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2. Doctr. God is best Remembered when his Name is studied.

1. When is his Name studied? In the general, when we look upon him as he hath manifed himself in his Word and Works. More particularly, God is discovered sometimes by the Name of his Essence, sometimes by his Attributes.

1. By the Name of his Essence. When Moses was very inquisitive to know his Name, (and God can best tell his own Name,) let us see what answer was made him, Exod. 3. 12, 13. When they shall say unto me, What is his Name, and God said, I Am, that I Am. God was sending Moses upon a strange Message, he was giving him Commission to go and speak to a King, to dismiss and let go six hundred thousand of his Subjects, to lead them to a place which God should show: now Moses thought for such a Message he had need have good Authority, therefore desireth a significant Name, I Am, that I Am: the form of the words showeth it was a wonderful incomprehensible Name, Ask not my Name, for it is Wonderful, Judge. 13. 18. This is enough to satisfy sober Inquiry, though not wanton Curiosity, enough for Faith to work upon: the great I Am hath sent me. It showeth his unsearchableness. It is our manner of speech when we would cover anything and not answer distinctly, we say, It is what it is. I have said what I have said. Finite understandings cannot comprehend him that is Infinite, no more than you can empty the Sea with a Cockle-shell. (2.) He is the great and only Being, in comparison of which all else is nothing, Isa. 40. 19. All Nations before him are nothing, they are counted less than nothing, and vanity. You have not a true and full Notion of God, if you conceive him only as the most eminent of all Beings: no Being must appear as Being in his sight, and in comparison of him. As long as you only conceive God to be the best, you still attribute something to the Creature, for all Comparatives include the Positive. The Creature is nothing in comparison with God; all the Glory, Perfection and Excellency of the whole World do not amount to the value of an unite in regard of God's Attributes: join never so many of them together they cannot make up one number, they are nothing in his regard, and less than nothing. All created Beings must utterly vanish out of sight when we think of God. As the Sun doth not annihilate the Stars, and make them nothing, yet it annihilates their Appearance to our sight; some are of the first magnitude, some of the second, some of the third, but in the Day-time all are alike, all are darkened by the Sun's glory: so it is here, there are degrees of Perfection and Excellency if we compare one Creature with another, but let once the glorious brightness of God shine upon the Soul, and in that light all their differences are unobserved. Angels, Men, Worms, they are all nothing, less than nothing to be set up against God: this magnificent Title, I Am, darkeneth all, as if nothing else were. God did not tell Moses that he was the best, the highest, and the most glorious, but I Am, and there is none else besides me; nothing that hath its Being of itself, nothing that can be properly called their own: thus the incomprehensible Self-existence of God puts Man into his Original nothing: none but God can say, I Am, because all things else are but borrowed drops of this Self-sufficient Fountain, other things are near to nothing. God most properly is, who never was nothing, never shall be nothing, who may always, in all difference of Time say, I Am, and nothing else but God can say so. The Heaven and Earth for six thousand years ago could not say, We are. Adam could once have said, I am, as to his existence in the compounded nature of Man, but now he cannot say it. All the Generations past were, but are not, and the present is, but will not be; and within a little while, who of us can say, I am? no, our place will know us no more; but God eternally saith, I am: not I have been, or I shall be, but I Am. Look a little backward, and you shall find Man's Beginning; step a little forward, and you shall overtake his Dissolution; but God is still, I Am, he is one that is All before all, after all, and in all. He beholdeth from the Mount of Eternity all the Successions and Changes of the Creature, and there is no succession or mutation in his Knowledge. Well then, here is an Answer for Pharaoh, and the Israelites, and all of you to study on, I Am, that I Am. I am the Fountain of all Being, that do unchangeably and eternally exist in my Self, and from my Self.

2. God hath described his Name by his Attributes. To go over all, the compass of a Sermon will not permit. I shall single out three from all the rest, his Power, Wisdom and Goodness, they are manifested in all that God doth.

1. In Creation. Basil, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 the Goodness of God is seen in the usefulness of the Creatures to man, the Power of God in the stupendiousness and wonderfulness of his Works, his Wisdom in the apt structure, constitution and order of all things: first he createth, then distinguisheth, then adorneth. The first work was to create the Heavens and Earth out of nothing, there is his Power: his next work is a wise Destination and Ordination of all things, he distinguisheth Night from Day, Darkness from Light, Waters above the Firmament from Waters beneath the Firmament, the Sea from the dry Land, there is his Wisdom: then he decketh the Earth with Plants, and furnisheth it with Beasts, and storeth the Sea with Fishes, the Firmament with Stars, there is his Goodness. Let us examine these more particularly, beginning

1. With his Goodness. The Creation is nothing else but an effusion of the Bounty and Goodness of God, he made the World not that he might be Happy, but that he might be Liberal, he made the World not by Necessity, but at his Pleasure, Rev. 4. 11. Thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are, and were created. God was happy enough without us, he had a fullness and absolute sufficiency within himself, his great aim was to raise up Objects out of nothing, to whom he would communicate his Goodness: the Heavens and Earth were made that Man might have a place for his Exercise, and a dwelling for his Rest, and in both might love, honor, serve and glorify his Creator. God sits in his Palace among his best Creatures, and thither also will he translate Man at length if he be obedient, and observe the ends of his Creation: thus his Goodness appeareth.

2. His Power, he brought all things out of the womb of nothing. The powerful fiat was enough, Isa. 40. 26. Lift up your eyes on high, who hath created these things, and bringeth out their host by number, and calleth all things by their names, by the greatness of his might, for that he is strong in Power. The force of the Cause appeareth in the Effect, and God's Power in the Life and being of the Creature. There is no Artificer but he must have Matter to work upon, or else his Art will fail him, and he can do nothing, all that Man can do is to give some Shape and Form, or to fashion that in some new Model which had a Being before: but God made all things out of nothing; the inclination and beck of his Will sufficeth for his great Works: we have great toil and sweat in all things that we do, but behold what a great Work is done without any pain and travel: it is troublesome to us to carry up a little piece of Stone or Timber to any Building of ours, but God stretched out all these Heavens in such an infinite compass by the Word of his Power, and hangeth the Earth upon nothing.

3. His Wisdom. The admirableness and comely variety of God's Works doth easily offer it to our thoughts. In the frame of the Work you may easily find out a Wise Workman, Psal. 136. 5. Sing praises to him that by Wisdom hath made the Heaven and the Earth, for his mercy endureth forever: so Prov. 3. 19. The Lord by Wisdom hath founded the Earth, by Understanding hath he established the Heavens: the Wisdom of God appeareth in the order of making, and order of placing all the Creatures. In making them; in simple things God begun with those that were most perfect, as his first Creature was Light, which of all Qualities is the most pure and defecate, and is not stained by passing through places most impure: then all the other Elements. In mixed Bodies God took another method, from imperfect to perfect: first things that have a Being, as the Firmament, then Life, as Plants, then Sense, as Beasts, then Reason, as Men: first God would provide the places of Heaven and Earth, then the Creatures to dwell in them: first the Food, then the Creatures to be sustained by it. Provision was made for the Inhabitants of the Earth, as Grass for Beasts, and Light for all living and moving Creatures. Plants have a growing Life, Beasts a feeling Life, then Man was made, last of all Creatures, as most excellent. Thus God would teach us to go on from good to better; Man's Palace was furnished with all things necessary, and they were placed and disposed in their apt Cells for the beauty and service of the whole, and then like a Prince he was sent into the World to Rule and Reign. There are not so many Animals in the Earth as in the Sea, to avoid the great waste of Food, which would be consumed by the Beasts of the Land to the prejudice of Man: but there is no end of these Considerations. Only let me tell you, Power is most eminently discovered in the Creation, Rom. 1. 20. The invisible things of him from the Creation of the World are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal Power and Godhead: the first Apprehensions which we are possessed with, and which are most obvious, are the infinite Greatness and Power of the Creator.

2. These are manifested in the whole structure of his Word: his Power in the Histories, and Prophecies, which declare what God hath and shall do: his Wisdom in the Precepts and Counsels, and discovery of such Mysteries: his Goodness in Promises, Institutions, and provisional Helps. More particularly in the Law-part of his Word, his Goodness, that showeth Man what is good, Micah 6. 8. He hath shown thee O man what is good: his Power in threatening such Punishments, and promising such Rewards, and in the wonderful efficacy of his Word in the Conscience: his Wisdom in stating such a Rule, that hath such an admirable fitness for the governing and regulating of Mankind. But though all three shine forth in the Law, and all in each part, yet his Wisdom is most eminent; Deut. 4. 6. Keep these Statutes, for this is your Wisdom and Understanding. In the Gospel, still these three Attributes appear, the wonderful Wisdom, Power and Goodness of God: his Wisdom in the orderly disposure of the Covenant of Grace, 2 Sam. 23. 5. Although my house be not so with God; yet he hath made with me an everlasting Covenant, ordered in all things and sure: for this is all my salvation, and all my desire, although he make it not to grow: and contriving the excellent Design and Plot of Salvation by Christ, 1 Tim. 3. 16. Great is the Mystery of Godliness, God manifested in the Flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of Angels, preached to the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up to Glory: his Power in the Incarnation, Resurrection, and Miracles of Christ, therefore Christ is called the Wisdom and Power of God: but above all his Love is magnified in the Gospel, Rom. 5. 8. God commended his Love towards us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. 1 John 4. 9, 10. In this was manifested the Love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotton Son into the world, that we might live through him: Herein is Love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the Propitiation for our Sins. Tit. 3. 4. But after that the kindness and love of God our Savior toward man appeareth.

SERMON LXII.

PSAL. CXIX. 55.

I have remembered thy Name, O Lord, in the Night, and have kept thy Law.

3. THESE are discovered in daily Providence. To rub up and revive our Thoughts, God is pleased anew to set before us the glorious Effects of his Wisdom, Goodness and Power; his Wisdom in the contexture of Providence, his Power in the Management of it, his Goodness in the Effects of it. His Wisdom in the Beauty and Order of his Works, in guiding the Course of Nature, and disposing all things about his People. He doth all things well. Eccles. 3. 5. He hath made everything beautiful in its time, or in the true and proper Season; therefore we that look upon Providence by pieces, stumble at the seeming Confusion, and uncertainty of what falleth out, as if the Affairs of the World were not under a wise Government; but stay a little while till all the pieces of Providence be put together in one Frame, and then you will see a marvelous Wisdom in them. In the work of Creation, all things were very good, Gen. 1. 31. so for these Six thousand years as well as for the first Six days. Those things which seem confused heaps when they lie asunder, when put together will appear a beautiful Structure and Building. So for his Goodness, what part hath God been acting in the World for so long a time but that of Mercy? He may be traced more by his Acts of Goodness than Vengeance: Acts 14. 17. Nevertheless he left not himself without witness, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , in that he did good, and gave us rain from Heaven, and fruitful Seasons, filling our hearts with joy and gladness. The whole World is a Theatre of Mercy, if at any time we wrest Punishment out of his hand, it is with an aim of Mercy: as he threateneth that he may not punish, so he punisheth that he may not punish forever. For his Power, that is notably discovered to us every day; if we would draw aside the covering of the Creature, you might soon see the secret almighty Power of God which acteth in everything that falleth out; the same everlasting Arm that made the Creatures is under them to support them; Heb. 1. 3. He upholdeth all things by the word of his Power. As they started out of nothing by his Command, so they are kept from returning into nothing by the same powerful Word, Command and Decree of God: Thou hidest thy Face, and they are troubled; thou takest away their breath, and they die; thou sendest out thy Spirit, and they are created; and thou renewest the face of the Earth, Psal. 104. 29, 30. All things hold their life of him: if God withdraweth in any measure the wonted influence of his Power from them, they presently find a change in themselves. It is even with the being and faculties of the Creature, as with the Image of the Glass, which when the Face removeth it is seen no more. The Lord doth as it were breath into them a being, and when he taketh in his Breath, they perish; and when he sendeth it out again they are renewed. Now though God doth constantly discover his Wisdom, Power, and Goodness, yet in some Providence one of these doth more especially appear: his Wisdom in some notable contrivance and chain of Causes, which to a common eye seemed to have no tendency to such Effects as are produced by them: as when out of the sins and perverse doings of Men, or the disorders and confusions of the World he raiseth his own glory, or by some unthought of, unheard of means bringeth about the Deliverance of his People, taking the Wise in their own craftiness. Sometimes his Power, when by weak and contemptible means he bringeth great things to pass, and a Straw becometh a Spear in the hand of the Almighty. Sometimes in his Goodness, in filling us with Blessings, or doing notable Acts of Grace for his Peoples sake.

4. These three Attributes suit with God's threefold Relation to us: by his almighty Power he becometh our Creator, as most wise our Supreme Governor, as most good our gracious Benefactour. We depend upon him for our present supplies, and from him we expect our future Hopes. His Creation gives him a Right to govern us, his Wisdom a Fitness, and his Bounty doth encourage us voluntarily to give up ourselves to his Service.

5. These three Attributes do most bind our Duty on us, as they beget in us Love, Fear, and Faith: or Esteem, Reverence, and Trust, which are the three radical Graces that result from the very being and owning of God, and are the cultus naturalis enjoined in the First Commandment. His Wisdom as a Law-giver begets Reverence and Fear, his Goodness is the object of Love, and his Power of Trust. If he be most Wise there is all the Reason in the world that he should rule and govern us: for who is fitter to govern and make Laws than he that is most wise? If he be most good, infinitely good, there is all the Reason in the world that you should love him, and no show of Reason why you should love the World and Sin before him: if Powerful and All-sufficient there is all the Reason you should believe in him, as one that is able to make good his Word, either by Promise, or Threatning. Faith goeth upon that, Rom. 4. 21. He was strong in Faith; being fully persuaded that what he had promised, he was able to perform. He is God All-sufficient, therefore his Promises are not to be distrusted, his Threatenings not to be slighted; there is no resisting or standing out against him, in the twinkling of an eye he can tear you in pieces, pluck away the guilty Soul from the embraces of the unwilling Body. A spark of his Wrath makes thee a burden to thyself. So for Promises, one Word of his Mouth can accomplish all the good that is contained in them. And 'tis observable, that the respects of the Creature that are peculiarly due to one of these Attributes, are sometimes in Scripture directed to another. 'It is said Hos. 3. 5. They shall fear the Lord and his Goodness in the latter days: and love him for his Power and Greatness, and believe in him for his Wisdom. Again, they trust him for his Goodness, love him for his Wisdom, fear him for his Power: all these changes are in Scripture.

2. Why God is best remembered when his Name is studied? the Reason is, because the study of his Name doth increase those three fundamental radical Graces beforementioned.

1. The studying of his Name increaseth our Love. Thy Name is as an ointment poured forth, therefore the Virgins love thee, Cant. 1. 3. Ointment kept close in the Box doth not diffuse its savor, but Ointment poured forth is full of fragrancy and reviving, it perfumeth the whole house; John 12. 3. The house was filled with the odour of the Ointment. So when the Name of God is not considered, we are not comforted and strengthened, and quickened; but pour it forth, take it abroad in your serious thoughts, and believing Meditations, and that doth attract and draw hearts to him. When we consider the Mercy, Grace, Power, Wisdom, Truth, and Justice of God, these affect all those that have any spiritual discerning. This is the way to draw Esteem from carnal Hearts, He hath Authority to make Laws, for he is the Wise God; Power to back this Authority, for he is the Almighty Creator, who can frown thee into nothing, but yet he is good and gracious, ready to receive you, and pardon and do you good, though you have rebelled against him: to pour out this Name is our Duty, and then poor Creatures will be prevailed with: it is our Duty to do it in the discoveries of the Gospel, your Duty to ponder upon it in your private Meditations. The Wisdom of God in the Word showeth your Duty, his Power what need you have to bind it on your hearts, and your case is not without hope, for you have to do with a good God: there is no Mercy to such as fear not his powerful Justice, and no Justice for such as flee from it to his Mercy: see how God poureth out his Name, Exod. 34. 5, 6, 7. And the Lord descended in the cloud, and stood with him there, and proclaimed the Name of the Lord, and the Lord passed by before him, and proclaimed the Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in Goodness and Truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity, and transgression, and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the Fathers upon the Children, and upon the Children's Children unto the third and fourth generation.

2. The studying of God's Name increaseth our Faith or Trust, Psal. 9. 10. They that know thy Name, will put their Trust in thee. God is first known and then trusted, and then served. If God were known more, he would be more trusted, and if he were more trusted, we would not be so double-minded and unstable in the profession and practice of Godliness: we little study God, and because we study his Name so little, our Faith is weak, and therefore we are so uncertain in our Conversations. It is well when all our Comfort and Duty is immediately fetched out of the Name of God, or his Nature considered by us.

3. The studying of God's Name increaseth our Reverence and Fear, Psal. 111. 9. Holy and reverend is thy Name, Psal. 86. 11. Unite my heart to the fear of thy Name. The more you study the nature of God, the more awful, serious, humble, watchful will you grow. Thus you see serious and becoming thoughts of God do much increase our Faith, Fear and Love.

The Use is to exhort you more

1. To study the Name of God, and to dwell upon the Meditations of the Almighty, and to possess your mind with him till no place be left for sin or vanity.

1. The Name of his Being. God is not only the best of Beings, but properly that which is: because he is a Self-being, that gave Being to all things else, and from everlasting to everlasting: we are but as it were of yesterday, and our Being is from him, and our Life in his hands: we cannot live an hour without him, nor fetch a breath without him, nor think a thought, nor speak a word, nor stir a hand or foot without him. There is a continual providential influence and supportation; as the beams of the Sun vanish as soon as the Sun is clouded, so do we fail when God suspends his influence. A Watch goeth of its self, a Mill of its self when the Workman taketh off his hand from them; it is not so with us and God: for Acts 17. 28. In him we live, move and have our being. What Paul said of spiritual Life, Gal. 2. 20. is true also of Life natural, I am, yet not I, but God is all in all. He is in us, and liveth in us, or we could not subsist for a moment: we need not seek God without in the Workmanship of Heaven and Earth, for we have God within ourselves, and may feel him, and find him in our own Life and Motion: as the Child in the Womb liveth by the Life of the Mother, before it is quickened and liveth apart by a Life and Soul of its own: or as a Pipe sounds by the blowing of the Musician, if he stop his breath it is altogether silent; so do we live and breath in God, and all the tuneable variety of our Motions cometh from his breathing in us. Now if God be so near us, shall we not take notice of his presence, and carry ourselves accordingly? shall we offend him and affront him to his face, and displease Him without whom we cannot live? But alas how seldom do we reflect upon this? how is it that we move and think not with wonder of the first Mover in whom we move? how is it that we live and persevere in Being, and do not consider of this Fountain and Self-being who gave our Life to us, and still continues it? Oh the negligence of many Souls professing the knowledge of God and Godliness! we speak, walk, eat and drink, and go about all our business as if we had a Self-being, and independent, never thinking of that All-present and quickening Spirit that acts us, moveth in us, speaketh in us, maketh us to walk, eat, drink, and do all the functions of Nature. Like the barbarous people who see, hear, speak and reason, and never once reflect upon the principle of all these, a Soul within.

2. Let us think often of the Name of God, his Attributes.

1. Of his Wisdom. That we may compose ourselves to worship, adore him, serve him according to his Will and Pleasure, and may admire him in the Justice and Equity of his Laws, and the excellent contrivance of his Providence, that so we may submit to the directions of the one, and the determinations of the other. To the directions of his Word: can we count God to be a wise God and refuse his Counsel? doth not our Practice give our Profession the lie, when we rather walk after our Hearts Counsels, and the Examples and Fashions of the World, than observe the Course God hath prescribed to us in the Word? who then is thought Wise, God or Men? So for submission to the determination of his Providence, the Flesh would fain be pleased, and therefore quarrelleth many times at God's Dispensations as harsh and severe, but in good earnest who is wiser, God or Men? do we think we are fitter to sit at the Helm, and Goven and Steer all Affairs than the Wise Creator of Heaven and Earth? shall we sit as Judges upon his Actions, and think that might have been prevented, this might have been better ordered either for God's Interest or our own Comfort? Men will be teaching God how to Govern the World: for we prescribe to him as if he did not understand what were fit for us: he pleaseth us not in his wisest Dispensations, and we bear it out as if we could mend his Works, Job 21. 22. Shall any teach God knowledge? those that disallow of God's proceedings take upon them to be God's Teachers. It was a blasphemous Speech of Alphonsus, Si Deo à consiliis adfuisset in creatione Mundi, multa se consultius ordinaturum: If he had been of God's Council when he made the World he would have ordered many things better. Many abhor such a gross speech, yet think almost to the same effect: If they had the governing of the World, such men should not prosper, such and such things should not be done.

2. The Name of his Power. Oh think often of that Almighty power that maketh and conserveth all things, that giveth a Being to you and every Creature, and will do so to his Promises though never so unlikely: for what cannot he do that bringeth all things out of nothing by his Word? therefore our Confidence in him should be more strong and steadfast: for why should we have any Jealousies and Distrusts of him who is Omnipotent? In your greatest Wants he is All-sufficient, and can supply you, Gen. 17. 1. I am the Almighty God, walk before me, and be thou perfect. In your greatest Dangers he can deliver you, Dan. 3. 17. Our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O King. In your lowest estate he is able to raise you up, Rom. 11. 23. And they also if they abide not still in unbelief shall be graffed in; for God is able to graff them in again: whatever Difficulties oppose themselves against the thing promised, he can remove them, for nothing is too hard for the Almighty, Phil. 3. 21. He is able to subdue all things to himself: how weak and despicable soever the visible means be, God can work by them, 2 Chron. 14. 11. It is nothing with thee to help whether with many, or them that have no power. All is alike to Omnipotency. Instruments or means may be too great for God's honor to be used, never too small or weak for him to work by.

3. The Name of his Goodness. God is infinitely good, effectually good, independently good, and alsufficiently good. If Good be amiable in our eyes, so should God be. He hath all that is lovely in the Creatures in a more eminent degree, and therefore our affections that are scattered to them should be united in God. He is the supreme Good, and the Fountain of all Goodness. Oh how should we love this God! and that above all things in the World, or else we do not love him aright. This is that which draweth in your hearts to him, and upon this should your thoughts dwell: he shown his Goodness to you in Creation, when he made you a little lower than the Angels; but much more in Redemption, when he preferred you above the Angels: for he did not take hold of Angels, but took hold of the seed of Abraham: what should you be doing but admiring of this, and showing forth the virtue and force of this Love? God is love, and dwelleth in love, 1 John. 4. 16. Oh shall the paltry things of this World draw off your Love from God who is Goodness itself? Let this prevail with you to lay down all your doting upon the Creature, that you may no more follow the shadow but cleave to the substance: we owe all that we are, all that we have, all that we hope for to his Goodness, and therefore let us consecrate and dedicate ourselves to his service and glory.

2. To study it so as some good may come of it: we should keep our thoughts on this holy Subject.

1. Till we admire God. The degree of the Saints Knowledge here below is only to proceed to Admiration, Psal. 8. 1. O Lord our Lord, how excellent is thy Name in all the Earth! when we have studied God, Silence will be the best Eloquence, and Admiration advance him more than Speech. Admire the Name of his Being. Creatures in their highest glory may be described, an account may be given of them, but his Name is wonderful, can be admired but not told. Admire his Wisdom, Psal. 104. 24. O Lord how manifold are thy Works! in Wisdom hast thou made them all. Admire his Love, Oh how excellent is thy loving-kindness! Psal. 36. 7. Oh how great is thy goodness, which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee, which thou hast wrought for them that trust in thee before the Sons of men, Psal. 39. 19. The Name of his Power, Psal. 145. 3. Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised, his greatness is unsearchable. The Object is too big for the Faculty, it is a Contempt of God, when we think of him, and do not admire him. Oh the riches of his Wisdom, height of his Power, breadth of his Love!

2. Till we make some practical Improvement of him; otherwise to know God is but a vain Speculation, a work of Curiosity rather than of Profit. By the Sight of God the Heart must be

1. Drawn off from the Creature, Self and Sin.
2. Drawn unto God.

1. Drawn off,

1. From the Creature. That is a true Sight of God which abaseth all things besides God, not only in Opinion but Affection; that attracteth and uniteth the Soul to God, and draweth it off from all created Excellencies. The Sight of God's Purity darkens the Purity of the Angels, and staineth the Pride of all created Glory; Job 4. 18. Behold he put no trust in his Servants, and his Angels he charged with folly. So that is a true Sight of God's Excellency that draweth off the Heart from the vain, changeable and empty shadow of the Creature: And God is not truly amiable to us till this effect be in some measure wrought in us: 1 John 2. 15. Love not the World, neither the things that are in the World, if any man love the World, the Love of the Father is not in him: so that our Love to God will be known by the decay of our Love to Earthly things.

2. From Self. A sight of God will best discover thy Self unto thy Self; that in the Light of God's glorious Majesty thou mayst distinctly behold thine own vileness and misery. Isaiah when he saw God in Vision, Isa. 6. 5. Then said I, woe is me, for I am undone, because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips, and mine eyes have seen the King the Lord of Hosts. That is the use he made of this glorious Sight; he knew doubtless something of this before, but now is affected as if he had never seen it: the Glory of God shining on him doth not lift him up in arrogancy and conceit of the knowledge of such profound Mysteries, but he is more abased in himself; this Light made him see his own Uncleanness. So Job 42. 5, 6. I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear; but now mine eye seeth thee.: Therefore I abhor myself in dust and ashes. As long as it was hearsay Job thought himself something, and might reflect upon himself and actions with a kind of complacency and delight; but now he could not look upon himself with any patience. Self-love maketh us loath other men's Sins more than our own; and Self-love hindereth us from representing ourselves to ourselves in a true shape. It is the mere speculative Knowledge of God, and Science falsely so called, that puffeth up; but a true Knowledge of God breedeth self loathing.

3. From Sin it draweth off the Heart. This remembrance will represent filthiness as filthiness without a covering. Sin is a deformity to God, a contrariety to his Laws, the purity and goodness of his Essence, and Wisdom of his Laws, yea an act of Rebellion and Disloyalty against his Sovereignty. Sin still is greatened by the Consideration of God, and a reflection upon his Nature, as against his Authority, Purity, Goodness, so there is Unkindness, Disobedience, and a Blot in it. Well may the Apostle say, 3 Ep. John 11. He that doth evil hath not seen God.

2. The Heart must be drawn unto God by Love, Fear and Trust: For unless we meditate upon God to this end, Though we know God, we do not glorify him as God, Rom. 1. 21. till your Hearts be moved and inclined to love, fear him, and obey him. His Being calls for it, that we should seek after Communion with God, who is such a Self-sufficient, All-sufficient and eternal Being. Whom would we own, or whose Favor would we seek? the Favor of poor Creatures, who are now one thing, now another; or the Favor of God who can still say I am that I am? What I was I am, and I will be what I am? Friends are changeable, their affections dry up, and they themselves die; and their Favor and all their thoughts of doing us good perish. There is no end of his Duration, or Affection. His Attributes call for Love, his Power rendereth him the most desirable Friend, and dreadful Adversary. What more dreadful than Power that cannot be resisted, Wisdom that none can be hid from? and what more lovely than his Love? Surely if we did study his Name, his Promises, and Threatenings, it would have more Power with us. How would we seek to him, and submit to his blessed Will, and depend on him, as those that have nothing in ourselves, nor anything else in the World had being without him? we would then believe all opposite Powers to be nothing, and wink out either the dreadfulness or loveliness of the Creature while the eye of our Souls is wholly taken up with the sight of God; our Desires would be to him, and our Delights in him, and being deadened to the Creature would wholly cleave to him.

3. Doctr. Those that have spiritual Affections will take all occasions to Remember God's Name. In Adversity for their Comfort; Isa. 26. 8, 9. Yea in the way of thy Iudgments, O Lord, have we waited for thee: The desire of our soul is to thy Name, and to the remembrance of thee: with my soul have I desired thee in the night, yea with my spirit within me will I seek thee early. Isa. 50. 10. Who is among you that feareth the Lord, that obeyeth the voice of his Servant, that walketh in darkness and hath no light, let him trust in the Name of the Lord, and stay upon his God. In Prosperity, for a Regulation and restraint to their Affections, that they might not too freely run out on the Creature to the wrong of God. It is said of the wicked, Psal. 55. 19. Because they have no changes therefore they fear not God: but God's Children remember him in their comforts, Deut. 8. 10, 11. When thou hast eaten and art full, thou shalt bless the Lord thy God for the good Land which he hath given thee, beware that thou forget not the Lord thy God; so Ver. 18. Thou shalt remember the Lord thy God, for he it is that giveth thee power to get wealth. In Company they will be speaking of God, Eph. 5. 4. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , but rather giving of thanks. Alone they will be thinking of God, so that when they are alone they are not alone, God is with them in their solitude, John. 16. 32. Behold the hour cometh, yea is now come, that ye shall be scattered everyone to his own, and shall leave me alone, and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me. By Day they redeem time, God's Statutes are their Songs; by Night when they cannot sleep: when I awake, I am still with thee, Psal. 139. 18. Oh what an advantage it is to have the heart thus thronged with thoughts of God in the night! when others sleep, good men are awake with God.

1. Observe this, that which David speaketh of himself was a secret Duty. Those Duties which we perform in secret, and wherein we avoid the applause of men, are most sincere, and by them many times we obtain most blessing, Matt. 6. 6. Thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly. David was the same in secret that he was in the light. Other Witnesses of our respect to God we need not than God himself: it is enough that He seeth us, and approveth us. Our desire and scope should be to please him, not to appear devout to men, or be esteemed as such by them. Therefore besides public Ordinances, we should give ourselves to spiritual Exercises in secret.

2. This was a spiritual Duty transacted in the heart, by his thoughts. The darkness of the Night doth not hinder the delight of the Soul. It is Day within though Night without: when a Child of God shall see God, and be seen of him, though the Sun shineth not upon the World, it is enough, their hearts are enlightened with God's Spirit.

3. It was a Duty done 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , unseasonably to a vulgar eye: when others were buried in sleep, David would awaken sometimes to remember God. It is their Solace; and spiritual Affections, and heroical Grace must not be limited to the ordinary dull way of expressing Duty to God. They have special Affections and special Dispensations, Psal. 63. 6. My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness, when I remember thee on my bed, and meditate of thee in the night watches.

4. It is not unseasonable. In the Night without distraction we can more freely command our thoughts, for the Senses being exercised scatter the Mind to several Objects, Job 35. 10. None saith where is God my maker, who giveth songs in the night? that is matter of rejoicing and comfort to poor oppressed Creatures: so Psal. 42. 8. I will sing of his loving-kindness in the daytime, and in the night his song shall be with me: Day and Night he was filled with a sense of God's Love. The Reasons are,

1. They are fitted for it, having knowledge and a deep impression of the majesty of God upon their hearts, My reins instruct me in the night-season, Psal. 16. 7. These things that make a deep impression in the Day, the thoughts will return upon in the Night: now God and his Word are impressed upon them.

2. They delight in it, Psal. 104. 34. My meditation of him shall be sweet: I will be glad in the Lord. They delight themselves in beholding the face of God, though not by immediate Vision, yet by Meditation. They are so affected with thoughts of his Excellency, Goodness, Kindness, that it is their solace to draw their hearts off from all Things and Persons in the World to that Divine Object.

3. They profit by it. 1. As to Comfort, it easeth us of many sorrowful, troublesome and weary thoughts: we must fetch our Comforts from God, the Divine Nature is the first Fountain of them, therefore called the God of all Comfort, 2 Cor. 1. 3. 2. As to Duty and Obedience: the Reasons of our Duty and Subjection are most enforced from the nature of God, therefore the more we remember the nature of God, the more we are quickened to Obedience: there we see his infinite Power, supreme Authority, exact Holiness, tender Love: let the potsherds of the earth contend with one another, Isa. 45. 9. Our business is to keep God our friend: he hath two properties that make him most comfortable or most terrible, according as he is at peace or war with us, Eternity and Omnipotency.

Use. Let us take more occasions to think of God, and that with admiration: many take no more notice of him than if he were not at all, but let us take all occasions: Psal. 4. 4. Commune with your own hearts upon your bed. All the time we can spare from our necessary, civil and natural actions should be employed in calling to mind what we have seen, or heard, or felt of God. A loathness and backwardness to this Duty is an ill sign.

SERMON LXIII.

PSAL. CXIX. 56.

This I had: because I kept thy Precepts.

IN this Psalm the dependence of the Verses is neither to be neglected, nor too curiously sought after; many of the Sentences have no other connection than Pearls upon the same String, though some are as Links in the same Chain, fastened one to the other by an apt Method and Order. The Design of the Penman was to cast all his Experiences into the Order of the Hebrew Alphabet; and as there are in the Hebrew Twenty two Letters, so Twenty two Parts or Octonaries, each Octonary beginneth with the same Letter: This Sentence which I have read seemeth to be independent upon the precedent Verse, and is the sudden effusion or eruption of a gracious heart engaged in the Meditation of the Fruit of Obedience: This I had, because I kept thy Precepts. In the Words you have,

1. David 's Assertion of his Integrity, I have kept thy Precepts.
2. The Gain of this Course indefinitely proposed, This I had.
3. The Link between both in the Causal Particle, Because. David doth not here tell you what he had, but this and that: this Hope, this Comfort, this Quickening, this Deliverance, all this I had, that is whatever is good and comfortable: the Feminine Pronoun Zeth is put Neutrally, the Hebrew wanting the Neuter Gender.

The Points are two.

First, He that continueth faithful in a course of Obedience, will find at length that it will turn to a good account.
Secondly, That it is of great use to observe what good cometh to us by keeping close to God's ways.

For the First Point, He that continueth faithful in a course of Obedience, will find at length that it will turn to a good account. Here three things are to be explained.

1. What 'tis to keep God's Precepts.
2. What is the good that accrueth to us thereby.
3. The connection between both these, or the reasons and grounds upon which we may expect this good.

1. Let us inquire what 'tis to keep God's Precepts. The phrase is often used in Scripture, implying a diligent Observance of it, and Obedience thereunto. The term keep relateth to a Charge or Trust committed to us: look as on our part we charge Christ with our Souls, 2 Tim. 1. 12. I know that he is able to keep that I have committed to him; so Christ chargeth us with his Word, that we may be chary and tender of it; we charge him with our Souls that he may sanctify and save them in his own day: so he chargeth us with his Precepts, that we may lay them up in our hearts, and observe them in our practice. As we would have Christ to be faithful to his Trust; so should we be in ours, and that even to a tittle, I am. 2. 10. Whosoever shall keep the whole Law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. Now there is a twofold keeping of God's Precepts, Legal and Evangelical.

1. The Legal keeping: that is, when we keep and perform the Commandments so exactly as is answerable to the rigor of the Law; what is that? the Law requires perfect and absolute Obedience without the least failing in any one Point; Gal. 3. 10. Cursed is he that continueth not in all things that is written in the book of the Law to do them. The least offense, according to that Covenant, layeth us open to the Curse. As for one Sin once committed the Angels were turned out of Heaven, and Adam out of Paradise; in this sense there is no Hope for us.

2. There is an Evangelical keeping God's Precepts, and that is filial and sincere Obedience; and so they are said to keep God's Precepts: not they who have no Sin in them, but they who study to be free from sin, and desire to please God in all things. David had many failings, and some of them of an high nature, yet he saith I have kept thy Precepts. His purpose and endeavor was to please God in all things. The Apostles had many failings, they were weak in Faith, Passionate, full of Revenge, calling for Fire from Heaven; a great many failings we may find upon record against them, yet Christ returneth this general acknowledgment, John 17. 16. They have kept thy Word. God accepteth of our endeavors; when our defects are repented of, he pardoneth them; James 5. 11. You have heard of the Patience of Job; and we have heard of his Impatience too, his cursing the day of his birth, and his bold Expostulation with God; but God putteth his Finger upon the Scar, and mentions that which is commendable. This sincere Obedience is known by our endeavors after Perfection, and our repentance for defects. For let me tell you here, that perfect Obedience is required under the Gospel: the Rule is as strict as ever it was, but the Covenant is not so strict. The Rule is as strict as ever it was, we are still bound to perpetual, personal, and perfect Obedience, otherwise our defects were no Sins: For where there is no Law, there is no Transgression, Rom. 4. 15. but the Covenant is not so strict. This perfect Obedience is not so indispensably required under the Sanction and Penalty of the Old Covenant; for the Gospel though it alloweth or approveth of no Sin, yet it granteth a pardon of course to some Sins as they are retracted by a general Repentance. As Sins of Infirmity, such as are Sins of Ignorance, which had we known we would not have committed; and Sins of Incogitancy and sudden Surreption, which may escape without observation of them; and Sins of violent Temptation, which by reason of some sudden assault sway our Passions against the right Rule: such Sins as do not arise out of an evil purpose of the Mind, but out of human frailty; they are consistent with an Interest in this Covenant, which alloweth a means of recovery by Repentance, which the Law doth not. The Law for one offense once committed doth condemn a Man without leaving him any way or means of recovery: But the Gospel saith, I came to call sinners to repentance, Matt. 13. 9. It accepteth Repentance, and doth not cast men off for Sins of Infirmity. Where there is a general purpose to please God, and an hearty sorrow when we offend him, this is the sincerity which the Gospel accepteth of. In the Law complete Innocence is required; in the Gospel Repentance is allowed: and so he is said to keep God's Statutes, that doth not voluntarily and impenitently go on in a course of known Sin.

2. Let me now show the good that cometh to us thereby. David saith indefinitely, this I had; not telling us what good or privilege it was, only in the general 'twas some Benefit that accrued to him in this life. He doth not say, this I hope for, but this I had. And therefore I shall not speak of the full Reward in the Life to come. In Heaven we come to receive the full Reward of Obedience. But a close Walker, that waiteth upon God in an humble and constant Obedience, shall have sufficient encouragement even in this Life. Not only he shall be blessed, but he is blessed; he hath something in hand as well as in hope. As David saith in this 119 Psalm; not only he shall be blessed, but he is blessed. As they that travelled towards Zion, they met with a Well by the way, Psal. 84. 6. Who passing through the valley of Baca, make it a Well: the rain also filleth the Pools. In a dry and barren Wilderness thorough which they were to pass, they were not left wholly comfortless, but met with a Well or a Cistern; that is, they had some Comfort vouchsafed to them before they came to enjoy God's Presence in Zion, some Refreshments they had by the Way. As Servants that beside their Wages have their Vailes, so besides the recompense of Reward hereafter, we have our present Comforts and Supports during our course of Service, which are enough to counterbalance all worldly Joies, and the greatest Pleasures that men can expect in a way of Sin. Let me instance in the benefits that Believers find by walking with God in a course of Obedience, that everyone can say, This I had because I kept thy Precepts.

First, Peace of Conscience, a blessing not to be valued, and this we have because we keep his Precepts, Isa. 32. 17. The work of righteousness shall be peace, and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance forever. They shall be free from those unquiet thoughts wherewith others are haunted. A wicked man his Soul is in a mutiny, one Affection warreth against another, and all against the Conscience, and Conscience against all; but in an heart framed to the Obedience of God's will there is peace: Pax est tranquillitas Ordinis, When everything keeps its place there is peace; when the Elements keep their place, and the Confederacies of Nature are preserved, then there is peace; so when a man walketh in a holy course there is peace; when the thoughts and affections are under rule and government, there is a serenity and quiet in the Soul. Now this is never brought to pass in the Soul but by Obedience and holy walking, according to the Rule of the new Creature, Gal. 6. 16. As many as walk according to this Rule peace and mercy shall be upon them, as upon the whole Israel of God. Such an accurate and orderly life is the only way of obtaining this peace and harmonious accord in the Soul; so Psal. 119. 165. Great peace have they that love thy Law, and nothing shall offend them: not only peace, but great peace: a peace that passeth all understanding, a peace better felt than expressed; and this resulteth from Obedience, or the government of our hearts and ways according to the will of God: look as cheerfulness and liveliness accompanieth perfect health, or the tunable motion of the spirits in the Body, so this serenity and quiet in the Soul, the regular and orderly motion of our faculties; there is a sweet Contentment of mind resulting from it. The peace of God shall keep your hearts and minds through Jesus Christ. In a troublesome World we need to have our hearts and minds kept and guarded from the assaults of temptations, and diffident vexing cares and fears; and therefore 'tis mightily necessary in those times to get the peace of God, without which the Soul is upon the rack. Oh this sweet peace and calm that is in our hearts in the midst of all tempests and tossings from without! a man is provided and fortified against the apprehension of injuries, troubles, dangers, and those heartcutting cares which otherwise are apt to seize upon us. This a Believer can say, this peace of Conscience I had in the midst of all the troubles from without. Now this peace others cannot have, Isa. 57. 21. There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked: they have not this inward tranquility and serenity of mind, their Affections are so unruly, and their Consciences so unquiet, they are never able to rest.

But how can this be? none seem to be less troubled than wicked men. I answer, there is a difference between a dead Sea and a calm Sea, a stupid Conscience they may have, but not a quiet Conscience: their Consciences are stupefied by drenching their Souls in worldly delights and pleasures, but the virtue of this Opium is soon spent, their Consciences are easily awakened by the Convictions of the Word, the Sting of Afflictions, the Agonies of Death; well then, this may the composed heart say, I had this peace, this serenity of mind, because I kept thy Precepts.

Secondly, Next to Peace of Conscience there is Joy in the Holy Ghost; this is the Fruit of Peace, as Peace is the Fruit of Righteousness, Rom. 7. 14. The Kingdom of God consisteth not in meat and drink, but in righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. First Righteousness, and then Peace, and then Joy in the Holy Ghost: As joy of heart and gladness is the fruit of Temporal or Civil Peace, when every man may sit under his own Vine and his own Fig-tree, and reap the fruit of his labor without the danger of annoyance: so now when a man can enjoy himself as being reconciled to God, or being at peace with him, and hath tasted of the Clusters of Canaan, he can rejoice in hope of the glory of God, Rom. 5. 11. This is that joy in the Holy Ghost which God doth graciously dispence to those that obey his Word, and hearken to the motions of his Spirit. Oh how may a Believer triumph and say, This I had because I kept thy Precepts. Joy is the fruit of Holiness, and the Oil of Grace maketh way for the Oil of Gladness; Psal. 119. 14. I rejoiced in the way of thy Testimonies more than in all riches. David experienced the joys of Obedience, and the joys of a Crown: now saith David, I rejoiced in the way of thy Testimonies, more than in all riches: not in the Contemplation but in the Way. This was a Joy that did result from practical Obedience, which is more than the Possessions and Treasures of the World. Many picture Religion in their fancies with a sour and austere face, and think it inviteth men to nothing but harsh and unpleasant courses. Oh no, it inviteth you to the highest Contentment the Creature is capable of, the joy in the Holy Ghost, which is unspeakable and glorious. A Sensualist, that runs after the dreggy delights of the Flesh, is the veriest fool in the World; for he can never have any true Joy, 'tis but frisks of Mirth (while Conscience is asleep) but when it is gone it leaveth a Sting behind it.

Thirdly, Increase of Grace. This is another benefit we get by keeping God's Precepts. They go from strength to strength, Psal. 48. 7. As they that went to the Feast at Jerusalem, they went from Troop to Troop, so they are brought forward in their way to Heaven: God that punisheth Sin with Sin, rewardeth also Grace with Grace. The one is the most dreadful Dispensation that God can use; when men have gone on in a course of Sin, God often punisheth one Sin with another, so that they are plunged deeper and deeper every day in the gulf of profaneness: But 'tis most comfortable when Godliness increaseth upon our hands, and God is still perfecting his own work in us; Rom. 6. 19. As you have yielded your members servants to uncleanness, and to iniquity unto iniquity, so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness. It standeth us upon to observe the growth of Grace; as we were formerly conscious of the growth of Sin: shall we be more earnest to damn ourselves than to save ourselves? there is no man but in his carnal Estate might observe how he departed from God by degrees, and his heart was hardened by degrees. At first he had some Light and Conscience, till he sin'd it away, and turned the back upon the Ordinances, which might revive it and keep it awake; and then his sin betrayed him further and further into a customary course of profaneness. I say a Carnal man may trace the growth of sin in his own heart step by step, and say, this I had because I slighted such a check of Conscience, despised such an Ordinance, fell into such an enormous practice, for God forsaketh none till they first forsake him: so may a Child of God trace his gradual increase in holiness, this I had by hearkening to the Counsel of God at such a time against the reluctancy of my Flesh. There is no Duty recovered out of the hands of difficulty but bringeth in a considerable profit to the Soul: Prov. 4. 18. The way of the just is a shining light, which shineth more and more to the perfect day. Look as the Day decreaseth the Night increaseth till it cometh to thick darkness, so by every Sin men grow worse and worse, till at last they stumble into utter darkness. But the way of the just is a growing light, it increaseth always into more durable resolutions and exact practice of Godliness, till it comes to the High-noon of perfection. David taketh notice of the fruit of Obedience, Psal. 18. 24. The Lord accept of me according to the cleanness of my hands.

Fourthly, Another benefit that we have is many gracious Experiences and Manifestations of God vouchsafed to us in the way of Obedience. In the present World God and Believers are not strange to one another, a man that walketh close with him will meet him at every turn, Psal. 17. 15. As for me I will behold thy face in righteousness. The Psalmist there preferreth his present condition, before the greatest happiness of carnal men, why? because he had opportunity of beholding the face of God, or enjoying the Comforts of his presence. But how? in Righteousness, in a strict course of Obedience. If God be a stranger to others they may thank themselves; John. 14. 21. He that hath my Commandments and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me, and he that loveth me is loved of my father, and I will love him, and manifest myself to him. Holiness is the only way to clear up our right to these great Comforts of the Gospel, and if you would get Experience of them make Conscience of Obedience, and be exact and punctual with God, and you will not want your refreshments and visits of love, and expressions of his grace and favor to you: those sensible proofs and manifestations God will not give to us but in a way of Obedience: so the Promise runneth, He that hath my Commandments and keepeth them, to him will I manifest myself: so in the 23. Verse, If a man love me and keep my commandments my Father will love him, and we will come to him, and take up our abode with him. These are taken into sweet fellowship and Communion with God, and the blessed Trinity will take up their abode in his heart. But pray mark, Christ that is so tender and willing to communicate the influences of his Grace, yet standeth upon his Sovereignty, •… nd therefore still insisteth upon keeping his Precepts if they would partake of his Comforts.

Fifthly, Protection in their Work. They are under the special care and conduct of his Providence while they keep his Precepts; He keepeth them as in a Pavilion, Thou shalt hide them in the secret of thy presence from the pride of men, Psal. 31. 20. And who are they that are kept? Those that fear him and trust in him, Verse 19. Pray mark, when they had no visible defense, when they seemed to be left open as a prey to the oppressions and injuries of their potent adversaries, yet there is a secret guard about them, and they are kept, the World knoweth not how: God's Favor and Providence is their sure guard and defense: whatever contentious and proud men design and threaten against them, yet they never have their full will upon them. Many a Child of God have ridden out the storm, and may come and say, This I had because I kept thy Precepts. This 'tis to keep close to God, and hold fast our integrity. Elsewhere the Lord expresseth himself to be a wall of fire round about his people, Zech. 2. 5. which should affright at a distance, and consume near at hand. In those Countrys, when they lay in the Fields, they made Fires about them to keep off the wild Beasts: so God when he seeth it fit to excuse his People from Trouble, he can in the most unsafe Times, and when they are weakest, protect them by his secret Hand; bridling their Enemies, and making their Attempts ineffectual. Satan is sensible of this privy guard, Job 1. 10. Hast thou not made a Hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? The World seeth not this invisible guard, but the Devil seeth it. There is no gap open for mischief to enter, and break in upon them. This can God do when he pleaseth; and a Man that holdeth fast his Integrity, and goeth on in his Duty, referring himself to God's keeping, shall have experience of it; and when the danger is over, say, This I had because I kept thy Precepts.

Sixthly, In public and common Judgments God maketh a difference; and some of his choice ones are marked out for Preservation, and are as Brands plucked out of the burning, whilst others are consumed therein. This is done oftentimes, I cannot say always: the Jews have a Proverb, that two dry sticks may set a green one on fire, a good Man may perish in the common Judgment; that is the meaning of the Proverb. And sometimes their Condition may be worst, as Jeremiah; the whole City was besieged, and he in the Dungeon. Chaff and Corn is threshed in the same flour, but the Corn is grinded and baked. But this is the best way we can take to be hid in the common Calamity, though there be not an absolute Certainty: for the Comfort is but propounded with a possibility; Zeph. 3. 2. Seek Righteousness, seek Meekness, it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the Lord's anger. Though God hath a peculiar eye to the Godly, yet their Temporal safety is not put out of all doubt, it may be, or it may not be; but their Eternal Comforts are sure and safe: yet strict and humble walking is the only way; and in some cases God showeth that there shall be a distinction between his People and others; and when others are overwhelmed, they shall be preserved. As Eccles. 8. 12. Surely I know it shall be well with them that fear the Lord, which fear before him: But it shall be ill with the Wicked. And Isa. 3. 10. Say unto the Righteous it shall be well with him, for they shall eat of the fruit of their doeings; but say unto the Wicked it shall be ill with them, for the work of his hands shall be given to him. And Ier. 15. 11. Verily it shall be well with this Remnant; I will cause the Enemy to treat them well in the day of Evil and Affliction. All these Places speak of delivering them from trouble, or moderating the trouble to them. If there be an uncertainty in the thing, yet a probability; but whenever it is done, it is a singular favor, and we must own it as the fruit of Obedience; This I had because I kept thy Precepts. We must expect the temporal Reward of Godliness with much submission, and venture upon his Providence.

Seventhly, So much of sanctified Prosperity as shall be good for them, Matth. 3. 33. First seek the Kingdom of God, and the Righteousness thereof, and these things shall be added. God will cast them into the bargain; and though he may keep them low and bare, yet no good thing will he withhold, Psal. 84. 2. so that a Child of God surveying all his Comforts may say, this, and that, and the other Mercy I had from the Lord's Grace; these Comforts and these Deliverances came in because I kept thy Precepts.

3. The next thing is to show you what connection there is between these two, Obedience and this Good; or the reason of the Lord's dealing thus. God doth it partly out of his general Justice, as he is Governor of the World; his holy Nature doth delight in Holiness, and therefore 'tis requisite, ut bonis been sit, & malis male, that it should be well with them that do well, and evil with them that do evil; and such dealing a Man should have from God, as he dealeth out to God; Psal. 18. 25, 26. With the merciful thou wilt show thyself merciful, and with the upright thou wilt show thyself upright, and with the pure thou wilt show thyself pure, and with the froward thou wilt show thyself froward. In the general that it should be well with the Righteous, and ill with the Wicked: there is an argument in the governing Justice of God; but then to come to particulars, that it should be so ill with the Wicked, here is exacta ratio justi; but that it should be so well with men imperfectly Righteous, this is moderate Justice mixed with undeserved Mercy.

2. There is his gracious Promise and Covenant; Heaven and Earth are laid at the seat of Godliness, 1 Tim. 4. 8. Godliness hath the promise of this life, and that which is to come. Something during our Service in this World.

The Second Point is, That 'tis of no small benefit to see and observe what good we have by obedience to God.

1. It will increase our esteem of his Grace. That the little and slender Obedience that we yield to his Law, should have such respect and acceptance with him, as to be recompensed with so much Peace, and Comfort, and Protection, and so many Blessings. Lord what am I, and what is my Fathers House? Oh what a good Master have we! When the Saints are Crowned, they cast their Crowns at the Lambs Feet, Revel. 4. 10. We hold all by his Mercy, Luke 17. 10. When we have done all, we are unprofitable Servants: not in complyment, but in truth of heart we are unprofitable Servants. That God should respect us 'tis not for the dignity of the Work, but merely for his own Grace.

2. 'It is of use that we may justify God against the Reproaches and Prejudices of carnal Men, who think God is indifferent to Good and Evil, and that all things come alike to all; that 'tis in vain to be strict and precise, that there is no Reward to the Good, Mal. 3. 14. 'It is in vain to serve God: and what profit is it, that we have kept his Ordinances. Yea the Temptation may befall God's own Children, and be forcibly born in upon their Hearts, Psal. 73. 13. Verily I have cleansed my hands in vain. We think all is lost labor. Now to produce the sweet Consolations of God, and his temporal Supplies, and the manifold Blessings bestowed upon us, 'tis a good stay to our Hearts, and enables us to justify God against the Scorns and Reproaches of the World.

3. 'It is of use of check our Murmurings. If we endure anything for God, we are apt to repine, and pitch upon that evil we receive from his hand, passing over the good. A little evil (like one Humour out of order, or one Member out of joint) disturbeth the whole Body: so we by poring upon the evil we endure, pass over all his other Bounty; Mal. 1. 2. Wherein hast thou loved us? God cannot endure to have his Love suspected, or undervalued; and yet People are apt to do so, when Dispensations are anything cross to their desires and expectations. But now 'tis a great check to consider, that if we have our Troubles, we have also our Consolations; and we should rather look upon the good that cometh to us in pleasing God, than the temporal and light Afflictions we meet withal in his Service; Job 2. 10. Shall we receive good at the hands of God, and not evil?

4. 'It is an encouragement to us in well-doing, the more proofs and tokens we have of his Supportation. We are wrought upon by the Senses, as Ier. 2. 19. Thine own wickedness shall correct thee, and thy backslidings reprove thee: see what an evil and bitter thing it is to forsake the Lord: and 23 verse, See thy way in the valley, and know what thou hast done. As Parents, when their Children smart for eating raw diet, they upbraid them with it; It is for eating your green Fruit: So doth the Lord come to his People, Now you see the evil of your doings. So on the contrary, it doth engage us to strict walking, to see how God owneth it; So doth God appeal to us by experience, Have I been a Land of darkness to you, or a barren Wilderness, Jer. 2. 31. And Micah 2. 7. Do not my Words do good to them that walk uprightly? Look about you, survey all your Comforts; did Sin procure these Mercies, or Godliness? have you not found sensible benefit by being sincere in my Service?

Object. But is this safe to ascribe the Comfort and Blessings that we have to our own Obedience? is it not expressly forbidden; Deut. 9. 4. Say not in thy heart, for my righteousness hath the Lord brought me to possess the Land.

Answ. 1. David doth not boast of his Merits, but observeth God's Mercy and Faithfulness in the fruits of Obedience. There is his Mercy in appointing a Reward for such slender Services; Gal. 6. 16. As many as walk according to this Rule, peace and mercy be upon them. All the Comfort we have is from Mercy; yea, undeserved Mercy. Those that walk according to this Rule, stand in need of Mercy. Their Peace and Comfort floweth from Mercy, they need mercy to cover the failings they are conscious to in their walkings. And then consider his Truth and Faithfulness, the Reward of well-doing cometh not by the worthiness of the Work, but by virtue of God's Promise. His Word doth good to them that walk uprightly, Micah 2. 7. God hath made himself a debtor by his Promise, and oweth us no thanks for what we can do; 'tis only his gracious Promise.

Answ. 2. David speaketh not this to vaunt it above other men, but to commend Obedience, and to encourage himself, and invite others by remembering the Fruits of it. There is a great deal of difference between carnal boasting, and gracious observation. Carnal boasting is when we vaunt of our personal worth; gracious observation is when for God's Glory and our Profit we observe the fruits of Obedience, and the Benefits it bringeth along with it. That God never gave us cause to leave, but to commend his Service, and by what we have found, to invite others to come, and taste that the Lord is gracious.

The Use is to encourage us in the Ways of the Lord, and keeping of his Precepts; 'tis no unprofitable thing, before we have done we shall be able to say, This I had, because I kept thy Precepts. Two things God usually bestoweth upon his People, a tolerable passage through the World, and a comfortable going out of the World; which is all a Christian needeth to take care for: here is only the place of his Service, not of his Rest.

1. He shall have a tolerable passage through the World. A Child of God may have a hard toilsome Life of it, but he hath his mixtures of Comfort in his deepest Afflictions; he hath peace with God that keeps his Heart and Mind, and this maketh his passage through the World tolerable, because God is engaged with him, 1 Cor. 10. 13. Faithful is he that hath called you, who will not suffer you to be tempted above what you are able to bear. He is freed from Wrath, and hath his discharge from the Curse of the Old Covenant; he is taken into favor with God, and hath as much of temporal Reliefe as is necessary for him; his Condition is made comfortable to him.

2. A comfortable passing out of the World: Isa. 38. 3. Remember O Lord, saith Hezekiah, I have walked before thee with an upright heart. When you lie upon your Deathbeds, and in a dying hour how comfortable will this be, the remembrance of a well-spent and well-employed Life in God's Service! They that wonder at the zeal and niceness of God's Children when they are entering into the other World, they cry out then, oh that they had been more exact and watchful! oh that they might die the death of the Righteous! They should live so: Men then have other Notions of Holiness than ever they had before. But Christians, here is your Comfort; the Word of God that hath been your Rule; is now your Comfort and Cordial; and stands by you to the very last.

Use 2. Is to persuade us to observe the difference between the ways of God, and the ways of Sin. When a Man cometh to cast up his account on the one side, and on the other, oh what a difference is there! Certainly there will a time come; when you must cast up your account, and use this recollection either when your Eyes are opened by grace in Conversion, or when your Eyes are opened by Punishment. On Sins side consider, when you look back to what is past, (the Lord grant you may make this reflection) Rom. 6. 21. What fruit had you in those things whereof you are now ashamed: you cannot look back withou horror of Conscience. As the unclean person when he looketh back, and considereth that his Flesh and Body is consumed by Sin; Prov. 5. 11, 12, 13. he speaketh there of some noisome Disease that hath gotten into his Body. But then on the other side, the side of Godliness, This I had: because I kept thy Precepts. Oh what peace, what serenity of mind, what hopes of Eternal Life, what comfortable Entertainment shall you have in Heaven? determine beforehand what it will come to. Thus you see the difference between a sinful and godly Course.

SERMON LXIV.

PSAL. CXIX. 57.

Thou art my Portion, O Lord, I have said, that I would keep thy Words.

DAVID doth in this place make out his Right and Title, Thou art my Portion, O Lord, &c. Here is

1. David 's Protestation, Thou art my Portion, O Lord.
2. David 's Resolution, I have said, that I would keep thy Words.

In the first of these, in David 's Protestation, you may take notice of his Claim, and of the Sincerity of it.

1. Of his Claim to God, Thou art my Portion. A Part or Portion in the original use of the word signifies a less quantity taken from a greater, a part is used in opposition to the whole. But with respect to the matter in hand, it is not used in such a sense, but for our lot and happiness: not sensu mathematico, not with reference to a whole, but politico & forensi, with respect to Choice, Interest, and Possession: and the Allusion is taken either from the distribution of the Land of Canaan, where everyone had his Portion appointed to him by Lot, and measured to him by Rod and Lines; therefore it is said, The Lines are fallen to me in pleasant places, yea I have a goodly heritage. Or else it is an Allusion to the partage of an ordinary Estate; where every Child hath his Portion assigned him to live upon. Thus he lays Claim to God himself.

2. The Sincerity of this Claim may be gathered, because he speaks by way of address to God. He doth not say barely, He is my Portion, but challengeth God to his face, Lord, Thou art my Portion. Elsewhere it is said, Lam. 3. 24. The Lord is my Portion saith my Soul: there he doth not speak it by way of address to God, but he adds my Soul saith. But here to God himself, who knows the secrets of the heart. To speak thus of God to God, argues our sincerity, when to God's face we avow our trust and choice, as Peter John 21. 7. Lord thou knowest all things, thou knowest that I love Thee, he appeals to God's Omnisciency; such an appeal is there to God for the truth of this assertion. As in that other place when the believing Soul lays claim to God, the integrity of that claim is also asserted, not only by the Lips or Mouth, but also my Soul. There is Oratio mentalis, vocalis, vitalis. There is the speech of the Heart, in the real inclination of it; and the speech of the Tongue in outward profession; and the speech of the Life by answerable practice. All three must be join'd together, what the Tongue utters, the Heart and Life must consent to. All will say God is their Portion. But it is not what the Tongue says, but what the Heart saith, and what the Heart saith will appear in the course of your actions, there is the real Proof and Evidence of it. Thus much for David's Protestation, Thou art my Portion O Lord, he speaks to God Himself.

2. Take notice of David's Resolution, I have said, that I would keep thy Word. It is good to see what kind of Inference the Saints draw from this Principle, that God is their Portion; sometimes they infer thence Dependance upon God; sometimes Subjection and Obedience to Him; for this Principle doth not only establish our Comfort, but our Duty. Sometimes to establish Dependance, Lam. 3. 24. The Lord is my Portion, saith my Soul, therefore will I hope in Him. I will look for all from him, live upon Him as a man doth upon his Portion. But here David infers Duty and Obedience, I have said, that I would keep thy Words.

In this Resolution, we may observe,

1. The formality or manner of making, I have said, it is by way of Practical Decree.
2. The matter of it, I will keep thy Words.

1. For the formality or manner of it, I have said, I decreed within myself, I have fully concluded. Here was not a light or inconsiderate purpose, but such as was deliberate, fixed, a practical Decree upon a debate. Whoever would enter upon a strict course displeasing to Flesh and Blood, must seriously consider, and then fixedly determine: Deliberation and Determination are both necessary. There must be Consultation or Deliberation; that he may sit down and count the charges, otherwise if profession of Godliness be lightly taken up, it will be as lightly left. Then there must be Determination, or binding the heart by firm purpose, and if we join the next verse, Supplication or begging God's strength, then all is done. Now this firm purpose I have said will help against inconstancy, or against backwardness, or unreadiness of Heart. Against Unconstancy: many good Motions we start, but they die away for want of coming to a Resolution, or issuing forth a practical decree for God; James 1. 8. a double minded Man is unstable in all his ways. But David when he had considered all things; then I have said that I will keep thy words, he was fully resolved. Then it will help against Laziness, Listlesness, and Backwardness of Heart. David when he was grown shy of God, and his Heart hung off from him, some great distemper was upon his Soul, and He was loath to look God in the face, what course did he take then? He issues forth a practical Decree, Psalm 32. 7. I said I will confess my sins unto the Lord. He thrusts himself forward, and charges himself to go to God, I am resolved I will break off silence, and open my case to God. Thus we must excite our Selves by renewing a Decree in the Soul; determine, I will do thus and thus for God, whatever comes of it.

2. For the Matter, I will keep thy words. Keeping God's word notes, an exact and tender respect, when a Man keeps it as a Jewel, as a precious Treasure that it may not be hazarded; or keeps it as the Apple of his Eye, Prov. 7. 2. The Eye is soon offended with the least dust: so when we are chary of the word of God, loath to offend God in anything, then are we said to keep his Word.

Two Points lie clear in the Text.

1. That God alone is the Godly Man's Portion.
2. That those which have chosen God for their Portion, will manifest it by a fixed Resolution and strict care of Obedience.

It must needs be so, if God be his Portion, his great business will be to keep in with him.

Doct. 1. That God alone is the Godly Mans Portion.

This will appear by Scripture, and by Reason. By Scripture. Psalm 16. 5. The Lord is the Portion of mine Inheritance, and of my Cup. There's a double Metaphor; first an Allusion to the shares of the Land of Canaan, so God is the Portion of mine Ineritance saith David; and an Allusion to the manner of a Feast, where every Man had his allowance of Meat set by his Cup: but Snares and Brimstone is said to be the Portion of a wicked Mans Cup. As every Man had his allowance set by his Flaggon of Wine, specially in a solemn Feast, so God is the Portion of my Cup. So Psalm 73. 26. The Lord is the strength of my Heart, and my Portion forever, when my Flesh and my Heart faileth, that is, when my Body yields to the decay of Nature; yea when all our Courage seems to be lost, born down by difficulties that we endure in the Flesh, God is a Portion that will never fail.

2. To give some Reasons of it: It will appear to be so,

1. By considering what is requisite to a Mans Portion.
2. Why a Godly Man looks upon God under this Notion.

I. If a Man were left to his free choice what he would choose to take for his Portion: not what is his Portion in his strait, when he can have no better, but if he were left to his free choice,

1. He would require that it be something good, or apprehended to be so.
2. That it be something to which he hath a Title and Interest, to which he can lay claim, or is in possession or expectation of according to right.
3. He would choose that which is suitable to the capacities, necessities, and desires of him whose Portion it is.
4. That it be sufficient to supply all his Wants, so as he may live upon it.
5. That it be such a thing wherein he may find satisfaction and acquiescence, so that he needs seek no more, and ask no more.
6. Such a thing wherein he may take complacency and great delight, where he may be well pleased and rejoiced.

Now all these things are to be found in God, and with good reason the Saints make this choice, and say, Thou art my Portion O Lord.

First, That which is to be chosen for our Portion, must be God. There is none good but one, and that is God, Matth. 19. 17. It is Christ's own Proposition, He is Good of himself, Good in himself, yea Good it Self. There is no good above Him, besides Him, or beyond him. But if anything else be Good it is either from him, or with him. But that I may more distinctly speak to this.

1. God is Primitively and Originally Good; the Creature is but derivatively Good. He is Good of himself which nothing else is, the Fountain Good, and therefore is called the Fountain of living Waters, Ier. 2. 13. The Creatures are but dry Pits, or broken Cisterns. Other things what good they have it is of Him.

God must needs be infinitely Better and Greater then they, for all things which are Good they have it from God.

2. God is the chiefest Good; and other things are only Good in subordination. All Creature goodness is but a stricture of that perfect Good which is in God, and therefore if we find any Good in them, that should lead us to the greater Good, even to the Creator. Who would leave the Substance to follow the Shadow? or desire the Picture to the dishonor and neglect of the Person whom it Represents? Certainly so they do that run after the Creature, and neglect God, that seek happiness in sublunary enjoyments to the wrong and neglect of God. That small Good which the Creatures have, is not to hold us on them: but to lead us to him, as the Streams will direct us to the Fountain; and the steps of the Ladder are not to stand still upon, but to ascend higher. If your Affections be detained in the Creature, you set the Creature in God's stead, you pervert it from its natural use, which is to set forth the invisible things of God, his Excellency, his Goodness, his God-head, and his Power to do you good, and to send you to Him that made them. But how usually doth that which should carry us to God, divert and detain us from him? If a Prince should woo a Virgin by a Messenger, and She should leave him, and cleave to the Messenger, and those He sent as Spokesmen and Servants, this were an extreme folly. By the beauty and sweetness of the Creatures, God's end is to draw us to himself as the chiefest Good; for that which we love in other things is but a shadow and an obscure resemblance of that which is in Him. There is sweetness in the Creature, mixed with imperfection; the sweetness is to draw us to God; but the imperfection is to drive us from setting our hearts on them. There is somewhat good in them, look up to the Creator: but there is vanity and vexation of Spirit, and this is to drive us off from these sublunary things.

3. He is infinitely Good. In this Portion one hath not the less because another enjoys it with him. Here is a sharing without division, a partaking without prejudice of a Copartner, for every Man hath his Portion whole and entire, it is no less to us because others enjoy it too. We straiten others in worldly things so much as we are enlarged ourselves; for these things are finite, and cannot be divided but they must be lessened, and therefore are not large enough. But this Good is infinite, and sufficeth the whole World, and everyone possesseth it entire: As the same Speech may be heard of all, yet no Man heareth less because another heareth it with him. Or as the same Sun shines upon all, I have not the less light because it shines upon another as well as me: So God is all in all, if there be any difference, the more we possess him the better. As in a Choir of Voices, everyone is not only solaced with his own Voice, but with the harmony of those that sing in Consort with him; worldly Inheritance is lessened by a multitude of Coheirs. In outward estates many a fair Stream is drawn dry or runs low by being parted and dispersed in several Channels; but God that is Infinite cannot be lessened.

4. He is an Eternal Good, and so the most durable Portion, He is my Portion forever, Psal. 73. 22. The good things of this life are but like Flowers, they be for a Season and then they wither, they are perishing and of a short continuance, we carry away nothing of it in our hands when we go to the Grave; when we leave all other Portions and Inheritances, then we begin to take possession of this Portion; yea at that time when Men see the vanity of making other things their Portion, a Child of God sees the happiness of his Portion, at death. Death blows away all vain deceits, then carnal Men begin to perceive their error; when their Portion comes to be taken away from them, then what indignation have they upon themselves for the folly of their choice, how the World hath deceived them! A Godly Man hath the beginning here, then he comes to have a consummate, and most perfect enjoyment of it. Death cannot separate us from our Portion. Indeed it separates us from all things that with-hold us from it, but it's a means to perfect our union with God, and make way for our full fruition of him. Well then if this be that which is required in a Portion, that it be Good, there is none Good but God, he is Originally, Independently, Chiefly, Infinitely, and Eternally Good, and therefore there is reason why we should choose God for our Portion.

Secondly, That a thing be our Portion, it is necessary that we have an Interest in it, and Title to it, not only that it be good, but that we may claim it as ours, for that's that which sweeteneth everything to us, that it is ours to use. Now God is not only Good, but he is also ours, he makes over Himself to us in Covenant, Gen. 17. Therefore we may lay claim to Him as a man to his Patrimony or Inheritance to which he is born, and say, Lord thou art mine. Zech. 13. 9. I will say it is my People: and they shall say the Lord is my God. As God owns an Interest in them, so they own Him, He is my God. I will be thy God, so saith God in the Covenant, it is more then if God had said, I will be thy Friend, thy Father, these are notions of a limited Sence. But I will be thy God, that hath an Infinite importance, a greater weight and efficacy in that expression. I will be thy God, that is, I will do thee good in a way of an Infinite and Eternal Power. And that's the reason why Christ proves the Resurrection from thence, Matth. 22. 32. I am the God of Abraham, &c. for to be a God to any is to be a Benefactor to them, and a Benefactor becoming an Infinite and Eternal Power. Therefore certainly it assures us of greater things then this life affords, something becoming a God to give. If God be Abraham's God, a God to his whole Person, his Soul is not Abraham, then it strongly proves the Resurrection of the Body, then Abraham both Body and Soul must have a happiness greater then this Life can afford. Hence that expression of the Apostle, Heb. 11. 16. God is not ashamed to be called their God. These words seem as if they did express God's condescension, as if He would be called the God of a few Patriarchs: No, the meaning of the Words is this, in regard of the slenderness of their present condition, God could not with honor: what, be a God to Jacob and suffer him to have such a wandering Life? He might be ashamed to be their God if he had not better things to bestow upon Him, But He hath provided for them a City, a heavenly Kingdom. Not only given them that which they enjoyed in houses, their Flocks and Herds which were multipl •… ed; these were slender things to take up the whole significancy of that Expression I will be their God. But now God is not ashamed to be called their God, (that is) God can with honor, and without shame take that Title upon Him, for he hath everlasting happiness in the World to come to bestow upon them. Thus what ever God is, hath, or can do, it is thine. Look as the Apostle saith, Heb. 6. That when God had no greater thing to swear by, he swore by Himself; so we may say, when he had no greater thing to bestow upon his People, he gives and •… estows Himself; as fully, and wholly, made over himself to every believing Soul: so that they have as full a plea, and sure right to God as any man hath to his Patrimony to which he was born. I will act answerably, becoming an Infinite Power and Goodness, for thy Good. This is the significancy of that ample and glorious Expression which God useth in the Covenant of Grace. As when a Covenant was made between the King of Israel, and the King of Judah, the tenor of it was, my Horses are as thy Horses, my Strength as thy Strength, 1 Kings 22. So whatever is God's is ours for our benefit, and what is ours is God's for his Service. Mark, God not only saith I will be yours, but be a God, that is, I will act like a God. In pardon of sin, Hos. 11. 9. I will not return to destroy Ephraim; for I am God and not man. He will not pardon as a man but as a God. Mans patience is soon spent, and soon tired, what seven times a day forgive my Brother? But he will pardon as a God. And so when he Sanctifies, he will Sanctify as a God, 2 Pet. 1. 4. By his Divine Power he hath given unto us all things that pertain unto Life and Godliness. And so in Defense and Maintenance, (which is part of the Covenant) I will Feed, Maintain, Protect thee as a God, that is, not as one that is to be limited in the course of second Causes; when he please he can give us Water, not only out of the Fountain, but out of the Rock, when there is nothing visible to supply and maintain you, then I will be a God, then He will glorify us like a God, like an Infinite and Eternal Power. For as God is an Infinite God, so he gives us a far more exceeding weight of Glory; and as an Eternal God, he gives us an Eternal weight of Glory, 2 Cor. 4. 17. The Glory he bestows upon us suits with the Infiniteness and Eternity of his Essence. As it is said of Arauna •… that was of the Royal extraction of the Jebusites, He gave like a King to a King, worthy of his Blood and descent, he had a generous mind: so God will give like a God, therefore he not only saith, I will be thine, but be thy God. You think it much when you view a large compass, and can look abroad and say, all this is mine: but one that hath chose God for his Portion, hath much more to say, God is mine.

Thirdly, That which a man would make his Portion if he were free to choose, it should be a proper and suitable Good, our own Good. The heart of man aims at not only bonum, Good in common, but also bonum congruum, a suitable fitting Good. Every Element moveth to its own place, and every living Creature desires Food proper to itself: so man is not only carried to Good, but Good that suits to his Capacity and Necessity: the Soul being a Spirit must have a Spiritual Good. Indeed as it acts in the Body, and accommodates itself with the Necessities of the Body, and seeks the Good of the Body, so it may be carried out to Honors, Pleasures, and Profits, for these are the conveniencies of the bodily life; but as it is a Spirit, and can live apart from the Body, it must have something above these, a spiritual Object; and as it is Immortal, it must have an Immortal Good. Now for a spiritual Immortal Good do we grope and feel about, until we find it, and then there's a great deal of satisfaction, Acts 17. 27. That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him. So we are groping and feeling about, as the blind Sodomites did for Lots door, for some Good that may suit the Capacity of our Souls, we were made for God, and therefore cannot have full contentment without God. But I speak not now of man as man, but suppose him to have a new Nature put into him, that carries him after satisfaction; we are made partakers of the Divine Nature, 2 Pet. 1. 4. It is called so because it comes from God, and tends to Him. Now there must be something suitable to this Nature; pleasure is when those things are enjoyed that suit with us, when the Object and the Faculty are suited, when every Appetite hath a fit diet to feed upon, then a marvelous deal of Pleasure and Contentment results from thence. Rom. 8. 5. They that are after the Flesh do mind the things of the Flesh: but they that are after the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. All things seek a suitable Good. Now they that are after the Spirit, that have a new spiritual Divine Nature put into them, renewed Souls, they must have an Object proper, and therefore must have something above the concernments of the Body, and above the fleshly Nature; for everything delights in that which is suitable, as a Fish in the Stream, and an Ox to lick up the Grass; and Man must have a suitable Good as a rational Being; but as a spiritual being must have another Good. Grace restores us to the inclinations of Nature when it was innocent, therefore the Soul that came from God must center in God, and it cannot be quiet without him.

Fourthly, That which a man would make his Portion, it must be sufficient to supply all his wants, that he may have enough to live upon. Now saith the Lord, I am God All-sufficient, Gen. 17. 1. Sufficient for the necessities of this Life, and that which is to come. He is the Fountain of all Blessings, Spiritual, Temporal, Eternal, not only their Power forever, but their Portion forever, satisfied with him now and in the Life to come. Psal. 142. 5. Thou art my Portion O Lord in the Land of the Living. They expect all from Him, not only Peace, and Righteousness, Grace, and Glory; but Food, Maintenance, Defense, to bear them out in his Work. The Creature is but God's Instrument, or as an empty Pipe unless God flow in by it. If God help them not, the Creature •… annot help them. These are Streams that have Water only so long as the Spring fills them. Well then, here is a Portion that is every way sufficient. All other Portions are accompanied with a want, but this alone sufficeth all. Some things give Health, Wealth, O but not Peace. Some things give Peace, but not Honor. But God is all to us, Health, Wealth, Peace, Honor, Grace and Glory; All things are yours, because you are Christ 's and Christ is God's, so runs the Christian Charter; there is omne bonum in summo bono, all things in the chiefest Good. So Rev. 21. 7. He that overcometh shall inherit all things; how so? for I will be his God. He that hath God, hath him that hath Power and Command of all things, and therefore shall inherit all things, for I will be his God. And that's the reason of the Apostles Riddle, 2 Cor. 6. 10. As having nothing, yet possessing all things; that is, all things in God, when they have nothing in the Creature. Many times they are kept bar •… and low, but God carries the Purse for them, all things are at his dispose; and we are kept more bare and low that we may be sensible of the strange Supplies of his Providence. Alas without him in the midst of our Sufficiencies we may be in straits.

Fifthly, That a man would choose that for his Portion wherein he may be contented, satisfied, and sit down as having enough. Now this is only in God. When we choose other things for our Portion, still our Sore runs upon us, there are some crannies and vacuities of Soul that are to be filled up; if we could satisfy our Affections, we cannot satisfy our Consciences, nothing can content the desires of the Soul but God himself: other things may busy us, and vex us, but cannot satisfy us: All things are vanity and vexation of Spirit. If a man would make a critical search as Solomon did, he set himself to see what Pleasures and Honors would do to content the Heart of Man, and what Riches and Learning would do; he had a large Estate and Heart, and so was in a capacity to try all things, to see if he could extract Satisfaction from them; yet he concludes all is vanity and vexation of Spirit. Whosoever will follow this Course will come home with Disappointment. But in this Portion there's Contentment, we need no more but God, and there is nothing besides him worth our desire. Necessities that are not supplied by him are but fancies, it is want of Grace, if we want anything else when we have God for our Portion; Psal. 17. 14. From the men of the world which have their Portion in this life, and whose belly thou fillest with thy hid Treasure. A Carnal man's Happiness is patched up with a great many Creatures, they must have dainty Fare, costly Apparel, this and that, and still their Sore runs upon them; they have a fullness of all things, and yet they are not filled. But now saith David, As for me, I will behold thy Face in Righteousness: I shall be satisfied when I awake with thy Likeness. Though God do not make out himself in that Latitude and Fulness as he will hereafter, yet at present to have Communion with God is enough, I shall be filled. There are some desires that are working after God, but they will be filled hereafter. It is true we are not now perfect, but that's no fault of our Portion, but the defect of our Capacity. Though we have not that fullness that we shall have hereafter, yet we have it initially. Here we have the First-fruits, have it virtually, hope and look for it; there is something begun in the Soul that will increase towards this Satisfaction: certainly this is a Portion that can alone be possessed with Content. God is satisfied with himself, and sufficient to his own Happiness, therefore surely there is enough in him to fill the Creature. That which fills an Ocean will fill a Bucket, that which will fill a Gallon will fill a Pint; those Revenues that will defray an Emperors Expences are enough for a Beggar or Poor man. So when the Lord himself is satisfied with himself, and it is his happiness to enjoy himself, there needs no more, there is enough in God to satisfy. If our desires run out after other things, they are desires not to be satisfied, but to be mortified. If we hunger after other Contentments, they are like feverish desires not to be satisfied, but to be abated in the Soul; for he that fills all things hath enough to fill up our Hearts.

Sixthly, Complacency and Delight. That which a Man would take pleasure in, there where he may have abundant matter of rejoicing and Delight, this a Man would choose for his Portion. Now in God he hath the truest and sincerest Delight. This is matter of rejoicing, as David saith Psal. 16. 7. The Lord is my Portion, what then? I have a goodly Heritage; here's that which will revive and refresh my Heart enough. There is no rejoicing that is sincere but this. As the Discomforts of the New Creature are more real than all other Discomforts, and pierce deeper; (a wounded Spirit who can bear?) so the Joyes of the New Creature, none go so deep; Psal. 4. 6. Thou hast put more gladness into my heart, &c. Others do but tickle the Senses, a little refresh the outward Man, please the more brutish part, but this the Heart. And this is such a joy as can be better felt than uttered, 2 Pet. 1. 8. It is unspeakable, and none can know the strength and sweetness of it till it be felt; a Stranger cannot conceive it, doth not intermeddle with his joy, Prov. 14. 10. One drop of this is more than an Ocean of carnal Pleasure. When we have other things without God we can never be serious. Take the merriest Blades in the World, and dig them to the bottom, still there is something of sadness and remorse that doth sour all their Content; Conscience is secretly repining, and ready to embitter their Joy. Though men strive to bear it down, yet it's ever returning upon them; therefore they cannot be truly cheerful. The most jolly Sinners have their Pangs that take off the edge of their Bravery: Carnal Rejoicing makes a great noise like Thorns under a Pot, but it's but a blaze and gone. But this is a solid Joy and Comfort, wherewith a Man may look death in the face with cheerfulness, and think of the World to come and not be sad. Alas, a little thing puts the merriest Sinner into the Stocks of Conscience. He that makes it his business to add one Pleasure to another, and spend his days in vanity, how soon is his Mirth removed! Therefore if a Man would choose a Portion to have Joy at the highest Rate, he should choose God for his Portion.

II. How comes a godly Man to look upon God under this Notion, that no less will content him but God himself? why he hath another apprehension, and another manner of heart to close with him than carnal Men: his Understanding is enlightened, and his Heart inclined by Grace.

1. He sees more into the worth of Spiritual and Heavenly Things. He hath Faith which is the Evidence of things not seen, of things that do not lie under the judgment of Sense, and present Reason; he can spy things under a Vail, and his eyes are opened to see what is the Riches of the glory of his Inheritance in the Saints, Eph. 1. 17, 18. and therefore he is convinced of the fullness and sufficiency that is in God, and the emptiness and straitness that is in the Creature; God hath given him Counsel, his Reins instruct him, Psal. 16. 7. All by Nature are blind, ignorant, apt to dote upon the Creature; but by Grace their eyes are opened, that they have another manner of discerning, that they do not see things only by discourse, but their Hearts are affected. Others may discourse, but they have not this divine Light and spiritual Understanding, by which spiritual Things may be discerned: as matters of Opinion they may, but not as matters of Choice. A carnal Man may argue out with Reason the Worth and Excellency of God, but he hath not a refined Apprehension, and persuasive Counsel which is in God's People.

2. Their Hearts are inclined to choose him for their Portion. They do not only see an alluring worth in the Object, but there's an attracting Virtue by which the Heart is drawn in to God, John 6. 44. No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him. The great Article of the Covenant of Grace is to take God for our God. Now all the Articles of the New Covenant are not only Precepts •… ut Promises. The conditions of the Covenant are conditions in the Covenant, God gives what he requires. And therefore as the great Article of the Covenant is to take God for our God, so the great Blessing of the Covenant is to have a new Heart, or a new placing of our Desires and Affections. Sin lieth in a Conversion from God to the Creature: Grace in turning us to God again. The Change is mainly seen in fixing our chiefest Good, and our last End. God gives his People a Heart to close with him, and accept of him as their Portion; to fix upon him as their chiefest Good, and their last End.

Use 1. To reprove them that do not take God for their Portion. Godly Men must have God himself, they prefer him above all, and saving Grace above other Benefits, Psal. 4. 6, 7. There's the dispositions of the Godly and the Carnal. The many say, who will show us any good? but Lord lift up the Light of thy Countenance upon us. A carnal Man is for Good in common, any Good, but not for the Light of God's Countenance; nothing will satisfy the Saints but the Light of God's Countenance; they prefer him above his Gifts, and among his Gifts they prefer saving Graces, and renewing Mercies, such as begin and confirm them in their Union with God in Christ. But carnal Men go no further than the World, they choose not God, but his Gifts; and among these not the best, but the common sort; such as suite with the Appetite of the fleshly Nature, and the more brutish part of these, Riches, Pleasures, and Honors; and these too not as coming from God, but as coming to them by chance. They not only say good in general, but who will show me, &c. As they look after uncertain Blessings, so they look after an uncertain Author, as they fall out in the course of second Causes; if they have these, they bless their Hearts, and content themselves. To convince these Men of the baseness of their Choice, and make them bethink themselves, their Choice is part of their punishment. There cannot be a greater Punishment than that they should have what they choose, that they should be written in the Earth, Ierem. 17. they shall have this and no more. That God should say to them, Silver and Gold you shall have, but in this matter no Lot nor Portion, Act. 8. Their Bellies shall be filled with hid Treasure, they shall have gorgeous Apparel, dainty Fare, Substance enough to leave to their Babes, but be deprived of Heaven. It's the greatest Misery that can be, to be condemned to this kind of Happiness. That we should thus degrade ourselves, and sit upon the Threshold when they might sit upon the Throne, and lick only the dust of his Footstool. But wicked Men will not be sensible of this now, but one day they shall, of the Misery of this their foolish Choice; at death usually, Ier. 17. 11. At his latter end he shall be a fool. Then his Heart will rave against him, O Fool, Mad-man! that thou wert not as careful to get the Favor of God, as to get this worldly Pelf: when he must go into another World, and he is launching out into the great gulf of Eternity. And in Hell they will be sensible, Luke 16. 25. Son, remember that thou in thy life-time receivedst thy good things, &c. The Conscience of their foolish Choice is a part of their Torment, when their Heart shall return upon them and say, This was because thou wouldst look after temporal Things; when Snares, and Brimstone, and an horrible Tempest is poured out upon them; what Thoughts have they of their Portion when they are cast out with the Devil and demned Spirits? Carnal Men think the difference between them and others will ever hold out when they glitter in the World: O but the time is coming when Death will undeceive them. And at the day of Judgment they will be sensible of it, when they shall be refused as the Out-casts of the World; and when the Saints shall have their Portion, when the Lord shall take the Godly to himself, receive them into his Bosom, and welcome them to Heaven, and call them to his Right hand; and they shall be banished out of his presence with a go ye cursed; when they shall become the loathing of God, the scorn of Angels and blessed Spirits; when it shall be said as in Psal. 52. 7. Lo, this is the man that made not God his strength: but trusted in the abundance of his riches, and strengthened himself in his wickedness. O then how will Conscience return upon the wretchedness and folly of their Hearts, and be exercised upon it! this will vex and gaul them in Hell, with anxious thoughts of it to all Eternity. As by the fire that never shall be quenched is signified the Wrath of God, so by the Worm that never dies, the violent working of Conscience upon the folly of choosing perishing Vanities.

Use 2. It exhorts us to this necessary Duty, to choose God for our Portion. It is not a slight thing, but that upon which your eternal Happiness doth depend; it's the fundamental Article of the Covenant of Grace; and the Question God puts you to is, whether you will choose him for your Portion; therefore he begins the Commandments with this, Thou shalt have no other God's before me. God is not your God, unless he be set uppermost in your Souls; he cannot be your Portion, unless he be your chiefest Good. There is no possibility of entering into Covena •… t with God unless you subscribe to this main Article. Again, as 'tis a very necessary Work, so 'tis an Evidence and Fruit of God's Election, if a Man would come to know the Thoughts of God concerning him before all the World what his Destiny is. God's Election or Choosing of you is manifested by your Election, or your choosing of God, for all God's Works leave an Impression upon the Creature; he chooseth us that we might choose him, I will say you are my People, and you shall say I am your God. Again, you must have something for your Portion. There's no Man hath a sufficiency in himself. The Soul is like a Spunge, always thirsting, and seeking of something from without to be filled, a Chaos of Desires. Man was made to live in dependence. Now of all Portions in the World there is none worth the having but God himself; nothing else can make you completely blessed, and satisfy all the Necessities, and all the Capacities of Soul and Body. When you have outward things, what have you for your Conscience? If these things could fill up your Affections, they bear no proportion with Conscience, your Sore will run upon you, and your inward Griefs will not be cured. But this is such a Portion, that besides internal Grace, there shall be a competent measure of outward things; God will provide for you, Psal. 23. 1. The Lord is my Shepherd, what then? I shall not want. This Interest will give you temporal Things, and the Comforts of this Life; so that you have the Fountain of all other Mercies. While others do but drink of the Streams, and of Streams where they are muddy, where they partake of the Soil through which they run, you go to the clear Fountain. Alas others do but pluck the Leaves and Flowers, but you have the Fruits and very Root itself, the perpetual Fountain and Well-spring of Comfort, and Root of all the blessedness the Heart can wish for. Again, all other Comforts grow upon this Interest, and when all other things are lost, this can supply you again. All worldly Things when we have them, yet they have not a Root, but you have the Root, so that when other things fail this will yield you all manner of Supplies. Yea, this is that which seasons and makes all other things comfortable, when we have them and the Love of God with them. This Man of God had a Kingdom, and a great deal of Wealth, he was a Victorious King, as we may see by his Offering, 1 Chron. 29. what Cart-loads of Gold and Silver he offers to God, yet in the midst of all this fullness he saith, Thou art my Portion. Other Portions may turn to a Man's hurt as they are occasions of Sin, as they expose to Envy and Danger; many a man is undone both here and hereafter by making the Creature his Portion; but never any man was undone by making God his Portion. It was the end of our Creation, God passing by all other Creatures, set his Heart upon Man. He made all things for Man, and Man for himself. All other things were either subject to our dominion, or created for our use; but Man was made immediately for God, for the enjoyment of God; made for himself, and for none else besides himself: we should have no rest in ourselves until we come to the enjoyment of God. God was not refreshed from his Work, he rested not until he made Man, therefore Man should not rest until he comes to God. God takes us for his Portion, and therefore you should take God for your Portion; Deut. 32. 9. For the Lord's Portion is his People. Zech. 2. 12. And the Lord shall inherit Judah his Portion in the holy Land, and shall choose Jerusalem again. If God shall choose a company of Men to be his Portion, certainly it becomes them again to choose him. God is willing to communicate his Goodness, therefore why should we be satisfied with other things? He reasons with us, is angry that we will run to other things; why will you lay out your Time and Strength in that which will not satisfy you? Isa. 55. 2. He doth invite you to come and choose Him. He complains and takes it grievously when he offers himself in the Gospel, Psal. 81. 11. Israel would none of me. O shall the God that made us thus passionately offer himself to us, and shall he be refused? Let this persuade you to choose God for your Portion.

Use 3. For Trial. Have you chosen God for your Portion? This will be seen,

1. By your endeavors to get anything of God into your Hearts. No Man seeketh after God, there's the great complaint. If you did choose God, you would pursue all ways and means that you might gain him, and count all things but dung for Christ, as the Apostle doth: then nothing would detain you from him, you would not be satisfied; O I must have God, and God would be followed after, Psal. 73. 25. Whom have I in Heaven but thee?

2. By your Prayers. What do you pray for? when you come to God what do your Hearts run upon? what do you seek for from God? is it God himself? To seek to God and not for God, is but a carnal Design upon God; Hosea 7. 14. They howl upon their beds for Corn, and Wine, and Oil. They are but brutish Desires that terminate in other things, that are carried out more after them, than God's Favor and Grace: therefore his Favor must be sought in the first place.

3. By your behavior under Trouble when other things fail, Lament. 3. 24. The Lord is my Portion, saith my Soul, therefore I will hope in him. When they were driven from their other Portions, (for that is spoken of) when all manner of Calamities did befall them, and they were cast out, and their Inheritance turned to Strangers, then Lord, Thou art our Portion. When you have nothing lest but God, can you live upon God? and can he be all in all to you? 1 Sam. 30. 6. David encouraged himself in the Lord his God. When the Amalekites carried away all, yet this was his Comfort, God was left still. And so Hab. 3. 18. When the labor of the Olive shall fail, &c. what then? then I will rejoice in the God of my salvation. When you can count yourself happy enough in God, Deus meus, & omnia, if I have God, I have all; then you have chosen God for your Portion.

4. By your Delight in God, Psal. 37. 4. Delight thyself in the Lord, and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. When this is the great rejoicing of your Souls that you can get but one Beam of God's Love, and his Favor darted upon your Consciences, this is that which revives more than all other temporal Things whatever.

5. In Mourning for his absence; if your God be gone, that's the grief of your Souls. God can supply the want of the Creature, but no Creature can supply the want of God: therefore it is ground of trouble if he hide his Face. This Lamenting and Mourning after a withdrawn God is frequently spoken off in Scripture. But the great Evidence lies in the words, Thou art my Portion, O Lord, what then? I have said, that I would keep thy Words. Hence observe,

Doct. 2. Those which have chosen God for their Portion will manifest it by a fixed Resolution, and strict care of Obedience.

They are loath to break with God, rather break with anything else. It must needs be so, because

1. Holiness is a means of maintaining Communion between us and God, and keeping up an Interest in him as our only Happiness; 1 John 1. 6, 7. If we walk in the light as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another: But if we walk in darkness, and say we have fellowship with him, we lie, and do not the truth. Unless there be a care to please Him, certainly you do not choose him for your Portion. For if all your Comfort and Happiness lies in God, all your Diligence and care will be to please God. God was the Portion of the Levites it is said, because they ministered before him, Numb. 18. 20. So it is true of the Spiritual Levites, they that are careful to walk with God, minister before him, and keep close with him, God will be their Portion. All sincere Christians are purified as the Sons of Levi.

2. Because this is the only evidence. They that love God will love his Word, and if they love it they will live by it, and square their Actions accordingly. By careless walking you blot your Evidences, and so weaken your Comfort.

3. Because God is your Portion, therefore it should encourage us to keep his Word, Gen. 17. 1. I am God all-sufficient, walk before me and be thou perfect. If we have an all-sufficient Portion, all our business should be to keep in with God. All warping comes from doubting of God's Alsufficiency, as if God alone were not enough for us. Carnal Fear, Love, Hope, doth draw us off from God to the Creature, we are afraid to lose worldly enjoyments; so break with God. Therefore if we look upon God as All-sufficient, it will necessarily follow we should encourage ourselves to serve him.

4. If we do not keep his Word, our Lusts will carry us forth elsewhere. There are certain corrupt Principles within you will draw you off from God to another Portion. Ezek. 14. 5. They are all estranged from me through their Idols. What kind of Idols were these? Idols of Wood and Stone? No, the Prophet explains them, They have set up their Idols in their heart, v. 3. Christians, a Man may be an Idolater in opinion, and grossly, when he worships stocks and stones: and he may be an Idolater Spiritually, and in Practice. And which is most incurable of these two think you? certainly the Spiritual Idolater. A man may easily be convinced of his false worship by Reason and Argument, what a brutish thing it is to worship stocks and stones, things that have no Life, nor can help him; but he cannot be convinced of his Spiritual Idolatry, or cured of that but by Grace. Covetousness is Idolatry because it draws off our Love, Fear, Trust, from God and his Service, to Riches, and so proves a snare to the Soul. Idolatry in our affections is more dangerous than gross Idolatry in our opinions, and outward worship, when our affections carry us out to another Good.

5. Again, out of Gratitude, when God doth all for us, can we deny him anything? Dost thou love God as the chiefest Good, and wilt not thou fear to offend him? Who ever chooseth God for his Portion will have David's disposition, I have said I will keep thy Words: he will be exact and punctual to keep in with God.

SERMON LXV.

PSAL. CXIX. 58.

I Intreated thy Favor with my whole Heart: be merciful unto me according to thy Word.

IN the former Verse I took notice of two Parts, David's Protestation, Thou art my Portion, and his Resolution, I will keep thy Words. To either of the Branches this Verse may be supposed to have Respect. To the former thus, as a second Evidence, if we make God our Portion, this will necessarily follow, we shall desire his favor above all things else. Our Portion is that Good which we choose, renouncing all things else, therefore when our hearts are set upon it, whom have I in Heaven but Thee? Psal. 73. 25. When you entreat his Favor with your whole heart, that's the Evidence, God is your Portion. Or you may refer it to the latter Clause thus, I said, I will keep thy Words, therefore I entreat thy Favor. We cannot carry on a good purpose without God's Favor, unless He assist us therein. When we are most resolved, we must expect opposition and assaults both from within and without. The Devil will seek all he can to oppose you, and to shake your Resolutions, and your Lusts will rage a new upon a severe restraint. Therefore those that resolve to enter into a strict course, must seek Relief from God's Favor and Mercy, as David here. I entreated thy Favor with my whole Heart. In the Words we have an account of David's Practice upon a Choice and Resolution, he betook himself to Prayer.

Here you have,

1. The Object or Principle thing sought, God's Favor.
2. The manner, with my whole Heart, with a sincere Affection. He doth not say with his Lips only, but his Heart, and not with his Heart only, but with his whole Heart.
3. The sum of his request, or the Fountain of all that he expected from God, be Merciful to me.
4. The rule or ground of his Expectation, according to thy Word. The meaning is, that God according to his promise would graciously help him.

I. For the first, I entreated thy Favor; or as it is in the Hebrew, I painfully sought thy Face; meaning that he did with importunate and humble suit beg the smile of God's councountenance: by Face is meant Favor, Prov. 29. 26. Many seek the Rulers Favor, it is, the Rulers face, that he may look cheerfully upon them: and I painfully sought, so the Word signifies; it notes such importunity as is necessary for so great a Blessing. The note is this,

Doct. God's People, those that have made him their Portion, they earnestly, and constantly, above all things, desire his Favor.

1. This God calls for, Psal. 105. 4. Seek the Lord, seek his Face evermore. None have such Communion with God but they need seek more. Psal. 27. 8. Thou saidst seek my Face. Thy Face Lord will I seek. Thou saidst, it is that which God speaks in all his Ordinances, the whole drift of the Word is to press us to get and keep the sense of God's love ever fresh in our Hearts.

2. The Nature of the Saints carries them to it. This is the difference between them and carnal men. Psal. 4. 6, 7. The light of his Countenance is spoken of either, with Allusion to the Sun, whose Light displayed, cheers the Plants; or with Allusion to the smiles of a Friend, one good look from God the Children of God prefer above all the World. All earthly things cannot please them so much as a smile from God, nor put such gladness in their Hearts. But more especially do they seek it most painfully.

1. When they have never as yet attained any sense of it, but lie under doubts, fears, and auxious uncertainty, then if God will but look upon them, make out his Love to their Consciences, what a comfort will that be to them! A man may want assurance and have Grace, but he cannot slight assurance and have Grace. He that is without it may be one of God's Children, but he that doth not look after it, and is satisfied without it, certainly is none of that number. Therefore this is the desire and earnest prayer of all God's People in common, that God would cause his Face to shine upon them. Psal. 80. 17. Thou that dwellest between the Cherubims, shine forth: that is, that sittest upon the Mercy Seat, O that he would be good to them in Christ, for between the Cherubims there was the Mercy Seat, where God sat, the meaning is, that he would a little dart in Beams of Comfort to their Consciences.

2. They thus painfully entreat the Favor of God when they have lost it by sin; for then they are afflicted with a double evil, want of so great a comfort, and a sense of their own folly. A sense of God's favor may be withheld, out of mere Sovereignty, yet even then God's Children will be earnest; but when it is withdrawn out of Justice, as a correction for our folly and careless walking, there is greater cause of earnestness, that we may redeem and recover our loss again. Then we are to be more earnest, Turn us again Lord God of Hosts, and cause thine anger towards us to cease, Psal. 80. 7. By their former experience they know the sweetness of God's favor, and by their present loss the bitterness of the want of it. Basil hath a notable Comparison, he saith if an Object be too bright, it must be set at a distance from the Eye that we may see better; so worldly things must be set at a distance from us: therefore God seems to be at a distance, hides his Face, that his People might know by the loss and want of it how to value their Blessings.

How far do they discover their earnestness?

1. In that they seek it above all other things, above Corn, Wine, and Oil. This is not their painful desire to be made great, rich, high, honorable, happy in the World. All the World doth them no good without the favor of God. As all the Stars though they shine together do not dispel the darkness of the Night: so, no Creatures can comfort us sufficiently, when God hides his Face from them, Psal. 30. 1. Thou didst hide thy Face and I was troubled. They cannot find God as they were wont. As at Funeral Feasts, dear Friends have little comfort, when they miss their old Friend that was wont to bid them welcome at the House: so when God is gone what comfort can they take in their Portion. Many will say why are you pensive and sad, you have a great many Friends, a great Estate? O you do not know the wound of a gracious Heart, and how little these things are in comparison of the Favor of God.

2. They manifest it in this, their contentedness with Him, though they are kept low and bare in outward things. Psal. 17. 15. As for me I will behold thy Face in Righteousness: I shall be satisfied when I awake with thy likeness. It's enough for them to have the Face of God, though they do not flourish in worldly plenty as others do, when in the exercise of Grace they can find God propitious, behold his Face in Righteousness. If they have not the Candle they have the Sun. If they go to God they are welcome upon all occasions. If the World frown upon them, God doth not so, they are beloved of him, and in Favor with him, and that satisfieth them.

What may be the reasons why the Children of God so prize his Favor?

1. The worth of the thing itself, Psal. 63. 3. Thy Favor is better than Life, better than all Comforts, better in its Self, for this is that which we are never weary of. A man may be weary of all outward Comforts: Days may come wherein there is no pleasure, Eccl. 12. At that time the soul abhors dainty Food, Job 33. Pleasure, nay Life itself may be a burden, but none ever was weary of the Love of God, that cannot be a burden. This doth not fatiate and cloy us. Again, the Love of God cannot be supplied and recompensed by other things, when a man looseth other things it may be made up in better: If a man be poor in this World, God hath chosen him to be rich in Faith: If afflicted and destitute of outward Provisions, yet they have inward Comforts and Graces, and they will supply and make up this loss: But the loss of God's Favor cannot be supplied, when that departs from you, and a man looseth the hope he seemeth to have: what a sorry comfort is it having forfeited the Love of God to seek our amends in the Creature. Then this is a more durable than the present life. Other Comforts fail, but the Love of God never fails. This is the Original of all other Comforts, Psal. 30. 7. By thy Favor thou hast made my Mountain to stand strong, and Psal. 44. 3. Their own Arm did not save them, but the light of thy Countenance, because thou hadst a Favor unto them. Sure, it is better to drink of the Fountain, than of the Stream, all is from the Favor of God. In short it is the Vitality, and the cause of Life, and the cause of all Comfort. This is better than Life.

2. They are affected with that which is their true Misery, therefore they most importunately beg the Favor of God. Every man prays according to the sense that he hath, according to that which he counts his Misery. He that hath a sense of no other Calamity but to be poor, scorned, or exposed to contempt, or the absence of the Creature, prays accordingly, sometimes he houls like a dog in pain, or Beasts that want Food, Hos. 7. 14. But he that hath a deeper sense of his greatest necessities, he is affected with sin which is the cause of all trouble, therefore he must have the Favor of God, and the Grace of God. A godly and a carnal Man differ as a Child and a Man in their Apprehensions about pain and trouble. A Child is sick and would be eased of its present smart and pain, looks to nothing but that; but an understanding Man knows the cause must be taken away: a Child speaks according to the sense and apprehension it hath, take away his aking head, or burning heat; but the understanding Man looks not only after present ease but health, that the root of the Distemper may be removed. So a worldly Man would have affliction gone, and looks no further, but a godly Man hath a deeper sense, he must have the Favor of God, therefore his heart works painfully within him till this be obtained.

3. They entreat the Favor of God with all their hearts, because their business lies mainly with God. Their work is to walk closely with God, and keep up a strict Communion with him. A carnal Man's business lies with God sometimes, in his Trouble; but when he licks himself whole, and is at ease, he can live without it. But a godly Mans business is always with God, for God is always with him in Trouble, and out of Trouble. Therefore that's a notable Speech, Psal. 91. 9. Because thou hast made the Lord, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation: A Refuge, that's a place of retreat in time of War: A Habitation, there's our residence in time of Peace, when everyone sits under his own Vine and Fig-tree. Now a godly Man makes God not only his Refuge, but his Habitation; therefore it concerns him to prize the Favor of God, and keep in with him, for he is otherwise at an utter loss; therefore he must study to get all clear, if God be angry with him, his business is at a stand, and he cannot walk cheerfully with him from whom he expects all.

Use 1. To reprove those that are indifferent whether they enjoy God's Favor, yea or no; so they may enjoy the Creature they are satisfied. Surely God is not these Men's Portion, for their only care is what they shall eat, how they may be clothed, how to live well in the World, but were never acquainted with this kind of trouble about God's Favor, Psal. 10. 4. It is said, The Wicked through the pride of his Countenance will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts. He never troubles himself how to keep in with God; it never goes to his Heart. He is such an one as can bring to pass whatever he projecteth and desireth, without troubling himself with the Fetters of Religion, and the care of a strict Duty: he can live at large, and yet obtain his Hearts desire, and thinketh them the only Wise men, fit for his imitation, that can increase in worldly Injoyments without troubling themselves with such niceties as perplex others: he scorneth to trouble himself with Prayer, and the observances which are necessary to waiting upon God. Again, it reproves those that lie stupid and senseless under God's active Displeasure: These are not as gross as the former, but make some profession of respect to God, but, have not yet a tender sense of God's accesses and recesses, his comings and goings; when the Lord hides himself from their Prayers, and doth not give out the wonted influences of his Grace and Comfort, they mind it not, do not with earnestness seek to recover it again. If you did make this your business without interruption, when you have not the smiles of God, the want of this would create Pain.

Use 2. Of Exhortation, To press us if we would have God for our God, then to seek his Favor above all things. Wait with an affectionate earnestness in every Ordinance for some new Discovery, some comfortable intimation of God's Word, Psal. 130. 6. My Soul waiteth for thee, what for outward Deliverances? No, but I wait for the Lord, and in his Word do I hope. Again, in every Enjoyment it is not enough to have the Creature with God's leave, (so can all men have it, 'tis their Portion) but you must have it with God's Love, as a token from God, wrapped up in the Bowels of Christ. God gives many Gifts to wicked Men, but doth not give them his Love. This we should look after, that we may find our Comforts to be sprinkled with Love, that if God deliver you out of any strait, he may love you out of it, Isa. 38. 17.

II. For the manner, I have sought thy Favor, how? with my whole heart. Note

Doct. When we pray for the Favor of God, it must be with our whole heart.

There is this intended in it;

1. The constant Favor and Presence of God, we must pray for it, for without Prayer Faith lies idle, Heb. 4. 16.
2. They that pray for it, their Hearts must be set upon what they pray. It is not enough that our Tongues babble out a cold Form, as many learn to pray as Parots speak by rote, they say, not pray a Prayer, James 5. 17. (Elias prayed earnestly) in the Margent, and so in the Original, he prayed in Prayer. A Man may take up words of course, and say things after others, which are not indeed the real desires of his Heart, so they pray as if they prayed not, slightly without any warmth and affection.
3. It is not enough that our Hearts concur, but our whole Hearts must go along with this Work. Many times we pray but with half a Heart.

1. Partly when Prayer is a fruit of memory and invention, but not the fruit of Conscience. Common Illumination will tell us how Prayer is to be formed according to the Tenor of the Christian Faith; so men may repeat words such as the Understanding judgeth fit, without any answerable touch upon the Heart. This is their Sin who are more careful about Notions in Prayer than the Affections.

2. A Man prays but with a piece of his Heart, when he prays rather with his Conscience than with his Affections. Will you distinguish this, a dictate of Conscience must be distinguished from a purpose of Heart. Conscience may tell us what is to be done, yet the Heart have no liking to it. Austin saith, when he was a carnal Man he had some kind of Conscience, and prayed against his Sins, but saith he, I was afraid God would hear me. The Favor of God is necessary, but the Heart many times is not engaged in the pursuit of it. We oftener pray from our Memories than our Consciences, and oftener from our Consciences than our Affections; the Heart is not put into the Duty.

3. When our Affections are divided to carnal Things, and the comfortable part of spiritual Things. No doubt, there is no man but would have the Favor of God, but it is with a condition that he may live as he does, and be as he is, and so the prevailing part of his Soul bends him to his present course; he regards Iniquity in his Heart, and Sin hath an Interest and lies very near; he would have the Favor of God abtractedly, but when he considers how his Lusts must be parted with, there his Heart is divided.

Use O then look to it that you beg the Lord's Favor with all your hearts, God knows the Heart. Rebekah dressed up Jacob so that his Father mistook him: I, but God cannot mistake, his Eye is not dim as Isaac 's, he sees the Heart; therefore let your Heart, and whole Heart go out in the pursuit.

Quest. How shall we know when our Hearts are thus thoroughly bent, if you seek him with all your Hearts?

Answ. Then you will observe how you speed when you look after him, you will see what becomes of your requests. I will hearken what God will speak, saith David, and will pray and look up, as Elijah looked up to see the Cloud a-coming. Again, If we pray with the whole Heart there will be importunate arguings, Desire will take no nay, Psal. 63. 8. My Soul followeth hard after thee. O it will be a painful, grievous thing to your Souls if you do not speed in your Prayers. Not a slight motion, or cold wish, but such as deeply affects the Heart, and not easily put off and satisfied with other things. Wicked Men would have the Favor of God, but they are easily put out of the humor. Again, then we pray with the whole Heart, when there is such a desire as not to be discouraged, but you venture again, when the Lord seems to put off and give a check to your requests, Isa. 22. 8. The desire of our Soul is to thy Name, and to the remembrance of thee. Still Desires grow hotter and hotter, and when there's a kind of impudence, not to be put off. Again, such as does excite endeavors for the obtaining of God's Love, and a sense of his Favor. It will cost us pain and trouble, when we are hard at work, and will be diligent in this thing. But when you rest in a few cold Prayers, you are never hearty with God. Psal. 27. 4. One thing have I desired, what then? that will I seek after, and use a great deal of diligence to come by it.

III. The Fountain of all that we expect is Mercy. All that seek God's Favor must expect it upon terms of Grace. Be merciful unto me. We cannot say, pay me what thou owest, or give me for my money! All whom God accepts to his Grace and Favor are unworthy, Isa. 55. 1. Ho, everyone that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy and eat, come, buy Wine and Milk, without money, and without price. Secondly, They who are received to Favor still need Mercy to pardon Failings, Gal. 5. The best are but Sanctified in part, and have the dregs of Corruption always remaining, and frequently stirring in them.

Use Let us thus deal with God, Hosea 14. 3. Take with you words, and turn to the Lord, say unto him, Take away all iniquity, and receive us graciously. The sum of all our Requests is that God would be merciful to us.

IV. The Rule and Ground of Confidence is according to thy Word. God's Word is the Rule of our Confidence, for therein is God's stated Course. If we would have Favor from God, and Mercy it must be upon his own Terms. God will accept of us in Christ, if we repent, believe and obey, and seek his Favor diligently: he will not deny those who seek, ask, knock. We would have Mercy, but will not observe God's Directions. We must ask according to God's Will, not without a Promise, nor against a Command. God is made a voluntary Debtor by his Promise. These are notable Props of Faith, when we are encouraged to seek by the Offer, to apply by the Promise. We thrive no more in a comfortable sense of God's Love, because we take not this Course.

SERMON LXVI.

PSAL. CXIX. 59.

I thought on my Ways, and turned my Feet unto thy Testimonies.

IN these Words we have

1. David 's Exercise, I thought on my Ways.
2. The Effect of it, I turned my Feet unto thy Testimonies.

In the former Verse he beggeth Mercy and the Favor of God; now those that beg Mercy, must be in a capacity to receive Mercy. God is ready to show Mercy, but to whom? to the Penitent that humbly seek it, and turn from the evil of their Ways. We cannot expect God should be favorable to us while we continue in a Course of Sin: therefore David showeth that he entreated God's Mercy and Favor upon God's terms, that he was one of those converted by Grace. I thought on my Ways, &c. some Copies of the Septuagint have it 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , I considered thy Ways, much to the same purpose: for a serious Consideration of the Excellency of God's Ways is of use, as well as of the naughtiness of our own. But other Copies read better according to the Original Hebrew, I thought on my Ways, our Omissions, Commissions, Purposes, Practices, the course of our Thoughts, Words, Deeds.

In the other part, when we are said to turn our Feet unto God's Testimonies, it is meant of the conversion of the whole Soul evidenced by the course of our Feet or Practices. So Eccles. 5. 1. Keep thy Feet when thou goest into the House of God, the meaning is, look to thy Heart and Affections. We are sometimes said to turn to God, and sometimes to the Testimonies or Commands of God. We turn to God as the Object or last End, to his Testimonies as the Rule of our Conversation to lead us thither: so that by it is meant an effectual Conversion of the whole Man to walk according to the Rule of God's Word.

The Text issueth itself into this one Point.

Doct. That serious Consideration of our own Ways maketh way for sound Conversion to God.

In the managing of this Doctrine I shall discuss two things.

1. The Necessity of serious Consideration in order to Repentance.
2. How much it concerneth us after we have considered effectually, to turn to the Lord.

I. The Necessity of serious Consideration in order to Repentance. And there

1. What is Consideration.
2. The Objects of it, or the things that must be considered.
3. I shall argue the Necessity of this.

First, What is this Consideration or thinking upon our Ways. In the general it is a returning upon our Hearts, or a serious and anxious debating with ourselves concerning our Eternal Condition. For the understanding whereof consider that a Carnal Man is mindless and altogether careless of his Eternal Interests, like a Fool, or Mad man, or one out of his Wits. We were sometimes foolish, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Tit. 3. 3. like men asleep or distracted, they do not know what they are a doing, nor what will be the issue of things, till God awaken their Hearts to think of their Condition, and then they begin to act like Men again, and to be sensible of their case. Thus it is said of the Prodigal Luke 15. 17. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , that he came to himself, as a Man when he is drunk, we say he is not himself, he doth not consider what he doth, nor consider the danger of his actions. And the Psalmist speaking of the Conversion of the Gentiles, saith Psal. 22. 27. The ends of the earth shall remember, and turn unto the Lord, that is, shall recollect themselves, and consider of the end of their lives, whence they are, whither they are going, and what shall become of them to all Eternity, as if all this while they had forgotten the purpose for which they were sent into the World, who was their Maker, what was their business. Alas, before this serious Consideration, Men in seeing see not, and in hearing hear not, as a Man that is musing of another matter is not affected with what you tell him, he heareth and doth not hear. It is the awaking of the Heart which is God's first work, before he giveth other Grace; Eph. 5. 14. Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee Light. First awake, and then arise from the dead, before which, Men have but such languid Notions of God and Christ and Salvation by him, as Men have in a dream, but when we come to weigh and scann things with affection and application, then the Soul is awak •… d.

Now God bringeth us to this

1. Partly by his Word which showeth our natural Face, James 1. 23, 24. or natural Estate and Condition before God. It is appointed for this purpose, to be the Instrument to awaken Men to discover them to themselves. Now because this may make but a weak Impression, such as may soon be blotted out, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , they forget and fall asleep again; therefore to this God joineth his Rod. Therefore

2. Partly by Afflictions; as the Prodigal when he was reduced to Husks and Rags, then he came to himself, and was brought to his right Mind. Again, 1 Kings 8. 47. If in the Land of their Affliction they shall bethink themselves, and repent, the Hebrew is, bring it back to their Hearts. Affliction is sanctified to this end, to open the eyes, it bringeth us to ourselves. So Haggai 1. 5, 7. Now consider your Ways, now 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , lay your Hearts upon your Ways: when they sowed much, and brought in little, and what they earned was put into a bag with holes, that is, when the hand of God was upon them, and the visible Curse of his Providence, when the Word of God doth not effectually discover Men to themselves; Then he sends Aff •… ictions to put them upon a search, and by his Rod whippeth them out of their sleepy dreams, and carnal security.

3. By his Spirit; and the first effect of his Operations is Compunction; Act. 2. 37. When they heard this they were pricked in heart, and cried out, Men▪ and Brethren what shall we do to be saved? it makes them anxious and solicitous. I ascribe this work to the Spirit, because it was a time when the Spirit was newly poured forth. Well then, in the general it is God's awakening the Heart to a serious and anxious debate with itself concern •… ng its Eternal Condition, before which we go on sleepily in a course of Sin, but then the Soul crieth out what have I done, and what shall I do? how carelessly have I lived, and what shall become of me to all Eternity?

More particularly this thinking upon our Ways involveth in its full Latitude three grand Duties.

1. As it relateth to our past Estate, or the Ways wherein we have walked, Self-examining, or a serious searching and inquiring in what Condition we are before God. This is necessary to Conversion and turning to the Lord, Lam. 3. 40. Let us search and try our ways, and turn unto the Lord. There needeth a serious calling ourselves to an account, or a strict view and survey of our former Courses, if we would amend what is amiss in them; and still as we renew our Repentance, this Course must we take.

2. As it relateth to present Actions, or the Ways wherein we are to walk, so it implieth prudent Consideration before we do anything, let us see our Warrant, that we may do nothing but what is agreeable to God's Word; Prov. 4. 26, 27. Ponder the paths of thy Feet, and let all thy Ways be established: Turn not to the right hand or to the left, remove thy foot from evil. We have a narrow Line to walk by, but a foot of Ground to go upon, and therefore we should not walk at hap-hazard, but with much exactness; Eph. 5. 15. See that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise; therefore we need to weigh all our Actions in the balance of the Sanctuary, that if anything displease God, we may avoid it. The Conscience of our weakness, and the strictness of our Rule should make us take the better heed to ourselves.

3. With respect to the Tendency and Issues of things; and so it noteth Fore consideration, or Deliberation in order to Choice. God biddeth his People stand upon the ways and see, and inquire after the old paths, which is the good way, and walk therein, Jer. 6. 16. As Travelers when they are at a loss or in doubt of their way, seeing divers paths before them, are careful to inform themselves aright that they may take the next, readiest, and best way for their Journeys end. An awakened Conscience is like Hercules in Bivio; there are two ways present themselves, the way of Sin and Flesh-pleasing, and the way of God's Commandments; or as it is Matth. 7. 13, 14. the broad way, and the narrow way; the broad way of Sin seemeth pleasant and enticing, but it leadeth to death; the narrow way is rough and craggy, troublesome to Flesh and Blood, but the end is Life and Peace. Now the Soul debateth upon the Choice which of these is better, by weighing the loss and gain on either side, and the final Issue and Tendency of both these ways: or rather the awakened Soul •… s in the case of a Man that is yet to choose; or like a Man that is out of the way, and wants his usual marks; he bethinketh himself if I go on in this broad beaten road of Corruption, I am sure to go down to the Chambers of Death, and perish evermore; Oh but let me make a stop, it is better to take God's Direction than the way of mine own Heart; it is a way that will undo me forever, hitherto I have gone awry, how shall I do to get into the right way? I would be happy, and this Course will never make me so; surely it is better to take God's Counsel than to please the Flesh. No Course will satisfy Conscience, no Course will make you happy but a Life led according to the Word of God. Thus you see it implieth

1. An examination of our past Course, or a looking into our own Estate.

2. A careful watch over future Actions.

3. A consideration of the issue and event of things. I have viewed my life past, I have been wrong, and I see it will be bitterness in the issue; therefore I purpose to give up myself to a course of Obedience, and therefore to consider well of my Actions for the future. Now this is a Work that is not once to be done, but always. As often as we look to ourselves, we shall find something that needeth amendment, and therefore we need to press the Heart with new and pregnant thoughts to mind our Duty, and to use constant Caution, and taking heed to our ways that we may not go wrong. Psal. 39. 1. Thus did David to keep his Heart right, I thought on my ways.

2. The Objects of this consideration, or the things that must be considered; that may be gathered out of the former discourse. But: 1. Who made thee? Eccl. 12. 1. Remember thy Creator in the days of thy Youth. It is a great advantage to call to mind whose Creatures we are; for this will shame us that we have done no more than we have done for Him, from whom we have all that we have, and this in Youth, when the effects of this creating bounty are most fresh upon our Senses; in good earnest consider, who was it that made thee a reasonable Creature? Not a Stone, and without Life, nor a Plant, and without Sense, nor a Beast, and without Reason, but a Man with Reason and Understanding, and Will, and Affections, that thou mayst know him, and love him, and enjoy him. And hast thou never thought of the God that made thee? Art thou of those Hair-brained Fools that go on rashly in a course of Sin, and God is not in all their thoughts? Psalm 10. 4. How canst thou look upon the Body without thoughts of him whose workmanship it is? or think of thy Soul without thinking of God whose Image and Superscription it bears, and without whom thou canst not so much as think? shall it be troublesome to thee to have frequent thoughts of God, when thou canst go musing of Vanity all the day long? shall every trifle find a room in thy Heart when God findeth no room there? He is not far from everyone of us, Acts 17. 27. but we are far from him. He is before thee, behind thee, round about thee, yea within thee, or else thou couldst not keep thy Breath in thy Body for a moment, and wilt thou not then take some time to season thy Heart with thoughts of God? the first miscarriage of Men came from this, Rom. 1. 28. They liked not to retain God in their Knowledge; thoughts of God, and right opinions of God were a burden to them, and therefore they gave up themselves to an ungodly Course, and evil State of Mind. And wilt thou put such a scorn and contempt upon thy Creator as never seriously to think of him; yea, when thoughts of God rush in upon thy Mind, to turn them out as unwelcome Guests? this is to degenerate into the State of Devils, a part of whose torment it is to think of God, they believe and tremble; the more explicit thoughts they have of the Name of God, the more is their Horrour increased. Oh then let thy Meditations of God be sweet and serious, Psalm 104. 34. Every thing that passeth before thine eyes proclaim an invisible God, an Infinite and Eternal Power that made thee and all things else; shall the Heavens above, the Earth beneath thee say, Remember God; and every Creature, every pile of Grass thou treadest upon call to thee, Remember God; and wilt thou be so stupid and scornful as not to cast a look upon him? Then we begin to be serious when thoughts of God are more fastened upon our Hearts.

2. Why did he make thee? not in vain: for no wise Agent will make a thing to no purpose, especially with such advice, Let us make Man. Certainly not for a Life of Sin, to break his Laws, and follow your Lusts, and satisfy your fleshly Desires; was this God's end, that the Creature might rebel against himself? This is not consistent with his Goodness to make us for such an end; or if so, why did he make the Rules of Justice and Equity natural to us, so that Man is a Law to himself, Rom. 2. 14. nor for Sport and Recreation, to eat, drink, and be merry, or to melt away your days in Ease and Idleness. He spake rather like a Beast than like a Man, Soul take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry, thou hast goods laid up for many years, Luke 12. 19. If merely for Pleasures, why did he give us a Conscience? the brute Beasts are fitter for such an use, who have no Conscience, and therefore no remorse to embitter their Pleasures. What was the End for which God made us, was it to gather Wealth, and that the Soul might cater for the Body, and we might live well here in the World? No, for then God's Work would terminate in itself. And why were such noble Faculties given us, such an high flying Reason that hath a sense of another World; if this were all God's end that we might grovel here upon Earth, and scrape and heap up this World's Riches? We see they are the basest of Men who are given to these kind of pursuits. Surely this was not God's end; but why was it? Prov. 16. 4. God hath made all things for himself, for his Glory, and so Man to glorify him and enjoy him. The Beasts were made to glorify him in their kind, but Man to enjoy him. This is my End, to seek after God, to please him, to serve him; Psal. 14. 2. The Lord looked down from Heaven upon the Children of Men, to see if there were any that did understand and seek God. God that hath fixed his End, observeth what Man doth in compliance with it, what affection and care they have to find him, please him, glorify him. Reason will tell us as well as Scripture that the first Cause must be the last End, and we must end there where we began at first; 1 Cor. 10. 31. Whether therefore ye eat or drink, or whatever ye do, do all to the Glory of God. Well then, I was not made for nothing, not to sin away my Life, nor to sport it away, nor to talk it away, nor to drudg it away in the servile and basest Offices of this Life; my end is to enjoy God, and my work and business is to serve and glorify him.

3. How little you have answered this End. God complaineth of our backwardness to this Work, Ier. 8. 6. No Man repented of his wickedness, saying, what have I done. God upon a review found every days work good, very good, in themselves, and their correspondence and frame, Gen. 1. 31. But when we consider our Ways, we shall find that all is evil, very evil. We have too long gone on in a course of Sin, and the more we go on, the more we shall go astray, and wander from the great End for which we were created, which was God's Service and Honor. Oh consider your Ways, especially when Conscience is set awork by the Word, or when we smart under the folly of our own wanderings, and God maketh us sensible of our mistake by some smart Scourge; if we never seriously thought on our Ways before, then is a time to think of them, and to count it a Mercy that we are not left to go on in a course of Sin without checks and disappointments. Oh look upon the drift and course of your Lives and Actions, pry into every corner of them, what have I been doing hitherto? spending my days in Vanity, and Sin? have I remembered my Creator, made it my work to serve him, my scope to glorify him? have I looked after this as the unum necessarium, the great Law and Business of my Life? that I might enjoy Communion with God? Oh for how long a time hath God been kept out of his right, and I have been sowing to the Flesh, and never minded the great Errand for which I was sent into the World! None can excuse himself.

4. The unkindness and baseness of such a course that you may make it odious to the Soul. God hath not only made me, but kept me, and provided for me day after day. The God which fed me all my life-time, saith Jacob, Gen. 48. 15. I have been fed at his Table, clothed at his cost, defended, kept, when long ago God might have struck me dead in my Sins; and yet all this while I have not thought of God to pay the return of my thanks and obedience to my great Benefactour: The v •… ry Beasts, are more dutiful in their kind to Man, who as God's Instrument provideth for them; Isa. 1. 3. The Ox knows his owner, and the Ass his Masters Crib, but my People will not know, Israel will not consider. How senseless have I been of the great Obligations wherein I stand bound to God? there is the fault we do not know, and will not consider what hath been done to God for this.

5. What it will come to, or what will become of you if you should still so continue, or if I should go on in this course what will be my portion forever? nothing but an eternal Separation from God, and endless Torments with the Devil and his Angels; Psal. 50. 22. Now consider this, ye that forget God, lest I tear you in pieces, and there be none to deliver. Oh this is the means to awaken the Conscience, and to affect the Heart with high and right thoughts of God. What will be the end of those that go far away from God, if they do not make hast to come home to him? eternal and merciless Vengeance: for God will not always bear with forgetful Sinners, they shall be torn in pieces, the Soul sent to Hell, and the Body to the Grave. Oh it concerneth the poor impenitent wretch that now goeth on fearless in a course of Sin, immediately to stop in his march, lest he be hurried away to the place of Torment, and there be no escaping. Now urge this upon the Heart, and exercise your Thoughts in the remembrance of it, and if you have overcome, and overwrestled some former qualms of Conscience, now lay it to heart, and do so no more. It may be the hour is at hand, when God will take away your Souls from you, and all your Sins shall be set in order before you, and the stupid Conscience that is now senseless shall have a lively feeling of all your Rebellions and Unkindnesses done to God, as the Paper which was but now white, when stamped with the printing Irons hath a Story written upon it in legible Characters.

6. How much it concerneth you to come out of this Condition speedily, for God is not a God to be neglected or dallied with. When he calls in the seasons of Grace he will be observed, otherwise you may call, and he will have no regard; They shall call and I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but not find me; Prov. 1. 28. When you receive many checks of Conscience, entreaties of Grace, motions of the Spirit in vain, God will be gone. God doth commonly give Men a Day, and no Man or Angel knoweth how long this Day shall last. God gave Cain a day, if thou dost well, shalt thou not be accepted? if thou dost ill, Sin lieth at the door. Oh then when you begin to have thoughts of turning unto God, let them not be quelled. God reckoneth every hour, these three Years, this second Epistle, this second Miracle; and when his Patience will expire, you cannot tell.

7. How happy it will be for you when once you change your Course. The Prodigal remembered the plenty in his Fathers House; you will find a manifest difference; Rom. 6. 21, 22. What fruit had you then in those things, whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is Death. But now being made free from Sin, and become Servants to God, ye have your fruit unto Holiness, and the end everlasting Life. In the way no such gripes of Conscience, no shame, sorrow, fears; in the end everlasting Life. It was your mistaking that called the days of Sin good days, Oh but when fruitful in Holiness you will have present Comfort and serenity of Mind, a taste of the clusters of Canaan in the Wilderness, hope of a glorious State, and the best will be at last. Compare Pain with Pain, Pleasure with Pleasure. We do not compare right, the pains of Godliness with pleasures of Sin; and yet there you may see the discharging of our Duty will yield more true Comfort and Peace than all the Pleasures of Sin can bring us.

8. What Hopes by Christ, Heb. 3. 1. Wherefore, holy Brethren, partakers of the heavenly Calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our Profession, Jesus Christ, what Provision God hath made.

Thirdly, Let me argue the Necessity of this Consideration.

1. Otherwise Men are rash, careless and precipitant, and act as they are carried on by their own Lusts; whereas if they did consider, it would stop them in the course of Sin; they rush like an horse into the Battle, because, no man saith, what have I done? Jer. 8. 6. Men run on like a head-strong Horse after their Lusts and Fancies, whereas, if they do seriously bethink themselves, and cast in a few grave thoughts about things to come, it would be like the putting in of cold water into a boiling Pot, abate the fervor of their Lusts. Men are wicked because they are Inconsiderate; there are Arguments enough against Sin, if they would but pause and weigh them seriously; but we do not think of Heaven, and Hell, and therefore they do not work upon us; Eccles. 11. 9. Remember that for all these things God will bring thee to Judgment.

2. This serious Consideration is a good means to awaken us from the sleep of security, when we consider the end why we were made, the Rule we are to walk by, and pose ourselves about Conformity or Inconformity to this Rule, and do withal revolve the issues of things in our Minds, it cannot but rouse us up out of our sloth and stupidness, and make us act more vigorously and regularly as to the ends of our Creation. Oh what shall I do? the first Grace is Awakening, that maketh way for other Graces; Eph. 5. 14. Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee Light. Whereas otherwise, when we consider not, we are stupid and sottish; Isa. 44. 19. None considereth in his heart, is there not a lie in my right hand? I have burnt part in the fire. Eccles. 5. 1. They offer the Sacrifice of fools, for they consider not that they have done evil: they do not weigh their Actions. The Reason why they go wrong, and continue wrong is, they do not seriously ponder and debate with themselves what it will come to.

3. By Consideration we come to find where the Work of God sticketh with us, and so Conviction being the more particular, worketh the more kindly. A blunt Iron that toucheth many points doth not so soon go to the quick, as a Needle that toucheth but one point; Mal. 3. 17. Return, and they said, wherein shall we return; we do not see the need of Repentance so much as by prying narrowly into our own Ways. In short, without this, Life is not so regular, the Heart is not overpowered with such strong and full Reason to comply with God's Counsel.

II. How much it concerneth us after we have considered our Ways to turn to the Lord, and diligently to pursue the Course which he hath prescribed. I turned my feet unto thy Testimonies, a sound Conversion is here described.

1. I turned, in the thorough purpose of his Heart, that is the Act on our part. It is by God's Grace that we are turned, but we turn ourselves when the purpose of our Souls is fixed. Turn me, and I shall be turned. God inclineth the Heart, and we manifest it by binding ourselves by a thorough purpose. A wish, an offer, when it endeth only in that, we have not considered enough; but when the Heart is bent, I am turned. The Prodigal when he took up, came to himself, and had reasoned the case, says, I will go to my Father, Luke 15. 18. it must be such a purpose as is diligently pursued.

2. The Object or Rule, my feet unto thy Testimonies. By his Feet is meant the course of his Life. Our Will and natural Inclination should be no Rule to us, but God's Testimonies. We must entirely give up ourselves to the direction of his Word. As many as walk according to this Rule, Gal. 1. 16. we are not to walk as we list. There is a fixed determinate Rule, which must be kept with all accurateness and attention; a Godly man is very tender of breaking this Rule; he makes Conscience of keeping to this Rule.

Now it concerneth us to make sure work of it.

1. Because Convictions lost occasion the greater hardness of Heart. No Iron so hard as that which has been often heated, and oft quenched: and no Heart so bad as theirs that seemed to have some serious and anxious thoughts about their eternal Condition. The Devil is the more busy and watchful about them, because of their offer to escape: and God is the more provoked because they started aside when they were at the point of yielding. As better a Match were never proposed, then to break off just as it is ready to be concluded. Always according to the closeness of the Application if it succeed not, so doth our hardness of Heart increase: they that were ministerially stirred, when they pull away the Shoulder, their Hearts grow like an Adamant Stone; Zech. 7. 11, 12. But they refused to hearken, and pulled away the Shoulder, and stopped their Ears that they should not hear: Tea, they made their hearts as an Adamant Stone, lest they should hear the Law, and the words which the Lord of Hosts hath sent in his Spirit by the former Prophets: therefore came a great wrath from the Lord of Hosts. When the Spirit is in a way of striving, Gen. 6. 3. When you are any way affected, if resistance be continued he withdraws. When Men blunt the edge of Conscience, deaden their Affections, they lose all feeling; 2 Pet. 2. 20. 21. For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the World through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome; the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. For it had been better for them not to have known the way of Righteousness, then after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them. They sin against former knowledge, Experience, and sense of the Truth. As their Light is, so their resisting causeth Hardness, and all the sensible work comes to nothing; but that is not all, it turneth to loss; it maketh it more difficult than it was before in regard of us; it maketh us more careless; when we had some stirring in our Consciences before, we healed it slightly, and we think to do so again.

2. You will provoke God to use a rougher Dispensation, when the persuasions of the Word, and the strivings of the Spirit cannot bring you to Repentance. They will not be won by Arguments; God teacheth them by Blows, as Gideon did the Men of Succoth by Briers and Thorns: therefore they shall shortly find themselves so involved in the fruit of their Sins, as they shall not look off from it; their guilt shall lay hold of them at every hand; Hos. 7. 2. They consider not in their hearts, that I remember all their Sins; now their doings have beset them round about. We should be much with our Hearts considering our Case, how it is with us. God useth not the Rod till forced to it; He doth not willingly grieve nor afflict the children of men, Lament. 3. 33. When milder means work but half a cure, the rest is supplied by some pressing Judgments; his Work is stopped, and therefore he promotes it this way.

3. It is a sign your Consideration is not serious when you are off and on, and it produceth no good effect in the Soul. A Plaister may be Sovereign, but when you are still pulling it off, and putting it on it does no good. Light Thoughts work not, when they are deep and ponderous, then they leave a durable Impression. Still it is, remember and turn, Psal. 22. 27. All the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the Lord: bethink and repent, 1 Kings 8. 47. If they shall bethink themselves in the land whither they are carried captives, and repent, search and try, and turn unto the Lord. Some are semper victuri, always considering about to live; but you must once resolve: kindly Convictions will not die, nor let the convinced Sinner alone till they appear in the fruits of Obedience.

4. The Devil hath his Purposes, Matth. 13. 19. The wicked one catcheth away that which was sown in his heart; he watcheth troubled Sinners that the work may die away.

Use 1. To reprove us,

1. For nor considering our ways. When did you ever go aside, and seriously debate with yourselves about your turning to God? Did you ever lay it to your Hearts how matters stand between you and God? There are certain Seasons when God calleth you to it, and that is,

1. When the Doctrine of Life and the way of Salvation hath been represented unto you with evidence and power, and you have felt some stirring and trouble in your Consciences, did you go home and say, Rom. 8. 31. What shall we then say to these things? God hath spoken to me this day, now shall all this be lost and come to nothing? Heb. 2. 3. How shall I escape if I neglect so great Salvation? Now I am called to mind Christ and Salvation more; if I should give no heed to these things, or only give them the hearing for the present, oh what will become of me? There is a special Providence in every message, Warning, Offer, or Instruction by the Word. Acts 13. 26. To you is this Word of Salvation sent; he doth not say we brought it, but God sent it, as some message of God for your trial. Do we think of these things which we have heard and learned?

2. When God appeareth against you in a course of Judgments, cutting off one comfort after another, now taking away a Child, then blasting the Estate. Now consider your ways, Eccl. 7. 14. In the day of adversity consider, then is the Duty in Season. Affliction doth not rise out of the dust, God hath some end in these Providences, and what is his end but to make me mindful of my Duty to him? See for what end these things come, and to what issue they tend, that we may hear the Rod, and know the meaning of the Providence. If you do not consider, God will make you consider before he hath done with you. Ier. 23. 20. The anger of the Lord shall not return, till he hath performed all the thoughts of his Heart: And then you shall consider it perfectly. God will follow blow after blow, till we do consider his mind and purpose. Ier. 30. 24. The fierce anger of the Lord shall not return until he hath done it, and until he hath performed the intents of his Heart.

2. To reprove us for not taking this advantage. When we are set a thinking of our ways, we have many thoughts and sensible stirrings, but they come to nothing, because we do not follow it close: you think, and have some workings of Conscience, but do they end in a fixed purpose? Some break through all as Saul forces himself, 1 Sam. 13. 12. Break through all restraints of Conscience. Felix had his qualme, but he puts it off to another Season. Oh consider these things will one day be a Witness against you, the sensible workings upon your Hearts by the word and rod.

Use 2. Is to stir us up-to this Work, serious consideration in order to sound Conversion.

1. Be frequent in it; if daily you called yourselves to an account, all acts of Grace would thrive the better. Seneca of Sextius, quid hodie malum sanasti? cui vitio obstitisti? You have God's example in reviewing every days work, and in dealing with Adam before he slept. The Man that was unclean, was to wash his clothes at Even-tide.

2. Seriously set yourself to it, Deuter. 32. 46. Set your Hearts unto all the Words which I testify among you this day. It is a weighty matter of Life and Death. Psal. 4. 4. Commune with your Hearts and be still, this is the way to check sin, and to come on most hopefully in a course of Obedience.

3. Drive your thoughts to a Resolution, to rectify whatever is amiss, never leave thinking of your ways till you grow anxious about Eternal Life, nor let your anxiousness cease till you bring it to somewhat; grow to some resolution about the ways of God. Pray God to make your Consideration effectual, 2 Tim. 2. 4. Consider what I have said, and the Lord give you understanding in all things, this is but the means, God giveth the Grace.

SERMON LXVII.

PSAL. CXIX. 60.

I made haste, and delayed not to keep thy Commandments.

IN the Verse immediately preceeding, the Man of God speaks of Repentance as the Fruit of consideration and self-examining, I considered my ways, and then turned my Feet to thy Testimonies. But when did he turn? for though we see the evil of our ways, we are naturally slow to get it redressed. Therefore David did not only turn to God, but he did it speedily, we have an account of that in this Verse I made haste, &c. this readiness in the work of Obedience is doubly expressed, Affirmatively and Negatively. Affirmatively, I made haste, Negatively, I delayed not. This double Expression increaseth the sense according to the manner of the Hebrews, as Psal. 118. 17. I shall not die, but live, that is, surely live, so here, I made haste and delayed not, that is, I verily delayed not a moment; as soon as he had thought of his ways, and taken up resolutions of walking closely with God, he did put it into Practice. The Septuagint read the words thus, I was ready and was not troubled or diverted by fear of danger. Indeed besides our natural slowness to Good, this is one usual ground of delays, we distract ourselves with fears, and when God hath made known his Will to us in many Duties, we think of tarrying till the times are more quiet, and favor our Practice, and our Affairs are in a better posture. A good improvement may be made of that translation. But the words run better as they run more generally with us, I made haste and delayed not, &c. and from thence observe,

Doct. That the call of God whether to amendment and newness of Life, or to any particular Duty must be without delay obeyed.

To illustrate the point by these Reasons.

Reason 1. Ready Obedience is a good Evidence of a sound impression of Grace left upon our Hearts. There's a slighter conviction which breedeth a sense of Duty, but doth not urge us thoroughly to the performance of it; and so men stand reasoning instead of running, debating the case with God: and there's a more sound conviction which is accompanied with a prevailing Efficacy, and when we have this upon our Spirits, then all excuses and delays are laid aside, and we come off readily and kindly in the way of compliance with God's call. This is Doctrinally spoken of, Cant. 1. 4. Draw me and we will run after thee. Running is an earnest and speedy motion, from whence comes it? From drawing, it is a Fruit of drawing, or the sweet and powerful attraction which the Spirit of God useth in the Hearts of the Elect. Instances I might give you in several calls and conversions spoken of in Scripture. When Christ called Andrew and Peter, they left their Father and followed after him, Mark 1. 20. So when Christ called Zacchaeus, he made haste, and came down from the Tree, and received him joyfully, Luke 19. 6. So Christ to Matthew, follow me, and straightway he followed him, Matth. 9. 9. Julian the Apostate scoffs at these passages, as if it were irrational to conceive such a thing could be, that men should so soon leave their course of gain, and their calling; or else that Christ's followers were a kind of sotts and fools, weak, and poor spirited Creatures, that upon a word speaking, they would come off presently all of a sudden: but impulsions of the Spirit carry their own reason with them, and draw the Heart without anymore ado. But such as he, were not acquainted with the workings of the Holy ghost in Conversion, therefore scoff at these things. So Gal. 1. 16. Immediately I conferred not with Flesh and Blood. When our call is clear, there needs no debate. When Men stand reasoning instead of running, there is not a through work upon them.

Reason 2. The sooner we turn to the ways of God, the better we speed. How So?

1. Partly in this, that the Work goes on the more kindly, as being carried forth in the strength of the present influence and impulsion of Grace; whereas if the heart grow cold again, it will be the more difficult. A blow while the Iron is hot doth more than ten at another time when it grows cold again: so when thy Heart grows cold, thou wilt not have that advantage as when thou art under a warm conviction. And indeed that's the Devils cheat to speak of hereafter, to elude the importunity of the present conviction that is upon you. John 5. 4. You know when the waters were stirred, then was the time to put in, he that stepped in first had experience of the Sanative virtue of the Waters; So when the Heart is stirred, we should not lose this advantage, but come on upon that call. There are several Metaphors in Scripture that do express this; sometimes, we must open when God knocks, Cant. 5. we must enter when God opens, lest the door be shut against us, Matth. 25. we must come forth when he bids us, as Lot out of Sodom, lest we perish; when a thing is done speedily and in season it's a great advantage.

2. The more welcome to God the sooner we turn to him. We value a gift not only by its own worth, but by the readiness of him that gives; if we have it at first asking, we count it a greater kindness, and give the more thanks: so the less we stand hucking with God, and demurring upon his call, the more acceptable is our Obedience. Pharaoh did at length let Israel go, but was forced to it, and with much ado, no thanks to him. It is true indeed if we turn at length seriously, heartily, we are accepted with God, but not so accepted as when we come in at first. Surely the sewer calls we withstand, the less we provoke God, and the more ready entertainment do we find. The Spouse that would not open at the first knock, but only at length when her bowels were troubled, when she thought of her unkindness, then she went out to open to her Beloved, but then her Beloved was gone. You will not find God at your beck when you dally with him. Your Comforts will cost you longer waiting for, when you make God wait for entrance, and would not give way to the work of his Grace.

3. You speed better because your personal benefit is the greater, the sooner you turn to the Lord. You have more knowledge, more experience, you get more comfort, you would be more profitable to others, more useful to God; if ever God touch your hearts, and once you come to experiment what an excellent thing it is to live in Communion with God, you will be sorry you began no sooner. Paul complains, that he was as a man born out of due time, 1 Cor. 15. 8. and so had not the advantage of seeing Christ in the Flesh, until he shown himself to him from Heaven in the Vision upon his Conversion. You lose many a comfortable sight of Christ because you were so late acquainted with him. And it is said of Andronicus and Iunias, Rom. 16. 7. they were in Christ before me. Certainly he that is first in Christ, and sooner called to Grace, hath the advantage of us. An early acquaintance with God gives us advantages both in point of Enjoyment and Service. In point of Enjoyment; peace, comfort, joy in the Holy-ghost. A man would not want these things they are so valuable in themselves, the want of them is an incomparable loss to us. Certainly they would have been much better then all those Flesh-pleasing Vanities that you dote upon, and keep you from Christ. A man that hath for a long while wasted his time and strength in driving on a pedling trade, when he is acquainted with a more gainful course, Oh saith he that I had known this sooner: so, none have any taste of the ways of God, but they will wish so; Oh that I had sooner renounced my carnal delights, and betaken myself to the service of God.

Then advantages in point of Service. What honor might we have brought to God, what good done to others, if we had begun sooner! Oh saith one, had I but the time to spend again which I trifled away in the Devils service. What use might I have made of the vigor and freshness of my Youth, and q •… ckness of my Parts for God, and the large track of time which I spent in Sin and Vanity! Every day in a carnal state was a loss of opportunity of Service, the glorifying of God, the great end for which you were made.

Reason 3. There is danger and hazard in delay and putting off a business of such concernment, as Conversion to God and his ways is, upon such uncertainties. For the understanding of the force of this Reason,

1. Let us determine that this is a business of the greatest concernment, and that will show us the folly of our delays; for certainly the greatest work should first be thought of. Now if you will believe the Word of God, that will tell you, the Salvation of your Souls should be your main care. Matth. 6. 33. Seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness, &c. Psal. 27. 4. One thing have I desired of the Lord, and that will I seek after, &c. Whatever is neglected, this is a business that must be looked after. And Luke 10. 42. One thing is needful. Let us argue from these places. Certainly that which is necessary should be preferred before that which is superfluous. A man would take care to get Meat rather than Sauce: and would prefer his Business before his Recreation. That which is Eternal, before that which is Temporal. It is not necessary we should be great and rich in the World. Within a little while it will not be a pin to choose what part we have acted here. But it is necessary we should be gracious, holy, and acquainted-with God in Christ, that's our business. Again, that which is Eternal should be preferred before that which is Temporal. You count him a fool that is very exact and careful to get his room in an Inn furnished, when he neglects his House where his constant abode is. In the other World there's our long Home, and if all our care should be here for the present Estate where we tarry but for a night, but a little while, and neglect Eternity, our everlasting happiness, that were a very great folly. That which is Spiritual, which concerns our Soul should be preferred before that which is Carnal and Corporal, and only concerns the Body, for the better part should have the most care. As for instance, a man that is wounded and cut through his clothes and skin and all, will sooner look to have the wound closed up in his Body, than the rent made up in his Garment. So the Distempers of the inward Man should be first cured before we look after the outward Man, which is as it were the Garment, and Cloathing, for these outward things shall be added. Here's your Work to please God, not satisfy the •… lesh. This is that which concerns us not only for a while but forever, and concerns the inward Man. This is the grand business of concernment; therefore we should delay other things rather than delay the Work of our Salvation; yet usually all other things have a quick dispatch, and this only is neglected and lies by the Wall.

2. That this business of concernment is left upon great hazard and uncertainty.

1. Life is uncertain. He that does seriously consider the uncertain shortness of the present Life, how can he delay a moment, lest he be called home to God before his great errand for which he was sent into the World, be done? Many of you when you seriously think of it would not for a thousand worlds die the next day so unprovided, unfurnished with promises, evidences, experiences; and yet it may be so, that that may be the time when they shall be called home to God. This life is but a vapor, James 4. 4. a little warm breath turned in and out by the Nostrils that is soon choked and stopped. And thou knowest not what will be on the morrow, Prov. 27. 1. As that devout Person said when he was invited to a Meal the next day to come tomorrow to a Feast, I have not had a morrow for these many years. We have no security for the next day but our own word, and he that hath nothing but his own word to secure him, is very weakly secured. Life is short, and we make it shorter by continuing in Sin. It is uncertain: if there were a fixed time and period wherein we knew our continuance should be in the World, then we should be tempted to wallow freely in our carnal Lusts, and entertain Sin a little longer, and put off repentance till hereafter. But God hath left Life upon great uncertainties, the hand of Providence may soon crop you off long before you come to your Flower. None are nearer to destruction than those that promise themselves a longer time in Sin. Luke 12. 19. Thou hast Goods laid up for many years, but thou Fool this night thy Soul shall be required of thee. God loves to disappoint secure careless Souls that promise themselves a longer Life without his leave, he will break in upon a sudden. A poor careless Sinner would •… ain keep his Soul a little longer! No, it is demanded now: he doth not give it up, but it is taken away from him. Reason with thyself as Isaac, Gen. 27. 2. (I allude to it) Behold now I am old, I know not the day of my death, make me savoury meats that my Soul may bless thee before I die. So reason, I have spent so much time in the world, and I know not the day of my dissolution when God will call me home, Oh let me go to God that he may bless me before I die.

2. You know not whether the means of Gra •… shall be continued to you or no, and such affectionate offers, and melting entreaties, Acts 13. 46. Since you put away the word of God from you, you judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting Life. God will not always wait upon a lingering Sinner; but will take the denial and be gone. They judge themselves unworthy of that Grace, they pass Sentence upon themselves. 2 Cor. 6. 1, 2. Now is the accepted time, now is the day of Salvation: we beseech you receive not the Grace of God in vain. God hath his seasons, and when these are past will not treat with us in such a mild affectionate manner. The means of Grace are removed from a people by strange Providences, when they have slighted the offers of Grace; Luke 13. 7. These three years I came seeking fruit on this Fig-tree, and find none: cut it down, why cumbreth it the ground? In that Text there's first God's righteous expectation, These three years I came seeking Fruit. He was the dresser of the Vineyard, they were the three years of his Ministry, as by a serious harmonizing the Evangeli •… ts will appear that he was just now entering upon his last half year, they had his Ministry among them. (2) Their unthankful frustration, I find none, nothing answerable to what means they enjoyed. (3) God's terrible denunciation, Cut it down, why cumbreth it the ground? God will root up a people, or remove the means, and therefore will ye leave it upon such uncertainties?

3. There's an uncertainty of Grace, 2 Tim. 2. 25. If God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth. It is a mere hazard, it may be he will, it may be not. It is uncertain whether the Spirit of God will ever put in your Heart a thought of turning to God again, Gen. 6. 3. My Spirit shall not always strive with man. The Spirit of God strives for a long while, follows a Sinner, casts in many an anxious Thought, troubles and shakes him out of his carnal quiet and security, but this will not always last. Ah Christians, there are certain Seasons if we had the skill to take hold of them; there is an appointed fixed time when God is nearer to us then at another time, and we shall never have our Hearts at such an advantage; Isa. 55. 6. Call upon him while he is near, and while he may be found. There are certain Seasons which are times of finding. Some are of opinion that there are certain Seasons when a Man may be rich if he will, when God offereth him an opportunity for an Estate in the World, if he knew the time and how to take hold of it. Certainly to those that live under the means of Grace there's a time of finding, when God is nearer to them than at another time, and therefore will you slip that, and leave it upon such great uncertainties?

4. There's an uncertainty in this; we are not certain of having the use of our natural Faculties, we may lose our Understandings by a stupid Disease, and God may bring a Judgment upon those that dally with him in the work of Repentance. It is an usual Judgment upon them that while they were alive did forget God; when they come to die, to forget themselves, and have not the free use of their Reason, but invaded with some stupid Disease, die in their Sins, and so pass into another World.

Reason 4. The Fourth Reason is the great mischief of delay.

1. The longer we delay, the greater indisposition is there upon us to embrace the Ways of God. Oh Christians, when we press you to Holy things, to turn yourselves to the Lord, you begin to make some Essay, and then are discouraged, and find it is hard and tedious to Flesh and Blood, and so you give over. Now mark, if it be hard today, it will be harder the next, so the third onward, for it is hardness of heart that makes the Work of God hard. Now the more we provoke God, the more we resist his Call, the more hard the Heart is; the impulsions of his Grace are not so strong as before, and the Heart every day is more hardened. As a Path weareth the harder by frequent treading, so the Heart is more hard, the Mind more blind, the Will more obstinate, the Affections more engaged and rooted in a course of Sin, Ier. 13. 23. Can the Ethiopian change his Skin, or the Leopard his Spots? then may ye also do good, that are accustomed to do evil. O to break off an inveterate Custom is hard. A Plant newly set is more easily taken up, than a Plant that hath taken root. When we grow old and rotten in the way of Sin, it will be much harder for us than now it is: the longer we lie soaking here in Sin, the farther off from God.

2. We provide the more discomfort for ourselves. Always the proportion of our Sorrow is according to the measure of our Sins. Whether it be godly Sorrow, the sorrow of Repentance, or despairing Sorrow, those Horrours which are imprest upon us as a Punishment of our Rebellion and Impenitency, in both senses you still increase your Sorrow the more you sin. For the sorrow of Repentance, it is clear that Sorrow must carry proportion with our Offences. She that had much forgiven, wept much. Certainly it will cost you the more Tears, a greater humbling before God, the longer you continue in a course of Sin against him. And for the sorrow of Punishment, you are treasuring up wrath against the day of wrath, Rom. 2. 5. your Burthen will be greater and more increased upon you. It is too heavy for your Shoulders already to bear, why should we add to the weight of it? Either our sorrow of Repentance will be greater, or the anxious sense of our Punishment: for in both God observes, and God requires a proportion.

3. Consider how unfit we shall be for God's service if we delay a little longer, when our strength is spent, and vigor of youth exhausted; when our Ears grow deaf, Eyes dim. Understanding dull, Affections spent, Memory lost, is this a time to begin with God, and to look after the business of our Souls? Certainly he that made all, that was our Creator, deserves the flower of our strength, Eccles. 12. 1. when the tackling is spoiled, and Ship rotten, is that a time to put to Sea? or rather, when the Ship is new built? Shall the Devil feast upon the flower and freshness of your Youth, and God only have the scraps and fragments of the Devils Table? when we are good for nothing else, then to think we are good enough for God, and the business of Religion which requires all our might, and all our strength. When we are spent, is it a time to begin our Warfare, or in our youth?

4. There is this, the just suspicion which is upon a late Repentance, it is seldom sound; it is no true Repentance which ariseth merely from horror and fears of Hell. It may be but the beginnings of everlasting despair. And their desires may be but offers of self-love after their own ease. All men seek the Lord at length, but wise men seek him betimes. The difference is made on some in time, on others out of time, upon their death-beds. The most profane would have God for their Portion when they can sin no more, and enjoy the world no longer, how can we tell this is a sound work? it seems tobe a very questionable thing, merely proceeding from self-love, and natural desires of happiness in all men. When we begin with God we begin out of self-love, we come for our ease and interest that we may be safe and happy; afterwards we come to a delight of Spirit in his Service, and having opportunity show in our works the power of our affection to God, and manifest the soundness of our conversion. It is possible a Death-bed repentance may be true, but it is very doubtful. There is but one Instance, which is that of the Thief upon the Cross. The Scriptures are a History of 5000 years, yet all that while we have but one instance of a man that repented when he came to die; and in that one instance there's an extraordinary conjunction of Circumstances, such as will never fall out again; Christ was at the Thiefs right hand, in the height of his Love drawing Sinners to Salvation; and probably this man had never any such call till then. Some may at the eleventh hour be converted, because they were not called till then. Everyone came when they were called. Therefore there being so great and just a suspicion that lies against a late Repentance, certainly we should not delay.

Reason 5. The Reasons for delay are very inconsiderable. Solomon saith Prov. 26. 16. That the Sluggard thinks himself wiser than seven men that can render a reason. Mark, as Solomon's fool is not to be taken Litterally but Spiritually, so Solomon's sluggard is not to be taken Morally but Spiritually. They that are sluggish and slow of Heart in the things of God They think they have a great deal of reason on their side, and will not be persuaded on the contrary but they shall do well enough for all that, and they can argue against the calls and injunctions of God; yet how little can they say for themselves? See what reasons may be said for delay, I mean not that they plead and argue, but it is that which sways them, that which lies next the Heart is this; why they keep off from God, and are satisfied with their present Estate.

1. The pleasures of sin are sweet, and they are loath to forgo them, and to engage their Souls in the severities of a strict obedience. Here's the bottom reason, this is that which sways them. I will not speak to this plea as it lies against Conversion itself, but only as it makes men to delay. If I were to plead for conversion itself, I would tell these Carnallists of higher Pleasure; that their delights shall not be abrogated, but preserved; their delight shall be transplanted from Egypt to Canaan that it may thrive and prosper in a happier Soyl; that they may have purer contentments, and those chaste and happy satisfactions of enjoying Communion with God. But I shall only deal with them as it relates to the delay of Conversion. Therefore I thus argue, These pleasures of sin must one day be renounced, or you are forever miserable, and if you must one day, why not now. For mark, sin will be as sweet hereafter as now it is, and Salvation is always dispensed upon the same terms, you cannot be saved hereafter with less ado, or bring down Christ and Heaven to a lower rate, and therefore if this be a Reason now, it will ever lie as a reason against Christ and Religion, then you will never tend to look after the ways of life; if you are loath to part with sin now, you will never part with it. The Laws of Christianity are always the same, God will not bate you anything of Repentance, and your heart is not like to be better but worse, that's the sum of it, and therefore this reason signifies nothing when it comes to be tried in the balance of the sanctuary, and yet this is the main reason.

2. They can plead other things, hope God will be merciful to them hereafter though they indulge themselves a little longer in sin, he will at length save them. I answer, you cannot bend his Mercy and make it save, it is a mere uncertainty, peradventure he will, peradventure not. Would you take poison out of hope that afterward you may meet with an Antidote? And this is the very case between God and us. I answer further, there are shrewd suspicions that God will not be merciful to those that run such a desperate adventure. For whoever delays his Repentance, doth in effect pawn his Soul with the Devil, and leaves it in his hands, and says, here Satan keep my Soul, if I fetch it not again by such a day, 'tis thine forever: and can you think mercy will bring it out? Again, there are great causes of fear, because there is such a thing as judicial hardness of heart, by a Sentence of obduration. There are some that God gives up to their own ways and counsels, and God inflicts this Sentence upon those that continue in sin, notwithstanding conviction of their hearts to the contrary, Prov. 1. 24. Ye have set at naught all my Counsel, and would none of my reproof: I will also laugh at your calamity, and mock when your fear cometh. There are thousands in Hell merely upon this account, that have forfeited the benefit of God's Mercy, and tenders of his grace, and have been shut up by hardness of heart, by God's Sentence of obduration; the most dreadful punishment that can light upon a Creature on this side Hell.

3. I but we are willing, and would turn to the Lord now, but we have no leisure, and have not those conveniencies that we shall have hereafter, for then we shall get things into a better frame and posture. Oh no, no, it is mere hypocrisy to think you are willing when you delay, for there is nothing hinders but a want of will, and a loathness to comply with the commands of God. When we dare not flatly deny, then we delay. Non vacat that's the sinners plea, I am not at leisure, but non placet there's the reality, Matth. 22. 7. They which were invited to the Wedding varnished their denial over with an excuse. Delay is a denial, for if they were willing there would be no excuse. To be rid of importunate and troublesome Creditors, we promise them payment another time, and we know our Estate will be more wasted by that time, it is but to put them off: So, this delay and putting off God is but a shift. Here's the misery, God always comes unseasonably to a carnal heart. It was the Devils that said, Matth. 8. 29. Art thou come to torment us before our time? Good things are a torment to a carnal heart, and they always come out of time. Certainly that's the best time when the word is pressed upon the heart with evidence, light and power, and when God treats with thee about thine eternal peace.

Reason 6. There are very urgent reasons to quicken us to make has •… e.

1. The state wherein we are at present, is so bad and dangerous that we can never soon enough come out of it. The state of a man in his Carnal condition is compared in Scripture to a Prison, Rom. 11. 32. God hath concluded or shut them all up in unbelief. And mark, it is a Prison that is all on fire. Oh when poor Captives are bolted and shut up in a flaming Prison, how will they run hither and thither to get out? So should we run and strive to get out of this flaming Prison. You cannot be too soon out of the power of the Devil, or from under the curse of the Law, the danger of hell fire, and the dominion of sin, Matth. 3. 7. Who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? He doth not say, to go, nor to run, but to flee. Fleeing from wrath to come that's the truest motion. And so Heb. 6. 18. They which had the avenger of blood at their heels, fled for refuge to take hold of the hope set before them. If there be poison in our Bowels we think we can never soon enough cast it out. If fire hath taken hold of a building, we do not say we will quench it hereafter, the next week, or next month, but think we can never soon enough quench it. Or if there be a wound in the Body, we do not let it alone till it 〈◊〉 and rankle. Christians you may apply all this to the present case, here the danger is greater. There is no Poison so deadly as Sin which hath infected all Man-kind: no wound so dangerous, for that will be the death of Body and Soul: no fire so dreadful as the wrath of God therefore we cannot soon enough come out of this condition.

2. We cannot be happy soon enough; for the state we make after is the arms of God, the bosom of Jesus, the hopes of Eternal Life, we cannot soon enough get within the compass of such privileges. Oh shall Christ lie by as a dead Commodity, or breaded ware? It shows we know not the gift of God, John 4. If we had a due sense and value of his Excellency, we would take the morning Market, and let not Christ Jesus with all his benefits lie by as a Commodity that may be had at the last, at any time of the day, we would look upon him as the quickest ware in the Market, and flock to him as Doves to the windows, Isa. 6. You would force your way that you might get into his heart, you would count all things but dross and dung that you might gain him. It will be sweet to be encircled in the embraces of Jesus Christ, to have his left hand under your head, and his right hand to embrace you, Cant. 2. 6. and will you delay when he stands offering himself, and stretching out his hands all the day long to receive you?

SERMON LXVIII.

PSAL. CXIX. 60.

I made haste, and delayed not to keep thy Commandments.

I Come now to the Application.

Use 1. Is to reprove the dallying with God, which we are conscious to in the work of Conversion, which is so common and natural to us. We are apt to put off God from time to time, from Child-hood to Youth, from Youth to Mans-age, from Mans-age to Old-age, from Old-age to Death-bed, and so the Devil steals away one hour after another till all time be past.

I shall (1) speak of the causes of this delay, (2) represent the heinousness of it, that you may not stroke this sin with a gentle censure, and think lightly of the matter.

I. Of the causes of this delay.

1. Unbelief, or want of a due sense or sight of things to come. If men were persuaded of Eternal Life, and Eternal Death, they would not stand hovering so long between Heaven and Hell, but presently engage their hearts to draw nigh to God. But we cannot see afar off, 2 Pet. 1. 9. Nature is purblind: to carnal hearts there's a mist upon Eternity, they have no prospective whereby to look into another World, therefore it hath no influence upon them to quicken them to more speed and earnestness. If we had a due sense of Eternal Death, surely we would be sleeing from wrath to come: no motion should be earnest and swift enough to get from such a danger. If we had a due sense of Eternal Life, we would be running to take hold of the hope that is before us, Heb. 6. 18.

2. Security, If men have a cold belief of Heaven and Hell, if they take up the currant opinions of the Country, yet they do not take it into their serious thoughts, they put far away the evil day, Amos 6. 3. Things at a distance do not startle us, as a clap of Thunder afar off doth not fright us so much as when it is just over our heads in our own Zenith. We look upon these things as to come, so put off the thought of them. Next to a want of a sound belief, the want of a serious consideration is the cause why men dally with God. If we had the same thoughts living and dying, our motions would be more earnest and ready. When Death and Eternity is near, we are otherwise affected than when we look upon it as afar off. One said of a zealous Preacher, he Preacheth as if Death were at my back. Oh could we look upon Death as at our back or heels; if men did but consider that within a few days they must go to Heaven or Hell; that there is but the slender thread of a frail Life upon which they depend, that is soon fretted asunder, they would not venture any longer to be out of a state of Grace, nor dally with God. But we think we may live long, and time enough to repent by leisure, we put far off the day of our change, and so are undone by our own security.

3. Aversness of heart from God. That which makes us desirous to stay longer in a way of Sin, doth indeed make us loath to turn at all, and what's that? Obstinacy, and unsubjection of heart to God. The carnal mind is enmity to the Law of God, Rom. 8. 7. We manifest our enmity to the Law of God by delays as well as by a downright opposition. Neh. 〈◊〉 . 6. it is said, the Work went on speedily, why? For the People had a mind to the Work. Where there is an earnest bent of heart, there we cannot linger and dally any longer. But men have no love nor affection to God, therefore do they delay and keep off from him.

4. The love of the World rooted in us, the love of present Delights and present Contentments. This is so deeply rooted in our Nature that here we stick, and are loath to come off kindly to the Work of God. In Matth. 22. when they were invited to the marriage Feast of the Kings Son, that is, to the privileges of the Gospel, what did they plead? The •… arm, Ox •… n, Merchandise, and one had married a Wife, they were loath to be divorced from their dearest Lusts, and to renounce the satisfaction which they had in carnal things, that so they may walk with God in a way of strict Obedience.

II. Let me represent the heinousness of it: because we are apt to stroke it with a gentle censure, and to speak of this with soft words, let us see what this d •… lay and putting off God is, when he comes with a great deal of importunity, and affectionate earnestness, inviting us to partake of his Grace.

1. 'It is flat disobedience to God. You think 'tis but putting it off for a while, No, it is flat disobedience. Why? God is as peremptory for the time and season, as he is for the Duty itself. God doth not only say turn to me, but today, even while it is called today harden not your Hearts, Heb. 3. 7, 8. The Lord deals with us as the Roman Ambassador dealt with Antiochus, when he was shifting and putting off the matter, that he might not give a direct answer to the Romans, the Ambassador draws a circle round about him, saith he, intra hunc, let 〈◊〉 have an answer before thou passest from h •… nce; so God will not only have an answer, but a present answer. If he saith today, it is flat disobedience for you to say tomorrow. He saith, now is the time of Salvation, we are charged in his name, and by his authority to do it now, in this instant.

2. 'It is Ingratitude and Unthankfulness for God's Eternal Love, Psal. 103. 17. From everlasting to everlasting, thy loving kindness is great to them that fear thee. From all Eternity God was mindful of us, and before the World was. With reverence we may speak it, ever since he was God he was our God, from Eternity to Eternity his loving kindness is great, and shall we adjourn and put him off to an odd corner of our lives, when he thought he could never soon enough think of us? Shall the whole duration of God be taken up by his Love to us, and shall we be content to grieve the Spirit of God, and trample his Laws under our Feet for all this? can you have hearts to abuse such a God, and to deal so unkindly with him?

3. It is base disingenuity: we do not deal with God as we would have God to deal with us. If we have any business or errand at the Throne of Grace. we would be heard presently, and are ready to complain if we have not a quick dispatch, Psal. 102. 3. Lord hear me speedily, here's our Language when praying for any relief we stand in need of. To day is a season for Mercy, but tomorrow we make always to be the season for Duty. We would have God to tarry our sinful leisure, till the heat of our Lusts be spent, and fervors of Youth be abated, yet we will not tarry his holy leisure. We are bound, but the Lord is he whether he will answer us or no, yet we murmur if God come not in at our beck: we are always in haste, if in any danger, and want any relief, we cry how long? And shall God stand waiting till we turn from our evil ways? If any cry how long, God may, as he doth, Ier. 13. 27. when shall it once be?

4. It is •… ase self-love, when we can be content to dishonor God longer, provided that at length we may be saved. Shall I say that this is to prefer our Salvation before God? No but it is to prefer our sins before God. And it shows that we are not willing to part with sin upon reasons of Duty, or any real inclination of heart towards God, but only upon reasons of Interest that we may be saved, yea, never to part with it at all if you might have your wills. Not but that a man may and ought to eye rewards and punishments. It is part of the exercise of our saith to eye the reward, and also to eye the punishment: but this manifests an inordinate respect to the reward when we would enjoy our personal happiness, and so that he obtained at length, we care not how God be disobeyed and dishonored. You do but in effect say to God thus, Let me despise thy Commands, and abuse thy Mercies a little longer, then I will look after my Salvation, when my Lusts are satisfied. This is base self-love: Christ did not redeem us only that we might die well, but that we might live well. Not only that we might be safe at last, but glorify God here upon earth. Not only that we might enter into Heaven, but do him service, and that all our days, Luke 1. 74. Being delivered out of the hands of our Enemies, we might serve him without fear, in holiness and righteousness, all the days of our life.

5. It is great Injustice and Injury to God who hath been too long kept out of his right already. Oh look back, how ungratefully have you spent all your •… ormer time! too much time hath been spent already, and you would delay longer, 1 Pet. 4. 3. The time past may more then suffice to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, &c. It's enough, and should be more then enough, and now you should not stay a moment. As those that have delayed their journey, when they begin and set out, mend their pace that they may redeem their time, and accomplish their journey: so should we, for the time past is more than enough to be spent in worldly vanity, and carnal excess. Rom. 13. 12, 13, 14. It's high time to awake out of Sin. God hath been encroached upon for a long time, and that should and will be a grief of heart to you, that you have not all this while acknowledged or paid your debt to your Lord. The thought of this should prevail with us the more, because the payment of a debt to a man should not be delayed, to put off a poor man till tomorrow when thou hast it by thee, Prov. 3. 28. And the wages of a Servant should not abide with us, Lev. 19. 13. We are not to defraud a poor Servant, nor to delay him, but to make him quick payment, and shall we defraud our great Creator of the debt we owe to him, and put him off from day today?

Use 2. To exhort us with speed to turn to the Lord, and to comply with his motions. Let us not put off God from day today. I shall urge it (1) as to the general case, (2) as to particular Duties which are pressed upon you.

First, As to the general Case, Oh go and bethink yourselves, how do matters stand between God and thy Soul? Debate it seriously that if you have neglected God and his Salvation already, you may now turn to him without delay. Let me pre •… •… ou further.

1. You can never part with Sin soon enough, it is a cursed Inmate that will surely bring mischief upon the Soul that harbours it. It will set its own dwelling on •… ire. If there be a moat in the Eye, a thorn in the Foot, we take them out without delay, and is not sin a greater mischief, and sooner to be looked into, and parted with? certainly the evil of sin is greater then all evil, and hereafter the trouble will be greater, therefore we can never soon enough part with it.

2. Let th •… s move you, sin must have a quick dispatch, and shall not God? It would defeat temptations if we would but delay them, it would stop the furies of anger, and suppress the motions of Lust. Augustus the Emperor advised those who were angry to repeat the Greek Alphabet, meaning that he might take time to consider. So for uncleanness and other sins, if the Practice and Execution of many Lusts were but delayed, we would not be so frequent in them as we are to the dishonor of God, and scandal of Religion. Prov. 7. 22. it is said of the young man enticed by the Harlot, that forthwith he went after her. When our Lusts are a gog, all the checks of Conscience, and persuasions of the World, will not prevail for a little respite. Now shall sin have a more ready entertainment then God? Will you rush upon the practice of sin like a Horse into the battle, and come on in the Service of God like a Snail? Will you be so eager and passionate upon the impulsion of every Lust, and so hardly be entreated by the Spirit of God, and by the word of God?

3. If you be not ready, God is ready. How ready is he, on the one hand to receive you, and on the other hand to punish you? The one quickens us by hope, and the other by fear. For the consideration which works upon hope, God is ready, Matth. 22. 4, 5. Come to the Wedding, all things are ready. He hath a Christ ready to receive you, a Spirit ready to sanctify and cure all your Soul distempers, he hath pardoning Mercy to forgive all your sins, he hath power of Grace to remedy all your distempers, and will not you be ready? Luke 15. 20. The Prodigal said I will go to my Father. Mark his Language, I will go, the Father ran. When we do but relent, and with brokenness of heart come and lie at the feet of God, Loves pace is very swift and runs to snatch us out of the fire, therefore will you not be ready to cast yourselves into the Arms of his Compassion? Cant. 2. 8. Christ is represented as leaping upon the Mountains, and skipping upon the Hills. Christ thinks he can never be soon and early enough with a returning sinner, to revive a poor broken hearted sinner; therefore if God •… e so ready so should you.

On the other side to work upon your fear, if you delay God is ready to punish you. The wrath of God hangs over your heads like a sharp sword by a slender thread, and will you sit still and keep your place? The Judge is at the door, he is ready to judge, 1 Pet. 4. 2. are you ready to be judged? God is ready to condemn, to execute, and are not you ready to implore Mercy? to seek the Lord's Favor? ready to fall flat, and beg terms of Grace in and through Christ Jesus? Rahab, when the Lord had by his Messengers threatened destruction to Jericho, only Rahab's house was to be safe, she hanged out a scarlet thread ere the Spies were departed, Joshua 2. she did not delay till the Army came, and the city was surprised. When the Lord is marching against sinners with vengeance and fury, you cannot come soon enough to God to prevent it, Luke 14. 32. That King that had twenty thousand marching against him, doth not stay till they were in his quarters, but while the other is yet a great way off, he sendeth an Ambassage, and desireth conditions of peace. God is ready to execute all his vengeance, and Curses of the Law, therefore while you may, O seek conditions of peace. You have been spared long, it may be for the next sin you may pay for all. A Thief that hath long escaped, when he is taken at length, all his villainy is recompensed into his Bosom, if he had not stolen the last time, he had escaped. God hath spared you hitherto, it may be upon the next sin he will strike you, and hold his hands no longer. If God now strike, in what a woeful case would you be?

4. There was never any that came to God too soon, many have come too late, the foolish Virgins are an instance. When they brought little Children to Christ, Christ received them. There are none so little but the great God can form and fashion them into a temple for himself. Usually God chooseth his People from among the Youth. There may be some converted in Old-age, but few, usually 'tis in our Youth, or as soon as we come to our Maturitie. Reason thus, I may be too late, I cannot be too early, let me no longer dally with God.

Secondly, As to the particular duties which are pressed upon you, let me caution you and direct you.

I. By way of Caution.

1. When you have any stirrings of heart, any anxious thoughts about your Eternal condition, beware you do not believe the Devil that hereafter will be a more convenient season. I shall give directions suitable to the grand Enemies of our Salvation, the Devil, the World, and the Flesh. Now do not believe the Devil. This was Felix case, Paul was reasoning of Justice and Temperance, Graces that he was little acquainted withal, and Paul quickens all by a remembrance of Judgment to come, and then Felix trembled; but how doth he put off this Heart-work? Hereafter we shall have a more convenient season, Acts 24. 25. O never will it be better with you than now when the Waters are stirred. Still there is something in the sinners way when God hath any business for him. When young we want Wisdom, when old we want strength, in the middle of business we want leisure, in the midst of leisure we are corrupted and want a heart. We are lazy and then every Mole-hill seems a Mountain. Remember, if the Devil can but get us to delay, he hath us fast enough, If he can but get us to put it off today, then tomorrow, then the next day shall be as that. Austin when he had Conviction upon him, he prays from his Conscience, Lord, mortify my Lusts but not yet. Satan's morrow will never come. There's no end of delays. He tells you of tomorrow, and another season, but that season will never come.

2. Let not the World choke the Word. It is notable, the choking the good Seed which was scattered among Thorns, Christ expounds it of the World: now what of the World choketh it? Matth. 13. 22. he instanceth in the cares of the World. And Luke instanceth in the pleasures of this Life, he adds voluptuous living, Luke 8. 14. And Mark hath it more generally, the cares of this Life, Mark 4. 19. and the lusts of other things choke the Word. The meaning of all those places is this. Many a man hath some beams of Light darted into his Bosom, and he begins to have serious and anxious thoughts of his Eternal condition. I but then the pleasures and cares of the World interpose, and they must be first served, and so the Conviction is lost. Sometimes a man is full of business, and cannot attend to carry on this Work, at other times he is loath to forgo his voluptuous course, there's some sport he must attend upon, and so the Word is lost. When you have Conviction upon you, you are under God's arrest, when you go and get out of the chains of Conscience without God's leave, you break prison. All business must give way to your great business, and follow that close till you come to some issue. Matth. 8. 21. Follow me saith Christ: suffer me first to go bury my Father: nay saith Christ, Let the dead bury the dead, but do thou follow me. How specious soever the work be, we must call off our Souls. Let not these beams of Conviction which are darted into your Bosom be quenched.

3. Consult not with the Flesh as a friend in the case, when your heart begins to work towards God. Gal. 1. 16. Immediately I consulted not with Flesh and Blood. It is notable, the Word signifies to lay down a burden, to lay down our cares and difficulties in a friends Bosom, when a man hath any trouble upon him he communicates it to his Friend. Now you have a burden upon you, you begin to be sensible you are in a wrong course and must turn to God, do not lay down your burdens in the Flesh's Bosom, they will tell you this is but a pang and melancholy qualm, and would furnish you with a great many seeming reasons to put it off; frivolous excuses, slothful pretences, carnal fears, and idle allegations; therefore consult not with the •… lesh as with a friend in the case.

4. Be not discouraged with tediousness and difficulty, which upon a trial you will find in the ways of God. Many that carry on their Convictions to a resolution, and their good resolutions to some performance, when they find it to be a difficult and tedious business, a thing that is irksome to the flesh, they throw up all, and there's an end of the Conviction that was upon them. A Bullock at first yoaking is most unruly until he be accustomed to it, so afterwards Duty will be more sweet and easy; if you will but take Christ's yoke upon trial, you shall find it is a sweet Yoke, Matth. 11. 29. and remember, Difficulties in the service of God should rather excite than discourage. Will you serve God with that which cost you nothing? will you think to go to Heaven and not enter in at the strait Gate? Remember, this is one of our way-marks. Counterbalance difficulty with reward; and punishment and pains of duty, with the pains of Hell; the pleasure of Sin with the reward of eternal Life; urge your Souls with the equity in Christ 's ways, and the filthiness and turpitude in those sinful Courses.