to make a wise choice therefore the Providence of God doth put you upon tryal Think there are false teachers I and the most holy and upright men are but in part enlightned and they may lead you into a crooked path and a by-way they may mis-lead us therefore we ought to see with our own eyes 2. Consider the sad consequence of erring There are damnable Errors and Heresies 2 Pet. 2. 1. Vice is not only destructive and damnable to the soul but Error now eternal damnation and salvation are no small matters A man cannot please God in a false belief how laudable soever his life be and they cannot put the fault upon others that they are misled by them for if the blind lead the blind both fall into the ditch not only the blind guide but the blind follower 3. If we light upon a good way without search and choice it is but a happy mistake when we have not sufficient evidence You may have the advantage ground by chance may light upon a better way and it is Gods Providence you are born there where it may be so A Turk hath the same ground for his respect to Mahomet that many have for their owning of Christ it is that Religion he was born and bred in this will not be counted faith but simple credulity The simple believeth every word It is almost as dangerous to love a truth ignorantly as to broach an error knowingly Temere creditur c. saith Tertullian That is believed in vain which is believed without the grounds whereupon it is propounded the faith of Christians should not be conjectural or traditional If a man should not have reasons to sway his choice he will never be able to check temptations even in practical things If men have not received Religion upon true grounds and as Cyprian saith when they do not look into the reason of these things and when the Christian Religion is represented to them without evidence and certainty they have but a probable faith that is always weak against temptation either against lusts within or errors and seductions without therefore we had need look to the grounds of these things 4. The profit is exceeding great for truth will have a greater force upon the heart when we see the grounds and reasons of it We are exposed here in this lower world to great difficulties and temptations Now when we do not lay up the Supreme Truths of Religion with certainty and assurance alas these temptations will prevail over us and carry us away Atheism lies at the root therefore are there such doubtings in the heart in point of Comfort such defects in the life and conversation because Truth was never soundly laid in the soul it was not chosen If we were soundly setled in the belief of the Unity of the divine Essence and the verity of Salvation by Christ and the divine Authority of the Scriptures and the certainty of the promises therein certainly we would be more firmly engaged to God Comfort would sooner follow us and we would have better success in the heavenly life If the fire were well kindled it would of it self break out into a flame If we did believe indeed that Jesus the Son of God hath done so much for us and had this firmly setled in our hearts this would be a real ground of comfort and constancy 2 Pet. 3. 11. Beware lest ye also being led away with the error of the wicked fall from your own stedfastness It is put in opposition to one that stands by the stedfastness of another he might be carried away by the error of the wicked no but he must have somewhat to say to ingage his own heart otherwise he is led thereby with every fond suggestion and simple credulity and easily abused But when men have chosen and are well fixed they are not easily shaken When men take up Religion upon trust without a satisfying argument they are like light chaff carried through the whole compass of the winds As Mariners dispose of several winds which blow in the corners of the world into a circle and compass the Apostles word alludes to that We are carried all round the points of the compass Eph. 4. 14. When the chain of consent is broken they are in continual danger to be seduced and the greatest adversaries of truth are able to use such reasons as have in them great probability to captivate the affections of a weak understanding by their sophistical arguments and insinuating perswasions Prop. 5. After this enquiry into the grounds and reasons of the way of truth then we must resolve and choose it I have chosen the way of truth as the way wherein we are to walk Jer. 6. 16. Ask where is the good way and walk therein and then ye shall find rest for your souls you must not only so understand and form your Opinions aright not only see what 's the good way but walk therein keep that way which you find to be the way of truth renouncing all others We should not lye under a floating uncertainty or sceptical irresolution as those that keep themselves in a wary reservation that are ever learning but never come to the knowledge of the truth 2 Tim. 3. 7. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the word is they do not come to the acknowledgment of the truth always examining but never resolve you are to prove all things but not in order to unsettlement but settlement 1 Thess. 5. 21. Consider enquire where is Gods presence most where is the Son like to be glorified and souls better to be satisfied and built up in the faith of Jesus Christ and resolve and stick there Prop. 6. That no Religion will be found fit to be chosen upon sound evidence but the Christian. How shall I be perswaded of this Why that Religion which God hath revealed that Religion which suits with the ends of a Religion that is with the inward necessities of mankind and most commodiously provides for man that 's the true Religion Surely the necessities of mankind are to be relieved thereby The great ends of a Religion are Gods glory and our happiness God is glorified by a return of the Obedience of the Creature and man is made happy by the enjoyment of God All these ends are advanced by this way of Truth First That 's the only Religion which is revealed by God for certainly so must a Religion be if it be true for that which pleaseth him must be according to his Will and who can know his will but by his own Revelation by some sign whereby God hath discovered it to us
of Living Water Every new Act of Faith draweth from Christ some increase of Spiritual Life 2. Stir up your selves Isa. 64. 7. There is none that calleth upon thy Name that stirreth up himself to take hold of thee 2 Tim. 1. 6. Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God which is in thee by the putting on of my hands Psal. 42. 5. Why art thou cast down O my Soul and why art thou disquieted within me Hope thou in God for I shall yet Praise him for the helps of his Countenance We have liveliness enough in all businesses of Secular concernment Consider what the business is that we are about It is about our everlasting Estate whether we shall live for ever in Heaven or Hell and shall we trifle here you had life in a way of sin worldly men are lively How dishonourable a thing is it to serve the Living God with a dead heart a lukewarm frame is hateful to God Rev. 3. 16. Because thou art Luk-warm and neither cold nor hot I will spew thee out of my mouth Take heed you do not lose quickning and that 1. By our Corruption by any hainous sin Psal. 51. 10 11 12. Create in me a clean heart O God and renew a right Spirit within me cast me not away from thy Presence and take not thy holy Spirit from me restore unto me the Ioy of thy Salvation and uphold me with thy free Spirit The Spirit is a tender thing A wound in the Body lets out the life blood Secondly By an inordinate liberty in Worldly pleasures 1 Tim. 7. 6. But she that liveth in Pleasure is dead while she liveth Vain company vain speeches and the like these things shun and avoid But Heb. 10. 24. Let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works let us follow good Examples We grow formal and slight by imitation others profess Religion and yet are dead-hearted and vain and so are we The Idolaters encouraged one another Isa. 41. 6. 7. They helped every one his Neighbour and every one said to his Brother be of good courage so the Carpenter encouraged the Goldsmith and he that smootheth with the Hammer him that smootheth with the Anvil We should incourage one another in the way of Godliness and keep up a lively frame of heart towards God and pray with the Psalmist in the Text Turn away mine eyes from beholding Vanity and quicken thou me in thy way SERMON XLIII PSALM CXIX Verse 38. Stablish thy Word unto thy Servant who is devoted to thy Fear IN these words observe 1. A Request Stablish thy Word unto thy Servant 2. A Motive to inforce it Who is devoted to thy Fear The Motive is taken from the Qualifications and Disposition of the Person who makes the Request In the Request you have 1. The matter prayed for Stablish thy VVord 2. The Person for whom Unto thy Servant that is unto me who am so I shall begin with the First of these the benefit asked Stablish thy Word David that had prayed before Stablish me according to thy word Verse 28. Now he saith Stablish thy Word unto me By the Word is meant the Word of Promise Now the Promise of God is established when it is confirmed and made good 2 Cor. 13. 1. In the mouth of two or three Witnesses shall every word be established that is accounted valid and firm And 2 Sam. 7. 25. when he speaks of Gods Promises he prayes Stablish it for ever and do as thou hast said Look as on the one side we are said to establish the Law of God when we observe it for so it runs Deut. 27. 26. Cursed be he that confirmeth or establisheth not all the words of this Law to do them The Law is then confirmed when it hath its force and effect upon us whereas otherwise when they observe it not it is said to be void That Sentence is Repealed by the Apostle thus Gal. 3. 10. Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the Book of the Law to do them Well then the Promise is established when it is made good Quest. But why doth David pray thus Stablish thy word to me Since Gods word is most certain and Stable in it self so as it cannot be more 2 Pet. 1. 19. We have a more sure or a more stable word of Prophecy as the Word signifies how can the Word be more stable than it is Answ. I Answer it is sure in regard of God from whom it comes and in it self In regard of the things propounded it cannot be more or less stable it cannot be fast and loose but in regard of us it may be more or less established And that two ways 1. By the inward assurance of the Spirit increasing our Faith 2. By the outward performance of what is promised First By the inward assurance of the Spirit by which our Faith is increased Great is the weakness of our Faith as appears by our Fears Doubts Distrusts so that we need to be assured more and more We need say with tears as he doth in the Gospel 9. Mark 24. Lord I believe help thou mine unbelief and to cry out with the Apostles Lord increase our Faith Luk. 17. 5. There is none believeth so but he may yet believe more And in this sense the word is more Established when we are confirmed in the belief of it and look upon it as a sure ground for Faith to rest upon Secondly By actual performance when the promise is made good to us Every event which falls out according to the word is a notable Testimony of the truth of it and a seal to confirm and strengthen our Faith Three ways may this be made good 1. The making good of some Promises at one time strengthens our Faith in expecting the like Favour at another Christ was angry with his Disciples for not remembring the Miracle of the Loaves when they fell into a like strait again 16. Mat. 9. Do ye not yet understand neither remember the five Loaves c. We are to seek upon every Difficulty whereas former Experience in the same kind should be a means of Establishment to us 2 Cor. 1. 10. He hath delivered and doth deliver in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us In teaching a Child to Spell we are angry if when we have shew'd him a letter once twice and a third time yet when he meets with it again still he misseth So God is angry with us when we have had Experience of his Word in this that and the other Providence yet still our doubts return upon us 2. The accomplishment of one Promise confirms another for God that keepeth touch at one time will do so at another 2 Tim. 4. 17. I was delivered out of the mouth of the Lyon And the Lord shall deliver me from every Evil work and preserve me blameless unto his heavenly Kingdom In such a strait
converting power of the Word they are a secondary confirmation of the truth of the Word to us I tell you why I put in that Word a secondary confirmation they are not a primary for we must believe the Word before we can feel its efficacy and find it to be effectual to us and therefore the primary grounds of Faith are the impressions of God upon the Word the secondary are the impressions of God upon the heart now I have felt the vertue and power of the truth upon my soul and all the world shall not draw me from it I must have a primary confirmation of the truth of the Word before I can believe and before it can work in me The ââ¦stle saith 1 Thess. 2. 13. Ye received the Word not as the word of man but as the Word of God which effectually worketh in you that believe First I receive it as the Word of God by some Marks and Notes and Characters some impress of God upon his Word somewhat God hath left of himself in the Word and that awes my heart to reverence it there I receive it upon my heart but when it works in me mightily I have a secondary confirmation When I have eyes to see the impress of God upon the Word then I feel the power of it and when I have felt the power of it it 's confirmed in my soul 1 Cor. 1. 6. When we feel the blessed effects the quicknings and comforts of the Word it 's a mighty help to Faith So 1 Iohn 5. 10. He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself What is that witness in himself why the witness of the Spirit applying the blood of Christ to the Conscience sanctifying and quickning the heart then he hath the witness in himself and is more confirmed that Jesus is the Christ and the Word of God is true and cannot easily be divorced from it he hath felt the effects of it in his own heart Col. 1. 5 6. For the hope that is laid up for you in heaven whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the Gospel and knew the grace of God in truth We guess at things before and have but a wavering Faith such as may let in some work upon the Soul then we know it in truth then it is more fully made good to us by the convincing comforting and sanctifying Spirit that evidenceth it to our Souls and this can be no other but the truth of God this makes our Faith more strong and rooted and we may be confirmed in the hope and belief of the Gospel and may not easily be removed therefrom 2. Take Faith in the other Notion for a dependance upon God for something that we stand in need of every manifestation of his grace it should be kept as an experience by us for afterwards when that frame may be away when God may hide his face and all dead in the soul. As David in his infirmity remembred the years of the right hand of the most High and former experiences of God Psal. 77. 10. As he in an outward case for outward deliverances remembred the former help and succors he had from God so we may remember former grace and former quickning There are many ups and downs in the spiritual life for even the new Creature is changeable both in point of duty and in point of comfort Now it 's a mighty confirmation when we remember what God hath done First In point of duty Sometimes you shall find you are dull and heartless under the Ordinances of God in reading and hearing you find little life lazy and almost indifferent whether you call upon God in secret or hear the Word or join in the communion of Saints no relish in any duty do it almost for custom-sake or at best but to please your Consciences you must do it and you drive on heavily not for any great need you feel of them or good you find by them or hope you expect from them Now it is of great use to remember how I have waited upon God formerly and he hath quickned refreshed and comforted me and therefore it is good to try again to keep up our dependance upon his Ordinances when this dulness seizeth upon the soul and this listlesness when Conscience is sleepy and the heart hangs off from God remember I have been quickned 2. If it be in point of comfort fears and sorrows why is there no Balm in Gilead no Physician there Hath not God relieved in like straits before and given in fresh consolations when you have bemoaned your selves and opened your case before him There are none acquainted with the spiritual life but have many experiences both of deadness and comfort Now one is a great help against the other that our hands may not wax faint and feeble God that hath comforted may comfort again and why should I neglect his appointed means No I will continue there and lie at the Pool where the waters have been stirred 2. They are of Use again to stir up our affections to God and his Word 1. To increase our love to God O! we should keep the impression of his kind manifestation still upon the heart that the mercy may be continually acknowledged surely 't is a favor that God will manifest himself to us and own us in our attendance upon his Word and other duties The Lord Jesus promiseth it as a great blessing Iohn 14. 21. He that loveth me and keepeth my commandment shall be loved of my Father and I will love him and will manifest my self to him Now then when any such sensible favor is vouchsafed to us we should not forget it but lay it up as a continual ground of thankfulness and love to God Cant. 1. 4. We will be glad and rejoice in thee we will remember thy love more than Wine When God hath treated us most magnificently in his Ordinances either at his Table or Word and God hath refreshed and revived our Souls O! we will remember this and lay it up for the honor of God and knit our hearts in a greater love to God 2. It is of great Use to increase our love to the Word for the excellency and worth of the Word is found experimentally by Believers so that their love and estimation of it is more fixed and setled upon their hearts so that they purpose to make use of it always for their Comfort and direction it is a great encouragement when formerly they have found comfort and life thereby The Apostle to settle the Galatians that began to waver that were apt to be overcome by their Judaizing Brethren to settle them in love to the Gospel he puts them to the question Gal. 3. 2. This only would I learn of you Received ye the Spirit by the works of the Law or by the hearing of Faith The Spirit of Regeneration with all his comforts and graces are not conveyed to you by the doctrine of the
disobedience Surely there is no doubt in all this because they are revealed by God who is the supreme and original Truth and who neither is nor can be deceived for Gods understanding is the rule and measure of all other truths nothing is true but what is constant to his knowledge And he cannot deceive us that will not agree with the goodness of his Nature and love to Mankind therefore he is called God that cannot lie Tit. 1. 2. Secondly In making good God hath given us the most solemn assurance Heb. 6. 17 18. God willing more abundantly to shew unto the Heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel confirmed it by an Oath that by two immutable things in which it was impossible for God to lie we might have strong consolation He hath demitted himself to the terms of a Covenant given us a Seal Rom. 4. 11. And he received the sign of Circumcision a seal of the righteousness of faith Pledge 2 Cor. 1. 22. Who hath also sealed us and given the Earnest of his Spirit in our hearts He hath stood upon his truth above all things Psal. 138. 2. I will worship towards thy holy Temple and praise thy Name for thy loving kindness and for thy truth for thou hast magnified thy Word above all thy Name One part of the Word verifieth another in one part you have the promise in another the accomplishment the great promise of sending Christ Heb. 10. 5 6 7. Wherefore when he cometh into the world he saith Sacrifice and Offering thou wouldest not but a Body hast thou prepared me In burnt Offerings and Sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure then said I Lo I come to do thy will O God He would not go back being willing to keep the promise afoot It was on our part a hand Writing against us in testification of our guilt and need of expiation but on Gods part an Obligation of Debt to pay our ransome Still he accomplisheth promises in the return of prayers and though the great payment be in the other World yet here God remembreth us still accomplishing the intervening promises and giving proof of his truth So that they that are acquainted with his Name will never distrust him Psal. 9. 10. They that know thy name will put their trust in thee for thou Lord hast not forsaken them that seek thee They that have known his way and the course of his dealings will have a confidence in him Prop. 5. They that would receive the Word as the Word of God must be soundly convinced of and seriously consider this righteousness and faithfulness in the Testimonies which he hath commanded for till then the Word worketh not on them 1 Thess. 2. 13. For this cause also thank we God without ceasing because when ye received the Word of God which ye heard of us ye received it not as the word of men but as it is in truth the word of God which effectually worketh also in you that believe And till then they are but customary Christians and can never rightly believe nor obey Iohn 4. 42. Now we believe not because of thy saying for we have heard him our selves and know That this is indeed the Christ the Saviour of the world First their Faith depends on the common Tradition or the testimony of the Church afterwards on the sure ground of the Word it self in which they find such clearness and efficacy that they cannot but yield to God The authority of man is nothing to it when our Faith is bottomed on a surer ground the authority of God speaking in his Word 1. There must be sound conviction or belief of this This is called The acknowledgment of the truth Tit. 1. 1. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã And Col. 2. 2. The riches of the assurance of understanding to the acknowledgment of the mystery of God and of the Father and of Christ. An assurance that God will keep touch with me that he will not delude me in the terms propounded in the Gospel This full perswasion of the truth of Gods Testimonies we must all aim at and seek after The assurance of my interest and my salvation is another thing and yet that I am not to neglect but with this I am to begin 2. There must be serious Consideration for that improveth all truths and maketh them active and effectual Gods Complaint of his people is That they will not consider Isai. 1. 3. The Oxe knoweth his Owner and the Ass his Masters Crib but Israel doth not know my people doth not consider They do not lay truths in the view of Conscience Food without mastication and chewing nourisheth not A thing not considered doth profit as little as if not believed as a forgetting God is a kind of denying of him Seriously then debate it with your selves You must consider the authority of God Authority is that right which a Superior hath to prescribe to such as are under him Doth God usurp upon you when he giveth you a Law or hath he left you in the dark that you do not know whether this be his Law yea or no Are there no strictures of his Majesty in the very oeconomy and frame of it Can any but a God speak at such a rate And for his Justice hath he commanded any thing to your hurt No it is all for thy good Deut. 6. 24. And the Lord commanded us to do all these Statutes to fear the Lord our God for our good always And for his Truth Men may deceive and be deceived and though they often speak truth they do not always so but God seeth by his own light not by discourse but vision Truth is his Nature from which he can no more swerve than from himself and what need he court a Worm and flatter us Thus should we urge our hearts Use 1. Let us owne and improve the Word as a righteous and faithful Word which God hath commanded for our good 1. Owne the authority of it It is not an arbitrary thing the Truths revealed imply a command to believe them the Duties required imply a command to obey them Mat. 17. 5. This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased hear ye him God hath commanded us to hear Christ to believe in his name to love one another 1 Iohn 3. 23. And this is his Commandment That we should believe in the name of his Son Iesus Christ and love one another as he gave us Commandment As we value his Word and would one day see his face with comfort we should bind his precepts upon our hearts Say to thy soul As thou wilt answer it to God another day take care of this 2. Owne and improve the righteousness of his Testimonies Man having a total and absolute dependance upon God God might govern us in what manner it pleased him for it is just That one may do with his own what he will Matth. 20. 15. But what hath the Lord required of thee but to love him
wild asses colt not only for untamedness and affectation of liberty but for rudeness and grosness of conceit yet man would be accounted wise The Pharisees took it ill that Christ charged them with blindness Joh. 7. 41. Are we blind also We all affect the reputation of wisdom more than the reality that is the reason why we are so touchy in point of Error we can easier brook a sin reproved than an error taxed Till we have spiritual ey-salve we do not know it and will not hear of this blindness Rev. 3. 17. It is a degree of spiritual knowledg to know that we know nothing 2. Observe how much spiritual blindness is worse than bodily those that are under bodily blindness are glad of a Remedy glad of a Guide 1. Glad of a Remedy How feelingly doth that man speak Mark 10. 51. What wouldst thou have me to do Lord that mine eyes may be opened Those that are blind spiritually are not for a Remedy not only ignorant but unteachable and so their blindness groweth upon them to their natural there is an adventitious blindness If we cannot keep out the light we rage against it 2. Glad of a Guide as Elymas the Sorcerer when he was stricken blind looked about for some body to lead him by the hand Acts 13. 11. But the blind world cannot endure to be directed or the blind lead the blind and both fall into the ditch He that prophesieth of strong wine is the teacher of this people saith the Prophet Men love those that gratifie their lusts and humours let one come soundly and declare the counsel and will of God to them he is distasted 3. We cannot help our selves out of this misery without Gods help Our incapacity is best understood by opening that noted place 1 Cor. 2. 14. The natural man receiveth not the things that are of God for they are folly to him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned Let us a little open that place ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the souly man that is a man considered in his pure naturals Jude 19. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã sensual having not the spirit However he useth the best word by which a natural man can be described he doth not say ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã not only those that are brutish and depraved by vicious habits but take Nature in its excellency soul-light in its highest splendor and perfection though the man be not absolutely given up to vile affections Well it is said of him that he neither doth nor can receive the things of God ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã and ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã The ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the things of the spirit are such truths as depend upon meer Revelation and are above the reach and knowledg of Nature There are ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã things of God that may be known by a natural light Rom. 1. 19. That which may be known of God is manifest in them for God hath shewed it unto them But ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã things revealed in the word though a natural man be able to understand the phrases and sentences and be able to discourse of them yet he wanteth faith and a spiritual sense and relish of them They are folly to him It noteth the utter contempt of spiritual things by a carnal heart who looketh upon Redemption by Christ crucified with the consequent benefits as things frivolous and vain Paul at Athens was accounted a babler Acts 17. 18. The same disposition is still in natural men for though these truths by the prescription and consent of many Ages have now obtained veneration and credit yet carefully to observe them to live to the tenor of them whatever hazards and inconveniencies we are exposed to in the world is still counted foolish Mark for greater emphasis it is ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã folly as carnal wisdom is ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã enmity against God Rom. 8. 7. Neither can be know them it is out of sloth and opposition and moral impotency as 't is said Rom. 8. 7. The carnal mind is enmity against God for it is not subject to the law of God neither indeed can it be Reason is a short and defective light not only actually ignorant but unable to conceive of them 'T is not only through negligence he doth not but through weakness he cannot Take meer Nature in it self and like Plants neglected it soon runs wild As the Nations barbarous and not polished with Arts and Civility have more of the beast than the man in them Jude 10. But what they know naturally as brute beasts in those things they corrupt themselves Suppose they use the Spectacles of Art and the natural light of Reason be helped by Industry and Learning yet how erroneous in things of Religion Rom. 1. 21. When they knew God they glorified him not as God neither were thankful but became vain in their imaginations and their foolish hearts were darkned c. The most civil Nations were most foolish in matters of Worship and many placed Fevers and human passions and every paultry thing among the gods The Scythians worshipped Thunder the Persians the Sun the most stupid and blockish Nations seemed most wise in the choice of their gods others were given up to more gross superstitions All the arts in the world could not fully repair the ruins of the Fall The Heathens invented Logick for polishing Reason Grammar and Rhetorick for Language for Government and as a help to human society Laws for bodily necessities Physick for mollifying and charming the passions so far as concerned human conversation Ethicks for Families and private Societies Oeconomicks But for the Soul and Religious concernments how blind and foolish were they Nay go higher Suppose besides the Spectacles of Art Nature be furnished with the glass of the Word yet John 1. 5. The light shined in darkness and the darkness comprehended it not We see how great Scholars are defective in the most useful and practical points Nicodemus a Teacher in Israel was ignorant of Regeneration Iohn 3. 10. They always err in one point or another And in these things of moment if they get an opinion and a Dogmatical Faith and have an exact model and frame of Truth yet as long as they are carnal and unregenerate how much doth a plain godly Christian exceed them in lively affection and serious practice And whilst they are disputing of the natures and offices of Christ and the nature of Justification and Sanctification others enjoy what they speak of and have a greater relish and savour and power of these Truths upon their hearts For ever it was a truth and ever will be Rom. 8. 5. They that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh and they that are after the spirit the things of the spirit Nature can go no further than it self than a fleshly inclination moveth it They have not this transforming light and that sense of Religion which is prevalent over
24. 5. given to the children of men Psal. 115. 16. Here God will shew his bounty to all his creatures to beasts and all kind of men 't is sometimes the Slaughter-house and Shambles of the Saints They are slain upon earth Rev. 18. 24. a receptacle for elect and reprobate therefore here they have not their blessing our inheritance lyes elsewhere 3. There are all our kindred Ubi pater ibi patria where our father is there our Countrey is Now when we pray we say to him Our Father which art in heaven There are we strangers where we are absent from God Christ and glorified Saints and while we are here upon earth we have not such enjoyment of God There 's our Father it is his house Heaven is called our Fathers house and there 's our elder brother Col. 3. 1. Set your hearts upon things above where Christ is sitting at the right hand of God And there 's the best of our kindred and Family They shall sit down with Abraham Isaac and Iacob Mat. 8. 20. Well then the children of God they count themselves to be strangers here because their kindred are elsewhere 4. There they abide longest That we account our home where we abide An Inn cannot be called our home where we come but for a night and away but now there we are for ever with the Lord. Here we are in motion there is rest The world must be surely left If we had a certain term of years fixed yet it would be very short in comparison of Eternity All the time we spend here it is but a night but a moment in comparison of Eternity We live longest in the other world and therefore there 's our home Mic. 2. 10. Arise depart hence this is not your rest God speaks it of the Land of Canaan when they had polluted it with sin It is true of all the world Sin hath brought in death and there must be a riddance it is but a passage from danger Israel dwelt first in a wandring Camp before they came to dwell in Cities and walled Towns and the Apostle alludes to that Here we have no abiding City we look for one to come As the Israelites did look for walled Towns and Cities of the Amorites to be possest by them so here we have but a wandring Camp we look for a City And mark as it was with them in their outward estate so in the mysteries of their Religion they were first seated in a Tabernacle and then in a Temple in a Tabernacle which was a figure of the Church then in a Temple which was a figure of Heaven for you know as in the Temple there were three partitions the outward Court the Holy place and the Holy of holies so there are three Heavens the third heaven Paul speaks of the heaven of heavens and there 's the Starry heaven and the Airy heaven the outward Court This life being so frail so fickle we cannot call our abode here our home What is your life saith the Apostle it is but as a vapor Jam. 4. 14. a little warm breath turn'd in and out by the nostrils Job 7. 1. Is there not an appointed time for man upon earth his days are as the days of an hireling A hired servant you do not intend should live with you for ever you hire him for a day or two and when he hath ended his work he receives his wages and is gone so all our days are but a little while we do our service and then we must be gone Actors when they have finished their parts are seen no more they go within the Curtain so when we have fulfilled our course God furnisheth the world with a new Scene of Acts and Actors 5. The necessary exercise of their graces doth make them count their lives here but a pilgrimage and themselves but strangers upon earth viz. Faith Love Hope 1. Faith shews the truth and the worth of things to come Faith will make them strangers Heb. 11. 13. They saw these things and were perswaded of them and they counted themselves pilgrims and strangers O! were we perswaded of things to come we would be hastning towards them We cry home home we talk of heaven and eternity but we do not believe them Sense and reason cannot out-see time nor look above the clouds and mists of the lower world afar off in the Apostles phrase 2 Pet. 1. 9. but Faith shews the truth of things to come We that are here upon earth when we look to heaven the Stars seem to us but so many spangles O! but when we get into heaven and look downward the world then will seem but as a mole-hill that which now to sense seems such a glorious thing will be as nothing 2. The Love of Christ which is in the Saints makes them to account themselves as strangers A child of God cannot be satisfied with things here below because his love is set upon God Two things the heart looks after as soon as it is awakened by grace and Love puts us upon them both viz. a perfect enjoyment of God and a perfect obedience to God 1. That they may be with God and Christ. The Saints have heard much of Christ read much of him tasted and felt much of him they would fain see him and be with him Phil. 1. 23. If they had the choicest contentment the world could afford this will not satisfie them so much as to be there where Christ is and to behold his glory The Apostle thinks this to be motive enough to a gracious heart to seek things above for there Christ is at the right hand of God Love will catch hold of that Col. 3. 1. The place is lovely for Christs sake Love will not suffer them to count this to be their home Though Christ is present with them now spiritually while they are here yet the presence and nearness is but distance but a kind of absence being compared with what is to come and therefore this very presence doth not quench their desires but kindle them and sets them a longing for more All the presence the communion the sight of Christ they get now it is but mediate through the glass of the Ordinance 1 Cor. 13. 12. and it is frequently interrupted his face is many times hidden Psal. 30. 7. and it is not full as it shall be there Psal. 16. 11. But now in Heaven there it will be immediate God will be all in all and there it will be constant they shall be ever with the Lord and there they shall be satisfied with his likeness Psal. 17. 15. then they enjoy his presence indeed So that Love upon these considerations sets them a longing and groaning 2. As Love makes them desire the company of Christ so intire subjection to God they would have perfect grace and freedom from sin therefore are ever groaning O when shall we be rid of this body of death Rom. 7. 23. There is a final perfect estate
the request We pray for giving success to such an enterprize why that we may serve God safely God will bring it about another way Fifthly If God do not give us the blessings themselves we ask yet he gives us many experiences by the by in the manner of asking one way or other something comes into the soul by praying to God as those in Psal. 84. their end was to go to Ierusalem but in passing through the valley of Baca they met with a Well by the way So we meet with something by the way some light or some sweet refreshing some new consideration to set us a work in the spiritual life By praying to God unawares unthought of by you there are many principles of faith drawn forth in the view of conscience not noted before some truth or other presented to the heart or some spiritual benefit that comes in with fresh light and power that was never aimed at by us USE 1. If God be so ready to hear his people Let us not throw away our prayers as children shoot away their arrows but let us observe Gods answer what comes in upon every prayer in every address you make to God put the soul in a posture of expectation Psal. 5. 3. I will pray and look up and Psal. 85. 8. I will hear what God the Lord will speak for he will speak peace unto his people See what God speaks when you have been praying and calling upon him It argues a slight formal spirit when you do not observe what comes in upon your addresses To quicken you to this know 1. If you observe not his answer God loseth a great deal of honour and praise for 't is said Psal. 50. 15. Call upon me in time of trouble and I will deliver thee and thou shalt glorifie me Every answer of prayer makes for the glory of God and Col. 4. 2. Continue in prayer and watch in the same with thanksgiving You are not only to see how your hearts are carried out in prayer but watch for God's answer that you may gather matter of praise We should not be so barren in gratulation as usually we are if we were as ready to observe our experiences as to lay forth our necessities 2. You lose many an argument of trust and confidence Answers of Prayer are an argument against Atheism which is so natural to us and inbred in our hearts it perswades us that there is a gracious being Psal. 65. 2. O thou that hearest prayer unto thee shall all flesh come we have called upon him and found that there is a God and against the natural unbelief which doubts of his truth in his Promises Psal. 18. 30. The word of the Lord is a tried word he is a buckler to all those that trust in him Well saith the soul I will build upon it another time there is more than letters and syllables in it there is something that speaks Gods heart so Psal. 116. 2. The Lord hath heard my voice and my supplications because he hath enclined his ear unto me therefore will I call upon him as long as I live Promises shall not lye by as a dead stock I will be pleading them 3. It encreaseth our love to God when we see how mindful he is of us and kind to us in our necessities it is a very taking thing Visits maintain friendship so when God is mindful of us it maintains an intercourse between God and us Psal. 116. 1. I love the Lord because he hath heard my supplications Therefore observe what comes in upon your prayers especially when your hearts are earnestly carried out by the impulses of his grace USE 2. To admire the goodness of God to poor creatures that he should be at leisure to attend our requests I declared my ways and he heard me When a poor soul that is of no regard among men shall come with conflicts and temptations and the Lord presently hear him it renders his grace truly admirable Psal. 34. 6. This poor man cryed and the Lord heard him and saved him out of all his troubles He doth not say this eminent Prophet or this great King but this poor man O! that such contemptible persons as we should have such audience For Great ones here in the world to let a poor man tell his tale at large that would be counted great patience much more if he finds relief in the case But beyond all this observe the goodness of God The more we declare our ways the sooner doth he hear us he doth not turn away from us when we tell him plainly we cannot believe in him or trust in him Come to a man and tell him You have made me great promises but I cannot believe you speak truth this will provoke him but when you come to the Lord and say Lord thou hast made a great many promises though we cannot trust him as we should yet we have declared our sins conflicts temptations yet Lord pity our weakness Thirdly Here is his Petition Teach me thy statutes First I observe David having been once heard of God expects to be heard in the like manner again Here Thou hast heard me and then comes with a new request Teach me thy statutes Doct. 1. Those that have sped with God in one address they will be dealing with God for more mercy For so doth David The reason is 1. Because God is where he was at first he is not weary by giving nor doth waste by giving but what he hath done that he can do and will do still I AM is God's name not I was or will be for ever remaining in the same constant tenor of goodness and power His Providence is still new and fresh every morning God is but one always like himself He hath not so spent himself but he can work again Creatures have soon spent their allowance but God cannot be exhausted There 's no decays of Love or Power in him no wrinkle in the brow of Eternity There was is and will be a God 2. Experience breeds Confidence the Apostle teacheth us so Rom. 5. 4. when we have had former experience of Gods readiness to hear us it is an argument that breeds confidence of the like audience for the future He that delivered me out of the mouth of the Lion c. God that hath been gracious surely will be gracious still for then Promises are sensibly confirmed and then former mercies are pledges of future By giving God becomes a debtor Mat. 6. 25. Is not life more than meat and the body than raiment Our Saviours argument this was If God give life he will give food if a body he will give raiment If he hath given grace the earnest of the Spirit he will give glory If he hath given us Christ he will give us other things together with him If he hath begun with us he will end with us Phil. 1. 6. One mercy is the pledg of another 3. We are endeared to God not only by
of Truth as may keep them savoury and sound in the faith To be able to prattle a little in Religion is not sound knowledg but we must be grounded and setled in the faith Col. 1. 23. That is have not only some floating opinion but well grounded perswasion of the Truth so as we know we are upon firm ground and dare venture our souls upon it and may build surely and safely upon such principles He calleth it elsewhere Col. 2. 2. the riches of the full assurance of understanding to the acknowledgment of the mystery of God and of the Father and of Christ. When men rest contented with obvious Truths or a slight knowledg of the common and easie principles of Christianity there is not such an awe upon their practice nor any establishment of their judgments but like light chaff they are soon carried with the blasts of temptation and the wind of errors And therefore we need to ask again and again Give me an understanding of the way of thy precepts 2. A sound saving knowledge is such as causeth the soul to lye under the dominion life and power of the Truth and aweth and commandeth the heart into obedience Joh. 8. 32. Ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free When our knowledg freeth us from the slavery of sin In others that content themselves with a naked knowledg Truth is held captive and cannot break out with any soveraignty in their conversations Rom. 1. 18. Holding the truth in unrighteousness Lust beareth sway but Truth lyeth under fetters and restraint it may talk its fill like a man in bonds but it can do nothing 3. When it giveth us prudence how to practise This is that which David beggeth of God to understand the way of his precepts that is to be taught how to walk in each duty and point of conversation after what sort he may live and direct his life 'T is not sufficient to know the meaning of the Word in general to have a notional understanding of it but to reduce it to practice where and when and how we ought to perform each action Some have a naked module of Truth are wise in generals but fail in the application of the Rule and are to seek in the ordering of their steps and all particular cases 1 Pet. 3. 7. Husbands dwell with your wives as men of knowledg Then is a man a man of knowledg when he knoweth how to order the passages of his life in every relation according to the will of God The narrow way of obedience is hardly found hardly kept and easily mistaken especially where prejudices lusts and interests are apt to pervert us Therefore prudence to apply the Rule is necessary Psal. 119. 33. Teach me O Lord the way of thy statutes that I may keep it to the end Not only in the general points of faith and godliness but that it may season all our actions that we may be made partakers of the sweet refreshments that flow from it such a knowledg as endeth in a tast 1 Pet. 3. 2 3. As new born babes desire the sincere milk of the word that ye may grow thereby if so be ye have tasted c. So Psal. 19. 8. The statutes of the Lord are right rejoycing the heart when we do so approve and follow the Lords directions that we experiment the sweetness and are acquainted with the Peace and Joy in the Holy Ghost Such an understanding as begets judgment and feeling or maketh us to find power and comfort in the word 2. The Children of God think this can never be enough asked of God Why 1. Because of the excellency of Knowledg Light is comfortable and it is a pleasant thing to behold the Sun much more the light of the Gospel shining in upon our minds Oh what a pleasant thing is that when all Clouds vanish and the Truths of God are fully cleared up to the soul None knoweth the sweetness of it but he that hath experimented it Prov. 24. 13 14. My son eat thou honey because it is good and the honey-comb which is sweet to thy tast so shall the knowledg of wisdom be unto thy soul when thou hast found it The more perfect the operation of any faculty of the soul is the greater contentment the Conscience in the feeling of God's love the heart when it findeth liberty in the ways of God and the understanding upon the sight of the truth cause all doubts and scruples to vanish Therefore certainly they that know any thing of God will be pressing to know more of his Nature and Will one degree draweth on another Moses desireth God Tell me thy name Exod. 3. 13 14. Then shew me thy glory Exod. 33. 18. And he said I beseech thee shew me thy glory And Hosea 6. 3. Then shall we know if we follow on to know the Lord. They are not cloyed but desire more The more men know the things of God the more they admire them the more they admire them the more they love them and the more they love them the more they desire to know of them And therefore do they insist so much upon this request Make me to understand the way of thy precepts 2. Because of the vastness and latitude of it Knowledg is a growing thing Religion cannot be taken up all at once we receive a little now and a little anon as narrow-mouth'd Vessels take in things drop by drop We read of Jesus Christ that he grew in knowledg We do not read that he grew in grace Luke 2. 52. He encreased in wisdom and stature as his body encreased in stature so his soul in wisdom And still Christians are growing in knowledg and understand more of the mysteries of the Gospel Though speculative knowledg may be at a stand and a man may see round about the compass of revealed Truths yet practical knowledg is never at a stand Directive affective operative knowledg is never at a stand but encreaseth daily And therefore the Apostle saith He that thinketh he knoweth any thing knoweth nothing as he ought to know 1 Cor. 8. 2. Many think they know as much as can be taught them surely they have no experience 3. Natural Blindness is an obstinate disease and hardly cured therefore again and again we had need to pray Open mine eyes Teach me thy statutes Make me to understand the way of thy precepts Our ignorance is great when it is cured in part The clouds of temptation and carnal affection cause it to return upon us so that we know not what we know Therefore open my eyes cause me to understand Yea the more we know the more is our ignorance discovered to us Prov. 30. 2 3. Surely I am more brutish than any man and have not the understanding of a man I neither learned wisdom nor have the knowledg of the Holy Job 42. 5. I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear but now mine eye seeth thee Alas
when you have them in their frame and see how one suits with the other and what a sweet harmony there is between all the parts of Religion then they are very good 3. More experimental that you may taste the sweetness and power of the Truths that you know Phil. 3. 10. That I may know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings being made conformable unto his death When we feel what we know that is a mighty confirmation The senses give the best demonstration It is a disparagement to know Christ and be never the better for him to have a knowledg of all the Excellency of Christ and how suitable he is to the soul yet to feel nothing of comfort and quickning in our consciences 4. More Practical 1 Joh. 2. 3 4. And hereby we do know that we know him if we keep his commandments He that faith I know him and keepeth not his commandments is a liar and the truth is not in him Otherwise it is but a talking by rote a man savingly knoweth no more than he practiseth He that doth but speak after others it is a rehearsal rather than a knowledg What is practical light It is directive and perswasive 1. It is directive A man grows more prudent and more able to guide his course according to the rules of Religion Faith is opposed not only to ignorance but to folly O ye fools and flow of heart to believe A man may be a knowing man yet a very fool in Spirituals if he hath not a knowledg how to guide him to trust in God fear God love God and serve God Hosea 14. 7. 2. That is practical knowledg when it is perswasive when it hath a lively force and efficacy upon the heart 2. Point Those whom God maketh to understand the way of his precepts see wondrous things therein Psal. 119. 18. Open thou mine eyes that I may behold wondrous things out of thy Law VVonders are such things as do transcend our capacity so all things about God are above the sphere of men as the things of men are above the capacity of Beasts Now the more understanding and insight we have in these things the more we wonder Wonder usually is the fruit of ignorance how then can knowledg breed wonder The word discovers the ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã that it is so but the manner how it is and the wisdom of the contrivance is that which begets reverence and admiration in a gracious soul as Nazianzen saith of the eternal generation of Christ Let the eternal generation of God be adored in silence It is a marvellous thing to know that there are Three in One The Son from Eternity begotten before all the World c. So when we look into these things our knowledg doth only shew that they are but what they are and how great they are that exceeds our capacity and therefore we wonder 1. The Doctrines of the Scripture are wonderful concerning God and his Works The nature of God is a depth which we cannot fathom no more than a Nutshel can empty the Ocean Psal. 139. 6. Such knowledg is too wonderful for me it is high I cannot attain unto it It is above our capacity for a finite thing cannot comprehend an Infinite The Creation of all things out of nothing we believe it upon the testimony of the Word but it is too wonderful for us to search it to the bottom yea the framing of the body in the Womb so many different things out of the same Seed as flesh and bones and muscles and in such an order and proportion Psal. 139. 14. I will praise thee for I am fearfully and wonderfully made marvellous are thy works and that my soul knoweth right well If the commonness did not abate our observation we would wonder at it So his Providence in governing every creature to their proper ends especially his care over us and conduct of us Many O Lord are thy wondrous works which thou hast done and thy thoughts which are to us-ward They cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee if I would declare and speak of them they are more than can be numbred Psal. 40. 5. But especially the redemption of mankind is wonderful 1 Tim. 3. 16. And without controversie great is the mystery of godliness God was manifested in the flesh justified in the spirit seen of Angels preached unto the Gentiles believed on in the world received up into glory The mysteries of the Gospel every time we think of them should strike admiration into our hearts It could not sink into the head of any creature how to satisfie Justice and to make up the breach between God and us That a Virgin should conceive the Word be made flesh That Justice and Mercy should so sweetly be brought together and conspire in the salvation of a lost sinner all these are wonders and when we come to believe them indeed to draw forth comfort from them these are wonderful to us The Law of God is wonderful Look to the Precept or the Sanction Look to the Precept A wonderful purity there I have seen an end of all perfection but thy Law is exceeding bread Ver. 96. of this Psalm When a child of God sees how the Law reacheth every thought every motion every operation of his soul What wonderful purity is here So a marvellous Equity The law is holy just and good and the commandment is good Rom. 7. 4. God hath given us such a Law if a man were free yet to ennoble his nature and live happily he would chuse such a Rule Then to see such wise precepts so ordered that in Ten words God should comprise the whole duty of man Deut. 4. 6. Keep therefore and do them for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the Nations First God hath provided in his Law respects to himself First The Law provides for God then for the Creature In the first Commandment Thou shalt have no other Gods before me there 's the Object of Worship In the second Thou shalt not make to thy self a graven Image c. the means of Worship Then the manner of Worship in the third Thou shalt not take the name of God in vain Then the time of Worship in the fourth Remember to keep holy the Sabbath-day See how the Lord hath built up his Law Then as to men see first God provides for those Vice-Roys that do represent the great God as our Parents natural and civil Honour thy father and thy mother c. then our ordinary Neighbour and there first for his life and then for his relations Thou shalt not kill shalt not commit adultery then for his goods Thou shalt not steal then for his good name When a man sees the Law of God in all its explications when he considers the harmony and correspondence that is between all the parts of the Law then he will cry out O wonderful Come to the Sanction by
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
by the Scriptures which apparently are acknowledged by them to be the Word without running to unwritten traditions and the authority of men Again all this is recommended with the special presence of God as to gifts and graces blessing these Churches continually more and more Therefore if ever a man will find rest for his soul and be soundly quiet within himself here he must fix and chuse and take up the way of truth Popery is but Heathenism disguised with a Christian name their penal satisfactions are like the gashing and launcing of Baal's Priests their Mediators of Intercession are like the doctrines of Demons among the Gentiles for they had their middle Powers glorified Heroes their Holy water suits with the Heathen Lustrations their costly offerings to their Images answer to the Sacrifices and Oblations to appease their gods which the Idolaters would give for the sin of their souls adoring their Reliques is like the respects the heathens had to their departed Heroes And as they had their Tutelar gods for every City so these their Saints for every City and Nation their S. Sebastian for the Pestilence their Apollonia for their Tooth-ach and the like It is easie to rake in this dirt It was not for the Devil's interest when the Ensign of the Gospel was lifted up to draw men to downright Heathenism therefore he did more secretly mingle the Customs and Superstitions of the Gentiles with the food of life like poyson conveyed in perfume that the souls of men might be more infected alienated and drawn from God Popery doth not only add to the true Religion but destroys it and is contrary to it Let any considering man that is not prejudiced compare the face of the Roman Synagogue with the beauty of the Reformed Churches and they will see where Christianity lyes there you will find another Sacrifice for expiation of sin than the death of Christ the Communion of the Cup so expresly commanded in the word of God taken away from the people reading the Scriptures forbidden to Laicks as if the word of God were a dangerous book Prayers in an unknown language Images set up and so they are guilty if not of primitive Idolatry which all the water in the Sea cannot wash them clear of yet certainly of secondary Idolatry which is the setting up an Idol in God's Worship contrary to the Second Commandment the Image of the Invisible God represented by stones and pictures Invocation of Saints and Angels allowed the doctrine of Transubstantiation contrary to the end of the Sacrament works of Supererogation Popes pardons Purgatory for faults already committed as if Christ had not already satisfied Papal Infallibility not only contrary to faith but sense and reason their ridiculous Mass and Ceremonies and many such human inventions besides the word and against it But the Protestants are contented with the simplicity of the Scriptures the word of God and the true Sacraments of Christ. Therefore you see what is the way of truth we should stick to Prop. 8. That in the private differences among the professors of the Reformed Protestant Religion a man is to chuse the best way but to hold charity towards Dissenters In the true Church in matters of lesser moment there may be sundry differences For until men have the same degree of light it cannot be expected they should be all of a mind Babes will think one thing grown persons will have other apprehensions sick persons will have their frenzies and doubtings which the sound cannot like The Apostle's rule is Phil. 3. 15 16. Let us therefore as many as be perfect be thus minded and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded God shall reveal even this unto you c. There are two parts of that Rule the perfect must be thus minded they that are fully instructed in the mind of God they must practise as they believe strings in tune must not be brought down to those that are out of tune But if others tainted with error do not give a through assent to all divine truth yet let us walk together saith the Apostle so far as we are agreed God that hath begun to enlighten them in other things will in time discover their mistakes Thus far the true Christian Charity takes place This should be our Rule Here we are agreed in the Christian Reformed Religion and in all the points of it let us walk together so far and in lesser differences let us bear with and forbear one another in love I speak now of Christian toleration for the Magistrates toleration and forbearance how far he is to interpose that 's another case Eph. 4. 2. With all lowliness and meekness with long-suffering forbearing one another in love What is bearing with one another not conniving at their sin or neglecting ways to reclaim them or forbear our profession when God calls us to it they are great cases how far profession may be suspended and how far it may be carried on but to restore them with meekness to own them in those things wherein they are owned by God not to practise that Antichristian humor which is now gotten into Protestantism of unchurching unministring unchristianing one another but to own one another in all those things wherein we are agreed without imposing or censuring not rending into factions not endeavouring to destroy all that we may promote the particular interest of one party to the prejudice of the whole but walking under one common Rule and if others shall prove peevish and if angry brethren shall call us bastards and disclaim us as not belonging to the same Father we ought not to reject them but still call them brethren if they will not joyn with us we cannot help it yet they are brethren notwithstanding that disclaim and how pettishly and frowardly soever they carry themselves in their differences a good Christian should take up this resolution their tongue is not Christs fan to purge his floor though they may condemn things which Christ will own to bear their reproofs and love them still for the iniquity of their carriage doth not take away our obligation to them As in the relation of Inferiors we are bound to be obedient to the froward as well as to the gentle Parents and Masters so in the duties that are to pass between equals we are to bear with the froward and to overcome their inclinations For though we have corruptions that are apt to alienate us and will put us upon furious passions uncomely heats and divisions yet God forbid we should omit any part of our duty to them for uncharitable brethren are brethren still SERMON XXXII PSALM CXIX 30. I have chosen the way of Truth thy judgments have I laid before me I Come now to answer an Objection which may be made Obj. But if you be so earnest to maintain unity among your own Sects why do you separate from the Papists who are Christians as well as you and own many things of Christianity wherein
confession of sin with grief and desire of the grace of Christ with a serious purpose of newness of life this is the doctrine of the Scripture They think that to the essence of true Repentance there is required Auricular confession penal satisfactions and the absolvence of the Priest without which true faith profiteth nothing to salvation Again the Scripture teacheth this doctrine That the Ordinances confer grace by virtue only of God's promises and the Sacraments are signs and seals of the Covenant of Grace to them that believe And they would teach us that they deserve and confer grace from the work wrought The Scripture teacheth that good works are such as are done in obedience to God and conformity to his Law and are compleated in love to God and our neighbour They teach us that there are works of supererogation which neither the Law nor the Gospel requireth of us and that the chief of these are Monastical Vows several Orders and Rules of Monks and Friers The Scripture teacheth us That God the Father Son and Holy Ghost is only to be worshipped both with natural and instituted worship in spirit and in truth and they teach both the making and worshipping of an Image and that the Images of Saints are to be worshipped The Scripture teacheth That there is but one holy Apostolical Catholick Church joined together in one faith and one spirit whose Head Husband and Foundation is the Lord Jesus Christ out of which Church there is no salvation And they teach us the Church of Rome is the center the right Mother of all Churches under one head the Pope infallible and supreme Judg of all truth and out of communion of this Church there is nothing but Heresie Schism and everlasting condemnation Instead of that lively Faith by which we are justified by Christ they cry up a dead assent Instead of sound knowledg they cry up an implicite faith believing as the Church believes Instead of Affiance they cry up wavering conjectural uncertainty Thirdly Come to their worship Their adoration of the Host their invocation of Saints and Angels their giving to the Virgin Mary and other Saints departed the titles of Mediator Redeemer and Saviour in their publick Liturgies and Hymns their bowing to and before Images their Communion in one kind and that decreed by their Councils with a non obstante Christi instituto notwithstanding Christs express Institution to the contrary their service in an unknown Tongue and the like are just causes of our separation from them But it is tedious to rake in these things So that unless we would be treacherous to Christ and not only deny the faith but forfeit sense and reason and give up all to the lusts and wills of those that have corrupted the truth of Christianity we ought to withdraw and our Separation is justifiable notwithstanding this plea. The USE Here is Reproof to divers sorts 1. To those that think they may be of any Sect among Christians as if all the differences in the Christian world were about trifles and matters of small concernment and so change their Religion as they do their clothes and are turned about with every puff of new doctrine If it were to turn to Heathenism Turcism or Judaism they would rather suffer banishment or death than yield to such a change but to be this day of this Sect and to morrow of another they think it is no great matter as the wind of Interest bloweth so are they carried and do not think it a matter of such moment to venture any thing upon that account You do not know the deceitfulness of your hearts he that can digest a lesser error will digest a greater God trieth you in the present truth He that is not faithful in a little will not be faithful in much As he that giveth entertainment to a small temptation will also to a greater if put upon it Where there is not a sincere purpose to obey God in all things God is not obeyed in any thing Every Truth is precious The dust of Gold and Pearls is esteemed Every truth is to be owned in its season with full consent To do any thing against conscience is damnable You are to chuse the way of truth impartially to search and find out the paths thereof 2. It reproves those that will be of no Religion till all differences among the learned and godly are reconciled and therefore willingly remain unsetled in Religion and live out of the communion of any Church upon this pretence that there is so much difference such shew of reason on each side and such faults in all that they doubt of all and therefore will not trouble themselves to know which side hath the truth You are to chuse the way of truth And this is such a fond conceit as if a man desperately sick should resolve to take no physick till all Doctors were of one opinion or as if a traveller when he seeth many ways before him should lye down and refuse to go any farther You may know the truth if you will search after it with humble minds Joh. 7. 17. If any man will do his will he shall know of the doctrine whether it be of God or whether I speak of my self The meek he will teach the way If you be diligent you may come to a certainty notwithstanding this difference 3. It reproves those that take up what comes next to hand are loth to be at the pains of study and searching and prayer that they may resolve upon evidence that commonly set themselves to advance that faction into which they are entred Alas you should mind Religion seriously though not lightly leave the Religion you are bred in yet not hold it upon unsound grounds As Antiquity Joh. 4. 20. Our father 's worshipped in this mountain Or custom of the times and places where you live Eph. 2. 2. According to the course of the world the general and corrupt custom or example of those where we live nor be led by affection to oâ⦠admiration of some persons Gal. 2. 12. Holy men may lead you into error Nor by multitude to do as the most do follow not a multitude to do evil but get a true and sound conscience of things for by all these things opinions are rather imposed upon us than chosen by us 4. It reproves those that abstain from fixing out of a fear of troubles as the King of Navarre would so far put forth to sea as that he might soon get to shore again You must make God a good allowance when you imbark with him though called not only to dispute but to dye for Religion you must willingly submit If any man come to me and hate not his own life he cannot be my disciple Luke 14. 26. How soon the fire may be kindled we cannot tell times tend to Popery though there be few left to stick by us the favour of the times run another way we ought to resolve for God
whatever it cost us 5. It reproves those that think to reserve their hearts notwithstanding outward compliance the way of truth being chosen is to be owned 2 Cor. 7. 1. the outward profession is required as well as the inward belief Rom. 10. 10. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation A man that should list himself among the enemies of his countrey and fight with them and say I reserve my heart for my countrey this is a mockage As if a Wife that prostitutes her body to another should tell her Husband she reserveth her heart for him Satan would have outward prostration he did not ask the heart but fall down and worship me USE 2. To press us to chuse the way of truth Take it up upon evidence and cleave to it with all the heart First Take it up upon evidence the evidence of Reason Scripture and the Spirit Reason will lead us to the Scripture the Scripture will lead us to the Spirit so we come to have a knowledg of the truth 1. Reason that 's preparative light and will lead the soul thus far It 's a thousand to one but Christianity is the way of God it will see much of God in this representation and if you should go on carnally carelesly neglecting Heaven and Christ Reason will tell you you run upon a thousand hazards that there are far more against you than for you in your sinful courses Stand upon the way Where may you find such likelihood of satisfaction or probability of salvation as in the Religion we have Either this is true or there is none That you should venture your souls rather here than elsewhere and at least that you should profess the Christian Religion as men go to a Lottery Reason will tell you thus A man that comes to a Lottery it is uncertain whether he shall have a Prize or no but it is but venturing a shilling possibly he may have a prize so Reason will tell you if it be uncertain whether there be a Heaven or a Hell yet it is a thousand to one there are both I may have a Prize and it 's but venturing the quitting of a few lusts that are not worth the keeping There are some Truths above reason but none contrary to it for grace is not contrary to nature but perfects it therefore there is nothing in the Gospel but what is agreeable to sound reason Reason will tell us there is no doctrine agreeth so much with the wisdom power goodness justice truth and the honour of God as that doctrine revealed in the Scripture 2. When Reason hath thus brought you to the Scripture there 's the great warrant of faith John 17. 20. They that believe in me through their word And Isa. 8. 20. To the law and to the testimony else there is no light in them That 's the sacred standard by which we should measure all doctrines and these will make wise the simple Psal. 19. The plainest meanest simplest man may find out the right way to heaven if he will consult with God's book diligently there he may become wise to salvation the veriest fool and simple man may be taught how to walk directly and safely this is the clue which brings us through all the labyrinths and perplexing debates in the world to consult with the word of God that we may not receive the truth upon man's credit but see the grounds of it with our own eyes He that finds the pearl of price must dig for it Matt. 13. 44. he must read the Scriptures be much in the study of God's book 3. The Scripture leads us to the Spirit because there are many mysteries in the Gospel difficultly known that will not be taken up by a sure faith without illumination from above Besides there are so many various artifices used by men to disguise the truth Eph. 4. 14. And besides there 's a connate blindness and hatred of truth which is natural to men and therefore it 's the Spirit of God must help us to make a wise choice Look as in practical things we shall never chuse the way of truth in opposition to the falsity of worldly enjoyments without the light of the Spirit therefore it is said Prov. 23. 4. Labour not to be rich cease from thine own wisdom If a man be guided by his own understanding he will chuse riches so also in matter of opinion when we lean to our own understanding we shall chuse amiss Iohn 16. 13. It is the Spirit of God that must guide us into all truth therefore you must beg his direction for if we that are so blind of heart be left to our own mistakes or the deceits of others left to the direction of our selves how easily shall we err Say Lord send out thy light and thy truth to lead me to thy holy hill Secondly As we should chuse the way of truth so cleave to it with all firmness and perseverance without seeking out any other way Iohn 6. 67 68. If you turn away from Christ where will you get a better Master change where you will you will change for the worse you will turn your back upon true comfort and true happiness for he hath all this So much for the first part the rightness of David's choice I have chosen the way of truth In the latter clause there you have his diligence and accuracy in walking according to the tenour of the true Religion Thy judgments have I laid before me By judgments is meant the precepts and directions of the word as invested with threatnings and promises for so the word contains every man's doom Not only the execution of God's Providence but the word shews what will become of a man Now these I have laid before me that is propounded them as the Rule of my life as the King was to have the Book of the Law always before him Deut. 17. 19. Doct. 2. When we have chosen the way of truth or taken up the profession of the true Religion the rules of it should be ever before us Three Reasons for this 1. To have a holy Rule and not a holy Life is altogether inconsistent A Christian should be a lively transcript of that Religion he doth profess A Christian should be Christ's Epistle 2 Cor. 3. a walking-Bible 2 Cor. 15. 16. shining as lights holding forth the word of life How not in doctrine but in practice A sutable practice joined with profession puts a majesty and splendor upon the truth If there are many doubts about the true Religion why they are occasioned by the scandalous lives of professors we reason from the Artist to the Art it self Look as there is a correspondence between the stamp and the impress the seal and the thing sealed so should there be between a Christian's life and a Christian's belief the stamp should be upon his own heart upon his life and actions his action should discover his
opinion otherwise he loseth the glory and the benefit of his Religion he is but a Pagan in God's account Ier. 9. 25. he makes his Religion to be call'd in question and therefore he that walks unsuitably he is said to deny the Faith 1 Tim. 5. 8. To be a Christian in doctrine and a Pagan in life is a temptation to Atheism to others when the one destroys the other practice confutes their profession and profession confutes their practice therefore both these must be matched together Thus the way of truth must be the rule and a holy life must be suited 2. As to this holy life a general good intention sufficeth not but there must be accurate walking why for God doth not judg of us by the lump or by a general intention It is not enough to plead at the day of judgment you had a good scope and a good meaning for every action must be brought to judgment whether it be good or evil Eccles. 12. 14. When we reckon with our servants we do not expect an account by heap but by parcels so a general good meaning giving our account by heap will not suffice but we must be strict in all our ways and keep close to the rule in every action in your eating trading worship Eph. 5. 15. See that you walk circumspectly c. see that you do not turn aside from the line and narrow ridg that you are to walk upon 3. Accurate walking will never be unless our Rule be diligently regarded and set before us why 1. So accurate and exact is the Rule in it self that you may easily swerve from it therefore it must always be heeded and kept in your eye Psal. 19. David admired the perfections of the Law for the purity of it and for the dominion of it over conscience what was the issue of that contemplation see v. 12. Who can understand his errors cleanse thou me from secret faults Thus the best man when he compares himself with the Law will be forced to blush and acknowledg more faults than ever he took notice of before When we see the Law reacheth not only to the act but the aim not only to the words but the thoughts and secret motions of the heart Lord then who knows his errors The Law of God sometimes is said to be broad and sometimes narrow a broad Law Psal. 119. 96. Thy commandment is exceeding broad why broad because it reacheth to every motion every human action the words the thoughts the desires are under a Law nay yet more the imperfect and indeliberate motions of the soul are under a Law therefore the commandment is exceeding broad On the other side it is said to be narrow a strait gate and a narrow way Mat. 7. 14. why because it gives no allowance to corrupt nature we have but a straight line to go by So that we need regard our Rule 2. We are so ignorant in many particulars relating to faith and manners that we need often consult with our Rule The children of light have too much darkness in them therefore they are bidden to look to their Rule Eph. 5. 17. Be ye not unwise but understanding what the will of the Lord is Blind consciences will easily carry us wrong and we have some new things still to learn from the word of God for knowledg is but in part therefore our Rule should be ever before us 3. So many and subtil are those temptations which Satan sets on foot to make us transgress this Rule The Devil assaults us two ways by fiery darts and by cunning wiles Eph. 6. 11. he hath not only violent temptations burning lusts or raging despair but he hath ensnaring temptations by his wiles such as most take with a person tempted and he transforms himself into an Angel of light 2 Cor. 11. 14. covers his foul designs with plausible pretences therefore we need have our Rule and the word of God ever before us 4. We are weak and easily over-born and therefore should bear our Rule always in mind God's people their greatest sins have been out of incogitancy they sin oftenest because they are heedless and forgetful and unattentive Therefore as a Carpenter tries his work by his Rule and Square so should a Christian measure his conversation by the rod of the Sanctuary God whose act is his Rule cannot miscarry So the School-men when they set out God's holiness say God's hand is his Rule but we that are creatures are apt to swerve aside therefore need a Rule We should always have our rule before us We are to walk according to rule Gal. 6. and Josh. 1. 7 8. The book of the Law shall not depart from thee c. If we would have our Rule before our eyes we should not so often swerve Christians though you be right in opinion that will not bring you to Heaven but you must have the Rules of this holy profession before you USE O! then let the word of God be ever in sight as your Comforter and Counsellor the more we do so the more shall we walk in the fear of God You are not to walk according to the course of this world but according to Rule and therefore you are not to walk rashly and indeliberately and as you are led and carried on by force of present affections but to walk circumspectly considering what principle you are acted by and what ends and the nature and quality of our actions are always to be considered Remember you are under the eye of the Holy and Jealous God Iosh. 24. 9. and eyed by wicked men who watch for your halting Ier. 20. and eyed by weak Christians who may suffer for your careless and slight walking who look to the lives of men rather than their principles You are the lights of the world Matt. 5. 14. and light draws eyes after it you are as a city upon a hill You that pretend to be in the right way the way of truth will you walk carelesly and inordinately You are compassed about with snares there 's a snare in your refreshments Psal. 69. your estates may become a snare 1 Tim. 6. 9. your duties may become a snare Be not a novice lest you come into the condemnation of the devil 1 Tim. 3. Therefore take heed to your Rule be exact and watchful over your hearts and ways SERMON XXXIII PSAL. CXIX 31. I have stuck unto thy testimonies O Lord put me not to shame IN the former Verse David speaks of his choice I have chosen the way of truth then of the accurateness of his prosecution Thy judgments have I laid before me Now he comes to his constant perseverance therein I have stuck unto thy testimonies These two Verses follow one another in a very perfect order and coherence We must begin with a right choice there we must lay the foundation I have chosen the way of truth and then persevere There is a constancy in good and an obstinacy in evil The Devils sin
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.
When you fall off after a tast of the sweetness and practice of godliness your condition is worse than if you had never begun There are two dreadful Scriptures which speak of the condition of total Apostates after some tast and after they have had some savour of holy things and some delight in the ways of God One is Heb. 6. 4 5 6. For it is impossible c. Christians after they have had some tast and some enlightning and made a savoury profession of godliness afterwards they split themselves some fall forward to errors and preposterous zeal others fall backward by an unfaithful heart one breaks his face the other breaks his neck as old Eli. But a little to clear that place Certainly all of us should stand in fear of this heavy judgment of being given up to perish by our apostasie to an obstinate heart never to reconcile our selves by repentance even the children of God for he proposeth it to them supposeth they are made partakers of the heavenly calling The Apostle doth not speak there of every sin against knowledg but of apostasie from the faith of Christ and not of apostasie of general professors that lightly come and lightly go as the loose sort of Christians here among us but specially of those that had a tast savoury experience of the sweetness of Gods ways Again he doth not speak of apostasie for a fit in some great temptation of fear but of deliberate apostasie of those that were enlightned feeling tasting so as to make some strict profession afterward turn off lose all turn Atheists Antiscripturists Formalists renouncing Christ and the World to come in the hope of which they seemed before to be carried out with a great deal of delight and strength and affection The Apostle saith it is impossible they should be saved because it is impossible they should repent This is a fearful state and yet as fearful as it is it is not unusual it is a thing we see often in some that have made a savoury profession of the name of God and afterwards have been blasted either given up to an injudicious mind or to vile affections and are fallen off and it 's impossible to renew them again unto repentance O then you that have begun and have had a tast of the ways of God and begun to walk closely with him you should lay this to heart Therefore this is propounded to believers that they should keep at a very great distance from such a judgment lest we grow to such an impenitent state as to be given up to a reprobate mind and vile affections The other place is 2 Pet. 2. 21 22. It had been better for them not to have known c. Mark there are some that through the knowledg of Christ may upon some general assent to Gospel truths take up a strict profession of the name of Christ may escape the pollution of the world that is outward and gross sins being enrolled among God's children and have the priviledges of the members of his Church and yet after this may fall off dreadfully it were far better for such never to have been acquainted with God and Christ than to return to their old bondage A sin after knowledg and profession of the right way is greater than a sin of bare ignorance therefore their condition is far more deplorable than the condition of other sinners for no men sin with such malice as they do they have had greater conviction than others not only external representations of the doctrine of Christ but some tast and have made some closure with it in their own souls they are more given over by God than others and so there are none persecute and hate profession and strictness so much as they that are fallen from it and they are more oppressed and intangled by Satan as the Jaylor that hath recovered the prisoner which ran from him loads him with irons Therefore we had need betimes look to it and continue and persevere in the practice of the ways of God which we have owned and taken up upon experience USE 1. Get grace then look after perseverance Evil men must get grace and God's children their business is to persevere in that state to which they have attained But what should we do to persevere First Be fortified against what may shake you from without beware of being led away by offences and scandals Three things are wont to give offence and exceedingly shake the faith of some viz. Errors Persecutions Scandals 1. Errors Be not troubled when differences fall out about the truths of God nor shaken in mind the winds of error are let loose upon the floor of the Church to sever the chaff from the solid grain 1 Cor. 11. 19. There must be heresies among you that they which are approved may be made manifest Take heed of taking offence at errors I do not speak now of being led captive by error Many question the ways of God and give over all Religion because there are so many differences and sects therefore they think nothing certain Certainly God saw this discipline to be fittest for his people he hath told us there must be errors he would not have us take up Religion upon trust without the pains of study and prayer Lazy men would fain give Laws to Heaven and teach God how to govern the affairs of the world they would have all things clear and plain that there should be no doubt about it But the Lord in his wise Providence saw it fit to permit these things that they which are approved may be made manifest Men to excuse the trouble of search study and prayer would have all agreed else they take offence at Religion and think it to be but a fancy that is one means to draw them off even after some profession What the Canonists say grosly this was their blasphemy that God were not discreet and wise unless he had appointed one universal Test and one infallible Interpreter this is mens natural thoughts they would have such a thing The Iews say certainly Christ was not the true Messiah why because if he had he would not come in such a way as to leave any of his Countrey-men in doubt so many think Religion is but a fancy they fall off to Atheism and Scepticism at last and irresolution in Religion because there are so many Sects and Divisions and all upholding it with plausible pretences To excuse laziness we pretend want of certainty But God's word is plain to one that will do his will Iohn 7. 17. If we will use all the means God hath appointed and unfeignedly and with an unbiassed heart come to search out the mind of God 2. Persecutions they are an offence Matt. 11. 6. Blessed is he whosoever shall not be offended in me When the people of God are exposed to great troubles when they are in the world they have but a mean outside what are these the Favourites of heaven it makes men take
once but not again Then are we enlarged in this sense when the shackles are knocked off from our consciences when we have that other spirit the spirit of adoption or that free spirit as it is called Psal. 51. 12. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation and uphold me with thy free spirit This free spirit enlargeth us that we may serve God cheerfully and comfortably According to this double captivity the slavery of sin and bondage of conscience so must our freedom and enlargement be interpreted a freedom from the power of sin and a freedom from the guilt of sin The carnal estate is often compared to a prison as Rom. 11. 32. God hath concluded or shut them all up together in unbelief that he might have mercy upon all Gal. 3. 22. The Scripture hath concluded or shut up all under sin ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã that 's the word A man in his sinful and unbelieving state is like a man shut up in a strong prison that is made sure and fast with iron bars and bolts so that there is no hope of breaking prison mercy alone must open the dore to him this being in prison notes the power of sin But take the other notion because of the guilt of sin Now this prison is all on fire in the apprehension of the sensible sinner and therefore the poor trembling captive when the prison is all on a light flame runs hither and thither seeking an out-gate and a way of escape and mourns and sighs through the grates of the flaming prison This is all our condition by nature Now when God loosens the bolts and shuts back the many locks that were upon us as the Angel made Peter's chains fall off Acts 12. 12. then are we said to be enlarged to run the way of his commandment or as 't is exprest Luke 1. 74. to be delivered out of the hands of our enemies that we might serve him without fear in holiness and righteousness all the days of our life When we are delivered from the powers of corruption which are as bolts and locks upon us and the power of sin is broken and we let out of the stocks of conscience that we might serve God without slavish fear This is the first thing we should mainly look at the general enlargement must always go before the particular First see that you be converted to God It is that which hardneth many you shall find many are praying for strengthning grace when they should ask renewing grace and when they should bewail the misery of an unregenerate carnal state they confess only the infirmities of the Saints and so are like little children that will attempt to run before they can stand or go Therefore here God must enlarge you free you from the slavery of sin and bondage that you may serve God 2. There is a particular enlargement or the actual assistance of the Lord's grace carrying us on in the duties of our heavenly calling with more success This is that which David begs in this place If thou wilt enlarge my heart There are after grace is received many spiritual distempers which are apt to seize upon us Sometimes we are slow of heart sometimes in bonds and straits of conscience as to God's service A man of spiritual experience is sensible of these things of a damp which is many times upon his life and comfort and want of strength and largeness of heart for God's service Whosoever makes conscience of daily communion with God and that in every service would do his uttermost cannot but be sensible of straits and therefore it is grievous to him to be under bonds and restraints and that he cannot so freely let out his heart to God Others that do not make communion with God their interest that go on in a dead track and course of duty are never sensible of enlargement or straitning But briefly that we may know when the heart is enlarged understand the nature of it let us see when the heart in Scripture is said to be enlarged 1. You may look upon this enlargement as the effect of wisdom and knowledg and so Solomon is said to have a large heart 1 King 4. 29. And God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding exceeding much and largeness of heart even as the sand that is on the sea-shore The greater stock of sanctified wisdom and knowledg a man hath the more is the heart enlarged for he hath a treasure within him and he is ready to bring out of the good treasure of his heart good things He that hath more gold than brass farthings when he puts his hand into his pocket will more easily bring forth gold than farthings so when the heart hath a good stock of holy principles within they are ready at hand they break out more easily in our discourse in our praying we are ready in all temptations to check the sin All grace is encreased to us by knowledg 2 Pet. 1. 2. Grace be multiplied unto you through the knowledg of God and of Iesus Christ our Lord. Still this way doth God enlarge the heart of his people When the understanding is full of pregnant truths the greater aw there is and check upon the heart to sin and the greater impulsion to duty Look as the influences of heaven pass through the air but they produce their effects in the earth they do not make the air fruitful but the earth so do the influences of grace pass through the understanding but they produce their fruit in the will and shew forth their strength in the affections and therefore when we would have our affections for God the way is to enlarge the understanding 2. You may look upon it as the effect of faith which wideneth the capacities of our souls and doth cause us more to open towards God that we may take in his grace it doth enlarge our desires and expectations Psal. 81. 10. Open thy mouth wide and I will fill it Surely a Temple for the great God such as our hearts should be should be fair and ample If we would have God dwell in our hearts and shed abroad his influences we should make room for God in our souls by a greater largeness of faith and expectation The rich man thought of enlarging his barns when his store was encreased upon him Luke 12. so should we stretch out the curtains of Christ's tent and habitation have larger expectations of God if we would receive more from him The vessels failed before the oil failed We are not straitned in God but in our selves by the scantiness of our own thoughts we do not make room for him nor greaten God Luke 1. 46. My soul doth magnifie the Lord. Faith doth greaten God Why can we make God greater than he is As to his declarative being we can have greater and larger apprehensions of his greatness goodness and truth 3. We may look upon it as an effect of comfort and joy through the assurance of God's
God failed not and surely he that hath been true hitherto will not fail at last 3. When the Word is performed in part it assureth us of the Performance of the whole 'T is an earnest given us of all the Rest 2 Cor. 1. 21. 22. For all the Promises of God in him are Yea and in him Amen A Christian hath a great many Promises and they are a performing daily God is Delivering Comforting Protecting him speaking peace to his Conscience but the greater Part are yet to be performed Present Experiences do assure us of what is to come Thus Stablish thy word that is make it good by the Event that I may learn to trust another time either for the same or other Promises or Accomplishment of thy whole Word Doct. That it is Matter of great Consequence to have the Word of God established to us or to be confirmed in a certain belief of his Promises David asketh it here as a very necessary thing Stablish thy word unto Servant give me Lord to look upon it as a stable and firm thing This will appear if you consider the Conveniency Necessity Utillity and the Profit of this Establishment First The Conveniency and Suitableness of it It is very convenient that we should build strongly upon a strong Foundation That sure truths should be entertained with a certain Faith and things taken as they are uttered There is Certitudo Objecti a certainty of the Object it self and Certitudo Subjecti The certainty of the Subject our being perswaded of the certainty of it the one warrants the other and both are necessary to our Comfort that is as the Word is certain in it self so it should be certain to us No matter how strong the Foundation be if the Building upon that Foundation be weak down it falleth The Word of God is stable in it self but if we are not perswaded it is so we are soon shaken with Temptations To stay a Ship from being tost upon the Rocks it is necessary the Anchor hold be good its self and be fastened upon somewhat that is firm therefore 6 Heb. 18. 19. 20. The Apostle speaks first of the Stability of the ground and then of the strength of the Anchor There 's a firm rocky Ground to build upon the Immutable Promises of God and a solid strong Anchor which is our Faith and Affiance As faith without the Promises is nothing but Groundless and Fruitless conceit so the Promises yield us no Comfort without faith The promises are Yea and Amen in Christ. 2 Cor. 1. 20. And then presently Now he which stablisheth us with you in Christ is God It is not sufficient that the Promises be Established but we mustbe Established upon them They are Yea and Amen in Christ but what 's that to us God may lose the glory of his Truth and we the comfort if we be not Established Second The Necessity of it will appear if we consider 1. How natural Unbelief is to us all and 2. How weak the Faith of most is 1. If we consider how natural Unbelief is to us it is a Sin we suck in with our Milk When our first Parents sinned against God his Word was not believed and thereupon the Sin was committed 3. Gen. 4. The Devil contradicted that which God delivered with his own mouth his Nay prevails above Gods Yea Ye shall not surely dye that was that which let in the first Sin And ever since it is very natural to us 3. Heb. 12. Take heed left there be an Evil heart of unbelief in you in departing from the living God Unbelief is the special part of the Hearts wickedness Partly because we have wronged God therefore are apt to suspect him for men are always jealous of those whom they have wronged and that they cannot mean well to them from whom they have received ill we have wronged God and therefore are suspicious of him and of his Good-will to sinners And partly because the truths of God lie cross to our Lusts and carnal Interest which maketh us so ready to pick Quarrels with him Ahab would not hear Micajah not because he prophecied False but Evil. Iohn 3. 20. They will not come to the Light lest their deeds should be reproved I say such strict Rules such close and quickening truths as God hath published in the Gospel men could wish they were not true that there were no Heaven nor Hell nor World to come and therefore because it lies so cross to our Lusts our wishes gain upon our understanding and blind us and we are not apt to believe these things Who will close with that which makes against him Men that are loath the Word of God should prove true are therefore slow of Heart to believe it 24. Luk. And Partly because ever since we were born we have been trained up to live by Sense and are affected only with the things we see hear and feel and therefore are little Skil'd in Faith which is the Evidence of things not seen 11. Heb. 11. which carrieth us to things above Sense to the concernments of another World In short then for these Reasons because it is natural to us to live by Sense to indulge our own Lusts and to suspect those whom we have wronged therefore Unbelief of God is so rife in the World 2. The necessity of Establishment in the Word of God will appear if we consider how weak the Faith of the most is There are few that entertain the Word as a sure and certain truth There are several degrees of Assent there is Conjecture Opinion Weakfaith and Faith that is stronger and that which comes up to an assurance of understanding as the Apostle calls it There is Conjecture or a lighter inclination of the mind to the Word of God as Possibly or Probably true a suspicious knowledge of things or bare guess at them when we go no higher than it may be so that all this is true which God hath spoken concerning Christ and Salvation There is beyond this Opinion when the mind is more inclin'd to think it true when we are so convinced of the truth of it that we are not able reasonably to Contradict it we think it true but there is still a fear of the contrary that it is not true which prevails over us and taints our Practice and weakens our Affections and withdraws them from things to come Then beyond this there is Faith or a firm and undoubted perswasion of the Truth of Gods Word which also hath it's Latitude There 's weak Faith which hath it's incident Doubts And there is beyond this receiving the Word in much Assurance as the experssion is 1 Thes. 5. 1. still we may increase higher in the degree of our assent for in this Life there is never so much but there may be more there is not so much Faith but there may be more There is something lacking to our Faith and it is not easie to grow up to the Riches of the
full assurance of understanding The best have but a fluctuating doubting knowledge of spiritual Truths Not a full assurance and Perswasion of them Therefore we need to ask Establishment Thirdly consider the Utility and Profit of it when once the Word is established to us we shall know how to Live and how to Dye and upon what terms to maintain Comfort and Holiness whereas otherwise men Live loosly and carelesly 4. Heb. 2. The Word Profited not not being mixed with Faith in them that heard it Until the word of God be owned as it is a divine and infallible Truth it hath no Efficacy upon us When it is received meerly by Conjecture as a Possible truth it works but weakly I but then it profits when we receive the word of God as the Word of God as a certain truth when the soul comes to determine surely these are truths in which I am deeply concerned upon which my eternal Life or Death doth depend without this God can have no service and we no Comfort but are at a great uncertainty of Spirit On the other side let me tell you that all our Coldness in Duty and all our Boldness in sinning it comes from unbelief 1. Our Coldness in Duty What 's the reason when God offereth such great things to us as the eternal enjoyment of himself Glory Comfort and Happiness as much as heart can wish that men are so dead hearted liveless and careless in the ways of God when our work is so good our ways so Excellent what 's the reason of all our Coldness and Carelesness in the Profession of Religion We have not a lively Sense of Eternity we do not bellive God upon his word if we did it would put Life into us Saith the Apostle 3 Phil. 14. This one thing I mind and I press towards the work Why For the prize of the high calling of God in Iesus Christ. When we mind our work seriously and above all other things not superficially and by the By when we can see the prize of our high calling as to run and hold the eye upon the mark then he presseth onward that he may not lose the garland So when we feel the rewards of Grace when we are perswaded of them this puts Spirit into us and encourageth us against all deadness and faintness I press on ward then with a great deal of vehemency and earnestly So 1 Cor. 15. 58. Be ye stedfast and unmoveable always abounding in the work of the Lord here is the description of a Godly man How shall we do to keep the heart in such an earnest frame By a sound Belief of the Promises for so it follows for as much as you know that your Labour shall not be in vain in the Lord If holiness doth not flourish there is a Worm at the Root Atheism and Unbelief lies at the heart and the want of such an assent to those great and glorious Promises which God hath made known to us in Christ. 2. Our boldness in sinning Why do men go on securely in ways of disobedience against God because they do not know whether the Word be true yea or no. If a man had Heaven and Hell in his Eye if he were soundly perswaded of these things certainly he would not venture the loss of Heaven for a trifle and would not upon such small temptations run the hazard of everlasting torments You cannot drive an ass the most stupid creature into the fire which is burning before his eyes So if these things were before our eyes we would not be so bold with God and so daring as we are Temptation to sin must needs prevail with us when we have not Faith for when the Temptation is strong and Faith weak where are we A man will yield to his base Lusts for there is present profit present pleasure and we have no undoubted certainty of the rewards of obedience and of the promises which are to be set against the Temptation But now when we consider we have so great and precious Promises this will make us cleanse our selves from all filthiness of flesh and Spirit we will not easily sin against God kick against the pricks and run upon danger laid before our eyes In vain is the snare laid in the sight of a Bird. Use 1. To reprove us for looking so little after the establishment of the Word There are many that content themselves with a loose profession of the name of Christ but are not established in a sound Belief of the Scriptures Ask them why they are of this and that Religion They have been taught so been brought up in it and so they might have been Mahometans upon the same account that they are Christians if they had been bred there where the name of Mahomet is of more request than the name of Christ. But then there are others that live by guess and carry on some natural Devotion but their Souls were never acquainted with the mystery of Grace never soundly established in it they have a conjecture There are others that can dispute for their Religion that see a reasonableness in the Christian Faith and why they should be of this Opinion rather than that I but their hearts were never subdued to God Hath the Spirit established Divine truths upon thy Soul and wrought these things upon thy heart hath it convinced thy Judgment awakned thy Conscience changed thy heart given thee any taste of Gods love in Christ drawn thee out of the World into near and sweet Communion with God truths are by him establisht to us and represented with evidence and power 1 Cor. 2. 4. Alas all else we can attain to is but cold and fruitless notion which will not warm the heart some cursory opinions that will not hold thy heart under the awe of God and guide thee in the paths of Holiness to eternal Life and therefore rest not in this that you have some knowledge concerning Christ and priviledges by him But are your hearts established have you a sence of these truths wrought in you by the Holy Ghost Use 2. It exhorteth us to use the means whereby the Word may be established 1. Chiefly observe Experiences how it is accomplished in the course of Gods Providence and inward feeling of thy own heart What answers of Prayer have you when you have been wrestling with God and putting his Promises in Suit at the Throne of Grace Every day God is fulfilling one Promise or another to train us up to look for more at his hands That we may trust him for our Inheritance and our final Blessing he first giveth us a proof of his Truth in lesser matters The more you observe the dealings of God with your own Souls and the fulfilling his Word to you the more will your heart be confirmed against Atheism and established in the belief of the Divine Authority of the Scripture It concerns us much to look to this that our hearts be firmly setled against Atheism especially when
open your hearts to God as Hezekiah did Rabshekahs Letter tell him of these cruel mockings as they are called Heb. 11. 36. It is the manner of Saints so to do Psal. 115. 2. Wherefore should the Heathen say where is now their God and Ioel 2. 17. On the Fasting day let the Priests the Ministers of the Lord weep between the Porch and the Altar and let them say spare thy People O Lord and give not thine Heritage to Reproach that the Heathen should rule over them wherefore should they say among the People where is their God Doct. IV. God making good his Promises confuteth these Reproaches and Insultations when deliverance cometh their mouths are stopped Job 5. 16. The Poor hath hope and Iniquity stoppeth her Mouth Psal. 107. 42. The Righteous shall see it and Iniquity shall stop her mouth then when he sets the Poor on high from Affliction and maketh them Families like a Flock In both these places it is not said God stoppeth their mouths or the Saints stop their mouths but they stop their own mouths then we need not answer our Adversaries they answer themselves they have not a word to say and all their Pride and Insultation is defeated and silenced Use 1. Prayer is necessary desire God to appear and right himself that he may confute the perverse thoughts of men and wrong Applications of his Providence that Carnal men may see your hope and confidence in God is not in vain you may beg deliverance on this ground that the mouth of Iniquity may be stopped 2. Wait Carnal men reproach Gods People with their Trust when in their distress he stayes a little when they have humbled themselves for their sins and sought Reconciliation with God as his Word prescribeth and are sufficiently weaned from Carnal Props and have learned to depend on him the Wicked shall find himself mistaken about the Godly whose ways he counted Folly SERMON XLIX PSALM CXIX Verse 43. And take not the Word of Truth utterly out of my mouth for I have hoped in thy Iudgments IN the first Verse of this Portion David had begged for Deliverance according to the Word this he backeth with several Arguments his first Argument was from his Enemies who would else Reproach him for his Trust he now inforceth that Request from another Argument lest his Case and Condition should make him affraid or his Disappointments ashamed to own his Faith in Gods Promises and so his mouth be shut up from speaking of God and his Word for the Edification of others and the Confutation of the Wicked Here Observe 1. His Request and take not the Word of Truth out of my mouth 2. The Profession of his Faith repeated by way of Argument and Reasons for I have hoped in thy Iudgments 1. For his Request you may wonder why he beggeth that the Word of Truth may not be taken out of his Mouth rather you would think he should ask that it might be kept in his heart but you must consider that confession of Truth is very necessary and in a time of dangers and Distresses very difficult the proper Seat of the word of Truth is the Heart it must abide there But when the heart is full the tongue will speak I have believed and therefore have I spoken Psal. 116. 10. The Word is first in the Heart and then in the Mouth therefore David faith take it not out of my mouth And pray mark he doth not only deprecate the evil it self but the degree and extremity of it take it not utterly out of my mouth Gods Children may not have liberty to speak for him or if liberty not such a courage as is necessary therefore though he should or had failed in being ashamed to profess his hope yet he desireth he might not wholly want either an Occasion or an Heart so to do that he might not wholly want an Occasion having no Relief and Comfort by the Promises nor an Heart as being altogether dismayed or disconsolate 2. The Profession of his Faith is renewed For I have hoped in thy Iudgments the word ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Judgments signifieth either the Law or the Execution of the Sentence thereof 1. The Law or whole Word for God so that I have hoped in thy Judgments is no more but in thy Word do I hope as it is Psal. 130. 5. I wait for the Lord my Soul doth wait and in his Word do I hope 2. Answerable Execution when the Promise or Threatning is fulfilled 1. When the Promise is fulfilled that is Judgment in a sence when God accomplisheth what he hath promised for our Salvation and Deliverance Thus God is said to judge for his people when he righteth and saveth them according to his Word Lam. 3. 59. O Lord thou hast seen my wrong judg thou my cause 2. But the more usual notion of Judgment is the execution of the threatning on wicked men which being a benefit to Gods faithful Servants and done in their favour David might well be said to hope for it Their Judgment is our obtaining the Promise Points 1. Doct. It is not enough to believe the Word in our hearts but we must confess it with our mouths 2. Doct. Such Tryals may befal Gods Children that the Word of Truth may seem to be taken out of their mouths 3. Doct. At such a time God must be dealt withal as much concern'd in it David saith to the Lord Take not the Word of Truth utterly out of my mouth 4. Doct. If it please God to desert us in some passage of our Tryal we must not give him over but deal with him not to forsake us utterly 5. Doct. They will not utterly be overcome in their Tryals who hope in Gods Iudgments Doct. 1. It is not enough to believe the Word in our hearts but we must confess it with our mouths So it is expressly said Rom. 10. 9 10. If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Iesus and shalt believe in thy heart that God hath raised him from the dead thou shalt be saved For with the heart man believeth unto Righteousness and with the mouth Confession is made unto Salvation There is the whole summ of Christianity and it is reduced to these two Points Believing with the Heart and Confessing with the Mouth an entertaining of Christ in the Heart with a true and lively Faith and a Confessing of Christ with the Mouth in spite of all persecution and danger So in the first solemn Proposal of the Gospel Mark 16. 16. He that Believeth and is Baptized shall be Saved and he that Believeth not shall be Damned Where not only Belief is required but open Profession for that end serveth Baptism which is a Badg and Bond a Badg to distinguish the worshipers of Christ from others and a Bond to bind us to open Profession of the Name of Christ and Practice of the Duties included therein So Heb. 3. 1. Iesus Christ is called the great High Priest and
Apostle of our Profession The Christian Religion is a Confession not a thing to be smothered and kept in secret or confined to the Heart but to be openly brought forth and avowed in Word and Deed to the Glory of Christ If a man should content himself to own God in his heart what would become of the Church of God and all his Ordinances and the Assemblies of his People among whom we make this open Confession 1. This Confession is necessary as well as the inward Belief because God hath required it by an express Law which Law is confirmed by a Sanction of great weight and moment the greatest Promises on the one hand and the greatest Penalties and Threatnings on the other That there is an express Law for Confession besides what hath been said already see 1 Pet. 3. 15. Sanctifie the Lord God of Hosts in your Hearts and be ready always to give an answer to every one that asketh you a Reason of the Hope that is in you with meekness and fear where they are required not only to revere God in their Hearts but to be ready to own him with their mouths and to give a Testimony of him when it should be demanded Yea that sanctifying God in their Hearts is required in order to the Testimony given with their Mouths that having due and awful thoughts of God they may not be ashamed to own him before men Now this is backt with the greatest Promises and on the other side with the severest Threatnings God hath promised no less than Salvation to those that confess him Matth. 10. 33. Whosoever will confess me before Men him will I confess also before my Father which is in Heaven Father this is one of mine he will do them more honour than possibly they can do him and Rom. 10. 10. With the Mouth Confession is made to Salvation Salvi esse non possumus saith Austin nisi ad salutem proximorum etiam ore profiteamur Fidem We cannot be Saved unless we profess the Faith that we have On the other side the neglect of Profession either out of Shame or Fear is threatned with the greatest penalties Mark 8. 38. Whosoever shall be ashamed of me and my Words in this adulterous and sinful Generation of him also shall the Son of Man be ashamed when he cometh in the Glory of his Father with his Glorious Angels Then when all shadows flee away and we would crouch for a little favour that Christ should be ashamed of us these were Christians but cowardly and dastardly ones I cannot own them to be of my Flock and Kingdom Oh how will our faces gather blackness the same is Luke 9. 26. Whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my Words of him shall the Son of Man be ashamed when he shall come in his own Glory and in his Fathers and of the holy Angels So for Fear 2 Tim. 2. 11. If we suffer we shall also Reign with him if we deny him he will deny us So that you see it is not a matter of small moment whether we confess or no but a thing expresly enjoyned by God and that upon Terms of Life and Death 2. This Confession is of great use as conducing much to the Glory of God and the good of others 1. The Glory of God which should be the great scope and end of our Lives and Actions is much concerned in our confessing or not confessing what we believe When we boldly avow the truth it is a sign we are not ashamed of our Master Phil. 1. 20. According to my earnest expectation and hope that in nothing I shall be ashamed but that with all boldness as always so now also Christ shall be magnified in my Body whether it be by Life or by Death Ministry or Martyrdom he calls this a magnifying of Christ whereas flinching concealing halfing the Truth denying Confession it is called a being ashamed of Christ Luke 9. 26. Whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words as if his Name were a thing base unworthy not to be owned 2. The Good of others and their Edification is concerned in our confessing or not confessing No man is born for himself and therefore is not only to work out his own salvation but as much as in him lieth to procure the salvation of others and to bring God and his Truth into request with them therefore not only to believe with the heart that concerneth himself but to confess with the mouth that concerneth the good of others when we own the Truth though it cost us dear that tendeth to the furtherance of the Gospel Phil. 1. 12. 13. For I would ye should understand Brethren that the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the Gospel so that my Bonds in Christ are manifest in all the Palace and in all other places c. But when we dissemble that is a scandal and a stumbling block to others whom we justifie and harden in a false way as Peter fearing them of the Circumcision dissembled and the Iews dissembled with him insomuch that Barnabas was carried away with their Dissimulation Gal. 2. 12 13. Men of publick Fame and Favour when they are not men of courage and of self-denying Spirits their temporizing may do a great deal of hurt and like a Torrent or Stream carry others with them Oh! let us beware of this Zuinglius saith Ad aras Iovis Veneris adorare sub Antichristo fidem occultare idem est As well worship before the Altars of Jupiter and Venus as hide our Faith under Antichrist Fear and weakness excuseth not the Fearful and Unbelieving are put with Murderers and Sorcerers and Idolaters and sent together to the Lake that burneth with Fire and Brimstone Revel 21. 8. Use 1. To reprove them that think it to be enough to own the Truth in their Hearts without confessing it with their Mouths This Libertinism prevailed at Corinth where they thought they might be present at Idols Feasts as long as in their Consciences they knew that an Idol was nothing The Apostle argueth against them 2 Cor. 6. and concludes his Argument thus 2 Cor. 7. 1. Having therefore these Promises dearly Beloved let us cleanse our selves from all filthiness of the Flesh and Spirit To pretend to serve God in my heart whosoever thinks so mocketh God and deceiveth himself he that warreth with the Enemies of his Prince and is as forward in Battel as any of the rest can he say I reserve the King my Heart and Affections Or when a woman prostituteth her Body to another will the Husband be content with such an Excuse that she reserveth her Heart for him God is not a God of half of a man he made the whole Body and Soul and will be served with both he bought both 1 Cor. 6. 20. Ye are bought with a price therefore Glorifie God in your Body and in your Spirits which are Gods Therefore you should not only
in the Judgment in the outward case want of Liberty nothing falleth out without his Providence he seeth fit sometimes to exercise his People with unreasonable men for all have not Faith 2 Thes. 3. 2. that obstruct and hinder the course of the Gospel some that be like Elimas the Sorcerer enemies to all goodness Acts 8. 10. And this in Ecclesiâ constitutâ in the bosom of the Church where Orthodox Faith is professed where Magistrates be Christians and should be Nursing Fathers to the Church In Abrahams Family which Paul makes the Pattern of our Estate to the end of the World Gal. 4. 29. But as then he that was born after the slesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit even so it is now these may prevail many times to the great discouragement of the faithful God may suffer it to be so for the punishing and trying of his People Acts 19. 9. But when divers were hardned and believed not but spake evil of that way before the multitude he departed from them and separated the Disciples disputing daily in the School of one Tyrannus Then as to the inward Case he may justly desert us in the time of Tryal when we should give a Testimony for him and take the word of Truth out of our mouths all these speeches Hide not thy commandments from me verse 19. Incline not mine heart to Covetousness Verse 26. And here take not thy Word out of my mouth and many such like relate to Gods Judicial Sentence in what he doth as a Judge upon our evil deserving he withdraweth his Grace and then we are delivered over to our own fears and baseness of Spirit Besides our own fault there is Judicial Tradition on Gods part which takes away the heart and courage of men Iob 12. 24. He taketh away the Heart of the chief of the people and causeth them to wander in a Wilderness where there is no way Now none can suspend Gods Sentence but God himself if he shut who can open therefore he is to be dealt with 2. God only can give us a remedy by his Grace and Power therefore our great business lyeth with him in regard of the power of his Providence by which he can remove rubs and oppositions 2 Thes. 3. 1. Pray for us that the word of God may have a free course ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã That it may run as Chariot wheels on smooth ground without rubs and oppositions There are many times Mountains in the way potent oppositions and strongly combined Interests that hinder the liberty of the Word but God can smooth them into a Plain Zack 4. 7. Who art thou O great Mountain before Zerubbabel Thou shalt become a Plain Opposition seemeth insuperable that great Mountain that obstructed the work of God was the Court of Persia instigated and set on by the Samaritan Faction a great Mountain indeed but as great as it is God can thresh it into Dust when it hindereth his Interest As to the inward Case it is God that giveth a Spirit of Courage and Fortitude and a mouth and wisdom which all the Adversaries shall not be able to gainsay or resist Luke 21. 15. He will give it us in that hour what we shall say so God encourageth Moses when he pleadeth his slowness of Speech Who hath made mans mouth or who maketh the Dumb or Deaf or the Seeing or the Blind have not 1 the Lord Exod. 4. 10 11. Whatever inclination of heart there be in the Creature it is God must give a Spirit and a Presence by the continual influence of his Grace he frees the heart from fears and ordereth the Tongue for the power of the Tongue is no more in our hands than the affections of the heart Prov. 16. 1. The preparations of the heart in man and the answer of the Tongue is from the Lord ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is the gift of God that we own him and his Truth Use 1. Let then every Person be dealing with God about this case every single private person for himself and for publick Persons the Prayers of others are necessary It is a common case wherein all are concerned Col. 4. 3. Praying for us that God would open to us a door of utterance to speak the Mystery of Christ. Eph. 6. 19. Pray for me that utterance may be given me that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the Gospel They that are sensible of the weight of the Ministerial Charge and their own many infirmities and how much it concerns us to own all the Truths of God in their Season let us beg of God this boldness and set others a begging for us 1. Humbly confessing our ill deservings it is a sign God is angry when he suffereth his Gospel to be obstructed much more when the mouths of his Ministers are shut up that they shall not plead for his Interest and Truths It is a notable sign of his departure that he is not much concerned in the progress of the Gospel Gods raising spirits is an hopeful presage Oh therefore let us humble our selves before the Lord. 2. Earnestly For it is a Case that concerneth us deeply because upon our Tryal we should be strict and precise Phil. 1. 20. My Hope and Expectation is that in nothing I shall be ashamed but with all boldness own Christ It would be sad if the Gospel should suffer loss by us Alas What a torment to us will the thought of it be that we have dishonoured God and wronged Souls and strengthned the hands of the wicked Origen who had exhorted others to Martyrdom having himself bowed under the Persecution could never more open his mouth to Preach the Gospel though often requested to it only one day having taken for his Text Psal. 50. 16. Unto the Wicked he saith what hast thou to do to declare my Statutes or that thou shouldst take my Covenant in thy mouth he wept very much and could speak no more Oh therefore it is no slight thing 3. Deal with God believingly pray in Faith there are two Considerations in the Text which may fortify us 1. Because it is a Word of Truth 2. There are Judgments to be executed on the hinderers of the word of Truth 1. It is a word of Truth and that will prevail at length however it be obstructed for a time In the first publishing of the Gospel this was manifested when the whole World was conspired to shut the door against it 1 Cor. 6. 9. A great door and effectual is opened to me and there are many Adversaries A few Fishermen who had not the power of the long Sword yet it is spread far and near The Fathers often urged this Clemens Alexandrinus saith Propositam Graeciae Philosophiam si quivis Magistratus prohibuerit en statim perit nostram autem Doctrinam à prima usque ejus praedicatione prohibent Reges Duces Magistratus cum universis satellitibus illa tamen non flaccescit ut
Fear is stirring before Shame as a Man sick of a loathsom painful Disease is more and first affected with the Pain than with the Nastiness and Filthiness and Putrefaction that accompanieth the Disease so here in Religion as the case is hopeful when ashamed of Sin so dangerous when ashamed of a strict holy course A Man may be willing to do that which he dares not do for Fear but Shame extinguisheth the willingness it self In short To be afraid respects our Interest to be ashamed respects the Cause the Gospel it self Secondly I shall speak of them distinctly and so 1. Shew why we should not be afraid to own the Testimonies and Ways of God before any sort of People in the World 1. Because Holy Boldness in Confession is an especial Gift of God David asketh it here Take not the word of truth utterly out of my mouth and promiseth That if God would give him this Gift the Splendor of Worldly Greatness should not dazzle his Eyes and he would behave himself as one armed against all terrors of Men or gotten above the Hopes and Fears of the present World And indeed it argueth some good degree of profiting in the Word of God when it is so with us Fearlesness of Men in God's Cause is an excellent Grace which God hath promised to his choice Servants To Christ Isa. 50. 7. For the Lord God will help me therefore shall I not be confounded Therefore have I set my face like a flint and I know that I shall not be ashamed I shall not be confounded for God is at my right hand To Ieremiah whom God set up as a brazen wall against all oppositions Jer. 1. 18. and to Ezekiel chap. 3. 8. Behold I have made thy face strong against their faces and thy forehead strong against their foreheads So to the Disciples Mat. 10. 19 20. They shall bring you before rulers and governours but take no thought how or what ye shall speak for it shall be given you in the same hour what ye shall speak None have the gift of Boldness but those to whom God gives it If left to our selves we shall faulter as Peter did at the Damsels Question but God will assist the resolved Heart by his Spirit and assist him in that very hour when the Tryal cometh and then we need not be afraid before whomsoever we come we need not be anxious The Servants of God beg this Gift Acts 4. 29. Grant unto thy servants that with all boldness we may speak thy word when the World rageth against them 2. Though it be an especial Gift of God yet the Duty is contained in our first Dedication and Resignation of our selves to Christ when we professed our selves to be dead to every worldly Interest and promised to own him and his Ways whatever it cost us Luke 14. 26. If any man come to me and hate not his father and mother and wife and children and brethren and sisters yea and his own life also he cannot be my disciple Ver. 33. So likewise whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all he hath he cannot be my disciple Therefore this should not be retracted but verified in our whole course for that sheweth this Dedication was found Heb. 3. 6. Whose house are we if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoycing of the hope firm unto the end Ver. 14. For we are made partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast unto the end And therefore we should be ready to render a reason of the hope which is in us to every one that asketh us with meekness and fear 1 Pet. 3. 15. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is an Account of our Religion ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ready to confess Christ in Persecutions and Dangers it is the same with ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Acts 21. 13. I am ready not onely to be bound but to die at Ierusalem for the Name of the Lord Iesus the same with ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the preparation of the gospel of peace Ephes. 6. 15. A prepared resolved Heart to encounter all difficulties for the Gospels sake so satisfied with the Truth and Hopes thereof 3. This Duty is confirmed in us by many Christian Graces as Faith Love to God Fear of God a deep sense of the World to come We are afraid to own God and his Ways because we have not such an high opinion of God as we should have but too great a love to our selves therefore Faith Fear and Love is necessary to confirm and strengthen this Resolution in us and also the lively Hope of Blessedness to come 1. Faith informeth us of the Truth Goodness Power and Excellency of God the worth of his Favour and the terror of his Wrath that the Displeasure of God is much worse than the Frowns of Men When we think of an higher Lord why should we be afraid of a Man that shall die and the Son of Man that is as Grass If a Great Man stand by we are not afraid of an Underling If the King of Kings be with us whom should we fear Heb. 11. 27. By faith Moses feared not the wrath of the king meaning Pharaoh Why For he endured as seeing him who is invisible An Heathen could say Regum timendorum in proprios greges reges in ipsos Imperium est Iovis A Believer should much more oppose God's Heavenly Majesty to their Earthly Dignity Their Power is great and to be reverenced next to God but God's is greater We serve a King whose power is everlasting and whose kingdom is to all generations 2. Love to God is necessary to confirm and strengthen this Resolution in us for that overcometh all Terrours Rom. 8. 37. Nay in all these things we are more than conquerours through him that loved us And Cant. 8. 6 7. Love is strong as death jealousie is cruel as the grave the coals thereof are coals of fire which hath a most vehement flame Many waters cannot quench love neither can the floods drown it if a man would give all the substance of his house for love it would utterly be contemned There is an unconquerable force in Love it is a Fire cannot be quenched When Christ hath us by the Heart it is much more than when he hath us by the Head They that make a Religion of their Opinions and have a Faith that never went deeper than their Brains and Fancies are soon discouraged but when Christ dwelleth in the heart by faith Ephes. 3. 17. there he resideth as in his strong Citadel and Castle A Christian because he loveth Christ will own him and his Ways and Truth though they be never so much despised in the World A superficial bare Assent to the Gospel may let Christ go but a faith working by love will not 3. The Fear of God or a deep awe and reverence of him when we are more afraid to offend God than to suffer from Man The Apostle when he biddeth us to be
ready to make Profession 1 Pet. 3. 5. bids us do it with meekness and fear Meekness respects Men Fear a care to approve our selves to God The Fear of Men is checked by the Fear of God Isa. 8. 12 13. Neither fear ye their fear nor be afraid Sanctifie the Lord of hosts himself and let him be your fear and let him be your dread Luke 12. 4 5. Be not afraid of them that kill the body and after that have no more that they can do But I will forewarn you whom you shall fear Fear him which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell An holy Impression of God's Excellency and Greatness left upon the Heart is this Fear that carrieth the Cause clearly for God And as one Nail driveth out another the Fear of Men banisheth the Fear of God out of our Hearts We are obliged to none so as to God who hath the power of Eternal Life and Eternal Death What is a Prison to Hell a little vain Glory to Eternal Glory the Creature to God! 4. A deep sense of the other World When we translate the Scene from Earth to Heaven from this World to the next and consider who is scorned there received there or rejected there the Temptation is lessened The Apostle sheweth that a Spirit of Faith is at the bottom of Confession with the mouth 2 Cor. 4. 13. We having the same spirit of faith believe and therefore speak He that believeth another World and hopeth for it will never be cowardly and bashful but will confidently confess Christ and own him both in Worship and Conversation A Spirit of Faith cannot be suppressed but will break out and shew it self and not be ashamed of Christ his Truth and Ways Well then Christians should be ashamed of that Spirit of Fear Bashfulness and Inconfidence which keeps us from confessing Christ and owning his Ways Kings are more formidable by their Place and Power than the rest of the World but alas we give place to the meanest Men and the smallest opposition maketh us give out 2 Tim. 1. 7. We have not the spirit of fear but the spirit of love power and a sound mind The Christian Spirit is a sober Spirit that valueth all things according to their weight but not a dastardly Spirit a Spirit of Love and Power that owneth Christ with meekness and a due respect to earthly Tribunals and yet with courage as looking higher to the Throne of God 2. We must not be ashamed to own the Testimonies and Ways of God before any sort of Men in the World The Apostle telleth us Rom. 1. 16. I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Iesus Christ. The Gospel is such a pure sure Rule and offereth us such glorious Hopes that we should be ready to profess it without being ashamed of it So he bids Timothy 2 Tim. 1. 11. Be not ashamed of the testimony of the Lord nor of me his prisoner neither of the Profession nor of our Companions in the Profession when they are under the greatest disgrace So again 1 Pet. 4. 16. If any man suffer as a Christian let him not be ashamed but glorifie God in this behalf It is matter of Thanksgiving not of shame David is an Instance when Michol scoffed at him I will yet be more vile 2 Sam. 6. 22. It is an honour to be dishonoured for Christ. The Primitive Christians when the Heathens reproched them Art thou not ashamed to believe in him that was crucified The Answer was I am ashamed to believe in him that committed Adultery meaning the Heathen Iupiter Affliction is no disgrace but Sin is But what danger is there of being ashamed of the Gospel since Christianity is in fashion Answ. 1. Sometimes the Simplicity of the Gospel is contemned by the Wits of the World and therefore they either muster up the Oppositions of Science falsly so called or else droll upon Religion and make it the common Jest and By-word 2. The stricter Profession of the Ways of God is under reproch Though the nominal Christian and the serious Christian have the same Bible and believe the same Creed and are baptized into one and the same Profession yet those that are false to their Religion will hate and scorn those that are true to it and among the carnal it will be matter of reproch to be serious and diligent Now though a gracious Heart can be vile for God yet others are afraid they shall be marked and accounted Precise or Puritans and so by resisting an imaginary Shame they fall into an eternal Reproch 3. It may be the strict sort of Christians are the poorer sort and though they be precious in the eyes of God yet they are despised by Men Iohn 7. 49. This people that knoweth not the law are accursed Have any of the Pharisees believed in him any People of Quality They shall be accounted People of no Port and Breeding if they are strictly Christian. Quantus in Christiano populo honor Christi est ubi Religio ignobilem facit coguntur esse viles ne mali videantur Religion is too mean a thing for Persons of Quality of their Rank Thus with many God's Image is made a scorn and the Devil's Image had in honour and serious Godliness is made a By-word Now to fortifie you against being ashamed of God and his Ways take these Considerations 1. The short continuance of this Worlds Glory Within a while we shall be levelled with the lowest and our Dust mixed with common Earth And shall we love the praise of Men more than the praise of God This corruptible Flesh must turn into a loathsom rottenness though now it looketh high and sets forth it self and would be brave and Lordly but the spirit must return to God that gave it to be commanded into unseen and unknown Regions 1 Pet. 1. 21. All flesh is grass and the glory of man as the flower of grass 2. God is the Fountain of Honour all Things and Persons receive an Honour by having relation to him Iames 2. 1. Have not the faith of our Lord Iesus Christ the Lord of glory in respect of persons Services mean in themselves are accounted honourable with respect to Princes The Reproch of Christ is enough to weigh down all the Honours in the World Heb. 11. 26. Esteeming the reproch of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt 3. If your hearts be sincere with God you will not be ashamed of his Ways For Wisdom is justified of her children In Luke it is All her children Luke 7. 35. They that have a Faith which is the fruit of Conviction onely may be ashamed Iohn 12. 42 43. Among the rulers also many believed on him but because of the Pharisees they did not confess him lest they should be put out of the Synagogue for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God But that Faith which is the fruit of Conversion will make us courageous in God's Cause
compose and purifie the Mind and make Sin more odious and fortifie us against the Baits of Sense which are the occasion of all the Sin in the World All our Joy is to be considered with respect to its Use and Profit Eccles. 2. 2. I said of laughter It is mad and of mirth What doth it The more a Man delighteth in God and in the Ways of God the more he cleaveth to him and resolveth to go on in this Course and Temptations to Sensual Delights do less prevail for the joy of the Lord is our strength The safety of the Spiritual Life lieth in the keeping up our Joy and Delight in it Heb. 3. 6. Whose house are we if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoycing of the hope firm unto the end Isa. 64. 5. Thou meetest him who rejoyceth and worketh righteousness But now Carnal Delights intoxicate the Mind and fill it with Vanity and Folly The Sensitive Lure hath more power over us to draw into the slavery of Sin Tit. 3. 3. For we our selves were also foolish deceived serving divers lusts and pleasures Surely then the healing Delights should be preferred before the killing wounding Pleasures that so often prove a snare to us 2. The Object is to be considered thy commandments Here observe 1. David did not place his Delight in Folly or Filthiness as they do that glory in their shame or delight in Sin and giving contentment to the Lusts of the Flesh as the Apostle speaks of some that sport themselves in their own deceivings 2 Pet. 2. 13. that do not onely live in sin but make a sport of it beguiling their own hearts with groundless apprehensions that there is no such evil and hazard therein as the Word declareth and Conscience sometimes suggesteth they are beholden to their sottish Error and Delusion for their Mirth Neither did he place his Delight in Temporal trifles the Honours and Pleasures and Profits of the World as bruitish Worldlings do but in the Word of God as the Seed of the New Life the Rule of his Conversation the Charter of his Hopes that blessed Word by which his Heart might be renewed and sanctified his Conscience setled his Mind acquainted with his Creators Will and his Affections raised to the Hopes of Glory The Matter which feedeth our Pleasures sheweth the Excellency or Baseness of it If like Beetles we delight in a Dunghil rather than a Garden or the Paradise of God's Word it shews a base mean Spirit as Swine in wallowing in the mire or Dogs to eat their own Vomit Our Temper and Inclination is known by our Complacency or Displacency Rom. 7. 5. For when we were in the flesh the motions of sin which were by the law did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death Therefore see which your hearts carry you to to the World or the Word of God The most part of the World are carried to the Pleasures of Sense and mastered by them but a Divine Spirit or Nature put into us makes us look after other things 2 Pet. 1. 4. Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises even of the great blessings of the new Covenant such as Pardon of Sin Eternal Life c. 2. Not onely in the Promissory but Mandatory part of the Word Commandments is the Notion in the Text. There is matter of great Joy contained in the Promises but they must not be looked upon as exclusive of the Precepts but inclusive Promises are spoken of Psal. 119. 111. Thy testimonies have I taken as an heritage for ever for they are the rejoycing of my heart They contain spiritual and heavenly Riches and so are matter of Joy to a believing Soul but the Commandments call for Duty on our parts The Precepts appoint us a pleasant Work shew us what is to be done and left undone These Restraints are grateful to the New Nature for the compliance of the Will with the Will of God and its conformity to his Law hath a Pleasure annexed to it A renewed Soul would be subject to God in all things therefore delights in his Commandments without limitation or distinction 3. It is not in the Study or Contemplation of the Justice and Equity of these Commandments but in the Obedience and Practice of them There is a pleasure in the Study and Contemplation for every Truth breedeth a delectation in the mind Psal. 19. 8. The statutes of the Lord are right rejoycing the soul. It is a blessed and pleasant thing to have a sure Rule commending it self with great evidence to our Consciences and manifesting it self to be of God therefore the sight of the Purity and Certainty of the Word of God is a great pleasure to any considering Mind no other Study to be compared with it But the Joy of Speculation or Contemplation is nothing to that of Practice Nothing maketh the Heart more chearful than a good Conscience or a constant walking in the way of God's Commandments 2 Cor. 1. 12. Our rejoycing is this the testimony of our conscience that with simplicity and godly sincerity not with fleshly wisdom but by the grace of God I have had my conversation in the world Let me give you this Gradation The Pleasures of Contemplation exceed those of Sense and the Delights of the Mind are more sincere and real than those of the Body for the more noble the Faculty is the more capable of Delight A Man in his Study about Natural things hath a truer pleasure than the greatest Epicure in the most exquisite enjoyment of Sense Prov. 24. 13 14. My son eat thou honey because it is good and the honey-comb which is sweet to thy taste so shall the knowledge of wisdom be unto thy soul when thou hast found it then there shall be a reward and thy expectation shall not be cut off But especially the Contemplation of Divine things is pleasant the Objects are more sublime certain necessary profitable and here we are more deeply concerned than in the Study of Nature Surely this is sweeter than Honey and Honey-comb to understand and contemplate the way of Salvation by Christ This is an Heaven upon Earth to know these things Iohn 17. 3. This is life eternal to know thee the onely true God and Iesus Christ whom thou hast sent As much as the Pleasures of the Natural Mind do exceed these Bodily Pleasures so much do these Pleasures of Faith and Spiritual Knowledge exceed those of the Natural Mind These things the Angels desire to pry into Now the Delights of Practical Obedience do far exceed those which are the meer result of Speculation and Contemplation Why Because they give us a more intimate feeling of the Truth and Worth of these things and our Right in them thereby is more secured and our Delight in them is heightned by the supernatural Operation of the Holy Ghost The Joy of the Spirit is said to be unspeakable and full of glory 1 Pet. 1. 18. In short
him according to his declared Will We continually depend upon him every moment In him we live and move and have our being Acts 17. 28. and surely Dependance should beget Observance and therefore Men should be loth to break with God or carefull to reconcile themselves to him on whom they depend every Moment Acts 12. 20. Herod was highly displeased with them of Tyre and Sidon but they came with one accord to him and having made Blastus the Kings Chamberlain their Friend desired peace because their Country was nourished by the Kings Country Therefore it is extreame Unthankfulness Stupidity and Brutishness for them to carry themselves so unthankfully towards God who giveth them Life and Being and all things The Bruites themselves who have no capacity to know God as the first Cause of all Being yet take notice of the next hand from whence they receive their Supplies Isa. 1. 3. The Ox knows his Owner and the Ass his Masters Crib and in their kind express their Gratitude to such as feed them and make much of them but Wicked men take no notice of the God who hath made them and kept them at the expence and care of his Providence and hath been beneficial to them all their days but as they slight their Law-giver so they requite their great Benefactour with unkindness and Provocation 4. It is a disowning of his Propriety in them as if they were not his own and God had not power to doe with his own as he pleaseth The Creature is absolutely at God's dispose not onely as he hath a Jurisdiction over us as our Law-giver and King over his Subjects but as a Proprietary and Owner over his Goods A Prince hath a more absolute Power over his Lands and Goods then over his Subjects God is not onely a Ruler but an owner as he made us out of nothing and bought us when worse then nothing and still keepeth us from returning into our original nothing and shall those who are absolutely his own withdraw themselves from him and live according to their own Will and speak and doe what they list what is this but a plain denyal of God's Propriety and Lordship over us as those Psalm 12. 4. Who have said With our Tongues will we prevaile our Lips are our own who is Lord over us surely it should strike us with horrour to think that any Creatures should thus take upon them Sin robbeth God of his Propriety in the Creatures If we consider his natural Right Sin is such an Injury and Wrong to God as Theft and Robbery if we consider our own Covenant as we voluntarily acknowledge God's Propriety in us so it is Adultery breach of Marriage Vow and with respect to the devoting and consecrating our selves to him so it is Sacriledge 3. It is a contempt of God's glorious Majesty What else shall we make of a plain contest with him or a flat contradiction of his holy Will for whilst we make our depraved Will the Rule and Guide of our Actions against his holy Will we plainly contend with him whose Will shall stand his or ours and so justle him out of the Throne and pluck the Crown off his Head and the Scepter out of his Hands and usurpe his Authority and so slight the Eternal Power of this glorious King as if he were not able to avenge the wrong done to his Majesty and we could make good our party against him 1 Cor. 10. 22. Do we provoke the Lord to Iealousie are we stronger then he Isa. 45. 9. Woe to him that striveth with his maker let the Potsherd strive with the Potsherds of the Earth surely they that strive with their Maker will find God too hard for them Now all these and many more Considerations should make a Serious Christian sensible when he considereth how God is dishonoured in the World 2. Their Punishment This relateth to the Sanction by Penalties and Rewards They that forsake the Law have quite devested themselves of all Hope and cast off all dread of Him The Law offereth Death or Life to the Transgressors and Observers of it Deut. 30. 15. Behold I have set before you Good and Life Death and Evil. Now this is as little believed as the Precept is obeyed and thence cometh all their Boldness in sinning and Coldness in Duty 1. God allureth us to Obedience by Promises of this World and the next which if they were believed Men would be more forward and ready to comply with his Will As to the Promises of the next World he hath told us of Eternal Life Surely God meaneth as he speaketh in his Word he will make good his Word to the Obedient but the Sinner thinketh not so and therefore is loth to undergoe the Difficulties of Obedience because he hath so little Sense and Certainty of fulfilling the Promise The Apostle telleth us Heb. 11. 6. That without Faith it is impossible to please God for he that cometh to God must believe that he is and that he is a rewarder of those that diligently serve him implying that if the Fundamental Truths of God's Being and Bounty were believed we could not be so careless as we are not so barren and unfruitfull as we are but Unbelief lyeth at the botton of all our Carelesness 1 Cor. 15. 58. Be ye stedfast unmoveable always abounding in the work of the Lord forasmuch as you know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord. They that know what a Reward is prepared for the Righteous cannot but be serious and diligent themselves and pity others and be troubled at their neglect Oh what a good God they deprive themselves off and throw away their Souls for a Trifle But because the Lord knoweth how apt we are to be led by things present to Sense that work strongly upon our Apprehensions and that things absent and future lie in another World and wanting the help of Sense to convey them to our Minds make little impression upon our Hearts therefore God draws us to our Duty by present Benefits Even Carnal Nature is apt to be pleased with these kind of Mercies Protection Provision and worldly Comforts Psal. 119. This I had because I kept thy Precepts Matth. 6. 33. Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and the Righteousness thereof and all these things shall be added to you 1 Tim. 4. 8. Godliness is profitable to all things having the promise of the Life that now is and of that which is to come But alas the naughty Heart cannot depend on God for the Effects of his common Goodness Men distrust Providence and therefore take their own Course which is a grief and trouble to a gracious Heart to see they cannot depend on God for things of a present Accomplishment 2. The other part of the Sanction are his Threatnings and Punishments Now in what a direfull Condition are all the deserters of God's Law besides the loss of Heaven there is Eternal fire which is the portion of the Wicked
Songs to him in the House of his Pilgrimage in the Night the Name of God was his Meditation I have remembred thy Name O Lord in the night and have kept thy Law In which Words observe 1. David's Exercise I have remembred thy Name O Lord in the night 2. The Effect and Fruit of it and have kept thy Law The one may be considered as the Means the other as the next and immediate End Remembring and thinking is but a subservient help and means to promote some higher work 1. In the first Branch you have 1. The Act of his Soul I have remembred 2. The Object about which it was conversant Thy Name O Lord. 3. The Season In the Night 1. For the Act of his Soul I have remembred Remembrance is an Act of Knowledge reiterated or a second Agitation of the Mind unto that point unto which it had arrived before Or more plainly Remembring is a setting Knowledge awork or a reviving those Notions which we have of Things and exercising our Thoughts and Meditations about them 2. The Object was God's Name That is either God himself as Psal. 20. 1. The Name of the God of Iacob defend thee or that by which God is known His Wisedom Goodness and Power especially those Notions by which he hath manifested himself in the Word 3. The Season In the Night Some take the Night metaphorically for the time of Trouble and Affliction It is often a dark time with the People of God a very dark Night and then it is comfortable to them to think of his Name according to that of the Prophet Isa. 50. 10. He that walketh in darkness and hath no light let him stay himself upon the Name of his God I think it is meant literally that the Man of God took such Pleasure in the Name of God that what time others gave to Sleep and Rest he would give to the Contemplation of his Glory In the Solitude and Darkness of the Night he sustained and supported his Spirit with the thoughts of God and thereby took up a Courage and Constancy of Resolution to keep his Law 2. The other Branch I have kept thy Law That is with a good and sincere heart set himself to the keeping of it this is spoken partly to intimate his own Seriousness in this Work and partly God's Blessing upon his Endeavours therein 1. His Seriousness and Sincerity in the Work There is a twofold Remembrance of things 1. Notional and Speculative 2. Practical and Affective The Notional and Speculative Remembrance of things is when we barely think of them without any further Profit or Benefit But the Practical Powerfull and Affective Remembrance is to be affected with matters called to mind as the nature of them doth require as when we Remember God so as to Love him and Fear him and Trust in him and make him our Delight and Cleave to him and Obey him And we are said to Remember his Commandments when our hearts are set upon the Practice of them Verba Notitioe connotant Affectus we must not think of God indifferently and by the bye but we must be answerably affected and act accordingly Thus did David I remembred thy Name and kept thy Law 2. God's Blessing upon his Endeavours for he presently addeth in the next Verse This I had because I kept thy Precepts Our Heavenly Father who seeth what is done in secret will reward it openly Matt. 6. 6. And the blessing of Time well spent in secret or a few serious thoughts of God in the night will publickly appear in their Carriage before Men. If we be frequently and seriously with God when we are Solitary the fruit and benefit of it will be manifest by our holiness and heavenliness when we are in Company Your most private Duties do not lose their reward As a mans pains in Study will appear in the accurate Order Strength and Rationality of his Discourse so his Converse with God in private will be seen in the fruits of it in his holy profitable and serious Conversation The Points are three 1. Doctr. Remembring God is an especial help to the keeping of his Law 2. Doctr. God is best Remembred when his Name is studied 3. Doctr. Those that have spiritual Affections will take all occasions to remember his Name I have remembred thy Name in the night season saith holy David 1. Doctr. That Remembring God is an especial help to the keeping of his Law I. What is it to remember God 1. It supposeth some Knowledge of God for what a man knoweth not he cannot remember The Memory is the Cofferer and Treasurer of the Soul what the Understanding taketh in the Memory layeth up and actually we are said to remember when we set the Mind awork upon such Notions as we have formerly received And particularly to remember God is when we stir up in our minds clear and heart-warming apprehensions about his Nature and Will 2. It supposeth some Faith that we believe him to be such as the Word describeth him to be for spiritual Remembrance is the actuation of Faith or in this case the improvement of that Wisedom Power Goodness Holiness Justice and Truth which we believe to be in God Otherwise without Faith those thoughts which we have of the greatest matters affect us no more than a Dream doth a Sleeper These things are supposed in Remembrance 3. It expresseth a reviving of these thoughts or an erection of the mind to think upon what we know and believe Man that hath an ingestive hath also an egestive Faculty and can lay out as well as lay up bring forth Truths out of the mind when it is usefull for us and whet and inculcate them upon the heart he may call to mind or ponder upon them 4. Let us see the kinds of this Remembrance 1. I must repeat that Distinction it may be done Notionally and Speculatively or else Affectively and Practically Notionally when Men have a few barren Notions or dry sapless Opinions or Speculations about the Nature of God always mens Remembrance is as their Knowledge is and Faith is Now there is ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã a form of Knowledge Rom. 2. 10. and dead Faith Jam. 2. 20. Affectively and practically we Remember God when there are such lively and powerfull impressions of his Name upon our hearts as produceth Reverence Love and Obedience It is not enough to grant the Doctrine own the Opinions that are sound and Orthodox concerning God but we must have a reverential and superlative Esteem of him All men confess a God with their mouth and think they believe in him but the fool hath said in his heart there is no God Psal. 14. 1. what Testimony do their hearts and actions give A Man's course of Life and Conversation is like an Eye-witness his Profession is as a Testimony by Report now one Eye-witness deserves more credit than many by Hear-say Plus valet unus oculatus Testis c. How would you walk
kindness as coming according to his Word So do the Servants of God observe his accomplishing Promises Ioshua 23. 14. And behold this day I am going the way of all the Earth and ye know in all your hearts and in all your souls that not one thing hath failed of all the good things which the Lord your God spake concerning you all hath come to pass unto you not one thing hath failed thereof So Solomon 1 Kings 8. 56. Blessed be God that giveth rest to his people Israel according to all that he promised there hath not failed one word of all his good promise which he promised by the hand of Moses his Servant Thus Ioshua and Solomon observe how his Word was made good to a tittle and in the rigor of the letter he hath not left undone any thing but accomplished all to the full A great deal of benefit will come by it 1. For your selves 1. Your own Faith will be confirmed by it when you see that God is as good as his Word and bestoweth upon us the utmost that any Promise of his giveth us to hope for it is dictum factum with God he is no more liberal in Word than in Deed. Look as it confirmeth our Faith in the truth of the Threatnings when we are punished as our Congregation hath heard Hosea 7. 12. they that would not believe their danger are made to feel it So our Faith in the Promise God sheweth what he will be to his Servants and after a little waiting they find it to be so Wait but a little while and you shall find the effect of the Promises Psalm 56. 8. In God I will praise his word in the Lord I will praise his word That is I have great cause to take notice of the promise to a Believer it is as good as Performance So Psalm 19. 9. The Iudgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether Former experience begets confidence for the time to come The Lord doth not deceive us with vain Words there is an effect in them I shall find it what God saith he doth 2. Your Comfort is increased receiving things in a way of Promise sweeteneth a Blessing It is good to see whence things come to us from the Bounty of common Providence or from the Promises of the Covenant There is a Providential right and a Covenant right Devils hold their Beings by a Providential right but the Saints their Blessings by Covenant The Promise is made to God's Servants and the Mercy conveyed by the Promise is sanctified 1 Cor. 3. 23. All are yours and ye are Christs and Christ is Gods 1 Tim. 4. 3. They are to be received with thanksgiving of them that believe and know the truth Believers are called Heirs of Promise Some Blessings the very Nature of them sheweth whence they come but in others as the deliverances and comforts of this Life the Tenour of them is more comfortable than the Mercies themselves to have them not onely from God's Hand but Heart Wicked men have them as their Portion you as Helps to your better Portion Heirs of Promise is an honourable Title and Relation Such Blessings are from Love and for our good 2. As to others you will invite encourage and strengthen them in believing You are Witnesses of his Fidelity Psalm 18. 30. As for God his way is perfect the word of the Lord is tryed I can assure you I have found more than Letters and Syllables in a Promise it is a tryed Word I can tell you what God hath done for my Soul Use. Let us look to the accomplishment of these Promises and trust God the more for the future Make much of Promises Heb. 11. 13. These all died in Faith not having received the Promises but having seen them afar off and were perswaded of them and embraced them They are sure Declarations of the purposes of God God's Purposes are immutable but Promises declared lay an obligation upon him to keep them Rejoyce in them till performance cometh Take heed of setting Sense against them Rom. 4. 18 19 20 21. Who against Hope believed in Hope that he might become the Father of many according to that which was spoken So shall thy seed be And being not weak in Faith he considered not his own Body now dead when he was about an hundred years old neither yet the deadness of Sarah's womb He staggered not at the Promise through unbelief but was strong in Faith giving glory to God And being fully perswaded that what he had promised he was able also to perform Naturally Men are all for having before them take heed of hast Psalm 116. 11. I said in my hast all men are liars Psalm 31. 22. I said in my hast I am cut off from before thine eyes SERMON LXXIV PSAL. CXIX 66. Teach me good Iudgment and Knowledge for I have believed thy Commandments THE Man of God had acknowledged that God had done good for him now he beggeth the continuance of his Goodness God that hath shewed mercy will shew mercy his Treasure is not spent by giving nor hath he the less for communicating to the Creature Man will say I have given you already why do you trouble me any more but God upbraideth no man the more frequent our Suites are for Grace the more welcome we are Thou hast done good for thy Servant and now again Teach me good Iudgment and Knowledge for I have believed thy Commandments In the words observe 1. The Blessing asked Teach me good Iudgment and Knowledge 2. The Reason urged for I have believed thy Commandments I begin with the Prayer or Blessing asked Teach me good Iudgment and Knowledge Let us consider a little the different Translation of this Clause the Septuagint hath three words ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Goodness Discipline and Knowledge others Bonitatem gustus scientioe doce me teach me Goodness of Tast and Knowledge Vatablus bonitatem sensus Ainsworth learn me Goodness of Reason and Knowledge In the Original Hebrew ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the Hebrew word signifieth Tast or Savour so it is translated Psalm 34. 8. Oh tast and see that the Lord is good The word also signifieth Behaviour as Psalm 34. Title A Psalm of David when he changed his Behaviour before Abimelech For a man is tasted by his carriage and some think it may mean goodness of inclination or manners I think we fitly translate it Judgment it being coupled with a word that signifieth Knowledge Tast by a Metaphor from the bodily sense being applyed to the Mind as Meats are discerned by the Tast so things by the Judgment and so that which David beggeth here is a good or exact Judgment or the faculty of judging well Doct. That a judicious sound mind is a great Blessing and should earnestly be sought of God by all that would please him The Man of God renewing this request so often and his calling it here good Judgment and Knowledge will warrant this Observation and
Recreations when and how to pray what time for our Callings what for Worship when to speak when to hold our peace when to praise and when to reprove how to give and how to take when to scatter when to keep back or withhold and to order all things aright requireth a sound Judgment that we carry our selves with that gravity and seriousness that exactness and tenderness that we may keep up the Majesty of Religion and all the World may know that he is wise by whose Counsel we are guided But alas where this sound Judgment and Discretion is wanting we shall soon offend and transgress the Laws of Piety Charity Justice Sobriety Piety and Godliness will not be orderly we shall either be guilty of a prophane neglect of that course of Duty that is necessary to keep in the Life of Grace or turn Religion into a sowre Superstition and rigorous course of Observances Charity will not be orderly we shall give to wastfulness or withhold more than is meet to the scandal or prejudice of the World towards Religion Not perform Justice we shall govern to God's dishonour obey to his wrong punish with too much severity or forbear with too much lenity our Reproofs will be Reproaches our Praises Flattery Sobriety will not be orderly we shall deny our selves our necessary Comforts or use them as an occasion to the Flesh either afflict the Body and make our selves unserviceable or wrong the Soul and burden and oppress it with vain Delights In short even the higher Acts of Religion will degenerate our Fear will be turned into Desperation or our Hope into Presumption our Faith will be a light Credulity or our search after Truth will turn into a flat Scepticism or Irresolution our Patience will be Stupidness or our Constancy Obstinacy we shall either slight the hand of God or faint under it so that there is need of good Judgment and Knowledge to guide us in all our ways 2. Why this is so earnestly to be sought of God the thing is evident from what is said already but farther 1. Because this is a great defect in most Christians who have many times good Affections but no Prudence to guide and order them they are indeed all Affection but no Judgment have a Zeal but without Knowledg Rom. 10. 3. Zeal should be like Fire which is not onely fervidus but lucidus hot but bright a blind Horse may be full of Mettle but he is ever and anon stumbling Oh then should we not earnestly seek of God good Knowledge and Judgment the Spirit of God knoweth what is best for us in the Scriptures he hath endited Prayers Phil. 1. 9. This I pray that your Love may abound more and more in Knowledge and in all Iudgment That our Love and Zeal should have a proportionable measure of Knowledge and Judgment going along with it And Colos. 1. 9. That ye may be filled with the Knowledge of his Will in all Wisdome and spiritual Understanding And again Colos. 3. 16. Let the word of God dwell in you richly in all wisdome These places shew that it is not enough to have warm Affections but we must have a clear and a sound Mind 2. The Mischief which ariseth from this Defect is so great to themselves to others and the Church of God 1. To themselves 1. Without the distinguishing or discerning act of Judgment how apt are we to be misled and deceived they that cannot distinguish Meats will soon eat what is unwholsome so if we have not a Judgment to approve things that are Excellent and disapprove the contrary our Fancies will deceive us for they are taken with every slight appearance as Eve was deceived by the Fruit because it was fair to see to Gen. 3. 6. with 2 Cor. 11. 3. For I fear lest by any means as the Serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. Our Affections will deceive us for they judge by Interest and profit not Duty and Conscience The Affections are easily bribed by those bastard goods of Pleasure Honour and Profit 2 Cor. 4. 4. In whom the God of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not The consent of the World will deceive us for they may conspire in Errour and Rebellion against God and are usually the opposite party against God Rom. 12. 2. And be not conformed to this world but be ye transformed by the renewing of your minds Good men may deceive us true and faithfull Ministers may erre both in Doctrine and Manners as the old Prophet seduced the young one to his own Destruction 1 Kings 13. 18. He said unto him I am a Prophet also and an Angel spake unto me by the word of the Lord saying Bring him back with thee into thy house that he may eat bread and drink water But he lied unto him In what a wofull plight then are Christians if they have not a Judgment and a Test to tast Doctrines and try things as the Mouth tasteth Meats how easily shall we take good for evil and evil for good condemning that which God approveth and approving that which God condemneth 2. Without the determining Act of Judgment how fickle and irresolute shall we be either in the Profession or in the Practice of Godliness Many Mens Religion lasts but for a pang it cometh upon them now and then it is not their constant frame and constitution For want of this purpose and resolute peremptory decree for the Profession of Godliness there is an uncertainty levity and wavering in Religion Men take up Opinions lightly and leave them as lightly again Light Chaff is carried about with every wind Eph. 4 14. That we henceforth be no more Children tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of Doctrine by the slight of men and cunning craftiness whereby they lie in wait to deceive If we receive the Truth upon the credit of men we may be led off again and we shall be ready to stagger when Persecution cometh especially if we see those men from whom we have learned the Truth fall away if we have not ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã a stedfastness of our own 2 Pet. 3. 17. Beware lest ye also being led away by the errour of the wicked fall from your own stedfastness Men should have a stedfastness proper to themselves not stand by the stedfastness of another the examples of others the countenance or applause of the World or the Opinion of good men but convincing Reason by which their Minds may be inlightened and their Judgments set for God So for Practice we are off and on unstable in all our ways why because we content our selves with some good Motions before we have brought our hearts to this Conclusion to choose God for our Portion and to cleave to him all in hast they will be religious but suddain imperfect Motions may be easily laid aside and given over by contrary
God to command and how reasonable it is that we should obey the supreme being His will is the Reason of all things and who should give Laws to the world but the universal Sovereign who made all things out of nothing Whatsoever you are you received it from the Lord and therefore whatsoever a Reasonable Creature can doe you owe it to him you are in continual dependance upon him For in him you live and move and have your being Acts 17. 28. And he hath redeemed you called you to life by Christ 1 Cor. 6. 19 20. What know you not that your body is the Temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you which ye have of God and ye are not your own for ye are bought with a price therefore glorifie God in your body and in your spirit which are God's You owe all your time and strength and service unto him and therefore you should still be doing his will and abounding in his work 3. He injoyneth nothing but what is good Deuter. 5. 29. Oh that there were such a heart in them that they would fear me and keep all my commandments always that it might be well with them and with their children for ever Deuter. 6. 24. And the Lord commanded us to do all these statutes to fear the Lord our God for our good always that he might preserve us alive as it is at this day God hath tempered his sovereignty towards the Reasonable Creature and ruleth us not with a rod of Iron but with a Scepter of Love He draweth us with the Cords of a man Hos. 11. 4. That is with Reasons and Arguments taken from our own happiness Man being a rational and free Agent he would lead and quicken us to our duty by the consideration of our own benefit and when he might say only Thus shall ye doe I am the Lord yet he is pleased to exhort and perswade us not to forsake our own Mercies or to turn back upon our own happiness and to propound rewards that we may be encouraged to seek after him in that way of duty which he hath prescribed to us The reward is everlasting glory with the mercies of this life in order to it Heb. 11. 6. God is and he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him 4. How indispensibly Obedience to his Commandments is required of us As long as the heart is left loose and arbitrary such is the unruliness and self-willedness of mans nature Rom. 8. 7. The Carnal mind is enmity against God for it is not subject to the law of God neither indeed can be The Carnallist will not be held to his duty but leave that which is honest for that which is pleasing and be governed by his Appetite rather than his Reason therefore Faith hedgeth up his way sheweth him that without holiness it is impossible to see God Heb. 12. 14. That there is no coming to the End unless we take the way that there is no hope of Exemption or excuse for the breaches of his Law allowed but the plea of the Gospel which doth not evacuate but establish Obedience to God's Commands requireth a renouncing of our former conrse and a hearty Resolution To serve God in holiness and righteousness all our days Luke 1. 74 75. Our duty is the end of our deliverance In the Kingdom of Grace we are not our own Masters or at liberty to do what we will Christ came not only as a saviour but as a lawgiver he hath his Laws to try our obedience Heb. 5. 9. And being made perfect he became the Authour of eternal Salvation unto all them that obey him He came not to lessen God's Sovereignty or Man's Duty but to put us into a greater Capacity to serve God he came to deliver us from the curse and indispensible rigours of the Law upon every failing not from our Duty nor that we might not serve God but serve him without fear with Peace of Conscience and joy of Heart and requireth such a degree of Grace as is inconsistent with any predominant Lust and Affection 5. That God loveth those that obey his Law and hateth those that despise it without respect of persons Acts 10. 35. In every Nation he that feareth God and worketh righteousness is accepted with him Psalm 5. 5. Thou hatest all the workers of Iniquity Prov. 11. 20. They that are of a froward heart are an Abomination to the Lord but such as are upright in their way are his delight The more obedient the more God loveth us the less obedient the less God loveth us Therefore unless we love what God loveth and hate what God hateth doe his commands carefully and avoid the contrary we cannot be acceptable with him for God would not make a Law in vain but order his Providence accordingly 6. That one day we shall be called to an account for our conformity and inconformity to God's law There are two parts of Government Legislation and Execution the one belongeth to God as King the other as Judge Laws are but a shadow and the sanction a Mockery unless there shall be a day when those that are subject to them shall be called to an account and reckoning His threatnings are not a vain Scare-Crow nor his Promises a golden Dream therefore he will appoint a day when the Truth of the one and the other shall be fully made good and therefore Faith enliveneth the sense of God's Authority with the remembrance of this day when he will judge the World in Righteousness II. The Necessity 1. The Precepts are a part of the Divine Revelation the object of Faith is the whole Word of God and every part of divinely inspired Truth is worthy of all belief and reverence The word worketh not unless it be received as the Word of God 1 Thess. 2. 13. For this cause also thank we God without ceasing because when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us ye received it not as the word of Men but as it is in Truth the word of God which effectually worketh also in you that believe Now we cannot receive the Word as the word of God unless we receive all there are the same reasons to receive one as the other therefore if any part take good rooting the whole is received There may be a superficial affection to one part more than another but if there be a right Faith we receive all 'T is the engrafted Word that is effectual to the saving of our Souls Iames 1. 21. if we would ingraft the Word the Precepts must stir up answerable Affections as well as the Promises Every part must affect us and stir up Dispositions in us which that part is apt to produce if the Promises stir up Joy and Trust the Precepts must stir up Love Fear and Obedience The same Word which calleth upon us to believe the free Pardon of our Sins doth also call upon us to believe the Commandments of God for the regulating and
things are drawn off from the pursuit of heavenly and are night and day cumbred with much serving and never take time to refresh their Souls with the pleasure of the Word like Martha cumbred about many things while Mary sate at Iesus's Feet and heard his Word Luke 10. Felix domus saith Bernard ubi Martha queritur de Maria 'T is a happy House where Martha complaineth of Mary but alas in most places 't is otherwise Religion is incroached upon all remembrance of God and meditation of his Word is justled out of doors by the Cares of the World Use 2. Is to press us to make this Profession seriously heartily 1. When we have Wealth this Profession should be made to draw off the Heart from it to better things When our Store is increased our Hearts are apt to be inchanted with the love of these things Psalm 62. 10. If riches increase set not your hearts upon them Our Hearts are very apt to be set upon the World but we must remember this is not the true Treasure there are other manner of Riches that we should look after to be rich towards God lest I be a carnal Fool Luke 12. 21. Complacency in a worldly Portion is a sure sign of a worldly Heart more than greedy Desire 2. When we want Wealth we should make this Profession to induce us to Contentment The good Disciples had the Spirit to Iudas as the bad one he gave the Purse if you have spiritual Wisdome and Knowledge you have that which is most excellent Iames 2. 5. God hath chosen the poor of the world to be rich in Faith 3. When we lose Wealth for Righteousness sake we have that which is better The Knowledge of a hated Truth is better than to shine with the Oppressour Prov. 3. 31 32. Exvy not the Oppressour nor choose any of his ways For the Froward is an abomination to the Lord but his secret is with the Righteous You have your Losses exchanged for a greater Good Use 3. Is of Trial. Let us examine our selves and see what esteem and account we have of the Word of God If any say that we are all ready to profess that we esteem the Word of God more than all Riches Then let us bring it off from Words to Deeds Do you prefer Obedience before Gain do you seek after spiritual Wisdome more than Gain Prov. 4. 7. Wisdome is the principal thing therefore get Wisdome and with all thy getting get Understanding Is this your main business to be wise to Salvation How many afflict and torment themselves to get Silver and God but how few to understand and imbrace God's Law how little doth this esteem of the Word controle contrary Desires and Affections SERMON LXXXI PSAL. CXIX 73. Thine hands have made me and fashioned me give me understanding that I may learn thy Commandments IN these words we have two things 1. The Man of God's Argument Thy hands have made me and fashioned me 2. His Request give me understanding to keep thy Commandments 1. For his Argument he pleadeth as God's Creature Man is God's immediate Workmanship both as to his Body and his Soul Some apply the words Thy hands have made me to the Creation of the Soul and the other words and fashioned me to the Creation of the Body but we need not be so accurate both imply that he was wholly the work of God's hand a meer Creature of his framing and a Creature exactly made so made that he was also fashioned fearfully and wonderfully made Psalm 139. 14. The Structure of Man's Body darts a reverence and awe of God into the Consciences of Beholders and he saith in the 15 Verse I was curiously wrought the Vulgar reads it acupictus painted as with a Needle Man's Body is a curious piece of Imbroidery that is to be seen in the Bones Veins and Arteries that spread and run throughout the Body which Consideration increaseth the Argument not onely as he was God's Work but framed with a great deale of Artifice 2. Here is his Request give me understanding that I may learn thy Commandments In which he beggeth Grace that the Faculty might be well disposed give me understanding and rightly exercised that I may learn thy Commandments that he might both know and keep his Commandments Surely he meaneth a saving Knowledge and therefore when the work of Grace is expressed by Knowledge a Theoretical and Notional Knowledge is not understood but that which is Practical and Operative such a Knowledge as doth work such a Change both in the inward and outward Man as that Mind Heart and Practice do express a Conformity to God's Law As Ier. 24. 7. I will give them a heart to know me that I am the Lord and they shall be my People and I will be their God for they shall return to me with their whole heart That is all the Blessings of the Covenant he expresseth by giving them an heart to know him they shall so know me as to acknowledg me for their God and carry themselves accordingly in dutifull Obedience to me I will regard them as their God and they shall regard me as my People So when 't is said Col. 3. 10. That the new man is renewed in knowledge after the Image of him that created him 't is meant of a saving Knowledge or acknowledgment of God such as doth produce a perfect Conformity to his Law in both the Tables 't is such a Knowledge as is set out in Righteousness these are parallel Expressions Eph. 4. 24. Well then this new Nature David prayeth for give me understanding not as though he were altogether a stranger to it but as seeking farther degrees of it such a spiritual understanding of the Will of God as might bring him into a more perfect and intire submission thereunto I am thy Creature let me be thy New Creature give me a Faculty so clearly renewed that I may know and keep thy Commandments Doctr. That as we are Creatures we are some way incouraged to ask of God the Grace of the New Creature I shall draw forth the sense of the Text and the Doctrine in these Propositions 1. That Man was made by God or is God's immediate Workmanship we have the first notice of it Gen. 1. 26. Let us make man after our own image and likeness God put more respect upon him than upon the rest of the work of his hands his Creation is expressed in other terms than were used before He said Let there be light and it was light let there be dry land c. but here God speaketh as if he had called a Consultation about it Let us make man not as if there were more difficulty or as if creating Power were at a nonplus but to shew what special notice he taketh of us and to point out the Excellency which he did stamp upon Man in his Creation beyond the rest of the Creatures There was no Creature but had some Impress of God upon
the Emphasis he doth not barely acknowledge that God was faithfull though or notwithstanding he had afflicted him but faithfull in sending them Affliction and Trouble are not onely consistent with God's Love plighted in the Covenant of Grace but they are parts and branches of the New Covenant-Administration God is not onely faithfull notwithstanding Afflictions but faithfull in sending them There is a difference between these two the one is like an exception to the Rule quoe firmat regulam in non exceptis the other makes it a part of the Rule God cannot be faithfull without doing all things that tend to our good and eternal Welfare the conduct of his Providence is one part of the Covenant-Ingagement as to pardon our sins and sanctify us and give us glory at the last so to suit his Providence as our need and profit requireth in the way to Heaven 'T is an act of his Sovereign Mercy which he hath promised to his People to use such discipline as conduceth to their safety In short the Cross is not onely an exception to the grace of the Covenant but a part of the grace of the Covenant The meaning is God is obliged in point of fidelity to send sharp Afflictions Psal. 89. 32. I will visit their transgression with the rod and their iniquity with stripes Sharp Rods and sore Stripes not onely may stand and be reconciled with God's loving kindness and truth but they are effects and expressions of it 't is a part of that transaction viz. his Covenant-Love 3. The third thing to be explained is his sense of these Truths I know Knowing implies clearness of apprehension and firmness of perswasion so that I know is I fully understand or else I am confident or well assured of this truth But from whence had David his Knowledge how knew he all God's Judgments to be right not from the Flesh or from natural Sense no the Flesh is importunate to be pleased will perswade us the contrary If we consult onely with natural Sense we shall never believe that when God is hacking and hewing at us he intendeth our good and benefit and that when sore Judgments are upon us his end is not to destroy but to save to mortify the Sin and save the Person Sense will teach us no such thing but will surely misinterpret and misexpound the Lord's dealings For the Peace of God is a riddle to a natural Heart Phil. 4. 7. Whence then had David his Knowledge partly from the Word of God and partly from his own observation and particular experience 1. From the Word of God for 't is a maxime of Faith that God can doe no wrong That he is righteous in all his ways and just in all his works Psal. 145. 17. And again Deut. 32. 4. He is the rock his work is perfect for all his ways are judgment and truth and without iniquity just and right is he These are undeniable Truths revealed in the Word of God and must satisfy us whatsoever Sense saith to the contrary the causes and ends of God's particular Judgments are sometimes secret but they are always just Psal. 97. 2. Clouds and darkness are round about him but righteousness and truth are the habitation of his throne Therefore when we see not the reason of God's particular Dispensations we must believe the righteousness and goodness of them 2. David knew by his own observation and particular experience he had much studied his own Heart and considered his own ill deservings and Soul distempers and therefore saw the Lord's Discipline was necessary for him We should better understand God's work and sooner justify him both in point of justice and faithfulness if we did use more observation and did consider what need and profit there is of Affliction Tribulation worketh experience Rom. 5. 4 5. We see what need there was of Affliction and how seasonable the Lord's work was This is a more sensible way of knowledg than the former Faith is a surer ground but spiritual Observation hath its benefit Natural Conscience doth represent our guilt but experience sheweth God's faithfulness how seasonably God took us in our Month and suited his Providence to our present Condition Doct. That it would much quiet the minds of the people of God about all the sad dispensations of his Providence if they would seriously consider the justice and faithfulness of them So did David silence all his murmurings when the hand of God was sore upon him so should we silence all our murmuring all our suspicions of God's dealing when we are under the Cross. I know the Lord doth nothing unjust but is faithfull he will not retract his Covenant-Love and I know his Covenant-Love binds him to lay on us seasonable Affliction and Correction I shall doe two things First Illustrate the Point by some Considerations Secondly Shew that there is much of justice and faithfulness in all the Troubles and Afflictions of God's People Consider 1. We are not onely to grant in the general that God's Judgments are right but that he hath in faithfulness afflicted us So doth David when the stroke of God was heavy upon himself Many will assert the Righteousness of God when they speak to others in their Afflictions but do not indeed justify him in the Afflictions that come upon themselves We are hasty to censure but backward to humble our own Souls before God they will give him the praise of his Justice when he chasteneth others but think God dealeth harshly and rigorously with them when his Scourge is upon their own backs Such a difference is there between Knowledge speculative and experimental between that Conscience which we have in others Concernments and that Knowledge which self-love giveth us in our own David here doth not onely own the general Truth but sees God's faithfulness when the stroke lighted upon himself So Iob 4. 3 4 5. you shall see this was objected to Iob that he could comfort others but now the hand of God was upon him his Soul fainted They that stand upon the shore may easily say to those that are in the midst of the Waves and conflicting for life or death Sail thus When we are well we give Counsel to the sick but if we were so how would we take it our selves So can we say patiently all is just and keep silence to God Consider 2. We must not onely grant this truth that God is faithfull when at ease but when under the sharpest and smartest Discipline We use to praise God in prosperity but we should bless him also when he seemeth to deal hardly with us speak good of God when under the Rod. When we view a Cross at a distance or in the doctrinal contemplation of this Truth we say that God may exercise us with the greatest evil and that we need these methods to bring us to Heaven but when Afflictions come thick and near and close and we are deprived of our nearest and dearest Comforts Credit Liberty Health Life
Children then we have other thoughts 'T is more easy to speak of Trouble than to bear it We reade of Iesus Christ that he learned by experience Heb. 5. 8. He had an actual experience by the things he suffered and he saith now is my soul troubled John 12. 27. There is a vast difference between the most exact apprehension in the Judgment and the experimental feeling of it in the Senses the one may be without so much vexation as the other will produce Though Christ understood perfectly what his Sufferings should be and had resolved upon them yet when he came to feel it his very righteous Soul was under perplexity as a glass of pure Water may be tossed and shaken Affliction is another thing to present sense and feeling than it is to guess and imagination Much more doth it hold good in us for we have not such a perfect foresight of Sufferings as Christ had We suppose they may be avoided or shifted off one way or other I speak this that we may not depend upon our present Resolutions when out of trouble but labour to be more prepared than usually we are that when trouble cometh upon us we may glorify God Consider 3. This acknowledgment must be the real language of our Hearts and not by word of mouth onely thus we must give unto God the praise of his Truth and Righteousness We tip our Tongues with good words and learn such modesty in our language as to say God is just and do not rave against his Providence in wild and bold Speeches but justice and faithfulness must be acknowledged not with the Tongue so much as with the Heart 'T is the language of the Heart which God looketh after When the Soul keepeth silence to God and a due and suitable impression is left upon it of his Justice by a meek and humble submission Mica 7. 9. I will bear the indignation of the Lord for I have sinned against him When God is angry and chastiseth for sin we must stoop humbly under his afflicting Hand bear it patiently and submissively for the Rod is dipped in our own guilt that stoppeth our Mouths and checketh repinings so seeing his faithfulness it maketh us accept the punishment of our iniquities Levit. 26. 41. that is yield to it as a man would to a bitter Potion or a medicinal preparative for his Health so to afflict is as a means to get rid of Sin which would be the bane of the Soul Consider 4. 'T is not enough to acknowledge justice but we must also acknowledge faithfulness not onely his just severity in the punishments of the Wicked but his fidelity and love in the correction of his Children 't is not enough that we justify God and forbear to murmur against his afflicting us but we must see his love and faithfulness in it and that he performeth his Covenant-love His Wisdome and Justice that suppresseth Murmurings his Love and Faithfulness that giveth Hope and Comfort and Courage the one concerneth the Honour of God he righteth himself by his just Judgments the other concerneth our benefit and eternal Welfare Faithfulness is to us and for our good Pharaoh could own Justice Exod. 9. 27. The Lord is righteous but I and my people are wicked But 't is an higher thing to own Faithfulness that supposeth Faith as the other doth Conviction Guilt will sooner fly in our faces and extort from us an acknowledgement of God's Justice than we can own the grace of the New Covenant especially when carnal sense and smart seemeth to speak the contrary The sight of his Justice checketh murmurings the sight of his Faithfulness fainting and discouragement God's Dispensations are just with respect to the Sentence of the Law faithfull with respect to the Promises of the Gospel in short the cause of all Affliction is Sin therefore Justice must be acknowledged their end is Repentance and therefore Faithfulness the end is not destruction and ruine so they might be acts of Justice as upon the Wicked but that we may be fit to receive the Promises such to whom God will perform the promise of eternal Life and so acts of Faithfulness Consider 5. Faith must fix this as a ground not once to be questioned much less to be doubted of or denied that God is just upright and faithfull in all his dealings though weak Man be not able to conceive the reasons of them His Justice may be dark as when he permitteth us to the will of wicked men who afflict us without a cause and lay on without any mercy and pity and God seemeth to befriend their Cause at least doth not restrain them nor give check to their fury we are apt to be tempted to thoughts of rigour and injustice in God's Dispensations but we must consider not mens dealing but God's 't is unjust as to men but we have no cause to be angry with God and complain of God as if he did not doe right No though we do not see the reason of it yet 't is just God's Iudgments are a great deep we should believe the Righteousness and Goodness of God in the general Psal. 36. 7. before we can find it out The People of God have maintained their Principle when they have been puzled and imbrangled in interpreting God's Providence Ier. 12. 1. Righteous art thou O Lord when I plead with thee and Psal. 73. 1. Yet God is good to Israel In all such cases 't is best to acknowledge our own ignorance and rather accuse our selves of blindness than God of injustice This is a fixed truth that God is righteous though we cannot so clearly make it out And sometimes we are tempted to doubt of his Fidelity and Truth when we feel nothing but the smart of the Rod the benefit is future not an object of Sense but Faith and it must be evident to Faith before 't is evident to Feeling Heb. 12. 11. No affliction for the present seemeth joyous but grievous but afterwards it bringeth the quiet fruit of righteousness When all is sharp and hard to Sense Faith can see all is for our profit for our good Here is nothing repugnant to God's Truth nothing but what is necessary to make good his Truth Faith must determine it to be when Sense will not find it so God's Works are misexpounded when we go altogether by present Sense whether internal or external many times we know not what God is about to doe as Christ told Peter John 13. 7. What I doe thou knowest not now but thou shalt know hereafter That which the Lord is doing tendeth not to ruine and wrath though through our ignorance and mistake we so interpret it Alas no wonder we are in the dark when we so judge of his Work who is wonderfull in counsel and excellent in working who will not always satisfy our sense and curiosity but chooseth such a way as will most suit his intent But ever in all such cases Faith must determine that God is
observing what God will do by them 2 Sam. 16. 11. Let him curse for the Lord hath bidden him God hath work for them to do to mortifie our wantonness to break our stubborn humors 2dly Because God's salvation will come in the best time and in the best way Psal. 62. 1. Truly my soul waiteth upon God from him cometh my salvation Isa. 30. 18. God is a God of judgment Blessed are they that wait for him God doth all things with wisdom and in the best manner USE How afflicted soever we be let us not seek to be delivered in a way not allowed by God nor take any sinister Courses or use any base Shifts to rid our selves out of danger This is to distrust God and to intangle our selves the more and to miscarry in a long Voyage after we are about to enter into the Port. See the Story of Saul's sacrificing in 1 Sam. 13. from the 8th verse to the 15th If he had tarried a little longer all had been well before the day was quite over Saul would sacrifice and then Samuel cometh and telleth him God had rent the Kingdom from him for his distrust and disobedience So many will forestal the Blessing IV. DOCT. Hope keepeth us alive in the midst of Faintings My soul fainteth But I hope 1. Observe here That though the Faith of God's Children seem to faint yet it doth not dye nor wholly fail Some seem greedily to catch at Promises at first but their ardor is soon spent and when it is a troublesom business to wait upon God they give it over This is the faith and hope of Temporaries but the good ground bringeth forth fruit with patienââ¦e Luke 8. 15. God's Children tarry his leisure and though now and then they are ready to faint yet they recover Their Faith Hope and Patience seemeth to be almost spent yet it is not utterly put out As David here was not broken with long and tedious difficulties though he saw no end of his miseries yet he would still depend upon God There is an abiding seed 1 Iohn 3. 8. Their state is secured by God's Covenant that there shall be no total rupture nor utter deficiency Perseverance is a condition of the New Covenant not only required but given as all conditions of the New Covenant are There is Donum Perseverantiae not only a power to persevere but Perseverance itself 2. That which keepeth our Faith from dying and sustaineth the Soul of the Faithful and keepeth life in them is the resuscitation of our hopes What doth hope to the supporting of a fainting Soul First It draweth off the mind from things present to things future and diversion is one way to cure Trouble while we pore only on our grievous Troubles they prove a temptation to us but Hope lifts up the head and looketh above these things That poring on the Affliction and Trouble causes fainting See Lament 3. 18 19 20. but remembring God's mercies and promises reviveth us The remembring the great depth of Affliction and Extremity overwhelmeth us I have them in mind continually and so am dejected but when I begin to call to mind God's infinite mercies I conceive some hope of recovery That which was remembred is in the 22 23 24 25 26 verses 2dly Hope representeth the excellency and certainty of these future things and so causeth earnestness and patience 1. The Excellency 'T is a question among Divines What is the difference between Faith and Hope because they are much of a like nature One difference is Faith looks to the truth of the Promise Hope to the goodness of the thing promised For Faith respects the person giving his fidelity and Hope the persons receiving their benefit and exciteth them to look for it 'T is something worth the looking and waiting for and such as will recompence present Troubles 2 Cor. 5. 17 18. 2. The Certainty For though it mainly comforts its self with the goodness of the thing promised yet it causeth patience in waiting because of the sureness It seeth things that cannot be seen and perceived by sense Rom. 8. 25. If we hope for that which we see not then do we with patience wait for it 'T is good and 't will not sail therefore we may and must tarry God's leisure 3. The most noble and principal object of Hope is the great Promise of Eternal Salvation This must in chief be hoped for partly because temporal salvation is not so surely promised but under sundry cautions and reservations As If it be for our good if God's glory will permit it and the beauty of his work and the many things God hath to do before the deliverance be brought about especially if it be a common salvation wherein others are concerned as well as we as if their hearts be prepared c. Partly because Christians are to be at a point of greater indifferency about outward things than the Believers of the Old Testament now life and immortality is brought to light 2 Tim. 1. 10. They were trained up by sensible things both in their worship and promises The Cross is one of our conditions Mat. 16. 24. If any man will come after me let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me We must look for Afflictions and those not ordinary Afflictions but the loss of all or else we do not count the charges aright we must refer all to God's Will Christ may let some slip through at a cheaper and easier rate but all must resolve on it Partly because this is propounded as the great comfort Luke 12. 32. Fear not little flock it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom and accordingly used by the Saints David in his disappointments Psal. 39. 7. And now Lord what wait I for my hope is in thee He meaneth the hope of immortality opposite to that vain shew and false appearance which is in worldly things This was that Iob comforted himself with that ancient Believer Job 19. 26. Though after my skin worms destroy this body yet in my flesh shall I see God And the Maccabees Heb. 11. 35. They were tortured not accepting deliverance that they might obtain a better resurrection Partly because that which God hath promised in the world to come is only satisfactory and able to quiet a man's mind and make him patiently wait upon God in all his troubles Here is enough to countervail all difficulties to support us under them to recompence us for them 't is not long e're it will come in hand it cannot enough be desired it may be hoped for by the righteous in their greatest extremities Prov. 14. 32. The righteous hath hope in his death USE For Instruction When your Souls are apt to faint let Hope look out for better times or better things 1. For better Times God will not always chide Psal. 103. 9. He will not always chide neither will he keep his anger for ever Nor shall the Rod of the wicked always rest
a circumstance the Word written not a dead letter but can sufficiently evidence it self to be of God de jure it hath the same power still though de facto not always so received and so owned by the sons of Men but only by those that are enlightned by the Spirit to see this evidence You find by daily experience every ingenious Author leaves an image and impress of his own spirit the mark of his genius upon every work that he doth We can say of an Exquisite Painting by some secret Art in it this is the hand of such a great Master Now can it be imagined that God should put his hand to any work and leave no signature or impress of it upon that work it cannot be imagined for it must be either because he could not or because he would not that God could not cannot be said without blasphemy Can Men shew the wisdom and learning they have attain'd to in every work and cannot God who is the Father of lights and the Fountain of wisdom insinuate such secret marks and notes of his wisdom and divine authority into that writing he took care should be pen'd for the use and comfort of the world that it might be known to be his And that he would not that cannot be believed neither He that is so willing to shew man what is good so willing to reveal himself to the reasonable creature can we imagine he would so wholly conceal himself that there should be no stamp of himself upon that doctrine to move our reverence and obedience but receive it from the testimony of such a Church Therefore surely there is enough in the Word to discover God to be the Author The Apostles when they went abroad to work Faith all the fruit that they expected from their Preaching was from this self-evidencing light which was discovered in their doctrine therefore doth the Apostle say 2 Cor. 4. 2. Not handling the Word of God deceitfully but by manifestation of the truth commending our selves to every mans conscience in the sight of God They did not commend themselves to the consciences of Men meerly by the Miracles which they wrought though that also was some Seal of their Commission and that they were authoriz'd and sent by God to preach those things to the world but by the manifestation of the truth commending themselves to every mans conscience So the Apostle reckons up many things approving our selves as the Ministers of God by the word of truth 2 Cor. 6. 4. Therefore certainly there is somewhat in the truth deliver'd that will sufficiently make out it self to be of God and when they render the reason why this Word was not received it was not for want of evidence as if this truth could not sufficiently be known to be of God but because Men were blinded with their lusts and carnal affections for so he saith 2 Cor. 4. 3 4. If our Gospel be hid it is hid to them that are lost In whom the God of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not c. Which shews there is a light in the Gospel by which it can discover itself and if this light be hidden from the eyes of Men it is because their minds are blinded by their own lusts and carnal affections Now if the certainty of truth will draw affection certainly those truths which are conveyed in the Word of God should gain upon our hearts and draw affection why because these are sublime supreme and weighty truths and come in with a great deal of evidence upon the hearts of Men. 2. If Goodness can gain the hearts and affections of Men the Word of God is good as well as true There 's a double desire in Man a desire of truth and a desire of immortality to know the truth and to enjoy the chiefest good the happiness of the intellect of the understanding that lies in the contemplation of truth and the happiness of the will in the enjoyment of good In the state of Innocency this was represented by the Tree of Life and the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil to suit these two capacities and desires that were in the heart of Man The Tree of Life to suit his desires of happiness and the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil to suit his desires of truth Under the Law this is set forth by the Candlestick and the Table of Shew-bread and in the Gospel by the Sacrament of Baptism which is called an enlightning Hebr. 10. 32. After you were enlightned that is after you were baptized and the Lord's Supper Light and Life they are the two great things Man looks after as a reasonable Creature to get more Light and then Life that he may enjoy God Now we are still at a loss for satisfaction of these desires until we meet with the Word of God where there is primum verum the supreme truth and summum bonum the chiefest good and therefore the directions of the Word are called true Laws and good Statutes Nehem. 9. 13. True Laws all words of truth so to perfect the understandings of Men and good Laws very suitable to their will and inclination and so bear a full proportion with the desires of a reasonable Creature So 1 Tim. 1. 15. This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation The Gospel is a faithful saying there 's truth to perfect the understanding and then worthy of the chiefest embraces of our wills and affections As there is plain certain clear truth in the Word of God a satisfaction to the understanding in the view of truth so there is also a full compliance with the motions of the will which the Scripture offereth Now two things there are the Scriptures do reveal which are good for Men and cannot be found elsewhere and all the world have been puzled about them how to find them out 1 Reconciliation with God 2. Salvation or Eternal Happiness 1. Reconciliation with God This is the grand enquiry of the guilty creature wherewith God shall be appeased satisfied and we reconciled to him he being offended by our sin Micah 6. 8. How Justice shall be satisfied and Men that are obnoxious to the wrath of God may come to have delightful communion with him this is the great scruple that troubleth the Creature and all the false Religions in the World were invented for the removing and assailing this doubt and scruple and appeasing the hearts of Men as to these fears of divine justice Now we can nowhere be satisfied but in the way of Reconciliation and Peace which is tendred by God himself to repenting sinners through the mediation of Christ Jesus Natural conscience will make us sensible of sin and wrath and we have no ransom to pay it and all other creatures cannot help us for they are debtors to God for all they have and can do how then shall God be satisfied how shall we escape this vengeance This fear would have remained
off Providence appeareth with a doubtful face they that take to the better part may be reduced to great straits therefore sometimes it may happen to the righteous according to the work of the wicked and to the wicked according to the work of the righteous Ecl. 8. 4. So variously doth God dispense external good and evil and may seem to frown upon those that are faithful now yet we should not depart from his judgments Iob 13. 14. Though he kill me yet will I trust in him We should wrastle through many disappointments here or hereafter God will not own us 2. By giving success to a wrong party that layeth claim to him to his favour in an evil way and interpret when his providence seems to be an approbation of an evil course 't is a great temptation God's choicest servants have staggered by it but yet 't is but a temptation Psal. 50. 21. I kept silence and thou thoughest that I was altogether such a one as thy self God may hold his hand though they strangely transform him in their thoughts and entitle their actions to his Patronage God tryeth you Deut. 13 2 3. The Lord your God proveth you to know whether ye love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul. God's Word is so clear and satisfactory that by a righteous judgment he may permit it to try our stedfastness and obedience not as chaff but as solid graâ⦠But must we not regard Providences yes but not interpret them against the Word but with it 't is comfortable to see the Word back'd with a Providence Rom. 2. 18. Heb. 2. 2. and Hos. 7. 12. when the Word is made good and they feel that which they would not believe 2dly Not interpret it against the Word Providence is never against the Word it is an exact Comment upon it if we had eyes to see it and when we see it altogether we shall find it so but now we view it by pieces and so mistake Rom. 8. 28. For we know that all things work together for good to them that love God to them who are called according to purpose Ps. 73. 17. Until I went into the sanctuary then understood I their ends When we look to the end of things all hazards are over Secondly The Reasons why we must be exact and constant notwithstanding these temptations I will name but two implied in the two words of the Text Thy Iudgments 1. 'T is God's Word 2. God's Word is Judgment 1. 'T is God's direction who cannot deceive or be deceiv'd you may venture your souls temporal and eternal estate and all upon it upon God's bare word for it is impossible for him to lye In his promises Heb. 6. 18. or to be deceiv'd in his directions The Word of the Lord is a pure Rule 1 Iohn 2. 27. The unction teacheth you all things and is truth and is no lye There is no erring while we walk by this direction the Spirit of God teaching us by his Word and indeed this is the effect of that great Faith to believe God upon his bare word to believe what he hath spoken is true and to act accordingly if this were rooted in our hearts we should not be so unstable so easily foiled by Satan discouraged by the oppositions of evil men or live by example but by rule and would interpret the Providence of God to the advantage and not the prejudice of obedience Whom resist stedfast in the faith 1 Pet. 5. 9. Adhere to the truth of the Word I know here is my direction and in the issue will be my safety and happiness But either we do not believe this is God's Word or do not urge the heart with God's authority and veracity and therefore we are up and down but now when we determine this is God's Word and so receive it 1 Thess. 2. 13. When ye received the Word of God which ye heard of us ye received it not as the word of men but as it is in truth the Word of God And then 't is my Rule whatever it cost me there you urge the heart with the authority of God Mat. 16. 24. A resolute giving up our selves to God's direction and to receive the Law from his mouth and it is a certain Rule whatever cross accidents fall out it should be receiv'd with such certainty and absolute authority as nothing should move us so assured of it That if an Angel should preach any other doctrine let him be accursed Gal. 1. 8. 2 Tim. 3. 16. and 2 Pet. 1. 2. when it is believed to be the Lord's mind 't is a sure ground for Faith to rest upon 't is not a doctrine sound out by the wit of Man no private invention of others but God's inspiration God hath wisdom to direct me the safest way and goodness and faithfulness enough not to mislead me Good and upright is the Lord therefore will he teach sinners in the way Psal. 25. 8. It is not the devices of their heads that wrote it but the publick mind of God and saith the Apostle Knowing this first this is the first and supreme principle he had said ver 19. that we should consult with the Word for direction and comfort before we can get any saving light or true comfort 2dly ' ââ¦is Judgments Every Man's doom is contain'd in the Word and if you can but stay a little you shall see it verifi'd by sensible and plain experiences do but wait and observe how God maketh good his promises and accomplisheth his threatnings and you will say no cause to depart you will find you have done right in the issue and that close obedience is the only way of safety and happiness here and hereafter David did as to his own case Psal. 18. 21. I have kept the ways of the Lord and have not wickedly departed from my God And was he a loser by it No God hath recompensed me according to the cleanness of my hands On the other side those that depart from God are destroyed his Word will be made good against them Psal. 119. ver 119. Thou puttest away the wicked of the earth like dross Use 1. Is direction to us both in publick and private Cases Be sure you follow such ways as God's Word doth allow for otherwise it is not constancy but obstinacy and then whatever troubles and discouragements you meet with this will be a comfort to you that you are in God's way First As to your private Case be not discouraged by the instability of your hearts and the temptations of Satan you will be up and down with God But observe these two Rules 1. It is necessary to watch against your first declinings lest by little and little the heart be stolen away from God When you lose your savor of holy things lessen your diligence and are not so exact and watchful you begin to depart from God The gap once made in the conscience groweth wider and wider every day The
honey There was somewhat of Prophetical Vision in these things but generally it is carried not an outward and literal eating but a spiritual taste relishing the sweetness of it Well then the Word must not only be read and heard but eaten What 's this spiritual eating of the Word Three things are in it and all make way for this taste 1 Sound Belief 2 Serious Consideration 3 Close Application He that would have a taste of spiritual things these three things are necessary 1. That there be a sound Belief of it Men have not taste because they have not faith we cannot be affected with what we do not believe Heb. 4. 2. The Word profited not not being mixed with faith in them that heard it What 's the reason Men have no taste in the doctrine of God and in the free offers of his grace It is not mingled with faith and then it wants one necessary Ingredient towards this taste So 1 Thes. 2. 13. Te received the Word of God which effectually worketh also in you that believe If you would have spiritual sense Faith makes way for it we must take the Word as the Word of God When we read in feigned Stories of inchanted Castles and golden Mountains they affect us not because we know they are but witty Fictions pleasant Fables or idle Dreams and such Atheism and Unbelief lies in the hearts of men against the very Scriptures and therefore the Apostle seeks to obviate and take off this 2 Pet. 1. 16. We have not followed cunningly devised fables intimating there is such a thought in man's heart Certainly if men did believe the mystery that is without controversie great that God hath indeed sent his Son to redeem the world and would indeed bestow Heaven and eternal happiness upon them they would have a greater taste but they hear of these things as a Dream of Mountains of Gold or Rubies falling from the Clouds If they did believe these glorious things of Eternity their hearts would be ravish'd with them 2. As Faith is necessary so serious Consideration by which we concoct Truth and chew them and work them upon the heart that causeth this sweetness by knocking on the Flint the sparks flie out those ponderous and deep inculcative thoughts of divine and heavenly things makes us taste a sweetness in them When we look slightly and superficially into the Word no wonder we do not find this comfort and sweetness but when we dig deeply into the Mines of the Word and work out truths by serious thoughts and search for wisdom when we come to see truth with our own eyes in its full nature order and dependance this is that which gets this taste Prov. 24. 13 14. My son eat thou honey because it is good and the honey comb which is sweet to thy taste So shall the knowledge of wisdom be unto thy soul when thou hast found it When men are serious look into the nature and see all truths in their order and dependance then they will be like honey and the honey comb this makes way for this sweet taste 3. There is necessary to this taste close Application For the nearer and closer things touch one another the greater their efficacy so the more close you set the Word home upon your own hearts the more it works Iob 5. 27. Know it for thy good break out thy portion of the bread of life look upon these promises and offers of grace as including thee these commands speaking to thee and these threatnings as concerning thee look upon it not only as God's Message in common but urge it upon thy soul. Ier. 15. 16. It was unto me the rejoicing of my heart There must be a particular application of these things These things are necessary to this taste with respect to the Object as there must be eating a taking into the mouth if we would taste so thââ¦e must be a digesting or working upon the Word by sound Belief serious Consideration close Application 2. As to this taste there is somewhat necessary as to the Soul or Faculty we must have a Palate qualifi'd for these delicates Now there 's a double qualification necessary to this taste an hungry Conscience and mortifi'd Affections 1. An hungry Conscience Without this a Man hath a secret loathing of this spiritual food his taste is benummed but to an hungry Conscience the Word is sweet when he is kept in a constant hungring after Christ and his Grace Prov. 27. 7. The full soul loatheth the honey comb but to the hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet Cordials they are nauseous things to a full stomach O but how reviving comfortable and sweet are they to a poor broken heart The first time that we got this taste it was when we were under the stings of a guilty Conscience then God came and tender'd his grace to us in Christ he sent a Messenger one of a thousand to tell us he fiath found a ransom and that we shall be deliver'd from going down into the Pit that he will spare us and do us good in Christ Jesus then the man's flesh recovers again like a child's Iob 33. 23. When men have felt the stings of the second death and God comes with a sentence of life and peace by Christ how sweet is it then Now though we have not always a wounded Conscience yet we must always have a tender Conscience always sensible of the need of Gospel support we came to this first relish of the doctrine of eternal life and salvation by Christ when we lay under the sentence of eternal death 2. The heart must be purged from carnal affections for until we lose our fleshly savor we cannot have this spiritual taste Rom. 8. 5. They that are after the flesh do savor the things of the flesh the word may be translated so A carnal heart relishes nothing but carnal things worldly pleasures worldly delights now this doth exceedingly deaden your spiritual taste Spiritual taste is a delicate thing therefore the heart must be purged from fleshly lusts for when fleshly lusts bear sway and doth relish the garlick and onions and flesh pots of Egypt your affections will carry you elsewhere to the vanities of the world and contentments of the flesh Look as sick men have lost their taste and that which is sweet seems sowr and ungreateful to a distemper'd appetite so a carnal appetite hath not this taste from the Word of God to a carnal heart it 's no more savory than the white of an Egg yea it is as gall to them but now to others it is exceeding sweet it is their joy the life of their souls Well then you see what is this spiritual taste that relish which a renewed soul hath for spiritual comforts Use. To persuade you to get this taste and when once you have got it take heed you do not lose it 1 It concerns you very much to get this taste take these Arguments 1. It is a
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 Pââ¦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
them It is not arbitrary whether you will take the testimony of the Lord for your heritage or no. God cannot endure to be despised When Nabal despised Davids kindness I will cut off every one that pisseth against the wall so when the Lord hath made such an offer of himself and his Christ in Covenant and love hath gone to the uttermost to save and we turn back then snares and brimstone and an horrible tempest this shall be the portion of their Cup Psal. 11. 6 8. It would make a mans heart tremble to think of the Heirs apparent of the Land of Darkness that is wicked men God will give them their portion with hypocrites in everlasting Burnings therefore take heed of refusing this portion you can look for nothing but terrible things from God for his love is despised Well then go in Gods name and take hold of the Covenant Again this may be of use to press Believers to live answerable to such an heritage Am I an Heir of Heaven and so uncomfortable and dejected Can I have an interest in the Promises and be no more affected This returning upon our Hearts Rom. 8. 31. When the Apostle had spoken that we should be Co-heirs with Christ and laid forth the priviledges of the Covenant he concludes What shall we say to these things So Christians go home return upon your heart and say Have I an interest in him and live at such a low rate both for comfort and grace Do I walk in such a low and unsuitable manner Do I look upon this as the only sure heritage for my Soul Urge your heart with such Questions as these Doct. 2. The taking of Gods Testimonies for our heritage breeds joy and rejoycing in the heart Now this joy ariseth partly from the portion it self partly from the disposition of the Saints and partly from the dispensation of God 1. From the portion it self It is a portion that deserves to be rejoyced in it is so full and God cannot be possess'd without great joy A man cannot think of a little Pelf and worldly Riches that 's his own without some comfort and can a man think of these great things without comfort Consider both what we have in hand and hope and still 't is matter of joy In hand there 's reconciliation with God O to have God in amity with us Rom. 5. 1. If one have but a Great Man to his friend it comforts him that he hath such a prop and stay O but now to have God reconciled And then to have the care of Providence to have God engaged as a Father God caring for us to be under a Promise that he will never fail us till he hath brought us to Heaven And then to have Heaven kept for us those glorious things we rejoyce in the hope of the glory of God joy is pitched upon our hopes in many places something in possession and something in reversion this must needs breed a joy in our Soul Heb. 3. 6. The rejoycing of hope and Rom. 12. 12. Rejoyce in hope A Christian hath cause to rejoyce for what he hath in hand God's at peace with him he can go to him as a friend as a God in Covenant with him he is bound to provide for him as a Father and then at the end of all a glorious happiness that is to be enjoyed 2. It ariseth from the disposition of the hearts of Gods people partly from their esteem their faith their assurance they take it for their heritage they esteem it as their portion they believe it and reflect upon their own interest and all this causeth joy It comes from their esteem that which I esteem I will delight in Mat. 6. 21. Where the treasure is there will the heart be Affection follows esteem and above all the affection of delight A man may desire a thing that is nothing worth when he comes to enjoy it then he sleights it We are not acquainted with the imperfection of all worldly things until we come to enjoy them but delight that 's an argument of esteem the choicest affection And then it comes from Faith Many hear of such great promises but they hear like men in a Dream but now a Believer that hath a piercing sight that seeth the reality and truth of them his heart leaps within him Heb. 11. 13. It is said These all dyed in faith not having received the promises but having seen them afar off and were perswaded of them and embraced them When a man is perswaded of the truth the reality and goodness of the promise O his heart leaps they hugged the promises here 's a promise that will yield Glory Heaven and Happiness and all that I stand in need of Spiritual sight makes way for spiritual perswasion and spiritual perswasion for holy rejoycing that 's the order In whom believing we were filled with joy Faith is the immediate ground and that is the reason why carnal men do not feel such lively joy they do not believe it Then it comes too from assurance and reflection upon their own interest when they can challenge it as theirs when it is made over to them The rejoycing of Faith is not only good in common but propriety is a ground of rejoycing and delight is nothing but a complacency in our portion 1 Sam. 30. 6. David encouraged himself in the Lord his God 3. It comes from the dispensation of God for when we esteem the promises and delight in them then the Lord fills the heart with sweetness Rom. 15. 13. The God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing The Lord rewards delight with delight Thou shalt call the Sabbath thy delight in one place then presently thou shalt delight thy self there 's the promise There is a delight and rejoycing that is our duty and a delight and rejoycing that is Gods dispensation God loves to reward Grace with Grace Look as in a way of Judgment he punisheth sin with sin as when security is punished with sottish obstinacy and hardness of heart so it is a sweet mercy when Grace is rewarded with Grace when our delight in the promises is rewarded with a sweetness and tast of the promises Use 1. The portion of Gods Children and Religion is no dark gloomy thing The people of God have hidden joys As the Sun shines many times when it rains so though they be under affliction yet they have the shine of Gods face the comfort of Gods promises Let me shew the excellency of the spiritual heritage above the carnal A carnal heritage alas that 's a poor thing there is no strong consolation in it The comforts of wicked men are poor weak comforts they cannot comfort us in any affliction poor things soon overcome but to Gods people their heritage affords strong consolation in overcoming worldly Lusts in spoiling the relish of other pleasures overcoming worldly care and worldly sorrow in bearing us out in all afflictions nay the strength of
sincerely with him 5. It directeth us how to expect this blessing in what manner only in the way and manner that it is promised Zeph. 3. 3. Seek righteousness seek meekness it may be you shall be hid not absolutely but as referring it to Gods will There is the keeping of the outward man and the keeping of the inward man As to the outward man all things come alike to all the Christian is safe whatever becomes of the man the Lord will keep him to his heavenly Kingdome 2 Tim. 4. 17 18. That which the Christian desires mainly to be kept is his Soul that he may not miscarry and blemish his profession and dishonour God and do any thing that is unseemly I say we cannot absolutely expect temporal safety The righteous are liable to many troubles therefore in temporal things God will not always keep off the temporal stroke but leave us to many uncertainties or at least hold us in doubt about it that we may trust his goodness When we trust God we must trust all his Attributes not only his Power that he is able to preserve but his Goodness that he will do that which is best that there may be a submission and referring of all things to his will as David 2 Sam. 15. 26. If he say I have no delight in thee behold here am I let him do unto me as seemeth good unto him God will certainly make good his promise but this trust lies not in an absolute certainty of success However this should not discourage us from making God our refuge because better promises are sure enough and Gods keeping us in suspence about other things is no evidence he will not afford them to us it is his usual course and few instances can be given to the contrary to have a special regard to his trusting Servants and to hide them secretly They that know his name will find it that he never hath forsaken them that put their trust in him Psal. 9. 10. It is the only sure way to be safe whereas to perplex our souls with distrust even about these outward things that 's the way to bring ruine and mischief upon our selves or turn aside to crooked paths Well then you see what respect the word hath to this priviledge that God is a shield and a hiding place The word discovers God under these notions the word invites and encourageth us to put God to this use the word assures us of the Divine protection it directeth us to the qualification of the persons that shall enjoy this priviledge they that can trust God and walk uprightly with him and it directeth us to expect the blessing not with absolute confidence but leaving it to God III. The third thing I am to do is to shew this word must be applied by Faith I hope in thy word Hope is not strictly taken here but for faith or a certain expectation of the blessing promised What doth Faith do here Why the use of Faith is 1. To quiet the heart in waiting Gods leisure Psal. 33. 20. Our soul waiteth for the Lord he is our help and our shield If God be our help and shield then faith is quietly to wait the Lords leisure till he sends deliverance the word must bear up our hearts and we must be contented to tarry his time Isai. 28. 16. He that believeth shall not make hast will not out-run God 2. In fortifying the heart against the present difficulties that when all visible helps and interests are cut off yet we may encourage our selves in the Lord. When they were wandring in the wilderness and had neither house nor home then Moses the man of God pens that Psalm and how doth he begin it Lord thou hast been our dwelling place in all Generations Psal. 90. 1. What was wanting in sense they saw was made up in the alsufficiency of God And so here 's the use of Faith when in defiance of all difficulties we can see an alsufficiency in God to counterballance that which is wanting in sense So doth David Psal. 3. 3. Lord saith he thou art my shield and glory and the lifter up of my head Look to that Psalm it was penned when David was driven from his Palace Royal by Absolom when he was in danger God was his shield when his Kingdom and Honour were laid in the dust God was his Glory when he was under sorrow and shame and enemies insulting over him when the people rose against him and he was in great dejection of spirit God was the lifter up of his head This is getting under the Covert of this shield or compass of this hiding place 3. The use of Faith is to quicken us to go on cheerfully in our duty and with a quiet heart resting upon Gods love power and truth so David Psal. 131. 5. Into thy hands I commit my spirit for thou hast redeemed me O Lord God of truth David was then in great danger the Net was laid for him as he saith in the former verse and when he was likely to perish what doth he do he casts all his cares upon God and trusts him with his life Into thy hands I commit my spirit that is his life safety c. Use 1. Admire the goodness of God who will be all things to his people if we want a house he will be our dwelling place if we want a covert he will be our shield our hiding place whatever we want God will supply it There 's a notable expression Psal. 91. 9. Because thou hast made the Lord which is my refuge even the most high thy habitation Mark that double Notion a habitation is the place of our abode in time of peace a refuge the place of our retreat in a time of war Be it peace or war God will be all in all he will be a fountain of blessing to us in a time of peace he will be our habitation there where we have our sweetest comforts and then in time when dangers and difficulties are abroad God will be a refuge and a place of retreat to our souls Use 2. To perswade us to contentation in a time of trouble Though we have not a Palace yet if we have but a hiding place though our condition be not so commodious as we do desire yet if God will vouchsafe a little liberty in our service we must be content if he will give us a little safety though not plenty for here is not our full reward And therefore it is well we can make this use of God to be our shield and hiding place though we have not that ample condition which a carnal heart would fancy God never undertook in his Covenant to maintain us at such a rate nor thus to enlarge our portion if he will vouchsafe a little security and safety to us during the time of our pilgrimage we must be content Use 3. This should more encourage us against the evil of sin since God assures us of protection and
against troubles Besides maintenance there is protection in the promise If we had Faith to believe this it would effectually quiet our minds in all our necessities and streights and perplexities Man can do much bring them low even to a morsel of bread we need not much desire the best things of the world nor fear the worst need not be covetous nor fearful Where Faith is in any life and strength it moderateth our desires and fears 'T is an ill part of a Believer to hang the head II. Second Point from that Clause David's eyes were to Gods salvation That Gods word being past his people do and must wait for the accomplishment of it The lifting up of the eyes implies three things Faith Hope and Patience all which do make up the Duty of waiting for help and relief from God 1. The lifting up the eyes implies Faith and confident perswasion that God is ready and willing to help us 2 Chron. 20. 12. But our eyes are unto thee Psal. 123. 1 2. Unto thee I lift mine eyes O thou that dwellest in the Heavens The very lifting up of the bodily eye towards Heaven is an expression of this inward trust so David in effect saith From thee Lord I expect relief and the fulfilling of thy promises So that there is Faith in it that Faith which is the evidence of things not seen How great soever the darkness of our calamities be though the Clouds of present troubles thicken about us and hide the Lords care and loving kindness from us yet Faith must look through all to his power and constancy of truth and love The eye of Faith is a clear piercing Eagle eye Heb. 11. 27. Moses endured as seeing him that was invisible A man is very short-sighted before 2 Pet. 1. 9. He that lacketh these things is blind and cannot see afar off can only skill in the things of sense and reason see a danger near him as Beasts or a bait while 't is before him a Brute thinketh of no other or else goeth by probabilities as it seeth things by the light of reason in their causes But Faith seeth things afar off in the promises Heb. 11. 13. at a greater distance than the eye of Nature can reach to take it either for the eye of the body or the mind Faith will draw comfort not only from what is invisible at present but not to come for a long time 't is future as well as invisible its supports lye in the other world and are yet to come 2. There is hope in it for what a man hopeth for he will look for it if he can see it a coming The earnest expectation of the Creature ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Rom. 8. 19. the stretching forth of the head Iudg. 5. 28. They looked out at the window and cried through the Lattice Why is his Chariot so long a coming So by spiritual hope there is a lifting up of the eyes or a looking out for what God hath promised or an intent observing all together Our conversation is in Heaven from whence we look for a Saviour Phil. 3. 20. Faith keepeth the eye of the mind fixed upon the promise and is ever looking out for deliverance Psal. 121. 1 2. I will lift mine eyes to the Hills from whence cometh my help my help cometh from the Lord which made Heaven and Earth Thence they look and wait for succour it must come out of Heaven to them They see it they can spy a Cloud a coming that which a man careth not for he doth not look for David saith I will pray and look up Psal. 5. 3. Hope hath expectation of the thing or object hoped for 3. There is patience in it in persevering and keeping on our looking till mercy come With faith and ardency in expecting Gods help Looking and waiting is to be conjoined notwithstanding difficulties till it procure deliverance Psal. 123. 2. Our eyes wait on the Lord who will have mercy on us This lifting up of the eyes doth not imply a glance or once looking to Heaven but that we keep looking till God doth help Isai. 8. 17. I will wait on the Lord that hideth his face from the house of Iacob and I will look for him There is a constant depending and patient attending upon God notwithstanding the present tokens of his wrath and displeasure As a man withdraweth himself from a party and will not be seen of him nor spoken to by him but the resolute Suitor tarrieth to meet and speak with him So Mic. 7. 7. Therefore I will look unto the Lord I will wait for the God of my salvation My God will hear me Not give over upon every discouragement as a Merchant doth not discontinue trading for every loss at Sea Certainly 't is not faith and hope unless we can endure and bear out Natural courage will bear out for a while but not long A little touch breaketh a bubble and a sleight natural expectation is soon discouraged but to hope against hope to pray when God forbids praying to keep waiting when we have not only difficulties in the World but seeming disappointments from Heaven it self when the promise and Christ seem to be parting from you and refuse you yet then to say I will not let thee go until thou bless me as Iacob said to the Angel Gen. 32. 25 26. when God saith let me alone Use. Let us turn our selves towards God for help and have our eyes on him and keep them there Psal. 141. 8. But mine eyes are unto thee O God the Lord in thee is my trust leave not my soul destitute Let us not give way to discouragements though God delay us so long till all our carnal provisions are spent no Meal in the Barrel nor Oil in the Cruise and we are brought to the last Morsel of Bread though brought to complain for pity to them that will shew none but pour Vinegar into our Wounds yea till our spiritual provisions be spent faith will hold out no longer hope can do us no service patience lost and clear gone we fall a questioning Gods love and care I say Though we grow weary let us strive against it acquaint God with it renew Faith in the word of promise There is an holy obstinacy in believing To get this eye of Faith 1. There is need of the Spirits enlightening Nature is short-sighted 2 Pet. 1. 9. A man cannot look into the other world till his eyes be opened by the Spirit of God Ephes. 1. 17 18. The Father of Glory give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him the eyes of your understanding being enlightened that ye may know what is the hope of his calling and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the Saints There needs spiritual eye-salve to get this piercing eye to look through the Curtain of the Clouds 2. When your eye is opened you must keep your eye clear from the suffusions of lust
Well then seeing all these Distempers are incident to an afflicted estate we should the more carefully watch against them 3. Because our enemies make a great advantage of our failings and harden themselves in their prejudices if we carry not a holy good Cause in a holy religious way and will take the least occasion given from a questionable practice to slander the truth Neh. 5. 9. Ought you not to walk in the fear of our God because of the reproach of the Heathen our enemies If you should trip in any thing you shall soon hear of it to the reproach of Religion A holy and wise carriage in afflictions is very honourable to the Gospel otherwise your testimony is rejected and blasted Use. Well then desire the Lord to guide thee in all thy troubles yea if God doth guide you let this satisfie you before the deliverance cometh about It is a mercy if you have direction though you have not deliverance for a godly man should not so much regard the ease of the flesh as the performance of his Duty to God If you carry your Cross regularly with faith and patience God may have more honour and you more profit by your affliction than your deliverance Yea to be instructed in the Word and be taught your Duty is in it self a greater mercy than a deliverance Psal. 94. 12. Blessed is the Man whom thou chastenest and teachest him out of thy Law 'T is a blessed thing yea 't is a deliverance it self for it delivereth you from the spiritual evil of the Rod which is the Curse Suffering doth not come as a Curse when instruction goeth along with it Yea 't is the means of our great deliverance from the present evil world 1 Cor. 11. 32. as it is a pledge of our future deliverance in due time for God is not unmindful of us and will not leave us without the conduct of his Spirit Secondly To handle the Words with respect to the nearer Context in Verse 123. Mine eyes fail for thy salvation This teaching is begged after he had complained of the delay of the promises and so implicitely he complaineth not of the falsity of the Word or the non-performance of the promise but of the weakness of his own Faith Doctr. When the Lord suspends the promised deliverance the Godly suspect not the truth of his Word but the darkness of their own unbelieving hearts They think this failing is because they are no more enlightened they are dull in conceiving and misty and cloudy in their apprehensions and therefore would have a clearer understanding of the promise and a more quick-sighted Faith Or have failed in the performance of the Condition required therefore desire that God would teach them and shew them their errours and cause them to profit in sanctification Thus should we do in like Cases when there is a seeming Contradiction between the Word and the Works of God betwixt his promises and his Providence about us His voice is sweet like Iacob's but his hands rough like Esau's Do not suspect the promise but your understanding go into the Sanctuary Psal. 73. 16 17. God will help you to reconcile things otherwise the difficulty will be too hard for you The Saints that have suspected or distrusted God have found themselves in an errour Isai. 49. 14 15. and Psal. 77. 8 9 10. First You must not interpret Gods promise by his Providence but his Providence by his promise and the promise is the light side and Providence the dark side of the Cloud Isai. 45. 15. Thou hiddest thy self O God of Israel the Saviour Psal. 77. 19. Thy way is in the Sea and thy path in the great waters and thy footsteps are not known We cannot trace him a man cannot find out the reason of every thing that God doth Secondly Thou must distinguish between a part of Gods work and the end of it We cannot understand Gods Providence till he hath done his Work In the last Act of the Comedy all the errours are reconciled Tarry till then Zech. 14. 7. At evening it shall be light We view Providence by pieces and we know not what God is a doing rending and tearing all in pieces But view Gods work in its whole Frame and Contexture and it will appear beautiful Thirdly We must distinguish between what is best for us and what we judge is best for us Deut. 8. 15 16. Who led thee thorough the great and terrible Wilderness wherein were fiery Serpents and Scorpions and Drought where there was no water who brought thee forth water out of the Rock Who fed thee in the Wilderness with Manna which thy Fathers knew not that he might humble thee and prove thee to do thee good at the latter end Other Diet is more wholesome for our Souls than our sick appetite craveth It 's best with us many times when we are weakest 2 Cor. 12. 10. When I am weak then am I strong worst when strongest 2 Chron. 26. 16. When he was strong his heart was lifted up to his own destruction Many times the buffetings of Satan are better for us than a condition free from temptations so is poverty and emptiness better than fulness Fourthly We must distinguish between what things are in themselves and what in their reduction use and tendency All things are for a Believer in their use though they may be against him in their Nature 1 Cor. 3. 18 19 20. and Rom. 8. 28. All things shall work together for good to them that love God All their Crosses yea sometimes their sins and snares God will over-rule them for good and the work of Grace sometimes goeth back that it may go forward Many such Cases there are which look like a contradiction which we shall not know what to make of them unless we bring it to Christ an Interpreter one of a thousand But take heed in these confusions and toffings of thy Soul how thou reflectest on God a little experience will confute thy prejudices Thirdly With respect to the nearest Context the former Clause of this Verse After an appeal to the Covenant of Grace or a petition for mercy he asketh direction to keep the Law Doct. They that would have mercy by the Covenant must be earnest to be taught Gods Statutes Mercy and teaching are Davids's two great requests throughout this and other Psalms Reasons 1. The Moral Obligation of the Law still lyeth on Gods Servants that are taken into the Covenant of Grace There is an eternal Obligation upon the Creature to love and serve the Creator which cannot be dissolved We are not redeemed from the service of the Law by Christ but the curse of the Law Luke 1. 74 75. Being delivered from the hands of our enemies that we might serve God in holiness and righteousness before him all our days The end of our redemption was not to destroy our service according to the Law but to fit and enable us to perform it according to the image of
Gold yea fine Gold for mark it is not more than I love Gold but more than any man some have an ardent desire of it however it be mortified in Gods Children I. For the Note of inference together with the Duty inferred Therefore I love thy Commandments Some refer it to Gods taking his time to work as the Judg of the world in punishing the wicked for their disobedience and contempt of his Law as if he had said Lord though thou dost connive and hold thy hands for a time yet I know thou wilt undertake the defence of the righteous and not let the wickedness of the wicked go unpunished it will cost them dear in the issue therefore I love thy Commandments c. This sense I cannot exclude If I thought fit to prosecute it it would yield this Doctrine That a little faith would help us to continue our affection to the word of God notwithstanding the wickedness of those that oppose it For in truth here this wickedness doth soon come to an end Psal. 73. 18. Surely thou didst set them in slippery places thou castedst them down into destruction But I rather referr it to the latter Clause They have made void thy Law therefore I love thy commandments Doctr. The more others despise the ways and laws of God the more should a gracious heart love and esteem them So doth David profess that his love to Gods ways was so far from ceasing that he found it encreased rather Reasons 1. Because the ways of God are still the same they were before if there be any difference they only need to be more owned by us with greater zeal and cheerfulness because they are despised and forsaken by others God is the same still Heaven the same and the Scriptures the same whether we have Company to walk with us in heaven-way yea or no and therefore why should not a Christian be the same he was before Their contempt and hatred of Gods ways doth not make void our obligation to God and the Bonds of our Duty to him If God had only required us to be good when we may be so with safety and ease and would dispense with us at other times when Religion is in disgrace then indeed a Christian might change his course and run with the Cry as others do but God hath required in the worst times we should take Gods part and stand for him in the worst places and keep his Name even there where Satans Throne is Rev. 2. 13. and be Saints though in Nero's Houshold Phil. 4. 22. under the nose of a raging Persecutor And as God is the same so his ways are the same Their contempt and hatred of holiness doth not hinder the loveliness of it to a spiritual eye There is a beauty in Gods despised ways Heb. 11. 25. Chusing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season He saw more excellency in the Tents of Iacob than in the Courts of Pharaoh When the outward Glory of his wââ¦ys is darkened and they are put under reproach and trouble yet their inward beauty still remaineth and may be seen by a spiritual though not by a carnal eye by those that will not judge according to appearance but judge righteous judgment Iohn 7. 24. The external Glory which is the favour of the World outward prosperity and Countenance is foreign and accidental but this is essential and ever remaineth And as holiness is the same so the Scriptures are the same they do not speak one thing to day and another to morrow and leave us at a latitude to put our selves into all changes and postures 2 Cor. 1. 19. For the son of God Iesus Christ who was preached among you by us was not yea and nay saith the Apostle but in him was yea The Scripture doth not allow saying and unsaying and building again the things which we have destroyed Gal. 2. 18. For if I build again the things which I have destroyed I make my self a transgressor Truth is the same in all Ages not like an Almanack to be changed every Year or calculated peculiarly for one Meridian Nor is it always the same Indeed in some lesser things that serve only for the conveniency of Religion we may upon weighty grounds change practice and do that which is good where best may not be had So Heaven is the same still it not only serveth us as an Antidote in Prosperity but as a Cordial in Adversity and is at all times to be regarded Well then since God and Holiness and Scripture and Heaven are always the same why should not we If there be change it should be in the degree of our love that it be greater than it was before to repair God in point of Honour and to testifie against the defection of others that we are not of their stamp who do not see by their eyes nor walk by their principles nor allow of their warpings 2. God expects more from gracious hearts because of their relation to him and acquaintance with him and therefore if others despise the Laws of God they should esteem them the more Iohn 6. 66 67. From that time many of his Disciples went back and walked no more with him Then said Iesus unto the twelve Will you also go away It goeth nearer to Christs heart that those should forsake him that are trained up in his bosome that the Devil should steal away souls under his own arm Whatever defection others make yet that those who have tasted of his mercy drunk of his Cup feasted with his lââ¦aves have had experinence of his Grace will ye also He stood not upon the multitudes going so much as his Disciples Therefore they should rowze up themselves in evil times 3. The good and the bad do exercise and keep one another in breath and vigour When there are but two factions that stand in opposition to one another one apparently for God the other apparently for Satan it addeth zeal and indignation to both sides and they mutually inflame one another and are as Ieremiah's two Baskets of Figgs the good Figgs very good and the evil Figgs very evil Ier. 24. 3. When others are so very bad it should not quench zeal but inflame it we should be not only good but very good Corruption the more it is opposed the more it stormeth and groweth outragious as a River swelleth by opposing Damms and Banks against it they rage upon restraints now the floods break loose So on the other side should Grace be more earnestly and zealously exercised the more it is opposed as the casting on of water sets the Lime on fire To be sure their malice will put us to a great deal of trouble and trouble is a time to exercise Grace To be much in prayer and faith and patience and mortifying corruptions and watchfulness and wary walking that we may neither take infection our selves nor give occasion to others to stumble at
the plain handling of the Doctrines of Christian Religion according to the capacity of those that are weak in Knowledge and by Meat the more exact and curious handling those points Our weakness enforceth that we begin with the one but we must go on to the other for several reasons Partly because we are to grow in knowledge as well as other Graces 2 Pet. 1. 5. Give all diligence to add to your saith vertue to vertue knowledge Besides that knowledge that maketh way for Faith and Virtue there is a Knowledge to be added to it a great skill in divine things Partly because those obvious truths will be better improved and retained when we look more into them after-notions do explain and ground the former First we receive the Truth and after we are rooted and grounded in it Col. 1. 23. If ye continue in the Faith grounded and settled and be not moved away from the hope of the Gospel An half light makes us very unsettled in our course but when we grow judicious have a fuller and clearer apprehension of Truths we are the more confirmed against the errour of the wicked Whereas otherwise light chaff is carried about with every wind Partly because the more we understand a Truth the more dominion it hath over our Faith and Practice For God beginneth with the understanding and Grace is multiplyed by Knowledge 2 Pet. 1. 2. Grace and Peace be multiplied unto you through the Knowledge of God and of Iesus our Lord. A truth simply understood hath not such operation and Force as when it is soundly and throughly understood Love aboundeth with Judgment Phil. 1. 9. And this I pray that your Love may abound yet more and more in Knowledge and in all Iudgment Secondly There are first Principles and fundamental Doctrines that must be first taught in a plain and easy way I say some things are initial and fundamental others additional and perfective we must regard both the one in our entrance the other in our growth the one are called the first principles of the Oracles of God Heb. 5. 12 c. partly because they are first in order and first to be taught and learned partly because they are chief and fundamental Truths of the Gospel upon which the rest depend most conducing to salvation the foundation laid well the building will stand the stronger They are reckoned up Heb. 6. 1 2. Therefore leaving the principles of the Doctrine of Christ let us go on unto perfection not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith towards God of the Doctrine of Baptisms and of laying on of hands and of the resurrection of the dead and of eternal judgment In the general he calls them the principles of the Doctrine of Christ. The Doctrine of Christ is the summ of Religion he that hath learned it well hath learned all In particular repentance from dead works is made the first or that a sinful Creature must turn to God by Christ before he can be happy The next is faith towards God believing the promises and priviledges of the Gospel and depending on him till they be accomplished Indeed in these two is the summ of Religion sometimes comprized Acts 20. 21. Testifying both to the Iews and also to the Greeks repentance towards God and faith towards our Lord Iesus Christ. So Acts 5. 31. Him hath God raised up to be a Prince and a Saviour for to give repentance to Israel and remission of sins Doctrine of Baptism it is the initiating Ordinance what it signifieth to what it obligeth Laying on of hands the way of Christs Officers entring into the Church Resurrection and last Judgment bindeth all 2. Because the prime truths are few and clear ignorant and unlearned people may know them they are milk Babes and Ignorants may swallow them as most easie of digestion Gods end in the Scripture being to guide his people to true happiness Those truths that are necessary to this end are few and clear and plainly set down that he that runneth may read them Though we reach not other Points yet if we get but to this door there is a great deal of profit Thirdly They which do not first learn these cannot profit much Some confused knowlege they may acquire but distinct clear and orderly understanding they never grow unto When men run before they can go they often get a knock They that were never well grounded are always mutable therefore before we are brought into the Chambers of knowledge we must stay in the Porch begin with most necessary things which are most clear and plain and thereby we are made capable of higher mysteries 2. Though all Christians must come to this pitch to know what is necessary to salvation yet we must not stay here nor always stay in the Porch nor always keep to our milk nor be always infants in understanding 1 Cor. 14. 20. Brethren be not Children in understanding Other things must be regarded or why hath God revealed them No part of Scripture is express'd in vain or at random but all by Divine direction though the first points are most necessary yet the rest are not superfluous but have their use 2 Tim. 3. 16. All Scripture is given by inspiration and is profitable for doctrine for reproof for correction for instruction in righteousness one part of Scripture as well as the other and maketh much for the encrease of spiritual knowledg comfort and godliness One part is milk another stronger meat but all is food for the soul. The grown are more ready to every good work more strong in the resistance of sin more stedfast in the truth therefore we should improve our knowledge If a man layeth the foundation and doth not carry on the building he loseth his cost therefore let us up to go on to perfection Use 1. Let us bless God for this door and porch that the Scriptures are so plain and clear in all things necessary to salvation Many complain of the difficulty and obscurity of Religion and the many Controversies that are about it and they know not what to chuse nor where to find the truth till the World be more of a mind It is true in some things there is difficulty but not in the most necessary things Pascimur apertis exercemur obscuris ibi fames pellitur hîc fastidium God has made his peoples way clear and sure in necessaries for which we have cause to bless his Name for exercising our diligence and dependance Something is difficult If those that complain of this difficulty would enter into the Porch that standeth open other things would soon be understood Whatever differences there are in Christendome all agree That there is one God Jesus Christ his only Son who dyed for the world and accordingly must be owned by his people that a man must be converted to God and become a new Creeture and walk holily or else shall never see God all are agreed in this Prepare
worthy to be believed The Summ is God hath his Testimonies extant their Authority is inviolable and their Justice and Truth immutable Some read Praecepisti Iustitiam Testimoniorum tuorum fidem valde Thou hast highly charged and earnestly commanded the righteousness and faithfulness of thy Testimonies as referring to our Duty But most Translations agree with ours Our duty indeed may be inferred but I shall not make it the formal interpretation of the place In the Texture of the Words in the Hebrew these Attributes are given to the Word it self Doctr. They that would profit by the word or rule of faith and manners which God hath commanded them to observe should look upon it as righteous and very faithful So did David here and elsewhere Psal. 19. 9. The Iudgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether I shall make good the Point by these Considerations Prop. 1. That our faith and obedience must be well-grounded or else they will have no firmness and stability The want of a foundation is the cause of many a ruinous Building Men carry on a fair and lofty Structure of profession but when the Winds of boisterous temptations are let loose upon them all is blown down because they build upon the Sand and not upon the Rock They take up this profession without sound evidence and conviction in their Consciences and so they are not grounded or setled in the faith Col. 1. 23. not rooted and grounded in love Ephes. 3. 7. They take up Religion sleightly not looking into the reasons of it upon Tradition or vulgar esteem they are not undoubtedly perswaded that it is the very truth of God The good Seed withered that fell upon the stony ground because there was no depth of Earth Matth. 13. 5. no considerable strength of soil to feed faith Prop. 2. Faith and obedience cannot be well-grounded but on such a Doctrine as is true and righteous for who can depend on that which is not true or who can obey that which is not righteous Truth is the only sure foundation for faith to build upon and righteousness for practice Faith considereth truth Ephes. 1. 13. In whom ye trusted after that ye heard the word of truth the Gospel of your salvation And that righteousness is that which bindeth to practice we may gather from Psal. 119. 128. Therefore I esteem all thy Precepts concerning all things to be right and I hate every false way The Word commandeth nothing but what is just and righteous Prop. 3. This true and righteous Doctrine must be backed with a strong and powerful Authority not only recommended to us but strictly and severely enjoyned for two reasons First Because otherwise it will not be observed and regarded but be lookt upon not as a binding Law but as an arbitrary direction There is difference between a Law and a Rule A bare Rule may only serve to inform our understandings or to give direction but a Law is a binding Rule a Rule with a strong Obligation The Word of God is not his counsel and advice to us only but his Law that men may examine and regard it with more care and diligence God hath interposed his authority Psal. 1. ââ¦9 4. Thou hast commanded us to keep thy precepts diligently And in the Text Thy Testimonies which thou hast commanded God hath commanded us to believe all truths revealed to obey all duties required and if God commandeth there is good reason why he should be obeyed Secondly Divine authority is one means to evidence the righteousness and truth of what is to be believed and obeyed The righteousness for if God who is my Superior and hath a full right to govern me according to his own pleasure doth command me any thing it is best that I should obey it without reply and contradiction yea though I see not the reason of it Acts 17. 28. For in him we live and move and have our being All Creatures have their Being not only from him but in him and therefore sometimes God giveth no other account of his Law but this I am the Lord Lev. 22. 2 3. Speak unto Aaron and to his Sons that they separate themselves from the holy things of the Children of Israel and that they prophane not my holy name in those things which they hallow unto me I am the Lord. Say unto them Whosoever he be of all your Seed among your Generations that goeth unto the holy things which the Children of Israel hallow unto the Lord having his uncleanness upon him that soul shall be cut off from my presence I am the Lord. Therefore it gives rules of practice to be embraced with all the heart as holy just and good Gods authority is founded upon the total dependance of all Creatures upon him and upon his infallible Wisdom Truth and Goodness by which he hath right to prescribe all Points of Faith to be believed and assented to upon his own testimony without contradiction 1 Iohn 5. 9. If we receive the testimony of man the testimony of God is greater A man that would not deceive us we believe him upon his word though he may be deceived himself but God doth not deceive nor can he be deceived by the holy God nothing can be given but what is holy and good and thereupon I am to receive it Prop. 4. This Divine authority truth and righteousness is only to be found in Gods Testimonies which he hath commanded or in Gods Word First There is a God-like authority speaking there and commanding that which it becometh none but God to command who is the universal King and Sovereign For it speaketh to the whole World without respect of persons to King and Beggar rich and poor Male and Female without reservation of Honour or distinction of Degrees The Word looketh on them as standing before God on the same level Iob 34. 19. He accepteth not the persons of Princes nor regarded the rich more than the poor for they all are the work of his hands And speaketh to them indifferently and equally Exod. 20. 3. Thou shalt have no other Gods but me Which is not the voice of any limited and bounded Power but of that which is supreme transcendent and absolute And by these Laws he bindeth the Conscience and the immortal souls of men Psal. 19. 7. The Law of the Lord is perfect converting the soul. Men may give Laws to the words and actions because they can take cognizance of them but the Word giveth Laws to the thoughts Isai. 55. 7. Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts Matth. 5. 28. Whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed Adultery with her already in his heart And the internal motions and affections of the heart how we should love and fear and joy and mourn 1 Cor. 7. 30. They that weep as though they wept not and they that rejoyce as though they rejoyced not Of these things God can only take notice the power
three concurr in Elijahs speech Kings 1. 19. 10. I have been very jealous for the Lord God of Hosts there 's his zeal why for the Children of Israel have forsaken thy Covenant there 's his Truth perverted they have thrown down thy Altars there 's his Worship overturned they have slain thy Prophets with the Sword there his Servants are wronged So that zeal mainly is concerned when God suffers loss in any of these things if his Truth be perverted his Worship overturn'd his Servants be despitefully used vexed and grieved then zeal presently shews it self in opposing these things or in grieving for them 1. Zeal seeks to preserve the Truth of God inviolable Truth is a precious depositum Trust and Charge which God hath committed to the keeping of his People and without zeal to defend and propagate and maintain it though with the greatest hazard it will never be kept and you will never be faithful to God We are a kind of ââ¦offees for the present age and Trustees for the future and the charge of Gods Truth is put into our hands and we must see it be transmitted to the World pure and undefiled therefore Iude ver 3. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã We must contend earnestly for the Faith which was once delivered unto the Saints When others would violate the Truth we must contend with them Ier. 9. 3. They are not valiant for the Truth A Christian needs not only the labour of an Ox that he may be diligent but the valour of a Lion that he may appear for God in defence of his Truth when it is invaded and inââ¦roached upon and especially doth this concern the Officers of the Church this zeal they should have for the word Titus 1. 9. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã holding fast the faithful Word The word signifies to be good at holding and drawing that is when others would wrest it out of our hands we should hold it fast as a staff that an other would take out of our hands we hold it faster and wrestle with him so should we wrestle contend and hold fast the truth when others would draw it from us And Phil. 1. 27. Striving together for the Faith of the Gospel O! we should not let one dust of truth perish This is to be zealous for the Truth standing to and striving for the defence thereof in our way and place If God had not raised up zealous Instruments in every Age to plead for his Truth what a sad case would the Church have been in Truth would have been buried under a great heap of prejudices and Christs Kingdom have been crusht in the very Egg and Religion strangled in the cradle But there 's a cloud of Witnesses gone before us in every age God sets up some of all Sexes Ages Conditions that have owned his despised and oppugned Truths and have not counted their lives dear so as they might give their testimony to the Truth of God Rev. 12. 11. and have more greedily embraced Martyrdom then Others honours and dignities in the Church as Sulpitius Severus observes they have with greater desire affected the glory of Martyrdom and Suffering for the Truth that they might be faithful to God and the Souls of Men in future Ages and to preserve Gods Truth inviolate they have greedily sought this honour to suffer for God And Ignatius he could say come saith he I desire the Beasts that are prepared should be let loose for me it is better to dye for Christ then to command the ends of the Earth And Basil when the Arrian Emperour threatned those that did oppose his Religion should dye the Death the wild Beasts let them be let out would to God it were so that I had the honour to dye for the Truth of Christ This was notably for the encrease of Christs Kingdom and thus the Lord hath inspired his people with a Holy Love and Zeal 2. For his Worship that that may not be corrupted but his Institutions kept Pure Zeal is conversant about that too Exod. 20. 5. Thou shalt not bow down thy self to them nor serve them for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God In the first Commandment God forbids a false God in the second he forbids the false Means of Worship as before the false Object Now because the Means of Worship are apt to be perverted the Lord shews how jealous he was for his Worship I am a jealous God if the Institutions of God be perverted then I will visit the iniquity of the Fathers upon the Children unto the Third and Fourth Generation of them that hate me The Children are considered in that Commandment because usually the interest of Families is our great snare when an Idol is set up or a false means of Worship the chiefest false worship is an Idol and the greatest sin is put for all the rest before an Idol the Imagination or Invention of men when that is set up The Lord speaks of the interest of Families because men are apt to think they shall undo them and their Families if they contend in this matter Now be you zealous of my worship for I will visit the iniquity of the Fathers upon the Children That the interest of Families might not abate our zeal the Lord takes the Family into the Curse for the violation and likewise into the Blessing for zeal for his Institutions And so Christ saith Iohn 2. 17. The zeal of thy house hath eaten me up We should be zealous for Gods Worship Ministers they should Preach zealously and Magistrates govern zealously to purge Gods house and Christians pray zealously every one of us as far as the bounds of our calling will permit should be zealous for Gods Worship Quis comeditur zelo Domus Dei saith Austin Who is he that is eaten out with the zeal of Gods house He that desires that no humane invention may be blended and mixed with Gods Worship and would fain amend what 's amiss This zeal is the only right and acceptable Principle of Reformation our great indignation against all false worship whatever I remember the story of Valentinian who was afterwards Emperour when according to the duty of his place being Captain of the Guard to Iulian the Apostate and Emperour he was engaged to attend him into the Heathen Temple of Fortune and the Priests were to sprinkle the lustrating and holy-water for that Ceremony was common to the Heathens with the Papists and a drop of it lighted upon Valentinian he struck the Priest that did it and said thou hast defiled me thou hast not purged me he thought his garments to be contaminated and not his body sanctified and he tore off his Belt renounced his honour rather then he would do any thing that should be contrary to his Religion and for this Iulian sent him into banishment and within a year and few Months the story tells us that he received the reward of his holy Confession and owning of Christ the Roman Empire For the
part of Mankind fear the Prince more than God and the Gallows more than Hell If every vain thought or carnal motion in our hearts were as the cutting of a finger or burning in the hand men would seem more afraid of that then they are of Hell Nay I will tell you men can dispense with Gods law to comply with Mans. Hos. 5. 11. Ephraim is oppressed and broken in Iudgement because he willingly walked after the Commandment A little Danger will draw men into the snare when Hell will not keep them from it Oh let us Rouze up our selves Is not Man Gods Subject Is not he a more powerful Sovereign than all the Potentates in the World Doth he not in his Word give Judgment on the Everlasting estate of men and will his Judgment be in vain Hath not God appointed a day when all matters shall be taken into consideration If you can deny these Truths go on in sin and spare not but if Conscience be sensible of Gods Authority oh break off your sins by Repentance and walk more cautiously for the time to come Every sin is ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã 1 Ioh. 3. 4. a breach of Gods Eternal law and will God always wink at your disloyalty to him Nothing remaineth to be spoken to but the last Clause Thy Law is truth Doctrine Gods Law is Truth 1. I shall shew in what sense 't is said to be Truth 2. The Reasons why 't is Truth 3. The end of this Truth First In what sense 't is said to be Truth 1. 'T is the Chief Truth there is some truth in the laws of Men and the writings of Men even of Heathens but they are but sorry Fragments and Scraps of Truth that have escaped since the Fall But the Truth of the Word is transcendent to that of bare Reason here are truths of the greatest Concernment matters propounded that are very comfortable and profitable to lost sinners 1 Tim. 2. 16. Here Moral Duties are advanced to the highest Pitch Deut. 4. 6. Keep therefore and do them for this is your Wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the Nations The end of these is not only to regulate your Commerce with men but to guide you in your Communion with God and help you to the Everlasting Enjoyment of him 2. 'T is the only Truth that is the only Revelation of the Mind of God that you can build upon 't is the Rule of Truth A thing may be true that is not the Rule of truth There is veritas regulata veritas regulans the Word is the measure and standard and they are true or false as they agree or disagree with it Every Custom and Tradition must be tryed upon it from the beginning it was not so from the beginning my Christianity is Jesus Christ. We must not attend to what others did but what Christ did who is before all every dictate of reason must be tryed by it for here is the highest reason It is written to make the Man of God perfect or else it cannot guide you to your happiness 2 Tim. 3. 15 16. Every Revelation must be tryed by it Gal. 1. 8. If an Angel or Man bring any Doctrine if it differ from or be besides the written Word 't is a cursed Doctrine This is the Rule 3. 'T is the pure Truth in it there is nothing but the Truth without the mixture of Falshood every part is true as truth it self 't is true in the Promises true in the Threatnings true in the Doctrines true in the Histories true in the Precepts true in the Prohibitions God will make it good to a tittle True in Moralities true in the Mysteries of Faith not only true in Duties that concern man and man but in the sublimer truths that concern commerce with God where Nature is more blind Psal. 19. 9. The Testimonies of the Lord are true and righteous altogether 'T is true where a Carnal Man would not have it true in the Curses and Threatnings If Gods Word be true wo to them that remain in a sinful way they shall find it true shortly and feel what they will not believe 'T is true where a godly man feareth it will not be true no Promises contradicted by sense but will prove true in their performance Whatsoever in the hour of Temptation Carnal Reason may judge to the contrary within a while you will see your unbelieving fears confuted 4. 'T is the whole Truth it containeth all things necessary for the Salvation of those that yield up themselves to be instructed by it Ioh. 14. 26. He shall teach you all things and remember you of all things Ioh. 16. 13. Lead you into all Truth In all things that pertain to Religion and our present Conduct towards everlasting Happiness Therefore nothing is to be hearkned to contrary to what God hath revealed in his Word there is no room left for Tradition nor for extraordinary Revelations all that is necessary for the Church is revealed there 't is a full perfect Rule Reasons 1. From the Author God is a God of Truth and nothing but Truth can come from him for God cannot lie Tit. 1. 2. The truth of the law dependeth upon the truth of God therefore it must needs be without Error yea it corrects all Errour if God could deceive or be deceived you might suspect his Word 2. The matter it self it commends its self to our Consciences by the manifestation of the truth 2 Cor. 4. 2. Approving your selves by the Word of truth 2 Cor. 6. 7. If the Heart be not strangely perverted and become an incompetent Judge by obstinate Atheisme and corrupt Affections it cannot but own these truths to be of God if our Gospel be hid 't is hid to them that are lost 1 Cor. 4. 4. 3. The end of it which is to regulate man and sanctifie man Now it were strange if he should be made better by a lie and a cheat Ioh. 17. 17. Sanctifie them by thy truth thy word is truth Certainly 't is the most convenient Instrument to reduce man to his Wits and make him live like a Man 4. It pretends to be the law of God it is so or else it would be the greatest cheat in the World for it speaketh to us from God all along and by vertue of his Authority None can be so bruitish as to think that the wisest Course of Doctrines that ever the World was acquainted with is a meer Imposture Use 1. Is to commend the Word of God to us we cannot have true Doctrine nor true Piety nor true Consolation without the Scriptures Not true Doctrine Isa. 8. 20. To the law and to the testimony if they speak not according to this word there is no light in them 'T is to be condemned of Falshood if not according to the Word you cannot have true Holiness for Holiness is but Scripture digested and put in Practice Iam. 1. 18. The Foundation of the spiritual life is laid in
the Word Scripture Faith and Scripture Repentance are still fed by the Word It teacheth us how to believe and how to repent and how to pray and how to live especially the Heavenly Life and there can be no true Comfort and Peace without the Word Rom. 15. 4. That ye through Patience and Comfort of the Scriptures might have hope 2. Use. We should consider the Truth of the Word partly in the general for the strengthening and settling of our Faith and to make it more clear and solid and certain Eph. 1. 13. In whom ye trusted after that ye heard the Word of Truth When boisterous Temptations would carry us to some evil which God hath forbidden and severely threatned that the point of the sword of the Spirit be put to the bosome of it Deut. 29. 19 20. 2. When you are settling your souls as to the main point of Acceptance with God 1 Tim. 1. 15. This is a faithful saying and worthy of all Acceptation that Iesus Christ came into the World to save sinners of whom I am chief The Word will never deceive them that seek Righteousness there 3. When difficulties arise that oppose the promise or expectation of relief according to the promise you should urge the truth of the word in the very face of difficulty thy law istruth Take Pauls instance Act. 27. God by Promise gave all that sailed with Paul in the Ship their lives yet how many difficulties came to pass At first when they were in the Adriatique Sea for so many days and nights and had neither seen Sun nor Stars they knew not where they were nor whether they should go here was little appearance of Gods making good his word to Paul Another Difficulty fell out they feared they were near some Countrey they sounded and found they were near some land but what land they could not Conjecture and were afraid of being split in pieces against the Rocks but the Shipmen that knew the danger of these Seas they must go out of the Ship they would make use of their long Boat and so they were ready to miscarry in the sight of the land but Paul prevented them And after 't was day the men were spent because of long fasting and conflicting with the Waves they could not ply the Oar. Another difficulty they were where two Seas met they run the Ship a ground and resolved to kill Paul and the rest of the Prisoners lest they should swim to land but the Captain willing to save Paul prevented that purpose And so at length they came all to shore though followed with difficulty upon difficulty God made good his Promise to a tittle ver 44. Pray observe how Paul urged Gods Promise against the greatest difficulties as sufficient ground of encouragement to expect relief ver 25. for I believe God that it shall be even as it was told me SERMON CLX PSALM CXIX VER 143. Trouble and Anguish have taken hold of me yet thy Commandments are my delights IN the Words we have I. Davids Temptation Trouble and Anguish have taken hold of me II. Davids Exercise under that Temptation thy Commandments are my delight III. The Benefit of that Exercise notwithstanding the greatness of the Temptation Yet 'T is propounded with a non obstante I. The Temptation was very great for he speaketh of Trouble and Anguish The joyning of Synonymous Words or words of a like import and signification increaseth the sense and so it sheweth his affection was not ordinary Yea both these words have their particular use and emphasis Trouble may Imply the outward Tryal and the difficulties and streights he was in Anguish Inward Afflictions the one the Matter of the Trial and the other the sence of it The other expression also is to be observed have taken hold of me in the Hebrew have found me so the Septuagint renders it ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã and the Vulgar Latin out of them tribulatio et angustia invenerunt me have found me that is come upon me as the expression intimateth Troubles are said to find us because they are sent to seek us out and in time will light upon us We should not run into it but if they find us in our duty we should not be troubled at them Sometimes in Scripture we are said to find trouble and sometimes trouble to find us We are said to find trouble David said Psal. 116. 3. I found trouble And so now here in the Text Trouble and Anguish found him There is no difference or if any the one noteth a surprize Trouble findeth us when it cometh unlooked for our finding it noteth our willingness to undergo it when the Will of God is so especially for Righteousness sake II. Davids Exercise under this great Temptation thy Commandments are my delights Where we have 1. The Object thy Commandments The Commandment is put for the Word in general which includeth Promises as well as Precepts the whole Doctrine of Life and Salvation However the property of the form is not altogether to be overlooked even in the Commandments or the Conscience of his Duty he took a great deal of Comfort 2. The Affection Delight He had said before that he did not forget Gods statutes when he was small and despised ver 141. now he delighted in them This was his great love to the Word that he could find sweetness in it when it brought him trouble such sweetness as did allay all his sorrows and overcome the bitterness of them 3. The Degree Delights in the plural number He did greatly delight in it Omnis oblectatio mea saith Iuââ¦ius Thy Commandments to me are instead of all manner of delights and pleasure in the World III. The next is the Opposition of this Exercise to that temptation yet 'T is not in the Original but necessarily Implyed and therefore well inserted by our Translators to shew that the greatness of his Streights and Troubles did not diminish his Comfort but Increase it rather The Points are these First God ââ¦th it necessary sometimes to exercise his People with a great deal of Trouble Seconââ¦ââ¦his Trouble may breed great Vexation and Anguish of Spirit even in a gracious ââ¦rt Thirdly Notwithstanding this Trouble and Anguish gracious Hearts will manifest their graciousness by delighting in the Word Fourthly They that delight in the Word will find more Comfort in their Afflictions than Troubles can take from them or such sweetness as will overcome the sense of all their Sorrows This was alwayes Davids help to delight in the Word and this brought him Comfort though in deep Troubles For the First Point That God seeth it necessary sometimes to exercise his People with a great deal of Trouble Though they are highly in Favour with God yet they have their share of Troubles as well as others This is true if you 1. Consider the People of God in their Collective Body and Community which is called the Church 'T is the Churches name Isa. 54. 11 12. Oh
Weather without waves and storms so irrationalit is for a Christian to promise himself rest here upon Earth Well then let us learn before hand how to be abased and how to abound Pil. 4. 12. He that is in a Journey to Heaven must be provided for all Weathers though it be Sun-shine when he first setsforth a storm will overtake him before he cometh to his Journeys end 'T is good to be sore-armed Afflictions will come and we should prepare accordingly We enter upon the profession of Godliness upon these terms to be willing to suffer Afflictions if the Lord see fit and therefore we should arm our selves with a mind to indure them whether they come or no. God never intended that Isaac should be sacrificed yet he will have Abraham lay the knife to his Throat Sorrows foreseen leave not so sad an impression upon the spirit Tela promisa minus feriunt The Evil is more familiarized before it come Iob 3. 25. The evil that I feared is come upon me When our fears prophesie we smart less it allayeth the offence we meet with nothing but what we thought of before Ioh. 16. 1. These things have I spoken unto you that you should not be offended Use 2. If you are under Afflictions ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã 1 Pet. 4. 12. do not strange at it no more than at night and day showers and sun-shine as these things fall out in the course of Nature so do troubles and afflictions in the course of Gods Providence 'T were a wonder if otherwise We do not wonder to see a shower of Rainfall or a cloudy day to succeed a fair 1 Pet. 5. 9. All these things are accomplished in your Brethren that are in the World All the rest of Gods people are fellow Souldiers in this Conflict Use 3. When we are out of Affliction let us bless God that we are out of the Afflictions The greatness of the Trouble Danger Misery Streights whereinto God doth cast his own doth lay a greater obligation of thankfulness upon those that are free from those Evils If thou beest not thankful for thy health go to the Lazer-houses look upon the afflicted state of Gods People and that may quicken you to thankfulness for being freed from them 4. Use Is Advice Do not draw sufferings upon your selves by your own rashness and folly Iam. 1. 2. Count it all joy when you fall into divers temptations We must not seek nor desire Trouble but bear it when God layeth it on us Christ hath taught us to pray lead us not into Temptation 'T is a folly for us to cast our selves upon it if we draw hatred upon our selves and run headlong into dangers without necessity we must make our selves amends by Repentance otherwise God will not If a man set his house on fire he is liable to the Law if it be fired by others or by an ill accident he is pitied and relieved We are to take our own Cross when made to our hands by Gods Providence not make it for our selves not to fill our own Cup but drink it off if God put it into our hands We must come honestly by our Crosses as well as by our Comforts and must have a Call for what we suffer as well as for what we do if we would have Comfort in our sufferings 2. Doctrine This trouble may breed much Vexation and Anguish of Spirit even in a Gracious Soul David speaketh of Anguish as well as Trouble 1. Partly from Nature Gods Children have the feelings of Nature as well as others Christ Jesus to shew the Truth of our Nature would express our affections he had his fears and tears Heb. 5. 7. and so hath legitimated our fears and sorrows 'T is an innocent affection to have a dislike of what is contrary to us to our natural Interest to be without natural affection is among the Vices And 2. Partly from Grace The Children of God are more sensible than others because they have a reverence for every providence and look upon it as a good piece of Religious manners to observe when God striketh and to be humble when God is angry Ier. 5. 3. slight spirits are not so much affected Ordinarily they see not God nor own God in every stroke but when the windows of heaven are opened and the mouth of the great deep below there must needs be a great sense 3. Yet there is in it weakness and a mixture of Corruption which may come from an impatiency of the Flesh which would fain be at ease Gen. 49. 15. Rest is good Therefore we are filled with Anguish when troubled either from distrust or at least from unattentiveness to the Promises as there is a Negative Faith in the wicked not contradicting the truth of the Word so a negative distrust in the Godly not regarding not minding the Promise or not regarding the grounds of Comfort which it offereth to us as Hagar saw not the Well that was nigh her till God opened eyes Gen. 21. 19. so Mark 6. 52. They considered not the Miracle of the loaves therefore are amazed in themselves beyond measure Have ye forgotten the five loaves and two fishes Heb. 12. 5. And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh to you as unto Children Yea sometimes there may be positive distrust or actual refusing comfort Psal. 77. 2. My Soul refused to be comforted As they may not mind comfort so in great Troubles refuse comfort in greater Distempers 4. Sorrow and Trouble may revive inward Trouble Affliction in its self is a part of the Laws Curse and may revive something of Bondage in the hearts of Gods Children which is good and useful so far as it quickeneth us to renew our reconciliation with God Spirits intendered by Religion are more apprehensive of Gods Displeasure under Afflictions Numb 12. 14. If her Father had spit in her face should she not be ashamed If it humble under the mighty hand of God 't is well but when it filleth us with perplexities and amazement like wild Bulls in a net or produceth uncomely sorrow roar like Bears or mourn as men without hope 't is naught Use. Let us take notice how Affliction worketh There is a double Extream slighting the hand of God or fainting under it Heb. 12. 5. we must beware of both There must be a sense but it must be kept within bounds without a sense there can be no Improvement to despise them is to think them fortuitous They come from God their end is Repentance their cause is Sin Men cannot indure to have two things despised their Love nor their Anger When Davids love was slighted he vowed to cut off all that pertained to Nabal And Nebuchadnezzar when his Anger was despised commanded the Furnace to be heated seven times hotter Nor Fainting for that excludeth Gods Comforts God hath the whole guiding and ordering the Affliction and while the rod is in his hand there is no danger He is a wise God and cannot be
be had thereby Others not as Talents and so are more indifferent whether they get good by them yea or no but when all these are regarded we act best in any service or Ordinance Now as this is true of Ordinances in general so especially of Prayer which is a sweet means of Communion with God not to be done as a task herein we make an Immediate address to God and come to set him a work and to take proof of his Power and Goodness to see what he will do for his People We put it I say to the Trial as in that extraordinary Case Elijah puts his Contest with Baals Priests upon this issue that God that should answer by Fire he should be God 1 Kings 18. 24. so ordinarily we put in Prayer to Trial whether God hath any respect to his People and that with Gods own leave and incouragement for he hath said that none shall seek his Face in vain Isa. 45. 19. We put it to proof whether he will keep touch with his people and be able and willing to perform what he hath promised Therefore we use this duty in vain and in a Cursory way if we be not earnest for an answer which the Saints dare not do II. Not looking for an Answer proceedeth from an ill Cause 1. Heedlesness not considering what they do and then their prayers are the sacrifice of Fools Eccl. 5. 1 2. Surely attention to holy Duties and that we should consider what we are about 't is the most serious and important part of our lives Now men that do not consider why thy pray are heedless and unattentive and rash 2. Atheism There is a touch of it in this sin Heb. 11. 6. He that cometh unto God must believe that he is and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him Gods Being and his Bounty that there is a God and that he will be good to them that seek him these they do not believe stedfastly these primitive and supream Truths of Gods Being and Bounty Essence and Providence but only comply with the common custom and fashion for were they perswaded that there is a God and that he is good to Mankind and will reward those that Worship him sincerely they would see what cometh of their Duties and Prayers to him 3. Distrust which is next a kin to Atheisme Iob 21. 15. What profit have we if we pray unto him Mal. 3. 14. Ye have said 't is in vain to serve God what profit is it that we have kept his Ordinances c. Now when you look for nothing we do in effect say so for you carry it as if nothing would come of your prayers and fasts They that are perswaded that God heareth them they will wait for the answer of their Prayers 1 Ioh. 5. 14 15. And this is Confidence that we have in him that if we ask any thing according to his Will he heareth us and if we know that he hears us whatsoever we ask we know that we have the Petitions that we desired of him But low and slight thoughts of God and his Service begets this Carelesness something they do but never look after what they do 4. It argues some dis-esteem of Gods favour and acceptance they care not whether he hath any respect for them yea or no for they do not so much as enquire of it Oh how contrary is this to the temper of Gods People if God hide his face they are troubled Psal. 30. 7. he is the Life of their lives Lord list thou up the light of thy Countenance upon us Psal. 4. 7. The seasoning of their Comforts is Gods accepting their Works Eccl. 9. 7. How passionately do they beg for a glimpse for a token for good Psal. 86. 17. Nothing goeth so near their hearts as when the Lord hideth himself from their prayers Psal. 22. 2. I cry in the day-time and thou hearest not in the night season and am not silent Iob 30. 20. I cry unto thee and thou dost not hear me I stand up and thou regardest me not A dumb Oracle is a great trouble they make a business of Prayer therefore 't is very grievous to have no answer not to see their signs to have no token for good The Church taketh it bitterly to heart Lam. 3. 14. Thou hast covered thy self with a Cloud that our prayers should not pass through that Cloud is his Wrath by reason of sin Now to have no affection this way argueth a stupid sottish Spirit These are two Reasons of the Point III. If we do not look after Gods answer our loss is exceeding great We lose our labour in prayer yea return worse than we came with more hardness of heart and neglect of God Yea that 's not all the loss of a prayer with a degree of Spiritual Judgment but we lose Confirmation of Faith for answers of prayer are notable Props to the Soul to support our Faith in the truth of Gods Being Psal. 65. 2. O thou that hearest Prayer unto thee shall all flesh come Every one shall own thee for God So many answers of Prayer so many Arguments against natural Atheism We have challenged him upon his word and find there is a God So of the truth of the promises Psal. 18. 30. thy Word is a tried Word I will build upon it another time you have put them in suit and ever found them good Now all these Experiences are lost if we do not look for an answer of our prayers 2. You lose Excitements to Love and Obedience Nothing so much increaseth our Love to God as when we see that he is mindful of us upon all occasions especially in our deep necessities Psal. 116. 1. I will love the Lord because he hath heard the voice of my Supplication Every experience in this kind is a new fewel laid on to encrease the Fire 3. We lose incouragements to pray again Psal. 116. 2. Because he hath inclined his ear to me I will call upon him so long as I live The Throne of Grace shall not be neglected and unfrequented by me I see there is Mercy to be had help to be had One Adventure succeeding encourageth another Psal. 32. 6. For this shall every one that is godly pray unto thee Because David found such ready Audience and Dispatch 4. You lose the benefit of sensible Communion with God Taking Communion for familiarity it lyeth in Donatives and Duties Prayers and Blessings and there is a Commerce between the Heavens and the Earth by Vapours and Showres Prayers go up and Blessings come down As it was told Cornelius Acts 10. 4. Thy Prayers and thine Alms are come up for a Memorial before God and down come the Blessings upon us 5. God loseth Honour and Praise and thanksgiving if we do not look for an answer For the Answer as 't is matter of Comfort to us so it should be matter of Praise to God Psal. 50. 15. Call upon me in the day of
escape was some while after 2 By giving in spiritual Manifestations to the Soul though he doth not give the particular Mercy prayed for As when upon the prayer he reviveth the soul of him that prayeth Iob 33. 26. He shall pray unto God and he will be favourable to him and he shall see his face with joy The Lord giveth them the light of his Countenance and special discoveries of his love or support till the Mercy come Psal. 138. 3. In the day when I cryed thou answeredst me and strengthenedst me with strength in my Soul Support is an Answer such an Answer had Paul My Grace is sufficient for thee Or when the heart is quieted though we do not know what God will do with our requests yet satisfied in the discharge of our Duty and that we have commended the matter to God So it is said of Hannah When she had prayed her Countenance was no more sad 1 Sam. 1. 18. And Phil. 4. 6 7. Be careful for nothing but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God and the peace of God which passeth all understanding shall keep your hearts and minds through Iesus Christ. Sometimes by a secret Impression of Confidence or a strong inclination to hope well of the thing prayed for Psal. 6. 8. The Lord hath heard the voice of my weeping Or Experiences as they that travailed to Ierusalem passing through the Valley Baca they met with a Well by the way Psal. 84. 6. a sweet refreshing thought or some help in the Spiritual Life by serious dealing with God some Consideration to set you a work or some new ingagement of the soul to God as a recompence of the Duty some Principles of Faith drawn forth in the view of Conscience not shewed before Some truth or other presented with fresh Life and vigour upon the heart 3. Sometimes by way of Commutation and Exchange and so God doth answer the prayer though he doth not give the mercy prayed for When he giveth another thing that is as good or better for the party that prayeth though not in kind the same yet in worth and value as good This Commutation may be three wayes First In regard of the Person praying David fasts and humbleth and melteth his soul for his Persecutors Psal. 35. 13. and it returned into his own bosom was converted to his own benefit his fasting had no effect upon them but his Charity did not lose its reward David prayeth for his first Child by Bathsheba but that Child dieth and God giveth Solomon instead thereof 2 Sam. 12. 15. Noah Daniel Iob shall save their own Souls Ezek. 14. 14. Your peace shall return to you again Luk. 10. 5 6. the Comfort of discharging their Duty Secondly In regard of the matter Carnal things are begged and Spiritual things are given Acts 1. 6 7. The Apostles asked him wilt thou at this time restore the kingdom to Israel They did not receive the Kingdom to Israel but received the promise of the Spirit Moses would fain enter into Canaan with the People Deut. 3. 23 24. And God said let it suffice thee speak no more of this matter but God gave him a Pisgah sight and ease of the trouble of Wars We would have speedy riddance of Trouble but God thinketh not fit as showers that come by drops soak into the Earth better then those that come in a Tempest and Hurricane We ask for Ease in Troubles and God will give Courage under Troubles Lam. 3. 55 56 57. I called upon thy name O Lord out of the low dungeon Thou hast heard my voice hide not thine ear at my breathing at my cry Thou drewest near in the day that I called upon thee thou saidst Fear not His gracious and powerful Presence in Trouble was enough Christ was heard in that he feared Heb. 5. 7. not saved from that Hour but supported and strengthened in it Iob sacrificed prayed for his Children when they were Feasting Iob 1. 5. and though they were all destroyed God gave him Patience verse 22. for in all that befell him he sinned not nor charged God foolishly Thirdly In regard of means we pray such means may not miscarry God will use other As Abraham would fain have Ishmael the Child of the Promise but God intended Isaac Gen. 17. 18. O that Ishmael might live before thee Thus doth God often blast instruments we most expect good from and maketh use of others to be Instruments for our good which we did least expect it from God may give us our Will in Anger when the Mercy turneth to our hurt Therefore the kind of Gods Answer must be referred to his own Will in all things for which we are not to pray Absolutely and when we have discharged our Duty endeavoured to approve our Hearts to God take what Answer he will give Doct. 2. From the manner of praying with the whole Heart the Saints have the more confidence of being heard in Prayer David alledgeth his crying with the whole heart as an hopeful intimation of a gracious Answer 1. Because a Prayer rightly made hath the assurance of a Promise the Promise is Ioh. 16. 24. Ask and you shall receive that your joy may be full Now this beareth no exception but that we ask according to his Will 1 Ioh. 5. 14. Si bona petant boni bene ad bonum Good men asking good things in the name of Christ for a good end thou canst not miss 2. Where there is sincerity and fervency we have two witnesses to establish our Comfort and Hope the Spirit of God that knoweth the deep things of God and the Spirit of Man that knoweth the things that are in man Gods Spirit who stirreth up these groans in us Rom. 8. 26 27. He that searcheth the heart knoweth the mind of the Spirit because he maketh intercession for the Saints according to the will of God And the Testimony of our own Spirits that we have done our part and discharged our Duty and so have true Joy and Confidence Iob 16. 19 20. My witness is in heaven and my record is on high My friends scorn me but mine eye poureth out teares to God 3. God doth not use to send them away comfortless that call upon him in spirit and truth because by one grace he maketh way for another by the grace of Assistance for the grace of Acceptance Psal. 10. 17. Lord thou hast heard the desire of the humble thou hast prepared their heart thou wilt cause thine ear to hear Where God hath given an Heart to speak he will afford an ear to hear for God will not lose his own work he cannot refuse those requests which are according to the direction of his Word and the motions of his holy Spirit when they are brought to him Use. This exhorteth us to look more after the manner of praying An earnest and sincere prayer cannot miscarry judge by this and you cannot want
immutable things in which it was impossible for God to lie we may have strong consolation which is such a sacred Assurance yea by seals and signs Yet again your very believing bindeth it the faster Psal. 119. 49. Remember the word unto thy servant upon which thou hast caused me to hope Would God invitea Trust and then decline it The more you believe the sooner you see the effects of the Promise This is the difference between Promises and Threatnings Christ saith be it unto thee according to thy Faith Gods Threatnings are fulfilled whether Man will or no let him believe or not believe God will throw the Ungodly into Hell but in Promises it is otherwise then they do good to us when by Faith we embrace them believe and thou shalt be established Besides Gods two immutable things Faith is an Anchor sure and stedfast Heb. 6. 19. therefore let us not entertain the Promises of the Gospel with a loose heart you may know it by your slightness and carelesness about them if you do not esteem them as great 2 Pet. 1. 4. To you are given exceeding great and precious promises they contain Spiritual and Eternal Riches and deserve to be greatly esteemed By your addictedness to sense and present things you seem to declare that you think a bird in the Hand is better than two in the Bush Happiness to come but conjectural and uncertain It is a Fancy to live by Faith if it doth not support us in difficulties and afflictions Psalm 119. 40. This is my comfort in my affliction thy word hath quickened me when you look on all the Promises as a dry stick or as Words and Wind if they do not ingage us to the earnest pursuit of heavenly happiness and the blessedness which they contain and offer Heb. 11. 13. These all died in faith not having received the promises but having seen them afar off and were perswaded of them and embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the Earth Doct. II. That this unchangeable Certainty and everlasting Verity of Gods testimonies should be known by us that so a sure word should be entertained by a pure Faith David acknowledgeth here his own certainty First What it is to know this To know signifieth three things to understand to consider to believe all have place in this point There must be a clear Apprehension a deep and serious Consideration and a firm Assent and sound Belief of this Truth 1. It is needful we should understand the Unchangeable and Everlasting Verity of the Scriptures for how shall we believe what we do not know and venture our Souls upon what we are ignorant of 2 Tim. 1. 12. I know whom I have believed Ioh 9. 36. Dost thou believe on the Son of God And he said who is he that I might believe on him True Faith is not content to go on implicite grounds but seeks for clear knowledge of the ground it goeth upon nor can there be solid Faith without knowledge of that which we do believe Who will venture his Soul on the bottom of the Scriptures till he knoweth they are of God and unchangeably fixed as the Rule of Life and Charter of his Happiness Especially since they require us to Crucifie our lusts and Sacrifice our Interests and perform those duties which are unpleasing to nature upon the Hopes which they offer and bid us with confidence and joyfulness to wait upon God for his Salvation in the midst of all pressures and afflictions if we build hand over head we build on the Sand not on the Rock 2. To Know signifieth to Consider this is also necessary because all Knowledge is improved by Consideration without which it is but as Ignorance or Oblivion at the best till Consideration doth awaken it Certainly it can have no efficacy upon us breed no delight and hope in us a Trasient view doth not acquaint us with things as serious Meditation the Truth lyeth by unimproved as a man that passeth us by occasionally knoweth us not so much as he that doth intimately converse with us Therefore if we would improve our Knowledge excite the Soul to its act of Faith and Choice there must be Consideration we are bid to consider the Lord Jesus Heb. 3. 1. to give heed to the Gospel Heb. 2. 1. to consider its worth and certainty The Schoolmen have a distinction certitudo cognitionis seu speculationis and certitudo adhaesionis the former lyeth only in a clearness of the Mind the last in its power upon the Affections and the Will The Object rightly propounded produceth the former from the Understanding not expecting the Consent of the Will the latter followeth imperium consensum voluntatis the Command and Consent of the Will The former ariseth from the Evidence of the thing the latter from the Worth Weight and Greatness of the thing the Gospel-Truth of this latter sort we read 1 Tim. 1. 15. This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation that Christ Iesus came into the World to save sinners of whom I am chief and therefore must not only be apprehended but seriously considered by us that we may adhere to it with all our hearts though Illumination is helped by Contemplation yet much more the latter where firm Adherence is expected Men may apprehend the truth of things when corrupt Affections and a perverse Will keep them off from closing with them but when a man so knows a thing as to consider it is both his Duty and Interest to close with the goodness and truth of it then doth he rightly know it 3. To Know signifieth Assent and firm Believing as Ioh. 17. 8. They have known surely ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã that I came out from thee So Acts 2. 36. Therefore let all the House of Israel know assuredly ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã that God hath made that same Iesus whom you have crucified both Lord and Christ. To know it so as they might safely build upon it this is mainly necessary considering the many Temptations and Assaults that we shall meet with to shake us this Assent must be very strong well rooted and built upon sure ground And because it doth not consist in puncto it must be always growing Mark 9. 24. Lord I believe help thou my unbelief till it grow up to the certainty of the thing on which it is built There is an objective certainty in things that is beyond that subjective certainty in persons about them but because it is built on divine Revelation or Gods Testimonies we should still increase in it Secondly Whence we know it there is the difficulty the doubt will not lie here whether Gods Testimonies be of Everlasting Verity but how we shall know them to be Gods Testimonies For it is per se notum that God is true that he cannot lye or give a false Testimony 1 Ioh. 5. 9. If we receive the witness of men the witness of God is greater But how doth
it appear this is Gods Testimony for that word that is propounded to be believed as such cannot be perceived by ease neither is it known of itself to the Understanding neither is it demonstrable by evident Reasons as to make infallible Conclusions The Word 's giving Testimony of itself doth not solve it indeed one part may give Testimony to another and one Revelation be confirmed by another as the New Testament giveth witness to the Old and confirmeth its Authority but how shall we know that to be Gods Testimony I Answer we have it 1. Partly from the self-evidencing light of the Scriptures themselves they have passed Gods hand and have his Signature upon them as all his Works make out their Author There are Characters of his Wisdom Power Goodness and Holiness impressed upon them 2 Cor. 4. 2 3 4. By manifestation of the Truth commending our selves to every mans Conscience in the sight of God But if our Gospel be hid it is hid to them that are lost In whom the God of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not left the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ who is the image of God should shine unto them The Gospel being the result of Gods Wisdom and suited to the heart of man for whose use it was calculated it hath something in itself to commend it to our Consciences It cannot be imagined that the hand of God should pass upon any thing and there should be nothing of his Character left on it to shew it came from God Look upon any fly or gnat any flower of the field or pile of grass And you may see some impressions to discover the Author of them So certainly if God shall set himself to write a book or set forth a frame of Doctrine to do man good surely he hath discovered his Wisdom and Holiness and Grace therein and that in plain and legible Characters that if man were not prepossessed and leavened with Prejudice and Corrupt Affections he could not choose but see it That there is such an objective evidence or aptitude in the Doctrine it self to beget faith in those that consider it is plain from that of the Apostle 2 Cor. 4. 2 3 4. By the manifestation of the truth we commend our selves to every mans Conscience in the sight of God without Miracle or other Confirmation if they had a clear eye 't is light which discovereth itself and all things else The reason why it is not seen is not in the Object because of any defect there but the faculty the visive faculty their eyes are blinded with Worldly Lusts. Well then when things are spoken so becoming the Nature of God and so agreeable to the necessities of Man and with such an evidence of Reason not to the Law only but also to the Gospel as to establishing of a way of Commerce between God and us and exempting us from the grand scruples that haunt us though these things could not be found out by humane Wit yet now they are revealed they carry a great suitableness thereunto 2. And Partly by the Testimony of the Spirit this is one way of confirming the Truth of the Gospel Acts 5. 32. We are his witnesses of these things and so is the holy Ghost whom God hath given to them that obey him Where the Apostles are mentioned as one sort of witnesses and the Holy Ghost as another the great office of the Spirit is to testifie of Christ Jesus Ioh. 15. 26. Even the Spirit of truth which proceedeth from the Father he shall testifie of me The Doctrine of the Gospel concerning Christs Coming and Power is so great a Mystery that 't is not believed and received in the World without the Spirit Upon the beginning of Christs Ministry in his Baptisme the Spirit appeared in the form of a Dove now the Holy Ghost doth two wayes bear witness of Christ ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Artificially and Inartificially Artificially per modum argumenti and Inartificially per modum testis Partly as he doth afford sufficient matter of Confirmation and Conviction in those miraculous operations in the primitive times And also as he doth perswade the heart and convince us of the Truth of the Gospel 3. There is Experience of the Truth of the Word in Gods hearing Prayers Psal. 65. 2. O! thou that hearest Prayer unto thee shall all flesh come Fulfilling Promises Psal. 18. 30. Thy word is a tryed word he is a buckler to all that trust in him Punishing the Wicked Hosea 7. 12. I will chastise them as their Congregation hath heard Rewarding according to the Rules set down in the Word Rom. 1. 18. and Heb. 2. 3. but of this by and by Thirdly Why we must understand consider and believe Answ. Both in order to our Comfort and Duty 1. Comfort If the Certainty of the Scriptures were more understood believed and thought of we should be more fortified against fears and sorrows and Cares and Discouragements whencesoever they do arise for as fire well kindled doth easily break forth into a flame so assent freely laid doth fortifie the heart against trouble 'T is very notable when the Apostles would raise the joy of Faith they plead the certainty of the Doctrine they delivered for it was comfortable in it self suitable to the Necessities of man all that needed was to assure others of the truth of it See 1 Ioh. 1. 1 2 3 4. That their joy might be compleat and full upon this certainty of evidence and compleat demonstration we could not be so comfortless and dejected if we were perswaded of the reality of these things So 2 Pet. 1. 8. believing ye rejoyce with joy unspeakable and glorious We should love Christ and rejoyce in the believing confident expectation of enjoying of him and where this is firmly believed afflictions cannot damp or hinder this joy A firm trust in the Promises of the Word will fill a man with Comfort and strengthen him against all difficulties Psal. 56. 4 10. 2. Our Obedience would be better promoted 't would be a remedy against boldness in sinning and coldness in Duty Heb. 3. 12. Take heed lest there be in any of you an evil heart of Unbelief in departing from the living God You cannot drive a dull ass into the Fire Prov. 1. 17. Surely in vain is the net laid in the sight of any bird Men do not believe the everlasting verity of the Scriptures and therefore are so bold and venterous they think they shall do well enough after all Gods Threatnings Zeph. 1. 12. And it shall come to pass that I will search Ierusalem with candles and will punish the men that are settled upon their lees that say in their hearts the Lord will not do good neither will he do evil Secondly Coldness in Duty how do the Scriptures reason against Neglect Heb. 2. 1 2 3. Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard lest at any time
we should let them slip for if the word spoken by Angels was stedfast and every transgression and every disobedience received a just recompence of reward how shall we escape if we neglect so great Salvation The word spoken by Angels was ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã was only worth questioned no but the truth also because so little believed therefore so little thought of less desired least of all pursued and sought after 2 Pet. 1. 16. We have not followed cunningly devised fables when we made known to you the power and coming of the Lord Iesus but were eye-witnesses of his Majesty Use. Oh study to be informed more and more of this great Truth le ts think of and often consider the unerring Certainty of the Scripture 'T is a Truth not to be supposed and taken for granted but known that you may build sure Man is apt to suspect Evangelical Truths as being cross to his Lusts and Interests You will find it of use not only in great Temptations when we are apt to question all Psal. 73. 13. but in ordinary practice in every Prayer Heb. 10. 22. Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of Faith 'T is not an Assurance of our particular estate or our Title to Eternal Life but a full Assurance of the Word and Promise of God that is necessarily required in every one that will draw nigh to God Let us ask in faith nothing doubting Iam. 1. 7 8. 2. Do not content your selves with a light Credulity but grow up to a full perswasion 2 Tim. 3. 14. But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of knowing of whom thou hast learned them And Col. 2. 2. That their hearts being comforted being knit together in love and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding Not a fluctuating doubting Knowledge but a full perswasion of the Truth of the Gospel Luk. 1. 4. That thou mayest know the certainty of those things wherein thou hast been instructed Col. 1. 23. If thou continue in the faith grounded and settled and be not moved away from the hope of the Gospel a rooted perswasion that 't is the undoubted Truth of God the firmness of Faith should answer the firmness of Gods Word There are several degrees of Assent Conjecture Opinion weak Faith and receiving the Word in much Assurance 1 Thes. 1. 6. There is Belief Confidence Assurance and full Assurance Belief is grounded on Gods Word in general and all the Truths and Propositions therein contained Confidence on the Promise the one goeth before the other Fidelity is before Dependance and Belief for the Promise is first a Truth and so to be considered before it can be conceived under the formal notion of a Promise full Assurance is grounded on the Fidelity and Immutability of God no man believeth so far but he may believe more Doct. III. That Experiences of former times should give us encouragement to trust God for what is future Thy Testimonies I have known of old saith David So the Children of God make use of them See Davids Instance 1 Sam. 17. 36. Thy servant slew both the Lion and the Bear and this uncircumcised Philistian shall be as one of them Moreover David said the Lord hath delivered me from the paw of the Lion and the paw of the Bear and he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine Thus he argueth from former experience to future deliverance I trust in the same God who is able to give the same strength and why should I not look for the same success So Iacob Gen. 32. 10 11. I am not worthy of the least of all thy Mercies and of the Truth thou hast shewed to thy servant for with my staffe I passed over this Iordan and now I am become two bands deliver me I pray thee from the hands of my brother Esau. So Psal. 23. 5 6. Thou hast prepared a table for me in the presence of mine enemies Surely goodness and mercy shall follow mee all the dayes of my life He hath been good to me and if it be for his glory he will be still good to me he hath been my God and will be my God and shall be my God for ever 2 Cor. 1. 10. Who hath delivered from so great a death and doth deliver in whom we trust he will yet deliver us In all respects of time we stand in need of deliverance when one is past another cometh there have been dangers there are dangers and there will be dangers but God hath doth and will deliver It is a Trade God hath used an Art he is versed in and never at a loss about Our God is a God of Salvation and is excellent in working of it Reasons of the Point I. Gods Constancy and Unchangeableness God is the same alwayes like himself for Mercy Power and Truth he is never at a loss what he hath done he can do and will do I am is Gods Name not I have been or shall be his Providence is new and fresh every Morning Lament 3. 23. God is but one God Gal. 3. 20. Alwayes like himself as he hath delivered so he doth and will Isa. 59. 1. Behold the Lords hand is not shortned that he cannot save neither his ear heavy that he cannot hear No decay in him when we give to another we give from our selves we waste by giving the Creatures are at a stint and soon spend their allowance but God cannot be Exhausted there is no decrease of Love and Power no wrinkle upon the brow of Eternity II. Experience begets Confidence Rom. 5. 3. And patience experience and experience begets hope The heart is much confirmed when it hath Faith and Experience of his side If we were as we should be the Promise should be beyond all Experiences for it is the Word of him that cannot lye Experience addeth nothing to the certainty of the Promise nor any Authority to it only in regard of our weakness 't is an help and sensible Confirmation against our distrustful Cares and Fears Sense and Experience is not the ground of Faith we must believe God upon his bare word yet 't is an encouragement Ioh. 20. 29. Because thou hast seen me thou hast believed Then more encouraged when felt Christ. We have a double proof and experience 1. What God is able to do for us 2. What God will do again when his own Glory and our need requireth it 1. We know what God can do former Deliverances are as so many Monuments and significations of his Power Isa. 51. 9. Awake awake O arm of the Lord art not thou he that cut Rahab and wounded the Dragon awake and put on strength as in the ancient dayes Rahab is Egypt Psal. 87. 4. the Dragon Pharaoh Ezek. 29. 3. the Dragon or Crocodile of Egypt Can he do this and not do that Upon every experience we that learn by sense should be more strongly perswaded of Gods Power 'T
the World little in regard of outward interest and so lye open and liable to offences little in regard of their spiritual growth and so apt to take offence yet they are dear to the great God who is their Patron and will take their quarrel into his own hands And it will be a thousand times better they had been the persecuted ones than to be persecutors Thirdly With respect to the double faculty the devil seeketh to work upon which is our irrascible or concupiscible faculty our eschewing or pursuing power the flesh with its ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Gal. 5. 24. 'T is passions and lusts what we render affections and these are suited to the Temptations that most Men are usually overcome by such are the Terrours and Allurements of the World the Terrours of the World that works upon our Passions the Allurements of the World that works upon our Lusts. First The Terrours of the World are apt to draw men to dislike God and distaste the way of Godliness Certainly By these the Devil seeketh to get us into his Power and Reach Therefore 't is said 1 Pet. 5. 9. Whom resist stedfast in the Faith knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your Brethren that are in the World Satans Temptations are conveyed to the Godly thorough Afflictions hoping by these to prevail with them to make them quitt the Truth and their duty to Christ and grow weary of the ways of God and it doth the more prevail when they think they are the only sufferers This should not be for the drift of Christianity 't is to take us off from the hopes and fears of the World and a full third part of the Scriptures serveth to comfort us in Tribulations and Afflictions for the Gospels sake and if we were not exposed to troubles these would be as unsuitable and needless as bladders and arts of swimming were to a man that standeth on dry land and never meaneth to go into the deep Waters But yet they are an usual stumbling block to those that have not overcome the sensual inclination and are not dead to a worldy interest 2. The Allurements of the World or the baits of sence present things have a strange infatuation upon us 2 Tim. 4. 10. And Demas hath forsaken us having loved the present World The troubles of the World are not so dangerous as the snares of the World though many be discouraged by troubles yet many times others are gained by the Patience Courage and Constancy of Gods Servants in Persecutions The offence may be more easily disproved as not justifiable for men may have a secret liking of the Truth and a purpose to own it in better times but by the baits of sence men are inveigled and tempted to dislike Religion it self as contradicting their Lusts and nourish a base Opinion of it in their hearts in Troubles and Persecutions there is not a dislike of Religion it self but of the hard Terms upon which it must be received and cherished And besides the mischief is greater they that cast off the Profession and Practice of Godliness upon some great Earthly hopes involve themselves in a more hainous sin then they that shrink from it out of some great fear for those things we fear as Afflictions Torments and Death they are in themselves destructive of our Felicity and therefore it cannot be said how much nature abhorreth them But those things which we hope for and desire are such that nature may easily and without great inconveniency be without them As great Riches Splendour of Life Noble Affinities and Marriages for these things are not absolutely necessary to the Worldly life but only conduce to the greater coveniency and felicity thereof Not our Worldly Being but our well-being is concerned in them Our being may be kept up and supported in a far meaner Condition thence It is that great dangers when they are at hand and difficulties sustained and the fear of them doth often sway us against the Conscience of our Duty but if we lose our great Worldly hopes or be cut short in our Condition and Worldly expectations 't is no great matter Wise and Gracious men may easily bear it with a quiet and well-composed Mind The sin of those that stumble at great and worldly hopes is questionless the greater Transgression for they are only inticed and drawn away by their Pleasures and Lusts which all good Christians are obliged to deaden and mortifie But though to fall out of Fear be not so hainous a sin yet a great and hainous sin it is for Grace should govern Fear as well as hope If the Coertion and bridling of it be difficult it doth not excuse a toto but a tanto only and 't is hard to set a Christian in joynt again that is faln by Fear witness those Terrors that do haunt men when once they are gotten into the snare As Peter went out and wept bitterly it cost him much sorrow at heart Christ is fain to direct a special message to him by name Mark 16. 7. Though it doth not exclude all hopes of Repentance and Pardon yet it needeth great Mercy on Gods part and Repentance on ours Indeed the Church is bound to consider mens weaknesses and to judge of the fault according to the violent shock and incursion of the Temptation because we know not our own strength and how soon we may be surprized in like kind and need indulgence our selves Gal. 6. 1. But God is not in our Condition nor obliged to recover all that lapse in this kind and therefore useth his Mercy according to his own pleasure Sometimes he recovereth them and sometimes not but for the other Temptations what excuse is it capable of Heb. 12. 16 17. Secondly Let us consider how a Believer is preserved Unsound Professors are turned by Scandal from the wayes of Godliness which they seemed to walk in but for the sincere Believer there may be many stumbling blocks laid in his way but he falleth not at them escapeth those hainous sins into which others fall through his love to Gods Commandments Observe here three things 1. 'T is not Light but Love that keepeth them from stumbling the light of saving knowledge is a great matter for it sheweth us a sure rule to walk by and sure Promises to build upon but love must joyn with it to assist us that we may escape those snares for many fail because they receive not the Truth in the love of it 2 Thes. 2. 10. Till light be turned into love it hath not such a powerful influence upon us Certainly a man is better held by the Heart than by the Head Rom. 8. 39. Nothing shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. The love of God is not principally taken there in a passive sense for the love wherewith we are beloved of God but in an active sense for the love wherewith we love God For Affliction and
hearts towards spiritual and heavenly things Ioh. 6 45. They shall all be taught of God 1 Thes. 4. 10. Ye your selves are taught of God to love one another 1 Ioh. 2. 27. The anointing teacheth you all things As the Heathen Cato would have none to teach his Son but himself for he said that Instruction was such a benefit that he would not have his Son beholding to none for it but himself Oh 't is a blessed priviledge to be taught of God! to be made wise to Salvation and not only to get an ear to hear but an heart to understand and learn by hearing not only the power to Believe but the very Act of Faith itself Gods teaching is always effectual not only directive but perswasive inlightening the mind to know and inclining the Will and Affections to imbrace what we know he writeth the truth upon the heart and puts it into the mind Heb. 8. 10. He sufficiently propoundeth the Object and rectifieth the Faculty imprints the Truth upon the very Soul But how doth God teach in the very place where Christ speaketh of our being taught of God he presently addeth Ioh. 6. 46. Not that any man hath seen the Father Gods teaching doth not import that any man must see God and immediately Converse with him and talk with God and so be taught by him no God teacheth externally by his Word and internally by the Spirit but yet so powerfully and effectually that the Lesson is learned and deeply imprinted upon our Souls this teaching is often expressed by seeing now to a clear sight three things concur an Object conspicuous a perspicuous Medium and a well disposed Organ or clear Eye in Gods teaching there is all these The Object to be seen plainly in the Scriptures are the things of God not Fancies but Realities and by the light of the Spirit represented to us and the Eye of the Mind opened A blind man cannot see at mid-day nor the most clear-sighted at midnight when objects lye hidden under a vail of darkness the object must be revealed and brought nigh to us in a due light and God secretly openeth the eye of the Soul that we see heavenly things with Life and Affection The Author then sheweth the Mercy when God will not only teach us by Men but by his Spirit II. The Objects known the highest and most important matters in the World the gracious Soul is savingly acquainted with 't is more to have the knowledge of the profoundest Sciences then of some poor and low employment as Themistocles said to know a little of true Philosophy is more than to know how to play upon a fiddle But now to have the saving knowledge of God and of the life to come is more than to have the most admired Wisdom of the Flesh than all the Common Learning in the World and therefore how much are we bound to praise God if he will teach us his Statutes more than if we knew how to govern Kingdoms and Common-wealths and to do the greatest business upon Earth Two things do commend the object of this knowledge 1. It is conversant about the most high and excellent things 2. The most necessary and useful things 1. Things of so high a nature as to know God who is the cause of all things and Jesus Christ who is the restorer of all things and the Spirit who cherisheth and preserveth all things especially to know his heavenly operations and the nature and acting of his several Graces Ier. 9. 24. Let him that glorieth glory in this that he knoweth me saith the Lord. There is the excellency of a man to know God to conceive aright of his Nature Attributes and Works so as to Love Trust Reverence and Serve him Alas all other knowledge is a poor low thing to this God hath written a book to us of himself as Caesar wrote his own Commentaries and by Histories and Prophesies hath set forth himself to us to be the Creatures Creator Preserver Deliverer and Glorifier This is the Knowledge we should seek after common Craft teach us how to get bread but this book teacheth us how to get the Kingdom of heaven to get the bread of Life the meat that perisheth not Law preserveth the Estates and Testaments of Men but this the Testament of God the Charter of our eternal Inheritance Physick cureth the Diseases of the Body this afflicted Minds and distempered Hearts Natural Philosophy raiseth up men to the contemplation of Nature this of the Maker of all things and Author of Nature History the Rise and Ruine of Kingdoms States and Cities this the Creation and Consummation of the World Rhetorick to stir the Affection this to inkindle Divine Love Poetry moveth natural delight here Psalms that we may delight in God These are the only true and sublime things as Light is pleasant to the Eye so is Knowledge to the Mind but where have you the knowledge of such high things what are the mysteries of Nature to the mysteries of Godliness to know the Almighty living God and to behold his Wisdom Goodness and Power in all his Works surely this is a sweet and pleasant thing to a gracious soul but especially to know him in Christ to know the Mistery of the Incarnation Person Natures and Mediation of Christ. 1 Tim. 3. 16. Great is the mistery of Godliness This is a mistery without Controversie great to know the Law and Covenant of God Deut. 4. 6. This is your wisdom and understanding in the sight of the nations who shall hear these statutes And the sanctifying work of the Holy-Ghost by which we are wrought and prepared for everlasting Life 2. So necessary and useful to know the way of Salvation the Disease and Remedy of our Souls our Danger and the Cure our Work and our Wages the business of Life and our End what is to be believed and practiced what we are to enjoy and do these are the things which concern us all other knowledge is but curious and speculative and hath more of pleasure than of Profit To know our own Affairs our greatest and most necessary Affairs these are the things we should busie our selves about ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã One thing is necessary Luk. 10. 42. Other things we may well spare Now what is necessary but to know our Misery that we may prevent it our Remedy that we may look after it in time our Work and Business that we may perform it our End that we intend it and be incouraged by it What course we must take that we may be everlastingly happy Well then if God will shew us what is good Mich. 6. 8. and teach us what is good that we may know whither we are a going and which way we must go if he will give us Counsel in our reins to choose him for our portion Psal. 16. 5. We ought to bless his name So the 11th Verse Thou wilt shew me the path of Life though ignorant of other things we are
highly obliged for this discovery 't is the work of God to give us Counsel and should be matter of perpetual Thanksgiving to us III. The Use for which this knowledge serveth 1. To entertain Communion with God for the present for by knowing him we come to enjoy him Psal. 17. 15. As for me I will behold thy face in rightcousness I shall be satisfied when I awake with thy likeness that 's more than to have a portion in this World And 1 Ioh. 1. 3. That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you that ye also may have fellowship with us and truely our fellowship is with the father and his son Iesus Christ. By Communion or Fellowship is not meant a society of Equals but the dutiful yet chearful attendance of an Inferiour on his Superiour the Creature on his Creator but yet so as that there is an holy intimacy and familiarity in it because we both love and are beloved of God in every Ordinance they draw nearer to God than others do for 1 Ioh. 1. 7. If we walk in the light as he is in the light we have fellowship one with another All our Duties are the Converse of a sanctified Creature with an holy God and an humble Creature dealing with the blessed God for a supply of all their wants They pour out their Souls to him and he openeth his Ear and Bosom unto them he teacheth them his way and they walk in his paths Isa. 2. 3. They walk in the Fear of his Name and the Comforts of his Spirit Acts 9. 31. they seek his Glory as their great End and live in the sense of his dearest love 2. To enjoy him for ever this is life eternal that they may know thee the only true God and Iesus Christ whom thou hast sent Ioh. 17. 3. Alas what is the knowing how to get Riches and Pleasures and the Vain-glory of the World to this Surely you that are taught of God your business is above other Mens while they drive on no greater Trade than providing for the Flesh or feathering a Nest that will quickly be pulled down they are providing for Everlasting Glory and Happiness They aim at nothing beyond this Life all their Cares are confined within the narrow bounds of Time and the compass of this World but these look higher and begin a life which shall be perfected in Heaven they are laying up treasure in Heaven IV. The manner of knowing things when taught of God they see things with greater Clearness and Certainty and Efficacy and Power 1. With greater Clearness Others know Words but they know Things and therefore know as they ought to know them They know the Grace of God in Truth Col. 1. 6. They have the spiritual discerning and that is a quite different thing from a literal discerning 1 Cor. 2. 14. He hath an experimental and sweeter knowledge than learned men that are ungodly He hath tasted that the Lord is Gracious the sweetness of his Love and the riches of his Grace in Christ. The Theory of Divine Knowledge though never so exact giveth us not this they have more of the Words and Notions but less of the thing itself they have the sign the other the thing signified they break the shell and the other eats the kernel they dress the meat but the others feed upon and digest it dig in the Mines of knowledge as Negroes but others have the Gold A rotten post may support a living Tree 2. With more Certainty There is a great deal of difference between taking up Religion out of Inspiration and out of Opinion or Tradition Faith is the gift of God but Credulity is received by the Report of Men. Men may guess at the truth by their own Wit they may talk of it by rote and according to what they read and hear from others but Divine Knowledge is the fruit of the Spirit Matth. 16. 17. Flesh and bloud hath not revealed these things unto thee but my Father which is in heaven Ioh. 4. 42. Now we believe not because of thy saying but we have heard him our selves and know indeed that this is the Christ the Saviour of the World And 1 Thes. 1. 5. For our Gospel came to you not in word only but in power and the Holy Ghost and in much assurance We never apprehend the Truth with any certainty nor can we discern Gods Impress on the Word but in the light of the Spirit Gods Illumination maketh our knowledge of things certain and infallible Know ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã assuredly Acts 2. 36. Ioh. 17. 8. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã 'T is not a may be a bare possibility or likely to be a probability but it is sure to be and will be so a certainty that belongeth to Faith 3. For Efficacy and Power 1 Thes. 1. 5. For our Gospel came to you not in word only but in power and in the Holy Ghost Stephen a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost Acts 6. 5. We are affected with the Truths we know yea transformed and changed by them 2 Cor. 3. 18. Changed into a Divine Nature 1 Pet. 1. 4. Our hearts are moulded and fitted for God and for every good work So that this is a benefit should be much acknowledged Use. I. Is to Inform us how the Saints do and should esteem this benefit of Divine Illumination In this Psalm they esteem it more than if God should bestow a great deal of wealth upon them See Psal. 119. 14. I rejoice in the way of thy Testimonies more than in all riches And 72 Verse More than thousands of gold and silver Once more they think themselves well a paid if they get it by sharp Afflictions though by loss of Health or Wealth Verse 71. It s good for me that I have been afflicted that I might learn thy statutes The reason is because they value it as a Mercy for which they can never enough be thankful Phil. 3. 8. Yea doubtless and I count all things to be loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Iesus my Lord for whom I have suffered the loss of all things and do count them but dung that I may win Christ The People of God have no reason to envy others that live in the Pomp of the World and the splendor of outward accommodations if he give them the saving knowledge of himself Prov. 3. 31 32. Envy not the oppressor and choose none of his wayes for the froward is an abomination to the Lord but his secret is with the righteous If God will teach us his Statutes though he keepeth us low 't is more to be one of Gods Disciples to be owned by him in an Ordinance than to live a Life of Pomp and Ease Secondly None are fit to praise God but those whom God hath taught Psal. 50. 16. What hast thou to do to declare my statutes or that thou shouldest take my covenant into thy mouth The new song and the old heart
of these things This is the Assurance of Faith spoken of Heb. 10. 22. I know I shall find this to be a Truth Men are Conscionable and faithful in keeping their Word much more God who can neither deceive nor be deceived 2. You are to delight in the promise though the performance be not yet nor like to be for a good while neither performed nor likely to be performed Heb. 11. 13. They saw them afar off and yet being perswaded of these things they embraced them And Ioh. 8. 56. Abraham saw my day and was glad You hold the Blessing by the root where you have the promise Heb. 6. 18. 3 You are to take the naked promise for a ground of your hope however it seem to be contradicted in the course of his providence 't is his Word you are to go by and stand by and according to which you must interpret all his Dispensations 'T is said Rom. 4. 18. That Abraham believed in hope against hope When Faith dependeth upon God naked Word then it standeth upon its own Basis and proper Legs every thing is strongest in its props and pillars which God and nature hath appointed for it He hangeth the Earth upon nothing in the midest of the Air but there is its place So Faith standeth fast upon his Word who is able to perform what he saith 4. This Faith must conquer our Fears and Cares and Troubles Psal. 112. 7. He shall not be afraid of evil tydings his heart is fixed trusting in the Lord. And Psal. 56. 3 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 or else it is but a Notion and our Reverence and Respect to God will be weakened by it 5. When Faith hath done its work in the quieting of our own hearts you must glorifie God in your Carriage before others Ioh. 3. 33. Put to his Seal that God is true that is when we confirm others in the faith and belief of the promises by our joyfulness in all Conditions Patience and Contentedness under the Cross Diligence in Holiness Hope and Comfort in great streights You shall see Numb 20. 12. that God was angry with Moses and Aaron because they believed not to sanctifie him in the eyes of the Children of Israel We are not only to believe in God our selves but to sanctifie him in the eyes of others As the Thessalonians by receiving the Word in much Affliction much Assurance and Joy in the Holy Ghost were Examples to all that believed in Achaia 1 Thes. 1. 5 6 7. Thus we should do but how few do thus believe Some count these vain words and the Comforts thence deduced Fanatical illusions or Fantastical impressions nothing so ridiculous in the Worlds Eye as Trust and dependance on unseen Comforts Psal. 22. 8. He trusted on the Lord that he should deliver him let him deliver him seeing he delighted in him Ungodly Wits make the life of Faith a sport or matter of Laughter Some have more modesty but as little Faith they are all for the present World 2 Tim. 4. 9. present delights please them but present Temptations altogether unsettle them Heb. 12. 11. cannot bear present smart nor despise the present World Rom. 8. 19. any thing in hand is more than the greatest promise of better things to come they do not deal equally with God and man if man promise they reckon much of that but cannot tarry upon Gods security count his promise little worth they can trade with a Factor beyond Sea and trust all their estate in a mans hand whom they have never seen and yet the Word of the infallible God is of little respect with them The best build too weakly upon the promise as appeareth by the prevalency of our Cares and Fears Heb. 12. 4 5 6. If you did take God at his Word you would not be so soon Mated with every difficulty there would be more resolution in Trials more hardiness against ttoubles A man may boldly say the Lord is my helper I will not fear what man can do unto me If we had Faith to believe it it would more effectually quiet our hearts and minds in all our streights necessities and perplexities it would calm our desires and fears we would not desire the best things of the World nor fear the worst SERM. CLXXXVIII PSALM CXIX VER 174. I have longed for thy Salvation O Lord and thy law is my delight WE now come to the second Acceptation of the Word Salvation as it implyeth Eternal Salvation and so the Points are two Doctrine I. That we should vehemently Long and earnestly Wait for Eternal Life Doctrine II. That we should not only Long for Salvation but delight in the way which leadeth us to it For the first Point That Longing for Salvation is the Duty and Property of Gods Children The Reasons are taken from I. The Object of these Desires II. The Subject of these Desires III. The Use of these Desires IV. The State and Condition of the present World I. The Object The Object of Desire is Good considered as absent and not yet obtained Good All desire that it should be well with themselves This Desire is confused and general not the hundredth part Longeth after the true Good Psal. 4. 6. Who will shew us any good Some are carried by Ambition others by Covetousness others by Sensuality 1 Ioh. 2. 16. All that is in the World is either the lust of the Flesh the lust of the Eye or pride of Life And Isa. 53. 6. All we like sheep have gone astray we have every one turned to his own way As the Channel is cut so Corrupt Nature finds a vent But now Gods Salvation is the true good and ought to be desired and will be desired by all his Children It Importeth a freedom from all Misery and an Injoyment of all Good and a freedom from all Misery there sin and sorrow shall be no more and all Tears shall be wiped from our Eyes Rev. 21. 4. the blessed Spirits above have none of our cares and fears and sorrows here we are sighing and they are praising we sinning and they pleasing God we full of infirmities and they are perfect and without blemish And in the full enjoyment of all good Psal. 16. 11. At thy right hand is fulness of Ioy and in thy presence pleasures for evermore Psal. 17. 15. As for me I will behold thy face in Righteousness I shall be satisfied when I awake with thy likeness Alas the preparations to this Estate in the World are far above the vain delights of the Flesh much more the pleasures there these the soul longeth for though they are thankful for a refreshment by the way yet they long to be at home II. Reason is taken from the Subject of these Desires and there we have 1. The Suitableness 2. The Experience 3. Our
inconsistent with an unholy life p. 207 Rule must always be set before us p. 208 why ibid. Bless God for a Rule and walk exactly by the Rule p. 807 698 Enemies to the word as a Rule 1 they that set up Reason instead of the word 2 Passions and Lusts 3 Example 4 they that go to Witches c. 5. they that expect new Revelations p. 698 Rulers when religious a signal Blessing to a people p. 145 560 Rulers are not to be provoked p. 996 Running the ways of Gods Commandments what it imports p. 225 S. SAcrament what it signifies p. 699 Saints love the word 1 because their hearts are suited to it 2 they have tasted its goodness p 627 Sacrifices three things required in them p. 722 Safety none in Apostacy from the truth but Perseverance in it p. 788 637 It lies in two things p. 642 Sanctification of Afflictions a greater mercy thanDeliverance outof them p 470 592 it hath 2 parts p. 1040 Sanction of the Law inPromises and Threatnings p. 350 Salvation the word variously taken in Scripture p. 536 537. Temporal and eternal p. 1035. 314 It denotes sometimes temporal deliverance p. 830 Salvation is far from the wicked p. 980. both in a temporal and eternal Notion ibid. 1081 1087 Salvation is the fruit of mercy p. 314. 315 Satisfaction in Gods providential government p. 542 It is not to be had without enjoyment of God p. 13. 386. Qn. what it is that will satisfie and content our Souls p. 926 Satans design in afflicting Gods people p. 538 He is subtle and diligent in tempting p. 1105 Satans baits are Profit and Pleasure p. 85 Satan resembled by lying p. 188 Scandalous Terms put upon the best parts of Religion p. 337 Scandals given either by word or deed p. ââ¦030 Scandals never fall out in the Church but some notable woe follows p. 867 Scandals an enemy to Perseverance p. 212 Scandal is either Active or Passive p. 1022. 1029 Schism a great evil p. 201 Protestants not guilty of schism in separating from Papists and Popery p. 201. 202. Scorns and scoffs must not draw us from Obedience p 337 why Religion is scorned p. 338 Scorn a grievous Temptation p 339 vid. Contempt Scripture reveals 1 Reconciliation 2 eternal Life not elsewhere revealed p 624 625 Scripture is the Churches Book p 41 It is to be highly prized p 645 In opposition to 1 Tradition 2 carnal Reason p 41 It s Excellency p 66 67 It is a Record and a Calendar p 77 Qu. how we know the Scriptures to be Gods word p. 960 961 vid. word of God It gives directions in all Cases p. 153 It is for the strong as well as for the weak p. 697 Scripture before it was compleat as now yet had promises for support of the Soul p. 181 Scripture Truths of two sorts p. 888 Scripture affords 1 true Doctrine 2 true Piety 3 true Consolation p 879 622 Four main ends of Gods giving the Scripture 1 to secure the Truth 2 that it might last to all Ages 3 for converting sinners 4 for trial of Faith and Manners p. 694 6ââ¦2 Seasons of mercy neither too soon nor too late p. 551 Seasons when God eminently calls to consider our ways p. 401 Seasons for particular duties p. 445 637 638 925 374 Sealing to Gods Truth as Witnesses what it is p. 832 832 Searching the heart a mark of one that hath Respect to all Gods Commandements p. 36 Seventimes denotes many times Numerus definitus pro indefinito p. 1013 Secret Prayer as well as publick a Duty p. 904 021 It hath Promises of Reward p. 921 Arguments to press to secret Prayer p. 922 Secret Duties argue sincerity p. 374 Security carnal will leave us ashamed at last p. 786 It is a note of pride p. 521 It 's a cause of delaying Repentance p. 408 Seducers the most dangerous Company p. 777 See a man may see and yet be blind p. 617 Seeds two seeds at enmity from the beginning p 414 326 Seeking God implies that God is not wholly gone p 927 Seeking God arises from a sence of the want of God p 11 When we find not God in one Ordinance we must seek him in others p. 12 It 's the end of our Creation ibid. To seek any thing from God above God more than God or not for God is brutish p. 13 It is a mark of election to seek God p. 14 It 's not in vain to seek God p. 13 how to seek him p. 927 Six Arguments to move us to seek God p. 14 Encouragements to seek Gods Favour p. 927 Directions for a due seeking of God p. 14 Seeking God the last way of seeking our selves p. 14 Gods Children are a Generation of seekers p. 57 58 59 922 Self-Conceit p. 296 Self-denial a main part of wisdom p. 641 Self self-fulness leaves no room for Grace p. 29 Self-seeking argues false Zeal p. 856 Self-Confidence a Reason of Apostacy p. 213 Sense of Gods goodness what it is why we must keep a sense of it p. 472 473 474 Sense and Faith are opposed p. 546 Sense of sin renders Gods Mercies exceeding great p. 994 Comforts from Sense are base and dreggy p. 593 Outward Senses betray the heart p. 278 Sense discovers the vanity of created Excellency p. 616 Senses spiritual what they are p. 671 672 How they differ from the natural Senses p. 672 673 Sentence of our State and Actions is by the judgment of the word p. 38 39 Servant of God who he is p. 289 a good Argument p. 289 Servant of God A good Plea for Deliverance why p. 610 846 611 Arguments to perswade us to clear up this Relation p. 612 637 638 Characters of Gods Servants 846 847 851 514 Shame two fold p. 36 it entred with sin p. 37â⦠214 215 Shame is caused by Disappointments p. 522 785 215 216 Shame is a fear of just Reproof p. 534 We may be ashamed either before our own selves or others p. 534 and that upon the account either 1. of Scandal or 2. of punishment ibid. Sheep are creatures subject to stray p. 1099 Man compared to a sheep in several Respects p. 1101 Christ a tender Shepherd of straying sheep p. 1107 Shield God is the Shield of his people and what that imports p. 766 Sight of God to walk as in Gods sight a rule of sincerity p. 1051 It is a good means for keeping Gods Precepts ibid. Sight of Believers and Unbelievers how they differ p. 617 Sight spiritual denotes Faith p. 672 Simple Simplicity in a good or evil Sense p. 889 Sin is not imputed to the renewed p. 17 Sins incident to a condition of trouble p. 843 Sin separates from God p. 18 It is contrary to the blessed Trinity p. 20 Contrary to the New-Nature p. 21 It is of an encroaching Nature p. 21 In sin three things 1. the Fault 2. the Guilt 3. the Blot p. 21 185 Sin never goes single p. 317. v. other mens sins Sin
him 5. when Gods Dispensations seem to tend towards a removing of the Gospel p. 540 Suffering Condition has its peculiar allowances p. 593 Sufferings are not to be drawn upon our selves p. 884 Suitableness of the heart to Gods word p. 863 Suitableness of the word to our Conditions causeth us to remember it p. 600 Suitableness to the Soul p. 97 Superiority of God the Greatest on what Accounts p. 130 131 Superstitious Holiness contrary to Scripture Holiness p. 4 It pleases the flesh it consists in a Conformity to outward Rites and external Mortifications after the Commandements of men p. 4 It makes men ill natured p. 565 139 Superstition and Profaneness are two extremes p. 451 Lords Supper herein we renew our Covenant p. 344 Supper of the Lord. 1. to commemorate Gods goodness 2. to get a renewed taste of it 3. to stir up our love to God p. 476 477 Suppression of Religion plotted by the wicked The means how to suppress it 1. by denying the advantages of Learning 2. by vexing the Profession of Religion p 561 562 Support to be prayed for under affliction as well as deliverance p. 717 why ibid. Supreme Power has two branches Legislation and Iurisdiction p. 877 Surety the notion of a Surety what it implies p. 819 820 God is a sufficient Surety p. 819 820 Surety two fold 1. by way of Caution 2. by way of Satisfaction p. 820 821 Sureââ¦iship for men dangerous unto men p. 821 822 Surfeit of the Gospel discovers it self by five marks 125 126 Suspension of promised mercy 1. that we may be better prepared for it 2. that prayer may be awakened 3. to exercise Faith 4. that patience may have its perfect work p. 548 v. Delays Suspension of promised Deliverance causeth the godly not to suspect the truth of Gods word but their own darkness and unbelief p. 844 Sustaining Grace the safety of Gods people p. 790 Sympathy a Duty though there be no Idiopathy p. 145 v. Fellow-feeling Synonimous words encrease the signification p. 881 T. TAking Occasions to employ ones self about holy things a sign of a gracious heart p. 931 932 Talking of Gods word a Duty why p. 174 Talents encrease by using p. 76 Taste of Gods Love whets the desire and love after more p. 905 Tastes spiritual that it is what it is p. 671 672 673 There is a three-fold use of spiritual taste 1. discerning 2. comforting 3. preserving p. 674 Spiritual Taste its main blessing requires something 1. about the object 2. about the faculty p. 674 675 Teacher Supreme or Subordinate p. 41 841 Teachers have need to be taught of God p. 73 Teacher not needful to make us sin but necessary to make us obedient p. 172 229 Commandements of God make us wiser than our Teacher p. 646 Teachers corrupt and found p. 646 647 Teachings of God inform our Reasons and move the will p. 42 They make Gods word effectual p. 43 841 928 Gods teaching what it is the necessity and benefits of it p. 841 74 75 669 670 it s the ground of Constancy p. 670 It gives Clearness Certainty Efficacy to what is taught p. 1061 We must be taught of God if we would learn Gods Statutes so as to keep them p. 74 111 841 226. God teacheth 1. by common illumination 2 special Operation p. 669 670 Arguments to press us to go to God for his Teaching p. 542 226 229 230 They that would have Covenant-mercy must submit to Gods teaching p. 844 Tears are not absolutely necessary to express mourning for sin p. 929 930 Temporary Grace wherein defective p. 530 1. in the Root 2. in its predominancy over Lust p. 531 Temporary Professors endure but for a while p. 875 Temper of Saints to mourn for the sins of others p. 931 Temporal life a great mercy p. 101 102 Temporal Blessings may be prayed for Reasons p. 922 Temporal Losses should not make us forsake our Duty p. 414 Qu. How we ought to depend on God for temporal supplies p. 322 323 Temporal Deliverances why great Comforts p. 551 Spiritual welfare often concern'd in our temporal p. 922 Temporizing reproved p. 214 Temporal things two reasons why we are addicted to them 1 from corrupt nature 2. Custom p. 249 Temporal good promoted by temporal loss p. 510 Temptations of one kind foil some and those of another kind foil others p. 780 Temptations violent drive from God p. 1104 Temptations arise from good as well as evil things p. 552 Temptations from loss of goods for the words sake ought to be prepared for p. 417 We are not to expose our selves to Temptatious p. 782 Temptations excuse not Cowardise p 871 Temptations to draw us from constant Obedience p. 666 667 They raise Clouds and Mists in the Soul p. 836 The first Temptation of the Devil was to weaken their opinion of Gods loving kindness p. 939 Tenderness of Conscience much impaired by Prosperity p. 462 Tender mercy of God what p. 515 It is the spring of all Comsort and Happiness p. 116 Terms of Salvation not impossible to Grace p. 577 Terrors and Allurements of the world draw us from God p. 1031 Terrors of Conscience bring nigh to the Grave p. 156 Tertullian's Complaint of those Qui Platonicum Arist totelicum Christianismum procudunt christianis p. 889 Testimonies they that keep close to Gods Testimonies are blessed p. 8 Word of God call'd his Testimonies why p. 8. 741 The end of Gods Testimonies is to direct us how to seek God and to bring home the wandring Creature p. 11 Testimonies of God when throughly understood are wonderful in what Respects p. 879 880 881 882 883 Testimonies of God are of everlasting stability c. 1. from the Author 2. their Foundation 3. Use p. 956 957 Thankful Carriage under mercy suitable p. 840 Thankfulness stirred up by the fear of God p. 811 It regards Gods Truth as well as Goodness p. 447 Thanksgiving a special Duty of Gods Children how it differs from praysing God and what it is the objects of it p. 419 It is a Duty 1. necessary 2. profitable 3. delightful p. 420 421 445 446 Publick thanksgiving for private mercies p. 503 Thoughts are the noblest and eldest ofspring of the Soul p. 91 They fall under a Law as well as Actions p. 33 762 Thoughts Words and Actions all judged by the Word p. 39 Thoughts vain expressed by 1. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Musings 2 ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Devices 3. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Discourses p. 757 How to be prevented p. 634 They are to be abhorred p. 756 Thoughts of wicked men usually taken up with some of these sins 1. Uncleanness 2. Revenge 3. Envy 4. Pride 5. Covetousness 6. Distrust p. 759 Conscience to be made of vain thoughts why p. 93 760 Threatnings none can threaten like God p. 24 Throne of Justice Grace and Glory p. 954 Throne of Grace threefold ibid. Times for converse with God must be chosen p. 925 What time
is to be allotted for immediate Worship p. 1019 Time and things of time lessened by consideration of Eternity p. 570 Time when God will wipe off the Reproach of his people p. 871 Whether it be convenient to have fixed times for Prayer p. 1020 Times bad times discover good Men p. 780 865 God has a time for punishing sinners p. 856 And his time is the best time p. 857 And a short time p. 857 His time is when Impiety is come to the height p. 858 How to be good in bad times p. 865 866 Tongue must not only pray but the Heart p. 903 Trade of sin what p. 17 Tradition of the Church not a sufficient ground for our receiving the Word p. 861 Transitory things not to be sought p. 875 Treading under foot what it implieth p. 793 God treads the wicked under foot why p. 794 Treasââ¦s heavenly beyond these of the earth p. 525 Gods Promises are our Treasures p. 742 Trembling the import of that word p. 808 Trembling at Gods word hinders not our delight in it p. 1003 Trial of Faith and Patience p. 139 538 297 298 God delays to try Faith and Patience p. 325 Trial of Uprightness p. 140 289 Trial of Gods word p. 857 Trials ought not abate our Love to God or his word p. 553 God tries his people before he Crowns them p. 865 One of the ordinary Trials of Gods people is Persecution p. 995 Tribunal of Christ we may appeal thither when unjustly condemned by men p. 38 Sincerity gives confidence to appear before that Tribunal p. 533 Troubles of the Righteous many p. 413 414 When they become Blessings p. 524 158 The word Supports under troubles p. 524 525 The word cures Troubles of heart p. 146 They should drive us to the word p. 526 And to God p. 918 why ibid. p. 1083 God Exercises Churches and Persons with great Troubles p. 882 Truce no Truce to be made with sin p. 339 Trusting in God hath great Benefits annext to it p. 324 God to be trusted upon his naked Word p. 321 325 Trust two grounds of trusting in God 1. Gods Wisdom 2. his Vigilancy p. 563 564. what it is p. 321 322 325 Trusting in outward helps evil p. 918 Arguments to trust in God p. 769 770 324 Gods goodness the life of our Trust in him p. 474 477 Trusting God engages God to secure us p. 822 325 We may plead our trusting God in our Prayers p. 326 Means for trusting in God p. 325 Characters of it p. 326 Truth and Iustice in all Gods Providences p. 39 Truth of Scripture is 1. Certain 2. Profound p. 622 625 Truth is the perfection of the understanding p. 84 Truth must be professed 1. knowingly 2. wisely 3. godly 4. sincerely 5. meekly c. p. 333 334 Truth of Scripture suitable to all our necessities p. 84 Truth of Gods word 1. in making 2. making good his Promises p. 939 940 Truth Relates to some Word of God p. 579 Truth will prevail at last p. 336 What Interest God hath in Truth p. 851 God is Truth p. 830 Truth is to be chosen because there are many crooked and erroneous Paths in the world p. 193 194 Way of Truth 1. to be taken upon good evidence Reasons thereof 206 207 2. we must cleave to it when we have chosen it p. 207 Turning the back upon Gods Counsels what it is who they are that do so p. 154 When a lesser Truth hinders a greater good it ought to be concealed p. 333 Turning to God is the end of considering our ways p. 399 What turning to God is p. 399 400 Type Israel guided by the Pillar of Cloud by day and Pillar of Fire by night a Type of our Conduct by Gods word p. 689 Lamp of the Sanctuary a Type of Gods word burning and shining p. 689 V. VAil upon the understanding fourfold p. 108 Vain-Glory cured by Reproach p. 296 Vanity what meant by it p. 277 Vanity of thoughts appears 1. in their slipperiness 2. Folly 3. Carnality 4. Filthiness p. 758 759 How to be prevented or suppressed p. 762 763 634 cured by Meditation p. 930 vid. Thoughts Valentinian his Zeal against false Worship p. 852 Valuation of Gods word above wealth p. 1062 Value of the word to be judged by the cost that we ãâã are at for it p. 38 126 Valuation of the word whence p. 492 876 what it is p. 873 874 Motives to value the word p. 869 335 494 Try all whether we value the word p. 869 294 Variety of Gifts and Graces in the Saints and all useful p. 520 527 Variety of Mercies in God meet with the Variety of Necessities in man both in respect of Sin and Misery p. 316 317 Variety of Providences very useful p. 826 Vehemency required in Prayer p. 898 899 921 922 It implies the heart not the voice p. 921 Vigilancy of Providence a ground of trusting in God p. 564 Vigilance in Prayer an Argument we make a business of it p. 920 Vindication of God by his impartial punishing of his own peoples sins p. 810 935 Vindication of Gods love to his people though he afflicts them p. 911 912 980 981 982 935 937 938 Vindicative Iustice of God on sinners p. 935 Visible Church is mixed p. 803 Gods Judgments on the visible Church to make a separation between sincere and hypocritical Professors p. 805 Virtue of Gods word must be expressed in our lives p. 940 in Righteousness and Truth ibid. Unactive Desires come to nothing p. 31 Unbelief sins against Gods Authority and Truth p. 9 It is a cause of delaying Repentance p. 408 Unbelief the cause 1. of coldness in duty 2. boldness in sin p. 286 287 Uncertainty 1. of Life 2. of the means of Grace 3. of the Grace of God accompanying those means p. 404 405 Uncheangeableness of God and his Testimonies p. 889 890 Unchangeableness of Gods Nature argueth the unchangeableness of his Purposes p. 547 Unconstancy of our hearts needs Vows Resolutions Oaths p. 701 708 Undefiled implies not absolute Purity or legal Perfection but Sincerity p. 3 Undefiledness is to be understood according to the tenor of the New Covenant which excludes not Gods mercy p. 5 Undertaking of God more than ours p. 221 Understanding necessary to the keeping Gods Law p. 232 Means to get it p. 234 Understanding Wisdom Counsel how they differ p. 636 Understanding moves the Will and Affections p. 863 685 Motives to get understanding p. 685 Understanding gotten from Gods word v. Knowledge is better than that gotten by long experience p. 651 Undertaking of God for us is sufficient for our security p. 821 221 Undutifulness to Superiors argueth Pride p. 520 Undervaluing Gods word reproved p. 886 887 ââ¦unded Assent to truth a Reason of Apostacy p. 212 Unseigned desire to return to Duty a note of Sincerity p. ââ¦106 Uniformity of Obedience to God its Nature p. 5 Uââ¦rm A true Christian is Uniform in all times ãâã c.