creation was up in an outcry against him Man is the prime creature miserable and yet the prime creature cryd out upon to be more miserable man is not miserable enough yet let me overwhelme and drown all saith the Sea let me not leave a man alive saith the deepe Let me open my mouth and eate up all the men in the world saith the earth Let me breake forth and burne all saith the Heavens There is a strong propensity in all the creation to make an utter end of man without the least compassion towards him in any breast There is a joynt conspiracy in the creation just as there was in Noahs latter time to swallow up all and the creation shall obtaine its will upon all the wicked world at last and when that time comes you shall see what Gospell is in the creation not a dram of mercy shall any wicked soule finde so will Heaven and earth and the deepe conspire And as for the Law that is a Volume which heigthens all this cry and avers the justice of the creation in its cry and cries out for blood stronger then it Not a dram of any compassion to be found in the breast of any thing towards man no not scarce in man to man Acts 21.1 2. The Apostle after he had escaped shipwracke wondred to finde man-friendship 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being cast upon the Island of Melita the inhabitants there saith he made a fire for us because of the raine and because of the cold and they shewed us no little man-friendship he wondred having escaped the Sea that the people of the Island had not eaten him up and therefore the words that follow are observable When we came to land then we knew the name of the Island Melita quasi Melifluae insula i. an Island flowing with honey because he had found flowing mercie double kindnesse by Sea and Land The Gospell holds out this man friendship t is a Volume full of compassion to man so doth the Apostle expresse it Titus 3.4 But after that the kindnesse of man-friendship of God our Saviour appeared expressing the Gospell The Gospell is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a volume that holds forth Christ not onely as compassionate but as very facile this way and that is riches of glory indeed Love and kindnesse in order to any but Christ are wrought things there is a great deale of art to make some persons smile and it is so generally in point of kindnesse and mercy there must be a great deale of art used to any but Christ to bring them to it men must be heated and warmed againe and againe to make them beath and bend strait to my purpose but Christ is facile this way Titus 3. But after the gentlenesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or facilenesse of God our Saviour appeared 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christ is gentle and facile towards man ready to be brought on to doe him good in the saddest state the word is so translated Galat. 5. The fruit of the Spirit is gentlenesse Christ gives and forgives very much and he doth it without much 〈◊〉 easily chearfully t is his meat and drinke to doe his Fathers will yea and t is his meat and drinke to doe our will so farre forth as it doth conduce to righteousnesse and unto holinesse t is his meat and drinke to give us meat and drinke although it be his body and blood Love comes from Christ just as showers from Heaven and not as water out of a pump I will come as the formes and the latter Raine saith the Prophet and every word of this Gospell and not such another word in any other Book to be found As the formes and the latter Raine i very naturally Love comes from Christ just as leafes out of a Tree those leafes you reade of in the Revelation which are good to heale bud out naturaly and that but an illustration how love comes from Christ it growes and buds out of it selfe where no body can by any art fetch it out and then when buded out smiles and lookes greene upon men truly this is riches of glory indeed and yet thus doe the greatest acts of mercy come from Christ to man The Apostle to the Hebrewes mentions a great act of mercy and he mentions this very circumstance with it to wit how facile it comes But God willing more abundantly to shew his love to man and immutability of his counsell did make an Oath To this great act of mercy solemne swearing to seale and establish man God comes off very willingly or with much strength of affection and so the word is reade sometimes hee was strongly carried this way to sweare to establish and make weake hearts strong God was in such a temper in this very act as he was when he gave up his life J have a sacrifice and O how I am prest together within my selfe till it be sacrificed which expression shewes the great willingnesse of Christ to drinke off that deadly Cup. You have the same word used where the Apostle sayes love constraines mee This is the riches of the glory of the Gospell it holds forth compassion with much strength i bowels sounding very loud The Apostle fastens upon this circumstance to no to the kindnesse that comes from God to be exceeding riches because it goes forth so facile Eph. 2.7 That in Ages to come he might shew the exceeding Riches of his grace in his gentlenesse or facilenesse towards us This doth note exceeding riches indeed that Christ should bee facile in kindnesse towards man that arch Rebell The Gospel is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is an expression used by the Father of his Sonne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to set forth that infinite rest he had in him for person and action as our Mediator t is a terme that notes such large affection as is competent onely to God such as is a Heaven to him The Gospel holds forth Christ in this very frame of love towards man even as one in Heaven when he thinks of bringing man thither which spirit is called a thing of highest glory Luke 2.14 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 glory in the highest things what are those highest things Peace in Earth And what next 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rest and solace in men which is a high thing indeed and may well be called one of the highest things of glory that God should finde rest in man As God speakes of Christ so doth hee of those that are in him this is my beloved Sonne in whom J 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 solace my selfe have had my Heaven from all eternity And such a thing is it now for God to looke in Christ towards sinners it is a Heaven to him t is his rest to lie in the bosome of a sinner to lie in the place where his Sonne lies though in a Manger which is riches of glory indeed riches which make glory T is the pleasure and the grace of
c. Psalme 58.9.10 Both living and in his wrath as living as his wrath is the originall like that expression used of Chora and his company who went down quick into the pit as living as the wrath of God that took them off There is snatching of wicked into hell as well as snatching of believers into Heaven 1. Coloss 13. Power of darknesse I Do approve this translation and possibly might joyn issue with it and do well but give me leave rather a little to touch a more strict translation according to the originall The word which is here translated power is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies licentia a generall leave such a kind of libertie wherein one is freed to do what he will of one hand or the other So the Apostle uses the word to the Corinthians If a man eat or not eat he offends not onely saith he use not your 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 licence in this case to offence As this may be a genuine signification of the word so I believe it may give here a genuine sense Who hath delivered us à licentia tenebrarum from the libertinisme of darknesse and blindnesse the lawlesnesse of Gentilisme for darknesse here notes the rude estate of the Gentiles their rudenesse in sacred letters made them a loose lawlesse generation Ignorance pollutes the will That I may have the favour to be candidly received in this reading of the text I would note this to you to stand on That darknesse makes loosnesse ignorance of the word of God makes a lawlesse soul a Gentile Nature is powerfull as truth is wanting for corruption puts no yoke upon her self but doth what seemeth good in her own eyes when nothing to contradict Nature yields up all to will soul body gifts parts and that 's the God she sacrifices to of her self and to none else when she hath no light As you have yielded your members servants unto uncleannesse and to iniquity unto iniquity Rom. 6.19 Nature yields up to will will yields up to iniquity one iniquitie yields up to another iniquity a lesse to a greater and this is the progresse of fallen man till all be yielded up to the devil and himself to hell Nature acknowledgeth no supreme but Iust lust is a king of her own crowning to this though never so base though never so unclean all shall serve and to none else As you have yielded up your members servants to uncleannesse c. Nature is as licentious as hell darknesse is her supreme and the prince and power which onely leads her The flesh hath reasonings if the spirit cannot answer them The practice understanding the soul is overcome by the power of darknesse that is darknesse is put for light bitter for sweet and this in a way of argument for nature is loose and yet a justifier of her self in her way by some blind mediums or other which is the damning power of darknesse If we say we have no sinne saith the Apostle intimating that nature can argue for it self the old man hath a tongue in his head though scarce any brains or eyes and he will speak for himself the grave can open her mouth and speak as rotten as 't is this is a voice from the dead sinne saith 'tis no sinne and who can stand up and say 't is when the soul hath no light when there is no sunne in the heavens but all powers of the soul in darknesse Darknesse calls not it self so the crow is beautifull to himself the blackmoore fair in his own eye sinne saith 'tis no sinne this is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 loosnesse and lawlesnesse with a witnesse licentiousnesse protested Darknesse pollutes conscience conscience erroneous The conscience the soul is loose indeed the man will then kill Saints and call them devils the man will kill and slay whom he should not and think he doth God good service Conscience polluted judgement is reprobate judgement reprobate the life is so judgement misjudging and Samsons both eyes be out and all in thick darknesse and how strong soever other limbs and parts be yet you may lead the man whither you will and set him to grind or to what slaverie else you will till the man hath killed himself this is licentia insana mad libertie bloudy loosnesse Corruption is infecting and one facultie defiles another corruption works unto desperate lewdnesse when conscience carries the man to do wickedly this person will kill men and kill Christ in men Why dost thou persecute me How long will you resist the holy Ghost Ignorance Satans proper advantage Finally darknesse is the devils element and things are powerfull in their own element Sathan can lead a world of blind souls at once whither he will Sathan and corruption are the councel of State in dark souls both consulting and consenting and they discern neither and when these two carry all the soul is under a full power of darknesse and a generall liberty Sathan hath a kingdome and t is a kingdome of darknesse the devil is in his kingdome in a dark soul and a king in his kingdome rules all Kings give laws in their kingdome What Satan and the flesh say is a law to a blind soul how loose then must the life needs be There is a law in the members and the execution of this law is not accounted rebellion where the eyes be out and the man in the dark Dark souls are as obeying as the devil is commanding he that follows the Lambe whereever he goes is very holy and so he that follows the wolf the devil whithersoever he leads you may conclude is very unholy very licentious and under the power of darknesse Vse To the dark Church of England I will speak a word from this point Thy darknesse hath made loosnesse and lawlesnesse bloudy desperate gentilisme and heathenisme thy children are risen up against thee to kill thee for keeping them without light O English earth drink not up the bloud of thy slain take the bloud of thy body and the bloud of thy soul and throw it in the face of Bishops Deans Prebends Parsons Vicars Curats and all of that kind which have and do keep thee in blindnesse and taught thy children to kill Christ and one another For some years together loosnesse in tenets loose doctrines and pamphlets filled the kingdome directed against the Sabbath and other main parts of Christs will Prelates brains hatched nothing but toads they crept out of their mouths all the land over and then I did sadly foresee what all was drawing too apace loose tenets make a loose life When I saw mens gifts and parts under the power of darknesse I did believe that their persons and fortunes would not be long behind toads and serpents when they are generated must live who ever be stung and poisoned to death Unhappy Prelates must England bleed and die rather then your pompe all her bloud yet cries against this generation Was not this
the desire of that company of men I would not have them now imitated by any other to throw down light every where and keep the kingdome in darknesse and so in loosnesse that every one might rise up one against another to accomplish their will even children against father to cut the throat of purity and Puritans through the land To you more particularly let me speak from this point See here the spring of your neutrality you are dark you can do any thing because you know nothing Truth hath the power of God in it your hearts bend any way because you cannot set up God before them Sinners how have ye heard and what have you learn'd Your course speaks you loose to Christ and to many Christians what does it to your own consciences Have ye light what and live loosely Then you withhold the truth of God in unrighteousnesse and you will suffer doubly namely for the abuse of light and conscience A Libertine against light fights desperately against conscience or else hath kill'd it quite God is very angry with a man that is a sinner in the day O that thou hadst known in this thy day sinners in the day provoke God much and will be beaten with many stripes The prophet Esay speaks of darkning light in the heavens thereof Esay 5 30. Libertines against light darken the sunne in the heavens thereof they can snuff out the sunne that shines in their souls as one snuffs out a candle they pull the sunne out of heaven to make pleasure to themselves in the dark and make as if they knew nothing what they do Your hypocrisie is reigning and if not lookt to t will be ruining quickly these do not perish for want of knowledge but for want of conscience Coloss 1.13 And hath translated us into the kingdome c. WE have been at the border of hell and now we are come to the borders of heaven nature is as near hell as grace is heaven From nature to grace and from grace to glory is lost mans journey home again this journey is long and mans legges weak and not able to go it and therefore doth God bear him from one to another and transferre him along Transferring notes motion from one place to another but upon some bodies shoulders or in some bodies arms by bearing Observe the road to heaven and you shall see none going that way but in Christs arms you will see the way narrow and full of cripples carried along from tithing to tithing from sinne to grace from one grace to another till they come home to glory which is their kingdome Doctr. Grace is Gods carrying the soul to Heaven Christ carries souls in his arms unto eternall blessednesse Fallen man can neither stand nor go his fall hath killed him and the dead stirre not but as they are carried When the Angel stirres the water I have no body to put me in said the cripple if some bodie would take me in their arms or take me upon their backs and carrie me in I might come to health and happinesse The emblem speaks our state we are born from a miserable condition to a blessed from sinfulnesse which is soul cripplednesse to holinesse which is soul soundnesse and blessednesse Some can prevail with their wounds and weare them out but man is not so slightly wounded nature is deeply wounded and lies by it The Samaritan put the wounded man upon his own beast and brought him to an Inne and took care of him saith the Evangelist Luke 10.42 We are born from wounds to health from nature to grace from the kingdome of Sathan to the kingdome of Christ by Christs own power we are transferred into the kingdome Things have their nature and the result of this is their will man moves not heaven-ward nor will not things that will not go to such a place must be carried thither or they will never come there Christ puts himself to no more pains then needs must They will not come to me saith he of some which is true of all I must go to them and fetch them or they will never come to me else Christ speaks all our conditions in these words There is not bare indisposition but opposition resolute and in cases of this nature all must be carried by superiour power or nothing is done 'T is a hell to man to come out of hell and they are as devils tormenting before the time that meddle about this matter you chain and carry distracted creatures to means of remedie corruption hath its destructive haunt They are a perverse and a crooked generation Deuteronomie 32.5 they will not go Gods way and that they may not they wreath up their legges like a Tortoise contorti so saith the originall when a Tortoise wreaths in his legges under it you must carrie him if you will have him Christ saves laboriously he makes a sea of his bloud so deep as to bear the soul he makes arms and shoulders chariot wheels carriages to bear a sinner heaven-ward which is wonderfull heavy A sinner is a heavier burthen then all the creation he sinks all but Christ he makes the creation grone and crack under him he presses a world to nothing with his weight and yet Christ shoulders him The bearing up of the world is not so much burthen as the bearing up the soul of man he does the one with his word but to the doing of the other goeth word person bodie soul arms shoulders heart bloud all and yet Christ submits all these and becomes a porter a servant a slave and bears till his back and and heart break Labour if honourable helps to bear it self the labour it self lends one shoulders and gives one legges but base labour loads it self the servility and basenesse of it is more burthen then the burthen and pulls away all shoulders from it who will put himself to drudgings base service that is of any qualitie And yet Christ did this Drowning waters are up in this low world and Christ strips himself and wades and carries over poore souls upon his back and weaklings in his arms some one way and some another as may be best ease to them though most pain to him Christ saves fatherly Parents know no pains nor cost for children knees arms bosome soul all open to bear them Jacob wrapt up Joseph in his soul and carried him up and down in his bosome Christ is a father and moves just so to his children for every one of his children is a Joseph to him he takes up a child when complaining like the Shunamite and sets him in his lappe and keeps him their till he die all Christs children die in his arms like the Shunamites sonne If a child of God live an hundred years his father never sets him down out of his arms but carries him unto death beyond death as the Psalmist speaks Christ wraps us up in his soul and carries us there alwayes he is ever mindfull of us You
make him become bloudy God is love fury is not in him naturally but love he delights not in the death of any God is nothing but life and so is his motion naturally and therefore called a fountain of life nothing runnes from him naturally but life if death runne out of the fountain of life 't is because of poyson cast in by you Generation in bloud one mercy to die to bring forth another is such a generation as was not known in the beginning God never appointed things thus to generate but life to bring forth life and such a happy creature to bring forth such a happy creature all happinesse to live each speak out fully the vastnesse of the fountain and the similitude of the stream to it The sinne of the first Adam cost the bloud of the second and all the bloud that ever since hath been shed to keep any good alive in the world Murmuring souls you are blind justice steres the ship when it sails in bloud with jewels to you you would never open your mouths at all the bloud that is shed in the land no nor at all the bloud that ever hath been shed in the world if your eyes were but open to see this first thing God makes his way most sure to such an end let the means proposed to it be what they will through bloud and death or hell I will surely do thee good saith God to Abraham and yet they must into hardship so much and so long and yet still the end sure and this hart-bleeding condition the onely sure way to it and no other way would have been sure to such an end Certainty of an end with us depends upon the standing or falling of such a thing but the certainty of Gods end which he proposeth doth not stand upon the standing or falling of this or that but upon the resolution of his will I will certainly do thee good One may die another may die and yet whilest the will of God remains resolute to such an end the end will live and the dying of such prime persons is onward to it and without which it could not be Heaven and earth shall passe away but not one tittle of Gods will shall fall to the ground The certainty of Gods intention you see depends upon his will heaven and earth may die which are greater bodies then man and yet Gods intention live because his will lives I must say again that murmuring spirits are blind they can see nothing certain in these uncertain times they think that all that God intends must bleed and die because all that men intend bleed and die and the very men too Blind creatures the certainty of what God intends doth not depend upon any of these when all is in bloud and dead God is alive and on in his way to his end the unspeakable good of many God alwayes makes his way most honourable to such an end let difficulties in the way be what they will though God may cast much hardship upon us yet he casteth no disgrace upon himself nor upon his way His way is honourable and glorious saith the Psalmist all his wayes are so when he goes in bloud for he speaks of the execution of justice there when he goes in the death of one thing to the life of another he goes in in state and glory God is alwayes tender of his name when he seems not tender of any person his sonne his onely sonne scoffed crowned hanged used in all the cruellest and basest manner that men and devils could devise and yet this sonne so used by men was so managed by God and all his hardship that the name of God was made wonderfull honourable in all Noble persons stand not upon losse but upon their honour they value not life they will step every step in bloud rather then prosecute their designes basely An honourable spirit is naturall to God he bringeth nothing about basely he eyes not the bloud of men nor the bloud of his sonne nor the bravest bloud that ever ran in bloud vessels but what he eyes is the accomplishment of his will honourably Murmuring spirits you are blind and you are base so you may but have your own ends the fafety of your lives and states you care not how God brings this about whether honourably or dishonourably Unruly hearts are unfit to order weightie matters such spirits must be guided by better then their own what is done with dishonour to God saves a little bloud and forfeits a great deal God will manage his way with honour though he drown and burn worlds and turn all the creation into bloud Our spirits should move like Gods that his will may be done by me to his honour What is my bloud What is God break my back with standing upon it and squeez out my bloud so that it may but colour his garments scarlet and honourable Finally God makes his way most beneficiall when most bloudy and difficult Who can expresse the benefit that redounds to the Church by the bloud of Christ the like I may say of the bloud of Christians the benefit which redounds to God and to man is not to be expressed The like I may say of the bloud that is now shed in England Truth by fiery trialls is made famous Christ is clothed with scarlet and crowned with glory here a mans life is his glory and this given to Christ in flames is double glory put upon Christ a mans bloud veins are the lowdest trumpets on earth to sound out any thing What a noise hath Christs bloud made all the world over And so the bloud of Martyrs is it dried up yet What virtues and graces smell so sweet and look so glorious as those that are died rose-colour with bloud with the bloud of that earthen breast in which they grow Bloud hath a very crying voice it cries up guilt to heaven and so it cries up grace in heaven and earth it makes Christ terrible holinesse immortall truth eternall what is written in bloud never goes out and all that reade wonder I have but one thing more to say and that is for as much as great things come in a way of hardship to fallen man that you would all prepare for hardship London dost thou not see England dost thou not feel that thy mercies come in bloud that thy redemption is likely if ever to be through much bloud but through much more then yet is shed who can say Men die dayly bloudy clouds go up and down and fall upon this citie and that and shalt thou London escape the storm Londoners Londoners are you prepared to welcome in your mercies in bloud You have had a Thames of water bringing in wealth to you for a great while are you prepared to have a Thames made of your bloud to bring in brave wealth to you for another while God hath stirred up some brave spirits amongst you I would all were such and yet I see many
Christ is spirituall he is head in the heart The kingdome of God is within you there are his Laws written and there is his throne Aarons rod and the tables of the covenant were in the inner Court and the Manna in the golden pot The command of the purse may serve a man but it doth not Christ he commands the heart My sonne give me thy heart You suit your seats so doth Christ he makes his throne in that which is nearest him to wit the spirit Christs rule is one soul bound up in another Paul bound in the Spirit and that bond bound all to good behaviour Christs rule is perpetuall Some heads may be cut off this head my text speaks of cannot Death hath slain many commanders but Christ hath slain death and him that had the power of death Satan is the executioner of Justice and therefore said to have the power of death as well as in other respects Christ hath destroyed all and hath his life in jeopardy by none he liveth and reigneth for ever he ruleth by his power for ever Psalm 66.7 He shall rule till he hath put down all rule and all power and all authority 1. Cor. 15.24 Untill he and his be one as he and his father are one till the kingdome be resigned up There be now many powers against Christ but he must reign till they be all down yet not any to help him The rule of Christ is Monarchicall there may be many lords over the body but there is but one Lord over the soul The government is upon his shoulders that is upon his alone Christ had none suffered with him and he hath none to reign with him here Christ hath trod the wine-presse alone he slew Goliah alone and is that stone alone that sunk into his brain he maketh his kingdome alone and ruleth it alone He shall build the Temple of the Lord and he shall bear the glory and shall sit and rule upon his throne Zacharie 6.13 Vse This point is irksome most hearts can bear no rule contradiction is death though it be the word of life that maketh it Office destroyed the soul destroyeth it self where Christ can be no King he will be no Jesus such as stumble at this chief corner stone are crushed by it that soul that killed Christ is killed by him his bloud is upon every heart that nullifieth him The Lord be mercifull to the souls of men do ye know what ye do when you secretly say this lust shal reign and Christ shal not reign over me You commit Adoniahs treason treason against the crown that you may put by Solomon from the throne your bloud and your life will go for this When Adam committed treason against the crown would become a God God cutteth him off presently though there were no more men in the world Justice hath its heights and depths as mercy hath treason against the King hath exquisite torture such a death as hath many deaths in it so 't is in this case spirituall treason hath double death By dying thou shalt die thou traitour against the crown of Heaven said Christ to Adam and in him to all that do as he did There is death unto death and this the punishment of every traitour against Christ This is too generall a more particular application shall be made Your souls are under command you have a spirituall head You have fathers of your flesh and you obey them you have a father of spirits and why do ye not obey him Most men look least at their hearts all the care is to order the tongue and the outward man Hypocriticall creatures you overlook the kingdome of Christ you look at the outside Christ looketh at the heart who ruleth within all is under command body and soul the soul principally and yet this principally neglected must needs be the death of all thoughts must be brought into subjection to Christ as well as words Loose hearts have their plague upon them their holinesse is painted but their judgement will be reall they have sould their souls to do wickedly and will be paid in hell The behaviour of the heart is all dethrone Christ and he will fight it out with you to the death a disloyall soul shall never have the sword depart from him not a quiet day as long as he liveth Our temporall king which ruleth in this land doth but imagine that you go about to dethrone him or take off some flowers from his crowns and you see and feel that he fights it out with you to the death and seemeth resolved not to give England a quiet day as long as he lives Make spirituall application of this ye Hypocrites ye painted toombs that come here and professe Christ and go out like Judas and betray him you dethrone Christ in your hearts you destroy the flowers of his crown the rule of the soul is the onely flower of his crown and taking away this from him he will fight it out with you to the death the sword shall never depart from your souls you shall not have a quiet day for the hypocrisie which you know Tremble Hypocrites fearfulnesse will surprise you your secret basenesse will generate a secret hell justice shall rule where truth and love cannot the rottennesse of your hearts shall have a corasite to feed upon it for ever let every one lay these things to heart and consider whether Christ be head there yea or no. Two things demonstrate the heart indeed ruled by Christ sin universally hated and truth universally loved Passions are false strength speaketh out their truth and who ruleth in the heart Some spirits are indifferent for truth or errour and hold a virtue to be hot for neither but to stand in all times of contradiction so as to keep the skinne whole Hypocrisie ruleth in this heart and not truth and this temper is the plague of this generation neither hot nor cold Cold sweats are death pangs the soul is near his end that thus liveth If God be God worship him halting between many things is nothing this speaketh the prince of darknesse yet ruling affections which break through obstacles to discharge duty speak Christ head in the heart I will not stand on qualities themselves but at what every quality maketh and this will be more plain to you to demonstrate who ruleth in your hearts Fire encounters all opposites so doth every element from a naturall instinct and so doth grace where it reigneth Sinne is the proper object of hatred and every sinne is made so where Christ indeed is head Dominion speaketh all subdued if any sinne reign Christ doth not Weak hearts must not here wrong themselves the being of sinne and the stirring of sinne which the Apostle calleth the motion of sinne do not necessarily speak the reign of sinne Many precious hearts when they feel sinne strong in them conclude it reigneth in them and censure their souls exceedingly and so make their life a hell they
not the doores of Gods house are open but you have no hearts to go in the day of small things is despised and yet you expect great things Israel expected milk and honey flowing and yet could not eat the Manna that was about their tents and did God give them their expectation doth God give great spirituall mercy to full stomacks doth he satisfie the loathing soul The Israelits were judged in the basenesse of their hearts and their bodies fell in a wildernesse Just as they kept their souls Do you not keep your souls in a wildernesse out of the fellowship of the Gospel as the rest of the world do you will be judged where you lie where your souls lie cold and dead their shall your carcases fall and die God is spuing out hovering spirits that are neither hot nor cold but hot and then cold that will and then will not obey Christ Discreet stomacks do not expect great feasts you must have a vomit first you are bid to come into the feast and you have excuses the high wayes and fields shall yield guests to Christ and you shall die in your shame The poore unknown parts of the world possibly may possesse what Christ is now dishing out Simplicity fitteth for great things God maketh such a spirit and then bestoweth all upon it the choycest spirituall favours England thy misery is double were it but single thou mightst soon recover Thou hast no knowledge of God but this is not all if it were means might soon make this but thou hast no truth nor knowledge of God there is no truth nor knowledge of God Some spirits are wanton and they know not what they would have others proud and this and that they must have others politick and they say this we should have but not yet who can expect brave things in the midst of such a base people Christians deceive not your selves with dreams for God is not mocked he will make you open your mouths wide ere he give great things Open thy mouth wide and I will fill it Psal 81.10 You purse up your spirits and wring and squeez your consciences so that there is no capacitie for the reception of full soul-mercies The new heaven will have a new earth the holy land shall have a holy seed come into it Can you cleanse your selves from all your abominations and can you do this speedily Then may you see the good of Gods chosen but otherwise expect as you are Coloss 1.18 Who is the beginning c. THe Apostle is in a rapture every word speaks admiration of Christ he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he is principium praecipuum first and chief The term we are now upon speaks dignity a heart taken with Christ as chief in order to all blessednesse which is a blessed frame He is the head of the body the chief the first born this I think may be the reading of this text Doctr. Divine property sparkles in this expression A gracious heart is taken with Christ as chief No honour no felicity like that which Christ hath and which he gives Some are sonnes Christ is an onely sonne some are kings but Christ is King of kings some are honourable none above Angels but Christ is so To which of the Angels said he c. Some are wealthy Christ hath all the sheep on a thousand hills the utmost parts of the earth some are beautifull Christ is the fairest and so in the eye of those that are best discerning in the eyes of every gracious soul Paul personates all the godly here in admiring Christ as chief Judgement is clear things are discerned as they are where the heart is truly turned to God Bables take fools reall excellencies wise men Gracious hearts are wise none of Christs children are fools all that truly fear him are able to discern things that differ and so call them The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdome assoon as a man becomes a disciple of he is made a good scholar Carnall understanding is enmity to truth it scoffs at what it cannot comprehend with its own power Grace hath a higher reach Christs children have spirituall understanding they admire things not by out-sides but by insides not as they are among men but as they are with God Christ is the lowest amongst men but chiefest with God and therefore so with the godly This is wisdome and all wisdome I may apply the latter to a Christian compared with worldly wise men all wisdome is taken with that which shall be all in another world that which is all and shall be all to all eternity He is the beginning the chief Judgement is clear and love is sincere in a called soul he calls things as he finds them and nothing tasts so sweet as the dainties which Christ gives Sense carries you to call things as your palate relishes them according to this you say This is the sweetest dish at table Love is divine in a divine heart and as things rise in the divinity of their nature so divine affection calls them and admires them One Christian hath much grace I tast it in his discourse and he sits high in my breast another hath much more and he sits much higher but Christ hath most of all and he sits highest he is chief Affection is working if it be carnall it tumbles carnall things and sets its mark upon that which is most carnally advantagious this is best this will serve this time and my turn best if it be divine it will do the like it will tumble divine things and that which is most divinely advantagious this it marks this is best this is chief this will best accomplish my soul Paul personates the godly here they call Christ as they love him as they find him in sweetnesse to their souls in his words and works none speak like him to their souls nor none does like him and therefore they crown him and style him chief Vse Christians consider your condition who is chief with you Times are evil the world ensnares justice kills men loose their souls by thousands Ah Lord what tolling and ringing out is there above for sick and dead souls here below Persons sick after the creature their spirits are dead in the flesh some mens palates are quite out of tast this speaks a foul stomach they cannot savour the things of God Words of Christ harsh rules of Christ scorned these call Christ in their hearts base not chief however they call him with their tongue I know no mans heart but Christ knows all as the creature is preferr'd Christ is undervalued as you love your souls look to this Who will shew us any good some can call nothing good but what is carnally good trading is good money is good but nothing else no nothing else indeed not the heart that sayes so Not Christ but the bag was chief to Judas though he heard so much and saw so
Christ hath the same life and the same felicities of life he hath the same meate the same habite and the same dwelling one Sunne hath as many raies as tother and riseth as high as tother they move both in one spheare they dwell in the same house they have the same traine and attendance where one goes tother goes My Father and I will come and sup with him Christ and his Father sup together lodge together Esse radiatum esse is communicated Glory is communicated the very glory which God personally weares is communicated to Christ Glorifie me with thine owne selfe with the glory which I had with thee before the world was All Christs is Gods and all Gods is Christs All mine are thine and thine are mine The very glory that God weares himselfe the glory which he weares in heaven that which he wore before all the world was is Christs Whatsoever is under the whole Heaven is Christs Job 41.11 Yea whatsoever is above the whole Heaven whatsoever is in Heaven is Christs glory is his thine is the kingdome power and glory What glory Why that glory which is at the right hand of God The choicest glory in Heaven in the Heaven of Heavens is Christs and at his dispose Vse What is so compleat and yet not gaine the heart speakes that heart very naught and yet this is very common though Christ have all fulnesse yet emptie creatures care nothing for him When cost is liberally laid out and when all laid out will bring nothing in againe that 's sad when all in stocke is out and brings in nothing this goes to the heart of God I planted a goodly vine a noble plant a right seede and yet that trampled under foote said God Fulnesse runs out Mens cisternes are broken so that fulnesse can fill nothing such broken cisternes must be mended or else they will be broken to pieces 'T is wonderfull that Christ is so full and we are so emptie the fault is not in him 't is in us it must be found out and laid to heart it cannot goe well with us else I must speake to three sorts of men some have nothing and some have but a little not one of a thousand full with the fulnesse of Christ all have their fault and must be told on 't Some have no grace nor no good nature farre from righteousnesse as the Prophet speakes full of pride and full of malice Solomon spied it in his time so doe I now The heart of the sonnes of men is full of evill and madnesse Eccles 9.3 Men watch not their hearts and they please themselves in it as loving ease and are undone ere they are aware Evill is a growing thing but when dunged a little by remisnesse the heart will grow full of it presently and then the next step is madnesse as Solomon saith full of evill and madnesse The heart full of evill and the man grows mad to maintaine it and to spread it Alas for thee England thou art in a sad condition full of mad-men men whose hearts are full of evill and mad to maintaine it men emptie their chests of gold yea they emptie their veines of bloud to fill their soules and lives full of wickednesse which they love The heart full of evill cannot hide it selfe the curse of God is upon sin in strength to cut off the sinner that is white to Harvest Things will struggle for life though they die for it full streames have their adventitious occurrences which make overflowings Were you at Oxford you would see spring-tides every day hearts full of evill and over-flowing and running out at their mouth in blasphemies as blacke as hell 'T were well if such a great plague were at such a great distance from us as Oxford but alas for us Oxford is full London is full England is full scarce a heart amongst us but is full of evill and mad to maintaine it What will become of us all Hearts are full of sinne God is full of wrath the Land is full of bloud Ah Lord are we not in hell on earth And yet emptie hearts consider nothing Delusions destroy thousands men full of pride their eyes are swelled out till they feele much they can see nothing amisse in their owne wayes The Land is full of wrath not a man of you almost but full of distresse in one kinde or other and what 's this but Gods broad demonstration that your hearts and lives are full of sin yet can you see this sense is the first step to remedie where this is not notwithstanding all meanes ruine not remedie is neere ah England I feare thy condition but yet still will pray your hearts are full of sin your lives full of miseries are your eyes full of teares O that my heart were full of grace Christ fills the hungry c. Grace in fulness is the felicitie of life bend not after this heighth and you cannot be fully happie Set God his distance and be but never so little and he cannot kisse you unlesse you take him fully into your armes he will be jealous of your love and set you at a distance every day more then other till he hath shaken you off for ever Times square mens course yea mens grace affection and action must rise but so high lest it set all afire names state fortune if love burne so strong as some Ministers would have it 't will burne us out of all The Lord be mercifull to mens basenesse this earth will not beare us long else hell will be full of such soules ere such soules will be full of grace Let times be what they will truth must be pursued to the full this fils the soule with grace neglect this and 't is impossible your hearts should be full of grace how full soever you get your purses of money Great things in the world cut the throats of men they will rather have emptie spirits then emptie purses leane soules then leane cheekes Ah Lord how do the dead bury the dead in earth now Fill one anothers mouths with earth Little of the world must serve if wee would be full of grace This gold lies not in earth but in Heaven not in the world but in truth dig these mines throughly and you will find all treasure and be filled with all the fulnesse of God Consolation springs from this point a word of this and I have done Wee have said much of Christs fulnesse and yet too little Christians comfort your selves 't is all yours Christ hath all and is full so have you in him claime your proprietie and comfort your selves with it in all your distresses in this life as Paul did Phil. 4.18 I have all and am full saith he and yet had nothing in the world The Apostle had Christ which hath all heaven and earth Qui habet habentem omnia habet omnia He that hath Christ hath all formally or eminenter i. whatsoever is wanting in the creature at
counsell of Gods will is his guide Mercy goes forth and embraces this or that person and not from any respect else but Gods will he does all things according to the counsell of his will Prerogative carries all with him God is free and will be free to give what he will to whom he will he hath no respect nor obligement upon him nor will have I will have mercy upon whom I will men proffer to some persons this or that to induce them to do this or that for them and they say no what we do we will do freely God is such a noble Spirit The whole creation is spiritually turned into a Chaos darknesse is upon the face of the deep upon the deepest understanding every soule under heaven without form and void of God As all things were then materially as clay in the hands of the Potter free for God to shape how he would one to this another to that so are we now spiritually and as then he was led in the old creation by his will so is he now in the new creation and by nothing else the will of none interrupts or swayes a jot with God Of his own will be begat us by the Word of truth Jam. 1.18 Not any thing without God swayes him in what he does in the old creation or in the new and therefore all that comes forth from him is free and can be no otherwise I will give you an argument more of this nature and then the use of all not a creature upon the face of the earth that can present any thing of his own to God to draw love and to make friendship in the least kinde Distance and disparitie is so great between some persons that there is an utter incapacitie in one side to make and ingage the other What can a begger a vagabond present a Prince with to make his favour if he would be made with a gift The case is ours out of naught comes naught we are naught and nothing else and can present nothing else to him who is nothing but good There is no soundnesse in us Esa 1. 'T is a remarkable expression if we had any soundnesse and 't were but very light we might present that to attract and make friendship and love and so with something of our own help by art a bad condition but there is no soundnesse in us from the crown of the head to the sole of the foot What grace doth by degrees in a very long space of time that sin did presently Grace doth purge wholly but 't is long first The God of peace sanctifie you wholly c. Sin corrupts wholly presently as soone as ever Adam transgressed it did as some strong poyson run quite over him presently so that we are become as the Psalmist saith Altogether filthy Psal 14.3 Such as are altogether filthy cannot offer any thing of their own altogether cleane and yet so it must be to him who is altogether so or else it obtaines nothing with him and therefore 't is that the Scripture speakes of our righteousnesse as menstruous ragges Vse I have now shewed you that mercy cannot be merited but justice may The favour of God goes for nothing in man but the wrath of God goes forth alwayes for something in man a course of sin should be trembled at ah Lord what will this bring about My goodnesse extends not to God but my wickednesse doth My grace merits nothing but my sin merits much A man may doe enough to deserve hell quickly The troubles of the whole Land are many every Country dyed with bloud I know how folkes speake of all this yet not a drop of bloud more shed then merited If thy many wounds and much bleeding prove mortall O England thy death will be but just desert 'T were well if what now is upon us were all we have deserved we should then give a guesse when our troubles would end whereas now we can give none A person or Nation pursued according to merit perisheth unavoydably The wages of sin is death Our remedie is free mercy that God breake off from what he is yet but entred upon to wit judgement for if he goe on to doe but justice woe unto us all he will finde matter enough to keep justice alive till every person in the Land be dead See Esa 9. He shall snatch on the right hand and be hungry and he shall eate on the left hand and not be satisfied they shall eate every man the flesh of his own arme Manasseh Ephraim and Ephraim Manasseh c. And for all this his anger is not turned away but his hand is stretched out still vers 20 21. Justice will finde worke a great while if this be onely imployed about a people 't will eate out all and looke over the hatch for more For all this his anger is not put away c. When justice hath destroyed a whole Land yet not a jot satisfied nor pacified but stands ready to burne it againe and againe Mercy finisheth her worke that consummates the creature justice finisheth her worke too and this consumes the creature When justice doth finish her worke yet then 't is righteous 't is in righteousnesse He will finish his worke in righteousnesse If this be the determination of God upon us that justice shall finish her work in the middest of us we are in a consumption and can never recover He will finish his worke in righteousnesse c. That 's a fatall sentence If free grace intercept not till justice hath finished her worke 't will eate us out all Wee have deserved to die all beate at heaven to know whether the heart of God be hardened as yours is and whether he be onely judiciarily bent against us And whom he will he hardens c. Flint to flint strikes nothing but fire God hardened and we hardened nothing but blowes and fire will or can issue out of this Plead with God for grace and compassion for the Land or we cannot live More particularly I would make application of this point Grace is free in soule distresses let us all feed upon this doctrine God doth not choose us and imbrace us for our beautie as Ahasuerus did Esther and yet this is it that makes many poore soules to shake off what they should take hold on I am very filthy preyed upon with this lust or that should such a one as I kisse the King of glory Is there any reason to thinke that he will take me into his armes and make me his delight Wee may not measure the wayes of God by the wayes of man Grace workes above reason that which we can give no ground for God doth his love passeth knowledge in the breadth length height and depth of it in the spring of it Why is this man or that beloved can any man give a ground more then that which Paul doth It pleased God to reveale his Son in me Nothing can be rendered as
tittle of his will shall live though bad and good shoot at it Satan hath as large an army in the field now as ever was known bad men good men Satan is got into Judas yea and he is got into Peter Master drive gently drive warily save your skin and avoid the bloody cup and yet Christ will be too hard for both Christ wants wit and wants learning and many things else in the eyes of standers by and yet though so weak conquers God hath chose the foolish things of the world to confound the wise God should be honoured in his way the Psalmist breaks forth sweetly into blessing God from this ground that God out of the mouth of babes should ordain strength And so Deborah notes it in her song specially and sweetly how Jael a woman did a mans work and used a mans instrument She put her hand to the nail and her righ hand to the work-mans hammer Women are usuall very aucherd at mans work left-handed but Jael is right-handed at it she put her right hand c. and that which was a work-mans hammer is now a work-womans hammer and she blesses God and extols him that â—â—us trode down strength by weaknesse and turn'd a woman into a man and a man into a beast and butchered him on the ground So should we now that children are turned into men little prentise boyes made valiant to cut off the mighty and do the great works of the kingdome and little towns and villages to waste great forces Certainly we of this Land are very much behinde hand with God in honouring and praising of him according to this admirable way of working Things that are precious you will lose none of them you save the very dust of gold The manifestations of God are the most precious things in all the world the very dust of Gods feet in every path of his we should carefully keep we should talk of all his doings how much more therefore of his wonderfull doings when he doth much with nothing and much for nothing for worse then nothing to wit sinfull man How God goes in the Sanctuary and how he goes out of the Sanctuary in the family in the city in the countrey in the army upon what weak legs and with what little toes should be all written down in the heart first and then carried up to heaven for God to reade Our father loves to have his children brought home to him often to see them and their Nurse how well they prosper together You cannot present God with a more taking sight in all the world then with one of his own actions with its speciall circumstances They were under the Law to lay their hand of the head of some offerings that was to point out Christ on whom they trusted Bring an offering to God any action of God with its speciall circumstances and you lay your hand on the head of the offering you point out Christ to all the world as he whom you trusted on in your way and as he whom you would have all else to do the like and on none else and this is very sweet to God he loves to lie high in the breast of all God hath done things in England so me thinks as to be crowned for ever in every English heart by a very noise amongst the Mulberry trees he makes the mighty run and fall Not by might nor by power but my Spirit saith God 'T is by how much God gains in your hearts that you are to measure his love to you in his works With little God doth much for you if with much you do little for him in speaking of him and living to him all will end sadly at last If nothing will set an instrument in tune you break it and burn it this makes me feare our state in the midst of hope God is very good to thee England but thou continuest very bad dead inwardly dead spiritually which according to reason one would think should make death corporally Finally this way of God should be trusted in or this God which can thus work should be firmly rested on When extremities are great and little means appearing then our hearts sink now misery is mortall but of our own making for 't is all one with God to save with few as with many Nothing kills the man so long as faith keeps alive and faith can never die if the soul well consider the point in hand that any thing is enough for God to work salvation by I am much in debt but a little oile in the cruce left God can blesse a little to rise to a subsistance and to discharge off all ingagements A little of God is enough to make one very rich very strong very wise very blessed in all conditions let misery be as much as ' twill Some are disheartened from duty because opposites before them are many visible advantages very few these soules lie insnared in their own devices and dye at a distance from God which they have set themselves to keepe their body safe with a little light and an honest heart God can enable to doe much to fight with the Prince of darknesse very learned heads and very malicious hearts Did not God inable many poore women and illiterate men to befoole the bloudy Clergie of the former ages of the world and to hold faith and a good conscience in despight of all Were not them we read of in the Hebrewes out of weaknesse made strong and the point in hand tells us that this is the way of God Resolution should carry on to dutie and then let God alone to carry on in it how weake soever you are or how strong soever your enemies are A great dore was opened to Paul and there were many enemies at it he but one and weake and yet along he would and venter upon Christ to make way through them which makes one weake one stronger then a thousand COLOSSIANS 1.22 In the body of his flesh through death IN severall verses foregoing the extremitie of Christs sufferings is mentioned and yet here againe In whom we have redemption through his bloud vers 14. This is repeated and amplified ver 20. where 't is call'd the bloud of his crosse Here is the same thing repeated but with variation of termes what before was called bloud and bloud of the crosse is here called death Christ did bleed to death for sinners Christ underwent much but it workes but little upon us Often repetition of the same thing is for energies sake that what is not laid to heart at once speaking may be at second often repetition of Christs sufferings speaks lowdly this That 't is a hard thing to be kindly and throughly affected with what others undergoe for us Doctr. Jacob underwent much for Laban so did David for Nabal heat and cold but both coldly remembred such cold carnall wretches they were both Earth hath no sense this is the state of our soules naturally Can a stone
for the thing though uncertain for the manner Christ doth number our haires at all times but what doth he do then when the head is going to be cut off He doth make all our darknesse light that which is upon nature state person Christ is with us alwayes according to an externall goodnesse one way or other They have Rosemary and Bays or some sweet thing or other in their hand in the view of all that go to the grave with Christ But internally they have much of him indeed that cleave closely to him What a box of ravishing odors did Christ open to Maries soul which did perfume his body and go along with him to his grave Can any one explain the depth of divine love wherewith her soul was filled That was heaven in hell What 's heaven but the love of Christ without measure powred into the heart To hearten on Abraham to follow the commands of God throughly to forsake Chaldea Babel and all the confusion of a blind proud generation and to go to the land of divine ordinance observe how God heartens him Thou shalt have exceeding much of me without and within I am thy shield and thy exceeding great reward And this promise repeated to him and his â—â—sterity in all straits and dangers Can you measure that love which exceeds all bounds Through action makes through reception through action is a soul giving up all to Christ against all opposition from men When we give all to Christ hee gives all to us and what a deal is Christs all I have all saith the Apostle when he wanted for Christs sake All What all A divine all When you speak of your all i. of all you have it rises sometime to a great deal to many thousands but what Arithmetick will expresse Christs all Shall I call his estate thousands millions millions of millions I shall mis-call it 't was never told never guessed nor never will by all those exquisite beholders and enjoyers above 't is infinite Can any finite creature guesse what infinitnesse is Can you tell the starres all their numbers all their influences Then may you tell all the smiles kisses and embracements which Christ gives to such as follow him to death This is Christs all he sits at the right hand of God embraced with that glory he had with his father before the world was and embracing all with the same glory which are with him COLOS. 1.23 If you continue in the faith grounded and setled and be not moved away from the hope of the Gospel TErmes in themselves have been considered their intimation also may be usefully taken up which is that man advantaged is an uncertain creature in a good course The state of man is a hid thing what he is what he will be a man looks well and yet that poison lurks in his body which some yeers hence gathers about his vitals and pales him that friends scarce know the man he is such a changling Nothing lurks so secretly as sin not a man that knowes his heart to the botome 't is deceitfull above all things who knowes it A man smiles upon a holy course this yeere and frownes and breaks out against it next So much is hinted here if you continue in the faith and be not moved away Man advantaged is an uncertain creature in a good course Light is a brave advantage to a steady course Demonst 1. We set our compasse by lucid bodies by the Sun and by the Stars and know whither and to what part of the world we are going which setles our minde and makes our journey sweet and our labour and travell lasting Dubitation tires every step is irksome when a man knows noâ— whether he be out or in his way and yet where no dubitation is the soul tires When light unto information when light unto perswasion is made concerning the way and the end the soul is still in danger to turn off If ye continue in the faith i. the truth â—e have understood and believed Pravity at some height will beâ—â—…wn conviction spurn against an Angel in the way turn for Tarshâ—sh when it knowes it should go another way Conviction is a noble advantage to a steady course consolation is a nobler to be convinced of the way and comforted in the way the man hath a coach from heaven to prevent tiring Fruit that is specious to look upon is inviting to appetite but when we bite it and finde it to have no sweetnesse to our taste we throw it away but that which hath colour and taste too we retain firmly we incorporate such substances with our selves we eat them and so keep their vertue so long as we are The Gospel hath these two properties 't is cleer light and glad light They were glad when they saw his starre there was vision and consolation a light of life one would think now none could kill this and yet pravity at some height will put this to death a consolatory light They rejoyced in his light for a season here is light and joy light and life add yet this dies this brisk sparkling wine vapors away all its own spirits and dies This truth lies in the Text too be not moved away from the hope of the Gospel i. that word which makes hope and sets the soul at heaven door and can one be there and not joy Hope sets the soul like Moses within sight of the Holy Land Can a man see heaven and not joy A man may not see heaven and yet joy In whom though now you see him not yet believing ye rejoyce c. But can a man see heaven and not joy Can a man enter within the vaile and yet not joy And yet when at the border of Canaan when at heaven doore there is danger of turning back yea when something of heaven is given out at the door some tastes of the powers of the world to come may come to de distasted A vertuous property is inducing and the more generall this property is the more inducing That property is pleasant to one palate which is unpleasant to another that is fair in ones eye which is ugly in anothers but that which is glorious to every eye that sees it sweet to every palate that tastes it this we are doubly taken with and cleave to Such a thing is the Sun of a generall vertue and glory so in every ones eye no man ever saw the Sun but confest it a very glorious body and a very reviving body Such is the Sun of righteousnesse never soul saw or tasted him but confessed him surpassing all the fairest the sweetest of ten thouâ—â—nd Now 't is a strange stomack that disagrees and nauseates 〈◊〉 â—hrowes up that which is pleasant to every palate that hath tasted it as well as to its own when it did eat it And yet such strange changes there are naturally and the like spiritually a throwing up and a throwing off of that which hath had its demonstration
matter of joy And yet there are no other prospects here below take what house what place what advantage you will to look abroad upon things here below you cannot look besides ruine and desolation that this shall be repaired and all these broken cisternes mended and filled and all made to run eternally into my soule this may doe something upon the soule when it can rise and reach so high and this is hope My flesh shall rest in hope Hope is a soule at rest concerning all things within and without concerning spirit and flesh that they shall be all perfectly well The soule of man naturally sits up much now distracted creatures can take little rest this is not well that 's not well all will be worse the world will sinke and I shall be undermost you may guesse by despaire what hope is Despaire is a soule wracking it selfe with what is Job 13.14 and with what will be 'T is one taking his flesh in his teeth torturing and tearing all under his own apprehension of things God is gone he will never returne if he doe 't will but be to send me to my place Hope is the correction of these distempers God is hid he is not gone I shall see him though not now every bone that is broken shall rejoyce every filthy issue in my soule shall be dryed up I will waite upon the Lord that hideth himselfe from the house of Jacob and I will look for him this is hope hope has the command of her selfe but will not have the command of God Shee has every thing that would rebell at her foote but Christ in the highest esteeme of any of his daughters Can he give bread Will he give a crum to me No I shall eate this morsell and die groane this groane and my heart-strings will breake You never heard hope speake such a word shee is a childe that speakes just like her father Our God is not come indeed yet but he will come and he will not tarry though he puls down quickly yet he takes time to build up and this time hastens Despaire looks upon mercy at a stand hope sees it coming and coming a great pace My beloved comes skipping upon the mountaines i Certainly coming and swiftly coming Hope hath but bad externall feeling but all other senses most acute Shee can see a great way heare a great way and the like In a dark day when fogs are never so thick shee can look through them and behold the land that is far off When shee is in the belly of hell shee can look towards Gods Temple When burthens presse that sense hath nothing but torture nothing but devils to shake hands with yet then shee can see a God amongst a thicket of Devils though shee cannot come at him as shee would though I cannot come to him he will come to me where ever I am though thousands incompasse me yet I will not feare that is I will not despaire of one to come to relieve me Hope will carry more burthens then any grace without sinking In perils by sea in perils by land c. In povertie in nakednesse distressed in all kinds with a witnesse but not cast downe Hope is never cast downe shee will cast downe any thing men devils but is never cast down her selfe Hope is a hardie long-lived grace 't will live in famine when ' thath not a bit of bread 't will live in sicknesse in warre in death The righteous hath hope in his death Hope was never knowne to have her heart-strings breake 't is semper vivens Death is the King of feares and yet it pales not the countenance of hope hope walks in the valley of the shadow of death and feares none ill i expects no hurt Hope can fee no ill no hurt in any thing not in death not in the grave that house is something darke indeed but I shall not alwayes lie there saith hope Thou wilt not leave my soule in grave though thou kill me I will hope in thee though thou burie me I will hope in thee I shall rise as Christ did this vile body shall be changed and made like Christs glorious bodie and then set for ever where his is The flesh doth rest in hope Hope is conversant about no ill but about all good and most about that which is noblest 't is appetitus excellentis boni cum fiducia obtinendi therefore is hope so often put for heaven it doth so often goe to heaven and is so much taken up there Looking for that blessed hope and for the glorious appearing of that great God and our Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ Tit. 2.13 and so by the Author to the Hebrewes urged To lay hold on the hope that is set before us You see hope is put for heaven and the reason is because so much conversant there Hope feeds delicately shee hath a table below and this is nothing but the word of Christ My soule hopeth in thy Word Shee hath a table above and this is nothing but Christ himselfe and the state he weares above this shee looks upon oft and smiles to her selfe when no soule alive is aware Rejoyce in the hope of the glory of God The two termes of hope are hell and heaven shee goes from the one to the other and in this way turnes the one into the other and this is all her worke shee goes into every house of mourning where Christ is and takes exact notice of every distresse corporall and spirituall and then bids the mourner be chearfull all teares shall be wiped from thine eyes there is a house eternall in the Heavens though this cracke and moulder and there thou shalt sigh no more Hope is that good Angel that carries Lazarus and lays him in Abrahams bosome 't is that grace which makes heavie afflictions light long afflictions short by shewing the soule what they worke about a far more exceeding and an eternall weight of glory Hope can speake nothing but Heaven and glory to a distressed heart I conclude as I began Hope is a glad expectation of good i of all good but especially the highest and the noblest good Drooping hearts thinke of this point how usefull is this grace for you you have taken a house by the borders of hell continually affrighted with evill spirits that walke up and downe in your soules and yet you love to dwell here Terrors take hold sometimes 't is a heavie stroake then the soule refuseth comfort Sense of fin is good but it s a wound of it selfe that must be carefully drest oft with the leaves of the tree of life 't will rankle and kill else Sinner dost thou know thy state Yes Dost thou know it exactly Yes Why whither shalt thou goe when thou diest To Hell Hast thou no hope of any other thing No. Why wouldest thou stand still all this while and let thy soule bleed to death Was there no Balme in Gilead No word in all the booke of God
very exactly A true glasse is of worth All light flatters but the Gospel That 's an oyntment indeed which takes off all scales and makes perfect sight in any one and this is the propertie of the Gospel to whom soever it comes though an ideot as the originall is he is convinced of all 't is spoken as the naturall property of this light man cannot hide any thing from it It makes an exact discovery of man and an exact discovery of God so far forth as such powers as we have here are comprehensible it shines into our hearts and gives the light of the knowledge of the glory of God it discovers mans glory to wit his soule and the glory of God to wit his heart and his soule towards man two such properties as are not to be found in any light The glory of God is his face all other light discovers but his back parts or if it speake any thing about the face of God 't is as vailed To see the King is a great favour but to see him in state that 's a great friendship indeed There be many things have glory which if any one could give one eyes to behold wee should account it a great priviledge if any one could set me as Satan would have set Christ to behold the kingdoms of this world and the glory of them as is there exprest I should be ready to thinke it a great priviledge and yet all this glory not comparable to the glory of God all these things that glitter here below are but the dust of that gold above but some old cast garments which the King lays at his feete and gives to some poore servants and slaves they are but as cast-rags given to diseased creatures The glory of God is not to be exprest the Gospel helpes us to Pauls vision to behold unutterable things The face of God is his glory the face of a man is his glory Distinguishing propriety whether such a one be a brother a sister a father I can tell you when I see his face which is glorious to me when I behold The Gospel gives a distinct knowledge of God by this and by this alone I am enabled to look as it were in his face and to discerne in what relation I stand to him and he to me whether I be his childe and he my father or otherwise Mercy considered in such a latitude as eternally to save is cald the glory of God condiscension to the creature offending taking him up in his armes 'T is cald the glory of a man to passe by a fault to abide sweet when others are bitter to smile and embrace when there is no invitement but all discouragement this is cald the glory of a man and this is cald the glory of God The Gospel and no light else holds forth transcendent condescension in God by all other light wee conceive of him as one that is austere as one that will not yeeld a whit as one that will have the utmost farthing his own with advantage or inflict death The Gospel holds forth all sweet condescension in God it sets him forth as one inviting come blinde halt as one waiting to be gracious thirty forty fifty threescore yeares to the last houre and yet giving a penny to him that came in last as well as to him that came in first it sets him out as one that goes about to folkes-dores and knockes sinners doe you need any mercy doe you need any thing for your soules or bodies to make you blessed for ever you may have it for nothing Milke and honey wine and oyle tryed gold and royall apparrell The Gospel sets out God as one that expostulates with man about the matter of his good Why doe you lay out your money for that which is not bread And why will you die The Gospel sets out God as one beseeching man to be reconcild as one that delights to exercise loving-kindnesse to make it his work his daily businesse to forgive sins and to bring souls to heaven at his own cost this is transcendent condiscension and this is the glory of God in the eye of a poor sinner this makes him shine more glorious then any thing in the world and all this the light of the Gospel discovers discovers in us hath shined into our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God Vse The Gospel is a grand favour but I am affraid we do not count it so Manna is loathed we love darknesse more then light That light which discovers us and makes our nakednesse appear is a plague and no blessing to thousands What is more inraging and more deadly to some persons then the powerfull words of the Lord Jesus What is more inraging at this day then the shining light of the Gospel Our misery is great the cause apparent we shut our eyes against the light The Prince of darknesse shall rule this is the vote of thousands Where Satan raigns do you expect any other but a hel rending and tearing howling and yelling Brave England is turn'd into a hel oppressing racking rending weeping wayling and gnashing of teeth and why Certainly the Prince of darknesse raigns amongst us have you a glimpse of that feind in all this our hel and misery If there were indeed a true love of the Gospel amongst us could there be such fighting abroad and at home amongst us as there is As light is precious it conquers as light conquers pride falls pride fallen the Lion is a Lamb Lambs rend not nor tear one another We rend and tear one another name state all that is dear and would be to one another as the very devils are Ah Lord Is this a Christian Land a Land honouring the Gospel Doth it conquer us Is the Spirit of the Gospel in us whose hearts burn like hel in pride and malice against one another The hand of the Lord is upon an hypocriticall people get it off who can You say you love the Gospel and yet think the Land too good for them that faithfully professe it He that hates his brother in his heart is a murtherer a bloody spirit is in you a bloody hand of justice is upon you if this right not the innocent and publish the hyporcisie of this generation to all the world then say that Christ hath not spoken by me Would the sword were sheathed saith many would it had done its work say I. We needed through launcing mens basenesse comes out freely 't is a mercy to know who loves the Gospel and how How long will England bleed ere good blood appear Will that good bloud be so little as not enough to hold life in the State O that will be sad Sinners look about you you that dissemble with your light are the plagues of the Land doe you call whom you will troublers this will be found the truth which I have said you are the troublers and the destroyers of the Land and the
is beastly yet very common The Land is full of mercies and full of nothing but brutes that tread upon them Brutishnesse in a man is sensualitie a sensuall person is one killed with kindnesse one that eats mercies but doth not taste them weares mercies but doth not feele them seeth mercies but doth not understand the loving kindnesse of the Lord nor never will he is cursed to the dust as the seed of the Serpent to goe upon his belly upon his appetite and upon no higher principle through this world to feed onely upon dust and upon no nobler thing for making a God of this world You wonder at the plague and at the sword but this is the greatest judgement in the Land that no man sees the mercie that shines upon him All the judgements that are in the Land are but to cast shadowes upon mercies that you may see them well and carry them and your soules to Heaven together There should not be a judgement more among us did you see mercy as you should there should not a man more die did loving kindnesse live in our hearts The heart of this Land is eaten out with long tillage God now dungs it that things may grow well 'T is so with our soules Our hearts are eaten out with vanities nothing will come up that is divine not spring up as high as Heaven God pluckes up all to pluck up your hearts to Heaven 't will be well if this be effected although it be not till all be dead When all is dead if then a mans soule grow alive to God blessed am I though there be but this one thing alive of all I have England is dead God is burying it Our hearts are quarred with fulnesse and become stones no musick can be playd upon a stone God makes musick to himselfe with justice seeing wee can make none to him with mercie he sets us to throw stones one at another hard heart against hard heart to dash out one anothers braines to kill a companie of men Canini appetitus of a dog appetite whose belly is as the grave and as hell which cry give give but never returne Know the state of the generall and bleed inwardly Doe you see a love returning spirit in any ranke from the highest to the lowest I England am made a mirror of mercie a thousand thousand wounds and yet not dead What pen shall I take and what book Where shall I write this love that it may be ever in Gods eye and mine owne Doe you see such a spirit stirring for the glory of Christ Wee fall in person we fall in purse and we fall and flat in spirit too nothing rises in any man that I see but that which throwes all downe Pride and selfe Ego magnus not ego Paulus I great not I little and low this may be every mans motto Big spirits are the worst in the world to stoop and to take up every thing of Gods and give it to him Big proud spirits admire themselves such as are taken up with admiration of themselves can never be good at this dutie of admiring God Look over all the Kingdome and people in the world and tell me a people more pinned to and doating upon its selfe then we are What a Clergie What Magistracy What an Armie have we So big so acute so perfect as not to be exprest This puts by the other quite what a Christ have we how strong how wise how gracious Do ye heare mens mouths filled with this with admiration of Christ What ornaments doe I weare in my soule or upon my outward man but Christ hath put them on all Know the state of the generall and know your own state in particular Doe you as Paul here admire the goodnesse of Christ in all the goodnesse that is upon you That you are stopped and ceased from wickednesse That you are turned to Christ Yea not nakedly so but turned into noble services for Christ Intrusted with many Talents above your brethren for the good not onely of your selves but many more I would willingly admire this if it were so but alas for me Ob. I am not yet stopped nor turned from my wicked course I am a swearer still a drunkard still a gracelesse uselesse wretch still Why then admire that thou art not in hell Sol. there is no man alive no man of this side hell but hath some mercie yea much mercie to admire say that I a swearer am not yet in hell in the proper place for blasphemers O what a mercie is this That sin and judgement are not closed unseparably all this while in so many yeares O what a wonder is this There is not a greater aptnesse for fire and stubble to close then for sin and judgement in a wicked soule that the cover of the tinder-box should be open and striking of fire a great many yeares and a great many sparkles falling of both sides and some in and yet not take that thou a naked gracelesse soule open to the wrath of God and living in a Land where wrath is powring out by plague sword and other judgements and yet that thou shouldest escape here is a big wonder indeed blind soule canst thou see it No I have no more then others have nor yet so much this cuts the throat of holy admiration How wofully is this creature plagued Others mercies are his judgements he cannot see what he has because others have more Canst thou not see what thou hast thy selfe No hold thy mercies neere thine eyes Canst thou not see them now No. Why then I feare that thou art beside borne-blind mad-blind as those wilfull Pharisees and Scribes this is a sad condition There is no recovery of sight when the eyes are struck out If this be not thy plague there is the more hope for God will take the businesse in hand to make thee see in a more strong way then now 't is done by me if all meanes have not been used alreadie as what a potent course is taken up in this case Hosea 11.3 I taught Ephraim to goe taking them by the armes but they knew not that I healed them I drew them with the cords of a man and with the bands of love and I laid meat unto them God will one time or other take hold upon thy conscience and lead thee about from mercie to mercie and point thee to them particularly one after another O ungratefull soule I did this for thee and I did that I saved thee from breaking thy leg such a time from breaking thy necke such a time from such a desperate sicknesse such a time c. Thus doth God to persons that are asleepe in ingratitude to awaken them and thus he doth to them that are dead Goe and tell David I took thee from the sheepfold c. After that soule miscarriage God set one to talke with him with a witnesse to tell him who raised him and to what and what use was expected of
to plume and prey upon whom they will It doth as the Devill where he raignes there is not a power in Hell but hee makes a fleshhooke on 't to teare and torture and fulfill his bloudy will so not a faculty not an office not any vires within or without but by oppression are all made tormenta killing instruments and to know none no not one like himself a man no not one like God but chaine him and rack him Thy Princes are roaring Lyons thy Iudges are evening Wolfes they know not the bones till the morrow Zephany 3.3 Here are all powers externall and internall combined and seconding one another Vse Matter of caution and matter of admiration may spring from this point Oppression hath beene opened and now wee have seene the nature of it wee should all take heede of so foule an evill especially men of place 't is an Aspe a Frogge that useth to craule up into Princes and great mens bed-chambers where it may lie softest and warmest and be best accommodated Cruelty is nothing without strong instruments it can doe nothing with strawes but vex and burne it selfe The Devill is a great Courtier hee gets among great men and there hee can shew himselfe as hee is play the Devill and make great earthquakes rend and teare whom hee will righteous and wicked what hee will body or soule at what compasse hee will Townes Cities Countries set whole Kingdomes a groaning bleeding dying Parts commend themselves to place place swells the soule too big for any due compass unlesse Christ bee gracious oppression is the first borne of pride in place after it comes to the Crowne 't is that child that will inherit all the outrage of greatnesse They are great mountaines that do crush Who art thou O great Mountaine before Zorubbabell great spirits and parts in great place The Devills children should be all strangled in the wombe or else they prove very long lived we should not have had so many bloudy oppressors at this day if pride had seasonably been bewailed As your naturalia so your praeternaturalia get such nests as to maturate themselves oppression maturates it selfe in high places there it can do all it will strike full blowes home blowes Oppression maturated is the crying'st provocation in a Land and brings downe the cryingest judgement Civill war a body tearing out its owne bowells see Zachary 11.5.6 Thus saith the Lord feede the flocke of slaughter whose possessors slâ—y them and hold themselves not guilty and they that sell them say Blessed be the Lord for I am rich and their owne Shepheards pitty them not therefore I will no mâ—â—â— pitty the inhabitants of the Land saith the Lord but loe I will deliver the men every one into his Neighbours hand and into the hand of his King and they shall smite the Land and out of their hand I will not deliver them which words meane civill war as the learned interpret which is the greatest judgement of all externall judgement doubly torturing for brother to sheath his sword like those Levites in the bowells of a Brother Father washing hands in the bloud of children and children washing hands in the heart-blood of Fathers wee may guesse our sinne by our punishment oppression set us together by the eares oppression corporall oppression spirituall our possessors to wit Prince Peeres Prelates did slay us as the Prophet speakes body and soule and held not themselves guilty Their steps trod in wrath will continue till it end us all and God will not deliver Matter of admiration also issueth from this point Let 's admire two things the badnesse of men and the goodnesse of God When wee see any praeternatural's any thing that nature did not properly intend any monstrosity in a thing if it bee but in a finger in a hand in a toe much more if in any maine part which maims the shape and almost varies the species wee wonder much as to see a Dove with a Bores tuskes to see a Lambe with a Serpents taile to see a man with a mouth and a throate as wide as a Sepulcher and a Tongue in it a fire of Hell and the spittle under the roofe of this Tongue the poyson of Aspes c. Wee wonder at what nature did never intend should wee not much more wonder at those monsters which grace did never intend such grace as workes toward man We meet a thousand thousand such monsters fore-mentioned in a spirituall sense and never make one thought stand still a jot divinely to consider it Spirituall monstrosity should affect us much to behold so noble a creature as man and his noblest part to wit his heart turned into a beast all his inside like a Wolfe or a Beare and onely his outside and scarce that like a man The worse some are the better others should be to make it up that God may not be altogether a loser in the greatest and costliest workes of his hands A tender heart will admire sigh and bleed over a hard O Jerusalem Jerusalem thou that killest the Prophets here is a patterne worth the following Christ beholds a company of bloudy tyrants stony-hearted hypocrites and he admires sighs mournes over them 't were but the discharge of our duty to mourne over this malicious bloudy Age wherein we live O England England thou that hast opprest to death many brave Prophets and worthies of other rankes sent unto thee When others kill and crucify Christ we should sit like Mary and weep over them Wee should admire the badnesse of men and the goodnesse of Christ Creatures in our own skin and of our own forme and yet Wolfes and Lyons how great is the power and goodnesse of Christ to preserve his people amongst such These wild beasts differ in their property from all more boundlesse more restlesse every way the more should that power be admired that keepes us Other creatures of prey keepe their place to wit the desert where no noble creatures trade is there range they keepe their time the night is their day Thou makest darknesse and it is night wherein the beasts of the forrests doe creepe forth the Sun ariseth they gather themselves together and lay them downe in Dens Psal 14.22 They are wild creatures and they keepe a wild place and a wild time when and where they may finde prey proper without injury to more noble creatures These wild Beasts before mentioned goe forth at all times when the Sun is downe and when the Sun is up into all places into Cities into Houses up to mens bed-chambers and pull persons out of their beds and sucke their bloud O the providence of God that keepes thee London from these Beasts of prey that hath saved thee and thy little ones from cruel oppressors so long This providence is lengthned and the mercy is by so much the more strengthned upon you the more to be laid to heart How often have these beasts of prey in great droves and with open mouthes
against providence because it doth not jut and jumpe with my will now all is slaine and not till now Heaven and Earth on fire body and soule killed with a canon from Hell and all the powers of darknesse crying victory Doe Serpents sting murmure not remember where Christs church is of which thou art yet a member t is in the Wildernesse yet and but going to Canaan and such places are full of hurtfull beasts Be not overcome of evill then misery dissolves it selfe into sinne then God is stung and thou wilt have secret blowes for this indeed where men cannot pinch thee thou wilt have salt throwne where the spring of unsoundnesse lies and then thy Spirit will burne within thee for something We should not onely be submissive to but joyfull under the crosse of our Lord Jesus You cannot tell how much mercy t is to be any of that body of which Christ is the soule if it be but a foot a bare foot and still in the dirt still upon prickes briers and thornes to be any of that company that is travelling to Heaven though the meanest the hindmost the most misused c. But you will know when you come there The crosse keepes off some from being of the Church militant they cannot militare they had rather die then fight and kill what they love more then Christ Sinne effeminates the soule love any lust more then Christ and you will die ten thousand deaths rather then strike a stroke in good earnest against it or discharge one Piece with a Bullet against that fort where your heart lies Satan deales by stratagem sinners looke to your soules he can kill none that take up Armes against him and stand to it he either betrayes affection with trifles and makes the soule yeeld and so stab conscience and sweare a damnable peace or else he terrifies the soule with corporall dangers and makes men flee and all that flee in spirituall warfare die every one are cut off eternally by the pursuer When there are fightings without there are feares within When I came into Macedonia my flesh had no rest troubles on every side fightings without and feares within Men now love their flesh Paul in this had no rest no neither in his spirit he had stood to it upon pure principles Hee wants fellowes in this age of the world wonderfully The Church of the Lord Jesus travels groanes dies for want of them This generation will have more then the advantage of truth to encourage them to set forth to wit the advantage of time quiet time Deluded soules when will this be you so dote upon your skin that you have quite forgotten the state of Christs church upon earth t is militant You will live in Egypt that you may see no warre that you may save your skin your pompe your wealth this your wisdome is your folly Egypt shall not save you the Sword shall follow you into Egypt into your Egyptian huts and coverings Read Jeremy 42.13 14 15. But if ye say We will not dwell in this Land c. No but we will goe into the Land of Egypt where we shall see no warre nor heare the sound of the Trumpet nor have hunger of bread and there will we dwell c. Then it shall come to passe that the Sword which ye feared shall overtake you there in the Land of Egypt and the famine whereof ye were afraid shall follow close after you in Egypt and there ye shall die COLOS. 1.24 For his bodies sake which is the Church THe word notes a company called out of this world and the scope according to which it is used here carries it in its full bredth to comprize all the blessed company both which are in Heaven and in earth this generall society was shadowed by the generall Assembly at Ierusalem and is called by that name by the Apostle Heb. 12.23 Ye are come to the generall Assembly the Church of the first-borne This Catholique company is great and farre divided some in Heaven some in Earth some in this part of the Earth some in that and yet all have but one spirit and therefore essentially the same and what is done for the good of one part necessarily redounds to the good and glory of all He is of a publique spirit that layes out for the good of a City of a Kingdome and the like thousands will blesse him generations yet not borne will blesse God for such instruments but he is of a publique spirit indeed that layes out his state or blood for the good of the Church of Christ many thousands in this Kingdome in other Kingdomes all the Earth over all Heaven over will blesse him This generall assembly comes all out of one loine and divide themselves into two bands one turnes to the everlasting Hills 'tother to the Plaines and Valleys of this world There is a Lilly of the Valleys and a Lilly of the Hils there is a Church on Earth and a Church in Heaven The great King whom we subject to hath a Chappell of ease a Church in his house the condition of this is farre different from that here below the Lilly of the Hils is another gets Lilly then that of the Valleys the pursuit of each shall be distinct which will demonstrate the condition how it differs The Church which Christ hath in his house is a society of perfect spirits in perfect rest triumphing with Christ over all enemies The Congregation above is very big thousands and thousands of thousands from all parts quarters and countries yet all perfect not one dwarfe in grace in Heaven not one Zacheus a person of a little stature there are no spirits of little stature in grace above though it be all our case here every one is as tall as Christ to any ones beholding I cannot tell else how to interpret that expression of the Apostles Eph. 4 Till we all come into the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Sonne of God unto a perfect man unto the measure of the stature of the fulnesse of Christ They that are come to that unity and society above are all compleat their measure is the fulnesse of Christ their demensions his stature so tall so big limmed so faire and so accomplished to looke upon What a perfect man now is Christ in Heaven of what a brave stature in grace and in glory an Absolon without spot from the crowne of the head to the soule of the foot so are all that Noble society which are with him without spot or wrinkle and therefore called a glorious Church That he might present it to himselfe a glorious Church not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing c. Ephes 5.27 the word here translated spot is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies such spots as are in garments by dashing and dirting outside spots they have no spots within nor without above not in their skin not in their clothes nor any such thing that is
none of these are cloying but very inviting he addes Wine on the lees well refined Esay 25.6 all Divine distribution how fat how rich soever are so refined that they delight much but not satiate nor surfeit a jot that one may sit at Table alwaies and feast alwaies as they doe above they have such an art above to renge their Bread and to refine their Wine and to order every dish that they are alwaies feasting and alwaies taken and ravisht not at any time cloyed with their dainties All the soule dainties which we have here below are cooked and ordered above the Manna of the Israelites was from Heaven ready cookt and drest for any ones eating and so sent down to earth I will raine Bread from Heaven saith the Lord it came down Bread ranged baked all done above ready for any ones nourishment below without any use of mans paines or art so doth all our soule dishes and dainties yea all our soule rayments and ornaments lawrels and priviledges all that belongs to a Christian as a Christian is shaped and ordered in Heaven and this is the reason that all are still taking inviting and making appetite more strong what ever one have or what ever one knowes yet still to desire 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 desire to have and to know more It comes to passe also from the pleasure of Christ he loves to lie by streames and springs where waters bubble up and runne continually he loves brookes to runne alwaies by his doores where he lodges as the Poets of old and men of high fancy they delighted much to lie by springs and fountaines therefore Christ cals for praying evermore and rejoycing alwaies he loves to have salt water and fresh teares and triumphs fresh motion of soule still spring out Therefore when he comes to refresh thirsty ground he doth not content himselfe to say that it shall have the former and the latter raine and dewes from Heaven every night though this be much but that the parcht grounds shall become a poole and thirsty lands springs of water Esay 35.7 it shall be thus his pleasure is to live by wells and springs pooles that bubble up continually Vse Consider the blessednesse of a Christian by this point and become in love with it he is alwaies in game hunting after Christ and the mysteries of eternity sporting and solacing upon things infinitely sweet What the Scripture speakes of the naturall man that in an opposite sence may I of the spirituall Man is borne to trouble and vexation as the sparkes to fly upward so is a Christian borne to delight and pleasure he is a sparke alwaies flying upwards and entring himselfe in Heaven Motion keepes warmth warmth keepes health health is the basis of all delight and pleasure An healthy person makes musicke and mirth with any thing Motion alwaies towards Christ and towards the Sunne I am sure keepes warmth and health our woing and annointing of Christ t is workes sweet to ones selfe as well as to Christ all graces are fresh and thriving whilst watered with sighs and teares after more A spirit sound and healthy within it selfe makes all things without how broken sickly consuming soever matter of content joy and praise A Christian whilst laying out whilst filling his box with precious Oyntment powring it out upon Christ he doth make a sweet odour all the house over he refresheth Christ his brethren and himselfe All Divine industry is succesfull successe is the honey and the sweet of labour A man seekes and finds when he seekes after Divine things a man that seekes God findes him finding God is very sweet A man that thus knockes there is opening Life comes in by putting out a little two talents bring in five five bring in ten this makes triumph and praise he that gets the incombe of Heaven he that grows rich in God cannot but be and doe as they above very blessed and triumph much this is the reason of that expression They that seeke afto◠the Lord shall praise him Psalm 22.26 Such as are inquirers and searchers Gen. 45.27 and mourners after the Lord their hearts live that is solaced abundantly cheared t is explained by that speech of Jacob when he saw the Waggons which Joseph had sent to transport him his heart livd againe that is he was abundantly cheared and comforted If this Scripture be not cleare enough read Psalm 84. vers 6. Who passing through the valley of Baca or Mulbery-trees make him a well This is spoken of them which were travelling toward Jerusalem thirsting after Ordinances and spirituall meanes and the raine filled their pooles Such hungry soules which are as empty ponds gaping as it were to Heaven with wide mouth for replenishing the Heavens open and fill these Raine signifies grace and the ministration thereof in the Word Drop downe ye Heavens from above and let the skie poure downe righteousnesse Esay 45.8 that is let Christ poure downe grace upon soules that are as thirsty Land which are as Daniel persons full of desires As desirers to know and gaine are such blessings to themselves so to the Land wherein they live transparent things are not only their owne beauty but the beauty of things that are neere them the sparkling of a Pearle is not onely its owne beauty but the beauty of the ring and the finger on which it is Christians that know and desire still to know that know and follow on to know the riches of the glory of the mystery of the Gospell these are precious stones living stones as Peter cals them sparkling Pearles which are not onely their owne glory their owne prosperity and safety but the glory prosperity and safety of the Land wherein they live Runne through Jerusalem through every street thereof and see now and know see if there be a man that executes judgement and seeketh after the truth and I will pardon Jerusalem Interpret these words which way you will they are strong to our purpose If you thinke they mean morall truth and execution of justice man to man then thus I inferre if seeking and thirsting and diligence to be cleare and perfect this way be a safety to a Land and that faithfull Magistrates and civill Governours be the protection of a State much more faithfull Christians and diligent Saints that search and seeke after the highest truths and the execution of the highest justice the fulfilling of the first Table of Gods will are a grand blessing to a Land but I thinke the words cannot be taken in such a strict sense all their Lawes were Divine rightly understood a totum homogeneum given by God and suited to that brave body and not to be divided no more then Christs will is now to be divided in any thing which he hath expresly prescribed By truth therefore is meant Christ and his will all that belongs to him in order to us and by seeking truth is meant labour and diligence as longing Christians exactly to know and