Moses said to Israel Deut. 11 27. I have set before you in this Discourse a Blessing and a Curse for the Lord hath set my feet upon both Mountains spoken of verse 29. Ebal and Gerizim the Mountains of Curses and of blessings and that upon the Authority of two Scriptures To those that are yet out of love with Christ a Curse The first speakes from the top of Ebal the Mount of CURSING and it is 1 Cor. 16 22. If any man love not the Lord Jesus let him be Anathema Maranatha that is Let him be accursed in all things in all places at all times with all Curses truly Nothing but the perfect experience of the damned in Hell can tell you what that word Anathena Maranatha meanes And who must be so accursed even whosoever loves not the Lord Jesus Art thou out of love with Christ still notwithstanding all that hath been spoken for him And art thou resolved to continue so then let thy Estate thy Body Soul here and hereafter yea and for ever be accursed Dost thou despise his Port hate his Person abhor his Discourse contemne his Carriage disdaine his Estate after all this and resolvest thou so to doe Let all the Scriptures of God curse thee let all the Saints and Angels of God curse thee let all the Creatures of God curse thee let the blessed mouth of God curse thee let the blaspheming mouth of thine own Conscience curse thee yea let the mouthes of all that are in the same curse and condemnation with thee curse thee let every mouth that blesseth God and Christ curse thee yea as long as any mouth blesseth the Lord Jesus let it curse thee for not loving the Lord Jesus This is the sad language of that sad Scripture But I had rather passe from these to those that love him and so from Ebal to mount Gerizim To those that are brought into love with this crucifyed Christ blessing the mount of BLESSING see Rev. 19.6 7 9. Allelujah let us rejoyce and be glad and honour him for the Marriage of the Lamb is come and his wife hath made her self ready And he saith unto me write blessed are they that are called to the Marriage supper of the Lambe and he saith unto me These are the true sayings of God Sins Christ is ready now if you be ready truly blessed are you for you are called to the Marriage and to the Supper If any soule among you that have heard all that hath beene spoken shall love Christs Spokesmen meane as they are in the name of Prophets blessed of God be that soule If any soule entertaine the Message plaine as it is out of love to Christ that sent that message blessed of God be that soule If any soule be in love with a crucified despised naked wounded bleeding Christ blessed of God be that soule If any soule shall account Christs Convictions precious Oyntment and his Termes Righteousnesse if it shall forsake Father and Mother and all carnall Counsells and Relations out of love unto Christ If it shall go forth weeping bearing precious seed if it shall take Christs yoak upon it and his burthen and his Cross daily accounting them light because of love to Christ and easie as Jacob did his hard service out of love to Rachel If it shall cut off its right hand and pull out its right eye and forgoe its owne will and so leave all and cleave to Christ and hate all and love Christ or unfeignedly desire so to doe for ever blessed be that soule If it shall not despise the Corrections of the Lord Jesus nor faint when it is chastised by him patiently bearing because it hath sinned and willingly suffering that it may be pollished and fitted for Christs service or truly desire so to doe for ever blessed be that soule If it shall trust Christ with what it hath and for what it is to receive following him unto the Regeneration untill it shall come unto his Kingdom continuing stedfast till death and willing to be dissolved that it may be with Christ In a word if it take or be truly willing to take Christ as thus tendered upon his own terms blessed blessed blessed be that soule God hath blessed it who can reverse it These are the true sayings of God CHAP. XX. Discovers positive Hinderances The two first viz. leaning to Sinne. Sathan Second sort of Hinderances viz. Positive THe second sort of Hinderances are positive viz. The leaning-stocks that we take unto our selves on this side Christ doe absolutely hinder us from leaning upon this beloved Two Farther Observations from the Text. Which that I may with more advantage inquire into I shall take up from my text two farther previous Observations which I think are evidently lodg'd in the bosome of this expression Leaning on her Beloved The first is That as that soul that will have Christ for its beloved 1. The soule that leans on Christ must have none other leaning-stock must have but one beloved even Christ so that soul that will have Christ to lean upon must have nothing else to lean upon beside Christs For as the Text mentions but one Spouse viz. The Church of Christ so but one Beloved viz. Christ and but one also to leane upon To this the Apostle speakes clearly I have espoused you to one Husband even Christ 2 Cor. 11.2 So unto us there is but one Lord and one God even Christ 1 Cor. 8.6 But one to set our love as our Husband but one also to lean on as our God but one to be beloved as our Husband but one also to believed on as our Lord and God But now to Christlesse soules there are many lovers and beloveds Jer. 3.1 Thou hast played the harlot with many lovers Hos 2.7 She shall not find her lovers A great number of lovers an indefinite number of lovers untill shee returne unto her first Husband and therefore to others also there are Gods many and Lords many 1 Cor. 8.5 A second Observation is 2ly The souls beloved will be the soules leaning-stock That whatever is the soules beloved that ever will be found the souls leaning-stock what ever the soule loves best on that it will be sure to lean most this is a cleare intimation from the Text leaning on her beloved So that if there be any thing that the soule loves more and better then Christ upon that it will leane and not upon Christ Now upon this twofold Accompt it is easie to discern in the generall how lost souls are hindered from leaning upon Christ because they have many Gods to lean on and therefore cannot leane upon the onely true God manifested in the flesh yea and they have many lovers and beloveds instead of Christ which as they lye in their bosomes where Christ onely should lie so stand they under their armes to support them where Christ should be to beare them up When a soule is converted we must with admiration
not thinke onely of standing at his right hand and of receiving honour by him but also of doing homage and giving of worship to him If you must come up to Sarahs example in calling and and counting him your Lord. Thus David that Kingly Prophet takes him for his King and his Prophet whom he takes for his Saviour Psal 25.5 Lead me in thy truth there 's the first and teach me there 's the second for thou art the God of my salvation there 's the third So then since true faith doth ever take hold upon an whole Christ who is King Priest and Prophet whether it be granted that this Faith doth justifie as it receives Christ under the precise Nosion of Ruler and Teacher as well as of Priest which some affirme or onely of Priest and Surety as others doe judge that is solely as presenting his righteousnesse to God for us and as putting that his righteousnesse upon us and not as working that righteousness in us that is most usually called Holiness which seems chiefly as to respect the Princely and Prophetical office of Christ so to relate to that purifying or sanctifying act of faith spoken of Act. 15.9 rather then that justifying act of faith spoken of Rom. 5.1 Yet must I assert that no faith doth justifie but that which takes Christ for King and Law-giver as well as Saviour Isai 33.22 Faith justifies si non quâ totum saltem quae totum recipit respicit Christum Take heed soules of distinguishing here between LORD and JESUS as Judge Cook used to do by laying off of his Gown between Judge and Cook If Christs Coat be seamless surely Christ himselfe is divisionless And it is farre safer for me and you to be careful in uniting practically what God hath certainly joyned together then to be over-curious in distinguing notionally where if we divide practically we are undone everlastingly Yea are there not some Pilats that aske what is truth that even question Justification it selfe because some raise so various so dubious Questions about it and whilst these contend so much about the Cement they call into question the very Foundation and say the Builders shall agree before we build with them Yea and a receiving of him upon his owne termes Lastly I say a receiving of Christ upon his own terms Perhaps some guests would come to the Marriage when their Oxen are proved and their Farms managed c. and if they might first go and bury their Father Mat. 8.21 And thus would we be indenting with and thrusting our own terms upon the Lord Chrst but if we marry him we must marry on his own terms with him and what those are we shall have occasion to speak in the Hinderances and therefore thither we refer thee for the present Now therefore that soule that thus Assents and Consents unto Jesus Christ both in Vnderstanding and Will both in the knowledge and love of the truth the soul that thus Conceives and Receives of such a soule may we say in the language of Rev. 19.7 The marriage of the Lamb is come and his wife hath made her self ready This is the soule that may and ought to lean the soule that may and must apply How to improve this interest this soule hath an interest And now let me call for the improvement This is the soule that should be much in meditating 2. By often meditating of this strength rest with Christ what strength and rest her Head and Husband hath received or her Psa 45.1 My heart is enditing a good matter what was that Why Things appertaining to the King and what are those a Throne and a Scepter vers 6. that is Rest and Strength and for whom Why For the Queen at his right hand vers 9. Now sirs doe we believe this that our soules are marryed to the King of glory Oh then O then why is it that we have such base and sordid familiarity and fellowship with this World surely the reason why there is so much Earth in our lives nay may I say so much Hell in our lives is because there is so little heaven in our thoughts Phil. 3.20 whereas our Conversation should be in Heaven whence we look for a Saviour 2ly 2. By often speaking of it to others This is the soule that should be much in relating what a gainer she hath beene by making Christ her beloved What Zeresh what Wife amongst you could hold your peace if your Husband should be promoted to be second man in the Land Let thy soul make her boast in the Lord To Christ himself and speak thou the things that thou hast meditated concerning the King Psal 45.1 Yea speak much of it unto Jesus Christ and say I am thy Spouse O Lord I am thy Spouse and thou hast received gifts for me therefore give strength give refreshings to me the language of Psal 68.18 speaking to Christ in the second person will warrant such pleas at the Throne of grace 3ly 3ly By enlarging affections towards Christ hereupon This is the soule that should improve her interest in Christ by enlarging her affections towards Christ Hast thou an interest in Christ for thy stay and strength say as David Psal 18.1 I will loue thee O Lord O my strength And indeed the stronger the love is the stronger the leaning will be Lastly 4ly By living the life of faith This is the soul that whose life should be made up of faith and of obedience Of Faith For saith David My heart is fixed O God my heart is fixed and upon what is is fixed Why trusting in the Lord Psal 112.7 And obedience in the sence hereof Of Obedience Be the work never so crosse to flesh and blood never so great and difficult though fighting with Beasts though wrestling with Devils because she is strong in her Lord and in the power of his might Ephes 6.10 12. Never so tedious and tyresome though reaping in his Harvest even all the heat and under the burthen of the day because say the Apostles such a soule shall have rest with us yea even with Christ for when his Spouse hath wrought with him all the day of her life she shall lie down with him in the night of her death and rest from all her labours because she is interested in the Lord for so saith the Spirit Reu. 14.13 Thus the Church of Philadelphia when she had but a little strength improves it unto faith and obedience she kept Christs word there 's obedience she denyed not his name there 's faith therefore Christ will keep her from the hour of temptation and give her Victory over Satan and his Synagogue Rev. 3.8 9 10. And thus have I done with the Object viz. Christ prepared and the spring of the Act viz. An Interest or Christ appropriated I come to 3d. Consid What this leaning act in the notion of it doth import More remotely The third thing propounded in
publick and precious interest spiritual and civil let my Text teach you to cease from Mere Man whose breath is in his nostrils for wherein is hee to be accounted of It cannot bee that God should do much by any of us for one another whilst wee make Idols one of another the Lord is God and it is his glory to have all your dependencies upon himself and hee will not give his glory to another There is not one way for a soul and another way for the Church or for a people but one way for both to come up from their Wildernesse and that one and only way is by leaning upon the Beloved Secondly Unto you as living in this quarter of the Country I have more to say than unto others I seriously tell you the Lord looketh and they that labour for the Lord among you and the holy Angels of God that have pitched their Tents about you and all the Saints that have heard of you and of the way of the Holy one in the midst of you may justly expect from you that you should become a peculiar people excelling in holinesse the Attainments of others being much more zealous of good works The Lord hath expressed more favour upon you than upon most of your Neighbours 1 In your Immunity from the sword of your Adversaries 2 The Community of the word of his grace O the many Chariots and horsemen of Israel faithfull skilfull and powerfull even unto eminency burning and shining lights with whom I professe my self unworthy to be numbred Messengers of Peace sent unto you from time to time by the God of Peace The same is the Lord of Hosts who gave you a protection and made you as Salem a peaceable habitation in times of Warre you have been as a Goshen of light when the Day of the Lord hath been darknesse round about Light hath been in your Houses even from the dawning of the day after the dark night of National Popery when Darknesse hath continued in some Neighbouring places But fire hath been on your Neighbours houses on each side of you both Norfolk and Essex and when it was making towards yea and in the very sight of Sudbury your selves are my witnesses your selves have told me and to write the same thing to mee is not grievous but for you it is profitable The wind that bloweth where it listeth blew those flames to your Neighbouring-County and town of Colchester so that the goodnesse of the Lord to you-ward and severity to them may be read in black letters in that poor place even to this day I will not say that the Lord hath dealt thus by you rather than others because you are but that you might bee better than others even as hee dealt by Israel of old and therefore if hee should now find you like them a stiffnecked and gainsaying people running from the Shepheard that hath so followed you with care and watched over you for Your good if you should yet make warre with the Lamb who hath been so studious of your Peace and unwilling to fight with you when hee smote your neighbours round about you if you should bee so foolish a people and unwise as thus to requite the Lord O Suffolk O Sudbury what should hee then do unto you Wherefore be you not unwise but understanding what the will of the Lord is concerning you that you may bee blamelesse and harmelesse the sons of God without rebuke in the midst of a crooked and perverse Nation among whom the Lord looks you should shine as lights in the world Holding forth the word of life that wee may rejoyce in the day of Christ that we have not run in vain neither laboured in vain For so is the will of God if any speak evil of you in the things they know not that with wel doing you put to silence the ignorance of foolish men Finally my Brethren bee perfect bee of one mind live in peace holding fast the form of sound words and the profession of the faith without wavering considering one another to provoke unto love and good works Not forsaking the assembling of your selves together as the manner of some is But rather Brethren warn them that are unruly comfort the feeble-minded support the weak bee patient towards all men Pray without ceasing in every thing Give thanks Brethren pray for us And the very God of Pâ—ace sanctify you wholly and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body bee preserved blamelesse unto the comming of our Lord Jesus Christ So Prayeth Your Servant by love FAITHFUL TEATE THE Author to the Ingenuous READER OUr Saviour saith of the unclean Spirit Mat. 12.43 Luk 11.24 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hee passeth through dry i. e. desert places On which Text though Beza admit of no allegory and the truth is which experience confirms that Ziim Ochim and Jiim do frequent incult and desolate places Isa 13 21 22. Yet doth as sad and more frequent experience and the very Scope of that Scripture shew that the unclean Spirit with the seaven other worse than hee do much more delight to inhabit the dry and the desert Soul where they cry to each other as the satyres of the wildernesse to their fellows Isa 34.14 Wherefore being sent of the Lord in these labours not only to spy out where Satans seat is but to beat up his very head quarters no wonder if as in 2 Cor. 7.5 without have been fightings and within fears I oft thought one had need bee both sanctified from the wombe and waxen strong in the spirit as John Baptist who should lift up his voice in this Wildernesse but knew my self to be but a child and one of unclean lips unable to allarm those bold Legions or to encounter that Old Serpent But hee that sent me said unto mee My grace is sufficient for thee shewing mee that they that were with mee were more and mightier than they that were against mee wherefore with fear and trembling through manifold Temptations most willingly though m st weakly have I followed my commission And now having studied all playnnesse in the ensuing treatise I shall briefly for the clearing of the Text preface thereunto The Wildernesse described is the WILDERNESSE OF SIN spiritually so called for I allude and no more to that Wildernesse of SIN Exo. 17.1 by contraction of Sinai which comming of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a thorny thicket is an acurate emblem of the wayes of sinne which through its greennesse though it please the beholder yet it is both tyring and tearing to the Travayler And as is the name of the Wildernesse in the Text so is it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 per Antiphrasin a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 loquutus est i. e. locus sine locutione It hath its name of much speaking whereas there is no speaking there even so is sin the most sociable way and evil men the good fellows but like Beasts of the Wildernesse are they each unto Other and
verse 12. he hath made provision for thee This is the Song of Moses and truly I am the bolder to make improvement of it to all converts because it is also the Song of the Lamb Rev. 15.3 Now Friends look to it if after God hath found you thus like Jacob and hath dealt so with you and you instead of a thankful humble holy and continual remembrance thereof with Jesurun wax fat and kick that 's rebel against him and grow carnal and forsake the Lord and lightly esteem this rook of your salvation as ver 15. know that it will provoke the Lord to jealousie as verse 16. as zeal is the height of love so is jealousie of indignation jealousie you know follows upon miscarriage after greatest engagements A man is fearful of his foe but jealous of his friend of his bosom friend of one that he hath done most for is he most jealous if he begin lightly to be esteemed Take heed friends The Lord tells you Prov. 6.34 35. Jealousie is the rage of a man and if so surely it is the sury of the Lord and therefore he will not spare in the day of vengeance he will not regard any ransom neither will he rest content though thou offer many gifts It may be yea if God have set his love upon thee it shall be that thou shalt be saved but thou shalt yet pay dearly for thy sin thou shalt offer gifts and yet not be accepted yea many gifts and yet not finde thy services regarded thou wilt never finde the Ten thousandth part of that sweetness in sin Therefore if ever God have brought thee out of the wilderness take heed of venturing in again If ever God bring thee out it shall be through the thorns and bryars Thus much for use of the point I have but one thing more upon my thoughts and that is the taking off the use I would rather call it the abuse of such a truth as this is which sinners make unto themselves Is sin a wilderness may a prophane heart say What use ought not to be made of sins being a wilderness are there thickets dark and shady places there That 's it saith he that I would have for my part let who will love it I hate the light and care not for coming to it then what care I though it come not to me my works are works of darkness my time is tempus tenebrionum the times of Lions rising for their prey the twy-light the evening the black and dark night Is' t a wilderness I am glad you tell me of it 't is so fit for my purpose I love to go from sin to sin and I was afraid I should never have found ways of sin enough never enough cheating varieties never enough diversities of uncleanness I am almost weary of tracing backward and forward the same paths I am glad I can hear of fresh paths there I can walk with new delight I am glad to hear of such thickets Oh! there I can please my minde with security and sin with shelter I am glad you tell me of these wiles and entanglements I hope now you Ministers shall never be able to finde me out I was afraid of nothing but lest these thickets should have been cut down and least the Sun should then look in upon me lest a gap should have been made into the wilderness and all your Pulpit-terrors have made an inrode upon me and either frighted me from my prey as they have been sometimes ready to do or at leastwise to have made me eat my prey in fear and so to have sinned with less delight Poor wretch Is this it that so satisfies this prophane phansie That thou hast now got shelter from the storms and light of God and that thou shalt not now be found out Thou might'st think that though none could come in to thee to disturb thee yet are there enough within thy wilderness to devour thee The Lions are but yet asleep not yet rouzed from their den there 's time enough for conscience to awaken yet and then what shall become of thee but to let this pass Know that Though sin be a wilderness unto thee that thou canst not finde a way to God yet is it not a wilderness unto God but that God can easily finde a way to thee There are two things remarkable concerning God with respect unto the wilderness wherein thou art 1. The Lord can and will discover it and what wilt thou now do 2. The Lord can and will shake it and what wilt thou now do First Though thou hide thy self in the thickets of Carmel yet will God search and take thee out thence Amos 9.3 God knows and well observes all the secrecies passages windings and turnings of this wilderness of sin This is that which the Psalmist speaks Psal 29.9 The voice of the Lord discovereth the forests and in his temple we must speak this unto his glory It seems the wilderness may for a time cover thee but what wilt thou do when the Lord discovers that The heart-searcher is you see a searcher of Carmel and the heart-discoverer is a discoverer of the wilderness This is his glory which if you perceive it not in his Temple now you shall rest assured of it whether you will or no another day Secondly Though thou lie secure at the bottom of these thickets and think that no danger shall reach thee yet even there as his language is in Amos 9.4 He shall commaud the serpent and he shall bite thee Thou goest into the wilderness for shelter thinking to bear off storms of wrath and conscience by farther sining but Psal 29.8 The voice of the Lord shaketh the wilderness the Lord shaketh the wilderness of Kadesh What wilt thou now do A man goes into a forest or thicket c. to keep off the rain that falls in smaller drops and it doth so for a season but by and by there riseth a great wind a shaking wind Who hath the best on 't now he that 's in the wilderness amongst the thickets or he that is in the open field Now that that would have fallen before but in small drops and this winde would have dried again falls upon him nay rather is poured down upon him as it were full viols and this winde drives it thorow him These are the direct issues of these shakings of the wilderness Death is a shaking wind to all but yet it is a drying wind to those that are got out of the wilderness that have an interest in Christ but a drenching wind to thy soul whoever art in sin Consider this before the Lord arise as he is determined Isa 2.24 tearibly to shake the earth I but say you we shall hold together and chear one another for all this therefore saith God Isa 9.18 Wickedness burneth as the fire it shall devour and shall kindle in the thickets of the forest yea Nahum 1.10 Whilest they be folden together as thorns they shall be
of blood yet at length sin shall sting like an adder and bite like a serpent of the wilderness Prov. 23.32 Vse To yong ones Now to come up from the the wildernes Hearken then you yong ones unto me and I will shew you an excellent way Youth I know is of all ages and states most desirous and indeed most free for travel but it pities me to think that so much gallant youth and the strength thereof should be spent in wandring up and down in the worthless wilderness of sin Encouragement 1. The fitness of youthful time for that travel rather if you will be traveling remember Canaan Oh! what a time is the strength of your youth to make out your way from the wilderness of sin Thou hast some strength to rush through the thickets more then an old man hath and if thou lose a little of thy flesh in breaking through the thorns thou art yong and thy flesh will come again if thou lose by repentance as to carnal respects there 's time enough before thee to have amends made thee I observe as the yong ones were those of the Israelites that got through the wilderness unto Canaan Numb 26.64 so at this day those that are converted are converted yong ten to one of those that live to be old and yet come to be new born If old men will have their old ways still and scorn to learn a new lesson being old yea if their joints be stiff and their knees feeble that they cannot travel yet let us yong men get up and be going and the Lord be with us This day the Lord calls you yong ones from the Lions deâ— and Leopards mountains if you refuse this call to day you will mourn at the last when your strength is consumed and say How have I hated instruction and mine heart despised reproof Prov. 7.11 12. Take a tree from the wilderness when its young set it in your Garden keep it and water it c. and little fear of its death but take an old tree from the wilderness and transplant it in your Orchard and do what you will there is little hope of the life of it if there be 't will cost much ado much weeping to water it c. hear David crying Psalm 25 6 7. Remember thy tender mercies remember not the sins of my youth nor my transgressions If thou have only thy youth transgressions or bewildrings to reckon for it will be work enough for thee though thou have thy youth strength to do the work in Secondly As this is the fittest time for thee 2. The acceptableness of youth herein unto God so is it the most welcome time to God young ones if you did but know how kindly the Lord would take it to see you come up from the wilderness such youthfull Spouses leaning upon the Beloved it would ravish your hearts within you I le give you a tast for God hath bidden me go and cry in your ears saying Thus saith the Lord I remember the kindness of thy youth the love of thine Espousals when thou wentest after me in the wilderness in a Land that was not sown Jer. 2.2 Oh Christ the Shepheard is come into the Wilderness to seek and to save that which is lost Oh if thou wilt in thy youth be so kind as to follow him till thou shall come to Canaan God will never forget this love of thine espousals say not that thou art too young to marry Christ the younger thou art the better Christ will like thee CHAP. III. A fifth particular to wit that mans estate is a bewildred estate the world is a wilderness proved generally proved particularly the first particular poverty a wilderness opened and applyed Fifthly Mans estate a bewild red estate FIfthly Men and women as soon as they enter upon the world as we say that is upon the heart of the world they enter upon the heart of the Wilderness The world is a Wilderness to the unregenerate for here grow those Thorns that choak the word of God The world is a wilderness here are the thorns Mat. 13.22 He that hath the word choaked by the Cares of this world is said to receive it among thorns When the Word meets with a worldly heart it is like good seed sown in a thorny wilderness Worldlings you that hear me this day I appeal to your consciences if it be not so In comes a note or an observation an advice or a conviction and up start the thorny worldly thoughts that are within thee even whilst thou art within the reach of the word and choak that good seed Here are the the entangling waies that it brings not forth Again The world is a wilderness to the unregenerate for here are those crooked and foul waies that are the entanglements of the poor soul the Apostle 2 Pet. 2.20 mentioning the pollutions of the world saith They are entangled therein and overcome The world is a thorny thicket and entangling wilderness to the unconverted My friends were it only your Babes and children They that enter upon the world enter the very midst of the wilderness and youth that were bewildred it were less to be feared you might hope that when they came to have experience of and to understand the waies of the world they might come to understand their own waies or at least if you were not your selves lost you might set them into the way But let me tell you what ever you think or speak of Men of the world know not what way they wal in or unto any man Oh say you I know well enough what I do and about what I go and what way I am in there is not an unregenerate heart amongst you but is so far bewildred as not to know the way that thy soul is in Prov. 20.4 Mans goings are of the Lord how then can a man understand his own way He that is a stranger from Gods waies is altogether ignorant of his own waies nay how can he understand them Mans goings are known of the Lord The interpretation of this Scripture may be according to Prov. 5.21 Mans waies are before the Lords eyes and he pondereth all his wayes T is Gods prerogative to understand not only his own waies but thy waies as it is the Saints prerogative that know God not only to understand their waies but Gods waies but it is thy misery neither to know Gods waies nor thine own Prov. 12.26 The way of the wicked seduceth him Seduceth that is his very way leads him out of his Way It seems a right way unto him but the end thereof are waies of death Prov. 14.12 The end of his way he thinks is thriving and riches and a comfortable life this thinks he will be the end of his grinding the faces of the poor and cheating the rich and this he thinks is a right way he may lawfully buy as cheap and sell as dear as he can But the end
8.5 Oh! it was a long time this last bout ere she could finde that which she had lost in a nights steep of sloth and security At first you see her at a loss chap. 3.1 and coming out of the wilderness ver 6. But now you must read from Chap. 5. to Chap. 8. before you heare of her coming up from the wilderness At first she comes up in full sense of her glory she is a perfumed Spouse Next bout she comes up in full sense of her infirmity she is now a leaning Spouse Th re was more sparkling flaming smoaking perfumes of joy before but more serious sober setled humility and dependance now Before she was more proud of her Beloved and lesse ashamed of her selfe But now how glad in her Saviour and yet how sad in her self Yea herein her heart although she lean and come up from the wilderness is ready still to faile because after she had tasted of his love she fell asleep And although she were out of the first Wilderness viz. that of the state of Condemnation yet fell into the second Wilderness even that drowsinesse of spirit after Conversion Therefore let not any poor heart among you for whose sake I have spoken all this say that it was never truly brought out of sin because it is now or hath been upon the wrack of new terrours because of its after-conversion drowsinesse or security Onely if ever thou be as no doubt thou wilt be brought out of the Wildernesse the second time covet rather to come out a leaning Spouse than a perfumed Spouse I mean rather desire to be kept low and in dependance by Grace than to be raised over-high by comfort Thus much of the first bewildring darknesse after Conversion as to the enjoyment of our comforts I would not let him goe chap. 3.4 That 's her language at her coming first out of the Wildernesse and 't is pretty high and confident but chap. 8.1 2. O that thou wert as my Brother I would lead thee and bring thee c. this is her Dialect at her second coming up from the second Wilderness here 's more humility and dependance CHAP. XXIII Two farther particulars dark providences on Gods part and backslidings on our parts darkning our comforts as also two particulars darkning our graces THe second sort of after-conversion darknesses is 2. Dark providences as to our outward man Darke Providences as to our outward man and hence we are many times bewildred and at a loss as to our inward As they that I spake of were found despairing before conversion so these repining after conversion if God lead us into a Land of seeming darknesse it will be to us a wildernesse Ier. 2.32 Surely saith the soul I have been but deluded in spirituals to think that God would save my soule for in naturals I am at a great straight and God doth not provide for my body If he loved me he would never keep me so low he would never so afflict me Now this is Darknesse for saith Divinitie If he should not afflict thee surely he doth not love thee Such a darke cloud of providence in Jobs outward Estate makes him at a loss for his inward hope Hear his language Iob. 19.8 He hath fenced up my way that I cannot passe he hath set darknesse in my paths that 's the darknesse that I now speak of for vers 9. He hath Stript me of my glory and what of that why vers 10. Mine hope hath he removed when his outward glory his attyring glory for saith he He hath stript me is lost his inward hope is lost too because his enjoyment of earth is gone for the present he is at a losse for the hope of heaven c. And this is our very usual and bewildering darknesse to measure and account Gods inward love or hatred from what providentiall dealing outwardly is before us but no man knowes it thereby Eccle. 9.4 Gods chastisements then to Gods own children Gods chastisements on his Saints a cloud a dark cloud are Clouds so full of darknesse that they are often bewildred as to Gods Inward favour and the light of his countenance which they have sometimes accounted better then life that sun sets in this cloud A cloud it is and a dark one too under which without great wisdome from above we may sadly lose our selves as to our comforts But Gods chastisements to his people in their owne nature are and so doth God intend them onely as Israels Cloudy pillar in their Wildernesse 'T was very dark but verie usefull 1. For Protection 2. For Guidance But 1. A protecting Cloud 1. This is a darke but a protecting Cloud God makes those providences serve to keepe his Saints wherein they thinke they shall be lost what dark thoughts have many of the Saints of God had of that authoritie and power as if all should be undoubtedly lost under it which God hath made our protection hitherto crosse providences frequently keep us out of danger As when your child is crost in bringing of it in from under the horses heels or like danger in the streets It 's good for me saith David That I have been afflicted That is It would have been worse if it had not been so bad It 's better to be poor and godly then to be rich and proud by the dark cloud of poverty God protects them from the danger of pride and vanity c. 2. A directing Cloud 2. Gods chastisements are a darke but a guiding Cloud and such was that to Israel And my Brethren no matter how darke it be if God by it point thee to thy way this is the very use of Gods darkest dispensations to his deare ones Psa 119.67 Before I was afflicted I went astray but now I have learnt thy precepts No matter how black the Rod be by which thy guide points out thy way 3. Dark back-slydings 3ly The Third sort of bewildring darknesses after conversion are from our partiall apostacie and wretched back-slydings In this darke we lose our comforts No sooner doth Satan turne us aside but he bewilders us he turns us aside from holinesse and bewilders us as to comforts For my part I judge it impossible for any even for any Saint to maintaine spiritual comfort in turning aside to a carnal conversation If you will adventure into the dark of sinne you shall be lost sadly though not finally in the dark of sorrow Mich. 7.8 9. When I fall I shall arise when I sit in darknesse the Lord shall be a light unto me I will beare the indignation of God because I have sinned against him From hence you may observe thus much 1. That the back-slydings or fall of Saints shall not be unto death as the sinnes of the wicked I mean to death eternall 2. But yet if they will dare to sinne they shall find darknesse wherein they may fall 3. Yea and if they fall into sinne they shall sit that is continue
some sad season in the darke and bear not onely feel the indignation of the Lord. 4. But at length God shall plead the cause of such a soule and he shall bring it forth unto the light and it shall behold his righteousnesse yet againe so saith the 9th vers so then from all put together you may conclude how little there is in a Saints back-slydings either for the enemy or for themselves to rejoyce in because if they fall they shall arise but not untill they have sate in darkenesse or born Gods indignation and believe it this is a wildring work for them that have tasted of his goodness their pardons and all other their comforts may continue where they were still but the darkness is like to be such as that for the present they can neither read the one nor find the other As you say of an Eclipse some yeares agoe is was so dark that you could not see to read nor find readily what you looked for although it were at full day It 's easie for the Eclipse of our graces to bring a bewildring darkenesse upon our comforts And as for you that have found this sinne no more least a worse thing come unto you Secondly 2. As to the exercise of our graces There are after conversion darknesses bewildring us as to the exercise of our graces And verily my Brethren this is sad to purpose a man that hath been kept in a dark dungeon and hath never seen the light 't is not so much for him to be continually kept in those chaines of darknesse but for a man that comes out of a light Roome to walk in darke wayes oh this is sad and sadly dangerous He may the sooner stumble because he came from the light Now this darkness the Children of light meet withall whilst they have too much to doe with the world and secondly with this world 1. The darke things of the world 1. The world will be as it hath ever been an hinderance to the people of another world Conversion indeed calls us out of the world yet after conversion how ready are we to be tempted back into the world and truly as soon as we be in the world again so soon shall we be in the wilderness again I meane so soon as we begin to walk in the custome after the fashion of this world Oh Conversion for the present bears us up to heaven and saith the soule let the world go which way it will but afterward our old acquaintance we begin to meet again and to parle again and hence are our bewildrings after conversion Satan to get us to them makes huge use of darknesses of the world Eph. 6.12 We wrestle against the Ruler of the darknesse of this world Oh! that 's a bewildring darknesse He had said vers 11. Take the whole Armour of God to stand against Satans bewildrings Now how sad yet how frequent is it to see the children of the light of another world Worldly cares bewildred in the dark things of this world My Brethren how doth providing for the family yea sometimes for the flesh for pride profuseness vanitie lust c. darkely bewilder many that passe for Saints as to their due providing for another world Worldly delights How do the daâ—k beauties of the things of this world bewilder our affections and make them at a loss as to the beauties of holiness Confidences How do our dark confidences in worldly supports bring the actings of our faith to a losse when they are purely called forth and summoned to follow aftr God alone Hopes How do our darke hopes in worldly vanities render us lost Creatures almost when we have nothing but the anchor of spiritual hope to take hold upon How are we bewildred in the darke joyes of this world Joyes so that we little know what it is to have the joy of the Lord for our strength Thus worldly feares and worldly love Feares Love c. are dark principles and the more you find of them the more you feel we are at a losse for the contrary spiritual graces Now the old Serpent is the Ruler of all this darkness therefore he will order it the most politiquely that possibly he can that thereby he may the more effectually bewilder poor converted ones I have heard of a Commander Simile who being in the field and in danger of being surprised by the powers and numbers of the prevailing Enemy in the same field caused a good quantity of Powder to be cast on the ground betwixt him and his approaching enemy and on the sudden fired that by the advantage of the darke smoake he might securely draw off his own men as well as the prisoners that he had before taken from his enemy Thus did he and so doth Satan the Ruler of the darkenesse of this world sometimes he hath some of Gods Souldiers prisoners and when God encounters Satan by his word for the weapons of our Warfare are not carnall but spirituall and is ready to rescue his Saints as well as to surprize some of Satans followers this Ruler causes some of these worldly delights c. to flash betwixt them and God the flash is but short the pleasure of sinne soone gone but the smoke continues it darkneth the aire and gives Satan advantage not onely to carry his owne men but too too often some of Gods own people off the field that they are not at that time rescued out of Satans power by reason of the flashing smoking dark things of this world Oh! what need have converted ones to walke as children of the light Oh! what need have they as they are Gods Souldiers to put on the whole Armour of light Secondly The darksome temptations of this age There is a bewildring darknesse in this world I mean this Age that sadly casts a black vaile over the face of the firmament of Profession which I think other Ages have scarce ever seen so black as we have done A dark cloud of Levity in the things of God Men there are that speak of conversion as if they were feelingly acquainted with what they say those that hear take them unquestionably to be Saints but saith the Proverb Loquere ut videam marke their conversation and what ever their hearts be perhaps Jacobs Saints sometimes from their profession dare not question or their voyces which are plainly Jacobs yet their hands look strangely on 't like Esau's This is a strange kind of time you can neither well call them Saints nor yet confidently wicked persons These are like that time spoken of Zach. 14.6.7 It shall come to passe in that day that it shall not be light nor darknesse night nor day Heare them speake and you would verily think they are Children of light and observe their walking and what can you call their deeds but darkness They make little conscience what way it is that they get by whether by right or wrong
I meane the way of believing all is written in the Law and the Prophets Neither would I be understood as speaking out of passion or ill-will whereof I know not any reason but of love and tendernesse and commiseration unto their souls to whom I am speaking with meekness instructing those that oppose themselues if God peradventure would give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth according to my expresse duty 2 Tim. 2.25 And yet on the other hand with such love unto the truth as to contend earnestly for for the faith which was once delivered to the Saints which is a duty as expresse Jud. vers 3. I would be farther understood as speaking without any respect of persons accouning those and all those to be going fires and bewildring lights whom the Scriptures bring under the following Characters And further I shall not desire or dare to affi x any other brand upon such then what this Bible in mine hand shall prepare unto my hand wherein I dare not be so unfaithfull or inaffectionate to their soules as to conceale from them their danger for we have Christ himselfe the true light telling us before of these false ones and you know we are commanded to hear for afterward My brethren there 's danger in following every light for saith our Saviour Mat. 24.23 If any man shall say lo here is Christ or lo there is Christ believe him not That is follow you not every light what not when they speak of Christ No vers 24. For there shall arise false Christs and false Prophets c. and vers 25. Behold I have told you before vers 26. Wherefore if they shall say unto you behold he is in the desert go not forth if in the secret Chamber believe it not Lights then they are but but false lights Prophets but false ones false Christs Wherefore you must not goe out after them if you doe you may find a desert but not find a Christ To come then to the paralell Description of a going fire A going or fools fire is a more grosse and fatty Exhalation kindled either by its owne motion or by contrary cold c. carryed unconstantly up and downe in the lower Region of the Aire and frequently leading Travellers into places of danger into pits and precipices being exhaled out of some rancke and fat soile such as burying-places or fields where great slaughters of Armies have beene made or bogges and putrid parts of the Earth So these false lights 1. Arise from Corrupion c. 1. Then these spiritually wandering and bewildering lights arise as that Meteor from putrid places from mens corrupt minds It hath been accounted of late by some a solaecisme to call Men Corrupt from their opinions oh he is a very honest man let his principles be as corrupt as may be but it was not so in the dayes of the Apostles 2 Tim. 3.8 Men of corrupt minds reprobate concerning the faith the Apostle calls him Corrupt that is Corrupt as to the faith as well as him that is corrupt as to obedience Opinions that are wicked render men corrupt as well as wicked practises Now then let us take heed what Principles we suck in as well as what Practises we run into Oh! there is a corrupt mind as well as a sound one from the former do arise these seduing fires 1 Tim. 6.5 Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds Yea but such as these will charge you of corruption in judgement and who shall judge I answer Two kinds of Corruption There are two undoubted signes of corruption in the flesh and those may well serve here since the Apostle chargeth corruption upon some spirits 1. Swelling 2. Running Under either of these who can clear the body from corruption So then those Principles that in their own nature Swelling signes tend either to the swelling of the spirit or the running I mean to spirituall pride or pollution cannot but passe for corruptions of mind and out of these are generated these going and bewildring lights 1. Swelling Principles The Apostle is full to this purpose 1 Tim. 6. v. 3. He consents not to wholesome words c. vers 4 He is proud v. 5. Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds and what followes destitute of the truth So 2 Tim. 3.2 Boasters proud c. v. 8. Men of corrupt minds And upon this account I am altogether dissatisfied with the Armineâ—â—cei vrine of free-wil because its necessary and direct tendâ—â— the â—s they expound it is to gratifie pride in its highest kind even spirituall pride that vaine man might be able to say of his own salvation Is not this Babel which I have built by the strength of my might c. 2. Putrifaction 2. Putrifying Principles whose immediate tendency is to filthinesse of spirit for what ever they think that would have none censured for their minds yet is there filthinesse of spirit as well as of flesh from which even from all of which Gods heirs of promise must cleanse themselves 2 Cor. 7.1 Now Principles there are tending to this rottenness such are theirs who turn the grace of God into wantonness Jude 4. Yea more express 2 Pet. 2.18 They speake great swelling words of vanity there 's the former They allure through the lusts of the flesh through much wantonness there 's the latter Those that were clean escaped from them that live in Errors Marke the phrase Now how did they allure them Why that which is forbidden to Saints Gal. 5.13 viz. Not to use Christian liberty as an occasion to the flesh is intimated to be their practice vers 19. Whilst they promise them liberty they themselves are the servants of Corruption Mark that you may be sure that Principles tending to looseness lust wantonness are corrupt Principles and out of those bogs arise these lights Secondly That Meteor is a fatty viscous Exhalation so these going and seducing lights 2. They are carnall are sensuall principles carnal principles flâ—shly principles and such are the men themselves Jude 19. These be they that separate themselves sensual having not the spirit There is an holy separation that Scripture calls for but amongsts us there is a vaine carnal separation without the spirit but not without sensuality these separate from men but not from sinne they are forsooth better then others but they do worse then others they are begodded above men but they live beastially and below men One drinketh drunk and speaks not at all of Christ as the rude prophane drunkard pices her drinks drunk too as the other but professeâ— such I speakes of Christ and saith he is a Saint and others in darknesse and why may not this be counted the more prophane of the two These are they that say they cannot sin that delight in nothing else but sin Thirdly That Meteor is light uncertaine 3. Vncertain carryed about with every aire so these are carâ—yed to and fro with every
from every evill way that I may keepe thy word Keepe the Word and it shall keepe thee If so be that the Lord have graciously found thee Keepe thy feet and thou shalt keepe the word The third Part of this Treatise 3. Part. discovers the great concernment of lost Soules viz. to come up from the Wilderness of sinne CHAP. I. Containes two precious Doctrines 1. That there is a way from the Wildernesse of sinne 2. That it is an uphill way The latter is largely opened and applyed ANd thus much of the second maine point in our Text That every Christlesse or unregenerate soule is a bewildred and so a lost soule We passe on to the Third main Doctrine That It is the great concernment of poore bewildred soules to come 3d. Main Doctrine under which two previous Doctrines even to come up from the wilderness of SIN And so you have the third thing propounded in the draught of this MAP viz. Moses on Pisgah turning his back on the wilderness and pointing towards Canaan Before I come to handle this point I must minde you of two previous and implyed truths in these words Cometh up from the wilderness First That there is a way from the wilderness of sinne Doct. 1 The Spouse in the Text found that WAY and so left That there is a way from the wilderness and came out of that WILDERNESSE But this point I shall but mention here because I shal have occasion to explain it afterward shewing Who is this way viz. Christ how he is and came to be this way what manner of way he is and what improvement we ought hereof to make Doct. 2 The second is this and I shall a little speake to it that The way out of the wilderness of SIN The way from the wilderness of sin is an up hill way is an up-hil WAY Who is this that comes up from the Wilderness My Brethren my businesse is to chalk out unto you the best and truest not the easiest way You would have small cause to thank any man that should lead you into the way of the valleyes when your way is the way of the hills and life and death depends on the dispatch of your journey I had as live Christ should have no followers as such as will not follow the Lamb whithersoever he goes so Rev. 14.4 Now the usual posture of the Lord Jesus is Leaping over the Mountaines skipping upon the Hills Cant. 2.8 When God calls a soule by conversion 't is like his Call to Lot in Sodome Gen. 19.14 Up get you out of this place for the Lord will destroy this City Up gâ—t you out of the state of sinne for the Lord will set fire on the thickets of this VVilderness Up get you out so saith Christ to the Spouse Cant. 2.10 Rise up my love my faire one and come away Himselfe was upon the Hills and Mountaines v. 8. and therefore he calls her to come up thither that as his phrase in John is VVhere he is she may be also Therefore I said Christ had as good have no followers as such that will onely follow in the way of the plaines Proofe of it Now that the way from the Wilderness of sinne is an up-hill way I shall labour to prove by induction of Particulars considerable in that motion the terms of the motion and remarkable circumstances as to the motion of the soule in the way that leads from the Wildernesse of sinne 1. By induction of particulars 1. By induction of particulars I shall mention these four 1. Repentance 2. Faith 3. Obedience 4. Gospel-converse And verily for proof of each these I think I shall need little more then your owne ordinary expressions of your owne ordinary experience Oh! what a-doe have I saist thou to get up mine heart unto true Gospel-sorrow for my sinnes Oh! what an hard worke is it saith another To bring my heart up to a beliefe of the promises to trust God in difficulties c. Oh! how difficult to get up the hil of Gospel-obedience what pains must I take to get to Communion with God in the spirit c. 1. The way of Repentance is an up-hil way 1. The way of repentance is an up hil way This is the language of the repentant Prodigal Lu. 15.18 I will arise and go to my father without getting up nothing can be done as to repentance Sin is asleepe it is a death at the bottom of the hill and there is no repentance without an awaking an arising a getting up to the top of the Hil. Thinke with your selves and remember you that have been acquainted with repentance whether mortification for sinne mortification of sinne dying under it by the Law and dying unto it by the Gospel were an hard or an easie matter an up-hill or an down-hill way Secondly Faith is an up-hil way Have you not heard of the fath of Abraham 2. The way of faith as the scripture saith of the patience of Job Now where was it that Abraham was canonized for the father of the faithful why you have the story of it Gen. 22.14 't was in the place named Jehovah-Jireh In the Mount of the Lord it will be seen Faith must get up to the top of the Mount the Mount of the Lord e're ever it can see what it would what it should see as we go to the top of an hil for a prospect when we desire to see a great way round about us and the higher the hil is the more paines is it to get up but when we are up the farther we see Prov. 18.10 The name of the Lord which is that you know that faith leans upon is a strong Tower the righteous running into it is safe A Tower why that 's usually scituate on an Hil as there is Tower-hil in our great City and if so then he that wil into the Tower must up the hill and he that wil into the name of the Lord for security must up the Mount of the Lord by beleeving 3. Of obedience Thirdly Gospel-obedience is an up-hil way It s hard to get a great weight up an hill therefore when the Apostle presseth Gospel-obedience he bids us lay aside the weight that we may runne with patience Heb. 12.1 The old Adam is a clog to our obedience and weights easily pull us down and if down to rise againe it is up-hil work such is obedience Gods call for our obedience is like his command to Moses Gen. 32.49 50. Go up to Mount Nebo and dye there So go up into thy Closet and kill thy Corruptions let thy dearest lusts dye there pluck out thy right eye there and cut off thy right hand there I had as live dye saith a stubborn spirit as do such a thing and such verily is our natural stubbornness against God When God bids us up do this or that flesh and blood had as live dye as do it When the Gospel bids
Christ I perswade my selfe in every respect will make a good Husband even a good Husband for me and that he perfectly is worthy and meet to be beloved even my Beloved Methinks I am fully convinced that I absolutely need such an Husband as Christ is to pay my debts which are great and as much need I have of such an head to live with me as a man of knowledge to reprove to convince to instruct me and even as great need also of such an head as I see Christ will be to govern mine unruly Family my heart my thoughts mine affections c. Methinks I see not in Christ any thing at all that I can spare neither can I find any thing missing in Christ that my soule can stand in need of this is the voyce of that Assent which I am speaking of And this you have at large explained Isai 45.21 22 23 24. Where by way of promise and prophesie he speakes of this very Assent I have sworne saith the Lord That unto me every tongue shall sweare 23. verse And what shall they sweare That there is no God else beside God a just God and a Saviour and that unto him they look even for salvation by him onely verses 21. and 22. Yea and surely shall one say in the Lord have I strength and righteousnesse v. 24. That is they shall be assuredly perswaded that in and onely by Jesus Christ there is strength and righteousnesss for those that look unto him that is for Believers yea for themselves in particular Therefore let me aske your soules this question Were they ever fully and satisfactorily perswaded that Jesus Christ were onely and fully such an one as you could unfeignedly make your Beloved If you answer no Why then take heed of leaning on him whilest you are of this minde If you answer yea you are so convinced that Christ is wholly and onely worthy of your affections Oh! why is it that you sit so much so wantonly I may say so whorishly in the laps of other Lovers CHAP. XII The consent described Direction how to improve this interest As also the third Consideration opening this leaning as to the Notion of the word SEcondly As an assent of the Understanding 2. A Consent so a consent of the Will is necessarily supposed unto such an interest This Consent I shall thus describe 1. Described It is a free and full act of the Will rejecting all other lovers and receiving whole Christ in his own way or upon his own terms So that as the forme of the Assent is in conceiving aright of Christ in the understanding so the forme of this Consent is the right receiving of Christ by the Will I say it is a free act of the Will for Christ wooes A free act of the will and wins the affections he ravisheth them not Indeed at first they are not onely coy but crooked He comes to his owne in this sence even his own intended and elect Lady and Spouse but she receives him not What gracious heart is there but with bitternesse remembers how many unmannerly and unworthy wayes it gave unto Jesus Christ before he brought it unto a Yea and a Amen But Christ of unwilling makes them willing and this is expressed Psa 110.2 3. The Lord by sending forth the rod of his strength maketh them a willing people in the day of his power This power of Christ by an holy force upon them in the first working of grace frees them Christs love constraines them He drawes them and it is with the Cords of a man and then their affections freely go yea They run after him so Cant 1.4 I say also a full act of the Will A full Act. because I thus judge that a divided heart never yet marryed Jesus Christ thou must not be almost but altother perswaded to be a Christian surely that Christ that will not allow one man to serve two Masters will never allow one woman to have two Husbands especially if himself must be one of them Surely herein though our affections are not perfect as to the degree yet must they be sincere as to their kind and united among themselves for therefore I call it the full act of the Will that is of the united affections A woman doth not onely marry her love but her fear her desire her delight even all her affections in their degree to her Husband In a word she engageth her will to her Husband If David had need to cry out unite my heart to fear thy name as Psal 86.11 What need have we to pray Unite our hearts to bear the name by marrying thine onely begotten Son by matching our selves unto Jesus Christ We must have but one heart for one Husband for one is our Husband even Christ 2 Cor. 11.2 Rejecting all others I say moreover rejecting all other lovers that is we must break our league with Hell and our Covenant with death Indeed had our hearts been chast and faithful before we should not need to break but onely to tye a knot Note but because of our former wanton dalliance with and engagements unto other lovers as you may with shame and sorrow see Hoseah 2.7 Therefore will the Lord Christ have us solemnly renounce and disclaime them though they will not give us a Bill of divorcement Heaken O Daughter and consider forget also thine own people and so shal the King greatly delight in thy beauty Psal 45.10 11. Farewel flesh get thee behind me Satan depart from me you workers of iniquity wantons worldlings my former lovers my former lusts for now am I married unto the Lord Jesus Christ And receiving Christ I say withall a receiving of Christ because dissent from other suiters must be seconded with Consent unto him as it is expressed Hos 2.7 Having left other lovers shee must returne to her first Husband It is not enough to think or say I am none of Satans I am not for the world I will not be for sin but I am Christs I am and through grace will continue Christs and none but Christs Is not this that which the Spouse so frequently professeth I am my beloveds and he is mine Cant. 6.3 I am my beloveds and his desire is towards me Cant. 7.10 My beloved is mine and I am his Cant. 2.16 Observe the variety and inversion I am his He is mine He is mine and I am his What is this but the marriage-match and in the truest sence the True-lovers-knot I say likewise a receiving of whole Christ Verily sirs Even whole Christ Christ is not divided The soule that will marry her Saviour must marry her Sanctifier and in marrying her Priest she must marry her Prophet if she match to one that will pay her debts she must match to one that will mannage her affairs yea and her desire shall be towards him and he shall rule over her so Psa 45.11 He is thy Lord and worship thou him You must
and pricks them even to the heart as he did those Converts Act. 2.37 Strange woing you will say yet is this alwaies the manner of Christs woing more or lesse CHAP. XV. Few like Christs Estate and why Considerations opposed to the foresaid hinderances viz. How soules may come to the needing and feeling of Christ 5ly Few like his estate or the terms relating unto it such as these 1. He must have your portion out of your own hand at his dispose FIfthly Neither doth any carnal heart like the Estate business better then the former for such as these and onely such as these are Christs Termes as to matter of Estate First Saith Christ If you will marry me I must have all your portion ready down Go and sell all thou hast and come and follow me Mat. 19.21 You shall not have a penny saith Christ but I will have the command of it Leave your Onyons your Aegypt your Fleshpots if you expect I should joynture you in a Canaan And know that whosoever loves Houses and Lands in comparison of me is not worthy of me 2ly Saith Christ If you marry me 2ly You must take your joynture upon trust You must take my word for your security as to your joynture fom me You must live by faith not by sence The name of the Land I shall joynture you in is Promise-land I may perhaps if you please me give you some distant view of Canaan from the top of some Pisgah some Mount of transfiguration but as for the frame of your life it must bee by faith Hab. 2.3 For the vision or sight of it is yet for an appointed season but in the end it shall speak if you will but tarry for it Not I saith the Worlding let who will tarry for it or trust to it here are terms indeed part with all and all upon trust for my part I think it not safe venturing a portion upon this Christ if promise c. be the best assurance he can give Well then if thou be so minded stand thou also by But 3ly I have yet more saith Christ to indent 3ly You must goe into another Country for possession if you will marry me You must go beyond Sea into another Counry another World and then it is that I will make you Queen for Jo. 18.36 My Kingdom is not of this world My Lands lie on the other side of the stood My Canaan on the other side of Jordan And sirs this is most certain that if you will be the Lambs wife you must follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth Yea but saith a carnall heart I know not how to stay for an Estate till I come at Heaven therefore adiew to Christ I hope to marry one that will joynture me nearer home Yea but Lastly Here is more yet saith Christ 4ly You must die by the way If you will marry me You must follow me into my Native Country out of your own Land as Abraham of old and you must suffer shipwrack by the way and be cast away as to your flesh and blood for they cannot enter into the Kingdom of God which is my Fathers Country 1 Cor. 15.50 Of a truth you must dye before you can be possessed of my joynture and live as my Queen I will give you the title to it now but your own life shall keep you out of possession My Country is Canaan and the Red-sea of death you must past thorow before you can enter into my rest and these things I tell you that you may know upon what termes I take you and that you may not be offended in me Joh. 16.1 Now then as for those that when they see Christ neither like his Port his Person nor Discourse nor Carriage nor Estate what hopes are there left of wooing winning these soules unto Jesus Christ and herein have I desired to deale faithfully this day that I might if it be possible bring one sober and beat off wanton lovers and so leaners from Jesus Christ I have heard of some women that have been in good earnest engaged in affection to some whom some of their Acquaintance and Relations have solicitously disswaded them from that have silenced all with such an answer I will marry him though I never have good day with him And truly Christians it is somewhat sad if your love to the Lord Jesus doe not exceed the love of women Jobs language is somewhat like this Iob 13.15 Though he slay me yet will I trust in him though he kill me yet will I not be beaten from him Though he speak hardly to me yet will I speak humbly to him though he smite me I will love him and though he slay me yet will I lean upon him Which that you may the better be encouraged to give me leave to subjoyne as I promised unto these Negative Hinderances Considrations opposed unto those Hinderances 1. As to the first hinderance viz. Few need Christ 1. Help Labour to see your need of Christ some Considerations for Helps And 1. As to the first Hinderance viz. That few need Christ though Christ be that one thing when there is but one thing needfull as himselfe saith Luk. 10.42 yet doth the world see their need of every thing but of this one thing Every one needs Food and Rayment House-roome and Fiering Money and Friends c. but who needs Jesus Christ Now if this be the reason that few leane upon him because but few need him then those Considerations that may helpe us to become needing souls may helpe us to become leaning souls Question How then shall a lost soul come to need Christ for a leaning-stock Answ I answer Let poor soules come into a sick shaken sinking condition I le undertake for a soule in such a state that it shall verily stand in need to lean upon Jesus Christ First Labour thou that art a lost soul 1. by becomming a sick soule to become a sick soul that is the way to become a leaning soul Mat. 9.12 The whole need not the Physitian but the sick so the whole need not a Keeper but the sick There are many things the same man wants when he is sick that he needs not when he is well A man leanes upon his own skill as for his dyet and all other accommodations when he is well but he leanes upon his Physitian and his skill for direction for dyet c. when he is sick and the reason he leanes on him now and not before is because he needs him now and not before Sicknesse makes him need him and therefore lean upon him so there are many things that the same soule never needed that is saw no need of before that when it comes to be spiritually sick it comes to need in good earnest before it could trust to its owne wisdome and leane to its own understanding and order its affaires according to its own will but now it needs a Christ as Physitian as
its Keeper and now it will leane to Christs counsell and to his advice and to his prescriptions because it is sick of its own There is a Twofold spirituall sicknesse that will bring a soule to need Christ as a leaning stock First A sicknesse of hatred unto sin 1. Sick of hatred to sin for it is not every sicknesse that will make you need this Physitian Many are sick for sin I meane as the punishment of sinne for this cause we may say as Paul 1 Cor. 11.30 say indeed that many are sick but there are but few sick of sin But where-ever there is a Sin-sicknesse there cannot but be a provocation to vomiting David cannot hold till he brings up all Sinne lies upon a sick Conscience as undigested Meat upon a sick stomack You know also that where ever there is a propension to vomit there is a great desire of somewhat to lean upon Oh! what would a sin-sick soule that cannot possibly be well untill it hath by broken hearted confessions vomited up its iniquities give that it had freedome to leane its head in Christs bosome so Psal 32.3 While I kept silence my bones waxed old c. therefore ver 5. I said I will confesse my transgressions to the Lord and thou forgavest c. and vers 6. For this cause shall every one that is godly pray unto thee As who would say when I was so sin-sick that I knew not what to doe I did but leane my head in the Lords bosome and bring it up again and I had so much ease to my soul that I would advise every troubled heart to lean where I lean'd and to doe what I did 2ly Sick of love to Christ Secondly A Love-sicknesse unto Jesus Christ Many are also Love-sick but as Amnon for his sister for a lust or for a corruption but few are sick for Christ The language of Love-sicknesse is such as this I must have him or else I dye Give me Christ or none will content me Thus those passionate breakings forth of the Spouse Love is stronger then death Mine heart failed when he spake I charge you O ye daughters of Jerusalem if you find my beloved that you tell him that I am sick of love Cant. 5.8 Now this Love-sick Spouse will be sure to be a leaning Spouse she sinks she swoones she dyes away if Christ doe not come unto her Cant. 2.5 6. Stay me comfort me for I am sick of love His left hand is under my head his right hand doth embrace me O! how doth a poore stomack sick Creature desire to hold and to be held when it is ready to swoon away 2ly By becomming a shaken soule So then 't is a sad signe that you are neither sick of hatred unto sin nor of love unto Christ when you see little need of leaning upon him Secondly Labour thâ—â— that are a lost soul to get into a shaken posture that is the way to get into a leanin posture What 's the reason there 's so little catching hold upon Christ by worldly men in their time of health Oh! it is because there is little shaking of worldly things in that time but now Isai 2.20 21. They shall one day cast away their Idols of Gold and Silver which they have made each one for himselfe that they may run into the clefts of the Rock when God ariseth to shake terribly the Earth Oh! you see by frequent experience in poore dying Worldlings when God shakes their Earth how solicitous they are then to take hold if they durst on the God of Heaven When they see by these shakings what slender supports their golden Gods and silver shrines are to leane upon oh then what would they give for Jesus Christ for to be their soules leaning stock You read Act. 4.31 That the place was shaken where they met before God sent out upon them the Holy Ghost to speak the word of God with boldness So this is the manner of his working to shake soules before he powre out upon them the Spirit of believing to apply the promise of God with boldnesse Thus did the Lord take Iob by the neck when he was at ease and shook him to pieces so saith himselfe Iob. 16.12 Now when God hath shaken our comforts and enjoyments in the world and scattered our duties that they appeare broken poor crazy things when he hath shaken to pieces our righteousnesse and all our selfe-supports then sirs then if ever will Christ appeare desirable unto us oh then shall we long to leane upon him Memorable is that passage Hab. 3.17 When I heard my belly trembled my lips quivered at the voice rottenness entred into my bones and I trembled in my selfe that I might rest in the day of trouble Here 's strange shaking and as strange establishment I trembled that I might rest The more shaking at first the stronger leaning afterwards for verily Note though God doth not shake all souls alike before he make them leane upon himselfe yet have I observed that the lesse the heart hath beene shaken in the first stirrings of grace the more feeble have the leanings been perhaps many yeares afterward and the more easiely interrupted and disturbed Nay though the Lord hath opened some hearts as Lydias without much manifest shaking at the first yet have I known many even sincere soules of them kept almost in an every day Ague almost all their lives after their Conversion I mean in continuall spirituall shakings Therefore if God hath shaken thee be not angry but as soon as thou canst catch hold upon Christ and leane hard for else I le tell you when we are greatly shaken we may continue in great danger of falling if we have not an Anchor of hope to take hold on a Pillar of Christs Chariot to leane upon 3ly By becomming a sinking soule Thirdly Labour thou that art a lost soul to get into a sinking posture that is the way to get into a leaning posture This perhaps you will say is strange but this I know to be true Mat. 14.30 Peter beginning to sink cryed Lord save me Oh! sinking souls will be sure to catch hold if it be possible and nothing shall discourage them though Christ should cut their fingers yet will they hold rather then drowne such a soule will take hold of Christ upon the most cutting termes of the Gospell A Boat a Boat a Boat all that I am worth in the world for a Boat saith a sinking person and will never leave looking and crying and catching as long as it can either keepe hand or head above water Thus David Psal 69.1 2. Save me O God I am come into the deep I sink in deep water where no standing is And he is at it againe verse 14. Deliver me least I sinke Sirs none can imagine but those that have felt how welcome a Leaning stock Christ is unto a soule in such a sinking condition but you who have sounded the deepes of
sing and say Who is this that comes out of the wilderness leaning upon her beloved but of others we may take up a lamentation a Jeremies sad song and say Who are all these that go farther and farther into the wilderness leaning upon their beloveds And as for those that goe downe into Aegypt they have multitudes of Reeds to leane upon many Gods and Lords many even as many as lusts Onyons Fleshpots Melons Cucumers Idols any thing but when God calls his Sonnes out of Aegypt then thus saith the Lord that brought thee out of the Land of Aegypt c. thou shalt have none other Gods beside me Many hands we may have to help us forward or backward rather into the wayes of sinne But there 's not one arme for a soule to leane unto while it comes from sinne but the alone arm of the Lord Jesus Christ Now as we say the more of those Gods the farther from God so the more of these leaning-stocks the farther from leaning upon the Lord Jesus The four usuall leaning-stocks of lost soules There are particularly foure things which lost soules doe generally more love and leane upon then Jesus Christ Sinne Satan the World and selfe And it is to be marked that scriptures charge our usuall carriage towards and in respect of these with Idolatry which is the setting of any thing up in Gods roome to love or lean upon as God which is not God 1. Sinne. First As for sin It is hence evident that sinners place that recumbency on it which they should on Christ because the Apostle enumerating the more notorious sinnes of their unregeneracy summes up all in this one word abominable Idolatries what were those why Lasciviousness lusts excess of Wine revellings drunkenness and abominable Idolatries Wines are the Drunkards Idols Women the Wantons Idols Prophaneness the Revellers Idol Yea every new lust a new Lord yea a new God as hee takes up new sin he hath new dependances upon sinne 1 Pet. 4.3 Hence John writing to those that 't is to be thought were farre enough from gross Idolatry concludes Little Children keepe your selves from Idols Amen 1 Joh. 5.21 Now you can never keepe your selves from Idols except you keepe your selves from sin Sinne ever deales as Solomons strange wives tempting first from the trusting in the true God and next to trusting in the false 2. Satan Secondly As for Satan You have heard him call'd the God of this world 2 Cor. 4.4 Therefore this world leanes upon Satan and trusts in him as their God 3. The world Thirdly As for the World 'T is plainly that which the worldling leans upon instead of God Hence those known passages Ephe. 5.5 The covetous man who is an Idolater and Col. 3.5 Covetousnesse which is Idolatry c. That is he loves and leanes upon Mammon more then God Fourthly As for Selfe The selfe-pleaser 4. Selfe that indulgeth his owne lustfull genius his belly is his God Phil. 3.19 The self-conceited self-confident and presumptuous sinner He sets his heart as the heart of God Ezek. 28.6 Strange expressions you will say yet are they Scripture-expressions you see they be and though many things be imported by them yet must this be a chiefe one that while Saints lean on Christ as their one and only Lord these leane upon Sin Satan Mamnon and themselves Of these in their order First Hinderance that doth in a positive way keepe off sinners from leaning upon Christ 1. Soules lean upon sin and thereby are hindred from leaning upon Christ Proofe of it is their leaning upon sin for proof See Psal 52.7 This is the man that made not God his trust but strengthned himself in his wickednesse What could be more expresse for both sinners make their wickednesse their stay and therefore it is that they make not God their staie so Isai 30.12 You trust in oppression and perversnesse and staie thereon It followes verse 15. Thus saith the Lord in returning and rest you shall be saved but ye would not and in quietnesse and confidence that is in the peace of believing shall be your strength and ye would not No no they could have both a stay and a strength in sinning and therefore they would none of Christs rest in the way of repenting or of his quietnesse and peace in the way of believing 'T is no wonder if sinners can have Crutches in a sinne that they neglect to seeke legges in a Saviour Now that sinners make sinne their leaning-stock Convictions of it 1. The careful hold that sinners keep of sinne I shall give you a two-fold Conviction 1. The charie and carefull and cordiall hold that they keep of sin Just as a lame man holds his Crutch so doth a sinner his sinne The head of it is bolstered and how neare is it to his heart There art that spiritually sow pillowes under their own and others arm-holes for wretched limping sinners to lean upon Ezek. 13.18 The lame man holds his Crutch fast in his right hand and will not by any means let it go as you may see the Lord was Davids leaning-stay for saith David I have set the Lord at my right hand therefore I shall not be moved Psal 16.8 and that Christ was the Spouses leaning-stay for she held and would not let him go Cant. 3.4 And the Apostle requires the Saints to hold that fast by which they may hold Christ fast viz. Holy confidence and the rejoycing of hope Heb. 3.6 By which is evinced that Christ and nothing else is the Saints leaning-stock So sinners have their lies in their right hand Isai 44.20 And they hold fast deceit and refuse to return Jer. 8.5 And this is a full Conviction your Consciences beare witnesse unto it that sinne is the sinners leaning-stock or that in the Prophets language The wicked trust in their wickednesse Isai 47.10 It is strange that a man should dare to sinne and then to trust in sin but oh that it were not more true 2ly In that they think that if their sinne fall they fall also 2ly In this it is too too manifest that sinne is the sinners leaning-stock in that the sinner thinkes that if his sin fall he shall fall too The reason which makes lame persons so loath to let their Crutches fall is because they know that then they shall fall too Did they not leane upon them whilest they stand they would not be affraid of falling with them when they fall Verily sirs If your Consciences beare you this witnesse that the reason why you doe not let your sinfull Alehouse-maintaining or Alehouse-keeping or Cheating fall is because you think that then you shall fall also 't is a plaine Conviction that your sin is your leaning-stock That of Diana's silver-smiths is a pregnant instance 't was a wicked craft that they had and an hellish gain that they made viz. by making instruments of abominable Idolatrie to that cursed vanity of the Ephesians Now they
sue for life like Haman but it shall be denyed thee and then thou shalt seek for Death but Death shall flye from thee Thou shalt neither live nor die but live to die and that to eternity This is thine End but behold it is endlesse Therefore thou shall cry yea sadly shalt thou cry an end is come but O that there were an end I dye I perish But O that I could perish If thou wilt not save me Lord kill me but he will do neither O let the Mountaines fall on me and let the hills cover me from thy presence and from the face of the Lamb and this is the only Petition that shall be granted thee but in a sad sense for Mountains of wrath shall fall upon thee and everlasting hills of Gods displeasure shall hide thee I will warrant thee from the face of his pitty and from the presence of his glory Then shalt call to Abraham for a drop but receive a River not of water to cool but of brimstone to bridle thy tormented tongue then shalt thou be thirsty and hardly bestead and shalt curse thy King and thy God and look upward Ah! sad home and homely entertainment Oh! sad welcome O! take it for a warning thou wretch thy Father the Devill is making a scourg for thee of his own chain and thou 'st find it so when hee gets thee in though he flatter thee home thy fellow servants that are in the same Condemnation with thee are prepared to smite thee yea when thou comest home then shall thine owne Conscience speak home because thou hast been a self-Murtherer therefore shalt thou ever be a self-tormentor Ah Satan shalt thou say Is this thy Fatherhood to thy Children is this the best hire thou givest thy servants is this thy kindness to thy friend Ah sirs are you the men that I called good fellowes was I thus mistaken in you am I thus rewarded by you Ah! how I spent my Estate my Time my Soule upon you how I lost the company of Saints to gaine yours the favour of God to gain yours how I displeased my Conscience to please your corruptions And do you thus requite my poor soul Oh cruel people and unkind Then shalt thou cry to thy Conscience ah why didst not thou speak and warn me that I might not have come into this place of torment but thy conscience shall reply Ah wretch Why didst not thou hear how often did I call but thou gavest me no answer but slightedst all my Counsell and wouldst none of my reproof Thou shalt accuse thy Conscience and thy Conscience shall accuse thee Thou shalt accuse thy Companions and they thee thou shalt accuse the serpent and the serpent shall accuse thee Then shalt thou look on the one hand and refuge faileth thee and on the other and there is none careth for thy soul Thou shalt look to thy Merchants with whom thou hast laboured from thy youth but they wander to their Quarters None of them save thee Thou shalt look to thy leaning-stocks but thine hope shal be cut off thy trust shal be as a spiders web then shall thy sinking soul cry out to thy shrinking supports will you also go away what my riches and what my righteousnesses and what the desire of mine eyes and the delight of mine heart I have treasured you up against the latter daies and will you now leave my soul in Hell and suffer one that loved you so dearly to see corruption Yet this shalt thou have from them because thou trustedst in them and it shall be answered concerning thee Lo this is the man that made not God his strength this is the soul that leaned not upon the Beloved Wherefore let me earnestly exhort you seriously to ask your soules this one Question which is the home that I am hasting to Hell or Heaven for there is not a third beside the grave and the grave is but thy long home but these are the everlasting homes if thou reply but how shall I know 't is soon answered if Christ be thy Way Heaven is thy Home and if any man be in Christ he is a new Creature but and if the Wildernesse be thy Way the place of Howling is thy Home therefore go to now lament and Howl for the miseries that shall come upon thee before the Evill daies come wherein thou shalt say I have no pleasure in them Other Uses might be made of this point viz. If there be no salvation for lost sinners but onely by leaning upon the Lord Jesus How may this inform us of inavailableness of all their supports of the folly of leaning on them How may this confute the Popish recumbency on the merits of our own Works our leaning to the Angells to the Virgin-Mother of our Lord or any other of the Saints and all reliance on the light of our own Wisdoms or might of our own wils as also any expectancy of salvation in any other Religion that teacheth not Christ to bee the onely or the all sufficient Saviour of lost sinners And what terror may this speak to such daring Wretches as make their sinns their Saviours and their lusts their leaning-stocks trusting as the Lord complains in their iniquities And on the other hand how great Encouragement to such as onely love and leane upon Jesus Christ to a fixednesse of heart whilst you trust in the Lord. And lastly how might we hence put you upon the tryall what is indeed your soules leaning-stock Is it Christ or another that we follow hard after that wee rejoyce most in that set our love most upon that wee leave others for that we cleave most unto for these I take to be true tryalls what is it is it that we have most recumbency on but each of these or something Equivalent hath already lyen before us in this discourse and therefore I shall say no more but Consider what hath been spoken and the Lord give you understanding in all things FINIS