The Saints Sacrifice, Section 60
§. 60. Of perſisting in good courſes.
II. *§ 57.SAints muſt proceed in their approved practice. Perſiſt in duty.aGal. 6. 9.They muſt not be wearie in well doing. bPhil 3. 17.Marke them (ſaith the Apoſtle) which walke ſo, as they have vsus for an example. What kind of walking doth he meane? He himſelf hath plainely and fully expreſſed it in the verſes before. It was this, c—12.To follow on, d—13.To reach forth unto the things which are before, e—14.To preſſe toward the marke. From this his walking, and proceeding on, he maketh this inference, f—16.Let us walke by the ſame rule, or as ſome not unfitly tranſlate it, let us proceed. For *foreign dicitu… ordo in acie a fronte ad extremum agme… p…y …us Th… l. 4the word which the Apoſtle uſeth, properly ſignifieth to go on in order. The vertue of ſuch as appertaine to the kingdome of heaven, is in this proceeding ſet out by many metaphors: as gPro 4. 8.The ſhining of light more and more unto perfect day: hEzek. 47, 2, &c.The waters of the Sanctuary which increaſed from anckle deepe to knee deepe, from thence up to the loines, and after to ſuch depth as could not be paſſed over: iEph 2 21.An edifice that from the foundation riſeth higher and higher till it be a compleat building: k1 Cor …. …4.Runners in a race, which run on till they come to the goale: lPſal 92. 12.Plants, Palmetrees, and Cedars which all grow till they come to their full growth: mMar 4 27.Corne, and n—32.Muſtard-ſeed which grow to ripeneſſe: and oEph 4. 16.a body which groweth to the full ſtature thereof.
To leave all the metaphors but that which is in my text, The way wherein we muſt walke is a long way, while here we live we cannot attaine to our journeyes end; we muſt therefore walke as long as we live, and ſtill goe on▪ …s we muſt not turne backe againe (If any draw backe, my …oule (ſaith the Lord) ſhall have no pleaſure in him, Heb. …0. 38.) ſo may we not ſtand at a ſtay. He that beginneth a building, and continueth not till it be finiſhed, maketh himſelfe ridiculous to all that ſee it (Luk. 14. 30.) He that beginneth the Chriſtian race, and giveth over before he come to the end, Vnum neceſſe eſt e duobus, aut proficere …cilicet, aut prorſus deſi…re. Ber. de 3 Ord. Eccl. Exhortation to be ever walkingdoth not onelyonly loſe the crowne, but treaſureth up wrath unto himſelfe. This will aſſuredly fall out if we proceed not daily in our Chriſtian courſe. For one of theſe two things will fall out: either to go on, or to fall backe.
Let all that ſet foot in the race to heaven, hence learne to take to themſelves an invincible reſolution rHeb. 1…. 1. foreignto run the race that is ſet before them. He ſaith not to run in the race, but to run the race: which phraſe implieth an holding out till it be finiſhed. All that run would willingly obtaine. Yea God would have us ſ1 Cor. 9. 24.ſo run as we may obtaine. But this cannot be without perſeverance, and that to the end of our life. For the goale is ſet at the laſt period of life. Let our eye be In H…thpael…v…r ba in hac coniugatione ſignificant vehemen tiam aut frequentiam. Pagu. Inſtit. Hebr.thereupon, more minding what is to come, then what is paſt. As many as wilbe perfect, muſt be thus minded. A fore-ſetled reſolution is of great force to make us hold out. And that we may the more fully expreſſe that which is implied in *foreignthe very conjugation here uſed which imortpeth a reiteration of the action, let us yeare after yeare, monethmonth after
page missing Benefits of ſetting God before us. Thales dixit, homines exiſtimare oportere, Deum omnia cernere, Dei omnia eſſ… plena: fore enim homines caſtiores Cic de leg.1. We ſhalbe reſt…ined from many ſinnes, whereunto ſecrecy of place, ſolicitation of ſuperiours or other temptations might otherwiſe allure us. This reſtrained righteous Ioſeph when by his miſtreſſe in a ſecret chamber, they two alone together, he was tempted to folly. This anſwer (How can I do this great wickedneſſe and ſinne againſt God?) ſheweth that he ſet God before him, and thereby was kept from yeelding to that temptation, Gen. 39. 9.
2 We ſhalbe moved to keepe our hearts upright. Where fIſa. 38. 3.Hezekiah profeſſeth that he walked before God, he addeth, in truth, and with a perfect (or upright) heart. Hereby he implieth, that his ſetting of God before him made him more watchfull over his heart, to keepe it upright. No ſuch means as this to make a man upright. For he that walketh before God, knoweth that God is a ſearcher of the heart. As the preſence of men makes us carefull of our outward actions, ſo the preſence of God will make us gPro. 4. 23. foreignKeepe our hearts above all keepings.
3 We ſhalbe brought into an holy familiarity with God, ſo as he will account us his friends. hGen. 24. 40.Abraham was a man that walked before God: and God himſelfe giveth him this ſtile, iIſa. 41. 8.my friend. This makes us ſeeke how to pleaſe God: and anſwerably God moſt kindly accepteth this our mind and endeavour.
4 We ſhall have much confidence in Gods providence, protection, and in all manner of divine bleſſing wrought in us. When Abrahams ſeruant made ſome queſtion of ſucceſſe in that buſineſſe whereabout his maſter ſent him, Abraham thus reſolveth the doubt, and ſetleth the mind of his ſeruant, kGen. 24. 40.The Lord before whom I walke, will ſend his Angell with thee, and proſper thy way. Becauſe he walked before the Lord, he aſſured himſelfe of ſucceſſe.
5 We ſhall with much aſſurance of faith call upon God in our greateſt diſtreſſes. Conſcience of walking before God added much power to H…zekiahs prayer and faith, as is evident by his putting God in mind thereof, where he ſaith, l2 King. 20. 3.O Lord, remember now how I have walked before thee.
6 We ſhalbe encouraged againſt the ſlanders of malicious adverſaries. For, though ſuch as have approved themſelves to men, may notwithſtanding have cauſe to feare that God may have ſomething againſt them: yet they who have beene carefull to approve themſelves to God, need not care what man can ſay againſt them. When Davids enemies laid many matters unjuſtly to his charge, mPſal. 26. 1.he appeales to God: which he durſt not have done, if he had not walked before God.
7 We ſhalbe emboldened againſt all that man can doe againſt us. This is rendered as a reaſon why Moſes feared not the wrath of the King, nHeb. 11. 27.For he endured, as ſeeing him who is inviſible. This put life into Iehoſaphats fainting ſpirit. For, where he ſaith, o2 Chro. 20. 12We know not what to do, he bewraieth a languiſhing ſpirit: but where he addeth, Our eyes are upon thee, he manifeſteth a revived ſpirit.
8 We ſhall perſevere, and hold out ſo long as we live. For God before whom we walke, ever liveth, ever remaineth the ſame: which men doe not. While good Iehojada lived, 2 Chro. 24. 17King Ioaſh maintained true religion: when Iehojada died, he revolted. Becauſe he walked before a mortall man, with the death of that man he fell away. But Hezekiah who walked before the immortall God, ever remained faithfull.