prâ—rogatives are such as never eye saw ear heard or entred into the heart of man 1 Cor. 2.9 such as infinitely transcends our vastest thoughts therefore are they veiled under many similitudes and compared to those things which are most honourable and highest in the eyes of man They are Kings Rev. 1.6 and their Kingdom not fading but unshaken Heb. 12.28 not earthly but heavenly 2 Pet. 1.11 they have their sceptres Heb. 1.8 their Palaces Psal. 45.8 their thrones Rev. 3.21 their crowns 2 Tim. 4.8 God himself their diademe Isa. 28.5 they have their glory even the glory of God 1 Thes. 2.12 Christ himself their glory Luk. 2.32 and they the glory of Christ Isa. 46.13 This eminencie of Saints may be cleerly shewed in an evident demonstration For no creature can stand in competition with them but only other men and Angels For the first their eminencie will easily appear by comparison even in those things wherein men challenge precedencie before others Men are counted more honourable as they go before others in birth estate or end Look then first to that broad difference betwixt the birth of the spiritual and the carnal creature Flesh is born of flesh Joh. 3.3 The natural man is of earth earthy 1 Cor. 15.47 nay of hell and therefore hellish His Father in the flesh is a sinful man his spiritual Father those spiritual wickednesses even Satan Ioh. 8.44 But Spirit is born of Spirit The new man is not born of flesh and blood not of the will of man but of God Joh. 1.13 God his Father who hath begotten him 1 Pet. 1.3 God his Mother also who 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 conceiving hath brought himforth Jam. 1.18 In their generation or birth there is no comparison 2. For their estate what infinite disparitie 1. in life 2. In things belonging to life The life of Saints is the life of God Eph. 4.18 their nature the divine nature 2 Pet. 1.4 the blessed Spirit the soul of this life which animates him Rom. 8.9 10. Carnal men have a filthy spirit informing and working in the children of disobedience Eph. 2.2 In the one God works all their works Isa. 26.12 will and deed Philip. 2.13 in the other Satan and Sin Things belonging to life are as the life temporal or spiritual The Saints spiritual portion in one word is God Christ his Bread and meat Joh. 6.35 55. he the portion of his cup Psal. 16.5 the cup of salvation Psal. 116.13 the drink indeed Joh. 6.55 1 Cor. 10.4 Christ his garment a most royal robe He puts on Christ Gal. 3.27 Christ his house he dwels in him 1 Joh. 4.13 he our everlasting habitation Psal. 90.1 Heaven or rather the God of Heaven his inheritance Psal. 16.5 how contrary is the other his portion for the present is nothing but sin his bread ashes and a deceitful heart Isa. 44.20 and his drink iniquity Job 15.16 and he drunk with it Isa. 29.9 10. his reckoning cup fire and brimstone Psal. 11.6 his garments cursing Psal. 109.18 and his inheritance hell-fire Matth. 25.41 But surely in temporal conveniences thâ—re the men of this world much exceed the other So indeed they boast but lye The little of the righteous is much better than the superfluitie of others Psal. 37.16 Prov. 16.8 The prosperitie of the wicked deadly Prov. 1 32. the troubles of the righteous wholsome Psal. 119.71 The one cursed in blessings the other blessed in curses In a word the one in his best and most comfortable estate a wâ—eful creature the other in his worst ever blessed Luk. 6.20 to 27. 3. For their ends the one shall flourish iâ— never ending peace the other is cut off for ever Psal. 37.37 38. Lastly it hath pleased the Lord of all creatures to prefer them even above the Angels First in our Creation we were made a little inferiour to them but as Princes prefer their Favourites by some honourable office above others who are more nobly descended so our Lord hath advanced us above them in setting the crown upon our heads crowning us with honour and glory and giving to us as his Viceroyes not to Angels dominion over the works of his hands Psal. 8.5 6. appointing even them to be ministring spirits for us who are heirs of salvation Heb. 1.14 our guards to defend us Psal. 34.7 our Guardians in all our ways to keep us Psal. 91.11 2. In the work of Redemption our nature assumed theirs refused Heb. 2.16 we râ—deâ—med they rejected And as our nature is infinitely exalted above the most glorious Angels in the person of Christ so by him many great Prerogatives granted to us who are his members whom he redeems with his blood nourishes with his flesh dwels in us by his Spirit and crowns with his glory Joh. 17.22 In a word Saints are the highest Favourites of the most Highest having fellowship and communion with God 1. Joh. 1.3 nay union with the Father and the Son one Spirit with Christ and one in them as they are one Joh. 17.21 Seeing then our Father is in Heaven our Hâ—ad in Heaven ouâ— life our Country and Portion in Heaven seeing our spirits were born in Heaven and our bodies look to Heaven let our treasure minds and conversation also be in Heaven So shall we even here on earth live in the Suburbs of Heaven and in due time being advanced to that glorious City the heavenly Ierusalem eternally reign with the King of Heaven Amen Amen Let me shut up all in that sweet Poem Boetius Libr. 5. Mâ—tr 5. I. Into what different moulds doth Gods wise hand Cast his wet clay and to their various â—orms Their divers postures fitts some sweep the sand Drawn out at length as tottering boats in storms They mount and â—all dragging their lazy trains They plow long â—urrowes on the dusty plains II. Some light as ayer mounted on liquid sky Spread to the gentle winds their featherd sails Swimming with plumed oâ—rs through Heavens fly Some shod with hoofs some frosted with sharp nails Through woods and forrests plains and mountains trace And set their prints upon th' earths scarr'd face III. Yet though their various shapes and gate betray How â—ar their natures differ each from other All meet in this All gaze upon the clay From which they spring and stâ—re upon their Mother Prest down with earthy Yoke their dullard sight Pores on dark shades they use not view the light IV. Man only rears aloâ—t his honour'd head His body stands and walks upright his eyes Transport his soul where it was highly bred To keep acquaintance with his neer Allies On earth his down-cast look he never places But when he stoops and losty head abases V. Iâ— then thou art not beast or earth if maâ— Thy body guides the soul thy eye the mind Thy flesh looks where it tends not wher't began Oh shall the Heaven-born soul forget his kind Shall heavenly minds mind earth while earthy eyes Eye Heaven soar up my soul transâ—end the skies Else while thy body lives thy spirit dies Books Printed for and Sold by Henry Mortlock at the sign of the White Hart in Westminster-Hall A Rational account of the grounds of Protestant Religion being a vindication of the Lord Arch-Bishop of Canterburys Relation of a conference c. from the pretended answer of T. C. Origines Sacrae or a Rational account of the grounds of Christian Faith as to the Truth and Divine Authority of the Scriptures and the Matters therein contained 4 0. Irenicum A weapon salve for the Churches wounds or the Divine right of Forms of Church government Examin'd and discussed 4 0. Six Sermâ—ns with a Discourse Annexed concerning the true Reason of the sufferings of Christ wherein Crellius his answer to Grotius is considered 8 0. large A Sermon preached before the King Ian. 30. all these by Edward Stilliâ—g fleet D. D. Knowledg and Practice or a plain discourse of the chief things necessary to be â—nown believed and practised in order to sâ—lvation by S. Câ—adoâ—k 4 0. The being and well being of a Christian in 3. Treatises The first setting forth the properties of the Righteous The 2. the Excellency of grace The 3. the nature and sweetness of fellowship with Christ by Edward Reyner late Minister at Lincoln published by his Son Iohn Reyner 8 0. The Triumph of Rome over Despised Protesâ—ants by Phil. Hall 8 0. The Morall Philosophy of the Sâ—oicks Translated out of French by Charles Cotton Esq. 8 0. A Word in Season or 3. great Duties of Christians in the worst of times viz. Abiding in Christ thirsting after his Ordinances and submission to his providences by I. C. D. D. To which is added by way of Appendix the Advice of some Ministers to their people for the Reviving of the power and practice of Godliness in their families 8 0. Propugnaculum Pietatis The Saints Ebenezer and Pillar of hope in God when they have none left in the creature or the Godly mans crutch or staff in times of sâ—dning disappointments sinking discouragements shaking desolations by F. E. 8 0. The voice of one crying in a wilderness or the whole business of a Christian both Antecedaneous to Concommitant of and Consequent upon a sore and heavy Visitation represented in several Sermons by S. S. a Servant of God in the Gospel of his Son 12 0. Immanuel or a Discovery of true Religion as it imports a living principle in the minds of men grounded upon Christs discourse with the Samaritaness John 4.14 being the Latter clause of the voice crying in a Wilderness or a Continuation of the Angelical Life by the same Author 12 0. Common Prayers in Welch fol. FINIS
refuse we to do or suffer that we may gain them we long we pine for them we ride we run for them sweat and toyl for them venter limb and life for them but no sooner we obtain but finding their emptiness our heart goes off from them to some other object at least nauseating what we possess we burn in desire of what we suppose is wanting It is with us in these adulterous lusts as with incestuous Amnon whose heart being inflamed with the beauty of Tamar before enjoying could think of no other heaven but her eyes and arms but in cooler blood he more loaths than formerly he loved as was not before so sick for her as after sick of her 2 Sam. 13. 5. Fifthly the Creatures were ever inferiour to us In our first Covenant they were given to us as servants and we to them as Lords Gen. 1.26 Psal. 8.6 In the secondâ— our dominion enlarged rather than any whit empaired All things are ours the world life deâ—th things present and to come all are ours 1 Cor. 3.21 22. And when the Lord of all the World in his wonderful love and special favour chose and espoused us to himself he endowed us with all his goods and gave all his servants to wait upon us in several offices some as Caterers to provide our diet some as Cooks to dress it some as Taylers Weavers to cloath us some as Physitians to cure us some as Musicians to refresh and delight us the very Heavens as Torch-bearers to light us yea even the most glorious Angels of Heaven as our Guard to secure us How then can the creature possibly advance us whose advancement is to serve us how should that put the highest excellency for so is blessedness upon us which is so far inferiour to us 6. Lastly the creature is made unto us as instruments and means of action and therefore in the abundance of it is not only burdensome but dangerous It is like the Spartan Iron-Money as much as would buy one horse would load three As a great sayl to a little boat in rough weather and so is either cumbersome and makes our way heavy or dangerous and unwarily sinks us in destruction Thus Hamans preferment advanced him to the Gallows Ahitophels wisdome Weaved a noose for his own Neck That Rulers wealth in his passage to Heaven loads and sinks him Mark 10. Nay in respect of blessedness they are so needless that we are never so blessed as when we have least of them and least need them It is our highest happiness in Heaven that we shall neither need nor possess food apparel wives husbands land money Sun Moon but God shall be all in all 1 Cor. 15.28 Rev. 22.5 Object But do not the creatures conferr something and help forward our happiness Who can at least comfortably be without them Answ. There is a possibility even in this life of consisting being and well-being without them Moses was never here more blessed than when enjoying the presence of God in the Mount he neither had or wanted food c. when the Apostles had nothing neither money shooes nor scrip they wanted nothing Luk. 22.35 Man lives not by bread but by every word of God a lesson long since taught Gods people when in the Wilderness they neither had nor wanted Corn Wine Oyle or any supply of cloathing c. Deut. 8.3 2. Though in this life we cannot in an ordinary course be without them yet do they not make up any part of our happiness seeing neither it nor any part of it consisteth either of this life or any thing belonging to it Blessed are they none more that dye in the Lord Rev. 14.13 3. Nothing in the Creature but only Gods word and blessing upon them is that which either fits them for us or us to them and so gives us some comfort from them as being all his servants Psal. 119.91 going and coming at his Word Luk. 7.8 They are all in his hand as instruments which he employeth to good or evil as he pleaseth The Assyrian was but the Axe or Staff in his hand to chastise his rebellious Subjects Isa. 10.5 15. when we have it it works not moves not but by his hand If he use not the Axe it cannot hew if he lift not up the staff it cannot stirr In a word it is with all Creatures even the greatest rebells as with that Balaam Numb 22.20 God may say Go but that which I say and will that shalt thou do And therefore they are all ready to say unto thee as that Prophet to Balak If thou wouldst give me thy house full of Gold and Silver I cannot go beyond the Word of the Lord to do either good or bad of mine own mind Numb 24.13 Thy meat will tell thee I cannot nourish thee thy cloaths we cannot warm thee if he command not When the Lord sayes to a Crown Go to Sauls head and from Saul to David it goeth When he adds Go to Ieroboam to Ahab c. fill them with trouble sweep them and all their posterity from the face of the earth as dung so it doth When he sayes Go to Solomon and girt him with power peace honour it fails not to do it When he sayes to the Quails Go to those murmurers cover their tables nay cover the ground two cubits high go and fill their mouths but not their bellies feed them not so it comes to pass Numb 11.31 32. And when he commands the Air neither sow nor Reap yet rain down bread upon my people and nourish them forty years in the Wilderness it executes his charge Seeing then the creature is full of nothing but of emptiness vanity and vexation unsatisfying of short continuance least esteemed where most enjoyed far beneath us and even needless yea in their abundance burthensome and dangerous it is impossible they should constitute any part of mans happiness Now Religion Reason nay even Sense will tell us All this is infallibly true and therefore will conclude that it is irreligious unreasonable sensless to rest or build upon the creature And therefore when in searching our hearts we find too much of this Harlotry in them thus let us correct and direct them I. Fond Soul I is this Thy way to bliss Grasp both the Indies let thy mighty hand The iron North and golden South command Transcend the Moon Fasten thy Throne Above the fixed stars above expressions Above thy â—hought enlarge thy vast poâ—sâ—ssionsâ— Fond soul all this Cannot make up thy bliss II. All these are vain Full but with pain All Creatures have their end to serve not bless thee As Servants they may help as Lords oppress thee They vex in gâ—tting Us'd lost with â—retting Can slaves advance shades â—â—ll can grief give rest That which was curs'd â—or thee can't make thee bleâ—â— They all are vain And bring not bliss but pain III. Fond Soul thy birth Is not of Earth Or Heav'n thou Earth and Heav'n it self survivâ—st Though born
their hearts rescued theiâ— macerated bodies and distracted wits and by parting with their money returned to their wonted peace and quietness This Ancient Couple and our own reason will assure us that felicity seldome dwelleth with riches never is patcht up with raggs of earth Philosophers prove it and Poets sing it Thus in English Boetius Libr. 2. Metr 2. If Mammon empty all his baggs to store The greedy mind as Seas heap sands on shore If earth with Heaven vie Angels for her lovers And every star with golden Pieces covers If Plenty hills of wealth and mountains heaps And what it largely gives as safely keeps The dropsie soul still whines still thirsts and pants For earth and feels not what it has but wants When God the mouth the throat the skin hath cram'â— With gold the heart still gapes and gasps as clam'd Nor earth nor seas nor heaven can quench this drouth As hell it ever yawns ne're shuts the mouth What rein what curb can bridle lustful fires And manage them in pace of just desires When all the gifts which from free Heaven came Are but as oyl and fuel to the flame He never can be full who feeds on ayre He never can be rich who dreams he 's poor and barâ— CAP. IV. Neither can Blessedness consist in honour and worldly advancement EArthly Honour and Greatness in the world is like a ponderous leaden weight in an earthly vessel it breaks out the bottom As too great a charge in a Musket either bursting the barrel or recoyling upon the discharger Great Babel had so blown up and bladdered the heart of great Nebuchadnezzar that swelling beyond the demensions of man he burst His vast thoughts shattered his brain-pan so that not only his Crown but his senses fell from his head While he soars above the pitch of man unto a God he falls beneath the lowest degree of man into a beast eats grass like an Oxe his Hairs metamorphosed into Feathers and his Nails into Claws Dan. 4.30 33. so he exemplified that infallible truth which is therefore doubled by God Man that is in honour abideth not but is like beasts that perish Psal. 49.12 20. 2. Secondly As it is with Riches so with honour even when they are ours they are not our own Riches are ours rather in the dispensation than possession They are anothers Luk. 16.12 The state in another in God and the benefit for others for our Brethren God is the true Owner Psal. 24.1 The earth is the Lords and the fulness thereof the world and they that dwell therein Rich men are but his Stewards He gives substance and takes it away at his pleasure Iob 1.21 and we receive to give and distribute As God fills the clouds to empty them upon the earth so he poures in to the rich to poure out to the poor Eccles. 11.1 2 3. And therefore a righteous Steward thus dispenseth them He disperseth and giveth to the poor Psal. 112.9 Even thus is it with honour It is not our own It is in him that gives it not in him that receives it and we receive it not for our selves but for others Promotion proceeds from God Psal. 75.6 7. and ends in his people see 2 Sam. 5.12 1 King 10.9 2 Chron. 2.11 The root in another the fruit for other If then borrowed money cannot make rich much less can lent honour make blessed 3. Thirdly It is lyable to all those defects and failings of other creatures 1. Full of vanity and vexation Even Solomons greatness was but vanity Eccl. 2.9 11. It â—s gotten commonly by wicked arts flatâ—ery bribery treachery with grief fear envy And when it is best gotten yet come we to it with much danger hold it with much trouble and cannot part from it but with ruine How many have swam to it in the blood of others and sunk by it in their own read 1 King 16. Look upon David He rose from following the Ewes with young to feed Gods people Psal. 78.71 from the sheep-hook to the Scepter Never any more truly honourable He received it freely when he sought it not it was cast in to him 1 Sam. 16. He came to it innocently and would not stain his head with a bloody Crown 1 Sam. 24. 26. He managed it wisely justly Psal. 78.72 He lived long and dyed in it ripely yet the many and great dangers through which he made toward it the perils and sorrows by reason of those foul practices of his Son Absolom in passing through it The troubles and tumults of Adoniah disturbing him in the farewell of it will assure us that there is much vanity in honour no felicity and the Crown more heavy than happy 2. There is no power in Honour to satisfie the ambitious heart thirsting after it when he hath gathered to him all Nations and heaped to him all people his desire is still as death and hell and cannot be satisfied Habâ— 2.5 He cannot rest or quiet his soul iâ— the very top of earthly honour and glory covets to ascend above the height of the clouds stayes not there but will climb up to heaven neither are the Heavens high enough for him he will exalt his throne above the stars anâ— be like the most high Isa. 14.13 14. Thâ— Prince of Tyre cannot stop his glorious boasting in being wiser than Daniel but sets hiâ— heart as God Ezek. 28.2 3. And truly it iâ— worthy of observation that the heart oâ— man even when it is most carnal and much more when spiritual cannot settle or pitch upon any lower object than likeness to God But here lies the difference the carnaâ— would be like him in an absolute soveraignty and supream independancy Gen. 3.5 the spiritual in humility Psal. 113.5 6. Matth. 11.29 in holiness and purity 1 Pet. 1.15 1 Iohn 3.3 3. Neither is honour of any continuance Man in honour abideth not his glory shall noâ— descend after him Psal. 49.12 17. How many out-live all their honour Those that arâ— born in the Kingdom become poor Eccles. 4 14â— They may live like Gods and yet dye likâ— men Psal. 82.6 7. The life of man is but a flower of short continuance and momentary Job 14.1 2. But the flower of honour commonly budds long after him and is blasted before him certainly parts with him at his grave and returns to some other perhaps his enemy 4. This glittering Idol of honour is like the glaring Image of Beauty It hath strong cords to draw a carnal heart but weak threds to tye and bind the affection which it hath drawn how is the soul enâ—moured on those dazeling but false beams of honour not yet attained how soon it languisheth and loaths what it hath gotten and enjoyed It sparkles in our eyes when we look on it in distance but no sooner is it worn then soiled and loseth all the gloss and beauty That great Emperour and greater persecutor Diocletian how greedily did he hunt after the Imperial Robe and Diadem how
be our Lord a gift fully and only answerable to his love Some service is more honourable than some command A greater dignity to serve the King than to command sheep Whosoever hath tasted how good this Lord is Psal. 34.8 counts all things dung â—nd loss in comparison of his service Phil. 3.8 They prefer his livery and the meanest place in his house before their Princely Robes or any earthly honour Psal. 84.10 Even in our Creation when he gave himself to Adam to be his Lord he took Adam unto himself to be his Son Luk. 3.38 therefore formed him after his own Image Gen. 1.26 And to what higher dignity can the most vast ambition of the Creature aspire than to be like his Creator his Son and Heir Now that our gracious Lord offers himself to be our Portion himself frequently testifies He often takes upon himself this title the Portion of his people Ier. 10.16 51.19 their exceeding great Reward Gen. 15.1 And as frequently his people with glad hearts acknowledge The Lord is the Portion of my inheritance The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places Psal. 16.5 6. I have a goodly heritage Thou art my â—ortion oh Lord Psal. 119.57 Even in the deeps of bitter affliction when they are drunken with Worm-wood this upholds and strongly props them up The Lord is my Portion saith my Soul Lam. 3.15 24. A portion so full and saâ—isfying that even here the Saints utterâ—y reject all things in earth or Heaven as any way accessary or needful to make up any part of their happiness Whom have I in Heaven but thee and there is none in earth â—hat I desire besides thee My heart and my flesh faileth but God is the strength oâ— my heart and my Portion for ever Psal. 75.25 26. In this Portion lies all the the blessedness of man which who can more fully assure us than those blessed Saints who filled with his most blessed Spirit out of their experience and overflowing joy pour out abundantly such expressions Blessed is the man whom thou chusest oh Lord and causest him to approach unto thee that he may dwell in thy house we shall be satisfied with the goodness of thy house even of thine holy Temple Psal. 65.4 Blessed are they that dwell in thy house they will ever be praising thee Psal. 84.4 He is only blessed and all Nations blessed in him only Psal. 72.17 Nay himself our Blessedness teacheth us Blessed is the man that hearetâ— me watching daily at my gates and waiting at the posts of my doors for who so findeth me findeth life Prov. 8.34 35. Saints sometime when either they are pressed down with afflictions or newly lifted up from their earthly burthens are ready to think and say Happy are the people who aâ—â— in such a case that is whose garners aâ—â—full whose sheep grounds fruitful no leadâ—ing into captivity no complaining c. buâ— they soon reclaim themselves and upon better thoughts recant yea happy is the people who have the Lord for their God Psalâ— 144.15 This will be yet much more clearly manifested if we look upon God first as our fulâ— defence Secondly as our full reward Thuâ— he Covenants to be unto us Gen. 15.1 Psalâ— 84.11 For the first God is a full and entire defence to all those who are under hiâ— protection They have indeed very many very strong and subtile yet more maliciâ—ous enemies some without some withinâ— but the Lord their Shield beareth off from them all their force frustrateth all theiâ— spite and turneth all their mischief to thâ— furtherance of his people and confusion oâ— their enemies Not an hair of them shall peâ—rish Luk. 21.17 18. I will strengthen thee yea I will help thee yea I will uphold thee witâ— my right hand Behold they that were incenseâ— against thee shall be ashamed they shall be as noâ—thing As many as strive with thee shall perishâ— Isa. 41.10 11. No weapon that is formeâ— against thee shall prosper and every tongue thaâ— riseth against thee in judgement thou shalt conâ—emn This is the heritage of the Servants of â—he Lord and their righteousness is of me saith â—he Lord Isa. 54.17 See it in particularsâ— All Adversaries exercise a double enmity â—ither hostile in assaulting or civil in acâ—using Principalities and Powers wrastle â—gainst us in a dangerous conflict armed with â—ery darts and therefore we are charged with an whole armour of God Ephes. 6.11 â—2 16. 2. They are importunate Accuâ—ers Rev. 12.9 10. Even when God himself â—ad not only justified but so highly commended his servant Iob that shameless Spirit was not ashamed to tax him for an Hypocrite that served for hire not love Iob 1.8 9 10. 2. The World is an unreconcileable enemy warring not only within us by earthly lusts Iam. 4.1 but without persecuting oppressing and consuming Psal. 119.61 87 157 161. 2. Accusing also and pleading against us by contradiction slandering mocking c. Psal. 119.23 51 69. Lastly the Flesh warreth against our souls 1 Pet. 2.11 Rom. 7.23 and accuseth Rom. 2.15 Against all their assaults all their weapons and accusations the Lord is our full protection In war there is a twofold defence 1. Natural in situation as impassable Rocks Mountains Rivers Coverts or Shelters 2. Artificial made by hand and some morâ— distant walls towers fortresses and somâ— nearer shields and other armours Thâ— Lord is all these unto his servants 1. Mounâ—tains round about them Psal. 125.1 2. â— 2. The only Rock 2 Sam. 22.32 3. Broaâ— rivers where no ship can pass Isa 33.21 4. A Covert or hiding place Psal. 32.7 119.114 5. A Wall and that of fireâ— Zech. 2.5 6. A Tower Prov. 18.10 â— 7. A Fortress Psal. 18.2 8. A Shield â— Prov. 30.5 a compassing shield Psalâ— 5.12 like the Cherubims flaming sword turning every way for our protection 9. Our Advocate 1 Ioh. 2.1 to whom all the Saints confidently repair upon all occasions to plead their cause Psal. 35.1 119.124 10. Neither is he only our defensive but offensive armour also both Shield and Sword Deut. 33.29 He bears down our foes and plagues them that hate us Psa. 89.23 In a word he is our Foreward he our Rereward Isa. 52.12 compassing and enclosing us with his Almighty arms as with two invincible Armies This is his promise and the deed fully answers it Look upon it in some instances The Lord Covenants with Abraham Isaac and Iacob to be their shield They were few Pilgrims in strange and Heathen Counâ—reys What but this Almighty Shield could â—ave given them protection when it was in â—â—e power of Labans hand to have hurt Jacob â—od held his hands and lips also Gen. 31.29 â—hen he was not a little nor without cause â—ighted the Lord made his enemies more â—fraid of him than he of his enemies Gen. â—5 5 when he was to pass by Esau's Counâ—â—ey God gave him a royal convoy two â—â—mies of Angels to guard him Gen. 32.1 2. â—elted into tears the
stormy ayers quiet stay Can Heavens find in swiftest raptures ease Has only man no Centre none to lay His weary soul to rest no place to â—ase His boundless thoughts Me thinks I see a ray A glorious bâ—â—â— break through Heav'ns Canopy Me thinks I hear a voice Come Soul and see Come here here lies thy rest rest in my word me V. It is thy lovely voice great Love oh where Where Lord of love where should I seek to find thee In every place I see thy footsteps cleer Yet find thee not what are the miâ—â—s that blind me I know Lord where thou art and seek thee there Yet there I find not thee before behind me On every side I see yet seeing blind I find not what I see but heark my mind He speaks again Soul seek seek thou and I will find A great encouragement which will much hearten us in this quest is that CAP. X. We shall certainly find when we rightly seek IF worldly and carnal men so zealously affect and hotly pursue their earthly objects the ambitious straining for honour till they crack their estates and brains in reaching after it and yet are often over-reached and lose their prize the covetous as horses drawing iniquity with Cartâ—ropes of vanity defrauding oppressing piercing their souls with many sorrows yet often put all their gains into a bag with holes Hag. 1.6 or at the least in their end are stript and turned out naked voluptuous persons hunt after pleasures till they run themselves off their leggs and are brought to a morsel of bread and yet commonly either lose their game or as that Huntsman are eaten up by their doggs how cheerfully should a Christian â—un his course in seeking that immortal honour of being a Son and Heir to the King of Kings those durable riches treasures laid â—p in Heaven those incorruptible pleasures which are at Gods right hand and press hard toward the â—â—rk for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ which following he shall surely obtain and having obtained shall never lose Never did our gracious Lord command his poor creatures Seek ye the Lord in vain Isa. 49.15 he hath past his word that in seeking him we shall certainly find and iâ— finding him shall be ever blessed His word is his deed what he speaks is done what he commands stands fast Psal. 33.9 Be assured therefore if thou seek him â—e will be found of thee 1 Chron. 28.9 2 Chron. 15. â—â— Matth. 7.7 If you seek for honour glory immortality you shall find eternal life Rom. 2â—7 Thus hath he frequently promised and all his promises are Yeâ— and Amen in Christ 2 Cor. 1.20 Iudah sought â—im and found him 2 Chron. 15.15 Even Hypocrites find him and some favour with him when they seek even as much and as far as they seekâ— Aâ—abs temporal humiliation obtained an answerable mercy 1 King 21.29 As long aâ— Vzziah sought God so long he prosperedâ—â— Chron. 26.5 It is an infallible dispensation of his Providence in general to give every man what he seeks He that seeketh good shall have favour and â—e that seeketh mischieâ— it shall come unto him Prov. 11.27 It cannot be otherwise For 1. 〈◊〉 â—st sui diâ—â—usivum Good iâ— oâ— a spreading nature It cannot but comâ—unicate it self proportionably to the power which it hath and to the object which iâ— finds He is good and doth good Psal. 119.68 He is infinitely good and therefore infinitely communicates himself as well to the 〈◊〉 by generation as to the Holy Ghost by procession yeâ— finitely as they are capable to all his Creatures as well in their Creation making them very good Gen. 1.31 as in his providence and dispensation his open hand fills them with good Psal. 104.28 and man being created after his own image and after his â—all capable of the divine nature he offers and imparts it to them who takes his offer 2 Pet. 1.4 Secondly He is Love 1 Iohn 4â—16 gracious Exod. 34.6 loving before above contrary to our deservingâ— Thiâ— love our Saviour thinks best to express in the relation of a Father Luk. 11.11 12 13â— so loving that he waits to be gracious unto us Isa. 30.18 that he is found of those that seek him not and makes himself manifeâ—â— to those that ask not after him Rom. 10.20 so unexpressably and unconceivably loving that when he had bestowed all his Creatures upon us he yet satisfied not his love till he had given a gift fully proportionable to his incomprehensible love the Son of his love his only begotten that we being destroyed by our selves Hos. 13.9 mighâ— through him never perish being dead in our selves might have eternal life in him Ioh. 3.16 being enemies in our nature might be reconciled in him Rom. 5.10 Thirdly He is the Truth Joh. 14.6 How frequently hath he promised that if we seek we shall find as before and faithful is he that promiseth who will also do it 1 Thes. 5.24 Thus Mercy and Truth meet together Psal. 85.10 And to this purpose are they met fully to assure us of success in seeking Deut. 4.25 to the 32. And observe that when for their rebellion the Lord had scattered his revolting people among the Heathen and given them up to their whorish hearts to serve wood and stone yet even from thence when they shall seek the Lord they shall find him And what is the reason that after such bitter provocations he will be found of them in their deepest misery 1. His mercy for the Lord thy God is a merciful God he will not destroy thee 2. His truth and faithfulness nor forget the Covenant of thy Fathers which he swore unto them ver 31. How then should any poor soul that seeks with loâ—ging miss in finding Thou lovest him he more infinitely loveth thee Thou seekest him he first seeketh thee Thou wouldst find him he will surely find thee thou desirest to meet him doth not he promise to meet thee Isa. 64.5 nay thou goest to meet him but he runneth to meet thee Luk. 15.18 20. But that cunning and lying Serpent and our own unbelieving hearts will put in a barr and lay a notable stumbling block in our way concerning this truth They will object It is not only apparent that many have not found the Lord who yet have earnestly sought but the Lord himself plainly testifies that many shall seek and not find Luk. 13.24 They shall go with their heards and with their flocks to seek the Lord and shall not find him Hos. 5. â— but we must know that as in other actions so in this that which is not right indeed is not It may seem to be but is not what it seems A lip-love is indeed no love 1 Ioh. 3.17 18. A dead faith no faith so that seeking which is not right is indeed no seeking What then is that right seeking to which God hath annexed this promise of finding Three things are necessarily required in seeking to make it
right and prosperous 1. That the place Where 2. That the time when 3. That the manner how be all right He that seeks Grapes of Thorns or Figgs of Thistles neither finds what he seeks noâ— indeed seeks to find for he seeks in a wrong place He that seeks Grapes of the Vine and Figgs of the Figg-tree but out of season in Winter seeks not in due time and finds nothing but his own folly He that observes time and place but neglects the right manner of seeking is still out of the way of finding The soul of the sluggard desireth and haâ—h nothing Prov. 13.4 He will not Plow by reason of cold therefore shall he begg in Harvest and have nothing Prov. 20 4â— If a man go with his Cart into the Field a place of Corn and in Harvest the time of Corn but never Ploughed sowed c. he may load all his Harvest in an empty Wayn and return with an empty belly Where then must we seek Not in our selves not in our Righteousness or works we are meer Thorns and Bryars Ezek. 2.6 The blessed fruit of the true Vine grows not in our cursed nature Nothing there but sowre and wilde grapes Isa. 5.4 Erring Israel following after the Law of Righteousness attained not unto the Law of Righteousness Wherefore Because they sought it not by faith but as it were by the works of the Law Rom. 9.31 32. Only we find and enjoy God in Christ only in Christ he is appeasedâ— 2 Cor. 5.19 only well-pleased in Christ Mat. 3.17 In him we are accepted Ephes. 1.6 By him we have access to God with confidence Ephes. 3.12 One cannot possibly come to God as a Father but by him Joh. 14.6 In him adopted Ephes. 1.5 In him begotten to an incorruptible inheritance 1 Pet. 1.3 4. In him blessed with all spiritual blessings Ephes. 1.3 But where shall we seek Christ who shall ascend into heaven to bring down the fruit of Christs resurrection and ascention for life unto us who shall go down to the deep to fetch thence the death of the Lord Iesus and apply the vertue of it to our souls The Apostle answers The word is nigh unto thee in thy mouth and in thy heart This is the Word of faith which we Preach For if thou confess with thy mouth and believe in thy heart that God raised him from the dead thou shalt be saved Rom. 10.6 7 8 9. Christ therefore is offered thee in the Word given by faith the Word brings him to thee thy faith receives him holds him leads him into the chamber of thy heart and there he dwells with thee Ephes. 3.17 As therefore only Christ brings thee into favour with God so the Word brings Christ to thee and faith grafts thee into Christ. But although the Lord Iesus Christ with his own mouth and his blessed Spirit have so frequently and cleerly testified that the Word Preached is the incorruptible seed whereby we are born again to this incorruptible inheritance Luk. 8.11 1 Pet. 1.23 Jam. 1.18 and the food strong meat and milk whereby we are nourished and grow up into our Head in this life of God yet what in the World is more despised and rejected If you look to the judgement of some professed and in name Christians they account it as those Greeks foolishness 1 Cor. 1.18 23. and therefore utterly despise it Act. 13.41 They dare deride it even in the mouth of Christ himself Luk. 16.14 how much more in the mouths of his poor messengers If you look unto their wills they are resolved against it Ier. 44.16 will not hear but reject it Ier. 8.9 If to their affections they hate it hate the knowledge of it Prov. 1.22 29. hate him that brings it Amos 5.10 yea even him that sends it Ioh. 15.22 23 24. Indeed if they would enquire of Christ and hearken unto him teaching us where to find him he would direct us Go thy way forth by the fooâ—steps of the flock and feed thy Goats by the Tents of the Shepherds Cant. 1.8 But proud fond men know not as that Eunuch Act. 8.31 the need of a Guide Their â—taff can better grope out their blind wayes Hos. 4.12 They walk after their own devices Jer. 18.12 and will have no other Counseller but their own mouth Ier. 44.17 Some again seek him at ease on their beds and so find him but in a dream Cant. 3.1 some look for him in the broad wayes of a common profession as those Iews Matth. 3.9 Joh. 8.33 They are children of Abraham Circumcised c. so many Christians They are born in the Church Baptised call Lord Lord c. but how should they find the True way in the false the narrow in the broad There they shall hear him thundering as a Iudge I never knew you Depart from me ye workers of iniquity Matth. 7.14 23. Know assuredly when the Spouse her self thus sought she found him not She sought him on her bed but found him not sought him in the streets and broad wayes but found not but when she enquired of the Watchmen she soon found him Cant. 3.1 2 3. Hear him â—herefore in his word Watch daily at his â—ates and wait on the posts of his doors and he will make thee blessed Prov. 8.34 Secondly what is the season or right time â—f seeking Gods time not ours There is â—n acceptable time 2 Cor. 6.2 a time when â—od will be found Isa. 55.6 The longest exâ—â—nt reacheth no furâ—her than the limits of this short life After death instantly follows Judgement Heb. 9.27 where the tree falls it lies 2. There is a time when the decree brings forth Zeph. 2.2 which if we prevent not we perish As far as I can discern by the word God limits a time and after the Date is out we are shut out Heb. 4.7 and specially Luk. 13.25 A time when the door stands open to give us entrance a time when the door is shut and we knock begâ— and plead hard but all in vain For though God never excluded a repentant humbled and softned heart yet when men have despised his patience forbearance and offers of grace God may justly and doth frequently give men up to hardness and leave them to their impenitency to treasure up wrath against the day of wrath Ezek. 24.13 Rom. 2.4 5. 3. There is a set time the Lords Day or as our Homilies call it the Christian Sabbath And for mine own judgement I am perswaded that as a Sabbath is the bond which holds the Church in the true Worship of God so the neglect and contempt of that Ordinance is the bane of true Religion the root of all profaneness and Atheism and the great breach wherein Superstition Errour and Schism have overflown and surrounded the Christian Churches In this matter therefore consider and ponder these few observations 1. A Sabbath is nothing else but a day of rest separated from the labours of our earthly and consecrated to the labours of our
obedience and service to our heavenly Spouse And leâ—t our dimm eyes which are easily taken up with the empty shew and vain name of liberty might be frighted as with Bug-bears when they look upon a yoke he hath laid open the nature and manner of this service concerning which I shall say more in the next so that the spirit of man sees in it the glorious liberty of the sons of God Rom. 8.11 and no liberty but in this bond no rest joy or comfort but in this sweet service Most true it is that no man can come unto Christ unless the Father draw him and as true that every man who hath learned of the Father cometh unto Christ Joh. 6.44 45. The cords therefore by which the Father draws us unto his Son are those lessons whereby he teacheth us 1. In God his love which passeth knowledge Ephes. 3.19 the love of the Father giving us his Son that we might not perish but have everlasting life in him Ioh. 3.16 and the love oâ— the Son giving his life for us Ioh. 15.13 when enemies Rom. 5.10 2. In us ouâ— extream necessity of him being of all Creatures the most miserable without him and infinitely blessed with him These are those cords of a man for the will of man cannot be drawn by violence of compulsion the bands of love Hos. 11.4 Thus our heavenly Spouse wooes us thus he speaks comfortably unto our hearts Hos. 2.14 and allures us Then the Will cheerfully consents calls him Ishi my husband not Baali Lord Thus our Saviour betroths us to himself for ever betroths us in righteousness in judgement in loving kindness and we know the Lord Hos. 2.16 19 20. This is that root of faith Col. 2.7 which springing from the incorruptible seed of Gods Word Rom. 10.17 sends up the stalk of love and working by love Gal. 5.6 brings forth the ear fruitful in every good work increasing in some thirty in some sixty in some an hundred fold Matth. 13.23 This is that hand of faith whereby when the Lord Iesus is offered unto us we receive him Joh. 1.12 1. In the understanding by conceiving aright of him learning Christ as he is taught us Ephes. 4.20 21. 2. In the will by embracing him Heb. 11.13 This is that grace of the Spirit by which when we are questioned in the Church after those wooings of Christ in his word Wilt thou have the Lord Iesus Christ to thy wedded Husband wilt thou love honour obey serve him and keep thee only unto him the soul answers I will and so gives it self to Christ and by the seal of baptism becomes the sealed fountain of the Lord Iesus See Cant. 4.12 with Prov. 5.18 and is tyed unto him in an indissoluble knot of those everlasting espousals so that neither death nor life nor Principalities nor Powers nor things present nor things to come shall be able to separate from the love Rom. 8.38 39. from the boord and bed of the Lord Iesus And is this all which is required in such a match doth he ask neither portion nor beauty nor honour nay gives all these nothing but our hearts filthy hearts that he may cleanse them dead hearts that he may quicken them beggarly and empty hearts that he may enrich store and fill them with the fulness of God Oh then shut not the door against such a Suiter Open your heart for him give it to him where can you so well bestow it how graciously will he receive it how lovingly will he cherish it how sweetly will he embrace it and oh how infinitely happy and blessed will you be in his sweet embraces But is there nothing else demanded but the heart and will in this spiritual match and union with Christ Nothing more to make the match but after the marriage those conjugal duties are required which will soon make us feel and confess how happy we are in such an espousal Hearken then willingly to his suit and thus in your hearts cheerfully answer him Behold behold me view search every part Let beauty wooe thy eyes thy eyes thy heart Thou dost Lord what thou speak'st I somewhat see That I see nothing nor my self nor thee ' Noint thee what seest thou now What tongue can tell In thee ten thousand heav'ns in me an hell How lik'st thy self poor soul how lik'st thou me Lord I am dung and all things dung to thee I made thee first and come now new to make thee Iâ— then thou lik'st stretch â—orth thy hand and take me Take thee Lord thou more rich than heav'n can make theeâ— I poor tak'st thou no portion but to take thee Lord I am naked foul thou can'st but loath me thee Ask'st thou no beauty but to cleanse and cloath me Oh I am base my self my self disdain Wilt thou no honour but with thee to reign Is this thy whole demand to leave mine own And take thee for my portion beauty Crown A glorious offer madness to refuse it An easie choice yet wretch I cannot chuse it Maim'd wretch I see my bliss yet till thou make it I have no will to chuse no hand to take it Let th' hand which thee which all thy glory proffers Give me an hand to take thy glorious offers Form draw mine eyes so shall I still behold theeâ— Make hold my hand so shall I take grasp hold thee CAP. XV. What are the duties of a Soul married to Christ THat humble Widow esteemed it no little grace that a man so mighty aâ— Boaz should take any notice or shew the least favour to her so poor a stranger Ruthâ— 2.10 13. No doubt but looking upon her self in her Widow-hood and desolate condition in a low ebb of poverty and on her Nation branded by God and shut out of his Congregation Deut. 23.3 she could see nothing in her self worthy of his eyes and acceptance Yet had she many commendable endowments such as might preferr her to a very honourable espousal Her wifely kindness to her former Husband Rutâ— 1.8 her obedient fast love to a Mother-in-law her strength of youth and no question beauty but above all virtue and holiness known and famed All these meeting in one might make up a worthy portion when the Judgement held a right ballance and weighed things not as they seemâ— but are How then should we humble our abject souls before our heavenly Spouse She was a Widow we as our Proverb is Grass-widows neither Wives nor Maids we had prostituted our selves to sin and lust and had played the harlots with many lovers Jer. 3.1 2. She was poor we miserable and wretched poor blind and naked Rev. 3.17 She a stranger we Aliens from the common-wealth of Israel without God without hope Ephes. 2.12 a corrupt and corrupting seed Isa. 1.4 She had many excellent endowments we had none No good in our flesh Rom. 7.18 She a kind wife we not only unkind but treacherous Ier. 3.20 She obediently loving to a Mother in law we hatefully
disobedient and obstinate against an heavenly and most gracious Father Isa. 48.4 Tit. 3.3 She youthful beautiful we full of the old man corrupt in lusts Eph. 4.22 Filthy even to stinking Psal. 14.3 and loathsome Prov. 13.5 She vertuous and holy we out of measure sinful and vicious And he our Spouse the true Boaz that is strength the mighty the Almighty How uneven a yoke yet our Will in all these defects received willingness in his unutterable grace and unconceivable mercy being accounted and accepted as our portion and beauty and we in the day of our espousals endowed with all his goods adorned with his beauty and crowned with his glory But is it possible that when the Husband is so rich great excellent nothing should be demanded but heart and will To make the match nothing else but after it is made all Conjugal duties required And what are they 1. Love to cleave to him in all dear affection 2. Constancy to hold us to him in all estates better worse 3. Chastity to keep our selves only to him 4. Subjection to obey and serve him But this seems a very hard and heavy burthen It is only so in seeming and to some only As in the night many things seem very terrible which in the day are very delightful to the eye As to a sick palate that meat seems very iâ—ksome which in health is sweet and pleasing so men that sit in darkness and look on these things with dimm eyes imagine rather than see many Buggs to fright and scare them when their hearts are surfeted with sinful lusts this most sweet yoke is very distastful and bitter but where there is a new Creature and the sense uncorrupted no soul is able to comprehend either the full excellency of it or to utter in any measure that little it doth comprehend Let us thereâ—ore draw nigher and take a better view of â—hese things And 1. Love is as the object very sweet â—or very bitter sometimes excessively grieâ—ous sometimes exceedingly pleasant If â—he object be loathsome love is burthenâ—ome Seven years for beauteous Rachel â—eemed but a few dayes but a few dayes for â—lear-eyed Leah would have been many years 2. Be the object very lovely but not at all loving such love is full of vexation and anguish Thus Amnons fair Sister Tamar afflicted him to sickness and leanness 2 Sam. 13.2 3. 3. If the object be worthy and reflecting our love yet if it prove unfruitful it brings often more grief than comfort Sarah's and Rebecca's beauty yielded their husbands less content than their barrenness trouble The extraordinary kindness of Hannah's husband could not in barreness so sweeten the bitterness of her soul but that all meat was distastful and no drink relished but tears 1 Sam. 1. But when all these meet when our hearts are pitched upon an object 1. Lovely and amiable 2. Kind and loving 3. Fruitful and beneficial our affection will rather need a bridle than a spur not a switch but a snaffle If then we look upon our Heavenly Spouse we shall see 1. That he is fairer than the Children of men Psal. 45.2 altogether lovely Cant. 5.16 his beauty the longing of Saints Psal. 27.4 the ravishment of Angels Isa. 6.3 from whose beams the whole world borrows its spark of beauty 2. His Love is first preventing ours 1 Ioh. 4.19 passing all not only love but expressions nay knowledge of all Creatures Eph. 3.19 3. The fruit of this mutual love exceeding much and glorious It lifts up from a despised condition Cant. 8.1 makes us honourable Isa. 43.4 It prefers uâ— from the basest drudgery in the world from the Skullery of Satan to the bed of Heaven to the union and glory of the Lord of Heaven and earth Ioh. 17.21 22. In a word it gives us perfection elevates our abased nature above the Heavens and exalts it to the uttermost extent of which a Creature is capable and therefore justly termed the bond of perfectness Col. 3.14 To love therefore him who is above measure lovely above apprehension loving whose love â—ully perfects the beloved Lover can be a burthen to none but those who hate their rest and love their burthens yet were it a burthen justly might he expect and exact of us cheerfully to bear itâ— For will not all bonds of gratitude and equity tye us to it were it a burthen for us to love him our glory life heaven it were far greater for him to love us his death hell abasement He loved us when dead and no way but by his death to be revived he loved us when sunk into hell children of wrath and Satan and never but by his descent into hell even suffering that wrath to be rescuâ—d He loved us when we were utterly fallen thrown down from the highest honour to the bottomless pit when filthy loathsome stinking and never but by his abasement from the form of God to the form of man and of a servant to be restored never to be washed but by his blood never to be reformed but by his deformity If then not for love yet for shame how should we deny to be pressed for his who was oppressed for our sake to bear his cross who hath borâ— our curse to carry the heavenly burthen if any were of his life who hath undergone the hellish load of our death and misery 2. Secondly We are enjoyned to hold us close to him in all estates better and worse This condition affrights many and makes them shrink But only flesh and blood is startled at it Christ even to a carnal eye is beautiful in his crown of glory but in his crown of thorns they think he looks not like himself they have no pleasure in him lovely on his Throne loathsome on his Cross. Alas poor souls Is it another Sun which shines in his brightness and is shadowed in a cloud The Moon interposing may ecclipse the beams of the Sun to usâ— but can it stain or diminish his glory and excellence A mask may hide but empairs not beauty Is Christ less lovely where he shews most love Look better upon himâ— eye him at the whipping post on the Cross. How do those dying looks set out to life that incomprehensible love Our wordsâ— our thoughts fall infinitely short of itâ— Here only it stands out pencild to life in full expression and offers it self to our view in just proportion How do those fires â—â— love burn in his quenched eyes what seâ—â— of love flow in every drop of that precious blood How many fountains of love and life streaming from his hands feet side open the very Cataracks of Heaven anâ— surround the World with floods of love wâ— have no eyes if we stand not dazeld witâ— this Sun of righteousness more brightlâ— shining forth in the beams of his love froâ— the Axel-tree of his Cross than from the sphere of his glory Some perhaps will confess that Christ never more manifested his love than on hiâ— Cross but yet to
our whole service to God is holiness This he frequently and straitly charges upon us Be holy as I am holy Lev. 44.45 As obedient children not fashioning your selves according to your former lusts in your ignorance But as he is holy so be ye holy in all manner of conversation 1 Pet. 1.14 15. It must be our daily work set work which we must continually ply and follow until it be perfect 2 Cor. 7.1 Much I desire if it please God to furnish me with means and you with parts to see you bred up in all humane literature that you may not be as too many a burthen only to others meer cyphars in the world to fill it up with idle numbers but much more do I longue to see you trained up in the School of Christ to be taught of him as the truth is in Iesus To put off the old man corrupt in lusts and to be renewed in the Spirit of your mind and that ye put on the new man which is created in righteousness and true holiness Eph. 4.21 22 23 24. Reason gives you a formal difference from other creatures and the polishing of it by humane learning will distinguish you from other almost brutish men but religion and pietie only maketh you Christians perfect and blessed Should I say you cannot be complete men without holiness it might seem a paradox to carnal wisdom but is a sure truth of Gods wisdom For if Philosophie will teach you that a man is a reasonable creature Theologie will assure you that man was an holy creature framed after the likeness of God without which likeness he is not perfect according to his creation It is an amiable sight to behold a mind beautified with all the lovely Ideas of humane knowledg and framed into a pleasant Garden where all the various flowers of earthly literature are planted rooted and fairly flourish But oh what a glorious Paradâ—se is that spirit of man which is grafted with all those fruitful trees of Life It is even Gods garden of pleasure in which his soul delighteth What an Heaven is that soul where all those glorious stars of Prophets and Apostles are fasten'd in the understanding and the Throne of God set up in the heart where the Lord Iesus reigns attended by all Saintly thoughts and Heavenly graces Now that you may willingly nay joyfully yield up your spirits to be this Paradise and third Heaven where God will dwell work and reign let me shew you in briefâ— 1. What holiness is 2. How excellent 3. How necessary For the 1. As it is very easy for us to know the picture if it be well drawn when we are throughly acquainted with the person whose picture it is so it will not be difficult to know what holiness is in man when we are informed what it is in God â— because this holiness in us is nothing else but the image and likeness of the divine holiness Holiness in God is that substantial and incomprehensible purity of the divine nature whereby he is wholly averse from all sinful filthiness and infinitly adverse to all filthiness of sin He is a God of pure eyes that cannot behold evil that cannot look on iniquity Hab. 1.13 nay in this respect he is a consuming fire Heb. 12.29 to Hypocrites and sinâ—ers a devouring fire and everlasting burnings â— Isa. 33.14 Answerable in our measure iâ— mans holiness For we are pure as he is pure 1 Ioh. 3.3 In man therefore holiness is that essential property of pureness whereby he is averse from all sinful uncleanness nay contrary to all impuritie of sin 1. Essential I call it only in that respect as being the form differencing the true Christian from other men the spiritual from the carnal And as in that gold with was dedicated for the work of the Temple the form or shape of the golden Cherubims was essential to that piece distinguishing it from the Candlestick snuffers c. framed of the same matter so this renewing of the Spirit of our mind which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness howsoever it be not of the substance either of body or soul yet is it essential to the new man or faithful Christian and of his being by which he is a new creature Secondly this purity or divine nature of man consists of an averse nay adverse disposition to sinful uncleanness It flieth the corruption which is in the world through lust 2 Pet. 1.4 hating it Rom. 7.15 loathing the garment stained with it Jude 23. nay themselves polluted with it Ezek. 20.43 And no sooner is this new life brought forth in man but instantly it stands as adverse to sin as life to death accounting it to be as indeed it is nay so feeling and accordingly hating it as death Rom. 7.24 a most cursed wretched divelish hellish death 2. Secondly the excellencie of holiness will clearly appear in this that it is in man Gods likeness To be like the Creatour is the highest pitch of honour to which the most aspiring ambition of the creature can look To be above God cannot enter into a reasonable thought As that excellent Father August so reason will testifie that every creature will contend for the excellencie of God and caâ—not conceive God to be a substance than which any can be better To be equal to God and independent may be the ambition of the divel his Son Antichrist or some transported with the like folly and furie which yet ordinary reason will manifestly evince can never be attained but to be like to God is the supreme honour of the creature and is not only possible to be obtained but obvious to Christians God himself proffering inviting nay intreating us to receive it And surely if any thing in God could be more excellent than other holiness were it For man verily swears by the greater but because God could not swear by a greater he swore by himself Heb. 6.13 16. but when he chuseth out any particular Attribute in himself to swear by it it is constantly his holiness See Psal. 60.6 18.35 Amo. 4.2 Holiness in God is his face and beautie frequently termed the beautie of holiness Psal. 110.3 which the faithful soul most longues after Psal. 90.17 and God stamps upon his beloved Ezek. 16.14 And as in excellent substances their excellence consists in their puritie when they are simple and unmixt with baser natures Thus in corporal substances gold the more pure the more precious and in spiritual only the pure Angels not the impure are glorious so certainly in God his holiness being the puritie of the divine essence is the glory of it He is glorious in holiness Exo. 15.11 a glory farr surpassing all thought or possibilitie of admiration in which regard those blessed Spirits which stand in his presence omitting other excellencies but ravished with the glorious beautie of his holiness cry out in heavenly ecstaâ—ies Holy Holy Holy Lord God! the whole Earth is full of his glory
the longest wing too sluggish to clip away to it But oh this disgrace scorn contempt We know not how to bear that No do wâ— not see the Lord Iesus despised rejected Isa. 53.3 Oh the base works scoffs derisions which the Lord of glory suffered only for us to bring us to glory It were a prodigious pride to desire that we might bâ— glorified by Christs sufferings but never suffer for his glory Nor let the contrary practice of men wise in their way and learned divert you Yoâ— know your calling Not many wise not many learned c. 1 Cor. 1.26 A wiser than the wisest the Eternal wisdom of God calls us to zeal Be zealous Rev. 3.20 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Be zealous for things spiritual 1 Cor. 14.1 He that looks to the buâ—ning love of Christ toward his soul flaming out even unspeakable sufferings and thinks his love to Christ and his glory too hot and fiery proclaims to all the world his gross hypocrisie or rather palpable Atheism Let that sentence ever sound in your ears He that is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous generation of him shall the Son of man be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with his holy Angels Mar. 8.38 But that blasphemy whereby sin and Satan would perswade us that holiness is the very damp and death of all mirth the barr that stopps our way to profit or honour is a notorious slander of that Father of lies a loud ly that of all the rest deserves the whetstone When our Father commands us to be holy as he is holy doth he interdict us pleasure riches honour Is there any so holy as our God and doth his holiness extinguish his joyes and the pleasures at his right hand Doth his holiness impoverish him dispossesse him of Heaven and Earth doth holiness dethrone him or embase his glory nay is it not his glory Exo. 15.11 where did he forbid us pleasure profit honour Indeed if the drudgery to sin and Satan be honour such honour he hath interdicted if bartering Heaven for Earth our Angel-like souls for dust if this be profit such profit hath he forbidden If the hoggish wallowing in the mire of sinful filth the dog-like licking up of an hellish vomit the lying of our living souls rotting and stinking in a grave of lust if this be pleasure such pleasure Hell affordeth he denieth No no our gracious God hath not only permitted us to use all creatures for our good and comfort but hath straitly commanded us to set our hearts upon and to covet and that most earnestly the best gifts 1 Cor. 12.31 He hath purchased the rich portion of grace and inheritance of glory for us He hath stored up for us durable riches Pro. 8.18 and exhorts us to provide and fill everlasting baggs with never failing treasures Luk. 12.33 He hath conâ—erred upon us most glorious honour to be heirs of his Kingdom and gives us command to unbridle our ambition and with the most vast desires of our heartâ— to seek this glory and promises to fill us Psal. 81.10 Matth. 6.33 Rom. 2.7 Thaâ— fountain of life pours out rivers of pleasure and commands us to drink abundantly Psal. 36.8 9. Cant. 5.1 Beside other numberless objects of joy he hath given us himself the greatest the only the infinite good and commands us again and again to rejoice in him Phil. 4.4 Let us therefore fire our hearts with earnest longuings after this divine nature follow hard toward it and never faint in the pursuit Be not ashamed of Christ and of his truth in this hypocritical age which profess Christ and serve the world give to him the Title of Lord but heart and hand to every lust Think no age unripe to be Gods Child no estate too great to be Gods Heir The service of Princes how much more of God are great preferments Beware of that hellish proverb A young Saint an old Divel Those young Saints Ioseph Samuel Daniel Ieremie Iohn Baptist c. how glorious were they once in the militant Church and now and ever in the triumphant Seek for earthly literature and knowledg studie and labour for it but thirst for holiness longue for it strive sweat for it Let it be all your ambition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Cor. 5.9 to please God and to be accepted with him And thus commune with your own hearts I. Is this the Yoke which fools abhor to be Great Lord made like to thee Is this a burthen Cannot flesh indure To be as thou art pure Is this so scorn'd so loathsome a condition Poor swinish soul canst thou desire To be an Hog daub'd cas'd in mire Is this the height of thy deep â—alâ— ambition II. This all the service which thou dost dâ—sire To wash me â—rom my mirâ— This all the burthen which thou laist upon me To set thy beautie on me That beautie which those glorious Spirits viewing Are rapt in heavenly ecstasies Drink healths and making drunk their eyes Sing drencht in amorous joyes thy praise renewing III. How beauteous is thy house thy spangled Court Yet to thy beautie durt How glorious is the Sun the spring of light Yet to thy glory night How bright thy Angels in their spritely â—eature Yet to thy brightness smoke to fire How then should we poor souls admire Thy beautie glory brightness in thy creature IV. Oh what am I my Lord without thy likeness But a dull dying sickness Stript of thy Image and that God-like â—eature I less than any creature The meanest sensless liveless overgits me And goes beyond me stones last longer Flowers are saireâ— trees are stronger The beasts out-sense the Divels self outwits me V. Let Swine then serve their muddy lusts and ly Mir'd in their stinking sâ—ie Doggs serve the ravening world devour be sick Spew and their vomit lick But oh let me renew my first condition Conâ—orm'd unto thy glorious beautie Serve thee in every holy dutie This my whole honour this my sole ambition Holiness is the body of our service CAP. XVII What then are the branches HOliness spreads it self into three mayâ— branches Sâ—brietie Righteousness and â—odliness Tit. 2.12 Sobrietie or Temperance may be thus described It is that fruit of the Spirit whereby we are enabled to moderate our selves our affections and actions in the use of the creature 1. It is wrought in us by the holy Ghost and is his fruit Gal. 5.22 23. It is taâ—ght us by the word of grace the Gospel Tit. 2.11 12. And thus it differs from that moral virtue with which we may observe many heathens fairly to glister Have ye never seen dishes of fruit stand out upon some shops composed oâ— wax and curiously painted How much more fair and lovely do they seem to the eye than the same natural fruit which you pluck from the tree But if you weigh them in your hand or much more if you taâ—â— them what a palpable difference do ye find between
A FATHERS TESTAMENT Written long since for the benefit of the particular Relations of the Authour Phin. Fletcher Sometime Minister of the Gospel at Hillgay in Norfolk And now made Publick at the desire of Friends Prov. 4. 1 2. Hear ye Children the Instruction of a Father and attend to know understanding For I give you good Doctrine c. Prov. 13.1 A wise Son heareth his Fathers Instruction but a scorner heareth not rebuke LONDON Printed by R. White for Henry Mortlock and are to be sold at his Shop at the Sign of the White Hart in Westminster-Hall 1670. THE PUBLISHER TO THE READER THe Designe of the Authour in this little Book was at first the private Use only and Benefit of his own Children and Relations Growing towards Old-age and consequently sensible that shortly he must leave them in this Wilderness State wherein they would meet with more than one Ignis-Fatuus to mislead them out of the right way to bliss it being natural to all the Children of men to go astray after and take up their Rest in present enjoyments and the things of sense he was willing therefore to point as with his finger at those Rocks and dangerous Praecâ—â—â—sâ— they might meet with here And to chaulk â—â—t that narrow way that leadeth to the true future and eternal Happiness So that having recourse to this small Clue which is spun out of and grounded upon the Word of truth it might be through the good hand of God a Direction in their Passage being mindful therein of the duty of a Parent and knowing the dying words of a Freind specially of a Father hath many times a deep Impression That he hath concluded each Chapter with some Poetick Lines I hope will be no offence to any Ingenuous Reader nor reputed a blemish to the gravity of the Profession of the Authour It may testifie thus much That he was a Lover of the Muses To which none that knew him but will readily assent The Original came to my hands not long after his decease which was several years since And having lately been importuned by Freinds that have perused it to publish it at first found some Reluctancy But if that which was intended for Private may be any way serviceable to the Publick it will be sufficient satisfaction to me and I am confident no way displeasing to any of his Relations And the rather in that it may be Instrumental to preserve the Memory of the Pious Authour GO little Book and to the World present Out of Gods two one Father's Testament Shew it a Fletcher with his quiver full Of Davids arrowes labouring to beget Each child again the Muses in Chrisâ— Schooâ— Plainness and pains in one witt and gracâ— metâ— Go challenge that which is deserv'd by fewâ— A Poets laurel with a Preachers due Ioh. Arrowsmith D. D. A FATHER'S TESTAMENT CAP. I. EVen the Sea-monsters draw out the breast they give suck to their young ones Lam. 4.3 I know well my dear Children that it is the Fathers duty to lay up for his posterity 2 Cor. 12.14 Nor am I ignorant or insensible of that heavy censure If any man provide not for his own for those of his own house he hath denyed the â—aith and is worse than an Infidel 1 Tim. 5.8 nor yet forgetful or careless as God hath or shall enable me in the way of my calling to provide for you the needful comforts of this life yet I have learned that One thing is needful Luk. 10.42 and that Life consists not in abundance Luk. 12.15 Let me speak to you as those Apostles Silver and Gold I have little but such as I have I give you Act. 3.6 I have ever esteemed you the special blessing which God hath given me upon earth and desire to see you rather blessed than rich For even the most worldly though lamentably blinded affect riches for blessedness and desire an overflowing wealth for no other end but that they may bathe and swimm in a full tide of happiness The great Legacy which I desire to confer upon you is that which my dying Father bequeathed unto me and from him through Gods grace descended upon me whose last and parting words were these My Son had I followed the course of this World and would either have given or taken bribes I might happily have made you rich but now must leave you nothing but your education which I bless God is such as I am well assured yoâ— chuse rather that I should dye in peace thaâ— your selves live in plenty But know certainlyâ— that I your weak and dying Father leave yoâ— to an everliving and All-sufficient Father anâ— in him a never fading inheritance who will noâ— suffer you to want any good thing who hatâ— been my God and will be the God of my seed Thus he entred into peace and slept in Christ leaving behind the fragrant perfume of a good name to all his acquaintance leavâ—ng to us a prevalent example of an holy conversation and that goodly heritage where the lines are fallen to us in pleasant places Psal. 16.6 and leaving us to his protection who hath never failed us This I desire and as I am able endeavour to bequeath unto you When the men of this World have barterâ—d Heaven for Earth and with loss of their pretious souls have gained false and fading treasures they can but point to their full â—offers and deliver their keyes to their Children they can give them neither wisdom to â—se nor providence to keep them In the â—irst I am no whit short of them I can point out to you the place where those infinitely better riches are stored up for you I can direct you in the way wherein you shall find â—hem And in the second place further than â—hey I can through Gods grace set you â—own a course which if you take you shall â—urely unlock and enjoy them and be ever â—lessed in the fruition of them If I could bequeath you mountains of â—arthly treasures were you vain and careâ—ess how soon would they melt to Mole-hills â—â—d vanish like a morning cloud into nothing If then earthly things and perishinâ— can neither be got nor kept without mucâ— labour and carefulness oh think not mucâ— of any pains or diligence in the search oâ— that Heavenly portion which will certainlâ— be found when it is rightly sought anâ— when it is once found can never be losâ—â— If it tarry be not weary of seeking for 〈◊〉 will surely come and will not tarry Hab. 2 3â— Shameful is it to faint in that labour whicâ— will bring infallible success and eternal râ—â—freshing My God leading me I will leaâ— you the good and right way 1 Sam. 12 23â—â— follow that ye may apprehend Phil. 3 12â— Be ye followers of me so far as I am of Chrisâ—â— 1 Cor. 11.1 All treasures are hid up in hiâ— Col. 2.3 whom if ye follow you shall sureâ—â— have treasures in heaven Luk. 18.22 Firâ—â— therefore take notice that CAP.
II. The Portion or good of man lies not in 〈◊〉 fruition of any or all creatures THe learâ—ed Heathen and wise Philoâ—â—â—phers wonderfully toyl'd tired aâ—â— tormented their sharp Wits in cleaving 〈◊〉 that knotted Question concerning that End or Good of man in which his perfection or happiness consisted Neither should I less vex my self or you if I should but reckon up their numberless gross errours and jangling differences concerning that matter All their search was but as that of the Sodomites groping for the door in a night of blindness For as the Apostle what man knows the things of man save the spirit of man which dwells in him Much more the things of God knoweth no man but the Spirit of God or they to whom that Spirit revealeth them 1 Cor. 2.11 we can easily discern the works of men their end or intention in those works we cannot know till they some way declare it How then should any creature find out the End of that great Creatour in his special work Man if himself by his own Spirit in his word had not clearly revealed it For else who hath known the mind of the Lord or who hath been his Counseller Rom. 11.34 Therefore our gracious Lord hath plainly discovered unto us what is that End for which he made us and consequently what is our Good and Happiness And because he well knew how easily our dimm eyes are deluded with colourable shews and painted shadows hence he fully displayes unto us as well negatively what is not and yet we think is our blessedness as also positively what is though few believe it the true happiness of man First therefore in general he teacheth uâ— that the Creature is no part of our Portionâ— we are not noâ— can be blessed by enjoying earth no nor Heaven nor Heaven with earthâ— nor any created thing or all things in oâ— betwixt both we may have all these anâ— be miserable want them all and be blessedâ— This truth the Holy Ghost strongly proves aâ— frequently elsewhere so specially in thaâ— book of Ecclesiastes which that infinite Wisâ—dom by his wisest Secretary caused purposelâ— to be written of this Subject where first hâ— evidently and frequently teacheth us thaâ— all is vanity vanity of vanities and vexatioâ— of spirit Eccles. 1.2 and 12.8 and 2 11â— True it is that no creature is simply vain buâ— very good Gen. 1.31 conducing as well tâ— the general end Gods glory as to their paâ—â—ticular ends for which they were made aâ— the Sun to rule the day the Moon the nighâ— Gen. 1 16 c. But that which to some end and work is very good and useful is to anoâ—ther vain and frustrate The earth apt tâ—â— yield food altogether vain to give lightâ— Our All-wise Creatour assigned to every creaâ—ture his proper work and end but made noâ— any one nor all to bless but to serve manâ— Hence is it that as to their own ends they arâ— very profitable so for this namely to constitute mans blessedness they are wholely useless and uneffectual and therefore in that respect sheer vanity And when a man will wring and wrest the creatures to a wrong end and thinks to make up his blessedness in them it is but as wringing his nose which brings forth blood Prov. 30.33 they do but grieve his Spirit and fill it with vexation and anguish Thus while Solomon was rifling the creatures riches pleasures c. to find out the good of man he solemnly protesteth to all the World that in all his search he found nothing but vanity and vexation of spirit Eccl. 2.3 11. In which respect so vain are the creatures that he who enjoyes them at the full may not only be weary of them but even hate his life for the vanity and vexation he finds in them Eccles. 2.17 How then should that in the fulness of it make our life blessed which by emptiness and torment makes it bitter and loathsome which when we have in all abundance and superfluity yet our selves may be altogether vanity Psal. 39.5 and lighter than vanity Psal. 62.9 2. Secondly there is something in man which â—avours of Infiniteness something which cannot be satisfied or rest in any thing which is finite The eye is not satisfied with seeing nor the ear with hearing Eccles. 1.8 Cast into the heart of man Silver as dust heap up Gold into mountains yet He that loveth Silver is not satisfied with Silver nor he that loveth abundance with increase Eccl. 5.10 Advance an ambitious man to great honours set him in the Throne load his head with many Diadems fill both hands with Scepters let him drink down all the Kingdoms of the Earth he will still be as thirsty as that Macedonian Monarch Now every Nature longs for things of like nature with it self hence this Infiniteness in man cannot rest till it have sound out somewhat which suits with it self some infinite Good which may satiate the longing spirit But neither any one nor all Creatures can exhibit an infinite good even the most excellent and all in all their excellency conjoyned have their limits and stints of goodness Hence as the Taste in diversity of dishes runs through many but stayes only upon that which fully aggrates the Pallate so the spirit of man finding defects in every creature cannot settle nor rest upon any 3. Thirdly as we call not that body healthy which is one day in good temper but many dayes sick or that Steward wealthy who having a rich office for a year at the years end is turned out into perpetual beggary so cannot we esteem him blessed who enjoying some momentany comforts yet himself with them soon perisheth in an everlasting curse and misery Happiness if it last not is the more unhappy Now all the things of the world are transitory and perish with the using but the soul of man is an immortal substance And this spirit not only survives but re-assumes the body so that after the moment of this present life is vanished another ensues without end or change The spirit of a beast indeed goes downward but the spirit of a man upward Eccl. 3.21 It returns to God that gave it Eccl. 12.7 These things therefore which cannot hold way with us but leave us in the midst nay indeed in the first step of our journey how can they be our inheritance or make us blessed 4. Fourthly it is not possible a man should be happy in enjoying those things which the more he enjoyes the less he esteems for as excellently that most learned Father He cannot be called blessed who hath not what he loves whatsoever it be or he who hath what he loves if it be evil which he hath or who loves not what he hath be it never so good August De morib eccl l. 1. c. 2. And who is so ignorant but knoweth that thus it is with the heart of man and all creatures Before we enjoy them how dearly how highly do we prize them what
in time thou dying time out-livest They â—ail deceive thee They age dye leave thee Soâ—â— up immortal spirit and mounting fly Into the arms of great Eternity Not Heav'n or Earth He he thy End and Birth Now if in the fulness of all Creature man can find no parcel of his blessednesâ— how much less in any one single creature As first CAP. III. Not in Riches RIches are as Nebuchadnezzars goldeâ— Idol Dan. 3. All people nations anâ— languages fall down and worship this goldeâ— Image but all the honour the most deâ—vout Zelots give it cannot wring from it the least degree of happiness For first it is a meer Idol 1. An Image hath only a name and appearance of what it imageth Thus these outward things are called and to mop-eyed men seem to be riches but are unrighteous Mammon and at best and with the best not true Riches Luk. 16.11 Their very being is no being and when they are they are not Prov. 23.4 True riches are nothing else but plenty of such things as are useful to the person whom they enrich But 1. The principal part of man to which the â—ody is but a servant hath no use of them â—r benefit by them neither of the natural meat drink c. or artificial gold silver c. Nay 2. Even to the body while it is in the short Pilgrimage of this life where only they are current they are â—ather as a little spending money than its â—ortion or inheritance For look as many Cart-loads of Laconian money that iron â—yn could not enrich a Traveler who â—as riding Post through that Region to his â—â—tive Country but were rather a burthen â— an a furtherance to his journey so the â—odies of men flying through this mortal life â— immortality are rather laden than enrichâ—â— by the abundance of these earthly things 〈◊〉 which they shall never have more need or use after this momentary Pilgrimage 2. Images are dead helpless things they have mouths but cannot speak for us eyes but cannot provide for us hands but can do nothing for us feet but in our necessity cannot stir to help us Psal. 115.5 6 7. Such are riches meer Images profit us nothing Prov. 10.2 Are we in trouble visited with sickness in body with distress in spirit c. They cannot relieve us Riches profit not in the day of wrath but righteousness delivers from death Prov. 11.4 They shall cast their silver in the streets and their gold shall be removed their silver and their gold shall not be able to deliver them in the day of the wrath of the Lord Ezek. 7.19 Zeph. 1.18 Are our Friends in danger They cannot redeem a brother nor give a ransome for him Psal. 49.6 7. when we would serve our selves of them they take them to their wings and are gone Prov. 23.4 would we sleep They will not suffer us Eccles. 5.12 and instead of helping hurt us Eccles. 5.13 3. As Idols make their Worshippers like to themselves even Idols Psal. 115.8 thus men idolizing riches become like to their coyn meer images of men they have neither mouths to eat nor hands to enjoy oâ— take part of their labour Eccles. 6.2 They have not so much reason or sense to design some end of all their pains or to discourse with themselves For whom do I labour and bereave my soul of good Eccles. 4.8 2. Secondly whatsoever defect in general excluded the creatures from challenging any part in mans happiness the same in particular barrs out riches 1. It is full of vanity and vexation Eccles. 2.7 8 11. All his dayes the worldly rich eateâ—h in darkness and hath much wrath and sorrow with his sickness Eccles. 5.17 2. It satisfies not nay the more it is loved the less it satisfies Mans eye is not satiate with riches Eccles. 4.8 They shall not satisfie their souls nor fill thâ—ir bowels Ezek. 7.19 He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver c. Eccles. 5.10 3. They are not durable they are of no continuance Riches are not for ever Prov. 27.24 They perish Eccles. 5.14 have Eagles wings Prov. 23.4 4. The more we enjoy the less we love them The soul that most dotes on them goes utterly off from what it hath attained and reacheth â—fter that which it would have and yet hath not and so indeed cleaves to that which is â—ot Prov. 23.4 5. They are far below us They have no reason sense life no being â—ut what we give them in our opinion and â—ancy no other end but to drudge for us 6. They are not only in respect of happiness needless so that never any was even on earth so blessed as he that had least of them witness our most blessed Saviour but in their abundance a burthen which sinks the body and soul under them and dangerous stopping the way to Heaven and barring the entrance to our only happiness Luk. 8.14 18.25 I will shut up this Chapter with a story very true and as pertinent Some ten miles from Cambridge dwelt a man old and poor who hid his hoar head under a very mean Cottage with no other companion of his age than his as aged Wife His means rose only from the flock of the Town in which he lived and which he tended Following his sheep it chanced that he found a Portmanteâ— full of treasure And almost distracted with joy he bears it home and acquaints his Consort with this happy adventure After deep consultation they concluded to digg an hole under their bed and there in a grave to conceal it But in the night being now become very wakeful they were suddenly frighted with some noise perhaps the scrabling of their Cat or Dog rose up in great perturbation searched every mousehole and all the remainder of that night neither closed their eyes nor put ouâ— their candel Early in the morning they took further advice and resolved that every night one of them by turns should watch their prisoner lest happily he might break from them and make an escape This they practised so long untill both of them who before were well-near worn up with age were now with care fear and want of sleep even consumed and pined After more mature deliberation they thought expedient to hire some poor neighbours for now they mustered themselves not in so mean a rank every night to guard their Palace and centinel about them Which when it was noised abroad in the Town wrought divers strange surmises though not any yet harped upon the right string nor once dreamed what was the true cause of all this business some laughed others pittied fearing the old Couple would end their dayes in Bedlam About a month after they had intelligence who was the Owner of this money and heard of a competent reward offered to the finder and restorer And now being much more weary than greedy they readily take hold of the offer rendred up their prisoner purchast a Jayl delivery hung up their cares freed
glittering As our houses some â—â—e dawbed with plain lome others plaistered â—ith lime and washed over Now as in our houses we look first to the materials secondly to the form the one giving strength the other beauty to our buildings so in the Body strength and beauty are the special endowments of it Beauty is but the flower of grass 1 Pet. 1.24 not all out so fair full out as fading blasted with the wind seared with the Sun smitten with every worm and if it had no outward enemy rotting in the ripening and ever slubbered in the using Sickness turnâ— it into dust death into dung the one makeâ— it untoothsome the other loathsome Favour therefore is deceitful and beauty vaiâ— Prov. 31.30 nay often dangerous Aâ— it hath cords to draw a lusting affection sâ— hath it snares to intangle us in these cords It is a fire that may scorch others and consume our selves How then should Beautâ— make happy when many thousands aâ— Absolom and his Sister Tamar might havâ— been much more happy if they had beeâ— much less beautiful 2. Secondly What is there in bodilâ— strength were it equal to Sampsons in thâ— latitude and in the longitude to Calebs Josâ—â— 14.10 11. what can the fullest dimensioâ— of strength bring with them to make 〈◊〉 happy By strength shall no man prevaiâ— 1 Sam. 2.9 The battel is not to the stronâ— Eccles. 9.11 It is not worth a smile Ier. 9.23 An Ague unbends and Age bends the strongest back It fills us with vain confidence drives us to rash attempts fails us in the execution and betrayes us to destruction Nay if we travel further into this lesser world of man and search into the bowels of it we shall find nothing in the Head or Heart City which will help to build up our happiness True indeed it is Wisdom excelleth folly as far as light darkness yet though the wise mans eyes be in his head he cannot keep off the event of fools what happens to the fool happens to the wise Eccles. 2.13 14 15. If it dwell with poverty it is followed with scorn Eccles. 9.16 It is ever married to pain and sorrow the issue of the match and grows up with it Eccles. 1.18 Some foolishness is wiser than it and utterly out-wits it 1 Cor. 1.25 And as our natural wisdom most oâ—ten perverts us Isa. 47.10 bladders and swells us oft to bursting Isa. 10.13 1 Cor. 8.1 so when it grows up in a carnal mind it turns foolishness 1 Cor. 3.19 enmity to God Rom. 8.7 and devilish Iam. 3.15 We see it ordinarily that those subtile heads which are â—utored in that Florentines universiâ—y soon commence Batcheler Machiavils and Master Devils And truly I think no wise man can discern how that can merit the name of wisdome which must necessarily first proceed fool before it can have the grace to go out wise 1 Cor. 3.18 But to help it a little joyn with this natural wisdome moral honesty and stretch them both to the uttermost extent yet will they still fall short and never reach to happiness They are like that Scribe who answered discreetly he was not far from the Kingdom of God Mark 12.34 but stopping there was never in it Morality in those ethick Sages is like the rings and jewels of running cheaters brass but fairly gilded fair stones but counterfeit They oft deceive never enrich the Owner precious to the view but bring them to the Touch of no value And as some Phidian statue exquisitely formed may seem to live breath c. yet is but a stone so lifeless is all their morality for he that hath the Son hath life and he that hath not the Son hath not life 1 Joh. 5.12 If some old Image gnawn with Rats be trickt up again with a new dress and garnished with choice colours yet are colours indeed dead as the rotten stock Such were those old heathen Philosophers Images of Virtue or rather as the Apostle speaks of Sacrifices shadows of good things Heb. 10.1 They were as all other in nature dead in sins and trespasses Eph. 2.5 And how shall the hand be living when the heart is dead the fruit good when the Tree is evil The best of them professing themselves wise became fools Rom. 1.22 Neither the wisdom of Socrates the justice of Aristides could in this life secure them from earthly calamities death banishment c. How should it help them in that other with that Judge where the Saints and their righteousness not washed in the blood of the Lamb Rev. 7.14 are all as an unclean thing and as filtâ—y raggs Isa. 64.6 As one speaks all their fair shews were splendida peccata glistering â—ins And truly sin glistering is no less filthy but more dangerous brass as all other but better polished All the former discourse let me shut up with another Poem of that Platonick Philosopâ—er Boâ—tius Libr. 3. Metr 8. When Ignorance leads fools both blind they stray How should they hitt or miss their â—nd or way We seek not grapes on thornsâ— on thistles figgs Who gathers pearls â—rom Vines or gold from twiggsâ— He that would feast his guests with Lenten dishes Draggs not dry Mountains nor thin Ayeâ— fishes He that with Ven'son would his palate please Swims not his Hounds in Brooks or hunts the Seaâ— Tethis black Closets hid with dark deep floods Men search know rifle ransack all her goods Where brightest Pearls she hoords in Oyster cells Where Coral grafts where stores her purple shells They know her Markets Fairs where when to buy Each kind of Fish where Crabs where Lobsters lye But where that good which makes man blessed lyes They have no ears to hear to see no eyes On earth â—ools hunt which far transcends the poles They tear dig delve oh are they men or moles What curse deserve such Bedlams blindâ—old wretches Tir'd let them still pursue their honours riches And prest with fâ—lse goods give them eyes to view The dross of false the glory oâ— the true If then in none of these CAP. VII Where lies the Portion of Man THE Portion or Inheritance of man which makes him blessed lies not so low as the highest creature His Treasure is not buried in earth but bagg'd up in Heaven Luk. 12.33 Heaven indeed is his Store-house but not his Portion He that is infinitely higher than the Heavens Heb. 7.26 he whom the Heaven of Heavens cannot contain 2 Chron. 6.18 he and he alone is mans Inheritance Man is the great Favourite of Heaven and of the King of Heaven and though he were made a little lower than the Angels yet his Lord most highly advanced him set the Crown upon his head crowned him with glory and honour Psal. 8.5 6. and gave him dominion over the works of his hands The gift was very great but not proportionable to the love or person of the Giver Therefore our gracious Lord after he had bestowed all his creatures upon us to be our servants gave us himself to
shed his beams not only through the skies and ayer but down to the earth and every earthly Creature It gilds every weed and dung-hill and though it lends so bountifully to all yet it is self still as full as ever Such a reward is our Lord unto us Seeing theâ— he is first infinitely great and all Nations nothing before him and to him less than nothing Isa. 40.17 and secondly infinitely and incomprehensibly good abundantly surrounding the most vast desires in his goodness commanding us to open our mouths wide that is to enlarge our hearts in thirsting our mouths in asking and promises to fill them Psal. 81.10 certainly they can want nothing â—o whom he is all things And this is it which draws out the hearts of his servants to all thankfull acknowledgement The Lord is my Shepheard I shall not want Surely mercy and goodness shall follow me all dayes of my life and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever Psal. 23. It is altogether impossible for any Creature to think that God can be any such thing which can possibly be better'd or excell'd by any thing as being a good without limits which the more we know and enjoy the more we esteem and affect It cannot therefore be denyed that the highest and only happiness of man consists in the getting and enjoying him Hearken then to that sweet invitation of that so often before mentioned Philosopher and Poet. Boetius Libr. 3. Metr 10. Come hither come poor Captives you whose minds â—ith dust cast in your eyes Lust cheating blinds â—nd to base earth with willing â—etters binds Come weary souls here reâ—t here quiet bide Come anchor here 's your Port here safely ride Your guilt in this close Sanctuary hide Nor Golden Tagus nor bright Hemus streams Nor India's sâ—lf whose womb Sols hotter beams Fill with rich seed red white green glittering gems No sparkling Pearls your quenched snuff can tine The more ye cleave to their deceitâ—ul shine The more y' are buried in their Dungeon mine Their glistering rayes which kindle fond desire Are earthly and beget but â—atuous fire Shine but in night they rise and set in mire But this Eternal Sun whose splendour bright Rules quickens all gives you both life and light The eye that wistly views with fixed sight Will swear the Starrs the Moon the Sun it self is night But you will say How shall we possibly meet God is in Heaven we on earth Eccles. 5.2 he of purer eyes than to behold evil thaâ— cannot look upon iniquity Hab. 1.13 We all an unclean thing and our righteousness a filthy rag Isa. 64.6 He higher than the Heavens Heb. 7.26 we as low as Hell Observe therefore CAP. VIII How we attain this Portion SUch is the high favour which we poor dust have found in the eyes of our glorious Creatour that he hath not only set us out our Portion in himself but tyed himself to us and us to himself in the sure bond of an everlasting Covenant in which he hath passed himself to us and purchast us to himself he ours as before and we his Portion Deut. 32.9 Zech. 2.12 He our King Hos. 13.10 we his Kingdom Exod. 19.5 6. He to us a Father 2 Cor. 6.18 in love and providence Hos. 14.4 Matth. 6.26 we to him Children in love and obedience Deut. 10.12 Ier. 7.28 This his Covenant he hath frequently enâ—grossed for us that we might have it ever in our eyes not only in his word Gen. 17.7 Ier. 31.31 c. but in our hearts also Ier. 31.33 As Ionathan because he delighted in David 1 Sam. 19.2 and loved him as his own Soul regarded not the disparity of their condition but divested himself of his Princely robes to adorn his servant and having given and tyed his heart to him before now gives his hand and binds himself to him in a sure knot of a friendly Covenant 1 Sam. 18.1 2 3. so our most gracious Lord having his delights with the Sons of men Prov. 8.31 loving us beyond knowledge Ephes. 3.19 so far descended in the depth of his love from the height of his Majesty that he even bound himself to the clay of his hands Perhaps the learned Heathen might have some dimm sight of this great Mystâ—rie and veiled it under the Fable of Pâ—gmalion who having framed a curious statue in the form of a Woman fell into love with it and when he had gotten it enlivened married it Love even desires unionâ— and communion with the beloved This incomprehensible goodness of God and great Mysterie of Godliness will be best opened unto us by way of Question and Answer Quest. 1. Hath God never made more Covenants with man than one Answ. God hath made divers Covenants as Gen. 9.9 c. but specially two the Old and New Jer. 31.31 or the first and second Covenant Heb. 8.7 Quest. 2. With whom did God make these Covenants Answ. With the two Adams the first with the first Adam and his seed the second with the second Adam and his seed the first made with a servant and therefore a Covenant of works in this tenure Do this and live Gal. 3.12 The second made with the Son and therefore a Covenant of Grace wherein God giveth what he asketh and worketh what he commandeth bids us Live and so gives us life Ezek. 16.6 commands his Covenant Psal. 111.9 and so writes it in our hearts Jer. 31.33 Thus our new Covenant is made first and immediately with Christ our Redeemer and mediately with us through him our Mediatour See Isa. 59.20 21. Gal. 3.16 Quest. 3. Was then that first Covenant broken Answ. By the first Adam it was utterly broken Gen. 3. and so by all mankind Ier. 31.32 And hence with the root dyed all the branches Rom. 5.12 And certainly never can we sufficiently admire or bless that miracle of Gods mercy in which after that by our treacherous revolture and rebellion we had broken Covenant and were utterly fallen into eternal death and misery he hath taken advantage by our breach of Covenant to make a better Covenant with us and by our sin and rebellion to glorifie his grace in doing us more good than ever that seeing we so waveringly fell in the first we mighâ— invincibly stand in the second Adam and having lost our selves and all our blessedness in the one we might regain and eternally reâ—ain iâ— in the other And hence the first is called the figure of the second Adam Rom. 5.14 because as the first was the Head and Root of our first Covenant in whom we were all blessed if he stood and cursed if he fell so the second is the Head of our second Covenant with whom because he cannot dye our liâ—e is hid up in God Col. 3.3 in whose eternal blessedness we are everlastingly blessed Quest. 4. What is our new Covenant and the matter of it Answ. In a word as Christ Iesus is the Head so is he also the matter of our Covenant For
we so empty when he so full and overflowing how are we full of nothing but wants when he so abundantly replenished with an unexhausted plenty Answ. 1. There are some nourishing some starving wants want of meat without sense of want pines the body wants breeding hunger drive to food and food yields strength and growth were our wants without feeling we could not hunger for the Lord Iesus and his righteousness 〈◊〉 we are sensible of them and therefore hunger and thirst for Christ we are blessed and shall certainly be satisfied Matth. 5 6â— when therefore we find thirst and hungerâ— why should we fear to repair with all assurance to this full Fountain What Well denies us water how freely doth light lend and give light He that is the Sun of Righteousness and Fountain of living Waters invites thee to come and when thou comest gives freely Rev. 22.17 He draws thee to himself Ioh. 12.32 poureth out his Spirit unto thee Prov. 1.23 satiates the weary soul Ier. 31.25 and will surely make it to flow with Rivers of living water Joh. 7.38 This passage also may we conclude with that excellent Poet. Boetius Libr. 3. Metr 12. Thrice happy soul that turns his Sphere of sight To that greaâ— Sun and Fount of goodness bright Thence fills his waining Orb with true eternal light Happy who loosing his clogg'd feet and hands From pressing earths and hells oppressing bands Mounts soaring up to Heaven and at that haven lands Once Orpheus plaining at his Spouses bier Gave Rocks a weeping eye and listning ear Brooks staid their hasty stream woods left their roots to hear But when no Muse his wounded heart could plaister Songs fann'd his fires and flames brake out the faster His verses pleasing all but easing not their Master Weary of life to hell he desperate flings There fits his sweetest voice to sweeter strings And into pitty Lords of Shades and darkness sings There what his Mothers spring there what his eyes Griefs double fountain what which both out-vies Lost-longing love affords he to stern Ghosts applyes Hells bauling Dog pricks up his thrice two ears To houl to bark to snarl to whine he fears Haggs still their hissing snakes and Furies melt in tears Then first Ixion and his wheel take rest Tantale neglects his tast his ear to feast The Vulture full of verse scorns Titius loathed brest Diâ— yields and with this law restores his Love Till hell be left his sight back must not move Who gives Love laws alasâ— Loves only law is love Now past black Stix near to the verge of Skies Forc'd by desire turning his longing eyes Euridice at once he saw he loâ—â— he dies This Fable looks to thee who tir'd with night Desir'st to draw thy soul to life and light On that Eternal Sun set â—asten fix thy sight If you turn back on hellish Shades to pore Thou ever losest what thou wan'st before Thy soul more barr'd from Heav'n in hell implunged more Seeing then this Covenant is all our salvation and desire 2 Sam. â—3 5 in the next place Observe CAP. IX What is required of us to be entered into this Covenant ALL that our gracious God demands of us is only to Seek himâ— Seek the Lord and his strength seek his face continually 1 Chron. 16.11 Seek the Lord while he may by found Isa. 55.6 Naturally in this â—abour we are notorious sluggards ready to project vain and imaginary dangers There is a Lyon in the way and when Gods gracious hand is stretched forth reaching out his Covenant to us we hide our hand in our bosome and will not draw it out to receive his ofâ—er when he puts and even thrusâ—s thiâ— Bread of Heaven into our hand it grievâ—â—s â—o bring it again unto our mouth Prov. 26. â—3 15. Therefore our Lord who desires â—ot our death Ezek. 18.32 presseth hard â—his duty upon us Seek the Lord and ye â—hall livâ— Seâ—k me and ye shall live Seek â—im that makes the seven starrs and Orion â—hat turneth the shadow of death into the mornâ—ng and maketh the day dark with night â—mos 5.4 6 8. And because this Wisdom is the principal thing Prov. 4.7 therefore he commands us that it should be the first of our thoughts and wayes Seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness Matth. 6.33 This is his way and we must walk in it So do his Saints With wy whole heart have I sought thee Oh let me not wander from thy Commandments Psal. 119.10 Conscious of their starting nature they enter into Covenant and bind themselves with an Oath and penalty of death to seek the Lord with their whole desire 2 Chron. 15â—12 13 14 15. Even half servants and such who have nothing to shew of his Service but a Coat and Livery and that so worn torn and thread-bare that men may see their nakedness through it even these confess sometime the necessity of it and in their manner set themselves to this duty and when they do oh mercy they lose not all their labour Those hypocrites whose hearts were not upright with him but flattered him with their tongue yet in their extremity sought him and enquired early after God so he forbore them and destroyed them not Psal. 78â—34 36 37 38. Iehoash in the life of Jehojadah 2 King 12.2 and Uzziah in thâ— time of Zechariah meer temporisers 2 Chron. 26.5 sought the Lord and prospered And truly there is an absolute necessity which will enforâ—e and drive us to this search with all diligence For there are two things which compell the most slothful heart to labour with all industry 1. The great need of a thing when he cannot subsist without it 2. The extream want when he hath nothing of it Both here meet and that in the highest degree First We are in our nature wholly without him Without Christ without God in the world strangers to the Covenant of Promise and therefore without hope Ephes. 2.12 we have utterly lost him As the Gileadites dealt with Iepthah Judg. 11.2 we have driven him from us thrust him out of our doors shut our gates upon him and even defied him as they Job 21.14 Depart from us or those in the Gospâ—l We will not have this man reign over us Luk. 19.14 we have compelled him by our sins to forsake us and to separate from us Isa. 59.2 We have broken him with our whorish hearts in departing from him Ezek. 6.9 and so forced him to leave us Isa. 2.6 2. Our need of him is palpable We can have nothing do nothing be nothing without him for In him we live move and have our being Act. 17.28 Our wants are innumerable and he the only Fountain that supplies them Our enemies also numberless strong subtile malicious and he our only Sheild that defends us Our weakness notorious Of no strength Rom. 5.6 All our strength hope comfort lies only in him Get him therefore we must or perish and seek him we must or never get him
his doors he will certainly opeâ— the door let you in give you life anâ— make you blessed I will also finish this Chapter with a verse borrowed from divers of those Poetical Prophets Vast Ocean of light whose rayes surround The Universe who know'st nor ebb nor shore Who lend'st the Sun his sparkling drop to store With overflowing beams Heav'n ayer ground Whose depths beneath the Centre none can sound Whose heights 'bove heav'n and thoughts so loâ—ty soar Whose breadth no feet no lines no chains no eyes survey Whose length no thoughts can reach no worlds can bound What cloud can mask thy face where can thy ray Find an Eclipse what night can hide Eternal Day Our Seas a drop of thine with arms dispread Through all the earth make drunk the thirsty plains Our Sun a spark of thine dark shadows drains Guilds all the world paints earth revives the dead Seas through earth pipes distill'd in Cisterns shed And power their liver springs in river veins The Sun peeps through jet clouds and when his face Are maskt his eyes their light through ayers spread and gleams Shall dullard earth bury life-giving streams Earths â—oggs impound heav'ns lightâ— hell quench heav'n kindling beams How miss I then in bed I sought by night But found not him in rest nor rest without him I sought in Towns in broadest streets I sought him But found not him where all are lost dull sight Thou canst not see him in himself his light Is maskt in light brightness his cloud about him Where when how he 'l be found there then thus seek thy love Thy Lamb in flocks thy Food with appetite Thy Rest on reâ—ting dayes thy Turtle Dove Seeâ— on his cross there then thus Love stands nail'd with love For surely know that Eternal life even CAP. XI All Blessedness is found only in the Lord Iesus Christ. THE whole Portion of man all treasures and true riches which fill man with true blessedness are stored up in Christ Riches and honour are with him yea durable riches and righteousness Prov. 8.18 In him are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge Col. 2.3 He is full of grace and truth and from his fulness we all receive and grace for grace Joh. 1.14 16. and so are we filled with the fulness of God Ephes. 3.19 It will therefore be not more needful than delightful to take a further view of this glorious inheritance so to kindle and inflame our dull hearts with more love and longing after him to drive us to seek and quicken us in seeking that â—o we may find him Of all the Artifices devised and practised by that envious and subtle Serpent this is the principal to draw a Curtain before this express Image of Gods person who being the Brightness of his glory Heb. 1.3 if we could behold with open eyes his Divine beauty would wonderfully ravish our enamoured spirits and so attract win and hold our eyes and hearts that he would utterly raze out all other vain loves and washy colours and cause us wholly to despise all those painted flowers of counterfeit beauties which grow not in his face and shine not in his eyes As therefore that our heavenly Father the Father of lights in his gracious wisdom to draw us to Christ commands his light to shine out of darkness and opens for it a window in our hearts to give us knowledge of the glory of God in no other object but the face of the Loâ—d Iesus Christ 2 Cor. 4.6 so this Prince of darkness imployes all his Engines with all diligence to obscure that light of the Gospel lest in it this Image of God should shine out unto us 2 Cor. 4.4 And as he by his false Apostles deceitful workers labours to distort those amiable lineaments and darken the radiant beauties of the Lord Iesus so our God sets his servants of the Ministry on work 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gal. 3.3 to limb out Christ in all his love and excellency to us Now it is he who hath committed that pencil of his Gospel into my weak hand I desire therefore as I can a poor Apprentice in my trade and as I have learnt of him to describe him to you you know well as other Princes so this King of Kings wooes by picture He sends here unto you drawn by a rude hand his pourtrait which as dimm as it is by reason of my unskilfulness is able through his working to enflame your hearts with love with sickness of love with ardent desire and restless longings after him As in the Creature there is a double quality which kindles affection either simple whereby it self is perfect or relative whereby others are bettered so is there in our Lord and Creator a double excellency â—imply considered wherein himself is incomprehenâ—ibly blessed in his most glorious perfections relative in his infinite both goodness and fulness to supply our imperfections and fill us with blessedness For the first because our infirm eyes would soon be dazeled with the rayes of that Sun of Righteousness if in open light and full view he were presented to us therefore the Lord is pleased to mask the face of â—hat glorious lustre with shadows of earthly comparisons and to let us here see the â—ight of it as through a cloud Now as corporal beauty consists 1. Of a â—omely feature when the whole body and â—very limb is cast into a due frame keeping â—ust proportions and every one fashioned in â— right mould neither excessive nor defeâ—tive and 2. Of an amiable colour dispread â—ver the whole body and every member â—hen each part is dressed and tired in such â—livery as most commends it to the eye of the â—eholder so also doth the spiritual view 〈◊〉 curiously drawn Cant. 5. from the 10. v. 〈◊〉 the end There may you behold our beâ—â—ved excellently pourtrayed by the hand of 〈◊〉 own Spirit as well in all his excellencies 〈◊〉 head locks eyes cheeks lipps hands leggs 〈◊〉 countenance mouth as also in his most â—â—vely colours white and ruddy c. The meaning is Look as a person excellently comely in all the lineaments and proportions of every member and exquisitely fair in the natural tapestry of a pure complexion is a most ravishing object to an eye of flesh so in that second Adam the quickning Spirit could we lift up our eyes to take a full view of his dazeling beauties which now are veiled from our imperfect sight for no man can see him and live could we behold in their measures those his most glorious Attributes and then clearly discern that infinite purity shining and sparkling in every one of them it would as once it certainly shall fill our spirits with heavenly raptures and ravishing extasies in contemplation of those divine beauties Take a more particular and distinct view of these most glorious perfections Look what comeliness is in man that in Christ is Omnipotency or All-sufficiency Comeliness iâ— nothing else but that form of body whereby
every limb is so placed grown and proportioned that it is apted for its office anâ— for the use of the body were the Eyâ— the Spy of the body placed elsewhere thaâ— in the Watch-towre were the hand or foâ—â— turned backward how should they execuâ—â— their office and discharge their duties Buâ— when the eye the ear and every part is 〈◊〉 seated and shaped as that it is most fitted and best enabled for the work unto which it is designed and no work of the body which some part is not able to effect for it then it is seemly and lovely So what is that All-sufficiency and Omnipotency in Christ but that infinite and excellent measure in all his divine Attributes whereby he is able to do and doth all things in Heaven and earth Look then upon the Lord Iesus and behold in him 1. His Almighty eye of Wisdom and providence running to and fro through the whole earth to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect with him 2 Chron. 16.9 Consider that his Almighty ear of grace and mercy which hears â—rom the ends of the earth Psal. 61.2 and from the belly of Hell Jon. 2.2 Behold that his Almighty mouth which speaks and it is done commands and it stands fast Psal. 33.9 Take a view of the Almighty arm of his â—ower and hand of his justice effectually working and equally distributing whatsoever and howsoever he wills in Heaven and Earth subduing all things to himself and â—isposing all events and Creatures at his â—leasure As therefore it is the Comeliness of â—an that all his limbs are so ordered and â—amed that he can with all facility and agility do every work which concerns the good of the body so that which sets an excellent luster upon Christ in the eye of a Christian is that his Almightiness whereby in all his Attributes he is able perfectly to work whatsoever is necessary or convenient for his Body and Spouse and to do whatsoever he will in all the world 2. As all the limbs of the body are not a little commended to the eye by the fairness of the skin not dryed in the smoak of a burnt constitution nor drowned in the paleness of a phlegmatick complexion but every part drest in those colours of beauty red and white shining in their natural pureness so is there in Christ an excellence of spiritual purity far surmounting the exprâ—ssion of words or comprehension of thoughts in any creature This purity is nothing else but his holiness the beauty and glory of all the restâ— His wisdom is an holy wisdom his mercâ— an holy mercy His mouth aâ—m hanâ— altogether and infinitely holy Wheâ— comely proportions of body march undeâ— those lovely colours of Beauties ensignâ— how easily do they make a breach in thâ— eye conquer and lead captive the heart and swear it a willing servant to fleshly loveâ— But when the Lord Iesus looketh forth of 〈◊〉 Window when he sheweth himself but through a lattise Cant. 2. He wounds the hearts of men and Angels he ravishes the soul captivates the understanding fires the affection with unquenched longings no such hell as to be estranged from him no such Heaven as union with him We have a proverb that love will tune a very harsh and unstringed heart into poetry and singing But when the Creatures though with covered faces for who is able with open eye to behold the full blaze of his beauty look upon the face of his Holiness they are swallowed up in admiration of his excellence and fill their mouths and the world with songs of his beauty They call up one another in their Antiphones or Verses to praise him Psal. 30.4 97.12 and all men and Angels joyn in the Chorus chanting Holy Holy Holy Lord of hosts Isa. 6.3 Rev. 4.8 Clean wayes how easie and pleasant clean linnen how sweet and sightly pure ayer how wholesome pure metals gold or silver how precious what then is that purity of the divine essence how glorious in holiness Exod. 15.11 In this alone see the excellency of it It is a working beauty mightily almightily working on every obâ—ect that looks upon it How long may we behold the fairest Virgin on Earth and yet our selves be no whit the fairer But when we fasten our eyes upon this beauty of Christ it leaves the impression of the same glory and excellency upon us And as it is with that great Light the Sun it guilds the Heaven starrs earth trees and every Creature with which it converses and paints them with his light and luster so that greatest and uncreated Light that Sun of Righteousness when we behold him stamps his divine nature and glorious image upon us If Moses do but see his back only his face shines and glitters so that his Brother Aaron feared to approach him Exod. 34.30 If Christ in his humanity converses with his Father not only his face sparkles as the Sun â— Matth. 17.2 but his very rayment shines and glitters in pure whiteness Mar. 9.3 Luk. 9.29 and hence is it that when we shall see him as he is we shall be as he is 1 Joh. 3.2 Secondly Look to that relative excellency wherein we communicate with him wâ— must know that whatsoever is his is ouâ—â— also by participation when he is ours anâ— we are his He endows us with all his goodsâ— not only with these outward things Paâ—â—â— Apollos Cephas the World life death thingâ— present future all are ours 1 Cor. 3 22.â— but withall those excellencies which are iâ— himself His arm of power his hand of justice his ear of mercy his eye of Providence all is ours he with-holds nothing from us not his glory he will have us to see it and by seeing to have it Ioh. 17.22 24. Nay he so far is pleased to descend unto us that he not only gives himself for us but will himself be to us whatsoever we want We are excluded shut out from God without God in the World Ephes. 2.12 he becomes a Door to let us in Ioh. 10.9 we were strayed sheep wandring in our lost paths Isa. 53.6 he is the Way to bring us back to the Heavenly flocks and solds Ioh. 14.6 when we were darkness Ephes. 5.8 he would be our Light Joh. 8.12 we were harbourless without any continuing City Heb. 13.14 He will be our House we dwell in him 1 Joh. 4.13 for our house or mansion is not Heaven but in Heaven not made with hands but uncreated not temporal but eternal 2 Cor. 5.1 we were hungry and pined feeding on ashes Isa. 44.20 himself will be our Bread from Heaven Joh. 6.35 he our drink indeed Ioh. 6.55 we filthy and even stinking in our filthiness Psal. 14.3 he our Fountain for sin and uncleanness Zech. 13.1 we naked Rev. 3.27 he our cloathing Gal. 3.27 we in debt owed thousands of talents had nothiâ—â— to pay Matth. 18.24 he our Surety Heb. 7.22 who hath cancelled our bonds and blotted out the hand-writing
which was against us Col. 2.14 we were Captives 2 Tim. 2.26 he the Price of our Redemption Matth. 20.28 we were fools Tit. 3.3 he our wisdom 1 Cor. 1.30 we poor Rev. 3.17 he our Riches Col. 1.27 Rev. 3.18 we Vile Job 40.4 he our Praise and Glory Deut. 10.21 Luk. 2.32 we joyless our very joy madness Eccles. 2.2 he our exceeding joy Psal. 43.4 To conclude We dead Ephes. 2.1 he our Life Joh. 14.6 we Vanity at our best Psal. 39.5 and very nothing 2 Cor. 12.11 he All in all Col. 3.11 we empty he our fulness Ephes. 1.23 Oh that the Lord would embrighten our eyes to behold some sparks of this glorious excellency and our happiness in beholding it that the eyes of our understanding being opened we might know what is the hope of his calling and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the Saints Ephes. 1.18 If our God should create for us as many worlds as we could number what were all these Creatures in comparison of the Creaâ—our a drop of a bucket or the dust of the ballance Isaâ— 40.15 He is the glorious Spouse of ouâ— souls but all the Creatures his servants and in him ours Let him therefore be the Covering of our eyes unto all that are with us and with all others Gen. 20.16 upon him let us fasten our sight with all admiration and burning affection but on them in comparison of him let us look as upon loss and dung Phil. 3.8 A chaste Spouse will respect her servants and behold them in their affliction with pitty in their wants with mercy in their diligence and service with a kind acceptation but in competition with her husband if they would presume to be Rivals in his love and sharers of her heart and his bed with disdain scorn and hatred Let us therefore stir up and quicken our dull hearts with some such meditation I. How is 't my soul that thou giv'st eyes their sight To view their objects yet hast none To see thine own Earths ayers Heav'ns beauties they discern their light Fair flowers admires their several dresses Their golden tresses The Lilly Rose the various Tulip scorning The pride of Princes in their choice adorning II. They joy to view the ayers painted Nations The Peacocks train which th' head out vies With fairer eyes And emulats the heav'nly constellations The Ostâ—ich whose â—air plume embraves Kings Captains Slaves The Halcions whose Triton-bills appease Curl'd waves and with their Eggs lay stormy seas III. Pilots fixt eyes observe the Artick Bear With all her unwasht Starry trains In Heav'nly plains Night-Travellers behold the Moon to steer Her Ship sailing while Eol raves Through cloudy waves Our less Worlds sunns with pleasure view the light Which gives all beauties beauty them their sight IV. Thou that giv'st â—ight to clay to blackness light How â—rt so dull so dimm in duty To view his beauty Who quickens every life lights every light His height those Eagles eyes surpasses Thou wants thy glasses Take up that Perspective and view those streams Oâ— light and fill thy waning Orb with beams V. Then see the flowers clad in his Liveries And from his cheek and lovely face Steal all their grace See Fouls from him borrow their braveries And all their feather-painted dresses From his fair tresses See Starrs and Moon the Sun and all perâ—ection Beg light and liâ—e from his bright eyes reâ—â—ection VI. Look on his lipps heav'ns gate there open lies Thence that grace-breathing Spirit blows Thence honey flowes Look on his hands the Worlds full treasuries Fix all thy looks his heart upon Loves highest Throne And when thy sight that radiant beauty bleâ—rs And dazels thy weak eyes see with thine ears CAP. XII When our hearts are set upon our voyage we shall meet with opposition many rocks and Sirens in our passage BUT in this way to our happiness we shall meet with much opposition we cannot steal such a Nuptial if we will needs be walking in this way of life he that hath the power of death will beat us with many storms assault us with many encounters before we can land in the arms of Christ and be bedded in his bosome That great enemy of man Satan swells with spite and envy to see us presented with such an offer and ready to embrace it and therefore in his inveterate malice will not cease to cross us as he can in this blessed match and high advancement It bursts his gall to see us contracted unto the Lord Iesus us poor worms his captivesâ— pluckt out of his chains and instantly drawâ— into a covenant of marriage with the Goâ— of Heaven to be admitted to such an union and fellowship instated in such a Jointure of divine glory and eternal happiness which he hath utterly lost Oh how can it but grate his heart and be another hell unto him who is so stuffed with malicious envy and envious malice against the Lord Iesus and his Spouse But as it is with those Locusts his venemous armie so is it with their Captain Rev. 9.19 His power is in his mouth and in his tail He is a Serpent more subtil than strong or strong only by subtilty His lying tongue and â—inful stinging tail is his mighty and almost only weapon Therefore in your passage to your Heavenly Spouse he sets many crafty Bauds and painted Harlots to lay wait for you at every corner Prov. 7.12 we have great need then to stand upon our watch and to set a strong and faithful guard at our gates our eyes ears c. lest as he beguiled Eve with his subtilty so he should corrupt our minds and inveigle us by those Strumpets whose hearts are nets and snares and whose hands bands Eccles. 7.26 That old Baud the world and her Pandar Satan have painted and drest up divers Harlots which attired in all deceitfulness of cunning allurements they present to our sight and so draw away the wandring heart and eye after lying vanities The Turks Saraglio is not so furnished with Concubines as this old Baud with filthy Stumpets some enticing the mind some the heart Of the former rank are numberless but beside those Triobolax and obsolete fit now to work only in gross darkness upon blind or mop-eyed creatures she hath newly trimmed up two notable Harlots The first is that State of Rome but so varied in unwonted tires so curiously painted by her last dresses the cunning Iesuits and turchest in new fashions that we have need of purged eyes and much intention to know her and to see her leprous hide plastered with fair colours The second is that daughter of old Pelagius which by abasing the grace of God in Gods election binding his choice to the works of men and advancing the power of man in mans election flattering him with false abilities of an unrenewed will perverts the right wayes of the Lord who hedging and walling us out of our wayesâ— and conducting us only in the way of
and greedily catches all opportunities of conferring with his beloved and winning her heart And doth not he rise up early to draw and bring home our souls Ier. 25.4 32 33. A Lover breaks his sleeps to wait at the door of his Love and Is not his head filled with the dew and his locks wet with the drops of the night Cant. 5.2 A Lover will not break off for every denyal nor will be discouraged with many reâ—usals and doth not our Lord wait to be gracious unto us Isa. 30.18 even after we have wearied him with our unkindness Isa. 43.24 Some Lovers have ventured He given his life for his beloved Ioh. 15.13 Seeing therefore such a Lover so lovely thus wooes such wretches so loathsome let us thus answer his suit I. Me Lord can'st thou mispend One word misplace one look on me Call'st me thy Love thy Friend Can this poor soul the object be Of these love-glances those life-kindling eyes What I the Centre of thy arms embraces Of all thy labour I the prize Love never mocks Truth never lies Oh how I quake Hope fear â—ear hope displaces I would but cannot hope such wondrous love amazesâ— II. See I am black as night See I am darkness dark as hell Lord thou more fair than light Heav'ns Sun thy Shadow can Sunns dwell With Shades 'twixt light and darkness what commerce True thou art darkness I thy Light my ray Thy mists and hellish foggs shâ—ll pierce Witâ— me black soul with me converse I make the â—oul December flowry May Turn thou thy night to me I 'le turn thy night to day III. See Lord see I am dead Tomb'd in my self my selâ— my grave A drudge so born so bred My self even to my selâ— a slave Thou Freedome Life can Life and Liberty Love bondage death Thy Freedom I I tyed To loose thy bonds be bound to me My Yoke shall â—asâ— my bonds shall â—ree Dead soul thy Spring of life my dying side There dye with me to live to live in thee I dyed If then the hopes of such a match are so fair CAP. XIV What are the means to bring Christ and our Souls together AS it is in the earthly so also in this heavenly Contract The Man is the Suiter the Woman is Wooed In him is required to ask and seek in her only to accept and consent Christ loves first then we 1 Ioh. 4.19 He in love proffers himself to us and we when he hath wonn us embrace his offer with love and willingly receive him His hand whereby he giveâ— himself is his Word the Gospel written his Love-letters Preached his wooing our hand whereby we receive him is only our faith by which the Vnderstanding assents and the Will consents so the only condition â—nd demand of God for consummation of the â—ontract is Faith First therefore That Father of lights by the light of his word discovers to us thâ— person of the Lord Iesus in his nature God and Man 2. In his Offices King Priest and Prophet 3. In his Relation to usâ— Husband Head Saviour 4. In his love and actions of love Incarnation Humiliation Exaltation This light he so effectually brings home to us by the work of his Spirit that whereas heretofore we saw no beauty in him that we should desire him Isa. 53.2 now we see no beauty but in him we behold his glory as the glory of the only begotten Son of God Joh. 1.14 And so strong an impression doth it work that the Understanding convinced by Gods Spirit receives the testimonies subscribeth and seals to this truth of God Joh. 3.33 and then plainly sees confesses and with joy so judges that all things are dung and loss in comparison of the excellent knowledge of Christ Iesus his Lord Phil. 3.8 And this is the first act of faith wrought in the Understanding whereby the Apprehensive faculty conceiveth this truth and the Iudicial signs it The second is in the Concupiscible faculty â—or the same word by the same work of Gods Spirit which perswaded the Judgement â—o assent draws on the Will to consent and â—s it giveth power to the one to conceive 〈◊〉 to the other to receive Christ aright To â—his end the Word cleerly demonstrateth as â—ell the misery of man without him as the â—appiness with him and both infinite as â—oh 3.36 1 Ioh. 5.12 It sets out him in relation to us as the Vine us in relation to him as the Branches Ioh. 15.1 c. grafted in him we are cleansed fruitful ver 3 4. but without him we can do we can have nothing neither sap nor fruit but are withered and burned Joh. 15.5 6. In him and his house we flourish grow fat and the more we grow in age the more we grow in fruitâ—ulness Psal. 92.13 14. but out of him as the branches of a Vine altogether useless cast into the fire for fuel the fire devours both the ends of it and the midst of it is burnt Ezek. 15.4 Vine-branches of all other are in the Vine most useful and noble out of the Vine most base and useless It propounds him to us as an Husbandâ— us to him as a Spouse Woman was madâ— for man and without him is unfruitful anâ— useless him to us as an Head us to him aâ— his limbs and body In him we live move anâ— have our being Act. 17.28 without him wâ— are senseless dead nothing And whereas the heart is easily drawâ— with that triple cord of profit pleasureâ— preferment it evidently discovers to uâ— 1. Our gain and great advantage by him iâ— life and death Phil. 1.21 all other thingâ— loss Phil. 3.8 2. The infinite delight anâ— sweetness in his shadow Cant. 2.3 the fuâ—â— carouses out of the Rivers of his pleasures Psal. 36.8 the woe Hos. 9.12 and torments of his absence Rev. 14.10 so that our spirits refuse all comfort and are utterly overwhelmed Psal. 77.3 3. The height of honour and advancement in him Ioh. 12.26 Honos est in Honorante Honour is in the giver not receiver The more excellent the person is who gives honour the more excellent is the honour received from his hands What comparison then between the honour which comes â—rom man and the honour which comes from God only we are never truly honourable but when we are precious in his sight Isa. 43.4 In him we are Kings Rev. 1.6 and this kingdom heavenly 2 Tim. 4.18 and everlasting 2 Pet. 1.11 that cannot be moved Heb. 12.28 out of him we are Children of the Devil Joh. 8.44 and so devils Joh. 6.70 who being thrown out of Heaven and unworthy to be seated in any the very lowest place formerly designed for the Creature have a new and peculiar place prepared for them beneath all other the Deep Luk. 8.31 and bottomless pit Rev. 20.1 where they are bound up in everlasting chains of darkness Jude 6. And yet further the Word shews us the easie conditions which in this Contract God demands of us subjection
take up his Cross and follow him cannot be but very grievous and painful But Love is stronger than death Cant. 8.6 and hath power to sweeten all pain to overcome and triumph over all trouble and grievance The only reason why this way of Crosses is so tedious is because there is none or too little love to sweaten it Why can Saints rejoice in tribulation but because the love of God is shed abroad in their hearts Rom. 5.3 5. For if a little Sugar can sweeten the most bitter things which are decocted in it how much more shall that infinitely sweet love of God with great pleasure relish the most distastful usages of the world when they are digested in it How else did the Apostles rejoyce to suffer shame Act. 5.41 How did Paul take pleasure in reproaches necessities in persecutions distresses for Christs sake 2 Cor. 12.10 And yet what are these things which seem so intolerable to us Certainly had they not more frightfulness in our fancy than in their own nature they could not possibly appear so fearful Take out the worst of them and view them with a quiet and setled judgement and how will we laugh at our vain terrours Scorn derision and contempt of the world how strongly do they work on mens fancies or rather mens fancies on them Who knows not that story of Socrates who when he was contumeliously abused and kicked by a Ruffian and his friends in great anger and disdain asked him why he repayed not the injury soberly demanded what revenge they would prescribe him some counselled to serve a Writ upon him some to return the like and to kick him again He pointing to aâ— Asse not remote from him answered If that Asse had kicked me should I have sued him or vied kicks with him Even moral vertue could lift up this Heathen to such an height of Wisdome that looking down upon the bestiality of such persons he even scorned that the scorn and contempt of a creature so much inferiour should reach so high as to dethrone his reason and cast it down into a bruitish passion How much higher doth Christian wisdom mount up the heavenly spirit and enable it with contempt and pitty to look down upon scorn and scorners despising their insolencies and pittying their seduced and miserable persons as no way able to reach up to that peace which it hath received in Christ and to unsettle the quiet of a soul whose conversation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is already in Heavenâ— In a word all these injuries are but so many gemms in our crown God weighing out to us for these momentary sufferings an excelling excellent eternal weight of glory 2 Cor. 4.17 May death and the grave the uttermost extent of worldly spite though it look grimm upon a carnal eye yet a spiritual can behold it as a dore of peace as rest in a bed Isa. 57.2 where we sleep in the bosome of Christ 1 Thes. 4.14 as upon an estate much better than life Philip. 1.23 Death to a Chriâ—tian is his his servant 1 Cor. 3.22 as Haman to Mordecai It may set up a gallowes â—egg us to execution but by the power and â—avour of the King of Kings is suffered nay â—ommanded to take us indeed but to divest â—s of our sackcloth our morning flesh Iob â—4 22 to cloath us with the Kings robe his â—â—ining righteousnes to mount us on his carâ—iages who rides on the Cherubims to crown â—s with the royal diadem and so to bring us â—â—to the eternal presence of the King of glory â—he truth is all that Christ asketh of us this â—ay is self denyal that emptying our selves â—f our selves and of all creatures that we â—ay be filled with him even with the fulness 〈◊〉 God oh what in this is to be feared if â—e fear not the height of our blessedness 3. The third dutie with he requires is â—â—at we should be intirely his and keep us â—â—ly unto him And this is nothing else but not to dishonour our selves by debasing our souls which he hath so ennobled to prostitute them to vile lusts and ignoble creatures to use all other things as servants and to enjoy him as our Lord. If a great Prince should set his heart upon some poor Country mayden crown her his Queen give her his subjects some to serve her in her chamber some in the kitchin and skullerie some in higher some in meaner offices what an abject baseness were it in her to take off her heart from such a Spouse and to set it upon some groom of her stable or one of the black-guard Certainly the heart which once hath tasted the kisses of the Lord Iesus is not only ravished with them but looks upon all creatures which are but our servants as dung see Cant. 1.2 Philip. 3.8 and knows well how infinitely it should be debauched by changing his least favour foâ— the highest love of the highest creatures 4. The last is obedience and service This also seems an hard condition to those who never knew what it was Libertie is very sweet How then should this be bitter whicâ— is the only libertie Gal. 5.1 the glorious libertie of the Sons of God Rom. 8.21 For 1. It is an easy nay an easing Yoke it takeâ— off all hateful Yokes and heavy burthens Isaâ— 9.4 10.27 It gives rest Matth. 11.29 Nothing commanded in this service but what the heart chuses loves freely does and delights in doing Psal. 119.45 97. 40.8 nothing but what we prefer before meat and drink Iob 23.12 But service is a great abasement Some service is more honourable than some command This obedience and service renders us Kings Exo. 19.5 6. All this service may be comprized in one word Reign Reign over thy lusts which fight against thy soul by subduing them reign over thy affections and actions by governing them in that royal law Iam. 2.8 In a word all his service is but â—oliness and holiness his likeness and our blessedness nothing but a double Heaven an Heaven within by Heavenly mindednes and â—n Heaven without by an Heavenly converâ—ation an Heaven on Earth by grace walkâ—ng with God and the Heaven of Heavens â—ereafter in glory reigning with God for â—ver Such our match such our conditions our â—oke is holiness and that the glory of God â—e is glorious in holiness Exo. 15.11 our â—oke fellow the most holy God the Prince of glory â—hus then plead with your own spirits and â—onfute the lying sophistry of deceitful flesh I. A grievous heavy Yoke bonds burthens cords Ungrateful Israel his happy reign Heaps plentie peacâ— mirth saâ—ety honour hords Lades you with gold is this your load your Lords Turns to your slaves are these the bonds yea playn Tunes groanes to songs is this your Yoke and chain Was wisest Solomon a Tyrant peace Uâ—grateful Israel thy â—alse grumbling cease Thy wealth his grievous bond his heavy Yoke thy peace II. Lord Solomon was but thy shadow he A peaceful Prince
and thou the Prince of peace The world is Israâ—ls type who blinded see Freedom in bonds and bonds in libertie Thee they proclaym an hard man hard to pleaseâ— Thy easy easing Yoke lades with disease But murthering Satan lust the soul oppressing The cheating world by pleasing most distressing These are their gentle Lords their cursed Yokes â—heiâ— blessingâ— III. Poor souls have you no eyes your eyes no light These old eyes nothing seeâ— see nothing true Get Perspectives oh help your feeble â—ight Blind eyes make night as day and day as night Turn to the light and your old eyes renew Shake off hells spectacles and better vieu Your Lords and service had you light and eyes How could you hate the truth and love these lies Despise what you admire admire what you despise IV. Their Kings are servants but his servants Kings Their rest an Iron Yoke his Yoke your rest His wounds are salves their salves are wounding stings His death brings life their liâ—e death surely brings Their â—east a pining â—ast his â—ast a feast His servants blest when curst theirs curst when bleâ—â— Poor souls be wise but if ye fools disdein To serve this Lord in rest serve those in payn Serve them in Hell who scorn with him in Heaven to reign CAP. XVI What kind of service it is which his Spouse gives unto Christ. THe hand is the bodies Steward and Faith the souls hand Both have a double office either to take in or give out to receive or distribute what God offers faith takes and gives what he demands There is a bargain driven betwixt God and man when God himself and his Kingdom is assured upon man and man and all his is passed and made over to God by way of exchange or sale Our Lord hath not only laid down a price for us even himself Tit. 3.14 and bought us as we say out and out 1 Cor. 6.20 but hath also set a price upon himself and we must come up to his full price or never have him We must buy that milk hony and feast of fat things the sure mercies of David Isa. 55.1 c. That gold tried by the fire whereby we are made rich that white raiment that eyâ— salve the riches of the Gentils the robe of righteousness the light of the world the Lord Iesus must be bought Rom. 3.18 We must buy the truth Prov. 23.23 The treasure in the field is bought and that Merchant sells all that he hath to buy the goodly pearl Matth. 13.44 46. Hence there is a mutual vouching The Lord openly voucheth us for his people and we vouch him for our Lord Deut. 26.17 18. And to make the bargain sure and infallible large and precious Earnest is given even that blessed and Holy Spirit 2 Cor. 1.22 Eph. 1.14 which binds both seller and buyer to stand to the bargain But what is the price at which God rates himself to us 1. He challengeth the soul. All souls are his Ezek. 18.4 he must have the heart Prov. 23.26 all the soul all the heart all the might Deut. 6.5 The whole body must be presented to him as a living sacrifice Rom. 12.1 He hath payd for all and so now we are no more our own 1 Cor. 6.19 20. If he call for health wealth life all must be given him Luk. 14.26 else we as that Ruler Mar. 10 goe away empty sad and hopeless But this seems to imply a contradiction for to sell for a price and to give freely are contraries Now Christ is given us Ioh. 3.16 eternal life is the gift of grace Rom. 6.23 Salvation is by gift and grace Eph. 2.8 We are freely loved Hos. 14.4 freely justified Rom. 3.23 Certain is it and cannot be denied that never any thing was more freely or bountifully given We were poor Rev. 3.17 able to give nothing unable to pay due debts and our debts infinite Math. 18.24 25. The Lord Iesus our Surety hath purchased this whole possession for us and us for God but he also most freely given us and all things with him Rom. 8.32 Nay even that which hereafter God demands of us of which only here we speak our trust in him love to him fear of him working for him all these his most free gifts He works all in us and for us Isa. 26.12 Will and deed Phil. 2.13 That therefore which we give him is his own and we cannot but confess with that holy Prophet All things come of thee and of thine own have we given thee 1 Chro. 29.14 Indeed he commands us to buy yet asks he neither mony nor mony-worth Isa. 55.1 Our righteousness bringeth him neither profit nor pleasure Iob 22.2 3. and 35.7 No good we can do reacheth to him Psal. 16.2 when we give our selves what give we but vanitie Psal. 39.5 and nothing 2 Cor. 12.11 The truth is God receives no benefit from us neither are they if we speak properly gifts to him from us but rather from him to us not only because we first receive what after we give but specially because it is a great grace and next to himself the greatest gift he can bestow on us that he will receive us or any thing from us It is our infinite blessedness and his infinite goodness that he is ours and how much less is it certainly next to that that we are his Cant. 2.16 He calls for our bodies and spirits and are they out filthy polluted abominable how unworthy of him But he calls for them to wash and cleanse them from all filthiness Ezek. 36.26 they are dead in sins he would have them to quicken them to put his Spirit into them Ezek. 36.27 they are old corrupt in lusts Eph. 4.22 he would have them to renew them Ezek. 36.26 where can they be safe but under his wings and how secure under his protection How miserable and wretched when banished from his sight but in his house how infinitely blessed Psal. 65.4 How empty in his absence but in his presence is fulness of joy and everlasting pleasures Psal. 16.11 And yet God calls it buying as well because he is pleased not only to demand it but accept it as our reasonable service and testimonie of our thankfulness As great persons lease out to some special servant or favorite a fair land for the annual payment of a pepper-corn so deals our most gracious God with us gives us Heaven and Earth and himself the Lord of both because we have found favour in his eyes and desires no other rent but our poor selves and service whose only riches it is to be his inheritance and servants Thus the same hand of faith receives from our Lord himself and his grace and gives to him our selves and service takes from him what he graciously offers and works for him by love what he justly commands Now our work and service to our Lord is by himself sometime contracted into one head or body sometime parted into three members That which in one word comprizes
I think is impossible and not to do wrong requires as much wisdom as patience But it is better to suffer an hundred injuries than to do one 1 Cor. 6.7 for God will certainly punish the doer Col. 3.25 but thank the sufferer 1 Pet. 2.20 Take great heed of thrusting God out of his throne and seating your selves in it This you do when you usurp that highest office of God to recompence injuries and to avenge your selves It is Gods Prerogative royal To me belongeth vengeance and recompence Deut. 32.35 Vengeance is mine I will repay â—aith the Lord Rom. 12.19 It is his Regal Title The Lord God of recompences Jer. 51.50 Print upon your hearts that golden rule of Gods blessed Spirit In honour prefer onâ— another Mind not â—igh things but condescend to men of low estate Rom. 12.10 16. In lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than himselfâ— Phil. 2.3 There is nothing more hated oâ— scorned by God or man than a proud heart and haughâ—y eye Prov. 6 17. In the house oâ— â—ride Shame waits at the gates Prov. 11.2 Strife and Contention in the hall Pro. 13.10 and at the back stayers Destruction Prov. 16.18 29.23 Put on therefore â—umbleness of mind Col. 3.12 There is no ornament of so great price with God as a low priced spirit 1 Petr. 3.4 nor in the eye of man any thing more lovely than a lowly carriage Humilitie the Queen of virtues is ushered by favour supported by honour Prov. 29.23 and followed by exaltation Iam. 4.10 Observe all men in their degrees Honour Governours and obey them reverence superiours respect equals be courteous to inferiours and to all and above all carry your selves humbly Submit your selves one to another and be clothed with humilitie 1 Pet. 5.5 Thus shall you travel through the world with much peace for certainly as only by pride comes contention Prov. 13.10 so the meek shall delight themselves in abundance of peace Psal. 37.11 As a general motive to all these duties seriously consider All mankind is but one Adam and all men as one man Man the body men the members of that body Adam was the root Eve the stock issuing from the root and we all the branches produced from both She the mother of all living Gen. 3.20 All these numberless branches are united in the root that â—â—rst Adam and all Christians reunited in that Root of Iesse the Second Adam No creatures so united as man united in the bond of humanitie they are one flesh all nations made of one blood Act. 17.26 reunited in the bond of Christianity they are one spirit 1 Cor. 6.17 Eph. 4.4 How strongly then â—rom this union doth our Lord press upon us that unity of affection by love And that uâ—ity of our actions by peace How naturally do all these precepts of righteousness or justice flow from this principle were men not â—nnatural how could they be so full of unrighteousness filled with all unrighteousness c. and without natural affection Rom. 1.29 31â— were we not carnal how could we maintain strife and divisions when there is among you envyings strife divisions are ye not carnal 1 Cor. 3.3 Haters of men cannot be ranked among men we are all one flesh and never any man hated his own â—lesh but cherisheth and nourisheth it Eph. 5.29 We are members one of another all one body Rom. 12.5 Eph. 4.25 yea one spirit and who but Bedlams and Demoniacks wound and destroy themselves Fasten these truths upon your hearts and in all your conversation with men have them in your eyes so will you with ease as your Lord Psal. 11.7 love righteousness and be loved of him who loveth them who follow after righteousness Prov. 15.9 Some thing of this truth that dark light of nature discovered unto that Philosopher who thus sweetly sings it Boetius Libr. 3. Metr 6. I. The stock of man the Root the body Boughs skies Whose breadth or'e-spreads the earth height tops the One Parent hath he Sirâ— and Dam he plowes Plants waters he our birth growth all supplies He fills the Sun with Seas oâ—â—lowing beams Surrounds and drains the Moon with changing streams II. Hé peoples Seas with fish the Heaven with Stars Plants ayer and earth with living Colonies He pounds mans God-like Spirit in fleshly bars And by that spirit earth to himself allies Men are of high descent their Petigree Mortals derive from great Eternitie III. Boast ye oâ— Sires and Grandsires search ye earth For Heaven Heavens Register will shew your race Heavens King your Sire from Heaven in Heaven your birth A noble royal line No man is base But such as â—or base earth Heavens birthright sell By vice cut off â—rom Heaven and grafted into Hell CAP. XIX What is the last branch THe last branch is Godliness which is nothing but the true worship of the true God And how should I more briefly and yet more fully express it than that wise Father to his wisest Son And thou Solomon my Son know the God of thy Father and serve him with a perfect heart and willing mind 1 Chro. 28.9 where he comprizes all the inward worship in knowledg and the outward in service Now this knowledg is not here as properly it is confined to the understanding but generally extended to every facultie of the soul. As our senses are said to know when employing their faculties in their several objects they do their office The eye knows the colour it sees the ear the voice it hears So every facultie of our spirit is said to know when exercising it self in its proper office it executes its own dutie In the understanding when the Apprehension discerns and conceives aright it knows 1 Cor. 2.16 when the Judgment highly prizes things that are of high esteem it is said to know 1 Thes. 5.12 Even the choice of the will is called knowledg Amos 3.2 Rom. 8.29 Thus the affections are said to know what they love and delight in Psal. 144.3 expounded Iob 7.17 And this is that excellent knowledg preferred before sacrifice Hos. 6.6 in which consists our eternal life Ioh. 17.3 First therefore you must know God by an act of the understanding that is so conceive of him as himself in his word not in mens dreams hath pictured out himself unto you which is a spiritual and the only warrantable Image allowed by God This you must hang up not in your Hall or parlour but in that true Oratorie the Closet of your hearts There you shall â—ind him pencil'd 1. As he is simply in himself 2. Relatively to us In himself he is a Spirit Joh. 4.24 Incomprehensible glorious merciful gracious strong long-suffering pardoning sin and iniquitie c See Exo. 34.6 7. c. In relation to us our Creatour Isa. 64.8 our Redeemer Deut. 32.6 Psal. 19.14 our Lord Psal. 8.1 in whose service is all our happiness Psal. 144.18 our Portion and Inheritance Psal. 16.5 6. the strength of our heart our only and full comfort
great dutie Consider why you love any creature why more one than another why you should love the world riches pleasures as God a drop as the fountain It is even here too true Love descends Get your hearts baptized with fire and the holy Ghost buried with Christ into his death and raised in his resurrection that your affections may be set and settled on things not on earth but on things above even on him who is infinitly above all things who is blessed for ever and your eternal blessedness 2. Secondly the outward worship consists either in his speaking to us or our speaking to him He speaks to us either to our ears in his word or to our eyes in his Sacraments we to him either in prayers or vows Hearing is a chief part of Gods service Eccl. 5.1 The special gate whereby the Wisdom of God all knowledg and life enters Prov. 2.2 3. 1.5 Isa. 55.3 An hearing ear is Gods special gift to us Prov. 20.12 and our acceptable gift and sacrifice to him Psal. 40.6 1 Sam. 15.22 An obedient ear is a graceful and precious ornament Prov. 1.8 9. The ear the most happy factour of the soul whereby it seeks and gets Prov. 18.15 that rich merchandise which is better than silver and fine gold Prov. 3.14 But he who hath a disobedient ear or careless refusing to hear is good for nothing Jer. 13.10 and an itching ear hath certainly a rotten heart Isa. 30.9 10 11. The word of God preached is the seed in the hand of the Sower Mar. 4.14 taken out of the Granarie of the scriptures and cast into the furrows of the heart by Gods Spirit an incorruptible seed of a life incorruptible 1 Pet. 1.23 by which we are begotten unto God Jam. 1.18 And as it is the seed whereby we are born so is it the food also whereby we are nourished in that life of God as well mâ—â—k for babes as strong meat for the strong 1 Pet. 2.2 Heb. 5.12 c. It is an heavenly treasure in earthen vessels 2 Cor. 4.7 a rich Mart of all spiritual commodities where our Lord sells and we buy without mony all heavenly riches Be swift therefore to hear Jam. 1.19 value it above thousands of gold and silver Psal. 119.72 Sell all you have to purchase it Matth. 13.44 Buy the truth at any price sell it at none Pro. 23.23 Neither hear only but read it we cannot use too many ways in trading with this rich commoditie Had we as many distractions as Princes they can yield us no exemption from this dutie Deut. 17.18 Iosh. 1.8 Our frequent conversing with it and meditating in it will not take so much from our time as it will add to our opportunities Morning and evening day and night exercise your selves in it so shall ye be like â— fruitful tree planted by the rivers of water so shall ye make your may prosperous so shall ye have good success Psal. 1.1 2 3. Josh. 1.8 Nulla dies sine linea Think the day lost wherein you have mist this market 2. The Sacraments are visibile verbum Christs sermons to our eyes passion-sermons â—ou know that verse More dully stirs the mind what through th' ear passes Than what is view'd to life in the eyes true glasses They are not only teaching signs printing in our eyes and hearts the death of the Lord Iesus but assuring seals presenting and conveying unto us the grace which they represent There are many large and learned volumes printed concerning them and in every Catechise you may meet with pious instructions in this subject I will only therefore advise you concerning the Lords Supper 1. That you neglect no opportunitie so far as may be of comming to the Lords Table For is it not our communion with Christ 1 Cor. 10.16 Look as wholesome meats are the means whereby spirits are renewed strength increased union between body and soul maintained so the Supper of the Lord is his Ordinance whereby our everlasting life is confirmed our dull spirits revived and our union with the Lord Iesus Christ much strengthned Certainly the frequent use of it was the special means whereby the Primitive Churches so far excelled us in Christian fortitude resolution and every spiritual gift Above all other take heed of that carnal or rather divelish plea of hellish persons namely that they are not in charitie whereby they plainly discover how much they prefer their revenge beâ—ore their salvation and that hellish Murtherer before the heavenly Saviour Surely he that will rather nourish his malice by abstinence from the Lords Table than his fainting soul by that Bread of Heaven deserves and surely dos in his hellish fast to eat and drink his own damnation 2. Come prepared in some good measure and for that end set apart some day in that week for humiliation to afflict your souls by fasting to seek a right way Ezra 8.21 And because one especial end of this ordinance is the remembrance of our Saviour and shewing forth his death Luk. 22.19 1 Cor. 11. vers 25 26. spend much of that time in meditating upon it and principally the causes of it 1. The abhorred filthiness and dreadful naâ—ure of sin which could not be expiated or purged but by the blood of God 2. The fierce wrath of God and terrible severitie of his justice which exacted even of his most beloved Son undertaking for us the uttermost farthing even to make him Sin who knew no sin and a curse who was God blessed for ever 3. The infinite mercy of our gracious Father who gave his beloved Son to reconcile such hateful enemies and 4. The incomprehensible love of the Lord Iesus who vouchsafed to purchase our redemption at such a rate And leave not your soul till you find it abhorring it self in dust and ashes bleeding with Christ on his Cross sick of your sin and of his love and swelling with the fruit of the lips the sacrifice of praise 3. Prayer is the mouth of faith whereby it utters holy desires to God Many think they pray when they do but houl Hos. 7.14 or babble Matth. 6.7 we neither know what nor how to pray till we be instructed neither can any doctour inform us but that Spirit of adoption who teacheth us to cry Abbae Father Rom. 8.14 Gal. 4.6 He will instruct you to go unto God 1. As to a Father and therefore with all reverence and â—ubmission and 2. With all assurance and confidence 2. He is the Spirit of the Son and therefore will carry you to the Father by the Son to God by Christ. He will not suffer you to make your addresses by your selves or any creature but by that only Mediatour and Advocate Sacrifice must be brought to the Temple to the dore of the Tabernacle offered only upon Gods chosen Altar and by none but the Priest Christ is that Temple Ioh. 2.21 He the dore Ioh. 10.9 he the Altar Heb. 13.10 which sanctifies all our gifts and the â—igh Priest
whom only God accepteth Heb. 7.26 28. That blessed Spirit who baptizeth with fire will not only inflame your hearts but kindle also your lips with all fervencie of prayer Prayer is a special sacrifice and sacrifices must burn upon the Altar Prayer is our Incense Psal. 141.2 which till it burneth in the fiery censer yields no odour or sweetness That holy Spirit will quicken you to frequent and continual prayer and doth not only whisper in your ear but draw out your heart to pray always with all manner of prayer Eph. 6.18 to pray without ceasing 1 Thes. 5.17 to continue in prayer and watch in the same Col. 4.2 not to slip any occasion but to improve all opportunities which God offers us in petition thanksgiving intercession deprecation supplication No marvel if the Ancients called it the key of Heaven for it opens all to us It opens the womb Gen. 20.17 18. It opens the prison Act. 12. It opens Heaven when it is bar'd with brass Iam. 5.18 It opens Gods ears when he hath even shut them against us 2 Chro. 7.13 14 15. The Doctours call it the scourge of the Divel It drives away his tentations Matth. 26.41 Nothing in the world so prevalent For it sets even God himself on work in whose hands are all creatures and with whom nothing is impossible Gird up therefore the loyns of your minds and whet your voyces to peirce through the Heavens And oh that I could be the means to put that perpetual motion of praying and crying into your hearts Look about you and you shall see abundant matter of crying of loud crying would we advisedly behold what we see there is hardly one object of our eyes which would not skrue up our voyces a note higher and set us a roaring Look upon the dark places of the earth and they are full of the habitations of crueltie Psal. 74.20 And should not this raise up a crie Remember Lord the enemie hath reproched and foolish people have blasphemed thy name oh deliver not the soul of thy Turtle dove unto the multitude of the wicked oh let not the oppressed return ashamed Psal. 74.18 19 21. when you look into the place of judgment and wickedness is there and to the place of righteousness and inquitie is there Eccl. 3.16 will not so crying a sin force a loud crie from your hearts when you consider all the oppressions under the Sun and behold the tears of the oppressed and they had no comâ—orter and on the side of the Oppressours was power but on their side no comâ—orter Eccl. 4.1 how can you forbear to weep with those that weep when you hear the grones of widowes the sighs of the fatherless the lamentations of the hungry naked distressed can you chuse but bear a part in this doleful musick when you look on the pride wherein the land is disguised in monstrous attires the prodigious excess in riotings the general lightness and impudence of all behaviour when you hear the vollies of blasphemous tongues thundering against Heaven the stench of drunkenness infecting the ayer with plagues poxes c. the ignorance superstition idolatrie profaneness Atheism in the world the hellish contempt of God and all his Ordinances In a word a deluge of corruption overwhelming all degrees sexes ages and the wrath of God flaming in revenge against such execrable provocations where can you find hearts large enough to hold or throats wide enough to utter cries and ejulations to Heaven But had you no eyes to look abroad yet look within and you shall find more matter of crying than possibilitie of expressing See there what ignorance unbelief deadness vanitie securitie pride hypocrisie obstinacie backsliding self-love self-seeking inordinate passion what a world what an hell of wickedness couches it self in a desperately wicked heart it will stretch out your throats and force you to a loud crie and bitter Oh wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death Certainly if you have any spirit in you it will fill your hearts with a fountain and your eyes with rivers of tears Were you heathens it would drive you to send out the proclamation of Nineve into every part of body and soul Let man and beast reason and sense flesh and spirit cry mightily unto God Jon. 3.8 Let us whet these things upon our hard hearts to sharpen our dull prayers that they may pierce the Heavens and prevent the birth of that decree which if it once bring forth will prevent all prevention Pour out day and night some such petition when you have prepared your hearts by some such like meditation Oh my drowsie soul canst thou ly down with Ionah and sleep in such a Tempest Seest thou not these waves of wickedness which mount up against Heaven and sink down again into bottomless depths and is not thy spirit melted because of trouble The floods have lifted up the floods of the ungodly have lifted up their voice and canst thou be silent See how that little Bark fraught with Christ and his Spouse is filled with water nay with blood see what a storm is come down into the lake and how the waves dash into the ship whilst thy Lord and Saviour â—s asleep in the stern upon a pillow and wilt thou not with loud cries awake him See what a troubled sea is in thine own heart foming out mire and dirt and canst thou rest Are not the waters come into thy soul Sinkst thou not in the deeps where is no standing Is not the belly of hell ready to swallow thee and canst thou cease crying Heark how sin cries and wilt thou be silent heark how the Saints cry and canst thou hold thy peace If thou hast no words in thy tongue hast thou no grones no sighs in thy heart Oh my soul is thy Lord so ready to hear and art thou so slow to speak Shall his ear stand so wide open to thee and thy mouth and heart so fast shut to him Do not his commands draw thee thy necessities drive thee do not his mercies invite his promises assure thee thy povertie enforce thee Art thou a child and canst not speak He hath provided thee two Almighty Intercessours one his Son to plead for thee the other his Spirit to plead in thee How should the weakest arm faint which hath such supporters such an Hur and such an Aaron to under-prop them Oh thou my gracious Saviour who in the days of thy flesh offeredst up prayers and supplications with strong cries accent my flat heart and voice with thy sharp cryings Thou who helpest the infirmities of our utterance teach my heart to grone beyond all power of utterance And Thou who knowest the mind of the spirit and art ever well pleased in thy beloved hearken graciously to the stammerings of my Infant spirit and accept them in him in whom thou art ever well pleased 4. Lastly for vowes I can give you no better direction than his Spirit to whom
you vow Be not rash with thy mouth and let not thy spirit be hasty to utter any thing before God Eccl. 5.2 Be very sparing and slow in making but sure and timely in paying vows Psal. 67.11 Eccl. 5.4 Let your vowes promise some warrantable service as Iacob Gen. 28.21 22. General vowes made in Baptism pay daily Psal. 61.8 particular seasonably Deut. 23.21 Let your vowes be ever conditional if God will help and assist you then looking to his gracious promises beg strength and stirr up your selves to a diligent and cheerful performance Pay them not grudgingly or of necessity for God loveth a cheerful giver 2 Cor. 9.7 Frequently thus meditate Great Fount of light whose overflowing streams Lend stars their dimmer â—parks Suns brighter beams Thy mouth spoke light thy hands at first did shed it Along the skie and through the ayer did spred it So shadedst earth with curtains of the night And drewst those curtains to give days their light Then gathering all that scattered light compactedâ—t In one vast burning Lamp and strait enactedst That all less lights should beg their borrowed beams And from that â—ountain fill their narrow streams So that more spiritual and sacred ray Which riâ—ing from thy mouth gave spirits day In those first ages had no certain sphere But breath'd by thee shin'd forth from mouth to ear Aâ— length collected by thy gracious Spirit Fills all the world with light with life and spirit There I behold thy self thy Lamb and Dove Shining in grace burning in heavenly love There I my death and thine thy power my duty See and by seeing change into thy beautie Lord let thy light draw off my wandring eyes From empâ—y forms and lying vanities Oh fix them on thy self and make me see My Light in all things nothing all in thee Thou boughtâ—t me all oh make me all thine own Be all in me I all in thee alone CAP. XX. Man as man is not man but Vanitie THere is but one end to which all men aym all their thoughts desires and actions even Blessedness and but one way leading to this end knowledg but this way hath two periods 1. The knowledg of our selves 2. Of our God a truth so palpable that even heathens in their midnight without eyes could feel something of it and not only find it themselves but commend and prove it to others The whole scripture was penn'd by the Holy Ghost to this very end to be our light and guide in this way yet as far as I conceive no where so briefly and cleerly doth this Guide point out this way unto us as in that short but full sentence Eph. 2.5 Even when we were dead in sins he hath quicken'd us together with Christ. Look as it is with some double-faced pictures if ye view them on the one â—ide you shall see a beautiful pourtrait of some lovely virgin or such like if ye change your place and look on the other side ye see an Owl Ape or some deformed creature so hath Gods blessed Spirit as in Tableture drawn the picture of man If you behold him in himself in his own and old nature he is but a body oâ— death if you look on him in his new nature and in the second Adam full of glorious life One side no better than a Divel if not worse the other no worse than an Angel if not better In the first he is dead dead in sin the death of hell In the second he is alive quickned with Christ in the life of God Let this piece therefore be the last Legacie which in the conclusion of this Testament I bequeath to every one of you that you may hang it up in the best room of your heart where you may have it ever in your eye and there behold your selves 1. In your tombs dead in sins and buried in the graves of lust 2. In your resurrection quickned in and with the Lord Iesus Christ. Death consists 1. In the privation of life when life is not or is now nothing 2. In the consequents of this privation corruption putrefaction stench loathsomness Consider then the picture of your old man 1. In the rude draught the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. In the full pourtrait when all the colours and complements are added In the former Man in the first Adam howsoever magnified by himself or others considered not physically or civilly but spiritually is a base abject creature hardly to be called a creature a very privative and therefore nothing He is as we say a may be possibly he may be some thing but as yet in this estate a sheer vanitie and a meer nothing He is but Somnium hominis a dream and so are all his actions Though he mount up in exâ—ellencie unto the Heavens and his head reach unto the clouds he shall fly away as a dream and not be found chased away as a vision in the night Joh. 20.6 8. As when an hungry man dreams and behold he eats but he awakes and his soul is empty and a thirsty man dreams and behold he drinks but he awakes and behold he is faint and his soul hath appeâ—ite Isa. 29.7 8. voluptuous men in their feasts and riots do but dream that they eat drink and are merry worldlings do but dream that they find treasures and very joyful they are in gathering pocketing and chesting it but they awake and in their hand is nothing Eccl. 5.14 As a dream when one awaketh so oh Lord when thou awakest thou shalt despise their glory Psal. 73.20 Mâ—n is like to vanitie Psal. 144.4 A very small but very like and lively picture so like that as it is spoken of the blind man Ioh. 9. we may say this is he others he is very like him but himself when he hath his eyes will fully confess I am he I am a meer dream and a sheer vanitie Attentively observe that fuller picture Psal. 39.5 Mine age is as nothing before thee and verily every man in his best estate is altogether vanitie Where this emptiness of man is excellently set out in divers propositions 1. Man is vanitie You may say perhaps some men the poor are despised nay 2. Every man Indeed take him at his worst in sickness trouble c. nay 3. In his best estate In some respects it may be as subject to losses crosses death c. nay 4. In all respects Altogether vanitie But is not this an hyperbole more spoken than intended No it is an infallible truth which the Spirit of truth hath bound with an asseveration Verily Verily every man in his best estate is altogether vanitie Nay the Lord proceeds yet further and to convince our self-conceit and fond pride assures us that as men of low degree are vanitie so men of high degree are worse a lie so that high and low weighed in a true ballance are lighter than vanitie it self Psal. 62.9 A lie what great men glittering in their pomp admired by some feared by others are
seen they hate Ioh. 15.24 and all that he loves or love him all his members Mar. 13.13 though they be their own flesh and that even to death Lukâ— 21.16 17. Excellently is this condition expressed in that metaphor wherein carnal men are called spots and blemishes 2 Pet. 2.13 A wicked Father or Childe a wicked Husband or wife a wicked Master or Servant is a spot in a familie a wicked Governour or Subject a spot in the Common wealth a wicked Minister or Professour a spot and blemish in the Church And as a spot or blemish is nothing but filthiness or a filthy nothing so is every man in his corrupted nature 2. Man in the first Adam is a child of the Divel Ioh. 8.44 and a very Divel in flesh Ioh. 6.70 Satan a filthy spirit but he filthy in flesh and spirit 2 Cor. 7.1 he a captive of the Divel 2 Tim. 2.26 a servant to sin which is the very dung of Satan Rom. 6.17 fetter'd in the very bond of it Act. 8.23 servant to corruption 2 Pet. 2.19 and to divers lusts Tit. 3.3 the hand serves one the eye another the ear a third the heart a thousand He is even cut out and mangled into a base and cursed slaverie Now the servant is more base than the Master Take good notice therefore of this estate of man Lust is the servant of Satan man the servant of lust the Divels servants servant Sin the corruption and dung of Satan man the servant of sin and corruption In a word a carnal man is the prey of Satan devoured by that roaring Lion who hath digested him into filthiness of flesh and spirit and hell the draught into which he is purged Thus then think in your hearts I. Ayeâ— oâ— her selâ— is dark and hath no light But what Heaven lends her and when angry skies Call in their debt she sinks in dungeon night Nay while she borrowes light oâ—t foggâ— arise Or storms and filch by stealth or rob by might Her lone her day in youth or childhood dies But while the present Suns with conquering ray Dispel the shades and their strong beams display She sparkles all with light and broider'd gold-array II. Such now is Man inform void empty dark A Chaos dungeon grave a starless night Rake all his ashes up ther 's not a spark To tine quencht life or kindle buried light And what he steals from others empty shark Hell with his mists depraves so robbs him quite But when his Life and Light shines in his eyes In him he lives as he and never dies Glittring in light divine he heaven stars Sun out-vies III. For as in earthly sight the bodies eye To the object bent is like the object â—orm'd So when the soul turn'd to the Deitiâ— Receives hiâ— likâ—ness it is soon tranâ—form'd To what it sees death hell and darkness â—â—y And all the spirit to Light and Liâ—â— conform'd Soul of my soul draw my souls eyes to thee Set them upon thy face make me to be By seeing Life and Light the Light and Liâ—e I see You have seen what you are in the first Adam look now on the other side of this picture and see what you may be in the second CAP. XXI Man in Christ is above other men and all creatures next the Creatour IN our selves we are 1. Dead a meer privative a nothing 2. Dead in sin meer corruption corruption of Hell what we are or may be in Christ now consider We are quickned together with Christ. Christ is that overflowing Fountain by whose fulness of grace our empty chanels are not only 1. Scoured from that choking mire which stops all passages but 2. Stored with the water of life with the fulness of God see Hab. 2.14 Eph. 3.19 But how are we quicken'd with Christ raised and sit together in heavenly places with him Eph. 2.6 Not only virtually as the fruit lies in the seed or root but in some kind actually As in the first fruits the whole field and in the Cake of the first dough the whole lump was sanctified and an actual blessing conveyed in it so Christ being raâ—sed is the first frâ—its of them that sleep 1 Cor. 15.20 the first Cake of the new lump 1 Cor. 5.7 and in him even actually in a kind are they quickened who are yet unborn As a wife or child takes possession of that land in the husband or Father which he hath purchased in their name Hence we evidently see first that the only life of man by which he is a Câ—ristian a blessed creature nay indeed by which he is a right man is not that natural and fading but this spiritual and eternal life which we have in Christ hence called the life of God Eph. 4.18 begotten by God Jam. 1.18 the life of Christ 2 Cor. 4.10 he our life Col. 3.4 and liveth in us Gal. 2.20 and the life of the Spirit he gives it 2 Cor. 3.6 And as the vegetative life of plants the sensitive life of beasts the rational life of man is nothing elss but the Act of such a soul giving the creature such a being and enabling it unto such actions so the divine and spiritual life is nothing else but that Aâ—â— of Gods Spirit dwelling in man and giving him a spiritual being a divine nature and enabling to spiritual and Godly actions or to use the Scripture phrase to live and walk in the Spirit Gal. 5.25 whereby we live in God and to God see Rom. 8.9 10. Gal. 2.20 1 Joh. 5.11 12. For without question the true life of man differs from all other life in inferiour or contrary creatures but in this natural life the faculties and actions of it man differs not from plants in growth from beasts in sense from wicked spirits in reason That form then which gave man his difference doubtless was that Image of God in which he was created perfect by the loss of which he lost the perâ—ection and truth of humane nature He therefore that hath no other but this natural life is but an half-man hath little or nothing of a man but is partly a beast in respect of sense partly a Divel in regard of his perverted and distorâ—ed reason 2. Secondly here we may easily observe that howsoever a carnal man glisters in carnal eyes honoured admired yet is he a very Abject and the skumm of the creatures so a spiritual man contrary though he seem a base thing in the eye of the world and more base in his own a reproch of men and scorn of the people Psal. 22.6 yet is he indeed the most noble and excellent creature in the world and next the great Creatour Hence the Saints in terms are called the Excellent Psal. 16.3 preferred in their excellencie before others whatsoever are their earthly advancements The righteous is more excellent than his neighbour Prov. 12.26 28.6 This is Heavens this is Gods Heraldry Now are they Sons of God and Heirs apparent 1 Joh. 3.1 But because their
But wherein consists this seeking of God In all seeking 1. The heart seeks in the desires and longings of it 2. That sets it self and the whole man on work constantly and diligently to use all means whereby we may attain what we may desire and seek The root is in the heart that blades in the desire mark 2 Chron. 15.12 15. ears and grows fruitful in the actions and earnest endeavours David seeks God How 1. His soul thirsted his flesh longed for God 2. He follows hard after him Psal. 63.1 8. so those Saints Isa. 26.8 9. in the night desire him with their soul seek him early in the morning waiting for him in the way of his judgements Again that which we seek must be the end of our seeking whatsoever we seek not for it self but for some other we seek not it indeed but that other for which we desire and seek it God must be sought for himself we must not in seeking him look to any thing beyond him when we seek our Lord as the Iews sought Christ not bâ—â—ause of the miracle but because they had eaten and were filled we seek not our God but our bellies But what are the meanâ— wherein we seek and find The Lord hath given us blessed means 1. Holy Ordinances the way of hiâ— judgements prayer the Word Sacraments See Isa. 26.8 2. A powerful Mediatour and prevalent Intercessour with God for man God and Man the Lord Iesus Christ he the only Door Joh. 10.9 the only Way by which we come to God Ioh. 14.6 His blood hath scored out our path to the Holiest a new and living way through the Veil of â—is flesh Heb. 10.19 20. 3. Faith which effectually applies both unto us The Ordinances not mingled with faith profit not Heb. 4.2 Prayer without faith God accounts howling Hos. 7.14 the word men who have no faith count babbling Act. 17.18 Christ is ours and dwells in our hearts by faith Ephes. 3.17 but without faith we are still under the curse Iob. 3.36 He then that thirsteth for God looks to Christ in every Ordinance not to serve himself of God but to serve him in all faithfulness this man seeks God Many there are which deceive themselveâ— and suppose they are not now to begin that work they have long â—ince they hope both sought and found him But have they prepâ—red their heart have thâ—y put awâ—y iniquity far from them do they not suffer wickedness to dwell in their Tabernacles Job 11.13 14. How should men seek and find God in the wayes of ungodliness the righteous Lord in all unrighteousness Can God be found in Atheism In such wayes they find God as Balaam his Angel with a drawn sword in his hand not as a Father but a Iudge and Avenger Indeed if we rejoice to work righteousness remember him in his wayes he will surely meet us in his mercy Isa. 64.5 But if we seek him after our own devices and though we walk after the imagination of our own wicked hearts yet dream we shall have peace Deut. 29.19 he will meet us not as a man Isa. 47.3 but as a Lion to tear us in pieces where none can deliver Psal. 50.22 And yet further that we deceive not our selves in a matter of such consequence we must know that this seeking of God may be considered in divers periods of it 1. When being without God in the World we seek to be initiated into his service see Act. 17.27 2. After some breach when by our misbehaviour we have caused him to withdraw his favour and to hide himself from us as Cant. 5.6 3. Even when we are in peace and amity we must still seek him labouring to get more union and communion with him in a continual waiting upon him and looking unto him Psal. 105. 4. Some perhaps will think All this is needless what necessity of seeking him when he first seeks us Luk. 15.4 8. nay finds us before we seek him Isa. 65.1 God indeed loveth us first 1 Ioh. 4.19 and in his love draws us Jer. 31.3 In infinite love he gives us his Son Joh. 3.16 Thus he seeks us lost Creatures as that Woman her lost Groat Luk. 15.8 He lights up the Gospel and sends in with it that great light offers him and in him offers us grace and happiness so he seeks and finds us as Keepers their strayed Deâ—r he sends in Hunters and they hunt us from every Mountain and every hill and from holes of Rocks he sends those Apostolical Fishers and they shall spread their Nets Ezek. 47.10 and fish them Ier. 16.16 Till which time we do but as thosâ— blind Heathens feel after him Act. 17.27 we sit in darkness he sends in his Word and calls us â—orth unto his marvelous Light 1 Pet. 2.9 we are enemies he beseeches us to be reconciled and offers us peace in Christ but further gives his chosen an heart to know him Jer. 24.7 an heart to fear him Jer. 32.39 an heart to walk in his wayes Ezek. 36.27 He circumciseth their hearts to love him Deut. 30.6 opens the heart for Christ Act. 16.14 and brings in the Lord Jesus to dwell there Ephâ—s 3.17 so he first seeks us in calling us seek ye my fâ—ce and then we when he hath given us that new heart seek him when we answer Lord thy face will I seek Psal. 27.8 He first waits to be gracious to us then we wait on him and arâ— blessed Isa. 30.18 Let me shut up this Chapter with that Princely Preacher and Prophetical Poet in this Paraphrase in Verse upon his Ecclesiast 2. I. Oh I am tir'd I faint I swoon I dye I travel all the world to find a station Where weary soulâ— may saâ—e and happy lye I search for rest feel but vexation I grope for substance grasp but vanity I seek for life and health find death damnation I meet approaching death death to eschew Toyl'd with vain sweat I wax old to renew My weary life so spend and hate what I pursue II. To Pleasures house I fail'd and safe arriv'd I lookt for Joy but â—ound a Bedlam there Into rich Mammons baggs and Chestâ— I div'd But saw them fill'd with grief with care and â—ear The Crown was but a Skep where swarms are hiv'd Of stinging thoughts it wears me wâ—ich I wear Has man no good is 't lost or aâ—â— blind Who who will point the way or cleer my mind To find what I should seek to seek that I may find III. Look as th' industrious Bee from flowr to flowâ— Jumps lightly viâ—its all but dwells in none Or as a sickly taste tries sweet and sowre Runs through a World of dishes finds not oâ—â— To please his curious Palâ—teâ— has no power To relish what it likes this bit that bone Long'd â—or and loath'dâ— thus my unquiet breaâ—â— In Earth Sâ—â—â— Ayer Heav'â— vainly 〈◊〉 But serving them is curst and serv'd by them not blest IV. Can rivers seek find reâ—â— in resâ—less Seas Can Ayer in