Two Treatises, Treatise 1

Two Treatises · Treatise 1

p. 1THE Young-mans Memento,

ECCLESIASTES 12.1.

Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth.

THe words I have read, are an exhortation ſeaſonable and ſuitable enough, in that they point particularly at ſome, but include and concern all; they are almoſt the laſt breath of the Preacher; and we know if a good Orator hath been pleading in a caſe of importance, he uſually draws up things of the greateſt weight in the concluſion, that if many particulars ſhould be loſt, yet the laſt words of the Sermo… ſhould ſtick.

p. 2They are the main uſe of this Text which he had preached upon; which he propoſes, Chap. 1.2. Vanity of vanity, ſaith the Preacher; vanity of vanities, all is vanity; & proves in the following Chapters by words of Wiſdom and Experience two weighty conſiderations to endear the doctrine to us. He ſhuts up the proof, Chap. 11. verſ. 8. But if a man live many years, and rejoyce in them all, yet let him remember the daies of darkneſs, for they are many. All that cometh is vanity. And the laſt argument which he uſeth, is from the ending and concluding of all theſe things; there is a certain night of evil and ſorrow which wil follow the brighteſt day which we do or can enjoy in the world; if no troubles come with it, yet there is enough comes after it to blaſt it in our thoughts. From hence he proceeds to Application, and it is to Young-men, Ch. 11.9. Rejoyce O young man in thy youth, and let thine heart chear thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thine heart, and in the ſight of thine eys: This is not a complying with, but a confuting of the vain fooliſh reſolutions of youth; by this he derides their thoughts, and withall gives them a preſervative or antidote againſt ſuch madneſs. Know thou that for all theſe things God will bring thee to judgement.

p. 3In my Text, we have,

1. The duty, in the whole words; In which which firſt, the Act, Remember. Secondly, the Object, Creator.

2. Here is the adjunct of Time, Firſt, more generally, In the days of the youth. Secondly, more ſpecially, now.

Let us weigh the words themſelves, Remember, if we take it in the ſenſe of the Philoſopher, for the exerciſe of the Memory, it then includes three things.

Firſt, an exerciſing of the intellectual faculty of the Soul, which is Conſervativa ſpecierum, whereby we do receive and keep the forms and impreſſions of things, and of Truths in our underſtandings, and ſo all thoſe manifeſtations of God which are made out to the ſoul.

Secondly, An exerciſing of the Senſitive part of the Soul, in keeping things, and Actions, and Providences which are paſt, whereby we regiſter the things that God hath done, either for, or againſt us and others.

Thirdly, It contains that which they cal Reminiſcentiam, which is an endeavouring to cal to mind, or recover thoſe things which are fallen from the Memory, which are not razed out of the intellectual part of the ſoul, being there habitually, but from p. 4the ſenſitive part only: for the preſent we do not remember them; but I ſhall ſhew you the uſe of this in the ſcripture; there it is taken more largely.

1. It ſignifies ſometimes to muſe upon a thing, Pſ. 62.6.

2. Sometimes to prize, or eſteem, or value a thing, Eccleſ. 9.16.

3. Sometimes to truſt in a thing, or perſon, Pſ. 20.7.

4. Sometimes it includes all the ſervice of God, Deut. 8.11, 12.

Indeed the ſignification of it is, or may be various; it may be uſed to expreſs any motion or affection which is uſually joyned to our knowledg, or the exerciſe of it. Verba cognitionis non ſolam & nudam foreign ſed vivam & efficacem ſignificant. A man may be ſaid truly to know no more then he knows with affection, and impreſſion; ſo remembring, which is nothing elſe properly but a ſetting this knowledge at work, and reviving of thoſe notions which we have of things, includes not onelyonly the act of the Memory, but the Will: for this is uſually moved one way or other by every motion of the Underſtanding.

We find very often the motions of the Will and Affections ſet forth by this word in the Text, Heb. 11.15. Truly if they had p. 5been mindful of that Country from whence they came out, i.e. if they had deſired to return again, they might have had an opportunity.

Jon. 2.7. When my ſoul fainted in me, I remembred the Lord. This is ſuch a remembring, ſays Junius, as doth not onelyonly bring God to our thoughts, but carries the whole ſoul with the greateſt intention to mind him, with the neglect or contempt of all other things. So it is uſed to expreſſe the greateſt affection and favour of ſpirit that may be found amongſt Gods people, Cant. 1.4. We will remember thy Loves, more then Wine, (i.e.) we wil take pleaſure in thy loves, and embrace the thoughts of it above all things. So that to remember God, is to do that which we ought to do, when we remember we ſhould deſire him, exerciſe our thoughts and meditations ſtrongly about him, and delight our ſelves highly in it. Nay remembring doth not include only the inward acts of the ſoul, the motion of the Will and Affections to ſuch an object now preſented to the Underſtanding; but it takes in the outward acts too, becauſe the outward behaviour of a man is ſuted to thoſe impreſſions which are within. Thus Ahaſhuerus his rage againſt Vaſti, is expreſſed by this phraſe, Heſter 2. … p. 6He remembred Vaſti, (i, e.) he talked of her unkindneſs and rebellion, and reſolved to be revenged of her. Thus the wickedneſs of Iſrael, and her whoredom in her old age is expreſt, by a remembring of the whoredom of her youth, Ez. 23.19. Then perſons are ſaid to remember any thing when they expreſs the ſame in their actions, and do that which ſpeaks out the thoughts of their hearts; ſo that to remember God, is to do that which becomes a people to do, who do remember God; to have God in our mouths, and God in our lives, this is properly a remembring of God; ſo that the exhortation here is very ful and large, and may be taken either to be,

1. Of the ſame extent with that concluſion, v. 13. and a diſcovery of the fear of the Lord, wherein it doth conſiſt, viz. in a ſerious conſtant eying of God. Or

2. The Text is one Branch of the means preſcribed to attain the fear of the Lord: which is a ſetting the Lord before us; the other Branch he handles before; (viz.) the conſidering of the vanity of the world, and all things in it; and upon theſe two conſiderations of the vanity of the Creature, and the excellency of the Creator, he perſwades to the fear of the Lord; and he preſſeth them both in order to that concluſion, p. 7verſ. 13. Fear God, and keep his Commandements; intimating, That the neglect of God, and of his ways, did ariſe from a miſtake of the world, and from a forgetfulneſs of God; therefore, Remember thy (Creator.)

Qu. Why doth he cloſe this title for the Lord, and to preſent him thus to our conſiderations?

A. Firſt negatively, not becauſe this is the moſt excellent Title or Name of God; for God hath other Names and Titles more glorious then this, although this be full of glory.

Secondly, Nor that he would bound the thoughts and ſpirit of man within this knowledge of God, but would allow him to travel farther then the work of Creation, as into the works of Providence, and into the works of Redemption, wherein God hath as it were laid the Top-ſtone of his glory.

Thirdly, He chuſeth this conſideration of God, as being moſt ſuitable to the ſubject of his Diſcourſe; he had been diſcourſing of the vanity of creatures, and beating men off from them, and in oppoſition to them nothing more ſuitable to be ſet up then the Creator, that they might not fal into that horrid wickedneſs too common in mens p. 8ſpirits, mentioned Rom. 1.25. Of loving and ſerving the Creature more then the Creator.

Fourthly, He mentions this name of God more then any other, becauſe from hence did follow an univerſal argument, which reached all ſorts of people; this was a relation which all ſtood in towards God; he might not have argued from providence ſo wel; for then it would not have been ſo ſtrong to the poor as to the rich; nor from Redemption; for then the unconverted, or the doubting Soul could not have made equal uſe of it with thoſe who ſaw their intereſt, and knew it in him through Chriſt; but as a Creator he ſtands related to all, good and evil, rich and poor, high and low, yong and old, Jew and Gentile; ſo that he that had leaſt from God, had his being, and God as a Creator challenged reſpect and ſervice from him; and if he had no more knowledge of God, yet herein he was to remember God; and if more, then not onelyonly as a Creator, but in all his glory; as verſe the thirteenth, Fear God, and keep his Commandements. Thus the duty; Now the Adjunct of time.

1. In the days, not in a few ſpare hours. but in the days; and not in a day, but indefinitely, to exclude none, it muſt be a conſtant, p. 9a continued work, every dayes work; and the nights muſt not be excluded; for this day is made up of Morning and Evening; Night and Day do but fill up this.

2. As in the dayes, ſo not in what dayes thou wilt allot for it, and ſet apart; it muſt not be put off untill thy latter or laſt days, but it muſt be in the days of thy youth.

3. Nor will to morrow, or the next day ſerve the turn, but it muſt be this day, the preſent day, and time is now.

Of thy youth, or of thy choyces; the word here tranſlated Youth, comes from foreign Elegit, hence is foreign Electus, Juvenis, Quaſi ad omnes operas ſelectus: and foreign the word here uſed, The choyce or chuſing age; the choice then runs thus, When thou art chuſing a ſuitable object for thine eye, or for thy heart, toward which all thy afterdeſignes ſhal bend, Oh then think upon God, and conſider whether he be not the beſt choice.

The wiſe man in the Text, and the verſe preceding, mentions three parts of Mans life, and expreſſes them by diſtinct termes, though in the tranſlation the two latter are confounded. The firſt (a)(a)foreignſignifies the New …orn child. The ſecond (b)(b)foreignthe time betwixt (b)(b)foreigninfancy; and maturity; the p. 10ſame word is uſed to expreſs the twi-light, or mixture of light and darkneſs that is betwixt the time of the night and the ſun riſing. Theſe ſays he are vanity, not onelyonly vaine in the ſenſe that every part of a mans life may be called vaine, but vain in compariſon of the third part, which follows in the Text. Theſe two parts are empty and void, there is nothing to be expected or found in theſe, becauſe in them we make no choice, but are pleaſed with every toy. Preſent things delight the childiſh age; we do not fix our ſpirits upon this or that, as our chiefeſt good; we drive no deſigns for hereafter. But when theſe vaine empty dayes are paſt, then comes the third part, and this promiſes ſomething; (c)(c)foreign Juventus; aetas ſelecta.this is a choice pretious hopeful time in compariſon of the former; yea indeed it is almoſt the onelyonly hopeful time of a Mans life; for if he loſe this time, it is ten to one that ever be prove good; for now he begins to fix upon ſome thing or other, toward which he bends afterwards all his endeavours; he ſets up a Summum bonum, when he comes to days or years of diſcretion; then he begins to weigh and value things, and is not contented with what he was, when he meets with any thing of a p. 11a more valuable conſideration. Now ſaith the Wiſe-man, that thou art come to thy riper years, and art weighing things in this ballance in order to thy ſetling and fixing thy ſpirit upon that which ſhal appear moſt conſiderable, now Remember thy Creatour, put him in one ſcale againſt all them, and let reaſon and Judgement determine whether he be not to be choſen before all things; ſee whether his excellency will not weigh down all theſe vanities, but do it in the day that thou art chuſing, and when reaſon and judgement are quickeſt, and leaſt engaged, leaſt the engaging of theſe blinde thee, that thou wilt not ſee the ſcale when it turns. We have a Scripture which will give much light to this, Heb. 11.24, 25. Moſes when he came (to years) refuſed to be called the ſon of Pharaohs Daughter, and choſe rather to ſuffer with the people of God, then to enjoy the pleaſures of ſin for a ſeaſon; when he came to weigh and conſider things, and to make his choice, then he refuſed to be called the ſon of Pharaohs Daughter, then he threw away the Court Honours and Pleaſures but it was in judgement, he choſe rather to ſuffer with the people of God; he ſaw ſomething of greater importance to him. Before this time he was pleaſed wel enough with AEgyptian toys and trifles of the Court, but p. 12now comes his chuſing time, he muſt be ſeted in his ſpirit, and he weighs all, and upon a ſerious ſurvey of both ſides, he throws away the Rattles which hee had played withall before, and he makes another choice; he choſe rather to ſuffer. Thus wee have the ſum of the words, in the dayes of thy choice.

Here is a ſecond word to make it more full. In thy choice dayes, in the days that thou art fitteſt for Meditation or Action, then ſet the Lord before thee; do not put off the thoughts of God till a time when thou ſhalt be altogether unfit for him, and his Service, till a time wherein thou wilt be fit for nothing; theſe are the choice days, and thy youth is the chuſing time. We have the ſame word, which in my text is rendered youth, read choſen men, 2 Sam. 6.1. David gathered together the choſen men of Iſrael, the choiſeſt and fitteſt men for action; now thou art fitteſt for the Service of the Lord; and this ſenſe ſeemes to correſpond much with the text; for it agrees much with that which is but a Paraphraſe upon theſe words, before the evil dayes come, when thou ſhalt ſay, I have no pleaſure in them; Do not ſay in thy heart, I will try what the world will afford me now, and when I have ſucked the breaſts of her conſolation dry, and there p. 13no more to be had there, then I will try what is to be had in Religion, what the ways of God will yeeld; this Religion is a thing only fit for old Men and Women that have nothing elſe to do, whoſe palats are grown old, and cannot relliſh or taſte the delights which youth affords, or whoſe memories are grown weak, and have forgotten the pleaſures of their paſt days; theſe may begin to think of Heaven now their blood is grown cold, and their ſenſes fail them, that they can hardly diſtinguiſh between ſweet and bitter; when we have worn out our ſelves in the world, and crippled our Bodies, and worn out our Senſes in turning every ſtone, and ſucking every flower which will afford us any comfort, then will we creep to our Cloſets and cloyſter up our ſelves there too, and ſpend the remainder of our dayes in praying and ſighing; but for our youth, you muſt excuſe us; we will take this time to our ſelves to eat, drink, and be merry, and put death and Judgement, and every troubleſome thought from us. O ſay not thus in your heart, but in your choyſe days begin thus work; for no day nor time is too precious for the Lord.

I have now briefly opened the words, I ſhall propound ſuch Obſervations as will naturally flow from them.

p. 141. That every man has a choice, or chuſing time.

2, God expects that at that time we ſhould chuſe him.

3 It is a great advantage to begin with the Lo…d, before we are too far engaged in other choyces.

4. Remembring and conſidering, or ſetting God before our eyes, is a great Duty, and a great help towards the feare of the Lord.

5. No time ſo fit for this great work as the youth.

I ſhal not handle all theſe diſtinctly, but ſhall dravv them into one grand Concluſion, and in handling that, I ſhall touch and clear up all theſe as branches of that great Truth vvhichwhich lyeth in the vvords, vvhichwhich is this.

DOCTRINE.

That nothing conduces more to the fear of the Lord (as a means on our part) then a ſeaſ nable and timely ſetting him before our eyes: A ſerious and a ſolemn calling forth of the Attributes of the glorious God, and comparing and weighing them with the vanity of the creatures, does wonderfully conduce to the ballancing our ſpirits, and to the ſetting and fixing them upon God as our p. 15and chiefeſt good, and at leaſt to over-awe our ſpirits with a fear of him, if not to draw forth the heart unto a love of him. For it is very clear, that all the wickedneſs amongſt men does ariſe from a forgetfulneſs of God. David renders a reaſon of the wickedneſs of his enemies, Pſal. 54.3. they did not ſet God before them; For ſtrangers are riſen up againſt me, and oppreſſors ſeek after my ſoul: they have not ſet God before them. And in that fore-mentioned place, Deut. 8.11, 12. the Lord clearly expounds diſobeence and forgetfulneſs of himſelf one by the other. I ſhal not ſpend time in proving this Truth generally, but ſhal divide my diſcourſe into theſe four parts.

1. To enquire how and what of God is to be ſet before our eyes, to help forward this work.

2. How the ſetting of the Lord before us doth further this feare in our hearts.

3. How to keep the Lord in our eye when we have him there.

4. Why the young man eſpecially must ſet upon this duty.

For the firſt, How and what of God is to be ſet before our eyes, to help forward this work.

p. 16Anſw. Ile begin with that in the Text, Conſider him as thy Creator; this doth ſurely reach thee; this reaches Angels, and Men, and Devils; in In ipſa voce creatoris occultum habetur Argumentum; look to thy very being, or to the beings of thy Creature-enjoyments, and Nature wil tel thee by theſe, That God is to be feared, that thou doſt ow him homage and ſervice; think what God may challenge from thee as thou art his Creature; the Apoſtle condemns the Heathen that they did not walk up to this light, Rom. 1.21. Becauſe that when they knew God, they glorified him not as God. God complains from hence of unjuſt meaſure from his people, Ezek. 16.18, 19. Thou haſt ſet mine Oyl and mine Incenſe before them; my meat alſo which I gave thee, fine flower, and oyl, and honey where-with I fed thee, thou haſt even ſet it before them for a ſweet ſavour, Hoſea 2.8. For ſhe did not know that I gave her wine and oyl, and multiplied her ſilver and gold which they prepared for Baalim. And may not the ſame complaint be made againſt us, That we offer up our time, and ſtrength, and parts to the World and Sin, and Luſt, and Satan? Did they give you theſe things? Are theſe your Creators? Did …hey give you your being? or your eſtate? or your precious p. 17time? May we not ſay to all theſe as the Apoſtle ſaid, Rom. 8.12. We are not debtors to the fleſh, nor to the world, nor ſin, we owe them nothing; no, but we are debtors to God; we owe him our time, and ſtrength, and parts, and eſtates, and lives, and whatſoever we have, or are; for of him and from him are all things, to him therefore be glory. Not to fear, love, and ſerve God, is to blot out the notion of a Creatour out of our hearts, and to forget we are creatures.

Secondly, Conſider him in his Power; This is frequently in Scripture made an argument to fear the Lord, if we look to his power over the creatures; ſo David often, Pſalm 86.8, 9, 10, 11. Among the gods there is none like to thee, O God. neither are there any works like unto thy works, verſ. 9. All Nations whom thou haſt made, ſhall come and worſhip before thee, O Lord, and ſhall glorifie thy name, verſ. 10. For thou art great, and doſt wondrous things; thou art God alone. We ſee David makes choiſe of God to fear and ſerve him; becauſe of his greatneſs in the works of his hands; he concludeth, That ſurely God was able to do great things for him alſo.

p. 18Secondly, if we conſider his great power, eſpecially over us. Chriſt makes uſe of this, Matthew 10.28. Feare not them which are able to kill the body, but are not able to kil the ſoul, but rather fear him which is able to deſtroy both body and ſoul in hell. Doth the world call for thy ſervice, or doth this or that great mans luſt call for it? If thou doſt refuſe them, can they revenge thy neglect of them at that rate which the Lord can? Can they deal with their deſpiſers as the Lord doth with his? Pſal. 5.17. The wicked ſhall be turned into hell, and all the Nations that forget God; Or can they reward their ſervants as God doth his? Have they the Keys of the grave, and Heaven, and Hell at their girdles? Have they a power ſuitable unto his?

Thirdly, Conſider how infinitely the Lord is above all thy ſervices; not taking this into conſideration breeds ſo many put offs; men think any thing good enough for God, the very dreggs of their time and ſtrength, the weak and the lame wil ſerve him, and a little of that too; but didſt thou conſider the vaſt diſproportion that is betwixt God and thee, thou wouldeſt not think all thy time too much, nor the choiceſt of it too good for him who is infinitely above all that thou canſt offer up unto him, Pſalm 16.2. p. 19My goodneſs extendeth not to thee; whatever thou giveſt him, thou canſt not inrich him, thou canſt not adde unto him; nay, when thou haſt given him all, thou haſt given him nothing worthy of him; thou haſt very little reaſon to boaſt, but rather to wonder that the Lord will give thee leave (ſuch a poor wretch) to take his Name into thy mouth. If this conſideration were kept in all duties and addreſſes unto God, it would make us more frequent in duties, and more ſerious; it would check thoſe vain thoughts of men, who think the laſt hour ſoon enough, and the ſhorteſt hour long enough, and the ſlighteſt ſervice good enough for the great and infinite God, who ſhall one day deſpiſe their image, Pſal. 73.20. As dream when one awaketh, ſo, O Lord, wh… thou awakeſt thou ſhalt deſpiſe their Image.

Fourthly, Conſider how the Lord ſtands upon points of Honour; his Name is very precious, and he wil exalt it either in your ſouls, or upon them; although you may think it a ſlight thing, and what injury or wrong is it to him if I go on a little longer, and enjoy this luſt or that? the Lord hath made ſuch proffers to thy foul in Chriſt, that the world cannot parallel, and he ſtands upon point of Honour in this caſe; Moſt he p. 20wait and be put off? and every baſe Luſt, and every lying vanity entertained, and his Service laid aſide? May not I ſay as Iſaiah to Ahaz, Iſa. 7.13. Is it a ſmall thing to weary men, but you muſt weary my God alſo? A man will not indure this that has any ſpirit of a man in him, that has reſpect to Honour, he will not put it up to be laid aſide, and ſo his inferiors accepted upon unworthy terms, when he is put off, who offered terms more honourable and advantagious? the Lord calls this a double evil, Jer. 2.11, 12, 13. Hath a Nation changed their gods, which yet are no gods? but my people have changed their glory for that which doth not profit. Be aſtoniſhed O ye heavens at this, and be horribly affraid, be ye very deſolate, ſaith the Lord, ver. 13. For my people have committed two evils, they have forſaken me the Fountain of living waters, and hewed them out Ciſterns, broken Ciſterns that will hold no water. It was one evil, and very diſhonourable to God, that his people did forſake him; it was a blemiſh which the Heathen did not caſt upon their gods; but it was a double diſhonour to God that they went off upon bad and baſe terms. Remember all you that are invited daily to come to Chriſt, and yet come not, notwithſtanding thoſe glorious p. 21proffers which he makes to ſouls; and you that pretend to come, but come not in good earneſt, your hearts are going another way; O ſee that you go off upon good terms. God wil one day make you know to what loſſe you go off when you leave him, and how much he takes notice of the diſhonour you caſt upon him, by going off to things ſo infinitely beneath him.

Fifthly, Conſider the Mercy of God in Chriſt; this is the great Argument to draw the Soul unto God; theſe are the cords of a man, the winning argument to prevail with an ingenuous ſpirit; I am ſure they are ſtrong arguments to Saints, if not to men; Paul knew the weight and ſtrength of this kinde of arguing, when he ventered ſo much duty upon it as the giving up all to Chriſt, Rom. 12.4. I beſeech you brethren by the mercies of God, that you preſent your bodies a living Sacrifice, holy and acceptable unto God, which is your reaſonable ſervice.

Now that I might help this conſideration to its full weight and value, I ſhall divide it into two parts.

1 Conſider External and Temporal Mercies; theſe are Motives; What is there that thou doſt enjoy but it is Mercy to thee? and the leaſt of all theſe hath a voice if thou couldeſt underſtand it, and it importunes p. 22thee to look up to him from whence is every good gift, Acts 14.17. Nevertheleſſe hee left not himſelf without witneſſe, in that hee did good, and gave us rain from Heaven and fruitfull ſeaſons, filling our hearts with food and gladneſſe: They bear witneſſe that God is merciful, although I do not think with ſome, that they bear witneſſe of Chriſt, and of ſpecial pardoning mercy by him.

2. Conſider, God hath more mercy, that he might have more fear; he hath Spiritual mercies for your ſouls, Pſal. 130.4. There is mercy with thee, that thou mayeſt be feared. It is impoſſible that the true fear of the Lord ſhould bee planted and advanced in the heart without this conſideration; this mercy is pardoning mercy, it is Soul mercy; other conſiderations with this are uſefull to ballance the Spirit; but this is principally attractive; this is the very door of the fear of the Lord; where this is ſhut, there is no way unto repentance. Jerem. 2.25. But thou ſaidest there is no hope, for I have loved ſtrangers, and after them I will go. And Chap. 18.12. And they ſaid there is no hope, but wee will walke after our own devices, and wee will every one do the imagination of his evil heart. If God had no mercy for men, it would be vain to perſwade them to fear; p. 23if men had not ſome kind of hope, they would be helliſhly wicked.

And that I might yet advance this Motive in your Souls, take theſe particulars.

1. He is willing to be reconciled to thee although he can deſtroy thee, 2 Cor. 5.20. Now then we are Embaſſadours for Chriſt, as though God did beſeech you by us, we pray you in Chriſt, that you be reconciled to God; he hath ways enough to make thee ſtoop without wooing of thee, and can daſh thee in pieces when he pleaſeth; yet he beſeecheth thee, he intreats thee though hee hath no need of thee, but thou haſt need of him; what need hath God of thee more then of the Heathens, or Indians, or Turks, who know him not? he could as eaſily have invited them as thee; at this day he invites thee, though thou art as the damned (thy nature is as corrupt as theirs, and thy ſins as great as others) before they were caſt in there, Rom. 3.22, 23. There is no difference; for all have ſinned, and come ſhort of the glory of God. O what impreſſion ſhould theſe have upon thy ſoul, if thou wouldeſt give them their full allowance upon thy ſoul in meditation!

2. He moves them to fear him by his mercies; he might require it by his power without p. 24mercy; hee might have called for as much duty, and have given no encouragement at all unto it; but beloved, what heartenſnaring language doth he ſpeak, Iſa. 55.7. Let the wicked forſake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts, and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. The Lord might have choſen another manner of Stile then this.

3 He offers thee better termes then thou art like to meet withall elſe-where; the world cannot bid ſo faire, nor perform ſo faithfully as he doth. See that Promiſe which the Lord makes to the returning ſinner, Iſa. 55.1, 2, Ho, every one that thirſteth, come yee to the waters, and he that hath no money, come ye, buy and eat; yea come buy wine and milk without price verſ. 2. Wherefore do ye ſpend money for that which is not bread, and your labour for that which ſatisfieth not? Hearken diligently unto me, and eat yee that which is good, and let your ſoul delight in fatneſſe, &c. Search and finde where the Devil, the World and Sin promiſeth, and when and to whom he gives ſuch a thing as is held out attainable in following God.

4 If thou haſt taſted of mercy, thou canſt not but acknowledg that it is an engaging thing, Tit. 2.11.12. For the grace of p. 25God that bringeth Salvation, hath appeared unto all men, teaching us that denying all ungodlineſs and worldly luſts, we ſhould live ſoberly, righteouſly, and godly in this preſent world.

5. If thou pretendeſt to Saintſhip, and are not drawn by mercy, ſurely thou haſt a frame of ſpirit much different from the Saints of old; for the love of God conſtrained them, 1 Cor. 5.4. they had beſeeching ſpirits, which were very much affected with ſuch arguments, as I ſhewed you, Rom. 12.1.

6. If theſe are not perſwaſive motives, how then art thou under that promiſe, Hoſ. 3.5. Afterward ſhall the children of Iſrael return, and ſeek the Lord their God, and David their King, and ſhall feare the Lord and his goodneſſe in the latter dayes.

7. Is it not reaſon that thou ſhouldeſt do Gods work, when he hath provided one to do thine? he hath ſent a Chriſt unto thee, who offers himſelf to be thy life, and thy ſtrength; and he tells thee, That he hath left Heaven for a time, that he might come down, and make ſuch an offer of himſelf to ſinners; and wilt thou not leave a little of the world to offer up thy ſelf to him? Shall the kind proffers of Chriſt in the Goſpel p. 26meet with no returns? Canſt thou do leſſe then offer up all that thou haſt, or art, as a reaſonable ſacrifice to him, who ſo freely offers thee himſelf in his Son to be thy righteouſneſſe, wiſdom, ſanctification, and redemption? In a word, to be all and in all to thy ſoul. Canſt thou deny him thy time, who offers thee Eternity? Is thy preſent time, and condition, and ability too good to give out to him who offers thee more in Chriſt then thy preſent condition is able to bear, more then can enter into thine heart to conceive? Reſerve nothing from him of thy little, who gives thee with a reſerve for this reaſon, becauſe thy preſent condition is not capable of all he intends thee.

Sixthly, Conſider how quick the Lord is with ſome men to cut them off without giving them many warnings, or ſuffering them to grow up to ſuch a meaſure of ſin as he does others, as he did Nadab and Abihu; And that Gods coming to Judgement will appear quick when ever it comes. 1. Though thou mayeſt have a ſmooth time in ſin, yet when that time of pleaſure in ſin is paſt, it will ſeem very ſhort. Ask the old man, and he wil tel that his Youth was quickly gone, and Age came ſuddenly upon him; Is not the life paſt like a tale that is told? If God ſhould ſuffer thee to live a full age, and then p. 27cut thee off in thy ſin, wouldeſt not thou ſeem to go down quickly into hell?

2. If you compare the time paſt with Eternity; God is not ſlack concerning his comming, ſaith the Apoſtle; you will finde him quick enough when he comes. Art thou come, ſay the ſpirits, to torment us before the time? as ſome ſay, before the end of the World, and I exclude not that; but how did the Divel know the end was not yet? But it intimates that although the Divel had ſo many thouſand years to tempt, yet he thought it too ſoon to be troubled.

3 He may be quick in that he wil be unwelcome; and unwelcom gueſts, when ever they come, wil come too ſoon.

4 When he cometh lateſt, he will come before thou lookeſt for him; he will come unawares, and ſo wil be quick with thy ſoul; notwithſtanding all this patience, the evil ſervant ſaid not I have no Maſter, nor that his Maſter wil not come, but he delayeth his coming, Matth. 24 48, 49. this was the cauſe of his ungodlineſs. But what ſaith Chriſt? The Maſter of that Servant ſhal come in an hour when he looketh not for him; theſe ſuppoſed delays on Gods part, breed delays and neglects on our part, Matth. 25.5. while the Bride-groom ſlept, the good ſlept as wel as the bad; it is a conſideration for p. 28Saints, as well as for ſinners, to quicken up their ſpirits, and to ſtir them up to a ſerious minding of God. The Apoſtle layeth down a very good preſervative againſt this, James 5.9. Grudge not one againſt another brethren; behold the judge ſtandeth before the door; at the door of your houſes, at your Shop doors, at every Tavern door, and Alehouſe, as thou paſſeſt in at thy Chamber door, at the door of every day, and night, and providence, and he is ready to come and call thee to account without any warning: Not ſome Officers or Fore-runners, but he himſelf is comming without notice, 2 Pet. 3.11, 12. Seeing then that all theſe things ſhall be diſſolved, what manner of perſons ought ye to be in all holy converſation and godlineſſe, looking for, and haſtning unto the comming of the day of God? the ſetting this day near us, is a quickning conſideration to rouſe up the Saints.

Seventhly, Conſider the patience and forbearance of the Lord; and if thou doſt rightly weigh them, they will be ſufficient Motives to this great work of the fear of the Lord. The wiſe man doth conclude it as an evidence of a wicked heart to take advantage to himſelf from the forbearance of the Lord Eccleſ. 8.11. Becauſe ſentence againſt an evil work is not p. 29executed ſpeedily, therefore the hearts of the Sons of men is fully ſet in them to evil; and the Apoſtle argueth it at leaſt an argument of an ignorant, if not a ſtubborn ſpirit, Rom. 2.4. Or deſpiſeſt thou the riches of his goodneſs, and forbearance and long ſuffering not knowing the goodneſſe of God leadeth thee to repentance? He draws out this Dilemma with which he galls every one that refuſeth to return under mercy and patience; either thou deſpiſeſt the goodneſſe, thou haſt a God-deſpiſing heart where ever thou art; or at laſt if we put a fairer gloſs on it, and the beſt which it will bear, thou haſt an ignorant heart, which doth not underſtand the natural tendency of every diſpenſation of God, and eſpecially this under which thou art, this of patience and forbearance. Here is a conſideration which reaches every ſoule this day before me. And therefore lay it home; you are all under the patience of God, at leaſt now.

If this conſideration do not quicken up to duty, pray read impartially the frames of your ſpirits in thoſe words laſt read unto you: And to help this Conſideration forward, pray think in your ſelves what a baſe unworthy thing it is to make the great Jehovah to wait upon ſuch a vile p. 30wretch as thou art, that he muſt follow thee at thy heels like a Drudge while thou followeſt thy pleaſures, and walkeſt in waies which he abominates. Chriſt uſed it as a mighty Argument to the Spouſe, that he had waited upon her all night, Cant. 5.2. My undefiled for my head is filled with dew, and my locks with the drops of the night: It was too long for him to wait a night; but how many nights and dayes hath the Lord waited on ſome of you? How haſt thou ſuffered him to follow thee from Alehouſe to Alehouſe, and from Tavern to Tavern, and there he hath checkt thee; and from thence to thy Bed, and from thence to the Tavern again, and from thence into thy Imployment, and from thence to the Ordinance, and hath there convicted thee? and yet thou thinkeſt it nothing to make the Lord wait as a Drudge at thy heels to this very day; is not this very unworthy dealing with the great God? Nay conſider what will be the end of all this; this patience and forbearance of God will coſt thee deer which thou doſt abuſe; it will be ſaid when God upon account wil charge thee with ſo many dayes Attandance, ſo long I waited upon thee in Providences, and ſo long in ordinances, and you made a Drudge of me, made me to follow p. 31you from one Alehouſe to another, and from one Tavern to another, and here I checkt you, and in your Chamber, and upon your ſick-beds, but all this attendance was ſlighted.

How wilt thou come off? Doſt thou think not to account for this? wil it not be a heavy account, when all the patience and forbearance of God will come in againſt thee? then you ſhall underſtand that ſaying common amongſt us, but little conſidered and leſs applyed, Laeſa patientia in furorem vertitur.

Eightly conſider, Although patient, yet he is juſt; and although he ſeem ſlow, yet he is ſure; and without peradvanture he will call thee to an account one day for all thy wayes and works whether good or evil. The neceſſity and uſe of ſuch a conſideration as this we finde, 2 Corin. 5.10.11. For me muſt all appear before the Judgment ſeat of Chriſt, that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord we perſwade men. He propounds this as an engaging Motive to the Saints, to ſeek for, and to keep a clear ſight of their intereſt in God, or to ſuch a walking before him as may be acceptable to him through Chriſt.

p. 32And in the ſecond place he lays it down as a preſſing conſideration to thoſe who are acquainted with the Lord, and with his diſpenſations, to mind other men with theſe things, and to uſe all means by perſwaſive ways to draw them out of the ſnares of the Divel; and from this argument he preſſeth to a ſpeedy repentance. Acts 17.30, 31. And the times of this ignorance God winked at, but now commandeth all men every where to repent. Verſ. 31. Becauſe he hath appointed a day in the which he will judge the World in righteouſneſſe, by that man whom he hath ordained. I wiſh that this conſideration might come as near to you, as it did to Felix, Acts 24, 25. And as he reaſoned of Righteouſneſſe, Temperance, and Judgement to come, Felix trembled; only thus, that it may have better ſucceſſe, that it may not be ſo ſoon ſhaken off from you as from him. I am ſure it is ſuch a conſideration that if it were wel and ſeriouſly weighed, it would be a great help to ballance thy ſpirit when moſt vain. This we may ſee by the uſe that the wiſe man makes of it, Eccleſ. 11.9. Rejoice O young man in thy youth, and let thy heart chear thee in the daies of thy youth, and walk in the waies of thine heart, and in the ſight of thine eyes, but know thou that for all theſe things God will bring p. 33thee to judgement. He propounds it to him that was reſolved to have no other Counſellours but his own eyes and heart, to the young man in the midſt of his madneſſe; intimating, that if there were any thing that would prove a remora to his ſpirit, when he was under full ſails of vanity, this was like to do it. If any Cable was ſtrong enough to hold the ſhip in theſe rough Seas, it was this, Remember thou ſhalt come to judgement.

Ninthly, Conſider the Lord in judging ſhall not only judge men for ſins of commiſſion, but ſins of omiſſion alſo; and this ſhall condemn men before the Lord in the great day. We find the ſervant condemned for not improving his Talent, Matth. 25.25, 26, and 41, 42. verſes. We have the Judgement of the great day paſſing upon this Indictment; not that ſins of commiſſion ſhould be left out; but firſt, either to ſhew that if men did but truly meaſure themſelves by omiſſions, there was enough to condemn them.

Secondly, Or becauſe it was not queſtioned among the Jews but ſins of commiſſion would be charged, and therefore Chriſt is ſilent in that point.

Or thirdly, He inſiſts only upon this as by a ſurpluſage of reaſon, inferring the other; p. 34that if men ſhould periſh for not doing good, what ſhould become of thoſe who did evil?

Fourthly, to meet perhaps with thoſe who contented themſelves with a negative righteouſneſs, to meet with the Scribes, and Phariſees, and civil perſons.

Fifthly, That he might condemn that ſin of perſecution; if men ſhould be damned for not comforting the Saints, what ſhall become of thoſe that did perſecute them?

Tenthly, Conſider that the Lord in judging wil not onelyonly judge men for outward acts, but for thoughts; alſo, that the Lord ſearcheth and tryeth the Reins and Heart, and knoweth thoughts. I need not prove it; I hope it is granted on all hands; and if this be granted, it wil follow as I have propounded, that the Lord judgeth for theſe things, or elſe why ſhould he ſearch to know them: But if it be not plainly deducible from thence; then conſider, that it was part of the Lords charge againſt the old World, when he proceeded to judgement with it for ſin, in ſuch a ſevere manner, Gen. 6.2. And God ſaw that the wickedneſs of man was great upon the earth, and that every imagination of his heart was onelyonly evill continually. He makes uſe of the wickedneſs of the thoughts,

1 As a reaſon of that great plague.

p. 352 As an argument of the greatneſs of the ſin of man; and when the Lord cals men to repentance, he doth not onelyonly invite them to leave their outward groſs Idolatries and wicked practices, but he invites them to come in, and leave their evill thoughts behind them, Iſai. 55.7. Let the wicked forſake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts. Now if we did but remember that the Lord is the Judge of our thoughts, it would help to ſet a hedge about them; and til this be done, how can the great work of remembring the Lord proſper with us?

Eleventhly, Conſider the Holineſs of God; it is counſel from the Lord him ſelf, Levit. 19.2. Say unto all the Congregation of Iſrael, Ye ſhall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy; Preſſing to holineſs, he uſes this as the chief, if not the only Argument; for I the Lord your God am holy. And David preſſeth the ſame thing in other terms, Pſalm 99.5. Exalt ye the Lord our God, and worſhip him at his footſtool, for he is holy. A world of wickedneſs doth ariſe in mens hearts from the miſtakes which men have of God, Pſalm 50.21. Theſe things hast thou done, and I kept ſilence; thou thoughtest that I was altogether ſuch a one as thy ſelf. There was nothing made the Heathens more p. 36bold in ſin, then the Fables of their Poets who faſtned all manner of wickedneſſe upon their Gods; when they heard how their Gods committed Adultery and Rapes, they thought they might ſin by a Law; and there is a marvellous proneneſſe in men, to take up ſuch thoughts of God as may ſerve to ſtrengthen themſelves in ſin. There is a neceſſity of removing ſuch vain and groſſe conceits of God, in order to the ſetting up of his fear in our hearts; and there is nothing more needful to be ſet up then this, viz. the holineſſe of the Lord; for we frame the worſhip of God according to the apprehenſions we have of him. Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name; ſuch as Gods name is to us, ſo will his fear be in us, and ſuch worſhip will he have from us. If we know him by the name of his holineſſe, then we ſhall be carefull to ſanctifie that name in his worſhip; worſhip the Lord in the beauties of holineſſe: this leads you to the tenth verſe, where he ſaith, his Name is Holy; and therefore concludes no worſhip ſuitable to him but that which is in the beauty of holineſſe. Oh if we did but carry deep apprehenſions of Gods holineſs with us into all duties and imployments, how would it aw our hearts, and caſt a luſtre and glory upon all our actions? the glory of Gods holineſs would appear in every thing we ſet about.

p. 37Twel…thly, Conſider that God compares our actings in ſpiritual things, with our actings in carnal or civil things. If this were thought on, it would put men upon ſeriouſneſs in the things of God; ſee how the Lord upbraids Iſrael for want of this frame, Mal. 1.8. And if ye offer the blind for ſacrifice, is it not evil? and if ye offer the lame and ſick, is it not evil? offer it now to thy Governour, will he be pleaſed with thee or accept thy perſon, ſaith the Lord of Hoſts? the Lord takes it unkindly and in great diſdain, when we are circumſpect and carefull in our behaviour before men, and careleſs or leſſe wary and watchfull toward him; doeſt thou ſtudy the frame of thy ſpirit as much when thou comeſt before the Lord, as thou doeſt thy outward garb when thou art to appear before ſome great man? doeſt thou conſult as much before hand for thy acceptation, as thou wouldeſt in a caſe of life and death with thy Governour? Thou thinkeſt when thou haſt any thing to preſent to him, it is never well enough; but any thing for the Lord, if it be but the lame and the blind; a blind devotion, a few lame Prayers and Services, that have never a good leg to ſtand upon; theſe are preſented in haſte to the Lord, & thou thinkeſt it is all well enough; and doeſt thou p. 38think that the Lord wil let all theſe things paſs by without comparing them one with another? Is it not upon this ground that the Apoſtle exhorts beleevers after this manner, Rom. 6.19. As you have yeelded your members ſervants to uncleanneſs, and to iniquity unto iniquity: even ſo now yeeld your members ſervants unto righteouſneſs and to holineſs. It is not enough that thou art willing to do ſome things for God; but art thou as willing to do as much for him as ever thou wert for thy ſelf, for ſin, and luſt? Doſt thou think that when thou haſt ſerved them night and day with the heat and fervency of all thy affections, that he will be put off with a cold, ſleepy, drouſie profeſſion? Will he not ſay, See ſuch a man pretends to Religion, to act for me: did he act ſo heavily and drouſily for ſin? doth he act ſo for himſelf in things of ſelf-concernment? Away with ſuch pretenders, ſaith the Lord, that will not act for me at the ſame rate that they have acted for the world, and for themſelves, and their own luſts.

13. Conſider what an honour it is to be employed for God, to be called the ſervant o… the moſt High. David envied the very Sparrow that built about the Altar when he was ſhut out; and wilt thou ſhut out thy p. 39ſelf when God cals thee to ſuch honorable employment? Pſalm 84. the people of God who have known how to value their relations to God, have valued the very worſt things of Chriſt, and the leaſt imployment for him above the beſt things in the world, as in Moſes, Heb. 11.24, 25, 26. Moſes refuſed to be called the Son of Pharaoh's daughter, chuſing rather to ſuffer with the people of God then to enjoy the pleaſures of ſin for a ſeaſon, verſ. 26. Esteeming the reproach of Chriſt greater riches then the treaſures in Egypt. And in David, Pſalm 84.10. For a day in thy Courts is better than a thouſand. I had rather be a Door-keeper in the houſe of my God, then to dwell in the tents of Wickedneſſe. Art thou ſeeking and thirſting after honour, and honourable imployments? behold here it is, to remember thy Creator, to be buſied about him, and for him; thou art never like to get ſo much honour and repute at the laſt by ſerving ſin and Luſt, as thou maiſt get in ſerving the Lord, Rom. 6.21. What fruit had you in thoſe things whereof ye are now aſhamed? for the end thereof is death. You have the two Genuine and Natural fruits of ſin, Shame, and Death; and to this we may oppoſe that of the Wiſe man, Prov. 3.16. Length of dayes is in her right hand, and in her left p. 40hand riches and honour, Prov. 4.8. Exalt her; and ſhe ſhall promote thee; ſhee ſhall bring thee to honour when thou doeſt embrace her.

14. Conſider his great bounty to his Servants. You ſhall alway hear them that are ſincere with him, ſpeak well of him, yea very largely of his freeneſſe and fulneſſe to their Souls. I might compaſſe you with a cloud of Witneſſes, if I ſhould call in all the Saints in the Old and New Teſtament, to ſpeak out their experience, (which they would willingly do to commend their Lord and Maſter to the world) but I ſhall onelyonly call in two or three to ſpeak for all the reſt. Gen. 32.10. ſaith Jacob, I am not worthy of the leaſt of all thy mercies, and of all the truth which thou hast ſhewed unto thy Servant; for with my ſtaffe I paſſed over this Jordan, and now I am become two bands. He found when he had caſt up his accompts he was paid with an over-plus; it would be too long a ſtory to hear David tell how good he had found God; you have him largely ſpeaking of the bounty and goodneſs of God to his Soul, Pſal. 34. upon which he ſpends the whole Pſalm: yet while he was ſpeaking he feared that men would hardly judge aright of this by hearing; they would apprehend more by taſting; he calls p. 41therefore upon men, verſ, 8. O taſte and ſee that the Lord is good; bleſſed is the man that truſteth in him. God is better known by experience then by notion; he would perſwade them not to content themſelves with hear-ſayes that God was good, but deſires them to make triall of him, and of his wayes; certainly David knew the force of this Argument to draw Souls to be more and more in love with God. Pſ. 66.16. Come and I will declare what God hath done for my ſoule; hearing how liberall and free the Lord is to others, encourageth us to expect great things from him alſo, ſpecially if we finde him generally ſo free. We know a Servant is very ambitious to ſerve a free Maſter, and if he be generally free to all his Servants, it encourageth him to expect ſomething in his ſervice; if he hears every Servant in the Family to commend him, and cry up his bounty. Thus it is with God; all that are his Servants in deed ſpeak very freely of him; David gives a notable hint of this. In his Temple doth every one ſpeak of his glory: he layeth this down I ſuppoſe as an argument to preſſe to this duty; he had uſed many others from the Works of God, he draws one from the practice of his Saints becauſe they do ſpeak well of him and tell large experimentall ſtories of his glory.

p. 4215. Conſider his faithfulneſs in his Promiſes; he is yea, and Amen with Souls, he is at a word; what he promiſeth he gives, and much more then what we can expect. David uſeth this as an argument, becauſe there is no unfaithfulneſs in him; there was never any Soul that ventured on any promiſe of his, that ever found him worſe then his word; nay when he promiſed, and that very largely too, and by them hath heightened the deſires and expectations of his people, he hath reſerved to himſelf a liberty of coming in beyond their expectations, 1 Cor. 2.9. Eye hath not ſeen, ear hath not heard, neither hath it entred into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them which love him. If theſe conſiderations were faithfully laid together, and ſeriouſly weighed and applyed to our ſpirits, would they not perſwade us to draw that concluſion which we finde upon the ſame account, Jer. 10.7. Who would not fear thee, O King of Nations? and if we do not learn the skil of ſetting the Lord in ſuch conſiderations as theſe before us, we ſhal never excel in his fear.

The ſecond Head follows; How this conſidering and ſetting God before us, doth make way for, and advance the fear of God in our hearts. I ſhal explain this in the enſuing particulars.

p. 43Firſt it ſerves to ballance and ſix the vain, light, and frothy unconſtant ſpirit of man: it helps much to the putting his heart into a ſerious frame by ſetting the glory of the great Omniſcient and Omni-preſent God before him; men will be more circumſpect in their behaviours, when they conceive themſelves to be in the preſence of ſome great one; the want of this makes men vain and vile in the World, Pſal. 73.11, 12. And they ſay, how doth God know? and is there knowledge in the moſt high? Behold theſe are the ungodly who proſper in the world, they increaſe in riches; doth God know? ſay they, we are not under the eye of the Lord; and therefore we need not trouble our thoughts about him; and what follows? theſe are the ungodly; ungodlineſs in practice muſt needs follow thoſe that have caſt the thoughts of God farre from them; but would not much of the vanity of our ſpirits and the formality of our hearts be beaten down, if we could but ſet the glory of the Lord this day before us? if we did conſider with whom we have to do in Worſhip; would it not adviſe us to ſeriouſneſs in our addreſſes to him? ſurely it would be a curbe and check to the vanity of mens ſpirits, which doth now wonderfully encreaſe p. 44through the neglect of a due and ſerious remembring of the Lord.

Secondly, It would much help forward the fear of the Lord, by humbling and abaſing of us before him. Humiliation is the very ground work of holineſs here; and as this work thrives in the Soul, ſo doth the work of Sanctification proſper in and upon us; therefore whatſoever doth conduce to the perfecting or advancing the work of humiliation in the Soul, muſt needs help forward the true fear of the Lord, and the work of Sanctification; but there is nothing that doth more naturally humble the Soul then a true ſight of God. This we may ſee, Iſa. 6.5. Then ſaid I, Woe is me, becauſe I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midſt of a people of unclean lips; for mine eyes have ſeen the King, the Lord of Hoſts. And in Job 42.5, 6. I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear, but now mine eye ſeeth thee; wherefore I abhor my ſelf in duſt and aſhes. We ſee how one glance of God did work upon them; how much more would a continual frame of beholding God in his glory, and as he hath been preſented, bring creatures down to lie in the duſt? O therefore if you would have much of the power of Sanctification, ſtudy the Soul humbling and abaſing Truths and p. 45Attributes of God; it is a ſeaſonable advice to our times.

Thirdly, it crucifieth the World, and keeps that alwaies under a cloud before us; and how neceſſary this is to the furthering of the fear of the Lord, let thoſe ſpeak who have much to do in the world, and any thing to do with their own hearts; they ſhal find, that the faſter the world dies to them, the more they ſhall live to God. The ſoul never thrives better in Spiritual things then when the world and the glory of it is vailed to it; for then the affections have liberty to Spiritual things, and the World hath leſſe influence upon them; now this ſerious conſideration of God, helps on theſe two waies.

1 By drawing our hearts to look through the Creature unto God. Or,

2 By directing us to look down from God upon the Creature. If we take it the firſt way, then it crucifieth the World, by leading the Soul through the viſible to the inviſible glory of God, Rom. 1 20. For 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; it ſuffers not the Soul to ſtick and loyter in the ſurface of any created glory, but it ſtrives p. 46to comprehend him who fils this and that Creature with his glory. The Soul uſeth the Creature as a man uſeth a pair of Spectacles to look through them; and he is not buſie eying them, though he looks ſteadily upon them, but he is taken up in eying the letters and words, and things which he diſcerns through them; this is the true uſe of the Creature to look through it, and not to be bounded and terminated in it; and the Soul that ſets the Lord much before him, learns thus to paſs through every thing unto the Lord, who is the center of his thoughts; and by doing ſo the affections are fixed with the glory of God, and it takes little notice of the Creature which it paſſes by, having a more excellent object in his eye.

If we conſider it in the ſecond way propounded, then it crucifieth the world; thus it looks down from the Lord to the Creature, and ſo it beholds it at a diſadvantage; and this view of the Creature either leſſens it, or darkens it; as we ſee, if a man behold any thing from the top of ſome high Tower, it ſeems very ſmal to him, what it doth to him that ſtands level with it; ſo it is with men that converſe with God, and walk with God, they behold the Creature afar off, and much beneath them, and they ſeem not ſo bigg to them as they do to p. 47thoſe who ſtand upon the earth; for by this means the Creature is darkned; as we find by example, That if a man looks ſteadily on the Sun, he ſhal find a miſt upon every thing that he beholds immediatly after; ſo let a Soul that hath been contemplating, and conſidering the goodneſs and glory of God, take a view preſently of the Creature, and how cloudy and miſty wil it appear?

Fourthly, It ſtirs up choiſe breathings, and longings after God, and the enjoyment of him; the Soul by lying on God in Chriſt, begins to ſee him as the only deſirable one, the choiſe good, the ſuitable and the ſatisfying good, and from hence proceeds choiſe breathings after him; ſee one of theſe, Pſalm 27.4. One thing have I deſired of the Lord, that will I ſeek after, that I may dwell in the houſe of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to enquire in his temple. Here was one that was enamoured after God, and his wayes; he had ſeen ſo much of the beauty and excellency of God that he was wonderfully taken with it, and would wiſh to ſpend all his days in the beholding of it; this frame we finde the Diſciples in when they had but a glance of the glory of Chriſt, Matthew 17.4. Master, it is good for us to be here; and theſe experiences beget choiſe p. 48breathings. David would ſpend al his time not only in beholding but enquiring alſo; beauty diſcovered begets breathings ſuitable to diſcoveries▪ The more God is ſeen, the more deſired; he did not dream of a contemplative life as ſome doe, wherein we ſhould be onelyonly buſied in beholding, and be freed from enquiring; he deſired no ſuch perfection. We do not finde ſo many choyce breathings of any of the Saints recorded as of David; and indeed there is enough ſpoken of him, to teſtifie him to be a man of the choyceſt affections; and one reaſon of this was (as I ſhall afterward ſhew you from hence) he was a conſtant eyer of God, he was ſtill in his thoughts; from hence did ſo many ſweet breathings flow; ſee a few of them, Pſal. 42.1, 2. As the Hart panteth after the water-brooks, ſo panteth my ſoul after thee, O God, my ſoul thirſteth for God, for the living God; when ſhall I come and appear before God! There is panting and thirſting after God; yet hee goes higher in his affections, Pſalm 84.2. he longeth, yea even fainteth, and yet he exceeds, Pſalm 119.20. My ſoul breaketh for the longings that it hath unto thy Judgements. What manner of breathings were theſe after the Lord, and after his ways! all theſe did flow from an experimental p. 49taſte of God, and the excellency of his ways; and when the Soul hath found out the ſweetneſs of the preſence of God, and his ways, it wil no longer be contented with broken ciſterns which wil hold no water; it wil not live upon that which is not bread, and which ſatisfieth not, but it flies to God and Chriſt, and nothing elſe wil ſatisfie the ſoul, Iſaiah 55.1, 2. It ſays to it ſelf, as the Lord ſaith, Wherefore do you ſpend money for that which is not bread, and your labour for that which ſatisfieth not? Hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your ſoul delight it ſelf in fatneſs; there is bread and water, and marrow, and fatneſs▪ I will up (ſays the Soul) to my Fathers houſe, there is bread enough and to ſpare. Oh, if we did but eye the Lord more, we ſhould be more acquainted with thoſe choiſe breathings of the Saints.

Fifthly, It begets an aſſimilating love; the diſcoveries of God made out and faſtned upon the Soul, in a conſtant and ſerious frame of eying God, do wonderfully move the Soul to love, raiſe very ſtrong affections, and theſe do ſtrongly carry the ſoul after likeneſs and conformity to the good which we ſee and know of God; the Soul would fain be like him, and doth by p. 50degrees grow into the Image and likeneſſe of that beauty and glory which it beholdeth in the Lord. 2 Cor. 3.18. But we all with open face beholding as in a glaſſe the glory of the Lord, are changed into the ſame Image from glory to glory. Souls that are much converſant with God in Chriſt, and are much in admiring and beholding God in him, do grow much (although perhaps inſenſible to themſelves) into the Image of Jeſus Chriſt.

Sixthly, It makes Souls active and fruitful; good thoughts make way for good deſires, and they for good actions; how much of time, and of the man do vain and unprofitable thoughts take up? and what is the fruit of them? Pſal. 10.4, 6, 7. The wicked through the pride of his countenance will not ſeek after God; God is not in all his thoughts; he hath ſaid in his heart, I ſhall not be moved, for I ſhall never be in adverſity. Verſ. 7. His mouth is full of curſing, and deceit and fraud, and in his tongue is miſchief and vanity. Vain thoughts make way for wicked deſignes and practiſes; ſhut him firſt out of thy thoughts, and next deny him in thy works; ſo on the other hand, the eying of God feeds and furniſheth the ſoul with ſweet Meditations p. 51of him, and the fruit of ſuch meditations in a fruitful converſation, Pſal. 1.2, 3. His delight is in the law of the Lord, and in his Law doth he meditate day and night. And he ſhall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his ſeaſon, and his leaf alſo ſhall not wither. He joyneth theſe two together; as Jacobs Ewes did conceive by eying the Poplars, ſo doth the ſoul by eying God.

Seventhly, It brings in a ſweet experimental knowledge of God, which is as fatneſs unto the ſoul. Now nothing doth ſo glew the ſoul to God and his ways, as this taſt and relliſh which the ſoul gets of them; and the ſweetneſs is gotten very much in meditation, Pſalm 104.34. My meditation of them ſhall be ſweet. When he had ſpent the whole Pſalm in beholding the ways and works of God, he draweth this concluſion, My meditation of him ſhall be ſweet; He would not lay aſide the thoughts of God; when he had ceaſed ſpeaking, he would then to another duty which ſhould yeeld him no ſmal comfort; and what ſweetneſs this was he doth excellently expreſs elſewhere, Pſalm 63.5, 6. My ſoul ſhall be ſatisfied as with marrow and fatneſs; my mouth ſhall praiſe thee with joyful lips. Verſ. 6. When p. 52I remember thee on my bed, and meditate on thee in the night watches. And in the connexion of the fifteenth and ſixteenth verſes of the one hundred and nineteenth Pſal. you ſhall find delight as a fruit of meditation on the things of God; I will meditate on thy precepts, and have reſpect to thy ways. Verſ. 16. I will delight my ſelf in thy ſtatutes, and will not forget thy word. The heart that ſticks cloſe with God, and carries him much in his eye and thoughts, is never weary of beholding of him; all other Objects do breed a loathing and wearineſs in the ſoul; but it is not ſo here; the longer a ſoul converſes with God, the more delight it hath in him; enjoyment breeds hungrings; and thoſe being always ſatisfying, but not ſatisfied, breeds an inconceivable delight in the ſoul.

Que. 3. How ſhall I do to keep the Lord in mine eye continually?

Anſ. I ſhall lay down ſome quickening conſiderations, which wil both engage us, and aſſiſt us in this duty, and then give ſome practical directions to further it.

Firſt, Conſider that God hath an eye continually upon thee, and this will help thee always to eye him; we know that if we are in any company, and obſerve amongſt all the perſons one who does particularly p. 53obſerve us, we are engaged much in our eyes to that party; we ſhal hardly forbear eying ſuch a one as we obſerve to eye us; thus it would be with us, if we did but conſider that the Lords eye runs too and fro, and obſerves exactly all our ways, it would help us much to ſeriouſneſs, as being in his preſence. I ſhall propound a few Scriptures to ſhew you what uſe they make of this conſideration; for I am confident that there is very little uſe made of it on all hands; what manner of men ſhould we be, if we did but walk up and down as a people who are always under his eye? we ſhould be more mindful of him, if we thought he did more mind us. David makes the ſame uſe of this conſideration which I bring it for, Pſalm thirty four, and the fifteenth, The eys of the Lord are upon the righteous; he brings this unto the young-man to preſſe him un…o the fear of the Lord, Verſ. 11. Come yee children, hearken unto me, I will teach you the fear of the Lord. He lays down the duty in general, and branches it into two particulars, and preſſes all with this, The eys of the Lord, &c. There it is principally uſed to the Saints, and we find this very place quoted by the Apoſtle, 1 Peter 3.12. For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their p. 54prayers. And the wiſe man makes it an univerſal argument to all ſorts, but eſpecially to the young man, Prov. 5.20, 21. And why wilt thou my ſon be raviſhed with a ſtrange Woman, and imbrace the boſome of a ſtranger? For the waies of man are before the eyes of the Lord, and hee pondereth all his goings. Nay, preſſes from hence not only circumſpection in our actions, but in our words too; to watch the tongue, to weigh every word that cometh out of our lips, Prover. 15.2, 3. The tongue of the wiſe man uſeth knowledge aright, but the mouth of fools poureth out fooliſhneſſe. The eys of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and the good; hee is adviſing to a diſcreet and wiſe ordering of words, not only to ſpeak according to knowledge, but alſo according to diſcretion, to do and ſpeak every thing and word ſeaſonably, and ſuitably, and to edification; and this he urges from this, Thou art under the eye of the Lord; and what ſad effects the want of this conſideration hath brought forth, let the Scripture, beſide our ſad experience, declare. Hear what account David gives of this, Pſalm 10.11. He hath ſaid in his heart God hath forgotten, hee hideth his face, hee will never ſee it. Hee rips open the heart of the wicked, and ſhews the reaſon p. 55of his practical wickedneſs. We have the very ſinews of ſin that ſtrengthen the hands of wicked men; They ſlay the widow; and the stranger, and murther the fatherleſſe, yet ſay, the Lord ſhall not ſee, neither ſhall the God of Jacob regard it. If thou wouldeſt therefore be found walking in an even path, and avoid the ſteps of the wicked, keep thine eys upon God; and that thou mayeſt do this;

Firſt, Conſider that God will eye thee whether thou eyeſt him or no: its the commendation of a picture when it is drawn ſo that the eye of it is upon thee whereſoever thou ſtandeſt to behold it; the Image of God is rightly drawn upon thy ſoul when thou ſeeſt his eye is alwaies towards thee.

Secondly, Conſider that thou liveſt no longer then whilſt thou art preſent with God, and God with thee; whilſt thou walkeſt without God in thine eye, thou lieſt under a cloud, and a damp is upon thy ſpirit; coldneſs and deadneſs muſt needs ſeize u…on thy heart when it is withdrawn from the eye of the ſun, Pſal. 16▪11. Thou wilt ſhow me the path of life, in thy preſence is fulneſs of joy; at thy right hand there are pleaſures for evermore; As the Epicure ſaid, A man doth live onelyonly whilst he doth enjoy his pleaſure; So may I ſay, Thou doſt live no p. 56longer then thou art with God. See what the Apoſtle ſayes of ſuch as are ſtrangers to the life of God, they have a name to live but are dead; or if thou art not altogether dead, yet thou liveſt only in the root, as the tree doth in winter, when the leaves and fruit fail; who can tell whether it be alive or dead? there is little difference between a dead one and that; So indeed it is with the people of God; whilſt they neglect this great duty, there is little difference betwixt carnal people and them.

Thirdly, Conſider how thou art engaged to this duty as thou profeſſeſt thy ſelf a Chriſtian: it is thy duty as a Profeſſor to walk as Chriſt walked. He that ſaith he abideth in him, ought himſelfe alſo to walk even as he walked, 1 Joh. 2.6. If thou wouldeſt know how he walked, conſult with Pſal. 16.8. I have ſet the Lord alway before me; becauſe he is at my right hand, I ſhall not be moved: And if you doubt whether this be meant of Chriſt or not, ſee Act. 2.25. For David ſpeaketh concerning him, I foreſaw the Lord alway before my face, for he is on my right hand that I ſhould not be moved. You ſee the fruit which is from hence; ſtability in the ways of God; therefore he had aſſurance that he ſhould not be moved.

p. 57Fourthly, Conſider this was Davids frame, and therefore not onelyonly imitable, but attainable alſo, Pſalm 25 15. Mine eyes are ever towards the Lord, Pſalm 139.17, 18. How precious alſo are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the ſumm of them! If I ſhould count them, they are more then the ſands; when I awake I am ſtill with thee. Why ſhould not this engage us, and encourage us to endeavour this thing? ſeeing that the Saints of old have attained unto it, why ſhould we not go and do likewiſe?

Fifthly, Conſider ſuch a frame of ſpirit is very dear unto the Lord; and a People that ſo live are very precious unto him; he ſets much by ſuch a people, who carry him much in their eye, Mal. 3.16. Then they that feared the Lord, ſpake often one to another, and the Lord hearkened and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon his Name. God will be ſure to think upon thoſe for good, who think much upon him; the Lord enters their names upon the Liſt for preſervation, takes ſpecial notice of them; Not that we ſhould think that the Lord hath any need of a Regiſter to keep things in remembrance; but that the Lord might hereby (ſpeaking after the manner of men) give his people good aſſurance that p. 58they ſhould not be forgotten by him; that whoever were neglected in an evil day, theſe ſhould be provided for; theſe are his Jewels as he calls them. Now we know if a houſe be on fire, a man will run and catch the Jewels that he hath in his houſe, or the Children that he hath, and ſave them from the flames; Thus will God ſave his precious ones. Oh here you may ſee how good it is to have God in our thoughts; for one thought of him ſhall not be loſt; God will not only cauſe their prayers to return into their boſoms, but their thoughts ſhall come home at ſuch a time.

Sixthly, Conſider ſuch a frame will bee very ſweet unto thee; thou wilt find it at preſent a very choice frame of ſpirit, to have God much before thee; David found ſweet refreſhments here, when he could not find any comfort from any viſible thing; he then had it in his thoughts within him, Pſa. 94.19. In the multitude of my thoughts within me, thy comforts delight my ſoule, Pſalm 139.17. How precious alſo are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the ſum of them? David ſeems to be raviſhed with the ſweetneſſe of the thoughts of his heart; he does as it were, travel with a deſire to expreſſe that ſweetneſſe which he found in the very thoughts of God; and becauſe they were p. 59inexpreſſible, he propounds this in a queſtion to the Lord, who only was able to give an anſwer, How precious are thy thoughts, O God! The worldlings thoughts, or the wantons thoughts, or the voluptuous mans thoughts are not, cannot bee half ſo ſweet unto him, as the thoughts of God are to a ſoul that ſincerely converſeth with him.

Seventhly, Conſider that the more thou converſeſt with God, the ſweeter will his name and waies be unto thee; when thou haſt once made entrance into this duty, and haſt taſted the ſweetneſſe of it, thou wilt not know where or when to end. David ſpeaking in commendation of the ways of God, hath this expreſſion, I know no end therof. And in that Pſa. 119.96. I have ſeen an end of all perfection, but thy Commandment is exceeding broad. He ſpeaks out eminently his experience in this thing; that hee had ſeen an end of the perfection of every way but of this. A man may finde ſomething ſweet in creatures, but he ſhal quickly come to the end of it; only in the ways of God he finds a large field; there is room enough for his ſoul; he may travel all his daies in them, and never find an end of their perfection here. He was like the L… viathan taking his paſtime in the mighty p. 60waters; the man that ſets his hearton any thing beneath Chriſt, ſhall find his bed too ſhort to ſtretch himſelf upon; he crowdeth his ſoul into a narrow room and place where he cannot be at reſt; but the ſoul that is buſied about the Lord in meditating upon him, has a large place to walk in; there is no end of his glory, nor of the ſweetneſs of his ways. We may ſay of them truly, as the wiſe man ſaith in another caſe, The eye is not ſatisfied with ſeeing, nor the ear with hearing. They were not onelyonly Davids work, but his recreation, Pſalm 119.111. Thy testimonies have I taken as an heritage, they are the rejoycing of my heart: And this exceeding ſweetneſs which he found in the thoughts of God, did multiply his thoughts. Pſalm 139.17. How precious are thy thoughts, O God! and the ſoul multiplies the thoughts according to what they yeeld of delight unto it, as the Bee often fals on that flower which yeelds the moſt honey.

Eighthly, Conſider how thou haſt carryed the world in thine eye conſtantly for many dayes, and moneths, and years without intermiſſion; thou didſt never walk up and down but thou didſt carry thy worldly thoughts with thee; either thoughts of profit, or pleaſure, or preferment, thou haſt carried them to thy bed, and brought them p. 61from thence again, they have companied thee ſleeping as well as waking; thou haſt had no leaſure for God, nor for a ſerious thought of thy ſoule, no not ſo much as under an Ordinance; how many vain, baſe thoughts haſt thou brought to the hearing of the Word, and to other duties! there has been no time nor place wherein thou haſt been free from carnal thoughts: Oh now ſtudy to keep thy heart, thy thoughts as cloſe to God, as thou didſt then to the world; carry as much of God now with thee into the world, as thou didſt then bring with thee of the world into the things of God; it is but reaſon that thou ſhouldeſt follow God with the ſame affections & deſires that thou didſt then follow thy pleaſures and profits; with what face can we profeſs that we love God, and that our thoughts are upon him, when he is lower in our thoughts, or leſs in them then other things either are or have been? See the Apoſtles Argument Rom. 6 19. I ſpeak after the manner of men becauſe of the infirmity of your fleſh; for as you have yeelded your members ſervants unto uncleanneſs, and to iniquity unto iniquity; even ſo now yeeld your members ſervants to righteouſneſs unto holineſs. May I not uſe the ſame? is it not a reaſonable thing, and plain to the judgement of man, that you p. 62ſhould honor God as much in your thoughts as ever you diſhonored him, and give up them to him, as you did formerly give them up to ſin and vanity? now remember what the frame of thy ſpirit was when thou wert vain, thy thoughts conſtantly ſo; there was not room for one ſerious thought of God, when thou wert carnal and worldly, and ſet upon thy pleaſures, thy thoughts were all that way, and alwaies ſuch. O now think it not enough to begin to be ſerious; but be as ſerious for God as ever thou wert for the world and ſin. Make it thy buſineſs and thy deſign; now labour to keep thy thoughts as buſie about the Lord as ever thou didſt about any thing in the world; remember the Lord expects a proportionable acting that we act for him, at the rate that we did againſt him.

Ninthly, Thou wilt never repent of living near the Lord, when thou comeſt to dye; the time which thou haſt ſpent this way, in e…ing th… Lord, and thy fore-thoughts which thou haſt had of Eternity wil never trouble thee in that hour, where thou wilt mourn onelyonly for thoſe hours which thou haſt ſpent without God in the world, when other men ſhall tremble at the thoughts of death and of eternity, and at the remembrance of God whom they have not known nor conſidered p. 63nor yet cared to know; then thou ſhalt rejoice in him whom thou haſt known, and loved, and hopeſt to ſee, with whom thy thoughts have been long before; when death ſhall come to ſurprize others, it ſhall deliver thee; and when God ſhal come as a ſtranger, and an enemy to them, he ſhal be as a long-experienced friend to thy ſoul; then thou ſhalt reap the benefit of thy retirements which men called melancholly thoughts; and he whoſe thoughts were not as thine, wil wiſh his end might be as thine. When Oecolampadius lay on his death-bed, asking a friend that came to viſit him what news he brought, and he told him none? well ſaith he then▪ Ile tell you news. When all were in expectation what it ſhould be, or how he that had been confined to his chamber, could tell them news, Brevi ero apud Christum Dominum, ſaies he; I ſhall ſhortly be with Chriſt; this was good news to that good man, whoſe heart had been for him whileſt living, and now rejoiced that he ſhould be more with him dying; And indeed the conſideration of this did ſo much affect him, he turned all diſcourſe into this; when they asked whether the light did not offend him becauſe of his weakneſs? he l…id his hand on his breaſt, and ſaid, Abunde lucis eſt, here is much light. It is p. 64remarkable that of Paul, 2 Tim. 4.6, 7. For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand; I have fought a good fight, I have finiſhed my courſe, I have kept the faith: what comfort he takes in conſidering how he had ſpent his time for God, and how much that conſideration did facilitate his aſſurance; and he adds this as a fruit of wel-doing, to love the appearance of Chriſt: But for a wicked man who hath lived all his time ignorantly, or idly, or prophanely, either doing his own things, or other, or evil things, and not regarding the things of the Lord, will he rejoyce at the appearance of Jeſus? there wil be a horrible crying when Chriſt comes at midnight, and finds them ſecure, and employed in the works of the night, in ſurfeiting or in drunkenneſs. It will be with ſuch as it was with Pope Adrian, who cryed out, O my ſoul, whither art thou going! thou art going where thou ſhalt never be jovial nor merry more. O my ſoul whither art thou going! Men do generally ſhake off theſe thoughts; but when they come to dye, they are eaſily confuted; they live now as if there were none to out-live them but their wives and children, as if there were no God, nor no ſoul to ſurvive; their very lives ſpeak the very language of the great Turk when he was p. 65dying, and his Doctors told him he muſt prepare to go to another world; Is there another world when I am dead? he thought all had died with him; language fit for thoſe filthy Dreamers of our days, thoſe ſuperannuated hypocrites, who have worn out all their profeſſion of Religion, who ſay men dye as Cats and Dogs, and therefore they live like Beaſts. But as an Antidote againſt the evil of their ways, carry this along with thee, Labour to do thoſe things now which thou wouldſt wiſh thou hadſt done when thou comeſt to dye, and leave thoſe things undone which thou ſuppoſeſt will not yeeld comfort in that hour.

Having laid theſe things down as conſiderations to quicken to the duty, I ſhall give ſome practical directions to guide you in it, and to further Souls who would willingly have their hearts ſet in ſuch a conſtant frame for God.

Firſt Direction. Have an eye upon thine own heart, and that will conſtantly adminiſter occaſions to thee of looking after God; thy wants, or enjoyments, temptations or deliverances, hopes or fears will adviſe thee to draw nigh to him; not conſidering the preſent frames & tempers of our hearts, makes them ſo little God-ward; if we were acquainted with our ſelves, we ſhould be p. 66leſſeſtrangers to him. That man is happy who carries ſo much an eye over himſelf as to know in what frame of ſpirit he is; That man ſhall never defer his going to God, for want of an errant; for his own ſelf obſervation will furniſh him for matter of duty, either for meditation or action, and the variety of change with which his heart is clothed wil checker his whole life with prayer, and praiſe; God is not like to be far from that mans eye and heart, who is not farre from himſelf, who is converſant at home. If you will be found in a good and conſtant frame for God, labour to know thy preſent frame whatever it be: the knowing of the frame of thine own ſpirit doth much conduce to the bettering of it. But if thou lookeſt not after thine own heart, but letteſt it run at random, thou art not like to find it much with God; a heart not watcht, is loſt.

Secondly, When thou haſt gotten acquaintance with thy heart, and findeſt it wandring from God, labour to ingage it as much as thou canſt to this duty; lay the weight of the duty before thee, with the excellency, neceſſity, and benefit of it, with the danger of neglect, and ſee what thou canſt bring thy heart unto, and try whether this wil not engage it to be more with God. p. 67We have a notable paſſage for our direction in this caſe, Jer. 30.21. He ſhall approach; for who is he that engages his heart for God? God promiſes to bleſſe the deſires and endeavours of ſuch as take ſome pains with their hearts in this thing; I ſee ſaith the Lord ſuch an one, what pains ſuch a poor creature takes to draw his heart to me, and how he tuggs and labours at it. Well ſaith the Lord, does he ſo? and cannot he for all this bring his heart to it? Doth he complaine of the difficulty of the duty? I will cauſe him to draw near; Jor I have ſeen how he hath laboured to engage his heart. David hath an expreſſion very full, to ſhew how much he had to do with his heart to draw it to God, or keep it cloſe with God, I have forced my ſelf to keep thy ſtatutes. The word that is here tranſlated to engage, it ſignifies to engage by covenanting, or to become a Surety for any one; ſo it is uſed, Gen. 44.32. Thy ſervant became Surety for the Lad, ſo that he intimates that often covenanting with our hearts, and often covenanting for them with God, is a means to keep them intent upon him; and though when we have done all, we are too weak to deal with our hearts, yet God takes notice of thoſe who deal moſt with their hearts, and bleſſes it unto the deſign p. 68which they drive, which is to draw near unto him.

Thirdly, Obſerve thoſe clouds which do moſt of all take God from thy eyes, and watch againſt them, and where thou meeteſt with that which hath once proved a ſnare to thy Soule, and a vail betwixt God and thee, walk with a holy fear, and wait for a double portion of Grace at ſuch a time; What is it that doth lead thy ſpirit? Is it thy employment, thy recreation, thy paſſion, thy cares of this world, thy carnall relations or companions? it is ſomething thou meeteſt withal often, or is it ſomething thou doſt but ſeldome meet? if it be a conſtant ſnare, then thou haſt need to be alwayes watchfull becauſe of that; if it be ſuch a one as ſeldome moleſts thee, be ſure thou be very careful, and conſider how much grace thou haſt need of, to wade through that which hath once ſpoyled thee. A man that is robbed by the way ſide, will ſtill remember the place where he loſt his Purſe, and will be ſure to look well about him when he paſſes that way again, and go provided to defend himſelf; if we did but weigh every condition, and what temptations are in it, or may be in it, and then conſider what grace is needfull to bear up a Soul in the ſame, it would wonderfully help our ſpirits to a ſenious p. 69watchfulneſſe, and conſtancy. I am now to go forth in my employment, and I find my ſpirit is ready to be too eager and intent upon the things of this preſent world, that I can hardly keep God in my eye; how great care ſhould I have now of my heart! it is almoſt every day loſt in that Wilderneſſe in which I am now travelling; I am now to go to my meat, yet I finde that in eating and drinking it is hard to ſet God before me; how ſhal I do for proportionable grace for this? So I am going into ſuch company where I have loſt my heart, and the remembrance of the Lord; oh now for ſuitable grace to this condition. Thus if we would weigh the inconveniences of every condition, and watch againſt them for hereafter, it would wonderfully help us againſt a drowſie dead frame of heart.

Fourthly, Call thy heart often to account where it hath been; how little with God, and why ſo; and by this means thou ſhalt find out every back-door that thy heart hath to ſteal out at from God in a day. David propounds this amongſt his directions to further and to engage men in the fear of the Lord, Pſalm 4.4. Commune with thine own heart in thy bed; do it on the bed, then thou mayeſt be ſtill and quiet; thou canſt not plead an excuſe from diſtractions; p. 70then thou mayeſt argue it out, and have leaſure enough to do it; this employment, nor that, will not call thee off. Do it on the Bed in the end of the day, not to exclude other times and ſeaſons, but eſpecially do it then when the work of the day is done, then call thy heart to account, as Maſters uſe to do their Servants when the work is over; and this time is the moſt fit and ſeaſonable time for this duty, becauſe in the evening time thou maiſt finde that which in the morning thou couldeſt not foreſee; the morning is for the engaging and preparing; but the evening for examining the heart; for thoſe holes at which thy heart eſcapes from thee, in the day, thou couldſt not diſcern; but in the evening by peruſing thy heart thou mayeſt eaſily diſcover. A man goes about his houſe and views it in all parts, but cannot tell where the Theif ſhould break in, or go out, and is very ſecure, thinks himſelf ſtrong; but when the houſe is broken open, and his goods taken away, he traces the Thief by his foot, and he finds which way hee is eſcaped, and he labours to fortifie that place which he did not ſuſpect before; ſo perhaps it may be with ſome of us, we take a view of our Souls in the morning, and wee think all is well; we go forth in the ſtrength of reſolution to keep cloſe with God, p. 71but the houſe is broken open, and the heart is gone by ſome back door, which we neither did nor could fore-ſee: The way to finde out this eſcape, is, to view the houſe after it is broken open; and by this means thou maiſt finde that it is eaſier to finde a gap then to fore-ſee it, and when thou haſt found it, get it ſhut; by this means thou maiſt in time finde out every door and hole, at which thy wandring heart goes out from God in the day.

Fifthly, Take heed of walking contrary to thy own light; for the ſinning againſt that will bring forth curſed effects, which do directly deſtroy this frame of ſpirit which I am preſſing to.

The firſt is this; It blindes the Soul, and by this means in time it will be ſo that thou wilt want an eye to watch thy wandring Soul, and when thou haſt put out thine own eyes, thou art like to be a ſad Watchman. If we conſult with that of the Apoſtle, Rom 1.22. becauſe that when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankfull, but became vain in their imaginations, and their fooliſh heart was darkned; we ſhall find that there is no ſpeedier way to loſe our light then to ſin againſt it; the very Heathens ſinned away that light they had; and if thou ſinneſt againſt more p. 72light, thou maiſt loſe more; a ſinal injury done to the eye makes a man ſee the worſe for a time at leaſt, if it do not endanger the loſing it; walking contrary to thy light in ſmal things, may diſ-enable thee to ſee great things for a time; labour ſo to walk, as fearing to ſin away that light in which thou deſireſt to behold God and thine own ſoul.

Secondly, walking contrary to light, although in ſmal things, doth eſtrange the heart from God; every ſin ſeeks a ſhelter, but eſpecially ſin againſt light loves not to behold the light; we do not love to look much on them whom we cannot behold without a bluſh. Guilt newly contracted, and freſh in our eyes, doth eſtrange the ſoul from God; the creature is unwilling to behold him; as we ſee in Adam, he hid himſelf; eſpecially if it ariſes from ſin againſt light, no ſin doth ſo much ſeparate from God as this; the ſenſe of the ſin of our nature, or the perſwaſion that we have committed ſins of ignorance, are not ſuch interrupters of communion with God, as the ſin againſt light; for although they do humble us before God, yet they do not ſtir up ſuch a fear and ſhame in us as this does, which obſtructs our addreſſes to God; and the reaſon is plain; for when a man hath done p. 73an injury to his neighbour ignorantly, he can eaſily go and excuſe it; but when he hath no excuſe to carry with him, he is then hardly perſwaded to draw near. I appeal to experiences of Saints concerning this Truth; whether it be not a hard thing to look upon God, when guilt ſticks freſh on the ſoul? I am ſure David found it thus, Pſ. 40.12. Mine iniquities have taken hold upon me, ſo that I am not able to look up.

Sixthly, Remember that in the midſt of all thy deſigns and endeavours in this thing, that thou live not upon them, but upon Chriſt; neglect no duty which may facilitate this great duty, but remember to beleeve as if thou didſt uſe no means. Live upon the ſtrengthening promiſe; for it is the work of Chriſt to bring over the heart firſt to God, and it is his work to keep it cloſe with God. This is the great Goſpelpromiſe, and we are to wait for the fulfilling of it in the uſe of means, Jer. 31.33. After thoſe days, ſaith the Lord, I will put my Law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts, and I will be their God, and they ſhall be my people; And Jer. 32.40. God hath promiſed to heal the back-ſlidings of the ſoul, after promiſes and endeavors, and engagements, and back-ſliding thoughts, and revolts of the he…rt; thou canſt not keep p. 74up with God, ſee what God ſaith, Jer. 3.22. Return to me ye back ſliding children, and I will heal your back-ſlidings; And in Hoſ. 14.4. I will heal your back-ſlidings, I will love you freely: See, what precious promiſes are theſe for ſouls to take hold of: We find how difficult it is to keep cloſe to God; lay theſe to heart, take theſe promiſes and melt them into petitions; who knows but that the Lord may do great things for thee, if thou wilt wait for him in the promiſe, when he puts out his greatſtrength, and communicates a kind of omnipotency to poor ſouls? what is there too hard for him who knows how to uſe a promiſe as a promiſe? I hint this, Becauſe I find many ſouls to abuſe the promiſes of God ſtrangely, and therefore reap but little comfort from them; they take the promiſes and turn them into tryals, and onelyonly examine themſelves by them, and neglect the very end of the promiſe: As for example, they take a promiſe, and ſay, God has promiſed ſuch and ſuch things in Chriſt to his people, as to put his Law in their hearts, and to keep them from departing from him, and to heal their back-ſlidings; but I fear it is not ſo with me, I do not find theſe things in my heart, therefore I can take no comfort in the promiſe. This is a wronging of the Promiſe, as much as if thou p. 75ſhouldeſt ſay, I wil believe God when I ſee his word fulfilled, and not before. The Promiſe was given thee to comfort thee, and to ſupport thee, when nothing elſe could; when the Sun is clouded, and thou ſeeſt the want of theſe things, which the promiſe holds forth, then thou art to beleeve and rely on the promiſe; this is to uſe it as a promiſe: If thou doſt this, thou ſhalt find them mighty through Chriſt, and him near at hand to help thee in all thy ſtreights; And be ſure remember this, that the uſe of the promiſe muſt not take thee off from other means preſcribed; neither muſt other means take thee off from the promiſe; but in the uſe of all means herein lies the great ſtrength, in the ſtrengthening promiſe.

Seventhly, Labour for an experimental taſte and knowledg of God in Chriſt; this wil be the ſweeteſt and ſureſt means to keep the ſoul intent upon God; Where your treaſure is, ſaith Chriſt, there your hearts will be; now no ſoul can make God and Chriſt his treaſure, but the experimental ſoul; he that hath not taſted how good the Lord is, cannot ſet his heart upon him ſo as to make him his portion and inheritance; But the ſoul who hath had a taſte from God, and ſeen what engagements are from thence to keep cloſe to God, Phil. 3.7. to 14. p. 76Paul quickly caſt away all when he had taſted of Chriſt; but what things were gain to me, thoſe I accounted loſs for Chriſt: his ſenſes were ſpiritualized, and he does not content himſelf with a taſte, but he would comprehend; but I follow after, that I may apprehend that for which alſo I am apprehended of Christ Jeſus; he endeavours to that, So reaching forth to theſe things which are before, verſ. 13. and he preſſes to the mark, verſ. 14. All theſe ſhew how an experimental relliſh of the goodneſs of God doth engage the heart to him. David hints thus much, that there was nothing more conducible to the fear of the Lord, then this taſte of him, Pſ. 34.8, 9. O taſte and ſee that the Lord is good; bleſſed be the man that trusteth in him. O fear the Lord ye his Saints, for there is no want to them that fear him: He cals upon to taſte and try how good God is, and then to fear him; Plainly implying, that if he could perſwade men to make trial of God and his ways, he ſhould engage ſome of them to fear him, from the experience of the ſweetneſſe of them; and the Apoſtle makes uſe of this as an argument to preſs after growth in grace, 1 Pet. 2.2, 3. As new born babes deſire the ſincere milk of the word that you may grow thereby, if ye have taſted that the Lord p. 77is gracious: Intimating, that it could not be but they who had any experience of the grace of God, and of his goodneſs in Chriſt, muſt needs be hungring and thirſting after more communion with God; if you would therefore keep up your hearts cloſe to God, ſeek for a taſte, look out for experimental knowledge; it is this that wil endear God to your ſouls; If we did labour to ſet up more precious and high eſteem, and honorable thoughts of God in our hearts, we ſhould endeavour to break through every condition to him. What is it that draws the carnal heart after the world, but a kinde of ſweetneſs which his earthly diſtemperate pallate taſtes in it? What is it that made Iſrael long ſo much to go back again into Egypt? was it not the garlick, and the fleſhpots, and becauſe they had taſted of theſe, and ſeen the Land, and the fruitfulneſs of it? they were going into a Land of which they had heard, but had not ſeen; therefore they often wiſhed themſelves back again; and therefore the Lord commanded Moſes to ſend out ſome to ſearch the Land, that they might bring of the fruit of it, Numb. 13.21. And they brought a cluſter of Grapes, of the choiceſt to commend the Land. Thus it is with us, whilſt we make a profeſſion without experience, it is no wonder that p. 78our hearts keep not cloſe to God; we pretend to follow God whom wee know not; but the world we know, that is always with us; we have experience of the ſweetneſs of it, and what it yeelds; therefore we cleave more to that, then to the Lord, until he ſends us a cluſter of the firſt ripe grapes, ſome firſt fruits of the Kingdom of Heaven; If we have not a little of Heaven in our way to Heaven, we ſhall never ſeek it with intention of ſpirit.

Eighthly, Labour for a clear ſight of intereſt; Pulchrum & meum, Beauty and propriety do very much ingage the heart; things that are beautifull are (very much) attractive; but if we have an intereſt in them they ſeem the more beautiful. 'Tis a great help to conſider of the excellency and goodneſs of God and of his wayes, above and beyond the World and the pleaſures of it; but when we can conſider God in relation to our ſelves, then he is much more comely and glorious; when we can ſay not only God is good, but My God is good. Propriety does wonderfully knit, and glue the heart (we ſee) to its object in all things; and ſo it will in ſpiritual things; an intereſt in Chriſt revealed and cleared to the Soul, doth marvellouſly engage it to him, and quickens it in its acting heaven-ward; ſee for this p. 79Coloſſians 3.1, 2, 3, 4. If ye be then riſen with Chriſt, ſeeke thoſe things that are above, where Chriſt ſitteth on the right hand of God; ſet your affections on things above, not on things of the earth; for you are dead, and your life is hid with Chriſt in God; when Chriſt who is our life ſhall appear, then ſhall ye alſo appear with him in glory. The Apoſtle argues ſtrongly with them unto a Spiritual life, and conſtant frame of breathing after Chriſt and Spiritual things, from their intereſt in Jeſus Chriſt, which was very clear, and without ſcruple to many of their ſouls; and we have the ſame improvement made of this which the Apoſtle exhorts to here, Phil. 3.20. Our converſation is in heaven from whence we look for the Saviour the Lord Jeſus Chriſt. An intereſt in Chriſt draws the Soul much towards Heaven, to be conſtantly looking for it, and into it, and this cauſes the Soul to bend unto it: That Soul cannot be long a ſtranger to Heaven, who knows a Saviour there: O labour therefore to keep your intereſt clear and plain, if you would keep your hearts conſtantly active, and yearning towards Heaven.

Ninthly, Follow thy Prayers, and conſider what becomes of them; if thou doſt ſo, they will carry thee much to God; conſider p. 80in the day what thou diddeſt pray for in the morning, and in the night what thou didſt aske in the evening, and live as one that waiteth for returns; this will be an excellent means to keep thy heart buſie with the Lord either in a waiting believing frame for ſomething thou haſt ſought of God, and is not yet given in, or els in a thankful frame for ſome anſwer of prayer. As you are before prayer to ſum up your wants, ſo after the duty conſider of your Petitions, and What you have ſought of God for the day, and wait for ſutable returnes. Haſt thou prayed for a holy humble heart, for an active frame of ſpirit, for ſtrength againſt ſuch particular corruptions or temperations? how doth the Lord anſwer thee in theſe things? What returns hath this day brought forth of prayer? if any, then there is way made for another duty of praiſe; if it hath brought forth none as yet, then there is work for faith to live upon God, and to wait for him untill he return and ſpeak peace. This was Davids excellency when be had prayed, and ſpred his want before the Lord, he had not done with them, but he waited to ſee what would become of his prayer. Pſalm. 5.3. My voice ſhall thou hear in the morning O Lord, in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up. Here is a double p. 81care in praying to hit the mark; to ſtudy his wants, and after prayer I will not loſe what I have prayed for, for lack of looking after it; I will wait to ſee what anſwer the Lord will give to me, according to that Pſal. 85.8 I will hearken what the Lord God will ſpeake; and like a beggar that comes to the door and in begging opens his condition, preſent…y he liſtens to hear whether any anſwer him from within, or what manner of return is made; or as a man that hath made an adventure to Sea, waits ſtill to hear what is become of the Ship, whether ſhe came ſafe to the Harbour, whether ſhe was bound, and he is ſtil waiting for ſome good news of a ſafe returne of adventures; why ſhould not men look as much after their prayers? they are their adventures to Heaven, I am ſure there are many of them loſt for want of looking after; Men think it is enough if they have been a little warmed, or enlarged in the duty, but look not after their hearts nor prayers after, whether God anſwers them or not; and this is a great reaſon of the unconſtancy in the frame of the people of God. If we could but follow our prayers as worldly men do their deſigns, we ſhould ſeldome let the Lord go out of our eye; if we could but conſider our Petitions, and our preſent tempers, and compare p. 82them, would it not minde us when our hearts are out of frame? this is not the frame of ſpirit which I begged of God this day, I ſought other things of God when I was before him: ſuerly this is not an anſwer of my prayers, they are loſt this day for ought I can ſee; I do not find that humility, ſelf-denial, heavenly-mindedneſs, that watchfullneſs, zeal, &c. which I prayed for this day. O did I pray for ſuch a cold, drouſie, dead frame of ſpirit as now I am under? If theſe kinde of reaſonings were taken up, they would ſerve to bring our ſpirits into praying frames again when they are fallen.

Tenthly, Keep an eye and an ear open unto Providences; they will hint much of God to thee; he is wonderfull in his goings; and in every condition if thou art an obſerver of God, thou ſhalt find a rod or a ſtaff, and either of theſe will adminiſter occaſion of drawing nigh to God; if thou haſt a deſire to keep the Fire conſtantly burning upon the Altar, thou needeſt not to want fuel to keep it alive: every Providence and Diſpenſation of God will (if well and wiſely improved) afford thee ſomthing to keep thy heart flaming toward God.

Eleventhly, Loſe not the Book of the Creatures that is alwayes open before thee, and in it much of God to be ſeen: although p. 83he be not fully revealed in them, yet ſomething of him you may finde there the very Heathens ſaw ſomething of God in Nature, Rom. 1.20. and ſurely thou maiſt read enough in the Book of the Creatures to prevent thoſe Atheiſticall thoughts which abound in mens ſpirits, and are the very flood-gates as I have ſhewed you, unto practicall wickedneſs; thon maiſt ſuck out ſomething out of one Artribute, and ſomething of another; and although all theſe are too weak to declare the Father, yet he being revealed in Chriſt, theſe may be Memento's to thee, becauſe they are always before thee. I may ſay as Chriſt ſaid once, Me you have not alwayes with you, but the poor you have. You have not Chriſt alwayes nor Saints, nor Ordinances always, but the creatures you have alwayes with you, theſe are conſtant Preachers, and therefore fit remembrances. Pſalm 19.1.2▪ The Heavens declare the glory of God, and the Firmament ſheweth his handy-work; day unto day utereth ſpeech, & night unto night ſheweth knowledg David learns much out of this Book of Nature, the Creatures taught him knowledge by converſing with them, and obſerving God …n them; and it is obſervable, that he mentions ſuch Creatures as are moſt frequently known, ſuch as every p. 84man converſes withall; he pitches not upon the great and mighty works of God in the depths, he does not ſend men to the Leviathan to inquire for this knowledge; every man cannot find him out; neither does he ſend men into the Wilderneſs to find the Lion, or the Elephant, or the Oſtridge, or any of thoſe creatures little known to men, neither does he ſend men to the Seas, becauſe many are ſtrangers to them; nor to the Earth, becauſe the Sea-man who hath loſt the ſight of the Land, ſhould not ſay he had loſt his teacher; but he ſends to the Sky and to the Firmament; this is ſeen or known by Sea or by Land. But you will ſay, When the day is gone, then the night wraps up the Firmament in a Mantle, and takes it away from our eyes; what ſhall we converſe withall then? he anſwers this; Then thou haſt the Night; that is a creature; and who-ever thou art, and where-ever thou art, thou haſt Day or Night, Light, or Darkneſſe, and theſe teach knowledge; thou canſt not want an Inſtructor, or one to minde thee of God, ſo long as the Book of the Creature is before thee; and this he proves, is never ſhut night nor day; but alwaies legible, and in every page there is ſomething to minde thee of the glorious God; and ſurely David got p. 85abundance of knowledge and choiſe affections by obſerving the Creation, and had many ſweet frames of ſpirit, and choiſe breathings from hence; and when God was about to inſtruct Job, and to furniſh him with an holy and humbling knowledge, he opens to him this book of Nature, and ſhewed him abundance of his glory there; and although he ſpeaks of many Creatures to whom we are ſtrangers; yet of many again which are not; ſo intimating that there was enough to be ſeen of God among the Creatures moſt uſual and beſt known to us, to mind us, and to affect us with the Majeſty of the Lord.

Twelfthly, Compare thoſe daies and hours which thou ſpendeſt with God, in thine eye and thoughts, with thoſe which thou ſpendeſt without him, and try which of them do bring thee moſt comfort; examine thy heart in thy bed, at the end of this day; compare a day wherein thou haſt walked in a ſweet, holy, humble frame, wherein thou haſt walked with an active ſpirit for God, with another day wherin thou haſt bin cold and dead, and formal, and careleſſe of thy heart, and forgetful of God, and weigh the fruits of theſe two daies walking together, and ſee whether there be not a vaſt difference betwixt theſe. What joy and rejoicing p. 86was in the midſt of thy thoughts? thoſe days and hours were ſweeter then theſe which have been ſpent in vanity; wilt thou not conclude I had more peace with my ſpirit, and ſpiritual joy, and rejoicing after every day ſo ſpent? yea the very remembrance of thoſe hours doth yeeld ſom ſweetneſs to me now when I think of them; but theſe hours which have been ſpent without God, Oh they are burthenſom to my ſoul when I remember them; I will therefore return and ſtudy to keep cloſe with God, in whom is all my ſtrength and comfort, for it was better with me then, then now.

Having now finiſhed theſe three Queries, I come to the fourth and laſt.

Fourthly, To inquire why the wiſeman directs this to the young man rather then any other? Methinks I hear the young ones ſaying, This is not counſel fit for us; it is a yoke not ſuitable to our necks; we are tender and not fit for the yoke as yet; hee might well have ſpared us, and given us the liberty of our youth, before he had put us upon ſuch hard and difficult ſervice as this.

I ſhall indeavour now to anſwer ſuch ſecret Objections, and to ſhew the equity and reaſon of the Preachers exhortation; and I ſhall be the larger in this thing, from theſe p. 87three moving Conſiderations, which have put me on this diſcourſe.

Firſt, Becauſe of that common plea which is found in the hearts of young ones; they ſay as thoſe did by the Prophet, It is not yet time.

Secondly, Becauſe the Lord hath caſt me into a place where there are abundance of young ones, and I fear but a ſmal company of ſo many that are ſeriouſly ingaged in their hearts to the Lord and to his waies.

Thirdly, Becauſe I find very little incouragement from old ones; I ſee every where that God brings in few of them; they are ſo ſetled on their Lees that there is no ſhaking of them. It is the obſervation of all men almoſt in theſe daies, that where the Goſpel is preached, the ſucceſs and incouragement is chiefly, if not only, on the hearts of young ones; we ſee that God puts but little of the new wine of the Goſpel into old bottles; they are ſo tainted with their ſuperſtition, their carnal compliance, formality, and luke warmneſs, that God doth generally caſt them aſide as unuſefull; the time is now coming when the Lord is making good that word, Rev. 22.11. Let him that is filthy be filthy ſtill; Let them that have cleaved to their ſuperſtitions and will-worſhip, do ſo ſtill; let thoſe who have prophaned p. 88Sabbaths, and Ordinances, do ſo ſtill; and let thoſe who have ſate Sermon proof, and Judgement-proof, and Mercy proof, ſit ſo ſtill. Me thinks the Lord is ſaying ſo to abundance in this place, who have not been moved, nor wrought upon, nor changed by all the gracious pleadings of God in the Goſpel; and he is now calling in to himſelf a generation of young ones to hear his name in this place; and therefore my ſpeech ſhall be principally to you, the youth of this place to perſwade you to ſet ſeriouſly about this work of God, and your poor ſouls. It is to you that the Lord calls at this time.

Queſt. Why ſhould the youth be ſet a part eſpecially for God?

Anſw. For theſe Reaſons. 1. Becauſe God hath made choice of this time, typically in the Law, in the firſt born, Exod. 13.2. Sanctifie unto me the first born; whoſoever openeth the Womb among the Children of Iſrael, both of Man and of Beaſt it is mine. God hath commanded this for himſelf, becauſe it is the beſt of our time, as the firſt born was the prime of the ſtrength, Gen. 19.3. Ruben, thou art my firſtborn, my might, and the beginning of my ſtrength, the excellency of dignity, and the excellency of power. Now in regard of this it was accounted a great loſſe to loſe the firſt-born. p. 89God puts this as an ingredient into that plague in Egypt, Exod. 4.23. And I ſay unto thee, let my Son go that he may ſerve me, and if thou refuſe to let him go, behold I will ſlay thy Son, even thy firſtborn. Oh how do men bring this plague upon themſelves, who deſtroy their firſtborn? their youth, the beginning of their ſtrength. It is as bad as the ſacrifice of the Iſraelites who offered their Sons and Daughters to Devils.

Secondly, The Lord typifieth this in their firſt fruits, Exod. 34.26. The first of the firſt fruits of thy Land thou ſhalt bring into the houſe of the Lord thy God: Exod. 22.29. Thou ſhalt not delay to offer the firſt of the ripe fruits, and of thy liquors, the firſt-born of thy Sons ſhalt thou give unto me. Nay, the Lord was ſo exact and punctual in this, that he would have no exchange made, Ezek. 48.14. And they ſhall not ſell of it, neither exchange, nor alienate the firſt fruits of the Land, for it is holy unto the Lord.

Here may be a Query raiſed, Why the Lord would not ſell thoſe, and yet would ſuffer, nay commanded that their ſons ſhall be redeemed? Exod. 34.20. All the firſt-born of thy Sons ſhal be redeemed, and none ſhal appear before me empty.

p. 90Anſ. 1. To ſhew how much Equity and Reaſon there was for that Law, that it is made here with a proviſo againſt any charg.

2 There was mercy in redeeming the one, and the not redeeming the other.

3 The Lord by ſuffering the Sons to be redeemed, did injoy the ends of that Law; for they were only redeemed from death, they were ſtill his.

Now I ſay, as God would not have an exchange in this caſe, ſo it is vanity in any of us to think of compounding the buſineſs with him; he will have the beginning of thy ſtrength; do not thou ſay, I wil give him the dregs of it; ſay not the latter daies are good enough; for he hath choſen the firſt; and if thou wouldeſt be accepted with him, obſerve his choice: Obſerve the firſt Offering that we read of, Gen. 4.3, 4. Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering to the Lord, and Abel brought of the firſtlings of his flock, and the Lord reſpected him and his offering. One brought fruits, the other the firſt fruits, and he reſpected the one, and not the other; and yet this was before the ſpecial Law of firſt born, and firſt-fruits; which ſhews that it was not ceremonial but moral, and ſo continues for ever, as a ſtanding rule for a creature to offer up the firſt and choiceſt of everything to God.