for he dwels there all things else only ease the flesh 2. All other things prosper according to his presence and not according to the power of the Creature 3. All other things are but miserable comforters but only a putting off for a time and forgetting it but it comes again with more violence like a sore ill healed 1. And yet how do we in any strait run to any thing rather than this For first The World saith Come to me and I will relieve thy want Be diligent apply thy mind to me seek and get me by violence or any way and I will ease thee and we run to it with love and confidence and yet never a whit eased or satisfied 2. The Flesh saith Come to me I will rejoyce thee and ligâ—ten thy heart and put away all thy sorrow I season all sadnesse with mirth and delight we follow 〈◊〉 and yet in the midst thereof the heart is sorrowful 3. Reason saith Come to me and I will guide thee â—nd let thee see Comfort Look at thy righteousnesse â—olinesse thy diligence and knowledge of the Word â—hou art so good and so good above others thou hast â—o reason to be heavy and yet man is never the better These are all the Promises of the god of this World 4. Nay saith Christ But turn thine eyes from them all come to me believe and wait and I will refresh thy heart pardon thy sin preserve thee in trouble and keep â—hee in death and this never deceives 2. And the reason why we come not after so many â—alls is because we are not weary or think to find ease else-where and so long we never come viz. till the Word have revealed such a misery to man of which he is now sensible that all things cannot remove For while man 's fleshlie hope remains he doth not respect Christ Christ hath nothing to do with any but sinful miserable man Therefore we come not because we are not burdened or but so as we think either the World shall help us or we shall be able to help our selves Mans burden may be reduced to four Heads 1. Temptations of Satan 2. Guilt of our own Hearts and Want of the Fathers Love 3. Rebellion of the Flesh Corruption of Nature 4. Want and Miserie and Affliction in the World Minde and we shall see that one of these is alwayes the burden under which we groan The three first properlie to Believers either entring the door of Faith or straying from the Faith received 1. Satans Temptations are a grievous burden and snare when he crosseth by Reason the Truth of God for so he possessed many in Christs time and now prevails with many also Sometimes with strong black Arguments vexing with fear doubting and distraction calling the Truth a lye 2. Guiltinesse of Sin by the Law lyes heavy urged also by Satan filling the Heart with fear and disruâ—â— the conscience unquiet and the heart not estabilished in Faith but still hath an eye to his own unrighteousness and thinks if he were more holy and righteous all should be well But the remedy is to accuse thy self still confesse the Lavv meet the curse and bear Indignation yet turniâ—g from these Arguments of Reason Tell the Devil thou never sinned against him but obeyed him but against Christ and that he hath taken to himself that all thy sins are now his and his righteousnesse thine Then begins a spark oâ— Faith to arise saying O that I could b lieve these groans are helped by the Spirit and then comes the feeling of joy and gladnesse 3. Rebellion of the flesh is a burden to Believers when he would do good Evil is present drawing unawares to vile courses still pricking him forvvard to tickling Lusts dravving still to look to the world and so darkning the light of Christ in him But see that it be a burden and whether it be not the strength of thy fleshly wiâ—l not yet subdued that it is a burden rather because thou canst not have thy own will than becâ—use thou canst not have thy will subdued Like a frovvard vvife vvhich saith She will be content and let her husband do what he vvill but withall frets and repines because the husband will not yield vvhich he must do or else she vvill never be quiet Here not the frowardnesse but the crossiâ—g of her vvill is her burden She is not a burden to her self but her husbands vvill is a burden to her and she unto him so with God But if it be a burden indeed no remedie but Christ Thâ—t thou let him see and knovv that it is thy greatest burdens and not trusting thy care diligence or watching nor fighting with fleshly vveapons but lay down all and wait on him vvho hath power and by vvhom only sin and lust is crucified 4. Want trouble and misery in the World lyes heavy on all For flesh vvould live in fulnesse and see somewhat a fore-hand and it may be thou art in want and persecution even for Christ no remedie but Christ and â—â—e Word of Truth For here thou seest the promise to any burden whatsoever Therefore doth sin in thy â—â—lf or want of comfort doth outward Crosses as a worldly husband froward wife bitter enemies sickâ—esse and provertie oppresse thee Sit still and say with â—onfidence and bind Christ to his Word Thou said â—ord thou vvould take away sin crucifie the flesh â—ind Satan bear all my weakness stand by and be acâ—used for me before Counsels Here I am thou knowest â—â—y burden that these ly heavie on me I am vveary â—o bear them I believe thy Word and vvait for thy â—elp 3. So that it is not because we are troubled thereâ—ore to think that he vvill ease us but by trouble being â—riven to him with cryes and faith for the trulie burâ—ened heart is a praying and believing Heart and so a â—ender and broken Heart that all the World cannot â—ure But these are hard But vve are at ease in Sion not â—roubled not weary and therefore have so little fellowship with Christ because we have so much fellowâ—hip with the flesh Take my yoke upon you To live with Christ then it â—s not to believe and live in pleasure case and wantonâ—esse of the Flesh but to bear his burden and yoke heaâ—ier than that of Rehoboams whose little finger was heaâ—ier than his Fathers hand For this is affliction of Spiâ—it killing of the Flesh losing of the World Life and â—ll and yet the believing heart stayed on God in hope â—nd Faith in his promise patiently suffering his will â—hall find rest therein to his Soul though he be pinched â—nd killed in the Flesh. So that Simple believing in Christ and vvalking vvith him â—n the patient willing bearing of his cross and quiet â—ubjection to his will in love is the only way of peace â—nd rest to mans restless heart Jer. 1. This is my burden â—nd I will bear it Lam. 3. It 's
themselves and kept all Truth off In the end he leaves them with a sharp nip But wisdom is justified of her Children viz. the Children of the Truth will justifie the Truth though against themselves and though all the world besides should reject it so that The Children of the Truth do in their hearts justifie and bear witnesse and clear the Word of Truth though it be to the condemning of themselves 1. Cor. 14. They fall down and say of a truth Christ is in this man so though the Law Rom. 7. condemned and killed Paul yet he justified it to be good holy just and spiritual but I am carnal So David Psal 51. That thou mayest be justified and clear c. So Abraham justified the promise which prevailed in him more than all reason to the contrary 1. For it leaves that impression in the heart which all the lyes and shapes of Satan cannot wipe out though they may cover and hide Yet this is more powerful in him than all 2. For this discovers the Intents of the heart and strikes the heart down whatever upheld it against which man is not able to stand but as the guilty fellon justifies the sentence of the Judge so he justifies the righteous sentence of the Truth 1. But we see that thousands which professe Christ yet justifieth not his Word Nay we judge the Word and are not judged by it We rule and comprehend the Word and are not comprehended and ruled by it We mince the Law and limite the promise and all to save our own skins because we would not be condemned by the Word 2. Yea such is this wise generation wherein we live that a man will now judge and limit God himself setting a Law to his Decree but he is justified to everie believing heart though reason not able to comprehend it Nay everie man labour to justifie himself rather than God and his Truth and everie thing on which man dependeth as 1. The worldling labours to justifie the world and the wayes thereof in his thoughts 2. Another justifies his own qualities of holinesse and righteousnesse 3. Another his knowledge and fleshly notions for they are the Children of these 4. Another labours to justifie the Truth by Arguments of Reason against others but not by faith against himself as a Malefactor justifieth the Law from his own guilt and not because he comprehendeth it 3. No surer sign of a true man than to justifie the truth for he sets to his seal That GOD is true when man even swears in his own heart to the truth of all the Word as that the Law is just he is guilty the promise is free for he is a sinner when the heart lyes bleeding under the power of the Word though he feel nothing but death in himself 4. But we see how we even deny the Word we professe we confesse that God will have mercy and preserve us and yet flie to the World and something else and that repentance and denying of our selves is the way to Heaven yet hope for it repent not at all The Pharisee desired him to eat with him He ever was to spy some advantage for further justifying of himself so that That under the profession of Love and Religion there lurks in most men base and filthy ends respects whereat they specially aim which poysons all proves their Love and Religion meerly nothing All the Pharisees guilty of this as Saul and Simon Mag us c. 1. For this is to frame Religion to serve our selves and not to serve God 2. This argues an unpurged heart which turns all meat to ill humours 3. Thus Religion is made a way to cover but not to crucifie the World and our fleshly Lusts Self-will 1. And this is plain in experience What is it that man doth in Religion but some base end is more powerful in him to produce it than the simple power of Christs love in him We run after the example of others for credit and approbation rather than out of simple love for our lost minds Others talk of Religion so must we that we may be known Others shew love so must we that we may be approved and nothing is said or done whereat we have not an end of our own We judge the Pharisees and justifie our selves and yet do the same thing 2. Hence we see what a vain and vile thing mans heart is that he meddles with nothing but he marâ—s it that though the thing be good and the word good yet in us it is ill 3 No simple and hearty Religion indeed but when man dwells in the simplicity of his own heart in the simple truth else like a huckster he makes Religion but as a Trade to gain by either from God or man Behold a woman which was a sinner both in the eye of the World and in her sell judged by both and condemned in her self So that None flies to Christ in deed and truth nor finds mercy with him but he that knows and feels himself dayly to be a sinner and through sin is a lost helplesse creature So the Prodigal and Publicane and Paul Rom. 7. O wretched man that I am c. and David Psal 51. 1. Joh. 1 If we say that we have no sin we deceive our selves 1. For then death and weaknesse wrath judgement lives in man presseth him down and forceth him to cry and to pray 2. For else man lyes covered from himself under some figleafe and so flies the judgement that he may preserve his fleshly life alive c. 3. This preserves humility and keeps down pride and prepares for mercy for to these only doth the Kingdom of God come Now this is not a seeing of this that action amiss but that he see and feel the Original fountain and guilt That though all actions were restrained yet he feels the Power and Inclination and sway of his mind against Gâ—d his Truth that though he be prevented by Gods Power and shall not taste of Judgement through grace yet he sees in himself such a power of corruption misguided passions that he cryes out for mercy daily so is faith daily preserved 1. But all men strive to appear both before God and themselves to be rich none would be found sinners Therefore when we have missed it in one action we mend it in the next that we may appear to be righteous As 1. The pure moral honesty among men though they have no great matters of Religion to boast of yet even that they offer to God as a Sacrifice for their sin 2. But the more devote men they think they have a heart full of good qualities and dispositions and so cloath themselves therewith for their repentance humility faith and love c. They look at as good qualities to cover sin withall but the only quality that Christ loves is when man comes a sinner to him 3. May others indeed have seen themselves
Faith of our Church is all fleshly fleshly joy prosperitie cast the Spouse of Christ Canticles 1. Is black and her Locks wâ—tt with dew in seeking her beloved in the night and with weeping in the streets but no such enquirie with us Others indure grief upon grief Now full anon taken away now in peace anon Drumming and Cannons roaring in the streets now in Health and Lustie anon struck dead in an instant Children crying Wives bemoaning Maids ravisht Fathers Husbands slain and none to comfort them but unrully Souldiers to spoil them These are dayes and places of Prayer No ease in the flesh but crying in the Spirit 3. We see also the springing corruption of man like the springing Willow by the water side cut it now and it shoots out the next spring 4. So that believers needs abundance of purging through affliction For still we retain something and gathers some hope from thence and so flesh still renews again This was it I think which led some honest minds to betake themselves to such austere living thinking thereby to tame the flesh voluntarily denying fleshly case but yet it sprung up under a more spiritual form but in a greater mistery of wickednesse For look how far a man afflicts himself he is able to comfort himself but if God add grief to thy sorrow and lay it on indeed it will fetch tears yea blood 5. The way of man never sorrows till it be kindly such as all flesh cannot ease it was so with thee once and why not now It is but a light and fleshly sorrow for want of ease that is eased by any thing in man but a wounded spirit who can bear but we take wounded flesh for spirit For that is when a spirit is wounded with guilt and want because it hath followed and believed the flesh and then as here is no way seen for recoverie but sighing and fainting therein till God beyond hope come I will pull down that which I have builded He will cast Israel away whom He once choose for his only people I will send them into Babylon whom He appointed to dwell in Canaan and to worship in Jerusalem and all because their hearts were lifted against him in their imaginations So that now he will pluck up all that he may cast down their vain confidence because they were hardened in securitie and lifted up in pride So that God will certainly destroy and cast out the fairest gift given to man when mans heart is lifted up thereby and hardened therein Thus he pulled down the confidence Israel had in the Ark Thus he brings down Davids high mountain and Pauls rebellions this was Johns office to destroy high mountains Paul had confidence in the flesh but Gâ—d laid it in the dust So that after he confest That in me dwells no good thing but is given only by Christ in such humility and baseness that man might not be lifted up his kingdom not be here He arrogated nothing to Himself but to his father Not mine but him that sent me 1. For Christ will pull down all other kingdoms that he may erect his own as in Daniel the kingdoms vanished one after another This is the stone hevven out of the rock without hands and therefore Christ came to destroy the kingdom that the law had builded in man and to convince the world of sin because of righteousnesse which they had established of judgement because the Prince of this World judged falsly of Him 2. For man is cloathed in his gifts as the Angels became strong and wise without God He hath built him a city provided a portion working righteousnesse full of knowledge a God in his own eyes but God will pull all these dovvn that he may be God 3. The vveapons of our vvarfare are mighty through Him to pull dovvn strong holds not through our selves And this he doth by the povver of the vvord It is a mighty voice and thereby layes low all mans thoughts for the present and by the Crosse kindly together 4. All gifts that God gives to man are to shew his power and love for the good of others not to make them the Idols of our ovvn hearts and say These are thy Gods O Israel 1. Woe then to the Pride of man vvho is lifted up by every gift exalts himself judgeth others despiseth the weak but such boasting must down yea whatever God gives them he will take it again if you begin to store it up 2. It is a great point of simplicitie of heart in the fulnesse of all gifts the hearts be lovv lifted up by none vvhen he hath seen all secure he seeth none and enjoyeth freedom yet vvalks in fear as the Child though he vvant nothing yet he hath nothing properly his ovvn God is and will be the keeper of his ovvn gifts vvhich vve put into the hands of flesh O! therefore lay your foundation on a Kingdom 3. But know there vvill come a pulling dovvn as to Israel when they sate by the Rivers of Babylon What foolishnesse vvhen it is us that builds and plaints and gathers and makes sure that vvhich must be cast dovvn and scattered when thy mouth shall be filled with gravel thy portion scattered thy honour buried in dust thy strong confidence perisheth thy Soul carried into the land of darknesse 4. See the perverse heart of Man and strength of fleshly heart Who the more God bestows on him the lesse he cares for him like an untoward Child keep him bare in Faith and dependence of his Fathers love and he prayes and believes and is obedient but fill his hand and let him have his Lust he sets his Father and Mother at nought Yea thus the Flesh makes advantage of the most excellent gifts as bâ—re even the joy peace and assurance God gives man for man retains nothing but is lifted up by it And believes that it is God but not man more humble and low to see his own vilenesse saying What is man that thou regardest him Doest thou seek great things for thy self seek them not Thou mourns weeps that this desolation must come It is because thou finds ease and peace and great matters no all shall be taken away Seek them not for this is the cause why thou art so troubled thy fleshlie lusting not throughly mortified and prepared in faith and patience to wait So that The main ground of all our miserie and sorrow is our lasting expectation of great ease and peace in the flesh not faithfullie prepared to be subject to Gods will or content with his present portion David looks that Absolom should be spared above all and therefore was so grieved at his death yea more than at the death of all the rest Peter expected to have his life continue there in peace therefore so wishing that Christ should not go up to Jerusalem when Hezekiah had overcome Senacharib he thought he should live in peace which made the message of death so
time love delight c. Yet God is shut out of all yea after experience of Gods love how freely do we return to the World again Religion then is an absolute yeelding our selves to God and his grace without reservation of thoughts â—hat Agag that great Captain of michief even Infideâ—itie and fleshly Confidence wherein Amalekite â—rusted yea the Infant and Suckling in broad Lusts â—pen these outward objects must be slain and that by 〈◊〉 pure believing and loving obedience to the Fathers â—ill here we see that all coverings will not serve the turn For when Samuel comes all is destroyed well-worth him that is open-hearted to confesse and live by mercie See the difference of mens double hearts that are still building up and excusing and alwayes on their own side to build up man But Faith sets a man against himself and alwayes on Gods side pulls him down and all things in man For often greatest noughtinesse is covered and hatched under pretence of Religion as that of Jezabel to Naboth See in the World what covering of lust and oppression what greedinesse when man thinks that for Religion he should be respected but Faith and Love teacheth no such thing Then Samuel said to Saul Hath the Lord as great delight So Samuel pursued him still by the Word of the Lord out of all holds and yet by the Word of the Lord opposeth his good seeming intent layed down by a question that Saul might make answer and be convinced in himself 1. He casts out all conceits of a Sacrifice to please God while the heart is not subject 2. He illustrats it by way of comparison of these two that is Obedience is better than Sacrifice 3. He amplifies it by the contraries for Rebellion is as the sin of Witch craft 4. He denounceth Gods righteous judgements against Saul wherein the cause is in Saul to declare the qualitie thereof The judgement it self hath rejected thee c. First note how Samuel pursues him till he make him yeeld at last to the judgement So that This the proper effect of the Gospel viz. The proper and kindly working of Gods Truth in man is still to bring man down and all things in him to lay him low in himself that he may be exalted through mercie iâ— Christ Let man denie himself and become a Fool saying In me dwells no good thing I am not able to think anâ— good thought all our Righteousnesse is as a filthy clout Phil. 3. All these are but drosse Thus the Word brings all Sacrifice to nought the Law given in Thunder to shake mans heart the Promise made freely without any respect of mans Righteousnesse that man may purely believe Nay and the power whereby all is accomplished is in God not in man that man liâ—e a begger daily may wait there Thus it brought Paul to his knees First brings man to fear and weaknesse before it bring him to Faith and it keeps him in fear that he may rest in God For man is grown proud and wise against God else he had never stood need of his Word for it should have been a living Word in his heart for ever as Paul The weapons of our warfare are mighty to bring down strong holds But see the very truth is perverted by man for though Samuel come to beat Saul of his hold yet he still finds other shifts l ke a wilie Fox So men grow wise and cunning and are listed up thereby yea most yeeld fleshly obedience to this spiritual truth and thereby becomes holie in conceit Others conceiving gloriously of Christ and thence grow high minded for knowledge puffs up and so becomes a man of high thoughts but that man in whom the Word lives and man by it keeps the eye inward towards himself and keeps down all high thoughts in a quiet sense of their own Weaknesse and Vanitie to attend with a crying and praying heart for mercie which is sweetly enjoy'd and not lifted up but man freed and not hardened thereby but out of feeling of himself is pitiful towards all judgeth none but himself This shews the wonderful power of Gods truth that it will make Saul to bow so of any man even Pharisees for the present though afterward they get up again Now it is not Sacrifice that he looks for but a believing loving heart So that All Service and Sacrifice that men seem to offer to God not flowing from a loving heart are nothing with him These are like the cutting off a dogs neck Isa 1. Who required these things at thy hand Psal 50 I reprove thee not because of thy Sacrifice wherewith shall I appear c. For he stands not need of thee neither can he be moved by them unlesse we think as Balaam with his seven Bollocks and Rams These are born of the flesh Children of the bond Woman and not of God nor by promise Righteousnesse is nothing when we make it away to Faith but when it is an expression of a believing heart then it is sweet Now it is not Sacrifice that he condemns but the cursed opinion that goes with it Like that in the Law a daily singing a daily sacrifice so with us when we do it with an evil intent and not out of a simple mind But we have one sacrifice that is Christ only who hath sacrificed life and all and that is it that pleaseth God Thus it is with us also our obedience is but to sacrifice to our God at Gilgall that is to purge sin and to please God that we may get an opinion that God is well pleased for that but this opinion maâ—s all it is not our obedience that is any thing to God in the Work but our yeelding heart For most have looking to that which they have done some looking at it as Pharaoh This crosseth the free sacrifice of love it is a great point of simplicitie in the hight of our obedience still to be more vile and this is the power of Faith for it shews from whence we had it not by our own power Nay when even in our own selves we are opposit to God he hath vouchsafed his grace The only sacrifice of God is a broken and contrite heart sacrifice thy self and it is in stead of all thy lusts desires case peace life and all and when thou hast done that thou shall have as Christ had victory over all a Resurrection a Freedom and a Glory and so shall sit at Christs right hand by Faith till all be subdued to thee and then man offers sacrifice of praise confessing his name not to purge sin but in expression of Gods love and manifestation and that in love and mercie and not in sacrifice Obedience is better than Sacrifice So that That which is accepted is an obedient heart subject to the Fathers will in love is the Life of all Religion and better then a thousand Sacrifices Isa 50. God opened mine ear and I was not disobedient and Samuel said Speak Lord
nor profit but only the maintenance of the Truth of the Gospel viz. Faith in Christ only and Love to all men So that this being their example Note that Faith in Christ and simple Love to Man is the very Summe of the Gospel and the Life of all Religion in the heart of Man Gal. 5. Faith works by love 1. Tim. 1. The end of the Commandment is love out of a pure heart a good Conscience and faith unfeigned all else ver 7. is dross and dung This is the summe of all Pauls Epistles This Paul to Tim calls the spirit of faith love and a sound mind Thus Paul thanks God for to the Col. the Faith and love to all Saints c. 1. For these destroy Self Righteousness and Self Confidence and Self Love which are the poyson of all Religion viz. Self Witt and Self Will these Adam got and therein opposed God 2. For by Faith he is made a Lord over all things that will suffer nothing to start up in the Church and in his Heart but Christ and by Love he is servant to all and plyable and servant to every one By the one he is freed with God and by the other amongst men 3. By Faith he that had thought to live in and by himself through the Law comes to dye in himself and to live in and by another 4. Nay all Religion without these is nothing but meer opinion and conceit whereby the heart is puffed up and so not fit for mercy and also tyed to himself and his own good Minde the Religion of Christ was it any thing but a denying of himself and cleaving to the Father and giving himself to the Church in love yea to his very Enemies Which Faith and Love is nothing else but a partaker so of himself and his own weaknesse Sin and Death thereby that he can believe and trust nothing in himself or the world but only the Word of God and in that weakness waits on Christ and meere Mercy and cut of that dislike of himself and love to that he sees in Christ loves all judgeth none but himself 1. How far are we then from Christs Religion when all our Religion is 1. Either in Fire of questions and disputations about this and that Opinion maintaining of our singular conceits wherein we seem to excel others in knowledge whereby true love is drowned quite 2. Or in some singular conceit of quality and disposition which we conceive in our selves and thereby grow proud and despise Christ and trample mercy under our feet 3. Or in high roveing conceits of the eternal Deity Majesty and Power and Secret Will and Purpose of God without Christ whereby the heart is hardened 4. Or in the Notion of the Gospel and Christ and faith without the power thereof gloriously vaunting of deep Mysteries But in all these the thing is wanting viz. an humble low believing and loving heart like unto Christ 1. Thus in all these man leaves his own heart and followes his heady opinion he forsakes Christ and pleaseth himself with his own qualities turnes from the word and followes vain speculations denyes the Faith and lives by the flesh 2. Know then that whatever would draw thee from Christ and his Truth is not the Doctrine of God whatever sets up man and makes him any thing but a Sinner is not the doctrine of Christ but of the Devil and Antichrist for it destroyes faith Pray we then that the Doctrine of the Gospel even of Faith and Love may be continued pure in the Church For Maus Wit and Reason will gather a thousand Errors out of Gods Truth viz. when it will not be content to become a fool but will needs comprehend a spiritual Truth and determine thereof according to its own Principles and Judgement Then it brings a world of absurdities for all errors have risen out of the Wit of fleshly minded men for the Spirit leads unto all Truth And I fear there will arise men of perverse minds to pervert the truth of the Gospel some to their carnal liberty some to the establishing of a righteousnesse and power in man without Christ bear we the Infirmities of men But take heed of false Doctrine in the Church for this is the worst of all And I pray God that many alive do not see that the Truth of the Gospel be turned into the Mysterie of Iniquitie and a greater Mysterie of spiritual wickednesse than yet we have seen Sed magna Veritas praevaletâ— Great is the Truth and prevaileth 4. But the kindly effect of the Gospel is to establish these two in the heart of man viz. to bring all things down in man by the Crosse of Christ and so lay him low under thee feet of all For the Gospel is a low thing Faith is a low thing though mighty in Christ and Love is a low thing Therefore all high flowen Chimical Divinity is the Doctrine of Satan and not of Christ And therefore if man be brought under the power hereof then will Christ be precious to him and his Word will be the Life and Treasure of his Soul because man hath nothing to stay him in his deep humility but only he And then will man love a man because he is a man and not because he is of my opinion or good to me or of my way or linage but loves as Christ did yea h s very Enemies As you have us for an example viz. Us in whom you see the Truth of the Gospel to rule and to walk according to the same who seek Christs Kingdom not ours So that He walks safely who truly feeling his own weaknesse and believes man for the Truths sake and not the Trâ—uâ—h for mans sake Follow me as I follow Christ But many were drawn away by the Error of the wicked For man having a good conceit of another is apt to believe what he saith for he believes that God is with him and so falls into odd opinionâ— 1. Better we should never preach than that the Gospel should be believed for our sakes Can we that are nothing buâ— error add to the Truth of God nay if God be not with us and guide us we shall tell a thousand lies for Truth 2. But woe be to that man who becomes by his example a perverter of the Brethren either for matter of Faith or Life or Liberty It had been better he had â—ever been born Take heed then how we depend on â—an there is one man for all even the man Christ Who is the way the truth and the life follow him in the way oâ— faith and love of whom I have told you often because of the danger thereof mans weaknesse So that Man is apt and weak of himself to be drawn into an â—vil way of error and hardly to believe the truth and â—tick thereto 1. For he is blind of understanding apt to believe any thing that may further his fleshly Kingdom â—oath to believe any thing that
cover 1. Either Beastly or Epicurian securitie Or 2. A Pharisaical pride either man is drowned in the World or Prided in conceits and hardened in both 2. But know God will bring to light every secret thing though we put off and care not to meddle with him though we flatter think to please him though we be righteous and think to stand before him yet he hath somewhat to say A certain man had two debtors Here under a Parable he shews tâ—e state of all men in Adam and in Ch ist The first in the two debtors that are not able to pay and so bound over to death and bondage The second in free grace forgiving both with the effect of love thereupon Two debtors the one owing five hundred pence the other fifty This difference he speaks according to Simons judgement for he justified himself before her as much as five hundred differs from fifty though in respect of God and Original guilt all are alike Yet in the eye of the World and by multiplying actual transgression increased the guilt bondage and so did differ but both debtors as all men are So that All men yea every Son of Adam through Original sin guilt of everie heart are debtors to God and bound over to death and destruction which we must pay and suffer unlesse Gods mercy and free grace in Christ do free us Rom. 3. We have all sinned and are equally deprived of the glory of God Eph. 2. We are all by nature the children of Wrath. Rom. 13.2 There is a law of Sin and Death from which we are fred only by the Law of the Spirit in Christ Jesus Gal. 3. Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things c. And to Adam In the day that thou eats thereof thou shalt die Rom. 14.1 The wages of sin is death And see it in the Prodigal 1. The Law of righteousnesse which God cannot forsake requires it that he that will not live in God shall have no life as to Adam Much more he that would in his heart pull God out of his Throne and sit there himself as Absolom 2. All men in Adam are so estranged from God in the ground of their hearts that they are direct fighters against God in all things for when we should trust love fear obey him mans heart forsakes him and runs to every thing rather 3. For if there were not a debt and poverty to be suffered there needed no forgivenesse But we pray daily forgive us our debts O Lord. 4. Nay all men know this and therefore flie from God and his judgement as the debtor from his creditor who though for the present he is quiet and hath enough yet debt and fear lyes on him for future times because he knows a reckoning day will come so we Yea the very Heathen fear this that believe the mortalitie of the Soul and labour by moral righteousnesse to pay the debt but all in vain 1. And know that this debt and death his not this or that misguided action but the very original springing fountain of rebellion guilt in the heart whence spring all these little streams from that great and filthy Fountain For all actual sins are properly against men which may be discharged As if I wrong any man I may restore and make a mends c. But by this a mans heart fights against God daily as when he saith he is just powerful fears not but thinks to shift it that he is merciful we need it not but shall live in freedom and will mend the matter and pay him his own But the believing heart that knows himself is still a debtor because that he feels that although he guide well be prevented from many actual Rebellions and be partaker of Gods grace that he shall not taste of judgement yet he feels such a spring of Rebellions mis guided passions that he is still a debtor and daily cryâ—s for mercie and so Repentance and Faith are preserved O! What a vile and miserable thing is man and yet dreams of no such thing Other creatures owe debt to man and daily live in service and subjection and pay it and when they die all is discharged But man lives in joy freedom when he dies all is to pay and he cast into utter darknesse to pay the uttermost farthing 2. Whence then is all this pride and vain boasting whence is all this Sleepinesse Security and Peace in the World whence is this judging and censuring of others whence is this boasting and high thoughts of our gifts and abilities Is not bondage our daily burden and death and misery the portion that we look for fear Did not Paul cry out for deliverance from the body of this death and yet we live in life and seeks no deliverance Was not he a dead man in himself and Christ lived in him and yet we alive to our selves and Christ dead to us Therefore till man believe and know this not by discourse but believing the word of Truth and finding it in himself he believes nothing at all if man believe this it would lay him as the dust in himself and dash all toyes and joyes in the World make him pitiful to others 3. But alace man turns all believing into Fleshly knowing thereby keeps off his own misery like a drunken man that besots himself that he may ease himself a while of the fear of that debt he cannot pay For this fore-knowing of man prevents believing and ever lifts up man never pulls him down makes him righteous in himself not a sinner hardens the heart but never humbles it 4. But know that man must know feel this one day when it will be too late when he shall know nothing but misery like a debtor in the Guoile who runs his mis-pent time must not see his friends nor walk abroad but pine to death sorrow so with us at death And when they had nothing to pay Here comes greater misery viz. That there is left to no man power to free himself So that No power nor possibility in man by any witty invention high speculation or highest holinesse to free his mind of guilt to ease his bondage to flie misery o escape death but in the sense of all weaknesse miserie to cry daily for mercy and wait for deliverance in another We are redeemed not with corruptible things c. So the Prodigal And because there was no power in man he laid help on one that was mighty among the People wherefore else came Christ into the World but because there was none else able to tread the Wine presse of his wrath 1. For the wisdom of man is foolishnesse his strength weaknesse his righteousnesse as a filthy rag His sacrifice abominable Israel was not able to help themselves at the Read-Sea 2. Nay the promise runs upon such as have no money or heavy laden blind and poor in
the Mercy of God in Christ Jesus 5. None knows the Power of Religion in deed but he that hath it not in himself as a quality but in Christ by faith 6. All Religion is nothing where the Fountain is shut no matter what we know if we know not Christ from a troubled heart SERMON VI. Luke 8.4 And when much people were gathered together and were come of every Citie he spake by a Parable A sower went out to sowe his seed c. AFter that Christ had cast off the Pharisee in the preceeding Chapter received the Woman whereby he manifested the freenesse of Gods grace without any respect unto man Great multitudes flocked to him out of all Cities and he lets them see by a Parable that all hearers prove not Christians Wherein note 1. The occasion much people met him 2. The Parable it self 3. The Exposition thereof Much people were gathered together Partly by his Miracles partly the power of his word partly for custome but all came and yet after you see fall off So that The voice of the Gospel and the publishing of it gets many friends and followers at the first which afterwards fall off forsake it Joh. 6. When all was gone his disciples began to slink and he said Will you also go away It was great heart burning to the Priests and Elders that the whole world went after Christ yet at the end all forsooke him and he trode the wine-presse alone So Paul had many Children and Churches Gal. 4. You would have plucked out your own eyes but they all forsooke him and turns to the false Apostles thus beginning in the Spirit and ending in the Flesh. 1. For Est natura hominum novitatis avida but when they have tryed it and find not that sweet they expected but that it crosseth their lusts and wordly Kingdom and suits not with their ease and rest they forsake it 2 Many embrace and approve of it for company and moe forsake it for company it may be the example of many will draw one to it but the example of one will draw many from it 3. Though man think that a Nation is born at once yet few truly proves good ground and sticks to the end for he that endures to the end is saved 1. This is too plain in experience What zeal and forwardnesse what diligence and care is now dead and ended in nothing and though once we wanted nothing but Christ yet now have forsaken him in the way of his cross and ease our selves in the world and our own devices So that the life of the Gospel continues but a time for after a while security takes hold of some opinions and heresies of others and the world takes hold of all and so the Lord takes it away and sends it elsewhere 2. To shew the perverse nature of man who is never wearie of the world in the ways of the flesh and yet how soon weary of this He spake by a Parable Not in high and abstruse termes or wittie and unknown Language but in plain parables as of plowing sowing of salt and three pecks of meal of lost sheep of debtors and creditors things well known unto men cast this simple seed amongst them where see the nature of the Gospel So that That it is plain low simple wants nothing but believing hearts to make it known yet not understood of any but such as stand truly in need thereof Many great Doctors were ignorant of these Parables the Parable was plain but the mysteries was hid Many wise men conceive truly of it defended it but only miserable men knew the power of it 1. For Christ came not to set men at disputing about opinions but about themselves to draw them to believe 1. So that divinity stands not in curious searching of hidden things but in plain evidence of truth to pierce the heart 2. And hence we see what good doth all those disputes of high knowledge of contemplative men viz. The greatest Idolaters that ever was in the Church for they frame steps and stairs to ascend to high Mysteries and frame a God at the top and yet ly in pride and base lusts God gives us low and humble hearts then a Parable will fet the Gospel will be precious and if ever God bring us to see the need of Christ one simple word of truth will bring more joy than a thousand witty discourses A sower went forth to sow And this seed is the Word of God which prospers in some better in some worse and Christ therein ranks all men according to that power the word hath in them so that Every man is with God as the word is to him Joh. 15 If you abide in me and my word abide in you c. Saul cast away the Word of the Lord therefore the Lord cast him away and all the complaints against Israel was still because they hearkned not to my Word they disobeyed my Word and all the Plagues that ever came on man even from Adam till now is because our own wills and lusts rules us not his Word we believe not but David lived thereby And this is that frees man thy Word of Truth 1. For God and his Word are one such as his Word is to us such is God in every thing for not one jote of his Word shall fail 2. And all the Word is nothing else but a Declaration of the Fathers will in Christ as the Law that we should have no Saviour but him and the Gospel that he is a perfect Saviour all our sin is but a transgression of this Word by making to our selves in conceit other Saviours than him This is the Word that was given to Adam Abraham c. and this is a mighty Word for by it all things were made and preserved As with man how deadly is the Word of a King in wrath that it hath ever strucken a man with death and so of mercy And the sowing of this seed is nothing else but the faithful Declaration of Gods Will concerning Man and Christ that man may see the deceits of Satan by that Word so be brought to repentance may see the truth of the Word in Christ that the Kingdom of God may come And yet Christ may say Who hath believed our report when we see this seed to perish not regarded but cast off as a fable We believe fear the Word of Man and the Word of a Father prevails with a Son but God calls cries and we regard not He threatens and we fear not He promiseth and we believe not But let the World threaten we fear or promise and we rejoice and so comes man to be of a worldly heart Doth not the Father cast out the Son that regarded not his Word Mark and we shall see that the whole ear is stopt to this Word and he is but a dead hearted man But know that God hath punished more
then he was strong Great Knowledge devote Holinesse and high Thoughts chooke Faith only humilitie preserveth it The one lives by opinion as light as wind but the other by Faith and mercie he feels nothing but weaknesse and guilt 3. Well-worth weak and repenting hearts that weep with Peter We deny him often but repent seldom What ever knowledge or other thing they have yet if this be kept lively Faith shall not fail though it be seemingly lost and he turned his back and he sees no way to peace Yet wait a while and light will spring out of darknesse and well-worth Crosse that preserves Repentance in man when he sees his own beastly guilt how he hath forsaken God and run from him and sees how all fails then he returns So it is hard to preserve Faith lively in prosperitie It is a great point of simplicitie to enjoy all gifts and yet look at none We see then whereby man is preserved in all straits viz a praying and believing heart all else vanish 4. But praying dayes are gone We have wept but now rejoyce We were weak but now strong in our selves Strengthen thy Brethren Pitie not me nor weep for me but weep for thy self and pitie thy Brâ—thren So that As the life of Faith is in Christ only see the practice of Faith is in love to the Brethren David Psal 16. My goodness is nothing unto thee but to the Saints that are in the Earth Thus all rules of practice after Faith that are stablished by Paul are such like as help the weak admonish the un-ruly c. and Christ left this his last Law Love one another and Faith works by love This was Christs practice all his dayes in doing good this is a free disposition of a Redeemed Spirit the flesh seeks its own but love doth not 1. Thus is the Fathers Love spread abroad and the Truth of the Gospel and the Church increased and herein is the Communion of Saints 1. But we all walk in the thearick knowledge of Faith and Christ and nourish our thoughts therein but we foresake the practice of Faith for self-Love and Pride hath drowned all hearty Religion Do we help the poor and relieve them nay we spoil them do we bear with the Weak nay we judge them do we cover the sins of others nay we spread them Do we love our Enemies nay We hate them 2. I wish we had lesse Knowledge so we had more Faith and Love Is it not a shame to see how Drunkards are linkt together and every Sect as one man yet we that professe to believe in Christ lead everie man to his own gain So we thrive we care not who losse who grieves and bears the burden of others I will go with thee though all forsake thee Pride of heart and over-weaning conceit of our own power because of some singular gift above others is the readie way to fall before all so it s in the Jews Pharaoh Nebuchadnezzar Lucifer So that There is a presumptuous and proud carlesse confidence from the arm of flesh which goes under the name of Faith and lifts man up in securitie a while but will fail in the end Thus David Psal 30. And his numbering the people SERMON XV. Dan. 3.16.19 Then Shedrach Meshach and Abednegâ— answered and said to the King O Nebuchadnezzar we are not careful to answer thee in this matter IN the former Chapter Daniel had interpreted the Kings Dream concerning the Image of Gold Silver Brasse Iron and Clay and the destruction of several Monarchies by the Stone hewed out of the Mountain without hands that is to say The power of Christ whose Kingdom should overcome all the rest and be everlasting never to be destroyed by which the King was convinced to acknowledge the great Power and Wisdom of the God of Daniel and sell into admiration but understood not the Mysterie of Christ therein nor the downfal of his Kingdom therefore presently returns to his old Idolatrie So that The Word of God from God and the great work of his power doth for the present put man to silence and convinceth him yet where the heart remains hardened and that the mysterie of Christ is hid from man he soon returns to his old vanitie and Idolatrie of his own heart Thus they are often convinced by the great Works of God Psal 16. Yet forgot how they were brought out of Egypt and walked not in the Covenant but returned tâ— their Lusts And the Pharisees in Christs time often put to silence but soon grew wise again to maintain there own Kingdom Yea how manie of his followers who saw his greaâ— Workes and confessed never man spake like him or did the like spake with such power and assurance and yet forsooke him see the stony ground and those of Judea 1. For ease and peace and prosperitie being offered and a man lothe to live without them they choak the VVord 2. The Knowledge of the Gospel without the power of Christ and his death hardens above all none such enemies to the simplicitie thereof 3. For if the Truth and Power of God be revealed yet if God keep not the Promise of Repentance by the Crosse so bring man under the power of that Word he soon starts up and becomes Wise and Righteous in himself not in Christ in the flesh not in Faith 4. Though for the present it dash man and convince him that he confesseth and sweareth that it is the truth yet when it both crosseth his present ease and libertie brings no life but death for the present he grows wearie unlesse the great power and love of God pursue his Soul by his Word and Crosse Hence comes so much back-sliding in the church that men admire the great Power of God yet not living in Repentance under the Crosse Every thing starts up and so they turn to the old way or a new device of their own but do not believe the down-fal of their Kingdom for the present For most men when they have talked and shewed abroad their Wisdom Righteousnesse and increased their Glorie they are the old men again The World is welcome and sweet Sin as light themselves at ease secure as they had never known such a thing 1. And yet they know their ease and securitie ariseth not out of simple confidence of Faith but hardnesse of heart and clothed under a vail of Religion 2. So it is a fearful thing to grow hardened after truth revealed that man joyn hands with the World that sin become lesse sinful in conceit This is a meer securitie and not Faith for if a man flie off and that the Word cease to judge man arraigned at Gods judgement seat For Christ hath two judgements in mans heart viz Judgement and Mercie so it is said Man must give an account of what he hath done Yea of every â—dle Word which is true in mans heart for they are judged and man tormented untill he apply to
mercie For if he be not before one of these two he is secure may this we see too common in all men 1. For though they must be brought at one time or other to be judged in themselves and confesse that it is â—he way of Faith Repentance and Love it is the way of Life yet how soon become hardned and cast it off cares not for it but gets a life else-where that they cannot say that their joy and pleasure and life is in Christ but in another in his knowledge and righteousnesse and none abides but with this Nebuchadnezzar falls off But know that this Word shall judge thee one day 2. Hence we see what a Fountain of Lust and Rebellion is in all men believers and others how often hath God expounded our Dreams restored our freedom given Life in Death and how soon are we returned either to the Worlds shifts in straits or forget the Lord that brought us out of Egypt and feed our selves with pleasure Nebuchadnezzar made an Image of Gold fifthy cubits high He had forgotten the God of Daniel soon and now makes an Idol for his own glorie preservation even thus doth all So that When mans heart turns away from God Christ that he is not known believed and loved every maâ— set up the idol of his own Imagination in his heart forsakes the God of Heaven that is to say a God a Christ and a Righteousnesse and Wisdom in Imâ—gination Thus every Nation had their Gods all reasons are 〈◊〉 God framed or comprehended in the witt of man 〈◊〉 Therefore God gave this great Law Thou shalt havâ— no other Gods but me 1. Thus Satan is called the God of this World whâ— sets up his Law in mans heart For there is in every man the sins of all men in the root so that as the Heathen that know not God indeed yet had many Imaginary Gods So all men that know not God or forsake Christ make many Christs though not all of oâ—â— fashion yet such as mans Imagination leads him to 2. For mans heart must have something to upholâ— it either real or conceited therefore in want of thâ— God of life he must have some God and somethiâ— to trust to or sometimes for which he must trust Gâ—â— the better in all which though it be nothing but the Idol of his Imagination yet Christ must bear the Name He confesseth the God of Daniel but hath an other Idol whom he worships For doubt not but all the Heathen had a general confused conceit of God unto whom they then framed God a kind of relation in their conceit For reason could tell them that a creature could not save them neither could Nebuchadnezzar believe that any creature could yet save or deliver him when he counted himself the most patient creature in the world but had a conceit of God unto whom he owed Worship Some acknowledge the true Christ but he is not the Saviour by whom they live but something else So that Thus the World and the Church is full of Idolatrie every man setting up the Idol of his own heart One sets up a Golden Image as the King did here and makes the World his great God This he serves and trusts worships yea in all his laws threats he fears the loss of his labour For if this God smile he laughs if he frown he grieves if he threaten he fears if he promise he believes and this is the greatest God most worshipped in the World The rich adores it the poor prayes unto it all bow unto it But the great Idol in the Church is mans knowledge and righteousnesse This is that the false Apostles set up This he decketh with Devotion Zeâ—l and Charitie but yet not much of that he worships God before this Idol he acknowledgeth Christ yet with circumcision joyned this we make only God we bow down as unto it Nay the Idols of mans imaginations are endlesse For the greatest contemplators saith Luther Are the greatest Idolaters for they make an Idol of their own imaginations or their speculations Christ and Paul was none of these they lay in misery they believed God they practised love and went about doing good 1. For by how much any goes about to comprehend Christ and his Word not believing in him from a broken and repenting heart but from strength of imagination he is the great Idolater but know these arâ— cursed and the makers of them they have mouths but speak not eyes but see not the way of life noses but savour not the things of God feet but walk not in the wayes and love of Christ and they shall not all help in time of need Thy Knowledge shall vanish thâ— Righteousnesse be judged faultie thy gold perish and thy pleasures be turned into sorrow and shall this God deliver thee And all these are framed by man that he may have ease and freedom elsewhere in the flesh and have something to see and feel that so he may live iâ— peace but the true God is found in trouble not at the sound of Musick but in woe and sighing then is God present with these men as Daniel Shedrach Mechacâ— and Abednego were accused by the Officers This added to their Captivity for that herein is doublâ— bondage though they were advanced as Rulers in Babylon yet brings them into bondage that they mighâ— not fit in Babylon but upon their God and his Word So that When God intends good unto man he keeps him under the Rod of miserie without and weaknessâ— within that Faith may be kept pure and the flesh aâ—â— man may have no stay but in him Thus with Job David Psal 107.39 He brings dowâ— their heart with sorrow thus with Christ 1. For till man be throughly whipt he flies to soâ—â— new shift and God in love chaseth him from all holdâ— that he may not setle in carnality 2. For Abraham had no Child then Isaac was boâ—â— and then hope of him seemed to be taken away Thiâ— was ever Gods dealing with his Church they had somâ— breathing time yet he renewes his rod when they greâ— wanton and turn from him Man would lay hold iâ— any thing rather than drown but thus God plungeâ— him into the deep and then he prayes 1. Thus we all seek rest in the flesh and find it arâ— say We shall not be moved the Pipe and the Tabrâ— is in our Feasts but sorrow and repentance is hid froâ— us But if God intend thee good he will keep thee from fleshly ease Thou thinks it an heavy bondage to lose wife husband world and all but when guilt shall appear within and God is departed and death at hand who shall comfort thee 2. But we are altogether for ease and peace Our Church is fleshly The Church in Canticles sought and enquired after him in the night but no such need with us we feel not the grief and captivity of others They are now full anon taken away Now in health
anon strucken dead Children cries wives lament husbands slain none left to comfort them but cruel enemies to make an end of them which shewes the cursed strength of flesh never well but under the rod. This made some â—un into Monasteries We are not careful That is we seek no shifts but trust â—n our own God and fear not the fire nor afraid but God will deliver us So that Faith only staying the heart only Christ makes man â—old again from death and miserie and purgeth the heart from fear This was promised by Christ Be not afraid so the Midewives of Egypt feared not the King seeing him â—hat is Invisible Thus the Martyrs not afraid to answer â—heir Adversaries 1 For it overcomes the World gives joy in tribulaâ—ion after patience experience Isa 58. A Smith lifâ—â—â—ot up a hammer but by me 2. Man fears only so far as he trusts himself or the â—reature 3. Faith keeps the heart safe whatever becomes of â—e flesh 1. Now there is a fear natural from Constitution 2. A fear wordly because we trust and love it 3. A fear spiritual either of wrath or judgement or â—f fear in regard of himself and his own weaknesse and â—bellionâ— but fear makes man-believe 1. Why doth man fear but because he believes not â—ence our shrinking hearts that when trouble approacheth he deviseth and invents how to answer escape and recover For affliction indeed shakes all frothy faith but purifieth the rest as gold 2. But woe to the hardened hearts that fear nothing because the World is strong in our hearts but like blind byard run into a pit 3. See the safetie of believers who have a friend at back that when flesh pleads with Saul to David thou art not able and Jonathans man they are manie judgeth nor after outward appearance but believes and waits for deliverance Be not afraid only believe 4. And this is the Fountain of all the careful life of an unbelieving man alwayes caring to encrease theirs to be delivered because they trust not in him that 's able Our God is able here opposeth their God to the cumber wrath of the King we seek not thy favour nor life nor ease but our God whom we serve is our only â—tay So that The believing heart so fâ—r as he believes in Christ and Christ in him in all extremities cries from a believing mind None but Christ Thus Solomon when he had tried all vanities Psal 73. I have none in heaven save only thee Eliah against Baal The Lord he is God And the Prodigal Father I have sinned against thee therefore I am no more worthy to be called thy Son Phil. For we are the Circumcision which worship God in the spirit and rejoyce in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in the flesh 1. For there is he that giveth life in death 2. They are one by faith as the husband the wife 3. This is the Law accomplished by the Gospel against the world who worship one God and trust in another nay all have any but thee Faith is a simple thing separate from all Christ only lives in mâ—n and answers Satan with this Our God is able to deliver us If he see it best He can to which will we are subject and believe his power yet if he see it not good we believe his power He is able to uphold us in suffering we are pleased with his will whatsoever So that So that simple believing of Gods power free subjection to his will in all things is the only stay hearts â—ase of man in trouble and misery As in Abraham he believed that he was able to raise him up from the death though he know not that he would in that he submitted to his will Rom. 11. Concerning Israel God is able to graft them in again David When he was driven by Absolom God can bring me again to the Citie and Tabernacle if not here I am let him do what seemeth him good So saith the Leper If thou wilt thou canst make me clean and God can save by few as by many For he that comes to God must first believe that God is that is to say there is Power and Truth Wisdom in him who by his Power commands the Heavens and they were made who causeth light to shine in darknesse Thus he argues in Isaiah and Jeremiah It s I that measure the Sea in my hand He that made the Heavens and the Earth that doth lead through the Fire and Water and brings down to Hell and Death And this he hath promised that he will not leave man in distresse but all shall turn to good So that to denie all creatures and strength of man believe his power to denie our selves and be subject to his will is our only ease For Christ so knew his Father was able to save him from that hour yet was subject to his will not my will but thâ—ne be done But Man hath a Will of his own which God doth not alwayes answer according to his fleshly appearance which man seeks to accomplish by his own or because man sees not allwayes a sign or way of deliverance in himself he fears and thinks all is lost when God in Wisdom hides all from him and takes away all stayes in the flesh that he may despaire in himself and trust in another and denie his will that he may be made subject Thus we all denie the Power of God think there can be no comfortable living in the World without fulnesse of the World nor that Wife and Children cannot live when we are gone unlesse we leave them full portions but who fed Elias and the Widdow of Sarepta who fed the Ravens and clothed the Lillies Nay we do not see that all the care and power of man cannot make him prosper when Gods hand is against him and do we not see how many he raiseth out of the dust and setteth them with Princes and yet this we trust more than him If we have friends and riches we believe if not we fear as though his power was limited to this 1. Nay thus in the way of Religion we denie his power and will needs help God as that he cannot save us without our help Works Wisdom Rigteousnesse and these must be set up to look at and we behold Christ through these and Circumcision so we stand not as Beggers to receive of his fulnesse but as Traders in Religion to bring something unto him as a thousand Rams 2. But what safety to the Citie if God watch not or what ease by rising earlie if God blesse not so that none believes the power of God but he that knows his own weaknesse and of all creatures For still God manifests his Power Wisdom and Mercie in the Weaknesse Foolishnesse and Unworthinesse of Man and this believing Gods Power never more seen than in trouble For while we are full we believe because of our fulnesse but when all fails
live in the misery of our own spirits we live then in pleasure or hopes of the flesh But we are all as unclean things He confesseth what man is without God viz. That man separated from God and not guided by Him is but vilenesse and vanitie a lump of filthinesse and good for nothing till he be restored by meer mercy and made subject to God and live in Christ Psal 6 What is man that thou art mindful of him In us dwells no good thing man is a thing of nought Rom. 3. Their throat is an open sepulchre c. no stedfastnesse in the Angels and who can say My heart is clean So David Psal 5. Daniel 9. confesse what man is 1. For God is the life soul and beeing of all creatures and none lives but by Him none but men and devils but are subject to him and obey his will only man hath a will of his own which he would have to reign as God 2. This is the common eye of the world what malice danchour not the like amongst brute creatures even minds to devour one another wrong murder covetousnesse pride lusts and all evil is committed amongst men but all flowing out of this pit 3. Nay the experience of every heart understanding it self sees it dost thou not find in thy self a heart stuffed with pride vain glory lust filthy desires that if the world did but know them thou wart ashamed for ever 4. And that which makes him worst of all this beggar will needs fit on horse-back and boast proclaim himself to be some body 1. But if mans eye were turned homeward we should have no boasting where thou may see in thy self the sins of all men in the world Pharaohs hardnesse Cains murder Sauls doubling Judas treason the fooles worlding for we do the will and lust of the devil 2. So that all thy good thoughts of thy self are from the devil the father of lies nay when ever thou medles with any thing that is good if it be not God that workes in thee thou mâ—rrs it Thou talks of Religion from a proud heart and makes Religion to stink thou prayes out of a rotten heart out of self-love for ease and it is abominable c. 3. O that man saw the filthinesse of his own heart VVhat a hase thing he is It would both bring dowâ— his high thoughts of himself and make him charitable to others 1. Whence then is all this exalting of our selves above others as thinking we have some excellent gifts above others is it not because we know not our selves 2. Whence is this seeking of glory one of another but because we know not our vilenesse we are lothe to see any ill in our selves and thence so many excuses 3. Whence is this judging and censuring of others but because we think well of our selves Object But God hath given excellent gifts to men as Knowledge Wit Joy Comfort Faith and Love c. Answ This declares the goodnesse of God not of man this rests in God not in man this makes not man better in himself but shewes that God is better to him for when man chokes himself with conceits of Gods gifts as his own he becomes proud True it is God restraine and orders man for good of others but if he take good to himself he is deceived 4. Where then are all these good qualities that man brags of True it is for matters pollitical God hath given gifts and fitnesse to man but for the Kingdom of Christ there is no power no fitnesse all power is in Him both in heaven and earth For as in a Kingdom there is no power no will but in the King so in this so that we greatly err in our conceits We think Faith is a vertue and qualitie and power in man but it is indeed the weakness of man trusting in another when the weak dead and beggerly heart of man flies to and lives in another so that there is no goodnesse in man but sight of vilenesse c. 5. O! how much need we then to stand in need oâ— mercie who are vile filthy and rebellious 6. And magnifie we Gods mercie and love that on us so vile and wretched hath shewed mercie and still keeps and preserves us And all our righteousnesse is as filthy rags 1. Here he shews what man is naturally in the general nature of man and here he shews what he is in his better reformed qualities of Righteousnesse and Holinesse wherein he labours to bring down the high conceits of the Jews Who accounted themselves the onlie Holie and Religious People and that therefore God would carrie them into Captivitie But he tells them that even all their righteousnesse that they boast off in respect of God is nothing but filthinesse and vanitie and so the Righteousnesse and Holinesse of the most perfect man whereby he labours to root out of man two things 1. The conceits of all Righteousnesse in himself and so pride and boasting that man may know himself 2. All Righteousness before God but 1. For first he doth not draw man from Righteousnesse but from the opinion of Righteousnesse 2. He speaks not of Righteousnesse towards man but towards God So that Mans best Righteousnesse and perfection of Holinesse with God and before him as also all mans conceits of Gods love and blessing in respect thereof is nothing but filthinesse and iniquitie not able to uphold â—is heart or preserve his peace in fyrie tryals No ' stedfastnesse in Angels Paul counted all losse drosse Psal 16. My goodnesse extends not unto thee when we have done all that we can we are unprofitable servants Isa 66. Their righteousnesse is like the cutting off a dogs neck where there was not a humble and contrite Spirit 1. For the whole depraved nature of man is a like lust in all and the restoring of Righteousnesse is as man is and abides in Christ not as he is partaker of new qualities in himself for Christ is the bringer in of everlasting Righteousnesse and the King of Righteousnesse 1. For the whole depraved nature of man is a like lust in all and the restoring of Righteousnesse is as man is and abides in Christ not as he is partaker of new qualities in himself for Christ is the bringer in of everlasting Righteousnesse and the King of Righteousnesse 2. This doctrine stablisheth and preserveth Faith in the Church and heart of man but mans righteousnesse destroyeth Faith but Faith establisheth the Righteousnesse of God and it is called the Righteousnesse of God and infinite Righteousnesse which swallows up all sin in a moment so that Righteousnesse is preserved by Faith 3. Faith by Righteousnesse a Christian is not righteous formaliter according to his substance or quality but cretum praediuntum ad aliquam In respect of the divine grace and free remission of sin Psal 32. Blessâ—d is he whose unrighteousnesse is forgiven and not who is made habitually righteous 4. Mans righteousnesse is
in another viz. in Christ who is made our Righteousnesse through Grace For take Him away and there rests nothing but Death â—or the Law doth not make man righteous but sinners â—nd lost men Now Righteousnesse is two-fold Politia divina Morale divinum The first is that the Philosophers treat of which is a Righteousnesse of just and equal disposition of mind and carriage of our actions towards others doing right to all That is called in Scripture the Righteousnesse of the Law which is the righteous work of it in man but that is nothing before God for it is not wrought by God nor for him but man attributes it to himself and thinks God should be pleased therewith also Now this is good sweet amongst men but if man bring this before God it is abominable But the righteousnesse of Faith is another thing viz. the righteousnesse of Christ made ours standing in free remission of sins and the free grace of God Therefore it is that Christ is our Righteousnesse as a thing out of mans self in another 1. How far off from life are they then which well unrighteously in all things both towards God and man 2. Also those that hold the Truth in unrighteousnesse which acknowledge the Truth of the Gospel but submits not to the righteousnesse thereof but run out after their own unrighteousnesse and will never regard Goâ— nor his word of promise 3. And such as makes themselves righteous anâ— stablish a righteousnesse of their own and thence seek a ground of believing 4. Others fall off from the Faith with the Galatians and when God through His love hath made theâ— sometimes obedient in love 1. Fix their eyes upon that and imagine themselveâ— something that now they being made subject aâ— obedient do look for a blessing theâ—â—upon when alaâ—â— it is not one good thought of twenty 2. But know that all our Righteousnesse is in another that man see no good thing in himself but Sin 〈◊〉 Rebellion and Death c. but all good in Christ Whâ— is made our Righteousnesse For if man turn from Hiâ— he fails if he abide in Him he lives Therefore aâ— Paul saith I live not but Christ lives in me 3. But most lives by conceit of Christ not Christ living in them so that our power over sin death hell is not in our selves but in Christ who dayly crucifies the world not any qualitie or disposition that we are brought to but living in the sense of our own unrighteousnesse and flying from our selves and so becomes Righteous in Christ 4. Hence we see that Faith and all good is preserved to man in dayly and deep humilitie when he dayly lives in the life of Repentance and is weak and unrighteous and unthankful but daily waits for mercy But when man becomes righteous in his own eyes either because of that qualitie of Faith or of Love or Righteousnesse then he is lifted up and it becomes his own righteousnesse and therefore filthie nothing 5. Walk in Righteousnesse but take heed of looking at it let it extend to man that thou mayest justifie thy self before them else all the world shall condemn that and the Gospel be slandered but in respect of God who is of pure eyes bring nothing but Christ and his mercy and then shall we see the Righteousnesse of God upon us And we all do fade as a leaf All our Righteousnesse being but hypocritical and so we with it doth fall to nothing So that Where the Grace and Love of God by Faith is not continued to man there Faith and all Religion fades where Religion fades there all joy and peace and happinesse is lost and comes to nothing as Heb. 6 They tasted of the good Word of God but yet fell away in the end and Hymeneus Phletus and those in Jude Ephesus Laodicea Revel 2.3 1. For it is God only that both by his grace both guides preserves faith in man As the tree planted by the Rivers of water Psal 1. 2. When this fades man daparts from God as Israel in the Wildernesse and so never comes into the the land of rest 3. All things have a passage through man and he gets a taste of good in them but they fade in time only Gods love and mercy endures for ever 4. When man returns into himself or the World he soon grows weary as the leaf when the sap is descended into the root in the earth so we when the sap of God is descended 1. Hence it is that so much fair shining Religion comes to nought in the end being but the work of man it fades and dies in man but that of God abides for ever Thus have we seen much Religion dye What zeal and sorrow of heart What love affection to the truth it self and now all is drowned up with a fleshly speculation of these things but the life is gone 1. Love is forcible which if it rise but out of a strong stirring of natural affection it is soon lost but if from real miserie and distrust of himself it abides with God though clouded but the foundation abides in God 2. And even so will all our joy and peace freedom fade Where is that joy and sweet rest we have had that earnest hunger and desire after Christ Nay it is gone and we grown proud in knowledge and for the simplicity of believing turned it into an opinion of knowing edifying one enother in love into fleshlie honour seeking it one of another or censuring each other or love and liking of the Word of Truth into a judging and despising of the same our love to each other into self-love our love to Religion into the love of the World So that hence it is that our joy is departed from us because we are departed from Christ We joy in our fulnesse power or knowledge c. yet will all fade as a leafe and we also shall in the â—nd fade with it we see it Where is the glorie and pleasure fulnesse of our neighbours is it not faded away turned into want and sorrow and death it self the youth and suckling strong and aged mother and child are all fallen into the dust and it will be our portion if righteousnesse and religion lye in the streets despised as it is And our Iniquities like the wind hath taken us away When we thought under a colour of righteousnesse to go on in the wayes of vanitie and enjoy the World yet at last our Iniquities have prevailed and taken us away So that It is sin and rebellion against God which is the onlie way and cause of the destruction of man and nothing but sin undoes man Your Iniquities have separated betwixt God you Thus he complains against Israel in all the Prophets because they sinned against me and yet they sinned more and more they are a stiff necked generation for nothing makes God our enemie but our running from him 2. Losse and want
when he sits crying ouâ— of himself O wretch that I am that hath thus abused my good father cast away my self and know not what to do but dy and perish Then he appears and â—owns on him a while but after his heart be brust with sorrow the faâ—her can no longer refrain but smiles and comforts him as Joseph to his brethren For He came to seek and save that which was lâ—st He came to redeem the captive spirit of man that was locked up in fleshly bands and his own guilt Not to ease the captive flesh of man for many great afflictions ly on many whom He never easeâ—h because man cannot have his own Will and Lust and World and Ease and Glory but these he pities not But when the spirit mourns after God and cannot be comforted by all the world but sits in ashes and cryes in the night the Sun then breaks out and joy comes in the morning But nothing is a burthen to the spirit of man but sin and guilt and weakâ—esse for other afflictions are burthens to the flesh and they are helped But in the afflicted spirit there is such a depth of miserie that nothing can help but His Love Spirit that He hath promised As nothing can ease the heart of a rebellious child but reconciliation with the Father all â—hat man can do to help can but strengthen â—â—â—â—â—m His Love only stays the heart by Faith all things dâ— but only put off and that by stâ—â—â—gthening conceit buâ— it returns again with greater violence like â— wound ill healed But this shews that we have little of Christs comâ—any save only His name among us we talk of Him dispute and follow Him up and down to the Temple and seem to sat by His side but wâ—â—h proud hardened hearts Nay I judge whether thou art as well with Him as without Him for any good thou hast by Him save only a heartless helpless hope if thou may have the World thou seeks no more If thou have no more joy than thou hast with him it will prove but small Nay we are not for His presence like an adulterous Wife that cares not for her Husbands presence but if ever that heart be turned by Repentance and possest of its own guilt then none but He. Others thinks to procure His presence by trimming and garnishing a fair out-side profession of Christ and think if they were more holy and righteous then He would surely come but we thus make a Christ to our selves But woe to that Righteousnesse that hides Repentance and hardens the heart Woe be to that Presumption that is lifted up above Mercie Woe be to that Conceit of believing that joyns hands with the World and shuts man up in self-love and woe to that Hardnesse of heartâ— that despiseth long suffering and heaps up Wrath against the day of Wrath. And hence we see that where Repentance is hid from man Gods love and pity are far from him whatever we have it matters not how Wise Righteous Holy Rich or Youthful we are if any Hardnesse of heart goes with all But we are full and sit as Queens and want nothing Yet the day is coming when we shal seek Him and shal not find Him when all shall fail us and we afraid to hear of His presence when He shall sit as Judge to judge the World then shall we cry O where is he now that we despised and set so lighâ— by And then weep with Esau and say Father hast thâ— not one blessing left Bless me even me also Then shal he answer nay These are blessed and shall be blesseâ— thou hast had the fulnesse of the earth for thy portion bâ— my love and mercy thou regarded not In his pity and love he redeemed and bare them Heâ— is the continuance of his love notwithstanding theiâ— dayly falling off yet he guided and bare them as 〈◊〉 nurse in his arms all the ancient dayes as he choosâ— them in love and pity and remains faithful to Abrâ—ham and his seed So that As Gods love and pity without any thing in man is the first fountain of life to man and only cause of his happiness so is the same Love Goodnesse and Power the dayly preservation and guide of man in the way of happiness through Faith As Paul by the grace of God I am that I am not I but the grace of God in me therefore doth the Lord so often remember Israel of his deliverance out of Egypt the promise to Abraham that they might look at that Law and depend on that Promise How came Israel out of all these straits but that God still pityed and forgave them as David how he prayed to be guided and preserved and relieved dayly from God And this the Apostle strove for that nothing might stand in the heart of man after grace received but the same grace still and further beats down all things else but this For is not man as weak in himself and Satan and the Flesh as strong as ever Is not man as sinful and His grace and help as needful as ever For Paul of himself could not live but Christ lived in him and he waited therein He hath delivered and will deliver me Christ did not worke properly for himself for man to guide himself by his own power for this is not in man but in Christ who is his Safetie Peace Righteousnesse and Holinesse and all for Israel was not able to stand before any enemie when they forsook the Covenant for what shall uphold man under the cross but his love and pity when all fails As the Martyrs was it their wit or power or strength of heart that preserved them No but the Power and Truth of Christ through Faith For as the child hath nothing of his own but lives at the fathers appointment and providence so we See then it is not as wise unbelieving men imagine that after the mysterie of the Gospel be revealed and apprehended in flesh turns back with Israel and become wise and righteous and strong in themselves so it is with many that were sinners but God received them to mercy and now they worke it out beginning in the spirit but ending in the flesh and then think to recompence God Is God more beholden to thee than before or rather is not thy sinful lust and pride and worldly heart and hypocrisie as hateful to God now when thou hast the knowledge of his will as thou thinkest But these are commonly the greatest backsliders For though they stick unto Religion yet they fall from Christ in Religion and conceit and clothe themselves with his gifts The World is in their hearts Repentance gone Prayer dead Faith only in name So that to those he shal have just complaint one is rich in the World and cares not for his blessing but he will turn it to a curse another is wise to guide himself but will prove a fool and wander another is Righteous and rich in
spirit Isa 55. He that hath no money come and buy Poor blind miserable and naked but on the contrary as the Elder-brother all is mine I am rich enough So not many rich not many mighty c. but poor A small thing is welcome to a poor man when the rich despiseth great gifts now the poor man is naked nothing to cover him famished nothing to fill his belly as the Prodigal was unable to help himself and thence hopes for help Rich and full hearts have no room for Christ when man conceits of some quality in himself and whereby he hopes The cause why we are not helped is because we are not poor enough See the bounty of God who is ready to help the needful the misery of poor in the world that find no help is because they seek it in the World Blessed are they that mourn Here is the second sort of blessed men not the merry Pharisee but the mourning humble and dejected men this follows the former like an Orphan destitute poor none to help mourns So that He that mourns and weeps in himself and finds no comfort in himself or the World he rests in God by Faith but shal be comforted in Gods time God looks to him that is of a humble Spirit as Hagar sitting and weeping at the Well because she was comforted In the Law they brought sacrifice to the door of the tabernacle and there wept and mourned till the atonement came Psal 102. They that go forth weeping shall return rejoycing For this argues a repenting heart and forethinking of the time mispent therefore the Kingdom of God iâ— come near These men reverence the World themselves and finding no hope thereby cry and weep for help for these hearts lye open for comfort when the light merrie hearts despise God and promise 1. This is not a mourning for losse or crosse 2. Nor a howling because of miserie only 3. Nor desperate as Judas but a sight or sensible beholding of guilt and weaknesse and time mispent condemning himself 2. A burthen lying on seeing no means to recover 3. With strong cryes for mercie and pardon but most are far from this for fulnesse hath made us merrie everie man rejoycing in his portion First the Worlding is merrie in his thriveing 2. The wanton in his pleasure and lust the Hypocritâ— in his conceited Righteousnesse Now we all go forth rejoycing and come in weeping and believers often overtaken with this that is in a fond lightnesse without sense of themselves sometimes resting securely because they think God will come but mourns not sometimes lifted up with a conceit of what the Spirit enjoyes not But happie he that sits mourning like a turtle-dove after his God and never merrie without him so he shal be comforted This is reserved in Gods time and hand wherein see the impatience of weaklings who because he comes not now are readie to cast off all and others who will needs appoint the time and lothe to stay the fulnesse thereof And this God will do according to his own will and not thine limiting God destroyeth and crosseth Faith there must be a going forth of thy self weeping that thou hast so long fought against God and returning to a God who will meet thee with joy and gladnesse that thou hast found him whom thy Soul loves but it must be as in Canticles When thou hast lest expectation thereof we all desire to know that God loves us thence believe that he doth love us Blessed are the meek This is opposed to the pride of the Pharisees who are lift up above others 1. But lowly and meek minded men who are humble and lowlie in themselves are the only happie men Isa 66. With such God dwells They are Gods Saints as the Publican he that humbles himself is fitted for all estates his mind framed to all not seeking to bring things to his mind but things are brought to his mind 2. He onlie is capable and lives by mercie that hath no good thought of himself this is not a softnesse of nature and freting within nor a Pharisaical hanging down the head nor lurking quiet like a dog under a cudgel But a simple and true understanding of himself his weaknesse and vilenesse and so adjudging of himself and justifying others This reproves that high minded pride conceit of our own yea because we think basely of others thence we have a good conceit of our selves This is not simple plain dealing but the most quiet way is when a man is kept low in himself and still exalted in God hereby nothing happens but he sees he hath deserved it he justifies God in all his wayes He shall inherit the earth That is the good of all blessings and be blessed in all his wayes and creatures on earth for his mind hath no far reach and so he is content with any estate again proud mindes who enjoy no good in any thing their mind is still above their estate and they still in want and they that are lifted up in all they enjoy are like beggers on horseback The way of prosperitie is when the mind is low for then it is out of Satans reach as Christ was by suffering as a Lamb overcame all Blâ—ssed are they that hunger and thirst Hence the mind feeling a want and hungering after Righteousnesse in Christ is blessed and shall be satisfied Isa 55. Psal 63. Which hunger is 1. A panting of the stomack for want of moisture 2. A desire of food above all 3. A lâ—nging and fainting tâ—ll he be satisfied how sweet is Christ to him Thâ—s Righteousnesse is 1. Of Faith 2. Inward rectitude 3. Outward holinesse that so he may be one with Christ in the Covenant of love unitie of Will and life of Christ to the glory of the Father But we all faint after the World nothing can satisfie these men are never satisfied but the other shall be satisfied he shall have an hundred sold here c. Jam. 4.5 They ask me and obtain not because it is to spend on lusts Wait thou hungriest and in his time he will come and that shortly when thou art separated from all other Thy Soul can be satisfied with no other thus like a loving Wise longing after her husbands coming home Blessed are the merciful Here is another sort of blessed men that is whose hearts are brought down that out of sense of their own misery and weaknesse sin and rebellion they become tender hearted men and pitiful and merciful to others that are in any strait So that Tender hearted men are blessed men and fit for Gods mercy Psal 41. Blessed is the man that considereth the poor and needy Psal 112. A good man is merciful and lendeth Isa 57 1. Merciful men are taken away from the evil to come I was an hungry and ye gave me meat Mat. 25.42 And Christ so pitied poor blind lame desolate men was ever ready to help that he might draw all
excuses as here in Saul when wâ— seem to condemn our selves then we justifie our selveâ— and hope because of our confession to find mercie Iâ— is a great point of simplicity to do good and not tâ— have an eye to it but still here ariseth a thought oâ— being something because of that everyone is approvinâ— of the good but thinks none of the evil in themselves 〈◊〉 so imagins a power in themselves which destroy Faith It is but a poor comfort that man gets by his obedience to the Law nay God will find out manie 〈◊〉 blaiting Lust Iniquitie in thy heart as hereafter What meaneth then Here Samuel discovers his Hypocrisie for he discovers wherein he had failed So that When man hath justified himself and hid himself in the depth of his own counsel yet there remains in man a Legion of Rebellion which hinders his peace and which God will find out in the end as to Adam and the Young Man and the Rich Fool. 1. For mans pride ariseth from ignorance in himself 2. Adam slips over these easily with little notice 3. After Faith and a desire to obey God yet there remains a rebellious flesh and ease and peace which he would preserve Thus we all keep up a conceit of our selves but then what means this following of the World this envie hatred these wringings pinchings covetousnesse What means then Saul seeking to justifie himself Samuel discovers his Hypocrisie And that by bringing before him the spoil that he had reserved underneath as in Saul so in us Saul had done something but there rested a whole herd to be destroyed So that When a man hath tasted of Gods love and mercie and it may be hath inclined to do Gods will yet there is a troup of rebellious lusts and affections underneath which both darkens the light of Faith and keeps mans Soul in bondage and either they or we must be destroyed Thus to the young man Matth. 19. The rich fool and Adam 1. For all men like Israel think they should have rest so soon as they are passed the Red-Sea when alace there are bitter waters to drink hunger thirst to be endured and the Amalakites to be slain Here is the dayly exercise and power of Faith and of Christ in man in subduing these enemies under foot to the perfecting of our freedom and establishing everlasting Righteousnesse That man daily feeling these Rebells within him may see his Weaknesse and Rebellion may flee daily from himself to God for victorie For he that partakes of Christs death once through Faith to his Redemption by the power of the same death dyes daily that so hâ— may live into God Thus deal Hypocrites when looking upon theâ— own righteousnesse grow high minded and strongly presumptuous not feeling these base filthly lusts beâ— lye underneath nay thus we imagine to our selves aâ— opinion more by a thousand times than we enjoy indeed Thus are those deceived who tasting somâ— sweetnesse of Faith and Gods love sit down thinâ— all things is done and Heaven obtained when indeeâ— they then shrink from God and themselves too anâ— then arise a Legion of Lusts that are unkilled There is then a beginning of stedfastnesse in going on in Religion these beginnings may utterly faâ— where the others follows not there is a believing 〈◊〉 Righteousnesse but there must be a believing by thâ— same faith and a daily feeding on Gods goodnesse and truth 1. And hereby appears how apt man is to flatter himself without cause thinking all is well when it is nothing so When the Prophet comes and by the Word of Truth divides betwixt the marrow and the bone For thou sayest Thou believest God and thy confidence is in Christ and that he is and will be a Father unto thee but what means the leaning to and looking at the works of thy hand or qualitie of heart and increase of confidence thereby Why then is there such seeking for and trusting to thine own power why art thoâ— then so vexed for want joy peace and fulnesse Why then dost thou so dote upon the World so lifted up it fulnesse cast down in want Thou sayest Thou lover God and Christ and his Word what means then this self-love wherein thou hast alwayes a self aim 2. This casting off Christ and seeking ease in the flesh What means then this little respect to the Gospel and so careful for all things else 3. What means this censuring and judging condemning others this opening their shame and this preying into their faults this back-bitting insulting â—his hardnesse of heart and unmercifulnesse to them in â—ant this pinching and grudging and grinding their â—aces this contention and unwillingnesse to forgive â—hou sayest thou hatest the World Sin and Lust but â—hy then is thy willing serving of it and this rejoycing 〈◊〉 it and mourning for want and this total imployment about it and these burning lusts and fierie maâ—ice Thou sayest Thou wilt suffer any thing for Christ as Peter but what meaneth then thy swearing â—nd fore-swearing for these great vexations for these â—arthly crosses and this fear of losse and danger of Death So that it is not as we imagine when the Word of Truth comes O! that men would cleave to this Word of Truth in Spirit it would either hew Agag in pieces or else Saul should be cut off thereby O! that we lived daily in the true understanding of our selves this would destroy vain glory and pride We think because we have now a good motion and â—hen a sweet joy and feeling that God must needs love for these but we see not the lowing and roaring rebellions of the heart that fight against Christ And thus most men deal with Saul by halfs in Religion because they begin to look with Flesh at the conquest that they have gotten when thousands are behind verse 15. We have brought then from the Amalekits Here Saul again excuseth himself and pleads their intent to offer Sacrifice as afterward verse 21. So that So thus in all men not mortified through Faith would still have both Joy and Faith and a Will and Word of his own So with Adam so with Peter He would have had case in the Flesh and Christs companie too so the young man Matth. 19. see all unmortified For till by the power of God in the crosse the Flesh be subdued it seeks to live as well as the spirit save it self For there is a self-confidence a wisdom and a love which would turn all to its own advantage which indeed should know or effect nothing at all and so draws the mind after it Thus we dally with God in the way of Faith by sparing things that are profitable pleasures And thus man excuseth this or this I do to follow the World that I may be better sitted to serve God to do good to others and so it appears that it is the end indeed nay thus we dissemble with God For
for thy Servant heareth Christ yeelded himself to the Father Also David the will of the Lord be done and Christ to the Pharisees Ye tithe mint annise and cummin c. Psal 8. If my people had hearkened For God is the sole Lord over all and man a silly creature and as the life of a subject is in obedience to a Prince so here is mans happinesse in yeelding to Gods will for that must stand whether man be obedient or not for disobedience was that which cast off Adam and Israel that is because man will needs be God Now obedience is two-fold of Faith and Love Obedience of Faith is when the clear evidence of the Truth of the Promise and mans Reason and Wisdom â—eelds to that Truth as Moses at the Red-Sea and Abraham When man sees no reason in himself that God should or will keep promise but the contrary he seeing nothing but rebellion and iniquitie yet stickâ— to that where all reasonable wayes of the World and all threats of Satan are overcome though the World threaten want yet he believes fulnesse for this is the will of God that ye believe But most believe not but rebell in this for though God hath promised yet we obey not believe not but give the promise the lye and say That God will not do and therefore fear So that infidelitie is the great Rebel that strikes at the Truth of God which a man cannot endure This Faith also mars not obedience in neither limiting God a time but waiting nor a measure but believing that it shall be our rest Obedience of love is the end of the Law where the love of Christ enforceth man and this is a sweet and free yeelding up of a mans life unto God as a Sacrifice Rom. 12. Which cannot be till our bodies and flesh be sacrificed and then in the Spirit of our minds we are revived according to the will of God This is not to be a foundation of Faith but a necessary expression of the love and goodnesse of God to man This flows from Faith naturally there is nothing but rebellion and lust if Faith fail to wait on God God doth this obedience and man fleeth and man seeketh shifts or some device The intent is doing what he commands not because the Law forceth so many thievish hearts are bound to be true but not from the heart And warms of Gods love in the heart to suffer for his sake what ever befalls as the Martyrs did but this shews the little obedience in man For indeed neither will ye yeeld but the old contention remains whether shall be God Faith and Love is the obedience life of man and when man lives in 〈◊〉 yeelding temper nothing can vexe him let impossibility come and he is obedient and suffers And so was Christ obedient unto the death of the Crosse But while man hath a will and love of himself he is never freely obedient but would frame Gods will to his and to hearken to Satans voice raither than Gods So that An open ear to hear and a heart to believe and obey the voice of God and the Word of Truth is better than all seeming sacrifice a man can offer Isa 45. Incline your ears c. Then shall ye hear the voice of God and he that hears shall live He opened mine ear and I was not disobedient So to that end God hath given his Word to man that thereby he might be called back again to God Therefore God saith cry aloud to man and bid him return and come and live for ever and so he that hath an ear to hear let him hear When God sets his love and mercie and truth to or beâ—ore man and when man attends and meets God here then is that Word accomplished to man But Christ may still say Who hath believed our report as to Israel but Israel would not hear for man hath two Preachers before him still 1. Satan who by his Ministers the World and the Flesh daily whispers and calls man to obey as to Christ Satan saith I will give thee all those the World calls here is Riches the flesh calls here is peace ease and honour God calls and saith Here is all in me Now look whose voice takes place and is believed so man prospers Man hears as God manifests and herein is a reasonable mystery and spiritual power by the one man growes wise and by the other faithful and obedient For rebellion is as the sin of witch-craft Man through rebellion of his own heart and stubbornesse of his own will runs away from God forsakes the Covenant of peace casts off obedience and himself to misery in the end as Pharaoh and Saul here SERMON XXIII 1. Sam 4.3.4.5 So when the people were come into the Camp the Elders of Israel said Wherefore hath the Lord smitten us this day before the Philistins VVHen God had governed Israel by Judges for many years and manifested his power and truth by his Priests and Prophets in bringing them into the Land of Promise according to the Covenant and given them many victories over their enemies Israel grew secure and presumptuous yea the Egyptian Priest himself grew so carelesse of the Lords sacrifice yea even Ely himself committed them into the hands of his Sons who filled their bellies and lusts and that without reproof Whereupon the Lord intended to destroy that vain confidence and to proceed against the house of Ely which he fore-tells in the second Chapter by a man of God and in the third by Samuel which in the fourth Chapter he brings to passe First by giving Israel into the hands of their enemies once again and then delivering the Ark into the hands of the Philistins destroying Ely and his two sons After Israel had received the overthrow at the hands of the Philistins they make way for a second by running further from God So that This is the way of man for man by every affliction is either brought nearer to God or else driven farther from him and so makes way for greater evils to befall him As David who to hide his shame ran into murther so Adam having sinned to hide his shame hides himself from God so Saul to the Witch of Endor like a child that grows more cunning after the whip more wâ—lly but not more wise And this through stubborness and hardness and pride of wit But Joshua when they fâ—ll before Ai never ceased till he had found out the curse from God cast out the execrable thing Many things light upon man that touch not his heart but is so blinded with lust and self-love that the light of the truth leads him not out but his wit will needs guide him God doth nothing in vain If man regard not Processe or any hatchment that is coming he shall see that a writ of Rebellion is coming and if he regard not that than a Bailiff comes and to prison he must and that God by the righteousnesse of
the Law may bring down mans high heart that he may depend on mercy Thus man grows more vile after a judgement to prevent it but no more yielding and obedient to â—scape it It may be God hath taken away thy wife thy husband and father thy stay and rest and yet thou onlie invents new devices to rise but returns not to God that smote thee But look for it if God have comâ— near thee and thou yet blind he will come nearer thee yet if he intend thee good Shall God be still mocked to see that nothing doth man good till his heart be brought down and flee all that he may rest in God For he hath as much to do to bring down thy wit as thy will and to destroy thy carnal confidence and draw thee from thy object All misery come in at the door that is by fleeing from God Yea thus doth God deal with his people children he delivers them into the hand of their enemies and then they think to worke it out and still God makes their works void then they seek to know all and he makes that void c. and suffers nought to prosper till man rest in Faith The Ark had remained in Shilo three hundred years from Jâ—shua's time as Jos 18.7 All the time of the Judges and now must for the security of Israel be removed away So that The long continuance of the Gospel is no argument to prove the perpetuity thereof in any place As to the Jewes and Churches of Asia and Corinth So when man grows more secure thereby God must remove it even so to man Thou hast lived in the light and peace with God but if a man grow wanton thereby the light will grow to darknesse If with Israel thou grow confident of these in thy self because of these priviledges they will not stand In the words note Israels fainting and trouble â—f heart upon their overthrow 1. Their fleshlie device for future safety 2. Their vain confidence in that device that it might save them 3. Their vain joy arising thence 4. The fear of the Philistins 5. Israels overthrow and losse of the Ark when the Lord had not given them the Victorie they fainted began to enquire and murmure as they did by the Word of Samuel but not by believing hearts but now because they had a Prophet they were strong enough So that A faithlesse way is a fearful fainting way and a fainting way is alwayes vexed and tormented at the heart by every crosse where faith waits not in subjection to Gods will and truth So the Disciples Why do you fear O you have little faith But saith David I will not fear what man can do unto me no not if ten thousands compasse me about Mat. 16. Peter was compassed with fear when Christ should suffer because he savoured not the things of God Nay Experience teacheth us that faithlesse men are ever afraid at every rumor of danger At the last day mens hearts shall fail them for fear of that day When a believing man with David Paul goes through all dangers with courage as those Heb. 11. And the Martyrs nay in mans self he shall find that when faith is darkened he fears every thing but when he believes 〈◊〉 overcomes all For man walks in darknesse therefore is the way so fearful as crosses threaten some ruine to mans fleshlie Kingdom which lust would not part with all he sees no other This is it that makes the World so full of fâ—ar yea other faith fear or security fills all nay everie crosse to the worlding gives a wound to the heart But What shall his case be when all shall be taken away Even so is all the Power and Will of man whereby he stands full of fear because he trusts not God Not a feâ—r in regard of our weaknesse and so attending on faith but a bottom fear for want of God his power and therefore a running to mans shifts No safe way to man then but by believing under the crosse and never to judge according to our selves but still sâ—â—ing and feeling the weaknesse of man to wait on him in patience Come let us fetch the Ark from Shilo Here is their device which seem like to them but prospered not So that All fleshlie devices of Mans wit without simâ—le-hearted believing may gain a brain hope but shâ—ll faâ—l and come to nought when man comes to his 〈◊〉 Fleshly wisdom is a fool in Gods matters ever leading man to a way that will not prosper though it shape like to the eye of man By this Satan beguiled Eve and thought to have seduced Christ to argue the Fathers love by Wisdom that is not subject to the Law of God when Israel believed Gideon Jonathan and David overcame with a few contrary to all reason When they eyed reason only then Sauls Armour and Davids one hundred and fifty thousand could not prevail 1. For God hides his wayes from the wit of man and reveals it to Babes 2. Satan lurks here to oppose the way of Faith God hath revealed his Wisdom but hereby Man becomes wise against God and gives him the lye Thus man deviseth a device against God and thinks thereby to thrive and Satan thereby befools man propounding unto him a likely way great power and approbation that he may fix thereon and yet hath not God in the very eyes of the World frustrated their devices as when thou hast great Riches Land Wisdom Friends and what not had built him an nest that he might never want yet he had never good dayes therewith but either he hath spent all to beggerie or a slave to it while he hath it or a languishing of sicknesse had not Gods foolish way of faith been better Thus Satan casts a mist before the eye of Faith when he would bring God his way within compasse of mans witt Now in the Church we grow wise to comprehend the very purpose of God give a reason of his will set a law to his justice faine a reasonable way of believing his free will the foreseeing of Faith God choose man but it is so reasonable a Doctrine it cannot prove true for Gods truth was ever foolishnesse to wise men See the difference of Gods way and mans witt 1. The one is alwayes dark and uncertain 2. The other sure the one forsakes God his Word the other cleaves to it The one seems well and ends ill the other contrary The safe way of man is not to trust the device of man for thou hast seen these fail thee nay when they seem likest the other quiet contrarie therefore never dispute how like or unlike but lay down all believe Hadst thou no Lust nor Will nor Witt to trust to then had Satan no power against thee For either thy Witt or thy Will draws thee on thy Will when thou art not subject in patience thy Witt when thou wilt do Gods Work thine
Spirit of our mind renews Which to Samaria was so joyful newes New wine first Love the Christians sweet beginnings Fine gold rich pearls the godly Merchant winnings Christs yoke made easie by the spirits oyls The Joy of Harvest or dividing spoils Not that I then did or do look to find Some strange Religion of another kind Then that wherein I ever have been trained Since first I from my mothers breast was wayned For so to do as I consider well Were tâ— make sure work soon to get to Hell But even the same say I that hath been taught Since God his Gospel into England brought Gods very Truth which that it doth not fit All ears and seasons man is faulty yet But to be short then was the time alass I can but only say That then it was I was I say more sensible of sin And of the danger it had brought me in But shall I now begin God's love to storie To me his wretch and is it for his glorie Especially If I shall there withall Shew how his favours on a dung-hill fall For though Sun-beams do draw from flowrie brinks Sweet smell yet carrion send forth filthy stinks Lord I confesse much sowen small increase found Of fruitful crop within my barren ground O let my soul ne're draw this curse upon her Thou can'st not bless her but with taint of honor 'T is only thou wâ—o can'st an answer yield Whether I Dung-hill be or fruitful field But if at all thou ought in me hast sowen Bring to perfection that which is thine own And leave me not as sin gives cause to doubt Among these Virgins who shall stand without Nor what I have from me in Judgement take But me a harvest for thy mercies sake I will say on then what my Conscience tells me And clear the truth since thus the case compels me The Good I did I say seem'd then more slender The ill more vile my Conscience much more tender Then now it is as having felt the smart Of God's great judgements with a troubled heart Gods Sp'rit what say I who now scarcely know If e're I â—elt it truely yea or no God's Sp'rit I say for so as then I thought Had to my Soul such happy tydings brought Of Gods great mercy in delivering me Who had so long try'd the forbidden Tree And thereby plundge me in such deadly danger As to Gods Cov'nant almost made me stranger That then me thought I felt his love more free Then I before could it conceive to be His love more free I say my self more vile Then er'e before unless I me beguile Then say I what Not liberty to sin Because of freedom God hath set us in So that one may whoredom and these commit And not withstanding not offend in it Nor that the Spirit so renewes the will As quite excludes all motions unto ill O Blasphemie dute any brag of ground Wherein there may such cark oâ— grace be found Nor of Gods presence knew I ere such sense As drives from his all sin and doubting thence So that one would not thereof be beriven No not to change it for the joyes of Heaven Nor that the Spirit doth without the Word Unto our Souls sufficient light afford Nor that one may adventure on a sin Because God will be glorified therein But this I saw that there 's a rest of faith Which sets Believers free from hell and death That out of us our health and life is wrought That out of us the same is to be sought That Gods elect even from their second birth Unto their death are strangers on the earth That precious liberty they thereby win How sweet a thing it is to master sin How this new Law doth set Believers free How Christ his yoke is perfect libertie How this can be that men can part from ill When dangerlesse they may do what they will That God sometimes his presence so reveals That for the time both sin and sorrow vails How such shall think that while be 't short or long They nev'r shall move their hiâ—l is made so strong That more one doth from this degeneraâ—e The more he falls to pride or worse estate How God doth draw by his sweet cords of love Souls here below to live with him above Who whilâ—s they see Gods will is so o strange Their present bless for greater would not change Not but that they full freedom would require But thus to Gods will linkt is their desire Whaâ— power with God this law of love doth give How in his Members Christ is said to live How grace doth with a Metamorphose strange Deep threatnings into exhortations change That th' World Flesh Sin yea Satan and the rest Are for Gods Children sorc't to worke the best So God for his good out of ill doth draw What 's life to God what 's death unto the Law How first the Law doth Man in bondage bring How Christ his death hath tane away the sting But now of late as I must needs confesse To Gods great glory and my shame no lesse I have been through the Tempters subtiltie Tost with temptations of inconstancie Not in respect of our Religions ground I ever doubted to be safe and sound But in regard of some particulars About the which have been so many jars As whether there be any living wight Who like to Gideon walking in his might Doth sin down right like Midian's host destroy Whose heart God fills with such continual joy In his great love such strength against their sin That faith in them hath long unshaken been In which his love their souls are so set free As they therein can walk at liberty Such as that sin can neither break their peace Nor upright walking confidence increase This hight of Grace do so exceed my skill I needs must say that title it who will For mine own part I utterly disclaim it I mean the having not the will to gain it No not the will to gain it so I say Wherein I trust I go not far astray For sure I am if faith were firâ—ly â—here It Lyon like the liâ—bs of sin would â—ear More faith more love the surer is the knot Yea such a one as sin dissolveth not But rather shrinks to nearly to apâ—roach The Mint of faith its copper c yn to broach Or if it do it s but as though a rush Gainst shining shields his pricks should proudly push But wo is me how should I frame my tongue That some men here should not conceive me wrong I do not I broach newes of such a state Where blocks of sin ly not in graces gate But that his heart 's more safe that 's better guarded That fortress surer which is strongly warded Faith is a fortress Love lyes strong within To keep the hold lest Foes should enter in When Gods bright cloud his Temple doth fulfil Lesse room I trow remains therein for ill The Bridegrooms presence whiles the same doth last Workes joy and chear
men need not then to fast Though slender shot doth cause the Fool to fall Canons scarce make sign on the Castle-wall The Assailants strength the Objects weakness do Ever contrare to make a deadly blow This is the cause why tender flesh by dint Of sturdy steel receives so deep a print And here especially it must be so Where th'ones strength doth from th' other weakness grow Like mushroms which from harreness of soyl Doth suck his sap and filthy liquor boyl And if you think whiles Faith stands firmly sound Yet sin that while can strike as deep a wound As where â—ts weak you speak things quite contrary And so affirm impossibility Indeed I grant most men coin such a Faith As may of sin abide the better breath And not be sick but such a Faith say I Will with his Master live and with him dye So then such Faith my soul desireth not As is a Poyson but an Antidot Not such as flesh might freely sin as much As it desires and conscience feel no truth But a perfume which casts such smells behind it As foul as made us cannot once abide it Such as prevents that sin can bring no smart For that it first so purifies the heart And though this life afford it not in prime The less it is the more the fault is mine And who imagins sin and this agreeing Feigns a new fiction never yet in beeing Yet is it true that our Salvations ground Rests not herein what good in us is found But in another higher seat doth sit Whick makes our works but underlings to it Hereof it comes that our Divines well say Which words Lewd men may wrest another way That if from works or more or less thou measure Thy certainty thou heapest copper treasure Since God in Christ before all times and place By His Decree determined our case Not from the good that we should after do But of free choice ordaining us thereto Then make not that a cause which is th' effect Of Gods dear love in them He doth elect But whoso draws from Faith by true descent The Pedegree of Works as consequent May thereby judge if no such fruits appear That sound assurance is in no wayes there For good and ill trees by their fruits are known And fruitful seed will spring where it is sown So when I say I wish in God his love Such confidence as sin might not remove My meaning is I wish a â—aith so stable As t' enter therein sin might not be able Or if it did yet hope should not be lost But hid in him whom it so dearly cost As iâ— that case when Sin and Law is over This were I trow the next way to recover Nor would this cause Gods goodness to despise But in new life still more and more to rise Unless Corruption do abuse the same Which if it do yet grace is not to blame And 't is most true that Unbelief is Mother Of every sin adulteries thefts and other By which is writ the sins of graceless men With Diamond point and with an Iron-pen For Conscience Paper is Ink unbelief Th' affections Pen men whereof Will is chief So then lewd life and true â—aith are no kin For Christ is not the Minister of sin Nor yet doth freedom preaching in such minds As that sweet Doctrine fitted for it findes By its own kind abroad such bastards set More than doth Nature monstrous shapes beget But if this new cloath wider make the rent It only falls out so by accident As when it meeteth with an hardned heart Which wholesome food to poyson will convert As oft it doth too I confesse yet so As that the Law of other sort makes moe I mean of Hypocrites who while they hear The hideous thundrings of the same through fear Worke with a vengeance till their backs do break Wishing mean while their wrath on God to wreak Who still think they most like a cruel Master Layes on more load and bids them worke the faster Yea gathering ever where he hath not strawn And heaping profit where he hath not sown These when they see the Law no mean nor measure Doth hold in loading then they take more leasure And having not the Son to set them free Are tyr'd at length break out at liberty And so a freedom of their own they have But such a liberty as God nev'r gave Whereout off too springs th'Atheist filthy swine The carnal Protestant or Libertine Or else such Hypocrites as still make sure They take no peace but what they may indure Gaining like peace by that their formal walking As doth the Fowler get by Fowlers stalking Much like the Crab their eye sight one way bending The whiles their footsteps are another â—eâ—ding Whereby it falls out that these counterfeits Are of all other seldom set in Straits Whiles formal walking keeps them flesh bone From being br ken on the Corner-stone A cause why Harlots place in heaven find Before that wâ—â—ke proud Pharisaick kind As for the Law this ground of Faith it gaineth That graceless men it civilly restraineth At leâ—st until some exigent betide Such as it said and â—ake them turn aside Then whaâ— wayes best for thee who art a gleaner To make thy God herein the greatest gainer Since that most like as in our Statute Law Ouâ— of the yoke lewd men their necks can draw By this or that exception or pretence Or otherwise by wresting of the sense And that in our Experience every day Those words prove true that Christ himself did say We pipe to you yet you no measure keep We mourn to you and yet you do not weep 'T is not alace in offering oyl though fountains Nor though all thine were sheep upon the Mountains Nor that thou dost thy Neighbour sorrows grieve Nor yet the poor with all thy goods relieve 'T is not in this nor that corruption killing No nor in Rivers of salt tears distilling 'T is not thy foot from outward evils turning Nor yet thy body given to the burning It neither is in this or that mans teaching Nor is it in the Law or Gospels preaching No no 't is not in him that wills or runs But in Gods mercy which creats us sones Yea Lord it is thy Spirits mind that blows Which none can tell from whence or whither goes But saith one for so I hear one say I thought at length these fellows would display What minds they bear reposing in such wise Themselves in God the means they do despise O God forbid alace let not one brother Such eager censures lay upon another The means I reverence as the thing whereby God saves his Children ordinarily Nay th' only way wherein all Gods elect Hâ—s saving Grace aâ—d blessing can expect Nay who neglects much more who it contemns Gods Ordinance for his souls health condemns Yea 't is in bâ—ief Gods worthy Instrument Us'd in his hand his Children to prevent Yet he offends not who more p rases puts
how their Father was bested Whiles with great toil and sweat of brows he bought Th' inheritance which now they set at nought Who play at fast and loose light come light gone Like snow in Summer on a Sun-hot stone These must be first taught by the Road to know What 't is to use their Patrimonies so What if such life be still continued No hope for them but dis-inherited And still as they are of a dutie quailing Their Master never of due reck'ning failing This tutors them and as a hyred groom Still holds them under till their freedom come But that once there then all that 's past they see Mere Rudiments and but School-fashions be Wherein un'wares they have been trained long To get them skill and pluck their plummes among Yea hard hem'd in by th'masters straiter hand Till they their state might better understand Much like the untam'd Colt the Horse or Mule Who if he shew his strength no man can rule But true skill comes not till the time appointed That they are with the Sp'rit of Sons anointed Whereof more measure one enjoyes indeed The lesser he of Rudiments hath need For Child-hood thoughts and skill but like it brings But riper age doth banish Childish things And now the ground of learnings well begun He needs not each inch to his rules to run Not that I dream of such a rule erected As that Gods Word should so become neglected But that th'spirit which from the word ne're swarves Guides all Gods Children as occasion serves And leading them to what 's there spoke or meant In expresse words or by good consequent Whereof the very scope the mould and frame Is in the heart deep written by the same And is to every one his heap of Treasure According to his several pitch and measure Serving for Life and Actions as a Law There-out sound rules and lineaments to draw Whereby Gods Children in good measure can Make up the model of a Christian man As from that store-house where things old and new The good housholder for his houshold drew Wherein the Spirit with the written Word In one self same doth evermore accord Which word of God so spoken by the spirit May fitly well the name of inward merit This tearm I use its working to expresse And in no humor of new fanglenesse Here by the way I would desire amain This grant of thee that fearest God to gain That is as I would none should be obscure In willful use of words which doubts procure So thou shouldst still too hastie censures flye Since who 's in fault it may a question be He for dark speech uneasie to be found Or thou because thou' rt weak to understand I heard a good man once new Phrase controul This for example inward in the Soul Which me thinks deep impression I profess Doth in th' affections fitly well express For which that he good cause yet did not know I dare not judge but think it might be so For reverence which I to his learning bear His wisdome godliness and silver Hayre But that he wanted knowledge how to give A tollerable sense thereof who can believe It may be he dislike it as a guest Bred as he thought in a distempred breast But woe is me why do we go to wars And make a breach about these verbal jarrs I wish that Charitie may every where In these contentions equall ballance bear And yet no further then things do accord With verity and wisdom of the Word Word-strivings with a good Divine I say I much mislike and wish they were away As our dear mothers loss much more then gain And therewithall She 's wearied out in vain Yet grant I too some things but verbal seem Which we at no hand lightly may esteem Proving in Christ his Ship like little holes Or some small clew which like the snow-ball roules Whereof enough examples might be yeilded Of Heresies of smal beginnings builded As of Nestorius Eutiches and others Those base-born buds and hatefull brood of brothers Against the which good warnings well to arme In these worst times I grant will do no harme Christians must still labour to bear a mind Not seeking faults nor in plain misses blind Not seeking cause I say like him which to His question whether man helpt God or no In any work end answered with denyal Is said t'exclaim and make a strange replyal Alledging for his proof this pregnant ground Out of the Judges easie to be found Where those are tearm'd accursed by the Word Who ' gainst the mighty helped not the Lord. Nor may we be like Anaxagoras Who could not see that Snow white collored was But to return whence I but lately left Gods Sons must once be of self-works bereft When they as dung shall suffer all disgrace And faith and love take standing in their place And that the Heavenly Sabbath dawning is When we from our works rest as God from his I do not such a resting here maintain As may cessation from good duties gain But such a seasing as is from the Law A resting in our Saviours yoak to draw Not that the Law is for its substance chang'd But to Gods Saints in other order rang'd It s nature now in Christ so qualified That its grim face we better may abide At least the while its glorie passeth by Closse in the clifts of Christ his wounds we lye Whether like him who once appeal did make From Philip sleeping to the same awake Flying for refuge we in safety be Under that perfect Law of Libertie Which flying is by faith a still relying On Gods free favour both alive and dying Whereout our Sabbaths works which now are sport Though heretofore perform'd in slavish sort For neither circumcis'd nor otherwise But a new Creature God doth chiefly prize Yea this is it wherein he pleasure takes And which in works a real difference makes According to which rule who walketh he Shall ever happie and most blessed be Wherein if any to the Angels train Of pitch or paritie could here attain Who oft on earth by Gods permission walk Yea eat and drink converse with men and talk Acting Gods will yea in a sort do bear Heaven still about them as they sojourn here Ever remaining in that happie case As to behold the heavenly Fathers face Then should they have I dar be bold to say As little need of Rudiments as they For to the pure even all things holy be But to th'impure they fall out contrarie To every one as he in grace doth grow Things are to him according thereunto But for because mans nature is but frail And destitute of means full soon would quail God of his mercie doth us here afford Prayer Publick Private Sacraments the Word Temples and Preachers Times and Seasons fit And set apart for due frequenting it Wherein I see not but there needs a strife In me much like as for my limbs and life I mean to finde Gods presence in the means For
fruitful soyl Some having try'd these things cry out that this No other but a meer delusion is I mean who try the danger to rely Without like inward power or liberty And in loose hearts it doth in very deed Dangerous errours and confusion breed By accident while men will take in hand To know above what they do understand And these are in this manner said to know Whose brain without the heart in these things go This is that new cloath on th' old garment spent Which is a cause that all the whole is rent And that new wine into old bottels fill'd Which makes both wine and vessels to be spill'd Which if Christs words as they needs must be true God 's not a workman which makes pieces new But all at once new hearts new hands new will New love new hate new joy new fear new skill If any frame and have not all of these Proportionable such their labour leese As who of liberty such teachers been As little lack of beeing slaves to sin Sometimes confess they beeing on the score Of upright Christians so esteem'd before Thinking themselves so too hold this for lewd Till after they repentance had renew'd But O so sweet then was that little crumb More sweet then honey or the honey-comb For want of this renewing oft a heart That cooles in grace to works would backward start Nature and reason for the soul refining To make her worthy thereunto inclining That so works might stifle and stop the breath And thrust themselves into the room of faith The part regenerate that it might obtain Its ancient fellowship with God again Not so as though the part regenerate smelt The Hirelings task but much much carnal felt The whole to be and so must needs come under The burning mountain and the voyce of Thunder Or else become these two extreams between Of neither partie but a libertine It s not brain knowledge that doth make men free But where Gods Sp'rit is there is liberty In quantity as faith proportionable And other graces too are answerable Then who so is in this untoward state With those who fear God worse than death to â—ate As they can neither make themselves believe The Laws their Lord nor yet by faith can live Their way is this since they will needs be free Map of their Faith to let obedience be And judge if small or none be this proceeder According thereunto is that its breeder It s wantonnesse which makes this Word so haâ—ed I mean the Word Liberty and so be rated To witt when such as Liberty professe Thus turn God's Graces into wantonness There is an holy Liberty I grant Which may the Devils and all gain-sayers dant And therein also difference of degrees As in the brightness of the Stars thou sees Which with our late Divines I think more clear In our posterity shall yet appear When once the Stone that 's cut withoutten hand Shall like a mountain cover Sea and Land When God by his sore plague shall on a day Leviathan that crooked serpent stay When he shall so his vineyard purge and fine That men shall sing of red and purest wine When under David his anointed King He his out of Captivity shall bring When they who once did pierce his dearest son Shall weep and mourn for that which they have done When a New Temple God shall fashion so As streams of life shall from the threshold slow Where shall resort devoid of Doggs the clean For it s no carnal Liberty I mean But of this pitch this Iron-age comes short God hath no doubt his time reserved sor't When as his Church even here on earth shall close With this sweet doctrine faster I suppose Yea even now I dare not say but some May to good measure of perfection come As good presages for hereafter be Of New Jerusalem's prosperitie As Wickliffe and John Huss in ages past Were of that time when Luther came at last I fancy no particulars herein Be who they may who have or first begin If thou seest some to aim at here and fall Thou thinks to stand look to thy self withall But that it may appear this Sate's not fained Look Master Rogers how it is attained Which if that some in weaker means have got Gods mighty power and working limit not If such through want of constant strictnesse lose it Take thou good heed who better knows to use it The well beloved sometimes skippeth in When almost past all confidence we been And whether his abode be short or long Whiles it remains it makes a chearfâ—l song Untill which time let still Gods Child expect God in the means and watch but for the effect It 's inward work which out the other bears It 's the first mover that first moves the sphears Let that within still guide the rains or curbe And sort thy motion to its proper orbe And if at any time flesh get the raine Rest not untill it be redeem'd again For otherwise insensibly will grow A senseless slumber and thou shalt not know Or such occurrences as whereof the least May bring more danger than can be exprest As sloath prophanenesse and such like the seeds Of many hateful and accursed weeds The whiles men do the stock of grace imbessil Striving to carry sail above their vessel The head unwealdy for the body grown Makes topsie turvye all quite overthrown This is ov'rwise and overjust to be Whereby so many desolate we see To censure strange opinions which I know not I may not take upon me No I do not But this is blam'd in Familists I hear Which others also may have cause to fear All I can say is I would have men be Wise as is said after sobriety For he that faiths proportion will exceed Looseth his labour and withall his meed Yet to beware too then in no wise plead For backwardness and standing in a stead By these and like words men no angels are Who love to climb a fall let them beware To dream of constant fellowship with God For weeks and moneths is but conceits and odd These and such phrases while men often use Many do them to sloathfulness abuse I know they have their use and proper place But such is seldom and a rarer case While men to press to good works are too slack Striving to keep a streight unstrained back For we must wisely words and speeches sort After as times place persons fitteth for t Had one to Pauls worke proud Galathians taught St. James his doctrine he had over raught Or this to James his Auditors apply'd That faith alone sets free had gone aside Though both be true each must applyed be Still to mens several necessitie Witness the State in general of the World Which into such security is hurld Security nor Ignorance I trow For most have knowledge more then will to do Though I must say to know and not practise Is no sound knowledge counted by the wise And though it may be thought
thy friends at all That can relieve or ransom thee from thrall I tell thee true as sure as I do live Thou shalt not dye for for thee I will give My only son and he shâ—ll pay the prize Of all thy debt I swear it to thee thrice For rather then that thou in this thy state Should dye and from my love stâ—nd separate I will perform that which before all time Was wiâ—h me then and in my love did shine My word is past to thee it shall appear Which shall thy nature once again up rear By assuming it to my self wherein I will a living life to thee begin For I to death in that same nature thine Will subject lye that then the God-head mine May there appear to be that mighty one The which shall trush like to a mighty stone Thine Enemies and captive lead them all And thee redeem out of thy sinful fall For I will that decayed natuâ—â— thine Assume unto my word the God-head mine Wherein I must perform my Fathers will And andergoe his mighty wrath untill It satisfied be for every one And thus thy debt I will discharge alone And when thy sin and death and hell and grave Hath got on me whatever they could crave Then I 'le triumph and captive lead them all And free thy Nature from thy former fall And in the same I will triumphant ride Unto my Father there I will abide At his right hand there I will reign so long Till sin and death and all that darknesse strong Stand subdued among my people all And then the Kingdom to my Fathers shall Be resigned that so for evermore He may be all in all as heretofore THE SOVLS ANSWER NOw Lord what lets that this thy love to me Doth not yet shine unto my heart so free To make me know and fully understand My happiness which yet is in thy hand Wilt thou not now at this same present time Declare thy Kingdom to this sense of mine I fain would know how thou thy love to me Would so confirm that I may cleave to thee THE LORDS REPLY O Stay a while that way I 'le from thee go And thou after thy flesh and sense also Shall not me know for I will far ascend Above those thoughts yet I an ear will lend Unto thy cry yet is it fit for thee Thou still attend in thy humility The time and season that the Father hath Kept to himself for so the Scripture saith I tell thee true this way thou looks for me I will not come but that way will leave thee Which when I go it shall thy sense so try That down shall fall that which thou lifted by And this is fit it should be done to thee Or else the Comforter thou shalt not see Let not thy heart at this be so agast As though it should for ever with thee last I 'le come again according to that life Of holy Ghost so that no evil strife Shall shut thee out from my dear love wherein I will a living life to thee begin Then let not sorrow fill thy heart so fore As though that thou should meet with me no more Wait but a while in that Jerusalem And thou shall see again that blessed Stem Jerusalem thy heart that now lyes desolate Which of my presence makes so high a rate As by the flesh a Tabernacle there Might builded be to keep thee out of fear It matters not though from thy sense I go I will not leave thee now and alwayes so For when thou thinks that I am gone for ay Wait thou that while for then 's the time I say That I 'le appear my sp'rit it shall descend Into thy heart and thee it shall defend From all thy foes which do encamp thy soul And bring thee where thou shalt without controulâ— Received be into that lasting peace Which shall abide and in thee never cease For then I will give thee my sp'rit which shall Seal thee to me in that true love withall My tokens true which shall not thee beguile Shall be within thy heart and mind and I 'le So charactere my love therein that none Of all thy foes shall hurt thee for that stone That I have cut out of my mountain great Shall fill thy heart and unto dust shall beat Thine enemies all and in thy heart I 'le write Again my Law that first I did indite And therein shall my spirit freely move Which shall be witness of my dearest love And in thy heart there shall my temple be There will I dwell so I assure it thee And thou in me shall be thy resting place From all thy sins in this my day of grace And live in me by my own life alone And thou in me and I in thee be one This is my word from me to thee it s gone And shall prevail as that chief corner stone That shall be lay'd within thy heart so low That death and hell shall never overthrow THE SOULS ANSWER NOw Lord what have I more to thee to say This breaks my heart I can it not deny That golden chain that 's ty'd about my neck That word of thine that gave my foes the check Hath wounded me and win my heart that so From thee and from thy Word I cannot goe Here will I dwell my heritage doth stand On thee alone and builded by thy hand And I will feed by that same water-side That floweth from thee and I will abide Within thy house thy praises forth to tell Thy house my heart there will I with thee dwell For there I shall behold thy wonders all Thy lovely works freeing my soul from thral That pierceing word that made my heart to bow And all my Forces for to overthrow That pure truth that made me naked lye And bair'd my heart before thy seeing eye As in that day in Edens garden I Did eat and drink of the forbidden Tree That living Word wherein thy footsteps shine In love to me in purest streams divine Of thy true light that now my heart so free Of thee shall boast of that same libertie Where I shall stand in that same truest vine And root of life whereout in me may shine Thine own life streams for ever to declare Thy loving wonders in me great and rare And that I may Lord grant me still mine aid Thy Spirits life as unto me thou said Whereby thou mayest within my heart indite Thy living Word That Lord I pray thee write In Table of this meek'ned heart of mine That there thy Image once again may shine In living power and lively streams again From thence may run in such a heavenly strain As I may live and in such union dwell With love divine as may again I 'le tell Reduce my soul from all duallitie And set me fast in perfect unity From whence as from a perfect fountain fair May spring in me these lively graces rare Whereby I may in those same lively streams Preserved be and by those
drink In all the tears he shed Thus water washt and burning blood did cleanse In one baptism so for to dispense Water and blood distinguish we may so In two though one and so there be no moe Baptisms but one which cleanseth sin away By Jesus in his water and blood for ay For God in three distinguished may be And yet but one there is in verity Thus we may drink with Christ his water so In watry tears and unto blood may go And drink thereof to take with him a sup Though two yet is but one devincing cup. SELF CIVIL WAR I Sing not Priam nor the Siege of Troy Nor Agamemnon's War with Thestis Joy I sing my self my Civil Wars within The Victories I hourly loose and win The daily battel the continual strife The Wars that end not till I end my life And yet not mine alone not only mine But every on 's that's under the honor'd Sign Of Christs his Standard shall his Name inroul With holy vows of body and of soul Vouchsafe O Father succour from above Courage of Soul comfort of heavenly love Triumphant Captain glorious General Furnish me Arms from thine own Arsenal O sacred Spirit my Sp'rits assistant be And in this Conflict make me conquer me Vertue I love I lean to vice I blame This wicked World yet I embrace the same I climb to Heaven I cleave to the earth both I love my self and yet my self I loath Peaceless I peace pursue in Civil War With and against my self I joyn I jar I burn I freeze I fall down I stand fast Well ill I sare I glorie though disgrac't I dye I live I triumph put to flight I feed on cares in tears I take delight My slave base brave I serve I run at large In libertie yet ly in Jaylours charge I strike I stroke my self I kindly ken Worke mine own woe rub gall rouse my spleen Oft in my sleep to see rare dreams I dream Wakeing mine eye doth scarce discern a beam My mind strange Megrim whirling to and fro Now trusts me hither thither doth me throw Into diverse fractions I my self divide And all I trie I fly on every side What I but now desir'd I now disdain What late I weigh'd not now I wish again To day to morrow this that now annon All nothing crave I ever never one But Combitant unreadie for the field To tardie take I after wounds my shield Still hurled headlong to unlawful things Down-dragging vice me easily downward dings But sacred vertue climbs so hard and high That hardly can I her steep steps descrie Both right and wrong to me indifferent are My Lust is law what I desire I dar Be there so foul a fault so fond a fact Which follie asking furie dare not act But artless heartless in religious cause To do her lessons to defend her Laws The all proof Armmour of my God I loose Fly from my charge and yield it to my foes Guilty of sin sins punishment I shun But not the guilt before the offence be done For how could shunning of a Sin â—nsue To be the occasion of another new Oft and again at the same stone I trip As if by falling I learned not to slip Alive I perish and my self undo Mine eyes self-willing wise and witting too Sick to my self I run for my relief More sicker of my Physick than my grief For whilest I seek my swelting thirst to swage Another thirst more ragingly doth rage Whiles burnt to death to coole me I desire With flames my flames with sulphure quench I fire Whil'st that I strive my swelling waves to stop More stormilie about they toss my top Thus am I cur'd this is my common ease My med'cine still worse than my worst disease My sores with sores my wounds with wound I heal Whilst to my self my self I still conceal And O! what leagues what truces make I still With Sin with Satan and my wanton will What slight occasions do I take to Sin What silly crimes am I entraped in What idle cloaks for crimes what nets to hide Notorious sins already long descri'd I writ in ice winds witness sign'd with showres I will redeem my Soul lif 's former hours But soon the swing of custome whirl-wind-like Rapting my passions ever fashion sike Transports me to the contrarie alone Faint guard of goodnesse armless Champion My green-sick tast doth nothing sweeter finde Then what is bitter to a gracious minde Egypts fat flesh-pots I am longing for The eternal Manna I do here abhor Worlds Monarch Mammon Dropsie mystical Crown'd round fac't Gods I joyn Beliall Mydar's desire the misers only trust The sacred hunger of Pactolian dust Gold gold bewitches me and frets accurst My greedy throat with more then Dipsian thirst My mind 's a gulf whose gaping nought can stuff My heart a hell that never hath enough The more I have I crave the lesse content In store more poor in plentie indigent For of those Cates how much soe're I crâ—m It doth not stop my mouth but stretch the same Sweet useries infâ—stuous interest For Dollors dolours hoordeth in my Chest The world's slave confits and the minds sweet pleasure Insatiat both both boundless botâ— past measure This Cleopatra that Sardonaple For huge annoy's brings joy's both short and smal O! miracle begot by Heaven in Earth My mind divine my bodie brute by birth O! what a monster am I to depaint Half friend half fiend half savage half a saint Higher than my fier doth my grosse earth aspire My raging flesh my restlesse force doth tyre And drunk with wordly lusts deep sunk in sleep My sp'rit the spye that warie watch doth keep Betrayes at last woe that I trust it so My Souls dear kingdom to her deadlie soe Through â—aâ—es Caribdis and through gulfs of grief Star-la-board run I sailing all my life In merrie sorrie seas with wind at will My Ship my flesh my sense my Pilots still As in a most seditious common-well Within my breast I feel my lust rebell Against their Prince my furious people use Their awlesse Prince dare his own Law despise Mine Er's an out-law and my struggling Twins Jacob and Esau never can be friends Such deadlie feed such discord such despight Ever 'twixt brethren such continual sight What done in me another doth not I Yet both alace my guest and enemie My mind unkind sub-ordin'd by my soe Indeed within me but not with me tho Near yet far off in fleshly count be fyl'd And with the worlds contagious filth defil'd I am too narraw for my own desires My self desires me what my flesh requires Fearful I hope careful secure I languish Hungrie too full drye drunken sugred anguish Wearie of life merrie of death I suck Wine from my Punice honie from the rock Disorder'd order mournful merriment Dark-day Dooms-day dull double diligent Infamous fame known errour skilless skill Mad mind rood reason an unwilling will A healthie plague a wealthie want poor treasure A pleasant torment a tormenting pleasure An odious love an uglie dentie base Reproachful honour a disgraceful grace On thoâ—ns my Graps on garlick grows my Rose On crums my sums from flint my fountain flows In showres of tears mine hours of fears I mourn My looks to btooks my beams to streams I turn Yet in this torrent of my torments rise I suck annoyes and drink the joyes of life A fruitless tree a drie deflowered flower A feeble force a conquered conquerour A fickly health dead life a restless rest These are the comforts of my soul distrest O how I like dislike desire disdain Repell repeal lothe and delight again O what whome wither neither flesh nor fish How wearie of my life again I wish I will I nill I nill I will my mind Perswading this my mood to that 's inclin'd My loose affections Proteus like appears In everie form at once it frowns and flears Mine ill good-will is vaine and variable My Hydras flesh buds heads innumerable My mind 's a grief a Labyrinth my reason Mine eye false spy the door to fancies treason My rebell sense self soothing still affects What it would fly what it would ply neglects My flothing hope with passions storms is tost Even now to heaven ev'n then to hell almost Concording discord doth my life sustain Discording concord kills me soon again My self at once I both displease and please Without my self my self I faine would ease For my too much of me me much annoy'd And my self plentie my poor self destroyes Who seeks me in me in me shall not finde Me as my self Hermaphrodite in mind I am at once Male Female Neuter yet What ere I am I cannot minde I weet I am not with my self as I conceive Wretch that I am my self my self deceive Unto my self I do my self betray I from my self banish my self away My self agrees not with my self a jot Knows not my self I have my self forgot Against my self I have mov'd wars unjust I trust my self and I my self distrust My self I follow and my self I fly Besides my self and in my self am I. My self am not my self another same Unlike my self and like my self I am Self sons self furious and thus way-ward else I cannot live with nor without my self FINIS