are the glorious Perfections of this Branch of the Lord should we measure and guess at him according to the excellency found in any created being alas it would be infinitely short there is in Christ that Excellency that doth exceed and much out-do whatever glory is found upon any thing our eyes behold Shall I say As Solomon in his glory did out-shine the glory of all the Princes that were on earth in his time so and infinitely more doth the glory of Christ out-do whatever our eyes behold or whatever our hearts can conceive of and in our searching into his perfections we may come to do as the Queen of Sheba did when she beheld the glory of Solomon she gave this testimony What she had heard was true So may we give this testimony of Christ That what we have heard of his Perfections there is all in him nay the one half was not told us and if the Queen of Sheba was amazed at standing before Solomons glory how much more may we at Christs although we cannot see him in all his Perfections Thou canst not know him at present in this life according to all that Glory with which he is cloathed 2. If thou that art escaped art jealous that Christ is not become beautiful enough unto thee Remember that the highest pitch unto which the Soul can come in this life is to desire to see more of that beauty that is in him The highest pitch in any thing that is good in this life is to desire to be better The Desires of the Soul do out-go in this life any Acts that it is able to put forth David in the case of Holiness the highest pitch of his Holiness is expressed in his desire Psalm 119.5 O that my Ways were directed to keep thy Statutes he did keep them in some measure but the highest pitch unto which he got was to desire to keep them better so also Psal 68.11 Teach me thy ways O Lord I will walk in thy truth unite my heart to fear thy Name he was sensible that his heart did in some things wander from God he did not fear him as he should but the highest of his attainment lay in his desires Paul was a man very excellent in his day and doubtless did know and enjoy much of Christ yet the highest pitch he attained was largeness of heart and workings of desire exprest in Phil. 3.13 This one thing I do forgetting the things that are behind and reaching forth unto those things that are before I press towards the mark for the price of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus the desires of his heart were large And so the Spouse hath an high esteem of Christ she expresses the value she hath of him at a great rate Cant. 2.3 4. As the Apple-Tree among the Trees of the Wood so is my Beloved among the Sons I sat down under his shaddow with great delight and his fruit was sweet unto my taste stay me with Flaggons comfort me with Apples for I am sick of love her heart was much taken with Christ seeing a great deal of Beauty in him but you shall see her desires did out-do any act she could put forth and therefore Cant. 4.16 she says Awake O North Wind and come thou South blow upon my Garden that the Spices thereof may flow out she would have her heart enlarged her Graces acted more strongly Now Soul take in this for thy comfort it is a good frame that thou desirest to prize Christ more and have this Branch of the Lord more glorious in thy account though thou canst not put forth such acts as thou wouldest Remember thou art in that frame that the best of Saints have been in 3. Consider this thou that art escaped and fearest that the Branch of the Lord is not become so glorious as it should be Remember that jealousie over thy heart is a good sign and gives some hope that Christ hath gotten some ground upon thee The wise man Prov. 14.15 saith The simple believeth every word but the prudent man looks well to his going Some are so simple to believe every good word their hearts speak if they find any thing that looks like good they are apt to conclude that all is right therefore the wise man Prov. 28.14 saith Happy is the man that feareth always I apply it unto this It is a good thing sometimes to bear a jealousie a constant jealousie over the heart lest it should not be wrought up to that pitch it ought The Author to the Hebrews gives us a warrant for holy jealousies and fears lest we should fall short They that have been most confident of the goodness of the frame of their spirits have sometimes been in none of the best Jehu cries Come see my Zeal for the Lord of Hosts when he had not one grain of true Zeal for the Lord of Hosts in him 4. Thou that wouldest have this Branch of the Lord glorious if thy heart work really this way Know this thou art accepted in this thy desire It will pass for a good improvement of this mercy of thy Escape I confess some things there are which I find the Lord is angry at He loves not to see souls sit down satisfied and pleased in ways of sin therefore he doth reflect upon them Psal 1.1 that sit in the seat of the scornful he is much angry with them that can contentedly take up in ways of sin and therefore you find him falling foul upon them that harden their hearts in ways of sin and also with those that content themselves with little measures of Grace when they have means to rise up unto greater He rebukes the Disciples Mat. 8.26 for the littleness of their Faith O ye of little Faith he upbraids them with the littleness of their Faith because he had long been with them himself as he doth hint unto them afterwards Have I been so long with thee and yet thou hast not known me But this observe also That where there is but a lesser measure of Grace if the heart be really working after more it is accepted and Christ receives it with good will The best instance I know in the whole Bible is that in Mark 9.23 24. where the Father of a Child possessed with a dumb Spirit comes unto Christ for cure Christ tells him All things are possible unto him that believeth and straightway he cried out and said with tears Lord I believe help my unbelief he had a little Faith and desired more therefore you find Christ doth not reject his little but hears him and calls unto the dumb Devil to come forth of his Child So if thou complainest that Christ is not exalted in thy heart to any great degree but thou longest he should be more believe it it shall be accepted as it is said in another case 2 Cor. 8.12 If there be first a willing mind it is accepted according to that a man hath and not according to that he
gotten within their Walls This hath been the case of many if of any here it should strike deep upon the heart and make us sensible how much we owe unto Christ how glorious should He become unto us what defence was the security of a poor Creature in such a time it was not Walls it was not distance of place but the hand of Christ doubtless it hath been unto many something according to that word Luk. 7.34 c. There shall be two in one Bed the one shall be taken and the other left Two in one Family there have been it may be the one taken the other left yea possibly two in one Bed the one taken the other untouched this hath been a Case of rich Mercy and certainly should engage the Soul much to prize him Psal 107.14 15. O that men would praise the Lord for his goodness for his wonderful works to the children of men Doubtless such a Soul must say as David It was compassed about with the shadow of Death it was in a state of darkness an uncomfortable time to them whose Persons were possibly untouched and a wonderful work of God it was to keep one while others were cut down Now this should work up the heart to admire the Lord. VSE VIII But then in the eighth place If every escaping-One should see that Christ is become glorious unto him How should it be with those whose Houses were compassed possibly round about and Death very near them but yet the hand of God entered not into their Walls My Brethren it is promised as a peculiar favour Psal 91.10 No Plague shall come nigh thy dwelling It is something not to have it come unto thy person and not to have it come into thy dwelling that neither thy self nor any within thy Wall have a hair of their heads touched nay possibly thou hast been within the hearing of the cryings and groans of dying ones doubtless many have and when They have cried for a little longer time to be intrusted with a little more liberty in this World for Eternity and everlasting Concernments it hath been denied Them but granted unto Thee and Me and when the hand of God hath been round about it hath not come within thy Door Oh who hath been the Keeper of thy door and mine When many have been in the bitterness of their Souls bemoaning the loss of this and that Relation Parents of Children Children of Parents some Husbands and Wives wailing and lamenting for one another What mercy is it that a Soul can say It is well with me and mine that no evil hath come nigh them I tell thee Soul these are things that should exceedingly engage thy heart to Christ and should prevail much to the setting him up in thy Soul This should be the resolution of every one partaking in this mercy To use it for the exalting of Christ VSE IX A Use to those that Christ hath carried from place to place and so have been preserved Think not thy self the less indebted unto Christ for his kindness towards thee He is to be as glorious unto such as to any let it not lessen the mercy that thou hast not seen the dismal sight and heard the doleful cries of them into whose Windows Death hath entred I know we are apt not to be affected or at least very little with things that our eyes do not see and our ears hear but that is an evil frame and certainly though our abode may not have been in the time of this Distress in the heat of it in the midst of it yet we owe our preservation unto Christ as much as any and ought to see that it have influence upon us as much as any and that 1. Considering it doth not lessen but heighten the mercy that thou art not onely preserved from falling but from partaking in that bitterness and trouble of spirit that hath certainly born down many who have lived in the heat of this Distress Days of Slaughter and Calamity are days of heart-trouble to them that are preserved in the midst of them Jer. 30.5 6. For thus saith the Lord We have heard a voice of trembling of fear and not of peace ask ye now and see whether a man doth travel with Child wherefore now do I see every man with his hands on his loyns as a woman in travel and all faces are turned into paleness It is spoken with respect to some that lived in times and places when and where slaughtering-Judgements were abroad and they that were alive what was the horror perplexity of their spirits Do not think Soul but thou art the more engaged to Christ that he hath graciously carried thee out of the sight and noise of those direful out-cries Many can say We could hardly pass the Streets but meet with Coffins and hear the cries and complaints of Friends bereft of their Relations bless the Lord that he kept thee from the hearing of this Not but that Christ can make the hearing and seeing such things turn greatly to advantage but yet it is a piece of tenderness if Christ will do the Soul good at some cheaper rate 2. Consider thou couldst not have found shelter any where had not Christ led thee thither as it is not good to go without Christs leading us nor could we have gone any where if the Lord had not made our way for us Prov. 6.9 A mans heart deviseth his way but the Lord directeth his steps Many were considering whither to go and what to do and laid their designs but if the Lord did not order their steps they could do nothing You have a notable word Job 3.23 Why is light given to a man whose way is hid and whom God hath hedged in Job was incompassed with sad distresses and he would fain have gotten out of them but saith he My way is hid he knew not whither to fly I am hedged in I must stay by it This hath been the case of many their ways have been hedged in and he could have hedged in thee and me if so it had pleased him and therefore if you and I have been carried unto places where we have been preserved let us admire the goodness of the Lord Jonah rose up to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord but he could not the Lord hindred him To which adde also 3. Christ could have found thee with the Sword wheresoever thou hadst gone therefore let not thy preservation at a distance rob Christ of his honour but see his hand in it and know that it hath been his work and see that he be thereby rendered more beautiful and comely in thine Eyes VSE X. A tenth Use may be to Sinners that are escaped You are preserved it 's true and Christ this Branch of the Lord should be glorious unto you If thou art yet in a state of sin I would say unto thee four or five things 1. Though thou art escap'd Christ is not become glorious unto
of that number But you will say How may I gather some comfortable grounded conclusions that I am one of the Israel of God I am an Escaped One this day and would not be willing that I should be stript of the blessing of this Blessing I would have the Mercy in mercy and therefore how may I come to some comfortable hope that I really am a Jew inwardly and partake of the circumcision that is of the Heart whose praise is not of man but of God I answer in a few things the Lord make them really effectual upon your Souls 1. If thou art one of Israel thou art one of another Spirit then the men of this world the Israel of God they are a distinct People separate from the rest of the Earth and separated in their Spirits eminently in another Spirit then the men of this world be What is said concerning Caleb Numb 14.24 is truly applicable to every one of Israel in some measure But my Servant Caleb because he had ANOTHER SPIRIT with him and hath followed me fully c. There were abundance of Israelites in the Camp at that day but few of them were in the frames they should be in Caleb was of another Spirit and such is every Saint The Searcher of all hearts knows that there is a difference between him and the world Not a Saint in the world but hath some ground to make an appeal to God as sometimes the Psalmist doth Search me and try me and know my thoughts and to appeal to the Lord as sometimes Jeremiah did Thou knowest my heart towards thee O Lord. Isaac had been begging Seed for his Rebecca because she had been long barren at length it is said There was strugling in her Womb she wondered what it should mean but see what answer the Spirit of God makes her Gen. 25.22 23. And the Lord said Two Nations are in thy Womb and two manner of People shall be separated from thy Bowels and the one People shall be stronger then the other People and the Elder shall serve the Younger The two manner of People were Jacob and Esau and I bring this to tell you that Jacob who was after named Israel and so all in the same Spirit with him they are another manner of People as it were another Nation another thing then the men of this world are there is an eminent difference and distinction between Esau and Israel they are of different Spirits and of a different language as several Nations differing one from another 1 Cor. 2.12 The Apostle tells us We have not received the Spirit of the World but the Spirit which is of God This he speaks concerning the Saints of God they have received not the Spirit of the World but another Spirit distinct and different from them Brethren I would put it to your Consciences and would ask you what the answer of your Souls is What ground have you to conclude that there is another Spirit in you then that which is in the World It may be your practices are somewhat other then the practices of the World are but grant it be so yet if you are not in another Spirit also if the inward frame and constitution of your Souls do not differ you will not be found among the Israel of God in the conclusion Ah my Friends possibly some of your Practices may not vary from the men of the World possibly you can be vain with them that are vain and prophane with them that are prophane if it be thus with you you must reckon your selves to be of the brood of Esau to this day Observe the words of the Apostle Rom. 12.2 And be not conformed to this World but be ye transformed by the renewing of your minds What say you Are you conformed to this World Do you drive the trade and take the course that the men of this World do Are you vain and frothy and foolish giving up your selves to serve divers lusts Youth is subject to be so and if it be thus with you you are not of Israel to this day But if you say We are not of this World we do not act as they do we do not live as they do then let me ask you Are you transformed It is well not to be conformed to this World but that is not enough you must be transformed and your Spirits renewed you must be of another Spirit then the men of this World I would beseech you to look well to your hearts and commune with your Souls and do it not slightly I know many and would wail over them that notwithstanding their profession for God and their talking much of him and being high in an external owning of God yet in their walking and therefore sure much more in their spirits they vary little from the men of this World If it be thus with you though you are escaped this day yet you cannot comfortably conclude you are of the Israel of God or that you shall bear a part in that mercy and good they shall enjoy when the Branch of the Lord shall be glorious 2. Are you Israel indeed then there is somewhat of Heart-cleanness in you there is somewhat of cleanness of Heart and purity of Soul in you Thus the Psalmist describes the Israel of God Psal 73.1 Truly God is good to Israel even to them that are of a clean Heart God is good to Israel he loves them they are exceeding dear to him and because they are dear to him therefore it is he is good to them But who are the Israel They are a certain sort of People that do not onely put on an external garb of Holiness a pretence for God and his work and service and glory but a People that have some inward conformity and likeness to God who have some cleanness of heart as well as of hands and face Man by nature is a very impure creature polluted grievously defiled all over all the Soul all the Powers and Faculties of it are stained and grievously polluted and therefore Sinners are in Scripture called the Impure and Saints by way of distinction from them are called Pure A sad account it is that the Apostle gives of Sinners Tit. 1.15 To the pure all things are pure but to the undefiled and unbelieving is nothing pure and their very consciences are defiled Jesus Christ describing the persons that shall see God to their comfort and joy he calls them the pure in heart Mat. 5.8 Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God Many there are that would pretend to this purity but it is peculiar and proper to the Israel of God onely it is the issue and fruit of a new work upon the heart it is the blessed effect of the Grace of God in and through the Covenant of Grace the making good of the Promise which he hath passed Ezek. 36.25 26. Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you and you shall be clean from all your filthiness and
4.37 And because he loved thy Fathers therefore he CHOSE their Seed after them and brought thee out in his sight with mighty power so Deut. 7.7 The Lord did not set his love upon you nor CHVSE you because you were more in number then any People for ye were the fewest of all People but because the Lord loved you c. At first God did out of his meer accord chuse Abraham and his Seed and having in love chosen them he continues his kindness and goodness to them that he might keep his Covenant and his Mercy that he promised to Abraham Poor Soul this I would now say to thee Israel was found out by the Lords Grace and that Grace may also fix upon thee It was not any thing that was in Israel but meerly the good pleasure of God that chose them to be his People and the same Grace of God may chuse thee and plant thee among his People and give thee with them a pleasant portion 2. When God first chose Israel he found them in as wretched and sad a condition as thine can be thy case cannot be worse then the case of Israel was when the Love and Grace of God fixed upon them Ezek. 16.1 Thus saith the Lord to Jerusalem Thy Birth and thy Nativity is of the Land of Canaan thy Father was an Amorite and thy Mother a Hittite Canaan were a People originally without the knowledge of God in their enmity against God This says God was Israel when first I found them without the knowledge of God and at as great a distance from God as persons could be Let the Devil say the worst against thee that he can he can but say thou art by nature at enmity with God filled with all the Principles of Sin and so was Israel as well as thou and that Grace that yet pitied Israel in this his low estate can also reach thy Soul 3. Israel when first God did him good was in as hopeless and helpless a condition as thine can be So he goes on Ezek. 16. And as for thy Nativity in the day thou wast born thy Navel was not cut neither wast thou washed in water to supple thee thou wast not salted at all nor swadled at all none Eye pitied thee to do any of these unto thee to have compassion upon thee but thou wast cast out in the open field to the loathing of thy person in the day that thou wast born What is more helpless and shiftless then an Infant just taken from the Womb not able to do its self the least service This was Israel's condition when the Lord first found them not in a capacity of moving one step out of that wretched sinful corrupt and rebellious state And truly to this day the Israel of God in themselves considered are altogether unable to act for God and his Glory but as they are assisted with power from on high Isa 45.24 25. Surely shall one say In the Lord have I Righteousness and Strength even to him shall men come and all that are incensed against him shall be ashamed In the Lord shall all the seed of Israel be justified and shall glory Israel in their best state cannot glory in themselves nor in any strength of their own but must look upon themselves as weak Creatures onely as they are strengthened by the Lord unto any good Word and Work Soul this I would say Thou canst but be a shiftless helpless Creature unable to move a foot forward or to further thy own Everlasting Concernments in the least and this is to be in no worse state then God found his own People in and that Grace by which they were brought near to God can and may also work for the good of thy Soul 4. Consider further That the very same Promises of Mercy are made unto poor sinners to this day Promises of a part in those very good things which Israel is possessed of All the blessings of the Covenant are freely offered and tendred to Sinners to this hour Hence are all the gracious Promises made to the Gentiles up and down the Word of Truth of which you have more then a few The first of which as I suppose is in Gen. 9.27 God shall enlarge Japheth and he shall dwell in the Tents of Shem and Canaan shall be his Servant This is the first Promise ever made to the Gentiles and some render the word Deus alliciet Japhethum God shall allure or perswade Japheth and he shall dwell in the Tents of Shem Japheth is put for the Gentile-World for by him the Isles of the Gentiles were inhabited Gen. 10.2 and 5. compared You shall find if you look in Luk. 3.36 and downward Christ was of the Race of Shem and the import of the Promise is this When God says he will perswaded Japheth to dwell in the Tents of Shem he means he will overcome the hearts of the Sinners among the Gentiles to come to an amity and friendship with Jesus Christ as co-habitation denotes amity and it is a word full of Grace and Favour as it can hold But more plain and full is that word Gal. 3.13 14. Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the Law being made a curse for us for it is written Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree that the Blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ It was the design both of the Father and the Son that all the Blessings of the death of Christ should reach unto the Sinners among the Gentiles that what ever Blessing was promised first to Abraham unto his Seed the same Blessing also should be made over and given in to every poor sinner among the Gentiles that shall come and submit themselves unto the Lord Jesus Well then Is not this greatly for thy comfort If thou sayest I am not Israel yet here is room and way made for thee It is the intendment both of Father and Son to let in thy Soul into all the Blessings and Mercies promised unto the Israel of God 5. Consider this also poor Sinner if thou art yet in thy sin and estrangement from God That it is the real design and intendment of God both in the Judgement that thou hast seen and the Escape thou hast had in and under these Calamities to bring thee among the number of his own People What is the design of God in all his Controversies with the World It is to bring them to kiss the Son the great Controversie is That People will not take the Yoke of Christ upon them and therefore sometimes he drives sometimes he draws and all means he uses that he may overcome the hearts of poor Sinners See the goodness he shews the mercy he follows them with in sparing and preserving them it is to this great end That his goodness might lead them to repentance and to a real subjection to the Lord Jesus Therefore Soul though thou hast stood long in ways of Rebellion against Christ
and Aaron took as Moses commanded him and ran into the midst of the Congregation behold the plague was begun among the People and he put on Incense and made an atonement and stood between the dead and the living and the Plague was stayed Aaron he was the High Priest and in that Office a great Type of Christ and in this action a great Type of Christ also it is he by his intercession and mediation steps in between the Living and the Dead if thou art not fallen among them that fall it is because this Aaron hath stept in to thy help because he hath rescued thee and been a Preservation unto thee The 68th Psalm is a Psalm applicable to Christ witness that passage in the 18th verse Thou hast ascended up on high thou hast led captivity captive and received Gifts for men yea for the rebellious also that the Lord God might dwell among them This you know is spoken of and applied unto Christ by the Apostle in the Epistle to the Ephesians Chap. 4. mark now what follows in this 68th Psalm vers 26. He that is our God is the God of Salvation and unto God the Lord belong the issues from death This is also spoken of Christ unto him belong the issues from death so that if thou art spared and saved in a day of slaughter it is from the Lord thou must say thou hast had this issue from death That which I drive at is this that you may not lose my design Have you not cause great cause to see that the Branch of the Lord by your escape be rendered so much the more excellent and comely to you since what escape you have is through him if you are preserved it is by Christ unto whom you are beholding for your preservation 3. Further The escaping of slaughter should render the Lord beautiful and glorious to you seeing it is from him that thou hast not onely thy Escaping but the Good of thy Escape not onely the Thing it self but the Mercy with it by him it is blessed unto you if it be blessed Some there are and O unhappy they unto whom every thing is accursed Psal 69.22 Let their Table become a snare before them and that which should have been for their welfare let it become a trap Every enjoyment is a snare unto some The curse of the Lord is in the House of the Wicked Prov. 3.33 Some men though they have houses to hide their heads in and it may be many things in them that look like mercies they are yet curses to them possibly their houses are full of the things of this World Waters of a full Cup may be rung out unto them their Eyes may stand out with fatness and they may have more then Heart can wish they may have Basket and Store and yet be cursed both in the Basket and in the Store it may be their Houses are full of Children and the Substance they leave is left unto their Babes as is the Psalmists expression but they are cursed also in the fruit of their Womb it may be Health and Life are within their Walls not one sick not one dead all preserved and well but yet it is not well for this their preservation is not blessed Let me tell you that read these lines As God smites some in anger in anger also sometimes he forbears to smite therefore in Isa 1.5 Why should you be smitten any more It was a word of great displeasure The escaping of some may be cursed unto them but if thy escape be blessed unto thee and thou hast it and the mercy with it thou art beholding unto Christ for both Some are preserved in love sweet is that expression and happy they that can say so Isa 38.17 Behold for peace I had great bitterness but thou hast in love to my Soul delivered it from the pit of corruption He was not onely delivered from the pit of corruption but delivered in love unto his Soul in a way of mercy and special kindness happy they that can say Thou hast given me this escape in love to my Soul But how comes a Soul to have such a Deliverance and to have it in love too from that general word Gen. 22.18 there is the fountain-head from whence our mercies flow In thy Seed shall all the Nations of the Earth be bâ—essed in Abraham's Seed meaning Christ all the Blessings come that come upon the World Whatever comes to thee or me if it come as a Blessing it is through the Seed of Abraham and upon that score we are to place it Now if thou do'st escape and this Escape be sanctified unto thee and all this be but Fruit growing upon this Branch of the Lord should not thy Escape render the Lord Jesus the more amiable to thy Soul 4. Thou hast not onely the mercy of thy Escape from Christ but skill to walk under it becomingly Vain man would be wise though he is born as the wild Asses Colt untoward untractable good for nothing unruly and perverse and if there be any thing of Wisdom given him it is from this fountain 1 Cor. 1.30 it is Christ that is made of God unto us Wisdom Righteousness Sanctification and Redemption it is in him are hid all the Treasures of Wisdom and Knowledge and from him communicated and given down unto poor Creatures as Paul Phil. 4.12 13. saith I know both how to be abased and I know how to abound every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry both to abound and to suffer need I can do all things through Christ that strengthneth me that is I can do all wisely I can use and manage every Providence rightly and how canst thou do this Paul Through Christ that strengthens me So to use Afflictions and Distresses Miseries and Mercies becomingly thy strength is in Christ and from him it must be communicated unto thee and therefore the sence of this should much endear Christ unto thy Soul that not only the Mercy of an Escape is from him but also Wisdom to use and rightly to manage it To which adde 5. That by Jesus Christ this Branch of the Lord we have not onely an Escape in time of common Calamity but greater and better things which by our Escape we may be led unto the consideration and meditation of Certain it is that through this Branch of the Lord we have salvations of more kinds then one in that 68th Psalm vers 20. where it is said He that is our God is the God of Salvation Junius renders it thus He is a God powerful to all kindes of Salvation or as the Hebrew is He is the God of Salvations in the plural number So is it with Souls that have really Grace and Mercy from Christ they have Salvations of divers sorts they have Salvation from Sin from that power and dominion that sin is wont to have in the Soul they are wonderfully by Christ delivered
thee a Soul in its natural condition seeth no Glory and Beauty in Christ it is the work of Faith that opens the Eyes to see Christs Glory and Excellency 1 Pet. 2.7 To you that believe he is precious Though it be thy Duty thou canst not live up to it thy Eyes are blind fast closed and the Glory of Christ is not discerned by thee this therefore is thy misery thou hast not answered the Lords expectation in this eminent preservation Sinners cry as they Isa 53.2 We see no form nor comliness in him nor Beauty for which we should desire him the Sinners Eyes are fast closed that though this be thy Duty thou canst not see it Nor 2ly Canst thou interpret thy Preservation to be out of good will to thee Rom. 8.28 All things shall work together for good unto them that love God but thou dost not love the Lord nor art thou the Called of the Lord thou art still in thy sin and for the present canst not interpret this dispensation to be in kindness what may be in the heart of God what secret purpose he may have how he may design hereafter to bring thee near unto himself thou canst not tell it is hidden for the present and yet thou canst not see there is any good intended thee in thy preservation and this is sad it exceedingly robs the Soul of the sweetness of such a dispensation when it cannot be took to be in kindness And 3ly If thou art a Sinner thou wilt use thy preservation to a wrong end Sinners if they ask mercy it is usually to wrong ends and if they receive mercies they improve them sinfully Psal 78.18 They tempted God in their heart by asking meat for their lust they asked a mercy but it was for their lust and they did as sadly improve it vers 28 29 30. And he let it fall in the midst of their Camp so they did eat and were well filled for he gave them their own desire they were not estranged from their lust but while their meat was yet in their mouths the wrath of God came upon them c. Thus it will be with thee Soul if thou art yet in thy Sin it is true thou art preserved but it will be to a farther misery thou hast asked it to sinful ends and wilt use it sinfully and so bring a curse upon thy self This is the misery of a poor Soul in sin he spoils his Mercies and brings down the wrath of God upon himself To which add 4ly If thou remainest in sin the time is coming when thou wilt certainly give a sad accompt of this mercy thou hast received and wilt really fall under a dispensarion much more sad then that from which thou art now delivered Christ will come in flaming fire and render vengeance unto them that know not God nor obey the Gospel of Christ the great intent of which is the exalting of Christ Now when by all means thou hast not been provoked to answer this end what will the result and issue of all be but the rendring vengeance unto thee and the wrapping thee up in eternal misery I would therefore say unto a Soul in sin What wilt thou do thou art a dying creature though thou hast escaped this storm and art in safety to day Eternity will soon come upon thee Ah what wilt thou do Soul thy great work lyeth in two things I will but even name them First Go unto the Lord that he would open thy eyes to see thy own misery and Christ in his glory that he would anoint thine Eyes with his Eye-salve that may cause the scales of ignorance to fall from them so as that thou mayst see thy self and Christ aright Secondly Beg that thou mayst have a heart to give up thy self to Christ that the glory thou seest in him may make thee restless until thou hast taken hold of him without which thou canst not walk comfortably though thou art preserved nor canst thou cheerfully look another time of trouble in the face and much less that time when thou shalt be going to thy long home USE XI One Use more Should the Branch of the Lord be glorious unto Escaping Ones It then adviseth all earnestly to press after such a Spirit I have two or three things to say by way of motive and so proceed to the second Note or Doctrine 1. Consider what a Preservation it is thou hast it is not thy Estate thy Liberty thy Name but thy Life and Skin for Skin and all that a man hath will he give for his Life If thou sayest as Job What is my life that I should hope If I live I may live in trouble Distress is like to attend the Servants of God therefore why should I make such reckoning of my life To that I say It is true distress may be the portion of the Lords People yet thy Life is a mercy thou mayst out-live or live above the distresses of the People of God or at least while thou hast life thou hast hope and time and an opportunity to get into more intimate acquaintance with Jesus Christ to be at work about thy everlasting concernments for which reason mainly life is to be valued It is thy Life that is given thee for a prey and this should make thee greatly to value and prize the Lord Jesus that gives thee such preservation 2. Consider how many of Spirits more excellent of Hearts more enlarged of greater use in their places that have been more serviceable unto Christ and his Interest then thou hast been have yet fallen and thou preserved Should not this mercy wonderfully affect thine heart Yea 3. Take this that the more thou seest of the Glory of Christ and the more he gains in esteem upon the Soul the more the Soul doth gain it is gain yea great gain great riches for the Soul to improve in its esteem of Christ Is not Christ the great thing the Gospel presents that every Soul should be seeking after Now the more thou hast of him in thy heart the more thou hast of true Treasure of Riches that are truly so called To which add 4. That if Christ do not become glorious unto us the time is hastening when he will be glorious in the esteem of others He will have glory no thanks unto us Certainly it is not long but Christ will make himself glorious and get himself a Name and Praise and all these slaughtering Providences they do but tend to that end Christ is at work though in the dark as to us and we cannot see his out-goings yet he is really working out his own advancement and will make all these end in his own glory Which leads me unto the second Doctrine from the Words The Second Doctrine That the Issue of all Slaughtering-Judgements shall be the making Christ glorious and that glory that shall be put upon the Head of Christ shall tend to the Good and Benefit of those of Israel that shall escape the