which are so profitable many especially of her rank would follow her as their pattern It would make any holy soul to mourn bitterly in secret to consider how many Gentlewomen can talk even to admiration of all ordinary worldly subjects but if any discourse of the points of Religion be begun in their hearing they are put quite out of their element and cannot hold pace in such discourses one half quarter of an hour then many of them can say no more but yea or nay because they understand not perfectly what is said and are ashamed to discover their ignorance by a total silence or by contradiction when they want arguments to maintain their dissent If they would wisely redeem some time from their sleep and many hours from that time that is usually bestowed in an abhorred prodigality in the over-curious decking and trimming their vile bodies and if further they would beware of trifling away so many after-noons in dangerous visits of all sorts of persons of their rank although apparent enemies of Jesus Christ they might gain much time for these and all other holy exercises I am sure Christ is little beholding to them who are so tender of their own reputation that to avoid that which the foolish world calls incivility they will make bold to rob him of abundance of precious hours which his service cals for and deserves at their hands and sure none are in this true friends to their souls interest but if any godly persons shall offend by their over-familiar converse with Christs enemies it may and doth justly provoke him to turn former familiarity with them into long and very sad estrangements for which they may thank their own unwarrantable civilities as they stile them Some there are who content themselves in reading some part of the Scripture when they have nothing else to do but although this be a chief part yet certainly not the whole of their duty for it is not the bare reading of the Scriptures that will make them Christians but the understanding of them and for this end what means more proper and probable then the perusal of the Treatises of the godly Learned who excel in the gift of sound interpretation of the Scriptures I have many times thought that the devil is willing and it is for his interest that some should read the Scriptures if they be not forward to use other helps for the understanding of them Because the Scriptures being barely read and not understood doth quiet some of their working Consciences and yet by this means alone many of them are not at all directed and quickned in those exercises wherein the main power of Godliness doth consist Surely it will be very confounding in the great day of Accounts to those rich persons who have neglected these duties when it shall appear that many a poor Christian that was forced to rise early and go to bed late to get barley bread to keep themselves and children from starving have yet spent more hours in reading the Scriptures hearing weekly Lectures perusing the Treatises of godly Divines in one year then they have done in seven happily in twenty years or all the time of their life But I see my deep sense of the woful neglect of these necessary duties hath transported me strangely and made me much larger upon this Head then I intended I will recompence this prolixity with all convenient brevity upon the next Head which yet deserves as large a Discourse and that is 3. Her most remarkable constancy in the duty of private prayer in the seasons of it When she was at home and her family-occasions extraordinary by reason of guests it would not cause her to omit or shorten that necessary service when abroad and tired with travel which many would take for a compleat excuse she would not betake her self to her bed till this duty was duly dispatched 'T is a very sad thing to consider that many who call themselves Christians and are angry if others do not subscribe to their judgement of themselves without giving the least hint of backwardness who yet seldome if at any time pour out their requests before God in secret Alas such persons consider not that a wretch newly crept out of one Gaol and groaned for by another may yet in a crowd go along with a Petition to a great Prince when it is presented in the name of many but for any Subject to have leave and heart to go privately upon all occasions into the Prince his presence with Petitions argues an high degree of familiarity And as she was much in begging mercy so likewise in thankfulness for mercies vouchsafed to her self or any of hers she used to speak much of them and once in every year to set a day apart for the exercise of thanksgiving to God for them by which she evidenced her self to be a most wise and ingenuous Christian You have now heard something of her zeal in the private worship of God and it cannot be reasonably conceived that she was less careful of Gods publick service Many that seem forward for that are wholly negligent of private worship but it would be very strange to observe the contrary Hypocrisie the Epidemical disease will leave no stage-work undone Now here I might insist largly on her dilligence in attending upon the preaching of the Word when she had strength of body and was conveniently seated She used to prevent drousinesse and distraction to stand fixing her eye upon the Preacher Luke 4. 28. which she was wont to say she learned of the Elect Lady her Religious mother And when she was to receive the Sacrament of the Lords Supper her care to come a prepared guest to that blessed feast was more then ordinary Much time was spent in the hard but gainful duty of self-examination and importunate prayer that Christ would prepare her for and bid her welcome to that holy Banquet And indeed her great zeal to the worship of Esa 58. 13. God appeared clearly in her singular delight in that time which by Gods appointment is set apart for special attendance upon it I mean the holy Sabbath of God Many Oh that I were not forced to say most keep onely such a Sabbath as Divines use fitly to call the Sabbath of asses when they have tyred themselves in the week day in the worlds drugery when the Lords day comes they rise later in the morning of that day and go to bed more early in the evening of it then at other times By which meanes their own as the bodies of their beasts have much ease and refreshment but as for spending the whole time of it the most equal thing in the world upon many unanswerable grounds in the publick and private exercises of Gods worship this they can by no means brook But as for this excellent Gentlewoman as she had a better heart towards God so was her behaviour outwardly answerable She used to rise more early upon the Lords
their desires for them But is it so with the wicked Who dare affirme it while they are wicked they do not cannot desire to partake of all spirituall blessings A cursed Balaam Num. 23. 10. may desire to die the death of the righteous but no wicked man alive while such can desire to live the life of the righteous 1. They do not desire it Hear their own words Luke 19. 14. We will not have this man rule over us This was a very plain but yet a very rude and rebellious message and yet such dust-heaps are found in every corner such masterlesse monsters rise every where So that by their own confession they may be judged and condemned for being unwilling to live as the holy subjects of the King of Saints in this life 2. They cannot desire it Rom. 8. 7. The carnall mind is enmity against God for it is not subject to the law of God neither-indeed can be By these words we see plainly the best of an unregenerate person is not onely averse but utterly adverse to the rule of holinesse and the Will being guided by the Understanding If the carnall mind as the Apostle here plainly asserteth be enmity against the law of God the rule of holinesse the carnall will cannot possibly be for conformity to it 3. The Meritorious cause of all the good which the truly godly person chuseth is the precious bloud of the Sonne of God Spirituall Causa procalactica graces and comforts here and the eternall glory of the other world are no cheap things but most costly and accordingly ought to be valued and improved by us Ephes 1. 7. In whom we have redemption through his bloud the forgivenesse of sinnes according to the riches of his grace Redemption is a very comprehensive word and many times is put for all the benefits of the Covenant of Grace So that every godly person may write this superscription upon his pardon assurance perseverance and all the other benefits he partakes of by Christ in this life These are the price of bloud and that the best bloud called precious 1 Pet. 1. 18 19. and that worthily because the bloud of God Act. 20. 28. And so being the bloud of an infinite person and consequently the price an infinite price This will much more hold true concerning the glory of the other world Heb. 10. 19. Having therefore brethren boldnesse to enter into the holiest by the bloud of Jesus No getting to the shore of glory but by a sinners swimming upon the most precious stream of a Saviours bloud These things ought to be frequently the meditations of Christians to inflame their loves to a most lovely and loving Saviour and to quicken them to endeavour suitable praises for all their costly priviledges in both worlds 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 4. The Formall Act of this Choice is that whereby they preferre Christ and all his spiritual blessings before all worldly things whatever This is the inseparable property of all and onely truly godly persons That they esteem God and the things of God above all other things is evident in the example of godly David as appeares by those remarkable words recorded in the 119. Psal 30. I have chosen the way of truth and Vers 173. I have chosen thy precepts compared with Vers 167. My soul hath kept thy testimonies and I love them exceedingly farre more then any thing in the whole world Psal 119. 103. How sweet are thy words unto my taste yea sweeter then hony to my mouth And Vers 72. The law of thy mouth is better to me then thousands of gold and silver Those words of the 4. Psal v. 6 7. Many there be that say who will shew us any good The many in the Text are all the ungodly The good was temporall as is clear from the seventh Verse But now godly David prayes for the light of Gods countenance i. e. the manifestation of his favour to his soul and professeth that such a precious mercy being obtained would make him more glad then any worldling could possibly be when his corn and wine encreased Yea Psal 63. 3. He preferres Gods loving kindnesse before life it selfe And that as Satan truly is to be preferred before all other worldly things whatsoever Job 2. 4. Skin for skin and all that a man hath will he give for his life But no wicked person living doth set such an high value upon God and the things of God But if God be twelve with him some worldly Object to which he is inordinately affected is alwaies thirteen as appears by those words Luke 14. 14. when Christ was speaking of the priviledge of the righteous at the resurrection one that hears him cries out Blessed is he that shall eat bread in the kingdom of God as if he had said in other words that is a glorious and happy estate I choose that for my portion Christ presently to discover his hypocrisie propounds the parable of the guests who were invited to partake of that priviledge he seemed so much to admire vers 16 17. and then we read vers 18. they all with one consent made excuses They seemed much to esteem the priviledge of Christians at the resurrection but their Oxen Farmes Wives lay much nearer to their heares for which we read vers 21. That the Master of the house was very angry as he had great cause as shall be hereafter proved Causa proâ—gumena 5. The Fountain of all the good the godly person chooseth is the Free Grace and favour of God towards his precious people which they all do deservedly admire in this life and will upon further grounds more perfectly admire to all eternity in the life to come The shoutings of all the godly in both worlds are and ought to be Grace Grace T is not considerable what carnall Sophisters may object against this truth because it was asserted in the third branch of the description That all the godly persons priviledges in both worlds were dearly purchased for them by the most precious bloud of Christ the Son of God and thereupon as they conceive Gods conferring those priviledges upon the Elect seems rather if not onely an Act of Justice and not at all of Grace In this hast I shall say no more and I think more need not be said then to name that pregnant Text of the Apostle for the confounding of that carnall cavil Ephes 1. 7. In whom we have redemption through his bloud the forgivenesse of sins according to the riches of his grace According to blessed Pauls divinity Christs bloud as the meritorious cause of Redemption and Remission is very well consistent with the grace yea the riches of the grace of God the Father T is very true they were exceedingly costly to Christ we are the greater debtours to his love for being willing by so great a price to purchase our peace t is as true they are not costly to us we have them without money and
this life they must everlastingly bid adieu to all true joy and comfort Rev. 14. 11. The smoak of their torments ascends for ever and they have no rest night nor day But many of them begin their hell here long before their translation hence as the godly their heaven A wicked man though in never so flourishing and prosperous condition in the eye of sense or reason cannot upon good ground be confident that his peace and comfort shall continue one week or day or hour longer Eccles 7. 6. For as the crackling of thorns under a pot which make a short blaze and is suddenly extinct so is the laughter of a fool Such God accounts and calls all wicicked men Amos. 8. 9. The Prophet Amos tels the wicked that their sun shall go down at noon day All the wicked mans considerable joy may be over before half his dayes be passed God delights to marre the mirth of Christless ones in the midst of their jollity Dan. 5. In the beginning of the Chapter we read that King Belshazzar made a great feast for a thousand of his Lords and himself his Princes wives and concubines were upon their merry pinnes quaffing and carowsing in golden and silver vessels taken out of the Temple But we read in v. 5. that all this joy was turned suddenly into extream sadnesse In the same hour came forth fingers of a mans hand and wrote over against the Candlestick upon the playster of the wall of the Kings Pallace and the King saw the part of the hand that wrote v. 6. Then the Kings countenance was changed and his thoughts troubled him so that the joynts of his loynes were loosed and his knees smote one against another v. 7. Then the King cried aloud c. Oh the inconsiderablenesse of that short liv'd joy which a wicked man cannot be rightly confident to enjoy for the small space of one poor hour Job 20. 5. These things premised if any person wish well to his own joy no choice but the Christians choice is the right way to obtain and retain it in both worlds 3. The Christians choice is as unquestionably the best in reference to the concernments of the other world It cannot be reasonably expected that in a piece of an hour I should goe over in my discourse the state of the Saints blessednesse in Heaven and the sinners misery in Hell that by comparing them together it may be discovered which choice is best that which leads to Heaven's happinesse or Hell's misery This may abundantly suffice for my present purpose to mention four remarkable Particulars which hold forth light enough convincingly to prove the conclusion I have delivered about this weighty point 1. The Godly mans choice will infallibly bring him to so happy a condition in the other world that he shall not desire or have cause to desire any other good then that he shall then be possessed of Psal 73. 25. The Psalmist expresseth himself thus Whom have I in heaven but thee and there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee If this be the language of the Saints in this world surely there will be much more cause why it should be their In beatudine complebitur omne desiderium beatorum Aquinas constant language in the other world God is the universal good and they will then be in the fullest enjoyment of it that their natures are capable of and so there will be no need of the least contribution of any other good below God to perfect their substantial happinesse That sea of goodnesse will surely fill brim-ful all their largest vessels Psal 16. last vers Thou wilt shew me the path of life in thy presence is fullnesse of joy and so no room for any other objects But as for all the wicked their woful case will be far otherwise then their most afflicted estate ever was in this life In this world such is the admirable kindnesse of the glorious God to his cursed adversaries that he seems to deal with them more like children then like enemies The Psalmist tels us that in this life Psal 73. 7. they have more good things then heart could wish Here when they are in pain or any other affliction many of them can say to their servants Call my dear husband or wife to refresh me with their company Bid my beloved Child or faithfull Friend come and be helpfull to me Go fetch me such a costly Cordial to keep up my fainting spirits But in the other world God affords them no such comforts Their cup of gall and wormwood have not the least drop of any comfortable ingredient to qualifie the bitternesse thereof Luk. 16. 25. But Abraham said Son remember that thou in thy life time receivedst thy good things and likewise Lazarus evil things but now he is comforted thou art tormented Wicked men have all the comfortable portion that they are like to receive from God in Psal 17. 14. this life no wonder therefore when death comes they are soloth to depart hence The request made was but for a very small courtesie vers 24. a finger dipt in water would have been but a poor meanes to abate the paines of his tongue tormented with hellish flames yet as small as it was it was denied to let all Christlesse persons know what they must trust to in the other world They must onely drink of the wine of the wrath of God without mixture not the least drop of mercy shall be mingled with it Rev. 14. 10. 2. The condition of all godly persons in the other world shall be much more comfortable then they can possibly conceive while they are in this life Oh how happy would many judge their condition to be if all that they could possibly conceive to be delightful to them might be enjoyed by them But the case of all glorified persons shall be far more comfortable then this comes to 1 Cor. 2. 9. Eye hath not seen ear hath not heard nor hath it entered into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that 1 John 3. 2. love him It never entred into the hearts of God best people here to conceive fully how happy their glorified condition shall be Their happinesse shall be made up of such ingredients which the infinitely wise God who prepared it shall judge to be most comfortable and sure infinite wisdome can best choose the most comfortable ingredients and his infinite love to his people will not suffer him to leave out any of them But now on the other side the waies that wicked ones choose will bring them to greater wo and misery in the other world then they can for the present fully conceive Psal 90. 11. Who knoweth the power of thy wrath The interrogation is to be resolved into this negation None can fully conceive the greatnesse of it We may conceive that it will be very dreadful and although we know not to the utmost how dreadful it
the way to heaven is through much tribulation because the Scripture in the aforementioned place elsewhere doth so fully assert it But withall I may adde that this very doctrine hath been judged by Christians to be no such uncomfortable doctrine as the Objection before mentioned seems to hold forth yea we may gather from the expressions of some eminent ones that they would rather have accounted the contrary an uncomfortable doctrine as holy Bradford Act. Mon. who said that if there were any way to heaven on horseback it was by affliction And another we read of in the Book of Martyrs who professed that if any thing was abated of his affliction it was to his losse and sincere Saunders could say I am in prison till I am in prison and a fourth The more pain the more gain 2. Let me entreat you to consider what may be observed out of Heb. 12. 11. this very Text to omit others to answer the Objection It is not said Chastisements are grievous but seem grievous Afflictions are indeed grievous to outward sense and in that respect it is here said that chastisements seem grievous But when sense feels grief faith may and often doth conceive abundance of comfort James 1. 2. Believing James could say that we must count it all joy when we fall into divers temptations The world wondreth saith Mr. Philpot the Martyr how we can be merry in such extream misery But our God is omnipotent who turneth misery Act. Mon. into felicity Believe me there is no such joy in the world as the people of God have under the Crosse I speak it by experience And for those who are so tender and delicate professors of Religion that their senses must by no means be offended I might send them to school to abundance of Heathens who would make them blush to speak of such womanish and childish tendernesse Anaxarchus when he was commanded by a Tyrant to be put into a mortar cries out to his persecutors Ye do but beat the vessel of Anaxarchus he accounted the affliction of his body no such great matter and our Lord speaks fully to this point Mat. 10. 28. Fear not them which can kill the body but are not able to kill the soul The worst that the worst of incarnate devils can do to the people of God is but to put the body to pain and not alwaies that neither without Gods permission For holy Bainham at the stake and in the midst of the flame which had half consumed his arms Acts Monu and legs spake these words O ye Papists ye look for miracles here you may see a miracle for in this fire I feel no more pain then if I were in a bed of Down but it is to me as a bed of Roses 2. The grievous afflictions of the people of God are mitigated by the limitation of time they are but for the present time of this life so that the shortnesse may exceedingly comfort against the sharpness of them 1 Pet. 1. 6. Now for a season if need be ye are in heavinesse through manifold temptations We read in the 3d of Lamentations that the Church was so deeply afflicted that she was filled with bitternesse v. 15. and made drunk with wormwood v. 31. We see what was her great and sufficient cordial to keep her from fainting The Lord will not cast off for ever as if she had said This bitternesse is not everlasting bitternesse and therefore not so overwhelming 3. The many excellent fruits of sanctified afflictions of Gods people may sufficiently comfort against the grievousnesse of them Heb. 12. 11. Neverthelesse afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousnesse unto them which are exercised thereby Here Interpreters conceive that by righteousnesse we are to understand the same thing that is called holinesse in v. 10. there is one glorious effect of sanctified afflictions and then this affliction is amplified by a special Epithete Peaceable that is Chastisement when sanctified worketh peace in Christians and that is double Internal in this world and Eternal in the world to come A word of each of these 1. Sanctified afflictions are made use of by God for the encreasing of the grace of his people this is Gods end Heb. 12. 10. He chasteneth us for our profit that we may be partakers of his holiness and he never fals short of his ends The Rose is sweeter in the Still then on the stalk the like difference is to be found amongst Christians when under and out of affliction John 15. 2. Every branch in me my Father purgeth that it may bring forth more fruit As Vines are made fruitfull by pruning so are Gods people by his pruning knife of afflictions Methinks this should be enough to quiet and cheer up Gods people under the sorest afflictions We are not barely contented but very thankfull and willingly part with our money to Physitians that give us bitter purges and Chyrurgians that put us to great pain by launcing our flesh that so the diseases and wounds of our bodies may be cured and sweet bodily health restored We ought much more upon the account of our spiritual welfare be not only contented under but very thankfull for all Gods most smarting dispensations that tend to the restoring and preserving our spiritual health 2. Sanctified afflictions are very usefull for the procuring and preserving of inward peace this follows strongly upon the former for that which advanceth holinesse must needs procure peace Isa 32. 17. And the work of righteousnesse shall be peace that is the peace of conscience which passeth all understanding and is full of glory Phil. 4. 7. This peace of God like Davids Harp driveth away the evil spirit of cares and fears and soon husheth all Besides such is the wisdom and indulgence of God to his afflicted children that he deals with them as we with ours We are not prodigal of our Cordials but give them only to our sick not healthfull children so the Lord seeth that in time of great affliction his people most need and will most prize his cordials and then he pours them out freely Many of the people of God know this by personal experiences and if they had not drunk deeply of the cup of affliction they had been strangers to the sense of those strong consolations of the Gospel Heb. 6. 18. Hos 2. 14. I will bring her into the wildernesse and speak comfortably to her When Christians are in a wildernesse condition in respect of such afflictions that they know not what way to turn then God useth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to speak kindly to them yea to their very hearts as the Original doth import 3. The sanctified afflictions of Gods people tend to their eternal peace Isa 32. 17. they serve to sweeten and greaten their glory in the other world 1. To sweeten it Eccl. 5. 12. The sleep of a labouring man is sweet Sleep is the nurse of nature the wages she
as themselves are they presently cry out without cause Oh sad Christians Oh unpleasant ways of God! But Solomon tells us that these strangers to Gods ways are not fit judges of them as to the point of joy Prov. 14. 10. The heart knowes its own bitternesse and a stranger doth not intermeddle with his joy The wicked know not in what bitternesse the people of God are sometimes so as to pitty them nor yet how exceedingly joyful they are at other times so as thereby to be provoked to get into that comfortable estate wherein they live so pleasantly Further suppose thou seest them often weeping sometimes they may weep for joy not for sorrow and bitternesse of heart and at other times the cause may be not the unpleasantness of the ways of God in which themselves walk but the wicked 2 Pet. 2. 7 8. and woful ways in which thou and such as thou art walk may make them to abound with tears as holy David did Psal 119. 136. Rivers of tears run down mine eyes because they keep not thy Law III. Because wicked men are carried so much by sence blessed be God for it we have enough to stop their mouthes from what they may see and hear if they will but observe and remember what they may in this kind But here their basenesse is frequently and notoriously discovered For they will either not observe when they may or else carelesly forget such useful observations and insist upon contrary examples I cannot more fitly compare them for their wickednesse to any then to such as all the world cries out of who are idle persons who when they come into Tradesmens shops they desire to see some of their wares some is accordingly shewed to them They find fault presently offer is made to shew them better wares but they fling away and will not see them which discovers plainly their ill minds who came onely to trouble others by caviling not to buy any thing for their own use T is proportionably so in this businesse wicked men pretend a desire of entring into Gods ways but that they dislike the uncomfortable behaviour of some who walk in them Hereupon we offer to shew them more comfortable Christians but all this will not prevail to win them to the wayes of God which is an apparent signe that not the pretended uncomfortablenesse of some Christians but their own habitual enmity against God and his ways is the true cause of their not embracing them Rom. 8. 7. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God for it is not subject to the Law of God neither indeed can be Now for the proof of what is here asserted That there are many the Lord increase their number daily who walk in Gods wayes with much more comfort under all occurrences then any other persons whatever if wicked ones will but diligently observe their own families and the families of others they would see clearly That many small losses and crosses which put them into their dumps their godly relations and neighbours do bear with much evennesse of spirit and reall contentation under the righteous hand of God and do live much more chearfully in an afflicted estate then they do in a flourishing and outwardly prosperous estate They are like Paul 2 Cor. 7. 4. not only joyful but exceeding joyful in all their tribulations which many times wicked men are not in the greatest prosperity that they are capable of So that I may say to wicked men by way of allusion to Pauls words to King Agrippa Act. 26. 27. Do you believe these things I know you do or at least have cause enough to believe them The Second branch of the Objection was the observation of many who walk not in Gods holy and strict wayes to be alwaies very pleasant and merry and therefore their ways are rather to be chosen then Gods ways Besides what hath been already delivered which some would think abundantly sufficient to confound this cavil I shall adde Four Considerations more endeavouring if God be pleased to blesse them to make wicked ones ashamed and afraid of using this plea any more 1. They are most groundlesse joys Eccl. 2. 2. I said of laughter it is mad and of mirth what doth it It may be truly affirmed of all the joy of the wicked it is no better then madnesse You shall come into some places where you meet with those they call naturals and if you never saw or heard of them before their excessive laughter will presently discover them every word that is spoken and almost every straw that is stirred puts them into a fit of laughter as if they were the merryest persons in the whole country but their friends who sit and hear it hang down their pale faces and shed many a bitter tear under this sad providence would much rather have been childlesse if God had so pleased then call such a person son or daughter They know there is no cause for such excessive joy it proceeds wholly from their natural distemper So a great many wicked men like a company of mad men laugh shout and revel as if none in the world so merry as they in the mean time their godly Relations who know their joys to be wholly groundlesse and proceeding from a spirituall phrensie weep abundantly in secret to see them leaping and dancing as it were upon the very borders of the burning lake God who understands their condition better then themselves tells them if they dare believe him and wo to them if they do not that they have more cause to weep James 5. 1. Go to now ye rich men weep and howl for the miseries that shall come upon you and who besides God knows how soon wicked ones live every moment under all the heavy and dreadful curses that are written in Gods blessed Book So that for my part I should judge the condition of many more hopeful if their laughter were turned into roaring and out of a deep sense of their present sinful and dangerous estate they cried out in all companies under the impressions of Gods terrours upon them as the jaylor Sirs Act. 16. 30. what must I do to be saved A through sence of a present bad condition is one of the first necessary steps to a better future condition 2. They are grudged comforts Godly Solomon wisely adviseth Prov. 23. 6. Eat not the bread of him that hath an evil eye neither desire thou his daintiest meats If it be uncomfortable to partake of the delicates of a Muck-worm's feast who grudgeth what is eaten by his guests how much more may wicked men be unwilling to set their hearts upon these choisest worldly comforts which not a churlish gripple clown but a gracious and a bountifull God would not have them to be so much delighted with God seemeth to grudge every wicked man every comfortable smile he hath while he remaines Christlesse Hos 9. 1. Rejoyce not as other people was Gods language by the
Lord grant that these and the like Considerations may take off some poor soules from their greedinesse after the Devils cup of sweet poyson This for the explication confirmation and vindication of the Doctrine The fourth and last thing promised is the Application of it Use 1. Of Information This being so as we have heard That the Choice of the truly godly person is unquestionably and incomparably the best choice which can be made Many things might be collected by way of Information I shall note onely one Hereby we are informed that the truly godly persons are unquestionably the wisest persons in the world because their choice is the best choice For in nothing more clearly doth the wisdom or folly of men and women appear then in the choices which are made by them A good Choice argues wisdom and a bad one folly And therefore God when as he doth usually brand wicked ones who are fondly conceited of themselves as if they were the onely wise persons in the world with the mark of folly useth such an Argument as is taken from their bad choice to prove it Prov. 1. 22. How long ye simple ones will ye love simplicity and ye scorners delight in scorning and fools hate knowledge Amongst other Arguments God useth to prove these wicked ones to be fools and simple ones this is one Vers 29. They did not choose the fear of the Lord. To preferre counters above gold pebbles above pearls can proceed from nothing but childish ignorance and notorious simplicity And yet so bad or rather much worse is their choice who prefer carnall comforts before spiritual and temporal before eternal blessings as all the wicked ones in the world do Wicked ones think the Lords people a company of silly persons because they run not with them to the same excesse of riot but 1 Pet. 1. 4. the Lords people know that they are guilty of the greatest folly imaginable as God who is best able to judge hath often proclaimed in his Word On the o her hand the onely wise God cals all godly ones the children of wisdome Matthew 11. 19. And seeing the wisdome of Heaven pronounceth them wise they need not regard the contrary judgement of the worlds profane and proud sots who are as blind as beetles in Gods matters although eagle-ey'd in worldly affairs Use 2 Of Examination If the Godly persons choice be the best Let the consideration of this Doctrine prevail with us to make diligent enquiry whether we have made this choice as yet or not This trial might be managed by propounding to our selves such Questions as are suitable to the several branches of the description of the Godly mans choice mentioned in the explication of the Doctrine as namely 1. Whether God hath wrought a great change in us by the infusion of supernatural and special Grace 2. What respect our souls bear to the Ordinances of Grace and in several other particulars But to passe by them I will briefly touch upon this one other general Note If we have chosen God and the waies of God it will infallibly appear by the delight which we take both in himself and them for whatsoever is chosen by us is ever delightful to us Psal 119. 30. compared with v. 35. Now this delight manifests it self after this manner 1. By our engaging in the precious waies of God without delay So it was with holy David Psal 119. 30. I have chosen the way of truth how did that appear V. 60. I made haste and delayed not to keep thy Commandments By this note of trial it appears those that put off God and his work as most do from one week moneth nay year unto another have no delight in the waies of God and consequently have not made the choice of the Text. We do not hear men say and tell God that they will not at all believe in Christ repent of their sins and yield obedience to his holy Commandments but they have no mind to set upon these and other spiritual duties presently Some thing or other still comes in the way to cause procrastination Some worldly bargain must be carried through some recreation must be followed some gracelesse company attended some lust satisfied before they can find leisure to work the work of God Such a deluded sinner is spoken of Matth. 21. 28 30. Son Go work to day in my Vineyard This is Gods voice to all that choose him and his waies without delay to engage in them Not so much as one day more is allowed by God for sinful practises V. 30. The gracelesse sinner answers as if he intended to comply with the voice of God But the time was not yet come he said I go Sir but went not It was a wise Observation of Seneca Stultus semper incipit vivere and elsewhere speaking of such saith Semper victuri they are alwaies about to live better but never begin So Augustine in his time made a like Observation Modo modo non habent modum the heartlesse essays and hypocritical purposes of such sinners come to nothing How many when they are sick and fear death and so can enjoy the riches of the world delights of the flesh and pleasures of sin no longer complement with God and as if they were ravished with the beauty of his waies make liberall promises as if for time to come they would never walk in any other paths but Gods but alas common experience makes it evident if God spare them that they were no true-hearted Christians but as the Apostle speaks 2 Pet. 2. 22. Dogs returning to their vomit A dog that loves stinking carrion above other things yet when the cudgel is over his head forbeareth So when the King of terrours stands over these persons they keep outwardly at a distance from sin but afterwards they are so much the more greedy of wicked company and waies because of their former restraint Trial 2. Gen. 25. 29. We are not so apt to be weary of those things wherein we delight as in other things Take a carnal man that is addicted to Hunting he will run many miles in a day that a stranger who observes it wonders he is able after so much travel to stand upon his legs that he doth not presently drop down upon the ground like a fainting man Let the same man be required to go one quarter of the way to the place of Gods worship he will tell you 't is impossible for him to walk half so far his strength will not bear it and God will have mercy and not sacrifice Now the reason of this difference is clearly this his delight in Hunting prevents his wearinesse in that exercise but his want of delight in Gods worship causeth his wearinesse in a far lesser walk I might easily multiply pregnant instances of the unwearied diligence of those who have chosen the waies of God Davids example is very considerable to this purpose Psal 119. 147. I prevented the dawning of
the morning and cryed Psal 55. 17. Evening and morning and at noon will I pray and cry aloud and he shall hear my voice Psalm 119. 62. At midnight will I arise and give thanks This good man who had chosen and delighted in Gods waies is at Gods work early and late and the day will not serve his turn but at midnight he awakes for the worship of God but now on the other side many who are angry if you do not admire them for rare Christians yet it may be said of them as the Prophet Esay expresseth in another case Es 3. 9. The shew of their countenance doth witnesse against them Their faces are so different in different places as if they were not the same men in their own houses and in their Market-places and Fairs they look as cheerfully and as contentedly as any in the world but in Gods house where his holy Ordinances are attended they look so drowzily and so discontentedly and sadly as if they were a company of sick or dying men This was the temper of those sinners mentioned Mal. 1. 13. who cryed out against the worship of God Behold what a wearinesse it is and they snuffed at it No day with them so long as the Sabbath no hours so long as those that are spent in the service of God This accursed spirit was in those we read of Amos 8. 5. When will the Sabbath be over that we may set forth wheat c. Trial 3. What is done with delight is done very frequently The Swinish Drunkard doth not satisfie himself once or twice in a year to go to the Ale-house but because he delighteth in drunken company he goeth often to such places The unclean person doth not content Prov. 7. 8. himself to walk once or twice in a year to a Whore-house but his Munday Tuesday I had almost said his every daies walk is towards the Whores corner 'T is proportionably so in spiritual matters Mal. 3. 16. They that feared the Lord spake often one to another The Saints delight in mutual Conferences and manifest their delight by being frequent in their communion one with another The devotion of one who hath chosen the waies of God is not like the condition of one that hath an Ague sometimes sick and sometimes well one day for God and another for the world and the Devil David who delighted in the waies of God could say with confidence before the Searcher of hearts Psal 119. 20. My soul breaketh for the longing it hath to thy judgements at all times And indeed the waies of God being alway the same that which draws forth your delight at one time may be found to engage your hearts to them at all times they are alwaies beautiful and equally beautiful they are alwaies pleasing to God and means of precious communion with God And therefore whoever seem religious only by fits and in certain good moods as they call them cannot give good proof that they delight in the waies of God nor can the soul of God delight in such hypocrites Hos 6. 4. We may observe Gods dislike of such inconstancy Oh Ephraim What shall I do unto thee Oh Judah What shall I do unto thee for your goodnesse is as a morning cloud and as the early dew it passeth away as if God had said Oh Ephraim Oh Judah I know not what to do with you Thy doing good only by fits and good moods is justly abhorring to men but much more abominable in the sight of God What Father or Master can brook that son or servant that will happily do something that is required of them but not constantly Certainly such as are not constant in the waies of God delight not in them and he cannot with honour accept of such unconstant services wherein his Authority is so palpably neglected and contemned Trial 4. What is undertaken with delight is carried on with resolution and impatiency of opposition Many a man froward enough in his spirit will suffer himself in many smaller things to be crossed but if he be opposed in his darling design you may almost as safely encounter a Bear robbed of her whelps This is evident in the example of holy David We read in Psal 119. 30. He had chosen the way of truth which was the way of God V. 106. His resolution to carry on that work of God is eminently expressed I have sworn and will perform it that I will keep thy righteous judgements One that hath chosen the way of God may by the violence of some strong temptation be justled out of the holy path for a short space of time but when he can recover himself from that violence he returns with as great yea greater zeal then formerly into Wisdomes pleasant waies The sweetest bait nay all the pleasant baits that Satan can use at one time are not bribe big enough to make the true Christian to forsake the waies of God which he hath once chosen Heb. 11. 24. By faith Moses when he was come to years refused to be called the son of Pharaohs daughter chusing rather to suffer afflictions with the people of God than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season Pleasure riches and honour are the Summer of the worlds alluring benefits yet holy Moses gallantly turns his back upon them all and saw more amiablenesse in Gods waies although under the most discouraging appearance in a time of greatest affliction then in the waies of sin when in the most tempting garb of prosperity in Pharaoh's Court. The speech of Galeacius Caracciola the Noble Marquesse of Vico was very remarkable to this purpose when he was tempted with a very great summe of money to forsake his Religion he manifested his holy indignation against such a base proffer in these words Let your money perish with you who esteem all the gold in the world worth one daies communion with Jesus Christ and as they cannot be bribed out of the waies of God so neither can the worlds greatest affrightments scare them from Christs service Dan. 3. We read of Nebuchadnezzar dedicating a Golden Image in Dura and v. 14. tells Shadrach Meshach and Abednego that if they would not worship it they should be cast into the midst of a burning fiery Furnace V. 16 17 18. you may read their stout and gallant answer We are not careful to answer thee in this matter as if they had said Go Scare children with thy great words our God can deliver us if he please but if not suppose the worst we are at a point we are resolved not to fall off from Gods service to such abhorred worship A great many seem to have chosen the waies of God and follow the chase hard till they meet with honey as it is in the Story 1 Sam. 14. but then Demas-like they forsake their duty embracing the present world 2 Tim. 4. 10. And others who do not thus miscarry are through inordinate fear of worldly troubles and
likewise satisfie any other person who are worthy of and willing to receive satisfaction concerning this matter As 1. Lest by my silence I should deprive very many of a more then ordinary pattern for their holy imitation Her conversation which lay open to publick view was very considerable but there were many remarkable things in the more retired part of her life which were not commonly known and yet the knowledge of them might be of singular use to direct and quicken many to like profitable exercises of piety This copy of her life was freer from blots then the lives of many other worthy women 2. A discourse of this nature may be of use for the comfort of her near Relations although the more evidences of her remarkable piety are brought to their remembrances the greatnesse of their own losse is thereby the more clearly discovered Yet such self-love as makes them confine their thoughts wholly to their own losse neglecting the needful meditation of her incomparable gain is certainly liable to reproof Many that follow their gracelesse Relations to the Grave which did greatly love them and were dearly beloved by them are greatly dejected chiefly upon this ground because of their great fears touching their everlasting state But I can with confidence bespeak the friends of this deceased Gentlewoman in like words to those of our dear Saviour to the daughters of Jerusalem Weep not for her from Luke 23. 28. whose eyes all tears are wiped but weep for your selves weep for your surviving Christlesse Relations and over the afflicted daughter of Sion and the more of these tears the better 3. If I should forbear to speak concerning the holy life of this our deceased Christian friend how is it possible that the great duty of duly laying to heart this sad visitation we are now under should be performed by many of you Who can be sadly affected proportionably to a great losse when for want of information the losse is only apprehended as ordinary Now God takes it very ill at their hands who live carelesly under such sad Providences Es 57. 11. The righteous perisheth and no man layeth it to heart and merciful men are taken away none considering that the righteous are taken away from the evil to come A great many think their whole duty is performed if for two or three days after the hearing of such news their table talk be to this purpose Such a good Gentlewoman is dead she did much good in her place I am sorry for it When it may be in a fortnight or moneth after 't is almost utterly forgotten that there was any such person The Scripture last mentioned tels you That God many times snatcheth away his people by death when some great evils are approaching to the places where they lived I love not to conceive or utter doleful prophecies but my earnest prayer to God is that we may all walk penitently under this stroak that greater displeasure then we are at present aware of do not flow in upon us through this very great breach I now addresse my self to the last general head I propounded to speak to viz. A brief account of some things and but some things for haste which were remarkable in the holy life of Mrs Anne Petter And here I might speak of her in a threefold capacity 1. Natural 2. Civil 3. Spiritual But I call to mind the rule observed by Basil the Great in the praise of Gordius the Martyr It is said he or to this purpose the vain-glorious fashion of the world when they would praise any person to speak of his Family to derive his pedigree through many discents to enlarge upon his natural disposition parts education learning and such other accomplishments Sed Ecclesia haec tanquam supervacua dimittit The Church looks only at those things which may glorifie Christ in his Saints and thereby do good to them that remain alive According to this rule I shall forbear to speak of her very loving humble and ingenuous temper 2. Of the Family whereof she was a Branch although in it self very considerable according to the worlds account These were not the things she did or had cause over-much to value My Discourse therefore concerning her will be wholly confined to her spiritual endowments and operations for in reckoning up the estate of rich persons small matters are not mentioned their estates are not reckoned by pence or shillings but by pounds by hundreds and thousands we shall do proportionably in this undertaking And here also she might be considered personally and relatively but I shall not stand upon any curiosity of this nature What I shall mention as observable in her and very worthy of imitation fals under these two general heads 1. Her disposition and behaviour towards those on Earth 2. Her affection and carriage more immediately relating to the God of Heaven and the things of Heaven For the first her disposition and behaviour towards them on Earth 1. She was one of a publick and consequently of a very excellent spirit This she manifested many waies by her being constant and fervent in her prayers for the publick welfare by her sadness when at any time it fared ill with any part of the Church of Christ although in Forain parts where no present danger of any of her personal worldly concernments did biass her by her great joy when she heard of its flourishing estate And whereas a great many at their meeting with others enquire after news that it may only furnish them with matter for table-discourse and present them with variety of objects for their proud censures her questions tending that way were usually if not constantly expressed in this short pious form How doth it go abroad with the Church and Cause of Jesus Christ That was all in all to her as to matter of news It would be over-tedious to go through all the instances which might be mentioned on this account I shall only touch upon one or two more she evidenced her publick spirit by the great and cordial respects which upon all occasions she expressed towards those that appeared gallantly and couragiously in the Cause of Christ She would name them with honour while living and bitterly bewail their deaths when taken hence by Gods angry hand She could say with Deborah Judg. 5. 9. My heart is towards the Governours of Israel that offered themselves willingly among the people Blesse ye the Lord And yet further she did not satisfie her self by serving God with that which cost her nought she never repined at any expence of money in the Cause of Christ And which was much more considerable having an only son left her who was most dearly beloved by her she willingly parted with him for the service of the publick interest 2. She was very bountiful to those that were in need as many of you here present can testifie from large and long experience her charity was not hypocritical like theirs spoken of James 2.