Ephraim were but an empty vine so Cant. 6.11 I went down that 's Christ into the garden of nuts when Christ takes a nut-tree out of the forest and transplants it in his garden makes a sinner a convert then he observes the fruit it brings forth to see the fruit of the valley that is of the poor penitent lowly humble heart and to see whether the vine flourished and the pomgranates budded that is whether this and that and the other grace faith and humility and holiness c. flourished and brought forth unto him Therefore as Christ in the fore-quoted place calls the fruit of his garden the Spouses so the Spouse calls the fruit of her garden Christs blow upon my garden and let him eat his pleasant fruits Cant. 4.16 If thou would have evidence that Christ did in earth and doth in heaven bring forth fruit unto thee labor to finde that thine heart thy lips thy life do all of them bring forth fruit unto Christ 2. Labor to finde Christ unto thy soul a river of waters of life Secondly labor to finde Christ a river of waters of life unto thy soul since thou hast been hitherto moistureless like a wilderness when Israel was in the dismal wilderness where there was no water Psalm 78.15 16. the Lord clave the rocks in the wilderness and gave them drink as out of the great depths he brought streams also out of the rock and caused waters to run down like rivers But what 's this to me a sinner may the soul say Why the Apostle tells thee this rock was Christ these waters flowing out the rock were streams from Christ 1 Cor. 10.4 They drank of that spiritual rock that followed thâ—â— and that rock was Christ Christ is that river the streams whereof make glad the poor bewildred soul There are three sorts of streams which O that you could finde flowing from the Lord Christ 1. 1. Stream of blood Labor to finde the red stream of Christs blood Christs satisfaction and justification and reconciliation purchased thereby this is there as in many other Scriptures called Christs wine I have drunk my wine Hast thou by faith seen this rock smitten by the Lords rod and this red stream issuing out Hast thou seen Christs side lanced and the blood streaming forth for thy soul Hast thou seen this blood of the new Covenant poured forth for thee Oh! how would this stream make thy soul glad Secondly 2. Stream of milk Labor to finde the crystal stream of Christs Spirit by the other the soul is counted righteous by this it is made righteous I know the sincere heart desires as truly this as the other the other is the fountain open for sin that is the guilt the curse the condemnation this is a fountain open for uncleanness that is the defilement and pollution and both is for the house of David to wash in this is there as in other places called Christs milk and to shew that Sanctification and Justification go hand in hand one with another therefore saith Christ I drunk my wine with my milk though the wine be the first yet is it not without milky streams but they go along with it I cannot but imagine but that in the order of nature Christ Justifies before he Sanctifieth and yet I believe he never justifies but therewith he sanctifies as here wine first yet wine with milk even both together so we have Isa 55.1 the same order and the same conjunction Buy wine and milk without money and without price that is my merits and my spirit shall be both yours if you close with me though you deserve neither But thirdly Labor to finde yet other streams 3 Stream of honey even honey streams from Christ in the Ordinances this is called as often by David before so Cant. 5.1 Christs honey-comb and his honey Hast thou then found communion with Christ in prayer hearing reading or the like sweet as honey swâ—eter also then the honey-comb Canst thou say as the spouse of Christ Cant. 4.13 His lips are like lilies even like lilies dropping sweet smelling myrrhe Have those sweet streams from Christs mouth flown down thus upon thy soul surely such floods cannot choose but make thee joyful in the house of prayer 2. To finde thy soul a watered garden to Christ Now secondly Labor to finde thy soul a watered garden unto Christ The soul was in the wilderness Cant. 4.8 and she becomes a garden ver 12. and in this garden there are both springs and fountains though both shut up and sealed that 's for Christs use they are reserved who alone is found worthy to open the seals 1. The fountain of thine hâ—ad First Then let the fountains of thine head be opened unto Christ the streams of thy lips of thine eyes thy words thy tears the working of thy brains let them all stream forth towards the Lord Christ say as the prophet O that mine head were fountains and mine eyes rivers of tears Jer. 9.1 let it be with thee as with David Rivers of tears run down mine eyes because men keep not thy law Psalm 119.136 O that all our heads and eyes were as rivers streaming towards Christ and Christ onely O that our brains might work more after and more for Christ We were as a moistureless wilderness before let us even in this sense become a watered garden now Isa 58.11 2. Of thine heart Secondly Let the fountains of thine heart be opened unto Christ If God have shed his love abroad in thine heart shed now thy love abroad into Gods heart We were as a wilderness we could scarce pour out words before God before let us now Psalm 62.8 pour out our hearts before God let all our affections desire fear love joy c. stream forth towards God Thus David poured out his soul within him Psalm 42.4 3. Of thy life 3 Let the fountains of thy life stream forth towards Christ as the fountain both of Christs life and death to boot did flow out unto thee whether you eat or drink or whatever you do let all the streams of your lives run into the channel of his glory According to this threefold counsel you have mention of a threefold breaking out of waters in the spouse Cant. 4.15 A fountaâ—n of gardens there 's one sort a spring of living waters there 's another sort and streams from Lebanon there 's a third sort that is if I mistake not one in the head another in the heart a third in the conversation The fountain of the head waters the garden of the affections the spring of the heart enliveneth the fountains of the head knowledge would otherwise be a dead water and now from both together to wit head and heart there are streams from Lebanon that is Knowledge and Grace flow forth as streams into the conversation You may therefore observe comfortably that as Christ had spoken high before of the streams that flow from himself
are thy thoughts that perswade thee that it will please God better to damn thee then to save thee 2ly The exerting of pardoning grace 2ly Gods glory is most in mercy sets the brightest crown of glory upon the head of the Almighty Exo. 33.18 Moses begs of God I beseech thee shew me thy glory and how doth God answer his prayer herein why ver 19. I will make all my goodness pass before thee and I will proclaime 〈◊〉 name of the Lord before thee and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious and will shew mercy to whom I will shew mercy this is Gods name and his glory If this then be the darkness wherein thou hast walked that God will have most glory in damning thee take hold upon this name of the Lord and stay thy selfe upon him as thy God CHAP. XXI Containes the third kind of bewildring darkness viz. relating to the way of reconciliation betwixt us and God in three particulars under the last whereof this question is resolved what humiliation is sufficient to reconciliation THe third last sort of bewildring darknesses attending conversion it self 3d. Kind Such as respect the way of reconciliation betwixt us and God are such as relate unto the way of Reconciliation between us God And verily though we have a desire now to make peace with God yet how shal we come at him if we be in the dark as to the way of peace The way of peace they have not known may be truly said for some season of some souls that would have peace I remember when God had hammered them by so many judgements Amos 4.12 At length he comes to a nameless judgement so sad that it seems it could not be expressed Therefore thus will I doe unto thee Thus how 's that truly I can't tell how and what of that Oh! therefore prepare to meet thy God O Israel to meet him therefore you must goe onely in that way towards him wherein he is a comming towards you if you go in any other way you I will misse of him not meet him and if you be in the dark though you desire to meet him yet may you misse of the way and so be bewildred when you would be reconciled therefore Mat. 5.25 Agree with thine Adversary quickly whilst thou art in the way with him If thou wouldest agree with God thou must be in the same way with God if thou wouldest meet him thou must meet him in his own way Now there is but onely one way of Reconciliation wherein God will draw neere unto a loâ—t soule being justified by faith through Jesus Christ we shall have peace with God Rom. 5.1 And therefore the same is our onely way of Pacification with God so Heb. 10.20 This is the new and living way Now all other are but dead waies wherein a lost soule seeks life Now what heart hath light enough at the first to see and to hit upon this new and living way I can challenge your darknesse in this respect upon this three-fold accompt 1. You think that undubtedly you must give something to God 1 Darknes we thinke we must give something to God towards your reconciliation with God Now this is very darkness for it is Gods giving of Christ unto you not your giving of any thing unto God that is the bottom of your pacification But very ready are we to thinke and Satan to perswade us that there is no comming unto God but by bringing something of our owne unto God Hence that enquiry Mic. 6.6 Wherewithall shall I come before the Lord and bow my self before him shall I come before him with sacrifices c. Oh! that 's the dark counsell of our vain hearts Bribe Justice and then you shall have its favour I speak not to streighten your hearts or hands from lending to the Lord but to direct your souls where to bottom your peace Doth your goodness extend unto him or will he take a reward to clear him that is guilty God forbid that any heart should think so and yet if many an heart were asked Wherefore are all these alms that thou givest Conscience must answer as Jacob in his course Complement to Esau Gen. 33.8 Esau said What meanest thou by this drove and Jacob said These are to find grace in the sight of my Lord he had need call him my Lord when he intimates him to be of so base and ignoble a a spirit that a Bribe should purchase pardon for a Brother Just so deal souls with God the alms they give their bounty to Saints to Ministers c. are to find favour in the sight of God But if Esau can refuse his present telling him he hath enough surely God may much more despise thy gifts be they what they will be because all things are his Psa 50.9 10. I will take no Bullock out of thine house nor Hee-goat out of thy fold for the beasts of all the Forrest c. are mine Set a side the Lord Jesus Christ and peace in believing and I dare say it would begger all the Saints and Angels in Heaven and Earth to make one Peace-offering to the Lord for any lost soul 2ly You think 2d Darkness We think we must do something for God that undoubtedly you must at least dâ—â— something as a bottom and ground to your reconciliation with God Now this is also a soul-bewildring darknesse for if it be onely what Christ hath given then it is onely what Christ hath done that can be a propitiation to God for us What will God ever be friends with me that give him nothing nor do any thing for him how shall I think that Verily flesh and blood wil hardly think it therefore as the former question was Wherewithall shall I come before God what shall I give and the answer from God comes without money and without price so the next question that dark nature prompts is this Good Master what good thing shall I do that I may inherite eternal life Mat. 9 16. What good thing shall I do Oh! we think it must be some good thing of our own doing that must be at the bottom of our salvation What good thing saith Christ keep the Law and fulfill the Gospel that perfectly for that 's the sum of Christs answer to him Now friend if thy goodness extend so far then go on to meet the Lord in thine own way But now thou that livest upon such terms if ever God take thee as Solomon took Shimei when he had gone beyond his limits from Jerusalem to Gath after his run-away servants 1 Kin. 2.39 40. The Lord will deal with thee if ever he find thine heart running after the world or after sin as he dealt with Shimei ver 44. God will call thee to a severe account upon every old score and return all thy wickedness upon thine own head judging thee by thine own mouth Think of the Pharisee who comes and tells God what he
not thinke onely of standing at his right hand and of receiving honour by him but also of doing homage and giving of worship to him If you must come up to Sarahs example in calling and and counting him your Lord. Thus David that Kingly Prophet takes him for his King and his Prophet whom he takes for his Saviour Psal 25.5 Lead me in thy truth there 's the first and teach me there 's the second for thou art the God of my salvation there 's the third So then since true faith doth ever take hold upon an whole Christ who is King Priest and Prophet whether it be granted that this Faith doth justifie as it receives Christ under the precise Nosion of Ruler and Teacher as well as of Priest which some affirme or onely of Priest and Surety as others doe judge that is solely as presenting his righteousnesse to God for us and as putting that his righteousnesse upon us and not as working that righteousness in us that is most usually called Holiness which seems chiefly as to respect the Princely and Prophetical office of Christ so to relate to that purifying or sanctifying act of faith spoken of Act. 15.9 rather then that justifying act of faith spoken of Rom. 5.1 Yet must I assert that no faith doth justifie but that which takes Christ for King and Law-giver as well as Saviour Isai 33.22 Faith justifies si non quâ totum saltem quae totum recipit respicit Christum Take heed soules of distinguishing here between LORD and JESUS as Judge Cook used to do by laying off of his Gown between Judge and Cook If Christs Coat be seamless surely Christ himselfe is divisionless And it is farre safer for me and you to be careful in uniting practically what God hath certainly joyned together then to be over-curious in distinguing notionally where if we divide practically we are undone everlastingly Yea are there not some Pilats that aske what is truth that even question Justification it selfe because some raise so various so dubious Questions about it and whilst these contend so much about the Cement they call into question the very Foundation and say the Builders shall agree before we build with them Yea and a receiving of him upon his owne termes Lastly I say a receiving of Christ upon his own terms Perhaps some guests would come to the Marriage when their Oxen are proved and their Farms managed c. and if they might first go and bury their Father Mat. 8.21 And thus would we be indenting with and thrusting our own terms upon the Lord Chrst but if we marry him we must marry on his own terms with him and what those are we shall have occasion to speak in the Hinderances and therefore thither we refer thee for the present Now therefore that soule that thus Assents and Consents unto Jesus Christ both in Vnderstanding and Will both in the knowledge and love of the truth the soul that thus Conceives and Receives of such a soule may we say in the language of Rev. 19.7 The marriage of the Lamb is come and his wife hath made her self ready This is the soule that may and ought to lean the soule that may and must apply How to improve this interest this soule hath an interest And now let me call for the improvement This is the soule that should be much in meditating 2. By often meditating of this strength rest with Christ what strength and rest her Head and Husband hath received or her Psa 45.1 My heart is enditing a good matter what was that Why Things appertaining to the King and what are those a Throne and a Scepter vers 6. that is Rest and Strength and for whom Why For the Queen at his right hand vers 9. Now sirs doe we believe this that our soules are marryed to the King of glory Oh then O then why is it that we have such base and sordid familiarity and fellowship with this World surely the reason why there is so much Earth in our lives nay may I say so much Hell in our lives is because there is so little heaven in our thoughts Phil. 3.20 whereas our Conversation should be in Heaven whence we look for a Saviour 2ly 2. By often speaking of it to others This is the soule that should be much in relating what a gainer she hath beene by making Christ her beloved What Zeresh what Wife amongst you could hold your peace if your Husband should be promoted to be second man in the Land Let thy soul make her boast in the Lord To Christ himself and speak thou the things that thou hast meditated concerning the King Psal 45.1 Yea speak much of it unto Jesus Christ and say I am thy Spouse O Lord I am thy Spouse and thou hast received gifts for me therefore give strength give refreshings to me the language of Psal 68.18 speaking to Christ in the second person will warrant such pleas at the Throne of grace 3ly 3ly By enlarging affections towards Christ hereupon This is the soule that should improve her interest in Christ by enlarging her affections towards Christ Hast thou an interest in Christ for thy stay and strength say as David Psal 18.1 I will loue thee O Lord O my strength And indeed the stronger the love is the stronger the leaning will be Lastly 4ly By living the life of faith This is the soul that whose life should be made up of faith and of obedience Of Faith For saith David My heart is fixed O God my heart is fixed and upon what is is fixed Why trusting in the Lord Psal 112.7 And obedience in the sence hereof Of Obedience Be the work never so crosse to flesh and blood never so great and difficult though fighting with Beasts though wrestling with Devils because she is strong in her Lord and in the power of his might Ephes 6.10 12. Never so tedious and tyresome though reaping in his Harvest even all the heat and under the burthen of the day because say the Apostles such a soule shall have rest with us yea even with Christ for when his Spouse hath wrought with him all the day of her life she shall lie down with him in the night of her death and rest from all her labours because she is interested in the Lord for so saith the Spirit Reu. 14.13 Thus the Church of Philadelphia when she had but a little strength improves it unto faith and obedience she kept Christs word there 's obedience she denyed not his name there 's faith therefore Christ will keep her from the hour of temptation and give her Victory over Satan and his Synagogue Rev. 3.8 9 10. And thus have I done with the Object viz. Christ prepared and the spring of the Act viz. An Interest or Christ appropriated I come to 3d. Consid What this leaning act in the notion of it doth import More remotely The third thing propounded in
fast an acceptable day to the Lord Oh! how might this qualme our heart from leaning upon such humblings if we consider how different an estimate and value the Lord and we set upon them Nay my friends there may be something done in good earnest by way of Reformation that is not yet to be leaned unto Some reformado Drunkard may say perhaps As long as I haunted Ale-houses I could have no peace of conscience but now I have left those courses grown civil I can walk very quietly calmly this is well that thou hast left off the practice of sins that did once ensnare thee but if thou stay here or lean hereon all is nothing Mat. 12 44. The house was empty and swept and garnished that is it was voyded of sinne reformed and now had some garnish of civility formality or the like but because it was emptied of the former uncleane spirit and not filled with Christs spirit the first in time returns v. 45. and takes with him seven spirits worse then himselfe and they enter and dwell there and the last estate is worse then the beginning verily this may well be called a repentance to be repented of The poor man thinks if his bad tenant such a corruption were out it 's no matter for getting Christ in But godly sorrow worketh repentance never to be repented of 2 Cor. 7.10 There are it should seem repentances to be repented of and undoubtedly of this sort is every repentance that you rest in or lean upon 8ly Leaning upon the promises without Christ Eighthly If you lean upon the promises of God themselves and not upon Jesus Christ in them this will also come to nothing Whence is it that you shall have so many soules bringing a promise to the throne of grace and carrying so little away from it I feare it is frequently from hence because they leane unto promises without leaning to Christ in the promise Thus you shall find the Jews in scripture to leane much upon the promises of the Messiah who when Christ came that was the Messiah him they rejected altogether Thus many would willingly owne the promises that will not leane upon Jesus Christ But what saith the Spirit 2 Cor. 1.20 All the promises of God in Christ are yea and in him Amen That is the assurance stability certainty of them all standeth in leaning upon Jesus Christ He is the Yea and Amen of them Now what a vanity would it be for a man to put a Paper in sute which hath neither yea nor amen to it neither hand nor seal to it Sir might he say to any man These are your Articles you know you wrote them wrote them saith the other but who subscribed them who sealed them the Hand and Seal are the confirmation of the Bond which without them let it relate never so much is worth nothing in Law no wise man will leane to it so vaine a thing is it to put any one promise into sute at the throne of Grace because all the promises in Christ are Yea and in him onely Amen without leaning upon Christ in them for indeed they say nothing what ever they say there is neither Yea nor Amen in them there 's nothing affirmed to thee in them nothing confirmed neither hand nor seal to these Bonds if thou have not Christ therefore thou hast no part nor portion in this matter Ninthly Yea 9ly Leaning upon God himselfe out of Christ though you should leane upon the God of promise without leaning upon Christ in whom he hath promised the Lord would reprove thee for making choice of himselfe as an absolute God for thy Leaning-stock You have some severely threatned by the Lord that are yet said willingly to lean upon the Lord Mich. 3.11 God was in Christ reconciling sinners to himselfe and seeking lost soules 2 Cor. 5.19 Woe to them that come to him not bringing this his Benjamin along with them Lean not immediately I mean without the Sonne but by the Sonne upon the Father for as the Lord hath limited himselfe by his owne purpose and word of truth wherein it is impossible for God to lye God can do nothing for a poor lost soule without Jesus Christ therefore to speake with all reverence and holy sobriety to come to God without Christ for spiritual helpe or support is to come to one that cannot helpe you because he hath resolved and said he will not and it is uncomfortable leaning where we are forbidden to expect reliefe My Brethren it may be in great concernments as needful for us to have interests in a great persons Secretary or Officer of his Seal or his Lord privy Signet or Master of Requests as to have favour from the Prince himselfe because his Law and way whereunto he in forraigne freedome hath bound himself is to dispatch such things by such officers and by his Seal which is in his Officers keeping and not to dispatch them otherwise so that if one be supposed to come to such a King and sue for the accomplishment of such a business and do not bring the Officer with him by which the King wil onely transact it the King would put him off and say My Lord Keeper c. is not in the way and nothing can be done without him Now Jesus Christ is the Lord Commissioner and sole Commissioner of the broad seale of Heaven the onely Master of Requests unto the great King of Glory come then with as much confidence of Gods favour as those in Micah even as it is possible for any Christlesse soule to have the Lord will utterly reject thy sute and turn thee backe until thou look out the Lord Jesus Christ to come with thee unto the Father and thus much Christ himselfe hath told thee No man comes to the Father but by me Joh. 14.6 But why speake I thus mildly herein Sirs should you bring your Christlesse soules and cast them upon the Throne of an absolute God for a resting place having not made the Kings Chamberlain first your friend as they did in the Acts 12.20 without making the Angel of his presence the Lord Christ your friend behold Divine justice would immediately spie you out and as soon cry out Behold a REBELL in the Court and so apprehend you and immediately deliver you to the Tormenter for ever thus it was with them Mich. 3.11 They will by all means lean upon the Lord and yet this God vers 12. expresly declares that he will plough them up and make them to become heapes Now friends if God himselfe will not be leaned upon out of Christ what then shall poor Christlesse Creatures dare to leane unto And thus much for removal of other leaning stocks Secondly 2ly Positive proofe by propounding Christ as the only leaning stock I come now to assert and propose Jesus Christ as the onely stay and stable support for lost soules to leane upon And that upon this cleare and familiar evidence If you leane
that is throughly solicitous to be rid of its weakenesse which can onely be by wearinesse is fit to sit down upon this well of living waters for Jesus himselfe also being weary according to the flesh sat down upon the well Joh. 4.6 Till Hagar was wearied as well as weakened in the wildernesse of Beer-shebah the Angel of the Lord never opened her eyes nor discovered unto her the Well of waters Gen. 21. from the 14. to the 19. So until souls be weary of the wildernesse of sin as well as weakned in it by it the Lord wil never reveal unto them those refreshments that are from the presence of the Lord in the hand and dispensation of the Angell of his presence First proved after opened Proofe 1. In that God the fountaine is onely open to the weary the Lord Jesus This I shall first prove and then open I prove it thus 1. The Lord is the fountaine of all spirituall refreshments so saith the Scripture Act. 3.19 The times of refreshing come from the presence of the Lord. Now this fountaine which experience shews us to be a fountaine sealed to the rest of the world is a fountaine opened unto weary soules that they may drinke and drink abundantly Jer. 31.25 I have saciated the weary soule that is given them refreshment unto saciety viz. as much as they need 2. 2. In that the Lord Christ the dispenser of refreshments The Lord Christ is the Conduit pipe of this refreshment from God unto the soule or rather thus Christ keepes the lock and key of this fountaine to him is committed the dispensation of these refreshments and upon this account there are these three things that the scriptures minde me of First 1. Hath his instructions peculiarly to respect the weary That the Lord Christ hath particular instructions from the Father that gave him his commission to dispense refreshments peculiarly to such weary soules Read and be ravished with that expression which is plainly the Lord Christs Isai 50.4 I cloath the heavens with blacknesse saith he ver 3. Therefore it must be understood of Christ not the Prophet Now he goes on ver 4. The Lord hath given me the tongue of the learned that I should know how to speake a word in season to weary souls to him that is weary he wakeneth morning by morning he wakeneth mine Eare to hear as the learned As who should say the Lord doth renew my instructions every morning lest the weary should want seasonable refreshment any time of the day It followes that he gave his backe to the smiters c. which makes it cleare that it is Christ that speaks of himselfe principally though subordinately it was the Prophets commission as it is ours in the Gospel to speak in season a word to weary soules 2ly Makes invitation to the weary Secondly In pursuance of these instructions Christ directs his precious invitations to the weary I mean his effectual invitations though many be bidden to the supper that never sit down at it and many are called but few are chosen yet they that are truly called shall come and be welcome when Christ invites them Mat. 11.28 Come unto me all ye that labour as our late translation all ye that are weary as other translations all ye that labour unto weariness as the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 imports for the same word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used Joh. 4.6 and translated as you saw even now Jesus being weary and I will give you rest This is Christs own invitation Let weary soules make hast and come away they need not bring their stooles with them that are thus bidden 3ly Applyeth these refreshments only to the weary Thirdly In pursuance of this invitation Jesus Christ makes Application of his refreshments to the weary Isai 32.2 And a man when he had spoken before of the Kingdome of Christ in the first verse shall raign in righteousness c. shall be as the shadow of a great Rock in a weary Land Look how weary those Eastlanders to whom he then speaks ever were under the scorching heat of the Sun in their torrid zone at noon-day look how weary Jonah was even of his life when his Gourd that shadowed him was gone so weary must souls be of their burning lusts and the scorching flames of their awakened Consciences before they will care for Jesus Christ but when they are once thus weary his refreshments shall not be far off from them Christ is a shadow of a great Rock but his shadow doth ever stretch forth it selfe upon the wearie Land The point thus proved The opening in two Queries I shall endeavour to open by shewing what we must be weary of and how we may know whether we be thus weary or no. 1. What must we be thus weary of I answer Of all that we have formerly leaned unto 1. What we must be wearied of 1. Of Satan and his counsels before we can can leane unto Jesus Christ More particularly 1. Of Satan and of all his counsels and perswasions This is the voyce of the daughter of Sion in her spiritual travaile those wearying pangs of the second birth Jer. 4.31 I have heard a voice as of a woman in travaile that bringeth forth her first childe the voyce of the daughter of Sion that bewaileth her selfe that spreadeth her hands saying Woe is me now for my soule is wearyed because of murderers 'T was a long time that she conversed with them but now her soule is wearyed with them Murtherers they are now when the soul is in the throws of birth it finds them so before the pleasure Devil and the profit-Devil wâ—re the best friends the best companions but now the soul is wearied with them all as so many murtherers How weary of the company of Cutthroats would a man be that should be surprised on the High-way and in danger of his life because of those that are with him every step he goes surely so weary of Satan and his company must the soule be that comes to Christ Or how weary if thou shouldst be taken by a Lyon of the Forrest and kept for some space alive wouldst thou be of the presence of the Lyon and upon this how glad wouldst thou be that some mighty man some David should come and rescue thee so weary of Satan must thou be if ever thou wouldest come up from the wildernesse leaning upon the Beloved 2ly Of the World and her projects and courses 2ly The world and her courses these also we use to lean unto and therefore must be weary of Wee must say of our selves as God saith of Israel Isai 47.13 Thou art wearied in the multitude of thy Counsels thou hast laboured with them even thy Merchants from thy youth they shall wander every one to his quarter none shall save thee ver 15. When you have been trading up and down in the world with the customes or creature-vanities of the
its Keeper and now it will leane to Christs counsell and to his advice and to his prescriptions because it is sick of its own There is a Twofold spirituall sicknesse that will bring a soule to need Christ as a leaning stock First A sicknesse of hatred unto sin 1. Sick of hatred to sin for it is not every sicknesse that will make you need this Physitian Many are sick for sin I meane as the punishment of sinne for this cause we may say as Paul 1 Cor. 11.30 say indeed that many are sick but there are but few sick of sin But where-ever there is a Sin-sicknesse there cannot but be a provocation to vomiting David cannot hold till he brings up all Sinne lies upon a sick Conscience as undigested Meat upon a sick stomack You know also that where ever there is a propension to vomit there is a great desire of somewhat to lean upon Oh! what would a sin-sick soule that cannot possibly be well untill it hath by broken hearted confessions vomited up its iniquities give that it had freedome to leane its head in Christs bosome so Psal 32.3 While I kept silence my bones waxed old c. therefore ver 5. I said I will confesse my transgressions to the Lord and thou forgavest c. and vers 6. For this cause shall every one that is godly pray unto thee As who would say when I was so sin-sick that I knew not what to doe I did but leane my head in the Lords bosome and bring it up again and I had so much ease to my soul that I would advise every troubled heart to lean where I lean'd and to doe what I did 2ly Sick of love to Christ Secondly A Love-sicknesse unto Jesus Christ Many are also Love-sick but as Amnon for his sister for a lust or for a corruption but few are sick for Christ The language of Love-sicknesse is such as this I must have him or else I dye Give me Christ or none will content me Thus those passionate breakings forth of the Spouse Love is stronger then death Mine heart failed when he spake I charge you O ye daughters of Jerusalem if you find my beloved that you tell him that I am sick of love Cant. 5.8 Now this Love-sick Spouse will be sure to be a leaning Spouse she sinks she swoones she dyes away if Christ doe not come unto her Cant. 2.5 6. Stay me comfort me for I am sick of love His left hand is under my head his right hand doth embrace me O! how doth a poore stomack sick Creature desire to hold and to be held when it is ready to swoon away 2ly By becomming a shaken soule So then 't is a sad signe that you are neither sick of hatred unto sin nor of love unto Christ when you see little need of leaning upon him Secondly Labour thâ—â— that are a lost soul to get into a shaken posture that is the way to get into a leanin posture What 's the reason there 's so little catching hold upon Christ by worldly men in their time of health Oh! it is because there is little shaking of worldly things in that time but now Isai 2.20 21. They shall one day cast away their Idols of Gold and Silver which they have made each one for himselfe that they may run into the clefts of the Rock when God ariseth to shake terribly the Earth Oh! you see by frequent experience in poore dying Worldlings when God shakes their Earth how solicitous they are then to take hold if they durst on the God of Heaven When they see by these shakings what slender supports their golden Gods and silver shrines are to leane upon oh then what would they give for Jesus Christ for to be their soules leaning stock You read Act. 4.31 That the place was shaken where they met before God sent out upon them the Holy Ghost to speak the word of God with boldness So this is the manner of his working to shake soules before he powre out upon them the Spirit of believing to apply the promise of God with boldnesse Thus did the Lord take Iob by the neck when he was at ease and shook him to pieces so saith himselfe Iob. 16.12 Now when God hath shaken our comforts and enjoyments in the world and scattered our duties that they appeare broken poor crazy things when he hath shaken to pieces our righteousnesse and all our selfe-supports then sirs then if ever will Christ appeare desirable unto us oh then shall we long to leane upon him Memorable is that passage Hab. 3.17 When I heard my belly trembled my lips quivered at the voice rottenness entred into my bones and I trembled in my selfe that I might rest in the day of trouble Here 's strange shaking and as strange establishment I trembled that I might rest The more shaking at first the stronger leaning afterwards for verily Note though God doth not shake all souls alike before he make them leane upon himselfe yet have I observed that the lesse the heart hath beene shaken in the first stirrings of grace the more feeble have the leanings been perhaps many yeares afterward and the more easiely interrupted and disturbed Nay though the Lord hath opened some hearts as Lydias without much manifest shaking at the first yet have I known many even sincere soules of them kept almost in an every day Ague almost all their lives after their Conversion I mean in continuall spirituall shakings Therefore if God hath shaken thee be not angry but as soon as thou canst catch hold upon Christ and leane hard for else I le tell you when we are greatly shaken we may continue in great danger of falling if we have not an Anchor of hope to take hold on a Pillar of Christs Chariot to leane upon 3ly By becomming a sinking soule Thirdly Labour thou that art a lost soul to get into a sinking posture that is the way to get into a leaning posture This perhaps you will say is strange but this I know to be true Mat. 14.30 Peter beginning to sink cryed Lord save me Oh! sinking souls will be sure to catch hold if it be possible and nothing shall discourage them though Christ should cut their fingers yet will they hold rather then drowne such a soule will take hold of Christ upon the most cutting termes of the Gospell A Boat a Boat a Boat all that I am worth in the world for a Boat saith a sinking person and will never leave looking and crying and catching as long as it can either keepe hand or head above water Thus David Psal 69.1 2. Save me O God I am come into the deep I sink in deep water where no standing is And he is at it againe verse 14. Deliver me least I sinke Sirs none can imagine but those that have felt how welcome a Leaning stock Christ is unto a soule in such a sinking condition but you who have sounded the deepes of
Gods law yet run none down thine though thou thy self keep it not thou groanest under a hard heart a dry eye a feared conscience and fain thou wouldst it were otherwise with thee poor soul lean thou also upon Christ in the urging of those promises Isa 35.6 The tongue of the dumb shall sing for in the wilderness shall waters break out and streams in the desert waters of sorrow for sin streams of affection towards God if as I said in the other thy soul be hungry it shall be made fruitful if now thy soul be thirsty it shall be made springs of water and the parched ground shall become a pool see the Lords promise Isa 44.3 I will pour water upon him that is thirsty and floods upon dry ground that is saith he My spirit which shall make him spring you whose soul God hath turned can witness hereunto by your own experience 3. Promises to the solitary wilderness Thou complainst thou art a solitary wilderness that thou hast none of Christs company no communion with the Spirit no acquaintance with God urge those words of grace Isa 35.1 The wilderness c. the solitary place shall be glad though thou have been solitary Christ will if thou act faith upon these promises come to thee and be with thee and thou shalt be glad so that the voice of joy gladness thanksgiving and melody shall be found in thy soul though thou hadst been a wilderness Isa 51.3 Rev. 3.20 I will come in to him yea Isa 42.16 These things will I do unto them and not forsake them Thou complainst thou art a wilderness 4. Promises to the provisionless wilderness destitute and provisionless and art ready to say Can God spread a table in this wilderness for thy soul Is it possible that even thou shouldst be made fat and flourishing in the ways and things of God that art so lean Yes God can do it yea he hath said he will do it Those that are thus removed out of the wilderness and transplanted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of our God they shall still bring forth fruit they shall be fat and flourishing Psalm 92. 13 14. Isa 49 9 10. Mic. 7.14 He shall feed the flock which dwells solitary in the wilder as the Gene. Rev. 3.20 He shall sup with me Look what provision Christ hath the same shall be set before such a soul It is remarkable Psalm 105. The people asked and he satisfied them with the bread of heaven He opened the rock c. and the reasons rendred for he remembred his holy promise vers 40 41 42. poor soul art thou hungerbitten be Gods remembrancer of his promises and thou shalt have bread from heaven Thou complainst thy soul is bewildred 5. Promise to the wayless wilderness thy condition is wayless and thou knowest not on which hand to turn thou art in the wilderness where there is no way Hast thou not heard poor soul hast thou not understood the voice of one crying in the wilderness Prepare ye the way of the Lord make streight in the desert an high way for our God John Baptist was his prepater Christ was this way Isa 40.3 with Matth. 3.3 and this in pursuance of that promise made to poor souls in the wilderness Isa 35.8 and an high way shall be there c. Thou complainst that thy soul lieth waste and not husbanded like a desert land 6. Promises to the waste wilderness and thou art afraid that the Lord hath deserted thee and thy God forsaken thee know that the Lord hath said The desert shall rejoyce and blossom Isa 35.1 I will make her desert like the garden of the Lord the Lord will comfort all her waste places Isa 51.3 Here 's comfort indeed her judgement her will her affections her conversation all were waste there came up nothing but briars and thorns and nettles c. and thereefore justly was she desert and forsaken but now all her waste places are comforted how 's that Why her very desert is made as the garden of the Lord now is she the Lords vineyard and the Lord will husband her he will keep it and water it every moment Isa 27.3 And thus is Christ given for a covenant to the people to cause to inherit the desolate heritages therefore they shall feed in the ways and their pastures shall be in all high places They shall not hunger not thirst because he that hath mercy on them shall lead them and by the springs of water shall he guide them and he will make all his mountains a way and his high-ways shall be exalted Isa 49.8 9 10 11. Could you wish that God should speak more encouragingly to you Behold you have a strength to lean upon that can that will that stands engaged to make you of a desolate heritage such as you desire to be before the Lord. CHAP. VII Containeth the Explication of the destructiveness of the progress in wilderness-sin because of famine thorns serpents wilde beasts c. 2. Progress in the wilderness destructive YOu have heard now of the dismalness of the wilderness and so of sin We come now to speak of the destructiveness of both Therefore Secondly The way of the wilderness is destructive so is the way of sin The wilderness through which Israel journyed toward Canaan is not a more lively representation of sin in any thing then in this Multitudes of people came into the wilderness multitudes came out of Egypt yet exceeding few of them came out of the wilderness but were destroyed there multitudes of poor creatures come into the world into sin yea multitudes come out of Egypt that 's gross darkness that heaâ— of Canaan and come as many Israelites almost in sight of it almost in sight of heaven that yet perish through the destructiveness of sin The Israelites complained much of the destructiveness of the wilderness then and I presume they complain more of the destructiveness of sin now Numb 20.4 they cry to Moseâ— Why have ye brought the congregatin of the Lord into this wilderness to die there Oh! Why have you brought us out of Egypt to die in the wilderness Numb 21.5 More sadly wilt thou complain of thy parents thy sinful companions c. Oh! why did you lead me why did you bring me into sin to die in sin you have much people perishing there together Numb 21.6 you have them dying by Fourteen thousands and Seven hundreds at once Numb 16.49 what more you have them complaining and saying Behold we die we perish we all perish Numb 17.12 were sinners consciences awakened by multitudeâ— you would have them much more crying out by multitudes we die we perish we all perish they would all agree in this language if we could hear them all crying out in hell The ways of the wilderness are destructive and are the bewildring ways of sin not so Rom. 3. They are all under sin verse 7. gone out
ver 12. And now friends what think you of dying in sin I may say to you and to my self what the prophet speaketh Amos 3.8 The lion hath roared who will not fear the Lord God hath spoken who can hut prophesie 2. Wilderness death a double death Secondly Dying in the wilderness doth best represent the double death of sin If a man dieth on his bed yea amongst his enemies yet doth he die but once his body is buried and returns unto the dust in peace from whence it came but if a man perâ—sh in the wilderness where body and soul are parted a sunder his carkase also is rent in pieces and being rent is devoured of wilde beasts and so findes as it were a living grave and do you not know that such a grave is hell The Lord threatneth it as a sad judgement upon the people that after death their carkases should be devoured of wilde beasts Jer. 7.33 Their carkases shall be meat for the fowls of heaven and beasts of the earth and none shall fray them away Therefore doth the Lord compare that which by Iohn is called the second death unto some beast of the forest opening his mouth and widening as it were his throat to swallow down the prey Isa 5.14 therefore hell hath enlarged her self and opened her mouth without measure I tell you hell hath a wide mouth and open throat to receive the carkases the souls I mean of those that perish in the spiritual wilderness of sin 3. Wilderness death an eternal death Lastly Israels dying in that wilderness was a type of eternal death surely dying in this wilderness will be seconded with that Heb. 4.17 18. They that fell in that wilderness could not enter into his rest That rest was as it is there expounded a type of heaven so that falling short is expounded also a figure of eternal ruine Let us therefore fear least a promise being left us of entring into his rest any of you should seem to come short Heb. 5.1 Exhortation to lean upon Christ Secondly Be exhorted to lean upon the Lord Jesus that you may come forth of the destructive wilderness of sin If the famine the thorns the serpents the wilde beasts of the wilderness be so killing Oh! what need have we of a Christ Christ is Jesus and can be life unto us notwithstanding all exigencies First In this wilderness-famine Who is 1. Bread in this famine the Lord Jesus is Manna bread from heaven angels food bread of God what can a poor famishing creature desire more 1 Cor. 10.3 4. They did all eat of the same spiritual meat and drink the same spiritual drink and that was Christ Secondly 2. Healer of these rents and piercings If thy soul be pierced through or torn with the thorns of this wilderness the guilt of sin The Lord can binde up that which was broken Ezek. 34.16 as well as seek that which was lost in the wilderness therefore let us take their counsel in Hosea 6.1 Come and let us return unto the Lord for he hath torn us and he will binde us up Thirdly 3. Curer of these serpents bitings If thy soul be bitten by the serpents of this wilderness you have heard of Israels cure Numb 21.8 't is also ours the brazen Serpent the Lord Christ And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness even so was the Son of man lifted up that whosoever belived on him should not perish but have eternal life John 3.14.15 Lastly If thy soul once get an interest in the Lord Jesus 4. Rescue from these beasts devourings thou need'st not fear what all the beasts of the wilderness can do against thee This is that spiritual David that slaies both the Lion and the Bear 1 Samuel 17.36 and he verily that reads not Christ there misseth of the best part of the story First Then Christ is able to secure thee 1. Being a lion for he is the Lion of the tribe of Judah Rev. 5.5 therefore despair not onely believe Secondly 2. Able to bring honey and â—ood He is that Sampson that brings honey out of the Lions carkase Judges 14 8. thaâ— can make even Satans temptations thine advantage food for thy faith and matter of thy Christian experience for thy future support Psal 74.14 Thou brakest the heads of Levi than and gavest him to be food for a people inhabiting the wilnerness Thirdly He shall as a Lion arise for thy salvation 3. Able to make thee as a lion Psal 31 4 5. Like as a lion and a yong lion roaring upon his prey that will not be afraid of a multitude of shâ—pherds so will the Lord of hosts come down for mount Sion and for Jerusalem as birds flying so will the Lord defend it defending also he will deliver it and passing over he will preserve it Thus wil the Lord Christ wil make thee through his strength prevail against all thy spiritual enemies be they never so many yea thou shalt be more then Conqueror through Christ that loves thee Mic. 5.8 The remnant of Jacob in the midst of many people shall be as a lion amongst the beasts of the forest as a yong lion amongst the flocks of the sheep who if he go through treadeth down and tears to pieces and none can deliver CHAP. IX Containeth the third Branch or Evidence of the first Doctrine showing that the coming out of the wilderness of sin is difficult and as to our own power desperate Third evidence The coming out of the wilderness difficult and desperate YOu have seen sin like the wilderness both in its first view and entry and in its further discoveries and progress We come now to the third Sin is a wilderness to the last as well as from the first Therefore Thirdly The coming out of the wilderness is difficult and desperate so is the coming out of sin I may say Facilis descensus eremi Sed revocare gradus Hic labor hoc opus est 'T is easie Friends to finde the way into the wilderness and into sin The Israelites were soon gotten into the wilderness Exod. 13.20 I believe they were not forty hours in getting into it but they were forty years in getting out of it Adam his posterity were in a few hours got into sin Adam and his posterity are not to this day got out of it There were not many hours from the Creation before we were all bewildred in sin Gen. 3.6 There are thousands of years since the Creation and yet are not we got out of sin The way of life is soon lost and mist of but it it is not so quickly found again There are these things considerable in the wilderness which make the coming out of it difficult and desperate and the same too truly hold in sin The wilderness is great this great wilderness is full of divers ways these various ways are perplexed these perplexed ways are uneven these uneven ways are
pull down and greater to build and a thousand more occasions Ask them and say Come let us go up to Zion they must needs deny you their hands are already full of their own occasions I have seen what time some had to take money in but I have wondred what time they have had to pray in Or if you turn unto duty which yet is as sad do not the occasions of the world go along with your hearts Ezek. 33.31 They come and sit and hear but their heart goes after their covetousness 2. Their temptations 2. The temptations of riches are a wilderness to the soul This the poor man thinks not of when he would so fain change estates with the rich 2 Tim. 6.8 9. Having food and raiment let us be content But they that will be rich fall into temptations and into a snare and into many an hurtful lust Such as these 1. Temptations to forget their dependance upon God they that are fed from hand to mouth are not so subject But the rich man if carnal Psal 10.3 4. boasteth of his hearts desire and God is not in all his thoughts 2. Temptations to sensuality and carnal lusts These men have fuel to cast upon the flame more than others have The rich man can go alwayes in purple and fine linnen and fare deliciously every day Luk. 16.19 Poor men though they would cannot And verily what is all that they have in the world more than others but the lusts of the flesh the lusts of the eyes and the pride of life 3. Temptations to desire alwaies to be here to undervalue heaven to build upon earth to neglect yea to forget their latter end If the fool hath much good he presently dreams of many years Luk. 12.19 and saith he shall never be moved Psal 10.6 such and a thousand more such like temptations are enough to bewilder a poor soul 2. A wilderness of excuses The more riches 3. Their excuses the more occasions and the more occasions the more excuses and excuses as one said are as hilts upon the hands and make it much more difficult to make men lay down their weapons Such a friend must be seen I and that this day to morrow will not do so well let this excuse mine absence from this days Lecture Such a customer must be waited on who just now is to go out of town let this excuse another time Luk. 14.18 19 20. What with rich bargains and rich leases and rich wives or one thing or other all with one consent began to make excuses There were different excuses but all with one consent If he had not had money enough to have bought those Oxen to have hired that farm to have joyntured that wife he might for ought I know have been a guest at the wedding supper Mark further the language of excuses I have bought a peice of ground and I must needs go and see it I pray thee have me excused I have pointed the man to meet me there and he will be frustrated except I go pray tell your master if it were not a case of necessity I would have come unto him but now I must needs go another way There is a wilderness of excuses Give me leave then you that are rich in this world Vse Advice unto rich men and perhaps I might say in this wilderness to present a few things to your considerations 1. May not this be a worm unto all your enjoyments 4. Considerations for rich men to think as perhaps you have reason to do if unregenerate you ought to do that what ever you have gotten you have gotten it in the wilderness T is the Lords own notion not mine Read Job 24.5 6. Behold as wild Asses in the desert go they forth to their work rising betimes for a prey the wilderness yeeldeth food for them and for their children c. Thou hast got thou canst say an estate for thy self an inheritance for thy son portions for thy daughters but if thy neighbors or thy conscience can say thou hast got it in the wilderness that sin hath yeelded food for thee and for thy children dost thou nor think this thought will spoil all in the day that thy wilderness shall become an howling wilderness Surely it shall Therefore Go to now rich men lament and howle for the miseries that shall come up on you James 5.1 2. Consider T is not more hard for any to get out of the wilderness then for the rich as strait as the gate is that enters into life so strait is the gap that leads out of the wilderness And surely it is not for those that are fat like Jesuron cloathed as the Prophet speaks with thick clay to croud or creep out at so narrow an hole The passage is no bigger then a needles eye therefore one way or another by losses or self-denial or contempt of the world thou must be brought to a single thred to go thorough the needles eye The yong man might else have got out of the wilderness but he was too thick to go thorough for he had great possessions Mat. 19.22 3. Consider what a foolish and vain purchase it is to grow rich in a wilderness for whilst an estate is gotten thy self is lost And upon this account what would it profit thee to gain the world whilst thou losest thine own soul Mark 8.36 This was the folly of that fool Luk. 12.19 He boasted what an estate was his when that very night it appeared that his soul was none of his then Whose are the things that he had provided vers 20. 4. Consider Whatever thou gettest in the wilderness thou shalt undoubtedly leave there The thorns and the bryers of those thickets will never suffer thee to go away with thy fleece that grew there Thus he that gathereth riches and not by right shall leave them in the midst of his dayes and in the end shall be a fool Jer. 17.11 Therefore let rich men learn to chuse the way of truth as David Psal 119.30 Yea to turn their heart thereto and not to covetousness as vers 36. Yea To rejoyce in the way mark the phrase the way of Gods testimonies as much as in all riches My friends Gods testimonies are a way all riches without them are but a wilderness CHAP. V. Old Age a wilderness to the unregenerate opened and applyed SIxthly The unregenerate aged ones are yet bewildred 6. Old ones unregenerate act as old trees rotting in the wilderness and even old age a wilderness unto their souls These are the trees of the wilderness of 60. 90. 100. yeers old Verily I was much affected when I spake of your babes as born in the wilderness but oh how shall I speak unto thee who art already rotten and every day falling to dust in the wilderness of sin you have a phrase for an old man that he hath one foot in the grave oh how sad a case is he in when both feet are
to his Minister or to his Conscience that should be his Guide goe you out of the way and turne aside You need not take paines to tempt the tempter hee can tempt you fast enough without being tempted by you Secondly If Satan take such paines to bewilders us 2. Exhortation to become laborious unto God in the keeping of our way let those that hear me this day become a laborious people to the Lord. I remember what the Poet saith Ut jugulent homines surgunt de nocte latrones Ut â—eipsum serves non expergisceris Shall theeves take paines to kill men and not men to keep themselves shall Satan take paines to get you into or to keep you in the Wildernesse and not you to get or to keep your way withstand my brethren Encouragemeet herunto in the evill day and when you have done all stand Eph. 6.13 Alas saist thou this I should doe but this I know not how to do I am afraid to stand it out against Satan We shall have Gods armour and strength If I be but in the dark or alone Oh! how shal I doe to stand or keep my way Why to this the Apostle tells you ver 10. be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might ver 11. Put on the whole armour of God that you may be able to stand The Lord Christ hath taken as much pains to secure thee in thy way as Satan can to turne thee aside If thou with a whip be afraid to adventure to turne an armed man out of the way yet when a stronger then he shall come and not onely arme thee but second thee not only give thee whole armor but his whole strength is laid out for thee of whom shouldst thou now be a friend Take faith for a shield and hope for an helmet and the word for a sword and Christ for thy strength and what can Satan do unto thee Never were paines taken by Satan against thee but the Lord Christ hath taken as great yea greater to secure thee If Satan creep Christ was humbled If Satan rise up upon his feet Christ also is risen If Satan walk to and fro up and down in the Earth You know Christ hath done as much and his eyes doe as much continually If Satan run and range to devour surely Christ will make hast to deliver Again If Satan turn Lawyer at the Bar to turne thy faith or prayer or title or right to Heaven out of the way and stand at Iosuahs right hand to resist Iosuah Christ the Angell will bee sure to stand at the Devills right hand to resist him and to say the Lord rebuke thee Satan Zech. 2.2 the Lord said the Lord rebuke thee that is I am perswaded the Lord Christ said so to the Lord God the Father If Satan take the paines of a Minister in Pulpit to deceive thee Christ who is annointed a Prophet and preacher of the Gospell of truth will take much more pains to undeceive thee If Satan as a Souldier fight against thee Christ did undertake as thy Protector with his whole strengh and armory as you have heard to secure thee Again If Satan wait either on God or thee that hee might have thee to tempt thee Christ doth wait with more carefulnesse upon both to pray for thee that thy faith faile not So saith himself Luk. 22.32 and thus as Satan watcheth you Christ watcheth Satan If Satan hunt after you to take you in his snare Christ will also pursue and hunt after Satan to take him in his own snare And so Satan shall be reserved in chaines for ever Jude 6. If Satan wrestle with you and you fear lest you should get the fall know Christians that Christ hath already wrestled with him and prevail'd when Satan would have cast him down from the pinnacle of the temple the Lord Christ threw him down into the bottomlesse pit therefore what ever paines Satan takes hee is stil but a Lyon in his grate or a chain'd bear to those that are strong in the strength of Jesus Christ therefore resist him stedfast in the faith CHAP. XIII Contains the third Querie what are the meanes of Soul-bewildrings unfolded in the generall particular false waies opened WEE come in the third and last place to consider Discovery of the Point in the third Querie What the meanes of soul-bewildrings are What are the meanes of the bewildring of soules Surely all the meanes that can be used shall be improved by Satan hereunto He that will take all paines as you have heard of Satan in the last will also use all means that may be conducible to his end I remember Pauls ardent care for the Thessalonians 1 Thes 3.5 for this cause when I could no longer forbear I sent to know your faith lest by any means as the originall well bears the tempter may have tempted you Satan will make use of any means whatsoever unto the bewildring of poor souls Friends you must therefore pardon us if we exhort seriously and advise sollicitously and reprove cuttingly and sharply if wee cannot forbear doing so you must bear with us for wee are necessitated as Paul here hereunto because by any means the tempter will be tempting you Satan will make use of means of any means of all means now all the means observe that he useth as a tempter he useth to bewilder soules Compare that scripture with the fore quoted 1 Tim. 2.14 You know Satan made use of any means lying means flattering meanes deluding means to tempt Eve and this text expresseth it as you heard thus she being led out of the way went out of the way So that Satans tempting meanes are all of them bewildring means Four kinds Now there are four kinds of means of our Ordinary bewildrings I shall for your Memory-sakes observe that Method 1. Many false waies 1. Saith one such a time I was travelling and I came to a turning where there were many waies and sâ— I lost my right way 2. Man false guides 2. Saith another such a time I was travailing and I met with such or such a man and hee told mee such and such a way was my way and seduced me 3. Darkness 3. Saith a third such a time I was travailing and night came so fast on and it grew so darke that by reason of the darknesse I lost my way 4. False light ignes faâ—ui 4. And saith a fourth I was travailing such a night and kept my way till at length a light flasht and danced about me and by following the light I lost my way So that multitude of waies falshood of Guides You have Satans temptation therefore called the coming on of darknesse and meeting with fires or false lights are the usuall means of our bewildrings And surely something there is in it that Satans tempting-means or means of temptation are set forth sometimes by the one sometimes by the other For instance
my purpose is that Ro. 2.19 â—rt thou confident that thou thy self art a guide of the blind hat teachest another and teachest not thy self that sai'st a man should not steal and thou stealest c. thou art a sad Guide indeed saith God though thou bee never so confident that thou art a Guide and indeed we use to say None so bold as blind-bayard None will take it usually more in snuff to be undervalued as to their Ministery then such lame dead standing resting Ministers 2 A civility preaching Minry 2. A Civility-preaching or practising Minister that in neither life nor doctrine goes farther whose business it is only to make their hearers good neighbours and as they call it good Townsmen living lovingly and dealing righteously truly that 's good and it may be themselves will set them a Copy therein by living peaceably and honestly amongst their Neighbours And I would all that are called Ministers would doe so well But yet let such know that they and their people for all such preaching and practising are in the Wildernesse if they come no farther There are some Ministers in the World of this stamp whose people I believe would go to Hell and dye in the Wildernesse of sin though they should do all that their Ministers bid them do When the civill man came to Christ asked him what he should do to inherit Eternal life Christ to try him Preacheth at first after their rate Mat. 19.18 19 thou shalt not commit Adultery nor steal c. and honor thy Father and Mother c. Why thus far it seems his teachers had taught him and thus far he had learnt from his youth ver 20. say you so Oh! but saith Christ Luk. 18.22 One thing thou lackest go and sell all and follow me which is the sum of the Gospell that which he had learnt was Morality but one thing he lackt and that was Divinity that was Christianity that was self-deniall self-abasing gospell-humbling gospell-repentance sell all and gospell-faith and gospell-obedience come and follow me this Doctrine he was never taught before and this he never learnt and therefore notwithstanding his proficiency in the other and due observancy of those Guides yet was hee left in the Wildernesse still and lost therâ— as you may see in the close of the story 3. A generall preaching Ministry 3. A general preaching Minister that either preacheth notions or generall things of Doctrine or else practicall truths but in a generall way Truly the reason I believe that people generally continue bewildred is Ministers preaching so much in a generall way to particular soules in their naturall condition that do not use to take home any more to themselves then we carry home into their bosoms whether almost they will or no. Surely as it is not food in generall that supports or Physick in generall that heales the body so is it not the truth in general that cures the soul but this or that food or Physick applyed to this or that body or this or that truth applyed to this or that soul You know that Drunkards doe usually sleepe under invectives in generall against Drunkennesse and be very safe too Oh! I am not the Drunkard I am but a good fellow or the like till the word come close and plain and home And truly the Guidance of a generall-preaching Minister is little more worth then the Counsell of a Country-Ideot that when a travailer should ask the way to London hee should answer London-Road and the man should reply yea but which is London-Road or which way shall I take to get into it and he should answer nay I cannot tell So they preach that sin is the way to Hel and Repentance and Faith are the way to Heaven yea but saith a poor soule which hears them preach thus generally yea but what is Faith or Repentance or how shal we do to know whether I repent or believe or no What is it to mortifie the deeds of the flesh and what is it to walk after the spirit which you say we must do and truly the Minister is come the next time to a new Text and never unties the old knot And so the poor soul is as much at a losse as ever it was Onely it knowes now that sinne will damn it and that faith would save it but how to get out of the Wildernesse of sin or how to get into the way of faith never doth the Minister shew and this is the guidance of generall Preaching A sad instance of such Preaching and an happy instance of the contrary we have at once in one Preacher upon one hearer Nathan and David Nathan he forms a curious and elegant story wherein he lively wittily reproves Davids sin to Davids very face 2 Sam. 12. the four first verses Now mark as hee Preaches in the generall so David assents in the generall and is convinced in the generall ver 5. as the Lord lives saith David the man shall die that did this Why David was the man But yet for all the beating of the very bush that David was hid in till David himself comes by particular and plain dealing to bee smitten upon the generall conviction is not worth any thing to him but himselfe lies secure in the Wildernesse of sin still But when Nathan comes to preach particularly David begins to apply particularly and when Nathan smites him he smites upon his own breast Thou art the man saith Nathan ver 7. Thus saith the Lord I did thus and thus for thee verses 7 8. and yet thou hast done thus and thus against me Thou hast slain Uriah and thou hast taken his wife to bee thy wife and thou hast despised the Commandement of the Lord and thou hast done evill c. ver 9. And therefore saith the Lord I will raise up evill against thee and the sword shall never depart from thine bouse ver 10 11. Now David begins to be startled to purpose and to be down-right in acknowledgement as Nathan was in conviction And David said unto Nathan I have sinned against the Lord. Verse 13. Whilst Nathan the cries man did soso and David cries the man shall die But when Nathan cries thou art the man David criee I have sinned against the Lord and if you read but the Penitentiall Psalms of David you shall find what a sad cry it was Particular Preaching makes penitent hearers Whilest Peter cries out Ye have Crucified c. Act. 2 36. They cry out What shal we do v. 37. We say Dolus latet in Universalibus It is easie to deceive or to be deceived by generalls A sedulous inquiry in quiry into the particulars of truth and a close application to particular Cases are the choice meanes for us Ministers to undeceive others and to be undeceived as to the state of our own soules Thus much of the third bewildring Guidance viz. of some Ministers so called Come we now to the next CHAP. VI. There are
admiration of God had cast her away I asked her if she were resolved to harbour sin and to hold her iniquity till she should die that she did so determine that she was a Reprobate The poor heart brake out into a passion of tears and said Oh! no I had rather be damned with holinesse then carry sin to heaven with me for God knows I hate it with a perfect hatred These are the souls I speake unto that are under this bewildring temptation because of their darkness in respect of the purposes of God of whom I am bold to conclude that though they bee their own Reprobates yet are they none of Gods 2ly Darkness as to Gods thoughts 2ly They are bewildred in exceeding much darknesse as to the thoughts of Gods heart toward them You know in generall we are very apt to measure every ones thoughts by our own The proud Spirit wonders that every one doth not think him worthy of that respect that he thinks himselfe worthy of and again the lowly Spirit that thinkes meanly of himselfe wonders that any one should think better of him then he doth of himselfe that any Godly Minister or Christian should think well or speak well of him when he cannot bestow a good thought upon himselfe and indeed whatever it be that we have taken up a strong perswasion of we admire that every one thinks not as we thinke Now when once poore soules come to harbour those sad thoughts that I have spoken of against themselves they are much in the dark concerning Gods thoughts being wholly disposed to measure Gods thoughts by their own When a Minister brings them a comfortable word they cannot be perswaded that God is of that mind because they are not of that mind When David brings lame creeple Mephibosheth to eat bread at his own table 2 Sam. 9.7 He can't be perswaded that he means as he saith that he should eat bread alwaies there ver 8. What is thy servant that thou shouldest looke on such a dead Dog as I am What would you make me believe that God hath any thoughts of saving such a dead soule as I am such a sinner how can it be I know mine owne thoughts that I would never find in mine heart to do such a thing for such an Enemy of mine and of my good as I have been unto God and unto his glory therefore I can never thinke it I thinke if I were as judge I should undoubtedly damne such an one as my selfe is and therefore let me alone God can have no thoughts of good concerning me Now hold a little whilest we read Isai 55.7 8â— Let the wicked forsake his waies Why what shall he get by that is there any hope of good for a wicked man Yes God will have mercy upon him Yea but saith thy soule not upon such a grievous sinner as I am yes God will abundantly pardon Do you say so O but I can never think that Yea but friend that 's an unrighteous thought and you must forsake it Let the unrighteous forsake his thoughts Forsake it why ver 8. For saith God My thoughts are not your thoughts nor are your waies my waies but as the heavens are higher then the earth so are my waies then your waies and my thoughts higher then your thoughts ver 9. So that it is a bewildring darkness for thy poor heart to conclude that God thinks no thoughts of peace towards thee because thou canst not think thy soul worthy of that peace c. For saith God I know the thoughts that I think towards you thoughts of peace Jer. 29.11 3ly Poor souls in such a day 3ly Darkness as to Gods providence are much in the dark as to Gods providential dispensations Oh! saith the soul if God intended to pardon me in the end he would never thus long keep me upon the rack if God intended to save me in the Conclusion he would never suffer Satan thus to buffet me unbeliefe to have so much power over me temptations to blasphemous thoughts and despairing words thus far to prevaile against me c. Therefore doth Eliphaz sinfully and uncharitably conclude concerning good Job Jo. 22.5 c. That his wickednesse was great and his iniquities infinite c. because ver 20.11 That snares were round about him and darkness that he could not see c. And thus think poor souls of themselves that because they are under darker dispensations as they think then any others that therefore their sins are greater and their conditions more desperate then any others Now this is darkness for this is to judge according to the appearance and not with righteous judgement Thus though God had brought comforts to Zion and tels her that he will have mercy upon his afflicted Isa 49.13 Yet because she was afflicted verse 14. Sion said the Lord hath forsaken me and my Lord hath forgotten me He would never have staid so long saith the soul but that he hath quite forgotten me he would â—ever have served me so and so but that he hath quite forsaken me Now how much darknesse there is in this kind of arguing you may easily see in the next verses though a Mother forget her Child and can that be yet I will not forget thee saith the Lord for thou art graven upon the palms of mine hands verses 15.16 4ly Darkness as to Gods justice and mercy 4ly They have exceeding darkness upon their thoughts as to the justice and mercy of God and hereby they are also bewildred They poor Creatures can not think but that God is more inclined to justice then to mercy towards them and here still they judge according to flesh blood Indeed flesh and blood saith it is the glory of a man to revenge himselfe upon them that have wronged him but the Spirit saith It is the glorie of a man to pass by an infirmitie Now this they cannot but judge that God will have more glory in damning them then in saving them therefore they conclude that they shall be damned justice must passe upon them Now such thoughts are very darknesse for verily neither is Gods delight so much in nor his glory so much advanced by taking of revenge upon his Enemies though vengeance be his and he will repay as in shewing mercy unto poore souls 1. God delights most in mercy 1. Scripture seems to hold forth that there is nothing so much of Gods heart in punishing as in pardoning as is cleare in those two known Scriptures Isa 28.21 Where judgement is called his work but his strange work his act but his strange act as if he did not know how to goe about it How shall I give thee up Ephraim c. but Mich. 7.18 God pardoneth iniquity and passeth by transgression because he delighteth in mercy he delighteth in mercy in the worke of pardoning sin in the act of passing by transgression as if hee knew not how to go about any other work how dark then
8.5 Oh! it was a long time this last bout ere she could finde that which she had lost in a nights steep of sloth and security At first you see her at a loss chap. 3.1 and coming out of the wilderness ver 6. But now you must read from Chap. 5. to Chap. 8. before you heare of her coming up from the wilderness At first she comes up in full sense of her glory she is a perfumed Spouse Next bout she comes up in full sense of her infirmity she is now a leaning Spouse Th re was more sparkling flaming smoaking perfumes of joy before but more serious sober setled humility and dependance now Before she was more proud of her Beloved and lesse ashamed of her selfe But now how glad in her Saviour and yet how sad in her self Yea herein her heart although she lean and come up from the wilderness is ready still to faile because after she had tasted of his love she fell asleep And although she were out of the first Wilderness viz. that of the state of Condemnation yet fell into the second Wilderness even that drowsinesse of spirit after Conversion Therefore let not any poor heart among you for whose sake I have spoken all this say that it was never truly brought out of sin because it is now or hath been upon the wrack of new terrours because of its after-conversion drowsinesse or security Onely if ever thou be as no doubt thou wilt be brought out of the Wildernesse the second time covet rather to come out a leaning Spouse than a perfumed Spouse I mean rather desire to be kept low and in dependance by Grace than to be raised over-high by comfort Thus much of the first bewildring darknesse after Conversion as to the enjoyment of our comforts I would not let him goe chap. 3.4 That 's her language at her coming first out of the Wildernesse and 't is pretty high and confident but chap. 8.1 2. O that thou wert as my Brother I would lead thee and bring thee c. this is her Dialect at her second coming up from the second Wilderness here 's more humility and dependance CHAP. XXIII Two farther particulars dark providences on Gods part and backslidings on our parts darkning our comforts as also two particulars darkning our graces THe second sort of after-conversion darknesses is 2. Dark providences as to our outward man Darke Providences as to our outward man and hence we are many times bewildred and at a loss as to our inward As they that I spake of were found despairing before conversion so these repining after conversion if God lead us into a Land of seeming darknesse it will be to us a wildernesse Ier. 2.32 Surely saith the soul I have been but deluded in spirituals to think that God would save my soule for in naturals I am at a great straight and God doth not provide for my body If he loved me he would never keep me so low he would never so afflict me Now this is Darknesse for saith Divinitie If he should not afflict thee surely he doth not love thee Such a darke cloud of providence in Jobs outward Estate makes him at a loss for his inward hope Hear his language Iob. 19.8 He hath fenced up my way that I cannot passe he hath set darknesse in my paths that 's the darknesse that I now speak of for vers 9. He hath Stript me of my glory and what of that why vers 10. Mine hope hath he removed when his outward glory his attyring glory for saith he He hath stript me is lost his inward hope is lost too because his enjoyment of earth is gone for the present he is at a losse for the hope of heaven c. And this is our very usual and bewildering darknesse to measure and account Gods inward love or hatred from what providentiall dealing outwardly is before us but no man knowes it thereby Eccle. 9.4 Gods chastisements then to Gods own children Gods chastisements on his Saints a cloud a dark cloud are Clouds so full of darknesse that they are often bewildred as to Gods Inward favour and the light of his countenance which they have sometimes accounted better then life that sun sets in this cloud A cloud it is and a dark one too under which without great wisdome from above we may sadly lose our selves as to our comforts But Gods chastisements to his people in their owne nature are and so doth God intend them onely as Israels Cloudy pillar in their Wildernesse 'T was very dark but verie usefull 1. For Protection 2. For Guidance But 1. A protecting Cloud 1. This is a darke but a protecting Cloud God makes those providences serve to keepe his Saints wherein they thinke they shall be lost what dark thoughts have many of the Saints of God had of that authoritie and power as if all should be undoubtedly lost under it which God hath made our protection hitherto crosse providences frequently keep us out of danger As when your child is crost in bringing of it in from under the horses heels or like danger in the streets It 's good for me saith David That I have been afflicted That is It would have been worse if it had not been so bad It 's better to be poor and godly then to be rich and proud by the dark cloud of poverty God protects them from the danger of pride and vanity c. 2. A directing Cloud 2. Gods chastisements are a darke but a guiding Cloud and such was that to Israel And my Brethren no matter how darke it be if God by it point thee to thy way this is the very use of Gods darkest dispensations to his deare ones Psa 119.67 Before I was afflicted I went astray but now I have learnt thy precepts No matter how black the Rod be by which thy guide points out thy way 3. Dark back-slydings 3ly The Third sort of bewildring darknesses after conversion are from our partiall apostacie and wretched back-slydings In this darke we lose our comforts No sooner doth Satan turne us aside but he bewilders us he turns us aside from holinesse and bewilders us as to comforts For my part I judge it impossible for any even for any Saint to maintaine spiritual comfort in turning aside to a carnal conversation If you will adventure into the dark of sinne you shall be lost sadly though not finally in the dark of sorrow Mich. 7.8 9. When I fall I shall arise when I sit in darknesse the Lord shall be a light unto me I will beare the indignation of God because I have sinned against him From hence you may observe thus much 1. That the back-slydings or fall of Saints shall not be unto death as the sinnes of the wicked I mean to death eternall 2. But yet if they will dare to sinne they shall find darknesse wherein they may fall 3. Yea and if they fall into sinne they shall sit that is continue
some sad season in the darke and bear not onely feel the indignation of the Lord. 4. But at length God shall plead the cause of such a soule and he shall bring it forth unto the light and it shall behold his righteousnesse yet againe so saith the 9th vers so then from all put together you may conclude how little there is in a Saints back-slydings either for the enemy or for themselves to rejoyce in because if they fall they shall arise but not untill they have sate in darkenesse or born Gods indignation and believe it this is a wildring work for them that have tasted of his goodness their pardons and all other their comforts may continue where they were still but the darkness is like to be such as that for the present they can neither read the one nor find the other As you say of an Eclipse some yeares agoe is was so dark that you could not see to read nor find readily what you looked for although it were at full day It 's easie for the Eclipse of our graces to bring a bewildring darkenesse upon our comforts And as for you that have found this sinne no more least a worse thing come unto you Secondly 2. As to the exercise of our graces There are after conversion darknesses bewildring us as to the exercise of our graces And verily my Brethren this is sad to purpose a man that hath been kept in a dark dungeon and hath never seen the light 't is not so much for him to be continually kept in those chaines of darknesse but for a man that comes out of a light Roome to walk in darke wayes oh this is sad and sadly dangerous He may the sooner stumble because he came from the light Now this darkness the Children of light meet withall whilst they have too much to doe with the world and secondly with this world 1. The darke things of the world 1. The world will be as it hath ever been an hinderance to the people of another world Conversion indeed calls us out of the world yet after conversion how ready are we to be tempted back into the world and truly as soon as we be in the world again so soon shall we be in the wilderness again I meane so soon as we begin to walk in the custome after the fashion of this world Oh Conversion for the present bears us up to heaven and saith the soule let the world go which way it will but afterward our old acquaintance we begin to meet again and to parle again and hence are our bewildrings after conversion Satan to get us to them makes huge use of darknesses of the world Eph. 6.12 We wrestle against the Ruler of the darknesse of this world Oh! that 's a bewildring darknesse He had said vers 11. Take the whole Armour of God to stand against Satans bewildrings Now how sad yet how frequent is it to see the children of the light of another world Worldly cares bewildred in the dark things of this world My Brethren how doth providing for the family yea sometimes for the flesh for pride profuseness vanitie lust c. darkely bewilder many that passe for Saints as to their due providing for another world Worldly delights How do the daâ—k beauties of the things of this world bewilder our affections and make them at a loss as to the beauties of holiness Confidences How do our dark confidences in worldly supports bring the actings of our faith to a losse when they are purely called forth and summoned to follow aftr God alone Hopes How do our darke hopes in worldly vanities render us lost Creatures almost when we have nothing but the anchor of spiritual hope to take hold upon How are we bewildred in the darke joyes of this world Joyes so that we little know what it is to have the joy of the Lord for our strength Thus worldly feares and worldly love Feares Love c. are dark principles and the more you find of them the more you feel we are at a losse for the contrary spiritual graces Now the old Serpent is the Ruler of all this darkness therefore he will order it the most politiquely that possibly he can that thereby he may the more effectually bewilder poor converted ones I have heard of a Commander Simile who being in the field and in danger of being surprised by the powers and numbers of the prevailing Enemy in the same field caused a good quantity of Powder to be cast on the ground betwixt him and his approaching enemy and on the sudden fired that by the advantage of the darke smoake he might securely draw off his own men as well as the prisoners that he had before taken from his enemy Thus did he and so doth Satan the Ruler of the darkenesse of this world sometimes he hath some of Gods Souldiers prisoners and when God encounters Satan by his word for the weapons of our Warfare are not carnall but spirituall and is ready to rescue his Saints as well as to surprize some of Satans followers this Ruler causes some of these worldly delights c. to flash betwixt them and God the flash is but short the pleasure of sinne soone gone but the smoke continues it darkneth the aire and gives Satan advantage not onely to carry his owne men but too too often some of Gods own people off the field that they are not at that time rescued out of Satans power by reason of the flashing smoking dark things of this world Oh! what need have converted ones to walke as children of the light Oh! what need have they as they are Gods Souldiers to put on the whole Armour of light Secondly The darksome temptations of this age There is a bewildring darknesse in this world I mean this Age that sadly casts a black vaile over the face of the firmament of Profession which I think other Ages have scarce ever seen so black as we have done A dark cloud of Levity in the things of God Men there are that speak of conversion as if they were feelingly acquainted with what they say those that hear take them unquestionably to be Saints but saith the Proverb Loquere ut videam marke their conversation and what ever their hearts be perhaps Jacobs Saints sometimes from their profession dare not question or their voyces which are plainly Jacobs yet their hands look strangely on 't like Esau's This is a strange kind of time you can neither well call them Saints nor yet confidently wicked persons These are like that time spoken of Zach. 14.6.7 It shall come to passe in that day that it shall not be light nor darknesse night nor day Heare them speake and you would verily think they are Children of light and observe their walking and what can you call their deeds but darkness They make little conscience what way it is that they get by whether by right or wrong
soules Mat. 16.26 It runs What will it advantage if a man gaine the world and lose his own soule But Luk. 9.25 If he gaine the world and lose himselfe He that loseth his soule loseth himselfe You say Anima hominis homo the soule is the man sure here it must passe for current undoubtedly if thou have lost thy soule thou hast lost thy selfe The Prodigal was a jolly man whilst he was a lost Sonne but in the Lords eye and his owne when he came to be enlightned he was not an enjoyer of himselfe Luk. 15. v. 17. When he came that 's by repentance to himselfe he said 2. In the enjoyment of our soul 2. Lose all other things too we enjoy all things else If thou canst not say that thy soule is thine thou canst not say any thing else is thine therefore in losing thy soule thou hast lost all things else as 1. God is none of thine 1. Losest God Thus the Apostle expressing the unregenerate estate of the Ephesians Chap. 2.12 saith they were without God in the world Hence our ordinary phrase unregenerate ones are ungodly ones gracelesse ones are godlesse ones What my Brethren lost God Heaven and Earth tremble at this loss lost God there 's one word for all for God is all in all A Saint may say as Jacob said I have all Gen. 33.11 for so the Hebrew Text bears Qui habet habentem omnia habet omnia he hath all that hath him that hath all A Saint may say this is my wine and my wool and my flax and mine oyle for the Lord is my God and therefore Secondly Mammon is and shall be none of thine 2 Mammon Vaine men care not for losing their soules if that be the worst of it that they must lose God by it for they say unto God depart from us Vaine men care not for losing their soules so as that they may either get or save their Mammon But friend if thou lose thy soule that 's the way to lose thy Mammon also If thou canst not say thy soule is thine whose shall those things be when that is gone If thy soule be required this night of thee then whose shall these things be that thou hast provided Luk. 12.20 The lost Sonne was faine to rob the Swine to fill his belly with their husks Thou art a robber when thou takest either fleece or flesh from the poor sheep to feed thy belly or to cloath thy back and save that the sheep is dumb before the shearer and slaughterer it would cry out Robbery and Murder for it is more innocent then thou neither is it any of thine save onely by Gods permission and thine usurpation Therefore God saith as if thou usurpest his right I will recover my Wool and my Flax and take away my Corne and Wine Hos 2.9 if thy soul be not thine 2. Irreparable 2. The losse of the soule is an irreparable losse Mat. 16.26 To lose his soul Luk. 9.25 Or lose himselfe is to be cast away Oh! that 's a sad word such an one is cast away that is he is drown'd and sunk and buryed in the bottome of the Sea and can never be recovered any more A poor wretch that loseth his soule is cast away that is drown'd and sunck and buryed in the bottome of Hell for evermore If you have lost your Gold by hiding it in the Earth you may dig for it and find it but if you have lost your Gold in the bottome of the Sea 't is irrecoverably lost If thou losest a Wife or a Childe or an Estate c. these losses are recoverable or if God take away these he can for Counters give us Gold But if thou lose thy soule nothing can repaire that losse Mat. 16.26 VVhat shall a man give in exchange for his soule that is there is nothing so much worth as it nothing able to repaire the losse of it Set apart the inestimable righteousnesse of the Lord Jesus and it would utterly begger heaven and earth to repaire the losse of any one poore soule When we exchange our soules with any thing that this world can afford we are as a rich fool and much more foolish then he that gives away an exceeding great Estate for a painted Apple or guilded Nut. An hundred thousand times more then what he gets would not countervaile the one thing that he loseth 3. Eternal 3. It is an eternall losse because it is the losse of that which is immortal 'T is in the soule that the worme lives that never dyeth 'T is upon such a soule that the fire feedeth that never goeth out Isai 66.24 The griefe the sence the sorrow of other losses dyeth with thee but this losse and the unconceiveable sadnesse of it begins most to live when thou dyest the losse of temporal things is but temporal but the losse of the immortal soul is eternal What friend lost for ever for ever Oh! let that word break thy heart From hence let me first speake to those that are lost Use 1 and not yet found This is and shall be for a lamentation To those that are lost and not yet found lament What my Brethren have you lost your soules and not found them Why every one is solicitous for losses 1 Sam. 9.3 The Asses of Kish were lost and he said unto Saul arise take servants with thee and go and seek the Asses Up and call in helpe and take all paines and all to seek the lost Asses And thus they pass through the Land of Shalishah but they found them not through the Land of Shalim but there they were not through a third Land and yet found them not Seek your soules and yet on they went to seeke them still verses 4.5 Oh! how shall this story rise up to condemne poor soules Hast thou ever taken such paines to finde thy lost soule to go from Ordinance to Ordinance from duty to duy from one endeavour to another restlesly laborious in seeking that which thou hast lost You have a saying that I love you as I love my soule Why upon the account of this history I had rather be some mans Asse then thy soule yea most mens Dogge rather then thy soule if they lose their Dogge they 'l whistle for him If a Gentleman lose a setting Dogge c. all the Country shall be searched for it but how few Gentles or others take paines inseeking their lost soules Alass this is in a sort an infinite loss wherein thou losest an infinite God How sad is it then that herein thou shouldest be or not at all or so sparingly affected My friends I see you are yet alive and thus much according to the same truth I would say to qualifie what was before spoken of this losse for the sake of broken hearts not of obdured sinners that the soule is not so as I said lost until your lives be lost for until you have lost your lives 't
is good seeking and great hopes of finding your lost soules Possibility of being found The lost Sheepe lost piece of Silver lost Prodigall were all three of them found Luk. 15.6 Rejoyce with me for I have found my Sheepe which was lost vers 9. Rejoyce with me for I have found the Piece which I had lost vers 24. This my Sonne was lost and is found Therefore though thy soule be lost yet seeke it for there is comfortable hope that it may be found Querie But maist thou say How shall I do to seek my lost bewildred soul Answ I answer The way to seeke your soules is to seek God find him and you find them for he is the God of your soules I would at once have you to charge your soules to seek God and to begge of God to seek your soules Take you paines as they did in seeking the Asses and as they when they had done all went to the man of God for them 1 Sam. 9.6 So when you have taken or shall take all paines and use all endeavours to find your lost souls go out of your selves and beyond your own labours go to God that he may find you thus David goes to God and saith Psal 119.176 I have gone astray like a lost sheepe seeke thy servant Art thou gone astray is thy soule lost Oh! seeke to God to seeke you Gods way to seek thee is by making thee to seeke him In this God works by making thee to worke with him It is safer thus to joyne the Notions then to make too nice distinctions in Theory 't is I thinke undoing to make distinctions in practice If thou say thou wilt stay till God seeke thee thou maist never be sought and if on the other hand thou trust to thy owne seeking thou maist nere be found therefore as it were quicken and stir up God to quicken thee Be exhorted hereto 1. For your own sakes Yours the loss say unto God Lord seeke my poore lost soule Let me beg this of you 1. For your owne sakes Oh! friends 't is you 't is only you that can properly be said to have the losse if thy soule be lost surely it is thy losse If thou lose thy owne soule mark those appropriating terms Mat. 16.26 Alas thy damnation will not hinder either Gods being glorified or thy faithful Ministers being saved but thine own salvation thine owne glory this is lost lost eternally Secondly For Gods sake for Heavens sake 2. For God and heavens sake Heaven loseth Although not properly yet in some sort 't is losse to Heaven when a soule is lost for 't is joy in heaven over any soule that is found The Angels rejoyce yea God saith Let us be merry for this my Sonne was lost and is found Luk. 15.32 3. For the Gospel sake for your Ministers sake 3. For the Gospels sake That loseth You pretend to love the Gospel and to love your Ministers Oh! then look after your lost soules Friends if your soules be lost 't wil be in a sort the Gospel's loss 2. Cor. 4.3 If our Gospel be hid 't is hid in those that are lost thy losse is an Eclipse a kind of hiding to the Gospel Yea if you be lost 't wil be in a sort our losse also 1 Cor. 3.9 Though I rather take this Text to be meant of the building up of Doctrines then of Hearers yet give me leave to allude unto it You have Ministers called labourers with God the labour is building Christ is the foundation v. 10. The materials are Gold Silver precious Stones these you know will abide the burning Hay Wood Stubble these are combustible v. 12. Some are Saints and precious Soules some Hypocrites some wretched Creatures Now every mans worke shall be tryed by fire of what sort it is v. 13. Whether you be rotâ—â—n or sound that day will manifest Now if any mans worke abide he shall receive a reward if your soules be saved your Preacher shall be a gainer v. 14. But if any mans worke be burnt he shall suffer loss yet himselfe shall be saved yet so as by fire v. 15. When God comes to look over a Gospel Minister and finds him faithful though soules have perished under his Ministry himselfe shall be saved yet though he be saved if they perish he shall suffer losse for those that convert many to righteousness shall shine as the Starres of Heaven Dan. 12.3 Think of this you Formalists in whose profession there is no more substance then hay or stubble no more durableness then in wood before the devouring flame Encouragement hereunto Christs office is to find lost soules Now for the encouragement as to a search after your lost soules I shal say no more but onely tell you where you may heare of them If you lose a Book or any thing else in the Congregation you go to the Clark to enquire for it because it is his office and businesse to take up that which you have lost and to save it for you Oh! goe to Jesus Christ 't is his very office Luk. 19.10 To seeke and to save that which is lost If you would heare of your long-lost soules go to Christ he can tell you tydings of them Indeed it cost Christ dear before he could take them up but you may have them againe at an happy rate He that understands the value of his soule or believes what I have said this day wil not thinke it an ill bargain to redeem his soule upon any terms Come to Christ and welcome you have lost your selves in selling your selves for naught as it is said Isai 52.3 But you may be redeemed without money and without price Use 2 Secondly From hence a word to those that were lost but are found To those that were lost but are found Art thou found Why welcome friend I am glad to see thee onely labour henceforward to follow close after that God that hath found thee The spouse was once bewildred but now she is found therefore she will lean upon her beloved That you may so do Rules 1. Be shie of the wayes of sinne 1. Be exceeding shie of thâ— wayes of sinne and of your owne heaâ—ts Oh! how cautelous is that Caution Prov. 4.14 15. Enter not into the path of the wicked and go not in the way of evill men Doe not goe do not so much as enter And then in the next verse Avoid it passe not by it turne from it and pass away He cautioneth as if he could never enough caution us surely there is great danger in having the least to do with those wayes 2. Be very observant of the true light Be very observant of the true light Psal 119.104 Through thy Precepts I get understanding therefore I hate every false way 3. Be watchful over thine Affections the feet of thy soul Thirdly Be very watchful over thine Affections the feet of thy soule Psal 119.101 I have refrained my feet
hee was perfectly weary of any toyle that can be so soone fresh for the same toyle You are a little weary perhaps that use to ride to London weekly when you lye downe but as fresh you say in the morning as at first setting out Thus many an Hypocrite is a little weary of sinne for the present but saith as the drunkard Prov. 23.35 When I awake I will seeke it yet again and thus they return as the Dogge to his vomit or the Swine that is wash't to the wallowing in the mire You have heard who they are that are fit to lean on Jesus Christ the weak and the weary soules Of both these I have spoken severally CHAP. IV. Containes a farther joynt discovery of this weaknesse and wearinesse also improvement to the weakening of your Christless strength THat which I shall further doe A farther inquiry into the state of this weakness and wearinesse joyntly shall be to enquire joyntly concerning the true state of these qualifications and to endeavour to worke your hearts farther hereunto You have heard of weak and weary ones and what manner of ones they are for surely 't is not every weaknesse nor wearinesse that drives a soule to Jesus Christ Pharoah was weakened by some visitation wearied by others and there are many plagues that weaken and weary many but drive few to Jesus Christ Now then the Question yet worth our searching into will be What weakness and weariness that is which we have been speaking of and which we shall desire to work you to A three-fold Declaration of it 1. As to their kind they must be spiritual I answer They must be for the kind spiritual for extension universall for intensivenesse burthensome First That weakness and weariness must be spirituall Many there be sensible enough that their Estates are weak thyir bodyes weary c. but few that are disturbed with spirits-weaknesse or souls-wearinesse But these must be such 1. Spirit-weaknesse First This weakness must be soul-weakness Isai 35.4 Say unto them that are of a fearfull heart be strong Thy want must be heart-strength or spirit-strength for no man can soberly understand that of the carnal or corporal heart you know the scripture-Dialect When thine understanding wants strength to conceive thy will and affections to receive thy whole heart to practice the things of God as is further explained in the following verses thou art spiritually deafe and blind and lame c. that is the weakness there and here spoken of Question How that shall be known Answ By spirit-complainings But perhaps wilt thou say How shall I do to know then whether my weaknesses be spiritual or no I answer Let me but heare thy complaint and I will salve thy doubt Oh! I have a poor weak Husband saith one and weeps bitterly I have a poor weak Child saith another and wrings her hands I have a poor weake stomack that can take nothing saith a third My strength is even done I am at deaths door saith a fourth Oh! How weak is mine Estate now come to be saith a fifth Where was the Childs weaknesse 2 King 4.19 Oh! you may quickly know if you but hear him speake he cryes to his Father My head my head Now speake Conscience and tell me what thy complaint is and I 'le tell thee what thy weaknesse is Oh! there are amongst the many other mourners over weaknesse that I speake of some precious ones whose dayly groans are my soul my soul Woe is me how weak my prayers are how unfit and unable am I for any the least thing that is spiritual Thus David cryed and what wast he cryed for He cryed to be strengthened with strength in his soule Psal 138.3 In his soul mark that Sirs If you have but a weak Estate in the world and are yet more weak in spirituals I would have you narrowly to watch when as your hearts are most feelingly carryed out in prayer when you come to that Petition Thy will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven or that Give us this day our dayly bread If to the former 't is a signe that thy weaknesse is truly a soule-weaknesse and such as will spur thee unto Jesus Christ Secondly 2ly Spirit-wearinesse This Wearinesse must also be a spirit-weariness Many are wearied with their sutes of Law that never come to be wearied with their sins against the Gospel but saith Sion My soul is wearied Jer. 4.31 It is soules wearinesse and not barely so but soul-wearinesse This also you may discerne by your Complainings What saist thou herein art thou weary of the world because of poverty or iniquity art thou weary of thy life because thou continuest shining or because thou continuest suffering Thou art sick but sinfull which tyres thee most which complain'st thou of most which is most wearying to thee to go without the Creature or without the Creator You know the complainings of that holy Asaph Psal 77.1 2 3. He could not get God to hear his prayer nor to cure his soul and therefore he complained and his spirit was overwhelmed Selah that is mark that it was spirit-complaining Secondly This weakness and weariness 2ly As to their extent they must be universal 1. Weaknesse must be for the extent of it whole and universall First The weaknesse must be universall weakness as they that have Isai 35. Neither eye to see nor ear to heare nor tongue to speak nor feet to walk verses 5.6 All this is summ'd up in the fourth verse where the heart is said to be weak for heart-weakness you know is whole-weakness so saith the Apostle I will glory in my infirmities that the power of Christ may rest upon me or that I may rest upon the power of Christ weaknesses not weaknesse Paul opposeth and so must thou Christs single power to all thy weaknesses I tell you if you fail of unniversall weakness when you come to Christ you shall be sure to fail of universall strength when you come away from Christ for where ever thou hast any strength of thine own the strength of Christ shall not advantage thee and as the Lord saith to Israel concerning Egypt Isai 30.3 So say I to you That strength of yours shall be your shame and your trust under the shadow thereof your confusion You shall heare some say I confess I have but a weak memory and I am not able to discourse as many of them are but I thank God I have as good an heart as any of them all Fie fie if you have any thing good all is naught So 2ly Vniversal wearinesse Secondly Thy wearinesse must be universall which necessarily followes from what I said in answer to the first Question whereof we must be weary and therefore if thy soul have any resting place on this side Christ thy wearinesse of one sinne or another of one support or another can no wayes amount to true wearinesse 3ly As to the intensivenesse it
seeke the Lord. What can be plainer let your Riches in peace or Forces in warre be never so augmented the more you leane unto any of them the lesse will you lean to Jesus Christ I shall give you a two-fold word of Conviction for this viz. That worldlings leane upon the World and therefore not on Christ Evidence 1. Because they rise and fall as the world riseth and falls with them First Because it appeares that worldlings rise and fall as the world riseth and falls therefore it is evident that the world is that they leane upon Psal 20.7 They lean on Chariots they are down and fallen but we remember thy name and rise up They that have nothing but Chariots c. but men and monies to trust unto as their men fall and monies faile c. so they fall and their Spirits faile also but they that leane upon the Lord are not so the remembrance of his name bearer them up when their enemies seeme to beare them down If the world rise with sinners then their hearts rise too Eze. 28.5 6. Thou hast by thy wisdome and traffique encreased thy riches and thine heart is lifted up because of thy riches and thou hast set thine heart as the heart of God Oh! they take themselves now to be pettie-Gods as happy as happy may be and as high as high may be and all because that riseth which is under them Who sees not in this case but that they leane upon it Again though they said they were Gods they shall die like men and though their heart was set as the heart of God when the world went with them yet when the world goes against them as you call it truly then their heart groweth like Nabals dead within them 1 Sam. 25.37 c. If Worldlings did not leane upon the world they would never thus rise and sinke with the world as you daily see they doe 2ly 'T is hence evident 2d Evidence They can make better shift with the world without Christ as they account then with Christ without the world that most leane upon the world and not Christ because the most can make as they count a better shift with the world and without Christ then with Christ and without the world Many Worldlings are convinced that they have much need of Christ but they thinks also that they have more need of Mammon Now this is evident that which we can lest spare is our greatest leaning-stock the last things a Creeple forgoes shall be his Crutches the can ill spare many other things but he can worst of all spare them 'T is cleare in the Rich man Mat. 19.22 He went away sorrowfull for he had great possessions He was perswaded that Christ was to be leaned upon and that he had need of support and succour from Jesus Christ else why went he sorrowful away Oh! but for all that he could make better shift without Christ of the two then without the world for he had great possessions And now let the issue speake which of these two Christ or Mammon was that which he finally leaned unto The fourth and last positive Hinderance from leaning upon Christ is leaning upon selfe 4th Pos Hind Leaning upon selfe I am now to speake unto such as I find my master Jesus Christ speaking to before He spak saith the text unto certain that trusted in themselves Luk. 18.9 I shall reduce to four heads what I shall say hereon Leaning either to our own Wisdoms or Wills or Righteousnesses or Lives will hinder us from leaning upon the Lord Jesus 1. Self-wisdom 1. It must needs be that leaning to our own Understandings and to the carnal Counsells of our own unregenerate hearts must hinder us from leaning upon the Lord Christ This I shall evince both from clear Scripture-Testimony Scripture-testimony as also from clear Scripture-Reason Expresse is that passage Prov. 3.5 Trust in the Lord with all thine heart and lean not to thine own Understanding If you trust in the Lord Christ with all your hearts you must not lean to your own Understandings if you lean to your own Understandings you cannot trust in the Lord with all your hearts So far as you lean to your own Counsell you will not lean unto the Lords and if you will incline to the dictates of Gods spirit you must disown the dictates of your own spirits Therefore saith Wisdom Pro. 22.17.19 Bow down thine Ear and hear the words of the wise not the voice of thine own heart and apply thine heart unto my knowledge not thine own knowledge that thy trust may be in the Lord I have made known this day to thee even to thee Our own understandings when most corrupted can make known unto us to lean to carnall Confidences and sensible supports but it is onely the wisdom of the Lord that can make known unto us to trust in the Lord. Scripture-reasons Secondly As for Scripture-reasons I shall assigne these two Our Understandings unsanctified are foolishnesse with God and Enmity against God Therefore leaning unto them must needs hinder us from leaning unto Christ 1. It is foolishnes with God 1. The Unregenerate mind is foolishnesse as to the apprehending of this Mystery of leaning upon the Lord Jesus Amongst the Highest improvers of the Vnrenewed Intellectuals we read of many enquiring after their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or felicity and upon inquiry one saith in one thing another in another the best of them say that virtue is the way to that felicity which yet they define not according to the Scripture-notion of it or as identical with divine graces but an Habit inherent in our selves the feeds whereof are from our selves also and the springing and fructifying and Maturity of the fruits from our own studious improvement of what is in us And who amongst the wisest of them ever pointed at a Jesus as did that Heaven-taught John Baptist Io. 1.9 Behold the Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the World Nay how was it possible they should so do When Scripture saith expressly that the Lord hath hid the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven from the wise and prudent of the World as Mat. 11.25 and as expressly that this is one of the great Mysteries of Godlinesse that Christ should be believed on in the world 1 Tim. 3.16 that is that any soule should lean for salvation to the righteousnesse of another 1 Cor. 2.14 The naturall man receives not the things of the spirit of God for they are foolishnesse unto him 1 Cor. 3.19 Even as the wisdom of this world is foolishnesse with God As the Lord knowes thy leaning to the Counsells of thine own heart to be very foolishnesse So dost thou naturally think leaning to the Lords Counsell concerning Christ to be very foolishness What 's that to mee saith thy reason how good another is what can I be the better Or how is it possible that the dying of one man
I should bee never be able to hold out I should faint by the way and I have never heard of any good entertainment in the way Alas friend thou judgest sure of this way by thy Wildernesse But I tell thee thou judgest unrighteous judgement Go but with me to one knows the way well and hear what he saith of the entertainment Ps 84.5 Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee in whose heart are the waies of them ver 6. who passe thorough the vale of of Baca oh that 's a bitter vale the vale of tears how comes it then to be a blessed way why they make it a well the rain also fills their pooles what 's that hee tells you ver 11. that is no good thing is withheld from them What of this why ver 7. they go from strength to strength every one of that appears before God in Sion You that travell to London weary your selves haply and grow faintish before you come to such an Inne there you bait and get fresh strength from thence you travail to your lodging Inne there you lie by morning you are as fresh haply as when you set out first at length riding from Inne to Inne and from refreshment to refreshment you keep your strength and so come to your journies end You travail Christians towards Canaan towards Sion you fear fainting Bait at Christs Iodge at Christ go from Inne to Inne from Ordinance to Ordinance you shall go from strength to strength you shall renue your strength you shall run and not be weary you shall walk and not faint Isa 40.31 at length you shall come to your journeyes end that is appeare before the Lord in Sion Seventhly Christ is a profitable way 7ly Christ is profitable way The world stirres upon that now Let one tell you never so much of a pleasant cleane provision'd broad high-way but say you What is there to be gotten in it why this way answers these desires the best the greatest surest wealth is to be traded for in this way Psal 119.14 I have rejoyced in the way marke what he calls it of thy Commandements as much as in all riches This is the way to the rich Pearle more worth then all thou hast if thou hadst ten thousand times as much Mat. 13.44 Eighthly Christ is a peaceable way If you trade 8ly Christ a peaceable way and get by your journey neare so much and though Robbert are afraid of losing it all in the bringing home be the way never so cleane so broad so pleasant this damps all but Jesus Christ is a secure way Prov. 3.17 all her paths are peace this way is the living waie Heb. 10.20 This is the waie of peace Luk. 1.79 In all this Christ is the accomplishment of that promise made to the Wildernesse Isai 35. Of a way verse 8. No Lyon shall be there nor any ravenous Beast goe thereupon verse 9. Lastly Christ is the way home And so I draw to a CONCLUSION Our Saviour telleth us Jo. 14.2 3 4 6. Christ the WAY HOME In my Fathers house are many Mansions if it were not so I would have told you I go to prepare a place for you And if I go and prepare a place for you I will come againe and receive you unto my selfe that where I am there ye may be also And whither I go ye know and the way ye know I am the waie no man cometh to the Father but by me And this brings the first and the last together in the accomplishment of that to us that God did to Israel Who led them forth by a right waie that they might goe to a Citie for habitation Psal 107.7 And 't is the lesse matter how foule the weather be to such as have found a Christ for they have found the way home When Stephen was travelling through a storme of stones he knew how to house himselfe he calls upon the Lord Jesus to receive that is to take home his Spirit to himselfe end when he had thus spoken he falls asleep Act. 7.59 60. You use to say of a Winter-journey and stormy weather 't is tedious travelling but say you it is homeward where we may be bold and shall be welcome and the wearier wee are we shall sleepe the more sweetly when we come at home and get into our owne Beds and in this case say you Home is home be it never so homely Art thou then in Christ thou shalt be taken in out of the Rain fetch'd home out of the streets from the brow-beatings of those that were mightier then thou Thou shalt enter into peace thou shalt rest in thy Bed Isai 57.2 Thou that walkest in this right way Thou art hasting homeward not to an homely home but to an heavenly to thy Fathers house to Abrahams bosome to the new Heaven the Celestiall Canaan to the Saints Rest to Jerusalem which is above and is free to the Paradice of God to the Countrie of thy kindred to thine own people and to the seat of thy Christ Therefore fear not poore penitent though thou hast been a Prodigall Art thou in Christ thou art going homeward to thy Fathers house where thy Father will come forth to meet thee and thine Elder Brother so farre from grudging that he will come along with him to greet thee the Angels to welcome thee will become ministring spirits unto thee then shall one go for the meat another for the musick a third for the Ring and a fourth for the Robe even all that heaven can afford mean while Jonathan thy friend who is in Covenant with thee whose soule cleaves unto thee will put his own Robe upon thee and his Garments even to his Girdle and then shall heaven ring with an All things are readie the Spirit shall say Come and Christ shall say Welcome eat and drink O friend yea drink abundantly O beloved Fear not poore Lazarus whose Rayment is vile even sores on thy body and rags on thy sores Art thou in Christ thou art going homeward to Abrahams bosome to a new Heaven where old things are done away and all things become new Thy vile bodie shall be there changed and made a glorious bodie like unto Christs Bodie in an heavenly new fashion Thou shalt put off Mortalitie and put on immortalitie put off corruption and put on incorruption put off weaknesse and put on strength lay off the Cross and put on thy Crown Yea let me say more the Garments that thou hadst of Gods owne making and which were well enough to serve thy turne in the wildernesse of this world thou shalt then have out-grown them and there put them off and that which is in part shall be there done away and that which is perfect shall come in its roome Thou shalt then know as thou art known and love as thou art loved thou shalt put off Hope and Vision shall succeed it and put off Faith and put on fruition Feare not poore Israelite