Necessity he is the person that cannot be wanted by any that would be happy Deut. 30. 20. he is thy life and the length of thy days And if any think they may do as well elswhere let them answer the question John 6. 68. Lord to whom shall we go thou hast the words of eternal Life Now this is my beloved and this is my friend O Daughters of Ierusalem Cant. 5. 16. The Lords second Motive and external allurement is his Words Words are very charming and enticeing things and how forceable are right words says Job Hence the Latines wisely give the name of verba dare to that which the Court calls a complement but the Countrey plainly calls a Cheat. Hence the way of Fishing which catcheth by the Ear applauded of the greatest Wits approven and much practised by Lovers the most ingenious because the most serious Anglers who busk their hooks with words and bait with the artificial flee of Complements Hence as the world goes he is the finest man that can say fairest to it and albeit Solomon both a Wise Man and a great Preacher and Spokes-man hath said Proverb 17. 28. even a fool when he holdeth his peace is counted wise yet with most men even a wise man if he bold his peace is counted a fool But the truth is multum ille assecutus est qui bene didicit loqut bene qui tacere non minus assecutus est he hath attained much who hath learned to speak well and he hath attained no less who hath learned to hold his peace well But to say no more in general of the allurements of Words how specially excellent are the words of the Lord to the purpose of Soul-converting and heart-alluring Zach. 1. 13. They are good words and comfortable words Jer. 15. 16. Thy words were found and I did eat them and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoycing of mine Heart Gold and Treasure is alluring unto any Honey and Apples to Delicate Persons And if it were even the mortal forbidden Fruit of the Tree of Knowledge of good and evil yet if it be good for Food and I leasant to the Eyes and a Tree to be desired it must be had if the price should be Death Gen. 3. But the words of God are more to be desired than Gold sweeter also than Honey and the Honey comb Psal. 19. 10. Psal. 119. 72 103. verses If nature could propine the World with Golden Apples as a present of her first Fruits sure those would ravish the Hearts of the greatest Potentates and would raise Wars among Princes for the possession and keeping of the Tree that bare those they would be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Apples of Strife properly and indeed And the Words of God which are the Flower and first Fruits of all fit Words are Apples of Gold in Pictures of Silver Prov. 25 11. They Nourish Solidly Comfort Cordially and Inrich Mightily How charming the Lords Words are we have famous instances in the Gospel that with his Words he catched those that were sent and intended to catch and entrap him he sent them back with this Report never man spoke like this man And here in the â—â—xt it self I will allure her saith the Lord and I will speak comfortably unto her The third chief Motive and Allurement is The Works of the Lord and his Doings He hath done for his People and is daily doing to them that which cannot but rationally entice any ingenuous Soul to be for him If God had not loved us I should have wondered at every thing he does for us Love is the chief of the wayes of God to us God loved the World God so loved the World A Wonder indeed But after that stupendious portent of his Works to us That he loved us I shall wonder at nothing he does for us For what will we not do for those we Love But again I must wonder that he loved us and in this love to us he was humbled and emptyed for us For us he came into the World For us He took the likeness of sinful flesh and the form of a servant For us he suffered Temptations Crosses and Contradictions in his Life and for us he tasted death He gave him â—â—s for us He came under the Law and Sin and the Wrath and Curse of God for us For us he drank the Cup of astonishment which would have made all the Elect tremble to Eternity Yea and he rose and was victorious over death for us â—e hath also ascended Heaven for us and there he interceeds for us he is our Friend at Court he stands in the way there that nothing pass against us and when there is hazard he warns us and by his Word and Spirit he keeps intelligence with our Souls and gives us daily accounts of the true state of our Spiritual business Thence he issues daily many favours on our behalf Psal. 103 2 and forward Forget not all his Benefits who forgiveth all thine Iniquities c. And his negative Mercies are not the least part of what he doth for us That he prevents and holds off us so many temptations suares and evils that otherwise would even over-run us and that for all these he waiteth to be gracious to us at the voice of our Cry when he shall hear it And in a word that he is so wholly taken up for us as if he had nothing else to mind but us Now to a rational ingenuous Spirit and every one that deserves to be called a Man all these will be the Coras of a Man and Bands of Love Hos. 11. 4. Yea there is some secret alluring quality in the saddest and darkest of Gods dispensations to the Soul of the Saint Hence we never find the Godly Soul more fond so to speak of its beloved and more earnest upon him than in the time of desertion which of all dispensations is the most afflicting to such an one If the Lord withdraw such an one will fall down sick of Love to him and then go tell him O ye Daughters of Ierusalem that I cannot live in his absence And if he do not come quickly skipping like a young Roe or Hart yea and if he take not the nearest way over the mountains of Bether he may come too late to lay his hands upon the eyes of his distressed Beloved Psal. 28. 1. If thou be silent to me sayes David I shall be like them that go down into the â—â—t O Lord I cannot live I value not Life if thou be not the God of my Life I have resolved I shall never be glad till thou be the health of my Countenance and make me glad with thy Works For I see little difference betwixt Sorrow and Joy if thou be not my chiefest joy And in our Text the Wilderness is the alluring place to this ungracious froward Church The fourth chief Motive wherewith the Lord allures his People is his Gifts Gifts and tokens use to pass betwixt Lovers and
Unjust Steward To make to them-selves Friends of the unrighteous Mammon that when they fail they may receive them into ever-lasting habitations Mat 6 19 20 Lay not up for your selves Treasures upon earth c. But lay up for your selves Treasures in Heaven The meâ— of the World have their portion in this life But as for me when I awake I shall be satisfied with thy likness Psal. 17. 14 15. Alas most meâ— first have so little desire for Heaven that next theâ— come to have as little hope of it and so at last and fain to take up with the World and for Jaâ—â—â— blessing must with Esau be content with the fâ—â—ness of the earth Gen. 27 39. Or else what meaâ— the unhandsome unhallowed and unhappy Practises of catching gripping and inhancing which have prevailed so far that now mens Covetousness hath strengthned it self with Pride lest they should be reputed less witty for how do they boast oâ— such exploits But such boasting is not good and theâ— glory is their shame for they mind earthly things Phiâ— 3 19 And they have hearts exercised with covetouâ— Practises cursed Children 2 Pet. 2. 14. But alas I findâ— one great fault in most mens accounts that theâ— never count upon the Soul They count their thousands and ten thousands and hundred thousands and the Poor soul sayes how many count you meâ—â— I stand Debter for ten thousand Talents upon your score Yea I am already destressed and what will you give in exchange for me Not a groat sayes the wretch while I havelife though after that he would give ten thousand Worlds So much there is betwixt market-dayes 5. It teacheth patience in well doing who by patience in well doing seek for Glory and Honour and immortality is eternal life to them Rom 2 7. Therefore my beloved Brethren be ye stedfast unmovable alwayes abounding in the work of the Lord for as much as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord 1 Cor 15. last And this is the Conclusion of the Apostles vindication of the Resurrection and the life to come The Saints have a long and sore service in the World But God is not unrighteous to forget their labour of love a cup of cold water shall not be forgotten And for whatsoever any have forsaken they shall have a hundred fold in this life and in the World to come life everlasting And we reckon that the sufferings of this present life are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in the Saints Therefore let us not be weary in well doing for in due Season we shall reap if we faint not Galat. 6 9. 6. It supporteth the Christians hope For if in this life only we have hope in Christ of all men we are most miserable 1 Cor. 15 19. It is certainly the interest of every good man to believe the Souls immortality and as much their Duty to live so as it may be their interest for it is not Reason and Judgement that prompt men to deny it but fear and and an evil Concience that tells them it will be ill for them The Souls immortality is the hope oâ— Israel that maketh them diligent in well doing patient in Tribulation and desirous of their change for we that are in this Tabernacle do groan being burdened not for that we would be uncloathed but cloathed upon that mortality might be swallowed up of life 2 Cor. 5. 4. The Third view of these words giveth this manifest Reflection That Communion with God is the Souls Sanctuary and Solace We have this Prayer of Nehemiah thrice Recorded in this Chap. and in the close of the 5 Chap besides frequent Addresses of the like nature such as that solemn Ejaculation Chap. 24. And that Chap. 6 14. and another in this same Chap. ver 29 Besides his ordinary attendance on publick worship and Solemn and extra-ordinary Fasting Chap. 9. By all which it is evidenâ— how Seriously and constantly Godly this renounced worthy was Like David who could say what timâ— soever I awake I am with thee And truly the Soul is either sleeping or worse when not with God Affaires and weight of Business quickned their Devotion as much as it extinguisheth ours And the matter is they were not cool indifferent Latitudinarians in Religion but men of another Spirit serious Men. And if that be true which I hilosophers have said that that is not the Man which is seen Alas what Puppyes what Mock-men are we who can be any thing but Good and Serious This Observation proven by the experience of Saints in all Generations Who sat down under the shaddow of the Almighty with great delight and his fruit was sweet to their taste Cant 2. 3. will make it self good by the strongest Reason when we have seen a little what Communion with God is and wherin it consists And 1. It stands in Reconciliation the immediate result of Justification by faith Amos 3 3. â— Can two walk together except they be aggreed Rom. 5 1. Being justifyed by faith we have peace with God and 10. v. We are reconciled by the death of his Son This giveth access to God and bringeth us near who sometimes were far off This of Enemies maketh Friends even as Abraham believed and was called the Friend of God 2. In a mystical spiritual and Supernatural Union the product of Regeneration for he that is joyned to the Lord is one Spirit and is made partaker of the divine Nature This maketh us Sons and plantâ—th us in God John 1 12 13. To as many as received him to them gave he power to become the sons of God which were born not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man but of God 1 John 4 13. Hereby we know that we dwell in him and he in us because he hath given us of his spirit and v. 16. God is love and he that loveth dwelleth in God and God in him Iohn 17. 23. I in them and thou in me that they may be made perfect in one Iohn 15 5. I am the vine ye are the branches 3. In likness of natures compliance of minds and conformity of manners 2 Cor 3 last he that hath Communion with God is changed into the same â—mage and Colos. 3. 10. is renewed after the image of him that created him 1 Cor 15. 49. As we have born the image of the earthy so must we also of the heavenly Christ is the image of his Father and Saints are the image of Christ. And how much are they of one Humour pleased in and pleasing one another The Lord is a God to the Saints mind in Heaven or earth he sees nothing to him whom have I in heaven but thee Or who is a God like unto thee Nec viget quidquam simile aut secundum And the Saint is a David a man to Gods heart What is the book of Canticles but one continued proof of this matter What
mercy is here I will bid them look to the inner-siâ—â— for we must not judge by appearance but we mâ—â— judge righteous Iudgment There is a disappeariâ—â— white threed of mercy on the innerside of all blackest and most afflicting lots of Saints and â—â— any have not the faith to believe this in an hâ—â— and power of darkness yet I shall wish them â—â— patience to wait till they see the white threed â—yth again in its own place and till they find undenyable mercy that will not suffer it self to be mistaken tryst them upon the borders of that dark valley for mercy follows them all the days of their life Psal. 23. 6. and sometimes it will compass them round about Psal. 32 10. In a word all the very outfallings that are betwixt God and his People they are amantium irae that is but amoris redintegratio â—overs cast out and agree again and they cast not out but that they may agree again and so are God and his People mercy shall conclude all that passes betwixt them and that mercy is joyned with truth for God hath said it and he was never yet worse than his word to any but to many very oft much better You see here which confirms the point not a little what a wilde â—iece she is to whom the Lord does all this neither minding God nor his Covenant nor Commandments but courting her lovers and following her lightness and yet the Lord pursues her â—ight and litle worth as she is courts her and invites her to come home All this is strange and yet all this is but like God that the Holy One of Israel should thus like the Adullamite Judah 's friend Gen. 38. go to seek a Harlot by the way side But consider 1. That when the Lord Married her he knew all the faults that followed her and â—ook her with them all If God had not known before what she would prove it might be strange that thus he suits her but if there be any thing to be admired here it is his first love to her whom he knew to be such an one But 2dly consider where will the Lord do better Where is there any in the World that without his own undertaking would serve him otherwayes And therefore till the Lord find a better match he thinks and with all reason even as good hold him at his first choise Especially since 3. He knows of a way how to gain her And 4. sees her already rewing her courses and saying that she will return to her first husband And by all this 5. he will let it be seen that he is not so unstable and light as she is She could find in her heart to entertain others in his place and surely she was not ill to please that could take an Idol in his rooms but yet he will make it manifest to all the World that he is God and changes not and therefore he will mantain his old kindness to her and will remember the love of her espousals and the kindness of her youth For 6. Foolish as she was he had gotten more love of her in former times than he had gotten of all the World besides And thus the very case stands betwixt God and his deboarding Children and backsliding People unto this day III The third great Scripture truth that is here solemnly confirmed is this That Gods way will his People is not the manner of men 2 Sam. 7 19 Hosea 6 7. They like men transgress the Covenant and Chap. 11. 9. He like God and like himself and there is none like unto him for if any were like him he were not himself will not exeâ— cut the fierceness of his anger nor return to destroy them because he is God and not man Jer. 3 1. Theâ— say if a man put away his wife and she go from him and become anothermans Shall be return unto her again â—â—all not that land be greatly polluted but thou hast â—ayed the Harlot with many lovers yet return again â—nto me saith the Lord. Now that Gods way with â—is People is not the manner of men warrands them to expect from him things not ordinary â—or it was the greatness of his extraordinary kindness to David that made him say so of God yea â—â— warrands them to expect above expectation Isai. â—4 3. Thou didst terrible things that we looked not â—â—r Yea more it even warrands them to expect above admiration Zech. 8. 6. If it be marvelous â—â— the eyes of the remnant of this People in these dayes should it also be marvelous in my eyes saith the Lord of Hosts And the Ground of all is Isai. 55 9. Because as the Heavens are higher than the earth so are â—â—e Lords ways higher than our ways and his thoughts than our thoughts This is solemnly confirmed in â—he Text proposed where we have such a stupendious strange inference a Therefore that considering what hath been last said all the World cannot â—ell Wherefore a Therefore that if it had been left â—o all the World to supply what follows it considering what hath immediatly gone before I doubt it could have entered into any created heart to have once guessed it She went after her lovers and forgot me saith the Lord and therefore I will allure here and comfort her To this Therefore is well subjoined Behold which observation teacheth Admiration of what we cannot reach to satisfaction Only from all this let us consider whether the great sin of limiting God be not too ordinary and too litle abhorred an evil amongst us We frame to our fancy a litle modest God forsooth that must not take too much upon him and by those fancies we model our Prayers and returnes and pardons of sin and accounts of Providences and events of dispensations and all things And if that be not to have another God before the true God I have not read my Bible right nor do I understand the first Commandment But now after that I have wandered so long before though I hope not beside the purpose I am yet but entering the Wilderness SERMON Hosea 2 14 Therefore behold I will allure her and bring her into the Wilderness and speak Comfortably unto her A Wilderness is a land of darkness Ier. 2 31. and whilst I but look into the Wilderness I am surrounded with the darkness of a mysterious transition in the particle Therefore But when I begin to enter and while my foot standeth even upon the borders of darkness I see a light shining out of darkness Psal. 119. 130. the enterance of thy words giveth light it giveth understanding unto the simple This lights me over the border where being come I hear a voice which bids me Behold and beholding I see a strange Wherefore of this strange Therefore and it is this that by any means the Lord must have his Peopl's heart and be sole owner of their love without a Rival or partaker In the close of the former verse she forgot mâ— saith the
endear it to any free Soul Some who could stand before an armed enemy have fallen before a naked beauty Let Sampson and David be witnesses in the case sawest thou ever the beauty of the Lord for how great is his Beauty and how great is his Goodness sawest thou ever the beauty of Holiness a beauty as rare as Rich a singular beauty a beauty Active and Communicative it makes all those beautiful that enjoy it it is not so with the Richest Worldly beauty an unbeautiful Husband may have a beautiful Wife whose beauty cannot make him comly none truely love and espouse Religion but it makes them comly with its beauty O how would such a beauty be courted in the World hast thou not the pourtrait of this beauty in thine heart the Chamber of her that conceaved thee I should hold my self everlastingly obliged to him that would give me a well done coppy and though I did not like it for him that did it yet would I love it for them that it is like And if this my discourse for Image and likness could say unto God thou art my Father and to Religion and Godliness thou art my Mother and my Sister The Piety of my vanity might excuse the vanity of my Piety to boast of my Relation to that lovly Family that brings forth all beauties I have seen the Heathen Venus their Godess of love and beauty painted with a flaming heart in her hand a pretty embleme of that Scripture Hos. 4. 11. Whoredome taketh a way the heart beauty maketh daily triumphs with mens hearts as the Garlands of her victories or the spoiles of her captives who are no enemies for amongst the many as there are many singularities of seminine victories these are not the least that Men conquer none but enemies Women none but friends Men take captives against their will womens captives are all consenters to their own bonds nor do they once desire to make their escape Men punish their captives with pain Women please theirs with torment and torment them with pleasure But O canst thou behold the beauty of Holiness and have thy heart at command Needs must the lively truth of Godliness be very desirable when a lying shew and dead picture of it is so lovely Mark 10. 21. Jesus beholding the young man loved him for the appearance of good he saw in him How transporting must true Godliness be in the Abstract and is not the profection of Piety the perfection of beauty since in the concrete and in its imperfection it is so ravishing Cant. 49. the Church with one of her eyes ravishes Christs heart a cheek-view a glance and half a look of a Saint is very alluring But what if both her eyes be to him then as one wounded he cryes Chap. 65. turn away thine eyes from me for they have overcome me He falls before his friends who rose over all his enemies the Saints beauty overcoms him that overcame the World it captivateth him that led captivity captive it triumpheth over him who triumphed over Principalities and Powers it conquers him who conquered death for love is strong as death Set death in the way of love it can despise and go over it If jealousie dispute Christs love he is ready to vindicate himself upon the highest adventure tell me says he what token shall I give thee what shall I do for thee If thou lovest me thou must die for me O jealousie cruel as the Grave I love thee and will wash thee in mine own Blood I love thee and will give my self for thee O love strong as Death O death-conquering Christ O Christconquering Love O Love-conquering Beauty of Holiness Look upon Holiness let thine eyes but observe her wayes Love her and give unto her a present of what thou hast But what is thy Petition O Queen and it shall be granted thee what is thy request and it shall be performed If I have found favour in thy sight O friend and if I please thee then give me thy Heart Prou. 23 26. My Son give me thine hears her Authority might command it her Beauty might rob it but her Modesty and Love doth Friendly desire it I would not have my discourse fall in the hands of the ungodly For wickedness proceedeth from the wicked as saith the Proverb of the Antients 1 Sam. 24. 13. But if I were to speak to ungodly Sinners O Lord open my closed Lips then shall I teach Transgressours thy wayes and Sinners shall be converted unto thee Psal. 51. 13. I would shew them what I have yet to add in the behalf of lovely Holiness I would sing to my Beloved a Song of my well Beloved But the alluring subject the Kindness I owe to Godliness with the respect I have for all that love serve her invite me to speak what I know and therefore beside all the alluring Motives to Godliness mentioned in the Explication I add these things to be considered wherein she excelleth all her Companions her Rivals and all that would partake with her in our Affections And I shall but point at some Heads leaving room for the godly Soul to enlarge in its Meditations upon the particulars in consideration 1. Godliness bringeth the Soul upon the greatest Interest The interest of God of the Soul of the Kingdom that cannot be moved the Crown that fadeth not away and the things not seen that are eternal that which eye hath not seen nor the ear heard nor hath it entered into the Heart of man to conceive even that which God hath laid up for those that love him Angustus est animus quem terrena delectant They are not ill to please who can be put off with things Wordly But the Saint is the only person of a great Spirit who indeed minds high things even as he is born to great things The Books De natura or of Nature are too mean a Subject for a Saint all his Studies are de Anima de Caelo de Deo his Lessons are of the Soul of Heaven and of God His ditan is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he minds the things that are above 2. Only Godliness hath that in it that can maintain and advance his greatest interest What can all the Pomp Pleasures and Profits of the World do to a Soul Do these things make a better man Lay all these to a wounded Conscience and they will be as he that taketh away a Garment in cold Weather as Vinegar upon Nitre or as he that singeth Songs to a heavy Heart Prov. 25. 20. they may make it worse they cannot make it better A mean subjects Rent cannot bear the Charges of a Crown nor can all the imaginable affluence of Worldly sensual Pleasures the delights of the Sons of Men fill up the Accounts of a mans Happiness Are not all things worldly under an Antient Curse for mans sake And shall that which is cursed make us Blessed The Wisdom of Solomon and who shall come after the King hath