do good because they receive none or very little themselves they have not a treasure within hence they can spend little have no heart or ability to exhort instruct comfort He that keeps not his shop his shop will never keep him As Psal 41.6 His heart gathereth iniquity to it self when he goeth abroad he telleth it 2. A low spirit which makes a man to have low thoughts and endeavours I mean not an humble but a narrow spirit not inlarged to hold much or to do much hence it doth little As take a plaine countreyman he neither seeks or regards the affaires of the State in publick because his spirit and condition is low but Princes do minde and attend to the affaires of the Kingdome to advance it because their condition is high and they know it Moses he suffered reproach with the people of God losse of all the honour and pleasure of Pharaohs Court feared not Pharaoh nor losse of life for their sakes For he saw that God which is invisible like Saul when once a Kingdome comes to be in his eye he leaves off to seek the Asses 3. Sloth There are Thornes Prov. 15.19 and Lions Prov. 26.13 in a sluggards way There be many difficulties businesses occasion and objections when as if once he were resolved to break thorough them then the work would go on Like a man when he is in his warme bed he is loth to rise but when he is up he would not be in his bed againe if he might be hired again to put off his clothes I shall get no good saith one nor do none saith another and when these businesses are past and occasions over and at another time I will seek God and go about Gods worke and thus a slothfull spirit hinders 4. Want of Faith 2 Cor. 4.13 We believe and hence we speak Faith empties us most and hence fills us with Spirit and Life of Christ Jesus hence Steven full of faith and the holy Ghost A lively Christian when he comes in another Christians company it may be he knows not what to speak but he looks up to Christ and sayes Now Lord here is an opportunity in doing or receiving some good and therefore now Lord help 5. Want of fear of God and consolation of the spirit of God from the sense of Gods love Acts 9.31 They walked in the fear of the Lord and consolations of the holy Ghost the Church was edified by the consolations of the holy Ghost A man that 's wounded keeps within and stirs not but when he is in health and strength now hard work is his meat he cannot live except he worke 1 Cor. 15. ult 6. Not considering the shortnesse of our time of sowing Heb. 10.25 Whereas if men were on their death-bed they would wish Oh that I had walked more blamelesly and fruitfully men care not for a comfortable reckoning as yet There are two causes why they receive no good 1. From a mean esteem of the Saints looking on them as men and not as an Ordinance of Christ their persons prayers and speeches And this is a rule Men never gain any good by that Ordinance which they despiseâ— if all were Schollers Ministers or Saints glorified they could then esteem them Hence Eph 4.16 Edifying is by love Making increase of the body edifying it self in love 2. From want of being poor in spirit and sensible of their extream need of Christ continually in all means Beggers will pick up crums and watch for a word of encouragement Isa 11.6 A little childe shall lead the Wolfe and the Lion that is when the Lord hath humbled the heart of a man Oh when a Christian thinks none so poor and shallow and heartlesse as I and every one is better then I however I need more then any This soul will be glad to suck the brest and the Lord will fill others with light and life and his own bowels to do such a one good Whereas else they are shut up and they finde no good conveyed to them by any of the Ordinances of the Lord nor any presence of God in them 3. There is a Ministerial power committed from Christ by the Church to the ruling Officers thereof I say by the Church for all power in the Church is properly Christs yet he nextly communicates it ordinarily to his Church or multitude of Beleevers to whom is committed the supreme power of the Keyes in his word and of binding and loosing as hath been shewen and by this Church this power hath been by Christs appointment and still is to be communicated to those that are chosen out of themselves to be Officers and Rulers over them in the Lord to exercise the power of Christ over them according to his will Hence the very power of binding and loosing opening and shutting given to the Church is also given to Peter and the rest of the Apostles and the successors of Christs Apostles in Doctrine sent of Christ John 20.23 Whosoevers sins ye remit they are remitted c. Because though the power of Communication of it is in the Churches hand yet the power of usual administration of it is in their hand whiles they exercise it according to Christ yet by the Church And hence Paul puts a difference between this extraordinary Ministery as Apostleship and ordinary Gal. 1.1 An Apostle not of men nor by the will of men but by Christ for the Church not by it Now this I say is by the Church from Christ Hence Acts 20.28 The holy Ghost hath made them overseers so that 't is no invention of man or act of man or the power of man but of Christ and hence refuse to be under this power men cast off the yoke and power of Christ Jesus For though the estate of the Church be Democratical and Popular and hence no publick administrations or Ordinances are to be administrated publickly without notice and consent of the Church Yet the government of it under Christ the Mediator and Monarch of his Church t is Aristocratical and by some chief gifted by Christ chosen by the people to rule them in the name of Christ who are unable and unfit to be all Rulers themselves and to cast off these or not to be ruled by these is to cast off Christ Luke 10.16 He that rejecteth you rejecteth me Numb 16.3 You are gathered together against the Lord The Lord accounts himself opposed and resisted when the Officers of his Church are slighted and their government despised Quest What is this power Answ 1. Negatively Quest Answ 1 1. It is not any Lordly pompous power to bear the bell of great smoakie titles to govern in worldly pompe or by worldly rewards and civil punishments 2 Cor. 10.4 The weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds It shall not be so with you saith Christ but as I have been without all worldly state so must you be one to another And hence 1 Peter
suffer violence and the violent take it by force so that the kingdome of God is come into the hearts of all the elect of God when the soul uses a holy violence and the Lord does draw the heart to an entertainment of the Lord himself Many difficulties there be between them and Christ and yet they break through all This is the condition of all men by nature they are strangers to Christ and live without God and Christ in the world and Christ from them and so Satan takes possession and rules them and so men are under the kingdome of darknesse so that the divel himself possesses every natural man as the Apostle speaks he worketh in the children of disobedience and runne on so and remain so Now the Gospel of the kingdome and the means to advance Christ in his kingdome makes a free offer of Christ himself indeed it offers pardon grace mercy life glory but all these are in Christ himself and we possesse them by possessing and receiving of Christ himself as a poor woman hath all the wealth of the man by entertaining of the man So that the Gospel firstly and primarily offers Christ himself and faith doth pitch on Christ himself and doth open those everlasting doores that the King of glory may come in Iohn 1.12 't is said So many as received him he gave power to be the sonnes of God 1 Iohn 5.12 He that hath the son hath life so that now let a man refuse or reject the Lord himself as he is thus offered in the Gospel he does refuse the kingdome of the Lord and does refuse to be under the power of the Lord. True it may be said the kingdom of God hath been nigh to him when Christ is offered in the Gospel and God layes as it were nothing shall please me so much as this if thou dost receive me Luke 10. Go and preach to these and these Cities and if they will not receive you shake off the dust of your feet and let them know the kingdome of God hath been nigh to them then Christ comes into the soul when the whole soul takes the Lord for himself Christ and all that Christ hath Christ in a pardon and Christ in a promise at that very day the Lord gave the heart to receive him then is the kingdome of God come in that heart and with him all life peace joy and glory God Spirit and all Now the whole soul receives him when 1. The minde sees him in the glory of his grace that though it had low mean thoughts of Christ before for which it mournes yet the rising of this glorious Sun upon him he esteemes all things losse for him that he may win Christ and be found in Christ I in him and He in me in Vocation and not having my own righteousnesse in Justification And to feel the life of Christ and death also in sanctification and to attain to the resurrection of the dead in glorification and now nothing is dear to the soul but Christ 2. When the will after the soul hath had some hopes the Lord may look towards it in his grace and having had many heart-breaking teares before the Lord the Lord is now pleased by the glad tidings of the Gospel to give the will power not only to receive and entertaine the Lord but gladly to receive him The soul wonders that ever the Lord should bow down to him and offer mercy to him and when as together with this by the sweet savour of his Grace chat he doth let into the heart the soul doth receive the Lord with most dear imbracings into his soul that now there is none like to the Lord. Cant. 1.3 Thy name is like an oyntment poured out where the very feet of the messengers of glad tidings are beautiful But the Lord himself is the only crown and Joy of the soul when the least look of love to a cast-away is more sweet then kingdoms ay and much more that 's love it self Isaiah 52.9 Brtak forth into joy sing together ye Wast places of Jerusalem for the Lord hath comforted his People When kings shall stop their mouths as vile in themselves and not able to set forth that glory they never heard of before and the soul for Joy sells away all to buy this pearl that it sayes with David Hon do I love thy Lan Now beloved when the soul does thus receive the Lord the kingdome of God is come to that soul and therefore try and examine is it thus with you or hath the Lord begun to deal thus with thee to give himself the glory of Angels the wonderment of heaven the mighty God of heaven to come to thy heart thou art then under the government of the kingdome of God But now on the contrary if thou canst be content to receive the ordinances of Christ or the consolations of Christ or some of the commands of Christ and that is all and the Lord never gave thee a heart to close with Christ himself it 's a strange thing to thee that which is the main thing the Diamond in the Ring of the Gospel thou art yet farre enough off from the kingdome of God I dare not say nor think for all the world that ever the kindome of God came to thy heart Again if you have received Christ but not with thy whole soul that now the offer promises blood life grace glory in the Gospel are grown common things to thee that the Lord never sent thee home wondering at the glory of Gods grace to a poor wretch never yet said'st Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord the Lord never yet lay next thy heart or if thou hast had some liking and some love and affections in pangs yet the Lord is not only precious and exceeding dear in thy heart thy heart breaks not for grief that thou hast so much slighted him so little born him on thy heart It is a signe that the Lord hath begun to reveal himself to thy soul when he gives thee a heart to mourne for thy standing out against him but this never came to thy soul Certainly here is the wound of many men The Gospel of God never hath its proper effect till the Lord help thee to give thy whole heart thus to a Saviour to a God to the Prince of peace and till this is done the Gospel is ineffectual it doth nothing It was a sweet prayer of him Make thy Sonne dear very dear exceeding dear only dear and precious or not at all If thou hadst a thousand hearts it was too little for Christ to love him and do'st grudge him one when thou hast imparted thy heart and esteem to thy lusts and creature do'st thou love the Lord with part of thy heart but a vile lust a poor creature must have a share and the remnant will serve Christ is he not the only pearl of thy heart to give him daily communion no this thou art a stranger
to Hear ye despisers and wonder and perish God will Work a worke in your dayes What is that the infinit God cannot expresse as it were the wrath that shall come against such a soul nor I cannot expresse the wrath that shall come upon such a despiser of the Lord Jesus Give him all thy heart or none if thou hast the Lord thou hast his whole heart if he had had a thousand lives he would have laid them all down for thee He poured out his blood for every one of his but for the present thou art out of the Kingdom of God to this day 2. When the whole soul closeth with the whole will of Christ having thus received him for if a Prince become and people will not be ruled by him nor any lawes that he makes though never so good but what they list the Kingdome is cast off For beloved there is a marvellous common deceit in mens hearts they would not for all the world but have Christ ay but the will of Christ is neglected that is a clog and the burden of the Lord of hosts Christ is sweet and his will is bitter Christ is precious and his will is vile Why do you make him a King and ye will make lawes for Christ and you will rule Christ and his will shall not stand here is no King Such kinde of idle Libertines were in the Apostles time 1 Joh. 1.6 If we say We have fellowship with him and Walk in darkness we lie and there is no truth in us But now when the whole soul does submit to the whole will of the Lord now his Kingdome is come indeed when his will is thus sweet Dan. 7.27 His Kingdome is an everlasting Kingdome and all nations shall serve him and his servants ye are whom ye obey whether Christ the devil or your own hearts Now the whole will 1. Directing 2. Correcting now when the soul submits to both then Christ rules in his Kingdome sometime you meet with Christs directing will now this is mens frame naturally they will not see it they Will not come to the light John 3.20 they are led by their own counsel and will not regard the light and counsel of God in his word they will quarrel with the light when it is crosse to their ends gaine honour and the like men have high thoughts against the Lord Jesus 2 Cor. 10.5 Casting down imaginations and every high thought that exalteth it self against the knowledge of God And again if men do see it yet like the devil that has much light they do not love it nor out of love not unlesse it be out of fear subject to it like Balaam that had no love to Gods command but onely was acted by fear and constraint now when the soul continues thus it casts off Christs Kingdom but if the whole soule first comes to the light though it sees little sets the whole will of Christ before it Psal 18.22 saith David I have kept the wayes of the Lord and have not wickedly departed from my God and though it hath had many quarrellings against the truth of God yet now it hath not nor dares not but sayes Lord teach me the. Lord gives them hearts to lye down at the seet of any man that shall shew them any thing that is amisse in them and they say with David Lord search me and try me I have many crooked wayes and therefore good Lord finde them out and therefore come to the Lord for that end and though there be something in them that is desperately contrary to the good will of God yet there is an inward man that does delight in the law of God and when the Lord is pleased to give them an heart to submit to the will of God Oh the soul doth wonder at the Lord that the Lord should shew him any thing and help him against temptations and though there be a great deal of wearinesse in the wayes of God yet there is a spirit within him that it is indeed heaven it self to him to be in the ordinances of God now ye stoop to the directing will of Christ when this is rhy way though thou goest oft out of it yet comed in it again as sin is a wicked mans way although he goeth athousand times out of it Now for the other the correcting will of Christ The Lord hath strong tryals Now here subjection to Christ is required as well as to the directing will of Christ then the soul submits to this will when the minde objects not charges not God with folly as Eli 1 Sam. 3.18 It is the Lord let him do what seemeth him good And likewise the will though it hath had many sad bouts yet this is his frame in the conclusion that the will of Christ is better then every thing else the will of Christ is alone sweet to him Isa 38. saith Hezekiah Good is the will of the Lord and so Lam. 3. It 's good for a man to bear the yoke in his youth and to turne his cheeks to him that smites him Nay when there is spiritual evils on the soul as was on Christ himself spiritual desertions nothing but bitternesse and sorrow yet the soul saith as Christ did Not my will but thine be done Father save me from this houre yet Father glorifie thy self and so the soul does humbly submit it self to the Lord though the Lord should never pitty it yet it will lye down at the feet of the Lord now is Gods Kingdome come But if the soul will have Christ and yet cast off the will of Christ 1. Either in his judgement that the law of God as given by Christ should be no rule to a Christian suppose you were in England and were there prest to bow before an Altar or Image what shall lead you if that Gods will and law must not be your rule The Lord will one day make you know his blessed will in that blessed law of his that ye shall never finde peace to the end of the world except the Lord do help ye thus to walke Again when men cannot endure the will of Christ cannot endure exhortations what doth the man mean to exhort us thus I tell thee there goeth forth power with the exhortations of Christ I say take heed of casting off the will of Christ here and so when men in their practice shall quarrel against any of Gods truths and are loath to see it or if they do yet not love dearly every truth of God but it 's a burden to them especially if it crosse their own ends and gaine they will not see it to be a truth lest they should be convinced and turne to the rule of it if the will and ordinances of Christ be a burden to a man and a man is not wearie of his wearinesse but wearie of them all the while Art thou under the government of Christ If a man forsaken of God led by his own councels be under the Kingdom of
day against this sin and Lord I have no strength against it now Lord help me but here is the misery of the soul it doth not go to Christ and by this means live in complaints all their life-time 4. If lastly any thing be to be done they will do it themselves as Paul Gal. 1.12 Not but that a Christian should put forth himself a Christian is not a dead-hearted Christian at all times but the grace of God which comes from Christ doth act the soul in a continuall dependance on Christ and where Christ acts not there Satan doth Now I say the Kingdome of God is come when the soul doth thus submit to the stream of the blessed Spirit of the Lord that the Lord may guide it Oh beloved here is the skill that poseth the Angels how to tell you so to yield your selves to Christ as that Christ may come so to abide in the stock that all your fruit may be from him So to lye under the Lord as that the stream of the Spirit of life may fall on thee so to be implanted in the Lord as to fetch life from him and bring forth fruit to him But try this course submit to the will of the Lord Jesus be nothing in thy own eyes and if the Lord do give thee any thing blesse the Lord for it if any strength against thy sin be vile in thy own eyes and try and see if ye finde not the Kingdome of God the glory of Heaven come into thy soul Oh the light life prayers you might have the heavenly conference ye will have together that it would do a mans heart good to be with such a Christian that those that are with you might say Verily God is in this man verily there is joy in Heaven when the Saints keep in this frame 4 When the soul yeelds thus to the will of Christ for Christs ends for such is the subtil wretchednesse of mens heart that men would have Christ glorifie himself that he may glorifie and honour them like Simon Magus that would give any money for Apostolical gifts that he might be some tody that way also Now if a man shall submit go to Christ for gifts and parts that 's to set up another King to advance a mans self and so also sin and the devil and Christ must be made a servant for this end He is now no King like a Rebel that is not content that thousands of the Kings Subjects should serve him but he will have the Prince serve him also Every man will say this doth utterly overthrow the Kingdom of such a Prince When a man shall secretly fight against the Lord and be for himself and for the devil and sin within When a man shall make all the creatures serve him the souldiers of his army meat drinke and outward comforts this is a marvellous thing Ay but when a man shall make Jesus Christ and God himself and profession of Christ make these to serve him to raise up his name this the Lord takes very ill Only this I would adde when the soul doth look at Christ with a single eye that Christ is sweet and precious and lyes under the blessed Spirit of Christ for that end and now looks up to Christ that he may submit to him with a single eye that the name of Christ may be glorified by life and death true it is self will be in every duty and so is contrary to the Lord in all and not for the Lord. Yet though it be thus there is another thing in the soul that is wholly for God and Christ and hence seeks that he may do his work his heart loves him and so seeks him and he begs it with many teares Oh that my children might serve and love this God nay that all the world might see and blesse and admire this God and the Lord inlargeth his heart herein Psal 72.19 and truely now the Kingdome of God is come to thy soul Rom. 5. 17. As sin and Satan do reigne by death So Jesus Christ doth reigne by life to eternall life Matth. 25.14 He is the true Subject that improves his Talents for the King Christ will subdue all his to himself Psal 66.3 Through the greatnesse of thy power shall thine enemies submit themselves to thee Rom. 14.17 For the Kingdome of God is not in meat and drinke but in righeousnesse and peace and joy in the holy Ghost When a man shall be picking fault with things and this and that offends him get ye gone the Kingdome of God consists not in that But when the soul do's go to the Lord maintain his peace with God and love to the people of God and joy in the holy Ghost here is the Kingdom of God He that serves Christ in these things the Kingdome of God is come into his soul He that thus submits to the Lord Christ he must first be a man wearie of his own counsels and must loath himself When the Lord hath wearied a man of his own wayes he sayes What am I that the Lord should shew me any mercy And when the Lord calls him to any service Lord What am I that I should now pray to thee Blesse the Lord when the Lord doth keep thy heart in this frame but now when men will honour Christ and yet Saul-like have Christ honour them Many poor creatures they think it a credit to be in Church-fellowship and they will seek to know Christ that they may attaine Church-fellowship and have honour but know it till the Lord do pull down thy base ends and make thee loath thy self and so to submit to his blessed will truely till then the Kingdome of God is not come to thy soul Think of these things for if the Kingdome of God be in our hearts then look for good dayes Brethren let New-England be confident of it but if this be gone from the soules and hearts of men and women in their severall families and places though they may have the outward Kingdome of Christ yet the inward Kingdome being not set up I say no more but what he said Go to Palestina and Bohemia Certainly if they had not cast off the Lords government they had nevever seen those lamentable dayes they had outward Ordinances Oh but here was the thing the inward Kingdome of the Lord Jesus Christ and subjection to the will of the Lord Jesus and to be for the Lord Jesus this the Lord saw was not in them therefore the Lord hath left them to be lamentable spectacles Therefore dear brethren I do beseech you pray and beg for this Kingdome Thou sayest I fall short of this Know this Kingdome of God is at first like a grain of Mustard-seed some little lying under the will of Christ if it be in truth blessed be God for it The Kingdome of God is come and the soul doth weep and mourne after the Lord that the Lord would bring every thought into subjection Know it the Kingdome of
Lord of Hosts even upon them shall be no raine 3. Sadnesse hence Isa 56.7 Even them I will bring to my holy Mountains and make them joyful in my House of Prayer To be joyful in the house of Prayer is promised to such as joyn themselves to Gods Covenant 2. They have a power given them of binding and loosing By admonition of any one that being received in shall sin against their communion and the Lord in it thereby to defile the whole body and to provoke the wrath of the Lord against the same and this is mentioned Matth. 18. and by the Apostle 1 Cor. 5.1 4. and this is given to them to use against whatever sinner or offender it be be he great or small Prince or Peer if he be a brother he is to lye down here An admonition is an arrest and message from God from Christ Jesus the King of Kings Eglon must come down from his throne when this is brought Now I grant again this power may be abused miserably as to admonish without conviction or without compassion and love but in heat passion c. Yet this is the part of Christs binding power in his Church which when 't is done 't is bound in heaven Now when men come to that passe that they do not only sin for that the Lord pardons but are grown to that height that they cast off all reproofs and Christ-like admonitions for sin steept it may be in many teares and prayers before they came and sweetned with the Spirit of mercy and terror of Christ Jesus in the mouths of his servants this brings under bondage 'T is not sin so much for this will be but when they cannot abide reproofes they are iron morsels cannot be digested and hence sometime hide it and twenty shifts and halfe as many lies or if it be found out defend it and fall a fencing and thrusting and try it out to the last or extenuate it twenty wayes that a beam is a mote and which is worse their hearts rise and swell and they bear a privy grudge against them as if they were their enemies because they tell them the truth when they should say Let the righteous smite me Exod. 2.14 Who made thee a Prince and Judge over us When Moses the Israelites deliverer was raised up he thereupon departs and they lye under heavy bondage when they cast off his reproof It 's true a Saint may not for a time submit but yet it argues a height of spirit for the present unfit for communion with God and the Lord will bring them off and humble them for their pride 2 Sam. 23.6 7. But the sons of Belial shall be all of them as thornes thrust away because they cannot be taken with hands A childe of God may have many weaknesses a hypocrite many excellencies but the tryall of them is when they come to be arrested with a sad reproof how they yield there and that as unto God especially when confession shall either discredit their person or make others question their grace Snakes will not hisse nor sting till touched a sheep will be led to the slaughter and turn the cheeke to him that smites So should one poor brother do to another when he comes to him in the name of the Lord but not many that will so do but resist and oppose against all reason 3. They have a power of Communication of good one to another in way of edification according to their places in this their communion So that now 't is not only left in the hands of the Officers but of the whole Church and each Member in the Church according to his place and ability to edifie the whole Eph. 4.16 From whom the whole body fitly joyned and compacted together by that which every joynt supplieth according to the essectuall working in the measure of every part making increase of the body unto the edifying self in love Members are not to stand like beautifull pictures in Church-windowes and as costly images in Churches that have eyes and see not eares and hear not but they are to be living stones in Gods building not only to build up themselves but one another also that so a man may not only get no hurt from communion of Churches but he may get good indeed from the same And if I mistake not here is the wound of Churches When Members seek not and indeavour not the good one of another and so have Ordinances and means of doing one another good but exercise them not or if they do receive not the good they might hereby but may say and shall say at last as he Prov. 5.14 I was almost in all evil in the midst of the Congregation Sin prevailing and sorrowes by little and little like water in a leaking ship sinking the poor barke Quest. What are those means that are left to the Saints themselves Quest even private Members to exercise in Christian communion for men and women and so you may see when these are neglected or not improved the power of Christ in his Church is cast off so far forth Answ 1. The first is Answ a Spirit of dear Christ-like love one to another every one to all and all to that one againe being ready to expresse it self in procuring the good of others as well as its own This doth sweeten communion very much and edifies quickens and encourageth a Christian in his whole course marvelously Eph. 4.16 Making increase of the body unto the edifying it self in love Love edifieth 1 Cor. 8.1 Knowledge puffeth up but Charity edifieth It 's the joy of the Saints and that which makes the Saints to blesse God in heaven where take any one singly all joyntly besides honour it tender it and seek the good of it and that one blesseth God and seeks their good more then its own againe and this is prophesied Zeph. 3.9 That they may call upon the name of the Lord to serve him with one consent to serve the Lord with one shoulder to help one another spiritually and outwardly where there be many griefs and burdens which depresse the spirits and make it unserviceable is removed As what is there that doth alienate the hearts of men more from God and his Church but want of love Now when mens love grows cold that a godly man is not esteemed whiles he lives nor his death lamented so much as the losse of a swine When people grow strange one to another and take distastes and prejudices when they can sit by the fire-side and censure and whisper and make offences and take offences and mindes divide and hearts divide that if you aske what such a one is good for the answer is he is good for himself and good to breed brawles and divide a Church A Kingdome divided against it self cannot stand and therefore hereby you cast off this Kingdome Oh Christians should pray for this and mourne for want of this and study peace and follow it It should be
gives but a little consolation consider'd in it self it shall give marvelous consolation One would wonder to see what one word will do when the Lods time of blessing it is come 2. After that a Christian hath had the feeling of the efficacy of the word he may lose the feeling of it again and yet the being of it may remain and the reason is this partly because there is not alwayes need of feeling the like efficacy in the word A man may have by the word a marvelous deal of assurance of Gods love and sense of mercy and joy in the holy Ghost he may have this in the feeling of it This word it did ly hid for a time afterward it springs up and gives him peace But he loses his peace again his Sun do's set and it is midnight with him within twenty four hours and he is as much in the dark as before Now the being of this peace is there but he hath no need of the feeling of it at all times the Lord he will reserve that till some time of tentation that he shall meet withall As Paul he had marvelous Revelations but Paul had more need of humiliation then exaltation and there was not that use of Pauls having those glorious manifestations to him I will glory in my infirmities There was need for Paul to know the evils of his heart that he might walk humbly and it did not make so much for the glory of the Lord as this that Paul should say I have this misery and darknesse and sins and yet Jesus Christ he will take away all There was not need for Paul to have those joyes at all times that he had at one time So the Lord he gives a Christian joy and peace now there is no need for a Christian to have it alwayes I will pour floods of water on dry ground Beloved if there should be nothing but raine raine every day and night the ground would be glutted with raine and so turned into a puddle but when the land is dry and thirsty now the ground hath need of raine Let the Earth make use of that raine it hath and when it is dry and thirsty I will give more saith the Lord. So the Lord he gives the soul joy and peace Now if it should continue the very peace and joy of God would not be pleasant to the soul or at least not so pleasant as it will be when the Lord takes it away and gives it the soul again A Christian comes to the meeting-house and the Lord fills the sailes of a poor soul that he wonders the Lord should meet him and speak so suitably to him But as soone as he is gone out again this is the complaint of the soul all is lost again now the soul it falls a mourning again It is not for the glory of God to give the soul such peace out of his Ordinances as he doth in them the soul it would not prize the Ordinances of the Lord so much yet there it is and when they come again the Lord he either gives them the same refreshings again or else there is a new spring 3. The eternall efficacy of the word and voice of God it may be preserved in an internall spirit of prayer for the continuance of it while a man hath it and for the return of it when it is lost Ps 119.4 5. Thou hast commanded us to keep thy precepts diligently David he knew his own weaknesse yet he intimates with what power it came on his heart Oh! that my soul were directed to keep thy statutes When the soul sees the beauty of a command and the good will of God how sweet it is and how amiable the way and work of God is Oh that my heart were directed to keep thy statutes And so when it is gone Psal 63.3 My soul thirsteth after thee Lord saith David that I may see thy glory and power as I have seen thee in thy sanctuary He doth not say that I may see thy glory and power in thy sanctuary though that might be too no but that I may see thy glory and power as I have seen thee in thy sanctuary David he did finde a want of seeing him as he had done yet the vertue of it did remaine in a spirit of thirsting and desire My soul thirsteth for thee as in a dry land where no water is that I may see thee A Christian may have at sometime such a glimpse in hearing the word of Gods grace of the exceeding riches of Gods grace and the love of God to him that he may be in a little heaven at that time ravished in the admiration of that mercy that ever God should look to him It is so and the word sayes so and the soul is ravished with wonderment at it yet God is gone again and the soul loses it Now the soul thinks I have lost the efficacy of Gods word but it is not so for thus it may be preserved Oh that I may see this God as I have done And all his life-time the soul may finde the want of this and yet it may be preserved in a spirit of prayer For whom the Lord hath given once a glimpse of his glory the soul it cannot be at rest but it breatheth for more of that mercy and presence a Christian may finde his spirit marvelously refreshed at the word he may taste how good the Lord is and he may lose it again but this may be preserved in a spirit of longing after this God and presence again And I will say this Brethren A Christian may finde no good by the word to his apprehension he sees the admirable blessed estate of the Saints and exceeding riches of God in Christ sees the swetnesse of the wayes of God goes home and thinks within himself Happy they that are in this condition Blessed are they that can walk thus with God But I cannot saith the soul I say it may finde it thus when he cannot finde the reall efficacy of the word as he would do he may receive the benefit of that word if the Lord do but only give him a heart to desire it Oh that the Lord would but thus manifest himself to me the soul may go away poor and hungry from the word and the Lord may yet reserve a spirit of thirsting after that good which a man desires to finde and there is the efficacy of the word there As now there are two golden vessels one a man fills and it is everyday dropping and he preserves it another vessel he do's not fil but with something that he hath he is every day widening of it So some Christians the Lord he 's a filling of them others the Lord he do's not fill them with such peace and joy ay but though the Lord is not filling of them he is a widening of them there is such a vertue that the lord do's enlarge the heart with secret desires and longings after more of Gods