is eyther from false principles or ignorance or mindlesnesse or unbeleefe of true By inconsideration and weaknesse of assent Eve lost her hold at first It is good therefore to store up true principles in our harts and to refresh them often that in vertue of them our affections and actions may be more vigorous When Iudgement is fortified evill findes no entrance but good things have a side within us to entertaine them Whilest true convincing light continueth wee will not doe the least ill of sinne for the greatest ill of punishment In vaine is the â—…et spread in the eyes of that which hath wings Whilest the soule is kept aloft there is little danger of snares below we lose our high estimation of things before wee can be drawne to any sinne And because knowledge and affection mutually helpe one another it is good to keepe up our affections of love and delight by all sweet inducements divine incouragements for what the heart liketh best the minde studyeth most Those that can bring their hearts to delight in Christ know most of his wayes Wisedome loveth them that love her Love is the best entertainer of truth and when it is not entertained in the love of it being so lovely as it is it leaveth the heart and will stay no longer It hath beene a prevailing way to beginne by with-drawing the love to corrupt the Iudgement because as we love so wee use to judge and therefore it is hard to be affectionate and wise in earthly things but in heavenly things where there hath been a right information of the judgement before the more our affections grow the better and clearer our judgement s will be because our affections though strong can never rise high enough to the excellencie of the things Wee see in the Martyrs when the sweet doctrine of Christ had once gotten their hearts it could not be gotten out againe by all the torments the wit of crueltie could devise If Christ hath once possessed the affections there is no dispossessing of him again A fire in the heart overcommeth all fires without 3 Wisedome likewise teacheth us wherein our weaknesse lyeth and our enemies strength wherby a jealous feare is stirred up in us whereby we are preserved For out of this godly jealousie wee keepe those provocations which are active and working from that which is passive catching in us as we keep fire from powder They that will hinder the generation of noysome creatures will hinder the conception first by keeping male and female asunder This jealousie wil be much furthered by observing strictly what hath helped or hindered a gratious teÌ„per in us and it will make us take heed that wee consult not with flesh and blood in our selves or others How else can wee thinke that Christ will lead us out to victorie when we take counsell of his and our enemies 4 Christ maketh us likewise carefull to attend all meanes whereby fresh thoughts and affections may be stirred up and preserved in us Christ so honoureth the use of meanes and the care he putteth into us that hee ascribeth both preservation and victory unto our care of keeping our selves Hee that is begotten of God keepeth himselfe but not by himselfe but by the Lord in dependance on him in the use of meanes We are no longer safe then wife to present our selves to all good advantages of acquaintance c. By going out of Gods walkes we goe out of his government and so lose our frame and finde our selves over-spread quickly with a coÌ„tráry disposition When wee draw neere to Christ in his ordinances he drawes neere to us 5 Keepe grace in exercise it is not sleepy habits but Gracein exercise that preserveth us Whilest the soule is in some civill or sacred imployment corruptions within us are much suppressed and Sathans passages stopped and the spirit hath a way open to inlargeâ—… it selfe in us and likewise the guard of Angells then most neerly attend us which course often prevailes more against our spirituall enemies then direct oppo sition It stands upon Christs honor to maintaine those that are in his worke Sixthly in all directioÌ„s we must look up to Christ the quickning spirit and resolve in his strength though wee are exhorted to cleave to the Lord with full purpose of heart yet we must pray with David Lord for ever keepe it in the thoughts of our hearts and prepare our hearts unto thee our hearts are of themselves very loose and unsetled Lord unite our hearts unto thee to feare thy name or else without him our best purposes will fall to the ground It is a pleasing request out of love to GOD to beg such a frame of soule from him wherein hee may take delight and therefore in the use of all the meanes wee must send up our desires and complaints to heaven to him for strength and help and then we may bee sure that he will bring forth judgment into victory Lastly it furthers the state of the soule to know what frame it should bee in that so wee may order our soules accordingly we should alwayes bee fit for communion with GOD and bee heavenly minded in earthly busines and be willing to be taken off from them to redeem time for better things we should bee ready at all times to depart hence and to live in such a condition as we would be content to dye in wee should have hearts prepared for every good duty open to all good occasions and shut to al temptations keeping our watch and being alwayes ready armed so farre as we come short of these things so farre wee have just cause to be humbled and yet presse forward that wee may gaine more upon our selves and make these things more familiar and lovely unto us and when wee finde our soules any wayes falling downewards it is best to raise them up presently by some waking meditatioÌ„s as of the presence of God of the strict reckoning we are to make of the infinite love of GOD in CHRIST and the fruits of it of the excellency of a Christians calling of the short and uncertaine time of this life how little good all those things that steale away our hearts will doe us ere long and how it shall bee for ever with us thereafter as we spend this little time well or ill c. the more we give way for such consideratioÌ„s to sink into our hearts the more we shall rise neerer to that state of soule which wee shall enjoy in Heaven When wee grow regardlesse of keeping our soules then GOD recovers our taste of good things again by sharpe crosses thus David Salomon Sampson c. were recovered it is much easier kept then recovered But notwithstanding my striving I seeme to stand at a stay Grace as the seed in the Parable growes we know not how yet at length when GOD seeth fittest wee shall see that all our indeavour hath not
Christs love and tender care over those that are humbled and besides the mercy that resteth in his owne brest hee workes the l◅ke impression in his Ministers and others to comfort the feeble minded and to beare with the weake Ministers by their calling are friends of the Bride and to bring Christ and his Spouse together and therefore ought upon all good occasions to lay open al the excellencies of Christ and amongst others as that hee is highly borne mighty one in whom all the treasures of wisedome are hid c so likewise gentle and of a good nature and of a gracious d◅sposition It cannot but cheere the heart of the spouse to consider in all her infirmities and miseries she is subject unto that shee hath a husband of a k◅nd disposition that knowes how to give the honour of milde usage to the weaker vessell That will be so farre frō rejecting her because she is weake that he will pity her the more And as hee is kinde at all times so especially when it is most seasonable he will speake to her heart especially in the wildernesse The more glory to God and the more comfort to a Christian soule ariseth from the beliefe and application of these things the more the enemy of Gods glory mans comfort labours to breed misperswasions of them that if hee cannot keepe men from heaven and bring them into that cursed condition he is in himselfe yet he may trouble them in their passage Some and none of the worst Sathan prevailes withall so farre as to neglect the meanes upon feare they should being so sinfull dishonour God and increase their sins so they lie smothering under this temptation as it were bound hand and foote by Sathan not daring to make out to Christ and yet are secretly upheld by a spirit of faith shewing it selfe in hidden sighes and groanes unto God These are abused by false representations of Christ all whose waies to such being wayes of mercy and all his thoughts thoughts of love The more Sathan is malicious in keeping the soule in darknesse the more care is to be had of establishing the soule upon that which will stay it Amongst other grounds to build our faith on as the free offer of grace to all that will receive it the gracious invitation of all that are weary and heauy lad◅n those that have nothing to buy withall The command binding to beleeve the danger of not beleeving being shut up prisoners thereby under the guilt of all other sinnes the sweet intreatie to beleeve and ordayning Embassadours to desire peace putting tender affections into them answerable to their calling ordaining Sacraments for the sealing of the covenant Besides these I say and such moving inducements this is one infusing vigor and strength into all the rest that they proceed from Christ a person authorized and from those bowels that moved him not only to become a mā but a curse for us hence it is that hee will not quench the smoaking wick or flax It addes strength to faith to consider that al expressions of love issue frō nature in Christ which is constant God knowes that as wee are prone to sinne so when conscience is throughly awaked wee are as prone to despaire for sinne and therefore hee would have us know that hee setteth himselfe in the Covenant of grace to triumph in CHRIST over the greatest evills and enemies we feare and that his thoughts are not as our thoughts are that he is God and not man that there is heights and depths and breadths of mercy in him above all the depths of our sin and misery that wee should never bee in such a forlorne condition wherein there should be ground of despaire considering our sinnes bee the sins of men his mercy the mercy of an infinite GOD. But though it be a truth cleerer then the Sunne beames that a broken hearted sinner ought to embrace mercy so strongly enforced yet there is no truth that the heart shutteth it selfe more against then this especially in sense of misery when the soule is fittest for mercy untill the Holy spirit sprinkleth the conscience with the blood of Christ and sheddeth his love into the heart that so the blood of Christ in the conscience may cry lowder then the guilt of sinne for onely Gods Spirit can raise the conscience with comfort above guilt because he is only greater then the conscience Men may speake comfort but it is Christs Spirit that can onely comfort Peace is the fruit of the lips but yet created to bee so No creature can take off wrath from the conscience but he that set it on though all the prevailing arguments be used that can bee brought forth till the Holy Ghost effectually perswadeth by a divine kinde of rhetoricke which ought to raise up our hearts to him who is the comforter of his people that he would seale thē to our soules Now God dealing with mē as understanding creatures the manner which he useth in this powerfull worke upon their consciences is by way of friendly entercourse as intreaty and perswasion and discovery of his love in Christ and Christs gracious inclination thus even to the weakest and lowest of men And therefore because hee is pleased by such like motives to enter into the heart and settle a peace there we ought with reverence to regard all such sanctified helpes and among the rest this of making use of this comfortable description of Christ by God the Father in going boldly in all necessities to the throne of grace But wee must know this comfort is onely the portion of those that give up themselves to Christs government that are willing in all things to be disposed of by him For here we see in this Scripture both joyned together mercy to bruised reedes and yet government prevailing by degrees over corruptions Christ so favoureth weake ones as that he frameth their soules to a better condition then they are in Neither can it be otherwise but that a soule looking for mercy should submit it selfe at the same time to be guided Those relations of husband head shepheard c. imply not onely meeknesse and mercy but government likewise When we become Christ ans to purpose we live not exempt from all service but onely wee change our Lord. Therefore if any in an ill course of life snatch comforts before they are reached out unto them let them know they doe it at their owne perills It is as if some ignorant man should come into an Apothecaries shop stored with varietie of medicines of all sorts shold take what comes next to hād poyson perhaps in stead of Physicke There is no word of comfort in the whole booke of God intended for such as regard iniquity in their hearts though they doe not act it in their lives Their onely comfort is that the sentence of damnation is not executed and thereupon there is yet opportunity of safer thoughts
no helpe in himselfe is carried with restlesse desire to have supplie from another with some hope which a little raiseth him out of himselfe to Christ though hee dareth not claime any present interest of mercy This sparke of hope being opposed by doubtings and feares rising from Corruption maketh him as smoaking flax so that both these together A bruised reed and smoaking flax make up the state of a poore distressed man such an one our Saviour Christ termeth Poore in spirit Math. 5. who seeth a want withall seeth himselfe indebted to divine Iustice no meanes of ◅uppie frō himselfe or the Creature and thereupon mournes and upon some hope of mercy from the promise exāples of those that have obtained mercy is stirred up to hunger thirst after it This bruising is required before conuersion that so the spirit may make way for it selfe into the heart by levelling all proud high thoughts and that wee may understand our selves to be what indeed we are by nature we love to wander from our selves and to be strangers at home till GOD bruiseth us by one Crosse or other and then wee bethinke our selves and come home to our selves with the Prodigall A marvellous hard thing it is to bring a dull and a shifting heart to cry with feeling for mercy Our hearts like malefactors untill they be beaten from all shifts never cry for the mercy of the Iudge Againe this bruising maketh us set a high price upon CHRIST the Gospell is the Gospell indeed then then the fig-leaves of morality will doe us no good and it maketh us more thankefull and from thankefulnesse more fruitfull in our lives For what maketh many so cold and barren but that bruising for sinne never indeered Gods Grace unto them Likewise this dealing of God doth establish us the more in his wayes having had knockes and bruisings in our owne wayes This is the cause oft of relapses apostasies because men never smarted for sinne at the first they were not long enough under the lash of the Law Hence this inferiour work of the Spirit in bringing downe high thoughts is necessary before conversion And for the most part the Holy Spirit to further the worke of conviction ioyneth some afflictiō which sanctified hath a healing purging power Nay after Conversion wee neede bruising that reedes may know themselves to be reedes not Oakes Even Reedes need bruising by reason of the remainder of pride in our nature and to let us see that we live by mercy and that weaker Christians may not be too much discouraged when they see stronger shaken and bruised Thus Peter was bruised when he wept bitterly This Reed til he met with this bruise had more wind in him then pith Though all forsake thee I will not c. The people of God cannot be without these examples The Heroicall deeds of those great worthies comfort the Church not so much as their falls and bruises doe Thus David was bruised until he came to a free confession without guile of spirit nay his sorrowes did rise in his owne feeling unto the exquisite paine of breaking of bones Psalm 51. Thus Hezekiah complaines that God had broken his bones as a Lion Thus the Chosen vessell S. Paul needed the messenger of Satan to buffet him lest hee should bee lifted up above measure Hence wee learne that wee must not passe too harsh judgment upon our selves or others when God doth exercise us with bruising upon bruising There must bee a conformitie to our head Christ who was bruised for us that wee may know how much wee are bound unto him Profane spirits ignorant of Gods wayes in bringing his children to Heaven censure broken hearted Christians for desperate persons when as GOD is about a gratious good worke with them It is no easie matter to bring a man from Nature to Grace and from Grace to Glory so unyeelding and untractable are our hearts The second point is That Christ will not breake the bruised Reed Physitians though they put their Patients to much paine yet they will not destroy nature but raise it up by degrees Surgeons will launce and cut but not dismember A mother that hath a sicke and froward Child will not therfore cast it away and shall there bee more mercy in the streame then in the spring shall wee thinke there is more mercy in our selves then in GOD who planteth the affection of mercy in us But for further declaration of Christs mercy to all bruised Reedes Consider the comfortable relations hee hath taken upon him of Husband Shepherd Brother c. which hee will discharge to the utmost for shall others by his grace fulfill what hee calleth them unto and not he that out of his love hath taken upon him these relations so throughly founded upon his fathers assignement and his owne voluntary undertaking Consider his borrowed Names from the mildest Creatures as Lambe Henne c. to shew his tender care Consider his very name Iesus a Saviour givē him by GOD himselfe Consider his Office answerable to his name which is that he should heale the broken hearted Esay 61. 1. At his Baptisme the Holy Ghost sate on him in the shape of a Dove to shew that he should be a Dove-like gentle Mediator See the gracious manner of executing his Offices as a Prophet he came with blessing in his mouth Blessed be the poore in spirit c. and invited those to come to him whose hearts suggested most exceptions against themselves Come unto me all yee that are weary and heavy laden how did his boweis yearne when hee saw the people as sheepe without a Sheepherd he never turned any backe againe that came unto him though some went away of themselves Hee came to dye as a Priest for his enemies In the dayes of his flesh hee dictated a forme of prayer unto his Disciples and put Petitions unto GOD into their mouthes and his Spirit to intercede in their hearts and now makes intercession in heaven for weake Christians standing betweene Gods anger and them and shed teares for those that shed his blood so he is a meeke King he will admit mourners into his presence a King of poore and afflicted persons as hee hath beames of Majesty so hee hath bowels of mercies compassion A Prince of peace Why was hee tempted but that hee might succour those that are tempted What mercy may we not expect from so gracious a Mediatour that tooke our nature vpon him that hee might bee gracious hee is a Phisitian good at all diseases especially at the binding up of a broken heart that hee might heale our soules with a plaster of his owne blood and by that death save us which we were the procurers of our selves by our owne sinnes and hath he not the same bowels in heaven Saul Saul why persecutest thou me cryed the Head in heaven when the foot
way wardnesse and harsh censures herein disparaging and discouraging the endeavours of Superiours for publike good In so great weaknesse of mans nature and especially in this crazie age of the world wee ought to take in good part any moderate happinesse wee injoy by government and not be altogether as a nayle in the wound exasperating things by misconstruction Here Love should have a mantle to cast upon lesser errors of those above us Oft-times the poore man is the oppressor by unjust clamours we should labour to give the best interpretations to the actions of Governours that the nature of the actions will possibly beare In the last place there is some thing for private Christians even for all of us in our common relations to take notice of we are debtors to the weake in many things 1. Let us be watchfull in the use of our libertie and labour to be in offensive in our cariage that our example compell them not There is a commanding force in an example as Peter Gal. 2. A loosnesse of life is crueltie to our selves and to the soules of others though wee cannot keepe them frō perishing which will perish in regard of the event yet if wee doe that which is apt of it selfe to destroy the soules of others their ruine is imputable to us 2 Let men take heede of taking up Sathans office in deprauing the good actions of others as he did Iobs Doth hee serve God for nought or slandering their persons judging of them according to the wickednes that is in their owne hearts The Devill getteth more by such discouragements and these reproaches that are east upon religion then by fire and faggot These as unseasonable frosts nip all gratious offers in the bud and as much as in them lyeth with Herod labour to kill Christ in yong professors A Christian is a hallowed and a sacred thing CHRISTS Temple and hee that destroyeth his Temple him will CHRIST destroy 3 Amongst the things that are to be taken heede of there is amongst private Christians a bold usurpation of censure not considering their temptations Some will vnchurch unbrother in a passion But distempers do not alter true relations though the child in a fit shold disclaime the mother yet the mother will not disclaime the child There is therefore in these iudging times good ground of S. Iames his Caveat that there should not be too many masters that we should not smite one another by hasty censures especially in things of an indifferent nature some things are as the minde of him is that doth them or doth them not for both may be unto the Lord. A holy ayme in things of a middle nature makes the judgements of men although seemingly contrary yet not so much blameable Christ for the good aymes hee seeth in us over-looketh any ill in them so farre as not to lay it to our charge Men must not bee too curious in prying into the weaknesses of others we should labor rather to see what they have that is for eternitie to incline our heart to love them then into that weaknesse which the Spirit of GOD will in time consume to estrange us some thinke it strength of grace to endure nothing in the weaker wheras the strongest are readiest to beare with the infirmities of the weake Where most holinesse is there is most moderation where it may be without prejudice of pietie to God and the good of others wee see in Christ a marvellous temper of absolute holinesse with great moderation in this Text. What had become of our Salvation if he had stood upon termes and not stooped thus low unto us We need not affect to be more holy then Christ it is no flatterie to doe as he doth so it bee to edification The Holy Ghost is content to dwell in smoakie offensive soules Oh that that spirit would breath into our Spirits the like mercifull disposition We indure the bitternesse of Wormwood and other distastfull plants herbs onely because wee have some experience of some wholsome qualitie in thē and why should we reject men of usefull parts and graces onely for some harshnesse of disposition which as it is offensive to us so grieveth themselves Grace whilest wee live here is in soules which as they are unperfectly renewed so they dwell in bodies subject to severall humours which will incline the soule sometimes to excesse in one passion sometimes to excesse in another Bucer was a deepe and a moderate Divine Vpon long experience resolved to refuse none in whom hee saw aliquid Christi something of Christ. The best Christians in this state of imperfection are like Gold that is a little too light which needs some graines of allowance to make it passe You must grant the best their allowance We must supply out of our love mercy that which wee see wanting in them The Church of Christ is a common Hospitall in all are in some measure sicke of some spirituall disease or other that we should all have ground of exercising mutually the spirit of wisedome and meeknesse This that wee may the better doe let us put upon our selves the spirit of CHRIST The spirit of GOD caryeth a majestie with it Corruption will hardly yeeld to eorruption In another Pride is intolerable to pride The weapons of this warfare must not bee carnall The great Apostles would not set upon the worke of the Ministerie untill they were cloathed as it were with power from on high The Spirit will only work with his owne tooles And we should think what affection Christ would cary to the party in this case That great Physitian as he had a quicke eie and a healing tongue so had he a gentle hand and a tender heart And secondly put upon us the cōdition of him whom wee deale withall wee are or have beene or may bee such make the case our owne and withall consider in what neere relation a Christian standeth unto us even as a brother a fellow-member heire of the same salvation And therefore let us take upon our selves a tender care of them every way and especially in cherishing the peace of their consciences Conscience is a tender and delicate thing and so must be used It is like a Locke if the Wards bee troubled it will be troublesome to open For tryall to let vs see whether wee be this smoking Flax which Christ will not quench In this Tryall remember these Rules 1 Wee must have two eyes one to see imperfections in our selves and others the other to see what is good I am blacke saith the Church but yet comely Those ever want comfort that are much in quarrelling with themselves and through their infirmities are prone to feede upon such bitter things as will most nourish that distemper they are sicke of These delight to be looking on the dark side of the cloud onely 2. We must not judge of our selves
to the meeke of the earth hope to looke so gracious a Saviour in the face they that are so boysterous towards his Spouse shall know one day they had to deale with himselfe in his Church So it cannot but cut the heart of those that have felt this love of CHRIST to heare him wounded who is the life of their lives and the foule of their soules this maketh those that have selt mercy weepe over CHRIST whom they have pierced with their finnes there cannot but be a mutuall and quicke sympathie betweene the Head and the Members When wee are tempted to any sinne if we will not pitie our selves yet we should spare CHRIST in not putting him to new torments The Apostle could not finde out a more heart-breaking argument to ensorce a sacrificing our selves to GOD than to conjure us by the mercies of GOD in CHRIST This mercy of CHRIST likewise should moove us to commiserate the estate of the poore Church torne by enemies without and renting it selfe by divisions at home It cānot but work upon any soule that ever felt cōfort frō Christ to consider what an affectionate intreaty the Apostle useth to mutuall agreement in judgement affection If any consolation in Christ if any comfort of love if any fellowship of the Spirit any bowells and mercies fulfill my joy be like minded As if he should say unlesse you will disclaime all consolation in Christ c. labour to maintaine the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace What a joyfull spectacle is this to Satan and his faction to see those that are separated from the world fall in pieces among themselves Our discord is our enemies melody The more to blame those that for private aims affect differences from others and will not suffer the wounds of the Church to close and meet together Which must not be understood as if men should dissemble their judgement in any truth where there is just cause of expressing themselves for the least truth is Christs and not ours and therefore we are not to take liberty to affirme or deny at our pleasures there is a due in a peny as well as in a pound therefore wee must bee faithfull in the least truth when season calleth for it then our words are like Apples of gold with pictures of silver One word spoken in season will doe more good than a thousand out of season In some cases peace by keeping our faith to our selves is of more consequence than the open discovery of some things we take to be true considering the weaknesse of mans nature is such that there can hardly be a discovery of any difference in opinion without some estrangement of affection So farre as men are not of one minde they will hardly be of one heart except where grace and the peace of God beare great rule in the heart therefore open shew of difference is never good but when it is necessary howsoever some from a desire to bee some body turne into by-waies and yeeld to a spirit of cōtradiction in themselves yet if Saint Paul may bee Iudge Are they not carnall if it bee wisedome it is wisedome from beneath for the wisedome from above as it is pure so it is peaceable Our blessed Saviour when hee was to leave the world what doth hee presse upon his Disciples more than peace and love And in his last prayer with what earnestnesse did he beg of his Father that They might be one as he and the Father were one But what hee prayed for on earth we shall onely enjoy perfectly in heaven Let this make the meditation of that time the more sweet unto us And further to lay open offenders in this kinde what spirit shall we think them to be of that take advantages of the bruisednesse and infirmities of mens spirits to relieve them with false peace for their owne worldly ends A wounded spirit will part with any thing Most of the gainfull points of Popery as confession sasatisfaction merit Purgatory c. spring from hence but they are Physitians of no value or rather tormentors than Physitians at all It is a greater blessing to bee delivered from the sting of these Scorpions then wee are thankfull for Spirituall tyranny is the greatest tyranny and then especially when it is where most mercy should be shewed yet even there some like cruell surgeons delight in making long cures to serve themselves upon the misery of others It bringeth men under a terrible curse When they will not remember to shew mercy but persecute the poore and needy man that they might even slay the broken in heart Likewise to such as raise temporall advantage to thēselves out of the spirituall misery of others join such as raise estates by betraying the Church and are unfaithfull in the trust committed unto them when the children shall cry for the bread of life and there is none to give them bringing thus upon the people of GOD that heavie judgement of a spirituall famine starving CHRIST in his members Shall we so requite so good a Savior who counteth the love and mercie shewed in feeding his Lambs as shewed to himselfe Last of all they carie themselves very unkindly towards CHRIST who ◅umble at this his low stooping unto us in his government and ordinances that are ashamed of the simplicity of the Gospell that count Preaching foolishness They out of the pride of their heart thinke they may do well enough without the helpe of the Word and Sacraments and think CHRIST tooke not state enough upon him and therefore they will mend the matter with their own devises whereby they may give the better content to flesh and blood as in Popery What greater unthankfulnesse can there bee then to dispise any helpe that CHRIST in mercy hath provided for us In the dayes of his flesh the proud Pharisees tooke offence at his familiar conversing with sinfull men who onely did so as a Physitian to heale their soules What defences was Saint Paul driven to make for himselfe for his plainnesse in unfolding the Gospell The more CHRIST in himselfe and in his servants shall descēd to exalt us the more we should with all humility and readinesse entertaine that love and magnifie the goodnesse of GOD that hath put the great worke of our salvation and laid the government upon so gentle a Saviour that will carry himselfe so mildely in all things wherein hee is to deale betwixt GOD and us and us and GOD The lower CHRIST comes downe to us the higher let us lift him up in our harts so will all those doe that have ever found the experience of CHRISTS work in their heart We come to the third part the constant progress of CHRISTS gracious power untill hee hath set up such an absolute government in us which shal prevaile over all corruption It is said here he will cherish his Beginnings of Grace in us untill he bring forth
a Prince of darknesse and ruleth in darkeness of the understanding Therefore he must first be cast out of the understanding by the prevailing of truth and planting it in the soule Those therefore 〈…〉 â—…ledge helpe Sathan and Antichrist whose Kingdome like Satans is a kingdome of darkness to erect their throne Hence it is promised by CHRIST that the holy Ghost shall convince the world of judgment that is that he is resolved to set up a Throne of governmeÌ„t because the great lord of misrule Sathan the Prince of the world is judged by the Gospel and the Spirit accompanying it his impostures are discovered his enterprizes layd open therefore when the Gospel was spred the Oracles ceased Sathan fell frâ—…m heaven like ligâ—…g men were translated out of his Kingdome into Christs Where prevailing is by lyes there discovery is victory they shall proceed no further for their â—…lly shall be manifest to all So that manifestation of error giveth a stop to it for none wil willingly be deceived Let truth have full soope without check or restraint and let sathan his instruments do their worst they shall not prevaile as Ierom saith of the Pelagians in his time The discovery of your opinions is the vanquishing of them your basphemies appeare at the first blush Hence we learne the necessity that the understanding bee principled with supernaturall knowledge for the well managing of a Christian conversation There must bee light to discover a further end then nature for which wee are Christians and a rule sutable directing to that end which is the will of GOD in CHRIST discovering his good pleasure towards us and our duty towards him and in vertue of this discovery we doe all that we doe that any way may further our reckoning the eye must first be single and then the whole body and frame of our conversation will bee light otherwise both we and our course of life are nothing but darknesse The whole conversation of a Christian is nothing else but knowledge digested into will affection and practice If the first 〈◊〉 in the stomach be not good that in the liver cannot be good so if there bee errour in the judgement it marres the whole practice as an error in the foundation doth the building GOD will have no blind sacrifices no unreasonable services but will have us to love him with all our minde that is with our understanding part as well as with all our hearts that is the affecting part of the soule This order of Christs government by judgment is agreeable unto the soule and GOD delighteth to preserve the manner of working peculiar unto man that is to doe what he doth out of judgemente as grace supposeth nature as founded upon it so the frame of grace preserveth the frame of nature in man And therfore Christ bringeth all that is good in the soule through judgment and that so sweetly that many out of a dangerous error thinke that that good which is in them and issueth from them is from theÌ„selves not from the powerfull worke of grace As in evill the devill so subtlely leadeth us according to the streame of our owne nature that men thinke that Sathan had no hand in their sinne but here a mistake is with little perill because wee are il of ourselves the devil doth but promote what ill he findeth in us But there are no seeds of supernaturall goodnesse at all in us GOD findeth nothing in us but enmity onely hee hath ingraven this in our nature to incline in generall to that which we judge to be good Now when he shall cleerly discover what is good in particular wee are caried to it and when convincingly he shal discover that which is ill we abhorre it as freely as we imbraced it before From whence we may know when we worke as we should doe or no that is when we doe what we doe out of inward principles when we fall not upon that which is good only because we are so bred or because such or such whom we respect doe so or because wee will maintaine a side so making religion a faction but out of judgement when what wee doe that is good wee first judge it in our selves so to be and what wee abstaine from that is ill we first judge it to bee ill from an inward judgement A sound Christian as hee injoyeth the better part so hath first made choice of it with Mary he establisheth all his thoughts by counsell GOD indeed useth carnall men to very good service but wthout a thorow altering conviction of their judgements He worketh by them but not in them therefore they doe neither approve the good they doe nor hate the evill they abstaine from The 2 branch is that wheresoever true wisdom and judgement is there Christ sets up his government because where wisedome is it directs us not only to understand but to order our waies aright where Christ by his Spirit as a Prophet teacheth he like wise as a King by his Spirit subdueth the heart to obedience of what is taught This is that teaching which is promised of GOD when not onely the braine but the heart it selfe is taught When men doe not onely know what they should doe but are taught the very doing of it they are not only taught that they should love feare and obey but they are taught love it selfe and feare and obedience it selfe CHRIST sets up his chaire in the very heart and alters the frame of that and makes his subjects good together with teaching of them to bee good Other Princes can make good Lawes but they cannot write them in their peoples hearts This is CHRISTS Prerogative He infuseth into his subjects his owne Spirit upon him there doth not onely rest the spirit of wisedome and understanding but likewise the spirit of the feare of the Lord. The knowledge which wee have of him froÌ„ himselfe is a transforming knowledge The same spirit that inlighteneth the mind inspireth gracious inclinations into the will and affections and infuseth strength into the whole man As a gracious man judgeth as he should so he affecteth and doth as hee judgeth his life is a commentary of his inward man there is a sweet harmony betwixt GODS truth his judgment and his whole conversation The heart of a Christian is like Ierusalem when it was at the best a City compact within it selfe where are set up the thrones of judgement Iudgement should have a throne in the heart of every Christian. Not that judgement alone will work a change there must be grace to alter the bent and sway of the will before it will yeeld to bee wrought upon by the understanding GOD hath so joyned these together as that wheÌ„soeuer he doth savingly shine upon the understanding he giveth a soft and plyable heart for without a worke upon the hart by the Spirit of God it will follow its owne inclination to that which it affecteth
whatsoever the judgement shall say to the contrary there is no connaturall proportion betwixt an unsanctified hart and a sanctified judgment For the heart unaltered will not give leave to the judgement coldly and so berly to conclude what is best as the sick man whilst his aguish distemper corrupteth his taste he is rather desirous to please that then to hearken what the Physitian shall speake judgment hath not power over it selfe where the wil is unsubdued for the will and affections bribe it to give sentence for them when any profit or pleasure shall come in competition with that which the judgement in generall only shall thinke to be good and therefore it is for the most part in the power of the heart what the understanding shall judge and determine in particular things Where grace hath brought the heart under there unruly passions doe not cast such a mist before the understanding but that in particular it seeth that which is best and base respects springing from selfe-love doe not alter the case and byas the judgment into a contrary way but that which is good in it selfe shall be good unto us although it crosse our particular worldly interests The right conceiving of this hath an influence into practice which hath drawne me to a more full explanation this will teach us the right method of godlinesse to begin with judgement and then to begge of GOD together with illumination holy inclinations of our will and affections that so a perfect government may be set up in our hearts and that our knowledge may bee with al judgment that is w th experience and feeling when the judgement of CHRIST is set up in our judgements and thence by the Spirit of CHRIST brought into our hearts then it is in its proper place and throne and untill then truth doth us no good but helpeth to condemne us The life of a◅ Christiā is a regular life he that walketh by the rule of the new creature peace shall be upon him he that despiseth his way loveth to live at large seeking all liberty to the flesh shall dye And it is made good by Saint Paul If we live after the flesh we shall dye VVe learne likewise that men of an ill governed life have no true judgement no wicked man can bee a wise man And that without CHRISTS Spirit the soule is in confusion without beauty and form as all things were in the Chaos before the creatiō The whole soule is out of joynt till it be set in againe by him whose office is to restore all things The baser part of the soule which should bee subject ruleth all and keepeth under that little truth that is in the understanding holding it captive to base affections and Sathan by corruption getteth al the holds of the soule till CHRIST stronger then he commeth and driveth him out and taketh possession of all the powers and parts of soule and body to be weapons of righteousnes to serve him and then new Lords new Lawes CHRIST as a new Conquerour changeth the fundamentall lawes of old Adam and establisheth a government of his owne The second Conclusion is that this government is victorious The reasons are 1 Because CHRIST hath conquered all in his owne person first and hee is GOD over all blessed for evermore and therefore over Sinne Death Hell Sathan the world c. And as he hath overcome them in himselfe so he overcomes them in our hearts and consciences Wee use to say Conscience maketh a man a King or a caitife because it is planted in us to judge for GOD either with us or against us Now if naturall conscience bee so forcible what will it be when besides it owne light it hath the light of divine truth put into it It will undoubtedly prevaile either to make us hold up our heads with boldnesse or abase us beneath our selves If it subject it selfe by grace to CHRISTS truth then it boldly overlookes Death Hell Iudgement and all spirituall enemies because then Christ sets up his Kingdome in the conscience and makes it a kind of Paradise The sharpest conflict which the soule hath is betweene the conscience and GODS Iustice now if the conscience sprinkled with the blood of Christ hath prevailed over assaults fetcht from the justice of GOD as now satisfied by CHRIST it will prevaile over al other opposition whatsoever 2 We are to encounter with accursed and damned enemies therefore if they begin to fall before the spirit in us they shall fall if they rise up againe it is to have the greater fall 3 The spirit of truth to whose tuition CHRIST hath cōmitted his Church and the truth of the spirit which is the Scepter of CHRIST abide for ever therefore the soule begotten by the immortal feed of this spirit and this truth must not onely live for ever but likewise prevaile over all that oppose it for both the word and spirit are mighty in operation and if the ill spirit be never idle in those whom GOD delivereth up to him we cannot thinke that the Holy Spirit will bee idle in those whose leading and government is committed to him No as he dwelleth in them so he will drive out all that rise up against him untill hee be all in all What is spirituall is eternall truth is a beame of CHRISTS Spirit both in it selfe and as it is ingrafted into the soule there fore it and the grace though little wrought by it will prevaile a little thing in the hand of a Gyant will do great matters A little faith strengthned by CHRIST will worke wonders 4 To him that hath shall be given the victory over any corruption or temptation is a pledge of finall victory As Ioshua said when he set his foot upon the five Kings which hee conquered Thus God shall doe with all our enemies heaven is ours already onely we strive till we have full possession 5 CHRIST as King brings in a commanding light into the soule and bowes the necke and softens the Iron sinew of the inner man and where he begins to rule he rules for ever his Kingdome hath no end 6 The end of CHRISTS comming was to destroy the workes of the Devill both for us and in us And the end of the resurrection was as to seale unto us the assurance of his victorie So I to quicken our soules from death in sinne 2 to free our soules from such snares and sorrowes of spirituall death as accompany the guilt of sin 3 to raise them up more comfortable as the Sunne breakes forth more gloriously out of a thick cloud 4 to raise us out of particular slippes and failings stronger 5 to raise us out of all troublesome and darke conditions of this life And 6 at length to raise our bodies out of the dust For the same power that the Spirit shewed in raising CHRIST our Head from the sorrowes of