As the loadstone holds iron to it selfe so I have felt thy promise to draw me so that I cannot give it over nor forsake the meanes but they are daily sweeter and sweeter to me I have not felt such temptations to hideous thoughts lusts as some have done I am not disquieted so much about the measure of my preparations as some have been from my youth up thou hast by steps and degrees wrought that which thou art faine to worke in others by violence and with difficulties Nothing but excesse of clemency and mercy hath beene my portion and yet in all I have held some good testimony in my owne heart of sincere and plaine intentions although feeble yet faithfull Oh blesse the Lord Pitty such as get to heaven with difficulties As for others whose birth costs more travell and paines pitty them the rather and confesse thou owest them so much the more compassion by how much they come harder to heaven then thou dost We see an heire toiles not so much for all his inheritance as a poore labourer for a groat a day Doth the poore man murmure at him No but puts himselfe under providence which hath made some owners some tenants some to live at more ease others with more toile The Lord is the maker of both and perhaps foresees that if the poore had as the rich he would beare it worse and therefore his rough spirit must bee basked and held downe from pride and rebellion Let not such as meet with more hardship in their conversion accuse God for changing ease into toile Let them not murmure at Lydia at Zachee and such as have beene easily brought home but blesse God that he would trouble himselfe with such peeces as they rather then burne them as knotty logs scarce worth the hewing and bestow any cost upon them for his owne names sake rather then they should perish But let them be farre from cavilling at God that they have abode the heate of the day and others comming in at the eleventh houre have fared as well Matth. 20.15 Is thy penny the worse silver for theirs Or is thine eie evill because Gods is good wonder rather that ever that penny should come in thy purse then that others fare as well or that thou farest not better So much for this Branch Branch 2 Secondly let this be an admonition unto thee for the time to come that this ease of the first mercy Beware lest the ease of the first mercy cause thee after to slight it become not a snare unto thee afterward to cause thee to slight it and forget it Doe not as wanton heires who spend it as lightly and basely as it came easily Lest the Lord make your hearts ake for it and set you on the racke teaching you to repent and to keep within bounds Oh! abuse not this goodnesse slight it not walke not slackly sit not loose upon easie mercy devote thy selfe rather to God for so free sweet easie mercy with the most close faithfull heart thinking nothing too deare for him David could breake forth Psal 43. ult into great triumphs after a tedious conflict and combat with his fears doubts depth of heavines and say I will still praise him who is the health of my countenance and my God And shalt not thou say so much more who hast escaped many such scourings Doe not now thinke thou art safe thou maist heare pray receive the sacraments as loosely and formally as thou wilt because grace came easily No make the more precious account of it else thou art a slave and no Sonne An heire seeing himselfe stockt by his father with sweet dwelling rich grounds great revenues so that he needs not to carke and toile for a living What doth he Surely as the Lord bids the Israelites who came into a land flowing with milke and hony and that at the best vantage even in the harvest of all commodities But rather knit the heart to God Joshua 5.11 Beware lest now yee forget the Lord that hath thus endowed and furnished you Walke humbly and feare the Lord that it may goe well with you So should we doe we should say now all other things are done to mine hand there is but one thing to doe Lord teach me to do it well If I can be full and yet remember the Lord that made me and highly esteem the rocke of my salvation he will thinke them well bestowed Deut. 32.14 and confirme them to me else they shall be a snare Fall not to Adams and Eves sinne who in the abundance of all things being set in a Paradise could not digest their happinesse but fell to revolt and so were cast out Say not Soule eat drinke be merry cry not peace peace but let the ease of mercy keepe thy soul from all presuming and sensuall security John 5. Remember that bitter pill given by our Lord Jesus to a loose one whose cure cost him nothing so he began to play his parts Thou art healed now sin no more lest a worse thing befall thee and then thou wilt wish would I had lien lame by the poole still We are scarce able brethren to beare the ease of mercy but we wax wanton and that is the cause why so few finde it and so many complaine of such difficulties It is just with God to make us weare the chaine for it to teach us to walke before the Lord more humbly and soberly And so much for the second Branch of the Exhortation I should now have concluded the Use with the third and last Branch that we walke in the experience of this blessed ease to trust God forth on for the like goodnesse But the time is spent Let us cut off here and call upon God c. THE FOVRTEENTH LECTVRE Still continued upon this thirteenth VERSE VERSE XIII And his servants came neere and said unto him Father if the Prophet had bid thee doe some great thing wouldest thou not have done it How much more then when he saith unto thee Wash and be clean VERSE 14. So he went downe and dipped himselfe in Iorden seven times c. 2 Kings I Gave you an hint briefly beloved in our Saviour when I last ended the former Sermon what I would have proceeded with if time had permitted I have shewed you That the beleeving of Gods promise to such as are in case is an easie thing Sundry grounds and Scriptures I cleered the truth by and sundry Uses of Instruction of Terror of Reproofe and of Exhortation I have added And to this last wherein two branches were urged Branch 3 then belongs a third that is That all who have found this handfull of ease The ease of mercy should make Gods yoake light for ever after in beleeving pardon should be earnest with God for the ease and sweetnesse of an holy course that the yoake of God may become easie and his burthen light Say thus unto the Lord Hitherto
it were not pride and statelinesse in the Prophet what cause was there why he should send to Naaman rather then come forth himselfe Was he not expected and might he not feare some aspersion to his person God and Religion by his aloofnesse Surely by the way these things ought much to curb our base passions Bishop Hooper that famous Martyr of Christ and man of tender conscience being of somwhat a more retired private spirit and carriage then usual did cause some Christian men and women who honoured his integrity and sought advice from him to wonder and to stumble at his austerity A defect which he could not easily amend in himselfe But it cost him sorrow afterward as some of his letters witnesse that he should grieve any good heart by such an offensive carriage Those letters are also extant wherein reverend Ridley craves pardon of his deere fellow-Martyrs Bradford and Sanders for his unbrotherlike passages in some cases a time there will be in which every one that feares God will mourne for the least misdemeanor in this kinde Gods glory is pretious and his peoples souls cost deare They must not be offended for our humours or trifles better a mill-stone were hang'd about our neckes and wee cast with it into the sea then to offend one little one This by the way Ministers must be tender of Gods glory and jealous of offence by their carriage I answer there had been in this case of Elisha some feare of this I mean of offence if God had not discharged him from it by a Supersedeas to his ordinary charge but having a warrant for it hee might trust God the better for preventing of hurt As the Prophets were extraordinary persons so the most of their actions bare a speciall reference towards God not themselves And so it was here Elisha was a man familiar enough in his owne case as appeares in his homely and courteous carriage towards the woman that set him up a Table 2 Kin. 4.12.13 Stoole and Candlesticke in his Chamber This was no great state nothing neere Naamans yet thankfully accepted But there is a season for all things to bee familiar with a poore Tradesman Eccle. 2.3.2 and to be strange to a Prince both lawfull Now the Lords worke was in doing and Elisha might not procure to himselfe the note of courtesie by breaking a command as that Prophet who to avoid discourtesie went backe to eate with the old Prophet 1 King 13.19 and lost his life When God discharges us by a closer-command its folly to affect the name of unseasonable obeying And by the way it is no small error in men to interpret Scriptures according to the letter without respect had to the scope and circumstances proper to the text The Letter of the Scripture not to be wrested against the sence for mens humours As the Papists who by this meanes snatch extraordinary facts of Moses and Christs fasting Matth. 4. Ebuds killing Eglon Judg. 4. Elijah's affronting Ahab 1 King 20.21 or the like to such ends of their owne as not God but themselves are the authors of Not the fact of burning the Passeover reliques Exod 12. and of robbing the Egyptians but the warrant of God over-ruling ordinary cases for speciall ends of his owne must be regarded Now I say the Lord had another end in withdrawing Elisha from going forth For why He saw he was more carnally adicted to the Prophet then he ought More specially of the cause he came full of carnall esteem of him as a man of great power to worke miracles 1. To prevent carnâ—ll esteem of his person and the outward cure He looked also at the outward cure full he was of himself and his carnall hopes who but Elisha with him as a great Physitian with a patient for hope of cure This together with a confidence he had of his owne sufficiency to give him full content for his paines as if he had gone to an ordinary man and lookt to take and pay did wholly eclipse the honour of God who will not give his glory to another The Lord loved Elisha well and his reputation as we see Cap. 2. yet not so well as to part with his own 2 King 2.5.6 Esay 42.5.6 for his sake If God had intended only a bodily cure it had been enough to have come out and laid on hand upon the leprosie and so an end But the Lord who had a further scope even to acquaint Naaman with himselfe 2. To cast out his owne spirit his power love and mercy in healing his soule also saw that this could not be effected withour fetching a further compasse viz. by casting out the aime at bodily cure alone the confidence upon a Prophets skill 3. And to raise up his spirit to God the admiration of a mans person the fulnesse of Naamans carnall hopes all these justled aside the glory of God and the preparation of Naamans heart to entertaine the gift with a due respect to the giver And therefore the Lord thinkes it best to suspend Naaman a while longer and to traine him by degrees to a more spirituall heart in embracing such a double mercy Tne Lord strives with his spirit as Gen. 6.2 to drive out of it that same carnall savour hope content wherewith he had filled himself having heard that the Prophet could heale him As for spirituall cure he felt no disease nor knew any remedy of it But the Lord meant it and therefore meant that Naaman should in the meane season be secretly prepared for it As our saviour told Peter what I doe now John 13.7 thou knowest not but hereafter thou shalt The Lord therefore by this crossing his hopes doth desire to let in a further light into his minde then yet he had That he might consider that he was not now come to an ordinary person to heale his body but to the Lord and his Prophet to worke a divine cure here therefore he must looke up to God stand to his curtesie adore his power love goodnesse and mercy here is no marquet for money to beare mastery all must come from meer goodnesse and that not from a Prophet but from the Lord working by him Now therefore having to doe with him let his carnall savour and erroneous conceits ly by let him empty himselfe of a wordly heart and get an heavenly as having only to do with God and not man The ground affords many sweet meditations I wil briefly touch upon two or three and so proceed Thie first is this All the course which God takes in bringing home the soul to God is in a word but this one to subdue the carnality and unsavourinesse of the heart Gods way in converting any is chiefly to subdue carnall savour and the blindnesse and error of the minde to the obedience of Christ From first to last the Lord aimes at this if we marke it through all the preparations of
with But therefore to judge others doe it not Say that their owne rebellion hath made an easie way to become hard to them what then if they be saved any way what skills it The harder it is and the more it cost the sweeter it will be and the harder to forgoe Looke rather to thy selfe that thy strivings be lawfull then judge them whose strifes are difficult for so it must be till God have brought a base heart to lye downe at his feet with shame Many a noise must pierce a dead heart ere it live many a terror and many a pang of selfe-love many a contradiction feare and hope must come in his way who arrives at heaven onely this is the comfort No enemy shall finally deprive such of their labour as are called to the hope of salvation unfeignedly Nay rather Rom. 14.13 if thou get thither more easily feare that there may be in thee many an old dreg which perhaps is purged out of others by sad medicines but how ever judge them not The end shall make all manifest 1 Cor. 4.5 judge not another mans servant he stands or falls to his owne Master Pitty such rather and pray that God would ease their travell And secondly much lesse condemne thy selfe 3. Branch Instruction Christians must beware of condemning themselves Esay 40.2 because thou findest the worke of grace to hang long in suspence and not to come off with such ease and haste as thou desirest Doe not entertaine base feares into thy heart nor tempt God by putting thy selfe amongst hypocrites and reading thine owne doome looke to those markes I set downe and then conclude it s not in thee but in the Lord to shorten thy travell and to determine thy warfare it is his work who can neither be shortned nor hastned by thee he onely knowes what corruption must be tamed what grace quickned hurt it shall doe thee none to be tried if thou be sure the worke was not of thine owne beginning but Gods know he is faithfull who hath begun who also will finish in due time Thou wouldest be loth thy wife should come before her time as much as thou longest for the fruit of her wombe but art desirous she should fulfill it And thou dost well Doe so here in thy owne case A thousand yeares is as one day with the Lord 2 Pet. 2. to teach thee some of his patience when his day is come it will seeme no whit too long And in the meane season who upholds thee from sinking Is it not the Lord But perhaps thou wilt say Thou feelest but small hope and much sadnesse and deadnesse of spirit I answer thee That may be thy discontent and impatience For why Although thou feelest no thrivings yet perhaps thou maiest thrive and grow nearer thy hopes then thou art aware The infant growes towards birth daily whether it be strong or weake None of Gods cost shall bee lost upon his no drop of his pretious seed can be spilt Though thy course seeme dead to thee yet if the Lord attend thy fruit within and ripen it forme and fashion it in thy heart by secret and unknowne degrees is it not well Thou dost not know how one bone or one joint is framed in the wombe Simil. yet they lose no day no houre of their appointed time Thou seest no haires bredth of growing in thy corne yet it encreaseth daily and even that winter life thereof which stands at a stay and seems dead yet gathers secret heart and strength at the roote which after in the spring makes it shoot and branch forth The Lord is now doing for thee that which thou knowest not of but shalt know hereafter That is Joh. 10.9 that grace cannot be wrought out with thy sweat and care but by his spirit and he is the Soveraigne God who will be adored by all that come to beleeve They must come to a low point in themselves and confesse that God hath them at the advantage to save or destroy which when it hath tamed them throughly under this mighty hand of his to be at his dispose then perhaps he will not take but release the vantage for the glory of his Grace yea truly although the Lord should respit his worke till thy death yet mutter not but know that he chuses that time because then commonly the soule is brought to the narrowest point and sees no props to support her nor helpes to cling to then being at the greatest strait either to trust to a promise or to perish it is put to it and forced to resigne all and to cast it selfe upon meer mercy which while shee walked at large in the world with many false props about her shee found it not so easie to doe Thus much for this Use Vse 2 This sweet Doctrine in the second place serves to reprove and confute the false imputation of many cavilling and slanderous spirits Reproofe and Confutation in their backbiting the Ministers of the Gospell and contrarily for the encouraging of the Minister in his course of painfull persisting in the worke of perswasion Quarrellers against the Ministers unablenesse to comfort the distressed most sinfull For the first of these There be many prophane ones of this sort in all places who cast reproach upon the Gospell and Ministery as unable to effect that which it pretends Oh say they when these Ministers first preach the Law they beare people in hands that it is the way to raise up their soules to hope but for ought we see such dejected spirits complaine every day that their condition is more and more heavy they see themselves further off then ever I had rather be as I was saith another for before I was quiet but now I see the gulfe in which I lye to be deep and terrible But oh poore wretch Is it thus with all Are not some daily raised through mercy as well as others cast down What Dost thou expect as soone a lifting up as thou feelest a consternation Art thou better then he that said Psal 85.8 He would hearken what the Lord would say for he would speake peace to his Saints Surely it s to bee feared thine humbling is but violent and then thou maiest cavill long enough for thou shalt revolt quickly to thine old vomit Gods matters are too hot Job 15.11 and too heavy for thee But say thou art no such yet tell me Are the consolations of God such vaine things with thee Is it not more eligible to be under the hands of a mercifull God who in his good time can perswade the unconvinced spirit and bring it to the bent of his bow then to be under that bondage for a time which the Law by sin hath brought upon thee The like speeches doe many use concerning others How doe base parents husbands wives and kindred cry out of the word when it hath begunne to ceaze upon their children wives and husbands or kinsfolke
or the like comes from the not suffering the word to enter but holding it out at staves end Now then must not the word of promise beleeved become as contrary to her Why did Micaiah so scare Ahab Because he never spake well to him So why doth the grace of faith so scatter these distempers Because she speakes all against them overthrowes and resists them Contraries have mutually the same respect in their consequencies The distemper of an unbeleeving spirit alway beares downe the word till the word as the stronger man armed with the power of Christ doe foile her and strip her of all The weapons of our warfare are not carnall but spirituall able to cast downe strong holds of corruption Sinnes weapons are carnall Gods are spirituall Therefore there is no proportion in the contrariety God will divide the spoyles that is cease the distempers The reason appeares from that speech of Jonah Ionah 2.8 They that embrace lying vanities forsake their owne mercy But I will looke toward thy holy Temple and promise and thereby abandon them Each destroy the other Reas 5 Fifthly the promise drownes all former distempers because it performes that really which selfe and corruption beare the soule falsly and erroneously in hand withall These afford the soule a rotten peace a deceitfull content vanishing and ending in sorrow See Esay 50.11 But the word doth it really and surely no more to be infringed No more hungring or thirsting if once satisfied with this bread and water of life The text imports it Naamans servants here tell Naaman That which all thine owne discontents and humours could never minister unto thee that the obeying of the message will really afford thee See Act. 13.38 That from which you could not be justified from by the law of Moses by this Man every beleever is justified All at once set free from outward enemies and inward distempers Reas 6 Sixthly the experience of the Saints proves this who till they have cast anchor upon the word and settled upon this center could never find rest in all the circumference as I may call it of your owne best selfe your goodnesse affections gifts or duties Bellarmine himselfe confessing that in respect of the uncertainty of our good workes or else the perill of vaine-glory issuing from thence it is most safe for us to rely upon the sole and meere mercy of God the bare word of truth and promise How much more then shall Gods people say If it had not beene for thy word I had perished in my affliction This is to a poore soule as the chaire of Saint Peter is to a deluded votary the determining voyce All eternall immutable things comprehend and devoure the fading and changeable but cannot be comprehended by them nor resisted by their opposition Lastly the maine and chiefe reason of all is because the word Reas 7 and promise of God is not the bare letter of words or syllables Many branches but furnish'd with all the power and authority of God so that who so clings and cleaves to it is out of his owne keepe and under the Lords There is as our Saviour speakes spirit and life 105. in all which he speakes This may appeare to us in these foure specials First in the wisdome thereof This way of God crosseth all Branch 1 other wayes and hedges the soule out from all sound comfort by them only fastning it upon this 1 Cor. 1. As Paul cals the Gospel in this respect the wisdome of God casting downe all those devices of mans wit wil works or wayes by which flesh would set up a peace and ease of all distempers to her selfe There is no doubt but the errantest hypocrite living would gladly if he could by his smoothing with his owne false heart come to a kind of setling that he might no more be troubled But it is as the sowing of a new peece to an old garment and the rent becomes the worse Even as a short narrow Map of a Shire makes every petty cottingers lands to vanish and causes him to account himselfe a starke begger lord of a Mole-hill not worth the owning So doth this way of God force him who thought himselfe no meane man in his Religion and hopes to seeme a starke foole in his owne eyes For why hath the Lord revealed the way to life by the reall death and resurrection of his onely Sonne glory being made shame and holinesse sinne and eternity death to satisfie justice and shall I play the Mountebank and thinke to satisfie by mine owne trickes and devices Oh foole oh beast Secondly in the righteousnesse of God As the Sunne is able Branch 2 by his heat to licke up all the dew of the earth and scatter all the mists of the aire and the Sea is able to swallow up and devoure whatsoever is cast into it never to appeare more Even so the merit of Righteousnesse and Sanctification by our Lord Jesus compared oft to both these in Scripture is able to licke up and dispell all the most desperate feares doubts and distempers of the soule So Paul speakes Whom God set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his bloud to declare his righteousnes Rom. 3.25 What righteousnesse Surely the equalnesse of pardoning them who are of the faith of Jesus because he hath received a full ransome else saith he if he should not justifie such an one he should not be just So full a content hath Christ given his Father for sinne that if the Father should not acknowledge it sufficient he should doe Christ wrong and if he should not impute it to a poore soule that beleeves he should doe the poore soule wrong nay having freely yeelded his Sonne and received the price for that very end he should doe himselfe infinite wrong by unfaithfulnesse But there is no such feare The Judge of the world will not do unrighteously he will not condemne the righteous and the unbeleever alike For he hath accepted his Sons death as a ful discharge If we should receive a summe of money for the use of an Orphan and when the Orphan comes of age should detain it should he be righteous Mercy then is of free gift and faith is a free gift But justification of a poore soule for Christs merit is an act of righteousnesse So 2 Cor. 5.20.21 Be reconciled to God Why Because he hath made him sinne who knew none that we might be Gods righteousnesse Branch 3 Thirdly all other properties of the promiser are included in the promise as the truth faithfulnesse mercy love greater then that of the creation and all the rest scattered in the booke of God his eternity and unchangeablenesse and the like are all in the Word See 1 Tim. 1.15 Psal 25.10 1 Pet. 1.25 with sundry others So that the soules doubts and distempers may easily be cast upon such promises for so the Apostle cals them 1 Cor. 7.1 as are built upon such foundations Branch 4 Fourâ—hly
all adversity as Oded saith If thou scape the Lion the Beare shall meet thee if both a Serpent out of the wall shall bite thee There is no struggling And besides why should a streight so scare thee from God hath it no power or use in it to draw thee neerer God will nothing serve thee save to hate him for amends whom thou hast already hurt Is not all for thy good if thou be not a Bedlam And mayst thou not blesse God for a Little-ease when the world could not hold thee nor the earth beare thee for thy wildnesse and insatiablenesse in sin Tell me Streights cannot bee well wanted if God had not matched thee who could hadst thou not been damned Shall then the remedy bee worse then the disease wilt thou breake all chaines wit hs and ropes like Samson cannot a prison hold thee when all is done Oh if not before yet at the last when God hath thee there grinding like an Asse look up and say I will return to my father Or thinkest thou that thou shalt not profit by it Remember it is a marke of a reprobate not to profite by the last medicine Oh! there is abundant gaine in a crosse and streight Beleeve the doctrine and apply thy selfe to it sue to God for an heart to concurre with him in it and thou shalt finde a streight to be more wholesome for thee then to have thy will Heathens could say so and art thou a Divell to deny it One of them a deep observer of moralls and events having knowne one to bee very licentious in life and after comming to see him on his death-bed writes thus of it to his friend Yesterday I understood by visiting such a one how much better wee are in sicknesse then in health For what sicke man shall you see covetuous or libidinous or revengefull or contentious So that it were to be wished that we were such in coole blood and in health as in feare of death wee are forced to bee So farre hee So that wee shall need to consult with no Scripture for the matter But if we doe we shall read Lam. 3.27 It is good for a man that he beare the yoke and vers 22. even in chains and banishment the Church confesseth The compassions of the Lord are renewed every morning which she did scarcely see in liberty I need name no more Onely let this be noted That it is not wise for us so studiously to shun or shift off streights Shunne not streights nor so eagerly to lay for ease and liberty to the flesh except wee would covet sorrow and avoid humiliation Rather lay together what vantage thousands have made thereof both Prodigals before conversion and Revolters after repentance how the pride and jollity of the one in knowing no God as Nebuchadnezzar and the Jaylor hath beene turned into meeknesse and how the carnall sensuality of the other as David being driven away by Absolom and Samson in prison hath been corrected and changed to sobriety and watchfulnesse Lastly let this exhort all who would be truly happy to looke up to God the maker of yokes the easer of yokes and the sanctifier thereof that he would concurre with them in giving them a kindly worke and issue Vse 4 upon our soules Exhortation Looke up to God for a sanctified use of all strairs Alas straits and extremities are no reall substance of goodnesse but only preparatives and accidentalls occasioning the worke The effect of grace resteth in the pleasure of him that sends them if with an heart of mercy they shall not cease till they have left the soule under the authority of grace if not they shall onely make it inexcusable in the day of destruction Rest not then in this which many rest in that they feele an awed fearefull heart checking and taming them from old ventrousnesse and sawcinesse against God This is a great change but not the change which they must looke after For as a Master Not onely to awe and tame us doth as truly loath a base slave as a sawcy fellow to be his servant preferring a lowly and chearefull subjection before both extreames so doth the Lord he loaths both the bold the servile spirit If Naaman had rested in this his crouching at the Prophets gate under the disease he felt he had never been cured and yet even this was one step to pull downe his stomacke We see that when hee was put to it in the next verse he raged as base as he seemed here A Lion is a Lion still both couchant and rampant But if a Lion were made a lambe it should be a Lion no more Religion stands in no forreigne violence or pangs and acts of compulsion but in inward habits and principles Every violent thing doth but watch her time to bee set at liberty as a prisoner to finde the doores open and to file his chaine off Why Because he was where he would not be and seekes to be where his delight is A proud carnall heart vaine and loving sensuall objects may be held from them a time and for the while in some respects thinke its well that its free from the tyranny of some lusts for the noysomenesse sake But when it can have liberty to them and be let out to old objects of vanity pride and sensuality it prefers it rather because the constitution of it is naturally so I say therefore rest not in such an estate Consider how endlesse it is to strive with a body of evill by a few pangs of actuall distaste and violent restraint Thinke with thy selfe how little thou hast prevailed by all this course and that it will be a work ever to do till the Lord binde the soule to her good behaviour by putting goodnesse into it and causing it to behave it selfe well it is but as the damming up of a violent streame which will have her course Be not too much dismaid at the thought of a new change of thine heart it s at the first a sad object to the carnall heart but the sweetnesse of it at last makes it welcome The Lord begins with violence but ends in sweetnesse the spirit of grace working a principle of delight in the soule But to work a change in the soule and to turn it to God The dismall thoughts of a true change by a milde and softly drawing the will freely to choose grace before corruption even for the good and savour which it feels therein As it was lately with a melancholy man upon his marriage he was exceedingly dejected to thinke that now hee had put himselfe into a new frame which hee had not formerly knowne and lost the liberty of his single estate brought the charge of wife children and family upon himself whereof before he was free so is it with the corrupt part when it judges of that estate which God pulles her to But if God match that feare with the sweetnesse of union and marriage
good should draw thine affection to be for them True it is servants are not as children in point of naturalnesse and neerenesse for the child abides in the house for ever but the servant only for a time yet during that time he pleades for fatherhood and regard from thee so farre as is meet Quest But wherein stands this duty of Masters toward them Answ Briefly in these things First in a preparation Secondly in a performance 1. Preparation Behold God in thy servants duty Gen. 35.5 First for the former When thou seest that thy servants heart is subject unto thee and that there is a reall awe and Religious feare of spirit put into him by God for thine advantage and that as it is said of the Nations when Iaacob went to Luz the Lord smites a trembling at the ordinance of government Thy duty is to behold God in this worke to see thine owne basenesse and to say who am I that thou shouldest subject the wills of men unto so sinfull a creature as I am It is not my worth authority or carriage which could claime that esteeme and service which my servants tender unto me It is thou O Lord that subduest my people unto me In me there is nothing but might breed disdaine and despising as well as reverence But thou hast covered my uncomely parts by the honour of thine ordinance Oh! that this might draw my soule in subjection and awe under thee Eph. 3.15 who art the father of whom all the families of the earth are called Oh that I could tremble at thy greatnesse Oh! that as thou hidest from my cretaures their owne strength and parts that they might be wholly under mine authority so I might remember that I am under thee far more absolutely then a creature can be under mine Oh! that I might not feele mine owne parts strength wisdome welfare but feele thy feare upon mine heart as a bridle to awe and to restraine me from any boldnesse or loosenesse before thee Lord I never see awe and feare in my inferiours to me-ward but presently I conceive thou art in it to reflect a greater awe of my heart toward thy selfe For every Kingdome and rule in this world from a King to an housholder is under a greater Oh! let not my servant rise up in judgement and condemne me in that hee could behold that in a sinfull peece of flesh which could subdue him but I could never see that lustre and glory that mercy and love in thee which should draw and subdue my heart to thy selfe and set thee up so therein that my selfe might bee as nothing Psal 73.27 that I might say Whom have I in heaven but thee or in earth like thee By this meditation with praier prepare thy selfe first and then the duty will follow the better 2. Performance 1. Yeeld fatherly respect to thy servant Secondly having thus first given up thy selfe to God give thy selfe also to the duty of fatherly and due respect to thy servants and let not thine heart checke thee for any such wilfull neglect of them as might cause the Lord to punish it in thy selfe Even thy very diet lodging and care of the body must be good Thy horse thou wilt sometimes attend busily and carefully because thou wouldest have him serviceable and loath he should faile thee even so looke what thou wouldest have thy servant toward thy selfe that utter by the managing his spirit and framing of him for thy use The Masters eye makes the fat horse and his care the good servant This generall branch out to thy selfe in these particulars First be sure that as thou thy self lookest daily Tender to him his share in spirituall instruction for the bread of the day from God so tender thou as thy servants steward the demensum or portion due to thy servant daily let him share in thine instruction catechising and information in the Lord with correction and reproofe warnings and admonitions encouragements and promises let him not goe up and downe shifting and gracelesse give him such as the Lord hath given thee with praier for blessing daily and know that this is as meete for him as his daily food or wages better unfed then untaught Trust not thine owne wisdome but carry him in thine armes to God and pray the Lord to wash him shave off his locks and pare his nailes to make him faithfull to lay his hands upon him and blesse him that so thou maiest have a servant of the maker purged and made usefull for himselfe and thee When thou hast him tyed to thee by Gods cords he is safe This whet every day will be no let unto thee Secondly feed him not onely by the eare but by the eye Feed him by the eare and eye too pull not down that in practice by an humorous passionate base and ungracious carriage which thou hast set up in him by teaching for this will make him loath thee and despise it But tender unto him an holy grave and pure example walke before him so that Gods authority may appeare in thee Stand not so much upon thy superiority of fatherhood over him as wisdome and respect unto him Above all as Salomon saith over heare not thy servant when he speakes evill of thee that is let him see that thou art a man who can rule thy passions for thy selfe canst tell that thou hast oft offended God in that kinde This convincingnesse of thy carriage will breed invincible reverence and reflection of obedience toward thee againe See that thy servant despise thee not This will command reverence Contrarily the heart of a servant will suggest thus if thou walke basely what is matter how I serve such a Master What if I filch from him neglect his worke speake evill of him and dishonour him runne away from him It is good enough for him God is just But holy walking awes a servant overpowres his heart shames him makes him blush and puts him to silence This is powerfull not by violence but by perswasion both in sight and behinde thy back Thirdly Looke to thy authority 1. In charges bee carefull both of thy authority in commanding and in practising For the former impose nothing upon thy servant which the Lord hath not warranted thee by his word Bee not so vile as to digest any thing so thou maiest have thy worke and thy will done by him Be thou thy selfe also under authority and be a Master in the Lord. Thou hast enough to answer for thy selfe endanger not his soule also to make thine account more grievous Stretch not thy conscience to pervert his urge him not to breake Sabbaths send him not upon errands that day as if it were loose and might be spared fleece not from God presse him not to make a lye for thee to sweare or forsweare for thy sake and the like carry him not with the to base lewd companies pleasures lusts 2. For practise So for practice Ye
and set a price upon the promise as a pearle above price 2. In divers points Secondly the Lord makes it an easie worke by setling the promise upon the soule and that by sundry workes For first it doth pull up all hedges and fences which stopt the soules course standing between the soule and her harmes he puts her out of feare and sets her out of danger removes Lions of supposed difficulty out of her way as malice of Satan dismaying error of the wicked deterring and selfe distempers which disquiet her with doubtings wee know if a man would goe the next way to a place and avoid dirt and bad way hee must have a guide to lead him by the fields to pull up gaps barres and stops which done the traveller hath great ease So the Lord deales for his he suffers them not to travell tediously to heaven that is the portion of hypocrites who undoe as fast as they doe and are ever new to beginne but to his owne he gives sweet ease in his way If a man should hold our enemy for us and binde him by strength it were as we say five of the seven we might easily beat him Thus our Lord Jesus bindes Satan and difficulties that the soule might get the better of him and goe forward without awcknesse Luke 12. selfe-love or hypocrisie Secondly the Lord makes the promise easie by presenting to her all the good things of it as Canaan was seene easily by Moses when the Lord shewed it unto him and so sets the soule in a sweet course Deut 34.1 2 3 4. Wee know by experience when once a man gets the savour and smack of an object he goes roundly A Tradesman having tasted the reall sweet of his returne and a scholar of his booke take small thought to goe through stitch Paul in that place to the Corinths tells us that the Lord hath diffused the savour of his truth into him and by him to others An hypocrite is puzling after it all his life time 2 Cor. 2.14 but is so poisoned with the more welcome savours of his pleasures gaine and lusts that he falls short of the grace of God and as it is Heb. 12. Esau came short of the blessing Iaacob came just in the way of it and failed not And this savour differs from the decaying and wanzing taste of temporaries it abides in the soule and causes it to be restlesse till it possesse what it savours It is as leven sowres the whole lumpe of minde will affections Thirdly and lastly it doth authorise enable and carry the soule as under a safe convoy into the promise So that without the toile of the wicked it holds on cheerfully in all those meanes which she must use as prayer meditation conference hearing so that she uses not these at had I wist hit they or misse they but as ordinances under the blessing of God which shall not returne in vaine As Esay speakes Esay 55.9.10 The snow and the raine returne not in vaine to him that sent them but cause the earth to bring forth corne to the eater and seed to the sower So shall my word saith the Lord not faile of its scope but to doe that for which I sent it And sithence the Lord Jesus speakes no words in vain but with the promise addes the performance therefore the soule heares it so takes and findes it so even as the command of Christ to the sicke of the palsey Be thou cleane clensed him forthwith So then if the Lord will have it so sweet and easie a worke who shall let it Who shall disanull it So much for the Reasons I proceed to the Use Vses Let this first teach us to put a difference between persons who professe to seeke heaven Whatsoever the world thinkes Instruct 1 that all are alike the matter is nothing so I may say of them as the holy Branch 2 Ghost speakes of the Jewes in Esters Ester 9.14 time when Hamans plot was broken Grace is easie to them that are bred for it that to the Jewes was a day of gladnesse and rest from all their troubles feasting and ease but to their enemies the contrary So I say to all plodding ones and hypocrites the Lord gives as much toile and more for hell as the godly for heaven it is their lot Eccles 2.26 and the portion of their cup They would never come within the condition or suburbes of mercy but the others lot is fallen into a goodly heritage Psal 16. It is with them Simil. as it is with two men carried into a field wherein there lies an hidden treasure The one is left to seeke to dig to harpe upon the place by conjecture and so findes it a bootlesse worke Matth. 13.44 The other is carried to the placâ— pointed by the finger and there he digges and findes it A Scholar in the University that hath a generall wit for learning will thrive and get it although but poorely maintained when another kept there upon costy tearmes wanting such a spirit shall plod in vaine Matth. 13.11 It is only theirs to whom it is given to whom by covenant it belongs even such as renouncing themselves wholly resigne up themselves to him who can only make it easie and sweet The elder brother was as near his fathers elbow as could be and alwaies with him yet it was the lot of the yonger a prodigall turned to his father to eat of the fat calfe to have the ring robe and shooes put on him it was easie for him to be happy when his father would beteame it him as his lot Judg. 14. When Sampsons friends are kept from the riddle how hard is it in seven daies to hit upon it But when they plowed with his heifer how easily they finde it out and come to him saying What is more sweet then hony And what more strong then a Lion When the two Apostles Peter and Paul preached to the Jewes how they pressed upon them the offer of salvation because by vertue of the covenant they were to have the first refusall Read two places Act. 2. Peter tells them To you and to your children out of Gods free love the promise belongs and the powrings out of the spirit and to as many as the Lord our God shall call And so in the 13. of Acts To you brethren the Jewes at Antioch is preached by this man forgivenesse of sinnes It was a great honour though they had not the grace to see it And so much more to all under the condition of faith the promise belongs although to such as are under the condition of their own strength it shall be a meer toile and bondage So much for the first instruction Instruct 2 A second serves to untie a knot in the seeming contradiction of Scriptures Quest Grace is called by name of a yoake how then easie Some presenting unto us a marveilous ease in the yoke of
the cure of his soule as an overplus to the cure of his body The other is secret and yet manifest enough for now the Text would give us to understand That all his old wrath and conceits were vanisht all was now on the suddaine changed Jorden was an happy water to him but rather his faith for that scoured away all his distempers at once never to be heard of any more This for the analyse of this Verse Other second consequents there are not belonging to my purpose and scope in handling of this story and they lye in the three verses after We come to the first of these which as I noted the coherence of the verse with the former gives us to conceive of To wit that now at last seasonably even as apples of gold and pictures of silver comes in a calme after a great and long storme Who loves not to heare of rest after labour and joy after heavinesse Oh it s as dew to the grasse and as drinke to the thirsty Naaman was one whom God had a purpose to honour his grace upon at last and therefore lo so must it prove though it were long first even after many defeats and conflicts yet he obeyes the Prophet and is healed of his leprosie The point is God hath an appointed and set time for all his Doctrine God hath a time of accomplishing the worke of grace in his Elect. wherein after all their feares and distempers he will vouchsafe them an happy issue at the last No corruption within them no difficulty in the worke of faith no malice of Divell no discouragements by others nor the longsome delayes of grace and mercy shall finally deprive them of pardon and comfort But at the time appointed God shall bring forth judgement unto victory and in the meane season support the soule from utter sinking under her burthen Psal 97.11 There is light sowne for the righteous though it lye long in the moulds by reason of cold snuffes of weather yet a sweet day at last will come and a sunshine to fetch it up Proofes of Scripture are so many that I must cull out some few Heb. 4.9 That in the Hebrewes agrees well with this in the generall There is then a rest for the people of God a Sabbath of grace of pardon and peace after many unlikelihoods and a Sabbath of glory after all their combats and conflicts here That which Elizabeth tells Mary Luke 1. is true of all whom God hath by his Spirit conceived in the wombe of the Church there shall be given a performance to them of all the things which are promised from the Lord. A time there is for all things as of toile feare doubts resistance so of ease rest resolution and submission to the word Eccles 1.2 They shall be as glad of it as ever they were averse and aloofe from it God creates the fruit of the lips peace to them not onely who are neere and faire for it but far off and unlike to speed of it Esay 57.17 Heb 10.37 Mal. 3. Hos 12. He who commeth will come and not tarry and bring healing in his wings He will accomplish the warfare of his Sion and be as one that takes off the yoke from the jawes and lay meat unto them A most divine text is that of Esay I saw his concupisence and I will heale him for why He will not be angry nor contend for ever for then should flesh faile and the soules which he hath made The like whereto is that in his 54. Chap. For a moment in wrath I smote him I hid my selfe and was angry for a while Esay 54.7 for a short time But with everlasting compassions will I returne to him saith the the Lord thy redeemer Marke The dayes of peace shall not be as the time of trouble that 's but an houre of darkenesse but this a day of light And shall recompence the tribulation with a settled welfare Job ult As Iob when God turned his captivity enjoyed all comforts with continuance yea the Lord addes This is no casuall thing but certaine It is as the flood of Noah which the Lord sware should no more destroy the earth and his covenant is as the Rainbow which when we see we resolve there shall be no more such deluge Reason 1 Reasons also are many Not onely from Gods secret purpose who knowes his owne and therefore its impossible for any chaines to hold them from him They must one day feele the power of that election to call them to save them which first preordained them to grace But also from the course of Gods revealed will and dispensation For that grace which first prevents them afterward assists and followes them till at last it perfect the worke of faith in them Both the former I noted in this present example God prevented him by the message of the Prophets ablenesse to heale him by the Damsels meanes and brings him to the Prophet though after much error The same God assisted him there and raised up his servants to be his Counsellors though much pudder came betweene And now at last when the disease was ripe he lets out the impostume overthrowes Selfe and carnall reason melts and perswades his heart so that although he was more like to have gone from Jorden in a rage yet now he goes and washes himselfe in it and recovers And thus deales the Lord with us if he have savingly prevented graciously assisted he will powerfully finish his worke else should his power be questioned and men might say of him as they do of men who have laid a platform of a great building and begun the bottomes of it Luke 14.39.30 but cannot finish Now this were repugnant to the glory of his grace and the power of his might unto which nothing be it never so unlikely is impossible Luke 1. Reason 2 The second Reason may be taken from the absurdity and inconvenience which must follow if this were otherwise This I toucht out of Esay 57.16 before and God himself makes it a reason teaching us to alledge it If it could be otherwise then it were possible that the most excellent nature of God wherein he exceeds all his other attributes might be questioned I say then might that compassion and mercy in God receive a great foile and reproach Then should God seeme to take from man his righteousnesse which he is farre from Lam. 3.35 To rejoice in the misery of the creature then should he lose his name and honour with his people and not attaine his owne ends but faile of his purpose Then should the art of God in the way of conversion bee frustrate and prove uneffectuall as not being grounded upon certaine foundations then should his promises incur the blur of unfaithfulnesse and in a word the soule should become as one in a wood wandring and wildring it selfe untill at the last it lye downe in her owne sorrow and confusion utterly
you will be this That this selfe-resigning grace above all other Faith gâ—ves most glory to God gives most glory to God therefore it is worth the ensuing while we have time I thinke none will deny but that which ascribes most to God and least to man is the most worthy grace to lay in for But such is this It is wholly for God concurres with him in this point of his honour above all All our obedience to the Morall Law at once considered glorifies not God so much as this no although we could performe it exactly as wee cannot Partly because this grace apprehends the perfection of Gods righteousnesse which no holinesse or righteousnesse can reach to Faith though weake yet apprehends the perfection of God and thereby conformes us to bee like him Now that 's a great honour to God to resemble his perfection and to be perfectly righteous which only faith in this life apprehends Partly also for that faith onely acknowledges God in all those Attributes of his whereby he sets forth himselfe in the saving of his elect God aimed at more glory in Redemption then in Creation And Adam did not so much honour God in his integrity as a beleever doth in the act of his faith For Adam honoured Goodnesse but not Justice nor Mercy which the Lord meant especially to set forth in Christ Read Read Rom. 3.25.26 Oh! you may easily conceive how acceptable this work of faith is to God by a resemblance For take an ambitious man who stands more upon his honour then gaine Who doth most please such a man Hee that sends him gifts No he seeks to have all men bound to him rather then to be obliged to any That man is for his tooth who in great meetings trumpets out his praise tells of his breed learning bounty and generousnesse And if any lessen his praise by comparison with others will chalenge him into the field and spend bloud in the defence of it Oh! how deare is such an one to a man who stands upon it Even such a man is hee who dare cast himselfe upon a promise for hee equals God in a sort in his ends let God propound to himselfe in what he will bee honoured and faith instantly concurres and faith True Lord it is meet be famous in thy justice satisfying it self upon Christ be honored in the wisedome of thy eternall purpose and thy revealing it in time receive glory from thy poore creature for that gracious mercy of thine that love that power and all that unsearchable riches of thine past our finding out Oh! be glorified in all at the hands of him who yet cannot reach it Rom. 11. ult 1 Tim. 1.1.19 To the King immortall invisible and only wise God be all dominion and praise Faith then enlarging it selfe to all such qualities as God seekes to bee great in doth exceedingly honour him and therefore is a grace so much the more to be sought All seeke the face of the Prince Prov. 26.29 because greatnesse delights in it David having but a conceit of the contrary in Mephibosheth was implacable Get this grace then that so thou mayst set up the Lord and make him glorious in thine own heart 2 Sam. 19.29 and in the hearts of all others as neere as thou canst Secondly let this move thee When Christ shall come to judge Motive 2 the issue of his enquiry will be Whether faith or no faith Christs last inquiry will be for faith 1 Cor. 3.13.14 Matth. 25. I deny not but he will also examine and try every mans worke by fire and purge the good workes of his from all drosse which cleaves to them It is cleare by that in Matth. 25. that hee will take account of all the Talents that he hath lent out But this shall bee the maine issue of all how the maine Talent of the Gospel hath been improved that is whether it have been beleeved or no It is plaine by Luk. 18.9 Thinke you saith Christ that when the Sonne of Man shall come to judge the world he shall finde faith upon the earth That then shall bee his inquisition And no doubt that shall be then in as great request as now it is in little Then a world if we had it for a drop of this oyle but the market is over Well let us then make it the great issue of our inquiry if we be wise while it is called to day If we lay one issue Heb. 3.15 and God lay another what a wofull losse of the day shall wee sustaine Who shall recompence our losse God askes for faith and we bring him in our many Sermons hearing or prayers making our duties doing or Lord Lord have we not done great things in thy Name Then shall he answer Depart from me Matth. 7.22 Will not this bee our hell ere wee come at it But Faith will passe for currant in that day Therefore use all diligence to make that sure now It will bee in vaine then to say Alas I was not aware of this issue if I had I would not have been to seeke Thirdly God having found out who these are will set them forth in that day to bee wondred at before Men and Angels This is that Motive 3 which Paul speakes 2 Thess 1.10 when he shall come to be glorified in his Saints God will be admired in all and onely such as beleeve and to be admired in all them that beleeve in that day because our testimony was beleeved What is it to be admired in all that beleeve Surely then God shall make fully knowne the infinite riches of his mercy which he hath discovered in saving his beleeving ones when a world of others shall be rejected How few behold God admirable in the conversion of any Men have other objects of admiration now to occupy their affections as who is the eminent rich man in the Countrey who get the Kings favour or bee the greatest for their preferment These men doe admire But as for that grace which hath chosen some to be beleevers leaving thousands of great note and parts alas it is slighted as a fancie and control'd as a falsity Nay who are so scorn'd as such But in that day those great rich ones and gallants shall be despised and then shall the Lord be admired in beleevers Here they lye by as wonderments But there they shall reflect a glory upon God who hath bestowed such favour upon them as to give them faith Oh! happy then those who have kissed the Sonne Psal 2. ult It seemes that beleevers shall then bee Master-peeces when as the Lord himselfe shall bee glorious in them for his love to them How shall they then bee glorious in the sight of the world Numb 10.17 If Moses and Aaron were so glorified in the sight of Israel by reason of the government and Priesthood which God put upon them and that when as Kora and his fellowes had sought to disgrace them
shall fall into some scandall 3. Fear of falling into some scandall and not persevering and never persevere but he who hath delivered will deliver from every evil way and work He wil preserve the souls of his Saints he wil write his law in their heart they shall not depart from his feare I am perswaded nothing shall separate c. He is faithfull who hath promised Sometime sicknesse poverty debt disquiets and how then In six troubles he will keepe thee and in the seaventh that it shall not oppresse Hee put his hand under my head and will make my bed in sicknesse when I was weake the Lord holpe me Againe the soule complaines 4. Sicknesse debt enemies unfaithfull friends and the like But I have enemies Well but if thy wayes please the Lord he can make them thy friends If not though an Army of them compasse mee about yet will I not be afraid But perhaps friends faile and turne unfaithfull Well yet Mica 7. When I dare trust no friend nor wife I dare trust the Lord. When my father and mother forsooke me but the Lord took me up Can a mother forsake the childe of her womb Yet will not the Lord. He will sustaine and redeeme thee In all their afflictions hee was afflicted Esay 63.9 Oh! but they prosper and I decay They beare all the stroke and my cause is sentenced Stay a while and their green Bay tree shall wither True it is it is long first Psal 73. Psal 37.6 But fret not thy selfe roll thy way on Jehova and be doing good and hee will effect it Hee will bring forth thy righteousnesse as the morning Hee will plead thy cause Mica 7. When there is casting down thou shalt see a lifting up and hee shall save the humble person Job 22.29 But thou wilt say My prayers be not heard Not presently but it is that thou mightst pray oftner and earnestlier that so God may deliver thee from that thou fearest and his grace may bee sufficient for thee Thou wilt still object 5. When prayer is not heard My troubles are as no bodies secret and stinging unknowne to any But not unto the Lord whose eyes are in every corner of the earth and knows the heart and reynes yea the most hidden sorrowes that he may be strong with the weak and contrite ones Oh! but I am darke for lack of faith Yet let him that is in darknesse and seeth no light trust upon God Esay 50. But I want meanes The Lord is my support Psal 23.3 leads me to the pastures and streames and when I am lost yet sustaines me So that although the Olive and Vine should faile though there should be no Calfe in the stall nor Sheep in the flocke Habak 3. yet will I make the Lord my salvation But my temptations and assaults by Satan are fierce to Atheisme to deny providence the Scriptures and such like molestings It they be tedious they shall bee short and faith shall quench the most fiery darts 6. Temptations and fierce assaults of Satan Matth. 5.12 1 Pet. 4. But he stirres up his instruments to vex and pursue Well they may cast thee into prison tenne dayes but hold out and I will give thee a Crowne of life Gods hook is in their nostrills Blessed art thou when thou art persecuted for the name of Christ The Spirit of glory shall rest upon thee Fear not man whose breath is in his nostrills Esay 40.7 But I feare evill times will plucke me from my stedfastnesse No Thousands and tenne thousands shall fall on both sides but thou shalt goe free in the midst Matth. 24. If possible the Elect should be deceived But it s not possible I have prai'd for thee that thy faith faile not The just shall have a shining light upon their pathes Luke 22.31 Oh! but perhaps I am in perplexing straits what course to take Well but a voice shal be behind thee and say This is the way walke in it Oh but my sorrowes are the miseries of the Church Esay 30. The gates of hell shall not prevaile against her Be of good courage I have overcome the world The ship that Christ is in Matth. 18. John 13. ult Mica 7.8 cannot be drowned He will rebuke the waves and cause a calme Rejoyce not over me O mine enemy for when I am down I shall rise Christ hath naild my enemies to his crosse led captivity captive Esay 26.1 Salvation hath the Lord set for walls and bulwarks Esay 13.5 God will defend Jerusalem Light is sowne for the Righteous Beare the yoke because thou hast sinned and the Lord shall breake the decree Mica last and tread them as mire in the streets In the meane time Jer. 46. I will correct them in measure and Esay 28. Did I correct him as I corrected them who afflicted him No but in measure But how shall I doe when the King of feares comes The sting of death is sin which being taken out thou shalt triumph 2 Cor. 15. O death where is thy sting But I have poore children to provide for Well Exod. 20. The Lord shewes mercy to thousands of them that love him And the children of the righteous inherit the earth Psal 25. But when I am dead what shall become of me Take no thought Esay 57. They shall rest in their graves perfumed and softned by the grave of Christ and be purged by it from corruption Their names shall be sweet on earth as the pretious ointment And their soules shall reigne with God in full perfection of happinesse above sinne sorrow and all enemies till it shall joine with the beloved body againe at the day of Christ to enjoy in heaven perfect consummation These and such like promises let every poore soule cull out for herselfe out of the treasury of the Scriptures and enlarge them to her owne use that it may goe well with her and that the promises may be beleeved according to their extent for this is the misery of the soule that God hath fulnesse for her in his promises but shee will not see it acknowledge it embrace it accommodate it but let them lye rusting there without regard as men use to suffer their Armour to doe because they have no use of it Thus much shall serve for a direction in this kinde and for this Use as also for the whole Doctrine and former part of this verse containing Naamans obedience Now I come to the latter part of the verse The last generall His successe Three things in it which containes the immediate successe of his washing And that is first the expression That his flesh came againe c. Secondly the cure it selfe He was cleane And thirdly now we heare no more of his former distempers all are vanisht and washt away with his leprous skin in Jorden These points I note here As for the remoter consequences following upon this cure afterward I shall come to them in
save draw the spirits of curious and distrustfull men to wofull Idolatry To put confidence in him under a Witch to expect successe from a cursed Principle to ascribe that glory which belongs to God alone to base means which all are reduced to the Divell their first mover Satan knowes he gaines more this way then he loseth by the truth he speaks or the good which followes He denies himselfe at no time save for wicked ends Beware therefore Dare not to confound those excellent wayes of God in his power providence and mercy to his creature with the Satanicall and Sorcerers courses of prophane beasts As for those miraculous operations of God in his Church throughout all ages of the Old Testament in the poole Siloam and the gift of ejecting Satan by some certaine persons there was enough to prove that they were from God John 5.4 Matth. 12.27 for the confirmation of Truth the strengthening of Faith the drawing of Proselites But as for all the other the Lord justly suffers Satan to deceive such as deceive themselves first and reject the truth as we see in Saul Esay 8.19 Should the living goe to the dead 1 Sam. 28.6.7 Jam. 3.15 and to them that whisper out oâ— the earth Geomanticks No but to the Law and to the Testimony if that favour not there is no wisdome in them save that which Saint Iames calls from beneath and divelish A most wofull thing that in a land where the Gospell hath beene preached this eighty yeares such abominations should swarme and that with impunity yea in some cases which I name not with Apology God amend it So much for this Branch Secondly Goodnesse of God in using weake and poore things to effâ—ct great is much to be admired hence acknowledge the infinite goodnesse of God in devising such aide and succour to poore creatures both their bodies and soules for the expressing of his tender mercies to us in this infirmity of our flesh That by a word speaking he should create the fruit of the lippes even peace Esay 57. by the Ministery of a sinfull man further off from power to convert a soule then Jorden to heale a leper and beget it to a lively hope and immortality and glory That thereby the word preached should carry with it the working of faith and regeneration As the Lord Jesus his own blessed words effected miracles in the speaking causing the dead to arise the lepers to be cleansed Marke ult the deafe to heare So the words of his Ministers by the same vertue from him should doe greater things then these even by instruments most weake how admirable is it To the end that our faith might not stand in man but in God! 2 Cor 4.7 That the deadly soule leprosie worse then Naamans bodily of infidelity pride hypocrisie selfe should be washt all away by the water of Baptisme through the word of the Covenant to which its annexed in all beleevers and these shall become sealing ordinances to ratifie the truth of regeneration to the soule and to confer the nourishing power of the Spirit unto life eternall how admirable is it It is the omnipotent power of God which causeth it which separates the silly creature of water bread and wine for the present from common use Sacraments how divinely appropriated to seale up to the soule strong assurance of salvation takes off the base outside of it casts an honourable mantle over it appropriates it to holy solemne and divine use and service unites the Lord Jesus himselfe with his whole merit and efficacy to it and all to effect this end to convey the Lord Jesus into the soule of the Beleever assuring it by vertue of this sealing ordinance that as verily as the body by vertue of appetite eates and drinkes the creatures so truly doth the soule take and eat the body and bloud of Christ to the souls nourishment by Gods command and promise This is a mystery and it should teach us that if God have assumed such poor creatures sacramentally into the partakership of himselfe therefore to take heed lest we vilifie the outward ordinance as pretending all the power to be from Christ but to acknowledge each part thereof to bee from him and one as true though not as effectuall a part as the other Ye parents make not Baptisme a common thing make not so solemne a thing to wait upon your leasure and complements when all your trinkets are ready then carry your childe to the Sacrament No let your bables attend it not it them Despise it not for the outside there is a blessing in it and under the basenesse of elements lies hidden a world of worth and honour Therefore not to be used as common things And you my brethren the people run not out from it so soon as the word is preached as if you discerned no Christ in and under it annexed to it for your owne speciall use and good I tell thee those silly creatures are essentiall parts of the Sacrament as well as the grace and ordinances of God to bee reverenced though I say not with our own invented yet with that esteeme with which God hath honoured them viz. to be channells and conveiors of that grace of the Lord Jesus for life and support else would he not have graced Sacraments with the like honor to Faith Except a man be borne of water and the Spirit John 3.3.4 Marke ult and He that beleeves and is baptised shall be saved God can worke without them when they cannot bee had but when they may he will have them share in point of honour with the graces sealed from which they cannot be severed nor may be rent So much for this second Use And lastly although I doe not here equall Jordens waters to a Sacrament Jordens waters a resemblance of baptisme nor dare I call it a type of Baptisme yet is there a cleere and lively resemblance thereof in it I speake not this to teach any to use their wits boldly to allegorize every thing as some have done In this its safest for us to captive our wisdome to God to bee no wiser then himselâ—e but where he pleases to expresse allusions there to follow with sobriety As in the allegory Gal. 3. end of Sina and Jerusalem to typifie the nature of bondage and of freedome So that of Noah's flood which Peter Epist 1. Cap. 3.21 tells us is semblable to Baptisme Else its best for us to forbeare types only we may make resemblances As here this healing of Naaman by Jorden and expressing of it by the flesh of a childe teaches us thus much That the Lord who occasionally used this water to such an end as to cure an incurable leprosie of an aliant and stranger from the Common-wealth of Israel doth assure us that much more by Baptisme as by an appointed and setled sealing way he is able to heale the fretting leprosie of sinne and curse in all his
God hath strength in his hand to doe this whatsoever Satan hell law or wrath should say to the contrary I say he hath enough to warrant that he hath done against all opposers See Esay 27.4 5. Anger is not in me why Lay hold upon my strength and make peace The satisfaction of Christ is the strength of mercy as truly as the law is the strength of sinne The arme of mercy is so strong through this that the strong arme of justice cannot pull it away from forgiving a poore sinner but mercy will still be above and will not be beaten downe but prevaile against justice yea triumph against judgement By this strength then which overcomes justice shall not the distempers of the soule much more be vanquished and overcome Branch 5 Lastly the intent and purpose of God is by his promise to doe this favour for the soule even to put it out of all doubt and question and to breed assurance in it Heb. 6. That by two things the word and oath of God wherein it was impossible for God to lie we might have full assurance and so twice more in that Epistle he speakes The meaning whereof is As surely as I from all eternity did intend it in the foundation of mine election that is my Sonne as verily as I accepted it at his hands when he offered it up by his eternall spirit as verily as I offer it to my Church under the word of truth which cannot lie and have pawned my Ministers credit upon it that except I speake truely they are errant dissemblers as verily as now my deare Sonne at my right hand in glory pleads for poore soules that they may partake it so truly and really without hooke or crooke doe I intend to shew them mercy Why should not every one then that needs it fasten upon it and drowne all his distempers in it decide all doubts and rest well satisfied Conclusion of reasons To these I might adde many mo As that the promise beleeved gives the soule a full requitall for all which shee forgoes As Peter said We have forsaken all and followed thee Lord what shall we have Our Saviour answers him An hundred fold here and after eternall life So perhaps thou hast forsaken thy old crasie props for Gods word what shalt thou have Even perfect peace that which they could never have bred thee Againe I might say That faith enlarges the hidebound and shrunk heart and makes it concurre with the Lord and equall his bowels I meane to be enlarged in her bowels toward him againe whereas before it was not so but she limited the holy one of Israel and restrained his compassions Besides this word of the promise sets up a light in the heart above all that light which was there before We know when it is dark we are glad of a candle But when the Sunne shines bright a candle is a poore needlesse thing and is drowned by a superiour light So here a blind dark deluded heart is glad of any dimme candle of its owne to make it thinke it sees but when the word comes that dimme light vanishes These and many more I might adde but these are sufficient I hasten to the question and objection and the answers of them Here then first it may be asked The Answer to a Question But may a poore soule truly loaden with her owne sinne and under a condition of a promise be subject to so many distempers I answer yea surely as in the wombe the woman that is conceived with child yet ere the fruit be perfected feeles abundance of inward griefes and pains strugglings and wrestlings ere the fruit be come to the full ripenesse But when it is once come to that the former distempers cease Even so is it here Till faith have formed the soule to a true quietnesse and setling there cannot chuse but be many feares and turne-againes although the seed be cast into the wombe really But what are these I answer In three kinds Such as these I may referre them to these three heads for order sake First erroneous conceits on the right hand proceeding from selfe-love flattering it selfe by her hopes her morall qualities her negative abstinences opinion of her religious duties her affections complaints her liking of goodnesse flashes of joy and the like Oh! how can she chuse but doe well how can she be out of the way Then must thousands perish if she be wrong She is not so sinfull that she should put Gods mercy too farre to straine it selfe Ah poore wretch thinkest thou to fare well by making God lesse work or by making thy selfe to need him above all sinners The Word goes not by thy small sinne but by the graciousnesse of the promiser So also of this sort are all mixtures of selfe and soderings against the Word hoping that such a degree of desire or sorrow or selfe-deniall will serve although it have no roote in the Word nor continue Seeking God so farre as will hold with such a lust liberty or evill custome To sticke to our old condition though we find it crasie by the Word and to be unwilling to goe any further and to strippe and bare herselfe of her owne bottome that Christ might come and take possession But desperately to venture and cast all upon hazard if I be not well let all goe I will take as I find but I will altar none of my course This for the first sort Secondly there are distempers on the left hand for the soule is hurried with extremities on both sides till she beleeve I meane with bondage as well as boldnesse Of this sort are all base feares and wicked conceits against our selves That we are the unhappiest of all men of more aversnesse to Gods will and way then any men or women living That our corruptions are baser then any our natures more crooked inconstant awk and perverse that such spirits as ours so sly subtill and lewd cannot belong to God For then some restraining grace or other would have kept us all this while Why oh poore soule is it not as much for the glory of mercy to save a crooked spirit as a streight dost thou so looke upon thine owne ends that Gods are forgotten Also a false opinion of Gods enmity toward us because we feele our selves as corrupt and hardhearted as ever little amendment in us but much what the same under long hearing many mercies patience crosses meanes of grace What should this argue but that our hearts are given over and left of God Surely if he had chosen us we should not be thus Some there must be after all costs and trials who must be left in their hardnesse of heart and none more like to be of that number then such as we feele our selves So tempted to vile thoughts to lewd lusts and affections So many backwarder and further off then we in shew yet have beene brought home to God before us Many of our time age and