as they come from God and are carried to God Some apprehensions arise from Satan and his temptations these often worke strongly but run the soule still against some truth and off some duty That truth which is jassel'd against must discover such apprehension to bee temptation and set the soule in againe A man must fight against apprehension as it fights against Gods Will and takes us off from our duty A man must not make apprehension from fiction as some tempted soules are taken up this way but from reall words or works of God these are onely of sanctifying power upon the spirit And yet these which rise well must be kept up well or else these will be powerlesse too A man much in apprehension must bee much in Prayer things will die else in the braine as they ly and derive no influence downe upon the heart God must heare much of what we see or else our vision will not be glorious taking fiilling and leading the heart Divine apprehensions are Gods joggings of man and man must jogge God againe often to understand them well and to use them well to know fully what God would to us in them and what we should be to him by them Apprehensions come in confused and are shap'd and made plaine by Prayer as they come from God they are ofttimes above us as carried back againe to God by Prayer they are made plaine and easie to us and very effectuall upon us I judge these things very sweete to some of you but I doubt they are very uselesse to many they doe so little lay their Eye or Eare to Gods Word or Worke so little busie apprehension about any thing that is Divine Apprehension workes much I believe this yeare but I doubt not very Divinely if it did surely we should see better hearts and lives then we doe FINIS USEFULL INSTRVCTIONS FOR THESE Evill Times COLOSS. 1.11 Glorious power c or power of his Glory IT may be I may prosecute this expressiō both ways as you have it rendered and as 't is in the Originall As you read it 't is rather interpretation then translation Word for word as 't is in the Originall is according to the strength or force of his glory which is a propriety of speaking in the primitive language where they would expresse a glorious thing to expresse that by a substantive which wee doe by an adjective the power of his glory for glorious power Like to this is that expression 2 Thess 1.9 Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power that is from his glorious power as we speak In my Text power is put first according to the power of his glory but in that Text fore-cited glory is put first from the glory of his power both note one thing to wit a glorious power Power is called glorious when it doth glorious things within or without therfore are these expressions here made Relata strengthened with all might according to his glorious power When a Christian is made almighty then is power made all glorious glorious power knowen so and called so Thus doth Moses and other servants of the Lord call power glorious when it was extended to doe glorious things The right Hand of the Lord is become glorious in power saith he in his Song when God had drowned the Aegiptians Ex. 15.6 Thy right hand hath dashed in pieces the Enemy Doct. Having spoken this to explaine I would speake this to stand on That wee are to admire and call Divine power as it workes When it does great things almighty things glorious workes in the World in our hearts then are we to call it answerably as the Holy Ghost doth here glorious power Strengthened with all might according to his glorious power All out-goings of God should bee call'd and nam'd as wee finde God in them Christ the great chanell of all in which God goes forth into the World power wisdome mercy of God and the like is named according to what of God was in him and to be declared by him And his name shall be called wonderfull the mighty God the everlasting Father the Prince of Peace As Divine power mercy or the like workes in any person or by any person so should it be called mighty wonderfull glorious everlasting c. Thus doth the Psalmist his worke is honorable and glorious The works of the Lord are great say's he in the vers foregoing and then in this verse he calles it honourable and glorious Psal 111.2.3 As power workes so 't is to be called as wisdome workes so is it to be called his understanding is infinite saith the Psalmist speaking of the wisdom of God Ps 147.5 As Christ goes in this World so we are to talke of his going as he rides in this World so wee are also to talke of that If Christ ride in triumph we are triumphantly to speake of him wee are to call him Hosanna in the highest when hee shewes himselfe highest * When he rides upon Asses and rules asses when he shewes an over-ruling power over the unruliest things we are answerably to cal him and his power which so Worke. If he take and shew the state and power of a King a glorious King we are to give him royall and glorious titles we are to name him still in word as he names himselfe indeed we are to Christen Christ as we finde him to name power as we finde it love as we finde it c. We are to extoll him that rideth upon the Clouds that is we are to lift up him that lifteth up himselfe wee are to set him in the Clouds which hath set himselfe there we are to set up God in words as he sets up himselfe in deeds to set up him above all which sets himselfe above all to call him almighty which does almightily to cal power glorious which doth gloriously according to his glorious power c. 1 Love leades to this Justice 2. bindes to this to give to God that which is due to his Name to give to power that which is due to power to put titles suitable to state Give unto the Lord the glory due to his name saith the Psalmist that is to admire and call power as it is and as it does in Christians and for Christians to call power glorious is but due when it does glorious things the Apostle so apprehended that when he spake of power as working at such an height at an almighty height for the carrying the soule thorough the worst that might come that he was bound to call it glorious power Vaine man would be wise though he be as the wild Asse Colt said he to Job that is he would be accounted wise and called wise though a foole though of no more wisdome then an Asse then an Asse Colt the silliest of Asses vaine man would be accounted that which hee is not and have more then his due to
upon affection p. 61. Apprehension is plac'd sentinell p. 62. The daÌ„ger of soule-powers mis-working p. 63 How apprehension comes to worke Divinely upon affection p. 67. 68. c. We are to call divine power as it works p. 73 Sinners will not doe so when power workes against them p. 76. How divine power hath wrought in the hearts and hands of Christians in England to be admired p. 80. 81. Divine things so mentioned as to make best impression upon the soule p 84. God speaks as one in Heaven to make us heare so p. 90. Soules not stirr'd by the word dead p. 91. The funerall of the dead rung p. 93. 94. Accents Aspirations of truth must have their place in the heart p. 97. The goodnesse of the heart is as the word makes full impression p. 98. Christ hath a glorious dominion in dying man p. 103. Things which give being give beauty and being ibid. Power workes in order to majesty p. 106. In order to its own absolute nature p. 108. Much communicable many have nothing this pitifull p. 109. Glorious power how miserable t will make a sinner when set against him p. 113. 114. What hinders power from working gloriously in the soule p. 117. Love admired that makes two Heavens p. 122. 123. Patience defined p. 126. What patience does presuppose p. 132. 133. How much patience is now needed in England p. 136 137. Principles of Patience suited to Englands state p. 139 140. c. What all Patience is p. 150. 151 c. Persons exhorted to examine their patience to know how eminent in it p. 158. Many grow very wicked for want of much Patience p. 161. The evills of impatience p. 162. 163. c. How all impatience is overcome p. 168. 169. Gospel-sufferings sometimes of great duration p. 171. What men should expect in the way to heaven p. 178. Three sorts of hearts which cannot suffer long p. 179. 180. c. Severall things shewing Englands sufferferings likely to be long p. 183. 184. c. Suffering though long should be mannaged with a spirit of joy p. 196. Such spoken to who can make no joy out of suffering in a good cause the causes of it laid open p. 203. 204. c. God would have a Christian never without joy p. 209. Encouragements to suffer long in the cause of Christ now in England p. 211. 212. c. A Christian covets all Christ p. 21 T is a lost man which observes not which way the strength of his soule workes p. 220. 221. A soule in extremity cannot last long p. 223. Joy makes an ascending frame of heart p. 225. Christmas joy jostl'd against by Christ p. 231. 232. c. The property of bad joy p. 234. 235. c. Thankesgiving defined p. 2â—8 What thankesgiving doth presuppose p. 245. Whose worke t is properly whose naturally p. 247. 248. Three things broadly speake Englands ingratitude p. 250. 251. c. The remedy of ingratitude p. 257. 258. c. Grace a Creation p. 263. Sinners utter undoing-time come p. 273. Principles demonstrative of soule ruined p. 274. And ruinous p. 277. The hinderances of creating and making power p. 281. Love singles out her objects p. 285. Man cannot argue Gods love to him from outward things p. 294. The properties of an electing love p. 295. 296 What persons Christ chuses to worke upon he makes through worke in p. 304. The properties of a man fitted for wrath p. 314. 415. Fitting grace for Heaven hath its meanes season p. 320. A double fitnesse for Heaven p. 325. The highest mercies are Communicable p. 329. How mans highest felicity is communicable p. 339. 340. Multitudes demonstrated to have no heart to goe to Heaven p. 347. 348. c. Jnterest in Heaven should comfort against all losses p. 351. The greatest favours come most immediate p. 356. Hope should not fall respecting great things when externall meanes fall p. 364. Heaven the inheritance of Saints p. 375. Demonstrations of profane holinesse p. 379. 380. c. The birth of Sanctity p. 386. 387. Heaven resembled by light p. 392. 393. God doth lively shadow out to man here what will be his condition hereafter p. 414. FINIS USEFULL INSTRVCTIONS FOR THESE Evill Times COLOSS. 1.11 Strengthened with all might according to his glorious power unto all patience and long suffering with joyfulnesse PRayer in this Verse is still continued and still suited to present and imminent distresse The state of these Christians was a suffering state and like to be more as our state now is and therfore Prayer is made for answerable reliefe for divine strengthening forbearing and suffering grace for shoulders suitable to every burden Strenthened with all might according to his glorious power unto all patience and long suffering with joyfulnesse The termes of this Text are very weighty I shall therefore deale with them one after another their difficulty lies Et in materia in voce both in matter and word yet one hand on which we leane will carry us thorough both to Gods glory and mans edification I begin with the first word Strengthened 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Kóbur animi innuit c. It points principally at the spirit of man which is the bearer up of all a man is what he is from the fortitude of his inward man according to this scope and sense the Apostle explains himselfe using the same word to the Ephesians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. And applying it to the inner man That he would grant you according to the riches of his glory to be strengthened with might by his spirit in the inner man Doct. God exerciseth a relieving power in a Christian As he doth exercise a creating power whereby he doth make a Christian so he doth a strengthening and relieving power whereby he doth maintaine a Christian who are kept by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the power of God 1 Pet. 1.5 'T is the same word with this in my Text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 strengthned with all might c. Divine power makes and then it upholds it makes Esse and then it makes porrò esse it brings forth and breed's up it travells in birth once and againe My little children of whom I travell in birth againe This travaling in birth againe Gal. 4.19 is strengthening and relieving power to maintaine and finish the first birth the same that is here spoken of in my Text. Strengthened c. Divine power as it works towards a Christian hath its peculiar properties Proprietates potentiae Divinae as it workes towards a Christian it works tenderly such a power working about the soule works and works againe it makes lambes and then it makes armes to carry lambes to preserve them to be sheepe for the fold of Christ He shall gather the Lambes with his Armes and carry them in his Bosome and gently leading those that are with young Isa 40.11 As there is a carring and a leading power exercised about
a glorious power This is spoken in the generall I would have every one of you in particular to take notice what power works in and by you and call it as it works Are yee selfe-condemned call that a convincing power Are your hearts prickt and wounded call that a terrible power Are your hearts inflam'd with love to Christ call that a glorious power Divine power condemning executing to wit torturing must be look't to betimes 'T is time to shake off sin when hell is come home come into a mans soule ere the soule be gon out of the body A power working meerly convictive is a sad and black not a glorious power Such a man should know that life and death are neere him he may live or he may die as he stoopes to that power which hath seis'd upon his soule Where power works meerely convictive that man is endited for his life if he can believe he will doe well if not his wounds will bleed to death No power workes so black and sad in the soule but faith alters it and makes it a glorious power The goings of God in the soule are suited to faith still Believe O selfe condemned soule and thou shall see the glory of God a glorious power working in thee Out of faith springs love out of love Heaven Heaven felt and then and not till then a Christian calles the power that workes in him a glorious power all is glorious in Heaven The soule quickly calles power as it feeles it worke and very hardly otherwise Wee call the Sun glorious when we see it and feele it smiling warming â—omforting of us Other celestiall powers which blow blast nip and pinch we call not glorious powers Power is glorious and confessed glorious as it does it's most glorious works in the heart Christians yee are too far from Heaven to call the Sun glorious too few glorious works in you to call power glorious Were ye strengthened with all might ye could not but as the Apostle here doth call power glorious FINIS USEFULL INSTRUCTIONS FOR THESE Evill Times COLOSS. 1.11 According to his glorious power or according to the force of his glory Doct. DIvine things are so mentioned as to make best impression upon the solue of man The Holy Ghost speaks as one in Heaven to make his auditors so he speakes gloriously to take to raise to ravish dead dull man to worke and force way for Christ into every heart according to the power or force of his glory T is an expression of energy and divine force moulded and shaped with such glittering letters and words with such varnish and beauty from Heaven as to take and carry every heart thither Words of glory and workes of glory all things of glory are of great power and force with fallen man in a glorious stile therefore doth the Holy Ghost here speake according to the power of his glory The Holy Ghost doth speake as like himselfe and to man as like himselfe Hee speakes as one in Heaven as one wrapt up in God and in glory to whom the language of the holy Land is naturall and he speakes to man as on earth in earth wrapt up soule and body in earth cold dull heavy and hard to be lifted up to Heaven unlesse Heaven and glory be brought to his doore to his eye and eare if anything be of power and force upon a dead creature this will according to the force or power of his glory God speakes to man as man yet moves according to the ruines and remainders of his first state Mans first state was glory and he is a creature leaning and strugling that way still to get and make a state of glory he gropes after it in every thing and as any thing carries glory and lustre to any sense eye or eare so hee lookes after it and hearkens to it Things of naturall glory of glory to the sense they are very swaying with a broken glorious creature This the Divell knowes right well and therefore hee bespangles his expression with Heaven and glory and the state of a God when he has to doe with man So he did to the first Adam so he did to the second Adam hee shewed him all the Kingdomes of the World and the glory of them saith the Text he knowes words and works inlaied with glory are very working and winning upon humane nature who ever weare it Therefore doth he at this day gild all his deadly pils and makes them golden and glorious things to looke upon and daily workes in his best apparrell as an Angel of light he puts faire white sleeves upon his arms when he is going to butcher the soule he makes every toole and instrument of death looke as glittering and as glorious as may be hee hath had long experience that golden glorious things are of great force upon a broken glorious Creature As Satan doth speake and worke towards man as man moves according to the remainders of his first state so doth God Hee knowes that fallen man is much leaning and gropeing after glory and therefore shall yee finde the Holy Ghost so leaning to this way of speaking in the word and working in the World namely to cloath expression with words of glory and actions with workes of varnish and glory As when Christ was to come in the flesh and sent his Herauld's to the Shepards The glory of the Lord shined round about them saith the Text. Man is taken with a surrounding glory once he had such a glory in Christ he was to have it againe therefore came the message so visibly and so strongly instructing this way Glory to any sense workes mightily and be but glory to the eare glorious words but glory round to eare to eye to many senses at once this makes Heaven and carries all before it swallowes up the soule So when Christ shall appeare againe you have the Holy Ghost telling man that he shall appeare in glory The Holy Ghost knowes that man is a creature much taken with glory therefore doth he cloath his actions and words with glory according to his glorious power God speakes to man as to a creature of state Persons of state and majesty mind glory as their neerest kins-man and take in things onely as they come in glory and cannot stoop to owne and embrace any else as Kings and persons of state can embrace nothing but what comes in state and presented with glory suitable to their majesty Man is a creature of state of a big spirit of a very big spirit in a very bad sense words must be big when the spirit is big or else they will not beare down all before them One spirit speakes high and loftily to another man will not open the everlasting-doores unlesse the King speake and speake as a King in state in glory and therefore doth he so speake according to his glorious power The Holy Ghost speakes so to man as to make man know his distance he so as
thing able to it and above it though never so great Almightinesse in God cannot be fully expressed by man Almightinesse in a Christian hath so much of the Almighttinesse of God in it that this neither cannot be fully expressed 'T is the same power which made Christ Almighty exceeding richly made knowne in a Christian no otherwise did the Apostle know how to expresse it that yee may know what is the exceeding greatnesse of his power to us ward who believe according to the working of his mighty power which he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead Ephes 1.19 20. and set him at his owne right Hand in heavenly places Almightinesse in a Christian 't is the exceeding great power of Christ made knowne exceedingly whereby a great similitude to Christ is made in obeying him as hee did obey his Father Thus onely the Apostle expresses this power because he knew not how more fully to reach it therefore you may not expect a deeper fathoming of it from me and what is the exceeding greatnesse of his power to us ward c. 'T is an indefinite expression of an unmeasurable thing we must word it as well as we can when things are too big for words 3. Quedammodò omnipotens ad extraordinarie Almightinesse in a Christian 't is one in strength above ordinary worke t is one all able to extraordnary duties as able to hard as to light worke 't is one able not onely to impart the Gospell but his owne soule too for the Gospell So being affectionatly desireous we were willing to have imparted unto you not the Gospell of God onely but also our owne soules 1 Thess 2.8 'T is one able to give his heart to God and his life too his affection to Christ and his bloud too with much willingnesse So being affectionately desirous we were willing c. Covetously or lustfully desirous as the originall words signify which notes the most taking and swaying heart-passion Almightinesse in a Christian 't is divine power extended and received to the utmost as you have such a Scripture phrase to the utmost of what God is communicable and man capable to the utmost of what an infinite God can give and a finite nature can receive 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the utmost of what is promised and a Christians calling can call for T is a Steven one full of the Holy Ghost and of power able to stand it out in a storme of stones to see Heaven in Hell 'T is a Shadrach a triumpher in the Almighty in the face of fiery cruelty a triumpher in an Almighty God before the frowning face of an Almighty man 't is a man able to obey God Agendo patiendo in perpetuum to the utmost to the last breath Modus communicandi Almightinesse in a Christian 't is the same in nature with that which was in Christ whereby hee did all those Almighty things for our saluation Modus communicandi The Apostle wishing this power to the Ephesians sayes 't is that which wrought in Christ when hee raised him from the dead According to the working of his mighty power which wrought in Christ when he raised him c. Ephes 1.19 Christ had his power by which hee did great things for us by unction so have we hee by unction from his Father we by unction from him God anointed Iesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power Acts 10.38 Christ hath his unction immediatly from the Father we immediatly from the Son 't is he that most immeditatly gives the Holy Ghost to us Hee shall glorify me saith Christ of the spirit for he shall receive of mine and shall shew it unto you The power the Holy Ghost gives 't is the power of Christ the truth hee reveales 't is the truth of Christ Whatsoever excellency he inspires 't is the excellency of Christ and to make similitude to him 1. Impertiendi discrimen Christ had his unction according to his capacity of infinite capacity and therefore his power the power of a God All power of God in man comes to but finite power the Subject is capable of no more Almightinesse in a christian is but finite power infinite power working finitly according to the capacity of the Subject Christ had a more full unction then we being a vaster continent and he had a more free unction that is power more absolutely conferred and made over very personall to him He had his power as the first Adam wholly at his owne dispose so hee spake of it and so hee wrought by it I have power to lay downe my life and J have power to take it up He could doe this as of and from himselfe The most Almighty Christian cannot say thus without blasphemy Infinite power workes in us but not infinitely nor personally as a thing wholly and altogether at our dispose Vse Christians are yee Almighty men and women 'T is a seasonable question an Almighty strength is comming against us God is armed deadly worke is in the Land can yee suffer unto death Our glory will be great quickly or our shame obedience to bloud and death is comming into use againe Is my strength the strength of stones Saith Iob. The strength of stones and rockes a kinde of Almightinesse is like to be needed all the strength of God to carry us out well what power of God works in you Divine Justice is throughly awake but ah Lord we are not Full executions working full preparations asleep all will be ours with a wet finger no Christians 't will not 't will be with a wet heart too wet with bloud and 't is well if not with the bloud of some of you 'T is a remarkable expression that of the Prophet Ezek. When he had foretold sad things hee concludes thus Then said I ah Lord God Ezek. 20. v. ult they say of mee doth he not speake parables We are to many as those that preach our owne melancholly fancies when we please not their fancies I have often sadly said it and with as much humility as I could that England's mercie would be bloudy mercies but I doubt what use was made of it The Sword you now all see is drawen when 't will be put up again what bleeding yet is behind the Lord onely knowes 't will be our wisdome to get strength for the worst All might all the power of God working in us to beare up under all that can come To have serv'd Christ with our hearts would have serv'd-turne very well these fourescore or these hundred yeeres past but now t will not it must be with our heart-bloud what strength and power have yee in your hearts to this can you bleed out your soules in your Fields in your Streets at your Dooâ—es in your Houses for Christ Tell me all of you I beseech you what strength have you to this I have but little I have none this is the generall vote
things note for the right understanding of this point Divine power where it workes lowest in any Christian workes above the ruining power of sinne Greater is he that is in you then he that is in the World saith Christ greater when least and where least then that power which opposes him in a Christian heart Christ according to ordinary and daily residence carries the soule above the ruining power of sinne greater is hee that is in you c. They might suppose their condition the lowest of any as it is common and comely for Christians to doe and Christ condescends in speaking and takes it so and speakes of it under such a consideration and yet sayes he feare not the power that is in you is greater then the power that is against you The lowest degree of power that workes in a Christian will hold the soule that it shall not eternally miscarry what strength soever be raised to this end so that the devill shal lose his grand designe to wit the destruction of the soule The lowest degree of Divine strength is supreme strength to all power resisting as the lowest good Angel * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Fortes robore Angels of his which are mighty i transcending in strength T is an Hebraisme notes a superlative Ps 103.20 Excelleth in strength all bad 2. A second note is this The state of Christians in generall under the Gospel is a very capable state of the highest revelations of power Verily verily I say unto you he that believeth on me the workes that I doe shall hee doe also and greater workes then these shall hee doe because J goe unto my Father Ioh. 14.12 Accession is now very free intercession very potent blessings are answerably necessary The expression of Christ forementioned notes that there is a peculiar intercession suited to this bright Gospell-age where in wee live our grace-capacity now is answerably necessary What intercession workes in Heaven such power and love workes forth upon Earth We live under the richest climate under the richest Heavenly influence all might and all excellence may with all ease bee obtained now in comparison of former times Vse 1 A double use I would make of this point to try you and then to stir you to acknowledge mercy as you finde it That Divine power workes gradually should make much inward observation to see how God workes in our hearts whether little or much Should be the sickenesse of your soules to finde little of God stirring in them t' will be the death of your soules not to finde power of God â—nough stirring in them to salvation Our great worke is to eye how Divine power workes without in the World but our greatest worke is to eye and observe how it workes within in our hearts I wonder at some mens temper which least of all minde this The soule of man is the noblest thing in the World t is above the world and doest thou think that hee which made it so above all for himselfe to work in is least to be heeded what he works here All paines spring from one that we have so little of God all paines and cares therefore should be turned into one what have I of God how might I have more more of his love more of his power working in my soule God gives all might to many and yet remains all might for any Man has his Heaven as hee will Hee that will have it in the full and all enjoyment of the Creature hee has it in this God filles men's bellies with this treasure Those that will have their heart in nothing but in the full and all enjoyment of God have it so hee satisfyes mens thirst let it bee what it will or how great it will Hee satisfyes the hungry belly and the hungry soule Affection is a graduall working thing and a various working thing as the power of God is Cautio est men had neede looke how it rises in thirst after any thing but God they may have their longing else in wrath and have enough of every thing in their hands to fill their bellies but not enough of the power of God in their hearts to save their soules and this will be sad indeed The power of God workes gradually say I in the hearts of men in some much so much that one may say they have all might in others little so little that one may truly say there is not power of God enough unto salvation I am not ashamed of the Gospell saith the Apostle for 't is the Power of God unto salvation Is there power of God enough working in you to rise to so much as this to salvation to soule-salvation eternall salvation Power enough to make you the sons of God T is a great unhappinesse to fall short of any power of God communicable that any blessing power of God which workes in any man should not worke in me but to fall short of so much as will make the soule fall short of its eternall rest ah Lord what misery shall I call this ScrutinuÌ„ What faith what love what joy what passion doth that power make which workes in you by this you may know whether t will prove a power Divine enough and strong enough to save your soules Yee believe in Christ wee must believe this well yet this is but one thing that power which workes this workes more and further if it worke effectually unto life Yee believe in Christ t is well doe yee love Christ too his word his people his wayes How strong is this love as strong as death to the death of sinne and selfe I meane the deniall of both Remember this one thing for all power where it works unto salvation strong enough to save a sinner it makes strong passion lasting passion and all towards Christ and truth Christ is faire fairest the fairest of ten thousand that is the fairest of all so to day so to morrow so every day to the last day to the end as that love which set power at work in the heart is Divine power when and where it workes unto life takes the heart first there it begins A man loves assoone as he lives Christ truth whatsoever is holy There is a desire of milke yea sincere milke in new borne babes in babes assoone as berne there is love love to truth love to pure and sincere truth to the pure and Holy word and wayes of God there is even in babes desire Divine affection panting after that light which came downe from Heaven O what is truth what is Christ would I know him would I could enjoy him First faith is most indiscernable first love which workes from it is most discernable t is so strong and pure and therefore I most mention this passion in this case to discover the power that workes in you Divine power makes a divine nature where it workes to salvation a man is another Creature in desire then what he was
to make him know him that speakes to be God and him that is spoken to but man God speakes so as to make man admire tremble stoop Man is a creature conceited and yet of no reach his conceptions and expressions lessen the dimensions of God his wisdome his power and the like and in this way man growes upon God by sinfull boldnesse and therefore God is faine to put titles and epithites upon his things himselfe to name things according to their nature himselfe which fallen man could have done once but now cannot to call love Love passing knowledge and wisdome infinite his wisdome is infinite saith the Psalmist and power glorious * To call an Angel an Angell and gold gold he is faine to cloath every attribute himselfe with royall apparell with titles suitable that so man may know and keepe his distance heare and feare heare and admire heare and stoop to him that is so glorious and so far above him in every Limb that hath such a glorious Arme glorious power Finally God shapes expression so to man as to hint him of and move him to his highest state He fetches expression from Heaven and from glory to minde man what should take him up and whither hee should drive in all hee sayes and does he goes before man in glory to draw man after him he speakes gloriously to man that man may eccho to him and call divine power as hee does and be taken with divine power as he is that man may looke about and turne away his eye from things that are vaine-glorious to that which is indeed glorious and will indeed make man so being strengthened with it Strengthened with all might according to his glorious power Vse God speakes as one in Heaven how doe you heare He makes his sword two-edged one terrible t'other glorious how does it cut He uses his rod and his scepter sharpe words and glorious words what doe they worke His scepter hee in layes and gilds and makes a glorious Scepter and so holds it forth to your senses to your eyes to your eares what impression doth it make upon your hearts Can yee heare God speake gloriously and yet not be stird'd Can yee heare God speake from Mount Sina and yet not shake Can yee heare him speake from Mount Zion as one in Heaven and yet not admire him adore him and be taken with him To unstir'd soules I must first speake from this point certainly you are dead This is the first principle that springs from this point Unstir'd soules are dead soules he that speakes speakes so gloriously so movingly that all men unlesse they be dead must needs be stirr'd Were your soules alive the words of Christ are so sweete so full of glory and divine force that they must needs stir and take you were you but asleepe the words of Christ are so glorious and so shining in your eyes that they would awake you T is a remarkeable place to this purpose Cant. 7.9 and the roofe of thy mouth like the best Wine that goes down sweetely causing those that are asleepe to speake Christs glorious words are very taking they goe down sweetely if there be any principle of life in the soule t will stir it If the heart be asleepe in the lap of any lower sweete in the lap of any low delights if onely asleepe and not dead in the nest this higher sweete and glory will awaken it and make it speake to the praise of him that so exceeds all in sweetnesse and love Solomon was asleepe for a while in the lap of low delights but when once Christ began to speake in a glorious stile to his sleepy soule hee awoke presently and made songes of that glory that transcendent glory which he saw Surely therefore I conclude that they are dead men whom words of glory words full of Heaven cannot stir How glorious the expression of Christ is here yee heare how gloriously Christ hath spoken upon it out of the mouth of a babe out of the mouth of a Worme and no man yee have likewise heard of what force and power all hath been upon your hearts yee know how much more in love with Heaven and with the Word of Christ and how much lesse in love with the World and with your lusts then you were you know yee that yet are as yee were not a jot better surely yee are dead yee that are yet dead ah Lord when when will yee bee alive Let every heart attend I will ring the Funerall of the dead Hearts dead and unstir'd when Christ speakes lively and gloriously have certainly stopt their eares against the charmer this soule is a prisoner to perverse will there is no damnable prison but this hee is resolved that nothing shall sway that is holy that his heart shall rule truth and not truth his heart which will damne a man if he had a thousand soules This man hath the plague in his heart and hath shut up himselfe that none may come at him no not the King of glory not words of glory write Lord have mercy upon this mans doore upon his forehead for he will die in his sinne all the World cannot save him Whom truth cannot stir nothing can whom glorious words of truth cannot stir nothing shall the man is stretcht out for dead I am now ringing his knell does any dead soule heare me A Scepter of gold a glorious power held out gloriously the God of glory speaking in glory and yet the heart of man not taken nor stir'd ah Lord this heart is taken already this heart is certainly catcht with some fading glory Were there any soule at home when the King of glory and the King in glory knocks certainly 't would open What answer can be made who can open when no body is at home Dinah is gon abroad and ravish't by the Shechemites the heart is gadded abroad taken and lost in a lie in a fading vexing glory that will be the death of it An unstird soule is a dead soule a dead soule is a lost soule a lost soule in sinne will be found in judgement seldome any where else I have not yet done ringing the Funerall of the dead one peale more and I have done Yee dead soules Christ is making your grave doe yee not see it he is comming to take the length of your corps with a sword he will bleed you first and then burie you afterward Yee have bled your soules dead and Christ will bleed your bodies dead and then will yee be twice dead and pluckt up by the rootes When yee are gasping for life will yee be taken and stird with that mortall power which wounds you when yee are descended to your long home will yee be taken and affected with that power that sends you to Hell Surely glorious power gloriously expressed will take your soules or destroy them In what stile God speakes according to it will he make operation in every man upward or downward GODS Words shall
have their force and make issue according to their majesty and glory in the hearts of you all words of majesty and glory resplendent words which are so shaped above as to make strong reflections of the Sunne upon soules here below will make very saving or very killing influence God speakes gloriously to take affect and save the most obdurate heart let him have his designe this is the last thing that I would presse upon you and this concernes us all God makes his words glorious his workes glorious that the heart may be melted and moulded to a glorious forme by them doe not frustrate divine art Words which goe forth with much of God from Heaven let them leave much of God in your hearts When vision is glorious the soule should be in a transe when the speaker is in Heaven the hearer should be there too The Lord spake in glory in shining light to Saul he cast the beauty which he uses above upon his words and these wrought indeed and made Saul cry out Lord what wilt thou have me to doe Methinks this expression in the Text is as if there were such another Heaven opening and such another shining word to some Saul here to some bloudy malicious sinner Sinner sinner why doest thou shut thine eyes and thine eares against glorious words of Christ Some glorious Meteors they render the Heavens to us as if they did gloriously open Heaven me-thinks opens in this expression glorious power how can any heart keepe out of Heaven when Heaven opens to it How can any heart but be taken with that which is full of nothing but taking lustre what man can passe over such an expression without laying his hand on his heart with such a quaere what is that power which the Holy Ghost admires Surely there is glory indeed in that which he calles glorious O that my soule could see this glory Where Christ sets a hand in the margent pointing to the observation of any thing of his that surely is very remarkeable there the soule should stand still sit down and dwell The very accents and aspirations of truth must have their place in the heart of man the heart is to hold all not a tittle of truth must fall to the ground our hearts must catch it and keepe it from falling and dying Power and Love and Wisdome they are accented and aspirated glorious power infinite wisdome love passing knowledge c. These titles and aspirations this dust of gold must not be throwen away but adde to the impression of truth for 't is God setting all his strength to thrust things into the heart 't is God using his best soule-saving art to get into Sanctum sanctorum As the heart behaves it selfe so Divine truth lives or dies in it as Divine words die or live in the heart so God dies or lives in the World Much of God dies when glorious expressions make not glorious impressions much God-dying makes much man dying that God is so much dead in England makes so many men dead Man is lesse then a tittle of truth yea the World is lesse then a tittle of truth Spretis punctâ—s expiraâ— Anglia tittles of truth kill'd by the Christian World kille the Christian World so generally at this day As truth hath apparel'd it selfe so let it goe in the World and live in our hearts let us not take the least spangle from Her attyre Truth and Wisdome and Love will otherwise lose their dimensions and God will lose the glory of his heights and depths of divine dispensations The goodnesse of the heart is as the words of God make totall impression upon it T is the best heart in which God can best read all that hee hath said to a tittle and finde glorious impressions suitable to the glorious words in which he deliver'd himselfe How you judge of your hearts I know not God judges of them as your breath turnes into his as your spirits admire adore rise and ascend into Heaven with his That heart which can reade and heare glorious words of Christ and not be answerably affected will never be a glorious Christian Christ makes the place of his feet glorious as he treades in the heart so hee makes it glorious as his Word makes impression so is sanctification and no otherwise they that heare and let goe divine words of the the movingst forme and force will certainly die loose Soules Men goe to reading and hearing the word with a carelesse spirit 't is most mens sinne all that such get is judgement they eate and drinke judgement saith the Apostle respecting another Ordinance So these heare and reade judgement to their soules that is heart hardning and not heart raising The handling of such a glorious expression as this though by a weake servant of Christ must needs have set your hearts something more Heaven-ward had yee heard with such preparation as becomes you A man finds God in his Word as hee seekes him in Prayer and no otherwise Wax receives impression as 't is prepar'd Esther must fast and pray and come with her life in her hand to the King to have a glorious Scepter stretched out unto her So must we come into the presence of the King of Kings with much seeking of God and selfe-judging with our lives temporall and eternall in our hands to finde glorious words worke gloriously to have a glorious Scepter stretched out from Heaven to us a glorious power working in us in the hearring of glorious things Hee that minds little about what he is going finds little but the fruit of his sinne he goes away from divine ordinances worse then hee came to them he goes away with a sop with a heart more poysoned in malice more hard dead and cold condemned and executed to wit tortur'd I conclude this point with a note of admiration That God will put glosse upon necessary commodities such as we cannot be without and doe well to make them off is wonderfull Yee doe not use to put varnish upon Bread that 's such a generall necessary dish that its double and maine use to the state of man sets it off well enough without any by-things about the dish Such is the Word of God 't is as bread to our soules of supreme use this one would think should be enough to set it off with us and yet because this is not God paints bread guilds Loves and sets them upon the Table to us * Puts glosse upon the words of eternall life That GOD will put himselfe into a passion to put us put Heaven into his words to put Heaven into our hearts le ts wonder That Christ will let fall his mantle when hee ascends that we may ascend too make his raised spirit breake forth into glorious raised words to raise our spirits too let his love and humility be ever before you 'T is our great worke Christians 't is our great worke to admire God in his words and workes in his
the glory of God saith Christ By faith Enoch was translated Soule translations soule liftings up soule raptures are in faith in the strong exercise of faith As wee kisse we are kissed As we embrace wee are embraced I am my wel-beloveds and my well-beloved is mine An act of faith and then an act of recompence an act of joy An act of trust and then an act of returne I am my welbeloveds and my welbeloved is mine This is power working and then glorifying its owne worke in the heart T is the soules going out to Christ like Zacheus and then bringing Christ home with him and after this follow feasting and joy and giving away any thing whilst hee is enjoy'd that is all Things worke as they are in sight 't is so in the body 't is so in the soule Faith sets glorifyed Christ in sight glorify'd Christ in sight makes glorious worke in the heart In whom though now yee see him not yet believing yee rejoyce with joy unspeakeable and full of glory In whom though now yee see him not that is bodily but believing that is seeing him soulely As our soule vision is so in our soule state for joy or griefe shame or glory If the soule can see light in the countenance of Christ t'ath joy glory heaven as full as it can hold if nothing but darkenesse t'ath nothing but griefe As yee believe so is your Heaven or hell With a note of admiration I will conclude this point Christians admire love that makes two heavens for such as are worthy of none Is it not enough that power workes gloriously above but must it worke so here too I am not worthy that thou should'st come under my roofe said he and yet Christ was not then in state that Christ in state in glory shoud come under such a roofe such a rotten roofe as ours here is That light should arise in darkenesse tooke the Psalmist much that glorious light should arise in a poore darke soule glorious power in a poore over-borne sinfull soule should wonderfully affect us and set us into holy admiration If a man die shall he live againe said Iob. Thus much tooke him How much more then should this If a man live shall he live againe If a man have a heaven here shall he have another hereafter If a man have glory here shall he have glory againe shall he have glory upon glory be cloathed upon Out of Heaven into Heaven shall he passe from glory to glory by the spirit and power of God Christians what a King of glory doe wee waite upon Beb-chamber dining-roome glorious yea hall and out-roomes which border upon hell glorious power works gloriously in a house not made with hands yea and in a house made with hands with earthen hands and earthen feete Power works gloriously in Earth formes an earthen Vessell unto glory formes glory unto it in it puts glory in the earthen Vessell and then puts the earthen Vessell into glory The Queenes Daughter is all glorious indeed glorious within without glorious hereafter yea glorious here It lies upon you Christians admiringly to speake and talke of these things They shall speake of the glory of thy Kingdome and talke of thy power c. Psal 145.11 Yea not onely admire it but draw comfort from it according to all your feares and distresses What can yee want which glorious power cannot helpe you to What is it that Heaven cannot make up Suck this Honey-combe your selves I onely can put it into your hand Time calles mee away FINIS USEFULL INSTRUCTIONS FOR THESE Evill Times COLOSS. 1.11 Vnto all patience YOu have a hint here what is the state of a Christian in this World a state that needs a bearing a very bearing frame of heart patience all patience if there be any thing more then this and beyond this in long-suffering it needs this too Strengthened with all might according to his glorious power unto all patience and long-suffering with joyfulnesse I take these two latter expressions to be Synonimicall or very neere it the one explaining the other All patience is long-suffering with joy long-suffering with joy is all patience What difference they have I thinke is Secundum intra extra and so I shall prosecute them All patience notes the habite long-suffering with joy notes the exercise The one notes the grace of patience in its formality the other in its use in its highest use as the other notes it in its full'st esse and strong'st habit for long suffering with joy is patience in its highest furthest use Varying and redoubling of expression is to reach things thoroughly and to hold them out most effectually 't will be our best way therefore I judge to goe after the Holy Ghost step by step word for word in this way wee shall tread surest and be likely to finde most touching the nature of this needfull grace of patience First therefore of patience then of all patience some thing shall be said as God shall give assistance Definitio Patience is a holy behaviour in affliction T is virtus versata circa adversa A grace that keepes man gracious in all conditions good in a bad condition holy against all disadvantages of holinesses within or without Man is a creature since his fall full of wants and as full of disquiet and this turnes all wants into sinnes and miseries he is a creature beside the rule and his punishment for this keeps him beside the rule through disquiet and so renders man totally miserable miserable without any felicity or hope of felicity this is the gall of bitternesse which patience takes away Patience takes away the sinne of misery the misery of misery the afflicting strength of misery the sting and teeth of every affliction the malignity of every cup of trembling the unhappinesse of every sad condition and makes a felicity in misery 'T is rectitudo animi sub statu infelici A rectitude of mind under a crosse and crooked condition A heart moving by the word of God when whipt by the hand of God 'T is Jonah praying in the Whales belly 't is heaven made by divine art in the belly of hell this is patience Patience is a soule enjoying it selfe in every condition when nothing else Anima in omni semetipsa fruens There is more truth in the understanding then power of truth in the heart therefore is man though very knowing yet very unruly when all suits not to his will hence 't is that the soule can hardly enjoy it selfe when it cannot enjoy all it would Dispossession of the creature makes dispossession of the soule man in want distracted not compos facultatis because not compos facultatum not master of wit because not master of wealth the man is no man because not such a man the man hath nothing because not such a thing because no children no life as one dead would be dead let me have this or that or let me die let me
becomes patient A proud heart resists and is resisted this is duro durum flint to flint fire to fire man hot and God hot no patience nor quiet in this soule nor can be High things made low rough plaine a proud heart humble then followes patience Patience has a humble meeke mother as any holy child in the soule therefore is meeknes in a promiscuous way of speaking put for patience whereas it is indeed the mother of patience according to that expression patient abiding of the meeke c. A meek heart makes patient abiding the will of God The will subdued the heart humble and the man will stay Gods leisure for any thing Patience presupposes faith knowing that the triall of your faith worketh patience saith the Apostle Patience 't is a Dove fleeing to and againe in a deluge and then resting the sole of her foote in the Arke t is a spirit toss'd and tumbled within it selfe and then rests in Christ by faith waiting what he will say and doe therefore t is said that tribulation workes patience because tribulation when strong worketh the soule off from all things here and puts a man upon the exercise of faith in Christ for relief and so sets the soule to expect and waite for good from God when it can finde none any where else Before tribulation comes a man usually does not exercise faith because he hath where withall within his owne reach to beare up himselfe and so thinkes he is patient when indeed he is not but one calme in a calme whereas patience properly is one calme in a storme a heart quiet waiting and expecting good when it can feele nothing but evill nor see nothing but a naked Word of God Patience presupposes faith and hope too therefore is patience called patience of hope 't is the result in the heart of the exercise of both these t is the blessing of faith and hope 't is the rest quiet expectation which the acting of these graces raise whereby the soule is as if it had all it wants As the soule in extremity stayes it selfe upon truth so 't is believing as it expects accomplishment of truth so it rises to hope as it waits for what it expects so it rises higher and this act of the soule is properly called patience The soule at this height is miserable as if not miserable as he useth the phrase about marriage married as if not married possessing as if not possessing This soule doth not possesse and yet is as if he did possesse he hath little and yet is as if he had all Patience presupposeth love charity suffereth long saith the Apostle it indures all things love represents every thing to view lovely all that God doth and all that man doth things thus represented the heart cannot swell nor sowre it selfe with its own thoughts love renders every person and every thing fragrant the veriest dunghill fragrant when every thing smells sweete to the soule the soule keepes it selfe sweete love thinketh no evill thinking evill â—akes evill passion as the soule is possessed of things so it workes within it selfe as the heart workes within it selfe so it makes passion still good or bad Vse I have shewed you what patience is and of what honorable house it comes I will now make some use of all I have as you see opened unto you a grace of graces and in a time of times a time wherein it was never more needed since we knew time Christ is takeing away our deere Earthly enjoyments servant from Master child from parents husband from wife soule from body he is setting every relation a bleeding one in the bosom of another this calles loud for patience God seems to be dealing with England as with Job yea with every good man in England as with Iob he seemes to be as one resolved to try us all to the quick in Country and City to bring us to a morsell of Bread to strip us of all which God knowes England hath abused and to set us upon a dunghill licking our wounds to take away all and then to set us in the want of all to complaine for pity to them that will shew none but powre Vineger into our wounds when we cry for mercy Ah Christians will not such a condition call for patience All in action now calles for nothing but patience all in view now calles for nothing but patience what a double miserable man is that which lives in England now without patience and yet Lord how much doe I see it wanting every where I see an evill springing up in these Evill Times which will spoile us all if GOD prevent it not and that is impatience activity degenerates into impatience forward men can beare no check from providence the most forward men are become the most froward men we set our mercies a day which is more then we can answer and because God doth not observe our limitation we flee out in heart and tongue fearefully 1. I am weary of this City to heare the murmuring and impatience that is in it The Country looks upon the City the City looks upon the Parliament the Parliament looks one upon another Commons upon Lords Lords upon Commons all upon the King and all looke short of the King of Kings this God saw right well the fruit of it is upon us we have lost much mercy this way and now are at murmuring hard that we may lose all relieving presence in the wildernesse and Canaan too Will murmuring and impatience ever bring us into that Canaan we hope for Christians you feare the King you feare the Cavaliers you feare Commanders you feare the Parliament I tell you my heart I am more afraid of you of your unbeliefe of your impatience that this will prove a City spoyling a Kingdome spoyling evill above all I will give you some principles of patience respecting our state and condition as things now stand and goe with us which is the best service I think I can doe you The first principle is this God takes time to administer to publique bodies England hath beene a long time polluting her selfe and this not with a Low but with a very high hand God is going gently to repeate over all and will you not give him time 't is but Justice to allow much time to one that is to repeate much What hath been the course of the publique for this twenty yeares together you have forgotten what hath been your course for twenty forty fifty yeares for these hundred yeares since we and our fathers have enjoy'd the Gospell you have forgotten how cold how formalizing how carelesse in your Families how Excessive and abusive of the creature how bowel-lesse and mercy-lesse who can reckon up how you have ordered your time and talents God can but he must have time will you thrust much work upon God and not give him time to goe through with it God takes time to administer Justice he was fourty years telling Israel
the exercise of al I dread to thinke what this presages Wee shal see poverty and heare cursing see bleeding and heare blaspheming and both in one house yea both in one person Wee shal see bodies wounded and soules breathing themselves through these wounds in the face of God and man because in a helpelesse state This grieves me no man layes to heart what God already suffers in these evil dayes from impatient spirits I have heard some as I have gon along the streets breake forth most bitterly against the most religious of the Kingdome as the cause of al our misery laying bloud at innocent mens doores great ones doe thus against conscience poore ones doe thus out of ignorance as rich mens echo being their creatures made through feare or hope or both all sides I am sure breath not forth al but little very little patience Ah! yee of little patience what doe yee meane to make a miserable condition remedilesse a state miserable damnable will you sin in poverty that wealth may never returne will you sin in War that you may never have peace wil you sin in bloud and death that Hell may follow Because men have killed your Trades your States your Bodies shall the devil have your Soules Is there any evil in the City or Country which God hath not done God takes away much to save the maine and you make the losse of much the losse of all the losse of your soules through impatience A rod should humble you and your skin swells with stripes Gods Hand on your back should make your hand on your mouth and you curse you curse and God curses surely you wil be cursed you sweare and stare because you have lost your peace your temporall respect and God sweares you shall neither have temporall nor eternall rest Ah Lord what hath this soule done murmured and sworne himselfe out of al for ever Yee men of no patience have you no light no conscience no soule doe yee sinne against no light no soule no God are yee heathens are yee worse I will tell you the evils of impatience that you may dread it and every degree of it and make them as I name them motives to endeavor after all Patience i a heart freed from all impatience The first evil is this so farre as the soule is impatient so farre 't is set at a distance from God Impatience grieves God grieved withdrawes So farre as Saul rages so farre is the Spirit of God gon So farre as the soule is shut out from God 't is shut out from al. A bedlam is put alone and there chained and whipt he is fit for no company but forlorne spirits like himselfe a Legion of these possesse every impatient soule No soule hath lesse fellowship with God then passionate God cannot dwell in fire nor worke in fire any otherwise then to torment the tormented Froward children are frowned upon and kept at a great distance 'till their hearts come downe A soule that hath little of God hath much of the devil if you would see the devil face to face looke a passionate man in the face you shall see the devils eyes his browes his tongue his mouth al as blacke as horrid as firey as Hell A second evill of impatience is this Impatience maimes parts gifts graces and makes a man otherwise able feeble and uselesse The counsells of the froward are carried head long saith the holy Ghost if their counsels how much more then those things they doe without counsell and thus most an end doe passionate men doe all they doe Passion puts out a man's eyes cuts-off a man's armes it thrusts a man in hast still to the wrong doore to the wrong end of his busines Passion cannot observe modus nor media agendi 't wil up to the top of the house presently before there be any staires made 't wil run and leave tools behind yea 't will run and leave God behind and so buries her honour still in an untimely birth A passionate man hath Reubens judgement written in his forehead never to excell Thirdly impatience is the mother of al evil 't is a sin-teeming temper it brings forth children to old Age and then most of al passion in old Age brings forth by troopes Impatience 't is a spirit set on fire of Hell prepared and ready to every hellish worke to sweare to curse to kill to speak evil to doe evil t is a short possession a man mad for so many houres that will not stick at any thing that the devil and deprav'd nature bid him doe he wil flee in the face of servants children wife magistrate God any one 't is a Snake whose tongue is his sting his teeth poyson he takes in and casts up venome by mouthfuls his heart brings forth sinnes by troopes he speaks as many sinnes as words he burnes al black with too much heat he over-heats words workes the wheeles light a fire still in carriage especially when loaded with any heft and burne cart and carriage both Passion 't is the devils glasse-house black fire workemen are at it in this soule day and night t is the devils sinne-moul'd to make many sins quickly many great sins on a sudden Impatience puts a price onely upon praesentia * Appetitui apta carnal present things a measse of potage at present better then birth-right although Christ and Heaven be wrapt up in it Tell an impatient man of things to come Heaven and Glory Praesentibus futura majora and the like he cannot stay so long Heaven a great way off is no Heaven to him he must have a Bird in the hand a Heaven here or else Heaven and earth shall ring of him he must have what he wil and when he wil or he wil make the house too hot for al that are in it This renders an impatient person utterly uncapable of the great'st blessings because these are longest a comming and he cannot waite Le ts have a golden Calfe as for this Moses we know not what 's become of him nor when he will come a golden glittering Calfe at present better then to stay for Moses though hee brought the beames of God the glory of Heaven shining in his face Le ts eate and drinke for to morow we die Magna â—â—â—antiâ nulla Impatience must have a Heaven at present a belly-heaven as for a soule heaven a heaven in promise t is a dead thing This renders an impatient man utterly below motive our greatest Gospel motives are fetcht from great things to come in another World and the greatest things are nothing at such a distance to this man hee cannot waite so long for a Heaven though hee lose his soule There is no divine contemplation in an impatient heart which is that that makes Heaven here So that an impatient man loses his Heaven here-after and here too Impatience 't is a soule still in a hurry never at home never at leisure to goe to
t is a spirit of the right breed for the devil t will fight and fight till death t will worke to the utmost vires as long as nerves and sinewes bind bones together 't is everlasting burning which nothing will quench but its owne bloud Saints have had the triall on 't long long suffering A Christians condition is qualifyed Tristitia laetis he hath sweet things and bitter in every dish downe along to the lower end of his Table al-long his life he shall know that he is not at home He hath enough sometimes to say 't is good being here but never enough to say 't is best being here His rapture hath a rupture a sad breaking off his glory a shadow his statue a curtain drawen before it his heavenly vision is let down and drawen up his sunshines and clap's in suitable to this clowdy and impure region thus it doth through out the day Few and evill many and evill all evil doth good Iacob call his dayes so were all his sweets imbitter'd and qualifyed by God If one mercy be come another must be gon if corne be come Benajmin must be gon some thing for life is come and he that had the fathers soule must be gone If some children come home well some evil is befallen the rest Joseph is without doubte rent in pieces Gen. 37.33 So 't was with the blessed seed afterward which inherited the promise Milke and Hony and prickes in the sides whilst eating on 't and so it must be all a long as long as in Canaan the best people long sufferers in the best place that earth will afford A Christians condition is improved Christians are Gods Vineyard into this Vineyard God sends labourers to worke hard and to worke so long to the sixth ninth and last houre to make much fruit Afflictons are Gods day-labourers they work and worke thoroughout mans day to plow and breake up his fallow heart to grub up rootes bitter rootes and to prepare the way of the Lord for good fruit As God hath day-labourers to belabour the eare the heart the inward man and these kept at worke till the ninth and last houre of mans life so hee hath day-labourers to be labour the back the belly the outward man and these kept at worke as long as the other as long as man lives the one to prepare the way for the other one to plow and breake up and the other to sow The heart of man hath an unexpressible hardnesse the hardnesse of an Adamant many blowes will not break this stone it must be soakt in teares and in bloud long Afflictions are bitters to weane To moderate in lawfull things from sweets that are not necessary There is but one necessary the soule makes many t is whipt and whipt long ere 't will leave this Some children are not easiy to weane bitters must be laid upon the breast and lie long there ere the dug be cast off 't was long ere David could say Lord my heart is not haughty surely I have behaved and quieted my selfe as a child that is wean'd of his mother To take away unlawfull things Afflictions are to take away sinne By this therefore shall the iniquity of Jacob be purged and this is all the fruit to take away his sinne c. Isa 27.9 Afflictions and sufferings were onely to torture sin this might quickly be done but they are to take away sinne this is long work The furnace is to purify it must be heate and heate long to melt and segregate to discover disperse and take away drosse Afflictions are to worke truth in the inward parts t is long ere man be good at heart they are to heighten integrity t is longer ere the heart become so upright as to be a heart after Gods owne heart t is long ere a foule stomake will be made vomit up all t is long ere man will be brought to observe all Gods will this makes great plagues and of long continuance If thou will not observe to doe all the words of this Law that are written in this booke that thou maist feare this glorious and fearefull name THE LORD THY GOD. Then the Lord will make thy plagues wonderfull and the plagues of thy seed even great plagues and of long continuance and sore sickenesses and of long continuance Deutrenomy 28.58 59. God puts weight To serve in truth great weight upon truth to make it enter and make thorough impression truth is managed with great art to put back every spring and to make the bolt goe forth as far as it should and as fast and facile as it should Let these sayings sinke downe into your eares for the Sun of man shall be delivered into the hands of men Luke 9.44 Christ made a weight of himselfe and ties this to his words to make them sinke down into mens hearts he makes a weight now of us speakes and then strikes strikes and strikes often and long and then sayes secretly to the soule let these and these words now sinke down into their eares Christ is faine to bore way for truth to bore a long hole from the eare to the heart and this many times is a long while a doing six yeeres ten yeers twenty yeers A Christians condition is conform'd 't is made to speake Christ within and without in spirit in flesh the booke is written within and without in our soules in our bodies we are made to beare the markes of the Lord Jesus markes broad and long just like his in every circumstance The plowers made long furrowes on his back as long as his life he was acquainted with griefe griefe and hee were long acquaintance his whole voiage about this lower world was in stormes A man of sorrowes his life made up of sighs groans teares words bloud thus breath'd thus expir'd a mourning life a bleeding death The servant is as his Lord sufferers both as long as livers in this World the Apostle apprehended these Christians would finde it so therefore so prayd Strengthened with all might according to his glorious power unto all patience and long-suffering with joyfulnesse Vse I have given you a survey of the way to Heaven expect dirty lanes and very long The way is narrow t is so all along scratching and tearing thornes and briers on both sides touching one another that 't is hard to make one step skin-whole Can yee beare these sayings Can yee beare such doings Can yee beare till your backes ake Can yee beare till your backes breake Can yee beare till you sinke and die under your burden Can yee suffer long as long as yee live Can yee leave all and follow Christ all your state all your limbes all your comforts al your dayes Can yee spend and end your dayes in misery to be blessed in another world you may think yee can doe so and be deceived Peter did so I will speake to this point a little There be three sorts of hearts which
moved upon the Chaos It workes not in reference to any preceding worke or signe of enducement much lesse ingagement All are under sinne dead a Chaos and he quickens whom he will all inducement is onely from GOD and will An out roome here below hee would have and he sayd let there be this and let there be that and it was so and this was the manner of raising it so now a roome he will have here below more inward from the noise of the World and hee sayd Ephata let this window be opened and let there be light and 't is so Vessels hee will have for this low roome and he makes them al himselfe according to absolute will hee makes one to honour c. Terminus creandi est 't is a terme of Creation Synonimicall with this in my Text who hath made us meete i by his word and of his one free wil. Media gratiae ordinem creationis subeunt The meanes of grace have the order of Creation stamp'd upon them Christ the great wheele that turnes all other wheeles of our salvation is made unto us what he is and made of God Who of God is made unto us wisdome righteousnesse c. 1 Cor. 1.30 Christ is a full Sea indeed but not a drop to us but as made of God So we are made able Ministers of the new Testament not of the letter but of the spirit Could such a poore man as I by speaking a while to the eare turne the heart from sinne to Christ did not a creating blessing sit on my lips Divine institutions have the formality of a Creation in them because they have what they have and doe what they doe from supreame power onely above all cause and reason Other meanes have their reason in them as a cause Therefore are institutions and meanes of grace here not so much as mentioned onely the Father meanes are so beside likelyhood and reason to so noble an end as to make and fit soules for Heaven Giving thankes to the Father who hath made c. None else worthy to be so much as mention'd in this noble worke Grace is a Creation Creatio talis creatio ' and 't is such a Creation there is Creatio transiens continuans Grace is a continued Creation The Father workes hitherto and I worke hee speakes of Gods working grace under the motion of Creation and in that very phrase that wee should call the working of grace a Creation The Creation of the World ceased in so many dayes Transiens and God rested from that labour and doth still but the the Creation of grace lasts hithertoo 't is the worke of the Trinity to this day without resting and how long yet further 't will be whether to the end of the externall Creation I cannot say The Word of God is a lively word it hath a spirit in it this is the worke of the Trinity still to put spirit into the Word to make living words and so living soules So the workes of God are lively workes what God does ' has a voice the staffe a voice all that God sayes and does all his words and works they are made lively that is breathing and forming eternall life in man by a transcendent concurrence of Father Son and holy Ghost the first is here mention'd to wit the Father the rest are to be understood to wit the Sun the holy ghost the workes of the Trinity ad extra are not to be divided Giving thankes to the Father i to Father Sonne and Holy Ghost Who hath made us meete c. Under this terme made the Word of God and workes of God are meant as meanes for he speakes in the foregoing Verse of sufferings which attend truth which are al conducing to this noble end to fit man for God Grace 't is a new Creation Nova a Creation that makes old things passe away things as old as the old Creation and then things to become new 'Tas destruction in it and then erection and edification it takes away and then sets up it destroyes sinnes which are old things as old as the Devill and then sets up grace takes away the stone and then builds with flesh this is the fashion and manner of building within kils the old man and then makes a new new light new love this makes a new heart a new Creature a new man Who hath made us c. i who hath made us againe who hath made us anew Grace is a hid Creation Abscondita 't is formatio secreta our life is hid Know'st thou the way of the spirit in man 't is as the way of a Bird in the Aire 't is as the way of the wind in the Earth very unknowne Invisibles stellae A new name which none knowes but he that hath it 't is meate to eat which the World knows not of no which Christians know not of One Christian doth not know what meate another Christian hath at his Table nor how sweete not what guests nor how merry together J have meate to eate which yee know not of A Christian is bound in the spirit and cannot see the girdle raised high and cannot see the hand taught wisdome secretly and like Samuel cannot tell the voice warmed and cannot describe the fire the soule as in Heaven and yet in the body and then whether in the body or out of the body cannot tell As there is killing without hand so there is making alive without hand without any seene or to be discerned Trees have their sap and seed in them their sap and life is hid it creepes up under the barke and puts out gloriously but very secretly and unexspressibly beyond all demonstration so is the way of grace and the working of the spirit of God in man Interna Grace is an internall Creation it makes a new heart and a new spirit 't is glory within t is bones broken not flesh and set againe and made glad 't is a heart prickt wounded and heal'd not a head Grace 't is the foreskin of the heart taken away a Jew inwardly 't is great hammering yet no noyse heard 't is so inwardly a cry but none heard in the streetes t is in such inroomes 't is not onely the hand without put forward but the watch-wheeles within set right to the sun Grace 't is Anima indivisibilis the soule broken all to pieces by supreame power and curiously by the same power set together againe Grace is glory within a roome of royall repose private 't is Christ in the heart of the Earth the Kingdome of God is within us The words which Christ speakes they are spirit and life so are all his workes which now he workes they are spirit and life i of life upon the spirit hee hath done all his workes without doore all his worke now is within spirit upon spirit not a worke more should be wrought now were it not to make
as any piece of the foundation can be found A ruinous state is not affected with it selfe but with utter ruine if it can keepe off there 't is well A ruin'd soule can beare ruins al that is dreaded is desolation Hell surely there is much or Hell in this heart already he doth so onely feare Hell and as long as hee keepes on thus 't wil increase Scratching is nothing wounding nothing bleeding nothing if it can be stay'd ere all be out All bad to day worse to morrow all the reliefe that keepes up is I hope not starke naught I hope so too but surely this is onward a pace to it All will be better though little or nothing done to better what 's amisse this is a second principle demonstrative of a state ruinous A ruinous soule is idle his industry lies in shifts to evade not in care to amend Times will turne and be better though the heart keepe on as it was and the man in his old pace Something is in the view of sense and this strongly cleaved to what tender hearts feare is but feare he believes stil what is neare hand and shapd by the lasie fancy a ruin'd soule is sensuall as long as he can see or feele he is never without hope though lust every houre baffle his light and make a knowing man an evil doer a man of light a walker in darkenesse What a state is this can any condition come worse then this which this man is in He can thinke of no bleeding and yet his soule has scarce a drop of good bloud left of no misery and yet scarce any can be more miserable then hee is already good still in his own eye and yet stil bad and does nothing to amend The punishment of neglect is upon this man when troubles were far of hee did nothing to prepare for them now they are neare he is left to apprehend none Justice is in this that the man may eate the fruit of his way A ruinous soule growes stil more ruinous Justice hides opportunites or denies stirrings to take them for abuse of so many that she may take folly naked with a stinging rod. Things are better with me yet then with such a one A ruinous soule compares himselfe with more ruinous bad with worse which is the way to be starke naught One would thinke it sad reliefe to a Leper to heare him say I am not so al over Leprous yet as such a one when t is natural to the disease to rise to this upon every one One would think it sad reliefe for a man to say to himselfe such a one is going to Hell a little faster then I. A ruinous soule is base he maks base and not noble spirits his patterne that he may keep on his way to serve his lust He goes as neare a down right worlding a downe right time server as hee can there is so much income to accomodate an engaged heart this way over there is in nobility of spirit A ruinous soule is a dunghil kept from stinking in every ones nostrils and that 's all When hee begins to smel strong the shift is smel to such a one he does this and that A ruinous soule lives within the confines of Hell to gaine Earth 't is a piece much below his allowance hee wil be judged with the World in this life hee wil have a Hell here scarce bee saved seeme to come short of eternal rest hee wil be saved by fire A fiery salvatioÌ„ an hellish heaven wil be to this man he wil be dragged by the heeles out of his basenesse Having given these principles of discovery attend to your charge I charge you ruined and ruinous soules with al the ruines of England Ye desolate soules yee have desolated a glorious Land the cry of bloud and desolation is against you what do you do to discharge your selves yee ruined do you stiâ—l lie weltering in your bloud to procure more bloud yee ruinous do yee meane to continue cold luke-warme and base still till God spues us out all the bloud of all be upon you I wash my hands from the bloud of every base soule Know that you have a seasonable word your misery sleeps not which have made so many miserable by your basenesse If you plead you would be better if you could why God can make you better Your wil is your worst piece and you thinke 't is the best You have no minde to be better because to be better wil not so wel serve your turne Had you had a wil to be better could you have rub'd along so base til now that judgement states you in the Face Creating and making power hath but three hinderances 1. Vnbeliefe 2. Frowardnesse 3. Besottednesse it never failes else to make any man meete to be partaker of the inheritance of the Saints in light Creating power workes in order to believing as a man credits Christ so hee puts forth power to cast out Devils Christ wil have the honour of judgement ere he wil make towards a man Judge highly and honorably of Christ and he wil visit you and shew you what an arme hee hath and how possible your state is to him If you judge that he can make you cleane he wil honour your judgement and fulfill your Faith Christ wil be to you in action what you make him in apprehension not a dram of your faith shall faile you If you believe that he can remove mountaines he wil do it that he can create a new heart hee wil do it Your faith puts you into a capacity of a Creation Creation puts you into a capacity of any thing what can be wanting to him that stands under the blessing of a creating power Creating power workes in order to submission Stubbornnesse gets nothing at Christs hands but blowes A man must lay his soule at Christs Feete and let him doe with it what he wil that would be made happy by him Pride is resisted a pitifull condition must be pitifully layd open and then bowels beate Son of David have mercy upon me and then saith Christ what wilt thou Any thing now Finally creating power workes in order to sense A besotted soule abides so he is what he is in conceit hee dies so good opinion keepes him bad leaves him so to death The rich need nothing they have nothing to make them better They have all what needs a Creation making power is put forth upon extreamity sharpe sense men and brethren what shall I do Now Christ bestirres himselfe and does something indeed to make a miserable Creature happy partaker of an inheritance The riches of the Saints is in this point I will touch this and conclude Your mercies do not generate Generation kils it caries away so much of the strength of the reines they are created created power is omnipotent everlasting so it makes Christians mercies Generatio est limitatio fertur ad quoddam tale ad individuum tale Generation speakes
spirit for Heaven Perversenesse is in your pathes and yet you plead for your will Sinners observe that speech of Christ If any man will be my Disciple let him denie himselfe and follow me Christ makes deed to demonstrate will if a man be willing to be Christs companion and scholler he will follow Christ yea hee will take up his Crosse i goe through any difficulty to enjoy his fellowship What will is indeed to the end it is to the meanes 'T is idle talke fancy and dreames not will to a thing that will use no meanes Yee tell me yee are willing to be made partakers of the inheritance above what doe you doe to be made partakers Doe you walke in the way which leads to Heaven Are you not in life according to your lusts In your course according to your company Unto divine duty according to your humour Does not will rule truth and not truth your will Let persons convinced be instructed Ye cannot be partakers of the Cup of the Lord and of Devills saith the Apostle so say I ye cannot be made partakers of Heaven and keepe on in the way to hell you must first be made partakers of the Heavenly calling as the Apostle calls it ere yee can be made partakers of Heaven it selfe Wherefore holy brethren partakers of the Heavenly calling c. Heb. 3.1 That is a calling to Heavenlinesse Heaven must begin here Christ must rule all and be made all here as he is above A Heavenly calling speakes three things A heavenly rule a heavenly subject and then a heavenly end I am the way That 's a heavenly rule Not I live But Christ lives in me That 's a Heavenly Subject I have fought a good fight henceforth is laid up for mee a Crowne of Righteousnesse that 's a heavenly end The two former are subordinate to this latter Christ must be without a man and within a man or that man will never come to Heaven He must be all without and all within he onely must be the way I am the way And he only must live in the heart to guide this way yet not I but Christ lives in me The Word of God and the Spirit of God must meete in the life of man or that life will end in death in hell not in Heaven A heavenly rule and a heavenly heart lead to Heaven Few Christians lives are cleerely Christian Christ is our sanctification as he is our justification he is our life here aswell as our life hereafter hee must be made so by every soule and then all will goe well at last Heaven is a Crowne of Righteousnesse not of our Righteousnesse but of Christs His spirit must rule all his merit must be leaned upon for all this soule will certainly be made partaker of all Christians should be comforted from this point All the wealth of Christ is communicable Heaven communicable communicable to you to Saints The complaints of Gods people are many this point answers all My losses are great sayes one so sayes an other Will not Heaven make them up Thou hast neither money nor goods Thieves and Plunderers have stole all Hast thou not treasure laid up in Heaven where no spoile can be made In cases of persecution Christ teaches us to comfort our selves with Heaven how all is doubly made up there When men persecute and revile you rejoyce and be exceeding glad c. Upon what ground Why Upon this great is your reward in Heaven Losse hath its quantity 'T is great that makes it so heavy reward hath its quantity too Great is your reward in Heaven If a man had lost a Kingdome on earth Is not the Kingdome of Heaven responsible If a man had lost all this World Is not the World to come as good as this Is not Heaven as big as Earth As good as Earth Asmuch good As lastingly good Will not your Heaven above be as sweet as your hell here is bitter â—uppose there be nothing above but Christ to make up al thy losse here below is not he enough Canst thou not comfort thy selfe in Christ alone What a soule hast thou 'T was high time thou diddest lose thy treasure here 't was thy God Thou wouldest otherwise have lost thy soule Obj. And 't were but for my selfe I could be contented whatsoever I underwent But I have wife and children and no Bread to put in their hâ—nds nor no clothes to put on their backs this makes my heart sinkes within and I doe not know how to keep it up Sol. Are thy children fit to be partakers of Heaven If so let that comfort thee that they are in a capable condition though temporally miserable to be eternally happy Say to thy sinking soule there is a house above big enough to hold me and all mine and the owner is kind to strangers There is bread enough clothing enough for me and all mine Thou art but stript before quite dead death would have stript thee of all if Cavaliers had not Naked thou camest into this World and naked thou shalt returne Thou maist goe to Heaven stark naked without money without clothes All things are naked and bare before Christ that 's the manner of all going hence thou art put in a posture to goe to Heaven they goe stript of all here below to that felicity above Thou hast nothing now thou art fit for all nothing of earth now Heaven would be welcome Thou hast no home here now thy long-home above O! How sweete would it be Why It may be it will not be long ere thou be there Be still 't is God things wil end wel if Heaven wil make it so Ob. Yea but mine are not such yet as concerning whom I can thus relieve my selfe that they will be partakers of eternall felicity when this miserable life ends Sol. Doe thy duty to bring them to be such thou hast now time and leisure now all is gone What else shouldest thou doe now but give all diligence to make up a felicity for thee and thine where it may be seeing all is gone here Time was thou diddest pretend multitude of businesses and great imployment in thy calling that thou couldest not discharge this and that duty in thy family for the eternall good of servants and children as thou wouldest why Now thou hast nothing to doe God hath removed that let let 's see now how heavenly thou wilt be in the discharge of the divine duty 'T will lie heavy upon thee indeed to see thy children lie in bodily misery and yet still goe on to doe nothing to deliver them out of soule-misery If God stir up thy heart by this to doe thy duty throughly for the soule-good of thine thy misery may prove blessed misery to thee and thine This will be thy comfort at giving up that thou hast discharged thy duty to make a miserable condition blessed But if successe suite thy industry thy miserable children are made indeed This may cheer thee under sad