God before the soul hath tryed him before he hath had experience this is an honour a great honour that is done to God and this is the faith that wil hold out this wil last this kinde of faith it will uphold the soul in the greatest straits in the lowest condition when sense fails and when experiences are gone out of sight why then this kinde of Faith wil hold up the soul when the soul can trust the Lord though he had not tryed him trust him though God had not given experience trust him first of all because of his word because of the word of his grace that is given forth to the soul as a foundation to build upon this is an honour Indeed to God Secondly Be careful throughout all your Caution 2. whole course of life that you rely more upon the word of the Lord then upon your experiences throughout the whole course of your life you will find this more beneficial to rely upon the word of the Lord and here I beseech you to remember that this life it is the life of Faith it is the life of Faith and not the life of sense in Heâ—ven the Saints shall live by sence they shall have no need of Faith the life of Faith is not proper for them but the life of Faith is proper to Gods people on earth to beleeve and not see Faith is the evidence of things nâ—t seen it is taken up with things not seen I say this life it should be a life of Faith unto the Saints 't is not a life of sence And consider moreover if God do give any spiritual sence or if he do give any experiences of his love it is given for this end that so he might help the Faith of his people that he might help their Faith and strengthen their Faith that so he might encourage them for the future to trust in him to trust in him when they see him not when all is dark and sad when God seems to be out of sight I say God gives incouragements for this end that so he might incourage them to beleeve and therefore it is that oftentimes he trains up his people in this way he will strike the Crutches out of their hands he will put them to it they shall walk alone by Faith that all the sence of Gods dealings with them shall be out of sight they shall have nothing to rely upon God will put them to it to rely upon him alone upon a naked word of promise upon the word of grace to rely upon him though they have nothing in the world to rely upon 2. Consider though it be great mercy that the Lord is pleased to condescend so far to the Creature to give spiritual sence and many times experiences by which he will seal up his word and his grace to them yet it is a greater mercy that God hath given a word of promise to rely upon that is the greatest mercy in the world asurer foundation of hope and that which will stand a poor creature in stead when 't is in the dark when all the sence will be in the dark and experiences out of sight but then the word oâ— the Lord wil endure for ever and so then to have a word of grace to rely upon a word of promise this is the greatest mercy that God can shew to poor Creatures My Brethren if it were not for this it were not possible that the soul should be at any certainty though God had given never so many experiences of his love though the soul had seen and though it had felt and tasted of love and though it had layen in the bosome of Jesus Christ and been refresht with his â—ove yet if the Lord had not given a word of grace to rely upon aword of promise to rely upon It would be impossible but that â—t some time or other they would call all in question for 't is not possible that otherwise the soul should be supported in dark conditions for why when the soul begins to look towards God why it is fill'd with the sense of his own vileness with the sence of his own unworthiness Oh that â—s one of the greatest discoveries that the Lord makes shew the soul how vile it is in it self and therefore I say the soul is ready to question all all that God hath done for it though it hath seen God walk in a way of love to him yet still Oh 't is too good for me too good for such a â—ile Creature as I am Again The desire of the soul is carryed mighâ—ily after God when God comes once to set his Face towards Heaven it is fill'd with vast desires to God that it can never have enough never be satisfied and though God do come and manifest himselfe by gracious Experiences yet still it desires more of God It is apt to question Have I any thing of God or no Have I seen God or no it is very solicitous when it is once set towards Heaven God makes it very solicitous concerning the great matters of Eternity 't is fill'd with the weighty thingsof Eternity and the weighty business of Eternity so though God hath come and hath spoke and the soul hath seen God and experiences of God yet because it apprehends such great weighty matters concerning the soul for eternity all experiences are called in question of Gods love and his favour to him A man is so careful in this case that he will scarce beleeve himself nay though he have seen Christ and though he have felt him and seen his goings still he will hardly beleeve himself whether he hath seen him or no you know Mary Magdalâ—u she was very solicitous she stood weeping she saw him and she would not beleeve her own sence and so 't is with a poor Child of God Oh 't is so solicitous that though it have seen Christ and experiences of his goodnesse and his favour and love yet it will scarcely beleeve his own sence and he is apt to call all in question whether he hath seen the Lord or no So that still I say after all experiences and the manifestations of love the soul would call all in question many and many a time if iâ— had not a word of Grace to trust to and therefore the Saints are more beholden to the Lord for his Word of Gruce to them then for all experiences And remember this That though God hath done uever so much for you and you have seen hiâ— goings in your hearts yet doe not you make your experience the first Ground oâ— your trust and do not trust to your experiences so but look to the Promises as thâ— Promises as the onely Foundation that will â—ear up your heart for ever through all dark conditions And so for Experiences look upon them as Crutches to lead you to the word of his Grace but they are not to be rested in THE Fourth Sermon On DAN III. XXV He answered and said Lo
so much of God as should draw forth your hearts for ever in all conditions to put your trust in God Now know that the outward mercies were given for this end It is one end I say wherefore God gives mercie that so he might ingage his people for the future to trust in him it would be a great discredit to God if his people after all experiences he hath given them shall not trust in him for the future and there is nothing that doth provoke God more then this If Israel after all the experiences that God hath given them after all the wonders they had seen in the Land of Aegypt and in the red Sea and after all this shall distrust God through unbelief God does look upon it as a great provocation See what God says in Ps 78. about the 19 20 verses 't is said in v. 18 That they tempted God yea they spake against God in the 19. vers They said can God furnish a Table in the wilderness behold he smote the Rock and the water gushed out and the streams overflowed can he give bread also can he provide flesh for his people Now 't is said in the next verse therefore was the anger of the Lord kindled against them therefore was the anger of the Lord kindled because they had seen his wonders at the red Sea and his wonders at the Rock yet they distrusted him can God prepare a Table in the wilderness this was a limiting of God and this their unbelief it cost them dear Therefore the Lord sware in his wrath that they should not enter into his rest Object But you will say Whether can any mercies or deâ—iverances that a man hath received be any help unto him for the future Answ I answer they may and I will shew you when When mercies received or deliverances How mercies may be helps to the soul for the future are helps unto the soul concerning his confidence and trusting in the Lord for the future First of all when the soul is careful to lay up the experiences of mercy when a man is careful to remember the goodness of God a man may receive a thousand mercies a thousand deliverances such as he might make experience of for his own benefit and for the help of others and yet be never the beter I say if they be not carefully laid up if they be not carefully treasured up a man looseth all the sweetness of them for there are two things that God doth intend in every mercy First of all There is present comfort and refreshment that he presently gives out and then there is something in the mercy to be laid up for the future there is something in every mercy that God would have his people lay up something that will stand them in stead another day now when a man does not remember the mercy that the Lord dispenceth to him though he may take some comfort in them yet he looseth the greater comfort of them that which he should lay hold on is the fruit of experience or else all the mercy is lost Secondly Mercies become helpful when as the soul can see the love of God in the present â—â—rcy when the soul sees the love of God in every present mercy this puts life into the mercy when the soul receives mercy and doth not eye love in it that mercy it proves a dead mercy or if there be any sence it will not last long because there was not special love seen in it Now when the soul can eye the love of God in the mercy then is the heart affected with the mercy and then is the sence of the mercy most like to be continued When a man can look at every mercy as the off spring of love he will be careful to nourish the sence the remembrance of that mercy one mercy that the soul can see love in is more dear more precious then many mercies See it in Hezekiah he saw special love of God to him in that mercy Is 38. part v. 17. But thou hast in love to my soul delivâ—red it from the pit of corrupâ—ion for thou hast cast all my siâ—s behind thy back Hezekiah was taken with the mercy why because he saw the love of God in the mercy Thou in love to my soul hast doâ— it and therefore he set a high price upon the mercy Those fifteen yeers that God added to his life was more then all his life before because he saw a special hand of God here and he saw the love of God here and therefore this was a long-lived mercy it was remembred it continued it remained in Hezekiahs heart so long as Hâ—zekâ—ah lived Thirdly Again Thirdly present mercies bâ—come helpful to the soul for the future when as the heart is fully convinced of the unchangeableness of the love of God to his people When he is fully perswaded of this truth That where God loves he loves to the end and where he begins in a way of mercy he goes on in a way of mercy he goes all aâ—â—ng in free grace saith the Psalmist All the ways of the Lord are mercy and truth unto his people When a soul is once convinced this will help much to turn mercies into experiences and therefore that Doctrine which doth teach falling away from grace that a man may be beloved to day and cast off to morrow 'T is a most uncomfortable Doctrine and 't is impossible then that a man should make any experience at all of the mercies that he hath received If God be changable in his love if he cast off his people that he hath received in his free grace why then though a man hath never so much of God to day and know never so much and have never so much of the presence of God in the mercy he can have no experience and therefore that which concerns the soul it is to be grounded in the unchangeableness of Gods love to his people Fourthly Again Fourthly A man may make use of present mercies to be helpful for the future if he be careful to keep faith in action if he be careful to keep faith upon the wings To act faith in every condition upon the free grace of God and the mighty Righteousness of Jesus Christ it is faith that puts a lustre upon all mercies and if faith be down a man cannot see the goodness of God in any mercy that he hath received if saith be dead then the sense of the mercy is lost precious mercies they become useless they are as a treasure locked up that a man cannot come by to make use of a treasure buried in the earth that will do a man little good and therefore it concerns the people of God to keep faith upon the wings act faith and keep that fresh and lively and then all mercies and all deliverances that you have received they will be fresh in your eye for faith puts a varnish upon the mercy and though they be old yet
God Improve it for God and be willing to suffer for God Again Fiftly in the fift place We should be willing to lay down our lives when God calls for them again Thus should we express our thankfulness for life given us I say be willing to lay down life freely and voluntarily the next time when God calls When God hath rescued any of our lives from the grave why all those days that are added are freely given and 't is an addition of free grace more then we thought of more then was expected And therefore we should freely be willing to lay it down when God calls for it we should be willing to lay down our own lives and let them depart and so friends should be freely willing to let that life go that was so freely redeemed Thus we should be Volunteers to death we should freely and willingly submit to God as well as dye in obedience as in faith and let it be our wisdom often to look to what Christ hath done for his people in matter of death and the grave and set faith on work every day to see how the sting is taken out by Christ and the grave is made a sweet resting place 't is sanctified 't is perfumed 't is sanctified that it may be a sweet resting place to the Saints Again in the Sixt place When God hath wonderfully saved our lives we should seek to do something extraordinary for God we should not content our selves with ordinary service saith Christ What do you more then others in the 5. of Mat. and the latter end if you onely love those that love you what do you more then others or what singular thing do you he would have his people do some singular thing for him and especially when God hath done some singular thing for them and what says Hezekiah when God had restored his life from the grave in Isa 31. v. 19. The living the living he shall praise thee as I do this day The living the living he shall praise thee he that hath life once given and he that hath life restored to him again he that hath life given from the grave The living the living he shall praise thee he shall speak of thy glory and testifie oâ— thy wonders something more then ordinary is implyed there That the living he should live to God Seventhly In the last place to conclude Look upon all outward Mercies in reference to some spiritual Mercy and never take up in the outward Mercy but let it lead you to the spiritual mercy Alas what is life if it be not in reference to spiritual Mercies if it be not in reference to get more of God to get more glory to God Life what is it a poor empty thing 't is true life it self is a mercy a great Mercy but yet though life be a blessing a man may dye betimes and be blessed Blessed are the dead that dye in the Lord And on the contrary though life be a blessing a man may live long and be a cursed creature â—or all this See what is said in the Prophesie of Isaiah the 65 ch 20. v. 't is spoken of the days of the Gospel There shall be no more thence an Infant of days nor an old man that hath not filled his days For the child shall dye a hundred years old but the sinner being a hundred years old shall be accursed T is a prophecy of Gospel blessings shewing how it should be in the latter days a child dye a hundred years old That is the young men shall have abundance of the glory of God those that are children in years shall be old in grace they shall have as much grace as those that were a hundred years old and the sinner a hundred years old shall be accursed a curse though he live a hundred years See then life is not desireable but in reference to spiritual Mercies Oh then rest not in outward Mercies if God at any time hath give any of your lives for a prey resâ— not in outwâ—rd Mercies but labour to see further Mercie in it that mercy is given in reference to further Mercy and waite for the Communication of it It was well when Heâ—ekiah could say that God had done it in love to hiâ— soul in Isa 38. 17. Thâ—u hast in love to my soul delivered it from the Pit of corruption for thou hast cast all my sins behind thy bâ—ck He looked more to the spiritual Mercy then to the outward Mercy Alas it had been a poor small thing for life to be given and my sins not pardoned if God had given me life and not given it out of love Oh it had been a curse to my soul and tâ—is doth David blesse the Lord for in Psal 23. 3. He restoreth my soul he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name sake It was after God delivered him from sickness he blesse God he restored my soul and my life he doth not take up there but he leads me in the patheâ— of righteousnes for his name sake I have further mercy my life is given for further Mercy God he will not restore that mercy of life only but he will convey me to further Mercy seeing he hath given me life he will lead me in the paths of righteousness that I may life to the praise of his name And this should all our desires be when God doth such great things for us THE Second Sermon On DAN III. XXV He answered and said Lo I see four men loose walking in the midst of the fire and they have no hurt and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God I Made entrance into the words the last Lords day There is witness and testimony given of a glorious Miracle and Wonderful Deliverance that was wrought for three servants of God God had brought them forth to exercise their faith And to suffer To suffer the wrath of the King but yet the Lord delivered them he delivered them from the wrath of the King he wa a violent King from the flames of the Furnace and the Furnace was heated seven times hotter then ordinary they were bound hand and foot and cast into the midst of the fire and yet they became Conquerors The very enemies do witness as much The King Answered and said lo I see fouâ— men loose walking in the midst of the fire Here are many Miracles in one here is heat and light separated one from the other sight remains and yet the heat is taken away and it burned not here is the wonder of mercy it shall be a miracle of judgment in Hell there is fire that hath heat but no light the hotter the flames are it shall be the darker it shall be dark that day but here when God will shew a Miracle of mercy he takes away the heat and the light remains Lo says the King I sâ—e four men c. Imagine their number is increased as another Miracle Whereas they thought that
the Creatures in Heaven and Eearth Oh take not away the lives of my Servants and God hath set Angels over them to keep their lives and dost thou account so meanly of thy life wilt thou put away thy life for a trifle for every cross and discontentment that thou meetest with in this world what dishonour is this to God and what undervaluing of that which God counts so highly of But Secondly Take heed that you act nothing against your lives take heed thou dost not go about to shorten thine own life take heed thou dost not go about to cut off thine own life this is a grievous sin and high provocation there is nothing that the Devil seeks more then this and this many times is a very urging temptation a pressing temptation Oh take away thy life Now I beseech you remember how precious life is what a precious Jewel 't is in the sight of God and will you cast it away for nothing will you cast it away to gratifie the Devil at his request But Oh I live a miâ—erable life say some my life is a burden nothing but crosses nothing but troubles in the world it were a thousand times better for me to dye then to live I say Should'st thou rid thy self of thy affliction or shouldst thou not rather wait till God opon a door unto thee what wilt thou break chains wilt thou break Gods chains wilt thou break prison to be gon before God hath set thee at liberty Oh know God hath worse chains chains of darkness But suppose thou livest in the greatest affliction why wilt thou sin to rid thy self of affliction is not the least sin worse then the greatest evil to sin against God an infinite God and if the least sin be worse then the greatest evil shouldst thou sin to rid thy self of affliction Object Ay but I live to sin against God that makes my life a burden to me Oh I bear about me a body of death and I drag it about with me every day so long as I live it makes me weary of my life and I desire to dye rather then to live Well suppose it Suppose thou livest in sin and suppose by taking away thy life thou dost free thy self from sin yet should'st thou have an eye to the word of God hast thou any such rule that God hath prescribed to free thy self this way Oh why dost thou not look to Christ and fetch it from his righteousness from his blood and from his death should'st thou not go thither to be free from sin is there not pardoning mercy and healing grace and washing for all kind of spots to the utmost thou talkest of freeing thy self from sin and thou sinnest the greatest sin that thou canst sin if thou takest away thy life I tell thee thou had'st better live a thousand years and sin all thy time against God then sin this sin and go about to do any thing agâ—inst thy life why this is the greatest thou canst do to God thou givest God the lye God holds forth grace and mercy in the Gospel and thou givest him the lye he tells thee in his word that he is able to save to the utmost and thou givest him the lye and therefore I beseech you remember your lives are precious Jewels remember what account God hath of them and do not act any thing against them do nothing against your lives Thirdly If you would improve life then gain as much of God as possibly you can in the time of life this is the way to gain by life labour to gain the knowledge of God and of his Son labour to get insight into the Mysteries of the Gospel the great Mysteries of Christ manifested in the flesh Oh there is an Infinite depth 't is worth the seeking after Oh the pâ—ecious Mines of grace in the Gospel truly you cannot improve life better then this way seek the knowledge of God and of his Son seek communion with God and acquaintance with him get more grace from him more strength more spiritual good things this is a rich improvement of a mans life and will you not make the best improvement of such a Jewel as life is you will make the best improvements of your estates put off any commodity for the best advantage and will you not put off your lives for the best advantage I tell you 't is a Stock a precious Stock that God hath given you to use Oh why should you let the Stock lye dead by you and do nothing that may advantage your souls another day Consider again this kind of improvement of life makes a mans life more glorious if a man be not thus exercised and thus lay out life to seek after God and to get more acquaintance with him get more communion with him more fellowship of the Spirit more knowledge of Christ more grace more assurance of his love why it will make him scarce a man without this Oh this makes a mans life a noble life an Evangelical life when as he is exercised in such glorious things as these but when a man doth spend his life and doth nothing this way and does not give more of God and Christ he lives like a beast more then like a man a poor low carnal senceless drossie life though he be never so high and excellent in the world though he be in the greatest outward honour that man lives a low life and he will not continue in his honour but in the conclusion becomes as â—he beasts that perish Fourthly If you would prize your lives labour to act as much as you can for God in the time of life this is a prizing of life an improving of life know that life is given you for action and when a man is dead he doth not act for God Oh therefore remember that there is something that God hath given every one of you to do in this tearm of life thereis some service some work in your generation that God expects at your hand even in this life and I beseech you take the wisemans council that he gives you in the 9. of Ecclâ—s v. 10. Whatsoever tâ—y hand findeth to do do it with all thy mighâ— foâ— there is no working no device nor knowledge nor wisâ—dom in the grave wâ—ither thou art a going Improve your lives saith he and what ever you do do it with all your might consider what is the work you have to do for God in your generation what work you have to do for God and what your hand findeth to do do it with all your might do not neglect but do what your hand finds to do do with all your might life is very short the work is long and life is very short you need work while you have time you need work while the day last the night cometh upon every one of you when there is no time for to work there is no device no knowledge nor wisedom in the grave whither thou art going Oh
I see four men loose walking in the midst of the fire and they have no hurt and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God I Have spoken out of these words We have finished one Proposition Namely That God doth oftentimes in a wonderful manner rescue the lives of his servants from death and destruction I prest you the last day that Christians should therefore trust in God such as have seen his goings should trust him for the future upon former experiences when God speaks once in a remarkable providence he expects we should hear twice again and again In every low condition we should hear That power belongs to God Trust him for the comforts of life and trust him for the preventing the evil of life trust him for the upholding of you in life till his time be come and your work be filled only be not you negligent make hast in your work work the works of God while the day lasts but yet you may be confident the Lord he will not suffer the Candle to be blown out till your work be filled The righteous shall come to his grave as a shock of Corn that commeth in in his season I shewed how far we may make use of former mercies for the future to become great helps of Faith when the soul is careful to lay up the remembrance of them when the soul can eye the love of God special love when the soul is once convinced of that truth of the unchangeableness of the love of God when the soul keeps up the wing of Faith and holds up its communion with God can go and lay before God former mercies and use them as Arguments to plead with God for the future as Gods people have done then do mercies become helpful for the future But how far should we trust Experinces Why look upon them as Earnests of that which God doth intend to give and look upon them as Crutches as helps in the way so though all the experiences of God may be out of fight for God may bring his people into some condition that may be above Experience Experience cannot reach them And therefore do not make your own Experience the first ground of your trust but trust first in the Lord and the word of his grace trust them more then all your experiences the life of a Christian 't is the life of Faith and not of sence the life of sence is in Heaven but the life of Faith is most proper here Blessed are they that beleeve and have not seen and if God do give Experience and manifest his love and goodness to thee it is for this end that he might strengthen Faith he will learn his children to go alone and therefore God many times hath struck the Crutches out of their hands and all sights of God shall be gone and God will make them to trust in his naked word Great use may be made of Experience but yet I say lay the word of the Lord as your foundation and trust that for that will hold in all conditions in the greatest darkness when Experience may be out of sight and you can see nothing We proceed He answerâ—d and said Lo I see four â—en looâ—e c. Who is it here that bears witness of this Miracle of deliverance 'T is Nebuchadnezzer the King it was one that was a proud insolent Monarch one that scorned God and defied the most High in the 15. verse of this 3. Chap. that commanded the people to fall down and worship his Image that he had set up and in the latteâ— end Who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hand a persecutor of the Saints one that was filled with wrath against them The King was â—xceeding wrath and commâ—nded the Furnace to be heated seven times hâ—ttâ—r then ordinary Yet here Nebu-Nebuchadnezzer himself is forced to bear witness A Question propounded by Inteapreters of the goodness of God to his people He confesses it before all men Did we not cast in three and loe I see four men loose walking in the midst of the fire and they have no hurt There is a question propounded by Interâ—â—eters neither Nebuchadnezzer was truely converted or no It seems there is much does make for his conversion First of all Here was a strong work of conviction that past upon him he was convinced of his sin he was convinced of the glorious Majesty of God to shine in this Miracle His conviction makes him cry out before all the world before all that were about him 2. There is Secondly A confession of his Error and an acknowledgment of his sin Now he knows there is no God but the true God There was also in the 3. Third place A rejoycing in his own disappointment he rejoyced in that the Lord had prevented him in the evil that he intended that he was not able to bring it to pass his mischievous device against the Saints as you may see in vers 28 Then Nebuchadnezzer spake and said blessed be the God of Shadrach Meshach and Abednego who hath sent his Angels and delivered his servants that trusted in him c. There is a rejoycing here that they were delivered and that he was disapointed that he did not succeed according to his will Now this seems to be a great measure of self-denial What did not Nebucadnezzar do as much in this as David did when he was disappointed in the first book of Samuel 25. when David had an intention to cut off Nabal Abigal she comes to pâ—rswade him and in the 32 v. David said to Abigail blessed be the Lord God of Israel which sent thee this day to me Nebuchadnezzar did seem to do as much as David did here he blesseth God for his own disappointment Fourthly this seems to make for him that he did rejoyce in the goodnesse of God to his people he does rejoyce in their grace as you may see in the 28. verse Blessed be the God of Shadrach who sendeth his Angels and delivereth his servants that trust in him He seems to rejoyce here in their grace in that constancy of theirs that they did not yeild to his command and serve no God but their own God and he rejoiceth in the deliverance of the Saints Blessed be the Lord that delivereth his servants yea further he seems to give the glory to God He does eye God in the deliverance he takes notice of it as from God and blessed the Lord Blessed be the Lord that sendeth his Angell and delivereth his servants Nay further he takes care of true Religion and of Gods Name to be exalted he makes Decrees and sends it to all people and whosoever does act any thing against God shall be cut in pieces and their houses thrown down and made a jakes Thus you see what a great way he went and what a great deal Nebuchadnezzer did seemingly for God upon this his conviction and yet it may be it was but a conviction and that
danger eminent danger at such a time they were nigh to death and what great promises and what great purposes came into their hearts and mouths and yet notwithstanding all that God hath done for them they have turned again to folly nay sometime they have seen and tasted as it were of the power of the world to come that God hath convinced them many times of the excellency of the way and the necessity of walking with him and the happy condition of the Saints they it may be have had some tasts some drops to cool their tongue and though they have had that Miracle of Mercy yet notwithstanding their hearts have gone back again and they have not bin converted and perswaded to come to Christ after a hearty draught of his love and good ness which might abundantly satisfie them others that have seen even Miracles of judgment God many many times hath wrought strong conviction in their conscience they have been as it were for the present hung over the flames of Hell and great thoughts have been darted into their spirits convincing thoughts of the necessity of seeking after faith they have seen as it were the mighty consequence of the soul the mighty consequence of the things of Eternity and yet have worn out all hints that have been made upon conscience and soon returned to their former ways of folly to folly desperate madnes others taken up in vanity taken up in the world others taken up in their own righteousness and think themselves whole and need no Physician notwithstanding all these Miracles of judgment how many are there that have seen them and have felt them and have not been brought home savingly by them But you will say how come this to pass what cannot miracles of works bring home a soul to God what then what miracles I answer first of all God would have it so that he might put a great glory upon his word he will Reason 1 have it known what the word of the Lord is he will make known the power and efficacy of it his word is more dear to him then his work more then all his works of Creation of Providence or Miracles though all perish yet the word of the Lord that endures that abides God will put a great deal of glory upon his word and therefore he hath chosen his word rather then Miracles though men think Oh Miracles are glorious and surely if God shew miracles that will convert that will bring home the soul to God but Gods thoughts are not our thoughts his waies are not our waies he knows that miracles cannot do it therefore he hath chosen his word he will make that glorious in the Conversion of sinners for the most part God works by his word it is true the word it self neither cannot do it the word without the Spirit is a dead letter but God is pleased to send his spirit along with his word when hee intends this work the spirit of the Lord shall come with some word from heaven that shall be effectual to turn the heart of a sinner when Miracles of judgment or mercy cannot do it it seems a weak thing to men but the word of the Lord is mighty and powerful When God is intended to catch any soul to bring it home commonly this is his Net he takes his word and throws that over them and that shall catch them When he is intended to beat down strong holds mighty Towers of lusts sinful imaginations that do exalt themselves against Himself and his Son and his Gospel why God is pleased to use his word as the battery which will do this great and glorious work Secondly It comes to pass from the desperate Reason 2 hardness that is in mans heart that aversness that is in the soul naturally to God it is the hardest matter in the world to bring God and the soul together Oh what striving is there in the gracious heart before it is brought to God it flies off from God and the soul is forced to put Arguments upon himself it may be again and again Why art thou cast down Oh my soul why art thou disquieted why trust in God Why trust in God He repeets it again and again and all too little to trust in God and to have confidence in God but there is much more aversness in a natural mans heart to God there is an infinite distance there is a contrariety and 't is a hard matter to bring off a soul to close with God to submit to him the greatest Miracle in the world cannot do it why when there is much peace in Gods heart there is war in the sinners heart yea when there is peace in Gods mouth too there is war in the sinners mouth when God doth call upon them come and behold the face of my Son and behold the face of my righteousnes I give thee leave to look to either me so thou look to me through my Son yet still he will have his heart draw back and he wil look to God through his own righteousness that of a creature or else run away from God hide himself in his own shame and confusion and dare not come to God And truly 't is a very hard thing to overcome the heart in this cause to trust God to rely upon him the heart is fille'd with slâ—very and 't is a very hard matter to overcome that slavery that is in the heart I tell you Miracles will not do it though it should see never so many Miracles when it is in that condition Miracles would not overcome the heart to trust in God to beleeve in God Miracles they declare tâ—e power of God and the glory of God hold forth the beams of his Majesty ay but there must be a declaration of the love of God and the mercy or God in Christ there must be a discovery of this to the soul before he can come in and submit to God and trust in him before the slavery can be overcome that is in the heart I tell you you must have a word a sure word to go upon for the soul dare not go to God he looking upon himself as stubble and upon God as a consuming fire and still he keeps off from God and therefore nothing but the word of the Lord can perswade the heart to come in and to trust and Application of the Point rely upon God Now let us make some Application Is it so that the greatest Miracle cannot convert a soul to God Why then First of all take notice what a Miracle of iniquity Vse 1 of sin is in every mans heart a stâ—aâ—ge thing that the heart of a man should be so haâ—dned against God and his own good who would think it that there should be so much stoutness in such a poor thing as the heart of man so small a pâ—ece of flesh to be so stout and so hard against God that no sword should be able to pierce it it
should not be only Musquet proof but Cannon proof stand out not only agaiâ—st afflictions lesser judgments but stands out against great judgments many times against miraculous judgments why here is a strange stoutness and hardness in every mans heart Oh what a dead sleep is every man by nature cast into you will say that man is in a dead sleep that though he be shot at it cannot wake him that he should sleep secure when the house is on fire about his ears truly this is the condition of every man by nature though God do lay Cannon shot against him and though God set on fire the world about his ears yet still he sleeps what a strange condition is the state of nature Let us all take notice of it and set us all bewail it in the presence of God seeing how woful it is and what we are like Secondly If Miracles cannot convert a soul Vse 2 then what a Miracle is it that any soul is converted truly we may stand and wonder that any soul should be brought home to God how many Mâ—racles is in this work of conveâ—sion to convert a soul to God 't is a greater Miracle then to open the eyes of the blind to give strength to lame to give life to the dead a greater Miracle then to turn darkness into light a greater Miracle then to beat down strong Cities with seven Râ—ms horns 't is a greater Miracle then to make the world he spake and it was done it was made he spake his word and the world was created but God speaks again and again once and twice and often before the new creature is formed before Many Miracles in the conversion of a soul to God faith is created in the heart of man and truly Brethren you need not wonder that so few are brought home to God that 's not the Miracle but stand and wonder that any should be brought home to God there are many Miracles in the conversion of the soul to God I beseech you take notice of them there is a Miracle of First Miraclâ— of wisâ—dâ—m of wisdome there is a Miracle of wisdom I say in the conversion of a soul that God should find out a way to reconcile himself to a sinner and then reâ—oncile the sinner to himself here is infinite wisdom to finde out a way to reconcile himself to the sinner to find out a way to satisfie both justice and mercy that they should meet each other and kiss each other and both be satisfied that justice should say I have enough and Mercy should say I am well pleased and both be glorified in Christ Brethren here is a way that men and Angels could never have found out here is a Miracle of wisdome to reconcile the sinner to God also here is abundance of the wisdom of God that God should finde out a way to make a rebellious sinner come in and submit when he had stood out long and stood many batteries that God had layd against him that the Lord should bring him in by a word of his grace that God should come and catch a poor soul and take him before the soul be aware here is abundance of holy wisdom truly none could do this but only God And as there is a Miracle of wisdom so there Secondly Therâ— is a Mirâ—â—le of Power is a Miracle of power in every souls conversion Oh wonderful power hath God put forth to overâ—ome the creature and to overcome himselâ— To overcome the creature to make a stubborn stout hearted sinner relent to shake the Oaks of Bashan and make the Cedars of Lebanon to stoop Yet truly this is the work of God he put abundance of power into a word of his and when an obstinate sinner hath stood out boâ—h the allurements of Mercy and hath out stood all the batteries of Judgment that God hath laid against him God hath sent out many Armies of judgments to bring him in and they have returned back again and have not done their work and that yet the Lord at last should be pleased to arme a word of his a poor naked word of his with so much power â—o give such authority and to give such commission as to go and bring in the stout hearted sinner and make him fall down at the footstole of Jesus Christ here is a Miracle of power and then that God should overcome all his wrath and all his fury and indignation and say it is not in me I give thee leave to draw nigh to me in my Son fury is not in me that God should overcome himself to stoop to the creature that the Majesty of Heaven should first stoop to the creature that the Prince should come and beseech the Rebel to accept of mercy offer the first tearms of peace and not looking to the infinite distance that is between him and the creature but lay that aside and beseech a poor creature to accept of mercy here is a Miracle of power And then there is a Miracle of goodness a Miracle of mercy in every souls conversion a Miracle of mercy that God should pardon the sin of his people from Eternity Oh the Miracles of mercy writes the pardon gives the pardon into the Sons hand that he should work it over by Covenant and make all sure for his people in Christ even from Eternity even to give Christ a pardon for his peoples sins many thousand years before the sins are committed I do not say the pardon is given out to them before they are brought in to submit to Christ but it is given out into the hand of Christ that if they come and submit to Christ 't is in his hand to give it out 't is already written and Sealed here is a Miracle of Mercy Again that the Lord should so freely and so fully bâ—ot out transgressions that he should make the sins committed to be as if they had not been committed there shall no more remain of them as if they had never been acted to bury them to cast them behind his behind his back to throw them into the depth of the Sea to carry them into the wilderness into a land of forgetfulness that when they are sought for they shaâ—l not be found they shall be as if they had never been what a Miracle of mercy is this that God should bear no old grudge to a poor sinner a Rebel one that have stood out against him and yet that God should retain no grudge in his heart but receive a poor soul into his Bosom as if he had never been defiled to receive him into his own boâ—els into intimate communion and acquaintance with himself in love as if he had never bin a Râ—bel to bear no old grudg here 's wonderful rich mercy Again for God to account the soul righteous to look upon him as righteous when he is unrighteous to look upon him as righteous in Christ when he is full of spots and polutions and deâ—ormity
formed me in the womb and he took me out of the womb he guarded me all my life loâ—g Thirty years and upward when I was in the midst of the world with Bears and Tygers I remember how he sent his Angels to comfort me when I was wearied out by Satans temptations Nay I remember when he stood by me when all left me and fled when all left me that I had none in the world to stand by me the Fatheâ— stood by me and therefore I will lay all this kindness upon you his seed The last kindnesâ— that the Father shewed to the Son it took mighty impression upon him that his Father did not leâ—ve him alone but was always with him And therefore Christ he often makes mention of it iâ— that 16 of John vers 32. The Father hath not lefâ— me alone but he is with me all my life long he never left him alone yea when he was in his affliction and low conditions the Father did not leave him alone See that 16. of John vers 32. Bâ—hold the hour comes yea is now come that ye shaâ—â— be scattered every man to his own and shall leave me alone and yet I am not alone because the Father is with me This made deep impression upon the heart of Christ that the Father did not leave him alone when he was in his affliction when he was persecuted when all his freinds upon earth fled from him then the Father did not leave him And therefore the Lord Jesus Christ he did often retain this Kindnesse and he will not leâ—â—â— thâ— Sons and Daughters of God alone in low conditions but he will be present with them though they be in the fire and water he will be sure to comfort them with the same consolation wherewith his Father comforted hâ—m when he was in the same distress That 's the second Ground of the Point Thirdly Christ will shew most of his presence iâ— afflicted conditions because he remembers his Ingagement he is ingaged then to manifest most of himself First of all He is ingaged by his Promise and Câ—venant He hath promised to be with them always he hath promised never to leave them nor forsake them as the Father promised to be with him in trouble so he hath promised to be with them You may see his Fathers promise to him in Psalm 91. 15. He shall call upon me and I will answer him I will be with him in trouble I will deliver him and honour him Now as the Father made a promise to be with the Son in trouble so hath he made a promise to be with his people in trouble See that promise in the 43. of Isaiah vers 1. 2. how he hath promised to be with his people in all Tribulations in the midst of the fire and water and fiery try al 's nothing shall separate betwixt him and them he is always making good his Promise and therefore he will fulfill it to them Secondly He is ingaged by a Law of Love There is a Law of Love written in the heart of Christ he takes delight in his people they are â—â—e joy of his soul in the 16. Psalm at the bâ—ginning of it it is spoken there of Christ All my delight is in the Saints saith Jesus Christ and these that are excellent upon Earth All my delight is in them next to the delight that Christ hath in his Father to that Infinite Incomprehensible Light his delight is in his Saints in his people and therefore because he loves them because he delights in them he will be present with them he loves their presence whereever they are he loves to be with them though their condition be never so sad though they be in prison it shall be a Heaven to Christ because he bears dear love to them he loves to see their face he loves to hear their voice he loves to injoy Communion with them he loves to be giving out of himself to them and therefore be made it his great request before he went to Heaven that his Father would make room for his people as you may see in John 14. beginning of the third verse And if I go and prepare a place for you I will come again and receive you unto my self that where I am there you may be also he tells them he would have them with him in the same place they shall enjoy the same glory and they shal have no worse room then he And he besought his Father John 17. 24. That those who were given him of his Father might be with him Father I will that they also whom thou hast given me be with me where I am that they may behold my glory which thou hast given me for thou â—o â—eâ—st me before the foundations of the world Father I desire that they may be with me I desire thou shouldst bid them as welcome to Heaven as thou bidst me and that they may pâ—â—take of the same glory as I do that they may â—e in the same place that they may always see â—y 〈◊〉 and I may see their faces for my delight is in them Heaven could not content Christ withâ—â—â— the presence of his Saints and it is a second Heaven unto Christ to be present with them here upon earth wherever they are or whatever their condition though be never so low though they be in prison in chains in the stocks the Lord Jesus loves to be with them he carries them about in his heart and therefore he cannot be absent from them Again Thirdly He is ingaged by a Law of Friendship to be most of all present with them in their low conditions the Law of friendship binds him to it Affliction is a Touch-stone it discovers fained friends and real friends it shews whether a friend be Cordial or no By the Law of Friendship a man is bound to stick to a friend in the midst of all his adversity and then there is most need of a friend It was a reproof unto Hushai that Absalom gave him in that second of Samuel 16. 17. Is this thy kindness to thy friend why went you not along with your friend David was a friend to Hushai and saith Absolom to Hushai Is this thy kindness to thy friend why wentest thou not along with thy friend This shall never be said of the Lord Jesus Christ that he broke the Law of friendship It shall never be said of Christ is this thy kindness to thy friend Why wentest thou not along with thy friend Thov wentest not along with thy friend but thou forsookest thy friend when thy friend had most need of thee no the Law of Friendship is iâ— Christs heart and he will keep it and therefore he will stick close and most close to his people when they are in low conditions Again Fourthly There is a fourth ingagement He is present with his people most of all in low conditions in afflicted conditions because he is ingaged to lâ—ok after hâ—s work 't is the
as the grass You had need live in a continual converse with your fading condition dye daily see death at a distance and grapple with death at a distance Put your selves into a dying condition and say often Oh! what if this were my last What if I were now to breath forth my soul What if now to shoot the Gulf of Eternity What have I now to rely upon What have I to carry me through How shall death be conquered How shall the sting be taken out for me You had need I say converse with death at a distance and live continually in the sence of your dying condition that so death may not be terrible when it comes that you may know before hand how to conquer it and that it is conquered by the blood of the Lamb. Fiftly Another work that you have to do with your might is to do good to your friends and to your Relations Christians give out the good things to your Relations and do it speedily do it with all your might Impart the knowledge of God to your Relations Christ finds Andrew and Andrew finds Simon Peter Christ finds Philip and Philip finds Nathaniel Oh come saith he we have found the Saviour the Messias 1 Joh. 41. 45. You have but a little while to be with your Relations and they are gone they are taken from you and you from them and therefore with all your might work this work and do them good and give out good to your Relations That is the fifth work that you have to do with all your might Sixthly In all your waitings upon God see that you do there with your might I say when ever you wait upon God in every Duty in every Ordinance whensoever you draw nigh to God the Lord requires you should do it with your might In the second of Samuel the 13. it is said there that David when he danced before the Ark he did it with all his might And so in the second of Chron. 28. It is said there that David when he offered unto the Lord he offered with all his might And so that place in 2 King 23. and 25. It is said that King Josiah turned to the Lord with all his heart and with all his might what ever you do in the matters of God do it not lazily If you pray do it with your might and if you hear let it not be done but with all your might and if you speak do with your might because these are mighty things and they have relation to the business of Eternity Seventhly and Lastly To mortifie your corruptions to get your lusts mortified subdued cast out your souls more conformable to Christ this is an other work and the last work that I shall name that you Christians and Beleevers have to do and that with your might To get your lusts mortified and subdued Do it with your might do not look upon it as an easie matter as a frivolous business Do not go out against such Giants with straw and Bulrush But Oh! get the compleat Armour of God go forth in the name of Christ in the strength of Christ with the blood of Christ with with the promises of Christ it is a work of great concernment and therefore I beseech you do it in good earnest go out in the Name of the Lord and do this great work in good earnest that your corruptions may be mortified and more of the Image and likenesse of Christ may be imprinted upon your Spirits And thus have I shewed you my Brethren what it is for a man to do with his might and what are those works the Lord puts into your hands to do with all your might You have heard what works are put into the hands of sinners and what works are put into the hands of Beleevers And now I shall make some short Application and I have two words to speak First The one a word of Caution and Direction The other a word of Exhortation First in the first place a word of Caution and Direction is needful and let this be the first Caution That though God call upon you to work with your might yet he doth not put you upon it to work to pay your debt To discharge that great debt of ten thousand Talents of transgressions My Brethren if you had a thousand hands to work with if you could work as much as the very Angels it is not possible you should work so much as should discharge the debt for you could not pay the least farthing of that which is owing to God No know my Brethren the Father of mercies hath pittyed poor Creatures he sent his Son the Lord Jesus Christ for this end to marry poor Widdow-souls that were left in an infinite debt and could not discharge it he hath sent his Son to to pay the debt of every widdow-soul that is content to be espoused to Christ he came from Heaven for this end he wrought with his hands he had no other way to pay the debt he left himself poor The Lâ—rd Jesus was rich but for your sakes he became poor he had no way to pay the debt but by working with his hands he wrought hard he wrought till he sweat he wrought till he sweat drops of water and blood he wrought three and thirty years together that he might pay this great debt that was owing that his people did owe to the Father And therefore take heed you do not go about to work to discharge your own debt do not work to pay your debt but work because your debt is paid and discharged by Jesus Christ Secondly Take heed you do not work for your living God calls upon you to work with your might but he does not put you upon it to work for your living Life is not from your works neither should Christians live upon their works The life of your joy and the life of your peace the life of your comforts the life of your righteousness it is not from your works the Lord never put you upon it to work for this end no Christ hath wrought enough for his people that they might live as his people he hath provided for their maintenance to fill their cup he hath provided for their cloathing he put mighty righteousness everlasting righteousness upon you It is not now to do and live this is not the Covenant But the Covenant of grace is live and do fetch life from Christ and then do and do with all your might because life is given freely by Christ Thirdly God doth not put you upon it to work to purchase love to purchase favour or to purchase Heaven I say you are not to work to purchase the favour of God by your works to purchase Heaven by the works of your hands Alas Adam in innocency could not do it he could not yearn life by working And how shall poor Creatures in a fallen estate be able to purchase and yearn life by their own works No if