are subject to Relapses and new fits of Stone and of the Plague subject to many stoppings haltings and that which the Prophets câ—l backslidings These wil Christ heal as well as the former These are the five ordinary Diseases of the Godly but there are three extraordinary which befal some not all but Christ wil cure them too 1. To be sick of love A sad Disease if I may call it a Disease but a safe Disease Morbus vitalis as Luther called a Godly Ministers sicknesse Many complain of it none dye of it There be two sicknesses that are the sicknesses only of Saints 1. To be sick of love to Christ. This is no Disease but the best Constitution 2 To be sick of sin that sin revives and we dye Such are safe they shal find Gods savour sweeter then life who find sin to them more bitter then death But there are two Diseases opposite to these which are killing 1 To be Love sick to the Creature Amnons sickness cost him his life love of the world earths sickness kills all to be carnal minded is death 2 To be sin sick not of it but for it Ahabs Amnons Absaloms Hamans Disease This Hells sicknesse and the Damned have no worse 2. There is a worse Disease then that former to be Serpent stung Satan-bitten Hellbeaten buffeted wounded with fiery darts terrified with Satans rage and fowle accusations and more vexed with his ugly and odious representations accusing God to us as he did to our Parents solliciting to the perpetrating of most abhorred acts as he did our Saviour injecting blasphemous thoughts disputing and arguing thee into distrust darknesse disuse of means solitarinesse despondency yea to utter despair Yet thus are the Israel of God stung with fiery Serpents and by the brasen Serpent cured Christ came to dissolve the works of Satan and healeth those who were oppressed by the divel 3 A worse Disease then both those is to be stricken of God to have his face hid from us and his indigration lying on the soul his fierce wrath going over us and his â—errâ—rs cutting us off How doth the soul take on when this scorching Sun and scalding East wind beats upon the naked soul The poyson of these arrowes drink up the spirits Who knoweth the terror of the Lord or the Power of his wrath None can expresse it not the Damned that feel it none can conceive it but they who have lyen under it The rack Stone Gout Child birth paines nothing to this The wounded spirit who can bear Iob speaking of this said if his grief were weighed and put in the ballances it would be heavier then the sands of the Sea therefore my words are swallowed up he had not words to express it for the arrowes of the Almighty are within me the poison whereof drinketh up my spirit The terrors of God set themselves in aray against me Iob had patience to bear much Job had not patience enough to bear this but cryed out This is the saddest Disease in the world and is next door to hell yet Christ recovereth these also These three last Diseases are Opprobria Medicorum Theologorum not opprobria Christi Christ giveth ease and cureth all these Reas. 1. He is the great Physician whose curing vertue and Office is set out by those many Resemblances in Scripture 1. He is the Brasen Serpent upon which they that were stung with fiery Serpents were to look and were cured 2. He the Samaritan who when the Priest Aaron with all his Sacrfices and the Levite Moses with all Legal works of Righteousnesse passed by and looked upon unable to help took pity on the wounded Traveller bound up his wounds and took care for his cure and undertaketh to defray all charges 3. He the Tree of Life whose fruit is our meat to feed to everlasting life whose leaves our Medicine to prevent everlasting death 4. He the good Shepheard who taketh care of the whole flock of God Seeking that which was lost bringing again that which was driven away binding up that which was broken and strengthening that which was sick And lastly He the Sun Phoebus God of Physick The Sun is the universal Physician of the inferior world curing the Diseases and Distempers of the year earth aire and creatures The vernal Sun dryeth up the Ayrie Distillations driveth away the earths cold healeth barrenness cureth Rheumes Catarrhs Agues and other cold diseases in mans body How many graves doth our Autumn Sun departing dig And how many new births and resurrections doth the March and May Sun produce Christ is this Sun to the soul. Reas. 2. The Commission given him by the Father upon this his undertaking enableth and obligeth him to this Charge The Commission was sealed Isa. 61. 1 2. and openly read Luke 4. 18. The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because he hath anointed me to preach the Gospel to the poor to heal the broken hearted to preach deliverance to the Captives and recovering of sight to the blind to set at liberty them that are bruised As therefore the Disciples substituted and subcommissioned by him to do some part of this work Ministerially were enabled and assisted to heal all Diseases cleanse Lepers raise dead cast out Divels much more Christ who received the Original commission from the hands of his Father Reas. 3. His own disposition inclines him as much as his Office or Commission betrusts him He is the compassionate Samaritan the merciful High Priest How often is it said in the Gospel He was moved with compassion and healed the sick Hee took our sicknesses and bare our infirmities Bare them in his body by his Passion bare them in his soul by compassion Bajulavit Bare them as a Porter the burden which was too heavy for us to bear Christ is in his Office and Element when among languishing souls where should the Physician be but among the sick Christs Church is the Pool the proper Receptacle and Rendezvous of impotent persons Christs Church is an Hospital Nosocomion the Spittle or Colledg for the Diseased Moses Law excluded the Leprous out of the Camp Gehazi went out from Elisha's presence Uzziah was driven out of the Temple when the Leprosie appeared but Christ bringeth them into the Camp into the Church David banished the blind and lame out of his City Christ sendeth for the lame blind and halt and setteth them at his table Quest. What doth this healing imply Resp. 1. That Christ will ease the grief heal the sore as Physicians or Chiturgians do in bodily Diseases 2. Purge out the peccant humors and draw out the corruption 3 When one is healed the decumbent is revived cheered raised up so those whom Christ doth heal shall say now I am not sick the Lord hath forgiven my iniquity 4 When one is healed he hath strength in the weak part and use of the disabled part he can labor
of the Divine Essence in three Persons I and my Father are one John 10. 30. There are three that beare record in heaven the Father the Word and the Spirit and these three are one 2. So in Christ visible for his humanity invisible for his Divinity Unity is the perfection of his person Only in the former Unity of Essence there is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 alius not aliud here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 aliud not alius in this unity of Person As in the Creature Sun there is a conjunction and union of two different qualities light and heat Light such as is in heaven among the Stars none such on earth Heat such as is in living creatures on earth none such in the Stars So in Christ there is an union of an heavenly and earthly nature 1. Of a Deity which the other persons have without humanity 2. Of Humanity which we have without a Deity In this one High Priest alone the Thummim and the Urim the perfections of God and the light of men conjoyn'd 1. Then give unto Christ the glory of this Singular attribute of Unity in a double Unity 1. The Unity of faith 2. Unity of Love 1. By an Unity of faith eye Christ only eye him with a single eye look up to no other Mediator go not to glean in any other field as was said to Ruth one Sun gives light to all the world there needs no more He were a mad man should say set me up another Sun or light me a Candle at noon day to help out the Sun He more irrational who saith give me somewhat besides Christ another Mediator It is looked upon as prodigious in nature to see two or three Suns or Parelii together There is no such thing they are but imaginary Suns in a cloud having a little light no heat or vigorous Influence There is but one Sun which gives light to these so to set up Saints merits the Virgin Maries Intercession or our own duties were prodigious all have what they have from Christ and contribute nothing to him And these Parelii are never seen but when the Sun is low at morning or evening never at noone This flying to the Saints with Papists or imagined Righteousnesse with some carnal Protestants is only a sign of a dim knowledg and of a weak faith never of a sound judgment and a wel-informed mind How unhandsome is a new piece on an old garment or the garment part wollen part linnen Christ will be Solus or nullus Look to me and be saved all the ends of the earth for I am God and there is none else Isa. 45. 22. Each man puts out his candle and opens his window to let in heaven light when the Sun is up do so for your souls tread out your sparks they may burn thee they cannot lighten thee Isa. 50. 11. Behold all ye that kindle a fire that compasse your selves about with sparks walk in the light of your fire and in the sparks that ye have kindled this shall ye have of my hand ye shall lye down in sorrow 2. Next look after the other great Unity The Unity of love the Unity of the spirit in the bond of Peace Faith and love are the two great uniting graces faith to the head love to the members As there are two great unions in heaven the first of three in one Trinity in Unity the other of two in one two natures in one person So next to these two most glorious Unions there are two mysterial Unions in earth of faith to Christ where two are one of love to the Church where all are one And as this is Gods perfection so the Churches according to Christs last Prayer John 17. 17. That they may be all one as Thou Father art in me and I in thee That they may be made perfect in one It was the glory and beauty of the Wheels that they were so Artificially joyned one within another that though divers they seemed one wheel and they had all one motion for one Spirit animated them All those innumerable fixed Stars keep their proper and certain station are therefore never eclipsed nor do they eclipse others but move together uniformly one motion is common to all The Planets move in several Orbs no two together and they are all eclipsed one by another Christians should as Stars in the Firmament not thwart cloud censure slight eclipse each other disparaging this mans Ministry question that mans sincerity Oh that the Trumpet might not make an uncertain or different sound but bee all as one as when the Temple was dedicated and when Jericho was besieged all the Priests blew together all the people gave one shout thereby should Babylons walls be finally ruined and Jerusalems fully repaired Then would it be said Who is this that looketh forth as the morning fair as the Moon clear as the Sun terrible as an Army with banners This Unity of the Spirit would become the bond and cement of our Peace our bands and beauty the staff of the Church in her now old age and bring in those Primitive times again when after stormes The Churches regained rest and were edified walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost were multiplied Why should there not bee as one God one Church as one Lord one Baptism as one Spirit one Faith as one Father one Family as one Christ one Hope as one way one Heart as one Bread one Body as one Cup one Lip Cor unum via una Dominus unus Nomen unum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 12. 12. All should be one How delightful is it to see ten thousand beams streaming from the same Center of the Sun in heaven meet and re-center in the same punctulum on earth What a resplendent light and piercing heat do they give So when all the Graces coming from the same head do unite and con-center together what beauty light and heat is there The Beams dispersed are weakned united are more burning as in a Burning glass where all the Sun seems contracted in so narrow compass Where is most of Unity there is most of Christ. And now thou glorious Sun of Righteousness and blessed Peace maker who art all Union and the Fountain of it in whose Person the Father and Holy Ghost was from eternity united in whose Incarnation the Humane Nature was united to the Divine in whose Mediation the Divine was again united to the Humane In the strength of these two great Unions produce a third that union of our Nature with it self that there may be no more Schismes in the body Thou that didst slay the enmity between Jew and Gentile slay that between Christian and Christian and as thou art the foundation stone of our faith be also the corner the coupling stone of our Love and the
any object opposite change or chance whatsoever that may fall out The Sun beholds all objects all the works of Nature many of which have a natural ill savour all the Acts of men many which have a woâ—se moral noisomeness but the Sun is not at all tainted nor his beams defiled by the sight Christ Jesus is privy not accessory to all the Oppressions Treasons Murders Whoredomes c. acted under the Sun an observer of all the damnable Heresies and pernicious Doctrines that are broached but his Perfections are not in the least impaired because he receives no taint he is no approver of them 1. This shewes us that God receives nothing from the Creature He did not out of any necessity or indigence create the world we want a house therefore build a horse therefore buy a servant therefore hire but God did not create heaven because he needed a house or the Angels and men because he wanted Servants He had the same perfect blessedness in himself before there was a world or Creature The Sun receives not his light from our eye but our eyes from his light 2. If he be perfect then cannot wicked ones when they do their worst hurt or prejudice him Whoredomes Heresies reach not him Look unto the Heavens and see and behold the clouds which are higher then thou If thou sinnest what dost thou against him or of thy Transgressions be multiplied what dost thou unto him Thy wickednesse may hurt a man as thou art and thy Righteousnesse may profit the son of man 3. Lesse doth hee need our Duties If thou bee Righteous what is that to him or what receiveth he at thy hands Set not up thy rush candle to the Sun it needs it not it beares it not but puts it out All the Starres in Heaven and Lights on earth are abashed and appear not in the Suns presence Even that which was made so glorious that is the face of Moses had no glory said the Apostle in this respect by reason of the glory of Christ that excelleth But he that put on a Vayle when hee came from God to speak to Israel that hee might hide his Glory needed to put on another Vaile when he went in unto God to hide his Imperfections CHAP. VIII Unchangeableness the last Incommunicable Attribute VVE are come to the last Incommunicable Attribute Unchangeableness All things below are subject to mutations Kingdomes are changed and Republicks changed Men Manners Cities Families Congregations changed Apparel Fashions Opinions daily changed and which is saddest of all there are changes in Religion yea the Moon is daily changed but the Sun never his Essence the same Light as clear Heat as cheering Influence as operative Motion as swift as ever Hence the Sun is often in Scripture brought in as a demonstration of the unchangeablenesse of Gods Decrees Love and Promises towards his people Thus saith the Lord which giveth the Sun for a light by day and the Ordinances of the Moon and Stars by night If those Ordinances depart from me saith the Lord then may the seed of Israel cease c. Again If you can break my Covenant of the day and of the night that there should not be day and night in their season Then may my Covenant be broken with David my servant c I suppose it but a dream of the Astronomers that the Sun is come down lower and moveth neerer the earth by one fourth part then it did in ancient times But be it so Christ is the Sun unchanged in his effence grace glory merits all-sufficiency unchanging in his purposes promises gifts callings love compassion to his people He is Alpha and Omega the same yesterday to day and for ever the Lamb slain from the beginning of the world And if he be at all changed it is in his Approximation and neerer approach to the earth in his incarnation and the other passages of his Humiliation App. 1. Then is Christ able to save to the utmost all that come unto the father through him he hath the same penny for the last as for the first His hand not shortned nor mercy abated It is remembred of Moses as that which was not ordinary that after an hundred and twenty years his eye was not dim nor his natural strength abated And that more strange that all the Israelites garments waxed not old in forty years space But how admirable is it that the eye of the Sun is not made dim nor strength abated nor do his garments wax old after six thousand years He is as a mighty Gyant as fresh after so great labours and after so many ages revolution as ever and as faire as the young Bridegroome as the Psalmist hath it the emblem of this our Sun and his unchangeablenesse He is Lux Perennis hâ— is fons perennis the Sun whose light thâ— spring whose water is perpetual generations passe the Sun remains new Travellerâ— come to the old fountains where their fathers drank there they are and as fresh they runne there Abraham drank anâ— there do we He believed and it was counted to him for righteousnesse we believe anâ— it is our righteousnesse â—here David dranâ— in his time he believed and therefore spake wâ— also believe and therefore speake there dranâ— Paul long after and was revived he believed and obtained mercy and was set forth for an example to all after beleivers It is the most glorious Anthem that ever the Church militant sung His mercies endure for ever therefore appointed to be sung in their most Solemn feasts Besides you have it twenty six times in one Psalme the burden of every verse a meditation that can never be oft enough repeated remembred studied and believed 2. Is Christ so unchangeable then if he hath appeared to thee once chosen called loved thee his love is an everlasting love free at first and without cause firm to the last and without change His gifts and callings are ' 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without repentance The Sun is the faithful witnesse in heaven if it did shine into thine house yesterday it wil to morrow and for ever as long as the house stands The Scripture usually comforteth godly ones upon this consideration God is faithful by whâ—m ye are called into the fellowship of his Son Iesus Christ. Therefore he shal confirm you unto the end that ye may be blamelesse in the day of our Lord Iâ—sus Christ. Again faithful is he who calleth you who also wil do it Hence the godly soul comes to safe Anchor after all storms My salvation is not in my hands it is in Gods my unfaithfulnesse hazards it his faithfulnesse secures it my unbelief shakes it his faith settles it my mutable wil and condition endangers all his immutable decrees and love secures all my foundation is subverted my seals cancelled the foundation of God yet abideth sure and hath his seal Our happinesse
should upon pretending the spirit either 1. Slight the Scriptures for then why did he write this Epistle to them if they needed none to teach them 2. Or slight the Ministers for why doth he himself preach and write to them 3. Or Rely on the anointing as if it was the only Bible and Light when he tels them notwithstanding the anointing they might be and were some of them seduced These things have I written concerning them that seduce you 5. If thou wantest light then this directs us where to seek it Go to Christ for it And for that end 1. Come out of the earth live not as worms and moles under ground God bereaveth such of sight they would not esteeme the light but despise it The darknesse comprehendeth not the light nor can an earthy heart discern spirituall things Damps arising from the earth put out all lights and those of earthly spirits cannot savour the things of God but only those of the world The Pharisees who were covetous when they heard Christ derided him saith St. Luke 2. Live not in thâ—se climes where the Gospel Sun comes not follow the light of Ordinances as the wise men the Star Our countrymen go not to Groenland til the Sun have been there and stay not when the Sun is withdrawing The Christian as the Swallow must follow the motion of the Sun Christ and of the Gospel his Chariot 3. Close not thine eyes by wilfull frowardnesse lest God seals them up with judiciary excoecation Matth. 13. 13. 15. Do nothing against the truth but for it 2 Cor. 13. 8. The Pharisees because they stood in their own light and said they saw better then our Saviour their sin remained and professing themselves wise were made fools 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and because they saw they were made blind 4 Opâ—n thy doors and windowes stand up from the dead and Christ shal give thee light do what in thee is that thou receivest not grace in vaine We cannot make the Sun rise before Gods appointed time and before that houre it is in vaine to open all doors and windowes these drive not away the night but the Sun But when the Sun is up we may stop it out or let it in We cannot by digging cause springs run where God denyeth them but where he placeth them we may by digging make a well to receive them or we may stop them up that they run not to us We can by no means procure a blast of wind at Sea then all sails cannot put on the ship but the wind blowing faire we hoise up the sayle and have the benefit of it Nature without grace cannot grace without endeavour will not save us 5. Go to thy Minister The Greeks made their way by Philip to a sight of Jesus and the first Disciples that Jesus called were John's Disciples formerly The Magistrate may take civil Marriages out of the Ministers hands if it be his pleasure but spirituall and sacred marriages he cannot they are to espouse believers to their husband and to present them as chast Virgins unto Christ 2 Cor. 11. 2. 6. Pray much to Christ Lord that mine â—yes may be opened those blind men had not power to see but they had power to be sensible Lord I cannot see thy light I can only see my owne darknesse I cannot pray or believe but I can cry Thou givest both light and sight light where sight sight where was no sight and eye-salve to mend the bad sight O Lord who is so blind as thy servant and who so deaf Seeing many things but observing nothing Take off the scales from these eyes the vaile from this heart that I may come out of my darknesse into thy marvellous light CHAP. XIII Warmth the fourth Property THe fourth Property which I may call the highest in the Sun is his most comfortable warmth which is that that crowns all the former His greatnesse is commended by his glory glory by his light and light by this we now speak of warmth It is a shining and a burning light of whose heat we read oft in Scripture Exod. 16. 21. When the Sun waxed hot 1 Sam. 11. 9. By that time the Sun be hot which Property makes this creature â— great resemblance of our Sun of Righteousness in many paâ—â—iculars 1. It is the sole property of the Sun of all the Heavenly Bodies to give heat The Moon and Stars have their Glory give their measure of Light give not the least heat That is the Suns work Christ is the Garden enclosed and the Well sealed of Grace to quicken of comfort to reviâ—e the soul. No Angel minister Ordinances can they are of use and can give light The Law and Knowledge of God came by Moses and the Prophets but Grace and Peace comes only by Jesus Christ. 2. The Suns light is of more large extent then is his warmth that many see who feel not this that reacheth those who are far off and lye in the shade This those only who are nearer whom it taketh into closer embraces it is in his wings not Beames and beholdeth with a direct face and who are a longer space under it Christ may impart common illumination to those who are far off but his Grace and Peace and Love he imparts to them onely who are nearer to him more dearly embraced whom he setteth his eyes and heart upon spreading his skirt and wings over them Thus doth he manifest himself to them otherwise then to the world Many there are enlightned as by a winter Sun who have also tasted of the Word of God but were never warmed at the heart with the Love and Spirit of Christ who therefore fall away and as the stony ground for lack of root and mâ—â—â—â—ure hold not out 3. The Suns warmth is another kind of Heavenly and Divine heat then is in all the Creatures again fire cloathes warm but not as the Sun Warm water in Winter will not make trees to grow let the Husbandman graff plant cut prune digge dung water no fruit comes of it till the Suns warmth brings it out The Prophets staff laid on the childs face or if it had been bâ—oken on his back brings no heat But the Prophet laying face to face and stretching himselfe on the dead child his warmth brought in warmth and life into that child before dead The hens wing hath another heat to form bring forth and hatch the chicken at first and to recover it when drooping then any other heat can have Now as they are alike for these Properties in their Heat so in their Operations 1. The Suns warmth not light dryes up the raine dryes the Fens and High-wayes overfâ—owen with water dissolves Rocks of Ice thawes Mountaines of snow turnes Mare congelatum into Mare Pacificum Mare clausum into Mare Liberum which no fire or Engine on Earth or all the light in heaven could not do It is Christ
the same voice of words and thunder that Moses did His face only shone he had nearer approaches of God unto his soul Then did the Disciples hearts burne within them when this Sun was so near and gave light to the darker Scriptures It was the Sun not the Wind which got off the Travellers Cloak It is the love of Christ not Lawes Terror that maketh sin to be laid by His Love is cords his love is chains his love constrains and drawes I drew them with cords of a man with bands of Love Mâ—ses speaks of the precions fruits brought forth by the Sun Where the Suns heat is most predominant there are the richest Meâ—tals the sweetest spices the rarest fruits the most precious Jewels There is not in the East and Affrica any Quicksilver very little Iron but these meaner Meâ—tals of Brasse Iron Lead are only in the Northerne Countries they have Gold as naturally and abundantly as in our Countries Lead and Iron Where this Sun is near and vertical what fruitfulness is here over all others What precious things doth this Sun bring forth For Brasse I will bring Gold and for Iron Silver and for Wood Brasse and for stones iron Isaiah 60. 17. 2. It lets us see what difference between the comforts of Christs giving and those which flow from the Creature He that leaveth this Fountaine to go drink of those Cisternes goeth from Gods blessing into the warm Sun as we say but he that hath drunk of those and after tastes of this finds he is come from the freezing shady side into the cheering Sun side The Sun 's is Calor Coelestis the most kindly heat Christ's the most kindly comforts The fire in Winter heats for a while afterwards makes more chill Strong Water at present warmes but after leaves the stomack cooler The end of carnal joy is heavinesse The Sun 's is the cheering and the lasting heat it heats and alters the air without and it alters the temper of our bodies that we need less fire apparel and strong drinks The comfort had from Creatures is presently gone Christ's alters the temper of our spirits and abides much longer The greatest inward heater is Wine and the greatest outward is fire Christ his love and comfort warmes more then both Thy Love is better then Wine Cant. 1. 2. The coals of Love are coals of fire which hath a most vehement flame Cant. 8. 6. There are nine differences observable between the comforts of Christs giving and other comforts 1. His are soul purifying whereas others defile it Carnal mirth lets out all the spirits into looseness They sate down to eat and drink and rose up to play They did eat and drink and curse But Godly and spiritual comfort makes the heart serious savoury dilates the heart to receive more Graces expelleth what is noisom and is of the same operation with godly sorrow whose sadnesse of countenance makes the heart better Walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost are joyned 2. Soul pacifying his comfort and presence gives richest peace first his Love lets in Joy and Joy brings in Peace these three sit down together and this Trinity of Blessings make up the Unity and Perfection of Blessednesse the Love of the Father the Joy of the Son the Peace of the Holy Ghost Other Joy corrodes and gnawes the heart hath an ill farewel and leaveth it in sadnesse 3. Soul satisfying Corn Wine Oyle Lands Moneys satisfie not the narrow eyes much lesse the enlarged heart He still cries with the Horsleach Give give give more give better The Christians life consists not in these the Beasts and the more brutish Worldlings do who drink both in the same Trough and feed on the same husks Theirs is a hungry Joy this a filling His strength shall be hunger bitten Job 18. 12. but John 16. 24. Your joy shall be full In thy presence fulnesse of Ioy and the heart full of this Joy saith not with Esau in a bravado I have enough but with Jacob and Paul I have all and abound I am full c. Phil 4. 18. Though as having nothing yet I possess more then all things 4. Soul quickning making the soul active vigilant fit to pray sing praise fit for Duty suffering dying Godly men are never so fit for duty never so prepared to dy as with these comforts The Martyrs have gone singing and dancing with these to the flames When Judas was gone out to fetch the Officers to apprehend Christ then did Christ rejoice Now is the Son of Man glorified now shall God be glorified in him God shall first be glorified in him then straightway glorifie him in himselfe This puts that Spirit of Glory and of God upon the Saints The wicked mans Joy is intoxicating stupifying besotting as Hamans Belshazzers Benhadads they eat drink feast and flesh'd with fleshly delights they run desperately upon danger as Benhadad or Gaal the son of Ebed much like the horse rushing into the Battel and crying Aha at the sound of the Trumpet or else besotted they eat drink sleep spend their dayes in peace and in a moment go down quick into Hell like Solomens Ox who is going to the slaughter or like Jeremyes Lambs those who dye like Lambs In their heat I wil make their feasts and make them drunken that they may rejoice and sleep a perpetual sleep and not awake saith the Lord. I will bring them down like Lambs to the slaughter like Rams with hee Goats Danger is never nearer then when the wicked cry Peace peace Never is he less fit for death nor dies so miserably as when overcharged with his Joyes 5. Soul raising to God towards heaven in thankfulness love praise dependance submission total resignation of self these give Wings Christ is now higher Grace the Promise Salvation is sweeter Glory and Eternity more precious and Earthly Pleasures Profits Honors fall lower in his esteem Whereas worldly joies as worldly sorrowes are heart-sinking debasing depressing 6. Soul strengthening The joy of the Lord is your strength This strengthens a soul in Grace and to Duty in faith patience waiting and in Prayer Carnal Joy sets men far off from God they never depart further and never say to God depart from us so much as then In sorrow they are less desperate Pharaoh Ahab Iehoiakim such wild Asses may be taken in their month I spake to thee in thy prosperity and thou wouldst not hear this hath been thy manner from thy youth But how gracious wilt thou be when pangs come upon thee Look how much Spiritual sorrow brings men nearer to God then carnal joy so doth Spiritual joy as much more then Spiritual sorrow therefore in Heaven there shall be all Graces yet no spiritual sorrow but all Spiritual joy because there all is ripe sorrow here is but the seed joy is the ripe fruit 7. This solid not a
saith David They shall hear that voice Arise shine for thy light is come and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee To speak the least all the godly shall before they taste of death see this Promise fulfilled and see the Kingdom of God come into them with power or when they have tasted of death they shall enter with power into the Kingdom of God Mark 9. 1. where our Saviour implies 1 That the godly do but taste or sip of deaths cup. It is a bitter potion to the wicked who drink the dregs Christ tasted of death himself Heb. 2. 9. Wicked ones are said to dy the death the godly to taste onely and Christ is their Taster therefore they need not fear it 2. Nor shall they so much as taste neither till they have had a taste of Heaven the Kingdome of God coming with power Saint John had honey in his mouth before the gall in his belly God will Antidote his servants against the bitterness of death by his cordial Promise and then death tastes sweet when heaven is tasted before This Promise doth imply 1. That such as belong to God and have true grace fear his name may have small store of Peace and Comfort no present sense and taste of the love of God but walk long in darkness seeing no light at all 2 That as their condition is sad their apprehension may be sadder having nothing but fears dreadfull fears of the Name of God 3 Or that they may after a short winter day have a long night without Sun and Stars a long time as Pauls company in their tedious Sea Voyage They may cry out with many a longing wish for day and say with Job Oh that it were with me as in times past when the candle of God shined upon my head when by his light I walked through darknesse The Lord is to some of his people as a wayfaring man that turnes aside to tarry but one night The Lord comes guest-wise as the Angel to Manoahs wife who after the first apparition waited long for a second visite and having that never had a third her busband never had but one 4. They may be long under sad desertions even to forget prosperity and complaine pro tempore as if God dealt with them as with Saul I am sore distressed and the Lord hath forsaken me and answereth me no more 5. They may be also sick withall which makes long nights seeme much longer soule-sick their hearts fainting for the salvation of God as David complained saying when wilt thou comfort me What need of this sun-rising with healing else 6. They may be also ready to sink under the weight of their own guilt and Gods displeasure What need of a Sunne of Righteousnesse else 7. Yet suppose all this and what more you can Christ shall arise to purpose on these poore soules as the Sun in his strength dispelling darknesse as a cloud dispersing righteousnesse as beames of light curing all the soule distempers with his healing vertue 1. The reason hereof is partly from somewhat in God 2. Partly from somewhat in themselves 1. On Gods part 1. His Power gives the first hope of it He can say Let he re be light and there shall be light Hee who at first commanded light to shine out of darknesse can cause his marvellous light to shine on those who sit in darknesse 2. His power gives hope but his promise this promise here and many others makes it certain When God created the first light there was onely power and will set a work there had been no Promise here is a promise Gods power makes things possible his promise things certain It was onely possible there should bee these heavens and this earth before Creation there was no promise But it is certain there shall be a new heaven and new earth because wee according to his promise expect it It was possible that Christ might come to dissolve the works of Satan when Adam fell But is certain Christ shall come to them that fear him Here is his promise 3. His Love backs his promise as that his power He that is for Power a Gyant and for his promise and engagement Sponsor is for his love as a Bridegroome and Spouse to his Church whom he hath betrothed to himselfe in loving kindnesse righteousnesse mercies and faithfulnesse 4. His glory engageth all the former There is never more glory given to God then when he maketh good this promise Great rejoycing there is when shee who hath been long barren hath conceived as Sarah Hannah When he who hath been long in captivity is inlarged as Joseph when the exile is returned when the blind come to see The privation or want of the mercy sets the higher price upon it when it comes The desire attained is a tree of life Here the greatest joy Sing Oh barren thou that didst not bear break forth into singing and cry aloud thou that didst not travel with child Sharon breaketh forth into singing and Lebanon claps his hands and all the birds of the wood and beasts of the field sing and leap for joy The earth puts on her new clothes to entertain the welcome sun 2. Partly from somewhat in them 1. Their prayers raise this sun as the Prince of darknesse is raised by magick spels and cursed imprecations Christ is raised by invocation Thus the Disciples made the Sunrise before day to still the tempest What the Poets fained of the Moons coming downe to Endymion may bee spiritually verified of Christ. This Sun of righteousnesse often comes downe to imbrace such as fear him and call him downe by prayer 2. Because of their miseries In all their spiritual affliction he is afflicted and because of the sighing of the afflicted he saith I will up I will rise and shine upon him I have looked upon him and see him in his bloud I will heale him and say unto him live 3. Their prayers move him much their miseries more But their grace make his bowels to role and his repentings kindled within him I have heard him bemoaning himselfe I will surely have mercy on him I have spoken against but I will now remember him Repentance is such a grace as overcomes Gods displeasure holy fear gaines his favour faith gets his heart humility gets what grace it would have he that resists the proud and departs from the ungodly He looketh upon man and if any say I have sinned and perverted that which is right and it profited me not He will deliver his soule from going into the pit and his life shall see the light So that we may say Light is sowen for the righteous and joy for the upright in heart sowen in these two fields 1. Of Gods eternall decree in his power promise grace and love These are the upper springs 2. In the field of their graces and holy duties these are the
dismounted and throwne beside his confidence and fighting on his knees overcomes his enemy Pride is such a wild Beast and such an enemy to Grace that God leaves the Canaanite within us to learn us war that it should not rise up against us to destroy us As the wise Physician leaves his Patient to conflict with a lesse distemper to break the force of a mortal Disease Object But I have had stronger and more stirring desires formerly I am cold and flat to what I was is not this a decay Answ 1 There are at first legal stirrings raised from the Lawes terrors and heightned by the quicknesse and sharpnesse of strong convictions which gall and wound the conscience such a one is as on a Rack he roars cryes out takes on he hath drops of Gods wrath falling on him which puts him into a flame as one in a feaver who cryes out Drink drink This is a diseased not right thirst And there are Evangelical stirrings and desires begotten by the Spirit raised by the Gospel cherished by the Promise These are not so loud turbulent make not like noise but argue more grace The former said Give me ease I am sick I am damned give me a pardon or I dye This saith Give me grace let me have Christ let me be renewed or I dy There was more of self-selfe-love in those first desires more of love to God in these 2 Hast thou not 1. Bemoyled and bemired thy selfe with the world We cannnot both prize Christ and Mammon grow in Grace and Wealth The stomack that feeds on coals and ashes and such trash must needs forsake his meat 2 Or hath not spiritual pride given thee a fall Thou seest not that need of dependance on God use of Ordinances frequency of Duties but art in conceit above all Take away the wood the fire goes out 3 Happly thou hast obtained thy desire Why should the Sponse seek fear be so solicitous when she hath found her Beloved as when she mist him Shall the children of the Bride-chamber mourn when the Bridegroom is with them Say to thy soul Now return to thy rest The Flouds stop their course when come to the Sea The stone rests when at the center Hope deferred makes heart sicl desire obtained is a tree of life A poor man condemned to dy falls down intreats weeps cryes out for his life it is granted he kisseth the pardon blesseth the Prince thanketh his friends he leaps joyes praiseth God A Month after this man is not so full of joy or grief or care yet his life is as dear to him as ever it was 4 Thou hast more work to do then thou couldest apprehend Thy desires are divided into many streames which then were confined to one object Then thou more earnestly thirstedst after knowledge prayedst more for pardon now more for a broken heart Increase of Faith power against this Lust skil to manage this calling that business and to look to the whole charge of God and the whole Armour of a Christian. One work in hand goes on faster but when wee must use the Sword and Trowel fight and build this Church work goes slowly an end Object 3. But my desires are not uniform equal sometimes up sometimes down I know not what to think on it Resp. This may bee and yet all well 1 This may come from the different actings and assistance of the Spirit which is a free Agent as the wind blowes sometimes higher then the Ship moves faster The Spirit is not as fire or other natural Agents which alway act to the utmost of their activity fire burns as much as it can at all times The Spirit not so but as it pleaseth When the Spirit moved the wheels they moved when it stood they stood When the Spirit of God came upon Samson he was more then a man when the Spirit departed he became like another man 2 Faith acts differently and the Affections are raised or abated according to the actings of Faith The more faith is acted in the perswasion of the love of God the more thou lovest prayest obeyest c. 3 Thy mind is better prepared by spiritual Meditation therefore thou art more affected at another time thou hast slackned thy thoughts and thou art more dull 4 Is not thy body or mind distempered with melancholy This makes thee as blind Samson to the Philistins sport for Satan Luther was wont to call the melancholy head the Divels bath where he could cool and refresh himselfe There are two sights which above all other please Satan 1. To see a wicked man merry 2. A godly man sad He reckons himselfe sure of both when he seeth them thus Object But I find those corruptions in my heart which I never suspected what a sad growth is this Answ. As the day lengthens the cold strengthens When thou wast alive without the Law and thy sins thou wast dead really when sin revives thou art alive As sin reigned unto death so grace by righteousness reigneth to eternal life There may be these two opposite Kings in one Kingdome reigning sin or raging rather and Grace reigning death and life reigning sin and death reigne in thy apprehension Grace and life in Gods intention Where sin aboundeth most Grace aboundeth the more in one sense that is Grace is seen and set out the more to pardon so much sin So in another sense it is as true where Grace abounds most sin abounds the more in making opposition so new so great so strange against Grace Doubtlesse the greatest Scholers have the greatest Doubts and Objections which they cannot answer and the highest Saints have the sorest temptations The more the Spirit lusteth against the flesh the more the flesh lusteth against the Spirit But what doth thy resisting of sin lamenting for it watching and praying against it signifie but that thou art fighting the Lords battles and thou must never think of putting off thy harnesse till death There is no triumphant Church on earth all the Saints are militant We must not look to see the Egyptians drowned till we are on the other side the red sea It is enough if the Lord keep a distance between them and us here that they may not come so neer as to overcome us though in continual sight to terrifie us Sin hath received his deaths wound by Christ his death and the Law of the spirit of life in Jesus Christ but in the grave it is not on the Crosse it is but it is long a dying as if it had nine lives as we say the legs and armes of it are broken it can never come downe it is fast nayled to rule over thee dying it is not dead but shortly what is now dying thou shall see dead and what now thou seest on the Cross thou shalt see in his grave when sin and death and hell shal be cast into the lake of fire All swallowed up in victory Lastly This and all the other