Prov. 22.3 The prudent man fore-seeth the evil but fools go on the snare is never nearer than to the secure bold venturous sinners never want woe the Devil may spare his cunning when hee hath to do with such nothing that looks like sin offers it self to a tender heart but hee presently suspects it every pleasant morsel every pleasant cup every pleasant companion that comes any thing that tickles and gratifies the flesh hee looks through it e're hee will touch with it least it betray his soul from God there may bee a snare in the dish a snare in my cup a snare in my company and what if there should he feeds himself with fear dwells walks converses works recreates himself vvith a trembling heart and jealous eye 2. In its Caution Fear is warie some Commanders have set their scout watches unarmed that fear might make them watchful a fearful Christian will take heed what and whom hee trusts hee dares not trust himself in such company as may bee a snare unto him hee dares not trust his heart among temptations hee 'l keep the Devil at a distance hee will not come near where his Nets do lye Blessed is hee that thus feareth alwaies O the unspeakable mischief O the multitudes of sins that wee run upon through our secure hearts I never thought of it I never dreamed of any such danger Oh I am undermined I am over-reach'd I am surprized my foot is in the Snare the grin hath taken mee by the heel my soul is among Lyons Sin hath gotten hold on mee mine heart is gone e're I was aware the enemy hath come in and carryed it away hath given it to lust to the world to pleasure to divide it amongst themselves my faith hath failed my conscience is defiled my love is grown cold my grace withered my comforts wasted my peace broken and my God O! where is hee become Woe is mee the evil that I feared not is come upon mee had I feared I had not fallen O that I had been wise had kept my watch had stood upon my guard had I thought had I thought I had escaped all this danger O Christians bee wise in season and take heed of the fools too late had I wist 3. There 's a tenderness of sorrow Sorrow is the melting of the heart the stone dissolved sorrow is the wound of the heart a wound is tender love is tender and therefore Godly sorrow which is the sorrow of love you may call it a love sickness love is both the pain and pleasure of a mourning heart 't is love that wounds and love that heals it is both the weapon and the oyle this sorrow hath its joy the melted is the most joyful heart 't is love that makes it sad it therefore weeps because it loves and 't is love that makes it glad too It therefore joyes because in its sorrows it sees it loves 'T is love that makes the wound the matter of this sorrow being love abus'd what hast thou done Soul who hast thou despised against whom hast thou lift up thy self thou hast sinned thou hast sinned and hast thereby smitten and grieved thy God that loves thee and whom thou lovest Thou hast but one friend in Heaven and earth and him thou hast abused to pleasure thy lust thou hast pierced thy Lord thou hast transgressed his Commandements and trampled upon his Compassions hast broken his Bonds and kick'd at his Bowels his greatness and his goodness his Law and his very Love hath been despised by thee him who loved thee hast thou smitten Is this thy kindness to thy Friend O vile ungratious unkinde unthankful unnatural heart what hast thou done Put all this now together and you have the heart of flesh which the Covenant promises a Tender Heart an heart that is tender of sin and duty that carefully shuns sin or is sure to smart for it that neither slights sin nor duty that sayes not of the one or the other 't is but a little one that can feel sufferings but not fret at them a Tender Conscience that will neither winck at sin nor excuse the sinner that will not hold the sinner guiltless nor say unto the wicked thou art righteous that will not bee smitten but it will smite again that will give due warning and due correction a flexible tractable heart that will not resist and rebel that sayes unto the Lord what wilt thou have mee to do and will not say of any thing hee will have any thing but this A willing ductile heart stiffe against nothing but sin that a word from Heaven will lead to any thing An Heart of Love that bears good will to the Lord and all that hee does or requires in which good will lies radically every good work that saies not of any duties or sufferings this is too great or of any sin this is nothing that would bee any thing or nothing So God may bee all That would rather bee displeased than displease that is not displeased where God is pleased A trembling Heart that fears more than it sees and flies from what it fears whom fear makes to beware A melting Heart a mourning heart that wounds it self in the wounds it hath given to the Lord and his Name that can grieve in love and can love and grieve where it cannot weep In summe 't is an heart that can feel that can bleed that can weep or at least that can yeild and stoop where it cannot weep nor feel but little that will easily bee commanded where it is not sensibly melted this is a soft heart this is the heart of flesh I will take away the stone and give them an heart of flesh Oh what a blessing is such an heart what a plague is an hard heart oh what prisoners are the men of this evil world in prison under Sathan in prison under sin bound under a curse shut up under unbelief and impenitence the hard heart is the iron-gate that shuts them in that they cannot get out Rom. 2. Oh what an hospital is this world become of blind and lame and sick and creeples and wounded creatures whence are all the calamities and distresses that befall them but from the hardness of their hearts the stone in their hearts breeds all their diseases brings all their calamities hath blinded their eyes and broken their bones and wasted their estates there is not one misery that befalls them but they may write up over it this is the hardness of my heart Oh what a Sodom is this world become for wickedness as well as for wrath what drunkenness what adulteries what oaths what blasphemies and all sorts of monstrous sins do every where abound whence is all this but from the hardness of mens hearts if you say 't is from other causes 't is from unbelief from ignorance from impotence from temptations let it bee granted yet still 't is from hardness of heart They are wilfully ignorant wilfully weak vvilfully run into
unto me look unto me and I will be thy Sun I le shew thee all that glory and the right way that will bring thee to it I promise thee I will trust me I will be a light unto thee 4. Their Shield Psal 84.11 The Lord God is a Sun and a Shield The gods of the earth are so stiled Psal 47.9 The shields of the earth much more the God of glory Ephes 6.16 Faith is called a shield Above all taking the shield of Faith it signifies the same as God is a shield Faith is to the soul what-ever God is This is the grace that entitles the soul to God and applies God to the soul Gen. 15.1 Fear not Abraham I am thy shield What 's promised to the Father of the faithful stands sure to all the seed Rom. 4.16 The state of Christians in this life is a militant state a state full of hardships and hazards By reason whereof as richly as they are provided for they are subject to fears of being undone and spoiled of all They are in fears about things eternal they have spiritual adversaries that lye in wait for their souls that fight against their souls that are tempting them and enticing them from their God that watch their opportunities to steal away their God by stealing away their hearts from him and such dangerous attempts of this kind they meet withall that they often are in great doubt what the issue may be They are in fears about things temporal their names are shot at their liberties are invaded their estates with all the comforts of their lives are in danger to be made a prey to day they are a praise to morrow a scorn to day they are full and abound but to morrow they may have nothing left they dye daily they are killed all the day long But what-ever their dangers and their fears thereupon are here 's sufficient provision made against all God is their shield Christian thou hast enough and all that thou hast is in safety Thou art compassed about with a shield secur'd on all hands there 's no coming at thee What-ever assaults are made thy God is a wall of partition betwixt thee and harm They are not shields of brass and iron thou are furnish'd with the strong God is thy defence Wherefore dost thou doubt O thou of little faith A Christian and yet afraid shifting for thy self taking care for the Asses and Oxen and Sheep vexing and loading and losing thy self in thy cares and fears from day to day Where is thy God man Doth not God take care for Oxen and Asses and all that thou hast But oh what meanest thou in this to be shifting thy self from danger by shrinking back from thy God securing thy self from affliction by taking sanctuary in Iniquity What art thou doing but throwing away thy shield to save thee from harm making a breach in thy wall to keep thee in safety Gen. 17.1 c. chap. 15.1 Walk before me and be thou perfect follow thou me stick to me and then Fear not Abraham I am thy shield This now is the first and great promise of the Covenant I am thy God and the second is like unto it CHAP. II. Christ in the Covenant 2. GOd hath put Christ into the Covenant and made over him to his people Isa 42.6 I will give thee for a Covenant He who is promised as the chief matter the Mediator Surety Scope of the Covenant is by a metonymy called the Covenant I will give thee for a Covenant that is I covenant to give thee to the people Whatever glory and blessedness there is in the fruition of God wo is me there is a great gulfe fixed between me and it over which there is no passing there 's a partition-wall raised over which there 's no climbing there 's an hand-writing against me whilst that stands all that is in God is nothing to me Were this God mine I had enough Let me be put to labour or suffering let me dig or beg or starve and die whether I be rich or poor have somthing or nothing be a praise or a reproach it matters not so God were mine But oh how may I obtain Who shall bring me to God why the Lord God hath given thee his Son to undertake for thee and to be thy way unto the Father Heb. 11.19,20 Jesus Christ who is the morning star the Sun of righteousness the Image of the Invisible God the first-born of every creature by whom are all things who is before all things the head of the body the Church who is the beginning the first-born from the dead In whom dwells all fulness even the fulness of the Godhead bodily who hath made peace by the blood of his Cross Col. 1. and chap. 2. Whose Name is Wonderful Councellor the mighty God the everlasting Father the Prince of Peace Isa 9.6 This Jesus is granted thee in the Covenant to bring thee to God To which blessed and glorious purpose he is exhibited 1. As the Light of Life 2. As the Lord our Righteousness 3. As our Lord and King 4. As our Head and Husband 1. As the light of Life A light to lighten the Gentiles and the glory of thy people Israel Luk. 1.32 In him was life and the life was the light of men John 1.4 He that followeth me shall have the light of life John 8.12 there is a light that serves to kill and destroy to bring death and condemnation to light the light of the Law that killing letter concerning which the Apostle Rom. 7.9,10 When the commandment came sin revived and I died the commandment which was ordained to life I found to be unto death But Christ brings life and immortality to light heaven glory the invisible God which are lost out of reach and out of ken are all discovered in the face of Jesus Christ 2 Cor. 4.6 To give us the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ He is the Image of the Invisible God the brightness of his Fathers glory the glass in which by reflection we see the Sun John 14.8,9 Shew us the Father and it suffices us Why sayes he Hast thou known me Philip and yet sayest shew us the Father He that hath seen me hath seen the Father and this is the light of life John 17.3 this is life eternal that they might know thee the onely true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent 2. As the Lord our righteousness This is his Name Jer. 23.6 He shall be called the Lord our righteousness To this end he is given to us 1. As our propitiatory Sacrifice 1 John 2. The propitiation for our sins 1 Cor. 5. Christ our Passover Rev. 13.8 A lamb slain from the beginning of the world Our price our ransome to satisfie Justice pacifie wrath discharge from the Curse to blot out the hand-writing break down the wall of partition to finish the transgression to make an end of sins to make reconciliation for
upon his heart and upon his shoulders This is that Jesus who is THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS 3. As our Lord and King A King shall reigne in righteousness in him shall the Gentiles trust Zach. 9.9 Shout O daughter of Zion behold thy King cometh Isa 9.6 The Government shall be on his shoulder God hath more care of his Saints than to leave the government of them on their own shoulder Is not her King in her He is a King to gather them a King to govern them a King to defend and save them to save them from their temporal enemies the sons of violence the men of this evil world from their spiritual enemies to save them from their sins Thou shalt call his name Jesus for he shall save his people from their sins Matth. 1.21 'T is a mercy to be under government under government and under protection What would become of us were there no King in Israel Where there 's no King all are kings more kings than men Sathan will be king every lust will be a lord as many kings as there are devils and sins Whither would our unruly hearts carry us How easily would our wily and potent enemies ruine us What tyrannie would sin exercise within What cruelty should we suffer from without Whither should we wander where should we fix What peace what order what stability Whence should counsel and protection and salvation come were there no Lord over us 'T is a mercy to be under government but to be under such a government under a king and such a King such a wise and potent King such a meek and merciful King such an holy and a righteous King O what a wonder of mercy Rejoyce greatly O daughter of Zion shout O daughter of Jerusalem behold thy King cometh unto thee he is just and having salvation lowly and riding upon an asses colt c. Zach. 9.9 He is just having salvation as a Priest he hath purchased as a King he bestows his salvation He comes not to get but to give not to give Lawes only but to give Gifts unto men and he gives like a King Palmes Crowns and Thrones salvation to his people by the remission of their sins Oh how unthankful oh how foolish is this rebellious world Impatient of subjection shake off the yoke groan under duty under discipline We will not have this man to rule over us Who then shall save you hard to be a Christian strict laws severe discipline no liberty Is this thy complaint that is wo is me I am so limited and hedg'd in on all hands that there 's no liberty left me to be miserable if I will be his I must be happy Let fools inherit their own folly but let Israel rejoyce in him that made him let the children of Zion be joyful in their King for the Lord taketh pleasure in his people he will beautifie the meek with salvation Lift up your heads O ye Gates and be ye lift up ye everlasting doors and the King of glory shall come in Who is this King of glory the Lord of hosts yea the Lord our righteousness he is the King of glory The Lord is our Judge the Lord is our Law-giver the Lord is our King he will save us Praise ye the Lord. Come all ye Nimrods ye mighty hunters on the earth come all ye sons of Anak ye seed of the Giants come all ye sons of Belial ye seed of the Adulterer and of the whore come all ye Ishmaelites and Ammonites ye Moabites and Hagarenes associate confederate take counsel together smite with the tongue bite with the teeth push with the horn kick with the heel come all ye gates of hell and powers of darkness thou dragon with all thy armies with all thy fiery darts and instruments of death come thou king of terrors with thy fatal dart the Virgin the Daughter of Zion hath despised you all she hath laughed you to scorn the Daughter of Jerusalem hath shaken her head at you her King is in the midst of her the Lord is her King he will save her 4. As our head and husband He that is given to be head over all things to the Church is given to be the head of the Church Eph. 1.22,23 and of every member in particular 1 Cor. 11.3 Believers are all joyned to the Lord 1 Cor. 6.17 United in Christ as fellow members united unto Christ as their common head From which all the body by joynts and bands having nourishment ministred and knit together increaseth with the increase of God Coloss 2.19 they are married to Christ 2 Cor. 11.2 I have espoused you to one husband From this Union follows 1. A Communication of Influences 2. A Complication of Interests 1. A Communication of Influences Having nourishment ministred Christ our head is our fountain of life Our head is our heart also out of it are the Issues of life from him we live and are nourished and maintained in life He is our Joseph all the treasures of the holy Land are with him In him are hid all the treasures of Wisdome and Knowledge Coloss 2.3 It pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell Coloss 1.19 He is the onely begotten Son of God full of grace and truth Here note 1. What grace there is in Christ The Schools tell us that in him there is a three-fold grace 1. Gratia Unionis The Grace of Union The humane Nature of Christ hath received the high grace or favour to be personally united to the second person in the God-head by vertue of which Union the fulness of the Godhead is said to dwell in him bodily Bodily that is personally or substantially in opposition to the types and shaddows of the Old Testament in which God in a figure is said to dwell God is said to dwell in the Tabernacle in the Ark of the Covenant in the Temple but in these he dwelt onely as figures and shaddows of the humane nature of Christ In Christ he dwells not in a figure but personally and substantially As Christ Coloss 2.17 is called the Body in opposition to the types of old which were but the shaddow so bodily here notes not a figurative but a personal inhabitation Christ is the body not a shaddow and God dwells in him bodily that is substantially and not in a shaddow 2. Gratia Habitualis Habitual Grace All those moral perfections wherein stands the holiness of his nature The love and fear of God his humility meekness patience in summe his perfect conformity to the Image and whole Will of God Such an high Priest became us who is holy harmless undefiled separate from sinners Heb. 7.26 3. Gratia Capitis or that honour which is given to him to be head of the Church 2. How Christ is said to be full of grace there is a twofold fulness of grace 1. Ex parte ipsius gratiae In respect of grace it self thus he is said to be full of grace that hath all grace and
vvhat vvould they have Judg. 19.23 What aileth thee said the Danites once to Micah that thou comest thus after us vvhat aileth thee Why you have taken avvay my Gods and vvhat have I more VVhat aileth these crying longing running Souls vvhy 't is after their God they cry 't is after their God they run 1 King 19.20 Go back Elisha said once the Prophet to him vvhen hee had cast his Mantle on him Go back for vvhat have I done unto thee VVhat hast thou done enough to hold me from going back there vvent vertue vvith the Mantle the Mantle fell on his heart as vvell as his back and drevv it after the Prophet Should you say thus to these go back soul go back from follovving thy God for vvhat hath hee done unto thee Oh hee hath gotten mine heart no no I cannot go back hee is my God and vvhat have I more 2. The end guides and directs to means Whither shall I go from thee thou hast the words of eternal life 3. The end governs I shall put these both together what is it that Governs sinners but their ends this points them out their work and their way this holds them to their work and keeps them in their way what ever fetters and chains their lusts are to them 't is their carnal ends to which they are in bondage these are they that Lord it over them and hereupon it 's impossible to perswade a sinner to make a through change of his way till hee hath changed his ends herein stands the conversion of a sinner in the changing of his ends when hee ceases to bee any longer to himself to his flesh to the world and for a worldly happiness and is brought about to pitch on God as his portion and happiness to whom hee devotes and dedicates himself there 's conversion Sin is our turning away and conversion is turning back to our God Beloved consider not barely how but to what you live not onely what you do but what you would have and never count your selves truely Godly what-ever of God bee in your way till God bee in your heart and eye Hee that hath first chosen God and therefore a Godly life whose Godliness of life springs forth as the fruit of his choice of the Lord that 's a Godly man God Governs as our King and as our End as our King by his Soveraignty as our End by his Excellency by his worthiness and goodness as our King by Laws as our end by love Love will find out our way will tell all our wandrings will check us for our sins sweeten our labours quicken us on our course cut out our way through dangers and difficulties and keep us in our way till wee come to the fruition of our end Therefore 't is said by the Apostle 1 Tim. 1.9 The Law is not for a Righteous man Love will save the law a labour the Law is not for a Righteous man not so much at least as for sinners not as to the coertion of it though still as to its obligation the constraint of Love will much supersede the coertion of Laws 4. The end Rewards they have their Reward Mat. 6. that is they have their end the reputation for devout and charitable men was the end of their Devotion and Charity They prayed and fasted and gave almes for no other end and the obtaining that reputation was their reward Verily I say unto you they have their reward God is the reward of his Saints Gen. 15.1 I am thy exceeding great reward Isa 46.4 My judgement is with the Lord and my reward with my God God is the reward they shall receive and the reward they look to receive Heb. 11.29 Moses had respect to the recompence of reward And therefore the Argument is weighty which Christ us'd to disswade his Disciples from being in their Devotions in their Alms-deeds as the Pharisees and Hypocrites are who disfigured their countenances in their fasts who sounded a Trumpet to proclaim their Alms Bee yee not like them for they have their reward The Argument was strong to the Disciples who being men of another Spirit could not bee satisfied with such a reward In these two things Saints greatly differ from the men of this world 1. They are not willing to defer their Duties till hereafter and 2. They dread it to have their reward here they would dispatch their work and are willing to go upon trust for their wages Sinners would have their wages in hand and bee trusted for their work till hereafter they would bee happy here and can bee content to stay for holiness till hereafter 't is soon enough to bee Saints in Heaven But Oh! it would bee a dreadful word to Saints there are thy good things take them these are thy reward these are not their end and therefore they cannot take them for their reward Poor foolish worldlings how are you dis-joynted how are your weary hearts scattered through the ends of the earth how many masters do you serve how many matters have you to minde you weary your selves in the greatness of your way and what is your reward What the fields can give you have what your sheep or your oxen can give you have what your beds or your tables or your houses or your cloathes can give you have here a little and there a little you get up your beds give you ease your houses shelter your sports and companions pleasure your parasites honour and that little you can pick up here and there this is your reward Verily I say unto you you have your revvard unhappy souls you are troubled and carefull about many things for nothing one thing is needful and if yet yee will be wise chuse that good part which shall not bee taken from you 2. This one heart hath but one thing to do Philip. 3.13 This one thing I do There are all things in that one thing all things needful How many things soever his hand findeth to do all is but one Hee intends in all God A renewed heart designs God and is making God-wards in all hee does Whatever journy he goes 't is God is his home whatever race he runs 't is God is his mark and prize Whatever battel hee fights against flesh and blood against principalities and powers 't is that hee may cut his way through all to his God What-ever he does hee does it for God what-ever hee suffers hee suffers for God When hee hears or fasts or prayes 't is all for God When yee fasted did yee at all fast to me Yes to thee a Christian is able to say hee hath many things to pray for and fast for hee hath bread and cloaths and friends and health and safety and liberty to pray for but in all hee prayes for God Hee entitles God to all hee hath and marks it up for him and he sees and enjoyes God in all hee has hee will not own that for a mercy that hath not God in it
attendance upon thee 1 Pet. 1.13,14,15 Gird up the loyns of your mind and bee sober and hope to the end in the original 't is hope perfectly for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. As obedient children not fashioning your selves according to the former lusts in your ignorance but as hee which hath called you is holy so bee yee holy in all manner of conversation Gird up the loyns of your minds Gird and bee sober gird and hope perfectly gird and bee obedient gird and bee holy Here 't is true ungirt and unblest ungirt and unholy the girding is the gathering in the strength of the heart to its work Ephes 6.14 Stand with your loyns girt Stand do not gird and ungird stand alwayes girt call in your hearts and hold them in be alwaies in a readiness to every duty in a readiness against every temptation Oh how loose are wee what loose praying and loose hearing and loose meditation and loose walkings do wee satisfie our selves with our hearts are to seek our thoughts and affections are gadding abroad we know not where to finde them and our work is done thereafter Wee excuse our non-proficiency in Religion by our many hindrances by the difficulties of our work but the great hindrance lies here our loyns are ungirded our hearts are not united in our work nor intent upon it When God and the things of eternity are gotten so deep into the heart when there is such a deep sense of the weight and importance of the things that are eternal abiding upon us as over-powers carnal objects and loosens the heart from them when wee feel the evidence and the consequence of these things commanding our whole soules after them then there 's Religion in earnest then wee go on and prosper And thus 't is with this one heart there are not some light touches onely upon it God is gotten deep into it eternity is gotten deep into it this is all this is all I have to minde or do My hope my comforts my life my soul all hang upon this one thing if I speed well here I am made for ever What have I to do in the way of Egypt or to drink of the waters of Sihor what have I to do in the way of Assyria what have I to do in the way of pleasure What have I to do in the way of the World To build Tabernacles for my self here below or to drink the waters of mine own Cisteron How little am I concerned in the interest of this flesh VVhat matter 's it what becomes of it or which way it goes My God my God my soul my soul there lies my concernment of these let my care onely bee Get thee behind me Satan hold thy peace sinful flesh keep silence worldly cares hinder mee not speak no more to me of hearkening to you away from mee ye evil-doers I will keep the Commandements of my God Let others do what they will run whither they please chuse whom they will serve what they will follow after come my soul follow thou the Lord gird up thy loyns and come away for the other world for the other world make haste linger not let others loyter as they will escape for thy life look not behinde thee get thee up to the Mountain and live Object One Heart why 't is never more two Two men a new man and an old two Nations two selfs there are twins in the womb of every Saint the ungodly seem more one than they all for sin and for Hell all dark all hard all but one stone Sol. Yet 't is true the Saints and they onely have but this one heat For 1. The old heart is not an heart the old self is not the self this old man is not the man this is not hee that 's the heart that hath gotten the dominion and the rule in the man The new heart hath the dominion though Sin as Esau bee the first born yet the elder must now serve the younger the old man is but a dead man Col. 3.3 Yee are dead that is your old man is dead your sin is slain and Crucified with Christ and when 't is dead you may say 't is not 2. The meaning plainly is I will give them one heart that is a single sincere upright heart they shall bee no longer an Hypocritical people If there bee something of Hypocrisie in them yet Hypocrites they shall no longer bee their hearts shall bee upright before mee sincerity stands in pitching upon chusing and giving up our hearts to God as our chief good and last end When God is our all there is perfection and when God is our chief there is sincerity I say when God is our all when the world hath nothing left in us to entice or draw out our souls after it but God carries them wholly without any the least liking or lusting after sinful objects there 's perfection This is not attainable here the heart cannot bee thus perfectly one till corruption hath put on incorruption But though it bee not perfectly yet it may bee sincerely one and then 't is so when however the flesh hath too great an interest in it and influence upon it and often pulls it aside and puts it back yet it still bends its course Heaven wards and that way the stream and strength of the soul is running the flesh will bee putting in for a part it would have all it would not take its turns with God God will not take his turns with the flesh hee will have all or none and the flesh would not take its turnes with him it is not contented with now and then it would not bee served in the fields or in the shop or at the Table or in the bed onely but in the Church in the Chamber in the Closet 't would carry away all from God but if it cannot have all 't will divide with God where-ever God is served the flesh will bee putting in for its share The best of Christians feel too great a truth in this their frequent humblings and mournings and breakings and self-shamings before the Lord are mostly upon this account This is the voice of their deepest groanings and bitterest tears the burthens of their mournful groans I cannot do the things that I would when I would do good evil is present with me with my minde I serve the Law of God but with my flesh the Law of sin Woe is me my soul how am I straitned how am I divided Whither am I hurried wherewithall do I come before thee Lord Oh! what halting and heartless and distracted duties do I serve my God withal This flesh eats up the fat and the best and onely the lame and the lean and the sick are left for a Sacrifice to the Lord. Woe is mee my leanness my leanness my God my God how art thou served how art thou robbed of thy due these strangers are gotten into thy Sanctuary
venture on the Truth dare you venture your souls on the Falshood of it Dare you stand forth and say If this word be not a lye let me be damned for ever I am content that the everlasting worm shal gnaw my heart that the infernal fire shal burn my flesh and bones and soul for ever and ever if it prove not at last a meer Forgery and Imposture Do you believe the Scriptures to be true indeed If you do what do they preach to you Do they speak any thing if not this That there is another life and death besides that which is within the kenn of mortal eyes that the other life and the other death are Eternal that upon your being found within or without the Covenant of God hangs your eternal judgment either for life or death that whilst you are in a Covenant with death and in a course of iniquity you are without the Covenant of God and can have no benefit by it that under sin and out of Covenant out of Covenant and out of Christ out of Christ and under Condemnation Are there any things which that word which you profess to believe to be as true and to stand as sure as Heaven and Earth are there any things that this speaks more plainly then these things and such like What and yet secure in a state of sin Aliens from God enemies of all Righteousness and yet in quiet Are you resolved to sell Eternity for time life for death a soul for the pleasures of sin Is this the choice you have made and are you resolved to stand to it Let me have this world my Portion here my good things here and then let me be damned in the other world Let me sin here and suffer hereafter let me laugh here and lament hereafter let me flourish and prosper and live at ease and in honour and in pleasure and at liberty here and let my Prison and my Pain and my Anguish and my Plagues be beneath there let me be torn let me burn let me roar let me die so I may be rich and be merry and rejoyce a while here let time be my Heaven and eternity be my Hell speak in earnest is this your choice or that you may not be put to it to make a new choice will you take upon you to make a new Gospel And dividing what God hath joyned together will you joyn what he hath divided Will you write this for Gospel Holiness and Hell sin and glory Christ and the Curse the Devil and the Crown Let the wicked hold on his way and the unrighteous his thoughts let him still run away from the Lord and be shall have mercy and from his God and he will abundantly pardon Strait is the gate and narrow is the way that leadeth unto death and few there be that finde it but broad is the gate and wide is the way that leadeth unto life and the whole world are going in thereat Blessed are the proud in spirit for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven Blessed are they that laugh now blessed are the froward the merciless the impure in heart the persecutors for Righteousness sake for great is their reward in Heaven Within shal be the Doggs and the Swine the Whoremongers the Sorcerers the Drunkards the Ruffians the Blasphemers the Gallants the Idolaters and whosoever loveth and maketh a lye And without shall be the Lambs and the Doves the Holy and the Humble and the Meek and the Merciful and the Upight in heart and the Poor in spirit and Peace-makers the persecuted for Righteousness sake and whosoever loveth truth and maketh God his trust these shal go into everlasting fire but the ungodly into life Eternal Are these the Articles of your Creed Is this your Gospel if it be O what is your Heaven If it be not if the old Gospel must stand Oh where are your souls Are your souls lost and are they not worth the recovery Why will ye dye turn and live Oh when shal it once be As an Embassadour for Christ to whom is committed the word of Reconciliation having hinted to you what 's Law so in the name of the Eternal God I publish to you the everlasting Gospel The Lord God having entred into a Covenant of life with the first Adam for himself and all mankinde in him this Covenant being broken whereby sin hath entred and death by sin and all the world is now becom guilty before God bound over to the vengeance of eternal Fire and under an utter impossibility of recovery by ought that that Covenant can do hath out of his abundant grace made a new Covenant on which whosoever shal lay hold shal be delivered out of the state of Death and Wrath into a state of Life and Blessedness Rom. 8.3 What the Law could not do being weak through the flesh God sent his Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and with him this gracious grant that whosoever believeth in him shal not perish but have everlasting life Ioh. 3.16 And this is the Covenant that hath been declared unto you This new Covenant is a Marriage-Covenant Hos 2.10 I will betroth thee unto me for ever yea I will betroth thee to me in righteousness and in loving-kindness and in mercies In it the Lord makes offer and invites you to accept of an Husband and a Dower The Husband is the Kings son the Lord Jesus Christ and with him the lost Kingdom and all that belongs to the Kingdom of God for a Dower Liberty for the Captives the opening of the Prison to them that are bound riches to the poor eyes to the blinde feet to the lame healing to the diseased and life to the dead And whoever among you all who are persons under the Law held by the cords of your sins whose souls are fast bound in fetters of Iron who are willing that your Covenant with death be made void and your agreement with Hell be disannulled and will joyn your selves to the Lord and be brought within the bonds of this Covenant all the blessings of this Covenant are made over and stand sure unto you The Grant is made the Deed is drawn and sealed the Lord hath set to his Seal come you in and seal the Counter-part set to your seal and the Match is made up Christ and with him all things are yours and you are his Accept and live refuse and dye for ever Come on then sinner what sayest thou Dost thou consent Dost thou accept Or as Laban to Rebekah Wilt thou go with this man Let me espouse thee to this one Husband onely let me first tell thee The matter is solemn and thou must be serious 'T is for life 't is for Eternity Consider therefore and let thine heart lying prostrate before the Almighty come in and make answer to these demands which from him and in his great and dreadful Name I make unto thee 1. Wilt thou have Jesus for thine Husband Understand before thou answer The taking
and eat up all thy pleasant things and what have they left thee Such are their complaints and their very complaints are their comfort and the witness of their sincerity whilst they can with openness of heart make their approach and appeal to God yet thou art my Lord thou art my God and I will serve thee I have chosen thee as mine heritage for ever and I will wait for thy salvation Hear the sighing of thy prisoner deliver thy captive mine heart is with thee let not this flesh intrench upon thy light let sin no longer reign in my mortal body let mee have no more to do with the Throne of iniquity unty the cords loose the fetters bring my soul out of prison search mee O Lord and know mine heart prove me and know my thoughts Is there any way of wickedness in mee do I willingly go after the Commandments Do I regard iniquity in mine heart Here it lies 't is true it warres and raises tumults and insurrections against thee but do I resign up my self to it is it a pleasure to mee am I at peace with it O Lord thou knowest I cannot get rid of it I cannot doe the things that I would I cannot pray as I would nor hear as I would nor think nor speak nor live as I would whither I goe sin goes with mee where I lodge it lodges If I sit still it abides with me If I run from it it follows me I can neither rest nor work I can do nothing for it I can do nothing for it and yet blessed bee thy name this one thing I do what I cannot attain I follow after I cannot conquer yet I fight against it I wrestle with it though it so often give mee the fall I trust it not though it flatter me I love it not though it feed mee I prostitute not my self unto it though it commits so many a rape upon mee my heart is with thee Lord my foot is making after thee I groan I travel in pain waiting for thy redemption till I die I vvill not give over I will die fighting I will die hoping I vvill die praying Save me O Lord make no long tarrying O my God And thus you have the description of this one heart It pitches on one end and God is that end It gives him the place of the end hee is its first and last It gives him the power of the end this one thing the obtaining of God to be theirs draws them on guides governs them in their whole course and is accepted by them as their onely and exceeding great reward This instructs them this rules and encourages them calls them off from sin calls them on to duty carries them out in suffering all their powers are united in this one business all their arguments are resolved into this one argument all their rewards are summ'd up in this one reward God shall bee glorified and therein my soul shall bee satisfied God shall bee mine and glory shall bee his In all this wee see what this one heart means but oh how little of this Grace have wee received how many hearts have wee how many gods have wee to divide these hearts betwixt them how small a corner How low a place must the Lord take up with us if hee will have any at all how often is hee made to stand aside or to stoop to a lust God made to give place to the devil Is God our All indeed have wee none else to please have wee none else to serve have wee no portion no inheritance no other God but the Lord Is hee out Alpha and Omega our first and our last our spring and our ocean our summe and our scope the rise and the rest of all our motions what-ever our tongues speak do our hearts also and our lives say To mee to live is Christ none but God none but Christ nothing but heaven and glory when wee are driving so hard for our flesh for our pride for our ease for our gain when wee are so busie this vvay and so hearty and so zealous this vvay vvhen these must have so great a share in our Religion Is this still the voice To me to live is Christ Oh how little power hath the Lord vvith us hovv far is it that the single interest of God vvill carry our souls hovv little is done purely for God wee have often many strings to our bow there are some services wherein there is something coming to the flesh as well as to the name of God Some credit or honour some outward advantage to bee gotten by Religion but when all the other strings crack but this one when there 's nothing to move us but God oh how weak do our motions grow The flesh often goes partner with God there 's a double trade driving in the same actions a trade for heaven and a trade earth together there 's something to bee gotten by our religion besides what 's coming to God there are fields and vineyards and olive-yards friends and honours and preferments as it sometimes falls out when godliness is in the rising side and when 't is thus we go smoothly and vigorously on Come see the zeal that I have for the Lord of Hosts But when the interest of God and the flesh divide and part asunder when the flesh is like to bee a loser by our Religion when God puts us on such duty as will spend upon the flesh and eat out and devour its interest when our hearts tell us as Deborah did Barak Judg. 4. This will not bee for thine honour or this will not bee for thine ease or thy safety then what becomes of our zeal oh how heavily do we then drive on how seldome is it that this word yet God shall bee glorified will ballance all the prejudices and confute all the cross reasonings of the flesh and carry us on our way without and against it How little hath the Lord of the government of us if hee doth govern as a King yet how little as our end how little doth goodness govern how little will love do with us wee must have rigour and severity wee must have spurres and goads and rods and stripes and scorpions too and all little enough to drive us back from those other gods which wee have chosen and to bring us on after the Lord. If the Law be not made for the righteous if they need not a Law then what are we whom a Law will not suffice if commands threatnings terrours penalties judgments can do no more upon us if wee are yet so loose and so carnal and so earthly and so froward and so false and so formal under severest discipline if wee will not bee whip'd into more humility spirituallity self-denial watchfulness care activity zeal but are such drones and such sleepers such earth-worms and such sensuallists still under all the corrections and compulsions of the law oh what should we be did wee want a law were there
nothing but love to restrain us from sin and constrain and quicken us to duty Christians have wee but one thing to do in all wee do sometimes wee are busie in doing nothing Though there bee a Prayer in our mouths the praises of God in our mouths Christ heaven holiness glory a new heart a new life upon our tongues there 's nothing within no prayer no praise no Christ nor heaven what have we been often doing in the closet in the family in the congregation when wee seemed to have been praying nothing nothing but sowing wind and good words Sometimes we have too many things in our hearts what a world of carnal devices and fleshly projects have wee wrapt up in the garment of our Religion Peter's sheet had not a more heterogeneous miscellany of creatures four-footed beasts wilde beasts creeping things and fowls of the air than our religious duties have of designes and ends Wee have men to please our pride our bellies to offer sacrifice to wee bring our farms and our oxen and our trades before the Lord are not our hearts which should bee the houses of prayer the houses of merchandise are wee not talking or pursuing or in a journey or a sleep or driving bargains O Christians if wee were privy to one anothers hearts as God is privy to them what abominations should wee see brought into the holy places What monsters would our most sacred services appear VVhich whilst the out-side is onely viewed are applauded and admired Is this our singleness of heart Oh! for shame and blushing and confusion of face Oh! for a Vail to hide such hearts from the jealous eyes of the holy God a varnish a fair out-side hides all from men but nothing but a dark Vail of shame and sorrow and tears and repentance a Vail dipt in Blood in the blood of Christ will hide them from the eyes of the Lord. Oh how little plainness and singleness of heart is there in our ordinary course in our dealings and conversings in the VVorld how little faith or truth is there in us how little trust is there to us what doubling what deceitful dealing defrauding over-reaching undermining are wee guilty of how false are wee in our promises how insignificant are our words what an uncertain sound do they give our yea may often stand for nay and our nay for yea Psal 12.2 They speak vanity every one with his neighbour with flattering lips and a double heart do they speak trust yee not in a friend put not confidence in a guide Blessed bee God the Lord hath a Generation on whom this cannot bee charged Children that will not lye nor deceive though Satan and this evil world binde up all in a bundle they are all naught they are all false vain boasters and deceitful workers there 's none up-right no not one but thanks bee to God Satan is a lyer the accuser of the Brethren is a false accuser God hath his children that will not lye But woe bee to those professours by reason of whom the offence cometh Christians hath God promised to give you one heart Let it bee once said this day is this Scripture fulfilled O may you bee the accomplishment of this good word Hath God promised to give you one heart Do not you say but I will not take it two are better than one I have found so much the sweet of deceit that there 's no life like it Hath God said I will give one heart let not any one among you say But I fear he will not Make not the promise of God of none effect either by your impiety or unbelief Doth God promise to give this one heart hee that promised it doth also require it Bee thy self Christian Let it bee said thou art what thou art bee true bee but one have but one heart and let thy one heart have but one tongue but one face and but one thing to do Beware of hypocrisie beware of carnal policy make not thy God to serve thy flesh call not the serving of thy flesh a serving of God and make not thy serving of God to bee a serving of the flesh Bee not divided betwixt God and the World O how easie would our lives bee did we finde our whole souls running one way taking up w th God as the adequate object of all our powers the marke of all our motions and the reward of all our labours did all our streams empty themselves into this Ocean and all our lines meet in this one center Did God onely draw and allure our hearts and the sincerity of our hearts give motion to all our wheels Guide our eyes govern our tongues order our steps animate our duties direct and quicken us in all our goings Oh how sweet oh how beautiful were such a life the Sympathy betwixt our hearts and end there 's sweetness the harmony of our hearts and waies there 's beauty O how sweet are the drawings of love the free and full closure of our Spirits with God dissolving themselves into his Will acquiessing resting satisfyed in his goodness is a sweetness which no man knows but hee that tastes it the harmony of the power of the soul within its self of its motions and actions in the life there 's the beauty which will eclipse the glory of the world Christian bee it thus with thee and thou hast the blessing that covenant blessing which the Lord hath promised in saying I will give them one heart CHAP. XII An Heart of Flesh 4. AN Heart of Flesh Ezek. 36.26 I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh and I will give you an Heart of Flesh The old heart is a stone cold as a stone dead as a stone hard as a stone but I will take away the stone and give an heart of flesh An heart of flesh is a soft and tender heart Flesh can feel any thing that 's contrary to it puts it to pain Sin makes it smart it cannot kick but it is against the pricks by its rebellion and resistance against the Lord it receives a wound it cannot hit but it hurts it self A soft hand gets nothing by laying on on an hedge of thorns A soft heart when it hath been medling with sin is sure to smart for it It can neither escape the pain nor yet endure it and what it cannot bear 't will take warning to avoid it Flesh will bleed A soft heart will mourn and melt and grieve when hard hearts are moved at nothing Flesh will yield It s apt to receive impressions The power of God will awe it his justice fear it his mercy melt it his holiness humble it and leave the stamp and image of it upon it And as the Attributes so the Word and Works of God will make sign upon it Who sets a seal upon a stone or what print will it receive upon the wax the print will abide God speaks once and twice but man hardned man will not regard it Neither his