Psal. 73. vers 25 26. The heathens were not altogether ignorant of God his eternal power and Godhead Rom. 1.19 20. but our redemption by his Son our communion with him by his Spirit and consequently our salvation and blessedness by our union with him was wholly hid from them The necessity of this knowledg appears 1. By the miserie of ignorance without it the wisest are fools very Sots of no understanding Ier. 4.22 All sin and disobedience flows from want of this knowledg Ier. 9.3 Hos. 4.1 2 c. 2. By the happiness that follows it All grace attends it Faith Psal. 9.10 the whole new man Col. 3.10 2 Pet. 1.2 3. and all blessedness Ioh. 17.3 Certainly if the studie of men be above other natural studies oh what is the studie of God how pleasant how profitable Prov. 2.10 when sin affrights us how sweet the knowledg of his pardoning mercie Psal. 86.4 5. 103.11 when men are oppressed by tyrants how sweet the knowledg of his Justice Rev. 15.3 16.5 nay even in our humiliations for sin how doth the knowledg of his Justice and faithfulness refresh us 1 Ioh. 1.9 upon all occasions how comâ—ortable the knowledg of his power In temporal distresses Dan. 3.17 in spiritual as pardon Num. 14.17 subduing iniquities Mic. 7.18 19. in protecting from all evil and keeping us to eternitie Ioh. 10.29 1 Pet. 1.5 2. Secondly we must know him in our Judgments to prize him as he is even all things less than nothing in comparison of him Isa. 40.17 For him Abraham despises his Country Moses the treasures and pleasures of Egypt David regards nothing in Heaven or earth with him Psal. 73.25 26. Paul esteems all things dung and loss for the excellent knowledg of Christ Phil. 3.8 Hence all the Saints deny themselves and all for him and exalt him by their own abasement Kings will be vile to honour him 2 Sam. 6.22 Iohn Baptist contented to wane that he may appear in fulness Ioh. 3.13 Paul will be a servant to every man for his sake who is Lord of all 2 Cor. 4.5 They make their honour wait upon his Prov. 4.8 For they know He is their praise Deut. 10.21 They will cheerfully buy him with loss of all buy him at any price sell him at none Matth. 13.44 Prov. 23.23 If he calls for their pleasures profits credit life they part with all If he will have body and soul they will give him all and when they have done all and given all look upon this all as a very nothing The will also must know him to chuse take embrace him as he offers himself to us He proffers himself to be our Lord Exo. 6.6 to redeem us from all Usurpers to his service Luk. 1.74 75. to be our King Hos. 13.10 to govern us under his holy and wholesome laws He offers himself to be all to us our portion inheritance shield our exceeding great reward Ier. 10.16 Gen. 15.1 More particularly he offers himself in his persons to be to us 1. A Father Deut. 32.6 2 Cor. 6.17 18. 2. An Husband 2 Cor. 11.2 Hos. 2.19 20. the Saviour of his Spouse Eph. 5.23 3. To be our Quickner and Comforter Joh. 16.13 1 Cor. 15.45 Thus he offers himself to us and thus must we receive him as a child the Father to obey him as a wife her Husband to be subject unto him as a Body the Soul to be informed by him and in all things conformed to him Chuse him therefore as your support without him you can do nothing Ioh. 15.5 without him we are nothing at our best sheer vanitie Psal. 39.5 The very plants will teach us The weak Ivie and wood-bine c. conscious of their infirmitie clasp about the strong which may bear them up even dint the trees with their close embraces He is a Lord that in our service looks not to his own but his servants profit He needs not us but we him But why then doth he call and draw us to his service To make us blessed He taketh pleasure in the prosperitie of his servants Psal. 35.27 he delights to do us good Ier. 32.40 and to give us the Kingdom Luk. 12.32 Men grosly ignorant fouly misconceive of his service they look on it as cords and bonds but indeed there is nothing so blessed as it no blessedness but it Psal. 84.4 Oh the incomprehensible love in which he hath chosen us what was there in us worthy of his choice were we wise no we were foolish Tit. 3.3 were we strong no we were of no strength Rom. 5.6 were we noble no we were servants to lust to corruption to filthiness and most filthy in that â—ervice Tit. 3.3 2 Petr. 2.19 Psal. 14.3 were we any thing no we were very nothing â—nd to him less than nothing 2 Cor. 12.11 â—sa 40.17 yet hath God chosen the foolish â—hings of the world to confound the wise God â—ath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the mighty and the base things of the world and things despised hath God chosen yea and things that are not to bring to nought things that are 1 Cor. 1.27 28. But in him what is there which is not infinitely excellent infinitely desireable delectable sâ—all he then chuse such dung to be his children heirs his peculiar inheritance and should not we when he offers himself chuse him the glory of all glory to be our Father our Lord our Portion 4. The Affections also are said to know that which they love in which they delight and for which they longue we therefore must know God to love fear him delight in him and longue after him Frequently in every page of scripture me meet not only with Gods precepts in these duties but the Saints practice To provoke our hearts to love we must consider him 1. In himself He is good Psal. 100.5 only good Matth. 19.17 abundant in goodness Exo. 34.6 he is Love 1 Joh. 4.16 altogether lovely Cant. 5.16 2. In relation to us He is our Father Husband Life c. as before 3. in his dealing with us He hath manifested his love to us above all the works of his hands In our creation advanced us above all crowned us with glory Psal. 8.5 6. In our redemption preferred us above the Angels assuming ours and refusing their nature Heb. 2.16 Now then take great heed that your love be true Relative affection is not right if the measure be not right An Husband loved as another man is not loved as an Husband Admit no rival or partner in his love no creature not our selves must be preferred before him or equal'd to him we must love him more than life for his love is better than life Psal. 63.3 He our quickning Spirit we his body he our head we his members why should not the hand prefer the head or the body the soul before it self As we may love him for his gifts so much more for himself Stir up your unthankful nature to this
great dutie Consider why you love any creature why more one than another why you should love the world riches pleasures as God a drop as the fountain It is even here too true Love descends Get your hearts baptized with fire and the holy Ghost buried with Christ into his death and raised in his resurrection that your affections may be set and settled on things not on earth but on things above even on him who is infinitly above all things who is blessed for ever and your eternal blessedness 2. Secondly the outward worship consists either in his speaking to us or our speaking to him He speaks to us either to our ears in his word or to our eyes in his Sacraments we to him either in prayers or vows Hearing is a chief part of Gods service Eccl. 5.1 The special gate whereby the Wisdom of God all knowledg and life enters Prov. 2.2 3. 1.5 Isa. 55.3 An hearing ear is Gods special gift to us Prov. 20.12 and our acceptable gift and sacrifice to him Psal. 40.6 1 Sam. 15.22 An obedient ear is a graceful and precious ornament Prov. 1.8 9. The ear the most happy factour of the soul whereby it seeks and gets Prov. 18.15 that rich merchandise which is better than silver and fine gold Prov. 3.14 But he who hath a disobedient ear or careless refusing to hear is good for nothing Jer. 13.10 and an itching ear hath certainly a rotten heart Isa. 30.9 10 11. The word of God preached is the seed in the hand of the Sower Mar. 4.14 taken out of the Granarie of the scriptures and cast into the furrows of the heart by Gods Spirit an incorruptible seed of a life incorruptible 1 Pet. 1.23 by which we are begotten unto God Jam. 1.18 And as it is the seed whereby we are born so is it the food also whereby we are nourished in that life of God as well mâ—â—k for babes as strong meat for the strong 1 Pet. 2.2 Heb. 5.12 c. It is an heavenly treasure in earthen vessels 2 Cor. 4.7 a rich Mart of all spiritual commodities where our Lord sells and we buy without mony all heavenly riches Be swift therefore to hear Jam. 1.19 value it above thousands of gold and silver Psal. 119.72 Sell all you have to purchase it Matth. 13.44 Buy the truth at any price sell it at none Pro. 23.23 Neither hear only but read it we cannot use too many ways in trading with this rich commoditie Had we as many distractions as Princes they can yield us no exemption from this dutie Deut. 17.18 Iosh. 1.8 Our frequent conversing with it and meditating in it will not take so much from our time as it will add to our opportunities Morning and evening day and night exercise your selves in it so shall ye be like â— fruitful tree planted by the rivers of water so shall ye make your may prosperous so shall ye have good success Psal. 1.1 2 3. Josh. 1.8 Nulla dies sine linea Think the day lost wherein you have mist this market 2. The Sacraments are visibile verbum Christs sermons to our eyes passion-sermons â—ou know that verse More dully stirs the mind what through th' ear passes Than what is view'd to life in the eyes true glasses They are not only teaching signs printing in our eyes and hearts the death of the Lord Iesus but assuring seals presenting and conveying unto us the grace which they represent There are many large and learned volumes printed concerning them and in every Catechise you may meet with pious instructions in this subject I will only therefore advise you concerning the Lords Supper 1. That you neglect no opportunitie so far as may be of comming to the Lords Table For is it not our communion with Christ 1 Cor. 10.16 Look as wholesome meats are the means whereby spirits are renewed strength increased union between body and soul maintained so the Supper of the Lord is his Ordinance whereby our everlasting life is confirmed our dull spirits revived and our union with the Lord Iesus Christ much strengthned Certainly the frequent use of it was the special means whereby the Primitive Churches so far excelled us in Christian fortitude resolution and every spiritual gift Above all other take heed of that carnal or rather divelish plea of hellish persons namely that they are not in charitie whereby they plainly discover how much they prefer their revenge beâ—ore their salvation and that hellish Murtherer before the heavenly Saviour Surely he that will rather nourish his malice by abstinence from the Lords Table than his fainting soul by that Bread of Heaven deserves and surely dos in his hellish fast to eat and drink his own damnation 2. Come prepared in some good measure and for that end set apart some day in that week for humiliation to afflict your souls by fasting to seek a right way Ezra 8.21 And because one especial end of this ordinance is the remembrance of our Saviour and shewing forth his death Luk. 22.19 1 Cor. 11. vers 25 26. spend much of that time in meditating upon it and principally the causes of it 1. The abhorred filthiness and dreadful naâ—ure of sin which could not be expiated or purged but by the blood of God 2. The fierce wrath of God and terrible severitie of his justice which exacted even of his most beloved Son undertaking for us the uttermost farthing even to make him Sin who knew no sin and a curse who was God blessed for ever 3. The infinite mercy of our gracious Father who gave his beloved Son to reconcile such hateful enemies and 4. The incomprehensible love of the Lord Iesus who vouchsafed to purchase our redemption at such a rate And leave not your soul till you find it abhorring it self in dust and ashes bleeding with Christ on his Cross sick of your sin and of his love and swelling with the fruit of the lips the sacrifice of praise 3. Prayer is the mouth of faith whereby it utters holy desires to God Many think they pray when they do but houl Hos. 7.14 or babble Matth. 6.7 we neither know what nor how to pray till we be instructed neither can any doctour inform us but that Spirit of adoption who teacheth us to cry Abbae Father Rom. 8.14 Gal. 4.6 He will instruct you to go unto God 1. As to a Father and therefore with all reverence and â—ubmission and 2. With all assurance and confidence 2. He is the Spirit of the Son and therefore will carry you to the Father by the Son to God by Christ. He will not suffer you to make your addresses by your selves or any creature but by that only Mediatour and Advocate Sacrifice must be brought to the Temple to the dore of the Tabernacle offered only upon Gods chosen Altar and by none but the Priest Christ is that Temple Ioh. 2.21 He the dore Ioh. 10.9 he the Altar Heb. 13.10 which sanctifies all our gifts and the â—igh Priest
bloody heart of his â—alicious Brother Gen. 33.4 In brief when â—â—ey were a few a very few in number and â—rangers when they went from one Nation to â—â—other People he suffered no man to do them â—rong yea he reproâ—ed Kings for their sakes â—sal 105.12 13 14. David was sometime 〈◊〉 the paws of Bears sometime in the jaws â—f Lions encounters Goliah but is still safe â—nder Gods hand 1 Sam. 17. Saul pursues â—im hunts him 1 Sam. 26.18 20. watches â—im at his house 1 Sam. 19.11 comâ—asseth him about 1 Sam. 23.26 surâ—rises him in a Cave 1 Sam. 24.3 but â—ill he is safe under Gods wings The whole â—ountrey opposes one poor Prophet Kings â—â—inces Priests People all fight against him â—ut all cannot prevail and what the reason â—am with thee saith the Lord to deliver thee â—er 1.18 19. They smite him put him in the stocks Jer. 20. they question him foâ— his lise Ier. 26. imprison him Ier. 32. search for him to kill him Ier. 36. fliâ—â— him down into a miery sinking and stinking Dungeon Ier. 38. but the Lord is witâ— him in the stocks in prison in the dungeon his enemies are destroyed and he delivered Saints may be stoned shipwrackt often iâ— stripes above measure in prisons frequent 〈◊〉 death oft every where in perils and yet safâ— joyful happy 2 Cor. 11.23 c. They maâ— be as safe in a Lions Den as in a Palacâ— Dan. 6. as cheerful in a burning Furnacâ— as in a Bed Dan. 3. The truth is we maâ— have many changes but he changes not anâ— therefore we are not consumed Mal. 3.6 And because where so many and so crafâ—â— Adversaries walk about to devour 1 Peâ—â— 5.8 and prying into all advantages waâ—â— upon all occasions to destroy us we havâ— need of a good watch to secure us thâ— Lord himself sets the watch Psal. 141 3â— nay vouchsafeth in his own person whâ— never slumbers nor sleeps to watch anâ— ward about us Psal. 121.3 4. and 〈◊〉 countermining all their underminings blowâ— up all their projects impregnably fences ouâ— hearts and keeps them in his peace whicâ— passeth understanding Phil. 4.6 7. Object But is this true with our eyeâ— we see them in this World subject not only to much evil but often to death it self Answ. 1. Know assuredly the promise is infallible and general No evil shall befall thee Psal. 91.10 All shall work together for good Rom. 8.28 2. Many things are called and counted evil by carnal men nay by Saints in their mistaking weakness which are good Christs departure in the flesh seemed a great misery to the Apostles but they were deceived Iohn 16.6 7. Even all Saints after their blubberd eyes are cleared can see good in affliction and Gods faithfulness in his chastisements where they feared his wrath and felt his displeasure Psal. 119.71 75. 3. Death is no evil where God hath given Christ to be our Life Death is ours 1 Cor. 3.22 the gate to eternal rest a sleep in the bosome of Christ 1 Thes. 4.14 desired by Saints in a godly manner 2 Cor. 5.2 4. Phil. 1.23 and envied us by wicked enemies Numb 23.10 Object 2. Nay they are not so fenced by their Shield but that often they receive grievous wounds of spirit so that they roar for very disquietness of heart and are led captive by enemies Psal. 38.5 8. Rom. 7.23 Answ. 1. There are two sorts of wounds some of friends some of enemies some killing some healing A Surgeon will wound and lanch â— sore nay a Mother These wounds are as that of Iason Pherâ—eus whose enemy intended to kill but cured him 2. The Lord our heavenly Physician even by these wounds draineth our surrounding corruptions and purgeth our deadly and hellish filthinesâ— Peter's fall broke the heart oâ— his self-conceit and the stiff neck of his pride but he lost not one Limb of the new man Therefore Christ called it Winnowing or sifting of Wheat Luk. 22.31 The Corn falls on the Floar but is cleansed from the chaff and dross and so made fit for use And it is much to be observed that none have been more cleansed than they who have most sinned 4. This Captivity is but aâ— Iabins oppression of Israel It forces to cry who shall deliver me Compare Iudg. 4.3 with Rom. 7.24 this cry affects the soul of our Saviour grieved for the misery of his Israel Judg. 10.16 so God arises scatters our enemies and we are more than Conquerours in him that loved us Rom. 8.37 2. Secondly As he is a full defence so is he an exceeding great reward exceeding indeed not only the possibility of our deserving but the uttermost reach of any created understanding For as his love is incomprehensible Eph. 3.19 so his greatness unsearchable Psal. 145.3 He is only good Matth. 9.17 abundant in goodness Exod. 34.6 For as he is the only Fountain distilling all good into all Creatures so is he an overflowing Ocean pouring out to men not in drops but streams his Rivers of living pleasures and goodness See Psal. 36.8 9. They are abundantly satisfied with the fatness of his house he makes them drink of the Rivers of his pleasures for with him is the Fountain of life and in his light we shall see light Hence it is that his Servants wrapt and even swallowed up in this torrent with admiration and exclamation testifie Oh how great beyond expression or comprehension is thy goodness to them that fear thee which thou hast wrought for them that trust in â—hee before the Sons of men Psal. 31.19 Where can we turn our selves but we shall hear â—very Creature ready to joyn in consort with â—he Saints and to sing Thou crownest the year â—ith goodness and thy steps drop fatness they â—rop upon the pastures of the Wilderness and â—he little hills rejoice on every side The â—astures are cloathed with flocks the Vallies â—re covered with Corn they shout for joy â—hey also sing Psal. 65.11 12 13. How â—â—numerable are the Creatures in the â—eaven Ayer Earth Water and every one â—f them proclaim his goodness being in their Creation Very Good Gen. 1.28 and daily by his good Providence feasted and filled with good Psal. 104.28 It is not in vain that Gods Spirit by the Psalmist compares our defence in God to a Shield our reward to the Sun Psal. 84.11 A Shield saves us by its own gashes we cannot be wounded till our shield be pierced He is afflicted in our affliction Isa. 63.9 when men tear the faithful as Psal. 35.15 they scratch his eyes Zech. 2.8 He is persecuted in his Members Act. 9.4 All the wrongs all the stripes scoffs derisions abuses fastened upon his people lite upon him For he is the shield that bears off all The Sun is the fountain of light and not the Ayer only and every sublunary creature but even those Luminaries of Heaven have no other Tapers but what they kindle at his fire How freely and plentifully doth that great Light
glittering As our houses some â—â—e dawbed with plain lome others plaistered â—ith lime and washed over Now as in our houses we look first to the materials secondly to the form the one giving strength the other beauty to our buildings so in the Body strength and beauty are the special endowments of it Beauty is but the flower of grass 1 Pet. 1.24 not all out so fair full out as fading blasted with the wind seared with the Sun smitten with every worm and if it had no outward enemy rotting in the ripening and ever slubbered in the using Sickness turnâ— it into dust death into dung the one makeâ— it untoothsome the other loathsome Favour therefore is deceitful and beauty vaiâ— Prov. 31.30 nay often dangerous Aâ— it hath cords to draw a lusting affection sâ— hath it snares to intangle us in these cords It is a fire that may scorch others and consume our selves How then should Beautâ— make happy when many thousands aâ— Absolom and his Sister Tamar might havâ— been much more happy if they had beeâ— much less beautiful 2. Secondly What is there in bodilâ— strength were it equal to Sampsons in thâ— latitude and in the longitude to Calebs Josâ—â— 14.10 11. what can the fullest dimensioâ— of strength bring with them to make 〈◊〉 happy By strength shall no man prevaiâ— 1 Sam. 2.9 The battel is not to the stronâ— Eccles. 9.11 It is not worth a smile Ier. 9.23 An Ague unbends and Age bends the strongest back It fills us with vain confidence drives us to rash attempts fails us in the execution and betrayes us to destruction Nay if we travel further into this lesser world of man and search into the bowels of it we shall find nothing in the Head or Heart City which will help to build up our happiness True indeed it is Wisdom excelleth folly as far as light darkness yet though the wise mans eyes be in his head he cannot keep off the event of fools what happens to the fool happens to the wise Eccles. 2.13 14 15. If it dwell with poverty it is followed with scorn Eccles. 9.16 It is ever married to pain and sorrow the issue of the match and grows up with it Eccles. 1.18 Some foolishness is wiser than it and utterly out-wits it 1 Cor. 1.25 And as our natural wisdom most oâ—ten perverts us Isa. 47.10 bladders and swells us oft to bursting Isa. 10.13 1 Cor. 8.1 so when it grows up in a carnal mind it turns foolishness 1 Cor. 3.19 enmity to God Rom. 8.7 and devilish Iam. 3.15 We see it ordinarily that those subtile heads which are â—utored in that Florentines universiâ—y soon commence Batcheler Machiavils and Master Devils And truly I think no wise man can discern how that can merit the name of wisdome which must necessarily first proceed fool before it can have the grace to go out wise 1 Cor. 3.18 But to help it a little joyn with this natural wisdome moral honesty and stretch them both to the uttermost extent yet will they still fall short and never reach to happiness They are like that Scribe who answered discreetly he was not far from the Kingdom of God Mark 12.34 but stopping there was never in it Morality in those ethick Sages is like the rings and jewels of running cheaters brass but fairly gilded fair stones but counterfeit They oft deceive never enrich the Owner precious to the view but bring them to the Touch of no value And as some Phidian statue exquisitely formed may seem to live breath c. yet is but a stone so lifeless is all their morality for he that hath the Son hath life and he that hath not the Son hath not life 1 Joh. 5.12 If some old Image gnawn with Rats be trickt up again with a new dress and garnished with choice colours yet are colours indeed dead as the rotten stock Such were those old heathen Philosophers Images of Virtue or rather as the Apostle speaks of Sacrifices shadows of good things Heb. 10.1 They were as all other in nature dead in sins and trespasses Eph. 2.5 And how shall the hand be living when the heart is dead the fruit good when the Tree is evil The best of them professing themselves wise became fools Rom. 1.22 Neither the wisdom of Socrates the justice of Aristides could in this life secure them from earthly calamities death banishment c. How should it help them in that other with that Judge where the Saints and their righteousness not washed in the blood of the Lamb Rev. 7.14 are all as an unclean thing and as filtâ—y raggs Isa. 64.6 As one speaks all their fair shews were splendida peccata glistering â—ins And truly sin glistering is no less filthy but more dangerous brass as all other but better polished All the former discourse let me shut up with another Poem of that Platonick Philosopâ—er Boâ—tius Libr. 3. Metr 8. When Ignorance leads fools both blind they stray How should they hitt or miss their â—nd or way We seek not grapes on thornsâ— on thistles figgs Who gathers pearls â—rom Vines or gold from twiggsâ— He that would feast his guests with Lenten dishes Draggs not dry Mountains nor thin Ayeâ— fishes He that with Ven'son would his palate please Swims not his Hounds in Brooks or hunts the Seaâ— Tethis black Closets hid with dark deep floods Men search know rifle ransack all her goods Where brightest Pearls she hoords in Oyster cells Where Coral grafts where stores her purple shells They know her Markets Fairs where when to buy Each kind of Fish where Crabs where Lobsters lye But where that good which makes man blessed lyes They have no ears to hear to see no eyes On earth â—ools hunt which far transcends the poles They tear dig delve oh are they men or moles What curse deserve such Bedlams blindâ—old wretches Tir'd let them still pursue their honours riches And prest with fâ—lse goods give them eyes to view The dross of false the glory oâ— the true If then in none of these CAP. VII Where lies the Portion of Man THE Portion or Inheritance of man which makes him blessed lies not so low as the highest creature His Treasure is not buried in earth but bagg'd up in Heaven Luk. 12.33 Heaven indeed is his Store-house but not his Portion He that is infinitely higher than the Heavens Heb. 7.26 he whom the Heaven of Heavens cannot contain 2 Chron. 6.18 he and he alone is mans Inheritance Man is the great Favourite of Heaven and of the King of Heaven and though he were made a little lower than the Angels yet his Lord most highly advanced him set the Crown upon his head crowned him with glory and honour Psal. 8.5 6. and gave him dominion over the works of his hands The gift was very great but not proportionable to the love or person of the Giver Therefore our gracious Lord after he had bestowed all his creatures upon us to be our servants gave us himself to
shed his beams not only through the skies and ayer but down to the earth and every earthly Creature It gilds every weed and dung-hill and though it lends so bountifully to all yet it is self still as full as ever Such a reward is our Lord unto us Seeing theâ— he is first infinitely great and all Nations nothing before him and to him less than nothing Isa. 40.17 and secondly infinitely and incomprehensibly good abundantly surrounding the most vast desires in his goodness commanding us to open our mouths wide that is to enlarge our hearts in thirsting our mouths in asking and promises to fill them Psal. 81.10 certainly they can want nothing â—o whom he is all things And this is it which draws out the hearts of his servants to all thankfull acknowledgement The Lord is my Shepheard I shall not want Surely mercy and goodness shall follow me all dayes of my life and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever Psal. 23. It is altogether impossible for any Creature to think that God can be any such thing which can possibly be better'd or excell'd by any thing as being a good without limits which the more we know and enjoy the more we esteem and affect It cannot therefore be denyed that the highest and only happiness of man consists in the getting and enjoying him Hearken then to that sweet invitation of that so often before mentioned Philosopher and Poet. Boetius Libr. 3. Metr 10. Come hither come poor Captives you whose minds â—ith dust cast in your eyes Lust cheating blinds â—nd to base earth with willing â—etters binds Come weary souls here reâ—t here quiet bide Come anchor here 's your Port here safely ride Your guilt in this close Sanctuary hide Nor Golden Tagus nor bright Hemus streams Nor India's sâ—lf whose womb Sols hotter beams Fill with rich seed red white green glittering gems No sparkling Pearls your quenched snuff can tine The more ye cleave to their deceitâ—ul shine The more y' are buried in their Dungeon mine Their glistering rayes which kindle fond desire Are earthly and beget but â—atuous fire Shine but in night they rise and set in mire But this Eternal Sun whose splendour bright Rules quickens all gives you both life and light The eye that wistly views with fixed sight Will swear the Starrs the Moon the Sun it self is night But you will say How shall we possibly meet God is in Heaven we on earth Eccles. 5.2 he of purer eyes than to behold evil thaâ— cannot look upon iniquity Hab. 1.13 We all an unclean thing and our righteousness a filthy rag Isa. 64.6 He higher than the Heavens Heb. 7.26 we as low as Hell Observe therefore CAP. VIII How we attain this Portion SUch is the high favour which we poor dust have found in the eyes of our glorious Creatour that he hath not only set us out our Portion in himself but tyed himself to us and us to himself in the sure bond of an everlasting Covenant in which he hath passed himself to us and purchast us to himself he ours as before and we his Portion Deut. 32.9 Zech. 2.12 He our King Hos. 13.10 we his Kingdom Exod. 19.5 6. He to us a Father 2 Cor. 6.18 in love and providence Hos. 14.4 Matth. 6.26 we to him Children in love and obedience Deut. 10.12 Ier. 7.28 This his Covenant he hath frequently enâ—grossed for us that we might have it ever in our eyes not only in his word Gen. 17.7 Ier. 31.31 c. but in our hearts also Ier. 31.33 As Ionathan because he delighted in David 1 Sam. 19.2 and loved him as his own Soul regarded not the disparity of their condition but divested himself of his Princely robes to adorn his servant and having given and tyed his heart to him before now gives his hand and binds himself to him in a sure knot of a friendly Covenant 1 Sam. 18.1 2 3. so our most gracious Lord having his delights with the Sons of men Prov. 8.31 loving us beyond knowledge Ephes. 3.19 so far descended in the depth of his love from the height of his Majesty that he even bound himself to the clay of his hands Perhaps the learned Heathen might have some dimm sight of this great Mystâ—rie and veiled it under the Fable of Pâ—gmalion who having framed a curious statue in the form of a Woman fell into love with it and when he had gotten it enlivened married it Love even desires unionâ— and communion with the beloved This incomprehensible goodness of God and great Mysterie of Godliness will be best opened unto us by way of Question and Answer Quest. 1. Hath God never made more Covenants with man than one Answ. God hath made divers Covenants as Gen. 9.9 c. but specially two the Old and New Jer. 31.31 or the first and second Covenant Heb. 8.7 Quest. 2. With whom did God make these Covenants Answ. With the two Adams the first with the first Adam and his seed the second with the second Adam and his seed the first made with a servant and therefore a Covenant of works in this tenure Do this and live Gal. 3.12 The second made with the Son and therefore a Covenant of Grace wherein God giveth what he asketh and worketh what he commandeth bids us Live and so gives us life Ezek. 16.6 commands his Covenant Psal. 111.9 and so writes it in our hearts Jer. 31.33 Thus our new Covenant is made first and immediately with Christ our Redeemer and mediately with us through him our Mediatour See Isa. 59.20 21. Gal. 3.16 Quest. 3. Was then that first Covenant broken Answ. By the first Adam it was utterly broken Gen. 3. and so by all mankind Ier. 31.32 And hence with the root dyed all the branches Rom. 5.12 And certainly never can we sufficiently admire or bless that miracle of Gods mercy in which after that by our treacherous revolture and rebellion we had broken Covenant and were utterly fallen into eternal death and misery he hath taken advantage by our breach of Covenant to make a better Covenant with us and by our sin and rebellion to glorifie his grace in doing us more good than ever that seeing we so waveringly fell in the first we mighâ— invincibly stand in the second Adam and having lost our selves and all our blessedness in the one we might regain and eternally reâ—ain iâ— in the other And hence the first is called the figure of the second Adam Rom. 5.14 because as the first was the Head and Root of our first Covenant in whom we were all blessed if he stood and cursed if he fell so the second is the Head of our second Covenant with whom because he cannot dye our liâ—e is hid up in God Col. 3.3 in whose eternal blessedness we are everlastingly blessed Quest. 4. What is our new Covenant and the matter of it Answ. In a word as Christ Iesus is the Head so is he also the matter of our Covenant For
stormy ayers quiet stay Can Heavens find in swiftest raptures ease Has only man no Centre none to lay His weary soul to rest no place to â—ase His boundless thoughts Me thinks I see a ray A glorious bâ—â—â— break through Heav'ns Canopy Me thinks I hear a voice Come Soul and see Come here here lies thy rest rest in my word me V. It is thy lovely voice great Love oh where Where Lord of love where should I seek to find thee In every place I see thy footsteps cleer Yet find thee not what are the miâ—â—s that blind me I know Lord where thou art and seek thee there Yet there I find not thee before behind me On every side I see yet seeing blind I find not what I see but heark my mind He speaks again Soul seek seek thou and I will find A great encouragement which will much hearten us in this quest is that CAP. X. We shall certainly find when we rightly seek IF worldly and carnal men so zealously affect and hotly pursue their earthly objects the ambitious straining for honour till they crack their estates and brains in reaching after it and yet are often over-reached and lose their prize the covetous as horses drawing iniquity with Cartâ—ropes of vanity defrauding oppressing piercing their souls with many sorrows yet often put all their gains into a bag with holes Hag. 1.6 or at the least in their end are stript and turned out naked voluptuous persons hunt after pleasures till they run themselves off their leggs and are brought to a morsel of bread and yet commonly either lose their game or as that Huntsman are eaten up by their doggs how cheerfully should a Christian â—un his course in seeking that immortal honour of being a Son and Heir to the King of Kings those durable riches treasures laid â—p in Heaven those incorruptible pleasures which are at Gods right hand and press hard toward the â—â—rk for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ which following he shall surely obtain and having obtained shall never lose Never did our gracious Lord command his poor creatures Seek ye the Lord in vain Isa. 49.15 he hath past his word that in seeking him we shall certainly find and iâ— finding him shall be ever blessed His word is his deed what he speaks is done what he commands stands fast Psal. 33.9 Be assured therefore if thou seek him â—e will be found of thee 1 Chron. 28.9 2 Chron. 15. â—â— Matth. 7.7 If you seek for honour glory immortality you shall find eternal life Rom. 2â—7 Thus hath he frequently promised and all his promises are Yeâ— and Amen in Christ 2 Cor. 1.20 Iudah sought â—im and found him 2 Chron. 15.15 Even Hypocrites find him and some favour with him when they seek even as much and as far as they seekâ— Aâ—abs temporal humiliation obtained an answerable mercy 1 King 21.29 As long aâ— Vzziah sought God so long he prosperedâ—â— Chron. 26.5 It is an infallible dispensation of his Providence in general to give every man what he seeks He that seeketh good shall have favour and â—e that seeketh mischieâ— it shall come unto him Prov. 11.27 It cannot be otherwise For 1. 〈◊〉 â—st sui diâ—â—usivum Good iâ— oâ— a spreading nature It cannot but comâ—unicate it self proportionably to the power which it hath and to the object which iâ— finds He is good and doth good Psal. 119.68 He is infinitely good and therefore infinitely communicates himself as well to the 〈◊〉 by generation as to the Holy Ghost by procession yeâ— finitely as they are capable to all his Creatures as well in their Creation making them very good Gen. 1.31 as in his providence and dispensation his open hand fills them with good Psal. 104.28 and man being created after his own image and after his â—all capable of the divine nature he offers and imparts it to them who takes his offer 2 Pet. 1.4 Secondly He is Love 1 Iohn 4â—16 gracious Exod. 34.6 loving before above contrary to our deservingâ— Thiâ— love our Saviour thinks best to express in the relation of a Father Luk. 11.11 12 13â— so loving that he waits to be gracious unto us Isa. 30.18 that he is found of those that seek him not and makes himself manifeâ—â— to those that ask not after him Rom. 10.20 so unexpressably and unconceivably loving that when he had bestowed all his Creatures upon us he yet satisfied not his love till he had given a gift fully proportionable to his incomprehensible love the Son of his love his only begotten that we being destroyed by our selves Hos. 13.9 mighâ— through him never perish being dead in our selves might have eternal life in him Ioh. 3.16 being enemies in our nature might be reconciled in him Rom. 5.10 Thirdly He is the Truth Joh. 14.6 How frequently hath he promised that if we seek we shall find as before and faithful is he that promiseth who will also do it 1 Thes. 5.24 Thus Mercy and Truth meet together Psal. 85.10 And to this purpose are they met fully to assure us of success in seeking Deut. 4.25 to the 32. And observe that when for their rebellion the Lord had scattered his revolting people among the Heathen and given them up to their whorish hearts to serve wood and stone yet even from thence when they shall seek the Lord they shall find him And what is the reason that after such bitter provocations he will be found of them in their deepest misery 1. His mercy for the Lord thy God is a merciful God he will not destroy thee 2. His truth and faithfulness nor forget the Covenant of thy Fathers which he swore unto them ver 31. How then should any poor soul that seeks with loâ—ging miss in finding Thou lovest him he more infinitely loveth thee Thou seekest him he first seeketh thee Thou wouldst find him he will surely find thee thou desirest to meet him doth not he promise to meet thee Isa. 64.5 nay thou goest to meet him but he runneth to meet thee Luk. 15.18 20. But that cunning and lying Serpent and our own unbelieving hearts will put in a barr and lay a notable stumbling block in our way concerning this truth They will object It is not only apparent that many have not found the Lord who yet have earnestly sought but the Lord himself plainly testifies that many shall seek and not find Luk. 13.24 They shall go with their heards and with their flocks to seek the Lord and shall not find him Hos. 5. â— but we must know that as in other actions so in this that which is not right indeed is not It may seem to be but is not what it seems A lip-love is indeed no love 1 Ioh. 3.17 18. A dead faith no faith so that seeking which is not right is indeed no seeking What then is that right seeking to which God hath annexed this promise of finding Three things are necessarily required in seeking to make it
his doors he will certainly opeâ— the door let you in give you life anâ— make you blessed I will also finish this Chapter with a verse borrowed from divers of those Poetical Prophets Vast Ocean of light whose rayes surround The Universe who know'st nor ebb nor shore Who lend'st the Sun his sparkling drop to store With overflowing beams Heav'n ayer ground Whose depths beneath the Centre none can sound Whose heights 'bove heav'n and thoughts so loâ—ty soar Whose breadth no feet no lines no chains no eyes survey Whose length no thoughts can reach no worlds can bound What cloud can mask thy face where can thy ray Find an Eclipse what night can hide Eternal Day Our Seas a drop of thine with arms dispread Through all the earth make drunk the thirsty plains Our Sun a spark of thine dark shadows drains Guilds all the world paints earth revives the dead Seas through earth pipes distill'd in Cisterns shed And power their liver springs in river veins The Sun peeps through jet clouds and when his face Are maskt his eyes their light through ayers spread and gleams Shall dullard earth bury life-giving streams Earths â—oggs impound heav'ns lightâ— hell quench heav'n kindling beams How miss I then in bed I sought by night But found not him in rest nor rest without him I sought in Towns in broadest streets I sought him But found not him where all are lost dull sight Thou canst not see him in himself his light Is maskt in light brightness his cloud about him Where when how he 'l be found there then thus seek thy love Thy Lamb in flocks thy Food with appetite Thy Rest on reâ—ting dayes thy Turtle Dove Seeâ— on his cross there then thus Love stands nail'd with love For surely know that Eternal life even CAP. XI All Blessedness is found only in the Lord Iesus Christ. THE whole Portion of man all treasures and true riches which fill man with true blessedness are stored up in Christ Riches and honour are with him yea durable riches and righteousness Prov. 8.18 In him are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge Col. 2.3 He is full of grace and truth and from his fulness we all receive and grace for grace Joh. 1.14 16. and so are we filled with the fulness of God Ephes. 3.19 It will therefore be not more needful than delightful to take a further view of this glorious inheritance so to kindle and inflame our dull hearts with more love and longing after him to drive us to seek and quicken us in seeking that â—o we may find him Of all the Artifices devised and practised by that envious and subtle Serpent this is the principal to draw a Curtain before this express Image of Gods person who being the Brightness of his glory Heb. 1.3 if we could behold with open eyes his Divine beauty would wonderfully ravish our enamoured spirits and so attract win and hold our eyes and hearts that he would utterly raze out all other vain loves and washy colours and cause us wholly to despise all those painted flowers of counterfeit beauties which grow not in his face and shine not in his eyes As therefore that our heavenly Father the Father of lights in his gracious wisdom to draw us to Christ commands his light to shine out of darkness and opens for it a window in our hearts to give us knowledge of the glory of God in no other object but the face of the Loâ—d Iesus Christ 2 Cor. 4.6 so this Prince of darkness imployes all his Engines with all diligence to obscure that light of the Gospel lest in it this Image of God should shine out unto us 2 Cor. 4.4 And as he by his false Apostles deceitful workers labours to distort those amiable lineaments and darken the radiant beauties of the Lord Iesus so our God sets his servants of the Ministry on work 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gal. 3.3 to limb out Christ in all his love and excellency to us Now it is he who hath committed that pencil of his Gospel into my weak hand I desire therefore as I can a poor Apprentice in my trade and as I have learnt of him to describe him to you you know well as other Princes so this King of Kings wooes by picture He sends here unto you drawn by a rude hand his pourtrait which as dimm as it is by reason of my unskilfulness is able through his working to enflame your hearts with love with sickness of love with ardent desire and restless longings after him As in the Creature there is a double quality which kindles affection either simple whereby it self is perfect or relative whereby others are bettered so is there in our Lord and Creator a double excellency â—imply considered wherein himself is incomprehenâ—ibly blessed in his most glorious perfections relative in his infinite both goodness and fulness to supply our imperfections and fill us with blessedness For the first because our infirm eyes would soon be dazeled with the rayes of that Sun of Righteousness if in open light and full view he were presented to us therefore the Lord is pleased to mask the face of â—hat glorious lustre with shadows of earthly comparisons and to let us here see the â—ight of it as through a cloud Now as corporal beauty consists 1. Of a â—omely feature when the whole body and â—very limb is cast into a due frame keeping â—ust proportions and every one fashioned in â— right mould neither excessive nor defeâ—tive and 2. Of an amiable colour dispread â—ver the whole body and every member â—hen each part is dressed and tired in such â—livery as most commends it to the eye of the â—eholder so also doth the spiritual view 〈◊〉 curiously drawn Cant. 5. from the 10. v. 〈◊〉 the end There may you behold our beâ—â—ved excellently pourtrayed by the hand of 〈◊〉 own Spirit as well in all his excellencies 〈◊〉 head locks eyes cheeks lipps hands leggs 〈◊〉 countenance mouth as also in his most â—â—vely colours white and ruddy c. The meaning is Look as a person excellently comely in all the lineaments and proportions of every member and exquisitely fair in the natural tapestry of a pure complexion is a most ravishing object to an eye of flesh so in that second Adam the quickning Spirit could we lift up our eyes to take a full view of his dazeling beauties which now are veiled from our imperfect sight for no man can see him and live could we behold in their measures those his most glorious Attributes and then clearly discern that infinite purity shining and sparkling in every one of them it would as once it certainly shall fill our spirits with heavenly raptures and ravishing extasies in contemplation of those divine beauties Take a more particular and distinct view of these most glorious perfections Look what comeliness is in man that in Christ is Omnipotency or All-sufficiency Comeliness iâ— nothing else but that form of body whereby
his grace brings us to immortality and glory Whithersoever you turn you one oâ— these will be at your elbow In every corner you shall meet with the Lovers of thesâ— Harlots doating on their plaistered beauties and drawing others to the same doteageâ— Those Paramours of Rome will deeply swear that their Mistress is the Queen of the World that the Sun even the Scriptures borrows all his beams from her eyes that there is no Paradice but in her arms no Heaven but in her embraces no hope but in her anchour no faith but in her breast no truth but in her mouth that if she commands Vices and prohibits Vertues you were bound to believe that Vices were good and Virtues evil So Bellarm. De Roman Pontif. l. 4. c. 5. The other not so lofty in their boastings but as dangerous in their baits and lurings They will promise you liberty and what is more suitable and sweet to nature but make you as themselves servants to corruption Now if you should trust your own eyes and lean to your own understanding you might easily be charmed with their enchantments But if ever you mean to keep your heart intire for the Lord Iesus you must not afford one glance to these his Rivals but through the glass of his word That but else nothing will broadly display the putrid loathsomeness of these haggs and rotten puppets Be ever asking Where it is written this was the buckler of the Ancients I adore the fulness of Scripture Let the shop of Hermogenes teach us where it is written if it be not written let him fear the woe pronounced against Adders and detracters Tertul. This was the sword of the Spirit whereby our Saviour himself warded his breast from all those fiery darts of Satan and beat down all his strong assaults Matth. 4.4 7 10. But so cunning are some of these Imposters that they will challenge you at your own Weapon They have learnt this fence of their old Master the Devil who seeing our Lord standing upon this guard had presently in shew the same weapon and charged it against him It is written saith he Matth. 4.6 whereby you see how needful it is for you to have your senses exercised in the word to discern good and evil Heb. 5.14 and what necessity lies upon you to meditate in the word of God day and night Psal. 1.2 that you may breath your soul in those breathings of that Holy Spirit The enemy is crafty the issue of the combate life or death eternal Another sort of Whores that old Baud and Pandar the World and the Devil dresâ— up in another fashion to lay battery to your heart the will and affection and they arâ— as if not more dangerous than the former The first is the Lady Mammon boasting her self the only true Riches but indeed a meer slip and counterfeit brass and copper covered with tinfoyl Yet how many unstable souls hath she beguiled She hath all the tricks of a Whore first in quality secondly in action For 1. She is false and lying what content and happiness doth she promise to her Paramours yet did she never satisfie any Lover Eccles. 5.10 How should that give man content which hath no more worth than mans fancy gives it She drowns us in perdition and destruction and pierceth with many sorrows 1 Tim. 6.9 10. 2. She is inconstant and light winged and flies away Prov. 23.5 2. Her actions also whorish she hunts for the precious life of a man Prov. 6.26 No less hire will purchase her company than the price of our souls Matth. 16.26 when she hath shut us within her embraces she shuts us out of the Kingdom of Heaven As soon shall a Camel pass through the eye of a needle as a man loving riches through the strait gate of life Mar. 10.24 25. 2. A Whore sells nothing but repentance and mourning at our latter end Prov. 5.11 And what do men reap from the love of riches but weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth Jam. 5.1 The way to keep off our hearts from this false Strumpet is to fasten our eyes upon the heavenly Riches which are first true the metal not base but precious promises 2 Pet. 1.4 precious faith much more precious than gold 1 Pet. 1.7 The stamp upon them is the Image of the King of Heaven which makes them currant in all his Dominions 2. They are durable riches Prov. 8.18 they will never fail you In life and death they will follow you Rev. 14.13 He that looks upon God as his Portion and sees in what pleasant places the lines are fallen to him Psal. 16.5 6. He that looks upon Christ his Treasure Col. 2.3 and those glorious riches stored up in him will look upon all other riches as loss and dung Phil. 3.8 and think the meanest room of his heart too precious to be taken up with trash and trumpery The second Harlot is Honour Reputation and Credit with men A proud Strumpet that carryes her head aloft but the veriest dirt of all the rest yet how strong are her allurements How did she draw away those in part-believing Iews specially Rulers Ioh. 12.42 how easily did she carry them down in a stream of popularity from the fountain of life She hath a strong faction in all mens hearts to work for her but principally in those who are great in the worldâ— If ever you attain any eminence there she will prove a dangerous tentation Take heed of casting one glance toward her lest you be overcome Remember that warning of our Saviour you cannot entertain faith and her in one heart Joh. 5.44 Take heed also of being dismayed with her frowns Assuredly know she will affront you with reproach contempt disgrace If ye cleave to Christ were you Kings were you the King of Kings she would not be afraid to revile you and spit in your face David was torn with her mocks Psal. 35.15 16. because he followed that which was good Psal. 38.20 The Son of David derided by proud Pharisees Luk. 16.14 Think not being servants to be above your Master It is enough for the Disciple to be as his Master and the servant as the Lord. If they have called the Master of the house Beelzebub how much more shall they call them of his houshold Matth. 10.25 whosoever will live godly be sure of â—t shall suffer at least this persecution 2 Tim. â— 12 But take off your eye from this shadow â—nd lye of honour and set it upon that true â—lory Could you with Moses behold but â—ne spark of that heavenly advancement â—ou would with Moses account the reproach 〈◊〉 Christ greater honour than all the treasures of Egypt Heb. 11.26 If you will take up the â—â—count aright thus you will value it for indeed God himself is your praise Deut. 10.21 Christ himself the glory of his Israel Luk. 2.32 And what weight then in the ballance of any impartial judgement can the rotten breath of a mortal creature and the
Life of the world with Eternal Life who shall wooe him for me who can win him to me Let me satisfie you in this doubt To conclude this match we have more use of our ears than of our mouths He oh incomprehensible mercy oh unconceivable goodness He wooes us He offers treaties nay entreaties of marriage with us He employes Embassadours purposely to beseech us and they pray us in Christs stead 2 Cor. 5.20 nay he gives us Liegers who daily negotiate and sollicite this marriage that we would be espoused as a chaste Virgin to Christ 2 Cor. 11.2 Stay here awhile and wonder Let us take a better view of this strange love and dealing of our Lord let us ravish our hearts with admiration of his goodness Shall the King of Kings beseech a Traitor to be reconciled Shall the Creatour descend to wedd nay to wooe the Creature the clay of his hands Shall the Lord of Angels he is no less offer himself in union and communion with Devils we are no better Ioh. 6.70 children of Satan Ioh. 8.44 Children of hell Matth. 23.15 nay Captives of the Devil 2 Tim. 2.26 Shall God the Father give his Son shall God the Son give his life shall both give their blessed Spirit to such hellish cursed enemies Oh the infinite miracles of this mercy And yet is his mercy more miraculous or our madness more prodigious We will not come Joh. 5.40 we must be drawn to this happiness Ioh. 6.44 The traitour stripped for execution rejects mercy the Creature scorns the Creatour and worse than Devils who have no such offer refuses to be restored to Heaven and reunited to the Lord of Heaven and yet he after many denyals waits to be gracious unto us Isa. 30.18 and we after so long gracious waiting persist in our denyal and yeâ— he persisteth still in his gracious purpose and never leaveth us till overcoming our stony hearts with his soft love and tender mercies he wins us to be happy in his grace and for ever blessed in his glorious embraces Is not he a God of purer eyes than to behold iniquity Hab. 1.13 And what are we but sinful dung and corruption Is not he a consuming fire to sinners Heb. 12.29 And what are we but stubble and fuel for everlasting burnings How then is it that we have found favour in his eyes How is it that we are as that burning bush unconsumed Certainly because he is God and not man Hos. 11.9 nay because he is God and Man delighting in mercy Mic. 7.18 Now that we may be the more willing and ready with all humility and thankfulness to entertain and with all confidence of faith to expect this high and happy advancement let us stedfastly fasten our eyes first upon our selves secondly upon him and take a right view for a full we here cannot as well of our misery as his mercy by his own hand exquisitely pencil'd out to us Let us set up the picture of it being a piece very excellent in the best room of our hearts that it may be continually in our sight and remembrance we shall have it Ezek. 16. from the 2 to the 15 vers First Therefore Gods Spirit there presents to our eyes in gross and shews us our abominations ver 2. And hence so frequently in the world the Lord culls out the most abominable and loathsome things as parallels for us our very sacrifices and service infected with our contagion abominable Prov. 15.8 our very Incense which should sweeten all our service meer abomination Isa. 1.13 our very beauty abhorred Ezek. 16.25 and our excellency hateful and loathsome Amos 6.8 2. In particular 1. Our Birth abominable as cursed Canaanites ver 3. whom the Land as a loathsome vomit spewed out Lev. 18.27 28. we are born enemies Rom. 5.20 haters of God Rom. 1.30 2. We are unwasht filthily polluted in our own blood v. 4 6. and even wallowing in our mire and death rejoycing in evil and delighting in froward wickedness Prov. 2.14 3. In all this misery unpittyed ver 5. No creature not our selves had any compassion of our poor souls helpless hopeless senseless 4. Lastly we were Cast-awayes despised scorned the Refuse of the Creatures v. 5. As some strumpets cast out their misbegotten births and are ashaâ—ed of their fruit so the earth was abashed to look on us her mishapen Off-spring we were the shame of our Mother And what could now be added to this misery but the end and last act of this Tragedy even hell fire and brimstone into which we were posting without stop with all our might by wilfull rebellion and stubborn wickedness Turn now and fix your eye upon that miracle of Gods love and mercy He whom we had provoked despised he whom we hated he only he pitties us so pitties us that even when we were dead and buried in the belly of hell he gives us life v. 6. the life of himself our God even his Son the life of the world eternal Life 2. With life he gives us growth and increase v. 7. the increase of God Col. 2.19 to which end he giveth â—s also faithful Pastours to build us up till we attain to the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ Ephes. 4.11 12 13. 3. He enters into Covenant with us swears and vows his love unto us his conjugal love v. 8. sends messengers to wooe win and espouse us to himself 2 Cor. 5.20 11.2 4. He washes throughly washes us from all filthiness Ezek. 36.25 and anoints us with Oyl v. 9. neither thought he any Laver pure enough till he had opened a Fountain for us in his own side and washed us in his heart blood Zech. 13.1 Rev. 1.5 no Oyle he thought precious enough till he had powred out his own Spirit to anoint us 1 Joh. 2.27 5. He cloathes us as becomes the Spouse of such a Majesty v. 10 11 12. Neither could any Creature in Heaven or earth give him content in fitting us with ornaments His own hand must frame our vesture his own righteousness must apparel us his own glory Crown us Yea he divests himself to cloath us with himself he puts on Christ upon us Gal. 3.27 6. He furnisheth a rich Table for us v. 13. feasts us with fat things full of marrow of wines on the lâ—es well refined Isaâ— 25.6 No Bread â—avoury and fine enough for us in his love but the true Manna the Bread of Heaven no Wine pleasant enough but that fruit of the true Vine prest and wrung out on the Cross even his own Body and Blood Ioh. 6.35 53 55. 7. Lastly He deforms our deformity and conforms us to his own likeness sets his own beauty upon us v. 14. transforms us to the image of his own Son Rom. 8.29 who is the Brightness of his glory Heb. 1.3 Know then never did any passionate lover so deeply affect and affectionately wooe his desired Spouse as he the union of our souls with himself A lover watches diligently
and greedily catches all opportunities of conferring with his beloved and winning her heart And doth not he rise up early to draw and bring home our souls Ier. 25.4 32 33. A Lover breaks his sleeps to wait at the door of his Love and Is not his head filled with the dew and his locks wet with the drops of the night Cant. 5.2 A Lover will not break off for every denyal nor will be discouraged with many reâ—usals and doth not our Lord wait to be gracious unto us Isa. 30.18 even after we have wearied him with our unkindness Isa. 43.24 Some Lovers have ventured He given his life for his beloved Ioh. 15.13 Seeing therefore such a Lover so lovely thus wooes such wretches so loathsome let us thus answer his suit I. Me Lord can'st thou mispend One word misplace one look on me Call'st me thy Love thy Friend Can this poor soul the object be Of these love-glances those life-kindling eyes What I the Centre of thy arms embraces Of all thy labour I the prize Love never mocks Truth never lies Oh how I quake Hope fear â—ear hope displaces I would but cannot hope such wondrous love amazesâ— II. See I am black as night See I am darkness dark as hell Lord thou more fair than light Heav'ns Sun thy Shadow can Sunns dwell With Shades 'twixt light and darkness what commerce True thou art darkness I thy Light my ray Thy mists and hellish foggs shâ—ll pierce Witâ— me black soul with me converse I make the â—oul December flowry May Turn thou thy night to me I 'le turn thy night to day III. See Lord see I am dead Tomb'd in my self my selâ— my grave A drudge so born so bred My self even to my selâ— a slave Thou Freedome Life can Life and Liberty Love bondage death Thy Freedom I I tyed To loose thy bonds be bound to me My Yoke shall â—asâ— my bonds shall â—ree Dead soul thy Spring of life my dying side There dye with me to live to live in thee I dyed If then the hopes of such a match are so fair CAP. XIV What are the means to bring Christ and our Souls together AS it is in the earthly so also in this heavenly Contract The Man is the Suiter the Woman is Wooed In him is required to ask and seek in her only to accept and consent Christ loves first then we 1 Ioh. 4.19 He in love proffers himself to us and we when he hath wonn us embrace his offer with love and willingly receive him His hand whereby he giveâ— himself is his Word the Gospel written his Love-letters Preached his wooing our hand whereby we receive him is only our faith by which the Vnderstanding assents and the Will consents so the only condition â—nd demand of God for consummation of the â—ontract is Faith First therefore That Father of lights by the light of his word discovers to us thâ— person of the Lord Iesus in his nature God and Man 2. In his Offices King Priest and Prophet 3. In his Relation to usâ— Husband Head Saviour 4. In his love and actions of love Incarnation Humiliation Exaltation This light he so effectually brings home to us by the work of his Spirit that whereas heretofore we saw no beauty in him that we should desire him Isa. 53.2 now we see no beauty but in him we behold his glory as the glory of the only begotten Son of God Joh. 1.14 And so strong an impression doth it work that the Understanding convinced by Gods Spirit receives the testimonies subscribeth and seals to this truth of God Joh. 3.33 and then plainly sees confesses and with joy so judges that all things are dung and loss in comparison of the excellent knowledge of Christ Iesus his Lord Phil. 3.8 And this is the first act of faith wrought in the Understanding whereby the Apprehensive faculty conceiveth this truth and the Iudicial signs it The second is in the Concupiscible faculty â—or the same word by the same work of Gods Spirit which perswaded the Judgement â—o assent draws on the Will to consent and â—s it giveth power to the one to conceive 〈◊〉 to the other to receive Christ aright To â—his end the Word cleerly demonstrateth as â—ell the misery of man without him as the â—appiness with him and both infinite as â—oh 3.36 1 Ioh. 5.12 It sets out him in relation to us as the Vine us in relation to him as the Branches Ioh. 15.1 c. grafted in him we are cleansed fruitful ver 3 4. but without him we can do we can have nothing neither sap nor fruit but are withered and burned Joh. 15.5 6. In him and his house we flourish grow fat and the more we grow in age the more we grow in fruitâ—ulness Psal. 92.13 14. but out of him as the branches of a Vine altogether useless cast into the fire for fuel the fire devours both the ends of it and the midst of it is burnt Ezek. 15.4 Vine-branches of all other are in the Vine most useful and noble out of the Vine most base and useless It propounds him to us as an Husbandâ— us to him as a Spouse Woman was madâ— for man and without him is unfruitful anâ— useless him to us as an Head us to him aâ— his limbs and body In him we live move anâ— have our being Act. 17.28 without him wâ— are senseless dead nothing And whereas the heart is easily drawâ— with that triple cord of profit pleasureâ— preferment it evidently discovers to uâ— 1. Our gain and great advantage by him iâ— life and death Phil. 1.21 all other thingâ— loss Phil. 3.8 2. The infinite delight anâ— sweetness in his shadow Cant. 2.3 the fuâ—â— carouses out of the Rivers of his pleasures Psal. 36.8 the woe Hos. 9.12 and torments of his absence Rev. 14.10 so that our spirits refuse all comfort and are utterly overwhelmed Psal. 77.3 3. The height of honour and advancement in him Ioh. 12.26 Honos est in Honorante Honour is in the giver not receiver The more excellent the person is who gives honour the more excellent is the honour received from his hands What comparison then between the honour which comes â—rom man and the honour which comes from God only we are never truly honourable but when we are precious in his sight Isa. 43.4 In him we are Kings Rev. 1.6 and this kingdom heavenly 2 Tim. 4.18 and everlasting 2 Pet. 1.11 that cannot be moved Heb. 12.28 out of him we are Children of the Devil Joh. 8.44 and so devils Joh. 6.70 who being thrown out of Heaven and unworthy to be seated in any the very lowest place formerly designed for the Creature have a new and peculiar place prepared for them beneath all other the Deep Luk. 8.31 and bottomless pit Rev. 20.1 where they are bound up in everlasting chains of darkness Jude 6. And yet further the Word shews us the easie conditions which in this Contract God demands of us subjection
disobedient and obstinate against an heavenly and most gracious Father Isa. 48.4 Tit. 3.3 She youthful beautiful we full of the old man corrupt in lusts Eph. 4.22 Filthy even to stinking Psal. 14.3 and loathsome Prov. 13.5 She vertuous and holy we out of measure sinful and vicious And he our Spouse the true Boaz that is strength the mighty the Almighty How uneven a yoke yet our Will in all these defects received willingness in his unutterable grace and unconceivable mercy being accounted and accepted as our portion and beauty and we in the day of our espousals endowed with all his goods adorned with his beauty and crowned with his glory But is it possible that when the Husband is so rich great excellent nothing should be demanded but heart and will To make the match nothing else but after it is made all Conjugal duties required And what are they 1. Love to cleave to him in all dear affection 2. Constancy to hold us to him in all estates better worse 3. Chastity to keep our selves only to him 4. Subjection to obey and serve him But this seems a very hard and heavy burthen It is only so in seeming and to some only As in the night many things seem very terrible which in the day are very delightful to the eye As to a sick palate that meat seems very iâ—ksome which in health is sweet and pleasing so men that sit in darkness and look on these things with dimm eyes imagine rather than see many Buggs to fright and scare them when their hearts are surfeted with sinful lusts this most sweet yoke is very distastful and bitter but where there is a new Creature and the sense uncorrupted no soul is able to comprehend either the full excellency of it or to utter in any measure that little it doth comprehend Let us thereâ—ore draw nigher and take a better view of â—hese things And 1. Love is as the object very sweet â—or very bitter sometimes excessively grieâ—ous sometimes exceedingly pleasant If â—he object be loathsome love is burthenâ—ome Seven years for beauteous Rachel â—eemed but a few dayes but a few dayes for â—lear-eyed Leah would have been many years 2. Be the object very lovely but not at all loving such love is full of vexation and anguish Thus Amnons fair Sister Tamar afflicted him to sickness and leanness 2 Sam. 13.2 3. 3. If the object be worthy and reflecting our love yet if it prove unfruitful it brings often more grief than comfort Sarah's and Rebecca's beauty yielded their husbands less content than their barrenness trouble The extraordinary kindness of Hannah's husband could not in barreness so sweeten the bitterness of her soul but that all meat was distastful and no drink relished but tears 1 Sam. 1. But when all these meet when our hearts are pitched upon an object 1. Lovely and amiable 2. Kind and loving 3. Fruitful and beneficial our affection will rather need a bridle than a spur not a switch but a snaffle If then we look upon our Heavenly Spouse we shall see 1. That he is fairer than the Children of men Psal. 45.2 altogether lovely Cant. 5.16 his beauty the longing of Saints Psal. 27.4 the ravishment of Angels Isa. 6.3 from whose beams the whole world borrows its spark of beauty 2. His Love is first preventing ours 1 Ioh. 4.19 passing all not only love but expressions nay knowledge of all Creatures Eph. 3.19 3. The fruit of this mutual love exceeding much and glorious It lifts up from a despised condition Cant. 8.1 makes us honourable Isa. 43.4 It prefers uâ— from the basest drudgery in the world from the Skullery of Satan to the bed of Heaven to the union and glory of the Lord of Heaven and earth Ioh. 17.21 22. In a word it gives us perfection elevates our abased nature above the Heavens and exalts it to the uttermost extent of which a Creature is capable and therefore justly termed the bond of perfectness Col. 3.14 To love therefore him who is above measure lovely above apprehension loving whose love â—ully perfects the beloved Lover can be a burthen to none but those who hate their rest and love their burthens yet were it a burthen justly might he expect and exact of us cheerfully to bear itâ— For will not all bonds of gratitude and equity tye us to it were it a burthen for us to love him our glory life heaven it were far greater for him to love us his death hell abasement He loved us when dead and no way but by his death to be revived he loved us when sunk into hell children of wrath and Satan and never but by his descent into hell even suffering that wrath to be rescuâ—d He loved us when we were utterly fallen thrown down from the highest honour to the bottomless pit when filthy loathsome stinking and never but by his abasement from the form of God to the form of man and of a servant to be restored never to be washed but by his blood never to be reformed but by his deformity If then not for love yet for shame how should we deny to be pressed for his who was oppressed for our sake to bear his cross who hath borâ— our curse to carry the heavenly burthen if any were of his life who hath undergone the hellish load of our death and misery 2. Secondly We are enjoyned to hold us close to him in all estates better and worse This condition affrights many and makes them shrink But only flesh and blood is startled at it Christ even to a carnal eye is beautiful in his crown of glory but in his crown of thorns they think he looks not like himself they have no pleasure in him lovely on his Throne loathsome on his Cross. Alas poor souls Is it another Sun which shines in his brightness and is shadowed in a cloud The Moon interposing may ecclipse the beams of the Sun to usâ— but can it stain or diminish his glory and excellence A mask may hide but empairs not beauty Is Christ less lovely where he shews most love Look better upon himâ— eye him at the whipping post on the Cross. How do those dying looks set out to life that incomprehensible love Our wordsâ— our thoughts fall infinitely short of itâ— Here only it stands out pencild to life in full expression and offers it self to our view in just proportion How do those fires â—â— love burn in his quenched eyes what seâ—â— of love flow in every drop of that precious blood How many fountains of love and life streaming from his hands feet side open the very Cataracks of Heaven anâ— surround the World with floods of love wâ— have no eyes if we stand not dazeld witâ— this Sun of righteousness more brightlâ— shining forth in the beams of his love froâ— the Axel-tree of his Cross than from the sphere of his glory Some perhaps will confess that Christ never more manifested his love than on hiâ— Cross but yet to