the tuning of the several strings makes them sound out his praise more melodiously O how comely is it to see the sweet context and coherence of Beings the loving connexion and concatenation of causes one being espous'd to another in faithfulnesse and truth the mutual claspings and twinings the due benevolence of entities Behold how goodly a thing it is and pleasant to behold Beings like Brethren to dwell together in unity It calls to minde those precious drops of love that fall from the head of the first Being and fell down upon the skirts of inferiour entities And is not there as much of this love to be seen in the new Creation in the work of grace in the soul Is not the foundation of the second Temple laid in love is not the top and pinacle of it set up by a hand of love Are not the polishings and carvings of it the works and expressions of love the witty inventions of love Is not the structure maintain'd and repair'd at the constant expences of love Is it not inhabited by a Prince of love one more loving then Solomon is there nay what is the whole Gospel else but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a cluster of Redemption as some render it what is it else but a bundle of love The Law that was an hammer to break hearts I but the Gospel that 's a key to open hearts And truly all the terrours of Mount Sina the thunder-claps and the lightning flashes the earth-quakes and the smoaking of the Mountain and the voice of the Trumpet have not so much power and prevalency in them as one still drop that falls from Mount Sion You are now come to the Mount of Olives a Mount of Peace and sweetnesse a Mount that drops fatnesse and in this Mount will Christ be seen And he comes to restore all things to their Primitive love he restores the powers and faculties of the soul to their first and original concord he knits his gifts and graces in the bond of love he comes to reconcile Beings to make antipathies kisse each other The Wolfe and the Lambe must be at peace the Leopard and the Kid must lye down together The whole Gospel like the midst of Solomons bed in the Canticles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 't is pav'd with Love Now sure you can't question whether this be the more prevailing way For O think but a while what a potent oratory there is in love what a wellcome tyrannie what a silken bondage what a downy and soft necessity Glorious things are spoken of thee thou Lady and Queen of Affections thou art the first-borne of the soul and the beginning of its strength Who would not be captivated by so sweet a Conquerour Who would not be melâ—ed in so delicate a flame What heart would not entertain so pleasant an arrow The Psalmist was struck through with one of thy darts when he panted so after the streams of water The Apostle Paul had another of thy arrowes sticking fast in him when he cryed out The love of Christ constrains me Vulnus â—lit venis Sâ—cro carpitur igni Beleeve it the strongest arguments are fetcht out of Loves Topicks We need not use many perswasions to such a soul it has a fountain of Rhetorick within There is a present expansion and amplification of spirit for the wellcomming of so happy an object O how will such a soul twine about a Precept suck sweetnesse out of a Command catch at an opportunity long for a Duty How do's it go like a Bee from flower to flower from Duty to Duty from Ordinance to Ordinance and extract the very spirits and quintessence of all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 crop the very tops of all There will be in such a soul the constant returnings and reboundings of love 'T will retort the beams of heaven 't will send back the stream of its affection into the Ocean So that now as the soul is assur'd of the love of God so God also has a most absolute certainty that the soul will 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And thus is compleated the sweet and perfect circle of Love Now there cannot be a more strong and a more mutual security then that which is thus founded And therefore nature chooses to maintain her self by these impressions We see this plainly in filial and conjugal relations where the sweetest and surest obedience flowes from principles of love And where is there more certainty then amongst friends where there is a borrowing and lending of souls a mutual exchange and transmigration of souls Now you know all these Relations are clarifi'd and refin'd in grace you are the friends of God nay you are the Sons of God you are the Spouse of Christ And the Apostle John that speaks so much of Assurance and tells you that a Christian can't sin consider but a while who he was Why he was the Beloved Disciple he that lay in the bosome of love and breathed out nothing but pure love I and his reason 't is founded in a relation of love He cannot sin because he is borne of God He resolves it into the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that same impression of love that abides in him 3. Consult a while with your own experience and observation and then tell us whether ever you knew any to walk more accurately with their God then such as were assur'd of his love If you look up to heaven there you see glorious Angels and glorifi'd Saints that have not only a full Assurance but a full possession of the love of their God that are no longer taking a prospect of Canaan but are now feeding upon the fruits and clusters of the land of Promise that have not only some scatter'd and broken beams of glory but a constant and an eternal Sun-shine And O how do they 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 only but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They have not only as we here below some drops and sprinklings of happinesse but they are at the very Fountain and have fresh bubblings of joy full streamings out of sweetnesse and can swim in the rivers of pleasure Surely these men will allow the Angels somewhat more then only to conjecture that they are happy What must glorifi'd Saints still dispute about their Summum Bonum lest they be too secure and must Angels only be of opinion that they are in heaven must they only guesse at the face of God What will they clip the wings of the Cherubims too Where has God more cheerful obedience then from these How joyfully do these ministering Spirits runne about their glorious errands How do's he bid one Go and he goes and another Come and he comes And that which sets a faire glosse upon happinesse it self is this that they are out of all possibility of displeasing their God And so they are held forth as patternes of obedience Thy will be done in earth as 't is in heaven Well but then if they tell us that there is more danger of
There are Mysteria primae magnitudinis such transcendent and dazling mysteries as that the Eagle must be faine to shut her eye and the Seraphim must be glad to wink And there are not only intellectual but practical depths in the way of Religion And Christian Plerophory is one of these For a soul to be fill'd with the breathings of the Spirit And to move with full sail in the Ocean of Gods love And when it pleases to lie safe at Anchor I and to be sure of comming safe to the haven certainly the soul must needs cry out all the while 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 O the depth of the goodnesse and love of God! how mysterious are his wayes how are his mercies past finding out 1. Now for a Christian to arrive to so full a sense of Gods love hic labor hoc opus est It requires diligence For 1. There are but few that have any right and interest in the love of God in Christ at all 2. Of those few that have a share and portion in his love yet all of them have not assurance of his love There are but few that enter into the Temple I but there is only some Aaron that enters into the sanctum sanctorum and casts his Anchor within the Veile And First there are but few upon whom God bestoweth his love 'T was alwayes a principle in Morality that sweet and intimate friendship cannot be extended to many Friends usually go by paires Now God though he be of vast and boundlesse love and has love enough to satisfie a multitude of worlds yet he has chose â—o concentricate it all in a few pickt out of the world that he might thus engage them the more to himself His large and precious love is kept for his only Spouse Secondly of those few whom he loves some are not assur'd of his love He lov'd them all from everlasting yet none of them could be then assur'd of his love A non-entity cannot reach to a Plerophory Well but when they peept out of their first nothing truly they were not any rare objects of love much lesse could they then be assur'd of the love of their God when they were in a state of enmity and opposition and the children of wrath as well as others Well but when he put them into a state of love and made them lovely with that beauty and comelinesse with those jewels and bracelets which he had put upon them when he lov'd them as his new creatures as his vessels of honour that were now cast into their just mold and fashion When he lov'd them as his new-born sons yet these babes in Christ could not presently cry Abba Father They were his Epistle written in a fair and goodly character dated from eternity folded up and kept secret at length sent into the world the superscription was writ in time in Vocation Well but all this while they were not seal'd till the spirit comes and stamps a clear impression of Gods love upon their soft'ned and melted spirits 'T is true they were seal'd as soone as they were written in Gods eternal Decree but they were not visibly seal'd till now Now what pantings and breathings What longings and entreaties What preparations were there in the soul before it could obtaine this Secondly it requires diligence to keep assurance O take heed of wasting and crumbling away thy hidden Manna God may break the staffe of bread and what will thy weary soul do then Take heed of losing the White Stone take heed of forgetting thy new name O maintain the Oile of gladnesse in the Cruse Thou that art a Vine of Canaan laden with generous fruit would'st thou willingly part with thy sweetnesse and fruifulnesse Thou that art a green Olive-tree flourishing in the house of thy God would'st thou be content to part with thy fatnesse and pleasantnesse Thou wert wont to stay and Anchor thy soul upon thy God And would'st thou now be left to the courtesie of a wave What Art thou in love with the Tents of Kedar They are black indeed And do'st thou think them comely too Art thou weary of the Sun-shine And would'st thou coole thy self in the shade Do'st thou begin to loath thy hidden Manna and would'st thou returne to the Garlick and Onions of Egypt Art thou cloy'd with the clusters of Canaan and do'st thou nauseate the Honey-comb O remember thou did st not so soone obtaine assurance and wilt thou so soone lose it Thirdly give diligence to recover assurance if lost O when will the winter be past when will the raine be over and gone that the flowers may appear and the time of singing may come That the Vines of Canaan may flourish again that the tender Grapes may appear Awake O South-winde and with thy gentle breathings blow upon the Garden that the Spices thereof may flow out Never leave till thou find'st thy Spouse again thou that art sick of love Tell him that thou long'st for a cluster of Canaan That thou art even famish'd for want of hidden Manna Desire a new edition of his love with all the enlargements of affections Lay thine heart before him and desire new stamps impressions tel him that though thou hast lost the print yet he has not lost the Seal Tell him that thou wilt now prize his love more then thou ever did'st or could'st do before Give him no rest till he give thy soul rest and fill it with himself Surely thou would'st not willingly set in a cloud thou would'st not go out of the world with thine Evidences blotted and blurr'd Surely thou would'st not willingly be tost and dasht with waves in sight of the haven Had'st thou not rather go to thy grave in peace O desire himto shine out upon thee a little before thou goest hence and be nomore seene 2. Now surely we need not tell you why Assurance does thus require diligence For 1. You know the hearts deceitfulnesse how it loves to please it self in a shadow in a painted joy to flatter it self into an imaginary happinesse Most men in the world are so confident of heaven as if they had been borne heirs apparent to the Crown of glory as if this new name had been given them at their baptism or as if they had been born with hidden Manna in their mouths They never knew what a question or a scruple was nay they wonder that others trouble themselves with them as for them they have a connate kinde of Plerophory These fabri fortunae suae have a key to heaven of their own making and can go to it when they please These crown themselves with their own sparks and think them more glittering and precious then the White Stone As if they were Custodes sigilli they can â—eale themselves to the day of redemption when they please Thus do vaine men cheat their own souls when as 't were their wiser way rather to commune with their own spirits to criticize upon their own hearts to see what
made ex aliqua praejacente materia coexistent with the prime and supreme efficient and because they could not fetch spirituals out of materials nor yet conceive that they should be fetcht out of nothing this made them determine that they sprung out of the essence of God himself who as a voluntary fountain could bubble them forth when he pleased who as a father of lights could sparkle and kindle them when he thought best But that fiction of materia ab aeterno will do them no service at all for either 't was produced by God himself then it was created ex nihilo for God himself was a pure immaterial Spirit and therefore must make matter where none was before or else it was an Independent eternal being which makes it another Deity and that involves a flat repugnancy Therefore as corporeal and material beings were raised out of nothing by the infinite vigour and power of God himself so he can with the very same facility produce spiritual beings out of nothing too Can he not as well light this Lamp out of nothing as build the goodly fabrick of the world out of nothing Cannot a creating breath make a soul as well as a creating word make a world He that can create the shell of corporeals cannot he as well create the kernel of spirituals He that created a visible Sun cannot he as well create an invisible an intellectual spark You may hear Aquinas disputing against the Gentiles most fully and strongly demonstrating that God could not be either the materia or forma of any created being for it s not imaginable how the Creator himself should ingredi essentiam creaturae But his causality is by way of efficiency producing maintaining beings the best of creatures are but vasa figuli Now a vessel though a vessel of honour yet it is no piece of the Potters essence but only the subject of his power and will One and the same Seal may print all the Wax that 's possible yet there will not be the least mutation in the Seal but only in the Wax nor yet doth the Wax at all participate of the seals essence but only receives a stamp and signature made upon it So that the Seal was as entire and compleat before it had imprinted the Wax as it was afterwards and though all the signatures of the Wax were defaced and obliterated yet the Seal would be as perfect as before Thus God though he leaves prints of himself upon all the souls in the world nay upon all the beings in the world yet these impressions are not particles of himself nor do they make the least mutation in him only in the creature for he was as full and perfect before he had printed any one creature and if the whole impression of creatures were annihilated yet his essence were the same and he could print more when he pleased and as many as he pleased Yet all the entity goodnesse and reality that is to be found in the creature was totally derived from him and is transcendently treasured up in him as the print of the wax though it be really different from the print of the Seal yet that very stamp and signature had its being from the Seal 't was vertually and originally in the Seal and now gives some resemblance of it All created goodnesse was à Deo producta à Deo exemplata as the Schools speak though not very elegantly 'T is à Deo conservata in Deum ordinata yet all this while 't was nothing of the essence of a Deity and indeed it cannot have any of his essence unlesse it have all of it He that calls the creature a drop in such a sense may as well call it a fountain he that thus termes it a ray of Divinity may as well call it a Sun for there are no particles in essentials All essence 't is indivisible how much more the essence of God himself How fond is the fancy of a semi-Deity away with the Stoicks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here if this be the meaning of them who ever heard of fragments in spirituals Dares therefore any absolutely deifie the soul or make it coëssential or coëqual with God himself Is not the soul a limited and restrained being short and imperfect in its operations a dependent and precarious being and are these things agreeable to a Deity Is not the soul naturally united to the body for the quickening and enforming of it and is that a condition fit for a Deity nay are not many souls guilty defiled miserable beings and are they all this while spangles of a Deity They must have very low and dishonourable thoughts of God that make any creature partner or sharer with him in his essence and they must have high and swelling thoughts of the creature How proud is that soul that aspires to be a God Is it not enough for a soul to approach unto his God to see his face to enjoy his presence to be like unto him to be knit unto him in love and affection Happinesse doth advance a creature to his just perfection but it doth not lift it above the sphere of its being A glorified being is still a subservient and finite being A soul when in its full brightnesse yet still is but the Candle of the Lord let it come as neer as it can yet it will be infinitely distant from him Heaven it doth not mix and blend essences together but keeps them all in their just beauty and proportions so that take a creature in what condition you will and 't is not the least particle of a Deity There 's another Errour but it 's scarce worth mentioning of some that would have the Candle of the Lord lighted up by Angels as if they had created the soul Nay the Carpocratians thought that all the rest of the world was created by them But as no secondary being could create it self so neither can it create any other being 'T was no Angelical breath but the breath of a Deity that gave life to the soul and 't was not made after the image of an Angel but of God himself Angels and souls both came from the same Almighty Father of spirits from the same glorious Father of lights who shewed the greatnesse of his power in raising such goodly beings not out of himself but out of nothing Whether ever since the first Creation the souls of men be lighted on the same manner immediately by God himself by that commanding and efficacious word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 let there be light let there be an intellectual Lamp set up in such a creature or whether it be lighted by the parents whether one soul can light another whether one and the same soul may be lighted by two as a candle is lighted by two These are the several branches of that great question which hath been frequently vext and discussed but scarce ever quieted and determined The Divines favour the way of creation
that know how jealoâ—s God is of his honour and how he takes it more hainously to be robb'd of it by his own people whil'st you now attribute all to men as if they were the authors and finishers of your faith are ye not carnall 4 Even in that which you think your selves spiritual are ye not carnal Perhaps you think you honour Paul and reverence Apollo and give due respect to the Ministers but know that they are the friends of the bridegroom and would have presented virgin-virgin-souls unto Christ and whil'st you dote upon other loves and fix your thoughts on inferiour objects you break Paul's heart and discourage Apollo in his labour Paul took you for his crowne and joy but you prove no better then a crown of thornes and pierce him through with many sorrows Paul called you his epistle but you prove his blot and now me thinks you should correct your own thoughts and even acknowledge your selves carnal 5. In all this I appeal to your selves Are ye not carnal Be your own judges collect your thoughts together consider it but with a serious and composed spirit carry your selves to the rule to the law and to the testimony see whether this be to be carnal or no if you deny it why thus you 'l prove your selves carnal and more carnal then we hope you are No question but you are carnal And thus much may serve for clearing of the text Wee 'l now summe up the words together and then they will amount to this proposition That it is a grosse and carnal thing to glory in the worthiuesse and excellencies of them that dispense the Mysteries of salvation And first as it seeks to eclipse and obscure the glory of God Nam ea est conditio imperandi ut non aliter ratio constet quà m si uni reddatur God hath taken all meanes for the brightning of his own Crown and he that dares set it upon a creatures head he that goes about to rest the golden Scepter out of Gods own hand and to place a creature in his Throne must needs be reus laesae Majestatis in a high degree Nobis obsequii gloria relicta est As he in the forenamed Historian told his Emperour though a cruel Tyrant this is all the honour left to us and 't is enough to be wholly subject to so great and good a God and to give all the glory unto him Let not then the Wise-man glory in his wisdome no neither let others glory in his wisdome for 't is grosse Idolatry to attribute that to man which is due to God to make them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which at the best are but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 even these idols are nothing Now God that made us and knows our mold and fashion the weaknesse and frailty of our nature how we use to pore upon the immediate agent as present to our senses and obvious to our apprehensions though far inferiour and of a more ignoble being as wholly dependant upon a higher cause he therefore chose to himself so weak an instrument as we could not possibly imagine that that should have sufficient influence for the producing of so great an effect as that by the few words of a weak frail man a precious and an immortal soul should be eternally saved which most make a greater work then that of the creation that so we might be necessitated to look higher to the powerful hand of God that brings so great things to passe And this is his usual method and manner of dealing Thus hath he chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise and 't is plain as they tell us in Opticks that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 non sunt acuti visûs they give the reason propter radios in illis dispersos magis et dissipatos Men of vast intellectuals of very faire eyes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they do but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in spirituals they have some broken and scattered notions which can't represent heavenly truths in their proper sâ—ecies when as some of a lesse eye oh how quick and piercing are they into these holy mysteries and such as are dimme-sighted in Philosophy become eagle-eyed in Divinity Chrysostome tells us of two in his time a Greek and a Christian that were very hot in dispute whether Paul or Plato were the better scholler The Christian he amplifies St. Pauls wisdome and excellency the Greek scornes him as rude and simple and his writings not comparable to Platoes Philosophical and lofty stile The father he comes as 't were to moderate and when he had magnified St. Paul's learning he seems to chide the Christian that he did not yield the other what he would have Grant indeed that Paul came in a more plain and unlearned way 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nothing tended more to the advancement of the Gospel to the stopping of their mouthes then the consideration of this that a few weak men by the foolishnesse of preaching the preaching of a crucified Saviour confounded the grand 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the world and more prevailed upon the hearts of men though prepossest with contrary principles then ever they could do with all their wisdome For an handfull of naked impotent men to conquen an whole host of armed champions These are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as he there speaks Alas Moses Atticissant had a veil upon his face and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 could not see into so divine a mystery nay God hath chosen the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the meere Non-entia of the world to bring to nought the things that are A strange Paradox and enough to amaze an Aristotle to hear of a Non Ens annihilating an Ens and yet no principle surer or clearer in all his Metaphysicks if it be took in this spiritual meaning and that because God hath chosen the things which are not at all in mens apprehensions and of a very thinne and weak being in themselves He hath chosen these to bring to nought the things that are That thus his power may be the more eminent in their weaknesse and his Majesty shine more gloriously in their contemptiblenesse God could have clothed some bright Seraphim with light as with agarment sent him to have sparkled out Divinity amongst us He could have made his Angels 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 even in this sense ministring Spirits for the good of them that should have been heirs of salvation But then we should have been took up too much with the glittering of the creatures and our eyes dazeled with their brightnesse God therefore hath made these Starres even of the first magnitude to disappear that the Sonne may be all in all He hath hid the Pearle in a shell and shut up his treasure 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by an infinite condescension he speaks to us by Moses and thus delivers the Gospel too by the hand of a Mediatour He hath sent us men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Paul and
garden of God Happy Pindar If instead of his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he had thought of these water-brooks and he might have hop't for a better Crown then either he or any of his worthies were like to obtain if he could have reach't this heavenly tune set by so holy a Lyrick the sweet singer of Israel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. as the Septuagint render the words And yet their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 speaks not loud enough to expresse the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for though 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may signifie a strong and earnest desire and though 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may intimate a desire upon a desire which by reduplication must needs be stronger and granting that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 do still adde to the vehemency of it yet the word in the Original is more appropriated to the panting hart and may seem to be borrow'd from that very noise which it makes in its braying after the water-brooks and the Latin glocitat is answerable unto it Now as for the hart alas 't is but a melancholy timerous creature at the best a panting creature 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 You know who 't was upbraided it to Agamemnon Thou hast an impudent eye and a panting heart and no more usual Periphrasis of a coward then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But that which the text chiefly aimes at is the drynesse of temper in the Hart which at some times of the year in Autumn chiefly as Aristotle notes in his Historistia Animalium is very excessive especiall in those hot and dry Countreys and being usually in the desert doth more discover it selfe by reason of the scarcity of waters there To let that alone which yet divers tel us of its drawingup devouring of serpents and how that when 't is enflam'd with the venom of them it then breaks out into those strong anhelations violent breathings after the streams of water and when it hath satisfied it self with them it then casts off all that was burthensom in the body before and thus renews its age again Epiph adds that if within the space of three houres it can't quench its thirst it presently dies but if it satisfie it selfe with the streames of water it usually lives fifty yeares longer 'T is likely here in the text 't is meant of the Harts panting when 't is chased by the hunter and yet not as some understand when that after its many 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it can finde no place of safety it then pants after the water-brooks as the only place of refuge but rather 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Aristotle briefly for the quenching of its thirst as the following words clearly intimate My soul is athirst c. Haeret lateri lethalis arundo the arrows of the pursuer stick fast in it the venom thereof drinks up its spirits Why now water-brooks can hardly quench its thirst with Behemoth in Job it can drink up rivers and sup up the Ocean at a draught there 's a combustion in its bowels nothing but fire fire nature's on fire and would fain be quencht and those little reliques of strength that it has it spends in panting after the streames of water Thus does the Hart pant after the water-brooks and thus did Davids soul thus does every devout soul pant after the living God and thus ardently Religion is no matter of indifferency as vain man would imagine It is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as he said of love It requires the very flower and vigour of the spirit the strength and sinews of the soul the prime and top of affections It is no empty wish nor languishing endeavour no still-born prayer nor abortive resolution will serve the turne He that 's but almost a Christian shall but almost be saved and that will be the very Emphasis of damnation to have been within a step to heaven But there is a grace a panting grace we know the name of it and that 's all 't is call'd zeal a flaming edge of affection and the ruddy complexion of the soul which argues it sound and shews it lovely This is that that makes a Christian an holy sparke a sonne of the coal even of the burning coal that was fetcht from the Altar Nay we need not go so low as this a zealous Christian is an incarnate Seraphim what should I say more he 's just of his Saviours complexion white and ruddy the fairest of ten thousand This was that that set a lustre upon those shining Rubies that adorn'd the Noble Army of Martyres purpuratus martyâ—um exercituâ— And indeed they were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in a better sense then e're it was meant of Antipater 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 't is true indeed their soul was a thirst even for the living God they enter'd into heaven panting and there they rest themselves to all eternity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There remaines therefore a rest a sabbatism unto the people of God And yet there are a generation in the world that are all for a competency in goodnesse and are afeard of too much holinesse Mediocrity even here is golden a Laodicean temper shall go under the name of moderation and a reeling neutrality shall be stil'd prudence and discretion what needs this breathing and panting this forwardnesse and eagernesse this vehemency and violence in the way of Religion quorsum haec perditio And they look upon such expressions of affection as this in the text as upon strong Hyperbole's or pretty Rhetorical flourishes Ieremy surely was strangely melancholy when he wisht his head a fountain that he might weep day and night and 't was meer fondnesse in the Spouse in the Canticles to be sick of love Thus do's the serpent hisse at the wayes of godlinesse and thus do's the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 argue But go vain man look upon the panting hart wonder why it breaths so strongly after the streames of water bid it pant moderately after the water-brooks and when thy empty breath can abate its fervency then and not till then nay hardly then wonder at the strength of a Christians desire after communion with his God for as the Hart pants after the water-brooks so panteth his soul after his God so strongly 2. So panteth my soul after thee O God! so unsatisfiably And that in a double sense 1. 'T is satisfied with nothing else 2. 'T is not satisfied with a little of this 1. Nothing can still the weary and thirsty Hart but the streams of water and nothing can content the panting soul but the fruition of his God God never rested till he made man and man never rests till he enjoyes his God He ha's a soul within him of a vast capacity and nothing can fill it to the brim but he that 's fulnesse it selfe Desire is hiatus voluntatis and such as nothing but happinesse can fill it that indeed is as he sayes Mors desiderii silentium
into thy green pastures and refresh my soule with sweetnesse When O when shall I enjoy an Ordinance in its Orient lustre in its heavenly beauty in its full and purest sweetnesse When O blessed Saviour wilt thou become the lily of the valleys the beauty and the ornament of the humble soul And when shall these valleys stand so thick of corne as that they may laugh and sing And then it breaks it self into some such expression as that of a sweet singer in our Israel ð„ Ah my deare God though I be clean forgot ð„ Let me not love thee if I love thee not These are the secret pantings of a languishing soule Thus you see how the soule pants after its God even as the Hart pants after the Water-brooks We are to discover in the next place what manner of Communion with its God it is that the soule thus pants after and that either mediate Communion with him here in his ordinances or immediate Communion with him hereafter in glory And First It strongly desires acquaintance with him here in his ordinances Chryâ—ostome's very Rhetorical upon the text and tells us how that David like a Lover in absence he must expresse affection As they have their dainty sighes and passionate complaints their loving exclamations and sundry discoveries of affection they can meet with never a tree but in the bark of it they must engrave the name of their darling 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 't will twine upon every opportunity as the Moralist speaks ð„ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ð„ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ð„ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ð„ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Anacreon sings And the true Lovers of God they are alwayes thinking upon him sighing for him panting after him talking of him and if 't were possible would ingrave the name of the Lord Jesus upon the breasts of all the men in the world Look upon David now a banish't man and fled from the presence of Saul and see how he behaves himself not like Themistocles or Camillus or some of those brave banish't Worthies He does not complain of the ungratefulnesse of his countrey the malice of his adversaries and his own unhappy successe No instead of murmuring he falls a panting and that only after his God He 's banish't from the Sanctuary the Palace of Gods nearest presence and chiefest residence he can't enjoy the beauty of holinesse and all other places seem to him but as the tents of Kedar He 's banish't from the Temple and he thinks himself banish't from his God as 't is in the following words O when shall I come and appeare before the face of God The whole stream of Expositors run this way that 't is meant of his strong longing to visit the Temple and those amiable Courts of his God with which his soule was so much taken and so 't is equivalent to that in the 63. Ps My soul thirsteth for thee to see thy glory and thy power so as I have seen it in the Sanctuary there to appear before the face of God In the ordinances extat Dei facies as Calvin speaks and the Gospel in 2 Cor. 4. 6. is call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as suppose a glasse 't is one of our own Divines illustrations when a man hath look't into it should keep a permanent and unvanishing species of his face though he himself afterwards were absent we might well say there were the face of such a man The Gospel is such a glasse representing Christ unto us 't is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that I may borrow that expression in the Hebrewes so that when we shall come to see him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Heaven we may be able to say Surely this is the very Saviour that was describ'd to me in the Gospel sic ille manus sic ora ferebat God ha's made himself very conspicuous in his own ordinances No doubt but that even now God was a little Sanctuary unto David and he had a private Oratory in his own breast where he could mentally retire and shut up his thoughts and affections in that interiour Closet and yet he pants after the publick worship of his God Musick in Consort is sweetest And some have took it for mysterious in nature and one of its Magnalia that affections are wrought upon in publick more strongly then in private The ordinances these are the water-brooks Davids heart pants after 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bubling up to Eternity And yet 't is not the out-side of an Ordinance that the soul thus breathes for alas there 's little sweetnesse in a shell 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Apostle sayes in another case the superficies the surface of it soon passes away and 't is practical Popery to rest in an Opus operatum You may heare David panting in another place O who will give me to drink of the water of the Well of Bethlehem It was not the outward water that he so much long'd for You see when that was brought him by the hazard of mens lives 't was but water spilt upon the ground No 't was a Saviour to be born in Bethlehem that his soul thirsted after O who will give me to drink of the water of the Well of Bethlehem Thou hast open'd thy mouth wide O blessed Prophet and thy Saviour hath fill'd it thou hast tasted of the water which he ha's given thee to drink and thou shalt never thirst any more but 't is a Well of water springing up in thee to eternal life A soule breathes after an Ordinance as an opportunity of having freer entercourse with its God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to have an heavenly tincture upon it to breath in so sweet an aire to be steep't in a divine nature to have some foretastes and prelibations of happinesse a prepossession of heaven and some dawnings of glory And then it enjoyes it in its orient lustre in its heavenly beauty in its full and purest sweetnesse when it meets with its God there and increaseth its acquaintance with him And would you see how the soule thus breaths after its God in every Ordinance 1. In the Word there it desires the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Apostle speaks Homer tells us of a People that he termes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Eustathius there tells us that the same were wont to be called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 both names very well agree to them that desire this sincere milk of the Word that they may grow thereby Faith pants after a promise a breast of consolation The soul lies panting at the poole of Bethesda and waits for the stirring of the waters 2. Baptisme that 's a water-brook the Infants soul pants after for even that 's envenom'd with a Serpent There are Errata's in these Carnea Encheiridia though they be the fairest Copies of innocency that are now extant Indeed many of the fathers apply this text to Baptisme And Aquinas quotes it out of Jerome that these verses were
wont to be sung at those solemn times when Baptisme was publickly celebrated 3. As for the Sacrament of the Lords Supper why there are mellita flumina streaming brooks of butter and honey as Job speaks and O how welcome is the panting soule hither God ha's sent a messenger to invite him O! every one that thirsteth let him come and drink freely Drink yea drink abundantly O beloved 'T is most true here that which Trismegistus feign'd God sets a great Cup full of Celestial liquor with this Proclamation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Up soul and drench thy self in this Cup of the Spirit Calix ebrius est as the force of the Original is in Psal 23. we render it The Cup overflows Here if ever the soule is comforted with flagons and Christs love is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sweeter then wine 4. What should I tell you nay how can I tell you the strong pantings of the soule in Prayer The Apostle calls them Rom. 8. 26. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 groanes unutterable when the soul becomes as the Syriack Idiom calls the thuribulum domus aromatum breathing up sweet odours unto the Throne of grace and Heaven it self is thus perfum'd Domus orationis is Domus aromatum In all these you see how the soule breathes after Communion with its God mediate Communion with him here But 2dly it pants after immediate Communion with him in glory and the following words will well bear this sense though not so properly and genuine O when shall I appear before the face of God in glory Thus Paul pants I desire to be dissolv'd and to be with Christ Thus the soules pant in the Revelation Come Lord Jesus come quickly Hîc pitissamus illic deglutiemur Here we sip of the water of life but there we shall drink it up though there be eternity to the bottome Here we are sons of hope and that 's a panting grace Spes indeed is aurora gaudii matutina laetitia early joy but when grace shall be ripen'd into glory then hope shall be swallowed up in fruition And thus we as 't is in 2 Cor. 3. 18. with open face 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 You see that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here denotes a clear vision whereas quite contrary in 1 Cor. 13. to see 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to see 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we see in a glasse darkly A learned Critick hath well observed that the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 includes both for it signifies vision and speculation we clearly beholding the glory of God are chang'd into the same image from glory to glory that 's either from his glory we become glorious or else 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that 's from grace to glory for grace is glory in the bud as glory is grace at the full Surely glory is nothing else but a bright Constellation of graces and happinesse nothing but the Quintessence of holinesse And now the soule by an holy gradation ascends higher from those first-fruits and earnest-penies of joy here to the consideration of the fulnesse of glory which it expects hereafter ð„ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ð„ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ð„ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ð„ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ð„ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Lyrick straines sweetly when the soule shall be unsheath'd from the body that I mayallude to the Chaldee Idiom how gloriously shall it then glister or to speak in Plutarchs expression 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when the soule shall be unclouded from the body in what brightnesse shall it then appear what did Davids soule his panting soule here leap for joy when he remembred thee O Sioâ— O how triumphantly then does his glorified soule now sing in the new Jerusalem Did his soule sing so sweetly in a cage of clay what melody think you does it now make being let loose to all eternity Is there such deliciousnesse in a Cluster of grapes cut down in the brook Eâ—hcol what look you for in the Vintage of Canaan the Land of Promise Is but a Prospect of that holy land upon the top of Mount Pisgah so pleasant and delightful surely then their lot is fallen to them in a fair ground and they have a goodly heritage that enjoy the sweetnesse of that land that flowes with milk and honey Ha's but a glimpse of Gods favourable countenance such a powerful such a satisfying influence upon the soul O think if you can how it shall be ravish'd with the fulnesse of the Beatifical Vision when the clarifi'd soul shall drink in the beames of glory and be fill'd with joy to the very brim When the panting soule shall rest it self in the bosome of a Saviour and fix his eye upon the brightnesse of his Majesty to all eternity nay when eternity shall seem too short for the beholding and admiring of such transcendent excellencies and for the solemnizing of those heavenly Nuptials between Christ and his most beloved Spouse where all the powers of heaven shall dance for joy while a Consort of Seraphims sing an Epithalamium Beloved sayes the Apostle now are ye the sons of God but it appears not as yet what ye shall be This choice Prerogative of adoption does but shadow out your future glory for it appeares not as yet what ye shall be Now ye are sons but in your minority sons but yet insulted over by servants Now ye are sons but then ye shall be heires heires of glory and co-heires with Christ Now you see in a glasse darkly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in a riddle and that book which is call'd the Revelation is most vail'd with obscurity but then you shall see face to face 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as God promises to manifest to Moses And some think that this place of the Apostle alludes to those very words taken out of Numb 12. 6. The riddle of summum bonum that hath pos'd so many shall then be explicated happinesse shall be unmask'd the book shall be unseal'd the white stone shall sparkle most oriently you shall behold with open face the glory of God you shall know as you are known not as if a finite creature could comprehend an infinite essence as some of the Schoolmen seem fondly to imagine but the words will easily bear a double Hebraisme You shall know as you are known that is either you shall know as you are approved or else you shall know as you are known that is you shall know as you are made to know 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sayes Beza 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sayes Heinsius for indeed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the same with the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and if it be rendered Hellenistically he tells us the words will run thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I shall know so as God is pleased to be known by me to manifest himself unto me O let every pious Panting Soul with its apprehensions rais'd and its affections advanc'â— wait and long
comes with confidence to the Throne of grace Jer. 17. 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Supplantativum Cor prae omnibus so Arias Montanus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 inscrutahile desperabile so Hierome and our Translation desperately wicked 't is properly insaâ—abile Some think Paul alludes to this place and does explain it in Rom. 2. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Seventy reade the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 translate it accordingly 1. Now as for the mind of the place I finde Expositors of great name and worth understanding it of the unregenerate heart of the heart of man that is in the state of corrupt nature of whom 't is said that All the imaginations of the thoughts of mans heart are altogether evil continually 2. The drift of the text is to shew the deceitfulnesse of mens hearts in respect of others for 't is brought in by way of Objection The Jewes they are cunning and subtile and can delude the Prophets and so think to evade the Curse No but I the Lord search the hearts I have a faire window an open prospect into the most reserved Spirit 't is as clear as Crystal to my eye 3. Yet 't is true that the most sincere heart is very deceitful the heart of a David of a man after Gods own heart is ful of windings and turnings and many deviations such secret passages as himself knowes not of For who hath known the errour of his wayes No man yet had such a piercing insight into his own soule as to be acquainted with every motion of it None can so anatomize his own Spirit that it shall be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so as every veine and nerve and muscle shall be obvious and apparent to his eye But what does this hinder but that the general frame and bent of the Spirit the byas and inclination of the soule may be clearly known The soule knowes which way its faculties stream with most vehemency Conscience cannot be brib'd 't will give in true judgement especially an illight'ned Conscience There 's none but if he search and examine his own soule in a strict and impartial manner may know whether he be sincere and cordial or no. There 's none but may know the general frame and temper of his Spirit 1 Cor. 2. 11. Who knowes the things of a man but the Spirit of a man that is in him The Testimony of Conscience is certain and infallible Many a wicked man by this is assur'd that for the present he is in a miserable and damnable condition he knowes certainly that as yet he is out of the Covenant and hence many times there are lightening flashes of terrour flie in his face the very sparks of hell compasse him about Does not thy Conscience often tell thee O prophane wretch that as yet thou art a childe of wrath and galloping to damnation with a full Cariere why then may not the heart of a Christian tell him as certainly that he is a childe of God by Adoption and an heire of Promise nay speak O Christian where e're thou art and speak aloud that we may heare thee does not thine own soule tell thee that thou art in a sure and happy condition so sure as nothing shall be able to separate thee from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Why are Christians so often enjoyn'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to try their own hearts to search their Spirits if that after all their diligence they can't tell what to think of them All uses of examination were vain and frivolous which yet are the very life and spirits of preaching And Ames tells us of a donum discretionis which Christians have by which they can discerne true grace from counterfeit There are certain 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by which they may distinguish them and judge of them in themselves though not in others certainly If all thus by the Testimony of Conscience may know their own frame of Spirit whether they be upright or no why then are not all true Christians assur'd of their salvation what have they not their consciences and hearts about them 1. Many are not sufficiently acquainted with their own Spirits they do not keep so strict a watch over themselves they are not verst in their own hearts they don't try and search their wayes they have riches and a treasure and do not know of it 2. It is in so great and weighty a matter Eternity does so amaze and swallow up the thoughts as that they are ready to tremble where they are certain and secure A man on the top of a tower knows that he is safe enough and yet when he looks down he is afraid of falling 3. Conscience sometimes gives a dark and cloudy testimony when 't is disquieted and charg'd with new guilt the soule can't so clearly reade its evidences And then it begins to question its condition It may be it has dealt hypocritically in some one particular and now it begins to question all its sincerity We do not say then that Conscience does alwayes give a clear and full Testimony but sometimes it does and that with absolute certainty 2. Now comes in the second witnesse and the great and supreme testimony of the Spirit himself witnessing with our Spirits that we are the Sons of God Rom. 8. 16. we render it the same Spirit but in the fountain it is the Spirit it self not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not only the gifts and graces of the Spirit but the Spirit it self This Testimony seems to be coincident with the other for a man can't tell his own sincerity 't is the Spirit that must reveal a man to himself The soule can't see its own face unlesse the Spirit unmask it The Spirit is more present and conversant with the soul then the soul is with it self He does not only know our hearts but he is greater then our hearts and knowes all things We 'l easily grant that to the least motion in spirituals there is necessarily requir'd the concurrence of the Holy Ghost but withal we say that there 's a mighty difference between the working of the Spirit and the Testimony of the Spirit There 's a powerful and efficacious work of the Spirit when faith is wrought in the soul but yet there is not the Testimony of the Spirit for every believer has not presently the Seale set to him so that though the Testimony of our own spirit cannot be without the help and influence of the Spirit yet 't is clearly distinct from the Testimony of the Spirit for here the Spirit does enable the soul to see its graces by a present light by the soules light But when it comes with a Testimony then it brings a new light of its own and lends the soule some auxiliary Beames for the more clear and full revealing of it so that you see according to that plain text in the Romanes There
are two distinct Testimonies the Spirit witnessing with our spirits And St. John is most expresse Beloved if our hearts condemne us not then have we confidence towards God Now the Testimony of the Spirit is 1. A clear Testimony a full and satisfying light springs in upon the soule scatters all cloudes all doubts and questions 't is as evident as any demonstration 1 John 3. 2â— By this we know that he dwells in us by the Spirit which he hath given us Christ when he went to heaven he left the Comforter not only to the Church in general but to every particular soule that believes to print his love upon the soule 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Chrysost If a Creature though never so glittering should tell men so there might still be some hesitancy I but the Spirit witnesses The secret and inward Testimony of the Spirit is as strong and efficacious nay more powerful then if 't were with an outward voice If an Angel from heaven were sent on purpose to a Christian by Christ himself Go tell him that I love him that I shed my blood for him c. 't were not so certain 2. A sure Testimony for 't is the witnesse of the Spirit who can neither deceive nor be deceived 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sufficientissimum Testimonium as Cajetan 1 He can't deceive for he is Truth it self 2. He can't be deceived for he is all Eye Omniscience it self And he does 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he dwells in the breast and bosome of God he is fully acquainted with the minde of God and he reveales it to the soule The Papists make the Spirits Testimony to bring but a conjectural certainty But the most renowned Perkins answers them 1. That 't is such a certainty as makes them Cry Abba Father not only think so and speak so but with all courage confidence intention of Spirit Cry Abba Father 2. It is opposed to the Spirit of bondage and therefore takes away doubtings and tremblings 3. The very end why the Holy Ghost comes to the soul is to make all sure and therefore is call'd a seal and an earnest God has given us the earnest of the Spirit and he will not lose his earnest Now he assures the soule 1. By a powerful Application of the promise for as faith does appropriate the Promise on our part so the Spirit applies it on Gods part As Satan that lying Spirit casts in doubts and feares and tremblings and working upon the remainder of corruption plots against the Peace and well-being of the soule so this holy Spirit by the comforting working upon that principle of grace which he himself hath planted in the heart of a Christian do's study and contrive the welfare of a Beleever And as the Spirit of bondage do's strongly apply wrath and the curse so this sweet Spirit of Adoption applyes grace and mercy The Spirit of bondage strikes terrour into the soul by a mighty Application of wrath this curse flames against thee this threatning is shot off against thee these vials of wrath are prepar'd for thy soul So the Spirit of Adoption do's set on strong and vigorous apprehensions of mercy this pearâ—e of price 't is to enrich thee these Evangelical cordials are to revive thee this balme in Gilead is prepar'd for thy soul The Spirit of Adoption speaks love and peace pardon and that by particular Application of the Promise to us As when the Promise of remission of sins and life everlasting by Christ is generally propounded in the Ministery of the Word the holy Ghost do's particularly apply it to the heart of such a one and do's seale up the Promise to the soul That when Faith sayes this Promise is mine this belongs to me the Spirit do's strongly apply it this is thine indeed and this do's belong to thee These are the secret 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the whisperings and breathings of the holy Spirit the secret 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by which it converses with the soul The Spirit of God has free and often entercourse with a beleeving spirit And this is far enough from any vain Enthusiasme any extraordinary Revelation 't is no imaginary thing but such as many a soul is acquainted with and has tasted of 2. By a bright irradiation beaming out upon the soul and clearing its evidences discovering its graces and shewing them to be true and genuine not only by giving the soul a spirit of discerning for that we referr'd to the former Testimony but the Spirit brings in its own light and makes those graces which were visible before more eminently conspicuous The spirit of a man was the Candle of the Lord as the wise man speaks which gave a weaker and dimmer light but yet such as was enough to manifest the Object I but now there are glorious Sun-beams come rushing in upon the spirit the Spirit shines in the soul with â—ealing under his wings The graces of the Spirit these flow like a pure and Crystalline stream and the light of the Spirit shines out upon them and gilds the water See a plain Text for this 1 Cor. 2. 12. We have received the Spirit which is of God that we might know the things which are freely given us of God Light sets a glosse upon all the world and this spiritual light gives a lustre and oriency to graces it puts a beauty upon them such as the soul is much taken with We have received an heavenly light that we may see heavenly things Now thou know'st thy Faith to be lively and thy Repentance to be sound thy Sorrow to be ingenuous and thy Obedience sincere thy Love to be unfeign'd and thy fear to be filial for the Spirit has set his seale to all thy graces and has acknowledg'd them for his own O but many have thought they have had the Spirit when they had it not and the Divel that foule spirit can transforme himself into an Angel of light But 1. One mans self-deceit do's not prejudice anothers certainty What if one man flatter himself in a false light and please himself in a meere shadow of Assurance must all men needs follow his example A man that is in a dream thinks himself awake when he is not I but I hope for all this a man that is awake may certainly know that he is so Many a traveller has thought himself in the right way when he has been out of it and yet this do's not hinder but that he that 's well acquainted with the road may know that he is in his way What if one man take Copper for Gold must all men do so too One mans folly and vanity does not at all hinder anothers Assurance 2. The Spirit comes with a convincing beam Light shews both it self and other things too the Sun by its glorious beams do's paraphrase and comment upon its own glittering Essence and the Spirit displayes himself to the soul and gives a full manifestation of his own
breaths here Manna's rain'd down here God shews his face here 's the sealing place the Spirit confirmes the word and prints it upon thy soul Thus waite upon him in his own way I and waite upon him in his own time too don't think time tedious He that beleeves makes not haste which St. Paul renders He that beleeves is not ashamed as if to make haste and be asham'd were all one God will wonderfully prepare the soule that he means to fill with his love Assurance is too precious a thing to be pour'd into every spirit He won't put new wine into old bottles God is all this while making thee more capable of his love and though for the present thou hast no Assurance yet thus trusting and waiting upon him thou art in a great tendency to it And put the worst that can be imagin'd that thou should'st dye under a cloud yet thy condition were safe and thou shalt come then to a full Assurance nay to a full possession of thine inheritance and thou shalt see the glorious Sunne-shine of the face of God a beam of which thou did'st so much long for here We come now to the fourth particular those special Sealing times when Christians have their Assurance and Plerophory 1. Many times at their first conversion God do's then seale up the work of grace in the soul When the Spirit of Bondage has past upon the soul and by a strong conviction has apply'd particularly guilt and wrath unto it the fatal sentence is pronounc't and the soul is fill'd with the scorching pre-apprehensions of hell and damnation and trembles at the very thought of eternity Now for the Gospel to bring thee wellcome newes of a pardon and for the Spirit of Adoption to apply grace and mercy unto the soul for the prison-doores to be broken open and a poor captive set at liberty to have all the chaines and fetters beaten off and to be brought into a marvellous light to have all the balme of Gilead pour'd into him Evangelical fruitions and cordials prepar'd for him and which is the very extraction and quintessence of all the love of a Saviour shed into his heart What strong impressions of joy think you must there be in such a soul What precious infusions of spiritual sweetnesse What secret springings and elevations of Spirit What triumphs what Jubilee's what love-raptures I am my Beloved's and my Beloved is mine I must appeal to your breasts that have found this great and heavenly work wrought upon your soul 't is you only that have tasted the joy of the holy Ghost that is glorious and unspeakable And do you tell us had not ye then the first relish of the hidden Manna was not it very sweet and delicious hadst not thou then the first glimpse of the White Stone and was not it very bright and orient hadst not thou then the Spouse kisse and was not it precious and more worth then a world didst not thou tâ—â—n first hear the soft language and whisperings of the Spirit and was not his voice lovely and pleasant I know your souls dance within you with the very recalling of so happy and golden a time and you pant and breath after more of this communion with a Saviour and truly he deserves an Anathema that do's not preferre the very possibility of having of it before all the world Hosea 11. 1. When Israel was a childe then I lov'd him I taught Ephraim also to go taking them by their armes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I taught him to foot it on the wayes of Religion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I drew them with the cords of a man all gentle and perswasive sollicitations with bands of love I was to them as they that take off the yoke on their jaws and I laid meat unto them The yoke of bondage the soul was under God freed the soul brought him to an easie pleasant yoke to an Evangelical yoke God has a speciall care of tender plants when Israel was a tender vine O then he fenc'd it and hedg'd it and shone out upon it c. Now Christ is thus pleas'd to reveal his love to unbosome himself unto the souls of young Converts for their greater incouragement in the wayes of grace At the first step to heaven he gives them a viaticum If after the soul had been steept in legall humiliation and possest with feares and terrours and amazements compass't with clouds and now at last it has been drawn by a mighty work to receive a Saviour If after all this it should have no Sun-shine 't would droop and languish and be ready to pine away 't would be very unfit and unserviceable the wheels of the soul would move heavily God therefore oiles the wheels poures the Oile of gladnesse into the soul And now it moves like the chariots of Aminadab with a nimble spontaneity Christ begins to flourish through the Lettices le ts in some of his love into the soul I and gives it a sense of this love too and this constrains it to obedience and sets the soul a longing for more of this love and for more sense of this love and so it will never leave longing till it have a full fruition of it in heaven This is Gods method this is the usuall progresse of grace in the soul And hence you may see why young Converts are usually so active in the wayes of Religion so forward and vehement O they have fresh apprehensions of the love of a Saviour with an eminent alteration he has wrought in them how they are rais'd from death to life O they can tell you long stories of his goodnesse what great things he hath done for their soul So that their affections are rais'd there 's a flush of joy the soul runs over and knows no banks no bounds Thus God does many times seal up the work of grace in the soul and gives a satisfying light at the first conversion but yet I cannot say that this is alwayes so for there are diversities of workings and grace sometimes wrought in the soul after a more still and undiscernable manner as we shall have occasion to speak more hereafter 2. Sacrament-times are sealing times I speak of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper for as for those secret breathings of the Spirit upon Infants in that other Sacrament of Baptisme they are altogether unsearchable and past finding out Now in the Lords Supper you have the New Covenant seal'd up unto the soul the soul has not only his graces increased but they are printed clearer that seale of the Spirits does print a Christians evidences with a clearer stamp You have plaine and visible representations of the love of a Saviour and you have the sense of this love pour'd out into you A Christian feeds not only upon Sacramental bread but upon hidden Manna too and has tastes of that love that is sweeter then wine Here 's a feast of fat things The soul is satisfied as with marrow
and sweetnesse spiritual refreshments like fat things they are sweet and they are filling too yet not like other fat things that have a cloying fulsomenesse in them no these carry a delicious relish with them such as the soul takes present complacency in them and has a longing appetite for them The soul never nauseats the feast of fat things but the more it feeds upon them the more it hungers after them Now the two grand ends of this Sacrament in reference to a Christian are 1. Growth of Grace 2. Sense of Grace 'T is a Sacrament of Augmentation by which a new-borne-infant-soul may grow up to its just proportion and full stature in Jesus Christ and 't is a Sacrament evidencing this his condition to the soul Christians come hither ad corroborandum Titulum the smoaking flax comes hither to have some light and the bruised reed comes hither to have some strength the worme Jacob crawl's into the presence of a Saviour and is sent away with an encouraging voice Fear not thou worme Jacob. Many a tender babe in Christ has stretcht out its weak and trembling hand to lay hold of a Saviour and has found vertue coming out from him Many a thirsty soul has come breathing and panting after the streames of water 'thas open'd his mouth wide and he has fill'd it The longing and affectionate soul has come with vehement and enlarg'd desires and has found full expressions and manifestations of his love towards her Many a cloudy soul has come hither to see if he could spy out one beam and has been sent away brighter then the Sun in all its glory You that come hither with the most ample and capacious souls tell us whether you ben't fill'd up to the brim whether your cup don't overflow O what heavenly entercourse is there between you and a Saviour what pleasant aspects what mutual love-glances what smiles and blandishments Don't you finde in your own souls a full Paraphrase upon the book of the Canticles that book of Loves He comes with an earthy and drossie soul that is not rais'd and advanc't with such glorious mysteries And yet my meaning is not as if every true Christian that had received this Sacrament must needs have Assurance No we know 1. Beleevers themselves may receive unworthily as the Christian Corinthians when Paul tells them they came together for the worse and not for the better he speaks it of such as were truly in the state of grace Thus he concludes his discourse You are chastened of the Lord that you might not be condemned with the world And thus the soul may go from a Sacrament with lesse comfort then it brought thither 2. Many that have much joy and sweetnesse from a Sacrament real and spiritual joy I and strengh and vigour too yet it may be have it not in so great a proportion in so high a measure their cup is not so brim-ful as that it should reach to Assurance All that do truly partake of these heavenly delicacies yet don't go away equally satisfied Some have but a taste which is enough to cherish them others a full draught which does mightily enliven them So then all we say is this those Christians that have assurance have it usuall at these times and some Christians that have wanted assurance yet here have found it which should strongly engage all to come hither with great and solemn preparation quickening and exciting their graces emproving all present strength breathing and longing after these pleasant streams widening and enlarging their affections opening their mouths like a dry and thirsty land that waits for some satisfying showers and would fain be fill'd 3. Times of employment are sealing times When God intends a Christian for great and eminent service he first makes his goodnesse passe before him he sheds some of his love into his heart which does both constraine him to obedience and encourage him in it his smile makes the soul go cheerefully about his work his presence gives life and vigour to a performance The servants of God wait on him fix their eyes upon him look whether he gives them a propitious glance they walk in the light of his countenance they follow the directions of his eye they won't move unlesse he breath on them Moses won't stir without Assurance of his presence All the clusters of Canaan shall not entice him he had rather dwell with briars and thornes in the wildernesse with the good will of him that dwells in the bush He had rather be in a barren and desolate and howling wildernesse then in a pleasant and fruitful land in a delicious land without the presence of his God He knows there 's no sweetnesse in Canaan without him there 's more sting then honey in the land of Promise unlesse he be there and Canaan it self will prove a wildernesse if he withdraw himself The beames of his gracious Presence these gild a place they can turn a desert into a Paradise and can make a prison glorious The love of God in Christ 't is attractive and magnetical and drawes the soule along when 't is once touch t with it this will draw Moses to the land of Promise this will carry him through all difficulties God sheds some of this love into Moses his heart and then he goes on with cheerfulnesse and alacrity And so 't was with his Successour Joshua God calls him to an honourable employment to be the Shepherd of his little flock to guide and govern his People Israel Now how does he prepare him for so great a work why he strengthens him and heartens him with a Promise of himself with assurance of his love Feare not but be of courage I am with thee Thou hast my presenee thou shalt have my blessing I have done much for thee and I will do more for thee be faithful in my service and be couragious and don't doubt of the love of God towards thee Thus God when he call'd Abraham to that great expression of obedience in the sacrificing of his Isaac he first warmes his heart with his love and seals up the Covenant of Grace to him he spreads before him ample and comprehensive Promises I am thy God All-sufficient I am thy Buckler and thine exceeding great reward and this will beare up and support Abraham though the staffe of his old age be taken away and by his own hands cast into the fire And this was his usual dealing with the Prophets when he sent them with great and weighry messages He first reveales his goodnesse to them before he reveales his minde by them he assures them of directing mercy of protecting mercy that shall beare them company that shall go along with them and this puts a generous undauntednesse upon them that they feare not the frowns of men nor the threatnings of men nor of the greatest of men this makes Jeremy to set his face like a flint and Esay to lift up his voice like a Trumpet to tell Israel
Alia nunc alia posthac sed omnes gentes omnitempore Vna Lex sempiterna immutabilis continebit unúsque erit quasi communis magister Legislator omnium Deus Ille Legis hujus Inventor Disceptator Lator Cui qui non parebit ipse se fugiet Naturam hominis aspernabitur Hoc ipso licet maximas poenas etiamsicaetera quae putantur effugerit His meaning is not much different from this Right Reason is a beautiful Law a Law of a pure complexion of a natural colour of a vast extent and diffusion its colour never fades never dies It encourages men in obedience with a smile it chides them and frowns them out of wickednesse Good men heare the least whispering of its pleasant voice they observe the least glance of its lovely eye but wicked men sometimes will not heare it though it come to them in thunder nor take the least notice of it though it should flash out in lightning None must inlarge the Phylacteries of this law nor must any dare to prune off the least branch of it Nay the malice of man cannot totally deface so indelible a beauty No Pope nor Prince nor Parliament nor People nor Angel nor Creature can absolve you from it This Law never paints its face it never changes its colour it does not put on one Aspect at Athens and another face at Rome but looks upon all Nations persons with an impartial eye it shines upon all ages and times and conditions with a perpetual light it is yesterday and to day the same for ever There is but one Law-giver one Lord and supreme Judge of this Law God blessed for evermore He was the contriver of it the commander of it the publisher of it and none can be exempted from it unlesse he will be banisht from his own essence and be excommunicated from humane Nature This punishment would have sting enough if he should avoid a thousand more that are due to so foul a transgression Thus you see that the Heathen not only had this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 upon them but also they themselves took special notice of it and the more refined sort amongst them could discourse very admirably about it which must needs leave them the more inexcusable for the violation of it We come now to see where the strength of the Law of Nature lies where its nerves are where it has such an efficacious influence such a binding vertue And I finde Vasquez somewhat singular and withal erroneous in his opinion whilest he goes about to shew that the formality of this Law consists only in that harmony and proportion or else that discord and disconvenience which such and such an object and such and such an action has with a Rational Nature for saies he every Essence is Mensura Boni Mali in respect of it self Which as he thinks is plainly manifested and discovered also in corporal beings which use to flie only from such things as are destructive to their own formes and to embrace all such neighbourly and friendly beings as will close and comply with them But he might easily have known that as these material beings were never yet so honoured as to be judg'd capable of a Law so neither can any naked Essence though never so pure and noble lay a Moral engagement upon it self or binde its own being for this would make the very same being superior to it self as it gives a Law and inferiour to it self as it must obey it So that the most high and Sovereigne being even God himself does not subject himself to any Law though there be some Actions also most agreeable to his Nature and others plainly inconsistent with it yet they cannot amount to such a power as to lay any obligation upon him which should in the least Notion differ from the liberty of his own essence Thus also in the Common-wealth of humane Nature that proportion which Actions bear to Reason is indeed a sufficient foundation for a Law to build upon but it is not the Law it self nor a formal obligation Yet some of the School-men are extreme bold and vaine in their suppositions so bold as that I am ready to question whether it be best to repeate them yet thus they say Si Deus non esset vel si non uteretur Ratione vel si non rectè judicaret de Rebus si tamen in homine idem esset dictamen Rectaerationis quod nunc est haberet etiam eandem Rationem Legis quam nunc habet But what are the goodly spoyles that these men expect if they could break through such a croud of Repugnancies and impossibilities the whole result and product of it will prove but a meer Cipher for Reason as 't is now does not binde in its own name but in the name of its supreme Lord and Sovereigne by whom Reason lives and moves and has its being For if only a creature should binde it self to the observation of this Law it must also inflict upon it self such a punishment as is answerable to the violation of it but no such being would be willing or able to punish it self in so high a measure as such a transgression would meritoriously require so that it must be accountable to some other Legislative power which will vindicate its own commands and will by this means ingage a Creature to be more mindeful of its own happinesse then otherwise it would be For though some of the Gallanter Heathen can brave it out sometimes in an expression that the very turpitude of such an action is punishment enough and the very beauty of goodnesse is an abundant reward and compensation yet we see that all this and more then this did not efficaciously prevaile with them for their due conformity and full obedience to Natures Law such a single cord as this will be easily broken Yet there is some truth in what they say for thus much is visible and apparent that there is such a Magnetical power in some good as must needs allure and attract a Rational Being there is such a native fairnesse such an intrinsecal lovelinesse in some objects as does not depend upon an external command but by its own worth must needs win upon the Soul and there is such an inseparable deformity and malignity in some evill as that Reason must needs loath it and abominate it Insomuch as that if there were no Law or Command yet a Rational being of its own accord out of meere love would espouse it self to such an amiable good 't would claspe and twine about such a precious object and if there were not the least check or prohibition yet in order to its own welfare 't would abhor and flie from some black evils that spit out so much venome against its Nature This is that which the School-men meane when they tell us Quaedam sunt mala quia prohibentur sed alia prohibentur quia sunt mala that is in Positive Lawes whether
that he may staine the pride and glory of man that he may pose his intellectuals that God may maintaine in man great apprehensions of himself of his own incomprehensiblenesse of his own truth of his own revelations as that he may keep a creature in a posture of dependency so as to give up his understanding so as to be disposed and regulated by him And if a Cherubim be ambitious of stooping if Angelical understanding do so earnestly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 me thinks then the sons of men might fall down at the beautiful feet of Evangelical mysteries with that humble acknowledgment Non sum dignus solvere corrigiam â—ujus mysterii Only let thy Faith triumph here for it shall not triumph hereafter let it shine in time for it must vanish in eternity You see then that Reason is no enemy to Faith for all that has been said of Faith it has been fetcht out of Reason You see there are mutual embraces twixt the Law and the Gospel Nature and Grace may meet together Reason and Faith have kissed each other CHAP. XVII The light of Reason is a pleasant light 'T Is Lumen jucundum All light is pleasant 't is the very smile of Nature the glosse of the world the varnish of the Creation a bright paraphrase upon bodies Whether it discover it self in the modesty of a morning blush and open its fair and Virgin eye-lids in the dawning of the day or whether it dart out more vigorous and sprightful beams shining out in its noon-day glory whether it sport and twinckle in a Star or blaze and glare out in a Comet or frisk and dance in a Jewel or dissemble and play the Hypocrite in a gloworm or Epitomize and abbreviate it self in a spark or shew its zeale and the ruddinesse of its complexion in the yolk of the fire or grow more pale pining and consuming away in a Candle however 't is pleas'd to manifest it self it carries a commanding lustre in its face though sometimes indeed it be veil'd and shadowed sometimes 't is clouded and imprison'd sometimes 't is soyl'd and discolour'd Who will not salute so lovely a beauty with a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 welcome thou first-borne of corporeal beings thou Lady and Queen of Sensitive beauties thou clarifier and refiner of the Chaos thou unspotted beauty of the Universe Let him be condemn'd to a perpetual night to a fatal disconsolate grave that is not enamour'd with thy brightnesse Is it not a pleasant thing to behold a Sun nay to behold but a Candle a deputed light a vicarious light the ape of a Sun-beame Yet there are some superstitious ones that are ready to adore it how devoutly do they complement with a Candle at the first approach how do they put off the hat to it as if with the Satyr they meant to kisse it You see how pleasant the light is to them Nay that learned Knight in his discourse of Bodies tells us of one totally blinde who yet knew when a candle came into the room only by the quickning reviving of his Spirits Yet this Corporeal light 't is but ashadow 't is but a black spot to set off the fairnes of intellectual brightnes How pleasant is it to behold an intellectual Sun Nay to behold but the Candle of the Lord How pleasant is this Lamp of Reason 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All the Motions and Operations of Nature are mix'd and season'd with sweetnesse Every Entity 't is sugared with some delight Every being 't is roll'd up in some pleasure How does the inanimate Being clasp and embrace its Centre and rest there as in the bosome of delight how flourishing is the pleasure of vegetatives Look but upon the beauty and pleasure of a flower Behold the Lilies of the Valleyes and the Roses of Sharon Solomon in all his Pleasure was not cloathed like one of these Go then to sensitive Creatures and there you meet with pleasures in a greater height and exaltation How are all the Individua amongst them maintained by acts of pleasure How are they all propagated by acts of pleasure Some of them are more merry and cheerful then the rest How pleasant and jocund is the Bird How musical is it How does it sing for joy did you never see the fish playing in its element did you never see it caught with a bait of pleasure does not Leviathan sport in the sea and dally with the waves If you look up higher to rational Beings to the sonnes of men you 'l finde there a more singular and pecular kinde of pleasure whilest they have both a taste of sensitive delight and a Participation of Intellectual The soul and body enjoying a chaste and conjugal love the pleasure of the soul is more vigorous and masculine that of the body more soft and effeminate The Nobler any Being is the purer pleasure it hath proportion'd to it Sensitive pleasure it hath more of dregs Intellectual pleasure it hath more of Quintessence If pleasure were to be measured by Corporeal senses the Brutes that are more exquisite in sense then men are would by vertue of that have a choicer portion of happinesse then men can arrive to and would make a better sect of Epicureans then men are ever like to do But therefore Nature hath very wisely provided that the pleasure of Reason should be above any pleasure of Sense as much and far more then the pleasure of a Bee is above the pleasure of the Swine Have you not seen a Bee make a trade of pleasure and like a little Epicure faring deliciously every day whilest it lies at the breast of a flower drawing and sucking out the purest sweetnesse and because 't will have variety of dishes and dainties it goes from flower to flower and feasts upon them all with a pure and spotlesse pleasure when as the Swine in the mean time tumbles and wallowes in the mire rolling it self in dirt and filthinesse An Intellectual Bee that deflowers most elegant Authors a learned Epicure that sups up more Orient pearles then ever Cleopatra did one that delights in the embraces of truth goodnes hath he not a more refin'd and clarified pleasure then a wanton Corinthian that courts Lais then a soft Sardanapalus spinning amongst his Courtizans then a plump Anacreon in singing dancing and quaffing lascivious playing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the elegant Moralist hath it and 't is as if he had said the delights of a studious and contemplative Athenian or of a couragious and active Lacedemonian is infinitely to be preferr'd before the pleasure of a delicate Sybarite or a a dissolved Persian The delight of a Philosopher does infinitely surpasse the pleasure of a Courtier The choicest pleasure is nothing but the Efflorescentia veri boni there can be no greater pleasure then of an understanding embracing a most clear truth and of a will complying with its fairest good this is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Greeks calls
is understood of the God of Nature they were words of truth and loyalty but if they meant them as certainly they did of that strength which was for the present communicated to them they were but the interpreters of their own weaknesse and vanity Yet 't is no wonder to hear any of the Heathen Rhetoricating in the praise of Nature it may seem a more tolerable piece of gratitude in them to amplifie and extoll this gift of their Creatour 't is no wonder if such a one admire a Candle that ne're saw a nobler light But for such as are surrounded and crown'd with Evangelical beams for men that live under Gospel-Sun-shine for them to promise themselves and others that they may be saved by the light of a candle a Stoick an Academick a Peripatetick shall enter into heaven before these Yet I finde that in the very beginning of the fifth Century Pelagius an high Traitor against the Majesty of Heaven scattered this dangerous and venomovs Error endeavouring to set the Crown upon Natures head and to place the creature in the throne of God and grace The learned Vossius in his Historia Pelagiana a book full fraught with sacred Antiquity gives us this brief representation of him that he was humani arbitrii decomptor Divinae Gratiae contemptor a trimmer of Nature and an affronter of grace His body was the very type of his soul for he wanted an eye he was but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be sure he wanted a spiritual eye to discern the things of God He was a Scot by Nation a Monk by profession a man exemplary in Morals and not contemptible for learning for though Hierom vilifie him in respect of both yet Chrysostom gives him a sufficient Commendamus and Augustine himself will set his hand to it that learned adversary of his full of grace and truth the very hammer that broke his flinty and rebellious Errour in pieces If you would see the rise and progresse and variations of this Errour how it began to blush and put on more modesty in Semipelagianisme how afterwards it cover'd its nakednesse with some Popish fig-leaves how at length it refin'd it self and drest it self more handsomely in Arminianisme you may consult with the forementioned Author who kept a relique of his Pelagian History in his own breast whilest it left upon him an Arminian tincture This spreading Errour leaven'd the great lump and generality of the world as the profound Bradwardin sighs and complains Totus penè mundus post Pelagium abiit in errorem for all men are born Pelagians Nature is predominant in them it has took possession of them and will not easily subordinate it self to a superior principle Yet Nature has not such a fountain of perfection in it self but that it may very well draw from another this Heathenish principle after all its advancements and improvements after all its whitenings and purifyings it must stand but afar off in Atrio Gentium it cannot enter into the Temple off God much lesse into the Sanctum Sanctorum it cannot pierce within the veile The ennoblement of intellectuals the spotlesse integrity of Morals sweetnesse of dispositions and the candor of Nature they are all deservedly amiable in the eye of the world The Candle of Socrates and the candle of Plato the Lamp of Epictetus they did all shine before men and shine more then some that would fain be call'd Christians Nature makes a very fine show and a goodly glittering in the eye of the world but this Candle cannot appear in the presence of a Sun all the paintings and varnishings of Nature they please and enamour the eyes of men but they melt away at the presence of God The Lamp of a Moralist may waste it self in doing good to others and yet at length may go out in a snuffe and be cast into utter darknesse The harmonious composing of natural faculties the tuning of those spheres will never make up an heaven fit for a soul to dwell in Yet notwithstanding whatsoever is lovely in narure is acceptable even to God himself for 't is a print of himself and he does proportion some temporal rewards unto it the justice of an Aristides the good laws of a Solon or a Lycurgus the formal devotion of a Numa Pompilius the prudence of a Cato the courage of a Scipio the moderation of a Fabius the publitk spirit of a Cicero they had all some rewards scattered among them Nor is there any doubt but that some of the Heathen pleased God better then others Surely Socrates was more lovely in his eyes then Aristophanes Augustus pleased him better then Tiberius Cicero was more acceptable to him then Catiline for there were more remainders of his image in the one then in the other the one was of purer and nobler influence then the other Minùs malus respectu pejoris est bonus the one shall have more mitigations of punishment then the other Socrates shall taste a milder cup of wrath when as Aristophanes shall drink up the dregs of fury if divine justice whip Cicero with rods 't will whip Catiline with Scorpions An easier and more gentle worm shall feed upon Augustus a more fierce and cruel one shall prey upon Tiberius if justice put Cato into a prison 't will put Cethegus into a dungeon Nor is this a small advantage that comes by the excellencies improvements of Nature that if God shall please to beautifie and adorne such an one with supernatural principles and if he think good to drop grace into such a soul 't will be more serviceable and instrumental to God then others Religion cannot desire to shine with a greater glosse and lustre it cannot desire to ride among men in greater pomp and solemnity in a more triumphant Chariot then in a soul of vast intellectuals of Virgin and undeflowered morals of calme and composed affections of pleasant and ingenuous dispositions When the strength of Nature and the power of godlinesse unite and concentricate their forces they make up the finest and purest complexion the soundest and bravest constitution like a sparkling and vigorous soul quickening and informing a beautiful body Yet this must be thought upon that the different improvement even of Naturals springs only from grace For Essentials and Specificals which are meer Nature they are equal in all but whatsoever singular or additional perfection is annext to such a one flows only from the distingushing goodnesse of an higher cause that Socrates was any better then Aristophanes was not nature but a kinde of common gift and grace of the Spirit of God for there are the same seminal principles in all Augustus Tiberius were hew'n out of the same rock there are in Cicero the seeds of a Catiline and when the one brings forth more kindely and generous the other more wilde and corrupted fruit 't is accordingly as the countenance and favourable aspect of heaven is pleased to give the increase for as the Philosophers
the first cause and all demonstrations fetcht from such effects as flow from him they do only shew you that he is they do not open and display the divine essence for they are not effectus adaequantes virtutem causae To see God in the creatures 't is to see him veil'd 't is to see him clouded The soul will not rest contented with such an imperfect knowledge of its God it sees him thus here and yet that does not hush and quiet rational desires but does increase and inlarge them Such things as last long are perfected slowly and such is happinesse the knowledge of men here 't is too green and crude ' twon't ripen into happinesse till the Sun shine upon it with its blessed and immediate beams God therefore creates and prepares a Lumen Gloriae for the soul that is such a supernatural disposition in an intellectual eye by which 't is clarified and fortified and rightly prepared for the beholding the divine essence which makes Dionysius the falsely supposed Areopagite very fitly describe happinesse by this 't is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the souls sunning of it self in the Lumen Gloriae Some will have that of the Psalmist to be sung in the praise of this light In lumine tuo videbimus lumen That Seraphical Prophet does thus most excellently represent it The Sunne shall be no more thy light by day neither for brightnesse shall the Moone give light unto thee but the Lord shall be unto thee an everlasting light and thy God thy glory Isai 60. v. 19. You have it thus rendered in the Apocalypse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This lumen gloriae which is similitudo quaedam intellectûs divini as the Schoolmen speak this light 't is not so much for the discovering of the object for that 's an intellectual Sun cloathed with all perfection and brightnesse as 't is for the helping and advancing of a created understanding which else would be too much opprest with the weight of glory but yet this augmentation of the visive faculty of the soul by the Lumen Gloriae 't is not per intentionem virtutis naturalis but 't is per appositionem novae formae 't is not the raising and screwing of nature higher but 't is the adding of a new supernatural disposition that may close with the divine essence for as Aquinas has it Ipsa divina essentia copulatur intellectui ut forma intelligibilis humane understanding is as the matter accurately predisposed by the Lumen Gloriae for the receiving of the divine essence as an intelligible forme stamps an impression of it self upon it it prints the soul with that summum bonum which it has so much long'd for So that though there be still an infinite disproportion between God and the creature in esse naturali yet there is a fit and just proportion between them in esse intelligibili Though an eye be enabled to behold the Sun yet this does not make it all one with the Sun but it keeps its own nature still as much as it did before Nor is this vision a comprehensive vision for a finite being will never be able fully to graspe an infinite essence 't is true indeed it sees the whole essence of God not a piece of his face only for all essence is indivisible especially that most simple and pure essence of God himself but the soul does not see it so clearly and so strongly as God himself sees it hence degrees of happinesse spring for the Lumen Gloriae being variously shed amongst blessed souls the larger measure they have of that the brighter sight have they of the divine essence Several men may look upon the same face and yet some that have more sparkling eyes or some that stand neerer may discerne it better if a multltude of spectators were enabled to behold the Sunne yet some of them that have a more strong and piercing eye might see it more cleerly then the rest In this glasse of the divine essence glorified souls see all things else that conduce to their happinesse as God by seeing himself the cause and fountain of beings sees also all effects that come streaming from him so these also looking upon the Sunne must needs see his beams they see the Sunne and see other things by the Sun they see there omnium rerum genera species they there behold virtutes ordinem universi Yet because they do not see the essence of God clearly and perfectly that is comprehensively so neither can they see all those treasures of mysterious wisdome of unsearchable goodnesse of unlimited power that lie hid in the very depth of the divine essence Non vident possibilia nec rationes rerum nec ea quae dependent ex pura Dei voluntate as the Schoolmen do well determine yet all that a glorified understanding sees it 's in one twinkling of its eye for it sees all by one single species by the divine essence It forgets its wrangling Syllogismes it leaves its tardy demonstrations when it once comes to an intuitive knowledge Non movetur de uno intelligibili in aliud sed quiescit in actu unico for the state of happinesse is a Sabbatical state The soul rests and fixes it self in one act of perpetual enjoyment and by this participation of simultaneity it partakes of eternity for that is tota simul Whether this glorious happinesse be more principally situated in an act of the understanding or of the will I leave the Thomists and Scotists to discusse it only this I will say in the behalfe of Aquinas that the will cannot enjoy this happinesse any other wayes then as 't is a rational appetite For there is a blinde appetite of good in every being which yet neither has nor can have such happinesse As therefore the operations of the will so the happinesse of the will also seemes to be subordinate to that of the understanding But it is enough for us that an intire soul an whole rational being is united to its dearest fairest and supreme object in a way of pure intuitive speculation in a way of sweetest love and fruition Nor could nature of it self reach this for an inferiour nature cannot thus unite it self to a superiour but only by his indulgence raising it above it self This Candle of the Lord may shine here below it may and doth aspire and long for happinesse but yet it will not come neere it till he that lighted it up be pleased to lift it up to himself and there transforme it into a Starre that may drink in everlasting light and influence from its original and fountain-light THE Schisme 1 COR. 3. 4. For while one saith I am of Paul and another I am of Apollo are ye not carnal THE Corinthians were Pauls Epistle as he himself stiles them writ in a very legible character to be seen and read of all men and to be set as a copy for others to write after No doubt but the Apostle had penned it very
good with greater joy because he did answerable to his Talent when as the other entrusted with some golden and precious excellency may have done more good but yet nothing so proportionable to his ability But if men would thus lay out themselves and unite their severall gifts and excellencies in one general aime and faithfully improve them for the advantage of their Master and good of their fellow-servants which is a thing sull of reason and equity as might be shewed at large what glorious times should we then see How would knowledge begin to cover the face of the Earth as Waters do the Sea How would the Tree of Knowledge be so laden with fruit as that 't would stoop down and children might pick off the Apples that were ready to drop into their mouthes How would the world become as he speaks terebratus patens full of fair windowes and goodly prospects and all guilded over with light And we should walk from strength to strength till we appear'd before GOD in Glory THE ACT OF Oblivion ISAIAH 43. 25 I even I am he that blot out thy transgressions for mine own sake and will not remember thy sinnes EVery Promise is a breast full of Consolation that would faine be drawn and as Job speaking of the breasts calls them very elegantly the milk-pales of the breast they are as it were Carnea Mulctralia So there are the Evangelica Mulctralia receptacles of that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is stor'd up for Babes in Christ where the thirsty soul may come and fill it self with most precious sweetnesse In the whole Word of God there is most sincere milke but the Promises they are the creame the flos lactis the purest and sweetest of all Here 's one of the Vtres coelestes a bottle fill'd with heavenly dew which will never fail like that of Hagars but cherish the soul till it come to a well of life Here 's a pure emanation of Gods sweetest love which would fain communicate it self to a sinful creature and therefore puts on the most amiable expressions that the wisdome of God himself can cloth it withall while he breathes out free grace by the mouth of his Prophet to a disobedient and rebellious Israel and beseeches them to be reconcil'd unto him And if you look but upon the foregoing words you will wonder how this Verse should come in 't is somewhat a strange context an unusual kinde of coherence For God there complaines by his Prophet how that his people of Israel had done nothing at all for him He took them indeed for his pleasant plant but they were a very barren and ungrateful plant He had made them a choise and a spreading plant but not one delicious cluster to be found upon them In the verse immediately before Thou hast bought me no sweet Cane with money 't is meant of that Cane which was to be a chief ingredient into the precious oyntment as you may see in Exod 30. The Septuagint they render it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Neither hast thou made me to drink the fat of thy sacrifices or as the words flow in the fountaine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thou hast not moystened me abundantly with thy sacrifices Not that the Jewes did neglect these duties of Gods worship which were so strictly enjoyn'd them in the Law no they were very punctual and accurate in observing that but the force of the complaint lyes in this thou did'st them not unto me For 1. Thou did'st them not with that alacrity and chearfulnesse of spirit which I required of thee and might well expect from thee Love should have drop't oile into the wheels and thy â—oul should have mov'd like the chariots of Amminadab with a nimble spontaneity but thou went'st on heavily and lookedst upon my service as an hard taske and yoke more intolerable then that of Egypt 2. Thou trustedst in thy legal performances and thought'st to be justifi'd by thine own righteousnesse thou did'st them not for those ends which I aim'd at for I intended only to raise thy thoughts higher to that great salvation which I had stor'd up for thee in the Messias 3. Thou did'st them not to me for many of thy sacrifices were offer'd up to idol-gods thou did'st not make me taste of them I but thou did'st make them drunk with them thou did'st even cloy and â—urfet them with the fat of thy sacrifices 4. Thou did'st them not to me while thou restedst in a faire flourish of outward formality and thou thought'st to put me off with a mock-worship with a meere outside and surface of devotion in giving me a shell and nothing of the kernel Thou could'st sin against me when thou list and then thought'st to appease me with a sacrifice They were white as milke and ruddier then rubies in their glorious profession but within they were blacker then a coale When you fasted did you fast unto me I hate your burn't offerings my soul nauseates your solemne assemblies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bring me no more vaine oblations Odi Danaos dona ferentes He that will be my servant let him seal up every spiritual service with integrity of heart A pure soul that 's the only present fit for a God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a gift that may be united to God himself as Hierocles speaks Sacrifices and burnt-offerings he would not have then thou should'st have said Lo I come to do thy will O my God Thou should'st have presented thy self a living and a reasonable sacrifice for without this all others were no better then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ignis pabulum as the Pythagorean hath it A sincere spirit that should have been 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thou did'st not make me to drinke the fat of thy sacrifices Well but they stay not here Thou hast made me to serve with thy sins and thou hast wearied me with thine iniquities thou hast made me to serve with thy sins that 's either 1. Thou hast so abus'd my patience and long sufferance and has heap't sin upon sin as if I had been a very servant that was bound to endure all these thine iniquities Or else 2. It is a more prophetical passage looking upon Christ who took upon him the forme of a servant and bore our sinnes in his body upon the tree And thus the Septuagint 3. Thou hast made me to serve with thy sinnes whil'st thou do'st these things under a shew of strict holinesse and care of pleasing me by vertue of my law in reference to my command as a peculiar people that served an holy God and had righteous lawes and yet while thou neglectedst the more weighty things that I require of thee thou do'st dishonour my Name and wrong my Law and degenerate from those noble Principles that I had planted in thee For what will the Heathen say that I am a God that delight in the bloud of bulls and goats and give thee liberty in other things to do what thou list
appetitûs claustrum cupiditatis modestia ambitionis quoddam satis Nature hath taught us all to pant after a summum bonum And 't is the voice put into every ones mouth Who will shew us any good indeed 't is the errand for which we are sent into the world to finde out happinesse and yet we seek it so as if we were loath to finde it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As Lucian followes the metaphor most elegantly And happinesse may well have that inscription which Plutarch tells us was upon the temple of Isis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We knock at every creatures door but there 's nothing within no filling entertainment for the soul no creature can bid it welcome Would you know what they all amount to if you 'l beleeve Solomons reckoning the very summa totalis is vanity of vanities all is vanity and vexation of spirit Vexation is the very quintessence of the creature and all that can possibly be extracted out of it Now if vanity can satisfie or if vexation can give content if you can gather grapes of thornes or figs of thistles go on then to dote upon the creatures and to be enamour'd with a shadow of perishing beauty The Prophet Esay tells us that all the creatures they are but as the drop of a bucket when the water 's empty'd out of a bucket perhaps there 's a drop stayes sâ—ill behinde a weak drop which recollecting all its forces yet has not strength enough to fall And will such a drop think you satisfie a panting heart The creatures are weigh'd in the ballance of the sanctuary and they are found to be lighter then the dust of the ballance and this will enflame the thirst rather then quench it To speak in the Epigrammatists language they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 meer nothing And surely man 's the vainest of all the rest the index of all the volumes of vanity that by sinne has subjected the creatures unto the bondage under which they groan and waite to be delivered and yet dreames of distilling I know not what felicity out of them so that me thinks 't was a notable expression of him that styl'd the Orators very ambitious of empty applause 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we may surely translate it thrice miserable And 't is one of the Encomiums that Eunapius gave of Longinus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And as for that supposed being and excellency which we fancy in the creatures 't is really to be found after a farre more pure and eminent manner in God himselfe The load-stone can't draw the iron when the diamond's in presence and shall earthly vanities draw the soul when the pearle of price is in presence Dulciùs ex ipso fonte bibuntur aquae Surely that 's no panting soul that forsakes the fountaine of living waters and digs to it selfe broken and empty cisterns that will hold no water The Hart pants unsatisfiably after the water brooks and the soul as unsatisfiably after communion with its God 't is satisfied with nothing else But 2 'T is not satisfied with a little of this not a drop nor a taste will suffice the thirsty heart it does not come like Canis ad Nilum a lap and away a drop can no more quench its thirst then it could cool Dives his tongue though indeed he begg'd for no more That short sweetnesse and briefe refreshment which is shut up in a drop does but bespeake a stronger panting after somewhat more full and satisfactory and 't is true if ever of the waters of life Quò plus sunt potae plus sitiuntuâ— aquae Bonum as 't is sui diffusiâ—um in respect of others so 't is sui multiplicativum even in that subject where it is when it has once engratiated it selfe with the soul and wonne upon its affections when the soul begins to eye the beauty of it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 When the understanding once sees it O how sweetly how presently does the will embrace it and it becomes the welbeloved of the soul O how does it enlarge it selfe for the entertainment of it And how does it delight to expatiate in so choise a happinesse He that has tasted but a little of Gods goodnesse thinks he never has enough of it to be sure he can never have too much there 's no feare of surfetting upon happinesse 'T is true the least glimpse of Gods favourable presence is enough to support and cherish the soul but 't is not enough to satisfie the soul O how pleasant is it to see Christ flourishing through the lattices and yet the spouse will never leave longing till she see him face to face There 's sweetnesse indeed in a cluster of Canaan but yet such as sets the teeth on edge for more The thirsty hart pants 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Christian after fulnesse of communion with his God Dulcissimo Deo totus immergicupit inviscerari as Carthusian speakes So panteth my soul after thee O God! so unsatisfiably But 3 So pantâ—th my soul after thee O God! so uncessantly until it be satisfied The thirsty hart never leaves panting while it has any being delay here does but whet desire and give it time for stronger forces And what else is a Christians whole life but a continued anhelation after his God and though this may seem very wearisome and tedious to be alwayes a panting yet the Christians soul findes far more incomparable sweetnesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 solid and massy joy beaten joy like beaten gold so much 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 imports he findes more of this in the very panting after his God then any worldling can when with the greatest complacency he takes his fill of his choisest delights and when he enjoys the smiles and blandishment of fortune his so much adored Deity And this is that which notably differencies a Christian from an hypocrite Will an hypocrite pray alwayes sayes Job or will he pant alwayes no he keeps the rule Si ter pulsanti by no means knock at heaven too often What nothing but breathing after the water-brooks better take up some muddy contentment by the way and see if that will quench his thirst Indeed he ne're tasted the sweetnesse of the fountaine no wonder that he so easily parts with it His strongest panting was but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Moralist sayes of passion fraus inflammata the motion was meerly violent and therefore not likely to last long Me thinks the Greek Epigram speaks to him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The painters eye steales a little beauty from the face and perhaps his hand makes restitution restoring it again in the picture and this is all you can look for of him nay 't is well if he performe so much As for the expression of vitals or the representation of essentials 't is ultra penecillum so that he must let this alone for ever The most accomplish't
hypocrite the cunning'st painter of Religion that sets it out in the finest and freshest colours 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he does but steal a forme of godlinesse the Apostle has some such phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He can't reach to the vitals of Religion nor expresse the essentials of holinesse sincerity can't be painted they deny the power of it And 't is just with God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as they can't expresse the life of a Christian so they should not taste the joy of a Christian no stranger entermeddles with his joy As no man can paint the essence of a thing so no man can paint the sweetnesse of a thing Whoever could paint the sweetnesse of the honey-combe The joyes of an hypocrite as they are groundlesse and imaginary so like his services they are vanishing and transitory But a Christian as he 's alwayes breathing after his God so he 's alwayes drawing sweetnesse from him And here 't were easie to shew how in every condition the soul breaths after its God when it sees the vanity of the most flourishing condition it pants after fulnesse in its God when it sees the vexation of a cloudy condition it pants after contentment only to be found in its God But I shall instance only in these two as having some neerer acquaintance with the text the strong pantings of a tempted soul and the secret pantings of a languishing and a deserted soul And 1. In temptations the soul pants after its God They that are skill'd in those termes tell us that an Hart is properly a stagge which has escap't a King in hunting And there are some such Christians that have escap't the Prince of the aire that Nimrod the mighty hunter and all his fiery darts God he has set his bowe in the clouds as a token of peace and reconciliation the rain-bowe the lace of Peaces coat And the devil he must set his bowe in the clouds too in the troubled and cloudy spirit and there are arrows in the hand of the mighty 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And how shall the soul escape these fiery darts but by panting after its God as the only place of refuge a strong Tower and a rock of defence and by breathing after Heaven as a place where 't is sure to be free from them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as he said in the Comedy A crowned Christian is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Satans fiery darts can by no means reach Heaven And thus the soul pants Arise O Lord and save me O my God from the mouth of the Lion that 's ready to devour me lest he teare my soul and rent it to pieces while there is none to deliver Lo the enemy has bent his bowe and made ready his arrow upon the string that he may secretly shoot at the upright in heart But compasse me O God with thy favour as with a shield keep me as the apple of thine eye and hide me under the covert of thy wings Deliver me from my strong enemy and from him that hateth me for he is too strong for me O send me help from thy Sanctuary and strengthen me out of Sion And thus when with a sure recumbency it leanes upon its God it has leasure then with an holy triumph to out-brave the enemy And as for thee that would'st make a partition between me and my God see if thou can'st teare me from the bleeding wounds of my dying Saviour rend me if thou know'st how from the bowels the tenderest bowels of Gods dearest compassions see if the gates of hell can prevaile against the rock of eternity If thou O God be with us if the God of Jacob be our refuge we will not feare what all the powers of darknesse can do against us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We are more then conquerours These are the strong pantings of a tempted soule 2ly In desertions even then the soule pants after its God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when the soul is ready to perish in the dark it pants after the water brooks and can meet with nothing but waters of Marah and Meribah God dips his pen in gall and writes bitter things against it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the soule is athirst and like its Saviour it can have nothing but gall and vineger to drink yet still it pants after its God 'T is under a cloud indeed but even these clouds shall drop fatnesse they shall drop upon the dwellings of the wildernesse and the barren soule shall rejoyce like John the Baptist it feeds upon honey in the desert not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wilde honey such as is the worldling's joy but honey out of the rock upon the tip of the rod like Jonathans to open the eye and to refresh the heart A soule in a desertion is as it were a soule in a Consumption and one only taste of Gods sweetest love in Jesus Christ is a sure Restaurative for such a languishing soule Now in the greatest Eclipse of Gods favour in the total Eclipse when there is not so much as a secret light yet there 's a strong influence nay stronger then at another time for his strength is proportion'd to our weaknesse And they are Pauls own words When I am weak then I am strong And even now there is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Homer calls those sparkles that seem'd to be buried in the ashes and a Christian in time may 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nay there is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 too Light is sowen to the righteous there 's a door of Hope open'd in the valley of Achâ—r and now the soul pants after God as a Father of mercies and a God of Consolations A God of Consolation what higher what sweeter strain All the balme of Gilead seems to be wrapt up in this expression A God of Consolation that 's one who in the strangest exigences and greatest repugnances when comforts faile can create new comforts for that 's to be a God of Consolation Creation is his properly can raise them out of the barren wombe of nothing for that 's Creation can do it with a word for Omnipotency useth to put it self to no greater expences Imperatoria brevitas the very commanding word let there be light in such a soule is enough to make it more glorious then the Empyrean heaven And now the soule pants thus as you may heare David panting almost in every Psalme How long wilt thou forget me O Lord for ever And how long wilt thou hide thy face from me Hath the Lord forgotten to be gracious And hath he in anger shut up his tender mercies Is the hand of Omnipotency abbreviated that it cannot help and his arme shorten'd that it cannot save Or is his mercy clean gone for ever and does his promise faile for evermore Weeping hath endured for a night why comes not joy in the morning When wilt thou satisfie the longing soule and fill the thirsty with thy goodnesse when wilt thou lead me
streams but yet I may die with thirst there are spiritual dainties and precious delicacies but I am not sure to have one taste of them many a promise looks with a pleasant and propitious eye but 't is not fixt upon my soul so that take away a Christians interest and propriety in a promise and what becomes of his consolation God has given his word his oath his seal his earnest and all to this very end that a poor Christian may be assur'd of his salvation that he might have strong and vigorous consolation so that to deny him this is to annihilate the word of God to frustrate the oath of God to evacuate the seal of God and as much as in them lies to make him lose his earnest and to leave the soul in an intricate and perplext condition 4. From the nature of Christian hope There 's a vast difference between the Moralists hope and that which is the Theological grace and yet this is scarce took notice of they require these three ingredients into the object of hope that it must be 1 bonum 2. futurum 3. incertum but Christian hope is certain infallible it looks upon good as to come and as certain to come indeed 't is nothing but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Clem. Alexand. elegantly blood running in the veins of Faith if hope expire Faith will presently bleed to death That good which Faith sees Hope waits for Faith eyes it as present but yet at a distance and Hope tarries for it till it come Christian hope is nothing but a waiting and expectation of a certain good you have a pregnant text for this in Hebr. 6. 19. Which Hope we have as an Anchor of the soul both sure and stedfast Hope were but a poor Anchor if it should leave the soul to the courtesie of a wave to the clemency of a Rock to the disposing of a storme Hope were but a weak Anchor if it should let the soul be lost with uncertainties if it should leave it in danger of shipwrack I but this Anchor is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and it pierces within the vaile it will be sure to have fast hold 't will fix upon heaven it self upon the sanctum sanctorum See another Rom. 5. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Now that 's a poore glory to triumph in uncertainties to triumph before the victory little cause of joy and exultation till the soul be provided for eternity I can tell you the very possibility of being damn'd is enough to extinguish joy so that till the soul come to be in a safe condition safe for all eternity and till it know it self to be in this safe condition 't is so farre from being joyful as that it cannot tell how to be quiet A probable hope will bear up and support the soul a door of hope in the valley of Achor but it will not quiet and satisfie the soul The least dawning of hope in the initials of grace does mightily cherish and encourage the soul O how pleasant are the eye lids of the morning how welcome is the day-break after a dark and disconsolate night Nay the very possibility of being sav'd was that which first drew us all to look after heaven the very consideration that there was Balme in Gâ—lead But the weary soul will ne're rest here the Dove will ne're take this for an Ark No the beams of Gods love will shine out stronger and brighter upon the soul and ripen his hope into assurance Christian hope when 't is in its full vigour is all one with assurance Rom. 5. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but if hope could be frustated it then might make asham'd disappointment would cause a blush hope differr'd will make the heart sick and uncertain hope will scarce make the soul well a Christians hope is not like that of Pandora which may flie out of the box and bid the soul farewel no 't will ne're vanish till it be swallow'd up in fruition The hope of the Hypocrite 't is as his righteousnesse like the morning-dew but the hope of a Christian 't is like the morning-light the least beam of it shall commence into a compleat Sun-shine 't is Aurora gaâ—dii and it shall shine out brighter and brighter till perfect day We shall further clear this truth if you consider the manner how Christians are assur'd of their salvation the third thing we propounded 1. By the graces of God which are in them those precious seeds of immortality and the Prints of the Spirit by which they are sealed to the day of Redemption Grace is the Spirits stamp by which it marks the soul for its own The first-fruits of the Spirit the least grace if true and sincere is sufficient to salvation and therefore the sense of the least grace is sufficient to Assurance But how shall the soule know that it has these graces in truth and not in shadow and colour only how shall it be certain that these are not counterfeit and painted There might be given many signes and characters of true grace that it must flow from a principle of sincerity from a principle of love that it must be conformable to the grace of Christ But all this will not satisfie for the soule will still question how shall I know that my graces are such so then that which we must ultimately resolve it into is that in Rom. 8. 16. For in the mouth of two or three witnesses every thing shall be established Now we have here two witnesses omni exceptione majores we have a double Testimony a twin-Testimony The same Spirit beareth witnesse with our Spirits that we are the Sons of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he confirmes what the other sayes both the witnesses do fully agree and make up one entire testimony the soul may say here as Paul Rom. 9. 1. I speak the truth I lie not my Conscience bearing me witnesse by the Holy Ghost The whole work of Assurance is summ'd up in this Practical Syllogism Whosoever beleeves shall be saved but I beleeve and so shall certainly be saved The Assumption is put out of doubt 1. Conscience comes in with a full testimony And if natural Conscience be a thousand witnesses then sure an enlight'ned and sanctifi'd Conscience can be no lesse then ten thousand 1 John 3. 10. He that beleeves has a witnesse in himself a Certificate in his own breast 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for as the same Apostle 1 John 3. 2. Beloved if our heart condemn us not then have we confidence towards God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here is the same with Conscience for the Hebrewes have no other word for Conscience but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So then if our heart acquit us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we have as much liberty as we can desire It feares not now the edge of the law nor the fiery darts of Satan it doth not stagger with sense of its own weaknesse and unworthinesse but
love immortall Did not his Spirit seale up thy soul and is not the print of that seale indelible Speak did not he once shew thee thy name written with his own had in the Book of Life and do's he use to blot out what he has written Do'st not thou remember did not he smile upon thee in such and such an Ordinance and are his smiles deceitful O no! rest satisfy'd O Christian soul and quiet thy self in those rich expressions of his Love which he has formerly bestow'd upon thee O quesion not his goodnesse but prepare thy self for receiving of it The streams are dry'd up but yet the fountaine's full thou hast had some tastes of it though now thou art dry and thirsty and thou shalt have in time fresh bubblings up of his grace towards thee in the interim take this for a cordial Those former drops which thou hast tasted of it will cherish thy soul to all eternity The least drop of grace shall never be exhausted the least spark of true joy shall never be extinguisht all the floods that the Dragon can vomit out of his mouth shall never be able to quench it But then 4. Put the case thus that there be no Sun-light nor Starre-light nor reliques of former light neither the testimony of Gods Spirit nor of our own spirits nor any recalling of former assurance what must the soul do now Now look to the dawning of the day to the first Crepusculum look now to the initials of grace to the preface of Sanctification Thou canst not it may be shew any faire and lively pourtraâ—cture I but hast thou the first draughts and rudiments of holinesse Thou hast not any goodly and delicious clusters of Canaan O but see if the tender grape do bud There are not any ripe fruits of the Spirit but yet are there some blossomings of holinesse They graces don't flow out in fo full and faire a stream but canst thou see any bubblings up of goodnesse in thee Thou hast not yet the strength of a well grown Christian well but is there the vagitus of an Infant Look now to the souls prizing of a Christ to the whimperings after the breast to the breathings and longings after its Beloved thoughts upon him desires for him endeavours after him there 's much comfort and sweetnesse in these I and some kinde of Assurance For 1. Be sure that God that has begun this great work in thee will never give over till it be full and compleat he do's not use to leave his work imperfest The least tendency to goodness is cherished by him The very first motion 't is of his own planting and it shall lack for no watering and he himself will give it an increase 2. The least seed of grace as 't is choice and precious so 't is very vigorous and operative it will never leave working till Christ be formed in thee Who hath dâ—spised the day of small things Thy spark may spread it self into a flame and thy tender bud may flourish and bring forth much fruit He that is richest in grace began with as little a stock He that is now a tall Cedar was once a tender plant Improve but present strength and God will send thee in fresh supplies Auxiliary forces and thou shalt walk from strength to strength till thou appearest before God in glory Thy light shall shine out brighter and brighter till perfect day Donec stabiliatur dies according to the Syriac till thou com'st to a firme and well establisht Assurance The least peeping out of light the least dawning of the day is pleasant and comfortable 5. If thou canst not spy out any grace in they self borrow light of another Lay open thy soul to an Interpreter one of a thousand he may explain they condition and paraphraze upon thy soul better then thou thy self canst This Interpreter one of a thousand may more exactly analyse thy condition and shew the context and coherence of it 'T is the speech of Elihu Job 33. 23. There meets him a messenger an Interpreter one among a thousand to shew unto him his uprightnesse Hee 'l shew thee here 's grace and there 's grace here 's a true pearle and there 's a spark though in ashes and there 's an evidence A discerning and experienc'd Christian may shew thee cause of joy when thou canst finde none thy self 'T is no shame to borrow light especially spiritual light 6. One step further What if after all this there be not the least glimmering of light nothing of a spark nothing of a beam a totall eclipâ—e all clouds and blacknesse and darknesse and the very valley of the shadow of death yet even here will we fear none ill 1. When reflex acts are wanting be sure to multiply direct acts when there is no certainty of Evidence yet even then have a certainty of Adherence and Recumbency Now grasp a Promise take fast hold of that precious offer rolle thy self upon the free grace of a God in Christ lay all the stresse of thy salvation upon it with a gallant and heroical resolution If I perish I perish Thus Job Though he kill me yet will I trust in him Thus our Saviour My God my god why hast thou forsaken me And this must needs be a strong act of faith even then to rely upon God when he seems thine enemy to trust in an angry and displeased God and when he frowns on thee yet then to lean upon him Like men ready to be drown'd be sure to take fast hold cast Anchor though in the dark 2. Study self-denyal and though thou long and breath after Assurance yet resigne up thy self wholly to his will and be content to want Assurance if he see it best for thee Take heed of murmuring in the wildernesse in the saddest and most deserted condition Throw thy self at his feet with this resolution O my God I 'le blesse thee for those eternal treasures of sweetnesse that are in thy self though I should never taste of them I 'le blesse thee for those smiles of thy face which thou bestowest upon others though thou wilt not cast one gracious look upon my soule I 'le blesse thee for those rich offers of grace thou makest unto me though I have not a heart to lay hold of them 3. Put thy soul into a waiting posture and stay till he please to display some of himself unto thee and make some of his goodnesse passe before thee One beam of his countenance one gracious smile one propitious glance of his eye the least crumb of the hidden Manna 't is worth waiting for all thy life-time And when I speak of waiting I mean not that the soul should stand still and do nothing no this were against the Text Give diligence c. improve all present strength waite upon him in prayer beg one glimpse of him be earnest for a taste for a relish of the hidden Manna and wait upon him in his Ordinances here the Spirit
their sins and Judah their transgressions And this is that which prepares the Martyres for their sufferings God tempers and allayes that Cup he drops some of his goodnesse into it and sweetens it to them He first sets his seal to their soules before they set their seal to his truth he diets them with the hidden Manna and gives them before-hand the White Stone as a sure pledge of victory What is it but this that makes them devoure torments and come to them with an appetite 't is this that softens the flames and turnes them into a bed of Roses 't is this that fills their souls with joy and their mouths with praises that makes them more chearful in their sufferings then their Saviour in his for they usually have the face of a reconciled God shining out upon them which was wholly with drawn from him when he cry'd out My God my God Why hast thou forsaken me 4. Praying times are sealing times The same Spirit that endites the Prayer seales it up When Hannah had put up her Prayer 1 Sam 1. 18. the text sayes expressely that her countenance was no more sad As 't is the great Priviledge of Assurance that Christians may then with confidence cry Abba Father so also 't is a great meanes to Assurance The hearing of Prayers is a mighty strengthening to faith and the strengthening of faith does strongly tend to Assurance Besides Christians may pray for Assurance they may be importunate for a glimpse of his face for one beam for one smile and his bowels won't let him deny them Hence you shall finde it that such as are most frequent in Prayer are most blest with Assurance Praying Christians have much entercourse and communion with their God And thus there may be a National kinde of Assurance I say a National plerophory when God shall poure out a Spirit of Prayer and Supplication upon his people and they with united and concentricated abilities shall besiege the Throne of Grace there is no doubt there can be no doubt but at length he will yield up such a mercy to his praying People 5. Times of outward exigencies are sealing times 2 Cor. 4. 16. Though our outward man decay yet our inward man is renew'd daily that feeds upon hidden Mannah a precious restaurative for a fainting Christian Manna you know was rain'd down in the wildernesse and when the Israelites provision failed them then Manna was rain'd down When the water-pots are fill'd up to the brim then water presently turn'd into wine and so this hidden Mannah is provided for sad and cloudy conditions We except only the case of total desertion when the soul has not the least light shining in upon it which is the severest judgement that a true Christian is capable of but in other distresses especially outward and temporal distresses he does reveal himself more immediately to them And though the creature frown yet he will smile upon them Believers they are the friends of God and 't is no part of friendship to forsake them in the saddest times St. John when a banish't man in the Isle of Pathmos then God shewes him that glorious Revelation Paul and Silas when in prison then brim-full of joy which breaks out into Psalmes of Praise In the fiery trial as there is some scorching so there is some light too And God does prepare his People for the seal of the Spirit by thus melting and softening their heart for the softer the heart is the clearer will the Print of his love be When God had brought that great sicknesse upon Hezekiah and thus had dissolv'd and soft'ned his heart he presently prints his love upon it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thon hast lov'd my soule from the grave God does then most expresse his love when they have most need of it The white Stone sparkles most oriently in the darkest condition O how gloriously does God shine in upon the prisons of Martyrs what frequent visits does he give them it might even make men ambitious of their sufferings that they might have some such expressions of his love towards them 6. Times of Victory and Conquests over lusts and temptations are sealing times God after such victories will give his People a triumph This is exprest in that text of the Revelation Rev. 2. 17. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To him that overcomes will I give to eate of the hidden Mannah c. Thus when Saint Paul was wrastling with and conquering that great temptation whatever it was that is mentioned in 2 Corinthians 12. God then gives to eat of the hidden Mannah and strengthens him with this My grace is sufficient for thee He gives him the white Stone with that Motto graven in it My grace c. Thus that noble Christian and famous Convert of Italy Galeacius Caracciolus when he had scorn'd the pomp and lustre of the world and had trampl'd upon all relations for the love of a Saviour when Satan that cunning Angler of souls had spent all his baits upon him and he had refus'd them all O then what a deal of precious sweetnesse slides into his soul what rushings in of glorious joy he had never such joy at Naples as he had at Geneva You may hear him pronouncing an Anathema to all such as shall prefer all the gold and silver in the world before one dayes sweet Communion with Jesus Christ As none have more dregs of wrath then relapsing and apostatizing Spirits Remember but Spira's case so none have sweeter and choicer mercy then the faithful Servants of the Lord Jesus that follow him in the houre of temptation Apostates are seal'd up to a day of vengeance but these are seal'd up to a day of Redemption Thus the Mourners in Ezekiel that would not yield to the abominations of the times must have a seal set upon them Thus that Virgin-company in the Revelation that would not prostitute their soules to Antichristian folly have the seal of God in their foreheads This is the happinesse of a Christian that he has a sweet satisfaction in self-denyal in denying sin in repulsing lust in conquering temptation in pulling out his right eye in cutting off his right hand in mortifying the body of death he has a sweet satisfaction in all these And thus you have seen those special sealing times when Christians have this high plerophory these riches of Assurance we come now to speak of them in a more Applicatory way 1. Times of Assurance they should be times of humility and dependance upon God When Moses had been so long in the Mount and had a lustre upon him by conversing with God himself presently at the foot of the Mount he meets with matter of humiliation The Israelites have made them a golden Calfe Thy People sayes God to Moses they have done this And the Apostle Paul when he had been rapt up into the third Heaven and had heard there some of Arcana Coeli things that neither could nor might be utter'd for
both are imply'd in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there then comes a messenger of Satan to buffet him he must be put in minde of himself by a thorne in the flesh and that lest he should be exalted above measure with abundance of Revelations A creature can't 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a little thing will puffe up a bubble a small happinesse will swell up the sons of men Pride as it twines about the choicest graces so it devoures the sweetest comforts But yet there is nothing tends more to soule-abasement and self-examination then the beholding of Gods face then the seeing of his glory this will make the soul abhorre it self in dust and ashes The more God reveals himself unto the soul the more will the soul see that huge disproportion that is between it self and a Deity There 's none here below that ever saw more of Gods face then Moses and Paul had done and there were none that ever had lower apprehensions of themselves They knew well enough what the Sun-shine of his presence was what a glorious sight it was to behold his face and yet they had rather part with this then he should part with his glory They are like men amaz'd with the vastnesse and spaciousnesse of the Ocean and make nothing of a little inconsiderable drop of Being They that know not these treasures of love and sweetnesse those heaps of excellencies that are stor'd up in God these are the grand admirers of themselves But when the soul comes to have a prospect of heaven and fixes its eye upon an object of the first magnitude the creature disappears self vanishes and loses it self in the fulnesse of God And if God do assure thee of this his love thou canst not but wonder at the greatnesse of his goodnesse especially when thou shalt recollect thy self and think upon thine own unworthinesse Thou that didst not deserve a beam of his face what does he give thee a full Sun-shine Thou that could'st not look for the least taste of his love what does he give thee a whole cluster of Canaan Thou that didst not deserve the least crumb of the hidden Mannah does he fill thee an Omer full of it Nay yet higher Thou that didst deserve a brand from his Justice does he give thee a seal of his love he might have given thee gall and vineger to drink and does he flow in upon thee with milk and honey he might have given thee the first flashes of hell and does he give thee the first-fruits of heaven what could'st thou have look't for but an eternal frown and dost thou meet with so gracious a smile O then fall down and adore his goodnesse and let all that is within thee blesse his holy name Tell me now is there any ground for pride in such a soul Does not Assurance bespeak humility and speak a meet dependance 2. Times of Assurance they should be times of trampling upon the creature and scorning of things below Dost thou now take care for corne and wine and oile when God lifts up the light of his countenance upon thee is this same Angels food this same hidden Mannah is it too light meat for thee Now thou art within the land of Promise feeding upon the grapes and pomegranates of the land dost thou now long for the garlick and onions of Egypt Now thou art within thy fathers house and the fatted Calfe is slaine wilt thou now still feed upon husks Art thou cloth'd with the Sun and canst not thou trample the Moon under thy feet O let them scramble for the world that have nothing else to live on Pray give room to the green Bay-trees to spread themselves abroad but don't thou lose thy fatnesse and sweetnesse to rule over these Art thou sure of heaven and would'st thou fix thy Tabernacle upon earth Is it good for thee to be here or would'st have any more then the light of Gods countenance is it not enough that thou art sure of happinesse is not a fountain enough for thee why wilt thou drink in muddy streames and thou that art fill'd with the love of a Saviour canst thou tell how to spend a thought upon the world is not there more beauty in a Christ then in the Creature is not he the fairest of ten thousand Away then with adulterous glances for why should'st thou embrace the bosome of a stranger 3. Times of Assurance they should be times of watchfulnesse and more accurate walking with God To sin against revealed love is a deep and killing aggravation To sin against light is too too much but to sin against love is a great deal more this height'ned Solomons idolatry 1 Kings 11. 9. that he turn'd from the God of Israel which had appeared to him twice What wilt thou with Jeshurun wax fat and kick and kick against bowels too To provoke God in a wildernesse is not so much as to provoke him in a Paradise What could he have done more for thee then he has done and what couldst thou have done more against him then thou hast done and wilt thou still requite him thus wilt thou provoke him with Mannah in thy mouth Does he give thee the sweet clusters of the land and dost thou return him wilde grapes that which is the strongest engagement to obedience dost thou make it an encouragement to sin art thou so willing to dash thy joy to lose thy peace And O how will it please the powers of darknesse to see thee abuse a beam The devil has several designes against the welfare of a soul First if it were possible he would keep thee from having any grace at all But secondly if he can't do that he would keep thee from strength of grace from growth in grace he would break the bruised reed and he would quench the smoaking flax But then if he can't prevaile here neither then in the third place he would keep thee from sense of grace in a sad and cloudy condition he envies thee one beam one smile one glance of his eye But then if the riches of Gods goodnesse do so run over as that he will give thee a sense of his love then fourthly in the last place he would have thee abuse his grace and turn it into wantonnesse But when God has planted thee in so happy a Paradise don't thou listen to the whisperings of the Serpent Thou that art seal'd by the Holy Spirit don't attend to a lying spirit The devil that great plunderer of soules would faine rob thee of thy Jewels of thy joy and peace and happinesse but do thou hide them in a Christ in the wounds of a Saviour and take heed of blotting thine Evidences thou that art a Childe of light be not rul'd by a Prince of darknesse If God give thee a sense of his love walk more stedfastly walk more accurately with thy God 4. Times of Assurance they should be times of inviting and encouraging others in the wayes of grace Thus the Psalmist when his
Cup overflowes he calls others to taste of it O taste and see how gracious God is that ye may trust in him Thou mayest now bring a good report upon the land of Canaan thou mayest shew them the goodly fruits of the land that were cut down at the brook Eshcol Men look upon Religion as a rigid and austere thing that comes to rob them of their joy they must never have a smile more they must never have a Summers day after it but thou canst tell them of the sweetnesse and deliciousnesse that is in the wayes of grace thou canst assure them that all the wayes of wisdome are pleasantnesse thou canst satisfie them that grace does not mean to take away their joy but only to refine it that it does not mean to put out the light but only to snuffe it that it may burn brighter and clearer There 's no such joy to be found in the wayes of sin there 's no such joy to be extracted from the Creature no the sweetest and purest honey 't is suck'd from a flower of Paradise Spiritual joy 't is the most clarifi'd joy I and 't is solid and massy joy beaten joy like beaten gold 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I and 't is lasting and durable joy All the Creatures make but a blaze but the least spark of this 't is immortal Can there be a sweeter Sabbatisme of Spirit can there be a happier composednesse of soul then to be provided for eternity to be sure of heaven of happinesse and glory to have the revealing of Gods love the displaying of himself the beamings out of his face is not the least appearance of his love more worth then a world are not the gleanings of spirituals better then the vintage of temporals Me thinks an assur'd Christian like a Caleb or a Joshua should be able and ready to confute all the false intelligence of the Spies and to answer the weak objections that they bring against the land of Promise Awake O sluggard and arise there is no Lion in the way or if it be it has honey in it There are no sons of Anak or if there be before Israel even these mountaines shall become a Plain 5. Times of Assurance they should be times of store 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Now treasure up beames heap up light store up hidden Mannah To be sure this Mannah won't breed wormes Then thou mayest confidently applaud thy self Soul take thine ease thou hast goods laid up for many yeares Happy thou if this night thy soul be taken from thee Storing up of former evidences is a good provision against a cloudy day 6. Times of Assurance should be times of breathing after full possession The espoused soule should long for the Nuptials for the full consummation of its joy and by a heavenly gradation it should ascend in its thoughts Is there such sweetnesse in one cluster of Canaan what shall there be in the full vintage is there such pleasantnesse in a prospect of the land upon the top of Mount Pisgah what happinesse shall there be in enjoyment of the land is there such glory in a beam of Gods face what shall there be in an eternal Sun-shine is there such a sparkling lustre in the white Stone what then shall there be in all those pearles that garnish the soundations and make up the gates of the New Jerusalem is there so much in the preface of glory what shall there be in the inlargements and amplifications of it is there so much in the Aenigma what is there in the explication can you see so much beauty in happinesse when her Mask is on how glorious then will she appear when she is unveil'd does the soul sing so sweetly in a Cage of clay what melody think you shall it then make when 't is let loose to all Eternity We now come to winde up all in a word of Application Now the more pure and delicious a truth is the more do the men of the world disrelish it the more bright and shining it is the more offensive to their eyes The more orient the Pearle the more do they trample upon it Evangelical discoveries meet with the fiercest oppositions The Serpent will be sure to winde into Paradise and the seed of the Serpent ever knew how to still venemous and malignant consequences out of sweet and flowery truthes 'T is the devils work to imprison all truth but the nobler and more precious truthes must be sure to be put in the lowest and darkest dungeons As here now Assurance of salvation 't is the very Crown and joy of a Christian the Flos lactis the Cream of that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to nourish soules 't is the budding and blossoming of happinesse the antedating of heaven the Prepossession of glory 't is the very Pinacle of the Temple the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 how fain would he throw Christians from thence how would he blast glory in the bud how faine would he pull down the suburbs of the New Jerusalem how would he stop all the fresh springs that are in these how would he seal up the luscious influences of the Pleiades how fain would he Lycurgus-like cut up all the vines of Canaan that no Spy might ever bring one Cluster of the Land of Promise He himself must feed upon nothing but dust and how does he envy them their hidden Mannah That Son of the morning is now bound in chaines of darknesse and how does he envy them their light and liberty how faine would he cloud and eclipse their Sun and stop it in its race nay set it ten degrees backward How does he envy them one beam of Gods face a grape of Canaan one smile one glance of Gods eye Now he could finde out no fitter instrument to rob Christians of their joy then Antichrist that grand enemy of the Church that spiritual Nero that Tyrant of soules that vice Beelzebub that Prince of darknesse that rules in the children of disobedience He rules them and yet they are children of disobedience for all that This Bestian Empire for so 't is still'd in the Revelation delights only in sensuals and strikes at spirituals It strikes at the vitals of Religion at the power and essence of godlinesse Here are the men that must cry down Assurance under the names of presumption security an heap of Enthusiasmes as if this hidden Mannah would breed all these wormes If men do but dip in the honey-combe and take some of these voluntary drops that sweat from it freely of their own accord as Saul told Jonathan they must certainly die for it O this were a way to open their eyes as it did Jonathant They are loth to let men taste and see how gracious God is lest they might trust in him There are therefore two things which I shall here endeavour by way of Application First to give you a brief discovery of those grounds that necessitate the adversaries of this truth to deny Assurance
Secondly to take off that vain and frivolous cavil that assurance is a Principle of Libertinisme and that if men be once assur'd of their salvation they may then do what they list And first for the grounds that make them deny Assurance And though I might here shew at large that all Popery the Quintessence of it is extracted out of guesses and conjectures their whole Religion is but a bundle of uncertainties a rude heap of contingencies built upon the thoughts of others upon the intentions of a Priest yet I shall let that passe now and give you these foure considerations that prevaile with them to deny Assurance 1. They lay too much stresse upon good works Now Assurance is too goodly a structure to be built upon such a foundation They part stakes between grace and merit and so leave the soul in a tottering condition There is so much pride bound up in the Spirits of men as that they are loth to depend upon another for their happinesse they would have an innate and domestick happinesse within themselves But alas self-bottomings are weak and uncertain and they that build upon their own good meanings and their good wishes and good resolutions upon their good endeavours and goodworks when they have done all they have built but the house of the Spider These that spin salvation out of their own bowels their hope 't is but as a Spiders web And there are many that neither thus spin nor toile and yet I say unto you that a Pharisee in all his glory is not cloth'd like one of these If men do but enquire and look a little to the ebbings and flowings of their own spirits to the waxing and waining of their own performances surely they will presently acknowledge that they can't fetch a Plerophory out of these Believe it the soul can't anchor upon a wave or upon its own fluctuating motions So that 't is a piece of ingenuity in them to tell men that whilest they build upon the sand they can have no great security that their house will last long they may safely say of the Spider that it can have no certainty that its house shall stand Whilest they lean upon a reed wee 'l allow them to question whether it won't break or no nay if they please they may very well question whether it won't pierce them thorough They can be sure of nothing unlesse they be sure of ruine Assurance cannot be founded in a bubble in a creature for the very essence of a creature is doubtful and wavering it must be built upon an immutable Entity upon the free love of God in Christ upon his royal word and oath the sure expressions of his minde and love upon the witnesse of the Holy Ghost the seal of God himself Here the soul may rest and lean and quiet it self for with God there is no variablenesse nor shadow of turning The creature is all shadow and vanity 't is filia noctis like Jonah's gourd man may sit under its shadow for a while but it soon decayes and dies All its certainty is in dependance upon its God A creature if like a single drop left to it self it spends and wastes it self presently but if like a drop in the fountain and Ocean of Being it has abundance of security No safety to the soul but in the armes of a Christ in the embraces of a Saviour No rest to a Dove-like spirit but in the Ark of the Govenant and there 's the pot of hidden Mannah You know that dying Bellarmine was faine to acknowledge that the nearest way to Assurance was only to rest upon the free grace of God in Christ And they that cry down duties so much if they would mean no more then this that men must not trust in them nor make Christs of them nor Saviours of them as they use to express it wee 'l easily grant them this if they 'l be content with it 2. They take away that clasping and closing power of faith it self by which it should sweetly and strongly embrace its own object They would have the soul embrace clouds and dwell in generals they resolve all the sweetnesse and preciousnesse of the Gospel either into this Universal Whosoever believes shall be saved or else which is all one into this Conditional If thou beleevest thou shalt be saved Now this is so farre from assurance as that the Devils themselves do thus believe and yet tremble The thirsty soul may know that there is a fountaine but it must not presume to know that ever it shall taste of it The wounded soul with them may take notice that there is balme in Gilead but it must only give a guesse that it shall be heal'd They won't allow the soul to break the shell of a Promise so as to come to the kernell They silence Faith when it would speak in its own Idiom My Lord and my God O what miserable comforters are these How can they ever speak one word upon the wheels one seasonable word to a wearie soul when as all they can reach to by their own acknowledgement is to leave the soul hovering betwixt heaven and hell And as they say in matter of Reproof Generalia non pungunt so 't is as true in matter of Comfort Generalia non mulcent Yet to see how abundantly unreasonable these men are for in the matter of their Church there they require a particular appropriating faith a Monopolizing faith that the Church of Rome is the only true visible Church and this is no presumption with them Thus they can embrace a dull Errour and let go a precious Truth But the true Church of Christ as 't is it self built upon a Rock so every Member of the Church has the same security And the soul with a Spouse-like affection do's not only conjecture who is her Well-beloved but is in his very armes and breaks out into that expression of love and union I am my well-beloved's and my well-beloved is mine But how strangely do's their conjectural certainty take away the sweetness of such Relations Christians with them must only conjecture that they are the Sons of God the Spouse must only guesse at her beloved husband the sheep must hope that this is the Shepherds voice O how do they emasculate and enervate Religion how do they dispirit it and cut the very sinews of the power of godlinesse But all you that would finde rest to your souls must know that you can never apply a Christ too much that you can never appropriate a Saviour enough that whole happinesse is in union with him 3. They deny perseverance and so long may very well deny Assurance And yet the Arminians have an Art of reconciling Assurance and Non-perseverance They allow men a little brief Assurance for one moment a breve fulgur a little corruscation of joy that only shews it self that it may vanish and disappear The summe of their meaning amounts to thus much For that moment that thou
art in the state of grace thou may'st be sure on 't but thou canst not be sure that the next moment thou shalt be in the state of grace As if a Christian were only a Ball of fortune to be tost up and down at her pleasure And indeed they make grace as voluble and uncertaine as ever the Heathen did fortune And if they would speak out grace with them is â—es vitrea quae dum splendet frangitur And vasa gloriae with them are little better then vasa fictilia they can dash them in pieces like a Potters vessel And then make no more of it then Epictetus at the breaking of a pitcher 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 't is but a usual thing Hodie vidi fragilem frangi Vain men that think the grace of God as mutable and unconstant as they themselves are that can remove men from heaven to hell as often as they please that with a daring Pen can blot names out of the book of Life and reverse the seale of heaven when they list This must needs strike at the root of Assurance and leave the soul in such sad doubts as these 'T is true I am now feeding upon the milk and honey of the land of Canaan but I may returne to the wildernesse again to the bondage of Egypt again 'T is true I am now a Temple of the holy Ghost but how soon may I become a prison a dungeon the receptacle of every unclean spirit What though I be now a vessel of honour how soon may I become a vessel of wrath and though I be for the present in the loving hand of a Saviour yet I may be to morrow in the unmerciful paw of the Lion Pray tell us now has the soul any great security all this while are the friends of God no surer of his love then thus 'T is happy for Christians that 't is not in the power of these men no nor of all the powers of darknesse to put a period to their joy no not to put the least comma or interruption to it No they may assoon dethrone the Majesty of heaven it self they may assoon pluck the Crown from his head and wrest the golden Scepter out of his hand nay they may assoon pluck out the Apple of his eye they may assoon annihilate a Deity as pull thee out of his hands as rob him of one of his Jewels Thou art kept by the mighty power of God through faith unto salvation We can't close up this better then with that heavenly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 those triumphant expressions of the Apostle Paul For I am perswaded that neither life nor death nor Angels nor Principalities nor powers nor height nor depth c. 4. They never had any Assurance themselves and so they would willingly deny it to others There is so much pride and envy in the spirits of men as that they are very loth that others should have more happinesse or be more sensible of happinesse then themselves They do here Calamum in Corde tingere they tell you what they finde in their own hearts nothing but conjectures and shiverings and tremblings nothing but slavish doubts and feares But the voice of Assurance 't is a still voice the Spirit speaks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That soul only hears it to which it speaks The sparklings of the White Stone are secret and undiscernable to a carnal eye No man knows it but he that has it 'T is Manna 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not the visible and obvious Manna that was rain'd down by the tents of the Israelites but that that was reserv'd and laid up in Vrna aurea Spiritual tastes and relishes spiritual experiences they are wholly unexpressible they are altogether unimitable There are two things which the most refined and accomplisht Hypocrite can't possibly reach unto 1. He can't expresse the life and power of a Christian 2. He can't expresse the joy of a Christian As no man can paint the Being of a thing so no man can paint the sweetnesse of a thing Who ever could paint the sweetnesse of the Honey-combe the sweetnesse of a cluster of Canaan the fragrancy of the Rose of Sharon the sweet voice of a Lute 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. The Painters eye steals a little beauty from the face and perhaps his hand makes restitution restoring it again in the picture and that 's all you can expect of him nay 't is well if he performe so much As for the expression of vitals or the representation of essentials 't is Vltra Penecillum so that he must let this alone for ever Beleeve it Sincerity can't be painted The joy of the holy Ghost can't be painted 'T is easier painting of faces then of hearts Men in an unregenerate condition can't know what Assurance is till their hearts be changed or unlesse they could read the hearts of Gods people Men will deny the most certain and unquestionable things if they themselves have no experience of them Upon this account many a fool has said in his heart There is no God because he had no communion with him he did not attend upon him Thus others deny that there is any such sweetnesse in the wayes of God because they were never acquainted with them In Musick what though there be never such variety of graces such inarticulate elegancies such soft and silken touches such quick stings and pleasant relishes such musicall amplifications and flourishes such nimble transitions and delicious closes you 'l scarce convince a deaf man of all this till you can give him his hearing Or suppose a blinde man should obstinately deny that there were a Sun truly I can't tell how you could well convince him unlesse you could give him an eye or else perswade him that he is defective in somewhat which others have To speak of Assurance and the voice of the Spirit to some is but to speak Riddles and Paradoxes Here I have told you much of Light and Beams and Glory I had as good told some of you of clouds and shadows and darknesse I have spoke much to you of the fruits and clusters of Canaan had I not as good have set before some of you briars and thornes would you not have had as much sweetnesse in them I ner'e promis'd to shew you the Manna for I told you 't was hidden yet we have told you the things which we have seen and known and what we have tasted of the Word of Life and that which I doubt not but many of you can set your seales unto We come now to take off that vaine and frivolous Cavil that Assurance is a principle of Libertinisme that the Apples which the Spouse longs for in the Canticles will breed too much winde that hidden Manna will breed wormes that those flaggons full of wine which the Spouse would so faine be comforted withall will fume up too much into the head O say they if men be once assur'd of their salvation they may
then do what they list But 1. God won't put now wine into old bottles God never prints his love upon the heart till the heart be renew'd and prepar'd with Evangelical meltings and the same Seale that prints his love prints his Image too A flinty heart won't take the seale of the Spirit The sparkling White Stone is never given till the heart of stone be taken away The new name is not given till the new creature be fram'd God will not distill one silver drop of such precious sweetness upon the soul till it be enclos'd for his own garden And though the outward Sun-shine with liberal and undistinguishing beams shines both upon the good and the bad upon the Rose and Nettle yet the light of Gods countenance beams out only upon the Apples of his own eye the Sun-shine of his gracious presence gilds only the vessels of Honour and puts a lustre upon none but his own Jewels And though the pourings forth of ordinary goodnesse fall upon a wildernesse sometimes as well as on a Paradise yet these more choise and luscious influences of heaven slide only into the hearts of Gods peculiar ones Beleeve it thy soul must first become an Arke of the Covenant before thou shalt ever have a Pot of hidden Manna in it 'T is true that if God should thus display his goodnesse and seal up his love to the soul whil'st it were still in an unregenerate condition whil'st it did still hanker after its lusts and corruptions 't would then indeed sport it self more securely in this Sun-shine of mercy and turne this grace of God into wantoâ—nesse Thus men of sordid and ignoble spirits will trespasse more upon a friend then upon an enemy an injury will keep them in better order then a courtesie Thus nettles will sting most violently when they are handled most gently Thus the wretched Indians adore the Devil because he is their enemy and neglect the Majesty of heaven because 't is so propitious When God shines out upon ungrateful dunghils they returne him nothing but venomous and malignant evaporations We 'l easily acknowledge that if these men should have the White Stone they would trample upon it For you see how they deal with ordinary mercy which the bounty of heaven heaps upon their heads There are such Pleonasms of love in God such runnings over of goodnesse as that much falls upon these God breaks the box of common mercies and fills the whole world with the savour of it But what tribute and Revenues of glory has he from them for all this Why they violate his Lawes and profane his Name and fight against him with his own weapons 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with his most precious mercies gifts and parts and all they have shall oppose him that gave them Of their Jewels they make a golden Calfe Do you think now that God will trust these with his more speciall mercies with his viscera and tender mercies He try'd the vessel with water and 'twont hold that Do you think he will poure wine into it No God reveals his love to none but to his friends he sets his Seale to none but to such whom he sets as a Seale upon his heart and on his arme such as have an happy conformity to him and a full complyance with him such as have the same interests and the same glorious ends with himself such as delight in his Law and feed upon his precepts as upon an honey-combe Do you think he mayn't trust these with his minde such as have a plain antipathy against sin against the very picture and appearance of sin such as preferre Hell it self before it such as loath it even as himself loaths it men that are ready to pluck out their right eyes for him to cut off their right hands for him Do you think he mayn't manifest his love to these What sayes the Apostle John He that is borne of God cannot sin 't is a plain impossibility that he should so far put off his filial affection as to make it his work to displease him much lesse can he take so strong an advantage of his goodnesse as therefore to provoke him because he knows that God loves him These men only tell us what they would do if they had Assurance but truly they are not like to have it till their hearts be chang'd and then they 'l be of another minde 2. Love is a sweeter and surer and stronger principle of obedience then feare So that God did infatuate the counsel of that Achitophel Machiavel I mean when he still'd that venom into the hearts of Princes that they had better rule their Subjects with a Rod of iron then with a Scepter of gold that they had better enslave them by feare then engage them by love The truth is he had given them such Rules that he knew if they follow'd them they could not possibly be lov'd and therefore he would faine perswade them that 't is better to be fear'd And though this may seem to adde some sparklings to Majesty and to brighten the Crown of Sovereignty yet it leaves it farre more tottering more unfixt and unsettled upon their heads There is such a virulency mixt with fear such a tincture of hatred in it both these affections are much of a colour sad and pale And therefore that Tyrant was so wise yet as to expect hatred Oderint dum metuant sayes he he knew whilest they fear'd him that they would hate him And then there is a reluctancy and Aversation in fear And those workings upon the soul that come only from terrours they usually prove Abortive And what though a body be pull'd and hal'd and scar'd into obedience the soul is not conquer'd with all this A slave do's but watch an opportunity for shaking off the yoke And then there is a depressing and disenabling power in fear it contracts and freezes up the motions of the soul it clips the wings it takes off the wheels it unbends the bowe Trembling and Paralytick motions are weak and languishing Indeed fear 't is nothing but Praecox tristitia a crude and indigested kinde of sorrow and 't is the sowrer because it is not ripe And therefore God himself that is a most absolute Monarch and has a boundlesse and infinite supremacy over all things yet has far more glory from them that love him and only passive obedience from them that fear him Indeed he never goes about to rule any by fear but those that have first trampl'd upon Love and are no longer Subjects but profest Rebells 'T is love that glews and fastens the whole Creation together Those seeds of love which God himself who is love has scatter'd amongst Beings those sparks of love which God himself who is love has kindled amongst Beings and those indeleble prints of love which God himself who is love has stampt upon Beings maintain the whole fabrick of the world in its just beauty and proportion The harmonious composure of Beings
explicata Assurance does mightily enliven and animate Prayer and Prayer does 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cherish and maintain Assurance Go then unto thy God and be importunate with him beg a smile a glance a beame of his face desire him to take all worldly things again unlesse he will sweeten them with his love Tell him thou canst no longer feed upon huskes and desire him to give thee somewhat that 's fit for a soul to live on 3. Be diligent and frequent in communion with thy God Conversing with God puts a lustre and radiancy upon the soul descending to the creature puts a Veile upon that former brightnesse sweet and familiar entercourse with thy God puts thee into the number of his friends and friendship brings Assurance and Confidence along with it Would God do'st thou think admit thee into his most shining and beautiful presence would he thus display himself to thee and make known his most secret treasures of goodnesse and sweetnesse unto thy soul unlesse he lov'd thee would thy Saviour thus smile upon thee would he thus unbosome and unbowel himself to thee would he thus flourish in at the lattices unlesse he were thy Spouse would he thus kisse thee with the kisses of his mouth would he tell thee so much of his minde unlesse his heart were with thee would he accept of thy prayers and thy performances thy spiritual sacrifices if he meant to destroy thee did'st thou ever know him deale thus deceitfully with any would he give thy soul such frequent visits such gentle breathings would he so often whisper to thee that which the world must not hear if thou wert an enemy as well as they canst thou think thy self in darknesse when the Sunne looks upon thee Canst thou doubt of quenching thy thirst when the fountain bubbles out and flows upon thee Canst thou doubt of liberty in the yeere of Jubilee What is the Dove in the Arke and yet can it finde no rest to the soale of her feet Canst thou question thy safety under the wings of Christ No whatever it was that put out thy joy it did first estrange and alienate thee from thy God And couldst thou but recover thy former neernesse to him thou need'st not doubt of the same affectionate expressions from him Communion with God 't is that which gives an heavenly and eternal Plerophory 't is that which maintains the assurance of glorious Angels and glorifi'd Saints And that which takes away all hope from the damn'd is this that they are perpetually banisht irrecoverably excommunicated from the face of their God Depart from me I know you not there is more in that then in fire and brimstone But God has said unto thee Seek my face and let thy soul echo out its resolutâ—on Thy face Lord will I seek for all certainty flowes from God from that fixt and unshaken Entity from that Original immutability that is in him And when God sets his seal unto thee he prints somewhat of this upon thee And therefore the more God gives of himself to thee the more Assurance he gives thee Go then to the place where his honour dwells go to the place where his glory shines You know that the Apostle Thomas when he was absent from the Apostles meeting he fell into a strange distrust of that which the others were very well assur'd of Go then to those Ordinances that drop golden Oile upon the soul and make its countenance to shine Hide thy self in those clefts of the Rock that God may make his goodnesse passe before thee God will there beame out upon thy soul he will warme it with his love and will then seal it to the day of redemption Christian Assurance deserves diligence 'T is a miserable thing to toile for vanity and emptinesse to sowe the winde and to reap the whirlewinde But to take pains for happinesse who would not be willing to this An Israelite that would be loath to spend his time in gathering stubble would willingly spend it in gathering Grapes A wise Virgin will cheerfully put in so much Oile as will make the Lampe to shine The soul will never be weary of gathering hidden Manna Assurance is a very satisfactory thing men take a present and compleat acquiescence in it 1. Consider it in Temporals what won't worldlings do to secure their lands and goods and estates How do they seek for Bonds and Seals and Oaths and Sureties and yet think all this too little They have set up an Ensurers Office and will scarce venture a Ship at Sea unlesse it can have an unquestionable Plerophory unlesse one will secure it from warres and another from rocks and a third from windes and tempests And this is one of those stings and vexations which God has put into temporals that they are uncertain Many a worldling has pin'd away under this very notion that his riches had wings and could flie away when they list And this was the reason why the Epicures were all for enjoying the present moment because that was all they were certain of and therefore they would have devour'd and soopt up the quintessence of all happinesse in a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if they could Thus Anacreon sings 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And this was that which made the Heathen so angry with Fortune a goddesse of their own framing because she put them alwayes upon blinde uncertainties This made the Stoicks to run into the other extreme to fix themselves in an unevitable certainty in a sullen necessity to anchor upon fate rather then to be left to a wavering contingency 2. Assurance in Intellectuals is very satisfactory There 's nothing that tortures the soule more then scruples and difficulties it makes it to dwell like a lily amongst thornes The Scepticks were a perpetual wrack to themselves Objections flie like dust into the soules eye and sometimes 't is faine to weep them out How does it vex the Naturalist that his head is so non-plust as that he must flie to the refuge of an occult quality How impatient was Aristotle what boylings and toslings in his breast more then in Euripus because he could not give a full account of the ebbing and flowing of that river He threw himself into it as if he thought to finde more rest there then in his own spirit discomposed only with this uncertainty Every question checks the understanding and makes it remove a little from certainty as the learned Verulam observes Every question 't is some grace to errour and some repulse to truth But how sweetly does the minde relish those first and common notions that carry a native light and convincing evidence and certainty in them and won't give the soule leave to doubt and how does it bathe it self in those crystalline streamings out those pure derivations of secondary notions that freely bubble out from these fountain-principles which for their certainty sometimes are honoured with the name of axioms And some give this rule for a trial and
own bosome Return thee to thy Rest O my Soul Return to thine Arke O my Dove And look upon this Gospel-Plerophory as one of those great priviledges that were purchas'd for thee by a Saviour For 1. By this thy Soul thy darling 't is fully provided for for eternity Thy lot is falne to thee in a faire ground and thou hast a goodly heritage Could thy soul open its mouth any wider Could thy soul desire any more then this to be sure of being for ever compleatly happy What would the damn'd in hell give for a possibility of happinesse What would some wounded spirits give for good hopes and probabilities when as thou in the mean time hast an overflowing Plerophory What would the one give for a drop to coole their tongue What would the other give for a pure stream to wash their bleeding foules When as thou all the while art bathing in the fountain art sailing in the Ocean art swimming in the Rivers of pleasure Thine understanding may well rest satisfi'd for t' is sure to fixe its eye upon an eternal beauty upon the face of its God Thy will may rest it self in the embraces of its dearest object for 't is espoused to the fairest good and is sure to enjoy it with an indissoluble union Thy purer and more refined affections may sport themselves in the Sun-beams of heaven There may thy love warme and melt it self and there may thy joy dance and exult All that thou hast to do here below is this Thy virgin-Virgin-soul that is here assur'd and contracted must wait a while for the Nuptials for a full fruition of its God for a full consummation of its joy 2. This must needs sweeten all present conditions to thee Eat then thy bread with joy and drink thy wine with a merry heart for God accepts thy person and smells a sweet odour in thy sacrifice Are there any pearles in the Gospel thou may'st lay claime to them Is there any balme in Gilead thou hast a share in it Are there any Gospel-priviledges thou know'st they are thine and are intended for thee Do's God bestow temporals upon thee thou know'st that he first dips them in love and sweetnesse Mount Gerizim is thy portion And how art thou above waves when as some are shipwrackt others are toss d and disquieted thou hast an happy protection in all thy wayes 1. Thou are secure against the srownes of the world for heaven smiles upon thee Thou may'st laugh at the false judging and esteems of men It may be the world brands I but the Spirit seales It may be the seed of the Serpent hisses I but the holy Ghost breaths What though thou beest fourty years in a Wildernesse Nay what though thou beest seventy years in Babylon Won't Canaan and won't the new Jerusalem make amends for all 2. Thou art secure in times of judgement As Job speaks of the Leviathan The sword of him that layes at him cannot hold the speare the dart nor the habergeon The arrow cannot make him flee darts are counted as stubble he laughs at the shaking of the spear Who is like him upon the earth one that is made without fear When God thunders upon the men of the world he speaks but in a still voice to thee he darts lightning flashes in their faces but he lists up the light of his countenance upon thee Judgements are intended for the sweeping away of Spiders webs not for the sweeping away of Gods own jewels Or if they be envolv'd in a common calamity yet how is it roll'd up in sweetnesse to them when as the other can taste nothing but gall and wormwood Their body may be toss'd a little in the world but their soul lies safe at Anchor 3. In the houre of death Thou know'st that providence then means only to break the shell that it may have the kernel Let them tremble at the knocking 's and approaches of death that know not what shall become of their precious soules Men who through the fear of death have been all theirlife-time subject unto bondage But thou may'st safely trample upon the Adder and play in the Cockatices den The Martyrs you know did thus when they embrac'd the flames and complemented with Lions and devour'd torments and came to them with an appetite Assurance of the love of God in Christ this and nothing but this pulls out the sting of death 'T is true that death has lost its sting in respect of all that are in Christ but yet such as know not that they are in Christ fear death still as if it had a sting Only an assured Christian triumphs over it O death where is â—hy sting 4. Assurance fills the soul with praise and thanksulnesse The reall presence of a mercy is not enough but there must be the appearance of a mercy and the sense of it before it fill thy heare with joy and thy mouth with praise A doubting Christian is like a bird entangled and in a snare the soul has not its comfort nor God has not his praise But an assur'd Christian is like a bird at liberty that flies aloft and sings most cheerfully It begins those Halelujahs in time that must last for ever It breaks out into the Psalmists language Blesse the Lord O my soul and all that is within me blesse hâ—s holy Name The fourth and last Observation which we propounded out of the Text was That the map to make our Eleation sure is first to make out Calling â—ute And this is sufficiently warranted from the just order and method of this Apostolical exhortation Make your Calling and Election sure First your Calling then your Election and by your Calling your Election Methodus Analytica best becoming creatures Many have handled this point at large I shall do it very briefly and I shall give you all that I intend to speak to it in these six particulars 1. Election in it self is secret and mysterious For 1. it is from eternity and so there was none could know it but God alone none could know Election but he that made an Election A Being that is spann'd by time cannot reach to what was done from everlasting You cannot imagine that Non-entity should listen and hear what was whisperd in the Secret Councel of Heaven Thou goest only by the clock of time but those decrees were written with an eternal Sun beam thou turnest up thy houre-glasse of time but these were measured by an infinite duration Was it possible that Esau not borne should see God frowning on him or that Jacob should perceive a smile Thou art as far from meriting Election as a Non entity and thou art as far from knowing it as a Non-entity 2 God has a minde to keep it secret and therefore he has set a seale upon it not only a seale of certainty but a seale of secrecy You know creatures themselves have their closet-determinations men have their thoughts under lock and key they have not windows into one anothers
breasts much lesse into the breast of a Deity Thou caust not fathome sometimes a shallow creature and do'st thou think to reach to the bottome of infinite depths Has God given thee secret springs of working has he made the wheeles and motions of thy soul secret and undiscernable and may he not have the same priviledge himself So then if God has put a vaile upon Election do'st thou think to see into it When he has shut and clasp't the book of Life do'st thou think to open it and read it II. Vocation comments upon Election Gods decrees that were set from everlasting do bud and blossome and bring forth fruit in time Election buds in a promise and blossomes in an offer of grace The Book was written before the foundations of the world were laid but it was not publisht till God himself gave it an Imprimatur The Letter was dated from eternity the Supersociption was writ in time in Vocation Now you know though the Letter be writ first yet the Superscription is read first by him that receives the Letter 'T was decreed from eternity that Decrees should be known in time And the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the fulnesse of time is the time when Gods decrees are fulfilled When the decrees of God are ripe then he lets the soul taste them and then they are sweetest Then thou perceivest that thou art a vessel of honour when God puts thee upon an honourable imploiment That fountain of love which ran under ground from everlasting bubbles up and flowes to thee in time That 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that was in Election becomes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Vocation Thus thoughts of men when they would appear they put on words they take wings to themselves and flie away III. There is a strict and an inseparable connexion betwixt Election and Vocation For who is there that can blast the decrees of Heaven or who can reverse the Seale of the Almighty Who can break one linke of this golden chaine To be sure 't is not in the power of created Beings to evacuate and annihilate the counsels of God A creature as it had no influence upon Election so neither has it any power to alter it A shadow does not alter the Sun but rather shews you what time of the day it is And then to be sure God himself will not reverse his own seale Nulla est litura in dâ—crâ—tis sapientum say the Stoicks A wise man will scorne to blot out any thing Nulla sunt litura in libra vitâ— God is so full of light as that there is no shadow of change in him Therefore has God pickt thee out as a Jewel and laid thee up in a secret repository in the Cabbinet of his secret councel He will then bring thee out and shew thee in time he means to polish thee and put a lustre upon thee he means to set thee as a Diamond in his Ring and to put thee upon the band of a Saviour Did God from all eternity resolve to set thee as a captive soul at liberty Truely then thou needest not doubt but that he will in time break open the prison-doors and beat off thy chaines and thy â—etters and give thee full inlargement God has been preparing a feast for thee from everlasting a feast of sweet and fat things a refined an Evangelical feast To be sure then he will invite thee in time he will stand at thy door and knock nay he will compell thee to come into it God glanced an eye of love upon thee when thou layest hid in the barren wombe of nothing to be sure then in time he means to wooe thee and to winne thee and to espouse thee to himself in faithfulnesse and in truth IV. Election and Vocation though in respect of us they have gradual and climbing accomplishments yet in respect of God they are equally present For there is no succession in eternity There can be no Priâ—â— posterius where there was no beginning 'T is true that our finite Beings as they cannot sufficiently graspe an infinite Essence so neither can they measure an infinite Duration And therefore our understandings put many times severall periods there where there ought not to be the least Comâ—â— because we span out things by our own narrow Duration For Duration is nothing else but permanoâ—â—ia in esse a continuation and abiding in Being the spinning out of Entity And therefore as the soul cannot see the face of God so neither can it see the vastnesse of his Duration which is adequate and commensurate to the degree of his Entity So that we being but of yesterday are not competent judges of Eternity And as the soul imprisoned in a body can but darkly conceive of spiritual Beings and cannot behold the lustre and oriency of an Angel nay it cannot behold its own beauty much lesse is it able to behold the glory of God himself So being here conversant with transient things that have their Ortum Occasum their Fluxum Refluxum their Spring and Autumne their bounds and their bottome and dwelling among temporals 't is not so well acquainted with the vast Duration of Eternity And yet it can far better behold the back-parts of Eternity then the face of it Eternity à parte pòst then Eternity à parte antè because the soul it self is measured by that Duration Whereas only that one Supreme Being God himself has the compleatnesse and perfection of Eternity No wonder then that our understandings put several periods there where there ought not to be the least comma because we span out things by our own Duration that which bubbles from Eternity comes flowing to us in time But Vocation is as eternall as Election In respect of God Jacob was as soon call'd as he was chosen and that not only in respect of the secret counsel and decree of God but whensoever God does actually call Jacob he calls him ab Aeterno for Eternity is not at all spent and exhausted by continuance but is alwayes in vigore viridi 'T is a flourishing Duration that never withers nor decayes Indeed Vocation is nothing else but Election pulling off her velle and smiling upon the soul and telling her that God loves her and manifests and displayes his love to her V. It is altogether irregular and anomalous for the soul 1. To prie into Election 'T is dangerous to tread on the highest round first and here it is impossible Thus the soul forgets that it is a creature it forgets its own Duration and would be measuring it self by Eternity The windowes of the soul must be set open for the entertaining of such light as do's more immediately flow in upon it and the understanding must close and comply with such objects as are best proportioned to it Now you know that those things which are first intelligible in their own nature yet are not alwayes first presented to the view and eye
with all things here below if he should call for them they must be content to trample upon all relations for the love of a Saviour if they stand in competition with Christ they must be ready to lay all creatures and creature-comforts at his feet Now because this might seem somewhat an hard task and not so easie and Evangelical a yoke as he had promised them In these words he begins to sweeten his commands and to shew the reasonablenesse and equity of this that he requires of them You may well part with other things for this will be a means to save your soul Now says he if you could graspe the whole world and if you had it all in possession and should lay it down all only for the winning of a soul you would have no great cause to complain Whereas if you could embrace the present world and could gain it all nay if there were more worlds for you to enjoy and if you could have them all only for the losse of a soul you would have no great purchase of it What is a man profited There 's a plain 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the words more is meant then is spoken You would be so far from having any profit as that you would have the greatest losse that is imaginable the greatest dammage and detriment that such a creature is capable of You would have changed Gold for Drosse and Pearles for pebbles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Now our Saviour in these words does as it were take a paire of ballances in his hand the ballance of the Sanctuary and he puts the whole world in one scale and the soul of man in the other This little sparkle of Divinity in one scale and the great Globe of the world in the other And the soul of man this spiritual being this heavenly sparkle it does mightily out-weigh the great Globe of the world the vast bulk of water the huge fabrick of the Creation The world 't is weighed in the ballance and 't is found too light In the words you have these two things very considerable 1. That absolute worth and preciousnesse that is in the souls of men which is strongly imply'd and envolv'd in the words D. The souls of men are exceeding precious 2. A comparative preciousnesse which is most directly and expressely laid down in this in respect of the whole world besides D. One soul 't is more worth then a world For the first The souls of men are very precious The preciousnesse of the souls of men will easily appear from these four several heads of Arguments For though all men or most men that know what a soul is will easily grant that their souls are precious enough yet they don't attend to those several respects in which they are thus precious much lesse do they take notice of those several results and consequences that flow from it Now this absolute preciousnesse and worth of a soul does thus shew it self 1. From the several Excellencies of the soul it self There is a fourfold excellency in the souls of men which speaks them choise and precious 1. The excellency of their Original they are of a noble descent they came from the Father of spirits from the Father of lights God lights up souls in the world they bubble forth from that fountain of spirits that spiritual Essence They are the breast of a Deity God breath'd into a man a living soul They are a beam of the glorious Sun God beam'd into man a glittering soul The body indeed 't was rais'd out of the dust we dwell in houses of clay whose foundations are in the dust But the soul 't was of an higher and Nobler Original Yet there is a great deal of cost bestow'd upon the body much Embroydery and Needle-work in that I am admirably made I am curiously wrought I am wrought with a Needle sayes the Psalmist Acupictus sum he speaks it in respect of the choise and elegant composure of mans body much needle-work in that and then that 's but the sheath of the soul the casket for the Jewel to lye in The soul 't is like the Queens daughter in the 45. Plasme Her clothing is of needle-work and she is all glorious within Now all the workmanship that is bestow'd upon the body is only that it may be serviceable to the soul that the soul may Benè habitare that it may be a fit Tabernacle for the soul to dwell in that the soul may say 'T is good for me to be here The body 't was rais'd out of the dust but the soul sprang from heaven 't was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a bud of Eternity And truely that the souls of men should now be extraduce it does somewhat degrade them from that height of excellency that belongs to them I know that question 's full of briers and thornes but yet we may very well say thus much that some Scripture-passages favour and countenance this most that God still breaths into men living souls that they flow immediately from him in a way of Creation and that the soul and body do still differ in their Original That 's the first the excellency of the souls Original 2. The excellency of its Operations Do but look upon the several workings of the soul Consider the several layings out of the soul and you 'l see they have worth in them Do but view the wheels and motions of the soul the several faculties and employments of them and you 'l see they are all choice and precious What should I tell you of the Understanding crown'd with Beams compast and surrounded with Light of the Will sitting like a Queen upon her Throne and swaying the Scepter of Liberty in her hand with all the affections waiting and attending upon her There 's a five-fold excellency in the workings of the souls of men 1. The workings of the soul are quick and nimble Material Beings move heavily Matter clogs them and dulls their motion They go like the Chariots of Pharaoh in the Red-sea but spiritual Beings they move freely and presently like the Chariots of Amminadab they run with a cheerfull spontaneity What quicker then a Thought what nimbler then the twinkling of an intellectual Eye 'T is true there is a weaknesse and irregularity in the souls motions when its best workings are too flitting and desultory too gliding and transient but take the soul as 't is regular and orderly in its motions and then the freenesse and presentnesse of its working 't is the high priviledge of a spiritual Being For God that is a pure Spirit is Omni-present in his motions And the Angels that are ministering Spirits make haste of those glorious errands they are sent about The wings of the Cherubims flye very swiftly And the souls of men that are next in motion as they are next in Being they do the will of God on earth as 't is done in heaven with such freenesse and alacrity 2. They are vigorous and indefatigable
not alwayes of the strongest and goodliest bodies none of the longest lives Sometimes the soul is so acute as that it cuts the sheath of the body asunder Sometimes the Lutanist scrues up the strings so high as that they crack immediately Many times the soul is in the full when the body 's in the wane That which we usually call a lightning before death some think 't is but the souls finding of its former liberty that 's now to be loosen'd from the body to be enlarged and set out of prison and that makes it so chearful To be sure there are at least strong and pregnant probabilities of the souls immortality to a natural eye to a Philosophical eye with common light And they that tell us of the souls Mortality we may very well question what manner of souls they have to be sure as the Psalmist speaks They are become like the beasts that perish Others are so far in love with the souls immortality that they would have every soul immortal sensitive and vegetative souls But it shall suffice us that the souls of men are so and this is the fourth excellency of the souls of men the excellencie of their Duration And this is the first head of Arguments by which you see the preciousnesse of a soul from the several excellencies of the soul it self 2. If you would know the worth and preciousnesse of a soul Consider what value and esteem they put upon it that are best acquainted with the worth of it This is one of the wisest and surest wayes to know the worth of a thing to consider how they prize it that best know it See then how they value souls that know them best I. God himself the Creatour of souls 1. The Father of spirits He must needs know the worth of souls for he made them and he weighs the spirits of men he has often put them into the ballance and he knows the worth and weight of them Now see how he esteems them He has laid out his thoughts from everlasting for the bringing in of some souls to himself He has pickt them out as his Jewels The counsels and contrivances of heaven have been spent upon them Now do you think that God would lay out his thoughts upon them from everlasting unlesse they were very precious II. Jesus Christ the great Purchaser of souls he bought them and so must needs know the worth of them It was no ordinary price that he paid for them neither You were not ransom'd with corruptible things c. Now do you think that Jesus Christ would have laid down his own life spent his own precious blood for them except they had been very precious There 's nothing that does speak the worth and excellency of a soul then what was laid down for them to redeem them And these words in the Text are the words of him that bought souls the words of Jesus Christ himself the great Redeemer of souls he tells you that one soul is more worth then a world III. The Angles they are Spirits themselves and so are more acquainted with the nature of Spirits then we are See how they esteem them 1. The Good Angels what care do they take for souls They are ministering Spirits for the good of souls They pitch their Tents about them they have charge of souls they rejoyce at the conversion of a soul Heaven is alwayes full of joy brimfull of joy but it runs over with fresh joy when a soul is brought in to a Saviour 2. The Evil Angels those great Plunderers of souls those black and damned Potentates of Hell the Devils these know the worth of souls too well For 1. What variety of temptations have they for the beguiling of a soul How many thousand hooks and baits for the catching of a soul How many designes and stratagems for the ruining of a soul what ambushes and underminings for the undoing of a soul how does he spread abroad his nets and fill the world with snares for the entangling of a soul what serpentine windings and workings what depths and methods of deceit what flatteries and insinuations and all for the deluding of a soul 2. How does he rage when a soul is pluckt out of his paw The whole legion of them is in an uproar and commotion when they have lost one of their prisoners they look upon it as a great losse 3. How does he envy Jesus Christ the saving of one soul How does he think souls too precious for him If all the powers of darknesse could hinder it there should not be one soul translated out of their kingdome 4. How does he glory and triumph in the conquest of souls If hell were capable of joy it would have it then when souls are captivated by this Prince of darknesse These are his spolia ampla the goodly trophy's and monuments of his victory 5. How many factours and agents does he imploy to bring in souls to his kingdome how many are serviceable and instrumentall to him and how does he go up and down like a roaring Lion seeking whom he may devour Do you think he would take so much pains about souls if they were not worth it 6. In his formal Contracts he does not stand long a cheapning he 'l give them what they 'l aske he knows he can't outbid himself A soul is worth more he knows then he has to give for it 7. How does this torment him that he is in a chaine and can do no more hurt to souls that there is an hook in this Leviathan that he is restrain'd and limited so as that he cannot have his will of souls So that by all this you see the evil Angels the Devils know the worth of souls too well And this is the second head of Arguments by which you see the preciousnesse of souls c. 3. Arg. Because other things are precious in reference to the soul The worth of the soul puts a lustre upon other things 1. Precious Faith why is that so precious because 't is for the saving of a precious soul 't is such a radical and essential Grace We beleeve to the saving of the soul 2. Precious Promises why are they so precious because they are for the welfare of a precious soul Cordials to revive a fainting soul balme for the healing of a wounded soul restauratives for the recovery of a languishing soul 3. Precious Ordinances Why but because God does here in especial manner display himself and reveal himself to souls He gilds them with his own glorious presence they are the wells of salvation out of which souls must quench their thirst 4. Precious Ministers why such a lustre upon that Calling more then upon others why they so honourable but because they are more immediately conversant about souls The converting of souls that 's the crowne of the Ministery You are my Crown and my Joy sayes Paul to his converted Philippians No wonder then if contempt be pour'd out upon the
Ministery if once they come to neglect souls if Cura Animarum be made but a slight businesse But they that convert souls to righteousnesse sayes the Prophet Daniel they shall shine as the starres in the firmament they shall have a more bright and massy Crown answerable to a greater degree of service 4. Arg. If you would still see more clearly the worth and preciousnes of souls do but consider the variety of Gospel-dispensations in respect of souls 1. Those many invitations that are made to souls to come into Christ that sweet Rhetorick those strong motives those powerfull perswasions those precious wooings and beseechings of them We beseech you by the mercies of Christ by the bowels of a Saviour we beseech you as if God himself should beseech you to be reconcil'd unto him Do you think there would be so much wooing and beseeching if they were not very precious Do you think the Spirit himself would so intreat do you think the Holy Ghost would be so importunate with them else Nay these souls are so precious as that he will have some for himself he will take no denial no refusal Go and compell them to come in 2. Consider those sad Lamentations that are made when souls will trample upon their own mercy as Christ speaks to Jerusalem in that passionate strain and dips his words in teares O Jerusalem Jerusalem c. This great lamenting shews that 't is the losse of a precious thing 3. Know that the World is kept up for this very end for the bringing in of some souls for a Saviour Do you think that God is at this vast cost and expence in maintaining this vast fabrick of the Creation only for men that oppose him and provoke him and violate his Lawes No 't is for the gathering of his Jewels for the binding up some precious souls in the bundle of Life If 't were not for this the very pillars and foundations of the world would crack asunder 4. Think upon the great Preparation that is made for the entertainment of souls how that Christ is gone to prepare a place for them What treasures of love and sweetnesse what heaps of joy are stor'd up for them what a weight of Glory what Crowns what Thrones what glorious and unexpressible and unconceiveable Priviledges shall they then enjoy Thus by all these several Arguments you have seen the worth and preciousnesse of souls Vse 1. And now when we consider the worth of them we might even take up this sad lamentation How is the gold become drosse how is the most fine gold chang'd The precious souls of men that were purer then Snow ruddier then Rubies more polisht then Saphirs in their first Original now their visage 't is blacker then a coal How are they become the reproach of him that made them the body's slaves the devils captives the scorn of every lust and temptation Nay you might even melt and dissolve into tears under this sad and serious consideration that so few of these precious souls shall be saved that there are so many of them that drop into hell irrecoverably And though there be a generation of men in the world that will never go over this narrow Bridge unlesse they put on Spectacles that so they may tumble in more Artificially men that lay down such large and reaching principles of so vast a latitude as that they scarce make it possible for any to be damn'd men that widen the narrow gate in their own apprehensions yet God has reveal'd his minde expressely and 't is the constant voice of the Gospel it self that there are but few of these precious souls that be sav'd And which is more that as for men of the rarest and most admirable endowments of the choicest accomplishments men of most orient and glittering souls there are fewer of these then of others Not many wise c. And yet all this comes not about because of any want of Gospel-provision not but that there is Balm enough in Gilead Oile enough in that horn of salvation not but that there are abundance of bowels in God which yearn towards the precious souls that he has made but because men refuse his goodnesse and abuse his mercy imprison his truth and shut it up in unrighteousnesse Now when men are told of the worth of their souls when they are put in minde of their preciousnesse again and again when they have all means for the welfare of their soul and when they are directed in the wayes that tend to the saving of the soul when they are convinc'd that such and such lusts fight against their souls and when they know that the present season of grace is all they are sure of for the welfare of their soul If they shall stubbornly refuse their own mercy and wilfully and violently rush into their own ruine though their souls were ten thousand times more precious then they are yet they perish deservedly Vse 2. Me thinks therefore at length men should come to such thoughts as these 'T is time now to provide for our own souls 'T is time now to build for Eternity Tanquam semper victuri If he that does not provide for his own house is worse then an Infidel then surely he that does not provide for his own soul is little better Yet how many are there in the world that live so as if they had no souls to save Many that take no notice of their own souls These are spiritual Beings and run not into their outward senses and so they never minde them These mens souls are so dark as they cannot see themselves Others that do take some little acquaintance with their own spirits yet how do they leave them in a rolling and fluctuating condition how do they venture Eternity upon what strange uncertainties do they leave a precious soul as he that was ready to die said He should know by and by whether the soul were immortall or no that was all he made of it Or as that other that complemented with his soul in that sporting language Animula vagula blandula Quae tandem abitura es in loca And yet 't is an impression engraven upon every Being with a Pen of Iron and with the point of a Diamond Nay 't is a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 stampt upon every Being by the finger of God himself that it should look to its own preservation to the maintaining of it self so that 't is matter of amazement astonishment that the souls of men being such precious Beings should look to their own welfare no more And it can be resolv'd into nothing else but into that same first and grand Apostasie from their God the fountain of their life and happinesse When they lost their God they lost themselves and when they fell off from him they Apostatiz'd from their own Essence And now they minde the body and take care for things here below and neglect themselves If there be any that can repair the ruins of Nature
or that can wrangle a little for mens estates these shall have honour and esteem in the world and the things of the world at their command But they that take care only for souls these must live upon meere benevolence as if the Ministers of the Gospel were nothing indeed but souls as if they were properly Angels that must assume a body and deliver their message and then must disapper This does strongly convince that men prize their bodies and their goods above their souls because men of such employments Lawyers and Physicians these finde better entertainment in the world then the Ministers of the Gospel Hence it is also that men neglect the seasons of grace opportunities of mercie advantages for their souls which they would not neglect in other things The Sabbath the market-day for souls how is it slighted prophaned yet the Sabbath was made for man for the soul of man chiefly for that is the chief of man And yet God had us'd very strong and powerful means to engage men to seek the welfare of their own souls For out of his own infinite love and goodnesse he has by a strict connexion knit and united his own glory and the salvation of souls together He has wrought Israels Name in the frame of his own glory That whereas now if these two were sever'd a man were bound to seek the glory of God before the salvation of his own soul For though the soul be very precious yet the glory of the Creatour of souls is infinitely more precious God therefore out of the riches of his grace has so joyn'd these together as none can put them asunder He that seeks the glory of God does by this promote the welfare of his own soul and he that seeks the saving of his own soul does in this advance the glory of God He that seeks the one must seek the other also Vse 3. If the souls of men be so exceeding precious then admire the goodnesse of God that does not leave them in the power of men 1. Some souls the souls of his own people are so precious as that he won't leave them in their own hands You know how Adam dispos'd of his own soul when he had it in his own keeping And such men as are left to themselves you see how they lay out their souls But God has laid up some precious souls in a safe and sure hand they are laid up as a rich Depositum in the hand of a Saviour and they are kept by his Almighty power through faith unot salvation 2. Souls are so precious as that he won't leave them to the disposing of other men He keeps these Apples of his eye under the lid of his own Providence The sword of an enemy can reach but the sheath of the body An enemy though never so fierce and furious can but cut the sheath of the body asunder Fear not them that can kill the body and that 's all they can do c. Yet such is the fury and implacablenesse of men as that if they could reach the soul that should be the first they would strike and wound and they would damne other mens souls as surely as they do their own As that desperate Italian that having an enemy of his at advantage threatened to kill him unlesse he would curse and blaspheme renounce his Religion that foolish man too covetous of a frail and fading life yielded to him but as soon as he had ended such blasphemies as were prescrib'd him the other stabs him presently and then triumphs and applauds himself in his bloody victory O sayes he 't is a kindly and delicate revenge O 't is an orderly and methodical revenge first to damne the soul and then to stab the body You see what the rage and fury of men would reach unto but that God has set souls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 3. And therefore thou that wilt trust him with thy precious soul wilt not trust him for things here below Wilt thou trust him for Eternity and not for a moment wilt thou trust him with the Jewel and not with the casket wilt thou trust him for thy Soul and not for thy body thy state thy name Think upon our Saviours Argument Consider but the Lilies of the field they that have but vegetative souls two or three removes off from matter They neither spin nor â—â—ile why shouldst thou then have spinning and toiling thoughts will he not much more take care for thee Vse 4. See here the top of Antichristian fury his cruelty to souls as if the souls of men were Antichrists slaves to be hurried up and down at his pleasure as if an heap of precious souls were but Antichrists foot-stool for him to get up to his throne by Consult but with that place in the 18. of Rev. vers 12 13. You 'l see there that Antichrist trades there in very rich and costly commodities Gold Silver Pearles Purple Silke c. But amongst the rest he has one more precious then ordinary and 't is a sure and staple commodity that he trades in and 't is in the souls of men And that which bespeaks the ruine of Antichrist and cries aloud to that God to whom vengeance belongs and 't will pour out the very dregs of the vials upon him his deluding of souls his imposing upon souls his multiplying the bricks putting out the eyes of souls making them grinde at his mill to goround in an implicite faith and like his slaves he buyes them and sells them at his pleasure The blood of souls is the Paint of that same spiritual Jezabel and the Scarlet of the Babylonish whore 't is double-dy'd in the blood of Saints Vse 5. This speaks aloud to the Prophets and sons of Prophets that they would lay out all their golden talents and precious opportunity for the welfare of souls not only their own souls but for the souls of others too to be men of publick influence to spread light abroad in the world 'T is the strongest expression of love you can show to a Saviour Peter lovest thou me feed my sheep feed my lambs Let this be a token of thy love and signe that thou lov'st me Does not it pitty you to see so many precious souls famisht for want of the bread of Life so many ignorant souls rushing upon their own ruine for want of light so many souls poison'd with unsound doctrine and strange opinions so many unstable souls beguil'd by rude and illiterate men that torture the Scriptures and feed men so as if Non-sense were the only Nectar and Ambrosia for immortal souls to live on Don't you see how thirsty souls are that they will drink in muddy waters had not they rather think ye drink in pure and crystalline streams Do they take in Errour so fast and would not Truth be more pleasant to them You are the hope and the expectation of souls if you should frustrate and disappoint them whither should they go or where should they betake themselves Where shall the thirsty soul go unlesse the fountain afford it some streames where shall the new-born soul satisfie it self unlesse the breasts afford it sincere milk How shall the wandring soul finde out its way unlesse the Seers and Watchmen be pleased to direct it How shall souls be season'd with grace if the salt it self be unsavoury If the eye be darknesse how great must the darknesse be O lay out your selves so as that thousands of souls may blesse you and have cause to blesse God for you Truly the harvest is great and precious and the labourers are few pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest that he would send forth labourers into his harvest FINIS Fox Observ Vse Object Resp Doct. Vse 1. Vse 2. Observ 1. Observ 2. Observ 3. Observ 4. Observ 1. Object Sol. Object 1. Sol. 1. Sol. 2. Sol. 3. Object 2. Sol. 1 Sol. 2. Object Sol. Object 1. Sol. Observ 2. Observ 3. Observ 4.
and breath for so glorious a time when the Panting Soul shall become an enjoying an embracing Soul When water-brooks shall be turn'd into rivers of pleasure ever springing from Gods right hand who is the fountain of being where the glorious rayes that flow from the face of Christ shall gild those pleasant and crystalline streams and there shall be fresh and eternal ebullitions of joy so that the pure soul may bathe it self in blisse and be for ever steept in unexpressible in unconceivable sweetnesse Mount Ebal JUDGES 5. 23. Curse ye Meroz saith the Angel of the Lord Curse bitterly the Inhabitants thereof because they came not out to the help of the Lord to the help of the Lord against the Mighty THis Chapter is fill'd with a Triumphant Song that was made by Deborah that glorious Nursing-mother in Israel after a great and famous Conquest which God had given her and Barak over Jabin and Sisera and all their mighty Hostes She presently after the victory breaks out into a Psalm of Thanksgiving she stirs up her soule to the praise of her God and excites Barak to bear her company in this her joy Awake Deborah Awake c. Deborah in the Hebrew Language signifies a Bee A Bee by them is call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a working industrious creature And this Song may well be look't upon as Deborahs Honey-combe a sweet and precious Song dropping from her gracious lips Deborahs Honey-combe I but withal this Bee it ha's a sting Curse ye Meroz saith the Angel of the Lord Curse ye bitterly c. These words they are the sting of Deborahs Song which strikes through all such as maintain not the cause of God against his enemies that come not out to the help of the Lord to the help of the Lord against the Mighty If you look but upon the foregoing words you may see there how this holy Prophetesse takes an exact view of the behaviour of the several tribes in this time of war and commotion when the People of Israel were now opposing the Canaanites such enemies as God had devoted to destruction and had given the Israelites full Commission to destroy them And after special notice taken she gives just Encomiums and commendations of all such as were forward and active in the Lords cause and withal sharp reproofs and cutting reprehensions to all such as were remisse and negligent in this their duty And first she begins with the praise of them that deserv'd it Out of Ephraim was there a root of them against Amalek This tribe sent in aide to Israel and the root that sprang from hence against Amalek was Deborah her selfe who judged Israel dwelling under a Palme-tree between Ramath and Bethel in Mount Ephraim and by her charge and authority the war was undertaken it was she that whetted Barak and encourag'd the Israelites against their enemies After thee Benjamin among thy People Against thee O Amalek some of this tribe also adjoyned themselves to Deborah Out of Machir came down Governours The tribe of Manasseh branch't it self into two noble families that of Machir and the other of Jair And out of Machir there came worthy men to help in the battel And out of Zebulon they that handle the Pen of the Writer Learned men and skilful Lawyers such as handle the Pen these help't forward in the War both 1. By their Counsel and Advice and this is none of the smallest aides One Vlysses better then many an Ajax Or 2. By weapons and outward aid Such as were wont to handle the Pen of the Writer they now handle the spear of the Souldier And the Princes of Issachar were with Deborah choice and worthy ones Heads of the People And Issachar Not only the Princes but the rest of the tribe And also Barak He was the Captain chief in the War the primum mobile He was sent on foot into the valley He was the Leader of the foot-men in the valley Thus far she commends in the next words she reproves For the Divisions of Reuben there were great thoughts of heart why abodest thou among the sheepfolds to hear the bleatings of the flockes for the divisions of Reuben there were great searchings of heart There were great wonderings why Reuben came not out to help their brethren for the divisions of Reuben that they should hold back and not accompany the rest of the tribes many searchings and enquiries why Reuben came not This tribe dwelt beyond Jordan in fat and goodly pasture and they too much minded their Cattel and neglected the care of the Common-wealth They were hearing the bleatings of the sheep and the bellowings of the oxen when their brethren heard the Alarum of War the noise of the Trumpet the beating of the Drum Why abodest thou among thy sheepfolds hast thou no care of Israels troubles of the bleeding condition of thy brethren dost thou take more care of thy sheep then of them see how the fierce enemie like a Wolf comes to devoure them and proud Sisera is ready to tear them in pieces wilt thou not take as much care of them as of thy sheep Gilead abode beyond Jordan Both the families of Manasseh Machir and Jair dwelt in Gilead and possessed it Now the family of Machir was commended before so that here is meant of Jair Or else the words are to be took thus as an answer to Reuben why could'st not thou come from beyond Iordan as well as Gilead Gilead abode beyond Iordan and yet he came and so this tends to Gileads praise and to Reubens dishonour the first sense is most genuine And why did Dan remain in ships Either 1. To shelter themselves from the enemies when they heard of Iabin and Sisera's coming they slipt themselves away Or else 2. Dan remained in ships he minded his own businesse and merchandise his traffick and commerce And why did Dan remaine in ships when all Israel was almost suffering shipwrack Asher continued on the sea-shore and abode in his breaches The words include a double excuse which Asher had why it came not to help Israel 1. They dwelt afar off by the Sea-shore 2. Their townes and cities were ruinous and not well fenc't and therefore they stayed at home to defend and fortifie themselves they abode in their breaches I but there was another breach that Asher might have thought of a breach of Gods Law and Commandment which enjoyn'd his People mutual love and a joynt opposition of their enemies Zebulun and Naphtali were a People that jeoparded their lives unto the death in the high places of the field After a more general commendation of some tribes and reproofes of others she then comes to a special Encomium of these two as most eminent in their service and a more stinging reproof of such as were inexcusably negligent Zebulun and Naphtali reproached their lives so 't is in fonte they esteemed them not worth the having with Israels ruine they preferr'd Gods cause before their lives They reproached