Selected quad for the lemma: mercy_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
mercy_n	good_a	sin_n	sinner_n	3,410	5	7.5691	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A95609	A Scripture-map of the wildernesse of sin, and vvay to Canaan. Or The sinners way to the saints rest. Wherein the close bewildring sleights of sin, wiles of the Devill, and windings of the heart, as also the various bewildrings of lost sinners, yea, even of saints, before, in, and after conversion; the necessity of leaning upon Christ alone for salvation, with directions therein: as also, the evident and eminent danger of false guides, false wayes, false leaning-stocks, are plainly, and practically discovered. Being the summe of LXIV lecture sermons preached at Sudbury in Suffolk, on Cantic. 8.5. / By Faithful Teate, M.A. minister of the Gospel.	Teate, Faithful, b. 1621.	1655 (1655)	Wing T615; Thomason E839_1; ESTC R203761	372,945	489

the dark valley of the shadow of death It deceived me how is that truly thus much I can say to it from the experience that I have had of poore soules in such a condition Darkning us that their sense of their sinne hath beene more then true even greater in some respect then their sinne Consult with Paul who tells you here that he was deceived but doth not tell you wherein 1 Tim. 1.15 Christ came to save sinners saith he of whom I am chiefe Why how could that bee Paul was before Conversion a sober blamelesse man as touching the Law Phil. 3.6 Zealous according to his light if you urge his persecuting of the Church why still there are as great if not much greater sinners then he for 1 Tim 1.13 He did it ignorantly Yet still when the Law stirres up the sence of sinne as encompassing poore Paul this is that that kills him that he is the chiefe of sinners Thus is it with our poore hearts Oh! when we see the brightnesse and glory of the Law of the Lord how Holy and just and good it is and how vile and sinfull and abominable our selves are Oh! never was there any sinne like ours never any guilt like ours What sinne against such meanes as I against such light as I against such mercies as I against such calls of Grace as I Oh! never any one sinned as I have done Yes friend thinke as bad of thy selfe as thou wilt others as sinfull as thou have gone before thee Now this is one bewildring darknesse● in the fence of sinne which may more humble then hurt you I would many were allured into this wilderness this day But now comes Satan as I said before Darkning that splendor of Gods mercy unto us and his businesse is to raise the darksome fogges of thy selfe-condemning and soul-bewildring thoughts yet higher so as not onely to bedarken all that is within thee but to cloud the face of mercy and to obscure the glory of Christs undertakings by the black guilt of thy sinnes Here is a worse deceiving by the sense of sin through Satans temptation and this makes the formes Wildernesse much more bewildring and the poore lost Creature ten thousand times more at a loss then it was before when the soule comes to see its sinnes greater then any other sinnes of the Children of men Satan striketh in and takes advantage to make it account its sinnes greater then any of Gods pardons and this is a deceiving indeed unto slaying and such I believe was the dark bewildring sence that Cain and Judas had of their sinnes take heed take heed of this deceipt in your sensibleness of your sinnes and yet even in this dark wilderness are many deare unto God for a season left and as it were lost till God come and speake comfortably unto them I can give you two eminent instances both of mine owne knowledge Instance The one was when I was a little one A rich man was walking and there comes a poor Creature to him with death in his face and begges of him some reliefe the man was an hard man and denyed the poor wretch importunes and through importunity prevailes thus farre saith the rich man come to my house to morrow and I will give you something Oh! sir saith the poore one I shall die before morning if I have not something to succour me this night yet could not the Rich man be then prevailed with that very night the begger dyed was sound dead the next morning the Rich man laies this to hear as I confess well he might was so terrified that for much time not the least comfort could be fastned on him but never was any guilt or sinne like his by night he was faine to have constant company and Candles burning with him and it would frequently cry out That now the Devill was ready to seize on him He was through providence brought unto a godly Minister where I was and to whom I was related I being little was left in the roome when the Minister and he were together Oh! it would have broken any heart that had the least of tendernesse to see the poore man what paines he tooke to load himselfe with misery and to obstruct the way of mercy and this was the upshot of all never was there such a Murtherer as he that obtained mercy I remember for the afflicted mans carriage made the discourse take more impression on me the Minister instanced in Davids Murther and aggravated it what a man David was of what profession under what mercies c. and what a man Uriah was a godly man a faithfull subject a publique spirited man c. and what a murther it was known wilfull devised plotted longed for and pleasing to David when accomplished and yet I remember would not that poore man bee perswaded but that his sinne was farre greater then Davids and so such as God would not pardon although at length it pleased God by that Minister to fasten some comfort on him Instance The other was mine owne experience also not long since Indeed the good woman desired me for Caution unto others concealing her to take some occasion to speake of the thing Her great sinne for which shee thought there was no mercy no pardon was a lie and on this manner she was private at duty in a roome that was said to be haunted as the phrase is in the night and there came by the Chamber doore a man of the house that hearing some stirring there asked her it being very dark whether she was there or no calling her by her name she being unwilling that hee should know that she used to be there of the suddaine answered that it was not she he urged her again and again she denyed At length the man halfe affrighted prayed her as ever she look'd for mercy from God that she would tell him if it were she and shee being much moved and yet unwilling through the strength of the present temptation to unsay what she had spoken denyed it yet again I thus farre agreed with her that it was indeed a very great sinne and deeply to be sorrowed for but her language was that it was the greatest sinne that ever was committed and that there could be no mercy for her because she had denyed the mercies of the Lord. I instanced in Peters denial of Christ once twice thrice till it came to cursing and swearing and perfect disowning of his Saviour I know not the man I aggravated it from Peters solemne profession of Christ his engagement not to deny him c. and yet notwithstanding he obtained mercy But for all I could say I could not for the present perswade the woman but that her denyall was a farre greater sinne then Peters and though she believed that there was mercy for him and salvation for him that declaredly denyed his Saviour yet could I not perswade her that there was any mercy for her who as

admiration of God had cast her away I asked her if she were resolved to harbour sin and to hold her iniquity till she should die that she did so determine that she was a Reprobate The poor heart brake out into a passion of tears and said Oh! no I had rather be damned with holinesse then carry sin to heaven with me for God knows I hate it with a perfect hatred These are the souls I speake unto that are under this bewildring temptation because of their darkness in respect of the purposes of God of whom I am bold to conclude that though they bee their own Reprobates yet are they none of Gods 2ly Darkness as to Gods thoughts 2ly They are bewildred in exceeding much darknesse as to the thoughts of Gods heart toward them You know in generall we are very apt to measure every ones thoughts by our own The proud Spirit wonders that every one doth not think him worthy of that respect that he thinks himselfe worthy of and again the lowly Spirit that thinkes meanly of himselfe wonders that any one should think better of him then he doth of himselfe that any Godly Minister or Christian should think well or speak well of him when he cannot bestow a good thought upon himselfe and indeed whatever it be that we have taken up a strong perswasion of we admire that every one thinks not as we thinke Now when once poore soules come to harbour those sad thoughts that I have spoken of against themselves they are much in the dark concerning Gods thoughts being wholly disposed to measure Gods thoughts by their own When a Minister brings them a comfortable word they cannot be perswaded that God is of that mind because they are not of that mind When David brings lame creeple Mephibosheth to eat bread at his own table 2 Sam. 9.7 He can't be perswaded that he means as he saith that he should eat bread alwaies there ver 8. What is thy servant that thou shouldest looke on such a dead Dog as I am What would you make me believe that God hath any thoughts of saving such a dead soule as I am such a sinner how can it be I know mine owne thoughts that I would never find in mine heart to do such a thing for such an Enemy of mine and of my good as I have been unto God and unto his glory therefore I can never thinke it I thinke if I were as judge I should undoubtedly damne such an one as my selfe is and therefore let me alone God can have no thoughts of good concerning me Now hold a little whilest we read Isai 55.7 8● Let the wicked forsake his waies Why what shall he get by that is there any hope of good for a wicked man Yes God will have mercy upon him Yea but saith thy soule not upon such a grievous sinner as I am yes God will abundantly pardon Do you say so O but I can never think that Yea but friend that 's an unrighteous thought and you must forsake it Let the unrighteous forsake his thoughts Forsake it why ver 8. For saith God My thoughts are not your thoughts nor are your waies my waies but as the heavens are higher then the earth so are my waies then your waies and my thoughts higher then your thoughts ver 9. So that it is a bewildring darkness for thy poor heart to conclude that God thinks no thoughts of peace towards thee because thou canst not think thy soul worthy of that peace c. For saith God I know the thoughts that I think towards you thoughts of peace Jer. 29.11 3ly Poor souls in such a day 3ly Darkness as to Gods providence are much in the dark as to Gods providential dispensations Oh! saith the soul if God intended to pardon me in the end he would never thus long keep me upon the rack if God intended to save me in the Conclusion he would never suffer Satan thus to buffet me unbeliefe to have so much power over me temptations to blasphemous thoughts and despairing words thus far to prevaile against me c. Therefore doth Eliphaz sinfully and uncharitably conclude concerning good Job Jo. 22.5 c. That his wickednesse was great and his iniquities infinite c. because ver 20.11 That snares were round about him and darkness that he could not see c. And thus think poor souls of themselves that because they are under darker dispensations as they think then any others that therefore their sins are greater and their conditions more desperate then any others Now this is darkness for this is to judge according to the appearance and not with righteous judgement Thus though God had brought comforts to Zion and tels her that he will have mercy upon his afflicted Isa 49.13 Yet because she was afflicted verse 14. Sion said the Lord hath forsaken me and my Lord hath forgotten me He would never have staid so long saith the soul but that he hath quite forgotten me he would ●ever have served me so and so but that he hath quite forsaken me Now how much darknesse there is in this kind of arguing you may easily see in the next verses though a Mother forget her Child and can that be yet I will not forget thee saith the Lord for thou art graven upon the palms of mine hands verses 15.16 4ly Darkness as to Gods justice and mercy 4ly They have exceeding darkness upon their thoughts as to the justice and mercy of God and hereby they are also bewildred They poor Creatures can not think but that God is more inclined to justice then to mercy towards them and here still they judge according to flesh blood Indeed flesh and blood saith it is the glory of a man to revenge himselfe upon them that have wronged him but the Spirit saith It is the glorie of a man to pass by an infirmitie Now this they cannot but judge that God will have more glory in damning them then in saving them therefore they conclude that they shall be damned justice must passe upon them Now such thoughts are very darknesse for verily neither is Gods delight so much in nor his glory so much advanced by taking of revenge upon his Enemies though vengeance be his and he will repay as in shewing mercy unto poore souls 1. God delights most in mercy 1. Scripture seems to hold forth that there is nothing so much of Gods heart in punishing as in pardoning as is cleare in those two known Scriptures Isa 28.21 Where judgement is called his work but his strange work his act but his strange act as if he did not know how to goe about it How shall I give thee up Ephraim c. but Mich. 7.18 God pardoneth iniquity and passeth by transgression because he delighteth in mercy he delighteth in mercy in the worke of pardoning sin in the act of passing by transgression as if hee knew not how to go about any other work how dark then

thy good husbandry shall never save thee thy fruit lives and dies grows and rots with thee the Lord complains of thee Hos 10. 1. Israel is an empty vine he brings forth fruit to himself Though he be never so fruitful yet is he empty if onely fruitful to himself though thou be never so like a fruitful garden yet I will count thee a barren wilderness if onely fruitful to thy self Thirdly If the wilderness be fruitful unto men 3. Wilderness brings forth to the fornace it is for fuel not for food for their chimney not their table the fruit of the wilderness is thorns and bryers bad food but good fuel such are the fruits of sin they are thorns Cant. 2.2 As the lily among the thorns that is the saint among sinners such God will not set upon his table but surely put them into his fornace Heb. 6.8 That earth which bears thorns and bryars he speaks it of a sinful Apostate is rejected and nigh unto cursing whose end is to be burned Me thinks your souls within you should tremble Tell me now what fruit do you use to bring forth good or wilde Every tree that brings not forth good fruit t is a wilderness tree shall be cut down and cast into the fire Mat. 3.10 Think again to whom hast thou brought forth fruit to God or thy self If onely to thy self thou art still a wilderness and you know how God threatneth Israel who onely looks after himself his children and his own family without any taking notice either of God or Gods Hos 9.16 17.10 1. Oh! what wilt thou be able to answer God another day thou that hast been a wilderness unto God here when the Lord shall minde thee of all the fruit which his mercy and providence hath brought forth unto thee Beloved you have a sad condition Jer. 2.31 Have I been a wilderness unto Israel The conviction is this O Israel thou hast been a wilderness unto me thou hast brought me forth no fruit or if grapes behold wilde grapes Have I been a wilderness unto thee that thou shouldest so serve me hath not my Sun shined and my rain on thee fallen O England England think of this of all the Nations of the world we cannot say the Lord hath been a wilderness unto us and yet what a wilderness what a barren wilderness have we that are called the garden of the world been to the Lord to this very day O read Jer. 9.9 10 11 12 13. I fear the Lord means England there If a sinner be fruitful t is a fruit unto death Rom. 7.5 2. Wilderness dry and moistureless Secondly The wilderness is drie and moistureless so is sin Psalm 107.35 The wilderness and dry ground are made all one so Jer. 50.12 A wilderness a dry land Hos 2.3 I le make her a wilderness and set her as a dry land Zeph. 2.13 I le make Ninevoh a desolation and dry like a wilderness and therefore you have mention of the heath of the wilderness Jer. 48.6 and 17.6 And so it is with sin Our Savior compares a sinner under mercy unto parched ground under seed Mat. 13.6 good seed is sown in parched grounds and for lack of moistures there it dies the dew falls upon parched grounds and for lack of a principle of moisture in themselves doth them no good the Sun shines upon them and scorcheth them quite up This word is to you ye parched consciences ye feared sinners from whose hard hearts and dry eyes all the judgements of God mercies of God Gospel of God cannot squeeze one tear of godly sorrow Oh! how hath the Lord in these times crumbled the scorched consciences of men to pieces yet how few are melted The Lords people are a melting people Psalm 22.14 My heart is like wax it is melted within my bowels a great difference their heart is like wax other mens like the wilderness The more the Sun shines upon the wax the more it softneth it the more it shines upon the wilderness the more it scorcheth and hardens it Now speak soul Art thou like wax under a judgement a mercy a sermon or art thou like a wilderness Hast thou a relenting giving mourning melting heart or art thou as hard as dry as parched as ever or more then before thou art a wilderness thou maist finde thy character 1 Tim. 4.2 Thy conscience is a seared conscience and what do men do with feared Trees Hew them down saith the owner why cumber they the ground if fear-wood be fit for the fornace surely such seared consciences are fit for hell A Chymicks Limbeck they say will extract moisture out of seared sticks and hardest stones Gods Limbeck will melt thee O thou seared sinner whether thou wilt or no time shall come that the Elements shall melt with fervent heat then shall the wilderness melt even thy soul Jer. 9.12 compared with Isaiah 35.1 CHAP. III. Containeth the Explication of the third and fourth consideration shewing the dismalness of wilderness sin because solitary and companionless desolate and provisionless 3. Wilderness solitary THirdly The wilderness is solitary and companionless so is the wilderness of sin This wilderness is companionless mistake me not I do not say its void of passengers but void of company there are upon this road too many catch-poles and cut-throats as you shall hear more when we come to open the destructiveness of the way there are not wanting Lions and Leopards and Dragons and Bears and Wolves and wilde Boars and wilde Bulls but there is no company for a man as Job 38.26 It is termed The wilderness where there is no man There you may meet with beasts savage beasts that make it their business to destroy one another and thee too but saith the Text There is no man there So in the ways of sin you may meet with Devils and Drunkards Whoremongers Sabbath-breakers Murtherers Thieves and Hypocrites that make it their business to destroy one anothers souls and thine too but thou shalt meet with no good company to comfort thee to direct thee No God Psal 5.4 No Christ or Spirit 2 Cor 6.15 No Angel Psalm 34.7 No Saint Gen. 49.6 to secure thee no not in all the wilderness no God no Christ no holy Spirit there no good Angel no Saint so far as sanctified Oh! what dismal travelling is here here 's scrieching of Owls and the howling of Dragons the roaring of Lions the bellowing of Bulls the yelling of Wolves but not the voice of one Man here 's roaring and swearing and lying and cursing and blaspheming and back-biting and evil-speaking but not a prayer not a thanksgiving not a gracious word Oh! think what a terror it would be unto you to travel amongst wilde ravenous beasts all your days such are sinners scriprure usually terms them so Lions and Bulls of Bashan wilde Boars of the forest wilde Asses of the wilderness Beasts of Ephesus they are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 1.31 that is

Scriptures that I have mentioned 1. That souls that have Christ and are converted may from thence be sure that they are elected but yet that it doth not hence follow that souls that are yet Christless and unconverted as yet are reprobated But yet Againe so much I presume the second Scripture speaks that no soul can come to say I am not reprobate I know I am not but by being able to say Christ is in me although another soule may not say because Christ is not in me therefore I am a Reprobate Christ is in me therefore I am no Reprobate that Scripture concludes undoubtedly true Christ is not in me therefore I am a Reprobate that Scripture concludes not neither can it so conclude for it is a lie sinners in hell may say we are all Reprobates therefore Christ is not in us sinners upon Earth may not say Christ is not in us therefore we are all Reprobates for though Christ be not in you to day who can or dare say but that God may convert you to morrow I shall illustrate the whole of this 2. Simile by a similitude obvious to you You have in your Town an hundred shifts by a Benefactors will to be dealt forth to an hundred poor men and women whom the Trustees shall choose out of all the poor They are chosen before the Dole which is to be at twice and in two severall places some to be distributed in the fore-noon at one place of concourse some in the after-noon at another the man or woman that receives in the forenoon may rest assured that he or she was elected or chosen because they have received but he that stands by and receives not cannot rest assured or be sure that he is not elected because although he receives not then yet he may in the afternoon Sinners that are timously converted may be sure they were elected because they have received the gift of God But sinners that are yet unconverted I grant they have abundant reason to question whether they be elected or no and a great deal of reaon to fear lest God should call them Reprobate silver but they cannot be sure they may not conclude that they are Reprobate because God may at the eleventh hour send them into the Vineyard Though hee that receives not in the forenoon may fear he is not chosen yet he may not conclude so as to neglect to wait in the afternoon it may be he may then receive Unconverted ones have reason to fear that they are unelected ones and let this to purpose humble them but let them not so wretchedly conclude as to despair and so as to neglect the afternoones dole yea surely they should be the more humbly solicitous because there is but one part of the day to deal in and if that be over and Christ the gift of God not received they may then conclude they were reprobated but whilst they are yet on this side Hell let them return to God for who knows but God may return to them and leave a blessing behind him Jon. 3.9 So then my conclusion is that whatever thy Conversation hath been it is not for thee to conclude if now thine heart be in any measure inclined towards God that thou art a Reprobate onely let prophane and impenitent ones know that I speak to poor distracted Consciences this day Your arguments are such as these Object 1 1. The greatness of your sins in themselves Oh sai'st thou Never were such great sins committed by any elect therefore I am a Reprobate Ans I do seriously believe that if Davids murther with Adultery and Peters deniall had been committed by thee thou wouldst have thought as I believe they did that they were the greatest sins in the world yea greater than those very sins that thou arguest thy reprobation from But this is no argument for they were the elect of God Object 2 2. Oh! but my sin hath been against light of Conscience against profession of God against vowes and Covenants c. my sins admit of all manner of aggravations therefore I am a reprobate Ans Read the entire stories of David and Peter and if thou maist not unfeignedly judge that if thou hadst been the aggravator of their sins as thou art of thine own thou wouldest have spoken as bitter things of their sins as thou now dost of thine own and found as sad circumstances whereby to heighten them supposing them thine then I had almost said be disconsolate still Thirdly Oh but mine whole Conversation hath been a very Object 3 trade of sinning I have done evills over and over again and again even as I could with both hands greedily even unto this end of my dayes and now I am just agoing out of the world and therefore I am a Reprobate Ans I confesse this is very sad indeed but yet I must say Here is not enough in the premises whence to infer the conclusion For the Thiefe Luk. 23. was a Thiefe to his dying day whose whole trade was to sin he lived upon it and no question used both hands in it delighted in it and which is sad 't is said that both the Thieves at first reviled Christ and cast the blasphemous reproaches of the wicked multitude into Christs teeth Mat. 27.44 And this was the very day that the Thiefe that was saved went to be hanged so Mark 15.32 And yet this Thiefe presently falls a reproving the other condemning himselfe justifying Christ praying unto Christ believing in Christ and saith Christ unto him Verily this day thou shalt be with me in Paradice Luk. 23.39 40 41 42 43. Therefore he was Elected and therefore thou canst not hence conclude that thou art a Reprobate as opposite to Elect for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is sometimes to be taken for one that is as yet unsound though he may be elect But to close this I pray you who are the reprobates that I am now speaking to even such as I could wish the most of you that hear me this day were if they be not already such even such as Job was Chap. 27.2 The almighty hath taken away my judgement saith he that is God hath rejected me he will have nothing at all to doe with me and yet ver 3.4 5. he saith againe All the while my breath is in me my tongue shall not utter deceit nor my lips speake wickedly I will hold mine integrity until I die My brethren they are such among you that fear the Lord and obey the voyce of his servants that walk in this darknesse and see no light Isa 50.10 I remember once I was in discourse with a poore woman whose whole complaint against her selfe was in conclusion this that she was a Reprobate I perceived much good in the womans spirit yet this was at the end of all I asked her why she concluded so hardly against God and her selfe that whatever God had done as to others whose mercy to others she was wrapt up in the

so prepared must be lookt upon believed on acted upon c. and so improved and then no doubt but weakness shall be made strong and weariness refreshed Therefore the misery lyeth not at all in the want of Preparation but Application and improvement Note If a Feast were made ready enough to refresh forty thousand and but forty eat of it there can but forty be strengthned by it If there be Quarters in a City large enough for an whole Army and but one small Company will enter and abide in those Mansions there can no more be recruited by those Mansions I do believe that the spirituall Canaan is big enough to be a Rest unto All of all Nations and that there 's strength enough prepared with Christ for universall Salvation when as yet I know that they are but some of all Nations one of a Family or two of a Tribe that shall be taken and brought to Sion or that shall enter into his rest when the most of men shall fall short and perish in the Wilderness Canaan was in it self as accessible to the one as to another Wherefore then was it that they could not enter in Why the Apostle asks it and answers it Heb. 3.19 Because they believed not that is there wanted Application What 's the reason that one man thrives at a Table and another doth not because one eats and another doth not for as many as believed Note they entred into rest Heb. 4.3 Therefore I judge that though our Application of Christ thus prepared be onely the instrumental and not at all the meritorious cause of our receiving spirituall strength and of our entring into rest Yet I am bold to affirme that the non-improving of this prepared salvation is not onely the instrumental bur also meritorious cause of out going without strength our tyredness under the terrors of the Lord and though I never thought that Christ was in the Fathers counsell prepared for all yet judge I that there is enough for all prepared in Christ No absudity in inviting ALL though all cannot or will not come because there is enough prepared to serve all if all could improve what is prepared could it be but improved by all therefore I am wholly a stranger from that supposed absurdity in inviting all though all will not or cannot come I think both are ever true together because there is enough made ready for all if they could or would but come and what know we the servants that are sent to invite who amongst the invited ones will prove the guests Nor yet have I ever heard it accounted an absurdity amongst men seriously to invite those who we are seriously perswaded will not or cannot come Saith the wife Instance I will warrant such an one will not or cannot come yet saith the Husband we will invite him howsoever Who counts this to be non-sence And yet so sharp-witted are some as that they cannot discern with what colour of sence God can invite those that hee knows certainly cannot or will not come or how God can be serious in it Why sirs had they come they should have been welcome yea but our Doctrine supposes they cannot come 't is true and so doth Scripture yet if they could have come there had say we been Christ enough grace enough glory enough for them and all ready and prepared You know 't is no absurdity to bid more guests then can come but this is the absurdity to have too little food for the guests that do come Now this cannot be charged upon the preparations of the Lord for God sends out his invitations unto all sorts of men and saith Mat. 22.4 Behold I have prepared my supper and all things are ready the Cloath is laid Meat on boord Stooles and Chaires set all conducements to repast and refreshments are ready yea but the guests were not ready they made light of it and went their wayes one to his Farme c. ver 5. Now shall we dare to blame God for keeping open house that is inviting all because the Lord knowes all will not come upon his invitation or that all cannot Why yet he knowes that they that cannot will not and who can yet have them excused they may complement it with an I cannot come and it is true too but God knows their meaning is they will not come Sometimes your Great Men keepe open House invite all commers and all that doe come are welcome but all cannot come because of this what foole will think that their magnificence is counterfeit and not serious Yet dare blasphemers say that either you must grant that all have power and free-will to come or else God is not serious in inviting all doth not Scripture say He would have all men to be saved Why think a little suppose such a Noble Man should say to his Steward I am willing that all the poore of the Towne should be relieved and all strangers entertained and therefore discourage none from comming but bid as many as come welcome and his Steward should answer My Lord You know such and such cannot come othersome think themselves as well at home others do not love your Lordship and will not come but and if you were really minded that they should All come you would make them come you have power enough c. Never talk of inviting All your Lordship is not serious in what you say and your Hospitality is but a piece of absurdity Affront insufferable offer now such language to thy Governour and will he be pleased with thee Mal. 1.8 Pray how comes that Lord to be bound to make them to accept that which he was never bound so much as to offer Especially how comes God to be so farre in mans debt as to be bound to make all come else he must be charged as not serious in inviting All since the reall tenders of grace unto All are of MERE MERCY but the making of any to accept those tenders who once had freewill and full power to choose the good but have wilfully lost it and are now unwilling thereunto till they be made willing is not a debt unto any but a MERE MIRACLE of MERCY to those few that are vessels of mercy prepared unto that which is prepared for them So then you may gather from what I have spoken that Christ prepared is not enough to the actuall stay and support of the weak and weary but he must be improved and applied by the leaning soul And this leads me to CHAP. XI Discovers the spring of this leaning Act viz. Interest in him whom we leane upon 1. Question What this interest imports Answer An Assent and Consent The Assent described The 2d Cons The Originall or spring of this leaning act Her beloved THe second Particular in order to the Explanation of this Leaning Act of the soule viz. the Originall or Spring of this applying improving appropriating leaning act of the Spouse in the Text

You must forget your own people and forsake your Fathers house if you marry me saith Christ unto which prejudice I answer 't is no more then reasonable nay 't is no more then is profitable First 'T is no more then reasonable Except you mistake Christs meaning for Christ doth not require you to forsake naturall Relations any farther then they forsake and perswade you to forsake Christ This is clear for saith the Text in the next words Psal 45.11 He is thy Lord and worship thou him If they hinder thee herein herein thou must hate them be they Father Mother Sister Brother Wife Childe who they will else thou canst not marry Christ Now this is no more then what Reason and the very Law of Nature obligeth you in to your carnal and civil Husbands Gen. 2.24 Therefore shall a man leave Father and Mother and cleave to his wife and so on the other hand What leave loving them Yes leave loving them better then his Wife or her Husband Leave them rather than by them be perswaded to leave one another And surely if any Husband in the world may righteously say Hearken O daughter and leave thy Fathers house Christ may say so who is the most transcendent deserver of our whole affection negative and positive our leaving love and cleaving love with all the consequences and expressions of the most intimate and entire affections 2ly It s profitable Secondly It is no more then is profitable You may object Alas I would marry Christ if I durst but my Father is carnal and an enemy to the match and now if I should take your counsell and own Christ my Father would take away my portion and disown me and as for that Son of man your selfe have said that he hath not an hole on Earth where to lay his head and where will he then finde a pillow to lay mine upon I answer You cannot lose by leaving for Christ If thou have a Father and a Fathers house which thou forsakest for Christ Christ hath a Father and a Fathers house where there are breads enough for so runnes the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the expression is redundant to shew that the provisions are abundant Luk. 15.17 And Beds enough so saith the Text Io. 14.2 And if it had not been so Christ would have told you before he had taken you out of the warme bosome of your Father or Mother but because it is so He is gone to prepare a place for you and will come again and receive you to himself that where he is made welcome you may be also verse 3. The fewer friends you have for Christ the more you have in Christ A second is this If you will marry Christ The 2d viz. You must look for sorrows you must look for many a sad and mourning day This is an hard saying to flesh and blood but Grace can gladly heare it We must be sorrowfull nay as he said of dying blessed be God that we shall be sorrowful 'T is but for a time yea it is a good time and in order to a better time as being it selfe a seeds-time 1. You shall be sorrowful but not for eternity But 1. 'T is but for a time which must be their portion that go without the Bridegroom to eternity but for a time called an hour compared to the pangs of a woman and then as hers your sorrow shal be turned to joy Christ will see you again and your heart shall rejoyce Joh. 16.20 21 22. Sorrowes during you and your induring sorrow may be for a night or so and then over againe for in his favour is life Psal 30.5 2ly Yea and even this time is a good time 2ly Yea and this is a good time better than the vain mans best time yea and such as perhaps thou wilt learne to account one of thine own best times Experience hath taught the Worldling to say Rainy weather is good because it is growing weather and hath it not taught you to say blessed are they that mourn Hee that had experience of joyes and sorrowes as much as any man and as much wisdome to give verdict hath told us Eccle. 7.3 Sorrow is better then laughter for by the sorrow of the Countenance the heart is made better 3ly It s a good time in order to a better viz a seeds time 3ly Yea and it is a good time in order to a better time for it is a Seeds time Sow now and reap afterwards Sow tears for a small moment and gather everlasting mercies Travell for an hour and rejoyce with joy that none can take from you A little Seed brings a rich Crop light afflictions for a moment a farre more exceeding and eternal weight of glory Moment any sorrowes eternal joyes light afflictions an exceeding weighty glory You Husbandmen set your hand to Gods plough learn to sow this seed turn to Psal 126.5 6. They that sow in tears shall reap in joy He that goes forth weeping bearing precious seed shall doubtless come again rejoycing bringing his Sheaves with him Who can desire greater assurance or surer advantage The 3d. You must draw in Christs yoak and carry his burthen But 1. 'T is light and easie A third is If you will marry Christ you must draw in his yoak and beare his burthen daily Oh! but it is 1. But an easie Yoak and light burthen Mat. 11.29 'T is upon the matter but as if one should say to his sweet heart If you will have me you must bear a burthen and carry a Chaine continually for my sake the Chaine is this Neck-chain of Pearl the burthen this Earing of gold What one experienced and true Christian is there of you that would willingly be lightned of any one even of the heaviest links in all Christs Chain surely to carry Christs burthen is to share in Christs glory The burthen that Christs Spouse carries is glory all within and Gold of Ophir without and now how much is she hurt see Psal 45.9 13. But secondly And if there be any tyring weight in it 2ly The heavy parts of them will Christ bear for thee he engageth himselfe to beare it for thee I cannot apprehend that it is the advantage that Christ lookes to take by our work so much as the delight he takes in our Company For upon the matter we doe but as it were hold the Candle whilest he doth the work we set our hand to the plough but it s he that drives it The wife of youth must be where the Husband is because he delights in her Company though many times her helpe may rather hinder and make more work then put forward that that is Though Christ knowes we know not how to doe any thing for alas we know not how to speak as we should Rom. 8.26 much lesse to worke as we should yet will he have us set our hands to every thing but now read Isai 26.12 Thou hast wrought our works

be Evil and closeth with it as if it were good Therefore leaning to self-will cannot but bee as very an Obstruction to this leaning upon the Lord as leaning to thy own understanding before spoken of because it is the selfe same hindrance onely improved to a farther height and strengthned by a farther Act of the soul exerted by self-Will in pursuance of self-wisdom And Secondly As the Will leanes to the corrupt dictates of the Understanding 2. Because the whole man leans to the choice of the Will so the whole man leans to the choice of the Will At first the Man would do so and so because his judgement such as it was advised him to do so and so but now hee will do it because he will And here the man holds and resolves to stay by it Now who sees not how directly this opposeth our leaning upon the Lord for when we should revolve our Wills yea our whole souls and affairs into the Lords will ultimately and acquiesce there we revolve all into our own and thus whilest we will flee upon horses as Isa 30.16 and ride upon the swift and will die as Ezek. 18.31 and will not come to Christ that we might have life as Ioh. 5. 40. and all because we will and will not we will swear because we will swear and will be drunk because we will be drunk and wil passe away our pretious time in wantonnesse sport and vanity because we will do so and will not take paines to hear the word or sanctifie the Lords day or pray with fervency or watch our own hearts with diligence because we will not We make our wills our Gods and no wonder then that they are our leaning stocks and therefore saith the Scripture 1 Sam. 15.23 Stubbornnesse is Idolatry What can the high and holy one say more then this nay some have dared to question whether he can say so much I will have mercy because I will have mercy and I will not have mercy on an Esau because I will not as God seems clearly to speak Rom. 9.18 Take heed of stubbornness you sinners lest herein the Great God condemne you as as Idolaters 3. Self-righteousnesse Thirdly Leaning to self-Righteousnesse cannot but hinder our leaning upon the Beloved Hee that hath said Be not over-much wise hath also said Be not over-much Righteous 'T is spoken of a wisdom and righteousnes by which thou destroyest thy self Eccl. 7.16 therefore 't is self-wisdom and self-righteousnesse That of Christs is notable to this purpose Luk. 18.8 When he cometh shall he find faith on the earth though this may bee diversly rendred yet sure if it bear respect to that which followes the Explication of faith in this place is according to this present truth Why what is that which shall hinder faith It followes ver 9. He spake immediately a parable unto certain that trusted in themselves that they were righteous When he cometh he shall find on the Earth so many trusting in themselves that they are Righteous that he shall find but few trusting in the Lord that they may be Righteous Hee shall find so much self-Confidence on the Earth that he shall find little faith on the Earth The more of the former the lesse of the later For this leaning to self-righteousnes keeps the soul ignorant of at a distance from yea in open hostility against the righteousnesse of Christ For the first As being 1. Ignorant of Christs righteousnesse Self-righteousnesse keeps the soul ignorant of Christs Righteousnesse Rom. 10.3 They were ignorant of Gods Righteousness and did establish their own Righteousness these are link'd together I have seen some Country youth that never was in any Populous and Gentile City or Towne trickt up with a new suite of Cloaths and a few gay Ribbons None in the Parish so gay as he and he not using to go out of the Town hath thought that one could not bee more spruce then himself His own sprucenesse hath kept him ignorant of the transcendent Riches and splendor of Rayment in other places which when once he comes to see he is easily convinced that he knew not what belonged to good Cloaths before So the self-righteous they are so fine in themselves their duties their gifts and especially in their holyday-'parrell their Temple-prayers and Lords-day Duties and thanksgiving-day alms in the corners of the streets and with the sound of the Trumpet that they know not what belongs to a righteousnesse to make it up more compleat And reciprocally the more they are ignorant of Gods Righteousnesse the more they establish their own and the more they establish their own the more ignorant they are of the Righteousnesse of God Ah! but when they are once come to Jerusalem the City of the living God the place of Concourse unto holy Saints and glorious Angels never did they see the thousandth part of that disproportion between the glittering of a tinsell Ribbon and the sparkling of a Diamond in a set of Gold which they now behold betwixt self-righteousnesse and the righteousnesse of the Saints which is by Jesus Christ Secondly If self-righteousnesse be near meeting with Christs if it be possible it will shun it Never was Copper more affraid to be compared with pure Gold 2. Shunning Christs which when it was alone might go for Gold then self-righteousnesse to be compared with Christs Oh! what a difficult work was it for John to get the Pharisees to the righteousness of Christ 'T was much more easie which would seem strang to get the unclean harlots and unrighteous Publicans to come to Christs righteousnesse that had none of their owne then the Pharisees that had one already Saith Christ to the Pharisees Mat. 21.32 John came to you in the way of righteousness and you believed him not but the harlots and Publicans believed him Thirdly If self-righteousnesse must needs meet with Christs 3. Warring against Christs as long as it is able to stand it will be sure to fight for it Rom. 10.3 they establish their own righteousness and have not submitted to the righteousness of God I know not any Engine or weapon that morall and civill especially formall ones war more against Christ by then this self-righteousnes When the strong man arm'd keeps his Palace hee is the stronger for this that his goods are in peace Luk. 11.21 What peace so long as his spirituall whoredoms remain Why yes A self-peace spun out of the bowels of self-righteousnesse as true righteousness is the ground of reall peace so is counterfeit-righteousness of false peace and this peace is that which arms Satan to keep garrison in the soul Therefore the Lord yoaks trusting in self-righteousness with committing iniquity Ezek. 33.13 4. Leaning to our owne lives Lastly Leaning to the length of our own lives will bee exceeding ready to hinder us from leaning upon the Beloved You heard Jacob had a staffe to lean upon in his dying hour and soules that prepare for