AS Christ formerly having the book of this Prophecy given him when he came into the congregation, read a part of it, then shut the book, and began his sermon unto the people; This day is this Scri­pture fulfilled in your ears, Luk. 4.21. So may I say of this that we have in this prophesie read unto you. Behold, this day hath the Lord fulfilled this word of his in our ears, before our eyes. And there­fore is it that we are all here met this day before the Lord, that we may witnesse un­to this good word o [...] h [...]s, that he hath not said to the seed of Jacob, Seek ye me, in vain.

In this Chapter the Lord promiseth to [Page 2] raise up a great deliverer for his people, and tells them, that they shall find him o­ [...]herwise then those that worshiped Idols, found their gods towards them. That which he saith to his people, he speaks it plainly and openly, I have not spoken in secret, in a dark place of the earth. The heathen gods did speak darkly and ambi­guously to their worshippers, that they knew not what to make of their words; but I have not done so to you, saith God. They would have you worship them, but they cannot help you when you have so done; it is not so with me, I said not to the seed of Jacob, Seek ye me, in vain. To the seed of Jacob, that is, to the Church of God, to the Saints.

You will say, Why are the people of God called the seed of Jacob, rather then the seed of Abraham, or the seed of Isaac? Abraham is our father; he is the father of the faithfull; but here it is, the seed of Jacob, not, of Abraham, nor Isaac. The reasons may be these two. First, because that all Jacobs posterity were the Church of God; all Jacobs [Page 3] children the Patriarchs, were every one of the Church; All that came from A­braham were not so, Ishmael was not so; All that came from Isaac were not so, E­sau was not; But all Jacobs children were: therefore speaking of the people of God, of the Church that should be to the end of the world, they are said here to be the seed of Jacob, rather then the seed of Abraham, or of Isaac, Then se­condly, the seed of Jacob, because the Lord is here speaking of the blessing of his seed, namely in the hearing of their prayers. Now because Jacob was the most eminent in prayer, (though Abra­ham and Isaac no question were mighty with God in prayer yet,) the Scripture doth not put such an eminency either up­on Abraham or Isaac for prayer as upon Jacob. You have the most eminent ex­pression for prayer that ever was spoken of any man, never the like, Gen. 32.28. And he said, thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a Prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed. O how eminent was [Page 4] he in prayer. Therefore it is rather said, the seed of Jacob, then of Abraham or Isaac.

But you will say, then they should ra­ther have been called the seed of Israel: for his name of Israel was given him up­on his prevailing with God.

We must not be too inquisitive. These names are used promiscuously. But, this is one reason that is given, and it seemeth to have probability: In Scripture when God speaks of the Church in a low con­dition, he puts the name of Jacob on them rather then Israel: Fear not, thou worm Jacob: and it follows, ye men of Israel, Isa. 41.14. He puts them in mind of their low condition by this name ra­ther then Israel; Fear not thou worm Ja­cob: For before Jacobs name was chan­ged, ye know what a low condition, and what streights he was in. So here, the Lord speaking of his Churches delive­rance out of distress, he cals them the seed of Jacob, that they might see how by their prayers they were brought from their streights, as Jacob was brought from his [Page 5] streights by prayer. When he was Jacob before he was Israel, he was in great streights: so shall the Church be till they seek God.

I said not to the Seed of Jacob, seek ye me, in vain.

That is, first, (as some would car­ry it) I did require is of them, and my requiring did prevail with them: I did not exhort them to it, or require it, and my words fell to the ground and they did not seek me; but what I requi­red of them was effected in them. When God speaks to a people, and they do not what he requires, his word may seem to be in vain, there being no efficacy in his words to prevail. But saith God, I did not say unto them seek ye me in vain. that is, I called not on my people to seek me and they went their own way; but what I spake to them prevailed with them, and in them, and they did that which I requi­red. This is a blessed thing when that which God saith is not in vain, but we do that which the Lord requires of us. That is the first.

Secondly, I said not to them, Seek ye me, in vain: that is, I did not onely tell them that they should seek me, but I shewed by what way and means they ought to seek me in a right manner, that my speaking to them might not be in vain. For if a Minister come in Gods name to put you upon any duty, and exhort you to do such and such a thing, and barely tell you what you should do with­out showing how you should do it, where you shall have strength, and in what manner you should do it, he shall speak in vain. There are abundance of Sermons in vain, when onely good things are com­mended to people, and they are taught what they should do, but not the way how, and the manner, and where they should have strength to do it: then the word is in vain. But saith God, I said not unto you in vain, that is, I did not onely bid you seek me, but I taught you the way how, and in what manner you should seek me.

Thirdly and lastly, I suppose that the principall scope of the holy Ghost is that [Page 7] which the words plainly present to our view; I required not the seed of Jacob to seek me to no purpose, that nothing should come of it; but I required that they should seek me, and they have found a­bundance of good by seeking of me.

So then this point ariseth plainly out of the words, When God requires a people to seek him, he will make it good to them that it shall not be in vain.

Before I open this point I will give you a Scripture or two, one in the old Testament, and another in the new, Deut. 4.7. For what Nation is there so great, who hath God so nigh unto them as the Lord our God is in all things that we call upon him for? Here is an experiment of the fruit of seeking God; and it is spo­ken to shew the honour of Gods peo­ple, the priviledge of the seed of Jacob, and the eminent condition they were in. God is nigh to them in all things they call upon him for: therefore they are not required to seek God in vain. So Matth. 21.22. And all things whatsoe­ver ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye [Page 8] shall receive. A very strange expressi­on: Here might seem to be a tautolo­gie. One would think that it had been large enough to have said, Whatsoever ye shall ask, ye shall receive: but here is, all things, whatsoever. We would not speak so in ordinary language. I will give you all things whatsoever. Yet it may be this may be intended, and I believe it is; And all things, here is the generall promise, that all things that ye ask ye shall receive: and what­soever, may referre to particulars, every particular thing that ye ask ye shall re­ceive. You will say, Any one that un­derstands reason or Logick knoweth that particulars are included in the generall. But there is this illogicall reasoning of unbelief; that though we agree to the premises in generall, yet when we come to particulars, we think they will not be made good to us. I suppose you find your unbelieving hearts so irrationall, that though they believe the generall promise, yet when it comes to particu­lars, and you cannot but say that such a [Page 9] particular is in the generall, yet your hearts will not come up to it. There­fore our Saviour saith not onely, all things in generall, but also, whatsoe­ver, in particular. So, Jam. 5.16. The effectuall fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. There is but one word in the originall, [...], the wor­king prayer; but it is translated by two, effectuall, fervent. Surely then prayer and seeking of God is the ordinance which he hath appointed for the turning about of the great affairs of the world. This is the engine that doth it inwardly: There are indeed a great many outward wheeles used, but the spring of all is with­in, prayer turns all about. God never made use of any created power so much as of this. He never did such great things by any created power as by the ordi­nance of prayer. The Word is appoin­ted for the converting of souls, but a great part of the blessing of the Word dependeth on prayer.

In the opening of this point I will First give you some evidences of it; [Page 10] Secondly, shew you what great things prayer will do. Thirdly, wherein the ef­ficacy and power of it lyeth. Fourthly, the objections of troubled unbelieving spirits against it. And then come to ap­ply all. The evidences hereof are first the many famous records in Scripture of the noble and glorious exploits of prayer. If any of you should come to me to ask, as that King did of the prophets servant, 2. Kings 8.4. What great things hath thy master done? so what great things hath prayer done in the world? truly we might spend houres and dayes in return­ing you an answer, a great part of holy Scripture being spent in this very argu­ment. And it is a very good exercise for you in the night, when you cannot sleep, or at other times when you are troubled, to do as that King did, Esther 6.1. call for the book of the Records of prayer. You that reade the Scriptures, mark what you reade. The word of God will tell you how prayer hath stopped the Sunne in the firmament, opened heaven, and shut it again, raised from death to [Page 11] life, opened the prison doores, and what not?

Secondly, all Gods people are able to tell you great stories of what they have gotten by prayer. This poor man cryed, saith David of himself, Psalm 34.6. and the Lord heard him. Who is it that can­not tell histories of Gods gracious deal­ing with him upon his seeking of him? To be sure, our Nation hath many things to say this way; and every particular godly soul hath many things to say: they would not lose their income of pray­er for all the world.

Thirdly, surely it is not in vain to seek God: for there was never any faithfull seeker of him that ever would leave off, but would continue as long as he lived seeking him: he would seek his face ever­more; if it had been in vain, he would have left off. When we see a Bee stick on a Flower, and will not be driven off, or if she be driven off, she will come a­gain, we conclude certainly it finds honey there. So all the Saints of God that have ever sought God truly, they would never [Page 12] be beaten off this way. Let the world do what it will, persecute them, set spies to watch them in their meetings of pray­er, let it punish and imprison them, let all the malice and rage of men be against them, yet they cannot hinder them either from praying in their closets, or from in­joying the benefit of the communion of Saints in prayer. Daniel had rather lose his life then be kept from his pray­ers, though but for a day: but pray he would, and that openly, yea three times a day, as he was wont; he would not forbear one time. He did stick to pray­er finding honey and sweetnesse in it. Oh how unlike are we to Daniel, though the performance of this duty was exceeding hazzardable to Daniel, yet he would not be deterred from it; but every light tri­fle taketh off our hearts.

Again, it is not in vain for the seed of Jacob to seek the Lord, for it is not in vain for wicked men to seek him, though they are not able to seek God as they ough [...]. The prayer of the wicked is abo­minable, Prov. 15.8. That is not to be [Page 13] understood of the prayer of every man that is unregenerate, wickednesse is not so to be taken in that place. For we know that God hath regarded the pray­ers of men unregenerate. The prayers and fasting of Niniveh were regarded of God: the prayer and fasting of Ahab was regarded of God. God hath gran­ted the wicked some mercies, he hath looked on them as his creatures. Though God seeth enough in their prayers to cast them off, yet God hath manifested his regard to them. Therefore if it be not in vain for the wicked to seek the Lord, much lesse is it in vain for the seed of Ja­cob to seek him.

Yea, the Lord heareth the cry of the very Ravens and the beasts, Psalme 147.9. and Psalme 104.21, 27, 28. Therefore the people of Niniveh would have the beasts eat nothing, that they might cry unto God, Jonah 3.7, 8. Surely if the brute beasts and the fouls be heard when they cry, it is not in vain for the Seed of Jacob to seek God.

Again, it is evident that it is not in vain, because the people of God that have been wise and have conversed with God, and have known much of the mind of God, have given up themselves and all their strength to this duty. Now it were a weak part and an idle thing for any one to give up his strength and all his might to that which were vanity, and whereby there is no great thing to be obtained. It is said of Jehoshaphat 2. Chron. 20.3. that he feared, and set himself to seek the Lord. It is translated composuit faciem suam, he set his face, he gave himself up fully to seek the Lord. They know what they do that give up themselves wholly to seek God.

Indeed carnall hearts condemn the people of God because they see them so earnest in those things that they think to be vain: For it argueth weaknesse in any man to give up himself with all his strength to things that are vanity, and have no strength in them. Therefore be­cause carnall men look upon the way of Religion, as a thing that hath no end, they [Page 15] think it foolish for men to be so earnest to give up their strength and their whole souls for it: But the Saints of God know what they do when they give themselves up to seek the Lord, they know it is not in vain.

Again, this is an evidence that there is much advantage by prayer, because men that were wise and holy have so prized the prayers of the Saints, and made such high account of them. Mark the expres­sion of the Apostle, writing to the Saints for their prayers. Rom. 15.30. Now I beseech you, brethren, for the Lord Jesus Christs sake, and for the love of the Spi­rit, that you strive together in prayer with me in your hearts to God for me. The Apostle Paul, so great a man, and one that had a mighty spirit in prayer, wri­ting to private Christians in the Church of Rome, he beseecheth them for the Lords sake, and for the love of the Spirit, that they strive in prayer for him: He knew that there was much to be had this way.

Yea further, God is found of them [Page 16] that sought him not, Isaiah 65.1. then surely it is not in vain for the seed of Ja­cob to seek him.

yea yet further, God when he intends to shew no mercy, giveth a streight charge to his people not to pray, or he shutteth up their hearts that they are not able to pray. This is an argument that prayer is prevalent, because when God will not shew mercy, he would not have such a precious thing lost and spent in vain.

Lastly, it is not in vain, because if it should, then a praying heart were not al­way a mercy from God: but certain­ly it is. Therefore though perhaps you cannot find the thing granted that you pray for, yet to have a continuall praying heart, know that it is a great mercy from God. And those that are spirituall prize more the continuance of a praying heart many times, then the granting of the thing they pray for. All these put together are full eviden­ces, that it is not in vain to seek the Lord.

There be many other evidences which I passe by on purpose, that I may have as much time as may be for appli­cation.

But now, wherein doth it appear that it is not in vain to seek the Lord? what doth prayer do?

First, it is not in vain to seek God, if there were nothing else in prayer but the right exercise of the faculties of our souls and of our graces; this alone were worth our time. The graces of our souls must be exercised about some­what: Now prayer serveth for the exer­cise of all graces.

Secondly, it is not in vain if it were nothing but the performance of our du­ty as creatures to God. There are many people that are weary of prayer, be­cause they have not that by it that they expect: But know that there are two arguments to prayer; the performance of duty, and the obtaining of mercy: If there were but onely the former, that a­lone should suffice to keep thee praying as long as thou livest.

Thirdly, it were not in vain if it were nothing but the tendering that homage and worship that we ow to God. Pray­er is not onely a duty, but a great part of the worship that God hath in the world. While we are worshiping of God it is worth the time.

Again, it is not in vain, if there were nothing but this, that we come and shew what side we are of, that we joyn and side with God against his adversaries and for his people. But these are not the things here intended.

Further, it is not in vain, because there is no faithfull prayer that ever was made but God accepts of it in heaven. There was never one of the seed of Jacob, that ever put up a faithfull petition to God, but God took it in his hand and read it. A King or any superiour, when you come with a petition may refuse to take it, but God never refuseth to take any petition from a faithfull soul. Therefore saith the Psalmist, Psal. 6.9. The Lord hath heard my supplication, the Lord will receive my prayer. He will take it, and look on [Page 19] it, and read it; & not onely so, but he will also accept it, and take pleasure in it: A Prince may take a petition, and look on it, and after frown and shew anger in his countenance; but God doth not so with the prayers of his people: The prayer of the upright is his delight, Prov. 15.8. he never reads a petition that his people [...]enders, but with a smiling countenance. If it be a faithfull petition, he accepts it of them and receives it graciously. It is an expression of Luther speaking of the prayer of a contrite heart, The least sigh of a contrite heart so fills heaven with noise, that there is no noyse of any thing in heaven or earth heard at that time, but onely the noyse of prayer. Certainly a faithfull prayer taketh the heart of God very much, yea every faithfull prayer is recorded in heaven. You keep your let­ters upon the file, that you may readily find them, when you have occasion to look on such a letter sent from such a countrey; so God hath his file in hea­ven where all faithfull prayers are kept upon record. As Princes have their pa­per [Page 20] offices, where transactions between one State & another are kept, so the Lord hath his prayer-office, where he keeps all the prayers of his Saints that ever were put up to him. Revel. 8.3. Ano­ther Angel came and stood at the Al­tar, having a golden censer, and there was given him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all Saints. Where were those prayers of all the Saints that he must take a censer and offer incense with? God had them re­corded with him, and now they were to be offered to him. And see what great things follow upon the offering of the prayers of the Saints, vers. 4. The smoak of the incense which came with the pray­ers of the Saints, ascended up before God out of the Angels hand. And the Angel took the censer, &c. and there were voyces, and thunderings, and light­nings, and an earthquake. These followed upon the prayers of the Saints. It signi­fied the time wherein all should come in remembrance before the Lord▪ as if an Angel were offering, yea, Christ the An­gel [Page 21] of the Covenant, hath a time to take the prayers presented long ago, and to of­fer them to God with his own incense. They are all recorded in heaven, there­fore they are not in vain. When a petition is taken and put upon record, the petitio­ner petitioneth not in vain, his petitionis not thrown out. If a petition be presented to the Parliament, and they take it, and tell you it shall be kept on record, and charge the Clerk to keep it there, and say they will take due time to consider of it, you will not say such a petition is in vain. God doth so to all his people; he takes their petitions and recordeth them; they are all filed in heaven.

Yet further, there is no faithfull peti­tion but God puts his fiat to the bottome of it, at the instant that it is put up to him. There is a decree in heaven issued out for mercy, at the very instant that the petiti­on is put up, God dealeth not with us in this kind, as men do who are counted ve­ry gratious, if they please to tell us they will consider of our petition: no; but your petition is presently gtanted. A petitioner [Page 22] when there is time taken to consider of his petition, trembles and shakes for fear it should not be granted: but the petitions of the seed of Jacob are granted presently. When Daniel had been seeking God at the evening sacrifice, an Angel comes to him, & tells him, that at the beginning of his prayer there was a decree to grant it, and that he was sent to him at the begin­ning of his prayer, Dan. 9.23. & Psa. 56.9. When I cry unto thee, then shall mine e­nemies turn back: this I know, for God is for me. Did not David cry oft, and yet his enemies did not turn their backs when he cryed? He cryed oft when his enemies prevailed: yet he saith, When I cried, then mine enemies turned back: and This I know, why? for God is for me. The meaning must be this, that at that in­stant that he cryed, there was a decree in heaven; the thing was done. He look­ed on it as done, even as certainly as if he had seen it with his eyes.

This is the reason that the Saints after they have prayed, though the thing be not actually done, fall to praising and bles­sing [Page 23] of God. We have a notable exam­ple in Jehoshaphat, of whom we reade 2. Chron. 20.3. that being in a great fear had set himself to seek the Lord, and pro­claimed a fast throughout all Judah. He did not seek God slightly, but set him­self to seek the Lord. And what his pray­er was, ye may see from vers. 6. to 12. And Jehoshaphat said, O Lord God of our fathers, art not thou God in heaven, and rulest over all Kingdomes? Mark how he pleadeth with God for the Cove­nant he had made, vers. 8. Speaking of the Sanctuary they had built for his names sake; If when evil commeth upon us, as the sword, judgement, or pestilence, or famine, we stand before this house, and in thy presence, (for thy name is in this house) and cry unto thee in our affliction, then thou wilt hear and help. He urgeth the promise made to Solomon at the de­dication of the Temple. For that prayer of Faith which Solomon made, and God accepted, hath the strength of a promise in it. O our God, saith he, wilt thou not judge them? for we have no might against [Page 24] this great company that commeth against us, neither know we what to do, but our eyes are upon thee. Though he profest that his enemies were so many, that he knew not what to do, and that they had no might to resist them, yet after his prayer was done, and before the battell began, when he had consulted with the people, he appointed singers unto the Lord, and that should praise for the beau­ty of holinesse, as they went out before the Army, and to say, Praise the Lord, for his mercie indureth for ever, vers. 21. Mark: he had not yet gotten the victory, the battell was not fought, yet as soon as he had ended his prayer, he praised the Lord, for his mercie indureth for ever. He made account that the thing was done: It was decreed in heaven. There­fore surely the people of God do not seek him in vain.

Nay, it is not onely decreed, but ere long God will satisfie his people, and fill their longing souls with goodnesse, Psal. 107.9. A time shall come when they shall say their prayers are heard, and [Page 25] that they have enough. Yea the Lord gi­veth more sometimes then his people mention in their prayer, they ask tempo­rall blessings, and he bestoweth spirituall; yea he giveth them himself, and that is all in all. Surely then the prayers of the Saints are not in vain.

But wherein lyeth the efficacy of pray­er? What makes prayer so powerfull and present with God?

One thing is, because God delighteth in mercy, and in communicating himself to the children of men. He taketh more pleasure in doing good, then any can in seeking it; yea, then any can in enjoying it from him. Our hearts cannot be so strongly set to seek for any mercy from God, as he is to communicate mercy to us. 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.

Another thing that rendreth prayer so effectuall, is Gods Covenant and pro­mise [Page 26] to his people. It was the speech of Archimedes, Give me a place te set my Engine in, and I will shake the whole earth. Let prayer have a sure foundati­on to set foot on, and it will do mighty things. Now the promises are the foun­dation of prayer, whereof we have great abundance, Numb. 23. you shall find a­bundance of promises to the seed of Ja­cob, under the name of Jacob, when Ba­laam was brought to curse the people. But in Deut. 33.26. &c. there are admi­rable promises to Jacob. There is none like unto the God of Jeshurun, who ri­deth upon the heaven in thy help, and on the skie in his excellency. The eternall God is his refuge, and underneath are the everlasting armes: and he shall thrust out the enemy from before thee, and shall say, Destroy them. Israel then shall dwell in safety alone, the fountain of Jacob shall be upon a land of Corn and Wine, al­so his heavens shal drop down dew. Happy art thou O Israel, who is like unto thee, O people saved by the Lord, the shield of thy help, and who is that sword of thy [Page 27] excellency, and thine enemies shall be found lyars unto thee, and thou shalt tread upon their high places. Here is the pro­mise to the seed of Jacob the fountain of Israel, so he is called, he shall have all things that are good, and God will ma­nifest himself, especially against his ene­mies, Let any of the seed of Jacob go and plead this with God, and it cannot be in vain, there must be a mighty effica­cy in such a plea, when there are such large promises. So in Isaiah 14.1. there are diverse promises to the seed of Jacob. For the Lord will have mercy on Jacob, and will yet choose Israel and set them in their own land, and the stranger shall be joyned with them, and they shall cleave to the house of Jacob, And the people shall take them and bring them to their place: and the house of Israel shall possesse them in the Land of the Lord for servants and handmaids: and they shall take them ca­ptives, whose captives they were, and they shall rule over their oppressours. And it shall come to passe that in the day that the Lord shall give thee rest from [Page 28] thy sorrow and from thy fear, and from the hard bondage wherein thou wast made to serve, &c. I make no question but some of the seed of Jacob, have been pleading this promise in prayer where the Lord hath promised to have mercy on Israel, and to give him rescue from his sorrows, and fears, and hard bondage. It was hard bondage that we were made to serve in not long ago; here is a pro­mise that God will give us rest from it; & upon the pleading of this promise God hath made it good to the seed of Jacob.

And in Isa, 41.8. there are large pro­mises in that Chapter to the seed of Jacob. But thou Israel my servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, the seed of Abraham my friend, Thou whom I have taken from the ends of the earth. It is no matter though they be a poor despicable people of them­selves: it is but a few of the poor people do thus, the Gentry and Nobility go an­other way. Vers. 10. I have called thee from the chief men of the earth, I left them, and called thee, and said unto thee, thou art my servant. I have cho­sen [Page 29] thee and not cast thee away. Vers. 10. Fear thou not, for I am with thee: be not dismaied, for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee, yea I will help thee, yea I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousnesse. Here are five things five times, I, I will strengthen thee, I will uphold thee, I, I, I, I, I, look up to those five l's together, and there are severall expressions of help, and strength, and up­holding. How with my hand; with my right hand; that is, with my right hand I am ingaged; I have given thee my hand to help thee; and that shall be the hand of my righteousnesse. Some men give their hand to their friends when they make promises; but the hand that they give it doth not alway prove a hand of righteousnesse, but many times a hand of deceit: but when God gives his hand to his people it is a hand of righteous­nesse. I will uphold thee with the hand of my righteousnesse. And what follows Vers. 11. Behold, all they that were in­censed against thee shall be ashamed, and confounded. O God make this good this [Page 30] day; our enemies are incensed, they are mad, and rage, and swear, and blaspheme, and stamp, and fret, and would have their will, and they would do such things, All that are incensed against thee shall be confounded. Some of the seed of Jacob have been with God, and have pleaded this promise, and that is the efficacy of their prayer, that the enemy is confoun­ded. They shall be as nothing, and they that strive with thee shall perish. Thou thinkest they are a great army, and have great strength: they shall be as nothing. v. 12 Thou shalt seek them, & shalt not find them. Where is the army now? it is so scattered that you cannot tell, if you seek it you cannot find it, even them that con­tend with thee, they that war against thee shall be as nothing, and as a thing of nothing. Enquire where the Army is now, you shall not find them. For I the Lord thy God will hold thy right hand saying unto thee, Fear not I will help thee, v. 13. O, but we are weak and poor: Fear not thou worm Jacob, and ye men of Israel, I will help thee, saith the [Page 31] Lord, v. 14. & thy redeemer the holy one of Israel. v. 15. Behold I will make thee a new sharp threshing instrument having teeth, thou shalt thresh the mountains and beat them small, and shalt make the hills as chaff, v. 16. Thou shalt fan them, and the wind shall carry them away, and the wherlwind shall scatter them, and this we should labour to make good. Thou shalt rejoyce in the Lord, and glory in the holy one of Israel, when I have done all this, here is the fruit, not to rejoyce in our Armies, or in outward strength, but to rejoyce in the Lord and to glory in the holy one of Israel. Here are promises for prayer to set foot upon, no marvell it hath so much power and efficacy.

There are divers others, and many things behind of the efficacy of prayer, as it depends upon the promise and cove­nant that God hath made with his peo­ple: for every promise is but a severall branch and expression of the covenant of God: therefore we are to referre them all to the Covenant. I will give you but one Scripture, Jer. 30.10, 11. Therefore [Page 32] fear thou not, O my servant Jaoob, nei­ther be dismaied O Israel: for lo, I will save thee from a far, and thy seed from the land of their captivity, and Jacob shal return and be in rest and quiet, and none shal make him, afraid. For I am with thee saith the Lord, to save thee: though I make a full end of all nations, whither I have scattered thee, yet will I not make a full end of thee: but I will correct thee in measure, & will not leave thee altoge­ther unpunished. There is somewhat that God doth, but yet still he remembers his promise in the middest of affliction, that he will leave nothing of that undone: therefore though his people be under great afflictions, the Lord will be good to them according to his promise.

Now again the Lord will regard the prayers of the seed of Jacob; the efficacy of their prayers depends upon this, because it is Gods own work. That which is the work of God is not in vain: God made none of his works in vain. Now all their seeking of God, It is from God; it is Gods own work, and a most glorious [Page 33] piece of the work of God. Every pray­er that comes from the poorest of the seed of Jacob; every gratious, and faith­full prayer it is a glorious piece Gods work; It is a work of the holy Ghost, and therefore it is not in vain.

Again, as their prayers come from God, they seek God from God; so they seek God for God, they seek the Lord for himself. If the seed of Jacob did seek God onely for Corn, and Wine, and Oyle; if they did seek him onely for their own ease, and outward liberties, and accommodations, and for the lives of their enemies, perhaps they might seek in vain. No, but when they seek God, they seek God for God, and thence they prevail so much with God, Ye ask amisse, that ye may spend it on your lusts. James 4.3. You pray to God oft to be delivered from enemies, and you think your prayers (if it be in such a time as this) they come in vain: No marvell if so you pray that you may have liberty to trade, and delive­rance from taxations; (these may be [Page 34] sought, but) the house of Jacob seeks God for his name, that that may not be disho­noured, and for his Gospel, that that be not taken away, and the power of godli­nesse trodden as dirt in the street, when they seek God for God, no marvell if it be not in vain.

But the great efficacy of prayer is this, it is part of the purchase of the bloud of Christ: that God might hear the prayers of the Saints, it comes from the merits of Christ, it is a part of his purchase that God should regard them, it is in his name that we pray, so we are taught. It is by Christ that we have accesse to the throne of grace our priviledge of seeking God is that which Christ hath purchased by his bloud. So that our seeking of God is not onely a duty, and beneficiall to us, but it is a high priviledge purchased by the bloud of Christ; by him we have accesse with boldness, the word is, with liberty of speech: liberty of speech is by the bloud of Christ, that we may come before the Lord, and open our minds fully, certain­ly there is a great deal of efficacy in [Page 35] prayer. Whatsoever our prayers are, as they are from us, though they be vain, as they are from us, yet take them as Christs purchase, here lies the great efficacy of prayer.

Think not that the efficacy of prayer lies in earnestnesse, or enlargement: though it be a comfort, and an evidence that God enlargeth us by his Spirit, (it is not parts that enlarge, but the Spirit) but the virtue of prayer lies not here: the strength whereby prayer doth great things, it lies in the engine lower in secret, in the purchase of Christ.

Again, Christ takes all the prayers of the seed of Jacob, and renders them up to his Father for acceptance. We have a more glorious way of coming to God then Adam had in innocency, yea in some respects then the Angels themselves, by having such an Intercessor that takes all our prayers and carries them to his fa­ther.

Yea, not onely so, but he joynes with us to the Father. There is a place in the Hebrews quoted out of the Psalms, that [Page 36] shewes that Christ praiseth God in the congregation; it is not onely the Saints that praise God but Christ himself. Heb. 2.12. I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the middest of the Church will I sing praises unto thee. Christ in the middest of the Church sings praise to God. When people meet to praise God, Christ praiseth him. It is a mighty en­couragement in praising God. So in prayer, when we meet to seek God Christ seeks him: for he is at the right hand of the Father, making continuall intercessi­on for the Saints; Christ himself joynes with them in the work that they seek not in vain.

Again, it is the stile and title that God glories in, to be a God hearing prayer, therefore he will not let it be in vain,

Again, prayer is the pouring forth of the spirit to God, the spirit that is so beau­tified with the graces of his own spirit; now the pouring forth of such a precious spirit to God so beautified, and principled with the graces of the holy Ghost, cer­tainly this cannot be in vain. Indeed, the [Page 37] Scripture saith, of the heart of the wicked that it is little worth: Let their heart be poured fourth God doth little mind, or regard it: but the heart of the righteous is much worth, it is very precious before God: therefore when their hearts are poured out, and God sees the beauty and glory of his graces on them, it is ex­ceeding delightfull to him, and such pouring out of their hearts, cannot be in vain. If God have a bottle for all their tears, he hath a bottle also for all their expressions, and pouring out of their hearts in prayer.

Further, the exceeding delight that God hath in the seed of Jacob, must needs cause God to regard their seeking that it be not in vain. They are his darlings: now there is no man that loves to deny a suit to any that he delights in. We have a notable expression concerning the seed of Jacob when they pray, Thou art my King, O God, command deliverance for Jacob. Psal. 44. There comes a commanding po­wer from God for the deliverance of Ja­cob, when Jacob comes to sue to God.

Lastly, it were not for the honour of God to send away his people empty, that they should seek him in vain. It is repor­ted of Titus, though he were a heathen Emperor, yet he would not that any man should go sad out of the presence of the Prince. God accounts it an honour that none should go sad out of his presence. Therefore those are called on to rejoyce that seek the Lord. Let the hearts of them rejoyce that seek the Lord, Psalm. 105.3. not onely let the heart of them rejoyce that find the Lord, that obtain that they seek, but those that seek the Lord, while they are seeking should rejoyce in seek­ing him.

Well, because I would sain get to the application of the point, I passe by other things, and will onely take away that great objection, and reasoning, that is in the hearts of men against this point.

You tell us that the prayers of Gods people are not in vain, and by Gods mer­cy now and then, we have found some comfortable hearing from heaven: but ordinarily we find it otherwise. How [Page 39] many prayers have we put up to God, and find not the issue? we pray, and pray, and the enemies prevail, though now and then God give us help.

Now for the taking away of all unbe­lieving reasonings against the point, I will not go from the text at this time.

Therefore the first answer is this: You say you have sought God, and have not what you would have, and therefore it is in vain: (though perhaps this that you now say is vain) yet it makes not the text void. Remember what hath been before: heretofore you have sought God, and that was not in vain, remember the times of old, let that for the present a little stay you. It was that that stayed the Psal­mist, he began to reason as you do, that he had sought God in vain, Will the Lord cast off for ever? and will he be favou­rable no more? is his mercy clean gone for ever? doth his promise fail for ever­more? &c. Psalm 7, 8. here seems to be as much unbelief as is in your reason­ing: but mark what follows. v. 10. And I said this is my death: but I will remem­ber [Page 40] the years of the right hand of the most high. O, it is my sinne, and weak­nesse that I should reason thus, I consider not what I do when I reason thus: but I will remember the years of the right hand of the most high, vers. 11. I will remember the works of the Lord: surely I will remember the wonders of old. v. 12. I will meditate also of all thy works, and talk of thy doings. Thy way O God is in the sanctuary: who is so great a God as our God? Thou art the God that doest wonders, thou hast declared thy strength among the people, v. 14. Thou hast with thine arm redeem­ed thy people, the sons of Jacob & Joseph. v. 15. Mark, at length he recovers himself with this, though present things seem to go hard, yet he remembred what God had done, so do thou in this case. In Isaiah, you have a complaint of unbelieving hearts, as if God had been sought in vain. Isa. 40.27. Why sayest thou O Jacob, and speakest O Israel, my way is hid from the Lord, & my judgement is passed over from my God Art thou one of the seed of Jacob, & hast [Page 41] sought God, and sayest it is in vain? God reasons the case, and will confute their un­belief. Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the Lord, the creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding. He giveth power to the faint, and to them that have no might he increaseth strength. Even the youths shall faint & be weary, & the young men shall utterly fall. v. 28, 29, 30, 31. But they that wait upon the Lord shal renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as Eagles; they shall run and not be weary and they shall walk and not faint. Hath not God done great things heretofore, in 88. and in the powder plot and at other times? and though we be in some streights, remember what God did before.

This should appease your hearts, what though thou have not present audience for the thing thou seekest: yet think, I deal with a God that hath an under­standing that I cannot search. God it may be lets the adversary prevail sometimes, I [Page 42] cannot tell what glory God may get by it, I cannot conceive how God can bring his own glory about when Israel flees be­fore the Philistines, But why sayest thou so O Jacob? there is no searching of Gods understanding, God sees further then thou canst see: that thing that thou thinkest will make against his name may make for it: therefore lay thine hand upon thine heart. He giveth power to the faint, and to them that have no might. God stayes till men have no might, till they faint, and are ready to sail, and then he comes and helpes them. That is the meaning of that Scripture in Luke, where Christ saith, God will a­venge his elect that cry night and day to him, though he tarry, he will avenge them, he will hear their prayers: it is not in vain: But it follows upon it, not­withstanding when the Sonne of man comes shall he find faith on earrh? I ve­rily think that that want of faith, hath reference to that very promise specially, that God will hear his elect that cry: but God may stay so long, as that the very [Page 43] time when God shall come to perform it, & shall intend to do it, it may be a time when their faith is overcome, and fails in the promise, that they begin to give o­ver, and think they have sought in vain. And usually the time when God comes to fulfill his promise, and to answer the prayers of his people, it is that very time when they fail and are ready to sink. Therefore that may be another argument, it may be thou hast not believed this promise. Thou sayest thou hast prayed, and thou thinkest it is in vain: hast thou believed this promise in the text? hast thou relyed on it? God hath not said to the seed of Jacob, Seek ye me in vain.

The word of God shall be made good, but how? upon our faith: it shall be made good to us upon our believing: though we be never so godly, and pray never so well, yet if we will have the pro­mises made good, it must be upon believ­ing. If thou hast not laid the weight of thy soul on the promise, thou hast no cause to say that God hath not made his [Page 46] word good; it may be thou hast not faith: learn to believe the word, and then thou shalt have it fulfilled. Thou wouldest have it made good, and then thou wouldest be­lieve it; no, thou must first believe the word and then expect that God should fulfill his promise.

Again, God is a great God that we seek to, and it is fit for us to wait, and to wait long. He is great, & we seek great things, and we are poor, mean, vile wretches. God hath his prerogative sometimes to answer presently, sometimes not so. Elias was a great praying man, he is set for an exam­ple of prayer; he prayes at one time for fire to come on the sacrifice, and fire came down presently; another time he prayed for rain, and then he prayed 7. times, and bowed his head between his knees, and sent his servant, and sent him again and again. At one time God comes in at the first, at another time, not till seven times: it is Gods prerogative.

And take this note; it is a true sign of a gratious spirit, though God defer, yet still for the soul to cling to God, to think [Page 45] well of God, and of the wayes of God, & of the duty of prayer; it is an excellent sign, & the ready way to find favour with God. You have sometimes two beggers follow you for alms; one perhaps hath true need, pure need, and is of a soft tender spirit, the other is a sturdy rugged beggar, you deny them both; he that hath pure need, & hath a soft tender spirit, he thinks he is unworthy that the other man should be bountifull to him and he fals a weeping: yet he thinks well of the man, & will be ready to beg of him upon another occasion, he hath good thoughts of him. But the sturdy begger rails, & breaks into an angry passionate mood, & he will ask no more; who of them is like to prevail, the soft spirit that hath an ingenious dispo­sition, or the sturdy spirit that soon breaks off? Thus there are many passionate hearts, that are not froward with men, but with God, they come, & ask mercy of God, but their hearts are stiff, and froward & stur­dy, if they have not that they would, they presently break off, & say, why should we wait on God, and cry, it is in vain to [Page 46] seek the Lord. But now a gracious, ten­der, ingenious disposition, though the thing come not that he prayes for, he ju­stifies God in all, and speaks well of God, and well of prayer, and loves that still, and waits on God in that way: this is the soul that is likely to prevail.

But further, (to answer from the text) it may be thou hast not sought God, Seek ye me, saith God. It may be it is some­what else that thou hast sought in prayer then God: though thou name God in thy prayer, it may be thy heart hath been after creature-helps, and thou hast made more account of the help of the creature, of Armies, and strength, thou hast made account that they would do it rather then prayer; and if there be no help but prayer, thou thinkest it but a dry bu­sinesse.

A carnall hearted man when he hears of an army of twenty thousand men well clothed and the like, he thinks much may be done, but for the prayers of Gods people they think they be nothing. Now if thou have sought help by creatures, [Page 47] rather then by God, thou hast not sought God all the while, Or if it have been but outward safety, that thou hast sought and not the face of God, thou hast not sought God, Seek my face, saith God, Psalm 27. This is the generation of them that seek thy face, O Jacob. Psalm 24. Thou seekest not God, without thou seek Gods face, without thou seek God for himself. And ordinarily, God is not sought, but thy estate is sought; and thou cryest out for the danger thou art in. Therefore thou hast no cause to say, it is in vain, look to thy prayers, take up thy prayers again. Do as the fishermen do; if they find that there comes nothing up, that they do not catch, they take up their net, it may be there is a hole, a rent in the net. And so the Angler, if the fish do not bite he takes up the bait, it may be there is somewhat wanting on the hook. So look to thy prayers, it may be it is not God that thou hast sought, take them up and see what is amisse in them.

Another answer is this, it may be thy prayers [...] [Page 48] fore no marvell if nothing but vain come of them. Surely, God will not hear vani­ty, Job 35.13. If there be nothing but vanity, how canst thou expect that God should hear them? The word here, in vain, it is the same word in Genesis 1. At the first all was without form and void; a confused chaos. So ordinarily our prayers are without form, and void, that is, there is nothing but vanity, a con­fused lump, a chaos. Not that God re­gards so much the setting of a mans words in form handsomely: for the grones and sighs of the spirit of God are accepted, though they be not methodicall, as the making of a speech to men; God looks not to that. But they are without form, and void, that is, that is a vain thing that hath no end or not a good end. Ma­ny pray, and they know not why, but be­cause others do; but they propound not the true end of prayer.

I appeal to thy conscience; when thou hast gone to pray to God, hast thou pro­pounded this end? I am going to tender up that worship and homage, that I a [Page 49] poor creature, ow to the infinite glorious first being of all things, you call your fa­milies sometimes to come to prayer, & ne­ver think what you do, what you aim at. I and my family are now going to seek the great God in prayer, I am now going to joyn with my father or my master, now that we are altogether in this fami­ly to tender up that worship and homage that we poor creatures ow to that infi­nite glorious first being of all things whereby to testifie our high respect, and esteem of him. Now if thy prayer be a customary way of prayer it is vanity, it hath not a right end.

It may be thou goest to prayer meerly to satisfie conscience. Or some have this by end in prayer, a wicked end, that is, they think to satisfie God for their for­mer sinfull wicked wayes. They take li­bertie in company to drink and please the flesh, and as they served themselves then, so now they will serve God, and set one against another. Sometimes they will give liberty to the flesh to take content­ment that way, but they will not alway [Page 50] do so, sometime they will be devout and serve God. There is no man so wicked as to be alwayes in the acts of wicked­nesse, but they think God must have his turn, and they must have their turn some­times. And this is the prayer of many people, to put their sinnes in one scale, and so many devout prayers in the other scale, and the one shall poize the other. This is vanity, this is not the end of prayer.

Then a thing is vain, when it is empty, when there is not substance in it: Now when the heart is empty in prayer, there are words, and they are wind, the Lord sees not the strength of thy spirit, thou dost not set thy self before the Lord in prayer, thy expressions are meerly empty: God doth not see thy expressions filled with the graces of the Spirit: this is va­nity: Take heed of vain expressions, when there is nothing but nature in prayer; though there be never so much earnestnesse in prayer, if there be but a naturall spirit it is vanity, we must pray in the spirit as the Scripture speaks.

And take heed of sluggishnesse in pray­er, [Page 51] that makes it vanity. The breath that comes from life in mans body is warm, but the breath that comes from bellows is artificiall and cold, some mens breath in prayer is artificiall and cold, but the prayer that comes from life, is warm breath that comes up to God.

Again, vanity is this, when all is eaten out with vain thoughts, thy heart roves in prayer, thou knowest not where thou art, thou canst not call that which thou makest a prayer. A prayer with vain thoughts is like bear, or wine that is dead, and hath lost the spirits. Vain thoughts are worms that eat out the strength of a duty: would you present a dish to your superiour that were worm-eaten, or that were gnawn on before? when we let out our thoughts in duties, and present them to God, they are worm-eaten, and torn, the strength of them is quite gone.

And after you have prayed, take heed that you make not your prayers vain, by not looking after them, for the accom­plishment of them; or by being proud of your prayers and gifts, by resting in them.

And it is vanity when thou undo­est all as soon as thou hast done, by going contrary to thy prayer in thy life, not adding watchfulnesse to pray­er. If a man take pains to weave a web, and spend so many hours in it, and then ravell it out, this man spends his time in vain. So do most people with their prayers, they pray for mer­cy, and grace, and as soon as they have done they go quite contrary and ravell and undo all; is not this vani­ty? No marvell if thou think it in vain, when there is nothing but vanity in thy prayers.

And take heed that you make not the prayers of others vain. Luther writes to Melancthon angerly, in regard of his fear of the power of his adversaries, saith he, You make our prayers void. So it may be said of many that are cold, and luke­warm, and dead-hearted, and do not take to heart the cause of God; that fear the displeasure of this body, and that body; you make our prayers void. You that have praying friends, it may be fathers, [Page 53] and mothers that are dead whose pray­ers are put up in heaven, take heed that you make not their prayers void; that you give them not cause if they should come to live again from the dead to weep and cry out, O how are our pray­ers made void by the prayers of such and such.

But you will say, Lord, what will be­come of us? we have abundance of vani­ty in our prayers.

Therefore, that you may not be dis­couraged, know, that though there be many vain thoughts in prayer, yet if there be sighing and mourning, and humbling of the soul, and panting of the heart after God in groning, and sighing, and though there be a mixture of vani­ty, yet there is a working of the Spi­rit of God, and of grace in the heart after God; know that the Lord will not charge this vanity on thee, the Lord will do away thy sinne, therefore let not that discourage thee. The efficacy lies not in the excellency of thy prayer, but in the merits of Christ, and his mediation: [Page 54] Onely Christ will have somewhat of thy self in thy prayer, he will haue thy heart pant, and work after him: but there may be abundance of vanity, thou drawest a line, and makest a blot, and another line. and another blot, Christ draws all fair again, and presents it to his Father.

But another question is this, you say it is in vain to pray. Can you make good that you are one of the seed of Jacob? this priviledge belongs to them, it may be you are of the seed of Esau.

The seed of Esau, what is that?

The Apostle speaks of Esau what his guise was. Heb. 12.6. and saith, Take heed that none of you be such as Esau, lest there be any fornicatour or profane person as Esau, who for one morsell of meat sold his birth-right. Now if thou prove a fornicatour thou art of the seed of Esau, or a profane person; what is that? for one morsell of meat he sold his birth-right, that is, to please, and satisfie and consent the flesh he sold his birth-right, that was the land of Canaan, and so ty­pified the priviledges of the Church of [Page 55] Gods, and even a type of heaven it was. His birthright had a spirituall meaning, is had reference to the spirituall privi­ledges, that the Saints of God have to this day in all the ordinances of God.

That man or woman that prizeth any carnall contentment before spirituall pri­viledges, they are of the seed of Esau, and not of Jacob. Thou thinkest there is some favour in money, and in a good trade, and in good chear, and such a day as this November 5. is better then a fast-day, because of the good chear: but for the spirituall duties of this day, to come and magnifie God, and to attend upon his word, thou thinkest they are circumstan­ces, and by-matters, and thou art trou­bled if the Sermon be too long to hinder thee of thy dinner; thou art a prophane Esau, all that I have said belongs not to thee, thou dost not belong to Jacob but to Esau, that preferrest carnall things for the flesh before the spirituall priviledges of the Saints.

But how shall I know that I am one of the seed of Jacob?

How do you know such an ones child, but by his likenesse to his father? One that hath the spirit of Jacob is of the seed of Jacob. There are many things that the Scripture speaks concerning Ja­cob, and see if you do answer them.

First, Jacob was a mighty man in prayer, he was a wrestler with God, and he wrestled till the day broke, and was as strong at the last as at the first: hast thou the spirit of thy father Jacob? art thou not discouraged in prayer? though mercy come, not presently yet dost thou wrestle all night, and resolve whatsoever come if thou die, thou wilt die wrestling; here is a child like the father, therefore thou art of the seed of Jacob.

Secondly, Jacob was one that feared God, when God appeared to him he looked on the presence of God as dreadfull, How dreadfull is this place? Genesis 28. because God was there. So dost thou look on the presence of God as dreadfull, that thou canst say the fear of the great God is on thy soul: when [Page 57] thou comest into his presence? mark, for this is that expression in the Psalm, Ye that fear the Lord praise him, all the seed of Jacob glorifie him, and fear him all ye seed of Israel, Psalm. 22.23. If you will be sure not to seek God in vain, but that you may praise him in seeking him, fear the Lord all the seed of Jacob.

Hence we reade that when there was an oath between Laban and him, the oath that he took was, he swore by the fear of his father Isaac. God was the fear of Isaac, and Isaac so feared God, that he had his denomination from his fear: Now Jacob swearing by the fear of his father Isaac, that notes that the fear of God was upon Jacob, as it was upon his father. And dost thou walk in the fear of God? Hast thou not a bold spirit that goes in slight, presumptuous, bold base wayes? This is not like Jacob, he looked on Gods presence as terrible.

Thirdly, Jacobs heart was disingaged from the creature, a little of the creature would serve his turn, Ge. 28. Lord, saith he, [Page 58] if thou wilt give me meat to eat and rai­ment to put on. He looked no further, he minded no great matters. Therefore in Psalm. 24. there the generation of Jacob is set out, and one thing is, he that hath not lift up his soul to vanity. The men of the world have great things in their eyes, they are vanity in Gods eye, though they be great in theirs, and they lift up their hearts to them. Now the sonnes of Jacob do not lift up their hearts to va­nity, though the things of the world be present, their hearts stirre not, they rise not; but if God and Christ, and heavenly things be presented, their hearts are lifted up. If thy heart be lifted up to vanity, if thy heart be as iron and the vanities of the world come and draw it up, thou art not a sonne of Jacob: a little would serve Jacob though he were a great heir, He was a plain man and dwelt in tents, Gen. 25. and had a plain spirit, he did not look after great things; whereas Esau looked after great things abroad.

Again, he was one of a tender spirit: therefore where it is said he prevailed [Page 59] with the Angel, it is said he wept, and made supplication unto him, he found him in Bethel, and there he spake with us. That story of Jacob concerns us how God dealt with our Father. If now thou have a tender spirit as he had; if when thou goest into the presence of God thou find thy spirit yield and melt, and relent, thou art one like thy father Jacob.

Again further, Jacob did in the time of his streights repair to the covenant, that was a great satisfaction to his heart; he looked to the covenant, he fastned on that, and there he held as the main sup­port of his spirit. Gen. 32.9. And Jacob said, O God of my father Abraham, and God of my father Isaac, the Lord which said'st unto me return unto thy countrey, and to thy kindred, and I will deal well with thee &c. He heard that Esau was coming against him with a great many; and what doth Jacob? he gets him to God, O God of my father Abraham, and of my father Isaac, the Lord which said unto me return into thy countrey, [Page 60] &c. He repairs to the Covenant: Re­member thy Covenant with Abraham and Isaac, and with me too, I went on thy word. Here was the guise of Jacob: canst thou in a straight get thee too a word, and a promise, and brood thy soul over it, and clasp it close, & say this is the promise that must, and will do me good?

Again, Jacob was of an humble spirit, I am not worthy of the least of thy mer­cies. He admired at the mercy of God that he had any thing, and Gods mercies made him more humble; this is an ex­cellent disposition, we are many times humble and lowly when we are under the hand of God in affliction: but when mercies make us humble, that the more God is gracious the more vile we are in our own eyes, this is excellent.

And he looked back to his former condition, he looked upon his poor be­ginning and gives God the glory: I pas­sed over this Jordan with my staffe; Ma­ny of you came with your staff, and God hath given you two bands, you are grown great, are you willing to think of it, and [Page 61] to acknowledge the poor estate that once you were in, and to give God the glory, I was thus, and thus, of poore parentage, and see how God hath dealt with me.

Another thing remarkable is, that Ja­cob contented himself with God alone, he accounted that he had enough in God a­lone, though all were taken from him, he did not look upon himself as undone, but he had that that might make him for ever. In Gen. 33. compare the 9. and 11. verses, you shall find a notable diffe­rence between Esau and Jacob, yet the word in our books is the same, but this Scripture is much wronged by the trans­lation. In v. 8. Esau when he comes to Ja­cob, when Jacob would have given him his present, saith he, what meanest thou by all these droves which I met? he said, these are to find grace in the sight of my lord: and Esau said, I have enough my brother, It was a strange speech of Esau: A covetous wretch that is alway pyning and murmuring for having no more, and thinks he shall want before he dye, he doth not come so farre as Esau, [Page 62] and Esau could say, I have enough, are there not many of you that never say you have enough? I pray thee take my present saith Jacob, for I have all things, nay saith Esau, I have enough. The one saith I have enough, the other saith I have all things, for so the word is Col; Esau had enough, he did not want, he had meat and drink, and he saw none to in­terrupt him, he was satisfied with his estate, as his portion; he had enough, he cared for nothing more, they might talk of other things, but that was enough to him. Jacob comes, and saith I have e­nough; but this was another man­ner of enough: Esaus enough is his estate, but Jacobs enough is God, for he saith, I have all, Jacob was meaner for his out­ward condition then Esau, for he had nothing but what he had gotten in hard servitude. Now Esau saith, I have e­nough, Jacob saith, I have all: that is, God is enough in the want of all, if E­sau should strip him of all he had, yet he had all in God. Now one that is of the seed of Jacob, in the time of want (as [Page 63] some of you may be plundered, and then all is gone you say; no, if thou be of the seed of Jacob) if thou have God thou hast all. There is such a promise, He that overcometh, shall inherit all things. How is that? and I will be his God. Revel. 21.7. Therefore whatsoever thou wantest if God be thine, if thou be Gods child, thou hast all.

Further, one of the seed of Jacob is one of the Church of God: for all Ja­cobs posterity was so: therefore the bles­sing in Ruth is, The Lord blesse thee like Rachel and Leah, which two did build up the house of Israel. Why is it not, the Lord blesse thee as Rebeccah, or Sarah, but as Rachel and Leah. (It was a bles­sing upon a marriage condition) the rea­son is, because from Rachel and Leah, came onely those that were of the Church, that were members of the Church of God; but there came others from Rebec­cah, and of Sarah came onely Isaac, but Abrahams posterity was otherwise. And that Church that was then was but a type of that which should be after; that is of [Page 64] a company of people elected, and cal­led out from the world to be partakers of the Priviledges of Jesus Christ. The peo­ple of the Jews, the seed of Jacob were the Church of God, as the seed of such an one. And this typified the Church that should be after; a company that are taken out of the world, to partake of the priviledges of Jesus Christ. Canst thou say that thou art of the Church? The word that we translate Church is a com­pany that is called out from the world. Canst thou ever tell of a work of God se­parating thee from the world, that when thou wentest according to the world, God gave thee a mighty call that made a separation between thee and the world? For it is said so of the seed of Jacob, Numb. 23.9. From the tops of the rocks I saw him, and beheld him, lo, the people shall dwell alone, they shall not be reckoned among the Nations, they shall be separa­ted from the nations. All the seed of Ja­cob are called out of the world, they are se­parated from them by a mighty work of God to partake of Christ, and be a mem­ber of him.

And upon this, such an one mightily longs after all the outward priviledges of the Church, to enjoy all the outward or­dinances of Christ after his way, those that are of the seed of Jacob, they prize the excellency of Jacob as the greatest excel­lency, their hearts are towards it, and they rejoyce in that above all the excellency in the world. If you ask what this excel­lency of Jacob is? It is the joyning of Gods people in the way of ordinances, and duties of Gods worship in the puri­ty of them. This in Scripture is called the excellency of Jacob, Psal. 47.4. He shall chuse our inheritance for us, the excel­lency of Jacob whom he loved. It is an excellent Scripture. O, it is a blessed thing to give all to God, to let God chuse our inheritance. What is our inheri­tance? The excellency of Jacob whom he loved. What was that? The worship of God, and his ordinances, joyning with the people of God in the way of his ordi­nances, in his temple, those were the things that were the ordinances of God in those times; those are called the excellency of [Page 66] Jacob; and so it is now the excellency of a people to enjoy Gods ordinancies.

You have another expression to the same purpose. And I will bring forth a seed out of Jacob, and out of Judah an inheritour of my mountain, and mine e­lect shall inherit it, and my servants shall dwell there. Isaiah 65.9. What is the mountain of God? Gods Ordinances in his Church, I will bring a seed out of Jacob, and Judah, and they shall inherit my moantain. So that the greatest inheri­tance of the seed of Jacob is the moun­tain of the Lord: communion with the Church of God, and his ordinances: if you be of the seed of Jacob, your hearts prize, and rejoyce in this, and that you have in Psal. 24. vers. 3, 4, 5. you shall find how the seed of Jacob prize the en­joyment of God in his Ordinances, Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? who shall stand in his holy place? He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lift up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully. He shall receive the blessing from the Lord, and righte­ousnesse [Page 67] from the God of his salvation. This is the generation of them that seek him: that seek thy face O Jacob. It is so in the book: but the particle O, is not in the originall: and therefore it may be read thus, That seek the face of Jacob; it may be read in the Genitive case, as well as in the Vocative. This is the ge­neration of them that seek him, even of Jacob, and then he turns to God, that seek thy face: but because his heart was full of this, of seeking Gods face, (though he intend to mention what generation it was, the generation of Jacob) he puts in that before, the generation of Jacob that seek thy face: that is, this is the ge­neration that so prize God in his ordi­nances, and account it such a blessing of God; that joyn themselves to the Church of God, and set up his ordinances and wayes; this is the blessed generation, these are those that seek God truly. We seek not God truly unlesse we seek him in his own wayes, unlesse we seek him in all his ordinances, we cannot comfort our souls that we seek him in truth. For as in [Page 68] the way of obedience, we cannot have comfort in our obedience that it is true, except it be universall to all Gods com­mandments, so we cannot have comfort in our seeking that it is true, except it be in all his ordinances, and wayes: there­fore we must be of the generation of them that seek the face of the Church, that seek thy face O Jacob. So it follows in that place, lift up your heads O ye gates, and be ye lift up ye everlasting doors, that the King of glory may come in. Where should the King of glory come but into his Church? Who is the King of glory? The Lord, strong and almighty: still the Church is called on to entertain Christ in his glory, so this is spoken of the Church. Thus you may know, whether you be of the seed of Jacob.

Again, if you be the seed of Ja­cob you have the inheritance of Jacob, and account it your inheritance. What was Jacobs inheritance? Deuter. 33.2. The Lord came from Sinai and from his right hand came a fiery law. [Page 69] The law of God is a fiery law; yet in verse 4. Moses commanded us a law, even the inheritance of the congre­gation of Jacob. So that though the law be a fiery law, a strict law, a severe law, yet it is the inheritance of the con­gregation of Jacob. If you be of the congregation of Jacob you account the law of God to be part of your inheri­tance: not onely to be that which you are bound to, that you must obey whe­ther you will or no, but you rejoyce in the law of God as your inheritance. For my part I know not a more sure note of a gracious heart then this; one that rejoyceth in Gods law as his inhe­ritance: as you know what expressions David hath, he rejoyced in it more then in Gold and Silver, more then in the honey, and the honey-comb. It is one thing to obey Gods Law, and another to rejoyce in it as an inheri­tance. If thou be of the seed of Ja­cob, thou hast the inheritance of the seed of Jacob.

Another is, he that is of the seed of Jacob [Page 70] is faithfull in the place that God hath set him. Jacob in serving of Laban, Gen. 31.6. though he were churlish, he profes­seth that withall his power he served his father. It is an excellent text for servants; you would fain have time to seek God, and God forbid but there should be some time allowed the poorest and meanest servant to seek God alone. But art thou of the seed of Jacob? then be like him in this, to serve with all thy power, though thou have a froward master or mistris, as Laban was, though they use you hard­ly, yet shew godlinesse in that relation. And for servants to seem godly, he must go hear, this Sermon, this man, and the other man, and be very earnest: (I blame them not for loving the word and desir­ing it: but for servants to be earnest in hearing the word, and injoying the or­dinances, and crying out against supersti­tion, and Antichristianisme, and yet be sluggish, and unfaithfull in their service, and so as to give just offence to their go­vernours, it is a dishonour. Shew your godlinesse in your relation: certainly [Page 71] there is no man or woman godly, but those that are so in the relations and pla­ces that they are set in: therefore mani­fest your selves thus to be the seed of Jacob.

Again, the seed of Jacob is a taught seed. God teacheth them, Psal, 147.19. He hath not dealt so with other nations, he gave his law to Jacob, and his word to Israel. So in Deut. 33.10 Levi is ap­pointed to teach Jacob. There is never a one of the seed of Jacob that is ignorant, that is a fool in matters of religion, he is taught.

And then, one of the seed of Jacob, is one that hath a care of his family: so we reade of Jacob, Gen. 35.1. God said to Jacob, Arise, go up to Bethel, and dwell there, and make there an altar unto God that appeared unto thee when thou fled­dest from the face of Esau thy brother. Then said Jacob to his houshold and to all that were with him, put away the strange gods that are among you, and be clean, &c. When he was to go into Gods presence, he laboured to reform his fami­ly. [Page 72] When God calls you to fast dayes, and to the Sacrament, do you cleanse your families, do you look what evils are in your families, and put out your po­wer to cleanse them?

But there is one more that I may not omit, that is, Jacob, when he was to die, though he himself was to go the way of all flesh, yet this was his great comfort and the comfort of those that he left be­hind, that God would make good his word to his Church and people, Gen. 48.21. and Israel said to Joseph, Behold, I die, but God will visit you, and bring you again to the land of your fathers. Behold I die, but I die in faith of the promise: because I am taken away shall I think the promise shall be of no effect? no; God shall bring you to the land of your fathers. Now when God shall cast you on your sick beds can you say, Behold I die; but go you on, God will make good his word, I die in faith that it shall go well with the Churches of God: there will be a time when they shall get the vi­ctory, when Christ shall reign, and the [Page 73] Saints shall be delivered from their op­pressours? Here was the spirit of Jacob: if you be such a seed of Jacob you shall not seek Gods face in vain.

But you will say, it is not in vain for some men to seek God, but I am a poor wretched creature, and it may be in vain for me to seek the Lord.

That place in the Psalme fully answers any objection against our poverty, or the poverty of our prayers, Psalm. 102.17. He will regard the prayer of the desti­tute, and will not despise their prayers. The prayer of the destitute, the word si­gnifies a poore shrub in the wildernesse, a contemptible shrub, that is trodden on by the feet of beasts, and none regards it; God regards such prayers.

If I could make an excellent prayer it were somewhat: No, he doth not despise thy prayer. It may be thy prayer is such as thou despisest, and that others would despise, but God will not despise it.

But this was spoken perhaps to some in those times.

Mark what follows; This shall be writ­ten [Page 74] for the generations to come. This Scri­pture, this promise of God, it is written for the generations to come. And the people that shall he created shall praise the Lord. We that were not made them, but were created since, let us praise the Lord for this Scripture, that God will regard the prayers of poore shrubs, and not despise them.

But they are great things that I stand in need of, and it may be in vain for me to seek such great things at Gods hands; perhaps if I did seek for ordinary things there might be hope, but I am to seek great things, mercies for the Church and for the Kingdome, and people of God; is it not in vain for such a poore wretch as I to seek such great things?

We may think that the things we seek at Gods hands are too great for us to beg, but they are not too great for God to give. It is observed of Perilla, when A­lexander would have him ask a dowrie for his daughter; Alexander presently promised him 50. tallents; it is too much saith he, 10. tallents are sufficient; Alex­ander [Page 75] answered him, if it be too great for you to ask, it is not too great for me to give. God loves that his people should ask great things of him: yea he loves that the poorest, and meanest of his peo­ple should ask him great things; and there is a gracious promise for that, Jer. 33.3. Call unto me and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things that thou knowest not. This is a promise to every one of the seed of Jacob.

But when I pray in the time of affli­ction, and Gods hand is on me, will it not be in vain to seek him then?

It is true; to neglect God in former times, and then to pray onely in afflicti­on, it is a dangerous condition: but this temptation comes upon such as have sought God before. I now you seek God, but this is in your affliction, and will God regard you now? I speak it onely to comfort such as are carefull to seek God in the time of their health: yet if thou have been negligent, it is possible that God should regard thee in the time of af­fliction. Jonah prayed, and said, I prayed [Page 76] and cryed by reason of mine affliction to the Lord, and he heard me, Jonah 2.2.

But suppose it be affliction for sin: for so the objection may arise. It is true, if I did seek God in the time of affliction that God did send for tryall, it may be God would hear me: but suppose Gods hand be on me for sin, will God hear my prayers?

That one notable example of David may help the people of God against such a temptation: Gods hand was on him for his sin, when he fled before Absolom, God threatned that warre should not de­part from his house: yet David then prayed against that wicked politition, and counsellour, that the Lord would turn his counsell to folly; and God heard Davids prayer in his affliction that was for sinne, And the Lord turned the counsell of Achitophel to folly. Let us not be discouraged though polititians work never so craftily; though Gods hand be on us, and we have conscience accusing us, and say, I this is for your sins that God leaves you thus in the hands of [Page 77] your enemies, that God gives them such power; that they find such favour with the Prince as they do, though this be for our sinnes, yet let us seek to God to turn the counsell of Achitophel to folly. It shall not be, nor hath not been in vain, we have found it so, that in our affliction, and affliction for sin, yet crying to God to turn the counsell of Achitophel to fol­ly, God hath done so graciously, and hath incouraged us more and more to cry unto him for that end.

But what need I seek to God, God hath decreed and determined what he will do, what God intends to do, he hath decreed from eternity, therefore whether we pray or not it shall come to passe, if we do not pray it shall come to passe. If God have intended to deliver me out of a sicknesse, it shall be done whether I pray or no; and when any ones time is come they shall die; and so when the time of a Kingdome is come it shall be destroyed, and not till then; therefore what good can prayer do?

Though I suppose you cannot but be [Page 78] satisfied, and think that this objection hath little weight, yet for answer, I will give you a Scripture or two, Psalm. 2. I will declare the decree, The decree of God concerning the advancement of Christ in his resurrection, and so of the successe of the work of Christs mediati­on. I will declare the decree, the Lord hath said thou art my son this day have I begotten thee: Ask of me, and I will give thee the heathen for thine inheri­tance, and the utmost parts of the earth for thy possession. Gods giving of Christ the heathen for his inheritance, and the utmost parts of the earth for his possessi­on; it was decreed of God, yet Christ must ask it of his Father notwithstand­ing Gods decree. And another text re­markable is in the prophesie of Daniel, where the text saith Dan. 9.2. In the first yeare of his reign, I Daniel understood by books, the number of the years where­of the word of the Lord came to Jeremi­ah the Prophet, that he would accom­plish 70. years in the desolation of Jeru­salem. And I set my face unto the Lord God to seek by prayer and supplications. [Page 67] Mark, Daniel understood by books what God had determined, concerning Jerusa­lem; what need Daniel go further, he knew Gods mind what he would do whether he did pray or no? but mark, vers. 3. I set my face to seek the Lord. After he knew what God had decreed, and what he would do, and what he had promised. Now we know not Gods de­cree: but if we did certainly know the decree of God in shewing mercy to the Land, yet it could no way hinder us but encourage us to set our faces to seek the Lord, and to seek him more earnestly: therefore that is a vain objection.

Again, it is not in vain to seek the Lord, if we examine all we have had al­ready: though we have not all we would have, yet if we consider the supporting mercies, the preventing mercies, and the guiding mercies that God hath granted us, we shall find that it is not in vain that we have sought him. There are abundance of mercies that thou hast had already. It is an evil thing to complain of Gods grace, when God hath bestowed such mercies. [Page 80] thou thinkest thou hast nothing, because thou hast not all thou wouldest have; as a froward child because it hath not every thing to its mind casts away all. God hath been exceeding gracious to us; other souls would have adored God, and have bles­sed him with their faces to the ground, if they had had but the hundreth part of those mercies that we have; yet because we have not all we desire we are ready to think it is in vain. O let us take heed of dishonouring the grace of God.

Again, further thou thinkest it is in vain, because God sometimes denies in granting, and grants in denying. Many times God grants that we pray for in de­nying it, and denies that we pray for in granting it: our denyals are grants to us. Wo to us, if all were granted to us that we pray for. Much good may be gotten out of Gods denyalls: and God denyes us to do us good, and to prepare us for mercies: therefore it is not in vain that thou hast sought God, because it is not in vain that thou art denyed.

But further, it may be God delights [Page 81] more in thy praying, then in thy prais­ing voice, therefore though thou have not that thou hast sought for, give leave to God to delight in thee which way he pleaseth. There is the praying, and the praising voice of Gods people, thou de­lightest that God should hear thy prais­ing voice, it may be God delights to hear thy praying voice, and is may he should not if thou haddest what thou wouldest have. Saith God to the Church, Let me hear thy voice, for it is sweet. There is no man that will think the King denies his petition, as long as th [...] King loves to reade it. If one present a petition to the King, he doth not say he will presently do it: but if he reade it, and when he hath read it, calls for it again, and again, will any man think it in vain that he hath put up that petition? as long as the King hears it, and delights to reade it, it is not in vain. So, as long as God loves to heare thy voice, and to reade thy petition it is not in vain. As for thy praising voice, God shall have enough of that in heaven, but he shall have none [Page 82] of thy praying voice: therefore why shouldest thou not be willing that God should have more of thy praying voice here? All that ever God shall have of thy praying voice it is in this world, and after a little time God shall never heare us pray more. Therefore let us be willing to go on, and continue in prayer, and not to wonder why God keeps us on in a way of praying, because all the time that ever God shall have to delight him­self in the praying voice of his people it is in this world: and for our praising voice, we would fain spend all our dayes in praising God for his mercies, but that is reserved for another world.

Further, it may be Gods way to stay till he bring a great deal of mercy toge­ther, and not by bitts, and drops. As when men deal with great merchants, they expect not to have payments, by six pences or shillings or Crowns at once: but though there be two or three or ten pounds due, they stand not on that but stay for a greater summe. Now little tra­ders that deal by retail, they take it in by [Page 83] pence, and little summes, Christians that are to deal with God, they deal for great things, and there are great transactions between God and a gracious heart: therefore think not much that God stayes with a greater summe. For as God deals with the wicked in the way of justice, so he deals with godly men in a way of mercy. He lets wicked men go on a great while, he comes not to judgement for sin, but stayes till all come together, till a great summe of wrath and judgement come together. So he deals with the saints he comes not with lesse mercies, but he stayes till abundance come, and when Gods time is come mercies will come to the full indeed.

Further, it may be God hath so much mercy that thou hast not a vessell capable of it. Onely know that heaven, and earth and all are working for thee. Is the plow­ing, and the sowing of the husbandman, and all the showers in vain; because the corn is not in the barn? we account it not so: so we must not account our pray­ers in vain, because the thing is not at­tained we pray for.

There are many other answers: but the time is so much gone, I come briefly to the application.

First, if it be so, that God saith not to the feed of Jacob seek my face in vain: certainly there are great things for the Church, that we may build on God is to do in these latter dayes, Why? because all the seed of Jacob ever since Jacobs time, have been seeking God, not onely for their own times but for the Church, to the end of the world; all their pray­ers are upon the fyle, and must be answer­ed one day. O what a glorious harvest will it be! blessed are they that shall live to partake of it. We have a little, but cer­tainly, there are glorious things for the Church; because every prayer shall be answered.

Secondly, you that are of the seed of Jacob know your honour, though you be never so poore otherwise, God hath given you that which makes you rich: you have the key of heaven, you may o­pen the treasures in heaven, and it shall never be in vain. Gods people are such [Page 85] as are exceeding honourable in the eyes of God, and in this regard that they have credit in heaven, that they shall never seek God in vain. Bathsheba saith to So­lomon, 1 King. 2.20. I desire one petiti­on of thee, I pray thee, say me not nay, It is translated by some, Ne confundas faciam, confound not my face. Indeed, the denying of a petition, it is a disho­nour, and a confounding of the face: but God will not confound the faces of his people, he never saith to them, seek ye me in vain: they are honourable ones.

Now as it is said of their father Jacob, he prevailed as a prince with God: so it may be said of the seed of Jacob, they prevaile as Princes with God, they can do great things with God; it may be they cannot do other things that vain spirits can do, but they can do much with God in prevailing.

O, here see your priviledge, and your riches, all the prayers that you have made in your life time they are all trading in heaven, they are not lost. If a man have ventured a stock abroad to the Indies, [Page 86] and do not hear of it in a great while, he thinks it is lost and gone: but if he hear certain news that all his stock is safe, and in the place where he would have it, and those that are there faithfully im­prove his stock, he is revived by this, it rejoyceth his spirit, and he can say bles­sed be God, I hope to be a rich man for all this. I say to thee be of good comfort thy stock is not lost, it is trading in hea­ven, and every prayer that thou hast put up is there. We should account our prayers as riches, as adventures sent to heaven, and not as children that shoot arrows and do not mind them.

And then learn this, it is a great pri­viledge to have a praying friend, a pray­ing companion. Many of you love friends that are delightfull, of a cheerly nature, and merry; but are they praying ones: praying friends are the speciall friends: because prayer can prevail with God. To have a friend in the Court, that can ob­tain any petition, we think it a privi­ledge; to have one great friend in hea­ven is a great priviledge. Many people [Page 87] when they lie on their sick beds, they send to such and such to pray for them: why do they not send to their companions, that they did drink with, and swear with, to pray for them? O, they dare not. Here is enough to convince any mans conscience, who are the best men, what­soever they say.

Suppose thy condition were thus, that thou diddest lie on thy death-bed, and thy life did depend upon the prayers of foure or five men. If God should speak thus from heaven, thou art at the brink of de­struction, onely this favour thou shalt find; thou shalt have leave to choose where thou wilt foure or five men to pray for thee, and according as they pray so it shall be with thee; thou hast liber­ty to choose through the world whom thou wilt. I appeal, would a drunkard choose foure or five drunkards, or a swea­rer choose swearers, or unclean ones that they most delighted in all their life time? If all should depend upon it thou woul­dest not choose such; therefore thou art convinced in thy consc [...]ence, tho [...] know­est [Page 88] that those are not precious in Gods eyes, (however thy lust have prevailed) but that the other are better men, that are gracious and have more credit in hea­ven. Learn to prize praying friends, that can prevail with God.

And let us set the crown upon prayers head, in the mercies we have from God, in publick mercies, and private delive­rances of friends; attribute it not to second means, to fortune and chance, take heed of denying God his glory.

It is a sign of a carnall spirit, when God hath glorified himself in answer­ing the prayers of his people, to attribute it to any other means.

As I remember, I read of the Porphi­rian atheists, that followed the atheisme of Porphirie, they darkned the work of God in delivering the children of Israel out of Egypt thorough the red sea. They say that Moses had learned of the Egy­ptians, and they were great Astrono­mers: and Moses knew when it would be a low tyde, and what constellations there would be at that time, and that [Page 89] the tyde would prove low then, more then ever in the age of man, and Moses took the nick of time, and lead them through the sea. Thus atheists would darken the works of God, and put them of to naturall causes. So I find it related of the old Prophet in Jeroboams time; Josephus hath it related of him, he sent to Jeroboam to stretch out his hand he tells us that this was by accident, he was wearied all the day long, and now he had the Palsie, and after it was restored again; that which was done by prayer, he would have it by naturall means.

Just thus it is, when God hath so ma­gnified his mercy to England, and wrought such wonders yet many carnall atheisticall spirits, say this was an acci­dentall thing, and the policie of such men brought it to passe, they attribute all to naturall causes, it is a sign of a wretched profane heart: For if God ever magni­fied prayer he hath done it in these dayes. There are 2 or 3 Scriptures that since the world began were never more magnified, then by Gods working at this day.

One is in Exodus 13. In the thing wherein they dealt proudly, God was a­bove them. Never since the world began was that more fulfilled. A second is that in the 10. Psalme, The wicked are sna­red in the work of their own hands. If ever there were a fulfilling of that Scripture since the beginning of the world, it is at this day. A third is this in the text. I said not to the seed of Jacob; seek ye my face in vain. God (as I said) hath raised a spirit of prayer among the seed of Jacob more then ever any in the world knew; there was never the like spirit of prayer raised, nor never the like things done for prayer.

And the Lord the rather honoured the ordinance of prayer now, because men so dishonoured it before and persecuted it, that the people of God could not meet and assemble to fast and pray, but pre­sently it was a conventicle, and they were persecuted as factious people. Because God saw this way despised, he hath ho­noured it, and the former, and the latter mercies that we have received, we are to [Page 91] attribute to the goodnesse of God by prayer, they were obtained by prayer. Let us still be incouraged to seek God for what we would have: for God hath said, it is not in vain to seek his face.

There are many of us now that can do little else: if God have delivered you from sicknesse, and other evils, know that God hath delivered you to pray, the lesse you can do otherwise, the more you should do in prayer. I have read of a hea­then, Numa Pompylius, that he would never go about any thing but he would go to the temple and pray: you that are instruments intrusted with our lives, and liberties, you had need to pray much, go into your closets and sanctifie all your thoughts and resolutions by prayer, that your help and assistance may not be in vain to us. And all others had nee [...] to assist you in seeking God in prayer. This incouragement we have, that there is not any of us that seek God alone, but we joyn with thousands: why should our place be found empty? why should not our prayers joyn with the rest? We shall [Page 92] meet many prayers in heaven; the pray­ers of our forefathers; the prayers of those that are dead and gone that did not live to enjoy the fruit of their prayers, yet when we pray for mercies our pray­ers meet with theirs in heaven: therefore let us be incouraged to seek the Lord.

And if mercies should come, what a daunting would this be to our hearts, that mercies are come, but we have not sought them? and if mercies come not, conscience wil flie in our face that we have been sensuall, carnall creatures, & it is for our neglect of seeking God, that God hath denyed us the mercies that we expected.

And then it should be a use of rebuke to those that begin to seek God, and con­tinue not. O wretch, why hast thou left? whether wilt thou go? Is it in vain to seeve the Lord? certainly thou wert ne­ver acquainted with God and his wayes; thou wilt find it a dreadfull change, when it shall appear that thou hast left God the fountain of living water, and hast sought after vanity, & forsaken thine own mercy.

But the main of all should have been [Page 93] for the applying of it to the present occa­sion. The Lord hath made good his word this day, that he hath not said, seek ye me in vain. This day testifies it to be true that they are great things that prayer hath done. I have heard many years ago by credible testimony, that on this fifth of November, when we had such a great mercy so many years ago, that ve­ry day it was known, that a great many godly people in the city kept it in fasting and prayer, so as it was eminently known and delivered from hand to hand of them in the city at that time, and you know what God did.

But what hath he done of late? If our fathers should rise out of their graves, and we should tell them that now the high commission (that they were so trou­bled with) is down; that there shall be no more star-chamber, that cutting off of ears is gone, they would wonder how this should come to passe. And whereas Parliaments were wont to be snap­ped in sunder, that this Parliament is to continue by as firm an Act [Page 94] as any thing in the land is made by. And for oppressours, all the Courts and Bi­shops Chanceries, they are down, and gone, God hath extirpated them: they were first cast out of the house, and now out of the kingdome. And though an army did rise and seek to bring us into slavery, yet God hath given us victory (though some have suffered hardly) and brought the adversaries very low to sur­render their towns, and castles and arms. And here we are to rejoyce in God, and to blesse him for all.

If many of our ancestours should rise, and heare what we speak, how we hold up our hands and blesse God, with what hearts would they joyn in the praising of God, and wonder that ever such things should be done! Let not the grace of God be in vain, as God hath not said to us, seek my face in vain.

What use shall we make of it?

Let us give him reall praise, and not onely come to repeat it, and tell God of it, but make his praise glorious, put a glory on it; and then we do it, when we [Page 95] make a right use of his mercies, when we receive not his mercies in vain.

What is it to make use of the memori­all we celebrate?

First, the remembrance of these mer­cies must humble us; that is a sweet humbling; it is better to be melted by the beams of the Sunne, then by the scorching of the fire.

You will say, humbled, for what?

There are three things that we have cause to be humbled for, upon the consi­deration of the mercy of God towards us,

First, the sinne of unbelief, consider, when we were straitned at any time, when we heard ill news, that our armies fled, and came to danger, how our spi­rits were down as if all were gone. Let us check our hearts, God rebuked us in a kindly manner, we might have had a fu­rious rebuke.

Secondly, be humbled for all our mur­muring and repining, and discontent, O we did not think that the warres would have held so long, and O what taxations [Page 96] are upon us, and all our estates are rent away! And how many are there that had rather that all the good that God hath done for his people since these times should never have been done, then that they should suffer in their outward e­states. Be rebuked for all your murmur­ing and repyning at such difficulties as you have met with in the great cause of God.

The third thing that this mercy should make us humbled for, and look back to, is that if ever there have risen this thought in any of our hearts, that it had been better for me if I had never appeared so much. I see how things are like to be, the enemy prevails and is like to overrun all: had it not been better that I had not ingaged my self so much? that I had not appeared so much? are they not wiser men that have kept them­selves quiet and silent, and done as little as they could, nothing but what they have been forced to? And when the Kings party come, if they tax us, they can do no more then force us. If thou have such a [Page 97] thought, pray to God to forgive that thought: Let this that God hath done re­buke thee. Art thou sorry for what thou hast done? thou seest God will do it with­out thee. If thou have been a publick in­strument, and hast done good and yet if in fear of successe thou hast repented; God rebukes thee this day.

Then labour to love prayer as long as you live, as David saith, I will call upon God as long as ever I live. Prayer casts the scals, and hath the advantage.

First, the other side they feared not to suffer much if they were overcome; they think they have a head and they would be where he was, and he would counte­nance them, and make good their condi­tion for them, but this side if they had been overcome, they had been men utter­ly undone: what a mighty advantage was there one way more then another?

Then the Kings side if he had prevail­ed he had places of dignity to bestow; if the Parliaments side prevail, we are but where we were, we do but maintain our own, we cannot expect to raise [Page 98] our condition. But how many broken Gentry expected to raise their condition on the other side? As it is said concern­ing the Pope, and the generall Counsell; the Pope prevailed, notwithstanding the generall Councell, though that were a­bove him, why? the Pope had Cardi­nallships, and Deaneries to bestow but the Councell had none; they had the ad­vantage that way.

Again, those that appeared on the one side how were they discouraged extraor­dinarily? on the other side they were in­couraged to the utmost. On the one side how unfaithfull have they been? on the other side they have kept to their princi­ples, because their principles are suitable to the flesh: but there are many on this side that have not gracious principles and had a publick cause, therefore they have been unfaithfull. We have use of men that have not principles to act by, but all the other go according to their own prin­ciples. The one part acts that they may gratifie mens lusts; now the generality of the world love it; they know if the one [Page 99] partie prevail they shall have liberty, and live lycensciously, but if the other pre­vail they shall live under laws. Now men would have their lusts; therefore when they see on the one side they shall have their lusts, and on the other side they shall be more curbed, they strive hard for their lusts.

At the first I wondred that men should be so vile to fight to make themselves slaves: but when I considered, they shall have slaves under them, and have their lusts, and the other side be more curbed, then I was satisfied, and wondered that God should cast the scales the other way, they having all the advantages in a car­nall way more then the other. Only here it is, we have people that have prayed, and this hath cast the scale. Love prayer, and praying people, and joyn with them, be on their side, for God is with them, and will not suffer them to pray in vain: a praying Christian is a usefull Christi­an in the world.

Again, make this use of all that hath been done. Look how far thou thinkest [Page 100] the adversaries would have been hardned if they had prevailed against the cause of God, be thou so much the more resolute in the cause of God. If they had prevailed how would they have blasphemed? and many thousands of Atheists would have been made more then there was before: what a mighty offence, and stumbling block would this have been? Now since God hath turned it the other way, justifie God and his cause; settle your hearts in the love of God, and his cause, and settle your selves more strongly in the reforma­tion in hand.

Further, let us give him reall praise, that we may not receive the grace of God in vain. By this grace we hope that he hath given us our estates that we were a­fraid would have been rent from us; we have the continuance of our liberties, and of the Gospel. Let our hearts be in­gaged to God to give up our estates this day; let us renew our ingagements to God in secret, between God and our souls. Lord thou mightest have taken a­way my estate by the spoylers, it was [Page 101] near it; and thou hast done it to other of my brethren, and is mine continued! that estate that should have been spent for their lusts, I am resolved to spend it in thy ser­vice that hast preserved it; and I account it a great mercy that I have an estate to honour thy name, I feared I should not.

God expects, that ever henceforward you make a more holy use of your estates then before. And call your hearts to que­stion, what do I do with my estate for God? what honour hath God from my estate more then before? God expects more, or else God may justly say, in vain have I preserved this wretches estate: there are many of my servants, if I had preserved their estates, they would have improved them in the towns and places they lived in, and here is a wretch I have preserved his estate, and he is more greedy and scrapes up for himself, and all his thought is, how to repair what he hath lost by taxations, &c. The Lord may repent of what he hath done, and the curse of God may follow such a mans estate. Take [Page 102] heed, know that there is an ingagement after this time.

And so for the liberty of the Gospel, God expects that you should prize the Gospel more then ever. Lord, we were afraid the Gospel would have been gone if thou hadst given us up into the hands of our enemies, and our eyes should not have seen their teachers; we should not have heard things that refresh our hearts; shall we have the Gospel, and hope that our posterity shall have it? we hope that we shall never provoke thee as we have done heretofore to take it away. A man that hath been in danger to loose his e­state, and hath recovered it will be care­full after. Our slighting of the Gospel be­cause we had it so ordinary might have caused God to take it from us; and hath God restored it? let us take heed we provoke not God now, but attend upon the word more then ever we did.

Lastly, doth God say to us we shall not seek him in vain? Let not God call to us in vain. If when we seek God, our seeking is not in vain, then when God [Page 103] seeks us, let it not be in vain. There is all the reason for it in the world. If God be so gracious to poor base worms, sinfull creatures, that if we do but chatter, our prayers are not in vain: is it not reason when God calls, that he should not call in vain? When God calls out of his word to perform such, and such duties, God seeks thee, then make use of this text, I have called upon God, and I never called in vain; and now I go to heare the word, and out of the word he calls me, and seeks me, let him not seek in vain, but say, Lord what sayest thou to thy servant? The Lord is ready to heare your cry, be you ready to heare his, and go on, go on with incouragement, the Lord hath incouraged us this day. And let all your prayers and indeavours break through all difficulties, and the Lords mercy shall break through all oppositi­ons: for he hath not said to the seed of Jacob, Seek ye me in vain.

IN the beginning of this Psalme David prayes to God for pre­servation, and for deliverancc out of some great evil, that it seems was upon him, or that he was in danger of. The argument that he useth, is, First his trust in God, In thee do I put my trust. And it was not an ungrounded and unwarranted trust, but that which proceeded from his interest he had in God, O my soul, thou hast said unto the Lord, thou art my Lord: thou art mine. But what if David should now perish in his distresse, should God be any loo­ser by it? David seems to acknow­ledge this, that though he should not be preserved, yet God was bound to preserve his own name, and his own cause; my goodnesse extendeth not to thee. Though I should live, yet it is little [Page 106] that I could do for thee. But to the saints that are in the earth. Though my good­nesse extend not to thee, yet I may be usefull to thy people, unto thy Saints while I live, it extends to them, and they are they that my soul closeth with. O, I desire to live, and to be preserved that I may be of use to them.

It is a great argument to prevail with God, when any of you are in danger, and seek for preservation, if your hearts work thus to God, that the desire you have to be preserved is, that whatever you are, and what ever you can do may extend to the Saints, that you may live to be of use and service in the world to Gods peo­ple. Many of you when you apprehend your selves to be in danger, you cry to God to be preserved: but to what end? wherefore would you be preserved? wherefore would you live? If we may judge of your ends according to your pra­ctise you would live that you may have more time to satisfie your lusts, that you may have more time to disho­nour God, that you may have more [Page 107] time to do mischief in the places where you live. There is this in the heart, and God sees it: God sees whatsoever will be after in your lives; God sees be­fore what was in your hearts when you cryed to be preserved. But now one that is gracious he desires therefore to be pre­served, O that I might live to be of use in the place where God hath set me. If God should take me away now my conscience tells me that it is little service that I have done for him. I have been of little use in the place where God hath set me, O that I might be preserved for this end, that what I am, or have, might extend to the Saints in earth, even the excellent in whom is all my delight. Thus you have the scope of the words, and the depen­dance of them. And in them there are these two things.

First, the high esteem of the Saints, they are the excellent of the earth.

And secondly, the sweet delight that Davids heart had in them, in whom is all my delight.

For the first, the high esteem that Da­vid [Page 108] had of the Saints, and that Saints that were on earth, the excellent. The point is this, that ‘The Saints of God, those that are godly, are the excellent in the earth.’

Then secondly, from this that he saith, in whom is all my delight. Observe this that, ‘A gracious heart takes the most contentment in the Saints of God; he is much delighted in them.’

The first is but a preparation to the se­cond: therefore I shall passe it over brie­fly. They are the excellent in the earth▪ therefore my delight is in them.

Let them be what they will in regard of their outward meanness, yet there is an excellency in them. Job scraping upon the dunghill; and Jeremy sticking in the mire in the dungeon, yet they had more glory and beauty upon them, then the great ones of the earth when they sate upon their thrones. Though they lie among the pots (as the Psalmist saith) yet are they as Doves, their wings are the wings of [Page 109] Doves, whose feathers are of gold, and silver; Psal. 77.13. beautifull and glo­rious. You know the judgement that the holy Ghost passeth upon the Saints in old time, that were outwardly mean enough▪ there was as much meanness on them as the malice of the world could put: the text saith, they had tryalls of mockings, of scourgings, of bonds, and imprisonments, they were sawen assunder, they were tem­pted, they wandred in sheepskin, and goats skins: destitute, aflicted, tormented. What kind of creatures were these, surely they were some wretched men, and women that were thus hunted up and down to wan­der in sheeps-skins and goats-skins, desti­tute afflicted and tormented? No such matter, they were s [...]ch of whom the world was not worthy: v. 38. that is the judge­ment of the holy Ghost upon such, the world was not worthy of them.

The men of the world would have thought, & did think that they were such as were not worthy to live in the world: but the judgement of the holy Ghost was such, that the world was not worthy [Page 110] of them. I remember Chrysostome hath this interpretation of the phrase, they are such as are worth more then all the world, more then many thousands of the world; one of them is worth more then all the men of the world besides. It is a truth so; one Saint of God, though ne­ver so mean, one poor youth, one servant that is truly gracious, is worth more then all the men of the world besides that are not so. All the Monarchs and Princes on earth, have not that excellency in them that one poor child or servant hath that is gracious.

But the ordinary interpretation is thus, they are such as have that excellen­cy, as that the world is not worthy to en­joy them, they are not worthy of their presence, that they should so much as live among them; they are rather fit to be set as stars in heaven, and be before the Lord in his glory: the world is not worthy of them.

But what is there in the Saints that makes them the excellent in the earth? The Saints that are the excellent. The [Page 111] word in the originall signifies the magni­ficent ones; those that have magnificent spirits, and are exceeding glorious.

There is this in them (that I may briefly passe over this first.)

They have the image of God upon, them, and therefore they must needs be the excellent on earth. The image of God makes them to resemble God in that which the creature is able to con­ceive of; That which is the height of Gods excellency: though it be true, what­soever is in God is God himself: yet we conceiving of God according to our man­ner, there is something of God that ap­pears most excellent, and glorious. And it must needs be in regard of that expres­sion, because grace is called the image of God. Now when we draw the image of a thing, we draw it as near as we can ac­cording to that which is the most proper excellency of that thing. If I would draw the image of a man I do not draw the likenesse of a piece of flesh, a beast hath that as well as a man, or I do not draw feet or leggs or the back parts of a man: [Page 112] but when the image of a man is drawn, there is his face drawn that is the excel­lentest part, and there we endeavour to expresse his life, and spirit as much as can be: that is the most excellent part; and though the spirit cannot be drawn, there can be no picture of it; yet because it is shewen most in the face, that is as near as we can go that is drawn there.

So the image of God, is that wherein the creature resembles God in height of excellency, and glory. It is not every re­semblance of God that is Gods image: there are some things that set out some of the glory of God, and they are but called Gods footsteps, or his back­parts. All the resemblance of God in his creatures; and the expressions of the power, and wisedome; the invisi­ble things of God that we see in the creature, they are all but his footsteps, and backparts; they are not his image, Why? because they do not resemble God in that which he hath set out to us to be the height of his glory. What is that? The holinesse of God that is the [Page 113] height of his excellency. Therefore it is said of God himself, holy and reverend is his name. Gods name comes to be reverend, by holinesse: were it not for his holinesse, notwithstanding all the rest, (if it were possible to separate them) his name would not be re­verend. Therefore when the saints in heaven glorifie God for his chiefest ex­cellency it is thus holy, holy, holy. We finde not in Scripture any of Gods Attributes thrice repeated, Wise, Wise, Wise, or Almighty, Almigh­ty, Almighty, but holy, holy, holy, because the excellency of God consists chiefly in that.

Now because where grace is in the creature, resembling this holinesse of God, there is that principle whereby the creature is able to act as God himself acts: for that is holinesse, the working of God to his own end in all things sutable to his nature: so when the creature works to God as his last end, and in some measure is suteable to that God with which the creature [Page 114] hath to do, here is the Image of God.

Therefore the scripture expresseth grace by these 4. things, as

• The image of God,
• The life of God,
• The glory of God, and
• The Divine nature.

There are these 4. expressions for the work of grace.

The image of God, it resembles God in his excellency. The life of God him­self, Ephes. 4: alienated from the life of God, that notes acting like God himself. And then it is the glory of God himself; and the divine nature, Rom. 3.23. 2. Pet. 1.3. So that there must needs be excel­lency in the Saints that have grace that is of this nature.

Certainly, there is more of God in the meanest Saint, in the meanest gracious man or woman; there is more of the glo­ry of God then in all the world besides▪ then in heaven and earth. Take all the creatures▪ all the glory of God in the heavens in the Sunne, Moon, and Starres, and put all into one. Take all the glory [Page 115] of God the seas, those vast oceans, and put that into one; take all the glory of God that appears in the earth, all the ri­ches of the earth, and all arts and scien­ces, and what you will; put all into one and the meanest youth or servant that hath the least degree of grace, hath more of the glory of God then all this is. There is more of the shining of God in the least degree of grace in the poorest Christian in the world, then there is in all these creatures. If there were a quint­essence of all the excellency, and glory, extracted, and drawn, and put into one, yet there were not so much of God, God could not see so much of himself in that one creature that should have the excel­lency of all creatures put together, as he sees in the meanest Saint that hath the work of grace. And surely then they are the are the excellent of the earth if there be so much of God in them.

The work of grace it is that which hath most of God; and wheresoever it is, it is that which is the proper work of Gods eternall love, it is a beam of it, [Page 116] therefore there is a great deal of excel­lency in it. Take all other creatures, and it is possible to enjoy all the good that is in all the creatures in hea­ven and earth (excepting this onely, the grace of God) through the bounty of God, and the pleasure of God. There is nothing that the creature hath, but may be communicated as a fruit of Gods generall bounty except spirituall blessings in Christ: but where ever this is, though in the least degree, it is of that nature, that it cannot come but onely from the eternall election of God. It is that which is the princi­ple of Eternall life, wheresoever it is, it is that which will grow up to eternall glory.

All common gifts will never grow up to glory, though they grow up to the height of glory, but the grace of God, true grace, it is of the same nature with eternall glory. Therefore for the kind of it, it is the greatest good that e­ver God did, or that ever he will com­municate to any creature for all eter­nity. [Page 117] I say, where-ever God hath municated any dramme of grace, that is the greatest good that ever God did, or ever will communicate to all eternity, to any of his creatures, there­fore it is exceeding excellent.

Onely excepting the work of God in the hypostaticall union of the two natures, wherein he joyned the hu­mane, and the divine nature together in one person; excepting that, the worke of grace in any soul is the grea­test work that ever God did from all e­ternity, or that ever he will do, for the kind of it.

Now that which hath so much of God in it, and comes from the eter­nall election and love of God; and is the greatest work that ever was done, or ever shall be done; and the grea­test good that ever was, or shall be communicated to any creature for ever, truly this must needs be the grea­test excellency. For God made the world for that end, that he might com­municate his excellency, and glory to the [Page 118] world, to the creature. Now that which was the greatest thing that God intended from all eternity; for the communica­ting of all his glory, it must needs make the creature excellent. That is the first thing, they are the excellent on earth in regard of the image of God upon them, the work of grace.

But secondly, tkey are the excellent of the earth, in regard of the seperating of them for God: they are those that God set his thoughts upon from all eternity, that they might enjoy him. The great counsels that God wrought from all e­ternity, especially were set on work up­on this great thing of separating of cer­tain creatures for himself from the rest of the world. Now when God shall set as it were (to speak after the manner of men) his thoughts and counsels on work from all eternity to set apart a few creatures for himself; if there can be known who they are certainly, we can­not but look on them as the excellent on earth: Now wheresoever we see the work of grace in any, we may by that know [Page 119] that these God hath separated for him­self, as setting his infinite wisedome on work from all eternity above that. That was the thing he was most excercised in before the world, about the work of se­parating such and such for himself. The Psalmist saith, Psalm. 4.3. that God hath set apart the godly for himself, they are those that are dedicated, and conse­crated to God; therefore there is a won­derfull excellency put upon them.

As you know any thing that is dedi­cated and consecrated, though it be never so mean in it self, yet being once dedica­ted, being once made a consecrated thing, there is a great deal of excellency put up­on that thing. As in the law, if it were but a piece of wood in the Tabernacle, if it were but a Badgers skin; if it were but brasse or Goats hair or any such thing that were meant in it self, yet if it were once consecrated and made holy to God, they looked upon it as having a great deal of excellency on it. Now I reason thus; if a piece of wood, or a little hair, or leather consecrated to God had an ex­cellency: [Page 121] what then hath an immortall soul that hath the graces of the spirit, as so many pearls in it, when that is conse­crated and set apart to God to the glory and praise of his grace to all eternity; here must needs be much excellency.

When a thing is consecrated we look on it no more according to the quality of the thing, but to the consecration. As I remember I read of some people in India, that when they have but lost an Apes tooth that was consecrated to their god, they will give an unspeakable summe of money for the redemption of it again, because it was a thing that was consecra­ted to their god. So I reade of another that being raised from a mean birth, he took this way to make himself to be highly esteemed of the people, he had a golden bason that he used to wash his feet in, he took that and made an idoll of it, and consecrated it, and then every one fell down, and worshiped it when it was consecrated. Nay, saith he, if this which was mean before it was set apart to this use, comes so to be honoured, then I that [Page 121] am mean by birth, being set apart to the government, may as well be honoured by you. Thus then if the superstition, and will of man having consecrated a thing, thinks he puts so much excellency on it, how much more when God him­self, and the great and speciall work of the holy Ghost that he is designed to, it is a speciall work of his office to conse­crate souls to God, and to set them apart to himself, what an excellency must this needs be that is put upon them? They are the excellent of the earth. That is the second.

Thirdly, if we consider that relation that the saints have to God; they are the nearest relations that can be exprest. Of children to parents, they are the children of God. Of a spouse to her husband, they are the spouse of Jesus Christ, the second person in Trinity; and in that regard they are more nearly united to God then the Angels themselves are, in being the spouse of the Son of God; yea the very members of his body, they have a nearer relation in that respect to the divine na­ture, [Page 122] to the second person in Trinity then the Angels themselves: for they have not such a relation as this, therefore they are the excellent of the earth.

Again, fourthly, if we consider the great priviledges that the saints have, we shall see them the excellent of the earth. Not to speak of their deliverance from sin and guiltinesse, and those immunities that they have from others. But consider they have this priviledge, that God in all his attributes and works, he is continual­ly working for their good. There is this excellent prerogative of the saints, there is no attribute of God but it is continu­ally working good to every saint of God. There is no work of Gods providence, but it works alway, continually for their good. It would be a mighty excellent ho­nour put upon any man, if but such an honourable assembly as the Parliament, should take thought for such an one, and all their purposes and plots, and councels all the time they are sitting should tend to the good of such an one in particular, taking notice in particular of him. It is [Page 123] that which I said, all your wisdome, and power and mercy, and faithfulnesse, and the infinite alsufficiency of God is conti­nually every moment working, not one­ly for the good of those that love God in generall, but for every particular saint of God. God takes speciall notice of them, and sets all his attributes continually on work for their good.

And the heavens continually work for them. They have this priviledge, that the whole world is made for them, God hath given them the world, they are the heirs of the world; as it is said of Abra­ham, he was the heir of the world, Rom. 4.14. Abraham had little himself, yet he had the world. Now the children in­herit their fathers estate; if the world were Abrahams inheritance, then it is the inheritance of every child of Abraham: for so the children of Abraham are heirs to all that Abraham had, that is, as far as concerns them, therefore they that are his heirs are heirs likewise of the world, So the Apostle saith, 2 Cor. 3.18. All are yours, and you are Christs, and Christ [Page 124] is Gods. So that God, and the creatures are theirs, here is a mighty priviledge.

Again, the priviledges that they have in all the good of the Covenant of grace. Whatsoever good there is in the Cove­nant of grace, all the rich promises in the Covenant of grace are the priviledges of the godly. It is admirable priviledges that the precious promises in Scripture speak of to have interest in them all.

Besides, not onely the promises, btu the immunities that come from the Co­venant of grace, as this; that they are not to stand or fall for their eter­nall estate, by any thing that they are able to do themselves, they are freed from this, their eternall estate hangs not on that which they can do. Whereas others, that are not saints, that are not in the Covenant of grace, their eternall estate hangs on their endeavours, and actions, God dealing with them according to the Covenant of works, being in that con­dition: though they may be such as may after come to be saints, and as God hath elected, and in love may look on them as [Page 125] he intends towards them: but for the present they are in such a condition, as that they know not, but that their eter­nall estate depends on that which they do themselves. Now to be delivered from this, to have this immunity that such a thing of such a consequence, as our eter­nall estate should depend upon a sure foundation, upon that which is done by Christ, and done already; it is an infi­nite priviledge. Others cannot challenge to themselves this priviledge, that God will accept of their endeavours; do what they can, yet not being in the Covenant of grace, those indeavours are not acce­pted. That it pleaseth God to accept the will for the deed; it is one of the privi­ledges of the saints, that comes by the Covenant of grace: but it belongs not to others, they have not to do with this im­munity and priviledge. So I might name divers others, but then I should go out too far.

Again, this is a glorious priviledge of accesse to the throne of grace, to come to God in prayer. God gives them the key [Page 126] of all his treasures to come, and o­pen them, and take what they will; it is a glorious privilege that belongs to the saints in any condition. God gives them a gracious praying heart, and that is the key of all the treasures of God, of all the excellencies of God, that they have liberty to come and take out what they will, be it unto thee as thou wilt. These are the ex­cellent of the earth, that have these pri­viledges.

Again, they are the excellent in earth in regard of that which comes from them. As the work of grace is so excellent as hath been spoken of: so every gracious action that comes from a gracious heart there is a wondrous excellency in it. There is not any one gracious action, but it hath more ex­cellency then heaven and earth. Not onely grace it self, but any action that comes from grace, hath more of God in it, and God more delights in it then in all other things in heaven or earth.

It is an expression of Luther, (though he were a great advancer of faith, yet he was also of holinesse as well as of faith, therefore) speaking of any gracious work of a godly man or woman, saith he, pre­ciosa &c. it is more precious then hea­ven and earth. And then he goes on with another expression I had rather be able to perform any one gracious act, of the poorest woman, or maid; of the poorest Christian that is, then to be able to do all that ever Alexander, or Julius Caesar had done. The least act that comes from faith, from a sanctified heart, he had rather be able to do it, then to get all the victories of Julius Caesar and Alexander: all their triumphs and trophies were no­thing to the least breathing of the work of grace in those that are godly, that which comes from them are exceeding excellent. Now I reason they must needs be excellent, that have such excellent things come from them. As when there were such excellent things came from the body of Paul, that had such virtue in them, that noted that there was a great [Page 128] deal of excellency that God conferred upon that Apostle, and a gread deal of honour that was put upon him: So when there comes flowing such precious li­quor, such precious things from the saints, as any holy action is, it shews that there is a great deal of excellency in them.

Which (by the way) should teach us to abound in holy duties; though our actions as they are from us corrupted, we look on them as despicable, yet know that God looks on them as the most glo­rious things in the world, any breathing of a gracious heart, therefore he despiseth not the broken heart, nor the sighing of a contrite spirit. Psalm. 51. God can despise Monarchs, and Princes of the world: but God cannot despise a bro­ken heart, nor any breathings from ti. Though thou mayest despise it thy self, and look on it as despicable, the Lord cannot despise it: he sees so much excel­lency in it, though it be mixed with thy corruptions; yet there is that remain­der of excellency in it, if there be but [Page 129] so much as may denominate it a gra­cious act, it is a glorious thing in the eye of God.

Lastly, (to name no more) the excel­lency of the saints appears in this, the great use that they are of in the world. As especially this is one thing that God attains in them his great aim and end in creating the whole world. Were it not for a few gracious men, and women, what glory should God have in all the world? They are those that hold up the glory of God in the world, by which God hath his glory actively; for that is it that God aims at. It is true God can force glory in spight of mens hearts, he will be glo­rified in spight of Devils: but God hath no active glory, but from gracious, godly people (I speak of the inferiour world) it is onely the godly that God hath glory from. Therefore were it not for them God (in some kind) had made all the world for nothing. Now those that are imployed in such a great work, and are of this great use in the world, as to bring to God that which he made the world [Page 130] for, the main, and great end that he made heaven and earth for; certainly these are principall in Gods esteem, and excellent. God can say I have my end in these: Take any town where there are but two or three that are godly, what glory hath God but of these? So for other places where hath God glory but for a few con­temptible ones? They are these that God glorifies in high and great services: these are the lights of the world, the salt of the earth: they are these that are the bles­sings of the world wheresoever they are; they are these for whom the world con­tinueth so as it doth. There is a notable expression in Isaiah, In that day shall Is­rael be the third with Egypt, and with Assyria, even a blessing in the middest of the Land, Isaiah 19.24. Whereso­ever they are in a Kingdome, or a fami­ly, or a town, they are a blessing in that Kingdome, in that town, and in that fa­mily, Israel shall be a blessing in the middest of the Land. These are they that are the excellent of the earth.

I would now willingly be over this [Page 131] that I may come to the other, but onely there is a word or two of application. And that is

First, to shew what a vast difference there is between those that are godly, and those that are wicked. Many things I might shew that the Scripture expresseth of wicked ones in all their glory: let all the glory of the world be put upon them, yet the Scripture speaks exceeding­ly contemptuously of them. I must not not spend time in those expressions, onely one, and that is in Daniel. In that day a vile person shall arise. Daniel 11.21. It is spoken (as most Interpre­ters carry it) of Antiochus Epiphanes, yet he is called a vile person, as the Psal­mist saith, In whose eyes a vile person is contemned, Psalm. 15. Antiochus, there are three things observed of him, yet he is called a vile person. First, he was a great enemy to many sinnes. Secondly, when the Jews wrote to him, because they feared his wrath, he being a perse­cutor of the Jews; there were some that lived in Samaria that were Samaritans [Page 132] that wrote to him to desire his favour, that were not their own selves Jews, but Sa­maritans: and Josephus saith, they wrote to him, Antiochus the mighty God; they gave him this title of ho­nour. He was a great man on earth ac­counted where he lived; among the Sa­maritans, a mighty god; yet the Scripture calls him a vile person. And then his name Epiphanes, which is as much as il­lustrious or glorious. He had that title of almighty God, and illustrious, and glorious, and yet he was a vile person. Thus it is, where God sees not the work of grace.

The consideration of this might give us some hope that there will be a time wherein God will appear for his saints. It is not probable that God will alway suffer his Jewels to be trodden under feet in the world; that God will alway look upon such as are excellent on earth, and see them so abused in the world, and so contemptible as they are; surely this will not be alwaies. God hath his time to make it manifest to the world, that they [Page 123] are the excellent of the earth. They are now Jewels, yet they are such as are in the dirt, and so are despised and contemn­ed: but there is a promise that they shall be as the stones of a crown, lifted up, as an ensign upon the Land. Zach. 9.16. As the stones of a Crown, God will lift them up and make them honourable. And there is another text which is very observable; for every one to take notice of Gods intention to make these excel­lent ones famous on earth. The gover­nours of Judah shall say in their heart, The inhabitants of Jerusalem shall be my strength. Zach. 12.5. There was a time when the governours of Judah despised those that were gracious and godly; but God hath promised that the governours of Judah shall be convinced of their er­rour, and shall say in their hearts the in­habitants of Jerusalem shall be my strength in the Lord of hosts their God. However now through the calumnies of the world; however now through the re­proches that are cast upon the saints of God, it falls out many time, that even [Page 134] the governours of Judah despise and con­temn them, and say they are seduced peo­ple, that they are factious and turbulent, and so their hearts are against them, and hate, and abhorre them, and look upon them with such an evil eye, as those that they name puritans: yet there is a time promised when the governours of Judah shall say in their hearts the inhabitants of Jerusalem are my strength in the Lord of hosts. O ye inhabitants of Je­rusalem, Gods Church and people, his sanctified ones (for Jerusalem typified the estate of Gods people under the Gospel; Gods sanctified ones under the Gospel) shall be such as the governours of Judah in their hearts shall say, My streng [...]h is in them. I see they are my best subjects my chief strength is in them, and they are of principall use for me, and my kingdome is upheld in peace for them, and there is the blessing of God on them, they shall be my strength in the Lord of hosts their God. Now I see God is their God, God hears their prayers, and hath done much for them, we are convinced [Page 135] of it. O this will be a blessed time, when it shall be that the governours of Judah shall say so. Blessed be God that they do say so in any measure, that the gover­nors of Judah say at all of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, of the godly, that their strength is in them: that they may see those that are the excellent of the earth, in any measure to be truly the excellent of the earth.

It were a ruefull spectacle, and would draw tears of bloud, to see the excellent ones to have that usage that they have had. But now to see those excellent ones countenanced in a publick way, especial­ly in publick courts of Justice, it is glo­rious, when the governours of Judah shall do it: and thus we are to pray for that it may be more and more.

And to say no more, let us learn to honour them that God hath honoured: since they are excellent ones, and God hath put excellency upon them, do you so too, look on them according as God esteems them. It is observed, that God in the time of the law did not require them [Page 136] to offer in sacrifice, Lions and Eagles, those brave creatures; but Lambs and Doves, mean creatures, he would have of­fered in sacrifice. So God doth not re­gard the brave spirits of the world that strut it out, but if there be any that be gracious and godly though they be never so poore, and mean, as Lambs and Doves, God honours, and respects them, they are a sacrifice to him; the broken heart is a sacrifice to God. Therefore when God would lift up himself in glo­ry, he saith, He that dwells in the high and lofty place. What of him? he looks to those that are of humble, and contrite hearts, As if there were no other object in the world worth looking upon, he looks onely to them. As a thing that is before ones eye that he prizeth, his eye is fastned on that: so God looks on them as if they were the onely object to be loo­ked at; therefore let them be looked at by us with reverence in our hearts: it is fit that we should honour those that God honours.

Therefore it is observed in the message [Page 137] of the king of Babylon to Hezekiah, 2 Chron. 32.31. When Hezekiah was sick, and God had given him a sign of his recovery that the sunne did go backward: It was a wondrous honour that God put on him that the sun should go backward. The ambassadours of the king of Babylon came to congratulate with Hezekiah af­ter his recovery: but what was the busi­nesse? not onely to congratulate with him for his recovery; but to enquire of the great miracle, so the text saith, the am­bassadours of the prince of Babylon were sent unto him to enquire of the wonder that was done in the land; Why did they enquire of this wonder? there were many wonders done, but they were not sent to enquire of others but of this. Because they worshiped the sun for their god and be­cause their god had put such an honour upon Hezekiah; they perceived the alter­ing of the sun that it went backward, and they enquired of the matter, concerning the alteration in the sun, and after enquiry there was news that it was for the sake of Hezekiah. Now because they worshiped, [Page 138] the Sunne as their god, and so apprehen­ded that their god had put such an ho­nour upon Hezekiah, they honoured him too. Though Hezekiah were king of the Jews, and they were enemies one to ano­ther, Jerusalem, and Babylon, yet when God had honoured him, they sent to con­gratulate one another, then they put ho­hour and respect one upon another upon that occasion.

That should teach us, if the heathens when they see their God put honour on any, they honour such as God honours, then when you see or hear that God ho­nours gracious and godly men, and wo­men do you so too; prize them, let them have high esteem in your hearts. You have heard this day what honour God puts upon his saints, therefore learn you to honour them. And much might be said, to draw the hearts of all people to the love of the people of God. Somewhat for the people of God; to walk as ex­cellent ones, not to defile one another. And for others, if they would be those here in the world that be excellent and [Page 139] glorious; it is the outward things that you hang on you, clothes, and riches that make you excellent ones in the eye of God, but it is grace, and godlinesse, by faith the fathers obtained good report. Some think there is no way to get esteem but outward bravery, great livings, fine clothes and the like, and men esteem that the way to be accounted eminent more then others. So there are many mini­sters that think to get esteem if they be honoured before great ones, and go brave. But you know by experience, that a faith­full godly minister, that walks faithfully, and conscionably, he gets more esteem in the hearts and consciences not onely of those that are godly, but of those that have enlightned consciences then a hun­dred of those; and they vex at it that they should do so; Why? they go a way to work to get more esteem, but they are deceived; they look at excellency where it is not. It is not such things, but in the work of grace, that prevails with the consciences of men. Boniface the mar­tyr when he was asked the question, [Page 140] if he might have the sacrament, if he would drink it in a wooden challice? saith he, the time was that there were wooden cups and golden priests, but now there are golden cups and wooden priests. There was a time in the primi­tive times, they were very mean, they were content with wooden vessels; but the men were gold in regard of grace, and godlinesse, and so they were highly estee­med; but now they have golden cups, that is a great deal of bravery and glory; but they have wooden priests, those that have no true excellency in them. The heart of the wicked is little worth. It may be his estate, his houses, his lands may be somewhat worth, but what is his heart worth? he hath nothing in himself to commend himself. But now the excellen­cy of Gods people is in that, it is in the soul and heart.

It were an uncomfortable thing to any of you, if suppose you have a servant along with you where you go, and all the respect you have is for your servants sake; if any entertain you into their [Page 141] house, it is not out of respect to you, but respect to your man; they love your man, and for his sake they entertain you; this would deject your hearts if you should know that you have no respect for any good in your selves, but for your servants sake. So the men of the world, they have respect, but what is it for? for their riches, for their honour, for their brave clothes, for their money; all servants under them, they have no respect for any thing in themselves, they have no spirituall excellency; especially when they are to deal with God, and the consciences of men they have no respect. But godly men have not so many ser­vants to gain respect by outward things: but that respect they have of Gods saints, and in the consciences of men they have it from an internall excellency. But we let this go.

It follows the second point, The ex­cellent of the earth.

In whom is all my delight.

It is but little that can be done I see, though it were the point I intended most. [Page 142] That that hath been said already makes way abundantly into the heart, that if they be the excellent of the earth, there is cause that we should delight in them. That is the point, that ‘A gracious heart takes great de­light in the saints on earth.’ First in their persons,

Or else in their society, and communion with them.

Or rather thus; they take delight in them, severally or joyntly.

If they look upon any one saint of God, they have delight in him, but they have more to look on all together joynt­ly; so they can say their souls delight in them there is a sweet complacency take them joyntly. And that is that which I shall speak to at this time, the delight that is to be taken in the saints, took joyntly together. The delight in the saints in regard of the sweetnesse of their soci­ety and communion with them: for so this delight of David is to be taken in a large sence, not onely in one particular, because of the good that he saw in their [Page 143] persons: but in regard of all the good he saw in them, and by them in joyning with them take them altogether joyntly. All the good that came from them, so he delighted in them. There is a great deal of delight and contentment to be had in the saints of God, especially joyntly.

If you look at one sometimes (though in never so mean a condition) there is a great deal of delight there. As Doctor Tayler the Martyr, that we read of in the book of Martyrs coming to Brad­ford, he professed that it countervailed all his trouble in prison, that he was acquain­ted with that Angel of God John Brad­ford meaning him in particular. And another that professed that he had rather be with Cato, (a heathen) for his morall excellencies, in prison then with Cesar in the Senate in all his pomp. To be shut up with one godly man is a great deal of delight and contentment what a great deal of delight is there then in their being together, and in that way wherein most of their excellencies appear? such delight is in them joyntly.

First, because the most comfortable communion that possible can be is enjoy­ed with them, and in them: for

First, is it not a most delightfull thing to see a company of godly people toge­ther to behold the resplendent beauty, and glory of the graces of Gods spirit? If there were nothing else, what a de­lightfull thing is it saith the heart? The very sight of good men it is pleasing and delightfull, to those that look upon their faces, wisdome makes their faces shine. The seeing of the resplendent grace of God in them is very delightfull. What is the delight of God, but the see­ing of the shining of his glory in his works? especially when God sees that which is the shining of his highest glo­ry, as his own grace and holinesse, that God delights in most. So when a gra­cious heart sees his own image, and that grace that God hath wrought in him, he sees it resplendently in others, it is a de­lightfull object.

Again, there is a comfortable commu­nion with them in regard of the fragran­cie [Page 145] of grace. The beauty of grace is de­lightfull, but the fragrancie, the breath­ings of grace, are sweet in the heart. The beholding of it is delightfull to the eye, but the workings of their grace is excee­ding sweet, and comfortable to the heart: Therefore saith the Church, Let my belo­ved go down into the gardens, among the beds of spices. Cant. 6.2. All the Chur­ches of God in the world are as the gar­den of Christ; and every particular Church in that garden is as a bed of spi­ces; and every particular saint is as the severall parts of that bed especially the fragrant smell is very sweet. It is said of Alexander, his very body was of such a constitution, that where ever he went there was a sweet savour came from his body. Certainly, where there is but one of Gods Children, there it sweetnesse from him; but where there is a company joyntly, there is a wonderfull unspeaka­able sweetnesse comes from them; it is exceeding comfortable to a gracious hear.

Again, their communion is comfortable [Page 146] and delightfull joyntly, in regard of the nearnesse, there being no communion under heaven wherein there is that near­nesse one to another, as of the saints. Ob­serve, (that you may see how near they come together, and are made one, and so are exceeding delightfull one to another) any thing the more spirituall they are, the more they are united; the more cor­porall they are, the lesse union. A heap of stones are not united, as the severall beams of the sunne, a thousand of them are united in one point, because they are of a spirituall nature. So it is with the spirits of men, the more carnall any men, and any society is, the lesse union: there­fore the reason why the people of God many times are divided, and not united is, because they are carnall. Are ye not carnall, saith the Apostle, when there were divisions? were you spirituall you would be more united one to ano­ther.

It is with spirituall society in regard of spirtuall union, as it is with the soci [...] ­ty of wickednesse. There is bodily, flesh­ly [Page 147] wickednesse, and there is spirituall wickednesse. Now those that joys toge­ther in grosse, bodily wickednesse, they are not so closely united as those that joyn in spirituall wickednesse. A companion of drunkards or whoremongers, they take delight in one another, and joyn in wickednesse, but it is corporall, therefore they soon fall out, and fly in the faces one of another: but those that joyn in spirituall wickednesse as politick ambiti­ous men men that joyn in mischief in a spirituall way, they keep mighty close, and you cannot break their bond of u­nion; they will suffer much before they will discover one another, and break u­nion one with another, because their uni­on is in a way of spirituall wickednesse. So on the contrary, when any are united in the spirit of holinesse, they are migh­tily united, there is no such union under heaven is that.

We read of the curtains of the Taber­nacle, Exod. 26. there were some of them that were made of purple, and scarlet, and fine linen, and their taches that held [Page 148] them together were pure gold. There were others of goats hair, and their buckles were brasse. So it may set our the diffe­rent condition of men in the Church. There are some in the Church that are truly gracious and godly, that excell in grace, and they are united by tacks of gold, their union is mighty strong and glorious in their hearts. There are o­thers in the Church, outward professours that are carnall, that are goats hair goats in the Church; and they maintain a uni­on too, but it is but brasse, the ground and bottome of the union is but mean, it is not such a golden union, as the u­nion of the hearts of Gods people; there are no people under heaven so uni­ted as they.

It is true, through their corruption there is a great deal of dissention (as there is corruption in the best) but that is as farre as they are carnall; the more spirituall they grow, the more near is their union one to another, and the more entire is their love, My beloved is one, saith Christ to his Church, and the [Page 149] daughters saw her and blessed her. There is an onenesse, and intirenesse in the hearts of the saints, and this makes them to be blessed by those that behold them, and makes their communion very delightfull: That is the first particular, their commu­nion is most delightfull of all other com­munions: therefore David saith, all my delight is in them, taking them together.

But then in the second place, a graci­ous heart must needs delight in the saints, if you take them joyntly; because that when they are together, there God is worshiped: the solemnest worship that God hath is from the faints joyned toge­ther. As I told you before that the glory that God had in the world was from them all: but the solemnity of Gods wor­ship cannot be but from them joyntly to­gether. Therefore the great delight of a gracious heart is to be with the saints when they are joyntly together: because there the name of God is honoured, and they worship God in a solemne way; God is honoured among them.

Christ himself much delights in the [Page 150] Saints when they are joyned together in in the duties of holy worship, do but compare two texts of Scripture, that will both make us in love with the saints, and delight in joynt communion with them▪ Compare Psalm, 22.22. with Heb. 2.12. The Psalme is a prophesie of Christ; and generally all interpreters go this way, that it is so, it appears by the Psalme that Christ especially is meant: the text saith I will declare thy name unto my brethren in the middest of the congregation will I praise thee. It is the promise of Christ to declare the name of his father to his Church and people, and in the middest of the congregation he shall praise God. Mark it, in Heb. 2.12. the Apostle ap­plies it to the saints joyned together, say­ing, I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the middest of the Church, will I sing praise unto thee. This was af­ter Christ had been in the flesh, yet the Apostle applies this to the Church, in the middest of the Church, will I sing praise unto thee. This they gather hence, that Christ he delights in being with his peo­ple [Page 151] when they are joyntly together, be­cause of the solemne worship of God, that is tendered to God by them, and he joynes with them in it as a delightfull work: as they are together to praise God, Christ is praising him; as they worship, Christ is worshiping. Now every saint of God hath the spirit of Christ in him, and so he delights in the society of the saints on this ground, because there is worshiping of God, and God is praised solemnly among them. If there be any in the world, wherein God hath solemne worship, it cannot but grieve a gracious heart, that he is not with them, his heart is with them, he delights to be with them, especially in such a work as that, it grieves him that he cannot be there.

It is a note of an Interpreter that I have met with upon Isaiah 6. where the Angles cry Holy, holy, holy, Lord of Hosts, the Prophet cryes, Woe unto me for I am undone, &c. saith he, upon this ground, because he could not joyn with those blessed creatures, and so magni­fie, [Page 152] and praise, and worship God; that he through his sinfulnesse was not able to joyn with them, he cryes, Woe is me, I am undone. So when any gracious heart doth but hear, that there is a people in the world that are precious ones, the excel­lent on earth, that joyn in the worship of God, and honour God in his own way, and enjoy communion with God, and I cannot joyn with them, woe to me that there should be any let or hinde­rance that I cannot come and joyn with them: for my heart is there, my delight is in the saints when they are joyntly to­gether: because Gods solemne worship is there.

But thirdly, my delight is in the saints joyntly, in regard of the wonderfull de­light God hath in them. A gracious heart must needs delight in them, because God himself takes so much delight in them: but especially when they are joyntly to­gether. There are speciall expressions in Scripture of Gods taking delight in the sains joyntly, as in Zephany, Zeph. 3.17. the Lord thy God in the middest of thee is [Page 153] mighty: he will save, he will rejoyce o­ver thee with joy: he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing. What expressions are here of Gods delighting in his people! The Lord thy God will rejoyce, he will rejoyce over thee with joy; he will love, he will rest in his love, and joy, and joy over thee with singing. And in Isaiah, you shall find that the Church is called Hephzebah, Gods de­light: it is a wondrous delight that God hath in his saints.

There are wonderfull expressions in Scripture for the manifesting of Gods delight, even to admiration, especially in the Church joyntly together. They are such expressions as we could not think or invent: as namely, that he calls his peo­ple his portion, his pleasant portion, Deut. 32.9. God calls them his inheritance, the lot of his inheritance: Jer. 12.7. he calls them the dearly beloved of his soul; Exod. 19.5. he calls them his peculiar treasure: God hath treasures in the world; the creatures that are called the good treasures of the Lord: Deut. 28. but [Page 154] this people are called his peculiar treasure, there is a particularity: There is ano­ther kind of excellency in the people of Gods delight, then in all other creatures; they are his common treasure, but his peo­ple are his peculiar treasure. God calls them his glory, The house of his glory, Isa. 46.13. The crown of his glory, Isa. 60.7. he calls them the Throne of his glory, Isa. 62.3. in severall places that I cannot stand on. His glory, the House of his glo­ry, the Crown of his glory, the Throne of his glory. He calls them the royall Di­adem, he calls them his ornament, an ornament set in Majesty and glory. There are these expressions, and more I might name of Gods delighting in his peo­ple. Therefore if God delight in them and finde satisfaction, much more' should we.

Christ speaks of his Church, O my sister, my spouse, my heart is ravished with thee. It is a strange expression, for Christ himself to be ravished with his people. It is an expression beseeming the Church, to have said so to Christ, but [Page 155] for Christ to say so to the Church, it is wonderfull. And again, My love, my dove, my undefiled one, Cant. 2. and at that very time when the Church was in a state of security, that Christ should call her his love, his dove, his undefiled; all to expresse the abundance of delight in his people. Well, if God have such delight in them, much more should the saints.

Again, if we consider further, the pre­sence of God among his people, it is an­other argument why the saints of God should take so much delight in other saints, especially when they are joyned together, because God is present there. The Lord is here, is the name of all their assemblies, The Lord dwells, and hath his tabernacle in Sion. It is a strange expression concerning the presence of God, in that he makes his people his ha­bitation. As the people of God call God their habitation: so God calls his Church his habitation. God dwels in Sion. Ps. 90. Would you not delight to keep house with God? Where Gods people are, God keeps house; and we should long to [Page 156] have it our own house, and not come as strangers. A man may come as a stran­ger, and take a bit, and be refreshed in a family; but it is not his house. But now Gods people when they go toot­thers of the saints they see God there, and they have that house for their house. It is called (as I told you) the house of his glory; that house that God desires to dwell in; he hath a mighty love to that house, to dwell among his people. In Psal. 132. there are many great and excellent ex­pressions. For the Lord hath chosen Zi­on, he hath desired it for his habitation, Psal. 132.13, 14. God desires Zion; what is Zion, but onely his saints and people joyned together? Zion was a type of the Church: so now all the saints of God together are Zion. Now God hath a desire to this habitation. God dwels in the high and holy place, the highest hea­ven is Gods habitation; but though God have such a house in heaven, yet he is not (as it were) contented with that house, but he desires another house; he hath a de­sire to Zion to be his habitation, and the [Page 157] house where his honour dwelleth. You know a Prince may have some houses of meaner regard, when he goes to his sport, he may have a mean house to lodge in for a while: but his pallace where he shews his Majestie, and honour, that is more glorious. So the people of God, and the Church, is called the house of Gods ho­nour, it is not a mean house, but a house of honour.

Further, it is that house that he means to dwell in for ever, he loves it so well. This is my house, I will dwell in it for e­ver. I am so well pleased with it, I will rest in it for ever. Surely, we have cause to rest our hearts in Gods people, when God finds rest there, and for ever.

It may be some of you are sometimes acquainted with the people of God, and at the first delight in them: but your hearts being carnall you soon grow wea­ry of them. It is not so with God, he de­lights in his people, and rests there, and rests there for ever,

But you will say, how is God present with his saints more then in other places; [Page 158] why is God said to dwell among his peo­ple, his Saints?

I answer, in two regards God is said to dwell among his people in a speciall manner.

First, because he makes himself known to his people, more then to all the world besides. There are none that know the counsell and mind of God, so as his saints do. God is known in Judah. Psalm. 29.9. There God opens himself, In his Temple every man speaks of his glory.

Secondly, because God communicates himself most among his people. God is said to be in heaven. Why? but be­cause there he manifests his glory more then in other places; therefore heaven is his habitation. If that be his habitation where he manifests himself more, then his people are his habitation, because he ma­nifests himself most there.

Secondly, heaven is the place of Gods residence▪ because he communicates him­self most there: then also Gods people are his residence, he communicates him­self [Page 159] there. And he communicates himself to them in a speciall manner in foure re­gards.

1. He communicates more choise mercies.

2. He communicates mercies more fully.

3, He communicates mercies more po­werfully.

4. More universally, then to others.

1. He communicates goodnesse among his people and saints more choisely, more choise mercies of God. There is a remark­able place in the Psalmes, The Lord that made heaven and earth blesse thee out of Zion. Psal. 143. ult. He saith not the Lord that made heaven and earth blesse thee, either out of heaven or earth, but out of Zion, as noting that the choyse mercies that God hath to communicate are out of Zion; among his people joyned together in the way of worship. Would you desire that God should blesse you with the chief mercies that he hath? look upon God as blessing out of Zion; out of Zion God communicates his choisest mercies: therefore it concerns all to be in Zion, that they may have God to blesse them [Page 160] out of Zion; there runs the sweetest of Gods mercies indeed in Zion.

Again, God communicates his mer­cies more fully among his people then a­ny other way. Psalm. 36.7, 8. How excellent is thy loving kindnesse, O God! therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings. They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatnesse of thy house, and thou shalt make them drink of the rivers of thy pleasures. They shall be abundantly sa­tisfied; how? not with the creatures, but with the fatnesse of thy house. Nei­ther with thy communication to them a­lone. God hath abundance of mercies for his saints alone: but when they are among the saints joyntly together, then they shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatnesse of his house, and he shall make them drink of his rivers of plea­sures. While they are alone in corners, they may have many sweet drops of plea­sure from God, but when they are joyn­ed with the saints, there are rivers of pleasure, and delight that come to their [Page 161] hearts: therefore there is great delight to be had in the saints of God when they are joyned together.

Thirdly, he communicates them more powerfully, mark, in Psalm. 13 [...].3. As the dew that descended upon the moun­tain of Zion; for there the Lord com­manded a blessing, even life for evermore. There was blessing, and the Lord com­manded it▪ there went a powerfull work of Gods grace upon the hearts of people there▪ when they were joyned together in Zion: there God commanded the bles­sing. If you would have God speaking powerfully to command a blessing on your souls you must be among his peo­ple, you must joyn in a holy fellowship with his people; there God commands it.

In the last place, more universally all the goodnesse of God is communica­ted among his people, therefore the Church is called the perfection of beauty; Psalm. 50. that some translate, the uni­versality of excellency and beauty. There is a universality of all among the Church and people of God. And in another place, [Page 162] All my springs are in thee. Psa. 87. speak­ing of joyning with the people of God, that is, all my springs of truth that are revealed to me; all the springs of comfort that I have communicated to my soul, all the springs of grace that I have, to quicken me, they are all in thee in the joynt society and communion with Gods people, I find all. Thus we see the pre­sence of God among his people in regard of the communication of himself to them, and therefore what a great deal of cause there is to joy, and delight in the saints joyntly together.

Again further, there is abundance of cause to delight in them joyned together, in regard of their admirable priviledges as they are joyned together. They have priviledges as they are alone, but as they are joyned they have committed to them the oracles of God, Rom. 3.2. all the ordi­nances by which God conveyes himself. To them are committed the seal of the covenant, you cannot singly have the seal of the covenant, but joyned with the people of God, closing with them. To [Page 163] them is committed the very power of Je­sus Christ: saith the Apostle, When ye are together with the power of Jesus Christ, 1 Cor. 5.4. a glorious priviledge. Yea, fur­ther, take this one thing they are inheri­tours to all the promises that ever God made to the Church from the beginning of the world. There is no society of saints that joyn in Christian fellowship, but they are so. See a remarkable place for that in Isa. 54.17. No weapon that is formed a­gainst thee shall prosper, and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgement thou shalt condemn: this is the inheritance of the servants of the Lord. That promise that God made to the Churches before, this is their heritage. And conceive of this one now that is of great use, that all that is said in Scripture concerning Gods de­light to be among his people, and in Zi­on, all were but to type out the excellent condition of Gods Church in the times of the Gospel. The most of the expressions are of Gods delight among his people in the time of he law: but know that all those expressions were but meer types, and there is a great deal more in [Page 164] the Antitype there in the type: therefore the saints of God joyned under the Go­spell have abundance more of the glory of God, of the presence of God, and of priviledges, then Zion had, or Jerusa­lem could have; because that was but a type of their happy condition under the time of the Gospel.

It is an observable place that we have in the Hebrews, it is said concerning the state of the Church, that the law had but a shadow of good things to come. Heb. 10.1 and not the very image of the things. It was not so much as an image: observe, a shadow is not so much as an image; but an image is not so much as the thing it self: but that was not an image, but a sha­dow. As a Painter that takes an image, he draws first the dark shadow with a cole, there is a great deal of difference be­tween that shadow, and the image in beauty: so much difference there is be­tween all the glory of God in the Church in the time of the law, and that glory of God that is among his people in the time of the Gospel. We may safely say, there is [Page 165] the like difference between Gods mani­festing of himself to his people then, and now; as between a dark shadow drawn with a cole in comparison of an image. But mark, it was but a shadow of the i­mage; that which we have now is but an image. As there is not so much in a sha­dow as in the image, so there is not so much in the image as in the thing it self. The presence of God and all his good­nesse to his people, and his glory to his people now, it is but an image to that which shall be; there shall be another presence of God, another communicati­on, and revelation of God hereafter, in another kind then there is now; all that we have now is but an image of that which shall be; all that was in the law was but a shadow of that image: there­fore we should have a great deal of de­light in the saints.

Much might be said further, for de­lighting in them now, because they are those that we shall live for ever with in heaven. Look to the saints especially to­gether, they are those that we shall live [Page 164] eternally together with in heaven, there­fore they are those that we should deligh in. They are those that we shall be joyned with for ever in everlasting halelujahs, before him that sits upon the throne, and the Lamb. Look upon any saint, though he be never so mean in gifts and abilities, thou and he shall alway joy in the pre­sence of God in glory.

Yea to be among Gods people is hea­ven it self; they are not onely those that we shall be with in heaven, but it is hea­ven. Behold, saith the Lord, I create a new heaven and a new earth. Isa. 65.17. The state of the Church is called heaven, For what is there in heaven but is here? I might shew the resemblance of heaven, and that which that is in heaven is here among us, and therefore if heaven be a place to be delighted in, the saints are.

Therefore have a high esteem of the saints, close with them, and come into as near communion as is possible. If they be so excellent, and to be delighted in then especially when they are joyned to­gether labour all to come in, and joyn [Page 165] with the saints in the nearest union that is possible, in that fellowship wherein you may (as near as can be) have fellowship onely with them, especially that have the appearance of such.

The mixture of our communion doth much hinder our delight. Cast dirt into the fire, and it will damp it: so the mixture of ungodly ones, their spots and blemi­shes hinder the delight of Gods people one in another. But now to come among those that your hearts may close with, that you have comfortable evidence, that they are not meer talkers of religion and pro­fessours at large, but that the image of God is on them, O what closing is there with their hearts, and what admirable good might we enjoy in the communion and society of them. Therefore know that it is one of the greatest blessings that you are capable of in this world to have the nearest communion with the saints next to your immediate communion with God himself, it is that which you should so [...]steem; and your hearts should work after. Mark that text Psalme 36. what [Page 166] is said dour joyning with the people of God, how excellent is thy loving kind­nesse, wherein appears the excellency? They shall be satisfied with the fatnesse of thy house. It is a fruit of the excellen­cy of the loving kindnesse of God for people to be of Gods house, and to par­take of the fatnesse of it. To have abun­dance of Gods creatures, and to have an estate, and friends, it is a fruit of Gods kindnesse, but to joyn with Gods people in a way of worship and in the nearest union it is a fruit of the excellent loving kindnesse of God to admiration. How excellent is thy loving kindnesse? it was so excellent that he was not able to ex­presse the excellency of it.

It is made in Scripture to be the pro­per inheritance even of the elect of God; to enjoy communion with the people of God, in the type, it is a fruit of the very inheritance of the elect of God; so as it is opposed to all the vanities of the world. Mark what God saith by Isaiah, Vanity shall take them away, but he that putteth his trust in me shall possesse the [Page 167] land, and shall inherit my holy mountain. Now the mountain of God was but a type of Gods Church under the Gospel, and what God intended to do to the Church. Now saith he, vanity shall take them away, they seek vain things, and they must have estates, and houses and trading, and they will suffer nothing for the enjoying of such priviledges: but for those that be my own people, they shall be in my holy mountain. So in divers places the holy mountain of God is cal­led the inheritance of the saints; as the proper enjoying of it is the benefit of them; those that enjoy it are the right heirs of God.

That was a speciall part of wisedome of the wise merchant, when he had found the pearl, to go and buy the field, he was not content with the pearl, but he buys the field: now the field is the communi­on of saints, the Church of God: the saints joyned content themselves meerly with the knowing of Christ, and hope you have part in Christ, but buy the field, and labour to enjoy Christ with his peo­ple. [Page 168] Think it not enough to go up and down, and now and then get a good ser­mon, and snatch in one place, and in an­other: but you dishonour God, and are unthankfull to the grace of God, if you do not what you can to joyn with the saints of God in the nearest communion you can: so that you may not onely come to be partakers of the gifts of men; but to look on men as the officers of God set o­ver by Christ to watch over your souls. This was the intent of Christ when he ascended, he gave gifts, some Prophets, some Apostles, some teachers. The gifts of Christ in his Church to shew his ma­gnificence to appoint ordinances to build up the body that there might be relation between people and pastor. So you are bound to look, not onely to hear now and then, but to joyn with the saints in a way of ordinances in the strictest com­munion, that the worship of God may be set in a solemn way according to all his ordinances; that you may look on men as pastours set over you by Christ to watch over your souls; and herein [Page 169] the body of Christ must be built up.

The exercise of gifts this way or that way, though they be usefull to do good, it is not the speciall ordinance; the be­nefit that chiefly you have is to receive good by men deputed as officers, and ap­pointed by Christ though they be men of meaner gifts, then you may expect to be built up. Therefore let it be your care to come to the people of God in the nearest relation that may be. It is an expression of Calvin concerning that text seek my face, Psalm. 27. he interprets seeking of Gods face to seek God among his people in his ordinances, there is Gods face, saith he, though there were no way for me to get my living but by scratching in the ground with my nayles, I would seek to get my living that way, rather then not be where the face of God is; I would be among the people of God in the way of worship, in the way of his ordinances.

Therefore plead not, it is difficult, and hard. You must be willing to suffer for this: the people of God formerly were willing to suffer. It is observable concern­ing [Page 170] those godly people among the Jews, when the ten Tribes were divided from the rest: there were many of the godly whose hearts the Lord stirred, and they would not be content to be at Samaria, or where J [...]reboams false worship of the Calves was set up but they would needs go to Jerusalem, they would obey there, though they suffered much before they came thither. You shall find an expressi­on in Hosea, that shews, that there was watching of those that did go to Jerusa­lem to intrap them, and catch them, and inflict punishments upon them. Hear ye this O Priests and hearken ye house of Israel; and give ye eare, O house of the King; for judgement is toward you, be­cause ye have been a snare in Mizpah, and a net spread upon Tabor. Hos. 5.1. Mizpah and Tabor were two places, be­tween the places of Idolatry and Jerusa­lem, that as they went from Samaria, they were fain to go that way, now they were a snare on Mizpah, that is, they watched who did go from Samaria to worship at Jerusalem; yet many went as [Page 171] the story saith, though it were as much as their lives was worth, yet they would go the way to Zion through the valley of tears; and they were contented though they suffered much to go through the valley of Bacah that they might come at length to Zion.

There were many difficulties in the way, and many objections against them: but certainly those whose hearts the Lord hath touched, they will not be quiet, if there be any nearer union to be enjoyed in the world with the saints they will never rest till they come to it. And God will make the way plain to those that have upright hearts, he will take the stumbling blocks out of their way and shew them the way that meets God in uprightnesse. And though there be many stumbling blocks, yet God will be at the same time in the way, and will take the stumbling blocks out of the way. Psalm. 84. Blessed is he (saith the Psal­mist) in whose heart are thy wayes. If there be any man or woman, though they have not gotten to Gods people in the [Page 172] nearest communion, yet if the way to Zion be in their hearts, blessed are they. And there is a promise too of strength for them; though you find difficulties, God will grant his strength, as Moses saith, that God in his strength would lead them to his holy habitation. Exod. 15.13. Indeed it requires the strength of God to lead men to his holy habitation, there are so many troubles that lie in their way.

There is a prophecy that men should bring to Zion men and women, in Cha­riots, and Litters. Now Litters are in­struments to convey weak ones in; so that there is no excuse for those that are old and weak; what shall we do? Where God stirs the heart, though they be car­ried in Litters, though they be never so weak if it be possible, they will go tho­row. That which we delight in we are never quiet till we enjoy it; and every one of Gods people can say, those that are excellent in earth are all my delight. I find sweetnesse, when I find but one or two of them; O if there were more of [Page 173] them, what delight should I have!

To conclude, if there be so much de­light in the saints, in this world, what will there be in the saints in heaven! If it be worth the greatest labour and pains to joyn with them here, what will it be worth to have everlasting communion with them! For then we shall not onely have communion with a few, but with all the Patriarchs, Prophets and Apo­stles and Martyrs, and all the worthies of God. If there be delight in one; what will there be when there shall be all, and we shall delight in all, when they shall be spotlesse! Now it damps our joy the weaknesse that we see in the saints that are sincere; we see many froward passi­ons in them, many passionate fits that makes their communion uncomfortable many times: but then there shall be no more sullennesse, or passion, there shall be no more indiscretion or weoknesse as there is now. Now to come to joyn with any, if there be a little grace to sanctifie them, there is abundance of weaknesse: but then we shall come to have commu­nion [Page 174] with saints that shall be all filled with God; there shall be nothing but God in them. Men now have excellent gifts, but their corruptions so darken the communion, that it is not delightfull. But then all shall be in holinesse, there shall be nothing but God in them.

And they shall be alway exercised in praising God: it is comfortable to be with the saints in civill affairs, in eating and drinking, but it is more delightfull to pray, and to have the Sacrament, and to conferre graciously with them: But then hereafter we shall be in heaven with them, and shall never do any thing but alway worship, and praise God night and day together. One day with Gods people what is it worth? when it is gra­ciously spent in holy exercises, how de­lightfull is it, if it were not for the wea­rinesse of the flesh: but then we shall ne­ver depart, nor never be weary. Now when we come to Gods people, to be with them an hour, or a day or two, it is delightfull, but this doth not last long: but we shall be so with them then as ne­ver [Page 175] to part how delightfull will that be?

And all this in our fathers house, in the presence of God, where there shall be no enemy to hurt us, and before our fathers children and friends delight in one another in a strange place: but in their fathers house, in the presence of their fa­ther they have more delight, we shall then all come before God our father.

To be the children of God in a dun­geon, as the Saints and Martyrs, they found it delightfull: but then we shall be ever in the pallace of our Father, before the King even in his Majesty and glory. It were worth our labour to get heaven, if it were but for this, to be with Paul that gracious spirit: if it were but to be with one or two of the worthies of God; but then we shall come to heaven to all the Saints, Saith Sizillanum, speaking of death, O famous day, I shall be delivered from this world, to Cato, and to such wise men, my soul shall go to them, and shall converse no more with these people in the world, a heathen had so much in his morall virtues. But now the children [...] [Page 156] of God how comfortable may they die, how famous a day will it be to them? Here through Gods mercy I had much sweetnesse in the saints of God, I deligh­ted in them in the world, now I go to change my place but not my company, it was the dying speech of Doctor Preston, I go where I shall converse with those that I lived with here. He meant especial­ly, God and Christ. We change our place and our individuall company for a while, but we go to a place where we shall meet with them again. As it is a commendati­on of the Church, we are come to an in­numerable number of the souls of saints made perfect, &c. It shall be fullfilled in heaven, we are to go to an innumerable company of angels, & to all the souls of the excellent on earth, that are made perfect.

Therefore, as ever you would have communion with them hereafter, delight your selves in their communion here, the more comfortable delight you have in them here, the more comfortable as­surance you shall have of communion with them hereafter.