discover nor cure the disease of the soule And as sometime the Lord said of the Egyptians Å¿ Isa 30.2 The Egyptians shall helpe in vaine and to no purpose their strength is to fit still so may wee of all humane carnal doctrines they help in vain and to no purpose they can doe nothing by way of mortification to sin by way of corroboration against Satans temptations by way of pacification in quieting the conscience In such cases their strength is to sit still they doe not profit the receivers of them It is but the sowing of chaffe that brings forth no fruit or feeding on huskes that ministers no strength a labour which doth not t Ier. 2.8 profit He that lookes beyond or beside Christ for light to direct him his labour is altogether unprofitable In regard of the foolishnesse of man to step aside from Christ and cleave to humane observations Every man reputes it a foolish thing for a man that hath a full fountaine to seeke water out of an empty pit for him that hath the Sunne shining upon him to light a Candle to guide him It was great folly in the men of Schechem to refuse u Iud. 9.9 the Vine the Olive and the Figge-tree and choose the Bramble to leave the sonnes of Jerubbaal and choose Abimelech to reigne over them What is Christ but a living fountaine a bright and shining Sunne a Vine an Olive a Figge-tree full of all light replenished with the greatest fulnesse of all divine and heavenly fruit And what are humane doctrines and observations but an empty pit a very snuffe that gives no light a barren bramble that beares no good fruit Man never more manifests his foolishnesse then in leaving the Lord Jesus w Ier. 2.11 12 13. Hath any nation saith the Lord changed their gods which are yet no gods But my people have changed their glory for that which doth not profit Bee astonished O yee heavens at this and be horribly afraid bee yee very desolate saith the Lord for my people have committed two great evils they have forsaken mee the fountaine of living waters and hewed them out cisternes broken cisternes that can hold no water Who is the fountaine of living waters but God and his Christ What are the broken cisternes but humane inventions which have no water of life in them Who is censured in the Parable as a foole but he that left the Rock and built upon the Sand Who is the Rock but Christ What is the Sand but the vaine and idle observations of men And who so foolish as he that leaves the former and builds his faith and salvation upon the latter Hee is certainly in Gods account a man of no understanding that leaves Christ in whom are hidden all the treasures of true wisedome In regard of perill It is very dangerous to leave Christ and adhere to rotten doctrines and empty devices It is dangerous to the Sheepe to leave the Shepheard and apply himselfe to the Wolfe to the sicke to leave the wise and faithfull Physician and put himselfe into his hands who is both ignorant and deceitfull What are the Teachers of corrupt doctrine but x Mat. 7.15 Wolves in sheeps clothing and y Ier. 6.14 false Physicians who heale the disease of the daughter of Gods people deceitfully The men of Israel exposed themselves to great danger when they left David their true King and z 2 Sam. 20.2 followed Sheba that blew the trumpet of rebellion The man that leaves Christ and followes them that blow the trumpet of vaine and idle Omne quod non aedificat audientes in periculum vertitur auâ—ientum Ierom carnall and unsound doctrine exposeth his soule to the danger of infection seduction and utter ruine Unsound doctrines are instruments of great prejudice to their receivers the bait by which Satan like a Fowler allures them the snare in which like a Hunter he intangles and takes them The Prince of darknesse hath no such agents as deceitfull Teachers he doth more advance his kingdome and bring greater ruine to the soules of the people by bad seeds-men then by the men of any one calling besides them a lying speech out of the mouth of an a 1 Kings 13.8.19 old Prophet prevails draws to disobedience more then a Kings perswasion Satan ordinarily workes the greatest mischiefe by being a b 1 Kings 22.22 lying spirit in the mouth of some Prophet The state of mans soule is very dangerous that stickes not close to Christ Jesus CHAP. III. Disclosing the folly of not cleaving to and contenting our selves with Christ but going aside to vaine inventions THis discovers the vanity of their minds the folly of their hearts the perill of their soules who cleave not to Christ who rest not quiet not content not themselves in Christ and his fulnesse but step out goe aside turne away from Christ to vaine doctrines humane devices and carnall observations like the two c 2 Sam. 15.11 12. hundred men of Ierusalem that turned aside from David and went after Absolom As they went in the simplicity of their hearts so these in the folly of their soules As they knew not any thing so these know not any thing truly and savingly of God of Christ of the deceit of Satan of the danger of their estate and doing As they took unto themselves Achitophel a Counsellour of David so these take unto themselves some Teacher some Minister who by calling is one of Gods Counsellours one that should plead Gods cause and open Gods counsel And as their conspiracy was strong against David so is these mens conspiracie strong against God against his truth against the good of their owne soules Hee that cleaves to corrupt doctrine conspires against Christ and his owne salvation And whence is it that falshood is more welcome then truth a man that comes in his d Ioh. 5.43 Five Grounds hereof owne name more acceptable then hee that comes in Gods name but first from the dominion and fulnes of corruptioÌ„ A deformed face pleaseth it selfe in a deceitfull glasse the malefactor rejoyceth to heare of a corrupt Judge some diseased stomackes desire to feed on ashes a rotten heart and a rotten doctrine are very suteable Ahab having e 1 Kings 22. sold himselfe to commit wickednesse was very attentive to the false Prophets Men saith our Saviour f Ioh. 3.19.20 love darknesse rather then light because their deeds are evill Hee that doth evill hateth the light neither commeth hee to the light lest his deeds should bee reproved Iob saith of Theeves g Iob 24.17 The morning is to them as the shadow of death if one know them they are in the terrours of the shadow of death To men that rob God by their impieties the morning the truth which shineth forth like the h 2 Pet. 1.19 Morning starre is as the shadow of death if one know them if the Minister detect and lay open
on earth besides him and is as a crowne of glory in the hand of the Lord Isa 62.3 and as a royall Diadem in the hand of his God Joh. 1.12 Rom 8.18 Rev. 1.6 All that have Christ are sonnes of God heires of heaven spirituall Kings hee is most honourable and glorious that comes nighest unto Christ that receiveth most of Christ it is not naturall birth but new birth not worldly abundance but heavenly fulness that honors man in Gods presence * Sola apud Deum libertas est non servire peccatis summa apud Deum nobilitas est clarum esse virtutibus Rev. 12.1 The onely freedome with God saith Ierome is not to serve sinne and with God to excell in vertue is the highest nobility Most honourable and glorious is the description of the Church represented by a woman clothed with the Sunne a crowne of twelve starres on her head and the Moone under her feet That mans condition is questionlesse most honourable that hath the Sunne of righteousnesse clothing him the starre of Gods word guiding him and all the things of the earth put under him 5. The having of all things Fifthly hee that hath Christ hath all shee that is wedded to the Master of the house hath all the house Man by his spirituall wedlocke with Christ hath interest in all the things of this great house of the world Of such as have Christ the Apostle saith All things are yours 1 Cor. 3.22 23. whether Paul or Apollo or Cephas or the world or life or death or things present or things to come all are yours and yee are Christs and Christ is Gods All things are yours all the creatures here below are yours as your servants to doe service to you as all the servants of the house are under the mistresse of the house the Angels are also yours to minister to you as the Nobles of the land are the Queenes to attend and wait upon her All things are appointed for your good for your edification supportation and comfort Whether Paul or Apollo or Cephas all the Ministers of God from the highest to the lowest are yours as lights to guide you pastors to feed you with knowledge and understanding as shepheards to gather you home to Christ as physicians to heale you as builders to hew and square you as husbandmen to manure and dresse you as the friends of the Bridegroome to wooe you to perswade and betroth you to Christ All the ordinances of God are yours as a schoole to instruct you as a Banquetting house to feed you as an Artillery house to furnish you with spirituall armour as a Bethesda to heale you All these are for your sakes for your good The world is yours as a house for you to dwell in a countrey for you to live in for a season All the goods of the world are yours to use as the things of the house are the wives to use they are all sanctified unto you All the malice and opposition of the world is yours to weane you from the earth to drive you home to Christ to exercise your graces and sweeten unto you Christ Iesus The fulnesse pompe and glory of the world is yours to try your sobriety humility vigilancie and moderation in all things Not onely all things are yours but all conditions whether life or death life is yours the time of life is yours to learne and know God to get assurance of another life The prosperity of life is yours to bee thankfull to God for it the troubles of life are yours to learne to beare the crosse with patience All the severall estates and conditions of life are yours in each of them to shew your subjection and obedience unto God Death is also yours to put an end to all your miseries as a Physician to cure all your diseases as a haven of peace after all tempests as a place of rest after all labours as the red sea to Israel drowning all sinnes ending all sorrowes and giving entrance into endlesse joyes as the red sea drowned Pharaoh and the Egyptians and proved a safe passage to the Israelites and gave them occasion of great triumph and exultation Things present and things to come are yours present things are yours present good things are yours to behold God in them to praise God for them to serve God with them to doe good to others by them present afflictions are yours to try you to humble you to purge you to sweeten the meditation of Christ and heaven to you present sinnes are yours to make you vile in your owne apprehension to drive you out of your selves to let you see the necessarie use of Gods ordinances and the necessity of Christ Jesus Things to come are yours afflictions to come are yours to prepare for them sinnes to come are yours to prevent them heaven and happiness to come are yours to sustaine and comfort your selves with the thought and beleefe of them All things of whatsoever kinde or nature are yours and you are Christs Christs servants to obey him Christs Spouse to love him Christs members receiving all from him possessing all in him and Christ is Gods subordinate unto God as Man and Mediator between God and Man Here are all the latitudes of a Christians riches his having of all in Christ Jesus Let the proud man with Nebuchadnezar blesse himselfe in his stately palace let the mighty man with Golâ—ah boast himselfe in his tall stature and strong armour let the valiant man with Senacharib magnifie himselfe in his victories and the covetous blesse himselfe with him in the parable in having his barnes full but let the Christian pronounce himselfe happy onely happy truly happy fully happy everlastingly happy in his having of Christ for Christ Jesus is mans sole and joyfull constant and most glorious happinesse because in him dwells all fulnesse even the fulnesse of the Godhead bodily The last thing in this verse is the manner how the fulnesse of the Godhead dwells in Christ and that is bodily in the body or humane nature assumed in that the fulness of the Godhead dwelleth Omnis plenitudo divinae narae in corpore ejus inhabitat All fulness saith Ierom of the divine nature dwelleth in his body And the Apostle addeth this word bodily 1. To put a distinction betweene the dwelling of the Godhead in the humane nature assumed and in the Saints in them the Godhead dwels by the communication of vertue but in this the Godhead dwels personally by the coÌ„munication of the person of the Son to the humane nature 2. This the Apostle addeth to shew that Christ according to his humane nature is head of the Church by reason of the personall inhabitation of the Godhead in the flesh 3. To declare the full and open manifestation of God in Christ God did often manifest himselfe unto men in shadowes and in powerfull and mighty workes but in Christ he hath manifested himselfe most fully dwelling
Gods children a great griefe a meanes of very much disquiet as the daughters of Heth to Sarah Gen. 27.46 made her life a burthen and the presence of disobedient Ionah made the sea tempestuous the navigation very perillous to the Mariners This hath filled them full of complaints Psa 120.5 Woe is me saith David that I sojourne in Mesech that I dwell in the Tents of Kedar Psa 119.136 Mine eyes gush out with rivers of tears because men keepe not thy law saith David And Lot was vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked 2 Pet. 2.7 That righteous man saith S. Peter dwelling among them in seeing and hearing vexed his righteous soule from day to day with their unlawfull deeds And therefore as he that dwells among thornes briars and scorpions Ezek. 2.6 desires to change his dwelling so doe Gods servants say Come Lord Jesus that they may have full freedome from the conversation of sinfull men In regard of love to Christ their love to him 2 Sam. 1.26 like the love of Jonathan to David is wonderfull they love him with all manner of love with a creatures love as he is their maker with a servants love as hee is their Lord and Master with a subjects love as he is their King and Ruler with a ransomed mans love as hee is their Redeemer with a friends love as hee is their Comforter with a childs love as he is their everlasting Father with a kinsmans love as hee is their Brother and with a Brides love as hee is the Bridegroome of their soules Can. 2.5 They are sicke of love and love breeds longing and longing breeds desire of fruition And as love constraines the wife to desire the presence of the husband so doth love cause the spouse of Christ to long for the presence of Christ to say Tit. 2.13 Come Lord Iesus to looke for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Iesus Christ In regard of the plenary and perfect restauration of Gods image in their soules The day of Christs comming shall bee the day of their full freedome and perfect redemption wherein they shal be a garden without weeds a tree without barren branch superfluous bough or fading leafe As Absolon 2 Sam. 15. in respect of bodily perfection was without blemish from the crowne of the head unto the sole of the foot so shall Gods servants upon the comming of Christ be free from all blemish and glorious in soule and body Mat. 13.43 Luk. 21.28 like the Sun in the firmament This is called the day of their redemption And as the captive desireth the comming of the ransomer so doe they the comming of Christ our blessed Redeemer and therfore they say Come Lord Iesus that they may have the full possession of all joy and glory in heaven This openeth and unfoldeth the estate and condition of man Use even of the holiest and best men in this life even an estate of distance separation in part from Christ their desire of him their longing after him their crying Come Lord Iesus shewes they doe not enjoy Christ now in his greatest fulnesse Here Numb 13 23. like Israel in the way to Canaan they have a few grapes a little taste of the goodnesse of the land of heaven but the full vintage is reserved till their bodily dissolution till Christs second comming Now they are absent from the Lord they behold him as a friend a farre off While wee are at home in the body 2 Cor. 5.6 wee are absent from the Lord saith the Apostle Absent from the perfection of Gods Image from the fulnesse of the light of Gods countenance from the perfect and complete fruition of his presence and the glory he hath provided for us 1 Cor. 13.12 Now we see as through a glasse darkly in the workes of God as in a glasse wee see the generall wisedome power and goodnesse of God In the Word and Sacraments wee see as in a glasse the command and precept the will and counsell the love and mercie of God in Christ Jesus Hereafter wee shall see face to face truly without errour conspicuously without darknesse and fully without the mixture of all imperfections Now we are as runners in a race the price is not yet wonne 1 Cor. 9.24 therefore so runne that yee may obtaine saith S. Paul Now we are as Souldiers in the battle fighting the victory is not yet fully gotten Rev. 2.10 therefore be thou faithful saith our Saviour to the death and I will give thee a crowne of life Wee are now travellers our journey is not yet ended Psa 84.7 therefore we must go from strength to strength untill wee doe appeare before the Lord in Sion Matth. 24.13 For hee that continueth to the end shall be saved Now we are as pilgrimes and strangers we have not yet the possession of our heavenly dwelling and therefore as pilgrimes strangers 1 Pet. 2.11 let us abstaine from fleshly lusts which warre against the soule we halt like Iacob in our walking our goings are not absolutely perfect Gen. 32.31.35 our lives like Iacobs flock are spotty coloured a mixture of grace vice is in them our souls Gen. 25.24 like Rebecca's womb carry in them an Esau a Iacob the flesh lusting against the spirit the spirit against the flesh as Esau against Iacob Iacob against Esau In the Common-wealth of Israel 2 Sam. 3.1 there was continuall war between the house of Saul David in the common-weale of a regenerate soule there is continuall warre between God Satan between grace and corruption and therfore we must labour in the worke of grace like the house of David to grow stronger stronger to make sin like the house of Saul grow weaker weaker still pressing to more perfection ever saying with the Evangelist Come Lord Iesus as a guide to direct us a Physician to heale us and a man of warre to overcome for us This should wonderfully endeare unto us the Lord Jesus He is the desire of the soules of all beleevers to him we must go to him we must seek on him we must call When distresse commeth when sicknesse visiteth when death approacheth then we shall bee constrained to cry Come Lord Iesus then as the woman of Tekoah in a pretended distresse came to David and cried 2 Sam. 14.4 Help O King so shall we in the reall distresse of our soules bee constrained to cry Help O Christ When wee shall see Satan casting all his fiery darts at us setting with all his forces like an armed man upon us bringing all our sinnes like a subtile accuser against us when wee shall apprehend death as a Serjeant arresting hurrying and drawing us before the Lords tribunall and shall see the armes of all earthly helpers broken the lamp of all worldly lights put out and the tongues
of all our friends according to the flesh made dumb and silent then our soules will be put upon Christ and there will bee no remedy we must say Come Lord Iesus And therefore this should make Christ very pretious in our eyes now this should inflame our hearts with singular and fervent love unto him for the present getting interest in him above all things and making him our chiefest and choycest our deare and onely friend This should so sweeten unto us the Lord Jesus that wee should say with Bernard Jesus dulcis in voce dulcis in facie dulcis in nomine dulce enim nomen suave Jesus consecratum ab aeterno annunciatum ab Angelo prophetatum Solomonis oraculo qui ait Oleum effusum nomen tuum Psa 73.25 Jesus is sweet in voice sweet in face sweet in name for the name Jesus is sweet being consecrated from eternitie published by the Angel and prophesied by the Oracle of Solomon who saith Thy Name is an oyntment powred forth Wee should so select him so admire him so adhere unto him so set our hearts upon him that wee should say with the Psalmist Whom have I in heaven but thee and there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee So glorious so pretious so infinitely transcendent let him be in our thoughts in our judgements in our estimation and affections that wee love and affect him exalt and preferre him as the King above all commanders as the Sunne above all lights as the spring above all cisternes as the pearle above all treasure and as the husband of our soules above all friends as a Paradice of all pleasures a haven of rest from all tempests and the refuge of our soules in all troubles Let our faith bee such in him our hope so settled upon him our love so strong towards him our subjection such under him that we may bee able at all times and seasons in all estates and conditions to say Come Lord Jesus Behold in this the honour and profit the advantage and comfort which a bodily dissolution bringeth to the righteous to all true beleevers they desire the full fruition of Christ and this bringeth them home to Christ Phil. 1.21 to them to dye is gaine gaine of libertie from the burthen of all corruption from all the assaults of Satan from the servitude of the world and all affliction gaine of perfect holinesse in respect of Gods image gain of complete victory in respect of all enemies gaine of most sweet communion in respect of their fellowâ—hip with God Christ the glorious Angels and all the Saints of God gaine of absolute honour in respect of their glorious condition in heaven As death to the righteous is a tree of many fruitfull branches a messenger of many comfortable tidings so the Spirit of God hath given it many denominations Sometimes it is stiled a Sleepe Mat. 9.24 sleep possesseth onely the outward members and senses the soule sleepeth not so in death the body onely dies the soule is carried into Abrahams bosome Luk. 16.22 â—ev 14.13 Sleep giveth rest unto the body They who dye in the Lord rest from all their labours Sometimes it is called a gathering to our Fathers Gen. 25.8 by death the righteous are separated from the wicked gathered as wheat into Gods garner and their soules bound up in the bundle of life 1 Sam. 25 29. Sometimes it is called a way the way of all flesh by the way wee come to our home to our fathers and to our friends house Ios 23.14 and by death wee come to our heavenly home to God the father and the Lord Jesus Sometimes it is called a going forth As the prisoner goeth forth of the prison 2 Pet. 1.15 and Israel went forth from the bondage of Egypt so when the body dieth the soule goeth forth as out of a prison and entreth into the land of the living Sometimes it is called an end Mat. 10.22 because in death there is an end of all sin of all sorrow of all labour trouble as in the waters of the red Sea the Israelites Egyptian bondage ended Sometimes it is termed a sowing Ioh. 11.24 1 Cor. 15.44 the seed which is sowne doth spring forth again into a blade the body in the resurrection shall flourish like the grasse death like a Physician cures all their diseases like a key opens the prison and restores them to a blessed freedom brings them to the full fruition of Jesus Christ the desire of their soules And this is the sweetest and fullest gaine of a Christian Lucrum est evasisse incrementa peccati Augustine lucrum fugisse deteriora lucrum transire ad meliora Aug. Lucrum maximum computat Christianus Cyprian jam saeculi laqueis non teneri jam nullis peccatis vitiis carnis obnoxium fieri exemptum pressuris angentibus venenatis diaboli faucibus liberatum ad laetitiam salutis aeternae Christo vocante proficisci Cypr. This must perswade move us to work our hearts to a holy longing and earnest desire after the comming of the Lord Jesus to desire it as the husbandman the coÌ„ming of the harvest the sick man the comming of the day of health or the ward the day of his full age to looke for the new heavens 2 Pet. 3.13 2 Tim. 4.8 and the new earth and to love the appearing of the Lord Iesus and for that end there must be First Godly sorrow for sin Christs coming is comfortable to such as are truly sorrowfull he that is weary of his corruptions doth truely long for the coming of Christ Jesus Gen 45.4.5 Ioseph spake to his brethren kindly entertained them courteously when he saw them grieved for the injury offered him Luke 15. The prodigals day of humiliation Isa 61.1 was the day wherein his father graciously received him Christ will bee found a sweet and mercifull Iesus to all Mat. 11.28 truly penitent sinners Secondly there must be a thorough removall of sin an effectuall reformation of all our wayes Gen. 35.2 Jacob went not up to Bethel before he purged his house of Idols It is in vain for man to say Come Lord Jesus if there bee not a conversion of the soule to Jesus To such the Prophet speakes Amos 5.18.19 Woe to you that desire the day of the Lord to what end is it for you the day of the Lord is darknesse and not light as if a man did flye from a Lyon and a Beare met him or went into a house and leaned his hand on the wall and a Serpent bit him Shall not the day of the Lord be darknesse and not light even very darke and no brightnesse in it What the voyce of God was to Adam upon the eating of the forbidden fruit what the comming of the flood was to the profane men of the old world what the waters of the red Sea were to Pharaoh what the
percipiuntur Good saith he is the way of humility whereby truth is searched out charity is obtained and the generations of wisdome are perceived Humility exalteth he that is most humble is and shal be most honourable Moses was the meekest man on earth and God made him the most honourable calling him up unto himselfe in the mount and making him the Leader of his people Gedeon was very little in his own eyes the least of his fathers house in his owne apprehension and God marvellously exalted him making him the deliverer of Israel As mans pride is attended with infamy so is mans meeknesse waited on with glory Vis magnus esse incipe ab imo Wilt thou be great begin from below saith the Father As the roots of the tree descend so the branches ascend this makes the soule capable of grace as the low grounds of water and the broken earth of seed God gives grace to the humble as men poure liquor into an empty vessell The Altar under the Law was hollow to receive the fire the wood and the sacrifice the heart of man under the Gospel must be humble empty of all spirituall pride and selfe-conceit to receive the fire of the spirit and Jesus Christ who offered himselfe a sacrifice for our sinnes this keeps the soule free from many darts of Satans casting and snares of his spreading as the low shrubs are free from many violent gusts and blasts of wind which shake and rent the taller trees I have read of one that seeing in a vision many snares of the devill spread upon earth he sate downe and mourned and said within himselfe Quis pertransiet ista Who shall passe through these whereunto he heard a voice answering Humilitas pertransiet Humility shall passe through them The Divell hath least power to fasten a temptation on him that is most humble hee that hath a gracious measure of meeknesse is neither affected with Satans proffers nor terrified with his threatnings This makes man peaceable in conversing with his brethren fruitfull in well-doing cheerfull in suffering comfortable in every condition constant in holy walking this makes a man precious in the eyes of God as a humble servant in the eyes of his Master Qui parvus est in reputatione propriâ magnus est in reputatione divinâ saith Gregory He that is little in his owne account is great in Gods esteeme This makes the way and worke of man acceptable unto God and also sweetens and encreaseth mans communion with God If ever therefore you entend to enjoy Gods glorious and blessed presence labour for this humility and meeknesse Fourthly Bee servent and unfained in your love to God his truth and his children this will make your language very gracious Amantium mos est saith Chrysostome ut amorem suum silentio tegere nequeunt Lovers know not how to keepe silence lovers of God are very full of gracious expressions this will make you liberal you shall give your selves to God and the service of his Saints as the men of Macedonia did this will make you patient in suffering as Jacob in his service for Rachel this will make you frequent the house of God with all alacrity frequency and diligence as children their fathers house and table this will make you joyfull in hearing the word of God as the Bride in hearing the voice of the Bridegroome this will make you carefull free and full in the observation of Gods statutes as loving children in the observation of their fathers precepts this will make you diligent and rich in all good workes the more man loves God the more he strives in all well-doing to glorifie God Love like fire is not idle but operative Amor Dei saith Gregory nunquam otiosus est operatur enim magna si est si verò operari renuit amor non est The love of God saith he is never idle for if it is it worketh great things but if it refuse to work it is not love Love makes the yoke of God easie and his worke delightfull it is only want of love that makes the commandement a burden Tantò magis delectat opus bonum quantò magis diligitur Deus summum incommutabile bonum saith Augustine A good work so much the more delighteth by how much the more God the chiefest and unchangable good is loved Love among some of the Ancients was resembled to and represented by the Sun the Sunne inlightens the world the more love the more light Knowledge and love like the water and the ice beget each other man loves God by knowing and knows God by loving God dwels in love and where God is there is light that mans light is darknesse which is not attended with the love of God and his testimonies the Sunne makes the earth fertile he that loves God cannot be barren his love makes him fruitfull in all well-doing the Sunne is swift and constant in his motion love makes man cheerfull speedy and unwearied in running the race which God hath set before him the Sunne is impassible love is patient and invincible it endureth all things no floods can drown it no waters can quench it Want of love and affection is the maine cause of mans apostacy and back-sliding the Sunne casteth his beames upward and downward to the East and to the West to the North and to the South Christian love causeth its beames to ascend to God above and to descend to man beneath to our friends on the right hand to our enemies on the left hand to them that are in the state or grace before us to them thâ—t are in the state of corruption behind us love which is not in this sense universall is corrupt and carnall The Sun beginning to ascend in his circle never goes back uâ—till he comes to the highest degree thereof true love abhorres apostacy ascends to more perfection and ceaseth not untill like Eliahs fiery chariot it hath carried the soule to heaven If ever you meane to see and enjoy the God of love labour for this love Fiftly Be very serious studious circumspect and carefull in all your walkings ponder the path of your feet like carefull travellers consider and weigh all your doings let all your waies of the heart within and worke without be ordered aright according the rule of Gods word every motion of the soule is a step to life or a step to death a step towards heaven or toward hell Mans labour and service is temporall his wages and recompence eternall therfore as Zeuxes that famous Lymner being demanded why he was so exact and serious so long so careful and curious in his workmanship answered Diu pingo quia aeternitati pingo I am long in painting because I paint unto eternity We all paint unto eternity every one of our actions tends to an eternity of joyes or sorrowes all our temporall actions are as seeds of eternity sowne by us a temporall seed an eternall harvest we speak we heare we write we read we
Psa 63.3 above wine which maketh glad the heart above the increase of corne and wine the joy of the rich above life the choycest pearle and deerest treasure in natures closet If the dawning of the day bee so joyous how much more pleasant is the Sunne rising If the first fruits be so acceptable how much more abundantly joyfulâ— is the full vintage If the glimpse of Gods face bee so much desired how much more desireable is the fulnesse of Gods countenance reserved for us in the heavens which the Psalmist doth illustrate by a similitude taken from the chased Hart Psa 42.1 2. As the Hart the Hart chased heated affrighted and vexed by the hounds and hunters doth pant after the water brookes so doth my soule pant after thee O God my soule thirsteth for God for the living God when shall I come and appeare before God before God in his holy Temple in the assembly of his Saints and servants in the use of his ordinances in the sense of his loving kindnesse and in the full fruition of his face in the highest heavens And this the Apostle expresseth by a Metaphor taken from the naked 2 Cor. 5.2 who have no garment to cover them no house to hide them as they with great diligence seeke and much earnestnesse long for a covering so doe the faithfull servants of God long for heaven their house and habitation and for the full fruition of Jesus Christ whose righteousnesse is their rich and royall robe their pure and spotlesse garment to cover them In this saith the Apostle wee groane â—arnestly desiring to bee clothed upon with our house which is from heaven As he that is in darkness longeth for the light so the soules of Gods children in the darknesse of this world doe long for Jesus Christ and heaven the Sunne of righteousnesse and that heavenly Citie which God hath provided for them Rev. 21.23 Where there is no need neither of the Sunne nor of the Moone to shine in it because the glory of God doth lighten it and the Lamb is the light thereof As the Bride doth long for the comming of the Bridegroome so the spirituall Bride longeth for the comming of the heavenly Bridegroome Christ Jesus being sicke of love Cant. 5.6 8. and full of longings after him As the mother of Sisera looked out through the window and cried through the lattesse Iudg. 5.28 Why is his Chariot so long in comming why tarry the wheeles of his Chariots so doth the Spouse of Christ here in this life looke forth through the window of Gods ordinances and through the lattesse of her faith and cry How long Lord Jesus Rev. 6.10 how long Thou art my helpe and my deliverer make no tarrying O my God And the Apostle for the mitigating of their sorrowes asswaging of their troubles quieting of their consciences and the better staying of their soules perswades them to waite assures them of the speedy comming of Christ saying Psa 40.17 Cast not away your confidence which hath great recompence of reward for yee have need of patience that after yee have done the will of God yee might receive the promise For yet a little while and hee that shall come will come Heb. 10.35 36 37. and will not tarry And thus have Gods servants expressed their desires Phil. 1.23 I desire saith Saint Paul to be dissolved as a prisoner from his fetters as a captive from his bondage and to bee with Christ which is farre better And wee groane saith hee speaking in the name of all the faithfull to be cloathed upon 2 Cor. 5.4 8. that mortality might bee swallowed up of immortality And wee are willing to bee absent from the body and present with the Lord And this the Apostle commended in the Thessalonians 1 Thess 1.9 10. that they were turned to God from Idols to serve the living and true God and to wait for his Sonne from heaven as servants wait for the comming of their Lord and Master And this Saint Peter termes a looking for 2 Pet. 3.12 and hastening unto the comming of the day of God The reason whereof is In regard of their remaining sinne and Reason 1 corruption This is to them as a disease to the sicke as fetters to the prisoner as a burthen to the traveller as a mote to the eye as manacles to the hands as chaines to the feet as aches to the bones as the sons of Zervia unto David they were adversaries to him too strong for him 2 Sam 19.22 so are their corruptions adversaries to their soules to their peace to their communion with God to their present and everlasting welfare Somtimes they are too strong for them leading them captive Rom. 7.23 as a tyrant the souldier whom he hath taken in the battle 1 Pet. 2.11 2 Sam. 3.1 making continuall warre against them as the house of Saul did against the house of David being as prickes in their eyes and thornes in their sides Iudg. 2.2 as the Canaanites were to Israel as heavie burthens to their backes Psa 38.4 burthens too heavie for them to beare as dead members in their body Rom. 7.24 very cumbersome and occasions of great trouble And therefore as the noble man went unto Christ and besought him Ioh. 4.47 that he would come downe and heale his sonne because hee was at the poynt of death so doe the faithfull servants of God go to Christ and say Come Lord Iesus that there may bee a thorough healing of all their infirmities In regard of Satans subtile assiduous and violent temptations Ios 10. As the Amoritish Princes besieged Gibeon so doth the prince of darknesse besiege the soules of Gods people As Pharaoh imposed heavie burthens upon the children of Israel set cruell task-masters over them and when they were going forth of Egypt raised an army and pursued them so doth Satan lay heavie burthens upon great and grievous things to the charge of Gods people set many mercilesse and bloudy minded man against them and raiseth an armie of evill thoughts within to distract them and an army of afflictions without to molest them being as a roaring Lyon to Gods flocke 1 Pet. 5.8 as a man of warre to the Citie of their soules making their passage very stormy and tempestuous Luk. 11.21 and therefore as the woman of Canaan came to our Saviour and cryed to him Mat. 15.22 25. saying Have mercie on mee O Lord thou Sonne of David my daughter is grievously vexed with a Divell Lord helpe mee so doe Gods children addresse themselves to Christ and cry Have mercie upon us thou Sonne of David for our soules are sore vexed with the Divell Lord helpe us O come Lord Jesus and bring us a full and finall deliverance from all infernall adversaries In regard of the evill and offensive conversation of ungracious men their language their practice their profanenesse their troublesomnesse is to