where he onlie lives not She hath much forgiven her and therefore she loves much Here is the cause and effect of Christ forgiving her sins and she loving Christ so that An heart truly troubled and lost in himself and finding remission of sins in and by Christ loves and cleaves to him above all things in the world or himself and all men in and for him Paul esteemed nothing but Christ Phil. 3.7 Mat. 10.37 He that loves Father or mother c. 1. Cor. 16.22 He that loves not Christ let him be Anathema The disciples being stricken with this Doctrine forsook all 1. For there is no life left in any thing to man either in the world or himself but only in him as the Prodigal What is all gold riches to an hungry Stomack in comparison of bread So What is all the World to a lost heart in respect of Christ 2. For nothing is or can be such a burden and death to the heart as sin and guilt and so nothing like freedom life as forgivenesse O how sweet is the voice of a pardon to a condemned man Now we all say that we love Christ But know it is the mighty power of God in the truth of his Word that separates man from himself and all things to Christ alone for while when any thing else gives hope delight joy ease or peace to man Christ is not regarded but in opinion only 1. For there is a loving of Christ after the flesh as the Disciples who could not abide to hear of his departure so we have fleshly cold affections to the notions of Christ but not to be ruled and guided and live by him only but will be quartermasters 2. And there is a love to the ease and peace and comfort by him which we would still have and fit at his right hand or for works sake but to love him and esteem him for poverty want forsaken and persecution c. we like not Like a heartlesse wife that loves and obeyes her husband so long as he pampers hers and keeps her fair and fine But when he falls into poverty forsakes him and takes another as the rich Lawyer and Dives did So that Christ may well say Who hath believed our report or to whom is the power of Christs death effectual Seing all are so knit to the World and our selves that he and his word is not regarded 1. The World we love as Father Mother Ease Fulnesse c. and these darken the heart and gives such a peace to the flesh that we see not the miserie of our Spirits 2. We love our own fancies and thoughts knowledge and qualities and think these will help us and plead for us 3. We love our selves and any thing that may preserve our fleshly Kingdom but the Kingdom of Christ we cast off 1 One rather than want his will another rather than want the World another rather than want ease and life sets Christ aside So that we may say How dwells the love of God in these 2. But see Christ is esteemed and loved of none but miserable and sinful men in themselves who though he kâ—ll them yet they will love him these tread all under foot all righteousnesse for they see none all wisdom the World Ease and Peace and Christ only is life unto them And besides him all things works their bondage yea are wearisome as all men are to a loving wife but her husband 3. Away then with all Religion where love is wanting all talking and working where man doth it to cover his filthinesse with them Christ is a judge and they cannot love him 4. And none loves Christ that loves himself for only such as condemn and judge themselves esteem of him 5. And this appears in love to your neighbour even of mankind our very enemies which appears in parting freely with the World helping the needful forgiving injuries covering infirmities of others suffering willingly else how dwells the love of Christ in us 6. So that it is not love that is the form of Faith but faith begets love love expresseth faith to the World Thy sins are forgiven So that Free forgivenesse of sins in Christ to a troubled heart is life in death and the door and life of all hearty Religion Having forgiven us all our trespasses This was life in the Prodigal and to the Publicane And this Paul acknowledgeth Psal 32. This is our blessednesse 1. For till then the Partition-wall stands and man sits in death in himself or life in the world only 2. This opens the door of the Covenant unto man 3. This is the daily life of man who though he daily sin yet God in Christ freely forgives and this brusts his heart and makes it melt into love 1. But most enter not in at this door but leap over this take for granted what they never felt nor enjoyed 2. Others offer sacrifice to purge sin and cover with righteousness wisdom opinion 3. But O What a life is this to a dead man as a Prisoner condemned yet obtains pardon through the mercy of a Prince And this forgivenesse is the free mercy of God forgiving mans sin for his own Names sake not because they are lesser or fewer nor because we repent now turn nor because we are more righteous or for good qualities Who is this that forgiveth sins Here they begin to judge him again because he forgiveth sin they looked that he should have judged excommunicated her or set her to keep the Law and wrought her own peace No saith he I came to save and not to judge sinners and lost man But this was a Principle that they favoured not so that Unbelieving Strait-hearted Hard-hearted Self-religious Men though in Wisdom Righteousnesse they excell others yet have they least favour or feeling of repentance and forgivenesse wherein the life of all Religion consists They tithe the Mint Annise and Cummin they look to the plucking of the ears of Corn on the Sabbath-day but mercy they are not acquainted with Mic. They offer thousands of rams c. But to walk humbly with their God they know not The first they urge with all vehemency but the latter they never mention 1. For what is in mans power by diligence by his own ends he obtains but what is Gods free gift as this he hath not faith to embrace 2. Do well and have well is the Principle all stick to but resting in Christ when all things are lost is a mystery known to none but he that hath it 1. The worldling hath no life but in the World and knows not what forgivenesse and burden of sin is So 2. The Pharisees know all and do all but forgiveness and faith he savours not therefore judgeth this to be carnal liberty 3. All Sectaries busie themselâ—es about circumstances but this never medled with 4. So we talk and think of Religion and run into many disputs and circumstances and over-leap the foundation viz.
then he was strong Great Knowledge devote Holinesse and high Thoughts chooke Faith only humilitie preserveth it The one lives by opinion as light as wind but the other by Faith and mercie he feels nothing but weaknesse and guilt 3. Well-worth weak and repenting hearts that weep with Peter We deny him often but repent seldom What ever knowledge or other thing they have yet if this be kept lively Faith shall not fail though it be seemingly lost and he turned his back and he sees no way to peace Yet wait a while and light will spring out of darknesse and well-worth Crosse that preserves Repentance in man when he sees his own beastly guilt how he hath forsaken God and run from him and sees how all fails then he returns So it is hard to preserve Faith lively in prosperitie It is a great point of simplicitie to enjoy all gifts and yet look at none We see then whereby man is preserved in all straits viz a praying and believing heart all else vanish 4. But praying dayes are gone We have wept but now rejoyce We were weak but now strong in our selves Strengthen thy Brethren Pitie not me nor weep for me but weep for thy self and pitie thy Brâ—thren So that As the life of Faith is in Christ only see the practice of Faith is in love to the Brethren David Psal 16. My goodness is nothing unto thee but to the Saints that are in the Earth Thus all rules of practice after Faith that are stablished by Paul are such like as help the weak admonish the un-ruly c. and Christ left this his last Law Love one another and Faith works by love This was Christs practice all his dayes in doing good this is a free disposition of a Redeemed Spirit the flesh seeks its own but love doth not 1. Thus is the Fathers Love spread abroad and the Truth of the Gospel and the Church increased and herein is the Communion of Saints 1. But we all walk in the thearick knowledge of Faith and Christ and nourish our thoughts therein but we foresake the practice of Faith for self-Love and Pride hath drowned all hearty Religion Do we help the poor and relieve them nay we spoil them do we bear with the Weak nay we judge them do we cover the sins of others nay we spread them Do we love our Enemies nay We hate them 2. I wish we had lesse Knowledge so we had more Faith and Love Is it not a shame to see how Drunkards are linkt together and every Sect as one man yet we that professe to believe in Christ lead everie man to his own gain So we thrive we care not who losse who grieves and bears the burden of others I will go with thee though all forsake thee Pride of heart and over-weaning conceit of our own power because of some singular gift above others is the readie way to fall before all so it s in the Jews Pharaoh Nebuchadnezzar Lucifer So that There is a presumptuous and proud carlesse confidence from the arm of flesh which goes under the name of Faith and lifts man up in securitie a while but will fail in the end Thus David Psal 30. And his numbering the people SERMON XV. Dan. 3.16.19 Then Shedrach Meshach and Abednegâ— answered and said to the King O Nebuchadnezzar we are not careful to answer thee in this matter IN the former Chapter Daniel had interpreted the Kings Dream concerning the Image of Gold Silver Brasse Iron and Clay and the destruction of several Monarchies by the Stone hewed out of the Mountain without hands that is to say The power of Christ whose Kingdom should overcome all the rest and be everlasting never to be destroyed by which the King was convinced to acknowledge the great Power and Wisdom of the God of Daniel and sell into admiration but understood not the Mysterie of Christ therein nor the downfal of his Kingdom therefore presently returns to his old Idolatrie So that The Word of God from God and the great work of his power doth for the present put man to silence and convinceth him yet where the heart remains hardened and that the mysterie of Christ is hid from man he soon returns to his old vanitie and Idolatrie of his own heart Thus they are often convinced by the great Works of God Psal 16. Yet forgot how they were brought out of Egypt and walked not in the Covenant but returned tâ— their Lusts And the Pharisees in Christs time often put to silence but soon grew wise again to maintain there own Kingdom Yea how manie of his followers who saw his greaâ— Workes and confessed never man spake like him or did the like spake with such power and assurance and yet forsooke him see the stony ground and those of Judea 1. For ease and peace and prosperitie being offered and a man lothe to live without them they choak the VVord 2. The Knowledge of the Gospel without the power of Christ and his death hardens above all none such enemies to the simplicitie thereof 3. For if the Truth and Power of God be revealed yet if God keep not the Promise of Repentance by the Crosse so bring man under the power of that Word he soon starts up and becomes Wise and Righteous in himself not in Christ in the flesh not in Faith 4. Though for the present it dash man and convince him that he confesseth and sweareth that it is the truth yet when it both crosseth his present ease and libertie brings no life but death for the present he grows wearie unlesse the great power and love of God pursue his Soul by his Word and Crosse Hence comes so much back-sliding in the church that men admire the great Power of God yet not living in Repentance under the Crosse Every thing starts up and so they turn to the old way or a new device of their own but do not believe the down-fal of their Kingdom for the present For most men when they have talked and shewed abroad their Wisdom Righteousnesse and increased their Glorie they are the old men again The World is welcome and sweet Sin as light themselves at ease secure as they had never known such a thing 1. And yet they know their ease and securitie ariseth not out of simple confidence of Faith but hardnesse of heart and clothed under a vail of Religion 2. So it is a fearful thing to grow hardened after truth revealed that man joyn hands with the World that sin become lesse sinful in conceit This is a meer securitie and not Faith for if a man flie off and that the Word cease to judge man arraigned at Gods judgement seat For Christ hath two judgements in mans heart viz Judgement and Mercie so it is said Man must give an account of what he hath done Yea of every â—dle Word which is true in mans heart for they are judged and man tormented untill he apply to
Wisdom and Counsel in his Power Love Peace So that So the way of Christ in bringing man back from death to life is a wonderful way unknown to the World and Flesh only known by Christ in the Word of Truth Isa 55. 1. My wayes are not your wayes but look how far it is a wonderful way that he prescribes in Matth. 16. To denie our selves to take up his crosse lose our life It is called the mystery of the Kingdom for Genesis 3. He ordained that man should never by that way of the flesh enter into life but by another way that kills the flesh 2. The way of Christ is opposite to the way of the World that his glorie may appear For Israel by want of Faith stood in fear of the Armie of the Philistins but Jonathan and his Armour-bearer only discomfited by Faith a wonderful power of God 3. Thus God makes himself known in the earth by his great wonderful works now Christs way is wonderful not only in his birth in earth without a Father in Heaven without a Mother but also in his miracles which were great As in disputing at twelve years old and fasting fourtie dayes but also in his ministry that a silly man opposing the whole Hirarchie of the Pharisees and Jews yet spake with authority to the subduing of all so in his Apostles for the wonderful evidence of the Truth doth for the present dash all contrary power though afterward it rise again He is also wonderful in the administration of his Kingdom as he came to give us light that sat in darknesse and obscuritie 1. To give Life and yet he dyed himself and in Reason was overcome in death but that Faith believed the Resurrection 2. To make us Rich and yet he himself Poor 3. To make us free and himself bound 4. To comfort us and yet he himself cryed out for comfort My God my God why hast thou forsaken me It must needs be some wonderful way that Christ hath to worke a Redemption for me and this by an unspeakable power and love which is seen in all mans straits as in prayer and affliction temptation and death as 1. Man cryes and prayes to be eased like Paul for a prick in the flesh God hears by a secret power and grace and saith in Paul 2. In affliction he layes Load and yet preserves by feeling the Fathers love 3. In temptations justifies and yet we feel no killing of the flesh 4. Death comes and yet we live in him 1. Away then with that reasonable Religion Christs way is above that man hath a readie way of Religion to do well and know much and so hath an opinion in Flesh but not a stay to the Soul also a reason of love as his neighbour and friends but no reason to love Enemies It must be a wonderful power of Christ that must separate man from himself in reason it were likest that man should speed best that comes righteous to him but not so he that comes a sinner 2. We see then the necessitie of Faith and the nature of it that it is not a reasonable perswasion but a powerful cleaving to Christ no dealing with God but by Faith for Reason can make nothing of the wayes of Christ 3. Mâ—rvel then not though the World cannot away with it the Wisdom of the World counts it foolishnesse but Faith knows that Reason is a foolish counseller this is another title and propertie or declaration of the Wisdom of the Father that was with him he is the Counseller the Prophet of the Church to teach it Wisdom and guide it in the way of peace So that the Fountain of all wisdom and counsel is in Gâ—d and none wise in matter of Religion God but they that are wise in and truly know Christ In him are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge which are conveyed unto man as he believes waits for he is made of God to us wisdom and righteousnesse c. If any obey my will he shall know whether this Doctrine be of God 1. For he was in the bosom of the Father and sent out to counsel and advise deceived men to turn to God again 2. Man is blind even the wisest of the World the crosse of Christ is their greatest misery for it is foolishnesse to them and they cannot approve it but the World thinks not so for who are counted so wise as the children of this World who fight against God 1. So God hath shewed the way to prosper that is to believe trust and obey but the wicked say not buâ— cark care and oppresse but the way of life is a denial and losse of life and will But they say Save life and will for man will either find a way of his own oâ— help God in his way 2. Some are wise above the Gospel and Christ and will needs see into Gods Secrets with their fleshlie eyes as Arminius who will needs set rules and laws to God which neither Arminian or witty man can do it is the very quintessâ—nce of witt that under-propps man this more crosseth faith than anything the greatest Contemplatives the greatest Idolaters saith Luther 2. How lothe is man to be a fool but he would appear to be somewhat how he strains his Wit vents his conceits that he may appear to know Such a one knows more from curious searching and batâ—ing his brains than from Christ in the heart There is two Counsellers to man 1. Satan adviseth the Worldings to care deceive the Wanton to follow his pleasure the Drunkard his pots the Hypocâ—ite his righteousnesse yea as an Angel of light be shines as a false light to puff up himself 2. But Christ counselleth otherwise 1. To forsake the World and all 2. To believe in him alone 3. To love him 4. To love one another Wisdom without Christ can do nothing but fill the heads and that with conceits opinions but he is wise that is counselled by Christ yet attending on him in that blindnesse of his Soul by faith he shal be enlightned and know the will and secrets of the Lord but man will needs know these before the time An Exposition of some Verses of the fifth Chapter of Matthew the Quality Disposition of these that are Blessed BLessed are the pure in Spirit consisting in what state 1. The qualitie is pure in Spirit that is whose Spirits have nothing to rest on not comfort in it but worn out of all hope and stay in the Flesh is destitute of all help but waits onlie on relief on God So that He only whose heart is purged by the Word from all stayes and hopes in the Flesh is truly a Subject of mercy and shall be enriched and the only Guest at his Supper So the Prodigal we see the poor receives the Gospel the full stomack lotheth the honney-comb Isa 66. To him will I look that is of a contrite heart and humble
Soul So Religion the garment is the outward form of Actions Righteousness Holinesse the body is Truth Righteousnesse revealed to the Church apprehended by man but the Soul of it is the Spirit even God himself as the Garment and Body without the Soul are but dead Corps and so this without God So Paul distinguished man into Soul Body and Spirit by the Body the outward Masse of flesh the Soul the vital power and sensitive appetites and natural understanding by the Spirit the immortal or inward part in right disposing of which stands mans peace and happinesse For if the Bodie be in health and the Soul in Life amidst the fulnesse of its natural objects yet no rest unlesse the Spirit be satisfied also now when the Spirit of our minds is drawn by sensual power to bodily objects it wants Life But leaving all these being guided to and joyned to God and Christ it is then satisfied and the body cannot be nourished with the pleasure of the Soul without food nor the Soul with the food of the Body without its objects neither can the Spirit without them both without its proper objects food So that the confounding of these is the confusion unrest of the Soul And yet alace it is thus in the World men will needs joyn God and Dagon Christ and Mammon without any trust or thought of God at all like beasts Others keep a form of God after the flesh as they acknowledge his power and see his justice fear worship him with a far off worship but the heart bowes to Mammon loves and cleaves to him above all Nay believers joyn these together some put confidence in God but more in the World yea how soon after God hath shewed himself to man by his truth and love doth he joyn heart and hands with the World again So that indeed this eats out all Religion amongst us And for fleshly Wisdom how doth this draw from simple believing asking a reason disputing with him joyning the power of man the power of God so making mans free-will a worker with God So that it is that man believes not God True it is that man is the subject in whom God workes yet the life and power of believing working is in God and given to man by Faith according to the Promise and though Paul say They are workers together yet it is in regard of manifestation not of any power they had over the hearts of men Nay let this God of Israel be our only stay and lay Sauls Armour aside so man abiding in his simple and naked heart full of weaknesse like a Child waiting on Gods simple truth the Father will come but when man thinks to help God he mars all Neither is this a way to securitie but onlie unto those that pervert all truth unto their own destruction For this is not a secure resting at all adventures as though the forlorn child could sit down at all adventures and say It cannot help my self my Father must come or I must be lost but not sensible of his own misery and forlorn estate As the Prodigal seeks and cryes and prayes till he come this keeps him froâ— sleeping so with us So that Religion is a simple thing and cannot mix it self with any thing like the Truth that joynes to none till death but simply waits on God with Faith and Love But when man brings in Dagon and sets him up the Soul of man abhors it or is joyned to it or is deceived Then no bringing in of Religion into a fleshly mind but first Dagon must down then Religion will stand If ever it be offered to a Worldly mind it is not an unwelcome guesse for the Life of that Soul is elsewhere It is in the World and pleasures thereof but the Spirit is dead within them Dagon was fallen Thus the power of God destroyes the Idol So that Thus the Truth of God prevails against the Idol and will not suffer any thing to stand equal with God in mans heart Paul destroyed circumcision from Christ and Christ the young man his weapons taken from him his high thoughts pulled down And thus Gods warriours pulls down groves and destroyes Idols That God may thereby let man see the weaknesse of all power in the creatures This is the proper work of the Word to pull down high imaginations and lay them low as the valyes This truth discovers the vanitie of all the rest but we with the Philistins are still building up Dagon nay the Ark is not yet come to us because Dagon is yet standing But know that it must down So that mans happinesse is in the fall of the flesh and all the power thereof SERMON XXV Mark 14.27 I will smite the Shepherd and the Sheep shall be scattered CHrist by his death hath brough life this death was spoken of by the Prophets and often foretold by Christ and spoken of more at large and now is come by suffering to lose all that he may gain all after that he had comforted His Disciples and left them the pledge of his Love he Prophesies of the trouble that shall come to them hereby that they may now begin to suffer with him 1. Grievous wants and persecutions to the offending of all 2. That man shall not stand at that day by any power at all in man In the same he lets them see that this is the way they must still follow This is a sacrifice of his death whereby the same through Faith is confirmed to us He shews what shal become of the head and that they should be offended So that Though we live in the light of the Gospel and Sun-shine of Gods blessing yet there will come a day that will dash all and lay it in the dust So to David Abraham and the Rich Fool. For life gotten by the creature must be laid away Christ is the common stock of believers Woe to the World for all high mountains must down thy dearest object and thou must part When Israel was boasting of the Temple then was the Lord removing it from Shilo or destroying that new Jerusalem might come from heaven See how thou wilt do when this night comes we provide light fire and houses against cold and night but forget this night Let believers look for it in their greatest fulnesse and prosperitie for then will God take away these that he may be perfected in God I will smite the shepherd Yea Christ in the flesh that he may rest solely and simply in God Abraham and the Prodigal Paul I know none after the flesh by taking away fuel from it So that This is the way to bring man to God to purifie Faith to subdue the World and make Gods power known This he doth 1. In that great tribulation that lyes all on heaps 2. By his love that kills all at the heart but then we grow wise in the flesh to separate the confused heap 3. By the crosse
appoints work to his Servants and command the Porter to watch and thereupon applyes the parable and renews the caveat in these words wherein 1. A caveat for all to watch wait for death dooâ— 2. His reason from the uncertainty of the time thereoâ— 3. The danger of being taken unprepared lest he sin us sleepping 1. The master of the house viz Christ is gone into a fâ— Country viz. Far from the knowledge of all humaâ— fleshly wisdom and given authoritie to his Servants viz. to his Ministers to guide and govern his Churâ— and Houshold by his Word and Discipline to eveâ— man his work viz. His Word to husband and to waâ— in love and do good to all to further his glorie kinâ—dom as he gave the Vineyard to husbandmen viz. Hâ— Gospel and commanded the Porter to Watch viz. 〈◊〉 Ministers to watch â—ver the flock Therefore he bâ— both Ministers and people watch attend his comiâ— in faithfulness that so they waiting in Faith may â—ceive mercie So that The work of a believing heart and faithful servaâ— here is nothing else but a daily waiting of the will 〈◊〉 pleasure of the Lord by Faith and patience in love attending his coming by death and doom This Christ often gives in charge as Luk. 1.21 Mâ— 24. Luk. 12. And this Job practised 14.14 This Pâ— saw and waited for 1. Tim. 4. I am now ready tâ— offered and 2. Cor. 5. We sigh and groan desiring to go hence and he with the Lord and the Martyrs 1. For here we have no habitation but like Pilgrims in tents 2. For God hath sent us hither a while to accomplish his Will according to his Word but our abiding hereafter is eternal not to build a rest here or think our houses shall continue but to wait on his coming when we shall have the reward and doom that lasteth for ever We see it in all faithful Servants how careful they are to have all in a readinesse when the Master comes home and the Maid how doth she sweep and wash and scoure that her Mastres may find all right but the carelesse they sport and ravel and spend and waste on their Lusts and when they have done lye down and sleep and say Nay the Master will be long before he come 1. And thus it fareth with the secure World we watch all opportunities but this When a man hath a great businesse to do O! how he museth and thinketh and studieth night and day be it suâ—e in Law or an other project or danger upon the event whereof depends his making or undoing how doth hâ— neglect no inferiour businesse He runs and rides bâ— spares no pains against that day that he may be pr vided for good issue And have we any greater busi esse than this yea when he hath a sum of monie to pay how he cares casts about And is not here a great account to make nay how do we watch for a fair day in harvest and ply our time and yet this great businesse we heed not 2. Nay nothing ill make us wait on God but the Crosse as to the Disciples Do we watch to get out of the World or rather to run farther into it As it was in the dayes of Noah so now nay worse For now the World is drowned in carelesness witness our excessive drinkings and endlesse drunkennesse our too common trade of userie and oppression our neglect of the Word and Sacraments that we watch nothing but our lusts and pleasures Mammon and our own Wills and like these waste our Masters goods and strike our Fellow-servants and withold a portion from the poor Will not the Lord of the Church call for a reckoning for these and if we be taken in these woe unto us We know what is the hire of such faithless Servants We watch the plague to prevent death but we wait not on God to meet death we watch the enemies of our Land that we be not surprized but we have an enemie within that will overthrow us We provide against famine and yet our selves pine Now this watching is not any power in man to preserve himself but sensible of his own weaknesse to preserve himself and longing to be with Christ 1. That we wait in Faith upon the Word of Christ believing the promise though we see nothing but miserie and death yet expecting life and freedom according to that Word 2. That we be working in love and obedient to his Will not seeking or serving our own Lusts even so as we would have Christ to finde us when he comes 3. Truely knowing our own danger the strength of the Devil and the World over us daily drawing us to forget this day That which Christ said come is or should be the care of all our Watch. 1. If our love were to Christ would we not wait for him as the Wife for her Husband and the Child for the Father 2 If we knew our danger we would not sleep and suffer our House to be broken up 3. If we bâ—â—leve the nearnesse or uncertainty of his coming We would watch better For we know not when our Master will come So thâ— in this we see the reason viz. The uncertainty of thâ— tâ—me of his coming 1. The certainty of his coming that the Master will return Death and Doom shall light upon all 2. That he will come at an unset time when the World is secure 3. That none shall escape it 4. That everie one shall be accountant No escaping of this day for as the balliff it pursues man though he flee as a Traitor and having arrested him Phisicians nor friends cannot bail him but he must dye When the Scripture speaks of this day it seems to hasten it aâ— though it were at hand even on our necks as Dan. 7.9 10. And Paul upon whom the ends of the World are come And Peter The end of all things are at hand but of that day knows no man The Father hath put them in his own power So that The dayes of man are only numbred of God and the hour of death unknown to man but he will come when he thinks least thereof When they cry Peace peace c. And yet it cannot belong to any and for the general day all the Prophesies of Christ are near fulfilled as the spreading of Error and Heresies Wars Plagues and Prodigies are now abroad Faith scarcely found trade of iniquitie in growth Love extinct And if the Gospel be preached through the World it may be before we parte this place 1. How fond are they then that will calculate this day as the Heathen of old by their Chimick year and golden number fifteen thousand years as also the Chiâ—eans in Austins time Who said It should be four hundred years after the Ascension and Papists by the â—oming of Anti-Christ who was to be of the Tribe of Dan and reign three years and a half in Jerusalem and subdue all the World
drink In all the tears he shed Thus water washt and burning blood did cleanse In one baptism so for to dispense Water and blood distinguish we may so In two though one and so there be no moe Baptisms but one which cleanseth sin away By Jesus in his water and blood for ay For God in three distinguished may be And yet but one there is in verity Thus we may drink with Christ his water so In watry tears and unto blood may go And drink thereof to take with him a sup Though two yet is but one devincing cup. SELF CIVIL WAR I Sing not Priam nor the Siege of Troy Nor Agamemnon's War with Thestis Joy I sing my self my Civil Wars within The Victories I hourly loose and win The daily battel the continual strife The Wars that end not till I end my life And yet not mine alone not only mine But every on 's that's under the honor'd Sign Of Christs his Standard shall his Name inroul With holy vows of body and of soul Vouchsafe O Father succour from above Courage of Soul comfort of heavenly love Triumphant Captain glorious General Furnish me Arms from thine own Arsenal O sacred Spirit my Sp'rits assistant be And in this Conflict make me conquer me Vertue I love I lean to vice I blame This wicked World yet I embrace the same I climb to Heaven I cleave to the earth both I love my self and yet my self I loath Peaceless I peace pursue in Civil War With and against my self I joyn I jar I burn I freeze I fall down I stand fast Well ill I sare I glorie though disgrac't I dye I live I triumph put to flight I feed on cares in tears I take delight My slave base brave I serve I run at large In libertie yet ly in Jaylours charge I strike I stroke my self I kindly ken Worke mine own woe rub gall rouse my spleen Oft in my sleep to see rare dreams I dream Wakeing mine eye doth scarce discern a beam My mind strange Megrim whirling to and fro Now trusts me hither thither doth me throw Into diverse fractions I my self divide And all I trie I fly on every side What I but now desir'd I now disdain What late I weigh'd not now I wish again To day to morrow this that now annon All nothing crave I ever never one But Combitant unreadie for the field To tardie take I after wounds my shield Still hurled headlong to unlawful things Down-dragging vice me easily downward dings But sacred vertue climbs so hard and high That hardly can I her steep steps descrie Both right and wrong to me indifferent are My Lust is law what I desire I dar Be there so foul a fault so fond a fact Which follie asking furie dare not act But artless heartless in religious cause To do her lessons to defend her Laws The all proof Armmour of my God I loose Fly from my charge and yield it to my foes Guilty of sin sins punishment I shun But not the guilt before the offence be done For how could shunning of a Sin â—nsue To be the occasion of another new Oft and again at the same stone I trip As if by falling I learned not to slip Alive I perish and my self undo Mine eyes self-willing wise and witting too Sick to my self I run for my relief More sicker of my Physick than my grief For whilest I seek my swelting thirst to swage Another thirst more ragingly doth rage Whiles burnt to death to coole me I desire With flames my flames with sulphure quench I fire Whil'st that I strive my swelling waves to stop More stormilie about they toss my top Thus am I cur'd this is my common ease My med'cine still worse than my worst disease My sores with sores my wounds with wound I heal Whilst to my self my self I still conceal And O! what leagues what truces make I still With Sin with Satan and my wanton will What slight occasions do I take to Sin What silly crimes am I entraped in What idle cloaks for crimes what nets to hide Notorious sins already long descri'd I writ in ice winds witness sign'd with showres I will redeem my Soul lif 's former hours But soon the swing of custome whirl-wind-like Rapting my passions ever fashion sike Transports me to the contrarie alone Faint guard of goodnesse armless Champion My green-sick tast doth nothing sweeter finde Then what is bitter to a gracious minde Egypts fat flesh-pots I am longing for The eternal Manna I do here abhor Worlds Monarch Mammon Dropsie mystical Crown'd round fac't Gods I joyn Beliall Mydar's desire the misers only trust The sacred hunger of Pactolian dust Gold gold bewitches me and frets accurst My greedy throat with more then Dipsian thirst My mind 's a gulf whose gaping nought can stuff My heart a hell that never hath enough The more I have I crave the lesse content In store more poor in plentie indigent For of those Cates how much soe're I crâ—m It doth not stop my mouth but stretch the same Sweet useries infâ—stuous interest For Dollors dolours hoordeth in my Chest The world's slave confits and the minds sweet pleasure Insatiat both both boundless botâ— past measure This Cleopatra that Sardonaple For huge annoy's brings joy's both short and smal O! miracle begot by Heaven in Earth My mind divine my bodie brute by birth O! what a monster am I to depaint Half friend half fiend half savage half a saint Higher than my fier doth my grosse earth aspire My raging flesh my restlesse force doth tyre And drunk with wordly lusts deep sunk in sleep My sp'rit the spye that warie watch doth keep Betrayes at last woe that I trust it so My Souls dear kingdom to her deadlie soe Through â—aâ—es Caribdis and through gulfs of grief Star-la-board run I sailing all my life In merrie sorrie seas with wind at will My Ship my flesh my sense my Pilots still As in a most seditious common-well Within my breast I feel my lust rebell Against their Prince my furious people use Their awlesse Prince dare his own Law despise Mine Er's an out-law and my struggling Twins Jacob and Esau never can be friends Such deadlie feed such discord such despight Ever 'twixt brethren such continual sight What done in me another doth not I Yet both alace my guest and enemie My mind unkind sub-ordin'd by my soe Indeed within me but not with me tho Near yet far off in fleshly count be fyl'd And with the worlds contagious filth defil'd I am too narraw for my own desires My self desires me what my flesh requires Fearful I hope careful secure I languish Hungrie too full drye drunken sugred anguish Wearie of life merrie of death I suck Wine from my Punice honie from the rock Disorder'd order mournful merriment Dark-day Dooms-day dull double diligent Infamous fame known errour skilless skill Mad mind rood reason an unwilling will A healthie plague a wealthie want poor treasure A pleasant torment a tormenting pleasure An odious love an uglie dentie base Reproachful honour a disgraceful grace On thoâ—ns my Graps on garlick grows my Rose On crums my sums from flint my fountain flows In showres of tears mine hours of fears I mourn My looks to btooks my beams to streams I turn Yet in this torrent of my torments rise I suck annoyes and drink the joyes of life A fruitless tree a drie deflowered flower A feeble force a conquered conquerour A fickly health dead life a restless rest These are the comforts of my soul distrest O how I like dislike desire disdain Repell repeal lothe and delight again O what whome wither neither flesh nor fish How wearie of my life again I wish I will I nill I nill I will my mind Perswading this my mood to that 's inclin'd My loose affections Proteus like appears In everie form at once it frowns and flears Mine ill good-will is vaine and variable My Hydras flesh buds heads innumerable My mind 's a grief a Labyrinth my reason Mine eye false spy the door to fancies treason My rebell sense self soothing still affects What it would fly what it would ply neglects My flothing hope with passions storms is tost Even now to heaven ev'n then to hell almost Concording discord doth my life sustain Discording concord kills me soon again My self at once I both displease and please Without my self my self I faine would ease For my too much of me me much annoy'd And my self plentie my poor self destroyes Who seeks me in me in me shall not finde Me as my self Hermaphrodite in mind I am at once Male Female Neuter yet What ere I am I cannot minde I weet I am not with my self as I conceive Wretch that I am my self my self deceive Unto my self I do my self betray I from my self banish my self away My self agrees not with my self a jot Knows not my self I have my self forgot Against my self I have mov'd wars unjust I trust my self and I my self distrust My self I follow and my self I fly Besides my self and in my self am I. My self am not my self another same Unlike my self and like my self I am Self sons self furious and thus way-ward else I cannot live with nor without my self FINIS
A BUNDLE OF Soul-Convincing Directing and Comforting Truths clearly deduced from diverse select Texts of holy Scripture and practically improven both for Conviction and Consolation BEING A brief Summary of several Sermons preached at large by that faithful and pious Servant of Jesus Christ M. RODGER BREIRLY Minister of the Gospel at Grindleton in Craven Matth. 11 25 26. I thank thee O Father Lord of Heaven and Earth because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent and hast revealed them unto Babes Even so Father for so it seemed good in thy sight LONDON Printed by J. R. for Samuel Sprint in litle Brittain 1677. An Epistle to the READER CHristian Reader concerning Roger Breirley the Author of these following Notes of the heads of some several Sermons by him more fully Illustrated in his publick Ministry I desire to say something to thee of his Life and Message that he witnessed As also to give thee an account of the Ground and Rise of this Word Grindletonism by which many men of the World as adverse parties styled his Followers Concerning his Life and Conversation therein it was as became the Gospel of Jesus Christ and comely in the eyes of the Sons and Daughters of Sion and beautiful in the Streets of that Citie so that none could lay any shame thereon As for his Message that was given him for to declare to the World it was mighty and piercing to the laying open in the very Heart and Conscience of man the most secret and hidden things of dishonesty though never so closely infolded in the deepest mistery of iniquitie so as many yea and many that stood fenced in the Field with the Weapons of their own self-righteousness in the flesh and the Covenant of works fell wounded to the very ground and were found to be of Sinners the chiefest And to this I bear record such was the Penetrating Power of God in his Ministration that if thousands were before him under it in very few hours discourse every mans several Condition whether under Light or Darknesse should have been spoken to layed open bare and naked that every one might truely have confessed in their several conditions that the Word was spoken to them in particular For what was done acted in every mans heart and spirit was there openly related revealed that all might read their seven-fold abominations So that in a word for much more here might be related none either in their Gentilish Nature nor in their self on taken Jewish Righteousnesse nor in any formal way either to Law or Gospel could stand tâ—â—ir ground if they dealt truely with themselves but they â—â—ll convicted under his Message for it was not in word only but in the Power of God to take away from Man the whole stay staff of his own Breaâ— that every House might be lest without inhabitant man lying desolate might sit in silence upon the ground whereunder many gave out this witnesse that God was in him of a truth And not only so but mighty powerful was his Ministration in the evident demonstration of the Holy Ghost to bear witnesse in to the desolate weary forlorn hopless broken heart of man sentenced unto death of that unchangeable love in the faithful Promise of the healing Covenant of God established in with Jesus Christ against which Sin Death Satan the father of lyes should not prevail to blast curse but it should arise the blessing of his own free love to sit above them all in true dominion by the witness of the Holy Ghost sent down in faithfulnesse from above to comfort the desolate needy poor beggerly heart of man writing the Law of Life in his heart thaâ— he shall not dye but live where whose eye is so opened by the living Faith begotten of the Incorruptible Word he maâ— Run and Read in the same place where be Read the blood Lynes of Death the Lynes of Gods unchangeable Love Blessing which is only perfect to cast out of the Conscience Heart of man all fear torment whatsoever Saying Rise up walk for thy sins are forgiven thee And thâ— his Ministration being as I may say in the Authoriâ—â— Power of the living God not as the Ministratioâ— that stands only in the Art Wisdom Eloquence of Maâ— it drew hearers from divers places about several miles 〈◊〉 stant to wait on his Ministry Some in goâ—d will hungeing thirsting travelling in birth under the stroâ— of the powerful Word untill the living Seed we brought forth by the Spirit of Life in open view in the hearts to give unto them that Bread that should enduâ— unto eternal Life the taste whereof made their Spirits dance for joy caused them to tell it out unto others whâ— they had seen heard handled that they also migâ—â— come and taste of the same love of God The Eccho Faâ—â—â— whereof went diversly abroad Some saw heard the wâ—ders of God and believed others astonished went aâ—â— wondering that they never heard any preach like hiâ— And many others came to hear see what should cause such strange reports seeking to catch something that they might report also Whereupon mistake went abroad and great contentions stirred up and jealouses fixed in mens minds that some great Heresee as a monster would appear when indeed the living Truth only appeared to the Children thereof although those against him could not see it but dayly sought to compare it with some new or old Errours Heresies And when they sought accusations from this Authors Doctrine could find none being in the hearing of it silenced that they had nothing to say against it yet to shewtheir minds what good will they bare to him in his Message to those who did embrace it because they could not well stile them by the name of Breitlists finding no fault in his Doctrine they then styled his Hearers by the name of Grindletonians by a name of a Town in Cravan called Grindleton where this Author did at that time exercise his Ministry thinking by his name to render them odious and brand them for some kind of Sectaries but they could not tell what Sect to parallel them to Hence rose the name Grindletonism And yet they rested not with this nicknaming but raised aspersions against this Author informing the High-Commission against him who sent their commands to bring him up to York where he was kept in prison for a while during which time fifty Articles were exhibited by his Adversaries against him before them which when he came to his tryal not one of them directly proved against him Whereupon after a Sermon preached by him at the Cathedral he was dismissed and liberty by L. Bishop Tobias Matthews granted to exercise his Ministry as formerly who after much travel and pains in witnessing the glad tidings of Salvation ended his Natural Life at Burnlaie in Lancashire after whose Death these few Head-notes of
nor profit but only the maintenance of the Truth of the Gospel viz. Faith in Christ only and Love to all men So that this being their example Note that Faith in Christ and simple Love to Man is the very Summe of the Gospel and the Life of all Religion in the heart of Man Gal. 5. Faith works by love 1. Tim. 1. The end of the Commandment is love out of a pure heart a good Conscience and faith unfeigned all else ver 7. is dross and dung This is the summe of all Pauls Epistles This Paul to Tim calls the spirit of faith love and a sound mind Thus Paul thanks God for to the Col. the Faith and love to all Saints c. 1. For these destroy Self Righteousness and Self Confidence and Self Love which are the poyson of all Religion viz. Self Witt and Self Will these Adam got and therein opposed God 2. For by Faith he is made a Lord over all things that will suffer nothing to start up in the Church and in his Heart but Christ and by Love he is servant to all and plyable and servant to every one By the one he is freed with God and by the other amongst men 3. By Faith he that had thought to live in and by himself through the Law comes to dye in himself and to live in and by another 4. Nay all Religion without these is nothing but meer opinion and conceit whereby the heart is puffed up and so not fit for mercy and also tyed to himself and his own good Minde the Religion of Christ was it any thing but a denying of himself and cleaving to the Father and giving himself to the Church in love yea to his very Enemies Which Faith and Love is nothing else but a partaker so of himself and his own weaknesse Sin and Death thereby that he can believe and trust nothing in himself or the world but only the Word of God and in that weakness waits on Christ and meere Mercy and cut of that dislike of himself and love to that he sees in Christ loves all judgeth none but himself 1. How far are we then from Christs Religion when all our Religion is 1. Either in Fire of questions and disputations about this and that Opinion maintaining of our singular conceits wherein we seem to excel others in knowledge whereby true love is drowned quite 2. Or in some singular conceit of quality and disposition which we conceive in our selves and thereby grow proud and despise Christ and trample mercy under our feet 3. Or in high roveing conceits of the eternal Deity Majesty and Power and Secret Will and Purpose of God without Christ whereby the heart is hardened 4. Or in the Notion of the Gospel and Christ and faith without the power thereof gloriously vaunting of deep Mysteries But in all these the thing is wanting viz. an humble low believing and loving heart like unto Christ 1. Thus in all these man leaves his own heart and followes his heady opinion he forsakes Christ and pleaseth himself with his own qualities turnes from the word and followes vain speculations denyes the Faith and lives by the flesh 2. Know then that whatever would draw thee from Christ and his Truth is not the Doctrine of God whatever sets up man and makes him any thing but a Sinner is not the doctrine of Christ but of the Devil and Antichrist for it destroyes faith Pray we then that the Doctrine of the Gospel even of Faith and Love may be continued pure in the Church For Maus Wit and Reason will gather a thousand Errors out of Gods Truth viz. when it will not be content to become a fool but will needs comprehend a spiritual Truth and determine thereof according to its own Principles and Judgement Then it brings a world of absurdities for all errors have risen out of the Wit of fleshly minded men for the Spirit leads unto all Truth And I fear there will arise men of perverse minds to pervert the truth of the Gospel some to their carnal liberty some to the establishing of a righteousnesse and power in man without Christ bear we the Infirmities of men But take heed of false Doctrine in the Church for this is the worst of all And I pray God that many alive do not see that the Truth of the Gospel be turned into the Mysterie of Iniquitie and a greater Mysterie of spiritual wickednesse than yet we have seen Sed magna Veritas praevaletâ— Great is the Truth and prevaileth 4. But the kindly effect of the Gospel is to establish these two in the heart of man viz. to bring all things down in man by the Crosse of Christ and so lay him low under thee feet of all For the Gospel is a low thing Faith is a low thing though mighty in Christ and Love is a low thing Therefore all high flowen Chimical Divinity is the Doctrine of Satan and not of Christ And therefore if man be brought under the power hereof then will Christ be precious to him and his Word will be the Life and Treasure of his Soul because man hath nothing to stay him in his deep humility but only he And then will man love a man because he is a man and not because he is of my opinion or good to me or of my way or linage but loves as Christ did yea h s very Enemies As you have us for an example viz. Us in whom you see the Truth of the Gospel to rule and to walk according to the same who seek Christs Kingdom not ours So that He walks safely who truly feeling his own weaknesse and believes man for the Truths sake and not the Trâ—uâ—h for mans sake Follow me as I follow Christ But many were drawn away by the Error of the wicked For man having a good conceit of another is apt to believe what he saith for he believes that God is with him and so falls into odd opinionâ— 1. Better we should never preach than that the Gospel should be believed for our sakes Can we that are nothing buâ— error add to the Truth of God nay if God be not with us and guide us we shall tell a thousand lies for Truth 2. But woe be to that man who becomes by his example a perverter of the Brethren either for matter of Faith or Life or Liberty It had been better he had â—ever been born Take heed then how we depend on â—an there is one man for all even the man Christ Who is the way the truth and the life follow him in the way oâ— faith and love of whom I have told you often because of the danger thereof mans weaknesse So that Man is apt and weak of himself to be drawn into an â—vil way of error and hardly to believe the truth and â—tick thereto 1. For he is blind of understanding apt to believe any thing that may further his fleshly Kingdom â—oath to believe any thing that
iâ— sent into the World to reveal it to man We know not the mind of God but we have the mind of Christ 2. All other handles the Word deceitfully and is nothing but the teaching of the Serpent to draw man from God 3. He hath gone the way himself others have but seen it in a map 1. But there are manie false Teachers and Preachers in the World As Satan preacheth liberty unto sin the World riches and careing and fleshlie pleasures But these are not the Doctrine of the Christ 2. Others will be wise in heavenlie doctrine by fleshlie wisdom and so think by art and learning to compasse it and so transcend above Christ and lyes not low with him 3. Others teach Christ to be a Law-giver and so frame a righteousnesse in seeming obedience but knows not the power of his death and life 1. As the drunkard to wallow in pleasure and live like a beast at the stale didst thou learn this at Christ 2. The wordling carking caring gathering didst thou learn that at Christ who had not his kingdom here 3. The proud vain glorious that looks for respect did Christ teach thee that Who pulls down every high thought 4. The malicious striving contentious man did Christ so Nay the Doctrine of Christ was 1. To pull down man and lay him low and exalt God and the power of his truth 2. To Crosse the World and stablish Faith 3. To kill the Flesh and stablish patience to destroy Lust and stablish Love But we like noâ— this doctrine it gives no liberty to the Flesh hereby all false doctrine is detected For I am meek and lowly in heart so should you be So that Lowelie meek-minded men who are humbled in themselves and daily judge their own unworthinesse shall enjoy most rest unto their Souls Christ reviled not again Mat. 5. Blessed are the meekâ— And a meek and quiet Spirit is much set by He that humbles himself shall be exalted the whole Gospel runâ— on this string 1. For they are fitted to bear all estates 2. Nothing vexeth man but Pride and unquietnesse of his own mind when he looks for this and that and strives cares and frets and no rest 3. He lives by meer mercie having no good thought of himself 1. This is not a softnesse of nature fretting within 2. Nor a Pharisaical hanging down the head like a bul-rush as Isa 6.8 3. Nor a lurking like a dog under a cudgile But a true understanding of himself and his own vilenesse which brings down pride judgeth himself justifie others applyant mind readie to suffer all and passe by them SERMON IV. Luke 2.8 9 10. And there were in the same countrey shepherds abiding in the field and watching their flocks by night And the Angel of the Lord came upon them and the glory of the Lord shone about them and they were sore afraid c. IN the former verses hath been laid down the birth of Christ and the manner thereof According to the prophesies gone of him before Here is laid down the manifestation hereof to the world It was the greatest message that ever was brought into the World and the most unliklie to be believed by the World That a poor infant born of poor Parents so disrespected in the World that they could not be admitted to come into the Inne but born in a stable and laid in a manger wrapped in a few cloaths And this now revealed to the poor shepherds in the fields and by them reported to the men of Bethlem When the Church being then in trouble and bondage looked for some great and glorious Messiah to come with great pompe and power to work deliverance for them and this must be the man raised up by the power of God to be the light of the Gentiles and the glorie of Israel We celebrate this Feast in remembrance of this great Savior and worker of deliverance Like that of Purim in Esther But we consecrate it to Bacchus not to Christ in Rioting and Drunkennesse in Chambring Wantonnesse c. And not in povertie of Spirit and humility with Christ but in pride and fullnesse of the World Our joy is not in communion with Christ in his birth and death but in liberty to the Flesh forgetting of all O if Christ should come as he will come and find us thus One swilling and drinking another carding and dicing another whoring And all under pretence of love to him Would he take it well O no! Christ was born in a time and manner little looked for by the World and yet in a time of great need For the Church was now grown to a low ebb From Ezraâ—s Nehemiahs time after the second Temple and one during the time of the Maccabees They suffered great persecution darknesse as Heb. 11. For now they had no more Prophesies but a very vaiting on the word of Promises Yea now according to Jacobs Prophesie the Scepter was departed from Judah and they Tributaries to the Romans And now was the time though not known to the World not expected yet now the fullnesse of time being come Christ is sent Thus God dealeth in the Kingdom of Christ So that God hath a time reserved in his own purpose for deliverance and redemption of man which he sends not when and how he lastingly expects but only to be waited one by lowly Faith in tâ—e word of Truth which shall come when man in Flesh and sense sees least reason and least expects it When thou brought again the captivity of Jacob or Sion we were as them that dream Hab. 2. The vision is for an appointed time and the prodigal little looked for intertainment 1. For so God deals in all that he may be magnified For to the wicked he comes in judgment when they are eating and drinking and cry peace peace and to believers in mercy when they cry woe and misery bondage and death 2. He hath given a sure Word of the Prophets to be attended on For the time he hath in his own power and that time is worth waiting on in Faith and Patience 3. It is not mans device and work that can haften his time Not going up to Heaven nor down to Hell but abiding in the word of truth being near even in our hearts Thus we would all fain hasten the time As in the Church there was great expectation yea Abraham desired to see this day So we all would know where when and how But the Kingdom of Christ comes not with observâ—tion 1. If we be in miserie we think too long and murmure Thy desire God sees but thy Impatience he likes not He will answer thy desires and longing but he will make thee First willing to bear his Indignation Yea and we no sooner begin to feel the smart of our guilt a little but we think Christ should presentlie come nay but we must pay tribute and be taxed and feel Repentance and the bitternesse thereof and wait in
cover 1. Either Beastly or Epicurian securitie Or 2. A Pharisaical pride either man is drowned in the World or Prided in conceits and hardened in both 2. But know God will bring to light every secret thing though we put off and care not to meddle with him though we flatter think to please him though we be righteous and think to stand before him yet he hath somewhat to say A certain man had two debtors Here under a Parable he shews tâ—e state of all men in Adam and in Ch ist The first in the two debtors that are not able to pay and so bound over to death and bondage The second in free grace forgiving both with the effect of love thereupon Two debtors the one owing five hundred pence the other fifty This difference he speaks according to Simons judgement for he justified himself before her as much as five hundred differs from fifty though in respect of God and Original guilt all are alike Yet in the eye of the World and by multiplying actual transgression increased the guilt bondage and so did differ but both debtors as all men are So that All men yea every Son of Adam through Original sin guilt of everie heart are debtors to God and bound over to death and destruction which we must pay and suffer unlesse Gods mercy and free grace in Christ do free us Rom. 3. We have all sinned and are equally deprived of the glory of God Eph. 2. We are all by nature the children of Wrath. Rom. 13.2 There is a law of Sin and Death from which we are fred only by the Law of the Spirit in Christ Jesus Gal. 3. Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things c. And to Adam In the day that thou eats thereof thou shalt die Rom. 14.1 The wages of sin is death And see it in the Prodigal 1. The Law of righteousnesse which God cannot forsake requires it that he that will not live in God shall have no life as to Adam Much more he that would in his heart pull God out of his Throne and sit there himself as Absolom 2. All men in Adam are so estranged from God in the ground of their hearts that they are direct fighters against God in all things for when we should trust love fear obey him mans heart forsakes him and runs to every thing rather 3. For if there were not a debt and poverty to be suffered there needed no forgivenesse But we pray daily forgive us our debts O Lord. 4. Nay all men know this and therefore flie from God and his judgement as the debtor from his creditor who though for the present he is quiet and hath enough yet debt and fear lyes on him for future times because he knows a reckoning day will come so we Yea the very Heathen fear this that believe the mortalitie of the Soul and labour by moral righteousnesse to pay the debt but all in vain 1. And know that this debt and death his not this or that misguided action but the very original springing fountain of rebellion guilt in the heart whence spring all these little streams from that great and filthy Fountain For all actual sins are properly against men which may be discharged As if I wrong any man I may restore and make a mends c. But by this a mans heart fights against God daily as when he saith he is just powerful fears not but thinks to shift it that he is merciful we need it not but shall live in freedom and will mend the matter and pay him his own But the believing heart that knows himself is still a debtor because that he feels that although he guide well be prevented from many actual Rebellions and be partaker of Gods grace that he shall not taste of judgement yet he feels such a spring of Rebellions mis guided passions that he is still a debtor and daily cryâ—s for mercie and so Repentance and Faith are preserved O! What a vile and miserable thing is man and yet dreams of no such thing Other creatures owe debt to man and daily live in service and subjection and pay it and when they die all is discharged But man lives in joy freedom when he dies all is to pay and he cast into utter darknesse to pay the uttermost farthing 2. Whence then is all this pride and vain boasting whence is all this Sleepinesse Security and Peace in the World whence is this judging and censuring of others whence is this boasting and high thoughts of our gifts and abilities Is not bondage our daily burden and death and misery the portion that we look for fear Did not Paul cry out for deliverance from the body of this death and yet we live in life and seeks no deliverance Was not he a dead man in himself and Christ lived in him and yet we alive to our selves and Christ dead to us Therefore till man believe and know this not by discourse but believing the word of Truth and finding it in himself he believes nothing at all if man believe this it would lay him as the dust in himself and dash all toyes and joyes in the World make him pitiful to others 3. But alace man turns all believing into Fleshly knowing thereby keeps off his own misery like a drunken man that besots himself that he may ease himself a while of the fear of that debt he cannot pay For this fore-knowing of man prevents believing and ever lifts up man never pulls him down makes him righteous in himself not a sinner hardens the heart but never humbles it 4. But know that man must know feel this one day when it will be too late when he shall know nothing but misery like a debtor in the Guoile who runs his mis-pent time must not see his friends nor walk abroad but pine to death sorrow so with us at death And when they had nothing to pay Here comes greater misery viz. That there is left to no man power to free himself So that No power nor possibility in man by any witty invention high speculation or highest holinesse to free his mind of guilt to ease his bondage to flie misery o escape death but in the sense of all weaknesse miserie to cry daily for mercy and wait for deliverance in another We are redeemed not with corruptible things c. So the Prodigal And because there was no power in man he laid help on one that was mighty among the People wherefore else came Christ into the World but because there was none else able to tread the Wine presse of his wrath 1. For the wisdom of man is foolishnesse his strength weaknesse his righteousnesse as a filthy rag His sacrifice abominable Israel was not able to help themselves at the Read-Sea 2. Nay the promise runs upon such as have no money or heavy laden blind and poor in
be representative as Bellarmine Herson c. 3. But the Jesuits of late fearing this would prejudice the Popes Supremacy too much concludes it is the Church Vertual the Pope only or alone And so while they boast of the Church their Mother they mean nothing else but the Pope their Father What foundation can there be here for man to rest on But we have a sure word of the Prophets and a sure foundation Jesus Christ than which none other caâ— be laid 1. The ground then of all uncertainty in all thingâ— is because we build without this foundation One man layes a foundation in the World another in Wisdom another in righteousnesse and uncertain in all 2. Take heed of stumbling at this stone 1. Either at his sufferings as Peter the Disciples at his death 2. Or at his poverty and low estate as the Wordling Matthew 19. and 21. 3. Or at his mercy and love as the Pharisees that judged him 4. Or at his Holiness crossing our lusts 3. See the certainty of believers 1. They have a sure foundation a tryed stone that abides the storm a precious stone full of treasure a corner-stone that joyns altogether in love He that believes makes not haste or shal not be confounded For he seeks no vain shifts but sits in death darknesse by faith waiting and sticking to this foundation till the light shine out of darknesse So that The only rest to man in all straits is the sticking to Christ by faith and waiting on the promise which shall be fulfilled in time Abraham waited four hundred and thirty years Israel seventy in Babylon Isa 30. Your strength is to sit still 1. For God hath set a time appointed for every work like a nurse which hides her self from the child till it thinks it hath lost her yet still hears its cryes and comes in time 2. God knowes it is best for a man to keep him under as yet till his will be subued and lust abated 1. But the blind World will needs run before their guide and will now have it and so forsake God and his Promise 2. Weaklings who would have rest assoon as they feel any disquietnesse 3. Others that will see things before they fall and stumble for the present 4. Wait thou weary heart make no haste Fly not off to any other shifts nor fix on none other foundation This will be able to keep thee from drowning he that hath kept thee hitherto is able to keep thee still and he that cometh will come and will not tarry SERMON XI Isai 39.5 Then said Isaiah to Hezekiah Hear the Word of the Lord of Hosts Behold the dayes come that all that is in thine house and all that thy Fathers have laid up in store until this day shall be carried into Babylon c. VVHen Hezekiah had overcome the great Hoste of the King of Assyria he fell sick received a message from the Lord that he must die Whereupon he fell into great heavinesse and prayed unto the Lord and wept sore So that The sentence of Death is fearful unto man if the great and mighty hand of the love of God do not mightily uphold him so to Christ 1. For this is the last enemy to be destroyed this takes away all staâ—s helps in the flesh at once We all play with it as with a dead snake and make a covenant therewith but when it comes on us with open mouth it shakes the heart of the best if God do not mightily preserve him 2. But if the wrath of God the guiltinesse of our hearts the end of our dayes come all at once O whither then shall man flee O that man but saw and believed his own mortality How would it pull down the pride of man and make the World little in his eyes and that man would but see himself on his Death-bed How fearful is that destroying Angel and Messenger of Death or the Plague when it comes to any place to them that are round about it After this the Lord hard his cry and saw his tears and gave him assurance of his life for fifteen years with a sign of the Suns standing still for more assurance which goodnesse of God he acknowledgeth in his Writing from chapter 38. 9 to the end Wherein he shews both the misery he was in Gods deliverance as ver 15. c. What shall I say he hath spoken unto me himself hath done it I shall walk humbly in sense of my own weaknesse as knowing my life is in his hand Then he acknowledgeth Gods truth and Power O Lord by these viz. thy Word and Power men live my spirit hath life in these and that all this was of meer mercy for in peace I had great heavinesse but in love to my soul thou hast delivered me from the pit cast all my sins behind thy back Yet after all these experiences his recovery see how he falls to the World to be lifted up in his fleshly portion in shewing all his store to the servants of the King of Babylon such a vile creature is man So that That after so many experiences of his love power wrath yet by a little ease and peace in the flesh shakes hands again with the World and becomes lifted up thereby to the forgetting of his God So with Israel evermore when they had ease So with David in the matter of Uriah 1. For the world blinds the eyes of man hides the glory of the Gospel by the glory of the world that he is lifted up feels nothing of mercy power in another 1. We see this in experience How soon doth man forget his misery and bitternesse of his soul the goodnesse â—nd power of God the weaknesse of himself dotteth in a fools Paradise yea and quite runs away from that Word he once believed and sound life in fixeth upon that store he hath gotten when as alace all his store yea and life too was in the hand of God even newly delivered How soon is that faithful confidence forgotten those Purposes resolutions of miserable men quite at an end We cryed O that God would deâ—iver us and he sâ—ould be our God for ever and preâ—ently we chuse another 1. So that no keeping of Faith Comfort in God but â—y preserving of humility sense of death in our selâ—es for as we die to the World so we live to God but if â—e live to the World we die to God 3. See the danger of prosperity viz. of raising up of a mans heart without God in carnal confidence and turning the heart from God to his great gifts This World eats the Word out of Mans heart that now he lives as though there were no God and his Word a matter of no moment And now he comes with another message from the Lord to the King that because he had rejoyced in his store God would take it away and his children
he renews his threatnings against Judea that He will pull and pluck up that which He hath planted â—he shews wherein is the cause of his sorrow because he sought great things for himself 3. A promise of safety when evil shall fall upon all flesh yet life shall be given him for a prey Woe is me now What is the grief of Israel had Baruch the book and cast the Word of the Lord away and hardened himself in his clear sight revealed so that judgement must come So that No sure sign of judgement than of hardness of heart under the clear sight of the Gospel of Christ Luke 13. O Jerusalem Jerusalem that killest the Prophets and stonest them that are sent unto thee How often would I have gathered you together as the hen gathereth her brood under her wings and ye would not Mat. 22. The unthankful guests were bidden but hardened against it Tâ—is is the abâ—sing of his long-suffering through hardnesse of heart that cannot repent and yet judging others as the unthankful servant that eateth and drinketh with drunkards In such securitie was Israel fallen now for which Baruch mourned that they cast off the words of Jeremiah saying It is false and God would not cast off his And so follow the Idols and Imaginations of thelt wicked hearts This is the turning of Grace into Wantonnesse like those in Judea for which judgement was prepared they fed their bellies filled their purses by the Gospel but not souls with Faith Love And it is a sign of death when Physick workes not but that the disease grows strong against it so of the soul when the Word of Life prevails not This is a casting off God whose goodnesse we have felt so that now we live of our selves to worke our own peace procure life prevent danger for that is not now called to for counsel nor is help called for as of old and this is the hardnesse wherein to we are all sâ—llen as woeful experience shews And this is the condemnation That light is come into the world and men love darkness rather than light Iohn 3. and this appears when sin and rebellion is the same or the greater and yet lesse burdensome and evil than before When knowledge of the Gospel hath shut up repentance from the heart and pride hath drowned humility and love in himself when God of his Judgements are not feared nor selt but we put the evil day far off when iniquity is grown great and impudent and become as ordinarie as our trades and callings are with us Now the time was when the disciples of Christ and Apostles flocked in abundance and left all as Alexander and Demas but after a while they hardened fell to the World and ease thereof The Galatians would have plucked out their eyes but after turned enemies in legal righteousnesse but we to dead securitie even thus with us Time was when the Word was precious and prevailed to rule in us but now we can abide it through wit and fore-knowledge and sleep quietly 1. But well worth tender hearts who eat and live by the Word whether it speak life or death it prevailes above all and hence see the greatest provocation that ever was raised against God whereby his own people had tasted of his love and grown wanton in the flesh and more fearful judgement fell upon them So now the silly ignorant wretch when he hears but of any judgement he trembles and blesseth himself after his own poor sighing fashion but the wise and great devote ones they mock him and say Tush this is nothing we shall escape it and call his word a lye so that we may justly fear the sequell of these fearful signs these more certain signs than in Sun and Moon For where is the mourning weeping and repenting heart Where is the lowly believing mind that joyes in tribulation Where is the open loving single heart without respect Well nay we cry Woe is me now for Israel hath cast off the Lord and we fight against his Word our long peace hath made us secure The Word Works of God are become a dallying to us and we sing peâ—â—â— peace and yet forsake the way and despise the Kingdom of peace God hath added grief to my sorrow New grief to my old sorrow one grief after another that I find no rest though I faint in my sighing see Gods dealing So that God usually tryes his to the bottom and adds one affliction to another to all which he loves and suffers them not to find any ease and rest in the flesh As with Job Psal 78. He brought down their hearts with sorrows Psal 77. He wept all night Thus Paul had fightings and terrors thus Christ and the Martyrs even persecuted unto strange Cities thus Abraham nothing left Psal 4. One deep calls another thus the wayes of Christ and our conformitie to his death For untill man be throughly whipt and beat under he runs to some new shift 1. And so God in love chaseth him from all holes as Abraham though he was brought from his Countrey yet he had no Children then was Isaac given then he had hope in the flesh but he took that away 2. Thus was Gods dealing with the Church though they had some breathings given yet when the flesh bâ—gan to grow wanton and rejoyce and so they forget and turn from the God of their Life thâ—n he sent his Rod to waken them that they might not setle on their fleshly ease 3 Thus will God worke good out of evil He lets Satan loose to whip torment his for the destruction o the flesh 4. Man will lay hold upon any thing before he drown yea even a Lease or Reed but God plungeth him into the deep and then he cryes and is heard 5. Light afflictions makes man more wise and wilily to escape in the flesh but sound and deep grief added to sorrow brings down the heart and makes hâ—m pray Thus we see all seeks rest in the flesh and we have gotten the World to seed us and Religion to â—â—ver us in prosperitie and peace and say Soul take thine ease and â—â—t as a Queen and say We shall not be moved We add joy to mirth the Pipe and Tabret is in out Feasts we drink and care and laugh in the midst of our finning but Sorrow and Repentance is hid from us We have not resisted unto blood nor affliction hath taken us but such as with a little time of Wisdom could remove or at least forget 1. But know if God intend thee good he will add grief to thy sorrow Thou thinks it a heavie thing to lose Father Husband or Wife but it will be a heavier thing to feel the burden of thy Spirit when God hath turned his Face away and taken all from thee that thou feâ—lest nothing but guilt within and death approaching and yet God absent Then will grief be added to sorrow Who then shall comfort thee 2. Thus the
hearts even drovvned in pride of our ovvn hearts have a conceit of salvation in our selves Is sin lesse sinful than it was Stand vve not as much need of salvation as before nay our hearts are not prepared for mercie but claime it as a due and therefore is salvation far from us But know that before salvation or freedom come from Christ to our hearts these high looks must down we carried into Babylon God never casts his mercy upon hardened hearts but the poor mourners shall be comforted So that faith holinesse is daily preserved by repentance deep humility vvhen God opens the high vvay of our hearts he gathers out the stones all his mercies though they bring comfort yet still more humblenesse that he should daily be so good we so vile rebellious still so is mercie salvation contained Who is this that cometh from Edom. That is from the land of captivitie from Bozra the chief Citie of the Edomites representing the great povver of Satan Flesh and the World wherein man is bound novv comes the Prince and Captain of our Salvation out of our captivity and death and is consecrated through suffering even in death overcoming all things his garments red with the blood of the Sacrifice Laying it down by way of admiration in the question answer containing wondering and Christs ansvver For the vvhole Chapter is a Prophetical Declaration of Redemption by Christ and the state of man to be redeemed as 1. The Person or Redeemer even Christ discovered by his povver and strength travelling in the greatnesse of his strength and the rest c. 2. By his truth and righteousnesse I that speak in righteousnesse 3. The way means how he hath done it viz. First By death under a Metophor of Trading the Wine-presse 4. What he hath done viz. Troden them in his Wrath. Who is this that cometh This shews the expectation of the captive Church waiting for a deliverer according to the promise after seventy weeks so man after his long bondage under hell and Flesh and seeing Christ a weak poor man and that all in blood crucified dead and buried seems an unlikely man to reason but in his answer he puts away all doubts that he is the only man and Redeemer So that The weary waiting and forlorn heart of man though he see little possibility to obtain life by Christ in sense reason but many more likely devices ye shall never find freedom but only in him For he was ordained of old to break the Serpents head and prophesied to bind up the broken hearted Yet what a doe had he with his Disciples for to perswade them that He was He but still they cried Is not this Josephs Son is this likely to be He He only was Jobs refuge in all his afflictions when he saw nothing but death yet his Redeemer liveth This he witnesseth by word and work By word I am come to save the World I am the Resurrection and the Life By works How many poor lame and blind did He help which He was after to do spiritually the afflicted he comforted as Mary and the Prodigal The Pharisees cryed out Who is this that forgiveth sins that destroyes the Law Nay others said Except ye be circumcised Christ cannot profit 1. For he came to destroy the flesh and redeem the spirit therefore was he weak in the flesh strong in spirit that he might cross the curious witt and pride of man who looked for great things 2. All things prosper according to his presence with man and not he according to the power of the creature all other things are but miserable comforters only puts off for a time but it comes again with all violence like a sore that is ill healed Yet who hath believed this report Nay in any straits we look for other helps The World saith Come see what riches and certaintie I will relieve thy wants be diligent ply thy mind to me and I will ease thee and saith Man This is that comes with full hand and good gain This is like to preserve so much Inheritance so much coming in and is yet never a whit eased but a slave still The flesh saith Come to me I come not in sadnesse and sorrow but in mirth and pastime and pleasure I will put away sorrow from thy heart and season all sadnesse with mirth and yet for all this in the midst thereof the heart is sorrowfull Reason saith Come to me I will shew thee a likelie way do good worke righteousnesse see thy great knowledge and good qualities then believe that Christ may profit but simple believing stands not in this but in another thing and when thou feels nothing in thy self Reason would judge this but a blind way Nay saith Christ But come hither look on me believe my Word I am poor and needie in flesh and so must thou be I will deliever thy Spirit and free thy mind these deceive thee but I speak in righteousnesse though I seem base yet all power is given to me and I am mighty to save So that he that looks for salvation by Christ had need of Faith more than Witt When the poor captive Soul sees nothing but death and bondage no power to free himself and sees nothing but poor Christ all wallowing in blood shut up in the grave sits mourning at the Sepulchre and yet look for salvation in him had need to pray daily Lord increase our Faith and help our unbelief And to this end would Christ confirm his Disciples in expectation of the Promise and Life by his Death and to wait for the Holy Ghost by the Sacraments and pledges of his love and truth which he left them saying I know ye doubt and fear and hereafter ye shal see me forsaken judged and crucified and buried and then will your hearts tremble but that I have spoken in Righteousnesse take this as a pledge of my love and truth when ye come together eat and drink this believe my Promise rejoyce in me in my death for though I must trade the Wine presse alone yet I will trade it in my Furie I that speak in righteousnesse The word of Christ is the word of righteousness to believing hearts and shall be assuredlie fulfilled to troubled Spirits Mighty to save So that All power of saving man is in Christ no power in man to procure or pâ—eserve his own safetie I have troden the Wine-presse So that Jesus Christ hath under-gone the wrath of the Father for man that he might redeem man from wrath and by his suffering hath wrought Redemption for man I have troden the Wine-presse alone So that None partakes with Christ in the work of mans redemption but he is the beginner finisher of mans happinesse Mine own arm brought salvation So that When all povver in man fails miserie strikes then is the power of Gods spirit still at hand I will trade
are established and made He is the Light Life of Man So that When the ministry of the Word is formed to the Image of Christ and that Word lives in man then enjoyes he all that good and freedom promised in that Word For look what Christ was and did actually and bodily in the World that he is and dâ—th spiritually in the heart of man He came by the will and promise of the Father he was born not of the will of the flesh He wrought miracles to the believing man so in us gives sight to the blind He taught and made known the Will Love and Purpose of the Father to the World So in us He was subject to live in love so in us â—he suffered freely so us he enables makes conquerors So it is plain that the birth of Christ is the beginning and Fountain of mans happinesse and freedâ—m the Life of Christ with the Father the life of happinesse and the Death of Christ the accomplishment of mans blessednesse and victorie See then how all the whole truth of God begins ends in one That which was promised to Adam and Abraham is Prophesied of Here is born in time and sent to everie believer thereâ—ore all our running about conceits buildings and thoughts and imaginaâ—ions and inventions are but vain blasts for here is all â—hat is substantial But who hath believed our report may Christ say for First We hear of Christ born baptized persecuted and â—rucified c. But not to us ray we know this Christ after the â—â—esh we think well of him and love the thoughts of â—im but not born to us Nay we frame a Christ and seem to worship him but not given to us nay we have a conceit that he hath done all for us but not born in us we defend him and plead for him we dispute of him we talk of him we read of him but not born to us This teacheth that Christ was promised of God and sent in fulnesse of time and then his spirit sent into the hearts of men So there is a waiting for the promise under the Law but in the fulnesse of time he shal be born and given For he came when man was out of hope for there was nothing but vexation under the Maccabees and the Romans and then came a deliverer and so to all men When Sarah was past age and without hope then Isaac is born So when thou art past hope and sees no Reasâ—n then shall Christ be born to thee for that is the fulnesse of time and till then the fulnesse of time is not come And we see that Christ is nothing to man till he be born in man that the living Word of the Father live rule in him beyond all Reason and Imagination of Flesh For no Reason can be given of Christ to be born of a Virgin nor that man should believe life in death or a guilty man to be delivered A Son is born Here is the promise of a Messiah this already accomplished both visibly to the World and spiritually to believers So that No power of the adversary or Flesh is able to makâ— void the Word of Truth and Promise nor shake thâ— heart of man stayed thereon by Faith As Abraham believed the Word against plain reasâ— So the Promise of Caanan Pharaoh on the one side and enemies in the way and fourtie Kings in Canaaâ— resisted yet thither they must Heaven and Earth muâ—â— passe away but not that Word of Truth 1. For this puritie of Faith under the Crosse whâ—â— all sights against it yet it stands 2. By this God is magnified and man hath assuranâ—â— of rest therein as when man believes Gods trutâ— though never so unlike God preserves that man For can any man stay a showre of Rain take heed of fighting against God 3 Be subject and stay here though thou see no likely-hood not striving what thou would have but waiting what and when God will do his Will 4. Here is the stay of believers though they see no rest yet they wait on God and know that in fulnesse of time the Child shall be born 5. But though we have a sure word we are lothe to stay the fulnesse of time but now man would be comforted and then eased but thou must be more weak thy Wisdom and Righteousnesse must be troden down that nothing but God and his Truth may live in thee A Son born Some will have this meant of Hezekiah or Isaiah but it agrees not with the Text but only of Christ the Word of the Father which took our nature that he might redeem us and let us see the subjection and losse of all to way of freedom These two natures joyned in Christ by an Hypostatical Union made a perfect Christ as flesh and spirit makes in Moria a Christian these not by confounding their natures but by right ordering of both yet remain distinct the power of the God-head shining through the Manhood Ordering and Ruling and Guiding in subjection to the Fathers Will So in us Religion or Christ born in man is not the confounding of nature in man as with most beginning in the Spirit but ending in the Flesh as First In our glorious notions not rising from Christ stirring up our present passions onlie flesh Mans freedom is not helped by Flesh at all but subjection onlie Manie Sons born to man but Ishmaels or Esaus few have Christ formed or born in them The government is upon his shoulders That is the whole Rule whereby his Kingdom is ordered is in him onlie Jâ—h 5. The Father hath given all government to the Son So that The whole power of governing and guiding man â—ests in Jesus Christ and is enjoyed by Faith in him All power is given to me both in Heaven and Earthâ— to him belongs dominion power and glorie 1. For why he is King and Head of the Church 2. By him only the power of Satan is subdued 3. He is the corner-stone of all buildings Now his power is not of the Flesh for that was kept weak in him and at last so dyeth in us His Kingdom is not of this World but Righteousnesse Peace Joy in the Holy Ghost Rom. 14. By righteousnesse of Faith and righteousnesse of Love as peace in the heart with subjection under the Crosse joy in assurance of the love and joy in tribulation But most are not governed by Christ but by their own Witt Will World and Flesh. Where then is the power of man whereby he thinks to obtain Life It remains in Christ onlie enjoyed by Faith from day to day else how doth Christ rule But most will have the government upon their own shoulders He rules all by the Word of Truth Psal 45. His Scepter is a right Scepter his Word returns not in vain he bears up all by his mighty Word He shall be called wonderful Here is his title and of admiration and to be referred to all his Wonders in his
spirit Isa 55. He that hath no money come and buy Poor blind miserable and naked but on the contrary as the Elder-brother all is mine I am rich enough So not many rich not many mighty c. but poor A small thing is welcome to a poor man when the rich despiseth great gifts now the poor man is naked nothing to cover him famished nothing to fill his belly as the Prodigal was unable to help himself and thence hopes for help Rich and full hearts have no room for Christ when man conceits of some quality in himself and whereby he hopes The cause why we are not helped is because we are not poor enough See the bounty of God who is ready to help the needful the misery of poor in the world that find no help is because they seek it in the World Blessed are they that mourn Here is the second sort of blessed men not the merry Pharisee but the mourning humble and dejected men this follows the former like an Orphan destitute poor none to help mourns So that He that mourns and weeps in himself and finds no comfort in himself or the World he rests in God by Faith but shal be comforted in Gods time God looks to him that is of a humble Spirit as Hagar sitting and weeping at the Well because she was comforted In the Law they brought sacrifice to the door of the tabernacle and there wept and mourned till the atonement came Psal 102. They that go forth weeping shall return rejoycing For this argues a repenting heart and forethinking of the time mispent therefore the Kingdom of God iâ— come near These men reverence the World themselves and finding no hope thereby cry and weep for help for these hearts lye open for comfort when the light merrie hearts despise God and promise 1. This is not a mourning for losse or crosse 2. Nor a howling because of miserie only 3. Nor desperate as Judas but a sight or sensible beholding of guilt and weaknesse and time mispent condemning himself 2. A burthen lying on seeing no means to recover 3. With strong cryes for mercie and pardon but most are far from this for fulnesse hath made us merrie everie man rejoycing in his portion First the Worlding is merrie in his thriveing 2. The wanton in his pleasure and lust the Hypocritâ— in his conceited Righteousnesse Now we all go forth rejoycing and come in weeping and believers often overtaken with this that is in a fond lightnesse without sense of themselves sometimes resting securely because they think God will come but mourns not sometimes lifted up with a conceit of what the Spirit enjoyes not But happie he that sits mourning like a turtle-dove after his God and never merrie without him so he shal be comforted This is reserved in Gods time and hand wherein see the impatience of weaklings who because he comes not now are readie to cast off all and others who will needs appoint the time and lothe to stay the fulnesse thereof And this God will do according to his own will and not thine limiting God destroyeth and crosseth Faith there must be a going forth of thy self weeping that thou hast so long fought against God and returning to a God who will meet thee with joy and gladnesse that thou hast found him whom thy Soul loves but it must be as in Canticles When thou hast lest expectation thereof we all desire to know that God loves us thence believe that he doth love us Blessed are the meek This is opposed to the pride of the Pharisees who are lift up above others 1. But lowly and meek minded men who are humble and lowlie in themselves are the only happie men Isa 66. With such God dwells They are Gods Saints as the Publican he that humbles himself is fitted for all estates his mind framed to all not seeking to bring things to his mind but things are brought to his mind 2. He onlie is capable and lives by mercie that hath no good thought of himself this is not a softnesse of nature and freting within nor a Pharisaical hanging down the head nor lurking quiet like a dog under a cudgel But a simple and true understanding of himself his weaknesse and vilenesse and so adjudging of himself and justifying others This reproves that high minded pride conceit of our own yea because we think basely of others thence we have a good conceit of our selves This is not simple plain dealing but the most quiet way is when a man is kept low in himself and still exalted in God hereby nothing happens but he sees he hath deserved it he justifies God in all his wayes He shall inherit the earth That is the good of all blessings and be blessed in all his wayes and creatures on earth for his mind hath no far reach and so he is content with any estate again proud mindes who enjoy no good in any thing their mind is still above their estate and they still in want and they that are lifted up in all they enjoy are like beggers on horseback The way of prosperitie is when the mind is low for then it is out of Satans reach as Christ was by suffering as a Lamb overcame all Blâ—ssed are they that hunger and thirst Hence the mind feeling a want and hungering after Righteousnesse in Christ is blessed and shall be satisfied Isa 55. Psal 63. Which hunger is 1. A panting of the stomack for want of moisture 2. A desire of food above all 3. A lâ—nging and fainting tâ—ll he be satisfied how sweet is Christ to him Thâ—s Righteousnesse is 1. Of Faith 2. Inward rectitude 3. Outward holinesse that so he may be one with Christ in the Covenant of love unitie of Will and life of Christ to the glory of the Father But we all faint after the World nothing can satisfie these men are never satisfied but the other shall be satisfied he shall have an hundred sold here c. Jam. 4.5 They ask me and obtain not because it is to spend on lusts Wait thou hungriest and in his time he will come and that shortly when thou art separated from all other Thy Soul can be satisfied with no other thus like a loving Wise longing after her husbands coming home Blessed are the merciful Here is another sort of blessed men that is whose hearts are brought down that out of sense of their own misery and weaknesse sin and rebellion they become tender hearted men and pitiful and merciful to others that are in any strait So that Tender hearted men are blessed men and fit for Gods mercy Psal 41. Blessed is the man that considereth the poor and needy Psal 112. A good man is merciful and lendeth Isa 57 1. Merciful men are taken away from the evil to come I was an hungry and ye gave me meat Mat. 25.42 And Christ so pitied poor blind lame desolate men was ever ready to help that he might draw all
for thy Servant heareth Christ yeelded himself to the Father Also David the will of the Lord be done and Christ to the Pharisees Ye tithe mint annise and cummin c. Psal 8. If my people had hearkened For God is the sole Lord over all and man a silly creature and as the life of a subject is in obedience to a Prince so here is mans happinesse in yeelding to Gods will for that must stand whether man be obedient or not for disobedience was that which cast off Adam and Israel that is because man will needs be God Now obedience is two-fold of Faith and Love Obedience of Faith is when the clear evidence of the Truth of the Promise and mans Reason and Wisdom â—eelds to that Truth as Moses at the Red-Sea and Abraham When man sees no reason in himself that God should or will keep promise but the contrary he seeing nothing but rebellion and iniquitie yet stickâ— to that where all reasonable wayes of the World and all threats of Satan are overcome though the World threaten want yet he believes fulnesse for this is the will of God that ye believe But most believe not but rebell in this for though God hath promised yet we obey not believe not but give the promise the lye and say That God will not do and therefore fear So that infidelitie is the great Rebel that strikes at the Truth of God which a man cannot endure This Faith also mars not obedience in neither limiting God a time but waiting nor a measure but believing that it shall be our rest Obedience of love is the end of the Law where the love of Christ enforceth man and this is a sweet and free yeelding up of a mans life unto God as a Sacrifice Rom. 12. Which cannot be till our bodies and flesh be sacrificed and then in the Spirit of our minds we are revived according to the will of God This is not to be a foundation of Faith but a necessary expression of the love and goodnesse of God to man This flows from Faith naturally there is nothing but rebellion and lust if Faith fail to wait on God God doth this obedience and man fleeth and man seeketh shifts or some device The intent is doing what he commands not because the Law forceth so many thievish hearts are bound to be true but not from the heart And warms of Gods love in the heart to suffer for his sake what ever befalls as the Martyrs did but this shews the little obedience in man For indeed neither will ye yeeld but the old contention remains whether shall be God Faith and Love is the obedience life of man and when man lives in 〈◊〉 yeelding temper nothing can vexe him let impossibility come and he is obedient and suffers And so was Christ obedient unto the death of the Crosse But while man hath a will and love of himself he is never freely obedient but would frame Gods will to his and to hearken to Satans voice raither than Gods So that An open ear to hear and a heart to believe and obey the voice of God and the Word of Truth is better than all seeming sacrifice a man can offer Isa 45. Incline your ears c. Then shall ye hear the voice of God and he that hears shall live He opened mine ear and I was not disobedient So to that end God hath given his Word to man that thereby he might be called back again to God Therefore God saith cry aloud to man and bid him return and come and live for ever and so he that hath an ear to hear let him hear When God sets his love and mercie and truth to or beâ—ore man and when man attends and meets God here then is that Word accomplished to man But Christ may still say Who hath believed our report as to Israel but Israel would not hear for man hath two Preachers before him still 1. Satan who by his Ministers the World and the Flesh daily whispers and calls man to obey as to Christ Satan saith I will give thee all those the World calls here is Riches the flesh calls here is peace ease and honour God calls and saith Here is all in me Now look whose voice takes place and is believed so man prospers Man hears as God manifests and herein is a reasonable mystery and spiritual power by the one man growes wise and by the other faithful and obedient For rebellion is as the sin of witch-craft Man through rebellion of his own heart and stubbornesse of his own will runs away from God forsakes the Covenant of peace casts off obedience and himself to misery in the end as Pharaoh and Saul here SERMON XXIII 1. Sam 4.3.4.5 So when the people were come into the Camp the Elders of Israel said Wherefore hath the Lord smitten us this day before the Philistins VVHen God had governed Israel by Judges for many years and manifested his power and truth by his Priests and Prophets in bringing them into the Land of Promise according to the Covenant and given them many victories over their enemies Israel grew secure and presumptuous yea the Egyptian Priest himself grew so carelesse of the Lords sacrifice yea even Ely himself committed them into the hands of his Sons who filled their bellies and lusts and that without reproof Whereupon the Lord intended to destroy that vain confidence and to proceed against the house of Ely which he fore-tells in the second Chapter by a man of God and in the third by Samuel which in the fourth Chapter he brings to passe First by giving Israel into the hands of their enemies once again and then delivering the Ark into the hands of the Philistins destroying Ely and his two sons After Israel had received the overthrow at the hands of the Philistins they make way for a second by running further from God So that This is the way of man for man by every affliction is either brought nearer to God or else driven farther from him and so makes way for greater evils to befall him As David who to hide his shame ran into murther so Adam having sinned to hide his shame hides himself from God so Saul to the Witch of Endor like a child that grows more cunning after the whip more wâ—lly but not more wise And this through stubborness and hardness and pride of wit But Joshua when they fâ—ll before Ai never ceased till he had found out the curse from God cast out the execrable thing Many things light upon man that touch not his heart but is so blinded with lust and self-love that the light of the truth leads him not out but his wit will needs guide him God doth nothing in vain If man regard not Processe or any hatchment that is coming he shall see that a writ of Rebellion is coming and if he regard not that than a Bailiff comes and to prison he must and that God by the righteousnesse of
nor earth resisteth That Providence which with one act doth guide What shall for all Eternitie betide That Sinnowie love which in embraceing Arms Clasps all his Creatures and them sweetly warmes And in a word that good without defection Which is incapable of Imperfection How can that Soul then but most blessed be Who bears a part in this sweet Harmonie So far as Creatures can in any wise With this their great Creator sympathize This is that Ocean of Immortal Bless Wherein the blest Soul sweetly swallowed is Born and contained for 't is more right to say That rather it contains and bears than they That River pure from Paradise that 's flowing On whose green Banks the Tree of life is growing With monthly fruit with leaves that never fail All sicknesses and maladies to heal That chearful fresh and everlasting spring Which stintless endless boundless joyes do bring Pure light where birds of Paradise are skirming Clear Streams where fishes numberless are swiming Fresh Floods whose Channels love is ever filling Their blessed body through whose veins distilling O Sacred Mount where love do build her nest O VVorld of Immortality and rest VVhen shall my soul once and for ever be VVholly possest and swallowed up of thee Of thee the harbour of all happinesse The Sea of comfort Son of Righteousness Of thee who art the life the light the love Of those celestial Citizens above Of thee whose face makes Saints and Angels sing So as therewith the heavenly voults do ring Here by the way consider if there were Some tasts as why not of such comforts here VVhether it might not cause the heart to see Some taken up with that sweet melodie As mourning now were to the Soul a task As far more fitter to give thanks than ask As th' one of these quite voyd of th' other be not How ever men sometimes in that case see not How ever to mourning I must confesse More suits this life and mans great wretchednesse I dare not then where I can sometimes finde Men lesse to craving more to thanks inclin'd But think they thus do as then taken up VVith Gods bright face and pleasures of his cup For though that flesh may counterfeit a joy That proveth not Gods Children for a toy For its apparent that such cases are As both experience and Gods VVord declare VVhereof example David's Psalms display In many a sonnet and melodious lay VVhen thanks and joy as prompt and kindly be As are requests and moans in miserie And tell me then whose lot it is to see That which to most men is a mysterie I mean whose soul a load of sin doth presse Much like a Mountain for it weighs no lesse The Lord discovering by a wondrous light To thy wrackt Conscience such a gastly sight As makes thy heart to quake thy bones to quiver Thy flesh to fail and scorcheth up thy liver So as thy self art to thy own self seeming A lost damn'd devil in thy own esteeming Unworthy beeing food bread life that for Hate to thy sin thy soul thou dost abhor Tell me how then In such a case can frame T' agree thy heart and tongue to praise Gods Name Whether thanksgiving to such a time as this Or prayers or groanings more agreeing is If thou in this case blames not groans and prayers Nor wilt if others much much thanks in theirs Since it is like there was a time before When they were less in thanks in groanings more I rather think them nearer God to be Unless their carriage shew the contrary Not judging they omit sins to confesse Because they see their own much holiness But if their joy now is or e're was true There hath or will come times wherein to rew In fiâ—e suppose thy hearts with child of praise To Gods Name here thou now begins those layes Yea that celestial and melodious song Which to the Heavens more properly belong And feeling in thy self a reason why Thou art thus moved to this melody And no more plain a token can there be Of Gods true grace and thy felicitie For who his friend with thankfulness can greet For that whereof he never felt the sweet Which grace of God is hardest there to finde In my conceit of any other kind At least wise for my self I 'le not deny This in my own self I can least espy I mean I can most hardly come to know If e're I truly gave God thanks or no Reasons whereof are these as I conceive We love our selves well we would still receive Were our thirst kindly we are thirsty land We never love to look on empty hand Our flesh is lusty and our souls are lank So that we have no hearts at all to thank But to return to do God's pleasure is Of Gods dear Saints the happiness and bless No other thing but instruments to be In our Gods hand his Name to glorifie In which his will blest souls for ever biding In that calm road to watch his ebb and tyding And therewithall or in or out the bay With sweet breath'd sighs of love wasted away What course the Current of Gods pleasure runs Which is that very liberty of Sons Imparted to them not by verbal telling Nor labored out as Words are done by spelling But secretly th'anointing doth convey Into their hearts to will to do and say Yea that anointing which without all measure Remains in him who is the very treasure From head to members still it self conveying As head springs do in thousand Channels straying Or as in Organs one self breath fulfills Proportionally the great and little quills Causing the lesse as well as bigger speak And in each time in order silence break So doth Gods Spirit which is his very love Whereby he loves himself and his doth move Towards himself which too his working power And doth before at Sea and Land devour Laying the mountains and the valleys plain That nothing might God 's Childrens wills restrain Cause man within the living stock to thrive Or move as do great wheels the lesser drive So that this will is Gods primarilie Yea even mans too in a next degree As fully as his eating drinking sleeping Standing or walking health or harbor keeping For who gives power these things to will or do The very same that gives the other too O happie grafts who thus transformed be Into the Nature of this living Tree Whose leaves are ever flourishing and green And roots fast fixt the liquid streams between You Demy-gods who to this Mount can say Pluck up thy self and plant thee in the sea Whose wills from Gods receiving still their bent May in a sort be call'd Omnipotent At least so far as by his Spirit ye Are set a Work his instruments to be Though here in measure after to fulfill In perfectnesse the pleasure of his will Who from the hot breath of Gods spirit bear Tydings of joy alarums oft of fear The great Kings Heralds now proclaiming pittie Anone for sin destruction of a
of natural wit to know the good will pleasure of God or the Mistery of Christ so as man shall find life theteby or certainty therein but as the Father makes himself known in Christ by his Word power of his Spirit unto the faith of man believing his truth 1. Cor. 2. The natural man understandeth not the things of God Christ saith I am the light that enlightens all that comes after me Joh. 1 He is the light of the world Joh. 1.4 There is anoynting that teacheth all things 1. Joh. 5. None can say that Jesus is the Christ but by the Holy Ghost Though we think that That Jesus we read of was the Christ and Saviour yet the flesh thinks but of him after the flesh but his mightie Power his wonderful Truth unspeakable Love to Man the bitternesse of his Sufferings the Joy in the Fathers will the Victory over Hell and Death the joy at the Fathers right hand none knowes it but he that believes it out of blinnnesse and misery 1. For the Father hath hid the treasures of wisdom in him hidden them from the world found not by curious searching but by humble crying believing found not in man but in Christ there to be enjoyed for he is made our Wisdom Righteousnesse Sanctification and Redemption 2. Adam had thought to have known God in the Creatures and himself and the evil also without God but knew no good till God revealed Christ in the promise So until we be brought by the truth of Christ to know no good in any thing but in God nor no evil in any thing but in our selves we know nothing at all but we seek to see a good in every thing and in our selves especially and would see no evil and so are lifted up and know nothing as we ought 3. And this Christ prayes that his Elect may know that thou art in me and I in thee and that thou hast sent me And I speak not of any self but they are the words of my Father that sent me for of my self I can do nothing 4. And note that this great Mystery was revealed after Christs death for then he sent the Comforter to lead into all truth and not till then Before this the Disciples had a thousand imaginations of Christ but now they knew that he was the Son of the Father Head of the Church So we have a world of fancies toâ—câ—ing God and Christ but never know him until the Crosse reveal him for till then we only tâ—ink him to be such and such and another thought crosseth that But this makes the weaknesse and vanity to appear his power preserves for every mans work shall be revealed by Fire How wonderful are the blind conceits that man hath of God and Christ as 1. When we will needs comprehend God vvithout Christ in his Essence Properties Attributes Eternity Omnipotencie c. What a foolishnesse is this to think to compasse in our thoughts Omnipotence c. 2. Others that frame a knowledge of Christ in comprehending the Story of his Life and Death Works c Thus vve know him by Relation as we do other Countries where we never were but never vvalk on foot with him in his death and miserie None knowes him whose miserable heart is not delivered from Death by him who believes his truth above all then this truth makes him free 3. We see then that all Knowledge comes by Faitht as suppose a man a Stranger promise to ransome me a captive I believe he will but I know not that he will but only vvait in faith nor hovv he vvil do it nor vvhy he vvill but when he makes good his word then I know his love vvhich he revealed to me and I not able to conceive in my self So with Christ he promiseth that he vvill redeem me but I know not that he vvill onlie I believe and wait in miserie yet by that Faith I am preserved through the Word though I feel nothing but death and bâ—ndage Wouldst thou know the Love of God that passeth Knovvledge vvait on Christ by Faith believing his Word and he will reveal the Love of the Father For though vve know not the mind of Gâ—d yet vve have the mind of Christ So that thou must knovv nothing but in him abide in him â—nd his Word abide in thee and he will reveal all things unto thee So that our curious and busie Wit so hun ing to knovv and straining out the Wit to understand leads to many fancies But knovv that his wayes are insearchable but vvait and attend and he vvill reveal Christ and the Father if thâ—u fit under the burden of thine ovvn ignorance and content for the time to knovv nothing but thy ovvn vilenesse Here we see that Christ is both God and Man A Mâ—n in vvhom the fulnesse of the God head dvvells to vvhom all is given that knovvs the mind of the Father and reveals iâ— to us This is the only God on Earth that mans mind maâ— be fixed here not gade abroad neither ascend into Heaven nor descend down into Hell c. Where then is the free vvill and power of Man vvithout Christ living in him and leading into all Truth dravving the vvill of Man to vvait on God in subjection All else is but trusting to the Wit of Nature vvhich is alvvayes blind It follovveth in the 28. verse SERMON III. Matth 11.28 Come unto me all that are weary and heavy laden and I will ease you Take my yoke upon you learn of me for I am meek lowly in heart HEre is his Invitation upon the former relation of his fulnesse viz. You see where all help is 〈◊〉 then you want help in any strait that lyes on you as a burden Come to me viz. to my Word Promise for there he dwells I will ease you So that There is no certain way or means to a burdened heart to free his guilt ease his burden or rid in him ouâ— of the Snare of Satan but the simple fleeing of the mind from all to Christ in his Word of Truth and there to stick and abide in life and death He was of old ordained to break the Serpents head and prophesied of to bind up the broken hearted He was the refuge of Job in all his afflictions I know that my Redeemer liveth He was sealed and appointed thereto by the purpose of the Father This himself witnesseth by word and work By word I am come to save the World I am the Resurrection and the Life he that believeth in me though he were dead yet shall he live By works How many poor lame blind did he help which he was after to do spiritually to heal the blind c. The afflicted he comforted as the Publicane Mary c. And this Paul found in himself and taught unto others That there is none other Name under Heaven c. 1. For nothing can free the spirit of man but he
for he dwels there all things else only ease the flesh 2. All other things prosper according to his presence and not according to the power of the Creature 3. All other things are but miserable comforters but only a putting off for a time and forgetting it but it comes again with more violence like a sore ill healed 1. And yet how do we in any strait run to any thing rather than this For first The World saith Come to me and I will relieve thy want Be diligent apply thy mind to me seek and get me by violence or any way and I will ease thee and we run to it with love and confidence and yet never a whit eased or satisfied 2. The Flesh saith Come to me I will rejoyce thee and ligâ—ten thy heart and put away all thy sorrow I season all sadnesse with mirth and delight we follow 〈◊〉 and yet in the midst thereof the heart is sorrowful 3. Reason saith Come to me and I will guide thee â—nd let thee see Comfort Look at thy righteousnesse â—olinesse thy diligence and knowledge of the Word â—hou art so good and so good above others thou hast â—o reason to be heavy and yet man is never the better These are all the Promises of the god of this World 4. Nay saith Christ But turn thine eyes from them all come to me believe and wait and I will refresh thy heart pardon thy sin preserve thee in trouble and keep â—hee in death and this never deceives 2. And the reason why we come not after so many â—alls is because we are not weary or think to find ease else-where and so long we never come viz. till the Word have revealed such a misery to man of which he is now sensible that all things cannot remove For while man 's fleshlie hope remains he doth not respect Christ Christ hath nothing to do with any but sinful miserable man Therefore we come not because we are not burdened or but so as we think either the World shall help us or we shall be able to help our selves Mans burden may be reduced to four Heads 1. Temptations of Satan 2. Guilt of our own Hearts and Want of the Fathers Love 3. Rebellion of the Flesh Corruption of Nature 4. Want and Miserie and Affliction in the World Minde and we shall see that one of these is alwayes the burden under which we groan The three first properlie to Believers either entring the door of Faith or straying from the Faith received 1. Satans Temptations are a grievous burden and snare when he crosseth by Reason the Truth of God for so he possessed many in Christs time and now prevails with many also Sometimes with strong black Arguments vexing with fear doubting and distraction calling the Truth a lye 2. Guiltinesse of Sin by the Law lyes heavy urged also by Satan filling the Heart with fear and disruâ—â— the conscience unquiet and the heart not estabilished in Faith but still hath an eye to his own unrighteousness and thinks if he were more holy and righteous all should be well But the remedy is to accuse thy self still confesse the Lavv meet the curse and bear Indignation yet turniâ—g from these Arguments of Reason Tell the Devil thou never sinned against him but obeyed him but against Christ and that he hath taken to himself that all thy sins are now his and his righteousnesse thine Then begins a spark oâ— Faith to arise saying O that I could b lieve these groans are helped by the Spirit and then comes the feeling of joy and gladnesse 3. Rebellion of the flesh is a burden to Believers when he would do good Evil is present drawing unawares to vile courses still pricking him forvvard to tickling Lusts dravving still to look to the world and so darkning the light of Christ in him But see that it be a burden and whether it be not the strength of thy fleshly wiâ—l not yet subdued that it is a burden rather because thou canst not have thy own will than becâ—use thou canst not have thy will subdued Like a frovvard vvife vvhich saith She will be content and let her husband do what he vvill but withall frets and repines because the husband will not yield vvhich he must do or else she vvill never be quiet Here not the frowardnesse but the crossiâ—g of her vvill is her burden She is not a burden to her self but her husbands vvill is a burden to her and she unto him so with God But if it be a burden indeed no remedie but Christ Thâ—t thou let him see and knovv that it is thy greatest burdens and not trusting thy care diligence or watching nor fighting with fleshly vveapons but lay down all and wait on him vvho hath power and by vvhom only sin and lust is crucified 4. Want trouble and misery in the World lyes heavy on all For flesh vvould live in fulnesse and see somewhat a fore-hand and it may be thou art in want and persecution even for Christ no remedie but Christ and â—â—e Word of Truth For here thou seest the promise to any burden whatsoever Therefore doth sin in thy â—â—lf or want of comfort doth outward Crosses as a worldly husband froward wife bitter enemies sickâ—esse and provertie oppresse thee Sit still and say with â—onfidence and bind Christ to his Word Thou said â—ord thou vvould take away sin crucifie the flesh â—ind Satan bear all my weakness stand by and be acâ—used for me before Counsels Here I am thou knowest â—â—y burden that these ly heavie on me I am vveary â—o bear them I believe thy Word and vvait for thy â—elp 3. So that it is not because we are troubled thereâ—ore to think that he vvill ease us but by trouble being â—riven to him with cryes and faith for the trulie burâ—ened heart is a praying and believing Heart and so a â—ender and broken Heart that all the World cannot â—ure But these are hard But vve are at ease in Sion not â—roubled not weary and therefore have so little fellowship with Christ because we have so much fellowâ—hip with the flesh Take my yoke upon you To live with Christ then it â—s not to believe and live in pleasure case and wantonâ—esse of the Flesh but to bear his burden and yoke heaâ—ier than that of Rehoboams whose little finger was heaâ—ier than his Fathers hand For this is affliction of Spiâ—it killing of the Flesh losing of the World Life and â—ll and yet the believing heart stayed on God in hope â—nd Faith in his promise patiently suffering his will â—hall find rest therein to his Soul though he be pinched â—nd killed in the Flesh. So that Simple believing in Christ and vvalking vvith him â—n the patient willing bearing of his cross and quiet â—ubjection to his will in love is the only way of peace â—nd rest to mans restless heart Jer. 1. This is my burden â—nd I will bear it Lam. 3. It 's
They rejoyced as men in harvest and that divides the spoil and they that sow in tears shall reap in joy 1. For all joy but this is nothing but mistakings like a man that laughs in Sleep for want of understanding in himself and feeding himself with shadows and tidings that Satan brings to him 2. All oâ— eâ—joy is but rejoicing in the Flesh. He only comforts the Spirit when Flesh mourns 3. All other joyes ends in sorrow but this sorrow in joy What is all the joy the World can give to man even as the cracking of Thorns under a pot Thou art rich and full of wealth yet a carefull heart in the midst thereof Thou joyes to day and mourns to morrow So the vvanton vvhat cause of joy while his Soul is more fettered and guilt increased Joy passeth guilt remaineth and yet none so merrie Thus Satan hath messengers to rejoice man being sad 1. The World brings tidings or wealth and honour c. 2. The Flesh of pleasure joy and freedom c. 3 Reason from self-righteousnesse and wisdom c. But Christ from the love of the Father that is worth all Now this never springs but from mourning in our selves like that of Paul at his conversion to Christ So then the difference of these are 1. First One rejoyceth to gain the World another to be freed from it 2. One to have his ovvn will and another to lose iâ— 3. One to have all things and suffer nothing another to suffer all things and to have nothing but Christ 2. We see that all joy that we conceive that ariseth out of Religion and not hence is but a fondation layed in man which will die with him But as the Child is merry in his Fathers love though he knovv nothing vvhat shall be done to it and not because he is heir and must be advanced to a great portion so it is vvith us not from any quality in our selves but in another For unto you is born So that Christ truely born unto man is the only fountain of Life unto man in all distresses In the Citie of David Mic. 4. So that nothing shall disannul the truth of the Word of God nor shake the heart that is stayed thereon A Savior You and the World seemes to be lost condemned but behold here is a Saviour at hand even a Saviour sent to you So that The only stay and rest unto the restlesse heart of man is assurance of a Saviour confidence of heart in him As Simeon Mine eyes have seen thy salvation Zach. That we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies c. And hast raised up for us a mighty Salvation And he shall save the people from their sins Such a Saviour was figured in Moses and Joshua And thus prophesied by the Angel Thou shalt call his name Jesus for he shall save my people 1. For man is a lost and condemned creature the word of truth hath judged him his own heart hath given sentence against him For this hath the Spirit of man sought since Adams fall some in the World some in themselves but never found but by Christ The very Heathens sought it and we make many Saviours but all faile save this It is not with us as it was with the Disciples we have found the Lord Christ We go a seeking and enquiring but we have not found the Lord. He saves us out of the hand of our enemies viz. 1. From the guilt of our Souls and temptation of Satan 2. From the corruption of our Nature and bondage of corruption 3. From affliction and sorrow and crosses and want 4. From death and hell and judgement at the last 1. See those miserable Saviours that we frame as the world or wisdom or self-righteousnesse these vve get but yet we are in the hand of our enemies our heart 's full of fear and death 's a terror to us 2. This Saviour is born and given to none but condemned men like a murtherer that can find no way to escape goes to the King and confesseth and cryes for mercie the King pardons for his own glory c. 3. But know that our Salvation stands in another not in our selves though we store our selves and provide great and strong arguments against that day yet all will fail and only bearing indignation of the Lord committing to free mercy must be our salvation 1. Pardoning of Sin 2. In preserving the heart in Faith by the Word to live and dye with Christ and go through all in Patience not as most who think themselves the likeliest to procure a Saviour is to come with their own righteousness and holiness c. But that we come sinners and condemned not bringing righteousnesse but to obtain righteousnesse not to offer sacrifice but to obtain a sacrifice even Jesus Christ Christ the Lord viz The anointed Lord who was figured in that of the Israelites who had the holie Oyle reserved in the Temple sanctified by Moses wherewith their Kings and Priests were anointed Now the Rabbins say that this Oyle ceased in the second Temple till Christ came who was to be anointed with the holie Ghost So that God the Father according to his eternal purpose hath anointed Christ to be Lord and King of his Church to rule in the heart of man that God and his power may he magnified and man made happie in him He hath given all judgement to the Son All power is given to me in Heaven and Earth all things are given in me to my Father he hath hid all treasures in him and hath laid help on one that 's mighty as Psal 4.8 This is manifested in his Word never man spake like this man and his miracles hath it been said that a man opened the eyes of one that was born blind This the Father did by an eternal purpose for the salvation of man that seing man could not comprehend Gods purpose he sent one in our room to whom he hath given power because that we could not ascend to Heaven we might have a God on Earth His Kingdom is righteousnesse joy in the Holy Ghost 1. But we have other Lords the World rules as Lord and we obey it the Flesh commands and we are subject to it 2. Where is that power of man whereof he boasts We would all be Lords and rule according to our own will SERMON V. Luk. 7.36 37 38. c. And one of the Pharisees desired that he would eat with him And Jesus went into the Pharisees house and sat down to meat and behold a woman in the City which was a sinner c. AFter that Christ had preached to the People concerning John Baptist and that many of the People and Publicanes believed and were baptized He upbraids the hardnesse of the Pharisees which neither believed John nor him but rejected the Truth and neither believed John to see their misery and repent nor him that they might receive mercy but trusted in
sinners but now righteous and holy and their repenting dayes are forgotten so mercy lost saith fails For as it was sin that by accident brought Christ into the World so it is sin in mans heart that brings a Saviour unto man 4. Others see in themselves weaknesse and want of Power that they cannot come to that pitch of knowledge righteousnesse that they aim at which if they could all would be well But their rebellious Will Lust and Pride and Worldlinesse are hid from them So that it is the hardest thing to make a man a sinner and to keep him to a daily sense of his own weaknesse 2. But sin in man and mercy in God infidelity in man and faith in Christ layes a right foundation of Religion and is the dayly continuance of the life of all Religion in man for thereby Prayer humilitie â—nd saith are preserved 3 So that the word never prospers but when it lights amongst sinful men The self-righteous have a covering yea all are grown cunning to put off the evil day make a covenant with hell for no sooner doth sin prick look out at them but they have a sore knowledge of a Saviour and so cure the wound before it be made When the heard that Jesus was at meat She being now brought into misery within her self and all her sweet pleasures turned into gall and worm wood she seeks for case and rest so it will fall out to all So that That all the pleasures of joy and peace that man now enjoyes in the world and the flesh will sooner or later be turned into sorrow want and misery for death and judgement will lay all in the dust Where was the confidence that Paul had in the flesh when he was stricken down in the way to Damascus Where is all the power of Pharaoh Pompey of Dives and wealth of all worldlings Luk. 12. Yea Pompey and Alexander are laid in the dust Luke 6. Woe be to you that now laugh for you shall mourn Isa 28. I will make void your Covenant with death 15 For there is a way that seems good but the issues thereof are death 2. Else man should insult over God and Christ his Word become a lye 3. Thus doth God make way for his mercy and love that man may be capable thereof 4. All joy and life of Adam must be destroyed that Christ may live in us 1. Woe to the merry deceived wordling who rejoyceth in his wealth friends pleasure respect as this woman did but behold She is now brought to weeping cheare So we make our selves merry promise many happy dayes but sure fear and sorrow weaknesse and misery must first come before man be established in Peace Freedom for this will not last We think ease good while it lasts and so we put off the evil that we must taste for we have eaten sowre grapes our teeth must be set on edge Nay all our labour care is to put away sorrow fear therefore we gather riches power c. that vve might sit above and see no evil Man would do evil but would not see it rebell but not take notice Did ever any rebell against his Prince but he smarted for it in the end And though the King of meer grace would pardon yet was he a lost man in his own eyes and his pride was laid down in the dungeon so with us for sin in man will cause smart to man first or last For 1. Though we may put it off through blind presumption not regarding what shall follow 2. Or cover our selves and close up our hearts under the bewitching of wordly profits 3. Or to drink down sorrow like unto beasts for a while 4. Or cover our selves from the Word of Truth and simplicity of our minds by our opinions of knowledge self-righteousnesse and the world underneath 1. Yet either will the Lord find us out by his Word and discover such a wretchednesse to man as shall make him cry out Woe and alace that ever I was born and that my mothers Womb had been my grave or that I had been strangled assoon as I saw the light and so cursing his birth day as Job 1. Or man runing on to his course to the end of his Shadows Pleasures and fools Paradice at last falls into the Pit where there is nothing but weeping and gnashing of teeth weeping and howling for the dayes of their vanity that are past and cannot be recalled For the guilt of his Soul presseth him down and cannot be eased when man is entred into Eternal misery which shall never be ended Then alace shall we see that Husband and Wife or Children were but silly fading Earth on which we so doted that Gold and Silver were but Drosse which we so served and now all taken from us and our Life too never to be restored 1. No misery like to the misery of man for no creature on earth hath so rebelled against God as he Did not this woman account any creature happier than she and yet we sport our selves above all and feel no smart because that we are so hardened in the flesh that the Spirit is lost O then that God would give us hearts to see that misery that we might mouâ—n in time and break off sin by repentance For what a folly is it for a man to run on in a course still that he knowes will bring sorrow like the thief who bewitched with present sweet and seeding himself with hope to escape becomes hardned and never believes nor sees the sorrowing of his hanging day 4. And that men in the dayes of mirth would think of the time of mourning every one seeing himself even â—ing on his death-bed and bidding farewell to all worldly delights look for it even the best For Christs heavy day was his lâ—st day even before his entrance into glory so know there is yet a more heavy day to come then thou hast hitherto felt When she knew that Jesus sat at meat in the Pharisees house Notwithstanding her own unworthinesse Christs holinesse the Pharisees hard opinion of her Yet such was the miserie that she felt and desire that she had to the Word of Christ that she saw that there was nothing that could ease her but he only so that Christ and his Word are only sweet and desired of troubled hearts and wearied minds but to others it is wearisome and little regarded as Psal 119. I had fainted in my affliction but that thy word stayed me The poor receive the Gospel and the halt and blind came willingly at the voice of the Gospel and how dear was the Word to the Martyrs in trouble that one of Pauls Epistles was a treasure from hand to hand And what a wonderful power had it amongst those sick blind men that he but spake the Word and they were made whole 1. For there is nothing left to a wearie mind that hath any life but Christ and
Three VVitnesses he needed not for they out of their hardnesse confesse He proceeds to judgement wherein he 1. He layes down the safe estate of Sion the Church in that he hath there laid the Foundation and Corner-stone Jesus Christ and the safety of all that build thereon He that believes c. 2. And then the judgement of the enemies as 1 That they shall have right judgement by him 2. That he will disannul all their hopes of safetie c. 1. Note their present condition and what had brought them to it viz. Their fulnesse and peace and conceit of their priviledges above others So that had made them now scorners of Christ his Word by the Prophets So that Long peace and plentie ease fulnesse in the World covered with a conceit of Redemption by Christ doth usually harden man against God and cover man from himself that Christ and his promise his wayes and Religion are despised and little set by Which for the most part brings a heavy day in the end Thus the old World mocked at Noah and Psal theâ— 10. Tush there is no knowledge in the most high let him do his Word that we may see it Thus the Phariseâ— being full despised the righteousnesse of God madâ— a mock of Christ See what end it brings Prov. 1. Because they despised my counsels c. Therefore shall thâ— eate the fruit of their own wayes As in Constantine time when the Church enjoyed rest from their enemies and that they had peace through the Christiaâ— World Men became wanton in knowledge and feâ— from the truth of Christ into foul errors to the veâ—â— denying of Christs Godhead and the Holy Ghost Sâ— in times of peace and fulnesse Religion is made but matter of discourse not of practise 1. For two things make all things esteemed Necessity Delight But when the heart is fatted up with thâ— World he feels no want of Christ And for delight hâ— hath none for he never felt the sweetnesse of his Lorâ— and Reconciliation 2. For the fulnesse of the World embraced eats oâ—â— the life of Religion As the thorny ground choked thâ— seed Davids high Mountain And Christ saith How hardly doth these enter into Heaven So that though the World laugh and seems pleasant for the present yet in the end it is a miserable comforter For though Israel was now full and despised the honny Comb of Christs death yet afterwards were carried captive they were forced to sit by the waters of Babel weeping and drink their own tears as those Psal 37. Who had what they desired yet were they set in slippery places and suddenly went down to hell 1. This is too plain in experience peace and plenty have been our portion many a day We feed of the fattest baist our selves before the fire we feel no smart as do others nor are we pinched with famine nor hear we the fearful noise of the drum nor are we affrighted with the terrors of an army We dwell safe under our Vines and are not driven from our habitation as other our neighbours who are glad to forsake house and harbour lands and riches to save their own lives We play with our Wives and Children and sport our selves with them for company when others hearts are broken with cries and lamentation of Wife and Infants and knowes not how to save them from that approaching destruction that is coming And yet what effect hath this wrought even like those in Zephaniah 1.12 which say Tush God will neither do good nor evil and tush we shal feel no evil 2. But look for it for where this goes before the other will follow after If Sodom mock at Lot through fulnesse of bread yet God will meet with them And if the Pharisees stumble at this stone and will not have this man to reign over them yet the falling on them shall crush them to pieces and destroy those his enemies But Israel would never believe warning till it fell upon them 3. To be crossed then in the World to suffer want reproach persecution is a safer way than prosperity For by the one man is driven to Gâ—d for want drove the Prodigal to his Father and hereby the flesh is weakned and crucified but by fulâ—esse made strong and no Judgement nor bondage so great as this Security Hardnesse and Slavery to our own Passions But woe and alace to the poor World who have not the World and yet despise Christ most of any For they are left to their own dissolute Wills and Lusts and want education in Gods Fear as much as meat And therefore it were to be wished that the course begun might be continued 4. But it is a fearful thing to make a mock of Christ and set lightly by his Word and to be so far in love with the World that we esteem not his Word it argues we find little good therein and little comfort by the Promise For what we find any good in we highly esteem of and what would pull us from our pleasant pleasures we cannot endure Therefore was the word of the Prophets so unwelcome to Israel so to us For first 1. The doctrine of Faith we count foolishness and uncertain 2. The doctrine of the Cross impossible 3. The doctrine of Obedience bondage needlesse 4. The doctrine of Death most unwelcome Yea what account do we make of the World what care contending about it and yet how lightly we passe over Christ and his Word But take heed for this grows from setting light to scorning and then to persecuting of it 5. Pray we then with David that we fall not into presumptuous sin For this is that Word that must save thee and that Christ that must redeem thee and thaâ— Promise that must comfort thee And thou little knows what thou scornes even that which at Death must be thy best friend but how caâ— we look for him to be a friend at Death whom we have despised and scorned all our life Because ye have said Here was their carnal confidence Presumption and Fools-Paradise wherein they blessed themselves under the shelter of Vanity aâ—â— Falshood they would not hear of Sin Guilt Death and the Cross but thought they had a device in wit the world to put off all these So that All men naturally labor by all wit and inventions to put off the evil day far from them and security and presumption to give rest to their restlesse hearts rather than to feel the evil in themselves that they may find rest through mercy in another Sâ— the rich fool much goods for many dayes so David blessed himself in his high mountain and Israel by the Ark. Thus the Pharisees covered all under pretence of Holinesse but all in vain Nay all cry Peace peace 1. For man is lothe to see any evil approaching to himself 2. And mans mind must have something to bear it up if not Christ he runns to vain shifts 3.
in another viz. in Christ who is made our Righteousnesse through Grace For take Him away and there rests nothing but Death â—or the Law doth not make man righteous but sinners â—nd lost men Now Righteousnesse is two-fold Politia divina Morale divinum The first is that the Philosophers treat of which is a Righteousnesse of just and equal disposition of mind and carriage of our actions towards others doing right to all That is called in Scripture the Righteousnesse of the Law which is the righteous work of it in man but that is nothing before God for it is not wrought by God nor for him but man attributes it to himself and thinks God should be pleased therewith also Now this is good sweet amongst men but if man bring this before God it is abominable But the righteousnesse of Faith is another thing viz. the righteousnesse of Christ made ours standing in free remission of sins and the free grace of God Therefore it is that Christ is our Righteousnesse as a thing out of mans self in another 1. How far off from life are they then which well unrighteously in all things both towards God and man 2. Also those that hold the Truth in unrighteousnesse which acknowledge the Truth of the Gospel but submits not to the righteousnesse thereof but run out after their own unrighteousnesse and will never regard Goâ— nor his word of promise 3. And such as makes themselves righteous anâ— stablish a righteousnesse of their own and thence seek a ground of believing 4. Others fall off from the Faith with the Galatians and when God through His love hath made theâ— sometimes obedient in love 1. Fix their eyes upon that and imagine themselveâ— something that now they being made subject aâ— obedient do look for a blessing theâ—â—upon when alaâ—â— it is not one good thought of twenty 2. But know that all our Righteousnesse is in another that man see no good thing in himself but Sin 〈◊〉 Rebellion and Death c. but all good in Christ Whâ— is made our Righteousnesse For if man turn from Hiâ— he fails if he abide in Him he lives Therefore aâ— Paul saith I live not but Christ lives in me 3. But most lives by conceit of Christ not Christ living in them so that our power over sin death hell is not in our selves but in Christ who dayly crucifies the world not any qualitie or disposition that we are brought to but living in the sense of our own unrighteousnesse and flying from our selves and so becomes Righteous in Christ 4. Hence we see that Faith and all good is preserved to man in dayly and deep humilitie when he dayly lives in the life of Repentance and is weak and unrighteous and unthankful but daily waits for mercy But when man becomes righteous in his own eyes either because of that qualitie of Faith or of Love or Righteousnesse then he is lifted up and it becomes his own righteousnesse and therefore filthie nothing 5. Walk in Righteousnesse but take heed of looking at it let it extend to man that thou mayest justifie thy self before them else all the world shall condemn that and the Gospel be slandered but in respect of God who is of pure eyes bring nothing but Christ and his mercy and then shall we see the Righteousnesse of God upon us And we all do fade as a leaf All our Righteousnesse being but hypocritical and so we with it doth fall to nothing So that Where the Grace and Love of God by Faith is not continued to man there Faith and all Religion fades where Religion fades there all joy and peace and happinesse is lost and comes to nothing as Heb. 6 They tasted of the good Word of God but yet fell away in the end and Hymeneus Phletus and those in Jude Ephesus Laodicea Revel 2.3 1. For it is God only that both by his grace both guides preserves faith in man As the tree planted by the Rivers of water Psal 1. 2. When this fades man daparts from God as Israel in the Wildernesse and so never comes into the the land of rest 3. All things have a passage through man and he gets a taste of good in them but they fade in time only Gods love and mercy endures for ever 4. When man returns into himself or the World he soon grows weary as the leaf when the sap is descended into the root in the earth so we when the sap of God is descended 1. Hence it is that so much fair shining Religion comes to nought in the end being but the work of man it fades and dies in man but that of God abides for ever Thus have we seen much Religion dye What zeal and sorrow of heart What love affection to the truth it self and now all is drowned up with a fleshly speculation of these things but the life is gone 1. Love is forcible which if it rise but out of a strong stirring of natural affection it is soon lost but if from real miserie and distrust of himself it abides with God though clouded but the foundation abides in God 2. And even so will all our joy and peace freedom fade Where is that joy and sweet rest we have had that earnest hunger and desire after Christ Nay it is gone and we grown proud in knowledge and for the simplicity of believing turned it into an opinion of knowing edifying one enother in love into fleshlie honour seeking it one of another or censuring each other or love and liking of the Word of Truth into a judging and despising of the same our love to each other into self-self-love our love to Religion into the love of the World So that hence it is that our joy is departed from us because we are departed from Christ We joy in our fulnesse power or knowledge c. yet will all fade as a leafe and we also shall in the â—nd fade with it we see it Where is the glorie and pleasure fulnesse of our neighbours is it not faded away turned into want and sorrow and death it self the youth and suckling strong and aged mother and child are all fallen into the dust and it will be our portion if righteousnesse and religion lye in the streets despised as it is And our Iniquities like the wind hath taken us away When we thought under a colour of righteousnesse to go on in the wayes of vanitie and enjoy the World yet at last our Iniquities have prevailed and taken us away So that It is sin and rebellion against God which is the onlie way and cause of the destruction of man and nothing but sin undoes man Your Iniquities have separated betwixt God you Thus he complains against Israel in all the Prophets because they sinned against me and yet they sinned more and more they are a stiff necked generation for nothing makes God our enemie but our running from him 2. Losse and want
own way as Psal 18. They would not hear nor would have none of me I gave them up to their own Counsells Thus Adam and Israel forsook the way of the Covenant and Promise made to Abraham and made a Calf and murmured against Moses c. The wicked walk in a way that is not good There is a way that seems good but the Issues thereof are the Issues of Death For though man was made righteous yet he seeks manie inventions to save him but not by the way of righteousnesse He hath sold the Birth-right and Covenant he hath forsaken with Esau and now he would have the blessing by any means He mourns weeps for the blessing would have it though by killing his brothâ—r living in an hunting way For mans way in himself is not able to guide him to happinesse for lust blinds him and leads him to something that is sensual reason is proud and leads into all things visible but Faith is the ground of things neither seen nor felt But Christs way which was the way of Life was not after his own thoughts but as the Father commands so he speaks He sought not his own glorie but did the Will of the Father stablishing his Kingdom so his way was a new and living way though the Vail of the flesh was rent And so it is with man not by a way of the Flesh but to break through the Flesh by crucifying it enter into the Holiest of all by Faith onlie 1. This was the way prescribed to Israel God brought them out by a strong hand and weak means as alwayes in the whole course that no power of the Flesh might appear as David confesseth they got not the land by their own power 2. Then in the Wildernesse from one place to another where they took no rest but in the Covenant only 3. Then through Jordan the River of Tears 4. Then overcame the enemie 5. God left them a Law of love to walk by 6. Commands not to joyn with the enemies but to destroy them But all these Israel forsook at the last grew so presumptuous in regard of their prosperitie and so wise in Religion that they would not be beholden to God but would save and free themselves by wayes of their own till at last they fell from God and still they thought this was a holy and likely way Thus the old course of the World is fallen upon the Gentiles everie man walks in his own way and yet everie man thinks his way is good and like to prosper as 1. The Worlding by getting and gathering and making sure for future time seems a safe way but Christs way was to forsake all the World and had none of these 2. The Wanton thinks his way right because of his saint way of Repentance and yet he fears Ecclesiastes That it will lead to a fearful end of judgement 3. The Pharisees and false Apostles walk in a seeming way of holinesse with Christ but this makes Christ all in vain to joyn any thing with him For Christ was to denie himself and cleave to the Promise of Faith yea though he was to be taken from them yet they should wait for the Promise of the Father who should send the Promise of the Father within few dayes Nay we are grown so cunning in Religion that we can chuse our Christs own Way and approve it but walk not therein by the Spirit of Christ but so follow Christ in our fleshly thoughts but not by Faith alone giving up our selves in love to the good of others So we see Gods wayes is not our wayes yea our thoughâ—s and his words never agree together one of these must be forsaken either we must cleave to his Word and forsake our own wayes or follow our own wayes and forsake his Word But we live by thinking not by believing Invent devise and comprehend that we may guide our selves but not rest in patience to believe another Like the Prodigal but see the good and safe way of Christs that stands in simple believing from a troubled heart and in subjection to the Fathers will in love in patience to bear his Crosse But this is grievous to fleshly thoughts but sweet and safe to the Soul A people that provoked me to anger continually That are hardned under the Love of Religion so presumptuous that they rebell with a stout stiff neck So that When man hath gotten the World into his heart and some competent way of Religion to cover his rottennesse he â—â—lls into herdnesse securitie presumption and so sights against God with open face Isa 1. I have nourished a People and they rebelled against me and in Jeremiah They murther and steal and all under a coller of the Temple of the Lord They have gotten a brow of brasse like those Psal 10. Pro. 1. Tush there is no knowledge in the most high For the knowledge of the truth without the power thereof hardens above all But the Truth in the power thereof beats man down and all things in man to live in another or not to live at all not that the World and Religion can grow up together for then it choaks the Word and wee becâ—me Rebellious as Adam For now they sin with an authoritie under the sore-knowing of a Saviour Like a man in the Kings house that robbeth and oppresseth under the hope of Pardon For whâ—tsoever makes man strong hearted is not Christ for he melts the heart in sorrow and in love For this is the greatest disgrace that can be if a man must bring Christ to help forward his Lust As to steal and oppresse and Christ must help us Thus with us God hath holden out his hand but we dare provoke him to his face and call his Word a lye run to other shifts as though we seem to flatter a while yet Religion is but made a way to bring about our own Lusts as 1. Do get the World more freelie or advance our glorie or keep peace but all these covers a Rebellious heart For if it were seen as thy Face thou wert a shamed for ever This is the greatest Rebellion in the Church covered under Religion God most provoked thereby For here man tempts God and layes all blame on him blindly waiting for his Power yet hath no heart nor desire to return storing himself with Riches and Righteousnesse that he may not repent But do we provoke him to anger or rather our selves to our own confusion for we see how he delt with Israel led them captive then cast them off Doubtlesse he was never more provoked they sacrifice in Gardens and burn Incense on Altars of Brick which should have been on Altars of Stone without a hammer Thus he shews how they chuse their own wayes that is to say They sacrifice in Gardens when the Law was at Jerusalem burnt Incense on Brick which should have been on Altars of Stone without a hammer as
down the people in my wrath I will afflict as I have done my son and bring down their strength whereby they novv stand vvithout me they shall taste of my wrath and see hovv good it is So that All shall sooner or latter taste of the Indignation of the Lord that God may prepare man for mercie and bring man out of himself and the world Jobs spirit was drunk up with wrath â—aul was slain and stricken down to the earth 〈…〉 â—ade light of God was brought unde◠〈◊〉 â—hat wrath did David suffer even pains of he l that made him cry out so was his joy restored yea to Abraham he seemed an enemy yet in his subjection was the Covenant renevved Christ above all was sorrowful unto death his soul a Sacrifice then he arose and ascended For God will destroy all his enemies in man that man may be freed those that stick to them shall be destroyed with them that we may be conformed to our head so fitted for mercie in him who came to sustain man under vvrath For hovv is he saved from wrath that is never under it This vvere to save him in his fleshlie way and hardnesse of heart That just Law vvhich man daily breaks Thou shalt dye the death must be true in all and kill man that the second Covenant may live in man and he thereby God doth this to bring down mans heart and make him yeeld for man can shuffle off manie things but this bitter hour past all help But vve all strive to go to Heaven vvith hardened hearts in beds of doune and worldly fullnesse and ease we make an agreement think we are harmlesse and innocent and another that he is a friend of God and his Word and Gospel another that he is diligent careful and righteous and therefore thinks that he shall escape and so would live and die without Repentance Wrath and Miserie and yet Christ could not do that and so none vvould drink of Christs Cup But knovv thought vve can jeast and talk it out clothe our selves with conceits and opinions yet God vvill trample all these under foot When his Wrath shal be revealed from Heaven against all unrighteousnesse of men that hold the truth in unrighteousnesse either by his Word and Spirit in mans heart that he shal say O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the bodie of this death When he shall knock at the door or call for mountains to fall upon him then shall he see vvhat good he hath gotten vvith sticking so hard to the World and to himself but all too late But yet to a believing and yeelding heart that judgeth himself and not God in midst of Wrath he remembers mercie and even in this he aims at mans good though he see it not For it is to vvhip and to beat mans proud heart and fleshlie confidence and to cast out that proud and worldlie Devil and destroy the enemies that are in mans heart Thus the wanton heart of man fights for ease in the Land of captivitie would see no evil but flee from wrath through hardnesse of heart that cannot repent and so heaps up Wrath against the day of Wrath. We would do evil but would not feel it nor hear of it we vvould rebell against God and follow our own Lusts that we may live and yet would have him to put up all Nay but the wise Father knows that this is the way to undo the wanton child and therefore casts him off leaves him to himself that he may return by Repentance saying Thou knowest that I have been a Father to thee I have provided for thee when thou wast young I mantained thee When thou wast of age thou would not be ruled I was forced to cast thee off This now justlie come upon thee yet seeing thou judgest thy self and justifies me I will take away my Wrath and receive thee to mercie that thou mayest praise me But first he makes them drink of his furie but our cursed hearts cry for ease and rest but God will keep on the Rod till the heart be broken and brought down and make us like a drunken man that is besotted with wine that mindes neither Wife nor Children estate nor credit So with us when his Wrath lyes on us we can neither minde Wife World nor Children For this sticks closse and nothing can ease Riches are vain Pleasures are gone laughing is turned into mourning and nothing can ease the heart but mercie but how will these escape when time of mercie is gone I will bring down their strength So that Gods saving way to man is to bring down the strength of man in himself that he may be exalted in another I will mention the loving kindnesse of the Lord. There is an endlesse Fountain of Truth and Righteousnesse in God and incomprehensible mercie which is never wanting to praying and miserable hearts But mans forsaking and turning from that is the cause of all miserie unto man as Psal 81. Deut. 23. For he said Surely ye are my people c. Here he mentions his dealing with them in particular that is to say He ever had an eye over them for good at least to testifie his mercie and 1. He remembers their Adoption with the truth and simplicitie of their hearts and though now fallen yet they were his people and would not lose their preservation 2. He was their Saviour and delivered them out of afflictions wherein he was also afflicted 3. There guide and governour He led them all the dayes of old by the Angel of his presence then shews their Rebellion his mercie again in pardoning They are my people This he spake in regard of his first chusing of them and uprightnesse of their hearts then and safetie they were in through his Power So that True hearted simple minded men were ever shall be blessed of God what ever gifts they have when double and shuffling hearts shall be accursed See Davids plain and simple heart when Nathan had opened his eyes he did not shut them again but though a King and a fact discovered that might shame him yet he goes not about to excuse it but confesseth plainlie and doth pennance to all posteritie yea God is near to all that call upon him in truth and the good ground are good honest and simple hearts but the Pharisees that say they have no sin do lye and deal not truelie and a man is a lyer to the Holie Ghost to think to joyn with the Disciples in love and yet keep the World in his heart to trust to and in Christ was found no guile and God loves truth in the inward parts For this is the opening and uncovering of the heart to be capable of mercie and so hence comes confessing and believing with all the heart For covering is a greater hardnesse added to our former sin It was sin in Adam to forsake God but it was greater to
cover it and in Saul to spare Agag but greater to excuse it and lie to the Holy Ghost This is a fighting against Christ and strengthening our selves in something else that we might not stand in need of him Like the malefactor that hath done evil and yet will excuse it and justifie himself he will be hanged indeed For God is a God of truth and workes truth in the inward parts and the power of truth is to discover the subtilitie of man and the Devil and to convince the World and to lay the heart naked and bare before God Away then with all doubling lyes let God be true and the Devil and everie man a lyer From the beginning vve all professe to love God and believe in him but we lie But Whence then is this care and confidence in the World this fear and sorrow for losse this pleading of our own Righteousnesse to keep up conceit We professe to love God above all but we lye Whence then is this self-self-love of the World and we forsake him for a Morsel of Bread that we love our Brethren Whence then is this malice and revenge this oppressing and grinding this cusinning and circumventing and that we love the truth and yet believe it not at all but sell it for our own wills and that God would change his will and rather than we want our Lusts We are all knowing and devote men but honest simplicitie is lost among main plain dealing is gone So in Religion truth and simplicitie is gone simple praying and believing from a troubled Spirit is gone simple love one to another is gone and everie one judging another and locked up in secret surmising not bearing with infirmities but blazing abroad the frailties of others But God will find out all our falshood one day when all our excuses shal be as shiftlesse as to Adam When he shall open the Books and that are hid layed open Then shal thy Hypocrisie and double dealing be laid open whither thou hast trusted God or thy self loved Him or the World Then shal it be seen whether thou believed indeed and in truth For true evidence shal come against thee a malefactor which thou canst not denie It is not our simple sinning that hinders our happinesse for God will pardon but it is our lying and covering it that hides us from Christ As the Child that hath not onlie made a fault but hides and covers it is beaten double This his Father cannot abide God gives us true and simple hearts we seek great gifts and qualities and become wise but lose innocencie and run from our selves In all their afflictions he was afflicted And the Angel of his presence saved them Here is Christ suffering who bare the infirmities of man in all weaknesse So that Christ the loving Saviour of man partakes with man in all his miserie and lovingly helps when all fails Heb. 2. Forasmuch as the Children were partakers of flesh and blood c. Heb. 5. He is a faithful high Priest subject to like infirmities And was partaker with all that was miserable but the Wealth and Glorie of the World he had none of Like a loving elder-brother that sees his younger overburthned helps him beaten weeps and hungry gives him meat For he was the Word of the Father was God yet he took upon him the form of a servant and became flesh and dwelt among us that we might see him afflâ—cted suffering forsaken and yet he overcame all For he came to help the afflicted therefore he came in the flesh that he might destroy flesh by enabling man to suffer destroying fleshly lust in man Thus was he given as a witnesse to the people the first-begotten of many What then means these high thoughts soaring conceits that seek Christ in heaven and think Him to be some angry spirit and so rack their thoughts and beat their brains in comprehending Him but lo He is with the poor afflicted and forsaken this high and full Religion he cares not for nor hath any communion therewith What a hearting then is this to patience that like a loving husband is with the wife in well and woe thou thinks thy case singular none like thee thou poor He poorer thou wants the fathers love so did he thou art persecuted so he unto death thou sick so â—e swaâ—e blood for sicknesse But we have little fellowship with Him for we are full and rich and at ease He bears our weaknesse but who feels it He wipes away tears but who sheds them He hears our cryes but who makes them Nay we are all Christs to our selves therefore He is a stranger to us All high flying Religion then is not of Christ for he hath no communion with man but in affliction therefore Paul desired only to be partaker in his afflictions for he hath not to do with rich men at ease and he that saith He hath fellowship with him and not in his death lyes and deals not truly It is not affliction that hurts or hinders man but want of Faith for he is afflicted with us but because we do not believe his power and truth nor are we patient to want rest therefore are we crushed under afflictions we have not learned to lose the world and our selves with him the fire cannot fear them And where man is partaker with Christ in afflictions he makes him also partaker with others to mourn with them that mourn But we are little disposed to the practice of Faith while we judge others in stead of pardoning we spread abroad their Infirmities we spoil the poor but believing miserable men have a friend at back that is with them giving a mouth and wisdom when friends and world fail yet then He abides and fails not but when they have least hope they have readiest help and when they are weak then are they the strongest And the Angel of his presence When they were brought low in affliction and sate in sorrow and helplesse repenting hearts then his love breaks out So that iâ— Christ is only present to afflicted spirits and His love and compassion only is the stay of repenting hearts nothing else As here he alludes in the presence of the God of Israel in their Redemption out of Egypt when they knew not what to do the Angel brought them out went before them and though they fell into many straits yet the Lord pitied and helped them yea though they rebelled daylie yet He afflicted and pardoned them And His love and mercy is never seen so much as in daylie pardoning for it is a burden that all the World cannot remove For he was given to bear the infirmities of men Mat. 11 If any be burthened he shal find rest to his soul As in the Prodigal and the Publican like a wise tender father whose child hath want only run away yet the father seeks him and finds him First leâ—s him sit forlorn in the wildernesse and seems to take no notice then
when we say We would live in freedom and joy that in that joy we might better praise God our maker but the end indeed is for the good and ease of our selves the flesh especially in things that perfect our ease and peace though the mind be thereby insnared we yet deal easily with it and thus we still reserve our fat things and deal favourably with them and these are our greatest enemies Then Samuel said When thou wast little in thine own eyes This is Gods message wherein he reckons up his favours to him and secondly his rebellion against those I raised thee up of nothing why didst thou fall on the prey as though I would not have rewarded thee This Message and Word was to convince Saul of his disobedience and 1. He shews the door of mercie 2. The way of Life So that The free grace of God is the fountain of life to man and when man is vile and nothing in himself then is the power of God most shown He that humbleth himself shall be exalted He hath filled the hungry and sent the Rich emptie away For so is man capable of grace and the power of God is magnified in weaknesse What is it that stops thee free grace of God to man that is that strength and worth of man that thinks he hath for were man little enough he would pray cry and believe and fear all mischief enters in at the door of pride or rather this is the door that shuts our Christ we still muse what we are but not what God is Then in this little and low condition to wait on God in the Word of Truth and by Faith to walk in his power shal destroy all enemies but when we fight with our power and so cut carve to please the flesh and when we depart from the Word of Truth we never prosper not that man by thinking basely shall procure peace but when simplie he is so so God is and will be with him but mans perverse way is to turn from his God and fall upon his prey So that the daily way of miserie to man is his disobedience and forsaking the way of Faith and turning to the prey So Adam so David Paul to his Revelations so the Prodigal would have the prey so Demas turned to the prey nay almost all have been caught in this snare For such is the force of sensual lust imagination that where God doth not mightilie preserve man still turns hither For the Word of Truth is the Life of man which while it lives in man it suffers nothing else to live in him but when man turns from this in comes a Legion of lusts and base affections and imaginations but this layes all low Thus we fall on the prey of the World which ensnared all men even believers themselves thus God bids flee the filthinesse that 's in the World through lust and promiseth that he will be with us but this we forsake and gather Mammon before hand and fall on the prey and this choaks all So believers dots also on the libertie of the Gospel and turns it to wantonnesse turns to the prey yea whatever God doth to man man turns to it simplicitie of Faith is foresaken But see our safetie God being our portion freedom his Word our Life so shall we live for ever verse 20 And Saul said I have obeyed Here is Sauls second excuse wherein he defends himself that he had done the Commandement of God which indeed he had done in part for he had killed many of the Amalekits but yet with reserving part of the Spoil to himself 1. He sought honour of Samuel Therefore he brought Agag alive and slew him not 2. The Riches in sparing the Cattel under the pretence of sacrifice so it is with all double hearts in Religion So that Man by the light of the Law shining into him and working fear by the light of the Gospel manifested working freedom may restrain and rectifie many things with a seeming obedience yet still with a reservation to himself and some gain to be gotten which mars all As the young man Matth. 19. Had done much with a reservation of false confidence Ezzra 3.3 Their hearts ran after covetousnesse so those Libertines 1. Pet. They promised libertie they had great swelling Words c. Satan is as a Saphira Acts 5. For nothing goes through flesh but Faith in God and the power of God in man this purifies all but flesh would still have something and that makes our obedience not simple For man is seldom so separate from himself in pure love unto God but some self-love there is that is to his fleshly will sticking to him and purloyning something into his pouch to feed flesh with all For mans natural power being enlightned by the evidence of Truth discovering both the happinesse of believers and the miserie of the rest doth produce in man an obedience according to his apprehension and so far as the blind light workes upon him but he never c mes to a real and actual denyal of himself but there is a building up of his hope thereby not to a simple heartie believing and so living but still with a reservation of believing his own work and love of himself and such is the Religion of the most We spare the King and far of the Flock for there is a reservation almost in all For when man would belâ—eve and lieve for ever and with all their hearts see what a reservation hangs on Righteousnesse Reason self-Conceit so we believe God but neither because we are such and such So there is a stop in our Faith we still have an eye to something else in our Faith And so for love we love God but with this limitation not so much because it is good in it self truly manifest to us and that it is good to us and so mans self still comes in for want of mortification For hardly do we any thing wherein we have not some respect to our selves And for the Word we see Religion is the only way and God the only good but still there sticks in us a great lyking of the World we hope for a good in it find a marvelous sweet therein So that none hath any reason to be proud in Religion though he have obtained and done that which many have not done yet there is still more that he knows not loves not does not it may be thou hast a little Faith and now and then trusts God but for the most part denies him and trusts thy self and arm of flesh or trusts him for this or that reason so a little love to God but a full love to the World and thy self And here we see that in all Religion two things poisons all viz. vain glorie and a beloved World for First we still would have it therefore we limite all to this onlie for we have so many reservations for the World as a care
time love delight c. Yet God is shut out of all yea after experience of Gods love how freely do we return to the World again Religion then is an absolute yeelding our selves to God and his grace without reservation of thoughts â—hat Agag that great Captain of michief even Infideâ—itie and fleshly Confidence wherein Amalekite â—rusted yea the Infant and Suckling in broad Lusts â—pen these outward objects must be slain and that by 〈◊〉 pure believing and loving obedience to the Fathers â—ill here we see that all coverings will not serve the turn For when Samuel comes all is destroyed well-worth him that is open-hearted to confesse and live by mercie See the difference of mens double hearts that are still building up and excusing and alwayes on their own side to build up man But Faith sets a man against himself and alwayes on Gods side pulls him down and all things in man For often greatest noughtinesse is covered and hatched under pretence of Religion as that of Jezabel to Naboth See in the World what covering of lust and oppression what greedinesse when man thinks that for Religion he should be respected but Faith and Love teacheth no such thing Then Samuel said to Saul Hath the Lord as great delight So Samuel pursued him still by the Word of the Lord out of all holds and yet by the Word of the Lord opposeth his good seeming intent layed down by a question that Saul might make answer and be convinced in himself 1. He casts out all conceits of a Sacrifice to please God while the heart is not subject 2. He illustrats it by way of comparison of these two that is Obedience is better than Sacrifice 3. He amplifies it by the contraries for Rebellion is as the sin of Witch craft 4. He denounceth Gods righteous judgements against Saul wherein the cause is in Saul to declare the qualitie thereof The judgement it self hath rejected thee c. First note how Samuel pursues him till he make him yeeld at last to the judgement So that This the proper effect of the Gospel viz. The proper and kindly working of Gods Truth in man is still to bring man down and all things in him to lay him low in himself that he may be exalted through mercie iâ— Christ Let man denie himself and become a Fool saying In me dwells no good thing I am not able to think anâ— good thought all our Righteousnesse is as a filthy clout Phil. 3. All these are but drosse Thus the Word brings all Sacrifice to nought the Law given in Thunder to shake mans heart the Promise made freely without any respect of mans Righteousnesse that man may purely believe Nay and the power whereby all is accomplished is in God not in man that man liâ—e a begger daily may wait there Thus it brought Paul to his knees First brings man to fear and weaknesse before it bring him to Faith and it keeps him in fear that he may rest in God For man is grown proud and wise against God else he had never stood need of his Word for it should have been a living Word in his heart for ever as Paul The weapons of our warfare are mighty to bring down strong holds But see the very truth is perverted by man for though Samuel come to beat Saul of his hold yet he still finds other shifts l ke a wilie Fox So men grow wise and cunning and are listed up thereby yea most yeeld fleshly obedience to this spiritual truth and thereby becomes holie in conceit Others conceiving gloriously of Christ and thence grow high minded for knowledge puffs up and so becomes a man of high thoughts but that man in whom the Word lives and man by it keeps the eye inward towards himself and keeps down all high thoughts in a quiet sense of their own Weaknesse and Vanitie to attend with a crying and praying heart for mercie which is sweetly enjoy'd and not lifted up but man freed and not hardened thereby but out of feeling of himself is pitiful towards all judgeth none but himself This shews the wonderful power of Gods truth that it will make Saul to bow so of any man even Pharisees for the present though afterward they get up again Now it is not Sacrifice that he looks for but a believing loving heart So that All Service and Sacrifice that men seem to offer to God not flowing from a loving heart are nothing with him These are like the cutting off a dogs neck Isa 1. Who required these things at thy hand Psal 50 I reprove thee not because of thy Sacrifice wherewith shall I appear c. For he stands not need of thee neither can he be moved by them unlesse we think as Balaam with his seven Bollocks and Rams These are born of the flesh Children of the bond Woman and not of God nor by promise Righteousnesse is nothing when we make it away to Faith but when it is an expression of a believing heart then it is sweet Now it is not Sacrifice that he condemns but the cursed opinion that goes with it Like that in the Law a daily singing a daily sacrifice so with us when we do it with an evil intent and not out of a simple mind But we have one sacrifice that is Christ only who hath sacrificed life and all and that is it that pleaseth God Thus it is with us also our obedience is but to sacrifice to our God at Gilgall that is to purge sin and to please God that we may get an opinion that God is well pleased for that but this opinion maâ—s all it is not our obedience that is any thing to God in the Work but our yeelding heart For most have looking to that which they have done some looking at it as Pharaoh This crosseth the free sacrifice of love it is a great point of simplicitie in the hight of our obedience still to be more vile and this is the power of Faith for it shews from whence we had it not by our own power Nay when even in our own selves we are opposit to God he hath vouchsafed his grace The only sacrifice of God is a broken and contrite heart sacrifice thy self and it is in stead of all thy lusts desires case peace life and all and when thou hast done that thou shall have as Christ had victory over all a Resurrection a Freedom and a Glory and so shall sit at Christs right hand by Faith till all be subdued to thee and then man offers sacrifice of praise confessing his name not to purge sin but in expression of Gods love and manifestation and that in love and mercie and not in sacrifice Obedience is better than Sacrifice So that That which is accepted is an obedient heart subject to the Fathers will in love is the Life of all Religion and better then a thousand Sacrifices Isa 50. God opened mine ear and I was not disobedient and Samuel said Speak Lord
Spirit of our mind renews Which to Samaria was so joyful newes New wine first Love the Christians sweet beginnings Fine gold rich pearls the godly Merchant winnings Christs yoke made easie by the spirits oyls The Joy of Harvest or dividing spoils Not that I then did or do look to find Some strange Religion of another kind Then that wherein I ever have been trained Since first I from my mothers breast was wayned For so to do as I consider well Were tâ— make sure work soon to get to Hell But even the same say I that hath been taught Since God his Gospel into England brought Gods very Truth which that it doth not fit All ears and seasons man is faulty yet But to be short then was the time alass I can but only say That then it was I was I say more sensible of sin And of the danger it had brought me in But shall I now begin God's love to storie To me his wretch and is it for his glorie Especially If I shall there withall Shew how his favours on a dung-hill fall For though Sun-beams do draw from flowrie brinks Sweet smell yet carrion send forth filthy stinks Lord I confesse much sowen small increase found Of fruitful crop within my barren ground O let my soul ne're draw this curse upon her Thou can'st not bless her but with taint of honor 'T is only thou wâ—o can'st an answer yield Whether I Dung-hill be or fruitful field But if at all thou ought in me hast sowen Bring to perfection that which is thine own And leave me not as sin gives cause to doubt Among these Virgins who shall stand without Nor what I have from me in Judgement take But me a harvest for thy mercies sake I will say on then what my Conscience tells me And clear the truth since thus the case compels me The Good I did I say seem'd then more slender The ill more vile my Conscience much more tender Then now it is as having felt the smart Of God's great judgements with a troubled heart Gods Sp'rit what say I who now scarcely know If e're I â—elt it truely yea or no God's Sp'rit I say for so as then I thought Had to my Soul such happy tydings brought Of Gods great mercy in delivering me Who had so long try'd the forbidden Tree And thereby plundge me in such deadly danger As to Gods Cov'nant almost made me stranger That then me thought I felt his love more free Then I before could it conceive to be His love more free I say my self more vile Then er'e before unless I me beguile Then say I what Not liberty to sin Because of freedom God hath set us in So that one may whoredom and these commit And not withstanding not offend in it Nor that the Spirit so renewes the will As quite excludes all motions unto ill O Blasphemie dute any brag of ground Wherein there may such cark oâ— grace be found Nor of Gods presence knew I ere such sense As drives from his all sin and doubting thence So that one would not thereof be beriven No not to change it for the joyes of Heaven Nor that the Spirit doth without the Word Unto our Souls sufficient light afford Nor that one may adventure on a sin Because God will be glorified therein But this I saw that there 's a rest of faith Which sets Believers free from hell and death That out of us our health and life is wrought That out of us the same is to be sought That Gods elect even from their second birth Unto their death are strangers on the earth That precious liberty they thereby win How sweet a thing it is to master sin How this new Law doth set Believers free How Christ his yoke is perfect libertie How this can be that men can part from ill When dangerlesse they may do what they will That God sometimes his presence so reveals That for the time both sin and sorrow vails How such shall think that while be 't short or long They nev'r shall move their hiâ—l is made so strong That more one doth from this degeneraâ—e The more he falls to pride or worse estate How God doth draw by his sweet cords of love Souls here below to live with him above Who whilâ—s they see Gods will is so o strange Their present bless for greater would not change Not but that they full freedom would require But thus to Gods will linkt is their desire Whaâ— power with God this law of love doth give How in his Members Christ is said to live How grace doth with a Metamorphose strange Deep threatnings into exhortations change That th' World Flesh Sin yea Satan and the rest Are for Gods Children sorc't to worke the best So God for his good out of ill doth draw What 's life to God what 's death unto the Law How first the Law doth Man in bondage bring How Christ his death hath tane away the sting But now of late as I must needs confesse To Gods great glory and my shame no lesse I have been through the Tempters subtiltie Tost with temptations of inconstancie Not in respect of our Religions ground I ever doubted to be safe and sound But in regard of some particulars About the which have been so many jars As whether there be any living wight Who like to Gideon walking in his might Doth sin down right like Midian's host destroy Whose heart God fills with such continual joy In his great love such strength against their sin That faith in them hath long unshaken been In which his love their souls are so set free As they therein can walk at liberty Such as that sin can neither break their peace Nor upright walking confidence increase This hight of Grace do so exceed my skill I needs must say that title it who will For mine own part I utterly disclaim it I mean the having not the will to gain it No not the will to gain it so I say Wherein I trust I go not far astray For sure I am if faith were firâ—ly â—here It Lyon like the liâ—bs of sin would â—ear More faith more love the surer is the knot Yea such a one as sin dissolveth not But rather shrinks to nearly to apâ—roach The Mint of faith its copper c yn to broach Or if it do it s but as though a rush Gainst shining shields his pricks should proudly push But wo is me how should I frame my tongue That some men here should not conceive me wrong I do not I broach newes of such a state Where blocks of sin ly not in graces gate But that his heart 's more safe that 's better guarded That fortress surer which is strongly warded Faith is a fortress Love lyes strong within To keep the hold lest Foes should enter in When Gods bright cloud his Temple doth fulfil Lesse room I trow remains therein for ill The Bridegrooms presence whiles the same doth last Workes joy and chear
thy friends at all That can relieve or ransom thee from thrall I tell thee true as sure as I do live Thou shalt not dye for for thee I will give My only son and he shâ—ll pay the prize Of all thy debt I swear it to thee thrice For rather then that thou in this thy state Should dye and from my love stâ—nd separate I will perform that which before all time Was wiâ—h me then and in my love did shine My word is past to thee it shall appear Which shall thy nature once again up rear By assuming it to my self wherein I will a living life to thee begin For I to death in that same nature thine Will subject lye that then the God-head mine May there appear to be that mighty one The which shall trush like to a mighty stone Thine Enemies and captive lead them all And thee redeem out of thy sinful fall For I will that decayed natuâ—â— thine Assume unto my word the God-head mine Wherein I must perform my Fathers will And andergoe his mighty wrath untill It satisfied be for every one And thus thy debt I will discharge alone And when thy sin and death and hell and grave Hath got on me whatever they could crave Then I 'le triumph and captive lead them all And free thy Nature from thy former fall And in the same I will triumphant ride Unto my Father there I will abide At his right hand there I will reign so long Till sin and death and all that darknesse strong Stand subdued among my people all And then the Kingdom to my Fathers shall Be resigned that so for evermore He may be all in all as heretofore THE SOVLS ANSWER NOw Lord what lets that this thy love to me Doth not yet shine unto my heart so free To make me know and fully understand My happiness which yet is in thy hand Wilt thou not now at this same present time Declare thy Kingdom to this sense of mine I fain would know how thou thy love to me Would so confirm that I may cleave to thee THE LORDS REPLY O Stay a while that way I 'le from thee go And thou after thy flesh and sense also Shall not me know for I will far ascend Above those thoughts yet I an ear will lend Unto thy cry yet is it fit for thee Thou still attend in thy humility The time and season that the Father hath Kept to himself for so the Scripture saith I tell thee true this way thou looks for me I will not come but that way will leave thee Which when I go it shall thy sense so try That down shall fall that which thou lifted by And this is fit it should be done to thee Or else the Comforter thou shalt not see Let not thy heart at this be so agast As though it should for ever with thee last I 'le come again according to that life Of holy Ghost so that no evil strife Shall shut thee out from my dear love wherein I will a living life to thee begin Then let not sorrow fill thy heart so fore As though that thou should meet with me no more Wait but a while in that Jerusalem And thou shall see again that blessed Stem Jerusalem thy heart that now lyes desolate Which of my presence makes so high a rate As by the flesh a Tabernacle there Might builded be to keep thee out of fear It matters not though from thy sense I go I will not leave thee now and alwayes so For when thou thinks that I am gone for ay Wait thou that while for then 's the time I say That I 'le appear my sp'rit it shall descend Into thy heart and thee it shall defend From all thy foes which do encamp thy soul And bring thee where thou shalt without controulâ— Received be into that lasting peace Which shall abide and in thee never cease For then I will give thee my sp'rit which shall Seal thee to me in that true love withall My tokens true which shall not thee beguile Shall be within thy heart and mind and I 'le So charactere my love therein that none Of all thy foes shall hurt thee for that stone That I have cut out of my mountain great Shall fill thy heart and unto dust shall beat Thine enemies all and in thy heart I 'le write Again my Law that first I did indite And therein shall my spirit freely move Which shall be witness of my dearest love And in thy heart there shall my temple be There will I dwell so I assure it thee And thou in me shall be thy resting place From all thy sins in this my day of grace And live in me by my own life alone And thou in me and I in thee be one This is my word from me to thee it s gone And shall prevail as that chief corner stone That shall be lay'd within thy heart so low That death and hell shall never overthrow THE SOULS ANSWER NOw Lord what have I more to thee to say This breaks my heart I can it not deny That golden chain that 's ty'd about my neck That word of thine that gave my foes the check Hath wounded me and win my heart that so From thee and from thy Word I cannot goe Here will I dwell my heritage doth stand On thee alone and builded by thy hand And I will feed by that same water-side That floweth from thee and I will abide Within thy house thy praises forth to tell Thy house my heart there will I with thee dwell For there I shall behold thy wonders all Thy lovely works freeing my soul from thral That pierceing word that made my heart to bow And all my Forces for to overthrow That pure truth that made me naked lye And bair'd my heart before thy seeing eye As in that day in Edens garden I Did eat and drink of the forbidden Tree That living Word wherein thy footsteps shine In love to me in purest streams divine Of thy true light that now my heart so free Of thee shall boast of that same libertie Where I shall stand in that same truest vine And root of life whereout in me may shine Thine own life streams for ever to declare Thy loving wonders in me great and rare And that I may Lord grant me still mine aid Thy Spirits life as unto me thou said Whereby thou mayest within my heart indite Thy living Word That Lord I pray thee write In Table of this meek'ned heart of mine That there thy Image once again may shine In living power and lively streams again From thence may run in such a heavenly strain As I may live and in such union dwell With love divine as may again I 'le tell Reduce my soul from all duallitie And set me fast in perfect unity From whence as from a perfect fountain fair May spring in me these lively graces rare Whereby I may in those same lively streams Preserved be and by those
Of grace and truth in that same little seed Which thou hast sown for me when I stood need When Sin Death when Hell Darknesse great When losse when crosse about my heart did beat When angrie thou as judge to me did shine And I stood judg'd within my conscience mine Such witnesse had that I could plead no more My sin did mount to such a mighty score When all my friends from me a loof did stand When lovers all ran far away yea and When I lay dead and hopes I then had none Of life but laying comfortless alone Then thou declar'd to me that time I say Thy saving health wherein O Lord for ay In peace I 'le rest as unto me thou said From all my fears for thou hast so displaid Thy freest love that makes my heart rejoyce And mount and sing with Simeon that voice Now let me Lord depart in peace anon For I have seen thy great salvation Thy words enough I thereon will depend In it there 's life and it will me defend And bring me forth into that light wherein I shall remain and with high Cherubin Shall shew forth what with thee I have seen In my return as it hath with me been I have none other Song but this to sing What thou hast done for me that I will bring Before thy Saints that they also with me May sing it forth in sweetest melodie As none else can but them whom thou alone Hath so redeem'd by that same corner-stone That lyeth lowest in the building so That simmoned they are for so to do Which freedom brings in such great mighty store That sing that song they will for evermore Then thou my Soul sit here in silent rest Under his wings in whom thou thus art blest And wander not nor let thy gadding mind Be turn'd about thy Spirit for to blind Into the flesh as though that heavenly thing Thou there would keep and to thy sense would bring Thy freedom now and think thereby to hold That in thy self which no man ever could And soar not up into thy thoughts so high But ly thee down in true humilitie And eat thy portion there with that content That faith doth bring and be thou patient A word 's enough he will supply thy want There 's all in him how can there then be scant Nor turn thou back unto thy pleasures vain Nor unto Mammons filthly sordid gain Such lovers all too base are for thy mind Who now stands free in such a heavenly kind Of noble birth nay what shall I say more An heir with Christ as was said heretofore Of that same Crown which links thee into one Where freedoms stands beside which there is none And that I may Lord take into thy hand My life for all 's at thine own great command If thou wilt speak thy word it will suffice Then speak it Lord let not my foes arise Me to prevent of this thy pearl great O then speak Lord and so they shall retreat And then full safely I shall walk along With thee though with my wicked foes among I sojourn still untill that precious time Of Jubill come that full deliverance mine That Jubill time O! when shall it appear To free me from my burdens that are here Me thinks I long my heart it would be gone Out of this clay unto that only One But I must stay and in this house abide Till gold from drosse be true and fully try'd And sin and death hath done their worst and then Shall life come in and that same last Amen Shall then make up both breach and ruins all That hath befall'n the Saints since Adams fall The which shall then full gloriously appear When God in man his Kingdom shall up reare When God is all and man brought home in one That 's the Kingdom or else I say there 's none For Kingdoms else before him they shall fall And come to end though they be ne're so tall Then hasten Lord this Kingdom that is thine That I in thee may in thy onenesse shine That thou in me and I in thee still may Remain in one eternally I say Where I may cast before thy face my crown Where thou abides in that same highest throne Of glory great where all things end in one And thither brought by the chief corner stone Where Saints and Angels in true unity One song shall sing in God eternally Amen Lord hasten this thy pointed day It 's in thy hand yet still for that I 'le pray That when thou hast brought all things into one We all thy Saints may live in thee alone And thou in us may be our heaven alway Which shall remain that mighty longest day That mighty longest day that Alpha one That last Omega who is God alone Amen Amen O Lord I do thee pray To bring my soul to this thy holy day For thou art First and thou will be the last Of all that is to come or hath been past That glory honour power and due praise May be of all return'd to thee alwayes The corner stone out from the Father came Was laid in blood for to declare his name His grace and love unto fall'n men alace And by an oath so interposed was To reconcile to God his creature man So as no Angel nor no creature can So that his glory did surmount the bound Of all darkness in this wide world round Yea it did shine through sin through death through hell And grave as doth the Scripture fairly tell And if his splendor shine through such darkness Then doth it shine within all men no less To be the life of them who do receive it And judgement unto them who do reject it Thus is he set the fall and rise again Of some and all as will appear full plain When he as judge such witness will produce That who rejects shall be without excuse Let all men then what talent God doth give Improve it so as he therein may live And give account what gain comes in thereby Unto his Lord lest not so doing dye Then see thy Talent be not laid within Thy carnal earth which no good gain can win But exchange that which of thee is carnal Into a state that is spiritual So shalt thou build upon the corner stone A good increase while carnal earth brings none In Jordans water Christ baptized were By John so plung'd over head and ear The Holy Ghost descending on him so That he our sorrows bare and rude our wo And was the man who did repentance bear For all mens sins that he might wash them clear And after that that he was so baptized His after life was all then sacrificed Up unto death and in death baptized And by the spirit he again was raised Into the heavenly beeing there to reign In power great untill he come again In watry tears and siry blood was he So plunged in our Saviour for to be Thus water fire and blood was mingled For him to
Faith and then he shal be born unto us But man is loath to sit in darknesse and death yet the Kingdom of God never comes but to repenting hearts Repent for the Kingdom of God is at hand 2. As also When we think because of this and that qualitie or diligence or repentance or humilitie he should come Nay he must not be bound by man nor to man by nothing but his own Word and he will thus crosse mans fleshly hopes when thou thinks thy fell the nearest thou art the farthest off and when thou findest thy self the farthest off then thou art the nearest And it is a thing to be noted That Christ came into the World when the Jewes went everie one to his own Citie to be taxed even when they went to acknowledge their bondage and captivitie under the Romans then was Christ born which is also to be observed spiritually viz. When everie man in his own heart lives in bondage fear and captivated by Satan and hath no power to redeem himself but confesseth his thraldom and lyes under it then is Christ born unto the heart for he came to deliver the Captives 4. As also that the Church was now at a great want for the Scepter was departed from Judah and no Prophet was left in Israel as Psal 74. None the guide or teach them nothing left but the word of Promise which seemed to be void and God to have forsaken them And now Christ comes and is born so it is with us And there were Shepherds in the Countrey Here Christs birth is manifested First obscurelie to poor Shepherds and these must carry the tydings of great Joy wherein note that vvonderful humility and lovv estate vvherein Christ appeared to the World though he vvas the great Lord of Heaven and Earth Wherein note Christs vvay viz. That the way of Christ from the first to the last in accomplishing Mans Redemption is in povertie lowlinesse and deep humilitie of Heart far separated from the World and the riches and glory thereof Phil. 2. He was equal with God c. yet took on him the form of a servant Isa 5.3 He hath neither form nor beauty nothing seen why we should desire him he was despised and rejected of men a man of sorrows and had experience of Infirmities we hid our faces from him and esteemed him not the rich of the world cared not for him The greâ— Doctors and wise of the World despised him he soughâ— not his own glory but the good of all he was still among the poor and halt and blind and beggars and had not whereon to lay his head his message was carried by fishers and ignorant men 1. This was the Wisdom of the Father that the eminence of the Parties nor the wisdom of man should not cause his Gospel to be believed but the Evidence of the Truth according to the ancient Prophesies He will not have the Gospel to be credited because of Man but Man for the Gospel 2. This he doth to keep man lowe that he may see nothing to lift him up in the World but the word of Truth 3. And to shew the difference betwixt his Kingdom and the Kingdom of the World who only seeks high things stands in glorie and outward respects but his in poverty and miserie Though in that low estate God manifested such a glorie and power as the World was not capable of For He was a greater Conquerour than Cesar Pompey or Alexander for they subdued a few Kingdoms and yet slaves to their own vain glory and lusts but he overcame the whole World and Hell too that he cared nor a rash for it and yet but lodged in a manger And this is the way that the mindly low that it rise not after the World but so raised by Faith that it tramples it under foot For as the Heathen man could say He is valiant not only who kills Lyons Bears and wilde beasts but he who overcomes his own passion so in Christ 4. For the daily life of man in himself is repentance or securitie and pride that he so live in himselâ— that Sin and the World is a burden to him Yea that have still that opinion of himself that the World had of Christ yea that as he was counted the greatest sinner of the World by the World that he was ignorant and a deceiver so that man see and feel the sins of all men in himself that he beheld no good in anything but in Christ nor no evil in any thing but in himself This keeps him in the manger and among poor Shepherds 1. How far then are we from Christs birth or way who only seek to be great in the World which all strive at it is not a manger or a stable that will fit them but like Lords of the Earth seek preheminence This poverty of Christ becomes a stone to them whom nothing can please but riches and greatnesse 2. Others who imagine themselves to be born of God because of this and that good quality and still strain at high things thereby to draw near to God But this way they are farther of for all Gods people are born in humility and live lowly and humblie even in the stable that is well pleased with any thing and so advanced by Gods free gift for which they praise him 3. What though we be base and fools in the eyes of the World and that we want the glory thereof it was so with Christ nay it is our freedom if we want it or having it care not for it Now as it was the Fathers will that Christ should be born in a Stable and published by Shepherds so it is his will that thou art poor and despised but he had a care of his Son he will also bring thee through it though with lesse pomp yet with as much ease and at death no difference but only that thou with Christ will willingly part with it and he with much grief and sorrow 4. We hear many say They would have succoured Christ better but thou hatest him in his members What good doest thou to them The Angel of the Lord came upon them He came to reveal this great mystery to shew the truth of all the promises now accomplished none able to do it but an Angel from Heaven viz. an heavenly messenger so that No understanding of the Mystery of Christ or seeing the truth of the Promise accomplished but as it is revealed and freely given from above Man in nature perceives not the things of God 1 Joh. 4. There is an anointing from above that teacheth all things and none can say that Jesus is the Christ but by the Holy Ghost though we think that Jesus is the Christ and Saviour Yet we think but after the flesh but his wonderful Love Truth Power bitternesse of Sufferings Victory over Hell and Death not known by comprehending but revealed to poor and miserable minds from above 1. For the Father hath hid all
wisdom in Christ from the wise of the World and it is to be found in him not in us 2. Christ prayes to the Father to reveal this to them That they may know that thou hast sent me 3 And this was promised of Christ that after his deâ—th he would send a Comforter that should lead them into all truth 1. What a world of conceits have we of Christ and yet know him not because we think we know 1. Some know the Historie of Christ and moved with natural passions by the consideration of his passion 2. Some strive to know the Mysterie of Christ after the flesh 2. We see that all knowledge comes by faith and is revealed from heaven as a man that promiseth to free me being a captive I believe him but I know not that he will till he reveal his will to me 3. Where then is the power of man in the use of this general gift of knowledge to come to know Christ None knows the Son but the Father nor the Father but the Son 4. Wouldest thou know the wonderful Mysterie of Christ Sit in thy own ignorance mourning in blindnesse and wait in the word of Truth till the light shine and thou shalt understand though not the mind of God yet the mind of Christ And they were sore afraid The glory astonished them the message brought fear to humble them so in all so that The proper and kindly operation of the whole Word and Message of the Gospel in the mouth of Christ is to bring man down and the foundation of Christs Kingdom is laid in fear to lay man low that he may be exalted in Christ To deny our selves to become fools and lost as Paul I was alive but when the Law came I was dead all our Righteousnesse as filthy rags the weapons of our warfare are mighty to bring down all the whole Scripture to man as he is man speaks negatively and basely onlie exalts Jesus Christ as the Law-giver in thunder to shake the heart of man the Gospel and the Promise made without any respect of any righteousnesse in man and the povver whereby this becomes effectual is from another and not from our selves Thus was Paul brought to his knees 1. For it ever brings man to fear and weaknesse before it bring faith and preserves fear that he may still rest on Christ for when any Land hath been conquered First they weaken them and bring them into fear and then they yield so doth Christ 2. For the Word opening to man the Book of his own heart as Acts 2. discovers such a miserie guilt and weaknesse that he cryes What should I do And as often as it opens mans mind it discovers such a dungeon so thâ—t hereby he is driven from himself and all boasting is taken away But man stores himself with better qualities and better conceits and starts from himself but if Adams eyes be opened he shall see nothing but nakednesse and the Grosse shall weare out all these fig leaves 3. Everie man is grown proud and wise and high in knowledge against Christ and hath gotten either the Wâ—rld or knovvledge or righteousnesse or something that bears him up therefore it must be a mighty word that must make all these nothing to man perswade him that the world hath no good in it nor no wisdom nor in all creatures no life but in another 1. But vve all pervert this vvord to our destruction when we vvill needs comprehend it but are not comprehended by it vve judge it and are not judged by it and so vve keep off fear for vve are made vvise and righteous according to the form thereof and becomes men of high thoughts but not men of low minds and thereby rejects the simplicity of the Gospel The word known after the flesh and not believed lifts up and hardens more than any thing but the Word believed brings down and layes low in weaknesse and preserves fear makes man nothing that Christ may be exalted but we believe not the thousand part of that we know 2. So that the Word of Truth is a mighty Word it layes all low before it none is able to stand before it but Christ not the holiest Pharisee for this shall judge the World and cast out all the fictions of man and all the pride and glory of the World and shall be a terrible Word to all that believe not when everie tittle thereof shal be verified on man O that we were all stricken with fear and sensible of our weaknesse for as we fear so we believe But man hath gotten so many coverings that he runs from one to another to hide himself from his own heart Some by the Worlds fulnesse but that shall vanish Some by knowledge and righteousness after the Law and bardened therein but these shall not stand no nothing shall remain indeed but Christ and the Gospel Be not afraid So that Christ and the Gospel only belongs to fearful and weak men that first see death and danger and no help in themselves to escape and sigh and cry and pray and see no deliverance Then in time the Angel from God bringing the message of the Gospel frees them that the gates of hell shal not prevail It is not possible that the heart of man should be preferved from fear but by Christ only 1. All the World is not able to free a worldly heart from fear 2. All knowledge leaves the heart fearfull though secure for a time 3. All holinesse and qualities and sacrifice not able to purge the conscience but only the blood of Christ and man fixed thereon And this only shall turn fear unto Faith c. 1. So that the Gospel I fear belongs but to few of us for fear is banished weaknesse is grown strong and gotten up again Sorrow is turned into lightnesse sighing and praying into vaunting and boasting so that we need not say we be afraid But O man look into that dead and rotten heart of thine observe that crooked faithlesse and worldly path and be astonished for the kingdom of Christ was come near thee But seing thou despisest it lo we turn to the Gentiles for fearless and careless estate is fallen upon all and under the cover of Religion without Religion Behold I bring you glad tidings of great joy viz. The accomplishment of the Promise in the birth of Christ therefore seek no shifts to escape turn hither and behold great joy and freedom against all sorrows So that The only ground of all joy freedom to a troubled heart is only Christ made known unto man in the truth of the Gospel Paul rejoyced only in the Crosse of Christ and counted all things else but dung and had no confidence in the Flesh by our rejoycing that I have in Christ Jesus I die daily all other things died unto him and being justified by Christ we rejoyce in tribulation How was the mourning of Mary turned into peace and joy by Christ Isa