The Way to True Happiness, Treatise · Part 1
THese words, (as you hauehave heard already) are part of that couenant that God strikes with his Church, containing the spirituall part of it. He had vndertaken for temporall things before, and now he tels them what he will doe for their soules, hee will take away from them that that is naught, and put into them, insteed thereof, that that is good: I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will giuegive them, &c,
Wee propounded first, to speake of some generalls, before we come to breake open the particulars of the Text. Two things wee generally proposed Doctr. 2 vntounto your consideration. First, the miserable estate of man, in respect of his inside, in himselfe considered. Next, that God vndertake to giuegive spirituall things as well as temporall to his Church. Grace hee will bestow on them, as well as goods, hee will mend their soules as well as their bodies and outward estates.
This is a point of great encouragement to poore Christians, deiected and cast downe in the sense of their spirituall wants and weaknesses, therefore wee will dwell the longer on it. The ground of it, you see, is that order that the Lord obserues here in his Couenant with his people. Before hee had prouided for them in outward things, vers. 17, 18. Therefore thus saith the Lord, I will euen gather you from the people, and assemble you whither yee hauehave been scattered, and I will giuegive you the Land of Israel, God vndertakes to furnish his with spirituall blessings, and doth so note his.and they shall come thither, &c. Nay, saith he, besides all this, I will bestow spirituall good things on you too, for I will make your diuided heart to become one, and for your old heart, I will put a new spirit within you, and for your stony heart, I will giuegive you a soft heart, a tender heart, an heart of flesh.
Now, for further proofe of this point, it shall be needfull to obserue the degrees, whereby God proceeds in assuring vsus of this truth. First, he vndertakes it. 1. By single promise. 2. By Couenant. 3. By oath. Secondly, Hee makes it good in his performance.
First, hee vndertakes it by promise,1. Promises as is to be seene eueryevery where in the Prophets. Ierm. 31. I cannot referre you to any one verse, the whole Chapter is taken vp in it. First, hee tells them, hee would furnish them with come and wine, and oyle, with the young of the flocke, and of the herd, &c. and then, their soules shall be as a watered garden; though their hearts were naturally as a wildernesse, hee will make them as a garden, and though by nature they were dry, and voyd of any goodnesse, hee will so water them with the dew of his Grace, that they shall become sweete and fruitfull; and so hee runnes on thorow the whole Chapter. The like you may read, Ioel 2.24.25, 26, 27, 28, &c. The floores shall be full of wheate, and the fats shall ouerflow with wine and oyle: And I will restore to you the yeeres that the Locust hath eaten, &c. and yee shall eate in plenty, and be satisfied, &c. And that done, It shall come to passe, that I will powre out my Spirit vponupon all flesh, and your sonnes and your daughters shall prophecie, &c. And also vponupon the seruants, and vponupon the handmaids, in those daies will I powre out my Spirit, &c. The summe of all is set downe in that place, Psal. 84. the last vers. saue one. The Lord God is a Sunne and a shield, a Sun, to comfort his people, and a shield, to shelter them from euill. But what will he giuegive his people? the Lord, saith the Psalmist, will giuegive grace and glory. He will not onelyonly giuegive them temporall things (as it followes there, No good thing will hee with-hold from them that walke vprightly) but hee will also bestow vponupon them grace here, and glory hereafter, euen that grace that shall once be glory. Hence is it, that the Apostle concludes the point, that godlinesse is profitable to all things, hauing the promises of both liues, of temporall things for this life, and of spirituall and eternall things, for the life to come. This is Gods promise for it.
Next, in his couenant, he vndertakes it: And this is more then barely to make promise of it: For, a couenant is a bundle of promises, solemnely ratified with some seale, some solemnety and obligation. This you see here in the Text, as we hauehave shewed, and so likewise you may see it in the 36 of this Prophecy where the Lord strikes a couenant with his people, and first to free from al euil, both that which is painfull, and that which is sinfull: Secondly, to furnish them with a double good. 1. Temporall, as that he will multiply the fruite of the trees, and the increase of the field, that he will call for the corne, &c. 2. Spirituall, for he will powre cleane water vponupon them, and clense them from all their filthinesses, and all their Idolls; A new heart also wil he giuegive them, &c. he wil iustifie them and sanctifie them, and by putting his spirit into them, cause them to keep his iudgemēts, and doe them: Accordingly, also, hereunto hee hath sorted out the seales of his coueuant, both in the old and new Testament. For Circumcision sealed vp grace, as the Apostle saith of it, that it was a seale of the righteousnesse by faith, and that it sealed vp spirituall blessings,Rom. 4. appeares by that place in Deuteronomy, where the Lord saith,Deut 30. I will circumcise the fore-skinne of their hearts, and they shall keepe my commandements, &c.
So for the paschall (that other standing Sacrament of the old Church) was to them a type of Christ, (as the Apostle applies it, 1 Cor. 5. For euen Christ our passeouer was slaine for vsus) sealing vp Christ vntounto them, and with him all good things spirituall. And so it is in our two Sacraments answerable to these former: the washing with water in baptisme, seales vp the inward baptisme, acccording to that, He shall baptise you with the holy Ghost and with fire; it seales vp remission of sinnes, Act. 2. be baptized, saith St. Peter, there, eueryevery one of you, in the name of Iesus Christ, for the remission of sinnes: it seales vp repentance, for which cause also it is called, the baptisme of repentance. The like wee may say also of the Lords Supper (that other seale of Gods couenant) The cup of blessing which we blesse (saith the Apostle) is it not the Communion of the blood of Christ? the bread, which we breake, is it not the Communion of the Body of Christ? 1 Cor. 10. And therefore the bread is called the very Body of Christ, and the wine his blood, because they do truly conueigh Christ vntounto vsus, that as verily as wee receiue the Bread and wine in that Sacrament, we partake of the Body and Blood of the Lord Ch…ist to eternall life: Thus God vndertakes the businesse, and thus he seales it.
Lastly, he sweares it too, you hauehave his oath for it, in that first of Luk. vers. 73. To performe the oath which he sware to our Father Abraham, that he would grant vntounto vsus, that we being deliuered from the hands of our enemies, might receiue grace to serue him without feare, in righteousnesse and holinesse before him all the dayes of our life: So Esay 54.9. for this is as the waters of Noah vntounto me: for as I hauehave sworne that the waters of Noah should no more goe ouer the earth: so hauehave I sworne that I would not be wroth with thee, nor rebuke thee, &c. An… this the Apostle makes vse of and presses further, Heb. 16. God (saith he) willing more abundantly to shew vntounto the heyers of promise, the immutability of his counsell, confirmed it by an oath: that by two immutable things, wherein it was impossible for God to lye, we might hauehave strong consolation. Thus you see wha… assurance and encouragment God giues his people for spirituall things, he hath said it,2. Promised. he hath sealed it, he hath sworne it, &c: and therefore ye may beleeue it.
Quest. But what performance now?
Answ. In all ages God hath performed it to his people: Dauid prayed for a new heart, Create in mee a cleane heart, O God, and renew a right Spirit within me; and accordingly he had it: Salomon praied for wisedome, and God gaue him a heart large as the sands on the sea-shore: so in the new Testament, the Apostles prayed, Lord increase our Faith, and it was increased vntounto them▪ they call for boldnesse and courage to speake Gods Word, and the text saith, they were all filled with the holy Ghost, and spake the Word of God with boldnesse. The like we may say of all other the Lords seruants.
Now if you enquire for a reason of this dealing of God with his people, it is not in man, Ezek. 36. Thus saith the Lord God, I doe not this for your sakes, O house of Israel, but for mine own holy names sake, &c. Man is neither a working nor mouing cause of any good thing spirituall, bestowed vponupon himselfe. 1. Not a working cause, for in spirituall things, it fareth with him much what as with a child newborn into the world, which being naked of it selfe, cannot doe any thing toward its owne couering, he cannot prouide himselfe of clothes, offer them to him he cannot take them; he cannot put them on or make vse of them: In like sort man comes into the world, naked of grace, and all spirituall goodnesse, neither can hee doe any thing at all, wherby to helpe himselfe to it: and when he hath it bestowed vponupon him, he cannot manage it, hee cannot weild it, further than God giues direction and assistance. Neither 2 is there any thing in man to moue him therunto, there is only misery in man to moue God to shew him mercy, but for any other thing man concurres to his owne spirituall good, but onelyonly as a subiect, on whom God bestowes it, and in whom he works it, he is an occasion indeed, but no cause of his owne saluation: that like as that Romane answered him, that bragged, that hee could neuer hauehave conquered such a countrey, but for him: true said the other, if thou hadst neuer lost it, I had neuer wonne it: So here, had not man fallen from grace and state of innocency, God had neuer sent his Sonne to redeeme him. If he had not lost himselfe, Christ had neuer come to find and restore him. But if you will know the true cause hereof, you must deriue it from God himselfe, it is founded vponupon his nature.
For first, he is the God of all grace, and fountaine of all goodnesse, it is no burden to him, no charge, no paines to giuegive grace, no more then it is for a fountaine to send forth water, he doeth it as naturally as the Sun giues light: for he is naturally good, yea, he is goodnesse it selfe, and that, you know, is communicatiue. Thou art good (saith Dauid) and doest good. Psal. 119. of his goodnes he liberally bestoweth good things vponupon his people, especially spirituall good things, you see how large he is in the promise of temporals, but hee had rather be dealing (as I may so say) in spirituals. 1. because they best please him and comply with his blessed nature. 2. because they be best for vsus, and will doe vsus most good. 3. because his praise is more set forth in the giuing of grace than of goods, they most commend his goodnesse and studie his praise. If you that are euill (saith our Sauior) can giuegive good things to your children, how much more will your heauenly Father giuegive his holy Spirit to them that aske it? he loues to be bestowing his spirit rather than meaner things, where he loues most.
Secondly, as he is good, so he is gracious too: that is, he works grace in vsus of himselfe, without any merit or desert on our behalfe. He is the giuer of all Grace: Now he that bestowes grace, must doe it out of grace, else it is no grace. It is his grace meerely that workes any good thing in vsus, grace that procures it, grace that continues it.
Lastly, he is a mighty God, able to subdue our iniquities vntounto vsus, able to cast out and dispossesse the strong man Satan, that roomth may be made for his spirit to seaze vponupon vsus, and inhabite vsus. But we are the briefer here, because it is a plaine point, and needes not any large proofe: wee will hasten therefore to the application, which is the life of teaching. And so wee hauehave three seuerall inferences to make of this point.
And the first we addresse to those that hauehave not Vse. 1 yet made their choyce, hauehave not resolued where to place themselues, or what Master to pitch vponupon, and to these let mee commend a most excellent seruice, euen the seruice of God, the best Master. You see what hee vndertakes here to doe for all that are his, and that is a mercy you must think, that so great a God should vouchsafe to vndertake and become bound to vsus wretched and worthlesse creatures▪ Fathers, you know, seldome frame indentures, thereby to binde themselues what they will doe for their children, if they will be obedient, but by right of father-hood, they challenge of them their best seruice. Lords seldome indent with their slaues for their seruice and attendance, but command it by the right they hauehave in them, eyther by conquest or purchase, or some other Title: And yet we see God, our Lord and Master, is content to vndertake, and indent with vsus, what good hee will bestow vponupon vsus, if we will but bind our selues to him in obedience, he is willing to enter into bonds for our better security, to take vsus, as it were, in a league of peace and of warre, offensiue and defensiue, &c. and so to enter into a kinde of familiarity with the sonnes of men: For, so you know there must be a familiarity in some degree, where contracts are made betweene any. Neyther so only doth he offer to enter into bonds, but into such bonds, as better cannot be demanded, had you to doe with the veriest sharker, or shifting fellow in a countrey. For, what can you require more possibly then hee will giuegive for your security? woud you hauehave his promise? you hauehave it in blacke and white; would you hauehave his couenant? Behold, heere it is for you; would you hauehave his seale, his oath, his pawne? God giues you all. Here is grace from him, and an honour to the creature, Men in matters of gratuity, will not be drawne to indent, nay, they will take it very ill in such a case, if bonds be required of them. If you will stand to their courtesie, or trust to their gentlelenesse, somthing it may be they will do, yet withall you must waite their pleasure, if not, you may chuse, they will not be bound to any thing. But now God vndertakes by couenant, as you see, and giues such security to the creature, as he cannot tell how to demand greater.
But what is the wages hee thus vndertakes to giuegive those that serue him? Quest.
Exceeding great eueryevery way: Answ. Among men the most that is vsually giuen, is meat, drinke and wages: meat, drinke and wages, this eueryevery one will offer, it may be some will goe further, you shall hauehave a liuery besides, yea, some will promise their seruants besides all this, some promotion, or protection: some immunity or commodious office, it may be. But what is all this to Gods wages? He giues all this that any other Master giues, and much more: Nay, what indeed can any Master giuegive his seruant, if God doe not first giuegive it to the Master? But behold, hee doth more then all this comes to: For, hee shewes mercy to a thousand generations, of them that feare him and keepe his commandements. He maintaines not onelyonly such as serue him, but all their houshold, yea, and all their posterity too: He bestowes vponupon them temporall blessings, in another manner then man can giues them not onelyonly food, but a stomack to it, not onelyonly clothes, but a body to weare them, &c. He prouides for their outward estates, their good names, &c. And that which is the maine, he prouides for the soule that is mortall, immortall comforts, he giues himselfe, his flesh for meat, and his blood for drinke, and my flesh is bread indeed, (saith our Sauiour) and my blood is drinke indeed, Iohn 6. Nay, lest any man should doubt of the point, he will be his wages, as he tells Abraham. Walke before me in vprightnesse, and then I will be thine exceeding great reward, Gen. 15. Nay, for a liuery he will giuegive vsus his owne Image, which consisteth in righteousnesse and true holinesse, and for wages, his heauenly kingdome: For, eueryevery seruant of his, God makes a sonne, and eueryevery sonne an heyre, and eueryevery heyre of God, is a coheyre with Christ, Rom. 8. the same substantiall (though not graduall) glory, the same crowne, the same kingdome, that the Lord Christ hath, he shall hauehave, he shall enter into his masters ioy, &c.
Obiect. Yet wee see many fall short of this large pay, who yet professe themselues to be, the seruants of God, for none commonly meet with more sorrows and troubles, hauehave more wants, &c.
Solu.And why is that? for the most part it is thorow their owne default, and because they are wanting to themselues, by being slack and short in Gods Seruice, whereas, if they would mend their paines, God would mend their pay, if they would alter their pace, he would alter their wages. Besides, the Lord in bestowing these outward things, hath still reference to the soules of his people, and giues other things; so as they will best comply with the happinesse of the creature: and hence it is, that hee sometimes abridgeth his seruants of outward things, for the perfecting of their better part, the soule, and the furtherance of their saluation. But otherwise, if they were but capable of these outward comforts, they should not long goe without them, according to that in the Psalme; Oh if my people would hauehave hearkned, if they would hauehave keept my statutes, &c: how would I hauehave fed them with the fat of wheate, &c; as if he should say, they should not then hauehave wanted for any thing, either for soule or body.
Besides, you must know that in Gods regiment, in Gods house, there be diuers stations, diuers offices, and accordingly different estates and allowances. Now it is required of eueryevery seruant, that he keepe to his owne place and station, that he doe his owne worke, and that he expect wages answerable and proportionable to his place and office. And as in the body where be many members, as eueryevery member hath its proper vse and function, so his wages thereafter; there must be a foot, aswel as either hand or head, & for the foot, a shooe of leather is as fit, as suitable, as seruiceable, and doth eueryevery whit as well become it, as a hat of beuer doth the head.
A suite of frize or of leather becomes some men, as well as a suite of silke or veluet doth some other; it will keepe him as warme, and doe him as good seruice, and a good credit too, as the other doth a man of greater place and estate▪ so here for men of meaner parts and abilities in the Church, an estate suitable doth best, &c: in which regard, God may and oft times doth keepe some of his people short: whereas, if they were fit in regard o… their affection and place, and when hee shall find t…em capable, they shall hauehave them, and in the meane time, no good thing fit for them in their station shall be kept away from them.
Oh but then sure, sith Gods wages is so good, Obiect. his worke is hard.
Answ. So many thinke indeed, that if they should giuegive thēselues vp to Gods seruice, they should hauehave but an vncomfortable and hard time of it, they should neuer see merry day more, they must bid adieu to all their comforts, and spend their time in heauines and horrour. But there is no such matter, I assure you; men are worse afraid then hurt, that conceiue thus hardly of the good wayes of God, whose wayes are wayes of pleasantnesse, and all his pathes peace. But admit it were so as these imagine, that Gods worke were hard, if his wages be answerable, a man would not refuse to vndertake it. But secondly, learne to iudge of things as they be; God is no tyrant, but an excellent Gouernour, all his commands are reasonable, and his yoke is far easier then the yoke of Satan, his work is more faire, easie, honourable. As that excellent Greek Father saith; Is not louelove a lighter burden than hatred, patience than passion, &c? Is it not farre easier to be moderate than gluttonous, sober than riotous, &c? Beleeue it, grace is an easier burden than sinne: and the work of God seemes hard and difficult onelyonly because of our corruption that cannot so well frame to it: But otherwise, were wee as we should be, there would bee no such difficulty to vsus in the wayes of God.
Obiect. Yea, but we finde them difficult and vnpleasant.
Sol.This comes to passe by reason of corruption that clogge vsus, which the Lord will by degrees take away, and heale vsus of all our rebellious wils, where all the businesse sticks. And then for good, he will put new principles into you, new hearts, new insides, and so though the taske of goodnesse be too hard for you of your selues, yet vndertaking it in Gods strength, you shall find Christs yoake to be easie and comfortable.
Now therefore, sith Gods wages is so great, and and his worke so easie, be content, I pray you, to hauehave a good Master, to accept of a good seruice, &c. EueryEvery man must fall to one Master or other, God on the one side, o… the Diuell on the other: one of these Masters you must needs serue. Make a wise choice therefore. 1. For your selues. 2. For yours. First, binde your selues to God to become his seruants.
How should wee binde our selues vntounto him? Quest.
Enter into couenant with him, to be his alone. Answ. This is a great businesse, as Iosuah tells the people, when they said, Wee will serue the Lord, for hee is our God: Yee cannot serue the Lord, saith hee, &c. Iosh. 24.
This hee said not to discourage them, but to teach both them and you, that if you will be Gods seruants, you must disdaine all other Masters, and willingly subiect your wits, your wills, your consciences, your estates, your liberties, your liues to God, renouncing all other Masters, you must hold you close to him. Now therefore, hauehave but one chiefe Master, euen God, pitch vponupon him, and resolue to serue him alone i… holinesse and righteousnesse, as hee speakes, all the dayes of your liues. Thus for your selues.
Next, for your people, and those about you, say as Iosuah: I and my house will serue the Lord, you cannot picke out a better Master any where, eyther for your selues, or for your children. EueryEvery man desires to preferre his child to a good match, or to helpe him to a good seruice, where hee may hauehave faire and kinde vsage, square dealing, where hee may hauehave eueryevery thing enough, and be put to no drudgery, &c. Behold, God is the best master, hee giues the best wages, findes the best worke, shewes best acceptance of what wee doe, he takes well, at our hands, that poore seruice that none else would accept of, hee giues also the best assistance, for he neuer sets any on worke, but he giues strength to doe it, yea, he puts his owne hand to the businesse. Therefore bee aduised to preferre your children to his seruice; you pray ouer them daily, God make you his seruants, God make you his seruants; therefore helpe to make them Gods seruants, by giuing them instructions, corrections, good example, &c. And when God offers to enter into couenant with you and yours, make vse of his offer, lay hold on the hint, as Benhadads seruants did, when the King of Israel said, Is my brother Benhadad yet aliue? they diligently obserued, and hastily catcht it, and said, Thy brother Benhadad: So when God saith, I will be thy God, and you shall be my people, make answer streight vponupon it, I am thy seruant, Lord, I am thy seruant; be glad of any such motion, and readily lay hold on it, as Dauid, when the Lord promised him to build him a house, and to be a Father to his posterity, hee went into the house of God, and sate before him, thankfully embracing so kinde an offer: so let vsus doe this for our selues and ours. Vse. 3
A second vse we hauehave of this point to those that hauehave already giuen vp their names to God, hauehave taken his wages, doe weare his liuery, and dwell in his house, let these be exhorted neuer to grow weary of such a Master, bur to cleaue fast vntounto him, and to serue him constantly, cheerfully, boldly, thorowly.
First, you must serue the Lord constantly: he is constant to you, and why should you not be as constant to him? who gaines by the seruice you doe to him, he or you? All the commodity and benefit thereof is onelyonly your; hauing therefore the better end of the staffe, hold him fast to his bargaine. Remember that you serue the Lord on a couenant, and for terme of life: sticke close to him therefore without starting. Hee is not any way in need of you, hee neuer did you harme, resolue therefore as Polycarp, Fourescore and six yeeres (said hee, when hee was soliciced to renounce Christ and the truth) HaueHave I serued my Master, Christ, and he neuer in all this space did me the least harme, and should I now forsake him? I will neuer doe it: So doe you resolue to cleaue to the Lord, with full purpose of heart in an euerlasting couenant, a couenant of salt. If you were to beginne the world againe, where could make a better choyce, where could you light vponupon a better Maste…, therefore louelove him still, depend vponupon him still, seeke him still, obey him still, doe whatsoeuer may please him, forbeare whatsoeuer may offend him, and this for euer, not being weary of well-doing, hee is constant to you in louelove and blessing, by you also to him in seruiceablnesse and obedience.
Secondly, learne to serue the Lord eheerefully, as well as constantly. He loues a cheerefull seruer, aswell as a cheerefull giuer in the matter of almes, and requires to be serued with delight and willingnesse: Hee deserues it certainely, for he giues the best wages, the best imployment, and the best encouragement, as you hauehave heard before. That which our owne hearts cannot thinke well, that which other men would pish at, and set light by, God will graciously accept, and bountifully reward. Now therefore, if the Apostle would hauehave seruants which receiue but a pound or two of wages, to goe so cheerefully about his Masters businesse, With good will doing seruice as to the Lord, and not as to men, Ephes. 6. how much more should wee to God, knowing that whatsoeuer good thing any man doth, hec shall receiue the same of the Lord, &c. Let mee speake to you therefore in the words of Dauid, to his sonne Salomon, being now on his death-bed. 1 Chron. 28.9. And thou, my sonne Salomon, know thou the God of thy fathers, and serue him with a perfect heart, and with a willing minde, &c.
Thirdly, serue the Lord boldly, valiantly: the Lord loues such as are couragious in his seruice, as on the otherside he curses those that are timorous, and fearefull, excluding them out … heauen, Reu. 21. (for without are the fearefull, &c) when his people are bold in his worke, they giuegive him the …lory of his power, &c. Therefore is it that he calls vponupon vsus so oft for courage, in the Prophets. Feare not for I am with thee, be not dismaide, for I am thy God, I will strengthen thee, yea, I will vphold thee with the right hand of my righteousnesse, Esay 41.10. And againe, ver. 13. I the Lord thy God, will hold thy right hand, saying vntounto thee, Feare not: and vers. 14. Feare not thou worme Iacob, and ye men of Israel, I will helpe thee, &c. God would hauehave all his people valiant. In case of danger therefore for Gods cause, say as the three children did to the King of Babel, We are not carefull to answer thee in this matter. If it be so, our God whom wee serue, is able to serue vsus, he can if he will, and he will deliuer vsus if it be good for vsus, but if not, be it knowne vntounto thee, O king, that wee will not serue thy Gods, &c. Learne to be of Dauids resolution, Psal. 119.46. I will speake of thy testimonies also before Kings, and will not be ashamed. Asham'd? why should he be ashamed? God is not a Master to be ashamed of. Let sinners blush, but let the seruants of God hold vp their heads, and beare themselues bold vponupon his protection, so long as they mannage Gods businesse with Gods wisedome, with Gods m…ekenesse, &c. God is not ashamed of them, why then should they be ashamed of God.
Lastly, you must doe Gods worke throughly, sith he payes vsus home, giues large wages, bestowes vponupon vsus all things necessary to life and godlinesse, blesseth vsus with all temporall and spirituall blessings in heauenly places, all comforts for this life, and the next; he blesseth his people, both in soule and body, for the inside and outside too, he will mend all that is amisse with vsus. Now therefore, serue him at all times, in all companies, in eueryevery duty of religion, and in all conditions of life whatsoeuer. God is a thorow master, therefore do him thorow Seruice.
Vse. 3 Encouragement and Comfort to all Gods poore seruants, that grone vnderunder the burden of their many wants and weakenesses, that are troubled with so many corruptions and such naughty hearts as they cannot tell what to doe by them, or to whom to turne themselues for helpe and cure: To these I bring good newes, glad tydings, there is a Physician found that will vndertake the cure, and will goe through with it. If thou canst but make good, that thou art within the Couenant, thou maiest goe boldly to God, and beg any thing of him thou standst in need of for thine inward estate. It is no more but call for what thou wantest, and it shall be giuen you: Temporall things indeed you must seeke and aske of God with reseruation, if God see it good for you, &c: but for spiritual mercies you may aske them absolutely. And like as a houshold seruant that is in couenant with his master, comes in from his work and calles for his dinner, and againe calles for his supper: when his time is out, he challengeth his wages; when he wants help, he comes in and asketh for it, yea, if other helpe be not by, he comes with pray you master lend me your hand: so may we as many as are in Couenant with God, goe to him in like manner Lord I want Faith, giuegive me it; I want patience, let me hauehave it: I finde my heart naught, and all out of order, ioynt it, mend it, &c. Thus we may safely doe, and thus Dauid did, as we read in places of the Psalmes: Vnite my heart (saith he) to thy feare, &c: as if he should say, Lord, thou hast promised to giuegive me one heart; behold, I finde my heart diuided, disioynted, &c, vnite it I beseech thee: So, Be surety, Lord, for thy seruant, for good &c. As if he should say, thou hast vndertaken to cause me to keepe thy Commandements: remember thy Couenant, and cause me to goe through with thy worke. Againe, GiueGive vnderstanding to thy Seruant, according to thy Word. As if hee had said, thou art in couenant with me, and therfore performe thy bargaine; as thou hast allotted me work, so thou must finde me tooles wherewithall to worke: so may we goe vntounto God with like words in our mouthes. Lord, giuegive me wisdome, giuegive me faith, giuegive me patience for the discharge of my my duty toward thee: it is a flat bargaine betwixt vsus, therefore stand to it.
Secondly, as you may boldly aske spirituall things from God, so you may confidently expect them, promising your selues whatsoeuer God promiseth; for all the promises of God are yea and Amen in Christ, not onelyonly yea, but yea and Amen, not onelyonly firme and faithfull in themselues, but such as shall be made good to the soules of Gods people in full perfection. Hath God then promised thee pardon of sinne, sanctification, the feare of his name, faith, patience? Doe thou promise thy selfe all these things, and bee confident thou shalt receiue them, claime them at Gods hands, rest vponupon him for them and thinke no otherwise, but that it will bee accomplished; faithfull is hee who hath called you, who also will doe it. See this in Dauid, God hath spoken in his holinesse, I will reioyce therefore in his Word: I will diuide Shechem and mete out the valley of Succoth. Gilead is mine, Manasses also is mine. Ephraim also is the strength of my head: Iudah is my Law-giuer, Moab is my washpot, &c. Psal. 60.6, 7. As if he had said, Though yet I hauehave little enough, yet I am confident I shall hauehave all this, yea, it is mine already because I hauehave Gods Word for it, therfore it is sure enough, God saies they are mine, and I will say so too, so long as I hauehave gods hand to shew for it.
Obiect. Neither must you onelyonly expect good things at Gods hand, but you must waite for them too. Many a poore Christian is much cast down at this, he hath praied, he hath sought, he hath wept, he hath done whatsoeuer hee could for the subduing of such a corruption, or for the obtaining of such a spirituall grace, and all to no purpose, he seeth it will not be.
Sol.Oh say not so, man, giuegive not God the lye: thou hast the promise of God, thou hast his Couenant, his seale, his oath for it, and therefore be not vnbeleeuing, Obiect. but beleeue and wait. What encouragement, what heart can I hauehave to wait, when I hauehave laboured it thus long, and nothing comes, I finde no amendment?
Sol.Vnderstand that God doth those things hee vndertakes, orderly: when he doth a cure, hee beginnes at the bottome, and so heales it vpward, and this must hauehave time. Besides, his cures are inuisible: it fareth here as in curing a wound in the body, a man seeth himselfe cured, but how and when it healeth, he sees not. The Kingdome of heauen commeth not by obseruation, saith our Sauiour, but is like to a little seed cast into the ground, which that it is growne, wee well perceiue, but how or when it grew, we know not: so here, The Lord is slow in his works, but sure, sure but slow, that grace which at first was but a sparke, or as smoking flax (as our Sauiour saith) becomes afterwards a great flame a shining lamp, the broken reed a strong pillar. If a man sow or set a small kernell, he will not looke for a great tree of it presently: no more must wee for a great measure of grace, God will doe it, but you must giuegive him time, and leaue him still to his owne time. He seeth it fit, we should beginne with a little at once, the time will come, when he will perfect all. God will sooner or later cure all the bodily diseases and infirmities of his people, either in this life, or at death, or at the resurrection: and so hee will their corruptions also; in the meane space bee content to wait his leasure. Psal. 130. Let Israel wait on the Lord, &c. And he will redeeme Israel from all his iniquities.
Yea, Obiect. but how can I wait and looke for mercy from the Lord, when things goe backward with me, and I grow worse and worse.Solu.
The question is, whether it bee thus with thee in sense or in deed, thou maiest iudge thus of thy selfe, and yet bee out in thy iudgement. For the better any one is in deed, the worse hee is in his owne sense and esteeme: Euer the more life any one hath, the more sense he hath, and so the more sensible hee is of his owne wants and corruptions. It doth not follow therefore, that thou art more sinnefull because thou feelest thy sinnes more, but the contrary; as no man is therefore the further off from healing, because he begins to feele his sicknesse; or a wound not likely to heale, because it smarts. Is corruption now become a greater burthen to thee then formerly? Dost thou hate it more? hast a worse opinion of it then thou hast had? dost thou prize grace more then euer, and thirst after it? then it is sure thou art on the mending hand.
Quest. But how shall I know that I am within the couenant? that I am one of those whom God hath vndertaken to cure, and to bestow vponupon them these spirituall blessings?
Answr. For this, thou must looke to two things. First, see what God hath done for thee. Secondly, what thou hast done for him againe: For, something there is to be done on both sides you, know, in eueryevery couenant.
For the first, looke whether God hath giuen thee this one heart here promised, this new spirit, this heart of flesh insteed of thine old heart, thy heart of stone? See what affections he hath renewed in thee? hath he put his loues, his fear into thy inward parts? hath he written his lawes in thy heart? hath he giuen thee a new nature? art thou become another man then thou wast, cast into a new mould? hast thou new thoughts, new desires, new designes to set vp God alone in the making of thine own saluation, &c? Then thou art of those with whom God is in couenant. Againe, secondly, see what thou lost for God, for thou must be working, all that are in couenant with him, according to that we read, Ezeck. 36. (I trow) after that the Lord had promised what he would doe for them, Yet I will be sought vntounto for all these things, saith the Lord. Search then what thou hast done in Gods worke, doest thou warre against the flesh? subiect thy wit to Gods wisdome, thy will to Gods will, &c. Hauing such promises as these, dost thou (as the Apostle exhorteth) Cleanse thy selfe from all filthinesse of flesh and spirit, perfecting holinesse in the feare of God? 2 Cor. 7.1.then it is sure that God hath smitten a couenant with thee, and it shall be performed vntounto thee.
Oh! but what is it be so, Obiect. that I hauehave broken my part of the couenant, and so hauehave giuen God liberty to euade? how then?
You must know,S…l. that God taketh not the aduantage against vsus of eueryevery petty breach, vnlesse it be some great matter, he hateth putting away, as he saith in Mal. It is between God and vsus, as between husband and wife. It is not eueryevery petty discontent or displeasure that falls out betweene them that is held a sufficient cause of separation, it must be some great offences, as the defiling of the marriage-bed, which (in regard of merit) cuts the very marriage-knot asunder, so here: The Lord will not aggrauate eueryevery frailty, infirmity or slip of his seruants, to cast them off for the same, it must be some great breach of Couenant, as when we runne a whoring from vnderunder him, after lying vanities, or when we are carried with harlot-like affections towards him, in setting more by his gifts, then by himselfe, this is that which will prouoke and cause him to withdraw. But if you pitch vponupon God for the maine, though you hauehave many failings (as in many things wee offend all) if you can say with Dauid, Whom hauehave I in heauen but thee, and in earth none in comparison of thee? wee shall not be discarded. God is not as man, to doe as he doth. Men, when a seruant is grown old, and they hauehave had the best of him, they vsually thinke of putting him off, turning him out of the house, shifting their hand of him, when hee is once growne old and impotent, that his worke is done: Not so God, the elder a seruant is, the berter he likes him, the longer they liue together, the lother hee is to part with him.
Obiect. Yea, but yet hee requires certaine conditions of vsus, that be in couenant with him, which we performe not, &c.
Sol.Yea, but in the new Couenant, God vndertakes to make vsus able to performe the conditions that hee requires. Hee vndertaketh both for himselfe and vsus too. Hee commands vsus to hauehave a new, soft, one heart, and he maketh it so.
Quest. Is there nothing then to be done on our behalfe?
Answ. Yes, it is required of vsus, that wee vse Gods meanes, that wee goe on in his wayes, according to that, Yet I will be sought vntounto for these things by the house of Israel, Ezech. 36. When he acts vsus, wee must moue; when he opens our eyes, we must see; in fine, concurre as subiects, to be wrought vponupon in his meanes and times, and then we are surely, in Couenant with God, and so in happy estate: For, Blessed is the people whose God is the Lord: Such need not want any thing of all that is within the verge of this couenant, they may call for what they will, and hauehave it: God hath promised you all good things, outward and inward, call for them, and they shall bee giuen you. Is any thing amisse with you? carry it to God, and say, Lord, here is thine owne Couenant, to mend my heart, &c: Oh doe it for thy names sake. And so you may be confident: for doe you thinke God is able? doe you thinke he is willing? doe you thinke hee will lye? doe ye thinke hee will foresweare himselfe? I conclude with the Apostle: In nothing therefore be carefull, but in all things make your requests knowne to God, and he will fulfill them, and fill you with peace vnconceiueable.