delicious Roses Flowers Gardens Medows Forrests Seas Mountains Birds all the excellent Sons of Adam as they should have been in the world of innocency and let them all stand in their highest excellency before Jesus Christ the matchlesse and transcendent glory of that great All should turn the worlds all into pure Nothing what wonder then that this same Lord Jesus be the delight heaven of all in it Rev. 7.17 The Lamb hath his Throne in the midst thereof Rev. 22.4 And they shall see his face They do nothing else but stare gaze behold his face for ages are never satisfied with beholding suppose they could wear out their eyes at the eye-holes in beholding God they should still desire to see more To see him face to face hath a great deal more in it then is expressed words are short garments to the thing it self Your now sinfull face to his holy face your piece clay-face to his uncreated soul-delighting face is admirable We do not praise Christ and hold out his vertues to Men and Angels The creatures as the Heaven Sun Moon are Gods debtors and they owe him glory but men who have understanding and tongues are Gods Factors and Chamberlains to gather in the rent of glory and praise to God the heavens do indeed declare the glory of God Ps. 19.1 but they are but dumb Musitians they are the Harp which of it self can make no Musick the creatures borrow mans mouth and tongue to speak what they have been thinking of God and his excellency these five thousand years now all the glory of God and the glory of the creatures are made new by Christ Rev. 21.5 And made friends with God Col 1.20 and are in a speciall manner in the Mediator Christ he is Heb. 1.3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the irradiation or brightnesse of the glory and the character or expresse image of his person All creatures by Adams sin lost their golden luster and are now vanity-sick like a woman travelling in birth Rom. 8.22 All the creatures by sin did lesse objectively glorifie God then they should have done if sin had never been in the world and so they were at a sort of variance and division with God And it pleased Col. 1.20 the Father in Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to make friendship between God and all things that is to confirme Angels to reconcile man to restore the creatures to be more illustrious objects of his glory now the in-come of the rents of glory is more due to Christ and the debt the greater in that Christ hath made all things new and why should we not in the name of Sun Moon Earth Heaven which are all loosed from the arrestment of vanity by Christ and in the name of Angels and of Saints redeemed hold forth the praises the glory of God in Christ Pa◠pay what you owe to Christ O all creatures but especially you redeemed ones 3. Vse If Christ the Mediator be so excellent a person we are to seek our life the Gospel-way in Christ we often conceive Legall or Law-thoughts of Christ when we conceive the Father just severe and Christ his Son to be more meek and mercifull but the Text calleth him Lord and so that same God with the Father nor hath Christ more of Law by dying to satisfie the Law nor is he more mercifull then the Father because he and the Father are one there are not two infinite wills two infinite mercies one in the Father another in the Son but one will one mercy in both and we owe alike love and honour to both though there be an order in loving God and serving him through Christ. 4. Vse Infinite love and infinite majesty concur both in Christ love and majesty in men are often contrary to one another and the one lesseneth the other In Christ the infinite God breatheth love in our flesh 1. And we see but little of Christ we know not well the Gospel-spirit we rest much on duties to go civill Saints to Heaven but the truth is there be no Morall men and Civilians in Heaven they be all deep in Christ who are there we are strangers to Christ and believing 2. The spirit of a redeemed one can hardly hate a redeemed one or be bitter against them Christ in one Saint cannot be cruell to Christ in another Saint 3. Christ cannot lose his love or cast it away the love of Christ is much for conquering hearts his chariot is bottomed and paved with love duties bottomed on Christs love are spirituall as the Father accepteth not duties but in Christ so cannot we perform them aright when the principall and fountain cause is not the love of Christ Ioh. 21.15 5. Vse The Ancient of dayes the Father of Ages taketh a stile from his new House The Son of Man he hath an old House from whence he is named The Son of God he must affect us and his delight be with the sons of men when he taketh a name from us we should affect him and affect a communion with him and strive to have Christs new name as he taketh our new name The Son of man of David Son of David have mercy on me The second Article of her prayer is conceived under the name of Mercy Why Gods mercy is a spirituall favour deliverance to her daughter is but a temporary favour that may befall a Reprobate The Devil may be cast out of the Daughters body and not out of the Mothers soul. Yea but to the Believer all temporall favours are spiritualized and watered with mercy 1. They are given as dipped in Christs bowels and mercy wrapt about the temporary favour Mar. 1.41 Jesus cured the Leper but how Jesus moved with compassion put forth his hand and touched him So is the building of the Temple given but oyled with mercies Zach. 1.16 Therefore thus saith the Lord I am returned to Jerusalem with mercies my House shall be builded in it Epaphroditus recovered health but with it some of Gods heart and bowels also Phil. 1.27 For indeed he was sick neer to death but God had mercy on him 2. The ground of it is Gods mercy the two blinde men Mat. 20.30 put this in their Bill they cry Have mercy on us O Lord thou Son of David They will not have seeing eyes but under the notion of mercy David pained with sore sicknesse as some think or under some other rod of God desireth to be healed upon this ground Psal. 6.2 Have mercy on me O Lord for I am weak 3. Faith looketh to temporall favours as Faith with a spirituall eye as Christ and his merits goeth about them Heb. 11.22 By faith Joseph when he dyed made mention of the children of Israels departure 23. By faith Moses come to age refused to be called the son of Pharaohs daughter Why and that was but a civill Honour Moses his faith lookt at it in a spirituall manner 4. That same ground that
Gods not loving of men to Gods disposition heart will and pleasure and not to our defects is blasphemy Ans. The Lord ascribeth his having mercy and his hardning to his own Free-will Rom. 9.17 Exod. 33.19 and his love is as free as his mercy and by this means Gods first love to us should arise from our love preventing his contrary to his own word Deut. 7.7 Eph. 2.3 4. Tit. 3.3 2 Tim. 1.9 and man should be the first lover of the two the creature then putteth the Lord in his debt and giveth first to God and God cannot but recompence Esa. 40.13 14. Rom. 11.34 35. now it s no shame for us to live and dye in the debt of Christ The Heaven of Angels and men is an house of the debtors of Christ Eternally engaged to him and shall stand in his Debt-book ages without end Obj. 3. Infinite goodnesse may as soon cease to be as not be good to all or withhold mercy from any Ans. Every being of Reprobate Men and Devils is a fruit of Gods goodness but of Free-goodnesse else God should cease to be if he should turn his Creatures to nothing for he should cease to be good to things without himself if these were all turned to their poor mother-Nothing 2. Mercy floweth not from God essentially especially the mercy of Conversion Remission of sins Eternall life but of mer Gracc for then God could not be God and deny these favours to Reprobats Freedome of mercy and salvation is as infinitely sweet and admirable in God as mercy and salvation it self Obj. 4. But God is so essentially good to all as he must communicate his goodnesse by way of Justice in order to free obedience and that is life Eternal to those who freely beleeve and obey Ans. But the great Enemy of Grace Ja. Arminius teacheth us that all the freedom of Grace Rom. 9. is resolved in the free pleasure of God in which he freely and without hire purposed to reward Faith not the works of the Law with life Eternall whereas it was free to him to keep another order if so it shuld seem good to him and by this means God is yet freely and by an act of pure grace not essentially good to all even in communicating his goodnesse by way of Justice For what God doth by necessity of his nature and essence that he canot but do but sure it is by no necessity of nature doth the Lord reward works faith or any obedience in us with the Crown of life Eternal He may give heaven freely without our Obedience at all as he giveth the first Grace freely Eze. 16.6 7 8. Rom. 5.10 Ephes. 2.3 4 But this is surer the fewer have Grace Grace is the more Grace and the more like it selfe and free Obj. 5. But I have a good heart to GOD. Ans. A quiet heart sleeping in a false peace is a bad heart most of sinners give their souls to the Devil by theft they think they are sailing to heaven and know nothing till they shoare sleeping in the land of Death Matth. 7.21 22 23. Luk. 16.27 28. Obj. 6. Why But God hath bestowed on me many favours and riches in this world Ans. Gods Grace is not graven on gold it should be but the Logick of a beast if the slaughter Oxe should say The Master favoureth me more then any Oxe in the stall I am free of the yoak which is upon the neck of others and my pasture is fatter then theirs Obj. 7. The Saints love me Ans. The Saints can mis-father their love and love where God loveth not Obj. 8. All the world loveth me Ans. You are the liker to be a step-childe of Jerusalem and of Heaven for The world loveth its own Ioh. 15.19 better it were to have the world a step-Mother then to be no other but to lye in such a womb and suck such breasts Obj. 9. I believe life Eternall Ans. That Faith is with childe of Heaven but see it be not a false Birth few or none come to age and none clothed in white and Crowned but they were jealous of their Faith and feared their own wayes Naturall men stand aloof from Hell and Wrath. SERMON IV. The Woman was a Greek a Syrophenician by Nation MUch woe is denounced by the Prophets against Tyrus and Sidon yet sweet Jesus draweth by the curtain and openeth a window of the partition and saveth this Woman Loe here Christ planting in the wildernesse the Cedar the Shittah tree the Mirttle the Oyle tree Esa. 41.19 and here Esa. 55.13 is fulfilled And in stead of the thorn what better are Sidonians then thornes shall come up the Firre tree and in stead of the Bryar shall come up the Mirtle tree and no praise to the ground but to the good husband-man And it shall be to the Lord for a name for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off Christ then can make frame a fair Heaven out of an ugly Hell and out of the knottiest timber he can make vessels of mercy for service in the high Pallace of glory 1. What are they all who are now glorified The fairest face that standeth before the throne of Redeemed ones was once inked and blacked with sin you should not know Paul now with a Crown of a King on his head he looketh not now like a Blasphemer a Persecuter an injurious person The woman that had once seven Devils in her is a Marie Magdalen far changed and Grace made the change 2. Grace is a new world Heb. 2.5 The Land of Grace hath two Summers in one year Esa. 33.24 The inhabitant shall not say I am sick the people that dwell therein shall be forgiven their iniquity Ioh. 11.26 Whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never dye They are not mortall men that are in Grace there 's neither sicknesse nor death in that Land 3. We say of such a Physician he hath cured diseases that never man could hee cured stark death then you may commit your body to him he is a tryed Physician 1 Tim. 1.16 Christ hath made a rare copy a curious samplar of mercy of the Apostle Paul For in him he hath shewn all long-suffering for a pattern to them that should hereafter believe in him to life Eternall Heaven is a house full of miracles yea of spectacles and Images of Free-Grace you may intrust your soul with all its diseases to Christ he hath given many rare proofs of his tried art of Grace he hath made many black limbs of Hell fair Saints in Heaven such a man such an Artificier threw down an old dungeon of clay and made it up a fair Palace of Gold Obj. But what am I a lump of unrepenting guiltinesse and sin to such a vessel of mercy as holy Paul and repenting Mary Magdalen Ans. Grace as its in God and fitnesse to receive Grace in us is just alike to all There was no more
reason why Paul should obtain mercy then why thou or any other sinner like thee should obtain mercy there 's alike reason for me to have noble and broad thoughts of the rich Grace of Christ as for Abraham Moses David all the Prophets and Apostles to beleeve There was no greater ransom given by Christ to buy Faith and Free-grace for Noah Job and Daniel to Moses and Samuel then to poor and sinfull me it s one cause one ransome one Free-love If there had a Nobler and worthier Redeemer died for Moses and Paul then for you and me And another Heaven and a freer Grace purchased to them then to me I should have been discouraged Grace is Grace to thee as to meek Moses Christ is Christ to thee as to beleeving Abraham And farther The same Grace that is here is in Heaven 1. As Faith that is freely given us is the Conquest of the new heir Jesus Christ Joh. 6.44 Phil. 1.29 Eph. 1.3 So are all Christs Braclets about our neck in Heaven and the Garland of Glory the Free-grace of God it s the same day-light when the Sun breaketh forth out of the East and at noon-day in the highest Meridian though we change places when we dye we change not â—usbands 2. We stand here by Free-graâ—◠〈◊〉 5.2 Repentance and Remission of sins are freely given heer to Israel by the exalted Prince Christ Jesus Act. 5.31 Our tears are bought with that common ransome so the high Innes of the Royall Court of Heaven is a free and open house and no bill put upon the Inhabitants neither Fine nor Stent nor Excise nor Assessment nor Taxation all is upon the Royall charges of the Prince of the Kings of the earth there 's no more hire merit wages or fees there then here the income of glory for Eternitie and the life-rent of ages of blessednesse is all the good will of him which sitteth on the Throne Every apple of the tree of life is grace every sip every drop of the Sea and Riâ—ver of life is the purchase of the blood of the Lamb that is in the mids of them 3. They be as poor without Christ who are there as we are Glory is Grace and their dependency for ages of ages is that Rev. 7.17 That the Lamb which is in the midst of the Throne does feed them and lead them unto living Fountaines of waters and God wipeth all teares away from their eyes Then they cannot walk there alone but as the Lamb leadeth them and if Christ were not there or if he should take Grace Glory and all his own Jewels and Ornaments from Moses and Enoch there should remain no more there but poor nature As good Angels do therefore not fall because in Christ the head of Angels they are confirmed and if they lacked this confirming Grace they might yet fall and become Apostate Devils so the glorified in Heaven do therefore stand and are confirmed in the inheritance not by Free-will there more then here but by immediate dependence of Grace on the Lamb whom they follow whethersoever he goeth Grace then for kinde is as good as Heaven Glory glory to our ransome-payer 3. Her little daughter was vexed she saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 she is exceedingly devilled or grievously tormented with a devill Then observe that common punishments of sin and sad afflictions doth follow justified persons as well as the wicked for it was a sad burthen to the mother that the Devill had such a dominion over her daughter yet the Text cleareth that she was a justified person as her instancy of praying adoring and great Faith even prevailing over Christ under sad trialls do manifestly evidence and we see the reasons that the Scripture alledgeth 1. That the gold of precious Faith and the upright mettall therein may be seen 1 Pet. 1.7 Afflictions are the servants and Pursevants of the accusing Law sent out to cause us lay hold by Faith on peace made and pardon purchased in Christ The hot furnace is the work-house of Christ in that fire he taketh away the scum the drosse the refuse of the true mettall that Faith may be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearance of Jesus Christ 2. Afflictions drive us to seeek God they being Gods fire-men and his hired labourers sent to break the clods and to plow Christs land that he may sow heaven there but Christ must bring new earth to the soyle In prosperity we come to God but in a common way as the grave man came to the Theater only that he might go out again but in trouble the Saints do more then come they make a friendly visit when they come also the prayers of the Saints in prosperity are but Summer prayers slow lazie and alas too formall in trouble they rain out prayers or cast them out in con-naturall violence as a fountain doth cast out waters both these are in one well expressed by the Prophet Isa. 26.16 Lord in trouble they have visited thee they powr out a prayer when thy chastening hand is on them Vatablus expoundeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Malmad A murmuring or prayer which trouble powreth out the Chaldee Paraphrast turneth it silentium silence because the conscience weakened is silent it is a Prophesie what Gods fire doth effectuate which you have Hos. 5.15 In their affliction they will seek me early 3. We must be made like Christ in the Crosse and the Crown 2 Tim. 2.12 and conform to him Rom. 8.29 Christ the corner stone though there was no sin in him yet before he was made the chief corner stone he was by death hammered Act. 4.10.11 12. And much more the stroakes and smiting of the Crosse must knock downe all the superfluity of naughtinesse and every height till by smoothing and chipping the childe of God be made a stone in breadth length proportion smoothnesse some way conforme to the first Copy and to Christ the samplar-stone There is a fourth reason but it s a controverted one the justified person may be afflicted for sin some teach that this is Popery to affirme that the justified bear the punishment of their sin because Christ only was wounded for our iniquity and did bear in his own body our sins on the Tree therefore say they respect seemeth to be had as one speaketh to sin not principally but secundarily and occasionally not as it offendeth God who by that one sacrifice is for ever pacified Heb. 10.14 Mat. 3. but as it offendeth and diseaseth the minds of the faithfull not that afflictions simply properly and immeditly do ease quiet and cure the conscience for their naturall effect is to deject and terrifie as appendixes of the Law but that they awaken and stir up our dulnesse to a lively apprehension of Christs Righteousnesse and so while God as a Father correcteth for sin sin hath not properly with God the nature of sin which is an offence of Divine justice
But is considered as a disease troubling his childe which in love and in pity he seeketh to make riddance of in manner aforesaid and not in anger and displeasure It s true Papists hold that when God forgiveth sin in David he forgiveth not the punishment for David is punished with the sword on his house for that same sin but it is known that this doctrine is a too-fal and Pillar to underprop the Chamber in Hell which they call Purgatory and that their meaning is that punishment inflicted on a justified person is a punishment satisfactory to the justice of God that so they may make the merits of the Saints suffering to ride up as a collateral sharer with the high noble blood of the killed Lamb of God who onely satisfactorily taketh away the sins of the world This we disclaim But on the other hand we hold that there is another justice in God then that legall and sin-revenging justice which Christs sufferings hath expiated and fully satisfied both in regard of Gods acceptation and of the intrinsecall worth of the death of him who was God the Prince of life And this other justice is also the justice of an offended Father correcting though in mercy and so it is a mixt justice the sins of the Saints as sins 1. Because the sins of the Saints are not only the offending of divine revenging justice but also a wrong done against this mixt justice and against the mercy and kindnesse of God 2 Sam. 12.7 8 9. Exod. 20.1 2. Psal. 81.6 7 10 11 Psal. 78 11 12 13 42 53 54 55 56. Deut. 32.11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18. Amos. 3.2 And therefore God doth punish in his own sins as sins 2. 1 Cor. 11. Those who are not to perish with the world are for this cause because they eat and drink unworthily sick and punished with death v. 30 32 33. It is clear against the Text that Mr. Towne saith That a justified person having the least measure of Faith cannot eat drink unworthily the smallest Faith maketh them worthy and so those who in that Text did eat unworthily did but dally with the Gospel and never actually put on Christ. But Faith doth no more hinder a justified person to receive the Lords Supper unworthily then it doth hinder him to commit adultery or incest or to kill and whosoever should come to the Lords Table under these sins without repenting should Eat and Drink unworthily and such a sin may a believer according to Gods heart as David was commit and there is great oddes between being unworthy and eating unworthily all believers of themselves are unworthy of Christ and Salvation but being in Christ by Faith they are counted worthy and yet they may Eat and Drink unworthily but Mr. Townes sense seemeth to carry That a justified person cannot sin nor Eat and Drink unworthily because Faith maketh him worthy and if so the way of Grace is a wanton merry way the justified are freed from the Law and from any danger of sinning 3. Nothing more evident then that David was punished according to the rule of that mixed and fatherly justice which keeps a due proportion between the sin and the punishment his sin was to cut off Vriahs house out of Israel God sendeth the sword against his house all his dayes he took another mans wife secretly and did commit filthinesse with her the Lord took his wives before the Sun and gave them to Absolon who defiled his bed Here 's justice though I grant mixed with mercy sword for sword bed for bed 2 Sam. 12. Eli honoured his sons more then God suffered them to profane Priesthood and Sacrifices justice rooted out his sons from Priesthood and Sacrifices Hezekiah out of his pride shewed all his Treasures and all that was in his house to the King of Babylons Messengers and justice measured out the like to him all that was in his house and all his treasures were carried away as a spoile to Babylon 4. Ezek. 9.6 Slay old and young begin at my sanctuary Luk. 1.20 And behold thou shalt be dumb because thou believest not my word The Church of God In terminis saith so much Lamen 1.18 The Lord is righteous for I have rebelled against his Commandment 14. The yoke of my transgression is bound by his hand they are wreathed and come up upon my neck ch 3.39 Wherefore doth a living man complain a man for the punishment of his sin 40. Let us search and try our wayes and turn again to the Lord Isa. 42.24 Who gave Jacob for a spoil Israel to the Robbers did not the Lord against whom we have sinned Mica 7.9 I will bear the indignation of the Lord because I have sinned 2 Kin. 24.20 For through the anger of the Lord it came to passe in Ierusalem and Iudah untill he had cast them out from his presence that Zedekiah rebelled against the King of Babylon It s not of weight that is brought to take off the force of these pregnant Scriptures The Church consisting of mixed persons good and bad elect and reprobate say they is according to the wicked party punished in justice but not the believing party But I answer all Iudah good and and ill Ieremiah Daniel and all the holy seed were involved with the perverse and obstinate Idolaters in the same common calamity of a sad captivity and it was not the ill figs and stiffe-necked Idolaters that did confesse the Lords Righteousnes and their own Rebellion against the Lord nor did the wicked party enter in a Triall of their wayes and acknowledge that the unregenerate man only suffereth for his sins nor did any of that side with patience hope and silence bear the indignation of the Lord it was the true Church Gods Iacob the meek of the earth that did thus stoop to Gods correction and yet these same were punished for their sins as they acknowledge Lam. 1.18 Mic. 7.9 5. This is also against the Covenant and threatnings thereof Lev. 26.21 And if ye walk contrary to me and will not hearken to me I will bring seven times more plagues on you to vers 41. If then in their heavy afflictions their uncircumcised hearts be humbled and they then accept of the punishment of their iniquity 42. Then will I remember my Covenant with Jacob Psal. 89.30 If his children forsake my Law and walk not in my judgements c. 32. Then will I visit their transgressions with the rod their iniquitie with stripes 33. Neverthelesse my loving kindnesse will I not utterly take from him c. Nothing more evident then that these that are in the Covenant of Grace from whom God cannot remove the sure mercies of David are visited for their iniquities with temporall Rods. 6. It is against Gods anger and displeasure at the sins of his own children for God is really angry at his own childrens sins and why then doth he not punish them for their sins Exod. 4.14 The anger
humility is no daring grace it dare scarce seek to be a door keeper in heaven it setteth it self in hell 2. Though humility be well born of kin to sweet Iesus who is lowly and meek Yet Christ and Christ only is humilities free-hold The humble soul knoweth no Land-lord but Christ and is only Graces humble Tenant there is none to him but the Lord Jesus with his rich ransom of blood 1 Tim. 1.16 17. So there is much humility in heaven if it were possible that tears could be in heaven the humble Saints that are there should not see Christ reach out a Crown to set on their head but they should weep and hold away their head yea the glorified are ashamed to bear a crown of glory on their head when they look Christ on the face and so cannot but cast down their crownes before the Throne Rev. 4.10 3. All the Saints truly humbled cry up Christ and down themselves and in their own books are farre from Christ as any Matth. 8.8 9. I am not worthy that thou shouldst come under my roof but speak the word only and my servant shall be healed yea we gather from Jobs pleading chap. 14. that humble Saints think not themselves only below grace and mercy but also below the glory of justice and wrath Job 14.2 Man fleeth also as a shadow and continueth not 3. And dost thou open thine eyes upon such a one and bringest me unto judgement with thee 4. Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean one Not one he would say I am not only frail by condition of nature being a shadow of clay v. 1 2. But also by birth sinfull and unclean by reason of sin originall I am therefore a party unworthy of the anger of God as a Beggar is not worthy of the wrath of the Emperour or a worm of the indignation of an Angel 4. Any man is nearer God then the humble soul in his own eyes Psal. 22.24 Our father 's trusted in thee c. 6. I am a worme and no man Because humility is a soul smoothed and lying levell with it self no higher then God hath set it Ps. 131.1 I do not exercise my self in great matters or in things too high for me The proud soul hath feathers broader then his nest 5. The humble soul is a door-neighbour to Grace Christ is near a casten-down mourner in Zion to give him beauty for ashes the garments of praise for the spirit of heavinesse Isa. 61.3 Christ hath a Napkin for the wet face of a humbled sinner Christ the Chirurgion of souls hath a wheel to set in joynt the broken heart Isa. 61.1 There 's a Saviours hand in heaven to wheel in an ill-boned soul on earth Ps. 51.8 O what consolation Christ doth both seek and save the self-lost soul Luke 19.10 The Lamb one of the lowliest and meekest creatures hath a bed beside the heart and in the bosome of Christ Isa. 40.11 He shall carry the Lambs in his bosome yea he shall deliver the needy when he cryeth the poor also and him that hath no helper Ps. 72.12 The Lord giveth more grace he resisteth the proud and giveth grace to the humble Grace upon grace is for the humble Jam. 4.6 6. The humble cannot complain of Gods dispensation 1 Sam. 15.26 Humble David But if the Lord say I have no delight in thee behold here am I let him do to me as seemeth good to him That I am not fettered with the Prince of darknes is the debt of grace on me then that you are any thing lesse then timber and fire-wood for Tophet put it up in Christs compt and strike sail to Christ and stoop to him 7. Yet is the hope of the humble green at the root it shall not be as a broken tree Ps. 9.18 1. Because God shall save the humble Job 22.29 2. And hear his desire Psa. 10.17 3. Revive his spirit Isa. 57.15 4. Beautifie him with salvation Ps. 149.4 5. Honour him Prov. 15.33 6. Satisfie him Psal. 22.26 7. Guide him i◠judgment Ps. 25.9 8. Encrease his joy Isa. 29.19 9. Blesse him Mat. 5.5 and give him a sure inheritance None can extoll Crace as the humble soul 1 Cor. 15.10 Not I but the grace of God in me 1 Cor. 4. I have written that ye be not puffed up for one against another 7. For who maketh to differ from another And what hast thou that thou didst not receive 1 Cor. 1.27 28 29. Then because thou art litle in thine own eies put not thy self out of graces writing for God putteth thee in Grace is mercy given for nothing and the promise is made to the humble In the judgment of sense every one is to esteem another better then himself Phil. 2.3 Peter is to have a deeper sense of his own sinfull condition then of the sinfull condition of Judas the Traitor Though Peter being graced of God owe more charity to himself then to Iudas when Judas is a known Traitor yet should not humility decline to that extream as to weaken Faith and to say because I am unworthy of pardon therefore its presumption to believe pardon of sins Beware of Pride the Elephants neck and knees that cannot bow God must break God knoweth the proud afar off Psal. 138.6 the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gavoah is the high man the Scripture word Iam. 4.6 is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the proud man is an appearance not a reall thing and an appearance more then enough the Phrase importeth two 1. It s borrowed from men who see things near hand before they see things afar off and so more of their eyes is fixed on that which is near hand and so it s more delighted in we see things a far off with lesse delight to the sense Lorinus Quasi in transitu videre and with contempt The humble man lieth near Gods eye the proud man is further from his eye and seen in the by and with contempt by God 2. A man seeth his enemy a far off and loveth not to come near to him God hath an old quarrell against pride as one of the oldest enemies born in heaven in the breast of the fallen Angels and thrown out of heaven and it seeketh to be up at its own element and countrey where it was born as proud men are climbing and aspiring creatures But God a far off resisteth the proud and denieth grace or any thing of heaven to the proud Pharisee When God first seeth a proud man he saith Behold my enemy the lowly man is Christs friend 4. Though the woman be a dog in her own eyes and so a sinner See O sinner rich mercy that Christ should admit of dogs to his Kingdom O Grace that Christ should black his fair hands to speak so in washing foul and defiled dogs How unworthy sinners and so foul sinners that they should be under Christs table and eat his bread within
the Kings house What a motion of free mercy that Christ should lay his fair spotlesse and chast love upon so black defiled and whorish souls O what a favour that Christ maketh the Leopard and Ethiopian white for heaven These two go together Rev. 1. 5. Who has loved us and washed us Humble sinners have high thoughts of free-grace stand not afar off come near be washed for frâ—e-grace is not proud when grace refuseth not dogs salvation must be a flour planted without hands that groweth only out of the heart of Christ. Take humble thoughts of your selves and noble and high thoughts of excellent Jesus to heaven with you A curse upon the creatures proud merits if you make price with Christ and compound with everlasting grace you shame the glory of the Ransom-payer It s no shame to die in Christs debt all the Angels the Cedars of heaven are below Christ Angels and Saints shall be Christs debters for eternity of ages and so long as God is God sinners shall be in graces compt-book The truely humble is the most thankfull soul that is unthankfulnesse is one of the sins of the age we live in it floweth from 1. Contemning and despising Gods instruments The valour of Jephâ—ah is no mercy to Israel because the Elders hate and despise a bastard Judg. 11.1 2 6. The curing of Naamans leprosie is not looked on as a mercy Why washing in Jordan must do it and there be better Rivers in his own land in Damascus Not only God but all his instruments that he worketh by must be eye-sweet to us and carry God and omnipotency on their foreheads else the mercy is no mercy to us 2. Mercies cease to be mercies when they are smoaked and blacked with our apprehensions David 2 Sam. c. 18. and 19. receiveth a great victory and is established on his Throne which had been reeling and staggering of late but there 's one sad circumstance in that victory his dear son Absalom was killed and the mercy no mercy in Davids apprehension Would God I had died for Absolom so a little crosse can wash away the sense of a great mercy The want of a draught of cold water strangles the thankfull memory of Gods wonders done for his peoples deliverance out of Egypt and his dividing the Red-sea What a price would the godly in England have put on the removall of that which indeed was but a Masse-book and the burdensome Ceremonies within these few years But because this mercy is not moulded and shapen according to the opinion of many with such and such a Reformation and Church-government I am affraid there 's fretting in too many in stead of the return of praise and hating of these for whom they did someties pray God grant that the sufferings of the Land and this unnaturall blood-shed may be near an end except the Land be further humbled I fear the end of evils is not yet come This is a directing of the Spirit of the Lord to teach God how to shape and floor his mercies toward us Is it not fitting there be water in our wine and a thorne in our Rose Shall God draw the lineaments and proportion of his favours after the measure of my foot Shall the Almighty be instructed to regulate his wayes of supernaturall providence according to the frame of our apprehensions O he is a wise Lord and wonderfull in counsell Every mercy cannot be overlaid with Saphires and precious stones nor must all our deliverances drop sweet smelling-Myrrhe God knoweth when and how to levell and smooth all his favours and remove all their knots in a sweet proportion to the main and principal end the salvation of his own There is a crook in our best desires and a rule cannot admit of a crook even in relation to the creature far lesse to him who doth all things after the counsell of his own will Truely Lord the Dogs See and consider this woman whose faith was great as Christ saith and so was justified she confesseth and esteemeth her self a Dog and so an unworthy and prophane person Doct. A justified beleever is to confesse his sins to have a sense and sorrow for them though they be pardoned The word is clear for both confession and sorrow for sin though Antinomians make it a work of the flesh in the justified person either to confesse sin or to sorrow for it or to crave pardon for it For confession there is commandment practice promise Num. 5.6 Speak unto the children of Israel when a man or a woman shal commit any sin that men commit to do a trespasse against the Lord and that person be guilty Then they shall confess their sin that they have done This is not a duty of the unconverted onely but tying all the children of Israel men and women Jam. 5.16 Confesse your faults one to another Now it s not confession to men only as if they were sins only before men which the justified person committeth and not sins in the Court of heaven before God as Libertines teach therefore it is added Confesse and pray one for another that ye may be healed for the effectuall fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much Then justified persons are to pray for pardon of sins confessed I take it to be a precept that as many as say Our Father to God in prayer should also say Forgive us our sins as we forgive them that sin against us and so pardon of sins by a justified person and a son of God is to be asked when we pray for Daily bread and the comming of Christs Kingdome Hos. 14.2 Take with you words and turn to the Lord say unto him Take away all iniquity This must be a confession that a people turned to the Lord are in their iniquities 2. This is set down as a commendable practice Exra 10.1 Ezra confessed and weeped Neh. 9.1 2. And the seed of Israel separated themselves from all strangers and stood and confessed their sins and the iniquity of their fathers Dan. 9.4 I prayed unto the Lord made my confession So David 2 Sam 12.13 I have sinned against the Lord. Isa. 64.5 the Church confesseth Thou art wroth for we have sinned 6. But we are all as an unclean thing Isa. 59.12 For our transgressions are multiplied before thee and our sins testifie against us Job 7.20 I have sinned against thee O preserver of man Psal. 40.12 My sins are more in number then the hairs of my head Jer. 14.7 Our iniquities testifie against us our backslidings are many It s a vain shift to say The Church prayeth and confesseth in name of the wicked party not in name of the justified ones for as many as were afflicted confesseth their sins for the which the hand of God was upon them now Gods hand was upon all Daniel and Jeremiah were carried away captive yea the whole seed of Iacob Isa. 42.24 25. Isa. 64.5 6 7. and Ieremiah Lament 1.16 in name of the
be grace Grace is not only singly in the Saints but Grace and peace must be multiplyed on them 4. The standing and prorogated intercession and advocation of Jesus Christ every day upon occasion of new committed sins 1 Joh. 2.1 2. and the golden Altar that hath been hot these 1600. yeers Rev. 8.3 4. with the fresh prayers of the Saints must have a daily use so long as Christ is in the Office of the great true and exalted high Priest now passed into the holy of Holiest and better it is that Christ act Grace again and again in heaven as we sin again and again on earth then that the act of our high Priests intercession had been all but one act on the Cross and the way to heaven was made long and falls there must be in the way to the end that I might lodge many nights and moneths by the way with my guide Christ and my expences and charges in the way might be free-Grace 5. Faith hath its work in our graduall mortification wee beleeve that Christ shall perfect what he hath begun so it was needfull that Winter and moneths of Spring and Summer go before our harvest and reaping of the fruits of the tree of life 6. Christ works in the lower kingdom as making the higher kingdom the copy and samplar of his working now it s most sutable for flowers and roses that must be transplanted to grow up in the high garden beside the tree of life and to blossome out glory for all eternity that they grow for a time in the land of Grace that they may take kindly with the soil so the lower and higher gardens of Glory and Grace differ not in nature what groweth in the one can wel grow in the other they cannot suit with the happinesse of that land except they have experienced the holinesse of continued Grace in this land and Christ maketh storms of sin to blow upon his young heirs for their Winter God keeping life at the root that they may be fitter for an eternally green flourishing Summer of Glorie and when Christ consecrated himself through many afflictions that he might be an heir suitable for Glory he being brought through fire and water hot and cold and many changes to heaven and so came to eternall happinesse through many yeers continued holinesse it was not fit that Christ who was to make heirs like his rule and samplar should bring them to glory with a leap and a step from a justified condition to a glorified estate without an intervening progresse in sanctification and holinesse Christ understandeth well the fundamentall Laws of the higher City the new Jerusalem the frame of the government of that kingdom is that none be received as free Citizens of Glory but such as have served Apprentices Minors little children under Tutors to Grace and the way of holinesse he is of too short standing who cometh hot and smoking out from his lusts a justified sinner to step immediatly into Glory and so here is a stranger welcomed to heaven from hell a childe of Satan playing at the Devils fire side yesterday or the last hour now this day this same very hour must be inrolled amongst those who walketh with the Lamb in white Some Souldiers I grant are advanced to be high Commanders Per saltum by a leap but it s for some piece of rare service to the Prince and State and its like the repenting Theef in few hours space had been in three severall Kingdoms in the state of Nature the Kingdom of Darknesse and the Kingdome of Grace and that day with Christ in Paradise But this is I conceive rare and give me leave to say Princes at their Coronation do some extraordinary acts of Grace by priviledge of the new Crown that they may hansell the new Throne with acts of Mercy Christ was now in an act of pure unmixed Grace actually and formally redeeming the lost world on the Crosse and was now this day crowned by his Mother the Church and installed King-Redeemer of Saints and therefore would hansell Paradise with a sinner by a priviledge of matchlesse Grace there is but one example of it in all the Scripture 7. The way to heaven is sweeter that it should be here Nulla dies sine Linea that every day and hour that we sin as every hour we contract new debt Christs free Grace might have its daily flux the fountain opened to the house of David daily running renewed forgiveness going along with this day our daily bread hence these noble acts of Grace 1. Every sin the least omission by Law is hell Deut. 27.26 Gal. 3.10 two sins must be two hells seven sins seven hells then multiplied sins to the number of the hairs of Davids head Psal. 40.12 and not sins only but innumerable iniquities must cause the account of Christs free Grace to swell and arise to a deliverance from two from seven from innumerable hells O Grace every day every hour So then the Rebell brought nine times a day twenty times a day for the space of fourty yeers by his Princes Grace from under the ax how fair and sweet are the multiplied pardons and reprivals of Grace to speak so Here is multitudes of multiplied redemptions here is plenteous redemption I defile every hour Christ washeth I fal Grace raiseth me I come this day this morning under the reverence of Justice Grace pardoneth me and so along while Grace put me into heaven The Lambs Book of life containeth not onely the names of those who are ordained for that blessed end of eternall life but also the means leading to the end then here are written all the sins alâ—â—he pardons of free Grace since the first Adam sinned O but the Book of life must be a huge Volume O how large and broad and long must the Accompts of the Grace of Christ be 2 We are not saved compleatly because justified but Rom. 8.23 We are expectants of the Divinity of immediate vision groan within our selves waiting for the Adoption the Redemption of our body v. 24. and are saved by hope In regard of Title we are saved compleatly but in another sense we are but Lords and Kings in Title only we are far from the Lands Rents Crown and our fathers house and so are not saved while our feet stand within the streets of the new Jerusalem 3. In this consideration we sigh in our fetters and bolts and sin remaineth in us for our exercise and humiliation that we may have an habituall ingagement to Iesus Christ and his Grace that soul loveth much to whom much is forgiven and especially when in sense and frequent experiences much and multiplied backslidings are forgiven Obj. 1. But justification is one indivisible act of Grace pardoning all sins past present and to come and is not a successive and continued act in progresse alwayes such as is sanctification for we are but once justified I answer by these following Assertions Asser. 1. There is a
Popish superstition but that such is Christs excellencie that any thing that hath the poorest relation to him is desirable for him 2. A poor woman Luke 7. sought no more of him but to wash the feet of Christ and kisse them Another woman Matth. 9.21 If I may but touch the border of his garment I shal be whole Mary Magdalen sought but to have her arms filled with his dead body Joh. 20.15 She saith weeping to the Gardiner as she supposed Sir if thou hast born him hence tell me where thou hast laid him and I wil take him away To Joseph of Arimathea his bloody winding sheet and his dead and hoâ—ed and torn body in his arms are sweet Christs Clay is Silver and his Brasse Gold 3. Christs â—harpest rebukes are sweet oyl the wounds â—nd the holes that the sweet Mediatour maketh 〈◊〉 the soul when he smiteth with the rod of his â—outh are with child of comforts he rebuked â—ot the Serpent as not minding salvation to Saâ—an but rebuked Evah intending the promised â—â—od for her O what sweetnesse of love is that â—â—pression Jer. 31.20 For since I spake against Ephraim I do earnestly remember him I will 〈◊〉 have mercy on him saith the Lord. Then rebuking of Ephraim which is called speaking against him is dipt in mercy Hos. 11.7 My people are bent to back-sliding this is a rebuke sharp enough yet he chides himself friends with the people v. 8. How shall I give thee up O Ephraim mine heart is turned within me Here is kissing and love wrapped about rebuksâ— so Jer. 3.1 Thou hast played the harlot with many lovers but see mercy Yet return to me saith the Lord. 4. His black and sowre Crosse is sweet and honied with comfort his dead Body a bundle of myrrhe Cant. 1.13 The smell of which is strong and fragrant and sweateth out precious gum rejoycing in tribulations Rom. 5.3 Count it joy all joy when ye fall in divers temptations Jam. 1.2 The Eagles smell heaven in the crosse and Christ in it Gal. 6.14 Yea the refuse and the worst of Christs crosse the shame and the reproaches of Christ are sweeter and choicer to Moses then the Treasures Riches yea then the Kingdome of Egypt and the glory of it Heb. 11. ver 26 27. yea the shame and blushing on Christs fair face Heb. 12.2 which he suffered under the Crosse is fairer then Rubies and Gold and hath the colour of the Heaven of Heavens Nebuchadnezzar hath more pain torment in persecuting Dan. 4.19 then the three children had in being persecuted There 's pain and fury in active persecution He was full of fury and the form of his visage changed but there is joy unspeakable and glorious in passive persecution Christs sanctified crosse droppeth honey 1 Pet. 1.6 5. Christs glownings and sad desertions though to the believer they be death and hell yet have much of heaven in them So Psal. 30.7 Thou turnedst away thy face and I was troubled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Niuhal I was troubled like a withered flower that loseth sap and vigor So Exod. 15.15 The Dukes of Edom 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Niuhaln were amazed yet at that time David prayed cryed and was heard ver 8 9 10. The sweetest communion that Christ seeketh of us on earth is prayer Cant. 2.14 and Cant. 5. Desertion is death it self and a death to the soul. 6. I opened to my beloved and my beloved had withdrawn himself and was gone And what was the Churches case My soul went forth from me The Arabick My soul departed I died So is death described by the like phrase Gen. 35.18 Rachels soul was in departing for she died And when men are stricken with sudden fear the heart is said to goe out So Gen. 42.28 The soul of Josephs brethren departed that is they were extreamly amazed When they found their money in their sacks The like was the case of the Church when CHRIST departed she died for sorrow the soul departed from the soul because her Lord and beloved was gone Yet even that death that soul-hell in the want of Christ was a Heaven it was a sweet and comfortable season then hath she a commuion with him in a most heavenly manner 1. Asking at the watchmen for him 2. In binding sad charges on the Daughters of Jerusalem to commend her to God by prayer 3. Then was she sick of Love for him 4. Then fell she out in that large Love rapture in a most heavenly praise of him in all his vertues My welbeloved is white and ruddy and the chief amongst ten thousand c. Here then the Hell that Christ throweth the Saints in in their Desertions is their heaven 6. The meanest and lowest relation with Christ is honour John Baptist placeth an honour in unloosing the Latchets of his shooes and thinketh to bear his shooes is more honour then he deserveth Joh. 1.27 David a great Prophet appointed to be a King O if I might be so near the Lord as to be a door-keeper in his house Ps. 84.10 He putteth a happinesse on the Sparrow and the Swallow that may build their nests beside the Lords Altar Then the fragments and crums that his dogs eateth must be the dainties of heaven and Christs water the wine of heaven Now if any the lowest thing of Christ the Morsell of his dogs be desireable how sweet must himself be if the parings of his bread be sweet What must the great loafe Christ himself be Christ himself is so taking a Lover he hath a face that would ravish love out of Devils so they had Grace to see his beauty he could lead captive all hearts in hell with the lovelines of his countenance which is white and ruddy and pleasant as Lebanon if they had eyes to behold him O he himself is an unknown Lover he hath neither brim nor bottome his Gospel is the unsearchable riches of Christ his Gospel is but a creature How unsearchable must he himself be The wise man Prov. 30.4 putteth a riddle upon all the wisest on the earth Solomon all What is his name We know neither name nor thing Isa. 53.8 Who shall preach his generation O what a mercy â— that he will give sinners leave to love him Or honour us so much that we may lay our black and spotted love on so lovely and fair a Saviour That such an infinite and desireable love as Christs Love should come to borrow that expression within the sides of thy love and heart is a wonder Alas it s a narrow circle and not capacious to contain him and his love that passeth knowledge Eph. 3.19 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It over passeth and transcendeth far the narrow comprehension of created knowledge either of men or Angels To seek Grace is desireable but suppose any person were a Masse and nothing but composed of pure Grace and yet want Christ himself he should be but a broken lamed creature put a soul in heaven and let
defile his precious sinlesse Royall and Princely blood by dipping in such a loathsome foul and deformed creature as a sinner is Rev. 1.5 Dogs eat the crums Here be degrees of persons and things in our Fathers house Children and dogs yet dogs which the Lord of the house owneth here is a high table and bread and a by-board or an after-table and crums for dogs here be persons of honour Kings sons cloathed in Scarlet and sitting with the King at dinner when his Spikenard sendeth forth a smell and here be some under the table at the feet of Christ waiting to receive the little drops of the great honey-comb of rich grace that falleth from him Follow Christ and grace shall fall from him his steps drop fatnesse especially in his Palace 1 Joh. 2.12.13.14 There be in our Lords house little children babes there be in it also experienced ancient Fathers for Grace hath gray haires for wisedom not for weaknesse there be strong men also Christ was once a little stone but he grew a great mountain that filled the whole earth yea and the heaven too Christ is a growing childe In Christs lower firmament there be stars of the first and second magnitude and in his house vessels of great and of small quantity cups and flagons Isa. 22.24 yet all are fastened upon the Golden-nail Jesus Christ. 2. All are in the way the plants all growing but one is a grain of mustard seed and a rose not broken out to the flower and another is a great tree its morning and but the glimmering of the rayes of the day-star in one and its high Sun perfect day near the noon-day with another Strong father Abraham mighty in believing was once a babe on the breasts that could neither creep nor stand nor walk The love of Christ in its first rise is a drop of dew that came out of the womb of the morning the mother in one night brought forth an hoste an innumerable millions of such babes and covered the face of the earth with them But this drop of dew groweth to a Sea that swelleth up above hell and the grave Cant. 8.6 7. It is more then all the floods and seas of the earth and floateth up to the Heaven of Heavens and up and in it must be upon Christ 1 Pet. 1.8 Ye see not Christ yet ye love him It overfloweth Christ and taketh him and ravisheth his heart It is a strong chain that bindeth Christ when the grave sin death devils could not bind him Can. 4.9 Act. 2.24 3. Christs way of administration is a growing way his Kingdom is not a standing nor a sitting nor a sleeping Kingdome But its walking and posting Thy Kingdome come An increasing Kingdom a growing peace Isa. 9.7 Of the increase of his Government and peace there shall be no end In regard of duration even in heaven there shall be a growing of his Kingdom There 's not yesterday and to morrow and the next year in heaven yet there 's a negative increase glory and peace shal ascend in continuance and never come to an height the Sun never decline the long day of Christs glory and peace shall never end Christ is saying even now Father I must have all my children up with me that where I am there they may be also And therefore the head draws up to him now a finger then a toe now an arm then a leg he hath been these sixteen hundred years since his Ascension drawing up by death whole Churches the Saints at Corinth at Româ— at Philippi The seven Candlesticks and the seven Stars of Asia are long ago up above Orion and the seven Stars and are now shining up before the Throne This consecrated Captain of our Salvation will not sleep till his Fathers house be filled till all the numerous ofspring and the Generations of the first born be up under on roof with their Father Heaven is a growing Family the Lord of the house hath been gathering his flocks into the fair fields of the Land of Praises ever since the first Abel died and all down along the believers were gathered to their Fathers 1. Vse is that we despise not the day of smal things Gods beginning of great works is smal What could be said of a poor womans throwing of a stool at the man who did first read the new Service Book in Edenburgh It was not looked at as any eminent passage of Divine Providence yet it grew till it came up to Armies of men the shaking of three Kingdomes the sound of the Trumpet the voice of the Alarm the lifting up of the Lords Standart destruction upon destruction garments rowled in blood and goeth on in strength that the vengeance of the Lord and the vengeance of his Temple may pursue the Land of Graven Images and awake the Kings of the Earth to rise in Battle against the great Whore Babylon that the Jews may return to their Messiah and Israel and Judah ask the way to Zioâ— with their faces thitherward weeping as they go that the Forces of the Gentiles and the Kingdoms of the world may become the Kingdoms of God and of his Son Jesus Christ. And this act of a despised woman was one of the first steps of Omnipotencie God then began to open the mouth of the Viall of his wrath to let out a little drop of vengeance upon the seat of the Beast and ever since the right arme of the Lord awaking hath been in action and in a growing Battle against all that Worshipped the Beast and received his mark on their right hand and their forehead and who knoweth but Christ is in an act of conquering to create a new thing on the earth and subdue the people to himself Omnipotencie can derive a Sea a world of noble and glorious works from as smal a Fountain as a straw a ram-horn yea Jaw-bone of a dead Asse God can put forth omnipotencie in all its flowers and golden branches of over-powering and incomparable excellencies upon meer Nothing the winde is an empty unsolid thing the Sea a fluid and soft and ebbing creature yet the wind is Gods chariot he rideth on it and the Sea his walk his paths are in the great waters 2. Vse A crum that falleth from Christs Table hath in it the nature of bread some weak ones complain O I have not the heart of God like David nor the strong faith of Abraham to offer my son to death for Christ nor the burning fire of the zeal of Moses to wish my name may be razed out of the Book of life that the Lord may be glorified nor the high esteem of Christ to judge all but losse dung for Jesus Christ as Paul did But what if Christ set the whole loafe before the children is it not well If thou lie but under Christs feet to have the crums of mercy that slippeth through the fingers of Christ The lowest room in heaven even behinde the door is heaven 1. There 's a
to the sails in that flux of the souls way toward God But Faith moderateth and lesseneth all these in relation to the creature so the Faith which hath its direct aspect toward eternity and looketh on the shortnesse of sliding away time and the transâ—ent wheeling away oâ— the poor figure of this world 1 Cor. 7. v. 29.31 turneth all these acts into but half a face on thâ— creature and into leasurely and leaden motions or to half non-acts as if made up of heavenlâ— contradictions v. 29 30 31. Having wives having no wives Weeping no weeping Rejoicing no rejoicing Buying no possessing Vsing the world not using the world When the Saints throng through the presse and croud of the creatures for the world is a bushie and rank wood thorns take hold of their garments and retard them in their way Faith looseth their garments riddeth them of such thornie friends as are too kind to them in their journy who diggeth for Iron and Tin in the earth with mattocks of Gold What wise man would make a Web of cloth of gold a net to catch fish Expences should over-grow gains There 's much of the mettall of heaven in the soul Faith would forbid us to wear out the threds of this immortall spirit such as are love joy fear sorrow upon peeces of corruptible clay Alas is it Faiths light that setteth men a work to make the soul a golden-needle and the precious powers and affections thereof threds of silver to sow together peeces of sackcloth and old rotten rags What better I pray you is the finest of the web in the whole systeme of creation Certainly the heavens must be a thred of better wool then the clay-earth yet if you should break your immortal spirit and bend all the acts to the highest extent of your affections to conquer thousands of Acres of ground in the Heavens and intitle your soul to that inheritance as to your onely patrimonie without Christ Faiths day-light should discover to you that this finest part of that web of Creation with which you desire to cloth your precious soul is but base wool and rotten thred and though beautifull and well dyed to the eye yet Psal. 102.26 The heavens even all of them shall wax old like a garment And the wisdome of Faith knoweth a shop where there 's a more excellent suit of clothes for the soul 2 Cor. 5.1 2. And a more precious peece of the Heaven to dwell in even a House which is from Heaven with which you shall bee clothed When life shall eat up death and mortality 2. The creatures are below the affections of the believer and his affections conquer them as having the vantage of the mount above all the creatures So Paul maketh an elegant contrariety Phil. 3.19 20. Between those whose heart senses minde findeth neither smell taste nor wisedome but in earthly things for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to minde things of the earth importeth all these and those who by Faith look to Heaven and dwell there And the temporaries heart is below the world and the creatures are up in the mount above him So Mat. 13. v. 7.22 The thorns or cares of riches have the fore-start of the earth and sap above Faith or the good seed For the seed was cast in the earth when the thorns had been there before and had the vantage of the season and the soil both The first love is often strongest The Martyrs Heb. 11.35 had poor and weak thoughts of this life and would not accept and welcome life and deliverance from death but had strong acts of Faith and love toward a better resurrection It s a souls strong Faith that bringeth him to nil admirari and to wonder at nothing Never to love much nor fear much nor sorrow much nor joy much nor weep much nor laugh much nor hope much nor dispaire much when the creature is the object of all these acts there is nothing great not the worlds All things or their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to him who is possessed with that Righteousnes which is of God by Faith Phil. 3.8 9. Men that talketh with good will and all their heart of their learning books of their own Acts good Works Wisdom Court Honour valour in War Flocks Lands Gold Moneys Children Friends Travels are to Examine If Faith be not a chaste thing and that acts of whoredome with the creature and of believing in Christ are scarce consistent Let your affections move toward the creature without sound of feet 3. There must be self-forsaking in believing 1. An affirming and an ay to grace is a negation and deniall to it self 1 Cor. 15.10 I laboured more abundantly then they all Yet not I but the grace of God which was with me To deny that you are Christs or that you have any grace if Christ have any thing of his in you is not self-deniall but grace deniall and God-deniall deny the work of the spirit and deny himself It s a saying of humility Cant. 1.5 I am black and of Faith but comely as the tents of Kedar as the curtains of Solomon And Cant. 5.1 I slept but my heart waked It s Faith to hold fast your state of adoption Lord I am thine 2. When our self maketh a suit to self and putteth in a bill to the flesh O pitie thy self Rejoice O young man in thy youth It s self-renouncing to deny this request to the flesh And Faith only can give an answer to self-declining the crosse He that denieth me before men him will I deny before my Father and his holy Angels saith Christ. And another answer Faith giveth Rom. 8.12 I am not debtor to thee O flesh I owe thee nothing And its Faiths word of answer Eccles. 11.9 But know thou that for all these things God will bring thee unto judgement 3. Faith putteth the soul in that condition that self may be plucked from self without great violence as an apple full of the tree and of harvest-sap is with a small motion pluckt off the stalk Act. 21.13 I am ready 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I have my self in readinesse not only to be bound but also to dye at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus Certainly Faith saw here more in Jesus of excellency and sweetnesse then there could be of bitternes in bonds and death to self 4. There 's a deniall of the creature and a bill of defiance sent to all the lovers of the world when Ephraim is brought to this act of believing Hos. 14.3 For in thee the Fatherlesse findeth mercy Then it s said Ashur shall not save us We will not ride upon horses That creature that we trust on we ride upon it as Israel did upon the horses of Assyria and Aegypt But in this regard Faith dismounteth the believer and abaseth him to walk on foot All the creatures are ships to the believer without a bottome They are empty and weak David forbiddeth us to ride on a Prince
them happy so Psalm 10.3 The wicked man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Praiseth the wicked man then he must believe that wickedness maketh men praise worthy and this belief is but presumptuous confiding and resting on a Tower of his own building Now to beleeve in Christ though the decree of Election be not revealed to me is no presumption for I am not obliged before I beleeve to know that I am elected to Glory It being one of Gods secrets not revealed in the Word but made manifest to me After I beleeve and am sealed unto the day of Redemption and therefore in a humble resting on Christ though the soul know not his Election which is not revealed in the word in that condition there can be no Pride nor presumption for he is self wise and presumptuous who intrudeth into those things that he hath not seen Col. 2.18 knoweth not that which God hath revealed and so which he ought to know now the believer ought not to know that he is elected to glory he yet being an unbeleever so his knowledge cannot deviate from a rule which doth not oblige to conformity therewith as with a Rule the Pourtract of Caesar doth not erre from the samplar because it is not like a Bull or a Horse because neither a Bull nor a Horse is the due samplar 2. To warrant an unworthy humble sinner to beleeve there 's no need of a positive Warrant or of a voice to say thou art elected to glory therefore believe the word is near thee in thy mouth yea there is a commandement laid upon the humbled sinner Come O weary and loaden sinner to Christ and be eased Now when the wind bloweth sweetly and fair upon an humbled siner who is elected to glory there goeth the Spirit of the Gospel along with this Commandement and the word of Commandment and the spirit united in one acteth and worketh so upon the soul that the humbled sinner cannot be deluded and led on a rock of presumption for this spirit joyneth and closeth with his spirit and he as one of Christs sheep knoweth this to be the voice of Christ. I grant when the same command of faith cometh to the ears of a Reprobate he may upon a false ground believe or rather presume he neither being rightly humbled and fitted for Christ nor can the Reprobate know and discern the wind of the spirit breathing with the command and acting upon his spirit because that winde neither can nor doth breath upon any Reprobate and there is no need of any positive Warrant to ascertain a child of God to believe beside the commandment of Faith in lived and quickned with the spirit going along with it for that command so quickned doth put such a reall stamp of an evident testimony that he hath claime to Christ on whom the spirit and the command doth so act that he seeketh no more any other evidence to prove his claim to Christ then the Lamb needeth any evidence to prove that of ten hundred sheep this only that offereth to it her paps and milk must be its dam or mother and none of the rest of the flock But how do I know that it is the spirit that goeth along with the Commandment of believing It may be a delusion Ans. Beside that a deluding spirit for the most part doth not go every way along with the word If this spirit keep Gods order to work upon the humbled self-dispairing sinner who is willing to receive Christ upon his own condition it is not like to a deluding spirit for if the word of commandment to believe and the spirit agree in one it cannot be a delusion phancie leadeth no man to Faith 2. When objects of life work upon life they cannot deceive especially all the senses Hearing Seeing Tasting Feeling Smelling the excellency and sweetnesse of Christ going along with the word cannot be delusion a man may imagine that he seeth and heareth and yet his senses may be deceived but that all the senses especially all the spirituall senses and that a man imagineth that he liveth a naturall life and is dead is rare 3. Faith can stand upon one foot even on a generall word hence this is a Gospel word in the Prophets which requireth Faith Turn to the Lord for he is mercifull Jer. 3.12 Joel 2.13 Jon. 4.2 And because a generall promise received with heart-adherence and confidence giveth glory to God and if it be holden forth to an humbled soul who is now within the lists and bounds of Grace and for any thing that the person thus laden with sin knoweth on the contrary for the secrets of Election and Reprobation belongeth to the Lord Christ mindeth and intendeth to him Salvation therefore he is to believe 4. This would be considered that unbelief breaketh with Christ first before Christ break with the unbeliever and the Elect of God findeth no more nor any higher favour in the kinde of externall means to open the Lambs Book of life which is sealed and closed with Gods own hand then the Commandement of believing Now when our Lord maketh offer of the Kingdom of sons to slaves and casteth his Jewell of Christ offered in the Gospel in the lap and bosome of a Bastard what ever be the Lords secret Decree and purpose in so doing The Bastard is to take God at his word and to catch the opportunity of Gods love in so far and if he do it not the Gospel-offer to the Reprobate being a treaty of peace then the treaty breaketh off first upon his side for Christ cometh within a mile of mercy to meet the sinner and the sinner cometh not the fourth part of a mile yea not half a step of love and thankfull obedience to meet Christ and so Christ killeth the unbeliever with the sweetnesse of the preventing courtesie of offered mercy 5. But if the sinner be wearied and loaden and seeth though through a cloud only Christ only must help and save if not he is utterly and eternally lost What is there upon Christs part to hinder thee to beleeve O guilty wretch O saith he I fear Christ only offereth himself to me but he mindeth no salvation to me Ans. Is not this to raise an evill report and slander on the Holy One of Israel For Christs offer is really an offer and in so far its reall love though it cannot infer the love of Election to glory yet the totall deniall of this offer openeth up the black seal of Reprobation to heathens without the Church and therefore its love to thee if thou be humbled for sin 2. And have half an eye to the unsearchable riches of Gospel mercy 3. And be self-condemned 4. And have half a desire of Christ thou mayst expound love by love and lay hold on the promise and be saved An errour of humble love to Christ is no errour That which is next is a word of the Essentiall principle of true Faith and that is a proportionable
chain of thy neck Holines and the image of God is the object of this love not the cause nor any hire it is not so properly love as the other God rather loveth persons desiring well and good to them then things Mr. Denne is not content with this distinction and why The love of Election and the love of Justification saith he are not diverse loves or divers degrees of love but divers manifestations of one and the same infinite love as when a Father hath conveyed an Inheritance to his son here is no new love from the Father to the son but a new manifestation of that love wherewith the Father loved the son before Answ. Men should not take on them to refute they know not what not any Protestant Divines ever taught that there is a new love in God or any new degree of love in God that was not in him before Arminians indeed tell us of new love new desires and of ebbing flowing love and hatred succeeding one to another in Gods minde these Vorstian blasphemies we disclaim it is indeed one and the same simple and holy will of God by which he loved Peter and John from eternity and choosed them to salvation by which he so loveth them in time as of Free-grace he bestoweth on them Faith Holiness Pardon in Christ and followeth these with his love and the former is called his love of good will to their person ere they do good or ill the latter his love of complacency to their State and the Lords new workman-ship in them as with the same love the husband chooseth such a one for his wife and loveth her being now his married Spouse Obj. 2. Men like those whom they love and so doth God Ans. We grant all these termes of Gods good loving and good-liking are chosen of Divines to expresse the thing God loveth and liketh Jacob not Esau from eternity ere he believe or do good but he doth not so love and like Jacob from eternity to bestow Faith and the Image of the second Adam on him while in time he hear the Word and be humbled for sin and the truth is the love of complacency is not a new act of Gods wil that ariseth in God in time but the declaration of Gods love of good wil in this effect that God is pleased to bestow faith his beauty of holinesse which maketh the soul lovely to God and it is rather the effect of eternall love then love And God hath a love of complacency toward the persons of the Elect love of good will though not of chusing good will toward them for their holiness Cant. 4.9 Obj. 3. It is absurd that God should love the Elect vvith infinite love to chuse them to salvation as touching their persons and withall to hate them with an infinite batred as workers of iniquity Answ. It were absurd I grant if Gods hatred to the Elect as sinners were any immanent affection in God opposite to his love by which he should be averse to their persons But Gods hatred to the Elect because they are sinners is nothing but his displicency against sin not against the person so as he is to inflict satisfactory punishment on the surety Christ for their sin A Father may so love his Prodigall Son as to retain a purpose to make him Inheritor of a Kingdom if he had a Crown for himself and to pay his debts and yet both hate and punish his profuse and lavish wasting of his goods Mr. Denne would teach us how love and hatred toward sinners doth consist The Law saith he and the Gospel speak divers things the one being the manifestation of Gods Justice tells us what we are by nature the other the manifestation of Gods mercy tells us what we are by Gods mercy in Jesus Christ. The Law curseth and condemneth the sinner The Gospel blesseth and justifieth the ungodly Ans. What is this else But that which Mr Denne and other Antinomians condemn in us How can one and the same unchangeable God curse condemn and so hate sinners as to punish them eternally and yet blesse justifie and love to eternall salvation their persons except they teach the same very thing which we do For the Law and the Gospel are no more contrary one to another then love to the persons of the Elect and hatred and revenging justice to their sins Mr. Denne would further clear the point thus What ever wrath the Law speeketh it is to the sinner under the Law although the elect are sinners in the judgment of the Law sense reason yea oftentimes conscience yet having their sins translated into the Son of God in whom they are elected they are righteous in Christ the Mediator Ans. The Law speaketh wrath in regard of its reign and dominion to death to the elect not yet converted and to the reprobate without exception of persons but it cannot speak wrath to the believer though he be one that daily sins and is under the Law that is under the rule of the Law now to be under the Law to Paul Rom. 6. and 7. is to be under the damnation of the Law in which regard believers are not under the Law but under the sweet reign of pardoning grace yet are they under the Law as a Tutor a guide a rule and that the rule and reign of the Law are different is evident 1. because the ruling power of the Law is an essentiall ingredient of the Law without the which the Law is not the Law the reign or damnation of the Law agreeth to the Law by accident in so far as man is a sinner which is a state accidental to the law 2. The Law is a rule and hath a proper guidance and tutory over the confirmed Angels and should have had over man if he had never sinned but the Law can have no reign to death over the confirmed Angels and man in that case as the Iayler hath no power over the man who was never an evil doer 1. We are sinners in the judgement of Law both sin dwelling in vs and 2. the guilt of the Law lying on us to condemnation But being once in Christ and justified we remain sinners as touching the indwelling blot but we are not sinners as we are justified in Christ as touching the Law-obligation to eternall condemnation from which we are fully freed But the justified and redeemed of Christ remain as formally and inherently sinners as Milk is formally white a Raven black Justification removeth not the indwelling of sin and so in regard of sense reason and conscience we are sinners to our dying day but not condemned sinners M. Denne objecteth We pray daily forgive us our sins then we are not righteous in Christ he answereth that Protestants say we begge greater certainty and assurance of forgivenesse but not content with this answer he addeth When we pray for forgivenesse we magnifie his grace who hath freely given us
him be hated of Christ if that were possible Heaven should be Hell Imagine devils were standing with their black chains of darknesse even up in the Heaven of Heavens and the Plague of being hated of Christ on their soul and that they could see him that sitteth on the Throne and somewhat of the Rayes and Beames of that fulness of God that is in Christ yet should Devils still be Devils they wanting Christ the heaven of Angels and glorified men What a flower What a Rose of love and light must CHRIST be who filleth with smell light beautie the four sides East and West South and North of the Heaven of Heavens and his glory Suppose in the hour of our last farewell to time all creatures void of Reason Heavens Stars Light Air Earth Sea dry Land Birds Fishes Beasts were in a capacity to love us and they with Men and Angels should let out upon us the fulnesse yea the Sea of all their love as it s a sweet thing to be lovely and desireable to many yet this were nothing to him who is Cant. 5.16 All desires or all loves So Vatablus rendereth it Christus est totus desideria He is a Masse of love and love it self lovely in the womb the ancient of dayes became young for me lovely in the Crosse even when despised and numbred with theeves lovely in the grave lovely at the right hand of God lovely in his second appearance in glory yea all desirable Cant. 6.10 his countenance white and ruddy 11. his head a golden head his headship and government desirable his locks bushie and black his counsels deep various unsearchable his eyes as Doves chaste pure and can behold no iniquity his cheeks or two sides of his face as a bed of spice and sweet smelling flowers his face manly comely as Lebanon his lips like Lillies dropping sweet smelling Myrrhe his Gospel smelleth of heaven his hands pure his works holy fair as Gold-rings set with Beril his belly or breast and bowels as bright Yvory overlaid with Saphires that is his breast and belly that containeth his bowels his heart and affections are as Yvory bright and glorious and Yvory overlaid covered and adorned with Saphires that are precious stones of a sea-blue and heavenly colour because his bowels and inward affections are full of love tendernesse of mercy and the compassion of his heart most heavenly his legs are pillars of marble set upon sockets of fine gold his wayes and government like marble-pillars upright white pure and set on gold solid firm stable that Christ cannot slip or fall his Scepter a Scepter of righteousnesse and his Kingdom eternall and cannot be shaken his countenance as the mountain Lebanon his person eminent goodly high great tall fruitfull as Cedars his mouth most sweet his words and testimonies as honey or the honey comb yea â—ll creatures are weak and Christ strong all â—â—se he precious all empty he full all black â—e fair all foolish and vain he wise and the â—â—ly Counseller deep in his counsels and wayes The speciall Evangelick sin that we are guilty of is unbelief Joh. 16.9 and this floweth from a low estimation that we have of Christ and therefore these considerations are to be weighed in our estimation of Christ. 1. The wisdom or folly of any man is most seen in the estimative faculty for it denominateth a man wise many are great Judges and learned as the Magicians of Chaldea and Philosophers who know wonders hidden things and causes of things and yet are not wise but fools Rom. 1.21 and vain in their imaginations because there is a great defect in their estimative faculty in the choice of a God ver 22.23 the practicall mind is blinded and they chuse darknesse for light evill for good a creature for their God By faith Moses when he was come to age refused to be called the son of Pharaohs daughter and chose rather to suffer affliction with the people of God then to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season And how is his faith made faith And how is it evident that he was not a raw ignorant and foolish childe when he made the choise But a man ripe come to years and so as wise as he was old It is proved because his estimative faculty was right v. 26. Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches then the treasures of Egypt He is a wise man who maketh a wise choise and for thiâ— cause Esau is called Heb. 12.26 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a profane man from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 confudit he had not wiseâ—dom to put a difference between the excellency of the birth-right and a morsell of meat so Ezech. 22.8 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to confound Gods Sabbath with another day A profane wicked man hath not wisdome to esteem God and Christ above the creature but confoundeth the one with the other 2. Our esteem of Christ is to be pure chaste spirituall and so to work purely that is the formall reason why we esteem of Christ must be because he is Christ and not because Summer goeth with Christ nay not because he comforteth but because he is God the Redeemer and Mediatour it s a chaste love and a chaste esteem if the wife chuse to love her husband because he is her husband as the sense esteemeth white to be white under the notion of such a colour The operation of every faculty is most pure and kindly when it is carried toward its object according to its formall reason without any mixture of other respects extraneous and by-reasons are more whorish lesse con-naturall not so chaste there is some wax in our honey and this we should take heed unto the elective power is a tender piece of the soul. 3. Estimation produceth love even the love of Christ and love is a great Favourite and is much at Court and dwelleth constantly with the King to be much with Christ especially in secret late and early and to give much time to converse with Christ speaketh much love and the love of Christ is of the same bignesse and quantity with Grace for Grace and Love keep proportion one with another 4. He who duely esteemeth Christ is a noble bidder and so a noble and liberall buyer he outbiddeth Esau. What is pottage to Christ He overbiddeth Iudas What is silver to Christ Yea 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all things is the greatest count can be cast up for it includeth all prices all summes it taketh in heaven as its a created thing Then all things the vast and huge Globle and Cirle of the capacious world and all excellencies within its bosome or belly nations all nations Angels all Angels Gold all Gold Jewels all Jewels Honour and delights all honour all delights and every all beside lieth before Christ as feathers dung shadows nothing To wash a sinner is the eminencie of love and the highest esteem of him But O what a mercy that Christ should