is Grace which noteth the free bounty of God and excludeth all Means on the Creatures part Grace doth all gratis freely though there be no precedent Debt or Obligation or hope of Recompence whereby any thing can accrue to God His External Motive is our Misery his Internal Motive his own Grace Angels that never sinned are saved meerly out of Grace Men that were once miserable are saved not only out of Grace but out of Mercy 3. The next Notion is Long-Suffering or Slowness to Anger The Lord is not easily overcome by the wrongs or sins of the Creature he doth not only pity our Misery that is Mercy and do us good for nothing that is Grace but beareth long with our Infirmities that is slowness to Anger Certainly he is easily appeased and is hardly drawn to punish Men are ready to Anger slow to Mercy quickly inflamed and hardly appeased but it is quite the contrary with God It is good to observe the Difference between God and Man Man cannot make any thing of a suddain but destroyeth it in an instant When men are to make any thing they are long about it as building an house is a long work but plucking it down and undermining it is done in a short time but God is quick in making slow in destroying he made the World in six days he could have done it in a moment were it not that he would give us a Pattern of Labour and Order in all things now it hath continued for six thousand years and upwards as some account such is his long-suffering how many of us has God born with for ten twenty thirty years from childhood to grey hairs from the Cradle to the Grave the Angels were not indured in their sinful state but immdiately cast into Hell 4. Kindness and Bounty he is plenteous in goodness God is good and doth good his Communications to the Creature are free and full as the Sun giveth out Light and the Fountain water Thus you see reason why Mercies are plurally expressed 2. The Frequency of it Lam. 3. 23. His Mercies are new every morning that is renewed those that concern the Body and Soul not only merciful in saving once or twice but every day pardoneth our new sins and giveth to his repenting Children new Comforts There is a Throne of Grace open every day not once a year Heb. 4. 16. as it was to the High Priest under the Law The Golden Scepter is daily held out the Fountain is ever open not stopt up nor drawn dry God keepeth not Terms but keepeth a Court of Audience and every day we may come and sue out our Pardon and take out the comforts we stand in need of 3. The Variety of our Necessities both by reason of Misery and Sin so that not Mercy but Mercies will do us good We have not one Sin but many not one Misery but many therefore Mercies are needful for us 1. Our Miseries are many danger way-layeth us on every side therefore the Mercy of God is said to compass us about Psal. 32. 10. He that trusteth in the Lord Mercy shall compass him about On which side soever Temptation and Trouble maketh the assault Mercy is ready to make the defence Many are the Troubles of the Righteous but the Lord delivereth them out of them all Psal. 34. 19. Their troubles are many from Gods own hand Satans Temptations Malice of the wicked world therefore let thy mercies come to me 2. Our sins so many Provocations Transgressions from the Womb Isa. 48. 8. After Grace received we have our failings there remains much venom and evil of sin Psal. 51. 1 2. Have mercy upon me according to the greatness of thy mercy according to the multitude of thy tender mercy blot out my Transgressions where great sins great mercies many sins many mercies In that one fact how many ways did he sin No great sin can be committed alone but one evil act draweth on another as Links in a 〈◊〉 Adultery Blood and this by a King whose duty it was to punish it in others the more above the stroke of mans Justice the more liable to Gods This when he had many wives of his own a Crime committed out of want is not so heinous as that committed out of wantonness he took the poor mans one Ewe Lamb when he had many Flocks and Herds This was done not suddenly and in the heat of passion but in cool blood plotting his opportunities abusing Uriah his simplicity and sincerity to his own destruction his honesty in not returning to his House should have been a check upon David he maketh him drunk drew Ioab into the Conspiracy and Confederacy of his guilt many perished with Uriah in the attempt upon Rabbah 4. The many favours to be bestowed upon us as Food Cloathing Protection Liberty in our service and after all Eternal Life therefore Mercies which giveth us all things necessary to Life and Godliness 2 Pet. 1. 4. 2. The Effect Thy Salvation brought about in Gods way and upon Gods terms In temporal safety we must wait for Gods salvation such as God giveth God alloweth better be miserable than be saved upon other terms many would be safe from troubles but they would take their own way and so turn aside to crooked paths Those Martyrs spoken of in the Hebrews Chap. 11. 35. would not accept deliverance that they might obtain a better Resurrection to wince under trouble and fling off the burden ere it be taken off by God without any sin of ours otherwise we break Prison get out by the Window not by the Door we must take up our Cross as long as God will please to have us bear it David saith Thy Salvation 3. The warrant and ground of his expectation according to thy Word Gods mercy is to be expected according to the tenour of the Promise How is that 1. No temporal Blessing is absolutely to be expected for God hath reserved the liberty of trying and chastising his Children in outward things the Covenant is to be understood with the exception of the Cross and we can have no temporal benefit by it but as it is useful for us Psal. 89. 32 38. I will visit their Transgression with a Rod and their Iniquity with Stripes Nevertheless my Loving Kindness will I not utterly take from him nor suffer my faithfulness to fail God will use medicinal Discipline though not satisfie his Justice upon them 2. The Qualification of the Promise must be regarded by those that would have benefit by it Gods Covenant is made with his people 't is a mutual stipulation many would have comfort we plead promises of safety with God but forget promises of Obedience to him as Ephraim would tread out the Corn but not break the Clods Hosea 10. 11. There was food Deut. 25. 4. Thou shalt not muzzle the Ox which treadeth out the Corn. We mind our own Interest more than Gods Honour 3. A Word of Promise calleth for Faith and
compose and purifie the Mind and make Sin more odious and fortifie us against the Baits of Sense which are the occasion of all the Sin in the World All our Joy is to be considered with respect to its Use and Profit Eccles. 2. 2. I said of laughter It is mad and of mirth What doth it The more a Man delighteth in God and in the Ways of God the more he cleaveth to him and resolveth to go on in this Course and Temptations to Sensual Delights do less prevail for the joy of the Lord is our strength The safety of the Spiritual Life lieth in the keeping up our Joy and Delight in it Heb. 3. 6. Whose house are we if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoycing of the hope firm unto the end Isa. 64. 5. Thou meetest him who rejoyceth and worketh righteousness But now Carnal Delights intoxicate the Mind and fill it with Vanity and Folly The Sensitive Lure hath more power over us to draw into the slavery of Sin Tit. 3. 3. For we our selves were also foolish deceived serving divers lusts and pleasures Surely then the healing Delights should be preferred before the killing wounding Pleasures that so often prove a snare to us 2. The Object is to be considered thy commandments Here observe 1. David did not place his Delight in Folly or Filthiness as they do that glory in their shame or delight in Sin and giving contentment to the Lusts of the Flesh as the Apostle speaks of some that sport themselves in their own deceivings 2 Pet. 2. 13. that do not onely live in sin but make a sport of it beguiling their own hearts with groundless apprehensions that there is no such evil and hazard therein as the Word declareth and Conscience sometimes suggesteth they are beholden to their sottish Error and Delusion for their Mirth Neither did he place his Delight in Temporal trifles the Honours and Pleasures and Profits of the World as bruitish Worldlings do but in the Word of God as the Seed of the New Life the Rule of his Conversation the Charter of his Hopes that blessed Word by which his Heart might be renewed and sanctified his Conscience setled his Mind acquainted with his Creators Will and his Affections raised to the Hopes of Glory The Matter which feedeth our Pleasures sheweth the Excellency or Baseness of it If like Beetles we delight in a Dunghil rather than a Garden or the Paradise of God's Word it shews a base mean Spirit as Swine in wallowing in the mire or Dogs to eat their own Vomit Our Temper and Inclination is known by our Complacency or Displacency Rom. 7. 5. For when we were in the flesh the motions of sin which were by the law did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death Therefore see which your hearts carry you to to the World or the Word of God The most part of the World are carried to the Pleasures of Sense and mastered by them but a Divine Spirit or Nature put into us makes us look after other things 2 Pet. 1. 4. Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises even of the great blessings of the new Covenant such as Pardon of Sin Eternal Life c. 2. Not onely in the Promissory but Mandatory part of the Word Commandments is the Notion in the Text. There is matter of great Joy contained in the Promises but they must not be looked upon as exclusive of the Precepts but inclusive Promises are spoken of Psal. 119. 111. Thy testimonies have I taken as an heritage for ever for they are the rejoycing of my heart They contain spiritual and heavenly Riches and so are matter of Joy to a believing Soul but the Commandments call for Duty on our parts The Precepts appoint us a pleasant Work shew us what is to be done and left undone These Restraints are grateful to the New Nature for the compliance of the Will with the Will of God and its conformity to his Law hath a Pleasure annexed to it A renewed Soul would be subject to God in all things therefore delights in his Commandments without limitation or distinction 3. It is not in the Study or Contemplation of the Justice and Equity of these Commandments but in the Obedience and Practice of them There is a pleasure in the Study and Contemplation for every Truth breedeth a delectation in the mind Psal. 19. 8. The statutes of the Lord are right rejoycing the soul. It is a blessed and pleasant thing to have a sure Rule commending it self with great evidence to our Consciences and manifesting it self to be of God therefore the sight of the Purity and Certainty of the Word of God is a great pleasure to any considering Mind no other Study to be compared with it But the Joy of Speculation or Contemplation is nothing to that of Practice Nothing maketh the Heart more chearful than a good Conscience or a constant walking in the way of God's Commandments 2 Cor. 1. 12. Our rejoycing is this the testimony of our conscience that with simplicity and godly sincerity not with fleshly wisdom but by the grace of God I have had my conversation in the world Let me give you this Gradation The Pleasures of Contemplation exceed those of Sense and the Delights of the Mind are more sincere and real than those of the Body for the more noble the Faculty is the more capable of Delight A Man in his Study about Natural things hath a truer pleasure than the greatest Epicure in the most exquisite enjoyment of Sense Prov. 24. 13 14. My son eat thou honey because it is good and the honey-comb which is sweet to thy taste so shall the knowledge of wisdom be unto thy soul when thou hast found it then there shall be a reward and thy expectation shall not be cut off But especially the Contemplation of Divine things is pleasant the Objects are more sublime certain necessary profitable and here we are more deeply concerned than in the Study of Nature Surely this is sweeter than Honey and Honey-comb to understand and contemplate the way of Salvation by Christ This is an Heaven upon Earth to know these things Iohn 17. 3. This is life eternal to know thee the onely true God and Iesus Christ whom thou hast sent As much as the Pleasures of the Natural Mind do exceed these Bodily Pleasures so much do these Pleasures of Faith and Spiritual Knowledge exceed those of the Natural Mind These things the Angels desire to pry into Now the Delights of Practical Obedience do far exceed those which are the meer result of Speculation and Contemplation Why Because they give us a more intimate feeling of the Truth and Worth of these things and our Right in them thereby is more secured and our Delight in them is heightned by the supernatural Operation of the Holy Ghost The Joy of the Spirit is said to be unspeakable and full of glory 1 Pet. 1. 18. In short
us in Christ that keepeth us doing Rom. 12. 1. I beseech you by the mercies of God that you present your bodies a living sacrifice holy acceptable unto God which is your reasonable service And Tit. 2. 11 12. The grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts we should live soberly righteously and godly in this present world Thankfulness to God is the great Principle of Gospel-Obedience 2. Love thy commandments which I have loved 2 Cor. 5. 12 The love of Christ constraineth us Nothing holdeth up the hands in a constant obedience to God and performance of his Will so much as a thorough Love to God and his Ways Faith begets Love and Love Obedience These are the true Principles of all Christian Actions 6. This lifting up of the hands imports a right End Commanded Work must be done to commanded Ends else we lift up our hands to our own Work Now the true End is the Glory of God 1 Cor. 10. 32. Whether therefore ye eat or drink or whatsoever you do do all to the glory of God And Phil. 1. 11. Being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Christ Iesus unto the glory and praise of God God's Glory must be our main scope not any bye respect of our own Well then this is lifting up our hands to the commandments of God not doing one good Work but all and this with a serious Diligence in our ordinary Practice continuing therein with Patience whatever Oppositions we meet with and this out of Faith or a sincere belief of the Gospel and fervent Love and an unfeigned respect to God's Glory II. Why such a lifting up the hands or serious addressing our selves to our Duty is necessary My Answer shall be given in a fourfold respect God Ordinances Graces and the Christian who is to give an account of himself unto God 1. God Father Son and Holy Ghost Father as a Law-giver Son as a Redeemer and Head of the Renewed Estate Holy Ghost as our Sanctifier 1. God the Father who in the Mystery of Redemption is represented as our Law-giver and Sovereign Lord and will be not onely known and worshipped but served by a full and intire Obedience 1 Chron. 28. 9. And thou Solomon my son know the God of thy father and serve him with a perfect heart and a willing mind He hath given us a Law not to be trampled upon or despised but observed and kept and that not by fear or force but of a ready mind Though there be an after-provision of Grace for those that break his Law because of the frailty of the Creature yet if we presume upon that Indulgence and sin much that God may pardon much we may render our selves uncapable of that Grace For the more presumptuously wicked we are the less pleasing unto God The Governour of the World should not be affronted upon the pretence of a Remedy which the Gospel offered for this is to sin that Grace may abound than which wicked Imagination nothing is more contrary to Gospel-Grace Rom. 6. 1. What shall we say then shall we continue in sin that grace may abound God forbid To check this Conceit God deterreth Men from greater Sins as more difficult to be pardoned than less they shall not have so quick and easie a pardon of them as of others nay he deterreth Men from going on far in sin either as to the intensive increase or the continuance in time lest he cut them off and withdraw his Grace and pardon them not at all Therefore he biddeth them to call upon him while he is near Isa. 55. 6. Not to harden their hearts while it is called to day Heb. 3. 7 8. Therefore if we should onely consider God as our Lord and Law-giver we should earnestly betake our selves to Obedience 2. If we consider the Son as Redeemer and Head of the Renewed Estate he standeth upon Obedience Heb. 5. 9. He is the authour of eternal life to them that obey him As he hath taken the Commandments into his own hand he insisteth upon Practice if his People will enjoy his favour Iohn 15. 10. If ye keep my commandments ye shall abide in my love as I have kept my fathers commandments and abide in his love He hath imposed a yoke upon his Disciples and hath Service for them to do he being a Pattern and Mirrour of Obedience expects the like from his People He fully performed what was enjoyned him to do as the Surety of Believers and therefore expecteth we should be as faithful to him as he hath been to God So Iohn 14. 21. He that hath my commandments and keepeth them he it is that loveth me No love of Christ should encourage us to cast off Duty but continue it He taketh himself to be honoured when his People obey 2 Thess. 1. 11 12. Wherefore also we pray always for you that God would count you worthy of this calling and fulfil all the good pleasure of his goodness and the work of faith with power that the name of our Lord Iesus Christ may be glorified in you The Work of Faith is Obedience and Christ is dishonoured and reproched when they disobey Luke 6. 46. Why call ye me Lord Lord and do not the things which I say 3. The Spirit is given to make Graces operative to flow forth Iohn 4. 14. Whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up unto everlasting life And Iohn 7. 38. He that believeth on me out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water This spake he of his Spirit which they that believe in him should receive Therefore if we have an inward approbation of the Ways of God unless we lift up our hands we resist his Work 2. With respect to Ordinances They are all Means and Means are imperfect without their End Things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are of no use unless that other thing be accomplished for which they serve As he is a foolish Workman that contents himself with having Tools and never worketh for Tools are in order to Work and all the Means of Grace are in order to Practice We read hear meditate to understand our Duty Now if we never put it in practice we use Means to no end and purpose Hear and live Hear and do The Word layeth out Work for us it was not ordained for speculation onely but as a Rule of Duty to the Creatures therefore if we are to hear read meditate we must also lift up our hands 3. All Graces are imperfect till they end in Action for they were not given us for idle and useless Habits Knowledge to know meerly that we may know is Curiosity and idle Speculation So Psal. 111. 10. A good understanding have all they that do his commandments Jer. 22. 16. He judgeth the cause of the poor and the
confirmed 2. Love to God increased 3. Hope made more lively Now these Providences of God suited to his Word comforted David had more power and force to confirm and increase these Graces then all their Atheistical Scoffs to shake them for he concluded from these Instances that though the Wicked flourish they shall perish and though the Godly be afflicted they shall be rewarded and so his Faith and Hope and Love to God and Adherence to his Wayes was much incouraged Comfort is sometimes spoken of in Scripture as an Impression of the Comforting Spirit sometimes as a result from an Act of our Meditation as here I comforted my self These things are not contrary but subordinate It is our Duty to meditate on God's Word and Providence and God blesseth it by the Influence of his Grace and the Spirit may be said to comfort us and we also may be said to comfort our selves Doctr. That the Remembrance of Gods former dealings with his People and their Enemies in all Ages is a great Relief in distress The Man of God is here represented as lying under the Scorns and Oppressions of the Wicked What did he doe to relieve himself I remembred thy Iudgments of old and have comforted my self So elsewhere this was his Practice Psal. 77. 5. I considered the days of old the years of ancient times again in the 11 and 12 Verses I will remember the works of the Lord surely I will remember thy works of old I will meditate also of all thy works and talk of thy doings Yet again Psal. 143. 5. I remember the days of old I meditate on all thy works I muse on the works of thy hands Thus did David often consider with what Equity and Righteousness with what Power and Goodness God carried on the work of his Providence toward his People of old The like he presseth on others Psal. 105. 5. Remember the marvellous works which he hath done his wonders and the Iudgments of his mouth Surely it is our Duty and it will be our Comfort and Reliefe I shall dispatch the Point in these Considerations 1. That there is a Righteous God that governeth the World All things are not hurled up and down by Chance as if the Benefit we receive were onely a good hit and the Misery a meer misfortune No all things are ordered by a Powerfull Wise and Just God his Word doth not onely discover this to us but his Works Psal. 58. 11. So that a man shall say Verily there is a reward for the Righteous verily there is a God that judgeth the Earth That is many times there are such Providences that all that behold them shall see and say that Godliness and Holiness are matters of Advantage and Benefit in this World abstracted from the Rewards to come and so an infallible Evidence that the World is not governed by Chance but administred by an Almighty All-wise and most Just Providence So elsewhere Psalm 9. 16. The Lord is known by the Iudgments which he executeth By some eminent Instances God sheweth himself to be the Judge of the World and keepeth a Petty Sessions before the day of General Assizes Upon this account the Saints beg the Lord to take off the Vaile from his Providence and to appear in protecting and delivering his Children and punishing their Adversaries Psalm 94. 1 2. O thou Iudge of the Earth shew thy self He is the Supreme Governour of the World to whom it belongeth to doe right 2. This Righteous God hath made a Law according to which he will govern and established it as the Rule of Commerce between him and his Creatures The Precept is the Rule of our Duty the Sanction is the Rule of his Proceedings so that by this Law we know what we must doe and what we may expect from him Man is not made to be lawless and ungoverned but hath a Conscience of Good and Evil for without the knowledge of God's Will we cannot obey him nor can we know his Will unless it be some way or other revealed No Man in his wits can expect that God should speak to us immediately and by Oracle we cannot endure his Voice nor can we see him and live Therefore he revealed his Mind by the Light of Nature and by Scripture which giveth us a clearer and more perfect Knowledge of his Will Certainly those that live under that Dispensation must expect that God will deale with them according to the Tenour of it The Apostle telleth us Rom. 2. 12. As many as have sinned without the Law shall perish without the Law and as many as have sinned in the Law shall be judged by the Law God hath been explicite and clear with them to tell them what they should doe and what they should expect 3. In the Course of his Dispensations he hath shewed from the beginning of the World unto this day that he is not unmindfull of this Law that the observance of this Rule bringeth suitable Blessings and the Violation of it the threatned Judgments Rom. 1. 18. The wrath of God is revealed from Heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men The Impious and the Unrighteous are breakers of either Table and the Wrath of God is denounced and executed upon both if there be any notorious Violation of either For in the day of God's Patience he is not quick and severe upon the World Heb. 2. 2. every Transgression and Disobedience received a just Recompence of Reward thereby his Word is owned Execution we say is the Life of the Law it is but Words without it and can neither be a ground of sufficient Hope in the Promises nor Fear in the Comminations When Punishments are inflicted it striketh a greater terrour when the Offenders are punished the Observers rewarded then it is a sure Rule of Commerce between us and God 4. That the Remembrance of the most Illustrious Examples of his Justice Power and Goodness should comfort us though we do not perfectly feel the Effects of his Righteous Government 1. I will prove we are apt to suspect God's Righteous Administrations when we see not the Effects of it when the Godly are oppressed with divers Calamities and the Wicked live a life of pomp and ease flourishing in Prosperity and Power according to their own hearts desire they are apt to think that God taketh no care of Worldly Affairs or were indifferent to Good and Evil as those profane Atheists Mal. 2. 17. Every one that doth evil is good in the sight of the Lord and he delighteth in him or where is the God of Iudgment as if God took pleasure in Wicked men and were no impartial Judge or had no Providence at all or hand in the Government of the World Temptations to Atheism begin ordinarily at the matter of God's Providence First Men carve out a Providence of their own that God loveth none but whom he dealeth kindly with in the matters of the World and if his Dispensations be cross to their apprehensions
higher points when taught unto them they discern and know the differences of things to be understood God's Blessing doth accompany use and frequent exercise and make it effectual to this end by degrees we come to a solidness 5. Sense and Experience doth much increase judgment when smarted for our folly tasted the sweetness of conversing with God in Christ 1 Pet. 2. 3. If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious Optima demonstratio est à sensibus Col. 1. 6. Which bringeth forth fruit as it doth also in you since the day you heard of it and knew the grace of God in truth God is not taught by experience to whose Knowledge all things are present and at all times and before all times but we are God is fain to teach us by Bryars and Thorns as Gideon taught the men of Succoth 6. Avoid the Enemies to it or hindrances of it I shall name two 1. A passionate or wilfull addictedness to any Carnal things Most men live by Sense Will and Passion whereby they enthrall that Wisdome which they have and keep it in unrighteousness Perit omne judicium cùm res transit in affectum Truth is a Prisoner to their sinfull Passions and Affections rejecting all thoughts of their future Happiness A man cannot be wise to Salvation and passionately addicted to any temporal Interest 2. Pride that maketh us either rash or presumptuous either not using a due consideration or not humble enough to subject our Minds to it Besides we cast off God's Assistance The humble and meek will he guide in Iudgment the meek will he teach his way Psal. 25. 9. Men that lean on their own understandings reject him Prov. 3. 5 6. Trust in the Lord with all thine heart and lean not unto thine own understanding In all thy ways acknowledg him and he shall direct thy paths SERMON LXXV PSAL. CXIX 66. For I have believed thy Commandments THIS latter Clause may be considered absolutely or relatively in it self or as it containeth a Reason of the foregoing Petition First Absolutely These words deserve a little consideration because Believing is here suited with an unusual Object had it been for I have believed thy Promises or obeyed thy Commandments the sense of the Clause had been more obvious to every vulgar Apprehension to believe Commandments sounds as harsh to a common Ear as to see with the Ear and hear with the Eye But for all this the Commandments are the Object and of them he saith not I have obeyed but I have believed To take off the seeming asperity of the Phrase some Interpreters conceive that Commandments is put for the Word in general and so Promises are included yea they think principally intended those Promises which encouraged him to hope for God's help in all necessary things such as good Judgment and Knowledge are But this Interpretation would divert us from the weight and force of these significant words Therefore 1. Certainly there is a Faith in the Commandments as well as in the Promises as I shall fully prove by and by 2. The one is as necessary as the other for as the Promises are not esteemed embraced and improved unless they are believed to be of God so neither are the Precepts they do not sway the Conscience as the other do nor incline the Affections but as they are believed to be Divine 3. The Faith of the one must be as lively as the other as the Promises are not believed with a lively Faith unless they draw off the heart from Carnal vanities to seek that Happiness which they offer to us so the Precepts are not believed rightly unless we be fully resolved to acquiesce in them as the onely Rule to guide us in the obtaining that Happiness and to adhere to them and obey them As the Kings Laws are not kept as soon as they are believed to be the Kings Laws unless also upon the consideration of his Authority and Power we subject our selves to them So this believing noteth a ready alacrity to hear God's Voice and obey it and to govern our Hearts and Actions according to his Counsel and Direction in the Word Doct. That the Commandments of God must be believed as well as his Promises Or The Precepts of Sanctity and Holiness bind the Conscience to obey God as well as the Promises bind us to trust in God 1. What we must believe concerning the Commandments 2. The Necessity of believing them if we would be happy 3. The Utility and Profit I. What we must believe concerning the Commandments 1. That they have God for their Authour that we may take our Duty immediately out of his hand that these Commands are his Commands The expressions of his commanding and legislative Will whereby our Duty is determined and bound upon us that is a matter of Faith not a matter of Sense We were not present at the giving of the Law as being past but we ought to be affected with it as if we were present or had heard the Thundrings of mount Sinai or had them now delivered to us by Oracle or immediate Voice from Heaven God doth once for all give the World sensible and sufficient satisfaction and then he requireth Faith See Heb. 2. 2 3 4. For if the word spoken by Angels was stedfast and every transgression and disobedience obtained a just recompence of reward How shall we escape if we neglect so great Salvation which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him God also bearing them witness both with signs and wonders and with divers miracles and gifts of the Holy Ghost according to his own will The Apostle compareth the first promulgation of the Law and the first publication of the Gospel After ages did not hear the sounding of the dreadfull Trumpet nor see the flaming smoaking Mountain were not conscious to all those Circumstances of Terrour and Majesty with which the Law was given yet it was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a stedfast Word God owned it in his Providence the Punishment of Transgressors is proof of God's authorizing the Doctrine So we were not present when the Miracles by which the Gospel-law was confirmed were wrought yet there is a constant evidence that these things were once done and God still owneth it in his Providence therefore we must receive the Gospel-law as the Sovereign will and pleasure of our Law-giver as if we had seen him in person doing these Wonders heard him with our own Ears It is not onely those that were present at Mount Sinai that were bound but all their Posterity God giveth arguments of Sense once for all This belief is the more required of us as to Precepts and Commandments because they are more evident by natural Light Rom. 2. 14 15. For when the Gentiles which have not the Law do by nature the things contained in the Law these having not the Law are a Law unto themselves Which shew the
Both must be done with the whole Man or regarded both in heart and practice It is not enough to leave off evil but to hate it nor to do good but we must do it with a love and an affection Compare three places Isa. 1. 16. Cease to do evil learn to do well Amos 5. 15. Hate the evil love the good And it is exprest with a further emphasis Rom. 12. 9. Abhor that which is evil cleave to that which is good These places comparâ—…d together will shew that the outward act is not only to be regarded but the frame of the heart There should not only be an abstinence from the act of sin but mortifying of the love of it for there are many that outwardly forbear sin but yet do not inwardly hate it On the other side we are not only to do good but there must be a love to good for many may externally do good when the heart abhors it And on the other side if there be a love to good God passeth by many failings it should not be a bare hatred or a cold love but such as hath life and vehemency in it abhorring that which is evil and cleaving to that which is good the soul of Ionathan cleaved to David it must be a knitting love There is Haman's refraining and David's refraining Esther 5. 10. It is said Haman refrained himself when his heart boiled with rancor and malice against Mordecai and there 's David refraining in the Text I refrained my heart from every evil way His heart is engaged when the heart cleaves to him not easily to separate 3 Both are regarded and both with the whole man now the one is required in order to the other we must refrain from evil that we may do good and do good that we may refrain from evil mortification and vivification do mutually help each other The more lively grace is the more sin droopeth the more lively sin is the more is the new nature oppressed Without refraining our feet from evil there is no doing of good for vivification is increased according to the degree of mortification 1 Pet. 2. 24. That we being dead to sin might be alive to righteousness As long as we are alive to sin active and delighting in the commission thereof we are dead to righteousness But now as the love and life of sin is weakned in our hearts so is grace introduced and we are quickned and carried on with more strength in holy duties the strength and fervor of the soul is diverted and runs in another channel the same affections that are carried out to sin the same current and stream of soul that ran out towards our selves then is carried in a way of grace the same affections but carried out to other objects And so on the other side wherever there is an affection to good there will be a cordial detestation to evil the affection to the one will awaken and increase the hatred of the other for still the soul draws that way which our affections carry them 4 As the one must be done in order to the other so our care in the first place must be to avoid evil or to stand at a distance from every known sin he begins with that as necessary to the other first I refrained my feet and then that I might keep thy Law he was to be more exact in a course of obedience In planting of grace God keeps this method he roots up the weeds and then plants us wholly with a right seed and so far as we are active under God in the work we first put off the old man with his deceitful lusts and then put on the new man Eph. 4. 22. We put off the rags of sin before we put on the garments of salvation The Plants of righteousness they will not thrive in an unhumbled proud impenitent heart therefore God's first work is the destruction of sin and then the introduction of grace The heart is purifi'd for Faith as well as purifi'd by Faith first it must be purifi'd for Faith that being the work of the Spirit of God for Iohn 5. 44. How can ye believe that seek honour one of another As long as any fleshly lust remains unmortifi'd be it Ambition Vain-glory affecting Honour Reputation Esteem in the world the heart is not purifi'd 2dly the heart is purifi'd by Faith Acts 15. 9. more and more this corruption is wrought out And then the heart is purifi'd for fear I will give a new heart Jer. 32. 40. And then purifi'd by fear as Iob feared God Iob 1. 1. So the heart is purifi'd for love and by love for love Deut. 30. 6. And the Lord will circumcise thine heart and the heart of thy seed to love the Lord thy God with all thine heart and with all thy soul. A Believer is to be consider'd in the act of conversion and in the state of conversion in the act of conversion so first we turn from evil by a sound remorse true grace is first planted first purified for grace then purified by grace Iob feared God then eschewed evil preparing grace is implanted in us then it hath an exercise upon us for the weakning of sin more and more 5 Keeping at a distance from evil it must be as it is evil and contrary to the holy nature and will of God I observe this because David did not refrain his feet from evil upon any foreign and accidental reasons for fear of men or any sinister and by-respect but meerly out of tender love and respect to the Law of God to testifie his obedience to him I refrained my feet from every evil way And what was his motive That I might keep thy Word A Child of God hates sin as it is contrary to his drift and purpose If we do not love good for good-sake it is not good we love but some other thing that cleaves to it the temporal benefit that we think will come thereby so if we do not nate evil as evil but because of the loss and detriment that attends the practice of it it is not sin that we hate but inconveniences As Austin saith of the Eternal Reward There are many Non peccare metuunt sed ardere They are not afraid to sin but are afraid to be damned So a natural conscience may upon foreign and accidental reasons stand aloof off from sin as a Dog may forbear a morsel for fear of the Cudgel convinced Men may forbear sin out of horror of conscience and not out of any serious dislike of heart against it Briefly there is Custom Education Penalty of Law Infamy shame of the World difficulty of compassing Sin shame in practising these are but accidental reasons these may make us refrain they may breed a casual dislike but not a natural hatred for a gracious refraining must be upon a religious reason David gives an account not only of his practice but his motive I refrained my feet from every evil way And why
they could not clearly discern the meaning of that Type but now all things are open we can behold the Lamb of God therefore must be often with God suing out our pardon in the Name of Christ. 2. The Sacrifice of Praise It is notable when the Apostle had spoken of Christ as a sin-offering he mentions this as the main thing in the Gospel Heb. 13. 15. By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually Praise it ought continually frequently and upon all occasions to be offer'd to God for this is a more noble duty than Prayer Self-love may put us upon Prayer but love to God puts us upon praise and thanksgiving we pray because we need God and we praise because we love him In Prayer we become Beggars that God would bestow something upon us but in praise we come according to poor creatures to bestow something upon God even to give him the glory due to his Name and tell him what he hath done for our poor souls This is the most noble among all the parts of Christian Worship We have more cause to give thanks than to pray for we have many things more to praise God for than to pray to him for There are many favors which go before all thought of desert and many favors still bestow'd upon us beyond what we can either ask or think Doct. 2. Secondly These spiritual offerings must be free-will offerings to God This expression is often spoken of in the Law Lev. 22. 18. Numb 29. 39. 2 Chron. 31. 14. Amos 4. 5. What are these free will-offerings They are distinguish'd from God's stated Worship and distinguish'd from that service which fell under a Vow Besides the stated Peace offerings there were certain Sacrifices perform'd upon certain occasions to testifie God's general goodness and upon receipts of some special mercy and you will find these Sacrifices to be expresly distinguish'd from such services as men bound themselves â—…o â—…y vow Lev. 7. 16. What is there that answers now to these free-will-offerings Certainly this is not spoken to this use that a man should devise any part of worship of his own â—…ad whatever pretence of zeal he hath but they serve to teach us two things 1. They are to teach us how ready we should be to take all occasions of thankfulness and spiritual worship for besides their vowed services and instituted services they had daily Sacrifices and set Feasts commanded by God they had their free-will offerings offer'd to God in thankfulness for some special blessing received or deliverance from danger 2. It shews with what voluntariness and chearfulness we should go about God's worship in the Gospel and what a free disposition of heart there should be and edge upon our affections in all things that we offer to God and in this latter sense I shall speak that our offerings to God Prayer and Praise should be free-will-offerings come from us not like water out of a Still forc'd by the Fire but like water out of a Fountain with native freeness readily and freely 1. God loves a chearful Giver constrained service is of no value and respect with him Under the Law when Sacrifice of Beasts were in fashion wherefore did God chuse the purest and fattest of every thing offer'd to him but as a testimony of a willing mind and still he looks to the affections rather than the action God weighs the Spirit Prov. 16. 2. When God comes to put them into the balance of the Sanctuary what doth he weigh External circumstances of duty or the pomp and appearance wherein men go No but he considers with what kind of heart it is done and the love of sin God takes notice of that as well as the practice of sin So in our duties God takes notice of the love the inclination of our souls as well as the outward service therefore our offerings must be free and voluntary 2. God deserves it he doth us good with all his heart and all his givings come to us from his love Why did he give Christ for us and to us He loved us Why gave he him for us God so loved the world John 3. 16. Why doth he give Christ to us Eph. 2. 4 5. God who is rich in mercy for his great love wherewith he loved us even when we were dead in sins hath quickned us together with Christ. That which moved God to bestow his saving grace upon us was his great love and all the good we receive from him why mercy pleaseth him and I will rejoice over them to do them good If he deliver us out of any danger he hath loved us from the grave Isa. 38. 7. Now love should season all our services to God 3. Where a day of grace hath past upon our hearts so it will be the soul will come off readily and freely to the duties God hath requir'd of us Psal. 110. 3. Thy people shall be a willing people in the day of thy power We are naturally backward slow of heart to do any thing that is good hang off from God will not be subject to him but when the day of his power passeth upon us then we are a willing People we are more delighted in communion with God less averse from him the bent of our hearts is altered and the stream of our affections is turnâ—…d another way and our converses with God are more delightful and we are as earnest in serving God as before we were in serving sin Use. To press us to serve God with a perfect heart and with a willing mind 1 Chron. 29. 9. Thus when we give God any spiritual Sacrifice when we pray or praise him we should do it willingly not customarily or by constraint or for by-ends nor by the compulsion of a natural Conscience and when we feel as we shall now and then any tediousness and irksomness in Prayer we should quicken our selves by this motive Christ Jesus who was our sin offering he willingly offer'd up himself upon the service of our salvation I might urge other Arguments as the nobleness of our service the greatness of our reward the many sweet Experiences we shall gain in our converse with God but this should be as the Reason of Reasons and instead of all Christ Jesus did not grudgingly go about the work of our salvation but willingly offer'd himself Psal. 40. 8. I delight to do thy will O my God yea thy Law is within my heart When God would have no more legal sin offerings but the great sin-offering of the Gospel was to be produc'd and brought forth in the view of the world Lo I come in the volume of the book it is written of me Now our thank-offering should be carried on with the same willingness Christ will be served now out of gratitude and therefore his love should constrain us Surely if we believe this great mystery of Christ that he did willingly offer himself upon the service of our souls and
something without to draw you forward Nature thrusteth Occasion inviteth but Grace interposeth and checketh the motion Gal. 5. 17. The spirit lusteth against the flesh 't is against the bent and inclination of the New Nature there is a back Biass Ioseph had a temptation we read of occasion inviting but not of Nature inclining but presently his heart recoiled The heart of man is seldome without these counterbuffs 't is an advantage to have the new Nature as ready to check as the old Nature to urge and solicite 1 Iohn 3. 9. He cannot sin for his seed remaineth in him 2. In putting on the heart upon Duties that are against the hair and bent of corruption Such acts of obedience as are most troublesome and burthensome to the flesh as are laborious costly dangerous Laborious as private Worship wrestling with God in Prayer holding the heart to Meditation and self-Examination sluggish Nature is apt to shrink but love constraineth 2 Cor. 5. 14. Spiritual Worship and such as is altogether without secular encouragement that 's tedious to work truth into the heart to commune with God to ransack Conscience 't is troublesome but thy striving will overcome it So there is costly and chargeable work as Alms Contributions to publick good there must be a striving to bring the heart to it Then for actions dangerous as publick Contests for Gods Glory or keeping a good Conscience though with cost to our selves our great work is to keep the will afoot Nature is slow to what is good a Coachman in his journey is always quickning his Horses and stirring them up so must we quicken a sluggish will do what we can though we cannot do all that we should the will must hold up still A Prisoner escaped would go as far as he can but his Bolts will not suffer to make long Journies but yet he thinketh he can never get far enough so this will is a disposition that puts us upon striving to do our utmost for God 2. The matter resolved on To perform thy Statutes always unto the end Uniform obedience always or all his days As long as life lasteth we must be always ready to observe all Gods Commands which notes the continuity of our obedience sincerity and perpetuity of it We are to engage our hearts by a serious resolution to serve him and that not by fits and starts but always not for a time but to the end Resolve to cleave to him to hold him fast that he may not go to keep our hold fast that we may not go Take notice of the first decays and let us keep our hold fast and bewail often the inconstancy of our hearts that we are so unconstant in that which is good Every hour our hearts are changed in a duty What a Proteus would man be if his thoughts were visible in the best duty that ever he performed Rom. 7. 18. Evil is present with me but how to perform that which is good I find not our Devotion comes by pangs and fits now humble anon proud now meek anon passionate not the same men in a duty and act of a duty unstable as water Compare it with Gods constancy his unchangeable nature his love to us that we may be ashamed of our levity from everlasting to everlasting God is where he was the same the same to those that believe in him Secondly This to the end Gods Grace holdeth out to the end so should our obedience He that hath begun a good work will perfect it c. Consider how unreasonable it is to desire God to be ours unto the end if we are not his Psal. 48. 14. He is our God for ever and ever he will be our Guide till death He doth not lay down the conduct of his Providence So Psal. 73. 24. Thou shalt guide me with thy Counsel and afterwards receive me to Glory We can give nothing to God our obedience is but a profession of homage if God be always in our eye we shall be always in his We receive life breath and motion from him every moment he sustaineth us every day and hour yieldeth new mercy God watcheth over us when we are asleep yet how much of our time passeth away when we do not perform one act of love to God! The Devil is awake when we sleep to do us a mischief but the God of Israel never slumbereth nor sleepeth how can we offend him Let us then take up this serious resolution To perform Gods Statutes always to the end SERMON CXXIV PSAL. CXIX VER 113. I hate vain thoughts but thy Law do I love THere are in men two great influencing affections Love and Hatred one serves for choice and pursuit the other for flight and aversation The great work of Grace is to fix these upon their proper objects if we could but set our love and hatred right we should do well enough in the spiritual life Man fallen is but the Anagram of man in innocency we have the same affections but they are misplaced we love where we should hate and hate where we should love our affections are like a member out of joint out of its proper place as if the arms should hang backward If men knew how to bestow their love and hatred they would be other manner of persons than now they are In the Text we are taught what to do in both by Davids example see how he bestowed his love and hatred I hate vain thoughts but thy Law do I love Love was made for God and for all that is of Gods side his Law his Ordinances his Image c. but hatred was made for sin All sin must be hated of what kind and degree soever it be Every drop of water is water and every spark of fire is fire so the least degree of sin is sin Thoughts are but a partial act a tendency towards an action and yet thoughts are sin Of all the operations of the soul the world thinketh a man should be least troubled about his thoughts of all actual breaches of the Law these are most secret therefore we think thoughts are free and subject to no tribunal Most of the Religion that is in the world is but mans observance and therefore we let thoughts go without dislike or remorse because they do not betray us to shame or punishment These are most venial in mans account they are but partial or half acts What! not a thought pass but we must make conscience of it this is intolerable Once more of all thoughts vain thoughts would escape censure A thought that hath apparent wickedness in it a murtherous or an unclean thought a natural Conscience will rise up in armes against it but vain thoughts we think are not to be stood upon Oh but David was sensible that these were contrary to the Law of God transgressions as well as other thoughts and therefore inconsistent with his Love to God I hate vain thoughts Secondly He bestows his love on the Law Naturally
same which Mahometans have to the Alchoran Education in it Ancestors embracing of it the countenance of the Law the custom of the Country c. 3. The manner or way how we come by it by much prayer and serious deliberation Some by chance are surprized and affected with a good motion suddenly good but habitually bad they will in all haste become religious but alas this estimation or approbation of Gods ways is entertained but for a time but afterwards vanisheth and cometh to nothing There must be a clear distinct knowledge of the excellency of Gods ways otherwise in a fit or in a good mood we chuse that which is good but the interest in evil not being renounced in heart it causeth an easie retreat into the former sinful course Fourthly It must be such an esteem as hath a lively and effectual influence upon our hearts and ways There is a liking that only produceth a velleity and wish and doth not engage the soul to prosecute the things willed or forsake the things nilled but there is such an effectual liking and esteem as will produce a constant habitual willingness that will have the authority of a principle and hath a powerful command over the whole soul to set it a working to do the will of God and will admit of no contradiction by contrary desires but maketh us act with life power and earnestness Cold and inconstant wishes produce no fruit in the heart the general course of most mens lives is as if they had no liking to the Law of God It may be they may dislike and sacrifice some of their weaker lusts and smaller interests which they can well spare but corruption doth ordinarily bear sway in their hearts and lives In the Text 't is I esteem all thy precepts and hate every false way 'T is true a man that approveth the Law is not wholly freed from sin There are sins of ordinary infirmity that cleave to us while we are in the world yea taint our best actions Isai. 64. 6. But we are all as an unclean thing all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags And sometimes though there be a principle of Grace a Child of God may be over-born by the violence of a temptation carried into presumptuous sins which may make strange havock in the soul. David prayeth Psal. 19. 14. that God would keep him from presumptuous sins but for the most part the Children of God are influenced by their consent and esteem of the Law of God And the renewed part for the generality hath the upper hand and prevaileth and the flesh is weakened as the house of David grew stronger and stronger 2 Sam. 3. 1. and the house of Saul waxed weaker and weaker Fifthly It must be an universal not partial esteem I esteem all thy precepts concerning all things to be right Psal. 119. 6. When I have respect to all thy Commandments Luke 1. 6. Zachary and Elizabeth walked in all the Commandments and Ordinances of God blameless Acts 3. 22. Him shall you hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you And he shall fulfil all my will 'T is not enough to be right in Commands in general or the lump but in this and that particular not in some but in all We pretend to give up our selves to the will of God in the general but particulars we stick at Men are convinced that holiness is necessary that they must have some Religion therefore when they take up Duty in the lump and abstract notion or naked consent it doth not exasperate opposite propensions Ye cannot serve the Lord c. saith Ioshua Josh. 24. 18 19. but when they come to particulars and see what it is to wait upon a holy and jealous God they tire and grow weary so that there must be a consent and purpose to obey not some but all and every one without exception not partial like that of Herod to Iohn Mark 6. 20. He did many things The worst man in the world loveth some good and hateth some evil but he doth not esteem all Gods Commandments in every point Nay the great enemy of our salvation Satan can be content to let us yield to God in many things if he would be contented with half our duty one sin reserved keepeth afoot his interest in our hearts as a Bird tyed by the Leg is fast enough The Devil will suffer men to do many things but if he hath them fast by one lust be it an inclination to sensuality or love to the world he is contented The World likes many things in Religion they are good and profitable for men but sticketh at others To live godly in Christ Jesus will draw on persecution 2 Tim. 3. 12. The flesh will dispense with us to do many things for the more cleanly conveyance of others if it can but get us to spare the bosome lust which the soul delighteth in Every man as he is inslaved by his own customes opposeth one this Law another that the proud man doth not approve of that Law that doth forbid his pride nor the sensual man that which toucheth his intemperance and unbridled Appetite nor the worldly man his covetousness cannot endure that part of the Law that would abridge him of his gain Nothing more common than to cast off what liketh us not in the Law of God and to wish there were no precept given in that kind but our consent must be to all in general and to this and that in particular Many could be content with Gods Law so far as it doth not cross their carnal interest or hinder their corrupt desires but we must esteem all the Laws of God they are all holy just and good not one excepted all conduce to perfect our Nature and make us happy Creatures they all conduce to the benefit of humane Nature they are all enjoyned by the authority of the same God God spake all these words They are linked as Rings in a Chain one preserveth another they are all necessary for our eternal happiness not one given in vain So much thou continuest thine own misery and art defective in the way that leadeth to true happiness as thou art willing to indulge to any one sin They are all written in the hearts of Gods Children Heb. 8. 10. all suited to the new Nature and he hath given Grace to keep all 1 Pet. 1. 15. perfection of parts not of degrees The new Creature is not maimed in the birth A Child hath not the bulk and strength of a man Want of perfection of parts cannot be supplied by any after-growth Nay all are necessary to our Communion with God Psal. 66. 18. If I regard iniquity in my heart the Lord will not hear me Matth. 5. 19. Whosoever shall break one of these least Commandments c. If we dispense with our selves in the least things we are not fit for Communion with God 2 Cor. 7. 1. Having such promises of Gods being in us and dwelling in us and
he is full of indignation and broke the Tables So those that have had sweet Communion with God have a more severe displicency against their Corruptions and there is a more lively principle at work in their hearts for the expulsion of them every act of kindness on Gods part layeth a new Obligation and their hatred is awakened by the holy use of the Ordinances 4. The constant discoveries of hatred against sin are watching and striving against it they are ever careful that they may not offend God Acts 24. 16. And herein do I exercise my self to keep a Conscience void of offence both towards God and men and keep striving and a serious Resistance even when they are foiled Rom. 7. 15. The evil that I hate that do I. A Christian always hateth sin though he doth not always prevail against it In sins of daily infirmity Striving is Conquering but in other sins they prevail against them by degrees sin doth not carry it freely nor Reign in them For sin shall not have dominion over you for ye are not under the law but under grace Rom. 6. 14. Doct. II. That a slight hatred of a sinful course is not enough but we must hate it and abhor it Rom. 12. 9. Abhor that which is evil cleave to that which is good Hate it as Hell as the word signifieth We do too coldly speak against Evil too slackly follow after that which is Good If our pursuit after God were more earnest and our hatred of Evil more serious and severe we should be other manner of Christians than we are There is a twofold hatred 1. The hatred of offence and abomination And 2. The hatred of enmity and opposition By the one our hearts are turned from sin by the other turned against it Now both these are necessary for a Christian that would be safe Hating and Abhorring implyeth not only a naked Abstinence or a simple Refusal but an Enmity Not a forbearing the Act but a mortifying the Affection We must not only leave off Evil but abhor it and not only abhor it but pursue it with an hostile hatred purposing watching striving praying against it thwarting the flesh and contradicting the Motions thereof Reasons I. 'T is not else an hatred becoming sin which is so great an evil so opposite to Gods Law and derogatory to Gods Glory so mischievous to us There is a great deal of evil in sin a great deal of evil after sin that we can never hate it enough 'T is the Evil of Evils that brought all other Evils into the World it is the violation of a righteous Law 1 Iohn 3. 4. A Contempt of Gods Authority Exod. 5. 2. Who is the Lord that I should obey his voice Psal. 12. 4. Our tongues are our own who is Lord over us 'T is a defacing of his Image and a casting off the Glory and Honour of our Creation Rom. 3. 23. We have sinned and are come short of the glory of God Psal. 49. 12. Nevertheless man being in honour abideth not he is like the beasts that perish A despising of his power by a silly worm as if we could make good our Party against him 1 Cor. 10. 22. Do we provoke the Lord to jealousie are we stronger than he It separateth from Communion with God Isa. 59. 2. Your iniquities have separated between me and you It preferreth base Satisfactions before the Enjoyment of him 2 Tim. 3. 4. Lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God As if the base and brutish Pleasures of the Flesh were to be preferred before the Love of God This and much more may be said of sin and is any hatred too great for it Psal. 101. 3. I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes I hate the work of them that turn aside it shall not cleave to me 2. No other hatred will serve the purposes of Grace a Love that is Cold will soon fail so also will an Hatred Where our Zeal is not set against sin we soon fall into a liking of it therefore the Soul is not sufficiently guarded by a slight hatred If sin be not Detestable it will soon seem Tolerable There is a brabble between many and their Lusts and in all haste sin must be gone but the quarrel is soon taken up and sin stayeth for all that where the Enmity is not great a mans agreement with sin may be soon made Therefore not only an offence but an hostile hatred is required such hating and abhorring as will not admit of Reconciliation Like the hatred of Amnon to Tamar The hatred wherewith he hated her was greater than the love wherewith he loved her 2 Sam. 13. 15. he hated her with hatred greatly did we more strongly dissent from sin it would not so easily prevail over us Sin dyeth when it dyeth in our Affections when our hearts are set against it Get you hence Isa. 30. 22. Get you gone be there from henceforth an utter Divorce between me and you This is to hate and abhor Use. Is to shew us the Reason why so many are intangled again in the sins they seemed to renounce and forsake they have frequently resolved to forsake their sins but these resolutions have come to nothing they have striven against them but as a great stone that hath been rolled up Hill it hath returned upon them with the more Violence Or as in rowing against the Stream when the Tide hath been strong against them and they have been driven the more back and therefore are discouraged Yea they have prayed and found little success and therefore think 't is vain to make any further Trial What shall we say than to these If the Premises were clear yet the Inference and Conclusion is wrong and false for we are not to measure our Duty by the success but Gods injunction God may do what he pleaseth but we must do what he hath Commanded Abraham obeyed God not knowing whither he went Heb. 11. 8. Peter said unto Christ we have toiled all night and have caught nothing nevertheless at thy Command we will cast forth the Net Though the first attempt succeed not yet afterwards sin may be subdued and broken In Natural things we do not sit down with one Trial or one Endeavour but after many disappointments pursue our designs till we compleat them A Merchant will not leave off for on bad Voyage nor an Ambitious Man because his first Essayes were fruitless and shall we give over our Conflicts with worldly and fleshly Lusts That sheweth our Will is not fixedly bent against them because we cannot presently subdue them He that will be Rich 1 Tim. 6. 10. If you had such a Will to be holy and heavenly 2. There is a fault in these Purposes in these strivings and prayers they do not come from an heart thoroughly set against sin 1. These purposes are not hearty and real and then no wonder they do not prevail there may be a slight purpose and there is a full
to another Court to the Chancery of the Gospel and take sanctuary at the Lords Grace offered in Jesus Christ He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved but he that believeth not shall be damned Mark 16. 16. Again when it is good the sentence of the Word 't is judgment Rom. 8. 33. It is God that justifieth who is he that condemneth What hath the officer to do when a man is absolved by the Judg in Court Conscience is Gods Deputy Satan is Gods Executioner the Witness is silenced the Executioner hath no more to do when the Judg absolveth as God doth all by the sentence of the Gospel that are willing to come under Christs shadow 2 As the Word judgeth and passeth sentence upon our states so also upon our actions thought word or deed for all these in this regard come under the notion of acts 1. Thoughts they are lyable to Gods Tribunal which can be arraigned before no other Bar yet the Word doth find them out It doth not only discover the evil of them Heb. 4. 12. The word of God is quick and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit and of the joints and marrow and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart but judgeth and sentenceth them Ier. 6. 19. I will bring evil upon this people even the fruit of their thoughts Men have only a process against others either for words or actions but God hath a process against them for their thoughts Though in mens Courts thoughts are free as not lyable to their cognizance yet they are subject to another Judicature 2. Words Idle words weigh heavy in Gods Ballance God that hath given a Law to the heart hath also given a Law to the lips Mat. 12. 36. Every-idle words that men shall speak they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment Words will come to be judged either we are to give an account of them here or hereafter either to condemn our selves for them and seek pardon or to be condemned hereafter before God A loose and ungoverned tongue will be one evidence brought against men as a sign of their unrenewed hearts in the day of Judgment 3. All our Actions they are sentenced in the Word God hath declared his mind concerning them Eccles. 12. 14. God will bring every work into judgment Things will not be hudled up in that day God will not accept of a general bill of account by lump but every action he will judg it according to the tenor of his Word This is an amplification of the first reason why the word or precepts of God are called judgments because they are judicial sentences of God the Law-giver given forth with an authority uncontroulable concerning our estate and actions The next Reason is because of the suitable Execution that is to follow in this world and in the next 1. In this world It is an easie matter to reconcile the Word and Providence together for Providence is but a comment upon the Word and you may even transcribe Gods dispensations from the threatnings and promises of the Law The story of the people of the Iews might have been transcribed from the threatnings of the Law so that the Comminations of the Law were but as a Calender and Prognostication what kind of weather it would be with that people So still the Apostle makes the observation Heb. 2. 2. Every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward Mark it is notable to observe how God hath been punctual in executing the sentence of every command the breach of it hath had a just recompence and reward as I might instance in all the Law of God Moses and Aaron if they will not sanctifie God according to the first Commandment they shall be shut out of the land of Canaan And if the people will have their false worship how will God punctually accomplish it that he will ruin them and their posterity So Rom. 1. 18. you have this general a little more specified God hath not only taken notice of the first Table but of the second The wrath of God is revealed from heaven not only against all ungodliness but unrighteousness of men c. God from Heaven hath owned both Tables and executed the sentence of the Law against sinners Hos. 7. 12. I will chastise them as their congregation hath heard If a man would observe Providence he might find not only Iustice in Gods Dispensations but Truth I rather note this because Gods Children may smart in this life for breach of the Law Though sentence of absolution takes place as to their persons and state yet in this life they may smart sorely for the breach of the Law In time of trial God will make the world know he is impartial that none shall go free but the sentence of the Word shall be executed Prov. 11. 31. The righteous shall be recompenced in the earth much more the wicked and the sinner Recompenced that is with a recompence of punishment so Peter reads it out of the Septuagint 1 Pet. 4. 18. And if the righteous scarcely be saved c. It is a hard matter to keep a righteous man from falling under the vengeance of God God stands so much upon the credit of his Word that he deals out smart blows and stripes for their iniquity here in this world 2. In the next world there is no other sentence given but what is according to the Word Ioh. 12. 48. The word that I have spoken the same shall judg you in the last day God will pronounce sentence then according to what is said now either to believers or unbelievers Well then upon these grounds you see the Execution is not only Judgment but the very Law is Judgment A man that is to be examined and tried for life and death would fain know how it would speed with him and how matters shall be carried before-hand God will not deal with you by way of surprize he hath plainly told you according to what rule he will proceed saith he The word which I have spoken the same shall judg you at the last day Use. I would apply this first term Iudgments thus to press us to regard the sentence of the Word more If you cannot stand before the Word of God how will you stand before Christs Tribunal at the last day Many times there 's a conviction in the Ore though not refined to full conviction and that discovers it self thus by a fear to be tried and searched Ioh. 3. 20. They will not come to the light lest their deeds should be disproved They that are loth to know are loth to search you can have no comfort but what is according to the tenor of the Word and no happiness but what is according to the sentence of the Word What the Word doth say to you as sure as God is true it will be accomplished to a tittle God
ye shall live He gives and requires to engage the subserviency of our endeavours and to make us sensible of our duty and obligation 2 This followeth because this work must be gone over again and again that it may be more explicite we must revive the work and put a fresh copy of the Law into our heart to keep the old work afoot Use. 1. To perswade you to study the Scripture that you may get understanding and hide the Word in your hearts for gracious purposes This is the Book of Books let it not lie idle and unimployed The world can as well be without the Sun as the Bible Psal. 19. First he speaks of the Sun and then of the Law of God This is to the Christian and gracious world as the Sun is to the outward world The use and profit of it should make us look after more acquaintance with it Consider the great use of the Word for informing the understanding and reforming the will For informing the understanding 2 Tim. 3. 7. The word of God is able to make the man of God perfect and throughly furnished Who should have more knowledg than the man of God that is to stand in Gods stead and teach the people Then for reforming the will Vers. 9th of this Psalm Wherewith shall a young man cleanse his way By taking heed thereto according to thy word A young man that is so heedless and head-strong and in the very ruff and heat of his lusts yet there 's enough in the Word to cleanse and tame him and subdue him to God Oh therefore let us get it into our hearts let it not only move the lighter part of the soul but get rooting that it may have its full power and force That we may not only have a little knowledg to talk of it but we are to hide it deeply that it may take root and spring up again in our lives and conversations To this end meditate often of it and receive it in the love of it 1. Meditate often of it Luk. 2. 19. Mary kept all these sayings how did she keep them she pondered them in her heart Musing makes the fire to burn and deep and constant thoughts are operative not a glance or a slight view The Hen which stragleth from her nest when she sits a brooding produceth nothing it is a constant incubation which hatcheth the young so when we have only a few stragling thoughts and do not set a brooding upon a truth when we have flashes only like a little glance of a Sun-beam upon a wall it doth nothing but serious and inculcative thoughts through the Lords blessing will do the work Urge the heart again and again As the Apostle when he had laid down the Doctrine of Justification and the priviledges thereof Rom. 8. 31. Now what shall we say to these things Is this a truth then what will become of me if I disregard it Thus to return upon our heart when any light begins to shine in our minds from the Scripture Is this the Word of God and doth it find no more entertainment in my heart 2. Receive it in the love of it The Apostle makes that to be the ground of Apostasie 2 Thes. 2. 10. Because they received not the truth in the love of it c. O let it soak into the Affections if it lye only in the tongue or in the mind only to make it a matter of talk and speculation it will be soon gone The seed which lies upon the surface the fowls of the air will peck it up Therefore hide it deeply let it get from the ear into the mind from the mind into the heart let it soak further and further First men have a naked apprehension of truth then it gets into the Conscience and then it lies in the heart then 't is laid up But when we suffer it only to be made matter of speculation it is soon lost Know this a man may receive a thing in the evidence and light of it when he doth not receive it in the love of it When it rests in naked speculation then he receives a thing in the evidence and light of it but when it hath a prevailing soveraignty in the heart then we receive it in the love of it When it is dearer than our dearest lust then it will stick by us When we are willing to sell all for the pearl of price Mat. 13. 46. We are often put to it what we will part with our lusts or the truth When it breaks in upon the heart with evidence and power you cannot keep both Therefore let it soak into the affections and hide the word in your hearts that you may not sin against God Use 2. To direct you what to do in Reading Hearing Meditating 1. In reading hide the Word in your hearts The Word may be reduced to Doctrines Promises Threatnings For Doctrines lay up knowledg Prov. 10. 14. It is a notable preservative against sin and an antidote against the infection of the world when we have a good stock of Principles Psal. 37. 31. The Law of God is in his heart none of his steps shall slide As long as truth is kept lively and active and in view of Conscience we shall not slide or not so often slide We have many temptations to divert us from the truth and obedience but here we are in safety when the Law of God is in our heart How often was the Word of God in Ioseph's heart How can I do this great wickedness and sin against God Against God that is of such a Soveraign Majesty against God of such infinite goodness and mighty power so able to save and to destroy Every time you read the Scriptures you should lay up something The best way to destroy ill weeds is by planting the ground with right seed Every where we shall meet with notable passages Therefore stock your selves with good Principles 2. Then for Promises that part of the Word What have you hidden in your heart for Comfort against Temptations Desertions Afflictions What have you laid up against a dear year Iob 22. 22. Lay up his word in thine heart In a time of trial you will find one Promise will give you more comfort and support than all the arguments that can be produced by reason Psal. 119. 50. This is my comfort in my affliction thy word hath quickned me He had a word to support him Therefore let us treasure up all the Promises all will be little enough when we need comforts That we may not have them to seek in a time of distress it is good they should be familiar As you read the Word collect for your comfort and profit happy is the man that hath his Garner full of them And so for threatnings especially against the sins we are most inclinable to Who among you will give ear and hear for the time to come Isa. 42. 23. You should think of what will come afterward it is
what we see not to be as a Rock in the midst of a storm dying yet we live as poor yet making many rich 2 Cor. 8. 9 10. All the operations of the Spirit are wonderful 1 Pet. 1. 8. Ioy unspeakable and full of glory Phil. 4. 7. Peace that passeth all understanding Rom. 8. 26. Groans that cannot be uttered 2. What Divine illumination contributeth to the sight of these wonders 1. It revealeth the truth of them which otherwise is incomprehensible to the flesh Matth. 16. 17. Flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee but my Father which is in heaven Without this no certain knowledg of Christs Person and Office 2. It more intimately acquainteth us with them Matth. 13. 11. To you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God to others it is not given All Gods works are full of wonder yet blind men cannot see them though the Sun shineth never so clearly A beautiful room into which there is but a crevise when we lay our eye close to it we see it USE 1. From hence we may learn That it is one degree of profit to see so much in the word of God as to admire it either at the mysteries of godliness or ungodliness which the word discovereth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They that are most enlightned have most cause to wonder for then they find Truths which exceed all common reason such as do not come into the minds of others or if they do they seem incredible USE 2. Is to encourage us to study the word the wonders of Gods works are many but the wonders of his word greater Quot articuli tot miracula the Papists say of Aquinas Sums But more truly may it be said of the word of God All the doctrines of the word are a continued mystery After man was fallen it came not into the head of any creature how to satisfie Justice to make up the breath On the folly of them that despise the word as curious Wits and Worldlings do as if it were a mean knowledg in comparison of what may be acquired from Aristotle and Plato or the Politicians of the world If there be in it some rudiments something common with other Writings yet there are greater things than these the deepthings of God 1 Cor 2. 11. never such a revelation made to the world And worldly men that despise this study of the word they despise that which Angels wonder at Eph. 3. 10. and desire to pry into 1 Pet. 1. 13. and make great matters of trifles The Sun of Righteousness is not he worth the beholding USE 3. Let us cease wondering at worldly things great Places Honours heaps of wealth fair Buildings as the Disciples Mark 13. 1. Master see what manner of stones and buildings are here 'T is said of Christ Col. 2. 9. In him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily fulness of the Godheaâ—… Oh wonderful The people wondred at that mass of money provided by David to build God an House 1 Chron. 29. 7 8. Oh! but the unsearchable riches of Grace the rare plot of mans Redemption 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 how wonderful All in and about Christ is rare His name is Wonderful all the promises of God are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 exceeding great and precious promises 2 Pet. 1. 4. they transcend mans capacity It condemneth the stupidness of them that are nothing moved or taken with things so great and wonderful great in themselves and should be precious to us SERMON XX. PSAL. CXIX 19. I am a stranger in the earth hide not thy Commandments from me IN the 18. Verse David had begged Divine illumination Open mine eyes c. he doth not desire God to make a plainer Law but to give him a clearer sight That request he backs with three reasons in the following verses 1. His condition in the world I am a stranger in the earth Strangers in aforeign Countrey need guidance and direction 2. His earnest affection to the word ver 20. My soul breaketh for the longing that it hath unto thy judgments at all times David had an earnest longing to be acquainted more with the will of God 3. Gods judgments upon those that contemn the word Thou hast rebuked the proud that are cursed which do err from thy commandments It is dangerous to walk besides the Rule Rom. 1. 18. The wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men c. God hath owned both Tables he hath punished ungodliness a violation of the first Table and unrighteousness a violation of the second Table Here God hath declared how he will own his Name therefore he begs illumination Now the Text giveth you this first reason his condition in the world Here observe two things 1. A representation of his case I am a stranger upon earth 2. His request to God Hide not thy commandments from me 1. A representation of his case with respect to his quality what he was a stranger and the place where upon earth not in heaven he was familiar there And how a stranger upon earth in point of happiness I do not find here that which satisfieth my soul he had his home his rest elsewhere but not in point of service for he had much work to do Doct. Gods children are strangers upon earth and do so account themselves They live here as others do but they are not at home their hearts are above they do not take up their rest here they are strangers and account themselves to be so when they have most of worldly conveniencies First To open it Sometimes it may be understood in a Literal sense and sometimes in a Moral 1. Sometimes in a literal sense Thus the Patriarchs that had a wandring life and were forced to flit from place to place without any certain abode they confessed themselves to be strangers Iacob saith Gen. 47. 9. Few and evil have the years of my life been 2. Morally also and more generally it is true of the Saints they are strangers In some sense it is true of good and bad We are all travelling into another world and are every day nearer to Eternity As in a ship whether men sleep or wake stand or sit whether they think of it yea or no the voyage still goes onward So whatever we think and whatever we do we hasten towards death In this sense even wicked men may be strangers and pilgrims in condition though not in affection All men in condition will they nill they must into the other world as they yield to the decays of nature and every day they are a step nearer to their long home Heathens have had a sense of this notion saith one of them Ex hac vita discedo tanquam ex hospitio non tanquam ex domo I go out of this life as out of an Inn. Here we are but passengers not inhabitants to dwell But now to be strangers and pilgrims in affection
shall a poor sinner do This is the duty exacted 2. The penalty that shall be inflicted Cursed is every one that continueth not in the words of this law to do it The Law hath a mouth that speaketh terrible things Cursed it is but one word but it may be spread abroad into very large considerations In one place it is said The Lord will not spare him All the curses that are written in this book of this law shall light upon him Deut. 29. 20. The book of the Law is full of curses and all together they show you what is the portion of an impenitent sinner In another place it is said Every curse and every plague which is not written in the book of this law will the Lord bring upon thee Deut. 28. 61. Mark though it be not specified in the Law God hath threatned sundty sorts of punishments yet he hath many plagues in store which are not committed to record or writing therefore whatever is written or unwritten revealed in the word or dispensed in Providence by way of plague and misery it is but the interpretation of this one word Cursed is he that continueth not c. However because particulars are most affective I will name some parts of the Curse 1. This is one part of the cursed condition of a sinner that is under the Law that the knowledg of his duty doth but the more irritate corruption Rom. 7. 9. The commandment came and sin revived The more we understand of the necessity of our subjection to God the more is the soul opposite to God Sin takes occasion by the Commandment as oppositions do more exasperate and enrage a waspish spirit 2. This exaction of duty doth either terrifie or stupifie the conscience he that escapeth the one suffereth the other Either men are terrified indeed all sinners are liable to it the conscience of a sinner is a sore place and the Apostle saith they are liable to bondage all their days Heb. 2. 14. as Belshazzar trembled to see the hand-writing upon the wall and Felix trembled to hear of Judgment to come so a carnal man is afraid to think of his condition and some are actually under horror and wherever they go as the Devils do they carry their own hell about them Or if conscience be not terrified then it is stupified they grow sensless of their misery and are past feeling Eph. 4. 19. and that 's a very sad estate and dangerous temper of soul when men have outgrown all feelings of conscience and worn out the prints of conviction These are the two extremes that all Christless persons are incident unto 3. There 's a curse upon all that a man hath as long as he continues in his rebellion and obstinacy against God He is cursed in his basket and store in his going out and coming in c. Deut. 28. 15 16 17. A man is cursed in his Table that becomes a snare his afflictions are but beginnings of sorrows It is a miserable thing to lye in such an estate If the curse do not break out so visibly sensibly it is because now it is the day of Gods patience and he waits for our return But mark Gods spiritual providence is the more dreadful when God rains snares upon men all the seeming-comforts which they have do but harden them in an evil course and hold them the faster in the bonds of iniquity 4. There 's a curse upon all he doth his duties are lost his prayers are turned into sin his hearing is the savour of daath unto death whilst he remaineth in his impenitency It is said Prov. 21. 27. The sacrifice of the wicked is abomination how much more when he bringeth it with a wicked mind Though he should come in the best manner he can with his flocks and herds yet all will be to no purpose it is an abomination to God 5. Impenitency binds over a man body and soul to everlasting torment in time it will come to that Go ye cursed c. Mat. 25. 41. They are only continued until they have filled up their measure and are ripened for hell and then they lye eternally under the wrath of God Look as it is sweet to hear Come ye blessed c. so dreadful in that day to hear Go ye cursed c. Thus are the proud cursed that is obstinate impenitent sinners while they stand off from God Secondly Let me examine upon what score they are cursed 1. Every man by Nature is under the Curse for until they are in Christ they are under Adams Covenant and Adams Covenant will yield no blessing to the fallen creature Gal. 3. 10. As many as are under the works of the Law are under the curse c. Mark every man that remains under the Law that hath not gotten an interest in Christ the curse of the first Covenant remains upon him and accordingly at the last day he shall have judgment without mercy he shall be judged according to the terms of that Covenant for there are but two states under the Law or under Grace therefore while they are in a state of Nature they must needs be under wrath So John 3. 18. He that believeth not is condemned already that is in the sentence of the Law there is a curse gone out against him the man is gone lost condemned already 2. This curse abideth upon us until we believe in Christ. The Sentence of the Law is not repealed John 3. 36. He that believeth not the wrath of God abideth on him Gal. 3. 13. Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the Law being made a curse for us c. 3. When Christ is tendered and finally refused then the sentence of the Law is ratified in the Gospel or the Court of mercy A Court of Chancery God hath set up in the Gospel for penitent sinners but then it follows This is the condemnation that light is come into the world and men choose darkness c. When God shall tender men better conditions by Christ and they turn their backs upon it then is this curse confirmed USE 1. Consider how matters stand between God and us examine how it is with you Here let me lay down these propositions by way of trial 1. Every man by nature is in a cursed condition Eph. 2. 3. every man is liable to Adam's forfeiture and breach the elect children of God as well as others are liable to the curse 2. There is no way to escape this curse but by flying to Christ for refuge Heb. 6. 18. As a man would flye from the Avenger of blood so should we flye from the curse of the Law that is at our heels Wrath is abroad seeking out sinners now saith the Apostle O that I might be found in him 3. A sense of this benefit we have by Christ will necessarily beget an unfeigned love to him else we can have no evidence but the curse doth still remain and therefore it is said 1 Cor. 16.
When you fall off after a tast of the sweetness and practice of godliness your condition is worse than if you had never begun There are two dreadful Scriptures which speak of the condition of total Apostates after some tast and after they have had some savour of holy things and some delight in the ways of God One is Heb. 6. 4 5 6. For it is impossible c. Christians after they have had some tast and some enlightning and made a savoury profession of godliness afterwards they split themselves some fall forward to errors and preposterous zeal others fall backward by an unfaithful heart one breaks his face the other breaks his neck as old Eli. But a little to clear that place Certainly all of us should stand in fear of this heavy judgment of being given up to perish by our apostasie to an obstinate heart never to reconcile our selves by repentance even the children of God for he proposeth it to them supposeth they are made partakers of the heavenly calling The Apostle doth not speak there of every sin against knowledg but of apostasie from the faith of Christ and not of apostasie of general professors that lightly come and lightly go as the loose sort of Christians here among us but specially of those that had a tast savoury experience of the sweetness of Gods ways Again he doth not speak of apostasie for a fit in some great temptation of fear but of deliberate apostasie of those that were enlightned feeling tasting so as to make some strict profession afterward turn off lose all turn Atheists Antiscripturists Formalists renouncing Christ and the World to come in the hope of which they seemed before to be carried out with a great deal of delight and strength and affection The Apostle saith it is impossible they should be saved because it is impossible they should repent This is a fearful state and yet as fearful as it is it is not unusual it is a thing we see often in some that have made a savoury profession of the name of God and afterwards have been blasted either given up to an injudicious mind or to vile affections and are fallen off and it 's impossible to renew them again unto repentance O then you that have begun and have had a tast of the ways of God and begun to walk closely with him you should lay this to heart Therefore this is propounded to believers that they should keep at a very great distance from such a judgment lest we grow to such an impenitent state as to be given up to a reprobate mind and vile affections The other place is 2 Pet. 2. 21 22. It had been better for them not to have known c. Mark there are some that through the knowledg of Christ may upon some general assent to Gospel truths take up a strict profession of the name of Christ may escape the pollution of the world that is outward and gross sins being enrolled among God's children and have the priviledges of the members of his Church and yet after this may fall off dreadfully it were far better for such never to have been acquainted with God and Christ than to return to their old bondage A sin after knowledg and profession of the right way is greater than a sin of bare ignorance therefore their condition is far more deplorable than the condition of other sinners for no men sin with such malice as they do they have had greater conviction than others not only external representations of the doctrine of Christ but some tast and have made some closure with it in their own souls they are more given over by God than others and so there are none persecute and hate profession and strictness so much as they that are fallen from it and they are more oppressed and intangled by Satan as the Jaylor that hath recovered the prisoner which ran from him loads him with irons Therefore we had need betimes look to it and continue and persevere in the practice of the ways of God which we have owned and taken up upon experience USE 1. Get grace then look after perseverance Evil men must get grace and God's children their business is to persevere in that state to which they have attained But what should we do to persevere First Be fortified against what may shake you from without beware of being led away by offences and scandals Three things are wont to give offence and exceedingly shake the faith of some viz. Errors Persecutions Scandals 1. Errors Be not troubled when differences fall out about the truths of God nor shaken in mind the winds of error are let loose upon the floor of the Church to sever the chaff from the solid grain 1 Cor. 11. 19. There must be heresies among you that they which are approved may be made manifest Take heed of taking offence at errors I do not speak now of being led captive by error Many question the ways of God and give over all Religion because there are so many differences and sects therefore they think nothing certain Certainly God saw this discipline to be fittest for his people he hath told us there must be errors he would not have us take up Religion upon trust without the pains of study and prayer Lazy men would fain give Laws to Heaven and teach God how to govern the affairs of the world they would have all things clear and plain that there should be no doubt about it But the Lord in his wise Providence saw it fit to permit these things that they which are approved may be made manifest Men to excuse the trouble of search study and prayer would have all agreed else they take offence at Religion and think it to be but a fancy that is one means to draw them off even after some profession What the Canonists say grosly this was their blasphemy that God were not discreet and wise unless he had appointed one universal Test and one infallible Interpreter this is mens natural thoughts they would have such a thing The Iews say certainly Christ was not the true Messiah why because if he had he would not come in such a way as to leave any of his Countrey-men in doubt so many think Religion is but a fancy they fall off to Atheism and Scepticism at last and irresolution in Religion because there are so many Sects and Divisions and all upholding it with plausible pretences To excuse laziness we pretend want of certainty But God's word is plain to one that will do his will Iohn 7. 17. If we will use all the means God hath appointed and unfeignedly and with an unbiassed heart come to search out the mind of God 2. Persecutions they are an offence Matt. 11. 6. Blessed is he whosoever shall not be offended in me When the people of God are exposed to great troubles when they are in the world they have but a mean outside what are these the Favourites of heaven it makes men take
or the Infusion of Grace 2. For the renewing the vigour of the life of Grace the renewed Influence of God whereby this Grace is stirred up in our hearts First for Regeneration or the Infusion of Grace Ephes. 2. 1 2. When we were dead in Trespasses and Sins yet now hath he quickned us then we are quickned or made alive to God when we are new born when there is an habitual Principle of Grace put into our hearts Secondly Quickning is put for the renewed excitation of Grace when the life that we have received is carried on to some further increase and so 't is twofold either by way of Comfort in our Afflictions or enlivening in a way of Holiness 1. Comfort in afflictions and so 't is opposed to fainting which is occasioned by too deep a sense of present troubles and distrust of God and the supplies of his Grace when the affliction is heavy upon us we are like Birds dead in the nest and are so overcome that we have no Spirit nor Courage in the service of God Psal. 119. 50. This is my Comfort in affliction for thy word hath quickened me Then we are said to be quickened when he raiseth up our hearts above the trouble by refining our suffering Graces as Faith Hope and Patience Thus he is said to revive the Contrite one Isa. â—…7 15. To restore comfort to us and to refresh us with the Sense of his Love 2. There is a quickening in Duty which is opposed to deadness of Spirit which is apt to creep upon us that is occasioned by Negligence and sloathfulness in the business of the spiritual Life Now to quicken us God exciteth his grace in us An Instrument though never so well in tune soon grows out of Order A Key seldom turned rusts in the Lock so Graces that are not kept a work lose their Exercise and grow Luke-warm or else 't is occasioned by carnal Liberty or intermeddling with worldly things These bring a Brawn and deadness upon the Heart and the Soul is depressed by the cares of this World Luk. 21. 34. Now when you are under this Temper of soul desire the Lord to Quicken you by new influences of Grace 2. Let me shew the necessity of this quickening how needful ' t is 1. 'T is needful for without it our general standing is questionable whether we belong to God or no 1 Pet. 2. 5. Ye are living stones built up into a spiritual House t is not enough to be a stone in Christs building but we must be living Stones not only members of his body but living members I cannot say such a one hath no grace but when they have it not it renders their Condition very questionable a man may be living when he is not lively 2. Without it we cannot perform our Duties aright Religion to a dead heart is a very irkesome thing When we are dead-hearted we do our Duties as if we did them not in our general course of obedience we must go to God Psal. 119. 88. Quicken me after thy loving Kindness so shall I keep the Testimonies of thy Mouth Then we do good to good purpose indeed t is not enough for us to pray but we must pray with life and Vigour Psal. 80. 18. Quicken me and I will call upon thy Name so we should hear with Life not in a dull Careless Fashion Math. 13. 15. 3. All the Graces that are planted in us tend to beget quickening as Faith Hope and Love these are the Graces that set us a work and make us lively in the Exercise of the spiritual Life Faith that works by Love Gall. 5. 6. It sets the Soul a work by apprehending the sense of Gods love whereas otherwise t is but a dead Faith 1 Iam. 2. 16. Then for love what is the Influence of that it constrains the Soul it takes the soul along with it 2 Cor. 5. 14. and Rom. 12. 1. And then hope 't is called a lively Hope 1 Pet. 1. 3. all Grace is put into us to make us Lively not only the Grace of Sanctification but the Grace of Iustification is bestowed upon us for this end that we may be cheerful in Gods service Heb. 9. 14. How much more shall the blood of Christ purge our Consciences from dead works that we may serve the living God Sin and guilt make us dead and heavy hearted but now the blood of Christ is sprinkled upon the Conscience and the sentence of Death taken away then we are made cheerful to serve the living God Attributes are suited to the case in hand he is called the living God because he must be served in a living manner 4. All the Ordinances which God hath appointed are to get and increase this Liveliness in us Wherefore hath God appointed the Word Isa. 55. 3. Hear and your Souls shall live t is to promote the Life of Grace and that we may have new Incouragment to go on in the ways of God Moses when he received the Law is said to receive the lively Oracles of God Acts 7. 38. 10. So the doctrine of Christ they are all Spirit and Life and serve to beget Life in us As the redemption of the world by Christ the joys of Heaven the torments of Hell they are all quickening truths and propounded to us to keep us in Life and Vigour The Lords supper why was that appointed There we come to tast the flesh of Christ who was given for the Life of the world Iohn 6. That we might sensibly exercise our Faith upon Christ that we might be more sensible of our Obligations to him that we might be the more excited in the diligent pursuit of things to come Use 1. Is reproof David considereth the Dulness and Deadness of his Spirit which many do not but go on in a cold Tract of duties and never reguard the frame of their Hearts It is a good sign to observe our spiritual Temper and accordingly go to God Most observe their Bodies but very few their Souls If the body be ill at ease or out of Order they complain presently but love waxeth cold and their Zeal for God and delight in him is abated yet they never lay it to Heart Secondly To exhort us to get and keep this lively frame of heart 1. Get it Pray for it liveliness in obedience doth depend upon Gods Blessing unless he put life and keep life in our Souls all cometh to nothing Come to God upon the account of his Glory Psal. 143. 11. Quicken me O Lord for thy Name sake for thy Righteousness sake bring my Soul out of Trouble His tender Mercies Psal. 119. 156. Great are thy tender Mercies O Lord quicken me according to thy Iudgments Come to him upon the account of Christ Iohn 10. 10. I am come that they might have Life and that they might have it more abundantly And John 7. 38. He that believeth on me as the Scripture hath said out of his Belly shall flow Rivers
it is exercised about noble Objects the Favour of God Reconciliation with him and the Hope of Eternal Life all these as belonging to us and it is excited by an higher Cause the Spirit of God and lastly it giveth us a sense of what we had but a guess before We know the grace of God in truth Col. 1. 6. we know it so as to taste of it 3. The fundamental or bottom Cause of this Delight is exprest which I have loved There is a precedent Love of the Object before there can be any Delight in it Love is the Complacency and Propension of the Soul toward that which is good absolutely considered abstracting both from Presence and Absence Desire regardeth the Absence and Futurition of a Good Delight the Presence and Fruition of it It is impossible any thing can be delighted in but it must be first loved and desired None can truly delight in Obedience but such as desire it By nature we were otherwise affected counted his Commands burdensom because contrary to the desires of the Flesh Rom. 8. 7. The carnal mind is enmity against God for it is not subject to the law of God neither indeed can it be But when the Heart is renewed by Grace then we have another Love and another Bias upon our Affections 1 Iohn 5. 3. This is love to keep his commandments and his commandments are not grievous To others they are against the bent and the hair and too tedious but Love maketh way for Delight II. Reasons why a gracious Heart doth love and delight in the Commandments of God 1. The Matter of these Commandments sheweth how much they deserve our love and delight The Matter respects either Law or Gospel 1. That which is strictly called the Moral Law is the Decalogue a fit Rule for a Wise God to give or a Rational Creature to receive a just and due Admeasurement of our Duty to God and Man The World cannot be without it To God that we should love him serve him depend upon him delight in him that we may be at length happy in his Love The Law is holy just and good not burdensom to the Reasonable Nature but perfective Surely to know God to love him and fear him and trust and repose our Souls on him and to worship him at the time in the way and manner appointed is a delightful thing and should be more delightful to us than our necessary and appointed Food To Man Justice Charity Micah 6. 8. He hath shewed thee O man what is good and what doth the Lord require of thee but to do justly and to love mercy Hos. 12. 6. Keep mercy and judgment Now all kind of Justice should not be grievous either Political Justice between the Magistrates and People How should we live else This maintaineth the Order of the World Private Justice between Man and Man Mat. 7. 12. Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you do ye even so to them Family-Justice between Husband and Wife Parents and Children Masters and Servants how else can a Man have any tolerable degree of safety and comfort 1 Pet. 3. 7. Likewise ye husbands dwell with them according to knowledge Then for Mercy there is not a pleasanter Work in the World than to do good it is God-like A Man is as an earthly God to comfort and supply others Acts 20. 35. It is a more blessed thing to give than to receive And Blessedness is not tedious the Work rewards it self The satisfaction is so great of doing good and being helpful to others that certainly this is not tedious 2. The Gospel it offereth such a sutable Remedy to Mankind that the Duties of it should be as pleasant and welcom to us as the Counsel of a Friend for our recovery out of a great Misery into which we had plunged our selves In the Law God acteth more as a Commander and Governour in the Gospel as a Friend and Counsellor Surely to those that have any feeling of their Sins or fears of the Wrath of God what can be more welcom than the way of a Pardon and Reconciliation with God whom his Word and Providence and the fears of a guilty Conscience represent as an Enemy to us Surely this should be more pleasant than all the Lust Sport and Honours and Pleasures of the World Here is the Foundation laid of Everlasting Joy a sufficient answer to the Terrors of the Law and the Accusations of a guilty Conscience which is the greatest Misery can befal Mankind In short That the Matter of God's Commands deserves our Delight and Esteem is evident 1. Because those that are unwilling to submit to them count them good and acceptable Laws When their particular Practice and sinful Customs have made them incompetent Judges of what is fittest for themselves in their health and strength yet their Conscience judgeth it a more excellent and honourable thing in others if they can deny the Pleasures of the Flesh and overcome the Temptations of the World and deny themselves the Comforts of the present Life out of the hopes of that which is to come Such are accounted a more excellent and better sort of Men Prov. 12. 26. The righteous is more excellent than his neighbour He hath more of God and of a Man than others as he hath a freer use of Reason and a greater command of his own Lusts and Passions There is a Reverence of such darted into the Consciences of wicked Men Mark 6. 20. Herod feared Iohn knowing that he was a just and holy man and observed him 2. Because of the Sentiments which Men have of a holy sober godly Life when they come to die and the disallowance of a dissolute carnal Life Iob 27. 8. What is the hope of the hypocrite though he hath gained when God taketh away his soul Psal. 37. 37. Mark the perfect man and behold the upright for the end of that man is peace When Men are entring upon the Confines of Eternity they are wiser the fumes of Lust are then blown over their Joys or Fears are then Testimonies to God's Law 1 Cor. 15. 56. The sting of death is sin and the strength of sin is the law It is not from the Fancy or Melancholy of the dying Person nor his Distemper that his Fears are awakened but his Reason If it did onely proceed from his Distemper Men would be rather troubled for leaving Worldly Comforts than for Sin No it is the apprehension of God's Justice by reason of Sin who will proceed according to his Law which the guilty Person hath so often and so much violated and broken They are not the ravings of a Fever nor the fruits of natural Weakness and Credulity no these Troubles are justified by the Law of God or the highest Reason 3. By supposing the contrary of all which God hath commanded concerning the embracing of Vertue shunning of Vice If God should free us from these Laws leave us to our own choice
praying in the Holy Ghost Rom. 8. 26. Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities for we know not what we should pray for as we ought but the Spirit it self helpeth our infirmities with groanings which cannot be uttered Zech. 12. 10. I will pour upon you the Spirit of Grace and of Supplication yet it is little relished by them A slat dead way of praying suiteth their gust better Christ compareth the Duties of the Gospel fasting with Prayer in the Spirit to new wine which will break old bottles Matth. 9. 17. but the Duties of the Pharisees to old dead and insipid wine there is no life in them 6. Serious speaking of God and Heavenly Things is in the phrase of the World Canting Indeed to speak swelling words of Vanity or an unintelligible Jargon betrayeth Religion to scorn but a pure Lip and Speech seasoned with Salt and that Holy Things should be spoken of in a holy manner our Lord requireth 7. Faith of the future Eternal State is esteemed a fond Credulity by them who affect the Vanities of the World and the Honours and Pleasures thereof They are all for Sight and Present Things and Christianity inviteth us to things Spiritual and Heavenly Now to live upon the Hopes of an unseen World and that to come they judge it to be but Foppery and needless Superstition Thus do poor Creatures drunk with the delusions of the Flesh judge of the Holy Things of God 8. The Humility of Christians and their pardoning Wrongs and forgiving Injuries they count to be Simplicity or Stupidness though the Law of Christ requireth us to forgive others as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven us 9. Exact walking is Scrupulosity and Preciseness and men are more nice then wise which is a Reproach that reflecteth a mighty contempt upon God himself that when he hath made an holy Law for the Government of the World that the obeying of this Law should be derided by professed Christians the Scorn must needs fall on him that made the Law and gave us these Commands If he be too precise that imperfectly obeyed God what will you say of God himself who commandeth more then any of us all performeth Thus the Children of God are not onely reproached as Hypocrites but derided as Fools and it is counted as a part of wit and breeding to droll at the serious Practice of Godliness as if Religion were but a Foppery 2. The Reasons of this are these 1. Their natural Blindness 1 Cor. 2. 14. The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishness to him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned They are incompetent Judges Prov. 24. 7. Wisedom is too high for a fool Though by Nature we have lost our Light yet we have not lost our Pride Prov. 26. 16. The sluggard is wiser in his own conceit then seven men that can render a Reason Though their way in Religion be but a sluggish lazy and dead course yet they have an high conceit of it and censure all that is contrary or but a degree removed above it From Spiritual Blindness it is that Carnal Men judge unrighteously and perversely of God's Servants and count Zeale and Forwardness in Religious Duties to be but Folly and Madness 2. Antipathy and prejudicate Malice The Graceless scoff at the Gracious and the Profane at the Serious there is a different course and that produceth difference of Affections Iohn 15. 19. The world will love its own but because I have chosen you out of the world therefore the world hateth you And they manifest their Malice and Hatred this way by Evil-speaking 1 Pet. 4. 4. speaking evil of you 3. Want of a closer View Christians complained in the Primitive times that they were condemned unheard 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without any particular inquiry into their Principles and Practices And Tertullian saith nolentes auditis c. they would not inquire because they had a mind to hate A Man riding afar off seeing people dancing would think they were mad till he draws near and observes the harmonious order They will not take a nearer view of the regularity of the ways of God and therefore scoff at them 4. Because you do by your Practice condemn that Life that they affect Iohn 7. 7. The world hateth me because I testify that their deeds are evil Noah Heb. 11. 7. by Faith being warned of God of things not seen as yet moved with fear prepared an ark to the saving of his house by the which he condemned the world Now they would not have their guilt revived and therefore since they will not come up to others by a religious Imitation they seek to bring others down to themselves by Scoffs reproaches and Censures 5. They are set awork by Sathan thereby to keep off young Beginners and to discourage and molest the godly themselves for bitter words pierce deep and enter into the very Soul II. It is a grievous Temptation it is reckoned in Scripture among the Persecutions Gal. 4. 29. As he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the spirit even so it is now He meaneth those bitter mockings that Isaac did suffer from Ishmael Gen. 21. 9. And Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian which she had born unto Abraham mocking When the Wicked mock at our Interest in God shame our Confidence the Church complaineth of it Psal. 123. 4. We are filled with the scorning of those that are at ease and with the contempt of the proud the insultations of those that live in full Pomp over the Confidence and Hope the Saints have in God So we reade Heb. 10. 33. that the servants of God were made a gazing-stock by Reproaches and Afflictions again of cruel mockings Heb. 11. 36. It is more grievous when they mock and persecute at the same time there is both Pain and Shame The parties mocked were God's Saints the parties mocking were their Persecutors and Enemies which proved sometimes to be their own Brethren of the same Nation Language Kindred Religion In short these mockings issue out of Contempt and tend to the disgrace and dishonour of the Party mocked they make it their sport to abuse them David saith Reproach hath broken my heart Psal. 69. 20. III. This should not move us either to open Defection or partial Declining for these Reasons 1. It is one of the usual Evils wherewith the People of God are tempted Now a Christian should be fortified against obvious and usual Evils Let no man that is truly religious think that he can escape the Mockage and Contempt of the Wicked Iesus Christ himself endured the contradiction of sinners Heb. 12. 3. and the rather that we might not wax weary and faint in our minds This is a part of his Cross which we must bear after him The Pharisees derided his Ministry Luke 16. 14. The Pharisees also who were covetous
of the wicked which forsake thy Law THE Man of God in the former Verse had shewed what Comfort he took in remembring God's Judgments of old meaning thereby his Righteous Dispensations in delivering the Godly and punishing the Wicked he now sheweth that seeing God's horrible Judgments on the Wicked he was seized and stricken with a very great fear In the Words observe 1. A great Passion described 2. The Cause of it assigned 1. A great Passion described Horrour hath taken hold on me The Word for Horrour signifieth also a Tempest or Storm Translations vary some reade it as Iunius a Storm overtaking me Ainsworth a burning Horrour hath seized me and expoundeth it a Storm of Terrour and Dismay The Septuagint 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 faintness and dejection of mind hath possessed me our old Translation I am horribly afraid all Translations as well as the Original word imply a great trouble of mind and a vehement Commotion like a Storm it was matter of disquiet and trembling to David 2. What is the matter the Reason is given in the latter Clause because of the wicked which forsake thy Law Now this Reason may be supposed to be 1. Either because of the Storm of Trouble raised by them or Persecution from them and so it would note the outragiousness of those who have cast off the Yoke all fear of God and respect to his Law and so also the imbecillity and weakness of the Saints who are not able to stand against violent Evils and assaults of Temptation But this is not so consistent with David's Constancy and Comfort asserted in the former Verses 2. Because of the Detriment and Loss which might accrue to the Publick they bring on common Judgments and Calamities It is a Iewish Proverb that two dry Sticks will set a green one afire One sinner destroyeth much good Eccl. 9. 18. much more Mercy Now the Godly which believe God's Word are troubled when they see Wickedness increaseth they know this will turn to loss and ruine in the issue therefore it causeth a grievous Horrour and Indignation to seize upon them for they have a tender and publick Spirit 3. Besides the common Calamities which they might bring upon others the sore Punishment which they would bring upon themselves was an horrour to him which sheweth a Charitable Affection to Enemies The Punishment which had not as yet seized upon them nor did they think of it yet being prepared for their Wickedness by the Justice of God was a grief and trouble to David as it is to all good Men to see the Wicked run on to their own Destruction and Condemnation These two last Senses I prefer Doctr. It argueth a good Spirit to be grieved to see God's Laws broken and to be stricken with fear because of those Iudgments which come from God by reason of the wickedness of the wicked The Reasons are 1. Here is matter of great Commotion of Spirit to any attentive and serious Beholder for the Cause assigned in the Text is because they forsake thy Law There are two things in the Law the Precept and the Sanction by Penalties and Rewards Now they that forsake the Law violate the Precept and slight the Sanction and so two things grieve the Godly their Sin and their Punishment How grievously they sin and what grievous Punishments they may expect 1. That the Law is violated that they should forsake God and all thoughts of Obedience to him and so make slight of his Law Sin is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Iohn 3. 4. the Transgression of the Law a contempt of God's Authority if we consider the intrinsick evil of Sin we shall see that it is not a small thing but an horrible Evil in it self a thing not to be laughed at but feared whether our own or others 1. There is Folly in it as it is a Deviation from the best Rule which the Divine Wisedom hath set unto us If we should look upon the Law of God as a bare Direction or Counsel given us by one that is wiser then we it is a Contempt of the Wisedom of God as if he knew not how to govern the World and what is good and meet for Man so much as he himself and so a poor Worm is exalted above God Micah 6. 8. He hath shewed thee O Man what is good Now shall we slight his Direction and in effect say our own Way is better Reason requireth that they who cannot choose for themselves should obey their Guides and since they are not wise for themselves content themselves with the Wisedom of others who see farther then they do as Elymas the Sorcerer when he was struck blind sought about for some body to leade him by the hand Acts 13. 11. can a blind man feel out his way better then another who hath eyes to choose it for him God is wiser then we and all who would not contemn their Creatour should think so He hath reduced the sum of our Duty into an holy Law now for us after all this to run of our heads and to consult with our foolish Lusts and the Suggestions of the Devil who is our worst Enemy is extreame Folly and Madness and so doth every one who breaketh the Laws of God 2. Laws are not onely to direct but have a binding Power and Force from the Authority of the Law-giver God doth not onely give us Counsel as a Friend but commandeth us as a Sovereign and so the second Notion whereby the evil of Sin is set forth is that of Disobedience and Rebellion and so it is a great Injury done to God because it is a Depretiation and Contempt of his Authority As Pharaoh said Exod. 5. 2. Who is the Lord that I should obey his voice or those Rebels Psalm 12. 4. Our Tongues are our own who is Lord over us We will speak and think and doe what we please and own no Law but our own Lusts. Now though Sinners do not say so in so many direct and formal Words yet this is the Interpretation of their sinfull Actions Whenever they sin they despise the Law which forbiddeth that Sin and so by consequence the Authority of him that made it 2 Sam. 12. 9 10. Wherefore hast thou sinned in despising the Commandment Tush I will doe it it is no matter for the Law of God that standeth in the way is the Language of the Corrupt and Obstinate heart Now no man can endure to have his Will crossed by an Inferiour and will God take it at their hands and therefore the Children of God who have a great Reverence of God's Authority when they see it so openly violated and contemned are filled with Horrour Will not God be tender of his Power and Sovereignty will he see his Authority so lightly esteemed and take no notice of it 3. It is shamefull Ingratitude Man is God's beneficiary from whom he hath received Life and Being and all things and therefore is bound to love him and serve
which they will bring upon themselves should afflict us Thus the Apostle Phil. 3. 18 19. Of whom I have told you often and now tell you weeping that they are enemies to the Cross of Christ whose end is destruction To see Men goe by droves to Hell it should work on our Bowels if this brought Christ out of Heaven to dye for Sinners surely this should make us sadly resent their Condition 4. This produceth good Effects it is a disposition of great Use and Profit to us 1. It deterreth us from sinning our selves and so we are kept from being tainted with the Contagion of evil Examples for what we mourn for in others we will not commit our selves The Heart is made more averse from Sin every day by this Practice whereas those that take Pleasure in the Sins of others do the same things Rom. 1. 32. consent with them to dishonour God and so howle among the Wolves as the Latin Proverb is but when this is a Trouble to us it maketh us avoid their Example notwithstanding Terrours and Allurements to the contrary Terrours from the angry World who cannot endure that any should part Company and Allurements from our commodious living among the Offenders Thus Lot scaped in Sodom because his righteous Soul was vexed and Noah was upright in his generation because he reproved the Deeds of the Wicked 2. When we see their Punishment in their Sin and fear a Storm when the Clouds are a gathering it puts us upon Mourning and Humiliation which is a necessary Duty in evil times Ier. 13. 17. If you will not hear my Soul shall weep in secret places for your Pride None do so feelingly bewaile the Sins of the Times as those who have a tender holy Heart affected with God's Dishonour and Compassion over the Souls of Men. Others do personate a Mourning and act a part in a Fast as the mourning Women among the Iews did at Funerals or as the Boyes in the Streets would act their Festivities and Lamentations Matt. 11. 16 17. Whereunto shall I liken this Generation It is like unto Children sitting in the Markets and calling to their fellows and saying We have piped unto you and ye have not danced we have mourned unto you and ye have not lamented therefore it is of great use to us to get this frame of Spirit 3. It maketh us more carefull to reform others so far as it lieth within our Power Certainly without this Disposition a Man will never seek the Conversion of Souls for which Christ dyed but have it once and then you will take all occasions to doe good to the Souls of your Children and Relations and Neighbours When Paul was stirred in Spirit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 exasperated within himself because he saw the whole City given to Idolatry He disputed with them daily in the Market-place and took all Occasions to reclaim them So if you were affected with the evil of Sin horribleness of Wrath certainty of the Word of God and the Bane that cometh to any Society by having the Wicked amongst them would you let your Children and Servants or Friends go on in a damning Course would you not have Compassion on them and pluck them out of the Fire Surely this should be the temper of every Minister when he hath to doe with Sinners that his Ministry may not be a sleepy Ministry of every Parent and Householder that all under his Roof may be found in the way of the Lord of every Christian towards his Friends 4. It justifieth our Zeal in reproving Surely Reproof had need to be managed with great tenderness and Compassion that it may not seem to flow from hatred and ill-will to the Persons reproved nor from Petulancy of Spirit nor a desire of venting Reproaches but from pure Zeal to the glory of God grief to see him dishonoured Souls in danger to be lost or hardened through the deceitfulness of Sin therefore holy Men in their sharpest invectives against Sin or oppositions of it have always mingled Compassion Mark 3. 5. Our Lord looked about with anger being grieved for the hardness of their hearts There was more of Compassion then Passion in our Lord Iesus Christ he was angry but grieved So Paul when he disputed earnestly against the Iews yet telleth us Rom. 9. 2. I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart as much Love to the Persons of his Country-men as Zeal against their Errours So flens dico I tell you weeping they are enemies to the Cross of Christ Phil. 3. 18. Though he discovereth them to be Enemies to the Cross of Christ yet he wept for their sakes and the Churches sake 5. Those that are grieved and troubled even to some degree of horrour and trembling of heart for the prevailing of Iniquity in those Places and Persons among whom they live are delivered from the common Judgment So 2 Pet. 2. 7. He delivered just Lot vexed with the filthy conversation of the Wicked and those that mourned and sighed for all the abominations which were committed in the midst of the Land were marked out for preservation The Lord hath a special care of them in times of publick Calamity Use 1. Is of Reproof it condemneth 1. Them that take pleasure in nothing so much as in the Company of the Ungodly where they hear God dishonoured his Laws broken if they were horribly afraid of the Wicked which forsake God's Law how could this be All Conversation with the Wicked is not forbidden for then we must go out of the World and to some we are bound by the Law of Necessity or some civil and religious or natural Bond yet we are to eschew all unnecessary and voluntary Fellowship and Familiarity with them Psalm 26. 4. I have not sate with vain Persons nor gone in with Dissemblers So Prov. 22. 24 25. Make no friendship with an angry man and with a froward man thou shalt not goe Lest thou learn his ways and get a snare to thy Soul Certainly we are not to delight in the open Wicked as the onely Company that is pleasant to us for what can a tender Christian get among them but a wound to his Soul 2. Those that are not affected with their own Sins much less with the Sins of others It is but a deceit of heart to declaim against the Sins of the Times and not to mourn bitterly for our own Sins This is to translate the Scene of our Humiliation and to put it far off from our selves Surely that Grief will be most pungent and afflicting which doth most concern our selves and we know more by our selves then possibly we can by other Men therefore we should often think of the Merit of our own Sins their hainous Nature their dreadfull Consequences if God be not the more mercifull to keep us humble and thankfull Use 2. Is to perswade us to be of this Temper to be deeply affected when we see God's Laws broken It requireth 1. The general Grace
But though all three shine forth in the Law and all in each part yet his Wisdome is most eminent Deut. 4. 6. Keep these Statutes for this is your Wisdome and Understanding In the Gospel still these three Attributes appear the wonderfull Wisdome Power and Goodness of God his Wisdome in the orderly disposure of the Covenant of Grace 2 Sam. 23. 5. Although my house be not so with God yet he hath made with me an everlasting Covenant ordered in all things and sure for this is all my salvation and all my desire although he make it not to grow and contriving the excellent Design and Plot of Salvation by Christ 1 Tim. 3. 16. Great is the Mystery of Godliness God manifested in the Flesh justified in the Spirit seen of Angels preached to the Gentiles believed on in the world received up to Glory his Power in the Incarnation Resurrection and Miracles of Christ therefore Christ is called the Wisdome and Power of God but above all his Love is magnified in the Gospel Rom. 5. 8. God commended his Love towards us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us 1 John 4. 9 10. In this was manifested the Love of God toward us because that God sent his onely begotton Son into the world that we might live through him Herein is Love not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the Propitiation for our Sins Tit. 3. 4. But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeareth SERMON LXII PSAL. CXIX 55. I have remembred thy Name O Lord in the Night and have kept thy Law 3. THESE are discovered in daily Providence To rub up and revive our Thoughts God is pleased anew to set before us the glorious Effects of his Wisdome Goodness and Power his Wisdome in the contexture of Providence his Power in the Management of it his Goodness in the Effects of it His Wisdome in the Beauty and Order of his Works in guiding the Course of Nature and disposing all things about his People He doth all things well Eccles. 3. 5. He hath made every thing beautifull in its time or in the true and proper Season therefore we that look upon Providence by pieces stumble at the seeming Confusion and uncertainty of what falleth out as if the Affairs of the World were not under a wise Government but stay a little while till all the pieces of Providence be put together in one Frame and then you will see a marvellous Wisdome in them In the work of Creation all things were very good Gen. 1. 31. so for these Six thousand years as well as for the first Six days Those things which seem confused heaps when they lie asunder when put together will appear a beautifull Structure and Building So for his Goodness what part hath God been acting in the World for so long a time but that of Mercy He may be traced more by his Acts of Goodness than Vengeance Acts 14. 17. Nevertheless he left not himself without witness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in that he did good and gave us rain from Heaven and fruitfull Seasons filling our hearts with joy and gladness The whole World is a Theatre of Mercy if at any time we wrest Punishment out of his hand it is with an aime of Mercy as he threatneth that he may not punish so he punisheth that he may not punish for ever For his Power that is notably discovered to us every day if we would draw aside the covering of the Creature you might soon see the secret almighty Power of God which acteth in every thing that falleth out the same everlasting Arme that made the Creatures is under them to support them Heb. 1. 3. He upholdeth all things by the word of his Power As they started out of nothing by his Command so they are kept from returning into nothing by the same powerfull Word Command and Decree of God Thou hidest thy Face and they are troubled thou takest away their breath and they die thou sendest out thy Spirit and they are created and thou renewest the face of the Earth Psal. 104. 29 30. All things hold their life of him if God withdraweth in any measure the wonted influence of his Power from them they presently find a change in themselves It is even with the being and faculties of the Creature as with the Image of the Glass which when the Face removeth it is seen no more The Lord doth as it were breath into them a being and when he taketh in his Breath they perish and when he sendeth it out again they are renewed Now though God doth constantly discover his Wisdome Power and Goodness yet in some Providence one of these doth more especially appear his Wisdome in some notable contrivance and chain of Causes which to a common eye seemed to have no tendency to such Effects as are produced by them as when out of the sins and perverse doings of Men or the disorders and confusions of the World he raiseth his own glory or by some unthought of unheard of means bringeth about the Deliverance of his People taking the Wise in their own craftiness Sometimes his Power when by weak and contemptible means he bringeth great things to pass and a Straw becometh a Spear in the hand of the Almighty Sometimes in his Goodness in filling us with Blessings or doing notable Acts of Grace for his Peoples sake 4. These three Attributes suit with God's threefold Relation to us by his almighty Power he becometh our Creatour as most wise our Supream Governour as most good our gracious Benefactour We depend upon him for our present supplies and from him we expect our future Hopes His Creation gives him a Right to govern us his Wisdome a Fitness and his Bounty doth encourage us voluntarily to give up our selves to his Service 5. These three Attributes do most bind our Duty on us as they beget in us Love Fear and Faith or Esteem Reverence and Trust which are the three radical Graces that result from the very being and owning of God and are the cultus naturalis enjoyned in the First Commandment His Wisdome as a Law-giver begets Reverence and Fear his Goodness is the object of Love and his Power of Trust. If he be most Wise there is all the Reason in the world that he should rule and govern us for who is fitter to govern and make Laws than he that is most wise If he be most good infinitely good there is all the Reason in the world that you should love him and no shew of Reason why you should love the World and Sin before him if Powerfull and Alsufficient there is all the Reason you should believe in him as one that is able to make good his Word either by Promise or Threatning Faith goeth upon that Rom. 4. 21. He was strong in Faith being fully perswaded that what he had promised he was able to perform He is God
stupid and scornfull as not to cast a look upon him Then we begin to be serious when thoughts of God are more fastened upon our Hearts 2. Why did he make thee not in vain for no wise Agent will make a thing to no purpose especially with such advice Let us make Man Certainly not for a Life of Sin to break his Laws and follow your Lusts and satisfy your fleshly Desires was this God's end that the Creature might rebel against himself This is not consistent with his Goodness to make us for such an end or if so why did he make the Rules of Justice and Equity natural to us so that Man is a Law to himself Rom. 2. 14. nor for Sport and Recreation to eate drink and be merry or to melt away your days in Ease and Idleness He spake rather like a Beast than like a Man Soul take thine ease eat drink and be merry thou hast goods laid up for many years Luke 12. 19. If merely for Pleasures why did he give us a Conscience the bruit Beasts are fitter for such an use who have no Conscience and therefore no remorse to imbitter their Pleasures What was the End for which God made us was it to gather Wealth and that the Soul might cater for the Body and we might live well here in the World No for then God's Work would terminate in it self And why were such noble Faculties given us such an high flying Reason that hath a sense of another World if this were all God's end that we might grovel here upon Earth and scrape and heap up this World's Riches We see they are the basest of Men who are given to these kind of pursuits Surely this was not God's end but why was it Prov. 16. 4. God hath made all things for himself for his Glory and so Man to glorify him and enjoy him The Beasts were made to glorify him in their kind but Man to enjoy him This is my End to seek after God to please him to serve him Psal. 14. 2. The Lord looked down from Heaven upon the Children of Men to see if there were any that did understand and seek God God that hath fixed his End observeth what Man doth in compliance with it what affection and care they have to find him please him glorify him Reason will tell us as well as Scripture that the first Cause must be the last End and we must end there where we began at first 1 Cor. 10. 31. Whether therefore ye eat or drink or whatever ye doe doe all to the Glory of God Well then I was not made for nothing not to sin away my Life nor to sport it away nor to talk it away nor to drudg it away in the servile and basest Offices of this Life my end is to enjoy God and my work and business is to serve and glorify him 3. How little you have answered this End God complaineth of our backwardness to this Work Ier. 8. 6. No Man repented of his wickedness saying what have I done God upon a review found every days work good very good in themselves and their correspondence and frame Gen. 1. 31. But when we consider our Ways we shall find that all is evil very evil We have too long gone on in a course of Sin and the more we go on the more we shall goe astray and wander from the great End for which we were created which was God's Service and Honour Oh consider your Ways especially when Conscience is set awork by the Word or when we smart under the folly of our own wandrings and God maketh us sensible of our mistake by some smart Scourge if we never seriously thought on our Ways before then is a time to think of them and to count it a Mercy that we are not left to goe on in a course of Sin without checks and disappointments Oh look upon the drift and course of your Lives and Actions pry into every corner of them what have I been doing hitherto spending my days in Vanity and Sin have I remembred my Creatour made it my work to serve him my scope to glorify him have I looked after this as the unum necessarium the great Law and Business of my Life that I might enjoy Communion with God Oh for how long a time hath God been kept out of his right and I have been sowing to the Flesh and never minded the great Errand for which I was sent into the World None can excuse himself 4. The unkindness and baseness of such a course that you may make it odious to the Soul God hath not onely made me but kept me and provided for me day after day The God which fed me all my life-time saith Iacob Gen. 48. 15. I have been fed at his Table cloathed at his cost defended kept when long agoe God might have struck me dead in my Sins and yet all this while I have not thought of God to pay the return of my thanks and obedience to my great Benefactour The vâ—…ry Beasts are more dutifull in their kind to Man who as God's Instrument provideth for them Isa. 1. 3. The Ox knows his owner and the Ass his Masters Crib but my People will not know Israel will not consider How senseless have I been of the great Obligations wherein I stand bound to God there is the fault we do not know and will not consider what hath been done to God for this 5. What it will come to or what will become of you if you should still so continue or if I should go on in this course what will be my portion for ever nothing but an eternal Separation from God and endless Torments with the Devil and his Angels Psal. 50. 22. Now consider this ye that forget God lest I tear you in pieces and there be none to deliver Oh this is the means to awaken the Conscience and to affect the Heart with high and right thoughts of God What will be the end of those that goe far away from God if they do not make hast to come home to him eternal and merciless Vengeance for God will not always bear with forgetfull Sinners they shall be torn in pieces the Soul sent to Hell and the Body to the Grave Oh it concerneth the poor impenitent wretch that now goeth on fearless in a course of Sin immediately to stop in his march lest he be hurried away to the place of Torment and there be no escaping Now urge this upon the Heart and exercise your Thoughts in the remembrance of it and if you have overcome and overwrestled some former qualmes of Conscience now lay it to heart and doe so no more It may be the hour is at hand when God will take away your Souls from you and all your Sins shall be set in order before you and the stupid Conscience that is now senseless shall have a lively feeling of all your Rebellions and Unkindnesses done to God as the Paper which was but
God to command and how reasonable it is that we should obey the supreme being His will is the Reason of all things and who should give Laws to the world but the universal Sovereign who made all things out of nothing Whatsoever you are you received it from the Lord and therefore whatsoever a Reasonable Creature can doe you owe it to him you are in continual dependance upon him For in him you live and move and have your being Acts 17. 28. And he hath redeemed you called you to life by Christ 1 Cor. 6. 19 20. What know you not that your body is the Temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you which ye have of God and ye are not your own for ye are bought with a price therefore glorifie God in your body and in your spirit which are God's You owe all your time and strength and service unto him and therefore you should still be doing his will and abounding in his work 3. He injoyneth nothing but what is good Deuter. 5. 29. Oh that there were such a heart in them that they would fear me and keep all my commandments always that it might be well with them and with their children for ever Deuter. 6. 24. And the Lord commanded us to do all these statutes to fear the Lord our God for our good always that he might preserve us alive as it is at this day God hath tempered his sovereignty towards the Reasonable Creature and ruleth us not with a rod of Iron but with a Scepter of Love He draweth us with the Cords of a man Hos. 11. 4. That is with Reasons and Arguments taken from our own happiness Man being a rational and free Agent he would lead and quicken us to our duty by the consideration of our own benefit and when he might say only Thus shall ye doe I am the Lord yet he is pleased to exhort and perswade us not to forsake our own Mercies or to turn back upon our own happiness and to propound rewards that we may be encouraged to seek after him in that way of duty which he hath prescribed to us The reward is everlasting glory with the mercies of this life in order to it Heb. 11. 6. God is and he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him 4. How indispensibly Obedience to his Commandments is required of us As long as the heart is left loose and arbitrary such is the unruliness and self-willedness of mans nature Rom. 8. 7. The Carnal mind is enmity against God for it is not subject to the law of God neither indeed can be The Carnallist will not be held to his duty but leave that which is honest for that which is pleasing and be governed by his Appetite rather than his Reason therefore Faith hedgeth up his way sheweth him that without holiness it is impossible to see God Heb. 12. 14. That there is no coming to the End unless we take the way that there is no hope of Exemption or excuse for the breaches of his Law allowed but the plea of the Gospel which doth not evacuate but establish Obedience to God's Commands requireth a renouncing of our former conrse and a hearty Resolution To serve God in holiness and righteousness all our days Luke 1. 74 75. Our duty is the end of our deliverance In the Kingdom of Grace we are not our own Masters or at liberty to do what we will Christ came not only as a saviour but as a lawgiver he hath his Laws to try our obedience Heb. 5. 9. And being made perfect he became the Authour of eternal Salvation unto all them that obey him He came not to lessen God's Sovereignty or Man's Duty but to put us into a greater Capacity to serve God he came to deliver us from the curse and indispensible rigours of the Law upon every failing not from our Duty nor that we might not serve God but serve him without fear with Peace of Conscience and joy of Heart and requireth such a degree of Grace as is inconsistent with any predominant Lust and Affection 5. That God loveth those that obey his Law and hateth those that despise it without respect of persons Acts 10. 35. In every Nation he that feareth God and worketh righteousness is accepted with him Psalm 5. 5. Thou hatest all the workers of Iniquity Prov. 11. 20. They that are of a froward heart are an Abomination to the Lord but such as are upright in their way are his delight The more obedient the more God loveth us the less obedient the less God loveth us Therefore unless we love what God loveth and hate what God hateth doe his commands carefully and avoid the contrary we cannot be acceptable with him for God would not make a Law in vain but order his Providence accordingly 6. That one day we shall be called to an account for our conformity and inconformity to God's law There are two parts of Government Legislation and Execution the one belongeth to God as King the other as Judge Laws are but a shadow and the sanction a Mockery unless there shall be a day when those that are subject to them shall be called to an account and reckoning His threatnings are not a vain Scare-Crow nor his Promises a golden Dream therefore he will appoint a day when the Truth of the one and the other shall be fully made good and therefore Faith enliveneth the sense of God's Authority with the remembrance of this day when he will judge the World in Righteousness II. The Necessity 1. The Precepts are a part of the Divine Revelation the object of Faith is the whole Word of God and every part of divinely inspired Truth is worthy of all belief and reverence The word worketh not unless it be received as the Word of God 1 Thess. 2. 13. For this cause also thank we God without ceasing because when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us ye received it not as the word of Men but as it is in Truth the word of God which effectually worketh also in you that believe Now we cannot receive the Word as the word of God unless we receive all there are the same reasons to receive one as the other therefore if any part take good rooting the whole is received There may be a superficial affection to one part more than another but if there be a right Faith we receive all 'T is the engrafted Word that is effectual to the saving of our Souls Iames 1. 21. if we would ingraft the Word the Precepts must stir up answerable Affections as well as the Promises Every part must affect us and stir up Dispositions in us which that part is apt to produce if the Promises stir up Joy and Trust the Precepts must stir up Love Fear and Obedience The same Word which calleth upon us to believe the free Pardon of our Sins doth also call upon us to believe the Commandments of God for the regulating and
and suitable Object to our Souls in him is nothing but good God is Goodness it self he is one that has deserved your Love and will satisfy and reward your Love All the good we have in an Ordinance it is from him and to lead up our Souls to him Our business now is to love God who loved us first 1 John 4. 19. to love him by devoting our selves to him and to consecrate our all to his Service 4. To desire more communion with him and to long after the blessed Fruition of him when God shall be all in all not onely be chief but all When we shall perfectly injoy the Infinite God when the Chiefest Good will give us the greatest Blessings and an Infinite Eternal God will give us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of Glory the Word Sacraments and Prayer convey but little to you in comparison of that when God is Object and Means and all things The Soul is then all for Christ and Christ all for the Soul Your whole employment is to love him live upon him Here we give away some of our Love some of our Thoughts and Affections on other things Christ is crowded hath not room to lay forth the glory of his Grace but there is full scope to doe it SERMON LXXVIII PSAL. CXIX 68. Teach me thy Statutes SECONDLY We come to David's Petition Teach me thy Statutes which I shall be brief in because it doth often occur in the Verses of this Psalm David's Petition is to understand the Word that he might keep it Teaching bringeth us under the power of what is taught and increaseth Sanctification both in heart and life as well as illumination or information Doctr. One chief thing which they that believe and have a sufficient apprehension of God's Goodness should seek of him in this world is Understanding and keeping the way of Salvation This Request is inforced out of the former Title and Compellation 1. Because the saving Knowledge of his Will is one principal effect of his Bounty and Beneficence As he sheweth love to Man above other Creatures in that he gave him such a Life as was Light Iohn 1. 4. that is had Reason and Understanding joyned with it so to his People above other men that he hath given them a saving Knowledge of the way of Salvation since Sin Psalm 25. 8. Good and upright is the Lord he will teach Sinners the way 'T is a great discovery of God's Goodness that he will teach Sinners a Favour not vouchsafed to the faln Angels 't is more than if he gave us the Wealth of the whole World that will not conduce to such an high use and purpose as this More of his good-will and special Love is seen in this to teach us the way how to enjoy him Eternal Life is begun by this saving Knowledge Iohn 17. 3. And this is Life eternal that they might know thee the onely true God and Iesus Christ whom thou hast sent 2. This is one principal way whereby we shew our sense of God's Goodness That 's a true apprehension of God's Goodness which giveth us Confidence and Hope of the saving Fruits of it When the oftner we think of it the more of Sanctification we seek to draw from this Fountain of Goodness That is an idle Speculation that doth not beget Trust an empty Praise a meer Compliment that doth not produce a real Confidence in God that he will give us spiritual Blessings when we heartily desire them True Knowledge of God's Name breedeth Trust Psal. 9. 10. They that know thy Name will put their trust in thee and more particularly for this kind of Benefit 'T is a general encouragement Matth. 7. 11. If ye then being evil know how to give good gifts to your Children how much more shall your Father which is in Heaven give good things to them that ask him but 't is limited to the Spirit Luke 11. 13. If ye being evil know how to give good gifts to your Children how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Spirit to them that ask it Without this Faith there is no Commerce with God 3. 'T is an Argument of the good temper of our Souls not to serve our carnal turns but promote the welfare of our Souls when we would enjoy and improve the Goodness of God to get this Benefit 1. They are affected according to the value of the thing Of all the Fruits of God's Goodness which an holy Man would crave for himself and challenge for his Portion this he thinketh fittest to be sought sanctifying Grace to understand and keep the Law If this be not the only yet 't is the chiefest Benefit which they desire in the World For other things let God deale with them as he will but they value this among the greatest things which God bestoweth on Mankind Observe here how much the Spirit of God's Children differeth from the Spirit of the World they account God hath dealt well with them when he bestoweth upon them Wealth and Honour Psalm 4. 6. Who will shew us any good but the other desire Grace to know God's Will and to serve and please him there is the thing they desire and seek after as suiting their temper and constitution of Soul A Man is known by his desires as the temper of his Body by his Pulse 2. They would not willingly sin against God either out of ignorance or perverse affections therefore if God will direct them and assist them in the work of Obedience their great care and trouble is over 'T is a good sign that a man hath a simple honest Spirit when there is rooted in his heart a fear to offend God and a care to please him He may erre in many things but God accepts him as long as seeking Knowledge in order to Obedience Eph. 5. 15 16 17. All that God requireth both for matter and manner is that we would not comply with Sin seeing the time is evil and full of Snares we should not be unwise in point of Duty 3. They have an holy Jealousy of themselves David desired to use every Condition well whether he were in Prosperity or Trouble The Context speaketh of Afflictions that were sanctified but a new Condition might bring on a new Alteration in the Soul Prosperity would make him forget God and Trouble overwhelm him if God did not teach him In what state soever we be we must desire to be taught of God otherwise we shall faile Phil. 4. 11 12. For I have learned in whatsoever state I am therewith to be content I know how to be abased and how to abound every-where and in all things I am instructed Unless the Lord guide us we shall be as Ephraim was a Cake not turned Hos. 7. 8. baked but on one side quite dough and raw on the other side faile in the next Condition though passed over one well 4. A Sense of the Creatures Mutability Comparing it with the former Verse I observe that
and Silver but he that wants the Benefits which the Word of God offereth and conveyeth to us Gold and Silver are but one sort of Riches and but the lowest and meanest sort You do not count a man poor if he have Lands though he hath not ready Money much less is a man poor if he hath Gold though he hath not Silver so a Christian is not poor if he hath God and Christ and the Spirit though he say with the Apostle Peter Silver and gold have I none Acts 3. 16. Angels are not poor though they have not Flocks and Herds and yearly Revenews they have an excellency suitable to their Natures So a Christian is not poor while he possesseth him who possesseth all things But that I may not seem onely to say that the Treasures of Grace are the true Riches I shall prove it by two Arguments 1. That 's the true Riches which can buy and purchase all other things but all other things cannot buy and purchase it now all the Riches in the World cannot buy and purchase those Benefits which the Word offereth to us They cannot purchase the Favour of God For what hope hath the Hypocrite if he hath gained when God comes to take away his Soul Job 27. 8. Many a carnal Wretch doth not make a saving Bargain of it but be it so he looketh for Worldly gain and hath it what will this stead him when God puts the Bond of the Old Covenant in suit and demandeth his Soul from him he is loth to resign it but God will have it What can he give in exchange for his Soul Money cannot purchase the Grace of the Redeemer 1 Pet. 1. 18. Ye are not redeemed with Corruptible things and Psalm 44. 6 7 8. The Redemption of the Soul is precious Men would if they could give a thousand Worlds for the pardon of their Sin when they come to receive the fruit of it but all will not doe the Wrath of God must be appeased and the Justice of God satisfied by another kind of Ransome They cannot purchase the Grace of the Spirit Simon Magus would give money for the Gifts of the Holy Ghost but Peter said to him Thy money perish with thee because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money Acts 8. 20. His Request was base and carnal yet thus far it yieldeth a testimony to the truth in hand that he thought the Gift of the Holy Ghost better than Money or else he would not have offered his Money for it yea the lowest and far less necessary Gift than his sanctifying guiding and comforting Work well then all other things cannot purchase these Benefits But on the other side these Benefits procure all other things Grace giveth us an advantage in worldly things above others for certainly man doth not live by bread onely Matth. 4. and his Life doth not lie in worldly abundance the natural much more the sanctified and comfortable use of the Creatures dependeth on the Favour of God and his Fatherly Care and Providence which is assured to the Heirs of Promise Matth. 6. 33. First seek the Kingdome of God and his Righteousness and these things shall be added 1 Tim. 4. 8. Godliness hath the promise of this life and that which is to come Prov. 3. 15 16. Wealth is not to be compared with Wisdome Because in her right hand is length of days and in her left hand riches and honour A Child of God that is obedient to the Word hath more advantage for the World than a wicked Man hath he hath a Promise which the other hath not a warrant to cast his Care upon God he gets more by the want of worldly Things than a wicked Man by the possession of them for his want is sanctified and worketh for good 2. The World cannot recompence and supply the want of that Grace we get by the Word but this can easily supply the want of the World The Worth and Value of things is known by this what we can least want Now there is no earthly Thing but may be so supplied as that its want should be better to us than its injoyment Sickness may be better to us than Health because of experiences of Grace 2 Cor. 12. 10. Poverty may be better than Wealth because we may be rich in Grace Iames 19. so Iames 2. 5. so 1 Tim. 6. 6. Godliness with Contentment is great gain Slender Provisions with a contented Heart is much better than a great deal more Wealth Godliness can supply the room of Wealth but Wealth cannot supply the room of Godliness If the want of Wealth helps us to an increase of Grace and Communion with God it helpeth us to that which is of higher and greater value than the injoyment of Wealth could afford But now on the other side the World will not give us a recompence for the want of Godliness Matth. 16. 26. What is a man profited if he shall gain the World and lose his Soul What shall be given to the Party for that loss his Soul is lost not in a natural Sense but in a legal Sense forfeited to God's Justice We may please our selves in our carnal Choice for a while but Death bloweth away all our vain Conceits Ier. 17. 11. At his latter end he shall be a Fool. He was a Fool before all his life time but now in the Judgment and Conviction of his own Conscience His Conscience shall rave at him Oh Fool Madman to hazard the Love of Christ for worldly Things These things cannot be recompensed by any other What poor Rewards can the World yield you for the loss of Christ and Heaven Alas then you lose your Treasure and have nothing to comfort you but Rattles and Bables which will no more comfort us than fine Flowers will a man going to Execution thus in the Nature of Riches 2. Let us come to the Use and End of these things the Use of the Law of God's Mouth and the Use of Wealth the Use of Wealth is to support and maintain the present Life and the bodily State during our Pilgrimage and passage through the World but the Use of the Word is to guide and direct us in the way to the Blessedness of the World to come The World supplieth our bodily Necessities But the Law of God is perfect converting the Soul Psalm 19. 7. It discovereth a man's Soul-misery and remedy as it directeth to Christ and enforceth our obedience to God and prescribeth an universal adherence to him and dependance on him Our Souls are faln off from God by Sin into a most dolefull state and have no other way of recovery than is prescribed in this blessed Word of God There are three Uses of the Word of God and they do all commend and endear it to our respects 1. 'T is the great means to sanctify and convey a divine Principle and Nature in us 't is not onely the Rule but the seed of the New
correction He made Iacob and Laban meet peaceably Gen. 31. and in the next Chapter Iacob and Esau. Use is Direction to us in these Times when there are such distances and alienation of hearts and affections between the People of God 1. Let us not be troubled at it overmuch Godly men were estranged from David either being mislead by delusions and false reports or loth to come to him because of his Troubles and low condition And partly because 't is no strange thing for a good man to be forsaken of his Friends so Job 6. 15 16 17. My brethren have dealt deceitfully as a brook and as the stream of brooks they pass away which are blackish by reason of the ice and wherein the snow is hid What time they wax warm they vanish when it is hot they are consumed out of the way So David Psal. 31. 11. I was a reproach among all mine enemies and a fear to mine acquaintance Yea so Christ himself I know the Temptation is very great Man is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a sociable creature To go alone in our duty is very hard but we ought not to look on our selves to be alone while God is with us Iohn 16. 32. Christ is a pattern of all dispensations as well as trials Heb. 13. 5. I will not leave thee nor forsake thee He is so far from forsaking that he will not leave us 2. Let us recommend the case to God Zeph. 3. 9. That they may call upon the Name of the Lord to serve him with one consent Rom. 15. 6 7. That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorifie God Wherefore receive ye one another as Christ also received us to the glory of God Non sunt ista litigandi sed orandi tempora Beg a coalition of all those that fear God that laying aside prejudice they may turn one to another The Spirit of Concord is God's gift Christ prayeth John 17. 21 22. That they may be one as thou Father art in me and I in thee that they also may be one in us that the world may believe thou hast sent me And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them that â—…ey may be one as we are one 3. Let us carry it so that the Children of God may have no occasion to turn from us Scandalous sins are roots of bitterness Heb. 12. 15. Lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you and thereby many be defiled Encourage the Godly to pray for you Heb. 13. 18. Pray for us for we trust we have a good conscience in all things willing to live honestly To love you Good men are not unworthy of our Prayers and uncapable of the benefit of them the more you excel in Grace the more they will delight in you Psal. 16. 3. But to the saints that are in the earth and to the excellent in whom is all my delight SERMON LXXXVIII PSAL. CXIX VER 80. Let my heart be sound in thy statutes that I be not ashamed IN this Verse we have first A Petition Let my heart be sound in thy statutes 2dly An Argument from the fruit and effect of granting it That I be not ashamed that is then I shall not otherwise I certainly shall be ashamed He would avoid that inconveniency that was so grievous to him in the eyes of wicked men In the Petition I shall take notice 1. Of the Person praying David 2. His Qualification intimated in the word My heart 3. The Person prayed unto intimated in the word Thy. Secondly Here 's the Benefit asked A sound heart in which you have 1. The Nature of it 2. The Value of it DOCT. That Sincerity and Soundness in an Holy Course is a great Blessing and earnestly to be sought of God in Prayer This will appear if we consider the Benefit asked the Nature and Value of it First The Nature of it What is a sound heart It noteth reality and solidity in grace The Septuagint hath it Let my heart be without spot and blemish What is here Let my heart be sound It implieth the reality of Grace opposed to the bare Form of Godliness or the fair Shows of Hypocrites and the sudden and vanishing Motions of Temporaries 1 I shall briefly shew what it is not by way of opposition 1. 'T is opposed to the form of godliness 2 Tim. 3. 4. Having a form of godliness but denying the power thereof Their Religion is only in shew and outside as Apples that may be fair to see to in the Skin but rotten at the Core so their Hearts are not sound within When we are sound within as well as beautiful without this is the sound heart when not only in shew and appearance we are for God but in deed and truth Solinus telleth us That the Apples of Sodom are to sight very beautiful and fair but the compass of the rine doth only contain a sooty matter which flitters into dust as soon as touched This is a fit Emblem of an Hypocrite or an Heart not sound with God Or as the Priests under the Law they were to look whether the Sacrifices were sound at heart otherwise they were to be rejected Lev. 22. 22 23. So David here begs a sound heart in God's statutes lest it should be rejected of God The world thinketh if there be a little external Conformity to the Law of God it is enough O no! there must be a sound heart no other principle of Obedience pleaseth God 2. This sound Heart is opposed to the sudden pangs and hasty motions of Temporaries The graces of Temporaries are for matter true but slightly rooted and therefore are not sound There wanteth two things in the graces of Temporaries first a deep and firm radication 2dly an habitual predominancy over all lusts First A deep and firm radication Temporaries are really affected with the Word of God and the offers of Christ and life by him but the tincture is but slight and soon worn off They have the Streams of Grace but not the Fountain a Draught but not the Spring John 4. 14. The water that I shall give him shall be a well of water springing up to everlasting life A dash of Rain or a Pond may be dried up but a Fountain ever keepeth flowing They have something to do with Christ he giveth them a visit but not that constant communion he doth not dwell in their hearts by faith Eph. 3. 17. nor take up his abode there 't is but a slight tincture not a deep and permanent die of holiness or a constant habitual inclination to that which is holy just and good There is not the remaining seed 1 Iohn 3. 9. there is a great deal of difference between sudden motions stirred up in us by the Spirit and the remaining seed that is a constant disposition of heart to please God Secondly An habitual predominancy over all lusts Temporaries still with those kind Graces which they have retain their interest in the world and
of comfort to God whether he will give temporal deliverance a comfortable sense of his love or hopes of glory a clearer right and title to eternal Rest. 2. Yea refer the thing it self Comfort is necessary because a great part of our temptations lie in troubles as well as allurements Sense of pain may discompose us as well as pleasure entice us The world is a persecuting as well as a tempting world The flesh troubleth as well as enticeth The Devil is a disquieting as well as an insnaring Devil But yet comfort though necessary is not so necessary as holiness Therefore though comfort is not to be despised yet sincere love to God is to be preferred and though it be not dispensed so certainly so constantly and in so high a degree in this world we must be contented The Spirits comforting work is oftner interrupted than the work of holiness so much as is necessary to our employment for God in the world we shall have 3. Comfort is raised in us by the Spirit of God Acts 9. 31. Then had the Churches rest and were edified and walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the holy Ghost were multiplied For means we have his Word his Promises and also his Providence His Word Rom. 15. 4. Whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope His Promises Psal. 119. 50. This is my comfort in my affliction for thy word hath quickned me Heb. 6. 17 18. Wherein God willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel confirmed it by an oath That by two immutable things in which it was impossible for God to lye we might have a strong consolation who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us And also his Providence Protection and Defence Psal. 23. 4. Thou art with me thy rod and thy staff they comfort me The Rod and Staff are spoken of as Instruments of defence 4. Consider how ready God is to comfort his People Isa. 40. 1 2. Comfort ye comfort ye my people saith your God Speak ye comfortably to Ierusalem and cry unto her that her warfare is accomplished that her iniquity is pardoned When time serveth God sendeth these messages SERMON XCI PSAL. CXIX VER 83. For I am become like a bottle in the smoke yet do I not forget thy precepts HEre is rendred a Reason why he doth so earnestly beg for Comfort and Deliverance The Reason is taken from his necessity he was scarce able to bear any longer delay of comfort Not only his Faith and Hope was spent but his Body was even spent through the trouble that was upon him He had told us in the 81 Verse My soul fainteth for thy salvation In the 82 Verse Mine eyes fail for thy word And now I am become like a bottle in the smoke c. Observe here 1. His Condition represented 2. His Resolution maintained Or First The Heat of Tribulation I am become like a bottle in the smoke Secondly His constant perseverance in his Duty Yet do I not forget thy precepts 1. His Condition is represented by the similitude of a bottle in the smoke alluding therein to a Bottle of Skin such as the Iews used As in Spain their Wine is put into Borachos or Bags made of Hog-skins 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Homer in a Vessel or Bottle of a Goat-skin And Christ's similitude of old Bottles and new Bottles relateth thereunto Mat. 9. 17. For he meaneth it of Skin-Bottles or Bladders if such a Bottle be hung up in the smoke and by that means it becometh black parched and dry The Man of God thought this a fit Emblem of his condition The Septuagint read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Frost Kitor signifieth any Fume or Vapor whether of smoke or mist as Psal. 148. 8. Fire and hail snow and vapor The word for vapor is the same with this which is here rendred smoke Here it signifieth smoke rather than vapor or mist. 2. His Resolution Yet do I not forget thy precepts I do not forget That is I do not decline from or neglect my duty as Heb. 13. 16. To distribute and communicate forget not that is neglect it not As on God's part when he will not perform what belongeth to him being hindred by our disobedience he threatneth to forget his people Ier. 23. 39. that is will not deliver them So we forget God's Precepts when we do not fulfil or neglect our duty Now forget God's Precepts he might either as his Comfort or his Rule both ways must the word be improved and remembred by us Yet because the notion of Precepts is here used I understand the latter Often is this passage repeated in this Psalm as Ver. 51. The proud have had me greatly in derision yet have I not declined from thy law Though scorned and made a mockage by those that were at ease and lived in pomp and splendor yet his zeal was not abated Ver. 61. The bands of the wicked have robbed me yet have I not forgotten thy law Though plundred by the violence of Soldiers So ver 109. My soul is continually in my hand yet do I not forget thy law That is though he was in danger of death continually We have it agâ—…in Ver. 141. I am small and despised yet do I not forget thy law Though contemned and slighted as an useless creature and one that might be well spared in the world So in the Text I am become like a bottle in the smoke though wrinkled and shrivel'd with age and sorrow Thus in all Temptations David's love to God and his ways were not abated DOCT. That though our Tryals be never so sharp and tedious yet this must not lessen our respect to God or his Word In handling this Point I shall shew you three things First That God may exercise his Children with sharp and tedious Afflictions Secondly That these Afflictions are apt to draw us into manifold Sins and Errors of Practice Thirdly That yet this should not be A gracious Heart should withstand this shock of Temptations For the first David is an instance whose sad complaint we have had continued for three Verses together I shall only now open the Similitude in the Text whereby he representeth his condition 1. A Bottle in the smoke is dry and wrinkled and shrunk up so he was worn out and dryed up with sorrow and long suspense of expectation This noteth the decay of his bodily strength so also elsewhere Psal. 102. 3. My days are consumed like smoke and my bones are burnt as an hearth And he saith Psal. 32. 4. Thy hand was heavy upon me my moisture is turned into the drought of summer His chief sap oil was spent humidum radicale As a leathern Sack long hung up in a smoking Chimney so was he dryed up and shrivel'd and wrinkled by long continued troubles
and adversity We are told Prov. 17. 22. That a merry heart doth good like a medicine but a broken spirit dryeth the bones A chearful heart helpeth well to recover health lost but a sad one breedeth diseases as we see grief is often the cause of death Now so it may be often with God's Children God may so follow them with afflictions that sorrow may waste their natural strength and they may have such hard and long Tryals as to make them go into wrinkles and what by temporal Sorrows or troubles of Conscience or Sickness the infirmities of Age may be hastened upon them 2. A Bottle in the smoke is blacked and smutched whereby is meant that his beauty was wasted as well as his strength and as he was withered so he was black with extreme misery Job 30. 30. My skin is black upon me and my bones are burnt with heat So Lam. 5. 10. Our skin was black as an oven because of the terrible famine So Lam. 4. 8. Their visage is blacker than a coal they are not known in the streets their skin cleaveth to their bones it is withered it is become like a stick So here like a Bottle in the smoke And you must consider that this was spoken of David that ruddy Youth of whom it was said 1 Sam. 16. 12. Now he was ruddy of a beautiful countenance and goodly to look to But great sorrows had made an alteration and afflictions do quickly cause the beauty of the body to fade Psal. 39. 11. When thou with rebukes dost correct man for iniquity thou makest his beauty to consume away like a moth God's Rod may leave sad marks and prints upon the body which do not only waste our strength but deface our beauty Observe here the difference between the beauty and strength of the body and of the soul The beauty of the soul groweth fairer by afflictions whereas that of the body is blasted David was a Bottle shrivel'd and shrunk up yet the holy frame of his soul was not altered his beauty was gone but not his grace Outward beauty is but skin-deep turn it inside outside 't is but blood and rawness It fadeth by sickness age troubles of conscience and great and manifold afflictions Once more In the sight of God a man is never the more uncomely though he be as a Skin-Bottle in the smoke if he doth not forget his statutes If he be outwardly deformed but yet the hidden man of the heart be well adorned even with the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit which is in the sight of God of great price 1 Pet. 3. 3 4. Any great affliction soon maketh an impression upon the skin this flower of beauty is soon blown off age or sickness will soon shrivel it up and make it look like a bottle in the smoke but let us regard the beauty of the soul which fadeth not 3. A dried Bottle in the smoke is contemned and cast aside and of no use so was David no more esteemed and regarded among men than such a Bottle would be and to this Christ alludeth Mat. 9. 17. Men do not put new wine into old bottles lest the bottles break and the wine runneth out and perisheth An old dry shrivel'd Bottle is good for nothing the force of Wine will soon break and rend it therefore 't is cast away as a thing of no use So many times to the great grief of their hearts may God's Children be laid aside as useless Vessels the world may cast them off as unworthy to live among them 'T is not for the King's profit to suffer them Esther 4. 8. and 1 Cor. 4. 13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We are made as the filth of the world and are the off-scowring of all things So Heb. 13. 13. Let us go forth therefore to him without the camp bearing his reproach At that time they were cast out of the Synagogues or Cities and Societies Was not Christ himself cast off despised and rejected of men Isa. 53. 3. The Stone which the Builders refused though he were the Corner-stone of the Building yet they laid him aside as if he were of no use as rubbish or a refuse Stone So are his People thrust out by the world laid by as not deemed worthy to be employed for any use Acts 22. 22. Away with such a fellow from the earth for it is not fit that he should live This is the judgment which the world maketh on God's servants Secondly What are the usual Sins which are incident to such sharp and tedious Afflictions 1. Impatience and Murmuring against God When our wills are crossed we cannot bear it To be sick of the Fret is a disease very incident to such as have not learned to deny their own wills and intirely to give up themselves to the conduct of God's Providence Gen. 30. 1. Give me children or I dye Psal. 37. 1. Fret not thy self because of evil doers We should not vex and fret but we are apt to do so to murmur and repine against God and that for small matters as Ionah for a Gourd I do well to be angry Jonah 4. 9. So strangely are men transported Pettish desires earnestly sollicited and finally disappointed breed this impatience in us In every frame of heart when notably stirred we should say Is this well God puts the question to Jonah Dost thou well to be angry What to be discontented with God's own Providence especially in small matters But we let loose the reins to our Passions and if we be crossed a little then let me dye Some of this impatience was in good David for it presently followeth the Text ver 84. How many are the days of thy servant If the affliction must last yet longer then even let me know when I shall dye 2. A Spirit of Revenge against the instruments of our Trouble When we dare not let flie against God we vent our Passions freely against Men and seek their hurt and loss and think we are safe Whereas Christianity establisheth an universal and diffusive charity even to enemies that we should pray for them and seek their good Mat. 5. 44. Love your enemies bless them that curse you do good to them that hate you pray for them which despitefully use you and persecute you The command of love doth not extend only towards Kindred and Friends and Acquaintance but even to Enemies I say unto you Christ will try our sincerity and obedience by this Precept by forgiving wrongs and forbearing all unjust and unmerciful revenge and our love by loving our enemies 'T is hard to bring the revengeful heart of Man to it The faults they have committed against us do not exempt us from the general Law of Charity from doing good to them according to our power As we must not hate or curse or requite injury with injury so we must love bless do good and pray for them wishing them all the good in the world especially that which they most want
do not my words do good to him that walketh uprightly God delighteth not in dealing harshly with his People The Rod is not that he taketh pleasure in if our case doth not call for it Lam. 3. 33. He afflicts not willingly We provoke him to it And shall we grow weary of his service because we suffer justly for our sins There is reason indeed why we should grow weary of sin Ier. 2. 19. we find the bitterness of it But no reason why we should grow weary of Duty Sin less and suffer less Provoke not God and nothing will proceed from him but what is good and comfortable he doth not punish or chasten men for holiness and well-doing no 't is for want of holiness Shall the Physician be blamed for the trouble of Physic when the Patient hath contracted a Surfeit that makes it necessary 'T was sin in general brought us into a state of suffering and particular errors that actually bring it on Secondly The benefits and fruit of Afflictions should allay and abundantly recompence the trouble of them that they should not be an hinderance or a snare but an help to Godliness They prevent our surfeit of wordly Prosperity which would cost us dearer than all the troubles of the Flesh which we meet with Alas what sad work doth Honour and Wealth and Power make in the world Blessed be God that he keepeth us under low humble and contemned like bottles in the smoke Shall a little affliction which saveth us from these opportunities of discovering our corruption be so resented by us as that we should wax weary of God and forget his Precepts Great and long Prosperity would be a sorer temptation to us than sharp and tedious Affliction the one keepeth us modest and humble whereas the other would make us vain and proud and wanton When Iesurun waxed fat he kicked Deut. 32. 15. He forsook God that made him and lightly esteemed the rock of his salvation Slighted God and grew cold in duty ready to sin As a rank Soil breedeth weeds a pleasant Estate doth but fill us with vanity and folly Thirdly God in good time will send help and deliverance If we remember to plead the Promise God will remember to fulfil the Promise And those who are not unmindful of their duty God will not be unmindful of their safety Mal. 3. 16. The Lord hearkned and heard and a book of remembrance was written before him for those that feared the Lord and thought upon his Name You see there that God will not forget those that forget not his Word Those that keep their feet in the worst times when others reel and stagger God hath a great care of them Every word you speak for God every inconvenience you suffer for him every duty you perform to him 't is all upon Record Fourthly We may with the more confidence recommend our case to God Psal. 119. 153. Consider mine affliction and deliver me for I do not forget thy law They that do not make haste to deliver themselves God will deliver them The same God that requireth duty doth assure them of comfort SERMON XCII On the Fifth of November 1668. PSAL. CXIX VER 85. The proud have digged pits for me which are not after thy law THis Verse containeth a Complaint against his Enemies whereas most of the other Verses express his affection to the Law of God Yea this Verse strongly implieth it for he censureth and condemneth his Enemies mainly upon this ground because they did what they please without any regard to that Law which he himself took to be the Rule of his Duty and the Charter of his Hopes and Happiness Observe three things 1. The Character of David's Enemies The Proud 2. Their Practice or subtile and treacherous dealing with him They have digged pits for me 3. David's Censure of that Practice or their manifest Iniquity Which are not after thy law Let us Explain the Words The Proud In the Scripture it signifieth 1 either the Wicked in general Psal. 119. 21. Thou hast rebuked the proud which are cursed which do err from thy commandments 'T is an horrible arrogancy to oppose God's Laws and Interests in the World 2 more particularly such as are puffed up with worldly happiness and success and so either Saul's or Absolom's Counsellors may be intended Have digged pits for me A metaphorical Phrase usual in Scripture to represent the secret Plots and treacherous dealings of wicked Enemies an Allusion to them who digged Pits to take wild Beasts In the Greek 't is They have told me Tales Though this rendring was occasioned by a mistake of the word yet it agreeth well enough with the sense for this digging of Pits by false pretences and ensnaring counsels Prov. 16. 27. An ungodly man diggeth up evil and in his lips there is as a burning fire But let us keep to the Translation we have The manner of Toyls among the Iews was digging Pits and covering them over and hiding snares in them That as the Beast prest the clod and fell therein he might be caught and kept from getting out again Therefore David saith Psal. 35. 7. Without cause have they hid for me their net in a pit which without cause they have digged for my soul. Which are not after thy law Hebr. Not after thy law It may refer to the Men or the Practice who walk not according to thy Law or which fraudulent practices of theirs are not agreeable to thy Law The Law of God condemned Pits for tame Beasts Exod. 21. 33 34. If a man open a pit or dig a pit and not cover it and an ox or ass fall therein The owner of the pit shall make it good and give money to the owners of them Though it was lawful for Hunters to take wild Beasts yet they were to take heed that a tame Beast fell not therein at their peril Yet not for Men innocent and holy Men. But there is a Litotes in the words That is said not to be good or well done which is extremely evil very contrary to thy Law Thus we are wont to speak of a thing horrid in terms of extenuation As when we speak of a Fact it is not very commendable when we mean it is extremely abominable So crafty and subtile dealing consenteth not with the truth of God's Word that is it is extremely opposite to it This is produced by David as a ground of his confidence why he hoped he should not be taken in these Pits These practices were not only injurious to himself but contemptuous of the Law of God He layeth forth his Enemies carriage before God Note I. That secret Plottings against the Interests of God and his People in the world are an ancient practice II. That these Plots usually begin in Pride III. That God can when he will and usually doth protect his People against the Plots of the Proud or the Fraud as well as the Violence of Enemies IV. That God's Law forbiddeth all
will not fear what man shall do unto me And Psal. 121. 4. Behold he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep In both there is a negative Gradation his Eye-lids try the Children of Men the Lord waketh for us all Secondly That usually he doth protect his People against the Plots of the Proud and bringeth the Mischief they intend to others upon their own heads Job 15. 35. They conceive mischief and bring forth vanity and their belly prepareth deceit But to keep the Notion of the Text. Psal. 7. 15. He made a pit and digged it and is fallen into the ditch which he made Psal. 9. 15 16. The Lord is known by the judgment which he executeth the wicked is snared by the work of his own hand They are sunk down into the pit they digged in the net which they hid is their own feet taken So Psal. 35. 7 8. For without cause have they hid for me their net in a pit which without cause they have digged for my soul. Let destruction come upon him at unawares and let his net that he hath hid catch himself into that very destruction let him fall And Psal. 10. 2. Let them be taken in the device they have imagined And Psal. 57. 6. They have prepared a net for my steps my soul is bowed down they have digged a pit before me in the midst whereof they are fallen themselves All these places shew how usual it is that their devices do not succeed yea that the wicked cannot take a nearer course to ruine themselves than to seek the overthrow of God's Church and People All their Machinations turn to their own loss and the Mischief they design to others falls constantly on themselves As a Stone thrown up or an Arrow shut up against Heaven returneth upon the head of him that throweth it Their Acts and Attempts of hurting others are converted to their own ruine and destruction seizeth upon them by that very means by which they thought to bring it upon other Men. This God doth partly as they are proud as they despise God and his People Psal. 10. 4. The wicked through the pride of his countenance will not seek after God God is not in all his thoughts They are so confident of all they design that they will not so much as call upon God for a blessing this is so firmly laid that all things shall succeed They will not seek after God through the pride of their countenance or suppose they should pray 't is but as Balaam offering sacrifice to entice God to curse his own people The Lord tells us Prov. 21. 27. The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination how much more when he bringeth it with a wicked mind Partly because of God's care and respect to his People The poor committeth himself unto thee thou art the helper of the fatherless Psal. 10. 14. He trusts his All with God who is the Patron of the innocent and oppressed USE To direct us to carry the Cause to God as David in the Text. Psal. 83. 2 3 4. For lo thine enemies make a tumult and they that hate thee have lift up the head They have taken crafty counsel against thy people and consulted against thy hidden ones They have said Come and let us cut them off from being a Nation that the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance You must make the Lord the Party still against the wicked So Psal. 37. 12. The wicked plotteth against the just and gnasheth upon him with his teeth The wicked plotteth but do the just countermine him No the Lord interposeth he laugheth at him 'T is a mighty support to the soul to oppose his Justice to their wickedness his Omnipotency to their power his Wisdom to their craft his Love to their enmity They are in God's hands and cannot stir without him as if one designed to poyson me but cannot do it without my Fathers consent Wicked men are full of their boasts but their brags and threats are but as the brags of a man on the Scaffold who is ready to be executed Their day is coming 2dly When God doth so it must be acknowledged with thankfulness and praise yea though an old mercy Micah 6. 5. The Godly are preserved though there be Pits digged for them surely such experiences ought much to engage his Peoples hearts to him for it sheweth how mindful he is of their safety and welfare Blessed be God that yet we subsist that their devices are disappointed and their designs brought on them what they had projected against others Fourth Point That God's Law forbiddeth all Ungodly Treacherous Designs Attempts and Actions As contrary to Justice To design mischief and treachery against the life of any is the guise of wicked men As contrary to Sincerity and Godly Simplicity 2 Cor. 1. 12. For our rejoycing is this that in simplicity and godly sincerity not with fleshly wisdom but by the grace of God we have had our conversation in the world and more abundantly to you wards Crafty and subtile dealings consenteth not with those that profess to direct their ways by the Word of God As contrary to Charity and Mercy which we owe to all men How God hath guarded the life of the innocent by his Precepts and what a base perverse spirit is it to dig Pits for them USE Here is some plea for Religion 'T is not Feralis Superstitio Tantum Religio potuit suadere malorum It is not a false unnatural unkind Superstition when men under pretence of it commit such evils digging Pits laying Mines and Barrels of Gunpowder that Religion should persuade aâ—…l this The world thinks that Religion is a sowr superstition that it makes men ill natur'd no it is the peaceable and meekest thing that can be A false Religion indeed efferates the mind begets a bloody spirit Jud. 11. Gone in the way of Caâ—…n in the way of blood and murther They that have either a false Religion or are false in the true Religion indeed they are ill-natured and possest with a rough spirit unfit for humane society The true Religion which God hath established in his Law is the meekest thing in all the world Fifth Point That the Innocent should not be much troubled to be maligned and hated by them who contemn Gods Laws Why For their Wickedness Fraudulency and Cruelty is a certain Prognostick of their ruine The more their sins are aggravated their judgment cometh the sooner God's Law is wronged as well as our Interest endangered 'T is a great ease to the Conscience of the Godly that they dig Pits for us without a cause Psal. 35. 7. The most Godly and Innocent may have Pits digged for them It enencourageth us in our Addresses to God that we have no Enemies but those who are Enemies to God also and his ways and the most wicked men are most violent against Godâ—…s people Who was it first raged against the Christians but Nero and what a Beast
was Nero That must needs be some great good that was condemned by Nero but it was an honour and credit to Religion to have such an Enemy as Nero. Psal. 5. 10. Let them jaâ—… by their own counsels cast them out in the multitude of their transgressions for they have rebelled against thee It is some argument of confidence that their ruine is coming What use shall God's People make of the whole for themselves 1. Never to engage in any design but what will suit with God's Word and you may commend to God in Prayer Do not dig Pits which are not after God's Law examine it according to Rule never break a Law for safety nor for the best ends in the world dispense with your duty to God or man 'T is horrible distrust of God's Promises to venture upon the breach of his Precepts for our pretended safety Take heed of doing any thing or carrying any Plot against God's Law unless you would be like the Enemies of the Gospel 2. Walk with greater simplicity without that guile and double-dealing and serpentine wisdom that is so proper to wicked men He that walketh uprightly walketh safely Protection holds good for the Road and not for By-ways 2 Cor. 1. 12. The proud are those that dig Pits the character of those that shall have pardon for their sins is this in whose spirit there is no guile A guileful spirit ill suits with the Gospel and the Grace of God 3. Take heed of carnal Affections Pride Envy Contempt of others we know not how far these Lusts may transport us to what horrid unnatural designs When once the Devil hath a man upon the hip when engaged in an evil design it is hard to stop Pride then digging Pits and then casting off God's Law and then he never cares whether to please or displease honour or dishonour God is not troubled with such kind of thoughts 4. Take heed how you engage against God's People or dig Pits for them that fear the Lord God's Interest usually goeth along with them Isa. 8. 9 10. Associate your selves O ye people and ye shall be broken to pieces Take counsel together and it shall come to nought As the Captains servant said Take heed what ye do for this man is a Roman So these men are children of God he is their Patron and Protector God is interessed in their protection They are little ones but they have a great God Mat. 18. 10. Therefore take heed of having any interest opposite to the strict people of God For this is but to ruine your selves SERMON XCIII PSAL. CXIX VER 89. For ever O Lord thy word is setled in heaven THese words are usually rendred as making but one Proposition but the Accent Athnah sheweth there are two Branches the one asserting the Eternity of God the other the constancy and permanency of his Word Thus 1. For ever art thou O Lord. 2. Thy word is setled in the heavens So the Syriac Version readeth it and Geierus and after him others prove and approve this reading And so this Verse and the following do the better correspond one with another if we observe beginning and ending As thou art for ever O Lord and thy faithfulness unto all generations which are exactly parallel And then the last Caluses Thy word is setled in the heavens Thou hast est ablished the earth and it abideth And implieth as God is eternal so is his Word and hath an emblem and fit representation both in Heaven and in Earth In Heaven in the constant motion of the heavenly Bodies In Earth in the consistency and permanency thereof That as his Word doth stand fast in Heaven so doth his Faithfulness on Earth where the afflictions of the Godly seem to contradict it 1. Of the first Clause Thou art for ever O Iehovah 1. That Iehovah is the One Onely Eternal and Everlasting God What Eternity is passeth our skill exactly to define As we understand it 't is the duration of a Being that is without a beginning and end Duration is a continual tract of Being And Eternal Duration implieth an immutable and unterminable abode in Being So 't is here First It is an infinite unterminable Duration without beginning or ending Psal. 90. 2. From everlasting to everlasting thou art God God never was Nothing never shall be Nothing All the Generations past were but now are not We heretofore were not but now are God is the beginning and end of all things yet Himself without beginning or end He had an infinite incomprehensible Being before any part of the world was framed and will remain the same still when the world shall be no more The Soul in viewing God is inclosed between Infiniteness before and Infiniteness behind and which way soever it looketh it seeth Infiniteness round about it Secondly Immutable As without beginning and end so without any change Psal. 102 25 26 27. Of old thou hast laid the foundation of the earth and the heavens are the work of thy hands They shall perish but thou shalt endure yea all of them shall wax old like a garment as a vesture shalt thou change them and they shall be changed But thou art the same and thy years shall have no end God from the Mount of Eternity beholdeth all the successions and changes of the creature but He is not changed his Nature is one and the same from everlasting to everlasting We change every day we are not that to day which we were yesterday we have left some part of our life behind us which is gone and cannot be recovered and our duration lesseneth every day but God abideth for ever one and the same though all things be in continual flux and motion about him 2. Now that God is Eternal I shall prove by Scripture and Reason First By Scripture Gen. 21. 33. Abraham called there on the Name of the Lord the everlasting God The gods of the Nations were upstart gods but lately found out and soon destroyed but he is the Eternal God who ever was and is and ever will be Iob 36. 26. Behold God is great and we know him not neither can the number of his years be searched out He speaketh of God's Eternity in such terms as Man is capable of for God's Being is not to be measured by days and years but so we express it for our understanding for his Duration is far above our reach and capacity So Isa. 57. 15. God is said to inhabit Eternity Thus the Scripture propounds God's Eternity as matter of our Faith Reverence and Admiration 2dly By Reason Because the perfection of the first Cause requireth that his Duration should be without beginning or ending or which is all one eternal He is Iehovah that hath his Being from himself and all other things have their Being after him and from him Something must be Eternal or else there would be nothing made It is certain that if there had been a time when nothing was there never would be
Providence His special goodness in the channel of Redemption and Renovation by Christ. 1. He is a Benefactor to all Men he hath given them an immortal spirit that shall abide for evermore Eccles. 12. 7. The dust shall return to the earth as it was and the spirit to Godthat gave it There is an immortal Soul that dwelleth in a mortal Body The Body was made of corruptible Principles was Dust in its composition 't is true God can annihilate it but the Soul as it is a Spirit hath no corruptible Principles in it it is a thing that cannot be killed or destroyed by any created power Now this divine spark which cannot be quenched is a pledge and effect of God's Eternity for he that giveth Immortality certainly is Immortal himself Nothing can give what it hath not And besides because our Souls are immersed and sunk into matter and forget their divine original therefore God by the blessings of his Providence seeks to raise them up to look after this supreme and spiritual Being and giveth us all kind of comforts and mercies whose creatures we are that we may seek the Lord if haply we may feel after him and find him Acts 17. 27. That we may own him as the first Cause or Father of Lights by whom this spark was kindled in us or seek him as the chief good in whom alone this restless soul of ours can find contentment and satisfaction 2. He is a Benefactor in a way of grace and recovery by Christ. This also sets forth his Eternity the first rise and bottom cause of all this grace and favor that stirred and set all the causes on work which concurred to it was God's everlasting love Iohn 3. 16. And Christ saith Prov. 8. 31. I was set up from everlasting and this grace was given us in Christ before the world began 2 Tim. 1. 9. Before the foundation of the world was laid this business was transacted with Christ for our benefit and then the way how 't was brought about it was by an everlasting Redemption Heb. 9. 12. of an eternal force value and efficacy and the grace wrought in us 't is called incorruptible seed 1 Pet. 1. 23. There is an eternal principle in our hearts and that is the reason why a Believer is so often said to have eternal life abiding in him because of the beginning seed and principle of it that is sown in his heart and the comfort and fruit of it that we have here is called everlasting consolation 2 Thes. 2. 16. He hath loved us and given us everlasting consolation and good hope thorough grace 'T is not bottomed on any poor fading thing but on matters of an eternal Duration the happiness itself is the eternal fruition of the ever blessed God 1 Thess. 4. 17. We shall be ever with the Lord. So that we are made eternal also both in body and soul whence you see how abundantly God discovereth his Eternal Being in all his gifts and graces by Christ. 5 When the Creatures are spoken of as eternal it must be understood it is a communicated dependant half-eternity and so no derogation to this perfection which is proper to God First 'T is communicated to us for originally God only hath Immortality 1 Tim. 6. 16. We have it by derivation God hath it originally in himself and from himself God dispenseth and measureth out the duration and continuance of all other things their Races and Stages when they shall begin and when they shall end And that Immortality which the Angels and the Souls of Men have 't is ascribed to us by participation we have it from God because he was pleased to give it to us 2dly 'T is a dependant Eternity for every moment we depend upon God if he take away his Spirit we are gone Man or Angel We assert the Immortality of the Soul because it hath not the principles of corruption in it as the body hath but yet we cannot must not cut off the dependance upon the first Cause Fountain of Being in his hand is the breath of all living and he is often called the God of your life and the God of the spirits of all flesh 'T is but an half-eternity we sometimes were not God is from everlasting to everlasting but we are appointed to eternal life and time was when we lay in the womb of nothing we are but of yesterday poor upstarts that had but an existence and a new Being given us of God if he will lengthen it out and continue it to all eternity 't is not such an eternity as he hath but an half-eternity not an eternity without beginning but only without ending 6. This Eternity of God is not seriously and sufficiently enough thought of and improved till it lessen all other things in our opinion and estimation of them and affection to them Two things should especially be lessened the time we spend in the world and the things that we enjoy in the world First The time we spend in the world Alas what is this to God's Eternity Psal. 39. 5. Behold thou hast made my days as an hand breadth and mine age is nothing before thee Whether our days be spent in prosperity or adversity they are but short an hand breadth a meer nothing compared with God's Eternity Psal. 90. 4. A thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past or as a watch in the night A thousand years compared to Eternity are but as a drop spilt and left in the Ocean or as time insensibly past over in sleep Forty Fifty or Seventy years seemeth a great time with us yet with God who is infinite Ten thousand years is no considerable space but a very short and small duration 2dly As time so the things of the world 2 Cor. 4. 18. The things which are seen are temporal but the things which are not seen are eternal They are short as to continuance and use As to continuance he calleth the honours and delight of Pharaoh's Court. Heb. 11. 25. The pleasures of sin for a season Whatsoever is temporal a Man may see the end of it be it evil a Man in the deep waters is not discouraged as long as he can see banks but in Eternity there are neither banks nor bottom if good Psal. 119. 96. I have seen an end of all perfection The most shining glory will shortly be burnt out to a snuff it wasts every day Eternity maketh good things infinitely good and evil things infinitely evil If it be temporal whatever paineth us is but a flea-biting to eternal torments Whatever pleaseth or delights 't is but a may game to eternal joys so for use too 't is but for a season Deut. 23. 24. the Law gave an indulgence to eat of his Neighbors grapes for refreshment but thou shalt not put any in thy vessel 1 Tim. 6. 7. For we brought nothing into this world and it is certain we can carry nothing out The Manna was
useful and refreshing when used in the day but if kept all night it perished and was useless It was useful in the Wilderness but ceaseth when they came to Canaan Uses are many First comfort to the Godly for their own particular He is an eternal God that ordereth and guideth all things that he may bring them to their eternal felicity and will in time admit them into it Psal. 48. 14. For this God is our God for ever and ever and he will be our guide even unto death After death he will be their God still death doth not put an end to this relation for God is Abraham's God when he is dead Matth. 2â—… 32. God is the same still both in himself and to those that believe in him he will constantly guide them all the days of their life and after death receive us to the everlasting enjoyment of himself and revive our dust Oh what a blessedness is this to have an interest in such an eternal God! 2. As to the Community and Society to which they do belong God's Eternity is the Churches stability and so 't is urged in Scripture Mal. 3. 6. For I am the Lord I change not therefore ye sons of Iacob are not consumed Psal. 102. 27 28. Thou art the same and thy years shall have no end The children of thy servants shall continue So when the flourishing of the wicked is spoken of when they spring as grass Psal. 92. 8. But thou O Lord art most high for evermore If they be high God is higher and they are but upstarts to him their power is of a late rise and short continuance So Psal. 93. 2. Thy throne is established of old thou art from everlasting God's Throne is as eternal as his Being So Lam. 3. 17. Thou O Lord remainest for ever and thy throne from generation to generation Is the life of thy Enemies long God endureth for ever Is their power great 't is but dependent God had power before them and will have power when they shall be no more Second Use Is Terror to the wicked Heb. 10. 31. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God They may out-live other Enemies but they cannot out-live God who abideth for ever to avenge his quarrel against them and judge you if his Controversie against them be not just since they are such impious Fools and Brutes as that they prefer the creature before the Creator and chuse temporal things rather than everlasting and prefer Earth before Heaven and the satisfaction of their bodily lusts before the saving of their souls Can you blame God of any injustice in dooming them to everlasting misery What part of the punishment would you have relaxed the Loss or the Pain the Loss is double of God's favor or their natural comforts Would you have God admit those to the sight and everlasting fruition of himself who never cared for him Or return again to their natural comforts that they may eternally run Riot with them or abuse them to an occasion of the flesh Or is it the pain Would you have God take off that when the sin and impenitent obstinacy doth still continue since they preferred a temporal good before that which is eternal and would sell their birthright for one morsel of meat Heb. 12. 16. How just is it for God to make them everlastingly to lie under the fruits and effects of their own evil choice Third Use. Is to press us to seek after the everlasting fruition of this blessed and ever glorious God because many live as if they had never heard of things eternal most live as if they did not believe any such thing the best do not improve those things as they ought therefore I shall a little insist upon a quickening exhortation to stir you up to seek an eternal happiness in God 1. As we are reasonable Creatures we were made for Eternity for God hath given us an immortal spirit and there is no proportion between an immortal soul and temporal things it cannot be content with any thing that shall have an end for then we may survive our happiness if we had souls that would perish it would be more excusable to look after things that perish What will you do when your Souls shall be turned out of doors when ye fail Luke 16. 9. To what Region will the poor shiftless harborless Soul betake it self when you dye All your thoughts that concern the present world perish and if you did perish too it were no such great matter But you shall live and what will you have to comfort your selves if you have not an interest in the Eternal God in whose hands will you be if you have slighted him while you were upon earth and the eternal happiness he offereth to us and could not find enough in God and his Eternal Salvation to take off your hearts from the pleasures and vanities of the world Can you expect that he will favour you and be kind to you 2. Eternity is made known to us Christians and clearly set before us in the doctrine of the Gospel 2 Tim. 1. 10. he hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel Nature hath but guesses at it the Law but shadows but here 't is clearly certainly and fully revealed You know that you have an Eternal God to please and an infinite and eternal reward to expect The whole drift of our Religion is to call us off from Time to Eternity from this world to a better Christ came not to settle us here in a state of prosperity nor to make this world our Rest and Portion but to draw us up to God and Heaven 3. The same Religion sheweth that we are already involved in an Eternal misery and stand under a sentence binding us over to the Curse and Everlasting wrath of God Ioh. 3. 18. He that beleiveth not is condemned already and this is the Condemnation that light is come into the world and men love darkness more than light because their deeds are evil God hath offered Life and Immortality to them who have so miserably lost it and involved their souls in Eternal death Therefore if we know what it is to be liable to the wrath of an eternal God and to be interessed in the hopes of eternal glory we should awaken and be more serious in a business of such concernment 4. You will shortly be summoned to give an account Luke 16. 2. You have received so much from me such Riches Honours Parts Sufficiencies such Invitations to draw you home to me what will you answer Nay there is not only a little time between you and Judgment but a little time between you and Execution nothing but the slender thread of a frail life which is soon fretted asunder and will you can you sleep in sin so near Eternity and laugh and dance over the brink of Hell you cannot soon enough flee from wrath to come 5. Consider what poor deluded
Arms of an Almighty God whom he hath made his refuge our tryals are many and grace received is small in the best but our God is great he that made all things and sustaineth all things and governeth all things and possesseth all things is our God surely his grace is sufficient for us 2 Cor. 12. 9. and his arms can bear us up Deut. 33. 27. The eternal God is thy refuge and underneath are the everlasting arms He can recover us from our falls and lift us over all our difficulties if we could but rest upon his Word and lean upon his Power why should we be discouraged Oh let us rejoice then not only in the goodness but greatness of that God whom we have chosen for our portion 2. We see here that God is an unchangeable God in goodness They continue this day according to thine Ordinance The stability of his works sheweth how stable the workman is Heaven and Earth continue by vertue of his word That man may have the use and benefit of it from generation to generation that the continual vicissitudes of day and night may be continued that man may have light to his labour and darkness drawn about him as a covering for his rest and also that there might be a constant succession of Summer and Winter to prepare and ripen the fruits of the Earth Now if God forsake not the World will he forsake his people for the benefit of Mankind he preserveth the courses of Nature and keepeth all things in their proper place for their proper end and use and will he not keep one way with his children Shall there be a failure in the Covenant when there is not a failure in common Providence as if he would satisfie the expectation of Heathens that look for a constant succession of day and night and Summer and Winter and would not satisfie the expectation of his children when they look for a blessed morning after a dark night of trouble and conflict and the light of his countenance after the storms of temptation Secondly For Subjection which I made to be double 1. Submission to his disposing Will God's appointment giveth Laws to all there is not the least thing done among us without his Prescience Providence and wise disposal to which all things in the World are subjected The Lord's Will and Pleasure is the onely Rule of his extending his Omnipotency and is the sovereign and absolute cause of all his working for all is done in Heaven or in Earth according to his Ordinance and no creature can resist his Will therefore let us submit to this Will of God if God take any thing from us let us bless the Name of the Lord he doth but make use of his own 'T is the Lord let him do what seemeth him good 1 Sam. 3. 18. 'T is none of ours but Gods and let him do with his own as it pleaseth him God is the disposer of man as well as other creatures and must chuse their condition and determine of all events wherein they are concerned We usually dislike God's disposal of us though it be so wise and gracious but consider his Sovereignty you cannot deliver your selves from the Will of God and get the reins into your own hands And alas we are unfit to be disposers either of the World or our selves as an Idiot is to be the Pilot of a Ship therefore let God govern all according to his own pleasure say Lord not my Will but thine be done We are safer by far in God's hands than our own 2. Obedience to his commanding Will. All creatures do serve God as his Word hath ordained so should we do we have Law and Ordinances too Shall man only be eccentric and exorbitant and transgress his bounds Winds and Sea serve him onely Man made after his Image disobeyeth him They serve God for our benefit the Heavens continue their motion to convey light heat and influence to us and the Air to give us breath and motion and the Earth to be a sure fixed dwelling place When all things are created and continued for our use shall not we serve our bountiful Creator We are sensible of the disturbance of the course of nature when these Confederances are dissolv'd when the Floods increase or Rains fall in abundance Oh! bemoan rather thy own irregular actions which are a greater deformation of the beauty of the Universe In short No creatures are sui juris they are subject to God by whose word and commandment they must rule their actions surely none of us are too great or too good to submit to God Angels enjoy Immunities yet are not exempted from service The creatures have acted contrary to their common Nature for God's honour let us obey God though contrary to our own wills and inclinations SERMON XCVII PSAL. CXIX VER 92. Unless thy law had been my delights I should then have perished in mine affliction IN the Verses before the Text David meditateth upon the constancy of the course of Nature whereby is represented God's constant fidelity in performing all his promises to his people Now he produceth his own experience and sheweth That all this had been matter of most pleasant meditation to support him under his afflictions when all other comforts failed he found sufficient consolation in the Word of God Unless thy Law had been c. In which words observe 1. David's Condition he was afflicted 2. His bitter sense of that Condition he was ready to perish in his Affliction 3. His Remedy the Word of God 4. The way of Application it was his delights 1. For his Condition Though he was a man after God's own heart yet he had his troubles Psal. 132. 1. Remember David Lord and all his afflictions 2. For his sense and apprehension I should then have perished Then that is long since if you suppose him now under trouble probably he should have sunk under the weight of it or if out of trouble he remembreth from experience what did comfort him when he was ready to perish But how perished It may be understood 1. Either as given over to the will of his Enemies if he had not confided in God for all humane help and comfort was cut off and then did divine help appear 2. Dyed for sorrow for worldly sorrow worketh death 2 Cor. 7. 10. We are apt to despond and despair in great and sore Troubles Affliction worketh heaviness 1 Pet. 1. 6. and heaviness dryeth the bones and wasteth our strength What kept him 3. His Remedy was the Word of God for he saith Unless thy Law had been my delights Some take the word Law strictly for the Precepts of the Law which keepeth us from sin which doth involve us in danger But rather it is taken for the whole Word of God and chiefly for the promises of support and deliverance I had despaired if I had not consulted with thy Word He doth not here speak of direction but of support elsewhere he found
mind of man is restless and cannot lie idle therefore it is good to set it a work upon holy things It will be working upon somewhat and if you do not feed it with holy thoughts what then Alll the Imaginations of the heart will be evil only evil and that continually Gen. 6. 5. These are the natural products and births of our spirits And Matth. 15. 19. Out of the heart proceeds evil thoughts c. When the heart is left to run loose then we shall go musing of Vanity and sin therefore by frequent meditation this evil is prevented because the mind is preoccupied and possest already by better things nay the mind is seasoned and vain and carnal thoughts grow distastful to us when the heart is stored with good matter 2. The more these thoughts abide with us the more the heart is seasoned and fitted for all worldly comforts and affairs It is hard to touch pitch and not be defiled to go up and down with a serious heart in the midst of such temptations Nothing makes you awful and serious so much as enuring your minds with holy thoughts so that you may go about wordly businesses in a heavenly manner God's Children are sensible of this therefore they make it their practice to begin the day with God Psal. 139. 18. When I awake I am still with thee As soon as they are awake they are seasoning their minds with somewhat of God And they not only begin with God but take God along with them in all their comfort and business Prov. 23. 17. They are in the fear of the Lord all the day long Why do vain thoughts haunt us in duty because it is our use to be vainly occupied A carnal man goes about heavenly business with an earthly mind and a godly man goes about earthly business with a heavenly mind A carnal man's thoughts are so used to these things that he cannot take them off but a Godly man hath enured his mind to better thoughts 3. Thoughts will enflame and enkindle your affections after heavenly things It is beating the stèel upon the flint makes the sparks fly out So by serious inculcative thoughts we beat out affections these are the bellows to blow up the coals it is a very deadning thing to be always musing on vanity Cant. 1. 3. Thy name is as ointment poured forth therefore do the Virgins love thee When a box is broken and the ointment poured out when the name of God is taken in by serious thoughts that stirs up affection 4. By holy thoughts we do most resemble the purity and simplicity of God We do not resemble God so much by speech and course of our actions as we do by our serious and holy thoughts for his spiritual nature and being is best exprest by these operations of our own Spirits You can conceive of God as a spirit always beholding himself and loving himself and so you come nearer as to the being of God the more your thoughts are exercised and drawn out after holy things 5. By these holy meditations the soul is present with God and can solace it self with him The Apostle saith We are absent from him in the Body but present with him by the spirit present with him by the workings of our thoughts This is the way to get into the Company of the spirit to be with him Psal. 139. 18. How with him By our thoughts and by serious calling him to mind God is not far from us but we are far from him God is not far from us in the effects of his Power and goodness but we are far from God because our thoughts are so seldom set a work upon him This is the way to solace our selves with God to be much in these holy things SERMON CIII PSAL. CXIX VER 98. Thou through thy Commandments hast made me wiser than mine enemies for they are ever with me IN the former Verse you shall find the Man of God had exprest his affections to the VVord O how I love thy Law Now he renders the reason of his great affection because he got wisdom thereby a benefit of great value as being the perfection of the reasonable nature and a benefit highly esteemed in the world Those which care not for the reality of wisdom yet affect a reputation of it Iob 11. 12. Vain man would be accounted wise though he be born like the wild asses colt Though he be rude and brutish yet he would fain be accounted wise Knowledge was the great bait laid for our first Parents and so much of that desire is still left with us that we had rather be accounted wicked than weak and will sooner entitle our selves to the guilt of a vice in morals than own any weakness in intellectuals no man would be accounted a Fool. VVell then David's a ffection is justified he might well say O how I love thy law because he got wisdom thereby and such wisdom as carried him through all his trouble though he had to do with crafty Adversaries as Doeg Achitophel and others that excell'd for worldly policy yet O how I love thy Law For through thy Commandments c. In which words you have 1 The Benefit gotten by the VVord Wisdom 2 The Original Author of this Benefit Thou 3 The Means Through thy Commandments 4 The Benefit amplified by comparing it with the wisdom and craft of his Enemies the Politicians of Saul's Court men advanced for their great wisdom and subtilty Thou hast made me wiser than mine enemies 5 The Manner how he came to obtain this Benefit For they are ever with me Doct. That God through his Commands doth make his People wiser than their Enemies It is but David's Experience resolved into a Proposition I shall 1. Illustrate the Point by explaining the circumstances of it 2. Then prosecute it I. First The Benefit obtain'd is Wisdom Mark 1. It is not Craft or Wisdom to do evil that 's to be learned in the Devil's School but Divine wisdom such as is gotten by study and obedience of God's Laws Gen. 3. 1. The Serpent was the subtilest of all the beasts in the field Satan's Instruments are very acute in mischief wise to do evil but to do good have no knowledge Jer. 4. 22. Cunning enough in a way of sin but to seek in every point of duty your souls must not enter into their secrets This wisdom should rather be unlearned better be Fools and Bunglers in a way of sin than wise to do evil 1 Cor. 14. 22. Brethren in malice be ye children but in understanding be ye men And Rom. 16. 19. I would have you wise unto that which is good and simple concerning evil Simplicity here is the best wisdom 2. It is not worldly Policy or a dexterous sagacity in and about the concernments of this life There are some which have the spirit of the world 1 Cor. 2. 12. And a genius or disposition of soul which wholly carrieth them out to riches
natural and as kindly to the new nature to hate the chiefest evil as it is to love the chiefest good Do you talk of Love and Communion with God and never exercise your selves in refraining your feet from every evil way Certainly if you have any love to God you will hate that which God hates for Idem Velle Nolle to will and nill the same things that 's true friendship therefore if God be your friend you will hate as he hates that which makes a breach between you and God and makes you grow shie of God and lose your familiarity with him As love to God so love to his word Psal. 119. 113. I hate vain thoughts but thy Law do I love Certainly if a man hath a love to the Law he will not only hate sin in practice but vain thoughts what tends to breaking the Law in his thoughts any lesser contrariety contradiction or defiance of God's Law for our hatred is engaged by Love Well get this Love set it a work improve it by reason for every affection is fed by discourses of the mind All sins are set a work by some discourse so graces are set a work by discoursings of our minds Now set this Love a work O shall I that have tasted so much of the Love of God or that do pretend to love God and Christ and enjoy Communion with him yield to follow sin Ezra 9. 13. What after such a deliverance as this should we again break thy Commandment When God hath delivered us not only out of Babylon but you may say out of Hell how should we set Love a work The great instance of God's Love was the giving his Son 1 Iohn 4. 9 10. Herein is Love c. Now then if God hate and resist sin reason and argue from this Love what shall God give his Son for me and I not spare a lust for God when God did not stand upon his Son that was so dear and precious to him shall I stand upon my sin what shall Christ die for me to ransom me from hell is this my kindness to my Friend Cyprian brings in Satan pleading thus as vaunting against Christ. I never spilt one drop of blood my back was never mangled with whips and scourges I never had a Heaven to bestow upon them yet among all thy beneficiaries shew me any so busie painful diligent exact in thy service as these are in mine Thou hast shed thy blood and endured a painful and an accursed death for them yet they are not so dutiful to thee as to me You see whereto this tends and shall Christ do so much for us and we not deny our lusts for him Surely if we have any sense of the Love of Christ Jesus it will work this hatred this abhorrency and refraining our selves from every evil way Thus set Love a work 2. Another grace is a fear of God and his word A fear of God Prov. 8. 13. The fear of the Lord is to depart from evil Job 1. 1. Iob feared Gâ—…d and eschewed evil Surely a fear of God will make you refrain your selves from every evil way And not only so but a fear of his Word that 's useful Prov. 13. 12. He that feareth a Commandment shall be rewarded It is not said he that fears a Judgment but he that fears a Commandment If the Word stands in his way it is more than if all the inconveniences in the world stand in his way This also should be improved by holy reasoning and discourse you may reason as Ioseph the Lord seeth me and how can I do this wickedness and sin against God Gen. 39. 9. Shall I break the Lord's Laws before his face what when my heavenly Father hath forbidden me The Sons of Ionadab the Son of Rechab Ier. 34. 5 6. They were afraid to drink Wine when the Prophet brought pots before them no we dare not our Father hath commanded us the contrary Their Father was dead and could not take cognizance of their actions to call them to an account for breaking the rule of the Institution but there was an awe upon them but our Father his eyes run to and fro throughout the whole earth Therefore when you are tempted to sin and folly say I dare not God hath commanded me in his Word to the contrary Set fear a work here 's a commandment stands in my way the great God he sees all things and will one day call us to an account The two duties into which these graces do run and issue themselves are watchfulness and resistance Watchfulness we are poor creatures in the midst of Snares very easily may miscarry partly through our constitution there 's flesh as well as spirit and the flesh doth always stir and not lie idle Old sins that seemed to be laid asleep may easily waken again The Devil suits the bait to the season and affections we are under As Angels furnish their hook with a proper bait O! saith Bernard here are fears there snares that which pleases is apt to tempt me that which frightens is apt to terrifie me what should a poor creature do Be watchful stand upon your guard that you be not surprised by the craft of Satan that you may not swallow the hook when he sets the bait to your appetite And then powerful resistance of evil that sin may not prevail and we more and more drawn off from God Do not yield a little smaller sins make way for greater when the gap is once open it is wider and wider if sin be not stifled at first it will encrease SERMON CVIII PSAL. CXIX VER 102. I have not departed from thy Iudgments for thou hast taught me IN the former verse he had spoken of his vigilancy against evil as the result of that Wisdom which he got by the Word now he speaketh of his constant adherence to God's Direction Here you may take notice of two things 1. David's exactness and constancy in Obedience I have not departed from thy Iudgments 2. The Reason of it for thou hast taught me 1. Branch By Misphalim Judgments is meant God's Law for thereby he will judge the World And the Word departed not intimateth both his exactness and constancy His exactness that he did not go an hairs breadth from his direction Deut. 5. 32. Ye shall observe to do what the Lord your Godhath commanded you Ye shall not turn aside to the right hand or to the left And his constancy is employed in it for then we are said to depart from God and his Law when we fall off from him in Judgment and practice Ier 32. 40. 2. Branch God's Institution and continual instincts The Sept. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and thence the Vulgar Legem posuisti mihi Thou hast given me that Law and so the reason would be drawn from God's Authority but rather 't is meant of his internal illumination and constant direction Observe 1. A man that would shew love to the Word must
of the spiritual Shepherd and this comforts us when we are in the shadow of death in our crosses in confusions and difficulties when we have nothing else left but the promises this is a reviving to the soul. 2. It is a comfort and refreshing to us in spiritual troubles that arise from the guilt of sin and want of the sense of God's love Isa. 50. 10. Who is among you that feareth the Lord that obeyeth the voice of his servant that walketh in darkness and hath no light let him trust in the Name of the Lord and stay upon his God What shall he do Shall he compass himself about in his own sparks O how miserable are we then no but let him depend upon God according to his promise The Word of God is a great part of his Name let him stay his heart upon the Word of God when he walketh in darkness and seeth no light Now that the Word of God is such a light such a sure and clear direction I shall 1 give a direct proof of it from Scripture 2 Some Types of it 3 Prove it by experience 4 By Reason 1 For the proof from Scripture you have the Notions of the Text So Prov. 6. 23. The commandment is a lamp and the law is light It is that which keeps us from stumbling So 2 Pet. 1. 19. We have also a more sure word of prophecy whereunto ye do well that ye take heed as unto a light that shineth in a dark place The world is a dark place ay but now here 's a light that shines in a dark place and that 's the Holy Scripture the sure word of prophecy it sheweth us our way to Heaven and prevents us from stumbling into Hell 2 To prove it by Types Two Types I shall mention one is Israel being directed by the Pillar of a Cloud the other is the lamp of the Sanctuary 1. The Type of Israel's being directed by the Pillar of the Cloud by day the Pillar of Fire by night till they came into the Land of Canaan Exod. 13. 21. still they moved up and down hither and thither as the Pillar of Cloud and Pillar of Fire went before them thus our whole course is to be ordered by God's direction See how this Type is exprest Neh. 9. 19. The pillar of the cloud departed not from them by day to lead them in the way neither the pillar of fire by night to shew them light and the way wherein they should go Mark when they were in the wilderness the Pillar of Cloud and Fire shewed them the way where they were to go this is an Emblem of the safe conduct the Church may expect from Christ Jesus in all Ages God's Pillar departed not from them by night nor day so while we are travelling in the wilderness of this our Pilgrimage his Word and Spirit is continued to us When they entred into Canaan that was a Type of Heaven then this Pillar of Cloud was removed It is notable Iosh. 14. when Israel passed over Iordan we do not read the Pillar went before them but the Ark of God was carried before them so when the Church comes to Heaven the resting place then this conduct ceaseth the Word hath no more use Jesus Christ as the great Shepherd leads his Flock into their everlasting Fold 2. The other Type was the Lamp of the Sanctuary we read of that Exod. 27. 20 21. There was a great Lamp hung upon the Vail to distinguish the Holy of Holies from the other part of the Tabernacle and was fed with pure oil-olive and this lamp was prepared and trimmed up by the Priest daily Now what did this Lamp signifie mark the application this pure oil-olive signifi'd God's pure Word without the mixture of Humane Traditions this hung up in the Vail shin'd in the Church and every day it was prepared furnished set forth by them that are called thereunto for the use of the faithful 3 Let me prove it by experience that the Word is such a sure direction 1. Because natural men have a sense of it and upon that account fear it see Iohn 3. 20 21. Every one that doth evil hateth the light neither cometh to the light lest his deeds should be reproved Natural men will not come to the Word they fear it as discovering and therefore never feel it as refreshing Evil doers hate the light they are afraid of the Word lest it should convince them and discover them to themselves therefore they stand off and shun all means of closing with it there is such conviction in the oar a secret jealousie of the searching power that is in the Word of God 2. Godly men do find a great deal of comfort and satisfaction from this light as to all the doubts and fears of the soul. Psal. 19. 8. The statutes of the Lord are right rejoicing the heart the commandment of the Lord is pure enlightning the eyes All their scruples vanish here 's an apt and fit doctrine accommodated to the heart of man A man hath never true and rational delight till he is fully satisfi'd in point of Religion till he can have rest for his soul and commodious notions of God Now if you would have rest for your souls Ier. 6. 16. here it is the children of God find it There 's a fair compliance in this doctrine with all those natural principles and ingrafted notions within us concerning God and his Will they find satisfaction in it to Conscience though not to fond curiosity the one is necessary the other dangerous and unprofitable Christians there 's a great deal of difference between these two satisfying Conscience and satisfying Curiosity as much as between quenching the thirst of a sober man and satisfying the lust and appetite of a Drunkard Here 's enough to satisfie Conscience a fair accommodation of excellent truths to a reasonable nature truths becoming God truths suiting with the heart of man and therefore here they find it to be light that is a sure direction The wicked feel the discovery of it and the Saints feel the impression of it 3. We have this external and outward experience to assure us of our rule and light that shines in the Word of God because those that go against this light and direction do sensibly miscarry and are sure to split themselves upon some Rock or other Our first Parent Adam when he hearkned to the voice of the Serpent rather than the voice of the Lord destroyed himself and all his Posterity As long as he obeyed the Word of God he remained in a blessed estate in Paradice but when he gave heed to other counsels he was cast out of Paradice and rendred liable to many sorrows yea eternal death So all that walk in the imagination of their own hearts and have not light from the Word they presently run themselves into sundry mischiefs The young Prophet is an instance of this 1 Kings 13. 21. To go to particular instances would
he adds to it Gen. 28. 20 21. but the substance of it was this If the Lord will be with me and keep me in this way that I go then shall the Lord be my God There are many that will vow and promise trifles and so infringe their own Christian liberty and needlesly bind themselves in chains of their own making where God hath left them free This help is for the weighty things of Christianity not for by matters those monkish by-by-laws hath fill'd the World with Superstition not with Religion while they have been only conversant about some indifferent things as Pilgrimages Abstinences from meats and marriages wherein they place the heighth of Christian perfection 2. Helps to Obedience Such things as we shall find to be helps and do conduce to the removal of impediments such should come under a vow and solemn promise to God Iob 31. 1. I made a covenant with my eyes that was a help to the preserving of his chastity that he would not allow himself to gaze to take a view of the beauty of others And the Apostle when it was for the glory of God makes a Vow or kind of solemn promise that he would take no maintenance in Achaia 2 Cor. 11. 10. he solemnly binds himself that he might not hinder the progress of the Gospel So when we find our heart ready to betray us by this or that evil occasion we may in this case interpose a vow and promise but then with this caution that we do not unreasonably destroy our Christian liberty and so occasion a snare to our souls and that we do not think this to be a perfect cure of these distempers while we neglect the main things As many will make a vow to play no more at such a game or drink no more at such a house or use such a creature or come into such a particular company and so place all their Religion in these things this is but like cutting off the branches when the root remains or stopping one hole in a leaky or ruinous ship and vessel when every where it is ready to let in water upon us and to be broken in pieces therefore when you rest in those by-matters without resolving to cleave to God in a course of Obedience it is but like mending a hole in the wall of an house when the whole building is on fire or troubling our selves with a sore finger when we are languishing of a consumption it is but stopping this or that particular sin when the whole soul lies under the power and slavery of the Kingdom of Satan OBJECTION But here 's a doubt may arise How can I promise to keep God's Laws since it is not in my power to do it exactly it is impossible ANSWER 1. When David saith I have sworn c. he speaks not from a presumption of his own strength but only declareth the sense of his duty and useth his Oath as a sanctified means to bind his heart to God and therefore it is not to exclude the power of God's grace or to presume of his own strength God's assistance is best expected in God's way 2. Such vows and promises they are always to be interpreted to be made in the sense of the Covenant of Grace for no particular voluntary or accessory Covenant of ours can take away the general Covenant wherein we stand engaged to God but rather it must be included in it therefore when David saith I will keep thy righteous judgments he means according to the sense of the Covenant of Grace that is expecting help for duties and pardon for failings First As expecting help from God for so the New Covenant gives strength to observe what it requires Lex jubet Evangelium juvat the Law enforceth duty the Covenant of Grace helps us to perform the duty required of us The Gospel it is a ministration of the Spirit 2 Cor. 3. 8. and therefore promissory Oaths according to the sense of the New Covenant are made with a confidence upon the Lord's strength and assistance 2. Seeking pardon for his failings Infirmities may stand with the Covenant of Grace provided we crave mercy and recover our selves by repentance and so make no final breach with God therefore this is a keeping according to the measure of grace received and as humane frailty will permit Briefly then When are Sins to be looked upon as Infirmities and not as Perjuries and breach of Covenant Answ. When we would not voluntarily yield to the least sin but in case of great sin we grow more watchful more humble more holy when our falls are such as David's when he had fallen fouly Psal. 51. 6. Now thou shalt make me to know wisdom When upon our failings we are more ashamed of our selves more afraid of our weakness more earnest to renew our former resolutions more careful to wait upon God for grace to perform what he hath required of us more watchful more circumspect when we begin to grow wise by our own smarting in such cases an Oath is not broken Look as every failing of the Wife doth not dissolve the Marriage Covenant so every failing on our part doth not dissolve the Covenant between God and us and therefore though there will be some infirmities but yet when we are careful to sue out our Pardon in the Name of Christ Jesus and you shall by your failings be more watchful circumspect then we keep the Covenant in a Gospel sense Doct. 3. That when we have sworn Obedience to God we must Religiously perform and observe what we have sworn to God So Psal. 76. 11. Vow and pay unto the Lord. When we come under the bond of a vow we must be careful to make payment 't is a binding upon the heart see how 't is exprest Numb 30. 2. If a man vow a vow unto the Lord or swear an Oath to bind his soul with a bond he shall not break his word When we have bound our selves with a bond that is when we have increased our bonds for the ingeminating words in the Hebrew doth exceedingly increase the sense when a man is bound upon a bond he should not play fast and loose with God but be very careful to perform what he hath sworn God on his part hath sworn to the Covenant and he is constant in all his promises and certainly he expects the like constancy from us especially when we are so deeply bound not only by his Laws and obligation of his mercies but by the solemn consent of our own Vows we have bound our selves then to keep them whether we will or no. Now what Reasons are there why we must perform 1. The same Motives that inclined us at first to take our Oath should persuade us to keep it whatever falls out After trial we shall see no cause to repent of our resolution for God is ever the same that he was and his Commands are ever the same in all his righteous Judgments holy just good profitable
matter how comes this deadness upon me Isa. 63. 17. Why hast thou caused us to err from thy ways and hardned our heart from thy fear Enquirew hatâ—…s the cause of this deadness that grows upon me that you may humble your selves under the mighty hand of God The Argument only is behind According to thy Word David when he begs for quickning he is encouraged so to do by a promise The question is where this promise should be Some think it was that general promise of the Law If thou do these things thou shalt live in them Lev. 17. 5. And that from thence David drew this particular conclusion that God would give life to his people But rather it was some other promise some word of God he had to bear him out in this request We see he hath made many promises to us of sanctifying our affliction Isa. 27. 9. The fruit of all shall be the taking away of sin of bettering and improving us by it Heb. 2. 11. of moderating our affliction that he will stay his rough wind in the day of the east-wind Isa. 27. 8. That he will lay no more upon us than he will enable us to bear 1 Cor. 10. 13. He hath promised he will moderate our affliction so that we shall not be tempted above our strength He hath promised he will deliver us from it that the Rod of the wicked shall not always rest on the back of the righteous Psal. 105. 3. That he will be with us in it and never fail us Heb. 13. 5. Now I argue thus If the People of God could stay their hearts upon God's Word when they had but such obscure hints to work upon that we do not know where the promise lies Ah how should our hearts be stay'd upon God when we have so many promises When the Scriptures are enlarged for the comfort and enlarging of our Faith surely we should say now as Paul when he got a word Acts 27. 25. I believe God I may expect God will do thus for me when his Word speaks it everywhere Then you may expostulate with God I have thy Word for it Lord as she when she shewed him the jewel ring and staff whose are these so we may cast in God his promises whose are these according to thy Word And mark David that was punctual with God I have sworn and I will perform it and quicken me according to thy Word Sincere hearts may plead Promises with God Isa. 38. 3 Lord remember I have walked before thee with an upright heart These may look up and wait upon God for deliverance SERMON CXVIII PSAL. CXIX VER 108. Accept I beseech thee the free-will-offering of my mouth O Lord and teach me thy judgments IN this Verse two things are asked of God God's Acceptance then secondly Instruction First He begs Acceptation Therein take notice 1 Of the matter object or thing that he would have to be accepted The free-will-offerings of my mouth 2 The manner of asking this Acceptation Accept I beseech thee O Lord. In the former you may observe the general nature of the thing and then the particular kind they were free-will-offerings and yet more express they were free-will-offerings of his hands not legal sacrifices but spiritual services free-will-offerings of his mouth implying praises our praises of God are called the calves of our lips Hos. 14. 2. rendred there by the Septuagint the fruit of our lips and accordingly translated by the Apostle Heb. 13. 15. The fruit of our lips giving thanks to his Name He was in deep affliction wandering up and down the Desart he was disabled to offer up to God any other sacrifice therefore he desires God would accept the free-will-offerings of his mouth he had nothing else to bring him Secondly He begs of God instruction in his way Teach me thy judgments By Misphalim judgments are meant both God's Statutes and God's Providences If you take them in the former sense for God's Statutes so he begs grace to excite direct and assist him in a course of sincere obedience to God practically to walk according to God's Will If you understand it in the latter sense only for the accomplishment of what God had spoken in his Word for God's Providence for his corrective dispensation Teach me he begs understanding and profiting by them I shall begin with his first Request which offereth four Observations 1. That God's people have their spiritual offerings 2. That these spiritual offerings must be free-will-offerings 3. That these free-will-offerings are graciously accepted by God 4. That this gracious acceptance must be earnestly sought and valued as a great blessing I beseech thee accept c. Doct. 1. First That God's People have their spiritual offerings I shall give the sense of this Point in five Propositions 1 That all God's People are made Priests to God for every offering supposeth a Priest so it is said Rev. 1. 6. That Christ Iesus hath made us Kings and Priests All Christians they have a Communion with Christ in all his Offices whatever Christ was that certainly they are in some measure and degree Now Christ was King Priest and Prophet and so is every Christian in a spiritual sense a King Priest and Prophet for they have their anointing their unction from the Holy One and he communicates with them in his Offices So also they do resemble the Priesthood under the Law in 1 Pet. 2. 5. they are called a holy Priesthood to offer sacrifices to God And 1 Pet. 2. 9. they are called a royal Priesthood They are a holy Priesthood like the sons of Aaron who were separated from the People to minister before the Lord and they are a Royal Priesthood in conformity to the Priesthood of Melchisedec who was King of Salem and also Priest of the Most High God There is a mighty conformity between what is done by every Christian and the Solemnities and Rites used by the Priests under the Law The Priests of the Law were separated from the rest of the People so are all God's People from the rest of the World The Priests of the Law were to be anointed with holy oil Exod. 28. 41. so all Christians they receive an unction from the holy one 1 John 2. 20. By the holy oil was figured the holy Spirit which was the Unction of the Holy One. by which they are made fit and ready to perform those duties which are acceptable to God After the Priest was thus generally prepar'd by the anointing to their services before they went to offer they were to wash in the great Laver which stood in the Sanctuary door Exod. 29. 4. Lev. 8. 4 5. So every Christian is to be washed in the great Laver of Regeneration Tit. 3. 5. And when they are regenerated born again purged and cleansed from their sins then they are Priests to offer Sacrifices to God for till this be done none of their offerings are acceptable to him For they that are in the flesh â—…annot
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Devices There are many devices and carnal inventions in the hearts of men which the Scripture takes notice of as First When men devise debate in their judgments by carnal means without complying with God Iam. 4. 8. Cleanse your hands ye sinners and purifie your hearts ye double minded By vain thoughts they mind carnal projects how to get from under the judgment without reformation humiliation and complying with God by humane means or sinful shifts without Gods warrant and allowance Isai. 9. 10. When it was ill with them they hope to mend it The Bricks are fallen down but we will build with hewen Stones the Sycamores are cut down but we will change them into Cedars The state of our affairs is bad but we can work it into better Secondly When men spend their time wholly to compass their carnal end as he Luke 12. 18. I will pull down my Barns and build greater c. When they sacrifice their precious thoughts to their interest and lusts and catering and progging how to satisfie carnal Nature making provision for the flesh to fulfil it in the lust thereof Or Thirdly When mens designs are plainly wicked and tend to the mischief of others Prov. 16. 30. He shutteth his eyes to devise froward things moving his lips he bringeth evil to pass Moving the lips and shutting the eyes are gestures and postures of men that are pensive and musing Mic. 2. 1. Wo unto them that devise evil upon their beds When men seek to spin and weave out a Webb of wickedness and carry on their sins with the greatest secrecy This in short is some taste of the vanity of our thoughts II. What are the sins that do most usually ingross and take up our thoughts I answer 1. Uncleanness Speculative wickedness makes way for active He hath committed Adultery in his heart Matth. 5. 28. There is polluting our selves by our thoughts and this is a sin usually works that way 2. Revenge Liquors are sowr'd when long kept so when we dwell upon discontents they turn to revenge Prov. 14. 17. He that is soon angry dealeth foolishly and a man of wicked devices is hated He that is passionate and soon angry is a Fool but when a man is not only angry but malicious that puts him upon wicked devices when he doth concoct his anger he is a Fool to purpose Purposes of revenge are most sweet and pleasant to carnal nature Prov. 16. 14. Frowardness is in his heart he deviseth mischief continually When men are full of revengeful and spiteful thoughts 3. Envy 'T is a sin that feeds upon the mind 1 Sam. 18. 9. Those Songs of the Women That Saul had slain his thousands but David his ten thousands they ran in Sauls mind therefore he hated David Envy is an evil disease that dwelleth in the heart and bewrays it self mostly in thoughts 4. Pride Either Pride in the desires or Pride in the mind either vain-glory or self-conceit this is entertaining our hearts with whispers of vanity therefore it is said Luke 1. 51. He hath scattered the Proud in the imagination of their hearts Proud men are full of imaginations 5. Covetousness which is nothing but vain musings and exercises of their heart 2 Pet. 2. 14. An heart they have exercised with covetous practices And it withdraws the heart in the very time of Gods Worship Ezek. 33. 31. Their heart goeth after their Covetousness 6. Distrust is another thing which usually takes up our thoughts distracting motions against Gods Providence III. Upon what grounds we are to make conscience of our thoughts 1. Because they are irregularities contrary to the Law of God It is said Psal. 19. 7. The Law of God is pure converting the Soul The Law of God differs herein from the Laws of men The Commands of the greatest and most mighty Potentates upon Earth can go no further than the regulating of the conversation for that 's all they can take account of but the Law of God reacheth to the motions of the inward man and to the reducing of our thoughts to the obedience of God for God hath a Tribunal in the heart and conscience he searcheth and trieth the reins knows all our thoughts afar off and therefore it is proper to him to give Laws to our thoughts 2. God hath declared much of his displeasure against them The Devils sin for which he was cast out of Heaven was a sin of thought an aspiring thought possibly against the Imperial Dignity of God And so great were his Judgments upon men that he doth not so much take notice of outward acts as of inward thoughts therefore Gen. 6. 5. he threatned the old World for the imagination of the thoughts of their hearts We look to the stream but God looks to the Fountain Acts are hateful to men because liable to their cognizance so Ier. 6. 19. I will bring evil upon this people even the fruit of their thoughts because they have not hearkened to my words nor to my law but rejected it Nay in Gods process at the Last Day when God comes to judge the World it is said the secrets of their hearts shall be made manifest 1 Cor. 4. 5. Mens inward Debates Counsels reasonings and thoughts they shall be brought into the judgment 3. Make conscience of thoughts because among all sins thoughts are most considerable and that in these respects First In respect of the Subject They are the sins of the highest part of man the mind which is the leading part of the Soul The errours and irregularities of the lower part of the Soul are not so considerable as the counsels debates reasonings principles that we are seasoned and guided by Rom. 8. 7. The wisdom of the flesh is enmity against God That which should be the guide to man his wisdom that puts him upon opposition If sensual appetite were only in the fault it were not so much Secondly From their Nature They are the immediate issues of the Soul the first-born of original corruption The free acts of the heart do discover more of the temper of it than words and actions that are more remote A man may be known by his thoughts but not so much known by his words and actions for words and actions may be over-ruled by by-ends and restraints of fear and shame Men may speak not as they would do not as they would but think as they would To curry favour with others a man may refrain his tongue and do some unpleasing actions or may profess opinions contrary to his own mind But inward thoughts being the immediate Births of the Soul very much discover the temper of the man Hereby you may take the best measure of your spirits A gracious man is full of gracious thoughts and a wicked man full of wicked thoughts Prov. 12. 5. The thoughts of the righteous are right but the counsels of the wicked are deceit Our thoughts we can best judge by being the purest offspring of the
God and go contrary to his direction Isai. 26. 9. When thy Iudgments are in the Earth the Inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness We need not doubt any more whether God will punish the disobedient when we see his threatnings made good only we should reflect upon our hearts And will not God visit my transgression if I should go on breaking his Laws And what should hinder making such application Are not all sinners alike to God Christ tells us Ye shall all likewise perish except ye repent Luke 13. 5. they contented themselves to censure those on whom the Tower of Siloam fell The desert of sin is the same and Gods Justice as exact as ever therefore if others are punished why not we We are strangely stupid if we do not walk more exactly with God This use David maketh of it Whether it were a Judgment past or a Judgment expected in Faith this deterred him from doing as they did Thou hast trodden down them that erre from thy Statutes In the words observe I. An account of Gods Judgments upon wicked men Thou hast trodden down them that erre from thy Statutes II. The reason given of that dispensation For their deceit is falshood I. In the first place observe 1. The Notion by which the Judgment is express'd Thou hast trodden down 2. The persons described upon whom this Judgment hath lighted or shall light Them that erre from thy Statutes 3. The Note of universality All of what estate or condition soever they be From the first of these observe Doctr. Those that proudly erre from Gods Statutes God can hath and will soon pull them down with ignominy and contempt This Point will be made good if we consider 1. The persons described 2. The Notion by which Judgment is exprest 3. Something concerning the certainty of this Judgment 1. The persons described Them that erre from thy Statutes Some erre out of weakness and some out of pride and obstinacy First To erre out of weakness to wander in by-paths of our own is not safe Psal. 125. 2. As for such as turn aside unto their crooked ways the Lord shall lead them forth with the workers of iniquity Men that do not sin out of malice but are discouraged by the rod of the wicked resting upon the lot of the righteous verse 3. therefore think to shift for themselves by their own compliances counsels and crooked courses God will deal with them as with his open enemies Secondly Proudly to exalt our selves against God and trample his interest under foot will bring sure Judgment Psal. 119. 21. Thou hast rebuked the proud that are cursed which do erre from thy Commandments Of such the Text speaks those that oppose themselves against God and bear themselves high in sinful Courses upon the account of their prosperity 2. The Notion by which the Judgment is express'd Thou hast trodden down The Septuagint 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ad nihil deduxisti thou hast brought to nothing Aquila .......... confixisti thou hast stricken through Symmachus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 reprobasti thou hast disproved the Vulgar sprevisti thou hast contemned Apollinarius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 parvi pependisti thou hast little esteemed all to the same purpose The Phrase of treading under foot used by us implies First A full punishment Secondly A disgraceful one First A full punishment God will pull them down from their altitudes even to the dust though never so high and proudly exalting themselves against God A full Conquest of Enemies is thus often exprest in Scripture Isai. 10. 6. the Assyrian is said to take the prey and to tread them down like mire in the streets So Mic. 7. 10. the same expression when an adversary is laid even with the Ground that he may be crush'd and trampl'd upon as Iehu trod Iezebel under foot 2 Kings 9. 32. and Isai. 26. 6. The feet of the poor shall tread it down even the steps of the needy So the utter and final overthrow of Satan is exprest Rom. 16. 20. He shall tread Satan under his feet Secondly It implies a disgraceful punishment Psal. 110. 1. Until I make thine enemies thy footstool an expression used to shew the ignominy and contempt God will put upon them Christ keeps his sheep in his hands Iohn 10. 28. his Lambs in his bosome Isai. 40. 11. and his enemies under his feet Iosh. 10. 24. When he vanquished the Canaanitish Kings Come near saith he to his Captains put your feet upon the necks of these Kings Thus Sapores the King of Persia trampled upon Valentinian the Emperour and Tamberlain made Bajazet his Footstool The meaning is God will not only bring them under but reduce them to an abject and contemptible Condition So Chrysostome on the Text expoundeth this Phrase That God will make them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ignominious and contemptible They shall not go off honourably but with scorn and confusion of face miserably broken 3. The certainty of this Judgment that he can hath and will do so First He can do so though they befortified with never so many advantages for what is too hard for God who made all things It is easier we know to destroy than to build up things Things long a building may be destroyed in a moment and therefore God that made them can destroy them Isai. 27. 4. Who would set the briers and thorns against me in battel I would go through them I would burn them together Briers and thorns are matter to feed the fire not to quench it We want Faith in the power of God and therefore we are dismay'd when we see wicked men great and high Secondly He hath done so notwithstanding their greatness and proud attempts That 's the Psalmist's expression here God hath already trodden down many such persons and hath decreed to tread down all Of that sort the Prophet speaks as a thing already done either in way of Faith or in part of sense as begun to be executed Amos 2. 9. I destroyed the Amorite before them whose height was like the height of the Cedars and he was strong as the Oaks yet I destroyed his fruit from above and his roots from beneath Potent and mighty enemies if they stand in the way of his peoples mercies God can pluck them up root and branch When Pharaoh advanced himself against the people of God God trod him down and flung him into the bottom of the Sea So the Psalmist tells us Psal. 135. 10. He smote great Nations and slew mighty Kings for their sakes all the Kingdoms of Canaan and gave their land for an heritage unto Israel his people God will shew what respect he hath to his people therefore when he ariseth to avenge their quarrel nothing shall be able to stand before him Thirdly He will do so tread them down all 1. Because of his invariable Justice God is but one Gal. 3. 20. that is one always consonant unto himself what he hath done he will do
his Justice is the same that ever it was and his power the same and therefore in all his dispensations he is one that is ever like himself is as ready to take vengeance of the insolencies of men now as before and keepeth a proportion in his proceedings he is of one mind and who can turn him 2. Because of the suitableness between Judgment and sin They trample all that is holy and sacred under their feet therefore God treadeth them under foot they despise God therefore are despised 1 Sam. 2. 30. they trample upon the Grace of God in Christ therefore are said Heb. 10. 29. to tread the bloud of the Covenant under foot they trample upon the Law of God Amos. 2. 4. I will not turn away the punishment thereof because they have despised my Law they trample upon all godly admonitions and reproofs Mat. 7. 6. Cast not your pearls before Swine lest they trample them under their feet and turn again and rent you and they trample the servants of God under foot and make his Saints bow down for them to go over Isai. 51. 23. and therefore are they themselves trodden under foot They despise God and therefore he despiseth them and poureth contempt upon them and the more they esteem themselves of the less reckoning are they with God 3. For the undeceiving the world who usually look to sensible things While their ways are prosperous we make another manner of Judgment upon them than we do when they are under contempt and disgrace Mal. 3. 15. We call the proud happy yea they that work wickedness are set up and they that tempt God are even delivered We dote too much upon outward things insomuch that things wicked if prosperous seem good and holy Our affections bribe our judgments and those things that we would otherwise loath have a fair gloss and varnish put upon them 'T is a mighty temptation even to good men and they begin to have other thoughts of things when to appearance they are befriended by Gods Providence and succeed beyond expectation Therefore God will tread them down 4. To undeceive Sinners themselves that are hardened by their own prosperity and success and make Gods Providence and forbearing punishment to be an approbation of their actions against his Law So Psal. 50. 21. These things hast thou done and I kept silence thou thoughtest I was altogether such an one as thy self but I will reprove thee God may for a long time endure very horrible provocationss without any act or mark of vengeance till sinners flatter themselves that the things they do are pleasing to God but they shall find they have erred when they read their sins in their punishment Mal. 2. 9. Therefore have I also made you contemptible and base before all the people according as ye have not kept my ways but have been partial in the Law The great God aims at the repentance of men both in his forbearance and his punishment In his forbearance Rom. 2. 4. Not knowing that the forbearance of God leadeth to repentance He is pleased to suffer them that offend him grievously to taste the goodness of his Providence and have their turn in this worlds felicity to see if that will better them if not then he poureth contempt and shame upon them that by his frowns he may further their Conviction When prosperity is a temptation God will change the dispensation and instead of general favour and respect they meet with shame and disestimation and disgrace This is the punishment of those that are partial in his Law It is true this is not to be taken singly without the foregoing provocation It was the lot of Christ and his Prophets and Apostles to be disrespected in a wicked world and such a tryal may befal his faithful messengers Yet when this is the fruit of foregoing unfaithfulness and men that had nothing to commend them to the world but their height and grandeur that only had a testimony in mens carnal affections because of their greatness and not a testimony in mens consciences because of their purity and holiness and good fruits as good men have been in the consciences of those that hate them it is to them a Judgment But however when those that in the main are faithful are by a righteous Providence exposed to ignominy and contempt they ought the more to search their Wayes and to see whether they have been throughout with God in the Conscience of their Duty to him and whether some neglect and partiality of theirs hath not brought this Judgment upon them 5. To give a check to the insolency of men who abuse their power and think they may do what they please when they have no hindrance and rub in the way Mic. 2. 1. They do evil because it is in the power of their hands Restraints of Conscience prevail not with many but only restraints of Providence 'T is no thanks to them if they are not worse than they are it is not because they want will but because they want power Therefore God cuts them short and treads them down like mire Use 1. A warning to them that are in prosperity that they do not carry it proudly against God his ways and people God hath unhorsed many that have held their heads very high therefore let none presume to do evil because they are high and exalted There is a foolish and mad confidence which wicked men have in their prosperity as if they were above the reach of Providence and therefore abuse their greatness to contempt and oppression When men are up they know nothing moderate Former Judgments upon the proud and disobedient that contemn God his people and ways should a little check them God that hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts Luke 1. 51. can do it again and will when men will not take warning As Nazianzen when his heart was like to be corrupted and grow wanton with ease and prosperity I thought saith he of reading the Lamentations of Ieremiah and of the doleful condition of the Church in former times This means he took to reduce himself to a holy sobriety This is the thing God aimed at in the Ceremonial Law In the Thank-offerings Levened Bread was required which was allowed in no other Sacrifice thereby shewing We should not so surfeit and run riot with our mercies as to forget the bitterness of former afflictions together with the causes of them Use 2. Not to be dismayed at the prosperity of the wicked so as to be troubled either about your own persons or about the cause of God or to cry up a confederacy with them that erre from Gods Statutes when uppermost Wicked men are here supposed to be in power height and pride of Spirit but God treadeth them down And to be full of craft and subtilty but their deceit is falshood that is for all their might and subtilty they are not able to resist God David was shaken with this
to us They are purged out as dross that they may not infect us by their example or molest us by their persecutions or oppressions Now the more we are befriended in this kind the more we are bound to serve God cheerfully Luke 1. 74 75. That being delivered from the hands of our enemies we may serve God in righteousness and holiness â—…ll the days of our lives The world is one of those enemies or the wicked of the earth therefore we should serve him faithfully 5. By this means we see the world is governed by God and we may the more safely commit our selves to his protection upon the encouragement of his promises If the affairs of the world were governed by blind Chance and men might do what they listed without check and controul we might think that we had cleansed our hearts in vain and that a man doth make himself a prey by the simplicity of his innocence But when God punisheth the wicked in our sight certainly this should teach us to be more holy in all our ways Psal. 58. 11. A man shall say Verily there is a reward for the righteous verily there is a God that judgeth in the earth They that knew not what to think of Providence shall see there is a God in the Heavens that doth wisely administer all things below and so we are encouraged to love him and serve him more heartily Say as the Psalmist It is good for me to draw nigh to God Psal. 73. 28. Use. Well then let our love to God and liking and approbation of his Law be accompanied with the hatred of sin The more we observe his Judgments in putting away the wicked like dross that we may be more holy and seek after communion with God as our only blessedness to this end 1. Let us bless God for giving a sure Rule to walk by and such promises of protection in the midst of the darkness and uncertainty of the present world When others perish you are safe Isai. 8. 20. To the law and to the testimony c. Thou shalt walk in this way safely and shalt not stumble yea please God and you need not fear 2. Let us walk exactly by this Rule since our temporal and eternal safety and happiness is concerned thereby For the world to come 't is clear as well as in this life Prov. 3. 1 2. My son forget not my Law but let thine heart keep my Commandments for length of days and long life and peace shall they add unto thee And Gal. 6. 16. As many as walk according to this Rule peace and mercy be upon them 3. The more God doth owne his Law by his Judgments the more let our love be encreased This is to wash our feet in the blood of the wicked Psal. 58. 10. The righteous shall rejoyce when he seeth the vengeance he shall wash his feet in the blood of the wicked SERMON CXXXI PSAL. CXIX VER 120. My flesh trembleth for fear of thee and I am afraid of thy Iudgments IN this Psalm you find the man of God under divers passions sometimes of joy sometimes of sorrow sometimes of hope and courage and sometimes of fear As there is a time for all things in this world there are several conditions and duties that we run through and we have affections planted in us that suit with every condition Religion doth not nullifie but sanctifie our affections Some have vainly thought affections to be an after-growth of noisome weeds in our Nature corrupted whereas they are wholesome Herbs implanted in us by God at our first Creation of great use to Grace when rightly stirred and ordered Anima nunquam melius agit c. The passion expressed in the Text is fear for two or three Verses his meditations had been taken up in the observation of Gods Judgments upon evil doers ver 118. Thou hast trodden down all them that erre from thy Statutes for their deceit is falshood They were once high but God hath brought them down with ignominy and contempt they had born themselves out in their sinful courses on the account of their prosperity but at length they are utterly ruined and broken And why For their deceit is falshood that is they were unmasked and all their pretences of piety and justice found to be fraud and imposture In Verse 119. he still insisteth upon the same Argument Thou puttest away all the wicked of the earth like dross therefore I love thy testimonies They seemed to cleave to the Church and people of God as dross to gold or silver That God who is the purger and refiner of his Church failed not to put a difference and to consume the dross and refine his silver The use that David made of these Judgments was two-fold First To love Gods ways so much the more and to cleave to them with greater firmness Therefore I love thy testimonies Secondly To fear before the Lord and tremble at the Lords Judgments as in the Text. There are two affections wherein we should always seek to profit the love of God and the fear of God Of this last in the Text My flesh trembleth for fear of thee and I am afraid of thy Iudgments In which words we have I. The degree of his fear My flesh trembleth II. The object of his fear For fear of thee III. The ground and reason of his fear I am afraid of thy Iudgments 1. The degree of his fear My flesh trembleth The word samar Saint Hierome rendereth Horrivilavit caro mea my flesh is in horrour and affrightment Symmachus before him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 my flesh maketh my hair stand an end as the prickles of a Hedghog which is an emblem of horrour The Poet Persius expresseth such an affrightment thus Excussit membris tremor albus aristas my fear made my hair stand up like a field of Corn from the contraction of the skin So it happeneth in eases of fear You have the like expression Iob 4. 14 15. Fear came upon me and trembling which made all my bones to shake the hair of my flesh stood up And elsewhere the same word is so used the Septuagint read it imperatively 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pierce through my flesh with fear as with nails surely it noteth some deep sense and high degree of fear as the Prophet Habakkuk expresseth upon like occasion Hab. 3. 15. When I heard this my belly trembled my lips quivered rottenness entred into my bones and I trembled in my flesh his bowels did beat and shake for fear and his lips quivered for fear that he could not speak The Judgments of God ought to beget a deep sense and trembling not a slight affection in us The Prophet saith Amos 3. 8. The Lion roareth who will not fear We have need to stir up our hearts again and again When the Lord roareth and cometh forth to Judgment we have need be ashamed of our stupidity when we are not affected II. The object of his fear For
from before mine eyes cease to do evil learn to do well seek Iudgment relieve the oppressed judge the fatherless plead for the Widow This is particularly insisted upon as the proper fruit of their Change So Dan. 4. 27. Break off thy sins by righteousness and thine iniquities by shewing mercy to the poor Repentance is a breaking off the former course of sin the King an open Oppressour Daniel preacheth righteousness and mercy to him They that continue their former unjust Courses never yet truly repented Zech. 8. 16 17. These are the things that ye shall do Speak ye every man truth to his neighbour execute the judgment of truth and peace in your Gates and let none of you imagine evil in your hearts against his neighbour and love no false Oath for all these are things that I hate saith the Lord. He would have their repentance thus expressed Fifthly Because it is so lovely and venerable in the eyes of the world A Christian if he had no other engagement upon him yet for the honour of God and the credit of Religion he should do those things that are lovely and comely in themselves and so esteemed by the world for he is to glorifie God 1 Pet. 2. 12. and adorn Religion Tit. 2. 10. to represent his profession with advantage to the Consciences of men God is dishonoured by nothing so much as injustice which is so odious and hateful to men and wicked men are hardned the hopeful discouraged Atheism prevaileth Neh. 5. 9. Also I said it is not good that ye do ought ye not to walk in the fear of our God because of the reproach of the Heathen our enemies On the contrary when we give every one their due we bring honour to God and credit to Religion you can the better hold up the profession of it against contradiction hold up head before God and man Now Justice is so lovely partly as 't is a stricture of the Image of God as before in which respect 't is said Prov. 12. 26. The righteous is more excellent than his neighbour Men are convinced that he is a more perfect man fitter to be trusted as being one that will deal faithfully And partly because the welfare of humane Society is promoted by such things Tit. 3. 8. These things are good and profitable for men Sixthly And indeed that is my last reason it conduceth so much to the good of humane Society A Christian is a Member of a double Community of the Church and of the world the one in order to eternal life the other in order to the present life as a man and as a Christian. Without justice what would the world be but a Den of thieves Remove Iustitiam c. saith St. Augustin The world cannot subsist without Justice The Kings Throne is established by righteousness Prov. 16. 10. The Nation gets honour and reputation by it abroad Prov. 13. 34. Righteousness exalteth a Nation but sin is a reproach to any people Never did the people of the Jews nor any other Nation whose History is come to our ears flourish so much as when they were careful and exact in maintaining righteousness And as to persons all Commerce between man and man is kept up by Justice And if this be a truth that God and not the Devil doth govern the World and distribute rewards and the blessings of this life surely then Justice which is a compliance with Gods will is the way to be exalted and to live well in the World and not lying cozening and dissembling 2. 'T is very comfortable to us to be just The comfort of righteousness is often spoken of in Scripture Prov. 29. 6. In the transgression of an evil man there is a snare but the righteous doth sing and rejoice Whatever befalleth him good or evil much or little in life or death Good or evil if good he hath comfort in his portion because what he hath hâ—… hath by the fair leave and allowance of Gods Providence Prov. 13. 25. The righteous eateth to the satisfying of his soul he hath enough because he hath what God seeth fit for him he hath enough to supply his wants enough to satisfie his desires sometimes 't is much sometimes 't is little 'T is much sometimes for they are under the blessing of the promise Deut. 16. 20. That which is altogether just shalt thou follow that thou mayst live and inherit the Land which the Lord thy God giveth thee Justice shalt thou follow if you will take care for that God will take care to bless you If it be little that little is better than more gotten by fraud and injustice Prov. 16. 8. Better is a little with righteousness than great revenues without right Prov. 15. 16 17. Better is a little with the fear of the Lord than great treasure and trouble therewith Though it be but a Dinner of Herbs Psal. 37. 16. A little that a righteous man hath is better than the treasures of many wicked The comfort if they will stand to the Scriptures lyeth not in abundance but in Gods blessing There is more satisfaction in their small provisions than in the greatest plenty Suppose their condition be evil whatsoever evil a just man suffers he shall get some good by it living or dying and so still hath ground of comfort if scorned or neglected he hath the comfort of his innocent dealing to bear him out As Samuel when he and his house was laid aside 1 Sam. 12. 2 3. he appeals to them Whose Oxe have I taken or whose Ass have I taken or whom have I defranded whom have I oppressed or from whose hands have I received a bribe to blind mine eyes therewith and I will restore it If you are opposed and maligned you may plead against your enemies as Moses did Numb 16. 15. Respect not their offerings I have not taken an Ass from them neither have I hurt one of them You may plead thus when you are sure you have not wronged them If you are oppressed as David in the Text you may appeal to the God of your righteousness In life in death they have the comfort of their righteousness In life Deut. 16. 20. as before In death Prov. 14. 32. The righteous man hath hope in his death Isai. 38. 3. Remember now O Lord I beseech thee that I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart and have done that which is good in thy sight When he is going the way of all the Earth this will be a comfort to him that he hath done no wrong but served God faithfully and lived with men without guile and deceit Oh for comforts for a dying hour Now this Comfort ariseth partly from a good Conscience and partly from the many promises of God that are made to righteousness First From peace of Conscience We are told Prov. 15. 15. That a good Conscience is a continual feast Ahasuerus made a magnificent Feast that lasted an hundred and eighty days
take vengeance to the uttermost 2. 'T is a grievous calamity First 'T is an hard thing to be left to the will and lusts of men David was in a streight he chose rather to fall into the Lords hands than into the hands of men 2 Sam. 24. 14. I am in a great streight let us now fall into the hand of the Lord for his mercies are great and not into the hand of man Men are revengeful proud insolent wicked men will soon exceed their Commission Zech. 1. 15. And I am very sore displeased with the Heathen that are at ease for I was but a little displeased and they helped forward the affliction Deut. 32. 27. Were it not that I feared the wrath of the enemy lest their adversaries should behave themselves strangely and lest they should say our hand is high and the Lord hath not done all this God speaketh after the manner of men Secondly It is a great mark of our Fathers displeasure when he withdraweth hideth counsel from us leaveth us without support and comfort Mat. 9. 15. And Iesus said unto them Can the Children of the Bride-Chamber mourn as long as the Bridegroom is with them but the days will come when the Bridegroom shall be taken from them and then shall they fast Thirdly 'T is earnestly to be deprecated not only as a grievous calamity but as hoping for relief I will not leave you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iohn 14. 18. comfortless And Mat. 28. 20. Lo I am with you to the end of the World Use. Go then and represent your condition to God with humiliation owning his anger but with faith waiting for his help Tell him what a prey you have been to Satan desire him if he withdraw his Presence one way he will manifest it another in comforting counselling his own people tell him your weakness the enemies malice and implore his aid and assistance SERMON CXXXIII PSAL. CXIX VER 122. Be Surety for thy Servant for good let not the proud oppress me IN this Verse we may observe a Petition 1. Metaphorically expressed 2. Literally explained In the former branch we have First The Notion by which the help he expecteth from God is expressed 't is that of a Surety Be surety for thy servant Secondly The end and fruit of that help or the terms on which he expecteth it For good 2. In the Literal Explanation we have First The matter of the Petition Let them not oppress me Secondly An argument insinuated from the quality and disposition of his enemies The proud 1. From the Metaphorical Notion Be surety for thy Servant we may observe this Doctrine Doctr. In deep distress we have leave and encouragement to desire God to interpose for his peoples relief I. I shall open the Notion of a Surety II. Shew Why we have leave and encouragement to desire God to interpose 1. For the Notion of a Surety Symmachus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 receive me into thy protection for good Septuagint 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 suscipe servum tuum 'T is a Phrase taken from men when they are Sureties for a Debtor to take him out of the hands of a cruel Creditor who is ready to cast him into prison And thus the Prophet speaketh to God when he was in extream danger and could think of no help but God's First It implieth the danger imminent when a Sergeant hath attached a man and he is ready to go to prison and there is no means for him to escape unless some body be his Surety to answer all the challenges and demands of the Law In this sense Hezekiah used it Isai. 38. 14. I am oppressed â—…dertake for me He spake it when he was summoned to the Grave to pay the debt we all owe to Nature I am like a poor Debtor called to pay my debt speedily therefore Lord be my pledge deliver me out of this danger So doth David here when the proud were cruelly set upon his destruction we are driven to God alone and beat to the Throne of Grace by our miseries yea God lets the affairs of his people run on to loss and ruine till we be in the condition of a Debtor going to prison he reserveth himself for such occasions till brought nigh to utter ruine and all other inferiour reliefs fail And we must be content it should be so for there is no use of a Surety till we are attached Imminent danger giveth notice that the Lord is coming Secondly That this distress and misery cometh as a debt respecting Gods Laws and the higher Court where all things are decreed and sentenced before they are executed in the world so it is a Debt that must be paid and distress is Gods Arrest God is compared to a Creditor Luke 7. 41. therefore the miseries of Gods people are expressed by Chains Stocks Prisons Fetters words that relate to a judicial proceeding To Chains Lam. 3. 7. He hath made my Chain heavy To Stocks Iob 13. 27. Thou puttest my feet into the Stocks To a Prison Psal. 142. 7. Bring my Soul out of Prison To Fetters Iob 36. 8. And iâ—… they be bound in Fetters and holden in Cords of afflictions To a Debt that must be paid so is sin considered with respect to its punishment Matth. 6. 12. Luke 11. 4. Forgive us our sins for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us God puts the Bond in suit the instruments are but as Sergeants and Officers to demand of us satisfaction for breach of Covenant with God They think not so neither doth their evil heart mean so but so it is in Gods purpose When you are in trouble God hath committed you to prison and there is no coming out without submission and humiliation urging the satisfaction of Christ. You are sent thither by Gods authority and there is no getting out without his leave Thirdly That the party is insolvent and is undone unless some Course be taken to satisfie the Creditor he cannot help himself by his own wisdom and strength out of the danger The Debtor in the Gospel had not to pay Matth. 18. 25. why else should we look after a Surety Iob 17. 3. Put me in a surety with thee who is he that will strike hands with me Man is not able to stand alone under the weight of his afflictions 't is a burthen too heavy for us to bear We have no might 2 Chron. 20. 12. Gods people are often brought into such a Case when the principal is not solvendo the Surety answereth we are weak but he is strong we are not able to subsist They exceed us in carnal advantages if force be to be resisted by force they will easily overcome us unless another that is stronger than we undertake for us Fourthly That the Surety taketh upon him the Debt of the principal person and is to be responsible for it God hath taken our obligation upon himself to pay our Debts to oppose himself against all our wrongs He will take
count the worst of Christ better than the best of the world Heb. 11. 26. Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt Not only the Graces of Christ or the benefits of Christ but the reproaches of Christ. So much is the world lessened and the desires of Grace encreased The heaviest part of Christs Cross is sweeter than the worldly plenty where sin accompanieth it Use 1. To press us to get this esteem and love of the Word above all earthly things by what names soever they are called whether Gold or fine Gold Considerations 1. The word of God containeth the true Riches in comparison of which all other things are but a shadow 2. Except Gods word be clearly esteemed above earthly things it is highly contemned You would think your selves highly sleighted if once it should be put to the question whether you or an Ass or a Swine be better The Case is as clear whether it be better to have a Childs toy or Land of inheritance You think it a disparagement of their reason 'T is so to compare spiritual things with carnal Prov. 16. 16. How much better is it to get Wisdom than Gold and to get Understanding rather to be chosen than Silver 3. The word of God observed and obeyed bringeth all earthly things along with it Gold and fine Gold so far as they are necessary and good for us Matth. 6. 33. But seek ye first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you And 1 Tim. 4. 8. Godliness is profitable unto all things having a promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come It hath all kind of promises it doth not come empty handed it bringeth in a portion in this life and blessing in these outward things 4. How constant the word is and in one tenour 2 Cor. 1. 20. All the promises of God in him are Yea and in him Amen unto the glory of God by us But worldly things are uncertain 2 Sam. 19. 43. And the men of Iudah answered the men of Israel and said We have ten parts in the King and we have also more right in David than ye Compare this with the next words 2 Sam. 20. 1. Sheba blew a trumpet and said We have no part in David neither have we inheritance in the Son of Iesse The people cry Hosanna to Christ and presently after crucifie him Peter once made a glorious confession of Christ and afterwards a gross denial Paul was received as an Angel by the Galatians Gal. 4. 14. My temptation which was in my flesh ye despised not nor rejected but received me as an Angel of God even as Christ Iesus but afterwards accounted an enemy verse 16. Am I therefore become your enemy because I tell you the truth Nebuchadnezzar flourishing in a Palace of Gold Dan. 4. 30. Is not this great Babylon that I have built for the house of my Kingdom by the might of my power and for the glory of my Majesty But a voice came to him from Heaven ver 31. O King Nebuchadnezzar to thee it is spoken The Kingdom is departed from thee Use 2. Have we such an esteem and affection to the word of God Then 1. We will do that which in other Cases a greater love would encline us to do Otherwise it is but a Complement we will diligently exercise our selves in the word of God Labour is the fruit of love Remembring your labour of love 1 Thess. 1. 3. He that doth not take more pains in the pursuit of heavenly things than of carnal doth not love the one above the other for love is industrious Iohn 6. 27. Labour not for the meat that perisheth but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life What a deal of pains do men take for a little pelf to heap up treasure and fill their houses with the good things of this world and spend all their time and wit their care and strength on outward things The stream runneth stronger for the world when there is no proportionable care taken for the benefits which the word offereth God maketh offer of Grace and Glory Men are as those that travel by water and see buildings ashore and praise them as they pass by but never enter into them never look after them more If you are ready and earnest in the pursuit of the one careless and cold in the other you think no time enough for the one but grudge all time for the other it is a sign the one hath a greater share in our hearts than the other We are to seek worldly things in some measure because God hath appointed every one some work to do but when there is such a manifest disproportion between our seeking the one and the other it sheweth which way our souls bend if a nice difference that hardly distinguisheth it give suspicion more especially when such a manifest disproportion 2. We will part with the one for the others sake If carnal things can withdraw us from the pursuit of heavenly things Heb. 12. 16. As Esau who for one morsel of bread sold his birthright and heavenly things cannot make us to part with carnal things Many make void the Law to seek riches and wealth 2 Tim. 4. 10. Demas hath forsaken us having loved this present world break Gods Commands for a small hire and do so constantly frequently easily it is a sign they do but complement and speak from their judgments not from their hearts when they say they love God better than the world or fine Gold the chiefest excellency of it Would a man dispense with his obedience to the Word and be thus affected What is deliberately habitually preferred that hath the greater love We can neglect our Duty to God trample upon God Christ Heaven Scripture Conscience Duty in the way to make speed after worldly things 3. Wherein do we place the happiness of us and ours To carnal men nothing is so dear as their present prosperity Do you value your selves to be more happy when you have a little Grace and sense of Gods love than if you had all the world Psal. 4. 6 7. There be many that say Who will shew us any good Lord lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us Thou hast put gladness in my heart more than in the time that their Corn and their Wine encreased And for your Children do ye rejoice to see them great or good Many are delighted to see their Children thrive in the world do well in the world but careless whether they have Grace yea or no. If you take the world still as a great part of your felicity it is a sign you have low thoughts and respects for the Word of God SERMON CXL PSAL. CXIX VER 128. Therefore I esteem all thy precepts concerning all things to be right and I hate every false way IN this Verse a Child of God is set forth by two marks I. His
the Scriptures were written not for Ministers or professed Students God speaketh to all sorts of men in the Scripture and therefore would have all understand them He wrote the Scripture that it might be read of all young and old Deut. 30. 11 12. This Commandment which I command thee this day is not hidden from thee neither is it far off It is not in heaven that thou shouldest say Who shall go up for us to heaven and bring it to us that we may hear it and do it c. Rich and poor the King was to read in it all the days of his life Deut. 17. 18 19. It shall be that when he sitteth upon the Throne of his Kingdom he shall write him a Copy in a Book out of that which is before the Priests the Levites and it shall be with him and he shall read therein all the days of his life Every good man is to meditate in it Psal. 1. 2. His delight is in the Law of the Lord and in his Law doth he meditate day and night Deut. 6. 6 7. These words which I command thee this day shall be in thy heart and thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy Children and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thy house and when thou walkest by the way and when thou liest down and when thou risest up The Apostles wrote Epistles to the whole Church spake to old men youth little Children 1 Iohn 2. 13. I write unto you Fathers because ye have known him that is from the beginning I write unto you young men because ye have overcome the wicked one I write unto you little Children because ye have known the Father To Kings Judges Men Women Husbands Wives Fathers Children Masters Servants was it written for their use nor must it be taken out of their hands nor is it above their reach 3. The end why it was written to be a sure and infallible direction to guide us to eternal life and make us wise unto salvation 2 Tim. 3. 15. And that from a Child thou hast known the holy Scriptures which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Iesus Not only so but it is our food and means of growth 1 Pet. 2. 2. As new born Babes desire the sincere milk of the Word that ye may grow thereby Every life hath food convenient for it It is our weapon in temptation Ephes. 6. 17. And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God To be read by all in this spiritual warfare they are all engaged in It is Gods testament therefore should be viewed by his Children the Epistle of the Creator to his Creatures therefore to be read by them to whom it is sent Gods Letter must not be intercepted upon all these reasons There is enough to make wise the simple in Scriptures But is there nothing difficult in Scriptures Answ. Yes to subdue the pride of mans wit to quicken us to wait and depend upon him for knowledge to prevent contempt to exercise our industry and diligence and to fasten truths on our minds There is some difficulty but not such difficulty as that the people neither can nor ought to read them with profit which is the dispute between us and Papists There is no difficulty but what is conquerable by that Grace that God ordinarily dispenseth and the means of explaining or applying not a whole loaf but a dimensum his share for it distributes to every man his portion Use 1. For the confutation of them that forbid the simple the use of the word The Papists say Gods Word is dark and hard to be understood therefore they lock it up from the people in an unknown tongue as if none could profit by it but the learned sort Yea many among us are ready to say What should simple men do with Scripture and think all the confusions and troubles of the world come from giving people this liberty Answ. Though in the word there are mysteries to exercise the greatest Wits yet there are plain truths to edifie the simple This Text is a notable proof against them It is good to have a Text against every errour of theirs They are injurious to God as if he had revealed his mind so darkly or his word that it were so doubtful and harmful that there were danger in reading it injurious to the Scriptures while they tax them with obscurity injurious to the people of God while they despise those whom the Lord inviteth with their Pharisaical pride Iohn 7. 49. But this people who know not the Law are cursed hinder them of their comfort The simple have souls to save therefore have need to see with their own eyes to consider Gods Charter They pretend they do it in mercy to the people lest by their mistakes they should ruine themselves and introduce confusion into the world They should as well say All must be starved and deny meat and drink because some surfeit But certainly they do it for their own interest they have false Wares to vend and to keep the people from discovering the errours they impose upon them they would conceal the Scriptures from them Ignorance is a friend to the Devils Kingdom The blind go as they are led They are afraid of the Scriptures as a Thief of a Candle or the light which would discover his villany and hinder his design Iohn 3. 20. Use 2. Of encouragement to poor Christians that have a sense of weakness Before Plato's School was written Let none but the learned come in hither but Christ inviteth the simple that none might be discouraged he speaketh to all sorts Prov. 8. 4 5. Unto you O men I call and my voice is to the sons of men O ye simple understand wisdom and ye fools be of an understanding heart That which is spoken to all is thought to be spoken for none Christ speaketh to men under their several distinctions noble base young or old rich or poor If any earthly profit be offered to any that will take it who will exempt themselves None are so modest But in spiritual things persons are more stupid Let none be discouraged by weakness of parts all are invited to learn and here they may be taught of any capacity Oh! but how many will say I am so weak of understanding that I shall make no work of such deep mysteries as are contained in the Scriptures Answ. 1. Many times this objection cometh from a sluggish heart to ease themselves of the trouble of a duty as meditation or prayer they pretend weakness they would have a rule that would make knowledge 2. If it be serious God is able to interpret his own Book unto thee He must indeed open the door or we cannot get into the knowledge of truths there If you had better parts you would be but groping about the door He that hath not the right Key is as far from entring the
3. For what the Law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh c. Then 3. God taking occasion by this miserable estate opened a door of hope by Christ 2 Cor. 5. 19. God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself not imputing their trespasses unto them God hath set up a new Court of righteousness and life where sinners may appear where Grace taketh the Throne and the Judge is Christ and the Gospel the Rule and Faith and sincere obedience accepted 4. The Lord giveth notice to fallen man and sendeth him word That if he will come to this Court and put himself under the Laws thereof he shall be delivered from the Curse Luke 1. 77 78 79. To give knowledge of salvation to his people by the remission of their sins Through the tender mercies of our God whereby the day-spring from on high hath visited us to give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death to guide their feet into the way of peace 5. Because men are backward he hunteth and pursueth them by the Curse of the Law and the sense men have of it to take Sanctuary at his grace Heb. 6. 18. That by two immutable things in which it was impossible for God to lye we might have a strong consolation who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us 6. When a poor Creature cometh he receiveth him graciously Ier. 3. 12 13. Return thou backsliding Israel saith the Lord and I will not cause mine anger to fall upon you for I am merciful saith the Lord and I will not keep anger for ever Only acknowledge thine iniquity that thou hast transgressed against the Lord thy God 1 Iohn 1. 9. If we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness If he had not set up another Court of righteousness no tears no repentance could have helped us there had been no help that way Now he is willing to receive you he standeth with his arms open From first to last he dealeth with us upon terms of Grace II. Judgment is put for manner and custome or course Gen. 40. 13. Thou shalt deliver Pharaoh his Cup after the former manner 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So Iosh. 6. 15. They compassed the City after the same manner The same word again 1 Sam. 2. 13. The Priests custom with the people was c. 1 Sam. 8. 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This will be the manner of the King that shall reign over you 1 Sam. 27. 11. So did David and so will be his manner So in other places Doctr. I. That it is Gods constant method to encourgae all those that serve him by shewing to them all manner of expressions of favour and mercy The Proposition is often expressed in Scripture Psal. 25. 10. All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth unto such as keep his Covenant and his Testimonies Psal. 84. 11. For the Lord God is a Sun and a Shield the Lord will give grace and glory no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly Psal. 34. 10. The young Lions do lack and suffer hunger but they that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing David presumeth it Psal. 23. 6. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life And many other places But it seemeth to be contradicted by sense They that love God most are most calamitous and have many afflictions Answ. 1. These belong to Gods Covenant and are expressions of his good will and faithfulness Psal. 119. 75. I know Lord that thy judgments are right and that thou in faithfulness hast afflicted me God were not faithful nor merciful if he did not now and then take the Rod in hand our need our good requireth it Heb. 12. 10. For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure but he for our profit that we might be partakers of his holiness Discipline is necessary for a Child as food Winter as necessary as Summer rainy Days as fair Days to curb the wantonness of the Flesh and to withdraw the fuel of our Lusts. 2. He useth to shew mercy to people in their afflictions to cause light to rise to them in darkness 2 Cor. 1. 5. For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ. We are not capable of taking in spiritual comforts till we are separated from the dregs of worldly affections 3. God will sanctifie afflictions Rom. 8. 28. All things shall work together for good to them that love God And he will finally deliver when the Season calleth for it 1 Cor. 10. 13. There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man but God is faithful who will not suffer you to be tempted above what you are able but will with the temptation also make a way to escape that you may be able to bear it But he dealeth more hardly with them than others he doth not punish the gross iniquities of his Adversaries when the lesser failings of his people are severely chastised Answ. It is meet Iudgment should begin at the house of God 1 Pet. 4. 17. That it may be known God doth not favour any in their sins Amos 3. 2. You only have I known of all the Families of the Earth therefore will I punish you for all your iniquities Their sins though small have more aggravations being committed against clearest light dearest love Ezra 9. 13. And after all that is come upon us for our evil deeds should we again break thy Commandments Isai. 26. 10. Let favour be shewed to the wicked yet will he not learn righteousness God is jealous over his people and careful to have them reclaimed from every evil course 1 Cor. 11. 32. But when we are judged we are chastened of the Lord that we should not be condemned with the world In the bitterness of the Rod God discovereth the vileness of their sin for he will reclaim them when he suffereth others to walk in their own way 4. His enemies shall in time taste the Dregs of that Cup whereof his own people tast a little Psal. 75. 8. For in the hand of the Lord there is a Cup the Wine is red it is full of mixture he poureth out of the same but the dregs thereof all the wicked of the Earth shall wring them out and drink them Jer. 25. 29. For lo I begin to bring evil on this City that is called by my name and shall ye be utterly unpunished Ye shall not be unpunished for I will call for a sword upon all the inhabitants of the earth saith the Lord of Hosts They shall have the bottom 5. In the mean time Gods people have his love their sins are pardoned they are admitted into communion with him and Gods mercy and favour to his people must not be judged by temporal accidents
not be at our beck We have deserved nothing but must wait for him in the diligent use of the means as Benhadad's servants watched for the word Brother or any thing of kindness to drop from the King of Israel 2. Work for it for I press you not to a devout sloth All good things are hard to come by 't is worth all the labour we lay out upon it There is no having peace with God any sense of his love without diligent attendance in the use of all appointed means 2 Pet. 3. 14. Be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace without spot and blameless And 2 Pet. 1. 10. Give all diligence to make your calling and election sure That comfort is to be suspected that costs nothing but like Ionah's Gourd grows up in a night that comes upon us we know not how IV. Gods Children when they beg comfort also beg Grace to serve him acceptably For teaching Gods Statutes is not meant barely a giving us a speculative knowledge of Gods will for so David here Make thy face to shine and Teach me thy Statutes And why do they so 1. Out of gratitude They are ingenuous and would return all duty and thankfulness to God as well as receive mercy from him therefore they are always mingling resolutions of duty with expectations of mercy and when they carry away comforts from him are thinking of suitable returns And while they take Christ for righteousness they devote and give up themselves to his use and service The nature of man is so disposed that when we ask any thing we promise especially if a Superior Hos. 14. 2. Take away all iniquity and receive us graciously so will we render the calves of our lips The Children of God resolve upon duty and service when they ask favour So Psal. 9. 13 14. Have mercy upon me O Lord consider my trouble that I may shew forth all thy praise in the gates of the Daughter of Sion We are thinking of honouring and praising God at that time when we seek his favour 2. The Children of God do know that this is the cause of Gods aversion from them that his Stautes are not observed and therefore when they beg a greater experience of Gods special favour they also beg direction to keep his Statutes They cannot maintain and keep up a sense of the love of God unless they be punctual in their Duty He knows nothing of Religion that knows not that the comfort of a Christian depends upon sanctification as well as justification and the greater sense of obedience the fuller sense of the love of God and the degrees of manifesting his favour are according to the degrees of our profiting in obedience for these go along still Jesus Christ is King of righteousness and King of peace He is Melchizedeck King of Salem he pours out the Oil of grace that he may pour out the Oil of gladness Heb. 7. 2. But especially see one place Iohn 14. 21. He that hath my Commandments and keepeth them he it is that loveth me and he that loveth me shall be loved of my father and I will love him and will manifest my self to him Christ was then most sweetly comforting his people but 't was not his mind that they should be emboldned thereby to cast off Duty No he says the only way to assure them that they were not delusions and to clear their right to these comforts was this He that hath my Commandments and keepeth them he it is that loveth me and he that loveth me shall be loved of my father and I will love him and will manifest my self to him That 's the way to get confirmation and evidence of the love of God 3. This is a notable effect and evidence of Gods favour to guide you in his ways therefore 't is a branch of the former for whom the Lord loveth he teacheth and guides Rom. 8. 14. As many as are the Children of God they are led by the Spirit Others are left to their own hearts counsels And Psal. 25. 14. The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him and he will shew them his Covenant The communication of Secrets is a note of friendship Now the secret of the Lord the knowledge of his Covenant and what belongs thereto it is to those that fear God There 's the qualification 4. He sheweth that he does not desire a greater proof of Gods love He would chiefly experience the good will of God to him in being taught the mind of God The most sleight that which David prizeth But if our hearts were as they should be we would prefer this before all other good things sanctification to be taught of God For First 'T is a better evidence of Gods favour than worldly comforts Pardon freeth us from punishment sanctification from sin and pollution sin is worse than misery and holiness is to be preferred before impunity Christ in the work of redemption considered the Fathers interest and honour as well as your salvation The taking away of worldly comforts doth not infringe our blessedness yea when it is accompanied with this benefit it maketh way for the encrease of it Psal. 94. 12. Blessed is the man whom thou chastenest O Lord and teachest him out of thy Law All the comforts of the world are not worth one Dram of Grace The loss of them may be supplied with Grace and man be happy comfortable and blessed for all that but the loss of Grace cannot be supplied with temporal things We cannot say Blessed is the man that hath lost Grace for the worlds sake Again all the riches and honours heaped upon a man cannot make him better they may easily make him worse but Grace can never make us worse but always better more amiable in the eyes of God and fitter for communion with him These may be given to those whom God hateth Psal. 17. 74. But this is the favour of his people Grace is never given but to those whom he entirely loveth These may be given in wrath but sanctifying Grace never in wrath The more we have of these things the more wanton and vain Deut. 32. 15. They are often used as an occasion to the Flesh Gal. 5. 13. prove fewel to our lusts encrease our snares temptations difficulties in Heavens way Luke 18. 25. Our Table becometh a snare Psal. 69. 22. But the saving Graces of the Spirit make all easie and help us towards our own happiness Secondly Profiting in obedience or sanctification is a greater effect of God favour Sanctification is a greater priviledge than Justification Perfect and compleat holiness and conformity to God is the great thing which God designed as the glory of God is holiness Exod. 15. 11. Moral perfections exceed natural and of all moral perfections Holiness is the greatest 'T is better to be wise than strong to be holy than wise Beasts have strength Man hath reason but holy Angels a holy God Sanctification is a real perfection
as absolute and sovereign Lord of all his own actions He works all things according to the counsel of his own will Ephes. 1. 11. and Rev. 4. 11. Thou hast created all things and for thy pleasure they are and were created As his wisdom saw fit so he hath placed Creatures in several ranks of Beings the Fish cannot complain that it was made without feet or hands nor the Ass that it was made for burthen that it is not fierce and mettlesome as the Horse which was made for battel And we men whatever was given us by Creation it was not a matter of right but the mere effect of Gods good will and pleasure He might have made us Stocks and Stones and not living Creatures and among living Creatures Plants only with the life of vegetation and growth Or if he had given us a sensitive life he might have placed us in the lowest rank he might have made us Toads or Vipers or Horse and Mule without understanding and not men And among men all the blessings and priviledges to which we were born might have been withheld without any injustice 2. He hath a right of using and disposing of them so made according to his own pleasure to appoint them to be high or low miserable and afflicted or prosperous and happy as it shall be for his Glory Rom. 11. 36. All things are of him and from him and to him to whom be glory As God made the Creatures for himself so he governs them ultimately terminatively for himself There is no cause of murmuring and repining when he will use us as he pleaseth for his own Glory Isai. 45. 9 10. We cannot say Why dost thou thus It is enough to silence all Tempests in our souls God did it Psal. 39. 9. I was dumb I opened not my mouth because thou didst it Now this is true in the dispensations of Grace as well as in the blessings of this life to some God gives Grace to others not some are elected to mercy others left to perish in their own sins one is taken and another left Matth. 24. 40 41. There were two Thieves upon the Cross together with Christ God saves the one passeth by the other He may do with his own as he pleaseth He being Sovereign is obliged by no Debt of Law or the Command of any superior power and therefore-hath mercy on whom he will have mercy and whom he will he hardeneth Rom. 9. 18. Election is an act of Sovereignty and Dominion God might have left all in misery as he left the faln Angels none of them that sinned are recovered out of their misery and are we of a more noble consideration than the Angels than those Spirits One of them could have done God more service than many men could do therefore as he left all those Angels in their sinful condition so it 's a mercy that when he might have destroyed all mankind he would save any God could have given Iudas a soft heart as well as Peter but he does not He will be master of his own gifts Only this clears his Justice None are denied Grace but those that deserve it should be so none by God are compelled to sin none are punished without sin but in all his gifts and in what he doth as supreme Lord his will is his reason Secondly God may be considered as Governour and Judge and so he gave a Law to the Creatures and his governing Justice consists in giving all their due according to his Law This is to be distinguished from the former for God that is arbitrary in his gifts is not arbitrary in his judgments Observe that he is arbitrary in his gifts he hath mercy on whom he will have mercy but in his judgments he proceedeth with men according to their works according to a law or outward rule Of this governing Justice the Scripture often speaks Deut. 32. 4. He is a righteous God and all his ways are judgment So Psal. 7. 9. He will judge the world in righteousness and will minister judgment to the people Now this governing Justice of God is twofold either Legislative or Judicial First Gods Legislative Justice This determines mans duty and binds him to the performance thereof and also decrees and sets down the rewards and punishments that shall be due upon mans obedience or disobedience God made man rational or a voluntary Agent capable of good and evil with desires of the good and fears of the evil and therefore God as universal King that he might rule him according to his nature hath made for him a Law that revealeth good and evil with promises to move him by desire and hope of the good and with threatnings to drive him by a necessary fear of the evil So Deut. 30. 15. See I have set before thee this day life and good and death and evil It is true of the Law of Moses and it is true of the Gospel of Christ Jesus he deals With us this way that I may not make a distinction between the Law and the Gospel what 's the Law of the Gospel Mark 16. 16. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved but he that believeth not shall be damned Now this Law is the rule of mans duty and Gods dealings with all those that have received it Secondly There is his Judicial Justice called also distributive and this is that whereby he renders unto men according to their works whether they do good or evil without any respect to persons 1 Pet. 1. 17. Without respect of persons he judgeth according to every mans work The persons that may be respected in Judgment is some external thing that hath no affinity with the cause in hand Now when God comes to judge of the breach of his Law or the keeping of his Law he hath no respect of persons high or low rich or poor professing or not professing Christianity he deals with them as they have walked according to his Law His Judicial or distributive Justice is declared at large by the Apostle Rom. 2. 5 6 7 8 9. There Gods executing Judgment according to his Law is described and you find it twofold remunerative or vindictive First His remunerative or rewarding Justice It is just with God to reward our obedience and to give men what his promise hath made due to them It is true we cannot expect reward from God in strict righteousness or by the exact Laws of Commutative Justice and strict righteousness in this fallen estate as if there were an inward condignity of our works to that which God gives Oh no that is disclaimed by the Saints Psal. 103. 3. Who forgiveth all thine iniquities Psal. 143. 2. Enter not into judgment with thy servant for in thy sight shall no man living be justified From any exuberancy of merit we cannot expect a reward from God but we may and ought to encourage our selves from his righteousness even that it is not an unrighteous thing with God to give us
Heaven and happiness when we have served him faithfully and patiently continued in well-doing You know the Apostle distinguisheth that there is a reward according to debt and a reward according to Grace Rom. 4. 4. Though it be righteous with God to give the reward yet he gives it not out of debt or for any condignity of worth but he gives it out of Grace And so all the comforts we have from obedience are said to come from the righteousness of God Even the pardon of sin which is one of the freest acts of God and wherein he discovers most of his mercy 1 Iohn 1. 9. He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins It is not faithful and gracious but just And so for the eternal reward in 2 Thess. 1. 6 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is a just or righteous thing with God to recompence tribulation to them that trouble you I you think it is just with God to punish evil but is it a righteous thing that he should reward our obedience Read on And to you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Iesus shall be revealed from heaven c. God in righteousness is bound by his own promise to give this reward Heb. 6. 10. God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love How is Gods righteousness engaged Partly by Christ Christ having given satisfaction equivalent to the offence and wrong to his Majesty and having interposed an everlasting merit it is just with God to forgive the sin as it is just for the Creditor to forgive the debt when he hath received satisfaction from the Surety And it is just because God is bound by his own promise he hath promised a Crown of life to them at the end of their tryal Iames 1. 12. And it is part of his Justice to make good his Word by promise God hath made himself a Debtor So 2 Tim. 4. 8. Henceforth there is laid up for me a Crown of righteousness which the Lord the righteous Iudg will give me at that day Bernard glosseth sweetly upon that place Paulus expect at Coronam Iustitiae Iustitiae Dei non suae justum est ut reddat quod debet debet autem quod pollicitus est It is just with God to pay what he oweth and God oweth what he hath promised and so it is a Crown of righteousness which God the righteous Judg will give us at that day Once more it is just with God not to forget your labour of love because it agrees with his general Justice or the rectitude of his nature it falls in with his Law as God is a holy perfect Being he cannot be indifferent to good and evil it concerns him to see Ut bonis bene sit malis male that it be well with them that do well and ill with them that do ill But how upon terms it should go well with them that must be interpreted according to either Covenant either according to the exactness of the Law and so no flesh can be justified in his sight or according to the moderation of the Gospel where the soul sincerely frames it self to do the will of God and it is not an unrighteous thing with God to give you according to your labour of love and zeal for his Glory Secondly There 's his vindictive Justice on all Sinners God punisheth none but Sinners and only for sin and that ever according to the measure of the sin as it is more or less so they have more or less punishment Rom. 2. 9. Tribulation and anguish upon every soul of man that doth evil of the Iew first and also of the Gentile God will render vengeance to the Gentiles that had the light of nature to teach them God to shew them the invisible things of his Godhead and Power but chiefly upon those that have been bred up in his Ordinances and mostly upon them that have rejected the terms of Grace offered them in the Gospel for so it is said 2 Thess. 1. 8. He will render vengeance upon all them that obey not the Gospel And Iohn 3. 18 19. He that believeth not is condemned already The Law is passed upon him but this is the condemnation that light is come into the world and men loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil Their sin is inexcusable that will not lay hold upon the offers of Grace They have no cause to murmure or impute their damnation to Gods secret purpose in their own Consciences they may read the justness of their condemnation Well then this is Gods Justice it is that property by which God acts agreeable to his nature as Sovereign Lord and agreeable to his Covenant as Governour and Judg of the World either his Covenant of Works or Grace 2. To prove that God is just I shall prove it by four things First From the perfection of the Divine Nature The perfection of the Divine Will is such that he necessarily loveth righteousness and hateth iniquity As the perfection of Gods understanding includes all intellectual Vertues so the perfection of his will all moral Vertues There can be no vertuous act of the will either in men or Angels that doth not agree to God in a far more excellent manner and measure and therefore if there be such a quality as justice and righteousness in Angels and men if holy Angels and just men made perfect certainly there a just God This rectitude in men and Angels is accidental and separable from their Being Angels may be Angels yet not just as appears in the Devils But in God it is essential as his Essence is necessarily so his integrity must needs be so In short God must be just and holy because he necessarily loves himself and hates every thing that is contrary to himself Psal. 11. 7. The righteous God loveth righteousness and his countenance beholdeth the upright If they be just he loves their Justice because he loves himself if unjust he hates their injustice because they are contrary to himself Secondly He could not else govern the world or judge men according to their offences Next his Nature God's office shews him just that inferrs his Justice as he is Governour and Judge of the World so we shall see Gen. 18. 15. The Iudg of all the Earth shall not he do right It must needs be so that the Judge of the Earth will do right Rom. 5. 6. Is God unrighteous who taketh vengeance God forbid for then how shall God judge the World It is impossible to imagine that he can be the supreme Judge who is not just Among men Appeals are allowed because men are fallible and apt to pervert equity and judgment and this is their relief that they can appeal higher But now Eccl. 5. 8. If thou seest the oppression of the poor and violent perverting of Iudgment and Iustice marvel not at the matter for he that is higher than the highest regardeth and there be higher than
they God is the great Arbiter of all affairs in the World where all Appeals rest can go no higher than the will of God therefore he must needs be just Thirdly This was Gods great end in giving Jesus Christ that he might be known to be a just God therefore he stood so punctually upon satisfaction that the Sinner must dye or the Surety No Surety so fit to keep up the honour of his Law and honour of his Justice in the Consciences of men as the Son of God Rom. 3. 24 25 26. God had a mind to be gracious to the Creature but without any disparagement to his Justice Now how should this be All the wise men in the World that had any sense of the Nature and Being of God busied themselves in this enquiry How God could be merciful to the Creature and yet just but all their devices were vain and frivolous until God himself found out a ransome and remedy for us as it is Iob 33. 24. Here was the difficulty God would preserve the Notions which the Creature had of his Being and Justice inviolable he would be known as one that would stand to his Law which he had made for the Government of the World Now there was no way to keep up the credit of it but these two strict execution or sufficient satisfaction The execution would have destroyed all the inferior world the reasonable Creatures at least and the love and wisdom and mercy of God would not permit that the world should be destroyed so soon as it was made and man left remediless in everlasting misery Well then strict execution would not do it therefore satisfaction must be the remedy and such satisfaction as might be sufficient to procure the ends of the Law to keep up the honour of Gods Justice in the Consciences of men Now this was done by Jesus Christ whom God had set forth to declare his righteousness that he might exercise his mercy without prejudice to his justice If this ransom had not been found we should either have slighted God and not stood in awe of him or else we had been for ever left under the curse and under doubtfulness and scruple wherewith we should have appeased him but the Lord found out such a means to our hands that he might declare he was a righteous God Foâ—…rthly I prove it from the Divine Nature infused into us As many as are made partakers of Gods Grace are more just than others they hate sin and Sinners so we read Ephes. 4. 24. That the new man was created after God in righteousness and true holiness After God that is after the image and pattern of God Now if the new Creature be made after such a pattern then certainly God was righteous We find by experience the more God-like and vertuous any are the more just they are more apt to give every one his due to live without wrong to any and the more their hearts are set against that which is base and unworthy Therefore certainly God is righteous for he hath put such a quality as the Copy of his Nature into the hearts of men Object If God be so just why then does the way of the wicked prosper Why are those that desire to be faithful with God so afflicted and calamitous This is a Wind that hath shaken the tallest Cedars in Lebanon The choicest Saints of God have been exceedingly hurried and tossed to and fro in their thoughts by this objection against the righteousness of God Ier. 12. 1. Righteous art thou O Lord yet let me plead with thee He holds fast this principle but yet Lord saith he I am not satisfied Let me talk to thee of thy Iudgments that I may be better informed why doth the way of the wicked prosper So David Psal. 73. 1. Truly God is good to Israel even to such as are of a clean heart but yet the wicked thrive and prosper and there 's no bands in their death So Hab. 1. 13. Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil c. Lord saith he I know thou art 〈◊〉 holy God but why can thy Providence then look upon them in the world that deal trecherously and perversely The clearest sighted Saints may be so bemisted many times that they are not able to reconcile Gods dispensations with his Nature and Attributes and so quarrel with and reproach and impeach his Providence Yea the Heathens that knew little of sin and righteousness were troubled at the afflictions of the good and the flourishing of the wicked and questioned the Being of a God upon this account and therefore there are two Heathens which have written two worthy Treatises to vindicate the Providence of God Seneca hath written one Treatise Cur malè bonis benè malis to shew why the good may be afflicted though there be a God and Plutarch hath written another Treatise De sera Numinis vindicta why the wicked may be spared and suffered to flourish in the world though there be a God to take notice of humane affairs These Heathens had a sense of this difficulty for 't is an obvious objection I answer First In general Gods dispensations are just though we see not the reason of them The Saints hold their Principle Lord I confess thou art righteous Ier. 12. 1. Hab. 1. 13. The Justice of God must be acknowledged in all his dealings with us and others though it appear not to our reason which indeed cannot discern well and therefore is unmeet to judge of such high matters as these are Psal. 36. 6. Thy righteousness is like the great mountains thy judgments are a great deep The Judgments of God are such a Deep as we cannot easily fathome the bottom of and therefore though we do not see the Justice of it we must believe it and prefer faith above sense The Lord may deal otherwise in many things with us than we can express and see the reason of his doing and yet he is always just and holy in his proceedings and it is the duty of his people to believe it Psal. 97. 2. Clouds and darkness are round about him righteousness and judgment are the habitation of his Throne Augustine's words are a good Comment upon that passage The Judgments of God saith he are sometimes secret but always just saepe occulta nunquam injusta We know not what to make of it Clouds and darkness are round about it I but though they are unsearchable and secret they are managed with great judgment and rectitude But more particularly to come to speak to the things mentioned in the objection 1. As to the flourishing of the wicked three things to that First Gods Word doth sufficiently declare his displeasure against them though his Providence doth not There is sententia lata sed dilata Eccl. 8. 11. Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil Mark there 's a Sentence
perfection than what they do when they see the beginning of it Alas at first when we see the beginnings of God we are apt to say There is no profit to serve the Lord I but at length Verily there is a reward for the righteous And therefore let us not be rash and hasty until God hath put his last hand to his work Thâ—… are impatient Spectators that will not tarry till the last Scene of the Tragedy till the Lord brings forth his last work Our hastiness and impatience will betray us into many soul thoughts of God and his Providence Fourthly That the solemn triumph of Gods Justice will be at the last day If God should punish no sin here no man would believe a God if he should punish all here no man would be afraid of a future Judgment Now is the day of his patience and all taste the effects of his common goodness Acts 17. 31. He hath appointed a day wherein he will judge the world that 's the great day of Assizes for all the world when the great Judge shall appear in his Royalty Now God only keeps a petty Sessions now and then he seizeth upon the hairy scalp of a Sinner but the general Assizes is then In the day of tryal it is not fit we should live by sense but by faith but hereafter in the day of recompences all shall be open and clear Rom. 2. 5. Thou treasurest up wrath against the day of wrath and the revelation of the righteous judgment of Christ. There is a day that will reveal the justice and righteousness of God a black day to the wicked it will be and to Gods people a day of redemption Now his Justice is manifested on a few here then on all Now Gods Children have their Sentence of absolution from sin in private in foro Conscientiae their justification and assurance of eternal life and wicked men have their woful doom in the stings and horrours of their own Conscience they are self-condemned Tit. 3. 11. but then Sentence will pass publickly The equity of Gods dealings is not now so fully seen but then the causes will be opened when the secrets of all hearts shall be manifested then we shall see how justly God accepted one to salvation and rejected another to damnation Gods Justice is seen by the present Government of the World but not so clearly here justice is mixt with mercy to the godly in their afflictions and mercy is mixt with justice to the wicked in their temporal blessings but when the Lord shall stir up all his wrath then we shall see clearly God is a just God and will keep punctually to the Law he hath made for the Government of the World SERMON CLIV. PSAL. CXIX VER 137. Righteous art thou O Lord and upright are thy Iudgments FOR the other part of the Objection That those which desire to be most faithful with God are calamitous and afflicted as Lazarus lay in poverty and rags while the rich man surfeited in all manner of luxury I answer 1. God having an absolute right and dominion over us and our comforts may give and take them away according to his own pleasure Iob 1. 21. The Lord hath given and the Lord hath taken abstulit sed dedit they are his own he gave at first If he hath lent us any thing for his service and our comfort he may command it again when he pleaseth and none can commence a Suit against his Providence Whatever straights and poverty we are reduced to we were poorer than ever we can be made by Providence We came into the World naked If God should strip us of many comforts we are not so poor as when we were born 2. God having intended to bestow eternal blessings upon us will take a liberty in disposing of outward things Jesus Christ when he purchased comforts for us did not purchase only nor chiefly earthly comforts and blessings Ephes. 1. 3. The God and Father of our Lord Iesus Christ hath blessed us with spiritual blessings in Christ Iesus He did not purchase worldly blessings as our chief happiness The World is a common Inn for Sons and Bastards where God will shew his bounty to all his Creatures our inheritance is elsewhere in heavenly places for though all things come alike to all we cannot murmure and say God is unjust nay though a Child of God should be in a worse condition than the wicked are A Child during his non-age is kept under more severe discipline than a Slave which doth more live at large We distinguish between the care of a Father and the indulgence of a Mother The Father loves his Child I but he breeds him up in a strict way But Mothers are fondly indulgent and would have them pamper'd and cocker'd so evil habits encrease upon them We that so quarrel for worldly things would have God shew the fondness and indulgence of a Mother and not the wisdome and care of a Father 3. It is fit before we go to heaven that we should be tryed therefore God will so manifest his love to us that there may be room to exercise faith and patience Heb. 6. 12. Never any came to reap the comfort of Gods promises but there was a time to exercise their faith with difficulties and their patience with delays and therefore God will try our sincerity when we have no visible encouragements God would have us live by faith and not by sense or present appearance only 2 Cor. 5. 8. to see if we can look above the Clouds and Mists of the lower World and encourage our selves and grow bold upon the hopes and concernments of the World to come Nature is purblind but it is the property of faith to see afar off 2 Pet. 1. 9. There 's the excellency of faith if we have but an Eagles eye to see afar off If we had the fruition of the whole blessing alas there were no room for faith And then for patience we are not only to be conformed to God but to Christ not only to God in purity and holiness but to Christ in patience and submission and self-denial There are some of our duties which imply perfection as Justice Holiness Purity and Mercy of these we have a pattern in God and some of our duties imply subjection and obedience and of these we have a pattern in Christ. Now all the Heirs of promise God hath conformed to the Image of his Son Rom. 8. 29. If we must have all Graces then we must have those Graces that are conversant about misery We should be ignorant of one part of humane affairs were it not for these suffering Graces therefore it is agreeable to Gods Justice that these suffering Graces should have their exercise sometimes Then the Lord will try our sincerity whether we follow Christ for the Loaves Iohn 6. 26. Out of external encouragements or out of affection for internal reasons upon pure obedience Gods holiness consists in loving himself but
charity Phil. 4. 5. Let your moderation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be known unto all men whether it be fear or honour that be due Rom. 13. 7. Render therefore to all their dues Tribute to whom Tribute is due Custom to whom Custome fear to whom fear honour to whom honour Or good will ver 8. Owe no man any thing but to love one another Secondly For truth You are to adhere to the truth not to be carried about with every wind of Doctrine by the sleight of men and cunning craftiness whereby they lye in wait to deceive but speaking the truth in love ye may grow up unto him in all things which is the head even Christ Ephes. 4. 14 15. To speak nothing but truth in your ordinary communication Ephes. 4. 25. Wherefore putting away lying speak every man truth with his Neighbour To perform what you promise though to your loss Psal. 15. 4. He sweareth to his own hurt and changeth not Thus should the whole course of our lives express the properties of the Word Use 3. To shew the reason why men are so backward in obedience so prone to what is evil so uncomfortable in trouble We do not believe that the testimony of God is righteous and true very true every tittle of it but we are slow of heart to believe therefore is the faithfulness and truth of the Word inculcated Christ saith Believest thou this John 11. 25. Could we believe the word more what advantage should we have in the spiritual life what fear of God what joy of faith what readiness of obedience But we cannot depend upon Gods word and therefore are easily shaken in mind Our hearts are like a Sea one Wave riseth up after another We must be fed with sense and God must do all immediately or else we are apt to sink under our discouragements SERMON CLVI PSALM CXIX VER Cxxxix My zeal hath consumed me because mine Enemies have forgotten thy Words IN these words you may observe 1. Two different persons 2. A different carriage mentioned 1. Two different persons are spoken of David and his Enemies By Enemies is not to be understood those only that were troublesome to himself but those who were an opposite party to God who opposed themselves against God and Godliness these without any breach of the Law of love may be counted Enemies Ps. 139. 21 22. Do not I hate them O Lord that hate thee And am not I grieved with those that rise up against thee I hate them with a perfect hatred I count them mine Enemies It is a comfort and satisfaction to the godly to have no enemies to themselves but such as are enemies to God also such as rise up against God 2. There 's a different carriage mentioned and asscribed to these two parties on the one side Oblivion and Forgetfulness of Gods Law on the other side zeal 1. On the Enemies part oblivion and forgetfulness of Gods Word The Word of God is not effectual usually but where it is hid in recent memory They have forgotten thy Word a proper phrase to set forth them in the bosom of the visible Church who do not wholly deny and reject the Word and Rule of Scripture but yet live as though they had forgotten it they do not observe it as if God had never spoken any such thing or given them any such Rule They that reject and contemn such things as thy Word enforceth surely do not remember to do them 2. On David's part here is mentioned zeal or a flagrant affection which is set forth 1. By the vehemency of it 2. By the cause of it 1. By the vehemency of it my zeal hath consumed me It was no small zeal that David had but a consuming zeal Vehement affections exhaust and consume the vital Spirits and wast the body The like expression is used Ps. 69. 9. The zeal of thy House hath eaten me up Strength of Holy Affections works many times upon the Body as well as the Soul especially zeal which is a high degree of Love and vents it self by a mixture of grief and anger What a man loves he would have it respected and is grieved when it is dishonoured and under disrepute Both have an influence upon this consuming this wasting of the Spirits that is spoken of in the text because they had lessened and obscured the Glory of God and violated his Law and there was in him a holy care ardour and earnest endeavour to rectifie this abuse and awaken them out of their security and reduce them to their duty 2. Here was the Cause of it Why was David so much wasted pined consumed and troubled Because they have forgotten Thy Word the contempt of God and the offence of God sate nearest his heart as if he had said I should more patiently bear the injury done to my self but I cannot be coldly affected where thy glory O Lord is concerned since I have had a tast of thy grace and felt the benefit of thy Word I cannot endure it should be contemned and it much moves me to see Creatures so mad upon their own Destruction and to make so light of thy Salvation Thus was David consumed not at the sight of his own but at other mens sins and not at others in general but them his enemies that they should make void the Law of God Such was his love to the Word that he could not endure the contempt and violation of it and such was his Compassion to the souls of men that it grieved him exceedingly to see any of the workmanship of God to perish to be captivated to the World to be made Factors for the Devil and fuel for hell fire and to be so violent for their own Destruction Doctrine That Great and Pure Zeal becomes those that have any affection for the Word and for the Ways of God Here is a great zeal for David saith my zeal hath consumed me it prey'd upon his spirit And here 's a pure zeal for he mentions not personal injuries but disrespect to Gods Word when the same men are our Enemies and Gods Enemies we should be more zealous for Gods cause then our own Now both the greatness and purity of his zeal did arise from his love to the Word as appears from the precedent and subsequent verses in the precedent verses he had told them just and upright are thy testimonies and very faithful therefore zeal hath consumed me because this Word should be slighted and contemned And it appears also from the following verse thy Word is very pure therefore thy servant loveth it He was troubled to see such a holy and pure Word to be trampled under foot and especially that those seem to disown it he doth not say they deny it who had generally profest to live under this rule that they made light and disregarded the precepts in which I found so much comfort and delight In the prosecution of this point I shall 1. Shew what is true Zeal
what is to come yet fear of punish ment alone sheweth you are slaves and only love your selves the Devils fear and tremble but do not love You may fear a thing though you hate it So far as the heart is affected with the fear of Hell 't is good 3. There are very good and sound Principles yet do not always argue Grace as when duties are done out of the urgings of an enlightened Conscience this may be without the bent of a renewed heart but yet the principle is sound for the first thing that influenceth a man is to consider himself a Creature and so to look upon himself as bound to obey his Creator I shall illustrate it by the Apostles words in another case I must preach the Gospel and wo unto me if I preach not the Gospel 1 Cor. 9. 16. 17. Whether I do it willingly or unwillingly yet a Dispensation is committed to me So saith the Soul whether I be fitted to do God service or no God must be obeyed but because Gods precept is invested with a Sanction of Threatnings and Rewards here comes in the fear of Hell and the hopes of heaven The Lord hath commanded me to fly from Hell this is a good principle So the hope of Heaven Heb. 11. 26. 't is a sound principle a man may be gracious or he may not Many have a liking to Heaven and Eternal Life as 't is a state of happiness not of likness to God where 't is not alone 't is a very sound principle but as 't is it may sometimes be the sign of a renewed man and sometimes not 4. There are rare and excellent Principles when we Act out of thankfulness to God when we consider the Lords goodness that might have required Duty out of meer Soveraignty he hath laid the Foundation of it in the bloud of his own Son 1 Ioh. 4. 29. When we love him out of the sense of his love to us in Christ And when the grace of God that hath appeared teacheth us to deny ungodliness Tit. 2. 11. when the Mercies of God melt us Rom. 12. 1. when there are no intreaties so powerful as that of Love Again another principle that is rare and excellent is when the Glory of God doth season us in our whole Course that it may be to the praise of his glorious grace 1 Cor. 10. 31. Another is Complacency in the Work for the Works sake When we love the Law because it is pure when I see it will ennoble me and make me like God when I love God and his wayes when nothing but so noble imployment doth ingage me to his service and service to God is the sweetest life in the World SERMON CLVIII PSALM CXIX VER 141. I am Small and Despised yet do I not forget thy Precepts HEre David proveth the Truth of his former Assertion that seeing the Word of God was so Pure he loved it for its own sake and that he did not Court Religion for the portion that he should have with it but for it self Some are meer Mercenaries no longer then they are bribed by some Worldly profit they have no respect for God and his Wayes The Man of God was of another Temper if God would bestow any thing on him well if not he would love his Word still yea when it brought him apparent Loss Meanness and Contempt yet this could not make any divorce between his Heart and the Word I am small and despised c. In the Words we have 1. David's Condition 2. David's Carriage under that Condition His Condition might have been a Snare to him yet still he keepeth up his Affection 1. His Condition is set forth by two Notions the one of which implyeth the other Gods Providence I am small God had reduced him to streights the other Mans Treatment of him and despised the one sheweth what he was really in himself the other what he was in the opinion of others Mean in himself and Contemptible in the eye of others The Sept. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I am the younger and set at nought Therefore the Greek Interpreters suppose it relateth to the story when God bids Samuel to anoint one of the Sons of Iesse to be King and the elder Children were brought forth who were Taller and more likely too and they said of them surely the Lords Anointed is before him and when Samuel enquired for another they told him 1 Sam. 16. 7. That there remaineth the youngest and he keepeth sheep then when he was but an Youth and a despised stripling his heart was with God and God favoured him Or else they refer it to the time when Eliab his eldest Brother despised him 1 Sam. 17. 28. Others think this was verified when the Elders of Israel forsook him and clave to Absalom rather I think it generally to any Afflicted Condition when he was little in Estate and Reputation rather than in years elsewhere so is this word small taken Amos 7. 2 5. Iacob is small by whom shall he arise When his Condition was helpless and hopeless and Interest inconsiderable in the World So here I am small and despised I am looked upon as a man of no Value and Interest 2. Davids Carriage under this Condition Yet do I not forget thy Precepts First here is a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 less is said more is intended I do earnestly remember them Again a man may be said to remember or forget two wayes Notionally or Affectively Notionally a man forgets when the Notions of things formerly known are quite vanished out of our Minds Affectively when though he retaineth the notions yet he is not answerably affected he doth not act suitably So 't is taken here and implyeth as much as I am stedfast in the profession of this Truth as they say in a like Case Psal. 44. 17. We have not forgotten thee nor dealt falsely in thy Covenant not parted with any point of Truth or neglected and dispensed with any part of Duty Precepts is put for the whole word of God I do not forget thy Word the Comforts and Duties of it None do so far forget God and his Precepts as those that make defection from him The sum of all is My mean and despicable Condition doth not make a breach upon my Constancy but still I keep the Credit of being a Faithful Servant to thee His Temptation was double his Faithfulness had made him small God seemeth to forget us in our low Estate yet we should not forget him and had made him despised though we lose esteem with men by sticking to the Word of God yet the Word of God should lose no esteem with us Doctrine They that love God may be reduced to a Mean Low and Afflicted Condition I am small saith David The Lord seeth it meet for divers reasons 1. That they may know their happiness is not in this World and so the more long for Heaven and delight in Heavenly things Psal. 17. 14 15. From men
first laid in his Everlasting Decrees The Terms of Life and Salvation held forth in the New Covenant are to continue for Ever no change to be expected From the beginning of the World to the end thereof the Covenant of Grace cannot cease The Obligation still continueth men are for ever bound to love God and their Neighbour There shall no time come when the Law of loving God and our Neighbour shall be Reversed and out of Date The Covenant is essentially the same under all the diversity of Administrations And as the Priviledges so the Duties are of an Eternal Obligation Among men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is just at one time that is not just at another Law givers cannot alwayes live to see their Laws executed and men cannot foresee all occasions and inconveniences and therefore often repeal their Laws but God is wise he hath made an unchangeable Law and he forbiddeth things intrinsecally Evil and commandeth things intrinsecally Good 2. As to the Effects of it in case of Obedience or Disobedience In case of Disobedience Eternal Wrath lighteth on them that reject this Covenant that walk contrary to it they shall be Eternally Miserable 2 Thes. 1. 9. Who shall be punished with everlasting Destruction from the presence of the Lord. Not a Temporal but an Everlasting Destruction and Mark 9. 44. The worm shall never die and the fire shall never be quenched An Eternity of Torments because they despised Everlasting Mercy and rejected the Authority of an Everlasting God Having offended an Infinite God their punishment abideth on them for ever If they will stand out their day 't is fit their recovery should be hopeless 2dly The Benefits are Eternal in case of Obedience There is Everlasting Grace Everlasting Comfort and Everlasting Life 1 Ioh. 2. 17. The World passeth away and the lust thereof but he that doth the Will of God abideth for ever The Spirit is given as a Comforter that shall abide for ever Iohn 14. 16. and 2 Thes. 2. 16. God who hath loved us and given us everlasting Consolation and good hope through Grace And 't is fit it should be so because 't is built upon Gods unchangeable Love and Christs Eternal Merit and Intercession Gods Love is an Everlasting Love Ier. 31. 3. The efficacy of Christ's Merit never ceaseth Heb. 13. 8. His continual Intercession ever lasteth Heb. 7. 25. and Rom. 8. 39. Nothing shall separate us from the love of Christ. He liveth for Ever by which we continue for ever in the Favour of God and the Covenant standeth firm between him and us the Fountain of Comfort is never dryed up Use Is to Inform us of the difference between the Laws of God and the Laws of Men There are many differences some of which I shall touch by and by this Expression offereth two 'T is Righteousness and Everlasting Righteousness First 'T is Righteousness Men have and do often decree wickedness by a Law not only in the first Table where man is most blind but also in the second not only in their Barbarous Worship their sacrificing of men but also in their humane Constitutions The Lacedaemonians held it lawful to steal if he were not taken 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the very Act. In Cyprus they held it lawful for their Virgins if they were poor to Prostitute themselves to get a Dowry or Portion By the Law of the 12 Tables a man might kill his Wife if she smelt of Wine or Counterfeited his Keys And among the Romans if a slave had killed his Master all his fellow-slaves were put to death with him though never so Innocent By the same Laws a Father might thrice sell his Child they might tear their Debtors in pieces if they were not solvent Thus blind were men in their own concerns and what made for humane Commerce Much more in the way of pleasing God and the Interest of the World to come Bless God for this righteous Law Again Secondly 'T is Everlasting Righteousness not only Righteous at the first giving out but Righteous in all Ages and Times and should we slight this rule that will hold for ever In the World new Lords new Laws Men vary and change their designs and purposes Priviledges granted to day may be repealed to morrow but this word will hold true for ever Our Justification by Christ is irrevocable that part of Righteousness is Everlasting Be sure you are Justified now upon terms of the Gospel and you shall be Justified for ever your Forgiveness is an Everlasting Forgiveness and your Peace is an everlasting Peace Ier 33. 34. I will remember your sins no more So the other Righteousness of Sanctification 't is for ever Approve your selves to God now and you will approve your selves at the Day of Judgment 2. Use is Exhortation 1. Let this take us off from seeking things that have no Continuance in them The Everlastingness of the Word is opposed often to the Transitory Vanities of the World 1 Pet. 1. 23 24. All flesh is grass and the glory of man as the flower of grass The grass withereth and the flower falleth away but the Word of the Lord indureth for ever Why should we hunt after that glory that soon fadeth So 1 Ioh. 2. 17. The World passeth away and the lust thereof but he that doth the Will of God abideth for ever All these things Change and move up and down by divers Circumrotations we sit fast and loose in the World but in the Covenant of Grace all is sure 2. Let us choose this Word to live by that we may be partakers of that Everlasting Good which cometh by it Oh let us regard it Eternity is concerned in it If the Righteousness of God be Everlasting let us begin betimes to get interested in it and persevere in it to the end Let us begin betimes for we have but a few dayes to live here in the World and so either to express our thankfulness or lay a foundation for our eternal hopes Therefore let us set about the work the sooner And let us persevere our care to keep this law must be perpetual not like Temporaries many will carry themselves well and godly for a while but afterwards fall off this doth not become an Everlasting Law there is the same goodness in Gods Law that there was at first 3. Let us comfort our selves with the Everlastingness of the Priviledges offered to us in Gods Word The redeemed of the Lord should have an Everlasting joy Isa. 35. 10. And the Ransomed of the Lord shall return and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads Let other things end and change as they will our right by the new Covenant changeth not Sometimes we are in request in the World and sometimes in disgrace but Gods love is everlasting and sure We are not in with him to day and out to morrow he hath dealt with us upon sure and unchangeable terms nay when you die you may comfort
yourselves in this Psal. 103. 17. The mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him and his Righteousness upon Childrens Children Yea not only in the changes of your outward Condition is here an everlasting spring of comfort but also in the Ups and Downs of your spiritual condition and the clouds which now and then darken your Comfort and Hope in God In a time of Desertion we seem to be dead and cast off yet remember God loves to be bound for ever 2 Sam. 23. 5. Although my house be not so with God yet he hath made an everlasting Covenant Though we are not so punctual exact and faithful but are subject to many Errors and Failings yet God will mind his Eternal Covenant Psal. 89. 33 34. Nevertheless my loving kindness will I not utterly take from him nor suffer my faithfulness to fail my Covenant will I not break nor alter the thing that is gone out of my Lips Death doth not dissolve it nor desertions break it off Now for the second Notion by which the Word of God is expressed thy Law from whence Observe Doctrine That the Word of God hath the Nature and Force of a Law 'T is often so called in Scripture not only the Decalogue which is the abridgement of all Moral Duties but the whole Scripture is Gods Law Isa. 51. 4. A law shall proceed from me and Psal. 1. 2. His delight is in the law of God And the Gospel is called the law of Faith Rom. 3. 28. Here I shall shew you how necessary it was that God should give man a Law both as we are considered apart and with respect to Community And then shew that the Word hath the force of a Law 1. Consider man apart Surely the reasonable Creature as 't is a Creature hath a superior to whose Providence and ordering it is subject so all the Creatures have a law by which the bounds of their motion are fixed and limited Psal. 148. 6. He hath established them for ever and ever he hath made a decree which shall not pass Prov. 8. 29. He gave the Sea his decree that the waters should not pass his Commandment The Sun Moon and Stars are under a law all the Creatures are ballanced in a due proportion and guided and fixed in their Tract and Course by an unerring hand which is a kind of law to them As a Creature Man is subject to the direction of Gods Providence as other Creatures are but as a reasonable Creature he is capable of Moral Government for so he hath a Choice of his own a power of refusing Evil and choosing Good Other Creatures are ruled by a rod of Iron necessitated to what they do by an act of Gods Power and Sovereignty but man being a voluntary Agent is governed by laws which may direct and oblige him to good and warn and drive him from evil This law was at first written upon mans nature and that was sufficient while he stood in his integrity to guide him and inable him to serve and please God in all things propounded to him The law written on the heart of man was his Rule and Principle But that being obliterated by the Fall it was needful that God should give a new law to guide man to his own blessedness and to keep him from erring The Internal principle of Righteousness being lost the laws of men could not be sufficient for they have another end which is the good of humane Society They aim not at such a supernatural end as the enjoyment of God their laws reach no further than the ordering of mens outward Conversations and meddle not with the inward workings and motions of the heart of which they can take no Cognisance these may be inordinate do a great deal of mischief Therefore as the Wise God directed men to give laws to order mens Actions so he would himself give laws to order the Heart which man cannot reach Lay all these together and there is a necessity that God should give a law to man 2. But much more if you consider Man in his Community as he is a part of that spiritual Community called a Church All Societies of men from the Beginning of the World have found the establishing of Laws the only means to preserve themselves from ruine There is no other way against Confusion and would God leave that society which is of his own Institution that of which he is the Head and in which his honour is concerned without a law Deut. 32. 9. The Lords portion is his People which was set apart to serve him and to be to him for a Name and a Praise surely a people that have God so near them and are in special Relation to him have their laws by which they may be governed and preserved as to their Eternal good unless we should say God took lesse care for his own people then for others This necessity is the greater because this Society is spiritual though made up of visible men yet combined for spiritual ends Commerce and Communion with God and that mostly in their spirits which maketh this society the hardest to be governed and this the most seattered and dispersed of all societies throughout all parts of the Earth and therefore should be knit together with the strongest bonds Surely then there needeth a Common law whereby they may be united in their Conjunction with Christ the head and one another that it may not be broken in pieces And this to be given by God that he may preserve his own Authority and Interest among them This law is the Scripture those sacred digests in which God hath discovered not only his Wisdom and Justice but his Will and Imperial Power what he will have us do The one sheweth the Equity the other the Necessity of our Obedience surely this is his law or none The Church to whom the law was given God hath constituted the keeper of its own records never acknowledge another nor can any other make any Tolerable pretence Now having brought the matter home 2dly I shall shew you wherein it hath the Nature and force of a law as we commonly take the Word and here I shall 1. Shew you wherein it agrees 2. Wherein it differs from the ordinary laws of men 1. Wherein it agreeth 1. A Law is an act of Power and Sovereignty by which a Superior declareth his Will to those that are Subject to him There are two branches of the supream power Legislation and Jurisdiction giving the law and governing according to the law so given And so Gods power over the reasonable Creature is seen in Legislation and in the administration of his Providence there is his Jurisdiction In the Scripture he hath given the law and he will take an account of the observance of it in part here at the petty Sessions hereafter more fully and clearly at the Day of General Judgment But for the present here is Gods power seen over
the Creature in appointing him such a law God hath the greatest Right and Authority to Command Isa. 33. 22. The Lord is our Iudge and our Law-giver 2. That there is not only direction given to us but an Obligation laid upon us There is this difference between a Law and a Rule a bare Rule is for Information a Law for Obligation So herein the Word of God agrees with a law 't is not only the result of Gods Wisdom but the effect of his Legislative Will He would not only help and instruct the Creature in his Duty but oblige him by his Authority Decretum necessitatem facit exhortatio liberam voluntatem excitat saith the Canonist Exhortation and Advice properly serveth to quicken one that is free but a decree and a law imposeth a force a necessity upon him So Hierom lib. 2. contra Iovin Ubi consilium datur operantis arbitrium est ubi praeceptum necessitas servitutis A Counsel and a Precept differ a Precept respects Subjects a Counsel Friends The scriptures are not only Gods Counsel but his Precept There is a Coactive power in his laws God hath not left the Creature at liberty to comply with his Directions if he please but hath left a strict charge upon him 3. Every law hath a sanction otherwise it were but an Arbitrary Direction the Authority might be Contemned unless it hath a sanction that is confirmed by Rewards and Punishments so hath God given his law under the highest penalties Mar. 16. 16. He that Believeth shall be saved and he that Believeth not shall be damned Gal. 6. 8. If ye sow to the Flesh of the Flesh ye shall reap Corruption Rom. 8. 13. If ye live after the Flesh ye shall die God telleth them what will come of it and commandeth them to abstain as they will answer it to God at their utmost peril The Obligation of a law first inferreth a fault that is Contempt of Authority so doth Gods as 't is his law and so will infer a fault in us to break it And as we reject his Counsel it inferreth Punishment and the greater Punishment the more we know of Gods law Rom. 2. 9. Tribulation Wrath and Anguish upon every soul that doeth evil upon the Iew first and also upon the Gentile Why the Iew first They knew Gods Mind more Clearly 4. A sanction supposeth a Judge who will take an account whether his law be broken or kept otherwise all the Promises and Threatnings were in vain The law that is the Rule of our Obedience is the Rule of his Process so the Word of God hath this in common with other laws therefore God hath appointed a Judge and a Judgment-day wherein he will judge the World in Righteousness by the Man whom he hath appointed and 2 Thes. 1. 8. He will come in flaming fire to render Vengeance on all them that know not God and obey not the Gospel According to the law they have been under Gentiles Christians they must all appear before the Lord to give an account how they have observed Gods law Now in patience he beareth with men yet sometimes interposeth by particular Judgments but then they shall receive their final Doom 2. Let us see wherein they differ from ordinary laws among Men. 1. Man in his laws doth not debate matters with his Subjects but barely injoyneth and interposeth Authority but God condescendeth to the Infirmities of Man and cometh down from the Throne of his Sovereignty and reasoneth and perswadeth and prayeth Men that they will not forsake their own Mercies but yield Obedience to his laws which he convinceth them are for their good Isa. 46. 8. Remember this shew your selves Men bring it to mind again ye Transgressors Isa. 1. 18. Let us reason together saith the Lord. God is pleased to stoop to sorry Creatures to argue with them and make them Judges in their own Cause Micah 6. 2 3. he will plead with Israel O my People what have I done unto thee And wherein have I wearied thee Testifie against me He will plead with Israel about the equity of his laws whether they are not for their good 'T is a lessening of Authority for Princes to Court their Subjects they Command them but God will Beseech and Expostulate and Argue with his People 2 Cor. 5. 20. He draws with the Cords of a Man sweetly alluring their hearts to him 2 The laws of God bind the Conscience and the Immortal Souls of Men the laws of Men only bind the Behaviour of the outward Man they cannot order the Heart God takes notice of a wanton glance of an unclean thought a carnal motion Matth. 5. 28. Mens Words and Actions are liable to the laws of Men they cannot know the Thoughts but the law of God falls upon the Counsels of the Heart Rom. 7. 14. For I know that the law is Spiritual but I am Carnal Heb. 4. 12. It is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart 3 The law of God Immutably and Indispensibly bindeth all men without distinction no man beggeth exemption here because of their condition there is no Immunity and Freedom from Gods Law Men may grant Immunity from their laws 1 Sam. 17. 25. He will make his fathers house free in Israel Mens laws are compared to spiders Webs the lesser flies are intangled great ones break through God doth not exempt any Creature from Duty to him but speaketh Impartially to all 4 Mens laws do more propend to Punishment than they do to reward For Robbers and Manslayers Death is appointed but the innocent subject hath only this reward that he doth his Duty and escapeth these Punishments In very few cases doth the law Promise Rewards the inflicting of Punishments is its proper work because its use is to restrain Evil but Gods law propoundeth Punishments equal to the Rewards Eternal life on the one hand as well as Eternal death on the other Deut. 30. 15. See I have set before thee this day Life and good Death and evil because the use of Gods law is to guide men to their Happiness This should be much observed 't is legis candor the Equity and Condescension of Mans law to speak of a Reward it commands many things forbids many things but still under a penalty that 's the great design of mans Power in very few cases doth it invite men to their Duty by a Reward only in such cases when every good man would not do his Duty 'T is more exact and vigilant in its proper and natural work of punishing the disobedient that wickedness should not go unpunished the common Peace requireth that but that good should be rewarded there is no humane necessity Humane laws were not invented to reward Good but prevent Evil. Use. Let us humble our selves that we bear so little respect to Gods Word that we so boldly break it and are so little affected with our breaches of it do we indeed consider that this is Gods law The greatest
part of Mankind fear the Prince more than God and the Gallows more than Hell If every vain thought or carnal motion in our hearts were as the cutting of a finger or burning in the hand men would seem more afraid of that then they are of Hell Nay I will tell you men can dispense with Gods law to comply with Mans. Hos. 5. 11. Ephraim is oppressed and broken in Iudgement because he willingly walked after the Commandment A little Danger will draw men into the snare when Hell will not keep them from it Oh let us Rouze up our selves Is not Man Gods Subject Is not he a more powerful Sovereign than all the Potentates in the World Doth he not in his Word give Judgment on the Everlasting estate of men and will his Judgment be in vain Hath not God appointed a day when all matters shall be taken into consideration If you can deny these Truths go on in sin and spare not but if Conscience be sensible of Gods Authority oh break off your sins by Repentance and walk more cautiously for the time to come Every sin is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Ioh. 3. 4. a breach of Gods Eternal law and will God always wink at your disloyalty to him Nothing remaineth to be spoken to but the last Clause Thy Law is truth Doctrine Gods Law is Truth 1. I shall shew in what sense 't is said to be Truth 2. The Reasons why 't is Truth 3. The end of this Truth First In what sense 't is said to be Truth 1. 'T is the Chief Truth there is some truth in the laws of Men and the writings of Men even of Heathens but they are but sorry Fragments and Scraps of Truth that have escaped since the Fall But the Truth of the Word is transcendent to that of bare Reason here are truths of the greatest Concernment matters propounded that are very comfortable and profitable to lost sinners 1 Tim. 2. 16. Here Moral Duties are advanced to the highest Pitch Deut. 4. 6. Keep therefore and do them for this is your Wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the Nations The end of these is not only to regulate your Commerce with men but to guide you in your Communion with God and help you to the Everlasting Enjoyment of him 2. 'T is the only Truth that is the only Revelation of the Mind of God that you can build upon 't is the Rule of Truth A thing may be true that is not the Rule of truth There is veritas regulata veritas regulans the Word is the measure and standard and they are true or false as they agree or disagree with it Every Custom and Tradition must be tryed upon it from the beginning it was not so from the beginning my Christianity is Jesus Christ. We must not attend to what others did but what Christ did who is before all every dictate of reason must be tryed by it for here is the highest reason It is written to make the Man of God perfect or else it cannot guide you to your happiness 2 Tim. 3. 15 16. Every Revelation must be tryed by it Gal. 1. 8. If an Angel or Man bring any Doctrine if it differ from or be besides the written Word 't is a cursed Doctrine This is the Rule 3. 'T is the pure Truth in it there is nothing but the Truth without the mixture of Falshood every part is true as truth it self 't is true in the Promises true in the Threatnings true in the Doctrines true in the Histories true in the Precepts true in the Prohibitions God will make it good to a tittle True in Moralities true in the Mysteries of Faith not only true in Duties that concern man and man but in the sublimer truths that concern commerce with God where Nature is more blind Psal. 19. 9. The Testimonies of the Lord are true and righteous altogether 'T is true where a Carnal Man would not have it true in the Curses and Threatnings If Gods Word be true wo to them that remain in a sinful way they shall find it true shortly and feel what they will not believe 'T is true where a godly man feareth it will not be true no Promises contradicted by sense but will prove true in their performance Whatsoever in the hour of Temptation Carnal Reason may judge to the contrary within a while you will see your unbelieving fears confuted 4. 'T is the whole Truth it containeth all things necessary for the Salvation of those that yield up themselves to be instructed by it Ioh. 14. 26. He shall teach you all things and remember you of all things Ioh. 16. 13. Lead you into all Truth In all things that pertain to Religion and our present Conduct towards everlasting Happiness Therefore nothing is to be hearkned to contrary to what God hath revealed in his Word there is no room left for Tradition nor for extraordinary Revelations all that is necessary for the Church is revealed there 't is a full perfect Rule Reasons 1. From the Author God is a God of Truth and nothing but Truth can come from him for God cannot lie Tit. 1. 2. The truth of the law dependeth upon the truth of God therefore it must needs be without Error yea it corrects all Errour if God could deceive or be deceived you might suspect his Word 2. The matter it self it commends its self to our Consciences by the manifestation of the truth 2 Cor. 4. 2. Approving your selves by the Word of truth 2 Cor. 6. 7. If the Heart be not strangely perverted and become an incompetent Judge by obstinate Atheisme and corrupt Affections it cannot but own these truths to be of God if our Gospel be hid 't is hid to them that are lost 1 Cor. 4. 4. 3. The end of it which is to regulate man and sanctifie man Now it were strange if he should be made better by a lie and a cheat Ioh. 17. 17. Sanctifie them by thy truth thy word is truth Certainly 't is the most convenient Instrument to reduce man to his Wits and make him live like a Man 4. It pretends to be the law of God it is so or else it would be the greatest cheat in the World for it speaketh to us from God all along and by vertue of his Authority None can be so bruitish as to think that the wisest Course of Doctrines that ever the World was acquainted with is a meer Imposture Use 1. Is to commend the Word of God to us we cannot have true Doctrine nor true Piety nor true Consolation without the Scriptures Not true Doctrine Isa. 8. 20. To the law and to the testimony if they speak not according to this word there is no light in them 'T is to be condemned of Falshood if not according to the Word you cannot have true Holiness for Holiness is but Scripture digested and put in Practice Iam. 1. 18. The Foundation of the spiritual life is laid in
Wicked alive in some sense II. When is the Word deeply imprinted upon our Minds That is discovered by two things sound Belief and serious Consideration when 't is strongly Believed and often duly Considered 1. When 't is strongly Believed or else it worketh not for all things work according to the Faith we exercise about them 1 Thes. 2. 13. The Word of God which worketh effectually also in you that Believe Did we believe that our Eternal Condition did depend upon the observance or non-observance of this Rule we would regard it more Psal. 119. 66. Teach me good Iudgment and Knowledge for I have believed thy Commandments Lord I believe I must stand or fall by this Rule and therefore let me know all my Duty so Heb. 11. 13. Being perswaded of these things they imbraced them We have not a thorough perswasion about these things our perswasions about Eternal things are very weak when Gods expressions about it are very clear and strong Most men guess at a World to come but are not thoroughly perswaded They have a loose or general opinion that the Scripture is the Word of God the Rule by which they shall be tryed but do not soundly assent to it and receive it as the Word by which they shall be Judged at the last day Iohn 12. 48. Christ pronounceth as the Word pronunceth There is a Non-contradiction but not an active and lively Faith this and nothing but this bindeth the Will and Conscience to obedience 2. Often Considered David still insists upon this the Everlasting Righteousness of Gods Testimonies 'T is as if he had said I have said it already and I will repeat it again and again 'T is constant thoughts are Operative and musing maketh the fire burn Green wood is kindled not by a flash or spark but by constant blowing Deep Frequent and Ponderous thoughts leave some impression upon the Heart the greatest matters in the World will not work much upon him that will not think upon them All the Efficacy is lost for want of these ponderous thoughts Why are all the offers and invitations of Gods Grace of so little effect Math. 22. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they made light of it they would not take it into their care and thoughts Why do all the injunctions and precepts of God work no more Men will not consider in their hearts Deut. 4. 39 40. all the Comminations of God Psal. 10. 22. and therefore he calls upon them Now consider this ye that forget God lest I tear you in pieces and there be none to deliver It 's for want of this that all the promises of God of Heaven and Happiness work so little upon us 2 Tim. 2. 7. Consider what I say and the Lord give you understanding in all things The truth lieth by neglected unimproved till consideration take it up and lay it in the view of Conscience and then it worketh Till we take it into our thoughts we have no use of any truth therefore set your hearts seriously to consider of these things III. Why the Everlasting Righteousness of Gods Testimonies should be deeply imprinted in our Minds 1. It Establisheth our Judgments against vain Fancies and the humour of other Gospeling The Apostle saith Gal. 1. 8. Though we or an Angel from Heaven preach any other Gospel to you then that we have preached unto you let him be accursed 1 Tim. 6. 3. If any man teach otherwise c. There are some that expect speculum spiritus sancti a greater measure of light beyond what the Spirit now affordeth new Nuntioes from Heaven to assoil the doubts of the perplexed World No the present Rule leadeth a Believer all along in his way to Heaven other and better Institution shall not be cannot be Christ promised to bless this Doctrine to the Worlds end Matth. 28. 20. I will be with you to the end of the World to guide and succour them Christ prayed for no others but those that believe through their Word Ioh. 17. 20. this Word which the Apostles have consigned to the use of the Church An Angel is accursed if he should bring any other Doctrine Gal. 1. 8. There is no other way of Salvation given or to be given Act. 4. 12. if an Angel should hold out another way believe it not The Apostle propounds an Impossible case to shew the certainty of this way 't is good to be sure of our rule now this Consideration helpeth that 2. Because it bindeth and helpeth to Obedience partly as it sheweth the absolute necessity of Obedience because the terms of Salvation are indispensibly fixed and will Everlastingly stand in force therefore I must yield to God or perish The soul cometh off most kindly to the wayes of God when 't is shut up unavoidably without all hope of escape and evasion but by yielding to Gods Terms The Lord will have the World know that there is no hope of a dispensation Mark 16. 16. He that believeth shall be saved and he that believeth not shall be danined The Terms are peremtorily fixed there is no relaxation in the Gospel-Covenant Now this doth bind the heart exceedingly to consider verse 152. of this Psalm Concerning thy Testimonies I have known them of old thou hast founded them for ever And partly as it urgeth to speediness of Obedience You will not get better Terms for the Righteousness of Gods Terms is Everlasting as good yield at first as at last The Laws of Christianity are always the same and your heart is not likely to be better by delay Your standing out were more Justisiable in the account of Reason if you could get better Terms Partly as it ingageth to seriousness whilst it carrieth the mind off from the vanities of the World into the midst of the World to come I am not to mind what will content me for the present but what will profit me for ever Holiness will abide when other things fade My ways are to be scanned by an eternal Rule some distinctions will not outlive time as Rich and Poor High and Low but the distinction of Holy or Un-holy Sanctified or Un-sanctified these abide 1 Pet. 1. 24. All flesh is grass and the glory of Man as the flower of grass the grass withereth and the flower thereof falleth away but the word of the Lord indureth for ever Nothing stirreth us up more to provide for a better Life than to consider the uncertainty of the Worlds Glory and the Everlastingness of Gods Approbation according to the rule of his Word When all things are dissolved we are to be tryed by a Rule that will never fail Our Pomp and Honour and Credit and all things that we hunt after in the World are soon blasted but the Gospel tells us of things that are everlasting Everlasting Torments and Everlasting Bliss and therefore our thoughts should be more about them Isa. 55. 2. Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread and your labour for that which
should his Mercy and Truth fulfilled Secondly To Frequency and Constancy therein Frequency in this Duty doth not beget a Satiety and Loathing but rather a greater delight to continue in it But here arise two Questions Quest. I. What Time must be necessarily spent in Acts of Worship and Adoration Prayer Praise and immediate Converse with God Answ. 1. 'T is a Truth that our whole time must be given to God for a Christian is a dedicated thing a living Sacrifice Rom. 12. 1. Now the Beast offered in Sacrifice with all the Appurtinances was Gods a Christian by the consent of his own Vows is not master of any thing After a Vow of all we must not keep back part as did Ananias and Saphira A Christian hath given his whole Self Time and Strength to God 2. Though our whole Time be given to God yet for several Uses and Purposes Gods Service is not of one sort and he is served in our Callings as well as in our Worship Man in Paradise was to dress the Garden Gen. 2. 15. as well as to Contemplate God Common actions may become Sacred by their End and Use. Isaiah 23. 18. And her merchandise and her hire shall be holiness to the Lord. 3. These several Duties must not interfere and clash one with another for Gods Commands are not contrary but subordinate We must not so attend upon Religion as to neglect the service of our Generation as Instruments of Gods Providence nor suffer the Lean Kine to devour the Fat the World to incroach upon Religion 4. The particular Seasons for each Duty are not determined and set down in Scripture 1. Partly Because God trusteth Love and will see whether we have a mind to Cavil and Wrangle and Dispute away Duties rather than Practise them 2. And Partly Because he would leave something to the Conduct of his Spirit and the Choice of Spiritual Wisdom Psal. 112. 5. A good man will guide his affairs with discretion 3. And Partly Because mens Occasions and conditions are different and he would not have his Law to be a snare 4. And Partly Because there are so many occasions to praise God that if we do not want an Heart we will be much and frequent in this Duty 5. Though there be not express Rules there is enough to prevent Carelesness and Loosness God calleth to us in very large and Comprehensive terms always continually and in every thing The Example of the Saints who Night and Day were praising God Paul and Silas at midnight sang praises to God Acts 16. 29. So Psal. 119. 62. At midnight will I rise to give thanks to thee because of thy righteous Iudgments And in the Text seven times a day Besides there are daily solemn services Personal and Domestick to be performed Matth. 6. 11. Watching dayly at my gates Prov. 8. 34. Morning and Evening they were to offer a Lamb Numb 28. 4. 6. There are general hints and limits enough to become love Psalm 71. 14. But I will hope continually and will praise thee yet more and more Enough to keep the Heart in good plight and maintain Faith and Hope in God and keep up a spiritual entercourse of Communion with God by dayly offering up prayers and praises to him Quest. II. Whether it be Convenient to state and fix a time David had his set times so had Daniel and surely all Occasions Opportunities and Abilities considered it may be an help to us and make the spiritual Life more orderly to have set stated fixed times for the performance of this Duty Thirdly To suit Gods Word and Works together Laws and Judgments Rom. 1. 18. God hath revealed his wrath against all ungodliness and unrighteousness Heb. 2. 2. Every transgression and every disobedience received a just recompense of reward Deliverances and Promises fetch all out of the Covenant Psal. 128. 5. The Lord shall bless thee out of Zion that relateth to the Covenant made to the Church This cheeketh Atheisme sweetneth our Duties allayeth our Fears and resolveth our doubts and helpeth us in the delightful exercise of praising God SERMON CLXXIX PSALM CXIX VER 165. Great Peace have they that love thy Law and nothing shall offend them ALL that live in this World find this life a Warfar Iob 7. 1. Much more must the godly expect difficulties and conflicts Psal. 34. 19. Many are the troubles of the Righteous to the eye of Flesh no Condition seemeth worse and more obnoxious to misery then the Condition of those that serve God yet in reality none are in a better Estate what ever happeneth they are at Peace built on the corner-stone which God hath layed in Zion and therefore in all the Commotions and Troubles of the World they are safe This is that which David here observeth In the former verse he had told us that it was his custom to praise God seven times a day for his righteous judgments and now he sheweth the reason namely from the ordinary course and tenour of these Judgments or dispensation of his Providence which was to give peace to them that keep his Law Great peace c. In these Words you have I. A priviledge great peace have they II. The Qualification that love thy Law III. The Effect nothing shall offend them Let me open these Branches the Priviledge is peace and that is threefold First External Secondly Internal Thirdly And Eternal First External in the House the City or Countrey and Societies where we Live in this sence 't is taken Psalm 122. 6 7. Pray for the peace of Jerusalem they shall prosper that love thee peace be within thy walls Now this is not all that is meant here for this is a common benefit though often vouchsafed for the sake of them that love God as Musick cannot be heard alone though intended but to one person yet others share with him in the benefit of it Or if you understand it of his own personal peace or being at amity with men they do not always enjoy that Gods best Children are often forced to be men of Contention that is passively they are contended with and troubled in the world Ier. 15. 10. And therefore the Apostle saith Rom. 12. 18. If it be possible as much as lyeth in you live peaceably with all men 'T is not always to be had but we should indeavour to live in peace with all men Secondly There is Internal peace arising either from Justification Rom. 5. 1 or Sanctification Isa. 32. 17. The Fruit of Righteousness is peace or from Contentment with our condition Phil. 4. 7. By Justification we have peace when God is reconciled and made a Friend By Sanctification we have peace when we walk evenly with God And by Contentment we have peace when our Affections are calmed and rightly ordered or set upon more worthy and noble objects So that we are not troubled at the loss of outward things these are the ingredients necessary to internal peace which is I suppose principally
Commandments Gods love to us 't is indeed a love of bounty but our love is a love of duty and service I have not yet done with this Reason it necessarily follows from the Love of God though you abstract him from the notion of a Sovereign and Law-giver and should love him only because of the excellency of his Nature Now thus I argue the same reasons that carry us to Love God do carry us also to love his Law for he that loveth God will love any thing of God where ever he finds it he will love his Word he will love his Saints but chiefly his Word for that is most to be loved because that hath most of God in it the Law is a copy of his Holiness the tract of God is in the Creatures there is his vestigium His Image is in his Saints they resemble his divine Qualities but his most lively print and character is upon his Word The Image of God in his Saints is obscured by their infirmities but the Law of God is perfect there is no blemish there this is the fairest copy and draught of his Holiness Nay once more in this Argument abstract the consideration of his authority and the perfection of his Being yet our obligations to God as our Benefactor will inforce this love to his Word and make it sweet to us because 't is the Letter of our Friend and Benefactor and the signification of his Will to whom we owe Life and Breath and all things And therefore though the Law did not deserve to be loved for its own sake yet it should be sweet for his sake from whom it cometh he hath evidenced much love to us as we are Creatures but much more love in Christ as we are sinners and it should be acceptable to us upon his account Love and Gratitude will constrain us to do his Will and regard his Commands 3 Cor. 5. 14. If we have any sence of our great obligations to him it must needs be so II. Gods Children find such an excellency in his Law that they must needs Love it As 't is 1. A plain clear Word that doth fully discover the Will of God and not leave duty to our own uncertain guesses it puts duty into a plain stated course how we may come to be blessed for ever more Psal. 119. 105. Thy Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path Light is pleasant but darkness is uncomfortable When Aristotle was asked why all men do love the Light his answer was That was the question of a blind man sence discovereth sufficiently why we should Love the Light Certainly If you ask why men do not love the Word of God 't is because the God of this World hath blinded their Eyes 2 Cor. 4. 4. 2. 'T is a good Word because 't is suited to our necessities so we read Heb. 6. 5. If so be ye have tasted the good Word Is food good when a man is hungry Is drink good when a man is thirsty Then the Word of God is good for it suiteth with the necessities of our Souls as these things do with our Bodies 1 Tim. 1. 15. This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation that Iesus Christ came into the world to save sinners The Gospel is a Doctrine fitted for hungry Consciences if our inward senses were not benummed and we were not so Christ-glutted and Gospel-glutted as we are Oh how precious would these tenders of Grace be to our Souls 3. 'T is a pure Word so David gives the reason in the 140 verse of this Psalm Thy word is very pure therefore thy servant loveth it Hypocrites will now and then relish the comforts of the Gospel be affected with the Word because it speaketh such good things to poor sinners but Gods Children love the Word for its Purity and Holiness It meeteth with every sin and directeth them to every Duty necessary for the enjoyment of the Blessed God 't is not Comfort only must draw our love but Holiness This argueth the life and power of Grace when we would not have the Law of God less strict and holy then it is but love it for this very reason because 't is pure strict and holy You would not think a beggar loves you because he liketh your Almes but he is loth to stay with you for your service and live under the orderly Government of your Family Most mens love to the Word is such they delight in the Comforts of it as an Almes but they hate the Duty of it as a task they had rather let the Duties of it alone if it could be without danger and forbear them if they durst Oh but when your hearts consent to the purity of the Law and you would chuse that Life which it points out unto you rather than any life in the World or the most absolute freedom that the heart of Man can imagine so that you love your Master the more because he hath appointed you such work this is true Affection to God and his Word You had rather live in Holiness than Sin if you had your freest choice 't is a sign then you love Holiness for Holiness sake and admire that in the Word which is most worthy its strictness 4. 'T is a Sublime Word Verse 129. Thy testimonies are wonderful therefore doth my soul keep them Here are excellent Truths glorious Mysteries fit to exercise the sharpest Wits in the World a Study fitter for Angels than Men 1 Pet. 1. 12. I do not speak this to stir up Curiosity which is a Moral Itch a lust of the Mind and nothing more opposite to true Love than Lust but to raise men to a due Esteem of the Scriptures which they are wont to contemn for their simplicity and plainnes 't is full of high Mysteries though it may be read with profit by simple People or any who desire knowledge Sensual men that are drowned in Worldly Delights only look to the Comfort of the Animal Life and value all things as that is gratified but those that look to the Spiritual Life and the ennobling of their Souls they will find the only Sublime Wisdom in the Word of God Deut. 4. 6. Keep these statutes and do them for this is your wisdom and understanding in the sight of the Nations which shall hear all these Statutes and say Surely this great Nation is a wise and understanding people What pitiful Notions had the Philosophers and the wisest of the Heathen concerning God and Angels and Providence and the Creation of the World and the Souls of men and the happiness of the other World and the way to attain it When the Heathen came to be first acquainted with the Iews they wondered at their Wisdom and Skill these things would beget admiration in us if we did meditate on them and contented not our selves with a slight and customary Rehearsal of them here are deep Misteries to exercise the greatest Wits and therefore consider
peace that guardeth Heart and Mind Phil. 4. 7. 2. For the degree 't is many times in a great Measure injoyed it may be more or less as our Interest in Gods favour is more or lessened in us and 't is not perfect in this Life There may be Clouds and Interruptions but as our holiness increaseth so doth our peacâ—… a little holiness a little peace but they that love thy law have great Peace Obj. How have Gods Children great Peace None seem more troubled and harrassed with outward Afflictions nor walk more Mournfully then they do Ans. 'T is true this Peace doth not exclude Trouble from carnal men in the World they may have little outward Peace yet they shall have as much of that as God seeth good for them Iob 5. 23 24. but inward peace which is peculiar to them They have God for their Friend are quieted with a true sense and apprehension of his love and favour to them 'T is true as to this inward peace Gods Children may sometimes be without it they that love the Law have a greater sense of sin than others Wicked men swallow sins without remorse but they are very apprehensive of displeasing God But we must distinguish between the time of settling this peace and when 't is settled for a Time they may walk sadly their peace is not grown up light is sown for the Righteous many times they sow in Tears but reap in Joy sometimes their love to the Law is intermitted so their peace may be interrupted But their worst condition is better then a carnal mans best as the darkest cloudy day is brighter then the brightest night there is some comfort and staying upon God in the worst Condition Use. I. Let us from hence see the sad condition of carnal Men this Clause love thy law is exclusive and confineth it to one sort of men The unjustified the unsanctified want this Peace God saith of them they should not enter into my Rest Psal. 95. 11. The Rest is begun in this Life in Reconciliation with God and Peace of Conscience and perfected in an Everlasting Refreshment in that to come Their sins are not pardoned and therefore continually Fear they have often refused Gods peace and therefore cannot injoy comfort with any security nor bear Troubles with any patience and quiet of Mind nor come into Gods presence with any cheerfulness nor wait for eternal Rest with any certain hope There is no peace saith my God to the wicked Isa. 48. 22. Psal. 57. 20 21. 'T is not allowed to wicked men nor vouchsafed to them 't is true they may have a peace but 't is either in sin or from sin they do not mind the condition of their Souls a blind presumption that meerly cometh from Gods forbearance or Worldly Happiness in Prosperity Carnal Men seem to be in as great quietness as the Children of God as the deep Sea in a Calm which seemeth to be as quiet as other waters until a storm and tempest doth arise then troubled and cannot rest Use. II. To perswade us to love the Law of God by this Argument because we shall have great peace for the Promise is made to this love But you will say How must we shew love to the Law of God that we may obtain this Effect I Answer Practice the Duties it calleth for in order to peace 1. Accept the Articles of peace that are proclaimed between God and Mankind in and through Christ. Eph. 2. 17. There is peace preached not only to them that are afar off but to them that are nigh there is not only a price paid but an offer made Imbrace it lay hold upon it by Faith God is in good earnest with you 2 Cor. 5. 20. Oh love this good Word 't is the gladest tydings that ever sounded in the ears of lost sinners Now is your time agree with your Adversary while he is in the way before you be cast into Prison Luk. 12. 58. If you lose this opportunity and do not imbrace the offered friendship God will be exceeding Angry Heb. 2. 3. How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation 2 Chron. 30. 8. Therefore give the hand to the Lord. 2. Perform the duty of Thankfulness which God requires Matth. 11. 29. Peace is the Fruit of Sanctification as well as Justification 't is not to be found elsewhere Isa. 32. 17. 3. Be much in Communion with God and trading with Heaven Acquaint thy self with God Iob 22. 21. 4. Be tender of your peace when 't is once settled of doing any thing that may cause War between God and the Soul Psal. 58. 8. Take heed of venturing your peace for the Vanities of the World those sinful and foolish Courses which will lay you open to Gods Wrath and Displeasure Psal. 37. 11. The meek shall inherit the earth and shall delight themselves in the abundance of Peace SERMON CLXXX PSALM CXIX VER 165. Great Peace have they that love thy Law and nothing shall offend them I Now come to the effect nothing shall offend them the Sept. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There is no scandal in them the Apostle Iohn applyeth the same phrase or form of speech to him that loveth his Brother 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There is no occasion of stumbling in him the meaning is they shall not be in danger of those snares and temptations which the world is full of and which frequently bring other men to sin and ruine or nothing shall wound or hurt them or cause them to fall in their journey to Heaven Doctrine That the Love of Gods Law is a great means to carry a Believer streight on his way to Heaven what ever Temptations he hath to the Contrary Here I shall enquire First What scandals and offences are Secondly How a Believer is preserved First What scandals and offences are I answer Scandals literally signifieth Temptations or Inducements to sin any stumbling-block or hinderance laid in a mans way by which the passenger is detained or diverted Or at which if he be not careful he is apt to stumble or fall spiritually it signifyeth any thing that may discourage or divert us from our duty to God or may occasion us to fall to the great loss or ruine of our Souls Now concerning these scandals or offences I shall give you these distinctions with respect to the subject there are three sorts of scandals 1. Taken but not given 2. Given but not taken 3. Both given and taken 1. There is offence taken where none is given thus Christ himself in his Person Sufferings Doctrine may be an offence to the carnal and unbelieving World In his Person as he is said to be in the 1 Pet. 2. 8. A stone of stumbling and a rock of offence to them that stumbled at the Word being disobedient whereunto they were also appointed He that is to the Believer a Corner-stone Elect and Precious is to the obstinate prejudiced unbeliever with allusion to those that Travel
by Land a stone of stumbling to those that travel by Sea a Rock of offence his slender appearance was an offence to them As to his sufferings 't is said 1 Cor. 1. 23. That Christ Crucified is to the Iews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness They had not a Messiah to their mind though such an one as the Scriptures had before described His Doctrine Matth. 15. 12. His Disciples said to him knowest thou not that the Pharisies were offended when they heard his saying Again Iohn 6. 61. When they murmured at his saying except ye eat my Flesh doth this offend you Flesh and Blood are apt to stumble in Gods plainest ways at the Doctrine of God which is strict and spiritual the Worship of God that is simple and without pomp the Dispensations of God in chastising and afflicting his People they are all an offence to carnal and worldly men And so through their sin prove an impediment to the success of the Gospel but this offence is causless and without any just ground and without special Grace when it prevaileth with men will prove their eternal ruine and destruction God never intended to satisfie mens lusts and humours truth must be taught who ever be displeased therefore all our care must be to avoid this kind of offence Matth. 12. 6. Blessed is he that is not offended in me that doth not stumble at Christ because of the Cross nor the holiness of his Doctrine nor the simplicity of his worship nor the despicableness of his followers nor the troubles that attend his service 2. Offence may be given where none is taken as when men Counsel others to Evil or reproach the Holy ways of God as when Peter disswaded Christ from suffering Matth. 16. 23. Get thee behind me Satan for thou art 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an offence to me 't was scandalum in se though not ratione eventus not that Christ was offended by it when the heart is guarded against evil Counsel or the infection of evil example So for reproaches they are a means of betraying the soul into sin and prejudicing it against Godliness but the Godly are well Fortified they can see loveliness in such ways as are hated and discountenanced in the World As David Psal. 119. 127. They have made void thy Law therefore I love thy Commandments above Gold above fine Gold And Moses Heb. 11. 26. Esteemed the reproach of Christ greater riches then the Treasures of Aegypt They are no more moved at the Worlds scorn then a man that is streight and upright would be at the mocks of Cripples because he doth not limp and walk after their fashion they can see honour in disgrace and beauty in Gods despised wayes 3. Offences also may be both given and taken as when one provoketh and another is provoked to evil inticed by false doctrine corrupt Counsel or evil example False doctrine Matth. 15. 14. The blind lead the blind and both fall into the Ditch Not one but both the blind follower as well as the blind guide or by corrupt Counsel as Ahab was seduced by the False Prophets 1 Kings 22. and Amnon by his Friend Ionadab was drawn to incest 2 Sam. 13. 6. he as readily obeyeth the others wicked Counsel as he was to give it So for evil example it secretly tainteth us the Prophet complaineth Isaiah 6. 5. I am a man of polluted lips and I dwell among people of polluted lips 'T is hard to avoid the contagion of their iniquities with whom we do dayly and familiarly converse as to live in an infected Air without taint or to walk in the Sun and not be insensibly tanned We leaven one another by our coldness and deadness in Religion 't is hard to be fresh in salt Waters to live among offences and not be offended Secondly With respect to the object or matter of it a scandal may be given dicto aut facto 1. In Word 2. In Deed. 1 In Word by evil Counsel or carnal suggestion Psal. 1. 1. Blessed is the man that walketh not in the Counsel of the ungodly As carnal Friends and Parents that relish not the Word of Life themselves out of prejudice against godliness and holy zeal disswade their Children and Servants from attending on the exercises of Religion as Praying Hearing Meditation lest they grow mopish and Melancholy and lest a zealous minding Gods interest should hinder their preferment had rather see them lewd then holy but Luke 14. 26. If any man come to me and hate not Father and Mother c. Or by Atheistical or obscoene and carnal discourse 1 Cor. 15. 53. Evil Communications corrupt good manners Eph. 5. 4. Neither filthiness nor foolish talking nor jesting which are not convenient 2. In Deed and so three ways 1. When they do things that are simply unlawful and so propagate their sin to others by their example Prov. 22. 24 Make no Friendship with an angry man and with a furious man shalt thou not go lest thou learn his ways and get a snare to thy soul. The violences and furious passions of Anger are so uncomly that a man would think they should rather affright then allure to imitation but these things unsensibly overcome us and e're a man is aware a man is tainted 2. By the abuse of Christian Liberty to the wrong and hinderance of others in a way of godliness As Rom. 14. 13 14 15. Let no Man put a stumbling block or an occasion to fall in his brothers way I know and am perswaded by the Lord Iesus that there is nothing unclean of it self but to him that esteemeth any thing to be unclean to him it is unclean but if thy brother be greived with thy meat now walkest thou not charitably destroy not him with thy meat for whom Christ dyed 1 Cor. 8. 9 10. But take keed lest by any means this Liberty of yours become a stumbling block to them that are weak We must not commit a sin or omit a duty to avoid offence yet in indifferent things we may expect from others what is lawful to do and forbear it as conduceth to edification For we must have a care of offending little ones and therefore must drive according to their pace using our Liberty as they are able bear 3. By Persecution enforce others against their duty Matth. 18. 6. But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe on me it were better a Milstone were hanged about his neck and that he were drowned in the Sea Better he did suffer all extremity Offending is persecuting as receiving is countenancing cherishing treating them kindly and tenderly So Mattth 13. 21. When persecution ariseth by reason of the Word by and by they are offended Matth. 24. 9. 10. This opposing hating vexing the people of God is one way of offence and very dangerous to those that practise it how ever it succeedeth For though they be little ones little in their own eyes little in the esteem of
Persecution do expugne or assault Gods love to us but not our love to God For this maketh us cleave to him whatever Temptations we have to the Contrary Do but consider what you are to love 1. We are to love God there it beginneth love God once and then you will take nothing ill at his hands how smart soever his chastenings be they come from a God that loveth you and whom your Souls love Rev. 3. 19. As many as I love I rebuke and chasten Now they will not stumble at Gods dispensations be they never so cross to their expectations and desires But then 2. We must love the Law of God be satisfied with our Duty whatever cometh of it Next to a sincere love to God there must be a sincere love to his holy Law as the right way to eternal blessedness and then Temptations will have but little force upon us for they do not love their Duty for forreign Reasons but for its own sake So that whether it be befriended and countenanced in the World or hated and despised 't is all one they love the Law upon its own Evidence as it is recommended by God and is a sure direction to true happiness Iob. 17. 9. The righteous shall hold on his way and he that hath clean hands shall be stronger and stronger He meaneth notwithstanding all the Troubles and assaults which he endureth they are not scandalized at Gods dealings or permitting them to be thus dealt with but doth persevere in a course of Godliness this is the way wherein he delighteth 3. He loves the Brethren 1 Ioh. 2. 10. He that loveth his brother abideth in the light and there is none occasion of stumbling in him They together with us uphold Christs Interest in the World the Coals by lying together inkindle one another and so are the better kept from having their Zeal quenched or being insnared by the manifold Temptations in the World 4. By this love the love of the World and its prosperity is much abated 1 Ioh. 2. 15. Love not the world nor the things which are in the world for if any man love the world the love of the Father is not in him This man cannot part with all when his Duty calleth for it Till we despise Worldly things we are still liable to take offence All our disquiet cometh from too great love of the World and too little love of the Word of God all this is spoken to shew you that 't is want of love wherefore men are so easily taken off and this love beginneth with the love of God then goeth on to his Word and the Obedience it calleth for and is strengthened by our love to the Saints and is an higher love than that it can be controuled by the love of the World Secondly This blessed peace hath an influence upon it upon a twofold account 1. This is an experience of the good of that way which the World speaketh evil of you cannot perswade a man against his Experience that honey is bitter when he has tasted the sweetness of it 1 Pet. 2. 3. They know the Grace of God in Truth they have found much comfort and peace in these ways Most men know Religion and Godliness but by hear-say or looking on the Testimony of Christ was never confirmed in them but these have tryed it and know the good of Religion by Experience therefore they cannot be so easily offended as others are who have only licked the Glass but never tasted the honey The pleasure they find in the Duties and Exercises of Godliness will with them infinitely out-weigh all the transient Delights and Advantages that are propounded or offer themselves as the bait to any unlawful practice 2. The particular nature of this Experience it is Peace which doth guard heart and mind Phil. 4. 7. that they are not disturbed or distracted by any thing that befalleth them but enjoy a Calm in their Souls whatever storms overtake them or befal them in the way of their Duty Eph. 6. 15. Having our feet shod with the preparation of the Gospel of peace This is the Gospel shoe there is no going to heaven without it and this is peace that is peace with God when all is quiet within and the quarrel is taken up between God and us we can the better bear the frowns of the World and he calleth it the Gospel of Peace because it mainly dependeth on the Terms of Grace revealed to us in the Gospel the law discovereth the enmity and the breach but the Gospel discovereth how peace may be had He calleth it also the preparation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because this peace breedeth a firm and ready resolution to go through all difficulties crosses and hardships Acts 21. 13. I am ready not only to be bound but to die at Ierusalem Well then this is the fruit of Peace and Friendship between God and sinners it breedeth a resolution to hold on our way to heaven notwithstanding crosses and continual hardships and allayeth the bitterness of all Worldly Trouble Thirdly There is Gods Providence and Care over them who is concerned in the Protection of all that love his law and take care to love and please him On the one side God sometimes threatneth the wicked that he will lay stumbling-blocks before them Ier. 6. 21. that is bring those things upon them that shall be a means of ruine to them On the other side Ier. 31. 9. that he will lead the penitent believer in a strait way that they shall not stumble we must not omit Gods Concurrence for it is his Promise that nothing shall offend them His People are very near and dear to him Our Lord telleth us in his discourse against offending them that their Angels do always behold the face of his father which is in heaven Matth. 18. 10. that is though the Angels be appointed to be their Guardians on Earth yet they have their continual returns and recourse to Gods glorious presence to make Requests or Complaints in their behalf or to receive Commands concerning them for as God seeth fit they are imployed in service for the benefit of those little ones I remember Solomon saith Prov. 12. 21. There shall no evil happen to the just but the wicked shall be filled with mischief We can easily understand that the wicked shall be overwhelmed with Gods judgments but how shall no Evil happen to the Righteous since their Troubles are many The meaning of the place is as Augustine well glosseth non ut non eveniant sed ut non noceant they do not stumble at Afflictions nor are they deserted by God as others are God moderateth the Evil 1 Cor. 10. 13. or removeth it Psal. 125. 3. or turneth it to good Rom. 8. 28. Now by this gracious dealing of God it cometh to pass that nothing doth offend them those that depend on the favour of Men and the uncertainties of a worldly condition how many Troubles are they exposed unto Therefore
we should look to our Confidence whether it be Faith or Security whether we rest upon a carnal Pillow or the Corner-stone which God hath laid in Sion Use. It concerneth us all to look to this whether we love the law so as to have gotten Peace of Conscience and Assurance of Gods Protection because of the â—…titude of Scandals and the Trials and Exercises we are put upon by Gods Correcting hand The Prosperity of the Wicked the Disgrace that is cast on the stricter ways of God the World being so full of Snares and Temptations that bring men to Sin and Ruin Omnia timeo saith Bernard quae placeant quae tristantur I am afraid of every thing of those things that please us and those that make us sad What shall a poor Christian do that he may not Miscarry 1. Be sure that your Resolutions for God and the World to come be thoroughly fixed and settled for you will be distracted with every thing if you be not at a point and have not chosen the better part and fully fixed your purpose The Apostle telleth us Iam. 1. 8. The double minded man is unstable in all his ways A wavering and inconstant Christian will not know which way to turn himself being disquieted upon all occasions 2. They never rightly begin with God that do not sit down and count what it may cost them to be holy Christians Luk. 14. 26. If any man come to me and hate not his father and mother and wife and children and brethren and sisters yea and his own life also he cannot be my Disciple If you have not a preparation of mind to suffer any thing rather than part with Christ you are not fit for his turn Like a man that sets on Building and hath not a Stock to hold out or designeth a War and is not provided with all necessaries to go thorough with it You must expect Temptations and Troubles because they serve to try whether you will hold your integrity and if God be not sufficient enough to be your portion never serve him Never pretend to Religion if you do not resolve to renounce all that is precious to you in the World rather than forsake it 3. Consider the necessity of standing to Gods Law whatever persecutions and sufferings you meet with There is no other way to be saved Ioh. 6. 68. Lord whither shall we go thou hast the words of eternal life Such as have a mind to quit Christ have need to consider where they shall find a better master Change where they will they change for the worse Obedience to the Word of God is the only way to Eternal Life and whatever Law you make to your selves God will judge you by his own Law 4. Be established in the peace of God and never break this peace to obtain your outward peace What a wound will it be to thy Soul and how shiftless and helpless wilt thou be when to make thy peace with the World thou hast broken thy peace with God! Therefore rise up against Temptations as the Trees refused in Iothams Parable to be Ruler over the rest Shall I lose my fatness another my sweetness to rule over the Trees Shall I to please men put my Conscience to a continual Torment and Anguish sell the Birth-right for one Morsel of Meat The remembrance will come into your minds when you had joyful Communion with God and his People whose Company you have abandoned every day of solemn Assembly will be a new Torment to you 5. When troubles surprize you consider how unbeseeming it is to take offence at Gods Providence 'T is an ill sign to be so apt to pick quarrels with God and Godliness it argueth little love either to God or his Law for love thinketh no ill of those whom we love they are Murmurers that said the ways of the Lord are not equal or what profit is there if we serve the Lord Mal. 3. 14 6. Consider The greatest hurt Satan intendeth you is not to hurt your Bodies but your Souls To bring you to be offended at the holy and righteous ways of the Lord he would let you enjoy the pleasures of sin to rob you of your delight in God and Celestial pleasures let you have all the World if it were in his power Matth. 4. 9. 7. Consider How short is the Prosperity of the wicked and those that turn aside to the wayes of sin Psal. 17. 14. They shall be cut off they are soon withered and dried up and all their outward Glory perishes with them 'T is a more prudent Course to adhere closely to God Iob 5. 3. I have seen the foolish taking root but suddenly I cursed his habitation 'T is a prediction he foretold that there was a Curse at the root of all his Prosperity SERMON CLXXXI PSALM CXIX VER 166. Lord I have hoped for thy Salvation and done thy Commandments THE Man of God had said Verse 165. Great Peace have they that love thy Law and nothing shall offend them now he particularly applyeth to himself what he had generally spoken before 'T is sweet when we can thus comfortably apply Promises and make out our own Title and Interest this is Davids work in this and the following Verses Here he maketh profession of two things his Hope and Obedience which indeed are the two great things that belong to a Christian Graces much praised and little practised Quarum multa sunt Elogia pauca Exempla They are fitly coupled together in his Plea I have hoped I have done For our Confidence in Gods Mercy is no greater than our Fidelity in his Precepts and they are both professed before God who searcheth the heart and tryeth the Reins Lord I have hoped for thy Salvation and done thy Commandments Doctrine Sound hope of Salvation is and must be joyned with a care of keeping Gods Commandments First I shall speak of the several branches of this Profession apart Secondly Then of their Conjunction First Separately and there I. Of the Profession of his Hope Lord I have hoped for thy salvation 1. The Object and thing hoped for is Salvation Salvation is Temporal or Eternal of the Body or of the Soul Rabbi David Kimchi understandeth it of the latter but it seemeth rather to imply help and deliverance out of dangers and distresses Indeed neither can be well excluded not Eternal Salvation for without that Temporal Deliverance is but a reprieve for a time not a total exemption from Evil not Temporal Salvation because before we come to look for our full and final deliverance God will try us by the way and train us up in the expectation of other things As men learn to swim in the Rivers and shallow Waters that afterwards they may swim in the Ocean and deep Waters So by expecting lesser things we learn to wait for greater both must be hoped for but with a difference Eternal Salvation absolutely but Temporal with submission to Gods Will. We have