Selected quad for the lemma: kingdom_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
kingdom_n	heaven_n	life_n	lord_n	3,874	5	3.5801	3	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A77614	Precious remedies against Satans devices or, salve for believers and unbelievers sores. Being a companion for those that are in Christ, or out of Christ; that are high, or low, learned, or illiterate, staggering, or wandering; that slight, or neglect ordinances, under a pretence of living above them; that are growing (in spiritualls) or decaying; that are tempted, or deserted, afflicted, or opposed; that have assurance, or that want assurance; that are self-seekers, or the common-wealths caterpillars; that are in love sweetly united, or that yet have their spirits too much imbittered, &c. By Thomas Brookes, a willing servant unto God, and the faith of his people, in the glorious gospel of Christ, at Margarets fish-street hill.	Brooks, Thomas, 1608-1680.	1658 (1658)	Wing B4954; Thomason E1426_1	231,671	413

hottest oppositions against those vessells that are most richly laden so doth Satan that arch Pirate against those truths that have most of God Christ and Heaven in them met with from Satan in the study of this following discourse hath put an edge upon my spirit knowing that Satan strives mightily to keep those things from seeing the light that tend eminently to shake and break his Kingdome of darknesse and to lift up the Kingdome and glory of the Lord Jesus Christ in the soules and lives of the children of men c. Its exceeding usefulnesse to all sorts ranks and conditions of men 4. Reason in the world here you have salve for every sore and a plaister for every wound and a Remedy against every disease especially against those that tend most to the undoing of soules and to the ruine of the State c. I know not of any one or 5. Reason other that have writ of this Subject all that I have ever seen have only toucht upon this string which hath been no small provocation to me to attempt to doe something this way that others that have better heads and hearts may be the more stirred to improve their Talents in a further discovery of Satans Devices and in the making knowne of such choice Remedies as may inable the soules of men to triumph over all his plots and stratagems c. I have many precious friends in 6 Reason severall Countries who are not a little desirous that my pen may reach them now my voice cannot I have formerly been by the help of the mightie God of Jacob a weake instrument of good to them and cannot but hope and beleeve that the Lord will also blesse these labours to them they being in part the fruit of their desires and prayers c. Lastly not knowing how soon 7. Reason my Glasse may be out and how soone I may be cut off by a hand of death from all opportunities of doing further service for Christ or your soules in this world I was willing to sow a little handfull of spirituall seed among you that so when I put off this earthly Tabernacle my love to you and that deare remembrance of you which I have in my soule may strongly engage your minds and spirits to make this Book your Companion and under all externall or internall changes to make use of this heavenly Salve which I hope will by the blessing of the Lord be as effectuall for the healing of all your Wounds as their looking up to the brazen Serpent was effectuall to heale theirs that were bit and stung with fiery Serpents I shall leave this Book with you as a Legacie of my dearest Love desiring the Lord to make it a far greater and sweeter Legacie then all those carnall Legacies are that are left by the high and mighty ones of the earth to their nearest and dearest relations c. Beloved I would not have affection carrie my pen too much beyond my intention therefore onely give me leave to signifie my desires for you and my desires to you and I shall draw to a close My desires for you are That he would grant you according to the riches Ephes 3. of his glory to be strengthned with might by his Spirit in the inner Vers 17. man That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith that ye being rooted and grounded in love May be able to Vers 18. comprehend with all Saints what is the breadth and length and depth Vers 19. and height And to know the love of Christ that passeth knowledge That ye might be filled with all the fullnesse of God And that yee might walke Colos 1. 10. worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing being fruitfull in every good worke and increased in the knowledge of God Strengthned with all might according Vers 11. to his glorious power unto all patience and long-suffering with joyfullnesse That ye doe no evill That 2 Cor. 13. 7. your love may abound yet more and more in Knowledge and in all Judgement Phil. 1. 9. That yee may approve things that are excellent that ye may be sincere Vers 10. and without offence till the day of Christ And that our God would 2 Thess 1. 11. count you worthy of this calling and fulfill all the good pleasure of his goodnesse and the worke of Faith with Vers 12. power That the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you and ye in him according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ And that you may be eminent in Psal 93. 5. Sanctitie Sanctitie being Zions glory that your hearts may be kept upright your judgements sound and your lives unblamable That as you are now my joy so in the day of Christ you may be my Crown That I may see my labours in your lives that your conversation may not be earthly when the things you heare are heavenly but that it may be as becomes the Gospel That as the Fishes which live in the salt Sea yet are fresh so you though you live in an uncharitable world may yet be charitable and loving That ye may like the Bee suck Honey out of every Flower That ye may shine in a sea of troubles as the Pearle shines in the skie though it grows in the Sea That in all your trials you may be like the stone in Thracia that neither burneth in the fire nor sinketh in the water That ye may be like the Heavens excellent in substance and beautifull in appearance that so you may meet me with joy in that day wherein Christ shall say to his Father Loe here am I and the children that thou hast given me My desires to you are That you would make it your businesse to study Christ his Word your own Hearts Satans Plots and Eternity more then ever that ye would endeavour more to be inwardly sincere then outwardly glorious to live then to have a name to live That yee would labour with all your might to be thankfull under Mercies and faithfull in your Places and humble under Divine Appearances and fruitfull under precious Ordinances that as your meanes and mercies are greater then others so your account before God may not prove worse then others That ye would pray for me who am not worthy to be named among the Saints that I may be a precious instrument in the hand of Christ to bring in many soules unto him and to build up those that are brought in in their most holy Faith And that Utterance may be given to me that I may make knowne all the will of God That 2 Cor. 11. 23 24 25 26 27 28. I may be sincere faithfull frequent fervent and constant in the worke of the Lord and that my labour be not in vaine in the Lord That my Labours may be accepted of the Lord and his Saints and I may daily see the travell of my soule

c. But above all pray for me that I may more and more finde the power and sweet of those things upon my owne heart that I give out to you and others and that my soule be so visited with strength from on high that I may live up fully and constantly to those truths that I hold forth to the world and that I may be both in Life and Doctrine a burning and a shining light That so when the Lord Jesus shall appear I may receive a crown of glory which he shall give to me in that day and not onely to me but to all that love his appearing c. For a close remember this that your life is short your duties many your assistance great and your reward sure therefore faint not hold on and hold up in wayes of well doing and Heaven shall make amends for all I shall now take leave of you when my heart hath by my hand subscribed that I am Your loving Pastor under Christ according to all Pastor all affections and engagements in our dearest Lord. THOMAS BROOKS A WORD TO THE READER Deare Friend SOLOMON bids us buy the Pro. 23. 23 Truth but doth not tell us what it must cost because we must get it though it be never so deare wee must love it both Multi amā● veritatem lucentem o derunt redarguentem shining and scorching every parcell of Truth is precious as the filings of gold wee must either live with it or dye for it As Ruth said to Naomi Whither thou goest I will goe and Ruth 1. 16 17. where thou lodgest I will lodge and nothing but death shall part thee and mee So must gracious spirits say where Truth goes I will goe and where Truth lodges I will Si veritas est causa discordiae mori possum tacere con possum J●rome lodge and nothing but death shall part me and Truth A man may lawfully sell his House Lands and Jewells but Truth is a Jewell that exceeds all price and must not be sould 'T is our Heritage Thy Testimonies have I taken Psal 119. 11● as an Heritage for ever 't is a Legacie that our fore-fathers have hought with their bloods which should make us willing to lay downe any thing and to lay out any thing that wee may with the wise Merchant in the Gospel purchase this precious Pearle M●t. 5. 18. Verit●s vin●it Truth at last triumphs which is more worth then Heaven and Earth and which will make a man live happily die comfortably and reign eternally And now if thou pleasest reade the Worke and receive this councell from mee First Thou must know that every man cannot be excellent that yet may be usefull An iron key may unlocke the doore of a golden treasure yea ferrum potest quod aurum non potest Iron can doe some things that gold cannot c. Secondly Remember 't is not hasty reading but serious meditating upon 'T is a Law among the Persees in India to use premeditation in what they are to doe that if it be bad to reject it if good to act it holy and heavenly truths that makes them prove sweet and profitable to the soule 'T is not the Bees touching of the Flower that gathers Honey but her abiding for a time upon the Flower that drawes out the sweet 'T is not he that reads most but he that meditates most that will prove the choicest sweetest wisest and strongest Christian c. Thirdly Know that 't is not the knowing nor the talking nor the reading man but the doing man that at last will be found the happiest man If you know these things blessed John 15. 14. Mat. 7. 21. and happie are you if you doe them Not every one that saith Lord Lord shall enter into the 'T was a good saying of Justin Martyr Non in verbis sed in factis res nostrae religioni● consistunt Kingdome of Heaven but he that doth the will of my Father that is in Heaven Judas called Christ Lord Lord and yet betrayed him and is gone to his place ah How many Judasses have we in these dayes that kisse Christ and yet betray Christ That in their words professe him but in their workes deny him that bow The Heathen Philosopher Seneca liked not such that are semper victuri alwayes about to live better but never begin God loves saith Luther currist●● not qu●ristas the ●unner not the questioner Pacunius hath an elegant saying I hate saith he the men that are idle in deed and philosophicall in word c. their knee to him and yet in their hearts despise him that call him Jesus and yet will not obey him for their Lord. Reader If it be not strong upon thy heart to practise what thou readest to what end doest thou read to encrease thy owne condemnation If thy light and knowledge be not turn'd into practise the more knowing man thou art the more miserable man thou wilt be in the day of recompence thy light and knowledge will more torment thee then all the Devills in hell Thy knowledge will be that rod that will eternally lash thee and that Scorpion that will for ever bite thee and that worme that will everlastingly gnaw thee therefore reade and labour to know that thou mayest doe or else thou art undone for ever When Demosthenes was asked what was the first part of an Orator what the second what the third he answered action the same may I say if any should aske me what is the first the second the third part of a Christian I must answer action as that man that reades that he may know and that labours to know that he may doe will have two Heavens a Heaven of Joy Peace and Comfort on earth and a Heaven of glory and happinesse after death Fourthly and lastly if in thy reading thou wilt cast a serious eye upon the Margent thou wilt finde many sweet and precious Notes that will oftentimes give light to the things thou readest and pay thee for thy paines with much comfort and profit So desiring that thou mayest finde as much sweetnesse and advantage in reading this Treatise as I have found by the overshadowings of Heaven in the studying and writing of it I commend thee to God and to the word of his grace which is able to Acts 20. 32. build thee up and to give thee an inheritance among them which are sanctified And rest Reader Thy soules Servant in every office of the Gospel THOMAS BROOKS PRECIOUS REMEDIES AGAINST SATANS Devices 2 CORINTH 2. 11. Lest Satan should get an advantage of us for we are not ignorant of his Devices IN the fifth Verse the Apostle shews that the incestuous person had by his incest sadded those precious souls that God would not have sadded soules that walk sinfully are Hazaels to the godly and draw many sighes and tears from them Jeremy weepes in secret for Judah's sins and Paul cannot speak of those

of God upon them They send forth their little ones like a flock and their children dance They take the Timbrell and Harp and rejoyce at the Men that injoy all worldly comforts may truly say Omnes humanae conjolationes sunt desolationes sound of the Organ they spend their dayes in wealth their eyes stand out with fatnesse they have more then heart can wish And they have no bands in their death but their strength is firme They are not in trouble as other men as David and Job speak yet all this is nothing to what they want they want interest in God Christ the Spirit the Promises the Covenant of Grace and everlasting Glory They want acceptation and reconciliation with God They want Righteousnesse Justification Sanctification Adoption and Redemption They want the pardon of sin and power against sin and freedome from the dominion of sin They want that favour that is better then life and that joy that is unspeakable and full of glory and that peace that passes understanding and that Nec Christus nec coelum pati tur hyperbolen Neither Christ nor Heaven can be hyperbolized grace the least spark of which is more worth then Heaven and Earth They want a House that hath foundations whose builder and maker is God they want those riches that perish not that glory that fades not that Kingdome that shakes not Wicked men are the most needy men in the world yea they want those two things that should render their mercies sweet viz. The blessing of God and content with their condition and without which their Heaven is but Hell on this side Hell When their hearts are lifted up and grown big upon the thoughts of their abundance if conscience do's but put A crowne of gold cannot cu●e the head ach nor a velvet slipper cannot ease the Gout no mo●e can honour or riches c. quiet and still the Conscience The heart of man is a three square triangle which the whole round circle of the world cannot fill as Mathematicians say but all the corners will complaine of ●mptines and hunger for som●hing else in a word and say 't is true here is this and that outward mercy oh but where is an interest in Christ Where is the favour of God Where are the comforts of the holy Ghost Where are thy evidences for Heaven c. This word from Conscience makes the mans countenance to change his thoughts to be troubled his heart to be amazed and all his mercies on the right hand and left to be as dead and withered Ah! were but the eyes of wicked men open to see their wants under their abundance they would cry out and say as Absalom did What are all these to me so long as I cannot see the Kings face What 's honour and riches and the favour of Creatures so long as I want the favour of God the pardon of my sins an interestin Christ and the hopes of glory O Iod give me these or I dye give me these or else I shall eternally dye The fift Remedy against this Device 5 Remedy of Satan is solemnly to confider that outward things are not as they seem and are esteemed they have indeed a glorious outside but if you view their insides you will easily find that they fill the head full of cares and the heart full of feares what if the fire should consume one part of my estate and the sea should be a grave to swallow up another part of my estate what if my servants should be unfaithfull abroad and my children should be deceitful at home ah the secret fretting vexing and gnawing that doth daily yea hourly attend those mens souls whose hands are full of worldly goods 'T was a good speech of an Emperour you said he gaze on my purple Robe ●nd golden Crown but did you know what cares are under it you would not take it up from the ground to have it 'T was a true saying of Augustine on the 26 Psalm many are Multi amando res noxias sunt miseri habendo miseriores August miserable by loving hurtfull things but they are more miserable by having them It is not what men injoy but the principle from whence it comes that makes men happy much of these outward things doe usually cause great distraction great vexation and great condemnation at last to the posessors of them if God gives them in his wrath do not sanctifie them in his love they will at last be witnesses against a man and racks to torture and torment a man and milstones for ever to sink a man in that day when God shall call men to an account not for the use but for the abuse of mercy The sixt Remedy against this Device 6 Remedy of Satan is seriously to consider the end and the designe of God in heaping up mercy upon the heads of the wicked and in giving them a quietus est rest Valerian the Roman Emperour fell from being an Emperour to be a foot-stool to Sapor King of Persia Dionysius King of Sicily fell from his Kingly glory to be a School-master The brave Queen Zenobia was brought to Rome in golden chaines and quiet from those sorrows and sufferings that others sigh under David in that 73 Psal 17 18 19 20 verses shews the end and designe of God in this saith he When I went into the Sanctuary of God then I understood their end Surely thou diddest set them in slippery places thou castedst them downe into destruction How are they brought into desolation as in a moment they are utterly consumed with terrors As a dreame when one awaketh so O Lord when thou awakest thou shalt despise their image So in the 92 Psal 7. When the wicked spring as grasse and when all the workers of iniquity doe flourish it is that they shall be destroyed for ever Gods setting them up is but in order to his casting them down his raising them high is but in order to his bringing them low Exod. 9. 16. And in very deed for this cause have I raised thee up for to shew in thee my power and that my name may Valens an Emperour Belisarius a famous general Henry the 4th Bajazeth Pythias Great Pompey and William the Conqueror these from being very high were brought very low they all fell from great glory and majesty to great poverty and misery Da Domine ut sic possideamus temporalia ut non perdamus aeterna Bern. Grant us Lord that we may so partake of temporall felicity that we may not lose eternall be declared throughout all the earth I have constituted and set thee up as a But-mark that I may let flie at thee and follow thee close with plague upon plague till I have beaten the very breath out of thy body and got my self a name in setting my feet upon the neck of all thy pride power pomp and glory Ah soules what man in his wits would be lifted up

as the Apostle speaks Know yee not that the Saints shall judge the world and in that day oh how will the great and the rich the Mr. Fox being once asked whether he knew a certain poor man who had received succour of him in time of trouble he answered I remember him well I tel you I forget Lords Ladies to remember such So will the Lord deale by his poor S t s he will forget the great and mighty ones of the world to remember his few poor despised ones Though Iohn was poore in the world yet the holy ghost calls him the greatest that was born of women ah poor Saints men that know not your worth cannot have such low thoughts of you but the Lord wil have a● high learned and the noble wish that they had lived and spent their dayes with these few poor contemptible creatures in the service of the Lord oh how wil this wicked world curse the day that ever they had such base thoughts of the poor meane Saints and that their poverty became a stumbling block to keep them off from the wayes of sanctity I have read of Ingo an ancient King of the Draves who making a stately feast appointed his Nobles at that time Pagans to sit in the Hall below and commanded certaine poore Christians to be brought up into his Presence-chamber to sit with him at his Table to eate and drink of his Kingly cheer at which many wondering he said he accounted Christians though never so poore a greater ornament at his Table and more worthy of his company then the greatest Peers unconverted to the Christian faith for when these might be thrust down to Hell those might be his Consorts and fellow Princes in Heaven you know how to apply it Although you see the stars sometimes by their reflictions in a puddle or in the bottome of a Well I in a stinking ditch yet the stars have their scituation in Heaven So though you see a godly man in a poor miserable low despised condition for the things of this world yet he is fixed in Heaven in the Region of Heaven Who hath raised us up saith the Apostle and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus Oh! therefore say to your owne souls when they begin to decline the wayes of Zion because of the poverty and paucity of those that walke in them the day is at hand when these few poor despised Saints shall shine in glory when they shall judge this world and when all the wicked of the world will wish that they were in their condion would give ten thousand worlds were it in their power that they might but have the honour and happinesse to waite upon those whom for their poverty and paucity they have neglected and despised in this world The sixt and last Remedie against this 6 Remedy device of Satan is solemnly to consider that there will come a time even in this These following Scriptures do abundantly confirm this truth Ier. 31. 12. Isa 30. 23. Isa 62. 8 9. Ioel 2. 23 24. Mica 4. 6. Amos 9. 13 14. Zech. 8. 12. Isa 41. 18 19. Isa 55. 13. Isa 66. 6 7. Isa 65. 21 22. Isa 61. 4. Isa 60. 10. Ezek. 36. 10. life in this world when the reproach and contempt that is now cast upon the wayes of God by reason of the poverty and paucity of those that walk in those wayes shall be quite taken away by his making them the head that have dayes without number been the taile and by his raising them up to much outward riches prosperity and glory who have been as the out-cast because of their poverty and paucity John speaking of the glory of the Church the new Jerusalem that came downe from Heaven in that 21. of the Revelation tells us That the Nations of them which are saved shall walke in the light of it and the Kings of the earth do bring their glory into it So the Prophet Isaiah They shall bring their sons from far and their silver and their gold with Only take these 2 cautions First that in these times the Saints chiefest comforts delights and contents will consist in their more cleer full and constant injoyments of God 2. That they sha● have such an abundant ●easure of he spirit poured out ●pon them ●hat their riches and outward glory shall not be s●ares to ●hem but golden steps to lead them to a richer living in God them vers 9. For brasse I will bring gold and for iron I will bring silver and for wood brasse and for stones Iron vers 19. And so the Prophet Zechariah speaks Chap. 14. v. 14. And the wealth of all the heathen round about shall be gathered together gold and silver and apparell in great abundance The Lord hath promised that the meek shal inherite the earth And heaven and earth shall passe away before one jot or tittle of his word shall pass unfulfilled Ah poor Saints now some thrust sore at you others look a squint upon you others shut the door against you others turne their backs upon you and most of men except it be a few that live much in God and are filled with the riches of Christ do either neglect you or despise you because of your poverty but the day is coming when you shall be lifted up above the dunghil when you shall change p●v●rty for riches your rags for robes your reproach for a crowne of honour your infamy for glory even in this world And this is not all but God will also mightily increase the number of his chosen ones multitudes shall be converted to him Who hath heard such a Isa 66. 8. thing who hath seen such things shall the earth be made to bring forth in one day or shall a Nation be borne at once for assoone as Zion travelled she brought forth children And they shall bring all your brethren for an offering unto the Lord out of all Nations upon Vers 19 20. horses and in Chariots in Litters and upon Mules upon swift beasts to my holy mountaine Jerusalem saith the Lord as the children of Israel bring an offering in a cleane vessell into the house of the Lord. Doth not the Scripture say that the Kingdomes of Revel 11. 15. this world must become the Kingdomes of our Lord Hath not God given to Christ the heathen and the uttermost parts of the earth for his possessions Hath not the Lord said that in the last dayes the mountaine of the Lords Psal 2. 8. house shall be lifted up above the hills and shall be established in the top of the mountains and all Nations shall flow unto it Pray read Isa 2. 2. Isa 54. 14. Isa 61. 9. and meditate upon the sixty chapter of Isaiah and the sixty sixth chapter and the five first verses of the second chapter of Isaiah and there you shall finde the multitudes that shall be converted to Christ and oh that you

brave publique spirit is hot in his desires and prayers that the people might be spared and pardoned saith he pardon I beseech thee the iniquity of this people according unto the greatnesse of thy mercy and as thou hast forgiven this people from Egypt untill now And the Lord said I have pardoned according to thy word A●●●hould God make such an offer to many that write themselves Moses and are called by many Moses I am afraid they would prefer their own advantage above the The Antients were wont to place the Statues of their Princes by their fountains intimating they were or at least should be fountains of the publick good publique good they would not care what become of the people so they and theirs might be made great and glorious in the world they would not care so they might have a Babell built for them though it was upon the ashes and ruine of the people baser spirits then these are not in hell no not in hell and I am sure there are no such spirits in Heaven such mens hearts and principles must be chang'd or they wil be undone for ever Nehemiah was a A certaine great Emperour coming into Egypt to shew the zeal he had for the publick good saith to the Aegyptians draw from me as from your river Nilus choice soule a man of a brave publick spirit a man that spent his time his strength and his estate for the good and ease of his people Moreover saith he from the time that I was appointed to be their Governour in the Land of Judah from the twentieth yeer even unto the two and thirtieth yeare of Artaxerxes the King that is twelve yeares I and my brethren have not eaten the bread of the Governour Yea also I continued in the worke of this wall neither bought we any land and all my servants were gathered thither unto the worke Moreover there were at my table an hundred and fifty of the Jewes and Rulers besides those that came unto us from among the Heathen that are about us Now that which was prepared for me daily was one Oxe and sixe choice sheep also fowles were prepared for me and once in ten dayes store of all sorts of wine yet for all this required not I the bread of the Governour because the bondage was heavy upon the people Thinke upon me my God for good according to all that I have done for this people So Daniel was a man of a brave publick spirit Then the Presidents and Princes The Counsellor saith a States-man should be thus tripartited his will to God his love to his Master his heart to his Countrey his secret to his friend his time to busisinesse sought to finde occasion against Daniel concerning the Kingdome but they could finde no occasion nor fault for as much as he was faithfull neither was there any errour or fault found in him Then said these men we shall not finde any occasion against this Daniel except we finde it against him concerning the law of his God Christ had a publick spirit hee laid out himselfe and laid down himselfe for a publick good Oh! never leave looking and meditating upon these precious and sweet examples till your soules are quickned and raised up to act for the publick good more then for your owne particular advantage many Solomons Tribunall was underpropt with Lions to shew what spirit and mettall a Magistrate should be made of Heathens have been excellent at this Macrobius writes of Augustus Caesar in whose time Christ was borne that hee carried such an entire and fatherly affection to the Common-wealth that he called it filiam suam his own daughter and therefore refused to be called Dominus the Lord or Master of his Countrey and would only be called pater patriae Father of his Countrey because he governed it not by feare per timorem sed per amorem but by love the Senate and the people of Rome joyntly saluting him by the name of pater patriae Father of his Countrey The people very much lamented his death using that speech Would hee had Vtinam aut non nasceretur aut non moreretur never been borne or never dyed So Marcus Regulus to save his Countrey from ruine exposed himselfe to the greatest sufferings that the malice and rage of his Enemies could inflict So Titus and Aristides and many others have been famous for their preferring the publick good above their own advantage My prayer is and shall be that all our Rulers may be so spirited by God that they may be willing to be any thing to be nothing to deny themselves and to trample their sinfull selves under feet in order to the honour of God and a publick good that so neither Saints nor Heathens may be witnesses against them in that day wherein the hearts practises of all the Rulers in the world shall be open and bare before him that shall judge the world in Righteousness and Judgment c. The sixth Remedy against this Device 6 Remedie of Satan is seriously to consider that self is a great let to divine things therefore the Prophets and Apostles were usually carried out of themselves when they had the clearest choisest highest and most glorious visions Self-seeking blinds the soul that it cannot see a beauty in Christ nor an excellency in holiness it distempers the palate that a man cannot taste sweetnesse in the word of God nor in the ways of God nor in the society of the people of God it shuts the hand against all the soule-enriching offers of Christ it hardens the heart aganst all the knocks and entreaties of Christ it makes the soul as an empty vine and as a barren wildernesse Israel is an empty Hosea 10. 1. vine he brings forth fruit to himself There is nothing that speaks a man to be more empty and void of God Christ and grace then self-seeking The Pharisees Selfe-see●ers with Esau prefer a messe of pottage above thair birth-right and with the men of Shechem esteem the bramble above the Vine the Olive and the fig-tree yea empty things above a full Christ base things above a glorious Christ were great self-seekers great undervaluers of Christ his word spirit There is not a greater hindrance to all the duties of piety then self-seeking oh this is that that keeps many a soule from looking after God and the precious things of eternity they cannot waite on GOD nor act for God nor abide in those ways wherein they might meete with God by reason of selfe self-seeking is that which puts many a man upon neglecting and slighting the things of his peace self-seekers will neither go into Heaven themselves nor suffer others to enter that are ready to take the Kingdome by violence as you may see in the Scribes and Pharisees Oh! but a gracious spirit is acted quite otherwayes as you may see in that sweet Scripture Cant. 7. 13. At our gates are all manner

makes Proclamation that who-ever could bring the Rebell dead or alive he should have such a great summe of money The Rebell hearing of this comes and presents himself before the Emperour and demands the summ of money now saith the Emperour if I should put him to death the world would say I did it to save my money and so he pardons the Rebell and gives him the money Ah sinners shall a Heathen do this that had but a drop of mercy and compassion in him and will not Christ do much more Coloss 1. 19. Chap. 2 3 4. that hath all fulnesse of grace mercy and glory in himselfe Surely his bowels doe yerne towards the worst of Rebels Ah! if you will but come in you will find him ready to pardon yea one Nehem. 9. 17. Heb. but thou a god of pardons made up of pardoning mercy Oh! the readinesse and willingnesse of Jesus Christ to receive to favour the greatest Rebels The father of mercies did meet embrace and kisse that prodigall mouth which came from feeding with swine and kissing of Harlots Ephraim had Hos 4. 17. 5. 3. 6. 8. 11 12. 12. 14. 13. 12. vide committed Idolatry and was backsliden from God he was guilty of lukewarmnesse and unbelief c. yet saith God Ephraim is my deare sonne hee is a Jer. 31. 20. pleasant child my bowels are troubled for him I will have mercy or rather as 't is in the Originall I will have mercy mercy upon him saith the Lord. Well saith God Though Ephraim be guilty of crimson sinnes yet he is a sonne a deare sonne a precious sonne a pleasant childe Though he be blacke with filth and red with guilt yet my bowels are troubled for him I will have mercy mercy upon him Ah sinners if these bowels of mercy doe not melt win and draw you Justice will be a swift witnesse against you and make you lye downe in eternall misery for kicking against the bowels of mercy Christ hangs out still as once that warlike Seythian did a white flag of grace and mercy to returning sinners that humble themselves at his feete for favour but if sinners stand out Christ will put forth his red flag his bloody flag and then they shall dye for ever by a hand of Justice Sinners there is no way to avoid perishing by Christs iron rod but by kissing his golden Scepter The fourth Remedie against this Device 4 Remedie of Satan i● to consider that Iesus Christ has no where in all the Scripture excepted against the worst of sinners that are willing to receive him to belive in him and to rest upon him for happinesse and blessedness Ah sinners why should you be more cruell and unmercifull to your own soules then Christ is Christ hath not excluded you from mercy why should you exclude your owne soules from mercy Oh that you would dwell often upon that choise Scripture John 6. 37. All Iohn 6. 37. that the Father giveth me shall come to me and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out or as the Originall hath it I will not cast out Well saith Christ if any man will come or is coming to me let him be more sinfull or lesse more unworthy or lesse let him be never so guilty never so filthy never so rebellious never so leprous c. yet if hee will but come I will not not not cast him off So much is held forth in that 1 Cor. 6. 9 10 11. Know ye not that the unrighteous 1 Cor 6. 9. 10 11. shall not inherite the Kingdome of God Be not deceived Neither fornicators nor idolaters nor adulterers nor effeminate nor abusers of themselves with man-kinde Nor theeves nor covetous nor drunkards nor revilers nor extortioners shall inherite the Kingdome of God And such were some of you but ye are washed but ye are sanctified but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the spirit of our God Ah sinners do not thinke that hee that hath received such notorious sinners to mercy will reject you Hee is Heb. 13. 8. yesterday and to day and the same for ever Christ was borne in an Inne to shew that he receives all commers his garments were divided into four parts to shew that out of what part of the world soever we come we shall be received If we be naked Christ hath Robes to cloth us if we be harbourless Christ hath room to lodg us That is a choise Scripture Acts 10. 34 35. Acts 10. 34 35. Then Peter opened his mouth and said of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons But in every Nation he that feareth him and worketh righteousnesse is accepted with him The three Tongues that were written upon the Crosse in Greeke Latine and Hebrew to witnesse Christ to be Iohn 19. 19 20. the King of the Jewes do each of them in their severall Idiom avouch this singular Axiome that Christ is an all sufficient Saviour and a three-fold cord is not easily broken The Apostle puts this out of doubt in that Heb. 7. v. 25. Heb. 7. 25. Wherefore he is able also to save them to the vttermost that come unto God by him seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them Now he were not an Al-sufficient Saviour if he were not as able to save the greatest as the least of sinners Ah sinners tell Jesus Christ that he hath not excluded you from mercy and therefore you are resolved that you will sit waite weep and knock at the doore of mercy til he shall say souls be of good cheer your sins are forgiven your persons are justified and your soules shall be saved The fifth Remedie against this Device 5 Remedy of Satan is to consider that the greater sinner thou art the dearer thou wil● be to Christ when he shall behold thee as the travel of his soule Isa 53. 11. Isa 53. 11. He shall see of the travell of his soule and be satisfied The dearer we pay for any thing the dearer that thing is to us Christ hath paid most and prayed most and sighed most and wept most and bled most for the greatest sinners and therefore they are dearer to Christ then others that are lesse sinful Rachel was Gen. 29. 30. dearer to Jacob then Leah because shee cost him more he obeyed endured and suffered more by day and by night for her then for Leah Ah sinners the greatnesse of your sinns does but set off the freenesse and riches of Christs grace and the freenesse of his love this maketh Heaven and Earth to ring of his praise that he loves those that are most unlovely that hee shewes most favour to them that hath sinned most highly against him as might be shewed by severall instances in Scripture as Paul Mary Magdalene and others who sinned more against Christ then these and who had sweeter and choicer manifestations of divine love and favour then these The sixth Remedy against this Device 6 Remedie of Satan