that which is at this time most sencible in my heart to speake to you from what God hath spoke to me in my present Condition is three things The first is a discovery of the unsupportable Burthen of sinne when discovered by the light of Gods love Secondly The restles resolution of a Saint when he is Saint-like sencible of his withdrawing from God to turne to God Thirdly The gracious and sweet Entertainment the soule finds with God when that he is brought home And I shall declare it from three portions of Scripture The first from Psalme the 38. and the 4th verse the second from Psalme the 11 6th and the 7th verse The third from Luke the 15th and the 20th verse but I shall begin with the first at this opportunitie Psalme the 38. and the 4th verse For my Iniquities are gone over my head as a heavie Burthen they are too heavy for me DEare friends this Scripture I have formerly viewed and have formerly spoke something from it but I am now constrained to declare what God hath preached to mee for he hath been pleased thorough a discovery of my unsutablenes and my unkindnes by which he hath not onely broken my bones but he hath left no soundnes in my flesh I doe not meane by flesh fleshly nature but all the fleshlines of my owne Righteousnes by which formerly I refreshed my selfe with the sparkes of my owne performance and refreshed my selfe with the peace and tranquilitie I gathered from thence But now my wound is too large to be healed with such a salve but no more of that but to the words and in them you may consider in generall an affirmation wherein you may first consider the partic affirming that is David Secondly the affirmation it selfe that is twofold first That his iniquities are gone over his head Secondly They were a heavie burthen too heavie for him Thirdly You may consider the time when it was when God had shewed him so much of his own nothingnes that he had nothing left to live upon besides free love There was no rest in his Bones nor no soundnes in his flesh by bones and flesh wee are not to understand it naturally but spiritually and by flesh we are to understand it in a double sense according to these Scriptures Galatians the 5. and the 19 verse Gal. the 6. and the 12 verse Philippians the 3. and the 3 and 4 verses Deare friends wee might observe a Conclusion from the party affirming the affirmation it selfe and the time when and the manner how but wee shall draw up all into one Conclusion and that is this Doct. That sinne to a Saint like sencible heart is an unsupportable Burthen In the prosecution the Conclusion observe these foure things First the proofe of it by Scripture Secondly Consider what sin is Thirdly What a Saint-like sencible heart is Fourthly The reasons why sin to a Saint-like sencible heart is an unsupportable burthen First The Scriptures to prove the Conclusion are these In the first place view the Text which cleerly Confirmes the Truth of the Conclusion Further see Romaines the 7 and the 24 verse how Paul cryes out as a restles man under the sense of sin You may further see Psal 51. the 1 2 3. and 4 verses Jeremiah the 3. and the 25 verse Lamentations the 5. the 15 16 17 verses All which doe discover how unsupportable the Burthen of sinne is to a heart that is Saint-like sencible of sinne Deare friends wee need not much proofe to him that knowes it as I am confident every heart that is acquainted with God hath sufficient Experience of this to confirme it The daily heart-breakings in that soule who is sencible of his owne unkindnes by reading Gods kindnes doth demonstrate it But I shall adde no more but this That heart which needs Confirmation of this truth without himselfe and hath not a sufficient proofe within himselfe his Condition is sad Secondly let us Consider what sin is And in that Consideration wee will Consider three things First The nature of sinne Secondly The Concomitants of sin And Thirdly The Effects First What is sin the Apostle tells you in the first Epistle of John the 3 Chap. and the 4 verse That sinne is the Transgression of the Law had there been no Law there had been no sinne The variation from a Law is sinne To speake out the nature of sinne is almost as impossible as to speak out the nature of God For sinne in all things is contrary to God Whatsoever you can say of Darknes of Death of Hell and Devils you may say of sinne Sinne comprehends all and is one with either John in the Revelations tels us of the depth of Satans Temptation Revel 2.24 which Temptation peradventure is but the limbe of the least lust Oh! what a depth is there then in the whole body Whatsoever happines and glory is seene in Light the contrary is found in Darknes whatsoever content and freedome you finde in love Light the contrary misery and bondage you finde in Death but the perfections of all these miseries is comprehended in sinne as the body of them both That heart which is most sencible of sinne is not able to speake out the nature of sinne But I know that that heart which is Saint-like sencible of sinne and doth see sinne to present himselfe as it doth so ugly in his owne eyes thinkes sin can never be presented ugly enough and especially because they see that in sinning they doe not onely crosse Law but Love they do not onely pierce paper but the precious tenders of grace love Zech. 10. It is endles boundless to Anatomize the nature of that where not so much as nature dwels but is inslaved by it Secondly Consider the Concomitants of sinne There are many but I shall onely present so many of them as it at present in my owne view First It s that which drawes a darke Cloud over a mans eyes and hinders him in his cleare beholding of God Though a Christian hath never so glorious a view of divine Light Love that lives in God if God suffers that heart to be padling and medling with sinne and Darkness Isa 59.2 Psal 30.7 Cant. 5.2 3 4 5 6. and then the heart goes expecting to view God as before though God be as he was before an unalterable God yet there is a thick myst drawne upon the eye that he is like a man in a myst and knowes not where he is nor what he sees just like a man whose eyes are fixed upon the Sunne and there he beholds glorious objects than takes them off from that Sun and looks upon the Earth and then goes to looke up to the Sunne againe his eyes dazell that he can see neither Though it is true It is not the glory that we view in God that covers our eyes but rather the thick myst that intercepts our view of that unchangeable object And therefore the Example of
Ignoble that Reason in a naturall man were his eyes but open in his own Reason he would kick it out of doores It is a meere Jesuiticall Tyrant speaking faire to accomplish its owne ends and by it to bring the Creature to slavery and bondage The truth is if the people of Gods heart were often with God and fed upon those glorious noble and divine injoyments Sin would not finde so easie an entertainment in their hearts but they being so often abroad and so little at home I meane in their fathers house or rather in his heart is that which occasions many slips and falls by harkning to those deluding Intisements which afterwards will appear to be an unsupportable burthen Thirdly Consider most of all against whom you sin It is not onely against Law but against Love and against that deare Love which is your life Truly if the people of God had alwayes power from God to consider how injurious and unkinde they are to Gods heart when they shake sin by the hand they would have much more Resolution against sin and say as Ephraim What have I to doe any more with Idolls Hosea the 14. chap. and the 8. vers or say as Joseph Genesis the 39. and the 9. How can I doe this and sin against God or as the Apostle saith Roman the 6. the 1 and 2. I know it is not in the Creatures power to minde it selfe but I am sure when God gives power it is a great advantage to us and disadvantage to sin to weigh well the great opposition sin makes against the Comings in of Divine Loves nay how much it wounds the Lord Christ afresh Some thinke that the worst that even sin did was to bring Christ upon the Crosse but I must tell you though that was great yet know also that every time the people of God sin Heb. 6.6 Heb. 10.29 they doe as it were crucifie Christ afresh for Christ is as really crucified within us as he was upon the Crosse for us and therefore every time you sin know this that in your owne soule you accuse you arraigne condemne crown with thornes spit in the face and smite with the hand nay pearce and wound that dearly beloved unction that is come downe from God and truly had we but power to consider that indeared Love and Life that from God speaks to us nay that woes and intreats for Entertainment with us not to adde to it selfe but to advance us undoubtedly such thoughts would much conquer us and sin in us There are many other motives but I shall leave them onely take notice it is dangerous to be a Dydimus not to beleeve till you feele Take notice of this from what my soule knowes that sence will be very sad and the rather because there is no Reliefe when you are wounded but in that you have wounded by that which wounded you oh what will you say when you come for Reliefe from that deare heart and to draw life from those sweet Loves that you did no lesse then throw dirt in the face of oh if there be any of the people of God who are so farre deluded as under the notion of Liberty are run into loosnesse oh I beg nay I would beg with teares for them to consider from whence they are fallen and to remember their first Love Revela 2.4 5. It is possible some may be made so unsensible by their wanton sinning as that they may make a jest of these sayings As for such spirits I shall leave them desiring to see my selfe in them and so rather conclude with mourning then to spend time in dispute with all the objections that such may bring and shall onely give answer to two or three objections which are more common and accustomary yet like deceiving Object How can this be when as the Apostle Saint John in the first Epistle 3.9 saith he that is borne of God cannot sin Answ In my answer to this I shall not trouble you in rehearsing how often the Devill hath presented we with this Scripture to perswade me that the people of God cannot sin but my answer to this Scripture is briefely thus The same Apostle in the same Epistle chap. 1.8 verse saith that whosoever saith he hath no sin is lyar and deceives himselfe Therefore he doth not intend but that the people of God may and doe sin but it is true that in them which are borne of God in them I meane that Saintship or unction or anoynting or spirit of life which comes from God and is one with God that doth not nor cannot sin 't is true it cannot sin because it is borne of God We may as well say we can turne Heaven into Hell and turne light into darknesse as to turne that into sin or that to sin no deare hearts that is of another nature that 's Gods little one that is placed in us to justifie Wisdome Mat. 11.19 and to condemne folly and to breath out Love and Light in opposition to darknesse and 't is so far from being capable of joyning with sin that its proper worke is to arraigne accuse and condemne the old man which was in Paul though he was a childe of God Rom. 7.20 21 22 23 verses Now this unction * 1 Joh. 2.20 21. or this thing borne of God gives us the denomination of being the children of God but though it is the power of God in us to kill sin by the nature of it selfe yet it never did nor will turne sin into grace nor yet manifest so much in this life as to fill Saints with grace and free them from all sin but they must have some Canaanites and Hittites in their hearts * 2 Cor. 12.7 Now the people of God is a generall tearme and envolves the whole person either men or women in a Scripture-sence but that generall doth include at a new so an old Man and both in one subject * Rom. 7.21 22 23. The one to be pulled down and the other to be exalted one to dye and the other to live for it is Life now when the Apostle saith that which is borne of God cannot sinne he intends that principall of Life which lives in us and doth not include the whole man and when he saith he hath no sin he deceives himselfe and is a lyar he intends the old rotten Man in our forme which is in us and as to our fleshly part is one with us Object Where there is no Law there can be no sin but the people of God are by Christ freed from the Law and if freed from it then there is to them no Law if no Law then no sin Answ That Christ hath freed beleevers from the Law the Scripture is cleare but that Christ which hath freed us from a Law hath given a Law to us which he calls a new * John 13.34 1 John 2.8 Commandement but as the Law was in the hand of Moses a condemning and a
Kisses and Imbraces and Entertainment far beyond thy Expectation beleeve it to be so for Gods thoughts are not thine Second Reason Every poore wandring soule in his Returne is apt to look upon God thorough himselfe if not thorough his Corruptions yet thorough the narrow measure of his owne Resolutions and Reformations and doth measure his mercy and Entertainment in the Compasse of those narrow Limits But alas that is not a glasse to behold God in or a measure to measure his mercy by Sutable to God is his kindnes and Love and sutable to that measure is our entertainment The Creatures Entertainment is sutable to its apprehension apprehension is sutable to the glasse it apprehends the object in Now seeing the poore creature eyes God his entertainment with God thorough the narrow Compasse of himselfe his Expectation must needs be low and fall much short of that which a wandring soule returned finds when he is sencibly possest with it but no more of the Reasons but a word or two of Use First Use is an use to Reprove the people of God who after they have wandered from God and are thorough reall Convictions returning home to God yet are feareful and question their entertainment with God thinking he must needs deale hardly with them who have dealt so unkindly with him * Psal 77.9 Psal 42.9 Psal 31.12 Isa 49.14 Deare Friendt I must confesse the state and condition of such poore soules is much to be pittied for they are surrounded with temptations in a double and treble sence yet give me leave to Reprove them as Christ said in another Case Matth. 22.29 You erre not knowing the Scriptures So you feare your entertainment not knowing the endeared affections that live in God when once you come to be possest with it you will Reprove your owne Spirits and say what I now say to you Was it not enough to sin against Love but must you now sin in questioning Love Was it not enough to sin in running from God but must you now sin in thinking God will run from you Was it not enough for you to sin in clouding the nature of a Sonne but must you now sin in questioning the nature of the Father O leave off those disputes and goe with boldnes beleeving that God is what he was though you are not so and know your entertainment will be farre beyond what you doe or can expect A second Use is an use of Comfort and Consolation to all poore broken Spirits who have wandred from God and thorough a sence of their own unkinde dealings with the Father they are ashamed to looke upon him and afraid to goe up to * Luk. 18.13 him and yet cannot live without him There is great Comfort to these poore broken Spirits in the Consideration of the sweet entertainment that poore wandring hearts finde in their Returne to God Know that the Father is God and not Man It will goe better with you then with Hester in her desperate attempts to the King Ahasuerus in the 5 of Hester she according to a Common Expectation looked for nothing but Death but see in the 2 and 3 verses how the King holds forth his Scepter and tells her that her Request should be granted if it were to the halfe of his Kingdome and Entertainment beyond her expectation Deare hearts know that in your approachments to the Father he will not onely hold out a Scepter to you but fall upon the neck of you and will not answer your desires to the halfe but to the whole of his Kingdome for all shall be yours and he will not onely speake words of kindnesse to you but will give you power to speak out your unkindnes before him he will not onely passe by and pardon your adulterous withdrawing from him as you may see Jeremiah the 3d at the beginning of the Chapter but he will also heale your back-slidings v. 22. And though you with the Prodigall desire to be but a Servant he will entertaine you as a Son and before you confesse he will pardon and before you acknowledge how unworthy you are of Love he will manifest Love he will not onely entertaine you expecting exactnesse in the future but he will also meet you and kisse you with the kisses of his mouth saying Thou art mine * Isa 43.1 Isa 44.1 2 Isa 45.4 and he will pay off all the old scores and arreares that are produced by your former Ramblings from a close Communion with his Love At your leisure reade those words Luke the 10.34 where you see Christ did not onely find them in their bloud wounded but he also with great pitty and love powres in oyle binds up their wounds takes them up and carries them to his owne Inne which Inne was Gospel Imbracements in the heart of God and what Entertainment was at that Inne you may see it was far beyond the Expectation of the poore wounded Soule The Case is thine I am certaine thy condition cannot be worse and know your Entertainment will be as good It was a wounded soule who was stript and left naked though he was alive yet he lay in his blood and though he was beloved yet he was very unlovely he was robbed and stript of all and had no accommodation but his owne blood and soares Deare hearts can your condition be more sad that is impossible And what encouragements or comforts can you propound to your selves but they will be doubled and trebled with God He will not onely meet you when you meet him but he will meet you before that so you may meet him he will not love you because you are lovely but he will love you being loathsome to make you lovely * Ezek. 16.8.14 Deut. 7.7 8. and he will not entertaine you when you come but he will meet you before you come and answer you before you ask O what a comfort is there to poore soules that desire nothing more then to be re-entertained with God I beseech you consider seriously what hath beene said and let not the dispute with your owne unworthy heart nor the dictates of the Devil draw a cloud over Gods kindnesse or hinder your confidence in your Entertainment God takes nothing so ungratefull as to question his kindnesse Truly it is impossible for any one though with the tongue of men and Angels to speak out the tenth part of Gods tender kindnesse and sweet imbracements to a poore unworthy heart that is gone from him and now returned againe did broken hearts know what great delight God takes in healing broken spirits * Ps 147.3 Mat. 5.3 4. Mat. 11.28 in making the poore rich and setting at liberty them that are in prison and to exalt them that are low and to recover them that are lost they would not dispute so much against the imbracements of grace and mercy At your leisure read the 66. of Esay and the two first verses the 16. of Ezekiel the 11 of Matthew and
A TREATISE CONTAINING THREE THINGS Viz. 1. A Discovery of the unsupportable Burthen of Sinne to a heart that is Saint like sensible of Sin 2. The restlesse Resolution of a Soule to returne to God who is Saint-like sensible of his withdrawings 3. A Discovery of the sweet and unexpected Entertainment that wandring hearts meet with in their returnes to God Written by Lieutenant Collonel PAVL HOBSON Against thee onely have I sinned and done this evill in thy sight Make me to heare joy and gladnesse that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoyce Psal 51.4.8 O God thou art my God early will I seek thee my soule thirsteth for thee my flesh longs for thee in a dry and thirsty Land where no water is Psal 61.3 Ephraim my deare Son is he a pleasant Child for since I spake against him I doe earnestly remember him still therefore my Bowels are troubled for him I will surely have mercy upon him saith the Lord. Jer. 31.20 London Printed by M. S. for Tho Brewster and are to be sould at his shop at the three Bibles in Pauls Church yard near the West End 1653. THE EPISTLE TO THE READER CHRISTIAN READER Vnto whose hands these few lines of mine may come that which I beg of God both for my selfe and you is That we may both in writing and reading be made able to understand the Truth from an enjoyment ef it selfe Light is never known till it is injoyed I am very sensible that my appearing in publike may occasion many strange reasonings in many mens mindes if I had onely hearkened to that or to the reasoning of my owne spirit which did strongly importune my silence I should not a presented my Judgement and present condition to a Publique view but being by providence after a large travell and strong encounter with my owne spirit through the discoveries of my owne great mistakes and also through the sence of the great unsutablenesse of my owne soule to God I am cast into these parts where there is not many more Eyes then there is Censuring Spirits condemning the practice of many with whom I meet to discover to each other the daily Experiences that we have of the Fathers dealings with us and what power we injoy from Heaven to make an Improvement of those Mercies We are by many I say Censured as men creeping in private to divulge Vntruths and discovering things contrary to Faith in Christ and Holinesse of Life and Conversation And whatsoever miscarriages and unsutable walkings was of any of us in former times is brought as an occasion to cloud our present practice and to render us odious amongst men affirming that we dare not divulge that publiquely which we doe privately vent which occasioneth a stumbling to many precious hearts and Causes many Scandals and Clouds to be Cast upon truth by the gainsayers thereof Vpon which Consideration many Friends did desire me to present that in publique which I had delivered in private which I have here done in the same forme and manner as it was there delivered not being willing to adde any fine spunne Expressions or quaint distinctions to Court any Mans fancy to minde it but in the plaine downe-right and humble Expressions as being most sutable to them to whom I speake and to the present Condition and frame of my owne Spirit God having very much wounded my heart as for doing things dishonorable to him so doing or saying any thing that may procure honor to me amongst men that doth not punctually suite with the sinceritie and simplicitie of Truth Therefore I beg of the Christian Reader that in Reading over these few Lines that you would seriously Reade over all before you Conclude any thing to any And to minde and seriously weigh as what is spoke by whom so to whom And let not any thing that is really Truth be disowned because it is accommodated with such poore and low Expressions I am very much perswaded that those hearts who have been brought home thorough a sence of their wandrings and long for nothing so much as the Enjoyment of Gods Love and Power to Live up to it may and will finde something in this that may Refresh their poore drooping Spirits in that Condition It is to them Especially that I desire to present These And as for them I beg the same Refreshments thorough Reading as was the Cause of Speaking And as for others who may Critically Carpe at the Expression or the party Expressing I desire them to take notice that the Father hath made it a very small thing to me to be judged of Men All I beg is to have my heart kept up in daily Communion with God And to have a Life sutable to his Love for the Enjoyment of which mercies I desire of all that really Live with God to minde me as I desire to minde them in our approachments to God And that they would in Reading over these not suffer any Infirmitie they know of the Author to Cause them to aggravate or Enlarge any Infirmitie in the Expressions of the matter but that they would in Christian Wisdome and Love Endeavour to Cover and Remove both And I further desire that if any to whom these may come who have wantonly gone from God and are at present unsencible of the great necessitie of their Returning to God and of a Close walking with God That they would Candidly Reade over these few Lines It may please the Father thorough that which they may looke upon as folly to manifest Wisedome And Darknesse to manifest Light Such an Effect as this is the Earnest prayer of him that is Christian Reader Yours in that Life which Commands me to Love all but to serve none in a way contrary to that Life P. H. A DISCOVERY of the unsupportable Burthen of sinne to a heart that is Saint-like sencible of Sinne. What sinne is in a Saints sence BEloved those sayings are most sutable that flow from seeing and those seeings are Saint-like when they flow from Enjoyments And whatsoever is said or seene and not upon that accompt it may probably profit the hearer but not the speaker God by a providence hath cast mee amongst you after a large travell in a wildernes condition wherein God hath made me travish all my former tracts and mistakes in and under all Gods dealings with me and my Actings towards him God was pleased to carry me thorough Strength and Weaknes thorough good Reports and bad Reports to honour and dishonour In which Conditions I sometimes stood and sometimes fell sometimes my heart was raised up with some high Ravishments which I judged Experiences and at other times very low and in my selfe much lost After all God hath been pleased thorough a sence of my owne unkindnes to bring my heart upon its knees and to lay me very low before himselfe but hath againe by a discovery of his owne kindnes and love Refreshed mee and caused that which was made dumbe to speake now
such a heart from his returning to God Alas God is not onely his Life and so his Center but he so lives by him that he cannot live without him Those dayes and nights wherein a heart is thus sencible of his withdrawings and hath no Refreshings in his returning they are dayes and nights of Death and not of Life to such a heart and how sad a Condition that is and how Restles that Condition is I leave to you to judge Secondly You may see from what we have already said that this restles running out to God doth arise from Gods making the heart sencible of his withdrawing Therefore this is to Informe us that the power of a hearts returning to God is of God * Can. 1.4 Joh. 6.44 Phil. 2.13 Oh what cause then have soules in that condition to acknowledge the power to be of God they cannot but cry out as David Psalme the 66. and the 16. O come see what the Lord hath done for my poore soule The mercy and kindnesse of God in this act is beyond what any can expresse but he that doth injoy it Oh you that doe enjoy it have cause for ever to speak out Gods love To convert a sinner and make him a Saint is an eminent favour but to returne and call home a Prodigall Sonne is that which speaks out much more of the power kindnesse and unchangeable love of God Oh you that have tasted of it let your life speak out Gods love and I shall say no more to you but this that Christ sayes John the 5. and the 14. Sin no more least a worse thing come unto you In the next place this may Informe us of the great mistakes of some men who in their writings and expressions declare that they are againe brought home to God but yet they are so far from being restlesse in their returne to God that they rather rest in their satisfying of others then in their assurance of their entertainment with God Alas Gods mercy is double and treble in returning such a heart to himselfe but the returnes of such are hardly single towards him but to such I shall say no more but rather with teares beg that they may be sensible of the want of sense I meane of their withdrawings from God I am sure then they will be restlesse till they doe returne Againe This is to informe us If it be so that those hearts who are withdrawne from God when made sensible are so restlesse till they doe returne then 't is no strange thing why they get so much ground of them who have all this time stood and not withdrawne Christ sayes Matthew the 19 and the 30 verse The first shall be last and the last shall be first Alas these soules that are thus recovered are exceeding swift in their returnes though know by experience what it is to capitulate with or to give entertainment to or to shake hands with sin the bitternes they have found out of their fathers heart makes them cleave close A burnt Childe dreads the fire Deare friends observe it that a child so soon as he hath gotten a knock commonly doth not onely leane to but lay hold of with both hands the Mothers knee Deare friends I speake this the rather that any of you that stand may not too much rejoyce and glory in your owne condition over them that are fallen as many in this poore Nation are who through a gathered light liberty have put themselves in it before God brought them to it and so have turned their liberty into Loosenesse These sort of people doe either belong to God or they doe not but I am confident many doe and if so God will bring them home and they will be restlesse in their returnes And take notice you that God hath made yet to stand that for ought I know these poore lost hearts may get ground on you and therefore doe not neglect your pursuite in spending time to censure them but rather double your owne diligence in your owne pursuite and endeavour with humility care and teares to recover them The second Use is an Use of Comfort to Comfort those poore hearts who are sadly fallen from God and being made sensible are restlesse in their returnes though their condition seemes in their owne eyes sad yet they have much cause of Comfort and Rejoycing and that in these things First Their condition is not alone there is not onely a David and a Prodigall but many more who have sadly fallen as well as they Secondly Consider that you are changed God is not changed for though we be unfaithfull God is faithfull and cannot deny himselfe as you may see the 2 Epistle of Timothy the 2 and the 13. Malachy the 3 and the 6 verse Thirdly Consider that there is as much readinesse in God to receive you as restlesnesse in you to be received by him Doe but view what Christ sayes about the lost sheep Luke the 15. the 5 6 and 7. verses there was greater rejoycing for the returne of that one then was for the ninety nine it was so with the lost groat and with the Prodigall more then his elder Brother Luke the 15. and 30. verse All these Scriptures hold forth the great rejoycing God takes in and the great readinesse of Gods giving entertainment to a poore soule thus returned I know the Devill doth set upon such a heart drawing Arguments not onely from the breach of a Law but their sinning against Light and Love which Arguments are of such a power and force sufficient to sinke any soule in the world were it not for the abundance of love and kindnesse given in from the Father suitably at such a season But Oh deare soules I speake to them which are in such a condition doe not be discouraged but consider not what you are in your selfe but what you are in God and at your leisure view these Scriptures Jeremiah the 3 and the 1 vers Zech. the 13 and the 1 Isay the 1 and the 18 Isa the 43. the 22 23 24 and the 25 and 26. verses Isa the 44. the 21 22. Isa 49. the 15 and 16. Jer. 31. and the 20. Read the 16. of Ezekiel from the first to the last 1 Ep. of John 2 and the 1. Mat. the 11. and the 28. Psalme 147. 3. The Third and Last Use is an Use of Exhortation to Exhort all that are thus fallen and thus made sensible that they give glory to God for giving of them a heart againe to returne it 's a double mercy Oh what hath God done for you he hath not dealt by you as you have dealt by him Ezek. the 16. the 59 and the 60. verses but he hath returned love for hatred and shewed himselfe to be a God though thou wast but a creature O praise him and prize him loose no time in speaking out his Love thou hast lost too much time already all thy dayes are too little to declare what God hath done for
thee But I shall say no more of this use nor of this conclusion but I shall speak a word or two of the last Conclusion and so conclude Psalme the 116. and the 7. verse Returne unto thy rest O my soule for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee THe third and last Conclusion is from the ground of Davids resolution in these words For he hath dealt bountifully with me The Conclusion from thence is this That the knowledge of the fullnesse and bounty of God is the chiefe ground to turne a soule to God which hath withdrawne from God I shall speak very briefly of this because I shall have an occasion in my speaking to the third thing viz. The Entertainment a soule finds with God to speake much of the bounty and plenty he injoyes in God The word plenty implyes fullnesse without any emptinesse readinesse without any backwardnesse freenesse without reluctancy to doe that which he is a doing and upon all those accounts Gods bounty is fully and clearly demonstrated * Psa 26.5 Psal 12.7 Psal 13.6 Eph. 1.23 in the discoveries of himselfe to us for he doth not onely tender grace freely but in that holds forth a supply fully and in dispensing he doth it readily and delightfully It is the joy and delight of God to give out Love to lost heares never did any soule withdraw from God apprehending a want in him nor never doth a soule turne home againe to God but through the knowledge of the bounty and plenty that is to be injoyed in him That which moved and carryed on the Prodigal was the remembrance that there was enough in his Fathers house Luke the 15. and the 17. 'T is that which here in this Text is fully discovered for he calls upon his soule to turne saying He hath dealt bountifully with him If you look in the 5th of the Canticles you shall see that that was the ground which drew the Spouse after Christ with so much eagernesse it was the fullnesse and matchlesse excellency she saw in Christ as you may see at large from the 10 verse to the last and she tels you that he is the chiefest of 100 verse the 10 and so shee goes on and in the last verse she saith His mouth is most sweet nay he was altogether lovely this discovery of bounty and love did not onely draw the Spouse but did also cause the daughters of Jerusalem to enquire after Christ chapter the 6. and the 1 verse Where is thy beloved gone that we may seek him with thee this was the ground that caused Israel to return to God Jeremiah the 3d in the last part of the 22 verse Israel saith We come unto thee for thou art the Lord our God in the 3. verse he tells you it was in vaine to hope for salvation from the hills or from the multitude of the mountaines for in the Lord our God is the salvation of Israel which words imply as a safety in God so a sufficient supply from God So that from all these Scriptures you may clearly see That the discoveries or knowledge of the bounty of God doth draw and turne a soule to God that is withdrawne from God If you ask me the Reasons they are these First It is Gods way to conquer a soule and crucifie a soule to things below himselfe by appearing more full and glorious then all things besides him * Isa 40.15 16 17 18 21. The Sun drawes up all mens eyes to admire it from other Lights that are below it by out-shining and out-glorying every light besides it selfe The Father never comes but he brings so much in his hand and heart that the soule cannot see or enjoy elsewhere Second Reason It must needs be so for that light and life which turns a soule to God through the discoveries of God doth present and discover God to be as he is if so then it must needs be a knowledge of the bounty of God for God is bounty * Psa 113.4 5. it selfe Whosoever hath a view of God * Psal 86.8 Isa 46.9 must needs see all variety and plenty in him for it is not onely of him but so one with him that we cannot view one but we must view both for there is all variety in unity Psal 16.11 Revel 7. ult Third Reason As it is Gods way to present himselfe so and as it must needs be so because he is so so there is a great necessity for it for a soul is no sooner in his way towards God but sin and the Devil with varieties of Arguments doe endeavour to encounter the soule and presents it with varieties of objects to perswade the heart to bow downe and worship it it was the very same way the Devil took with Christ as you may see in the 4th of Matthew verse the 8. and the 9. Luke the 4 the 5 and 6 verses But take notice of all the Devil and sin presents it is not onely a lye but in the best it is but things relating to this transitory and empty being but truly did not God speak out that which the Devil and sin cannot speak out the hearts of poor creatures would very much stumble but the Father is pleased not onely to unspeak what the Devil saith but to out-speak and out-say whatsoever the Devil and sin can say and by it the Father is pleased not onely to put words into a Saints mouth but also ability in his heart by which the soule is made able to resist sin and Satan I am sure that heart which is acquainted with this condition knowes what great need and necessity there is of those discoveries to supply him with strength when he is with temptation surrounded But I shall say no more as to the Reasons Obj. Some may Object and say What hath been said to these Reasons holds forth so much as if the drawings and discoveries of God were the good we injoy by him and not the Essentiall good that is considered in him and if so that kind of Love and Life must needs be selfish An. In Answer to this Objection I shall present you with these particulers First Those hearts that thus Reason I feare are not acquainted with the discoveries of God for if they are they know it is impossible for a soule to injoy the streames but they must be swallowed up in the fountaine and it is impossible for a heart to love God for loaves and not for himselfe that is acquainted with his Loves It is not here as it is in Creature-contents for the soule is no sooner in this sense in Gods hand but at the same time he is seated and centred in Gods heart I speak after the manner of men but those hearts which Live in the Loves of God know what I mean Secondly The bounty we receive by God in a metaphoricall discourse seems to be distinct from God but in Gods sense and that Saints see the bounty of God and God is both one
who is sencible of his withdrawing from God So also to discover in the third place the sweet Entertainment that the soule finds with God when he is brought home As I desire to declare sutable to what God hath declared to me so I desire to speake it from that Scripture in and by which the Lord was pleased to speake it forth to me by which he did very much refresh and encourage my poore and unworthy Spirit The Text is in these words following A Discovery of the sweet and unexspected Entertainment that wandring hearts meet with in their Returnes to God The Prodigalls Entertainment with his Father discovered Luke the 15. and the 20 verse And he arose and came to his Father but when he was yet a great way off his Father saw him and had compassion and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him BEloved Friends These words doe cleerly and sweetly Anatomise the tendernes of Gods affection as he is a Father and the truth is those hearts that doe by the Spirit of the Lord Really view God in these words as he is presented cannot but as a Sonne be melted and overcome in the sence of the Fathers kindnesse As for the first part of the words Concerning the Prodigalls rising and coming towards his Father I shall not say any thing having spoken at large what is there included in our former discourses I shall onely speak to the unexpected Entertainment the poore Prodigall found with the Father and that is implyed in these words But when he was yet a great way off his Father saw him and had compassion and ran and fell upon his neeke and kissed him All which doth wonderfully manifest the full free and tender kindnesse of God to unkinde Greatures Before we come to speake of the Entertainment it selfe wee might speake something of the party Entertained And as to him we might say something of his resolution to come his preamble in coming his apprehensions about his coming and how much his Entertainment did Extend all All which you may see in the dependance of these words on the foregoing verses but I shall passe over that and onely summe up all in this generall Conclusion which wee shall observe from the words as they have dependance upon the former verses Doct. That soule which is brought home to the Father through a sence of his owne wandrings meets with unexpected Entertainment with the Father when he comes If you reade the former verses you will not finde the Prodigall expecting to meet the Father before he came to the Father And for the Father to runne when he onely went And for the Father to fall upon his necke before he fell downe before his Father Nay his Father kissed him before he could confesse how unworthy he was of a kisse truly the very thoughts of this is a Cordiall sufficient to put Life to a dying Spirit and doth exceedingly advance the glory of Gods grace and Love Especially if you see how God by this Love doth not onely give unexpected Entertainment and so in that went beyond the apprehensions of the Prodigall but he did also prevent the Prodigall in his practise for the poore wandring heart being sencible of his wandrings and what a breach by it he apprehended he had made in his Interest in his Father he now resolved to doe that which all poore Soules in the like Condition doth endeavour to doe in their returning to God to prompt their expectation of their Entertainment with God they resolve to doe and say something to make way for their Entertainment As the Prodigall here in these words I will arise and goe to my Father and will say I have sinned against heaven and against thee and am no more worthy to be called thy Sonne make me as one of thy hired servants Poore soules when they have these preparations and resolutions they have some hopes that God by it may be wrought upon to manifest Love againe Dearely Beloved that God may shew you the emptines of this foundation see how God goes beyond the poore Prodigall Before ever he said any thing the Father saved him and when he did but come the Father did runne and before he ever performed his resolutions his Father transcendently answered his expectation and desires falling on him and kissed him before he fell downe in the presence of his Father Beloved the Father is God and not man he moves all but is mov'd by none preparations are wrought by him but they are no Causes moving and procuring Entertainment with him * Job 32.6 7. Psal 16.2 Effects of his Love cannot be the Cause this would all Prodigalls say in their Returnes if they were sencible what God is and they will be drawne to acknowledge it from their Injoyment of the unexpected Entertainment with the Father Poore David when he had sinned against God said He would confesse his sinne but saith he when I said I would confesse God forgave Psal 32. and the 5. So that when he did onely Resolve to confesse before it was done God did actually forgive The very same you may see in Ephraim Ierem. 31.18 19 verses he there bemones himselfe being ashamed and confounded thorough a sence of his owne unsutablenes crying out to be turned to God as knowing himselfe undone without him but see in the 20 verse what a transcendant and unexpected Entertainment he found with God Exprest in these words Ephraim my deare Sonne is he a pleasant Childe for since I spake against him I doe earnestly remember him still therefore my Bowels are troubled for him I will surely have mercy upon him saith the Lord. O what sweet soule melting Expressions are these It was an Entertainment far beyond Ephraims Expectation and as Ephraim so all poore soules who have strangely wandred from the Father and are ashamed in their Returnes to beg Entertainment even in the lowest degree They undoubtedly shall be sweetly Entertained beyond what they doe or can expect If you aske me the reasons why wandring hearts in their Returnes finde Entertainment beyond their Expectation The reasons are these First Because Gods thoughts are not our thoughts Esay 55. the 8 and 9. but as the heavens are above the Earth so are his thoughts above ours in relation to the dispensation of mercy to undone soules The confirmation of which truth is Gods intent in that Chapter and those Verses Alas the poore heart that is wounded in the sence of his owne sins and desires nothing more then Entertainment if it were but to look upon God at the doore and to be owned by him though he did not sit at the Table with him and had but asmile though not kisses and lookes of Love though no Imbraces Though as a Servant yet he would thinke himselfe happy Dearely Beloved You shall not onely stand at the doore but * Can. 2.4 Cant. 3.10 Isa 62.5 sit downe at the Table and not onely have smiles and lookes of Love but varieties of
her knee delighting to serve that then more then in the service she expects from her Child afterwards This is eminently in God * Isa 49.15 Mat. 9.11 Mat. 12.7 for he delights more in dispensing mercy then in receiving sacrifices from us and the Reason is because he is made up of it his nature prompts him to it he delights in it The third Reason we may draw from the promise of God Beloved if you look upon all the tenure of Gods promises they run out to poore low undone and broken spirits At your leisure view these Scriptures Isaiah the 55. the 12. Isaiah the 66. the 2. Matthew the 5. the 3 4 5 6. verses Matthew the 11. the 18. Truly it is in this as in the mountaines who give downe their water to their valleyes that are very much below and far from them so the high and glorious love of God in the promises which are the Gospel-mountaines which the Prophets often speake of they give out their sweetnesse and marrow to low poor undone and broken spirits though a far off and much beneath them that is to say they are not yet come up to that height of knowing beleeving and conforming which the Gospel requires They have eyes but they are dim onely see men like trees they have mouths but they are very narrow that they cannot be otherwise fed then with milk like Children Heb. 5.12 Yet God will in Gospel-discoveries nourish them there and communicate discoveries answerable to that strength he gives them to receive it Mark 4. 33. The fourth Reason why God will imbrace poore low spirits and that with compassion though a great way off it is that he may by it bring glory to his own grace and love it is that which the Apostle drives at in Romanes the 3 4 5 Chapters where he discovers the ground why God justifies the ungodly and dispenseth grace freely to unworthy creatures it is that no flesh may glory in his presence and that his grace alone may be exalted * Deut. 7. 6 7. Psa 50.15 Isa 25. 1 2 3 4. were there any good in the creature before God loved it we should be apt to conceive that there were reason why God should love us and so sacrifice to our owne goodnesse but when the soule is sensible that there is no goodnesse in it to move God but sees that all good must flow from Gods love as well as to be a cause to carry on Gods love it is then brought to lye low before God and to give all glory to him Had the Prodigall performed his Resolutions and brought them forth to practice before God met and imbraced him Gods grace and love had not been so naked and appeared so glorious as now it doth But I shall say no more as to the Reasons but a word or two briefly to this Conclusion The first is an Use of Comfort to all poore soules who through a sense of their owne unworthinesse and unkindnesse towards God are exceedingly broken and cast downe in their owne spirits apprehending that they are at so great a distance from God that they shall never meet with him Let all such know that God doth see them and will imbrace them with great compassion though a far off The heart cannot be so low but the high God can reach it and they cannot be so unworthy in their own eyes and so great a distance from God but he that is infinit in mercy and kindnesse can and will meet them Therefore Beloved friends if there be any of you in this condition consider what hath been said of Gods dealings towards David and his kindnesse in dispensing mercy according to that which we have already spake of in Esay the 42. and the 3. the 5. of Esay and the 10. and also the deare and sweet carriage of the Father to wards the Prodigall which Scripture is written for thy learning that through faith and patience thou mightest have hope Beloved know that God is the same God still retaining the same endeared love and pity to poor and undone spirits as I know it is the Devils way to prompt poore hearts presenting varieties of fancies to draw them from God and when withdrawne hee uses all means to keep them from returning either by presenting new objects of delight in sin or by blinding and stifling their consciences through often sinning if that and many other wayes will not doe rather then faile if he sees any conviction lyes upon them from God or his word he will cause them to question the truth of both but if that way will not take he will goe in a more fine spun way and endeavour to draw wrong notions from a Saints liberty to prompt them to loosenesse but for all this if he sees God will bring them home through a sence of their wandrings from God then he will lay load upon load bringing all their sins to their sence to multiply their sorrows and to cause them to see their distance between God and them so great as if it were impossible ever to meet Beloved if this was or is your condition know you are such a soule that God did and still doth see and imbrace with great compassion though a far off And therefore be not discouraged but hold up your head for your redemption draweth * Lu. 21.28 Isa 42.16 Isa 29.18,19 Isa 35.5,6 nigh And take notice that God sees you when you doe not see him and though you cannot rejoyce before him yet he in his love rejoyces over you and he hath long Lines of Love to Embrace a poore heart though they be a far off The Lord make you to beleeve it that you may rejoyce in it and live up to his Love in the benefit of it The second and last Use is an Use of Reproofe to many of the people of God who in their practice walke very unlike God in this thing for they are so farre from meeting or minding a poore Soule that is a farre off that they will not so much as cast an Eye of Encouragement upon them nor give out any discoveries of Compassion to them And of these sort of people there are these two which principally I will speake to The first are those who in their apprehensions have attained to a high discovery of Light and Enjoyments of Love yet cannot nor doe not manifest any endeared affection to poore groaning Spirits * Phil. 2.5 Jam. 3.17 who are not come up to that Light and Love Truly I dare not Censure these men but give me leave to Censure their sinne and tell them their walking lookes very much unlike Gods Love I feare they have forgotten their Rocke from whence they were hewen or the varieties of Gods dealings with them in the Wildernesse before they came into the good Land O remember beloved if any of you be * Rom. 11.20.1 Cor. 10.12 such that though you now stand you may fall and though you are high you were low
and though now strong you were weake and further Consider that your strength is not your owne and seriously weigh what the Apostle saith to the Gentiles Rom. 11.18 19 and 20 verses And further minde what Paul saith of himselfe concerning the Joy and Comfort he had more then others it was not for himselfe alone but to Comfort others with the same Comforts the 2 Ep of the Cor. the 1 and the 4. O therefore sutable to the practise of thy Father lend thy helping hand and goe meet encourage embrace poore groaning Spirits meeting them with compassion though a farre off from the measure of thy Light and Enjoyments and remember when thou art in the banquetting house with thy Beloved and his banners over thee are Love Cant. the 2 the 4. Minde them which stand begging at the doore knowing that thou wast once there though now thou art exalted Therefore to them that are now poore and naked O act God-like binding up their wounds and manifest some breathing Roome for their opprest Spirits and if their oppression be so great that they cannot speake it out speake it for them by declaring what God hath done for thee in the like kinde and endeavour to Remove their mourning by mourning over them and give out the soule melting mercy which is the Cause and if they cannot beare the Ravishing discoveries of Love which thou dost enjoy by living in Gods heart then tell them what God did for thee when he first tooke thee by the hand O beloved Friends this is and ought to be the work of Saints and this is that Labour of Love which the Gospel calls * Gal. 6.2 Joh. 21.15 16.1 Pet. 4.10 for happy is that heart which is imployed in it The second sort of the people of God who come under this Reproofe are such who doe not nor will not manifest ownning affections to any unlesse it be such as are brought up to or brought over to live in the same forme of worship or practise of Ordinance with themselves What ever they thinke they are far from a Gospel frame of Spirit and they have forgotten where they first met God or rather where God first met them they have forgotten and are now apt to despise the day of small things Zech. the 4 and the 10th Beloved if there be any such here doe you not know the day when you were not brought up to this nay saw nothing in it peradventure opposers of it and yet you dare not but then say that God was with you and you were with God O remember that and remember Gods practise and in Imitation of that manifest love and tendernes to any that you see any worke of grace upon them though it be never so little Follow the practise of the Spouse in Cant. 8. the 1 2 and 3 verses and doe not as Jehue did in a wicked way in another sence saying If you are as I am give me your hand the 2 of the Kings the 10th and the 15th If any object and say they know no such people as I here reprove Beloved what makes all this opposition strange censorious dealings that are between the people of God who live in particular formes one saying he is of Paul and another of Apollo the 1 of the Cor. the 3 and the 3 and 4 verses Beloved without all question there are very precious hearts deare to God amongst the Presbyterians and Independents and them also which are falsly called Anabaptists and many others which are in neither of these formes and yet if a Christian goes to looke upon any of these or either of these and see how their affections runnes out to them which are brought up to them in that forme where they are and what little pittie kindnesse or compassion is given to them which are not yet brought up It would make a poor heart in the very thoughts of it blessed Beloved if any such be here O Consider what I have said and know though it be lawful to stand up and contend for truth yet you must doe it with a Gospel frame of Spirit that is Instructing those with meeknes that do oppose you 2 Tim. 2.25 And be imployed in the practise of bearing and forbearing and if you see a poore Soule who is broken under the sence of his owne unkindness and though he be not come up to you go you as farre as may be to him taking him by the hand endeavouring to lead him to the knowledge of your Fathers heart Let it appear to all the world that you owne Ordinances but as a way to expresse love by and not as a foundation to love upon let all see that your love is not onely to some but to all the Saints Ephes the 1. and the 15. and let the same Spirit dwell in you that lived in Paul Phil. 3.15 If any be otherwise minded waite with patience and love conquering them with kindnesse knowing God in time will reveale it and if you meet with a poore member that is uncomely put more comelinesse upon him 1 Cor. 12.23 Deare friends Paul tells you 1 Cor. 9.21 That he became to them that were under the Law as under the Law and them that are without Law as being without Law Nay his Condescension was more to all that he might winne some this Scripture was written for our Example O therefore minde it and among all that you minde thinke of remember to give out much love compassion to poore broken Spirits that long for nothing more then a looke of Gods love And know nothing presents you more God-like then humilitie love* and by your practice shame confound the World in their Censures of you who say there is more Censorious walking amongst the Tribes of Israel then amongst them that are not one with them O be not wanting to love one another from a sence of your oneness with Jesus suffer not your differences of things without but own Christ wheresoever you find him though it be in a poore Prodigall who is gone no further then under the resolutions to Confesse his unworthinesse before God and know it is a higher and more glorious imployment to be abringing home a lost Sheep then to stay at home and Rejoyce with the ninety and nine Luke 15.5 6 7. Herein you present God and follow the practise of God the Lord make you all sencible of it But I shall say no more to this use of Reproofe nor to this Conclusion but I shall speak briefly a word or two to the next in these words And he ran fell upon his neck kissed him First To the word ran which Implies Gods readines sweetnes and swiftness to manifest grace kindnesse to poore broken spirits who are sencible of their wandrings The Doctrine from thence is this Doct. There is a sweet readines in God in mercy to minde and meet poore wandring hearts in their Returnes to God The truth of which the Scripture doth
as matter to be received And further take notice that all this he doth by bringing strength into weaknes and manifesting Light in darknes causing the glory of his Love to shine breake forth in our poore base loathsome forme thorough which he doth breake downe all the corrupt fabrick that lives in mens fancies there places the Authoritie of his owne beames of Love sweetnes wisdome and meeknes by which the Creature becomes a partaker of the Divine matter 2 Pet. 1. Thirdly Consider for whom he doth it it is to a people that are altogether worthlesse * Isa 61.1 2 Isa 65.1 2 3. Ephes 2.3 they have not onely been ignorant of him but all along have endeavoured to bring dishonour to him they are not onely one with and carry on designes for the Power Prince of darknesse but they shut their eyes against the tenders of Light and Love As you may see Joh. 1.11 Joh. 3.19 20. They are so farre from being objects to attract and draw on Love that they are altogether loathsome lying in their bloud Ezek. the 16. the 5 and 6 verses Truly it is Endles to reckon up the Creatures nothingnesse Whatsoever may be said of an Enemy of a Traytor of a Runnagate that spends all and despiseth every thing and mindeth nothing but what may dishonour God These are they whom God doth all this for and that he waiteth all the day long for and whom he in mercy finds meete and seekes before they seeke him Isa the 65. the 1 and 2. Nay he is pleased not onely to doe so but to wooe us and beseech us to be reconciled to him the 2 of the Cor. the 5. and the 20. Beloved if you doe seriously weigh what hath been said in these 3 things you will see how much God Condescends to us in dispensing mercy and grace to poore wandring Spirits and it may fitly be Expressed in this word falling which holds forth the great Condescension of God as well as the familiaritie of God And he fell upon his neck and kissed him Beloved you may observe from thence this Conclusion Doct. That it is Gods way to bring all poore hearts upon whom he casts his favour into a friendly and a neere familiaritie and communion with himselfe Joh. 15.15 Jonathan and Davids love and affection and neere communion was never more Exprest then when they fell upon each others neck 1 Sam. 20. Wherein did Josephs love appeare more to his Brethren then when he fell upon their necks to manifest his love by weeping over them and kissing of them Gen. 45.14 15. But farre beyond all this doth God manifest his Love and sweetness to poore broken hearts falling upon the neck of the soule kissing and embracing it and bringing it into a deare and neere friendly communion with himselfe at your leisure reade these Scriptures following Cant. 2.4 5. Cant. 5.1 Isa 61.10 Isa 62.5 Now Beloved I should further illustrate this Conclusion and speak more largely to it being that which is worthy of our minding and worth our beleeving and embracing I know all hearts that have tasted of this Love and Life after the bitter pangs and throws of sorrow death through a sense of their wandrings from God will freely acknowledge this and declare a hundred times more then I can here expresse But I having spoken largely of that which relates to this in the former Conclusion I shall briefly speake a word or two of the Use of this and the other Conclusion and so conclude The first is an Use of Information to Informe us from what hath been said in relation to these three last things Viz. Gods ready running forth in mercy to minde and meet poore wandring spirits in their returnes to him which is from the word Ran. 2. The great condiscention of God in dispensing grace and merey and in entertaining poore wandring soules and that is implied in the word Fell. 3. The sweet communion and near and dear discoveries of love that are given out from the Father in their returnes implied in these words He fell upon his neck and kissed him from whence we might observe many Consectaries and Conclusions that might eminently present God in his dealings with us and the high exaltation of the creature who is enriched with these enjoyments But I shall passe over all these and make brief and plaine use of them according to the dictates of God to my owne spirit and that is to informe us of these things 1. Of the great mistakes of poor broken spirits they apprehending by the Reason of their owne sin and unsuitablenesse that they have so provoked the Lord that mercy will not be easily gained O remember from what hath been said that God is not onely sweet but swift in dispensing mercy he runs mercy being not onely one with him but the delight of him Beloved take notice that he is more ready to imbrace you then you are to beg imbracements and though you can hardly goe yet he runs experience proves that he that acts in a delight is more ready then he that acts to gaine a delight O it is the joy and content of the father thus to befriend poore broken spirits in their returnes who have dealt unkindly and unfriendly with him 2. It is to Informe such hearts who through an apprehension of Gods highnesse glory and greatnesse apprehended with a sense of their weaknesse and nothingnesse apprehended so great a distance that they thinke it is impossible that ever God and they should close they see themselves unable to come up to God and they being so unkind and unsutable that they dare not conclude he will come downe to them and upon that accompt rather sit downe fearing and trembling before him then expressing faith in him O know that it is Gods way as in mercy to run forth in dispensing grace in great readinesse to meet us so it is his way and delight to condiscend to us he it is that doth manifest strength in weaknesse fullnesse in emptinesse light in darknesse O therefore let the apprehension of what hath been said take us off from all discouragements as to our entertainment with God and let us know and beleeve though we cannot come up to God God will come downe to us and it is not our weaknes nor wants that can or will hinder a poor nothing spirit from being somthing in him who is all in himself all to us 3. It is to Inform us of the sweet inrichments that poor wandring soules injoy in their returnes God falls upon the neck and kisses them that is to say they are entertained and brought into a near and dear fellowship and communion with himself O what can a soule desine more then to be made Gods bosome friend his daily acquaintance nay his near and dear darling unto whom he will give out kisses and imbraces and they shall be daily his delight The second use is an use of Comfort and Consolation to all poor wandring spirits who are carnest in their Returnes to meet the Lord yet their apprehension of the great distance from him and the consideration how much they are beneath and below him doth exceedingly discourage them O beloved if this be any of your conditions take notice for your comfort what Scripture and Experience here declares It is not our distance to him or lownesse before him or unsutablenesse to him that can hinder his dispensing of Kindnesse Love and Grace to us * Isa 1.18 Isa 38.7 Isa 44.21 22 Isa 43.25 Mat. 1.28 and he will not goe but runne and stand when we fall but he will fall on us that we may stand by him and not onely entertaine our Request when we come begging to injoy relation to him but he will enrich us with a near and dear communion with himselfe falling upon our necks and kissing us O Beloved I beg of God to give you power to beleive it and as cheerfully to entertaine that as that entertaines you But no more of this Use but a word or two of Exhortation and so conclude 3. And lastly These are to exhort all soules that are againe returned to consider what hath been said and seing God is so transcendently carried out in mercy to mind us let us be tender and carefull to owne him and know as grace transcends sin so sin becomes transcendently sinfull in transgressing and neglecting the tenders of grace At your leisure carefully and candidly read these Scriptures Heb. 2.3 Heb. 6.6 Heb. 10.26 27. O they are sad saying I beg of the Lord that you and I may never be brought to justifie the truth by woful experience O walk close with God and live up to his Loves death is near them that live below that doth God run with great readinesse in mercy to meet and mind us O what cause have we to run out to him keep neer him when he come Is he pleased to fall upon our necks let us fall at his foot is he pleased to kiss us let us chearfully imbrace him and what is commanded by him Beloved friends I beg of the Lord to make you sensible of what hath been said and not to mind the scorns of the world nor the undervaluing expressions of some who seemingly profess God as to a careful endeavour to walk close with God know it is not men but God that you must mind and consider from the consideration of the sweet entertainment that poor souls in their returns to God find with God consider I say what duty * Heb. 2.3 Ps 116.12 Rom. 12.1 2 Tit. 2.11 12.1 Jo. 3.2 3.2 Pet. 3.11 that cals for and know our time is short and our life too little to speak out his love There is much more to be said to these Conclusions and to this Use but I shall say no more but the Lord hand over the knowledge of this truth to you from his own heart that by the knowledge of it you may abide with him from his abiding with you which is the earnest prayer of him that hath declared this from what experience God hath made him find in his mistakes in wandring and from his unexpected entertainment in his returne FINIS