the Condition of many Saints but yet in answer to this Beloved friends I would have you Consider these things First Though it is our dutie and with it our Refreshments to lay hold upon and to make applications of Jesus Christ yet our happinesse lyes more in Christs laying hold of us * Joh. 15.16 Jud. 24. 1 John 4.10 Secondly It is Gods way many times to leave his people without the sensitive part of their Comfort and though they do believe and do know and doe see yet they are many times left without power to be sencible they * Hos 11.3 1 Joh. 5.13 see that so in the Close they may be brought off from Living upon their owne knowing and seeing God and made to Live upon Gods knowing and seeing them Thirdly Many times the people of God are hindered in applying Christ and promises because they looke upon them thorough a wrong glasse viz. thorough their owne Righteousnesse and goodnesse and when that seemes dead their eyes grow dimme for there is so much penurious proceedings in the best of Saints that they will not nor dare not touch a promise without holy hands and holy hearts Whereas wee are not to beleeve because we are holy but wee are to beleeve being unholy that wee may be holy I now remember what Mr Hocker said in the same case concerning the hinderance that Christians meet with in applying promises It is with them said he as with a man that goes to take a staffe in his hand if he puts the backe of his hand to the staffe he cannot hold it till he puts it in the palme of his hand so it is with the people of God when they goe to a promise they goe to lay hold on it with the backe side of the hand of faith and that they doe these wayes First When they looke upon themselves as they are in themselves and not looke upon themselves as they are in Christ In themselves they are altogether unworthy In Christ they are worthy In themselves they are blacke in Christ they * Can. 1.8 Eph. 5.27 are comely Secondly So they also doe when they endeavour to goe to Christ thorough a promise and not to a promise thorough Christ wherein they move by their owne strength and that 's their back-side and not by the power of Christ which is properly the hand to Lead them to the heart of all promises He is the summe of every promise and all promises are summed up in him In him we enjoy every one and without him we enjoy never a one If you would know what a promise is I shall discover my thoughts in this generall Tearme that includes all A promise is the declaration of Gods good will Christ is the principall declarer and he is also the thing declared and so he is the summe of promises and in that sence promises are summed up in him Thirdly We are said to goe with the back-side of the hand to a promise when we so looke upon corruption in us that we dare not apply promises of Life but as we see sinne dye and doe not Indeavour to apply promises that sin which is alive may dye And therefore deare Friends in the Close of this Remember two or three things that Experience hath and Experience will Confirme to all beleevers First None applyes Christ till Christ layes hold on him 1 Joh. 4.19 Secondly That no heart brings any holinesse to Christ but what they first had from a promise in Christ Thirdly It is not Gods way for us to conquer sinne and then beleeve but to Conquer sinne through beleeving 1 John 5.4 Fourthly If the apprehensions of sin getting some strength doth occasion a Saint by feare to weaken faith that gives not lesse but more strength to sinne but it is Christs way to kill sinne through beleeving Therefore beloved Friends Let me beg of you to be very serious in weighing the worth of Gods tenders and also the way of Gods tenders And know this As it is dangerous for men under the notion of beleeving free grace to give way to sinne so it is dangerous to stay from beleeving grace till wee Conquer sinne Pray take notice that God brings fullnesse to emptinesse and Light to Darknesse and Life to Death and goodnesse to * Matth. 11 28. Rom. 5.6 Isa 40.29 unworthinesse Therefore there is no Soule so emptie and so poore and so unworthy and so sinfull but there is enough in Christ to answer all And deare Friends take heed that you doe not penuriously stand out and say you will make your selves fit before you come to Christ That kinde of humilitie is great pride And you endeavour to doe that which is endlesse and easelesse Therefore Consider as the promise and your need of a promise so consider the way how to apply a promise and doe not endeavour to take hold of the staffe with the backe of your hand but the palme And for that End seriously minde what hath been said And the Lord give us to understand the truth as it is in Jesus but I shall say no more in answer to this objection nor to the Text at this time Though there are many other uses might be made of it but I shall onely at this time Conclude with the words in the Conclusion Which is That sinne to a Saint-like sencible heart is an unsupportable Burthen The restlesse Resolution of a Soule to returne to God who is Son-like sencible of his withdrawing Withdrawings from God are dangerous DEare friends I told you before that my desire was to discover to you three things First How unsupportable sin is to a heart that is made sencible Secondly How restlesse a heart is that is sencible of his withdrawings from God till he doth returne to God Of the first I have already spoke I am now to enter upon the second and of that I shall desire to speak sutable to what God hath made known in me and that Scripture which I desire to speake it from is Psalme the 116. and the 7. verse Returne unto thy rest O my soule for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee IN which words you may consider in generall two things 1. An Exhortation 2. The Reason and foundation The Exhortation in these words Returne unto thy rest O my soule The Reason and foundation in these words For the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee In the Exhortation we may consider severall things First The party exhorting that 's David Secondly the party exhorted that 's his soule O my soule Thirdly The Exhortation it selfe Returne In which Exhortation there is something implyed besides what is exprest The thing implied is that his heart had withdrawn from its rest Fourthly there is the manner of the Exhortation it is an earnest Exhortation Returne oh my soule Besides it is a spirituall Exhortation therefore he calls upon his soule We might now divide the Reason and foundation as we have done the Exhortation and from
A TREATISE CONTAINING THREE THINGS Viz. 1. A Discovery of the unsupportable Burthen of Sinne to a heart that is Saint like sensible of Sin 2. The restlesse Resolution of a Soule to returne to God who is Saint-like sensible of his withdrawings 3. A Discovery of the sweet and unexpected Entertainment that wandring hearts meet with in their returnes to God Written by Lieutenant Collonel PAVL HOBSON Against thee onely have I sinned and done this evill in thy sight Make me to heare joy and gladnesse that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoyce Psal 51.4.8 O God thou art my God early will I seek thee my soule thirsteth for thee my flesh longs for thee in a dry and thirsty Land where no water is Psal 61.3 Ephraim my deare Son is he a pleasant Child for since I spake against him I doe earnestly remember him still therefore my Bowels are troubled for him I will surely have mercy upon him saith the Lord. Jer. 31.20 London Printed by M. S. for Tho Brewster and are to be sould at his shop at the three Bibles in Pauls Church yard near the West End 1653. THE EPISTLE TO THE READER CHRISTIAN READER Vnto whose hands these few lines of mine may come that which I beg of God both for my selfe and you is That we may both in writing and reading be made able to understand the Truth from an enjoyment ef it selfe Light is never known till it is injoyed I am very sensible that my appearing in publike may occasion many strange reasonings in many mens mindes if I had onely hearkened to that or to the reasoning of my owne spirit which did strongly importune my silence I should not a presented my Judgement and present condition to a Publique view but being by providence after a large travell and strong encounter with my owne spirit through the discoveries of my owne great mistakes and also through the sence of the great unsutablenesse of my owne soule to God I am cast into these parts where there is not many more Eyes then there is Censuring Spirits condemning the practice of many with whom I meet to discover to each other the daily Experiences that we have of the Fathers dealings with us and what power we injoy from Heaven to make an Improvement of those Mercies We are by many I say Censured as men creeping in private to divulge Vntruths and discovering things contrary to Faith in Christ and Holinesse of Life and Conversation And whatsoever miscarriages and unsutable walkings was of any of us in former times is brought as an occasion to cloud our present practice and to render us odious amongst men affirming that we dare not divulge that publiquely which we doe privately vent which occasioneth a stumbling to many precious hearts and Causes many Scandals and Clouds to be Cast upon truth by the gainsayers thereof Vpon which Consideration many Friends did desire me to present that in publique which I had delivered in private which I have here done in the same forme and manner as it was there delivered not being willing to adde any fine spunne Expressions or quaint distinctions to Court any Mans fancy to minde it but in the plaine downe-right and humble Expressions as being most sutable to them to whom I speake and to the present Condition and frame of my owne Spirit God having very much wounded my heart as for doing things dishonorable to him so doing or saying any thing that may procure honor to me amongst men that doth not punctually suite with the sinceritie and simplicitie of Truth Therefore I beg of the Christian Reader that in Reading over these few Lines that you would seriously Reade over all before you Conclude any thing to any And to minde and seriously weigh as what is spoke by whom so to whom And let not any thing that is really Truth be disowned because it is accommodated with such poore and low Expressions I am very much perswaded that those hearts who have been brought home thorough a sence of their wandrings and long for nothing so much as the Enjoyment of Gods Love and Power to Live up to it may and will finde something in this that may Refresh their poore drooping Spirits in that Condition It is to them Especially that I desire to present These And as for them I beg the same Refreshments thorough Reading as was the Cause of Speaking And as for others who may Critically Carpe at the Expression or the party Expressing I desire them to take notice that the Father hath made it a very small thing to me to be judged of Men All I beg is to have my heart kept up in daily Communion with God And to have a Life sutable to his Love for the Enjoyment of which mercies I desire of all that really Live with God to minde me as I desire to minde them in our approachments to God And that they would in Reading over these not suffer any Infirmitie they know of the Author to Cause them to aggravate or Enlarge any Infirmitie in the Expressions of the matter but that they would in Christian Wisdome and Love Endeavour to Cover and Remove both And I further desire that if any to whom these may come who have wantonly gone from God and are at present unsencible of the great necessitie of their Returning to God and of a Close walking with God That they would Candidly Reade over these few Lines It may please the Father thorough that which they may looke upon as folly to manifest Wisedome And Darknesse to manifest Light Such an Effect as this is the Earnest prayer of him that is Christian Reader Yours in that Life which Commands me to Love all but to serve none in a way contrary to that Life P. H. A DISCOVERY of the unsupportable Burthen of sinne to a heart that is Saint-like sencible of Sinne. What sinne is in a Saints sence BEloved those sayings are most sutable that flow from seeing and those seeings are Saint-like when they flow from Enjoyments And whatsoever is said or seene and not upon that accompt it may probably profit the hearer but not the speaker God by a providence hath cast mee amongst you after a large travell in a wildernes condition wherein God hath made me travish all my former tracts and mistakes in and under all Gods dealings with me and my Actings towards him God was pleased to carry me thorough Strength and Weaknes thorough good Reports and bad Reports to honour and dishonour In which Conditions I sometimes stood and sometimes fell sometimes my heart was raised up with some high Ravishments which I judged Experiences and at other times very low and in my selfe much lost After all God hath been pleased thorough a sence of my owne unkindnes to bring my heart upon its knees and to lay me very low before himselfe but hath againe by a discovery of his owne kindnes and love Refreshed mee and caused that which was made dumbe to speake now
that which is at this time most sencible in my heart to speake to you from what God hath spoke to me in my present Condition is three things The first is a discovery of the unsupportable Burthen of sinne when discovered by the light of Gods love Secondly The restles resolution of a Saint when he is Saint-like sencible of his withdrawing from God to turne to God Thirdly The gracious and sweet Entertainment the soule finds with God when that he is brought home And I shall declare it from three portions of Scripture The first from Psalme the 38. and the 4th verse the second from Psalme the 11 6th and the 7th verse The third from Luke the 15th and the 20th verse but I shall begin with the first at this opportunitie Psalme the 38. and the 4th verse For my Iniquities are gone over my head as a heavie Burthen they are too heavy for me DEare friends this Scripture I have formerly viewed and have formerly spoke something from it but I am now constrained to declare what God hath preached to mee for he hath been pleased thorough a discovery of my unsutablenes and my unkindnes by which he hath not onely broken my bones but he hath left no soundnes in my flesh I doe not meane by flesh fleshly nature but all the fleshlines of my owne Righteousnes by which formerly I refreshed my selfe with the sparkes of my owne performance and refreshed my selfe with the peace and tranquilitie I gathered from thence But now my wound is too large to be healed with such a salve but no more of that but to the words and in them you may consider in generall an affirmation wherein you may first consider the partic affirming that is David Secondly the affirmation it selfe that is twofold first That his iniquities are gone over his head Secondly They were a heavie burthen too heavie for him Thirdly You may consider the time when it was when God had shewed him so much of his own nothingnes that he had nothing left to live upon besides free love There was no rest in his Bones nor no soundnes in his flesh by bones and flesh wee are not to understand it naturally but spiritually and by flesh we are to understand it in a double sense according to these Scriptures Galatians the 5. and the 19 verse Gal. the 6. and the 12 verse Philippians the 3. and the 3 and 4 verses Deare friends wee might observe a Conclusion from the party affirming the affirmation it selfe and the time when and the manner how but wee shall draw up all into one Conclusion and that is this Doct. That sinne to a Saint like sencible heart is an unsupportable Burthen In the prosecution the Conclusion observe these foure things First the proofe of it by Scripture Secondly Consider what sin is Thirdly What a Saint-like sencible heart is Fourthly The reasons why sin to a Saint-like sencible heart is an unsupportable burthen First The Scriptures to prove the Conclusion are these In the first place view the Text which cleerly Confirmes the Truth of the Conclusion Further see Romaines the 7 and the 24 verse how Paul cryes out as a restles man under the sense of sin You may further see Psal 51. the 1 2 3. and 4 verses Jeremiah the 3. and the 25 verse Lamentations the 5. the 15 16 17 verses All which doe discover how unsupportable the Burthen of sinne is to a heart that is Saint-like sencible of sinne Deare friends wee need not much proofe to him that knowes it as I am confident every heart that is acquainted with God hath sufficient Experience of this to confirme it The daily heart-breakings in that soule who is sencible of his owne unkindnes by reading Gods kindnes doth demonstrate it But I shall adde no more but this That heart which needs Confirmation of this truth without himselfe and hath not a sufficient proofe within himselfe his Condition is sad Secondly let us Consider what sin is And in that Consideration wee will Consider three things First The nature of sinne Secondly The Concomitants of sin And Thirdly The Effects First What is sin the Apostle tells you in the first Epistle of John the 3 Chap. and the 4 verse That sinne is the Transgression of the Law had there been no Law there had been no sinne The variation from a Law is sinne To speake out the nature of sinne is almost as impossible as to speak out the nature of God For sinne in all things is contrary to God Whatsoever you can say of Darknes of Death of Hell and Devils you may say of sinne Sinne comprehends all and is one with either John in the Revelations tels us of the depth of Satans Temptation Revel 2.24 which Temptation peradventure is but the limbe of the least lust Oh! what a depth is there then in the whole body Whatsoever happines and glory is seene in Light the contrary is found in Darknes whatsoever content and freedome you finde in love Light the contrary misery and bondage you finde in Death but the perfections of all these miseries is comprehended in sinne as the body of them both That heart which is most sencible of sinne is not able to speake out the nature of sinne But I know that that heart which is Saint-like sencible of sinne and doth see sinne to present himselfe as it doth so ugly in his owne eyes thinkes sin can never be presented ugly enough and especially because they see that in sinning they doe not onely crosse Law but Love they do not onely pierce paper but the precious tenders of grace love Zech. 10. It is endles boundless to Anatomize the nature of that where not so much as nature dwels but is inslaved by it Secondly Consider the Concomitants of sinne There are many but I shall onely present so many of them as it at present in my owne view First It s that which drawes a darke Cloud over a mans eyes and hinders him in his cleare beholding of God Though a Christian hath never so glorious a view of divine Light Love that lives in God if God suffers that heart to be padling and medling with sinne and Darkness Isa 59.2 Psal 30.7 Cant. 5.2 3 4 5 6. and then the heart goes expecting to view God as before though God be as he was before an unalterable God yet there is a thick myst drawne upon the eye that he is like a man in a myst and knowes not where he is nor what he sees just like a man whose eyes are fixed upon the Sunne and there he beholds glorious objects than takes them off from that Sun and looks upon the Earth and then goes to looke up to the Sunne againe his eyes dazell that he can see neither Though it is true It is not the glory that we view in God that covers our eyes but rather the thick myst that intercepts our view of that unchangeable object And therefore the Example of
condemning the fallacie of rest though men may thinke their spirits high they are but low and in the end it will appear restlesse and though they may be saved yet this work with many others will be burnt Corinthians the 1. and the 3. and the 12 13 and 14 verses Secondly There are many people who are exceeding restlesse till they have imbraced the external administrations of the Gospel and when they have done so they think all is done and then are at quiet Alas if Christ be not as well formed in * Gal. 4.19 you as acknowledged by you your condition is not lesse but more sad and though you thinke you are at rest your state is restlesse * Am. 6.7 But no more of false Rests though much more may be said but a word or two of that Rest which is the rest of Saints Under the Law there were varieties of rests but all rests were swallowed up in one as being the Anti-type of all those types now this rest is the Lord Jesus Christ as you may see at large in the 4th of the Hebrewes Now when we say Christ is the rest of Saints or a Saints sabbaoth we are to looke upon Christ as one with God nay very God and is that Eternall Love and Life which was and is for ever It lives in God and is communicated to the Creature by the Spirit of God that Love is very God as you may see in the first Epistle of John the 4th and the 8th For it 's true we may look upon Christ as the grand Ordinance of God and so he is the streame and not the fountaine and so he is inseriour to the Father as you may see John the 14. and the 28 verse Now so to rest in or on Christ is to rest in the streame and not in the fountaine and in a word it is to rest upon an Ordinance though it be the publique and grand Ordinance yet in that sence he is an Ordinance But a Saints rest is to rest in the sweet enjoyments of God in Christ that foundation will stand not onely now but when Christ gives up the Kingdome to the Father * 1 Cor. 15.24.27 then all streames will be gathered up into the fountaine and all beames will be gathered up into the body then a Saint will not be unseated in his Centre but will be more glorious for God will be all in all and all in him will be one with him in that glory Wee might speak very large in reference to a Saints rest both as to the Author and the matter and the sweet content a soule injoyes in that rest but what I have spoken is sufficient to discover a Saints rest to be unmoveable to be matchlesse and unalterable O happy is that heart who is lull'd asleep in nothing but in those Loves nor doth not rest in any appearance though in near relations but upon the marrow of that mercy Dear friends thus to say is good but they and they onely are happy that doe injoy it and they which doe injoy it are not able to expresse the tythe of what they injoy As it is a peace so it is a rest past all understanding * Phil 4.7 But no more of this second thing Thirdly We shall speake a word or two what it is for a soule to withdraw from its rest and therein we might be very large in reckoning up many particulars but we shall briefly declare our thoughts to it Deare friends know that all stardings from * Isa 59.7 8. Ier. 12.13 Hos 11.1 2. God either in spirituall communion or externall withdrawings from any thing that is exactly Gods way unlesse God hedged up your way from it is a withdrawing from rest nay all our runnings out to or imbracing of and living upon any thing besides God though seemingly it may have a Law to owne it yet for us so to imbrace it is to withdraw from rest nay all low and loose actions or thoughts * Pro. 24.2 Gen. 6.5 which are contrary to the minde of God is a startling from God and a withdrawing from God and so a going from rest for God is our rest all which I leave to you to beg of God to informe you and so far to overcome you that you may for ever abide with God from Gods abiding with you I am now to speak a word or two to discover the Reasons and Grounds why the best of Saints sometimes are apt to withdraw from their rest I shall reduce the Reasons to these two The one is taken from themselves and the other is taken from God As to the Reason relating to themselves we may reduce that to these two heads The first is the grand cause The second is the accidentall or occasionary cause As for the grand it is because there is darknesse sin and corruption in the best of Saints That which is the reason why some men for ever stand in opposition to God is that which doth cause the people of God sometimes to withdraw from God it is the reliques of the old man that are not yet fully crucified but still move hel-ward and death-ward to accomplish its owne ends and that this remaines in the best you may see Galathians the 5th and so also in the Romanes the 7th and the 21. which made him cry out thus the 24. O wretched man And therefore all the people of God had need not onely to watch * Mar. 24.42 Mat. 25.41 and walke humbly before God but to live much upon God for there is that in selfe which will carry the soule with a strong streame from its proper Centre Now from this grand cause there are many accidentall occasionall causes flowing from it to cause a soule to withdraw from Christ and they are these First The hearkening to or disputing with inclinations or temptations to sin this was the occasion of Eves and Adams * Gen. 3.1 2 3 4 5 6. Psa 137.9 fal To admit of a dispute with sin temptation doth very much strengthen temptation and weaken us and when the heart through the power of Christ doth make sudden resistance it doth commonly conquer with little spoyle or breach upon its owne quiet and peace A dispute of sin admits of a familiarity with sin and it gives sin opportunity to present new objects of delight which never leaves till it hath drawne the fleshly part of the creature into alabyrinth where the heart is much lost and then it hearkens unto any dictates that propound reft and content but this state is very dangerous and the heart now begins to be sick happy is that soule who is seasonably recovered for there is no end of sins promises nor no beginning of its performance till in the end it brings forth death Romanes the 9. and the 24. Deare friend minde this and the Lord in mercy give you understanding to keepe at home and not stragle abroad I meane to live much with
God and in necre communion with his loves No more of that Secondly Neglecting society with them that live with God and to live in fellowship with them that are not acquainted with God is a dangerous occasion to cause the people of God to withdraw from their rest * Gen. 42.16 Joseph had never learned to sweare by the life of Pharoah had he not come into Pharoahs family Pro. 1.15 Pro. 6.27 28. and shew me any place of Scripture where any of the people of God did ever withdraw from them that lived with God and imbraced familiarity and society with others but they commonly fell before they returned It is impossible to touch pitch but to be defiled 't is not possible for a man to walk in a corrupt Aire but he must suck in some of the corrupt fumes Deare friends in the close I desire you to mind this not onely as a duty but as a mercy to be often with them that are often * Mal. 3.16 Can. 1.8 Heb. 10.25 Col. 3.16 with God They are not onely Gods factors offering and tendering varieties of discoveries of Light and Love but they are Gods Merchants nay their hearts are Gods Magazines wherein he doth treasure up varieties of the discoveries of his Light Life and Love Truly did people know the worth of the injoying Saints they would not scorn them but rather endeavour to purchase their society Deare friends all I shall say to this is prize them that are precious to God for their society will be profitable to you Thirdly Misapplying the truths of God in Scripture is an occasionary cause many times of a Saints withdrawing from his rest as thus The Scripture clearly discovers that all praying in an outward forme is but prating unlesse it flow from the spirit of God and that is a * Rom. 8.26 1 Cor. 14.15 John 6.44 45. truth worth our owning for if there be a thousand words in our forme of prayer if there be but ten words in that prayer which flow from the spirit that 's prayer and all the rest is nothing Now this truth is falsly applied by two sorts of people and doth cause them to run into evill and withdraw from God First Of those who think all extemporary prayer is to pray by the spirit when alas a man by meer naturall parts and by meer acquired habits may be able to preach and pray in a forme extemporary and yet not be acquainted with the Spirit of God and their runnings from those set formes of worship to those Extemporary performances is a great occasion to boulster many up in blindnes and to cause them to Runne to a Restles Rest Secondly There are a second sort and they are yet further Convinced that all praying is so emptie without the Spirit of God that they will not attempt the forme till the power move them and upon that score neglect the forme of prayer may be weekes moneths yeares Now deare Friends I must speak a word to you relating to these people and then a word or two to them as to you First Be very tender of their persons Secondly Beleeve the truth of this opinion that nothing is prayer but what the Spirit performes for prayer truly and properly Considered is nothing els but the Exchanges of Gods owne Language and it flowes from God as well as it goes to God It s not to alter God but to change us Now the mistakes of these people lyes in the application of this truth Therefore a word or two to them in these particulars following First Deare Friends so many of you as are of that opinion I desire you carefully and candidly to minde what I shall say as to that for I shall desire to say nothing but what my Experience hath discovered to my own heart And therefore in this first particular take notice that I so owne this truth of God viz. that there is no prayer without the Spirit that I cannot but acknowledge all other sayings or speakings to be but emptie and vaine and yet in the second place Consider Secondly Though God doth owne no prayer but what flows from his owne Spirit and wee doe well to owne it so yet it is better for us to waite for the power in the forme then to waite for the power without the forme and as it is our dutie to Conclude the forme when we want the power to be but a dead Carcase so it is something dangerous to neglect waiting upon God for the power in the forme And truly if wee well Considered it there is reason for it For first we know wee oftener finde God or rather God findes us in the forme then out of it Cant. 1.8 Cant. 3.1 2 3 4. Cant 7.12 Secondly It is as good to be implyed in the forme as to imply our selves in that which is as bad or worse which I feare wee often doe when wee omit opportunities in lying at the Pooles mouth waiting for Gods comming in Thirdly Know this that as it is dutie when the Spirit performes it so it is no sinne to imbrace the forme waiting for power so that in the Close wee Conclude that it is no dutie because the Spirit did not performe it I know the sence of that will make Saints lye not lesse but more low before God Fourthly Deare Friends I must needs tell you in the fourth place that though that opinion be true that is no prayer without the Spirit yet know that that truth with many others are true in themselves yet if they are not as well truly apprehended as truth apprehended it is not a truth in power in us and I would have you to take notice that it is a very bad signe when the apprehension of this truth is accompanied with so long a neglect of the forme and power as weekes moneths and yeares For though the truth teaches that the for me without the power is nothing yet that Truth doth not leave the Soule without power long for though it seemes to hide it selfe sometimes for a season it alwayes comes with a double Inlargement and therefore deceive not your selves but the Lord give you power as to apprehend Truth so to apprehend Truth truly and if so the application will never admit of Libertie to Loosnesse but strong Ingagements to walke Close with God I might in this third particular about misapplying of Truth which is an occasion of Causing many to withdraw from God Wee might mention many more besides what we have named as a Christians freedome from the Law of a Christians perfection In him in whom perfection Lives and also that no unfaithfullnesse in the Creature can destroy his union with the Creator These and many more glorious truths which are to be beleeved by us yet if they be not truly apprehended and sutably applyed will be as well in particulars as Christ is in the Generall a stumbling blocke and a Rocke of offence to some as well as a foundation of Salvation
out of the water that doth nothing but gaspe and pant longing for his owne Element without which he cannot live It is just so with that heart which hath ever tasted of Gods Love cannot long Live without those Injoyments though sometimes the best of Saints are apt to withdraw yet when Light and Life appeares Raising up a Remembrance of the former solace it had in Divine Loves O it pants groanes and is Restles till againe it is refreshed with those Injoyments and it will say as Sampson in another Case said Give me her or els I dye At your leisure reade the fifth of the Canticles you shall see where Christ came to the Spouse in the beginning of the Chapter and put in his finger at the hole of the doore that is to say he gave in so much Light so much remembrance of former Loves which did not onely shew her where and what shee was but caused in her a Restlesnes till she found him whom her soule loved and she was so earnest in the pursuit of his society that all the oppositions reproaches and smitings of the watchmen of the Citie could not take her off but she still cryes out and tells the Daughters of Jerusalem that she was sicke of love and she was never at rest till she had found him whom her soule loved Deare Friends Look upon any place of Scripture where any soule did withdraw from God and is now by him made sencible of that withdrawing you will then there finde them very restless till they did returne If you aske me the Reasons for it they are these The first Reason is implyed in the latter End of this verse which is the reason and ground David gives his soule to Returne to God It is because God hath dealt bountifully with him That power of Life and Light that doth convince a soule of his withdrawing from God doth raise up a remembrance and sence of the former sweetnes plenty and bounty he injoyed in God Psal 77. and the 6. It is that which is cleerly seene in the Prodigalls Expressions Luk. 15. where he saith There is enough in my fathers house Deare Friends the sence of this is a conquering and over-coming power and the rather because that Light which presents this remembrance doth exceedingly plead and expostulate with the heart telling it that it was not as now when he lay in his Fathers bosome there he had bread enough he had there smiles without frownes and was alwayes danied upon the knees of his fathers kindness and was fed with marrow and fatnes and then it will ask and demand of the soule saying What dost thou here Deare Friends I am not able to tell you how these lively appearances of Gods precious plenty doth break and wound the soule That heart who ever lived under it can and will say that it is unexpressible how the heart breakes in longing after God and how the sence of his fullnes makes it Restless till it doth Returne The second Reason Why a soule is and must be Restless that is convinced of his withdrawings Is because that Light and Life which is raised up in the heart makes that part which is made sencible of his withdrawings not onely sencible of the fullnes of God but brings him into an union with God Therefore I forme my Reason thus Every thing doth and must be eager in its running to its Center God is the Center of the heart and by the soule that is made sencible he is knowne to be so Therefore it cannot but be earnest in his running to God Streames must returne to the fountaine and beames to the body O how restles are these streames which are hindered in their pursuit It must needs be much more with that heart who is brought to know himselfe one with * Jer. 3.23 Cant. 5. Mat. 11.22 God and also sencible that he is withdrawne from God The sence of this onenes and propriety in God was the cause of Davids heart-breakings after God Psal the 63. and the 1. The third Reason That Light and power which makes the soule sencible of its withdrawing from God doth not onely shew its onenes with God and a fullnes in God but also by it shews the emptinesse of all things besides God Take notice it was the Argument the Prodigall used that was that he was in an empty starving Condition truly there is very much of the sweet dealings of God seene in that discovery for God never shews this emptines but by his own fullnes and when he doth it he doth not onely shew the emptines in something but in every thing besides * Jer. 3.23 24. himselfe For he presents all things to be as they are and even those things which sin and the Devill presents pleasant and lovely I meane all the wanton practises and withdrawings from God and all glory pleasures and contents on this side God and God doth doe it in away of sweet pleading with the heart telling it when it was at home in his bosom it had all contents which was not for a moment but for ever and the last would be best and saying to the soule What are all these delights * Isa 41.21 22 23. Ezek. 23.5.22 Loves thou hast spoused with They speake faire but they end foule and if they smile in the day commonly in the night they frowne or if smile in the night in the day they frowne All content ends with the action all profit pleasure and honour ends with the person and place and what was is no more but all things are vanitie and a meere bubble Can all the contents and pleasures procure peace in the day of a storme or make thee well when sicke or give thee life one houre when dead No all things are so empty not onely in themselves but in their remembrance of thee that when thou ceasest it takes its leave as never manifesting more * Psal 37.10.17.20 Psal 34.16 Love Oh! it is not so saith the Lord with me to thy heart What I was I am and shall be for ever and the last will not be the least but the greatest O the sence of this emptines thorough the discovery of Gods fullnes makes the heart exceeding restles till it is seated in that Center Friends I could wish my soule were able to discover how taking and over-coming this kinde of dealing is with a poore broken heart but it is God alone that can make out the fullnes of this to you I shall say no more to the Reasons but speake a word or two to the Uses of this Conclusion The first use is an use of Information to informe us of two things from what we have already spoke from this Conclusion First 'T is to shew you how Restles that heart is to returne to God who is really made sencible of his withdrawings from God It is easier to keepe a streame from the fountaine or a beame from the body then to restraine
such a heart from his returning to God Alas God is not onely his Life and so his Center but he so lives by him that he cannot live without him Those dayes and nights wherein a heart is thus sencible of his withdrawings and hath no Refreshings in his returning they are dayes and nights of Death and not of Life to such a heart and how sad a Condition that is and how Restles that Condition is I leave to you to judge Secondly You may see from what we have already said that this restles running out to God doth arise from Gods making the heart sencible of his withdrawing Therefore this is to Informe us that the power of a hearts returning to God is of God * Can. 1.4 Joh. 6.44 Phil. 2.13 Oh what cause then have soules in that condition to acknowledge the power to be of God they cannot but cry out as David Psalme the 66. and the 16. O come see what the Lord hath done for my poore soule The mercy and kindnesse of God in this act is beyond what any can expresse but he that doth injoy it Oh you that doe enjoy it have cause for ever to speak out Gods love To convert a sinner and make him a Saint is an eminent favour but to returne and call home a Prodigall Sonne is that which speaks out much more of the power kindnesse and unchangeable love of God Oh you that have tasted of it let your life speak out Gods love and I shall say no more to you but this that Christ sayes John the 5. and the 14. Sin no more least a worse thing come unto you In the next place this may Informe us of the great mistakes of some men who in their writings and expressions declare that they are againe brought home to God but yet they are so far from being restlesse in their returne to God that they rather rest in their satisfying of others then in their assurance of their entertainment with God Alas Gods mercy is double and treble in returning such a heart to himselfe but the returnes of such are hardly single towards him but to such I shall say no more but rather with teares beg that they may be sensible of the want of sense I meane of their withdrawings from God I am sure then they will be restlesse till they doe returne Againe This is to informe us If it be so that those hearts who are withdrawne from God when made sensible are so restlesse till they doe returne then 't is no strange thing why they get so much ground of them who have all this time stood and not withdrawne Christ sayes Matthew the 19 and the 30 verse The first shall be last and the last shall be first Alas these soules that are thus recovered are exceeding swift in their returnes though know by experience what it is to capitulate with or to give entertainment to or to shake hands with sin the bitternes they have found out of their fathers heart makes them cleave close A burnt Childe dreads the fire Deare friends observe it that a child so soon as he hath gotten a knock commonly doth not onely leane to but lay hold of with both hands the Mothers knee Deare friends I speake this the rather that any of you that stand may not too much rejoyce and glory in your owne condition over them that are fallen as many in this poore Nation are who through a gathered light liberty have put themselves in it before God brought them to it and so have turned their liberty into Loosenesse These sort of people doe either belong to God or they doe not but I am confident many doe and if so God will bring them home and they will be restlesse in their returnes And take notice you that God hath made yet to stand that for ought I know these poore lost hearts may get ground on you and therefore doe not neglect your pursuite in spending time to censure them but rather double your owne diligence in your owne pursuite and endeavour with humility care and teares to recover them The second Use is an Use of Comfort to Comfort those poore hearts who are sadly fallen from God and being made sensible are restlesse in their returnes though their condition seemes in their owne eyes sad yet they have much cause of Comfort and Rejoycing and that in these things First Their condition is not alone there is not onely a David and a Prodigall but many more who have sadly fallen as well as they Secondly Consider that you are changed God is not changed for though we be unfaithfull God is faithfull and cannot deny himselfe as you may see the 2 Epistle of Timothy the 2 and the 13. Malachy the 3 and the 6 verse Thirdly Consider that there is as much readinesse in God to receive you as restlesnesse in you to be received by him Doe but view what Christ sayes about the lost sheep Luke the 15. the 5 6 and 7. verses there was greater rejoycing for the returne of that one then was for the ninety nine it was so with the lost groat and with the Prodigall more then his elder Brother Luke the 15. and 30. verse All these Scriptures hold forth the great rejoycing God takes in and the great readinesse of Gods giving entertainment to a poore soule thus returned I know the Devill doth set upon such a heart drawing Arguments not onely from the breach of a Law but their sinning against Light and Love which Arguments are of such a power and force sufficient to sinke any soule in the world were it not for the abundance of love and kindnesse given in from the Father suitably at such a season But Oh deare soules I speake to them which are in such a condition doe not be discouraged but consider not what you are in your selfe but what you are in God and at your leisure view these Scriptures Jeremiah the 3 and the 1 vers Zech. the 13 and the 1 Isay the 1 and the 18 Isa the 43. the 22 23 24 and the 25 and 26. verses Isa the 44. the 21 22. Isa 49. the 15 and 16. Jer. 31. and the 20. Read the 16. of Ezekiel from the first to the last 1 Ep. of John 2 and the 1. Mat. the 11. and the 28. Psalme 147. 3. The Third and Last Use is an Use of Exhortation to Exhort all that are thus fallen and thus made sensible that they give glory to God for giving of them a heart againe to returne it 's a double mercy Oh what hath God done for you he hath not dealt by you as you have dealt by him Ezek. the 16. the 59 and the 60. verses but he hath returned love for hatred and shewed himselfe to be a God though thou wast but a creature O praise him and prize him loose no time in speaking out his Love thou hast lost too much time already all thy dayes are too little to declare what God hath done for
unlesse you speak of Gods bounty in a providentiall sense but according to our intent in this discourse God is love and love is God according to Johns words the first Epistle of John the 4 Chapter and the 8 verse and so the bounty of God is one with God and God one with that and he that loves one must love both but not as two but one for they are one But no more to the Objection A word or two briefly of Use and so conclude The first Use is an Use of Reproofe and of sad Complaints against those that are wantonly gone from God If there be any such here give me leave to desire you seriously to consider your condition and to weigh well from what you are fallen Was there not enough in God why went you from him The truth is that saying lyes sad upon my owne spirit yet give me leave to tell you and my owne heart there is not that abroad which we find at home and whatever you may * Pro. 20.1 Rom. 7.11.1 Cor. 6.9.2 Tim. 3.13 Heb. 3.13 Isa 57.21 Rom. 6.23 be possest of through the delusions of a seeming delight in sin which prompts flesh to plead for that sinfull liberty Yet know though it may seem sweet in the palate when it comes to concoction it will be so far from communicating strength to life that it will bring forth nothing but sorrow weaknesse and death Beloved friends amongst all the people in the world that undervalue the bounty of God and goe from him none so desperately dangerous as those who have often refreshed themselves with Gospel-discoveries from whence they have injoyed much strength and by it seem to trample upon all transitory contents for these to goe again down to Aegypt * Isa 33.14 Heb. 6.6 Heb. 10.26 and to shake hands with their old enemy endeavouring to make friendship there I meane with sin and corruption their condition is very sad and they are not able to give a reason for what they doe if they would exactly and candidly examine their owne hearts they would be ashamed There is no soule that thus acts but he is worse then Esay who sould his Birth-right for a messe of pottage * Heb. 12.16 Mat. 26.15 and worse the Judas that sould Christ for thirty pieces of silver Let the sinnes that they practice bring all the honour pleasure and profit it will not be able to weigh downe Judases and Esay's portions and doe but view what was the result of them and you may see your selfe in them and a great deale worse Alas Judas sould a Christ without but you endeavour to sell a Christ within Esay sould a portion that was in some sense but earthly but yours is a heavenly Oh it is a mercy that our title in heaven stands upon such a foundation that we doe not retaine that but that retaines it selfe for us and though we like the Prodigall change abroad yet our portion with our Father is unchangeable at home Dear hearts the knowledge of this is no ground at all for loosnesse * Rom. 6.1 2. but the sence of this will exceedingly wound our spirits when we are made sensible how ill we have dealt with him that deals well with us O doe but consider your selves under a dispute with God say he should say unto you as he did unto the Church Isaiah the 5th and the 4th What could I done more to you then I have done or Hosea the 6th and the 4th O Ephraim What shall I doe unto thee O Iudah what shall I doe unto thee Adding this which in your owne hearts you must needs equcast with if you have experience of Gods bounty Did not I saith the Lord lay thee in my bosome and carry thee in my arms and * Can. 2.4 Isa 40.11 had thee often into my Wine-Celler and refreshed thee with flaggons of wine and my banner over thee was love didst thou ever come to my bosome and went away crying for want Nay whatsoever thou hadst thou mightest have had more then why wouldst thou goe from me Alas what will you answer the Lord O that the same effect upon such a discourse may be seene in you that was seene in the people of Israel the 2 of Judges the latter part of the 4 verse When the Angel had reckoned up the kindnes and goodnes of God in the former verses The Text sayth The people of Israel lift up their voyces wept I know no Arguments can divert a heart who is gone from God till God comes My own experience proves that or els I should use many Arguments but I shall at present cease onely mourning over them desiring the Lord through the discoveries of his Bounty to returne them then they will see the truth of what I have heere said But I shall forbeare and say no more to this Use The second Use Is an use to Exhort all those hearts that have withdrawne from God and thorough the discoveries of his bounty are brought home againe to God to blesse and praise God O what hath God done for your poore soules nay Consider not what he hath done but how he did it It was thorough a discovery of his owne bounty he might have done by you as you have done by him but alas he cannot he remembers the contract he made with thee in thy youth Ezekiel the 16. and the 59 and 60 verses You have great Cause for ever to speake out in your Life the kindnesse and love of God who is pleased not onely to lay up a portion in his bounty for you but thorough the discoveries of his bounty to bring you home to him when after you have done all the ill you can against him God doth most Eminently appeare in this to be a father not onely free and full but unchangeable O declare where-ever you come the unsearchable mercy and kindnesse of God how often have you frowned upon him but he still smiles upon you you have runne from him but he runs after you And though you have caused him to stand knocking at the doore begging entertainment till his head was filled with dew and his lockes with the dropes of the night Canticles the 5. and the latter part of the 2 verse O Consider this and as he hath prized you prize and praise him and remember that when he returnes you he doth not onely bring you to bounty but thorough the discoveries of bounty he returnes you The worke is his doe not onely praise him but lye low before him Considering how much you are bound to him and goe no more from God But I shall say no more to this use nor to this Conclusion but the Lord make you sencible of what hath been said Beloved Friends I did engage my selfe to make knowne to you what the Lord hath made knowne to mee as in relation to the unsupportable burthen of sinne to a sencible heart and the restles longings of a Soule to returne to God
her knee delighting to serve that then more then in the service she expects from her Child afterwards This is eminently in God * Isa 49.15 Mat. 9.11 Mat. 12.7 for he delights more in dispensing mercy then in receiving sacrifices from us and the Reason is because he is made up of it his nature prompts him to it he delights in it The third Reason we may draw from the promise of God Beloved if you look upon all the tenure of Gods promises they run out to poore low undone and broken spirits At your leisure view these Scriptures Isaiah the 55. the 12. Isaiah the 66. the 2. Matthew the 5. the 3 4 5 6. verses Matthew the 11. the 18. Truly it is in this as in the mountaines who give downe their water to their valleyes that are very much below and far from them so the high and glorious love of God in the promises which are the Gospel-mountaines which the Prophets often speake of they give out their sweetnesse and marrow to low poor undone and broken spirits though a far off and much beneath them that is to say they are not yet come up to that height of knowing beleeving and conforming which the Gospel requires They have eyes but they are dim onely see men like trees they have mouths but they are very narrow that they cannot be otherwise fed then with milk like Children Heb. 5.12 Yet God will in Gospel-discoveries nourish them there and communicate discoveries answerable to that strength he gives them to receive it Mark 4. 33. The fourth Reason why God will imbrace poore low spirits and that with compassion though a great way off it is that he may by it bring glory to his own grace and love it is that which the Apostle drives at in Romanes the 3 4 5 Chapters where he discovers the ground why God justifies the ungodly and dispenseth grace freely to unworthy creatures it is that no flesh may glory in his presence and that his grace alone may be exalted * Deut. 7. 6 7. Psa 50.15 Isa 25. 1 2 3 4. were there any good in the creature before God loved it we should be apt to conceive that there were reason why God should love us and so sacrifice to our owne goodnesse but when the soule is sensible that there is no goodnesse in it to move God but sees that all good must flow from Gods love as well as to be a cause to carry on Gods love it is then brought to lye low before God and to give all glory to him Had the Prodigall performed his Resolutions and brought them forth to practice before God met and imbraced him Gods grace and love had not been so naked and appeared so glorious as now it doth But I shall say no more as to the Reasons but a word or two briefly to this Conclusion The first is an Use of Comfort to all poore soules who through a sense of their owne unworthinesse and unkindnesse towards God are exceedingly broken and cast downe in their owne spirits apprehending that they are at so great a distance from God that they shall never meet with him Let all such know that God doth see them and will imbrace them with great compassion though a far off The heart cannot be so low but the high God can reach it and they cannot be so unworthy in their own eyes and so great a distance from God but he that is infinit in mercy and kindnesse can and will meet them Therefore Beloved friends if there be any of you in this condition consider what hath been said of Gods dealings towards David and his kindnesse in dispensing mercy according to that which we have already spake of in Esay the 42. and the 3. the 5. of Esay and the 10. and also the deare and sweet carriage of the Father to wards the Prodigall which Scripture is written for thy learning that through faith and patience thou mightest have hope Beloved know that God is the same God still retaining the same endeared love and pity to poor and undone spirits as I know it is the Devils way to prompt poore hearts presenting varieties of fancies to draw them from God and when withdrawne hee uses all means to keep them from returning either by presenting new objects of delight in sin or by blinding and stifling their consciences through often sinning if that and many other wayes will not doe rather then faile if he sees any conviction lyes upon them from God or his word he will cause them to question the truth of both but if that way will not take he will goe in a more fine spun way and endeavour to draw wrong notions from a Saints liberty to prompt them to loosenesse but for all this if he sees God will bring them home through a sence of their wandrings from God then he will lay load upon load bringing all their sins to their sence to multiply their sorrows and to cause them to see their distance between God and them so great as if it were impossible ever to meet Beloved if this was or is your condition know you are such a soule that God did and still doth see and imbrace with great compassion though a far off And therefore be not discouraged but hold up your head for your redemption draweth * Lu. 21.28 Isa 42.16 Isa 29.18,19 Isa 35.5,6 nigh And take notice that God sees you when you doe not see him and though you cannot rejoyce before him yet he in his love rejoyces over you and he hath long Lines of Love to Embrace a poore heart though they be a far off The Lord make you to beleeve it that you may rejoyce in it and live up to his Love in the benefit of it The second and last Use is an Use of Reproofe to many of the people of God who in their practice walke very unlike God in this thing for they are so farre from meeting or minding a poore Soule that is a farre off that they will not so much as cast an Eye of Encouragement upon them nor give out any discoveries of Compassion to them And of these sort of people there are these two which principally I will speake to The first are those who in their apprehensions have attained to a high discovery of Light and Enjoyments of Love yet cannot nor doe not manifest any endeared affection to poore groaning Spirits * Phil. 2.5 Jam. 3.17 who are not come up to that Light and Love Truly I dare not Censure these men but give me leave to Censure their sinne and tell them their walking lookes very much unlike Gods Love I feare they have forgotten their Rocke from whence they were hewen or the varieties of Gods dealings with them in the Wildernesse before they came into the good Land O remember beloved if any of you be * Rom. 11.20.1 Cor. 10.12 such that though you now stand you may fall and though you are high you were low
and though now strong you were weake and further Consider that your strength is not your owne and seriously weigh what the Apostle saith to the Gentiles Rom. 11.18 19 and 20 verses And further minde what Paul saith of himselfe concerning the Joy and Comfort he had more then others it was not for himselfe alone but to Comfort others with the same Comforts the 2 Ep of the Cor. the 1 and the 4. O therefore sutable to the practise of thy Father lend thy helping hand and goe meet encourage embrace poore groaning Spirits meeting them with compassion though a farre off from the measure of thy Light and Enjoyments and remember when thou art in the banquetting house with thy Beloved and his banners over thee are Love Cant. the 2 the 4. Minde them which stand begging at the doore knowing that thou wast once there though now thou art exalted Therefore to them that are now poore and naked O act God-like binding up their wounds and manifest some breathing Roome for their opprest Spirits and if their oppression be so great that they cannot speake it out speake it for them by declaring what God hath done for thee in the like kinde and endeavour to Remove their mourning by mourning over them and give out the soule melting mercy which is the Cause and if they cannot beare the Ravishing discoveries of Love which thou dost enjoy by living in Gods heart then tell them what God did for thee when he first tooke thee by the hand O beloved Friends this is and ought to be the work of Saints and this is that Labour of Love which the Gospel calls * Gal. 6.2 Joh. 21.15 16.1 Pet. 4.10 for happy is that heart which is imployed in it The second sort of the people of God who come under this Reproofe are such who doe not nor will not manifest ownning affections to any unlesse it be such as are brought up to or brought over to live in the same forme of worship or practise of Ordinance with themselves What ever they thinke they are far from a Gospel frame of Spirit and they have forgotten where they first met God or rather where God first met them they have forgotten and are now apt to despise the day of small things Zech. the 4 and the 10th Beloved if there be any such here doe you not know the day when you were not brought up to this nay saw nothing in it peradventure opposers of it and yet you dare not but then say that God was with you and you were with God O remember that and remember Gods practise and in Imitation of that manifest love and tendernes to any that you see any worke of grace upon them though it be never so little Follow the practise of the Spouse in Cant. 8. the 1 2 and 3 verses and doe not as Jehue did in a wicked way in another sence saying If you are as I am give me your hand the 2 of the Kings the 10th and the 15th If any object and say they know no such people as I here reprove Beloved what makes all this opposition strange censorious dealings that are between the people of God who live in particular formes one saying he is of Paul and another of Apollo the 1 of the Cor. the 3 and the 3 and 4 verses Beloved without all question there are very precious hearts deare to God amongst the Presbyterians and Independents and them also which are falsly called Anabaptists and many others which are in neither of these formes and yet if a Christian goes to looke upon any of these or either of these and see how their affections runnes out to them which are brought up to them in that forme where they are and what little pittie kindnesse or compassion is given to them which are not yet brought up It would make a poor heart in the very thoughts of it blessed Beloved if any such be here O Consider what I have said and know though it be lawful to stand up and contend for truth yet you must doe it with a Gospel frame of Spirit that is Instructing those with meeknes that do oppose you 2 Tim. 2.25 And be imployed in the practise of bearing and forbearing and if you see a poore Soule who is broken under the sence of his owne unkindness and though he be not come up to you go you as farre as may be to him taking him by the hand endeavouring to lead him to the knowledge of your Fathers heart Let it appear to all the world that you owne Ordinances but as a way to expresse love by and not as a foundation to love upon let all see that your love is not onely to some but to all the Saints Ephes the 1. and the 15. and let the same Spirit dwell in you that lived in Paul Phil. 3.15 If any be otherwise minded waite with patience and love conquering them with kindnesse knowing God in time will reveale it and if you meet with a poore member that is uncomely put more comelinesse upon him 1 Cor. 12.23 Deare friends Paul tells you 1 Cor. 9.21 That he became to them that were under the Law as under the Law and them that are without Law as being without Law Nay his Condescension was more to all that he might winne some this Scripture was written for our Example O therefore minde it and among all that you minde thinke of remember to give out much love compassion to poore broken Spirits that long for nothing more then a looke of Gods love And know nothing presents you more God-like then humilitie love* and by your practice shame confound the World in their Censures of you who say there is more Censorious walking amongst the Tribes of Israel then amongst them that are not one with them O be not wanting to love one another from a sence of your oneness with Jesus suffer not your differences of things without but own Christ wheresoever you find him though it be in a poore Prodigall who is gone no further then under the resolutions to Confesse his unworthinesse before God and know it is a higher and more glorious imployment to be abringing home a lost Sheep then to stay at home and Rejoyce with the ninety and nine Luke 15.5 6 7. Herein you present God and follow the practise of God the Lord make you all sencible of it But I shall say no more to this use of Reproofe nor to this Conclusion but I shall speak briefly a word or two to the next in these words And he ran fell upon his neck kissed him First To the word ran which Implies Gods readines sweetnes and swiftness to manifest grace kindnesse to poore broken spirits who are sencible of their wandrings The Doctrine from thence is this Doct. There is a sweet readines in God in mercy to minde and meet poore wandring hearts in their Returnes to God The truth of which the Scripture doth