A Fathers Testament, Chapter 19
CAP. XIX.
What is the last branch?
THe last branch is Godliness: which is nothing but the true worship of the true God. And how should I more briefly, and yet more fully express it, than that wise Father to his wisest Son? And thou Solomon my Son know the God of thy Father, and serve him with a perfect heart, and willing mind, 1 Chro. 28.9. where he comprizes all the inward worship in knowledg, and the outward in service. Now this knowledg is not here (as properly it is) confined to the understanding, but generally extended to every facultie of the soul. As our senses are said to know when, employing their faculties in their several objects, they do their office. (The eye knows the colour it sees, the ear the voice it hears.) So every facultie of our spirit is said to know, when exercising it self in its proper office, it executes its own dutie. In the understanding when the Apprehension discerns, and conceives aright, it knows, 1 Cor. 2.16. when the Judgment highly prizes things that are of high esteem, it is said to know, 1 Thes. 5.12. Even the choice of the will is called knowledg, Amos 3.2. Rom. 8.29. Thus the affections are said to know what they love, and delight in, (Psal. 144.3. expounded, Iob 7.17.) And this is that excellent knowledg preferred before sacrifice, (Hos. 6.6.) in which consists our eternal life, Ioh. 17.3.
First therefore you must know God by an act of the understanding, that is, so conceive of him, as himself in his word, not in mens dreams, hath pictured out himself unto you: which is a spiritual, and the only warrantable Image allowed by God: This you must hang up, not in your Hall, or parlour, but in that true Oratorie, the Closet of your hearts. There you shall …ind him pencil'd, 1. As he is simply in himself: 2. Relatively to us. In himself he is a Spirit, (Joh. 4.24.) Incomprehensible, glorious, merciful, gracious, strong, long-suffering, pardoning sin, and iniquitie, &c, (See, Exo. 34.6, 7. &c.) In relation to us our Creatour, (Isa. 64.8.) our Redeemer, (Deut. 32.6. Psal. 19.14.) our Lord, (Psal. 8.1.) in whose service is all our happiness, (Psal. 144.18.) our Portion, and Inheritance, Psal. 16.5, 6. the strength of our heart, our only, and full comfort, Psal. 73. vers. 25, 26. The heathens were not altogether ignorant of God, his eternal power, and Godhead, (Rom. 1.19, 20.) but our redemption by his Son, our communion with him by his Spirit, and consequently our salvation, and blessedness by our union with him, was wholly hid from them.
The necessity of this knowledg appears. 1. By the miserie of ignorance: without it the wisest are fools, very Sots, of no understanding, Ier. 4.22. All sin, and disobedience flows from want of this knowledg, (Ier. 9.3. Hos. 4.1, 2, &c.) 2. By the happiness that follows it: All grace attends it; Faith, (Psal. 9.10.) the whole new man, Col. 3.10. 2 Pet. 1.2, 3. and all blessedness, Ioh. 17.3. Certainly if the studie of men be above other natural studies, oh what is the studie of God? how pleasant? how profitable? Prov. 2.10. when sin affrights us how sweet the knowledg of his pardoning merciemercy? Psal. 86.4, 5. & 103.11. when men are oppressed by tyrants, how sweet the knowledg of his Justice? Rev. 15.3. & 16.5. nay even in our humiliations for sin how doth the knowledg of his Justice, and faithfulness refresh us? (1 Ioh. 1.9.) upon all occasions how com…ortable the knowledg of his power? In temporal distresses, (Dan. 3.17.) in spiritual, as pardon, (Num. 14.17.) subduing iniquities, (Mic. 7.18, 19.) in protecting from all evil, and keeping us to eternitie, Ioh. 10.29. 1 Pet. 1.5.
2. Secondly, we must know him in our Judgments, to prize him as he is, even all things less than nothing in comparison of him, Isa. 40.17. For him Abraham despises his Country: Moses the treasures, and pleasures of Egypt; David regards nothing in Heaven, or earth with him, Psal. 73.25, 26. Paul esteems all things dung, and loss for the excellent knowledg of Christ, Phil. 3.8.
Hence all the Saints deny themselves, and all for him, and exalt him by their own abasement: Kings will be vile to honour him, 2 Sam. 6.22. Iohn Baptist contented to wane, that he may appear in fulness, Ioh. 3.13. Paul will be a servant to every man for his sake, who is Lord of all, 2 Cor. 4.5. They make their honour wait upon his, Prov. 4.8. For they know, He is their praise, Deut. 10.21. They will cheerfully buy him with loss of all, buy him at any price, sell him at none, Matth. 13.44. Prov. 23.23. If he calls for their pleasures, profits, credit, life, they part with all. If he will have body, and soul, they will give him all, and when they have done all, and given all, look upon this all as a very nothing.
The will also must know him to chuse, take, embrace him as he offers himself to us. He proffers himself to be our Lord, (Exo. 6.6.) to redeem us from all Usurpers, to his service, (Luk. 1.74, 75.) to be our King, (Hos. 13.10.) to govern us under his holy, and wholesome laws. He offers himself to be all to us, our portion, inheritance, shield, our exceeding great reward, (Ier. 10.16. Gen. 15.1.) More particularly he offers himself in his persons to be to us, 1. A Father, (Deut. 32.6. 2 Cor. 6.17, 18.) 2. An Husband, (2 Cor. 11.2. Hos. 2.19, 20.) the Saviour of his Spouse, (Eph. 5.23.) 3. To be our Quickner, and Comforter, Joh. 16.13. 1 Cor. 15.45. Thus he offers himself to us, and thus must we receive him, as a child the Father, to obey him, as a wife her Husband to be subject unto him, as a Body the Soul to be informed by him, and in all things conformed to him.
Chuse him therefore as your support: without him you can do nothing, (Ioh. 15.5.) without him we are nothing, at our best sheer vanitie, Psal. 39.5. The very plants will teach us. The weak Ivie, and wood-bine, &c. conscious of their infirmitie, clasp about the strong, which may bear them up, even dint the trees with their close embraces. He is a Lord that in our service looks not to his own, but his servants profit. He needs not us, but we him. But why then doth he call, and draw us to his service? To make us blessed. He taketh pleasure in the prosperitie of his servants, (Psal. 35.27.) he delights to do us good, (Ier. 32.40.) and to give us the Kingdom, Luk. 12.32. Men grosly ignorant fouly misconceive of his service: they look on it as cords, and bonds: but indeed there is nothing so blessed as it, no blessedness but it, Psal. 84.4. Oh the incomprehensible love in which he hath chosen us! what was there in us worthy of his choice? were we wise? no, we were foolish, Tit. 3.3. were we strong? no we were of no strength, Rom. 5.6. were we noble? no, we were servants to lust, to corruption, to filthiness, and most filthy in that …ervice, Tit. 3.3. 2 Petr. 2.19. Psal. 14.3. were we any thing? no, we were very nothing, …nd to him less than nothing, 2 Cor. 12.11. …sa. 40.17. yet hath God chosen the foolish …hings of the world to confound the wise, God …ath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the mighty, and the base things of the world, and things despised hath God chosen, yea and things that are not to bring to nought things that are, 1 Cor. 1.27, 28. But in him what is there which is not infinitely excellent, infinitely desireable, delectable? s…all he then chuse such dung to be his children, heirs, his peculiar inheritance, and should not we (when he offers himself) chuse him (the glory of all glory) to be our Father, our Lord, our Portion?
4. The Affections also are said to know that which they love, in which they delight, and for which they longue: we therefore must know God to love, fear him, delight in him, and longue after him. Frequently in every page of scripture me meet not only with Gods precepts (in these duties) but the Saints practice. To provoke our hearts to love, we must consider him, 1. In himself: He is good, (Psal. 100.5.) only good, (Matth. 19.17.) abundant in goodness, (Exo. 34.6.) he is Love, (1 Joh. 4.16.) altogether lovely, (Cant. 5.16.) 2. In relation to us. He is our Father, Husband, Life, &c. (as before.) 3. in his dealing with us. He hath manifested his love to us above all the works of his hands. In our creation advanced us above all, crowned us with glory, (Psal. 8.5, 6.) In our redemption preferred us above the Angels, assuming ours, and refusing their nature, Heb. 2.16.
Now then take great heed that your love be true. Relative affection is not right if the measure be not right. An Husband loved as another man is not loved as an Husband. Admit no rival, or partner in his love; no creature not our selves must be preferred before him, or equal'd to him: we must love him more than life, for his love is better than life, Psal. 63.3. He our quickning Spirit, we his body; he our head, we his members: why should not the hand prefer the head, or the body the soul before it self? As we may love him for his gifts, so much more for himself. Stir up your unthankful nature to this great dutie. Consider why you love any creature, why more one than another; why you should love the world, riches, pleasures as God, a drop as the fountain. It is even here too true, Love descends; Get your hearts baptized with fire, and the holy Ghost, buried with Christ into his death, and raised in his resurrection, that your affections may be set, and settled on things not on earth, but on things above, even on him who is infinitly above all things, who is blessed for ever, and your eternal blessedness.
2. Secondly, the outward worship consists either in his speaking to us, or our speaking to him: He speaks to us either to our ears in his word, or to our eyes in his Sacraments, we to him either in prayers, or vows. Hearing is a chief part of Gods service, (Eccl. 5.1.) The special gate whereby the Wisdom of God, all knowledg, and life enters, (Prov. 2.2, 3. & 1.5. Isa. 55.3.) An hearing ear is Gods special gift to us, (Prov. 20.12.) and our acceptable gift, and sacrifice to him, (Psal. 40.6. 1 Sam. 15.22.) An obedient ear is a graceful, and precious ornament, (Prov. 1.8, 9.) The ear the most happy factour of the soul, whereby it seeks, and gets, (Prov. 18.15.) that rich merchandise, which is better than silver, and fine gold, Prov. 3.14. But he who hath a disobedient ear, or careless, refusing to hear is good for nothing, (Jer. 13.10.) and an itching ear hath certainly a rotten heart, Isa. 30.9, 10, 11. The word of God preached is the seed in the hand of the Sower, (Mar. 4.14.) taken out of the Granarie of the scriptures, and cast into the furrows of the heart by Gods Spirit, an incorruptible seed of a life incorruptible, (1 Pet. 1.23.) by which we are begotten unto God, Jam. 1.18. And as it is the seed whereby we are born, so is it the food also whereby we are nourished in that life of God, as well m…k for babes, as strong meat for the strong, 1 Pet. 2.2. Heb. 5.12. &c. It is an heavenly treasure in earthen vessels, 2 Cor. 4.7. a rich Mart of all spiritual commodities, where our Lord sells, and we buy (without mony) all heavenly riches: Be swift therefore to hear, Jam. 1.19. value it above thousands of gold, and silver, Psal. 119.72. Sell all you have to purchase it, Matth. 13.44. Buy the truth at any price, sell it at none, Pro. 23.23.
Neither hear only, but read it: we cannot use too many ways in trading with this rich commoditie. Had we as many distractions as Princes, they can yield us no exemption from this dutie, Deut. 17.18. Iosh. 1.8. Our frequent conversing with it, and meditating in it will not take so much from our time, as it will add to our opportunities. Morning, and evening, day, and night exercise your selves in it: so shall ye be like … fruitful tree planted by the rivers of water; so shall ye make your may prosperous, so shall ye have good success, Psal. 1.1, 2, 3. Josh. 1.8. (Nulla dies sine linea) Think the day lost wherein you have mist this market.
2. The Sacraments are (visibile verbum) Christs sermons to our eyes; passion-sermons, …ou know that verse,
More dully stirs the mind what through th'ear passes,
Than what is view'd to life in the eyes true glasses.
They are not only teaching signs, printing in our eyes, and hearts the death of the Lord Iesus, but assuring seals, presenting, and conveying unto us the grace which they represent. There are many large, and learned volumes printed concerning them, and in every Catechise you may meet with pious instructions in this subject. I will only therefore advise you concerning the Lords Supper. 1. That you neglect no opportunitie (so far as may be) of comming to the Lords Table. For is it not our communion with Christ? 1 Cor. 10.16. Look as wholesome meats are the means whereby spirits are renewed, strength increased, union between body and soul maintained; so the Supper of the Lord is his Ordinance, whereby our everlasting life is confirmed, our dull spirits revived, and our union with the Lord Iesus Christ much strengthned.
Certainly the frequent use of it was the special means, whereby the Primitive Churches so far excelled us in Christian fortitude, resolution, and every spiritual gift. Above all other take heed of that carnal, or rather divelish plea of hellish persons; namely that they are not in charitie; whereby they plainly discover, how much they prefer their revenge be…ore their salvation, and that hellish Murtherer before the heavenly Saviour. Surely he that will rather nourish his malice, by abstinence from the Lords Table, than his fainting soul by that Bread of Heaven, deserves (and surely dos) in his hellish fast to eat, and drink his own damnation.
2. Come prepared in some good measure; and for that end set apart some day in that week for humiliation, to afflict your souls by fasting to seek a right way, (Ezra. 8.21.) And because one especial end of this ordinance is the remembrance of our Saviour, and shewing forth his death, (Luk. 22.19. 1 Cor. 11. vers. 25, 26.) spend much of that time in meditating upon it, and principally the causes of it, 1. The abhorred filthiness, and dreadful na…ure of sin, which could not be expiated, or purged but by the blood of God; 2. The fierce wrath of God, and terrible severitie of his justice, which exacted even of his most beloved Son (undertaking for us) the uttermost farthing, even to make him Sin, who knew no sin, and a curse, who was God blessed for ever. 3. The infinite mercy of our gracious Father who gave his beloved Son to reconcile such hateful enemies; and, 4. The incomprehensible love of the Lord Iesus, who vouchsafed to purchase our redemption at such a rate. And leave not your soul till you find it abhorring it self in dust, and ashes, bleeding with Christ on his Cross, sick of your sin, and of his love, and swelling with the fruit of the lips, the sacrifice of praise.
3. Prayer is the mouth of faith, whereby it utters holy desires to God. Many think they pray when they do but houl, (Hos. 7.14.) or babble, Matth. 6.7. we neither know what, nor how to pray till we be instructed: neither can any doctour inform us but that Spirit of adoption, who teacheth us to cry Abbae Father, Rom. 8.14. Gal. 4.6. He will instruct you to go unto God, 1. As to a Father, and therefore with all reverence, and …ubmission, and, 2. With all assurance, and confidence; 2. He is the Spirit of the Son, and therefore will carry you to the Father by the Son, to God by Christ. He will not suffer you to make your addresses by your selves, or any creature, but by that only Mediatour, and Advocate. Sacrifice must be brought to the Temple, to the dore of the Tabernacle, offered only upon Gods chosen Altar, and by none but the Priest: Christ is that Temple, (Ioh. 2.21.) He the dore, (Ioh. 10.9.) he the Altar, (Heb. 13.10.) which sanctifies all our gifts, and the …igh Priest, whom only God accepteth, Heb. 7.26, 28.
That blessed Spirit who baptizeth with fire, will not only inflame your hearts, but kindle also your lips with all fervencie of prayer. Prayer is a special sacrifice, and sacrifices must burn upon the Altar. Prayer is our Incense, (Psal. 141.2.) which till it burneth in the fiery censer, yields no odour, or sweetness. That holy Spirit will quicken you to frequent, and continual prayer, and doth not only whisper in your ear, but draw out your heart to pray always with all manner of prayer, (Eph. 6.18.) to pray without ceasing, (1 Thes. 5.17.) to continue in prayer, and watch in the same, (Col. 4.2.) not to slip any occasion, but to improve all opportunities which God offers us in petition, thanksgiving, intercession, deprecation, supplication.
No marvel if the Ancients called it the key of Heaven, for it opens all to us. It opens the womb, (Gen. 20.17, 18.) It opens the prison, (Act. 12.) It opens Heaven when it is bar'd with brass, (Iam. 5.18.) It opens Gods ears when he hath even shut them against us, 2 Chro. 7.13, 14, 15. The Doctours call it the scourge of the Divel. It drives away his tentations, Matth. 26.41. Nothing in the world so prevalent: For it sets even God himself on work, in whose hands are all creatures, and with whom nothing is impossible. Gird up therefore the loyns of your minds, and whet your voyces to peirce through the Heavens. And oh that I could be the means to put that perpetual motion of praying, and crying into your hearts!
Look about you, and you shall see abundant matter of crying, of loud crying: would we advisedly behold what we see, there is hardly one object of our eyes, which would not skrue up our voyces a note higher, and set us a roaring. Look upon the dark places of the earth, and they are full of the habitations of crueltie, Psal. 74.20. And should not this raise up a crie, Remember Lord the enemie hath reproched, and foolish people have blasphemed thy name; oh deliver not the soul of thy Turtle dove unto the multitude of the wicked, oh let not the oppressed return ashamed, Psal. 74.18, 19, 21. when you look into the place of judgment, and wickedness is there, and to the place of righteousness, and inquitie is there, (Eccl. 3.16.) will not so crying a sin force a loud crie from your hearts? when you consider all the oppressions under the Sun, and behold the tears of the oppressed, and they had no com…orter, and on the side of the Oppressours was power, but on their side no com…orter, (Eccl. 4.1.) how can you forbear to weep with those that weep? when you hear the grones of widowes, the sighs of the fatherless, the lamentations of the hungry, naked, distressed, can you chuse but bear a part in this doleful musick? when you look on the pride, wherein the land is disguised in monstrous attires, the prodigious excess in riotings, the general lightness, and impudence of all behaviour, when you hear the vollies of blasphemous tongues thundering against Heaven, the stench of drunkenness infecting the ayer with plagues, poxes, &c. the ignorance, superstition, idolatrie, profaneness, Atheism in the world, the hellish contempt of God, and all his Ordinances; In a word a deluge of corruption overwhelming all degrees, sexes, ages, and the wrath of God flaming in revenge against such execrable provocations, where can you find hearts large enough to hold, or throats wide enough to utter cries, and ejulations to Heaven.
But had you no eyes to look abroad, yet look within, and you shall find more matter of crying than possibilitie of expressing. See there what ignorance, unbelief, deadness, vanitie, securitie, pride, hypocrisie, obstinacie, backsliding, self-love, self-seeking, inordinate passion, what a world, what an hell of wickedness couches it self in a desperately wicked heart, it will stretch out your throats and force you to a loud crie, and bitter. Oh wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? Certainly if you have any spirit in you, it will fill your hearts with a fountain, and your eyes with rivers of tears. Were you heathens it would drive you to send out the proclamation of Nineve into every part of body, and soul, Let man and beast (reason, and sense, flesh, and spirit cry mightily unto God, Jon. 3.8. Let us whet these things upon our hard hearts, to sharpen our dull prayers, that they may pierce the Heavens, and prevent the birth of that decree, which if it once bring forth, will prevent all prevention. Pour out day and night some such petition, when you have prepared your hearts by some such like meditation.
Oh my drowsie soul, canst thou ly down with Ionah, and sleep in such a Tempest? Seest thou not these waves of wickedness which mount up against Heaven, and sink down again into bottomless depths, and is not thy spirit melted because of trouble? The floods have lifted up, the floods of the ungodly have lifted up their voice, and canst thou be silent? See how that little Bark, fraught with Christ and his Spouse, is filled with water, nay with blood: see what a storm is come down into the lake, and how the waves dash into the ship, whilst thy Lord, and Saviour …s asleep in the stern upon a pillow, and wilt thou not with loud cries awake him? See what a troubled sea is in thine own heart, foming out mire and dirt, and canst thou rest? Are not the waters come into thy soul? Sinkst thou not in the deeps where is no standing? Is not the belly of hell ready to swallow thee? and canst thou cease crying? Heark how sin cries, and wilt thou be silent? heark how the Saints cry, and canst thou hold thy peace? If thou hast no words in thy tongue, hast thou no grones, no sighs in thy heart? Oh my soul! is thy Lord so ready to hear? and art thou so slow to speak? Shall his ear stand so wide open to thee? and thy mouth, and heart so fast shut to him? Do not his commands draw thee? thy necessities drive thee? do not his mercies invite, his promises assure thee, thy povertie enforce thee? Art thou a child, and canst not speak? He hath provided thee two Almighty Intercessours, one his Son to plead for thee, the other his Spirit to plead in thee. How should the weakest arm faint, which hath such supporters, such an Hur, and such an Aaron, to under-prop them?
Oh thou my gracious Saviour! who in the days of thy flesh offeredst up prayers, and supplications with strong cries, accent my flat heart, and voice with thy sharp cryings. Thou who helpest the infirmities of our utterance, teach my heart to grone beyond all power of utterance. And Thou who knowest the mind of the spirit, and art ever well pleased in thy beloved, hearken graciously to the stammerings of my Infant spirit, and accept them in him, in whom thou art ever well pleased.
4. Lastly for vowes, I can give you no better direction than his Spirit, to whom you vow. Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thy spirit be hasty to utter any thing before God, Eccl. 5.2. Be very sparing and slow in making, but sure, and timely in paying vows, Psal. 67.11. Eccl. 5.4. Let your vowes promise some warrantable service, as Iacob, Gen. 28.21, 22. General vowes made in Baptism pay daily, (Psal. 61.8.) particular seasonably, Deut. 23.21. Let your vowes be ever conditional, if God will help, and assist you; then looking to his gracious promises, beg strength, and stirr up your selves to a diligent, and cheerful performance. Pay them not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver, 2 Cor. 9.7.
Frequently thus meditate.
Great Fount of light, whose overflowing streams
Lend stars their dimmer …parks, Suns brighter beams,
Thy mouth spoke light, thy hands at first did shed it
Along the skie, and through the ayer did spred it,
So shadedst earth with curtains of the night,
And drewst those curtains to give days their light.
Then gathering all that scattered light, compacted…t
In one vast burning Lamp, and strait enactedst
That all less lights should beg their borrowed beams,
And from that …ountain fill their narrow streams:
So that more spiritual, and sacred ray
Which ri…ing from thy mouth gave spirits day,
In those first ages had no certain sphere,
But breath'd by thee, shin'd forth from mouth to ear;
A… length collected by thy gracious Spirit,
Fills all the world with light, with life, and spirit.
There I behold thy self, thy Lamb, and Dove,
Shining in grace, burning in heavenly love:
There I my death, and thine; thy power, my duty
See, and by seeing change into thy beautie.
Lord let thy light draw off my wandring eyes
From emp…y forms, and lying vanities;
Oh fix them on thy self, and make me see
(My Light!) in all things nothing, all in thee.
Thou bought…t me all, oh make me all thine own;
Be all in me, I all in thee alone.