shall desire The Mother therefore and the Sons joined together in this work But what follows Grant that these my two Sons may sit the one at thy right hand and the other at thy left in thy Kingdom She might mean his kingdom on Earth To sit on the King 's right hand signifies the next place to the King and to sit on his left hand signifieth the third place in the Kingdom for the greater any one is in a Kingdom the nearer doth he sit to the King But Jesus answered and said Ye know not what ye ask The like Check he gives to James and John Luke 9.54 55. Shal we command fire to come down from Heaven and consume them as Elias did But Christ rebuked them saying Ye know not of what spirits ye are Ye know not what Spirit acts you Ye think ye are acted by such a Spirit as Elias of old but ye erre Ye have a zeal but not according to knowledge This is not a divine motion 't is at most and at best but a humane Affection Our desires are unlawful if we do not desire things that are lawful In order therefore to the constituting of Desire that it may be right we must desire things that are lawful Cordial desires are working desires Endeavour is added unto Desire There must be Works as well as Words and doing as well as desiring True Endeavour is ever a Concomitant of true Desire The man that had been infirm thirty and eight years John 5.5 6 7 8. could not goe into the Pool but he could lay at the Pool yea did lay at the Pool Though he could not cure himself yet he could wait there to be cured and was cured in waiting there He that is nothing but Desires shall have nothing that he desires but he that addeth good Endeavours unto good Desires can ask nothing that is good if for his good but he may have it There must not onely be desiring but also doing or they are not desires from the heart and will not be granted Psal 27.4 Lend an ear unto what the Psalmist speaketh One thing have I desired of the Lord One thing among many things one thing above many things One thing have I desired of the Lord Here is desiring but is here all No here is doing as well as desiring here is seeking as well as desiring One thing have I desired of the Lord that will I seek after But what is it That I may dwell in the House of the Lord all the days of my life It seems that a great Estimate was set upon Church-communion then though there be too little Veneration for this now Here he would dwell 'till he died here he would dwell 'till he had upon earth no longer to dwell But what was in his Eye Were not Loaves No was it not a Name amongst Men No Two things were in his eye and should be in thine too in mine too greater sight and greater light Greater sight to behold the beauty of Jehovah i. e. to behold the face of Jehovah for Beauty sits in the face and the face is the Seat of Beauty And as greater sight so greater light to enquire in his Temple Cordial desires are constant desires Jehu was soon out of Breath Ye did run well who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth Gal. 5.7 The desires of an Hypocrite are not desires from the heart for he looks one way and rows another pretends one thing and intends another he hath Jacobs voice and Esau's hands You must do by an Hypocrite as we do by Hebrew read it backward An Hypocrite must be read backward The Desires of an Hypocrite are by Fits and Starts therefore not cordial desires but now cordial desires are constant desires they will captivate denyal The Begger at the gate knocks and continues knocking he takes no denyal Thus the Woman of Canaan cryed unto Christ Mat. 25.22 23. but Christ answered her not a word Christ was a Mute and yet she cryed For the Disciples said send her away she cryeth after us Christ answered I am not sent but to the lost sheep of the house of Israel He seemed before to neglect her but here he seemeth to deny her She cries still Lord help me As her Daughter was her own so her Daughters case was as her own Lord help me She meets now with another repulse It is not meet to take the Childrens bread and to cast it to Dogs Was not here enough to seal up her lips As Christ was a Mute at first is not She a Mute at last No but she answers by an ingenious inversion Truth Lord yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their Masters Table If I be a Dog I am thy Dog Crumbs belong to Dogs give me therefore the portion of a Dog She had indeed this property of a dog to hold fast If I be a Dog indulge me the place and portion of a Dog let me have the Room of a Dog and the Fare of a Dog Christ now if I may write it with a holy reverence is as it were in a holy captivity to her cordial and constant desire This appears by what follows Oh Wonan great is thy Faith be it unto thee even as thou wilt And her daughter was made whole from that very hour Cordial desires are holy desires If the Heart be at work then Holiness is in the Eye Though perfection be not in a Christians hand yet 't is in a Christians eye the beat bent and byass of his Soul is after perfection That is a desire from the heart 2 Cor. 7.1 which is a desire to be perfecting holiness 'till the Soul be perfectly holy and perfect in heliness When desires are from the heart they are desires after more holiness after more grace The Disciples said unto the Lord Luk. 17.5 Increase our faith Those who had most grace desired more grace When the Desire is from the Heart 't is a Desire more for Grace than for Peace more for Conformity than for Communion more for Holiness than for Happiness more for Purity and Perfection than for Pleasure and for Pardon Phil. 1.23 May the Apostle speak I am in a strait between two having a desire to depart to die and to be with Christ which is far far better or which is best of all I cannot think that this holy and happy Man desired only to be perfectly happy but also to be perfectly holy I cannot think that he only desired Death for full Communion with Christ but also for full Conformity unto Christ I cannot think that he only desired a death to come upon the life of his Body but also a death to come upon the Sin of his Soul Cordial desires are hard desires Desires from the Heart and the Desires of the Heart are not weak and feeble but hard and strong desires As the Cry of a Christ was so the cry of a Christian is but the
night And as we are to reflect on the Certainty of Death this being a Tribute due to Nature and a Debt to be paid by every Individual so we are to reflect the Vncertainty of the Time of Death which comes to many persons as a Thief in the night suddenly silently unexpectedly SECT VIII The Impartiality of Death DEATH is common to All. Pallida mors pulsar Regum turres pauperumque tabernas Zach. 1.5 Death when she marches her Rounds knocks at a Palace as well as at a Cottage at the Princes Palace as well as at the Peasants Cottage The King as well as the Beggar may die must die The persecuting as well as the persecuted may die must die The man in his Robes as well as the man in his Rags may die must die Your Fathers where are they and the Prophets do they live for ever The Hebrew Proverb is That in Golgotha are Skulls of all sizes as well as of all sexes Death knows no difference no distance Death is like the Sword of Alexander the Great 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 11.13 that knew not how to make a Difference The Apostle in the Book of Martyrs epitomized speaking of those Worthies of whom the world was not worthy saith These all died in Faith or according to the Greek according to Faith All these died naturally though they died believingly There is not a man in the Charter of man-kind but he is obnoxious to the common and equal Law of Death There are no Sons of Zerviah too hard for Death though a Sampson this great Leviathan Death account him but a straw One being asked by another where he had been answered Diogenes to Alexander the Great Job 3.19 I have been comparing the Skulls of Princes with the Skulls of Peasants the Skulls of the mightiest with the Skulls of the meanest the Skulls of the richest with the Skulls of the poorest the Skulls of the highest with the Skulls of the lowest and I find no difference The small and the great are there and the Servant is free from his Master The small cannot escape the Hands or slip through the Fingers of Death because they are little the great cannot rescue themselves from the power or break out of the hands of Death because they are big Death is impartial from the Threshold to the Throne SECT IX Directions concerning Death the Tribute of Nature and Law of Mortals This Section hath a double Aspect and looks to a Soul out of Christ and to a Soul in Christ Chap. 1. To the Soul out of Christ ARt out of Christ Take heed then of puting far away the day of Death Directions There is a wicked Proverb I thought no more of it than I did of my dying day As if a man should not concern himself with the Thoughts of Death What became of that French King when he died Lewis the 11th that would not think of Death while he lived He prohibited upon pain of Death to speak of Death in the Court There is Deaths day Non putaram and this is not to be put far away This is the Fools motto I never thought of it The Master say to the Servant Is this done Is that done The Servant say to the Master I never thought of it Mark 16.16 Luk. 13.3 Oh say Christ to the Soul why didst thou not believe and repent for He or She that believeth not shall be damned and except ye repent ye shall all likewise perish Oh say the Soul to Christ I never thought of it Oh say Christ why didst not thou love me 1 Cor. 16.22 for If any man love me not let him be Anathema Maran-atha a curse to the coming of the Lord to pass the definitive Sentence Oh say the Soul I never thought of it Oh say Christ why didst thou not Ark in me and Anchor upon me Joh. 14.6 when I am the Way the Truth and the Life Oh say the Soul I never thought of it Oh say Christ why didst thou not get Oil in thy Vessel against a dying hour and a wedding-garment against a judging hour Oh say the Soul I never thought of it Oh Soul if thou hastary love to thy self love to thy Soul take heed that â—â—ou dost not lay under that black Brand as to Death that they did as to Judgment Yâ— Amos 6.3 that put far away the evil day and cause the seat of violence to come near Oh Soul take heed thou speakest not of Death as one did of Hell Demonax who being asked what Hell was profanely said stay until I come there and I will send thee word from thence Hell is not a place to be sported with There are many that have not only a name to live but also the nature of life that sometimes tremble at the Thoughts of shooting this Gulf. That saying Isa 56.12 had too great a Tincture of Atheism To morrow shall be as this day and much more abundantly Art out of Christ Direct 2. Take heed also of taking Gods work out of Gods hand God who giveth life may call for it when he pleaseth but man must not Gen. 22.2 God imposed upon Abraham an Oblation of Isaac it had been Murder for the Father to have killed the Son had not God imposed it God is the Being of Beings and doth all things well Some Romish Parasites have flattered the Pope into this divine priviledge which is peculiar to God and the prerogative of God God is so high that he cannot look above himself but looks below himself and hath none to whom he is to give an Account of his Actions Behold he taketh away Job 9.12 who shall turn him away who may say unto him what dost thou yet the blind and the bloody Papists have slattered the Pope into this divine priviledge no man must question him do what he will if he carry thousands to Hell with him no man must say unto him what dost thou I kill and I make alive I wound and I heal neither is there any that can deliver out of my hand is a Dialect becoming a God but unbecoming a man Gods work is not to be taken out of Gods hand Might not the consent of Paul to the Death of Stephen lay near Pauls heart so long as he lived Act. 22.20 When the blood of thy Martyr Stephen was shed I also was standing by consenting to his death and kept the rayment of them that slew him Oh Soul take heed of breathing their Veins and letting out their Vitals unto whom Death is stingless Take heed of having a hand in their Death who through grace see the Death of Death in the Death of Christ If those who are actually Christs die a natural Death God takes notice of it Moses my servant is dead Josh 1.2 Psal 116.15 But if they die a violent Death God takes especial notice of it Precious in the eyes of Jehovah is the
children of God 'T is a sanctifying Spirit Abel differed not from Cain Abraham from Absalom Isaac from Ishmael Jacob from Esau Simon Peter from Simon Magus James the Lords Brother from Judas the Lords betrayer in respect of their Substance but in respect of the Spirit which the one had but the other had not It is the Spirit that sanctifies 2 Thes 2.13 God hath chosen us to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth 'T is a sealing Spirit After ye believed ye were sealed with that holy spirit of Promise Eph. 1.13 The use of a Seal is two-fold and consists in two things In the Nature of it In this sense Christ was sealed Labour not for the meat that perisheth Joh. 6.27 but for that which endureth unto everlasting life which the Son of Man shall give for him hath the Father sealed To Seal a thing is to stamp the Character of the Seal upon it In the Vse of it This is two-fold To ratifie A Seal is to ratifie any Grant or Conveyance made in writing A writing sealed is authentick this confirms the Testimony that is given by any one of the Truth of any thing Such was the manner among the Jews Joh. 3.33 He that hath received his testimony hath set to his seal that God is true Thus by way of Ratification To Appropriate A Seal is to appropriate distinguish or keep safe Rev. 7.4 In this sense are the Servants of God sealed I heard the number of them that were sealed and there were sealed an hundred forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the Children of Israel Thus by way of Appropriation Thus the Spirit of God is a sealing Spirit it confirms and assures the Soul of the love of God of life from God of life with God And grieve not the holy Spirit of God Eph. 4.30 whereby ye are sealed to the day of redemption The Spirit here according to the Greek Text is set forth with very great Energy and the Text may be thus read Grieve not the holy the Spirit of that God Not a Spirit but the Spirit not holy but the holy and not of God but of that God Would ye prepare for Death Look then unto Christ and lay the Stress of Obedience upon Him Obedience is or ought to be the White in a Christians eye at which he should level every arrow Obedience is better than Sacrifice and hearkning than the fat of lambs A man truly gracious had rather with one have Grace to be obedient Luther than Power to work Miracles Obediene is two-fold active and passive and the stress of both to be laid upon Christ but to these distinctly Active Lay the stress of Doing for a Christ upon a Christ. Acti agimus Active Obedience is a Doing what God imposeth now being acted we act Not that we we Apostles we Disciples we accounted Cedars in Lebanon not Shrubs of the Valley are sufficient of our selves 2 Cor. 3.5 to think any thing as of our selves but our sufficiency is of God Were they so what are we then If insufficient as to thinking what are we then as to acting To do what we ought when we ought and as we ought is from Christ. Passive Lay the stress of Dying for a Christ upon a Christ. Passive Obedience is a suffering what God inflicteth Passive Obedience brings as much Glory to God as active Obedience doth Luther was troubled that he did not lay down his bloud on this side the grave and pass through a violent death as all the Apostles but John did Art actually in Christ then possibly thou shalt not long live his Servant but die his Sicrifice now Passion as well as Action dying as well as doing bleeding or burning as well as believing is from Christ Phil. 1.29 and the Grace of Christ To you it is given in the behalf of Christ not only to believe but also to suffer for his sake Suffering-work is Noble work the Noblest work Mat. 6.10 for though Saints be inferiour to Angels as to Action yet they are superiour to Angels as to Passion for they are Spirits and incapable of suffering 1 Tim. 5.21 6. Verse of Judes Epist Psa 37.24 2 Pet. 2.4 The Apostle speaketh of elect Angels These fell not from their estate As the elect Saints cannot finally fall Though he fall yet shall he not be utterly cast down for the Lord upholdeth him with his hand so the elect Angels did not foully fall Now Suffering was the Consequent of Sinning And spared not the Angels that sinned but cast them down to Hell True Obedience may be known three waies By the Sincerity of it My rejoycing is this the testimony of a good Conscience how that in sincerety 2 Cor. 1.12 and godly simplicity c. By the Vniversality of it Then shall I not be ashamed when I have respect unto all thy Commandments Psa 119.6 We must not only respect all Gods Commandments but also respect them all alike and give them all the like respect Obedience must be Vniversal By the Constancy of it As Obedience must be sincere and Vniversal so constant 1 Cor. 15.58 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Col. 3.11 Be ye stedfast unmoveable alwaies abounding in the work of the Lord. If we would prepare for Death we must lay the Stress of Obedience whether active or passive upon Christ for he is All and in All or according to the Greek All things and in all things It may be understood of Persons as well as Things Christ is All from the Father All to the Father All with the Father but to these distinctly Christ is All from the Father I am come that ye might have life life here Joh. 10.10 and life hereafter and that ye might have it more abundantly The life of Grace and of Glory they are by Christ Christ is All to the Father I am the Way the Truth and the Life Joh. 14.6 no man commeth unto the Father but by me Every word here hath its Article in the Greek Christ is the Way wherein the Truth whereby and the Life whereunto we walk Christ is the Way without Error the Truth without Falshood and the Life without Death Truth lies between Way and Life as if the Way to Life were through Truth Christ is All with the Father I know thou hearest me alwaies Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mat. 3.17 hath Gods Ear at all times Christ is at Gods right hand yea Christ is as Gods right hand Christ is the Object of the Fathers delight This is my Beloved Son in whom I acquiess so the Greek It is an emphatical word and signifieth an infinite Affection DIRECTION II. ART actually in Christ Direct 2 Sen. Artem bene vivendi moriendi study then through Christ the Art of Dying well May a Heathen speak When I was young my care was to live well I then
care of him at present and also for the future Christ is a gracious Guide Christ leads not in a way of sin but in a way of grace not in a way of unrighteousness but in a way of righteousness Prov. 8.20 I lead in the way of righteousness in the midst of the paths of Judgment Christ leadeth in foul as well as in fair ways and in foul as well as in fair weather Christ is a gentle Guide There is not that Gentleness in a Mother to lead a sick and a weak child that there is in Christ to lead a sick and a weak Christian He shall feed his flock like a Shepherd is here all Isa 40.11 No He shall gather the Lambs with his arm is here all No He shall carry them in his bosom is here all No And shall gently lead those that are with young Christ is a peaceable Guide Christ leadeth in his own ways and they are ways of pleasantness and in his own paths and they are paths of peace Luk. 1.79 Christ came to give light to them that did sit in darkness and in the shadow of death and to guide their feet into the way of peace Christ leadeth unto and after Himself and He is the peace of His. Christ is a profitable Guide Christ leadeth the soul unto the Gates Psal 23.1 2. Marg. and then passeth the soul through the Gates into the City Christ leadeth by still waters unto fresh pastures The Lord is my Shepherd I shall not want He maketh me to lie down in pastures of tender grass he leadeth me beside the waters of quietness Christ is a desirable Guide Was Titus called the Desire of Mankind Psa 73.25 what may a Jesus then be called Whom have I in Heaven but thee and there is none upon Earth that I desire besides thee There is nothing in Christ but what is truly desirable and there is nothing truly desirable but what is in Christ Christ is a delectable Guide Christ's Voice hath a mighty yea an almighty Influence Christ did but speak for Matthew Mat. 9.9 and he had him He saw Matthew sitting at the receit of custom and said unto him Matthew follow me And he arose and followed him If Christ calleth to come he causeth to come Christ is a prudential Guide David was wise as a Man Pro. 8.14 but Christ is wise as a God Solomon was wiser than all men but Christ is wiser than all Angels Is not that a lofty as well as a lovely Strain I am Vnderstanding Christ is a gradual Guide Growth in Grace is emblem'd by the waters of the Sanctuary and Christ leadeth in Sanctuary-waters Ezek. 47.3 4 5. The waters were first to the Ancles then to the Knees then to the Loins then a River that could not be passed over Now those actually Christs are under a gradual leading of Christ from one degree of grace to another Christ is a regular Guide Christ leadeth rightly yea in a way of Rightness The Serpent ledâ—eth a wrong way but the Son leadeth a right way If Christ leadeth to binding to bleeding to banishing to burning yet he leadeth his a right way for he leadeth them into Heaven If Christ leadeth through the Red Sea and through the wilderness yet he leadeth a right way for he leadeth his into Canaan Though Christ leadeth by the Cross yet he leadeth unto the Crown and though he leadeth through a Cottage yet he leadeth unto a Pallace unto a Paradise God did not lead the children of Israel through the way of the Land of the Philistines though that was near but he led them about through Exod. 13.17 18. the way of the wilderness of the red Sea and yet he led them a right way This was Gods way and his way is a right way Hos 14.9 As the ways of the Lord are right and the just shall walk in them so Christ leadeth a right way for though he leadeth his unto the Grave yet he leadeth his unto Glory Christ is a continual Guide Did Christ lead thee yesterdey he will lead thee to day Doth he lead the to day he will lead the for ever for yesterday to day and for ever he is the same Many persons imbitter their sweets add to their own Burdens dig their own Graves by anticipating providences and not reflecting that truth Mat. 6.34 Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof Oh saith one what shall I do when Poverty and Prison come Oh saith another what shall I do when the Sword and the Plague come Oh saith a third what shall I do when Fire and Famine come Oh saith a fourth what shall I do when the Rack and thee Stake come But sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof He that now leadeth will then lead if these things come before thou goest off the Stage Isa 58.11 Marg. The Lord shall guide thee continually and satisfie thy Soul in drought and make fat thy bones thou shalt be like a watered garden and like a spring of water whose waters lie or deceive not Fear not Death for he is thine and he is a Guard For And so Junius and the Greek and the Hebrew Zach. 2.5 And I saith Jehovah will be a wall of Fire round about her and of Glory in the midst of her Who will adventure upon a wall of Fire Psa 125.2 As the mountains are round about Jerusalem to fortifie and defend that so Jehovah is round about his People to fortifie and defend them from henceforth and for ever But here are two Questions How and Why Christ is a wall of Fire Quest or Security unto his Church But how is Christ a wall of Fire or Security 1 How to his Church and People In a two-fold respect his Justice and his Mercy Sol. In respect of his Justice We usually and yet truly say It is Justice to give every man his due or his own Justitia est suum cuique tribuere Act. 1.25 Hell is a Sinners own this He hath merited The wages of sin is death The first and the second Death Judas went to his own place And as Heâ— is a Sinners own so Heaven is a Saints own this Christ hath merited I give unto them eternal ase Eternal life is made up of Grace and of Glory this life Christ giveth as his Mercy Joh. 10.28 and as his Merit Persons are variously bound some through grace are bound for Heaven but most through sin are bound for Hell now it is a righteous thing with Christ to send persons to various ports according as they are varionsly bound Mat. 25.46 These those on the left hand shall go into everlasting punishment but the rightcous those on the right hand into use everlasting Justice is one of Christs Attributes and he is infinite in Attribute as well as in Essence Now if he should lose one Attribute might he not lose every Attribute and so cease
give thee the desires of thine heart Heart-desires are great desires are greatest desires are the best desires Now it is Christs Prerogative Royal to give the Desires of the Heart A Master may give much a Father may give more these may give Bags and Barns House and Land Silver and Gold but they cannot give Grace and Glory they cannot give Christ more of a Christ more of the Grace of Christ and more of the Spirit of Christ It is time now to distinguish between our Goods and our Good between our Goods and our God Christ is a seasonable Good As there is a season for every thing so every thing is beautiful in its season To every thing there is a season and a time for every purpose under the Heaven Now Christ as he is the Author of good so he is the Timer of good and if he be the Timer of good then certainly he must needs be a Timely-good The season of a mercy greatly accents the mercy Gen. 22.13 For a Lamb to be caught by the Horns in a Thicket when the Knife was in the hand of the Father to slay the Son was in season Exod. 14.16 Dan. 3.24 25. For the Waters to divide and Sea become Land to the Israelites when the Egyptians were in the pursuit of them like so many armed Furies was in season For the three Children to be in the Furnace and for Christ then to appear with them and make up that holy Mess was in season For a Soul to be afflicted Isa 54.11 tossed with tempest and not comforted and for Christ then to say I will lay thy Stones with fair colours and will lay thy foundations with Saphires is not this in season For the Soul to be dark and for Christ to enlighten it for the Soul to be dead and for Christ to enliven it for the Soul to be doubting and for Christ to resolve it and for the Soul to be distressed and for Christ to relieve it is not this in season In my distress Psa 120.1 I cried unto the Lord and he heard me For a Soul to be hard and for Christ to soften it for a Soul to be haughty and for Christ to humble it for a Soul to be tempted and for Christ to succour it and for a Soul to be wounded and for Christ to heal it is not this in season I even I am he that comforteth Thee Isa 51.12.8 Christ is a satisfying Good A Wooden Loaf a Silver Loaf a Golden Loaf will not satisfie a hungry man the man must have Bread The Dainties and Dignities of the World the Grandeur and Glory of the World the Plenty and Prosperity of the World the Puff and Popularity of the World will not satisfie a soul sailing by the Gates of Hell and crying out of the Depths it must be a Christ. Children or I die was the cry of the Woman a Christ or I die a Christ or I am damned is the doleful Ditty and doleful Dialect of a despairing or desponding Soul He that loveth silver Eccl. 5.10 shall not be satisfied therewith nor he that loveth abundance with increase It is a good observation that the World is round but the Heart of man is triangular Now all the Globe of the World will not fill the triangular Heart of man What of the World and in the World can give quietness when Christ the Sun of Righteousness goes down upon the Soul The Heart is a Three-square and nothing but a Trinity in Vnity and an Vnity in Trinity will satisfie this Not Riches nor Relations not Barns nor Bags will satisfie a convinced and deserted Soul Abite hinc abite longé This person can say concerning his Bags as a great person upon a sick if not upon a dying Bed did concerning his Bags Away and away for ever though there be Bag upon Bag yet they are altogether insignificant in a dying hour these Bags they are but as so many cyphers before a figure or without a figure This is the cry of despairing and desponding Souls Oh satisfie us early with thy mercy Psa 90.14 that we may rejoyce and be glad all our daies Christ is an incomparable Good Christ is the chiefest Good As he is the Gift of Gifts Summum Bonum If thou knewest the Gift of God So Christ is the Good of Goods Joh. 4.10 He is much fairer than the Sons of Adam Christ as God had the perfection of Grace and as Man Psa 45.2 had the perfection of Nature All are Blacks to this Beauty Publius Lentâ—lus President in Jâ—dea in the days of â—â—erius Caesar wrote an Epistle to the Senate at Rome concerning Jesus Christ and saith among other things that for his singular Beauty he surpassed the Children of men Christ is an eternal Good Things below are mutable and mortal mutability and mortality are stamped upon and legible in the face of all things here below Riches make to themselves wings Ye shall not need to send them away they will go away without sending Places are wasted What is Nineveh Joâ— 4.11 that great City wherein were more than six score thousand persons that could not discern between their right hand and their left It is reduced to a small Village What shall we say of Jerusalem the City of God the perfection of Beauty the Joy of the whole Earth Not one stone was left upon another It s true of persons as well as places The Patriarchs are dead the Prophets are dead the Apostles are dead Zach. 1.5 Our Fathers where are they and the Prophets do they live for ever But Christ is an eternal Good Consider Christ as God and so Eternity is his Mansion and his Measure Consider Christ as God and Eternity is his Mansion Isa 57.15 Thus saith the high and lofty one that inhabiteth Eternity whose name is holy c. Look upon Christ as God and so Eternity is his Measure Psa 90.2 From Eternity to Eternity thou art God Fear not Death Christ is thine and he a Rock Lead me to the Rock that is higher than I. Psa 61.2 Though David was high Christ was higher though David was King of Israel yet Christ was Rock of Israel As Christ was the Rock of Old Testament Saints so he is the Rock of New Testament Saints They all drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them 1 Cor. 10.4 Quest Sol. 1. and that Rock was Christ But what manner of Rock is this Rock Christ is a high Rock Material Rocks and Mountains are high This was given in charge to the Children of Israel to destroy all those places Deut. 12.2 wherein the Nations served their Gods upon the high Mountaines This Mistical Rock Christ is high very high The Heavens are high but Christ is higher He is holy and harmless Heb. 7.26 separated from Sinners and made higher than the Heavens This Rock Christ is higher than fallen Souls higher
dress it for me and my Son that we may eat it and die Ah poor Woman Little did she think that by Sustaining the Man of God her Self should be Sustained by the God of Man I go to dress this for my Self and my Son and eat it and die As if she had said when this is eaten we have no more to eat but must die when this is gon all is gone and we must go into an Eternity The outward wants of Believers are somtimes great Oh say the Soul I live in a Cottage live upon a Common and have short Commons But Soul Evangelical promises are greater than thy External wants Psa 34.10 The young Lions shall lack and suffer hunger but they that fear the Lord shall not want any good thing If any Creatures in the World can preserve themselves from Hunger Lions can if they do but roar the Beasts will fall down as a prey before them but yet saith God These even these shall rather perish for hunger than any one that feareth me shall want But as Believers sometimes want outward Mercies so many times want inward Refreshments Oh! say the Soul I am like a Pelican in the Wilderness and like a Dove in the Valley mourning until I can mourn no more for the Sun of Righteousness Mâ—l 4.2 2 Cor. 4.6 for a light of the knowledge of the Glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ But Soul divine Promises are greater than thy inward wants Phil. 4.19 My God shall supply all your need according to his riches in Glory by Christ Jesus Here is a supply and that from God but of what of need yea of all need But saith the Soul if all outward wants should be supplied yet there are inward and if all inward wants should be supplied In terminis totidem verbis Psa 84.11 yet there are outward It is true yet in so many words a supply for internal external wants is laid under Promise Jehovah God is a Sun and a Shield Jehovah will give Grace and Glory Here is Grace and Glory a supply of all inward wants Is here all no if here be not enough ye shall have more a supply of outward wants is laid and left under promise also No good thing will be withhold from them that walk uprightly God will supply his with all good that is for their good Divine Promises they are greater than a Believers weaknesses There are few Believers that are strong in every Grace yea few Believers but are weak in every Grace It is true some Believers are stronger in some Graces than other Believers are yea stronger in some Graces than Themselves are in other Graces for as there is the master-sin so there is the master-grace in every Believer thus Faith was the great Grace of Abraham Meekness of Moses Patience of Job and Love of John but weak Grace may be true Grace a spark of Fire is true Fire and the Furnace is no more a drop of Water true Water and the Ocean is no more It is pity that a Believer should be weak in Faith for if that Grace be weak no Grace is strong and yet weak Faith is true Faith Rom. 14.1 Him that is weak in the Faith receive not reject but not to doubtful disputations I am this day weak saith David though I be anointed King Oh! saith the Soul I am this day weak though I am in Christ Oh! saith the Soul I am weak weak as water The pulse of my Grace doth not beat or it beats so weakly that I can scarcely tell whether I be alive or no. But Soul divine Promises they are greater than thy weaknesses If we believe not yet he abideth faithful he cannot deny himself This 2 Tim. 2.13 is not spoken of an unbelieving man but of a man that hath much unbelief if we believe not though Faith be at ebb and Vnbelief at flood yet Christ abideth faithful and cannot deny himself Though Peter deny Christ yet Christ doth not deny Peter It is said of an Emperour that he never minded to do what he promised Tiberiuâ— but this cannot be said of Christ for he cannot deny himself Divine Promises they are greater than a Believers Fears The Fears of Believers are many times great very great exceeding great A Pannick Fear is a cursed weed but is not he a Miracle among men that hath not sometimes a pang of forbidden Fear When the Corps of a Scottish Minister was put into the Grave an Earl being there said here lays the Body of one Mr. Knox. Earl of Murray who in his life never feared the Face of any man But can this be said of every Member of Christ Nay of every Minister of Christ It was also a great word of another Athanasius Though an Army should encamp me yet will I not fear The Fears of Believers are many times great very great exceeding great so great that they may reach the Heart and Heart-Fears are the greatest Fears but now there is enough in one promise to dissipate the cloud of a thousand Fears Oh! says one I shall one day fall by the hands of this Saul of this Goliah of Gath but if I do not fall by the hands of man I shall fall by the hands of God Oh! says another I fear my carkass will fall in the wilderness I fear I shall die by the way I fear I shall not enter into the Land of Promise Oh! says a third Presence I fear that I shall be impoverished or imprisoned that I shall be banished or burned But Soul the Promise Propriety in the greatness of it out-bids and outvies the greatness of Fear Fear not why for I am with thee Isa 41.10 there is presence Be not afraid why for I am thy God Is here all No I will strengthen thee yea I will help thee yea I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness Promise But what says a third Oh! my fears are great it is night now and I fear it will never be day more Oh! the Sun is gone down upon my Horizon and I fear it will never rise more But Soul there is enough in the promise to scatter this Fear Mal. 4.2 Vnto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings and ye shall go forth and grow up as Calves of the stall Is not the firmamental Sun as constant in rising as in setting and is not the Day as constant as the Night Oh! saith a fourth my fears are great my Neighbours have left me my Familiars have left me my Relations have left me yea my God hath left me and that is a sad leaving indeed Isa 49.14 The Lord hath forsakâ—n me my God hath forgotten me I am not only out of the Hand of God but also out of the Heare of God I am not only forsaken but also forgotten God is not only gone
into a Chamber into a Closet and give vent to thy Soul there and is not this a great mercy when thy Soul hath been like a troubled Sea and thou hast cryed forsaken and forgotten out of the hand of God and out of the heart of God too thou hast gone to thy knees and told Christ of thy sins and sorrows who sends not away sad from his presence and is not this a great mercy Heb. 4.16 Let us therefore come boldly to the Throne of Grace that we may obtain mercy and find Grace to help in time of need Leigh The Cherubims or Mercy-seat saith one was a Type of the Throne of Grace unto this Throne of Grace may those actually Christs have Access they may come as the Sons of the New Testament and are not to come as the Servants of the Old If they come believingly they may come boldly or according to the Greek with boldness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with liberty and confidence of speaking all our mind but this Access and obtaining mercy is thorough Christ Jesus the Lord their High-Priest Rom. 5.2 and Intercessor Those actually Christs have a Gospel-Propriety in Audience from God at the Throne of Grace Is it nothing to have mans ear but what is it then to have Gods Ear who is all Ear as well as all Eye hearing all things as if he had but one thing to hear as well as seeing all things as if he had but one thing to see God heareth not Sinners but he heareth Saints I sought the Lord Psal 34.4 6 15. and he heard me and delivered me from all my fears Christ by those actually his may be consulted as an Oracle and have his Ear. This poor man cryed and the Lord heard him and delivered him out of all his troubles Is it not a great mercy to have Christs Ear especially when thou hast none other Ear to hear thy cryes The eyes of Jehovah are upon the righteous and his ears are open unto their cry Those actually Christs have a Gospel-Propriety in Assistance from God at the Throne of Grace For a poor Soul to go to the Throne of Grace and be ammated there to go to the Throne of Grace and be assisted there is not this a great mercy Oh says the Soul though it is my duty to pray at all times and hath been my mercy to pray many times yet I cannot pray now my heart is like a Wâ—â—derness now like a Desart now my heart is dark and drad and down now that I cannot pray Is it so yet let there be no declining of duty for there shall be assisting in duty Like wise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities Rom. 8.26 for we know not what we shâ—â—ld pray for as we ought but the Spirit himself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered Is not this a Metaphor taken either 1. from one that lifts a piece of timber which he cannot do alone but as he is at one end so he hath one at the other end that helps him to lift it Thus must the Spirit help thee in Prayer or thy Prayer will never pass thorough the hand of the Son unto the heart of the Father Or 2. from a Norse that takes hold of the Child to assist it in gâ—â—ng and prevent its falling Thus the Spirit must take hold of the Soul in Prayer Prayer being a breathing out that before God which was first breathed in by the Spirit of God Or 3. from an old Man that leans upon his staff and cannot go without it Thus thou mayst go unto duty but thou wilt not go unto God in that duty without the Spirit Those actually Christs have a Gospel-Propriety in Acceptance with God at the Throne of Grace Oh saith the Soul I fear I have lost all my Prayers and all my Tears He hath a Bag for my Sins but I fear he hath not a Book for my Prayers and a Bottle for my Tears But Soul art actually Christs then person and performance then Soul and Service are accepted with God thorough Christ Jesus Eph. 1.6 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To the praise of the Glory of his Grace wherein he hath made us accepted in the Beloved Or according to the Greek wherein he hath freely made us free or freely accepted us Those actually Christs are Heirs of Gospel-Promises Are not the Promises great things Bilney Glover and Spira thought them so yet those actually Christs are Heirs of the Promises Are not the Promises great things when the Soul cryes for a Promise as the Woman for Children Children or I dye A Promise saith the Soul or I dye Christ in a Promise or I dye Does the Soul say I do not know that ever God brought and blessed any Promise to my Soul But Soul hast a Propriety in the Prince of Life then thou hast a Propriety in the Promise of Life for 2 Cor. 1.20 All the Promises of God in Christ are Yea and in Christ Amen to the Glory of God by us But what are those things which are laid under Promise Quest Eternal Life that is laid under Promise Sol. 1. Is Life nothing Natural Life nothing This is Spiritual yea this is Eternal Life Eternal Life is made up of Grace and Glory and yet this is laid under Promise In hope of Eternal Life Tit. 1.2 Non ab aeterno sed ante multa saecula Grotius which God that cannot lye promised before the world began Before the world began not from Eternity saith one but before many Ages Either God decreed from Eternity to promise Eternal Life or he did promise Eternal Life from the beginning of Ages in that famous promise Gen. 3.15 of the blessed Seed Is not Eternal Life worth the hearing worth the heeding worth the having worth the holding and yet this is laid and left under promise Pardon of sin that is laid under promise Ask a desponding doubting drooping Soul and he will tell you that pardon of sin is a singular mercy of the plural number What would not a cast man a condemned man give for a Pardon What would not a Soul cast down with the sight and sense of sin give for a sight and sense of the pardon of it Is not that a sweet word I will be merciful to their unrighteousness Heb. 8.12 their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more Power against sin is laid under promise Oh saith the Soul I am not a match for this Achan for that Goliah of Gath for these sons of Zerviah within Oh saith the Soul I find a Law in my members warring against the Law of my mind Oh I find fleshly Lusts warring against the Soul Is it so with thee so it is with me but power against sin is laid under promise As the way of the Lord is strength to the upright so they that wait upon the Lord and keep his way shall renew their strength Isa 40.31
Absalom to live in Jerusalem if he might not see the face of the King It is not enough to a Christian of Christs making to live in a Church if he does not see the face of a Christ Divine withdrawings are Soul-troubles now Soul-troubles are the saddest and the sorest Troubles Psal 30.7 Thou didst hide thy face and I was troubled What loss next the loss of the Soul to the loss of the Face of God and Christ Hath God forgotten to be gracious will he be favourable no more A Christian thorough Grace knows in some measure how to bear other losses but he knows not how to bear this loss a loss of the Face of God Is not that a strange strain Wherefore hidest thou thy face Job 13.24 and holdest me for thine enemy Is not now a time of Desertion a time of Need and do not those who are Christs stand now in need of fresh and full supplies from the God of Grace of the Grace of God A time of Duty is a time of Need. The chiefest and choicest Saints have no exemption from Duty Mercy exempts not from Duty Mercy is so far from giving a dispensation unto Duty as that it layeth under the greatest obligation for Duty Two things here fall under discussion the Duty to be performed and the indifferency of spirit to perform this Duty The Duty to be performed There are varieties of Duties incumbent upon those who are Christs there is meditating and mourning preaching and praying hearing and reading but I shall single out one Acts 9.11 and that is Prayer Go for behold he prayeth Prayer is natural worship and incumbent it is upon every creature to look unto the Creator Consider the indifferency of spirit to perform the duty Indifferency of spirit is a malignant disease a disease full of malignity where is the man or the woman that is not more or less at some time or other tainted with it The Church was not without this Plague-sore I have put off my coat Cant. 5.3 how shall I put it on I have washed my feet how shall I defile them Had she not then too great indifferency of spirit whether she should open to Christ or no whether she should maintain a converse with Christ or no whether she should be found in a way of Duty or no Ye have said it is vain to serve God Mal. 3.14 and what profit is it that we have kept his Ordinance and that we walked in black before Jehovah of Hosts If persons be indifferent whether they meditate and pray or no whether they hear and read or no whether we keep up Family and Closet Duty or no it is very dangerous for if a person take leave of Duty he is like to take leave of Christ too The safety and mercy of a Soul are in a way of Duty Thy Safety is in a way of Duty He that hearkneth unto me shall dwell safely Prov. 1.33 and shall be quiet from fear of evil He shall not onely be quiet from the evil of fear but also quiet from the fear of evil Jonah was safe while he kept with God Thy Mercy is in a way of Duty Oh that thou hadst hearkned to my Commandments what then Isa 48.18 what not then Then had thy peace been as a river and thy righteousness as the waves of the sea Then there had been more Peace and more Grace too There is a twofold Obedience Active and Passive now Grace for both is laid under promise There is a twofold Obedience Active and Passive now Grace for both is laid under promise Grace for Action is laid under promise Oh that I could do more for a Christ is the Cry of every Soul in Christ Oh I tremble to think least my day should be at an end before my work be done Oh saith the Soul my Glass is almost out and little of my work is done But Soul Grace to do is laid under promise Verily Verily John 14.12 I say unto you he that believeth on me the works that I do shall he do also and greater works than these shall he do because I go unto my Father Grace for Passion is also laid under promise As there must be doing so suffering according to the will of God Oh saith the Soul there may be a Storm at hand a Shower of Blood at hand and I know not how to weather it Oh saith the Soul for ought I see there may be a Rack for me a Stake for me and I know not how to weather these But Soul Grace to dye as well as do is laid under promise It is given unto you in the behalf of Christ Phi. 1.29 not onely to believe but also to suffer for his sake Are not now these times times of need and do not now those who are Christs stand in need of fresh and full supplies from the God of Grace of the Grace of God Thus of things present Those actually Christs are Heirs of things to come As Heirs of things present so there are things to come of which they shall be Heirs But Qu. what are those things to come of which those who are actually Christs shall be Heirs Those actually Christs Sol. 1. shall be indulged hereafter a perfect knowledge Knowledge is imperfect here it will be perfect hereafter Ignorance is so far from being a Virtue Multi multa sciunt se autem nome as that it is a Vice and so far from being the Mother of Devotion as that it is the Mother of Destruction whatever the blind and the bloody Papists say It was the usual Speech of Henry IV. That many know many things but no man himself It is deservedly accounted a piece of excellent knowledge to understand the Law of the Land and the Customs of a mans Countrey how much more to know the Statutes of Heaven and the Laws of Eternity It was the saying of One To know thy self is very difficult for as the Eye can see all things but it self Basil so some can discern all faults but their own We should be thankful for the little that we know and humble that we know so little We should use our knowledge as much as we can Nosce teipsum but know it as little as we can unless in the using of it To know for our Good is onely good knowledge To know God and our selves is the sum of all knowledge God doth not know him that knows not himself It is said of a holy and learned man that in the midst of his Learning Bishop Vsher he would still cry out of his ignorance of Christ. Empty Vessels sound most and shallow streams make the greatest noise in passage It was said by the Ancients That it is impossible to know God without God We must learn all that from God Ex puris negativis nihil concluditur which we know of God unless God be our Tutor we shall never be
join Christ and their Alms together Christ and their works together Socium habet neminem who join Christ and their Prayers together Christ and their Preachers together who join Christ and their Thoughts together Christ and their Tears together We may say of Christ in point of Justification as was once said of Caesar He may have a Companion but not a Competitor If Caesar must not have a Competitor in Reigning Christ must not have a Competitor in justifying Much more being justified by his blood Rom. 5.9 we shall be saved from wrath thorough him Christ's blood is invaluable blood It is called the blood of God because the blood of that Christ who is God He is the Pearl of great price of greatest price The Kingdom of Heaven The dispensation of the Gospel of the Grace of God which is as an Instrument in the hands of the Spirit to bring into the Kingdom of Grace here and shews the way to the Kingdom of Glory hereafter But what of this Kingdom Mat. 13.45 46. It is like unto a merchant man seeking goodly Pearls who having found one of great price he went and sold all that he had and bought it But Quest Sol. 1. what manner of Pearl is this Pearl Christ is a necessary Pearl Christ is not only necessary but also of necessity He is thus to sinners Acts 4.12 Joh. 15.5 for there is no salvation without him A Christ or I dye and am damned is the cry of a sinner He is also thus to Saints for there is no service without him Christ is a rare Pearl A Phoenix is a rare Bird for according to the Historian there is but One at one time in the world But herein I may be peremptory and thou art not to be incredulous that there is One and but one Christ There is one God 1 Tim. 2.5 and one Mediator between God and man the man Christ Jesus Pearls in Latine are called Vniones because they are found One by One. Pearls and Pebbles do not alike lie in the Bosom and Bowels of the Earth Pebbles may lie upon Heaps but Pearls they are found One by One. Christ is a taking Pearl The more ye look upon this Pearl the vetter ye will like it and the more ye will love it If Christ look upon the Church Cant. 4.9 Chap. 6.5 he is taken with Her Thou hast ravished my heart my Sister my Spouse Ravished my heart taken away my heart so the margent Turn away thine eyes from me for they have overcome me If also the Church look upon Christ she is taken with Him As the apple-tree among the trees of the wood Cant. 2.3 Chap. 5.16 so is my beloved among the sons His mouth is most sweet yea he is altogether lovely Christ is a making Pearl Hast Christ Then as thou art taken for ever so thou art made for ever Thou hadst but a Rag before thou hast a Robe now a Robe that will universally cloath thee and cover thee Thou hadst but a Pebble before thou hast a Pearl now that will pay all thy Debts and bear all thy Charges but to these distinctly This Pearl will pay all thy Debts A person may pay his Debts to man but he cannot pay his Debts to God Who is he that condemneth Rom. 8.34 it is Christ that dyed This Pearl will bear all thy charges What though a man should have enough if but enough to pay all his Debts how shall he do to live afterwards how shall he do to bear his charges afterwards Now Christ doth not onely pay the Debts of his but be it written with a holy reverence he also puts money into their Purse to bear their charges by the way Because I live ye shall live also Joh. 14.19 If I cannot dye then you shall spiritually live A Christians life depends upon Christs life As he gives it so he augments it and continues it Christ is an inestimable Pearl Would it not puzzle and pose men and Angels to bring in the worth and weight of this Pearl Let Paul speak for he was a curious Orator Eph. 3.8 That I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ The City-Jewellers may know the worth of many Jewels but no Jeweller in any City knows the worth of this Jewel of this Pearl Christ Jesus No wonder now that One said 〈◊〉 8. Mine eyes shall behold nothing but this inestimable Jewel my Lord and Saviour Christ Jesus Christ is an unlosable Pearl Other Pearls may be lost but this cannot Pearls were lost in that prodigious and stupendious City-Conflagration but this Pearl Christ was not then and there lost Ye that are Christs may lose your Provision lose your Plate lose your Purse but you cannot lose this Pearl Ye may be at a loss concerning this Pearl but this Pearl cannot be lost Can the Pearl be lost when the Soul that hath this Pearl cannot be lost but the Soul that hath this Pearl Joh. 17.12 Cordial IX cannot be lost All that thou hast given me have I kept and none of them are lost Art actually in Christ Be joyous then for He is the Object of thy Delight and Desire Christ is the Object of thy Delight This word Delight as it is referrible to Man is reducible to two Heads Vnlawful and Lawful but to these distinctly Vnlawful That there is an unlawful Delight who can deny would it not be lost labour to prove this I shall therefore onely prove when 't is unlawful Then Delight is unlawful when it is sinful They delight in lyes Psal 62.4 they bless with their mouth but they curse inwardly in their inward parts marg Then Delight is unlawful when it is hypocritical They seek me daily Isa 58.2 and delight to know my wayes c. they take delight in approaching to God Then Delight is unlawful when it is treacherous This was the command of Saul to his Servants Commune with David secretly 1 Sam. 18.22 and say Behold the King hath delight in thee and all his servants love thee now therefore be the Kings Son-in-law Saul will give Michal to David but 't is out of treachery it is that she may be a snare unto him and that the hands of the Philistines may be upon him Lawful As there is an unlawful so there is a lawful Delight which may be reduced to two heads Natural and Spiritual Natural Such a Delight is appointed and approved by God observing the limits of God The meek shall inherit the earth Psal 37.11 and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace Spiritual Now this is a delight In the People of God But to the Saints that are in the earth and to the excellent Psal 16.3 in whom is all my delight David did not delight in a cursed and cruel Crew in a profane and profuse Crew in a roaring and whornig Crew in a daring and damning Crew but his delight