Garden the Church Joh 5.17 My father worketh hitherto and I worke And though he can doe all his works with a word of his Mouth yet he is pleased to make use of many Instruments in carrying them on Now God doth very much approve of Zealous and active instruments in the works he sets them about their zeale being guided with wisdome and Judgment Jehu because he was Zealous and active for God in destroying Ahabs house God established him 2 Kings 10.30 and his posterity in the Throne unto the fourth generation But Saul an eminent Instrument and set up by God himselfe yet neglecting to doe the Lords work throughly which was in his power to doe God said him aside in displeasure and set up David a zealous and active Instrument in his stead to carry on the works he had to doe And Eli though a good man and an eminent Instrument in the hand of God yet when he grew dull wanted edg viz zeale to suppresse the wickednesse of his sonnes and to honour God in his Office God was exceedingly displeased with him and threw him aside in respect of making use of him any longer and chose another in his stead 1 Sam. 3. But how well was God pleased with Phinehas a man of spirit and zeale for God God himselfe stands up for him and commends him Phinehas and his sonnes were established in the Priests Office Numb 25.13 He shal have it and his seed after him even the Covenant of an everlasting Priesthood because he was zealous for his God God cannot abide indifferency and luke-warmnesse in matters concerning his honour and the interest of his sonne which he himselfe is jealous for a dull flat indifferent spirit in these things is loathsome to God he cannot beare it Rev. 3.16 Because thou art luke-warm and neither hot nor cold I will spew thee out of my mouth Men that act not for God they act against him Luk. 11.23 He that is not with me is against me Use Seeing this is so It is the safety and wisdome of all men in any place of Power higher or subordinate to lay out themselves with zeale for God to be diligent and active Instruments in the designes of God acting according to the directions and leadings of his Word and Providences The advantages will be not only the honour of God in the inlargement and establishment of the kingdome of Christ but also the honour and establishment of such Instruments God will still delight to imploy them in his great works Numb 25.13 The nineteenth Observation in Nature THe Husbandman in Autumn and Winter is Pruning of his trees and boughs and branches are scattered up and downe all the parts of the Orchard He is then digging up the earth and baring the Roots of trees transplanting some and setting others in their roomes and doing many other works which make the Garden lye rough and unhandsomely But all these works tend to the greater beauty pleasure profit in the garden afterwards in the spring and sommer This Similitude shadowes out unto us this Proposition which is cleared by Scripture That the Commotions troubles Proposition shadowed and confusions in the Church of God will end in the settlement peace and glory of it God hath a great work to doe in the world and is now about it even in our daies He hath said he will shake the heavens and the earth and the sea and the dry land That he will shake all nations and the desire of all Nations shall come Hag. 2.6.7 When were the Heavens and the Earth and the Sea so shaken as they have been of late yeares who knowes not of the overturnings and great alterations that have been among us both in Church and State It is God that changeth the times and the seasons it is he that putteth downe one and setteth up another and all these things are but in order unto the glory of his Church Yea he will still shake and overturne the Nations untill he hath established and setled his sonne Christ Lord and King over all the Earth This is his great designe now in hand Thus saith the Lord God remove the Diadem and take off the Crowne this shall not be the same exalt him that is low and abase him that is high Ezek. 21.26 I will overturne overturne overturne it and it shall be no more untill he come whose right it is I will give it him Christ alone hath right to raigne and God hath promis'd him the Heathen for his inheritance and the uttermost parts of the Earth for his possession Psal 2.8 And such as oppose him and stand out in rebellion against him though they be Kings and Monarch's and say we will not have this man to raigne over us he will break such with a rod of Iron and dash them in peeces like a Potters vessell Psal 2.9 Christ now meets with opposition in coming to enter upon his kingdome and thence are all the stirres commotions and confusions among us but he will at length prevaile and the government shall be upon his shoulders and of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end the zeale of the Lord of hosts will performe this Esay 9.7 His Kingdome shall at length be established upon the tops of the Mountaines and be exalted above the hills Mica 4.1 And after he hath rebuked the strong nations of the earth and brought them into subjection Then they shall beat their swords into plowshares and their speares into Pruning hooks and shall learne war no more but they shall sit every man under his Vine and under his Fig-tree and none shall make them afraid for the mouth of the Lord of hosts hath spoken it Mica 4.3 4. and againe Esay 32.18 My people shall dwell in a peaceable habitation and in sure dwellings and in quiet resting places Let all take notice of the great designe that God hath in hand Vse 1 in the enlargement of the kingdome of his sonne and establishing him in it and beware they be not found fighters against God And though men contrive and bend their strength against God yet will he carry on his work and they shall be broken Esay 8.9 Associate your selves O ye people and ye shall be broken in pieces Gird your selves and ye shall be broken in pieces Vse 2 This truth is full of Consolations to the Church of God which hath been long oppressed and kept under by the enemies thereof For surely the time of deliverance is neere As by the budding and blossoming of the Fig-tree and all other Trees we know that the Sommer is neere so the terrible shaking of the Nations declare that the redemption of Gods people drawes neere these being the last daies The day of the Churches deliverance from under the power of Antichrist hath dawned Esay 60.1 Arise and shine for the light is come and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee Whereas thou hast been forsaken and hated so that
afterwards gloried in this in that he was imployed about this worke of being instrumentall in this great plantation which now God was about having newly begun it of implanting or ingrafting the Gentiles into Christ the true Vine and Olive tree In as much as I am the Apostle of the Gentiles I magnifie mine office Rom. 11.13 He rejoyced greatly to foresee by faith such a huge and vast Orchard consisting of many millions of goodly fruit-trees that were to be planted in it which would bring forth abundance of good fruits to the husbandman so did Peter also and many with him rejoyce at it Acts 10.45 They were astonished because that on the Gentiles also was powred out the gift of the Holy Ghost and Acts 11.18 They glorified God saying then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life They saw this wonderfull great plantation begun and cut out of the wast and barren Wildernesse of the Gentiles and they rejoyced in it and helped to carry it on Paul planted a large peece of ground and God watered it and gave the increase for he tells us Rom. 15.19 from Jerusalem round about unto Illyricum he fully preached the Gospell of Christ he through the power of the word and spirit made wild trees barren unfruit-full trees to be engrafted fruitfull trees The Gospell containing the unsearchable riches of Christ which he preached among the Gentiles became in ingrafted word in their hearts and sprang and grew up and brought forth fruit as he tels us Col. 1.6 The Gospell which is come unto you as it is in all the world and bringeth forth fruits as it doth also in you since the day ye heard of it Now here were great and glorious beginnings and proceedings for many yeares together in the Apostles and Primitive times but afterwards the worke went on more slowly when Antichrist was revealed he that did let being taken out of the way that is the Emperour who had his seate in Rome being removed to Germany when the Pope and the whole Hierachy of Rome had gotten head and strength and credit in the world then they greatly hindred the worke though it hath beene carried on ever since yet much more slowly than at the beginning After a time there arose many and great enemies against the Church and every where persecuted the Saints The Beast out of the bottomlesse Pit the red Dragon the Beast with seven heads and ten hornes The Beast with two hornes like the Lamb the Whore of Babylon the Beast with the false Prophet c. these enemies of the Church hindred as much as in them lay the propagation of the Gospell As formerly enemies hindred the building of the Materiall Temple so have they ever since hindred the building of the spirituall Temple or according to the Similitude the great Plantation of the husbandman It is a very great Orchard there is much work to be done in it and about it and many and powerfull enemies are against it therefore the husbandman is long about it It is so large that it reacheth to the ends of the earth over every kindred and Tongue and People and Nation Rev. 5.9 And as it is large so there is much worke and but little help Matth. 9.37 The harvest truly is great and the Laborers but few There is herein a ground of exceeding great gladnesse and rejoycing Vse 1 seeing that God the great and skilfull husbandman hath undertaken this worke of Planting so large an Orchard or Garden for himselfe over all Nations though there have beene but slow proceedings in the worke for a long time yet the proceedings have beene sure God his people have been at worke ever since they began it unto this day and we have Prophesies Promises that it shall go on unto perfection yea and more speedily too in these latter daies than in former times Esay 60.3 4 5 c. Lift up thine eyes round about and see all they gather themselves together they come to thee the abundance of the sea or Nations shall be converted unto thee the forces of the gentiles shall come to thee They shall flie as doves to their windowes vers 8. Yea here is a ground of rejoycing indeede when we consider the exceeding largnesse of this Orchard which shall take in not only the wildernesse of the Gentiles but also his old decayed forsaken Orchard the Nation of the Jewes the husbandman will joyne them to it and Graffe them these decayed broken withered Branches in againe and their comming in shall be as life from the dead Rom. 11.15 it shall be a mighty advantage to the whole Church in all parts here will be a wonderfull beautifull large Orchard let us cast our eyes above as well as below and looke upon that part now already transplanted into heaven as well as that upon Earth and withall consider it with its increase that it is daily growing larger and larger Zach. 2.11 Many Nations shall be joyned to the Lord in that day what day even when the Lord shall inherit Judah his portion in the holy Land and shall chuse Jerusalem againe Here is a Prophesy of the comming in both of the Jewes and Gentiles about one time which will greatly inlarge the Church and is aground of great rejoycing to all the people of God Vse 2 Seeing God is a long time in calling of the Gentiles this should stirre up the people of God in this Nation and other Nations who are called unto continuall praises unto him for that he hath done the worke already for us many other parts of the world are yet in darknesse they are yet as the wildernesse wild trees and unmanured not yet within the compasse of this pleasant Orchard we might have beene in their case Vse 3 Thirdly Seeing the worke is great and God hath beene a long time about it and is yet going on let all that can helpe forward the worke God is able to do all works which he wills by his owne immediate hand but he is pleased to use Instruments therein The great husbandman hath subhusbandmen underworkmen in his great Plantation All his people are required to put to their hand for the enlargement of the kingdome of Christ by their Prayers exhortations reproffes instructions admonitions Examples c. according to the gifts But this is no liberty for any people under the pretence of new revelations from God and a light within to go about reaching things contrary to his word and reveled will and to condemne all Churches and Congregations persons things though never so holy that are not of their way and cast into their mould Talents they have received Especially now in this generation seeing God by his providentiall dispensations cals aloud for it having given his people â— freedome and liberty in all places and great encouragements in the worke of the Lord which in former ages they have not had It is the duty not only of Pastors and Officers of particular congregations
Meeke to bind up the Broken hearted to proclaime liberty to the Captives and the opening of the Prison to them that are bound to proclaime the acceptable yeare of the Lord to comfort all that mourne c. Now the reason hereof is because soules lying under apprehensions of wrath for sin their doubt is mainely of Gods willingnesse to save them they know not his Will in the thing therefore to labour to convince them of his Love of his willingnesse and readinesse to receive and save sinners that come to him by Christ is the great businesse in case of distresse and doubting Vse 1 This being so then those who goe about to direct and comfort weary soules laden and burthened with the sense of sin and wrath are to beware how they presse the duties of the Law to such in order to settlement and peace some are ready still in such Cases to tell the partie distressed in conscience you must walke strictly take heed of Sin give not way to corruptions not so much as any motions or stirrings of them within and be diligent in all duties of hearing the word reading meditation c. and so put them on the duties of the Law or Covenant of workes whereby to get peace and acceptance with God making God appeare as a hard Master and thereby lay one burthen upon another in stead of easing of them Whereas the sweete refreshing Promises of the Covenant of grace the infinite Love of God in our pretious Lord Jesus Christ should be laid open and held forth clearely to such a weary soule that such a one might see the great workes of fulfilling the Law and satisfying divine Justice done to his hand in case he lay hold upon and close with Christ by faith This is the ready way to settle such a soule to make the Graft take hold of the stock from which it may receive life This the Apostle shewes us by a plaine instance Gal. 3.2 Received ye the spirit by the worke of the Law or by the hearing of faith as if he should say ye know this course was taken with you before ye beleived The doctrine of free grace was preached to you ye heard that Justification came not by the workes of the Law but by faith in Christ even so it is now Secondly Soules thus in distresse ought to harken to and receive offers of grace when they heare them made and not to Vse 2 put them off and neglect them as very many doe They will not or dare not close with the free promises of grace because say they I wretch am not worthie I am not fitted my heart is hard my Corruptions are strong I am full of sin my whole life is nothing but sin Why thou shalt never have it otherwise so long as thou standest off and refusest to close with Christ If thou think to get thy heart into an humble melting frame and temper and to subdue Corruptions and then to close with Christ thou wilt but deceive thy selfe that 's not the way but seeing thy want of Christ and thy sinfull undone condition without him and a true desire in thee to get out of it and to be sanctified as well as justified to be saved from sin as well as wrath let it be the very first thing thou doest to venture on him and close with him accept of his love and doe but touch him by faith and thou shalt find thy selfe healed of all thy spirituall diseases but without this course notwithstanding all thy owne strictnesse and endeavours in duties thou wilt find thy selfe to be worse and worse The five and twentieth Observation in Nature THe Husbandman having laboured and taken much paines about Engrafting his Plants when in the spring he sees they begin to bud and shoote forth when he observing of them perceives they have closed with and taken hold of the stock he is glad of it this is a ground of rejoycing to him he is very well pleas'd to see the good successe of his labours about his Fruit-trees This discovers to us That A sinners Repentance and closing with Christ causeth joy both in heaven and Earth The Lord the great husbandman is alwaies at worke labouring to draw soules to Christ by all waies and meanes And his sub-husbandmen the Ministers of the Gospell and all his people one way or other do labour in the same worke they are Co-workers fellow labourers with him in this great Gospell worke Now when they see their works and labours have good successe they rejoyce and are glad 1. The people of God rejoyce when they see unregenerate persons come in to Christ because they are renewed themselves and it 's naturall for every Creature to be glad of and rejoyce in its like Secondly they rejoyce at the conversion of others because they love God The Reason and Love is alwaies glad at that which pleaseth and makes for the beloved God hath honour hereby and therefore they rejoyce Secondly the faithfull Ministers of the Gospell rejoyce at the conversion of soules not only upon these accompts but also because they are more immediately concerned in it it is their proper worke and businesse to winne soules to Christ Now when they see the successe of their Labours they say as the Apostle 3 Epistle of John 4. I have no greater joy then to heare that my Children walke in the truth So the Apostle Paul 1 Thes 2.19 what is our hope our joy our Crowne of rejoycing are not yee c v. 20. For ye are our glory joy Thirdly The good Angels also rejoyce when sinners turne to God This our Saviour tells us Luk. 15.7 I say unto you that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth c. vers 10. There is joy in the presence of the Angels of God over one sinner that repenteth Fourthly God the father sonne and spirit rejoyce at the Repentance of sinners The spirit to speake after the manner of men is said to be greived with sin when soules reject his motions so on the contrary when they hearken to him he is well pleased Our Saviour having taught his disciples and brought them to understand and receive the things of the kingdome of God he rejoyced Luk. 10.21 In that houre Jesus rejoyced in spirit c. Also we see how God the Father is wel pleased when sinners come in to Christ this is at large made out unto us in the Parable of the Prodigall Luk. 15.20 the father seeing his sonne returning to him how glad is he of it he ran to meete him and fell on his neck and kissed him then there was Musicke and dancing and feasting c. all this is but to let us know how welcome a soule is to God when it returnes from its wandrings Esay 65.19 I will rejoyce in Jerusalem and joy in my people and Zepth 3.17 The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty he will save he will rejoyce over thee with joy
Charets like a Whirle-wind vers 16. For the Lord will judg with fire and with his sword all flesh Now when shall this be even when the Lord will enlarge his Church when he will extend peace to Ierusalem as a River and the glory of the Gentiles like a flowing streame Esay 66.12 When the isles a farre off shall declare his glory among the Gentiles and brethren shall be brought out of all Nations when the new heavens and the new earth shall be made the Church of God enlarged and beautified as we may see at large vers 19.20 c. The Prophet Jeremiah speakes likewise to the same purpose c. 23.19.20 Behold the tempest of the Lord goeth forth in wrath a violent whirles wind shall fall downe upon the head of the wicked and the anger of the Lord shall not returne untill he have executed and till he have performed the thoughts of his heart Now when these things shall be we see vers 20. in the latter daies when God is enlarging his Church ye shall understand it plainely This God will doe that he may glorifie himselfe in shewing forth his power and justice towards his enemies love to his people This may informe us and give some light unto us why all the Vse 1 destructions confusions and overturnings which have beene in these Nations of late yeares have come to passe and what other Nations shall shortly find also The great husbandman is about the enlarging of his Orchard according to the many Prophesies and promises in his word Now therefore who or whatsoever hinders and stands in the way shall certainely be removed 2 Thes 2.7 The Lord shall consume him Antichrist with the spirit of his mouth and destroy him with the brightnesse of his coming Vse 2 As this is unspeakable consolation to the saints who are the goodly fruit-trees in this large garden so is the same cause of trembling and astonishment to all opposers of God in this his great worke Weeds and wild Plants in a garden that 's carefully ordered are not so sure of plucking up as these persons are of a downfall for God hath said it he will plant his Garden and enlarge it upon an high mountaine and eminent and then up goe the wild trees though never so high and beautifull Ezek. 17.24 Then all the trees of the field shall know that I the Lord have brought downe the high tree have exalted the low tree have dryed up the greene tree and made the dry tree to flourish I the Lord have spoken it and have done it Vse 3 Thirdly yee that stand out and oppose the worke of God be perswaded to deliver your selves from destruction beware of hardnesse of heart in refusing to see and acknowledge the hand of God in his dispensations for as Pharaoh the inhabitants of Egypt Canaan and others were destroy'd in their opposition against the plantation of old so shall it be with all hardned sinners in these latter daies Those being but Types and shadowes of things that shall come to passe in these gospell times Heb. 10.1 The law hath a shadow of good things to come Not only as they shadow forth Jesus Christ but also the things of Christ in his Church Vse 4 And further Let this Caution Gods owne people It is to manifest and evident that even some of them doe in some respects oppose the worke of God we see what divisions and contentions there are amongst them about the things concerning the kingdome of Christ Now therefore take heed of opposing the mind of God for if he be displeased with those who help not the Lord against the mighty will he not be much more displeased with those that oppose him and are against him in any of his designes It may hinder them of much good which otherwise they might have received from God See Pag. yea it may provoke God to cut them off though his owne people The husbandman sometimes cuts off a Branch or cuts downe even a good tree when it is in his way and hinders any of his great workes so doubtlesse does the Lord with some of his owne people when through any worldly interest or corruption they oppose his designes Therefore take heede speake not neither act against God and his waies through mistakes be not unwise but understand what the will of the Lord is Eph. 5.17 The eight and twentieth Observation in Nature WHen rare and excellent fruit-trees and fruits are first knowne there being but few of them they are more valued and esteemed then afterwards when they are multiplyed and growen common though the commodities are still the same in goodnesse as at first This shadowes out unto us That The constant enjoyment of the best things from God through corruptions makes them lesse noted and esteemed Proposition shadowed The nature of man is much taken with new things which having beene a while used and enjoyed are not afterwards of so much value with us though the things remaine in their former goodnesse and worth health peace and plenty and the best good things of this life yea the Ordinances of Christ society of the saints seasons and oportunities of grace spirituall priviledges are lesse observed and prized after a long enjoyment of them then at the first Though Manna was a pleasant bread Angels foode and the people of Israel were well pleased with it for a time yet afterwards they were weary of it Numb 21.5 Our soule loatheth this light bread When the people of God see the necessity and want of good things and earnestly pray and waite for them and at length God satisfies their desires and gives out the mercy longed for then they are much taken and affected with it their affections are raised and enlarged they put a price and value upon it greatly rejoycing in it and blessing God for it But after a certaine time of enjoyment the heart is lesse upon it the streames of affections are abated and run lower there is not that frequent notice taken of it neither when the mind reflects upon it at any time are the affections stirred as at the first when the thing was new Thus it is even in respect of the best and choicest things wee receive from God in this life even the sence and evidences of the love of God pardon of sin intrest in Christ Communion with the father and the sonne through the spirit These things after an habituall long enjoyment of them are lesse noted and lesse affect the heart then upon their first discovery so that God expostulates with his people about it he takes notice of it and observes the difference of the frame of their spirits what it hath beene and what it is afterwards Jer. 22. I remember the kindnesse of thy youth the love of thine espousales c. when thou wentest after me in the wildernesse time was when we were first acquainted and thou didst take me for thy Lord and Husband thou didst expresse much love towards me and
calls and sends for that purpose Now Christ was fitted by this anointing Esay 61.1 The spirit of the Lord is upon me because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tydings c. and Esay 42.1 Behold my servant c. I have put my spirit upon him And when Christ sent forth his disciples to preach the Gospell how did he prepare them for it even by the same anointing Joh. 20.21 22. As my father sent me so send I you and he breathed on them and said receive ye the holy Ghost Thus also the Ministers of the Gospell that succeede him they have the same anointing which fits them with gifts and graces for this worke what ever humane learning they have more or lesse this anointing teacheth them and makes them learned in the great mystery of godlinesse Jesus Christ the wisdome of the father in whom all fulnesse dwells and the spirit of Christ dwells in them hereby they are made able Ministers of the new Testament Not of the Letter but of the spirit 2 Cor. 36. Carnall men though never so learned know not what they say they have the letter of the word but the spirituall sence is vailed and hid from them through the darknesse of their minds they have no insight nor Experience in what they say But every scribe that is instructed unto the kingdome of heaven is like unto a man that is an houshoulder which bringeth forth out of his Treasure things new and old Mat. 13.52 True Ministers of the Gospell are Embassadors for Christ 1 Cor. 4.20 they are also stewards of the Mysteries of God 1 Cor. 4.1 and it is required in stewards that a man be found faithful vers 2. May it not thence be concluded that unregenerate persons who cannot be faithfull are unfit to be stewards neither are entrusted by God in this great workâ— From what hath beene said will it not follow That those are Vse 1 no true Ministers of the Gospell who are ignorant of and inexperienced in the great worke and mystery of Regeneration who have not the worke of Grace upon their owne hearts They are Theeves and Robbers who enter not in by the dore which is Christ but climbe up some other way Joh. 10.1 These come to get the fleece and care not if the flock be scattered and torne by the wolves how can they teach others who were never taught themselves is he fit to lead others who is blind Now the Naturall man seeth not perceiveth not spirituall things neither can he because they are spiritually discerned 1 Cor. 2.14 If any shall Object That Judas was an unregenerate person and yet sent to preach Object with the rest of the Apostles It is answered That is an Extraordinary Example and foretold many generations before Answ Now Extraordinary Examples are not to be pleaded in ordinary Cases it was of absolute necessity that such a one should be that the scriptures might be fulfilled Object Secondly If it be said Though men have not the spirit of God though they have not grace yet having Learning good gifts and Parts they may doe good therewith in the Church of God It is answered Although it be granted that carnall men in the Ministry having good Gifts Answ and endowments may doe some good thereby does this prove they are therefore fit for the Ministry or that they are sent of God God of his infinite wisdome and grace ordereth and over-ruleth all things for good to his owne people even the very sinnes of men and Devills But further Though some good may be done by carnall Ministers it cannot be denyed but they do much more hurt then good by their carnall Interpretations and Mis-applications of the scriptures and bad Examples Not having the spirit not being Learned in the Mysteries of godlinesse nor being taught by wisdome from above they pervert the scriptures to their owne and others destruction 2 Pet. 3.16 they cannot see the things of God 1 Cor. 2.14 so that they deceive the soules of the poore carnall people and lead them blindfold to hell when the blind lead the blind both fall into the ditch into the bottomlesse Pit so that as our Saviour bid his disciples and the multitude to take heede of the Leaven or doctrine of the Pharisees who were fooles and blind as to the spirituall understanding of the scriptures so also should we take heede of false interpretations of the scriptures by carnall men in our daies Doth not God reprove and expostulate with such for their hold undertaking in this kind Psal 50.16 What hast thou to doe to Preach my Lawes or that thou shouldest take my word in thy mouth seeing thou hatest to be reformed See also Jer. 14.14 and Jer. 23.20 This informes us That surely the time is at hand and is not the Vse 2 day dawned already when the Gospell Ministry shall be purged the drosse carnall Ministers shall be cast out and the pure mettle preserved according as was Prophesied Mal. 3.1 2 3. when the Messenger of the Covenant Jesus Christ shall come and Raigne gloriously in the Nations hee will be as a Refiners fire and shall fit as a Refiner and purifier of silver hee shall purifie the sonnes of Levi vers 3. ignorant scandalous persons who make the sacrifices of the Lord to be abhorred as Elies sonnes the Name of God and his Gospell to be blasphemed and true Ministers despised and reproached these shall be cast out as unsavory salt and a true Ministry set up and encouraged Is not this the worke of this day Let them therefore who are imployed therein take heede of doing the worke of the Lord negligently but imploy and improve their Talent of Authority faithfully and diligently for their Masters interest And let all the people of God be earnest with God to carry on the worke himselfe with his owne hand by his owne spirit otherwise Instruments may labour to no purpose in this or any other worke And that God would more and more purifie his owne people even those who are most pure for in them there is much drosse yet unpurged out Though I take this to be the most proper and genuine meaning of this place yet not with exclusion of the other This points out unto us who are the true Ministers of the Gospell Vse 3 even all who have received the anointing of the spirit are taught of God as the truth is in Jesus that are called and sent of God and approved by his Church and people to that Office and worke These are the true Ministers of the Gospell of Christ these can speake of the things they have heard and seene 1 Joh. 1.3 they have skill and experience in the things whereof they speake they have the tongue of the Learned though some it may be not much humane learning and know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary because they have a fountaine of light and truth and wisdome within them he dwells in them in whom
I have called and ye refused I have stretched out my hand and no man regarded c. I also will laugh at your calamity and will mock when your feare cometh 3 Consid Difficulty and bitternesse of Repentance if delayed 3. The longer the worke of conversion and ingrafting into Christ is delayed the more difficult the worke will be it is more easie in youth then it will be afterwards While the Twiggs and sprouts of corruption are but young and slender they are more easily cut off bowed downe or kept under then they can be when they are growne old hard and strong Who can bend an old strong tree how hard is it to roote up a tree of many yeares growth and that in a great and firme Rock Such are the sprouts of corruption in the root or rock of corrupt nature The oftener sinnes are repeated the deeper impressions they make in the conscience although small in themselves Gutta cavat lapidem non viâ—sed saepe-cadendo Light and small drops of water falling often make an impression even in a stone What then will many great crimson and scarlet sinnes doe Many youthfull sinnes of a high nature break the bones in repentance 4 Consid Shame of coming in so late 4. Though it be not a shame to come to God in old age yet it s a shame for a man that he came no sooner Is it not a shame for a Souldier to runne from his Commander and fight against him all his youthfull time while he hath strength and abilities and to come in old age when he is lame and decrepite and offer his service Is it not a shame for a man to give his strength and marrow to the Devill and offer the dry bones to God What a shame is it for a man to begin to learne his Letters and to spell at spectacle yeares To offer the blind the lame and the sick in sacrifice will it be accepted Mal. 1.8 Offer it now unto thy Governour will he be pleased with thee or accept thy person saith the Lord of Hosts 5. Such as hearken unto Gods call early 5 Consider Clearer evidences of the love of God and in the spring of their yeares have usually most honour from God and clearer manifestations of his love than others such who give God their spring time their Virgin yeares they usually know more of the minde of God and of the Love of God than others Samuel was called of a Child 1 Sam. 3. and gave God his spring time and God manifested himselfe evidently to him he had many and cleare manifestations of the love of God The Prophet Jeremy Ch. 1.6 was called and sanctified from the womb and God revealed clearly his love to him and care of him he became a great Prophet and intimately acquainted with God God wrought upon the spirit of Joseph and ingrafted him while he was but a young twigg when he was but seaventeene yeares old he brought forth good fruit for he could not endure the the ill doings of his brethren but told his father of it Gen. 37.2 And we know what a darling Joseph was not only to his earthly father but also to his heavenly father who honoured him more then all his brethren and revealed many great secrets unto him He had not only tasts and draughts of the love of God but rather streames and rivers of it flowed in upon him all his life time Obadiah a man recorded in Scripture for one fearing God and that from his youth he was a choice and singular man in his daies he feared the Lord greatly 1 King 18.12 And the love of God towards him was seene in his love to God and his people in a time of great danger in preserving and feeding of them for none can shew forth cleare evidences of the love of God but those who are greatly belov'd of God The Prophet Daniel was a Young man when he began to feare God Dan. 1. and God shewed him manifold cleare evidences of his love God gave him knowledge and skill in all Learning and wisdome and in all visions and dreames vers 17. He had cleare revealations of the love of God in his Prayers and Praises to God immediately by his spirit and mediately by an Angell who was sent to tell him that his prayers were heard and that he was a man greatly beloved The holy Prophet David of a young Twig was ingrafted into Christ and he made God his trust from his youth Ps 71.5 Being taught of God from his youth vers 17. and thereby made a man after Gods own heart And whoever had sweeter communion with God and consequently clearer evidences of his Love then he expresseth in his Psalmes How great a Prophet was Iohn the Baptist who was filled with the Holy Ghost and sanctified from the womb a greater Prophet was never borne than he Luk. 1.15 Iohn the beloved Disciple began to follow Christ Early in his youth and Christ revealed secrets to him more immediately than to the rest of the Disciples He leaned on his breast and lay in his bosome he attained to a full assurance of the love of God which is the Consideration I here hold forth it is frequent in his Epistles We know we are of God 1 Joh. 4.13 14. 5 19 20. 1 Joh. 3.14 24. We know we are in him we know we are translated from death to life c. We know we know we know many such passages of assurance he mentions If Christians desire to enter into Heaven while they are on earth this is the way even to get into Christ early as soone as may be So we see such as are Ingrafted into Christ while they are young the love of God is more clearely and evidently discovered to them and secrets from God are revealed to them usually more than to others 6 Considerat Greater measures of grace and glory And lastly Such as are Ingrafted into Christ early in the spring of their yeares Such commonly attaine large growths and measures of grace if they live long and enjoy meanes and helps suitable A small measure of grace though but as much as a graine of Mustard seede If a man begin with it betime and husband it well according to the Counsell and wisdome of the spirit will improve and grow in many yeares to a large measure their Brook will become a River and their River will become a Sea Every Act of grace adds something to the habit so that the habits of grace are mightily confirmed by their frequent operations Such when they come to be old Disciples strong men in Christ fathers they have strong consolation full assurance Their graces increase from strength to strength from glory to glory by the spirit of the Lord. 2 Cor. 3.18 And the more their Afflictions abound the more are their graces encreased being improved by the spirit of God and consequently the greater glory is laid up for them in the life to come 2 Cor. 4.17
Now let it be considered What infinite advantages arise to a Christian by Early beginnings and setting forward in the waies of God betime the Priviledges are exceeding great and many These things may be great Encouragements to all young Plants to labour for them The sixt Observation in Nature WE know at the end of Sommer the sunnes influences being withdrawne in a great measure Fruit-trees cease growing their fruits and Leaves fall off and decay during the time of winter are shaken with winds pinched with Frosts and cold weather seeme to those that cannot well judg of them to be even as dead which yet when the spring of the yeare comes the spirit and sap that is naturally existing in them all winter is refreshed againe by the heat of the sunne that then approaches the branches againe begin to bud and by new supplies from the Roote grow forth and bare store of wholsome fruits This is another Similitude and shadowes out unto us this Proposition VVhich also concurres with the word and experience That When the spirit of God withdrawes Proposition shadowed then mysticall fruit-trees cease growing their leaves and Fruits fall and they indure sore conflicts for a time but at the returne of the spirit they are restored to former comforts with advantage As the sun is the efficient cause of life and growth in naturall fruit trees and all Vegetables so is the spirit of God the efficient cause of motion and growth in all spirituall fruit-trees while the spirit is sensibly present and works in the soule there is motion growth budding blossoming and bearing fruits but when the spirit withholds and withdrawes when this sunne goes afar off as to his sensible workings and effects and hides his face then the fruit-trees are at a stand and have no power in themselves to grow or beare fruits The Lord is a Sun unto his people Ps 84.11 and the face of this sun is sometimes clouded and hid from them and is as if he were afar off Esa 54.7 For a small moment have I hid my face The Church complaines in the time of this spirituall winter Cant. 5.6 My beloved had withdrawne himselfe and was gone VVhen this Sun is afar off and clouded then followes a dark and gloomy time Lam. 3.1 I am the man that have seen affliction by the rod of his wrath he hath led me and brought me into darknesse and not into light I remembred God and was troubled I complained and my spirit was overwhelmed Ps 88.16 Thy fierce wrath goeth over me thy terrors have cut me off Ps 38.8 The Church in this long and sharp winter the sun being a far off complaineth bitterly and is almost in dispaire Esay 49.14 This is a wofull state the greatest of all miseries on this side Hell even the want of the light of Gods countenance to him that hath sensibly enjoyed it a long time together and instead thereof to have the terrors of God fight against him and make immediate impressions upon the soule yet so it is with some of the servants of God for a time Former Evidences are then of no more strength than the strength of meat and drink is to the body after a long time of fasting when the body hath beene shut up in prison and almost starv'd for want of foode It s true indeed former Evidences might something uphold in the sense of present distresse if the soule were sure they were undoubtedly true and sound because we know true grace once received cannot be lost but there lies the doubt and the ground of feare and distrust he calls all former Evidences into question and perhaps at some times concludes against himselfe that all are nothing because of present feelings of the contrary I know a man who about Ten yeares agoe was cast under this Temptation and had Experience of this woefull state and condition he lay in it for the space of Seventeene or Eighteene Months or thereabouts Having early in his youth even the first houre of the day passed through the pangs of the new birth and spirit of bondage afterwards enabled to lay hold on Christ by faith and by degrees got up to a comfortable well grounded confidence of the love of God in Christ wherein he walked chearefully many yeares together yet afterwards even about the middle of the day according to the Prophets computation Psalm 90.10 the Sun was clouded and the spirit and sap suspended so that by degrees he lost not only the sense of the light of Gods countenance towards him and the sight of the graces of his spirit but questioned all his former Evidences of his interest in Christ and especially at some times even gave all for lost And notwithstanding the dayly use of all spirituall meanes he still fell lower and lower more and more feares and terrors increased in him which were made more sharpe and heavy by many outward afflictions great crosses and disappointments at the same time which befell him in reference to his body name outward estate Calling friends and relations every one of which was a sore affliction single and of it selfe notwithstanding all came upon him in a short space and that not long after great and more then ordinary spirituall comforts evidences of the love of God in Christ which though they might have beene some ground to have upheld the soule from sinking so low yet by degrees were all weake and of no power to uphold amidst such a throng and present sense of heavy and lasting Temptations as were upon both his inward and outward man but by reason thereof the immediate succeeding desertion was the more sensible and took the deeper impression As a man that falls suddenly from a high and eminent Condition of outward comforts into great misery and want the sense of his present misery is therefore the more pressing In this sad and darke time he laboured by Prayer Fasting help of freinds and all waies of humbling himselfe to get comfort and support but still it was hâ—d from him he was by degrees cast downe very low and brought even to despair in-somuch that at some times through the violence of Temptations and apprehensions of the absence and losse of God he cryed out roared as a man in torment of body that had had some disease or burning in his Bowels At some times when he heard the word preached such terrors seased upon him that he had no rest neither in body nor mind he could neither sit still nor stand still nor rest in any posture fearefull injections thronged in upon him and such woefull apprehensions of an undone Condition were at those seasons especially represented to the mind that he was not able to expresse the horror of them And after a certaine time of the absence of the Spirit in the feeling workings of it and sence of the graces Corruptions at sometimes more especially grew strong Passions and murmurings against the righteous proceedings of God with him
grow there being ready for transplanting because such hinder many other small young plants which might be brought into the Nursery to be ingrafted and prepared if the great ones were transplanted So ought it to be in Vniversities For unlesse the ancient Students having had a convenient time to fit themselves for publique imployments doe remove many hopefull young plants will be kept out which otherwise if brought under the discipline of godly Governours and ingrafted will in due season bring forth much good fruit Thirdly If Fruit-trees after they are prepared in the Nursery for fruit-bearing be removed and transplanted abroad into severall Countries many may partake of their fruits they will be profitable from yeare to yeare which cannot be if they be kept still in the Nursery So if Vniversity men having obtained Gifts and Graces goe forth and exercise their Talents in the Church of God many may have profit and advantage by them who otherwise cannot Besides these Reasons the word requires that able and usefull men should goe forth into the Church of God Luk. 10.1 2. Our Saviour as a Master or governour of a great Society having disciplined and taught his Disciples and made them fit for the Ministrie he sent out Threescore and ten of them at one time having sent Twelve not long before Luk. 9.2 And because the harvest is great and there is need of Labourers we ought to pray the Lord of the Harvest that he would send forth more Luk. 10.2 But such as are fit yet unwilling to goe may be asked sharply by way of reproofe why stand ye here all the day idle Mat. 20.6 Many stand idle in the Market place while they might and ought to goe and labour in the Lords Vineyard Having a Talent or more they must one day be called to an account what use they have made thereof and if they have not well imployed them nor gained by them they will make but a sad reckoning Mat. 25.19 the Lord commeth and will reckon with them Vse 1 The Inference hence is in every mans eye that such whom it concernes doe consider what their duty is in this regard and accordingly apply themselves It is my humble advice with all love Let not any now as too many in former times having gotten Fellowships in Colledges account them as t were their free-hold for life having accommodations to set up their rest and say its good being here what can I expect better if I goe forth as though selfe were all a man should ayme at If any man be offended and object why should I meddle thus far I answer I am within the bounds of my Orchard and the subject at first proposed Not only to treat of Ordering Materiall Fruit-trees but also to make a spirituall use of them where I judge the Similitude apt and pregnant I am a friend and no adversary in speaking the truth in Love The Husbandman having purged his Nursery and planted therein many choice plants ingrafted into the true Vine he expects better fruits there than former ages have afforded And it may be spoken to the honour of the Husbandman and of the Reformation hitherto carried on by him that there are pleasant and wholsome fruits brought forth by many Trees of righteousnesse of his planting Oh that it might be said Esay 61.3 Jer. 2.21 Ho. 10.1 there are no Wild Vines among them bringing forth sower and bitter Grapes or empty Vines which bring forth fruit unto themselves That the adversaries of the truth might not have occasion to charge any especially such as have the name of godly persons with Pride high carriages earthly mindednesse and such like grosse corruptions which are the fowlest Blots that can light upon Professors and bring most dishonour to God to his Gospell and to themselves If men in these places have sincere and right ends in their eye and pursue them accordingly even the interest of our Lord Jesus Christ in the increase of his kingdome As they may thereby bring much honour to God happinesse to themselves edification to his Church So also the same is the right and ready way to establish and perpetuate Universities Therefore take my counsell and not mine but the Apostles 2 Tim. 1.6 stirre up the gift that is in thee and againe 1 Tim. 4.4 Neglect not the gift that is in thee Such as have Talents whereby they may profit the Church of God ought to employ them for that purpose according as God hath fitted them It is true indeed Some able men in Vniversities as godly Tutors in every Colledge besides Governours may be as profitable to the Church of God there as if they went forth but this reacheth not the generality of men in such places Therefore the exhortation may be seasonably carried on I know the best men had need of stirring up to their duties And that this may willingly be imbraced Consider what neede there is of faithfull able and painfull Teachers abroad in every Country The Harvest truly is great and such labourers are but few Multitudes Multitudes of people lye in the gall of bitternesse and bond of iniquity and would it not be a glorious worke to be instrumentall in turning them from darknesse to light and from the power of Sathan unto God yea and the worke also will make such Instruments glorious Dan. 12.3 They that be wise shall shine as the brightnesse of the firmament and they that turne many to righteousnesse as the starrs for ever and ever I shall say no more verbum sat sapientibus there are a world of Encouragements to this worke rewards and wages are in it besides infinite Treasures laid up for them to all Eternity Use 2 Secondly such as are Governours in Vniversities ought to take speciall care that men goe forth who are fitted for publique imployments and not to leave it to their wills and pleasures for although some are carried out by the spirit and spirituall Principles to spend and be spent in the work of the Lord yet some others even good men give way to selfish carnall Principles and neglect it Therefore Governours ought herein to follow Christs Example and to * by making Orders and Rules in the severall societies for that end and not to walke in this great respect by statutes made in darke corrupt times Is it likely such should be meete Rules for these Gospell times these times of light and Reformation send them forth to preach Christ It be asked whither shall they goe it Answered to preach the Gospell to every creature to all mankind wheresoever it is wanting For if they are Ministers of the Gospell a necessity lyes upon them to preach it 1 Cor. 9.16 yea woe unto them if they preach not the Gospell whether they have a setled maintenance or no If they be faithfull herein then Christ whose worke it is will certainely see they have all necessaries ministred unto them As the earth is the Lords and the fulnesse thereof so all hearts
no man went through thee I will make thee an eternall excellency a joy of many Generations Vers 15.20 The Lord shall be thine everlasting light and the daies of thy mourning shall be ended The twentieth Observation in Nature THe graft and stock of the fruit-tree are so joyned together as that they are the one within the other and so made one intire body The Graft is within the Stock in respect of its substance the stock incloseth some part of it And the Stock is within the Graft by its sap and moisture giving nourishment to it whereby it thrives and brings forth good fruits So they being joyned and one within the other are made one body or substance This Similitude shadowes out unto us Proposition shadowed That Believers by ingrafting into Christ doe live in him and he in them and are thereby made one with him This truth is clearely held forth unto us in Scripture It is a great Mystery not understood or comprehended by any naturall man and better understood in our own spirits by experience than expressed to others The Apostle saies 2 Cor. 4.16 Ye are the Temple of the living God as God hath said I will dwell in them and walke in them And 1 Joh. 4.16 He that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God and God in him Believers dwell in God the father and in Christ and in the spirit and God and Christ and the spirit dwell in them As the spirit is in Beleivers so they are in the spirit Gal. 5.25 If we live in the spirit let us also walke in the spirit Gal. 2.20 I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me And now 2 Cor. 13.5 by this spirituall or mysticall union between God and his people they are made one with God Not to be understood as some have said That every believer hereby is God and so advance themselves above what is meet It is true believers are made one with Christ 1 Cor. 6.17 He that is joyned to the Lord is one spirit and Ephes 4.4 There is one body and one spirit And it is the prayer of our Lord Christ which is certainly heard that his people with his father and himselfe may be one Joh. 17.21 That they all may be one as thou father art in me and I in thee that they also may be one in us v. 22. And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them that they may be one even as we are one 23. I in them and thou in me that they may be made perfect in one What a wonderfull mystery is this that Believers should be united to and made one with God as the Father and the Sonne are one Not in respect of partaking of his essentiall and incommunicable properties which Creatures are uncapable of but in respect of reality and truth Believers are as truly and really joyned and united to Christ as the Branches of a Tree are unto the root As the Stock and the Graft are really joyned together and are one within the other and made one body so are Believers really united to God God dwelling in them and they in God and are made one spirit with him through Christ 1 Cor. 6.17 He that is joyned to the Lord is one spirit And againe 1 Cor. 12.13 By one spirit we are united c. Vse 1 Seeing Believers live in God and God in them and that they are made one with him This shewes us their safe Condition notwithstanding the malice and power of all their enemies They shall never be able to prevaile against Gods people or to hurt them As the hils are about Jerusalem so is the Lord round about his people Psal 125 2. The Mercy he wisdome power love and faithfulnesse of God compasseth them about for they live in God This is the Hedge that was about Job Chap. 1.10 Thou hast made an hedg about him and about all that he hath so that Sathan could not touch him without leave 2. From hence we may gather That believers shall be sure to Vse 2 presevere in grace unto the end for they live in God and from him they receive all supplies of grace Seeing Christ is risen up and dies no more believers that are in him as really as the graft in the stock they shall be fed and nourished by him continually as the stock feeds and nourishes the Graft the Roote is never dry but still gives sap to the branches both in winter and sommer so Christ is the true and living Vine the Roote and stock filled with all the fulnesse of God out of which we all receive grace for grace and are nourished with this living Sap unto Eternall life Joh. 4.14 Springing up unto Eternall life This Vnion and Onenesse between us and God the father and Vse 3 Christ should make us live a holy and a Gospell Conversation such as becomes our Relation Seeing these things are so what manner of persons ought we to be in all holy Conversation Let us therefore strive to be holy as God is holy and perfect as our heavenly father is perfect Seeing that we are so neere to God and live in God we may by eying and beholding of him be more and more changed into his Image and likenesse from one degree of glory to another 1 Cor. 3.18 and so be more and more partakers of his divine Nature and thereby dayly have more Communion and fellowship with him as two friends bring for the most part together are intimately acquainted and familiar with each other This is the top Priviledg of beleivers on this side heaven we should therefore bring forth fruit answerable to the spirit and sap that we receive from Christ our stock and Roote whereon we grow into which we are implanted The twenty first Observation in Nature FRuit-trees of the same species or kind are all like one another They resemble one another in their Natures and in their shape Colour Leaves Buds Blossomes and fruits So that they are clearely differenced hereby from other kinds men know them to be such or such kinds of trees and of one kind by their likenesse one to another Hence we learne That All Believers have a likenesse Proposition shadowed and resemblance of one another in the Image of God upon their soules The Image of God is the same upon all believers and differs not but only in the degrees of it upon some it is more beautifull and glorious then upon others yet the same in respect of the qualities and Nature of it All have a love and liking of all the objects of love as they are discoverd and made manifest And also there is in the soules of all believers an hatred or dislike of what is contrary to God and to that spirituall or divine Nature in them as the spirit of God discovers such objects to their understandings And the Cause of all Controversies and difference in Judgment amongst Gods people is not from any difference in their spirituall nature for that is
hee will rest in his Love he will joy over thee with singing Vse 1 O what encouragement is here unto sinners to come in and close with Christ by faith they shall be welcome freely welcome not onely so but heaven earth will as it were ring with joy at their coming in It will not be onely matter of joy unspeakable and full of glory unto themselves but also it will be joy to others Men and Angels yea the blessed God himselfe speaking to our apprehensions is said to rejoyce at it Now therefore be wise in this thy day stand not out one Moment longer wilt thou not accept of a Crowne and kingdome when it is offered thus freely if thou wilt not then know for a certainty that God who now tels thee he will be glad of thy coming in will laugh at thy destruction and mocke when thy feare comes Pro. 1.26 Secondly Let all the people of God labour in this glorious worke of winning soules to Christ that so Jerusalem the Vse 2 Church of God may not only be a quiet habitation but also filled with joy when the redeemed of the Lord shall returne and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads they shall obtaine joy and gladnesse and sorrow and sighing shall flee away Esay 35.10 This is a Touchstone for those who professe and pretend an Vse 3 interest in Christ doest thou rejoyce when thou seest or hearest of any comming in to Christ that the kingdome of Christ is daily growing and increasing in the addition of Members to his Church Does it refresh thy spirit to see and heare that holinesse and the power of godlinesse gets rooting in the hearts of many in the world that Jesus Christ is received and multitudes close with him why then this is a sound and sure evidence and ground that thine heart is upright with God that thou hast an interest in Christ and art thy selfe ingrafted into him But if it be an indifferent thing to thee what others doe in this respect whether they come in or no if they doe not thou art not moved it grieves thee not to see men reject Christ freely tendred in the Gospell nor if they receive him and close with him neither art thou glad of it thou doest not rejoyce in it If the habituall frame and temper of thy spirit be thus I dare boldly affirme it thou hast not closed with Christ thy selfe as yet thou art not yet ingrafted into him therefore consider thy waies and make hast to get into Christ delay not a moment longer The six and twentieth Observation in Nature AS the Husbandman takes pleasure in his fruit-trees so they (a) Inanimate Creatures are said to rejoyce when they performe Naturall Acts vigorously The sun reioyceth to run his course Ps 19.5 The hills and Valleyes when aboundantly fruitfull they laugh and sing Ps 65. â—3 Proposition shadowed in a sence take pleasure in him He delights to walke among them converse with them by meditation searching out their Natures and vertues for Profits and advantages he takes pleasure in their shade in heate of summer and in their wholsome fruits in their seasons And the fruit-trees also may be said to take pleasure in the husbandmans watering dressing and manuring discovered by their increase strong and vigorous shootes pleasant Blossomes and multitudes of fruits from yeare to yeare This is another Similitude c. and shadowes out unto us this Proposition That There is a sweete fellowship communion betweene God his People God delights in them and they delight in him Believers stand in the neerest Relations to God that can be As a peculiar people unto God 1 Pet. 2.9 As children to a father Rom. 8.17 As freinds to God the father and Christ Iames 2.23 Iohn 20.17 As Branches to the roote or stock as brethren to Christ as heires and coâ—heires with Christ As a wife to the husband as members to the head 2 Cor. 6.17 Io. 15.14 Cant. 4.17 Ephe. 3.20 In all which there is a wonderfull union and neerenesse set forth betweene God and his people wherein there is delight and Communion The Apostle John speaks this for himselfe and others he tels us what their Experiences were in this 1 John 1.3 That which we have seene and heard declare we unto you that ye also may have Fellowship with us and truly our Fellowship is with the father and with his sonne Jesus Christ The people of God they walke with God Now can two walke together and not have Communion Gen. 5.22.6.9 2 Cro. 7.17 Fellowship one with another Surely there are many intercourses and sweete passages betweene freinds when they walke together There are Questions Answers resolving of doubts Communications of secrets betweene intimate freinds as they walk together Nay there are not only these Relations mentioned a friendly walking together with God but there is also a Co-habitation or dwelling together with God yea more there is an In-dwelling God dwels in his people they dwell in him So that here is a ground of Communion indeede 2 Cor. 6.16 I will dwell in them walke in them And Jo 1.4 16. He that dwelleth in Love dwelleth in God and God in him As the spirit is in believers so they are in the spirit Gal 5.25 Here then must needs be communion and fellowship From these Relations and neerenesse to and union with God springs this Communion which includes love joy and pleasure on both sides unspeakable love flowes from God unto his people yea God takes pleasure and rejoyceth in his people And they returne Love to God againe they also take pleasure and rejoyce in God the scripture is plentifull in these things Ps 147.11 The Lord taketh pleasure in them that feare him so againe Ps 149.4 The Lord taketh pleasure in his people and Zeph. 3.17 The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty he will save he will rejoyce over thee with joy he will rest in his love he will joy over thee with singing Here is the mighty God taking pleasure in his people rejoycing with joy and singing resting in his love the believing soule This joy is not the joy of ordinary freinds but of those of neerest relation the husband and the wife and that too at their espousalls Esay 62.5 As the Bride groome rejoyceth over the Bride so shall thy God rejoyce over thee Seeing there is such a fellowship between God and his people what an invitation and encouragement is this to all to come into this Garden the Church of God such who weary themselves in seeking for content and pleasures in the empty things of the world may come hither and be satisfied O say not we shall loose our pleasures if we turne to be precise and religious then farewell delights and joy then we must imbrace sadnesse and Melancholy instead of our delights O consider how much thou art mistaken that judgest thus tast and try and thou
enlarge his Church in the daies of the Apostles Luk. 10.1 how contrary were his waies and dispensations to the judgments of most then In sending forth a few poore plaine men two and two to preach the Gospell and win soules how did the Learned proud Pharisees and most of the people despise them and persecute them from city to city They understood not what God was about no more then the people of this generation O how contrary are the dispensations of God to the apprehensions of most in this age They speake against his waies contradicting and blaspheming Yea the waies of God are contrary to the apprehensions of many of the godly among us some of them directly oppose God and his great designe others doe not cannot put to their hand to further it for they apprehend it not they cannot close with it In their Sermons Prayers Discourses they speak nothing of it to promote it nay being darkned through interests and corruptions they oppose it and speake against it and those who carry it on The reasons hereof are cheifely these As for all naturall men they judge of things according to carnall Principles sence and Reason now when the waies of God are not suted to these they cannot see nor judge of them The naturall man cannot perceive the things of God for they have no spirituall Principles 1 Cor. 2.14 Secondly In the people of God there is much pride and selfe-love carnall ends interests c. which many times sway their affections much and thereby their Iudgments are darkened according to the degrees of these corruptions For as any soule growes in grace and holinesse and gets more of the divine Nature or Image of God so are the things of God more or lesse manifest to such a one Thirdly God will be seene and acknowledged in the world especially in his great dispensations therefore are his waies often so unsuted to the apprehensions of men but when they see at length that God brings about his ends by them which they thought so unlikely then they admire He will get himselfe glory in all his workings by doing his worke his strange worke and bringing to passe his Act his strang act Esay 28 21. Hence we may see the certaine downefall of Antichrist and all his partakers all the Enemies of God because the waies of God are Vse 1 contrary to them and they know them not thence it is that they doe and will oppose God and fight against him to their owne destruction Though the arme of the Lord be made bare and lifted up never so high and apparently in the world in carrying on his designes yet they will not see it nor acknowledg it they will not behold the majesty of the Lord Esay 26.10 When his hand is lifted up they will not see but they shall see and be ashamed vers 11. Hardned Pharaohs with all the blind multitude opposers of God his waies and his people shall be at last all cast as a Milstone into the midst of the sea never to rise more Are the waies of God in the sea and his pathes in the deepe waters and his footsteps not knowen and contrary to the Iudgments of most Vse 2 and is it too true that many of Gods owne people stumble at his waies and dispensations and in a sort oppose God or no way help forward his designes O then let us be earnest with God for wisdome from above and his spirit to make out the mind of God to us not only to know the things freely given to us of God but also to know what things are of God in the world to know the designe of God in our generation 1 Cor. 2.21.2 that so we may be so farre from staning out against it as that we may comply with it and help it on with all our might The foure and thirtieth Observation in Nature THe Husbandman having great Plantations in hand calleth none to helpe him in his speciall works about his Fruit-trees but such persons as have skill and experience in the severall works he sets them about for if he should imploy ignorant and unskilfull men about grafting Inoculating setting and ordering of his young trees they would doe more hurt then good therefore it is necessary his servants and under workmen should have some competent skill and experience in the works about which he imployes them This shadowes out unto us That Proposition shadowed Those who have not the sanctifying spirit and grace of God in them are unfit for the worke of the ministry such bring more prejudice then advantage to the Church of God Ministers of the Gospell they who are so indeed are Gods Husbandmen Co-workers fellow-laborers with God in his Orchards and Gardens his Churches about his spirituall fruit-trees We are laborers together with God 1 Cor. 3.9 Ye are Gods husbandry ye are Gods building I have planted Apollo watred and God have the increase 1 Cor. 3.6 They are imployed by God to open blind eyes and to turne soules from darknesse to light and from the power of Sathan unto God Acts 26.18 God gives them a Command and Commission to preach the Gospell to every creature that is to all mankind to teach all Nations and to Baptize them into the Name of God that is Instrumentally to ingraft soules into Christ to worke grace or holinesse the Nature or Image of God which is baptizing them into the Name of God the Name of God and his Nature being all one Christ and his spirit the efficient cause being in them and with them who sanctifies his people through the washing of water by the word Ephe. 5.26 In Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the Gospell 1 Cor. 4.15 Now whom God calls to this great worke he prepares and fits them in some good measure for it he powres his spirit upon them they have an unction from the holy one who teacheth them all things 1 Ioh. 2.20 Their wisdome is from above Iames. 3.17 By this anointing of the spirit men are fitted for the worke of the Ministry but without they are not fit though they have humane learning and parts which are of speciall use and advantage in the Church of God if sanctified yet without the spirit of Christ men are in darknesse and cannot see the things of God 1 Cor. 2.14 They cannot say with the true ministers of Christ who are chosen called and sent the things we have heard and seene declare we unto you 1 Joh. 1.3 Luk 12.3 When God called and sent Moses Samuel Esay Jeremy and the rest of the Prophets he fitted them for the worke The Apostles when called and sent had all a Mouth and wisdome given them Luk. 21.15 That is the spirit this anointing was powred out upon them They were indued with power from on high Luk. 24.49 As Jesus Christ the first Minister of the new Testament was fitted to preach and publish the mind of his father so are his people whom he
will perfect it Phil. 1.6 The two and fourtieth Observatioo in Nature THose fruit-trees about which the husbandman tryes his skill most and about which he takes most paines if these are barren or bring forth naughty fruits they discredit him more then many others This shadowes out unto us Proposition shadowed That God hath more dishonour by the sinnes of Professours than by the sins of others Persons who have interest in and relation one to another bring dishonour or Reputation one upon another according as they walke a man is commonly judg'd according to his associats or Companions soe doe the waies of the people of God or those who professe themselves to be so reflect upon God either for his honour or dishonour The sin of Elies sonnes brought more dishonour to God than the sinnes of many others because of their Relation to God in respect of their Office They made even the Offerings of the Lord to to be abhorred 2 Sam. 12.14 Many Professours through their Pride earthly-mindednesse and other offensive walking bring a reproach upon the Profession of Religion and consequently upon God himselfe Rom. 2.24 The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you When the enemies of God fee Professours walke scandalously and behave themselves unanswerable to their profession these things reflect even upon God James 2.7 do not they blaspheme that worthie name by which ye are called like as the heathen did of old Ezek. 36.20 They profaned my holy name when they said to them these are the people of the Lord which are come out of his Land Even so now some say in scorne of Professors when they walk contrary to the Gospell These are the people of the Lord these are the saints the Brethren c. And hereby they profane and blaspheme the name of God and bring reproach upon his waies and his Gospell By reason of whom the way of truth shall be evill spoken of 2 Pet. 2.2 M Boulton saies That a dissolute Minister is a thousand times more pernitious than an hundred private men though practising villany in the highest degree So also in some proportion it may be said of any that make profession of the Gospell Vse 1 We may herein see the cause why God sometimes dealeth so sharply with his own people Eli David Solomon c. though eminently in the favour of God yet he punished their offences with the Rod and their iniquity with scourges which made them and their posterity smart for many generations after Vse 2 O let this move every one that nameth the name of Jesus to depart from iniquity every one that professeth the Gospell to be tender of the name of God to walk warily and circumspectly very many Professors give Offence and scandall by those two grand accursed Lusts of Pride and Earthly-mindednesse As their gifts and some outward advantages increase so usually Pride increaseth and discovers it selfe And as this filthy venomus Plant growes and increaseth in the soule it much hinders and keepes downe the Plants of grace where they are so that they become poore and feeble And as for Earthly-mindednesse which the Apostle calls Idolatry and the Roote of all evill Coll. 3.5 It is of all things most unbecoming those that professe to have their Treasure and inheritance in heaven O what a dishonour is this unto Jesus Christ as though there were not enough to be had out of the fulnesse of Christ to satisfy the soules of his people but they must come for supplyes to Creatures Out of all doubt those soules where this Lust prevailes have little or no Communion with God let them pretend what they will for love of the world is as a holy man saies the very Canker and Cut-throte of all heavenly-mindednesse So that proud earthly-minded Professors shame the Gospell and dishonour God more than others The three and fortieth Observation in Nature IF fruit-trees are Ingrafted while they are very young the worke is soone done and is scarse perceived afterwards whether it be ingrafted or no otherwise then by the fruits But if the worke be delay'd untill the trees are growen great and strong then the worke is more difficult and manifest afterwards not only by the fruits but also by some visible and apparent marks upon the tree This shadowes out unto us Proposition shadowed See Obser 60. and 62. Jer. 1.5 1 Sam. 3.19 1 Kin. 18.12 2 Tim. 3.15 That Conversion in youth is not so apparent as in elder yeares Some are called the first houre of the day and some the third some the sixt and some the last houre Mat. 20.1 2. Some are sanctified from the womb some early in their youth others after many yeares Now for those in whom the spirit of God beginnes to worke by meanes of Religious education in Child-hood and youth when they come to yeares they are usually subject to doubtings and feares about their spirituall condition more than others when they heare reade of some who have gone through straits and difficulties feares and terrors in their New-birth and cannot speak of any such thing out of their own experience This is usually a ground through their own weaknesse and Sathans subtilety of questioning their Estates Because the work of grace in these is begunne insensibly and growes up by degrees hardly to be perceived Mark 4.27 It springs up and growes they know not how But such as are converted after many yeares of living in a carnal unregenerate state these are converted with greater difficulty and more remarkably one contrary discovers and sets off another clearely and a sudden change of states makes the thing more manifest Any works that have small and weake beginnings and that go on but slowly and by degrees these make no noise are scarse perceived But works that have violent beginnings and are carried on with power and speede these awaken every mans observation The Jaylors Conversion was remarkable because there was a speedy change wrought from one state to another Act. 16. So also the Conversion of S. Paul was a manifest change Act. 9. The like of many others as both Scripture and experience shew us Vse 1 This may help to satisfy those who question their Conversion chiefly upon this ground for that they cannot declare as some others can how where and when they were first wrought upon who yet are certainly ingrafted into thē Stock Jesus Christ The spirit its likely beganne early with them and cast seed into their minds while they were but of tender yeares which grew up they knew not how as our Saviour saies Mark 4.27 The husbandman bended the Twig while it was young and tender and engrafted it and pruned and ordered it unto a comely Tree and made it fruitfull And the work then was done with more ease and lesse observation then it is usually afterwards Such as these must Labour to satisfy themselves and make their Calling and Election sure chiefly by trying of their fruits examining them by
divers temptations Iames 1.2 Vse 2 Let these things teach us to admire the wisdome care and goodnesse of God towards us who makes the hardest things the worst things that befall his people to worke together for their good The seven and fiftieth Observation in Nature THe Husbandman makes use of ordinary and common Tooles and Instruments about his chiefest works in his Garden his knives lawes spades and other instruments are not of Gold silver or costly mettles neither are they carved or framed by any great Art but they are plaine ordinary Instruments which he makes use of to Engraft his fruit-trees and to doe his chiefest workes about them This shadowes out unto us That God for the most part useth meane and ordinary men and meanes Proposition shadowed for effecting of the greatest works in the world VVhat greater works do we reade of than the deliverance of Israel out Egypt by signes and wonders t heir passage through the Red sea and the barren wilderesse over Jordan and their conquering great nations and settlement in Canaan Now God did not use some great Monarch as his Instrument but Moses who was cald from keeping sheepe and made Instrumentall in many of these great works and having done much then Joshua Moses his servant he must doe the rest Gedeon he was but of a poore family and least in his Fathers house Judg. 6.15 being following a meane Imployment threshing corne when God cald him to make him generall of an Army to worke a great deliverance for his people which also was done by weake meanes 300 men Chap. 7.7 Elisha was taken from the Plow to be a great Prophet 1 King 19.19 David was following the sheep when God called him to be King over his people and passed by Eliah31 his brother a more likely person And also made use of this small and meane Instrument by a poore slender meanes to destroy Goliah a great Giant and consequently a great army of the Philistins 1 Sam. 16.17 Amos a heardsman was called to be a Prophet Chapt. 1.1 Shepheards were made use of to reveale the most joyfull newes that ever was made knowen to the world the birth of our Saviour Luk. 2. The Apostles and many of the disciples of Christ were meane persons and cald from low imployments to follow the greatest worke in the world to preach the Gospell They were not the learned Rabbies not Eloquent Oratours nor the disputers of this world as the Apostle speaks 1 Cor. 1. but men of low Conditions these were called to preach the Gospell for the conversion of soules Not with the inticing speech of mans wisdome but in demonstration of the spirit and of power 1 Cor. 2.4 Not with wisdome of words lest the crosse of Christ should be made of none effect 1 Cor. 1.17 God is pleased to effect this and other his greatest works in the world by meane Instruments and meanes that his owne power may be the more seene in them for if the greatest and most likely Instruments in the judgment of men were imployed in the greatest works they would take all or most of the honour to themselves and others would give it them So God should loose his honour Yea God hath destroyed and will destroy the wisdome of this world by those persons and things that the word accompts foolish 1 Cor. 1.27 God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise and God hath chosen the weake things of the world to confound the mighty things vers 28. And vile things of the world and things which are despised hath God chosen and things which are not to bring to nought things that are As God hath done so he will do still great works in the world by meane and low Instruments and meanes he hath great and mighty works to bring to passe in the Nations in bringing them into subjection to our Lord Christ He will destroy Antichrist even all that oppose him he will levell the Mountaines and enlarg the kingdome of his deare sonne and set up his Throne and put the scepter into his hand to rule the people who have beene disobedient he will build his holy City Jerusalem and make it a praise in the Earth And now How will God doe these great things what Instruments will he use will he use altogether Golden instruments carved and pollished by art the most eminent men of highest Place esteeme in the world Surely no But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the things that are mighty c. 1 Cor. 1.27 That is persons and things which carnall wise men in their Iudgment accompt weake and foolish although in the Judgment of God they are otherwise esteemed for the weaknesse and foolishnesse of God and of his people as men count weaknesse and foolishnesse are stronger and wiser than the strength and wisdome of the world vers 25. A worme shall thresh the mountaines and beate them small as Chaffe Esay 41.14.15 Surely a worme must be in the hand of some mighty one to be enabled to doe such great things Hath not God already done great things in our daies even before our eyes by Instruments and meanes time was very unlikely and of small accompt with the carnall world have not weake Instruments and meanes beene like the Cloud that Eliah's servant saw rise out of the sea at first no bigger then a mans hand but afterwards it covered the whole heavens Have not Princes Lords and the mightiest men both in Church and state yea whole Nations have they not been subdued by a handfull of men whom their adversaries slighted as Goliah did David saying in themselves and one to another we shall presently swallow them up Do not all the Trees of the field know that the Lord hath brought downe the high tree and exalted the low Tree hath dryed up the greene tree and made the dry tree to flourish Ezek. 17.24 Many Instances were it convenient might be brought of men and meanes whose beginnings were but weake and small whereby God hath brought to passe great and mighty works Beware of despising meane Instruments Vse and weake meanes which God for the most part makes use of for bringing to passe great things Despise not the day of small things Ezek. 4.10 for God will build Ierusalem not by might nor by power but by his spirit Meane and low Instruments shall be stirred up by his spirit and shall do his great works in the world And these Instruments shall be sure to have the men of the world with their wisdome to slight and despise them as Sanballat and Tobia did the Jewes Nehe. 4.1 2 3. what do these feeble Jewes c Even that which they build if a fox goe up he shall even breake downe their stone wall And one reason is besides the disagreement of flesh and spirit because the wisdome and strength and glory of the people of God is vailed under a low and meane Condition in the world
in others Atoms or Moses appeare in the Beames of the sunne but not in a dimme light Seeing we have three great enemies to encounter with this Vse 2 should make us to put on the whole Armour of God and to stand upon our Guard and watch against them The sixtieth Observation in Nature GRafts before they are joyned to the stock must endure ordinarily many difficulties under the hand of the Husbandman ai cutting off from the Tree lying by for a time it may be severall weeks or months after that cutting to the pith or heart with a sharp knife c. See Observ 62. This is another Similitude of the dare of Mysticall Fruit-trees and shadowes out unto us this Proposition That the people of God in their Conversion for the most part go through many straights Proposition shadowed and difficulties Those whom God intends to Ingraft into Christ the spirit first convinceth them of sin he inlightens their understandings to see where and in what case they are by Nature and of their utter inability to help themselves out of it And by degrees cuts them off from all things in themselves Their Reason wisdome skill Learning Gifts all their duties and performances all their own righteousnesse all put together is but as vanity and emptinesse there 's nothing in any thing of their own to help them or do them good so that the spirit becomes a spirit of bondage to them for a time letting them see nothing but terror and sad sights A strict Law or Covenant of works binding them over to Justice and wrath eternall death So that hereby they are cut to the heart and are put upon enquiring and seeking which way to get out of this Case Acts 2.37 what shall we doe Some are kept longer under feares and terrors and are cast lower than others they are brought in such a condition as that they will be glad to receive Christ upon any Conditions then the spirit of God opens their eyes to see a way out of their miseries then he holds forth Christ unto them in the tenders of the Gospell Oh how glad is such a soule to receive Christ upon any tearms upon any tearmes in the world Then the soule longs and hungers and thirsts to be satisfied with Christ and accompts all things but as dung and drosse in comparison of him Then the spirit of God leads the soule as by the hand to lay hold upon Christ to close with him and by little and little works a perswasion in the heart that Christ is his and that he is Christs upon the Accompt of that new pretious sure Covenant of grace in which are all the glorious sweete promises of the Gospell included Let Professours try themselves whether ever they found the Vse 1 case to be thus with them before they had a perswasion of the love of God least they deceive themselves Many build their house upon the sands against which when the Raine and the winds and floods beate when Temptations arise it will fall Mat. 7.27 Yet it is not with all alike in their coming to Christ some close with him upon easier tearms than some others howsoever in all that come to Christ there must be a sense and sight of their misery by sin as they are under the Covenant of works and their great neede of Christ to deliver them from it and thereupon a desire to rest upon him by faith for Justification and acceptance with God through him Of this see more at large Observation in Nature 25. The sixtie one Observation in Nature THe Husbandman upon occasion praises and commends his fruit-trees when they beare many and good fruits some for one property and some for another Proposition shadowed This shadowes out to us That When the people of God bring forth good fruits God himselfe doth praise and commend them The Lord takes pleasure in his people passing by their infirmities and taking notice of what is good in them It was a very high commendation that God gave of Abraham Gen. 18.19 I know him that he will command his Children and his household after him and they shall keepe the way of the Lord. God tooke notice of the good fruits that Phynehas brought forth and commends him and rewards him Numb 15.11.12 c. in that he was zealous for his God He said of David That he was a man after his owne heart So of Moses Num. 12.7 My servant Moses is faithfull in all mine house And Nathaniel Joh. 1.47 Behold an Israelite indeede in whom there is no guile Particulers neede not be multiplied one or two scriptures may serve for more Rom. 2.29 Their praise is not of men but of God and 2 Cor. 10.18 Not he that commendeth himselfe is approved but he that the Lord commendeth This is much for the comfort Vse and encouragement of all that are upright in heart God will commend such Though it may be their fruits are none of the fairest on the outside in the eyes of men they have not bulke nor shape nor colour to commend them unto men yet being well tasted savoury fruits having the Relish of truth sincerity Love and right ends the husbandman likes them well and will commend them even before men and Angels Matth. 25.24 Well done thou good and faithfull servant thou hast beene faithfull over a few things c. enter thou into the joy of thy Lord so againe vers 23. The sixtie two Observation in Nature THere is a great change wrought upon fruit-trees by Engrafting Before they brought forth sower and naughty fruits See Observ 43. and 60. but now pleasant This is another Similitude c. and shadows out unto us this Proposition That persons by Regeneration have a great Change wrought in them Propesition shadowed All by Nature bring forth bitter and naughty fruits sower Grapes Grapes of Gall their clusters are bitter And there is noe way possibly to bring them to beare good fruits but by engrafting them into Jesus Christ Now Regeneration or implanting into Christ works a great change throughout the whole man upon all the faculties of the soule and in Conversation The understanding which before was darke and ignorant of spirituall things then becomes by litttle and little inlightned and apprehensive of spirituall things Heb. 10.32 after ye were illuminated c The will which before was crosse and stubborne opposing the will of God becomes in some measure obedient and inclining to what is of God and to affect spirituall things as spirituall for themselves The affections which before implanting into Christ were cold and dead towards Christ and the things of God then have heat and life in them they stirre and move after spirituall things Vnregenerate persons cannot see nor judge of spirituall things no more than of visible outward objects without light but when the worke of grace comes into the soule then light shines there Ephes 5.8 Ye were sometimes darknesse but are now light in the Lord
of this inclosed Garden to enter into it those that did never yet feast nor banquet with Christ there nor so much as tast of any of his delicates O let them all take notice of these things and consider where they are and what they are a doing They are now in a dry and barren wildernesse where there is a dearth a scarcity and want of all profitable and pleasant things they are now with the prodigall feeding swine and grasping empty husks to satisfie themselves being ready to famish for want of foode while they might have bread enough and the fatted Calfe to feed upon if they will come into this pleasant Garden there they shall have a feast of fat things of wine on the lees wee l refined They shall have all that their hearts can desire Psal 37.5 they shall have joy and peace and full satisfactions there they shall have Christ and all his fulnesse made theirs there they shall have God for their Portion in whom they shall find infinitely more happinesse and satisfaction than in all the Creatures both in heaven and earth Therefore come into this Garden now even now while it is called to day and be partakers of the Profits and pleasures of it Vse 2 Let all those who dwell in this Garden inclosed and are partakers of all these great priviledges consider and admire the abundant love and kindnesse of God towards them and walke in some measure answerable thereunto There are some of the freinds of Christ with whom he feasts and banquets frequently letting them find the powerfull workings of his spirit establishing and refreshing their spirits in many discoveries of his love to them assurance of the pardon of sin freedome from Hell Sathan the condemning power of the Law or Covenant of workd c. discovering to them that all the waies and proceedings of his providences towards them are in Wisdome Love and Mercy to the increase of grace here and to fit them for glory hereafter his spirit witnessing and sealing unto them the unchangeable love of God in Christ in the Covenant of free grace whereby they have an habituall and well grounded assurance of their present state of happinesse and of their perseverance in it unto the end And then an exaltation unto infinite glory unto all Eternity These and such like are the dishes and dainties in the Feasts and Banquets that are found in this Garden inclosed the Church of God The sixtie fifth Observation in Nature THe husbandman does carefully fence his Orchard or Garden of fruit-trees round about he makes a Wall Pale hedg ditch or some fence or other on every side of his Garden that no Cattle nor any other enemies may anoy or hurt it This shadowes out unto as That The Church of God is encompassed Proposition shadowed and preserved by God himselfe The Prophet Esay speaking of the Lords Vineyard Chap. 5.2 saies He fenced it or as it is in the Margent he made a Wall about it that is he himselfe is about it Psal 125.2 As the hills are round about Jerusalem so is the Lord round about his people from henceforth even for ever All the Attributes of God are for the safty and preservation of his people Ps 5.12 With favour shalt thou compasse him as with a sheild so of his power wisdome faithfulnesse c. This was the hedg that Sathan saw was about Job chap. 1. â—0 Hast not thou made an hedg about him and about his house and about all that he hath on every side 2 Ki. 6.17 There were Charets and horses round about Esha which were Angels for the preservation of Elisha as the Prophet hath it Psal 68.17 the Charets of God are 20000 even thousands of Angels so the Angels are still ministring spirits to all the faithfull God gives them a charge to keep his people in all their waies Psal 91.11 The Church of God is called a Garden a garden compassed and fenced Cant. 4.12 a Garden inclosed is my sister my spouse This is sound and unspeakable consolation to all that feare God The Power Wisdome Love Mercy faithfulnesse of God even Vse 1 God himselfe compasseth them round about they dwell in God Job 17.21 and 1 Joh. 4.16 who or what then can hurt them or prevaile against them Souldiers within a strong impregnable Garison neede not feare a besieging enemy if they have all things necessary and convenient for them there so the people of God dwell in God in whom is all fulnesse Esay 33.16 He shall dwell on high his place of defence shall be the munition of Rocks bread shall be given him his waters shall be sure see here the safety of such as feare God The Tower wherein they are is so high that no enemy can possibly scale it neither can they undermine it it is built upon a Rock or Rocks and they have provision enough within bread and water by which is understood all the fulnesse of God given out both in temporals and spirituals so that the Gates of hell all the powers of men and devills combining together against them shall not prevaile over them nay their enemies shall be destroyed in their attempts for God is a Wall of fire round about his people Zeck 2.5 and a consuming fire Heb. 12.29 all the enemies of God and of his people shall be consumed by it So then we seethe safety and happinesse of all the trees of Gods inclosed Garden they are implanted into Christ they are inclosed and incompassed by God himselfe they shall be preserved from all evill and shall want no manner of thing that is good All the Attributes of God even God himselfe is a Brazen Wall a Wall of fire compassing them round about so that nothing shall hurt them And although their enemies sometimes may kill them yet they cannot hurt them Though possibly they may loose their heads yet they shall not loose an haire of their head Luk 21.16 17 18. Their losse for Christ is gaine The sixty sixt Observation in Nature WHen the husbandman dresseth up his Orchard or Garden and removes such trees and plants as are barren and unfruitfull or that bear naughty fruits and plants others in their roomes that are choice and speciall trees and gathers out the stones weeds rubbish and whatsoever is offensive and bestowes much time cost and labour in preparing and ordering all things in his Garden for his profit and delight men may judg by all these things that he intends to come settle himselfe Proposition shadowed and dwell there This shadowes out unto us That When God doth purg a Nation or place from persons and things that are offensive to him and brings in his owne people and worship in stead thereof this is an evident taken that God intends to dwell there God is infinite and is not included in one place more than another The Heaven of heavens cannot containe him 2 Chro. 6.18 yet he is said to dwell in some places rather than in others
each other there will be divisions amongst God own people upon this accompt they seeing but in part and with different degrees of light as well as between them and carnall persons Where the spirit of God in any of his people strikes at the Corruptions of others in any respect where their Names interests and concernments are toucht this occasions divisions and contentions All which God will by his wisdome power and goodnesse over rule and order for the good of his people making them to sift and try things more throughly that so thereby both truth and Error may be more manifest Also many things which some godly men have heretofore caled Errors they afterwards upon examination and a more full discovery of them imbraced for Truths and many â—hings which good men in former ages never saw not understood are now made manifest and evident to be the Truths of God the Spirit of God in these Gospell daies being according to his promise powred out more abundantly light is more cleare than heretofore and consequently things hid in darknesse mysteries of the Gospell are more discovered Though the day as yet as to many things is not cleare nor dark but it shall come to passe that at evening it shall be light Zech. 14.6 7. And the light of the Moon shall be as the light of the sunne and the light of the sun shall be seaven fold Esay 30.26 And further In answere to the former Objection Though some among us have feares and doubts of Gods departure from us yet if they do but consider all things well weighing one thing against another and looke upon them with a spirituall eye not dimmed with selfish worldly interests they shall then see many more and more evident tokens of Gods drawing neerer to us in these Nations and of his abiding with us than of his departing from us which ought to be observed and thankfully acknowledged by all as it is by many of his choicest servants For certainly were there the contrary to what we see and have of late yeares seene among us then we should and we might indeed accompt them fatall signes of Gods departing from us should we see wicked men governe and have the supream power in those Nations to be chosen and Commissionated in all the great affaires and concernments among the peoples should we see the people of God discountenanced curbed and restrained in every place and the wicked encouraged and upheld should we see the choicest ministers of the Gospell and the most eminent holy men of all ranks imprisoned and persecuted by all the powers of the Nation as they have been heretofore should we see and behold all the dispensations of God towards us to be a weakning the hands of his people and giving strength and rule into the hands of evill men then indeed we might have cause to feare that God had surely a great controversy with us and a departing from us but now while we behold the contrary to all these things why may we not conclude and expect the contrary We should make such a conclusion as Manoahs wife did when she had seene and observed many evidences of Gods favour towards her her husband and her selfe when he who should have taught her had groundlesse feares Judges 13.23 If the Lord would have destroyed us he would not have done all these things for us So though we are indeed a sinfull people worthy to be destroyed yet God having given us so many so great and so wonderfull evidences of his grace and favour and of his comming to dwell among us we ought to observe them and thankfully to acknowledge them with a full confidence that God will abide with us and no more depart from us There is a time and that at hand when the Church of God shall be so free from the power of Antichrist as never to be any more subject to him God will make his Church an eternall excellency and the daies of her mourning shall be ended Esay 60.15 20. and Esay 62 4. According to the Prophesy in Dan. 7.22 The time came that the Saints possessed the Kingdome and Rev. 5.10 We shall raign on the earth God hath begun to fulfill this word which shall go on to the ends of the earth his Name is ingaged in it and he will do great things for his people though they are unworthy yet for his own great Names sake The two Witnesses being now arising as it is the Judgment of many pretious Saints that they are the Church will be more and more glorious notwithstanding all opposition Seeing it is a signe that God is comming neerer to us and that he will dwell among us when he supplants carnall men and carnall things and sets his owne people and worship in their stead then Vse 2 those whom God hath set and planted in the rooms of others in highest places for the government of the Nations in the Vniversities and all the Land over these persons have a speciall Obligation upon them to bring forth better fruits than their Predecessors upon severall accompts first that the Husbandman who planted them may have the honour of his worke Secondly for their own sakes and those with whom they lives for in case they bring forth as bad fruits as those trees in whose roome they grow it will provoke God against them but when God likes of and delights in the fruits of his people he will then continue his presence with them which is their life happinesse and glory he will then delight to walke in his garden and eat his pleasant fruits Cant. 4.16 and say this is my resting place here will I dwell for I have a delight therein Psal 132.13.14 The sixtie seventh Observation in Nature THe ground of some Orchards is not levell but shelving or declining so that some part of the ground is higher than the rest and accordingly some of the trees grow upon higher ground than some others Now tht husbandman values not the fruit-trees at all the more for thar scituation he esteemes not those on the highest ground more than those on the lowest ground but he priseth his Trees according to their fruits His care for his trees on the lowest ground is as much and sometimes more as for those on the higher ground Proposition shadowed This shadowes out unto us That The free love and care of God is as much towards his people in the meanest outward condition as towards those who are most eminent in the world The great Mysticall husbandman hath a large Orchard he plants his Fruit-trees where he pleaseth over all the parts of the world and some of them are planted on high and some on low grounds which he valueth not according to their Eminency or meanesse that with him is not considerable but according to the truth and sincerity of their hearts according to their fruits Poore Lazarus and rich Abraham are both cared for and beloved of God one as well as the other The poore
There are motions of the spirit and motions of the flesh upon all occasions workings and inclinations in the soule towards and against good and evill Gal. 5.17 the flesh lusteth against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh and these are contrary the one to the other so that ye cannot do the things that ye would The flesh still moves against the motions of the spirit of God and principles of grace framing objections and reasonings against good motions Rom. 7.21 I find then a law that when I would do good evill is present with me The spirit is ready to every good worke but the flesh is sluggish loath backward vers 22. I delight in the Law of God concerning the inner man but I see another Law in my Members warring against the Law of my mind c. But now though it be so that the motions of the flesh oppose the motions of the spirit yet for all that the spirituall man rules in the soule for the maine and generality of our lives And Christians know by Experience that according to the promise Gal. 5.16 Walke in the spirit and ye shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh when they walke circumspectly and watch over the heart to keepe it up in a spirituall frame in communion with God then the flesh is low and kept under Vse 1 Seeing there is a continuall combate betweene the flesh and the spirit this should make us watchfull against the flesh that it prevaile not we know the flesh never sturs but to do us hurt who would not be incensed against such an enemie now the way to prevaile against the flesh is to cherish and delight to obey the motions of the spirit as before Gal. 5.16 The seventie eighth Observation in Nature SOme fruit-trees as being of different kinds and for severall other causes bring forth more fruits than others and the same fruit-trees bring forth more fruits some yeares than they do some other yeares Experience tells us that when there comes a pleasant and mild spring with other concurrent advantages trees beare as many fruits as in 3 or 4 other yeares Proposition shadowed This shadowes out unto us That Some believers are by advantages more fruitfull than others and at some more than at other times Every Christian being engrafted into Christ brings forth some good fruits and having a Talent or more a stock of grace gifts and advantages he imployes and improves all one way or other for the honour of God but some believers have greater measures of grace and more advantages of improving them than others and therefore their returnes are greater and their fruits are more We see Matth. 25.20 He that had five Talents he brought forth more fruits than they that had received lesse And the Apostle saies 1 Cor. 15.10 I labored more abundantly than they all Some Christians as they have greater measures of the spirit and the graces of the spirit so they have better naturall parts and more outward helps and meanes in respect of time to heare and read the word to converse with others speciall dispensations of Providence and the like advantages whereby they are enabled to bring forth more fruits than others who want such helps and means of fruitfulnesse Some are carried on with vigorous actings of spirit with a lively hope with a strong faith with fervent love and with great measures of every grace and can do and suffer more for God than other believers can Others againe having but weake naturall parts small measures of knowledge and grace wanting helps and meanes of growth and improvement having but dim evidences of the love of God their fruits are according to these fewer and smaller than some other Christians bring forth Yea the same individuall person brings forth more and better fruits at some seasons than at others At those times when the soule is in a more spirituall frame and temper in more immediate communion with God when the spirit of God sensibly actuates and quickens the Principles and habits of grace in the soule and makes them lively and vigorous when the North and south winds blow upon the Gardens then the spices thereof flow forth and fruits abound But at some other times the actings of the soule are but low and weake while the spirit withdrawes and withholds his operations if the winds blow not the ship with all its sailes moves slowly This being so let no sincere soule be discouraged and dishartned Vse 1 yeilding to a temptation to see some other Christians go beyond them in fruitfulnesse if such diligently presse on towards the marke they shall be accepted It may be others have received more from God than thou hast more Talents of Gifts Graces time and many advantages Now there being a sincere and ready mind it is accepted according to what a man hath and not according to what he hath not 2 Cor. 8.12 Vse 2 Secondly seeing we are more fruitfull at some than at other times this should teach every one of us to observe and watch over the frame of our spirits from day to day that so when they are in that low and dull temper we may endeavour what in us lies by all experienced meanes to raise them out of it into that spirituall and lively frame afore mentioned wherein we bring forth more fruits and obtaine unspeakable advantages The seventie ninth Observation in Nature THe husbandman rejects not his fruit-trees because they sometimes faile in bringing forth fruits perhaps a cold time may come when they are in blossome and spoile much or most of them or if that fruit they bring forth be somewhat imperfect by spots roughnesse chaps or the like yet if it tast well if it have a good relish he approves of the fruits and commends them makes much of the trees notwithstanding all imperfections in both Hence we learne this Lesson That God beares with the failings and imperfections of his people and is ever ready to take notice of Proposition shadowed and commend the good that is in them The Lord is pleased to beare with the failings of his people and seemes not to see them but contrariwise takes notice of what good is in them and speakes of it with commendation as if it were their owne We see this fully in the case of Job God passeth by his many and great failings and scarce takes notice of them in standing so much upon his justification and breaking out to curse the day of his birth c but on the contrary obserues and commends what is good in him Ye have not spoken of me the thing that is right as my servant Job hath and Jam. 5.11 ye have heard of the patience of Job David sinned and failed very much in many things as in purposing and going about to destroy Naball and all his house 2 Sam. 25.22 without a just cause in numbring the people and in many other things upon record all which God passeth by as if they had not
beene and saies of him that David walked before him with a perfect hear t and departed not from him in any thing save in the matter of Vriah 1 Kings 15.5 How wonderfully did God beare with Jonah and how mild was God towards him when Iona was up in an angry sturdy humour and would needs maintaine it and answere God peremptorily I do well to be angry Jonah 4.9 So Christ passeth by the ignorance and prejudice of Nathaniel concerning himselfe and insted of a reproofe gives him a commendation Behold an Israelite indeed in whom there is no guile Joh. 1.46.47 And as this is the love of Christ towards particular persons so also towards his whole Church though the Church be as full of spots as the Moone yet the exceeding love of Christ covers a multitude of faults Prov. 10.12 and saies thou art all faire my love there is no spot in thee Can. 4.7 Love beareth all things endureth all things 1 Cor. 13.7 God doth not only conceale the failings of his people very much but he takes notice of and commends the most secret good they doe and sometimes publisheth the secret and closet good works of his people upon the house top Luk. 12.3 Do that which is good and thou shalt have praise of the same Rom. 13 3. Yea praise not only of men but of God Rom. 2.29 As it is our duty to speake well of God and the things of God to his praise so it is the pleasure and good will of God to speake well of his people to their praise and commendation so he spake of Abraham Gen. 18.19 I know that he will command his children and houshold to walke in my waies c. The like commendation is given of Moses My servant Moses is faithfull in all mine house There are many instances of Gods concealing the faults and failings of his people with commendation of the good that is in them Now God judgeth righteous judgment therefore 't is our true honour to be commended by him Not he that commendeth himselfe is approved but he whom the Lord commendeth 2 Cor. 10.18 Vse 1 This should make us very carefull to avoid what may offend this our indulgent and gratious father seeing he shewes his love in concealing our faults let us shew our love in suppressing and declining what is evill let this be one fruit of our Love to God Let it be far from us to turne this grace and kindnesse of God into wantonnesse to be the more bold and take more liberty in sinning because God is so ready to pardon and passe it by Psal 97.10 Yee that love the Lord hate evill the hatred of evill is a fruit of love Vse 2 The consideration of this is a speciall meanes to support the people of God against discouragements and droopings in looking upon sins failings seeing we serve so good a master that is not rigorous and severe as some earthly Masters are that all their poore diligent servants can do will not please them but our Master is of a sweete nature passing by the infirmities and accepting the sincere indeavours of his servants and that with commendation Vse 3 Hence we should be greatly encouraged in all well doing and be the more diligent and industrious to please God in all things an ingenuous and good nature will do more for love than for feare a servant though but morally honest and of a good disposition will do more for a mild Master that beares with him than if he were harsh and hard to please The Cords of love and kindnesse will draw a man of an honest mind in the way of obedience faster than scourges can drive him Vse 4 We should set this before us as a patterne for our imitation if God be so kind and forbearing towards us betweene whom there is such an infinite distance shall not we mete the same measure towards our fellow brethren it is the use the Apostle makes of the same doctrine 1 Joh. 4.11 Beloved if God so loved us we ought also to love one another Let us beare with one anothers infirmities and take notice of all the good we can in each other This is to be like God Shall God forgive Talents of sins to us and shall not we forgive a few pence to our brethren See the reproofe and punishment of the want of this duty Matth. 18.32.33 Consider the sweet exhortation of the Apostle to this purpose Eph. 4.23 Be ye kind one to another tender harted forgiving one another even as God for Christs sake hath forgiven you The eightieth Observation in Nature FRuit-trees bring forth their fruits in their seasons some at one time some at another some sooner some later in sommer and Autumne every kind observes the Law of Nature which God hath fixed in them in respect of times and seasons of bearing fruits From hence we may observe That Trees of the Lords planting bring forth fruits seasonably Proposition shadowed All that are branches of the true Vine doe not only bring forth good fruits and by the purging and ordering of the husbandman bring forth much good fruit John 15.2 but also they bring forth good fruit in due season good fruits brought out unseasonably loose thereby much of their beauty and goodnesse therefore observe the season The Prophet David describing a Godly man one of his properties is this he brings forth his fruit in due season Psal 1.3 Solomon saies a foole utters all his mind but a wise man keeps it in till afterwards Prov. 29.7 A wise man brings forth the fruit of his lips seasonably The voice of a foole is in the multitude of words while others are speaking that 's no good season but a man should stay and wait for a fit time for an opportunity when his words may be heard yea and when the minds of the hearers are best prepared to hear such or such a truth when its most like to take impression Believers have spirituall wisdome wisdome from above Esay 50.4 The Lord hath given me the tongue of the learned that I might know how to speake a word in season to him that is weary Though this be principally meant of Christ the head yet his members have from him the same spirit of wisdome to speake seasonably to weary soules and to speake in the cause of God when there is occasion and season This is to admonish every one to consider and observe the season Vse 1 the fittest season for every duty looking unto God for direction therein This will be much to the beauty and worth of them Every thing is beautifull in his season To every thing there is a season Eccl. 3.1 Circumstances commonly make or marre things and sometimes that which is a duty as to the substance and matter is turn'd into sin in respect of the manner and time of performance so that this is of very great consequence to observe a due season in duties Prov. 15.23 A word spoken in season how good is it
great duties of love and charity towards our fellow members what do we wher 's our Religion Pure Religion and undefiled before God even the father is this to visit the fatherlesse and widdowes in their afflictions c. James 1.27 See what our Saviour saies of these duties Matth. 25.36 Magistrater ought not only to restraine and punish what is to Gods dishonour but also to contrive stand for and uphold what is acceptable to him Ministers of the Gospell ought not only to preach the Gospell in the publique congregation but also to take all occasions in private to exhort rebuke instruct and encourage the people in the things of God to be instant in season and out of season inquiring how the worke of grace goes on in the hearts of their people and to know their state which Paul so much enquired after in his owne person and by others that he might speak and write more sutable to their conditions Phil. 2.19 Col. 4.8 how Sathan works what dispensations they have from God and to learne experiences from them studying men as they study books by which course they may become wise and skillfull workmen and know those waies and workings of God of Sathan of Grace and Corruption which otherwise they can never know Pastors of congregations have a strict charge Acts 20.28 Take heed to all the flock over which the Holy Ghost hath made you Overseers Now to oversee the Church imports more than only to Preach in publique that is but a part of their worke A speciall care should be had of the different state of particular persons Vse This should put us upon Examination what works and duties God requires of us in our generall and particular Callings that knowing them we may observe one as well as another and have respect to all Gods Commands Let us not suffer one duty to justle out another which is frequent among Christians Many think if they are still doing what is good and about the worke of God they look not so much about them nor consider what is necessary besides or what is more necessary and profitable and so many times neglect the maine worke They let some branches of duties wither and dye while the sap and strength of the Tree presseth forth and spends it selfe in other branches lesse fruitfull The eightie fifth Observation in Nature WHile fruit-trees remaine ungrafted all the labour and culture the husbandman can bestow upon them will not make them bring forth good fruits though they grow in the best place of the Garden and be watred pruned and ordered never so well yet because they are ungrafted and wild trees they will beare sower and noughty fruits This is another Similitude of the state of spirituall fruit-trees and shadowes out unto us this Proposition That While persons remaine in an unregenerate state all the meanes of grace is unprofitable to them Proposition shadowed Many make a profession who yet have nothing of the power of godlinesse they attend the Ordinances they heare the word pray have priviledges among the Saints yet bring forth no good fruit Judgments Mercies favours outward providences inward workings of the spirit by reproofes counsells inlightnings c. all is in vaine to them they cannot receive these things nor profit by them because not engrafted they reject the word Psal 50.17 Thou hatest instruction and castest my words behind thee And Heb. 4 2. The word preached did not profit them not being mixed with faith in them that heard it And as they reject the word so also they resist the spirit Acts 7.51 Ye do alwaies resist the Holy Ghost as your fathers did so do yee Yea Judgments and punishments are ineffectuall to them Esay 9.13 The people turneth not unto him that smiteth them neither do they seeke the Lord of Hosts Amos 4 9. I have smitten you with blasting and mildew c. yet ye have not returned unto mee saith the Lord I have sent amoung you pestilence and ye have not returned unto me And vers 11. I have overthrowne some of you c. yet ye have not returned unto mee saith the Lord. So we see all that God doth for or against persons out of Christ all the meanes of grace is unprofitable to them they neglect the mercies of God reject the word spirit Judgments of God and all the reproofes admonitions Counsels Exhortations and Examples of his people Hence we see the miserable condition of persons out of Christ Vse 1 seeing nothing will do good upon them would it not be accompted a heavy curse if the Lands of some men should bring forth nothing but bryers thorns and weeds with all the good husbandry that could be bestowed on them with raine sunne and dewes when by the same meanes other mens grounds are made fruitfull this spirituall curse upon the soules of unregenerate persons is infinitely greater such without Repentance are nigh unto cursing and everlasting burnings Heb. 6.8 Labour then with all thy might to get this evidence of Regeneration Vse 2 even to thrive and profit by the meanes of grace The eightie sixt Observation in Nature FRuit-trees when they prosper well and grow in a decent comly forme and bring forth much good fruit as they do profit many so also hereby they credit the husbandman they bring some reputation to him who orders them but if they grow poorely and bring forth little they discredit their keeper This teacheth us this Lesson That Christians by walking holily and fruitfully Proposition shadowed they bring much honour to God but if otherwise dishonour Every one of the people of God that professeth Christ is as a City upon a hill as our Saviour said of his disciples and therefore their waies are seen and observed by all sorts of persons so that if they walke wisely circumspectly and fruitfully they bring honour to God and credit to their profession Matth. 5.16 Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorifie your father which is in heaven And againe 1 Pet. 2.12 having your conversation honest among the Gentiles c. they may by your good works which they shall behold glorify God in the day of visitation But if on the contrary professors walke loosely and negligently these things reflect upon God to his dishonour As a servant to a great person if he behave himselfe licentiously by drunkenesse swearing and the like it reflects in some sort upon his Master who keeps such a person in his house So it is betweene God and his people if they walke circumspectly in a holy and fruitfull conversation they glorifie the name of God to whom they have relation but if they walke vainely and loosely if they walke in pride minding earthly things the two grand sins of many professours in our times scraping and holding together the trash of the world as though there were no better things to be had in the waies of God then they cause the name of God to be
but of all believers to labour to enlarge the kingdome of Iesus Christ and to be faithfull diligent laborers in the Lords Vineyard This is the Lords great designe and the very worke of this generation in a particular respect who so hinders or neglects it even of Gods owne people shall suffer for it who so faithfully acts in it shall meete with speciall manifestations of the Love of God towards them The ninetie fourth Observation in Nature THe husbandman does not much stand upon the outward forme of his Orchards and Gardens to have them all just of one fashon and shape either round or long or square or otherwise He having divers Orchards and gardens they are some of one forme and some of another as some are larger than others so some are of one cut or shape and some of another he accompts it not necessary that they be all Vniforme but so the inward forme be good so the trees have good Natures and properties bringing forth good fruits that 's it he values it s all in all This shadowes out unto us this Proposition That Externall Vniformity in the Churches of Christ Proposition shadowed is of small accompt with him in respect of Vnity and spirituall worship Severall congregations or Churches of Christ having the spirit of Christ faith love unity of doctrine and ordinances may have divers formes and waies of outward administrations and every Church is to be left to its owne liberty therein and not to be in joyned such or such Formes Methods and waies of proceedings in the worship of God or in the discipline and goverment of the particular Churches For now in the time of the New Testament the worship of God consisteth not in Externals neither are they commanded as heretofore under the old administrations of the law But our Saviour tels us John 4.23 The houre commeth and now is when the true worshipers shall worship the father in spirit and in truth Many in the Apostles time had vaine and needlesse disputations about meat and drink and observation of daies and such like Rom. 14.1 3 5 10 13. c. he tels them vers 17. The Kingdome of God is not meat and drinke it consisteth not in any externall thing but it is righteousnesse peace and joy in the holy Ghost So that he leaves them to the using or not using of such outward things to their owne pleasures being of an indifferent Nature vers 5. let every man be fully perswaded in his owne mind Now so it is in respect of External Vniformity in Churches the worship of God being Now spirituall he leaves the externall part of it unto the choice and pleasure of his people to concurre in one way or Externall forme or to vary as they judg meete and convenient every particular Church among themselves in respect of time b As for one day in seven to be dedicated to God in worship that is the morall part of the fourth commandment and was changed from the seventh to the first day of the weeke by Christ himselfe and observed by his Apostles and Disciples place manner and forme and would not have his people to fall out and differ about tything Mynt Anise Cummin petty and indifferent things while they neglect the weighty and great matters of the Law unity and spirituall worship The Apostle Paul sharply reproves the Corinthians for standing so much upon Men Names Titles 1 Cor. 1.12 One saies I am of Paul another I am of Apollo another of Cephas another of Christ even as many in our daies they stick in the outside in Names and Formes Lutherans Calvinists some are for the Episcopall way some for the Presbiterian some for the Independent some for the Rebaptized way some reject all these as the b These people proceede further in censuring others then ever any did for they judge and condemne not only the Fortunes outward administrations of all Churches but also the whole sirituall state conditiō of all persons that are not of their way and that suddenly and rashly without knowledg of the persons contrary both to Scripture and Reason crying up a dimme Naturall light within and neglecting the true light of the word and spirit of Gods who not trying the spirits whether they be of God or not they in many things put darknesse for light and light for darknesse Quakers say their's is the way So that may we not say as the Apostle said 1 Cor. 3.3 Are ye not carnall for whereas there is among you envying and strife and divisions are ye not carnall and walke as men In as much as they differ about Names and Formes and neglect and breake love and unity they are herein carnall though there may be truth of grace in and among them yet in this thing they are weake they are carnall this is knowing and approving of men after the flesh which the Apostle Paul allowes not 2 Cor. 5.16 I suppose it may be said of this or that Forme of worship as Paul saies of Circumcision 1 Cor. 7.19 Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing but keeping the Commandments of God and Gal. 6.15 In Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing nor uncircumcision but a New creature neither this or that forme or externall way of worship availeth any thing but faith love spirituall worship righteousnesse peace and joy in the holy Ghost an interest in Christ regeneration or becoming a new Creature unity and love with and towards one another walking with God in fellowship with the father and with his sonne Jesus Christ in spirituall worship these are the things that God requires of his people Not but that God cals for the service and worship of the outward man and some Externall formes and waies in his spirituall worship as well as inward worship but he ties not his people to one way or forme as men would do and stand for and make divisions amoung the Churches about it which God no where requires in his word and as for Examples in the Apostles times they vary in every Church as occasions required ther 's no one forme only established As for that Command 1 Cor 14.40 Let all things be done decently and in Order the meaning is not that the worship of God in his Ordinances or practises in all Churches should be all in one manner way or forme but that they should observe Order among themselves in every particular Church or congregation As in Cities and Townes Corporate though their Customes differ one from another yet there is Order in and among themselves in each particular place The Apostle tels us Acts 10.34 35. That in every Nation he that feareth God and worketh righteousnesse is accepted with him Now in many or severall Nations there are many and severall waies and formes in and about the worship of God in the administrations of the Ordinances of Christ yet all are accepted of God when the worsh p is in spirit and in
Of this see at large 100 101 c. up from the Roote to preserve the tree in life against all anoyances by the aire extracting out the sap or by dry cold winds frosts mildewes blasting or the like that els would destroy the tree This shadowes out unto us That There is a continuall secret supply of strength from Christ Proposition shadowed to every believer in time of desertion and temptation to preserve from totall falling away The Lord hath foretold his people that through many tribulations they must enter into the kingdome of God and hereafter in heaven it shall be said of them these are they that came out of great tribulations They must goe through many tryals and temptations in this world yea some of them go through fiery tryals very sharpe hot terrible temptations both in reference to the outward and inward man when not only all creatures seeme to be against them but even God himselfe also God sometimes hides his face and answers not yea seems as an enemie and yet in all these deepe Ps 69.2 Lam. 3.54 Waters flowed over mine headâ— then I said I am cut off waters and flouds that runne over them they are preserved from drowning their head is above water yea and a secret hand underneath upholds them from sinking God bids all his redeemed ones take notice of this Esay 43.2 feare not for I have redeemed thee I have called thee by thy name thou art mine when thou passest through the waters I will be with thee and through the Rivers they shall not overflow thee when thou walkest through the fire thou shalt not be burnt c. David was in great distresse when he said I am forgotten as a dead man out of minde I am like a broken vessell Psal 31.12 yet helpe was neerer then he was aware of which he afterwards perceived and acknowledged v. 22. I said in my hast I am cut off from before thine eyes neverthelesse thou heardest the voice of my supplications In the winter of desertion and distresse of soule when the sunne is clouded yea and gone a farre off too as to the soules apprehension when a poore creature can perceive no motions of the spirit nor workings of any grace when there 's no buds not blossoms no leaves nor fruits to be perceived upon the tree no signe of life no sun-shine nor showers no dewes no refreshing but contrariwise Clouds and darknesse round about cold boysterous winds sharp hard frosts stormes of snow and haile all discouragements deadnesse hardnesse of heart all kinds of temptations from within and without yet even then there are secret supports from and by the hand of Christ he is there present and oversees all and manages all for the good of the poore soule for otherwise the spirit would faile it could not be able to beare up under the weight of these temptations Vse 1 The consideration of this may be a Cordiall to poore distressed soules Psal 69.2 when they sinke and stick fast in the deepe mire where there is no standing when they are fallen into deepe waters where the floods runne over them Let them know and consider that the thoughts of God towards them are not as their thoughs They sometimes say or are ready to say and think as the distressed Church did Esay 49.14 The Lord hath forsaken me and my Lord hath forgotten me But what are their thoughts of God in the meane time towards such poore discouraged soules his thoughts are thoughts of love even the most tender love passing the love of the most tender Mothers towards their deare Children Esay 49.13 Can a woman forget her sucking child that she should not have compassion on the sonne of her womb yea they may forget yet will I not forget thee Though God withhold sometimes the evidence of his love from his people yet his love changeth not though he seeme to cast downe and overthrow yet he doth secretly uphold Vse 1 Therefore let such of his people that walke in darknesse and have no light trust in the name of the Lord and stay themselves upon their God Esay 50.10 and in the use of all good meanes waite for deliverance for as God giveth now a sure and secret support in and under the affliction so he will give in his time a full deliverance that his people may praise him The hundred Observation in Nature FRuit-trees give forth their fruits as freely to the poore as to the Rich they naturally beare as much and as good fruit in the poore mans Garden or Orchard as in the rich mans They are all one as free and liberall to the poore as to the Rich and greatest persons Hence we may learne That True Christians doe communicate of their good things as freely to the poore as to the Rich. There are Rules and commands to use and improve our Talents of all good things for the good of all Poore and Rich but especially to give out and distribute to the Poore and meaner sort and more especially to those that are Godly Gal 6.10 Do good unto all but especially to the houshold of faith 1 Tim 6.18 Be ready to distribute willing to comunicate He. 13.16 To do good communicate for get not This is a just Reproofe unto those who call themselves Christians and it may be are so and yet have little regard to the Poore and meaner sort of persons who live amongst them in any the good things Vse 1 they communicate Many of the greater sort of persons Professors and others are free in their Gifts and benefits one towards another frequently inviting and feasting one another but few or none of the Poore or meaner ranke of Christians are the better for all such expences directly contrary to the Rule and command of our blessed Saviour as though they had never heard of any such thing where he saies plainely Luk. 14.12 When thou makest a dinner or a supper call not thy rich neighbours and freinds least they bid thee againe and a recompense be made thee but call the poore c. and thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just Though this place be not so to be taken as though the rich might not be invited yet it is much more strong for the poore But how far are many Rich Professors from walking by this rule or the Example of Job Chap. 31 17. who tels us he eat not his Morssels alone but the poore had part with him and this was a ground of comfort to him in his greatest troubles What will such persons answere our blessed Lord at the last day when he tels them ye were ashamed of me in my poore Members ye owned them not yee invited and entertained one another freely and frequently but my poore brethren were not amongst you although ye knew your Masters will in this thing yet ye did it not but walked contrary to it Vse 2 This is for the honour comfort of those who communicate of their good things as well or much rather to the poore and meanest Members of Jesus Christ as to the Rich And according to the Example of Christ owne them for brethren To these he will say come ye blessed Children of my father inherit the kingdome for in as much as ye shewed kindnesse to these my brethren ye did it unto me Mat. 24 34. Thus have I through the assistance of God performed my promise to make up what was formerly published an 100 Observations in Nature with Similitudes together with their improvement to spirituall uses I have many more in my Nursery but most are yet in the seede or Bud which when they are growen up and enlarged as these into a Body and Branches I shall if the Lord please communicate them also that others if they will but receive them be content to have them planted in their owne Gardens may partake of their Fruits such Fruits as the Apostle speakes of Gal. 5. and Col. 1.6 And it is my desire and supplication to the great husbandman that he will engraft every truth into our hearts and cause it to grow and thrive by the Sunshine and Raine of heaven and to bring forth much good fruit unto himselfe pleasant savory fruits such as he loveth and will eat of that his soule may blesse us yea whereof we our selves may also feede not only heâ— but to all Eternity FINIS