the creature 2 Because so long the soul cannot see nor come by the eye and feer of Faith to the Lord Jesus Iohn 5. 44. and think Christ better than all as Birds in a string may fly high but when they come to the end of the line fall down there and so though the soul flies to Christ yet when indeed it comes to the end of parting withall it falls down and falls off from Christ. Whole men have no heart nor desire after Physitians when all limbs are whole and strong no desire after Plaisters so while any thing easeth and contenteth the heart there is no desire after Christ Hos. 4. 11. Whoredom and wine have taken away the heart 3 Because so long the heart if it do come cannot stay with Christ to do any thing for Christ Mat. 6. 24. You cannot serve God and riches i. e. two Masters who have constant employment and Christ hath set us such employment Hence men on sick-beds are tame as may be promise any thing because their joy in the creature is gone Hence on the other side many men after many springings of heart are choaked by thorns of the world 4. From the abundant love that the Lord Jesus shews to them that ever have or look for communion with him Those to whom we shew much love from those we expect much again As a man if taken or cast out to be servant one looks not for love from him but when a man hath given himself and made over all his estate to another now all love is too little So 't is with the Lord Jesus Iohn 6. Will you also depart SECT V. 2 THE soul must be divorced from the Law i. e. from comforting it self with the righteousnesse thereof For explication of which we must consider these things 1. That the Lord doth not ever give a man content in his sins and lusts but wounds Conscience for the same 2. That so long as the Lord wounds a mans Conscience for sin no creature can give a man comfort or content A wounded spirit who can bear Iudas casts away his silver pieces and Belshazzar quakes who was but even now quaâ—â—ing in his cups As a man that hath an aking tooth or broken bones What can comfort him now 3. Hereupon the Law fals upon a man or a man meets with the Law for as all a mans sorrow is upon him because the Law is broken all a mans care is how he may keep it again What shall I do As a man cast in prison for debt there all is opened an the Law like an earnest suitor 1. Presleth hard for love and obedience 2. Promiseth a rich portion eternal life if he can keep it If not you must be damned therefore now forsake your sins c. 4. Hence the soul not knowing a better Husband consents and resolves to cleave to it Rom. 10. 3. Deut. 5. Whatever the Lord will have us do we will do it and here it stayes and is comforted here it rests as in Asa his time all rejoyced for the Oath 2 Chro. 15. Isai. 58. 1 2. and if it find not perfect comfort because of imperfect work it then closeth with Christ for to make up and piece up all Gal. 5. 1. And now I say 't is comforted in what it hath and doth and here it rests now from hence it must be divorced What need I prove it when the Apostle hath so fully Galat. per totum and consider the young man Mat. 19. Divorced I say the soul must be from this 1. Because he that doth thus sets up another Christ and makes himself his own Saviour can the Lord Jesus take such a soul into communion with him Suppose a Prince be pulled by his people from his Throne and they set up another pious vertuous Prince to Rule will this serve the turn to say he is an honest Prince so though duties be never so good yet not to advance Christ is to pull down Christ. 2. Because such persons do commonly most oppose the Lord Jesus in a way of believing though not in a way of doing the Lord hath more ado if any of these be brought home to bring them in they have somewhat to say for themselves they have stronger forts c. The Scribes and Pharisees rejected the counsel of God against themselves and hence no people lest to such deep desertions as these if the Lord intend mercy to them for they have more need than others 3. Because hereby a man doth but make a conspiracy against Gods greatest plot that ever he had a foot viz. to advance his free Grace Gal. 5. 4. you are fallen from Grace for nothing makes a man more fit to boast than works and resting in them sin makes a man ashamed and therefore if they come to Heaven they have laid a foundation to thank themselves for somewhat hence no communion with Jesus Christ in this frame no the Lord will tear down this foundation and make the soul cry guilty and make this Husband the Law to be judge to examine and condemn and now come and ask what have you to plead for your life and peace it hath no plea to shew but mércy c. it hath its duties evidencing against it SECT VI. 2 THe soul now comes to be Espoused to the Lord Jesus Quest. How The soul beholding the glory of the Lord Jesus makes choice of him as in all Marriage bonds there is a choice made and if love be great there is little standing on terms let me have him though I begg with him so the soul sees such a sutableness in the Lord Jesus as that it stands not on terms let me have him though in prison with him though in the Garden in Agonies with him though in the Cross in desertions with him he is enough as Peter when he saw Christ on the Sea desired he might come to him there Heb. 11. 26. Chusing the reproach of Christ c. And look as Christ chuseth the soul 1. The whole soul. 2. Everlastingly 3. Above all others so it makes choice of Christ whole Christ Phil. 3. 9. 2. Everlastingly The Lord is my portion for ever Psalm 73. 26. And before ever you can look for communion with him you must make this choice of him and glad too you may have him on any terms nay put it to any soul the Lord hath done good to and ask it will you have him 't is such a mercy I cannot conceive how one so vile as I should have it have him the Lord of glory the Prince of life and peace O yes Hence Peter said Master what shall we have that have forsaken all and followed thee you shall sit with me on Thrones and look as Christ now chuseth the soul above others as well as in Heaven Iohn 15. 16. so it now chuseth Christ Whom have I in Heaven or earth many when they think of death or are dying then chuse him but not now or
II. DIscoveries whether we are married to the Law or not And here I shall stay longer Where I premise 1. When I speak of not being married to the Law in stead of Christ I do not hereby exempt your selves from obedience to the Law after you are in Christ. 2. Do not think I speak against all evidencing your estates from conformity to the Law though I do from some subjection and obedience performed to the Law 1. If the Law was never dead in thee thou art married to the Law Rom. 7. 2. Now look as t is with a husband if the wife be sick and he be at home whoever forsakes her he will comfort her and support and chear her so that if he chear her not it s a sign he is dead if he doth it s a sign he is alive for the life of the Law is the comfort and support that the Law doth give for a time So that if thou wert never brought to that sore straight that thou hast not felt any one duty to cheer or revive thee and comfort thee but hast found some little thing or other to do it its certain you are yet married to the Law Ex. gr It may be thou hast been troubled in mind for thy sins What hath cheared thee I have forsaken them and cast out Ionah and there hath been a calm Why this forsaking thy sins which hath not been all but some is not Christ but an act of the Law Oh but I have fallen again into sins this hath troubled thee What hath cheared thee I have repented and been sorry for them and purposed to do so no more This is the life of the Law still Oh but you find sins prevailing against you and you cannot part with them and hence dare not resolve against them Oh but my desire is good though my will hath ever been against them Oh ignorance This desire is but a work of the Law 't is not Christ. Oh but I have found no desire sometime What hath quiered you now I have trusted to Christ You have done it The Lord never made you feel a need of the Lord to draw you to trust though to be assured of Christ's love Is this a legal Act Ans. As obedience to the Law done by the power of Christ is an Evangelical work so to perform any Evangelical work from a mans self is a Legal work and you are under the life of the Law So that thou hast not been so oft troubled but the Law hath supported thee thou hast not been brought to that passe as the Church the Spouse was Isa. 54. 5 6. And as one of my best friends and best men that lives this day in the world after many wrestlings to find somwhat in himself to chear him and could not Now saith he if the Lord out of his good Nature c. do not help me I am undone for ever for I have a heart and a nature against him and the more I do the worse I am And therefore thither I look Surely you are under the life of the Law and are fat enough off from Christ if not sensible of this Not that a man is alway thus for he that cannot feel afterward the Lord Jesus by the power of his Grace working in his heart I would conclude he never had any at all But at first 't is so For these two things man naturally seeks 1. To have a righteousnesse in himself that will ease him 2. To have it from himself Kitchin Physick is not far to fetch Now the Lords plot in saving his is 1. To make them seek it out of themselves in another Look unto me and be saved all the ends of the earth 2. To have all from another that so no flesh night glory before him And to doubt of this is to doubt whether God hath plotted the Glory of his Grace or no. Hence the Lord empties the soul of both that the soul saith Ashur shall not save us Hos. 14. 3 4. None durst none can comfort it And now to the wondeâ—ment of Heaven and everlasting joy of a poor cast-away and the eternal honour of his free Grace now and never till now doth he begin to make the match between the Lord Jesus and this poor soul And as the Lord never comes to him till now so he never will come to the Lord while he hath the least good as it was with the Prodigal while any husks or as it was with the woman with her bloody issue while any mony to spend on other Physitians never will try what Christ can do And therefore those that never yet knew of the deâ—th of the Law they are yet married to it Rom. 2. 17. I know many a soul grieve for the deâ—th of this husband and now thinks 't is undone I cannot do this and that though formerly I could indeed I say if there be any love of Christ now is the time of it Only understand Gods scope here in it 2. If a man complains more or chiefly for want of grace or righteousnesse to remove sin and not so much for want of Jesus Christ Then in this case 't is as it is with a woman that man for whose absence she mourns most that is her husband She saith the other is no but he is not So this is the estate of many a soul they have neither Christ not righteousnesse Now they complain so much that their hearts sink and dye away quite within them And what is it for I cannot do this nor I do not find nor feel such signs and affections within me Such a vile heart I know not the like such rising in my heart to sin and thoughts of it why if you had Christ all this would be mended I can do all through Christ. But you complain not for want of Christ nor need of him from these two Arguments 1. Because the feeling of your sins does not make you feel a greater need of Christ as Iohn I have need to be baptized c. but drive you further from Christ and reason it out against him And why Because you would have a righteousness without him which you stand in need of 2. Because he that seels a need of the Lord Jesus shall not when he is offered need intreating to take him as you shall not need intreat hungry men to eat their bread you shall not need to intreat Zacheus to receive Christ joyfuly But no commands no intreaties can prevail with you to take him when he is offered you have no heart to it Like women that love their own husbands grieve so for their absence that they have no heart to any other offer Is it thus with thee Then 't is with thee as it was with that young man that askt Christ what he should do to inherit eternal life he liked Christ well but he did not feel a need of Christ himself so much as of some more knowledge of the Law and ability to do it It
people prepared for the Lord to meet with Christ on earth now he is gone our work is to prepare a people to meet the Lord in Heaven Hence this is put in as the difference between Vessels of wrath and Vessels of Glory the one are fitted for destruction the others are fitted prepared or made ready for Glory and the glory of a christian is chiefly to enjoy fellowship immediatly with Jesus Christ. There is many a soul dear unto Christ and espoused to him and hath his heart affected to think of the good time that is coming when we shall ever be with the Lord but ask are you ready â—yet for to go to him though it be through fires waters thorns sorrows death it self who can say yes but say mens hearts shut the Lord out a little longer let not the door stand open yet yet this must be And therefore for explications sake let me 1. shew you when the Soul is in a readinesse for the Lord Jesus 2. The reasons why there must be a continual readinesse SECT III. VVHen is the Soul in a readinesse to enjoy Christ As there are four things which make a christian unready so this readinesse consists in Four things contrary 1. That which makes a christian unready for him are those strong fears and jealousies and damping doubts of the love of Christ to him The soul happly hath made choice of him is content with him melts into wonderment and love to think that he should love him what me and Christ hath writ him on his heart and on the palms of his hands but Israel saith my God hath forsaken me my God hath forgotten me Isai. 49. 14. Is it possible is it credible one that hath been so ville one that still hath such a heart for him to set his heart on me surely no hence the Soul is afraid to dye and desires too much to live still and the more he thinks of that time and blessednesse of following the Lamb where-ever he goes the more he sees and fears this may possibly never be my portion there may be some falseness in my heart towards him that I never yet saw some secret knot that was never yet unlosed and hence not yet ready Hence many a christian saith if I had a little more assurance let him come when he will Thus some think it was with Hezekiah who though he had walked before God with a perfect heart yet bitterly complained that he was cut off Isai. 38. per totum So therefore then the soul is prepared ready for him when he hath some comfortable assurance of the love of Christ towards him that it can say if I live he loves me though he kils me by Death yet I know that he loves me nay then he loves me moâ—t when he puts an end to my sins and to my sorrows too And therefore now saith as one ready to ceive a Prince now let him come to me or send for me when he will why so Who can separate me from the love of Christ Rom. 8. 35. That look as 't is with a Souldier that is to go to war where many bullets and arrows are like to fall about him and hit him while he hath no armour on call him to the Captain and he will say he is not ready yet but when he hath his armour on of proof and such armour that he knows let him receive never so many wounds yet he shall escape with his life and triumph with his Captain afterward Now give him but his watch-word he is ready though never so weak yet I am sure I shall escape with my life nay not so much as hurt So a christian wanting his assurance wants his armour he is weak and powers of darknesse will assault him and he is slain by them now he is unready but if assured though weak and feeble he is now at Christs watch-word I know I shall live I may fall but I shall rise again this puts courage and spirit into a christian Dan. 3. 17 18. Heb. 11. 35. Others were tormented and so ready not accepting deliverance why so to obtain a better Resurrection which they are sâ—id to see by the eye of Faith and this was by poor weak Women therefore labour for this else not prepared The Lord would have his people look death and dangers in the face and triumph in sorrows and not faint-hearted which cannot be done without this that the world may see that there is more than men in them 2 Cor. 4. 16 17 18. and 5. 1. who would be without this yet may we not complain as Christ of his Disciples Oh foolish and slow of heart to believe all that is written so many promises yet not assured so many experiences yet not established and therefore not yet prepared and ready for the coming of the Lord. A man that hath a fair estate and house befallen him so long as he is in Suit for it dares not dwell in it but makes a shift where he is but then he is ready when quiet possession is given him So get the Lord to passe sentence for assurance of your everlasting habitation then are you reâ—dy to dwell therein 2. Then a man is unprepared for the Lord Jesus his coming while he wants affeâ—tions suitable to the Majesty and according to the worth and love of the Lord Jesus Suppose a Woman knows her Husbands love yet if she have lost her love to him or if she love him 't is only as she loves another man not according to the woâ—th of her Husbands person or the greatnesse of his love Is she fit now to apâ—ear before him when no heart to receive him so although you question not Christs love to you thank God you doubt little of it yet where is your heart your love to him have you not lost your love your first love or second love if you have love is it not divided to other things as Wife Child Friends hopes of provision for them and too much care hereupon for that or if you do love him 't is with a carnal love he hath no more than a lust hath had and it may be not so much 't is with a cold love now you are unfit for him hence the Lord Luke 21. 34. Take heed your hearts be not overcharged 1 Pet. 4. 7. Now therefore then the soul is prepared to meet Christ when if the soul hath lost its affections it recovers them out of the hands of all creatures that stole them away from Christ and hence David prayes Oh spare that I may recover my strength and when it breaks out with such love unto Christ as is fitting for him 2 Tim. 4. 8. There is the righteoâ—s Judge ready to give the Crown when Christs appeâ—ring is loved i. e. they are so taken with him as that they love the looks of him it would rejoyce my heart to see which shall make others tremble to behold him Oh it must be a dear
stake gave away her cloaths some to one some to another Now farewell friends and world welcome Love welcome Christ. So if the Lord comes to take away all from thee the child of thy body the husband of thy youth the wife of thy bosom the comforts of thy life provisions from thy family bread from thy mouth bid farewel to them give them into the Lords hands and now say welcome Christ. It s usual for Christians at first conversion and espousing the Lord loves them dearly and tenders them shews nothing but love to them and then their love is fresh afterward come hard Frosts and Winter-storms and cold blasts of displeasure Christ departs from the Soul withdraws himself hides his face and sends sad afflictions now the Soul apprehending anger and nothing else it grows discouraged and so dies when if it could stay and wait it should see all from love and doing it the greatest good Oh remember this he doth afflict me he doth depart from me he doth fear me with Hell yet I 'le love him never a whit the lesse Though the Lord buries all the Blessings he gives me yet my love shall live and if it do fall it shall arise 4. He loved thee when in thy low estate Psal. 136. 23. even when as no eye pittied thee Ezek. 16. nay when thou wert vilest at the height of thy sin under deepest depths of misery and straightest captivity after Friends had almost ceased to counsel Word and Spirit could do no good after Conscience had warned thee Oh love him when he is in his lowest estate when his enemies persecute him and his seeming Friends forsake him Before you came to this Land you thought Christ and persecution Christ and the meanest condition nay Christ and death would be sweet the Lord it may be doth or will try your love and here you find Christ and losses in Estate Christ and crosses in your Family Christ and many fears and toils and cares Do you love him now as well as ever you did for all this Oh never was my heart worse I doubt not but a discerning Christian may see how all the world is against Christ nay many Traytors in his own Family who love the bagg more than Christ. Many foolish Virgins who love their sleep and sloth more than Christ nay the hearts and Spirits of his own Friends declining that there is not that life of Christ that presence and savour and power of Christ in Hearts in Prayers in Lives and no complaints of this Now is the fittest time of love when no eye sees when no heart loves him or cares for him Psalm 119. 126 127. Therefore I love thy commands when he is shut out of every heart when none to receive him if any love it will appear now 5. He doth love thee constantly every moment Iohn 13. 1. 2. He hath thee every moment in his own bosom every moment thou art sinning and he is pardoning Sin and Satan and Hell and wrath are every moment waiting to hurt thee and he is every moment watching over thee redeeming of thee Every moment sin and justice cry against thee and yet he is continually making intercession for thee Isai. 27. 2 3. Every moment he is blessing when thou art sinning Oh the unknown love of the Lord Jesus Oh these fits of love are not fit for him Love him every moment delight in him every moment When a man hath a fire every moment warming him but still is cold it 's a sad sign that Death is near You can love him sometimes in a Sermon but soon after cold again or in a Sacrament and presently heart-dead again or after answer to Prayers and some special deliverances and then the heart is un-affected again and so a little pang of love must content Christ if he ceaseth one moment to love thee and to manifest it to thee then cease to love him if he ceaseth not to love thee dearly never to leave thee Oh then ever love him But we have such distractions and cares Men in love will follow their work and Women will do the Huswifry of the house and yet love is at notime to seek to their Husbands and shall the Lord have lesse 6. He loves thee with an unmeasurable love Rom. 5. 20. Where sin there Grace hath abounded hence Eph. 2. 3 4. Love and great love vers 7. Exceeding riches of his Grace For there is in Christ. 1. A created love One man loves another exceedingly as Ionathan did David Now he hath the perfection of all humane or Angelical love towards his people put in him 2. Increated love infinite love of a God and hence 't is immeasurable He thinks nothing he doth too much nothing he gives too dear hence when world is slain Satan cast out when he is out sin must out when some sins removed the rest must when they are out then death must when Death then Hell And when there is no life no Grace he works it it decaies he restores it it cannot act he quickens it it cannot doth not grow he waters it He hath given thee the earth and the dayes of peace and patience those are too little he calls thee and when thou canst not come draws thee and gives thee pardon that is too little he gives earth to thee that is too little world is theirs he gives Heaven to thee that 's too little for they are made Co-heirs he gives promise to thee that is too little he gives himself and Spirit and can he do more Yes we cannot drink in all that goodnesse and love hence he gives eternity to thee and he shall more and more enlighten thee not only let thy Soul live to blesse him but thy poor body and every dust of it to be raised up to Glory with him What the Lord promised to Abraham In blessing I will blesse that portion is thine Oh now love him without measure Oh how I love thy law how did David love it I cannot tell but if he loved the word of Christ then much more the person of Christ the presence of Christ everlasting fellowship with Christ. Oh take heed of giving Christ and measuring out unto Christ his portion his allowance that when the Lord comes to you for more love as he doth daily you give him that answer which many do in their practice you have let him have as much as you can so that you cannot spare any more from your selves from a base world from Wife and Child and Creature from a slothful course you hope the Lord will accept of that little he hath I confesse a little water in a Spring is better than much that comes by Land-floods but be sure it be a Spring else not accepted Beloved time was you lived without Christ did nothing for him now you do and what thou dost this year did'st last year and no more what love Christ had yesterday the same he hath to day and no more Will you thus
of Glory And I say this fills them in the room of this world How arâ— men full of the world And what is the Spirit of Glory I shall 〈…〉 three Conclusions That the 〈◊〉 rest and peace of the soul it 's to be found only in the presence of God Almighâ—y in this Being of Beings Hiâ— Perfections are in â—â—â—self and hence 〈…〉 â— A 〈…〉 to the Church to be 〈◊〉 God as â—e can â— The son of 〈◊〉 to whom the Promises 〈◊〉 made And then 3. King of Ierusalem the last and least He is that house and home of his people whether in fleeting or setled condition from one generation to another Psel â—â— 1. So that the Prophet finding this to be most true I say stands astonished at men and because men had deaf ears here and their bellies could not hear he cries to the Heavens to be astonished at this Ier. 2. 12 13. This wine the Lord puts under his Lock and Key 'T is not to be found in earth in Church-Liberties you may soon see this Temple not one stone left upon another nor in Heaven simply nor in Fellowship of Angels onely 't is in the Lord drawing nigh to the soul in these and drawing the soul at last near to himself by these That all Reprobates being estranged from God and God from them are also strangers to this resty this life of God this life of Glory Eph. 4. 18. and therefore seek for it and seek it out of the Paps of the â—reature and that which is not God And thus their hearts are full of the world Psal. 17. 14. Dust they eat and upon their bellâ—es they go shift for it where they will they shall never find it in him And if they do find it any where else in this world let them fill themselves to the full for they have their portion they have their reward And hence they do â—â— unregeneraâ—e men living find their rest in somthing out of God rest to their Coâ—sciences in duties and somthing of God rest of their hearts in some Creatures either â—â—lawful or â—â—â—ful Mat. 24. 38. And there is never a carnal beaâ—â— but give him his imaginary content here and he would desire to live here as aâ—â—xile from God and to be without him if there were no Hell no plagues etc. For here is their treasure not above here are thy good things and this is the very reason why a man lives without God nay when he stands convinced 〈◊〉 nay when troubled with thoughts of this and no duties can ease him because somthing out of God is his bottom to stand upon and his rest and peace It may be meat drink health sleep occasional delights and a quiet life That as 't is with Seamen they can endure winds and weather and rent Sayls and torn Masts because they live upon that Trade another will not So 't is here Though many troubles of mind yet they ply that Oaâ— 't is their living That all those whom the Lord intends good unto those he calls in time out of this world into his eternal Glory of rest and peace out of this world into another And as their hearts were filled with another world before so their hearts are filled with the Glory of this other world now Iohn 17. 14 16. 1 Peâ— 5. 1â— And this rest and peace in God is the Glory of the Saints That look as 't is with Reprobates What is their last and great woe 2 Thes. 1. 9. 'T is separation from the Lord So this is the great Glory of the Saints to enter in to him as Mâ—sâ—â— did into the Cloud and so to rest in him I go to my God and your God Hence the Saints are said to sell away all for this Treasure for this Pearle for the Lord And so the Lord is in stead of all and better to them than all they had before They can live royally upon him having but one thing to look to and having all things 〈◊〉 this one thing and more royally than the Prinâ—â—â— of the world can upon their Lusts and earthly Treasures This is the rest and 〈◊〉 the Saints have 〈◊〉 4. 3. They that beliâ—â—â— do enter into rest God 〈◊〉 them out of the world by some bitterness of it or by some cloying and 〈◊〉 and making their hearts weary of the sweetness thereof and then they enter into Glory The Lord sees nothing can fill their hearts noâ— stop their cries 〈◊〉 him and now this Sea of Glory breaks in upon them and fills their hearts And this the Lord doth two waies according as there are two things in that good that fills the heart 1. Proportion 2. Propriety So there are two Raies of eternal Glory chiefly whereby the Lord give full rest and peace and so Glory to his people 1. He reveals the good they are to enjoy in another world in its full proportion viz. what is the riches of the inheritance of the Saints Eph. 1. 17 18. For no good satisfies till 't is known in its greatness though yet there be degrees of this For we shall see many Christians have assurance where is the joy of it Noâ— affected with it because he knowes not what it is at that time At another time his heart is above all the world because he sees what is that Glory the Saints 〈◊〉 and that he hath it it swallows him up and confounds him Why me Loâ—d And this is the reason why the Saints doubt whom the Lord hath loosned from their lusts and all things here What so vile and all that 〈◊〉 And this the reason why when doubting so that there is nothing in this 〈◊〉 that doth quiet them nothing from God that doth ease them yet their hearts are sweetly eased Their desires are after him and their delights in his company better go to Hell thus than in my sins and the thoughts of the Lord are sweet because he hath and doth secretly fill their hearts Somthing they have or do see in him Isa. 26. 8. And hence is the reason of the sorrows of them when their hearts are worst now though they have the world yet are not at rest because they have and do see somthing of this 2. He reveals by the Spirit and Light of Glory that this good is theirs their propriety The first gives rest to the soul viz the Spirit of vision incompleatly This Spirit of Faith whereby the soul knows all this good is mine this gives it compleatly Now the New Ierusalem is come dowâ—â—rom Heaven and God is among men 1 Pet. 1. 8. For if a Christian sees the greatness of this glory but not as his the soul will never cleave to the Lord indeed nor finde full rest and hence when the riches of Gods grace is revealed and the Feast set before them they do not eat because they fear they were not bidden Now both these give full peace and rest to the soul when the soul hath the Lord
Because here are the Lawes of Heaven Heb. 12. 25. Take heed speaking of the Ministry of the Gospel in the Churches that ye refuse not to hear him who speaketh from Heaven which Lawes are not only here promulgated as they be among the enemies of this Kingdom but accepted and received also without which Lawes what Kingdom could there be Christ's Kingdom in this world is neither tyrannical nor arbitrary to govern without Law no no but if he be our King he is our Law-giver also Isa. 33. 22. Nay the same Lawes by which we shall be ruled in Heaven we have here and we are now under That as our Divines say against the Papists though before Moses his time there was not scriptio verbi yet there was verbum scriptum which the Patriarchs had before the Floud and afterward until Moses his time So I say here though in Heaven the external Letter and scription both of Law and Gospel shall be abolished because they need theâ— not when the day-star is risen 2 Pet. 1. 19. Yet the living Rules of both for substance shall remain the end of the Ministry is to bring us to the unity of Faith in a perfect estate Eph. 4. 13. Therefore Faith shall not cease when Ministers shall and that perfect man shall come Our Faith indeed shall not then by such glasses see Christ nor adhere unto Christ by such means of Promises and Ordinances as we do now but without them we shall both see and for ever adhere to him who is our King at that day and though indeed the Law is now abolished as a Covenant of life yet it shall ever remain as a Rule of life perfect subjection to it is the happinesse of Saints in Heaven 1 Ioh. 1. as a heart contrary to it is the greatest misery of the Saints on earth Rom. 7. 24. 3. Because here are the Subjects of Heaven Eph. 2. 19. Fellow-Citizens of the Saints not only on earth but as Paul speaketh Phil. 3. 20. Our conversation or as it may be rendred our free Burgesse-ship is in Heaven God himself hath canonized all the true Members of visible Churches with the name of Saints throughout the whoâ—e new Testament here are the great heirs of Heaven nay possessours of Heaven by Faith as others are by feeling as near and dear to God in some respect as those that be in Heaven already because the same motive which makes him love them makes him love these though poor abjects and our-casts of the world there is but a paper-wall of their bodies between them and Heaven only here is the difference they there are Subjects in their own countrey these here are the same Countreymen only strangers for a time here upon earth Some define a Kingdom to be dominatus regis in populum subjectum If Christ the King was present and his Laws published but there were no people to be subject to him there could be no Kingdom but when the King Laws and Subjects of Heaven are here met together in the visible Church here is now the Kingdom of Heaven 4. Because here is the very Glory of Heaven begun that look as the same Sun which fils the Stars with Glory the very same beams touch the earth also so the same Glory which shines in Heaven shines into the poor Church here 1 Pet. 5. 10. God hath called his people into his eternal Glory And 〈◊〉 30. whom Christ hath justified them he hath glorified i. e. he hath begun it here 〈◊〉 in a special manner is the presence of the Angels in Heaven Eph. 3. 10. Here the pure in heart see God and that after another manner than many times they can in their solitary condition Psal. 63. 1 2 3. And what is this but Heaven SECT IV. 1. SEE therefore hence their happiness and honour whom God hath called out of the world and planted in his Church What hath the Lord done but opened the way to the Tree of life and let you into Paradise again Nay which is more What hath he done but taken you up into the very Kingdom of Heaven it self where you have the Lord of glory to be your King the Laws of Heaven made known his heart opened where you have the heirs of Heaven your companions and the Angels of Heaven your guard desiring to look into those things which your eyes see and your hearts feel 1 Pet. 1. 12. Where you have the love of a Father appearing the Son of God inhabiting and the Spirit of Heaven comforting Lord what is man that thou art thus mindful of him That when the Lord seeth it unmeet to take you out of this world up unto Heaven that Heaven should come down into this world unto you who were once enemies to this Kingdom shut up under the Kingdom of death and darknesse strangers to the Common-wealth of Israel without God and Christ in the world without promise without hope I do not cry the Temple of the Lord nor Idolize Order and Churches but I tell you what your priviledge is and thereby what Gods goodnesse is I know the world neither seeth not feeleth any such Heaven on earth but soon grow despisers secretly of all Ordinances who if they were in Heaven it self with their carnal hearts they would not abide there with much contentment yet verily Heaven hath been and is found here by Gods hidden one even such things which eye hath not seen nor ear heard and if it be not thus with thee blame thy self and mourn the more who in the midst of light art in utter darknesse and in the place where Heaven is begun to some it should be made a little Hell to thee 2. Take heed of defiling secretly the Church of God For what do you do thereby but pollute the Kingdom of Heaven it self And the better any thing is the greater is the defilement cast upon it It is said 1. Pet. 1. 4. that the Kingdom of Heaven above is an inheritance undeâ—iled never yet the subject place where any sin was committed and this is one part of the Glory of it Take you heed of coming into Church-fellowship with defiled hearts and so defiling Gods holy things for do you know where you are I know it is not in that Heaven where you cannot sin but yet 't is in such a Heaven where you should not sin much lesse defile the Church of God It was one of Gods heavy inditements against the Church of the Iews that when the Lord had brought them out of a land of pits into a plentiful countrey yet they defiled his Land neither Priests nor people said Where is the Lord Ier. 2. 7 8. It will be much more heavy another day with you that walking in the fellowship of Gods people shall be found guilty of defiling the Kingdom of Heaven it self which you should be careful to keep as an underfiled inheritance which 〈◊〉 whether spiritual or sensual as they stain the very glory of
love Christians will come to Christ and when they receive and feel the good they come for they will think of Christs love and that he love them no first come unto the Lord Jesus being once come know he will not cast thee away Iohn 6. 37. then think of this love stay here first feed here and you may act and then the Lord will conveigh strength and power and inable you hereunto For though when a man trusts to his love as Peter without Faith a man will fall because he trusts to an arm of flesh yet when Faith imploies love the work is very great As a Father hath a child who must keep at home with him but he hath never a Steward to lay out that estate for him that he means to give him but when an able Steward now he gives his Son richly So here Quest. How shall I comprehend it Answ. First the Apostle prayes for it Secondly see what 't is by his description and meditate on it 1. The bredth i. e. the same love wherewith the Lord comprehends all Saints as Abraham c. thou art as dear to the Lord as he or any in Heaven nay it may be did cost more not a crosse not a mercy but it 's common for substance unto all Saints 2. The length from eternity to eternity nothing can part nothing shall part all other things are but Summer Swallows that build with us for a time 3. The depth that the Lord should look upon thee when in thy Pest-house when no eye pittied thee when as low as the Grave nay as low as Hell nay lower for they in Hell would come out thou wouldst not Never think to see what infinite love is till thou seest infinite wrath 4. The height to be as happy as Angels and more to nay to be all one with Christ and in Christ and loved with the same love Christ is Iohn 17. 23 26. 5. When thou seest it thus yet it 's the love of Christ that passeth knowledg As children cannot tell how Parents love them Will you do thus 'T is with many Christians as 't is with many Trees the Tree is good and the soil is good and rain dews sun Husband-man good yet it begins to dye then now nothing is wanting but only to be set a little deeper that it may take more root of the soyl And so here there is nothing wanting in many a Christian but to be set a little deeper and to take more rooting in the Lords love Faith roots it self in Gods love and now prospers by love The eye is but little yet can comprehend a mighty world quickly mans mind is but little yet can comprehend though not the infinitenesse yet an infinite love If there be this light of glory see by it all your poor sad hearts that conceive nothing but terror and holinesse in God if you see it not know it here is your work now for the first work is to get Faith then to get love then to act from Faith by love Now the Lord hath wrought the first and thou art busie a doing the third work not remembring the second 2. Content not thy self with feeling a want of supply but labour to feel a need of supply from the Lord Jesus for many a Christian feels a want of Grace from Christ brokennesse c. sees he hath nothing and is sometime by fits troubled for the want of it but he can be well content though he have no supply having somewhat else to ease and content him he feels no need of supply so as he cannot be without it that his Spirit fails unlesse the Lord Jesus in mercy give it and therefore must have it there is a necessity of it Hence he never finds supply and wonders at it why 't is so and here 't is here is his wound and so brings up an ill report of the Lord saying he is loath to give and of the Ordinances of the Lord 't is in vain to seek and truly so it is to seek so for let thy condition be never so miserable if thou feelest a need of supply the Lord will make bare his arm and work wonders bring Heaven out of Hell joy out of sorrow and light out of the thickest darknesse and floods out of dry ground Isai. 41. 17 18. when the ground is dry and perched away no moisture left now the Lord pours out water on this soul Isai. 44. 3. Heb. 4. ult Many come to the Lord for Grace and find it not methinks I hear the Lord speaking thus to his people I love you dearly and I am content to give you any thing you need but you do not need my Grace my Spirit my presence i. e. you feel not a need of it for if you had it now you would not prize it much nor keep it long my precious Grace must not be spilt Many know their wants and distempers and know there is no help in themselves and see all fulnesse in Christ and hence come to him but find none because they can be content though the Lord deny no nor never shall unlesse you feel the woe of your wants that your Spirit fails if the Lord send not in supply Isai. 57. 16. I will not contend lest the Spirit fail Hence there God promiseth to dwell to send and create peace and comfort for what is the reason that Christians at first beginnings â—eek peace and mercy and have abundantly then why truly I was long time before I had any thing but when my spirit began to fail and I gave all for gone and could hold out no more now the Lord helped and pittied me but where are those comforts and that presence of the Lord now Truly now you think the worst is past and would be glad of the life of Christ and Grace from Christ but if not you have a little your state is safe and so can lie without putting your self to a necessity of it Is it not thus is not this your very wound if it be for the Lords sake then get it healed and do as people in Christs time those that were well and had not desperate Diseases commonly came not to him but when the Disease was desperate you know the Fame of Christ being spread abroad then they brought their sick and laid them before his merciful eyes then they looked for the laying on of his hand or a word of his mouth and all were healed so do you you have heard of the Fame of Christ and seen others humbled others parâ—oned lay thy â—ick Soul but look that it be sick before his eyes and so look for one word of his mouth as the Woman of Canaan he may deny for a time yet she must have it and the Lord will say Be it unto thee according to thy Faith not according to thy deserts thou wilt have it I must give it thou dyest without it behold I live to revive thee and therefore to give it You come
love a spring of running love without measure for this is the difference between affectionâ— of Saints and Hypocrites to Christ the one ariseâ—h like a morning dew which is soon lickt up by the Sun Hos. 6. 4. the heat of affectionâ— after other things licks it up but the love of Saints to Christ is like a spring which riseth to everlasting life a spring is but little but yet the fâ—rther it goes the wider 't is till at last swallowed up in the Sun and there is no measure of water so Saints have but a little love but the longer they live the more enlarged for Christ and there is no measure but all is too little they never can never do love enough so that look as 't is said in another case Psalm 102. 13 14. ' T is time for thee to build up Ierusalem i. e. to return to thy people in thy Ordinances for they love the stones so then it 's time for Chriâ—t to come and then the set and fit time is come for a â—eople to meet with Christ out of Ordinances when the set time is come when they love Ordinances and love Christ much more When a man is gone beyond Seâ— and all his Friends and estate are at home they long for him and he is left among enemies why comes he not to them why send not they for him why they know he is sickly and cannot live on the dyer of the country hence he is unfit to come but when that is once come to passe that he can live only on it then he is ready when-ever they send so when men can live with and be content alone with Christ and his love now they are fi With what face can a man appear before Christ when he requires nothing but love and he hath not that 3. Then a man is unready for Christ whiles he neglects the work of Christ for suppose a man hath some inward love to Christ yet neglects hath no heart to do the work of Christ he is as yet no more fit to meet Christ than a Steward who hath had much betrusted him to improve for his Lords use and he hath let all seasons go wherein he might have traded for him and gained somewhat to him How can he appear before him when no fair accounts to be seen so the Lord hath betrusted thee with many Talents timeâ— strength means c. you are not Lords but Stewards of all these Now do you not let many fair seasonâ— and winds blow by you have if espoused to Christ every man some work Now how can you stand before Christ if that be neglected Oh thus 't is with many christians hence those sad alaâ—â—ms of conscience and shakings of Gods Spirit after many loose dâ—yes dipt in some good duties What dost thou that others do not that never shall see Gods face in Heaven Now therefore then the soul is ready for the Lord when 't is daily at it finishing Gods work hence Iohn 17. 5. I have finished my work now glorifie me Christ hath given us our lives work dayes-work every hours work for Christ hath ever eâ—ployment now though a soul may livelong and cannot finish its lives work yet if it finish its dayes work or hours work it may have comfort then if the Lord should come That look as 't is with a Marriner when he hath his Fraight now let the wind come to drive him out of the Haven he is ready to depart so here 2 Pet. 1. 8 9 10 11. If ye do these things and abound an open entrance shall be ministred unto you i. e. when a christian is ever acting for Christ and adding one Grace to another in his course then he is so ready that an open entrance is made for him Therefore look after this 'T is with most Professors commonly as 't is with a Woman that loves her Husband and begins to dresse her self but so much businesse to do that she doth it but by starts hence call her never so laâ—e she will say she is not yet ready she hath so much to do she cannot so 't is here Or as 't is in a house where all things are in a lumber and many things wrapt up and put into holes so long as all things be in a lumber there is no readinesse So many a soul hath a heart fit to receive Christ but all things are in a lumber in a confusion out of place and order and hence not yet ready to entertain Christ but when this work is done then ready Oh betimes do this work set things to rights in your souls 4. Then a man is unready when having done his work he grows puft up with it for let all the three former be wrought in the soul if now the soul be puft up thinks highly of it self attributes any thing to it self as he said in another case they are too many for the Lord so he is too big for the Lord. And truly this we shall find it 's pretty easie to be mean in our own eyes after we have been indeed carelesse and vile before the Lord but when the Lord hath mightily assisted enlarged assured enabled comforted quickened now to be as nothing this is difficult Hence Knox on his death-bed had this Temptation of Meriting When Hezekiah was sick he was cast down but when well and God gave him great Treasures his heart was lifted up now he was unfit Now therefore when a christian is ready to give all to free Grace and to adore that now he is ready for the Lord Psalm 108. 1. My heart is prepared I will sing 〈◊〉 give praise Gods last end is to bring the soul to the praise of the riches of his Grace not only to enjoy God as Adam Now the great reason why Christ comes not to his people presently after they are espoused to him 't is to make them ready to attain that end Hence he leaves sins temptations sorrows desertions on purpose that they may at conclusion look back and see if ever saved pardoned it 's Grace Now therefore when the soul is brought to do this when he hath this rent in his hand now the Lord is ready to receive him and it too and he is prepared for the Lord he that hath not his Rent ready himself is not as yet at all ready to meet with and see his Landlord So that you think you boast not Oh the Lord sees you do or have not hearts so enlarged towards Grace as you should it 's certain you are yet unready then but when empty and poor and cast down and makest an infinite matter of a small sin and settest a high price on a little love much more on infinite now you are prepared Hence David falls a praising when near to death and the Lord near to come to him SECT IV. 1. THe law of Respect and Love requires this of us when Peter would expresse his love unto Christ Luke 22. 33. he professeth
saith the soul c. And now if any Woman lives with a man that is of a hoggish churlish disposition she will be ever doubting of his love Men do not know it I say and hence when any misery or trouble comes they grow jealous of him which the Lord takes exceeding ill Deut. 1. 27. Quest. How shall I know that tender-heartedness of Christ Answ. By his carriage towards men when he was here on earth for now he is in Heaven in Glory and we know not what his disposition is therefore his life on earth was the living looking-glasse of his heart for ever In Four Things 1. Never any came to him that he cast away whatever their sorrows or sins were but healed them every one if they came to him with their miseries for in healing their miseries he did but shew his readinesse to heal them of their sin hence Matthew applies that Mat. 8. 17. He bare our infirmities 2. When men came to him for by-ends not for himself chiefly he rebukes them for it and shews he was more ready to give himself than bread to them Iohn 6. 27. 3. Those that were lost and sick and miserable and came not to him he went up and down to seek and save them the lost Sheep Luke 19. 10. 4. Those that would none of his love he pittied and had compassion on their misery and sin as on them that were sheep without a shepheard he mourned for the hardnesse of their hearts he wept over Ierusalem Now look upon Christ the same still thou comest to him in secret to take away all iniquity to give thee himself tell me dost think the Lord if here would reject thee ever 2. But I dare not receive him Ans. Thou wilt take Bread from him daily and he is more willing to give himself 3. Thou canst not come to him nor find him but only sometimes nor see him well but then he will seek thee out 4. Oh but I oft reject yet he pitties thee still O think of this compassion of Christ and make him as if present 't is a special means to establish the heart in Believing Learn to know when you are bound not to give way to your fear of Gods love for sometime it is the case of many a precious soul that he hath clear evidence of Gods love to him and what is there against it nothing but a fear what if I should be deceived when all is done and hence the heart sinks exceedingly As some Women that have special love if once they take a jealousie of their Husbands love it 's never removed So here How shall I know this First If those fears thou hast drive thee farther from Christ it 's clear you are then to cast them off those fears that cause sin are sinful but to be driven from Christ is sinful Luke 5. 9 10. Lord depart from me I am sinful fear not saith Christ 1 Sam. 12. 20. they were ready to cast off all Fear not saith he think of this what 't is you get by nursing up those fears they hinder your joy in and your love to Christ your blessing of Christ cause a dead discouraged heart nay though they drive you to Christ one way if they drive you from Christ another way by questioning his care concluding against his Truth never doubt they are vile Mat. 8. 26. Why did ye fear O ye of little Faith So far therefore as fear drives us to Christ 't is good otherwise to be cut off 2. If the Lord hath drawn thy heart to come to Christ and when undone every way secretly perswaded thy heart that thou shalt have help if thou come and by coming hast received healing Vertues of thy lusts and vile affections from the Lord Jesus fear not now 't is a sin to fear I shall not have help as Mark 5. 33. the Woman with the Bloody-issue she was afraid she had presumed hence came trembling but the Lord told her Now fear not be it unto thee according to thy Faith only thy Issue is but begun to heal What say you have you never come to him never received any healing from him that is hard Surely 't is so that I would not be in my lust again for a world If none of these prevail but the Lord follows thee with fears on fears as wave on wave then see if there be not some guile of spirit in thee i. e. some sin you have or would give way to if you had assurance of Gods love It was the speech of one to me next to the Donation of Christ no mercy like this to deny assurance long and why for if the Lord had not I should have given way to a loose heart and life but c. so if the Lord should deal so with thee it may be thou would'st lye in thy sins if thou had'st peâ—ce there and it may be you have had it but sinned and not confessed not lamented not opposed Thus it was with David Psalm 32. 1 2 3 4. Hence when he confessed the Lord forgave in his Conscience his sin Men will withdraw their love from their Wives if it make them wanton and deal sharply with them so one that never restored could never get peace some ever complaining never setled because they have their Truces with sin and would have peace with Christ and it cannot be And this is a rule I have long held in them that have clear light of the Gospel long denial of assurance is like fire to burn out some sin and then the Lord will speak peace Iudg. 10. 16. And therefore take this counsel and God will tell thee thy sin if thou art desirous that he should find it out but get this mercy from him Zach. 13. 9. Bring thy heart to a straight either to reject or receive him to be thine he is offered to be King and Saviour and Lord and Husband now thou shalt have his heart his hand his Spirit his Father his Kingdom his Ordinances his Angels himself if you receive him or else if not you shall lose him and then woe to thee when any mercy any misery any Ordinance befalls thee for all shall suck thy Blood consume thee and fit thee for eternal ruine and then wish Oh that I had taken him but then too late therefore receive him or reject him Oh I cannot that 's another matter However we propound these Evangelical commands that may come with power and therefore know that if they do not now they shall arise again in time SECT II. THis is not all that which makes you ready for Christ unlesse your love is set and fixed on him and therefore look that it be ready I doubt not but that there is glowing in your hearts some love to the Lord it cannot be that all should be quenched that all his kindnesse should be forgotten but remembred many times with some affliction but know it if it be so your lamp is not
of Glory so that light God puts into their mind is the beginning of the light of Glory Hence as in Heaven the soul sees Christ by the full light of Glory perfectly face to face so in this life the soul sees Christ really as he is yet as in a glasse imperfectly Hence we are said to see in part 4. In regard of that abundant goodnesse and love of Christ to his people Love cannot lock up secrets Ioseph hid himself from his Brethren for a time but his bowels melt he must tell them that he is Ioseph Christ may do so but his love even constrains him afterward to let them see whom he is Iohn 14. 21. I confesse its admirable love to reveal Christ in the Word and letter of the Gospel to hear of him is happinesse and if the Lord saves you you will think so too But this is common to wicked men there is a manifestation of himself as he is unto his people And now he is in Glory hence reveals himself in his inconceiveable Glory that now a mans eye sees the Lord and such things he never thought of before which eye never saw 1 Cor. 2. 9. How doth the soul see him as he is I in this case rather desire to learn than teach even from the meanest yet what is obvious I shall suggest in this weighty businesse This seeing of him appears in three particulars 1. True saving knowledge and sight of Christ consists in the sight of the glory of his person especially now caught up to Heaven and sitting at the right hand of God in all the Glory of the Father Look as at the Judgment-day the Lord shall break out of Heaven in such Glory as shall amaze all the world and all eyes shall see him that he shall not only be admired in himself but in all his Saints by all that are round about him just so doth the soul see him now though nor by the eye of sense yet by the eye of Faith though not come to judge the world yet now ruling of the world though not in the clouds yet in Heaven though his Humanity only in Heaven yet his God-heads beams filling Heaven and Earth though not yet coming in the Fathers Glory yet sitting clothed with the Fathers Glory for if a man looks on Creatures he sees Gods foot-steps of power if on Angels and Saints Gods Image of Holinesse if in Christ there God himself 2 Cor. 4. 4 5 6 7. 'T is true then Christs Glory shall be seen by the Wicked but that 's by sense not by Faith that is only in their minds but there is no shining into the heart to the kindling of an infinite esteem of him and this the god of this World hides from people Christ the Lord of another world in spight of Satan reveals to his people Before a man sees Christ there is nothing more base than Christ even to the Elect and then the wayes and work of Christ Iâ—r 2. 11. Have any Heathen changed their gods these change their glory for that which doth not profit now the Lord will be must be esteemed of his people hence will and doth reveal this Glory of his to his Saints whereas here others are blind 2. In the beholding of the Lord as he comeâ— and appears in the Glory of his Covenant for when the Lord reveals himself so as to cause the soul to believe and thereby to make it one of his people he never makes any a people but by entring into Covenant with them Hence he ever appears in his Covenant first Isai. 49. nlt. Look as when the Lord made him a people at Mount Sinai Moses came down from 〈…〉 with Tables in his hands c. So when Christ comes to make any his people he comes as Mediator of a beâ—ter Teâ—â—ament Heb. 7. 22. On Mount Sion Heb. 12. 22 24. Noâ— look as it was with the Israelites 2 Cor. 3. they had the Covenant of Christ and Christ revealed but as Moses face was covered â—o theirs wâ—s and Christ theâ—e was vailed over with the Law even the Moral Law written in stone Hence there was a vail on their hearts too they could not see Christ the end of the Lâ—w but only the Vail viz. the Law and hence looked for life by that and hence weâ—e hadened against Christ Rom. 9. 31 32. So 't is the misery and blindnesse of many people at this day they see the Lord Jesus but with his vail on for people being not able to see and priâ—e the glory of Christ immediatly the Lord appears with the law first requiring this and that and they endeavour to do it and hence if they cannot they comfort themselves with this the Lord accepts my endeavours not seeing the hypocrisie of them or else they are never at â—eace or very seldom and why because they see not to the end of that which is abolished never saw the end the Lord Jesus Chrâ—st Now therefore when the Lord reveals himself the Lord makes himself known without the vail so that when conscience cries you must do what ever is commanded or dye the Lord Jesus now comes and appears and saith therefore see what need thou hast of me who have fulfilled all Righteousness and done all Receive mâ— that have done it and thou shalt live Oh but may I now live as I â—ist Am I now free from the Law No 't is to be thy Rule and life in Heaven but I will write my Laws in thy heart and cause thee to walk in my wayes Hence the soul sees all done for him 1. In Christ. 2. All that he is to do for Christ he sees it not in meâ—ns nor in himself but in the Lords promise and here Faith hangs and hath peace For two things trouble First I have broke the first Covenant of the Law Christ appears not as one that exacts the Debt but as one that comes to enrich him when poor Secondly I cannot walk after it as a Rule Christ appears in this Covenant and promiseth to cause him to do it and hence after all departings from the Lord he will not depart further by unbelâ—ef but sees the end of the Law which is Christ that in him he may perform the Covenant and by him be strengthned to walk with him as after a Rule For the Covenant of Grace is not Christ will be rigthteousnesse to thee if thou wilt walk after the Law as a Rule but Christ will do both and this the soul sees in it's Glory else it 's no sight Hence 2 Cor. 3. Gospel is called The ministration of Glory which no carnal heart can see for the vail is taken away when it turns to the Lord and sees him The Saints only with open face behold this 'T is true for a tiâ—e they may make of Christ a Moses as Peter Luke 5. 8. Lord depart from me I am a sinful man And the Lord may deal roughly with them to huâ—bâ—e them as Ioseph did to
they see and be troubled at it they take it as a burden not as the greatest burden Hence say men you must not judge of your estate by any thing or qualification you feel in your self for these may fail your eye-sight in misty times But we must follow it then and not rest till we see and find it for without holinesse no man shall see God Hence also let there be never so many falls yet say they never call your state into question hence they professe we cannot move till we be moved and if I do not it is not my fault Hence if Ministers do preach any things which are not about the person of Christ or the excellency of a Christian in Christ or the emptinesse of the creature to prepare for Christ which are indeed of great use and presse to any work or service of Christ they are Legal Preachers and bring people under a Covenant of works Whereas if we preach duties and leave them as signs before being in Christ they are so but â—ere to preach any duty of the Law is part of the sweet will of Christ. Tell us say they what we should do What can a man do He can do all things through Christ True but Christ must come to act it Yeâ— But he hath a Faith to fetch it 1 Iohn 1. 6. many said they had communion with him 1 Iohn 2. 3 4. It seems they said they had no sin as now some say God sees no sin in justified people God looks to the new creature only 't is not I but sin if the Spirit help not 't is not my fault Not many dayes since it did lye upon the spirit of one who seeing Christ hath undertaken all closed with him rejoyced in him not for this end not from the beauty they saw in holiness nor bitterness of â—infulness but because they should be eased of the work I have known them that have lived in some sin and promised the Lord shall be blessed if he save them in their sin and conceiting he would have loved him thus these In a word the soul of man desires rest and peace seeks for it in Creatures seeks to satisfie it self there there it cannot hence seeks for it as many dying men do in Christ not in the Grace but in the joy of Christ not in Christs holy presence but in his comforting presence seeking the utmost perfection of a Christian in the seale of the Spirit not in the mighty actings of the Spirit for God Hence he is deludeâ— and fancies he hath Christ and hence joy Sin is the great evill hence the end of Christs coming is to take it away Hence if a man close with Christ to remove horror not sin and so hath not closed with him for his holiness you never closed with Christ for the end of his coming nor for his but only for your own ends and so 't is not him but his 2 Cor. 2. 15. The Gospel is a savour to them that perish if of Death to death Oh consider of these things if it be not thus 1 Iohn 5. 11 12. Hast the Son for thy portion Dost see his Glory full of Grace to accept and sanctifie thee thou hast life if not the Son but only soâ—ething from him Oh death and not life the bonds of Death not life are upon thee which no creature can unloose unlesse the Lord come to they Grave-side and unloose thee SECT VIII TO close with the Person of the Lord Jesus you will think this is not a right course thus to do We cannot do it Answ. Yet the Gospel hath commands and entreaties wherewith Christs Spirit goes to the Elect and if you could see Christ in the miniâ—â—ry of man you should feel it And hence we look it should be so and besides Saints that have Faith and power are quickened by the voice of the Son of God Consider therefore 1. All men are fallen into a bottomless gulf of misery and sin though once righteous Hence Gods truth having said he that sins shall dye hence justice comes out to do execution and when the neck of all men thus lies on the block yet mercy pities and saith Oh spare save Satisfie me saith justice then I will hence mercy sends forth a Son when no men nor Angels could help and he takes flesh takes all their sin fulfills all righteousness bears their sorrows and by one offering perfects for ever them that are sanctified and having done this is now at the right hand of God in the Glory of his Father all creatures subject to him all excellencies being met together in him so that now he is the delight of â—od the joy of Heaven so that whatsoever thou canst want or losest if thou hadst him thou shalt find it in him and also whatever he can do for thee in his time thou shalt receive it from him Deut. 33. 26 29. Who is like the God of Iesurun 2. Now there is a universal offer to all people where the Gospel comes enemies are entreated to be reconciled for though he hath not dyed for all yet now being King such is his excellency that he is worthy of all Hence commands all to receive him and if this be a condemning sin to reject him 't is then a command lies upon you to receive him and the foundation of this offer is your wants and miseries You are dead Oh come to him therefore for life weak guilty blind Oh therefore come to him for pardon peace and life Not fulness nothing but emptiness is the ground of this offer Ier. 3. 22. 3. Hence there is nothing on Gods part nor yet on your part that can keep you from him No sins no wants unless it be your will Mat. 23. 37. Therefore now who-ever will shall have him let him take him Rev. 22. 17. There be two acts of the Will Election and Resolution I must have him which if you will nothing that ever thou didst or canst do can please the Father so much so that he will 1. Adopt thee to be his Son Iohn 1. 12. As è contra 2. Thou shalt enrich thy self with a greater blessing than if Heaven and Earth and all glory was put into thy hand as the Lord himself is better than all and hence once thine ever thine none shall pull thee out of his hand 2 Pet. 1. 5. And it shall rejoyce the heart of Christ himself in Heaven when as his Bride thou givest to him thy good will Isai. 62. 5. And if you do not kiss the Son he will be angry Psalm 2. And God knows whether now the last word the last offer is to be made to thee But I find such sins in me that till they are gone I dare not Then you will first remove sin and after receive Christ first be your own saviours and then make him another you shall never do it Oh close with him to take sin away because sick therefore receive him But I
when all is dispatched then to go up to Heaven and when gone there to be for ever rejoycing triumphing in the presence of God Almighty and now what it will be to be far off from Christ weeping never to be pitied more Oh he that was so full of pity no heart then to pity no hand to help I can but only paint this fire Oh that the Lord would help you here that so you might look out for him Saylors sleep in calms and so it may be have many here in this place of rest Others of you take heed I le tell you your bar It may be most estates are brought low and sunk when you see that now you either look back or look for Lots accomodations and such an estate as is lost it may be you will spy some hope of it and then follow the game and never look out till you die The Lord keep you from it You then will not look up for Christs coming at the last day or in his Ordinances here If thou dost so had it not been better thou hadst been buried in the Sea or left in sorrow on the Shore Oh take heed therefore look for the coming and company of Christ and let this be enough and because you cannot look for him in the the clouds now Oh look and wait for him in his Ordinances and consider if espoused ones look for his coming then and for perfect knowledge of him and communion with him then think Lord what a heart have I that look not for him here But Lord who will believe our report Thus they went out by hope and expectation of his coming Now the Second thing follows they went forth with longing desires after his coming CHAP. XI That Believers do long and desire for the appearance and Second Coming of Christ. SECT I. THat all those that are espoused to Christ and beloved of Christ they ought not only to look but to long for the coming of and their everlasting communion with the Lord Christ Iesus For the consummation of their marriage with him that though he be gone our hearts may be with him before our souls be or before our souls and bodies be that though we may die and lie down in the dust our desires may live and lie in Heaven and cry come Lord. Now do not think this point true and so far good if we could reach it but this is a high pitch for you must long for it God forbid a Christian espoused to Christ should plead that work too much which Hypocrites the five foolish Virgins in their kind attained to See Presidents for this in all ages Abraham and those in his time who was Father of the Faithful Heb. 11. 15 16. A better Countrey where they might have fellowship with the Lord and hence God is not ashamed c. As if the Lord were ashamed of all them to be his people that professe themselves so but desire not this In Christ's time Simeon Luke 2. 29. with 25. Where he waited for the consolation of Israel c. to enjoy more of him In the Apostles time 't is also that which they all felt 2 Cor. 5. 2. In this we groan earnestly c. But you will say It may be this was because of miseries and want of Ordinances c. Therefore see in the last age of the Church when the new Ierusalem was built and when peace and when Christ's face was seen in his House yet then the Spirit and the Bride say come Rev. 22. 17. They are the last breathings of Iohn and the Spirit in him Lord Iesus come quickly But Cent. 8. 14. The Church there intreats her Beloved to fly away to the Mountains of Spices that she might enjoy him out of this world SECT II. 1 BEcause they are bound to love Christ and his appearing to love his looks when he shall appear to the world 2 Tim. 4. 8. The Crown of Glory comes as it were by succession not only to me but to all them that love his appearing Now can there be any love of him and his appearing and not so much as any desire after him and after it Certainly there is no love or if there be any it lies languishing For answerable to our love to any thing is our desire what we love only we desire only what we love not at all or but little we desire not at all or but little so here Now therefore to question May a Christian desire it is to question whether a Christian ought to love the Lord Jesus or no. We are bound not to love earth hence bound to love Christ and his fellowship in Heaven Let him be Anathema that doth not so 2. Because the Lord Jesus longs for them Iohn 17. 24. Throughout which Chapter he prays as if in Heaven already Hence I am no more in this world and where I am let them be also He was on earth but looks on himself as in Heaven That as it was with the High Priest he carries the Names of the twelve Tribes on his heart bese◠with precious Stones very dear to him 〈◊〉 the Holy of Holies so Christ. Not that he sees any beauty in them of their own why he should desire them but because he freely loves them and dearly loves them as being given him of the Father and as having cost him dear and hence if he loves them he longs for them Now if he longs for them ought not they much more to long for him Psal. 27. 8. Thou saidst seek my face thy face Lord will I seek 1. He longs for thee now in Glory when one would think his thoughts and heart should be swallowed up with it and shall not we long for him here in the valley of Myrtle trees in misery on the dunghill 2. He longs for thee when thou hast nothing to make him desire thee he hath all that thy heart can desire being the very bosom-delight of God himself Rev. 22. penult He did but say he would come and Iohn desires Oh come But doth he long for thee Now not to long for him If this love be not worth longing for truly 't is worth nothing 3. Because this is our last and ultimate end that we are made for chosen for bought for called for sealed for that at last we might be with the Lord and be made perfect in one 2 Cor. 5. 5. He that hath made us for this is God c. For the whole Trinity enjoying infinite sweet fellowship with himself hence desire it might be communicated in Christ 't is so and now the last end is attained Now if this be our last end ought we not to desire it Then we ought not to desire to be blessed nor to desire the Lord may be glorified Nay you know that whatever we make our last end it will swallow up all our desires after any other thing This is the Center and rest and journies end of our tired weary spirits And
the truth is when we make it our last end we cannot but desire it SECT III. BUT ought not a man to desire to live here in this world as David and Hezekiah did May not one sin in this desire 1. 'T is true precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints not only in regard that they are as precious to him when they come to die as while they live as Gold when 't is melting is as precious to the Goldsmith as when whole and it may be more too because 't is then made better but also because he will not lightly cast away their lives He that bottles their tears and will not let them be lost will not easily let go their lives and if God will not they ought not upon every slight occasion to desire their death and losse of their lives to be with the Lord. Now there are two cases Gods own people may not desire to remove hence where though there be some fire I confesse yet there is more smoak than fire more sin than Grace 1. In case they meet with much unkindnesse from and many sorrows in the world and behold the sins of it Thus it was with Elias 1 Kings 19. 4. Who when Iezabel threatned his life fled and would needs set sail presently and be gone so 't is with Gods people when they see enemies without the universal rot of Profession that they think they are almost left alone when God hath begun to do good by them as by Elijah but they think their best daies are past there is all they shall do and God himself it may be meeting them with some crosses in this world now presently they grow weary of their lives and desire to die which is nothing else but a pang of discontent truly God will not suffer it nor you ought not to desire it to die away in such a snuffe No the Lord hath work for them to do and a journey to go This desire is naught and 't is but a weed and to be pulled up that growes out of such a root as a discontented heart for crosses I confesse God useth sorrows as means to smoak us out of our Hive and we may use them for that end but not only or chiefly them nor from a pang or moody fit of discontent 2. In case they desire death and not life before they be ripe for death Husbandmen desire their Corn in but 't is folly to desire it before it be ripe and then they may I confesse 't is the commendation of some trees if not only good but if ripe betimes and 't is the honour of a Christian to be ripe for death betimes yet still before he is ripe he is not to desire it Now when is this 1. While the Lord hides his face and denies full assurance of his love in this case as a Christian cannot so he ought not if it were the Lords will desire to be gone as yet and this is one reason why David and Hezekiah desired life not death as yet God had broken their bones and his arrowes were yet in their hearts now a man is to desire he may stay a little while longer that he may sing the Song of the Lamb and tell the world what the Lord hath done for him and that he may not set in a cloud and die in horrour Mariners long to be on shore but before they come there they would not venture in a mist but see Land first so should we desire to see the Lord in the Land of the living Nay though the Lord gives his people a promise which staies their hearts and is a twig to keep them from sinking nay when he gives them some joy yet still God hath promised to reveal more of himself and his Christ in the promise seeing him but darkly now Now they ought not to desire but wait as in Simeons case now let thy Servant depart in peace having long waited for the consolation of Israel Children that will be up before 't is day must be whipt a rod is most fit for them stay till 't is day 2. While their work remains unfinished and the Lord hath got little or no Glory from them though they may have clear evidence of the Lords love Christ himself desired it not till now Iohn 17. 5. If thou couldest scale Heaven before thy work was done the Lord would send thee down from thence again as he did the soul of Lâ—zarus and truly to do the work of Christ one moment here is better than to have a thousand years felicity in Heaven nakedly considered in it self in as much as the Honour of Christ is a thousand times better than our own good It may be there is much work within doors many odd distempers to be cashierd spirituall decaies c. It may be there is work without Christ hath many enemies in the world many prayers are yet to be spent against them much good to do for his Church many tears to be shed for them for praying trade is past in Heaven It may be some friends yet to be converted thou hast been a scandal to them it may be as yet few have been or can say they be the warmer or better for thee that work is yet to be done It may be God hath some secrets to reveal by thee before thou diest stay therefore a while while your work is done 'T is true thou hast but one Talent but little thou hast or canst do yet God looks you should improve it whilst he is gone A man that will needs to bed at noon-day before night comes what deserves he but a cudgel So he that will die before his night comes and while 't is light to see and work by When therefore you apprehend your work even done then as not only Christ but Paâ—l not only Paul but Gods watchful servants have secret warnings of death And as Mariners when they can see no Land yet by their soundings can tell they are near Land or Sands then you may desire it for then you are ripe but its sin to do it otherwise And verily happy is that man that accounts not his life dear but only the finishing of his course with joy To conclude all we are to desire our fellowship with Christ as a man desires his last end which desire doth not exclude but include desire after all the means and the means first before the end Now many things are to be done by God upon us and by us for the Lord again before we appear before Christ which we may desire firstly for this our last end SECT IV. HEnce we see the vilenesse of the great yet hidden secret sin of the whole world which may be in part also in Gods dearest Saints viz. in their hungry lustings and dropsie desires after the sweet of the things of this world You shall have many a man that amends his life reformes his course forsakes his own
espoused you to himself if you have any longings after him in Heaven seeing those desires cannot be fulfilled presently Oh long to meet him here and so long to meet him as that you may indeed meet with him and with more and more of him SECT VI. VVHat is it to meet Christ and to have Fellowship with him in an Ordinance I have been oft asked this and for the sake of them that be weak I shall give you a tast of it 1. Therefore look as 't is with a man that receives any common mercy from God from Christ if he sees not the Lord Jesus really giving it he enjoyes it but not Christ in it though he get some good out of the thing So let a man receive more knowledge of Truths and more Truth be discovered more Promises revealed more affections and life dropt into the heart which may do a man some good yet if he sees them as separated from Christ if he sees not the Truth as it is in Jesus if he sees not Promises spoken from Heaven by Jesus if he lâ—oks not on all Commands as part of the secret of Jesus if he receive affections and by them behold not the Lord Jesus he doth not at that time enjoy the Lord Jesus For he now indeed enjoyes his gifts but by these he doth not enjoy him And therefore then a man may be said to have fellowship with Christ in an Ordinance when by all the light and life and comfort there he comes to see him and sees them all in him and seeing a transcendent Glory in him sees and beholds a hidden Glory in them This Command is a secret of Jesus this Promise the sweet voice of Jesus these Consolations the comforts of Jesus these Messengers the Ministers of Jesus these Ordinances the Kingdom of Jesus And therefore look throughout all the Scriptures you shall see our Fellowship with Christ both in Heaven and here 't is exprest by seeing of the Lord Iohn 17. 24. Psal. 63. 2. 27. 4. I have oft said to my friends the great sin of Christians is to see Scriptures Ordinances Truths Commands Blowes Kindnesses as not flowing from and abiding in the Lord Jesus to see them separate from Christ and not Christ and them together And hence Promises comfort not because you receive them not as spoken by Jesus Commands awe not because not as the voice of Jesus Every Truth is not dear because you see it not as the Bridegrooms voice Parents that have had rude children have turned them out of doors they themselves have sent them money and cloaths in pity but themselves have not been seen that they might seek for a Fathers face at last So when God is angry with some of his people he doth send to them in his Providences and Ordinances because he pities them but himself is not seen Why That at last they might come home and seek to see his face again and say What good does all this do me if I see no God I confesse he that receives gifts from another ought to be thankful but a heart that loves and longs after the Lord will say here is Blessing Means Truth Warmth but Lord when wilt thou come thy self Oh labour for this 2. When a man feels the power of the Lord Jesus in his Ordinances this is the second part of Davids desire Psal. 63. 2 3. That I may see not only thy Glory but thy power for there is never a child of God but feels a strong party within him against Christ so that he cannot seek Christ cleave to Christ live to Christ now you will find in some Ordinances your hearts shaken and troubled for sin and some desires and consolations stirred up and hopes never to be as you have been But Beloved all dies and falls down again Now I confesse there is somwhat of Christ in all this but yet content not your selves with this because you want a power or until you find a might power of Christ by little and little subduing sin for when Christ comes into the heart indeed he comes with his power Psal. 24. 7 8. The Lord of Hosts mighty in Battel His flesh is meat indeed Col. 1. 29. Christs power works in a man mightily If you enjoy never such comfort but find not a power pulling down thy lusts there is no Christ. If a man be sick and he eats his meat and great care be had to tend him but the disease is stronger than the strength of nature and food ask him Do you eat Yes but it doth me no good So here Such comfort such a Christ doth you no good unlesse you feel a power Oh long to meet Christ and enjoy Christ thus How shall I do this 1. Mourn bitterly for the Lords absence as for one of the greatest evils that can befall thee For Christs presence will never be sweet to him that can live without him and can you look for him then John 16. 22. You have now sorrow which he said filled their hearts but I will see you again visit you come down to you by my Spirit again and you shall rejoyce and none shall take it away And therefore it s noted the first that had comfort was Mary when she sate at the Sepulcher weeping Iohn 20. 11 c. And therefore do but observe your own hearts when your hearts have been soaked in grief for want of or for the absence of Christ Oh I have lived without him and prayed without him and heard without him and spoke without him him that hath pitied me spared me overcome me laid down his life sent his Spirit to me that then you shall more or lesse see the Lord and feel the power and presence of the Lord. Oh Beloved shall not Heaven be sweet to you without him and shall earth be sweeter than Heaven that you can live here without him Beloved whatever you account of it now in Hell the sting of all sorrowes shall be this Oh Christ hides his face One frown shall be more bitter than death than a thousand deaths and shall it be so in Hell and shall not many frowns many daies be more bitter than death Shall it be so to Devils and not to Saints Shall the hiding of Christs face from enemies be heavy and shall not his friends take it to heart If you do not then think not to meet him but that Word and Prayer shall be dead drink to thee but if you do I tell thee if he manifests himself to any he will reveal himself to thee 2. Prize and love his presence his face the lifting up of the light of his countenance Princes will not come or if they do not stay if they perceive their company is a burden and is not esteemed no more will the Lord Jesus They that are fallen in love together will find out each other though it be at midnight prize Christs company and you will not complain for want of time and
2 3. Who is able to bear his coming because he comes to purifie c. Yet still the Spirit barely considered in â—â— self puts no difference unlesse it be in respect of the work it self Oh therefore look to it do not say I have now the Spirit and Christ. But what doth Christ work there Iohn 15. 1 2. There are but two sorts of Branches there fruitless and fruitful the difference is in the very fruits of them c. Oh then terrour to them that content themselves with common works and so think their estates good You have been terrified confessed and repented Iudas did so You have reformed many things and take delight to draw â—igh to God in Ordinances those Hypocrites did so in Isa. 58. You have seen nothing in your selves the Devils do so You have had great ravishments and seen the Glory of Heaven of Saints Balâ—â—â— did so You have beheld and seen the Lord Jesus as if present on earth Many saw him heard him and were lifted up to Heaven by him and shall see him at last in Glory indeed Oh but my desires are good â— Many shall seek and not enter Oh therefore consider of your estate and tremble and set before thee all the mercy the Lord embraceth his people with and say Oh that mercy for me and follow him till he hath done it SECT IV. HEnce it may appear that the trâ—e Believer may know the blessednesse of his estate by the â—eculiarnesse of a work within him For if indeed there should be no difference between those Graces that be in Hypocrites and in Saints if no difference between Love and Faith and desire in one and that which is in another then none could know the blessednesse of their estates by any work but seeing that the Lord hath made a vast and a known difference so that God knows it and themselves know it as hath been proved and all the world might know it but that they want eyes to see mens hearts and they shall know it at the last day to their eternal anguish when the hidden things of darknesse and the secrets of all hearts shall be opened then it must needs follow from the knowledge of such a work a man may conclude his blessed and safe estate By work I mean no Popish good work nor consider a work without a peculiar word of promise made the eunto If we should ask a woman married to another Husband how she knows such a one is her husband she would manifest it by those peculiar acts or works or manifestations of a husband to her She hath known he hath forsaken great offers and come to her Her heart that was most opposite was at last overcome to forsake all then they entred into a peculiar bond of covenant so that they cannot part and though they do depart yet they stay not long So here If you should have asked the Israelites how they did know they should be saved from the destroying Angel Why the Lord hath promised to save us You that do what That sprinkle the door-posts with the Blood So the destroying Angel of Gods presence shall destroy millions of people and that in the night-time when they least suspect it Notwithstanding all deliverances miracles plagues and repentances Shall you be preserved Yes the Lord hath promised it and reveal'd it To whom To them that have their door-posts sprinkled with Christ's Blood apprehended by the work of Faith Rom 3. 24 25. Heb. 10. 22. If one should have asked the Lord Jesus himself whom he loveth he would Iohn to answer his sheep for for them he layes down his life be they feeble or strong If one should ask further who are his sheep he would describe them by several properties as he hath done Iohn 10. Such as know me as hear me only as follow me So if you ask a believer that question How do you know you are loved Is it good to answer with Christ I am his sleep for whom he hath laid down his life when I was lost an went astray But how do you know that Is he now to answâ—â— like Christ by these properties wrought in me or no If you say No because all these an hypocrite may have then the Lord Jesus hath done very weakly in describing his own sheep by such properties to be his which discover them no more than so It s true an hypocrite hath somthing like all these but not these indeed If you say yes then a man may know his blessed estate by these The promise is Prov. 8. 17. I love them that love me But how do you know you love the Lord There is the question If Satan and blind carnal reason ask this question you will be filled with accusations and never satisfie them for he that accused Iob to Gods face will much more to their own faces accuse Saints of hypocrisie If uncharitable men that never had the love of Christ abiding in their hearts you will never satisfie them but if the Lord ask the question in his Word hold there and the work is so clear that though there hath been much decay yet after recovery the soul dares eye the Sun and say Lord thou knowest all things thou knowest that I love thee Iohn 21. 17. Hence by this work you may come to know your safe estate 1. A man may know his blessed estate in respect of time past by a work i. e. with a word or promise made to it and the Spirit revealing of it viz. the everlasting thoughts and election of God toward him Rom. 8. 28. Them that love God who are called according to his purpose notwithstanding all their miseries and sins yet love him and so called according to his purpose for so the Apostle raiseth up his thoughts I know the world is full of want of love and think it easie so to do and like the Devil are very kind to the Lord as they think while the Lord pleâ—seth them who yet when the time of patience is out shall be eternal blasphemers of him But there is such love whereby Saints may raise up their hearts thus to see Gods love 1 Thes. 1. 4 5. Knowing your Election of God How so Immediatly Some Divines think Angels see it not so and that its peculiar to God so to do But mediatly for our word came in power and in much assurance to make you enlarged for God to turn you from Idols unto God and to wait for Christ in Heaven seeing him here but as in a Glasse And by the same Spirit Paul saw it by the same Spirit they might much more see it and so the Elect may see it And â—f experience may be added to the Truth How many of Gods people dayly knowing their work of vocation and glory ascend from these lower stairs of the Lords Ladder to the highest of Election and there are swallowed up with eternal wonderment filling their hearts with that joy and peace that the weak Tabernacle
yet meditation a man can get no head nor heart nor time for it if any good is got it s lost again Sabbaths spent and no good gained a man knows his soul lies waste and common without any fence or watch and that he would not let his fields lie as he doth his heart overgrown with cares and lusts and vain thoughts Now many a man though he doth dislike this yet lives in this Why Is this your home are these things your portion No but yet thinks he may with a safe Conscience continue thus and God forgive him too why the family is great children encrease upon me and they are so busie and long a dressing on the Lords day that Sermon is out before they come and we are not called to book it all day as Ministers can and worldly employments are so many and the best are entangled here and they think this is an excuse Luke 14. 18 19. Nay many a one convinced of this yet lives in this against the light of conviction hoping that one day the stream of worldly occasions will be run by I confesse as the Lord hath given us his Ordinances to seek him in so he hath appointed our callings to walk with him in Adam in Paradise must not be idle but look to the garden and in this land those that will be good husbands for God least they discredit their profession by bringing themselves to a piece of bread must be good husbands for themselves But here is that which stings when to worldly emploiments men are servants not Lords of them when men do not make their occasions â—ow down to them and serve them that they may serve and seek a God but they bow down their knees nay basely their backs under the feet of any mean imployment and that must be followed with neglect of God Do not say who is not entangled here I tell you if Christâ— prayer can prevail some are not Iohn 17. 15. I pray not that thou wouldest take them out of the world but keep them from the evil If blood can prevail it doth Gal. 1. 4. Oh look to this it may be some of you do not only neglect the Lord in means but when the Lord comes to you in means and quicâ—ens your hearts and kindles many resolutions in you you neglect the Lord all dyes again oh it is the world know your estates by this 3. Those that depart from God in the neglect of means because they finde no good and do not feel themselves a whit the better for them they neglect this trade because they finde it a gainless trade For thus God executes his eternall rejection upon many a soul As it was with Saul it was one of the last Vials God powred out upon him 1 Sam. 28. 5 6 15. saith he I am sore distressed and the Lord answers me not by â—rim nor by Thummin and therefore am I come to thee let a Devil comfort me if God will not So many a soul having committed some sin that lies glowing on the Conscience is sore troubled and first it goes to the Lord and the Lord answers not there is silence in heaven and in all means but the noise of fears within now at last the soul doth not forsake the Lord for Satan plainly but what means can comfort them that they seek for and in time a man is weary of waiting at Gods gateâ— and hence a form of duties and prayers and custome of devotion is kept to quiet the conscience but they are not restless for the gain of them for the Lord in them they think 't is in vain to no profit as those in Mal. 3. 14. to walk mournfully Ionah was cast out of Gods sight yet through the belly of a Wâ—ale he would look toward the Temple So 't is with the people of God though they sometimes conclude thus and think not to seek any more yet their hearts have tasted the good and their faith beleeves there is that hid in the Lord in his Temple that it never saw yet hence they look still What made the man Mat. 25. hide his talent in the earth I thought thou wast an hard Master and lookedst for so much gain and I could not get it and hence he hid his Talent Hence men keep the means without use of the means and some that have for a time been used to do so keep it as their custome without making any such work of it as to gain the end of the means 4. Those that do neglect the Lord in means by an effectual pursuit of them because of some sips and taste of some good in them and so me thinks 't is in this case as 't is in some Countries where if a man comes to their house in the afternoon and both have a minde to part yet loth to part without shewing some kindness and the other without tasting of it they lay their voiding napkin and finding that refreshing there they are content to lose their supper So 't is here a man comes weary to the Lords House to his Ordinances the Lord will not let him go without some expression of kindness nor they depart willingly from the Lord without it and hence the Lord gives them light out of darkness joy out of sorrow peace out of trouble a taste of his sweetness after tasts of sins bitterness and then they take their leave as they Hebr. 6. 2 3 4 5. And here the Lord leaves many a poor creature Deut. 29. 2 3 4. they did see something and tast something and there they rested Oh but the Lord gave them not eyes to see c. For no Hypocrite living is fully emptied of his lusts but hath somewhat to fill him but some emptiness he may have hence may have some desires after the Lord and hence it is not the fulness of God onely that satisfieâ— him but some tasts of Gods kindness and small thingâ— do and must fill him his lusts fill him in part and something of God is wanting and that some little matter doth make up Hence when this is done means is neglected fearfully a mans heart is hardned and ignorant a little light and sorrow stays him as the stony ground though there be a stone at bottom a man is full of doubts and a little hope which frees him from fears quiets him hence he never conquers unbelief A man hath lived a loose course a little resolution of heart stays him though the heart will depart again as those Deut. 5 27 29. the Lord hath but little of their hearts and the Lord shews them but little of his And hence this is usual to see a false heart most diligent in seeking the Lord when he hath been worst and most careless when 't is best Hence many at first conversion sought the Lord earnestly afterward affections and endeâ—vours die that now they are as good as the Word can make theâ— Hence the Lord when in mercy he deals with men keeps them
like to do so I shall sin the more by this means No the command of the Gospel comes oh come notwithstanding all this nay because of this for I will heal you of them Now this call hath two things in it 1. 'T is particular for general invitations to beleeve and come in are made particular to the Elect who else would not come in And hence Iâ—ai 43. 1. I have 〈◊〉 thee by namâ— For we shall finde that the hearts of men when they see a promise cannot think it concerns them all that hunger shall be satisfied but shall I And hence shew them 't is as particular as the Law they cannot think it is to them and hence they say sometime the word All is not put in Now that is the mighty power of unbelief a word spoken to all is regarded by none till the Lord make it particular and hence Isai. 2. Christ is said to judge the Nations now when Judges ride their Circuits they do not make Laws but only apply Laws One man is brought before them to be condemned he hopes 〈◊〉 but he is so now he trembles Another to be acquitted â—e 〈◊〉 being 〈◊〉 accused he is freed and now he rejoyceth 2. 'T is a living call or powerful call Iohn 5. 25. And hence a man may live under the calls of the Minister long and never come because 't is not made living from the Lord of life and â—ence noâ— irresistâ—ble 4. Upon this call the whole soul comes out of it self to Christ for if a man could climbe the clouds and unlock the doors of heaven and come Elias like in his body to Christ he might miss of Christ as well as those that came and followed Christ for a time with their bodies while he lived on the earth a man may come to Christ with half his soul or heart there may be some hope and some dâ—â—â—res some love and some cleaving to him and choice of him really inwardly and yet not savingly because the whole soul is noâ— here come but half of it Iames 1. 7 8. Now the whole soul then comes when all the affections and will take their flight to the Lord and fasten there When all the affections are gathered from all other things and changed and so they come to and embrâ—ce the Lord so that hope waitâ— only here when will the Lord pitty me Desires that were set on a thousand things before all long after him love only tasteâ—h him the Lord letting in some sight of the freeness of mercy hope looks out hither the Lord shewing the want but the way to it desire breaks down stone-walls and all means and the difficulty of them to have him The Lord letting the soul tast the sweetness of Jesus and his grace the soul joys and love imbraceth and the will fosters a carnal heart desires loves joyes in other things and the Lord also and so hath a false heart But the whole heart comes hither and when 't is here thinks one heart too little nay one life one soul and when any part of the affections are leâ—t any where else then the soul mourns hates that bondage is ashamed of it c. So that the stream of the whole soul runs now hither Psal. 119. 2. Ier. 3. 10. Psal. 45. 10. So 't is with the soul as with them when they were to come out of Egypâ— they would not leave childe nor hoof behinde lest there should be any occasion of return it is with the soul departed from the body it only minds the Lord it hath taken leave of all so by Faith the whole soul leaves all and comes to the Lord otherwise the soul is not come to Christ but reacheth after Christ like men that waded after the Ark but perished in the waters Their arms are not long enough their desires and love are not long enough to reach Christ the 〈◊〉 and stream of the soul is set and runs here T is with the soul as 't is with two Rivers both run with all their strength to the Sea but the great River is bigger and runs faster yet the others stream is wholly carried thither So some men may be more full of Faith then others yet both run to the Sea and as Rivers they run in their Circles this way and that way and are sometimes dammed up yeâ— end there So the souls of all Saints run to this and the other creature yet they end in the Lord at last As Peter and Iohn that ran to the Sâ—pulchre though one out-ran the other yet they came both to the Lord at last when both of them had for a time forsook him though all the world draw the soul back it cannot live without the Lord nay though the Lord beat away the soul from him yet it follows after him 5. 'T is to the Lord for himself for Iohn 6. some came to Christ for loaves and could have been glad if Christ had been King for it but did not care for himself And hence vers 27. he points and turns them to himself some came to him for higher ends therefore were his Disciples that is for life from him But when he told them There is no life unless you have the Son And eat and drink his flesh and blood or else you die it was a hard saying they could not understand nor see what that meant and hence forsook him but when they come and receive him himself now life is indeed theirs So that its Christs person that this Faith first pitcheth on as 't is in Marriage and those that come for this were never sent away Now the soul is truly come to him for himself 1. When himself gives rest to the soul in the want of all things 〈◊〉 4. 3. If friends protection strength life glory be wanting yet having him in him I have all these when all is sold away not the treasure only but the Field contents him For it looks on this as better then heaven then glory it comforts the soul that the Lord himself should be mine 2. The soul that taketh him 't is not only to make boast of him as 〈◊〉 had him nor to cover sloth and sin and delusion by him I have Christ and I have no more to care for c. but to live on him Iohn 6. 57. He that eaâ—eth me shall live by me Phil. 3. 9 10. A man takes not Christ as Medicine to ease him nor as stately hangingâ— to adom him but as bread to receive life from him For many receive Christ 〈◊〉 they do upon him and rest they say in him but they do not suck any good from him nay before they had any Christ or assurance of him they were better than now You have nothing to do with the Lord Jesus you are our of your place As in Iâ—â—hams parâ—ble the Olive and Vine would not be pulled out of their places to be set on the topâ— of other trees as Kings lest they lose their farness and sweetness
return to the Lord appears chiefly in breaking down all oppoâ—â—tions against its return which are four 1. Sometime snares of the world and other things beside The Lord easeth them the Lord sends no crosses gives them their hearts desire under which Vines they rest yet if the Lord takes not all from them he puts such a cloyedness in them that the soul cannot but return to the Lord again it cannot live on such course bread things that satisfie not it had better once Eccles. 2. 3 4 11. 2. Fears and discouragements of spirit for when deliâ—vered from snares then fears come and discouragements either by reason of outward losses or the Lords anger So that the soul fears it never had never shall have any mercy that hath thus abused it and it hath thought God himself to say so and his behaviour in not hearing and helping in so long a time to witness so Yet it will return though the Lord never save it it will not sin Ionah yet looks again to the Temple when he could not come to it yet he would look to it The soul will turn up its eyes and mourn Oh that I have so abused the Lord and mercy that Love it self should be angry and frown Psal. 77. The Psalmist refused to be comforted v. 2. Nay v. 3. Though he remembred God and all his love past yet troubled this brought greater trouble yet v. 10. I 'le remember the years of the right hand of the most High Saul did not thus 3. Thoughts of impossibility and unlikelihood to get peace or pardon or victory over sin now For somtime the Saints think the Lord loves me and yet lets these evils lie here but I can get no help now especially if after many prayers I know help against all sins they cannot get and hence are humbled but against them sins that help can be got wherein the Lord hath done it for others and which make the Lord estrange himself it must be had for this temptation to a Saint is an Hypocrites overthrow Psal. 18. 21 22 23. If earth cannot help cannot Heaven What not the Spirit Word Bloud Mercy of a render-hearted Redeemer What though not now yet I will not give him over 4. When Gods Providence seems to â—ross his Promise yet they will cleave to him or return to him For many times Saints have their estates in the Bonds of Gods Promises and hence they wait for accomplishment of them but the Lord carries it quite cross to his promise to their seeming He promiseth to make alive to comfort to sanctifie to be with me and he kills sads le ts out sin never such a heart and forsakes me Oh now Faith shakes yet they will not away Heb. 11. 15 16. The Lord calls them to forsake their Countrey Abraham is a stranger there and that among Cut-throat 〈◊〉 and dwells in Tabernacles and four hundred years after his posterity being afflicted should 〈◊〉 in yet he would not return though they might God had said here I 'le blesse thee so here The murmuring Israelites fell short of this III. Whenever the soul doth depart yet the Spirit of God is ever in it and with it Psal. 73. 2. The Psalmist almost fell Why did he not Thou art ever with me thy hand v. 23. hath upheld me So that as the Spirit keeps the soul to Christ so it keeps Christ in the soul at all times And hence Saints in the closure of all their dealings with God and he with them they have seen his love working good in all that now the Soul can say lo the Lord was here and I knâ—w it not Isa. 25. 9 10. That the soul admires somtimes and hence after all sees the Lord more clearly and fully and sweetly till at last it sees him in Glory 〈◊〉 you see the Spirit that follows Saints is with them which the world wants Oh admire at the Lord if this Spirit be given that Heaven is come down into 〈…〉 That no 〈◊〉 no sins can part but it s ever putting thee in thy way again Hence when â— They are ready to quite fall off and give themselves for gone ready to be made away by temptation or to make away themselves the Lord is with them then Psal. 94. 18. At the time of parting love appears 2. Hence when they are somtime so far gone as that they mind not their return or believe not as in the wildeâ—â—ess but are well enough without the Lord the Lord before they think or desire prevents them Psal. 23. 6. Mercy and Truth followes me 3. Hence when they think the Lord is provoked that he cannot save then he is in the midst of his people Ier. 14. 11. Why art thou as a man astonied that cannot save 4. Hence at the end of life all the waies of God have been peace and all ouâ— waies though sorrowful though evil turned for good as in Ionas his deparâ—ing and by miseries we are yet humbled somthing the Lord is doing now for Eternity Micah 7. 8. Though I sit in darknesse the Lord will be a light unto me 5. Hence when the heart and strength fail and Faith is failing and the heart feels nothing but pain yet the Lord then keeps and this is comfort Psal. 63. 26. Consider therefore your estare that 1. Do depart with your whole heart from the Lord. Hath not the Lord bowed thy heart toward himself by mercies by blows But when sorrows have been past and mercies grown common and truth common thou hast started back like a broken bow which was bent backward when stretched forward And now when God calls to any duty especially when thy will and ends are crossed that is a burden and thou art drawn to that as a Fish to the dry land It is like a Feaver-fit to thee and never mournest for this But when any matter of gain and world is presented all thoughts time strength is too little there that you smell of the field or if there be any life or joy yet the lean kine eat up the fat kine Nay mournest not under that cursed bent which carries thee from the Lord. Know it thou art forsaken of the Lord. 2. That in times past had many affections but now sorrow is gone and seeking of the Lord gone and being fâ—llen seest it not but thinkest 't is with thee as with other Christians hast only the old work past and some new pangs now and then Why is it thus Ier. 8. 4 5. Will you fall and not arise Wilt let the Lord turn from you and not return Doth the Stork know when winter is near and not you your season Oh look to it What are you fallen with a perpetual backsliding Why will you not return but go away with a perpetual backsliding Know Satan hath hold of this soul. 3. You people of God wonder you at this Grace Let your experience prove it Is it not so that a Habitation of Devils should be a House of the Spirit of
concluded with him and so fixt 'T is no match Why You must see no consent no love no imbracings c. would not such a one be counted a deceiver 2 Tim. 4. 8. Of Terror What will become of you that refuse the Lords kindness now that regard not the Bridegrooms voyce that refuse to bestow your hearts upon the Lord he shall never be a Bridegroom to you at this day when others meet him in the clouds c Now you see Saints absent from the Lord â—oor and mean and question the Lords love to them but then all shall be seen and all this you shall lose Ioh. 3. 32. No man receiveth his testimony c. you that never mourned as widows without him never felt need of his love what will become of you at this day Of Consolation to all those that be espoused and contracted to the Lord who have chose him who have given themselves to him who look now no further but content themselves in him or have a frame of heart so to do though fears keep them from possession of him Oh Christ shall come as thy Husband at that day Many Christians fear this day and hence do not sensibly love nor long for this day being under the whip continually of fears and questioning their estate but why do you fear when the Lord shall come as a Bridâ—groom Isa. 54. 4 5. why dost fear himself the Judge so holy when he is thy Husband thy chains and debts and sins when the Judge is thy Husband thy accusers or enemies when the Lord is thy Husband You should rather long for this day and rejoyce in it because now comes your full Redemption from all sinnes all sorrows the coming of a Husband is sweet First Though the people of God have weaknesses and wants the Lord hath none Secondly Though they must part for a little while the Lord is ever with thee Thirdly Though they car not help out of all evil yet the Lord Jesus will Oh they should rejoyce that when he comes like a Judge and all the wicked shall melt like wax before his presence and burn up before him Oh yet a Husband to thee SECT III. Object IF I knew this Answ. Yes you know it but there be some things that are false Objections against it as Object 1. Because the Lord is such a stranger and the Lord absents himself so much Answ. Is that a good Argument for a Woman Isa. 54. 6 7 8. It is not the time of being ever with the Lord in his time of wooing Iohn 16. 20. I will depart and you shall mourn the world will not and your heart shall rejoyce Object 2. Because my heart goes so soon so oft a whoring from him Answ. It may be that you are sorely tempted and thy heart may begin to be taken c. but yet if you cannot yield to lie in your falls this is not an evidence of a breach of the match Psal. 73. he was almost gone yet the Lord recovers him and saith he the Lord is with me therefore as it was with Christ it was not possible that the bonds of death should hold him so here shall it be with the poor doubting believer Object 3. Because my heart cannot love him Answ. Why do you then sigh under captivity and bondage of your love you cannot love him other things do keep you under oh but can she say she loves not her husband that doth sigh in bondage to be with himâ— Consider how it is at Christs absenting himself from thee as thou thinkest at any time for then love is seen especially at the time of parting Object 4. Because he is so unkinde to me he hears not all my prayers Answ. This is a great Objection if Christ would give them all their portion together which he promiseth them freely in his time then they think he is kind not else First Though he doth not hear all prayers at once yet he hath given thee that which is better than all prayers viz. himself and a pledge of all the rest and this is better than ten sons Secondly It would do you hurt oh therefore rejoyce in this day whatever thy condition be now Give some women their will and you give them your lives and losse of all so here and therefore saith Christ I will be Lord in my house SECT IV. OF Exhortation To those that are out of Christ or do not know that they be in Christ to labour to get your souls espoused and match't to the Lord Jesus it is a laudable custome grounded on Scripture that before marriage there is the time of espousals or contract and such may know though there be absence for a time yet that when he saith he will return to marriage he will come as a husband though others in the family cannot look for any such thing so here the great work of the Ministery is to espouse people to Christ now that they may be presented chaste Virgins unto the Lord Jesus 2 Cor. 11. 2. you may look then that he shall come as a Bridegroom to comfort you others cannot look for any such presence of Christ to them that are not espoused to him now Now Christ is gone up to his Kingdom but let base dust and vile man hearken the time is coming that he shall come in glory to the amazement of the World before whom all the wicked shall melt but the Saints shall live in glory caught up in the clouds of heaven Christ infinitely rejoycing in them and they in Christ. Would you have him come thus to you or as a revenging Judge and consuming fire for your contempt â—if so then get your souls espoused to him now SECT V. Object A las What can I do the Lord must do it Answ. True but he doth it by means the Ministry of the Gospel else what need there be any Scripture writ or Gospel preached use you the means and wait on the Lord thereby for the effecting of this Quest. What should I do Answ. Look as it is in marriage here or espousals here there be but two things that make up the match 1. Earnest suit on the one side And 2. Consent on the other and therefore if any thing hinder it ever lies either on the one side the man is unwilling he desires it not or on the other side if he be desirous she is unwilling but both these finish the business if therefore you would be ever espoused to the Lord Jesus look to these two things First See evidently that earnest suit the Lord makes unto thee for thy consent for thy good will and this will appear by his own speeches and this is a sufficient testimony by what speeches by his voice in these Scriptures for is this the Bridegrooms voice or no if not away with it if it be and that they do breath the Holy Ghost then know it it is as if he spake from heaven to thee now Object But he doth
himself in his son Iohn 17. 23. That the world may know thou hast loved me the Father out of his infinite love commuâ—icates himself to Christ and his fellowship is with the Father all know this is a dear love in mean while love to his Saints is unknown they and the wicked share all alike and the Saints have the least portion and worst part many times so that men cannot see by any outward thing any more love to them than unto others the time will come that they shall be made perfect in one as near the Lord as can be that the world may know this love c. When Absoâ—om had slain his brother and fled from his father it is said 2 Sam. 13. 39. that the sâ—ul of David longed or was consumed to go forth to him David might have said I will never look after him more so might the Lord have said to us or if he lâ—ved he might never have manifested it as David but the Lord must shew his love c. Because this is the end of all the prayers and endeavours and all the workings of the Saints in this World Suppose all glory be in Christ let a thing be never so good but if a man hath no desires after it hath no mind to it it would not be blessednesse to him but this is the end of all the prayers duties of the Saints if at last they may be with the Lord Phil. 3. 8 9. Joh. 4. 14. He shall never thirst their desires are taken off from other things â—ut only their hearts are to this If there be any pillow the Lord lets them sleep upon in this world they shall finde it hard at last and arise with a Kings head and heart and say Oh here is not my rest the best entertainment this world can give hath ever somewhat mixt with it that makes the people of God say Oh that I might be with the Lord SECT VI. Quest. SHâ—ll not the happinesse of the Saints partly lie in fellowship with â—he Saiâ—s Answ. 1. True but this is but a consequent to the former as separâ—tion from God is â—he substance of misery in hell but other things follow upon it viz. communion with Reprobates and Divels so here we have first communioâ— with Christ here is the substance of our blessednesse then this is accidenâ—alâ— and follows upon that viz. the communion with the Saints which is exceeding sweet 2. That good we shall have in communion with Saints is not from themselves but Christ in them as 2 Thess. 1. 10. Christ shall s be admired in all his Saints so Christ shall â—hen in his Saints and Angels it is the light of the Sun that shines in the Stars and they shall do nothing but set out the praises of Christ. Quest. But what blessednesse is there in this seeing it is in one thing only when a man is sâ—â—k or poor can grace refresh him can he live by that thus many carnal hearts think Answ. 1. The Lord shall then take away all fleshly appetites or desires for then our bodies shall be spiritual bodies in this life sometimes God takes away the stomack when he takes away food Christ forgot his wearinesse because he had other bread to eat 2. It is therefore blessednesse because it is in one there is First Trouble in seeking and fetching our comfort out of many things 2. Unsatisfiednesse because one thing can give no more than it hath now all things in this one thing are there together the sweet of all creatures all Ordinances nay variety of unknown mercies Prov. 8. 21. shall center here in Christ Jesus SECT VII OF marvellous Consolation to the Saints of God Now you have many wants many sorrows many temptations many sins many cares and fears of livelihood but the time will shortly come when you shall be with the Lord alone in communion with him and so out of the crowd and presse of troubles and temptations and sins and evils in this world that as he himself is above all these so shall you Iohn 14. 1 2 3. Their hearts were grieved for the losse of Christ I will come to you and take you to my self that where I am there you may be also sometimes outward losses and fears trouble thee sometimes absence of Christ from thee troubles thee hear what the Lord saith Lâ—t not your hearts be troubled for the Lord will take you to himself again John 16. 22. Christ tells them I will see you again and your hearts shall rejoyce what if he had said I will come down from heaven to you again I tell you the Lord will do so to you but that he is in a better place preparing iâ— for you and doing better things for you but he sees you for the present and you shall be with him at last The Apostle prays that they might know what is the inheritance of the Saints so I desire of the Lord for you that you may know what it is to have communion with Christ alone oh see your blessednesse c. SECT VIII 1. This Communion it shall be by sight not chiefly by faith as it is in this world Many go many Miles to the supposed Sepulchre of Christ and account their time though superstitiously yet happily spent oh but what will it be to see the Lord himself not as he was here in his abasement but in all his glory brighter than ten thousand Suns now we see 1 Cor. 13. as in a glasse where we see the glory of God in the face of Christ but then we shall know as we are known as a childe knows not the father but at ripe years it doth but as Philip said to Nathanael who said Can any good come out of Nazareth so can any such mercy come from heaven come and see him of whom all the Prophets have spoken of so then the Father and Spirit and Saints and Angels will say oh come in and see him of whom all the Prophets have written come and behold him that hath shed his dearest blood for thee that hath taken thought and care for thee night and day that hath been all thy life inâ—erceding for thee Revel 22. 4. There you shall see his face 2. This comâ—union it shall be spiritual and inward wiâ—h tâ—e soul and conscience suppose the soul should be with Christ and not have spiritual communion with him what were it the better as many â—ad when Christ was here in this world that eat and drank in his presence and yet are now shut out Oh no! the glory beauty goodness of Christ is not to be seen with bodily eyes nor tasted nor handled with ouâ— carkasses and hence Angels though in heaven with Christ's person yet look to the Gospel to hear see and enjoy the spiritual excellencies of the Lord hence Simeon when he had Christ in his arms yet now desires to depart because he should then come near him into his spiritual communâ—on Oh this the soul shall
THE PARABLE OF THE Ten Virgins OPENED APPLIED Being the Substance of divers SERMONS on Matth. 25. 1 13. Wherein the Difference between the Sincere Christian and the most Refined Hypocrite the Nature and Characters of Saving and of Common Grace the Dangers and Diseases incident to most flourishing Churches or Christians and other Spiritual TRUTHS of greatest importance are clearly discovered and practically Improved BY THOMAS SHEPARD late Worthy and Faithfull Pastor of the Church of Christ at Cambridge in NEW-ENGLAND Now Published from the Authours own Notes at the desires of many for the common Benefit of the Lords people BY Ionathan Mitchell Minister at Cambridge in NEW ENGLAND The Shepard Son to the Reverend Author now Minister at Charles-Town in NEW ENGLAND LUKE 21. 36. Watch ye therefore and pray alwaies that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to passe and to stand before the Son of man LONDON Printed by I. Hayes for Iohn Rothwell at the Sign of the Fountain in Gold smiths-Row in Cheap-side 1660. TO THE READER And Especially to the Inhabitants of CAMBRIDGE IN NEW-ENGLAND THat to make sure of Life Eternal is the one necessary Businesse that we Sons of death have to do in this world and without which all our time here is worse than lost every enlightned mind will easily acknowledge This present life being by the Rule of it appointed but to this end to be preparation-time spent in a continual care to make ready that we might have a good meeting with him who shall be seen in this Aire one day And whether we look up to Heaven or down to Hell whether we reflect upon our own immortal souls or turn our eyes toward the Greatnesse and Goodnesse of that God in Christ with whom we have to do whether we pace over the time between this and Judgment-day or send our thoughts to view the Eternity that is to follow after All things put a Necessity a Solemnity a Glory upon this work But Difficilia quae Pulchra It is one of the Oracles uttered by our Lord with his own mouth Strait is the Gate and narrow is the way that leadeth unto life and few there be that find it It is not so easie a thing to get to Heaven nor so broad a way thither as the slight and loose Opinions of some and Practises of more would make it nor as the carnal hearts of all would have it Though thâ—t if it be examined is the common Scope of all Erroneous Conceits and how restlesly have the corrupt minds of men laboured therein in all ages and do in these our daies to widen the way to Life to break down the Boundaries of this narrow Path and make it broader than ever God made it Mans carnal heart finds it self pinioned and straitned in the way the good old way of effectual Faith and obedience that God hath laid out hence it breaks out on this hand and on that and will rather pluck up the ancient Land-marks of Gods Truth than not make it broader The Gospel will not afford men a way broad enough unlesse the Law be quite removed not only as a Covenant but as a commanding Rule of Life too and laid flat like an old Hedge that they may go over it at pleasure and not attend it any further than their spirit listeth Justification by Faith is too narrow a path unlesse they may be justified before and without Faith it is not free enough they complain of it as if it laid them under a Covenant of works Conditional Promises are of too straight a size they must be all absolute and give us peace without any qualification in us or else they are not large enough To be solicitous about Sanctification and inherent Grace is too troublesom to seek God diligently in the use of all means in a daily and hearty performance of holy Duties in a strict Sanctifying of Sabbaths in constant watchfulnesse c. this must be laid by as a Legal Businesse And if the Spirit immediatly will act us and carry us in a Bed of ease to Heaven without troubling us to act and strive well and good otherwise men will shake hands with the power of Godlinesse and run a drift before their own Corruptions But when all Stones are turned the way to Heaven is and will be found to be a straight way Truth hath said it is so God hath laid it out so and it is not all the Notions of men that will make it otherwise And hence those solemn Counsels of the Scripture Work out your salvation with fear and trembling Give all diligence to make all sure Strâ—ve to enter in at the Straight Gate So run that you may obtain c. though they be little attended by the loosenesse of these times yet they are of endlesse Moment and use and had need be awfully regarded by all that love their everlasting peace He therefore that is in earnest about this great businesse will be glad of any good help to guide him in this way this straight way to Life And though there be many choice helps herein already extant in the precious Labours of sundry of the Lords Faithful Servants for which this Age hath cause on bended Knees to blesse the Lord and which will be such a testimony against the wantonnesse thereof as it will never be able to answer Yet of those that do clearly particularly livelily and searchingly discover and mark out this straight way with the several practical turns thereof and shew where they that miss of the end at last do turn out of it although they go far therein of those that Pilot us when we come into the narrow Channel unto the very point of entrance into life and shew us the Rocks and Shoals on either hand distinctly of these I say there is not too great a number For to speak any good and useful Truths is good and commendable but yet it is another and a further matter to hold the Candle to the poor people of God even to the meanest to light them to Heaven or to take the soul by the hand and lead if from step to step through all the difficulties deceits and turnings at which the closest Hypocrites do misse their way and lose themselves and to do this so convincingly throughly and distinctly as that the secrets of hearts may be made manifest the secure self-deceiver discovered and awakened and yet the humble upright Christian confirmed and encouraged In this Skill and Work as the Author of the following Sermous was known to be among the first Three so these Lectures of his up on the Parable of the Virgins have been esteemed to excel in this kind having left such a relish upon the Hearers as that they have not forgotten the Taâ—t of them to this day It hath therefore been the instant desire of many that heard them and of some that have but heard of them that they might be imparted to the
which is to perswade not simply to watchfulnesse but to continuance and perseverance in it from a prudent foresight of the coming of Christ. 1. The Parable it self is set down agreeable to the custom of those times wherein our Saviour lived wherein their Marriages were usually celebrated in the night time she that was the Bride was attended with sundry Virgins to meet the Bridegroom these Virgins it being night season took therefore their Lamps with them those that were ready and met the Bridegroom were admitted to the Marriage-Room and Supper those that came after that time if once the doors were shut weresurely kept out though they knockt hard to come in All this those who are acquainted with Iewish Histories and customs know to be true which we are to attend because it gives not a little light to the true and genuine explication of this Parable In which Parable note these two parts 1. The Churches preparation to meet with Christ called here the Bridegroom from the 1 to the 5 vers 2. The Bridegroom 's coming forth to meet them from the 5 to the 12 vers SECT III. The first part of the Parable FIrst I shall speak of the preparation made by the Church to meet with Christ Jesus Wherein also note these three things 1. The place where this preparation is made viz. in the Kingdom of Heaven vers 1. 2. The time when it shall be made set down in the first word Then v. 1. 3. The persons that shall make this preparation they shall not be corrupted Members of degenerate Churches where mens profession is grown foul through length of wearing but they are Professors of some eminent strain some whereof are truly sincere others secretly unsound And there is a double desription of them 1. From some things wherein they all agree 2. From some other particulars wherein they manifestly differ First Those things wherein they all agree are three 1. They are all Virgins Virgin-Professors 2. They were all awake and watchful for some time ready to meet the Bridegroom and hence it it is said They took their Lamps 3. They all had so much Faith as to go out to meet the Bridegroom Secondly Those things wherein they did differ are 1. Generally five were wise and five were foolish v. 2. 2. Specially the foolish took Lamps but no Oyl the wise did both v. 3 4. This is the rude draught of this first part of the Parable the sum whereof is this That the state of the Members of some Churches about the time of Christ's coming shall be this they shall not be openly prophane corrupt and scandalous but Virgin-Professors awakened for some season out of carnal security stirring lively Christians not preserving their Chastity and Purity meerly in a way of works but waiting for Christin a Covenant of Grace only some of these and a good part of these shall be indeed wise stored with spiritual wisdom filâ—'d with the power of Grace but others of them and a great part of them too shall be found foolish at the coming of the Lord Jesus I come therefore to handle the first Particular in this first Part viz. CHAP. II. Of the Visible Church of God SECT I. 1. THE place where this preparation to meet Christ shall be made and that is not in the Kingdoms of this world earthy Kingdoms but in the Kingdom of Heaven and therefore'tis said The Kingdom of Heaven shall be like c. I will not trouble you with telling you how many waies the Kingdom of Heaven is taken in Scripture by Kingdom of Heaven here is not meant the Kingdom of Glory in the third Heaven for there shall be no foolish Virgins at all there no unclean thing shall enter thither nor by it is meant the head of this Kingdom viz. Christ Jesus for how can he be like to ten Virgins nor by it is meant the Gospel of the Kingdom which Mat. 13. is call'd the Kingdom of Heaven and compared to a draw-net for how can it be like unto ten Virgins nor yet the internal Kingdom of grace set up in the heart of every believer which is called a grain of Mustard-seed Mat. 13. for how can any foolish Virgins be there or what share have they in that Therefore I conceive 't is clear that by the Kingdom of Heaven here is meant the external Kingdom of Christ in this world that is the visible Church or the estate of the visible Church which is frequently called in Scripture the Kingdom of Heaven as Mat. 8. 12. 21. 43. In which Kingdom some are wise some foolish all professe Christ look for the coming of Christ for salvation from Christ the estate of this visible Church shall be like ten Virgins SECT II. AND hence I shall note this one thing That the visible Church of God on earth especially in the times of the Gospel is the Kingdom of Heaven upon earth For look upon the face of the whole earth there you may see the Kingdoms of men and the Kingdom of Satan sin and death which the Apostle saith Rom. 5. reigâ—eth over all men here is only the Kingdom of Heaven upon earth viz. in the visible Church 't is not the place only which makes either Heaven or Hell though there is a place for both but the state principally makes both one may be in Hell upon earth as Christ was in his bitter agony and a man may be in a kind of Heaven upon earth as Christ tels his hearers that the Kingdom of Heaven was at hand a man may be under the Kingdom of Satan and darknesse upon earth Col. 1. 13. which is a kind of Hell and why not as well under the Kingdom of God on earth which is a kind of Heaven especially I say now under the Gospel wherein the Lord hath begun to fulfil that which was but only promised under the Old Testament to be fulfilled in the fourth and last Monarchy Dan. 2. 44 in the time of the New In the state of Christ's visible Church which should by little and little beat down all other Kingdoms of the world SECT III. 1. BEcause the same King that is reigning in Heaven is reigning here is present here Psa. 2. 6. And here the Saints are commanded to rejoyce to shout and to be glad with all their hearts because of the presence of this their King among them Zeph. 3. 14 15. 'T is true indeed he is King over all the world the immediate execution of all Gods common as well as special providence is put into the hand of this King the Lord Jesus But as for his Enemies and other creatures he reignes over them as a King of power but he reignes not for them also as a King of Grace and love for thus he reignes among his people in his Church Deut. 33. 26 27. The Lord is present with every one of his people severally but much more joyntly when two or three of them are met together in his Name 2.
Heaven it self so they keep you from feeling the Truth of this Doctrine even of this Heaven upon earth in your own experience 3. Let all Members of Churches hence learn to have their conversation in Heaven and walk as men come down from Heaven and returning thither again and that are as it were already in Heaven Paul did thus and wept to see so many that did not thus but did mind earthly things Phil. 3. 19 20. Do not only forsake but even forget your Countrey and your Fathers house so shall the King of Glory desire your beauty Psal. 45. 10 11 Let the reproach of earthly-mindednesse cast upon the face of Christians be wiped off by your carriage being heavenly holy loosened from things below Art thou in Heaven with an earthly heart Is not Heaven good enough for thee Cannot that content thee which many have desired to see and could not see even the Lord Jesus the King of Glory in his beauty in the assemblies of his Saints 4. Take heed of pulling down this Kingdom Loyal Subjects will rather lose their lives than their Prince shall lose his Kingdom Fear not enemies without but your selves at home The enemies of the Church did never yet hurt the Church but the Church's sins Zach. 7. 14. Oh consider what mercy the Lord hath betrusted us withal that unlesse the Lord should carry us to Heaven it self immediatly on the wings of Angels he can shew us no greater outward favour in this world than to bring us into this his Kingdom of Heaven on earth I professe one daies fellowship here with a number of broken-hearted Christians either mourning together or rejoycing in their God and King together it our-bids the many years Glory of the whole world howsoever 't is hidden from the world And will you betray this Kingdom SECT V. Quest. VVHat are those things that may pull down this Kingdom Answ. 1. Ignorance of those sins which may hurt and ruine it There are common infirmities which all the faithful have in common for which the Lord pities his but there are some that are proper and personal to some particular persons Psal. 18. 23. for which the Lord is angry even with his own so there are some sins which are common Church-infirmities for which the Lord will not cast off his people but there are sometimes in several Churches proper Church-sins Now the Rule here is if these be not seen and lamented and removed if the Lord be angry for these as verily he will and yet they do not so much as know all this while what it is that hurts them these sins will canker the roots and blast the most flourishing Churches Ephesus Rev. 1. 4. had her sin Sardis Rev. 2. 1. had her sin Laodicea had her sins Rev. 3. 16. Now what if they never know these nor repent of these you know then Ephesus Candlestick must be removed and Laodicea shall be spued out of Christs mouth Oh this hath been the bane of Churches while they enjoyed their liberties they could not nay in truth would not know their aile in the day of Christs visitation of them and hence came their ruine the cause of which they saw not only it may be the remnant that escaped to whom the Lord shewed mercy could read their sins in their plagues It is a lamentable spectacle to behold the ruines of Germany and that after such great slaughter and effusion of blood they cannot tell the thing that hath hurt and doth still wast them 2. Self-seeking a Spirit of self Look as it is in a Kingdom if there be a common enemy and the body of the Army which should encounter with them be every man taken up and taking thought how he may preserve his own Tent and do not joyn their forces together for common safety it must perish and the Kingdom will be easily conquered Or as it is with the body if every member seeks to preserve it self alone and not that which preserves them all viz. the Head the body will drop down and die shortly Christ Jesus is the Head of this Body his Church Now 't is certain if ye seek to preserve your own name more than Christ's to give more content to your own lusts then to the will and heart of Christ if more careful of fetching feathers to your own nests and to shift for your selves and not to attend every man in his place the publick good of the Church and Christ in it 't is certain God will forsake you and all will to ruine quickly 2 Chron. 15. 1 2. Church-members of publick spirits are ever prosperous men They shall prosper that love thee Psal. 122. 6. That say in their hearts out of sense of Christ's love Lord what shall I doe for thee How may I be useful to thy people But if back and belly mine and thine be chief in request this will ruine you 3. League and Amity with the enemies of Christ's Kingdom or peace with our lusts it is not sin but a privy peace with sin and a secret quietnesse in sin which overthrowes Christ's Kingdom The Canaanites that were left alive because 't is said they could not drive them out how often did they vex and prick and yoke the Israel of God Those sins which you say you cannot part with and hence yield unto them and mourn not under them those will ruine Churches Some sins you have forsaken and could forsake the danger lies not here Wrath goeth out against Iehosaphat because he loved him who hated the Lord 2 Chron. 19. 2. 4. When the Church laies by her weapons No Kingdom can be kept safe in an ordinary way where all their weapons are taken from them or not used by them when their 〈◊〉 upon their borders When the Church hang by and lay aside Faith the shield whereby we defend our selves and prayer whereby we offend our enemies what safety is to be expected now in Churches Only be strong saith the Lord to Ioshuah when he went out upon that great service of the Lord Iosh. 1. 7. Eph. 6. 13. There is no more fearful sign of ruine to a Church than where the Spirit of prayer begins to fail and verily if any people under Heaven are ready to miscarry herein we that have our fill of peace and our yokes broken off from our shoulders are in most danger but if it be so look for such shakings of all hearts and Churches also as shall make you find your tongues and knees and eares and hearts again if the Lord means to dwell with you 5. Not bringing forth the fruits of the Kingdom Mat. 21. 43. Cut that Church down that cumbers the ground after many years pruning and wetting That Kingdom where there is Church-trading but no considerable gain coming in will consume quickly and die of it self Fruit is the last end of the tree All duties you do wherein you attain nor or at least aim not at your last and utmost end but make your selves
chuse him for outward blessings not spiritual favour and life Iohn 6. 26 27. 2. The soul hence gives it self like one espoused to her Husband to the Lord Jesus Cant. 2. 16. I am my beloveds servants give work for their wages and masters give wages for their work but Husbands and Wives give themselves one unto another Suitors also give Tokens to draw on love not themselves so servants in the Church they do for God in hope of wages and the Lord blesseth them it may be outwardly but he that is espoused to Christ gives himself Lord I can do nothing for thee give nothing to thee but I give my self to thee that thou wouldst work in me and by me Rom. 6. 13. So the Lord is a suitor to many a man that never gives himself to him he gives them some comforts some winning drawing melting meâ—cies but not himself they give him some entertainment and good words a thousand wishes as Capernaum did but not themselves but this must be if ever you look for communion with him hence David saith I am thine save me hence some made shipwrack of Faith they were not the Lords hence the Lord saith he knows who are his 2 Tim. 2. 18 19. his send their tokens again for look as 't is an evidence of much love when a man gives the dearest thing he hath viz. his whole self to the Lord Jesus so 't is also an evidence of little love when he will not give especially anothers own thou art none of thine own thou hast but little love if thou give not thy self to him without which never look for life and communion with the Lord. 3. The soul hence takes full contentment in the Lord Jesus as a Spouse hath enough would not change for all the world as Peter when he had a glimpse of Christs glory Lord let us be here or as Simeon that had been waiting for the consolation of Israel when once he had Christ in his arms Now let thy servant depart in peace I have enough now let me dye and not live to sin more and 't is certain as there 〈◊〉 in creatures that contents the heart without Christ in an unregenerate man so contrary-wise in a regenerate Iohn 3. 29. if hearing the Bridegroom is joy what is hâ—ving him indeed they take content in other things but as coming from the Husband and this you must do if ever you look for communion with him cannot you be content with the Lord alone in Heaven you shall never come there then lest you quarrel for want of something Men make nothing of this to hathe their hearts in the sun and joy in what they have and hope to have but the Lord may be gone and you grieve not why because oâ—heâ— things ease your hearts There can be no communion hereafter if you despite iâ— now SECT VII THis serves to discover the great error most common and dangerous of the whole châ—istian woâ—ld who think that they may love and embrace the world and the Lord Jesus too and â—e saved at last by him too i. e. they may not be Virgins but go a whoring from Christ and yet partake of Christ and mercy from him that look as it was in those sad dayes Isai. 4. 1. so in these dayes many lay hold on Jesus Christ they will eat their own bâ—end live on their own 〈◊〉 and wear their own apparel their own rags only let us be called by thy name Believers to take away our reproach for that is an open shame not to believe in Christ For this is the prosessed thought of some every one is a sinne and I am one and a great one too and who can say his heart is clean none can free himself from sin in this life and I cannot do it if I would and hence look on Christ to save them though sin sleeâ—â— in them you cannot have both I would but enquire hath not every man something that contents him what is it is it the love the fellowship of Jesus yet it may be at a Sacrament and it may be not for thou maist say the Lord never yet revealed his love and self unto me never yet assured me yet somewhat joyes thy heart What think you can you have the Lord and content your selves thus with other things why I trust to him I hope so it cannot be so If the Lord Jesus was a Patron of Brothel-houses a Protector of Stews you might think so some say they cannot pray to him nor prize him why something else contents then besides him but know it cannot be so I know a Saint may be taken aside as David with envy at others prosperity but when he considers of it O what a Beast he returns again The Raven and the Dove we sent forth the one came again and again the other not therefore as Ioshua 24. brought the people to these thoughts you cannot serve the Lord and other gods as Iunius notes so bring thy self to that stâ—ait O that the Lord would set on this one thing this day when I sadly weigh it it consouâ—ds me and makes me say Lord who then can be saved I know with God all things are possible but this is rare SECT VIII HEnce we may learn who they are that never shall have everlasting communion with the Lord Jesus viz. those that never were esposed to him and you may know this if never yet divorced from all others besides him Psal. 73. 25 26. I shall stay â—whâ—e here because there is never an unsound heart in the world but as they say of â—itches they have some Familiar that sucks them so they have some Lust that is beloved of them some beloved there is they have given a promise to never to forsake and also because most men do seem and think they are Virgins espoused to Christ and look for communion with him and yet not divorced from all other besides him I shall shew hence 1. When the soul is in league with the creature 2. When married to the Law I should account it happy if any be found out CHAP. V. Sheweth the Markes and Signes whereby the Soul may know whether he be in league or love with any lust or creature or married to the Law SECT I. 1 THose that never were in bitternesse and sorrow of heart for the losse of God For these two things are as clear as the Sun 1. That the losse of God is the greatest losse for 't is the utmost and last plague upon the damned in Hell My Comforts my Friends Means Heaven is gone but if God were mine I could be comforted No God is gone Hence no sorrow for any losse so much as for this Saul 1 Sam. 28. 15. God is departed from me Hence sore distressed Nay the Lord Jesus when the Father departed for a time and he knew he would return and visit him cried out My God why hast thou for saken me 2. That all men living have lost God Isa.
59. 1 2. Psal. 58. 3. The wicked go astray from their womb Now I would demand why men either seel no losse at all or if they do have not so much Grace as the damned in Hell to mourn bitterly for it so as nothing can comfort them or if they do they are soon eased and quiered before the Lord returns Why surely here is the great cause of it they have some other thing to ease their hearts in the want and losse of God Ier. 2. 13 14. Men must have water to drink why do men live from the fountain go not to it nay not know it Because they have broken pits and wels at their own doors So here And hence the damned that have lived at ease here all their life time assoon as ever dead then they cry out of the losse of God when 't is too late because while they lived they had somwhat to ease themselves withall And hence many that have lived long with convinced Spirits and guilty Conscienes when they come to die then they are in perplexities of mind agonies of heart insomuch as their sweat trickles like water from them and their doleful outcries for losse of time strike to the hearts of all that come near them Oh! God is gone because now all comforts which were their Gods and in stead of God before have taken their final leave of them Search your hearts therefore all you that hear me this day Wast never troubled yet Yes I have lost my health my child my husband my goods and this hathtroubled me But tell me Did'st never feel a losse of God blessed for ever loss of his light his sweetnesse his love his fellowship his presence c. and this hath been thy intollerable load Or if thou hast felt it hast thou sought and found him No but art jocund in that estate and now and then it troubles thee a little then 't is certain and as clear as the Sun there is some creature or content that thy heart is in league withal which easeth thee in the want of God and which is instead of God to thee and which therefore is thy God It may be thy apparel thy wife child c. and if thou die in this estate never shalt thou have communion with Jesus Christ The mouth of the Lord hath spoken it 2. Dost find the Lord a stranger to thee in all his Ordinances wherein it may be the Lord sweetly and wonderfully and mightily yet not alway but seasonably reveals himself to others Oh but thy heart dries and parches away and that without much trouble under them all If so suspect it beleeve it that there is some league with a lust For there is a double life of a Christian. 1. An outward life which others see Men see he comes to Church prayes in the Family c. 2. There is a secret inward life according to that of Mat. 6. 6. Thy Father which sees in secret which none knowes but himself and the Lord and this is an ineffable communion with God vision of God delight in God c. Psal. 45. The Kings daughter is all glorious within There is an open life of prayer and hearing and fasting and there is an inward secret life in all these wherein the Lord acquaints himself with his people Psal. 63. 1 2 3. To see thee as I have seen thee Now there be divers have this open life yet wanting the secret life As we love not to live among Tombes not to have communion with dead men so the Lord is a stranger to them He may secretly sweeten an Ordinance to them and move them and shake and trouble them but himself is a stranger spiritual miseries not removed spiritual mercies not conveyed Isa. 58. 1 2 3 4. Why have we fasted and thou regardest not You took pleasure saith the Lord and break the bonds of wickednesse c. I know Saints may be thus denied and it may be for some space of time yet they quarrel not with God for denying them but are more taken off from pleasures thereby Thou hidst thy face and I was troubled though the Mount stood still But some there be whom neither good day mends them not bad day pairs them Surely there is some content thy heart is bewitched withal That look as 't is with a suitor to another let him while he comes to her professe never so much love and desire love yet if when he goes from her commits lewdnesse with every one she will lock him out So 't is here never did I know any lockt out from the power and sweetnesse of Ordinances but because they went a whoring from God out of them The Lord knowes though others do not whether 't is so with you Look therefore upon thy self you enjoy great means every where in this place Is it enough to have Ordinances the Ark No Do you find the Lord in them Blessed be God But tell me truly Do you find no want of God Yes Do you find him I find more knowledge strength c. But do you find no God usually No. Then either some creature contents thee or if the Lord should refresh thee thou would'st be content without him Man and wife will if they love meet at Meals Iohn 14. But when no meeting dead prayers dry Sermons saplesse Sacraments worse then before If thou beest the Lord's he will by affictions purge c. But if thou continuest so look for no communion in Heaven 3. Dost thou find no rest in any thing that thou hast For this is clear â—nothing can give rest to a mans soul but God He is big enough only to fill it and then a man hath it Isa. 26. 3. Now if no rest 't is a sign thy heart sticks to the creature yet thou saist I would fain have the Lord It may be so but thou wouldst have creatures too And hence God will not and creatures cannot give the fulnesse of rest Thus it was with Solomon Eècles 2. 3. So 't is with thee thou findest thy soul delighting it self in all things yet vanity and vexation and withal giving thy self to wisdom too 'T is true a Saint feels an emptinesse in these things yet he feels a fulnesse in somthing else He hath better meat which you know not of which Solomon did not for a time yet afterward he did But thou findest a vanity and trouble and art never at peace when all is done weary of world But hath the Lord swallowed thee up into himself in the cloud of his Glory so that in his favour and presence thou findest life No Then there is some lust thou lovest and dying thus shalt never see the face of Christ. Yeâ— this will come as a heavy endiâ—ement against thee that God hath so wearied thee in thy way Yet Ier. 2. 25. There is no hope after thy Lovers thou wilt go You shall scarce find any but feel the creature vain and yet get not to rest in God SECT II.
glory out of thy ruine he was blessed before all worlds and by all thy sins thou dost but throw stones against the wind or snow-balls against the Sun why doth he do it O 't is thy good he pitties thee as once Ierusalem to look upon thy destruction and desolation as 't is with the Elect they have wrath before their eyes and hence perswade others so the Lord Jesus SECT III. 3. COnsider 't is nothing else but love the Lord looks for or cares for Love looks for nothing but love Prov. 8. 17. and this is the end of all Election to be holy before him in love and mark it if it be a stayed love that constrainâ— thee to him you cannot wrong him As if thou come and perswade one to murder his Child he cannot so if perswaded to despise oh bowels of heart-breaking love 2 Cor. 5. And surely 't is admirable love What if it were thy Goods thy Isaâ—â— to be sacrificed thy body to be burned it was nothing but he desires only love only thy heart which hath forged so much villany against him let him never be called upon or professed if not worthy of this After all is this all yes no Portion he cares for and when he hath this he hath all Wonder at this O Angels SECT IV. 4. COnsider what he will do for thee how he will love thee if thou wilt thus love him 1. He will set thee next himself in honour Psalm 45. 9. that as the Lord Jesus is next to God sits at his right hand so here which is an honour that the Angels have not who are no where called Christs Spouse hence never had such an union hence never shall partake of that honour of Saints 2. He will enrich thee as 't is with Man and Wife all that he hath is hers so himself and all his glory his God his Father his Kingdom is thine Prov. 8. 21. they that love me inherit something others nothing no nothing indeed only shews of good and they find it so when they awake nothing their own nothing long that let thy outward man yea thy inward be never so poor thou shalt by him be heir of all 3. He will cousel thee hence David Psal. 73. made choice of God Thou wilt guìde me by thy counsel no greater curse than to be left to the guidance of a mans own counsel but here there shall not be any strait but the Lord will shew thee a way out of it either by his prudence or providence there shall not be any secret of Christ that thou desirest to know but as Christ told them You are my Friends so you are my Spouse hence all his secrets shall be opened to thee there shall not be one act of thy life but ordered by infinite prudence and wisdom and love sometimes we are befooled in our own counsels and left to them to teach us to depend on the Lord the more yet thereby shall come out such good that it shall be among us as with Iosephs Brethren 4. He will dwell with thee as a man must dwell with his Wife Iohn 14. 23. that the great Mediator that passeth by Kings and Princes and will not look on them should come and dwell with thee this is better than to have the presence of Kings the guard of Angels better than Heaven it self that he should dwel where is nothing worthy to entertain him only something to grieve him Now this is 1. A constant assistance of the Spirit that let the Soul go where he will be brought to never so low an ebb yet Christ will not out but some stirrings sighings lookings pantings after Christ when heart and strength fail yet God c. when ready to give all for lost then consider as Psal. 73. 2. If he doth depart he will not be loug but return again and those that know his affection know it so to be Isai. 54. for a little moment c. so the Lord may depart and when his presence is a little more esteemed come again with everlasting mercies as a man may know many weaknesses by his Wife yet she having not bestowed her heart on any other he will return so if thou canst say yet I am the Lords he will return 5. He will rejoyce in thee and over thee Zeph. 3. 17. as a Bridegroom doth over the Bride Not because of any beauty in thee for there is none but because given in marriage of the Father and for his own sake This day thou shalt no sooner set thy heart on Christ but he falls in love with thee and will take thee with joy thou thinkest he will be angry if thou closest with him and love him no it will be the joy of Heaven of Jesus Christ himself 6. He will exceedingly comfort thee and look as 't is with tender husbands then they comfort most when most sorrowes beâ—ide them for who could endure his wife should be alway drooping So even then when nothing doth or can comfort thee the Lord will Isa. 54. 6. For the Lord doth not alway comfort but when in need as it was with the Patriarchs Then God appeared when they were at worst and these are abundant comforts 2 Cor. 1. 3 4 5. You shall not need to scramble for it as many do whose hearts do not love Christ in truth as yet 7. He will put up all Wrongs and bear exceedingly with thee Many think even when God hath sealed love to them if any little sin be committed then they are cast off no if under the Law so indeed but when espoused to him 't is not weaknesses nor wilfulnesse can make the Lord cast thee away but he will heal the one and afflict thee for yet not cast thee off for the other Psal. 89. 33. My loving kindnesse will I never take away Yea he will forgive both Luke 7. 47. Much forgiven because she loved much Nay thy wrongs shall be an occasion to make him love thee more Rom. 5. Where sin abounds Grace abounds 8. He will never part with thee Hos. 2. 19. Once love him and he will never lose thee 1. No sin shall part thee and him for Christ when he enters into marriage covenant doth not suspend his love on our Grace or Holinesse then he might leave quickly but on his own Grace to wash away out filthinesse Eph. 5. 25 26. If a husband marries a woman only for so long as she is in health then when sicknesse comes he may depart But è contra if to take away her sicknesses then they cannot hinder Nothing but Adultery can part Now that they cannot do for nothing breaks till covenant is broken And the covenant here is everlasting and so undertaken for by the Lord that it can never be broken 2. No miseries can Rom. 8. 35 36 37. Can tribulation It makes man leave us but this is peculiar to Christ he will not leave 3. Death cannot it must part man and wife though loved never so dearly before
now away to the Lord if ever help now 't is when most helplesse 2. If you can do any thing savingly good the soul is bound now by the power of Faith to stir up it self to act though not to trust to it alone for somtimes the soul hath the regenerate part uppermost and the prevailing Spirit of God Psal. 21. 3. which comes to him and gives it power to act before the soul come to it Now a man is bound to act because 't is from Christ now Hence Timothy was to stir up the gift 2 Tim. 1. 6. Hence complained of them Isa. 64. 8. None stir up himself to take hold on the Lord. A man must stir up himself to believe as well as other Graces hence the Kingdom of Heaven is taken with violence and though corruption is stronger than Grace yet Grace assisted with the Spirit is stronger than it which is never quite out of the soul but 't is in the soul 1 Iohn 4. 4. Stronger is he that is in you And 't is said professedly He purgeth himself and keepeth himself the evil one toucheth him not 1 John 5. 18. But mark trust not barely t◠this but when you do this withall remember Lord I cannot hold out in this unlesse thou dost help me But know Isa. 26. The Lord is the rock of my strength And if you by the Spirit mortifie c. Rom. 8. 13. Therefore ever hold up sailes but look for a wind And if a man be not to do this then when any sinful temptation comes if a man do not find the Spirit and strength ready at hand to help if he be not to stir up himself against it he is to suffer himself to be carried down by it Hence a man may neglect all duties a long time if he do not find the Spirit assisting if so be a man must not stir himself up and so will some say a man may May What shall I say to such sluggish soul but sleep on But know it the Lord will awaken thee when you shall say Oh that I had improved the Talent I had And if you do find Christ in such a condition know it they be but the last visits of Christ before he departs You can do more than you do and the Lord will have you do it But I cannot do it for good ends without Christ. Yet do the thing as far as you can else if you owe another a debt and will not pay because not for a good end that excuse will not serve So you owe the Lord your lives your spirits your abilities lay them out for the Lord though evil be in them be humbled for that Is this good requital to say you find your hearts dead in prayer and God must do all and there leave it 3. You are to expect and look for power from the Lord Jesus in the use of means all known means For Faith fetcheth all from Christ hence we must go thither where Christ is to be found and he dwells in his House in his Ordinances Therefore there you must depend upon him As 't is with a Merchant he wades not over the Sea for Pearls but gets into his ship and there he sits still so here Mat. 13. The Kingdom of Heaven is like a Merchant man Hence you that know you can do nothing being under a spirit of conviction and hence do nothing under a spirit of sloth and neglect of means by vertue of a spirit of presumption and say Christ must do all I say you take not the right course for the Lord to help you in The Lord will never be a slave to thy sloth but thou shalt be like a shrub never to see good when it comes and shalt die in horrour with this Oh I might have done more Hence you are worse than the other that think if a man fasts prayes watches against his distempers mourns for want of Christ and Grace and followes God hard here he is a Legal Christian Why these are but his own works and this is not living on Christ. I confesse bare using them or trusting to them is not but he that lives not on Christ in use of means these and all other means to find Christ or enjoy more of Christ shall never have him Neither do I know what turning Gods Grace into wantonnesse is if this be not and under a conceit of liberty to be a servant of corruption I know not whether it be thus with any but if I did I would pity them 4. If the soul cannot every moment live on Christ i. e. for every particular act have a distinct act of Faith for this cannot be yet every fit season that it can it ought to look up to the Lord for life and fresh strength Pray as 't is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 every fit season And as he brings forth fruit so he goes for fruit in season Psal. 1. 3. And when the soul doth this the Spirit of the Lord helps when the act is ceased Now the fit seasons are 1. At beginning of any action as prayer hearing reading All the time a man is in his journey or in his work he is carried on by the act of Faith at first setting out The reach of Faith is long and continues all prayers all the duty throughout the act of faith is short Now the Lord looks to his people according to the first 2. When our act beigns to die as Moses lifted up his hands and when they were heavy Aaron and Hur supported them again 3. When a man feels himself strong now apt to be self-confident now Lord for an humble heart And thus you are to live on Christ which if done would make a Christians life glorious and give infinite content to the heart of Christ. But here is the misery either hearts are full and need not or slothful and care not for living so That truly I do not wonder to hear and see so many withering trees as though blasted by wrath because you fetch not all out of this stock and Christ is such a stranger because you are so seldom with him to act and bring forth fruit to him SECT VI. 2 COnsider of the means to act from Christ Jesus and indeed herein lies the skill and life of a Christian and this is the complaint of many a Soul Christ is full and he is not for himself but for those that want and I come to him when I want it and yet I find no help and hence many are brought to think either it 's in vain to come to Christ or else I have no Faith in Christ I will therefore premise these three things 1. That a false double treacherous disloyal heart to Christ cannot expect to receive any thing it comes for unto Christ. As 't is with a Woman that though others do not yet her Husband knows she is fallen in league with some other man he will be strange to her and will not do any thing for
stint the Lord Either do more give more or mourn you cannot Oh one life one heart is too little for him It hath put me to sad fears of many mens estates to see this frame a world of sin without measure every day where is the Christian that loves the Lord the more every day how can any then say much is forgiven when they do not love much 7. He loves thee now in Glory there hath prepared a place for thee Iohn 14. 1 2 3. where he longâ— for thee Iohn 17. 24. You know Pharaoh's Butler when exalted to his place forgot poor Ioseph One would think now the Lord Jesus is in Glory and hath God and Angels and his Kingdom to content him he should never look after such a worm such a poor helplesse creature as thee But as the High Priest carried the Names on his breast and precious stones so the Lord Jesus hath thy Name writ upon his very heart Oh now love him when he exalts thee to Glory to give thee the Kingdom of Heaven on earth with peace and quietnesse When Germany lies in blood and Eastern Churches slain by the Dragon devoured by the Turk when Englands lights and lamps are going out no people have such peace such glory in so small a time Beloved now where is love The Churches of Christ never lost their love so much as when they had their peace and have been 1600 years a learning by Aâ—flictions and Persecutions hâ—w to enjoy their peace and to have their love smell as sweet then as when beâ—â—en most and yet have not but like the Globe without the Crosse in the Emblem rolling and running farther and faâ—ther from God In Cruce quies Oh unreasonable to love him least whom he tenders most Doth not Prayer grow cold for the Name of Christ for the Churches of Christ then love grows cold Doth not plenty of means make thy soul sleight means when you went many miles to hear and had scarce bread at home Oh you thought if once you had such liberties but when they are made yours now what fruit Dost not fall in affections to Saints Oh love dies Christ deals not so with thee and who knows but in Rocks and Mountains of the Wildernesse thou maist lament these evils which peace breed now 8. He loves thee so as when any evil toucheth thee he hath a feeling of it and is grieved at it Iud. 10. 16. Isai. 63. 9. nay he then comforts thee most both in them and by them Iohn 14. 27. Not as the world gives peace so give I it to you Oh then grieve thou for those evils that betide him the wrongs that others offer him but especially the unkindnesse thy own Soul shews him Mark 5. 3. He mourned for the hardnesse of their heart Eph. 4. 29 30. Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth and grieve not the Holy Ghost Heb. 3. 10. Forty years long was I grieved because they erred I confesse you will wrong him but will you must you be impenitent too Did his enemies grieve him on earth and shall his Friends grieve him in Heaven and no sorrows no secret tears he hath shed his Blood for thy sin it shall never condemn and wilt not thou shed tears Is there no good Nature But what is there no spirit of mourning It may be many a day and week hast thou grieved him and not a sigh to any purpose to ease thee of thy sin but what hath eased thee in thy sin Oh now comfort his heart again after thou hast most grieved him comfort his Spirit that is dying sighing in thee as he comforts thee by thy troubles comfort him by making a right use of all thy sins to be more humble more vile to love him the more and love thy self the lesse as the Prodigal Son Luke 15. 18 20 24. 9. He loves thee so that though he departs he will not doth not stay long from thee though you may think it long Isai. 54. 7. Hence it 's wonder to see when heart gone love lost life lost yet suddenly thou art brought down on thy knees Oh 't is the Lord that doth it Thou wast in sorrow of heart he did not stay long but came and comforted thee thou wast in thy sins it was not long but he delivered thee thou wast in want of knowledg of him it hath not been long but that he hath revealed the Lord to thee thou hast been in afflictions and troubles it hath not been long but he hath heard thee So give him the like love I know you will fall from him in love in delight in care but do not stay long from him Sometime the baits of the world will draw thee from him when thou hast thy ease and peace Oh think it was better with me once than now when fears drive thee from him yet return 1 Sam. 12. 21 22. Oh here is that which hardens hearts breaks your peace and grieves the Lord so as he is forced to send many sad afflictions because you lie in your falls Oh be not long noâ— far from him He returns to thee when thou art most unkind to him return when he is ever kind He returns to thee though he hath no need of thee thou hast of him He will not leave thee Oh leave not him 10. He hath from before all worlds loved thee when no reason for it Ier. 31. 1 2 3. Thou hast neglected to love him long all thy youth nay it may be all thy life Oh you beloved of the Lord begin to do it now when there is all reason for it when Heaven calls for it Earth calls for it Ordinances plead for it Spirit saith come and calls for it too It may be thy life is not long What not yet But how shall I come to do this thus to love the Lord The Lord only can plant can water this Grace yet because the Lord doth it by meanes I will give you some now 1. Labour to find out the true sweetnesse and to taste the bitternesse of the deceitful sweetnesse of all Creatures for this is a rule in reason a mans affections like streams must run some way and 't is a rule in Theology stop the affections from running to the Creature and in a sincere heart it will run unto Christ Hos. 2. 6 7. if it be from all creatures Now then the affection is turned from the Creature when it finds the bitternesse of the deceiving sweetnesse of it and Secondly finds out the real sweetnesse of it for make it as a rule when a mans heart cannot love Christ unlesse it be when it is benummed 't is because he hath somewhat else to joy his heart now let the Creature yeild you no more joy and Christ hath your love indeed you may and must joy in the real sweetnesse of it and this will encrease and not diminish your love Quest. What is the real sweetnesse of the Creature Answ. Christs love Oh see
a close act mainly consisting in what is unseen and because men are apt to put off Christ with desires and serve Satan indeed and because apt to resolve all Religion into some two or three duties or Graces and because mens hearts are catching at comforts and promises but commands tedious and burdensome I shall presse this upon these Motives only here let me premise when I presse you to this 't is not to a Covenant of Works as though you could act your selves but we look to Christs Blood and Spirit to set on things I speak to them under Grace who have the Spirit without and Faith within to act and carry them here But 1. Whose work will you do you cannot cease to do Christs work but you must do your own work I speak not for idlenesse i. e. you must serve your lust now consider what good did thy self ever do thee nay Satan never such an enemy as thy own self and will you fall down to such an Image Shall thy lusts have content more and rather than Christ 2. Consider the Lord will take care and charge of thee to do thy work to bring about thy ends for thee do but thou do his Martha was cumbred about many things hence forsook the better part so men neglect forget Christs work because of so many distractions of their own What will become of my hundred Talents what will become of my Wife Child Now do you take care of the Lords work take that for your charge and the Lord will take charge of you The best readiest and only way to have your own ends is to seek the Lords and forget your own As in Solomon his great work and care was to rule a State well and the Lord gave all the rest Set thy face to the Sun and these shadows will follow you The Servant takes charge of his Masters work and he need not trouble himself for meat and drink and è contra First there shall not any evill hurt thee whereas else thy good things shall Isai. 27. 3. Secondly All Creatures in Heaven and Earth shall serve that man that serves his God Hos. 2. 21 23. whereas else they groan under thee Thirdly Angels shall come out of Heaven to guard thee Fourthly Nay the Lord Jesus himself shall stand at the top of the ladder that when every thing else shall leave thee he shall then bring the best wine at the last he will be a portion to thee Psalm 16. Phil. 3. 8. 3. Consider that the more difficult any duty is the more sweetnesse shall you receive if you break through it Men plead difficulty I plead gain Hence he that overcomes shall eat of the hidden Manna Hence never any so comforted honoured as Christ because never any went through so hot a work for the Father as Christ Phil. 2. You plead the difficulty of a christian life and taste not the sweetnesse of that life if you can do no more than what is easie and pleaseth self the Lord will never let you taste the sweetnesse of pleasing him Have you not sometimes found your hearts dead to Prayer yet you fell to it and then would not but have took the season for a world 4. Consider let the duty be to Nature impossible yet the Lord is at hand to help even when no strength Isai. 40. 29. Nay Heb. 11. 34. Out of weaknesse were made strong If you had no Christ no Spirit no Promises to assure you of help you might then cease acting and say 't is impossible I should ever overcome such evils attain to that measure but when Promises to assure and Christ and Spirit at hand now to plead impossibility is to reproach the Lord to think he will set his people to make Brick and give them no straw nay to war against God and to make the Lord war against you Numb 14. You know how they cried out of impossibilities and now the Lords anger rose when they were ready to enter Canaan So when men are ready to enter upon possession of Christ and Promises then impossibilities appear Consider therefore what the Lord hath done for David Gideon Samson who went out in the name and Spirit of the Lord and were helped If you were under the Law you might plead this but under Grace 't is horrible to make this excuse 5. Consider if the Lord do not help as he will be free yet he will accept thy will I know he will not accept the wishes of servants yet he will accept the will of Sons neither will he accept the will of Sons in a work they might have strength from him to do and go not to him for it but in that case he will as 2 Cor. 12. 9. i. e. 't is enough I accept thee and this is very sweet that for his own sake he should be pleased as well with the will as with the work for this is that which troubles I would have help the Lord gives none why the Lord accepts of it as if thou didst it as in Davids building a Temple For a Christians work is done two wayes First Sometimes by feeling when we feel help Secondly Some times by Faith by going to another for it and this the Lord accepts most mercifully for this is his Victory over all sin even his Faith When we see a duty hard and do not go to the Lord for help then we are overcome properly For out of the abundance of the heart the person acts for Christ. 6. Consider the Lord will honour thee though the work doth not Iohn 12. 26. Him will my Father honour both in this life Rom. 2. 29. and in that to come Now as 't is in acting parts 't is no matter what Fellow-acters think God is the great Spectator God will esteem of thee and Conscience shall witnesse as much when no eye sees or when men see and judge amisse yet the Lord approves and at the great Day before Men and Angels and all the world 1 Cor. 4. 5. Then shall every man have praise of God and hence Mat. 25. Christs judgement is made according to the works of his people because then they shall not be compared with themselves and their sins but with the wicked and hence to set out their glory he reckons up all they have done All men in all their acts seek to avoid shame and attain honour now if you did know a way for all men in the world to honour you would you not attend it what is their Dreams to Gods honour Hence not one act but is now chronicled Mal. 3. 16. and afterward rewarded 1 Cor. 15. 58. Oh then give content to the Lord. 7. Consider the peace you shall have by this means both while you live and when you dye what 's the cause of so many doleful clamours of Conscience but a loose carelesse heart the Lord is neglected that when one pleads Faith it will be replyed the true Faith is the Faith of the Son of
meet the Lord in Heaven as Paul that knew not whether in or out of the body 2 Cor. 12. 3. We know it here shall go out of the body as Christ is said when he went to Heaven I go to my Father and your Father so it goes forth then to Christ Eccles. 12. 7. and neither of these can be meant here for First â—his shews the 〈◊〉 of the Jewish Church long before Christs coming at least among many of them Secondly Because the shutting out vers 10. is by and at Death hence letting in is so too Now this was before 3. When the Soul goes out or it self by Faith hence Iohn 6. 35. 't is called coming to Christ and this not any Physical natural departing of the Soul out of the body but Ethical supernatural by the operations of the Soul out of 〈◊〉 self And look as the whole Soul by unbelief departs from God in Christ so the whole Soul by Faith comes again unto God by Christ. The mind sees affections make after him will fastens on him and there depends This is the first work of Faith or the first Faith the coming as in all motions there are two extreams of the Soul from a nothingness emptiness in it self to an allness and fulness in Christ And as 't is in other motions if there was a vacuum there would be motus in instanti so if there was an emptiness seen in the world and all the works of it and in all fears that all mountains were cast down Faith then would suddenly come by the Spirit to the Lord Jesus and this coming to Christ is not meant here For First These Virgins were espoused to Christ by Faith already Secondly At the first coming to Christ it goes to the Lord for life in him and from him but here having life already they go forth to live with him there the Soul goes out to meet him in the Gospel in the Promise here the Virgins go forth to meet him in Glory There the Soul goes to be justified by him here the Virgins go to be glorified with him and therefore 't is meant of a second going out of the Soul by some special acts of Faith after that it doth believe and after 't is ready for him And for Explication From whence doth the Soul go It 's chiefly going out of this world by trampling this Moon under her feet by forgetting this her Fathers house by a holy contempt of it and a holy dying to it and all the glory of it For 't is a thousand to one if Satan doth not intangle here if Lot be not taken with Sodom though burnt out there and if this going out is to enjoy the Lord in another world chiefly then going out is from the opposite terme from this world Hence Paul singles out this mercy Gal. 1. 4. Christ gave himself to deliver us from this present evil world Oh say men 't is a good world and good being here 'T is an evil world 't is so when Death comes but for present 't is best No 't is a present evil world By what acts of Faith doth it go forth There be two affections of the Soul that chiefly look to a good absent yet loving that good go forth to meet it and those are Hope and Desire like the blind man and the lame both together can make a shift to go Hope like the eye goes out and looks Desire like the feet runs out and longs The going forth therefore to meet Christ is 1. By a real expectation of him 2. By a longing desire to be with him Hope gets on the top of the world and cries Oh I see him Desire stands by and longs for him Oh come Lord. A careless blind world look not for him nor after him the Saints do Heb. 9. 28. An earthly-minded world longs not for him the Bride doth Rev. 22. 17 20. Oh come Lord Iesus come quickly by love and joy we imbrace and entertain the Bride-groom by hope and desire we go forth to meet the Bridegroom Hence many things are to be observed and yet not all I might SECT II. THat the object to which Faith chiefly looks and closeth with is the Person of the Lord Iesus 'T is the Bride-groom himself that the Virgins chiefly have to do withall they are espoused to him as in Marriage there is a giving of themselves one unto another they make themselves ready for him they go out to meet him 'T is him they love 't is him they want 't is him they look for 't is him they close withalâ— Whorish lovers look not after him but his his peace to comfort them when in horror and fear his mercy to save them from eternal flames but Virgins look to him they look to His indeed but 't is himself chiefly they care for Iohn 1. 12. to so many as received him he gave power to be Sons Iohn 6. 27. when the people followed him but it was for loaves Labour not for bread that perisheth buâ— c. for him hath the Father sealed Mat. 13. 44. The man did not buy the Treasure but bought the field 't is him Faith seeks for Ier. 50. 4. They shall seek the Lord weeping 't is him Faith chuseth and is contented with Whom have I in Heaven but thee Psal. 73. 25. 'T is him Faith glories in Isai. 45. 25. In him shall all the Seed of Israel glory SECT III. 'T Is chiefly and firstly the Person of Christ that the Father gives unto the Soul Isai. 9. 6. hence Faith laies hold on him 'T is not seemly to keepâ— Portion from any much less Orphans Portion Faith empties a man so as it makes him the poorest Orâ—han in the world now the Father cannot will not keep back his Portion but gives it him Wicked men have their Portion in this world Psalm 17. 14. and they think the Lord loves them because he blesseth them they have many moral excellencies given them which makes them honoured and lovely in the eyes of men and they have honour and that is their reward they have bread but not the staff of bread they have Ordinances but not the Lord in them the Lord gives them answer to many Prayers but never gives them himself nor his Son this is highest love But 't is his Son himself he gives to Orphan fatherless helpless creatures for the Lord is their Portion Lam. 3. 24. The portion of Iacob Ier. 10. 16. hence 't is him that Faith receives and pitcheth upon so that the Lord may deny them many outward many inward Blessings yet they have himself that 's better than all better as he said than Ten Sons Children may be Prodigals for a time but when in want they will then sue for their Portion Saints for a time may mispend all Times Talents Ordinances the Lord gives but the Lord will bring them to want and then they will sue for their Portion and the Lord will give and they
righteousnesse no mans tongue can tell him his own Conscience cannot bear witnesse against him that he lives in any unlawful course and I believe it is so and may be and will be so Shall I tell you therefore what hurts them They are inordinate lustings after lawful things in themselves and these they serve Tit. 3. 3. Partly they grieve them if they do not satisfie and serve them partly because they pay them with pleasures and delights if they do Hence serving lusts and pleasures too these like tops of mountains are seen now when floods of wickednesse begin to abate these will continue while the life lasts I intend not to shew you at large but according to my Text the vilenesse of them 1. They eat out all desire after the Lord Jesus and his fellowship that he cannot long for the Lord Jesus For a man can â—ay out no more than he hath now when his desires are lavisht and let out to other things How can he lay out any on Christ And thus the Lord of Glory comes to bear most horrible contempt that he is not worth desiring in such a mans Books Thus it was with them Luke 14. 18. Every one refused Why Because of their Oxen and Wives and Farms Lawful things but they lasted too much after these When a Harlot seeks to satisfie her lusts she cares not how fat her Husband be off never desires his coming home so here Many a one complains he cannot desire the Lord Jesus which I confesse is in mercy to some But where is the cause of it Oh they are running in another channel and spent on other things What a heavy curse is this Some never think of death once in a Moon much lesse long for Christ desire not his fellowship here much lesse there And why Because of their lusts that eat out all 2. Suppose they do not thus but your heart is divided so that you long for these things now and preserve your longing for him against you come to die yet these will make you lose his sweet fellowsâ—ip For a mans affections are precious things and 't is pity any else should have them they are all little enough for Christ and Christ is worth desiring and longing for and he stands upon it and will make them know that have him that all is too little for him and they shall give him all before he give himself to their comfort Hence deny him these and never think to have himself and his fellowship Psal. 73. 25 26. It s good for me to draw nigh How By desiring not Earth nor Heaven but him Hence he saith Thou destroyest all them that go a whoring from thee v. 27. 3. Suppoâ—e thou shouldst have hiâ— at last yet he will never desire thee never take any delight in thee until that you come to get your affections unloosed here Psal. 45. 10 11. Dost not find a strangenesse between Christ and thy soul Doth he not hide his face Doth he not soon depart from thee though he appears somtimes to thee Doth he not let thee lie like a Broom behind the door And doth little by thee either within or without And is not this a sad and heavy thing Why saist thou doth the Lord deal thus with me Oh thy heart is yet after thy Fathers house if thou didst forget it then he would take pleasure in thy beauty What pleasure can earth give thee when the Lord takes no pleasure in thee But may not a man desire these things If we may how far 1. A man may lawfully desire them provided his desires are not â—wâ—llowed up in them but run through them to Christ himself For 't is not luâ—t properly to desire a creature or any pleasure in it but to desire it for it self and forpleasures sake For now a man makes a god of it Thus it was with the Israelites Exod. 17. Give us water that we may drink so give me sleep that I may rest give me cloaths that I may be warm give me estate that I may be rich c. Now when a heart desires them but his desires end not there but run through them to Christ that he flings down all comforts and saith what is this to fellowship with Christ Thus far a man may desire and rejoyce in them and 't is a sin to do otherwise Nehem. 9. 35. A man may be content to have a Spring run through his ground to the Sea to be swallowed up there but to swell and rise and overslow his ground and house that 's not safe he may be drowned so So men come to be drowned in their lusts that let them swell within doors II. A man may desire theâ— if he doth not spend more desire upon them than they be worth A man may desire them for a good end as he thinks but then he laies out too much upon them A man may spend too much in his Inne when he takes it up only as a way to his home 1. They are perishing things therefore let them have perishing desires The world passeth away They are passengers by us that stay to rest with us for a time let them have passengers welcome 2. They are not necessary things let them have therefore indifferent desires I must have Christ and his Spirit c. not these things They are to be sought not in the first but in the second place Therefore say first Christ now let me have Christ Men say now these things then Christ. I say now the Lord Jesus whether ever you have them or no. III. Now all superfluity of evil desires are to be crucified Gal. 5. 24. They that are in Christ have crucified c. Christ was not a dead but first a crucified Christ before So no Saint living but he hath some superfluous desires but though they live they do crucifie them so ought you There is two things in crucifying 1. There is extream pain upon the Cross. 2. A looking for death So then lusts are crucified 1. When you tast the bitternesse of your lusts by putting them on Christs Crosse. Oh the wrongs they have done the Son of God! And do this with violence say you shall to the Crosse he that looks to Christ with a frolick heart to kill his lusts shall never find him 2. Now looking and longing for their death by holding them there Unless the Blood of Christ slay these I will never have any death for them For all the reason in the world will never kill a lust no more than all the reason will perswade the Stomach not to hunger The Belly hath no ears Thus you are to moderate your desires after these things Which I speak of First Because 't is a wilderness-sin Psal. 106. 14 15. Which it may be you feel brings leannesse on your soul. And Secondly Because 't is the sin of prosperity and peace which God hath given us which will grow up and choak the Word that all Ordinances and Truths will in
a sweet speech of Christ Thy Faith hath saved thee Oh heavy when it shall be said thy Faith hath damned thee that which I thought to be the way of life is the way of death truly so it will if you do not fetch it out of Heaven II. Those that do believe but they fail in the object i. e. they close with Christ but they know not who he is that as the Woman of Samaria that had some lookings to the Messiah she did worship whom she knew not so men beleeve in one whom they know not only have heard the fame of For there are two things in the Gospel 1. The outward words and letters 2. The things contained in those words Hence there is a double knowledg of Christ. 1. A fantacy knowledg as a man that hears of any thing absent presently fancies the thing in his head 2. There is an intuitive know 〈◊〉 hereby the soul doth not only see words and fancies but beholds the things themselves Hence it comes to passe that many a man hearing the Fame and receiving the fancy of Christ beleeves in him but not seeing him indeed as he is therein he beleeves in one whom he knows not and hence the Lord Jesus may be a hid thing to many a man and the Gospel a sealed Book though he lives and remains in the very light of the Sun and that all his daies Hence Christ laments Ierusalem Oh that thou hadst known but now hid hid and yet Christ Preacht Yes Deut. 29. 4. You have heard and seen and yet the Lord hath not given a heart to see to this day So 't is with many a soul you have heard with your ears the great things of the Kingdom of God yet the Lord hath not given you eyes to see you have seen deliverances on Sea yet the Lord hath not given you hearts to understand and if so all your Faith is naught and profession and affection vile and estates miserable 2 Cor. 3. 18. All we with open face c. But many see it not so I confesse some may see more darkly and be mourning under it yeâ— he that doth not in part he to whom it is hid 2 Cor. 4. 3 4. is one of them that be lost whose eyes Satan hath blinded Iohn 6. 45. He that hath heard and learn'd of the Father Many hear but never learn of the Father hence never come truly unto Christ 't is in this case as 't is with a Traytor he comes to the King for his life and prayes for his Sons sake the King sends for him and saith here is one that beggs for your sake do you know him For my sake I wonder on what acquaintance he is a stranger to me and therefore I regard him not So here III. Those that have some kind of sight of the Object and see Christ but there is a wound in the subject because their Faith ariseth and springs out of an ill soyl it 's in such a party that never was yet throughly rent from his sin and here is the great wound of the most cunning Hypocrites living for there are two things in him 1. A carnal heart which cannot be satisfied with a spiritual good with Christ hence he must have his Lust. 2. A convinced conscience which cannot be quieted without Christ and mercy hence men close with Christ and their Lusts too Look as it was with the stony ground and thorny soyl they beleeved but had a stone at bottom but 〈◊〉 of bitterness c. These men can sometime plead acquaintance with Christ Luke 13. 26 27. yet workers of iniquity 2 Pet. 2. 19 20. Some had escaped the pollution of the world that you may do but a swinish nature lasts that they never selt or grew not in the feeling of it and loosening from it as with Apricock-trees rooted in the earth but leaning on the walâ— so they on Christ. Oh consider of this let a man be cast down as low as Hell by sorrow and lye under your chains quaking in apprehension of terrour to come let a man then be raised up to Heaven in joy not able to live let a man reform and shine like an earthly Angel yet if not rent from Lust that either you did never see it or if so you have not followed the Lord to remove it but proud dogged wordly sluggish still false in your dealings cunning in your tradings Devils in your Families Images in your Churches you are objects of pitty now and shall be of terror at the great day for where sin remains in power it will bring Faith and Christ and joy into bondage and service of it self IV. Those that beleeve yet fail of saving Faith in regard of the very act of beleeving and closing with Christ viz. they close with Christ but 't is without a high esteem of him or love to him they have some but right Grace consists in a kind of summity or excellency else 't is not right 1 Pet. 2. 5. To you that beleeve he is precious and hence it comes to passe 1. That some never come to find or enjâ—â—â—hrist because they will not come off to the price of him to sell themselves 〈…〉 for him 2. Some sell him away again in time of Temptation like Esau that sold his Birth-right and never make any thing of it because the Bond is not strong enough down they fall from him 3. Hence comes all a mans uneven carriage 4. Hence comes sometimes the unpardonable sin Heb. 10. 29. Many a man laies claim to Christ and his Blood and righteousnesse that never knew the worth of it and this is Christs complaint me thinks in Heaven and of Saints on earth He comes unto his own and his own esteem him not his own love him not his own receive him not him that is the glory of Heaven the beauty of the Father the delight of Saints the wonderment of Angels he I say is not esteemed by many a man that in his judgement esteems him and in his heart doth despise him There are two parts of this esteem 1. To esteem him only Iohn 5. 44. 2. Him ever and alway Psalm 73. 26. Thou art my portion for ever Many say they esteem Christ but to be ever loving him ever looking on him this is not their frame Oh think of this fail here of your valuing of him and you fail every where V. Those that beleeve but they fail in their end and these may for a while in a hoâ— fit prize Water prize Christ and mercy above all things in the world but their end is naught so that men here may ask and never have because of their Lusts As a man that lies on his death-bed or in a Sea-storm in fear of Hell he may now prize and take hold on Christ to save him A man lies upon the Bed of horror of heart he may prize Christ to comfort him and getting a conceit of it be wrapt up almost in
buffet them that there is nothing but clouds of wrath and no Star appearing Now look to the issue and mark the upright man his end is peace and consider this Christs Kingdom is hid and he brings contraries out of contraries he makes darknesse light Hell Heaven guilt pardon weaknesse strength and calls things that are not as though they were Then think within thy self I le conclude nothing against my self but stay and wait what the issue will be which is ever glorious Iames 1. 2 3 4. 1 Pet. 1. 5 6 7. Consider hath not the Lord done thee much good already Oh consider what is then behind 6. Never enter into dispute with Satan or thine own self about thy estate but by taking and making Scripture and Word tobe the Judge of the controversie Fears come in you shall never have mercy never have power Who told you so Doth the Word say that The Lord never gave himself to me I fear it Doth the Word say so Never was any as I Doth the Word say so Or doth not the Word say God delights to pick out the vilest to send the Physitian to them that be sick I cannot see nor conceive any mercy Doth the Word say so Are not the Lords thoughts above thine I have not that peace that others have therefore the Lord intends none toward me Doth the Word say so Oh but others if they knew me would loath me Doth the Word say so When as it saith Doublesse then thou art our Father Isa. 63. 16. And bring before this Judge both sides not only what sin can say or may do against thee but what the Word of the Lord Jesus can say for thee Jer. 31. 18 20. Ephraim cries out of stubbâ—â—nesse Oh but is not Ephraim my only Son Hear Ephraim lamenting too And hearâ— nothing against a Word Look on Paul warring against Christ and yet the Law of Christ in him also Luke 24. 25. 7. In times of greatest and smallest fears remember to be humble and vile in thine own eyes worthy never to be beloved And let the Lord have his Will of thee and this will give you peace God denies mercy to that man that will be Lord of it To be sure evidence mercy then he will not and when he doth manifest it 't is then when poorest and vilest and the heart is meek and humble Isa. 57. 15 16. Mat. 11. 29. Oh the Lord opens his heart and love when once his Will is dear The Lord casts by his rod and frowns now and creates peace Thus you may come to see the work or the Lords Grace in you To Ministers to take heed of making precious things common by giving in false Signs and Evidences of love but look up to the Lord for a special Spirit here To Gods poor people and thankfulnesse Oh that he hath called thee from darknesse into marvellous light into the Kingdom of his dear Son Oh that when so many come near to mercy and fall short of it yet me to be let in Caleb and Ioshua to be let into Canaan when the rest so near and all perished Blesse the Lord for all Afflictions Fears Temptations Enemies Evils Hidings of his Face hereby he hath but tried thee and purged away thy drosse and be comforted against all reproaches of Hypocrisie and Apostacy and a proud world that casts filth in the face of Holinesse Now we are Sons of God it appears not what we shall be but we shall be like him in Glory in Grace in Honour in his Kingdom for we shall see him as he is And as for you that live and lie and bed it with your ease lusts sloath and God sends you means but the Bellows are burnt the Lead is melted and your Drosse not consumed Reprobate Silver shall men call you and God shall destroy all your confidence But you that are the Lords Oh that you could see what the Lord hath done he hath put Heaven into thy soul and his work which is more Glorious than the Creation of Heaven and Earth CHAP. XV. Shewing that the Hypocrisie of the Heart proceeds from a want of a Saving Illumination in the Understanding SECT I. THE Spring or one great cause and original of Evangelical Truth and Hypocrisie is the mind of man For here there was an apparent difference between the Virgins in their practise and in their wills as hath been shewn yet the Lord expresseth it in general thus that some of them were wise which is one part of the perfection of the understanding and some of them were foolish which is the great defect of light in the mind or understanding because the truth of the one and the falshood of the other manifested what their hearts were in their heads and minds and the Truth in the one and Hypocrisie in the other did arise and was maintained by wisdom in some of their minds and by folly in the mind of some others Folly or want of Divine Light made the one unready for Christ wisdom or having of Divine Light made the other prepared for him Not that it doth exclude the evil or change of the will and affections but because they manifest themselves and are maintained in the mind Hence I say one great reason or Original of both lies in the mind Mat. 6. 22 23. If thy eye be single thy whole body is light c. The eye or mind of a man sits like the Coachman and guides the headstrong Affections if now this be blind there will be falls and deviations into crooked waies John 3. 19 20. Light is come Now what is the condemnation Men love darknesse i. e. will be blind and having sore minds and hearts will not look up to the Sun They see not nor receive not the Truth in love and hence condemned and è contra Hence Deut. 29. 1 2 3 4. Moses sets down the causes of all their evils The Lord hath not given you eyes to see to this day They did see and hear by natural and acquired knowledge but not by a Divine created infused knowledge all that God had wrought and done for them Heâ—ce when the Lord intends to seal down the Iews under unbelief Isa. 6. 10. The Lord then said shut their eyes lest they see and so be converted The heart makes the eyes blind and the mind makes the heart fat A man that is at enmity with God the Lord sets him against himself Hence men are left of God to their own lusts Luke 19. 42 44. Oh that thou hadst known and they knew not the day of visitation Hence Deut. 32. 29. Oh that this people had been wise to consider their latter end You know 't is in the Proverbs of Solomon the frequent title of those that are sincere and falshearted the one is called wise and the other foolish Insomuch that some Divines have made a necessity of a change and turning about of the will when there is fulnesse and clearnesse of light in
when he is gone oh the straitness vileness of a corrupt heart you say it may be If this be not a right Principle what is Answ. To undermine all false works oh therefore feel this plague If ever God works this grace feel you must the want of it and if you do mourn then you are under it And oh mourn 1. By considering the evil of it you can mourn after a dead father and shall you not over a dead heart 2. To think there should be so much Spirit in Christ and not a drop for me Is he so angry with me See therefore I pray you that you are led by ill principles or false principles I pray but self-love sets me a work I profess but praise of men acts me I observe duties in secret but natural Conscience only carries me No surer sign of ruine then for the Lord to hide these things from you nor of love then when he shews this and gives you not only sense of some one act but a spirit of heaviness under this This empties the Vessel and so makes us Vessels of honour do not therefore set thy self so much to do as to see where thy evil principle is in all thou doest Repair now to the fountain of life for a principle of life from him and fetch it from him What is thâ—â— and how shall I fetch it from him 1. T is not a mans own striving a man may imitate nature but cannot make nature All the world cannot make one poor flie And as 't is artis celare artem so when he hath done he may deceive himself and others but nothing else Born not of the will of mâ—n A man is in great distress of Conscience for sin past â—ear of death for time to come and now he comes just as far as a Devil then prays Lord save me and now comes as far as nature can carry him and therefore is eaâ—ed and now he hath Satans black seal upon him and self-flattery hath carried him on The fountain of life is not here 2. 'T is not the Law it convinceth one and he complains it condemns another and he cries out it irritates another and he falls to do what he can but the Law cannot give life Gal. 3. 21. 3. 'T is not bare Ordinances which are of themselves but husks and shels and empty pipes witness the cries of many a man Sabbath after Sabbath no life and that for a long time Nay he grows worse 4. 'T is not God simply considered He is indeed the fountain of life but sin hath sealed that fountain hence many a one goes to him and departs from him with frowns 5. Where is life then In Christ I know he is Lord and Prince of Life Yet consider as God-man no life is in him for you as to be communicated to you Where then 'T is in the blood and death of the Lord of life You are ready to undervalue this life Oh consider what it musâ— cost the Son of God and where it must lie Hebr. 9. 14. If Buls and Goats blood washed the flesh much more this blood c. Many a man feels a blind dead heart and all duties dead And hence useth many periwasions to himself yet they continue so still because he never looks to this blood There is this excellency in Christs blood not only to cleanse from guilt and power of sin but from dead works and none else can Now therefore repair hither for it know what your lives will and must cost Now how shall this be done Answ. 1. Prize this blood and satisfie thy Soul with it choose it and rest in it in the Lord himself as sufficient Ioh. 6. 53. Except you eat and drink c. many account it a common thing you receive it not then but trample it under their feet many esteem of it but they feed not themselves with it nor quiet their hearts with life there first and hence it falls out thus 2. Keep this Rule content not thy self with that measure which thou hast from Christ but be thankful for it and falling short call ever for more but satiate thy self with that which is in Christ. If thou canst not do this and it is beyond thy strength then consider Christ hath words of life Iohn 6. Oh beg for that and for those words Hear what the Lord will say Psal. 51. 8. You cannot see nor come to Christ Then hear and your souls shall live Who knows what the Lord may do 'T is not possible for man to do it but the Lord Jesus may and can Oh then you that have this Principle Let all your actions issue and spring from hence As Paul exhorted Timothy Stir up that gift that is in thee Up Deborah up Awake Harp and Lute saith David Do not say I can do nothing and so the Lord must do all Do not say I have a dead heart and can do nothing but stir it up It was the Lords complaint Isa. 64. 7. None took hold of the Lord nor stirred up himself to that end It may be some of you have some strength Oh put it forth I know all strength is from Christ but there is a peâ—manent strength in you You are not dead to act you wrong the Lord and his Grace if you think so As 't is a heavy sin to shut up and imprison natural truth Rom. 1. 18. So much more the power of Grace Others have lost it oh recover it And hence Paul praies for this earnestly Eph. 3. 15. The Lord strengthen you with might in the inner man And therefore put this forth to act and be sure you act only from this Spirit of Grace How shall I do this 1. Set the Lord Jesus in all his Glory before you There is that excellency of the knowledge of Christs Person that it makes us be and live like him and according to the propinquity of our souls and eyes to Christ so we are like him As â—tis with the Sun when it is gone from the earth there are not so much as leaves on the Trees yet when it returns the Trees bring forth fruit Or as 't is in Heaven 1 Iohn 3. 2. so in this life when we see him in a Glasse 1 Cor. 3. 18. That look as 't is with an ambitious man when he is in the presence of men he will manifest all his excellency nothing shall be done to gain discredit So if the Lord and his life be your excellency when you see Christ you will approve your selves to him See him therefore beholding and accepting and that Grace you would put forth see it in him 't is strange to see what a stream of spirit comes somtimes this way 2. Keep the remembrance of the exceeding greatnesse of his love fresh in your minds in that he hath quickned you Eph. 2. 4 5. and that this life was by his death All the Flowers of the field cast their savour but for a time and
those lusts are seated It hath been a Question What a mans raigning master sin is and many discoveries have been made of particular sins as that which riseth and awakeneth first in the morning with us that which rides and labours a man upon the Sabbath day when the Lord or sin must ride in triumph yet that is the misery of a carnal heart that when he gives his beasts rest yet such is sins tyranny he being sins beast that he shall then have no rest Now if their meaning be that some particular sin may be a raigning sin or a mans personal reigning sin then 't is true Iudas loves his bag best and Achitophel and Hâ—mâ—n his honour most and 〈◊〉 his whore most But if they mean a mans natural reigning 〈◊〉 the reigning sin then 't is not any particular sin so much as this For no sin is able to reign over any man but by commission and power from this As the Weeds can never grow â—all but by vertue of their soil where they grow Mat. 15. 19. All the boughs flourish by vertue of the root whence they grow And hence we shall see let Satan sow his seeds of pride or lust or passion in a man whose nature is changed its impossible they should come to any perfection there bâ—â—â—â—ey will die away within a time because the heart of the soil is gone and power of sin removed and hence also it comes to pass that a mans master sin may be changed Those sins that are his master-sins in his youth are not in his old age those that are at one time in one place are not in another Now there could never be such change of Governours and Vice-roys unless there were some great King that sets up one and pulls down another satis pro imperio This is therefore the raigning sin which hath taken possession of every part which hath its hand in every act which pulls down one sin and sets up another under it which gives strength to every sin that hath any which fights it out till the last This is I say the reigning sin hence think not that then the reigning sin is down when your personal sins are destroyed though it be with a most sudden and fearful destruction III. That when the Spirit of God humbles the soul indeed he strikes the head and wounds the â—eart of this sin he doth not only cut off some limbs of it not only binde it but slay it of its life and power That as 't is with some men they may have many pains gripes diseases yet live and recover again but the pangs are not so strong as to separate soul and body for then the man is gone So a carnal heart he may be troubled and have many gripes of Conscience and apply the promise Come to me you that be weary and so he may finde rest and as he recovers his peace his sin recovers its strength but when the pangs are so strong as to separate body and soul sin of nature which hath lived there now the man dies now the soul falls down indeed Now this effectual humiliation carries the soul unto Christ and hence Acts 26. 18. turned from the power of Satan to God Col. 1. 13. He hath delivered us from the power of darkness And hence Gal. 5. 24. They that be in Christ have crâ—eified the flesh as well as the affections and lâ—sts For if the Lord should only humble a man for the sins of a wicked life and some wants in the heart the Lord should only bruise Satans heel but never strike his head the Lord should slay the Aâ—alâ—kites but spare the Agag 't is true the Lord usually at first conversion sets one sin upon the soul that brings to minde many other and the Lord humbles for them and here the soul is apt to rest as many do but when the Lord comes indeed to work he cuts thus deep as now I speak 1 Cor. â—5 'T is said The Lord must reign till all his â—nemies are put under his 〈◊〉 Look therefore as this sin is the greatest enemy Christ hath so if he reigns in heaven he will be sure above all other sins to strike the head of this and disthrone this and wâ— shall find that there may be deep terrors upon the false hearted Virgins but they only assault the soul So on Saints but Christ then strikes at the sin and saves the soul Isai. 57. 16 17. And this I add there may be a great power of Christ put forth to humble the soul but mens hearts resist this and even Pharaoh was humbled but it s never saving unless it strike the very power and throne of sin and so this sin and now the soul is humbled indeed IV. That no unregenerate man ever had such a measure of humiliation as ascended to and ended in this though he may have all that Humiliation which is precedent unto this As 1. The Lord may arm first some few and then many of the sins of their lives upon them so as they may feel the most intollerable burthen of them not only to stand convinced they are most grievous sinners but to shed many tears nay to be sore troubled and distressed oh the heavy wrath that lies upon my soul Thus Saul 1 Sam. 28. 15. And hence many make heavy complaints oh the Lord hears me not Send for Moses saith Pharaoh My sin is grâ—â—â—er than I can â—ear saith Cain Nay not only so but they may feel more terrors â—han many of the Saints as the damned now for the Lord lays this burthen upon his peoples backs in measure but the Lord empties out the whole sack upon them and the ground of this is but the sting of sin or the gnawings of particular sins in the Conscience not the burthen of the sin of nature as yet 2. You will say these fell from God never looked to Christ not left their sin but I have done so I have seen the mercy of God in the Gospel the Lord Jesus hath been revealed there and I have seen sin I must part with my sin if ever I have him and so I have And this you may have you may see an excellency in Christ and be so affected with hope of his mercy and melt at the thoughts of his Love as to cast off all outward evils that thou hast or the world lives in 2 Peâ— 2. 20. So that thou maist escape these by coming to him to remove them and by seeing that else thou shalt have none of him and hence hated thou maist be of the world The reason is Christ hath only washed thy skin but never changed thy nature as yet so that you may thank God my Conscience is clear 3. You may have not only outward acts but for a time inward lusts quenched that a man hath no mind nor heart to any sinful way nor to the dearest sins he hath lived in whilst horrour lies upon him As in Iudas when God did heaâ— his
and yet they do but think so for though they hate sin yet it is unsoundly because they see not how closely their hands are knit to their sin they never did believe because they never felt their unwilling heart to close with Christ they never loved the Saints because they never felt their contempt of Saints never sought Gods glory because they never mourned under that which did stain it they never make work with their own hearts the stony and thorny ground withered because their soil was naught a heart filled with sweet affections which never felt the strength of contrary corruptions lying underneath it is an ill soil and where those affections will never prosper nor prove right and hence 2 Tim. 2. 20 21. he that purgeth himself from these things shall be a vessell of honor ever preserved never broken Do not put it to a venture it may be I may have grace and so put your salvation on the hazard of such hopes but the Lord that hath come to thee knocking open the door that he may come in and feast cry for infinite creating power and mercy to make haste and come and help thee what have you to do else but to get your old lusts purged away what do you labor for else if you have children to bring up if you have any love to them nay if swine or cattel meat you will have to feed them and satisfie them if possible and yet behold thy soul perishing for want of true spiritual refreshings SECT VI. OF Exhortat on to all young beginners and so to all others Take heed you chop not at your comfort too soon take heed you do not perish in the way that whiles seeking after the Lord and rest you fall from the Lord by security and scandal and so you perish but labor for that which will continue and last 1. Mariners when they go a voyage they will trim their vessel and search if there be not something amiss which may sink the ship at last if once out at sea they may dye before they come home and hence at first setting out are careful so do you 2. You will meet with trials enough to exercise all your grace that you will find all little enough in the issue 3. This will be your comfort at death that â—hough it be difficult yet if you have fought a good fight and run a good race there is now a crown this will make you to go out of the world wondering and go up to eternity in your triumphant Chariot of glory when you shall see on the one side here a Demas forsaking there a Iudas betraying here one Chriâ—â—ian withered there another scandalised and offended and yet the Lord hath upheld thee in thy integrity a poor creature that thoughst thou shouâ—dst never have held out at all That you may do thus two things are to be done First Be sure your wound at first for sin be deep enough for all the error in a mans Faith and Sanctification it springs from that first error of his Humiliation if a mans Humiliation be false and weak and little his Faith is light and his Sanctification counterfeit as may be seen in the stony and thorny soil if a mans wound be right and Humiâ—â—ation deep enough that mans Faith is right and his Sanctification is glorious for Christ cannot be exceeding sweet and satisfactory to the soul unless sin be first exceeding bitter and this is the reason why Christ is not sweet nor precious at first nor afterward because sin is not so better to them especially heart sins Christians shall find it the esteem and price of Christ falls whiles sin lies light and is not bitter SECT VII Quest. HOw bitter must it be Answ. So bitter as that nothing contents your heart whiles sin is with you and the Lord is gone from you Lam. 3. 49. Mine eye ceaseth not mourning till the Lord look down from heaven as a man that looks for a Prince to come and live with him he prepares rooms for all his attendants but he reserves the best lodgings for the Prince himself and they are kept empty whiles he comes So the soul entertains Creatures and Ordinances and Saints of God but yet the heart is not content but sits empty desolate whiles the Lord is gone for whiles the heart is delighted with somewhat else beside the Lord that if the Lord comes it is well if not it is merry and jolly see what the Lord there speaks Iam. 4. 8 9 10. Cleanse your hearts and he will draw nigh unto you turn laughter to mourning else you are not humbled Let Gods own people do so it stops up the fountain of Gods love and sweetness of mercy Psal. 30. 7. When carnally confident I was troubled as it is in marriage if a man knows there is familiarity between the woman and another Lover he will have none of her but when sin is thus bitter the Lord hath the garments of joy to give for the spirit of heaviness Isa. 61. 1 2. Oh therefore though it be cross to have limbs cut off and breasts feared bones broken c. yet part with all for life even this life of Christ in you which will give you full content SECT VIII Quest. HOw shall I do thus my heart will be wanton and carnal Answ. 1. Set this down for a conclusion I shall never be comforted by the Lord whiles any thing else comforts my heart i. e. for it self as hath been proved and if this was well thought of this would make a man above all other things detest his carnal content because this indeed keeps the Lord from him 2. Keep the remembrance of the bitterness of your sin and evil in it thus David Plal. 51. 3. set it ever before him for all the sweet of sin comes into the heart by a delusion first begot in the mind of some present good in it which the soul not attending to is drawn away by it â—â—am 1. 14. drawn away and enticed hence fortifie here Three things in sin which if remembred would make it bitter 1. Sentence of condemnation past upon thee by the Law of God for it which may make a soul to mourn Little 〈◊〉 do men take in their Prison-bolts 2. The death and agonies and sorrows of the Lord Jesus to acquit the soul from this condemnation this is that which may work bitterness as for a first born Zach. 12. 10 11. 3. Crossing the will and so grieving the heart of Christ now in glory as when the old world grew sensual it grieved God to the heart keep these in remembrance what pleasure canst thou take in that which makes the Lord sigh 4. The end wâ—ll be bitterness Psal. 73. 17. Secondly Take heed you miss not of that Faith which will bring in supply Heâ— 4. 1 2. Take heed lest a promise being leâ—t any fall short of that rest which comes by the promise by an unbelieving heart for many desire the
the Lord hath given himself to thee and saith Suck my blood take my life and more I would have given and hast thou looked after Bathsâ—eba other lâ—vers and despise the Lord Oh say I have sinnâ—d and mourn for it 2 Sam. 12. 9. There are two evils in this 1. Forsaking thy own good nay blessednâ—ss Ionah 2. 8. own mercies 2. It is despising the Lord and his fâ—llowshâ—p for other things base things that whereas you shall be for ever beholding of him hereafter yet you should proclaim him not to be worth looking on now Object But I would have fellowship with the Lord and he will not Answ. First Never did any desire thy fellowship so much as the Lord when he wants it Secondly Nor love it and glad of it when he had it Thirdly Nor mourn and lament more when he wants it as Ier. 2. 2 5. God pleads for it Fourthly he calls to the heavens 2 Ier. 10 11. Did ever nation deal thus with Idols If this will not break thine heart for strangeness I know not what will do it It is your sin that breaks off communion not the Lords unwillingness SECT XI HEnce see the exceeding great worth and excellency of Iesus Christ and learn hence to esteem a right of him there is no blessedness in the fruition of all the creatures together good there is but noâ— blessedness or if there were yet it lies in many things no oneâ—hing noâ— twenty blessings can make blessed and it is but a broken blessedness in divers pieces or if there were a kind of blessedness to be found in one yet it is not a lasting blessedness it is so but for a time and so the loss of it at last will trouble us more than the having of it for a time But as he saith Iâ— him is light and no darkness blessedness and no misery peace and no trouble fulness and no want beauty glory and no blemish life and no death pure dear infinite love and no anger and it is in him alone Psal. 148. 13. His name alone is excellent all our glory and the glory of God also is met together in him all things iâ— one thing whatever good there is in other things it is borrowed from him base beggaâ—ly things but the fulness and plenty of all is in the Lord so that we shall not need to cumber our selves about unnecessary things we need not a candle when the sun shines and our last blessedness is here when every thing else will make them wings to hasten from us this will continue and last when all our vessels we are tossed in here are sunk and where our entertainment hath been very good yet the shore sinks not it is above over-whelmings here alone we are fast However the world sees not this because their blessedness lies in preserving themselves by creatures from feeling that misery which lies upon them now as also because they shall never share in it yet the Saints have been exceedingly taken with this that David accounted them blessed that might dwell in his Courts in this world Solomon was blessed that might but wait at wisdoms gates and so be ready to be received when they be opened Abraham rejoyced to see Christ's day afar off Moses esteemed the reproach of Christ great riches what did he then esteem of the presence of Christ here but what iâ— glory â—â— Think of this you that say you cannot finde in your hearts to esteem of the Lord Jesus especially let him be precious to you you espoused of the Lord for others may say he is precious but I shall never enter into this fellowship No no but you shall but he will take you to fellowship with himself It was a great favor to Moses Exod. 24. 1 2. when others might come towards the Lord yet Moses alone might only come near and he was in the Mount alone with God so that the Lord should let others come towards him but that you alone above many thousands in the world may be suffered to draw near to him this should make the Lord precious to you at least Lev. 13. 46. The Leper was to dwell alone without the Lord might have dealt so with thee but when thou wert vile indeed and most vile nay when thou didst separate thy self from thy self then for the Lord to come near thee and as if thou couldst never be near enough to manifest himself to thee forever in glory When David found out Meâ—hibosheth saith he What am I â— dead dog that I should sit at the Kings table 2 Sam. 9. 7 8. It was a great favor to Christ himself that when rejected of men yet that he was chosen of God and precious and taken up to him it may be thou thinkest thy self unworthy of fellowship of any man and men do or men man reject thee yet for the Lord now to receive thee it is much but whereas thou wert not only rejected of men but of God also Isa. 54. 6. now for Christ to take thee to him that as he lies in the Fathers bosom because thou couldst not for sin immediately lye there he should lay thee in his bosom and say Father love this soul as thou hast loved me Besides the Father took Christ because he had worth but for Christ to take thee when thou hadst no worthiness for one to take dross and prize it when others cast it away it is much it is no wonder if pearls be so esteemed of but for dirt to be prized Oh therefore let the Lord be precious and his fellowship precious to thee seeing thou and thy fellowship is so to him Object But I cannot believe it why should the Lord do so Answ. It is hard to believe it when we look upon our own vileness but consider the reason why the Lord doth this it is not because he loves any for fleshly respects as we do but First Because of his own grace and glory the Believer is infinitely beloved of him without moving him thereunto and hence if his grace be exceeding dear and his glory dear to him thou art so to him Secondly Christ loves not first because men are holy but that he may make them so Thirdly He loves because the father loves them SECT XII HEnce learn to be content with the Lord alone Heb. 4. 9. there is a rest hence labor to enter into it so if he will have rest and blessedness hereafter that you shall be content and for ever glad in him and with him alone Oh labor to possess this blessedness now You are in your worst condition now your best is behind shall the blessedness of thy best condition not be blessedness in thy worst condâ—tion unto thee shall that which satisfies thy soul in heaven not satisfie thy soul here Mosâ—s Deut. 32. 10. reckons this as the happiness of Israel viz. That God alone did lead them when they were in a wilderness a land of drought and pits and wants and the shadow of death
up before profession as all manner of ignorance and hardness and lasciviousness and vanity now many grow terrified for these and comforted by the Gospel against these and now peace is made Oh but there are some mens natures like some fields which when they are mowen and weeded yet they have a second growth it may be as with other kinde of Weeds you may never fall to those sins you lived in once but other sins more close more spiritual like the House Luke 11. 24. swept and emptied but seven other spirits worse than the former may at last enter in Oh take heed of these for they will make your latter end miserable you know habitations of Satan are not fit mansions for the Spirit of Christ you know Vessels not only of Wood but of Gold if filthy and poysoned are unfit for Princes use till cleansed and look through all the Scriptures on the faces of the best hypocrites you shall finde some filth growing up after their Profession or together with it like blood and sacrifice mixt together Matth. 7. 23. Luke 13. 27. Not those that have iniquity but those that work it not those that work against it and are destroyers of it by little and little but workers of it If you ask me what these sins be I answer These tares and choaking Thornes as they are sown and grown whiles you be asleep so they may be seen when they are grown up if you walk in your fields and meditate on your hearts I 'le only name some 1. Pride affecting some excellency above others and thinking your self some body 2. Spiritual fulness and secret loathing of Ordinances when men are clogged with them 3. Despising known truths which like flowers were notwithstanding sweet at first gathering either concerning your misery or Christ if the Gospel were preacht to the ignorant they would take heaven with violence but thy soul now is not moved and the messengers of God that bring them despised as Galatia and Corinth did Paul 4. A spirit of contention with good people Now you cannot bear unkindnesses and they offend you c. Alexander at first stood for Paul and he opposeth Paul to his face at last 5. Boldness to 〈◊〉 in small matters commonly without sorrow begot by counterfeit assurance of Gods love 6. Seeking of God in Ordinances and working of iniquity out of them fits men have of good affections but healthful constitutions of bad ones 7. Thinking you are indeed what you would be and yet indeed would not be There be other sins but these are some of the most special which I shall now mention take heed of letting these grow or dealing gently with them for Saints may feel these but they put their hook to the roots of these Weeds and would faine pull them quite up but if you deal gently as David with the young Absolom and think God must do all I cannot part with them and hence you give way to them and though there be these sins yet I have many good signes and promises too I shall be saved and so long as they cannot destroy my soule what though they grow in my soul You perish 1 Cor. 9. 26 27. if thus it be with you Take heed you do not run away with such comforts arising from your feeding upon the promise and person of Christ without refrâ—shing the soule also with the good Will and Commands of Christ do not think your selves ready to enjoy Christ when his promise person and love is sweet which is good but his will is bitter and a burden to thy soul even thy whole soul I know 't is so to the â—nregenerate part of godly men for such men there be 1 Iohn 1. 6. To the Saints Christs love is sweet and promise sweet and therefore his Will his Work Iohn 4. 34. Bread you know not of to do the Will of him that sent me and to finish it so it is their food to do the Will of him that loves them and to finish it If a man is to remove from one Countrey to another and he cannot live upon the Bread of the Countrey nor water where he goes he is then unfit for such a Journey because he cannot live upon the bread of it Now what is that which feeds the life of Saints in glory not only Christ but living unto Christ to be perfected under the Government and Kingdom of Christ can you live upon this now in part and the first fruits of it if you can know it is then prepared for thee and thou for it if not but you live as you say upon the present sweet of the promise nay it may be upon the thoughts of old comforts but to do the Will of Christ is death not life to you and it is meerly your task for wages to do his Will not part of your Inheritance you are unfit to be with Christ Acts 21. 13. Why break you my heart saith Paul I am ready to die for the sake of Christ and to do much more So think thus Was Paul ready to die and I not ready to do my heart loaths thy Commands Lord but what the Law makes heavy the Gospel makes sweet for thy sake Lord I love thy will pray Oh thy love is sweet but let thy will be so also Labour to grow poor in spirit that when you cannot honour the Lords Will yet you may be gathering somâ—thing out of all sinnes and weaknesses to honour Gods grace the glory of grace is the last end those that be prepared for it shall enjoy it Who are those The poore who when they see they have lost their lives their soules their comforts in not doing his Will which is bitter to them yet the Lord shall not lose the honour of his grace Psalme 74. 21. The poor will be thankful What doth Paul that Vessel of grace Persecutor Blasphemer but a Saint now say Oh but the least of them but he was an Apostle but I deserve not that name but yet he is received to mercy 't is very true yet never such an example as he thinks and therefore saith he To the King immutable c. when Iacob had seen the Lord Gen. 26. ult if he shall give me food and rayment he shall be my God i. e. I shall then magnifie him he having said he would be so before and he had it in plenty So say If the Lord shall pity pardon I shall then give all to him if I had a thousand hearts tongues truly as Psalme 40. ult The Lord now thinketh on you When a Servant hath spent and lost his Masters estate and he is to give up an Account truly then he may give it with comfort when as he gaines one way abundantly though he loseth another and makes the best gaines so here SECT XV. 2. TO those who are ready but yet not so ready as is meet The Lord hath given you warning to prepare by some sharp afflictions on thy self or by the
death of thy friends or by secret feares of thine own heart thy time is not many hands breadth longer and it may be this shall be the Funeral Sermon of some of you you have been flying like Bees abroad in the world to gather your honey and the Lord haâ—h been smoaking of you and that in your own Hive you have thought to dwell long in Tabernacles the Lord hath let it fall to decayes and repaires it not again If you live unready it may be the Lord will try you with some sore conflict with fears of death and terrors of darkness and all your preparation is too little for your combate then The place of glory is made ready for you how shall I so unholy see God Christ is there Iohn 14. 3. waiting for thee longing after thee Thou art it may be yet in many respects unready As 1. Not yet planted in the House and Church of God not yet gathered to communion of Christ in his Saints on earth I know men may have just reasons to deferre but if they have none I would be loth to die in their room Hezekiah Isa. 38. ult Psalme 26. 8. I have loved the habitation of thy House Oh gather not my soule with the wicked I am perswaded some deare to Christ linger here and you cannot finde this not that saving good in your selves you say I had rather hear one mourn for emptiness than boast of his grace 2. There are many sinnes not yet mourned sufficiently for in daye of youth and in a secure condition in heaven is no mourning oh therefore take time now for want of this grace is not so sweet 3. It may be some main duty is neglected to the souls of them whom thou hast a charge of as not Caâ—echising thy family children not careful for their souls 4. It may be thou hast been little in prayer for the Churches though for thy family and children which is usually the last work of the Saints there 's no praying for them in Heaven as Christ at the end of his life like a Priest shed blood and prayed for them so Saints are made Priests to God and Christ 5. It may be thy house is not yet set in order nor thy Will made Reckonings between men not yet set right and even and then there is Quarrels when thou art Dead and trouble when you dye 6. It may be thou art grown secure and art lost and driven away and many wrinckles be on thy face and heart c. you cannot say with Paul 2 Tim. 4. That you have fought c. but are rather at truce with sin you run not but have slipt and fallen down and so lost all SECT XVI THerefore to help here in this readiness Get a heart more loosned and weaned from the world Solomon he did launch out his heart herein too far not in Epicurisme but Eccles. 2. 3. applying his heart to wisdome all this time so may you and be unready How I cannot but God will teach it you by affliction Psalme 39. 6 7. You are Sojourners here with God as all your Fathers there 's nothing proper nothing long to be enjoyed Own the Lord Iesus he is yours but you own him not as Simeon came to the Temple and there found him and there blest God and now saith he let me depart in peace hath the Lord stirred up unutterable sighings and groanings and mournings you think it may be if Christ was present you would not doubt of answer and they continue still and do you think Christ is hard-hearted hath the Lord come to thee in the Temple and manifested his love by his own promise sure and faithful and wilt thou not yet own him hast had and hast now the first fruition of the Spirit and wilt not yet own him and art afraid to go to him when others are in glory that trod in thy steps Oh be humbled for it I know there is nothing which makes thee feare it but a Rebellious vile heart and nature and can the Lord love such a one Yes such a one if he mournes under it Rom. 7. 24. Isaâ— 57. 18 19. The Lord will create peace he hath seen thy wayes and heâ—will heale them And when you have him thus own him daily keep your peace do nothing which may make you lose boldness in prayer and therefore reckon daily with him and Remember the promise stands when feelings are lost Object But I can do but little for him Answ. True Isa. 64. 6. Thou the Lords clay his Vessel though of little publique use yet in thy place do what thou canst for Christ Jesus Servants Masters Members Rich Poore bestirre your selves For Christ you shall lose nothing by it c. VERSE 10. The Door was shut IN these words is set down the consequent of that which immediately followed the Wise Virgins gracious entertainment with Christ the door was shut by which is signified the exclusion of the foolish from the fellowship of Christ as also the greatness of Christs love to the wise opening the door of glory unto them and when they are gathered shutting the door against every one else Hence Observe That the endeared love of Christ to his Elect doth much appear in this In opening the door of glory unto them and shutting it against others of great esteem and name in the Church of God for this is one Scope of the words Gen. 7. 16. To open the Kingdome of Heaven to all the world and save all would be great love in the eyes of the Saiâ—ts but to save them and condemne others to receive them and exâ—lude others and that of great name and esteem Virgins this sets out the Lords love exceedingly Christs distinguishing separating love is his great love Mat. 11. 25. If we consider the multitude of the one and fewness of the other not only in regard of the world but in regard of others in Churches Luke 13. 24. Many shall seek and many that are first shall be last Matthew 19. 30. If we consider that there is as much reason appearing outwardly that the Lord should choose thee one as well as the other what difference is appearing outwardly between these Virgins I 'le warrant you the wise did think the foolish as good and it may be far better than themselves Iudges 6. 15. Saith Gideon How wilt thou save Israâ—l by me I am the least in my Fathers house yet saith the Lord I will be with thee so the Saints may say and do say Why Lord wilt thou save me I am the least and poorest of all others If we consider the reason why the Lord doth this and that is because of nothing but the Will of God his good pleasure Matth. 11. 25. For why should their Vessels be filled they received and not others only the Will of God I know not you c. Of which hereafter If we consider the intolerable torment of those who go farre
this and that but I had these ends in them and I harboured these sins by them will conscience make men say Because now Satan to whose custody the soul is committed appears to the soul and it sees it self in his hands The best Hypocrite is never delivered out of the hands of Satan and his power he will eitheâ—r keep constant possession or if not yet he will returne againe now he will not appear in this time of peace to the soul because there is yet hope but after death then hope is past and therefore then he appeares for as the souls of the Elect are carryed to Heaven by Angels and blessed among them so è â—ontrà the souls of the wicked are in the hands of Devils 1 Pet. 3. 19. He preacht to the spirits now in Prison Theeves so long as they are not known or if known not apprehended they fear not death but when taken and laid up in prison there they know their death and there they see their Jaylour so here and as Satan did condemne and sad the heart of the humbled out-cast 2 Cor. 2. 11. so much more these when cast out from the presence of God A Caâ—tive when taken by him that hath overcome him the Conquerour appeares and sets his foot upon him especially if one eminent whom Satan hath conquered Because of the intolerable and heavy wrath of God which then doth seize upon the soul. Luke 16. I am tâ—rmentâ—d In this life though God be lost yet mens hearts are comforted with creatures and patience and common bounty as it is with skall'd legs eased in the water but now when men are dead then there is no creature to enjoy to ease the heart the body is dead and what are these things to the soul now hence the soule feels God is gone and for ever gone and now when he hath most need in great torment gone the soul feels this I say and feeling this woe it knows it indeed the beasts know their misery when they feel the Knife in their hearts Let men deceive themselves never so deeply with false imaginations yet when they feel it otherwise it shall confute them as the Generations of men in the dayes of Noah men will have some hope while patience lasts but when that 's gone then their hopes and hearts sink also whiles men be in the Vessel they hope to live but if that sink and they can see no plank nor shore but see waves and men crying c. now their hearts must needs fail them Of terrour to them who upon cleare conviction from the Word will not believe their doom their misery now Sometime the Word comes so near men and the very sin they live and lie in is pointed at found out and words and thoughts opened as if some body had told the Minister of the man and they think He speaks against me but they will not believe that sin is so black or God so angry but hope well but if they do sleight and regard not these convictions yet oh remember the time is drawing on and it is not farre of but therein you shall know the word of the Lord is more precious to him than to you you let it fall but the Lord will not 1 Sam. 3. 19. The Old World would not believe Noah the Lord therefore made their experience convince them of it I know men may be deceived but as he said in another case The word is not bound so the word which like God searcheth the secrets of thy heart and thy Hypocrisie that is not deceitful thy Scepter O Lord is a right Scepter and it cannot be crook't and bent And if man doth condemn thee know it God is greater then man and it is his glory to confirm the words of his Servants that are not Diviners South-sayers and uncertaine Prognosticators of mens desâ—inies Isa. 44. 26. but having their warrant from the Word it shall be confirmed by God himself nay that very Word shall arise though it sleeps now the Word is only left as a Witnesse Matth. 24. 14. and do you think it shall not be so if Christ lives he will confirm it Is it not better to know your condition now and be humbled for it seeing else you must know it when it is too late to know it If two have a Quarrel against each other and the one who hath the better side entreats to agree with him to acknowledge his fault be humbled he will forgive him before he comes to higher Courts where it will be tried and himself cast and such a Fine and damages be set upon his head as will utterly undo him is it not a misery for such an one so brought under to feed himself with hopes and not to listen till he hath spent all and is utterly undone and beggar'd truly thus 't is here And so I end with reminding you of the speech of God to Elies Sons 1 Sam. 2. 25. They heard not their father because God would slay them so here you will not hear Ministers condemne you because God will do it See the great folly of thoâ—e who having got some false comforts and are loâ—h to know the worst of their â—states now Isa. 30. 10. that say to the Prophets Prophesie deceits or if not they will not come to the light Iohn 3. 20. or if light come to them they hate it and put it out choak it if they do not also hate the man Shall you know your estates hereafter and will you not see them now what comfort will this be to you There is a Beast when it is hunted and weary runnes its head into the ground or bushes and thinks it self then safe though its body be all seen and that the Hunter doth not see it nor the Hounds because it sees not them So it is here What wiâ—l it profit you to hide your eyes from the Almighties search who cannot hide your selves It 's true if there was no hope nâ—w then men might comfort themselves and not dye with thoughts and fears of it till they come to dye but there is hope Oh folly not to see it now and truly this is mens frame 1. Because some think it a shame to begin now after they have been so well thought of now to strip themselves 2. Because of trouble men naturally will avoid it and hence skin their â—ores over superficially 3. Because they think it impossible or very difficult to be saved now if all should be naught that they have done already and hence rather hazard all and put it to the venture 4. Because they must maintaine their innocency and confidence What must I not believe noâ— hope well 5. Because when they have done their best they can do no more than what they do now viz. trust to Gods mercy But more particularly this appeares First When men will not see nor desire the Lord to reveal their sinne and deceits Psalme 36. 3. That 's one part of
shall burn and never be quenched there will be colds which shall blast all your budds and blossomes and beauty c. Now to have no love of Christ to take your self to as to a shelter in these times is very heavy hence Isa. 32. 2. Christ typified by Hezekiah shall be a shadow in a weary Land which is spoken to shew the sweetness of his love and their blessedness that have him to fly to and hence their woe who want him It is said Gen. 6. 8. Noah found grace in Gods eyes not in the eyes of men for before the Flood came they did â—not see it such a favour for to have an Ark but when that came and they fled from Houses to Trees from Trees to Mountaines and waters beneath and above prevailed now they saw it somethâ—ng to finde favour in the eyes of God and their woe to want it Moses dies wondering at the happiness of the Saints in regard of this Deut. 33. 26. and ult The eternal God is thy refuge he fore-sees stormes he preserves from miseries above head so as they cannot touch the heads of the Saints if so be they do fall yet they cannot fall so low but underneath are his armes As a Child which stands alone if it be in danger to fall and others cry out Pray take heed I have my armes say they under it hence Moses dyeth with this word Oh Israel who is like unto thee happy art thou then wo to those who want this there is not one man living but he shall meet with extremities which shall make heart and spirits to faile and the powers of heaven shall be shaken every thing may forsake you but Christs love but if that also doth wo then to you If you consider the power which this privation of love hath to damp all joy and mirth in all things present it invenomes and puts a sting and poyson in all blessings and makes comforts torments to have all blessings and all priviledges and not to have Christs love with them is to have a snare a trap a stumbling block and a Recompence c. Rom. 11. 9. Men regard not wrath to come but consider of this thy blessings are woes curses and you shall one day cry Wo is me that ever I was or that ever I had any blessing Suppose a man should be enriched with bags of Dâ—amonds hung with chaines of gold fare deliciously but condemned to die this would damp all Pharaoh had a stout will Moses tells him Exod. 9. 16. For this cause God had raised him up to shew his power upon him one would have thought it should have pull'd him from hâ—s Throne and made him lie in the dust it did not because God had hardened his heart so would this if the Lord had not hardened yours Hence we shall see Saints when they lie under false feares only of loss of love those very things which are most sweet are made most bitter Psal. 77. 3. I remembred God and was troubled but what think you of those that be not indeed loved it is enough to bring down the most merry heart and highest looks for the present what are my friends mine enemies is there none to comfort me of all my Lovers If you consider the sweetness of this Love of Christ. I'â—e instance only in one particular Psal. 63. 3. Cant. 1. 3. The Elect when they are glorified and with Christ what shall be most ravishing in their eyes what shall swallow up their thoughts most oh the love of Christ his free love why should I be accepted beloved oh that ever the Lord should cast his eyes and set his heart upon such an out-cast Hence praise of the Riches of Grace Ephes. 1. is the wâ—rk of Heaven Now to be cast out of this love will must be exceeding bitter to the soul hence Mat. 7. 23. I never knew you will be daggers at the heart or the stone upon the graves mouth which shall torment for ever If you consider the nature of this want or negation of Christs love what it is 1. Degree Is for Christ not to have so much as one purpose or thought of peace and good to them not to put the least Character of their names in the Book of life that is the first degree and fountain of all other Gods love Ier. 29. 9. 2. Degree Is not to speak one word of peace and love to a man no absolute promise of life to them Psalme 50. 16. They have nothing to do to take Gods Covenant into their mouths those promises which comfort and support the hearts of the Saints against all sins all miseries belong not unto them 3. Degree Not to suffer for them not to shed one drop of blood for their lives Ioh. 17. 9. so that all their sins must lie upon them to bear and answer for 4. Degree Not to do the least good for them good things they have but through their sins and Christs ordering of it are not good for them but they are thereby fitted by patience for destruction 5. Degree Not to accept any thing which they do to him their sacrâ—fices and prayers are sins Mal. 1. I have no pleasure in you 6. Degree Not to pity them in time of their trouble but to laugh at their Calamity and to rejoyce in their Ruine and eternal overthrow Christ shall get glory from them then whom they despised so long before This may let us see what cause all the people of God have to be abundantly satisfied with the love of Christ the heart of man is naturally like the raging sea never quiet if the least windes do but arise the Saints may have unmortified affections and are very apt upon troublesome temptations to be disquieted the Saints are compared to the Apple of Gods eye and we know little things will trouble much there it 's because in losses and sorrows which befall themselves and in beholding the madness and folly of others they are very apt to look upon the anger of the Lord in them foâ— their sin which others usually do not Oh consider is it such a misery to lose Christs love and have you a share in it oh then be thankful for it and contented with it When Christ was to depart from his Disciples Ioh. 16. 22. you shall sorrow but what doth he leave with them to quiet them I will see you againe that mourn now for loss of my presence What else doth he promise them nothing else truly that is enough When David looked upon the prosperity of the wicked and that they should â—ever see light Psal. 49. 15. with 19. But God will redeem my soul from the grave not from troubles and he will receive me Some read it For he hath received me both may stand together and this was enough to him If a Traveller have lost his way and not come home to his journeys end he may be very well unquieâ— but when he is come to the end
such miserable scrambling for promises and that men are so worshipping whom they know not 4. Consider the misery of the want of this But further Be careful to get satisfaction by blood before Application by the Spirit if ever you look for the latter be careful to get the former God is full of Spirit why sends he it not sinne is not satisfied for first get that done therefore Iohn 6. â—3 Except ye eat my flesh and drink my blood c. God could not send the Spirit nor Word but for this to thee a man feeles the strength of sinne and prayes Lord subdue it oh but look to pay thy Ransome If a man be in chaines for debt and gets out without satisfaction for the debt or wrong he will be taken againe but if it be satisfied for though he be taken by the Jaylour and ill-intreated yet he shall be set free againe and therefore do as those Levit. 3. 3 4. You are freely to go to Sacrifice and it 's said it shall be accepted to make Atonement If the Lord with-hold his Spirit mourn for the want of it as Psal. 41. 3. My tears are my meat If the Lord gives any thing be thankful for any little see it and make much of it for it is from Christ the least thought or knowledge of thy misery Iohn 14. 17. The world cannot receive it because it knows him not i. e. so as to prize it love it bless and wonder at the Lord for it Thy Spirit is goâ—d Lord let it lead me saith David Quest. What if I finde not these things in my soul Answ. Mourn then Object What if I cannot Answ. Then muse on thy misery Object But I cannot Answ. Then hear what the Lord will speak Quest. What if he helps not Answ. Thou art unworthy thou art his clay he may and will do what he will Of thankfulness to the Saints who are apprehended of the Lord Iesus you know him and he knows you you come to him and he takes you you give up your selves to him and he gives himself to you you make him your God and Head and he makes you his people and Members c. Oh be thankful for this 't is a choice and peculiar mercy denied to many and given unto you Psalme 73. 23 24 25 26. Thou art continually with me when falling from thee What is the use that David makes Thou wilt guide and hence Whom have I in heaven but thee I might be broken and like water spilt on the ground every moment but thou keepest me Object But I finde the Lord methinks sometime utterly gone from me and I fear he will faile Answ. True and hence Ieremiah asks Ier. 15. 18. Wilt thou be unto me as a lyar and as waters that faile shall thy truth and mercy be spent No once apprehended he will not lose thee Quest. How shall I know that Answer Something I have spoken and three things more I shall add now First You may know it by time present There are two things which seldome fail in deepest disertxsions 1. The soul forsakes not the Lord by unutterable groanes when the Lord seems to forsake it Psal. 22. 2 3. and it presseth hard after the Lord Psalme 63. 8. and doth not as the Philistines 2 Sam. 5. 21. forsake their gods when they forsake them 2. If this failes it grows poor in spirit and vile and loaths it self as worthy the Lord should never regard it Isaiah 57. 15. and so 〈◊〉 grace most when the Lord makes it least and when the Lord makes it nothing it makes God all things to it Secondly If neither of these will serve yet you may remember dayes of old as David Psal. 77. 10. Psal. 71. 6 9 11. Some said God had forsaken him but yet now he remembers Ancient mercies Thirdly Then stay awhile longer in waiting for the Lord what the Lord doth now you know not but you shall know afterward Isa. 64. 4. that which eye haâ—h not seen hath God prepared 1. You that are young men hath the Lord pluck't you out of your Sâ—dâ—nâ— sin when you lingred in it when you resisted the Lord in the heat of your youth c. 2. You old men how many temptations corruptions back-slidings pollutions beating out as it were the breath of the Spirit yet from the belly to gray haires the Lord hath carried thee kept thee Oh thy foot had faln if the Lord had not kept 3. You that have been once sinful vile creatures yet hath the Lord loved you for all this what if the Lord take away comforts from you and afflict yet hath he not taken living-kindness not mercy from you but done good to you by your sorrows when others go by Droves before his Door and takes none c. O what cause have you to magnifie mercy That the Lord Iesus at his coming to death or judgement will make a perfect separation between the wise and foolish Virgins For the Virgins were all one together till Christ comes and now the one sort is received to Christ the other separated from Christ nay not so much as known of Christ. There are not have not been any Churches in this life but there will be wise and foolish Tares and Wheat grow up together not Virgins and Harlots not openly prophane it may be or wicked and godly No but when all are Virgins in outward Profession and Conversation yet then some will be wise and some foolish in the sight of Christ though not in the sight of man and between these the Lord Jesus will make a separation at his coming Matth. 25. 31. He shall set Sheep and Goats at his right and left hand Mat. 3. 12. He shall thorowly purge his floore and separate chaffe and wheat 2. Thes 1. 9. punished with eternal destruction from the presence of the Lord. The Son of the bond-woman must not be Heir together with the Son of the free-woman and therefore cast him out they must part companies Quest. 1. Whether shall they be separated Answ. 1. At particular judgement what became of the soul of Lazarus It was carried by the Angels to Abrahams bosome i. e. to the Third Heavens where Abraham was and to fellowship with him dearly loved of him What then becomes of the souls of others they being sentenced by God are dragg'd down to hell by evil Angels and are reserved Where they are reserved in the Elements 2. At general judgement the Elect shall be called to come and inherit their Kingdome and hence others shall be cast with the Devil and his Angels to eternal fire which is there where the Third Heaven is not and here shall they be parted and never joyned together more which is fearful Quest. 2. Why will there be such a separation Answ. 1. Reason Because at Christs coming they shall be immediately judged and examined by Christ he shall then make strict and immediate 〈◊〉 of them Why do these foolish Virgins creep in