management of his graces and while he is so he is as curiously jealous lest grace should warp to rob God of his glory He loves inherent grace heartily Oh saith he that my Soul were more enrich'd with it but yet while he is breathing after perfection in grace he admiringly prefers God's wise love in saving him by Christ before Salvation by inherent grace he utterly renounceth the best of his graces when pride would have them justle with Christ for the procuring of acceptation In short a Soul that is overcome with God's method of Salvation is unable to bear any thing that darkens it Would God have me to be as watchful against sin as if there were no Christ to pardon it (i) 1 Joh. 2.1 My little Children these things I write unto you that you sin not Our first care must be not to sin Oh that I could perfectly comply with God in this but alas I cannot Would God have me to rest as entirely upon Christ after my utmost attainments as that wretch who pretends to venture his Soul with him out or an ill-spent life O Lord I trust no more to my good works than he can to his bad ones for his meriting of Salvation k Let not this be mistaken as if I made no difference between good works and evil The Apostle hath taught me better Tit. 3.8 This is a faithful saying and these things I will that thou affirm constantly that they that have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works These things are good and profitable unto men and ver 14. Let us also learn to maintain good works for necessary uses that they be not unfruitful Good works they are genuine fruits though not meritorious causes of Justification as I would not ungratefully overlook any thing the Spirit hath done in me so I would not have any thing which I have almost marr'd in the Spirits doing of it to draw a curtain whereby Christ should be less look'd on 5. The most eminent degree of our love to God is Extasie and Ravishment we need not go down to the Legends of the Philistines to sharpen our incentives to the love of God I could over-match what can be said with truth of Ignatius and Xaverius with several whom many of you knew whose unparallel'd humility hid them from observation whose communion with God was often overwhelming but I forbear Take a Scripture instance of this kind of love compare but these three passages in the Song of Songs Cant. 2 5. I am sick of love This is upon Christ's first overcoming discovery of himself Cant. 5.8 I charge you O daughters of Jerusalem if you find my beloved that you tell him that I am sick of love This charge is from her spiritual languishment through earnest desire of reconciliation after some negligence and carelessness in duty Cant. 8.6 This is when she hath had the highest communion with God that an imperfect state affords when she was as it were upon the threshold of glory and then she saith love is strong as death q.d. I shall dye unless thou grant my desire or let me dye that my desire may be granted Jealousie is cruel as the grave that as the grave is never satisfyed so neither will my love without the utmost enjoyments of thy self The coals thereof are coals of fire which have a most vehement heat my love burns up my corruptions shines in holiness and mounts upwards in heavenly-mindedness many waters cannot quench it the waters of afflictions are but as Oyl to the fire If a man would give all the substance of his house for love it would utterly be contemned She scorns all things that would force or flatter her out of her love to Christ Now if you except against this as spoken of love to Christ and not of love to God essentially to God the Father Son and Holy Ghost I readily answer we cannot see God lovely but in Christ If any will be so curious as to assert they look upon Christ himself as but a means to bring them to God it is God Essentially Father Son and Holy-Ghost when Christ shall have given up his Mediatory Kingdom (l) 1 Cor. 15.28 that must be their compleat happiness the means is not to be rested in in comparison of the end (m) Rev. 5.2 3. This may well be compar'd to a Sea of Glass slippery standing O that I could but discover what my Soul should long for viz. how to look beyond Christ to God in whom alone is my compleat happiness and then to look in some respect beyond God to Christ to give the Lamb his peculiar honour when I shall be with the Almighty and with the Lamb as in a Temple (n) Rev 21.22 23. when the glory of God and of the Lamb shall be the light whereby I shall see that God (o) 1 Tim. 6.16 who dwelleth in such light as no mortal eye can behold That will be a blessed vision indeed (p) 1 Cor. 13.10 c. when that which is perfect is come then that which is in part shall be done away We have yet but childish apprehensions of these things to what we shall have when (q) Ep. 4.13 we come to a perfect man unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ Now we see darkly through the glass of ordinances but then we shall see face to face Now we know but in part but then we shall know God according to our measure as God knows us and then the greatest grace will be love perfect love that will cast out all fear fear of not-attaining and fear of losing that Joy of our Lord into which we are taken But alas all I can say in this matter is rather the restless fluttering of the soul towards God than the quiet resting of the Soul in God Bradward de causa Dei l. z. c. 24. â— 627 628 629 siarsim Let me close the Paragraph with that I call a rapture of profound Bradwardine O Lord my God thou art the Good of every good Good above all good things a Good most infinitely infinite How therefore should I love thee How shall I proportionably love thee infinitely O that I could But how can I that am so very little and finite love thee infinitely and how otherwise will there be any proportion between thy loveliness and my loves my God thou art super-amiable thou infinitely exceedest all other things that are lovely Perhaps Lord I should love thee infinitely as to the Manner when I cannot as to the Act. It pertains to the manner of loving to love thee finally for thy self and no other good finally for it self but for thee who art the chiefest good and the beginning and end of all good things But perhaps I may in some sort love thee infinitely as to the Act both intensively and extensively intensively in loving thee more intensly more firmly more strongly than any finite good and when
so he must minister the same to the souls and bodies of others 1 Pet. 4.10 Jam. 2.15.16 1 Joh. â— 13 If a brother or a sister be naked and destitute of daily food and one of you say unto them Go in peace he you warmed and filled notwithstanding you give them not the things that are needful to the body what doth it profit A man would find little profit in it himself if he should feed himself only with good words and wishes True love is not in Word and Tongue only but in Deed and in Truth Contrary to this endeavouring others good is to stand up in the way and stop the passage wherein good should flow in upon them and to be (a) Invidentia est aeg iâ—udo iuscepta p opter alterius res secundas quae nihil nocent invidenti Cic. Tuâ—t qu. l. 4. envious at the prosperity of others if they be able without our help to attain it Many men think themselves not well unless it be ill with others (b) Novum ac inaestimabile nunc in plutimis malum est parum alicui est si ipse sit felix nisi alter sec in infelix Salvianus de Gub. Dei it is not enough for them to be happy unless they see their brethren miserable 2. We have seen now in what things we do and may shew love to our selves we come now to speak of the manner of loving our selves and to shew that after the same manner we ought to love others also 1. We do or should love our selves holily i. e. in and for God we may not have a divided interest from God though God allows us to love our selves it must be in order to him and to his Glory Our love to our selves as it must be regulated by the will of God and extended or restrained according to that So God must be our utmost end in it whether it be exercised about the obtaining things temporal or spiritual for body or soul Salvation it self although it be our end must not be our last or utmost end but that God by it as by all things else may be glorified Therefore in this manner we must love others as God hath an interest in them and is or may be glorified by them and there is no man in the world but God is or may be glorified by him Every man is a creature upon whose Soul there is in a sort the Image of God and doth him some service in the place wherein he stands Isa 44.28 and 45.1 God calleth Cyrus a heathen his Shepherd and his Anointed and he did him eminent service in his generation The same may be said of every other man in some degree and proportion God hath given him some gifts whereby he is and may be serviceable to him at least in the affairs of his providential kingdom Besides all men having immortal souls within them are capable of blessedness with God for ever in the kingdom of Glory they who are at present enemies to God may be reconciled and made friends what was the most glorious Saint now in heaven but an enemy to God once when here on earth We our selves saith the Apostle were sometime foolish disobedient deceived Tit. 33.4 serving divers lusts and pleasures living in malice and envy hateful and hating one another but after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared not by works of righteousness which we have done but according to his mercy he saved us by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost Obj. How could David then say do not I hate them O Lord that hate thee and am I not grieved with these that rise up against thee Psal 139.21.22 I hate them with a perfect hatred He says that he hated them perfectly and approves himself to God in the thing Do not I hate them O Lord Ans There is a twofold hatred Odium simplex Odium redundans in personam as the Schooles speak a simple hatred and a hatred redounding to the person A simple hatred which is of the Sin of any man is our duty Psal 97.10 ye that love the Lord hate evil but to hate the Person of the sinner would be our sin as we are to abhor that which is evil Rom. 12.9 so we must cleave to that which is good David who was a man after Gods own heart knew how to distinguish between the sin and the person See how he expresseth himself elsewhere I hate the work of them that turn aside not them but the work of them Psal 101.3 he hated their sin saying it shall not cleave to me Hear him again I hate every false way this shews us plainly Psal 119.104 that he hated sin perfectly he hated sin so as that it should not cleave to him he hated it where ever he found it Every false way For what is perfect hatred Austin describes it very well He est perfecto odio odisse ut nec homines propter vitia oderis nec vitia propter homines diligas This is to hate with perfect hatred not to hate men for their Sins sake nor to love the sin for the mens sake This is one manner how we ought to love our Neighbour as our selves it must be holily 2. Our love to our selves is or should be orderly we must first and chiefly love our souls and then our bodies The Soul is of far greater worth than the body A world of things for the body will stand a man in no stead if his soul be lost and where the soul goes either to a place of bliss or torment the body must follow after and therefore when we are charged to take heed to our selves we are charged to keep our souls diligently only take heed to thy self Deut. 4 9. and keep thy soul diligently if the soul be safe all is safe if the soul be lost all is lost In like manner we ought to love our Neighbour we must desire and endeavour that it may be well with him in every respect both as to his body and outward estate but chiefly that his Soul may prosper and his outward concerns as they may be consistent with that third Epistle John ver 2. I wish above all things that thou mayst prosper and be in health as thy soul prospereth 1. We must seek the conversion of those that are unconverted lest their souls be lost for ever If we can be instrumental in this we shew the greatest love imaginable to give a man bread when he is hungry or cloathing when he is naked is somthing but to convert a soul to God is a greater kindness by much Brethren Jam. 5 19.20 if any of you do err from the truth and one convert him let him know that he which converteth a sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death He speaks of it as a great thing when he says Let him know that he
their good Works 3. Their Light and good works are their own though by the grace of Christ And it is no injury to Christ or his Righteousness or Grace to say that they are their own 4. The splendour of Christians in their good Works must be such as may be seen of Men. 5. The Glorifying of God must be the end of our Good Works and of their appearance unto men 6. As bad as corrupted Nature is there is yet something in mankind which tendeth to the approving of the good works of Christians and to their glorifying God thereupon 7. God is glorified even by common men when they approve of the Glory of Holiness in Believers It is not only by Saints that God is glorified 8. As contrary as Holiness is to corrupted Nature there is such resplendent goodness in true Christians works which common men may glorifie God for And so somewhat in them and in Christianity which hath such agreeableness as may tend to further good 9. The Excellency and Splendour of the good works of Christians especially Teachers is a grand means ordained by God himself for the Conviction of the World and the glorifying of God But the resolving the Question What the splendour of these works must be is my present undertaken task God is not glorified by our adding to him but by our receiving from him not by our making him greater or better or happier than he is but by owning him loving him and declaring him as he is that we and others may thereby be wise and good and happy He is his own glory and ours And by his own light only we must know both him and all things We are not called to bring our Candle to shew the World that there is a Sun but to perswade them into its light to open the Windows and Curtains to disperse the Clouds and to open the eyes of blinded sinners I. The way of doing this and glorifying God is in the order following 1. The first thing that our works must shew is their own goodness They can never prove the Cause good till it is clear that they are good themselves Therefore doubtless Christ here intendeth that we must abound especially in those good works which the world is capable of knowing to be good and not only in those which none but Christians themselves approve If believers and unbelievers agreed in no common principles we were not capable of preaching to unbelievers nor convincing them nor of conversing with them There are many excellent things which Nature doth approve and which both parties are agreed to be good By the advantage of these as granted principles we must convince them of the conclusions which they yet deny and not as the scandalous Christian so absurdly affect singularity as to make light of all good which is taken for good by unbelievers and to seek for eminency in nothing but what the World thinks evil There is a glory in some good works which all do honour and which manifesteth it self 2. And then the goodness of the work doth manifest the goodness of the doer Every man's work is so far his own that he is related to it and by it either as laudable or as culpable as it is Gal. 6.4 5. Let every man prove his own work and then shall he have rejoycing in himself alone and not in another for every man shall bear his own burthen God himself will judge men according to their works and so will men and so must we much do by our selves for it is the rightest judging which is likest God's This subordinate honour God grants to his servants If their works were not an honour to them as the next Agents they could be none to him in their Morality as man's acts though they might as acts in general ordered to good by his own goodness If God's Natural Works of Creation Sun and Moon and Earth c. were not praise-worthy in themselves God would not be praised for them as their Maker There are works that God is said to be dishonoured by Rom. 2.23 24. And what are they but such as are really bad and a dishonour to the Authors It is so far from being true that no praise or honour or comfort from good works is to be given to man that God himself is not like else to be honoured by them as morall good if the Actors be not honoured by them The World must first be convinced that Christians are far better than other men and the righteous more excellent than his Neighbour before they will glorifie God as the Author of their goodness In God's own Judgment Well done is the first word and Good and Faithful Servant is the second and Enter thou into the joy of thy Lord is the third Two sorts of Scandalous persons rob God of his honour in his Saints 1. Those that professing Christianity live wickedly or at least no better than other men whose lives tell the World that Christians are but such as they 2. Those that slander and belye true Believers and would hide their goodness and make them odious to the World As for them that say only that we have no righteousness in our selvet by which we can be justified I shall not differ with them if they do but grant that all shall be judged according to their works and that he that is accused as an Infidel Impenitent an Hypocrite or an Unregenerate Ungodly Person must against that accusation be justified by his own Faith Repentance Sincerity and Holiness or be unjustified for ever 3. The next thing to the Work and the Person that is hereby honoured is the Christian Religion it self with the Spirit 's operations on the Souls of Christians The outward Doctrine and Example Of Christ who teacheth his Servants to be better than the World and the inward Sanctification of the Spirit which maketh them better The Air and Food are commended which make men healthy and the Medicines are praised which cure the disease That is accounted good as a means and cause which doth good and which maketh men good If Christians were more commonly and notoriously much better than all other men the World would believe that the Gospel and the Christian Religion were the best But when scandalous Christians appear as bad or worse than Infidels the World thinks that their Religion is as bad or worse than theirs 4. The next ascent of Honour is to the Maker or Author of our Religion the World will see that he is good that maketh so good a Law and Gospel and that maketh all his true Disciples so much to excel all other men And here the first honour will be to the Holy Spirit which reneweth Souls and maketh them holy And the next will be to the Son our Saviour who giveth us both the Word and Spirit And the highest or ultimate Glory will be to God the Father who giveth us both his Son and his Spirit And thus Honour ascendeth to the Highest by these
and no necessary Grace shall be wanting unto you Look that you be patient in waiting and patient in bearing Do not misinterpret God's dealings with you There are two passages I would have you take special notice of that Ground that brought such Fruit as answer'd expectation (d) Luk. 8.15 was an honest and good heart which kept the Word and brought forth fruit with patience The other is in your patience possess your souls patience contributes much to both Fruitfulness and Comfort Let 's make an Essay Thou would'st have God manifest his Love to thee in a more ravishing manner stay a while thou wantest another kind of dispensation first and most viz. to feel more of the evil of sin that thou mayst be more watchful and more holy So soon as a tryal comes thou wouldst have it remov'd stay a while it hath not done the work for which God sent it God in kindness binds on the Plaister till he hath effected the Cure Thou art at a loss thou knowest not what God will doe with thee be it so it is not fit thou shouldest God doth not use to tell his Children before-hand what he will do with them God expects we should gather up our Duty from the Precepts of his Word and from the hints of his Providence We read (e) 2 King 13.17 18 19. that when the Prophet Elisha had given King Joash a Promise and a sign of deliverance from Syria God expected that his own reason and faith should prompt him so to improve a second sign as to pursue the victory to a conquest but he understood it not and so miscarryed Do you learn to hold on in the use of all Means for the engaging of your hearts more to God We (f) Heb. 6.11.12 13. desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full Assurance of Hope unto the end that you be not sloathful but followers of them who through Faith and Patience inherit the Promises Not expecting to obtain the Promise till you have patiently endured and the same Apostle in the same Epistle tells us (g) Heb. 10.36 that you have need of patience that after you have done the will of God you might receive the Promise Thus much for the inward Means of loving God Outward Means for engaging our Hearts to love God are either Directing or Exemplary I. Directing The onely directing Means is the Word of God but seeing you shall in the following Sermons have particular directions about both Hearing and Reading of the Word I shall only hint these few things 1. Prize the Word Though our estimation of it will be exceedingly heightned by a further acquaintance with it yet you will find it singularly advantagious to the enflaming of your hearts to get your hearts as it were graciously forestalled with the valuation of the Word When we can count the Word sweeter than Honey to the taste better than Gold for a treasure more necessary than Food for our sustenance (i) Job 23.12 how can the Soul choose but love God whose love indited it Shall filthy books provoke carnal love and shall not the Book of God provoke Divine love endeavour to get but as spiritual a sence and relish of Divine Truths answerable to mens carnal gusts and feeling of other things do but dwell upon Truths till they affect you Only here observe this necessary Caution Dwell not so upon difficulties as to hinder your further enquiry into things more easily understood but wait in a course of diligence and you will be able to master those difficulties which 't is next to impossible suddainly to fathom Do but steer an even course between a careless neglect and an anxious perplexity about what you read or hear and you will certainly attain a deep knowledge of the things of God and a high measure of love to God 2. Set immediately upon the practice of those things which you shall be convinced to be your Duty Let not your Affections cool upon any duty pressed upon you Do something like that of (k) Dan. 2.8 c. Nebuchadnezzar God revealed to him something of moment he had lost the matter and understood not the meaning but was as others thought unreasonably importunate to recover both and that presently before the impression wore off and the heat went over So my brethren fix the Word by speedy practice Though the seed of the Word is long in growing to perfection yet it presently takes root in order to growth Were I therefore now exhorting you to Repentance and could bring you to no nearer a resolution than to repent to morrow my Exhortation were lost So now while I press you to love God and demonstrate from Scripture that it is your Duty offer you Scripture-helps that may be effectual provoke you with Scripture encouragements that may be overcoming if you now put off all this till a fitter time 't is a thousand to one you put it off for ever Read this over again and then think why should not I now believe this and how can I say I now believe it if I do not now put it in practice and how can I say I practise it if I omit any one Direction II. Exemplary Means And here I shall give you as short a touch as may be of Men Angels and Christ himself We are much drawn by Examples Examples they are not only Arguments but Wings They give us a demonstration that Precepts are practicable 1. Men. Why should not we love God as well as ever Abraham did God gives the word (k) Gen. 22 2.3 Abraham take now thy Son thy only Son Isaac whom thou lovest and offer him for a burnt-offering And Abraham rose up early in the morning c. Had he not loved God so far as the Creature can love God infinitely every word would have been as a dagger to his heart q. d. Abraham I gave thee that Name from thy being a Father of many People but now be thou the death of that seed which I intended to multiply God seemed to change his Name to Abraham as Solomon named his Son Rehoboam an Enlarger of the People who enlarged them from twelve tribes to two Take now no time to demur upon it Thy Son so many years prayed for and waited for Thine onely Son all the rest of thy children are not worth thy owning Isaac the Son of thy Laughter now the Son of thy Sorrow Whom thou lovest more than ever Father loved a child and that upon several justifiable accounts And get thee into the land of Moriah though no time to deliberate before thou resolvest yet time enough for repentance before thou executest thy resolutions And offer him there for a burnt-offering 't is not enough to give him up to be sacrificed by another but thou thy self must be the Priest to kill thy lovely child and then to burn him to ashes And Abraham rose up early c. he quarrels not with God What
taken upon me to speak unto the Lord which am but dust and ashes Again O let not the Lord be angry and I will speak (z) Psal 89.7 God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the Saints and to be had in reverence of all them that are about him Methinks that passage of Christ to his Disciples with the circumstance of time when he spake it just upon the most servile action of his life may for ever keep an awe upon our hearts (a) Joh. 13 12 13. Know ye what I have done unto you Ye call me Master and Lord and ye say well for so I am When God deals most familiarly with us as with friends let us carry it reverently as becomes servants 3. Obedience to the commands of God and to those commands which would never be obeyed but out of love to God (b) 1 Joh. 5.3 For this is the love of God that we keep his commandments and his commandments are not grievous e. g. to obey those commands that are unpleasing and troublesome Those commands that thwart our carnal reason and so part with things present for the hopes of that we never saw 1 Joh. 2.5 nor any man living that told us of them Whoso keepeth his word in him verily is the love of God perfected hereby we know that we are in him Once more hear what Christ saith He that hath my commandments and keepeth them he it is that loveth me and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father and I will love him and will manifest my self unto him Joh. 14.21 23 And again if any man love me he will keep my words and my Father will love him and we will come unto him and make our abode with him 4. Resignation of our selves to God whereby we devote our selves wholly to God to be wholly his (e) quoad 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quoad 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be every way disposed of as he pleaseth (f) 2 Cor. 5.14 15. The love of Christ constraineth us because we thus judge that if one dyed for all then were all dead And that he dyed for all that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves but unto him which dyed for them c. This resignation is like that in the conjugal relation it debars so much as treating with any other it as it were proclaims an irreconcileable hatred to any that would partake of any such love God doth not deal with us as with slaves but takes us into that relation which speaks most delight and happiness and we are never more our own than when we are most absolutely his 5. Adhesion and cleaving unto God in every case and in every condition (g) Psal 63.7 8. in the shadow of thy wings will I rejoyce my soul followeth hard after thee Methinks we may say of the law concerning (h) Deut. 22.6 birds what the Apostle saith of the law concerning oxen doth God take care of birds for our sakes no doubt 't is written to instruct us against cruelty but may we not learn a further lesson the bird was safe while on her nest our onely safety is with God Now to cleave to God in all conditions not onely when we fly to him as our onely refuge in our pressures but in our highest prosperity and outward happiness when we have many things to take to whence the world expects happiness this is a fruit of great and humble love this demonstrates an undervaluing of the world and a voluntary choosing of God this is somewhat like heavenly love 6. Tears and sighes through desires and joys when the spiritual love-sick soul would in some such but an unexpressable manner breath out it's sorrows and joys into the bosom of God Lord why thus loving to me and why is my heart no more overcome with divine love those that never receiv'd so much from thee love thee more O I am weary of my want of love O I am weary of my distance from God! O I am weary of my unspiritual frame we that are in this tabernacle do groan being burdened not for that we would be uncloathed but cloathed upon that mortality might be swallowed up of life i Here when the heart is ready to dye away through excess of love 2 Cor 5.4 't is passionately complaining of defects Dear Lord what shall I say what shall I do what shall I render O for more endearing communications of Divine love O for more answerable returns of love to God! Thus much of effects as to God The onely effect I shall name as to us is a seeking of heaven and things above with contempt of the world and all worldly excellencies One that loves God thinks he can never do enough in heavenly employments A person that abounds in love to God is too apt to neglect secondary duties which are in their places necessary they are apt to justle out one duty with another e.g. those duties wherein they have most sensible communion with God bear down lesser duties before them whereas could we keep within Scripture-bounds and mind every duty according to it's moment then this is an excellent effect of divine love e. g. to be afraid of worldly enjoyments lest they should steal the heart from God yet at the same time not to dare to omit any worldly duty lest I should prove partial in the work of Christianity To make conscience of the least duties because no sin is little but to be proportionably careful of the greatest duties lest I should prove an hypocrite such a carriage is an excellent effect of divine love this is fruit that none who are not planted near the tree of life can bear Mutual effects are these and such like as these 1. Vnion with God Union is the foundation of communion and communion is the exercise of union The Spirit of God is the immediate efficient cause of this union and faith is the internal instrument on our part but love is the internal instrument both on God's part and ours (k) Eph. 3.17 Christ dwells in our hearts by faith we being rooted and grounded in love This union is most immediately with Christ and through him with the Father and Holy Ghost It is an amazing and comfortable truth that our union with Christ does much resemble the personal union of the two natures in Christ I grant 't is unlike it in more considerations because of the transcendency of the mystery but yet there 's some resemblance e. g. the Humane Nature in Christ is destitute of it's subsistence and personality by it's union with and it's assumption to the divine so the gracious soul hath no kind of denomination but what it hath from its union with Christ It 's gracious being is bound up in its union with Christ Other men can live without Christ but so cannot the gracious soul Again in Christ there 's a communication of properties that is thâ—t which
c. Ye denied the Holy One c. And well it may for it is the holy day of the holy Son of God yea God the Father and God the Son have put off their own holiness upon it Not essentially for that is incommunicable Nor is it an Inherent holiness which they have Communicated to it 2 Pet. 1.4 as the Saints of God have who are made holy by a supernatural change of their natures But the Sabbath is holy by divine Institution by special dedication and consecration God having hallowed this day above all other days in the week by separating it from common and civil uses and consecrating it to holy and religious ends and purposes viz. to be a Sabbath of holy rest But now The Question Question is How may we thus call the Sabbath holy or When may we be said truly to make it holy 1. When we make Gods hallowing and sanctifying this day our Motive and Argument to sanctifie it by a holy Observation of it Answer when that which God hath called holy by his divine sanction we dare not call it common and profane by prostituting of it to unsuitable actions words or thoughts There is a real calling it unholy as well as vocall He or She that spends the day or any part of it in doing evil or in doing nothing or in doing nothing to the purpose he proclaimeth to the world what he calleth the day although he speak not a word he speaks his heart by interpretation and when all is done our works are more credible Interpreters of our hearts than our words or profession Why call ye me Lord Lord and do not the things which I say Then we believe it holy when we keep it holy 2. Then we call the Sabbath holy when we sanctifie our selves for the Sabbath and for the Ordinances of the Sabbath If we have no care what frame of spirit we bring with us into the day nor with what frame we drive thorough it we are far from calling the Sabbath the holy of the Lord. For their sakes saith our Lord I Sanctifie my self John 17.17 I Sanctifie my self i. e. I separate my self wholly for the work of a Redeemer If the Lord Jesus separated himself for our sakes should not we much more separate our selves for his Then we believe Christ to be our holy Redeemer when we labour to be an holy people Holy as he is holy and then we have high venerable thoughts of the holiness of the Sabbath when we labour to be holy as the day is holy an unsuitable spirit is a profanation of the Sabbath The Day holy but we unholy what a reproach is this Holiness becomes thy house for ever q. d. Psal 93.5 Ceremonies were to continue but for a time but holiness is the standing qualification of thy day and of thy worshippers for ever 3. When we make holiness in the beginning and increase of it our design in our sanctifying of the day and of our attendance upon the Ordinances When we make holiness our business It is the great end for which God hath ordained a Sabbath Exod. 31.13 Ezek. 20.12 Verily my Sabbath ye shall keep for it is a sign between me and you that ye may know that I am the Lord that do sanctifie you Not a Ceremonial sign but a Moral sign a Covenant sign a kind of a Sacramental sign a Medium to effect what is promised in the Covenant 1 Cor. 11.23 25. as water in Baptism and bread and wine in the Lords Supper Oh when Gods design and mans design meets when God makes a Sabbath for a Medium to make his people holy and they keep a Sabbath that they may be holy this is excellent this is to call the Sabbath The Holy of the Lord. When we labour to bring as much holiness as we can into a Sabbath and to bring more holiness out of a Sabbath to come out of Gods day more holy than we came into it This is to sanctifie a Sabbath indeed 4. Then we call it holy when the more pure and holy the Sabbath is kept and the more purely and holily the Ordinances are dispensed the more our souls do love them the more beauty and glory we do see in them As David expresseth his affection to the word Thy word is very pure therefore doth thy servant love it It is very sad when the more purely and the more holily the word is dispensed the more people dislike it and pick quarrels with it as that vile people did who cried to their Prophets prophesie not Or if you will be prophesying prophesie smooth things Jer. 30 10 11. Sermons that will go down pleasantly discourses of peace that will not trouble our Consciences nor cross our corruptions but cause the holy one of Israel to cease from before us It was the Holy one of Israel c. the title which the prophets used in their Sermons but their ears were so tender they could not bear it if the Prophets would prophesie of the Merciful One of Israel and of the Bountiful One The Omnipotent One c. let them go on but they cared not so much for holiness and strictness as they pressed upon them from day to day this did not please their palate So when it is with a people in reference to other Ordinances Prayer and the Sacraments the more corrupted they be with the mixtures of men and of humane inventions the more acceptance and applause they find this argues that men seek not Jesum propter Jesum Christ for Christ his sake nor Ordinances for their purity nor Sabbaths because they be Holy days of an Holy God When to get holiness and to grow in holiness is our design Sanctifying Sabbaths John 17.17 When we sanctifie Sabbaths that God may sanctifie us by his Sabbaths and by his truth as our Lord prayeth then we do call and account the Sabbath indeed Sanctum Domini The Holy of the Lord. 5. We do truly count the Sabbath the holy of the Lord when we come out of Sabbaths as Moses came down from the Mount With our faces shining When we bring with us the savour of Christ Psal 45.8 his sweet ointments upon our garments When they with whom we converse may take notice that we have been with Jesus Acts 4 13. It is sad when men come out of a Sabbath just such as they came in as vain and loose as proud worldly wanton lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God in a word as fit for sin as they were before They sanctifie the Sabbath indeed who can in truth say with the Apostle 2 Cor. 4.18 We all with open face beholding as in a Glass or mirrour the glory of the Lord are changed or Metamorphosed into the same image as by the spirit of the Lord. When the Sabbath leaves its Image and Impress upon us in some measure then we do count it and keep it holy Surely the Sabbath
Sure I am they that have not learned their duty to God will never rightly perform their duty to men I heartily wish that proud saucy debaucht behaviour and lame quarrels be not too sad proofs of this unhappy Truth I have done with the fourth I now proceed to the fifth and last Enquiry viz. How the whole affair may be so prudently piously Scripturally managed as that it may become most Vniversally profitable And here I shall first address my self to my Superiours and then close all with directions to Inferiours 1. Then for Superiours and among these Oeconomical ones 1. Let Parents begin betimes with their children 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as soon as ever they find them to have any use of Reason as soon as ever their understandings begin to bud and blossom The discreet Gardiner begins to graff as soon as ever the Sap begins to arise and the Stock to swell In the Old Law we find more Lambs Kids young Turtles First-fruits and green Corn required than other Elder Sacrifices Levit. 2.14 Sow thy Seed in the Morn Eccl. 11.9 Begin I say betimes the sooner the better according to that of the Prophet Isa 28.9 To whom shall I teach knowledg and whom shall I make to understand Doctrine Them that are weaned from the milk and drawn from the Breasts Old men nay indeed and too many young men think themselves too wise as well as too old to learn Indeed Childhood and Youth are the fittest times to learn in Vdum molle lutum eâ—z nunc nunc prâ—pirandâ—s aâ—riâ—ingendus sine sinc rota 'T is bâ—st drawing a fair Picture on a Rasa Tabula The most legible Characters are best written on the whitest Paper before it be soild and slur'd The Twig whilest young is most easily twisted The Ground best sown when soft and mollified Hence that of the Royal Preacher Eccl. 72.7 Remember thy Creator in the days of thy Youth Little ones have not as yet imbibed such false Principles and Nations nor are they drencht with such evil habits as Elder ones are too too frequently died with He hath a very difficult Province whose task it is to wash out the spots of a Leopard or to whiten an Aethiopian And little less work hath he that undertakes to teach the Truth to one that hath been brought up in and is now as it were Naturalized to Err For those false notions must first be wholly rooted up before Truth can profitably be implanted Such must be untaught much before they can well be taught though but a little 2. Labour as much as in you lies to entertain their tender attention with such â—ruths as mostly affect their senses and fancies and are most easily conveigh'd to their little understandings To wit 1. Such Truths the sparks whereof are most alive in their corrupt nature v.g. To know God that made the whole World and them in particular That this God is to be worshipped That their Parents are to be hâ—noured That no lye is to be told That they must love others as themselves That they must certainly dye and after Death be judged to an Eternal state Begin to season them with the sence of God's Majesty and Mercy 2. Deal as much in Similitudes and plain and easie Resemblances as you can taking your Rise from the Creatures they see and hear always greatly respecting their weak capacity Are you sitting in your Houses you may thus bespeak them Oh my dear Child is this an handsom dwelling this house made with Stones and Timber O how much desirable is that House above with God that House not made with hands but eternal in the Heavens When they awake out of sleep mind them of their Duty Psal 139. Eph. 5.14 of giving their first thoughts to God and of awaking out of sin unto righteousness and of their awaking the last day out of the Grave by the sound of the Trumpet 1 Thess 4.16 Do they see the light of the day shining into their eyes Ask them Is it indeâ—d a pleasant thing to behold the Sun O how excellent then is God's goodness in causing the Sun of Righteousness to arise upon us with healing in his wings Mal 4.2 Are you putting on their cloaths O my Child think on sin which was the cause of your Soul's nakedness and of your Bodies need of apparel Be not proud of your cloaths which are given to hide your shame Never rest satisfied till your Soul be arrayed with the Robes of Christ's Righteousness When at the fire tell them of that Lake of fire and brimstone that burneth for ever into which all those that live and dye in sin shall be cast At Table how easie is it how profitable how delightful will it be out of every Creature there to extract spiritual food for our Souls The Bread minds them of the Bread of Eternal Life their hunger of hungring after Christ's Righteousness By a Rivers side how easie is it to mind them of the Water of Life and of those Rivers of pleasure at God's right hand for evermore Thus may you Psal 16.11 Hos 12.10 Assimilavi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 properte â—â—enim multis rebus Deum compararunt Patri Pastori amâ—eâ— leâ—niâ— Pool's Synops without the least taedium or disgust teach those little Bees to such spiritual Honey out of every Flower By these similitudes as by so many golden Links you may draw Truths into their heads and memories Thus it pleased the Lord to teach his people of old by using Similitudes Isa 5.1 Ezek. 16.3 Hos 1.2 Thus the Great Bishop of our Souls taught his Disciples by Parables Mat. 13.38 3. Teach them the most useful delightful affectionate stories you can find in the Word of God v.gr. The Creation of Man Man's Fall The Deluge Isaac Sacrificed Lot and Sodom Joseph The Golden Calf David and Goliah Three Children in the Fiery Furnace Daniel in the Lyons Den. Jonah in the Whales Belly The Children devour'd by Bears 4. Betimes acquaint them with the practice of Religious Duties Read the Word Pray give Thanks sing Psalms in their presence 'T is conceived by the Learned that the little Children learnt to sing Hosanna to the praise of Christ by hearing their Parents sing the 118th Psalm out of which that Hosanna is taken 5. Endeavour to restrain them from all evil and to breed in them a Conscience of sin even from the very breast No playing no idle and vain chat on the Lord's Day Exod. 20.10 Ezek. 4.14 Ezekiel from his youth and infancy had not eaten any thing forbidden in the Law Made Conscience of meals when the Appetite was most unruly One fault amended by a Child out of Conscience that it is a sin is worth amending an hundred out of fear of the Rod or hope of reward only 6. Bring them to the publick Ordinances as soon as they can come to be there and kept there without the disturbance of the Church Exod. 20.9 10. The
they were evil might there not be some fleeting good mixed with them as a poisonous toad hath something useful No Only evil Well but there might be some intervals of thinking and though there was no good thought yet evil ones were not always rouling there Yes they were Continually not a moment of time that man was free from them One would scarce imagine such an inward nest of wickedness but God hath affirmed it and if any man should deny it his own heart would give him the lye Let us now consider the words by themselves 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Imagination properly signifies figmentum of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to afflict press or form a thing by way of compression And thus 't is a metaphor taken from a potters framing a vessel and extends to whatsoever is fram'd inwardly in the heart or outwardly in the work 'T is usually taken by the Jews for that fountain of sin within us †Alii rectâ—ùs dicunt non esse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nâ—si in malum Merc. in loc Mercer tells us it is always used in an evil sense But there are two places if no more wherein it is taken in a good sense Isa 26.3 * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Whose mind is stayed and 1 Chron. 29.18 where David prays that a disposition to offer willingly to the Lord might be preserved in the Imagination of the thoughts of the heart of the people Indeed for the most part 't is taken for the evil imaginations of the heart as Deut. 31.21 Psal 103.14 c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Maimon More Nevoch Par. 3. c. 22. Amam Censur in locum The Jews make a double figment a good and bad and fancy two Angels assign'd to man one bad another good which Maimonides interprets to be nothing else but natural corruption and reason This word imagination being joyn'd with thoughts implies not only the compleat thoughts but the first motion or formation of them to be evil The word Heart is taken variously in Scripture It signifies properly that inward member which is the seat of the vital spirits But sometimes it signifies 1. The understanding and mind Psal 12.2 With a double heart do they speak i. e. with a double mind Prov. 8.5 2. For the Will 2 Kings 10.30 All that is in my heart i. e. in my Will and purpose 3. For the affections as Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart i. e. with all thy affections 4. For conscience 2 Sam. 24.5 David's heart smote him i. e. his Conscience check'd him But Heart here is used for the whole soul because according to Pareus his note the soul is chiefly seated in the heart especially the Will and the affections her attendants because when any affection stirs the chief motion of it is felt in the heart So that by the imaginations of the thoughts of the heart are here meant all the inward operations of the soul which play their part principally in the heart whether they be the acts of the understanding the resolutions of the Will or the blustrings of the affections Only evil The Vulgar mentions not the exclusive particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so enervates the sense of the place But our Neighbour Translations either express it as we do Only or to that sense that they were Certainly or no other than evil 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Continually The Hebrew All the day or every day Some Translations express it verbatim as the Hebrew Not a moment of a man's life wherein our hereditary corruption doth not belch out its froth even from his youth as God expounds it Gen. 8.21 to the end of his life Whether we shall refer the general wickedness of the heart in the Text to that age as some of the Jesuites do because after the Deluge God doth not seem so severely to censure it Or rather take the exposition the learned Rivet gives of it referring the first part of the Verse and God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth to those times Gen. 8.21 Rivet in Gen. exercit 51. and the second part to the universal corruption of man's nature and the root of all sin in the world The Jesuites argument will not be very valid for the extenuation of original corruption from Gen. 8.21 For if man's imaginations be evil from his youth what is it but in another phrase to say they were so continually But suppose it be understood of the iniquity of that age may it not be applied to all ages of the world David complains of the wickedness of his own time Psal 14.3 Psal 5.9 Yet St. Paul applies it to all mankind Rom. 3.12 Indeed it seems to be a description of man's natural pravity by God's words after the deluge Gen. 8.21 which are the same in sense to shew that man's nature after that destroying judgment was no better than before Every word is emphatical exaggerating man's defilement Wherein consider the Universality 1. Of the subject Every man 2. Of the act Every thought 3. Of the qualification of the act Only evil 4. Of the time Continually The words thus opened afford us this Proposition That the thoughts and inward operations of the souls of men are naturally universally evil and highly provoking Some by cogitation mean not only the acts of the understanding but those of the will yea and the sense too But indeed that which we call cogitation or thought is the work of the mind imagination of the fancy Cartes Princip Philos Part. 1. Sect. 9. 'T is not properly thought till it be wrought by the understanding because the fancy was not a power designed for thinking but only to receive the images imprest upon the sense and concoct them that they might be fit matter for thoughts and so 't is the Exchequer wherein all the acquisitions of sense are deposited and from thence received by the intellective faculty So that thoughts are inchoativè in the fancy consummativè in the understanding terminativè in all the other faculties Thought first engenders opinion in the mind thought spurs the will to consent or dissent 't is thought also which Spirits the affections I will not spend time to acquaint you with the methods of their generation Every man knows he hath a thinking faculty and some inward conceptions which he calls thoughts he knows that he thinks and what he thinks though he be not able to describe the manner of their formation in the womb or remember it any more than the species of his own face in a glass In this discourse let us first see what kind of thoughts are sins 1. Negatively A simple apprehension of sin is not sinful Thoughts receive not a sinfulness barely from the object That may be unlawful to be acted which is not unlawful to be thought of Though the will cannot will sin without guilt yet the understanding may apprehend sin without guilt for that doth no more
there is none so far below him but he is willing to hear and learn of but especially among his Equals he is readier to hear and learn than to teach because he is still conscious of his ignorance and honoureth the gifts of God in others which the proud despise Jam. 3.1 and 1.19 But the scandalous Christian is so wise in his own eyes that he is ever of a teaching humour and those please him best that will sit and hear and reverence him as an Oracle and magnifie every word that drops from his lips He is so full of himself that he hath scarce the patience to observe well what another speaks or writeth and so valueth his own Conceptions that he thinks they should be valued by the hearers And so scandalous is the teaching humour of some Learned men that they have not the common good manners or civility to suffer another to speak to the end but they must needs interrupt him that they may speak as being more worthy They take other mens speeches to be so tedious that their patience cannot hold out the length of them I mean not that a Wise man is bound to lose his time in hearing every self-conceited person talk but when men are engaged in Conference or Disputes for a man to have such list to speak that he cannot stay till another though long come to the end it is scandalous incivility yea some can scarce stay till two or three Sentences be uttered but their haste must tell you that they take themselves to be much the Wiser and to be fitter to teach than to hear and learn And they are so over-loaden with their own conceited wisdom that they can carry it no longer without some vent and so full of their own that they have no room to receive any more from others And being all Masters they receive from God and Man the greater Condemnation Jam. 3.1 Prov. 12.17 and 1.5 and 18.13 XIV The Genuine Christian hateth backbiting and disgraceful reports of others and yet can bear it from others to himself He hath learned to love all and to speak evil of no man nor to receive or vend ill reports of others He knoweth that this is the work of the Devil the mortal Enemy of Love He modestly rebuketh the backbiting tongue and with an angry countenance driveth it away Psal 15.3 Tit. 3.2 Prov. 25.23 Backbiters tell us that they are haters of men And the Apostle joyns them with haters of God Rom. 1.30 Debates backbitings whisperings envyings are the scandalous Christian's work 2 Cor. 12.20 He that heareth them will either distaste them or catch the disease and be as bad as they And he that heareth that he is calumniated or reproached by them behind his back is tempted to abhor both them and their Profession But to deal with men as faithful Friends and in plainness but with prudence and love to tell them secretly of their defects and faults this tendeth to good and to reconcile the minds of men at last and to the honour of the Christian way Matth. 18.15 16. Levit. 19.17 Prov. 9.8 and 24.25 and 27.5 Eccl. 7.5 Prov. 28.23 But yet when we are belyed and reproached our selves though by Christians or Teachers or Superiours it beseemeth us not to make too great a matter of it as being tender of our own Reputation but only to be sorry for the slanderer's or backbiter's sin and misery For mens corruption will have vent the angry and malicious and envious will speak from the abundance of their hearts and the guilty will be tender and Children will cry and quarrel and proud Contenders will be impatient And how small a matter is it as to us to be Judged of Man who must all be shortly Judged of the Lord XV. He is one that would keep open to the notice of all the great difference between the Godly and the Wicked and aspireth after the highest degrees of Holiness as knowing the corruptions and calamities of the weak and how much of Heaven is in Holiness it self and yet he loveth honoureth and cherisheth the least spark of Grace in the weakest Christian and is none of them that consoriously despise such nor that tyrannically tread them down or cast them injuriously out of the Church 1. To make men believe that there is little difference between the holy and the profane is to bring all Religion into contempt and is a wickedness which God's Laws throughout condemn and his Judgment shall publickly confute Matth. 3.18 2 Thes 1.6 to 11. Jude 15. Matth. 13.25 throughout 2. To take up with a little goodness which consisteth with scandalous corruptions is to be a scandal in the Church 3. And yet to be supercilious and to disdain the weak or shut out any as ungodly whom Christ hath not warranted us to shut out and to make stricter Rules of Tryal and Church-Communion than he hath made this is justly displeasing both to God and Man It tempteth men to abhor that Religion which tendeth more to mens reproach than to their cure and causeth Professors to set themselves higher above the weak and at a greater distance from their Neighbours than God would have them Christ is tender of little ones and would not have them scandalized His own Apostles were very low in knowledge all the time that he was with them on Earth It is not mere want of words that will warrant us to take men for ungodly even he that is weak in the Faith must be receiv'd but not to doubtful disputations Rom. 14.15 To Cull out a few that have learnt to speak better than the rest and shut out with the Dogs all the Infant-Christians who must be fed with Milk because they want expressions is one of Satan's wayes of over-doing by which he would banish Religion out of the World XVI He that will glorifie God by his good works must be zealous and diligent in them and make them the serious business of his life He must live so that men may see that indeed he doth believe and hope for Heaven That which a man coldly speaks of and coldly seeketh men will think he coldly desireth and therefore that he doth but doubtingly believe it A cold slothful Christian proclaims his unbelief to others and so inviteth them to the like When Christians bestir themselves as for their lives and ply God's work with greatest diligence and redeem their lives as knowing that all is short enough to prepare for an endless life this wakeneth others to life and thoughtfulness to enquire into the matter of our hopes XVII He that will glorifie God must be wise and watchful to see and take the opportunities of good before they are past by and to avoid temptations to errour and iniquity and especially Temerity in matters of great and publiek consequence 1. Good works have their season You lose them if you take them not in their time that may be done now which if you pass this time you can never do
judgment of things we have not the least cause to suspect the love of God when he chastises us to take away sin the only abominable object of his hatred and deep detestation and to render us partakers of the divine nature And the present peaceable fruit of righteousness is the product in those who are duly exercised by their troubles It is an allusion to the reward of the conquerers in the Olympick games who had a crown of Olives the embleme and shadow of peace But true peace a divine calm in the conscience shall be the recompence of all that exercise the graces suitable to an afflicted state In short the Apostle assures Believers 1 Cor. 11.32 that they are chastened of the Lord to prevent their condemnation with the world 'T is this rod truely delivers them from hell 't is this consideration that changes thorns into roses and extracts honey out of worm-wood If the way be stony or flowry that leads to blessedness a Christian should willingly walk in it To conclude from the consideration of what the Scripture declares concerning temporal evils Let us lift up the hands that hang down and the feeble knees and make straight paths for our feet lest that which is lame be turned out of the way but let it rather be healed i. e. in our affliction let us take courage and resolution from the promises and live in a holy conformity to God's will that the weak or faint may be restored The first and last â—â—sson of Pagan Philosophy was to support men under the storms to which 〈◊〉 are liable in this open state to render the soul velut pelagi rupes imâ—â—â—â— â—s a rock unshaken by the waves But all their directions were unsuccessful and so could not secure them from impatience or despair but the Gospel that assures us of the love of God in sending afflictions for our spiritual and eternal good is alone able to compose the mind And when ever we faint in troubles 't is either from infidelity or inconsideration 'T is impossible a person should be a Christian and be incapable of comfort in the most afflicted state for we are really so by the holy Spirit who is the Comforter When we speak sometimes to those we judge infirm we speak to Infidels who only receive remedy from time which they ought to receive from Faith they have the Name of God only in their mouths but the world is in their hearts their passions are strong and obstinate not subject to sanctified reason the difficulty they have of being comforted discovers the necessity of their being afflicted they need conversion more than consolation Others who are sincere in the Faith yet are apt to faint under troubles from an errour like that of the Apostles when their Lord came upon the waters in a stormy tempestuous night to their assistance they though he was a spirit so they look on God as an enemy when he comes to sanctifie and save them The soveraign remedy of our sorrows is to correct the judgment of sense by a serious belief of God's promise thus we shall reconcile the roughness of his hand with the sweetness of his voice He calls to us from heaven in the darkest night 't is I be not afraid he corrects us with the heart and hand of a Father A due consideration of these things will produce a glorified joy in the midst of our sufferings Rom. 15.4 Whatsoever things were written afore-time were written for our learning that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope How we may bring our Hearts to bear Reproofs Serm. XXVIII Psal 141.5 Let the Righteous smite me it shall be a kindness and let him Reprove me it shall be an excellent Oyl which shall not break my Head for yet my Prayer also shall be in their Calamities IT is generally agreed by Expositors that this Psalm as that foregoing with two of those that follow were composed by David in the Time of his Banishment or slight from the Court of Saul The state wherein he describeth himself to have been the matter of his Pleas and Prayers contained in them with sundry express circumstances regarding that season and his condition therein do manifest that to have been the time of their composure That the Psalmist was now in some distress whereof he was deeply sensible is evident from that vehemency of his spirit which he expresseth in the reiteration of his request or Supplication v. 1. And by his desire that his Prayer might come before the Lord as Incense and the lifting up of his hands as the evening Sacrifice v. 2. The Jewish Expositors guess not improbably that in that Allusion he had regard unto his present exclusion from the Holy services of the Tabernacle which in other places he deeply complains of For the matter of his Prayer in this beginning of the Psalm for I shall not look beyond the Text it respecteth himself and his deportment under his present condition which he desireth may be harmless and holy becoming himself and useful unto others And whereas he was two wayes liable to miscarry First by too high an exasperation of spirit against his Oppressors and Persecutors and Secondly by a fraudulent and pufillanimous compliance with them in their wicked courses which are the two extremes that men are apt sinfully to run into in such conditions he prays earnestly to be delivered from them both The first he hath respect unto v. 3. Set a watch O Lord before my Mouth keep the door of my Lips namely that he might not under those great provocations which were given him break forth into an unseemly intemperance of speech against his unjust Oppressors which sometimes fierce and unreasonable Cruelties will wrest from very sedate and moderate spirits But it was the desire of this Holy Psalmist as in like cases it should be ours that his heart might be alwayes preserved in such a frame under the conduct of the Spirit of God as not to be surprized into an expression of Distempered passion in any of his words or sayings The other he regards in his earnest Supplication to be delivered from it v. 4. Incline not my Heart unto any evil thing to practise wicked works with men that work iniquity and let me not eat of their Dainties There are two parts of his request unto the purpose intended 1st That by the Power of God's grace influencing his mind and Soul his heart might not be inclined unto any Communion or Society with his wicked Adversaries in their wickedness 2ly That he might be preserved from a liking of or a longing after those things which are the baits and allurements whereby men are apt to be drawn into Societies and Conspiracies with the workers of iniquity And let me not eat of their Dainties See Prov. 1.10 11 12 13 14. For he here describeth the condition of men prospering for a season in a course of wickedness They first joyntly give up themselves
they have been justly gain'd yet if they have been niggardly hoarded up and not put to good uses but Parents have liv'd miserably and basely only to increase riches they will prove not good but rusty though lawful money and they are kept to their owners disquiet and hurt and to their Childrens disappointment (o) Eccles 5.12 13. in the proof after an age likely they find nothing or nothing with the blessing of God (p) Prov. 10.22 16.8 for that is entailed not on the Miser's seed but on his that is all the day merciful (q) 20.7 Psal 37.26 when either the urgent necessities of the poor or the interest of the Church and State require a proportion to the defrauding of which under a pretext of raising a portion for Children were to cause a canker in what is rais'd Thus of Parents office whiles there be promising hopes of staying with their Children upon earth There remains somewhat yet 3. At their departure when they are admonish'd to be thoughtful of leaving them and have some prenotices of death approaching to arrest and carry them to their long home then Parents should set their house in order (r) 2 Kings 20.1 by giving or leaving such lessons of wisdom to their Children as by God's blessing will make a deeper impression being utter'd by dying persons (s) Gen. 15.16 Thus did Isaac and Jacob (t) 28.2.3 4. 49.1 2. 'T is true there was something of an extraordinary Prophetick spirit in some of them but those things of ordinary use which they gave in charge will be sufficient proof for our purpose as Isaac's sending Jacob to Laban with his blessing David's advice to Solomon (u) 1 Chron. 29.9 1 Kings 2.2 3 c. and Jacob's about his funeral (w) Gen. 50.16 and others making a Will or Testament bequeathing and devising their Estate (x) 25.5 with Gal. 3.15 Lev. 25.23 1 Kings 21.3 Hebr. 9 16 17. seconding all with solemn parental warnings and prayer to God for a blessing (y) Gen. 28.3 24.60 48.15 1 Chron. 29.19 and advising them after their their death to consult such friends upon emergencies whom they have oblig'd to their assistance as David did (z) 22.17 28.2 The Reverend Mr. Robert Bolton * In his life and others gave notable instances of this last duty The above mention'd Dr. Robert Harris refer'd his dear Wife and Children after several Heavenly and savoury speeches to the advice and counsel he had annex'd to his Will made by him about 22 years before his departure Therein he left his Children excellent instructions for their Souls their Bodies their Callings both as to the choice and use of them for their company for their marriages for their Children for themselves within themselves for their Estates and for the Publick Things really worth the reading and observing both by Parents and Children In imitation of which but not publish'd I have likewise with delight read very good advice left by a serious Citizen †Mr. R. B. May 9. 1662. Mr. T. H. as it should appear lying sick of a Consumption whereof he died to be given to his only Son and Child then a little one when he should come to the use of his reason which I doubt not but is faithfully performed by his Executor It might be of great advantage to their posterity if Parents would have more regard in due circumstances to this last office of theirs which is much sleighted by many in our days who seem unconcern'd what shall become of their posterity when they are gone as to the best of enjoyments 'T is true there be on another hand Parents over solicitous to leave great Estates to their Children when they themselves leave the world being loth to part with them before they think they can never make their Children rich enough in the world without any regard to the riches of grace never considering that conveniencie is really more eligible than abundance (a) Prov. 30.8 and where there is much wealth more grace and wisdom are needful to enjoy it well For if Children have not their hearts established with grace (b) Hebr. 13.9 or want prudence to manage an Estate they are but like a Ship that hath more sail than ballast which is ready to be overset with any gust of vvind A great Estate vvithout Vertue is but strong poyson vvithout an antidote and earthly minded Parents in this respect do vvith their Children as the Ostrich vvith her Eggs leaves them in the dust but takes no further care of them so they leave them rich in temporals but for their spiritual and eternal vvelfare they are little or nothing concern'd That they may eat drink be merry and cloth'd vvith the best they provide by setting their nest high and making their seed great on the earth (c) Hab 2.9 10. vvhen alas they do but consult shame to their house and vvrong their own souls They do but observe lying vanities and forsake their own mercies (d) Jon. 2.8 sith God usually turns the vvheel and disappoints them vvhen the riches of the sinner are laid up for the just (e) Prov. 13.22 Others become Masters of their Childrens Estate vvhereas the good man leaveth an inheritance to his childrens children vvho in after ages reap the benefit of an Estate consecrated and blessed by their pious Parents prayers the gracious answer vvhereunto they are still receiving 'T is more then time I should speak to 2. The enforcement of these great and important offices mention'd in my Text vvhich is the Father of Heaven's prohibition of provocation to the discouragement of children Provoke not your children 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that they be not discouraged Now as I shew'd the positive injunction of the Lord vvas a sufficient Reason to enforce the duties of children so this inhibition or negative precept is of equal strength to move Parents unto theirs sith it plainly shews the Will of him who hath an uncontrollable dominion that Parents conduct should be moderated according to those equitable positive as well as negative pr cepts that have been produced in the enumeration of the foregoing particulars And the special one in my Text carries with it a reason drawn from the end lest the Children should be consumed with sorrows saith the Syriack version others lest they become pusillanimous and dispirited pining away with grief which may be by any neglect or abuse of parental authority either in defect or excess by omitting the duties required or committing what God hath inhibited and so falling into either extremes Now what can be more cogent with affectionate Parents to engage them unto the good government of those God hath put into subjection to them than a care they be not dishearten'd by any male-administration of theirs Certainly to give any just occasion of discouragement to the hopeful fruit of their own body must needs be very evil and unnatural this puts them in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 either such a stupid dejection of spirit as makes them fearful dull and unfit for any work so that they are like members stupified with narcoticks or such strong dolours of mind as even break their hearts which bring diseases and immature death or else as a sad and usual consequent a certain desperate contumacie when they find themselves under an incapacity through their Parents unusual indulgence or serenity of doing that which is right or of pleasing in their Relation they take the wretched boldness of doing wrong and displeasing yea many times they become like restive colts and winsing jades which fling and kick they do all the mischief they can and make head often times to irritate their Parents passions which is the height of impiety in Children who when come to this seldom take up till they have destroy'd them from whom they descended and ruin'd themselves soul and body 'T is most plain if God hath graciously given children unto his servants (f) Gen. 33.5 you Christian Parents who profess to be such are oblig'd in gratitude to his Heavenly Majesty for those favors to do your utmost so to order and manage these his gifts as he hath directed that they may indeed be fitted for the Donor's use and service They are not born with Bibles in their hands neither are the contents in their heads or hearts neither can they put forth to Sea without Card or Compass but you are by your Relation oblig'd to indoctrinate them to acquaint them with God and themselves to supply their wants as you can every way and no way to discountenance them for this is in effect to disparage the Divine favours and trample upon the Almighty's blessings 'T is to expose the tokens of his bounty and put them to the vilest uses (g) Lev. 19 29. Judges 19.23 24. to make them instruments of sin and subjects of wrath and bring shame to your selves (h) Gen. 19.8 33.34 Believe it Parents to neglect the Duties I have been insisting on is to throw away your crown and glory (i) Prov. 17.6 to pull down the stars in your own orb (k) Gen. 37.9 10. to despoil your own heritage and burn up the olive plants about your own table to unfeather the arrows in your own quiver (l) Psal 127.4 5. to cast into the rubbish the polish'd stones of your own Palace (m) 144.22 to rob your selves of that should give you rest and bereave your own souls of delight (n) Prov. 29.17 nay 't is to rob God for your Children are more his than your own they stand in a Foederal Relation unto him and you may not carry your selves towards them as you list (o) Ezek. 16.20 21. with Mat. 28.19 So that your own interest in them who are part of your selves your interest in their vertues God's interest in them as well as his will and pleasure should forcibly impel you to mind your office and fill up your Relation the unconscionable neglect of which will be as a bloody Dagger stuck up to the hilt in your own hearts Wherefore I beseech you endeavour all you can that your conduct of your Children be just and temperate with all gravity and prudence that it may be like the Childrens obedience which the Scripture calls for well-pleasing to the Lord so as they you your selves likewise may expect a blessed prolongation of your days (p) Deut. 32.46 47. I have at length dispathc'd vvhat I intend to say concerning the Duties themselves yet there remains something to be said to the III. General propos'd in Answer to the Complex Query viz. The manner or means of managing the duties of both Relations and this both more Generally and Particularly according to the mind of God in his Word 1. More Generally wherein that hath been already implicitly at least suggested which now will require only a brief intimation My Beloved Many we know are apt to be solicitous enough and too much as to their conversation in this world to observe the modes which obtain most at the Court It concerns us all certainly much more Children and Parents to discharge their duties after that mode which gains approbation in the Court of Heaven and therefore to take good heed to those helps for their direction concerning the manner of performance which we have in the Evangelical Institutes recorded in his Heavenly Majestie 's Imperial Court Therein both the Relatives are taught to perform the Duties I have been discoursing of from a principle of mutual love with a design to please God and comfort each other respectively in such a way as may adorn the Gospel (q) Col. 3.20 with Eph. 6.1 Phil. 1.27 Tit. 2 10. and maintain that charity which in this Relation should eminently proceed out of a pure heart and of a good conscience and faith unfeigned (r) 1 Tim. 15. This charity or love the Apostle tells us in this Chapter a little before my Text (s) Col. 3.14 Mat. 17.15 is the bond of perfectness or perfect bond and here if any where it is to meet at both ends yea bud forth and flourish in reciprocal delights and endearments (t) Gen. 45.10 46.29 30. Ez k. 24.25 Luke 15.20 22 32. Christian Parents and Children as much as may be should still be joyning in consort to keep up a mutual harmony yea and upon better principles endeavour to equal the most refined Moralists celebrated for this charity as Pomponius Atticus and his Mother who never fell out in sixty seven years as he himself tells the story To promote this there should be a free and frequent communication of secrets a giving and taking of loving warnings yea Parents in some circumstances should be willing to hearken to the submissive and prudent good advice of their children (u) 1 Sam. 19 6. Gen 11.31 with 12.1 Jos 24.2 and in a daily address to the Throne of grace a mutual pleading in faith the Covenant and Promises for each others interests (w) 2 Chron. 1.9 10 11 Psal 86.16 Rom. 9.3 10.1 Thus more generally 2. More Particularly some things may be said to the management of these duties according to Scripture still following the method of my Text severally to Children then to Parents 1. To Children such Directions as these following may be profitable for the well management of their duties viz. 1. Be throughly sensible of the mischief of disobedience and the benefit of obedience and therefore really believe the severe punishment of the former and the gracious rewards of the latter Be sure so much as there is of disobedience so much is wanting in some kind of natural affection and that usually hath monstrous attendants which direful judgments follow (x) Rom. 2.28 c. 2 Tim. 3.2 Deut. 21.20 21. Lev 20.9 Exod 21.17 Deut. 27.16 c. On the other side obedience qualifies for the best society and entitles to the promises here is the special