SERMON I.

THis Psalm (out of which my Text is taken) exceeds all the other Psalms, not onely in length, but in excellency, so far (in the judgement of Ambrose) as the light of the Sun excels [Page 2] the light of the Moon. As the Book of Psalms is stiled by Luther, An Epitome of the Bible, or a little Bible: So may this Psalm fitly bee called, An Epitome of the Book of Psalms. It was written (as is thought) by David in the dayes of his banishment under Saul, but so penned, that the words thereof suit the condition of all Saints. It is penu doctrinae publicum unicuique apta & convenientia distribu­ens, A publick store-house of heavenly doctrines, distributing fit, and conve­nient instructions to all the people of God, and therefore should bee in no less account with those who are spiri­tually alive, than is the use of the Sun, Air, and Fire, with those who are natu­rally alive: It is divided into two and twenty Sections, according to the He­brew Alphabet and therefore fitly called A holy Alphabet for Sions Schollars. The A, B, C. of godliness, Sixtus Senensis calls it, An Alphabetical Poem. The Jews are said to teach it their little [Page 3] children the first thing they learn, and therein they take a very right course, both in regard of the hea­venly matter, and plain stile fitted for all capacities. The chief scope of it, is to set out the glorious excellencies and perfections of the Law of God. There is not a verse (except one onely, say some learned men in Print, but are therein deceived; but I may truly say, Ames Couper. Except the 122. and the 90. verses) in this long Psalm, wherein there is not mention made of the Law of God, under the name of Law, or Sta­tutes, or Precepts, or Testimonies, or Commandements, or Ordinances, or Word, or Promises, or Wayes, or Judgements, or Name, or Righte­ousness, or Truth, &c.

This Text that I have chosen, sets out the great benefit and comfort, which David, found in the Law of God in the time of his affliction —It kept him from perishing. Had not thy Law been my delights, I had perished in my affliction.

[Page 4] The word Law is taken diversly in Scripture, sometimes for the Moral Law, James 2.10. Sometimes for the whole Oeconomy, Polity, and Regiment of Moses, for the whole Mosaical dis­pensation by Laws, partly moral, part­ly Judicial, partly Ceremonial, Gal. 3.23. Sometimes for the five Books of Moses, Luke 24. 44. Sometimes for the whole Doctrine of God contained in the Scriptures of the Old Testament, John 7. 49. By Law in this place is meant, all those Books of the Scrip­ture which were written when this Psalm was penned. But I shall handle it in a larger sense, as it comprehends all the Books both of the Old and New Testament. For the word Law is sometimes also taken for the Gospel, as it is Micah 4.2. Isa. 2.3. The mean­ing then is, Unless thy Law, that is, Thy Word, had been my delights, I should have perished in mine affliction.

David speaks this (saith Musculus) of the distressed condition hee was [Page 5] in when persecuted by Saul, forced to flye to the Philistins, and sometimes to hide himself in the rocks and caves of the earth. Hic vero simile est, fuisse illi ad manum codicem divinae legis, &c. It is very likely (saith hee) that hee had the Book of Gods Law with him, by the reading of which, hee mitiga­ted and allayed his sorrows, and kept himself pure from communicating with the Heathen in their superstitions. The Greek Scholiasts say, That David uttered these words, A Saule pulsus, & apud Philistaeos & impios homines agere co­actus, when driven from Saul, and com­pelled to live amonst the wicked Phi­listins, &c. for hee would have been allured to have communicated with them in their impieties, had hee not carried about him the meditation of the word of God. Unless thy Law had been my delights, &c.

In the words themselves, wee have two Truths supposed, and one Truth clearly proposed.

• [Page 6]1 That the dearest of Gods Saints, are subject to many great and te­dious afflictions.
• 2 That the word of God is the Saints darling, and delights.

One Truth clearly proposed.

That the Law of God delighted in, is the afflicted Saints Antidote against ruine, and destruction.

1 Two Truths supposed.

The first is this:

Doct. 1. That the best of Gods Saints are in this life subject to many great and tedious afflictions.

David was a man after Gods own heart, and yet hee was a man made up of troubles of all sorts and sizes, in­somuch as hee professeth of himself, Psal. 69. 1, 2, 3. Save mee, O God, for the waters are come in unto my soul, I sinke in deep mire where there is no standing, I am come into deep waters, where the flouds over-flow mee; I am weary of my crying, my throat is dryed, mine eyes [Page 7] fail while I wait for my God. And in this Text hee professeth that his afflictions were so great, that hee must necessarily have perished under them, had hee not been sustained by the powerful comforts hee fetched out of the word. There is an emphasis in the word Then, I should then have perished. That is, long before this time, then, when I was afflicted, then I should have perished. Junius and Tremelius tran­slate it, Jam diu periissem, &c. I should long ago have perished. Job was a man eminent for godliness, and yet as eminent for afflictions. Nay Jesus Christ himself was a man of sor­rows, Isa. 53.3. Insomuch as that it is truly said, God had one Son without sin, but no Son without sorrow.

This our dear Sister, at whose Fu­neral wee are met, was a woman full of many and great afflictions, which (no doubt) would have quite drowned, and swallowed her up, had not the word of God supported her, there­fore [Page 8] it was that shee desired that this Text might bee the subject of her Funeral Sermon.

Quest. But why doth God afflict his own children with such variety of long and great afflictions?

Ans. 1. God doth not do this, because hee hates them, but because hee loves them, For whom the Lord lo­veth hee chastiseth, &c. Heb. 12.6. Did the Lord hate them, hee would suffer them to go merrily to hel. There is no surer sign of Gods reprobating anger, than to suffer a man to prosper in wicked courses. God threatneth this as the greatest punishment, not to punish them, Hos. 4.14. And therefore because God loveth his children, hee chastiseth them in this world, that they may not bee condemned in the world to come, 1 Cor. 11.33.

2 God doth not do this, because hee would hurt them, but for their good, Jer. 24 5. The good figs were sent into captivity for their good. Heb. 12.10 [Page 9] Hee for our profit, &c. God hath very gracious and merciful ends and aims in afflicting his people. Give mee leave here to inlarge my discourse, and to give you an account of some of these divine aimes.

1 Gods design is to teach us to know him, and to trust in him, and to know our selves. It is a true saying of Luther, Schola crucis, est Schola lucis, the School of Affliction is a School of Instruction; Gods [...] are [...], His rods (when sanctified) are powerful Ser­mons to teach us,

1 To know God, And this is life e­ternal to know him, Joh. 17. 3. It is said of Manasseh, 2 Chron. 33. 13. Then Manesseh knew that the Lord hee was God. Then, when hee was caught among the thorns, bound with fetters, and carried to Babylon; before that time hee knew not the Lord : Afflicti­ons teach us to know God, not only in his power and greatnesse, in his anger and hatred against sin, but also in his [Page 10] goodnesse and mercy; For God doth so sweeten the bitter cup of affliction, that a child of God doth many times taste more of Gods love in one months af­fliction, than in many years of prospe­rity, 2 Cor. 1. 4, 5. 2 Cor. 7. 4. Adde to this. Afflictions teach us to know God Experimentally and affectionative­ly, not cerebraliter (as Calvin saith) but cordialiter, so to know him, as to love and fear him, and to flye unto him as our rock and hiding-place in the day of our distress. It is said, Cant. 3. 1. By night I sought him whom my soul loveth, &c. Some by the word Night, understand the night of divine desertion, and from the words Gilbertus hath this saying; Qui quaerit in nocte, non quaerit ut videat, sed ut amplectatur; Hee that seeks after God in the night of adversity, doth not seek to see him, and know him formal­ly and superficially, but to imbrace him, and to love him really and cordi­ally : And therefore the Church ne­ver left till shee had found Christ, and [Page 11] when shee had found him, she held him, and would not let him go, Cant. 3. 2, 3, 4.

2 Not only to know God, but also to trust in him, 2 Cor. 1. 9. Wee had the sentence of death in our selves, that wee should not trust in our selves, but in God, which raiseth the dead. Note here, 1 That an Apostle is apt in time of prosperity, to trust in himself. 2 That God brings his children to the gates of death, that they might learn not to trust in themselves, but in God, which raiseth the dead, that is, from a dead and desperate condition.

3 Not only to know God, but to know our selves, which two are the chiefe parts of Christian religion: It is said of the Prodigal, that when hee was in adversity, then hee came to him­self, Luk. 15. 17. And when hee came to himself. He was spiritually distracted, when hee was in prosperity: Afflictions teach us to know that wee are but men, according to that of David, Psa. [Page 12] 9. 2. Put them in fear O Lord, that they may know themselves to bee but men. Caligula and Domitian, Emperors of Rome, who in prosperity would bee called Gods, when it thundred from Heaven, were so terrified, that then they knew they were but men. In prosperity wee forget our mortality. Adversity causeth us to know, not on­ly that wee are men, but frail men, that God hath us between his hands, (as it is Ezek. 21. 17.) and can as easily crush us, as wee do moths; That wee are in Gods hands, as the Clay in the hands of the Potter: That hee hath an absolute soveraignty over us, and that wee depend upon him for our being, wel-being, and eternal being. These things wee know feelingly and practi­cally in the day of affliction. And it much concerns us to know these things, and to know them powerfully. For this will make us stand in awe of God, and study to serve and please him. Hee that depends upon a man [Page 13] for his livelihood, knowing that hee hath him at an advantage, and can easi­ly undo him, will certainly indeavour to comply with him, and to obtain his favour. The ground of all service and obedience is dependence. And did wee really and experimentally know our dependence upon God, and the ad­vantages hee hath us at, wee could not, wee would not but comply with him, and labour above all things to gain his love and favour.

2 Gods aim in afflicting his children, The se­cond de­sign of God in af­flicting his chil­dren. is either to keep them from sin, or when they have sinned, to bring them to repen­tance for it, and from it.

1 To keep them from sin; This made him send an Angel of Satan to buffet Paul, lest hee should bee lifted up in pride, and exalted above measure, 2 Cor. 12. 7.

2 When they have sinned, to bring them to repentance for it, and from it God brings his children low, not to trample upon them, but to make them [Page 14] low in their own eyes, and to (humble them for sin, Deut. 8. 2. God brings them into the deep waters, not to drown them, but to wash and cleanse them, Isa. 27. 9. By this shall the iniquity of Jacob be purged, and this is all the fruit, to take away sin, &c. Afflictions (when sanctified) are divine hammers, to break and as Moses his rod, to cleave our rocky hearts in peeces.

1 They open the eyes to see sin, Ocu­los quos culpa claudit, paena aperit. When the Brethren of Joseph were in adversity, then they saw (and not before) the greatnesse of their sin in felling their Brother, Gen. 42. 21.

2 They open the eare to discipline. In prosperity wee turn a deaf ear to the voice of the charmer, though he charm never so wisely. But adversity open­eth the ear, and causeth us to attend; When God spake upon Mount Sinah in a terrible manner, then the people said unto Moses, Speak thou unto us, all that the Lord our God shall speak unto [Page 15] thee, and wee will hear it, and do it, Deut. 5. 27. Memorable is that Text, Jer. 2. 24. A wild Ass used to the Wilderness, that snuffeth up the wind at her pleasure, in her occasion who can turn her away? all they that seek her, will not weary themselves, in her month they shall finde her; in her month, that is, when she is great with young, and near her time. A wicked man in the day of his pros­perity, is like a wilde Ass used to the wilderness, hee snuffeth at any that shall reprove him, hee is of an uncir­cumcised ear, and a rebellious heart, but in his month, that is, when hee is bigge with afflictions, then hee will be easily found; this will open his ear to discipline.

3 They will open the mouth to con­fess sin, Judg. 10. 15.

4 They will command us to depart from iniquity, Job 36. 8, 9, 10.

Afflictions are Gods furnaces, to purge out the dross of our sins, Gods files, to pare off our spiritual rust, Gods fannes, [Page 16] to winnow out our chaffe. In prospe­rity wee gather much soil, but adver­sity purgeth and purifieth us. This is its proper work, to work out unrighte­ousnesse, Dan. 11. 35. Dan. 12. 10.

3 Gods end is not only to keep us The third design. from sin, but to make us holy and righ­teous, therefore it is said, Isa. 26. 9. When thy judgements are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righ­teousness. And Heb. 12. 10. —hee for our profit, that wee may bee partakers of his holinesse. As the waters that drowned the old world, did not hurt the Ark of Noah, but bare it up above the earth, and as they increased, so the Ark was lifted up nearer and nearer to Heaven: So afflictions (when sanctifi­ed) do not prejudice the Saints of God, but lift them up nearer unto God in Holiness, and heavenly-mindednesse.

4 Gods design in afflicting his chil­dren, is to make the world bitter unto The fourth de­sign. them, and Christ sweet. 1 To imbit­ter the world: There are two lame leggs [Page 17] upon which all worldly things stand, uncertainty, and insufficiency. All earth­ly things are like the earth, founded upon nothing. They are like houses made of wax, that quickly melt away. Riches, and honours, wife, and children, have wings, and flye away; they are like unto Absoloms Mule, they will fail us, when wee have most need of them; They may puffe up the soul, but they cannot satisfie it, inflare possunt, satiare animam non possunt: They are all vani­ty and vexation of spirit, so saith the Preacher; but most people in time of health will not beleeve these things; but when some great sicknesse betides them, this is as a real Sermon, to make out the truth of them; then they see, that a Velvet slipper cannot cure the Gout, nor a golden cap the head ach, Prov. 10. 4. That riches avail not in the day of wrath, and this imbitters the world.

2 To make Christ sweet and precious. When Christ and his Disciples were in a [Page 18] ship together, Mat. 8. 25. it is said, that Christ was asleep, and as long as the Sea was calm, his Disciples suffe­red him to sleep, but when they were ready to bee drowned, then they a­woke Christ, and said, Master, save us, wee perish. Even the best of Saints, when fatted with outward plenty and abun­dance, are prone to suffer Christ to lye asleep within them, and so neglect the lively actings of Faith upon Christ: But when the storms of affliction, and out­ward calamity begin to arise, and they are ready to bee overwhelmed with distresses, then none but Christ, none but Christ.

5 Gods design in afflicting his chil­dren, is to prove, and improve their graces.

1 To prove their graces, Rev. 2. 10. Deut. 8. 2. to prove the truth, and the strength of them. 1 The truth and sin­cerity of their graces; For this cause hee loaded Job with afflictions, to try whe­ther hee served God for his Cammels, [Page 19] and Oxen, or for love to God. As So­lomons sword tried the true Mother from the false; So the sword of affliction dis­covers the sincere Christian from the Hypocrite. Distresses are divine touch­stones, to try whether wee bee true or counterfeit Saints; That grace is true, which upon tryal is found true. 2 To try the strength of our graces. For it re­quires a strong faith to indure great af­flictions. That Faith which will suf­fice for a little affliction, will not suffice for a great one. Peter had faith enough to come to Christ upon the Sea, but assoon as the storm began to arise, his Faith began to fail, and Christ said. Why art thou afratd, O thou of little Faith? Matth. 14. 30, 31. It must bee a strong Faith that must keep us from sinking in the day of great distress.

2 To improve our graces. It is re­ported of the Lionesse, that shee leaves her young ones, till they have almost killed themselves with roaring and howling, and then at last gaspe, shee [Page 20] relieves them, and by this means they become more couragious. So God brings his children into the deeps, and suffers Jonah to bee three daies and three nights in the belly of the Whale, and David, to cry till his throat was dry, Psa. 69. 3. and suffers his Apostles to bee all the night in a great storm, till the fourth watch, and then hee comes and rebukes the winds, and by this means hee mightily increaseth their patience and dependence upon God, and their Faith in Christ. As the Palm­tree, the more it is depressed, the high­er, stronger, and fruitfuller it growes; So doth the graces of Gods people.

Lastly, Gods aim in afflicting his people, is to put an edge upon their prayers, and all their other holy services.

1 Upon Prayer: What a famous Prayer did Manasseh make, when hee was under his iron fetters. It is thrice mentioned, 2 Chron. 33. 13, 18, 19. When Paul was struck off his horse, and struck with blindness, then hee [Page 21] prayed to purpose. Therefore it is said, Act. 9. 11. Behold hee prayeth! In prosperity wee pray heavily and drowsily, but adversity adds wings to our prayers, Isa. 26. 16. The very heathen Marriners cryed aloud to God in a storm. It is an ordinary saying, Qui nescit or are discat navigate. There are no Saylors so wicked, but they will pray when in a great storm.

2 Upon Preaching. Prosperity glutteth the spiritual appetite, ad­versity whetteth it.

3 Upon a Sacrament. How sweet is a Sacrament to a true Saint after a long and great sickness?

4 It makes God, and the word of God precious. If God sets our Corn­fields on fire (as Absolom did Joabs) then hee shall bee sure to cause us to come running to him; And how sweet is a Text of Scripture to a childe of God in the hour of his distress?

By all this it appears that God afflicts his children not to hurt them, but to [Page 22] help them, and that God hath many glorious and gracious ends and aimes in afflicting of them. Therefore it is that David saith of himself in the 71. verse of this Psalm; It is good for mee that I have been afflicted, that I might learn thy statutes. Hee never said, It is good for mee that I have been in pro­sperity; but hee rather saith the con­trary in the 67. verse. Before I were afflicted I went astray, but now I have kept thy word. Gods people will blesse God as much (if not more) in Heaven, for their adversity, than for their pro­sperity.

Use 1 Let us not pass rash censures upon persons under great afflictions. Say not, such a woman is a greater sinner than others, because more afflicted. This was the fault of Jobs friends, and God expresseth his anger against them for it, Job. 42. 7. My wrath is kindled against thee, and thy two friends for you have not spoken the thing that is right, &c. This was the fault of the Barba­rians, [Page 23] Act. 28. 4. When they saw the venimous beast hang upon the hands of Paul, they said among themselves, no doubt this man is a murderer, &c. But remember they were Barbarians. It is a sign of a Barbarian, not of a Christi­an to pass a rash censure upon persons in affliction. Think you (saith Christ) that those eighteen upon whom the Tower in Siloan fell and slew them, that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jeru­salem. I tell you, nay; but except you re­pent: yee shall all likewise perish, Luk. 13. 4, 5. Think you that they which have the stone and gout in extreamity, that have cancers in their faces, and breasts, are greater sinners than others. I tell you, nay, &c. For my part, if I would censure any, it should bee such as live wickedly, and meet with no affliction. These have the black brand of reproba­tion upon them. These are men de­signed to damnation. Ambrose would not tarry a night in the house of a Gentleman that had never in all his [Page 24] life been afflicted, for fear (as hee said) lest some great and sudden judgement should betide it. But when I see a godly woman afflicted, then I say, this is not so much for her sin, as for her tryal; this is not to hurt her, but to teach her to know God, and to know her self, to break her heart for Sin, and from sin, to make the world bitter, and Christ sweet. God hath put her into the fire of affliction, to refine her, and make her a vessel fit for his use. God is striking her with the hammer of affliction, that shee may bee squared, and made ready to bee laid in the hea­venly Jerusalem.

Use 2 Here is rich comfort to the chil­dren of God under the greatest afflictions. For the best of Saints are subject to the worst afflictions: This is the lot of all Gods children, Christ himself not ex­cepted. Afflictions (indeed) conside­red in their own nature, are evil things, and so are called, Amos 5. 13. They are part of the curse due to sin, the [Page 25] fruit of Gods revenging wrath; they are as a biting and stinging Serpent. And to a wicked man, remaining wicked, they are the beginning of Hell: Un­sanctified afflictions parboil a wicked man for hell and damnation. But now to a child of God, they have lost both their name, and nature, they are not punishments properly, but chastisements, not [...] but [...], They are not satisfactory, but castigatory. Jesus Christ hath taken away the sting of these Serpents; they are not fiery, but brazen Serpents, they have a healing, not a hurting power. Christ hath re­moved the curse, & bitterness of them; as the wood sweetned the waters of Ma­rah, Exod. 15. 25. So Christs Cross hath sweetned the bitternesse of afflictions.

There are eight comfortable consi­derations, to chear the heart of a childe of God in the day of his distresse.

1 God never afflicts his people, but out of pure necessity, 1 Pet. 1. 6. though now for a season, if need bee, yee are in Heavinesse. 1 As a most loving Father, [Page 26] never corrects his childe, but when hee is forced to it. Hee willingly pro­vides for his childe, but punisheth him unwillingly. So God freely loadeth with his blessings, but hee never chastiseth his children, but when forced to it, therefore hee saith expresly, Lam. 3. 33. hee doth not afflict willingly, Isa. 27. 1. Fury is not in mee. It is wee that put thunderbolts in Gods hand. If the Sun did not first draw up the va­pours from the earth, there would ne­ver bee any thundering or lightening. God would never thunder from Hea­ven with his judgements, if our sins did not first cry to Heaven for punishment. As Christ whipt the sellers of Oxen and Sheep out of the Temple with a whip made (in all probability) of their own cords; So God never scourgeth us, but it is with a whip made of our own sins, Prov. 5. 22. Rom. 2. 5. —thou treasurest up to thy self, &c. God hath a double trea­sure, a treasure of mercy, and a treasure of wrath; his treasure of mercy, is alwaies [Page 27] full, but his treasure of wrath is empty, till wee fill it by our sins. And there­fore when God punisheth his children, hee calls it a strange work, and a strange act, Isa. 28. 21. It is observed of the Bee, that it never stings, but when provoked; Sure I am, that God never afflicts his children, but out of pure necessity,

2 Not only out of pure necessity, but out of true and real love; as I have shewed, Heb. 12. 6, 7, 8.

Object. Do not divine afflictions pro­ceed out of anger? was not God angry with Moses for speaking unadvisedly with his lips? and angry with David for his adultery, and thereupon afflicted both of them?

Answ. This anger was a Fatherly anger, rooted in love; It was not ira quae reprobat, but ira quae purgat: It was not ira hostilis & exterminativa, but ira paterna & medicinalis. As it is a great punishment, for God sometimes not to punish, Isaiah 1. 5. Hos. 4. 14. [Page 28] So it is a great mercy, sometimes for God to withdraw his mercy.

3 Afflictions are a part of divine prede­stination. That God which hath elected us to salvation, hath also elected us unto afflictions, 1 Thes. 1. 3. That no man should bee moved by these afflictions: for you your selves know, that wee are appoint­ed thereunto. The same love with which God elects us, and bestoweth Christ, and his spirit upon us, with the very same love hee afflicts us.

4 They are part of the gracious Co­venant which God hath made with his people, Psal. 89. 31, 32, 33. In which words wee have three things conside­rable.

1 A supposition of sin; if his children forsake my Law, &c. For sin is alwaies causa sine qua non, the cause without which God would never chastise us, and for the most part it is the cause for which.

2 Wee have a gracious promise, Then I will visit their transgression with [Page 29] the rod, and their iniquity with stripes.

3 Wee have a merciful qualificati­on : Nevertheless my loving kindnesse will I not utterly take from him, nor suffer my faithfulnesse to fail, my Covenant will I not break, &c. Afflictions are not only mercies, but Covenant-mercies; Therefore David saith, Psal. 119. 75. —and that thou in faithfulnesse hast af­flicted mee. God would bee unfaith­ful, if hee did not afflict his children.

5 Consider that afflictions are part of the Saints blessednesse, Job 5. 17. Behold! happy is the man whom God cor­recteth, &c. Behold (saith Eliphaz) and wee had need behold, and consi­der it, for there are few that beleeve it, and yet it is most true. That af­flictions (when sanctified) when they are not only corrections, but instructions, then they are evidences that wee are in a blessed condition. Eliphaz his say­ing must bee interpreted by what Da­vid saith, Psal. 94. 12. Blessed is the man whom thou chasteneth, O Lord, and [Page 30] teachest out of thy Law; it is not cor­rection simply, but correction joyned with instruction, which intitles us to happiness. Job even while hee was up­on the dung-hill, wonders that God should set his heart so much upon him, as to visit him every morning, and trye him every moment, Job 7. 17, 18. Job upon the dung-hill was happier than Adam in Paradise. Adam in paradise was con­quered by the Devil; but Job upon the dung-hill overcame the Devil. La­zarus in his ragges was happier than Di­ves in his robes; Philpot in his Cole-house, than Bonner in his Palace; and godly Mr. Whitaker upon his bed of pain, than a wicked man upon his bed of down. There were many in Christs time who would never have known him, or come to him, had it not been for their bo­dily diseases.

6 Consider the gracious and merciful ends, aims, and designs that God hath in afflicting his people, what these are, yee have heard already.

[Page 31] 7 The sweet and precious promises, which hee hath made to his children in the day of their adversity, to comfort them, and support them; what these are, you shall hear afterwards.

8 Consider that all afflictions shall work at last for the good of Gods chil­dren, Rom. 8. 28. Though they are not bonae, yet they shall bee in bonum; Though they are not good in them­selves, yet they shall turn to their good. God beats his children, as wee do our cloaths in the Sun, only to beat out the Moths; God puts them into the fiery furnace, not to hurt them, but only to untie the bonds of their sins, as hee dealt with the three children, Dan. 3.25. God will either deliver them out of their afflictions, or send them to Heaven by them; Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

Use 3 If the best of Saints are sub­ject in this life unto many, great, and tedious afflictions, then let us,

1 Let us expect Afflictions; for Christ hath said expresly, Joh. 16. 33. In the world yee shall have tribulation. There is in every child of God,

1 Sufficiens Fundamentum, A suffi­cient Foundation for God to buld a house of correction upon : There is sin enough to deserve affliction.

2 There is sufficiens Motivum, Mo­tives sufficient to prevail with God, to chastize them when they sin against him; some of these you have heard already, let mee adde one more. Be­cause hee is more dishonoured by the sins of his own children, than by the sins of wicked men : As it is a greater discredit to an earthly Father, when his own children, than when other mens children live wickedly; so it is a great­er disparagement to our heavenly Father, when his own Sons and Daughters, than when the Devils children trans­gresse [Page 33] his Law : And therefore God will chastize them sooner, surer, and more than others. 1 Sooner, Rom. 2. 9. Tribulation and anguish upon every soul of man that doth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile. First the Jew, and then the Gentile. 2 Surer than others, Amos 3. 2. You only have I known of all the families of the earth, therefore I will punish you for all your ini­quities. 3 More than others, Lam. 4. 6. The punishment of the iniquity of the Daughter of my people, is greater than the punishment of the sin of Sodom, &c. Dan. 9. 12. under the whole Heaven hath not been done, as hath been done upon Jeru­salem.

3 There is sufficiens necessitas, suffi­cient necessity to provoke God to afflict them. It is needful that the Wheat be winnowed, that so the chaffe may bee separated from it. It is needful that the Wind blow upon the Wheat, to cleanse it, and that Gold bee put into the furnace, to purge and purifie it. [Page 34] When the Sheep of Christ are divided one from the other in judgement, and affections, when separated in Doctrin, worship, and Discipline. It is very need­ful that God should send afflictions and distresses, which may bee (as the Shep­hearas dog) very serviceable and instru­mental, to unite them together, and to gather them into one Sheepfold. And therefore let the Saints of God expect afflictions.

2 Let us prepare and provide against Gods peo­ple are to prepare for affli­ctions. the day of tribulation. Let us pro­vide,

1 A stock of graces. For sicknesse is a 1 A stock of graces. time to spend grace, but not to get grace. A Christian in sicknesse without grace, is like a souldier in warre without armour, like a house in stormy weather without a foundation, and like the men of the old world, when ready to bee drowned without an Ark. Woe bee to that person that hath his graces to get, when hee should use them ! And therefore if wee would bee comforted in the day [Page 35] of tribulation, wee must provide afore­hand a furniture of graces.

1 A true Faith, (for a painted Faith will avail no more than a painted helmet, or a painted ship) and not only a True, but also a strong Faith. A little faith will faint under great afflictions; when the winds began to blow fiercely, Peters little Faith began to fail, Matth. 14. 30. 2 A great measure of patience to inable us to wait quietly, and contentedly, till God come in with help, for many times hee tarrieth till the fourth watch of the night, as hee did, Matth. 14. 25. And therefore wee have need of pa­tience to keep us from murmuring or repining.

3 A great stock of Self-denial, hu­mility, repentance, contempt of the world, and heavenly-mindednesse. Hee that is furnished with grace in an evil hour, will bee as safe and secure, as Noah was in the Ark, in the time of the deluge, or as those-were who had sufficiency of corn in the time of the seven years [Page 36] dearth in Aegypt.

2 A stock of Assurance of salvation; For though a man hath never so much 2 A stock of Assu­rance. grace, yet if hee wants the assurance of it, hee cannot receive any comfort by it in the day of his distresse. Ja­cob was not at all quieted in his spirit for Josephs being alive, till hee came to know of it: And therefore wee must not only provide grace, but the assu­rance of grace, that wee may bee able to say with confidence, as Job did up­on the dung-hill, Job 19. 25. I know that my Redeemer liveth, and with the holy Apostle, Rom. 8. 38, I am perswa­swaded, that neither death, nor life, nor Angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature shall bee able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. That man who hath got a Scrip­ture assurance of his salvation, will bee more than a conqueror in the day of his distresse.

[Page 37] 3 A stock of divine experiences. Hap­py 3 A stock of divine experien­ces. is that man that lodgeth up in his heart all the former experiences hee hath had of Gods love and mercy to­wards him, and knoweth how to ar­gue from them in the day of calamity; Thus did Moses in his prayer to God, Numb. 14. 19. Pardon I beseech thee the iniquity of this people, according unto the greatnesse of thy mercy, and as thou hast forgiven this people from Egypt, e­ven until now. Because God had for­given them, therefore Moses intreats him to forgive them; this argument is drawn from former experience. And thus David incourageth himself, 1 Sam. 17. 37. The Lord hath delivered mee out of the paw of the Lion, and out of the paw of the Bear, and hee will deliver mee out of the hand of this Philistine. Thus also Paul reasoneth, 2 Cor. 1. 10. Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver, and in whom wee trust that hee will yet deliver us! Divine experi­ences are the Saints great incourage­ments [Page 38] in the day of Affliction. Blessed is the man that hath his quiver full of these arrows.

4 A stock of Sermons. Wee must do 4 A stock of sermons with Sermons, as the Trades-men do with the mony they get; some of it they lay out for their present use, and some of it they lay up against the time of sicknesse. That man is an ill hus­band, and an unthrifty trades-man that makes no provision for old age; or for an evil day; and that man is an unprofi­table hearer of the word, who doth not stock and store himself with Sermons, whereby hee may bee comforted in the hour of affliction. And therefore the Prophet Isaiah adviseth us, Isa. 42. 23. to hear for the time to come, or (as it is in the Hebrew) for the after-time. Sermons are not only to bee heard for our present use, but to bee laid up for after-times, that when wee lye up­on our sick-beds, and cannot hear Ser­mons, we may then live upon the Ser­mons wee have heard.

[Page 39] 5 And lastly; Wee must prepare 5 A stock of Scrip­ture pro­mises. and provide a stock of Scripture-promi­ses, which will bee as so many reviving Cordials, to chear us, and as so many spi­ritual Anchors, to uphold us from perishing in the day of our tribulation. What these promises are, you shall hear afterwards: These upheld David in the hour of his distresse, and therefore hee saith in the Text, Unlesse thy Law had been my delight, I had perished in mine affliction. If this our dear Sister had not had this stock, shee had been quite overwhelmed under the grievous­nesse of her tormenting pains. Bee wise therefore, O yee Saints of God, and prepare these five provisions in the time of health, that so you may live joyfully in the time of sicknesse.

3 As wee must expect and provide for afflictions, so also wee must labour 3 Gods people are to im­prove af­flictions. (when afflicted) to improve them for our spiritual benefit and advantage, Wee must pray more for the sanctification of them, than for their removal: It [Page 40] was not the staffe of Elisha that revived the dead child, but Elisha himself. It was not the troubling of the waters of the Pool of Bethesda, that made them healing, but the comming down of the Angel. It was not the Clay and spittle that cured the blinde eyes, but Christs anointing them with it. It was not the cloak of Elijah that divided the waters, but the God of Elijah: Troubles, stroaks, blows, afflictions, and distres­ses will do us no good, unless the Lord bee pleased to make them effectual; And therefore let us pray unto God that hee would give us grace together with our affliction. That hee would adde instruction to his correction, that hee would make us good schollars in the school of afflictions, and inable us to take out all those excellent lessons, which hee would have us to learn in it, that thereby wee may come to know God more powerfully, and experimentally, and to know our selves, and our own frailty, and our absolute dependence upon God [Page 41] more effectually, that thereby we may bee more purified and refined, that the wind of temptation may cleanse us from the chaffe of our corruption, that wee may learn righteousness by Gods judge­ments, and bee made partakers of his holinesse. Such a good Scholar was Ma­nasses, hee got more good by his Iron chain, than by his Golden chain: Such another was the Prodigal child, who was happier amongst the Swine, than when in his Fathers house; Such was Paul, his being strucken down to the ground, raised him up to Heaven, by the blindnesse of his body, his soul re­ceived sight, and hee was turned from a persecuting Saul, to a persecuted Paul. Such another was David, who professeth of himself, that it was good for him that hee was afflicted; and such Scholars ought wee to bee.

There are some that are arrant dun­ces in this School, that are like unto the bush which Moses saw, which burn­ed with fire, but was not consumed; [Page 42] the fire did not consume the thorny bush. Many such thorny sinners are burnt up with the fire of divine affli­ctions, but their sins are not consumed. Of these the Prophets complain, Amos 4.6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12. —yet they have not returned, &c. Jer. 5.3. Thou hast stricken them, but they have not grieved; thou hast consumed them, but they have refused to receive correction; they have made their faces harder than a rock, they have refused to return. Rocks and stones by hewing and polishing may bee made fit for a building: But there are some men who by no afflictions will be amended. The Mountains melt at the presence of the Lord, and the rocks rend asunder, when hee is angry: But there are some that have made their faces harder than the Rocks, and the Mountains, and are not at all affected with Gods anger. Of such as these Bernard complains. Multi humiliati, pauci humiles, corripimur, sed not corrigimur, plectimur, sed non flectimur; Multo facilius fregeris, quam [Page 43] flexeris. Non cessant vitia civium us (que) ad excidia civitatum; Prius est interire quam corrigi. Prius ipsos, quam in ip­sis vitia non esse.

There are others that are the worse for their afflictions, like the Smiths Anvil, the more they are strucken, the harder they are : Such a one was King Ahaz, 2 Chron. 28. 22. In the time of his distresse hee did trespasse yet more a­gainst the Lord: There is a brand put upon him —This is that King Ahaz, that wicked King Ahaz, that reprobate King Ahaz. As Pearls put in Vinegar lose their colour and beauty, so many, when under Gods hand, lose all their glory and excellency, and begin to di­strust Gods providence, to call his justice into question, to murmure and repine against Gods dealings, and to use unlawful means for their delive­rance. Of these the Prophet Isaiah complains, Isa. 1. 5. Why should you bee stricken any more? yee will revolt more and more; Such was Ahaziah, a King. [Page 44] 1.2. that sought for help from Baal­zebub the god of Ekron; and such was Saul, who sought to the Witch of En­dor for health in the day of his di­stress.

Both of these sorts are in a sad and miserable condition; For God hath two furnaces, the furnace of affliction, and the Furnace of hell-fire. If the first Furnace will not purge us, the second will everlastingly consume us. As the Roman Consuls had a man ap­pointed to go before them, carrying a Rod and an Axe; A Rod for the pu­nishing of corrigible offenders, an Axe for the destruction of incorrigible; So God hath his Rod, and his Axe, his Pruning-knife, and his Chopping-knife, his Warning-peeces, and his Murdering-peeces. Afflictions are his Rods to cor­rect us for our sin, his Pruning-knife to pare off our luxuriant branches; his Warning-peeces to call upon us to re­pent.

But if his Warning-peeces will do [Page 45] us no good, wee must expect his Mur­dering-peeces. If his Pruning-knife will not amend us, his Chopping-knife will confound us. If his Rods will not reclaim us, then his Axe will hew us down, and cast us into everlasting fire. God hath three houses, the house of In­struction, of Correction, and of De­struction. The place where Gods peo­ple meet to hear his word, is his house of Instruction. And if wee profit in this house, he will never carry us unto the house of Correction. But if wee bee stubborn and rebellious in the house of Instruction, then hee will send us to the house of Correction. And if wee profit in this house, hee will never send us into the house of Destruction. But if wee continue incorrigible in the house of Correction, hee will inevitably send us to the house of Destruction, that is, unto hell fire.

And therefore whensoever God brings us into the School of Affliction, let us labour to bee good Schollars [Page 46] in it; and to answer all those ends, aimes, and designs which God hath in afflicting of us. Let us pray to God that our afflictions may bee Divine Hammers, to break our hearts for sin, and from sin, may make the world bit­ter, and Christ more precious, may prove, and improve our graces, and may put an edge upon all holy duties.

There are two things I would have you in an especial manner to labour after.

• 1 Labour when afflicted, to know the meaning of Gods Rod.
  Gods people are to labour to know the mean­ing of Gods Rod.
• 2 That the good you get by afflictions, may abide upon you after your recovery from them.

1 You must labour to know the meaning of Gods Rod, and what the particular arrant is, which hee hath to you in the day of your distresses, you must do as David did, 2 Sam. 21.1. hee inquired of the Lord to know the reason why hee sent a Famine amongst them. So must you, you must pray [Page 47] as Job doth, Job 10. 2. Shew mee, O Lord, wherefore thou contendest with mee? When the cause of a disease is found out, it is half cured. Your great care therefore must bee to study to know the particular cause and reason, why God turns your prosperity into ad­versity. The Prophet Micah tells us, Micah 6.9. That the Rod hath a voyce, and that the man of wisdome shall see Gods Name upon it. There is a great measure of spiritual Art and Wisdome required, to inable a man to hear this voice, and to understand the language of it. A spiritual Fool cannot do it.

Quest. What must wee do, that wee may understand the voice of the Rod? How wee may know the mean­ing of Gods Rod.

Answ. You must know, that the Rod of God ordinarily speaks three langua­ges; it is sent for correction for sin, for the tryal and exercise of Grace, and for instruction in holiness; Sometimes in­deed it is sent only for tryal and instru­ction, and not at all for sin. Upon this account was Job afflicted, and the [Page 48] blinde man, Joh. 9. 3. But for the most part it hath a threefold voice; it is appointed for instruction, probation, and also for correction. Lam. 3. 39. Isa. 42. 24. Luk. 1. 20. 1 Cor. 11. 30.

Quest. How shall a man know whether his afflictions bee only for tryal and instru­ction, and not at all for sin?

Answ. The safest and best way for a Christian in this case, is to beleeve that all his afflictions are both for tryal and instruction, and also for sin: Indeed when hee seeth another man, who is very godly, grievously diseased, hee may charitably beleeve, that this is for his tryal, and not for his sin, but when it is his own case, then (as D. Ames saith most excellently) aequissimum, tutissi­mum, & Dea gratissimum est, ut in affli­ctionibus omnibus peccata nostra intuea­mur, quae illas vel directè procurarunt, vel saltem promeruerunt. Quamvis enim omnes afflictiones non imittuntur semper directè, & precipuè propter peccatum, peccatum tamen est omnium afflictionum [Page 49] fons & fundamentum, Rom. 5. 12. —It is most equal, most safe, and most acceptable to God, to have an eye upon our sins, which have either directly procured them, or at lest deserved them. For though af­flictions are not alwaies sent directly and especially for sin, yet sin is the original and foundation of all afflictions.

Quest. What course must wee take to How to finde out the parti­cular sin for which God af­flicts us. finde out what that sin is in particular, for which God corrects us?

Answ. 1 Sometimes wee may read our sin in our punishment. Adonibezek, though a Heathen King, did this, Judg. 1. 7. Threescore and ten Kings, having their Thumbs, and their great Toes cut off, gathered their meat under my table: as I have done, so God hath re­quited mee. I read of holy Ephrem, that hee was converted by the sutablenesse of his affliction, unto the sin hee had committed, for hee saw clearly that his misery came not by chance, but from God immediately, and for sin. As a man may sometime gather the disease [Page 50] of the Patient by observing the Physi­tians bill, so hee may guesse at his sin by considering his punishment.

2 Consider what that sin is for which thy conscience doth most of all accuse thee. Conscience is Gods Vice­gerent, his bosome Preacher. And when wee sleight the voyce of conscience, God seconds it with the voyce of his rod, which speaks the very same lan­guage that conscience doth.

3 Consider what is the sin of thy Complexion, and Constitution, what is thy Dilectum delictum, thy peccatum in delitiis, thy beloved sin, what is that sin to which thou art most of all in­clined, and if that sin prevail over thee, and thou canst not say with David, Psal. 18. 23. I have kept my self from mine iniquity. It is very probable that for the subduing of that sin, thou art corrected of God.

4 If ever thou hast been at the gates of death, despairing of life, con­sider what that sin was, which did then [Page 51] most of all trouble and perplexe thy conscience; or if ever thou hast been in a dream, supposing thy self to bee dying, and breathing out thy last; what was that sin which did then most of all affright thee. It is very likely that God by afflicting thee, intends to get that sin more conquered and mor­tified.

5 Consider what those sins are for which thy godly Minister (under whose care thou livest) doth reprove thee, and of which thy true and real friends do accuse thee; for, if thou hast sleighted the voice of thy faithful Minister, and friends; surely God out of his love to thee, followeth their ad­vice with the voice of his Rod, that thereby hee may open thine ear to discipline, and command thee to de­part from those iniquities.

But if thou canst not finde out that particular sin, for which God afflicts thee, labour to repent of every sin, and then thou wilt bee sure to repent [Page 52] of that sin. If thou canst not finde out the Bee that stings thee, pull down the whole hive, or the thorn that pricks thee, pull down the whole hedge. Do that out of wisdome, which Herod did out of malice, who because hee could not finde out the Babe Jesus, killed all the children in Bethlehem from two years old, and under, that so hee might bee sure to kill Jesus. Let us seek the utter ruine and death of all our sins, and then wee shall bee sure to destroy that sin for which God afflicts us, and when the cause is re­moved, the disease will forth-with bee cured, and the Almighty pacified, and reconciled unto us.

2 Let us labour that the good wee reap by our afflictions, may abide upon us after The good wee get by our Affli­ctions must remain with us af­ter our re­covery. our recovery from them. There are very many who while they are under the Rod, seem to bee very penitent, and do purpose and promise to amend their lives, but as soon as the Rod is removed, they return like the Dog [Page 53] to the vomit, &c. Such was Pharoah, whilst hee was plagued he confessed his sin, and prayed for pardon, but as soon as ever the judgement was gone, hee hardened his heart. Such were the Isra­elites, Psalm 78.34, 35, 36, 37. They were not stedfast, they turned back. Just like a truantly School-boy, who while his Master is whipping him, will promise any thing, but when it is done, forgets presently to do what hee promised: Or like unto water, which while it is upon the fire is very hot, but as soon as ever it is taken off the fire, presently groweth cold. I knew a man who in the time of his sickness, was so terrified in his conscience for his sins, that hee made the very bed to shake, upon which hee lay, and cried out all night long, I am damned, I am damned, and made many and great Protestations of amendment of life, if God would bee pleased to recover him. In a little while hee did recover, and being re­covered, was as bad, and as wicked as ever before.

[Page 54] And therefore let us labour that the good wee get by our afflictions, may not vanish away with our afflicti­ons, but may abide on us after wee are recovered, that wee may bee able to say with David, It is good for mee that I was afflicted, not onely that I am, but that I was. David praiseth God in health, for the good hee had got in sickness, and which still abode with him. Let us say with the same Pro­phet, Psal. 66.13, 14. I will go into thy house with burnt offerings, I will pay thee my vows which my lips have uttered, and my mouth hath spoken, when I was in trouble. Let us pray unto God that his afflictions may not onely skin over our spiritual diseases, and coup up our sins; but mortifie them, and so change our natures, that wee may never re­turn to folly.

I will conclude this point with a famous saying of Plinius Secundus, worthy to bee written in letters of gold. A friend writes to him, and [Page 55] intreats him to give him advice how to frame his life, so as hee might live as becomes a good man. Hee returns him this answer: I will not prescribe many rules, there is this one onely which I commend to thee above all other. Ut tales esse perseveremus sani, quales nos futuros profitemur infirmi. Let us labour to continue and persevere to bee such, when wee are well; as wee pur­pose, and promise to our selves to bee, when wee are sick. There is hardly any man so wicked, but hee will in sick­ness make many and great promises of a new life, and of universal reforma­tion if God would restore him. Now then if wee not onely bee such, but continue to bee such when restored, as wee promise to be when sick, then wee shall bee excellent Schollars, in the School of Affliction, and God will ei­ther (as I have already said) deliver us out of affliction, or send us to heaven by affliction. So much for the first Truth supposed.

THE Word of God is the Saints Delights.
SERMON II.

NOw I come to speak of the second truth suppo­sed in the Text.

That the Word of God is the Saints darling and [Page 58] delights; not only their delight, but in the plural number, their delights, that is (as our Annotations say) a Saint doth greatly delight in Gods Law, or as Junius. All the delight of a Saint is in Gods Law; Gods word is the cen­ter of his delights; Nisi lex tua erat om­nis oblectatio mea: Many were the troubles and sorrows of Davids life, but against them all hee found as many comforts and delectations in Gods Word; therefore he saith, vers. 29. Thy Testimonies are my delights, &c. and 143. Trouble and anguish have taken hold on mee, yet thy Commandements are my delights; And in the Text, unless thy Law had been my delights, &c. Whilst others delight in vanity and iniquity, whilst others take pleasure in hunt­ing, hawking, carding, dicing, eating, and drinking, the Saints of God, can Reasons why the Saints take so much delight in Gods Law. say with Austin, Sacrae Scripturae tuae sunt sanctae deliciae meae, Thy holy Scrip­tures are my holy delights.

Quest. Why do the Saints of God tale [Page 59] such delight in the Law of God?

Answ. 1 Because they are spiritu­ally illightened; their eyes are opened to behold the glory, and beauty, and to understand the deep mysteries of the Law; therefore David prayeth, vers. 18. Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy Law, As the Apostle saith of the Jews, 2 Cor. 3. 14, 15, 16. That to this day there is a vail over their hearts, when Moses is read, and when they shall turn to the Lord, this vail shall bee removed: So it is with Christians, when a wicked man reads the word, there is a vail o­ver his eyes, and over his heart, and o­ver the Scriptures, The God of this world hath so blinded his eyes, that hee can­not behold the beauty and glory of them; but the True Saint hath this vail removed, Christ hath anointed his eyes with his spiritual eye-salve; hee seeth a surpassing excellency in the Word of God, and therefore cannot but delight in it.

[Page 60] 2 Because they are not only il­lightened, but regenerated; And as chil­dren new born, by the instinct of nature, have a natural appetite to milk for conservation of their life; so the new born Saint, by the instinct of grace, hath a spiritual appetite to the Word of God, according to that of Saint Peter, 1 Pet. 2. 2. As new born babes desire the sincere Milk of the Word, that you may grow thereby: The Word of God is the Saints food, and as it is impos­sible for a child unborn to desire food, so for a man unregenerated to hunger after, and take true pleasure in the Word; and as it is impossible for a new born child, not to delight in Milk, so it is as impossible for a regenerate Christian, not to delight in the Law of God.

3 Because a true Saint hath the Law of God written in his heart, ac­cording to that precious promise of the Covenant of grace, Jer. 31. 33. I will put my Law in their inward parts, and [Page 61] write it in their hearts. A Saints heart is the counterpane to Gods Law. The Law is within his heart, Psal. 40.8. and as it is in the Hebrew, in the midst of his bowels, in medio vtscerum. God hath infused a principle of grace into his inward parts, whereby hee is not onely inclined, but inabled to walk in all the Commandements of the Law blameless. A true Saint hides the Law in his heart, as a choice Jewel in a most precious Cabinet, as David saith verse 9. I have hid thy Law in my heart. Hid it as a rare treasure. So doth every Saint, and therefore can­not but delight in it.

4 Because the same holy Spirit that wrote the word, dwelleth in every true Saint. It is certain that all Scripture is of Divine Inspiration, and that the holy men of God spake, as they were guided by the Holy Ghost. And it is as certain, That the same Holy Ghost dwelleth in every Saint, Rom. 8. 11. And by vertue of the in-dwelling of [Page 62] the Spirit, they are sweetly and power­fully drawn to make the Law of God their chiefest delight.

5 Because it is Gods inditement and invention. This reason is brought in the Text, Unless thy Law, &c. It is the Law of that God in whom they delight. It transcribes the minde and heart of God. A true Saint seeth the Name, Authority, Power, Wisdome, and Goodness of God in every letter of it, and therefore cannot but take pleasure in it. It is an Epistle sent down to him from the God of hea­ven. It is one of the greatest Love­tokens that ever God gave to his Church. There are two great gifts that God hath given to his people. The Word Christ, and the Word of Christ. Both are unspeakably great. But the first will do us no good with­out the second.

6 A true Saint cannot but delight in the word of God, because it is his Inheritance, vers. 111. Thy testimonies [Page 63] have I taken as an heritage for ever, for they are the rejoycing of my heart. Therefore they were the rejoycing of his heart, because they were his ever­lasting Inheritance.

7 Because hee findes a sweetness in it. Delight is nothing else but a pas­sion of the soul, arising from the sweetness of the object that we enjoy. Things that are good, present, suitable, and sweet, are the object of our de­lights, such is the word of God to e­very true Saint. It is sweeter than the hony, and the hony-comb, Psal. 19. 10. So also Psal. 119.103. How sweet are thy words unto my taste, yea sweeter than hony to my mouth. A Saint must needs delight in it, it is so suitable, and so sweet.

8 Because hee loves the Law. Now that which wee love, wee cannot but delight in, when wee come to enjoy it. A true Saint doth not onely love the Law, but hee loves it exceedingly, Psal. 119.167. My soul hath kept thy [Page 64] testimonies, and I love them exceeding­ly. A true Saint can say with David, Psal, 119.97. Oh how do I love thy Law! and vers. 127. I love they Commande­ments above gold, yea above fine gold; and vers. 72. The Law of thy mouth is better to mee than thousands of gold and silver. Now because the Saints of God are so inamoured with the Law of God, therefore it is that they can­not but delight in it, as David saith, Psal. 119.47. I will delight my self in thy Commandements, which I have lo­ved. Hee that loves the Commande­ments (as all Saints do) cannot but delight in them.

Use. This shews that there are but few true Saints amongst us. There are many bastard Saints, and nominal Saints, but few true and real Saints. Wee live in an age, wherein there were never more Saints, and never fewer, never more by outward Profession, and never fewer by a holy Conversation. It is the property of a true Saint to [Page 65] make the word of God his darling and delights.

But where shall wee finde such Saints? It is easie to finde out men that can say, Eating and drinking is my delight, carding and dicing is my de­light, reading of vain and trifling books is my delight; to satisfie the lusts of the flesh is my delight. But where is the man that can truly say as David doth? The Law of God is my de­lights, and the joy and rejoycing of my heart for ever. Austin professeth of himself, that before his conversion, hee took no pleasure in the word of God. His proud heart (as hee saith) would not stoop to the humble expressions of it. After his conversion, hee was ravished with the beauty and excel­lency of the Scriptures, but before his conversion, hee saw no excellency in them. Policarp (though a great Schol­lar, yet a notorious Atheist) professeth most blasphemously, that hee never lost more time than in reading the [Page 66] Scripture. And it is reported of Plato, that when hee had read the first Chapter of Genesis, hee said, Hic vir multa dicit, sed nihil probat. This man saith many things, but proveth no­thing. Where shall wee finde the man that puts a due estimation upon the word of God? That prizeth it above gold, yea above much fine gold? That rejoyeeth in thy word as much as in all riches, vers. 14. That can appeal to God, and say as David, vers. 159. Consider, Oh Lord, how I love thy Pre­cepts? and verse 97. Oh how do I love thy Law? There are some men that can delight in any thing but in God, and his Word, and his Ordinances; They can delight in the creatures of God, but cannot delight in the Ordi­nances of God. They can delight in the gifts of God, in riches, and health, and honours: But they cannot delight in the God of these gifts. They can delight in books of Philosophy, and humanity, but they cannot delight in the word of God.

[Page 67] Mark the sad condition that these are in.

It is a certain sign that there is a vail over their eyes and hearts, that they are not yet anointed with Christs eye-salve; that the God of the world hath blinded their eyes that they can­not see the glorious excellencies of the Law of God.

It is certain that they are not born anew, for if they were new born babes, they would desire the sincere milk of the word.

It is certain that the Law of God is not yet written in their hearts, and that the Spirit of God doth not dwell in them. It is certain that they have no part, nor portion in the word of God, that they never tasted the sweetness that is in it, and that they have no true love to God, nor to his word. It is a true saying, Qui regem amat, legem amat, hee that loves a King, will love his Law. And I may say, Qui Deum amat, legem Dei amat: Hee [Page 68] that loves God, will love the Law of God, which is nothing else but his Image, and his Picture, his last Will and Testament, his blessed love-token. And therefore if you delight not in the Law of God, it is evident you do not de­light in the God of this Law. And if you delight not in God, hee will not delight in you; unless it bee to laugh at your destruction, as it is Prov. 1.26.

Q. But how shall I know whether I do delight in the word of God, or no?

Answ. You shall know it by these notes.

1 Hee that delights in Gods Law, will bee very frequent in meditating and reading of it, and very often in speaking of it. Thus saith David, Psal. 1.2. His delight is in the Law of the Lord, and therein hee will meditate day and night. And Psalm 119.97. Oh how do I love thy Law, it is my medita­tion all the day. So also vers. 15, 16. 23. Hee that takes pleasure in the [Page 69] Law, hee will bee often thinking of it, as Christ saith, Matth. 6.21. Where the treasure is, there the heart will bee also: If the word of God bee thy treasure, thou wilt meditate on it, Cogitatione crebrâ, longâ, & profundâ. Thou wilt frequently think of it, and when thou beginnest to think of it, thou wilt dwell upon the thought of it, as a Bee dwels (as it were) upon the flower to suck out the sweetness that is in it, and thou wilt think of it with deep and serious meditations, and contemplations, thou wilt dive into the unsearchable riches and treasures that are in the Word. And as thou wilt meditate on it, so thou wilt bee often, and unwearisome in reading and perusing of it, and dis­coursing about it. A man that de­lights in hunting, is never weary of talking of hunting, and he that delights in the world, of speaking about the world; and if you did delight in Gods word, you would be very frequent, and indefatigable in discoursing of it.

[Page 70] 2 If you did delight in the Word of God, you would delight in the Mini­sters and Ambassadors of the Word lawfully commissionated by Christ: For the great work of the Ministry is to expound and apply the Word; and therefore if you dis-respect the godly learned lawful Ministry of the Word, you take no delight in the Word.

3 They that delight in the Word, will bee at any cost to bring the Word to their congregations, they will part with thousands of gold and silver, ra­ther than with the Word; Hee that e­steems the VVord above thousands, will bee willing to part with hundreds for the Words sake. Hee will account a famine of the Word more bitter than a fa­mine of bread; by how much the soul is better than the body, by so much will hee bee more troubled for a soul-fa­mine, than a bodily.

4 Hee that delights truely in the Law, will sincerely labour to obey it, and bee much grieved when it is disobey­ed. [Page 71] 1 Hee will sincerely labour to obey it, hee will make the Word of God the man of his counsel, vers. 24. Thy Testimonies are my delight; but how doth hee prove that? in the following words, and my counsellers: Hee will make the Word a Lamp to his feet, and a light to his paths, verse 105. In all his undertakings, hee will inquire what God would have him to do, and hee will make Gods Word his compasse to sail by, and pray with Da­vid, verse 35. Make mee to go in the path of thy Commandements, for there­in do I delight. 2 Hee will bee much grieved when others transgresse the Law of God. Thus David, vers. 53. Horror hath taken hold upon mee, because of the wicked that forsake thy Law, and vers. 136. Rivers of waters run down mine eyes, because they keep not thy Law;

And therefore you that delight in sin, you cannot bee said to delight in the Word; and you that are not pained and grieved when others sin, you are [Page 72] not amongst the number of those that take pleasure in Gods Law, or in whom God takes pleasure.

Use 2 Let us make it appear that wee are Saints indeed and in truth, not only Saints in Mans, but in Gods Calen­der, by following the example of holy David, set down in the Text. Let us make the Law of God our joyes, and our delights. Let mee speak to you in the words of the Apostle, Col. 3. 16. Let the VVord of God dwell richly in you, &c. not only with you, but in you, And in the Words of Christ, John 5. 39. Search the Scriptures, for therein you hope to finde eternal life. The Greek word signifieth to search, as men do un­der ground for treasures, or to search, as men who dive under water for some­thing that is at the bottom. Let us with Job 23. 12. Esteem the VVord of God above our necessary food. Let us love it above gold, yea, above fine gold; let it bee dearer to us than thousands of gold and silver, sweeter than the hony, [Page 73] and the hony-comb.

You that are Gentlemen, remem­ber what Hierom reports of Nepotia­nus, a young Gentleman of Rome, qui long â & assiduâ meditatione scriptu­rarum, pectus suum fecerat bibliothecam Christi, who by often and assiduous meditation of the Scriptures, made his breast the library of Christ. Remem­ber what is said of King Alphonsus, that hee read over the Bible fourteen times, together with such Commen­taries as those times afforded.

You that are Schollars, remember Cranmor and Ridley; the former, learnt the New Testament by heart in his journey to Rome, the latter in Pem­brook-hall walks in Cambridge. Re­member what is said of Thomas a Kem­pis, that he found rest no where, nisi in angulo, cum libello; but in a corner with this book in his hand. And what is said of Beza, that when hee was above fourscore years old, hee could say per­fectly by heart any Greek Chapter [Page 74] in Pauls Epistles.

You that are women, consider what Hierom saith of Paula, Eustochiam, and other Ladies, who were singularly vers't in the holy Scriptures.

Let all men consider that hyper­bollical speech of Luther, That hee would not live in Paradise without the VVord and with it hee could live well enough in Hell. This speech of Lu­thers must bee understood cum grano salis.

Qu. May not a wicked man delight in the VVord of God? is it not said of He­rod, Mark. 6. 20. that hee heard John Baptist gladly, and of the stony ground, Luk. 8. 13. that it received the Word with joy? Is it not said of the Israelites remaining wicked, that they delighted to know Gods waies, and took delight in approaching to God, Isa. 58. 2. and of the Jews, Joh. 5. 35. that they were willing for a season to rejoyce in the Light; held forth by the preaching of John Baptist.

[Page 75] Answ. There is a wide and vast dif­ference between the joy and delight which a true Saint takes in Gods Word, and that which may bee found in an hypocrite.

1 The delight of a godly man, is or­derly and seasonable. It is the conse­quent of conviction and humiliation; For though Joy bee the great work of the Spirit, yet it is not the first work. First, The Spirit by the Word con­vinceth and humbleth, and then com­forteth; therefore Christ saith, Mat. 5. 4. Blessed are those that mourn, for they shall bee comforted; and David saith, Psal. 126. 5. They that sow in tears, shall reap in joy. But the joy of an hy­pocrite is unseasonable and disorderly. It is his first work. It is said of the stony ground, that when they heard the Word, they received it immediately with glad­nesse, Mark. 4. 16. It is not said, they received it first with sorrow, and then with gladnesse. Here is mention of joy without any antecedent humilia­tion. [Page 76] Nay, the Text saith expresly, Luk. 8. 6. it lacked moisture, and there­fore it withered away. There are ma­ny Professors in our daies that skip from sin, to joy at first, that all in an instant are in the highest form of sin, and in the highest form of comfort, that skip out of the lap of the Devil, into the lap of joy : These are as the stony ground. These are wanton Chri­stians: They sow before they plough; they know not the bitternesse of sin, and therefore in time of temptation fall away.

2 The delight that a godly man takes in the Word, is a well-rooted delight. It is rooted in an humble, good, and honest heart, as is said of the good ground, Luk. 8. 15. But the delight of an hypocrite is shallow and superficial; as his graces are sleight and formal, so are his delights. Therefore it is said of the seed that fell upon the stony ground, that it had no root, Luk. 8. 13. and Matth. 13. 5. it wanted depth of [Page 77] earth, and therefore when the Sun arose, it was scorched. The Apostle hints this, Heb. 6. 4.—and have tasted the good Word of God. The delight of a wicked man in the Word, is but a tasting and sipping, no soaking; a float­ing aloft in the river of Christs blood, no diving down to the bottom. A man may taste a thing, and not like it, taste, and like it, and yet not come up to the price of it, as the young man, Matth. 19. 22. Hee was very desirous to injoy eternal life, but hee would not part with his possessions for the ob­taining of it. A Cook tasteth of the meat hee dresseth, but they only that are invited eate of it.

Tasting doth not imply habitual grace. A man may taste that which hee never digesteth, nor concocteth. The Israelites tasted of the first fruits of the Land of Canaan, and yet did not enter into Canaan. Such is the joy of the hypocrite. It is outward and superficial: But the delight of a true [Page 78] Saint is inward, solid, and substantial. Jeremy saith, that the Word of God was the joy and rejoycing of his heart, and that hee did eat it, Jer. 15. 16. hee did not only taste it, but eate it. And Paul saith, Rom. 7. 22. I delight in the Law of God after the inward man; His delights had depth of earth, they were well digested, and concocted.

3 It is superlative and overtopping. A godly man delighteth more in God, and his Word, than in any worldly thing whatsoever. Lord lift thou up (saith David, Psal. 4. 6, 7.) The light of thy countenance upon us, thou hast put gladness in my heart, more than in the time that their corn and their wine en­creased. So also, Psal. 43. 4. —unto God my exceeding Joy, Psa. 137.6. If I prefer not Jerusalem above my chief Joy. And Psal. 119.72.127. The delight of a Saint in Gods Word overtoppeth all his creature delights, and injoyments, and for the joy he findes in it, he will fell all hee hath to purchase it, Matth. 13. 44. [Page 79] But the joy of a wicked man is of an inferior nature, hee rejoyceth more in Corn, Wine, and Oil, &c. And when it comes into competition, hee will leave his spiritual and heavenly, rather than lose his creature and carnal pleasures. Thus Herod rejoyced in the word that John Baptist preached, but hee rejoyced more in his Herodias; and when it came to the tryal, hee chose to behead John Baptist, rather than to part with Herod [...]as.

1 The stony ground, when perse­cution arose, parted with all its joy and faith, rather than it would lose its e­state, or life. As a godly man rejoy­ceth in worldly things, as though hee re­joyced not, 1 Cor. 7. 30. So a wicked man rejoyceth in spiritual things, as though hee rejoyced not. In the old Law those Fouls that did both flye and swimme, were unclean: A wicked man would many times flye aloft in spiritual delights, but hee would also bathe himself, and swimme in carnal pleasures, [Page 80] and his heart is more affected with worldly advancement, and bodily-recre­ations, than with heavenly, and this is a sign that he is an unclean Christian, and that his delights in God, and his Word are not right, because they are not o­vertopping and superlative.

4 It is powerful and soul-strengthen­ing, full of life, vigour, and activity; it will inable the soul to do and suffer any thing for God, it turns a prison into a Paradise, it makes Martyrdome to bee as a bed of Roses, it is armour of proof to steel us, and make us fit to indure Afflictions, both for God, and from God; therefore David saith in the Text. Unless thy Law had been my de­lights, I should then have perished in mine Affliction. His delight in the Law sup­ported him from sinking. It is like Oil to the VVheels, like Sails to the Ship, and wings to the bird; but the delight that a wicked man hath in the Word is a pow­erless, dead, fruitless, and strengthless de­light. It is as a paper helmet, and a [Page 81] painted fire, it will not support him in the hour of adversity : The persons re­presented by the stony ground, fell a­way, notwithstanding their joy, assoon as ever persecution arose for the Gospel. But the joy of a true Saint is soul-supporting, and soul-upholding. The joy in the Lord is their strength, Ne. 8.10.

5 The delight that a godly man hath in the Word, is sin-excluding. It cannot consist with a delight in any sin; therefore David saith, Psal. 119. 11. Thy VVord have I hid in my heart, that I might not sin against thee. Sin is as a woodden window, to shut out the true joyes of the Spirit. But now a wicked man, though hee may delight in the VVord, yet hee also delights in sinning against the VVord. Although Herod heard John Baptist gladly, yet hee kept his Herodias, And though the Israelites delighted to know Gods waies, yet they did not delight to walk in his waies. They were as a Nation that did righteousness, hee doth not say, [Page 82] they were such, but quasigens, &c. as a Nation that did righteousness. And though they delighted to approach to God, yet they did not delight to obey that God, before whom they approached; they took pleasure in sinning against God, as well as in serving of God, Isa. 58. It was not a sin-excluding joy, and therefore it was false and counter­feit.

6 It is grace-increasing. The more a Saint delights in the VVord of God, the more careful hee will bee to obey the VVill of God, and to grow and in­crease in the grace of God; therefore David saith, Psal. 119. 167. My soul hath kept thy testimonies, for I love them exceedingly. And Psal. 40. 8. I de­light to do thy VVill, O my God, yea thy Law is within my heart; because the Law was written in his heart, therefore hee delighted to do it. Hee that de­lights to keep Gods Law, God will give him more grace to keep it accord­ing to that remarkable Text, Psal. 119. [Page 83] 55, 56. I have remembred thy Name, O Lord, and have kept thy Law, this I had, because I have kept thy Precepts. What had David for keeping Gods precepts? Hee had power to keep his Law, that is, to grow and increase in keeping of it. As the Prophet, Hos. 6.3. speaks of the knowledge of God. Then shall wee know, if wee follow on to know the Lord, that is, if we industriously labour to know God, wee shall have this reward, to bee made able to know him more. So may I say of the grace of God. Hee that delights to keep Gods Law, shall have this reward, to bee in­abbed to keep it more perfectly.

A true delight in Gods Word is Grace increasing. Grace is the Mother of all true joy, Isa. 32▪ 17. and joy is as the Daughter; and the Mother and Daughter live and dye together. True, spiritual delight, ebbs and flows as grace ebbs and flows. As the wood is to the fire, oyl to the flame, the shadow to the body, so is joy to grace. [Page 84] Quantum crescis in gratiâ, tantum dilatâ­ris in fiduciâ. But now a wicked man, though hee may have a kinde of de­light in Gods word, yet it is not a delight of the right kinde. It doth not argue that hee hath true grace in him.

An hypocrite is all joy, and no grace; a Giant in joy, and not so much as a dwarf in grace, like a green bough tyed to a dead tree. Hee is in the highest form of joy, and not so much as in the lowest form of grace.

7 The delight that a godly man hath in the word, is not onely a de­light in spiritual things, but a spiritual delight, grounded upon spiritual aimes and reasons. But the delight of a wicked man, though it bee in spiritual things, yet it is but a natural delight. As a godly man spiritualizeth carnal things; So an ungodly man carnalizeth spiritual things. Austin before his conversion, rejoyced much to hear Ambrose preach, but it was because of his eloquence (as hee saith) not upon a spiritual ac­count. [Page 85] A wicked man may follow a Preacher, and delight in his preaching, because of his elegant words, and Rhetorical expressions, because hee is unto him as a very lovely song of one that hath a pleasant voyce, &c. as it is Ezek. 33.32. Or, out of novelty, be­cause newly come (as the Israelites de­lighted in Manna at first, but after­wards loathed it) or because hee loves his person; or out of a desire to ob­tain a form of knowledge in heavenly things. The Pharisees delighted to do many spiritual things out of vain­glory. John delighted to do the will of God, but it was for his own ends. Pauci quaerunt Jesum, propter Jesum. Stella is of opinion, that the Devil perswaded Herod, to hear John Baptist gladly, and to reverence him, and to do many things, that so hee might hold him the faster in his possession. The Devil had him sure by one sin, and therefore hee provoked him to do some good things, that so hee might rock [Page 86] him asleep in presumption, and by his good things hee might quiet his con­science, and put a fair gloss upon his incestuous practices. A man may re­joyce in spiritual things upon sinful grounds and reasons. But now a true Saint delights in the word upon a spiritual account, because it is Gods word, and God would have him delight in it, because it is his guide to glory, the way by which he is sanctified. It is both concha & canalis. A Cistern to contain the glorious mysteries of salvation, and a Conduit to conveigh God and grace into his soul.

In a word, hee delights in it, be­cause it is holy and pure, hee can say with David, Psal. 119.140. Thy word is very pure, therefore thy servant loveth it. This no wicked man can truly say.

8 The delight that a godly man takes in the word, is without any reser­vation or distinction. Hee delights in the whole word of God, in the command­ing and threatning word, as well as in [Page 87] the promising word; hee beholds God, and his wisdome, and goodness in every verse, and therefore hee can say with Hezekiah, Isa. 39.8. Good is the Word of the Lord. He hath the whole Law writ­ten in his heart, and rejoyceth in every tittle of it. But a wicked man hath his reservations and distinctions, hee may delight in the promising word, but hee undervalues the commanding word, and turneth a deaf ear to the threat­ning word. It is said of the Jews, That they rejoyced in the light of John Bap­tist, but it is not said, They rejoyced in his heat: Hee was a burning, and a shining light, they rejoyced in his shining, but not in his burning. It is hardly possible for a wicked man, re­maining wicked, to rejoyce in the burn­ing zeal, holiness, and strictness of a John Baptist. But a godly man de­lighteth both in the light, and heat of the word.

9 It is an abiding delight, 2 Thess. 2.18. Everlasting consolation, Joh. [Page 88] 16. 22. Your joy no man taketh from you. It is as a fixed star. But the delight of a wicked man in the word, is as the crackling of thorns upon the fire, and as the Corn that grew on the stony ground, which quickly sprung up, and as quickly withered, Job. 27.8. Therefore it is said of the Jews, Joh. 5.3. They rejoyced in his light for a season. In the Greek it is, [...], for an hour. A wicked mans delight in the word, is but as a blazing star, which is quickly extin­guished. Hee may rejoyce in the word while hee is hearing of it, but it quick­ly vanisheth away. Hee is like to a man that comes into a pleasant Garden, and is delighted with the smell of it while hee is there. But a childe of God makes a Posie of these Flowers, to refresh him when hee is out. Hee delights to read, and to keep the Law of God continually, for ever and ever, Psalm. 119.45.

Let us (I beseech you) labour, with [Page 89] all labour, for this superlative, well-rooted, powerful, spiritual, sin-excluding, grace-increasing, and abiding delight, in the whole word of God.

Quest. What must wee do that wee may be inabled thus to make the Law of God our delights?

Answ. 1. You must seriously study the excellency of Gods word, this made David prize it so much, and love it so much, Psalm. 19.7, 8, 9, 10, 11. The word of God, hath God for its Author, and therefore must needs bee full of infinite wisdome, and eloquence, even the wisdome and eloquence of God. There is not a word in it, but breathes out God, and is breathed out by God. It is (as Ireneus saith) [...], an invariable rule of faith, an unerring and infallible guide to hea­ven. It contains glorious revelations and discoveries, no where else to bee found. It hath a manifesting, convin­cing, soul-humbling, soul-directing, soul-converting, and soul-comforting power, [Page 90] and efficacy in it, as appears by these Scriptures, Heb. 4.12. 1 Cor. 14.24, 25. 1 King. 21.29. Psalm. 119.105. 2 Cor. 3.6. Psalm. 119.50. And therefore to delight in the word, and the God that made it, is not only our duty, Psal. 37.4. But it is recorded in Scripture as our priviledge, and as the great reward that God would bestow upon those that keep holy the Sabbath-day, Isa. 58. 13, 14. Then thou shalt delight thy self in the Lord. This shall bee thy great reward.

2 You must fixedly ponder the ne­cessity of practising this duty: For if you delight in Gods Law, God will de­light in you. If the Law bee your be­loved, you are Gods beloved; If you take no pleasure in his word, his soul will take no pleasure in you.

3 You must pray for the grace of Illumination. Whensoever you take the Bible in your hand to read in it, pray Davids prayer, Psal. 119.18. Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous [Page 91] things out of thy Law. Philosophers observe, that Lumen est vehiculum in­fluentiae, Light is the Chariot of in­fluence, as it begets the flower in the field, the gold in the mineral; so the foundation of all regeneration, is illu­mination. Pray that God would open your eyes that you may understand the Scriptures, as hee did to his Apostles Luke 24. 45. That hee would take away the vail that is upon your hearts.

4 Pray that hee that made you creatures, would make you new crea­tures, that as new-born babes you may desire the sincere milk of the word.

5 Pray that God would fulfil that excellent promise, Jer. 31.33. That hee would put his Law in your inward parts, and write it in your hearts, and then you cannot but heartily delight in it.

6 Pray to God to give you the same Spirit that wrote the word, to in­able you to delight in it.

[Page 92] 7 Pray for a spiritual palate, that you may not onely delight in spiritual things, but have a spiritual delight in spiritual things. It is said of the Lio­ness, that when shee hath once tasted of the sweetness of mans flesh, shee is never satisfied till shee hath more of it. Hee that hath tasted of the good word of God, and not onely tasted, but eaten it, and digested it into good nourishment, hee will not onely de­light in it, but he will delight in it above gold, yea above fine gold, and hee will never bee satisfied, till hee bee filled with the fulness of that God that made it.

THE Excellency and Usefulness OF THE VVORD.
SERMON III.

NOw I come to speak of the Proposition that is clear­ly held forth in the Text. Doct. 3 That the VVord of God delighted in, is the Afflicted Saints Antidote against ruine [Page 94] and destruction. Unless thy Law had been my delights, I should, &c. The Word of God is the sick S [...]ts salve, the dying Saints cordial; a most preci­ous medicine to keep Gods people from perishing in time of affliction? This upheld Jacob from sinking when his Brother Esau came furiously march­ing to destroy him, Gen. 32. 12. And thou saidst I will surely do thee good, &c. The promise of God supported him. This also upheld Joshua, and inabled him couragiously to fight the Lords battels, because God had said, Hee would never leave him, nor forsake him, Josh. 1. 5. Melancthon saith, that the Lant-grave of Hessen told him at Dresda, that it had been impossible for him to have born up under the manifold mi­series of so long an imprisonment, ni­si habuisset consolationem ex Verbo divi­no in suo corde, but for the comforts of the Scriptures in his heart.

There are eight things may be said (amongst many other) in commenda­tion [Page 95] of the Word of God.

1 It is the Magazin and storehouse of all comfort and consolation. There is no condition (but one) that a man can bee in, but hee may finde soul sup­porting comfort for it our of the Word. Indeed if thou resolvest to go on in sin, the Word cannot comfort thee; it threatneth hell and damnation to all such. If the God of Heaven can make such miserable, they shall bee miserable: But excepting this one, there is no condition so miserable, but a man may fetch a cordial out of the Word, to support him under it. Art thou as empty of riches, and as full of diseases, as Job under the Old Testa­ment, and Lazarus under the New Testament? are the (sins with which thou art willing to part) many and great? Is thy conscience exceed­ingly wounded and disquieted? doth the Devil roar upon thee with hideous temptations? let thy condition bee never so sad, the Word of God is able [Page 96] to afford thee comfort under it. For it is the Word of that God, who is the God of all consolation. There is no kinde of true comfort, but here it is to bee had, here are cordials of all sorts. Comforts under bodily troubles, and comforts under soul-troubles. There is no Monarch can furnish his table with such variety of delicates, as God hath furnished his Word with variety of comforts.

2 The Word of God is not only the Magazin of all true comfort, but the Fountain from whence it is derived. All the comfort that you receive by reading of good books, is fetcht out of this book. All the refreshings that the Ambassadors of Christ admi­nister to you, are borrowed from this Fountain. As the King of Israel an­swered the woman (that cryed out, saying, Help my Lord O King) If the 2 King. 6. 26, 27. Lord do not help thee, whence shall I help thee. So will all the true Ministers of Christ say to any distressed soul that [Page 97] cries out for comfort: How can wee comfort you, if the Word of God doth not comfort you? All our com­forts must bee fetcht from thence.

3 It will comfort us at such a time, when no outward thing can comfort us. And that is, when wee are under soul-agonies, and when our soul sits upon our lips, ready to depart, when wee are sailing into the Ocean of eterni­ty, then, even then, the promises of the Word will comfort us : When gold and silver, Father and Mother, friends, and Physitians are miserable comforters, then will one promise out of the Word fill us full of joy unspeak­able, and glorious.

4 The Comforts of the Word exceed all other comforts, for they are pure, and purifying, sure, and satisfying; they are soul-supporting, soul-comforting, and soul-ravishing; they are durable and e­verlasting. The comforts of the world are not worthy to bee named that day, in which wee speak of the [Page 98] comforts of the Word. They are not consolationes, but consolatiunculae. At best they are but bodily, unsatisfying, and transitory. Many times they are sinful, and soul-damning.

5 The Word of God is not only a Magazin, and a Fountain of comfort, but also a touch-stone, by which wee must trie all our comforts, whether they bee true and real, or no. All joyes, hopes, and assurances, must be tried by the Word, and if not rightly grounded thereupon, are false, and soul-delusions.

6 It is as an Apothecaries shop, or a Physitians dispensatory, out of which wee may fetch all manner of Medi­cines, to cure all the diseases of our souls. Art thou spiritually lame, blinde, or dumb? &c. The Word will open blinde eyes, make the dumb to speak, and the lame to walk. If dead in sins and trespasses, the Word, when it is the sword of the spirit, will quicken thee. It is as a corrasive to [Page 99] eat sin out of thy heart; therefore Da­vid saith, I have hid thy Word in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.

7 It is a spiritual Armory; out of which wee may fetch all manner of weapons, to conquer the Devil, and his temptations, 2 Cor. 10. 4. It is that little brook, out of which every David may fetch five smooth stones to destroy the Devil. These five smooth stones, are five texts of Scripture, three of these Christ took out of the brook of the Word, by which hee sub­dued the Devil, Matth. 4. 4. 7, 10.

8 It is the Sun of the Christian world. As the Sun is the light of the natural world, and without it, the world is but a Chaos, and a dungeon full of darkness. So is the Word of God, the light of the spiritual world, without which a Christian is under an eternal night. Therefore David saith, Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path, Psal. 119. 105. [Page 100] What would all the world avail, if no Sun to illighten it, and what comfort would all the wealth of it afford us, if, no word to instruct, and counsel us? For this is the Christians compass to sail to Heaven by, his staffe to walk withal to Heaven, his spiritual bladders to keep his soul from drowning. The Cork, to keep up the net of his soul from sinking. Afflictions are like the lead of the net, which weigheth it down, but the Word is as the Cork, which keeps it up, that it sinks not. So saith David in the Text, Unless thy Law had been my delights, &c.

Use If the Word of God bee of such invaluable excellency, absolute ne­cessity, and of such admirable use.

1 Let us bless God exceedingly for revealing his will unto us in the Word. Use. 1 It was a great honour; and priviledge to the Jews, that to them were com­mitted the Oracles of God, Rom. 3. 2. And it is our great happiness that wee have not only the same Oracles of God [Page 101] which they have, but an addition of the New Testament, for the clearer discovery of the mysteries of salvation unto us. If God bee to bee praised for every crumme of bread wee eat, much more for giving us his VVord, which is the bread of life, and the only food of our souls. Blessed bee God, who hath not only given us the book of the Creatures, and the book of Nature to know himself, and his will by, but also, and especially the Book of the Scrip­tures, whereby wee come to know those things of God, and of Christ, which neither the Book of Nature, nor of the creatures can reveal unto us.

Let us blesse God, not only for re­vealing his will in his word, but for re­vealing it by writing. Before the time of Moses, God discovered his will by immediate revelations from Heaven. But wee have a surer word of Prophecy, 2 Pet. 1. 19. surer (to us) than a voice from Heaven; For the Devil (saith the Apostle) transforms himself into an An­gel [Page 102] of light. Hee hath his apparitions 2 Cor. 11. 14. and revelations, hee is Gods ape, and in imitation of God, hee appears to his Dis­ciples, and makes them beleeve it is God that appears, and not the Devil. Thus hee appeared to Saul in the like­nesse of Samuel. And if God should now at this day discover his way of worship, and his divine will by Revela­tions, how easily would men bee de­ceived, and mistake diabolical delusi­ons, for divine Revelations; and there­fore let us bless' God for the written word, which is surer and safer (as to us) than an immediate Revelation. There are some that are apt to think that if an Angel should come from Heaven, and reveal Gods will to them, it would work more upon them than the written word; but I would have these men study the conference between Abra­ham and Dives, Luk. 16. 27, 28, 29, 30, 31. Habent Mosen & Prophetas, &c. They have Moses and the Prophets, if they will not profit by them, nei­ther [Page 103] would they profit by any that should come out of Hell, or down from Heaven to them. For it is the same God that speaks by his written Word, and by a voice from Heaven. The dif­ference is only in the outward cloathing; and therefore if Gods speaking by writing will not amend us. No more will Gods speaking by a voice. O bless God exceedingly for the written Word! let us cleave close to it, and not expect any Revelations from Heaven of new truths, but say with the Apostle, Gal. 1. 8, 9.

Use 2 Let us prize the Word of God Use. 2 above gold, yea above fine gold: Let us read it, diligently, reverently, praying to God to give us the same spirit, that wrote it, to inable us to understand it, and conscienciously to practice it. Let us make it the joy and rejoycing of our heart, and as it is in the Text; Let us make it our delights, but of this I spake in the former point. The only motive I shall now use to perswade [Page 104] you to make the Word your delights, shall bee this in the Text. Because it will keep you from perishing in the time of your greatest affliction. It will com­fort you when you have most need of it (that is, under heart-sinking afflicti­ons, and at the hour of death) and it will comfort you when all outward comforts, and creatures fail. It will bee food, to strengthen your weak Faith; physick to cure the remainders of corruptions, it will bee a cordial to revive your drooping spirits, and faint­ing souls. It will make you more than conquerors over all temptations and distresses.

Quest. But now the great question is, How a child of God ought to manage and make use of the word of God, so as to make it a conduit of support and com­fort in the day of his greatest afflicti­ons?

Answ. To bee able to do this, there is a great deal of spiritual wisdome and understanding required. For the [Page 105] word to many people is like Sauls ar­mour to David, which was so cumber­some to him, that hee could not wear it.

There are many know not how to use the Word, so as to bee comforted by it. As the woman of Samaria told Christ, Joh. 4. 11. The well is deep, and thou hast nothing to draw with. So may I say; The word of God is a deep well, Isa. 4. it is a well of salvation, but it is deep, and the deeper, the sweeter, but most people want buckets to draw with; they want a spiritual Art to fetch out of these wells of salvation, divine suppor­tation and consolation; and therefore to help you in this great work you must know,

That the word of God may bee di­vided into three parts; Into Comman­mandements, The word of God divided in­to the command­ing, threat­ning, and promising Word. Threatnings, and Promi­ses: And though a Christian must not neglect the commanding, and threat­ning word, yet if ever hee would make the word a channel of divine comfort, [Page 106] hee must study the promising word, for the promises are a Christians magna charta for Heaven. All comfort must bee built upon a Scripture promise, else it is presumption, not true com­fort. The promises are pabulum fidei, & anima fidei, the food of faith, and the soul of faith. As faith is the life of a Christian, so the promises are the life of Faith: Faith is a dead Faith, if it hath no promise to quicken it; As the Promises are of no use without Faith to apply them, so Faith is of no use without a promise to lay hold on. And the great reason why the people of God walk uncomfortably in their afflictions, is, because they do not chew the promises; they are rare cordials, but as a man cannot taste the sweetness of a cordial, unless hee chew it, no more can wee receive any spiritual refresh­ment from the promises, unless wee meditate on them. The promises are as a Mine full of rich treasure, but as Mines, unlesse wee digge deep into [Page 107] them, wee can never get the gold and silver hid in them: no more can wee injoy the soul-ravishing comfort, of the promises, unlesse wee digge into them by a serious consideration of them. They are as a garden full of rare flowers, able to sweeten any condition. But because wee do not walk in this garden, and pick out these flowers; hence it is that wee live so disconsolately and dejectedly under our afflictions. There are many rare stories declaring the comfort that some of Gods Saints have received from the promises in the day of their distress. Mr. Bilney that blessed Mar­tyr was much wounded in conscience, by reason of the great sin hee commit­ted, in subscribing to the Popish errors, but hee was much comforted by read­ing those words, 1 Tim, 1. 15. This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all accep­tation, that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners, of which I am the chief. Beza was supported under his troubles, by the words of Christ, [Page 108] John 10.27, 28, 29. Mr. Bolton tells us of one, that was upheld under great affliction, and comforted from Isa. 26. 3. Of another, from Isa. 57.15. I knew a young maid that went triumphantly to Heaven, by the refreshing shee found in that well known Text, Matth. 11. 28. and many that have been wonder­fully cheared by reading the eight chapter of the Romans, and by that Text, 1 Joh. 3. 14. VVee know that wee have passed from death unto life, be­cause wee love the Brethren. The truth is, there is no promise, but if God bee pleased to illighten it, and shew us our interest in it, will afford a harvest of joy. It is with promises, as it is with Sermons: That Sermon which once heard, did not at all work upon us, the same Sermon heard at another time may exceedingly affect us. And the same Text of Scripture, which some­times doth not at all comfort us, may at another time convey much comfort to us. Two men troubled in conscience, [Page 109] may both of them read the same chap­ter, and hear the same Sermon, and one of them may have his troubled minde pacified, and the other continue troubled, and the reason is, because the Spirit of God makes the Word effe­ctual to one, and not to the other. How often hath a distressed Saint, read Mat. 11. 28. 1 Tim. 1. 15. Joh. 10. 27, 28. Isa. 26.3. Isa. 57. 15, 1 Joh. 3. 14. and found no comfort in reading of them; But if the Spirit of God did come in, and open his eyes to behold the rich mer­cies wrapt up in these promises, and his interest in them, they would fill him with comfort above expression. And therefore if ever you would make the Word of God, Gods instrument to con­veigh, support and comfort to you in the time of soul-sinking afflictions, you must study the promises, and pray unto God that his Spirit may irradiate them, and shew you the fulnesse of them, and your interest in them.

Quest. How must wee improve the [Page 108] [...] [Page 109] [...] [Page 110] promises, so as to make them spiritual bladders, to keep us from being drowned in the deep waters of Affli­ction?

Ans. You must do three things.

• 1 You must make a Catalogue of the Promises.
  Three things to bee done by those that would im­prove the promises.
• 2 You must seriously ponder and meditate on them.
• 3 You must apply them to your own souls, as belonging to you in particu­lar.

1 You must make a Catalogue of the Promises, you must gather them up, as they lye scattered in the Word, in­to a spiritual Nose-gay, and binde them together : You must do as they that gather up ends of gold and silver; you must lose none. Every promise is as a ray of gold, as a star in the firma­ment. And though there are starrs of divers magnitudes, differing from one another in glory, yet every star hath its beauty and benefit : So though some promises are more glorious than [Page 111] others, (like the Sun, in comparison of the Moon) yet every promise hath its beauty, and lustre, and as star­light in a dark night is very comfor­table; so in the dark night of affliction, every little promise will afford unspeak­able comfort to a troubled soul.

To help you in making this Cata­logue, give mee leave to suggest three things.

1 Bee sure to make it in time of health. Woe bee to those that have their promises to gather, when they should make use of them! You that sleight the promises in prosperity, shall receive no comfort from them in adver­sity.

2 Forget not to treasure up all those promises which God hath made to his children, in the day of their adversity. As for example, God hath promised in all our afflictions to bee with us, Isa. 43. 2. When thou passest through the waters, I will bee with thee, and through the Rivers, they shall not over-flow [Page 112] thee, &c. hee will bee with you to protect and direct you, to support and comfort you. If three Saints bee put into the fiery furnace, the Son of God will make the fourth, Dan. 3. 25.

2 God will bee afflicted in all our afflictions, Isa. 63. 9. hee suffers in all our sufferings, Act. 9. 4.

3 Hee will make our beds in our sicknesses, Psal. 41. 3. hee will conde­scend to the lowest office for our ease and refreshment.

4 Hee will know our souls in adver­sity, Psal. 31. 7. hee will know us to pitty us, and to succour; and to help us.

5 Hee will keep us from the evil of all afflictions, Job 5. 19. God hath not promised to keep his people from afflictions, but to keep them from the hurt of them. Though they are not good in themselves, yet hee will turn them to our good, Heb. 12. 10. 1 Cor. 11. 32. Jer. 24. 5. The good figs were carried into captivity for their [Page 113] good. God hath promised, that all things shall work together for our good, Rom. 8. 28. not only all ordinances, &c. but all afflictions, &c.

6 God hath promised to lay no more upon us, than wee are able to bear, but either to give us less pain, or greater patience, 1 Cor. 10. 13. And though in a little wrath hee hide his face from us for a moment, yet with everlasting kind­ness will he have mercy on us, &c. Isa 54. 7, 8. These, and many such like promi­ses; will bee as so many spiritual cordi­als, to revive our fainting spirits, and as so many Pillars to uphold us under the greatest affliction.

3 For the compleating of this Ca­talogue, you may make use of many excellent books wtitten for this pur­pose, Mr. Lee on the Promises. Mr. Ball. Mr. Bulk­ley. wherein you shall have promi­ses of all kindes, both spiritual and temporal gathered together: Yet let mee advise you, not to rest sa­tisfied with the collections of o­thers, but when you read the Bible, [Page 114] and meet with a sutable promise, with which God is pleased to affect your hearts, take the pains to write it down, and one such promise of your own writing, will work more power­fully upon your souls, than many others of anothers gathering. So much for the first, viz. Make a Ca­talogue of the Promises.

RULES FOR THE Right Application of the Promises.
SERMON V.

NOw I come to the third and last particular. He that would make the Promises as spiritual bladders to keep him from drowning in [Page 164] the deep waters of affliction, must not only make a Catalogue of them, and meditate upon them, but hee must make Application of them to his own soul, as belonging to him in particu­lar. Hee must (as it is said of the god­ly Patriarchs, Heb. 11. 13.) bee per­swaded of them, and imbrace them; [...] hee must hugge and kisse them as his rich portion, and glorious inheritance. And this is the chief of all : For no man can receive any comfort from a Promise, who is not able to make out his interest in that Promise: As the life of a Sermon is in the Appli­cation of it unto our selves, so the life of a Promise is in the appropriation of it. Quid est Deus, si non est meus? What am I the better (saith Origen) that Christ took upon him the flesh of a Virgin, if hee took not my flesh? what was the great Prince the better for the miraculous plenty in Samaria, when the Prophet told him that hee should see it with his eyes, but not eat of it? [Page 165] As the man, who when hee was rea­dy to bee drowned, saw a Rain-bow (which was a sign that the world should never bee again drowned) said, Quid mihi proderit haec Iris, si ego pere­am; What am I the better for this Rain­bow, if I perish? So may I say, what is a man the better for the rich Mine of treasure contained in the Promi­ses, if hee hath no share in it.

There are three sorts of professors of Religion.

1 Some lay claim to the Promises when they have no right to them; such are your presumptuous sinners, who take it for granted, that the Promises belong to them, who pre­sume themselves into Hell by a false hope in the Promises, who make a Feather-bed of the Promises upon which they sleep securely in sin : As Thrasilaus (a mad Athenian) laid claim to every Ship that came to Athens, though hee had right to none: So a presumptuous sinner laies [Page 166] claim to every Promise, though hee hath right to none; he inlargeth them beyond their bounds, and maketh the conditional Promises to bee absolute, and such as belong only to those that are in Christ, to belong to him, though hee bee not in Christ. Hee sucks the poison of sin, and security, out of the sweet flower of the Promises.

2 Some have an interest in the Pro­mises, and know their interest. These live in Heaven while they are upon earth, these rejoyce in tribulation, and are more than conquerors over the greatest afflictions. These are secure from perishing in the day of distresse. That man, who taking the Bible in­to his hand, can say upon right grounds : All the Promises in this Book are my portion, and I have a right and title to them, this man is happy above expression.

3 Some have an interest in the Pro­mises, but do not know their interest, and therefore dare not (in the hour of [Page 167] trouble) apply them for their supporta­tion and consolation. Such are your broken-hearted, wounded, distressed, and deserted Christians. Such can receive no comfort from the Promises in the day of affliction. When they begin to apply them for their support, the Devil suggesteth to them, and their own doubting hearts tells them, that they mis-apply them, and that they belong not to them. When a godly Minister (whose office is to speak a word in season to those that are weary, Isa. 50. 4.) indeavours by the Applica­tion of the Promises to comfort them, their souls refuse to bee comforted, they exclude themselves from having a right to Christ, and his Promises, though Christ would not have them excluded. They groundlesly contest that their names are written in the black book of reprobation, and that all the curses of the Law are their portion; hence it is that they live so uncomfor­tably, and disconsolately in the time [Page 168] of affliction. Now then for the help of such persons, who have a true title to the promises, but know it not, who walk in darkness, and see no light, who beleeve they are Hypocrites, when they are not, and that they are not in Christ, when they are (that I may bee Gods instrument to inable such to make Application of the precious pro­mises unto their own souls in parti­cular, in the hour of trouble, for their everlasting supportation and consola­tion) I shall lay down these ensuing Rules, and Directions.