I have had Psal 77. 5. 6. so if any of you besecure ye may remember some thing or other that is past which may awaken you againe hath God never shewed you your damned estate heretofore were ye never sick heretofore and did you not see that if ye had dyed in that case ye had perisht ye may remember that now and awaken your selves and how if God should take you away in such a case as that It cannot be related what a blessing it is that we have a memory But let us come to the third thing and that is this when may the memory be said to be alive I answer there be two parts of the memories deadnesse towards God The first is an aptnesse to forget God and all his commands Secondly an aptnesse to remember those things that are not so good for us now when those two faults are rectified in some measure then the memory is alive towards God First There 's aptnesse in your memories to forget God and all his commands ye know God commands us to remember the Sabbath day to keepe it holy Exod. 20. 8. how apt are we to forget it how commonly is it out of our minds so in the 78. Psalme and the 7. verse God sayes there he would not have us sorget his workes but that we should keepe his commandements now O how apt are we to let them leake out of our hearts we have a hellish art of forgetfulnesse how often doe we forget our selves herein and suffer the remembrance of God to be taken away from us ye have forgotten the exhortation that speakes to you as to Children Heb. 12. 5. how often doe we forget to keep our selves unspotted though we be told of the will of God yet any little thing is enough to put it out of our minds stay them not least my people forget it though we be told of our misery and the infinite danger we are in may be at the first it moves us a little but how soon doe we forget it and other things take us up now when this aptnesse is rectified in some measure when God hath a sound impresse on our minds that we must needs remember him and all the things that concerne our peace when there 's a Law in our mindes that we will not forget God as ye may see there in David Blesse thou the Lord O my soule and forget not all his benefits Psal 103. 2. when our memory is sanctified and is made the good Treasury of our heart when the Lord hath lifted up our memory unto him then it is alive Secondly as by nature there 's an aptnesse in our memory to forget God so there 's an aptnesse to remember other things that either are not good for us or not so good we are apt to remember injuries nay one injury will be thought one more then many good turns so likewise idle tales we are apt to remember them whereas good things goe out in our hearts like sparkes in wet tinder We may see this in the hearing of the word the Apostle tearmes us forget sull hearers James 1. 25. if a tale be told us in a Sermon that we can remember how many are apt to carry that way whereas that which is wholesom and might doe us more good how apt we are we to forget that as a Divine sayes our memories are like strainers all the pure milke runneth through but if there be any drosse that stayes behinde or like a grate that lets the pure water run away and if there be any strawes and stickes and filth and mud and dregs that it holds so it is with our memories by nature trifles and toyes and worldly things them we are apt to remember like the Shepheard in York-shire that could remember all his flock he kept a thousand sheep and if one should but change one Sheep and put in another he could tell which it was But for gratious things our memories does soon forget them like Israel they soon forgot all the workes of God Psal 106. 13. now what is this but the corruption deadnes of our memories towards God may be we are apt to excuse it alas we have weak memories true if we were as weake memoryed in other things it were something but when we can remember our pleasures and profits and tales and any thing when we goe to buy weel 'e be sure to remember our selves there when to sell wee 'le be sure to remember our selves there that we will have to the worth if we can But in matters of God there we forget our selves this cannot be excused Now when this is rectified in some measure then our memory is alive when we will rather forget any thing else then God rather forget our selves in all the world then forget our duty towards God when this study is once set up soundly in the soule in some measure now the memory is alive Thus ye see the third thing Now for the fourth that this must needs be the life of the memory I prove it by arguments First because the memory hath hardly any other quickening then the quickening of the man whose memory it is so that when the mans mind is quickened together with his conscience and heart the memory is quickened too as the Prophet sayes I will never forget thy precepts for with them thou hast quickened me Psal 119. 93. that is my memory is quickened up to thy precepts because with them thou hast quickened me for we see commonly that the faculty of memory is much at one after conversion that it was before conversion if it were a weake memory before so it is after onely this as the strength of it was let out towards the world and sinne and selfe before so now the strength of it is in some measure let out towards the best things And therefore what can the life of the memory be but the aptnesse of a man to remember God Secondly because this is the onely practicall memory ye know a man may have an admirable memory to remember Sermons whole Chapters in the Bible and yet have a dead memory to God a Sanctified memory is a practicall memory as the Lord sayes remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy q. d. ye may remember still when the Sabbath is come I this is the Sabbath day that is not it that 's onely a contemplative memory But I would have you have a practicall memory not onely to remember the duty but remember for to doe it for as the contemplative understanding hath a faculty of conserving its species so the practicall understanding hath a faculty of conserving its species too as long as a man hath not this practicall memory it is nothing Because he remembred not to shew mercy Psal 109. 16. marke the Lord does not sinde fault with a man for not remembring of that duty for may be he did remember that I but he did not remember to doe his duty this is
that Ministers should thus hang together in one that if one be a Boanerges a son of thunder another should be so too For Ministers may be different in different auditories Husband-men sow their seed according to the diversity of their ground the Physician tempers his Physick according to his patients constitution as long as people are of sundry dispositions so certainly the Ministers manner of preaching may be various And therefore I doe not mean such an unity neither that all Preachers should be moulded alike nay the same minister may and must differ from himselfe sometimes come with cordials sometimes with corrasives to sing of mercy and judgment to preach comfort to whom comfort and vengeance to whom vengeance belongs to some hee must give milk to others strong meat Heb. 13. 14. Paul had a rod as well as the spirit of meeknesse Zacharies Pastor was to have two staves the one called Beauty the other cal'd Bands so he was to feed the flock Zach. 11. 7. A Chirurgian hath aking tents as well as suppling oyle The Apostle Paul when he was to deale with Elymas the Sorcerer he set his eyes on him and called him the child of the Devil but when he was to deale with Sergius Paulus he was mild with him Our Saviour Christ preach't the acceptable yeare of the Lord to some and to other some as though he were not the same Preacher he had nothing but woes in his mouth There were two mountains in Canaan there was the blessing on mount Gerizim for some and the cursing on mount Ebal for others Again thirdly we doe not mean that all ministers should be the same in gifts and parts and measure of knowledge and sanctification for that can never bee looked for every Parish can never be provided for alike Starres are of different magnitudes some starres are greater some lesser The Angels are not all of one rank some are ordinary Angels some Arch-angels some are Principalities some are Dominions some are Thrones Coloss 1. 16. and may be those that are meanest so they be godly and sent of God may doe as much good as those that are more excellent nay more convert more awaken more settle more for it is not they that work but God by them who is not tied unto Organs unity is not hindred by disparity Paul calls Epaphraditus who was much inferior to him his brother and companion in labour and fellow souldier Phil. 2. 25. Though Clement were a minister much meaner then he yet he calls him his fellow-labourer Phil. 4. 3. Though Tychicus came never so much short of him yet he terms him his fellow-servant Col. 4. 7. So that there may be unity for all this and a gracious sympathy and agreement betweene ministers though of never so different parts so they be sincere and cordially minded to doe good You will say then What is that unity that must be among ministers I answer 1. They must be all competently endued with ability for the work of the ministery all must agree in this that they be able men in some measure Hee hath made us able Ministers of the new testament 2 Cor. 3. 6. able to preach to the conscience able to doe it with power and might able to divide the word aright able to give every one his portion in due season They are none of Gods ministers that are not able men that are not able to teach and to apply to be the mouth of God unto the people and the mouth of the people unto God that are not able to seek that which was lost to bring again that which is driven away to bind that which is broken to strengthen that which is sick Those that are not able to doe this they are blind guides Idol-shepheards and no ministers Paul sayes that a minister must be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers Tit. 1. 9. Faithfull men able to teach others 2 Tim. 2. 2. This was one of the ends that Christ ascended upon high that he might give gifts unto men for the ministery as one Apostle speakes Eph. 4. 8. and so as it followes He gave some Apostles and some Prophets and some Evangelists and some Pastors and Teachers All Ministers should agree in this that they be able Secondly they must be all sent of God though a man be never so able yet if he be not sent of God he is not a Minister Private Christians many of them have excellent abilities as the text sayes I am perswaded of you my brethren that ye are full of goodnesse filled with all knowledge able to admonish one another Rom. 15. 14. he speakes of private Christians I say they are able many of them and there is very great use of their abilities too for the good of their families for the good of Christian communion and the like yea it is a shame that privat Christians living under good means of grace doe not grow able to teach When for time yee ought to be teachers yee have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the Oracles of God Heb. 5. 12. Mark he shames privat Christians that doe not grow able to teach But yet this is not enough to make ministers true ministers agree all in this that they are sent of God How shall they preach except they be sent Rom. 10. 15. I have not thrust in my selfe for a Pastor sayes Jeremy They are intruders and not ministers that cannot prove their commission from God as the authour to the Hebrews sayes No man takes this honour to himselfe but he that is called of God as was Aaron Heb. 5. 4. Christ himselfe alledged this to beare out his ministery He hath sent me to preach deliverance to Captives Woe be to those of whom the Lord shall say I have not sent these Prophets and yet they run It will be sayd to them one day as to the man without a wedding garment Friend how camest thou in hither The want of this is the reason that so many ministers make no more conscience of their duty they make no conscience of taking paines of strict preaching of pressing the word upon peoples hearts of using all manner of means to root out sin in their Parish because they have no dispensation from God committed unto them if their consciences were charged with this it would make them doe otherwise then they doe The want of this is the cause that the ministery of many is impotent they may preach all the dayes of their lives and not one soule turned unto God but themselves and their workes perish together whereas Ministers that are sent make the Devils roare and flesh and bloud chafe their Sermons are links of iron to bind Nobles and Princes and stubborn hearts The want of this is the reason why so many ministers are vile in the peoples eyes people care not a whit for them dare drink and be drunk in their
that we know can't abide them Which among us when we pray and have base roving thoughts would not be ashamed that a man should see our thoughts rove which of us that are unsetled and dead-hearted would not blush that men had a casement to see how dead he sits at a Sermon and how dead at a Sacrament how dead in other of Gods Ordinances what base and impure thoughts sometime doe arise in his minde if he did thinke that any man should see them he would not hardly be able to shew his face among men Let but an adulterer that is naught with a whore have but a few men or but one man come and take him in the act O how it will gall him and vex him to be seen 〈◊〉 as Iob speakes if one know them they are in the terror of the shadow of death Job 24. 17. they abhorre the light they cannot abide to be brought out to be knowne Now beloved if this be our disposition by nature that we cannot abide that so much as a man should know us nay not a child of six or seven yeeres of age then O what a terror is it that the God of Heaven and Earth should know us that he should see all our lusts all our sinnefull and vile thoughts all our uncleane and noy some affections all our by ends and carelesnesse of God! O what a powerfull thing is this to worke upon the heart except it be delivered up to a reprobate sense to sleight God and care lesse for him then for a little Boy or a mortall man so then yee see this is a powerfull meanes to work upon a soule to know that God knowes all his workes though the Woman of Samaria stood jesting and playing and contesting with our Saviour a good while yet when she perceived that he knew all her villany this burst her heart O saies she this is no other then Christ he hath told me all that ever I did Joh. 4. 29. The use of this is First here we see they are desperato that this point cannot worke on its certaine they are gracelesse that can heare that God sees all their workes and yet it does not purge them from day to day it s an evident argument that a man contemnes God and makes nothing of him When David had shewed that the wicked care not for Gods eye they make a matter of nothing of it tush God does not see Psalm 19. 11. say they that is they knew he saw indeed but they made nothing of it as long as men did not see them they counted Gods seeing as nothing now marke what followes wherefore doe the wicked contemne God Psalm 13 Secondly is it so that this is such a powerfull meanes to worke upon our hearts let us not harden our hearts but let us consider of it that it may cut between the bone and the marrow and devide between the soule and the spirit God sees all our workes This point should fall upon our hearts like the almighty hand of God as it did upon Job I know thou canst doe every thing and that no thought can be hid from thee Job 42. 2. REVEL 3. 1. That thou hast a name that thou livest and art Dead WE are come to the subject matter of this example and First we meet with the reproofe that Christ gives to the Church of Sardis the reproofe is either in generall I know thy workes i e. I know them all to be starke naught for the generall and then in particular first their hypocrisie thou hast a name that thou livest secondly their deadnesse indeed and art dead The generall reproofe we spake of the last day I know thy workes and there ye heard that God knowes all the sinfull courses that any man takes he is privy to every mans sinnes though men carry them never so closely and cleverly yet he knowes them First he sees all mens sinfull actions as Elihu speakes his eyes are upon the wayes of man and he sees all his goings there is no darknesse or shadow of death where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves Job 34. 21. 22. people cannot get out of his sight they cannot sinne so in private but he seeth them they may goe into a secret roome and shut every living creature out but they cannot shut God out Secondly he knowes every syllable that men speake I have heard what the Prophets said they prophecy lies in my name Ier. 23. 25. the Lord can tell what men speake under the rose looke what the King of Aram spake in his bed chamber he could tell Elisha As Enoch speakes he knowes all the speeches that wicked men speake and will have them up at the day of judgement against them Thirdly he knowes every sinfull thought that is in mens hearts as Moses sayes God saw the wickednesse of man was great upon the earth and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually Gen. 6. 5. though mens thoughts be slie things and are out of mens eyes and Angels eyes and Devils eyes yet they are not out of his eye he sees what men thinke Fourthly he knowes all that ever a man hath done as the woman said of Christ come see one that hath told me all that ever I have done Joh. 4. 29. Fifthly he knowes all the evill that ever men will doe hereafter the Lord told Moses what Pharaoh would doe before he went to him I know he will harden his heart and will not let them goe Exod. 3. 19. while the Children of Israel were in the wildernesse he knew what they would doe when they came into Canaan I know their imaginations even now before I have brought them into the Land which I sware to give them Deut 31. 21. Sixthly he knowes all the evills that men would doe in such and and such circumstances he knew Abimelech would have taken Sarah if he had not hindred him he knew that the men of Keilah would betray David if David should stay there 1 Sam. 23. 12. he knowes what a rich man would doe if he were poore what this or that poore man would doe if he were rich one dies in his infancy he knowes what he would have done if he had let him live to be a man her 's a man that lives in a good family and may be carrieth himselfe very squarely but the Lord knowes what he would doe if he lived in another place Seventhly the Lord knowes mens dispositions their natures their qualities their projects their intentions he knowes how many are rotten though they professe never so much he knowes mens persons he knowes vaine men Iob. 11. 11. I told you the reason of this First because he is omniscient and knowes all things his understanding is infinite Psal 147. 5. let a man set as good a colour as he can upon his wicked devices God can discover him let a man have never so many excuses though
no worke and no devise and no wisdome and no purpose in the grave whether thou goest that is when men are dead then they can doe nothing so it is here as long as we are dead we can doe nothing True because we have the life of sense and of nature and of a naturall conscience in us we may counterfeit good workes as a painter may make a man True he cannot make a living man so as long as we are dead-hearted we doe but paint out good duties before God all our Prayers are but painted prayers all the good workes we doe are but paint there 's none of them to the life as God sayes of the Jewes you will say they did very many good workes they fasted and prayed and sacrificed and many other things they did But what sayes God they are vanity their workes are nothing Isa 41. 29. as a dead Corps there be eyes and nostrils and eares and mouth But when the life is out they are as good as nothing so it is with a dead heart we may thinke we preach much and study much and heare much and professe much and doe much the truth is we doe nothing Secondly all that we doe with a dead heart it does not please God God sayes my Son give me thy heart Prov. 23. 26. ye know the heart that is primum vivens that's the first living thing in us now if we give God never so many performances yet if all our heart be not with them what cares he for them all when they are a company of heartlesse things when the Apostle had said that to be fleshly minded is death by and by he concludes so then sayes he they that are in the flesh cannot please God Rom. 8. 8. would that please any of us that one should come and rake up a dead stinking carcase and lay it before us no more can it please God to lay a dead duty before his heavenly Majesty ye know a dead carion it is loathsome as long as life remaines in it that 's a sweet thing and it preserves it from stinking and therefore the heathens called the soule the salt of every living thing because the life is a preserving thing it preserves a thing sweet but when the life is gone out presently it becomes odious so is all that we doe when we doe it with a dead heart it is odious with God it cannot be accepted of him as the Apostle Peter speakes Ye also as lively stones are built up a spirituall house a holy Priesthood to offer up spirituall Sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ 1 Pet. 2. 5. that is the Apostle had compared true Christians unto stones now he correcteth himselfe did I call true Christians stones I pray doe not mistake me I doe not meane for deadnesse but for firmenesse a stone is a dead livelesse thing O sayes he ye must be stones I but ye must take heed of deadnesse ye must be lively otherwise ye cannot offer acceptable sacrifices unto God this is even as if a Jew should have taken a dead sheep out of a dich and laid it on Gods Altar This is abomination to God even so are dead doings to Almighty God as Vinagar to the teeth and smoke to the eyes so is a sluggard to him that sends him Prov. 10. 26. that is when a Master sends a servant on his errand if he goe dully about it even as if he had no life nor heart in him at all to doe his Masters businesse this will not please him nay it will offend him as smoke does the eyes or as Vinegar does the teeth it will make him looke with a sowre looke upon such a servant so beloved when God bids us serve him in all our wayes may be we are not so grosse as not to goe about it at all But we goe about it with a dull and a dead heart this does not please God one whit nay he takes it ill that we should thinke he will accept it at our hands as when the Jews had no heart to Gods holy and pure worship it was too chargeable to them it put them to too much charges what a whole sheep and a whole lamb every morning besides many whole ones at other times whole Bullocks whole Oxen and whole Goates this was even as death to them they went up to Gods Temple with a dead heart nay they thought much to give him of the best they gave him the torne the maimed now mark what he says should I accept this at your hand saith the Lord Malac. 1. 13. He took it ill they should thinke he would accept it so when we thinke much to be so precise and so strict to pray so much to heare so much to minde him so much and to deny our selves so much to watch so much over our hearts to humble our selves so much what may we not keep one lust may we have no more liberty then so may be we doe some thing this way but God knowes how with a dead heart it is the Lord takes it ill that we should hope he will accept this at our hands Thirdly all that we doe with a dead heart it cannot yeeld us any comfort true if we were quickened up towards God if we served God with all our heart and soule and life this would comfort us indeed to seeke him daily in a lively manner to goe into his presence with all our minde if we went eagerly a dayes to the throne of grace if we were earnest in prayer earnest against sinne earnest for all goodnesse this were a signe of his favour and a Testimony of the true grace of life this would comfort our hearts exceedingly this would breed peace in our conscience as the Apostle speakes To be spiritually minded is life and Peace Rom. 8. 6. there 's life and therefore there is peace The reason is thus because lively works alone can truely pacifie conscience when a man hath beene a professour all his dayes and done never so many things yet if the conscience can say yea but all these are dead workes all this while I have gone on with a dead-heart this fowles the conscience it can never have true peace How much more shall the blood of Christ purge your conscience from dead workes to serve the living God Heb. 9. 14. it shall purge the conscience from dead workes dead workes foule the conscience whether they be dead for matter or manner sinne is a dead worke for matter and good duties heartlessely done are dead workes for manner now both fowle the conscience the conscience remaines under guilt continues without peace it is an ill conscience why because the conscience knowes it hath the living God to serve that will not like of such workes when a man payes in his rents onely by halves or by dribblets or with light money the Kings receiver will not give him an acquittance my brethren conscience is Gods receiver no wonder it does not
give you an acquittance when ye pay in onely wash duties clipt obedience if ye served God with life conscience would give you an acquittance when ye have prayed it would give you an acquittance when ye have done a dayes worke in his harvest it would acknowledge the receipt of it well done good and faithfull servant it is well done in some measure This made Paul full of life every day Herein doe I exercise my selfe to have always a conscience void of offence towards God and towards men Act. 24. 16. that is I doe not onely goe on in good duties both towards God and towards men but this I doe always I do even exercise my selfe that I may have an acquittance from mine owne conscience when I have done that my conscience may give me a true discharge well done I have done well in some measure now as long as we are dead-hearted and hollow in Gods wayes our conscience can never give us a discharge no marvell that so few of us have Peace of conscience when we are so dead-hearted as we are if we would stirre up our selves to serve God with all heart and life we should have Peace but till this will be once we can never looke to have Peace and comfort Fourthly Though we have comfort in time of prosperity yet we cannot have comfort in affliction if we be of a dead heart how many are there that seeme to have comfort while they are well but when they come to be sick and at deaths doore then they are all to peeces then they see they have no grace no faith no good cards to shew then they are stript stark naked then their conscience sees what they are O I am a wretch how have I deceived my self so beloved though we have comfort in time of prosperity yet if we be dead-hearted we can have no comfort in affliction As David sayes this is my comfort in affliction thy word hath quickened me Psal 119. 50. when the word of God hath quickened our hearts and made us lively in all manner of goodnesse this will yeeld us comfort in affliction But if we be dead to all spirituall wayes though we scramble up hopes now they will not hold when affliction comes now what a fearefull thing is 't we shall all come to affliction ere long for man is borne to trouble as the sparks that fly upward as Job speakes nay we know not how soone man knoweth not his time as Solomon speakes but as the Fishes are caught in an evill Net so are the Sonnes of men snared in an evill time when it falleth suddenly on them And God onely knowes what sore afflictions we may have the Cup of affliction is in Gods hand and he tempers it and powres it out as his pleasure is I say what a fearfull thing is it not to have comfort then then we have most need of comfort and if we have not comfort then we are utterly undone now my brethren it is not a dead dull profession will yeeld us comfort then Let us thinke of this as God sayes What will ye doe in your day of visitation to Whom will ye flye for helpe then Isa 10. 3. so may I say though ye can be quiet and comfortable enough now in the dayes of health and peace your deadnesse does not trouble you now but what will ye doe in the dayes of visitation doe but consider what a sorry comfort ye shall have then assuredly a dead heart will assord not a syllable of true comfort then Fifthly we can never blesse God with a dead heart a dead heart is not able to affirme upon any good ground that God is his or that the promise is his or that Christ is his the soule knowes Christ is a quickening spirit and they that have him are quickened up by him the promise is a promise of life and they cannot be dead that are the possessors of it we cannot blesse God either for love or mercy or grace or any thing else when we would blesse God for any of these things the deadnesse of heart it will be objected to us O I am so dead that how can I hope that these things belong unto me Let my soule live and it shall praise thee Psal 119. 175. when the soule is alive towards God then it can praise God then it knowes all the good it hath it hath it in mercy doubting and deadnesse doe ever goe together or it 's a great marvell And indeed what is deadnesse of heart towards Christ and all his holy Gospell but a secret doubting whether it have any part in it or no as when a poore man sees a rich treasure it does but dead him the more because he sees no interest he hath in it if he could see he had an interest in it this would quicken up his heart and put it out of it's dumps And is not this now a miserable condition when a man cannot praise God if he pray it is but in a sorry manner no life no heart at all But for blessing and praising of God that he cannot doe at all except he be in a fooles paradise and dreame of a false gift This is a dreadfull condition when we are hindred from that which God most delighteth in what is there that more delighteth God then to blesse him and praise him The Lord sayes we never honour him otherwise who so offereth me praise he glorifieth me Psal 50. 23. now we can never offer God praise except our heart live Sixthly Religion is a very irksome thing unto us as long as we are dead-hearted what is it that takes away the grievousnesse of it but a lively heart when the heart is dead it must needs be very tedious very tedious to be thinking of God to be meditating of death or the world to come to be imployed in prayer to be constant in the humbling of the soule or the abstaining from our naturall inclinations to be discoursing of repentance or studying of Gods heavenly Kingdome to be imployed in the word or to goe through dirty and frozen wayes to it to goe and repeate it in our Families or to urge it upon our hearts O what weary tedious duties are these when the heart is a dead heart This is the reason why the world lets them all generally alone and never troubles their hearts with them at all because they have no life in them and many that are better minded fend them very tedious because they are dead-hearted as Solomon sayes correction is grievous to him that forsaketh the way Prov. 15. 10. now as long as we are out of the way of life while we are dead-hearted we forsake the right way and therefore correction is grievous unto us nay all the commandements of God are grievous unto us does a dead heart rejoyce to goe to Prayer nay generally he is loth to goe to it is he glad that the Sermon Bell rings is he glad at an opportunity
will not let you doe otherwise alas ye may doe it thus with a dead heart but doe it willingly doe it out of an inward principle no obedience is good without it be done with an inward principle if ye be willing and obedient Isa 1. 19. that is if ye obedient with an inward principle of obedience I this is it indeed Thus you see an absolute will is the life of the heart Now least any should be deceived I shewed you what this absolute will of the heart is I shewed you first it is the inclination of the heart ye know the heart that is alive to the world all its inclinations are that way and therefore the will runnes mainely out that way but its averse from God backward to all heavenly things now when the will is absolutely set towards God God inclines it towards him and makes it incline it selfe as David sayes I have inclined my heart to performe thy statutes alwayes even to the end Psal 119. 112. it may be the world may wonder that any man should be so strict as some are to forgo the pleasures of the flesh as some doe be so precise and so taken up with God as some are the reason is this their wills are absolutely set that way the Lord hath inclined them Secondly the intention of the heart we have a saying in Divinity voluntas ut natura vult finem the heart naturally wills it own ends looke what men aime at looke what they would have what they beat at what they drive at that they will naturally that they will eagerly now when the hearts intentions are towards God then the will is absolutely towards him Beloved what is it ye would have what doe ye drive at a dayes what is the souls scop if that be God if that be to commune with him if that be to please him doubtlesse ye are alive towards God for then the wills are absolutely to him This is a rare worke and therefore true grace of life is a rare thing for how few doe attaine this you come to Church if God were your aime certainly ye would heare otherwise then ye doe many would ye set in your pewes so as ye doe if your aime were to please God or that the word should direct you if this were your aime ye would heare in another gats manner so when ye discourse if your meaning and aime were O now I will discourse to be edisied would ye talke so loosely as ye do nay ye would speake more to the purpose a great deale you may see this in Paul what made him so eager to deny himselfe I count all things drosse and dung sayes he O sayes he the intention of my heart is to Christ that I may know him c. Phil. 3. 10. But I must hasten Thirdly the election of the heart ye know all our life is in Bivio There be two wayes in everything there be two wayes of thinking two wayes of speaking two wayes of doing the one godly the other not There be two wayes in eating and drinking in sleeping and waking in studying in praying and in all our cariages one gracious and the other not now which doe your hearts choose if your hearts have such a disposition to choose the gracious way then your wills are set absolutely that way there ye are alive as David sayes I have chosen the way of truth Psal. 119. 30. marke he had this disposition in him to choose the true way Fourthly the conversation of the heart the heart ever shunnes something or other every day and houre the heart puts off something or other now what does thy heart shun every day does it shun things offensive to thee or things offensive to God if thy will be set absolutely towards God then thy hearts shunnings will run there in things displeasing to him as the Prophet sayes I have refrained my feet from every evillway that I may keep thy word Psal 119. 101. Fifthly the appreciatings of the heart or the estimations of the heart what 's the hearts Jewell that the hearts will is absolutely to now doe but thinke what does thy heart prize most of all what 's dearest to thee O sayes Paul I doe not count my life deare so that I may finish my course Act. 20. 24. this was his hearts Jewell how he might doe the worke that God set him to doe how he might finish his course Gods commandements were dearest to him not his owne credit but Gods glory Sixthly the savouring of the heart this is another piece of the hearts will something there is that the heart savours most Now doth thy heart savour the things of God most thou savourest a businesse where there is profit I but doest thou savour Gods word most canst thou finde the best relish of all in holy duties canst thou savour life in them as Paul sayes there 's the savour of life in these things 2 Cor. 2. 16. Seventhly the cares of the heart This is another signe of the hearts absolute will worldly minded men are full of cares above the things of the world but art thou full of cares about heaven does heaven fill thy head full of cares about it how thou mayst get it c. Thus ye heard what an absolute will is Now because when the will is made absolutely to be for God yet there is an unwillingnesle in the same will in regard of the unregenerate part therefore I shewed you there be other acts of life in the heart towards God opposing that unwillingnesse in the flesh But I must of necessity breake off so much for the heart The next thing to be inquired about is the conscience what is the life of the conscience and here the world is deceived too for the conscience may be awakened very much and yet never quickened indeed First à conscience awakened may like all good things Secondly a conscience somewhat awakened may oblige a man to all manner of good things Thirdly a conscience somewhat awakened may be troubled about his sinnes Fourthly a conscience somewhat awakened may urge one exceedingly to good things Fifthly a conscience somewhat awakened may be very eager in this urging Sixthly a conscience somewhat awakened may prevaile very farre with it's eagernesse Seventhly a conscience somewhat awakened may make one looke at God so farre as it prevailes all this may be in conscience and yet the conscience never quickened indeed so that you see what need there is to enquire what the life of conscience is First I say the conscience somewhat awakened may like of God and all his wayes it may like of Gods judgements be they never so terrible as we see there in Pharaoh when God plagued Aegypt his conscience liked of Gods dealings he thought in his conscience the Lord dealt very righteously with him The Lord is righteous sayes he and I and my people are wicked Exod. 9. 27. So when Rehoboam was horribly beset with Enemies
may urge one to good things and no question but many of you that are yet in your sinnes have found this to be true how often have your consciences urged you to give over your sinnes to looke after the getting of Christ to lead a godly life how many heaves have your consciences given at you to hoyse you up out of the state ye wallow in to make you more earnest for heaven more strict in your walking to provide for your latter end when ye are at Prayer how often does it urge you to dwell longer at it As it is said of Doeg he was detained before the Lord 1 Sam. 21. 7. he was held there he would have gone away afore but he was held now what should that be but his conscience his conscience urged him to stay long so your consciences urge you to be more attentive in hearing more mindfull of preaching more humble in your mindes lesse worldly more heavenly you may thinke this is a lively conscience no no it is not the truth is the more your consciences doe urge you a dayes the greater is your sin if ye yeeld not But this is so farre from life that it argues you to be the more dead if ye doe not obey and urging conscience is a great blessing I if men have eyes to see what the Lord does for them to deliver their soules from the pit This is the taking of men by the shoulders now if thou pull away thy shoulder They refused to hearken and pull'd away their shoulder Zach. 7. 11. that is the Lord set conscience upon them and urged them to obey as if a man should take another by the shoulder so dragge him and hale him and yet they would not So when Paul spake to Agrippa he felt an urging in his conscience O let me be a Christian and he confest as much two Paul almost thou perswadest me to be a Christian it was almost done he had a great heave he was urged But it would not doe so that this is no argument of life neither Fifthly conscience somewhat awakened may be very eager in urging it may be very importunate every day digging in his sides every day whispering in his bosome O thinke of God O consider thy soule O remember death conscience may be earnest and wonderfull eager with a man O doe not live as thou doest O be not so carelesse of God what wilt thou dye and be damned wilt thou to hell wilt thou never have done away with thy sinnefull courses away with thy dreamings O be stirre thy selfe or thou wilt perish such a conscience had Pilat about Christ it was eager with him not to condemne him This conscience is an admirable blessing woe be to those that stand out against it it is like Iacob with the Angell He would not let the Angell goe till he blest him Gen. 32. 26. like the man that was importunate with his friend and knockt and knockt and would have no nay Luk. 11. 8. I am in bed never tell me of your being in bed I pray let me have three loaves my children are in bed I pray trouble me not that is all one still he knocks he will have him up so when conscience is thus awakened and is importunate and will not be answered c. many a wretch hath such an impudent conscience as this But this is so farre from an argument of life as that it is a signe of a greater death Sixthly conscience somewhat awakened may prevaile very farre by its eagernesse it made the King of Iury doe many things it made the Heathens doe the things contained in the Law Rom. 2. 14 15. when the Pharisees came to tempt Christ with the woman taken in adultery conscience made them cease and goe out one by one Joh. 8. 9. it made Paul live so unblameably as he did ye know concerning the righteousnesse that is in the Law he was blamelesse Phil. 3. 6. now if ye looke into the 23. of the Acts and the first you shall see it was his conscience that made him doe so men and Brethren I have lived in all good conscience before God to this day as since his conversion his sanctified conscience made him live godlily in Christ so before his conversion his naturall conscience holpen by good education made him live unblameably so that what with one and with the other he could say he had lived in a good conscience to that day that is either morally good or spiritually good And therefore it was conscience that made him doe all that he did people thinke I indeed if they did good duties for outward by respects then they should thinke they were unsound but conscience sets them a worke and therefore they gather they are sound and alive towards God no beloved conscience may make a carnall man goe against all outward by-respects and doe very good dutie this we see in Balaam he went against all outward selfe respects and followed conscience for a house full of Silver and Gold he would not goe beyond the word of the Lord to doe lesse or more Num. 22. 18. so Iudas went against his credit and his profit and all ye know when his conscience told him the money was unjustly taken he went and threw it downe so did Michah the man was an Idolater and had stollen 1100 Peeces of Silver from his Master yet when he heard his mother curse he restored all againe O thought he what shall I heare my mother curse his conscience rose up against that and made him make restitution why doe carnall men pray in secret no question but it is conscience that makes them may be when they are tempted to a sinne in secret they will not doe it and it is the conscience that with holds them in this sense they doe good duties out of conscience now is this Conscience alive no it does not follow ye see this may be in naturall men and women Seventhly conscience somewhat awakened may make one looke at God so farre as it prevailes you may see this in Laban the man was a wicked man yet he lookt at God in not hurting of Jacob though it were in the choyse of his hand yet he would not hurt Jacob and he lookt at God in the thing O sayes his conscience the God of your Father spake to me yesternight Gen. 31. 29. he abstained from hurting of Iacob and he lookt at God in the abstaining from it Because God had forbidden him therefore he will not hurt him so it was with King Cyrus he was a naturall man too yet when he tooke order for the building of the Temple at Ierusalem his conscience made him look at God in the thing O sayes he the Lord God of Heaven and earth hath charged me to build him a house Ezek. 1. 2. so when Jehu destroyed Ahabs house and Baals Priests he himselfe sayes how he lookt at God in the thing come see how zealous I am for