Damme it s like a Chariot though it have four wheels yet it moveth only as drawen by the strength of Horses without it it s a Plough of timber only that without Iron and Steel breaketh up no earth The new Seed of God acteth as acted by God hence repenting Ephraim Ier. 31.18 Turn thou me and I shall be turned renewed David is often at this Quicken me quicken me the swooning Church Cant. 2. Stay me with flagons and comfort me with apples 3. Sheep are docile creatures Iohn 10.27 My sheep hear my voice I know them and they follow me There is a Controversie with Papists how we know Scripture to be the Word of God there is two things here considerable one within and another without How knoweth the Lamb its mother amongst a thousand of the Flock Naturall instinct teacheth it From what Teacher or Art is it that the Swallow buildeth its clay House and Nest and every Bee knoweth its own cell and waxen House so the instinct of Grace knoweth the voice of the Beloved amongst many voices Cant. 2.8 and this discerning power is in the Subject There is another power in the Object of many thousand Millions of men since the Creation not one in figure and shape is altogether like another some visible difference there iâ— amongst many voices no voice like mans tongue amongst Millions of diverse Tongues of men every voice hath an audable difference printed on it by which it s discerned from all other To the new Creature there is in Christs Word some character some found of Heaven that is in no voice in the world but in his only in Christ represented to a beleevers eye of Faith there is a shape and a stampe of Divine Majesty no man knoweth it but the beleever and in Heaven and Earth Christ hath not a Marrow like himself Suppose there were an hundred counterfeit Moons or fancied Suns in the Heaven a naturall eye can discern the true Moon and the naturall Sun from them all the eye knoweth white not to be blacke nor green Christ offered to the eye of faith stampeth on faiths eye speces little Images of Christ that the soul dare go to Death and to Hell with it this this only was Christ and none other but he only 4. Sheep are simple fancy leadeth them much therefore they are straying creatures Isa. 53.6 Psal. 119. vers 176. 1 Pet. 2.25 there is nothing of the notion of death or of another life in the fancy of Sheep a mouth-full of green Grasse carrieth the sheep on upon a Pit and the mouth and teeth of Lions and Wolves Fancy is often the guide of weak Beleevers rather then Faith little care we by nature what we shall be in the mixt Generation Fancy and Nature cannot out-see time nor see over or beyond death fair green-like hopes of gaine are to us hopes of reall good we think we see two Moons in one heaven there is a way good-seeming that deceiveth us but black death is the night lodging of it Alas we are journying and know not our night Innes and where we shall lodge when the Sun is going downe poor soul where shall you be all night 1. If Beleevers be such dependent creatures what do Libertines and Antinomians teach us That the soul need not go out to Christ for fresh supply but it is acted by the Spirit inhabiting and dwelling in us also that it is the way of the Law not of the Gospel that we act in the strength of Christ both these are against the Gospel 1. We are commanded to pray even the sons who in faith calleth God Our Father which is in Heaven lead us not into temptation which God doth no other way then by giving us new supply of Grace to actuall resistance and Christ wil have us to pray Lord increase our faith the virgins in love with Christ pray Draw us Paul prayeth that the God of peace would sanctifie the Thessalonians wholly 1 The. 5.23 for this he boweth his knee that the believing Ephesians may be strengthned according to the riches of his glory with might by his Spirit in the inner man that Christ may dwell in their hearts by faith and that with all the Saints they may be able to comprehend the transcendent Love of God in Christ Eph. 3.15 16 17 18 19. and that Author Heb. 13.20 21. That the God of peace may make the Saints perfect in every good work to do his will working in them that which is well pleasing in his sight 2. It s against Christs intercession whose it is to keep the faith of the Saints from failing Luk. 22.32 and who finisheth our faith Heb. 12.2 confirmeth us to the end 1 Cor. 1.8 advocateth for new grace 1 Joh. 2.1 2. appeareth in the presence of God for us Heb. 9.24 3. This cannot stand with the promise of perseverance made in the Covenant of Grace Ier. 32.40 41. Es. 59.21.24 Ezech. 36.27 Ioh. 6.39 40. Ioh. 4.13 14. Nor 4. with the faith of perswasion of perseverance Rom. 8.38 39. Jude v. 24.25 Psal. 6. 2 Tim. 4.18 and 5. This must infer either that the regenerate doe not and cannot sin by not believing and persevering in faith and perfecting holinesse in the fear of God which is blasphemy or that the Saints may finally fall from Grace or that the use of grace and willing and doing in the Saints is not of or from confirming and assisting grace 6. This putteth our stock of Grace in our own hand as if Christ did literally only reveale to us the way to Heaven and leave it to our own free will to guide well or ill And so we are to thank Christ for beginning in the spirit and to thank our selves that we go on and grow in grace or end not in the flesh Nay but Christs dispensation in whose grace we are strong Eph. 6.10 can do all things Phil. 4.13 is nothing but one continuate act of Free grace or a long cord or chain of dependency on Christ yea Grace is glory on the wheels Its glory like wheat in the blade in the way in the flâ—x and tendency to the ear and Harvest depending on the continued aspect of the Summer Sun of Righteousnesse the new creature is the iron in the fire heaven in the moulding and framing and under the hammer and tooles of Christ and a Rose in the opening before it cast out its leaves and in this we are to have these considerations 1. Faith is leasurely to look to Christ in bringing his work out of the mould and taking the new ship off the stocks as a perfected vessell We conceive erroneously that Faith only eyeth Christ as pardoning and that it hath no eye no activity and influence on our owne gracious acts wrought in us by Christ but Faith is an agent as it is a patient and joyneth with Christ and with Free-will to an active purifying of the heart
dream so the justification of the Saints is like the free acquitting of a broken man that hath borrowed thousands and is unable to pay the cancelling of his Bill freeth him in Law from paying the sums but doth in no case make him a man that never borrowed mony nor doth it free him from that inherent blot of unjustice in regard of which he is a broken man who hath wasted his neighbours goods but perfected sanctification expelleth sin in his essence being root and branch in its dominion Lordly power indwelling so that it is no more and this is like the expelling of night-darknesse out of the whole body of the Air by the presence of the Sun diffusing its beams and light from East to West and North and South I grant the habit of sanctification perfected in glory doth not make it a false proposition that such a pardoned and washed Saint never sinned for Factum infectum fieri non potest What is done can never be undone that were a speaking contradiction but it putteth the man in that State that he is as free of the indwelling of the body of sin and perfectly holy as the body of the Aire at Noon-day is free of darknesse and qualified with inherent light now Antinomians cannot endure especially Master Eaton their chiefe leader that we say that sanctification is unperfect in this life or that the indwelling of sin can consist with free justification and remission of sins in Christs blood But let us turn our eyes a little toward the wisdom of Gods free dispensation to scan the reasons why our Lord will have justified Saints to go halting to heaven 1. He can at our first conversion make us Glorified and perfected Saints but it s his wisdom to take a time and succession to perfect his Saints he took about thirty and three years on earth for the work of our Redemption and would for three dayes lodge in the grave as it were a neighbour to our Father corruption and the worm our brother and sister Job 17.14 Though he saw no corruption Psal. 16.10 He hath been dressing up the high Palace of Glory his Fathers house these sixteen hundred years if he be pleased to take moneths and years to the work of the applying of purchased Redemption whereas he might and could have done it in one instant as he created light out of darknesse with one word we are to be silent his wisedom in so doing is sufficient for us the second heaven and the new light in the redeemed soul is done by continuing acts of omnipotency the first heaven was sooner made shall it seem hard to us that our midnight and our full noon-day-light of grace are not existant in one instant together We are to wait on in patience and not to fret that we cannot at our first conversion pray out of us the indwelling body of sin and sigh out the weight and sin that doth so hardly beset us Heb. 12.1 God is wise who will have our day to break and dawn by degrees and our shadows to flee away and our Sun to arise to Noon-day-light through length of time if a creature yea the most excellent of created Angels should but sit at the helme of this great world to Rule Govern all things but for forty and eight hours the Sun should not rise in due time the wals and covering of the great building of the world should fall the Globe of the world and of the whole earth should reele to and fro and stagger like a drunken man all should go to confusion and so if we had a world of Grace of our own carving and had it in our wise choise to go from the first moment of our New-birth to heaven without sin we should lose our selves by the way and take on new debt that should require the new and fresh crucifying of the Lord of Glory we should be no better Tutors Governours and Lords to our selves then Adam and the Angels that fell The weight of a Saints Heaven and Hell upon his own clay-shoulders is a Heaven put to a great hazard or rather to a remedilesse losse I shall easily grant that its sure that my heaven be upon Christs shoulders 2. Grace worketh suitably to the nature of the Patients the Vessell would be prepared with the frequent sense of Grace before Christ powre in it the habite of Glory its fit we see and feel the shaping and sewing of every piece of the wedding garment and the framing moulding and fitting of the Crown of Glory for the head of the Citizen of Heaven yea the repeated sense and frequent experiences of Grace in the ups and downs in the way the falls and risings again of the Traveller the Revolutions and changes of the spirituall condition the new Moon the darkned Moon the full Moon in the spirits ebbing and flowing raiseth in the heart of Saints in their way to the Country a rank smell of that fairest Rose and Lillie of Sharon Jesus Christ the delight of men and Angels that as Travellers at night talk of their foul way and of the praises of their Guide and Battell being ended Souldiers number their wounds extoll the valour skill and courage of their Leader and Captain so the Glorified Souldiers may take loads of experiences of free-Grace to Heaven with them and there speak of their way and their country and of the praises of him who hath Redeemed them out of all Nations Tongues and Languages The half drowned man shaketh his head and dryeth his garments before the Sun in the Shoare with joy and comfort The impressions of the kisses of the face of him that sitteth on the Throne are the deeper that the frequent experiences of Grace have been many much dirty and dangerous way and the lively and hearty welcome of Glory suiteth well together 3. As there is much yea an exceeding weight of Glory in heaven so its convenient that the way to Heaven be strewed and covered with Roses of renewed acts of free-grace and Christs repeated expressions of new pardon one expression coming after another that since the Saints pray dayly forgive us our sins it is in the wisdom of God fitting that as Glory in heaven is one continued act of happinesse for all eternity so the Grace that maketh the old and sinfull man a new creature should be one continued act of Grace and as many streams and rivers are one water and one spring in the fountain and many lines one in the center and thousands of generations of men are but one man in the first father Adam so multiplied acts of Grace in the Saints from the first moment of their conversion to the period and first hour of their glorification are but one fountain Grace in God revealed in the Mediator Christ and there can be no reason why our first conversion should be free Grace and the perseverance of the Saints in Grace and all their steps in the way should not also
defile his precious sinlesse Royall and Princely blood by dipping in such a loathsome foul and deformed creature as a sinner is Rev. 1.5 Dogs eat the crums Here be degrees of persons and things in our Fathers house Children and dogs yet dogs which the Lord of the house owneth here is a high table and bread and a by-board or an after-table and crums for dogs here be persons of honour Kings sons cloathed in Scarlet and sitting with the King at dinner when his Spikenard sendeth forth a smell and here be some under the table at the feet of Christ waiting to receive the little drops of the great honey-comb of rich grace that falleth from him Follow Christ and grace shall fall from him his steps drop fatnesse especially in his Palace 1 Joh. 2.12.13.14 There be in our Lords house little children babes there be in it also experienced ancient Fathers for Grace hath gray haires for wisedom not for weaknesse there be strong men also Christ was once a little stone but he grew a great mountain that filled the whole earth yea and the heaven too Christ is a growing childe In Christs lower firmament there be stars of the first and second magnitude and in his house vessels of great and of small quantity cups and flagons Isa. 22.24 yet all are fastened upon the Golden-nail Jesus Christ. 2. All are in the way the plants all growing but one is a grain of mustard seed and a rose not broken out to the flower and another is a great tree its morning and but the glimmering of the rayes of the day-star in one and its high Sun perfect day near the noon-day with another Strong father Abraham mighty in believing was once a babe on the breasts that could neither creep nor stand nor walk The love of Christ in its first rise is a drop of dew that came out of the womb of the morning the mother in one night brought forth an hoste an innumerable millions of such babes and covered the face of the earth with them But this drop of dew groweth to a Sea that swelleth up above hell and the grave Cant. 8.6 7. It is more then all the floods and seas of the earth and floateth up to the Heaven of Heavens and up and in it must be upon Christ 1 Pet. 1.8 Ye see not Christ yet ye love him It overfloweth Christ and taketh him and ravisheth his heart It is a strong chain that bindeth Christ when the grave sin death devils could not bind him Can. 4.9 Act. 2.24 3. Christs way of administration is a growing way his Kingdom is not a standing nor a sitting nor a sleeping Kingdome But its walking and posting Thy Kingdome come An increasing Kingdom a growing peace Isa. 9.7 Of the increase of his Government and peace there shall be no end In regard of duration even in heaven there shall be a growing of his Kingdom There 's not yesterday and to morrow and the next year in heaven yet there 's a negative increase glory and peace shal ascend in continuance and never come to an height the Sun never decline the long day of Christs glory and peace shall never end Christ is saying even now Father I must have all my children up with me that where I am there they may be also And therefore the head draws up to him now a finger then a toe now an arm then a leg he hath been these sixteen hundred years since his Ascension drawing up by death whole Churches the Saints at Corinth at Româ— at Philippi The seven Candlesticks and the seven Stars of Asia are long ago up above Orion and the seven Stars and are now shining up before the Throne This consecrated Captain of our Salvation will not sleep till his Fathers house be filled till all the numerous ofspring and the Generations of the first born be up under on roof with their Father Heaven is a growing Family the Lord of the house hath been gathering his flocks into the fair fields of the Land of Praises ever since the first Abel died and all down along the believers were gathered to their Fathers 1. Vse is that we despise not the day of smal things Gods beginning of great works is smal What could be said of a poor womans throwing of a stool at the man who did first read the new Service Book in Edenburgh It was not looked at as any eminent passage of Divine Providence yet it grew till it came up to Armies of men the shaking of three Kingdomes the sound of the Trumpet the voice of the Alarm the lifting up of the Lords Standart destruction upon destruction garments rowled in blood and goeth on in strength that the vengeance of the Lord and the vengeance of his Temple may pursue the Land of Graven Images and awake the Kings of the Earth to rise in Battle against the great Whore Babylon that the Jews may return to their Messiah and Israel and Judah ask the way to Zioâ— with their faces thitherward weeping as they go that the Forces of the Gentiles and the Kingdoms of the world may become the Kingdoms of God and of his Son Jesus Christ. And this act of a despised woman was one of the first steps of Omnipotencie God then began to open the mouth of the Viall of his wrath to let out a little drop of vengeance upon the seat of the Beast and ever since the right arme of the Lord awaking hath been in action and in a growing Battle against all that Worshipped the Beast and received his mark on their right hand and their forehead and who knoweth but Christ is in an act of conquering to create a new thing on the earth and subdue the people to himself Omnipotencie can derive a Sea a world of noble and glorious works from as smal a Fountain as a straw a ram-horn yea Jaw-bone of a dead Asse God can put forth omnipotencie in all its flowers and golden branches of over-powering and incomparable excellencies upon meer Nothing the winde is an empty unsolid thing the Sea a fluid and soft and ebbing creature yet the wind is Gods chariot he rideth on it and the Sea his walk his paths are in the great waters 2. Vse A crum that falleth from Christs Table hath in it the nature of bread some weak ones complain O I have not the heart of God like David nor the strong faith of Abraham to offer my son to death for Christ nor the burning fire of the zeal of Moses to wish my name may be razed out of the Book of life that the Lord may be glorified nor the high esteem of Christ to judge all but losse dung for Jesus Christ as Paul did But what if Christ set the whole loafe before the children is it not well If thou lie but under Christs feet to have the crums of mercy that slippeth through the fingers of Christ The lowest room in heaven even behinde the door is heaven 1. There 's a
thou O Lord Arise cast us not off for ever Both the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gnurah and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hakitsa signifieth to awake out of sleep So prayer putteth God on noble acts of omnipotencie as to bow the Heavens and come down Isa. 64.1 To shake put on work all creatures in Heaven and Earth for the saving of one poor man Psal. 18. As when the sick childe cryeth for pain all the sons and servants yea the Father of the house and Mother are set on work and put to business for his health Hence when David prayed Psal 18. vers 6 7. The earth shook the foundations of the Hills were moved for the Lord was wrath smoak and fiery coales went out of his mouth he bowed the Heavens and came down he rode upon a Cherub and did flye upon the wings of the wind So it did put the LORD to divide the Red-Sea to break the Prison doors and Iron chaines to deliver Peter Paul and Silas 5. It acteth so upon God that it putteth the Crown upon Christs head and hightneth the footstool of his throne so much doth that Prayer Thy Kingdom come hold forth and that last prayer of the Church Rev. 22. which the Spirit the Bride uttereth Even so come Lord Jesus is a hastning of that glorious Mariage day when the Bride the Lambs wife shall be married on Jesus Christ a ripening of the glory of God of Christ the King and head Mystical of his body the Church The Glory of infinite Justice and saving Grace in the Redemption of men is like a fair Rose but inclosed within its green leaves in this life But when Christ shall appear this Rose shall be opened and cast out in bredth its fair and beautifull leaves to be seen and smelled openly by men and Angels In very deed this prayer Even so come Lord Jesus is summons for the last Judgment for the full manifestation of the highest glory of Christ in the finall consummate illustration of Free-grace and mercy in the compleat Redemption of all the Prisoners of hope onely for the Declaration of the supream Judges Glory who shall then do execution on Satan his Angels Antichrist and all slaves of hell so that though prayer made not the world yet it may unmake it and set up a new Heaven and a new earth 6. Prayer is a binding of God that he cannot depart and layeth chains on his hands and buildeth a wall or an hedge of thornes in his way that he cannot destroy his people Isa. 64.7 And there is none that calleth upon thy Name and stirreth up himself to take hold of thee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There is none to lay hands on thee Ezec. 22.30 And I sought for a man amongst them that should make up the hedge and stand in the gap or in the rupture made by war before me for the Land that I should not destroy it but I found none If a Moses or a Samuel should intercede by prayer that the Lord would spare the Land his prayer should be an hedge or a wall to stand in the way of Justice to hinder the Lord to destroy his people 7. Prayer is a Heavenly violence to God expressed in divers powerfull expressions as 1. Isa. 62.6 7. The faithfull watchmen pray and cry to God so hard that they give the Lord no rest no silence while he establish Jerusalem 2. Praying is a sort of striving with the Lord Rom. 15.30 I beseech you strive with me in prayers to God for me 3. Jacob by prayer wrestled with the Lord and the Lord as if he had been straightned saith Gen. 32. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Send me away dismisse me And Jacob said I will not dismisse thee till thou blesse me Which is well expounded by Hosea chap. 12.4 Jacob had a Princely power over the Angel and prevailed he wept and made supplication to him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Is a Prince or as many render it Rectus fuit cum Deo or Directus fuit vel prosperum successum habuit Which may note either a Princedome in prayer over God which is the true reason of the name Israel or as others think he stood right up and his prayer did not bow nor was broken when a Temptation lay on him as heavy as a Milstone even when the Lord said he would depart from him yet he prevailed under that weight So Exod. 32.10 When Moses was praying for the people The Lord said to Moses Let me alone that I may destroy them The Chalde translate it Leave off thy prayer before me All which tendeth to this That Prayer is a Prince and a mighty wrestling prevailing King that hath strong bones and strong armes to be victorious with God We know the Parable of the Widow Luke 18. Who by importunity obtained of the unjust Judge that he should avenge her of her Adversary The scope of which Parable is that prayers without fainting putteth such a labour and a trouble upon God that he must hear and answer the desires of his Children So doth the Lord resemble himself to a master of a Family gone to bed with his Children who yet being wearied by the knocking of his Neighbour cannot choose but rise in the night and lend him bread to strangers come to his house 8. Some also say that prayer commandeth God as Isa. 45.11 Ask me of things to come concerning my sons and concerning the work of my hand command ye me which place though it may well bear another interpretation yet is this not beside the scope of the Text for sure it is that God hath laid a sort of Law on himself in regard of his binding promise to hear the Prayers of his children And that he cometh down from the Throne of his Soveraignty to submit himself to his own promise of hearing Prayers Psal. 34.15 Psal. 65.2 Psal. 145.18.19 Mat. 7.7.8 Joh. 14.13.14 Vse 1. If Prayer prevail over God and Christ even to the overcoming of the Devil then much more will a praying people prevail over Hell and Malignants it were wisdom then for Malignants to yeeld and strike Sail to these who can by Prayer set Omnipotencie on work and ingage the strength of Israel against them Amalek had omnipotency against them and a harder party then spears and bowes and Armed men in that praying Moses was against them The third Psalm was a strong peece against Absalom and Ahitophel and all that conspired against David Christs Prayers for the perfecting of his own Body and gathering in his first-born include i◠them a Curse upon all those that hinder the gathering in of his flock Wo to the enemies then against whom our Intercessor prayeth curses The Prayers of Christ against his enemies shall blast them and their Counsels and all their War undertakings Vse 2. Some are discouraged they can neither fight for Christ nor do any thing to promote this Cause as wanting strength of body and means
to the sails in that flux of the souls way toward God But Faith moderateth and lesseneth all these in relation to the creature so the Faith which hath its direct aspect toward eternity and looketh on the shortnesse of sliding away time and the transâ—ent wheeling away oâ— the poor figure of this world 1 Cor. 7. v. 29.31 turneth all these acts into but half a face on thâ— creature and into leasurely and leaden motions or to half non-acts as if made up of heavenlâ— contradictions v. 29 30 31. Having wives having no wives Weeping no weeping Rejoicing no rejoicing Buying no possessing Vsing the world not using the world When the Saints throng through the presse and croud of the creatures for the world is a bushie and rank wood thorns take hold of their garments and retard them in their way Faith looseth their garments riddeth them of such thornie friends as are too kind to them in their journy who diggeth for Iron and Tin in the earth with mattocks of Gold What wise man would make a Web of cloth of gold a net to catch fish Expences should over-grow gains There 's much of the mettall of heaven in the soul Faith would forbid us to wear out the threds of this immortall spirit such as are love joy fear sorrow upon peeces of corruptible clay Alas is it Faiths light that setteth men a work to make the soul a golden-needle and the precious powers and affections thereof threds of silver to sow together peeces of sackcloth and old rotten rags What better I pray you is the finest of the web in the whole systeme of creation Certainly the heavens must be a thred of better wool then the clay-clay-earth yet if you should break your immortal spirit and bend all the acts to the highest extent of your affections to conquer thousands of Acres of ground in the Heavens and intitle your soul to that inheritance as to your onely patrimonie without Christ Faiths day-light should discover to you that this finest part of that web of Creation with which you desire to cloth your precious soul is but base wool and rotten thred and though beautifull and well dyed to the eye yet Psal. 102.26 The heavens even all of them shall wax old like a garment And the wisdome of Faith knoweth a shop where there 's a more excellent suit of clothes for the soul 2 Cor. 5.1 2. And a more precious peece of the Heaven to dwell in even a House which is from Heaven with which you shall bee clothed When life shall eat up death and mortality 2. The creatures are below the affections of the believer and his affections conquer them as having the vantage of the mount above all the creatures So Paul maketh an elegant contrariety Phil. 3.19 20. Between those whose heart senses minde findeth neither smell taste nor wisedome but in earthly things for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to minde things of the earth importeth all these and those who by Faith look to Heaven and dwell there And the temporaries heart is below the world and the creatures are up in the mount above him So Mat. 13. v. 7.22 The thorns or cares of riches have the fore-start of the earth and sap above Faith or the good seed For the seed was cast in the earth when the thorns had been there before and had the vantage of the season and the soil both The first love is often strongest The Martyrs Heb. 11.35 had poor and weak thoughts of this life and would not accept and welcome life and deliverance from death but had strong acts of Faith and love toward a better resurrection It s a souls strong Faith that bringeth him to nil admirari and to wonder at nothing Never to love much nor fear much nor sorrow much nor joy much nor weep much nor laugh much nor hope much nor dispaire much when the creature is the object of all these acts there is nothing great not the worlds All things or their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to him who is possessed with that Righteousnes which is of God by Faith Phil. 3.8 9. Men that talketh with good will and all their heart of their learning books of their own Acts good Works Wisdom Court Honour valour in War Flocks Lands Gold Moneys Children Friends Travels are to Examine If Faith be not a chaste thing and that acts of whoredome with the creature and of believing in Christ are scarce consistent Let your affections move toward the creature without sound of feet 3. There must be self-forsaking in believing 1. An affirming and an ay to grace is a negation and deniall to it self 1 Cor. 15.10 I laboured more abundantly then they all Yet not I but the grace of God which was with me To deny that you are Christs or that you have any grace if Christ have any thing of his in you is not self-deniall but grace deniall and God-deniall deny the work of the spirit and deny himself It s a saying of humility Cant. 1.5 I am black and of Faith but comely as the tents of Kedar as the curtains of Solomon And Cant. 5.1 I slept but my heart waked It s Faith to hold fast your state of adoption Lord I am thine 2. When our self maketh a suit to self and putteth in a bill to the flesh O pitie thy self Rejoice O young man in thy youth It s self-renouncing to deny this request to the flesh And Faith only can give an answer to self-declining the crosse He that denieth me before men him will I deny before my Father and his holy Angels saith Christ. And another answer Faith giveth Rom. 8.12 I am not debtor to thee O flesh I owe thee nothing And its Faiths word of answer Eccles. 11.9 But know thou that for all these things God will bring thee unto judgement 3. Faith putteth the soul in that condition that self may be plucked from self without great violence as an apple full of the tree and of harvest-sap is with a small motion pluckt off the stalk Act. 21.13 I am ready 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I have my self in readinesse not only to be bound but also to dye at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus Certainly Faith saw here more in Jesus of excellency and sweetnesse then there could be of bitternes in bonds and death to self 4. There 's a deniall of the creature and a bill of defiance sent to all the lovers of the world when Ephraim is brought to this act of believing Hos. 14.3 For in thee the Fatherlesse findeth mercy Then it s said Ashur shall not save us We will not ride upon horses That creature that we trust on we ride upon it as Israel did upon the horses of Assyria and Aegypt But in this regard Faith dismounteth the believer and abaseth him to walk on foot All the creatures are ships to the believer without a bottome They are empty and weak David forbiddeth us to ride on a Prince
you the hope of glory Nor are the faculties of the soul and the workings thereof in our conversion destroyed as some say as if the Holy Ghost should come in stead of these for Christ taketh down old work and maketh a new building for himself but the stones are ours the soul remaining in its powers and operations the understanding and will remain but opened Luke 24.45 Joh. 21.18 Eph. 1.17.18 Eph. 4.23.24 Christ removeth the rubbish and the frowardnesse and over-goldeth our stones it s our matter and his workmanship Hence we are agents Grace teacheth no man to be lazie for because all the morall actions of the renewed are commanded of God if we by Grace were no agents in these but meer Patients and Christ and the Holy Ghost the only immediate agents in the omitting of beleeving praying praising hearing in not doing all our naturall and civill actions for God and in a spirituall way yea and in our forbearing to murther whore blaspheme c. for by the Grace of Christ the Saints abstain from sin we should not sin all these wicked acts were to be imputed to the Grace of Christ and the Holy Ghost which is blasphemy and a flat turning of the Grace of God into wantonnesse Now we are by Grace to be agents to purge our selves 1 Joh. 3.3 to run with inlarged hearts in Gods way Psal. 119.32 to stir up and blow upon Grace under ashes 2 Tim. 1.6 To walk in Christ as we have received him Col. 2.6 To keep our selves in the love of God Jud. 21. Vse We are to be carefull of the stock not to hurt or wast the stock of Grace he who is spending on his stock ere it be long shall have nothing cast not water upon your own coal to quench the spirit or to grieve it See what grows out of your stock What income and crop of the fruits of the spirit shall return to Christ The Lord demandeth of every child of God what and where is the stock and where is the rent of Heaven It is the vertue of the Merchant to increase the stock and in all losses to strive to keep it whole There is a wasting of the habit of Grace which is a dangerous thing Eph. 4.30 There is a â—adding of the spirit and a rubbing off of some letters or Characters of the broad Seal of the spirit which is forbidden even as break some spaikes or Ax-tree of the wheels of a great work and the mill or the horologue is at stand and can work nothing beware that no wards of the Conscience be broken for fear that the key of David that openeth the heart fit them not or suit not with the lock David brake a ward and a sprint of the new heart by his Adultery and bloodshed and therefore no Artificer but one only in Heaven could put the lock in frame again Psa. 51.10 The new creation is like a curious horologe made of Christall glasse it must be warily and tenderly handled the frame of the workmanship of the holy Ghost dwelling in us 2 Tim. 1.14 must be kept from the least craze or throw in all the wheels and turnings thereof yea the least mote must not rest on it Quest. What must be done to keep in good temper the new Creation Ans. 1. Beware to go to bed and sleep with a bone broken or disjointed in the inner man It s good to be disquieted in spirit as if there were an aking in the bones after some gâ—â—at sin not repented nor bewailed when Peter by denying his Lord had rotted a bone or a joint of the new man in himself he rested not well that night he went out and wept bitterly Mat. 26.57 Jeremiah made a rash and passionate vow to speak no more in the name of the Lord but he could not sleep with that coal of fire in his bones Jer. 20.9 2. Put the keeping of the new Creature off your hand make it a pawn committed to Christs keeping 2 Tim. 1.12 let him answer for it be not you under the burden of it your self The habit of Grace and the man put under lock and key to Christ is in sure keeping consider what cometh of him Jude ver 24. This is a broken world there be many loose-handed devils going abroad through the earth there be robbers lying await in the way to heaven to take the crown from us Rev. 3.11 The believer who hath a stock of Grace must be at holding and drawing with men and devils Commit the keeping of your souls to the faithfull Creator but be not you idle do it in well-doing 1 Pet. 4.19 3. Deal kindely with Christ when you have him break not with Christ if you would keep the habit of Grace safe do nothing against your state grieving of the Holy Ghost is unworthy of the condition of a redeemed one your place cannot consist with walking after the flesh The Campe you are in cannot well bear compliance with the flesh You have put on the Lord Iesus Ro. 13. v. 14. You cannot lay in for or victuall such a Castle as the flesh for some exercise a providence and lay in provision for the flesh 4. To be doing good keepeth the habit of Grace in exercise and in life also for Grace is of the nature of life and life is preserved by motion and the frequent operations of life yea with this difference the naturall life may be worn out and consumed away with too frequent and violent labour and toil This life is increased by assiduous walking with God for Ioh. 15.2 Every branch that beareth fruit in Christ My Father saith he purgeth it that it may bring forth more fruit Be it unto thee as thou wilt Christ cannot long dissemble to speak so and keep up his love he tryed this woman hardly now he praiseth her in her face Great is thy faith and granteth her desire to the full if there was such a brotherly and naturall compassion in Ioseph Gen. 43.30 Iosephs bowels yerned they were hot and Gen. 45.1 Joseph could not refrain himself Vatablus noteth that the Hebrew word is He could not do violence to himself His love was like a hot Furnace and it was like to make a captive of him and to overcome him now the man Christ hath the same heart and bowels of a man and I conceive as Christ was a man void of sin so the acts of naturall vertues as to pitty the afflicted were stronger in him then in us sin blunteth naturall faculties especially such as inclineth to acts laudable and good such as are love compassion to the miserable and sin boweth or rather breaketh naturall acts that are indifferent in their nature and farther removed from mortality and maketh them intense above nature sin being a violent thing so in natural men there is little power in carnal reason over acts of generation hunger thirst sleep and such as have their rise from the sensitive soul Christ having strength of
forgivenesse it were not folly to a condemned person having receied a pardon and being assured of it to fall down and say Pardon me my Lord the King Ans. What Protestant Divines say in this we acknowledge but if we seek only a fuller certainty of forgivenesse in this Petition and not also the application of the generall pardon as appropriated to the sins we daily fall in I see no other thing we seek but a greater measure of faith to lay hold on remission I should ask a warrant of Scripture to prove that forgiveness of sin signifieth assurance of the pardon of sin 2. That to seek forgivenes daily is to glorifie and magnifie him from whom we once received forgivenesse is not to purpose for that is a generall in all Petitions that we put up to God no lesse then in this 3. If a pardoned malefactor having assurance he were pardoned should fall down and begge pardon of the King and not rather tender him thanks and blessings for a received pardon I should believe he called in question the Kings favour but should he every day when he eateth bread beg pardon from the King as we beg daily forgivenesse he might be charged with more then ordinary folly M. Denne God loves us in blood saith he and pollution as well before conversion as after conversion and though faith procure not Gods love and favour yet it serveth us for other uses that we may be sealed by believing Eph. 1.13 and may thereby know the love of God It is said he that believeth not is damned not because his believing doth alter or change his estate before God but because God hath promised that he will not only give us remission but also faith for our consolation and so faith becometh a note and a mark of life everlasting as finall infidelity is of eternall condemnation Ans. 1. It is true God loveth the elect before conversion equally as after conversion in regard of that free love of election that moved him to give his Son to death for them Joh. 3.16 and to call them effectually 2 Tim. 1.9 Eph. 2.1 2 3 4. Tit. 3.3 4. 4. Propos. It is a palpable untruth that the elect by believing in Christ and being translated from death to life in their conversion to God are equally loved of God before conversion as after conversion if we speak of Gods love of complacency for though the inward affection and love of God as it is an immanent and indwelling act in God be eternall and have not its rise in time and be not like the love of man to man which is like the Sea ebbing and flowing or the Moon which admitteth of a cloudy and dark visage and of an enlighted and full condition yet as the same love of God is terminated upon sinfull men or rather that which is called the love of complacency which is indeed the effect of Gods love it is not every way one and the same after conversion and before as it is the same fountain and spring that runneth in its streams toward the South which by Art and industry of men may be made to run toward the North the change is in the streams not in the fountain yet we say the fountain now runneth not Southward as it did afore but Northward also give me leave to doubt if these same very visible Sun beams that did fall upon Adam and Eve doth this Summer fall upon us yet I doubt not but the same Sun that did shine the first six hours of the Creation on the Garden of Paradice shineth upon all our gardens and orchards that now are So Gods love is one the same toward the elect before time and while they are wallowing in the state of sinfull and depraved nature and now when they are changed in the spirits of their mind But it may well be said that God loveth his Church as washed as fair and spotlesse Cant. 4.7 and that he doth now say of her Cant. 4.10 How fair is thy love my sister my Spouse how much better is thy love then wine and the smell of thine ointments then all spices whereas the Lord said before of her Eze. 16.3 Thy birth and thy nativity is of the Land of Canaan thy father was an Amorite thy mother an Hittite 4. As for thy nativity in the day that thou wast born thy Naevell was not cut neither wast thou washed in water to supple thee thou wast not salted at all nor swadled at all 6. And when I possed by thee and saw thee polluted in thy blood I said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood live and all this the Lord might speak to the same Church yet unconverted and at that time the Lord could not utter that expression of love to say to a bloudy and polluted Church as he doth Can. 4.7 Thou art all fair my love there is not a spot in thee now could it be said that the Father and the son loveth such a Church as such as loveth the Father and keepeth the words of the Son as it is Ioh. 14.21.23 what the Church was not fair not spotlesse but filthy polluted not washed not justified as yet and though it be true that faith procure not Gods love and favour it is a calumnie that ever Protestant Divine taught any such thing for the work of Gods eternall love in election to Glory or his hatred in reprobation is not the yesterday or the daies-birth of our faith or our unbelief yet that believing or our effectual conversion maketh no alteration or change in our state before God is a grosse untruth Faith and conversion maketh indeed No change of any state in the ancient of days in the strength of Israel who cannot lie or repent and putteth not God from the State of a Reprobating or hating or a not loving and choosing God whereas before he was such who did love and chuse us to salvation the Lord is our witnesse we asserted the contrary doctrine of Free-grace against Arminians and Papists 5. Prop. Our believing and conversion to God doth alter and change our state before God 1. Because God esteemed an unbeliever that which he was even an unbeliever a child of wrath one that is disobedient serving divers lusts a soul unwashed polluted in his blood before his conversion to God but being once converted and graced to believe his state before God is altered and changed even in the Court of Heaven in the Lords Books he is another man he goeth now for a fair and undefiled soul the Church that was in a polluted filthy and miserable condition Ezek. 16.3 4 5 6 7 8. Is now in Christs heart as a seal Cant. 8.6 so fair as her beauty ravisheth the heart of Christ now Christ nameth things according to their nature 2. The condition is so changed before God that Hos. 1.10 It cometh to passe That in the place where it was said to them ye are not my people there it
THE TRYAL TRIUMPH OF FAITH OR An Exposition of the History of CHRISTS dispossessing of the daughter of the woman of Canaan Delivered in SERMONS In which are opened The Victory of Faith The condition of those that are tempted The excellency of Jesus Christ and Free-Grace AND Some speciall Grounds and Principles of Libertinisme and Antinomian Errors discovered BY SAMUEL RUTHERFURD Professor of Divinity in the University of St. Andrews REVEL 21 28. And I will give to him that overcometh the morning star Published by Authority London Printed by John Field and are to be sold by Ralph Smith at the Sign of the Bible in Cornhill neer the ROYALL EXCHANGE TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE THE LADY JANE CAMBEL Vicountesse of Kenmure Sister to the Right Noble and Potent The Marques of ARGILE Grace and Peace MADAM I Should complaine of these much disputing and over-writing times if I were not thought to be as deep in the fault as those whom I accuse but the truth is while we endeavour to gain a grain-weight of Truth it is much if we lose not a Talent weight of goodnesse and Christian love But I am sure though so much knowledge and light as may conduce for our safe walking in discerning the certain borders of divine truths from every false way suppose that searching into questions of the time were a usefull and necessary evil only yet the declining temper of the worlds worst time the old Age of time Eternity now so near approaching calleth for more necessary good things at our hands it is unhappy if in the nick of the first breaking of the morning skie the night-watch fall fast asleep when he hath watched all the night It s now near the morning-dawning of the Resurrection O how blessed are we if we shall care for our one necessary thing It is worthy our thoughts that an Angel never created as I conceive standing in his own land His right foot upon the Sea and his left foot on the earth hath determined by oath a Controversie moved by scoffers 2 Pet. 3.3 Yea and with his hand lifted up to Heaven sware by him that liveth for ever and ever who created heaven and the things that are therein and the earth and things that therein are and the sea and things that are therein that there should be time no longer Rev. 10.5 6. If Eternity be concluded judicially by the Oath of God as a thing near to us at the door now about sixteen hundred years ago it is high time to think of it What we shall do when the Clay-house of this Tabernacle which is but our summer-house that can have us but the fourth part of a year shall be dissolved Time is but a short Trance we are carried quickly through it our Rose withereth ere it come to its vigour Our piece of this short-breathing shadow the inch the half-cubite the poor span length of time fleeth away as swiftly as a Weavers-Shuttle which leapeth over a thousand threads in a moment How many hundred houres in one Summer doth our breathing clay-Post skip over passing away as the Ships of desire and as the Eagle that hasteth to the prey If death were as far from our knowledge as Graves and Coffins which to our eyes preach death are near to our senses even casting the smel of death upon our breath so as we cannot but rub skins with corruption We should not believe either Prophets or Apostles when they say All flesh is grasse and It is appointed for all to die Eternity is a great word but the thing it self is greater death the point of our short line teacheth us what we are and what we shall be Should Christ the condition of affairs we are now in the excellency of Free-grace be seen all in their own lustre and dye we should learn much wisdom from these three Christ speedeth little in conquering of lovers because we have not seen his shape at any time we look not upon Christ but upon the accidents that are beside Christ and therefore few esteeme Christ a rich penny-worth But there is not a Rose out of heaven but there is a blot and thorn growing out of it except that one only rose of Sharon which blossometh out glory every leaf of the Rose is a heaven and serveth for the healing of the Nations every white and red in it is uncomparable glory every act of breathing out its smell from everlasting to everlasting is spotlesse and unmixed happinesse Christ is the out-set the master flower the uncreated Garland of Heaven the Love and Joy of men and Angels but the fountain-love the fountain-delight the fountain-joy of men and Angels is more for out of it floweth all the Seas Springs Rivers and floods of love delight and joy imagine all the rain and dew Seas Fountains and floods since the Creation were in one cloud and these multiplied in measures for number to many millions of millions and then divided in drops of showers to an answerable number of men and Angels this should be a created shower and end in a certain period of time and this huge cloud of so many Rivers and drops should drie up and rain no more but we cannot conceive so of Christ for if we should imagine millions of men and Angels to have a co-Eternall dependent existence with Christ and they eternally in the Act of receiving grace for grace out of his fulnesse the flux and issue of grace should be eternall as Christ is for Christ cannot tire or weary from eternity to be Christ and so he must not he cannot but be an infinite and eternall flowing sea to diffuse and let out streames and floods of boundlesse grace say that the Rose were eternall the sweet smell the lovelinesse of greennesse and colour must be eternal O what a happinesse for a soul to lose its excellency in his transcendent glory What a blessednesse for the creature to cast in his little all in Christ his matchlesse Al-sufficiency Could all the streams retire into the fountain and first Spring they should be kept in a more sweet and firme possession of their being in the bosom of their first cause then in their borrowed channels that they now move in Our neighbourhood and retiring in to dwell for ever and ever in the Fountain-blessednesse Jesus Christ with our borrowed goodness is the firme and solid fruition of our eternall happy being Christ is the spheare the connaturall first Spring and element of borrowed drops and small pieces of created Grace the Rose is surest in being in beauty on its own stalk and root let life and sap be eternally in the stalk and root and the Rose keep its first union with the root and it shall never wither never cast its blossome nor greennesse of beauty its violence for a gracious spirit to be out of his stalk and root union here is life and happinesse therefore the Churches last prayer in Canonick Scripture is for union Revel 22.20
grace I shall strive and study the revenge only of love and compassion to their souls If some of these Sermons came once to your Honors ears and now to your eyes it may be with more English Language I having stayed possibly till the last grapes were some riper I hope it shall be pardoned that I am bold to borrow your Name which truly I should not have done if I had not known of your practicall knowledge of this noble and Excellent Theame the Free-grace of God I could adde more of this but I had rather commend Grace then gracious persons I know that Jesus Christ who perfumeth and flowreth Heaven with his Royall presence and streweth the Heaven of Heavens to its utmost borders with glory is commended that hee was full of grace a vessell filled to the lip Ps. 45.2 Ioh. 1.16 Yea Grace hath bought both our person and our service 1 Pet. 2.24.25 Even as he that buyeth a captive gives money not only for his person but for all the motion toile and labour of his body legs and arms and Redeeming Grace is so perfect that Satan hath power possibly to bid but not to buy any of the Redeemed no more then a merchant can buy another mans bought goods without his consent All our happinesse that groweth here on the banks of time is but thin sowen as very Straw-berries on the Sea-sands what good parts of nature we have without Grace are like a fair Lilly but there is a worm at the root of it it withereth from the Root to the Top Gifts wither apace without grace Gifts neither break nor humble Grace can do both Grace is so much the more pretious and sweet that though it be the result of sin in the Act of pardoning and curing sinfull Lamenesse yet it hath no spring but the bowels of God stirred and rowled within him by onely spotlesse and holy goodnesse Grace is of the Kings house from Heaven only the matter subject or person it dwelleth in contributed nothing for the creation of so noble a branch Christ for this cause especially left the bosome of GOD and was clothed with flesh and our nature that he might be a Masse a Sea and boundlesse River of visible living and breathing Grace swelling up to the highest banks of not only the habitable world but the sides also of the Heaven of Heavens to over-water Men and Angels So as Christ was as it were Grace speaking Psal. 45.2 Luk. 4.22 Grace sighing weeping crying out of horrour dying withering for sinners living again Heb. 2.9 Joh. 3.16 Rom. 8.32 33. And is now glorified Grace dropping downe raining downe floods of Grace on his members Eph. 4.11 12 13 14 15 16. Joh. 14.16 17. Joh. 16.7.13 Christ now interceding for us at the right hand of God Is these sixteen hundreth years the great Apple Tree dropping down Apples of Life for there hath been Harvest ever since Christs Ascension to Heaven and the grapes of Heaven are ripe all that falleth from the Tree Leaves apples shadows smell blossomes are but pieces of Grace fallen down from him who is the fulnesse of all and hath filled all things We shall never be blessed perfectly till we all sit in an immediate Union under the Apple Tree This is a rare piece by way of participation of the Divine nature Christ passed an incomparable act of rich Grace on the Crosse and doth now Act and Advocate for Grace and the applying of the Grace of Propitiation in Heaven 1 Joh. 2.1.2 And by an Act of Grace hath all the Elect and Ransomed ones ingraven as a seal on his heart and Christ being the fellow of God the man that standeth straight opposite to his eye the first opening of the eye-lids of GOD is terminated upon the breast of Christ and on the ingravening of Free-grace All the glory of the glorified is that they are both in the lower and higher house even when they are the States and Peers of Heaven the everlasting Tenants and Free-holders of Grace so as a soul can desire no fairer Inheritance then the Patrimony Lot and Heritage of Free-grace Now to this Grace commending Your Spirit as an Heir of Grace I rest Your Honours at all Obliged Respectivenesse in the GOD of Grace S. R. The Table of the Contents of the BOOK SERM. I. THe Scope Order and Contents of the Text Pag. 1 2. Matthew and Mark reconciled p. 3. Properties of Christs love ibid. What woman this was p. 4. The Art of the wise contexture of divine Providence in black and white fair and foul mixed in one for beauties sake p. 5. Two sides of Providence ibid. We erre in looking on Gods wayes by halfs especially on the black and sad side only p. 7. SERM. II. Christ took an humane will that he might stoop to God in all things p. 8. The strength of corrupt will p. 9. Two things in the will 1. The frame of it 2. The quality and goodnesse of it p. 10 There 's a necessity of renewing the will ibid. The Dispensation of God not Scripture nor a rule of faith p. 12. We trust possession of Christ by Faith more then we do right and Law through Faith p. 13. SERM. III. How Christ and his Grace cannot be hid in six particulars p. 14. 1. In his cause p. 15. 2· In the good and evil condition spiritual of the soul ibid. 3. In the joy of Christs presence p 16. 4. In a sincere profession ibid. 5. In the bearing down the stirrings of a renewed conscience p. 17. 6. In Desertions p. 18. We are to be obsequious and yeelding to the breathings of the Spirit p. 19. Our hearts are to be variously sutable to the various operations of the spirit from four reasons ibid. Grace falleth on few p. 21. Grace how rare choice a peece in four particulars p. 22. Grace not universall and common to all ibid. Nine Objections of the Arminian and naturall man Answered p. 22 23 24 25. SERM. IV. Grace falleth often on the most gracelesse p. 26. Grace maketh a great change three reasons thereof ibid. There 's a like reason for Grace on our Lords part to the vilest of men as to Moses Daniel Paul p. 28 The same Free-grace that we have here we have it in Heaven in the state of glory ibid. In Heaven we raign by Grace as by the same we War here p. 29. The justified in Christ are corrected for sin p. 30 The Furnace of affliction the work-house of the Grace of Christ four grounds thereof ibid. Mr. Townes assertion of Grace p. 32. How Antinomians judge sinnes to be corrected in the justified ibid. How Papists judge sins to be punished in the justified ibid. That God punisheth pardoned sins proved by seven Arguments p. 33. Rules to be observed in affliction p. 40. A Land or a Nation must be longer in the fire then one particular person p. 42. SERM. V. Satan worketh as a naturall Agent without moderation p. 43. Spirituall evils
Gods not loving of men to Gods disposition heart will and pleasure and not to our defects is blasphemy Ans. The Lord ascribeth his having mercy and his hardning to his own Free-will Rom. 9.17 Exod. 33.19 and his love is as free as his mercy and by this means Gods first love to us should arise from our love preventing his contrary to his own word Deut. 7.7 Eph. 2.3 4. Tit. 3.3 2 Tim. 1.9 and man should be the first lover of the two the creature then putteth the Lord in his debt and giveth first to God and God cannot but recompence Esa. 40.13 14. Rom. 11.34 35. now it s no shame for us to live and dye in the debt of Christ The Heaven of Angels and men is an house of the debtors of Christ Eternally engaged to him and shall stand in his Debt-book ages without end Obj. 3. Infinite goodnesse may as soon cease to be as not be good to all or withhold mercy from any Ans. Every being of Reprobate Men and Devils is a fruit of Gods goodness but of Free-goodnesse else God should cease to be if he should turn his Creatures to nothing for he should cease to be good to things without himself if these were all turned to their poor mother-Nothing 2. Mercy floweth not from God essentially especially the mercy of Conversion Remission of sins Eternall life but of mer Gracc for then God could not be God and deny these favours to Reprobats Freedome of mercy and salvation is as infinitely sweet and admirable in God as mercy and salvation it self Obj. 4. But God is so essentially good to all as he must communicate his goodnesse by way of Justice in order to free obedience and that is life Eternal to those who freely beleeve and obey Ans. But the great Enemy of Grace Ja. Arminius teacheth us that all the freedom of Grace Rom. 9. is resolved in the free pleasure of God in which he freely and without hire purposed to reward Faith not the works of the Law with life Eternall whereas it was free to him to keep another order if so it shuld seem good to him and by this means God is yet freely and by an act of pure grace not essentially good to all even in communicating his goodnesse by way of Justice For what God doth by necessity of his nature and essence that he canot but do but sure it is by no necessity of nature doth the Lord reward works faith or any obedience in us with the Crown of life Eternal He may give heaven freely without our Obedience at all as he giveth the first Grace freely Eze. 16.6 7 8. Rom. 5.10 Ephes. 2.3 4 But this is surer the fewer have Grace Grace is the more Grace and the more like it selfe and free Obj. 5. But I have a good heart to GOD. Ans. A quiet heart sleeping in a false peace is a bad heart most of sinners give their souls to the Devil by theft they think they are sailing to heaven and know nothing till they shoare sleeping in the land of Death Matth. 7.21 22 23. Luk. 16.27 28. Obj. 6. Why But God hath bestowed on me many favours and riches in this world Ans. Gods Grace is not graven on gold it should be but the Logick of a beast if the slaughter Oxe should say The Master favoureth me more then any Oxe in the stall I am free of the yoak which is upon the neck of others and my pasture is fatter then theirs Obj. 7. The Saints love me Ans. The Saints can mis-father their love and love where God loveth not Obj. 8. All the world loveth me Ans. You are the liker to be a step-childe of Jerusalem and of Heaven for The world loveth its own Ioh. 15.19 better it were to have the world a step-Mother then to be no other but to lye in such a womb and suck such breasts Obj. 9. I believe life Eternall Ans. That Faith is with childe of Heaven but see it be not a false Birth few or none come to age and none clothed in white and Crowned but they were jealous of their Faith and feared their own wayes Naturall men stand aloof from Hell and Wrath. SERMON IV. The Woman was a Greek a Syrophenician by Nation MUch woe is denounced by the Prophets against Tyrus and Sidon yet sweet Jesus draweth by the curtain and openeth a window of the partition and saveth this Woman Loe here Christ planting in the wildernesse the Cedar the Shittah tree the Mirttle the Oyle tree Esa. 41.19 and here Esa. 55.13 is fulfilled And in stead of the thorn what better are Sidonians then thornes shall come up the Firre tree and in stead of the Bryar shall come up the Mirtle tree and no praise to the ground but to the good husband-man And it shall be to the Lord for a name for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off Christ then can make frame a fair Heaven out of an ugly Hell and out of the knottiest timber he can make vessels of mercy for service in the high Pallace of glory 1. What are they all who are now glorified The fairest face that standeth before the throne of Redeemed ones was once inked and blacked with sin you should not know Paul now with a Crown of a King on his head he looketh not now like a Blasphemer a Persecuter an injurious person The woman that had once seven Devils in her is a Marie Magdalen far changed and Grace made the change 2. Grace is a new world Heb. 2.5 The Land of Grace hath two Summers in one year Esa. 33.24 The inhabitant shall not say I am sick the people that dwell therein shall be forgiven their iniquity Ioh. 11.26 Whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never dye They are not mortall men that are in Grace there 's neither sicknesse nor death in that Land 3. We say of such a Physician he hath cured diseases that never man could hee cured stark death then you may commit your body to him he is a tryed Physician 1 Tim. 1.16 Christ hath made a rare copy a curious samplar of mercy of the Apostle Paul For in him he hath shewn all long-suffering for a pattern to them that should hereafter believe in him to life Eternall Heaven is a house full of miracles yea of spectacles and Images of Free-Grace you may intrust your soul with all its diseases to Christ he hath given many rare proofs of his tried art of Grace he hath made many black limbs of Hell fair Saints in Heaven such a man such an Artificier threw down an old dungeon of clay and made it up a fair Palace of Gold Obj. But what am I a lump of unrepenting guiltinesse and sin to such a vessel of mercy as holy Paul and repenting Mary Magdalen Ans. Grace as its in God and fitnesse to receive Grace in us is just alike to all There was no more
has heard the voice of my weeping Tears have a tongue and Grammar and language that our Father knoweth Babes have no prayers for the breast but weeping the mother can read hunger on weeping Object 3. But I am often so as I cannot weep weeping is peculiar to a man as laughing is and spirituall weeping is peculiar to the renewed man Ans. Vehemencie of affection doth often move weeping so as it is but spilt weeping that we can attain hence Ezechiah can but chatter as a crane and a swallow and moan as a dove Is. 38.14 Sorrow keepeth not alway the Road-way weeping is but the scabberd of sorrow and there 's often more sorrow where there is little or no weeping there 's most of fire where there is least smoak Object 4. But I have neither weeping one way or other ordinary nor marred Ans. Looking up to heaven lifting up of the eyes goeth for Prayer also in Gods Books Psal. 5.3 My Prayer will I direct to thee and I will look up Isa. 48.14 Mine eyes fail with looking upward Psal. 69.3 Because 1. Prayer is a pouring out of the soul to God and Faith will come out at the eye in lieu of another door often affections break out at the window when the door is closed as smoak venteth at the window when the Chimney refuseth passage Steven lookt up to Heaven Act. 7.55 He sent a Post a greedy pittifull and hungry look up to Christ out at the window at the neerest passage to tel a poor friend was coming up to him 2. I would wish no more if I were in Hell but to send a long-look up to Heaven there be many love looks of the Saints lying up before the Throne in the bosome of Christ the twinkling of thy eyes in Prayer are not lost to Christ elie Stevens look Davids look should not be registred so many hundred years in Christs written Testament Object 5. Alas I have no eyes to look up the Publican Luk. 18. looked down to the earth and what senses Spirituall have I to send after Christ. Ans. There 's life going in and out at thy nostrils Breathing is praying and taken off our hand as crying in Prayer Lam. 3.56 Thou hast heard my voice hide not thy ear at my breathing at my cry Object 6. I have but a heard heart to offer to God in Prayer and what can I say then wanting all praying disposition Ans. 1. Therefore pray that you may pray 2. The very aspect and naked presence of a deed spirit when there is a little vocall praying its acceptable to God or if an overwhelmed heart refuseth to come its best to go and tell Christ and request him to come and fetch the heart himself 3. Little of day light cometh before the Sun the best half of it is under ground Ro. 8.23 We our selves groan within our selves All is here transacted in our own heart the soul cryeth O when will my Father come and fetch his children When shall the Spousely in her Husbands bosome 4. If Christs eye but look on a hard heart it will melt it 5. I shew heer the Minimum quod sic the smallest of Prayer in which the life and essence of Prayer may breath and live Now Prayer being a powring out of the soul to God much of the affections of love desire longing joy Faith sorrow fear boldnesse comes along with prayer out to God and the heart is put in Christs bosome and it s neither up nor down to the essenc of sincere praying whether the soul come out in words in groans or in long-looks or in sighing or in powring out tears to God Job 16.20 or in breathing Object 7. What shall be done with half praying and words without sense Ans. This is the woman of Canaans case Piscator observeth an Elepsis of the word or Particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or because or for Have mercy on me my daughter is vexed she should have said because my daughter is vexed But the minde is hasty that she lets slip words so are broken Prayers set down in Scripture as Prayers Psal. 116.1 I love because the Lord hath heard my voice There 's nothing in the Hebrew but one word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I love but he sheweth not whom he loveth it s a broken word because as Ambrose saith He loved the most desireable thing I have love he would say but its centure and bed is only God Psal. 6.3 My soul is sore vexed but thou O Lord how long That is a broken speech also Psal. 109.4 For my love they were my enemies in the Hebrew its 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vani Tephilla at ego oratio But I prayer or I was all Prayer as if I in soul and body had been made of Prayer The reasons of broken Prayers are often 1. The hastinesse of the affections not the hastinesse alwayes of unbelief Esa. 28.16 But often of Faith 2 Pet. 3.10 Love and longing for Christ have Eagles wings and love flyeth when words do but creep as a Snail 2. It cometh from a delique in the affections they are broken as a too high bended Bow that there 's a swooning and delique of words every part of a supplication to a Prince is not a supplication a poor man out of fear may speak Non-sense and broken words that cannot be understood by the Prince but non-sense in Prayer when sorrow blacknesse and a dark overwhelmed spirit dictateth words are well known in and have a good sence to God therefore to speak morally Prayer being Gods fire as every part of fire is fire so here every broken Parcell of Prayer is Prayer so the Forlorne son forgot the half of his Prayers he resolved to say Luk. 15.19 Make me as one of thy hired servants but v. 21. He prayeth no such thing and yet his Father fell on his neck and kissed him a Plant is a tree in the potency an infant man seeds of saving grace are saving grace prayer is often in the bowels and womb of a sigh though it come not out yet God heareth it as a Prayer Rom. 8.27 And he that scarcheth the hearts knoweth what is the minde of the Spirit because he maketh intercession for the Saints according to the will of God Psal. 10.17 Lord thou hast heard the desire of the humble Desires have no sound with men so as they come to the ear but with God they have a sound as Prayers have Then when others cannot know what a groan meaneth God knoweth what is under the lap of a sigh because his Spirit made the sigh he first made the Prayer as an intercessor and then as God heareth it he is within praying and without hearing Object 8. But are all my cryings in Prayer works of the Spirit Ans. The flesh may come in and joine in Prayer and some things may be said in haste not in Faith as in that Prayer Ps 77.9 Hath God forgotten to be gracious
common servant to both Gods servant in a hard piece of service as ever was Isa. 52.13 Isa. 42.1 Behold my servant Isa. 53.11 My righteous servant yea and our servant Mat. 20.28 He came not to be served but to serve and give his life a ransome for many Alas both parties did smite him Isa. 53.10 It pleased the Lord to bruise him Rom. 8.32 God spared not his own Son and the other party his own smote him Mat. 21.38 This is the heire come let us kill him say they and seize on the inheritance This was cold incouragement to sweet Jesus if it had been referred to us for shame we could not have asked God to be a suffering Mediator for us there 's more love in Christ then Angels and men could fathom in their conceptions 6. The Covenant is the Testament of our dead friend Jesus he died to confirme the Testament Heb. 9.16.17 Every blood could not seal the Covenant Christs blood as dying sealed the everlasting Covenant Heb. 13.20 It both expiated the sins of the Covenanters and also brought back the great Shepheard of the sheep from death For Christ having once paid blood and died it was free to the Surety to come out of prison when he had paid the sum 7. The seventh relation of Christ maketh way to the parties and here Christ cometh under a double consideration one as God so he is one with the Father and spirit and the Lord and the Author of the Covenant 2. As Mediator and so he is on our side of the Covenant Then is the Covenant made with Christ and all his heirs and assignes principally with Christ and with Abrahams nature in him but personally with believers 1. The Scripture saith so Gal. 3.16 The Promise or Covenant is made to Abraham and to his seed he saith not and to seeds as of many but as of one and to thy seed which is Christ. I grant Beza Piscator and many expound Christ for mysticall Christ for say they it cannot be meant of Christ personally for so it should fight with the scope of Paul who proveth the Promise of life eternall to be made to all believers 2. It should follow that life eternall is given to Christ only but with leave this is not sure for the truth is the promise is neither made to Christs person singly considered nor to Christ Mysticall For 1. The promise is made to Christ in whom the Covenant was confirmed v. 17. 2. In whom the Nations were blessed 14. 3. In whom we receive the Promise of the Spirit through Faith 14. Who was made a curse for us ver 13. Now not any of these can agree to Christ Mysticall Christ Mysticall did not confirm the Covenant nor give the Spirit nor was he made a curse but Christ Mediator is he to whom the Promises are made and in him to all his heirs and kindred not simply in his person but as a publike person and Mediator 1. Because the Scripture saith to Abraham and to his seed that is Christ was the Covenant made and these words of the Covenant Ps. 89.26 He shall cry to me thou art my Father my God c. are expounded Heb. 1.5 And again I will be to him a Father and he shall be to me a son and Joh. 20.17 Go to my brethren and say to them I ascend unto my Father and your Father to my God and to your God So Christ the heir of all things and the second heirs under him are all but one confederate-Family 2. The covenant made with David and his seed and the Fathers is fulfilled to Christ and his seed Act. 13.34 35. As concerning that he raised him up from the dead no more to see corruption he said on this wise I will give you the sure mercies of David 3. As the covenant of nature and works was made with Adam and all his and there were not two covenants so here the better covenant coming in the place of the former is made with the second Adam and his children Rom. 5.18 19. 1 Cor. 15.20 c. 4. All that serveth to make a covenant are here 1. God demandeth of his son that he lay down his life and for his labour he promiseth that he shall see his seed and God shall give him many children Isa. 53.10 2. The son consenteth to lay down his life and saith Here am I to do thy will thou hast given me a body This is the formality of a covenant when Christ consenteth to the condition Now this covenant was manifested in time between the Father and the Son but it was transacted from eternity This is comfortable that the Father and Christ transacted a Bargain from eternity concerning thee by Name There was communing between the Father and Son concerning thy heaven Father what shall be given to thy Justice to ransom such a one Iohn Anna c. And Christ from eternity did binde for such a person he shall believe in time The Redemption of Sinners is not a work of yesterday or a businesse of chance it was well advised and in infinite wisdom contrived therefore put not Christ to be challenged of his ingagement by refusing the Gospel when thou believest thou makest Christs word good he that believeth not maketh God a liar though in another sense and for ought he knoweth even in this that he frustrateth Christs undertaking in the covenant Men believe the Gospel to be a cunningly devised Fable 2 Pet. 1.16 The Father and Christ are both in this businesse Heaven Hell Justice Mercy Souls and deep Wisdom are all in this rare piece and yet men think more of a Farm and an Oxe Luke 14.18.19 and of a Pin in the State or a Straw or of the bones of a crazy livelyhood or a House 3. Touching the Promises 1. There is no good thing but it is ours by free promise and not by simple donation only this covenant turns over Heaven Earth Sea Land Bread garments sleep the World Life Death into free grace yea it maketh Sin and crosses golden Sins and crosses by accident through the acts of supernaturall providence toward us 1 Cor. 3.21 Rom. 8.28 working on and about our sins 2. All good cometh to us now not immediatly but through the hands of a free Redeemer and though he be a man who redeemed us yet because he is God there is more of God and Heaven and free Love in all our good things then if we received them immediatly from God as Ravens have their food from God without a Mediator and devils have their being only by creature-right not by covenant-right Now for the promises they flow from God to us but all along they fall first on Christ they are of two sorts 1. Some only given to Christ not to us as the Name above all names to be adored and set at the right hand of God is properly promised to Christ Angels share not with him in this Chaire Phil.
place the Father his place Faith its place the sinner his place 1. Vse· All without this covenant are miserable Christ undertaketh not for them The Lord dealeth with them by Law read Deut. 28. Lev. 26. Job 20. chap. 18. and 27. They have bread but it s not sure not so the beleever Isa. 33.16 His bread shall be given him his waters shall be sure The beleever has all by the free holding of Grace his bread by covenant his sleep by promise safety from the sword to lie down and no man shall make them afraid by covenant his land is tilled by the Covenant of Grace Ezek. 36.34 The man not in this covenant hath all by tenour of the condemning Law the weapon of Steel shall go through bones and liver by vertue of the curses of the Law 2. Men never try their standing whether they be under the first husband of the Law or if they be married to the better husband Christ and under Grace where art thou O sinner in Christ or no They live at random and by chance not knowing that the two covenants hath influence on eternity a man is judged according to his state rather then his actions 3. No state so stable and sure as the covenant of Grace Christ is surety for the believer that he fall not away Christ honour is ingaged he shall not have shame of his Tutory Isa. 50.7 I know I shall not be ashamed saith Christ It s his honour to raise me when I fall 4. We may use arguments of Faith challenging God Jer. 31.18 Turn thou me and I shall be turned why For thou art the Lord my God The Covenant is Faiths Magna Charta the grand mother-promise all prayers must be bottomed on this Jer. 14.21 Do not abhor us Why vers 22. Art not thou he the Lord God Isaiah 64.9 Remember not our iniquity for ever behold see we beseech thee Why we are all thy people every one doth for its own the Prince for his own People the Father for his own children yea the damme for her own young ones the Shepherd for his own sheep and God for his own in covenant with him an offensive and defensive covenant of Peace and War taketh in the believer and all that serveth him the stones of the field Job 5.23 and in covenant with the horse thou ridest on that it shall not cast thee and crush thee in covenant with the sword with the Canon and Musket with the Spear and Bow yea with Death as a Boat to carry thee over the water to thy fathers Land So the Covenant I 'le blesse them that blesse thee and curse them that curse thee Isa. 54.16 I have created the water to destroy Creation is a work of omnipotency only no creature can do it Then fire cannot consume water cannot drown the Saints except by a dispensation of the Lord. 5. Christ is not fastned as a loose nail or as one broken or rotten wedge in the covenant He is there as a nail in a sure place Zach. 10.4 Isa. 22 23. Hang all the vessells of the Fathers house on Christ He cannot break O sweet we are given to the Surety of the covenant Ioh. 17.3 Son answer for him thy life for his life thy glory for his glory and render account of him when the Kingdom shall be given up to the Father Adam was surety in the first covenant and so it fell out free-will holdeth all sure in the Arminian Covenant 6. In desertion to swim upon the covenant keepeth from sinking so Christ in his sad and black hour My God my God why hast thou forsaken me SERMON IX O Lord thou Son of David The one word O Lord holdeth forth Christs Godhead the other Son of David holdeth forth his Man-hood Here 's the perfection of our Mediator in that he is the substantiall Covenant and Emanuel God with us or God us in a personall union the substantiall marriage and aliance between the two houses of Heaven and Earth God and clay 2. He is not ashamed to call them brethren Heb. 2.11 And why would he take part of flesh and blood but because he would be a child of our house vers 14. 3. He would be of blood to us not only come to the sick and to our bed side but would lie down and be sick taking on him sick clay and be in that condition of clay a worm and not a man that he might pay our debts and would borrow a mans heart and bowels to sigh for us mans eyes to weep for us his Spouses body legs and arms to be pierced for us our earth our breath our life and soul that he might breath out his life for us a mans tongue and soul to pray for us and yet he would remain God that he might perfume the obedience of a High Priest with heaven and give to justice blood that chambered in the veins and body of God in whom God had a personall lodging 1. Vse O what love Christ would not intrust our redemption to Angels to millions of Angels but he would come himself and in person suffer he would not give a low and a base price for us clay he would buy us with a great ransom so as he might over-buy us and none could over-bid him in his market for souls if there had been millions of moe believers and many heavens without any new bargain his blood should have bought them all and all these many heavens should have smelled one Rose of Life Christ should have been one and the same Tree of Life in them all O we under-bid and under-value that Prince of love who did over-value us we will not sell all we have to buy him he sold all he had and himself too to buy us 2. Vse What an incomparable thing must the Mediator God-man be There 's no fair creature no excellent one but there 's a peece of nothing and creature-basenesse and creature-vanity in it even a thing of blood to the mother-nothing of the creation of God there is no Rose but it hath a Brier growing out of it except the Rose of Sharon that flower of the field not planted with hands the Son without a Father and who shall declare his generation A Rose that should smell and cast out odours for a mile of earth or for ten miles could draw to it many beholders but if it should smell for the bounds of the half of the earth it should be more admirable the flower that sprang out of the root of Jesse spreads his beauty and the odours of his myrhe through heaven and earth could the darknesse of hell stand and look on the face of the Sun blacknesse of darknesse should be better seen but convene all the little pieces of the Creation summon before Christ faire Angels all the Troops of the sin-lesse glorified spirits the broad skies fair heavens lightsome stars all the
delicious Roses Flowers Gardens Medows Forrests Seas Mountains Birds all the excellent Sons of Adam as they should have been in the world of innocency and let them all stand in their highest excellency before Jesus Christ the matchlesse and transcendent glory of that great All should turn the worlds all into pure Nothing what wonder then that this same Lord Jesus be the delight heaven of all in it Rev. 7.17 The Lamb hath his Throne in the midst thereof Rev. 22.4 And they shall see his face They do nothing else but stare gaze behold his face for ages are never satisfied with beholding suppose they could wear out their eyes at the eye-holes in beholding God they should still desire to see more To see him face to face hath a great deal more in it then is expressed words are short garments to the thing it self Your now sinfull face to his holy face your piece clay-face to his uncreated soul-delighting face is admirable We do not praise Christ and hold out his vertues to Men and Angels The creatures as the Heaven Sun Moon are Gods debtors and they owe him glory but men who have understanding and tongues are Gods Factors and Chamberlains to gather in the rent of glory and praise to God the heavens do indeed declare the glory of God Ps. 19.1 but they are but dumb Musitians they are the Harp which of it self can make no Musick the creatures borrow mans mouth and tongue to speak what they have been thinking of God and his excellency these five thousand years now all the glory of God and the glory of the creatures are made new by Christ Rev. 21.5 And made friends with God Col 1.20 and are in a speciall manner in the Mediator Christ he is Heb. 1.3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the irradiation or brightnesse of the glory and the character or expresse image of his person All creatures by Adams sin lost their golden luster and are now vanity-sick like a woman travelling in birth Rom. 8.22 All the creatures by sin did lesse objectively glorifie God then they should have done if sin had never been in the world and so they were at a sort of variance and division with God And it pleased Col. 1.20 the Father in Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to make friendship between God and all things that is to confirme Angels to reconcile man to restore the creatures to be more illustrious objects of his glory now the in-come of the rents of glory is more due to Christ and the debt the greater in that Christ hath made all things new and why should we not in the name of Sun Moon Earth Heaven which are all loosed from the arrestment of vanity by Christ and in the name of Angels and of Saints redeemed hold forth the praises the glory of God in Christ Pa◠pay what you owe to Christ O all creatures but especially you redeemed ones 3. Vse If Christ the Mediator be so excellent a person we are to seek our life the Gospel-way in Christ we often conceive Legall or Law-thoughts of Christ when we conceive the Father just severe and Christ his Son to be more meek and mercifull but the Text calleth him Lord and so that same God with the Father nor hath Christ more of Law by dying to satisfie the Law nor is he more mercifull then the Father because he and the Father are one there are not two infinite wills two infinite mercies one in the Father another in the Son but one will one mercy in both and we owe alike love and honour to both though there be an order in loving God and serving him through Christ. 4. Vse Infinite love and infinite majesty concur both in Christ love and majesty in men are often contrary to one another and the one lesseneth the other In Christ the infinite God breatheth love in our flesh 1. And we see but little of Christ we know not well the Gospel-spirit we rest much on duties to go civill Saints to Heaven but the truth is there be no Morall men and Civilians in Heaven they be all deep in Christ who are there we are strangers to Christ and believing 2. The spirit of a redeemed one can hardly hate a redeemed one or be bitter against them Christ in one Saint cannot be cruell to Christ in another Saint 3. Christ cannot lose his love or cast it away the love of Christ is much for conquering hearts his chariot is bottomed and paved with love duties bottomed on Christs love are spirituall as the Father accepteth not duties but in Christ so cannot we perform them aright when the principall and fountain cause is not the love of Christ Ioh. 21.15 5. Vse The Ancient of dayes the Father of Ages taketh a stile from his new House The Son of Man he hath an old House from whence he is named The Son of God he must affect us and his delight be with the sons of men when he taketh a name from us we should affect him and affect a communion with him and strive to have Christs new name as he taketh our new name The Son of man of David Son of David have mercy on me The second Article of her prayer is conceived under the name of Mercy Why Gods mercy is a spirituall favour deliverance to her daughter is but a temporary favour that may befall a Reprobate The Devil may be cast out of the Daughters body and not out of the Mothers soul. Yea but to the Believer all temporall favours are spiritualized and watered with mercy 1. They are given as dipped in Christs bowels and mercy wrapt about the temporary favour Mar. 1.41 Jesus cured the Leper but how Jesus moved with compassion put forth his hand and touched him So is the building of the Temple given but oyled with mercies Zach. 1.16 Therefore thus saith the Lord I am returned to Jerusalem with mercies my House shall be builded in it Epaphroditus recovered health but with it some of Gods heart and bowels also Phil. 1.27 For indeed he was sick neer to death but God had mercy on him 2. The ground of it is Gods mercy the two blinde men Mat. 20.30 put this in their Bill they cry Have mercy on us O Lord thou Son of David They will not have seeing eyes but under the notion of mercy David pained with sore sicknesse as some think or under some other rod of God desireth to be healed upon this ground Psal. 6.2 Have mercy on me O Lord for I am weak 3. Faith looketh to temporall favours as Faith with a spirituall eye as Christ and his merits goeth about them Heb. 11.22 By faith Joseph when he dyed made mention of the children of Israels departure 23. By faith Moses come to age refused to be called the son of Pharaohs daughter Why and that was but a civill Honour Moses his faith lookt at it in a spirituall manner 4. That same ground that
to his house Why But thou shouldst go When old Jacob saw the Chariots â—nd Messengers that Prince Joseph his own son yet living had sent to fetch him His heart failed for joy Seest thou the Chariot of Pharaoh paved with love make then for the journey the home we have here is a taking lover Why But thou maist say I cannot stay here the King hath sent for me SERMON XIII OF Israel It was then a priviledged mercy that Christ was senâ— to the Jews 1. The Jew is the elder Brother and the Native heir of Christ Christ of their blood and house Rom. 1.2 3. Rom. 9.3 They were Christs first Bride Alas they killed their husband there 's a born Jew in Heaven in soul and body its sweet to have any relation to Christ. 2. The Catholick Covenant of Grace made with the great Sister the Church Universall was first laid down in pawn in their hand they put their hand first to the contract in subscribing the marriage contract Ier. 2.3 Israel was holy to the Lord and the first fruits of his increase O sweet the fallen race of mankinde was Christs corn-field and his wheat The Jews were the first sheaf of the field Deut. 7.6 They got Christs young love and to speak so the first handsell of Free Grace in a Church way 3. Christ in the Iews flesh yet not excluding Ruth Rahab and other Gentiles of the Blood-Royall acted the whole Gospel a born Iew Redeemed the lost world offered a sacrifice to God for sinners a born Iew is heir of all things is exalted a Prince to guide and rule all and shall judge Men and Angels 4. The Lord Christ in the flesh was first offered to them they had the first Gospel love Matth. 10.5 6. Act. 13.46 5. The Oracles of God was committed to them Rom. 3.1 Rom. 9.4 The Testator Christ his written will was in their keeping 6. God was their first Crowned King He gave Ethiopia and Egypt and Zeba a ransom for them and was their Law-giver 7. Every Male childe amongst the Jews did beaâ— somewhat of Christ in his flesh Col. 2.11 Wheâ— all the world was without Christ 8. Their land was Christs by a speciall typicall right God saith of it It s my land Christ was their Soveraigne Land-lord and they the great Kings Free-holders 9 The Lord never dwelt in a house made with hands in a Temple as amongst them having special respect to the true Temple Iesus Christ Ioh. 2.19 1. Let us pray our Elder sister home to Christ Cant. 8. They said We have a little sister and she hath no breasts what shall we doe for our sister in the day that she shall be spoken for Now we have a greater sister What shal we the Gentiles do for her There 's a day When ten men shall take hold out of all Nations of the skirt of a Jew saying we will goe with you we have heard that God is with you Zach. 8.21 2. It is the happinesse of our Land that we have a three-fold relation to Christ I meane these two Nations that we have avowed the Lord by a Nationall Testimony and the Nations are the publick Martyrs and witnesses of Christ in that they are made a field of blood for no other quarrell but because they desire to stand for Christ Truth against Antichrist sure in the intention of Papists now in Armes against us there is no cause of War but this only 2. That we have sworn that the Lord shal be our God in a Solemn Covenant 3. That we are honoured to build the Temple of the Lord and reform Religion O that we could see our debt and be thankfull 3. The Iewes had the morning market of Christ and they would not pay the rent of the Vineyard to the Lord thereof we have the after noon of Christ and know we what a mercy it is that our beloved feedeth amongst the Lillies till the day break and the shadowes fly away and that the voice of the Turtle is heard in our Land God for our abuse of the Gospel hath sent amongst us the bloody Pursevants and Officers of his wrath men skilfull to destroy God is now in three Kingdomes arresting the Carcases of men we are owing much to God he will now have husbands and sons from us and leggs and armes of wounded and slain men from us for that rent we owe to the Lord of the vineyard for our contempt of the Gospell Sheep first a word of Sheep then of lost sheep I take no other reasons why the redeemed of the Lord are called sheep then are obvious in Scripture 1. The sheep are passive creatures and can do little for themselves so can believers in the work of their salvation as 1. They have not of themselves more knowledge of the saving way then sheep and so cannot walk but as they are taught and led Psal. 1â—9 33 Teach me O Lord Psal. 25.5 lead me in thy truth Like a blinde man holding out his hand to his guide so they Psal. 5.8 Lord lead me in thy righteousnesse 2. It s not common leading but the leading of children learning to go by an hold Hos. 11.1 When Ephraim was a childe I loved him 3. I taught Ephraim also to goe taking them by their armes but Ephraim like a childe knew not his leader But they know not saith the Lord that I healed them 3. Leading may suppose some willingnesse but we must be drawn Ioh. 6.44 No man can come to me except tht father draw him Cant. 1.4 Draw me we will run after thee 4. There is a word of speciall grace which is more then teaching leading drawing and that is leaning Cant. 8.5 Who is this that cometh up from the wildernesse leaning upon her beloved 5. There is a word yet more and that is bearing Luke 15.5 when the good shepherd hath found the lost sheep He layeth it on his shoulders with joy Esa. 4â— 3 Hearken to me O house of Iacob and all the remnant of the house of Israel which are born by me from the belly and carried from the gray haires so also Deut. 32.11 God beareth them on Eagles wings Grace grace is a noble Guide and Tutor 2. The life of sheep is the most dependent life in the world no such dependent Creatures as sheep all their happinesse is the goodnesse care and wisdom of their shepherd Wolves Lyons Leopards need none to watch over them Briers and Thornes grow there alone the Vine Tree the noble Vine is a tender thing and must be supported Esa 40.11 Christ must bear the weak Lambs in his bosome the Shepherds bosome his legs are the legs of the weak Lamb even the habit of Grace is a creature and no independent thing and so in esse in conservâ—ri in its creation in its preservation it dependeth on Christ Grace is as the new-born Bird its life is the heat and warmnesse of the body and wings of the
It beleeveth Heaven and worketh Heaven 2. We often go on imagining that we are in a way of back-sliding deserted souls not conscious of the reflect acts of beleeving and longing for Christ think themselves Apostates when they are advancing in their way In great water-works where there be a great multitude of wheels the standing of some five or six is the advancing of the work in other twenty or forty wheels In desertion some wheels are at a stand and move not as often acts of feeling joy self-delight in the actuall beholding of Christ are at a stand and then it s thus I said I am cast out of his sight yet other wheels are moving as 1. Humble and base thoughts of himself 2. Broad and large thoughts of Christ and his grace 3. Hunger and longing for Christ. 4. Self diffidence is much 5. Care and love-sicknesse Saw you him whom my soul loveth is vehement 6. Sense of sin and of wants and spirituall poverty increaseth now 7. Sense of the misery of the combate is much more then before O miserable man that I am c. 8. Believing under hope and against hope is strongest now 9. There 's more tendernesse and humble fear now then before 10. A stronger resolution to entertain Christ more kindly when he shal return again in his fulnesse of presence 11. Sorrow that remembring he said My head is full of dew and my locks with the drops of the night Cant. 5.6 Yet the sleeping soul kept him at the door We are to adore that Dispensation who will have us not stepping one foot to Heaven but upon Grace and upon Graces charges he could make Saints to be sinlesse Angels But what haste We should then not yet being habituated with glory nor confirmed in Heaven think little of Christ. If we be so dependent on Christ we have not ended with all Law directions the Law standeth us yet in good use I mean when Christ hath made us and the Law friends and hath removed the curse and made the Beleever say O how love I thy Law Obj. Can you saith M. Toun separate the directing or commanding power of the Law from the condemning power of the Law can the Law speak to any but to those who are under the Law Is it Law at all if it condemn not Ans. Actuall condemnation may well be separated from the Law as a Lyon is a Lyon and yet being chained cannot actually devour To condemn may well be removed from the Law it could not condemn Adam before sin entred in the world it cannot condemne the Holy Elect and sinlesse Angels yet it had and hath a commanding and obliging power to command and direct both to condemn is accidentall to the Law as the state of sin is accidentall to man 2. The Law may speak by way of direction to Believers but cannot speak to them by way of actuall condemnation because Christ hath removed the curse Obj. 2. Holinesse and walking in the way of holinesse contributeth not one jot to Salvation as causes or as the way thereto Christ hath done that perfectly Ans. I pray you consider three things here 1. The Will of Gad to save yea and to justifie the ungodly 2. Ius the Law right to righteousnesse and salvation 3. Actuall salvation Christs merits are neither cause nor motive nor condition moving God to will to choose or ordain persons for glory this is an act of eternall election to glory which is not from Christs merits nor doth any externall work or condition either good or evill in Iacob or Esau or in the surety Christ move God to such an act of free libertie Libertines are ignorant in so speaking yea faith is no condition cause or motive of such a will 2. Christs merits not faith not holinesse in us must be the cause of our Law-right to righteousnesse and glory Christ his alone gave the price of Redemption for us no Garments were rolled in blood for a patent and right to Heaven but his only his alone trode the Wine-presse of Gods Wrath in those two notions works of holinesse have no footing in the work But 3. as touching actuall salvation the way to it is holinesse without which none can see God It s expresly commanded Be ye holy as I am holy 1 Pet. 1.19 20. and Rom. 6.21 But being now made free from sin and become servants to God ye have your fruit into holinesse and the end life everlasting 2 Pet. 1.10 If ye doe these things ye shall never fall for so an entrance shal be ministred unto you abundantly unto the everlasting Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ Rev. 2.7 To him that overcometh I will give to eat of the Tree of life which is in the midst of the Paradice of God Rev. 3.21 To him that overcometh wil I grant to sit with me in my Throne even as I also overcame and am set downe with my father on his Throne They answer overcoming is by faith But I reply Faith to Libertines is but a believing that Christ hath overcome in their person and place for faith is no more to them a condition or way to salvation then good works for Faith say they is not Christ Christ only is the way to Heaven but this were a vain promise if overcoming were not 1. A duty required of us in time upon the performance whereof we have an entrance made to life eternall 2. If overcoming be but only believing and so an act of the soul only those to whom the promise is made are to do no more but believe Christ hath overcome the persecuting world for them and yield and in profession deny the Faith and accept of conditions of life and so be foyled and yet claim right to the promise contrary to the intent of Christ Rev. 2.13 who commendeth Pergamus for not denying the Faith Now in all this as the walking in the way to a fair Palace to dwell in it in honour and happinesse cannot be the price the ransome the sum given to buy right to that place and to the honour and happinesse thereof so neither can our walking in the way to glory bee the price of glory Obj. 3. But we are saved by Christs merits before we can do any good works then good works cometh not to perfect and make up salvation Ans. So are we in regard of right of purchase saved before we beleeve yet that hindereth not but faith is a way to salvation 2. This concludeth that good works are no cause or way or meane of obtaining the right jus of purchase to Redemption which we yeeld but not that we are actually saved without walking in the way called the way of holines which the uncleane shall not passe over Esa. 35.8 Obj. 4. We are to do good works from the principle of the love of Christ constraining us not from the Law commanding or directing us Ans. 1. These are no way contrary the
3. To make an opposition between Christ and his grace the fountain and the stream Ioh. 1.16 Tit. 1.14 1 Joh. 3.8 Obj. If the actions of grace be all turned upon this axle-tree of Gods gracious will what can I do when I am indisposed to do good Ans. If this be a rationall question then is no man condemned because he believeth not in the only begotten Son of God contrary to Ioh. 3.18 36. For Reprobates are finally indisposed to believe 2. Indisposition is our sin that we should be humbled for and Inke water cannot wash a blacked cloth sin excuseth not sin SERMON XV. 25. Then came she and worshipped him saying Lord help me CHrist had denyed her to be His but she wil not deny but Christ is hers See how a Believer is to carry himself toward Christ deserting frowning Christ first answered her not one word 2. He gave an Answer but to the Disciples not to the woman O dreadful Christ refuseth to give her one word that may go between her and Hell and dispair 3. The Answer that he giveth is sadder and heavier then no Answer it s as much As woman I have nothing to do with thee I quit my part of thee Yet she is patient 2. She believeth 3. She waiteth on a better answer 4. She continueth in praying 5. Her love is not abetted she cometh and adoreth 6 Acknowledgeth her own misery Lord help me And putteth Christ as God in his own room to be adored 7. She taketh Christ aright up and seeth the temptation to be a temptation 8. She runneth to Christ she came nearer to him and runneth not from him she claimeth to Christ though Christ had cast her off 1. Patient submission to God under desertion is sweet What though I saw no reason why I cry and shout and God answereth not 1. His comforts and his answers are his own free-graces he may doe with his own what he thinks good and grace is no debt Hear O Lord for thy own sake Dan. 9.19 2. Infinite Soveraignty may lay silence upon all hearts good Hezekiah Isa. 38.15 What shall I say he hath spoken unto me and himself hath done it It is an act of heaven I bear it with silence 2. She believeth Isa. 50.11 There 's a high and noble Commandment laid upon the sad spirit He that walketh in darknesse and seeth no light let him trust in the name of the Lord stay upon his God 2. Fill the field with faith double or frequent acts of Faith Psal. 22.1 My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Two faiths are a double breast-work against the Forts of Hell 3. In the greatest extremity believe even as David in the borders of Hell Psal. 23.4 Yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil it s a Litote I will believe good it s a cold and a dark shadow to walk at deaths right side Job 13.15 Though he slay me yet will I trust in him See Steven dying and believing both at once Christs very dead corps and his grave in a sort believing Ps. 16.9 My flesh also shall rest in hope How sweet to take Faiths back-band subscribed by Gods own hand into the cold grave with thee as Christ did vers 10. Thou wilt not leave my soul in grave 4. Faith saith sense is a Lier Fancy sense the flesh will say Job 16.13 His Archers compassed me round about he cleaveth my reins asunder and doth not spare and poureth out my gall on the ground but Faith saith ver 19. I have a friend in Heaven Also now my witnesse is in heaven Job 19.11 Sense maketh a lie of God He hath also kindled his wrath against me and taketh me for his enemy No Iob thou art the friend of God see how his Faith cometh above the water ver 25. I know that my friend by blood or my Redeemer liveth c. 3. She waiteth on in hope and took not the first nor second answer Hope is long breath 't and at mid-night prophâ—sieth good of God Mic. 7.9 Though I fall I shall rise again Jonah 2.4 Then I said I am cast out of thy sight yet I will look toward thy holy Temple There 's a seed of heaven in hope Iob 13. When God did hide his face from him ver 24. Yet ver 16. He also shall be my salvation There is a negative and over-clouded hope in the soul at the saddest time the believer dares not say Christ will never come again if he say it it s in hot blood and in haste and he wil take his word again Isa. 8.17 4. She continueth in praying She cryed Lord Son of David have mercy on me she has no Answer she cryeth again while the Disciples are troubled with her shouts she getteth a worse answer then no answer yet she cometh and prayeth we know the holy wilfulnesse of Jacob Gen. 32.26 I will not let thee go till thou blesse me rain calmeth the stormy wind to vent out words in a sad time is the way of Gods children Psal. 88.7 Thy wrath lieth hard upon me 9. My eye mourneth by reason of my affliction And what then Lord I have called daily upon thee I have stretched out my hands to thee Psal. 22.2 Christ in the borders of Hell prayed and prayed again and died praying 5. She hath still love to Christ and is not put from the duty of adoring 1 Pet. 1.8 Whom having not seen yet ye love The deserted soul seeth little there must be love to Christ where there is 1. Faith in the dark Faith is with child of Love 2. Where the believer is willing that his pain his hel may be matter of praising of God Ps. 77.13 Who is so great a God as our God The Church was then deserted as the Psal. cleareth 6. She putteth Christ in his Chair of State and adoreth him the deserted soul saith bee what I will he is Iehovah the Lord confession is good in saddest desertion Iob 7.20 I have sinned what shall I do to thee O preserver of man Lam. 1.17 The seed of Iacob is in a hard case before God and under wrath v. 12 13 14. Yet v. 16. The Lord is righteous for I have sinned This maketh the soul charitable of God how sad so ever the dispensation be 7. She seeth it is a triall as is clear by her instant persuing after Christ after many repulses It s great mercy that God cometh not behinde backs and striketh not in the dark Psal. 77.10 And I said this is my infirmity he gathereth his scattered thoughts taketh himself in the temptation Its mercy 1. To see the temptation in the face some lie under a dumb a deaf temptation that wanteth all the five senses Cain is murthered in the dark at midnight with the temptation he knoweth not what it meaneth 2. Gods immediate hand is more to be looked at then any
That temptations are measured by grans and scruples to the Saints there 's a seed of comfort and hope in Christs glowning and frownings he would say when the children are filled with bread first then you that are dogs shall also have your portion of the childrens bread there is a kisse and bowels of compassion under the lap of that covering and cloak of wrath with which he is covered for in wrath he remembers mercy and moderateth anger Fury is not in me Is. 27.4 2. Gospel trials and temptations are for a mercifull end that Paul may not be puffed up or as he saith 2 Cor. 12.7 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lest I should be like a Meteor lifted up in the air above measure 2 Corinth 1.9 But wee had the sentence of death in our selves as condemned malefactors that we should not trust in our selves 3. God will not have them above our strength but the burden and the back are proportioned 1 Cor. 10 13. It s good that we know Christ breweth or mixeth our cup he can Sugar the salt and bitter wine with mercy there is no desertion of the Saints that we read of but there 's as much of Christ in it as giveth it some taste and smell of heaven Heaven is stamped upon the hell of the Saints life is written on their death their grave and dead corps are hot and doth breath out life and glory their ashes and dust smell of immortality and resurrection to life Even when Christ is gone from the Church he leaveth a pawn or a pledge behinde him as love-sicknesse for the want of him Cant. 3. and 5. When Christ is nothing but an empty grave and he himself is away yet weeping for the want of him without care of Angels or Apostles when the beloved himself is gone is somewhat of Christ yea he sendeth before a Messenger to tell that the King himself is comming as in a great summer drouth little drops goeth before the great shower to make good report that the earth shall be refreshed 1. longings for him 2. waiting after him 3. Christ in you seeking after Christ are Messengers of heaven sent before to dresse and adorne the lodging for the Prince who is on his journey comming to thee SERMON XVII 27. And she saith truth Lord yet the whelps eat of the crums that fall from the Masters table OBserve 1. The womans witty answer by retortion in great quickness by concession of the conclusion and granting she was a Dog she borroweth the Argument taketh it from Christs mouth to prove her question She Argueth from the temptation Let me be a Dog so I be a Dog under Christs feet at his Table Wisedoms Schollers are not fools Grace is a witty and understanding Spirit ripe and sharp so it s said of Christ Isa. 11.3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vatablus Odorari facit illum Forerius respirare ejus erit in timore Domini Grace has a sagacity to smell things excellently so Prov. 1.4 The wisdom of God in the Proverbs giveth subtilty to the simple Vatablus ductilibus calliditatem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Petaim à Rad. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aquila 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such as may easily be milked and flattered and perswaded in young ones reason sleepeth affection ruleth all and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gnarma the 70. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quicknesse in all things and the other word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rendered Discretion its Thoughtfulnesse grace furnisheth the soul with quick sharp deep thoughts to know a Divel an Angel Heaven hell and that stollen waters are not sweet Heb. 5.14 They have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their spirituall senses are as wrestlers experienced or as learned Scholers in Universities acquainted with the knowledge of good and ill 2. Faith is thus pregnant as to draw saving conclusions from hard principles and to exstract the spirit of the promises Christ came to save sinners then saith Paul to save me for 1 Tim. 1.15 I am the chief of these sinners and though a temptations language be the language of hell and unbelief as thus Thou art a sinner a lost and a condemned one and therefore hast nothing to do with Christ Faith argueth the language of Heaven and the Gospell from this I am a sinner and a lost one but one of Christs sinners and one of Christs lost ones and for that same very cause I belong to Christ. 3. Faith doth here contradict the temptation and modestly refute Christ if Christ say Thou art a transgressor from the womb Ans. I confesse Lord But Christ died for transgressors 2. If he say Thou art under a curse Ans. With a distinction It s too true Lord So I am by nature But Christ was made a curse for me 3. If he say Thou hast holden me at the door I confesse Lord it is so But if Christ say I came not for thee thou art a Dog to such belongeth not Christ the bread of children you may then Answer O Lord with all reverence to thy holy Majesty It s not so I am thine thou didst come for me the bread belongeth to me When a sinner dare not dispute his actions with Christ yet he may dispute his estate The state of Son-ship is not sin and therefore we must adhere to this as Christ did when he was tempted If thou be the Son of God c. He refused to yeeld that if then Christ himself should say Thou art a Reprobate expound it as a temptation far more if Satan if conscience if the world say it you are not to acknowledge these to be Heralds sent to proclaime Gods secrets Job would not believe his friends in this Then to be tempted to deny your son-ship and claim in Christ may be your temptation not your sin injections of coals to try may come immediately from God as well as from Satan 2. It is good say Antinomians To lay the Saints under a Covenant of works because it doth this good to make us make sure our evidences that Christ is ours yea some desire a wakened conscience that the terrors of God may chase them to Christ But 1. that is a murmuring at Gods dispensation Let Christ tutour me as he thinketh good he hath seven eyes I have but one and that too dimme 2. We are not to make sad whom God hath not made sad Eze. 13.22 Nor to make a lie of Grace Nor 3. To usurpe the Devils office to accuse a brother far lesse your self Truth Lord the Dogs Behold where humility sitteth 1. Christ cannot put humility lower it sitteth in the dust Luk. 15.19 I am not worthy to be called thy son O great Paul What is lesse then nothing and lesse then the least of all Eph. 3.8 Vnto me who am lesse then the least of all Saints is this grace given 1 Tim. 1.13 I was a persecuter a blasphemer 1 Cor. 15.9 I am the least of the Apostles
humility is no daring grace it dare scarce seek to be a door keeper in heaven it setteth it self in hell 2. Though humility be well born of kin to sweet Iesus who is lowly and meek Yet Christ and Christ only is humilities free-hold The humble soul knoweth no Land-lord but Christ and is only Graces humble Tenant there is none to him but the Lord Jesus with his rich ransom of blood 1 Tim. 1.16 17. So there is much humility in heaven if it were possible that tears could be in heaven the humble Saints that are there should not see Christ reach out a Crown to set on their head but they should weep and hold away their head yea the glorified are ashamed to bear a crown of glory on their head when they look Christ on the face and so cannot but cast down their crownes before the Throne Rev. 4.10 3. All the Saints truly humbled cry up Christ and down themselves and in their own books are farre from Christ as any Matth. 8.8 9. I am not worthy that thou shouldst come under my roof but speak the word only and my servant shall be healed yea we gather from Jobs pleading chap. 14. that humble Saints think not themselves only below grace and mercy but also below the glory of justice and wrath Job 14.2 Man fleeth also as a shadow and continueth not 3. And dost thou open thine eyes upon such a one and bringest me unto judgement with thee 4. Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean one Not one he would say I am not only frail by condition of nature being a shadow of clay v. 1 2. But also by birth sinfull and unclean by reason of sin originall I am therefore a party unworthy of the anger of God as a Beggar is not worthy of the wrath of the Emperour or a worm of the indignation of an Angel 4. Any man is nearer God then the humble soul in his own eyes Psal. 22.24 Our father 's trusted in thee c. 6. I am a worme and no man Because humility is a soul smoothed and lying levell with it self no higher then God hath set it Ps. 131.1 I do not exercise my self in great matters or in things too high for me The proud soul hath feathers broader then his nest 5. The humble soul is a door-neighbour to Grace Christ is near a casten-down mourner in Zion to give him beauty for ashes the garments of praise for the spirit of heavinesse Isa. 61.3 Christ hath a Napkin for the wet face of a humbled sinner Christ the Chirurgion of souls hath a wheel to set in joynt the broken heart Isa. 61.1 There 's a Saviours hand in heaven to wheel in an ill-boned soul on earth Ps. 51.8 O what consolation Christ doth both seek and save the self-lost soul Luke 19.10 The Lamb one of the lowliest and meekest creatures hath a bed beside the heart and in the bosome of Christ Isa. 40.11 He shall carry the Lambs in his bosome yea he shall deliver the needy when he cryeth the poor also and him that hath no helper Ps. 72.12 The Lord giveth more grace he resisteth the proud and giveth grace to the humble Grace upon grace is for the humble Jam. 4.6 6. The humble cannot complain of Gods dispensation 1 Sam. 15.26 Humble David But if the Lord say I have no delight in thee behold here am I let him do to me as seemeth good to him That I am not fettered with the Prince of darknes is the debt of grace on me then that you are any thing lesse then timber and fire-wood for Tophet put it up in Christs compt and strike sail to Christ and stoop to him 7. Yet is the hope of the humble green at the root it shall not be as a broken tree Ps. 9.18 1. Because God shall save the humble Job 22.29 2. And hear his desire Psa. 10.17 3. Revive his spirit Isa. 57.15 4. Beautifie him with salvation Ps. 149.4 5. Honour him Prov. 15.33 6. Satisfie him Psal. 22.26 7. Guide him i◠judgment Ps. 25.9 8. Encrease his joy Isa. 29.19 9. Blesse him Mat. 5.5 and give him a sure inheritance None can extoll Crace as the humble soul 1 Cor. 15.10 Not I but the grace of God in me 1 Cor. 4. I have written that ye be not puffed up for one against another 7. For who maketh to differ from another And what hast thou that thou didst not receive 1 Cor. 1.27 28 29. Then because thou art litle in thine own eies put not thy self out of graces writing for God putteth thee in Grace is mercy given for nothing and the promise is made to the humble In the judgment of sense every one is to esteem another better then himself Phil. 2.3 Peter is to have a deeper sense of his own sinfull condition then of the sinfull condition of Judas the Traitor Though Peter being graced of God owe more charity to himself then to Iudas when Judas is a known Traitor yet should not humility decline to that extream as to weaken Faith and to say because I am unworthy of pardon therefore its presumption to believe pardon of sins Beware of Pride the Elephants neck and knees that cannot bow God must break God knoweth the proud afar off Psal. 138.6 the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gavoah is the high man the Scripture word Iam. 4.6 is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the proud man is an appearance not a reall thing and an appearance more then enough the Phrase importeth two 1. It s borrowed from men who see things near hand before they see things afar off and so more of their eyes is fixed on that which is near hand and so it s more delighted in we see things a far off with lesse delight to the sense Lorinus Quasi in transitu videre and with contempt The humble man lieth near Gods eye the proud man is further from his eye and seen in the by and with contempt by God 2. A man seeth his enemy a far off and loveth not to come near to him God hath an old quarrell against pride as one of the oldest enemies born in heaven in the breast of the fallen Angels and thrown out of heaven and it seeketh to be up at its own element and countrey where it was born as proud men are climbing and aspiring creatures But God a far off resisteth the proud and denieth grace or any thing of heaven to the proud Pharisee When God first seeth a proud man he saith Behold my enemy the lowly man is Christs friend 4. Though the woman be a dog in her own eyes and so a sinner See O sinner rich mercy that Christ should admit of dogs to his Kingdom O Grace that Christ should black his fair hands to speak so in washing foul and defiled dogs How unworthy sinners and so foul sinners that they should be under Christs table and eat his bread within
the Kings house What a motion of free mercy that Christ should lay his fair spotlesse and chast love upon so black defiled and whorish souls O what a favour that Christ maketh the Leopard and Ethiopian white for heaven These two go together Rev. 1. 5. Who has loved us and washed us Humble sinners have high thoughts of free-grace stand not afar off come near be washed for frâ—e-grace is not proud when grace refuseth not dogs salvation must be a flour planted without hands that groweth only out of the heart of Christ. Take humble thoughts of your selves and noble and high thoughts of excellent Jesus to heaven with you A curse upon the creatures proud merits if you make price with Christ and compound with everlasting grace you shame the glory of the Ransom-payer It s no shame to die in Christs debt all the Angels the Cedars of heaven are below Christ Angels and Saints shall be Christs debters for eternity of ages and so long as God is God sinners shall be in graces compt-book The truely humble is the most thankfull soul that is unthankfulnesse is one of the sins of the age we live in it floweth from 1. Contemning and despising Gods instruments The valour of Jephâ—ah is no mercy to Israel because the Elders hate and despise a bastard Judg. 11.1 2 6. The curing of Naamans leprosie is not looked on as a mercy Why washing in Jordan must do it and there be better Rivers in his own land in Damascus Not only God but all his instruments that he worketh by must be eye-sweet to us and carry God and omnipotency on their foreheads else the mercy is no mercy to us 2. Mercies cease to be mercies when they are smoaked and blacked with our apprehensions David 2 Sam. c. 18. and 19. receiveth a great victory and is established on his Throne which had been reeling and staggering of late but there 's one sad circumstance in that victory his dear son Absalom was killed and the mercy no mercy in Davids apprehension Would God I had died for Absolom so a little crosse can wash away the sense of a great mercy The want of a draught of cold water strangles the thankfull memory of Gods wonders done for his peoples deliverance out of Egypt and his dividing the Red-sea What a price would the godly in England have put on the removall of that which indeed was but a Masse-book and the burdensome Ceremonies within these few years But because this mercy is not moulded and shapen according to the opinion of many with such and such a Reformation and Church-government I am affraid there 's fretting in too many in stead of the return of praise and hating of these for whom they did someties pray God grant that the sufferings of the Land and this unnaturall blood-shed may be near an end except the Land be further humbled I fear the end of evils is not yet come This is a directing of the Spirit of the Lord to teach God how to shape and floor his mercies toward us Is it not fitting there be water in our wine and a thorne in our Rose Shall God draw the lineaments and proportion of his favours after the measure of my foot Shall the Almighty be instructed to regulate his wayes of supernaturall providence according to the frame of our apprehensions O he is a wise Lord and wonderfull in counsell Every mercy cannot be overlaid with Saphires and precious stones nor must all our deliverances drop sweet smelling-Myrrhe God knoweth when and how to levell and smooth all his favours and remove all their knots in a sweet proportion to the main and principal end the salvation of his own There is a crook in our best desires and a rule cannot admit of a crook even in relation to the creature far lesse to him who doth all things after the counsell of his own will Truely Lord the Dogs See and consider this woman whose faith was great as Christ saith and so was justified she confesseth and esteemeth her self a Dog and so an unworthy and prophane person Doct. A justified beleever is to confesse his sins to have a sense and sorrow for them though they be pardoned The word is clear for both confession and sorrow for sin though Antinomians make it a work of the flesh in the justified person either to confesse sin or to sorrow for it or to crave pardon for it For confession there is commandment practice promise Num. 5.6 Speak unto the children of Israel when a man or a woman shal commit any sin that men commit to do a trespasse against the Lord and that person be guilty Then they shall confess their sin that they have done This is not a duty of the unconverted onely but tying all the children of Israel men and women Jam. 5.16 Confesse your faults one to another Now it s not confession to men only as if they were sins only before men which the justified person committeth and not sins in the Court of heaven before God as Libertines teach therefore it is added Confesse and pray one for another that ye may be healed for the effectuall fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much Then justified persons are to pray for pardon of sins confessed I take it to be a precept that as many as say Our Father to God in prayer should also say Forgive us our sins as we forgive them that sin against us and so pardon of sins by a justified person and a son of God is to be asked when we pray for Daily bread and the comming of Christs Kingdome Hos. 14.2 Take with you words and turn to the Lord say unto him Take away all iniquity This must be a confession that a people turned to the Lord are in their iniquities 2. This is set down as a commendable practice Exra 10.1 Ezra confessed and weeped Neh. 9.1 2. And the seed of Israel separated themselves from all strangers and stood and confessed their sins and the iniquity of their fathers Dan. 9.4 I prayed unto the Lord made my confession So David 2 Sam 12.13 I have sinned against the Lord. Isa. 64.5 the Church confesseth Thou art wroth for we have sinned 6. But we are all as an unclean thing Isa. 59.12 For our transgressions are multiplied before thee and our sins testifie against us Job 7.20 I have sinned against thee O preserver of man Psal. 40.12 My sins are more in number then the hairs of my head Jer. 14.7 Our iniquities testifie against us our backslidings are many It s a vain shift to say The Church prayeth and confesseth in name of the wicked party not in name of the justified ones for as many as were afflicted confesseth their sins for the which the hand of God was upon them now Gods hand was upon all Daniel and Jeremiah were carried away captive yea the whole seed of Iacob Isa. 42.24 25. Isa. 64.5 6 7. and Ieremiah Lament 1.16 in name of the
be grace Grace is not only singly in the Saints but Grace and peace must be multiplyed on them 4. The standing and prorogated intercession and advocation of Jesus Christ every day upon occasion of new committed sins 1 Joh. 2.1 2. and the golden Altar that hath been hot these 1600. yeers Rev. 8.3 4. with the fresh prayers of the Saints must have a daily use so long as Christ is in the Office of the great true and exalted high Priest now passed into the holy of Holiest and better it is that Christ act Grace again and again in heaven as we sin again and again on earth then that the act of our high Priests intercession had been all but one act on the Cross and the way to heaven was made long and falls there must be in the way to the end that I might lodge many nights and moneths by the way with my guide Christ and my expences and charges in the way might be free-Grace 5. Faith hath its work in our graduall mortification wee beleeve that Christ shall perfect what he hath begun so it was needfull that Winter and moneths of Spring and Summer go before our harvest and reaping of the fruits of the tree of life 6. Christ works in the lower kingdom as making the higher kingdom the copy and samplar of his working now it s most sutable for flowers and roses that must be transplanted to grow up in the high garden beside the tree of life and to blossome out glory for all eternity that they grow for a time in the land of Grace that they may take kindly with the soil so the lower and higher gardens of Glory and Grace differ not in nature what groweth in the one can wel grow in the other they cannot suit with the happinesse of that land except they have experienced the holinesse of continued Grace in this land and Christ maketh storms of sin to blow upon his young heirs for their Winter God keeping life at the root that they may be fitter for an eternally green flourishing Summer of Glorie and when Christ consecrated himself through many afflictions that he might be an heir suitable for Glory he being brought through fire and water hot and cold and many changes to heaven and so came to eternall happinesse through many yeers continued holinesse it was not fit that Christ who was to make heirs like his rule and samplar should bring them to glory with a leap and a step from a justified condition to a glorified estate without an intervening progresse in sanctification and holinesse Christ understandeth well the fundamentall Laws of the higher City the new Jerusalem the frame of the government of that kingdom is that none be received as free Citizens of Glory but such as have served Apprentices Minors little children under Tutors to Grace and the way of holinesse he is of too short standing who cometh hot and smoking out from his lusts a justified sinner to step immediatly into Glory and so here is a stranger welcomed to heaven from hell a childe of Satan playing at the Devils fire side yesterday or the last hour now this day this same very hour must be inrolled amongst those who walketh with the Lamb in white Some Souldiers I grant are advanced to be high Commanders Per saltum by a leap but it s for some piece of rare service to the Prince and State and its like the repenting Theef in few hours space had been in three severall Kingdoms in the state of Nature the Kingdom of Darknesse and the Kingdome of Grace and that day with Christ in Paradise But this is I conceive rare and give me leave to say Princes at their Coronation do some extraordinary acts of Grace by priviledge of the new Crown that they may hansell the new Throne with acts of Mercy Christ was now in an act of pure unmixed Grace actually and formally redeeming the lost world on the Crosse and was now this day crowned by his Mother the Church and installed King-Redeemer of Saints and therefore would hansell Paradise with a sinner by a priviledge of matchlesse Grace there is but one example of it in all the Scripture 7. The way to heaven is sweeter that it should be here Nulla dies sine Linea that every day and hour that we sin as every hour we contract new debt Christs free Grace might have its daily flux the fountain opened to the house of David daily running renewed forgiveness going along with this day our daily bread hence these noble acts of Grace 1. Every sin the least omission by Law is hell Deut. 27.26 Gal. 3.10 two sins must be two hells seven sins seven hells then multiplied sins to the number of the hairs of Davids head Psal. 40.12 and not sins only but innumerable iniquities must cause the account of Christs free Grace to swell and arise to a deliverance from two from seven from innumerable hells O Grace every day every hour So then the Rebell brought nine times a day twenty times a day for the space of fourty yeers by his Princes Grace from under the ax how fair and sweet are the multiplied pardons and reprivals of Grace to speak so Here is multitudes of multiplied redemptions here is plenteous redemption I defile every hour Christ washeth I fal Grace raiseth me I come this day this morning under the reverence of Justice Grace pardoneth me and so along while Grace put me into heaven The Lambs Book of life containeth not onely the names of those who are ordained for that blessed end of eternall life but also the means leading to the end then here are written all the sins alâ—â—he pardons of free Grace since the first Adam sinned O but the Book of life must be a huge Volume O how large and broad and long must the Accompts of the Grace of Christ be 2 We are not saved compleatly because justified but Rom. 8.23 We are expectants of the Divinity of immediate vision groan within our selves waiting for the Adoption the Redemption of our body v. 24. and are saved by hope In regard of Title we are saved compleatly but in another sense we are but Lords and Kings in Title only we are far from the Lands Rents Crown and our fathers house and so are not saved while our feet stand within the streets of the new Jerusalem 3. In this consideration we sigh in our fetters and bolts and sin remaineth in us for our exercise and humiliation that we may have an habituall ingagement to Iesus Christ and his Grace that soul loveth much to whom much is forgiven and especially when in sense and frequent experiences much and multiplied backslidings are forgiven Obj. 1. But justification is one indivisible act of Grace pardoning all sins past present and to come and is not a successive and continued act in progresse alwayes such as is sanctification for we are but once justified I answer by these following Assertions Asser. 1. There is a
as he is to mourn for this very thing that Christ was pierced and crucified to remove the guilt and the obligation to satisfactory punishment Zac. 12.10 And they shall look upon me whom they have pierced and they shall mourn for him as one mourneth for his onely son Yea it s so the believers sin even when he believeth that his originall corruption is pardoned yet it dwelleth in him having the compleat essence and being of sin so as if he should say he had no sin and nothing in him contrary to the holy Law of God he should deceive himself and the truth should not be in him 1 Joh. 1.8 Yea let him be a Paul Not under the Law but being dead to the Law Rom. 7.6 as touching all actuall obligation to eternall death yet in regard of the reall essence of sin and proper contrariety that sin hath to Gods righteous Law he cryeth out ver 14. For we know that the Law is spirituall but I am carnall and sold under sin 17. Now it is no more I sanctified and pardoned I who am in Christ Rom. 8.1 dead to the Law Rom. 7.6 freed from condemnation that do sinne but sin that dwelleth in me If there were no sinfull I to speak so and no corrupt self in Paul which breaketh out into sin and this indwelling sin were as really in its essence and its being removed and taken close out of Paul as money taken really out of a place is no more left in that place then if it had never been there surely then justified Saints were as clean as these who are up before the Throne clothed in white and when Paul saith It is no more I that do sin but sin that dwelleth in me he should speak contradictions and say It is no more I that do sin but it is I that do sin there should be in justified Paul No Law in his members warring against the Law of his minde as he saith Rom. 7.23 No body of death leading him captive to the Law of sin vers 2â— and making him wretched vers 24. No flesh lusting against the spirit hindering the regenerated to do the good that they would as Paul speaketh Gal. 5.17 There should be no members on earth to be crucified as it is Col. 3.5 No old man to be put off no corruption no deceitfull lusts in us to bee abated as we are charged Eph. 4.22 23. No fleshly lusts in us which warreth against the soul as 1 Pet. 2.11 No weight no sin that doth so easily beset us to be laid aside by the regenerated and justified who are to run their race with patience contrary to the Spirit of God speaking the contrary Heb. 12.1 2. Yea there shall be no originall sin remaining in the justified person which can be named sin nothing in them lusting against the spirit nothing to be mortified crucified resisted nothing to â—e work for the grace of God nothing to be a field and plat of ground to be laboured on by the spirit by faith nothing to be the seed and rise of humiliation the sinner may go to heaven and be nothing in Christs debt to help him against indwelling sin for that ghuest is so taken away as money that was in a place and is every penny really removed to another place yea it s a flat contradiction say Antinomians to be a pardoned soul and yet to have sin dwelling in the soul. Positi 2. The guilt of sin and sin it self are not one and the same thing but far different things that I may prove the point let the tearms be considered There be two things in sin very considerable 1. Macula the blot defilement and blacknesse of sin which I conceive is nothing but the absence and privation of that moralâ— rectitude the want of that whitenesse innocencie and righteousnesse which the holy and clean Law of the Lord requireth to be in the actions inclinations powers of the soul of a reasonable creature 2. There is the guilt of sin that is somewhat which issueth from this blot and blacknesse of sin according to which the person is liable and obnoxious to eternall punishment this is the debt of sin the Law-obligation to satisfaction passive for sin just as there be two things in debt so these two are in sin for when a man borroweth money and profusely and lavishly spendeth it this is unjustice against his brother in matter of his goods and a breach of the eighth Commandment Again this breach in relation to policie to the Magistrate and the Law of the land putteth this broken man under another relation that he is formally a debter and so it is just that he either pay the money or suffer for this act of unjustice and satisfie the Law of the fifth Commandment which is that he satisfie the Law and the Magistrate the publike Father tutor of a wronged and oppressed brother Now here be two things in debt 1. An unjust thing a hurting of our brother in his goods this is a blot and a thing privatively contrary to justice 2. A just thing a guilt a just debt according to which it is most just that the broken man either pay or suffer Now these two as all contraries do Faciunt numerum they make a number as just and unjust must be two things and two contrary things I know there be cavils and subtilties of School-men touching the blot or Macula peccati and Reatus the guilt of sin but this is the naked truth which I have declared Some say the blot of sin is that uncleannesse of sin which is washed away by the blood of the Lord Jesus and this is nothing but the very guilt of sin which is wholly removed in Justification But I easily answer The blot of sin hath divers relations and these contrary one to another As 1. There is the blot of sin in relation to the holy Law as it is a privation of the rectitude and holinesse that the spirituall Law requireth and it is formally sin and not the guilt of sin in which consideration as nothing removeth blindnesse but seeing eyes or deafnesâ—e but hearing ears so nothing formally removeth sin but only the perfect habit of accomplished sanctification and so the blot of sin Macula is not that which is formally removed in justification but only in perfected sanctification 2. The blot of sin in relation to God as offended and injured putteth on the habit of guilt and so it is washed away in the Fountain opened to the house of David and formally removed in justification but now it is not formally considered as sin but according to that which is accidentall in sin to wit obligation to punishment which may be and is removed from sin the true essence and nature of sin being saved whole and intire Hence sin hath divers considerations 1. As sin is contrary to the righteousnesse and holinesse of the Law it is formally sin and this essentiall form and life
him be hated of Christ if that were possible Heaven should be Hell Imagine devils were standing with their black chains of darknesse even up in the Heaven of Heavens and the Plague of being hated of Christ on their soul and that they could see him that sitteth on the Throne and somewhat of the Rayes and Beames of that fulness of God that is in Christ yet should Devils still be Devils they wanting Christ the heaven of Angels and glorified men What a flower What a Rose of love and light must CHRIST be who filleth with smell light beautie the four sides East and West South and North of the Heaven of Heavens and his glory Suppose in the hour of our last farewell to time all creatures void of Reason Heavens Stars Light Air Earth Sea dry Land Birds Fishes Beasts were in a capacity to love us and they with Men and Angels should let out upon us the fulnesse yea the Sea of all their love as it s a sweet thing to be lovely and desireable to many yet this were nothing to him who is Cant. 5.16 All desires or all loves So Vatablus rendereth it Christus est totus desideria He is a Masse of love and love it self lovely in the womb the ancient of dayes became young for me lovely in the Crosse even when despised and numbred with theeves lovely in the grave lovely at the right hand of God lovely in his second appearance in glory yea all desirable Cant. 6.10 his countenance white and ruddy 11. his head a golden head his headship and government desirable his locks bushie and black his counsels deep various unsearchable his eyes as Doves chaste pure and can behold no iniquity his cheeks or two sides of his face as a bed of spice and sweet smelling flowers his face manly comely as Lebanon his lips like Lillies dropping sweet smelling Myrrhe his Gospel smelleth of heaven his hands pure his works holy fair as Gold-rings set with Beril his belly or breast and bowels as bright Yvory overlaid with Saphires that is his breast and belly that containeth his bowels his heart and affections are as Yvory bright and glorious and Yvory overlaid covered and adorned with Saphires that are precious stones of a sea-blue and heavenly colour because his bowels and inward affections are full of love tendernesse of mercy and the compassion of his heart most heavenly his legs are pillars of marble set upon sockets of fine gold his wayes and government like marble-pillars upright white pure and set on gold solid firm stable that Christ cannot slip or fall his Scepter a Scepter of righteousnesse and his Kingdom eternall and cannot be shaken his countenance as the mountain Lebanon his person eminent goodly high great tall fruitfull as Cedars his mouth most sweet his words and testimonies as honey or the honey comb yea â—ll creatures are weak and Christ strong all â—â—se he precious all empty he full all black â—e fair all foolish and vain he wise and the â—â—ly Counseller deep in his counsels and wayes The speciall Evangelick sin that we are guilty of is unbelief Joh. 16.9 and this floweth from a low estimation that we have of Christ and therefore these considerations are to be weighed in our estimation of Christ. 1. The wisdom or folly of any man is most seen in the estimative faculty for it denominateth a man wise many are great Judges and learned as the Magicians of Chaldea and Philosophers who know wonders hidden things and causes of things and yet are not wise but fools Rom. 1.21 and vain in their imaginations because there is a great defect in their estimative faculty in the choice of a God ver 22.23 the practicall mind is blinded and they chuse darknesse for light evill for good a creature for their God By faith Moses when he was come to age refused to be called the son of Pharaohs daughter and chose rather to suffer affliction with the people of God then to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season And how is his faith made faith And how is it evident that he was not a raw ignorant and foolish childe when he made the choise But a man ripe come to years and so as wise as he was old It is proved because his estimative faculty was right v. 26. Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches then the treasures of Egypt He is a wise man who maketh a wise choise and for thiâ— cause Esau is called Heb. 12.26 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a profane man from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 confudit he had not wiseâ—dom to put a difference between the excellency of the birth-right and a morsell of meat so Ezech. 22.8 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to confound Gods Sabbath with another day A profane wicked man hath not wisdome to esteem God and Christ above the creature but confoundeth the one with the other 2. Our esteem of Christ is to be pure chaste spirituall and so to work purely that is the formall reason why we esteem of Christ must be because he is Christ and not because Summer goeth with Christ nay not because he comforteth but because he is God the Redeemer and Mediatour it s a chaste love and a chaste esteem if the wife chuse to love her husband because he is her husband as the sense esteemeth white to be white under the notion of such a colour The operation of every faculty is most pure and kindly when it is carried toward its object according to its formall reason without any mixture of other respects extraneous and by-reasons are more whorish lesse con-naturall not so chaste there is some wax in our honey and this we should take heed unto the elective power is a tender piece of the soul. 3. Estimation produceth love even the love of Christ and love is a great Favourite and is much at Court and dwelleth constantly with the King to be much with Christ especially in secret late and early and to give much time to converse with Christ speaketh much love and the love of Christ is of the same bignesse and quantity with Grace for Grace and Love keep proportion one with another 4. He who duely esteemeth Christ is a noble bidder and so a noble and liberall buyer he outbiddeth Esau. What is pottage to Christ He overbiddeth Iudas What is silver to Christ Yea 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all things is the greatest count can be cast up for it includeth all prices all summes it taketh in heaven as its a created thing Then all things the vast and huge Globle and Cirle of the capacious world and all excellencies within its bosome or belly nations all nations Angels all Angels Gold all Gold Jewels all Jewels Honour and delights all honour all delights and every all beside lieth before Christ as feathers dung shadows nothing To wash a sinner is the eminencie of love and the highest esteem of him But O what a mercy that Christ should
minimum quod sic the lowest measure or grain of saving Grace and its saving Grace a drop of dew is water no lesse then the great Globe and Sphere of the whole element of water is water a glimmering of morn-dawning light is light and of the same nature with the noon-light that is in the great body of the Sun the motion of a childe newly formed in the belly is an act of life no lesse then the walking and breathing of a man of thirty years of age in his flower and highest vigour of life the first stirrings of the new birth are the workings and operations of the holy Ghost and the love of God even now shed abroad in our hearts by the holy Ghost shall remaine the same in nature with us in heaven 1 Cor. 13.8 9 10. 2. Christ doth own the bruised reed and the smoaking flax so far forth as not to crush the one nor to quench the other and can with tender cautelousnesse of compassion stoop and with his arm go between the lambe on the margin and brink of Hell as to save it from falling down headlong over the brow of the Mountain he Ps. 147.3 Healeth the broken in heart and as a Chyrurgion so Vatablus expoundeth it bindeth up their wounds and putteth the broken bones in their native place again and whereas young ones are easily affrighted yea and distracted with fear when sudden cryes and hideous War-shouts surpriseth them Christ affrighteth not weak consciences with shouts to put poor tender souls out of their wits with the shouts of Armies of the terrours of Hell in the conscience yea Isa. 42.2 The meek Lord Jesus shall not cry nor lift up a shout nor cause his voice be heard in the street O what bowels What stirrings and boylings and wrestlings of a pained heart touched with sorrow are in Christ Jesus When he saw the people scattered as sheep having no sheapherd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He was bowelled in heart his bowels were moved with compassion for them O how sweet That thy sinfull weaknesse should be sorrow and pain to the bowels heart of Jesus Christ so as infirmity is your sin and Christs pitty and compassion can the Father see the childe sweat wrestle under an over-load while his back be near broken and he cry I am gone and his bowels not be moved to pitty and his hands not stretched out to help Were not the bowels and heart of that Mother made of a piece of the nether Milstone had she not sucked the Milk and breasts of a Tyger and seemed rather to be the Whelp of a Lyon then a woman who should see her young childe drowned and wrestling with the water and crying for her help and yet she should not stir nor be moved in heart nor run to help This is but a shadow of the compassion that is in that heart dwelling in a body personally united to the blessed Godhead in Jesus Christ. We should have tender hearts toward weak ones considering 1. That Christ cannot disinherit a son for weaknesse 2. Love is not broken with a straw or a little infirmity 3. All the vessels of Christs house are not of one size 4. Some mens infirmities are as transparant Christall easily seen through others have infirmities under their garments 5. We shal see many in heaven whom we judged to be cast-awayes while they lived with us on earth 6. Many go to Heaven with you and you hear not the sound of their feet in their journey SERMON XXI Then Iesus answered and said unto her O Woman great is thy Faith c. THis is the last passage of the Text containing a commendation of the Woman given to her by Christ in her face 2. An answer according to her desire 3. The effect of her praying with instancy and pressing importunity of Faith The Devil is cast out of her Daughter Christ acknowledgeth here That Instancy of praying in Faith will overcome God and Satan and all the saddest Temptations that can befall the Childe of God Hence observe what acts of efficacious power instant and earnest praier putteth forth upon God and how the clay-creature doth work upon and prevail with the great Potter and former of all things 1. Prayer is a Messenger and a swift and winged post dispatched up to Court Psal. 5.3 David sent away this post early in the morning with morning wings My voice shalt thou hear in the morning The post is himself for the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will addresse my person as in battle array Iob 33.5 Set thy self in order before me and stand up saith Elihu to Iob. Or I will addresse my words Iob 32.14 Now he hath not directed his words against me the Seventy render it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and David sent himself to Heaven not only as a post but as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aâ—sappeh soundeth I will look up or espie as one that keepeth watch and ward waiting for an answer from God as the word is Habbak 2.1 and Psal. 18.6 In my distresse I called upon the Lord and my cry came before him even into his ears 2. Prayer putteth a challenge upon God for his Covenants sake and his Promise that is greater boldnesse then to speak to God and wait on Isa. 63.18 Our Adversaries have troden down thy Sanctuary 19. We are thine thou never barest rule over them they were not called by thy Name Lam. 2.20 Behold O Lord and consider to whom thou hast done this Isa. 63.17 O Lord why hast thou made us to erre from thy wayes And hardened out heart from thy fear Return for thy servants sake the Tribes of thine inheritance Hence is there an holy chiding with God Psal. 22.2 O my God I â—ry in the day time and thou hearest not and in the night season and am not silent Psal. 13.1 How long wilt thou forget me O Lord for ever How long wilt thou hide thy face from me 3. It putteth God to great straights and suffering even to the moving of his soul Jer. 31. When God heareth Ephraim bemoaning himself in Prayer it putteth God to a sort of pinch and condolency ver 20. Is Ephraim my dear son Is he my pleasant Childe For since I â—ake against him I do earnestly remember him â—ill therefore my bowels are troubled for him 〈◊〉 Isaac an earthly Father moved and his heart â—ent and torn with the weeping and tears of Esaâ— his son so as he must confer some blessing upon him far more must the bowels of our father infinite in mercy be turned within him at the weeping and tears of a praying and crying Church 4. When God seemeth to sleep in regard that his work and the wheels of his providence are at a stand prayer awaketh God and putteth him on action Psal. 7.6 Arise O Lord in thine anger lift up thy self because of the rage of mine enemies awake for the judgement thou hast commanded Psal. 44.23 Awake Why sleepest
Grace every way free to Saul humbled and so having only half a thirst and desire of Christ then if he were yet in the feaver of his highest blasphemie thirsting after the blood of the Saints 4. Yet are the Saints thus prepared and humbled but not converted Materially Physically or as it were passively nearer Christ and in relation to Gods Eternall Election of Grace who maketh this a step relative to his Eternall love they are under the reach of Christs love and at the Elbow of the right arm of the Father who draweth souls to the son Joh. 6.44 And in the Gospel-bounds and fields or lists of Free-grace as the height and rage of a feaver is near a cool and a return to health and yet most contrary to health and the utmost flowing of the sea when it s at the remotest score of the coast is a disposition to an ebbing though most contrary to a low ebbe so are the humbled souls who have some lame and mained estimative power of light to put half a price on Christ and finds apprehended sin the mouth throat and out entry of hell in that case most contrary to Christ. A fish within that circle of the water that the net casteth is no lesse living in its own element of water then if it were in the bosome of the Ocean some hundreth miles distant from fisher or net yet is it in a near disposition to be catched For grounds of Faith to lead us on to beleeving Consider 1. two words Col. 1.27 spoken of the object of Faith 1. It s named The riches of the glory of this mystery amongst the Gentiles 2. Which is saith Paul Christ in you the hope of glory Now Faith leadeth us to a Mystery that none knoweth but such as are the intimate friends of Christ and are put upon all Christs secret Cabinet-Counsels 2. Glory is so taking a lover that it will deprive a naturall man of his sleep but the Glory of a Kingdome revealed in the Gospel is the flower marrow and spirits of all glory imaginable 3. What is riches of glory Eph. 3.8 That I should preach 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the gold mine of the riches of the glory of Christ so deep that none can finde them out and so large that when they are found out Men and Angels shall not finde their bottome O what foldings and turnings and inextricable windings or glory are lapped up in Christ Yea. Treasures all Treasures are in him Col. 2.3 So it is called 2 Cor. 4.17 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a weight of glory But 2. a weight Eternall a weight aged and full of ages of glory 3. An exceeding great weight and not that only But 4. a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory no Oratour in the Greek Tongue hath any so superlative expression 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Do but weigh how weighty precious Jesus Christ is how heavy how massie and ponderous the Crown is and what millions of Diamonds Rubies Saphires and precious Stones do shine and cast out rayes and beams of pure and unmixed Glory out of his Crown What smiles and kisses breathing out Glory on thy now sinfull face shall come out of Christ. Now the light of Faith even as a lantern or a day-star in a cloudy dawning leadeth thee up to this 2. Christ in you the hope of glory How in them By Faith Eph. 3.17 Christ the hope of glory is Christ the glory hoped for by a figure that is Faith putteth Christ and Heaven in you by hope So in the believer there is Christ the Lamb the Throne the glorified Angels and sinlesse and blessed Musitians that stand in a circle about the Throne praising him that liveth for ever All these are in the believer by Faith and in him is Heaven the Tree of Life the higher Paradice the river of water of life unto all these Faith intituleth the Soul and they be all nothing to Christ the hope of Glory Even the only begotten Son and Heir of a King is called the hope of his house the only hope of his house but in regard the Heires of mortall Kings are mortall the house is weak and standeth but upon one foot when he hath but one mortall Heir Now it s the infinite perfection of God that he can have but one Son who is infinite and the same Eternall and Immortall God with the Father and that he cannot die So Christ standeth the only hope of the house of Heaven a King by hope the King of hope and all hope of the Captives and Sons of hope and all the Glory of his Fathers house hangeth upon him Christ hath all the Heirs upon his shoulder and Faith investeth the believer to all this power and Glory 2. Faith must be so much the more precious that it layeth hold for its possession on God and on the Garland Marrow if any comparison here can stand and Flower of all Gods attributes the Righteousnesse of Christ. 2. The Free-grace of God the most taking heart-ravishing attribute in God and most suitable to our sinfull condition 3. The high and deep love of God and love which dwelleth in and with the noble and excellent blood that satisfieth infinite Justice There is no such Glory by any act of obedience tendered to God by Adam in his innocent condition or by Angels which never sinned 3. There is as great a necessity of Faith as of Life for the justified man must live by faith There 's no Grace so Catholick it being of necessity interwoven in all our actions as they fall under morall consideration not only in supernaturall actions but also in all our naturall and civil actions in so far as they must be spiritualized in relation to Gods honour 1 Cor. 10.31 So as Joshuah Baruch Sampson David did fight Battels kill men subdue Kingdoms by Faith Heb. 11.32 33. So must the Souldier now fight by that same Faith and so are the Saints to eat drink sleep journey buy sell by Faith We are not to put on Faith as a Cloak or an upper Garment when we go to the streets Fields or Church and then lay it aside in the house at Table or in bed yea the renewed man is not to eat and sleep because the light of reason and the Law of nature teacheth him so to do or the convenience of a calling for then all those actions shall be resolved in the same principles and formall reason of morall performance of them in the believer as in the Carnall man in whom a naturall spirit is stirsman and then we do but in these actions Walk in the light of our own fire and the sparks that we our selves have kindled and shall not see to go to bed but lye down in sorrow Isaiah 50.11 But we are to set Faith as the Plummet and line to Regulate these actions to doe them 1. Because hee who hath bought us with a price commandeth us by the light of
Psal. 146.3 4. For that horse shall faint and fall to clay God alloweth Scotland to help England but will not have the souls of his children in England to ride upon an Army of another Nation and to trust in them for salvation To make fire is not so proper to fire To give light not so kindly to the Sun as salvation is Gods only due and therefore let England in this walk on foot and trust in the Lord. 5. The fifth ingredient also in Faith is that it s bottomed upon the sense and pain of a lost condition Poverty is the nearest capacity of believing This is Faiths method Be condemned and be saved Be hanged and be pardoned Be sick and be healed Mat. 9.13 Jam. 4.7 8. Mat. 11.28 Luke 19.10 Faith is a floor of Christs only planting yet it groweth out of no soil but out of the margin and bank of the lake of fire and brimstone in regard there be none so fit for Christ and Heaven as those who are self-sick and self-condemned to Hell This is a foundation to Christ that because the man is broken and has not bread therefore he must be sold and Christ must buy him and take him home to his fireside and clothe him and feed him The chased man pursued upon death and life who hath not a way for life but one nick of a rock if he misse that he is a dead man had he a hundred lives So is the believer pursued for blood there is but one City of refuge in Heaven or out of Heaven this is only only Jesus Christ the great rock And it is true it s in a manner forced Faith and forced love cast upon Christ upon a great venture yet we may make necessity here the greatest vertue or the highest grace and that is to come to Christ. Satan doth but ride upon the weaknesse of many proving that they are not worthy of Christ which is the way of a Sophist to prove an evident truth that cannot be denied But there 's no greater vantage can be had against Sin and Satan then this because I am unworthy of Christ and out of measure sinfull and I finde it is so Satan and conscience teaching me that truth to bring me on a false conclusion therefore ought I therefore must I come to Christ unworthy as I am For free-grace is moved from within it self from Gods good will only without any motion or action from sin to put it self forth upon the sinner to the end that sin being exceeding sinfull Grace may be abundantly Grace and no thanks to Satan for suggesting a true principle Thou art unworthy of Christ to promove a false conclusion Therefore thou art not to come to Christ for the contrary arguing is Gospel-logick Satans reasoning should be good if there were no way but the law to give life But because there is a Saviour a Gospel and a new and living way to Heaven The contrary arguing is the sinners life and happinesse 6. The sixt Ingredient in Faith is that the sinner can lay hold on the Promise 1. Not simply but with relation to the precept for presumptuous souls plunge in their foul souls in fair and precious promises and this is the Faith of Antinomians for the promise is not holden forth to sinners as sinners but as to such sinners for we make Faith to be an act of a sinner humbled wearied laden poor self-condemned now these be not all sinners but only some kinde of sinners Antinomians make faith an act of a lofty Pharisee of one vilde person applying with an immediate touch immediato contactu his hot boiling smoking lusts to Christs wounds blood merits without any conscience of a precedent Commandement that the person thus beleeving should be humbled wearied loaden grieved for sin I confess this is hasty hot work and maketh Faith a stride or one single step but it s a wanton fleshly and a presumptuous immediate work to lay hold on the promises of mercy and be saved This is the absolute and loose Faith that Papists and Arminians slandereth our Doctrine withall because we reject all foregoing merits good works congruous dispositions preparations moving God to convert this man because he hath such preparations and to reject and to leave another man to his own hardnesse of heart because he hath no such payment in hand by which he may redeem and buy conversion and the grace of Effectuall calling especially they building all upon a Babel of their own brick and clay that free-will in all acts of obedience before or after conversion is absolutely indifferent to do or not do to obey or not obey to choose Heaven and life hell or death as it pleaseth as being free and loosed from all Praedetermination and fore-going motion acting or bowing of the will comming either from Gods naturall or his efficacious or supernaturall Providence And so the Papist and Arminian on the one extremity inthroneth nature and extolleth proud merit and abaseth Christ and Free-grace The Familist Libertine and Antinomian on a contrary extremity and opposition turn man into a block and make him a meer patient in the way to Heaven and under pretence of exalting Christ and Free-grace set up the flesh liberty licence loosenesse on the throne and make the way to heaven on the other extremity as broad as to comply with all presumptuous proud fleshly men walking after their lusts and yet as they dream believing in Christ. 2. The soul seeth Christ in all his beauty excellency treasures of Free-grace lapped up with the curtain of many precious promises now the naturall man knowing the literall meaning and sense of the promises seeth in them but words of gold and things a far off and in truth taketh heaven to be a beautifull and golden phancy and the Gospel-promises a shower of pretious Rubies Saphirs Diamonds fallen out of the clouds only in a night dream and therefore jeers and scoffs at the day of judgment and at heaven and hell 2 Pet. 3.1 2 3. For can every capacity smell and taste the unsearchable riches of Christ the fulnesse of God in the womb of the promises by meditating on them and sending them in their sweetnesse and heavenly excellency down to the affections to embrace them No it cannot be that words and sounds and syllables can so work upon a natural spirit If you show not to a buyer pretious and rare commodities and bring them not before the sun he shall never be taken so with things hidden in your coffers as to be in love with them and to sell all he hath and buy them Preachers cannot nay it s not in their power to make the natural spirit see the beauty of Christ Paul Preacheth it but the Gospel is hidden from the blinded man 2 Cor. 4.3 If I cannot Communicate light far lesse can I infuse love in the soul of a lost man 3. Literall knowledge of Christ is not in the power of naturall men but laying down
do act in Faith a float especially because a strong faith is a great vessel and therefore more of Christs tide is required for weighing Anchor and lancing forth The wings of a Sparrow should not raise an Eagle off the earth the limbs of a Pismire could not suit with a Horse or an Eliphant there is need of a strong winged soul to believe especially against hope 4. To believe Christ when midnight speaketh blacknesse of wrath requireth eyes and light of miracles yea it s a greater work then the very miracles of Christ Iohn 14.12 But especially when Christ is absent it s with the soul as with a clock in which the wheels are broken the passes or weights are fallen down Obj. 1. But I aim and endeavour to believe but can do nothing and without his grace my violence to heaven is without fruit Ans. 1. It s true the Semipelagians halfing of the work of believing and the glory of it between co operating grace and will as if nature could divide the spoil with the grace of Christ is damnable pride but its Gods way to half the work between Christ within in regard of the habit of grace and Christ without in regard of the assisting grace of God Luke 15.20 While he was yet a great way off his father saw him and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him Christ rewardeth not natures aims with grace nor doth he make gifts the work and grace the hire or natures labour the race and grace the Garland but he rewardeth grace with grace and that of meer grace Joh. 15.3 He hath in his Decree and Promise marshalled such and such acts of grace to stand beside others and that by Covenant and therefore believe that you may believe pray that you may pray Obj. 2. But who can act saving grace without the blowing of saving grace I can no more do it then I can command the West wind to blow when I list Ans. I grant all nor do I speak this to insinuate that Free-will sitteth at the helm or that Grace sleepeth and Will waketh the contrary is an evident truth yet give me leave to say there 's ods between blowing of the winde and making ready the sails Though Sea-men cannot make wind nor is it their fault to want wind yet can they prepare the Sailes and hoise them up to welcome the wind we cannot create the breathings of the spirit yet are we to misse these breathings and this is a fitting of the Sails and we are to join with the spirits breathings Christ bindeth up the winds in his garment so as if one look of faith or halfe a spirituall groane should ransom me from hell I have it not in stock therefore hath God ordered such a dispensation that in all stirrings of grace the first spring Principium motus the fountain-rise of calling Jesus Lord shall be up in Heaven at the right hand of the Father and the farre end of any gracious thought is as far above me as the heart of Christ who is in the Heaven of Heavens is above the earth though ye think nothing of it and better Christ be my Steward and that the Gospel be at the end of all acts of grace as that Christ be Free wills debtor More reason Christ be Creditor then debtor to his Redeemed ones 2. I know the childe of God may be so far forth lazie as that its his fault that the winde bloweth not if we speak of a morall cause 3. It s his part to joyne with the working of assisting grace Col. 1.29 Whereunto I also labour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 striving according to his working which worketh in me mightily The Lord hath by free promise laid holy bands on himself to give predeterminating grace to his own children to persevere to the end and to prevent Apostacy and hainous sins inconsistent with saving faith 1 Cor. 1.8 Jude v. 24. Ier. 32.39 40 41. Isa. 54.10 Isa. 59.21.22 Luk. 2◠32 1 Ioh. 2.1.2 Yet so as he hath reserved a liberty to himself to co-operate with them in particular acts as it shall be their sin not his withdrawing of Grace that maketh them guilty to the end we may know we are in Graces debt in all good and supernaturall Acts so 2 Chron. 32.31 Ezechiah was tried of God in the businesse of the King of Babylons Ambassadors that the King might see that he could not walk to heaven on clay legs or by his own strength and the reason is clear God cannot make a Promise of contributing this bowing and predeterminating Grace but in a way suitable to Free-grace For God cannot change Grace unto naturall debt it remaining grace for so it should be Grace no Grace which is a contradiction 2. The Lord hath reserved liberty to himself in this promise that in this or this particular Act the omission whereof may consist with perseverance in Grace he may contribute his influence of Grace or not contribute it so David hath not actuall Grace at his will and nod to eschew adultery and murther as he pleaseth nor Peter to decline an evill hour when he shall be tempted to forswear his Saviour Christ nor hath Heman in his hand Psal. 88. nor the deserted Church power Psal. 77. to pray and believe and rejoice in the salvation of God at the disposition of Free-will But the key is up in the hands of the Kingly Intercessor At the right hand of the Father that must open the heart it s far to fetch as far as the Heaven of heavens to make winde and sailing to Christ-ward therefore 3. Seasons of Acts of Grace to believe to walk in any warmnesse of love to Christ and his members are fruits of Royall Liberty and Free-Grace who hath the key of the house of wine to stay the soul with the Flaggons and Apples of love Certainly it is the King himself that taketh the Spouse into His banqueting House Cant 2.4 And yet so as the omission of all supernaturall duties yea our lazinesse in the manner of doing our failings and sins are imputed to our selves and not to the not blowing of the wind of the holy spirit nor to the want of the efficacious motion of the spirit as Libertines teach with Arminians For we so sin through the want of the motions of efficacious Grace as through the want of a Physicall not of a morall cause and so as we are most willing to want that influence and so are guilty before the Lord God hath reasons strong and convincing why he worketh thus 1. It setteth not Grace to work by ingagement the spirit of the living creatures is within every wheel of Christ that it must move from an inward principle the motion of saving Grace is Christs heart wheeled about by it self and by no forraigne cause without it self Love worketh as Love without bud or bribe from Men or Angels Grace is both wages and work the race and the gold to it self 2.
God delights to have men and Angels his debtors Grace holdeth an open and a free Inne with all the dainties that Christ can make to all comers and goers for nothing but thanks and heartily welcome Grace maketh no gain of my work The sweating of Angels and of the Thousand Thousands that sing up the glory of Christ before the high Throne is no income to Christs Rent Grace should not be Grace if it could Traffique or buy or sell with a creature Angels and men stand in the Books of Free-grace for Millions of borrowed summes Christs blood and deep love may be praised but never recompenced Christs love hath filled this world and the new Paradice with debtors and Angels can neither read nor sum nor cast up the Accompts of Free-grace 3. That we cannot be masters of one good act without his preventing Grace evidenceth what nature is and maketh Grace both my staffe and my convey in at Heavens Gates Nature and Free-will must stoop and do homage to CHRIST There 's a Glory active and a Glory passive as there 's also Grace active and passive Free-will is active under Grace and passive also therefore Grace and Mercy is to the Saints and upon the Saints Nature emptieth its lamp upon the golden pipe the rich Grace of the Mediatour and Free-will moveth and runneth but not but as moved driven and breathed upon by Free-grace But as concerning Glory it hath a more eminent and noble relation Glory shall be on the Saints as a garment as a Crown for they shall be glorified But no Glory to the Saints but only only to the Lamb to the flower of the Glory of Glory Jesus the Celebrious Eminent most high and adored Prince of the Kings of the earth and therefore there 's room and place left for sin and shame to Free-will in the busines of praedeterminating grace that nature can but sigh and sin and Grace sing and be spotlesse and innocent Christ so draweth as we sin in not being drawen Christ so taketh and allureth that it is our guilt that we are not taken and overcome with the smell of the Kings Oyntments So is sin the field out of which springeth the Rose the flower of free and unhired Grace sin must go with us as near to heaven as to the threshold of the gates that the sinner may halt and crook when he moveth his foot on the threshold stone of Glory that so pardoning Grace may enter the new City with us 4. The Lord will have us take to heaven with us a Book of the Psalmes and Praises of Grace that in that land we may extol and advance Free-grace and may hold the Book in our hand all the way and sigh and weep and sing and adore the Saviour of Free-grace and may take Graces bill in our hand into Heaven with us O how sweet to be Graces drowned and over burdened Debtor It s good here to borrow much and professe inability for Eternity to pay that heaven may be a house full of broken men who have borrowed Millions from Christ but can never repay more then to read and sing the praises of Graces free bill and say Glory Glory to the Lamb that sitteth on the Throne for evermore praising for ever in heaven must be in liew of paying debt 1. God is not behinde nor wanting to the gracious soul for there 's a promise of Grace here 2. There is an intercession at hand and that more mighty now then at Christs first ascension and shall be more mighty when all Israel shall be converted There is a stirring required in a gracious spirit but with sense of natures weaknesse so as he is to arise and be doing and the Lord shall be with him and he is so to blow upon the coals as if he could do his alone though not without the Faith of Dependance upon an immediate acting from Heaven Object 3. But then Adam yet sinlesse was to believe weaknesse and sin in himself before he sinned Ans. Not so but he was to have that which by Analogie answereth to sense of sin that is a sinlesse consciousness and solicitude that if God should withdraw his stirring and predeterminating influence of corroborating him to will and to do you may call it Grace he should fall and that legs in Paradice without actuall assistance could not actu secundo bear the bulk and weight of Adams connaturall and constant walking with God that Adam might know before he was a debtor to justice that he had need of mercy or the free goodnesse of a surety such as Jesus Christ to prevent debt no lâ—sse then to pay debt even as Angels are debtors to Christ their head for Redemption from all possible sinnes no lesse then we are though the degrees of altitude of Grace varieth much the obliged underlings of such a bountifull Landlord for Repemption from actuall misery 3. That is a great Faith that is not broken with a Temptation But 1. taketh strength from a Temptation as some run more swiftly after a fall that they may recompence their losse of time and that is great Faith that argueth from a Temptation as this woman doth 2. That is Jobs great Faith chap. 2.3 That he still holdeth fast his integrity the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hazak is to hold with strength and power He keepeth fast and with violence his innocency and Faith maketh him stronger then he was the word is used Psal. 147.13 For making stronger the Bars of Ports And its Jobs praise chap. 1.22 In all this Job sinned not nor charged God with folly 3. It s a strong faith in this Woman that in a manner Conquers Omnipotency by believing yea Satan Winds Fire from Heaven Wife Sabeans yea apprehended wrath cannot prevail with Job to subdue his Faith in all he standeth by this Job 15.13 Though the Lord should slay me I le trust in him It s great Faith to be at holding and drawing with God and yet believe and pray Hos 12.3 Gen. 32.26 And not let the Lord alone nor give him any rest Isa. 62.6 7. till he answer as suppose thy prayers were never heard and the Acts of believing were but Darts thrown at Heaven and the Throne without any effect yet because Prayer and believing are acts of honouring God though they never benefit thee it argueth strong grace and so great Faith that it can be said there be ten years twenty years of reiterated Acts of Faith and prayers of such a man lying up before the Throne yea in Christ the high Priests bosome Let God make of my faith what he will yet am I to believe continued believing is Christs due though it should never be to me gain of comfort or successe that is a weak man who is thrown down on his back with a blast of wind or made to stagger with the cast of a straw or a feather The temporary faith is in this seen to be soft that its broken
is an Argument of great Faith Isa. 28.16 He that beleeveth shall not make hast he shall not be confounded with shame so the 70. traslateth it and Paul after them Rom. 9.33 As those that fleeth from the enemy out of hastinesse procured by base fear which is a shame I dare not say that the 70. readeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 festinet insted of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 confundatur but it proveth believing a valorous keeping the field without flying so continued waiting on God to be of kin to believing and the longer the thred of hope be though it were seventy years long as Hab. 2.1.2 or though it were as long as a cable going between the earth and the heaven up within the vail Heb. 6.19 the stronger the faith must be unbelief not being chained to Christ leapeth over board at first as the wicked King said in the â—â—st of unbelief 2 King 6.33 What should I wait any longer on the Lord Faith is a grace for winâ—er to give God leisure to bring Summer in his own season the reasons of our weaknes be two 〈◊〉 We see Israel their dough on their shoulders wearied and tired lately come out of the 〈◊〉 Furnace wandring without one foot of â—eritage fourty years in the wildernesse and four hundred years in Egypt Act. 7.6 This â—â—keth like poverty to believe the other myâ—â—ery in the other side or Page of Providence 〈◊〉 Glory of dividing the Red-Sea and of giving seven mighty Nations to his people and their buildings lands vineyards Gardens is a strong Faith 2. The furnace is a thing void of reason and art and so knoweth little that by it the Goldsmith maketh an excellent and comely vessell of Gold It s great Faith to believe that God by crooked instruments and fire and sword shall refine a Church and erect a glorious building and these Malignant instruments are as ignorant of the Art of divine Providence as coals and fuell are of the Art and intention of the Gold-Smith Mic. 4.12 Isa. 10.5 6 7. The Ax and the Saw knoweth nothing of Art nor the Sword any thing of Justice Prelates Papists Malignants in the three Kingdomes understand nothing of Gods deep counsell upon themselves in that God by a fire of their kindling is burning themselves and taking away the Tin and Brasse and reprobate mettall and refining the Spouse of Christ they serve a great service but know not the master of the work 11. An humble Faith such as was in this woman is a great Faith the more sins that are pardoned as it inferreth the more love to Christ Luk. 7.47 So the unworthier a soul is in it self to believe pardon in Christ argueth the greater Faith it must be a greater Faith to believe thâ— pardon of ten thousand talents then to believâ— the forgivenesse of five hundred pence Christ esteemeth it the greatest faith in Israel thaâ— the Centurion abaseth himself as one unworthy to come under one roof with him and that he exalteth Christ in his omnipotency to believe that he can command all diseases at his nod Math. 8.8 9 10. 12. A strong desire of a communion with Christ is an Argument of a strong Faith Rev. 22.20 Surely I come 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Quickly faith answereth with a hearty desire Amen even so Come Lord Jesus and 2 Pet. 3.12 These two are conjoined the one is a word of Faith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Looking for the other a word of earnest desire 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hastning after Stepha votis accelerantes the coming of the day of the Lord. Faith desireth an union with Christ and a marriage union The reason is strong Faith cometh from strong love and strong love and strong coals of desiring to be dissolved and to be with Christ Phil. 1.23 Burneth in at Heavens door love-sicknesse for glory goeth as high as the lowest step of the Throne that the Lamb Christ sitteth on and its faith and love together that desireth Christ to mend his pace and saith Cant. 8.14 Make haste my beloved and be as a Roe or a young Hart upon the mountains of spices The fervor of love challengeth time and the slow-moving wheels of yeers and moneths and reckoneth an hour for a day and a day for a yeer Psal. 101.2 O when wilt thou come to me So hope deferred is a child-birth pain and a sicknesse of the soul Prov. 13. 12. Faith with love cannot indure a morrow Faith putteth Christ to posting and leaping over mountains and skipping over hils Cant 2.8 And addeth wings to him to flee more quickly Yet is there a caution here most considerable Faith both walketh leisurely and with leaden feet and moveth swiftly with Eagles wings Faith in regard of love and desire of union with God is swift and hath strong motions for an Union Yea a love-sicknesse to be at the top of the mount to be satiated with a feast of Christs enjoyed face but in regard of a wise assurance that Gods time is fittest it maketh no haste So to wait on and to haste may stand together 2 Pet. 3.10 13. Faith effectuall by or with child of love and good works is a strong Faith 1 Thes. 1.3 Remembering your work of Faith Philem. v. 6. Faith effectuall There be bones in a strong Faith yea sap and life How many Thousands of Apples be there vertually in a Tree that beareth fruit for thirty or fourty years together So it s said of Stephen That he was full of faith and power Act. 6.8 And Barnabas Act 11.24 Full of the Holy Ghost and of Faith What is then a small Faith or a weak Faith is easily known 1. A Faith voyd of all doubting is not a weak Faith Nor yet the strong Faith Antinomians erre many wayes in this point 1. After the revelation of the spirit neither Devill nor sinne can make the soul to doubt say they Yea but the spirit of revelation was in Jeremiah who doubted when he complained Chap. 15. v. 18. to God of God Wilt thou be to me altogether as a liar and as waters that fail Chap. 20.7 8 9. v. 14.15.16 Job doubted c. 13. v. 14. when he said Wherefore hidest thou thy face and holdest me for thine enemy And Asaph Ps. 73.13 Heman Ps. 88.13 14 15. And the Church 77. Psal. Yet all these were sealed by the spirit unto the day of redemption 2. This is like the foul errour of the Arminians who with Socinians hold that as there be three degrees of believers 1. Some babes 2. Some aged so there is a third sort of truly perfect ones who do not sin from the root of concupiscence the combate between the flesh and the spirit now ceasing only they sin through inadvertence or some errour or over-clouding of their light as Adam and the Angels sinned there being no inward principle of corruption in them Hence some Liberâ—ines say These that are in Christ can no more sin and
love Christ. This truth is in it that in such a pain and sad condition of suffering as the damned are in sin despair or Gods hating of them excepted Saints can believe and love Christ Psal. 22.1 at least desire to have leave to love Christ for the evill of sinne may the evill of punishment cannot quench the love of Christ which is stronger then death then hell Cant. 8.6 7. The soul at the lowest condition is like the man who hath ingaged his lands for so great a sum as may be a Just price to buy the land and so in effect he hath sold the land but with a reversion he keepeth the reversion and so by Law within such a time he may redeem his morgaged inheritance The weakest of believers at his lowest ebbe keepeth the reversion of Christ He may by some grievous sinne be under such a terrible desertion as to put the inheritance of Heaven to a too great hazard of being lost and in appearance and in his own sense and in the sense of many all is gone yet then to say nothing of the invisible chain of Gods unchangeable decree of Election which the strongest armes of Devils and Hell cannot break there is fire under the embers sap and life in the root of the Oak tree God saith of the bud of this Vine tree though the man neither see nor hear it destroy it not for there is a blessing in it As touching the second The Question may be What remaineth for him in this condition to know his condition or what can he do I answer 1. When Christ hath left his bed and is gone he is to keep warm the seat that Christ was in I do not say that the Church Cant. 5.6 was at the lowest ebbe yet a desertion there was and a sad one But in this condition she openeth her heart to Christ I rose up to open to my beloved 2. vers 5. There be some droppings of Myrrhe from her hands some sense of Christ. 3. I called him but he answered me not there remaineth a faculty of praying 4. A love-sicknesse hence it is evident in the lowest and ebbest condition of a fainting faith there is something answerable to this and this is to love the smell of Christ that he hath left behinde him when he himself is gone it is to desire to behold with love and longing the print of his feet the chair of love that he sate in hence though you feel no work of sanctification his seat is kept by some spirituall meditations as to consider what a kinde of love it is that Christ hath bestowed on sinners for that he loved his own before he died for them his love being the cause why he died for them and still after the purchased Redemption he loveth them and intercedeth for them up at the right hand of God and this is as much as to say Christ hath loved you and repenteth not of his love love made him die for you and if it were to do again he would die over again for you Rom. 8.33 34. 1 Tim. 3.16 And suppose we that there were need that CHRIST should die twice or foure times or an hundred or millions of times and that he had ten thousand millions of lives and that our sins should have required that he should first die for one believer and then die again the second time for another and then the third time for another and so that hee must for every severall Elect person have died a severall death Love love should have put him upon all these deaths willingly and therefore if the beleever had ten loves as many loves in one as there be Elected men and Angels all had been too little for Christ and when the believer hath been serving and praising up in the highest Temple as many millions of ages of years or a tract of Eternity answerable to that duration of ages as the number of the sand on all the coasts in earth of all the stars in Heaven of all the flowers hearbs plants leaves of trees that hath been or shall be from the Creation of God to the taking down of the workmanship of Heaven and earth yet shal he be as much in Christs debt for this infinit love when that time is ended as when he first opened his mouth in the first breathing out of praises in the state of glory 2 He may turn over in his minde all the promises and the literall revolution of them in the minde though it be but a deed or act of the understanding and memory may cast fire on the affections in which there resideth a habit of grace though there be no fire in the bellows yet blowing with the bellows may waken up and kindle fire in the hearth where there is little The habit of grace is often as sparks of fire on the hearth under the ashes and may be kindled up and made a fire 3. When Faith is weakest and the soul under a winter and a dead eclipse its fit to keep the heart in a passive frame of receiving of him again as to sorrow for sin and to put to door unrepented sins as when the King goeth abroad sweep the Chamber for his return Missing of Christ longing for his return inquisition for him Watchmen saw ye him Love-sicknesse for him putteth the soul in a sweet passive capacity to receive him again Cant. 3.1 2 3 4 5. 4. When the Church is in bed sleeping yet she is charged to open Cant. 5.2 to weep at the noise of Christs knock when you cannot rise is somewhat a prisoner may stir his legs and cause the iron fetters tinckle though he cannot get out there is some strength when we are bidden Heb. 12.12 Lift up the hands that hang down and the feeble knees Motion will make fire 5. Especially Christ sleepeth least when his childe is in a high feaver Love watcheth then most at the bed side SERMON XXIV THY Faith Faith is so Christs as the fountain and the cause that it is ours as agents moved and acted by Christ. Hence it s a foul errour to say that there 's no inherent Rightoousness in the Saints and no graces in the souls of believers but in Christ only There 's water even the spirit powred on the dry ground Isa. 44.3 Gods spirit put within us Eze. 36.26 27. The spirit of grace and of supplication powred on the house of David Zach. 12.10 A well within the saints springing up to life everlasting Joh. 4.14 The Father and the Son through the operation of Grace take up house in them Jo. 14.23 Such a new stock and plant of Heaven set in them as they have the Anointing dwelling in them 1 Joh. 2.27 The seed of God abiding in them 1 Joh. 3.9 Vnfained faith dwelling in Timothy 2 Tim. 1.5 Grace in them as fire under ashes 2 Tim. 1.6 And a new Divine nature 2 Pet. 1.4 An inward man 2 Cor. 4.16 Col. 1.27 Christ in
sinless reason naturall far above Adam was strong in the acts of the former kinde and moderat in the other especially being a high Priest that marcheth us in naturall passions Heb. 4.15 Even in a Sympathie and having these same passions that we have He weeped over Jerusalem Luk. 19. When they were crying Hosanna to him and occasion of joy furnished to him yet ver 41.42 He wept over the City and spake words of compassion but broken and imprisoned with sighing and sorrow O if thou knew even thou c. Now what compassion must be in him when his affection had such an edge Joseph is nothing to him he having taken a mans heart to go along with the Saints to heaven sighing weeping mourning Tempted in all these as we are but without sin Heb. 4.15 Now though there be no passions as there 's no infirmities in God yet the flower the blossome the excellency of all these are infinitly in God he striketh tryeth and yet pittieth Judg. 10. Israel cryeth to the Lord in their bondage he giveth them a hard answer Go to the Gods saith he that ye have chosen and let them deliver you they still are in bondage and weep upon him v. 16. The Lords soul was grieved Heb. Cut short for the miserie of Israel so Jer. 31. Two evils befall Ephraim one is Gods correcting hand another is bemoaning and sorrow for sin both are trials but how doth God express himself toward Ephraim v. 20. Is Ephraim my dear son Is he a son of consolations so the Hebrew Is he my dainty childe for since I spake against him I do earnestly remember him still therefore my bowels are troubled for him Observe the income of Gods consolations after sad and heavy tryals Isa. 54.11 O thou afflicted tossed with tempest and not comforted behold I will lay thy stones with fair colours and thy foundation with Saphires Isa. 40.1 Comfort ye comfort ye my people saith our God 2. Speak to the heart of Jerusalem and cry to her that her warfare is accomplished There is a violence of heavenly passion in Christs love it will come out at length tempted ones wait on you shall see Christ as Christ in the end of the day Christ is well worthy a dayes weeping and a dayes waiting on compassion strangled and inclosed in Christ must break out it easeth Christs minde that his bowels of mercy findeth a vent pitty kept within Gods bowels to speak so paineth him it must come out Hos. 11.8 Mine heart is turned within me my repentings are kindled together O how rude and inhumane hath sin made our nature His love who died for us brake Heaven and rent the two sides of the Firmament as it were asunder our Lord descended and was made a man in all things like us except sin But O the first nay the doubled summons of Christs love are not obeyed Love cryeth we are deaf Christs love hunteth no other prey but our heart and he cannot have it After Christ hath tempted a soul he must put it in his heart it s an ease and comfort to Christ to ease and comfort the tempted he is now trying Britain and giving his Bride a cup of blood and tears to drink But who knowes what bowels what turnings of heart what motions of compassion are in the man Christ now in Heaven Those who shall live to see the Lord take his Bride in his armes and embrace her after these many temptations that now your eyes seeth shall subscribe to the truth of this and those who finde Christs love-embracements after Desertions know this Should we suppose that there were in Christ but this one attribute of tender compassion toward his own tempted ones it should make him altogether lovely to us for the motion of tender mercy in Christ upon the supposition of Free-love that he died for his own is naturall he having taken a mans heart to Heaven with him and borrowed nature from us as our compassionate High-Priest he cannot but pitty mercy acteth as a naturall agent in him Now suppose we that the mother were eternall and her child eternall but eternally weak compassion should eternally flow from the mother to the child suppose a fair rose to grow eternally and the Summer Sun to shine near it eternally and life and sap to keep it vigorous eternally it should cast out a sweet smell and offer its beauty to the eyes and senses eternally In Jesus Christ the heart and tender bowels of the sweetest mildest and most compassionate nature of man that God can possibly form hath met with eternall and infinite mercy in God Christ and to say nothing that mercy in Christ man hath been putting forth the sweet smelling acts of love without tiring summer and winter night and day these sixteen hundred years and that even now while you read this he is casting out acts of love and mercy an eternall High Priest could do no other thing for ever but compassionate his own redeemed flesh Mercy chuseth a lover freely Jacob not Esau this man not that man the fool not the wise man the beggar not the Prince the servant not the master but having once made choice it worketh necessarily and eternally Christs love hath no vacation no cessation but when he tempteth smiteth afflicteth trieth Love and tender mercy worketh in the dark Josephs bowels were upon action and busie when his Brethren saw no such thing even when he was accusing them as spies and dealing roughly with them When the sword of the Lord drunken swelled and fatted with blood is now raging in the three Kingdoms mercy in our High Priest and his bowels are rouled within him though we cannot see Christs inner side It is like the place Hebrews 4.15 is but an allusive Exposition of the rowled and moved bowels of GOD Jeremiah 31.20 CHRIST is as it were in Heaven burning and flaming in a passion of compassion toward his weak ones he is not only touched but pained with our infirmities so the word doth bear we shall not do well to make the tempted condition that either the Church or a soul is in the rule of Gods love Gods fiery dispensation in Zion or in a soul in the burning bush speaketh not alwayes wrath make not false Commentaries on Christs tempting dispensation Hell is accidentall to the love of Christ and cannot change it Suppose Christs tender mercy were in the midst of the flames of Hell yet there mercy should be mercy and work as mercy and not belie it self never a rod of God upon any elect childe of God save upon Christ only did speak satisfactory vengeance for sin Quest. Why is not Christ now red in his apparell and his garments dyed and dipped in blood and hath he not put on vengeance as a garment in the three Kingdoms Ans. Yes and for the provocations of England their unrepented Idolatry superstition vanity pride security unthankfulnesse to God who hath broken the rod of the
16.6 I said to thee when thou wast in thy blood live This Mandate of omnipotent grace is spoken to Jerusalem as hardened and cold dead in sin Eph. 5 14. Wherefore he saith Awake thou that sleepest and arise from the dead and Christ shall give thee light This is a Commandement of omnipotency given out of sinfull rebellion If Omnipotence say See ye blind hear ye deaf Grace is a King over sin and omnipotency a mighty Conqueror Rebellion cannot stand before the grace of God could we resigne Rebellious and dead hearts to God he should change them though we be most unable to master them 2. Meer-nothing is a servant to omnipotency he sendeth his mandate or statute of heaven to meer-nothing and Darknesse as the Sergeant and Pursevant of GOD must send out Light by vertue of a creating Mandate 2 Cor. 4.6 3. Every creature is under the awe of Omnipotency and dare not without as it were a written and signed Ordinance and Statute of the Almighty exercise their naturall operations As the Lord sendeth an awfull mandate to the Sea and God saith Do not ebbe and flow and the sea is dried up at his rebuke Psal. 77.16 The waters saw thee O God the Waters saw thee they were afraid So saith he Winds blow not Seas rage not fire burn not Lyons devor not Sun move not Clouds rain not Devils hurt not Waters overwhelm not Sword destroy not and they all obey 4. There is a power obedientiall in creatures to be instruments that can be elevated above and contrary to their nature to miracles as clay to be a plaster to blinde eyes to make them see whereas clay can put out seeing eyes by this Iron can swim Peter walk in the Sea yea devils men crossing Gods Morall wil fulfill his eternall Counsell according to that Ps. 119.91 All are thy servants Hell Devils Gavaliers Malignants Papists are Gods servants 5. By this power where as nature must have time and hours to work yet nature followeth the swift pace of omnipotency the Fever departeth from Peters mother in Law in an instant 6. By this power creatures creep into nothing when God commandeth them so to do God putteth his arm to the Heaven and shaketh it and the Hangings Pillars Walls plenishing of the house of Heaven and earth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are all dissolved all the old Tenants of the world the Heavens which have sitten in Gods house 5000 years at the first warning of their Almighty Land-lord must remove and retire into nothing if God so command them Vse 1. It is comfort to the believer all things are possible Faith hath omnipotency at its service the sword and wars are gone the enemies of the Lord broken the Temple built Babylon plagued at the nod of Faith Devils cannot stand when Christs Mandate chargeth them to fall Vse 2. It is but little that we can do let us have Hosts of men we cannot have the victory Let man be swift yet the Race is not to the swift let him be strong Yet the battell is not to the strong let him be wise and learned Neither is bread to the wise nor yet riches to men of understanding Eccles. 9.11 1. The word of the Almighty is his deed also Psal. 33.9 He spake it was done he commanded and it stood fast 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For he himself spake and it was The Lords word giveth being to things by the contrary mens deeds are nothing but words so the lives being and actions of the Kings of Israel and Iudah are called Dibre hajamim words of dayes They are the acts and deeds of men living and dying and compassed with dayes for the deeds and acts of men are but words they live and speak a little on earth and die their acts are of as little worth and reality as the airing out and breathing forth of words The greatest Prince maketh a sound for a time as one that speaketh words and then he is gone and lyeth silent in the grave Solomon did many acts but they are called words only 1 Kin. 11.41 And the rest of the acts of Solomon Hebrew The rest of the words of Solomon Are written in the Books of the Acts Hebrew Of the words of Solomon 2 Kin. 21.25 And the rest of the words which Amon did are written in the Book of the words of the days of the Kings of Judah We use not properly to do or act words but to speak words but the holy Language maketh man and all his noble acts but words and would expresse that he is a creature of no great action and can say more then he can do Strong and mighty man is but a creature of words he is a speaking body of clay and can do but little We boast much that this and this we shall do God hath a lock and a chain of Iron on all the creatures Armies are not to be feared the Lord smites the horse and the rider maketh war to cease unto the end of the earth he breaketh the bow and cutteth the spear in sunder he burneth the Chariot in the fire Psal. 46.9 Be not afraid of clay Esay 51.12 Vse 3. If the Lords word create the being of things then are we to conceive of him as of an Independent Soveraigne we forget this and worship a Dependent God If I suffer the people to go to worship at Jerusalem saith Jeroboam I shall lose both life and Kingdom God had promised the contrary to establish him and his Kingdom so he would do what is right in the sight of the Lord 1 Kin. 11.37 38. But he believed that God in the fulfilling of his promise must depend upon the Calves set up at Dan and Bethel So the Jews will have God in the preserving of their Kingdom and place Joh. 11.48 to depend upon the sinfull murthering of the Lord of Glory yea we imagine that God cannot carry on the work of Reformation except we comply with some sort of Antichristian Prelate The King thinketh he cannot be a Monarch except he have a Prerogative to play the Tyrant and his Throne must fall except the Antichrist and blood and unlawfull peace with the bloody Irish murtherers and destroying of the Lords Redeemed flock in both Kingdoms be the bloody Pillars of his Throne and Royall power So God cannot save us if France Denmarke Spain and Ireland come against these Kingdomes we are so wasted except we make a Peace dishonourable to Jesus Christ and his prerogative Royal all this is to place God in a state of Dependency we are too wickedly carefull how God shall acquit himself in his office of Governing the world ere you or I were born the Lord governed the world and his Church without a miscarry the Churches Heaven cannot be marr'd in Christs hand and when we are rotten in the dust he shall carry on all in righteousnesse and wisdom but we take it ill if we cannot have a providence as
Christ the fountain of Heaven and though ye should know Moses David Paul in glory you shall be so taken with beholding the face of the Lamb for evermore in an immediate vision that you find no â—easure to look over your shoulder to Moses or any other For the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the Temple of it it must be sweeter when the sweet immediate hand of Jesus Christ shal pluk the soul-delighting Roses of the high Garden and hold them to your senses with an immediate touch so as you shall see behold smell and touch his hand with the rose and when he shall put immediately in your mouth the Apples of the Tree of life and the King himself shal make himself as it were your Cup-bearer for there shall be neither need of Pastor Prophet or of any Christian brother but only Christ himself to hold to your head A Cup of the water of life Rev. 22.1 2. And he shewed me a pure River of water of life clear as Christal proceeding out of the Throne of God and of the Lamb be shewed me which He The Lord God Almighty and the Lamb c. 2â— 22. He that talked with me who had a golden reed to measure the City v. 15. v. 10. He who carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain and shewed me the great City the holy Jerusalem descending out of Heaven from God no created Angel could shew to John The Bride the Lambs Wife and what is that He shewed me He made me see Is that but a naked cast of the eye or a speculation No it is more He himself who only reveals all the secrets of God And measures the Temple with a golden Reed He only gave me a drink of the water of life immediatly for to see in the holy language is to injoy Heb. 12.14 Rev. 22.4 Jer. 17.6 Psal. 34.12 Iob 19.26 And then he shewed me must be this in good sense He He the increated King himself made me or caused me to injoy Messengers carry love-Letters now there 's no need of love-Letters betweene the Lord Jesus and the Bride the Lambs wife in this condition certain it is a draught of such water at the Wel-head must be sweetest Then immediate comforts in a heavy condition must be sweetest also as in heavy desertions Word Ministery Pastors Prayer and Ordinances cannot raise up the Spirit What doth the Lord else speak in this No lesse then that mediation of means is but mediation of means and Christ is Christ means in a soul sicknesse yea Apostles Angels Watchmen fail But Christ himself with his immediate action faileth not Cant. 3.1.2.3 vers 4. Joh. 20.8.9.10.11.12.13.14.15.16.17 Christ himself immediately by himself will do in a moment that which all means all Ordinances all sweatings all indeavours cannot do I do not now cry down means and extol immediate inspirations the latter I deny not in some cases but I only compare means and Christ and is not this an experience of some who are broght to the Margin and black borders of Hel and dispairing all Creature comforts having failed them and they having received the Sentence of the second death yet Christ cometh with an immediate glimpse like a fire flaught in the air which letteth the lost and bewildered Traveller in an extream dark night see a lodging at hand whereas otherwise he should have fallen in a pit and lost himself and in a moment in the twinkling of an eye the Lord having rebuked the winds and the stormy Tempests in the soul there is a calm and peace Ps. 31.22 Jona 2.4 Christ is speedy and swift as a Roe his leap is but a stride over a whole mountain at once over many mountains hils Can. 2.8 Especially in his immediats when he coÌ„forts by himself he then maketh no use of a deputy-Sun to shine or of borrowed light the Sun himself riseth with his own immediate salvation and his own immediate wings and we see it was Christs immediate love yea comfort because immediate carrieth with it the heat and smel of Christs own hand it hath the immediate warmnesse of Christs bosom-consolation it was an act of tender mercy that came hot and smoking from the heart of Christ the immediate coal of love smelling of the perfume of the hearth it came last from and that was heaven and the bowels of Christ waters carried from a precious fountain in a vessel many hundred miles are not so sweet as at the well head because they are separated from the fountain they lose much of their vertue sometimes it is so long since the Rose was plucked that the colour and smell which it had while it grew on its own stalk is quite gone Look how inferiour Art which is but medicine for sick nature is to nature in its beauty and strength as painted Physick can neither purge nor cure so far are all means and Ordinances being but the deputies of Christ below Christ himself What is Paul What is Apollo Put all the Prophets all the Apostles all the Patriarchs all the chiefest of Saints in one floor I confesse they should cast forth an excellent smell like the utter borders of the garden of the high Paradise but all their excellency should be mediate excellency and but somewhat of Christ but alas as low as very nothing to Christ as the smallest drop of dew that sense can apprehend to ten thousand worlds of seas fountains floods We defraud our spirits of much sweetnesse because we go no further in our desires then to creature-excellency we rest on mediate comforts because mediate painted things do work but objectively only a painted meadow casteth no smell a painted tree bringeth forth no Apples the comforts and sweetnesse of the creatures have somewhat of paintry in them in comparison of Jesus Christ all reality and truth of excellency is in him and we know God marreth the borrowed influence of means Armies Parliaments Learning and all miscarry Therefore there was never a Reformation nor a great work wrought on earth but Omnipotency put forth many immediate Acts in it The Lord would not be beholding to Moses he himself divided the red Sea he would not ingage himself to fountains and vine trees but he gave them water out of the Rock he would not borrow from the earth and sowing reaping and plowing bread for his peoples food he would give them the bread of Angels from heaven immediately he would have no Engines at the taking of Jericho the blowing of Rams horns was a signe not a cause God immediately cast down the walls he would not have a sword drawn nor a drop of blood shed in the peoples return from Babylon but the Lord putteth an immediate impulsion upon the Spirit of Cyrus as if he had been in a dead sleep and he being awaked by God only sendeth the people away and the Temple must be builded again But how Neither by King nor Parliament nor Armies
swooning and death Gracious love produceth love sicknesse Cant. 2.5 Swooning Cant. 5.6 the Martyrs have died to injoy him and refused to accept of life because of the love of a Union with him Heb. 11.37 How many deserted souls come to this I die if I injoy not Christ. Posit 7. It s good that the affections be ballanced and loaden with Heavenly and spirituall lights Lower vaults and under houses send up smoak to the fair pictures that are in the higher houses lusts dominion over light maketh a misty and unbelieving mind so when the light is carnall and nothing but worldly policy it s like the highest house which if ruinous and rainy sendeth down rain and continuall droppings on the lower house Minde and affections vitiate and corrupt one another Grace in either contributes much to the spirituality of the actions one of another so the mockers of eternity and judgment are ignorant because they will be ignorant 2 Pet. 3.5 And Elies sons will be abhominably lustfull in their affections because they know not the Lord and are ignorant of God 1 Sam. 2.12 Mathew heareth and seeth Jesus and he followeth him Matth. 9.9 The more that Mary Magdalen followeth and loveth the more she knoweth and seeth the excellency of Christ Joh. 20. ver 1.11.12.13.14 compared with ver 17 18. Posit 8. When the desires are naturall then Heavenly objects are desired and sorrowed for in a naturall way Balaam desires to die the death of the righteous but Esau weepeth for the blessing in a carnall way when the desires are spirituall earthly objects are desired in a spirituall way Even bread as it savoureth of Christ Math. 6.9 compared with ver 11.12 And so the woman seeketh deliverance to her Daughter spiritually and with a great Faith Posit 9. The believer saith if the creature will go along with me to my Fathers house welcome if not What then There I must lodge though Gold refuse to go with me See how God in a manner resigneth his own freedom in giving and transferreth this honour on the womans desire God keeps pace with a sanctified will in satisfying when the will keeps pace with God in acting longing and desiring 1. He putteth Heaven upon the choice of a sanctified heart Deu. 30.19 Choose life that both thou and thy seed may live Rev. 22.17 Whosoever will let him take of the waters of life freely Isa. 55.1 Ho every one that thirsteth come ye to the waters 2. Heaven is put upon the quality of the wil and what it desires Joh. 4.10 If thou knewst that gift of God and who it is that sayes to thee give me drink thou wouldst have asked of him and he should have given thee water of Life Rev. 21.6 I will give unto him that thirsteth of the Fountain of the water of life freely There 's an edge upon the word Fountain for the Fountain and first spring of the water of life is above the streams this is promised to him that hath a heavenly and spirituall thirst for Christ. 3. God putteth himself and the measure or compasse of heaven upon the measure and compass of the bensil and pitch of heavenly desires Pro. 2.3 If thou cryest after knowledge liftest up thy voice for understanding 4. If thou seekest her as silver and searchest for her as for hid treasures 5. Then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord find the knowledge of God There be four words here to expresse the bensill of the will and desire we are to cry for wisdome the Chalde reads the other part of the ver if thou call understanding thy mother that the cry spoken in the former part may be such a high cry as children use when they weep cry after their Mother The other word is To give the voice to wisdom The other two words do note sweating digging in the bowels of the earth casting up much earth to find a treasure of silver or gold Ps. 81.10 Open thy mouth wide and I will fil it Vatablus Seek what thou wilt and I wil grant it It s a doubt if any man by inlarged desires can put Gods giving goodnes to the utmost extent 4. God maketh his fulnesse in giving far beyond our narrownesse in seeking Eph. 3.20 He is able to do this is as much as he is willing to do Rom. 11.23 Jud. v. 24. exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think according to the power that worketh in us This is considerable that when Christ shall put the Crown of incomparable glory on the head of the glorified soul there shall be thousand millions of moe Diamonds Rubies and Jewels of glory on that Diadem then ever your thoughts or imaginations could reach and more weight of sweetness delight joy and glory in a sight of God then the seeing eye the hearing ear yea the vast understanding and heart which can multiply and adde to former thoughts can be able to fathom 1 Cor. 2.9 When ye seek and ask Christ from the Father you know not his weight and worth when you shal injoy Christ immediately up at the wel head this shal much fill the soul with admiration I believed to see much in Christ having some twilight afternoon or Moonlight glances of him down in the earth But O blind I narrow I could never have Faith opinion thought or imagination to fathom the thousand thousand part of the worth and incomparable excellencie I now see in him You may over-think and over-praise Paradice Rome Naples the Isles where there be two Summers in one year but you cannot over-think or in your thoughts reach Christ and the invisible things of God only glorified thoughts not thoughts graced only are comprehensive in any due measure of God of heaven The glorified soul shal be a far wider more capacious circle the Diameter of it in length many thousand cubits larger in mind thoughts glorified reason will heart desires love joy reverence c then it is now We would in seeking asking praying in adoring God in Christ inlarge our own desires heart will and affections broad and deep that we may take in more of Christ broad prayers flow from broad desires narrow prayers from niggard and narrow hearts we may collect the bignesse of a ship from the proportion and quantity of its bottom in its new framing If the bottom draw but to the proportion of a small vessell which can indure no more but a pair of oares the vessel cannot be five hundred Tun or be able to bear 60. peeces of Ordnance Prayer bottomed on deep and broad hunger and extreame pain of love-sicknesse for Christ and great pinching poverty of spirit must be in proportion wide and deep O but our vessels are narrow our affections ebbe and low the ballance that weigheth Christ weak it is as if we should labour to cast three or four great Mountains in a scale of a Merchants ordinary ballance we are proportioned in our
spiritual capacities but for drops of grace Christ is disposed to give grace as a river it s too little to seek corn wine oyl from God he is more willing to give great things then small things to ask a feather a penny from a mighty Prince when he saith Ask what thou wilt to the half of my Kingdom and it shal be granted to thee is the undervaluing of the greatnesse of his Royal magnificence Ask what ye wil saith Christ of my Father in my name and it shall be granted Mens desires run upon removall of the Sword Peace Protection Plenty Traffiquing peaceable Seas Liberties of Parliament Subjects Peers Cities Little are mens desires improved in seeking Christ to dwel in the land and that the Temple of the Lord be builded all these suits are below both the goodnesse of the Lord and spirituall capacity of sanctified affections And God giveth to Carnall men that which their soul lusteth after but in his wrath SERMON XXVII Mar. 7.30 And when she was come to her house she found the Devil gone out and her daughter laid upon the bed BEcause I hast to an end and shall not now refute the dream of Papists from this collecting the lawfulnesse of their bastard confirmation and of confirming children by the unhallowed blessing of the Prelate only observe the case of the child Mark saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cast in a violent manner in a bed for this is not to be a bed of rest and security as some Papists collect but to expresse how violent Satan is in his last farewell as when he is to be cast out Mark 9.20 When the possessed childe is brought to Jesus and when he saw him straightway the spirit tare him and he fell on the ground and wallowed foaming The Devil and the unclean spirits are not thrown out of a person or Land but they must rage and foam 1. The Lord saith Zach. 13.2 I will cut off the names of Idols out of the land and they shal be no more remembred and I will cause the prophets and the unclean spirits to passe out of the land But this cannot be done but with great violence vers 3. The father and the mother shall thrust through with a sword the false Prophet even their own son ere he be put out of the land The Devil will not be removed without blood sweating and great violence when the unclean spirits of men given to curious Arts and the Idoll Diana is preached down in Ephesus Acts 19.18 That whole great City was full of wrath and they cry out Great is Diana of the Ephesians 19. And the whole City was filled with confusion When Christ cometh to the Crown and the Throne Jews and Gentiles the Kings and Rulers of the earth Herod and Pilate with the Gentiles and the people of Israel are gathered together Act. 4.25 26 27. The word Psal. 2.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rageshu it is to make a great tumult as a furious multitude gathered together that maketh a noise as the noise of a troubled sea therefore some not without reason say the sons of Zebedeus are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Benairegesci Sons of Thunder Luke Acts 2. useth the word after the 70. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Which Budeus expoundeth of fierce and wilde horse and certainlie Christ is Crowned upon Mount Zion with garments rowled in blood this is a spoiling of and a triumphing over principalities and powers Christ dyed the black Crosse with red blood when he performed this noble act of Redemption Col. 2.14 15. So when Christ entreth in any soul to dwell there he must first binde the Devil And then spoyle his house Mat 12.29 What wonder is it that multitudes of heresies and sects and many blasphemous and false ways arise now when the Lord is to build up Sion Satan when Christ is to saile and his Kingdom a coming Kingdom as we pray raiseth up storms and winds in the broad Lake of Brimstone to drown the Church of God Christ hath not fair weather when he goeth to Sea Mat. 8.23 24. Yet his journey is lawfull When Christ is upon Acts of his Priesthood and standeth at the great high Altar with his Censer of gold to offer up the prayers of the Saints to God he casteth fire with the same Censer down upon the earth and there be then Thundrings Lightnings and Earthquakes and hence followeth terrible judgements upon the earth as hail fire mingled with blood and a mountain burning with fire and the third part of the Sea becomes blood and a clear burning star like a Lampe called Worm-wood making the third part of the Waters bitter doth fall from Heaven which is as much as when Christ is upon Acts of mercy toward his people pestilent Heresies of the Popish Clergy and others darkneth the third part of the Sun and Moon that is of the light of the Gospel Rev. 8.1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12. Even as when our Lord Jesus standeth to intercede for the people and to pray for fallen Ierusalem which is as a firebrand plukt out of the fire Satan standeth at his right hand his working hand to hinder him Zach. 2.1.2.3 2. This resolveth to many their state Many are free of the Devil I thank God saith one I know not Satan nor any of his works I have peace Satan did never tare me nor cause me to fall to the earth nor doth he torment me But this is a fearful condition 1. It is an Argument of a false peace When the strong man is within the house is in peace not to be tempted of the Devil is the greatest temptation out of Hell and if there be any choise of Devils a raging and a roaring Devil is better then the calme and sleeping Devill when the Devil is within he sleepeth and is silent and the house or soul he is in is silent and there is a Covenant with death and Hell Isa. 28.15 Now Hell keepeth true to a naturall man for a time Cessation of Armes between the soul and Satan is security for a time but it s not peace The Devils warre is better then the Devils peace Carnall hypocrisie is a dumbe and silent thing but its terrible to be carried to Hell without any noise of feet The wheels of Satans chariot are oiled with carnall rest and they go without ratling and noise the Devil carrieth few to hell with shouting and crying suspect dumb holines when the Dog is kept out of doors he howles to be in again the Covenant of Satan to Eve sin and you shall not die standeth with all men by nature till Jesus Christ break peace between us and Satan 2. Contraries meeting such as hot and dry fire and cold and moist water they conflict one with another and where Satan findeth a sanctified heart he tempteth with much importunity as at one time Christ findeth three mighty temptations and he departeth from him onely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for a little time Where there 's most of God and of Christ there there 's strong injections and Fire-brands cast in at the windows as some of much faith hath bin tempted to doubt Is there a Diety that ruleth all and where is he We see him not Another is often assaulted with this Is there a heaven for Saints Is there a Hell for Devils and wicked men we never spoke with a Messenger come from any of these two Countreys A third is troubled with this Such a businesse I have expede whether God will or not The flower of the soul the high lamp of the light of the mind is frequently darkned with foggy and misty spirits coming up from the bottomlesse pit and darkning any beames and irradiations of light that cometh from the sun of righteousnes Faith is more assaulted then any other grace Satan shaketh other graces but this is winnowed between Heaven and Earth Luke 22.31 32. Satans first Arrow shot at Christ laboureth to put a terrible if upon his light If thou be the Son of God It is as much as if God be God if the Son of God be the Son of God It is not the evidence and certainty of fundamentals nor the strength of Grace that priviledgeth souls from Satans shafts strength of saving light putteth the Saints often under the Gun-shot of Satan that he may finde a shot of them there 's only Law-surety against temptations up in Heaven when you are over score out of time within eternities lists never while then 3. Not to be troubled thus argueth a house not watched the gates are open night and day as the gates of Hell that want key and lock and the soul so secure as the person seeth not what Devils come in what go out but the watch set by Gods fear examineth all Messengers that cometh in all motions all suggestions all Angels white and black all rises falls ebbings and flowings of love joy desire fear sorrow come under search and scrutinie Whence come ye from Heaven or Hell It s time of War with the Saints in this life And then all Cities keep watch and strangers without a Passe are examined searched and tryed what correspondence they have with the enemy 4. Gods way of hardening by Satan is often mysterious silent dumbe and speaketh not Joh. 9.39 For judgement I come into this world But what a judgement such as walketh in the dark and killeth in a midnight sleep That they that see may be made blinde this judgement speaketh not O terrible God hath put out the mans two eyes but how or when he cannot tell the nerves and eye-strings of the mans soul are broken but there was not a crack nor any noise heard when God snapped them in two pieces Christ came when the man was sleeping his Sergeant the Devil with him and put his hand on his heart and gave the lock the sprents wards of the heart a throw and a crook all the keys in heaven and earth cannot shut or open his heart and this was done without noise or pain the man was never put to his bed for the businesse the conveyance of the businesse was spirituall but invisible O sleeping world awake out of your rotten and false peace Oh the Lord bindeth men and they cry not And the Devill bindeth many and they cry not Pharaoh knew not when his heart was hardned the conscience saw it not even as a stone groweth in the bladder without our sense of it the businesse was transacted without one cry or any witnesse Carnall Hellish security is dumbe-born Let my childe sleep saith the Devill and awake him not till the heat of the Furnace of Hell melt away his false Peace Why but men may be deluded having no bands in there death as they lived deluded Wrath and justice are moving to many souls sleeping in death without noise of feet the sword of God is crying to souls without any voice the wheeles of the fiery chariots of Gods indignation are moving over slain men in Scotland and England without the ratling or prancing of the horses O pitty a Tempest a Divell comes and steals away the mans soul and his conscience out of him in the night and he knoweth not CHRIST saith Silence waken him not while he be over ears in the Lake and Satan saith Waken him not while I bee sure of him a dumbe judgement is twice a judgement FINIS Iob 7.6 Iob 9.25 26. Alia scena cadem fabula Isa. 17.4 Lam. 4.12 Zac. 13.7 The scope order contents of the Text. Mathew Mark reconciled Properties of Christs Love 3. Why Christ sâ—spendeth the fruits of his love What Woman this was The arte of the wise contexture of providence in black white faire and foul mixed in one for beauties sake Two sides in providence Use. We erre in looking on Gods ways by halfs on the black sad side onely Simile Simile Mark 7 2â— Two wills in Christ. Christ took a humane will to stoop to God in al things The strength of corrupt will 2. Things in our will 1. the fram of it 2. the goodnesse of it There 's a necessity of renewing the will God hideth himself faith findeth him out The dispensation of God not Scripture nor a rule of Faith We trust possession of Christ by sense more then wee do right and Law through Faith How CHRIST and his grace can not bee hid 1. He cannot be hid in his Cause 2. In a good or ill spirituall condition 3. In the joy of his presence 4. In a sincere profession Vatab. an in Psal. 39 1. 5. In the bearing down of the stirrings of a renowed conscience 6. In deserious Use. We are to be obsequious yeelding to the breathings of Gods spirit Oiâ— hearts must be variously suitable to the various operations of the spirit Math. 15 Mark 7 Grace falls on few Grace is a rare choice piece Grace not Universall common to all Obj. 1. Obj. 2 Obj. 3 Obj. 4. Obj. 5. Obj. 6. Obj. 7. Obj. 8 Obj. 9 Grace falleth often on the Most graceles Grace maketh a great change 1. Reas. 2. 3. Obj. There 's alike reason for Grace on our Lords pâ—rt to the vilest of men as to Moses Daniel Paul The same Free-Grace that wee have here we have it in Heaven In Heaven wee reigne by Grace as here we serve and doe war Math. 15. The Justified in Christ are corrected for sin The furnace the work-house of the grace of Christ Martial ad Catonem Cur in theatruÌ„ Cato severe venisti An ideo tantim venems u exires M. after Towns Assertion of grace pag. 112 113. Ans. to D. Taylor How Antinomians judge sins to be corrected in the justified How Papists judge sins oo be punâ—shed in the justified That God punisheth pardoned sins in the justified proved by seven Arguments Use 1. Rules to be observed in affliction 1. Rule 2. 3. Use 2. A
Popish superstition but that such is Christs excellencie that any thing that hath the poorest relation to him is desirable for him 2. A poor woman Luke 7. sought no more of him but to wash the feet of Christ and kisse them Another woman Matth. 9.21 If I may but touch the border of his garment I shal be whole Mary Magdalen sought but to have her arms filled with his dead body Joh. 20.15 She saith weeping to the Gardiner as she supposed Sir if thou hast born him hence tell me where thou hast laid him and I wil take him away To Joseph of Arimathea his bloody winding sheet and his dead and hoâ—ed and torn body in his arms are sweet Christs Clay is Silver and his Brasse Gold 3. Christs â—harpest rebukes are sweet oyl the wounds â—nd the holes that the sweet Mediatour maketh 〈◊〉 the soul when he smiteth with the rod of his â—outh are with child of comforts he rebuked â—ot the Serpent as not minding salvation to Saâ—an but rebuked Evah intending the promised â—â—od for her O what sweetnesse of love is that â—â—pression Jer. 31.20 For since I spake against Ephraim I do earnestly remember him I will 〈◊〉 have mercy on him saith the Lord. Then rebuking of Ephraim which is called speaking against him is dipt in mercy Hos. 11.7 My people are bent to back-sliding this is a rebuke sharp enough yet he chides himself friends with the people v. 8. How shall I give thee up O Ephraim mine heart is turned within me Here is kissing and love wrapped about rebuksâ— so Jer. 3.1 Thou hast played the harlot with many lovers but see mercy Yet return to me saith the Lord. 4. His black and sowre Crosse is sweet and honied with comfort his dead Body a bundle of myrrhe Cant. 1.13 The smell of which is strong and fragrant and sweateth out precious gum rejoycing in tribulations Rom. 5.3 Count it joy all joy when ye fall in divers temptations Jam. 1.2 The Eagles smell heaven in the crosse and Christ in it Gal. 6.14 Yea the refuse and the worst of Christs crosse the shame and the reproaches of Christ are sweeter and choicer to Moses then the Treasures Riches yea then the Kingdome of Egypt and the glory of it Heb. 11. ver 26 27. yea the shame and blushing on Christs fair face Heb. 12.2 which he suffered under the Crosse is fairer then Rubies and Gold and hath the colour of the Heaven of Heavens Nebuchadnezzar hath more pain torment in persecuting Dan. 4.19 then the three children had in being persecuted There 's pain and fury in active persecution He was full of fury and the form of his visage changed but there is joy unspeakable and glorious in passive persecution Christs sanctified crosse droppeth honey 1 Pet. 1.6 5. Christs glownings and sad desertions though to the believer they be death and hell yet have much of heaven in them So Psal. 30.7 Thou turnedst away thy face and I was troubled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Niuhal I was troubled like a withered flower that loseth sap and vigor So Exod. 15.15 The Dukes of Edom 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Niuhaln were amazed yet at that time David prayed cryed and was heard ver 8 9 10. The sweetest communion that Christ seeketh of us on earth is prayer Cant. 2.14 and Cant. 5. Desertion is death it self and a death to the soul. 6. I opened to my beloved and my beloved had withdrawn himself and was gone And what was the Churches case My soul went forth from me The Arabick My soul departed I died So is death described by the like phrase Gen. 35.18 Rachels soul was in departing for she died And when men are stricken with sudden fear the heart is said to goe out So Gen. 42.28 The soul of Josephs brethren departed that is they were extreamly amazed When they found their money in their sacks The like was the case of the Church when CHRIST departed she died for sorrow the soul departed from the soul because her Lord and beloved was gone Yet even that death that soul-hell in the want of Christ was a Heaven it was a sweet and comfortable season then hath she a commuion with him in a most heavenly manner 1. Asking at the watchmen for him 2. In binding sad charges on the Daughters of Jerusalem to commend her to God by prayer 3. Then was she sick of Love for him 4. Then fell she out in that large Love rapture in a most heavenly praise of him in all his vertues My welbeloved is white and ruddy and the chief amongst ten thousand c. Here then the Hell that Christ throweth the Saints in in their Desertions is their heaven 6. The meanest and lowest relation with Christ is honour John Baptist placeth an honour in unloosing the Latchets of his shooes and thinketh to bear his shooes is more honour then he deserveth Joh. 1.27 David a great Prophet appointed to be a King O if I might be so near the Lord as to be a door-keeper in his house Ps. 84.10 He putteth a happinesse on the Sparrow and the Swallow that may build their nests beside the Lords Altar Then the fragments and crums that his dogs eateth must be the dainties of heaven and Christs water the wine of heaven Now if any the lowest thing of Christ the Morsell of his dogs be desireable how sweet must himself be if the parings of his bread be sweet What must the great loafe Christ himself be Christ himself is so taking a Lover he hath a face that would ravish love out of Devils so they had Grace to see his beauty he could lead captive all hearts in hell with the lovelines of his countenance which is white and ruddy and pleasant as Lebanon if they had eyes to behold him O he himself is an unknown Lover he hath neither brim nor bottome his Gospel is the unsearchable riches of Christ his Gospel is but a creature How unsearchable must he himself be The wise man Prov. 30.4 putteth a riddle upon all the wisest on the earth Solomon all What is his name We know neither name nor thing Isa. 53.8 Who shall preach his generation O what a mercy â— that he will give sinners leave to love him Or honour us so much that we may lay our black and spotted love on so lovely and fair a Saviour That such an infinite and desireable love as Christs Love should come to borrow that expression within the sides of thy love and heart is a wonder Alas it s a narrow circle and not capacious to contain him and his love that passeth knowledge Eph. 3.19 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It over passeth and transcendeth far the narrow comprehension of created knowledge either of men or Angels To seek Grace is desireable but suppose any person were a Masse and nothing but composed of pure Grace and yet want Christ himself he should be but a broken lamed creature put a soul in heaven and let
fair and eye-sweet as white Paper though indeed there be not one spot in Gods wayes so Martha Joh. 11.21 Lord if thou hadst been here my brother had not died But Christ-God in preserving lives dependeth not on his own bodily presence here or there Another complaineth God hath forgotten me he is not my God Why Because I walk in darknes have no light nor any sense of his love It is the black and dead hour of mid-night with me So the Church argueth Isa. 49.14.15 Psal. 77. v. 3 4 5 6 7 8 9. But his unchangeable love depends not on the ebbing and flowing of your transient up and down sense in this you worship a dependent God There is no rule without God to regulate him or yet to straighten him in his walking we are not to misplace God for though the God of Hosts hath purposed to stain 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lechallel to cast a blot on and prophane the pride of all glory Isa. 23.9 and suffer Parliaments Assemblies Armies Counsels of War Statse-men the Godly the Princes Judges Pastors men of Wisdom Learning Eloquence parts to miscarry in this great service against Babylon it is to cry down the creatures garland and the rose of their eminency that when all spots of Sacriledge and Idol-confidence in men are washed off the work the Lord only may be exalted It is our wisdom to suffer God to be wise for us yea Antinomians will have Christ no independent Redeemer but to them his grace shall not be perfect in pardoning except all sin in root and branch be removed from the justified and they made as sinless as Adam before his fall and the Elect Angels Yea how many connexions of Providence do we spin and twist out of our own head As how happy had we been if the King had remained with the Parl. to countenance it Yea but rather how unhappy for our Reformation had been as an untimely birth if so it had been How blessed should I have been saith another if I had been rich and learned Yea rather you should have dishonoured God in that condition The Catholick and mother sin is God must be dependent we independent 4. Vse All of us have need of a Devil one or other to exercise and humble us but we go wrong to work when we think to make good our party against the devil by our own strength This woman yoked Christ and the devil together and would not yoke with him her alone and the successe is blessed we go to dispute with temptations our selves by reason you shal not dispute Satan to hell with all your Logick nor can Policie and State-wit calm the Prince of the bottomlesse pit who is let loose now in these three Kingdoms to kill with the sword The Horseman upon the Red and bloody Horse and his footman Death are posting through the Kingdoms more wrestling by prayer the putting of Satan in Christs gripes by faith effectuall by love and sincere humiliation should create peace for peace is a work of Creation there 's but one onely can create I mean God by or at the exercise of these graces should create peace we lye bleeding and dying under our lusts because Christ was not intrusted with mortification if we gave in a bill of complaint against our devils as this woman did Christ should loose Satans works and help us Be it unto thee Faith obtaineth the most excellent favours refined mercies and these are immediate favours acts of immediate Omnipotency Christ sent an immediate Post to the Devil though in a remote place its an act of immediate creation and Satan must be gone no creature here interveneth It s Christs 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his Omnipotent be it so that doth the turn it s not Faith it s not a good Angel expelling an evill one nor one Devil beating another nor the Disciples helping the woman though they also did cast out Devils The more immediate mercies be the more love-expressions of God in them the first roses the first trees and plants that Gods own immediate art produced and in which nature could not share are the perfectest creatures the rest of the creatures after the fal come not near in goodnes beauty to Gods first samplar which are as it were the first Essays of Omnipotency the greatest mercies are most immediate these be sweet favours that come as it were hot and new immediately from God himself See it in all the excellent things that God giveth us especiall in these four 1. In Christ 2. Grace 3. Glory 4. Comfort Christ is Gods highest love gift Now Christ the mediator was given without any Medium or any intervening Mediatour God out of the meer bottom of Free love giveth Christ The Lord Christ was not given by so much as request or counsell of Men or Angels Christ Heb. 1.3 by himself purged our sins 1 Tim. 2.6 He gave himself a ransome for all 1 Pet. 2.24 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree he satisfied and payed in his own person It was not a deputed work God the Lord of life in proper person Redeemed us Christs love to us was not deputy love he loved us not by a Vicar Christ is given freely as a Redeemer is more essentially a gift of Free grace to speak so then the grace of faith which is given to those who hear are humbled for sin And Christ given to die for sinners is a more immediate and pure gift of Grace then remission of sins and eternal life which are given to us upon condition of Faith whereas a Redeemer is given to die for us without any condition thought desire any sweating or endeavour in man or Angel 2. So is Grace given out of Grace saving Grace is made out of nothing not out of the potency of the matter The new heart is a creation and as its Grace is framed without tools agents art or service Grace issueth immediately out of Christs heart he hath no hire no payment for it non-payment no money is Graces hire 3. And Heaven is given not by art not by merit not for sweating But how Luk. 12.32 It s the Fathers will And Rev. 21.4 God shall wipe all tears from their eyes It s the sweeter that no napkin but his own immediate hand shall wipe my sinfull face In heaven the vision of him that sitteth upon the Throne is immediate the mirrour or looking-glasse of Word and Sacraments being removed there is 1 Cor. 13.12 But a vision of God face to face Rev. 21.22 And I saw no Temple therein If any should ask tidings and say Iohn what sawest thou in that new City was there any Temple any Priest any Prophets any Candlesticks there He should answer O you know not what you speak I saw no temple there I saw a more glorious sight then all the temples of the earth I saw the Lamb the King in the midst of them I saw