I. OBSERVATION.

That the Remembrance of his Sin is the greatest Grie­vance to a Penitent Sinner.

This is evident from their penitential Complaints. In the many mournfull Elegies of David, the great Pressure of his spirit lay in the Remembrance of his Sin. Psal. 38.3, 4, 5. There is no rest in my bones, be­cause of my Sin. For mine Iniquities are gone over my head; as an heavy burthen, they are too heavy for me. My Wounds stink and are corrupt, because of my Foolish­ness. And again, Psal. 40.12. Innumerable Evils have compassed me about, mine Iniquities have taken hold upon me, so that I am not able to look up; they are more then the hairs of my head, therefore my heart faileth me.

It is true, Afflictions are hard to be born: Poverty, and Disgrace, and Imprisonment, and Pains of body, are very heavy upon many persons; Discontents, and Fears of trouble, Griefs and Sorrows for loss of Friends, Wife, Children, do often quench mens spirits, and sink them into the Grave. Nor is it to be denied, but that many times they cause men to prefer death before life, and to chuse strangling before breathing, Job 7.15. But upon the sense of Sin, when the Conscience feels the weight of it, when God shoots his Arrows into a man, and haeret lateri lethalis Arundo, the deadly Arrow [Page 63]sticks in his side; then the Venome thereof drinks up his spirit, is as the stinging of a Scorpion or fiery flying Serpent, it tortures like Hell, and is more bitter and terrible then Death it self. The spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity; (saith Solomon, Prov. 18.14.) but a wounded spirit who can bear? In other Afflictions there is some Remedy, from Reason or Faith, if not to comfort, yet to quiet the Soul: but in the sense of Sin committed (till Pardon thereof be appre­hended) no Argument can be fastned, but will be re­jected. Men in these Wounds of Conscience doe like persons in extreme Anguish, who tear off their Plaisters that should ease or cure them: so do wounded Consci­ences reject all Allegations of Scripture, brought to allay their Anguish, as if they belong'd not to them; as Spira and others have done. And that which is the Sting of Sin, that most of all makes it deadly poisonous, is the apprehension of God as angry, as an Enemy un­appeasable, (till it be acknowledged to be what it is, an evil and bitter thing that we have sinned against the Lord, and that his fear is not in us; as the Prophet speaks, Jer. 2.19.) Which leads me to the

II. OBSERVATION.

That a Penitent Sinner doth not mince or lessen his Sin, but sets it out or confesseth it to God in its greatest Aggravations, in variety of odious Appellations, when he betakes himself to God for Redress.

So David, besides the variety of terms he here paints out the Deformity of his Sins by, adds also vers. 3, 4. I acknowledge my Transgressions, and my Sin is ever before me. Against thee, thee onely, have I sinned, and done this Evil in thy sight. And to set out his Sin as the more venomous, he derives it from his originall innate [Page 64]Pravity: Behold, I was shapen in Iniquity, and in Sin did my mother conceive me, vers. 5. And S. Paul acknow­ledged himself the chiefest of Sinners, 1 Tim. 1.15. The Reasons hereof are,

1. Because otherwise the Heart loves and favours the Sin, and the Repentance and Humiliation will appear to be but feigned. True Hatred of Sin will cause us to confess and abandon it with all our might. Odium est Appetitus amovendi: it will stir up a desire to re­move it, it will cause Detestation, Clearing, Revenge, Indignation, Zeal, Fear; as it is said of the Corinthi­ans, 2 Cor. 7.11. The poor Publican durst not lift up his eyes to heaven, but smote on his breast, saying, God be mercifull to me a Sinner, Luk. 18.13.

2. By this means he justifies God in his Sentence a­gainst his Sin, in his Punishment; acknowledgeth his own Desert: which is the Reason here, That thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest, vers. 4. The more we aggravate our Sins, the more we magnify the Justice of God's Law, and his dealing with us.

3. It also tends to the magnifying of God's Grace in Pardoning; that where Sin abounds, there Grace over­abounds, Rom. 5.20. It is rich Grace that forgives great and many Sins. They that make their Sins veni­al, and speak of them as small matters, do shew they take themselves little beholden to God to pardon them, and that they owe little thanks for it. To whom much is forgiven, he loveth much; to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little, Luk. 7.47.

4. This is the way to obtain Pardon. He that hideth his Sins shall not prosper: but he that confesseth and forsa­keth them shall have mercy, Prov. 28.13. Stultorum in­curata Pudor malus Ʋlcera celat. They are foolish per­sons, that when they are to make use of a Physician, [Page 65]conceal their Disease, and tell not the worst of it: for thereby they disable the Physicran from Curing them, and are Authours of their own death. But a wise Pa­tient will relate all the Symptoms of his Disease, and declare the worst of it; that so there may be a through, and not a palliated Cure. So it is with a true Peni­tent, he declares his Sin to God with the greatest Shame to himself, in all its evil Circumstances, that he may dispose God to forgive him: it being God's way, to justify them that condemn themselves; as the poor Publican, that with a dejected heart and look craved mercy to him a Sinner. Which brings us to the

III. OBSERVATION.

That the Blotting out of our Transgressions, the Wa­shing throughly from our Iniquity, the Cleansing from our Sin, is to be sought from God.

This was the course which David took, and Manas­seh, 2 Chron. 33.12, 13. When he was in Affliction, he besought the Lord his God, and humbled himself great­ly before the God of his Fathers, and prayed unto him: and he was intreated of him, and heard his Supplication. No such Prayer to be found in Scripture, as is in the Office of the Romanists, (Mary, Mother of Grace, Mo­ther of Mercy, defend us from the Enemy, grant Pardon to the guilty.) Christ directs us to say, Our Father, which art in Heaven, forgive us our Trespasses. And good Rea­son: for, 1. Our Sins are against him, and therefore are to be pardoned by him. Against thee have I sinned, saith David; therefore do thou blot out my Transgres­sions. He must cancel the Bond, who is the Creditor. I will say to my Father, saith the Prodigall son, Father, I have sinned against Heaven, and against thee, and am no more worthy to be called thy Son. 2. It is he onely that [Page 66]hath power to forgive Sins. Who can forgive Sins but God onely? Mark 2.7. Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? not one, Job 14.4. It is God's Prerogative, which he challengeth, Isa. 43.25. I, even I am he that blotteth out thy Transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy Sins. It is true, the Son of man had power on earth to forgive Sins; but he was also the Son of God. It is true, the Apostles had power to remit Sins by a peculiar delegation from Christ, or (as the Apostle S. Paul speaks) in the per­son of Christ, 2 Cor. 2.10. Nor is it to be denied, that Ministers of the Gospel, ministerially, by preaching the Gospell, may be said to forgive Sins declaratively, and instrumentally, by bringing men to Repentance and Faith, on which Forgiveness and Cleansing from Sin follow: but not as the Pope pretends to forgive Sins, by his Indulgences, authoritatively; or as the Popish Priests, by their Absolution, certainly and im­mediately. Men may forgive Sins, by the assuring of Pardon to the truly Penitent and Believing. And the Absolution of the Minister is of great moment to quiet the guilty Conscience, if he doe it (Clave non errante;) when he is skilfull in Binding and losing, and the Penitent freely confesseth, and sincerely be­lieveth in Christ, and unfeignedly purposeth to amend; without which the Absolution is invalid. And there­fore, which was the

IV. OBSERVATION.

The Penitent Sinner is to beg earnestly, not onely for Blotting out his Transgressions, but also for through Wa­shing and Cleansing from Iniquity and Sin, not onely by Condonation of them, but also by Emendation or Amend­ment of life.

So David, Psal. 51.9, 10. Hide thy face from my Sins, and blot out all mïne Iniquities. Create in me a clean Heart, O God, and renew a right Spirit within me. These are to be conjoyned. As the Guilt of Sin is to be pardoned, and the Stain of Sin to be washed away: so is the Conscience to be purged from dead works, that we may serve the living God; the Heart is to be sprin­kled from an evil Conscience, and the Body to be washed with pure water; as the expressions are Heb. 9.14. and 10.22. allusively to the Legall Purifying with bloud and water, to which answers the washing of Regenera­tion, and renewing of the Holy Ghost, Tit. 3.5. which is thus expressed by S. Paul, Rom. 6.4. Therefore we are buried with him by Baptism into death, that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

And this is a principal part of true Repentance, to have a renewed Heart, and to lead a new Life. And therefore S. John Baptist, when the multitude came to him to be baptized of him for the Remission of Sins, chargeth them to bring forth Fruits meet for Repentance, Luk. 3.7, 8. letting them to understand, that every Tree which bringeth not forth good Fruit, is hewn down, and cast into the fire. And our Saviour, when he found the impotent man, who was healed by him at the Pool of Bethesda, told him, Joh. 5.14. Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee. For, as Christ saith, if after the unclean Spi­rit is gone out of a man, he return again, and findeth the house empty, swept and garnished; that is, after the Sinner in some sort hath repented, and his Conscience hath been quieted, and his former Courses relinqui­shed for a time, he grow secure and loose in his Con­versation; the unclean Spirit taketh with him seven [Page 68]other Spirits more wicked then himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse then the first, Matth. 12.43, 44, 45. Satan doth make such a person more sinfull then before, and his Conditi­on is worse then it was before his seeming Repentance. Most truly doth S. Peter tell us, 2 Pet. 2.20, 21, 22. If after persons have escaped the pollutions of the world, through the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again intangled therein, and overcome; the latter end is worse then the beginning. For it had been better for them not to have known the way of Righte­ousness, then after they have known it, to turn from the holy Commandment delivered unto them. But it happens to them according to the true Proverb, The Dog is retur­ned to his own vomit again, and the Sow that was washed, to her wallowing in the mire. As it is with men who relapse into a Fever which was for a time abated, their Disease grows worse and mortal: so is it with them that after some imperfect Change and Peace ac­quired, do fall back into the same or other Sins, become secure and heedless of Temptations; they commonly become more notorious Sinners, and more hardned therein to their perdition. None likely make a mock of Sin, and sport themselves in Evil, more then they who once seemed to be humbled, penitent, and re­formed. And therefore there is as great a necessity of begging for effectuall Renovation, as Condona­tion, from God; Sanctification throughout, in Bo­dy, Soul and Spirit, as well as Justification from all our Transgressions. To which the onely Motive is God's Loving-kindness, and the multitude of his ten­der Mercies; according to the next Observation.

V. OBSERVATION.

That it is Loving-kindness and multitude of tender Mer­cies which is the Motive whereupon God blots out Trans­gressions, washeth throughly the guilty Sinner from his Ini­quity, and cleanseth him from his Sin.

As God said of the people of Israel, that it was not for their Excellency, Multitude, Righteousness, or Ʋp­rightness of heart, that he took them to be his People, Deut. 7.7. and 9.5. but out of his own Compassion; Ezek. 16.5, 8, 9. speaks of them under the Similitude of an unpitied outcast infant, till he pitied, loved, washed and cloathed them: so it is true concerning every per­son that is saved, that is justified and sanctified, that he is before unclean, till the Loving-kindness of God towards him appears. Not by Works of Righteousness which he hath done, but according to his Mercy, God our Saviour saves him by the washing of Regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost: That being justified by his Grace, he may be made Heir according to the hope of eternall life, Tit. 3.4, 5, 7.

And indeed all that is done by us, before God pardons and cleanseth us from Sin, provokes God against us: nor is there so much as a thought in us of returning to God, after our departure from his waies; nor any help in our selves to deliver our own Souls, till he pities us and saves us. O Israel, (saith God, Hosea 13.9.) thou hast destroyed thy self; but in me is thine help. He blotteth out our Transgressions for his own Name's sake, and out of his abundant Mercy through Christ.

It is through the Bloud of Christ, as a Price of an­swerable value, that he redeems us: and yet it is mere Mercy that procures this for the payment of our Debt. So that full Satisfaction to his Justice and free Remis­sion [Page 70]do well consist together, notwithstanding the ex­ceptions of Socinians. And we must still acknowledge, that it is not for our sakes, but for his holy Name's sake, that he cleanseth us from our Iniquities: and upon this consideration, he will be inquired of by repenting Sin­ners to doe it for them; as it is said Ezek. 36.22, 33, 37. Which brings us to the last or

VI. OBSERVATION.

That the onely way to obtain Deletion of Transgressions, and Cleansing from Sin, is to beg them of God, upon con­sideration of the multitude of his Mercies, and his Love in and through Christ.

So did the poor Publican obtain Justification by his crying Peccavi, and supplicating thus, God be mercifull to me a Sinner: whom Christ propounds as an Exam­ple of a prospering Penitent, excluding the self-justify­ing Pharisee from attaining Righteousness. This is the Gospell-way, to address our selves to the Throne of Grace; to confess our Sins; to trust onely to the bloud of Christ, for cleansing us from all Sin; to make use of him as our Advocate with the Father, and the Propitia­tion for our Sins. In him we have Redemption through his bloud, the Forgiveness of Sins, according to the riches of his Grace, Eph. 1.7. This is the way whereby God will be glorified, and we shall be saved. And therefore still our Litany must be, [...], Lord, have mer­cy on us; or, with David, Lord, be mercifull unto me, heal my Soul, for I have sinned against thee.

I. OBSERVATION.

A Penitent Sinner owns his Sin as from himself.

He doth not as Eve did, father it on the Serpent; or as Adam, on Eve; but imputes the acting of it to [Page 77]his own innate Pravity, as the fountain and spring out of which it did issue. And that is indeed a right deri­vation of it. Every man, saith S. James, (1.14, 15.) is tempted, when he is drawn away by his own Lusts and enticed. Then when Lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth Sin; and Sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth Death. Perditio tua ex te, O Israel, said God to Israel, Thy destruction is of thy self. And the same may be said of all Sinners.

The Providence of God orders the Occasions of Sin: but it is Man's own Free will that chuseth to sin upon these Occasions. God ordered Bathsheba's washing her self, and David's walking on the roof of the house: but he put not Lust into David's heart, or the wicked contrivance of her Defilement. Ʋriah's assaulting Rab­bah, and the Souldiers falling upon Ʋriah, were by Divine Providence: but the Plot of David, and exe­cution of it by Joab, were of humane Maliciousness.

Impenitent Sinners charge their Wickedness on their ill Fortune, unhappy Destiny, unlucky Planet: which is done with the like reason as if the Knife were to be blamed for a man's Self-murther; or the Bread he eats, as the cause that he is choaked; or the Girdle he wears, that he was strangled by it. Planets and other natu­ral Agents, though they have Influence on the Body, which may provoke to Evil, yet they cannot neces­sitate the Mind to assent to it, or to act accordingly. Casual Concurrence of things may prompt, but not compell to Sin. Evil Company, bad Counsel, cruel Ty­rants, may have power on the Members, not the Will. It is true, the Devil is the Father of Lies; He that commit­teth Sin is of the Devil: but were it not that man's Heart did entertain his Motions, embrace his Sugge­stions, Sin could not be engendred by them. So that in vain doth the corrupt spirit of a man accuse things [Page 78]or persons, without himself, as the Authours or Causes of his sinfull Evils: the Judge of Heaven will lay it at his own door, and endite him as guilty of the Crime. And so do all wise and holy persons. We all do fade as a leaf, and our Iniquities like the wind have taken us away. Behold, thou art wroth, for we have sinned, Isa. 64.5, 6. Nor do they lessen the Fault, but ag­gravate it, as David doth here: which was the Second thing observable in an humble Penitent.

II. OBSERVATION.

The Penitent Sinner makes not a light matter of his Sin, but acknowledgeth the Grievousness of it.

This is manifest by all the Examples of humble Pe­nitents in the Scripture. We have sinned, saith holy Daniel, Dan. 9.5. and have committed Iniquity, and have done wickedly, and have rebelled, even by depar­ting from thy Precepts and from thy Judgments. And holy Ezra, (9.6.) O my God, I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to thee, my God: for our Iniquities are increased over our heads, and our Trespass is grown up unto the Heavens. Thus when the justified Publican prays, he dares not lift up his eyes to Heaven, but smites on his breast, saying, God be mercifull to me a Sinner. And S. Paul censures himself as the chief of Sinners, for those Sins he committed in Ignorance and Unbelief. He knows that God sees more evil in his Sins then he himself can discern; that Sins are not to be censured according to mens estimation, but God's most pure Law and righteous Judgment; that God is of purer eyes then to behold Evil, and that he cannot look on Iniquity with the least approbation or connivence; that what is highly prized in mens eyes, or made a venial Sin by men, is counted a foul Abomination [Page 79]with God; that the least Sin is against an Infinite Ma­jesty, and cost no less then the Bloud of the Son of God to expiate it; that there is no Venial Sin in its own nature, to say, Raca, Thou fool, to our Brother, makes a man liable to Hell-fire; that every Sin is of the Devil, who sinned from the beginning; that the wages of Sin, every Sin, is Death, even that Death which is opposite to everlasting Life.

Hence it is that David makes not a small matter of the Sins of his youth, but prays God not to remember them: and Job complaineth, that God wrote bitter things against him, and made him to possess the Sins of his youth. And Christ makes idle words such, as that for them men are to be accountable at the day of Judgment. Popish Doctrine of Venial Sins, Resolutions of Cases of Conscience after Popish Casuists Dictates, are not found in the expressions of Scripture-Penitents; much less Pharisaicall Vauntings of Self-righteousness, or Monkish Ostentation of their own Merits, or Quakers Opinions of Innocency and Perfection: but Acknow­ledgment of their Transgressions and Sins, with the hainous Degree and Circumstances of them. Which was David's profession here, and is an instance of an humble Penitent's practice.

III. OBSERVATION.

He freely confesseth and acknowledgeth his Sin, at least to God, and sometimes to men.

Though David often professeth his Innocency in respect of the Criminations which were cast upon him in Saul's Court, as if he had conspired against him; though he alledge his Integrity before God, as being upright in heart, in promoting God's Worship, not going after any other gods, but in the choice of his [Page 80]Soul preferring the Observance of God's Laws before any Ends of his own; yet he still acknowledgeth his Sins to God, without any arrogant vaunting of Perfecti­on, or opinion of unspotted Holiness. I acknowledge my Sin unto thee, and mine Iniquity have I not hid, saith he, Psalm 32.5. And holy Job, although he could not be beaten out of his hold, (the conscience of his Inte­grity before God, and his Innocence from any Oppres­sion of men, with which his Antagonists charged him,) yet disclaims the Covering of his Transgressions, as A­dam, by hiding his Iniquity in his bosome, Job 31.33. And Chap. 7.20. he bespeaks God thus; I have sin­ned, what shall I doe unto thee, O thou Preserver of men? And again, Chap. 40.4. Behold, I am vile, what shall I answer thee? I will lay my hand upon my mouth.

All Holy persons do subscribe to that of Bildad, Job 25.4, 5, 6. that in comparison of God, in his sight no man living can be justified. How can he be clean that is born of a woman? They know that God searcheth the Heart, discerns the windings and turnings of their de­ceitfull Hearts: that they have secret Sins, which neither other men nor themselves perceive. S. Paul once con­ceived himself, touching the Righteousness of the Law, blameless: while he was ignorant of its Spirituality, he observed not how the Law forbade Coveting, the very first Motions of Lust: But when he knew how holy and perfect the Law was, how imperfect he was; when he found a Law in his Members rebelling against the Law of his Mind, and leading him into captivity to the Law of Sin, which was in his Members; he then cries out, O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? Rom. 7. Such is the Affection of the most inlightned Saints, who have been best acquainted with God's Purity, the Perfection of his Law, their own Impurity, and the Defect in their [Page 81]ways, that they have always cried out of themselves, (as the Lepers in the Law) We are unclean, we are unclean. In their Supplications to God, they have bemoaned their sinfull Thoughts, their most hidden Transgressions: yea in their Transgressions against men, when doing right to them, and giving glory to God hath required it, they have not stuck in full Congre­gations to confess their Errours, and to bewail their Transgressions. Which thing hath been always ne­cessary,

• 1. To justifie God in his Sentence and Judgments; that he might be justified in his sayings, and be clear when he is judged: as it is in the next verse to my Text.
• 2. To abase Man, that he may lie prostrate at his feet, and not proudly lift up his head before God.

Both which Ends are discernible in that humble Confession of Daniel, and his speech to God, Dan. 9.7. O Lord, Righteousness belongeth unto thee, but unto us Confusion of faces, because of our Trespass committed a­gainst thee.

For which Ends, as God sets our Iniquities before us, so the humble Penitent always sets his Sins before his face; as David did here.

IV. OBSERVATION.

He makes not this a short transient Action, but his Sins are ever before him.

There is indeed a setting our Iniquities before our faces which is pernicious; when we look upon our Sins as of so horrid a Guilt that they are unpardonable: as when Cain told God, Gen. 4.13. My Punishment is greater then I can bear; or, Mine Iniquity is grea­ter then that it may be forgiven. So indeed it falls [Page 82]out sometimes, that mens Transgressions (when they have sinned presumptuously, against Conviction of Conscience within, and Warnings without,) do so stare in their faces, that they affright them with ter­rour and astonishment: their Spirits are wounded: they apprehend the Devil haling them to the infernall Prison; expect nothing but Hell and Damnation; cry out of God as Cruel, of themselves as Damned wretches.

Such a View of Sin, as thus tends to Despair, that eyes onely God's Justice and their own Desert, that begets Hatred of God as a Tyrant, no Address to him as a Gracious Prince, is indeed very dangerous.

Humble Penitents do not so set their Iniquities be­fore them: This is the manner onely of despairing Saul's, revolting Spira's, such as have sinned wilfully with an high hand, and continue in their Apostasie from the Truth; that say, There is no hope: we have loved strangers, and after them will we go, Jer. 2.25. But returning Sinners remember their Sins, and they are ever before them, in another manner, and to ano­ther purpose. They present their Sins to themselves, that they may shame themselves, and give Glory to God in acknowledging his Righteousness; without deniall of his Grace. They look not onely on the foulness of their Trespasses, and the greatness of their Debts; but also on the riches of God's Grace, the fulness of Christ's Obedience, the inexhaustible foun­tain of Christ's Bloud, the infallible Assurance of the New Covenant, the ample Promises of the Gospel: and accordingly, with Confession of Sin they adjoyn Prayer for Pardon, Faith in Christ's Bloud; and plead God's declaration of his own Properties, his former dealing with great Transgressours; and in the same manner as David did here,

V. OBSERVATION.

The true Penitent tells God of setting his Iniquities before him, to induce God to relenting Compassion towards him, and gracious Condonation of him.

In the Penitentiall Psalm De profundis, (130.2, 3, 4.) the Penitent Sinner thus bespeaks God; Let thine ears be attentive to the voice of my Supplication. If thou, Lord, shouldst mark Iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand? But there is Forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared. Even the wicked Ninevites had so much apprehension of the possibility of God's mer­cifull Clemency, that (after Jonas's Proclamation of their approaching Ruine) they resolved to cry migh­tily to God upon this apprehension, Who can tell if God will turn and repent, and turn away from his fierce Anger, that we perish not? Jon. 3.9.

'Tis true, they that worship the Devil, and pray to him, doe all out of Fear, as looking for nothing but Cruelty from unclean Spirits: But Jonas in his fro­ward fit, Chap. 4.2. acknowledgeth that the Lord is a gracious God, and mercifull, slow to Anger, and of great Kindness, and repenteth him of the Evil. Even by the experience of them that know not God, this is found true: which made even Infidels cry unto the Lord in their Distresses, and confess their Sins in hope of Help. The believing Penitent knows both by ex­perience, and from the Nature, Works and Word of God, that when he sets his Sins before him, God casts them behind his back: that God looks upon men, and if any say, I have sinned, and perverted that which was right, and it profited me not; He will deliver his Soul from the Pit, and his Life shall see the Light, Job 33.27, 28. They have learned, that he that hideth his [Page 84]Sins shall not prosper; but he that confesseth and forsa­keth them shall have Mercy, Prov. 28.13. That, if we confess our Sins, he is faithfull and just to forgive us our Sins: and the Bloud of Jesus Christ, his Son, cleanseth us from all Sin, 1 Joh. 1.7, 9. They judge, that what David found they shall find: I said, I will confess my Transgressions to the Lord; and thou forgavest the Ini­quity of my Sin. And therefore, For this shall every one that is Godly pray unto thee in a time that thou maist be found, Psal. 32.5, 6. And consequently, it is their course, (as being best for them) to set their Sins be­fore them, so as to humble them; and to set them be­fore God, that he may pardon them.

That God's Presence of Grace is most desirable.

How desirable the Presence of God's Favour is to men, may appear by that Dialogue between God and Moses, which we meet with Exod. 33.14, 15. wherein, after God had made that terrible Commination, of co­ming up into the midst of the people of Israel in a moment to consume them, because of their great Provocation of him in making the Golden Calf, and not to goe up with them, vers. 3, 5. and Moses, vers. 12, 13. had instant­ly made Supplication for God's Guidance in that great Expedition which he put him upon, of bringing the peo­ple of Israel into the Land of Canaan; the Lord tells him, that his Presence should goe with him, and he would give him rest. Moses replies to God, If thy Presence goe not with us, carry us not up hence. And gives this reason, vers. 16. For wherein shall it be known here that I and thy people have found grace in thy sight? is it not in that thou goest with us?

From which passage may be discerned how much Moses valued God's Presence, as that without which he counted all his Undertakings as vain; that he could not effect any thing prosperously, not subdue Enemies, nor rule that people, nor successively accomplish any undertaking: But on the other side, with God's Pre­sence he doubted not but that he should bring to pass that great Business, and all other Designs which he should be put upon, if God did vouchsafe it to him.

The same is true in our Spirituall Voiage towards Hea­ven, and our Christian Warfare. The Presence of God is [Page 91]All in all; without God's Presence we can doe nothing: though we should have all the furniture of wit, strength, wealth, and the assistence of men; yet should we not be able to goe one step forward in the way to Happi­ness: we of our selves should not be sufficient to think any thing as of our selves, for all our Sufficiency is of God, 2 Cor. 3.5. Yea our Adversary the Devil would easily devour us, if the Lord should depart from us. On the other side, If God be for us, who can be against us? Nei­ther life, nor death, nor Angels, nor Principalities, nor Powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature shall prevail against us. The auxiliary force of God's Presence makes a Believer, in Tribulation, distress, persecution, famine, nakedness, peril, sword, to be more then a Conquerour, even to triumph and to glory in the Lord; as knowing that his Riches exceed Croesus his wealth, his Glory Solo­mon's glory; and that he may truly say, without Thra­sonicall vaunting, Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come, All are mine, I being Christ's, and Christ God's, 1 Cor. 3.22, 23.

Thus did the Psalmist express his apprehensions of the benefit of God's Presence in relation to his Safety, Comfort, and Happiness. That he restored his Soul, and led him in the paths of Righteousness for his Name's sake. Yea, though he did walk through the valley of the shadow of death, he would fear no evil: for God was with him, his Rod and his Staff did comfort him, Psal. 23.3, 4. That his Goodness and Mercy should follow him all the days of his life, vers. 6. That he would shew him the path of Life: in his Presence was fulness of Joy, at his right hand Pleasures for evermore, Psal. 16.11.

As to be near such a King as Solomon, was counted so great a Happiness, that the blessedness of Solomon's [Page 92]Courtiers was magnified with admiration by the Queen of Sheba: so much more blessed are they that are ac­quainted with God, and are near to him. In his Fa­vour is their life, Psal. 30.5. The light of his Countenance is better then life it self.

Man being Animal sociabile, a sociable Living crea­ture, needs Society: it is most joyous for him to be with them whom he loves, and who love him, and can help him. But such is none now in comparison of God, and therefore no Company (to a Holy heart) like to God's. David's Soul thirsted for God, panted after him, to come and appear before him. But his Tears were his meat day and night in his absence from God; and it was as a Sword in his bones to be reproached with this demand, Where is thy God? When God hid his face, he was troubled. Which comes to pass by our departing from God: and that brings me to the

II. OBSERVATION.

That the committing of great and enormous Sins en­dangers the Privation of God's Presence.

It is true, that God sometimes, to try his most up­right Servants, doth withdraw from them the light of his Countenance; not out of Indignation against them, for any great Transgression committed by them. Thus he dealt with Job, when he exercised his Patience: which made him expostulate the matter with God, Job 13.24. Wherefore hidest thou thy face, and holdest me for thine Enemy? vers. 26. For thou writest bitter things against me, and makest me to possess the Iniquities of my youth. And Heman the Ezrahite, Psal. 88.14. Lord, why castest thou off my Soul? why hidest thou thy Face from me? But this casting off and hiding God's Face is but for a time, and not in wrath, but like a Father's [Page 93]dealing with his Child, when he for a little while seque­sters himself, to make experiment of his Child's Affec­tion, and to excite him thereby to seek him the more earnestly.

Nevertheless even this also tends to bring them to the acknowledgment of their Sins: therefore the Pro­phet Hosea (5.15.) brings in God thus saying, I will goe away and return to my place, till they acknowledge their Offence, and seek my Face: in their Affliction they will seek me early. Even Job wanted God's Presence, till he confessed himself vile, and repented, abhorring himself in dust and ashes, Job 42.6.

But there is a more direfull Casting out of God's Presence with utter Forsaking, so as to cast a people or person out of his sight for ever; by leaving them to be a Prey to those who waste and oppress them: as when he threatned, Jerem. 7.15. to cast the Jews out of his sight, as he had cast out all their brethren, the whole seed of Ephraim: which he accomplished in the Ba­bylonish Captivity, as it is Jerem. 52.3. Through the Anger of the Lord it came to pass in Jerusalem and Judah, that God cast them out of his Presence; especially be­cause of all the Provocations that Manasseh had provoked him withall, 2 King. 23.26. And indeed, though Manasseh, repenting, was not utterly and for ever cast out of God's Presence; yet by reason of the hainous­ness of his Sins, the Lord brought upon him and his people the Captains of the hoast of the King of Assyria, which took him among the thorns, and bound him with fetters, and carried him to Babylon, 2 Chron. 33.11.

And David himself, when he had by his great Trans­gressions provoked the Lord to Anger in the matter of Ʋriah the Hittite, found God's favourable Presence so removed from him, that in his House he suffered by his Children great Calamities, which were inflicted by [Page 94]God to shew his Indignation: so that though he were not Filius Irae, a Child of Wrath, cast away with ut­ter Dereliction as a Reprobate; yet he was Filius sub Ira, a Child under Wrath for that present, which made him dread his Danger, and to be thus importunate with God, not to cast him out of his Presence.

And indeed in case of great Sins committed presump­tuously against Warning, or Conscience enlightned, and continued in with Impenitency, it is inconsistent with God's Holiness and Honour to afford his Presence; it being contrary to his Nature and Glory to counte­nance Evil, who is not a God that hath pleasure in Wic­kedness, neither shall Evil dwell with him. The foolish shall not stand in his sight; he hateth all workers of Ini­quity, Psal. 5.4, 5. He is of purer eyes then to behold Evil, and cannot look on Iniquity, Hab. 1.13.

As it is with a gallant Prince, who cannot brook a base Coward; or a neat and cleanly Nobleman, who cannot endure in his company a sordid and nasty Slo­ven, but will thrust or keep such out of his presence: so it is with God. When a Man or Nation have defiled themselves with such odious Iniquities as God abhors, till they be washed with true Repentance, and new cloathed by putting on the Lord Jesus, there is no hope of finding God ready to admit them near to him. Wherefore

III. OBSERVATION.

Penitent Sinners (such as David was) do beg ear­nestly against the Loss of God's Presence, as their greatest Calamity; and pray for its Continuance, as their chiefest Happiness.

The Holy Writings are full of such Petitions as these. Let my sentence come forth from thy presence, Psal. 17.2. [Page 95] Make thy Face to shine upon thy servant, Psal. 31.16. Forsake me not, O Lord; O my God, be not far from me, Psal. 38.21. Awake, why sleepest thou, O Lord? arise, cast us not off for ever. Wherefore hidest thou thy face? Psal. 44.23, 24. Return for thy servants sake, Isa. 63.17. Take away all Iniquity, and receive us graci­ously, Hos. 14.2. As it is with a Child who misseth his Father, he cries after him, till he appears to him; or as a Traveller that is out of his way, and knoweth not what way to take, nor what may become of him, calls for his Guide to direct, for his Company to help him: So it is with a Repenting person, who hath wandered out of his way; he is sensible that he hath done foolishly in leaving God's way, fears lest he shall become a prey to Satan, finds the want of God's Gui­dance, the need of his Assistence: hereupon he cries aloud to God not to leave him; he wrastleth with God, as Jacob did when he feared his Brother Esau's hostile approach, so as not to let him goe untill he bless him; he weeps and makes Supplication, till he becomes an I­saac, one that prevails with God; his Eye trickleth down and ceaseth not, without any intermission, till the Lord look down, and behold from Heaven; he be­wails his turning aside into crooked paths, begs to be led into the way everlasting; and to that end resolves to hold close to God for the time to come, and to keep his way, lest he (by Recidivation and Relapse) drive away God for ever. For which purpose he begs God not to take away his Holy Spirit from him, as being his best Guide and Guard in his Pilgrimage on Earth. Which leads me to the consideration of the Second Petition in my Text: but at present, time will not permit me to handle it. Of what hath been said give me leave to make some Application.

I. OBSERVATION.

That God's Spirit is the most beneficial Gift that God bestows on a Repenting Sinner.

This is manifest from the words of Christ, Luk. 11.13. If ye then, being evil, know how to give good Gifts to your Children; how much more shall your heavenly Fa­ther give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him? Which shews that the Gift of the Holy Spirit is a greater Gift, and far better, then that which earthly Parents give to their Children, as bodily Food, and the like: and that God, in giving his Holy Spirit to those that ask him, shews an Affection far exceeding that which Parents have for their Children, when they supply them with Corporall sustenance. Adde hereunto, that the Apostle, 2 Cor. 13.14. in his Benediction of the Corinthians, prays thus for them, The Grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the Love of God, and the Communion of the Holy Spirit, be with you all, Amen. Whereby it is manifest, that the Communion of the Holy Spirit is ranked among the best things he could beg for that people, to wit, the Grace of Christ, and the Love of God.

Nor is this without reason: for the Spirit of God removes all that Evil which is odious to God, and noi­some to our selves; it washes away that Filthiness of flesh and spirit which is loathsome to God; it cures that Blindness of Mind, that Hardness of Heart, that Perverseness of Soul, that Impotency of Faculties, which make us unable to doe any thing that may please God, or rectify our own Actions. It is this clean Water which, being sprinkled on us by God, makes us clean in his eyes, so as to cleanse us from all our Filthiness and all our Evils. It is that, by giving of which, we have a new heart, and a new spirit is put within us: God takes away the stony heart out of our flesh, and gives us an heart of flesh, which causeth us to walk in God's Statutes, and to keep his Judgments, and doe them, Ezek. 11.19, 20.

In whom the Spirit of God dwells not, there is a [Page 103] Spirit of Slumber, Eyes that they should not see, and Ears that they do not hear: even the Gospel is hid to them; the God of this world blinds their minds, lest the Light of the glorious Gospel of Christ, who is the Image God, should shine unto them: they are held in the Snare of the Devil, and are taken captive by him at his will. An evil Spirit possesseth them, so that they want the Conso­lations of God, the Peace which passeth understanding, which guards the minds of them that believe through Christ Jesus: they are filled with Horrour of Consci­ence, are under the spirit of Bondage: they sow to the Flesh, and of the Flesh reap Corruption.

On the other side, where the Spirit of God inhabits, it renews a man in the spirit of his mind, so that he knows the things that are freely given him of God; spiritually dis­cerns the hidden wisedom of God in a mystery, which God hath ordained before the world to our glory; even those things which eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entred into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. Even to Babes are these things revealed by God's Spirit, which the Princes of the world knew not, but they were hid from the wise and prudent, Matth. 11.25. Whence it is, that they are made the Epistle of Christ, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in Tables of Stone, but in fleshly Tables of the Heart: with open face behol­ding, as in a glass, the Glory of the Lord, they are chan­ged into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord, 2 Cor. 3.3, 18. By which means they are made the Temple of God, in that the Spirit of God dwelleth in them, vers. 16. and holy unto God, an habitation of God through the Spirit: they are joyned to the Lord, one Spirit with him; new Creatures in Christ, and conformed to him. Whence it is that Sin bath not dominion over them, nor the Wicked one toucheth [Page 104]them. They are delivered from the Law, that being dead wherein they were held; that they might bring forth fruit unto God; serve in the newness of the Spirit, and not in the oldness of the Letter. For though the Letter of the Law killeth, being the ministration of Con­demnation; yet the Spirit giveth Life, being the mini­stration of Righteousness, which exceeds in glory. And consequently, they have liberty by the Spirit of God; are beautified by it, so as that Christ is formed in them. They live in the Spirit, and walk in the Spirit. The mind of the Spirit is to them life and peace. They have access by one Spirit unto the Father. The Spirit of God is the Spirit of Adoption, whereby they cry, Abba Father. The Spirit it self beareth witness with their spirit, that they are the Children of God: and if Children, then Heirs, heirs of God, and joynt-heirs with Christ; that suffering with him, they may be glorified together. They are led by the Spirit; sow to the Spirit, and of the Spirit reap life everlasting; through the Spirit, wait for the hope of Righteousness which is by Faith.

In a word, that Life, that Holiness, that Beauty, that Liberty, that Joy, that Hope, that Fruit which a Chri­stian hath from Christ, is communicated by the Spirit; and that Glory of Soul and Body which is expected hereafter, that Quietness and Rest in life and death which is desirable, is from the Spirit of God. If any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of Christ's: But if Christ be in us, the Body is dead, because of Sin; but the Spirit is life, because of Righteousness. And if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in us, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken our mortal bodies by the Spirit that dwelleth in us, Rom. 8.9, 10, 11.

So that I may safely infer from this enumeration of Benefits, even the most precious Riches that a Spirit [Page 105]is capable of, that the Gift of God's Spirit to a man is the greatest Commodity, the Jewel of Heaven. What Solomon saith of Wisedom, is true of God's Spirit: It is a Gift more precious then Rubies, and all the things we can desire are not to be compared to it. And therefore the Loss of it is the greatest Loss. Which brings me to the Enquiry what endangers the Privation of it; and that was asserted, in the Second Proposition, to be great Transgressions.

II. OBSERVATION.

That great Transgressions endanger the Loss of God's Spirit.

This is manifest from David's Petition, in that by reason of his Sins he was afraid of its Loss, and there­fore begs the Continuance of it, notwithstanding his foul Trespasses.

It is, I confess, a great Dispute, Whether a person once regenerated by the Spirit, washed, sanctified, and justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God, can totally and finally lose its Continuance with him. I will not meddle with that Point: But this is out of question, That some Gifts of the Spirit may be lost; else the Apostle, 1 Thess. 5.19. would not have premonished the Thessalonians that they should not quench the Spirit. Such Gifts of the Spirit as are for others good, to which the Salvation of a person is not promised, may undoubtedly be totally lost by great Transgressions. So Saul lost the Royal Magnanimity and other Princely Endowments which he had before, by sparing Agag, and by usurping the Priestly Office in offering Sacrifice. Judas lost the Gift of Healing which he had with the rest of the Apostles, and other Abilities to preach the Gospell, by his trai­tourous [Page 106]Selling of his Master: he fell from the Apostle­ship and Ministry by his Transgression. Nor is it denied, but that some who were once enlightned, and had tasted of the heavenly Gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, and had tasted of the good Word of God, and the powers of the world to come, might fall away, and not be renewed again by Repentance; that they might crucifie the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame; that they might tread under foot the Son of God, and count the Bloud of the Covernant, wherewith they were sanctified, an unholy thing, and doe despite to the Spirit of grace, Heb. 6.4, 5, 6. and 10.29.

Yea, those of whom God gave testimony, that they did that which was right in the eyes of God, as did Da­vid; yet even they fell so foully, as that they lost the Fruits and Comforts of the Spirit, so as not to regain them in that degree they once had them. Of Asa it is said, that his Heart was perfect with the Lord all his days, 1 King. 15.14. and yet he put the Seer in pri­son, being in a rage with him for reproving his Rely­ing on the King of Syria, 2 Chron. 16.7, 10. and even in his Disease he sought not to the Lord, but to the physi­cians, vers. 12. And Hezekiah, though he walked be­fore God in truth and with a perfect Heart, and did that which was good in his sight; yet when God left him to try him, that he might know all that was in his Heart, he rendred not again according to the benefit done unto him: for his Heart was lifted up, 2 Chron. 32.25, 31.

Certain it is, by David's and other Holy mens ex­ample, that God doth sometimes leave men to them­selves for a time, so as to fall into such Sins as deprive them of the Joy of God's Salvation, and the establi­shing virtue of God's Spirit; so as not to be so active and constant in the exercise of Godliness as formerly; at least for a time: else why doth David pray, in the [Page 107]next verse to my Text, Restore unto me the Joy of thy Salvation, and uphold me with thy free Spirit? And however the event be, yet there is great danger of an utter Loss of the Spirit of God, not onely in respect of its Comforts and Motions, but also of its inexistence and quickening virtue, when men are so overcome by Lust as Solomon and David, or Fear as Peter, or other Temptations, to sin so foully as they did.

The Reason whereof is, because such Sins do grieve and vex the Holy Spirit. For though the Spirit of God be not subject to humane Passions; yet the Holy Scripture, as it ascribes Repentance and some other Affections of men to God, so doth it attribute Grief to the Holy Spirit, Eph. 4.30. where it minds us that we grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby we are sea­led unto the day of redemption, in respect of the effect that Grief hath in man, which makes him withdraw from that which grieves him. And so saith the Book intituled the Wisedom of Solomon, Chap. 1.4, 5. For into a malicious Soul Wisedom shall not enter, nor dwell in the body that is subject to Sin. For the holy Spirit of discipline will fly deceit, and remove from thoughts that are without understanding, and will not abide where Ʋn­righteousness cometh in. Contraria se invicem expellunt: There is a Contrariety between God's Spirit of Holiness, and man's spirit that loves or yields to Unholiness; and therefore they consist not together. And God doth also justly deprive persons of that great Gift of his Spirit, when they resist it, when they vex it, so as to make it become their Enemy: as Princes take away their Favours and Offices and Honours which they have conferred, when they are contemned, and abused against them. And therefore a Penitent Sinner, being sensible of his Danger, deprecates the ablation of God's Spirit, though deserved by his Sin, as David in my Text, which is the

III. OBSERVATION.

That a Repenting Sinner is an earnest Suitour to God for the Continuance of his Spirit to him.

It is the dolefull Expostulation of the people of God, Isa. 63.17. who had rebelled, and vexed God's Spirit, so as to make him their Enemy, vers. 10. when they repented, and discerned their Errour, and beg­ged his Return, O Lord, why hast thou made us to erre from thy ways, and hardened our heart from thy Fear? return for thy servants sake. They at last find the miss of God's Spirit, as that which yielded them the greatest Safety and chiefest Happiness. They find that they, by their not cherishing God's Spirit, but unkind usage, have driven away their best Friend. They see that, by their Security, they have let in their greatest Enemy.

In a word, when a Sinner hath found his Misery by acting that Sin which forfeits his interest in the Gui­dance and Assistence of God's Spirit, he bewails it, and fears left an evil Spirit should possess him, and bring with it seven more unclean spirits, worse then it self, when his house is empty, swept, and garnished, and dwell in him, and so his end be worse then his beginning; as it is Matth. 12.44, 45. And therefore he begs for the Con­tinuance of God's Spirit, lest the unclean Spirit possess him, as it did Saul. David therefore so earnestly here deprecates the Loss of the Holy Spirit, as remembring what befell his Predecessour Saul: which all Penitent Sinners should likewise dread.

OBSERVATION.

That though the Spirit of man, when it is wounded with worldly Sorrows, or with Conscience of Sin, cannot sustain it self from sinking; yet the Lord can and doth support it.

This is verified by experience in holy Job, then whom none was ever more sorely handled, (except our Lord Christ, when he bare our Sins in his Body on the Tree,) insomuch that he complained, Job 6.4. For the Arrows of the Almighty are within me, the poison whereof [Page 127]drinketh up my Spirit: the Terrours of God do set them­selves in array against me: yet did the Consolations of God so support him, that he could allege, Behold, my Witness is in Heaven, and my Record is on high, Job 16.19. so as that he could never be drawn to disclaim his own Uprightness, or God's Righteousness.

Holy Paul, though he were abundant in Sufferings, so that he had the sentence of death in himself, yet he would not relinquish his Trust in God, whom he found the Father of Mercies, and the God of all Comfort: so as that, with the abounding of his Sufferings, he had also abounding Consolation.

After the like sort was it with Christ Jesus: who though he was in great Agony in the Garden, so that his Soul was heavy unto death; in the days of his flesh he offered up Prayers and Supplications, with strong Crying and Tears, unto him that was able to save him from death; yet he was heard in that he feared, Heb. 5.7.

David, after he had committed that Sin against Ʋri­ah the Hittite, when Nathan had discovered the Evil thereof, His Bones waxed old, through his Roaring all the day long; Day and night the Hand of God was heavy upon him; His moisture was turned into the drought of Summer; His Bones, his Soul were sore vexed; Innu­merable Evils compassed him about; His Iniquities took hold upon him, so that he was not able to look up, therefore his heart failed him: yet God restored unto him the Joy of his Salvation, upheld him with his free Spirit, took a­way his Sackcloath, and girded him with Gladness.

The waies that God takes to sustain the Spirits of men in their Infirmities are various. Sometimes by allaying the Sharpness of their Afflictions: sometimes by a mix­ture of outward or inward Refreshings: sometimes by moderating their Temptations, not suffering them to be tempted above that they are able, but with the Temptation [Page 128]making a way to escape, that they may be able to bear it; making it short, though it be sharp.

But the chief way whereby the Lord supports the Spirit, when it sinks of it self, is by giving to some the tongue of the learned, that they may know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary, Isa. 50.4. whose business it is first to humble, to search the Wound; and then to pour in Oil: first to discover the Malady; and then to apply the Medicine.

This method is described at large by Elihu, Job 33. from vers. 15. to v. 29. When God hath spoken to man in sleep, and otherwise, to open his ears, to seal his In­struction, to withdraw him from his purposes, to hide Pride from man: He chasteneth him upon his Bed, and the multitude of his Bones with strong pains; so that his Soul draweth near unto the Grave, and his Life to the De­stroyers. Yet if there be a Messenger with him, an In­terpreter, one among a thousand, to shew unto man his Ʋp­rightness, to make known to him the Atonement which is made by the Bloud of the everlasting Covenant; when he washeth himself with penitentiall Tears, and sprinkles his Conscience with the Bloud of Christ by Faith: Then he is gracious unto him, and saith, Deliver him from going down to the Pit, I have found a Ransome. He shall pray unto God, and he will be favourable unto him; and he shall see his face with Joy: for he will render unto man his Righteousness. If when God looks upon men, they say, We have sinned, and perverted that which was right, and it profited us not: He will deliver their Soul from going into the Pit, and their Life shall see the Light.

Thus did Hezekiah find it, as he acknowledgeth, Isa. 38.16, 17. O Lord, by these things men live, and in all these things is the life of my Spirit: (that is, by God's undertaking for him, vers. 14.) so wilt thou recover me, and make me to live. Behold, for Peace, I had great [Page 129]Bitterness; but thou hast in love to my Soul delivered it from the Pit of corruption: for thou hast cast all my Sins behind thy back. Thus he creates the fruit of the lips, Peace, Peace to him that is afar off, and to him that is near, and heals them, Isa. 57.19.

Men sin, and then God scourgeth; they cry, and God sends his Messenger to teach them; they are hum­bled for Sin, and fly to the Bloud of Christ for Peace: Believing in him, they obtain Reconciliation; being reconciled, the Spirit of Christ, as the Comforter, is gi­ven them, to make known the things that are freely given by God: hence comes Joy in believing, and Hope of the Inheritance of life, by which they are supported; which I was to demonstrate.

I. OBSERVATION.

That there is Forgiveness with or from God.

That God is a pardoning God, is the Assertion of God himself, in that Proclamation in which he told Moses, he would make all his Goodness to pass before him: which was thus delivered, Exod. 34.6, 7. The Lord, the Lord God, mercifull and gracious, long-suffe­ring, and abundant in Goodness and Truth, keeping Mercy for thousands, forgiving Iniquity, Transgression and Sin. Conformable whereunto, in that Prayer of Nehemiah, (9.17.) it is said, Thou art a God ready to pardon, or, a God of Pardons; gracious and merci­full, slow to anger, and of great Kindness. And the Pro­phet Isa. (55.7.) exhorts the wicked to return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy on him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.

It is then one of God's Jewells, which his Crown is set with, that he is not as a cruell Tyrant or infernall Fiend, with whom there is nothing but Cruelty and Mischievousness: but as a gracious King or loving Fa­ther, in whom is Clemency as well as Justice, affectio­nate Forgiveness as well as severe Correction. Which that we may the better conceive, (it being that on which our Life lies,) it will be requisite that we con­sider, [Page 134]

• 1. What Sins God forgives.
• 2. For what Motive.
• 3. To whom he forgives them.
• 4. Why he forgives them.

I. For the first, our Saviour hath resolved it in ex­press terms, Mark 3.28, 29. Verily I say unto you, All Sins shall be forgiven to the sons of men, and Blasphemies wherewithsoever they shall blaspheme: But he that blasphemeth against the Holy Ghost hath ne­ver Forgiveness, but is in danger of eternall Dam­nation.

What this Sin is, and whether any be at this day guilty of it, is a Question that requires some disqui­sition. The Schoolmen (as Aquinas) make six Spe­cies of the Sin against the Holy Ghost; Despair, Presumption, Impenitency, Obstinacy, Impugning the acknowledged Truth, and Envying our Brother's Grace.

Protestant Divines, taking in other Texts, out of the Epistles to the Hebrews and Titus, and out of S. John's 1. Epistle, have formed such a Definition as this, That it is a Blaspheming against the Gospel of Christ, testified by a clear Conviction of the Spirit of God in the heart of the Blasphemer, arising out of a spightfull Hatred and obstinate Rejection of that Truth and Testimony of and by which he was con­vinced, causing an oppugning of it and the Avouchers of it, upon the strong possession Satan hath got in his Heart.

But the Text, Mark 3.30. in which it is added, Because they said, He hath an unclean Spirit, doth seem to restrain it to that spightfull belying Christ's Miracles, (done by the Spirit of God most evi­vidently, so as that they could not gainsay it,) [Page 135]as if they were done by the Prince of Devils, and Christ were possessed and acted by an Unclean Spi­rit. Which makes it very probable, that none at this day can (as things are) commit it, there being no such Miracles now done, as can evidently shew the Operation of the Holy Spirit to be blasphemed, as it was by the Pharisees. Nor is Julian the Apostate suffi­ciently proved (however so judged by some of the An­cients) to have committed this Sin.

Much less have any of those doubting Souls, who, by reason of their Tenderness of Conscience, (which makes them very jealous and fearfull of their own Condition,) have been apt to charge themselves with this Sin, any reason so to doe; they being guilty of no such Blasphemy in words, Rejecting of Christ, Spea­king evil of his Spirit or its Operations, Oppugning of the Gospel, or the Believers of it; nor of any Obstina­cy in any course of open Persecution, or Disclaiming Christ and his Gospel.

Perhaps this which I have said may be of great use to some doubting and troubled Spirits, who put them­selves on the Rack, through Mistakes arising from the Weakness of their Understandings, and the Fear­fulness of their Hearts.

As for any other Sins, they are not in their own na­ture unpardonable: other Blasphemies are pardonable. Peter's Denying Christ (though with Cursing himself if he knew him, yet) had Pardon. Manasseh, though notorious for his Cruelties, as filling Jerusalem with inno­cent Bloud, even of the Prophets of God, though infa­mous for his setting up the most abominable Idolatries of the Gentiles, though proceeding so far as to use Fa­miliar spirits, yet when he was humbled, and prayed to God in his Affliction, God heard him, and forgave him, 2 Chron. 33.12, 13. I instance in these, as seeming to [Page 136]come nighest to the Sin against the Holy Ghost: the one sinning against Knowledge, after Warning, and so­lemn Promise to the contrary; the other offending in the most hainous manner, in Sins of the greatest Guilt, with extreme Wilfulness and Violence.

Not to mention the Sins of David, or Lot, or Noah, or Solomon: If Cain meant it as the Vulgar Latin hath it, Gen. 4.13. My Sin is greater then can be forgiven; it might well be replied to him, Mentiris, Cain, Thou liest, Cain: Thy Sin might have been forgiven, if thou hadst had a penitent Heart, and hadst begged Pardon from God. Though in the Law God would not for­give some Sins, as Blasphemy, Murther, Adultery, Sins with an high hand, so as to expiate them by Sacrifice, and free the Sinner from death: though God sware to Eli, that the Iniquities of his House should not be purged with Sacrifice nor Offerings for ever, 1 Sam. 3.14. though he never will pardon the Sin of Devils, of Judas the Son of Perdition, nor the final Impenitent and Unbe­liever: Yet Christ tells us plainly, No kind of Sin or Blasphemy (except one) but is pardonable to the sons of men.

II. But then, upon what Motive God forgiveth Sins, is to be farther considered.

They that say that any Sins against God are venial ex genere suo, the whole kind of them of their own Na­ture; as having an evil or inordinate thing for their Object, but not against the Love of God or our Neigh­bour; or by reason of the Smalness of the matter in which, or the sudden Motion by which they are done; speak otherwise then the Scripture, which makes the Wages of Sin simply, and every Sin, death, Rom. 6.23. and him cursed who continues not in every thing written in the Law to doe it, Gal. 3.10. They derogate from the efficacy of Christ's Bloud, which alone is it that [Page 137] cleanseth from all Sin; make it a light matter to sin a­gainst the Most high and infinite Majesty; would ex­cuse our First Parents Sin; and harden men in Impeni­tency.

And when they make voluntary Works of Penance Satisfaction for such Sins, Priests Absolutions, Popes Pardons, and saying of Divine Offices for the Sinner, sufficient to take away the Guilt of Sin against God; though they provide for their accursed Gain, yet they derogate from the Necessity and alone Sufficiency of Christ's Bloud, who is the onely Advocate with the Fa­ther, and the Propitiation for our Sins, and the Sins of the whole world, 1 Joh. 2.1, 2.

We learn Heb. 9.22. that without shedding of bloud is no Remission: and that though the Sacrifices of the Law might procure Forgiveness in respect of some Penal­ties, and sanctify to the purifying of the Flesh; yet that it is the Bloud of Christ alone (who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God) that can purge our Consciences from dead works, to serve the living God, vers. 14. and that it is for Christ's sake (whom God hath set forth to be a Propitiation, through faith in his Bloud, to declare his Righteousness for the Remis­sion of Sins that are past, through the forbearance of God, Rom. 3.25.) that God doth forgive any Sins of any persons, Eph. 4.32. Not for any Saint's or Martyr's In­tercession; or any Surplusage of Merits in the Trea­sury of the Church, distributed by the Pope's Indul­gence; or for the bare Work done, of saying Mass, singing Dirges, or other Offices, for a person deceased; or merely for the Priest's Absolution upon Auricular Confession in the Sacrament of Penance; or for any humane Satisfaction whatsoever: but by the Expiation of Christ's Bloud, and his Intercession for them to whom Sins are forgiven; though not without their [Page 138]due Qualifications, which are next to be considered.

III. The Persons to whom God forgives Sins are not all whatsoever. There are, that, after their hardness and impenitent Heart, treasure up unto themselves Wrath against the day of Wrath, and revelation of the righteous Judgment of God, Rom. 2.5. Nor all that are in the visible Church, that have been baptized into the Name of Christ. Notwithstanding Simon Magus believed, was baptized, continued with Philip, and wondered behol­ding the Miracles and Signs which were done: yet when, by his offer of Money for the power of bestowing the Holy Ghost, his Heart appeared not right in the sight of God, S. Peter admonisheth him to repent of that his Wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thoughts of his Heart might be forgiven him, Act. 8.13, 21, 22. But,

1. They to whom God forgives Sins must be real and unfeigned Penitents; such as are sensible of their Sins, and the Desert of them; such as are humbled in their own eyes, yea so as to loath themselves for their Iniquities; such as have that Sorrow which is after God, that worketh Repentance not to be repented of. Such a Repentance as is not for some Sins onely, but for all; not onely for Sins open and notorious, but also for Sins secret, and known to themselves and God alone; not onely for Sins of outward Action or Words, but also for Sins of Thought, of evil Concupiscence; not onely for Sins of Commission, but also for Sins of Omission: and according to the degrees of them, with a proportio­nable degree of Sorrow; so as to mourn much, where the Sin hath been very hainous, as David's was. And that not onely by reason of the Affliction consequent, Danger of Hell, or Infamy; but also for the Disho­nouring of God, and the Offending of him, not one­ly as a severe Judge, but also an indulgent Father. A­gainst thee, thee onely, have I sinned, and done this Evil [Page 139]in thy sight, saith David, Psalm 51.4. And, Father, (saith the prodigal Son, Luk. 15.21.) I have sinned a­gainst Heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy Son. Thus S. John Baptist preached the Bap­tism of Repentance for the Remission of Sins, Mark 1.4. S. Peter, Act. 2.38. Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the Name of Jesus Christ, for the Remission of Sins. And, Repent, and be converted, that your Sins may be blotted out, Act. 3.19. To them that thus Re­pent, there is Forgiveness of Sins, not to the Impeni­tent and unrelenting.

2. To Repentance must be joyned Confession of Sin. If we say that we have no Sin, we deceive our selves, and the Truth is not in us. If we confess our Sins, God is faithfull and just to forgive us our Sins, and to cleanse us from all Ʋnrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a Liar, and his word is not in us, 1 Joh. 1.8, 9, 10. How full is the Scripture against all Self-justitiaries, Pharisees, Philoso­phers, Votaries, Pelagians, Quakers, and other Perfecti­onists, that boast of their own Good works, and their being free from Sin? No marvel that they that think they have no need of Pardon, should find none. God filleth the Hungry with good things: the Rich he sendeth empty away. The proud Pharisee, that talked of his own Well-doings, the boasting Papist, that is confident of his own good Merits from God, are not capable of Justification. It is the poor Publican, that is sensible of his Sin, that stands afar off, that will not lift up so much as his eyes to Heaven, as being dejected by the sense of his Sins, but smites on his breast, saying, God be mercifull to me a Sinner, that goes home justified, ra­ther then the other; as Christ himself hath determined, Luk. 18.13, 14.

When I kept silence, day and night (saith David to [Page 140]God, Psal. 32.3, 4, 5.) thy Hand was heavy upon me. I acknowledged my Sin unto thee, and mine Iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my Transgression unto the Lord; and thou forgavest the Iniquity of my Sin. There was no necessity of Auricular Popish Confession to a Priest; his purpose of doing it to God seriously, and with true Compunction and Contrition of Soul, was sufficient for his Pardon. David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against the Lord: and Nathan, without in­joyning him Penance for Satisfaction, tells him immedi­ately, The Lord also hath put away thy Sin. A free and unfeigned Confession of Sins to God never goes without Pardon, if it be with real Sorrow, and giving to God the Glory of his Justice: if other Qualifications be withall added, which are also to be considered; where­of the next and third is, That there be a Forsaking of the Sin in Heart and in Act.

3. That Sin that shall be pardoned must be hated, must be left. He that covereth his Sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have Mercy, Prov. 28.13. While we love and cherish Sin, we bid defiance to God, and shew our selves Enemies to him, and therefore can expect no Favour from him: for he is not a God that hath pleasure in Wickedness, neither shall Evil dwell with him, saith the Psalmist, Psal. 5.4. For a man to say he is sorry for his Sin, (as often men do,) and yet to commit it customarily again, is indeed to belie himself. True Sorrow would make men fear­full and wary how they fall into that, for which they say they are sorry. Piscator ictus sapit: If they were sensible of the Evil of Sin, they would dread a Re­lapse into it. And besides, it is no better then a moc­king of God, to confess Sin, and pray him to forgive it, and yet to continue in the practice of it. It is all one as if thou shouldst beg of God to give thee a Licence [Page 141]or Dispensation to sin: as if thou shouldst tell him, thou hast sinned indeed, but thou hopest he will not be angry, though thou doe so again: as if thou shouldst ask of God, that he would make void his Law for thy sake; let thee live as if thou owedst no Subjection to him. It is to declare thy self a professed Rebell against him; to tell him, that he shall not rule over thee; and in effect to say, Depart from me, for I desire not the knowledge of thy ways. Much more evil is it, when men harden themselves against Reproof; hate him that deals plainly with them, because he shews them the Sin which they will not leave; are Enemies to him that tells them the Truth; hate him that rebu­keth in the Gate, and abhorre him that speaks uprightly, Amos 5.10. Such men are so far from obtaining Par­don, that they fall into Judas his Curse, of adding In­iquity to Iniquity, and never come into God's Righte­ousness, Psal. 69.27.

4. That Sin may be forgiven, the chiefest Qualifi­cation of all must not be omitted, Faith in the Lord Jesus; who though he knew no Sin, yet was made Sin for us, that we might be made the Righteousness of God in him, 2 Cor. 5.21. This is the tenour of the Gospel, (as Christ himself instructed his Apostles,) that Repen­tance and Remission of Sins should be preached in his Name among all Nations, Luk. 24.47. And according­ly S. Peter saith to Cornelius, Act. 10.43. To Christ give all the Prophets witness, that through his Name, whosoever believeth in him shall receive Remission of Sins. And S. Paul, Act. 13.38, 39. Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this Man is preached un­to you the Forgiveness of Sin: And by him all that be­lieve are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the Law of Moses. He was delivered for our Offences, and raised for our Justification, Rom. 4.25. [Page 142] Christ died for our Sins, according to the Scriptures, 1 Cor. 15.3. He was wounded for our Transgressions, he was bruised for our Iniquities: the Chastisement of our Peace was upon him, and with his Stripes we are healed. All we like Sheep have gone astray: we have turned every one to his own way, and the Lord hath laid on him the Iniqui­ty of us all, Isa. 53.5, 6. His own self bare our Sins in his own body on the Tree, 1 Pet. 2.24. These and many more places in Holy Scripture do evince, that it is by the Death of Christ that our Sins are remitted. And the Apostle, Heb. 10.12. tells us, that after he had offe­red one Sacrifice for Sins, he sate down for ever at the right hand of God: and, Heb. 9.24. that he is entred into heaven with his bloud, to appear for us in the pre­sence of God: and, Heb. 10.14. that by one Offering he hath for ever perfected them that are sanctified. And therefore they that reject that Sacrifice, and stick to the Law and its Priesthood, miss of Forgiveness of Sins. It is impossible now, without Faith in Christ, his Death, Resurrection, and Intercession at God's right Hand, to be free from Condemnation, and to obtain Forgiveness. But Faith is sufficient (without the Figment of the un­bloudy Propitiatory Sacrifice offered by a Priest in the Mass) to expiate Sin, and to obtain Remission. Who­soever therefore believes not that Christ is he that was to come, that doth not believe and trust to his Bloud and Intercession for Forgiveness with God, that trusts in the Sacrifice of the Mass, the Milk of the Virgin Ma­ry, the Mediation of Saints, or any other thing besides Christ's Death and Intercession, that man forfeits his in­terest in God's Pardoning Grace.

5. That Sin may be forgiven, there must be a Tur­ning to the Lord. Let the wicked forsake his ways, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return un­to the Lord, and he will have mercy on him; and to our [Page 143]God, for he will abundantly pardon, saith the Prophet Isa. (55.7.) Wherefore doth a living man complain, a man for the punishment of his Sins? saith Jeremy, Lament. 3.39. and directs him the best course, Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to the Lord, vers. 40. And that is to be done,

1. By humble Supplication; Ibid. v. 41. Let us lift up our heart with our hands unto God in the Heavens; by Praying for it, Matth. 6.12. by justifying God, condemning our selves; taking Shame to our selves, and acquitting God from all blame; deprecating his Severity, imploring his Mercy for his Son's sake, whom God sending in the likeness of sinfull flesh, hath condem­ned Sin in the flesh: and therefore there is no Condemna­tion to them that are in Christ Jesus, Rom. 8.1, 3.

2. But then must be added the second thing, where­in we turn to God, to wit, Newness of life: There is no Condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. Wash ye, make ye clean, put away the Evil of your doings from be­fore mine eyes, cease to doe evil, learn to doe well; seek Judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widows: and then, saith God, Come now, and let us reason together: Though your Sins be as Scarlet, they shall be as white as Snow; though they be red like Crimson, they shall be as Wooll, Isa. 1.16, 17, 18. It is not the plea of Innocency that prevails with God, but the earnest Supplication for Mercy: not the Tale of a vain-glorious Pharisee, but the feeling Prayer of a broken-hearted Publican, that obtains Forgiveness. Nor will he that hath escaped the Pollutions of the world through the knowledge of Christ be safe, if with the Dog he return to his vomit, and the Sow that was washed, to her wallowing in the mire. He that sins again, sins more dangerously: as he that falls into a Relapse is more de­sperately [Page 144]sick. New Obedience is necessary to assure the Forgiveness of old Sins.

6. There is yet another Qualification necessary to the Forgiveness of our own Sins, that we forgive other mens Sins against our selves. Our Saviour puts it in­to the Lord's Prayer, that we should profess to God our Forgiveness of them that are indebted to us, as a Rea­son why we expect Forgiveness of him when we pray him to forgive us. Yea he allows us not to ask Forgive­ness of God, but according as we forgive others. If you forgive men their Trespasses, your Heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if ye forgive not men their Trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your Trespas­ses, Matth. 6.14, 15. Yea, in the close of that Parable, Matth. 18.35. he tells us, that our heavenly Father will exact our Debts, cast us into Prison, deliver us to the Tormentours, if we from our hearts forgive not every one his Brother their Trespasses.

He that bears a Grudge, that reserves a purpose of Revenge in his breast, that saies he will forgive, but not forget, that passeth not an Act of Indemnity and Oblivion of his Brother's Injuries, doth but delude God, play the Hypocrite with him, when he prays the Lord's Prayer; shews himself to be unlike to God; of a venomous, Toad-like, Viper-like nature, malicious like Satan; and so doth the more provoke and enrage God against him, as being an unthankfull, virulent, Devillish Wretch, that deals so unworthily with him, and abuseth him to his face. And this ushers in the last thing I am to consider, to wit,

IV. Why there is Forgiveness with God.

Of many Reasons I shall name one or two, besides that in my Text.

1. From his Property of Mercifulness. He is very pitifull, and of tender Mercy, Jam. 5.11. He is not like [Page 145]a cruel Tyrant, that delights to destroy; but like a gracious King, that is glad to save.

It is for a Sicilian Tyrant, to invent Torments; or ra­ther for a Fiend of Hell, to rejoyce in doing hurt. I am the Lord which exercise Loving-kindness, Judgment and Righteousness in the Earth; for in these things I de­light, saith the Lord, Jer. 9.24. Who is a God like un­to thee, (saith the Prophet Micah, 7.18, 19.) that par­doneth Iniquity, and passeth by the Transgression of the remnant of his Heritage? he retaineth not his Anger for ever, because he delighteth in Mercy. He will turn again, he will have Compassion on us, he will subdue our Iniqui­ties: and thou wilt cast all their Sins into the depth of the Sea. And then the Prophet adds, vers. 20. that which is my Second Reason why God forgives,

2. Thou wilt perform the Truth to Jacob, and the Mer­cy to Abraham, which thou hast sworn unto our Fathers from the days of old. This is the Reason why he hath raised up a Horn of Salvation, and gives the knowledge of Salvation for or by the Remission of Sins: to perform the Mercy promised to our Fathers, and to remember his holy Covenant, the Oath which he sware to our Father Abraham, Luk. 1.69, 72, 73, 77. And for this Reason the Bloud of Christ is termed by himself, the bloud of the New Testament, which is shed for many for the Re­mission of Sins, Matth. 26.28. And the Covenant of God is alleged as witnessing the effect of Christ's Sacri­fice, wherein God said, Their Sins and Iniquities will I remember no more, Heb. 10.16, 17. For which rea­son S. John saith, that God is faithfull and just to for­give us our Sins, and to cleanse us from all Ʋnrighteous­ness, 1 Joh. 1.9. His Mercifull nature prompts him to forgive Sins; his Wisedom hath directed him to doe it [Page 146]by the Bloud of Christ; his Truth, to keep his Cove­nant: and the End is, that he may be feared. Which brings me to the Second Point in my Text.

II. OBSERVATION.

That God's Forgiveness engageth and encourageth men to fear him.

It is objected against the Jews, Jer. 5.23, 24. that they had a revolting and a rebellious Heart, because they said not in their hearts, Let us now fear the Lord our God, that giveth Rain, both the former and the latter in his season: he reserveth unto us the appointed weeks of the Harvest. Which evinceth this to be an Evil, That men fear not God notwithstanding his Providences to them for good: and therefore God's Care of us should engage us to fear him. And it is prophesied, that the Children of Israel shall return, and seek the Lord their God, and David their King, and shall fear the Lord and his Goodness in the latter days, Hos. 3.5. Which intimates, that God's Goodness is to be feared; and that it is both an engagement and encouragement to fear him, that he is good. O fear the Lord, ye his Saints: for there is no want to them that fear him, Psal. 34.9.

Now of all parts of his Goodness, this is the chief, his Forgiving Sins. It is that which shews the greatest Kindness and Condescension in God. Therefore when David blesseth God, he puts this in the first place; Bless the Lord, O my Soul, and forget not all his Bene­fits, Who forgiveth all thine Iniquities, Psal. 103.2, 3. And it is the greatest Blessing to us. Blessed is he whose Transgression is forgiven, and whose Sin is covered. Bles­sed is the man unto whom the Lord imputeth not Iniquity, Psal. 32.1, 2. This Favour then requires Fear in the [Page 147]greatest degree. Not a tormenting Fear, which con­sisteth not with Love, and which is expelled by Love, 1 Joh. 4.18. such as is in Devils, that fear and tremble, Jam. 2.19. but a dutifull Fear, which makes us wary how we offend God, and studious how to please him: makes us fear him, not as an Enemy or Tyrant, from whom we expect nothing but hard Usage and sore Tasks; but as a good Master, or a loving Father, whom we fear as our Superiour, that may punish us, yet love for his Goodness, Bounty, and Indulgence to us. This Fear is usually termed a filial or reverentiall Fear: which is manifested, 1. in our Worship of him with re­verence and godly fear, Heb. 12.28. where the Fear of God is put for his Worship, as Isa. 29.13. 2. in our Obedience to him, both active, in doing his Will, and passive, in submitting to his Correction. Now to this Fear God's Forgiveness engageth us,

1. Because such Forgiveness should and doth beget Love. To whom many Sins were forgiven, she loved much, saith Christ, Luk. 7.47. What Rebel is so hard­hearted, as not to love his Prince, that hath forgiven his manifold Treasons? We have been more treache­rous to God, and yet he forgives us; and shall we not then love him, and fear to offend him?

2. There is no greater Security can be given to draw our Hearts to God, then the Forgiveness of Sins. This is that Loving-kindness that draws us to God, Jer. 31.3. the Chords of a man, the Bands of Love, that tie us fast to God, Hos. 11.4. And therefore there is no more expedite, more rationall, more sure way to maintain perpetuall Amity between us and God, to devote us to his Service, to bring us into Communion with him, then the Preaching and Believing the rich Grace of the Gospel in the Remission of Sins by Je­sus Christ, according to the New Covenant in his [Page 148]Bloud. But I see the time will not permit me to en­large on this precious Subject: I shall now apply that which hath been said in some necessary Uses, and so end.

I. OBSERVATION.

That it is God's Remembrance of Sins, which is the reason of the Calamities that befall a people.

It is the Maxim of the Apostle, Rom. 6.23. That the Wages, or Stipend, of Sin is Death. Death and all the Evils tending to it were at first the adjudged Pay for Sin against God; and Sin is still the Egge out of which all the venomous brood of Mischiefs incident to man­kind are hatched. By one man Sin entred into the world, and Death by Sin: and so Death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned, Rom. 5.12. Adam opened the Floud-gate whereby a Deluge of all sorts of Mise­ries hath drowned the world.

But though his Sin were the Fountain of all Cala­mities: yet as Rivers swell by much Rain, and over­flowing cause particular Inundations of some places; so it is with Man by reason of Sin: besides the First man's Transgression, there is such an increase of Sin in his Posterity, that it provokes God sometimes to inflict such remarkable Plagues and Vengeance as are diffe­rent from the common Death of all men. The Unclean­ness and Cruelty of the Old world in Noah's days brought the universal Floud on the world of the Ʋngodly. The excessive Pride, Filthiness, Riot, Bestiality of the Sodomites, brought down on them from Heaven Fire and Brimstone, to consume them. The Oppressing of Israel, with the Hardness of Pharaoh's Heart, caused the drowning of him and his Army in the Red sea. Yea, the remarkable Sins of those who have been owned as God's own People, have caused particular Judgments. Achan's Sin made Israel fly before the Canaanites. Saul's Sin caused three years Famine. Hophni and Phineas, by their profaning the Offering of the Lord, brought on Eli's House the Loss of his Sons, the Loss of the Ark, and the Deprivation of his Posterity from the Priesthood. Yea, David's Sin, in numbring of the people, moved God to send a Plague on Israel, which swept away seventy thousand men. But when Manas­seh had filled Jerusalem with Witchcraft, Idolatry, Cru­elty, and added an obdurate Heart against God's Messen­gers, the Desolation by Nebuchadnezzar seized on them in a far greater measure. But worst of all, when the Jews killed the Lord Jesus, and their own Prophets, and persecuted the Apostles of Christ, not pleasing God, and being contrary to all men; forbidding the Apostles to speak to the Gentiles, that they might be saved, to fill up their Sins always: then Wrath came upon them to the uttermost, as S. Paul speaks, 1 Thess. 2.15, 16.

Yea, were there no words of Holy Scripture to in­form us, whence wasting Wars, Inundations of water, great Famines, consuming Pestilence, and other effects of Divine Vengeance come on a Nation: yet the Hi­stories of such people as knew not God, the Observa­tions of considerate men, the extorted or free Confes­sion of notorious Sinners in all Ages, were abundant evidence to inferrre, that it is God's Remembrance of Sin that is the Source of Calamities: it being usual for all sorts of Sinners, to accuse themselves, their own Consciences bearing witness against them, when Evils are upon them. Adonibezek could remember his Cruel­ty, when the Lex talionis took hold on him: Judg. 1.7. And Joseph's Brethren could then acknowledge that God had found out their Iniquity, when they were in Distress themselves: Gen. 42.21. and 44.16. Any re­markable Affliction, that is not ordinary and common, wrings out from guilty Consciences such expressions as that of the Widow of Sarepta, 1 King. 17.18. O thou man of God, art thou come to call my Sin to Remem­brance, and to slay my Son?

Consonant hereto are God's Declarations of himself. Isa. 59.1, 2. Behold, the Lord's Hand is not shortned, that it cannot save: neither is his Ear heavy, that it cannot hear. But your Iniquities have separated between you and your God: and your Sins have hid his Face from you. Perditio tua ex te, Israel: O Israel, thou hast destroyed thy self, Hos. 13.9. Your Iniquities have turned away these things, and your Sins have withholden good things from you, Jer. 5.25.

We may then thank our selves for all the Evils that come upon us: we must not cast them upon Destiny, Stars, or any other Cause, and leave out the principal Cause, which is the plague of our own hearts. God is nei­ther the Authour of Sin, nor the Punisher of Sin without [Page 159]cause. It is the Devil's property, to rejoyce in Evil: and therefore as he tempts to Sin, so he delights to tor­ment. It is otherwise with God: Afflictions are Opus alienum, his strange work. He doth not afflict willingly, nor grieve the children of men, To crush under his feet all the prisoners of the earth, Lament. 3.33, 34. Is God un­righteous, who taketh Vengeance? (I speak as a man:) God forbid; for then how shall God judge the world? saith the Apostle, Rom. 3.5, 6.

We deny not, that God might impose Sufferings on him that had no Sin of himself: He made his Son to be Sin for us, who knew no Sin, 2 Cor. 5.21. Job's Calami­ties came on him by God's Permission, though he were an upright man, one that feared God, and eschewed Evil, Job 1.8. that he might prove his Integrity by his great Patience. Of the Son who was born blind Christ saith, Joh. 9.3. Neither hath this man sinned, nor his Parents: that is, there was no special Sin committed by either of them, (as his Disciples deemed,) which was the imme­diate cause of his Blindness; but it came to pass, that the works of God should be made manifest in him. The Holy Martyrs suffered for Righteousness sake, and were therefore to count it all Joy when they fell into manifold Temptations.

But in such Evils as their Circumstances demonstrate to be from a more then common Hand of God, special­ly when they are publick and universal, as we are to acknowledge the Finger of God in them; so we are to discern them to be the fruit of our doings, and the work of our hands. The Scripture styles them God's Judg­ments; and we are sure (saith the Apostle, Rom. 2.2.) that the Judgment of God is according to truth against them that commit such things. And therefore, though we are not allowed to judge of the afflicted as greater Sinners then others, and point out them as the Causes [Page 160]of common Calamities; yet we are to judge our selves, and impute the Evil, what-ever it be, to our own Sins. Moses, the man of God, in the 109. Psalm, which was made in a time of great Mortality, (such as is now with us,) having said to God, vers. 7. We are consumed by thine Anger, and by thy Wrath we are troubled; addes, vers. 8. Thou hast set our Iniquities before thee, and our secret Sins in the light of thy countenance.

It is true, that all outward things happen alike to all; there is, in publick Calamities especially, one event to the Righteous and to the Wicked: No man knoweth love or hatred by all that is before him, Eccles. 9.1, 2. Yet even in these, and all other, that of the Prophet, Lament. 3.39, 40. is necessary for every person to mind: Wherefore doth a living man complain, a man for the pu­nishment of his Sins? Let us search and try our ways, and turn again unto the Lord. Though in this day of God's Visitation we may discern many common and o­pen Sins, the increase of which may be judged the Cause wherefore God brings this sore Scourge of the Pesti­lence, in such a manner, at such a time, in those places on which it lights, considering that God shoots not at Rovers, but at a certain Mark; (and so the conside­ration of the Practices of the Persons and Places may justly lead us to determine, that such Sins as have been by them and there committed are the Sins God puni­sheth, for instance, the Uncleanness, Riot, Profaneness, and other Sins committed among us, have brought down this Vengeance on our great City:) yet since there are particular Sins also with us, and there is never a one of us but hath his secret Sins, (perhaps our Securi­ty, putting far from us the Evil day, living in Ease and Pleasure, Unmercifulness, and Insensibleness of the Af­flictions of others, secret Atheism, Lukewarmness in Religion, leaving our first Love, Backsliding from our [Page 161]Profession, secret Hypocrisie, Formality without the Power of Godliness, which may cause Christ to spue us out of his mouth;) it is necessary that the best of us make a strict Enquiry into our own Bosome-sins, and resolve that God, by this his Judgment on others, calls our Sins to Remembrance, and presseth us to justifie him, and to betake our selves to his Mercy, as the Psalmist here, Let thy Mercy speedily prevent us. Which leads me to the

II. OBSERVATION.

That the Removing of the Calamities which are inflicted by God, when he remembers mens Sins, is the effect of God's tender Mercies.

So it is expresly said, Lament. 3.22, 23. It is of the Lord's Mercies that we are not consumed, because his Compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy Faithfulness. Vers. 32. Though he cause Grief, yet will he have Compassion according to the multitude of his Mercies. And hereto accord very many speeches of God concerning himself: That he is the Lord, the Lord God, mercifull and gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in Goodness and Truth, keeping Mercy for thousands, forgiving Iniquity, Transgression and Sin; as he says in his solemn Proclamation to Moses, Exod. 34.6, 7. Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth Ini­quity, and passeth by the Transgression of the Remnant of his Heritage? He retaineth not his Anger for ever, be­cause he delighteth in mercy, Mic. 7.18.

Hence it is that the Holy Writers, and all the Saints, do still celebrate his Mercies, as being tender, abundant, free, rejoycing against Judgment: and, to instance in no other, there is a whole Psalm, (136.) in which the close of every verse is this, For his Mercy endureth for [Page 162]ever. And this Mercy of his is the Reason of all those works of Goodness he doeth, as to the World in ge­neral, in causing his Sun to rise on the Just and Ʋnjust, and being kind to the Ʋnthankfull and to the Evil, Luk. 6.35. so as that his tender Mercies are over all his works, Psal. 145.9. so chiefly to his own people, all whose Deliverances and Benefits are made the fruits of his Mercy. Above all, the great Redemption in Christ, of which the Apostle thus speaks, Eph. 2.4, 5. God who is rich in Mercy, out of the great Love where­with he hath loved us, even when we were dead in Sins, hath quickned us together with Christ, is the effect of the highest, most transcendent and everlasting Mercy. Hence in all their Praises, the Godly remember his Mercies: as the Prophet Isa. (63.7.) I will mention the Loving-kindness of the Lord, and the Praises of the Lord, according to all that the Lord hath bestowed on us; and the great Goodness towards the house of Israel, which he hath bestowed on them, according to his Mer­cies, and according to the multitude of his Loving-kind­nesses.

In like manner, their Obsecrations are by the Mer­cies of God, Rom. 12.1. as of all things most dear to them: and their Prayers are still enforced by minding God of his Mercies. So in the Penitentiall Psalms: Psal. 6.2. Have Mercy upon me, O Lord, for I am weak; vers. 4. Return, O Lord, deliver my Soul, O save me for thy Mercy's sake; Psal. 51.1. Have Mercy upon me, O God, according to thy Loving-kindness: accor­ding to the multitude of thy tender Mercies, blot out my Transgressions; and so in the rest. There is scarce a Psalm of Petition, or Thanksgiving, or Narration of God's Acts, but there is some, if not frequent, men­tion of God's Mercy and tender Compassion, as the Source of all the Help his people have, and the [Page 163]Ground of their Hope for what they want. And the Reasons hereof are,

1. Because without God's Mercy there would be no Forgiveness of Sin, and without Forgiveness of Sin there would be no Deliverance from Evil. Where the Holy Scripture mentions Redemption from Evil, it ascribes it to the Forgiveness of Sin. The Redemption in Christ is in the Forgiveness of Sins, Eph. 1.7. For­giving of Sins and Healing Diseases are conjoyned Psal. 103.3. And Forgiving of Sins is derived from Mercy: He pardoneth Iniquity, because he delighteth in Mercy, Mich. 7.18. Of his own Mercy he saved us, Tit. 3.5. Therefore à primo ad ultimum, those follow one another; Redemption from Evil follows Forgiveness of Sins, and Forgiveness of Sins God's tender Mercies. And therefore it is God's tender Mercy that Evils are removed, as taking away the Cause, whereupon the Effect ceaseth.

2. But farther, All Influx of Good is from God's tender Mercy. There is nothing that doth or can make God a Debtor to any, but his tender Mercy. Man is a poor helpless thing of himself: the best of men, in their estate antecedent to God's Help, are more desti­tute of power to help themselves then the very Brutes; whether in respect of Naturals, or Spiritualls. As we are born into the world, we are, as God said of the Israelites, Ezek. 16.6. as a young Child exposed, pol­luted in our own bloud; without the Mercy of God teaching, strengthening, and providing for us, certain to perish. There is none eye that pities us, to doe us any good, without God. It is his Mercy that the Sun shineth on us, that the Air refresheth us, our Food nourisheth us, our Cloaths warm us; that we have Strength to act, Wisedom to direct us. It is his Mercy that our Parents take care of us, that our Friends com­fort [Page 164]us, our Enemies pity us, Devils are curbed from hurting us, Ministers preach to us the way of Life, the Holy Angels assist us, the Spirit of God guides us, and, which is the Mercy of Mercies, that the Son of God is given for us and to us, and with him all things: and so he crowns us with Loving-kindness and tender Mercies. In a word, all the Safety and Benefits we enjoy, which are innumerable, are Fruits springing from the tender Mercies of God as the Root. Mercy is the Principle which sets God on work to doe all the good he doeth. This is evidenced from the

III. OBSERVATION.

He makes the low Condition of Supplicants his Season of ministring Help.

This is acknowledged Psal. 136.23. Who remembred us in our low estate; for his Mercy endureth for ever. In another Psalm (107.) throughout, this way of God's Providence is exemplified in his dealing with Pil­grims, Prisoners, Captives, Diseased persons, Mariners, oppressed Subjects; to all which, and all other sorts of dejected and disconsolate persons, when their Case is deplorable, when they are destitute of all other Reme­dies, when all things are dark and cloudy about them, when they are reduced to extremities, and are at their wits end, God steps in, and by some way unthought of, unexpected, ministers seasonable supply, timely Suc­cour and Relief. The Scripture is full of Instances, in the case of Jacob, David, Jonah, Paul, and many others. Besides the famous Instances of old, of Rain sent to Antoninus his Army upon the Prayers of the Christi­ans; of Help to Constantine against Maxentius, to Theodosius against Eugenius: and of late, our own great Deliverances, from the Spanish Invasion in Eighty eight, [Page 165]of the King and Parliament from the Gunpowder-Trea­son; and, which is most apposite to the present state of things, the Deliverance of our Metropolis from the sweeping Pestilence in the memory of many of us. These and innumerable more Experiences (of which no considerate Christian that hath been at Death's door, or under Agony of Spirit, or in any other low Estate, wants Instances,) do abundantly prove this Truth, That Man's Extremity is God's Opportunity.

And the Reason is, Because then Mercy appears to be Mercy; God is then manifested to be what he is styled to be, the Father of Mercies, and the God of all Conso­lation, 2 Cor. 1.3. As the Devil then appears to be a Devil, when he takes advantage of our Weakness, to hurt us: so God appears to be God, by making our Infirmity the Reason of his Help. Thereby he en­courageth us to trust in him, engageth us to Thank­fulness, and to Obedience. That is the Harvest-time, when God reaps most Glory; and we carry home with Joy, after our Mourning, our Sheaves of Assurance of his Salvation. S. Paul therefore tells us, that in his Trouble in Asia, he was pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that he despaired even of life, had the sentence of death in himself, to this end, that he should not trust in himself, but in God which raiseth the dead: and then God delivered him from so great a death, and did still deliver him, and therefore he trusted that he would yet deliver him, 2 Cor. 1.8, 9, 10. Such seasonable Help in Extremities God would therefore have observed, and kept upon Record, and always ac­knowledged.

The Israelites were commanded to present their basket of First-fruits, and to make this Confession solemnly, Deut. 26.5, &c. A Syrian ready to perish was my Father, and he went down into Egypt, and sojourned [Page 166]there with a few, and became there a Nation, great, migh­ty, and populous. And the Egyptians evil intreated us, and afflicted us, and laid upon us hard Burthens. And when we cried unto the Lord God of our Fathers, the Lord heard our voice, and looked on our Affliction, and our Labour, and our Oppression, and brought us thence into this place. Such Providences of God he requires us to observe, that we may understand his Loving-kind­ness, Psal. 107.43. that we may be excited to cry unto the Lord in our Trouble, who delivereth us out of our Distress. Which brings us to the

IV. OBSERVATION.

That Bewailing of Sins, and humble and instant Sup­plication, are the proper and effectuall Remedies against the Calamities incumbent on God's people.

Hereunto we are directed Lament. 3.40, 41, 42. Let us search and try our ways, and turn again unto the Lord. Let us lift up our heart with our hands unto God in the Heavens. We have transgressed and have rebelled; thou hast not pardoned. Thus did David, when God sent a Plague on Israel, and swept away 700000, 1 Chron. 21.16, 17. He and the Elders of Israel, cloathed in Sackcloath, fell on their faces, confessed the Sin which was the Cause of it, prayed God to remove the Pesti­lence; and he was intreated of them. When there was a Plague upon Israel for their Murmuring, Aaron took Incense, and made an Atonement for the people: and he stood between the living and the dead; and the Plague was stayed, Num. 16.47, 48. At another time, when the Israelites provoked God to Anger with their Inventions, and the Plague brake in upon them, Phineas stood up, and executed Judgment, or prayed; and the Plague was stayed, Psal. 106.29, 30.

This Antidote hath in all Ages been found a Pre­servative against the Plague, and the most effectual Medicine to cure it. Physicians prescribe many good Receipts: and Magistrates doe well, to use all the best means they can to hinder the spreading of Infection: and justly are those destroyed as Pests of Mankind, who willingly infect the sound, or carelesly permit those things which may poison others. They that are un­mercifull to the Sick, suffering or causing them to pe­rish by their negligence and ill usage, are justly cen­sured as Promoters of the Contagion. But the truly Penitent, who confesseth and forsaketh his Sins, the importunate believing Petitioner at the Throne of Grace, the zealous and impartiall Magistrate, who exe­cuteth Judgment against those venomous Sins that provoke God to shoot his deadly Arrows against us, are the best and most prevalent Instruments to cure the Plague, and to restore Health in our dwellings. On the other side, the unchast, intemperate, unrighteous, covetous Worldlings; the Atheistical, proud, profane, the deceitful Hypocrites, that are impenitent, that confess not their Sins, nor forsake their evil ways; those that hang down their heads for a day, forbear a Meal or two, and perhaps come to hear, but are not affected with God's Hand, nor sensible of the Evil of their ways, that reform not their ungodly and unrighteous Life, that use other means to preserve them, but seek not to God in good earnest for Pardon of Sins, that appear here for company, but do not execute Justice, nor shew Mercy to others; These are so far from be­ing instrumentall to removing the Plague, that they rather cause the continuance and the increase of it: it being God's course, not to turn away his Anger, but to stretch out his Hand still in punishing, when people turn not to him that smiteth them, nor seek the Lord of hoasts, Isa. 9.12, 13.

I. OBSERVATION.

That the Gospel of Christ is the Voice of God.

It is the express Assertion of S. Peter, 1. Epist. 1.25. alluding to Isa. 40.8. But the Word of the Lord endu­reth for ever: and this is the Word which by the Gospel is preached unto you. Which is demonstratively confir­med,

1. By its own Evidence; in respect of which it is termed the Light of the glorious Gospel of Jesus Christ, who is the Image of God, 2 Cor. 4.4. It is not denied that it is the hidden Wisedom of God in a mystery, which none of the Princes of the world knew; yea it is such as eye hath not seen, ear hath not heard, nor hath it entred into the heart of man, without Revelation from him, it being not an humane Invention, but a Divine Contrivance: yet shining forth in the Preaching of it by Christ and his Ministers, it exhibits such a Light as can come from none but God. It is not like any Talmudicall Fable, or Popish Legend, or Poeticall Fiction, or witty Ro­mance, the Brats of mens Fancy, or subtile Composure: But it is for the matter of it sutable to God's Wisedom, Goodness, and Holiness; agreeable to the undoubted Oracles of God committed to the Jews; foretold and prefigured by the Prophecies of the Old Testament, and Shadows of the Law. Whence S. Peter tells us, 2 Pet. 1.16. We have not followed cunningly-devised Fables, when we made known unto you the Power and Coming of our Lord Jesus Christ; and vers. 19. that Christians had a more sure word of Prophecy, to which they were to take heed, as unto a Light that shineth in a dark place; adding, that the Evidence of the Gospell [Page 175]is as the Dawning of the Day, and the Arising of the Day­star in the Christians hearts.

2. And in truth, the Gospel appears to be such by its Effects. It doeth to the Heart what the Stars and the Sun do to the Eyes; it enlightens, it enlivens, it warms, it spirits the Heart. It doeth that which Natu­ral Reason could not doe, Philosophy could not attain to, the Law could not accomplish: It discovers our selves to our selves; the Being, Properties, Counsels of God to us. It turns the Heart from Sin, begets Men to God, fills the Soul with heavenly Comforts, strengthens and quickens the Spirit to doe the Will of God, and to suffer for his Name. It makes men to be of composed Spirits, and celestiall Conversation, beyond what either Stoicall Philosophy or Rabbinicall Dic­tates could raise men unto: to be more noble and he­roical then those renowned Worthies or Patriots, which either Greeks or Romans have admired and mag­nified.

3. And (which puts it out of all doubt to be Di­vine) it hath such Attestations as could be given by none but God. For besides what John the Baptist saw and heard at Christ's Baptism; besides what S. Peter and his Collegues testified, who were Eye-witnesses of his Majesty, when he received from God the Father Honour and Glory, when there came such a Voice to him from the excellent Glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased, 2 Pet. 1.17. besides all this, the Miracles which Christ and his Apostles did so convinced Nicode­mus, that he confessed, We know that thou art a Tea­cher come from God: for no man can doe these Miracles which thou doest, except God be with him, Joh. 3.2. And that I may not be infinite in this, (though of all Points it be of most concernment,) the Gift of the Spi­rit, the fulfilling of Prophecies delivered by Christ, the [Page 176]wonderous Success of the Gospell in converting the World, the direfull Judgments of God on the Oppo­sers and Persecuters of Christ, Christians, and the Go­spell, both Jews and Romans, do abundantly witness the Divine Originall of the Gospell of Christ, and that it is the Voice of God; which therefore is to be heard: and that is the

II. OBSERVATION.

That God's Voice is to be heard.

This not onely the Holy Scriptures tell us, but even the Light of Nature dictates. When Ehud told Eglon King of Moab, that he had a Message from God to him: he arose out of his Seat, Judg. 3.20. All Nations re­pair to the Oracles of their Gods, and take Counsel from them. When Cornelius was advertised that S. Peter was sent to him from God; with all submission and de­votion he attends him, telling him, We are all here present before God, to hear all things that are commanded thee of God, Act. 10.33.

And great Reason it should be so. He is a God of Truth, that neither can be deceived, nor deceive; and therefore it is of greatest advantage to us to hear him. Mens foolish Hearts hearken oftentimes to them that flatter them, that speak pleasing things; but it is to their Ruine. The Devil's Oracles are so ambiguous, so false, that they delude, they corrupt men to their Per­dition. But God's Voice, the Gospell of Christ, ne­ver misguides, never perverts, but leads men into all Truth, for their present Benefit, and their everlasting Happiness. Besides, God is a powerfull Lord, the one­ly Law-giver, who is able to save, and to destroy, Jam. 4.12. It is not safe to slight him: it is the onely way of Salvation to hearken to his Voice. We have so [Page 177]much wit, as, however we contemn our Inferiour's or Equall's words, yet not to neglect our Superiour's Com­mands or Counsells. Who is there that dares despise the Sayings of a Judge on the Bench? or of the King on his Throne? How obsequious in Attention, how regardfull in Observance of what such Potentates say to them, are all their Subjects? They are aware that they speak with authority; that they have Punishments and Rewards to accompany their Commands. It is much more so with God: He hath power of Life and Death, Heaven and Hell are at his disposall. And therefore it is necessary that his Voice should be heard, which is a glorious Voice, a mighty Voice; heard with the Heart as well as the Ear, with Subjection of Soul as well as Reverence of Body; and that without any demurr or delay, to day, as it is in my Text. Which brings us to the next or

III. OBSERVATION.

That the Gospell is to be heard to day.

By saying to day, the Holy Ghost (saith the Apostle) limits a certain Day in which the Voice of God is to be heard: which intimates, that there is a day, and but a day, fixt for this transaction. To day implies some­thing inclusivè, and something exclusivé. That which is included is the Opportunity, and the Duration: That which is excluded is the Night succeeding the Day, and all Duration after, even to Eternity. The Opportunity of hearing is, while the Gospel is prea­ched; while the Spirit moves upon our Hearts; while Christ stands at the door and knocks, that we may open the door, and he come in, and sup with us, and we with him. While the Ministers of Reconciliation, as Embas­sadours for Christ, as Workers together with God, beseech [Page 178]us that we receive not the Grace of God in vain, is the ac­cepted time, and the day of Salvation, 2 Cor. 6.1, 2.

It was Jerusalem's Day, the time of her Visitation, while Christ would have gathered them to him, as a Hen gathereth her Chickens under her wings. It was the Old World's Day, while the Spirit of God did strive with them, while Noah prepared the Ark, and was a Preacher of Righteousness to them.

The utmost extent is but during this present Life. Perhaps it may be shortned by our Obstinacy, by our Grieving the Spirit of God, which moves God to with­draw the tender of Reconciliation, and the Influx of his Spirit, and to leave us to the Blinding of the God of this world, and the Obduration of our own Hearts. The time after this Life is quite excluded in this busi­ness. I must work, saith Christ, (Joh. 9.4.) the works of him that sent me, while it is Day; (that is, while I am in this world, as he expresseth it vers. 5.) the Night cometh, when no man can work.

As in Sales by the Candle, he that bids not the price before the Candle goes out, buies nothing: so it is in this great Merchandise of the rich Pearl of the King­dome of Heaven; he that sells not all before his Light is extinguished, can never purchase the Inheritance. There is no knowledge, no wisedome, no operation to this end, in the Grave whither we goe. Neither Priests Masses, nor Monks Prayers, nor large Alms, nor continuall Obits, can buy Remission of Sins, or reco­ver a man from the Infernal place, or state of eternall Punishment, when once the Grave hath shut its mouth upon him. In the Grave there is no Remembrance of God to this effect; there is no Praise of him, or hearing of his Voice to Salvation: much less at the day of Judg­ment. When once the Master of the house is risen up, (saith our Saviour, Luk. 13.25, 27, 28.) and hath [Page 179]shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; and he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence you are; depart from me, all ye workers of Iniquity: there remains nothing but weeping and gnashing of teeth. If men slumber and sleep, and get not Oil in their Lamps and Vessels, no admission will be for them into the Wedding-chamber when the Bridegroom comes.

It will not consist with God's Majesty and Honour to be always waiting upon us to doe us good. He is long patient; but (Laesa Patientia fit Furor) his inju­red and abused Patience ends in Fury. If while God assigns a Day to hear his Voice, we make it a day of Pro­vocation, he will swear in his wrath we shall never enter into his Rest.

Besides, the longer we defer the accepting of God's Grace, the more we make our selves incapable of hear­kening to God's Voice. Custome in Sin hardens us therein. They that are used to doe Evil, hardly ever learn to doe well. Often Sinning makes Sin habitual, and that begets Hardness of Heart: this must be re­moved, if we will hear God's Voice; which I pro­pounded for the

IV. OBSERVATION.

That we may hear God's Voice to day, our Hearts must not be hardned.

The Heart, in Scripture acception, comprehends all the inward Intellectuall Faculties, the Understanding, Memory, Conscience, Will, and Affections, which must concur with the Ear in hearing God's Voice. Rom. 10.17. They that had never any Preaching could never hear God's Voice. And they that have admitted it into the Ear, without opening of the inner Door of the [Page 180]Heart, want the enjoyment of it. It was Lydia's hap­piness, that when she heard S. Paul, the Lord opened her Heart, that she attended unto the things which were spoken, Act. 16.14. They are unhappy to whom the Lord vouchsafes not the opening of the Ear to hear his Voice: but they are most unhappy, and accursed, to whose Ears the Voice of God comes, but their Hearts are not opened to receive it. No Curse more direfull then that which our Saviour saith was fulfilled in his Au­ditours: By hearing they heard, and did not understand; and seeing they did see, and not perceive. For this peo­ple's Heart is waxed gross, and their Ears are dull of hea­ring, and their Eyes have they closed; lest at any time they should see with their Eyes, and hear with their Ears, and should understand with their Heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them, Matth. 13.14, 15.

For this reason, as the absenting from hearing of God's Voice is a damnable Sin; (they that come not to hear with their Ears, shew their Contempt of God's Grace;) so much more damnable is the hardening of the Heart, whereby the Voice of God is wilfully kept out of the Understanding, Memory, Conscience, Will, Affections, so as it cannot be seated in them, nor they guided and ruled by it. Which thing comes to pass by the Deceit­fulness of Sin, as our Apostle tells us, Heb. 3.13. Love of any Sin, adherence to any Errour opposite to God's Voice, will harden the Heart, so as neither to admit the enlightning Brightness of it into the Eye of the Mind, nor the softning Virtue of it into the Will, to make it pliable. Pride and Self-dependence were two of the chief Causes of the Jews hardening their Hearts against the Voice of God in the Preaching of the Gospell by Christ and his Apostles. How can ye believe, (saith our Saviour, Joh. 5.44.) which receive honour one of ano­ther, and seek not the Honour which cometh from God [Page 181]onely? Rom. 10.3. They being ignorant of God's Righte­ousness, and going about to establish their own Righteous­ness, have not submitted themselves to the Righteousness of God, Rom. 10.3.

Thus at this day do Popish Justitiaries, who place their Righteousness in their own good Merits. All ig­norant people, who are wedded to vain Superstitions, harden their Hearts against the Voice of the Gospell, so as not to be humbled for Sin, as the penitent Publican, but to boast themselves, as the proud Pharisee. They receive not Christ joyfully, with sinfull Zacchaeus; but reject the offers of Grace, like those who judged them­selves unworthy of eternall life, Act. 13.46. In like manner, the Cares of this World, the Deceitfulness of Ri­ches, the Pleasures of this life, with other Lusts, choak the word of the Kingdome, so as that it becomes unfruitfull, Matth. 13.22. Luk. 8.14. Hence it is that worldly-minded men and voluptuous livers harden their Hearts against the Warnings of God's Word, slight the Tender of the Gospell, imploy their wits to discredit it, hearken to Seducers, which foment their Lusts, and pervert their Understanding. As redundance of Choler in the Stomach makes it cast up the best Meat as unsavoury: so where the Heart is filled with sinfull Lusts, or errone­ous Principles, they make the most precious Truths of the Gospell to be loathed and refused. Vicious minds expell holy Doctrines: and therefore till the Heart be softned, the Motions of God's Spirit will not be enter­tained.

I. OBSERVATION.

That God's dealing with Sinners according to the Gospel of Christ is out of his abundant Grace.

That abundant Grace which is here supposed is the same with that which he speaks of Rom. 5.20, 21. Moreover, the Law entred, that the Offence might abound: but where Sin abounded, Grace did much more abound: That as Sin hath reigned unto Death; even so might Grace reign through Righteousness unto eternal Life, by Jesus Christ our Lord. Which elsewhere, Ephes. 1.7. he terms the Riches of his Grace; In whom we have Redemption through his bloud, the forgiveness of Sins, according to the Riches of his Grace. And Eph. 2.4, 5, 7. God who is rich in Mercy, for his great Love wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead in Sins, hath quic­kened us together with Christ: That in the Ages to come he might shew the exceeding Riches of his Grace, in his Kindness towards us, through Christ Jesus. And Eph. 3.8. it is termed the unsearchable Riches of Christ.

All which Expressions are true, without an Excess of speech, if we consider either the State of mankind an­tecedent to the exhibition of this Grace; or the Ef­fects thereof, or the Means of exhibiting it.

For what more deplorable Condition (except that of Devils) could the World be in, then it was in before the exhibiting of the Divine Evangelical Grace of Christ to the sons of men? They had all sinned, and came short of the Glory of God: they were concluded, as Malefactours condemned, under Sin, under the Curse of [Page 188]the Law; dead in Trespasses and Sins: they were alienated from the Life that is in God; Enemies in their minds by wic­ked works; foolish, disobedient, serving divers Lusts, hate­full, and hating one another; children of Disobedience, of Darkness, who walked after the course of the Prince of the power of the Air: they were carried away after dumb I­dols; were Vassals of Satan, and children of Wrath by nature.

And yet even to such did the Loving-kindness of God towards Man appear, so as to reconcile the world unto himself, not imputing their Trespasses to them. He made him to be Sin for us, who knew no Sin; that we might be made his Righteousness in him: and committed the Mini­stry of Reconciliation to chosen Vessels, which might bear his Name to the Gentiles, and bring Light and Salvation to such persons.

It was no small Testimony of his Goodness, that (e­ven then when they were such, when they walked in their own ways) he gave them Rain from Heaven, and fruitfull seasons, filling their hearts with food and glad­ness; that he caused his Sun to shine upon such unjust people, as were both Jews and Gentiles. The former of which were degenerated from the Integrity of Abra­ham; and though claiming the privilege of his Children, yet in reality were of their Father the Devil, whose works they did; except a few names, that waited for the Consolation of Israel: the rest of them were a Generation of Vipers, full of Hypocrisie and Cruelty, Unpeaceable, Ambitious, seeking the Praise of men, not the Honour that cometh of God; such as would compass sea and land to make one Proselyte, and having wone him to them, made him twofold more the child of Hell then themselves. The other were filled with all Ʋnrighteousness, Fornica­tion, Wickedness, Covetousness, Maliciousness; full of En­vy, Murther, Debate, Deceit, Malignity; Whisperers, [Page 189]Backbiters, Haters of God, despightfull, proud, Boasters, Inventers of evil things, disobedient to Parents, without Ʋnderstanding, Covenant-breakers, without natural Af­fection, implacable, unmercifull, Rom. 1.29, 30, 31. Yet even such as these he washed, he sanctified, he justified in the Name of the Lord Jesus, and by his Spirit.

It might rather have been expected, that he should have repented that he had made them, and have executed his Wrath on them, as he did on the world of the un­godly in Noah's time, by a Deluge of water, to wash a­way from the Earth that Dunghill and filth of evil I­maginations and wicked Works that had polluted the whole Earth; or should have rained Fire and brimstone from Heaven, to burn up, and so to take away, those unclean Sodomites, those brutish Dogs and Swine which filled the World. He might justly have caused the Earth to open its mouth, and swallow up the Inha­bitants of the world, so as that they should go down quick into Hell, as it did the Families of Korah, Da­than, and Abiram. He might have sworn in his Wrath, (as he did concerning the Rebellious Israelites,) that they should never enter into his Rest. They and we in all Generations succeeding might have expected to suf­fer the Vengeance of eternal fire.

But O Altitudo, O the depth of the riches both of the Wisedom and Knowledge and Love of God! how un­searchable are his Judgments, and his ways past finding out? Even in this desperate State, when Iniquity was at the height, when the Sins of men were ripe, the Har­vest come to its full growth, when they lay weltring in their own bloud, he said unto such out-cast, helpless sons of Adam, Live: he hath swaddled, washed, nourished, decked, married to his Son such forlorn Creatures, done the greatest Good to the worst of men: he so lo­ved the World, that he gave his onely-begotten Son, that [Page 190]whosoever believeth on him, should not perish, but have Life eternal. Jesus Christ came into the world to save Sinners, (even the chiefest,) though it was foreseen, (which is next to be considered)

II. OBSERVATION.

That corrupt Hearts will be apt, upon this gracious dea­ling of God, to harden themselves by continuance in Sin.

The Apostle Jude in his Epistle, vers. 4. tells us of some ungodly men in his time, who turned the Grace of God into Lasciviousness. But it is an Abuse not peculiar to those onely; it is a Disease which is hereditary. How many are there who presume on God's Mercy, though they persist in their Impenitency? Is it not a fre­quent thing with many, that profane the Name of God by an hourly Abuse of it in vain Swearing, that spend a great part of their lives in Debauchery, so as to be­come more like Beasts then Men, to live more Pecu­dum, or more Ferarum, as Sensualists, rather then Reli­gious persons, as Devils, rather then Saints; yet to feed themselves with imaginations of God's Grace, as if God would be mercifull to such, Christ died for All, God would damn None? to bolster up themselves in Sin, deluding themselves with Conceits of Pardon, if at last Gasp they can but cry Peccavi, when they love their Sin as much as they did, and grieve onely that they cannot still commit it, or that God awards Hell to the Actours of it; and cry God mercy in a faint Miserere mei, God be mercifull to me, when they have neither acquaintance with his Promise, nor any lively sense of his Love in Christ?

How great a part of the sons of men expose them­selves to Temptations, and give way to sinfull Compli­ance in Errour or unrighteous Practices, out of a fond [Page 191]hope of future Repentance, and easie Pardon? Not onely notorious ungodly persons, who walk in the Stub­bornness of their heart, adding drunkenness to thirst, say in their heart, they shall have Peace, when God saith he will not spare them, Deut. 29.19. bless themselves, when God curseth them: but also others, who have a Form of Godliness, without the Power, shelter themselves from Wrath, upon a mistake of God's abundant Grace. Yea, somewhat of this Leaven is hidden even in Good mens Hearts, which is apt to sour their Spirits, to puff them up with high conceits of their Happiness and In­terest in God, so as to make them secure in some goings astray. Which is a foolish and pernicious Abuse of God's superabundant Grace, to be next considered.

III. OBSERVATION.

That it is a foolish Conceit, that we may securely conti­nue in Sin, and expect Favour from God, because of his superabundant Grace in Christ.

This is manifest, because it is a groundless and vain Presumption; there being no Promise or other Decla­ration of God which assures his Grace to such persons.

Promise of Pardon of Sin is made onely to the Peni­tent: Mercy to him that confesseth and forsaketh his Sin. Onely a working Faith, that is in Christ operative by Love, avails with God to the Justification of a Sinner. New Obedience is requisite to the Continuance of our Peace with God; a holy Life, to eternal Life.

We reade of David's Forgiveness, and we reade al­so of David's Confession: he acknowledgeth his Sin, before Nathan tells him, The Lord hath put away thy Sin. We reade of God's Mercy to Manasseh: but the same Story tells us of his humbling himself first. Saint Paul was saved, though the chief of Sinners; but not [Page 192]till he was converted, and thereby made a real Saint.

Were it so that Grace were bestowed on hardned Sin­ners, it would be in effect a cherishing of Rebellion. When a Prince pardons a Traitour, he will first have him an humble Supplicant, lay down his Weapons, and fall prostrate at his feet. Else he should maintain Enemies, not secure his Dominion: he should, in the event, de­stroy himself, by saving his Foe: such Pity to them would prove Cruelty to himself.

It is so in God's Royall Government. Should he shew himself facil and forward in bestowing his most bene­ficial Grace on open Sinners, that persist in their Pro­vocations, or on secret Hypocrites, that are false-hear­ted, he should, in stead of upholding his Kingdom, ru­ine it; in stead of gaining good Subjects, nourish Vi­pers in his bosome.

It is a Maxim with him in his Holy Polity, That when the Righteous turneth away from his Righteousness, and committeth Iniquity, his Righteousness that he hath done shall not be mentioned: in his Trespass that he hath trespas­sed and in his Sin that he hath sinned, in them shall he die, Ezek. 18.24. This is the way of God, which he counts, as it is indeed, most equall: it being altogether incon­gruous to God's Holiness to abett Evil. For that would foster such Conceits in men, as those were in him of whom God saith, Psal. 50.21. These things hast thou done, and I kept silence: thou thoughtest that I was alto­gether such an one as thy self. Then which there is no­thing more opposite to his pure Nature, nothing being more repugnant to him then Sin. Such Imputations therefore are the greatest Disparagements of God; the foulest Reproaches, the most hainous Injuries, the most monstrous Indignities that can be cast on the Divine Majesty: it being all one as to metamorphose him into a Devil.

All Sin is from the Devil; and therefore for God to bestow his Grace on him that continues in Sin, were to countenance the Devil's Actings, to breed up his Brats: in stead of destroying the works of the Devil, such In­dulgence would promote them. God should be an e­gregious Dissembler: he should in word forbid Sin, in deed command it: he should take to himself the name of a Righteous God, and act as the Authour of Sin: he should threaten Sinners as if he were in jest, not in earnest; give liberty and allowance to a dissembling Hypocrite to mock him to his face, while he makes a shew of honouring God, when he sues for his Grace, and yet in Heart derides the Word of the living God.

The Intention of God in exhibiting his surpassing Grace, is, to draw the Hearts of men by the Chords of love to him the more abundantly; that (as it is said of that woman, Luk. 7.47. that her Sins, which were many, were forgiven, for she loved much,) much Love might be the fruit of much Grace. Whereas the Continuance in Sin out of the fancy of superabundant Grace, is in­deed to abuse the Love of God to the increase of Ha­tred against him; Spider-like, to suck Poison out of that Flower which a Bee would convert to the swee­test Hony. In the end, this course is most pernicious to him that follows it; there being nothing that more alienates Affection from a person, then his abuse of Kindness. God's Love abused, turns to Rage: and none have God more incensed against them, then those that, having tasted of the good Gift of God, fall away into sinfull Courses; that are so unthankfull for so great a Favour as the offer of Reconciliation, the Sacrifice of Christ, the Invitation to his Supper, to the Marriage of the Son of God, as that they chuse rather to be at home with their Oxen and Wives and Farms, or to come without a Wedding-garment, then to accept of his Mo­tion, [Page 194]and accommodate themselves to his Kindness; that having had ten thousand Talents forgiven them, take their Brother by the throat for an hundred pence.

When men despise the Riches of God's Goodness, and Forbearance, and Long-suffering, not knowing that the Goodness of God leadeth them to Repentance; after their hardness and impenitent Hearts, they treasure up to them­selves Wrath against the day of Wrath, and revelation of the righteous Judgment of God, Rom. 2.4, 5.

I. OBSERVATION.

That the Lord doth not, in Punishing of his People, consume them.

This is equivalent to what God speaks in the Pro­phet Isaiah, (57.16.) I will not contend for ever, nei­ther will I be always wroth. And he gives this Reason, For the Spirit should fail before me, and the Soul which I have made.

It is true, the Devil is a roaring Lion, that goes about, seeking whom he may devour, 1 Pet. 5.8. He is the Apol­lyon, the Abaddon, the Thief that comes not to save, but to steal and to kill and to destroy, Joh. 10.10. because the Sheep are not his own. He made nothing, nor hath any Love to any thing; and therefore seeks not to help any, but to marre and doe mischief to all that God hath made. But the People of God are the work [Page 200]of his hands, and the Sheep of his Pasture, Psal. 100.3. and therefore he will have a desire to the work of his hands, Job 14.15. What is our work, we are loth to pull down. So God, doubtless, doth not delight, as Children, to make a house of Sticks, and then kick it down again. As he made Man after his own Image; so he is not easily induced to break him. He that ac­counts it an hainous Injury to himself, to curse Man with the Tongue, who is made after his Image, Jam. 3.9. and is so severe against what-ever shall destroy him, that it is his strict Determination, for Preservation of Man­kind after the Floud, that he will not let the killing of Man go unrevenged; but enacteth this Law among his Precepts to Noah, Gen. 9.5, 6. And surely your bloud of your Lives will I require: at the hand of every Beast will I require it, and at the hand of Man; at the hands of every man's Brother will I require the Life of man. Whoso sheddeth man's bloud, by man shall his bloud be shed: for in the Image of God made he man; He doubtless is so chary of Men, as not to consume them himself utterly, till Iniquity is grown so daring, as that there is no Remedy.

His own People, it is true, do sin and provoke God, and he often brings them low; yet he doth not make an utter end of them, because they are not onely his Creatures, as others, but also his Redeemed and Chosen people. Thus the Prophet Samuel told the Israelites, 1 Sam. 12.20, 22. Fear not, (ye have done all this Wickedness: yet turn not aside from following the Lord, but serve the Lord with all your heart:) For the Lord will not forsake his people for his great Name's sake, be­cause it hath pleased the Lord to make you his People.

That which a man hath purchased for himself, he will hardly let it be taken from him: with much more reluctancy will he cast it away. Though Michal had [Page 201]been given to another, and was defiled, yet David would have her again, 2 Sam. 3.13. because he had espoused her to him for an hundred Foreskins of the Philistines. How much less will God let go those whom he hath purchased by his Son's Bloud? He will not have him destroyed by our Meat, for whom Christ died, Rom. 14.15. If any, through the Watchman's failing to warn them, perish, their bloud will he require at the Watchman's hands, Ezek. 3.18. Which shews, that he hath a Fatherly Care of his own People, that they be not consumed. And though they provoke him, so as to cause his Anger to wax hot against them; yet in the midst of Judgment, he remembers Mercy. He chastiseth as a Father; doth not exterminate or ex­tirpate as an Enemy. If they break his Statutes, and keep not his Commandments; Then he will visit their Transgression with a Rod, and their Iniquity with Stripes. Nevertheless his Loving-kindness he will not utterly take from them, nor suffer his Faithfulness to fail, Psal. 89.31, 32, 33. Though he make a full end of all the Na­tions, yet he will not make a full end of them, but correct them in measure; yet will he not leave them wholly un­punished, Jer. 46.28. Wherein he manifests a mixture of Mercy and Justice. And therefore, in the next place,

II. OBSERVATION.

Holy persons ascribe not the Mitigation of God's ex­treme Severity in his Punishments to any promeriting Cause in themselves, but confess their own Sins deserve utter Consumption.

This was the acknowledgment of Ezra; Thou our God hast punished us less then our Iniquities deserve, Ezra 9.13. Though the Punishment of the Jews were [Page 202]exceeding great, insomuch that our Prophet, Lament. 4.6. compares it to the Punishment of the Sin of Sodom, and aggravates it, as secundùm quid, in some respect, greater then it: yet, to speak simply and absolutely, there was an ingredient of Mercy that did allay it, and therefore they acknowledge their Sins to have deserved greater Evils then they felt. Whence in all their Ad­dresses to God, they ascribe Righteousness to their Ma­ker, and take all the Blame of their Sufferings on them­selves. In the same Chapter, vers. 15. O Lord God of Is­rael, (saith Ezra,) thou art Righteous, for we remain yet escaped, as at this day. But most fully the Prophet Daniel, Chapter 9.11, 12, 13, 14. We have sinned a­gainst the Lord our God: And he hath confirmed the words which he spake against us, by bringing upon us a great Evil: for under the whole Heaven hath not been done as hath been done upon Jerusalem. Yet made we not our Prayer before the Lord our God, that we might turn from our Iniquities, and understand thy Truth. Therefore hath the Lord watched upon the Evil, and brought it upon us: for the Lord our God is Righteous in all his works which he doeth; for we obeyed not his voice. See also vers. 5, 6, &c. of the same Chapter.

And indeed such Acknowledgments are necessary, and are always made by those who are wise-hearted in all Generations: for the very best of Men or People can never acquit themselves from being guilty of such Iniquities as might justly expose them to greater Wrath then they feel. There is not a Just man upon earth that doeth good, and sinneth not, saith Solomon, Eccles. 7.20. Who can say, I have made my Heart clean, I am pure from my Sin? Prov. 20.9. Holy Job, of whom God testifieth, that he was his Servant, none like him in the Earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feared God, and eschewed Evil, Job 1.8. though he still avouched [Page 203]his Integrity; yet when he is to speak of his Afflicti­ons as they come from God, he is crest-fallen, lets down his Plumes, speaks in such forms as these: How should a man be just with God? If he will contend with him, he cannot answer him one of a thousand. If I justi­sie my self, mine own mouth shall condemn me: if I say, I am perfect, it shall also prove me perverse. If I wash my self with Snow-water, and make my hands never so clean: Yet shalt thou plunge me in the ditch, and mine own cloaths shall abhor me, Job 9.2, 3, 20, 30, 31. He makes no such plea for himself as the proud Pharisee, that trusted in himself that he was Righteous, and de­spised others: nor doth he out of meer Modesty speak thus of himself, but out of the sense of the verity thereof, he confesseth concerning all the Sons of Adam, Job 14.4. Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? not one. The Septuagint reads, vers. 5. No, though his life be but one day upon earth; and after them the Anci­ents, Though he be but Infans unius diei, an Infant of one day.

We reade of Hezekiah, Isa. 38.3. that he deprecated the Sentence of his Death in these words; Remember now, O Lord, I beseech thee, how I have walked before thee in truth, and with a perfect Heart, and have done that which is good in thy sight: Yet when the Sentence was reversed, he doth not ascribe it to his own desert, but, vers. 17. he thus speaks to God; Thou hast in love to my Soul delivered it from the Pit of corruption: for thou hast cast all my Sins behind thy back. He doth not, like a proud Pharisee, impute his Recovery to his own Righteousness; nor, like some boasting Frier, brag of his own Merits or Works of Supererogation: Such language of Self-justitiaries, such Conceits of men puf­fed up with arrogant Self-esteem, were far from him. He speaks like an humble Penitent, not like a vain [Page 204] Glorioso. He assigns as the cause of his Recovery, not his own Merit, but God's pardoning Mercy.

Nor can any People justly reckon their own Inno­cency as the cause of God's sparing them; but must (if they will speak truth) acknowledge they have de­served to be consumed. Though David, when the Pestilence was upon Israel, said, Lo, I have sinned, and I have done wickedly; but these Sheep what have they done? 2 Sam. 24.17. yet that there were Iniquities in the People which occasioned David's Sin, is plain from vers. 1. where it is said, that the Anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel.

The Churches of Christ in the Primitive times were the purest; yet S. Paul, 2 Cor. 12.20, 21. saith, he feared, lest when he came to Corinth he should not find them such as he would, and that he should be found unto them such as they would not: lest there be Debates, En­vyings, Wraths, Strifes, Backbitings, Whisperings, Swel­lings, Tumults: lest when he came again his God would humble him among them, and that he should bewail many which had sinned already, and had not repented of the Ʋncleanness which they had committed.

In Christ's Survey of the Seven Golden Candlesticks, the Seven Churches of Asia, though golden or pure by his Acceptance, yet he finds much drossy stuff, their Light but dim, and almost wasted, and ready to go out; such Imperfections, such Errours, such Decays, such Practices of evil savour, as were enough to move him to extinguish their Light quite, and to remove the Candlesticks, except they repented.

It is by reason of man's deceitfull Heart, that God finds, even in the best Men and Churches, sufficient matter against them to consume them: which yet he permits by his own just Decree and wise Counsel, that he may hide Pride from man, and none might glory in [Page 205]himself; but that his Mercies might the better be dis­cerned. Which leads us to the

III. OBSERVATION.

That there are Mercies and Compassions in God to­wards his People.

It is true, Mercy and Compassion, as they are in Man, are Perturbations, which do disquiet them: Compassion in them is a dolorous Passion, arising from some appearing Evil, that is destructive, or other­wise grievous, which happens to a man undeservedly. And it is occasioned by a sense of the common Condi­tion of men, and a possibility of the like Accident be­falling themselves; as Aristotle describes it in the Second Book of his Rhetorick.

But in God, who is without Body, Parts, or Passions, (as the First Article of the Church of England speaks,) there is no such Perturbation, no afflicting Affection: But Compassion in him is a sweet, calm, and gracious Inclination of his Will, whereby he hath regard to the Defects and Miseries of his Creature.

This Attribute is asserted by himself, in that most majestick Proclamation of his, when he shewed his Glo­ry, and made all his Goodness to pass before Moses, Exod. 33.18, 19. descended in a Cloud, passed by him, and pro­claimed the Name of the Lord, The Lord, the Lord God, Mereifull and Gracious, Long-suffering, and abundant in Goodness and Truth, Exod. 34.5, 6. The same hath been by many of the Holy Writers attested: it being the great engaging Property of God, whereby all his Creatures, chiefly his Elect, are eternally obliged to be his. Thus he is styled by the Psalmist, Psal. 116.5. Gracious is the Lord and Righteous, yea our God is Mercifull: by S. James, (5.11.) a God very pitifull, [Page 206]and of tender Mercies, or of much Bowels of Compassion: by S. Paul, the Father of mercies, and the God of all Consolation, 2 Cor. 1.3. rich in Mercy, Eph. 2.4. And therefore Mercy is most truly ascribed to him: so that as Christ said, There is none Good but one, that is, God, Mark 10.18. so we may say, There is none Mercifull or compassionate but one, that is, God; understanding it of the most intensive Degree, (quoad Affectum,) in respect of the disposition of his Will to help; and of the most extensive Latitude, (quoad Effectum,) in re­spect of the Effect and working of it; for so it is uni­versall. Psal. 145.9. The Lord is good to All, and his tender Mercies (in some kind) are over all his works. Thy Mercy, (O Lord) is in the Heavens, and thy Faith­fulness reacheth to the Clouds. Thy Righteousness is like the great Mountains; thy Judgments are a great Deep: O Lord, thou preservest Man and Beast, Psal. 36.5, 6. And Christ sets out the Mercifulness of God, in that he maketh his Sun to rise on the Evil and the Good, and sen­deth Rain on the Just and Ʋnjust, Matth. 5.45.

But his Mercies are most abundant to his own Peo­ple, chiefly to his Elect; who are therefore termed Vessells of Mercy, Rom. 9.23. on whom he bestows Mercies most freely. He saith to Moses, I will have Mercy on whom I will have Mercy; and I will have Com­passion on whom I will have Compassion, vers. 15. On them he bestows the sure Mercies of David, Isa. 55.3. Not by works of Righteousness which they have done, but according to his Mercy he saves them, by the washing of Regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost, Tit. 3.5. He keeps Mercy for thousands of them that love him, and keep his Commandments, Exod. 20.6. Yea, for their sakes he doth often shew Mercy to and spare those that are disobedient, in respect of outward Judgments. Thus Moses stood in the Gap, and turned away his Wrath from [Page 207]the Children of Israel. Phineas stood up, and executed Judgment, or prayed, and the Plague was stayed. Da­vid supplicated for Jerusalem, and the Angel of the Lord put up his Sword, and the Pestilence was stayed. Daniel prayed, and obtained the Return of the Jews from Captivity. And thus still God does to his Peo­ple, in the midst of Judgment he remembers Mercy. He doth not always chide, nor keep his Anger for ever, Psal. 103.9. He retaineth not his Anger for ever, be­cause he delighteth in Mercy, Mic. 7.18. And this brings us to the

IV. OBSERVATION.

That God's Mercies and Compassions fail not.

To this purpose is that the Lord saith Isa. 54.7, 8. For a small moment have I forsaken thee, but with great Mercies will I gather thee: In a little Wrath I hid my Face from thee for a moment; but with everlasting Kind­ness will I have Mercy on thee, saith the Lord. And in­deed the Mercies of God to his Elect are, as himself is, eternall. As they arise from himself; so are they of interminable duration, as himself is. His Electing Mercy was before the World was; his Redeeming Mercy, be­fore we were; his Calling and quickening Mercy, when we were dead in Sins and Trespasses; his Pardoning Mercy, when we have gone astray; his Confirming Mercy, when we are ready to slip; his Comforting Mercy, when we are ready to despair; his Raising Mercy, when we shall be returned to the Earth; his Sa­ving and advancing Mercy, when we shall stand in Judgment, and have no other Plea for our selves but his free Mercy, when Time shall be no more.

His Mercy therefore is indeficient, because it helps us when we are in the lowest Condition. We count [Page 208]him a sure Friend, who fails us not when we are at the lowest ebbe, in the greatest Streights, in the extremest Necessity. And thus doth God, who remembred us in our low estate; for his Mercy endureth for ever, Psalm 136.23. When our Pressure is great, so as that the E­nemy hath inclosed us, and we know not which way to escape, (as Pharaoh did the Israelites at the Red sea,) even then he redeemeth us from our Enemies; for his Mercy endureth for ever, vers. 24. Even then when we have none to help, he helps us. When he seeth his People's power gone, when there is none shut up or left, Deut. 32.36. when the Enemy is most insolent, the Danger greatest, our Hearts fail us, we despond and despair; when we say, Our way is hid from the Lord, and our Judgment passed over from our God; when we conclude that we are cast out of the sight of his eyes, and say with our Saviour, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? when in our own account we are free among the dead, like the slain that lie in the Grave, whom we think he remembers no more, but they are cut off from his hand: yet even then his Compassions fail not. They neither fail in their Duration, nor in their Constancy, nor in their Efficacy, nor in their Seasona­bleness: but when there is a Necessity, when it is for his People's greatest Advantage, they then appear ef­fectually.

Yea sometimes, when we are insensible of our Dan­ger; when we are disappointed of those Supports we relied on; when we are out of Hope; when perhaps we are secure, and know not how near our Affliction is; when the Judgment comes in a way that is not perceivable; as when the Arrow of God flieth by day, and the Pestilence walketh in darkness, and the Destruc­tion wasteth at noon-day: In these and all other cases, wherein there is no Help nor Deliverance but in and [Page 209]from God, yea when there is no reason to expect any, no not from God himself, yet even then his Compas­sions fail not, he comes in opportunely, and shews Mercy efficaciously. And therefore justly, in the next place,

V. OBSERVATION.

The Non-consumption of God's People, their Salvation, is ascribed by them to his indeficient Mercy onely, to his Compassions that fail not.

David thus begins one of his Psalms, (89.1, 2.) I will sing of the Mercies of the Lord for ever: with my mouth will I make known thy Faithfulness to all genera­tions. For I have said, Mercy shall be built up for ever: thy Faithfulness shalt thou establish in the very Heavens. And Psal. 117. he saith, O praise the Lord, all ye Na­tions; praise him, all ye People: for his mercifull Kind­ness is great towards us, and the Truth of the Lord endu­reth for ever. Praise ye the Lord. And the 136. Psal. throughout is one continued Invitation to give Thanks to God, for his Mercy endureth for ever, 26 times repea­ted. Consonant whereto is that of the Prophet Isa. (63.7.) I will mention the Loving-kindnesses of the Lord, and the Praises of the Lord, according to all that the Lord hath bestowed on us, and the great Goodness towards the house of Israel, which he hath bestowed on them, according to his Mercies, and according to the multitude of his Lo­ving-kindnesses.

In the New Testament, the Blessed Virgin Mary in her Magnificat sings thus; My Soul doth magnify the Lord, for that his Mercy is on them that fear him, from generation to generation. He hath holpen his servant Is­rael, in remembrance of his Mercy, Luk. 1.46, 50, 54. Zacharias, in his Benedictus, Blessed be the Lord God [Page 210]of Israel, for he hath visited and redeemed his people; to perform the Mercy promised to our Fathers, vers. 68, 72. John Baptist was to give knowledge of Salvation un­to his People, by the Remission of their Sins, through the tender Mercy of our God, vers. 77, 78.

In a word, this was the main in the holy Songs of the Ministers of the Temple, to give thanks to the Lord, because his Mercy endureth for ever, 1 Chron. 16.41. And in like manner Jehosaphat, when he had consulted with the people, appointed Singers unto the Lord, and that should praise the Beauty of Holiness, as they went out before the Army, and to say, Praise the Lord, for his mercy endureth for ever, 2 Chron. 20.21.

And the same Commemoration of God's Mercy is the practice and delight of them that have a Spirit of Holi­ness in all Generations. They write [Ex dono Dei] on all they have: they ascribe all they doe to Mercy: all their Prosperity, Victory, Success, they account as Mercies from God. When they cast up the Inventory of their Good things they have enjoyed, all that they possess, the Summe totall is, innumerable Mercies. How precious are thy thoughts unto me, O God? how great is the summe of them? If I should count them, they are more in number then the Sand, Psalm 139.17, 18.

The Law of Gratitude (then which none is more equal) ties every one to magnify God's Mercy. What hath any which he hath not received? 1 Cor. 4.7. And who can look upon his Receipts as due Wages, and not rather pure Alms? Who hath not received loads of Benefits from God, and all out of pure Mercy? Our Forming in the womb is a prime Mercy, our Birth, our Education, our Instruction, our Preservation, our Sal­vation. That I be not infinite in this Account, Our Life, Breath, and all our Ways, all our natural Parts [Page 211]and Abilities, all our Motions and Proceedings, all our Escapes from Dangers, from Sicknesses, from Death, and most of all from being a Prey to the Devil, and our Deliverance from Hell, are Evidences of transcendent Mercy in God, which all God's people are sensible of. And this leads us to the

VI. OBSERVATION.

That the apprehension of God's great Mercy encoura­geth his People to hope and wait on God for a Consumma­tion of their Welfare.

The greatness of God's Mercies encouraged David to cast himself into God's hand, rather then to fall into the hands of men, 2 Sam. 24.14. And Holy Daniel, in that effectual fervent Prayer, Dan. 9.8, 9. to ap­peal to God's Mercy; O Lord, to us belongeth Confusion of face, to our Kings, to our Princes, and to our Fathers, because we have sinned against thee: To the Lord our God belong Mercies and Forgivenesses, though we have rebelled against him. Vers. 18. We do not present our Supplications before thee for our Righteousnesses, but for thy great Mercies. Psalm 138.8. The Lord will perfect that which concerneth me. Thy Mercy, O Lord, endu­reth for ever: forsake not the works of thine own hands. Isa. 63.15. Look down from Heaven, and behold from the habitation of thy Holiness, and of thy Glory: where is thy Zeal and thy Strength, the sounding of thy Bowells and of thy Mercies towards me? are they restrained? Psal. 130.7. Let Israel hope in the Lord; for with the Lord there is Mercy, and with him is plenteous Re­demption.

Not one of all the Holy Saints in all the Bible hath ever dared to utter such Expressions to God or men, as if they could challenge the least Relief in Trouble, [Page 212]the least Abatement of Sufferings, much less eternall Life and Reward in Heaven, upon account of their own Merit, as Pharisaicall Self-Justitiaries have presu­med to doe. Holy Jacob, on the contrary, (Gen. 32.10.) tells God, I am not worthy of the least of all thy Mer­cies, and of all the Truth which thou hast shewed unto thy servant. And Nehemiah, when he allegeth his Ac­tings for God, Neh. 13.22. thus bespeaks him; Re­member me, O my God, concerning this also, and spare me according to the greatness of thy Mercy.

This is the Plea of all upright humble Souls; this is the Anchora sacra, the sure Anchour upon which their Spirits are stayed in all their Fluctuations; this is that Gale of wind which carries them on comfortably in all their Voiages. They have learned from the Psalmist, Psal. 33.18. Behold, the Eye of the Lord is upon them that fear him, and that hope in his Mercy: and therefore they say, vers. 22. Let thy Mercy, O Lord, be upon us, according as we hope in thee. They have found this Ad­dress to God always prosperous; and therefore they joyn with the Holy Prophet, in the words of my Text, and the two following verses, It is of the Lord's Mer­cies that we are not consumed, because his Compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy Faith­fulness. The Lord is my Portion, saith my Soul; there­fore will I hope in him.

OBSERVATION.

That God's Deliverance of our Souls or Lives from death, should engage us to perform our Vows made to God in our Danger, and to render Praises to him for our De­liverance.

This was David's practice in all his Dangers, to make Supplication to God in the time of his Distress; to make Vows to God for the enforcing of his Prayers; and then to perform his Vows, and praise his Deliverer, when he was escaped.

The 116. Psalm is very full to this purpose. There he tells us of his Danger, vers. 3. The Sorrows of Death compassed me, and the Pains of Hell gat hold upon me. In this Extremity he applies himself to his sacred Anchour, Then called I upon the Name of the Lord; O Lord, I be­seech thee, deliver my Soul, vers. 4. The Event is, he was brought low, and God helped him, vers. 6. he called upon the Lord, and he heard him. Therefore he bespeaks his Soul, Return unto thy Rest, O my Soul; for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee, vers. 7. Therefore he loves the Lord, consults what he may render to the Lord for all his Benefits towards him, chiefly for deli­vering his Soul from death: and he resolves to take the Cup of Salvation, and to call upon the Name of the Lord; to pay his Vows in the presence of all his people, vers. 13, 14. to offer the Sacrifice of Thanksgiving, vers. 17. to tell of all God's works with gladness, and to make others to be partakers of his Joy. He invites the Godly to hear the Narrative of God's Mercies towards him, Psal. 66.16. Come and hear, all ye that fear God, and I will declare what he hath done for my Soul. And in a word, He uses all the ways he can, to demonstrate his sense of God's Goodness to him, to keep a Memorial of his Loving-kindnesses, to affect others with his Ex­periments; that both he and all others (as much as in him lay) might be moved to pray unto, to trust in, to praise and obey God, as one that delivereth from death.

The like Instance we have Isa. 38. concerning He­zekiah. A Message was brought to him, that he should die: He betakes himself to Prayer, turns his face to­wards the Wall, and weeps: God hears his Prayer, sees his Tears, adds to his days fifteen years: Being re­covered, he writes an Hymn of Praise, sets out his Dan­ger and Deliverance, with his Resolution to praise God all his days in the most solemn manner he was able.

Even the Light of Nature taught the same to the Ma­riners, Jonah 1.16. All people whatsoever, that have acknowledged a God, have still ascribed their Delive­rances from Death to their God, and have still perfor­med their [...], or Thank-offerings, to their De­ities upon their Preservation. Nor was this done by them without great and just Reasons.

1. For first, Death is the chief of all Evils: it de­prives of all Good. Omnia appetunt Bonum, saith the Philosopher in the beginning of his Ethicks; It's na­tural to all to desire their own Good. Beasts will strug­gle much with the Slayer, before they will die. Skin for skin, and all that a man hath will he give for his Life. The most sickly, needy person, would fain preserve his Life. Death is most resisted, as the most terrible. Na­ture apprehends it as the Privation of all Good.

Even our Lord Christ would fain have had this Cup pass from him, and therefore in the days of his Flesh, he offered up Prayers and Supplications, with strong Crying and Tears, unto him that was able to save him from Death, Heb. 5.7. Though he had no Sin of his own to gall his Conscience, yet he had a natural sense of the Evil of Death, and earnestly desired Deliverance from it. The Being he had as a Man he so prized, that if his Father's Will had not engaged him to it, he would never have parted with it.

Life is sweet; it is a pleasant thing to behold the Sun: but there is Bitterness in Death, as the King of the A­malekites speaks, 1 Sam. 15.32. Many Circumstances make it indeed more bitter to some then others: yet to all it hath its exceeding Bitterness. O Death, (saith the Son of Sirach) how bitter is the Remembrance of thee to the man that liveth at rest in his possessions, unto the man that hath nothing to vex him, and that hath Prosperity in all things, yea unto him that is yet able to receive meat! Ecclus. 41.1.

I deny not but some, to avoid the fury of Tyrants, have killed themselves; yet not without fretting and indignation. Some to gain an immortal Name, and o­thers by Satanical Delusions or Philosophicall Charms, have of themselves embraced Death: but I cannot say they have done it without any Reluctancy at all; though to avoid a worse Evil, or obtain a better Good, (as they conceived,) they have parted with their Lives.

There were some Circumstances which might have made Death more bitter at this time to David, then it was to him when he fell asleep, and was gathered to his Fathers. To be killed in the Land of the Philistines, by the hands of the Uncircumcised, when he fled from Saul out of some distrust of God's Preservation in his own Country; to have died with the Disappointment of his hopes of being King of Israel, to which he was anointed by Samuel, and had God's Promise for it; had been a greater Grievance, then to die in his Bed, full of days, and in a good old age.

Violent Deaths and dying by pestilential Diseases are the more terrible, in regard a person is then deprived of all Help, Society, Conference with others; all shun him (even his nearest Relations) as an instrument of Death, when dying, he kills others with his Breath; his Plague-sore takes away the Life of his Child, whose Life he prizeth above his own; the Life of his Friend, yea his Wife, that is as his own Soul. These and many other such Concomitants of Death do make it more dreadfull to a man.

But there is yet something besides that makes it most terrible. The Consideration that Death is the Wages of Sin adds greater weight to the pressure of Death: for then Death becomes not onely the Burthen of the Bo­dy, but also of the Spirit. While the Back is whole, it [Page 223]will bear much: but when the Skin is flayed off, or the Shoulder-blade broken, then to have a Load laid on the Back, is intolerable. So it is in the case of Death: When there is Peace of Conscience, it is not so heavy news, but that Faith and a good Conscience can bear the tidings of it: but when Death is presented as the Fruit not onely of the first Sin of Man, but also of our own particular Sins, so as Conscience tells a man, My Excess in Drinking hath shortened my Life, I have hastened my Death by my Riot and Intemperance, by my Quarrelling, my Disloyalty, my Eagerness to get Wealth, by my Wilfulness and Rashness in venturing into infected houses, by a pragmatick humour in med­dling with that which did not concern me, by these and such like practices; Oh then how doth Death bite as a Serpent, and sting as an Adder! The Sting of Death is Sin, when it lies on the Conscience: it kills as a Scorpion; tortures as well as kills; makes a Fire in the bones; kindles Hell-fire in the Soul.

Especially when the Soul remembers how Sin hath been committed presumptuously with an high hand, a­gainst Instructions of Parents, Warnings of Friends, Admonitions of Preachers, Offers of Grace, Invitati­ons to Repentance: that all these have been slighted, and even the Gospel of Christ hath been neglected: that the Sin remains unpardoned: that after the first Death the second Death is expected, after Death Judg­ment follows, which ushers in Wrath and Vengeance.

When the Conscience of Unmercifulness, Neglect of the poor Members of Christ, wasting our Estate in Lux­ury, spending our precious Time in vanities, (which should have been employed in Prayer, and other ho­ly Exercises and Meditations, and in Self-examination,) flies in our Faces, frights us like the sight of Furies; when the thought of Christ's Coming to Judgment, of [Page 224]that dreadfull Sentence, Goe, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the Devill and his Angels, still runs in our mind; then is Death the King of Terrours.

The man not onely sings Adrian's Ditty, Animula, va­gula, blandula, Hospes Comésque Corporis, Quae nunc abibis in loca? but he roars out for the Disquietness of his Soul; and cries out with Cain, My Punishment, or Iniquity, is greater then I can bear. Then will he wish the Moun­tains and Rocks to fall on him, and hide him from the Face of him that sitteth upon the Throne, and from the Wrath of the Lamb: For the great day of his Wrath is come, and who is able to stand? Rev. 6.16, 17.

Now then Deliverance from Death must needs de­serve Praise and Thanksgiving: Deliverance from the greatest Evil should be received with the greatest Gra­titude. Deliverance from natural Death causeth Holy persons to bless God: but Deliverance from Sin, (the cause of Death,) from the Wrath to come, (eternal Death,) much more. This makes the Deliverance most compleat, and the Thankfulness should be most ample. To which is to be added,

2. That the Deliverance is by God: it is He that delivers the Soul from Death. Now what comes from God's hand is most acceptable to them that love God. A Deliverance from Death by a man doth ingage our Affections to him: we think our selves obliged to him while we live, who hath preserved our Life; especial­ly if he be a person of great Quality. To have our Lives saved by the King whom we had provoked, to be pardoned our Treason, exceedingly heightens our valuation of the Benefit.

There is much more cause to magnifie the Goodness of God, who saves his people from Death by pardo­ning of their Sins, by advancing them to Nearness with himself; who so saves from Death temporal, as to give [Page 225]Life eternal. Behold, saith Hezekiah, (Isa. 38.17.) for Peace, I had great Bitterness: but thou hast in love to my Soul delivered it from the Pit; for thou hast cast all my Sins behind thy back. The Forgiveness of Sins (which occasioned Death) is a greater Benefit then the pro­longing of Life: And then it is Happiness accumulated to the height, when there is not onely length of days on Earth, but eternal Life in Heaven conferred upon the saved.

Bless the Lord, O my Soul, saith David, (Psal. 103.1, 2, 3, 4.) and all that is within me, bless his holy Name. Bless the Lord, O my Soul, and forget not all his Benefits: Who forgiveth all thy Sins, and healeth all thy Diseases; Who redeemeth thy life from destruction, and crowneth thee with Loving-kindness and tender Mercies.

All which Mercies are the more joyfull to the belie­ving Soul, because they are not so much the fruit of our Prayers, as of God's free Grace in Christ. The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ so loved the World, the sinfull World, even when they were Enemies to him, that he gave his onely-begotten Son to death, even the death of the Cross, that whosoever believeth on him should not perish, but have everlasting Life.

This Deliverance from Death proceeding from God's special Love, that great Love wherewith he loved us, when we were dead in Trespasses and Sins, quickening us together with Christ, saving us by Grace, is that which makes it incomprehensibly welcome, and encou­rageth the Soul to expect farther Preservation; as Da­vid doth here: which brings me to the Second Part of my Text, now to be handled, viz.

II. David's Postulation; Wilt thou not deliver my Feet from falling?

The Expression seems to be expostulatory, but is to be conceived to include a Petition. He demands of [Page 226]God, Wilt thou not, &c? not as one that challenged it as his due desert, but as assured of the Continuance of God's Goodness. He deprehends in God a Fountain of Love, which is still running over, flowing down in far­ther Streams of saving Mercy.

We have an exact and ample Paraphrase upon the words of my Text in that passage, Psal. 36. from vers. 5. to the end, where, having set out the Wickedness of men, and his own Danger, he breaks forth in extolling God's Goodness, in an assurance of a constant Current of Mercies; and then is instant with God for the Conti­nuance of his Preservation.

This part of my Text is a most precious passage, of great Use for your Meditation in times of Danger by reason of Pestilence or War; and it shews this to be the customary practice of Holy persons, to gather Argu­ments of Assurance of future Help from God, from their experience of his former gracious Deliverances. So did David: 1 Sam. 17.37. when he was to fight wïth Goliah, he argued thus, The Lord that delivered me out of the Paw of the Lion and of the Bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine. And after him S. Paul, 2 Cor. 1.9, 10. We had the sentence of death in our selves, that we should not trust in our selves, but in God that raiseth the dead; Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust, that he will yet deliver. In his former Deliverance he per­ceived the Power of God, that he could deliver from Death: he deprehends his watchfulness over him, in the Continuance of his Deliverance, his Love to him and Care of him: which confirms him in the expecta­tion of farther Help for the future.

As they say all Vertues are concatenate in Prudence: so all Mercies are linked together in God's Love and Care of his Servants. And indeed so the Apostle in­ferrs, [Page 227] Rom. 8.32. He that spared not his own Son, but de­livered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? He that preserves our Lives, will keep our Feet. Thou hast delivered my Soul from Death: wilt thou not also deliver my Feet from falling? Surely thou wilt.

But then this Deliverance must be sought for at his hands; which is also implied in this Expression. When Christ cured the lame Cripple, he bade him take up his bed, and walk. God, when he saves our Life from death, expects that we should walk before him. Our Life is a Pilgrimage; we walk from one Stage of it to another: as the Sun runs its course, so doth Man. The Emanations of our Minds, the Actions of our Members, are our Steps. If we walk not uprightly, if we heed not what we think, what we speak, what we act, our Feet will quickly fall, first into Sin, and then into Mis­chief. The Psalmist, Psal. 73.2. tells us out of his ex­perience of himself, that his Feet were almost gone, his Steps had well-nigh slipt. He had stumbled at the Stum­bling-stone, to wit, the Prosperity of the Wicked: This begat Envy in him; and that drew him on to a kind of Affection to their ways, to a condemning of his own Course, and offending against the generation of God's Children. And had not God mercifully caught him when he was falling, by directing him to the Sanctuary of God, where he might see the End of the wicked, (that however they stood on smooth, yet they were but slippery places; they walked on Ice, which would suddenly break under them, and then they would sink for ever,) he had certainly perished. Therefore he re­covers himself, and applies himself to God, vers. 23, 24. and stays himself on the Manutenentia Divina; Thou hast holden me by my right hand: Thou wilt guide me with thy Counsel, and after receive me to Glory.

As for me, (saith he in another Psalm, 41.12.) thou upholdest me in mine Integrity, and settest me before thy face for ever. Faith in God's sustaining Grace is the onely sure Preservative against falling into Sin, and thereby into Misery. Thou wilt keep him in perfect Peace whose mind is stayed on thee, because he trusteth in thee, saith the Prophet Isa. (26.3.) He that trusteth in his own Heart is a fool: but whoso walketh wisely shall be delivered, saith Solomon, Prov. 28.26. He that leaneth on his own Free will, his own good Purposes, his own Reason, his own good Merits, shall be sure to fall. S. Peter, when he was confident of his own Strength, that he should die rather then deny his Master, (and was so venturous thereupon as to go into the High Priest's Palace,) was so affrighted with the words of a Maid, that he not onely denied him, but forswore him.

Israel, which followed after the Law of Righteousness, attained not to the Law of Righteousness. Wherefore? Because they sought it not by Faith, but as it were by the Works of the Law: for they stumbled at the Stumbling-stone, saith the Apostle, Rom. 9.31, 32.

We are like little Children, we love to be on our Feet, not knowing our own Weakness: and then we venture without God to guide and stay us, and so we fall and wound our selves. Our safest way is to distrust our selves, to work out our Salvation with fear and trem­bling; as knowing that it is God that worketh in us to will and to doe, of his good pleasure, Phil. 2.12, 13. And accordingly to betake our selves to him, as David did here, that he may keep our Feet from falling; having the same designed End that he had; that we may walk be­fore him in the light of the living. Which leads me to the Third Part of my Text, David's Aim in his Commemoration and Postulation: but time will not now permit the handling of it. Onely an Applicati­on [Page 229]of what hath been already spoken remains to be added.

OBSERVATION.

That a Godly man, when God delivers his Soul from Death, and his Feet from falling, aims at walking before God in the light of the living; as counting himself there­to engaged.

Indeed every Holy Christian counts his Life due to God. Rom. 14.7, 8. None of us (saith the Apostle) liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself: For whe­ther we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore or die, we are the Lord's. Every one that hath found God gracious to him, doeth as Enoch, Noah, Abraham, and all the Saints of old did, he walks before God, as coun­ting his Life onely Vitam vitalem, a Life indeed, while he imploys it for God: otherwise, while he lives with­out God in the world, he counts himself to live a live­less Life, to be dead while he lives.

Now walking before God may be understood either Materially, and so all men walk before God: (his Eye is upon them; he knows their down-sitting and their up­rising; he understandeth their Thoughts afar off; he com­passeth their path and their lying down, and is acquainted with all their ways. There is not a word in their Tongue but he knows it altogether, as it is Psal. 139.2, 3, 4.) or Formally and reciprocally, so as that God is eyed by us; his Omnipresence, Omniscience, Omnipotency, are apprehended and observed by us, as the Psalmist speaks, Psal. 16.8. I have set the Lord always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.

This may be done either Speculatively, so as to con­template his Being, to enquire after him, to have some Apprehensions of God: or Affectively, either so as to hate God, as the Devils and damned Spirits, that acknow­ledge God to be, but with trembling and horrour of Spirit, and against their wills, James 2.19. or so as to love God; If any love God, the same is known of him: or Practically, so as not onely to acknowledge him to be God, and to love him, but also relatively to own him as our God; as the Psalmist, Psal. 48.14. This God is our God for ever and ever; he will be our Guide unto death.

This Walking before God comprehends the constant ordering the frame of our Actions for God. A man is not said to walk, who makes but one Step: Walking imports a Continuation of Steps; and Walking before God, a Multiplication of Actions, and those in God's way; as they said, Mic. 4.2. He will teach us his ways, and we shall walk in his paths. For though all the ways of a man are before the eyes of the Lord, and he pondereth all his goings: yet he counts no Walking to be before him, but that which is in Holiness and Righteousness, as it is Luk. 1.75. There must be a removing from the opposite term, to wit, Satan. Some are already turned aside after Satan, saith the Apostle, 1 Tim. 5.15. Those cannot walk before God, that hold Intelligence with Satan. When Eve held Parley with the old Serpent, she departed from God: and so did Saul, when he went after the Witch of Endor.

And in like manner doe all that are conformed to this World, that are fashioned after their own Lusts, that adhere to their own Reason. Familiarity with Satan, Conformity to this World, Reasoning with flesh and bloud, are inconsistent with walking before God. There must be a turning from Darkness to Light, and from the power of Satan unto God, as the words are Act. 26.18. God must be the Terminus ad quem, he to whom we come, as it is Heb. 11.6. He that cometh unto God must believe that he is, and that he is a Rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

And this Walking is not, when we onely doe some Actions in God's way. A man is not said to walk be­fore God, that sometimes is in God's way, and then skips out of it again: such Going in and out is not Walking, but running counter; like the way of a Ser­pent upon a Stone, dancing, leaping, and frisking. Then a man is said to walk to a place or person, not when [Page 240]he doth make a Vagarie or two, but keeps on in an uniform, settled, even pace, hath his eye upon the Mark, and follows after it wittingly, willingly, con­stantly; when he doth, as the Apostle speaks, Phil. 3.16. go on gradually, orderly, by the same Rule that the Apostles and other Holy persons have heretofore gone by. A man cannot come to God per Saltum, by a Leap; but by a constant regular Course of actions, propoun­ding to himself God as the Object unto whom he directs his Actions, and his Motive for what he doeth.

And herein there must be two things especally eyed by us: to wit,

1. God's Sovereignty and Almightiness. I am the Almighty God, saith God to Abraham, Gen. 17.1. walk before me, and be thou perfect. The Fear and Re­verence of God as the Supreme Majesty, as he that is Maximus, the Greatest, should attract our Eyes and our Hearts towards him with Awfulness: as Subjects compose and order their Carriage with Awe and Re­spect to their Sovereign, because he is their Lord; attiring themselves sutable to his Dignity, so as not to disgrace him by their slovenly Habits. And thus the Apostle requires, that we should walk [...], Rom. 13.13. that is, in good fashion, decently or honestly, (as we would say, and our Translation reads it,) after the Court-fashion of Heaven. We should walk before God in white, like the heavenly Courtiers, cloathed with white Linen, fine and clean, which is the Righteousness of Saints, Rev. 19.8. that is, with holy Habits and Dis­positions of mind. They that walk before God must have clean Hands, and a pure Heart. He that hath not lift up his Soul to Vanity, nor sworn deceitfully, Psal. 24.4. enters into God's holy Hill. As Kings love Purity of heart, and grace in the lips, Prov. 22.11. so doth God much more. He is of purer Eyes then to behold Evil, [Page 241]he cannot look on Iniquity with any good liking. Such as be foolish shall not stand in his sight; he hateth all workers of Iniquity: he will destroy them that speak lea­sing, &c. Psal. 5.5, 6. No impure-spirited man that hath vain Imaginations of God, that fears him not, nei­ther is God in all his Thoughts, can stand before him. If Solomon would not permit any such about him, neither surely will God. Rectitude of Heart is the chief Requisite, when we appear before him. Blessed are the pure in Heart, saith our Saviour, (Matth. 5.8.) for they shall see God. As long as a man retains erroneous Opi­nions in the things of God, as long as vain Thoughts, fraudulent Designs, unrighteous Projects, evil Coun­sels, lodge in his Heart, and bear sway in his Actions, he cannot walk acceptably with God. As to Walking well bodily, the chief thing is the Locomotive faculty: so in Spiritual Walking before God, the main thing is, to be moved by a right Principle, a due Apprehension of God as he is Most high.

2. God must be set before us not onely as Maximus, but also as Optimus; not onely as the Greatest, but also as the Best; not onely as one that can punish us, but also as one that can and will reward us; as Best in him­self, and good to all that seek him. He that shall appre­hend it in vain to serve God, and that there is no profit in walking mournfully before the Lord of hoasts, that there is no profit in keeping his Ordinances, as those mentioned Mal. 3.14. will never walk pleasantly be­fore God. Such a Servant as looks upon God as a hard Master, that reaps where he doth not sow, and gathers where he did not strew, will shun God and his Service as much as may be; hide his Talent in a Napkin, ra­ther then imploy it to improvement for his Master. He that walks before God must walk [...], exactly, as the Apostle speaks Ephes. 5.15. circumspectly and [Page 242]diligently. As Courtiers that expect Benefits from their Prince, will be carefull to accommodate themselves to his Humour, diligent to prosecute his Business to the utmost of their skill and power: so is it with those that walk before God, they expect Preferment from him, and therefore are studious to answer his Expectation. And when they find God's Favour towards them, they prize it as their Life, Psal. 30.5. yea better then Life it self. As the Prince's Favour refresheth a Servant that attends on him; is as the Dew upon the tender Herbs, which makes them spring up fresh, and give a sweet Sa­vour: so the Favour of God makes his Servants walk diligently before him, with all readiness and alacrity doing his Will. So saith David, Psalm 26.3. Thy Lo­ving-kindness is before mine eyes; and I have walked in thy Truth.

And indeed this is the chief Encouragement to a man that walks before God, that he does all for a Prince that is not onely Deliciae generis humani, the Love and Delight of mankind, (as Titus Vespasian the Roman Emperour was styled;) but that he serves a God who is Love it self, Joh. 4.16. in whom there is not onely a River, but an Ocean of Love; not a Pond, but a Fountain of Love. All his ways are Love to his Holy ones. He loved them with an everlasting Love, and with Loving-kindness hath drawn them to him.

This was it that made David to aim at walking before God, because he had found God's Love to him, in de­livering his Soul from Death, and his Feet from falling. Thus God encouraged Abraham to walk before him, because he had assured him that he was his Shield and exceeding great Reward, Gen. 15.1. It is good for me to draw nigh unto God, saith the Psalmist, Psal. 73.28.

But above all the Manifestations of God's Love, that which is the grand Motive to encourage our walking [Page 243]before God, is, that there is now a new and living Way whereby we may draw nigh to God, even through the Veil of his Son's Flesh. That now the Enmity betwixt us and God, caused by Adam's Sin, and Satan's project to alienate Men from God, is taken away. That now there is on Earth Peace, and Good will towards men. That now the Son of God is made the Way, the Truth, and the Life, whereby we may come to the Father. That now we are assured, that, however it be that we travel through a Wilderness, through a dry and barren Land, where we meet with fiery Serpents and many Wants; yet we have Manna from Heaven to feed on, and we drink of the Rock, which Rock is Christ; Spi­ritual Meat, and Spiritual Drink. That as the Serpent was lifted up upon the Pole, so the Son of man was lifted up; that whosoever believeth on him should not perish, but have everlasting life. That now we have the Cloud by day to shade and guide us, and the Pillar of fire by night to direct us: we have not the Shadows of the Law, but the clear Light of the Gospel, to inlighten us with the Light of Heaven. That we have the Spi­rit from on high given us, to be a Spirit of Inlight­ning; a Spirit of Regeneration, to beget us again; a Spirit of Life, to quicken us, and make us new Crea­tures in Christ; a Spirit to comfort and refresh us; a Spirit to intercede for us. And that (which is the up­shot of all) there is a Rest which remains for the people of God; not in an earthly Canaan, but in the Heavenly Jerusalem, where we shall rest in Abraham's Bosom, in the presence of the Holy Angels and glorified Saints; in the Arms of our Husband, who hath espoused us to himself by the greatest demonstration of Love, having purified us to himself by his Bloud, and joyned us to himself by his own Spirit. That we shall behold the Face of our Father which is in Heaven, in whom is all [Page 244]Beauty, all Worth, and all Love: everlasting Joy shall be upon our heads, and Sorrow and Misery shall fly away: we shall be Kings and Priests unto God our Father, and that for ever. So that it will be abundant Recom­pence to us, that we have walked before God in the light of the living, if, although it be through many Tribulations, yet we at last enter into the Kingdom of Heaven.

Now to the end we may walk before God,

1. It will be necessary, that we inquire into and ob­serve the Ways and Places wherein God walks, and where he delights to meet with us. The Church in Isa. 64.5. thus speaks to God, Thou meetest him that rejoyceth and worketh Righteousness, those that remember thee in thy Ways.

There are indeed Ways of God that are unsearchable, and Paths past finding out. The ways of God's Electi­on and Reprobation are secret things, belonging to the Lord our God, and cannot be found out by us, but onely à posteriori, by observing how he works in our own Hearts; and thus far onely we are to observe them, so as to give all diligence to make our Calling and Election sure; that by doing such things as may improve the Work of God's Spirit in our Hearts, we may never fall.

The Works of God's Providence in the World, and his Works of Creation, we are to inquire into, that we may admire and magnifie him that maketh all. But his Ways of Judgment we are to observe, and his Ways of Precept and Promise. We are to take notice of his Corrections, when we go astray; of his Mercy and Truth, when we walk uprightly: how he meets us with a Rod in his hand, when we wander out of his Paths; with Embraces, with refreshing Provision, when we walk uprightly before him. This was Da­vid's [Page 245]practice, (as he tells us Psal. 18.21, 22, 23.) I have kept, saith he, the Ways of the Lord, and have not wickedly departed from my God. For all his Judgments were before me, and I did not put away his Statutes from me. I was also upright before him, and kept my self from mine Iniquity.

2. As we are to observe God's Ways, so we are to prepare our own Ways before him: (as it is said of Jo­tham, 2 Chron. 27.6.) As he that is to walk with ano­ther, must provide all things in readiness, that he may keep him company: so must he that would walk with God; he must awake, and stand up from the dead; (as the Apostle speaks, Eph. 5.14.) awake to Righteousness, 1 Cor. 15.34. He is not fit to walk with another, that is drowzy and loves to slumber: so the person that will walk before God must be wakefull, listning to God's Call, ready when he shall send for him and re­quire his attendance; he must be attentive to all the Motions of his Spirit; be prepared to go with God whithersoever he will have him. Thus it was with A­braham, Heb. 11.8. By Faith, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an Inhe­ritance, he obeyed, and went out, not knowing whither he went. He that will walk before God, must not sit down in that place and state in which he is, and say with the Rich man, Luk. 12.19. Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry; but must count himself, as Abraham did, a Pilgrim and Sojourner upon Earth: he must not take this Earth to be his resting-place, but go after Christ, bearing his reproach: he must learn to deny him­self, and take up his Cross, and so follow him.

A Heart that thinks of nothing but how he may in­joy the Good things of this Life, that is so minded as Peter was in the Mount, that thinks it is good to be here, [Page 246]and cries, Let us build us Tabernacles below, is not fit to walk with God. He that will walk with God must follow him fully: (as it is said of Caleb, Num. 14.24. that he had another Spirit then the rest of the Spies, and followed God fully.) What way God will have us to take, that we must take: where he will have us to be, there we must be contented to be: what estate his Providence shall allot to us, that we must embrace: what he will have us to doe, we must be willing to doe. We must not imagine that we are to walk before God as our Equall, our Fellow, but as our Lord and Master; and accordingly must be attentive to what he saith to us, and be ready to submit to his Pleasure.

3. To right Walking before God, it is necessary that we should get the Staff of Faith in our hand. It was that which enabled Abraham to walk with God, and Noah, and Enoch, and all the Saints. He that will walk before God, must not onely believe that God is, but also that he is near unto, and a Rewarder of them that diligently seek him, Heb. 11.6. He must apprehend God with him, while his Heart is towards God. For indeed, nothing will animate us to walk with God, but the assurance we have that God will be with us, while we be with him; that if we seek him, he will be found of us; if we forsake him, he will forsake us: as the Pro­phet told Asa, 2 Chron. 15.2. As many as mean to walk with God must hold fast this Staff of Faith, to stay themselves in Precipices and slippery places, to remove what would cast them down, to support them when they grow feeble and faint, to clear themselves of all Incumbrances that may clog them in their going, to beat down all Assaults; in a word, to stay their Minds so, as that by no Inveiglements or Difficulties they may be put out of their way.

4. He that will walk before the Lord must have [Page 247]low thoughts of himself; as Abraham, Gen. 18.27. I have begun to speak unto my Lord, who am but Dust and Ashes. He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good: and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to doe justly, and to love Mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God? Mic. 6.8. It is an humble Heart onely that is fit for God's Company. As he is not fit to wait on a Prince, that is of a sawcy and malapert Disposition, that thinks as well of himself as of his Master, that will take upon him to controll him, that is proud and stubborn, not flexible and pliable, that will not stand bare, observe the Ceremonies of his Court, give him his due Titles, nor perform those Rites and Observances which belong to his Highness: So neither is he fitted to walk with God, who is not of a lowly submissive spirit; who is not ready to stoop to God, to perform his Worship, to give him that Honour and Glory which belongs to him; who will glory in himself, and not magnifie his Lord.

To walk in the Name of the Lord (Mic. 4.6.) is to worship him: and that is done by low Thoughts of our selves, and high Thoughts of God. He that walks wisely, will chuse low ground to walk on: And he that places himself in Imo suo, in his low Condition, is fittest to exalt God in ipsius Summitatem, into his Height. Though the Lord be high, yet he hath respect unto the lowly: but he beholdeth the proud afar off, Psal. 138.6. he will not have him in his company.

5. He that walks before God must be of a pleasing Disposition: as the Apostle speaks elegantly, Col. 1.10. when he prays for the Colossians, that they may walk worthy of the Lord, unto all pleasing. Indeed I told you before, walking with God is pleasing God: this is the main thing requisite to our Converse with God, that we have a care to avoid what is offensive to him; as Jo­seph had, when he said, How shall I doe this great Wicked­ness, and sin against God?

He that will please God must imitate God. We must be Followers of God, as dear Children; and walk in love, as he loved us, Eph. 5.1, 2. He that will walk with God must not be of a quarrelling, wrangling, but a peaceable Disposition. God will not brook him to be with him that persecutes his Fellow-servants, that molests his Children, that is not loving and kind to them that honour him. No man can walk with God, that loves not them that are born of God.

6. He that walks before God must affect the Life of God, that is, an heavenly, holy Conversation: he must not be estranged from the Life that is in God, through the ignorance that is in him, and the hardness of his Heart; as those Gentiles that did walk in the Vanity of their Mind, having their Ʋnderstanding darkened, Eph. 4.17, 18. He must be as an obedient Child, not fashioning himself according to the former Lusts, in his Ignorance: but as he which hath called him is holy, so must he be holy in all manner of Conversation; because it is written, Be ye holy, as I am holy, 1 Pet. 1.14, 15, 16. He must walk with Wisedom in the sight of the Lord; not as a rude Clown, but as a Courtier of Heaven. If we say that we have Fellowship with God, and walk in Darkness, we lie, and doe not the Truth: But if we walk in the Light, as he is in the Light, we have fellowship one with another, 1 Joh. 1.6, 7. Our Conversation must be in Heaven; we must seek the things that are above, the Kingdom of God and his Righteousness; we must speak the Language of Heaven, expect all our Good from Heaven, follow the Imployment of Heaven, doe the Will of our Father which is in Heaven. We must sanctifie and extoll his Name, as the Angels doe, if we expect to be like them hereafter: we must so doe here, in the light of the living, as they doe in Heaven, in the Presence of God.

I. OBSERVATION.

That God's Precepts are the Godly man's Meditation.

In the first Psalm (vers. 2.) it is said of David's Blessed man, that his Delight is in the Law of the Lord, and in his Law doth he meditate day and night: by which the Constancy of his Meditation is expressed. Which is not so to be understood, as if no other Act were to be done but that; that there was to be no In­termission of actuall Reading or Thinking on the words or matter of God's Law: for then all minding and in­tending other Business and other Duties, whether Sa­cred or Civill, yea the due use of Recreation by eating and drinking, sleep, and other Refections of the body, (which God allows, yea commands,) should be sin­full. But as we interpret other like Passages concer­ning continual Praying, (against the Dotage of Euchites or Messalians of old, who, as the Monkish Fraterni­ties since, thought they were to doe nothing but pray; Shall not God avenge his own Elect, which cry day and night unto him? Luke 18.7. Without ceasing I have remembrance of thee in my Prayers night and day, 2 Tim. 1.3.) of a constant course of doing this Duty when o­ther Duties, Offices and Necessities permit: So in this Meditating of David in God's Law, we are to conceive he resolves so to doe it, as not to omit it out of Slothfulness, or sinfull Avocation; not out of averseness of Heart to desist from it: but as often and as much as Opportunity, Divine Providence, and the Use of it, did permit and require, he would be occupied therein.

Concerning which profitable Exercise of Medita­tion, many Directions might be given in respect of the Acts, Degree, Manner, End and Use thereof.

As God appointed the King of Israel, when he sate on the Throne of his Kingdome, that he should write him a Copy of God's Law in a Book, out of that which was before the Priests, the Levites, and that it should be with him, and that he should reade therein all the days of his life; [Page 254]that he might learn to fear the Lord his God, to keep all the words of the Law and the Statutes to doe them, Deut. 17.18, 19. So he injoyned the rest of the People, that the words which he commanded should be in the Heart of the whole People of Israel; and that they should teach them diligently unto their Children, and should talk of them when they sate in their houses, and when they walked by the way, and when they lay down, and when they rose up, Deut. 6.6, 7. Which brings us to the

II. OBSERVATION.

That God's Precepts are to be the matter of a Godly man's Talk.

Yea, God commands that they should bind them for a Sign upon their Hand, and that they should be as Front­lets between their Eyes, and that they should write them upon the Posts of their houses, and on their Gates, Deut. 6.8, 9.

And that this Precept was not confined to the Five Books of Moses, but that it exended to the rest of the Holy Scriptures, that which is said of Timothy, (2 Tim. 3.15. that from a child he had known the Holy Scrip­tures, which were able to make him wise unto Salvation) doth evince. It is also manifest, that the people of the Jews (as they do to this day) did conceive themselves bound by God, old and young, of all Sexes and Ranks, to exercise themselves in reading and meditating on the Holy Scriptures, which God vouchsafed to them in all the Books that were by any of the Prophets delive­red to them. To which accords that of the Apostle, 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.

It is then evident, that it was God's Institution and [Page 255]Design, in vouchsafing to communicate to the sons of men the great Treasure of his Oracles, that they should busy their Minds and Members about them.

Nor is this sufficient, that they have them in their Houses: or that the Grandees of the Earth for Parts and Learning, the Clergy, Priests, and Religious Votaries, do reade or study them; while the Laiety, or simpler sort, do onely by an implicit Faith rely on their Ru­lers or Rabbins; as heretofore the Judaicall Pharisees, and at this day their Successours, the Popish Clergy, craftily and deceitfully insinuate into peoples minds. But as God hath promised to write his Laws in their hearts, and put them in their minds; that they shall all know him, from the least to the greatest: so it is the Duty and Property of all that expect Mercy and Fa­vour from God, to imploy their own Eyes to reade, and their own Ears to hear, what God hath vouchsafed to impart of his Mind, in them, to the sons of men. And not onely so, but also to search into the Sacred Scrip­tures, as our Lord requires, Joh. 5.39. to seek after the Wisedom therein as for Silver, and search for it as for hidden Treasure, Prov. 2.4. and when any Doc­trine is taught as from God, to doe as it is said of the Beroeans, Act. 17.11. who searched the Scriptures daily, whether the things S. Paul preached were so or no; and withall, speaking the truth in love, to edify one another by communicating what they have found and learned.

And indeed the Law of Gratitude binds us to medi­tate on God's Precepts, it being one of the greatest Favours from God to Men, that he is pleased to reveal his Will to them. Among the many Mercies for which the Psalmist extolls God's Goodness, after the Comme­moration of his Providence in his ordering Peace and Plenty, he concludes thus, Psal. 147.19, 20. He shew­eth his Word unto Jacob, his Statutes and his Judgments [Page 256]unto Israel. He hath not dealt so with any Nation; and as for his Judgments they have not known them. Praise ye the Lord. Which plainly intimates this to have been the top or chief of his Goodness to Israel, not that he seated them in a Land flowing with Milk and Honey, which was the glory of other Lands, Ezek. 20.6. but that he revealed his Counsells to them, whereby he ad­vanced them above all the people of the Earth; as Mo­ses tells them, Deut. 4.8. What Nation is there so great, that hath Statutes and Judgments so righteous, as all this Law which I set before you this day?

It would therefore be an high Provocation of God to Anger, so far to neglect the great Favour he hath shew­ed in giving us such Holy Precepts and beneficial Reve­lations of his Counsell, as not to make them our Study, not to consider the Usefulness of them, not to observe our Concernments in them, not to set forth to his Praise his gracious dealing in his notification of them to us.

But besides, as it is an extreme Neglect of God not to meditate on his Precepts: so it is a most injurious Neglect of our selves and our own Good, to take our selves off from the Contemplation of them. For there­by men deprive themselves of that means, which might make them wiser then those who neglect them, or im­ploy their minds on any enquiry after Wisedom with­out them. Which it were easy to demonstrate, by comparing the Wisedom that may be got by them, with the Wisedom of the most renowned Philosophers, and the most profound Rabbins among the Jews, or acutest Schoolmen among the Christians, who have sought the knowledge of Morality or Religion from Inventions and Traditions of men, from their own Reasonings or devised Rules, without the excellent Directions of the Holy Scritures. Holy David professeth his own ex­perience, [Page 257] Psal. 119.97, 98, 99, 100. O how love I thy Law! it is my Meditation all the day. Thou through thy Commandments hast made me wiser then mine Ene­mies: for they are ever with me. I have more under­standing then all my Teachers: for thy Testimonies are my Meditation. I understand more then the Ancients, because I keep thy Precepts. And S. Paul tells Timothy, 2 Tim. 3.15. that the Holy Scriptures were able to make him wise unto Salvation.

The greatest Wisedom is that which guides a man to the greatest Happiness; and that is, when he avoids the greatest Evill, and attains the enjoyment of the best Good. No Evil is greater then God's Wrath; no Good better then God's Favour. Now to the escaping the former, and obtaining the latter, the Meditation on God's Precepts conduceth most effectually. For thereby we avoid Sin against God, which incites him to Anger; and thereby we learn how to please him, which procures his Favour. And therefore it is most evident to be the wisest course we can take, and where­by we can shew most Love to our selves, to Reade, to Hear, to Study and lay to heart God's Word. And herein likewise we shew the greatest Charity to others, by seriously endeavouring to make them intelligent therein: it tending most to their Good, if with Medi­tation there concurre also a Respect to God's Ways. Which leads us to the other part of this Verse, and the Conclusions thence deduced.

III. and IV. OBSERVATIONS.

That in his Practice a Godly man heeds God's Direc­tion: and,

That God's Works are his Observation.

The word which is rendred, I will have respect, or, [Page 258] I will look, imports the fixing and intentiveness of the Eye upon God's Ways; such as is in a Traveller when he walks, or a Sailour when he sails in the Deep, whom it concerns that they have their eyes waking, and their minds observant, the one of the Path he treads in, the other of the Chanel he steers his Ship in: lest the first either miss his way, or stumble and fall; or the second run aground on Quick-sands, or split upon Rocks and Shelves, and so miscarry. The Commandment, saith Solomon, (Prov. 6.23.) is a Lamp, and the Law is Light; and Reproofs of Instruction are the way of life. And there­fore as the Eye makes use of the Lamp and Light, for its Direction: so doth the Soul of a Godly man observe the Way of God's Precepts, for his Rule; and the Ways of God's Acting, to encourage him in his Course, and to deterre him from wandering therefrom.

Nor are the Ways of God's Providence, either to­wards our selves or others, to be let pass without heed­full Observation. For thereby we are accommodated with usefull Arguments to give God the Glory of his Truth, Justice, Goodness, and Power. We have Ex­periments fitted either to deterre us from Sinning against him, who is a consuming Fire; or to encourage us to serve him with holy Reverence and godly Fear; or to strengthen our Faith in a firm Dependence on him, and a Reliance on the Lord in our greatest Difficulties.

Thus Phineas argues, Josh. 22.17, 20. Is the Iniquity of Peor too little for us, from which we are not cleansed to this day? Did not Achan the son of Zerah commit a Tres­pass in the accursed thing, and Wrath fell on all the Con­gregation of Israel? and that man perished not alone in his Iniquity. That he might by this Argument deterre the Trans-Jordan Israelites from a Schismaticall departure from the God of Israel, and a Communion in Worship with the other Tribes on this side Jordan.

Thus David, in the great Trial of his Faith and un­daunted Fortitude which he shewed in his heroick En­counter with the Giant of Gath, recollects his own Ex­perience of Divine Assistence formerly, and fortifies himself against the fear of that Monster by assurance of the like now. He alleges God's former Providences as the reason of his gallant Resolution to encounter Goliah without any hesitancy now; telling Saul, 1 Sam. 17.36. Thy Servant slew both the Lion and the Bear: and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them, seeing he hath defied the Armies of the living God.

As God hath given us his Word, that thereby we may understand his Will: so doth he exercise his Judgments, that we may discern his Excellency. As the Word of God, his Precepts and Promises are to be remembred, that we may believe and obey; and therefore it is the Character of a Righteous person, that the Law of his God is in his Heart, and none of his Steps therefore shall slide: (Psal. 37.31.) so it is said, Psal. 111.2, 3, 4. The Works of the Lord are great, sought out of all them that have pleasure therein. God having made his Work honourable and glorious, that his wonderfull Works might be remembred. And therefore a Woe is denounced by the Prophet, Isa. 5.11, 12. against those Epicurean Sen­sualists that spent their time in voluptuous Drinking, and pleasant Musick; but regarded not the Work of the Lord, neither considered the Operation of his hands: To which answers that true Censure of the Prophet Jere­miah, (5.4.) Surely these are poor, they are foolish; for they know not the Way of the Lord, nor the Judgment of their God. In having respect to both kinds of his Ways we glorify him: in neglecting either, we vilify him, and live as it were without God in the World.

I. OBSERVATION.

That it is best to delight our selves in God in the most elevated estate of Evill men, and in our own most dejected Condition.

Delight is an inclining Affection of the Soul, upon the apprehension of some pleasing Good that is sutable to the Mind: and it is conceived in the womb of the Heart; but not resting there, it manifests it self by the motions of the Members, by the speech of the Tongue, glances of the Eyes, hearkning of the Ears, and by o­ther gestures of the Members, which discover the Com­placency of the Spirit within.

Delighting then in the Lord, is, for a man to have pleasing Thoughts of God, and thereby strengthening his Heart and Mind against all Objections concerning God or himself, against all Fears and Occurrences which might cast down his Spirit. Many sadning Ob­jects do often present themselves even to the most Holy men on earth. We find David sometimes complai­ning that God had cast him off; I am cut off from before thine eyes: Holy Job, that God hid his Face from him, and held him for his Enemy. Such Complaints are fre­quent, Thou hast cast us off, and puttest us to shame. Wherefore hidest thou thy Face? Why sayest thou, O Ja­cob, My way is hid from the Lord, and my Judgment is passed over from my God? Others cry, Wherefore doth the Way of the Wicked prosper?

Most fully we find this Argument urged against God's Providence, even to the staggering of that Holy Psalmist, in Psal. 73.2, &c. where he relates his Temp­tation, and his Recovery out of it. For notwithstan­ding [Page 278]what his Eyes saw, his Ears heard, his fleshly Rea­son suggested to him, of the Happiness of Evil men, and the vanity of Godly courses; yet he upholds him­self by delighting in the Lord; and thus expresseth himself in that Psalm: Vers. 1. Truly God is good to Israel, even to such as are of a clean heart; and after, vers. 23, 24, 25, 26, 28. Nevertheless I am continually with thee; thou hast holden me by my right hand. Thou shalt guide me with thy Counsell, and afterwards receive me to Glory. Whom have I in Heaven but thee? and there is none upon Earth that I desire besides thee. My Flesh and my Heart faileth; but God is the strength of my Heart, and my portion for ever. It is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my Trust in the Lord God.

Such Apprehensions as these do affect the Spirits of a man, as the breaking out of the Sun doth the Eyes, after it hath been overcast with thick Clouds in the day, or concealed by the Darkness of the night. Then the Light is sweet, and it is a pleasant thing to behold the Sun. So it is with the Soul, after such Perplexities and Affrightments and Disconsolations of Spirit as are in­cident to the most holy Saint, by reason of the seeming Disorders and dismall Occurrences in the world which are obvious to him. When he recollects himself, and determines against all Arguings ad oppositum, that 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. O Lord of hoasts, blessed is the man that trusteth in thee, Psal. 84.11, 12. then he delights himself in the Lord, as the most pleasant and eligible Good thing, as his Sun and his Shield; and accordingly fixes his Contemplations on God, quic­kens, chears, confirms, raises up his Spirits in the re­membrance of him; expresses himself in holy Hymns, in devout Prayers, in wise Observations of his Doings, [Page 279]in commemorating of his Works and his Word, in holy Conferences, and such like ways, as shew that none is so amiable to him as God, none to be adhered to in comparison of him, none to be glorified like unto God.

Conformably hereto, he delights in the Considera­tion of God's most excellent Being: that he is not like the Vanities of the Nations: that he is the living God, and an everlasting King: that in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting Strength: that there is none holy as the Lord, no Rock like unto our God: that great is our Lord, and of great Power, his Ʋnderstanding is infinite: that he is mercifull and gracious, abundant in Goodness and Truth.

He delights also in the beholding and observation of his Works; which however they are not minded by them who are alienated from the Life that is in God, yet to the Godly enlightned Soul they appear Great, so that in Admiration of them he is affected like the Psalmist, Psal. 8.1. O Lord our God, how excellent is thy Name in all the Earth, who hast set thy Glory above the Heavens! Psal. 104.24. In wisedom hast thou made them all, and rulest all. He is holy in all his Ways, and righteous in all his Works: and therefore are they sought out of all them that have pleasure therein. His Work is honourable and glorious; and his Righteousness endureth for ever. And hereupon the Psalmist resolves, Psal. 104.34. My meditation of him shall be sweet; I will be glad in the Lord.

Nor is his Delight less in God's Word then in his Works. I will praise thy Name, saith David, (Psal. 138.2.) for thy Loving-kindness and for thy Truth: for thou hast magnified thy Word above all thy Name. And thus he often professeth, that the Word of God, his Judgments were more to be desired then Gold, yea, then much fine Gold; sweeter then Hony and the Hony-comb: [Page 280]that not onely his Word of Promise was his Comfort in his Affliction, for by it he was quickened; but that he greatly delighted in God's Commands, they were the Joy of his heart: And Holy Job, (23.12.) I have estee­med the Word of his mouth more then my necessary Food.

But Holy mens greatest Delight in God is, when by Faith in Christ they apprehend God to be their God, and they his People; that he dwells in them, they are his Temple; that they are made by him Kings and Priests to him by his Spirit; that he is their Father through Christ, they his Children; that they have ac­cess to him by the Faith of Christ, and are assured of an Inheritance above with him. When they understand this, that Christ is All to them, they delight in the Al­mighty, and lift up their face unto God with Joy, as it is Job 22.26.

Now this indeed is best for the Godly, thus to de­light themselves in the Lord, even in their own lowest Conditions, and their Oppressours highest, because the greatest Good that Evil men have is but vain. Be it Plenty, Peace, Honour, Liberty, Power, Pleasure, or what-ever else is valued by men that have their Portion in this life, it is but an imperfect, fading, vexing Good; much of it is such as Beasts injoy more fully then they, who have more Delight in their Food and sensitive Pleasure then Men have. Applause, Honours, Wealth, are but Toys, such as Childish persons delight in rather then wise Men. Philosophers, by the Light of Nature, have censured them as empty of reall Worth; not good, because they made not the Possessours of them good. Wisedom and Vertue are by them preferred before them. Yea, they bring often much Vexation, in stead of Delight. In acquiring and Using them is much Vanity. In the midst of Laughter, the Heart is sorrow­full; Solomon styles it Madness. But Delight in the [Page 281]Lord is the most rationall, exquisite, durable Delight: far above not onely Epicurus his Pleasure, and Zeno's Vertue, and Seneca's Tranquillity of mind; but also Solomon's Glory, his Wisedom, his Knowledge of the Properties of Natural bodies, and what-ever Excellen­cy (short of Acquaintance with God) he was endued with. He confesseth as much in the close of his Peni­tentialls: and before him his Father David, 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 then in the time that their Corn and their Wine increased. This makes the Saints delight in Prayer and Praise, and o­ther Worship of God; it being their Privilege as well as their Duty to delight themselves in the Lord, Isa. 58.14. and according to the Desire of their Heart. Which brings me to the

II. OBSERVATION.

That they who delight themselves in the Lord shall have their Hearts Desire, and in fine speed better then they who are in the most illustrious estate of Wicked men.

The principal Desire of one that delights himself in God is, to glorifie God: that is the main End of such as glory in God, that they may doe all to his Glory. Therefore are they taught to make this their first Peti­tion, Hallowed be thy Name; and to that end to pray, Thy Kingdom come, Thy Will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven.

Even in God's most severe Dealings with them, they say with those Isa. 26.8. Yea, in the way of thy Judg­ments, O Lord, have we waited for thee: the desire of our Soul is to thy Name, and to the Remembrance of thee. To which that of the Apostle, Phil. 1.20. is conso­nant; [Page 282] According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all bold­ness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death. That which is said by David, but most truly verified of our Lord Christ, is true of all that delight in the Lord, Psal. 40.8. I delight to doe thy Will, O my God; yea, thy Law is within my Heart.

And this their Desire God always grants: so that, however he that delights in the Lord be assaulted with Temptations, be benighted in his Apprehensions of God's Favour, though Heaviness may endure for a night, Joy shall come in the morning; though he miss of his Way, yet he shall find his Errour, and return into it again. The Steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord; and he delighteth in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the Lord upholdeth him with his hand, Psal. 37.23, 34.

Next unto these ultimate and supreme Ends, the Desire of his Soul who delights in the Lord is, to see God. How earnestly did Moses beg the sight of God's Face? How often doth David bemoan his Absence from God's Worship at his Temple? As the Hart (saith he) panteth after the water-brooks, so panteth my Soul after thee, O God. My Soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God? Psal. 42.1, 2. And in the next Psalm, vers. 3. O send out thy Light and thy Truth: let them lead me, let them bring me unto thy holy Hill and to thy Tabernacles. So Saint Paul, Phil. 1.23. I desire to depart, and to be with Christ, which is best of all. And this Desire God will give them at last who delight in him. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God, Matth. 5.8. Now are we the Sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know, that when he shall appear, we [Page 283]shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is, 1 Joh. 3.2. Manutenentia Divina, God's supporting Grace here, and Visio beatifica, the Fruition of God hereafter, are two grand Desires of Souls that delight in God; these they petition for, and he will grant them both.

There are other Desires which they have, as the Prosperity of God's Church, the Downfall of their Enemies; which the Lord will also at last accomplish, though not without much Contention, and long Wai­ting. They shall overcome the Powers of darkness, and the World; they shall see the people of God above their Enemies, by the bloud of the Lamb, and by the word of their Testimony, though they lay down their Lives for it.

Other Desires of outward Blessings God grants not always in the kind, but often in some Equivalent. He repairs that which they lose for Christ and his Gospell, by inward Comfort and Spirituall Strength. Though they be in Want, or under Persecution, yet they know how to abound, in that they have learned in whatsoever estate therewith to be content. They can doe all things through Christ that strengtheneth them. If they have a Thorn in the Flesh, a Messenger of Satan to buffet them, and it still molest them; yet the Grace of God is not denied them, and it is sufficient for them; his Strength is perfected in their Weakness. Many Desires of parti­cular Blessings are granted them; and this one com­prehensive Privilege belongs to them, that all things work together for good to them who love God, Rom. 8.28.

OBSERVATION.

That the following zealously that which is Good, is a likely means to prevent Harms.

This is not unlike that Speech in the Prophet Isa. (33.15, 16.) He that walketh righteously, and speaketh uprightly, he that despiseth the gain of Oppressions, that shaketh his hands from holding of Bribes, that stoppeth his ears from hearing of Bloud, and shutteth his eyes from seeing Evil; He shall dwell on high, his place of defence [Page 290]shall be the munitions of Rocks: Bread shall be given him, his Waters shall be sure. So Psal. 37.27. Depart from Evil, and doe Good, and dwell for evermore. Ma­ny more such Sayings of Holy Scripture might be pro­duced; but we shall manage our Business to better pur­pose, by a distinct declaring,

• 1. What the Good is that is to be followed.
• 2. How it is to be followed.
• 3. What is the Harm that those that follow that which is Good are secured from.
• 4. From whose Harming the Security is.
• 5. When it is they are secured.
• 6. Why those that follow that which is Good are thus secured.

I. For the first, What the Good is that is to be fol­lowed: Good things are of many sorts. Some things are good [...], in some respects; [...], in the opinion, esteem, and use of men; which are not so in reality. There be many that say, Who will shew us any good? Psal. 4.6. that is, procure us Wealth, Good chear, Corn and Wine and Oyl, mentioned vers. 7. Son, (said Abraham to the Rich man, Luk. 16.25.) remem­ber that thou in thy life-time receivedst thy Good things; that is, he was rich, cloathed in Purple and fine Linen, and fared deliciously, or sumptuously, or lived wantonly, every day. Those were his Good things; not simply so, but in the Conceit of the Possessour. They were not the true Riches, vers. 11. nor that which was indeed his own, vers. 12. but that which he had onely for a while, by permission. As the Quails were given to the Isra­elites in wrath; as good Pasture serves to fatten Beasts which are fed for the Slaughter: so are these seeming Good things oftentimes bestowed on Wicked men, but it is to their Ruine at last. Ye have lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton; ye have nou­rished [Page 291]your hearts as in a day of slaughter, saith S. James, (5.5.)

This Bonum Ʋtile and Jucundum, Profit and Plea­sure, carnal and worldly men count their Good things: like him that flattered himself in his Folly, Luk. 12.19. Soul, thou hast much Goods laid up for many years; though they were indeed his Poison, the Bait where­by his Soul was caught by Satan, and himself censured for an egregious Fool.

There is another sort of Good that is really such in genere Entis: and so all God's Creatures are good. God saw every thing that he had made, and behold, it was very good, Gen. 1.31. Another in genere Moris, a Good which makes the person truly good. Such is the Good­ness of God, who is good, and doeth good, Psal. 119.68. even by communicating Good to all, Act. 14.17. And indeed He is the chiefest Good: He is most transcen­dently, perfectly, originally Good; from whom every good and every perfect Gift cometh, James 1.17. And therefore rightly is it said by our Lord Christ, Matth. 19.17. There is none good but one, that is God. And this Good we are to be Followers of: Be ye Followers of God.

There is also a derivative Goodness from him, which is communicated primitively to his Son, concerning whom it is the Father's pleasure, that in him should all Fulness dwell, Col. 1.19. The Spirit is given him with­out measure, Joh. 3.34. While he was upon Earth, he went about doing good, Act. 10.38. He might truly say, I am the good Shepherd, Joh. 10.11. And from him Good is redundant to us. He hath plenitudinem Fon­tis, and not onely Vasis: With him is the fountain of Life, and in his Light we see light, Psal. 36.9. Now the Good we are to be Followers of is also this Good which is in and from Christ: the Good of his Word, [Page 292]to know it; the Good of his Example, to imitate it; the Good of his Gifts, (the Gifts of his Spirit,) to be zealous after them, 1 Cor. 12.31. the Good of Righte­ousness and eternall Life which is from God by Jesus Christ, to injoy it; the Good of God's Favour in Christ, to obtain it; the Good of Communion with the Father and the Son, to embrace it.

But though these sorts of Good are to be followed, yet that which we are here required more specially to be Followers of, is not so much Bonum Beatitudinis, the Good of Blessedness for our selves, as Bonum San­ctitatis, the Good of Holiness, whereby we may be like unto God, be holy as he is holy, 1 Pet. 1.15, 16. and Bonum Justitiae, the Good of Righteousness, to­wards our selves and others, such as may consist with a good Conscience, and a good Conversation in Christ; the Good of Innocency, that we may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, Phil. 2.15. the Good of Benevolence and Beneficence, willing and procuring good unto all, Gal. 6.10. as we have opportu­nity, doing good to all, especially unto them that are of the houshold of Faith. We must endeavour after the good Heart, that may out of its Treasure bring forth good things, Matth. 12.35. after the good Tongue, that speaketh Wisedom, and talketh of Judgment, Psal. 37.30. that uttereth that which is good to the use of Edifying, that it may minister Grace to the hearers, Eph. 4.29. af­ter the good Hand, that may work the thing that is good, that it may have to give to him that needeth, v. 28. In summe, we must labour to become Vessels unto ho­nour, sanctified and meet for the Master's use, and prepa­red to every good work, 2 Tim. 2.21. created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them, Eph. 2.10.

II. How this Good is to be followed.

1. Universally; all the Kinds of it are to be pursu­ed: not onely the Good of Religion towards God, but also of Love towards Man. The End of our Deli­verance from the hands of our Enemies is, that we might serve God in Holiness and Righteousness before him all the days of our life; as it is in the Benedictus, Luk. 1.74, 75. The Grace of God hath appeared to all men, tea­ching them, that denying Ʋngodliness and worldly Lusts, they should live righteously, soberly and godly in this pre­sent world, Tit. 2.11, 12. We know it is S. James his determination, (2.10.) Whosoever shall keep the whole Law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. Vertues are chained together, the Law is copulative: Bonum non nist ex integra causa; He that is not intire­ly good, is not good at all. He that is all for the prac­tice of Religious Ordinances, but no whit for Charity; he that is devout at Church, but proud, vain, wanton, uncharitable, unrighteous, intemperate at home; is no Follower of that which is Good, but an Hypocrite, a meer Pharisee, or painted Sepulchre. And he that is much for Alms, and Abstinence from Excess, or prohi­bited Pleasures, yet careless of Prayer, Reading, Hea­ring God's Word, in publick and in private, is a pro­fane person; be he never so much esteemed by men, yet is he abominable before God.

2. Nor must we be Followers of all Sorts of Good onely, but also of all kinds of Good in the most emi­nent Degree. What the Apostle prays for in the be­half of the Colossians, Col. 1.9, 10. should be the aim of every sincere Christian, that he may be filled with the knowledge of God's Will in all wisedom and spiritual un­derstanding; that he may walk worthy of the Lord un­to all pleasing, being faithfull in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God. So what he prays for in behalf of the Philippians, Phil. 1.11. that he may be [Page 294]filled with the Fruits of Righteousness, which are by Je­sus Christ unto the glory and praise of God: that he may be abundant in the work of the Lord, 1 Cor. 15.58. As he is unjust that lets not the Buier have his full Measure: so is he that doth not afford God the utmost of his Service, that doth not love him with all his Mind, with all his Soul, and with all his Strength.

In this an Emulation is good, which is implied in the word [...], as some Copies have it in my Text; and it is so rendred by Beza. We should vie one with a­nother, as desirous to outstrip each other; like Runners in a Race, that strive who shall run fastest. Yea, in this it is good to be singular. If ye salute your Brethren onely, saith Christ, (Matth. 5.47.) what singular thing, or more then others, doe ye? intimating, that a Christi­an that exceeds not a Philosopher or a Jew, is not wor­thy of that name. He must not onely doe good to them that love him, but even to them that hate him, vers. 44. Though we own no Popish Evangelical Counsels, no Monkish Vows, as putting a man into a state of Per­fection, no Merit or Works of Supererogation: yet he that will approve himself to God must endeavour to doe those Good works that are commanded to the ut­most, Extensivè, Works of all Kinds, and Intensivè, in all their Degrees, according to his ability.

3. And this we are to doe sincerely, as before God; not as pleasing Men, but God that trieth the heart, 1 Thess. 2.4. Not like the Pharisees, who gave Alms, Fasted, Prayed, that they might be seen of Men, and therefore did all with Ostentation; but in secret and private as well as in publick we should be Followers of that which is Good, looking onely at God's Glory, our O­bedience to him, and the pleasing of him, as our End. Insomuch that, if we can acquit our selves so as to have his Favour and good Liking of us, we must not [Page 295]care what we lose, or what Obloquy, Censure, or Dis­grace we incurro from men. Our Righteousness and Ho­liness should not be in shew, but in truth, Eph. 4.24.

4. In Following of that which is Good, we should doe it zealously, with our Minds, our Affections, and our Studies. We should give all diligence and study that we may abound in Faith, Vertue, Knowledge, Tem­perance, Patience, Godliness, Brotherly love, Charity, 2 Pet. 1.5, 6, 7. We should follow Peace with all men, and Holiness, Heb. 12.14. pursue after it, as Hunters after a Prey, or Enemies after Enemies. This one thing I doe; (saith the Apostle, Phil. 3.13, 14.) forgetting the things that are behind, and reaching forth unto those things that are before, I press, or pursue, towards the Mark, for the price of the high Calling of God in Christ Jesus. A lazy slack Following of Good is ineffectual: such a Seeking as the old Saints are said to have used is that which is required of them that will inherit the Promises, Heb. 6.11, 12.

5. Yea, we should not onely follow that which is Good our selves, but animate others to follow it too. He loves not God, nor his Brother, that seeing him in Want, doth not relieve him when it is in his power: so neither doth he follow God, that seeing his Brother erre, doth not, as he hath opportunity, endeavour to convert him from the Errour of his ways; that doth not lift up the hands that hang down, and the feeble knees, Heb. 12.12. that doth not avoid giving such Offence as may cause the Lame to fall in the way, or to turn out of it; that doth not encourage others in that which is Good, comfort and heal the sorrowfull Spirit, and lead others by Example, Instruction, and Prayer. Such as are of God, doe good, even as he doeth, who benefits all, invites all, is Bonum universale, an universal com­municative Good.

6. Our following of Good must be with Constancy. We must always be zealous in a good thing, Gal. 4.18. all our days, in youth and age; in all Companies, in all E­states, on all Occasions: not by sits and starts. We must cleave to that which is good, Rom. 12.9. as a Wife adheres to her Husband, as Ruth did to her Mother-in-law. We should be stedfast and unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord; as knowing that our labour shall not be in vain in the Lord, 1 Cor. 15.58. Which brings me to the other Particulars propounded to be considered: in which I shall be very brief.

III. The Harm that they who are zealous Followers of that which is Good are secured from.

This is indeed all sorts of Evils: the chief whereof are the Wounds of Conscience, and the Wrath of God. While men follow that which is Good, they are not ob­noxious to those Lashes of a guilty Conscience, which are consequent upon the remembrance of lewd Pranks in youth, Deceits and Covetous practices in age, cruel Murthers, horrid Perjuries, unjust Bribes, Purloining, Stealing, and such other Evils as do vastare Conscienti­am, violently torture the Mind, and are as scorching Heat in a man's Bones, Gall and Wormwood in his Belly; as when God wrote bitter things against Job, and made him possess the Sins of his youth. These Tortures were resembled in the Poets by the Affrightments of Furies, and are Forerunners of Hell-Torments. Nor shall those who follow what is Good be liable to the Indignation and Wrath, Tribulation and Anguish, which God inflicts on them that are contentious, and obey not the Truth, but obey Ʋnrighteousness, Rom. 2.8, 9. These are indeed the grand Harms, that are like the stinging of a Scorpion: but my Text intends likewise all Afflic­tions incident to us from mens Injuriousness and Ma­lignity, such as are Reproaches, Derision, Slanders, [Page 297]privation of Liberty, Livelihood, Life: which though they be but Flea-bitings in comparison of the other, yet are they very harmfull, as being extreme trouble-some and grievous. Yet by Following of that which is Good, there is Security from them, if not altogether, at least in a great measure; if not from the Feeling of them, yet from the Oppression of them; if not from the Buzzing and Disquieting of them, as of Flies, yet from the Sting of them, as of Scorpions; if not from the Molestation of them, yet from the Deadliness of them: which will be better discerned, if we consider our next Particular.

IV. Who they are from whose Harming they are se­cured.

They are either Men, or Devils; neither of whom can mortally and eternally wound us. Fear not them (saith our Lord) that can kill the Body, and when they have done that, can doe no more: but fear him that can cast both Soul and Body into Hell-sire, Matth. 10.28. Luk. 12.4. Men and Devils may interrupt our Peace, but cannot damn our Souls. Neither Tribulation, nor Distress, nor Persecution, nor Famine, nor Nakedness, nor Peril, nor Sword, neither Death, nor Life, nor An­gels, nor Principalities, nor Powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor Height, nor Depth, nor any other Creature, can separate them that follow that which is Good from the Love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. But in all these things they are more then Con­querours through him that hath loved them: as S. Paul saith of himself, Rom. 8.35, 37, 38, 39. Yet are they sorely assaulted by both these Enemies: insomuch that the Apostle tells us there, vers. 36. for God's sake they are killed all the day long, and are counted as Sheep for the slaughter. They are as Sheep among Wolves, who are ready to worry them. Satan casts some into Prison ten [Page 298]days, that they may be tried, Rev. 12.10. He goes about, like a roaring Lion, seeking whom he may devour, 1 Pet. 5.8. There is a spitefull Spirit in all that are of the Wicked one; yet sometimes God restrains the remainder of their Wrath. He cuts off the spirit of Princes, he is terrible to the Kings of the earth, Psal. 76.10, 12. He re­bukes an Abimelech in a Dream, so as that he dares not touch them, Gen. 20.6. He suffers no man to doe them wrong; he reproves Kings for their sake, saying, Touch not mine Anointed, and doe my Prophets no harm, Psal. 105.14, 15. When a man's ways please the Lord, he maketh even his Enemies to be at peace with him, Prov. 16.7. Sometimes the Luster of a Good life doth either attract the favourable Aspect, or dazzle the Eyes of those with whom they live. Sometimes the benefit of Laws and Government secures their Peace: they are Ministers to them for good, Rom. 13.4. By these and many more means are they that follow that which is Good indemnified; whenas his own Iniquities take the Wicked himself, and he is holden with the Chords of his Sins, Prov. 5.22.

V. When it is that they are secured.

But then this is not perpetually so; it falleth out sometimes otherwise. When the Wicked beareth rule, in Times of Anarchy or Tyranny, there is not this Secu­rity to them that follow Good, but the people mourn. There is a Just man that perisheth in his Righteousness, and there is a Wicked man that prolongeth his life in his Wickedness, Eccles. 7.15. When cedunt Armis Togae, men of the long Robe are awed by men of the long Sword, the people are hurried up and down by popu­lar Oratours, Demagogues sway with them, and they controll their Governours; when an Usurper gets into the Throne, and, to strengthen his Party, suppresseth the best and wisest; when thundring Cannons are [Page 299]heard, and just Laws are silenc'd; when the Magistrate's Sword submits to the Souldier's, the Judges yield to the Commanders of forces; when the Preachers lead the People, not by the Word of God, but by the Ordi­nances of Men; then it is likely, in such an Iron Age, (wherein non Hospes ab Hospite tutus,) to follow that which is Good may be a man's greatest Danger, to speak truth may be his Ruine. When the wicked rise, men hide themselves, Prov. 28.28. Bene qui latuit, bene vixit: He is the wisest that lives most retired.

The like may be said of Times of Persecution, when God will have his people to be under fiery Trialls, that their Faith and Patience may appear; when God will be glorified in their Sufferings, as well as honoured by their Doings. Yet in these cases, he keeps them in per­fect Peace whose Mind is stayed on God, because they trust in him, Isa. 26.3. While they hold Faith and a good Conscience, and make no shipwreck of them, the Peace of God, which passeth all understanding, guards their hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Hic Murus aheneus. Yea, even in time of universal Loss, in such Sufferings as Job's, they find an hundred-fold advantage with Persecution, and in the end everlasting Life: so that they who kill the Body, hasten the Salvation of their Souls; and by dispatching them hence, they speed them in their flight to Heaven. Of which yet they are not the proper Cause; but there is an higher Cause, who is able to bring Good out of Evil. Which was the last thing to be considered.

VI. Why they are thus secured.

It is God's Eye and his Hand that do secure and in­demnifie those that are Followers of that which is Good. This Reason of their Security the Coherence of my Text with the words next before yields me: for having said, The Eyes of the Lord are over the Righteous, [Page 300]and his Ears are open unto their Prayers: but the Face of the Lord is against them that doe Evil; he subjoyns my Text, And who is he that will (I had rather say, shall) harm you, if ye be Followers of that which is Good?

While you are in his Service, God counts himself en­gaged to take you into his Protection. And therefore he will either change the Hearts of your Adversaries, that they shall not mind the harming of you; as he promised the Israelites, Exod. 34.24. that no man should desire their Land, when they should goe up to appear be­fore the Lord thrice in the year; though then were (in the eye of Reason) a fit season for them to make an hostile and successfull Invasion: or else he will divert them, as he did Saul, 1 Sam. 23.28. or disable them, as he did Pharaoh: or if they be permitted to harm you outwardly, God will comfort you inwardly; and in fine, all things shall work together for good to those that love God, and are Followers of that which is Good. And thus they shall be as the Three Children in the midst of the fiery Furnace, and yet have no Harm. And in this respect the Conclusion is made good, None doth, none will, or none shall harm them that are Followers of that which is Good.

I. OBSERVATION.

That Christ and Believers are assured of having the Path of Life made known to them.

For the distinct handling hereof, we are to consider,

• 1. What Life it is, the Path of which both are assu­red of having made known to them.
• 2. What is the Path of this Life, or what are the Ways of this Life.
• 3. How God hath and will make them known, or shew them.
• [Page 309]4. Why he did assure Christ, and why he doth assure Believers thereof.

I. What Life it is, the Path of which they are assured shall be made known to them.

Life is the manner of Living things existing, and is the Excellency of their Beings, whereby things animate differ from things inanimate. Of Life there are sundry degrees or kinds made by Philosophers. 1. Vegetative, in Plants, and things which being rooted in the Earth suck their Nourishment from it, and so grow thereby, and yield Fruit, and Seed to propagate their Kind. 2. Sensitive, in those living things that move and have Sense more or less, though they perceive onely such things as concern their Sustenance and Self-preservati­on; but can neither discern Spiritualls or Universalls, nor reflect on their own Actions, nor discourse as Man: though some of them have admirable Sagacity, as Ex­perience hath shewed in Elephants and divers other A­nimals. 3. Rationall, in a Man, whereby he is enabled not onely to know what concerns his Food and Ne­cessaries to uphold his Corporall Being; but is also ca­pable of Counsell and Instruction in things pertaining to his Obedience to his Creatour, and Peace with him, and Comfort in his well-doing. 4. There is yet an higher Life, to wit, that of Angels, who need no Food to sustain their Being, nor Members to move them, but are of a subtile, active and intelligent Nature; yet much short of the Father of Spirits, with whom is the Fountain of Life, (as it is said Psal. 36.9.) who hath all Fulness of Life in him, not capable either of dimi­nution or privation; and is the universall Cause of all Life in other Beings, which he imparts to all living things in that way and measure as he thinks best to ap­pertain to them.

Now the Life of Men or Angels may note the bare [Page 310]Duration or Existence of their Being: and so the De­vils live, and the Souls of the Damned have Life; and the uncleanest Sodomites, while they walk up and down on Earth, have Life, though in a morall sense they are dead while alive: they have also in some things a bene esse, or well-being, to wit, in respect of such things as pertain to Nature, or outward Condition among men; as Abraham said to the Rich man in Hell, Son, remember that thou in thy life-time receivedst thy good things, Luk. 16.25.

But this is not the Life, the Path, which Christ and his Members assure themselves God would make known to them; though it be not excluded: for doubtless David assured himself, and therein rejoyced, that God would uphold his Soul in Life, deliver his Soul from Death, his Eyes from Tears, and his Feet from Falling; that he should walk before the Lord in the Land of the living: as he speaks Psal. 116.8, 9. And Christ un­derstood by the Life which he expected from his Fa­ther, that he would bring his Soul and Body together again, and restore that Life he lost by Death. And the Saints believe and expect the Resurrection of their Bodies from the Grave: and in the expectation and assurance hereof, they endure the greatest Tortures that Tyrants can inflict on them: as it is said Heb. 11.35. Women received their dead raised to life again; and others were tortured, not accepting Deliverance, that they might obtain a better Resurrection.

But this Resurrection to Life is not the mere Con­junction of Soul and Body together; for that may be onely the Resurrection of Damnation, (as our Saviour speaks Joh. 5.29.) which befalls them that have done Evil, and is there opposed to the Resurrection of Life, which they onely that have done Good shall be par­takers of. The Resurrection of Damnation, though it [Page 311]be with Restitution of the Being those Wretches had before they died, so as that they shall come out of the Graves, hear the voice of the Son of man, and in a sort live, stand before the Tribunal of Christ, and hear their Sentence, and so continue in their Being everlastingly; yet it is not termed Life, but Death, or the Second Death, it being to a Copartnership with the Devil and his Angels, with whom they are sentenced to be in Torments, as they were guided and ruled by them while they conversed with men on Earth.

But the Life which the Scripture vouchsafes to term Life indeed, as being the onely Vita vitalis, the lively Life, is that which is with God, and according to God, termed therefore the Life of God, Ephes. 4.18. God being their God, therefore they live to God, who is the God of the living; as our Saviour's expression is, Luk. 20.38. they live and reign with Christ, as it is Revel. 20.4. It is an holy and happy Life, and there­fore simply termed Life by way of excellency, in oppo­sition to Hell-fire, Mark 9.45. If thy Foot offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into Life halting, then having two feet, to be cast into Hell, into the sire that never shall be quenched. Vers. 47. it is termed the King­dom of God; And if thine Eye offend thee, pluck it out: it is better for thee to enter into the Kingdom of God with one Eye, then having two Eyes, to be cast into Hell­fire. It is by our Saviour often called Eternall Life, of which the Regenerate Believers have the beginning here, they have it inchoate, with a Right to it. Verily, verily, I say unto you, (saith our Saviour, Joh. 5.24.) He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting Life, and shall not come into Con­demnation, but is passed from Death to Life. 1 Joh. 3.14. We know that we have passed from Death to Life, because we love the Brethren: he that loveth not his Brother, [Page 312]abideth in Death. 1 Joh. 5.11, 12. And this is the re­cord, that God hath given to us eternal Life: and this Life is in his Son. He that hath the Son, hath Life: and he that hath not the Son of God, hath not Life. Joh. 3.36. He that believeth on the Son, hath everlasting Life: and he that believeth not the Son, shall not see Life, but the wrath of God abideth on him. But Jus in re, or the Con­summation and full Possession of this Life, is after the Resurrection, in the World to come: which therefore Christ by way of Excellency terms eternall Life, Mark 10.30.

And this is that Life, in the assurance whereof Christ laid down his Life with so much quietness, when he commended his Spirit into the hands of his Father, Luk. 23.46. And upon the promise of Life which is in Christ Jesus, 2 Tim. 1.1. not onely of the Life that now is, but also of that which is to come, 1 Tim. 4.8. S. Paul did both labour and suffer Reproach, vers. 10. In hope of this eternall Life, Tit. 1.2. he exposed himself to daily danger of Death, which he terms dying daily, 1 Cor. 15.31. as being sensible, (as he saith vers. 19.) if in this life onely he and other Christians had hope in Christ, they were of all men most miserable.

Now in hope and assurance of this Life Christ (du­ram serviit Servitutem) underwent the hardest Service that ever was undertaken; he emptied himself, took up­on him the form of a Servant, was made in the likeness of Men, and being found in fashion as a Man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto Death, even the death of the Cross, Phil. 2.7, 8. Though the Cup he was to drink of were a very bitter Cup, a Cup of deadly Wine, such as had in it the Dregs of God's Anger, and was mingled with the Sins of men, (for whom God made him Sin, or a Sacrifice for Sin;) yet he drank it off, yielding to his Father's Will, as knowing it to be true [Page 313]which he himself taught the two Disciples, that Christ must suffer these things, and rise from the dead the third day, and so enter into his Glory, Luk. 24.26, 46.

And the Promise of this Life animated all the Holy Apostles, Martyrs and Saints, in their severall Genera­tions, to give all diligence, to deny themselves, to take up their Cross, and so to follow Christ even to Death, not counting their own Lives dear to them, but being zealous to doe and suffer for Christ, though with the Loss of all; as having learned, that whosoever will save his Life shall lose it, and whosoever will lose his Life for Christ's sake shall find it, Matth. 16.25. What things were gain to me, saith S. Paul, (Phil. 3.7, 8, 9, 10, 11.) those I have counted Loss for Christ. Yea doubtless, and I do count all things but Loss, for the excellency of the Knowledge of Christ Jesus our Lord, for whom I have suffered the Loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, and be found in him; that I may know him, and the power of his Resurrection, and the fellowship of his Sufferings, being made conformable unto his Death; if by any means I might attain unto the Resurrection of the dead. Which occasions them to seek the Path of this Life, which is the next thing en­quired into, and is now to be considered.

II. What is the Path, or what the Ways of this Life.

The Ways or Path of Life is a Metaphor taken from Travellers, who have a certain Track in which they are to tread, and by going in which they are guided to the place to which their Journey tends, and by its di­rection are ascertained of coming thither, if they hold on their Motion. Here in this passage it can be ta­ken for no other then the Means of assurance of their attaining this Life. Which in respect of Christ are,

1. On God's part, the Engagement of his Father to him, Isa. 53.10, 11. that when he should make his Soul [Page 314]an Offering for Sin, he should see his Seed, he should pro­long his days, and the pleasure of the Lord should prosper in his hand: He should see of the travail of his Soul, and be satisfied. Christ undertook the great Business of do­ing his Father's Will, which was written in the volume of his Book, by offering that Body which his Father had prepared him, upon a Contract between them when he came into the world; as it is described Heb. 10.5, 7, 8. And this was, that he should so lay down his Life, as to take it up again; as Christ himself declareth, Joh. 10.18. I have power to lay down my Life, and to take it up again: this Commandment have I received of my Father. Which thing made it impossible that he should be holden of the pains of death, Act. 2.24. And therefore it is said, He foresaw the Lord always before his face, as being on his right hand, that he should not be moved with the fear of Death, vers. 25. being firmly assured by his Father's Covenant, (upon which he put himself on that great Expedition of Coming into the world to save Sinners, by the offering of himself,) that he should not lose by his Adventure, but should after his Sufferings enter into his Glory. To which is to be adjoyned the Love that his Father bare to him for this reason, as he expresseth it Joh. 10.15, 17, 18. As the Father knoweth me, even so I know the Father; and I lay down my Life for the Sheep. Therefore doth my Fa­ther love me, because I lay down my Life, that I might take it up again. No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of my self. This unparallel'd Dutifulness of Christ to his Father, in yielding so freely to his Self-exinani­tion and Humiliation unto Death, did obtain a sin­gular Love from his Father to him, and engage his Truth and Power to revive and superexalt him.

2. On Christ's part, his ready Obedience to his Fa­ther's Will was the Path to Life: which therefore he [Page 315]allegeth in that Prayer of his wherein he opened his Bosome to his Father, Joh. 17.4, 5. I have glorified thee on Earth, I have finished the Work thou gavest me to doe: And now, O Father, glorifie thou me with thine own self, with the Glory which I had with thee before the World was.

In respect of Believers, the Path of Life to them is,

1. On God's part, the free Love of God in chusing them to Life; termed the writing their Names in the Book of Life from the foundation of the world, Rev. 17.8. which (because they are given to Christ) is said to be the Lamb's Book of life, Rev. 21.27. and our Savi­our tells them, their names are written in Heaven, Luk. 10.20. Hereby is Christ engaged to give Life to them, as he himself testifieth, Joh. 6.39. And this is the Fa­ther's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me, I should lose nothing, but should raise it up a­gain at the last day. And accordingly he saith, Joh. 17.2. As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternall Life to as many as thou hast given him. Hereby it is that Christ is become the Path of Life to them; as at several times he declares. Joh. 14.6. Jesus saith unto Thomas, I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life: no man cometh to the Father but by me. Joh. 11.25. Jesus said unto Martha, I am the Resurrection and the Life.

And indeed Christ is the Way of Life,

1. As he is the Exemplary Cause of it. All whom his Father hath foreknown, being predestinated to be confor­med to the Image of his Son, that he might be the first­born among many Brethren, Rom. 8.29. Wherefore Christ told his Disciples, Joh. 14.19. Because I live, ye shall live also. The Life of Christ, which he recovered by his Resurrection, is the efficacious Pattern or Copy according to which God hath contrived our Life. He [Page 316] is risen from the dead, and become the first-fruits of them that sleep. For since by Man came Death, by Man came also the Resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive, 1 Cor. 15.20, 21, 22.

Hence the Apostle tells us, Col. 3.3. that we are dead, and our Life is hid with Christ in God; it is de­posited as a Treasure in Christ's hand, who is the Tru­stee, to whom our Life is conveyed ad opus & usum nostrum, for our use and behoof, (as the Lawyers use to speak:) he hath Livery and Seisin given of Life on our behalf, and so his Life is the Pledge and Path of our Life.

2. As Christ is the Way of our Life as he is our Pat­tern, Depositary and Pledge; so is he the Way of our Life as the procuring Cause thereof: He is the Prince of Life, Act. 3.15. the Cause or Authour of eternall Salvation, Heb. 5.9. and that many ways.

First, by his Preaching: which moved S. Peter to say, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternall Life, Joh. 6.68. The words, saith Christ, that I speak unto you, they are Spirit, and they are Life, vers. 63. The Preaching of the Law was but the Ministration of Death, of the Letter, that killed, 2 Cor. 3.6, 7. but the word of the Gospel is the word of Life, Phil. 2.16.

Secondly, by his Death: for so he tells us Joh. 6.51. I am the living Bread, which came down from Heaven: if any man eat of this Bread, he shall live for ever: and the Bread which I will give is my Flesh, which I will give for the Life of the world. And indeed it was for this very cause, that, as the Children were partakers of flesh and bloud, so he also took part of the same; that by Death he might destroy him that had the power of Death, to wit, the Devill; and deliver them that through fear of Death were all their Life subject to bondage, Heb. 2.14, [Page 317]15. As by the Offence of one, Judgment came upon all men to Condemnation: even so by the Righteousness of one, (better rendred, by one Righteous deed, to wit, his Obedience unto Death,) the free Gift came upon all men unto Sanctification of life. That as Sin hath reigned un­to Death; so might Grace reign through Righteousness unto eternall Life, by Jesus Christ our Lord, as the Apo­stle saith, Rom. 5.18, 21. His Death procures our Life, both removendo Prohibens, by taking away the Sting of Death, Sin, disarming Satan of his Power; and by me­ritoriously purchasing our Life, by paying a Price for us.

Thirdly, by his Resurrection, whereby he becomes as the First-fruits, that sanctifies the rest of the Lump, and so obtains Resurrection and Life for those that are Christ's. As also he is impowered to give Life upon his Resurrection; as himself saith, All Power is given to me in Heaven and in Earth, Matth. 28.18. As the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them; even so the Son quickeneth whom he will, Joh. 5.21. Here­upon the Apostle argues thus, Rom. 5.10. For if when we were Enemies, we were reconciled to God by the Death of his Son; much more being reconciled, we shall be saved by his Life.

Fourthly, by his Ascension, whereby he is become an High Priest, not on Earth, but such as is set down on the right hand of the Throne of the Majesty in the Heavens, Heb. 8.1. He is not as the Priests of the Law, who were not suffered to continue by reason of death; but continueth for ever, and hath an unchangeable Priest­hood, or a Priesthood that passeth not from one to a­nother, being made, not after the Law of a carnal Com­mandment, but after the power of an endless or indisso­luble Life: and therefore he is able to save them to the uttermost, or evermore, that come unto God by him; [Page 318]seeing he ever liveth to make Intercession for them, Heb. 7.16, 23, 24, 25.

Fifthly, He is the Prince of Life, or Cause of our Life, by shedding forth his Spirit after his being glori­fied, which was as Rivers of living water, as his own words import, Joh. 7.38, 39. This Gift of the Spirit of Christ is that whereby we are born again to a Spiritual Life. That which is born of the Spirit is Spirit, saith Christ, Joh. 3.6. It is the Spirit that quickeneth, the Flesh profiteth nothing, Joh. 6.63. Neither indeed had Christ's Preaching or his Dying availed to bring us to Life, had he not given us of his Spirit. And therefore herein was the Prerogative of the Gospel above the Law, that whereas that gave the Command, but could not give the Spirit, being a dead Letter; by the Mi­nistration of the Spirit (or the Law of the Spirit of life, Rom. 8.2.) Christians are made alive, 2 Cor. 3.6. The Gospel is become the Ministration of Righteousness, vers. 9. If Christ be in you, the body is dead, because of Sin; but the Spirit is Life, because of Righteousness. But if the Spirit of him that raised up Christ from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortall bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you, Rom. 8.10, 11.

Sixthly, Christ's Appearing shall consummate the Life of a Believer. Though he now be dead in Ap­pearance to the World, to their Rites, Practices, Hopes, Injoyments, and his Life is now onely hid with Christ in God; yet when Christ, who is his Life, shall appear, then shall he also appear with him in Glory: as the Apo­stle speaks most comfortably, Col. 3.3, 4.

2. On our part, the Path of Life is,

1. In our Union to Christ, which is by Faith, where­by he is our Head, and we are his Members, and there­fore partakers of his Life. I live, (saith the Apostle, [Page 319] Gal. 2.20.) yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the Life that I now live in the flesh, I live by the Faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. Joh. 11.25, 26. He that believeth on me, although he were dead, yet shall he live: and whosoever liveth, and believeth in me, shall never die. The Life of a Christian is conjoyned with Christ's, as that of a Child with the Mother's.

2. In our Conformity to Christ: 1. In Dying with him, and that, First, to the World. If ye be dead with Christ from the Rudiments of the World, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to Ordinances? Col. 2.20. God forbid that I should glory save in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, whereby the World is crucified to me, and I unto the World, Gal. 6.14. Secondly, to Sin. Rom. 6.6, 7, 8. Knowing this, that our Old man is cru­cified with him, that the body of Sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve Sin. For he that is dead is freed from Sin. Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall live with him. Thirdly, by Suf­fering with him. It is a faithfull saying, If we be dead with him, we shall also live with him; if we suffer, we shall also reign with him, 2 Tim. 2.11, 12. If so be we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together, Rom. 8.17. 2. In his Resurrection: and that, First, by walking in Newness of Life. Like as Christ was raised from the dead by the Glory of his Father; even so we al­so should walk in Newness of Life; and thereby be plan­ted together in the likeness of his Resurrection, Rom. 6.4, 5. Secondly, by living to God. As Christ, in that he liveth, liveth unto God: so those that have put on Christ, reckon themselves to be dead indeed unto Sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord: they yield themselves to God, as those that are alive from the dead; and their Members as instruments of Righteous­ness [Page 320]unto God, Rom. 6.10, 11, 13. Thirdly, in see­king the things above as their Treasure: as the Apostle inferrs, Col. 3.1, 2. If ye be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God. Set your Affections on things above, not on things on the Earth. I have insisted the longer on this Point, (of the Path of Life,) because it is the main thing that concerns us to know.

III. How God makes known or shews this Path of Life to them.

This Question is not hard to be resolved from that which hath been already said. God shewed Christ the Path of Life, 1. By his Promise to him, mentioned be­fore, at his coming into the world: 2. By his Provi­dence; he make it known experimentally to him, when he was raised from the dead by the Glory of the Father.

To us he makes known the Ways of Life, 1. By his Son's Appearing, and his Gospel, who hath abolished Death, and hath brought Life and Immortality to life, through the Gospell, 2 Tim. 1.10. 2. By his Spirit which he gives, whereby we are assured, that through it, mor­tifying the deeds of the Body, we shall live, Rom. 8.13. We have received the Spirit which is of God, that we might know the things that are freely given us of God, 1 Cor. 2.12.

IV. Why God doth shew them this Path of Life.

The Reason of God's making known the Way of Life to Christ and to us is one and the same; That as thereby Christ was to be strengthened in all his Temp­tations, in all his Sufferings, animated in all his Obe­dience to his Father's Will, by having an eye to the Life which was propounded to him: so should all the Disciples of Christ be confirmed in all their Sufferings, encouraged in all their Actings for Christ, by their As­surance [Page 321]of Life with Christ; that they may live by Faith, and not be of them who draw back unto Perdition, but of them that believe to the saving of the Soul, Heb. 10.38, 39. That, with Moses, they may chuse rather to suffer Afflictions with the people of God, then to injoy the pleasures of Sin for a season: esteeming the Reproach of Christ greater Riches then the Treasures in Egypt, as ha­ving respect unto the recompence of the Reward, Heb. 11.25, 26. Wherefore Christ assures Believers, in his E­pistle to the Church of Ephesus, Rev. 2.7. To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the Tree of Life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God. To the Church of Smyrna, vers. 10, 11. Be thou faithfull unto death, and I will give thee a Crown of Life: He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second Death. To the Church of Sardis, Rev. 3.5. He that overcometh, I will not blot his name out of the Book of Life.

My II. OBSERVATION I shall consider in these Four Propositions.

• 1. That there are Joys in God's Presence, or, with his Face, or Countenance.
• 2. That there is a Fulness in these Joys.
• 3. That these Joys in their Plenitude, or Fulness, belong to Christ, and those who believe on him to eter­nal Life.
• 4. That the Assurance and Expectation of these Joys was the grand Encouragement and Support of Christ in his Obedience active and passive, and is so still to all the Holy Saints, who doe and suffer according to the Will of God.

I. OBSERVATION.

That when God leaves a person to his own Counsell, it is a Forerunner of his Perdition.

That which is said Psal. 81.12. that God gave the people of Israel up unto their own hearts Lust, and they walked in their own Counsells; and therefore he did not subdue their Enemies, nor turn his hand against their Ad­versaries, vers. 14. doth sufficiently intimate, that the Cause of their wasting and spoiling by their Enemies was God's leaving them to their own Hearts Lusts, and their walking in their own Counsells.

The like Speech we have in the New Testament, in that Sermon which was made by S. Paul and Barnabas at Lystra, when, to take them off from their intention of sacrificing to themselves, they told them of the Evil of their doings, and of the pernicious Consequence of their practices in sacrificing to them that were but Va­nities; and how that God in times past suffered all Na­tions to walk in their own Ways.

Which Passages do evince, that the reason why both Jews and Gentiles were under Sin, all the World were become guilty before God, all had sinned, and came short of the Glory of God, Rom. 3.9, 19, 23. were under Wrath and Condemnation, was because they were left to their own Counsells. For in that case, as it is Rom. 1.18. they held the Truth in Ʋnrighteousness: vers. 22. professing themselves wise, they became fools. Wherefore [Page 348]God also gave them up to Ʋncleanness, through the Lusts of their own Hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: Who changed the Truth of God into a Lie, and worshipped and served the Creature more then the Creatour, who is blessed for ever, Amen, vers. 24, 25. For this cause God gave them up unto vile Affections. And even as they did not like to retain God in their Knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to doe those things which are not convenient, vers. 26, 28. which brought upon them the Judgment of God. And to like purpose is that Prediction, (which is upon co­gent reason conceived to be verified in the Roman A­postasie) 2 Thess. 2.10, 11, 12. Because they received not the love of the Truth, that they might be saved; for this cause God shall send them strong Delusions, that they should believe a Lie: That they all might be damned, who believed not the Truth, but had pleasure in Ʋnrighteous­ness.

And it is indeed just with God, that they who for­sake him should be forsaken by him; which must of necessity be their Downfall: for mens own Counsells are but as rotten Posts, which if they be shaken, the House will fall of it self. All the Thoughts and Devi­ces of man are but vain; even the Wisedom of the world is Foolishness with God: for it is written, He taketh the wise in their own Craftiness: and again, The Lord know­eth the Thoughts of the wise, that they are vain, 1 Cor. 3.19, 20. It is with Men as with Sheep that wan­der from their Pasture and Shepherd, they are caught and made a Prey to Wolves and Foxes: so those who leave God's Counsell, and chuse their own Ways, are easily beguiled and enslaved by Satan to their Destruc­tion. But, which is the

II. OBSERVATION.

It is the Safety of God's Servants, that they are guided by his Counsell.

There is a twofold Counsell of God. The first is that Counsell by which he guides himself: of which the Apostle speaketh Ephes. 1.11. that God worketh all things after the Counsell of his own Will; and of which the Psalmist saith, Psal. 33.10, 11. that The Lord brin­geth the Counsell of the Heathen to nought; he maketh the Devices of the people of none effect: The Counsell of the Lord standeth for ever; the Thoughts of his Heart to all generations. And this Counsell of God is oft times con­trary to Man's, and clean different from Man's Imagi­nations. For though there are many Devices in man's heart; nevertheless the Counsell of the Lord that shall stand, Prov. 19.21.

Hereby he asserts his own Singularity, Independen­cy, and Sovereign Dominion: as Isa. 46.9, 10. Remem­ber the former things of old, for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My Counsell shall stand, and I will doe all my Pleasure.

This is not that Counsell of God by which he guides his Servants to Glory; this being the Secret which be­longs onely to the Lord. But it is the Thing revealed which belongs to us, that we may hear it and doe it; it is this Counsell of God whereby he guides his people, and brings them to Glory. And though it be true, that even this is a Secret in respect of the World, the Great things of God's Law are strange things to them, the Mystery of Godliness is so profound, so confessedly great, as that none of the Princes of the world knew it; [Page 350]yea, when it was in Christ opened, it was the hidden Wisedom of God in a mystery, containing such things as Eye had not seen, nor Ear heard, nor had entred into the Heart of man to conceive, even the things which God hath prepared for them that love him: Yet it was ordai­ned by God before the world, to our Glory, and re­vealed to his people by his Spirit, who have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of God, that they might know the things which are freely given them of God: as it is 1 Cor. 2.12. This Secret of the Lord is with them that fear him, and he will shew them his Covenant.

This is not either an imaginary Light in every man, conceived by deluded Quakers as sufficient to guide them to God: nor is it any peculiar Enthusiasm, such as Fanatick spirits have been deceived by: nor any such Dreams and Apparitions as Friers and Monks have themselves been abused by, and miss-led other persons, in times of Ignorance: nor any such vain Raptures or Conceits, as those whereby men have been so lifted up, as to despise others as Pygmies in Knowledge in respect of themselves, or to fansie as if they were of God's Privy Councill. But the Counsell of God by which he guides his Servants is his Word, containing his Precepts, his Promises, and what-ever Revelations in Holy Scripture he hath delivered for our learning, that we through Patience and Comfort of the Scripture might have hope: especially the word of the Truth of the Gospell; such as S. Paul meant, Act. 20.20, 21, 24, 26, 27. when he said to the Ephesians, that he kept nothing back that was profitable to them, but testified to Jews and Greeks Repentance towards God, and Faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ, the Gospell of the Grace of God; so that he was pure from the bloud of all men, in that he had not shunned to declare unto them the whole [Page 351]Counsell of God. This is that Counsell of God which makes men wise unto Salvation, or brings to Glory. And with this Counsell of his he guides his Servants,

• 1. By the Preaching of it in the Ministry of the Go­spell of Christ, which is the Power of God unto Salvati­on, Rom. 1.16.
• 2. By the Operation of his Spirit; by which they with open face behold as in a Glass the Glory of the Lord, and are changed into the same Image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord, 2 Cor. 3.18. Hereby they have the mind of Christ, 1 Cor. 2.16.

To which may be added such speciall Guidance as either by joynt or solitary Prayer, Christian Confe­rence, Self-examinations, particular Experiments, se­cret Motions, Illuminations and Warnings, remarkable Providences, God vouchsafes some of his Children in Temptations, against fears of Persecution, attempts of Corrupters, apprehension of Divine Desertion; against all such Scandalls, and other Evils, as become Precipi­ces into which Souls are cast, or Snares and Stumbling-blocks by which they are apt to be overthrown. And by this Counsell of God their Feet are guided into the way of Peace and Safety, and they after brought to Glory. Which is my

III. OBSERVATION.

That those whom God guides by his Counsell, he doth at last bring to Glory.

The Glory which the Psalmist may here mean (espe­cially if David were the Penner of this Psalm) is not unlikely to be the Glory which he expected in being made King of Israel; it being probable that this Psalm was composed in the time of his Persecution under Saul, during which he complained that his Enemies did [Page 352] live and were mighty, and they that hated him wrongfully were many in number, Psal. 38.19. Yet no doubt he al­so had an eye to the Glory which he expected after this Life. So Psalm 17. having prayed to the Lord, (vers. 14, 15.) to deliver his Soul from the Wicked, which were his Sword; from the men of this world, which had their portion in this Life, whose bellies God filled with his hid treasures, so as that they were full of Children, and left the rest of their Substance to their Babes: he declares his expectation to be of a higher kind, (vers. 18.) As for me, I will behold thy face in Righteousness; I shall be satisfied when I awake with thy likeness. And this the phrase of receiving him to Glory, after his guiding him by his Counsell, doth most clearly intimate.

And indeed this is the thing which is the grand Ex­pectation of the Saints, That God will not fail to lead them in his Paths for his Name's sake; and so to order their Steps in his Word, that no Iniquity get dominion over them: that the Spirit of God will so quicken them, as they may run the way of his Commandments: that he will enable them to live by Faith in Christ, and there­by preserve them to his heavenly Kingdom.

It is that exceeding and enduring weight of Glory which is wrought by Afflictions, and the Guidance of Divine Teachings and Providences, that causeth them to look, not at the things which may be seen, which are but temporall, but the things which are unseen and eternall, 2 Cor. 4.17, 18. For which reason the same Apostle tells the Thessalonians, 2 Thess. 2.13, 14. We are bound to give thanks always to God for you, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to Salvation, through Sanc­tification of the Spirit, and belief of the Truth; Where­unto he called you by our Gospell, to the obtaining of the Glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

I. OBSERVATION.

That the safe and secure Dwelling of Believers is onely from God.

In the Prayer of Moses, the Man of God, Psal. 90.1. he thus acknowledgeth; Lord, thou hast been our Dwel­ling-place in all generations: intimating, that both in [Page 360]that Age in which he was a Stranger in the Land of Madian forty years, when he fled from Pharaoh, as it is in S. Stephen's Oration, Act. 7.29. when he and the rest of the Children of Israel wandred in the Wilder­ness forty years more; and also when Abraham, Isaac and Jacob went from one Nation to another, from one Kingdom to another people; God was still a Shelter to them: they dwelt in the Secret place of the Most high, lodged under the Shadow of the Almighty: he covered them with his Feathers, they trusted under his Wings; his Truth was their Shield and Buckler: he was a Sun and a Shield to them: he suffered no man to doe them wrong; yea, he reproved Kings for their sake, Psal. 105.14. When he found Jacob in a Desart land, and in the vast howling Wilderness; he led him about, he instructed him, he kept him as the Apple of his eye. As an Eagle stir­reth up her Nest, sluttereth over her young, spreadeth a­broad her wings, taketh them, and beareth them on her wings: So the Lord alone did lead him, and there was no strange God with him. As most excellently the Pro­vidence of God over Israel is described by Moses in his Divine Poem, Deut. 32.10, 11, 12.

The like did our Psalmist find in his Persecutions by Saul. When he was fain to fly from Saul's Court to Nob, thence to Keilah, Ziph, the Wilderness of Maon, to Achish King of Gath, to Ziklag; in all these his Re­moves God told his Flittings, noted his Wandrings in his Book, and put his Tears in his Bottle. He was a Shelter to him, a strong Tower from the Enemy. He aboad in his Tabernacle; made his Refuge under the covert of his Wings. His Faithfulness and Truth was his Defence. And therefore in his gratulatory Song, wherein he commemorates his Deliverances from the hand of all his Enemies, and from the hand of Saul, he thus makes his Vow, Psal. 18.1, 2. I will love thee, O Lord, my Strength. [Page 361]The Lord is my Rock, and my Fortress, and my Delive­rer; my God, my Strength, in whom I will trust; my Buckler, and the Horn of my Salvation, and my high Tower.

The same Tuition he vouchsafed to Daniel and the rest of the Godly Captives, when they were carried a­way from their own Country into Babylon. There God was (as he promised) a Sanctuary to them: in the Peace of the places where they were Exiles, they had Peace. God's Presence with them was better to them then David's Puissance, then Solomon's Wisedom or Riches. He shewed that he had the Hearts of Kings in his hands, and could turn them as the Rivers of wa­ters: that he could make them that carried them away Captives to pity them: that he could cause their Ene­mies Plots to prove their own Snare; their Contrivance against the Three Children, Daniel, Mordecai, and o­ther Jews, to turn to their own Destruction; the Fire to kill them, that would have burned others; the Lions to tear them, which were to have devoured Daniel; Haman's Gallows, which was prepared for Mordecai, to be his own and his Sons Gibbet; the Decree which was procured to have the Jews destroyed, to be exe­cuted on their Adversaries.

Nor did the Apostles and Holy Martyrs find less Shelter and Security in God's Presence with them, in those great Persecutions which the futious and bloud-thirsty Emperours (instigated by the great Red Dra­gon) raised against them: but that God was a Strength to the Poor, a Refuge to the Needy in his distress, a Re­fuge from the Storm, a Shadow from the Heat, when the Blast of the terrible ones was as a Storm against the wall; as the Prophet speaks, Isa. 25.4.

Which made S. Paul, in behalf of himself and his Fellow-labourers in the work of the Lord, acknowledge, [Page 362]That though they were troubled on every side, yet were they not distressed; though perplexed, yet not in de­spair; though persecuted, yet not forsaken; though cast down, yet not destroyed, 2 Cor. 4.8, 9. Even then when no man stood with him, but all men forsook him, notwithstanding the Lord stood with him, and strengthe­ned him; and he was delivered out of the mouth of the Lion: as he tells us, 2 Tim. 4.16. Which brings in my

II. OBSERVATION.

That God makes the Habitation of Believers safe to them, though they be alone.

It is true not onely, that from God alone they have a safe and secure Dwelling; but also when they are alone, when they have none to help them besides him: yea, when there are very many, very potent, very malicious Enemies against them, yet even then God makes them dwell in Safety and Confidence.

The Lord, saith David, (Psal. 27.1, 2, 3, 5.) is my Light and my Salvation; whom shall I fear? the Lord is the Strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? When the Wicked, even mine Enemies and my Foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell. Though an Hoast should encamp against me, my Heart should not fear: though War should rise against me, in this will I be confident. For in the time of Trouble he shall hide me in his Pavilion: in the secret of his Taber­nacle shall he hide me; he shall set me upon a Rock.

The many Experiences he had of remarkable Eva­sions and Deliverances, when he was (as it were) in the Lion's mouth; how he killed Goliah alone, with a Sling and a Stone, and cut off his Head with his own Sword; how he slew the Lion and the Bear; how he avoided Saul's Javelin cast at him; escaped Apprehen­sion [Page 363]in his Bed by his Wife Michal's Cunning, Saul's Fury by his Rapture and Prophesying at Ramah, the Treachery of the men of Keilah, the Malevolence of the Ziphims, the Design of the Philistines in the Court of Achish King of Gath; these made him full of Confi­dence of God's Assistence in the greatest imminent Perils, though he were Single, and had none that he could trust to.

It was no news to David, that God's Power is no whit abated by the Multitude of Enemies, and the want of Helpers. Abraham's Victory over the Kings that took Sodom, Pharaoh's Overthrow at the Red Sea, Sampson's Slaughter of the Philistines with the Jaw­bone of an Ass, his carrying away the Gates of Azzah, Shamgar's slaying of 600 Philistines with an Ox-goad, Jonathan and his Armour-bearer's Victory over the same People, were such Examples as made his Heart to be fixed, and not to shrink at evil Tidings.

The like Assurance of God's Might made Asa, when he was invaded by Zerah the Ethiopian with an Army of a Thousand thousand, and 300 Chariots, to cry unto the Lord his God, Lord, it is nothing with thee to help, whether with many or with them that have no power, 2 Chron. 14.11. And of this Deliverance then, Ha­nani the Seer minds him, when he let go his Faith in God, and relied on the King of Syria: Were not the Ethiopians and the Lubims a huge Hoast, with very ma­ny Chariots and Horsemen? yet because thou didst rely on the Lord, he delivered them into thine hand. For the Eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole Earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose Heart is perfect towards him, 2 Chron. 16.8, 9.

Elisha was not dismaied at the Army of the Syrians which besieged him in Dothan: he knew there were more with him then against him, though his Servant's [Page 364]eyes could discern none to be present but Enemies.

Hezekiah was not terrified by the proud Vaunts of Rabshakeh, or the reviling menacing Letter of Senna­cherib. He knew that the God of Israel was the Lord, even he onely: that the everlasting God, the Lord, the Creatour of the ends of the Earth, neither fainteth, nor is weary; there is no searching of his Ʋnderstanding: that he giveth Power to the faint, and to them that have no Might he increaseth Strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their Strength; they shall mount up with wings as Eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint; as it is Isa. 40.28, 29, 30, 31.

The same Spirit in a more ample measure was in the Holy Apostles when they were brought before the Jewish Sanhedrim. S. Paul, when it was foretold by Agabus that he should be bound at Jerusalem, when he was brought before the Council of the Jews, the Ro­man Governours, Felix, Festus, and King Agrippa, knew in whom he believed; that he was able to keep the Depo­situm, that which he had committed to him. When he received the Sentence of death in himself, he trusted in him that raiseth from the dead. Thus S. Stephen, when stoned, commended his Spirit into the hands of his Sa­viour, and fell asleep. And this brings me to the

III. OBSERVATION.

That in Assurance that God onely makes them, though alone, and destitute of Help from any else, to dwell in Safety, Confidence, or Hope, Holy Believers can quietly take their Repose, lie down and sleep, though environed with Enemies, even the chiefest, Hell, and Death, and him that hath the power of Death, to wit, the Devil.

This frame of Spirit Holy David did discover in ma­ny of the Psalms, especially in the 31. where having avouched God to be his strong Rock, and his House of defence to save him, vers. 2. he thereupon, without any Commotion of mind, deposits himself with God. Into thine hand (saith he) I commit my Spirit: Thou hast redeemed me, O Lord God of Truth, vers. 5. He was assured that he was his God; that his Times were in his hands; that great was his Goodness which was laid up for them that fear him; that he would hide them in his Presence from the Pride of man; that he would keep them secretly in a Pavilion from the strife of Tongues; that he preserveth the Faithfull: and therefore exhorts them to be of good Courage; and God should strengthen the Heart of all them that hope in the Lord, vers. 14, 15, 19, 20, 23, 24.

But in none was this Composedness of Soul so emi­nent as it was in our Lord Christ: who, though it plea­sed the Lord to bruise him, to put him to Grief; though he were injured more then any man, he was inclosed with the assembly of the Wicked, they pierced his Hands and his Feet; though his Heart like wax was melted in the midst of his Bowells, and he cried out, O God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my Roaring? though his Soul was made an Offering for Sin; yet did he then pray for his Enemies, Father, forgive them, for they know not what they doe: and when he had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I com­mend my Spirit, and so gave up the Ghost, Luk. 23.46. He did no Sin, neither was Guile found in his mouth: when he was reviled, he reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatned not, but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously, 1 Pet. 2.22, 23.

The same Tranquillity of mind did S. Stephen shew [Page 366]at his death. And after the Example of the chief Shepherd of their Souls, and the Protomartyr of the Christian Profession, have the Holy Martyrs and Confessours in all Ages (with the greatest Fortitude and Undaunted­ness of spirit, conjoyned with Serenity and Calmness of mind, unconquerable Patience, and Submission to God's Will, (far beyond the Philosophers Insensible­ness, or Roman Stoutness, which was accompanied with much inward Regret at their Sufferings, Indig­nation against the Tyranny of them that oppressed them, Vexation at their hard Destiny,) yea with A­lacrity and Joyfulness of heart,) laid themselves down to sleep, even in the midst of the Fire, as if it had been in a Bed of Roses, triumphing over the most extreme Cruelties of their violent Persecutours, that were mad with Rage against the Sheep of Christ; who herein followed their Shepherd, who was led as a Sheep to the slaughter, and like a Lamb dumb before the Shearers, so opened he not his mouth, Act. 8.32.

This excellent Temper of spirit in Holy Believers ariseth from the Conscience of their Integrity, and the vigour of their Faith. A good Cause and an upright Heart are very prevalent to allay all inward Fluctuati­ons of mind, and to arm the Heart against outward, though stormy, Occurrences. The Righteous, saith So­lomon, (Prov. 28.1.) are bold as a Lion. They that fear God need not fear Men or Devils. Such as know the Uprightness of their Heart, the Justice of their Cause, (especially when their Danger is for Righteous­ness sake, for God,) can appeal to God with Confi­dence, can mind God as Hezekiah did, Lord, remem­ber that I have walked before thee with an upright Heart, and have done that which is good in thy sight, Isa. 38.3.

It was our Lord's Argument, in that his Soliloquy with his Father, that Bosome-prayer, wherein he did [Page 367]expectorate himself, open his Heart to his Father, Joh. 17.4, 5. I have glorified thee on Earth, I have finished the Work thou gavest me to doe: And now, O Father, glorifie thou me with thine own self, with the Glory which I had with thee before the World was. This was his Plea when he was to be betrayed and crucified.

It is so in like manner with all that doe the Will of God. They know the work of Righteousness is Peace; and the effect of Righteousness, Quietness and Assurance for ever, Isa. 32.17. They know that God will keep him in perfect Peace whose mind is stayed on him; be­cause he trusteth in him, Isa. 26.3. Faith doth assure them, that he that keepeth Israel doth neither slumber nor sleep: that as it is true, Diabolus non dormit, the Devil sleepeth not, but goes about like a roaring Lion, seeking whom he may devour; so Dominus non dormit, the Lord sleeps not, but his Eyes are open upon the Righ­teous. He is that most vigilant Shepherd, that keeps his Sheep night and day. They know that if God be with them, none, either Tyrant or Devil, can be against them. That the Prince of Life hath by Death destroyed him that had the power of Death, to wit, the Devil; and delivered them that, through fear of Death, were all their life-time subject to Bondage. That they may take up their [...], their Triumph-song, their Io Paean, O Death, where is thy Sting? O Grave, where is thy Victory? That he that gave his own Son for them, will with him freely give them all things. That he is not a­shamed to be called their God; for he hath prepared for them a City, which hath Foundations made and built by himself in a heavenly Country; where no Nero's or Do­mitians or Diocletians, no bloudy Bonner's or Spanish Inquisitours shall come; where no Infernall Spirits nor Sons of Belial shall approach to hurt. None shall be able to lay any thing to their charge: they have God to [Page 368] justifie them; Christ to intercede for them. And there­fore neither Height, nor Depth, nor Angels, nor Princi­palities, nor Powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor any Creature, shall be able to separate them from the Love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Hereby they have that Peace of God which passeth all understanding, which keeps, as a Garrison, their Hearts and Minds through Christ Jesus. And therefore they can rest in their Beds, without fear of humane Tor­tures, or haunting Ghosts. They can sleep in the dust of the Earth, with expectation of a better Resurrection: and, after David's Example here, they can resolve to lie down, and sleep, for that the Lord maketh them dwell in Safety; and this with hope of Rising again to Life, and of having Dominion over their Enemies in that Morning in which the Sun of Righteousness shall appear again from Heaven with Healing in his Wings.

I. OBSERVATION.

That the Ʋnderstanding of God's Laws is a most desi­rable thing.

If we will believe the wisest of men, this will be out of doubt. It is the main Argument of many Chapters in the Book of Solomon's Proverbs, (the Quintessence of his Wisedom,) to commend to us, as the most pre­cious thing that can be chosen, the Understanding of God's Laws; which he calls the Fear of the Lord, and the Knowledge of God, Prov. 2.5. And Chap. 3.14, 15. he saith, The merchandise thereof is better then the mer­chandise of Silver, and the gain thereof then fine Gold. She is more precious then Rubies; and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her. Again, Prov. 4.7. Wisedom is the principal thing; therefore get Wisedom, and with all thy getting get Ʋnderstanding.

I should recite to you a great part of Solomon's Books, and of the Psalms of David his Father, besides other parcells of Holy Scripture, should I heap up all those Passages which set out the Worth of the Under­standing God's Laws. But I shall make this Point more apposite to your use, by considering the [...], why it is so; which will also prove the [...], that it is so.

Any right Knowledge is desirable, since every man is ambitious to know; saith Aristotle, in the first words of his Metaphysicks. It is true, there is Science falsely so called, as the Apostle's phrase is, 1 Tim. 6.20. which learned Interpreters conceive to be meant of the Gno­sticks pretended Knowledge, (from whence they usur­ped the Title of Gnosticks, that is Knowing men,) of the thirty Aeones, and such like Fables, devised by Valentius and other like Hereticks, to draw Disciples from the Christian Doctrine after them: of which much may be seen in Irenaeus his Five Books against Heresies. These also, or some other Fanatick Hereticks of that Time, are conceived to be meant by them that know the Depths of Satan, as they speak, Rev. 2.24. Such kind of Knowledge the Apostle bids Timothy not to give heed to, as the Fables, and endless Genealogies, whether of Gnosticks or Jews, and as ministring Que­stions, rather then godly Edifying which is in Faith, 1 Tim. 1.4. which he calls profane and old wives Fa­bles, to be refused, Chap. 4.7. perverse Disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the Truth, to be avoided, 1 Tim. 6.5. foolish and unlearned Questions, which engender Strife, 2 Tim. 2.23. profane and vain Babblings, which encrease unto more Ʋngodliness, 2 Tim. 2.16. Jewish Fables, and Commandments of men that turn from the Truth, Tit. 1.14. Foolish Questions and Genealogies, and Contentions and Strivings about the Law, which are unprofitable and vain, such as the Ca­balistical Conceits and Talmudical Dotages of Jewish Rabbins have been of old, and of later days many of the Popes Decretall Epistles, many of the Monks Le­gendary Tales in their Book which they termed Aurea Legenda, the Golden Legend, (though Ludovicus Vi­ves saith true, He that devised it had a Brazen Face, he that believes it a Leaden Heart;) all these, and [Page 386]what-ever is of like stamp, are to be abhorred, as co­ming from Satan to corrupt mens minds from the Sim­plicity that is in Christ.

But all true Knowledge, of what kind soever, is justly desirable, as being both an Ornament, and some way or other usefull to Man, whose Excellency, where­by he exceeds Beasts, is his Knowledge: and his Infe­riority to Angels, is his Defect in it. And though some of late have endeavoured to prejudice the minds of men against the Study of Arts, Sciences, Languages, and other Learning taught in Universities: yet it is for no other Reason, but because of their own Illite­rateness. Scientia neminem habet Inimicum, nisi Igno­rantem: No man undervalues Learning, but the Igno­rant.

Nevertheless some Knowledge is more desirable then other; and above all the rest, the Knowledge of God, his Laws, Will, Counsell, Works: which indeed make men more truly wise then the Knowledge of all the Secrets of Nature, Policies of State, humane Arts and Sciences. Princely Wisedom to Govern, is a very ex­cellent Gift. To have the Understanding which Solo­mon had, to judge and rule so great a People as that of Israel, was a very glorious Gift of God, and such as made him renowned above all the men of the earth in his days, and many Ages after: yet he found a Va­nity in this. I gave my heart, saith he, (Eccles. 1.17, 18.) to know Wisedom, and to know Madness and Folly: I perceived that this also is Vexation of spirit. For in much Wisedom is much Grief: and he that increaseth Knowledge increaseth Sorrow. Be he the wisest States­man, or profoundest Scholar, be he Doctor profundus, Angelicus, Seraphicus, though he have gotten those glo­rious Titles wherewith some have set out them whom they have esteemed; yet if he review his Projects, his [Page 387]Writings, he will find cause to repent of them, to say, Non putâram, This I considered not, to make Retracta­tions with S. Austin, to charge himself with Folly and Errour. That which we reade Prov. 9.10. is a Max­ime aeternae veritatis, of eternal truth, The Knowledge of the Holy is Ʋnderstanding. That Knowledge which is of God and his Will, that is practical as well as spe­culative, is the true Understanding.

1. Because it is the Knowledge of the most excellent Object. We much prize the Knowledge of the most abstruse things, the things most abstract from sense. The Knowledge of Transcendents, Stars, Motions, In­fluences of the Heavens, Angels and Spirits, is with much Curiosity inquired into: and they are rare Doc­tours who can discover such sublime things. But the Knowledge of God, his Properties, Ways, Precepts and Counsels, is far more excellent, as being of more glo­rious things. We think the Knowledge of Reasons of State, Arcana Imperii, the Art of Governing Men and Kingdoms, more excellent then the Knowledge of Husbandry, how to order Beasts, to plough and sow and plant; to be a wise Statesman, more excellent then to be a skilfull Rustick. But Theology is much to be preferred before any of these; yea a Doctour in Divinity before a Physician or a Lawyer, as teaching the things of God, which are most abstruse, and of high­est Speculation. To be wise in these things, is to be wise as Daniel, who is made the Pattern of a wise man, Ezek. 28.3. because the Spirit of God was in him, Light and Ʋnderstanding to reveal the Secrets of God. Yea, it is to be wise as an Angel of God, Angels being proverbially made the Exemplar of Wisedom, 2 Sam. 14.17. whose excellency of Knowledge stands in their beholding God's Face: by which (though not as in a natural Glass, according to the Conceit of them that [Page 388]talk of Speculum Trinitatis, a Glass of the Trinity, as if he that sees God, must know all things, by seeing him that sees all things; that's an Errour, for then the Angels should be Omniscient: but in a free, clear Glass,) they see more of his Glory and Works, receive more immediate Orders from him, understand more of the affairs of Heaven and Divine Mysteries, then men that dwell in houses of Clay; and the more is revealed unto them of God's Actings, Intendments or Appointments, the more do they increase in Wisedom.

2. Because this Knowledge of God is the most true, clear, certain, satisfying Knowledge. There is Imper­fection in all other Knowledge, as there is in the things that are known. He that knows most and best of o­ther matters, yet finds no Rest or Satisfaction in them. There is Uncertainty even in some things in the Ma­thematicks; and in those things that are known best, there is no great Content to the mind by their Know­ledge, because it is but of things that shall end. Know­ledge of humane things shall vanish away, 1 Cor. 13.8. How many thousands of Learned men have at last, af­ter all their Studying, Arguing, Writing, Reading, come to Socrates his Determination, Hoc unum scio, quòd Ni­hil scio; I know this one thing, that I know Nothing? How many, the more they plod on the things of Na­ture and Art, are the more puzzled? One that was counted a great Wit of the world, when he had studied the Cause of the Sea's Motions, but could not comprehend it, threw himself into it, with this Saying, Quoniam ego non capio te, tu capies me; Because I can­not perceive thee, thou shalt receive me.

But in the Knowledge of God, his Will, his Laws and Counsels, is Perfection. Quietat Intellectum: The Clearness, Truth, Beauty, Stability of the Knowledge and things known, satisfie the Mind. I have seen an [Page 389]end of all Perfection: but thy Commandment is excee­ding broad, saith David, Psal. 119.96. There are wonderous things in God's Law, vers. 18. There is no Sophistry or Fallacy in any of God's Words; there is none of the Poison of the old Serpent, which deceiveth the whole world: But, (as it is Psal. 19.7, 8, 9.) The Law of the Lord is perfect, converting, or restoring, the Soul: the Testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the Simple. The Statutes of the Lord are right, rejoycing the Heart: the Commandment of the Lord is pure, enlight­ning the Eyes. The Fear of the Lord is clean, enduring for ever: the Judgments of the Lord are true and righ­teous altogether.

3. The Knowledge of God and his Law is most de­sirable, because it is that Knowledge which pleaseth God most. 'Tis true, all the Works of God are worth the knowing: The Works of the Lord are great, sought out of all them that have pleasure therein, Psal. 111.2. God allows us to search out the Secrets of Nature; and it is a great Excellency in men, to find out the hidden Qualities and Virtues of Natural Bodies: but to terminate our Knowledge on them, and not to have respect to the Maker of them, not to look unto him that fashioned the World long agoe, as the Prophet speaks Isa. 22.11. much more to deny his Work, to ascribe it to a casual Concourse of Atoms, to the Nature of the things themselves, without acknowledging the First Cause, Primum Motorem, the First Mover and Univer­sall Efficient, is monstrous Madness, and a thing ex­tremely odious to the Divine Majesty.

Yea, they that are the greatest Philosophers, if they know not God's Will, have not Understanding how to worship God, and to doe his Pleasure, are usually more brutish then others: they are given up to vile Af­fections, to a reprobate Mind, to doe those things which [Page 390]are not convenient, but against Nature, such as Beasts doe not, and none but besotted or bewitched men would doe.

Some kind of Knowledge is utterly forbidden us. Well did those Converts (mentioned Act. 19.19.) who used curious Arts, when they brought their Books toge­ther, and burned them before all men; though counting the Price of them, they found it fifty thousand pieces of Silver. All Knowledge of infernall Magick is abomi­nable to God. Then our Knowledge pleaseth God, when we follow on to know the Lord, Hos. 6.3. when we understand what he reveals to us for our Duty and his Honour. The secret things belong unto the Lord our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and our Children for ever, that we may doe all the words of his Law, Deut. 29.29.

4. Because the Understanding of God and his Law, or Will, is that which is of greatest Advantage to us, and therefore most to be desired by us. It is true which Solomon saith, Eccles. 2.13, 14. that Wisedom excelleth Folly, as far as Light excelleth Darkness. The Wise man's eyes are in his head; he avoideth many Dangers, takes prosperous Courses, by reason of his Prudence in discerning between things hurtfull and things helpfull to him: for want of which the Fool walketh in Darkness, stumbles often, and falls into Pits and Precipices. Yet, as he saith vers. 15, 16. as it happeneth to the Fool, so to the Wise; as the Fool dieth, so dieth the Wise. Neither doth Wisedom in Sciences, Arts, Policy, Cunning in Trading, or any such Skill as men are most applauded for, (Civil or Military,) se­cure a man from Dangers without, or Fears within; common Calamities, or particular Miseries; Death, or Damnation. But the Wisedom that is from above, where­by we know God's Will, know the things of the Spirit [Page 391]of God, which are freely given us of God, arms us against Temptations, Fear of Death and Judgment to come, and comforts us in Tribulation. It is that which is able to make us wise unto Salvation, as the Holy Scriptures did Timothy. It brings us to God, as it comes from God. Which leads us to the

II. OBSERVATION.

That the Ʋnderstanding of God's Law and Will is the Gift of God, and to be sought from him.

Every good and every perfect Gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of Lights, with whom is no Variableness, neither shadow of turning. And therefore if any lack Wisedom, he is to ask it of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not, James 1.5, 17. Job, after his inquiry, Where shall Wisedom be found? and where is the place of Ʋnderstanding? resolves, The Depth saith, It is not in me; and the Sea saith, It is not in me: Destruction and Death say, We have heard the fame thereof with our ears. God understandeth the way thereof, and he knoweth the place thereof. He declareth it, prepareth it, and searcheth it out, Job 28.12, 14, 22, 23, 27. And indeed it is he onely that gives it, and in such a measure as pleaseth him.

All Understanding is God's Gift: he makes the wise, and the foolish. He can give Solomon Wisedom, turn Achitophel's Counsel into Folly, make foolish the Wisedom of the wise. As they that trust to their own Wisedom, lean to their own Ʋnderstanding, do follow an Ignis fa­tuus, that will lead them into Bogs and Precipices: so they that seek Counsel of God, Wisedom from him in all their Undertakings, that fear themselves, and work out their Salvation with fear and trembling, are most prosperous. It was Solomon's Happiness, that he asked [Page 392]Wisedom of God; and it was his Unhappiness, that he gave his Heart to injoy Pleasure and Mirth, and so doted on his Wives, that they turned away his Heart from God to set up Idol-service. And therefore, by Solomon's Example, we should beware of abusing our Knowledge, by turning God's Grace into Wantonness, and perverting our Understanding to the Service of our Lusts. But, which is the

III. OBSERVATION.

When we understand God's Laws, we should observe them.

The Observation of God's Law consisteth in two things.

1. In Considering what it requires, or makes known. The word we translate [keep] signifies the Observance of a Watch-man, who is intent on what he sees, and attentive to what he hears. And this should be the dis­position and exercise of every one to whom God speaks. I will hear what God the Lord will speak, saith the Psal­mist, Psal. 85.8. There is nothing more concerns a man, then to have his Ear for God, and his Eye on God. All our Happiness is from him: and therefore all our Thoughts should be towards him. As a Ser­vant that depends on his Master will have his eye on him, and his ear open to him; so should it be with us: our Ear should hear, and our Heart should consider what God speaks or acts. The Blessed man's Delight is in the Law of the Lord, and in his Law doth he medi­tate day and night, Psal. 1.2. And what-ever God does in the world, especially towards us, whereby he either answers our Prayers, or rebukes us for our Sins, either warns us of our evil Doings, or encourages us in do­ing well, should be observed by us; for by so doing [Page 393]we shew we have an Heart to please God, and cause him to take pleasure in us.

2. In Doing of God's Law, according to what we understand, whether it be by departing from Evil, or doing Good. Ʋnto Man he said, Behold, the Fear of the Lord, that is Wisedom; and to depart from Evil, that is Ʋnderstanding, Job 28.28. As God's Pre­cepts cannot be observed without learning them; so are they not well learned, unless they be observed. Theology is a practical Science, for Action as well as Speculation. If ye know these things, (saith Christ) hap­py are ye if ye doe them, Joh. 13.17. Practice is the end of Knowledge: and increase of Knowledge is the fruit of Practice. If any man will doe the will of God, he shall know of the Doctrine of Christ, whether it be of God, Joh. 7.17. A good Ʋnderstanding have all they that doe his Commandments, Psal. 111.10. Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven; but he that doeth the Will of my Father which is in Heaven. He that heareth these Say­ings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him to a wise man, that built his house on a Rock: And the Rain de­scended, and the Flouds came, and the Winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not, for it was founded upon a Rock. And every one that heareth these Sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened to a foolish man, which built his house upon the Sand: And the Rain descended, and the Flouds came, and the Winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell, and great was the fall of it, Matth. 7.21, 24, 25, 26, 27. That Servant which knew his Lord's will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with ma­ny stripes, Luk. 12.47. To him that knoweth to doe good, and doeth it not, to him it is Sin, James 4.17. Sin in a higher degree. Majoris est Criminis Legem spernere, [Page 394]quàm nescire, said Salvian. In Ignorance there is Sin; in Contempt of God's Law, in Stubbornness, much more; in Hypocrisie, most of all. Which brings us to our

IV. OBSERVATION.

That God's Laws are to be kept by us with our whole Heart.

And indeed God's Law is not kept, unless the Heart keep it as well as the Tongue: His Service requires the Inward parts as well as the Outward. Apply thine Heart to Instruction, and thine Ears to the word of Knowledge. My Son, give me thy Heart, and let thine Eyes observe my ways, Prov. 23.12, 26. The Mouth of the Righteous speaketh Wisedom, and his Tongue talketh of Judgment. The Law of his God is in his Heart; none of his steps shall slide, Psal. 37.30, 31.

It is the Heart that is the Principle or Fountain of good or bad. A good man, out of the good treasure of his Heart, bringeth forth good things: and an evil man, out of the evil treasure, bringeth forth evil, Matth. 12.35. The most glorious Works of Piety or Charity, that come not from a right Principle within, please God no more then the offering of Swines bloud: yea, God counts himself mocked, when our Prayers, Praises, or any Duties we doe, come not from the Heart. Heart­less Service is no Service of God, but a Derision of him. He that is a Spirit, must be served with the Spirit, or else the Service is abhorred.

Nor must God's Law be kept with a part, but with the whole Heart. Blessed are they that keep his Testimo­nies, and that seek him with the whole Heart, Psal. 119.2. He that keeps some of God's Commands, and neglects others, yea he that shall keep the whole Law, and yet [Page 395]offend in one point, (since the Authority is the same in all,) is guilty of all, Jam. 2.10. He must keep them in all his Faculties: in his Mind, by considering them; in his Memory, by retaining them; in his Purposes, by chusing them; and in his Affections, by adhering to them. He must keep them with all his Might, with the utmost degree of Observance that he can: and wherein he is defective, he must bewail himself. He must not keep any man's Precepts that consist not with God's; not the Statutes of Omri, or the Ordinances of the house of Ahab, Mic. 6.16. A divided Heart, a double Heart, an Heart and an Heart, are monstrous, Psal. 12.2. We cannot serve God, and Mammon. No man can serve two opposite Masters: no nor two co­ordinate. As we cannot serve God, while we observe the Traditions of men, that evacuate God's Commands: so neither while we observe the Traditions of men, which are imposed as God's Commands. In vain do they worship me, teaching for Doctrines the Command­ments of men, saith our Saviour, Matth. 15.9. Yea, all the just Commands of Men must be observed with sub­ordination to God's; they must give place to them, and must be observed because of his Commands. What­ever Servants doe in Obedience to their Masters, they must doe it heartily, as to the Lord, and not to men, Col. 3.23. Our Obedience must be de omni, per se, & quatenus ipsum. In a word, all that we doe in Obe­dience to God, we must doe for God. There must be Integrity without Partiality, and Sincerity without Hypocrisie. Whatsoever we doe, we must doe all, not for our own Praise or sinister Ends, but to his Glory, 1 Cor. 10.31. without magnifying our selves, or aiming at our own carnal Advantage. And this is to keep his Law with our whole Heart.