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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
work_n	keep_v	lord_n	sabbath_n	4,573	5	9.3555	5	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A10010	The saints qualification: or A treatise I. Of humiliation, in tenne sermons. II. Of sanctification, in nine sermons whereunto is added a treatise of communion with Christ in the sacrament, in three sermons. Preached, by the late faithfull and worthy minister of Iesus Christ, Iohn Preston, Doctor in Divinitie, chaplaine in ordinary to his Majestie, Master of Emmanuel Colledge in Cambridge, and sometime preacher of Lincolnes Inne.	Preston, John, 1587-1628.; Sibbes, Richard, 1577-1635.; Davenport, John, 1597-1670.	1633 (1633)	STC 20262; ESTC S115180	353,805	720

is fallen into sinne continues in it the guilt and power of it remaines upon his soule and he excuses himselfe with the smalnesse of it This is a common fault and therefore I will presse it the more Consider that which Christ saith Heaven and earth shall passe but the least jot of this Law shall not passe What is the meaning of that It is as if he had said somethings in the Law of God you may thinke small which are but ïotas though other things be greater but take you heed that you keepe every particular for there is not a jot of it but the Lord will have all his servants regard it exactly they shall have respect to every Commandement and to every part of that Commandement the least particular in his Law shall not passe away For consider if it were not so it would bee a prejudice to the Lords wisdome for there would bee something that hee commands which wee might slight But the Lord that hath commanded all both great and small knowes that it is best that all shall bee kept and therefore though heaven and earth shall passe yet the least jot of that Law shall not passe that this is the meaning of the place you may see by Christs exposition of the Law The Pharisies said Adultery must not be committed but I say saith CHRIST He that lusts hath committed adultery in his heart They said You must not sweare by the Temple but I say Sweare ●ot at all they said An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth but I say You must forgive your brethren Thus we must labour to resist sin in every even the least particular and reforme our selves in the omission of the least particle of the Law And so much likewise for the second point Thirdly we come now to consider what it is that turnes away his wrath and that is Zeale Phineas hath turned away my wrath while hee was zealous for my sake so that Zeale turnes away the Lords wrath You shall see it exemplefied in Elijah's answer to the Lords demand 1 Kings 19.4 What dost thou here Elijah As if he had said what hast thou done abroad in the world Sayes hee I have beene zealous for the Lord of Hosts because the children of Israel have broke thy covenants throwne downe thine Altars and killed thy Prophets and I onely am escaped As if he had said I have done the most I could for the safety of the Church I have beene zealous for the Lord and therefore hee prevailed with God for his owne deliverance You may see it likewise in Iehu who being zealous not in word onely but in deed also turned away the wrath of the Lord. And you may know it by the contrary that it is zeale that turnes away the Lords wrath because it is coldnesse and luke-warmenesse that brings on his wrath Rev. 3.16 consider there what is the reason why the Lord will spue out the Church of Laodicea and cast it away Because it was luke-warme and therefore the meanes to continue or procure his favour is it not heate and zeale Againe Rev. 2.4 The Church of Ephesus fell from her first love what then Therefore I will come against thee shortly and remove thy Candlestick Then to abound in love so that our workes may be more at last than at first to bee zealous for the LORD is the way to stay the Lord among us and to continue his Gospell of peace Therefore by the way it is not only the great sinnes of the Land that are causes of Gods wrath but the coldnesse of them that are otherwise good that causeth the Lord to remove the Candlesticke The very coldnesse of the Church of Ephesus in falling from her first love the luke-warmenesse of the Laodiceans the LORD would not endure in them Let every man consider this is his zeale now as much as it hath beene if not let us know that it is reckoned coldnesse and luke-warmenesse the falling from our first love is the cause of bringing Gods judgements on a Nation But what is this zeale Zeale is nothing else but the intention of all holy affections and actions I will goe no further than this Text to shew the nature of it Phineas was zealous that is he not onely did the thing but his heart burned within him with zeale for GOD. So as First there must be a stirring up of affection Secondly it must be holy it must bee for the Lord and this is it that discovers true zeale to looke onely to the Lord to have no by-respects as there may be zeale that makes a great deale of hea●e and yet it comes from the earth although it makes as great a show as the best Againe there must bee intention not only of affections but also of action Therefore it is said while hee was zealous for my sake among them as if he had said this zeale of Phineas was not kept smothered in his owne brest but it brak● forth into action hee did something for the Lord. And indeed it is action that glorifies GOD and that benefits men onely actions stand on our reckoning for you know God judgeth every man according to his workes It is action that doth our selves good that makes us usefull and serviceable to men and the Church that makes us instruments of Gods glory Therefore adde action to affection and know that zeale stands in both for it is the intention of holy actions and affections I will adde no more in the explication but will briefly apply it And first if it bee zeale that turnes away the Lords wrath then why should wee discourage zeale by it I dare bee bold to say the Citie stands Why doe wicked men cry downe all religion and zeale under the name of precisenesse and overmuch strictnesse of life walking bouldly in the streets and reckoning it their glory to wound God through the sides of men So that they make those that beare the name of Christ ready to reckon that their shame which is their glory to hang downe the wing and to seeke corners to hide their heads in whence it is that the servants of Christ follow their Master a far off as if they were halfe ashamed of his service when as they should weare his Livery in open view as accounting that their greatest honour It were well if some meanes were used to prevent this If it be zeale that turnes away the wrath of God wee should doe well then to nourish and cherish them that are zealous Are not religion and zeale the two which hold all up Are they not the pillars that beare up the Church and Common-wealth Are not they the rescues that deliver the Citie Yet doe not wicked men with them as those that to lop the Tree are still hacking at the boughes But the Lord still holds them up and the world for their sakes For why is this heape

crosse that is upon us when conscience is troubled I say in these cases to doe it the Lord regards it not This therefore is the Condition that is required to be done out of love it is a rule in the Civill-law Contractus qui fit per minas nullus est The contracts that are gotten by threatnings are no contracts at all but if a Virgin consent when she is free when it is done without compulsion that makes the match So it is betweene Christ and us for us to take him and keepe his Commandements and to doe it out of feare and other respects this Christ regards not it is love that makes the match If we take him out of love if all we doe be done out of love then there is a match betweene us otherwise not And there is good reason for that because feare is of a fleeting nature it soone passes and vanishes away but when it is rooted and grounded in love when that which we doe comes from this principle then we hold out and cleave to Christ without separating againe when that proceeds from feare we doe it not with delight we doe it not with propensenesse with proclivity of minde with an inward willingnesse Now the Lord so loves a chearefull giver a chearefull servant and a chearefull performer that he loves no other And therefore that Condition is required to Delight in the Law in the inward man that we doe not only keepe his Commandements but that they be not grievous to us that what we doe be done out of love and therefore it is required when we doe this that we love the Lord Iesus Christ I will be bold to say a man may pray day and night as earnestly as Hannah did he may keep the Commandements of God without reproofe as Zachary and Elizabeth did for the outward act he may abound in the worke of the Lord but whatsoever he doth if he doe it not out of love God looks upon such workes as upon a dead carkase so they are called Hebr. 9. Dead workes that is workes that are good for substance and for circumstance too but yet they are dead because they come not from love there is no life in them Therefore in 1 Cor. 16.22 Whosoever loves not the Lord Iesus saith the Apostle let him be accursed Whosoever loves not the Lord Iesus that is whatsoever a man doth besides let him professe what he will and performe what he will if he love not the Lord Iesus he is accursed And that I speake not this without ground looke 1 Cor. 13. Take the most glorious actions that a man can performe if a man give his body to be burnt that is to be a Martyr if he gives his goods to the poore which is an high action for a man to part with all he hath if he doe that which Christ required of the young man to deny himselfe If a man were able to preach the Gospell if he had gifts as an Angell as the Apostle speakes If he were able to speake with the tongue of men and Angels and if it were without love God regards it not Love is a distinguishing Character an Hypocrite may goe very far but love he cannot it is love therefore that sets an high price upon all that we doe And therefore you shall finde from the beginning of Genesis to the end of the Revelation the Promise is made still to the Affection and it is the Affection that makes a man a good man he that feares the Lord and he that loves the Lord and he that delights in the Commandements of God c. And therefore it is not enough that we take Christ and that we beleeve in him that we doe the workes that he commands us but that we doe them out of love And this is the Condition that is required on our part So you see now what the Gospell is what the summe of it is that is sealed in the holy Sacrament it is this Covenant on Gods part that he is ready to forgive us wherein you must strengthen your faith when you draw neare to him And againe this condition on your part Faith and obedience out of love as you have heard This is the first use that you are to make I should proceed The end of the First Sermon THE CUPPE OF BLESSING DELIVERED IN THREE Sermons upon 1 Cor. 10.16 The Second SERMON 1 CORINTH 10.16 The Cup of blessing that we blesse is it not the Communion of the bloud of Christ c. SEEING we have the same occasion for which I tooke this Text being to receive the Sacrament againe the next Sabbath and so along I thought it better to continue it than to divert to another When we handled it the last time we told you there were these three parts in the words First there is a true Communion of the body and bloud of Christ. Secondly the meanes by which it is conveyed to us the bread and wine the outward elements which God hath Sanctified to that purpose The third is the adopting or fitting these elements for such an end and that is by sanctifying them by blessing them by setting them apart The Cup of Blessing which we blesse c. The point we delivered was this ●hat in the Sacrament there is a reall and true Communion of the body and bloud of Christ to every Receiver We told you the difference betweene the Papists and us we both agree that Christ is really in the Sacrament they say it is corporally we say it is only done by faith But to use an expression of Augustine which he hath upon the very Text saith he Iohn Baptist said he was not Elias and yet Christ saith Iohn was Elias Why saith hee how shall wee reconcile these two they are thus reconciled Iohn speakes properly and Christ spake figuratively and therefore they crosse not one another he gives this very instance so saith he when Christ saith This is my body and we say it is not his body but bread they are Augustines owne words saith he the meaning is this It is the body if we take it figuratively and it is not his body if we speake properly so that as it was with the Temple of his body when he spake of it I will destroy this Temple and build it in three dayes they understood it of the materiall Temple and saith the Text They were reckoned as false witnesses against Christ So when Christ speaks thus of his body This is my body when they understood it materially and corporally when it is a thing so frequent and usuall with him to speake Metaphorically I say they shall be found false witnesses against him in applying this to his materiall and corporall body that he understands of his mysticall body which is received by faith I will not stand to repeat more of that I delivered then lest the time prevent us in that which remaines Onely one thing which I then omitted and that is a great objection of

how in this respect thy nature is full of all unrighteousnesse and ungodlinesse Next we will come to the Memory and you shall finde that out of order likewise that the things God commands us to remember those we are exceeding ready to forget and the things we should forget we are too ready to remember wherein I will be briefe First for the things he commands us he doth command Remember thy Creator in the dayes of thy youth In your youth you shall serve me and yet how apt is youth to forget God And for the Sabbath he bids us Remember to keepe holy the Sabbath day How apt are we to neglect it to disobey it it is out of our minds So Psal. 78.11 He would have his wondrous workes and the great Acts he did for the children of Israel Remembred but they remembred not saith hee his wonders in Aegypt And so we may go through any thing else Hebr. 12. You have forgot the Consolations c. Againe wee are ready to remember what God bids us to forget We are apt to remember Injuries yea one Injury will be thought on more than many yeares good service or many good turnes We should not do thus but should remember the benefits from God and man for the encrease of love So Idle tales we are ready to remember but good things though they be accompanied with the motion and quickening of the spirit goe out like sparkes in wet tinder they goe out againe quickly as if they had not beene So for hearing the Word Iam. 1. we are called forgetfull hearers when we are about that duty if a tale be told us in a Sermon that we can remember but what is profitable and wholesome that we forget Our minds are like strainers all the milke passes thorow them that that we should grow by that which is wholesome and necessary for nourishment runs thorow but the drosse remaines Trifles and vaine things we can remember and carry away with us and this is the sinfulnesse of our memories You may call it weaknesse of memory and may thinke that it is not so great a matter No it is not the infirmity of thy memory but the corruption of thy nature if we forget other things as much it were another case but because holy things are spirituall and the frame of the heart is nought our corrupt ill disposition makes us ready to forget them and more than that there is a carelesnesse in our minds we regard not the things of God but every vanity we regard and our minde is instant thereon and that is the reason we remember it but forget the things that concerne God and our Salvation Come we from the Memory to the Conscience The Conscience of a man is that which should have life It should be like Iobs last messengers to bring us word that all the rest is dead There should be a remaining light of Conscience to tell us that all the rest of our faculties are dead disordered and corrupted but looke upon the Conscience you shall see how short it is in that which belongs to it and it is a great matter to have that out of order There be but three Acts of the Conscience and it is disordered in them all The first Act of the Conscience is to be a Remembrancer to be a faithfull Register to set all downe and to present it to us but it is a false Register like the Steward in Luke that when there were hundreds set downe fifties So the Conscience sets downe things by halfes it thinkes not what is done it recals them not if it were as it should be it would recall our sins and their Circumstances in another manner than they doe And so is in that regard corrupt The second Act or office of Conscience is to instigate to good and to restraine from evill but in this you shall finde it exceedingly corrupted In this Act there be three Vertues which should be in the Conscience The first is Clearnesse the Conscience should be so cleare as to see all things that are amisse but in this it sailes exceedingly Tit. 1. It is said Their minde and Conscience are defiled marke that looke as in a Glasse which is in it selfe cleare when it shall be covered with dust it showes nothing it presents not things clearely for it is defiled so the Conscience of man should be cleare as a bright looking-glasse that should present every thing that is amisse in a mans heart or life but it is defiled and you can see nothing by it The second vertue in this Act of Conscience is as to see sins clearely so to feele them to be sensible of them like a fine flesh which is sensible of the least prick or like the eye that is sensible of the least mote Now in this it failes more than in the other there is a brawninesse growne over the Conscience and in some it hath lost all sense and therein you may see the Corruption of it If you looke to the Glasse and there finde swearing to be a sin you are not sensible of it you feele it not But there is a third Vertue wherein it failes more than in these two It should stir us up and give us no rest till it had constrained us to doe the good thing God commands and restrained us from the Evill he forbids it should awaken us but it being dull and sleepie stirres up sometimes good purposes thereby awaking us but it lets us fall asleepe againe we can rest in sin we can sin and our minds be quiet in it and can put off our turning to God This is a great Corruption of the Conscience which should amaze us This is the sinfulnesse of it which should perswade us that our natures are full of all unrighteousnesse and ungodlinesse Last of all the third office or Act of the Conscience is to accuse aright and excuse and in this we shall see it failes as much as or more than in any of the other But you will say the Conscience is ready enough to accuse it is true but the light it hath by which it is able to see sin and to accuse us for sin it abuses and perverts to a wrong end for this you shall finde in the Conscience when we preach the Law and the Conscience should joyne with us to accuse then it excuses making every thing seeme small and little And againe when we preach the Gospel and the Conscience should excuse then it accuses my sins are so great and many that there is no mercy for me And this perverting of the light this excusing when it should accuse and this accusing when it should excuse causeth us Declinare Ictum to scape the blow of Law and Gospell and we are robbed of the fruit of both because the Conscience doth not his part aright And so you may see how farre off you are from a good Conscience But

such change wrought in him doth delight in nothing but to doe evill to doe well he hath no pleasure Gods Commandements are burthensome to him therfore the Laws of God are too strait for him that he cannot march in them as David could not march in Sauls Armour for it was too heavie for him A man that is a New Creature doth things with facility and delight But this is not all If thy Soule be fashioned and cast into a new mould thou wilt not onely doe good things readily but well and handsomely to use our common terme when as other men bungle at good workes and know not how to turne their hand unto them They doe them indeed but as the Wiseman saith Prov. 26.7 As the legs of the lame are not equall so is a Parable in a fooles mouth When they come to doe any good Actions it is like a Parable in a fooles mouth the Parable is not fit for his mouth as when a man hath one legge longer than another he is lame so a Parable in a fools mouth is not equall to his mouth the action may be good yet he do●h it but lamely it is beyond his reach hee doth not doe actions as hee should but an holy man doth them as a workeman I speake not of doing of them before men but before God who judgeth righteously when he comes to performe an holy duty hee doth it as it is meet hee prayes fervently and consecrates himselfe unto the Lord with delight Hee shewes mercy with cheerefulnesse and every grace hath his peculiar property wherein the goodnesse of it consists as Faith Love and Hope are the concomitants of his actions wherein their excellencie consists whereas other men doe the same duties but not with that affection that they should and they doe it but with a dead heart they are workes of vertue and have the lineaments of true ones but they are dead workes because life is not in them Therefore consider how thou doest things the matter is not so much what thou doest as how thou doest them Againe if thou bee a New Creature thou shalt know it by thy doing of good constantly as a man that doth it naturally In Nature you know the habites and inclinations are close and neere unto us and growing in us therefore if thou doe good in thy constant practice it is a signe thy heart is changed This is the first thing there is a new frame all the bent of the faculties are changed and by this you may know it if you doe good readily with facillity and delight and constantly One thing more observe in this new Frame there is not onely a bending of the Soule to a contrary point as it were but moreover all must be changed as for example Cast any thing into a new mould there is not only one part altered but all so if you be New Creatures you must finde this in your selves that you doe not make choice in the duties of godlinesse but take all and omit nothing You must bee holy in all manner of conversation those words are added in all manner of conversation and they are much to be observed that is in all the turnings of a mans life As if he be a Magistrate hee must be exact in hearing of Causes neither to feare any mans face nor to be moved by any mans favour if hee be an husband his speeches and actions must be holy his speeches must be gratious If thou be a Subject in reverence to the King and respective to others thou must bee holy in all manner of conversation otherwise the frame is not altered this must be of necessity for that which God requires of us is the keep●ng of the whole Law as Iames saith Iam. 2.20 where hee speakes of keeping the Law Evangelically For whosoever shall keepe the whole Law and yet faile in one point he is guilty of all Goe thorow the whole Latitude of our obedience if in one part thou wilt favour thy selfe thou art guilty of all In the same Epistle Iam. 1.26 If any man among you seemeth to be religious and bridleth not his tongue but deceives his owne heart that mans Religion is in vaine That which is here said of the tongue may be said of any thing else Doest thou doe thus and thus doest thou sanctifie the Sabbath doest thou goe to God in prayer goe to all particular duties I know not what to name unto you and yet in any of these dost faile consider that the Apostle might as well have said unto thee for that thy Religion is in vaine hee speakes of keeping the Law in an Evangelicall manner a man must set himselfe to keepe every Commandement and if he doe but take liberty in any he is guilty of the whole Take this for a sure rule what God requires of us in the Gospell he gives us strength to performe but if our hear●s were not altogether new moulded the worke would be more than our strength therefore of necessity the heart must be altogether new moulded Therefore the Apostle saith and what he saith is common to all the Saints I can doe all things through Christ that strengthneth mee Every man that hath this new frame wrought in him may say so If thou be in Christ thou hast a new frame in thy heart which makes thee able to doe all things through Christ. Consider of this and apply it to your selves for it is a matter of much moment as the Apostle saith We are not ashamed to write unto you of these things againe and againe So it is a point we have touched before yet we will speake of it againe and again Consider with thy selfe whether there be such a generall change in thee or no for the goodnesse of a thing consists in the order else the whole is dissolved as in beauty there are two things wherein it consists the frame and order of it that we say is beautifull when the frame is good and no part is to bee admired above the rest so it is the frame and order of the Soule wherein its beauty consists when the whole frame is right and thou art inabled to doe the whole duties of new obedience Observe Gods dealing in this case when Saul had failed in one thing God cast him off But you will say this was an heard judgement did not David faile many times as well as he It is true but here is the difference Saul had a naturall heart to doe evill although his profession was good yet when he was put to the triall whether he would take the fat sheepe and the oxen he did it yet you must know it was not for that that God cast him off but because the frame of his heart was not good for hee would have done it againe and againe an hundred times over I say the disposition of his heart was evill Balaams eye unto the wages of iniquitie marred all though he kept himselfe aloft and

this may make you feare and tremble So you may see there is an end of this doctrine now we will make a little use of it and so end First if it be Christs worke if it be he that must begin it for it is a creature then you see what businesse we have in hand that are Preachers of the Gospell our businesse is to make men other Creatures which is a transcendent worke it is the worke of God and not of man this is the errand we are sent about and the work we are taught to doe every Sabbath and every Sermon which we preach to you to turne Lions into Lambes to transforme the heart of man and to make you New Creatures This I speake of not for our sakes but for yours that you may make use of it you must learne to know when you heare the Word what action you have in hand and whom you have to doe with that is with the Almighty God and not with man for alas my Brethren what are we able to doe Ephes. 2.10 You are Gods workmanship in Iesus Christ created to good workes that you should walke in them It is true we are the Instruments but ye are Gods workmanship Take the best Instrument wherewith we make any artificiall thing an Axe or a Chisell or whatsoever it is you know if there be not an influence from the Artificer it will make no artificiall thing it will strike when you use it but it will not make any artificiall thing if there be not an influence from the Artificer So we are Instruments and the Word is an Instrument but if there be not an influence from God the worke will not be done you will never be made New Creatures Therefore you are Gods workmanship created to good workes he doth it and remember you have to doe with him You have an elegant expression of it in 2 Cor. 3.2 You are Christs Epistle administred by us and written not with Inke but with the Spirit of the living God That is the Law of God is written in your hearts You know Regeneration is in many other places of Scripture A writing the Law of God in their hearts then there is a writing and in this sense the Saints are called an Epistle but they are Christs Epistle we are the pen and he is the Writer he handles the pen and what shal the pen do when there is paper and no Inke will there be any Epistle written Now what is that you are Christs Epistle not written with Inke but by the Spirit of God We doe but apply the pen to the paper but if God put not Inke into the pen that is the Spirit of the living God nothing will be written in your hearts Therefore remember what you have to doe and with whom not with us for we are able to doe nothing not Paul or Apollo mighty in Scriptures We are the Ministers by whom you beleeve It is God that doth it we are but those by whom you beleeve Peter if that ever any man was able so to doe it he was that had his tongue set on fire by the Holy Ghost yet he was not able to doe it Galath 2.8 He that was mightie by Peter over the Circumcision God was mighty by Peter but the work was none of his we are the Rams hornes but who throwes downe the walls of Iericho Are we able to doe it No my Brethren no more than Peter was able to open the Iron-gates It is true when Peter came to them they opened and not before but it was the Angell that did it So when we preach the Gospell there be everlasting doores can we open the Iron-gates No more than any man can open Iron-doores Therefore Lidia's heart was opened else Paul might have preached long enough in vaine in Luke the last Chapter He opened their understandings that they might understand the Scriptures If he had not opened their understandings as he was God he had done them no good when he preached to them as man Therefore it is God that doth it But you will say of what use is this to us that God doth it It is of much use therefore when you come to this place every Sabbath day to heare the Word when you see you have to doe with the mighty God we are the Pen it is God that doth it learne to come with reverence and feare learne to say of this place as Iacob did when he saw God when he saw the Ladder and Angels ascending and descending Surely this is a fearefull place and no other than the gate of Heaven and the House of God it may be you thought of it before You come to heare Sermons as Lectures and Declamations to have your understanding bettered but you doe not remember that it is the gate of Heaven and the House of God you see not God standing over us you should over-looke us it is the gate of Heaven that is you shall never come to Heaven ordinarily if you goe not thorow this gate it is the House of God And indeed when you come hither your eye must be upon him more than upon us expect and wait what God will doe on you hearts in such a time if you come and heare and God hath done nothing observe that and say it is because God hath with-holden his hand therefore my heart is not quickned at this Sermon if any thing hath been done know it is a Sparkle kindled from Heaven therefore cherish it looke well to it for it is a sparke kindled from heaven therefore doe as they did in the Law see what David did on the Altar which he built on Mount Moriah when the Altar was built they laid the wood and Sacrifice and looked to God when hee would send fire from heaven So we are the wood looke to God for fire if you can get a Sparke be sure to maintaine it for that was the manner of the Priests when they had a little fire from heaven they alway gave fewell they never let it goe out againe Looke to it diligently if you have got a sparke from heaven let it not goe out againe as it is the case of many thousands to doe there may be sparkes and you may heat your selves by them and it may be but fire from earht When a Sacrifice was kindled by common fire God accepted it not though it burnt as other fire yet it was no sacrifice to God Morall reason and naturall wisdome may kindle a fire that may be very like true fire but it is not from heaven Therefore come with much feare to this place like men that have your eyes on GOD seeke him not for fashion and know it is to no purpose if God send not his Spirit from heaven Againe you will say what use is there of this that it is God that doth it and not man I say therefore give the praise and glory of it to God give it not to us but to him

same reason why they should not be poore in their spirituall estate For to what end serve riches Riches serve but for this purpose to procure things needfull for us if we want bread or wine or houses or any thing riches will procure them and therefore we prize riches And so likewise there are spirituall riches that will procure things needfull for our soules and if we want them we shall want that that is profitable for us we shall want that that is necessary for our salvation For riches doe but set men a worke to doe us service riches can doe no more than men can doe but these spirituall riches set God a worke to doe us good they are beyond the other as much as the help of God goes beyond the helpe of man when you need any thing If you be rich in Christ if you be rich in grace if you be rich in good workes it is but putting up your request and you shall have it at the hand of God if you want them you shall have whatsoever he is able to doe for you Now if you be out of Christ saith the Text you are poore that is you want these spirituall riches you have no ground to goe and to make your suit to goe for any thing Againe riches stand us in stead in the time of need for why doe men lay up treasures that when dearth comes when there comes a time of need the riches that they have laid up may serve their turne they may have those ready for their use when other men want them Are not these riches for the same purpose Will there not come a day of need will there not come a time of spending when there will be no leasure to gather at the day of death Then all the seed sowen to the spirit all the good workes that we have laid up will be as a treasure and at that time will do us good And that is the difference between the death of a godly man and another when a wicked man comes to the time of need he hath nothing to sustaine him he hath no oile left in his lampe he hath nothing to helpe him up but the godly man hath a treasure that he hath gathered all his life was to lay up a treasure And this my Brethren you shall finde to be a great comfort at that time that when you come to die all the faithfull prayers that you have made all the good workes that you have done all the sincerity that you have shewed in denying your selves in passing by the things that worldly men catch at in doing things that it may be hath brought trouble and slander and disgrace and persecution on you you shall then find it a treasure Take two men when they come to that day the one rich in this world another rich in good workes and consider which of these two conditions you would choose and therefore it is not a small matter to be rich Now when you are in Christ you are rich out of him you are poore and have nothing to stand you in stead in the time of need Againe this a man hath by riches that he is independant he needs not to serve others and therefore you know the proverbe is that a rich man he can live by others and without others and that is it they boast of So it is with all the Saints they may say to all the world they can live without it because they have God to be theirs they have all his treasures open to them they have enough in him for he is all-sufficient though they have but him alone for their portion yet he is enough as he saith to Abraham I am all-sufficient and why there are but two things that a man can desire to be free from evill and to enjoy good saith hee I am thy Buckler to keepe thee from evill and thy exceeding great reward to give good to thee that is thou shalt have enough if thou enjoy me Now if you be out of Christ you shall be poore that is you shall want these riches you want the riches of grace and of good workes that should stand you in stead in the time of need which will fetch any thing in for you when you want it which will make you more independant and stand upon your owne bottomes which is that that every man desires Againe if you be out of Christ you are naked Nakednesse is a want of that which should adorne us which should beautifie us and that is the case of every man out of Christ there is no beauty in him It is the Lord only that cloaths us with beauty As it is said of Saul Weepe for Saul yee Daughters of Ierusalem for hee clothed you with Scarlet and did hang ornaments of gold upon your apparell It may be truly said of Christ that he cloaths us with scarlet and hangs ornaments of gold on our apparell that is it is he that makes us Priests to his Father Now the Priests in the old Law were but a type of us we are the true Priests indeed you know they had Iewels and embroidered garments and so all the Saints have the shining graces of the Spirit which adorne and beautifie them when a man becomes so beautified then his sight is comely his voice is pleasant and his prayers are acceptable This benefit we have by being in Christ that it makes us comely in the sight of the Lord we shall be made beautifull Indeed Salomon in all his Royalty was not so beautifull as one of the Saints It is said the Lilies are much better cloathed than he And why Because that was a cloathing of Gods own work this is the clothing of Nature but the cloathing of Grace goes beyond the clothing of Nature If the clothing of Nature be beyond that of Salomon as indeed it is for naturall excellencie surely the cloathing of Grace goes beyond that this you shall have by Christ when you come to him you come to a rich Wardrobe where you may sute your selves from top to tooe that you need want nothing and by the way that use you may make of it when you come to him where there are garments of all sorts where there is change of rayment why should you suffer your soules to be naked in any part I know you reckon it undecent for a man to be unevenly cloathed to have some garments rich and precious and to have some v●le and base and why will you suffer your soules then to goe so unequally clad It may be you have graces in one kind but you want others if you come in to him it is he that cloaths you you are naked without him this benefit you shall have by him you shall be cloathed and be made beautifull you shall have that glorious attire that will make you glorious within which will make you comely in the sight of God if not you shall be naked and therefore you shall be rejected

When it is done without Temptation or with small Temptation 5 What it is done against Vowes and Covenants 6 When it is done against much meanes 2 To quicken our desires after Christ take away the Excuses of sinne 1 Excuse Good meanings Quest. 2 Excuse Badnesse of nature Answ. 5 The times are times of the Gospell not of the law Object Answ. Object 4 Excuse The good things we doe will ballance the evill Answ. Object 5 Excuse Others are worse Answ. Means to arme us against these Excuses 1 The Word 2 The Spirit of bondage How it worketh this in a man Doct. 2. There is a Revelation of wrath against all unrighteousnesse of men 2 Things to be observed 1 The certaintie of this wrath Proofes of it 2 What this Wrath is Three things observable 1 It is a Treasure 2 The power of it 3 The suddennesse of it Vse 1. See what Sinne is Vse 2. Labour for a Sense of the wrath of God Vse 3. Goe to Christ. Of with-holding the Truth in unrighteousnesse Three things considerable Doctr. Object Answ. 1 What this Truth is A three-fold Truth 1 The subject of this Truth 2 The Author of it 3 The extent of it 2 How this Truth is withholden Quest. Answ. Foure wayes of imprisoning the Light How great a sinne it is to with-hold the Truth in unrighteousnesse Vse 1. Vse 2. Sheweth the misery of th●se men that are neare the kingdome of God but not in it Their misery is in three things 1 The good things that they have doe them no good 2 They do● them much hurt 3 How farre they goe and yet how farre they fall short of that which is proper to the godly 1 In inlightning 2 In their Conscience 3 In common gifts 4 In their actions 5 In their Conflicts 2 How farre they fall short 1 In light and understanding In two things 2 In their Conscience Note 3 Morall Vertues 4 In Actions In two respects Object Answ. 5 In their Conflict in foure things Vse 3. Men sinne not out of want of information but out of love of unrighteousnesse How the Truth is with-held in unrighteousnesse Vse 4. Consider the danger of disobeying the Truth Object May not a man be too scrupulous Answ. Vse 5. Give the Truth leave to rule 1 The danger of restraining it 2 The benefit of setting it at liberty Object Answ. Means how to set the Truth at liberty Prayer 2 Practice the Truth 3 Communion Saints Act. 21.13 1 That there is such a Truth proved foure wayes Object Answ. 2 That they with-hold the Truth in unrighteousnesse Object Doct. 1. That Truth or Law or knowledge by which every man shall be judged is made manifest by God himselfe 1 What this Truth is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 How it is made knowne Foure wayes 1 By the light of Nature 2 By Gods workes 3 By the Scriptures 4 By the Saints 3 It is God that maketh this Truth evident Hence these Consectaries may be deduced Vse 1. To shew the hainousnesse of mens sinnes against this Truth Object Answ. Vse 2. Be thankfull for the Truth Vse 3. Doe nothing contrary to the Truth Object Answ. Seven Cases wherein men detaine this Truth in unrighteousnesse 1 In the Commission of knowne sins Case 2. In unwillingnesse to increase a mans Knowledge Two sorts of those Case 3. In not acting and practising the Truth by the use of meanes Object Answ. Case 4. In suffocating and suppressing it Two wayes Case 5. In removing impediments Case 6. Case 7. Object Answ. Vse 4. Object Answ. Object Answ. Point 3. There is so much revealed to every man as will make him inexcusable The Excuses whereby men endevour to purge themselves Excuse 1. Tha● they know not God Answ. Excuse 2. God requires more knowledge than men have of him Answ. The inexcusablenesse of ignorant Countrey people Pretence 3. We h●ve no ability to performe the things we know Quest. Answ. Object Answ. Pretence 4. From the corruption of nature which they cannot resist Answ. 1. Answ. 2. Answ. 3. Pretence 5. From Temptations of company businesse c. Answ. 1. Answ. 2. Pretence 6. From the want of meanes Answ. Other particular Excuses First by denying the Fact Secondly By sleighting the Fault Ob. It is a smal sinne Answ. Ob. I fell into by infirmity Answ. 1. Ob. But I am sorry that I so sinned Answ. 1. Answ. 2. Vse 1. Object Answ. Object Answ. Vse 2. Means whereby men are kept in their old condition First Inconsideration 2 Some Lust. Fastiug is no Arbitrary dutie Which is proved by ●ex●s of Scripture The definition of a Fast. The defects which we are subject to in performing that duty 1 To rest in the work done 2 To doe it for a fit 3 Not to reforme upon the doing of it There is a double performance of duties 1 When they be performed as Fasts 2 When its affections are wrought upon in the duty Ver. 1.2 The Analysis of the Text. The Israelites disease Sin The consequent of sin is wrath Ver. 3. The effect of Gods wrath the Plague The remedy was the turning away of Gods wrath Which was done by zeale And that for two reasons Five generall points raised out of the text 1 Generall point God only doth good and evill Certaine convictions for demonstrations of the point 1 Conviction The frequency of our sinning A digression touching the Sabbath proving that it ought to be sanctified 1 Because it is a Holy Day 2 It is Gods day It is further convinced 1 From the hazard of Religion by leaving man at liberty 2 From the Antiquity of its celebration 3 From the usefulnesse of a Sabbath 2 Conviction is our neglecting of dutie 3 Conviction is our not fearing and trusting him alone Quest. Answ. Discovering the Nature of trusting in God which is to be content with God alone 2 To rely upon him in Exigents Which is instanced in Hester And Daniel 4 Conviction or not walking perfectly with the Lord. Reason 2. To prove the point Reason 1. If the creatures could do good or evill God were not God Reason 2. The Creature should be God Dan. 5.23 Object 1. From the operation of second causes Answ. 1. 1 The Lord workes by them Reason 1. Which is illustrate by some comparisons By their different effects By places of Scripture Vse 1. To labour to see God in his greatnesse Which would draw our affections to God The want of it carries us to the Creature and brings us upon the danger of Idolatry By advancing the creatures in our opinions Question concerning the use of the Creatures Answ. They are to be used with a subordinate affection To looke to God in all our businesse He doth instance in particulars Vse 3. Set Faith and the Spirit on work to judge of these things Two generall points Sinne c●uses Wrath. Which he illustrates by a Compa●●●●n Object From the