can God will have the disposing of it in love You see then heavenly Inhabitants you are not this worlds children that the house you must put on is a house from Heaven immortalitie everlasting life 2 Cor. 5. 2. and this is that home the Lord would have you groane earnestly for that you may be cloath'd therewith Fourthly he 's a stranger who ha's double duties and burthens laid upon him because he 's not a peculiar native of that Countrie where hee dwells such are Saints while in the bodie and dwelling here for they have burthens of their owne to beare and they also beare the burthens of other men First of their owne they have that made burthensome to them which is not made so to others to earthlie men sinne is their burthen both the sinnes of themselves and others though God ha's laid the iniquitie of Saints on his Sonne that they shall never be their burthen hereafter and that themselves shall never feele their weight for future yet ha's hee made their weight heavie to them whilest in the bodie My iniquities are gone over my head and are a burthen too heavie for me The good man could not stand under the burthen when the crie of his crime was ascended on high and tells you he ha's no rest in his bones nor soundnesse in his flesh by reason of his sinne That he 's troubled with it and bowed downe greatly that it makes him goe mourning all the day long What though 't is better to feele their pressures here than lie under them in Hell yet in that they are a burthen to Saints here and not to sinners it demonstrates them strangers in this world For men of this world find not sinne ponderous in them they can swallow it downe without any the least dislike checke or curbe given to it But sinners what though you 're incensible now you shall find your sense of feeling hereafter I can guesse at your diseases suffering grieves you more than sinning sinne is your Heaven such as 't is if not what means your complaining and crying out of the one but not of the other Secondly burthens of others the sinne that others feele not because 't is in them as its proper place even that I say makes the Saints know sorrow A righteous soule 's vexed fretted sadded from day to day whilest hee 2 Pet. 1.8 heares sees and observes the unlawfull deeds of men and 't was such a trouble to the Prophet that rivers of waters ran downe his eyes for the breach of the Law viz. abundance of teares shedd he for other mens sinnes whereas alas in this age men are seldome seen to weep for their owne sins Oh England thy people grow in knowledge but not in practise they 're all for speculation Many of thy people know sin but few there are who have a heart to sorrow for sinne I le tell thee thy disease thou art Judgement sad but not sinne sad Joy ha's so much transported some whether headie or heartie let experience speake that there 's little growth of other graces found Faith Love Patience Meeknesse Gentlenesse Mercifulnesse and Brotherlie kindnesse are rarities in these tottering times Ah Lord what will the end of these things be English Atheists must Saints beare your burthen here what then why you shall bear 't your selves hereafter ungratefull hearts you have melting Prophets whose soules weepe in secret places for your pride whose eyes weepe sore and runne down with teares on your behalfe such strangers have burden enough and more then they can beare did not God lay help on one that 's mightie they have burdens of suffering too Both their owne and others the Saints have many reall feares sorrowes sufferings fightings and smitings within which the children of this world feele not many sower morsells and many a bitter cup which others taste not of is not this to be us'd like a stranger what feares of falling cares of standing desires of beleeving living and loving the Lord Jesus are there found in them that are not elsewhere and are there any sorrowes like to theirs Children of this world are safe in the hands of Satan who acts them and workes in them hence they are not disturb'd not molested and tormented by him as Gods children be who can have no rest in the world by reason of him and sinne which is his creature when any rest they take 't is in him whose dwelling is farre above this unworthie station Strangers can hardly live in a strange Land such is the opposition they have from sundrie causes Souldiers of Jesus Christ endure hardship whilest in the Church Militant adde to this the sufferings of others who is weake and 2 Tim. 2. 3. 2 Cor. 11. 29. they are not offended and they burne not afflicted and their bowells yerne not stirre not certainely there 's a sweet nearnesse and blessed dearnesse of affections betwixt united members of Christ's bodie mysticall for their affections doe all runne in one and the same veine a veine of 3 Ep. Ioh 1. 7. truth as those who love in truth knowing truth and for the truths sake When God brought evill on Iâ—m 3. 1. to 25. the Church Jeremiah cries out I am the man that have seen affliction by the rod of his wrath I am brought into darknes he ha's turn'd his hand against me he ha's broken my bones coÌ„pass'd me with gall travel made my chaine heavie ha's shut out my prayer as for the wormwood the gal my soule ha's them still in remembrance with many expressions of like importance And Paul was but one Member of the Church yet there came upon him dayly 2 Cor. 11. 23. the care of all the Churches he bare their burthen as well as his owne and so fulfill'd the Law of Christ The like to Paul is the case of some now Some one Christian takes care for all the Churches surely then these acts so strange to the world must needs prove Saints to be strangers here But whence is it and why do's God serve his sonnes and daughters thus put them into a strange Land Let them live for a time so farre from home whence is it he puts them into the hands of this world which is so unkind a nurse to them and whatsoever else is his we 'l shew you whence 't is that so kind a father puts his children into such an unkind world First that they may see the vast difference which is betwixt earth and Heaven unsanctified ones see no difference betwixt the one and the other all 's alike to them could they live below and know no wants not meet with changes have their hearts desire they would seeke no other Heaven bee content to live below and not above the world for Christ's unsavourie and verie fulsome to such full hearts selfe-sufficient ones who barre out the sufficiences of Christ keepe at a distance from him sensuall selfe-content with seen things and seeing is beleeving
from our flesh and is' t not grieved vexed and resisted also if men goe one step further which is to despight it they have done their worst against it and their owne soules also These are the steps which reach to Hell Take heed you tread not the first of them quench not the Spirit 'T is a verie sad thing to sinne so fowly that if a man sinne 's but one sinne more he fall's finallie next to resisting comes despighting and then how can you bee renewed by Repentauce Is not this to venture the losse of a precious soule desperatelie and to be unkind to the Spirit immenslie than which what is more dismall the Spirit suffers being quenched And then the flesh that suffers being crossed in all its corruptions In the second birth right Regeneration all who are Christ's have their flesh crucified Gal. 5. 4. with the affections passions and lusts proud flesh is beaten downe and Christ's humble Spirit set on high in such a soule love to sinne is the life of sinnne if you loath it 't will die hatred unto it is a wounding of it who knowes not this that knowes Jesus Christ and hates sinne as 't is hatefull and makes hatefull sinne is or should be to Saints more hatefull then all things and to creatures most hurtfull When nothing else is hatefull or can make so in the sight of God Will you mind what one borne of God ha's said 't was this I hate the evill I doe Love of sinne must die when love of Christ will live and be lively lustings after sinne are lessened too if not whollie mortified one of the Lords births though he sinne yet he hungers not after it doe's not thirst to commit it ha's but listlesse desires towards it and troubl'd he is that he doth at all desire such an undesirable thing hee would faine be and doe better then hee is and does though his flesh be crossed and himselfe made to suffer Secondly in naturall birth 's the bearers bowells yerne towards the babe i' th birth least it should prove abortive right glad's the parent to see the child live and doe well her saying's like his is my sonne safe deale gently with 2 Sam. 18.32 5. him for my sake In spiritual births the bearers bowells yerne too the Lords bowells worke towards babes in Christ least they should miscarrie and loath is hee that poore soules should perish die in sinne and be damned Hence those sayings how shall I give thee up how shall I doe this or that against thee God would rather bring up then give up or cast out any soule will you marke his saying in sacred writ 't is this I desire not the death of sinners I had rather they would repent and live turne you turne you Ier. 31. 20. why will you die Is Ephraim my deare sonne is he a pleasant child for since I spake unto him I doe earnestlie remember him still therefore my bowells are troubled doe sound for him I will surely have mercie upon him O! how glad is God when men doe prove good live the life of Christ and prove godlie Christians Thirdly before the naturall birth the babe in the wombe receives not nourishment in an ordinarie way but in an extraordinarie manner not by the mouth but at the navell is cherisht invisibly yet cherish'd it is and doe's well In spirituall births babes in Christ are fed too but 't is mysteriouslie not in an ordinarie way the ordinarie way is praying reading hearing pondering and conferring of the good things of God but before this babe spirituall can tell how to use his mouth how to improve this ordinarie meanes of life so as to take in nourishment by it God by some extraordinarie way breakes invisiblie and sweetlie upon the soule and gives it a taste of his soule-ravishing Joyes inwardly secretlie And yet although he ha's it hee cannot tell you how he came by it how hee tooke it in so strangely was hee ravish'd he feels much but can speake out little of the Lords goodnesse to his owne soule for is' t not the nature of such things to cause joy in the heart more than in the countenance when other things are wont to make onely outwardly cheerfull The wind bloweth where it list's and thou hearest the sound thereof but canst not tell whence it comes nor whether it goes so is everie one that 's borne of the Spirit Is not the way of the Lord with a soule like the way of an Eagle in the aire the way of a Serpent on the rock neither of which you are able to track the way of a ship in the midst of the Sea which you cannot find out so hidden and mysterious are his workings Saints live the life of their Saviour invisiblie not by bread onely Fourthly before naturall birth 's babes in the wombe void not excrements t is the same in this case before that a man 's borne againe comes out of the wombe of sinne death and Hell Though he have the most refined nature yet voids hee not excrementall sinnes filthie defiled and defiling garments he preferres rags before robes that 's his follie Experience speake thou is' t not true Let the dispencers of the Lords sacred mysteries crie out and crie on ne'r so oft if you live in your sinnes you shall die die the death of Devills themselves yet you 'l never part with your excrimentall sinnes till you are come through the straights and felt the pangs of the new birth O! that men were wise and would consider this thing wisely and well who would not long to be borne againe to have a new nature and name and be made like to Christ Fifthly in naturall birth 's Homo epitome mundi vagiens nascitur babes are borne crying as the Philosopher notes In spirituall birth 's babes of Christ are borne crying too Grace in a Christian will doe like grace lead him to the Throne of grace and acquaint him with the God of Grace through Jesus Christ while he 's living he 's crying and praying to the living God and well-spring of everie good Christians when you were first changed had your eyes first opened did you not as well as now you doe hunger after Christ's Communion was it not verie sweet unto you when in all your wants you were carried out unto the God of supplies and was 't not a great ease to your spirits when you could and did poure out your soules before him Babes of Christ when borne doe eccho to their Father crie for crie When Christ cries out Saul Saul the answer is who art thou ô Lord and what wouldest thou have me to doe then Saul of Tarsus Acts 9. must be sent to for behold hee prayes saith Jesus he prayes God saith to his child seeke my face and the child's heart answers thy face Lord will I seeke ther 's like for like Saints love to retaliate with their God would you heare the heartie crie
spirituall out of troubles into peace In the world babes of Christ shall have trouble but in him they shal have peace which passeth Ioh. 16. understanding Now tell me you wise virgins whether Martha or Mary ha's chosen the better part Whether Heavens quietnesse bee not better then earth's cumbrances whether interest in Christ and by that a right title to the creatures bee not better then a portion in the creatures by usurpation without Jesus Christ By the spirituall birth priviledge you inherit all things by the naturall nothing although you possesse something You have seen what the spirituall birth is by its likenesse and vnlikenesse to the naturall wee 'l now shew you how God brings in and brings up returning sinners Thus. First He principles them Secondly acts them Thirdly builds them And fourthly confirmes them First God is said to principle man when by uniting himselfe to the soule by his Spirit he do's invisiblie sow the seeds of all grace in the heart at once grace is called the seed of God Union disposeth for communion communion corroborates union Ioh. 3. 9. 'T is a passive reception of Christ that now I meane that whereby a principle is begotten in the will Christ joynes the meanes and end together so should the godly doe Election vocation Justification Sanctification Humiliation then comes the end which is glorification Secondly Christ acts them drawes out those principles also First his first act is illumination he shines out from Heaven with a cleare light upon the hearts of men and upon their wayes Light was the first thing that appeared in the old Creation and 't is the first that appears in the new Creation also Light Gen. 1. 1. was the first ornament of the world wherewith the Lord decked it as with a garment * Answ and this light is Christ For yee were once darknâ—sse but are now Light in the Psal 104. 2. Eph. 5. 8. Lord Light discovers darknesse Regeneration is a translation from darknesse into light True Converts how like you that his light discovers sinne all the closest secrets of closest hearts and Justice incensed against the sinner Light discovers the unevenesse of a mans way and what it is in the account of Justice it selfe Ioh. 1. 9. This light 's immediate Christ in you the hope of glorie it ha's no meanes of conveyance but acts like it selfe scrutinously the light of this Sunne like the wise mens starre never leaves a soule till 'tas lead it to a Saviour a meanes of escape from all sinnes evill Divine light informs men on whom the Lord hath laid help 2 Cor. 4. 6. even on one that 's mighty and able to save that 's the next act of illumination viz a discovery of the sufficiencies as well as the efficiencies of a Jesus that he 's able to save to the utmost all that come unto God by him and that he can in no wise cast out them that come unto him it brings glad tidings to sad soules sinne may bee mightie but Christ is mightier will subdue it sins may be many but Christ's mercies are more sinnes may be greatlie incensing but Christ is greatlie pleasing unto an offended Majestie and sinners in the Sonne cannot bee displeasing unto the Father he loves light for hee dwells in it this divine light reveales 1 Tim. 6. 16. all Returning sinner why droopest thou Can thy sinne undoe thee when 't is laid on Christ sad soule why weepest thou as one without hope canst thou bee worse then whom God ha's pardoned and Christ ha's purchased cleansed and sav'd Thinke not so least thou sinne against the remedie it selfe Light from Heaven will reveale Christ to thee and thee to thy selfe thou sinking soule thy wants and Christ's supplies shall meet together then doe not distrust of that Secondly Chri'sts second act in man by which hee drawes out his owne principles is humiliation begetting in the subject low thoughts of selfe and all selfes worth shall I tell you what they say sincerelie whom God and Christ by the Spirit ha's humbled 't is this I am a worme and no man I am not worthie to be call'd a sonne make me as a hired servant I am the least of all the Saints yea the least of all thy mercies Oh! that I were but a doore keeper in thy house Christ humbles whom hee will exalt Gods method is first to lay low and after to set aloft yet note you 't is truth in the inward parts he chiefly aimes at some are so graduall in putting upon much that they prove irregular in discouraging little though truth of grace selfe-loathing also for selfe-defilements joynes hands with this grace would you know how Christ humbles breakes the heart kindlie 't is thus by setting himselfe with his wounds open before their eies as peirced by their sinnes I will powre upon my people a spirit of grace and supplication marke that and then they shall looke on him whom they have pierced and mourne for him as one mournes for the losse of a first borne Can you looke on a pierced Zech. 12. 10. Christ you flintie hearts and not be broken pierced your selves if you doe 't is because the Spirit of grace is not poured out upon you When Peter set forth a crucified Christ were not Acts 2 36.37 his hearers pricked at the heart when they beleeved through grace given that they were the verie men the preacher meant Could his lookes fetch teares from Peters eyes and will not his wounds doe the like to others what hinders This is Christ's way to abase men kindlie and who more kindled in love to Christ than such who are so laid low you see his acts and his wayes to effect his blessed will on man Christ ha's his ends too in humbling such as he 'l save we 'l shew what his ends be as briefly as may be First Christ humbles that hee may inhabit he dwells in the highest Heavens with him also that is oâ— a contrite humble and low spirit to revive him And as it is uncomfortable not Isa 57. 15. to dwell in God so in like manner 't is disconsolate not to have a God dwelling in us are not Cities and Kingdomes without Inhabitants verie solitarie even so is a soule without God verie dismall verie uncheerefull Christ's presence is reviving this Christ knowes and thus hee humbles that hee may inhabit make the heart his mantion dwelling place God dwells in highest heavens and lowest soules Secondly Christians are humbled to make them lovely in the sight of the Lord An humble soule is a comelie one meeknesse is a great inward ornament is in the sight of God of great price a 1 Pet. 3. 4. proud heart is void of Christ's comelinesse weares not his robe of graces Consider Do's God prize greatly prize the meeke in heart the quiet in spirit then you that studie to bee esteem'd of him covet to bee humbled by him Thirdly Christ humbles
workings is that a Christ-knowing Christian seeks most after Some are all for heads fulnesse but a right spectatour of Christ covets hearts fulnesse of Christs holy presence hearty motions towards Christ by Christs power savour more with savorie Christians then headie notions of Christ among acutest wits To discourse of Christ is sweet and good but to seed on Christ is much better Christians doe you feed and eat heartily of this bread of God Is it good to you do's it doe good in you answer for your selves you worthies of the world to come Can you say I behold the Lamb of God that takes away my sinnes as well as the sinnes of others that come to the Father by him Can you say with Job be 's my Redeemer with Mary my God Lord and Saviour my Mediatour my Intercessour and Peace-maker now blessed are you then and the eyes that see the things that you see * Lu. 10. 22 23. You are blessed with Christ's owne sweetest lips Who then can curse when Christ do's blesse Care not then for the worst of foes but be strong in the Lord thy strength and thy redeemer Now to insix this principle on your spirits note these things Experience hath a teaching and teachable vertue in it 't is the best teacher as our Proverb runs For First it strengthens memorie can put on record all the breathings movings and workings of Christ towards a Christian's soule 'T is called by Philosophers Multiplex memoria 't is remembrance upon remembrance mercies flowing into the mind of beleevers experience is the matter of multitudes of thoughts * Psal 94. 19. It makes the thoughts of God many in the minds of the good Secondly it strengthens affection too one that hath a heartie tast of the Lord * Psal 34. 8. Christ from experience ha's a heartie love to him Will you heare the voice of experience 't is this O taste and see how good the Lord is such a one 's well affected and affecting also all that follow Christ the warmth Spirit and life of such his kind of speaking is found verie taking in the hearts of sound Disciples and doth discover whence 't is whether 't would and to what it tends Thirdly it rectifies the judgement One that ha's had a through inward sensible and invisible pledge of Jesus Christ his dearest love and nearest communion with his owne soule that man or woman hath right thoughts of Christ and his owne estate also for the thoughts of the righteous are right * Prov. 12.5 And hence and onely hence 't is that he speak's right words of Christ Job's friends had not Jobs experience were not so much acquainted with God and the nature of his dealings with himselfe and his and what followes God saith they spake not right things of him as did his servant Job * Job 42. 7. All other sorts of sayings of men concerning Christ are the speakings out of a mans selfe more than God Fourthly it strengthens the will to elect Christ and Christ's things One that hath drawne water out of this well of Salvation with the well's owne bucket and ha's drunck a hearty draught of the water of life his will to speake out Christ and his goodnesse goes beyond his power And sad he is with Paul that hee cannot doe the good hee would I speake of one that hath drawne good from Christ with Christ's owne abilities ha's received him in his owne manner suffer'd him to abide in him according to his owne order And now marke well the evill of the contrary state by what a man ha's when he wants experience First 't will be but a borrowed light sight and apprehension that you 'l be proved to have used and the evill of that 's very great in these respects First 't will be your sinne for you are bound to use and improve your owne talents not to build upon another's foundation * a snare which to Rom. 15. 20. the Apostles comfort hee did escape Secondly 't will be your shame you account it a disgrace and are ashamed to be seen on this day in borrowed garments but 't will be greater cause of shame at the last day to be found cloath'd with no better perfections then the borrowed parts and acquired arts of others to have no knowledge of Christ but what is traditionall taken in from creatures like your selves What a great shame and unspeakable blushing will it cause in you then when you shall bee strip't of all your borrowed garments and shall seeme as you are there who would not be as you seem'd here Thirdly 't will bee your Judgement you Mat. 25. 24. 31. shall be judg'd for not using your owne gifts and that in a right manner Wee have a true Proverb every man shall answer for his owne sinnes and 't is as true that every man shall answer for not using his owne graces Every one shall give account of himselfe to God * saith the Scriptures of Rom. 14. 12. himselfe and his owne experiences in the Kingdome of grace Fourthly 't will be your losse you have no more then you use and so use 't is even so with us all we enjoy no more then wee doe experimentally imploy What good wilt be to me to discourse plausibly of a rich mans treasure when the meanesse of my being course of living plainly speaks 't is none of my owne and what good will all thy parts and portion doe thee when thou shalt die of this disease non-experimentall acquaintance with Christ who will know you then as little as you know him The losse will be of these things First losse of time time might be better spent relating to a mans owne benefit and respecting that Secondly losse of labour the Apostle was what hee was by the grace of God which was in him and tells you that grace was not given him in 1 Cor. 15. 10. vaine g 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 'T was not made voyd 't was not lost labour May we not truly say of experimentall sight of Christ as Job did to his friends of speaking out the truth O! how forcible are right Iob. 6. 25. words and we say too O! how forcible is a right sight of Christ Thirdly to see Christ is to see Christ as a man is seen of Christ and for the same reason to the same end 't is to know as you are knowne and to apprehend that for which also you are apprehended of Phil. 3. 12. Christ Jesus h Or rather 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If I may comprehend that for which I am comprehended First Christ sees all the turnings and windings and secrets of his peoples hearts all the first rises motions and conceptions of things within their secret parts There 's nothing in his hid from him so shall Christians see and know Christ one day and that for ever see all he is and ha's what thoughts hee ha's had of them from the beginning what
a world of love ha's been and is stor'd up in his blessed brest for them they shall see the perfection of all his mercies and compassions towards them and in the Sonne you shall see the Father and how little cause you have had in this world to say will God be mercifull no more ha's he forgotten to be gracious ha's he shut up his loving kindnesse in displeasure how little reason can bee render'd for such despaire there 's nothing in God and Christ that 's communicable to the creature which shall bee hid from thee thou precious child of a precious Father thou shalt know as thou art knowne this is to see Christ cleerely this is a glorious vision but 't is not had till you have entered the heavenly Canaan Secondly Christ lookes on a poore Soule that he may fall in love with it Christians how doe you serve Christ doe you set your eyes hearts and hands on Jesus Christ that you may shew your love to him lay fast hold on him and with Jacob not let him stirre from you till hee ha's blessed you with right-hand favours How stands your hearts towards Christ Are you well affected towards him do's looking breed liking and liking longing in your brests and spirits after much of him Let me tell you if your sight be right which you have of him 't will serve you so the more you see him the better you like and long for his societie And now distressed soules whom sinne and the Serpent ha's stung behold a Jesus looke up to the author of grace and healing what will you die in your sinnes and be damned for ever rather then that the Lord Christ should worke his will upon you pluck your sins from you which are as your right hands and eyes unto you are you good at burning have mercie on your selves and precious soules and mind these things i For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 First all heires of everlasting life longed to see Christ before their deaths and had their desires What made old Simeon desire to depart this world in peace but this He had seen Christ as well by faith as sense What put Paul into his two great straights a loathnesse to die and a loathnesse to live a desire to die and a desire not to die but this Hee had seen much of Christ Me thinkes I should heare you say of Christ as Jacob of his Joseph 't is enough my sonne 's yet alive Gon. 45. ult I 'le goe and see him before I die Seekers of Christ what thoughts have you what words fall from you concerning this thing your Saviour's alive will live for ever and doe not you long to see him before you die If not your graves will be Sepulchres both to you and your comforts and you 'l lie downe in sorrow And prophane soules Let me tell you from the Lord 't is a miserable thing to see death before you have seen Jesus Christ To die Christlesse is to die a Godlesse gracelesse and heaven lesse wretch to make a worse end than bruits Unsanctified soules where is the sounding of your owne bowells for your owne welfare do's not thy heart quake and all thy parts shake to thinke of the slighting of a Jesus and of trampling under foot his most precious bloud It had been better for thee thou hadst ne'r had being then not to have a well being in the Lord Christ Will you heare the language of a Christlesse man at the Judgement-day 't is this Mountaines and rocks fall upon me and hide me from the face of him that sits upon the Throne and from the wrath of the Lamb. All such mens Joyes have a mar-mirth with them when such an one dies all dies with him his sinne being excepted which shall ever live in the memorie of the Lord of Hosts and give life to the parties owne miserie Secondly your necessitie call's for it k Ingens telum nâ—cessitas Liv. O quantum cogit egestas you must mind him for you want him necessitie is made a cause of minding somethings Christ tells of some that would not sup with him would not come at him and what thinke yee was the cause one had purchased ground and he must see to it Another had bought cattell and hee Lu. 14 18 20. must prove them A third had married a wife and hee could not come would be excused for necessitie made them all doe it Alas poore soules is it a fault to own a Christ accept of a Jesus a Saviour Is it an offence in your esteeme so to doe that ye would be excused for it Or is it a burthen that you beg to bee excused from it the Lord lay no other burthen on my owne soule then Jesus Christ his yoake and fellowship with my spirit But who can read without remorse of heart and moistned eyes the returne that Christ made to those unworthie persons and their unworthie sayings Not one of them Ver. 24. shall taste of my Supper Tender hearts do'st not trouble you to see faithlesse men so much their owne foes as not to taste of Christ's Supper And incorrigible sinners Doe you know and feele the weight of this censure sentence 't is not to eat of the tree of life which is in the midst of the Paradise of God 't is not to have the least mouthfull of hidden Manna not to have any thing to doe with the bread of God and food of soules 't is to have all wants and no supplies to be wretched poore blind and naked and yet not in the way to receive one mercie See you not what 't is then to supply the wants of an outward man by increasing the wants of an inward Does necessitie cause an abounding man to have a worldly mind ô what necessities like those of the soule what wants are more piercing distressing and vexing then inward wants I tell thee no mortall wants ought so much as immortallitie you have need of him for Wisdome righteousnesse Sanctification and Redemption that in all your services hee may pray in you pray and plead for you to your heavenly Father worke in you and worke for you his owne blessed will and worke and to present you and what 's yours blamelesse before his Fathers presence in life death and at the Judgement day Consider Doe not stormes drive men into a harbour and doe not Warres constraine men into strong Castles and holds oh then Let wants drive thee unto a Christ and let him drowne thy selfe in himselfe who 's the ocean of supplies Thirdly a right sight of Christ gives a right sight of selfe and selfes estate men ne'r see themselves so well as when they most see Jesus Christ Christians You may see in Christ what you have been are and shall be What you have been First what excellent creatures yee were when yee stood in your first Parents how exquisite that righteousnesse and holinesse was in which you were first made after the Lords owne
man and his comforts up then meanes is used that the soule be car'd for too that all cutting cares be cast on God for hee cares for his owne while Satan tempts to despaire another while he tempts men to presume this makes worke for grace do's not weaken but strengthen grace for vertue gets strength by wounds Adde to this pride vaine Virescit vulnere virtus glorie hearts hypocrisie formalitie sensualitie incredulitie infidelitie deadnesse of heart dulnesse in divine services frowardnesse untowardnesse unwatchfulnesse coldnesse in affections weaknesse in desires after Christ badnesse of memorie mispending mercies time talents wantonnesse abuses of Christ's love breach of bonds and Covenants relapses recidivations and the like Secondly by infusing strength sutable to oppositions some like Pharaoh's task-masters require much worke but give no abilities thereunto but Christ is no such Master if hee laies burdens on a soule he gives a heart and parts able to sustaine it Which of his servants did e're come into great straights who had not great helpes Some have slept on the cold ground and were healthfull when in publick employments for Christ whereas being wearied in their owne personall employments though they have reposed themselves on beds of downe been well fedd and warmely clad yet could they not have health and lifes vigour in them Christminding Christians have said it and ha's not he promised to lay no more on you then you are able to beare is not this a specimen that he 's a mercifull Master if afflictions bee many which surprize the Saints strength shall bee given either of bodie or mind to uphold them When the Lord foresaw that Paul should be troubled and much opposed in Acaiah be accused before Gallio Acts 18. 14. how thinke yee hee was enabled for the encounter 't was thus the Lord Christ appear'd to him in a vision saying Bee not afraid but speake and hold â—ot thy peace ver 9 10. for I am with thee and no man shall set on thee to hurt thee hee had great tryalls but hee had great strength the strength of God was with him the arme of God wrought deliverance for him In all afflictions God observes a meane is never in the extreame hee ha's said he 'l correct in measure yet will not leave men altogether Jer. 30. 11. unpunish'd he has a rodde and hee ha's a staffe as David speakes yet so pitifull is he that Psal 23. he 'l not cudgell a weakely child for that were to breake his bones because he is tender and a switch or rod may suffice O soule consider thy Saviour can tell how much thou smart'st under everie twigge he layes upon thee and how much thy heart breakes under everie blow receiv'd from him then consider would'st thou in patience possesse thy soule and selfe under all thy sufferings thy abilities and difficulties are with thee in measure given thee by measure And moreover what though sinne bee a grace-weakning vice yet if grace be afforded in proportion sinne shall perish when grace will flourish so well workes God in the soules of his servants and upon their spirits Is not this to bee built up and that upon the rock Jesus Christ who 's a ne'r failing firme foundation t is to grow according to the measure of the stature of Christ 'T is a causing of his to live onely upon himselfe and his glorious Father to live above all things even those things which would be above them and keep them under Shall I tell you yee disconsolate soules what Christ first or last will cause you to live above They 're such things as these First Christ helps his to live above corruptions would you know how 't is thus by giving soules a sight of pardoning promises as well as a sense of incensing sins and imperfect services Some pore too little others so much upon their sinnes that they have scarce a heart to ponder their Saviour or any of his sweetest sayings are listlesse lovers of the Lord Jesus Sad Soules let me tell you your sinnes doe keep you under Discouragements with feares and distrust have surpriz'd you got above you and will not this thing if allowed of make you goe drooping stooping mourning to your graves what 's of more force to kindle discomfort within your brests God would have men bee sensible of sinne stand and goe under it as under a heavie burthen but shall sense of sinne bee such as that it should hinder from the sight of the Lamb who is the meanes of escape from its evill staine filth guilt and power God forbid Secondly Christ cause's his to live above temptation and that 's thus When they in the time of greatest temptation being assaulted are made to reassault Satan and stand or else if they doe fall makes them fight even falling with their weapons in their hands when though they are slaughtered foiled and doe fall yet they cannot be overcome As hee said of persecuted Christians * Occidi poterant vinci non poterant Cyprian Deo duce non potest esse dubius belli eventus Eraz. Mar. And can the event of that fight be doubfull where the Lord is the Leader I trow not Christ makes Christians doe like himselfe in such à case retort back the Serpents owne subtill arguments to him againe When Satan alleadged Scripture to allure Christ to sinne hee alleadges Scipture to prove he should not tempt the Lord God but serve him Mat. 4. 6 7 8 9 10. so when Satan censures a soule to his face which is more even to before the face of God should he doe Do's the Tempter suggest unto thee Thou art a cast-away art wicked and therefore thy selfe and services are an abomination to the Lord that many better than thy selfe are in Hell that thou art an hypocrite doest but dissemble wilt fall away come to nothing hast sinn'd against the Holy Ghost and that thy day of grace is past 't is sweet to replie as he who art thou that condemnest 't is a Christ that died yea rather that 's risen againe who is ever at the right hand of God who also makes intercession for us Therefore Satan get thee hence for thou savourest not the things which be of God and thou should'st not thus tempt the servants of Christ who are one with him as 't were bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh and much more Thus not to give place to temptation is to overcome it and live above it 't is to bee firmely built upon the rock of ages Jesus Christ Thirdly Christ in building helps some to live above gracious evidences and that after this manner working the soule to a close with and dependance upon an absolute promise when the glorie of an evidence from the conditionall promise is eclips'd Ther 's a time when some of Gods deare children stagger betwixt the promises and conditionall performances Gracious spirits you can tell that this is your very case Alas for
of time keep some under makes them sad till Christ confirmes them and makes them glad Persevering grace thou art a Jewell and happie is that soule that ha's thee and holds out to the end HEB. 11. 13 14 15 16. And they confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a Countrie And truely if they had been mindfull of that Countrey from whence they came out they might have had opportunity to have returned But now they desire a better Countrie c. CHAP. III. Of the Saints perigrination in this evill world HEavenly minds whilest ranging through an earthlie Region are farre from their heavenly home this world 's a strange Countrie to the worthies of the other Dayes on earth are but dayes of pilgrimage to heires of Heaven and few and evill are all of them the wise in heart covet to escape the foolish snare of placing soules rest and happinesse in earthly contentments loath are they that full Barnes faire structures goods heap'd up for many yeares should keep them out of their owne Countrie the Canaan above for this were to dwell in a strange land for ever or else in some worseplace Citizens of Heaven are strangers here We'lshew you first what it is to bee a stranger Secondly whence it is Thirdly the use you are to make of it FIrst 't is to bee there where a man 's out of his proper place as a fish on the drie Land and this is the case of all Saints under the Sunne when a man ha's holinesse Heaven 's his home he may seeke the things of this world yea great things but not for himselfe for God ha's said seeke them not he 's to bee for Christ as well as to doe for him and to seeke things which are above where Christ sits at the right hand of God hee may use this world but it must bee so as Col. 3. 1. though he us'd it not holy hearts you may love things below in measure putting bounds to your love but you may not set your affections fix them upon these things lodge them in and on these things here When you 'r about to set them saith the Apostle set them on things which are above and why ver 2 3. for your life is hid with Christ in God speake out you Denizens of Heaven Doe not you survive in Christ dwell in him Is this world your owne and onely home will you heare what other strangers have said that did precede you 't was this our conversation is in Heaven You Phil. 3. 20. Saints and servants of the most High when you dwell much in and upon the world you doe not like your selfes refin'd but like your selves depraved not like strangers in the earth and sojourners in the world but like great housholders lasting earthlie inhabitants Secondly He 's a stranger who lives under the dominion of a strange King the children of this world live under the reigne of the God of this world who ha's blinded their eyes and hardned their hearts so as that they are waxen fat and full as though they lack'd nothing if not what meanes their subjection laying downe of their necks to the yoak of the Lawes customes fancies and fashions of this world what 's the reason they follow the multitude to sinne and drinke in iniquitie as the fish do's water Is' t not hence they 're under the rule and Regiment of the Prince that rules in the aire and workes in the children of disobedience Prophane soules do's not this speake you strangers in Heaven and unto the life of holinesse without God in the world What can you say for your selves and what reason can you give why that sentence of the Judge should not passe upon you which is if you amend not you shall not enter into his rest and making excuses to keep your selves from Christ shall not taste of his Supper eat of his dainties are your actions a captivation of your selves and affections to Christ or Satan sinne and the flesh who are Antichrists Consider it sadlie for your case is put seriouslie as to the businesse in hand Now the worthies of the world to come are strangers in this land for this verie reason they have another King are the subjects of another Kingdome and are guided rul'd and govern'd by the Lawes and customes of that Countrie which is above whence they come and to which place at the end of their travailes and the travailes of their soules they shall returne Beleevers you are or should be govern'd by the Law of the Spirit of life a Law of love an inwritten Principle receiv'd from Father Sonne and Spirit so that were it possible you should not know the Law Morall yet would you not be as Paul speaks Rom. 2. 14. of some justly a Law unto your selves would not grace command you and the divine nature constraine you into a dutifull frame doe not dutifull children love to doe duties to their Parents Not to bee and doe like sonnes is to force an abdication from the Father what could Heathens having no Law doe the things contain'd in the Law and that by nature and shall Christians doe lesse with grace which do's so much excell the most refined nature The Apostle affirmes they had an inwritten principle viz. the worke of the Law written in their hearts so Christ's familiars make report doe not your soules long to bee subject unto Christ are not you under his Dominion if so that proves you blessed pilgrims and strangers here Thirdly he 's stranger-like Ad placitum Principis who lives in a land or leaves it onely at the pleasure of the Prince such strangers are Saints here when God the King of Saints pleaseth their beings must receive their periods God hath put bounds to earthlie beings and 't is from the good pleasure of his will to Christ's co-heires Strangers to Heaven as well as strangers on earth have bounded Object beings too But 't is not pleasure 't is displeasure Answ from God to them such forbearance is an effect of wrath not of love 't is but his willingnesse to shew his wrath and make his power knowne that hee endures with much long suffering the Rom. 9. 22. vessells of wrath fitted to destruction saith the Apostle What though all things come alike to all as the wise man speakes and that there is one event to the Righteous and to the wicked yet ther 's Eccles 9. 2. Gods good will appearing to the one whilest his ill will breakes forth in the events of the other the good man ha's peace in his end whilest ther 's no peace to the wicked saith my God but they are like to the raging seas which cast up mire and dirt Saints are here at the good pleasure of their Prince and therefore stranger-like on earth so also is their substance with them at the good pleasure of his will get what they
soule his restitution to his ancient or a better discent his re-estating in the possession of God and the societie of Angels than all the honours pleasures and treasures of this glittering delighting and advancing world hence hee indeavours to rid himselfe from such feculent matters here and out of the greatnesse and goodnesse of his Spirit with the noblenesse of his divine disposition is altogether ambitious of the presence of the Lamb and immutable good things Strangers on earth can tell you the truth of this Relation and you Denizens of Heaven tell me ha's not God wrought your heart to this frame if he ha's not he will doe it first or last for the Citizens of Heaven set not much by the best things on earth when they are themselves and act like their Saviour Secondly a stranger on earth is knowne by his Language thou art a Galilean for thy speech bewrayes Mat. 26. 73. Mark 14.70 thee Or as another Evangelist thy speech agrees thereunto so one who 's a Citizen of Heaven is knowne by his speech hee speakes a language different from the worlds natives the Scriptures tell you of a sound speech which cannot be condemned that 's the language of Heaven and all its Natives whereas the children of this world have a putid unfound rotten language such as the holy Lord cannot owne but will call to account for everie idle Col. 4. 6. word that 's spoken by them hence the Apostle moves the Church of the Collossians to speake like Christ words with grace season'd as with salt that have the savour of God in them and in the new Covenant the Lord bound himselfe to give to his children a pure language that they might call on the Zep. 3. 9. name of the Lord with one consent What 's all this but to shew that he would have them differ from other people be knowne by their speech a Christian should bee knowne by his discourse in all societies what though sinners can speake the language of Saints yet Saints should not speake the language of sinners will you heare how these spake who are now in Heaven 't was thus as they were allowed of God not as they who please men but God which approveth 1 Thess 2. 4. the heart and can the heart be good when the speech is bad the Scripture saith nay and in this the worlds Proverb may convince it viz. As is the man such is his speech uncleane speakers a word to you your speech bewraies you too shewes you are earthlie men have earthly minds for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speakes What will you doe in the day of inquisition for sinne the great and terrible day of the Lord Dare you use uncleane speech then before the spotlesse Lambe of God and Judge of quick and dead if so use it now if not shun it that Christ may give you a discharge from that and all other your sinnes Thirdly a strangers mind and motion 's homeward he may be where hee lacks nothing is well accommodated ha's many friends and more pleasures yet still his heart 's at home his mind 's carried thither and all his motion 's that way for home's homely as we say 't is even so with men of the high Countrey whilest in this low Region Paul tells you hee pressed forward after the marke he was in the world and injoyed enough for a stranger too but yet his mind was with Christ and in Heaven his owne Countrie his motion was that way also and was 't not his good opinion of his heavenly home that caused those words to fall from him I desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ And why for 't is best of all I have Christ while I live but when I die I shall have gaine what motive more strong to provoke to longings after heavenly mansions Children of God hie you home for the night drawes on and the posting Sunne of worldly Joyes treasures and pleasures is almost set let the Lord then trie your hearts and search your reines in this respect for if you bee strangers 't will thus be knowne aske your hearts this question whither and to what place or end doe all my actions and motions tend when you draw nigh to God querie thus what doe I approach his holy presence for is' t to put on my house from Heaven is' t that my love may be lessened to my earthly Tabernacle say to thy soule in the night season where have I been what have I done this by past day and to what end did my being and doing tend some mens paines cares and feares tend to intomb them in the world burie them in the earth these are not strangers here are not in a strange land Earthlie soules and sensuall Looke about you and consider your estate for heavenlie ones are lost in God drown'd in Christ Heaven 's their home Fourthly strangers in a strange land content themselves onely with things needfull as they passe through the land of their pilgrimage aspire not after any great matters If they mind their home sincerely is' t not as true of such who are Citizens of Heaven a little contents them when they are themselves Paul had learned what ever his condition was therewith to be contented and why 't was because he was a stranger and his hope of the things of this world was very little So honest hearted Israel desir'd but food rayment and then promised the Lord should bee his God so Abraham was content to dwell in Tents who might have had statelie Heb. 11.9 10. structures to shew hee was in a strange Countrie and looked for a Citie which ha's foundations whose maker and builder is God and me thinkes I should heare all sayings of Saints about outward things to hold harmonie with that of Agur Lord give Prov. 29.8 9. me neither povertie nor riches but seed mee with food convenient and on the same ground he had left you be full and denie him which 't is a thousand to one you 'l doe and then say who 's the Lord or being poore steale and so take the name of your God in vaine adde to these two things more to cause content in strangers First fulnesse is onely at your owne home if you looke for 't here you doe but beat the aire for it ha's pleased the Father that all fulnesse should dwell in Christ now when you are at your Fathers house and have Christ in your armes you may say you 're full have bread enough but ne'r till then do's not the wise man tell you that all 's vanitie under the Sunne viz vacuitie emptinesse and lightnesse it ha's left the creature as wee said before you must bee above the naturall Sunne before you can espie or take in a spirituall fulnesse and is' t not better to have it there where you may hold it Lay these things among your cutting cares and carefull thoughts and then you shall find those
chiefest good 'T is not to have the least influence of heat and life from the least Ray of that Sun-like resplendent bodie of Christ not to have one glance of its glorie not to have one taste of those overflowing rivers of pleasures not to have one glimpse of that inaccessable light and Jehovah's glorie What shall I say the losse is And how shall I esteem it Surely none but one who ha's been in Heaven heard and seen what 's there can tell you what it is to bee shut out thence Paul could and did doe something this way having had in a rapture a little glimpse of that infinite glory And having drunke a small drop of those ever springing fountaines of matchlesse Joy and Peace Hence was he brought to call the most excellent things of this life and the knowledge of them but drosse and dung yea even dogs meat in comparison of those things above Oh how sweet how comfortable how refreshing are the surpassing rarities of Heaven Honest soules doe not your hearts burn within you when you thinke on them discourse on them and read of them even burne with love to them Sure I am whate're you thinke of these things and whatsoever the worke is that they make upon your spirits that the losse of them will be bitter And I seriously acknowledge through Gods goodnesse I count nothing gaine in respect of them when I am my selfe and compare the best of other things with them Oh paine of losse thou peircest the verie heart soule and inward parts dost wound deeply The paine of sence is but as a scar in the flesh to this for this cuts the verie heart in peeces breakes it to shivers Doe you not see this confirm'd by common experience oh how do's it fret vex and disquiet men to loose good bargaines on earth when a man do's but let slip an opportunitie of taking a good peniworth of commodities when it ha's been offer'd How do's hee upbraid himselfe with his negligence failing and folly There are some cannot get such a fault out of their minds along time especially if the gaine that would have come that way was such as that it would have made them rich men as long as they liv'd after Aye but what 's that bargain purchase or prize to this that may be lost in a moment at the best it lasts not long for life it selfe is but short with all the accommodations of it but I must needs tell all intelligent hearts ther 's enough in God to make you rich for ever and if he makes a bargain with you gives himself for your selves he 'l warrant his commoditie to last for ever and to serve for everie turne Heaven is meat drinke and cloathing health libertie and harbouring unto all that are seated there You see then by this what it is that imbitters death and the change to some this last ha's most gall and wormewood in 't namely the pain of losse which Christs sensible servants ne're sustaine Finally unto you who are the redeemed of the Lords Christ be these things spoken Feare not but desire to see this day your last and best even the last and best of all your changes Consider First the day of your change is the Lords pay-day everie labourer in the Lords vineyard shall then receive his peny everie prayer shall then have its answer Everie hungring and thirsting soule shall then bee filled shall ne'r hunger nor thirst more Everie sigh groane and the teares that have fallen from the eyes of Saints in secret or else where shall have their fruit even the quiet fruits of righteousnesse which were sowne in peace many yeares before And then all teares shall be wiped off from all faces of Saints yea even everie grace shall then be glorious Moses did and suffer'd much when he did but eye the reward what then shall wee be suffer and doe when wee receive it Then 't will goe well with the righteous no mans latter end will be like theirs First the soule will bee in its prime then for whilest it is in a corruptible bodie it is so ruled by senses and is so fiercely carried on by sensuall appetites that it 's compelled to give way to the bodie and cannot follow the light either of nature or Reason Hence the truth is withheld in unrighteousnesse and the soule cannot act like her selfe like a Spirit whose nature is to sore aloft towards the place whence she came Now till then the soul is made a servant and cannot looke out at the eyes but 't will bee infected nor heare by the eares but 't will bee distracted nor smell at the nostrills and not be tainted taste by the tongue and not be allured or touch by the hand and not bee defiled And everie sense on everie occasion temptation is ready to betray the soule untill the bodie is changed and made glorious Who then that 's wise will not long for his approaching decease that he may enter the Celestiall Paradise to exchange his brasse for gold his vanitie for felicitie vilenesse for honour bondage for freedome a lease of life temporall for an inheritance of life immortall Sith that to live here is to die for how much wee live so much wee die everie step of life is a step towards death and he that ha's liv'd the halfe of his dayes is dead the halfe of himselfe Death gets first our Infancie then our youth and so forward and certainly as long as we have lived so long we have died But 't is very grievous and irkesome Objection to mee to thinke of the taking asunder of soule and bodie Might they goe together as Enoch's did the change would bee more comfortable They are put asunder but for a time after which the 'l bee united Answer for ever Besides the union of the soule with Christ remaines in full force still as the Hypostaticall did when his bodie lay in the grave The Lords presence is with the bodie in the dust as much as the soule is in Heaven with God and in his presence God told Jacob hee would goe downe with him into Egipt and on 46. 4. also surely bring him up againe But Jacob was dead ere hee was brought up againe Therefore he carried up his carcase out of Egypt not his soule and so fulfilled his blessed Promise Saints why care you so much for the carcase why feare you to let it lie in the dust and to bee turned into its owne materialls ther 's not a bone nerve or sinew of the whole shall be lost he keeps all the bones of the Righteous saith the Psalm 34. 20. Prophet And ha's not Christ told you that the haires of your heads are numbred He has told them one by one and certainely in the Resurrection though you may have more in order to perfection yet you shall not have lesse Is not this comfortable Do's it not warme you at the heart and refresh you to see how you are car'd for