the Lords mercy and loving thus she leanes upon him Secondly It is one that she pleades some title to and interest in she cals him hers Christ is the Bridegroome of the Soule and the Soule is Christs Bride Beloved in all this Song is taken for the highest degree of love and nearest relation conjugall love therefore Christ elsewhere calls her his Sister his Spouse she hath a title to and interest in him possession of him and in another place I am my welbeloveds and my welbeloved is mine She is his and he is hers they have a propriety each in other But suppose we should put the Spouse to prove her title to him What is thy Beloved more then anothers Beloved Or why is he thy Beloved O beleeving soule more than the Beloved of another shew thy title to him And againe why is she Christs more than another Why should the Beleever monopolize Christ and how came Christ to be hers she is his and he is hers by right of gift her heavenly Father hath given her unto him hence is that Phrase of her Saviours Prayer John 17.9 All that the Father hath given me and I pray for all them that thou hast given me She hath given her selfe to him Cant. 1.2 Let him kisse me with the kisses of his mouth for his love is better then wine She hath said Draw me and I will run after thee ay and he hath given himselfe to her he hath given his grace unto her Gal. 1.6 And his glory unto her The glory which thou hast given me I have given them Her Beloved by right of gift She is his and he is hers by right of bargaine and sale The Ancients had three waies to get themselves wives by gift purchase or desert The Fathers sold their Daughters and the Bridegroome bought his Bride he gave a Dowry for her Hence when Sechem had a minde to Dinah the daughter of Jacob he saies Aske me what Dowry thou wilt and I will give it thee Christ hath bought his Beloved hence saith the Apostle He hath paid a price for us A bloudy price more than all the world was worth But he would have her because he delighted in her and so she is his and he is hers by right of purchase She is his Beloved and he is hers by correlation By right ef desert she deserved not him but he deserved her This was a third way by which the Ancients got them wives by some gallant exploit or great service Their wives were sometimes given them for wages Jacob served fourteene yeares for Rachell Gen. 29.17 David for his Soveraignes daughter encountred great Goliah and afterwards robbed the Philistines of their foreskins he paid more for her then she proved to be worth By this right the beleeving soule is the beloved of Christ he hath served a long service for her not fourteene but above thirty yeares he hath vanquished the Goliahs of our soules and hath conquered our Spirituall Enemies He is hers and she is his by right of possession he dwels in her and she dwels in him The second person in the Trinity is an inmate with the beleeving soule He dwels under the roofe of her heart He hath a chamber in the soule and hath pitched his tent within her and she is in him too united each unto other this is very plainly exprest Ga. 2.20 I live but yet not I but Christ lives in me I am the Carcasse Christ the Soule the Soule moveth the body so Christ moves my soule I move not from any principle in my selfe but from a principle of Grace The life I live in the flesh I live by the life of the Sonne of God who dwelleth in me who loved me and gave himselfe for me Thus you see she may well call Christ her Beloved and Christ may well call her his Beloved He hath a propriety in her and she hath a propriety in him also he hath married her and dwels with her yea and in her dilectum suum her welbeloved indeed Thirdly It is her beloved not anothers beloved Every soule hath a Beloved the Drunkard hath his beloved cups the wanton hath his beloved Queanes the Covetous person his beloved Gold The soule that leanes upon Christ goes not a whoring after other Gods The Spouse of Christ leanes not upon the Papists beloved merits nor upon the Turkes beloved Mahomet nor upon the Pharisees beloved duties nor upon the Idolaters beloved Saints she saies Abrahâ—m knowes her not Isa 63.16 and Israell is ignorant of her but the Lord is her father Christ is her Redeemer and her maker her Redeemer is her husband Creator tuus est sponsus tuus Her Beloved not anothers Beloved 4. He that is her Beloved not that which was her Beloved She once loved her sins and her lust were the beloveds of her soule The name of Baali was in her mouth her lusts were her Lords and they ruled over her But now the name of Baalim is taken out of her mouth she calls the Lord Ishi God alone is her beloved sin was the dearly beloved of her soule but now she calls sin no more Naomi she cals it Marah that which was once the sweetnesse is now the bitternesse of her soule she takes no pleasure in it no nor doth she account her duties her beloved she useth them but she dares not trust her soule upon them she dares not plead any desert in them though once perhaps she had a Pharisaicall conceit that her duties would be her healing yet when she comes to the Lord Christ to leane upon his Arme though she useth duties and is as full of full of Prayer and humiliation as ever she knocks her hand upon her brest and cries she is a sinner Oh! but what remedy the knocking her hand upon her brest she knowes cannot save her no for that God be mercifull to her she leanes upon Christ that is her now Beloved not upon any duties or any other merits that was before her Beloved Fifthly Her beloved not her beloveds The soule that comes to the Lord Jesus Christ loves him intensly and as she loves him best so she loves him only As nothing shall have her whole heart so neither will she divide her heart betwixt him and another he shall have her heart and he only shall have her heart and he shall have her whole heart too she dare trust her strength upon Christ and upon him alone she desireth only to be found in the Lord Jesus who is her Bridegroome she is a Virgin not a Whore she leanes not upon Christ with one hand and her owne merits with another no nor dares she leane upon the merits of another she durst not trust the weight of her soule upon the wings of an Angell nor to the Prayers of a Saint she relies upon God and upon God only The Papists leane upon Christ but not upon him alone she knowes it will be a dishonour both to her and her husband to take any
her breeding that in that regard they might say Quae est illa Who is this 2. Her carriage that is admirable this depends much upon breeding you know she shames not her breeding her deportment is according to her birth her companions noble Kings daughters 45. Psal 9. Her carrriage chast a Virgine through a spouse Christus non renascitur nisi in cordibus eorum qui spirituales sunt virgines Deo uno spiritu adherent Christ is not borne againe nor married to those that are not spirituall Virgins and adhere to him alone She loveth righteousnesse and hateth wickednesse 45. Psal 7. and keepeth her garment unspotted from the flesh she carries not her self like the wanton women those that see the Saints carriage for humility for gravity for her whole deportment may in admiration say Quae est illa Who is this What rare what glorious creature 3. Her Beauty is admirable 45. ps 2. She is fairer then the Children of men for grace is poured into her lips Some daughters are beautifull but she is far more beautifull Some in part but she is all faire thou art all faire my spouse She is black that is in her morning but her black morning proves a fair day black by nature faire by grace comely as the Tents of Kedar and Curtaines of Solomon A lilly though amongst thornes 1. Her beauty is a perfect beauty The Church was once calld the perfection of Beauty 2. Lament 25. No beauteous face and deformed body much lesse deformed soule All faire See her full description from the best limner in the 7. chap. to the 7. verse She is without spot or wrinkle 2. It is a desireable beauty Kings shall desire thy beauty amongst Creatures somtimes the flesh may be beautifull but the countenance casts a vaile over and makes the beauty not lovely or desirable but this is a lovely Beauty even in the eyes of Kings 3. It is a constant beauty no sicknesse can make her unlovely nothing can wrinkle the believing soule or curle the gracious brow the lilly of these valleyes looseth no beauty in the scorches of afflictions or haile of sorrow or stormes of temptation but in every condition those that look uppon her may say Quae est illa What so beauteous creature is this 4. She is admirable for her Clothing Her clothing is of wrought gold 45. Psal 13. She shall be brought unto the King in a garment of needlework in her espousall dayes she is cloathed with grace hereafter she shall be clothed with glory she hath put off her widowes garments and put on a garment like the garment Mordecay was arayed with Ester 8.15 Royall apparrell taken out of the wardrobe of glory Blew and white pretious Rayment even of the same cloth with the King of glories attyre Dan. 7.9 Revel 3.5 And with a crowne of glory upon her head and a garment of fine linen and purple Indeed she was cloathed like Iehoshua with filthy garments But God hath said take away the filthy garments from her and I will clothe her with change of Rayment Zech. chap. 3. ver 4.5 1. She is admirable First for the Variety of her clothing Secondly For the perfume of her garments We will open her wardrobe and shew you a few of the changes of Raiment this Bride hath First She hath her Inner garment of Christs righteousnesse her robe of righteousnesse this the Saints are clothed with and this is their long white garment Their inner garment that goes next their soule They are clothed in white Revel 7.13.14 Those that come out of Tribulation and have washed their robes in the blood of the Lamb are arrayed in white robes 2. She hath another white garment of chastity which the Apostle bids Timothy put on and the young women must have gownes made of it they were to be chaste and discreet not committing adultery with the pleasures and profits and vain delights as well as men of the world but keepe her whole love and whole soule to God and God alone 3. Shee hath a long garment of Charity her cloak of charity this is both long and full with the others shee clothed her selfe with this she clotheth others with this she clotheth the naked and this is a true garment and it covers a multitude of sinnes 1 Pet. 5.8 A garment that neatly becomes a Christian and which she should be sure to have what ever she wants to the back of her soule Above all have fervent charity saith the Apostle It is a garment that the Bridegroome will looke that his Bride should bee clothed with at the great marriage day Matth. 25.34 c. Come ye blessed of my Father and inherit the kingdome prepared for you before the foundation of the world for I was an hungry and ye gave me meat c. A fourth change of Rayment shee hath is the hair cloath of humility an homely but precious garment 1 Pet. 5.5 Bee yee clothed with humility The Bridegroome himself woed his spouse with this robe He humbled himselfe and became obedient unto God even to death the death upon the crosse For these two last changes of rayment my heart akes to think how many Christians have left them off Charity is growne cold to a Proverb and humilitie the precious garment of humility changed for the conceited coat of singularity the party coloured coat of factions hath brought this garment out of fashion It hath lost no beauty though it bee pittifully out of fashion A fifth change of raiment is her garment of Moderation a summer garment to be worn when the Sun of prosperity shines hott then let your moderation be known unto all men Philip. 4.5 Sixthly She hath likewise a winter garment of Patience and this the Spouse puts on in a storm Tribulation worketh Patience This the good Church of Ephesus was clad with and her God loved her in this habit Rev. 2.3 And hast borne and had patience and for my name hast laboured and hast not fainted Seventhly Many are the changes of this Spouses Raiment I will only mention one more and that is Vestimentum fidei her Buff-coat of faith this is Pistoll yea Canon proof this shee puts on in a time of warre The shield of faith called Ephes 6.16 This is her militia vestment These are the Spouses severall changes of Vesture and many more she hath garments of needlework and divers colours and she shall have at last a garment of Glory She is glorious for the change of her raiment that the eye of the beholder may be put to amaze and he in admiration say Quae est illa Who is this that commeth up 2. She is admirable as for the change so for the perfume of her garments Psal 45.8 All her garments smell of Myrrh Aloes and Cassia Cant. 4.11 The smell of thy garments is like the smell of Lebanon no perfume like the beleevers sweetnesse sweetnesse that cannot be worn out she gives a smell as she goes like the smell
man need to keep the love of his guide O Christian thou hast much more need to keep the love of thy Christ It is he that must succour thee at every need he that must make the rugged waies plaine for thee It is he that must carry the Babe of grace in his armes least it should dash its feet against the stones of affliction It is he that must lead the child of God upon his hand least in this world of afflictions it fall and hurt it selfe O keep close in his armes keep thy selfe warme in his bosome feare that which may make thy God go from thee Gods departing from the Creature is a peice of hell thou knowest not how soone thou mayest need him yea thou alwaies needest him therefore take heed of sinning against him thou wilt anger the best friend I will assure thee I hasten to the last use which shall be a word of Exhortation Doth the Spouse of Christ come out of the wildernesse leaning upon her Beloved First O then you that are yet in the wildernesse of sinnes come out come out get this Spouses Beloved and then leane upon him 2. You that are in the wildernesse of sorrow for sin afflictions temptations desertions leane upon your beloved live leaning and dye leaning you that say you are sinking and you cannot beleeve Oh leane and come out of this wildernesse leaning upon your Beloved A word to the first Is there any before the Lord this day that is yet in the gall of bitternesse and in the bond of iniquity with what arguments shall I plead with such a soule Those are not wanting but with what arguments shall I prevaile with such a soule to come unto the Lord Christ were any here drowning in the water a little Rhetoricke would perswade them to let me helpe them out were any cast in a wood I should not need much entreat them to give me their hand and I would shew them a way out of that loosing place why should I not as much prevaile for heaven this day 1 Consider what estate it is that thou takest such pleasure to continue in first It it a dangerous place more dangerous then the sands to the ship thou art ready to be swallowed up of hell every houre in it A troope of judgements waites upon thee to destroy it how canst thou abide consuming fire or dwell in everlasting burnings Secondly Consider it is a joylesse condition There is no true joy to the sinner though he sings sometimes amongst his drunken cups yet he cannot feed heartily upon a feast of joy because the Sword hangs over his head it is but a feigned joy that the sinner hath a sudden short lived flame without any coales underneath to preserve it There is no peace to the wicked saith God and if no peace there can be no joy when the sinner is serious he cannot rejoyce his rejoycing is like the skipping of mad men that know not what they do Thirdly Consider it is a starving câ—ndition The sinners soule starves whiles he feasts bis body like a glutton his soule dyes for thirst when his body is overflowen with drunkenesse It is impossible the puffe-past of iniquity should nourish a soule Doth an Angell feed upon the earth doth a Saint feed upon hell The soule is of an Angelicke substance it cannot feed upon sin sin starves it Dost thou love to be in the middest of thornes dost thou delight to lye downe in sorrow canst thou endure to see thy better part starved whilest thou pamperest thy filthy Carcasse O let this deterre thee from the wildernesse of sin and perswade thee to come out of it unto Paradise There First Thou shalt be in a safe condition Out of the feare of judgements out of hells gunshot There life or death will be either peace temporall or else eternall either grace or glory unto thee here thy soule shall be in a harbour if thousands fall at thy left hand and ten thousands at thy right none shall make thee afraid thou shalt laugh at trouble when it comes Thou shalt be sure to go to heaven either by land or water If thou goest through the fire thou shalt be sure to have Christ with thee Heaven is a security in all estates a protection from all Arrests if the King of Glory hath a mind to sue thee thou shalt not be arrested like other men with a writ of wrath but invited to sup with him in glory only by a letter of love and he will send his Ushers of glory to waite upon thy soule to the chambers of glory Luke 16.22 The soule of good Lazarus was carried by Angels into Abrahams bosome you shall not live like other men haunted with the bloud-hounds of wrath nor dye like other wretches that go out of the world haled by the Serjeants of hell to everlasting prison but quietly sleepe and awake againe one day in glory O who would not desire such a protection for himselfe such a security for his soule who would not throw off his raggs of sinne to put on Christs livery of grace when Christs badge upon his shoulder shall free him from all Arrests That he shall walke up and downe and nothing shall make him affraid Secondly Consider that Heaven is a place as full of joy as ever the wildernesse was full of sorrow and trouble of this I spake before O thinke of the joy of the Saints you children of vaine pleasure you mad-men of the earth that can dance over the hole of the Aspe and put your hands on the Cocatrices den Your false and flattering joy is nothing to the reall joyes of heaven There is joy like the joy in the harvest like the joy when men divide the spoyle The yoke of their burthen is broken and the rod of the oppressour O you that love your drinking meetings and dancing dayes that you would but love heaven where you might drinke new wine with your Lord Christ where you might dance in glory and make all your daies dayes of joy and every houre an houre of pleasure Thirdly consider that there and there only is provision for your soule Christs robes is the only cloathing that will cover the nakednesse of it his flesh is meat indeed and his bloud is drinke indeed there my friends Eate and drinke and be merry there you may have wine and milke without money or without price O spend not your money for that which is not bread and your labour for that which profiteth not Here you may eate that which is good Esa 35.1 2 3. and let your soule delight it selfe in fatnesse Here is a Feast of fat things The fatlings are killed O come unto the wedding Why should your roomes bee emptie in the day of the Lords Espousalls You shall bee welcome to my Masters Table Now O now Behold hee stands at the doore and knocks Lord breake where thou knockest If any man will heare his voice and open the doore he will come
THE SPOUSES Hidden Glory AND Faithfull Leaning upon her Welbeloved Wherein is laid down the Soules Glory in Christ and the way by which the Soule comes to Christ Delivered in two Lecture SERMONS in St Andrewes Church in Norwich By IOHN COLLINGS Master of Arts and Preacher of Gods word in Saviours parish in Norwich 1 Iohn 3.1 The world knowes us not Isaiah 43.1 Feare not I have redeemed thee I have called thee by thy name thou art mine 2 When thou passest through the waters I will be with thee and through the rivers they shall not overflow thee when thou walkest through the fire thou shalt not be burnt neither shall the flame kindle upon thee LONDON Printed for William Franckling and are to bee sold at his Shop near the signe of the George in Norwich 1646. TO The Right worshipfull and truly honoured Patriot of his Countrey Sir IOHN HOBART Knight and Baronet one of the Members of the Honourable House of COMMONS Honoured Sir GOodnesse is the Honour of Greatnesse and Grace is the Beauty of Goodnesse Greatnesse without Goodnesse is like a grossy body with a sluggards spirit too heavy to beare its owne burthen and Goodnesse without some Authoritative Greatnesse is like a soule in separation happy in it selfe but it wants an organ to move in terrestrials But he to whom God hath given gracious Greatnesse is one that hath ten Talents one upon whom opportunities wait to do his God Honour And it is the greatest happinesse can betide a creature to have an opportunity to throw his two mites his little all into the Treasury of the Lords Glory Our actuated habit of Love to Gods Church and Spouse is the greatest way of honouring our God The Bridegroom honours those that he makes his Brides Vshers And it is the most endearing service wee can doe our Master to have a care of his Lambs Simon Peter lovest thou me feed my Lambs his Lambs in the Fold which are his Church Sir God hath called you to this Honour though not to feed yet to provide their Shepheards a Crook Alas what shall wee doe our Saviours Lambs stray and wander in dangerous pastures and wee have no Crook to reduce them we can only feed them when they please to eat we have no hedge of Government to keep them in their pastures nor Crook to reduce the wanderers here is our misery God hath made us watchmen wee may give good counsell to the unlawfull straglers but wee want our watch-bill to stay them if they will goe Blessed be the God of heaven that hath not only made you Honourable in the sight of men but more in his owne sight because zealous for his Bride Christs Spouse in this Kingdome is in the wildernesse and woe unto us that we can imagine the heart of any so hard as to contribute a vote to keep her there much more to hedge up her way with thornes that she cannot get out At whose hands will the blood of those the wolves destroy be required Blessed be the God of heaven that hath given you an heart to wash not only your hands but tongue also of the blood of those that perish in this Kingdome for want of Government I have here presented your Worship with a member of Christs Church endeavouring to limn out the Spouse in her Hidden Glory if she wants expected beauty t is the Limners fault she is truly Glorious in her selfe and her Bridegrooms eyes but her glory is hidden to the world Is it not pity so glorious a creature as this Spouse is in the perfection of her members should want Order in her House and bee prostituted to every one that hath wickednesse enough to defloure her May the number of those encrease thar are the friends of Sion and the generation of those perish that make it their designe to lay yet more waste the City of God already neare to bury her selfe in her owne ruines It is alas too true Sir and unhappy too that God hath put weaknesse into your hands though your heart longs to bee at Temple-work Your selfe are in a wildernesse of Affliction whiles you should and would gladly bee lending your hand and votes to help the Spouse in England out Gods will must bee done though wee bee patients The Lord prosper the Nehemiahs that are at the work and lessen the number of the Sanballats that hinder it and in Elijahs absence double his spirit upon his Elishaes and the Lord grant that in your wildernesse of Affliction you may lean upon you Beloved and the Bridegroom grant such an happinesse to his Spouse as to spare her friends life that you may come out of your wildernesse of Afflictions leaning upon your Beloved and do your God more service by living to his glory and contributing your dying Votes to the happinesse of his Bride which is Sir the daily prayer of Your Worships devoted servant IOHN COLLINGS TO The Right Honourable and truly Noble the Lady Francis Hobart encrease of all happinesse c. Madam I Must ingenuously confesse it was my owne ease was the first inducement to me to offer these unpolished meditations to the censure of the world whom I hear already saying is Saul also among the Prophets having promised more coppies then I was willing to transcribe But when that had raked the embers something else blew the coales I well knew that the Presse was so tainted it would be a suspition of faction to be seene under it and if ever now was the time to be a Foole in print But when I considered the vanitie of my former and the incertaintie of my latter days I thought it was time to redeem the time not only because my days were evil but because my span might be almost measured out And I thought if these meditations might not have the happinesse to shew some soule the way out of the wildernesse Leaning upon its Beloved yet they could not be denyed so small a blessing as to keepe some Bookish eyes from dirtying themselves with poâ—ring in the excrements of Factious brains and pens which present themselves in our unhappy dayes upon every shop-board to Athenian gazers by busying them in these papers a little After these thoughts had wrested my notes out of my hands which at the first composure I had thought like a dying infant should only have lookt upon the world misliked it and gone out again My neere relation to your Honours house told me it would be no good manners to speak of a wedding and not invite your Ladyship especially being one of the Children of the Bride-chamber to it The truths here may appeale to your Honour for a confirmation and I doubt not but you will and can signe them from precious experience having already Set to your Seale that God is true Nay I dare be further bold to say that the marriage of the Lamb could not be consummate without you And I was loth to present a Bride lame to so glorious a
motion Ascendit She commeth up Her posture is Leaning Innixa The person upon whom she leaâ—s is Dilectum a Beloved and she hath a propriety in him it is Dilectum suum her Beloved Who is this that commeth up from the wildernesse leaning upon her Beloved Doct. It is the property or the duty of the Spouse of the Lord Iesus Christ to come out of the Wildernesse leaning upon her Beloved We must take it in pieces and handle the parts severally These four things lie couched in it 1. That the Spouse of Christ hath had and may sometimes have her dwelling in the Wildernesse That is implied 2. Though she hath had and may sometimes have her dwelling in the Wildernesse yet she rests not there She comes up from it Who is this that comes up 3. She cannot come up alone She must come up leaning 4. She will lean upon her Beloved and he will and only can bear her First She hath had and sometimes may have her dwelling in the wildernesse Here first I must open the terme Wildernesse Secondly I shall shew you what Wildernesse the Spouse hath had or may have her dwelling in I shall open the first in five or six particulars 1. The Wildernesse is an untilled place where wild nature is yet seen that Art hath not yet tamed no pruning hook hath lopt the over-grown trees no plow broke up the soyle to make it fruitfull The husband-man hath not tilled the ground there nor can the reaper fill his hand It is a place just in its naturall state not yet manured 2. The Wildernesse is a losing place no beaten road for the Traveller there to follow no land-marks nothing to guide him in his way hee is lost if once in it hee looks on this side and on the other forward backward every way still hee sees himselfe lost knowes not whither to goe Hee is in a Wildernesse and knowes not the way out 3. The Wildernesse is a dangerous place A man in the Wildernesse is a prey to the mouth of every Lion the Lion is the King of those waste places and the Bears Wolves Cockatrices and Adders his lesser subjects There dwells the young Lion the Cockatrice and the Adder together each one searching for his prey It is a dangerous place 4. The Wildernesse is a solitary place where hee that walks as hee hath no path so hee hath no company The paths in the Wildernesse are not trodden no beaten high-wayes are there no company but the Owls and the Ostriches the beasts of the field and creeping things of the earth Nothing fit to be a companion for man No it is a Wildernesse 5. The Wildernesse is a disconsolate place no curiosities of nature to refresh his spirits with Terror is round about him no pleasure to delight him 6. Lastly the Wildernesse is a place voyd of all provisions There is neither bread for the hungry nor water for the thirsty soule no necessities much lesse superfluities The expression is very apt Such a Wildernesse yea many a such Wildernesse the Spouse of Christ hath had and may have her dwelling in 1. A Wildernesse of Sinne. 2. A Wildernesse of Sorrow 3. A Wildernesse of Affliction 4. A Wildernesse of Temptation 5. A Wildernesse of Desertion Nay lastly This whole life is but a Wildernesse to her Shee hath been in some of these and may be in all of them but out of all Shee cometh up leaning Every one of these is the soules Wildernesse and as they come up to Christ they come up from some of them and in their walking with the Lord Christ they goe through some of them and some goe through all of them The first is Eremus peccati The Wildernesse of sinne and every soule is born in this Wildernesse Man at first created dwelt in Paradise but alas hee threw himselfe out into the Wildernesse and God lockt the Garden gate against him Sinfull man preferr'd the Wildernesse before Paradise and God allots him his dwelling there There was man throwne and all mankind born in it We are all Wildernesse brats by nature Ephes 2.3 You were children of wrath by nature even as others And sinne may well be call d a Wildernesse it is status naturalis our naturall condition We are in a Wildernesse habit when we are clothed with the raggs of iniquity Ay and it is a state as dangerous as the Wildernesse The Lion claimes him in the Wildernesse as his prey and if hee scapes his teeth it will be hard to escape the Cockatrice and young Lion and Adder the lesser fry of destroyers If in this sinfull naturall condition we doe escape the mouth of the roaring Lion the Devill it is greatly to be seared that the Beare and the Wolfe and the Cockatrice the lesser judgements of God will swallow us up we are children of wrath as well passively as actively in a dangerous condition Lastly as the Wildernesse is a place voyd of all necessary provisions for the body so is sinne a state voyd of all necessary provisions for the soule We are hungry and naked and bloudy and filthy in our sinnes it is a Wildernesse dresse Ezek. â—6 As for thy nativity in the day that thou wert born â—hy navell was not cut neither wert thou washed in water to su ple thee thou wert cut out in the open field Vers 8. Every spouse of the Lord Christ hath been in this Wildernesse Who is this that cometh up The second Wildernesse is Eremus câ—ntritionis The Wildernesse of contrition or sorrow for sinne Every soule is naturally in the Wildernesse but every one that is in it seeth not that it is there Every soule is born blind though most think they see When God opens the soules eyes and shewes it the hell that it treads over every houre and makes the soule apprehensive of its danger it conceives it selfe in a worse Wildernesse then before the physick works the Patient thinks it is nearer death then before it took it Here it cryes out Oh I am a lost undone creature Oh whither should I goe on one side behold terror on the other side despaire If it looks up to heaven there is an angry God if downward there is a gaping hell Oh whither should it goe Now it cryes out with the Iaylor O what shall I doe to be saved I am lost in my sinnes I am lost in mine own righteousnesse I know not what to doe If I stay in my sinnes I perish if I goe out of the world I perish Here stands the soule turning it selfe every way and seeing comfort no way till the Lord Christ bowes the heavens and thrusts out his arme of salvation his shoulder of merits and takes the soule by the hand saying Come my Beloved I will tell thee what thou shalt doe I am the way out of this wildernesse come out leaning leane thy arme of faith upon the shoulder of my merits Free grace is able to beare thee I am thy Welbeloved and thy
thing in partem amoris to share with her husband in his love she will keepe her honour in being the wife of one husband And so I have shewed you how she leanes what is her hand who it is she leanes upon what title she hath to him what rules she observeth in her leaning I have but one thing more and that is to shew you what strength there is in the Lord Christs shoulders to beare her how she leanes even in every wildernesse and what fulnesse of strength there is in her husbands arme to keepe her up from falling The first wildernesse you may remember was the wildernesse of sin Here the Spouse cannot be said properly to leane upon her beloved for she wants the hand of faith to lay hold upon Christ and indeed she is not weary yet I do not know why in some sense even in this estate the elect soule is not beholding to free grace he is her Christ here though he hath not yet manifested himselfe to be her Iesus her saviour The elect soule in sin is elect decreed to be saved though she be not declared to be elect she is beloved in decree though God hath not actullay manifested his love unto her he is not her beloved but the soule is his beloved not actually but decretally he hath thoughts of good to her but his thoughts are kept within himselfe till he is pleased to reveale them to her at his best time she is his Beloved though there be no correlation she is in his thoughts his Spouse aye and positively not conditionally The Arminians falsely dreame of Gods conditionall decrees because they comprehend not the wayes of God Beleeving is necessarily required yet it was not a condition in Gods decree The soule is his beloved though yet there be no correlation though she be not his wife yet yet she is intended for his wife To speake according to the wayes of men I may intend to make a woman my wife before I actually declare my intentions to her she is my wife in my determinations and thoughts before I wooe her though not actually my wife before I have wooed her and she hath yeelded too there lyes onely this difference my determination must be but conditionally if she will accept of my proffer'd love There lyes a power in her to refuse Wee may therefore make the simile a little higher A great Emperour buyeth a woman that is a slave which he intends to marry and will whither she will or no yet he will wooe her and if it be possible marry her will as well as her person yet whither she will or no he will and may marry her for she is his purchase she is his wife in his determination before he hath married her But yet even this simile is lame Every simile comparing the wayes of God with the wayes of man must at least halt of one foot for though this Emperour hath power to force the womans body to the action yet he hath no power to force her will to be willing to the action The will is alwayes independent sui juris but God hath power not onely to marry the soule which he hath bought from being a slave to the Divell but to make her willing to marry him yet she is in Christs decree his Spouse before he hath actually revealed his decree unto her So though strictly and properly the soule cannot be said to lean upon Christ in the wildernesse of sinne yet she may be said to be beholden unto the Lord Christ and that thus Every soule hath the like principles of corruption and would act to the full of it's depraved operations were it not for Gods preventing and restraining grace Shee is beholding unto God for his preventing and restraining grace though here she is meerly passive Secondly She is beholden unto God for his exciting grace The foule heares and fasts and prayes meditates of her owne sad condition though for the substance of the action it is her owne yet it is Gods exciting grace makes her willing to hear fast pray though not his speciall saving-grace yet his common grace But this is not a leaning meant in the Text shee leanes here upon Christ but not upon Jesus a Saviour upon God but not as her Beloved And here the soule is brought into a second wildernesse The wildernesse of Sorrow Contrition Repentance call it what you please though I know the latter terme Repentance be controverted by some new Opinionists Yet I know not why wee may not say That a man may repent without saving-grace And for that Repentance which they say must be the effect of faith if I were a Schoole-man I should rather call it Godly Sorrow but I desire not to play upon termes And for their defining Repentance To be a sorrow for sinne out of the sense of the love of God revealed in Jesus Christ it is a definition they have devised for their owne purpose And give them their premises according as they please they would be poore Logicians if they made the conclusion to displease them For from hence they argue If the love of God be the ground and cause of Repentance viz. the love of God manifested and sensible to us wee having apprehended it by faith the speciall love of God then faith must goe before repentance viz. an apprehension of Gods saving love and reliance upon it But I answer the definition which they give us of Repentance is deceitfull it is a definition of a Species in steed of a Genus as wee say in Logick As some unwary Divines define Faith to be an assurane of Gods love in Iesus Christ This is true but this is a faith of the highest stamp and many a precious soule is without this faith to his dying day Faith of adherence is another thing as if I should goe to define a man to be a reasonable creature skil'd in all sorts of Learning Any man would understand me that I did not goe about to describe a man in generall but this or that particular man And I say once againe If I were a Schoole-man I should rather call this A godly sorrow and define Repentance in generall to be A sorrow for sinne there is the genus and differentia Or if there be required a fuller definition with the ground though I conceive such a definition would be more proper to give of Repentance in it's severall kinds then of Repentance in generall yet wee may give it thus It is a sorrow for sinne arising out of the feare of Gods wrath or apprehensions of Gods love And I know not why we may not say That a man may repent without saving grace Bishop Davenant sayes A man by exciting the grace of God may Peccata propria considerare ad sensum corundem expavescere liberationem ab hoc metu exoptare tremble for his sinnes Mark 1.15 Luk. 17.3 4. Ezek 14 6. and mourne for them and desire deliverance out of them and if
staies the Ship of the soule when a tempest of sorrow arises and the waves beate upon it Now this Anchor hath two flukes The first is her Beloveds mercies and merits The second is her Beloveds promises when she is in this sad wildernesse of sorrow her Beloved gives her a staffe of merits and mercy and free grace to leane upon and a clue of promises to lead her out of this Labyrinth and the mercies and merits of her Beloved have two hookes both which take fast hold to stay her soule 1. The fulnesse of them 2. The freenesse of them The fulnesse of them The soule cries out O I am damned Christ suggests to her But didst thou never heare of one that came to save those which were in their owne apprehension damned I deserve to dye everlastingly saith the soule oh but did not he dye for thee that deserved to live everlastingly saith Christ I deserve infinite torments saith the soule Oh! but are not thy Christs mercies infinite mercies saith God Thy mercy held me up My sins have cryed up to heaven saith the soul O but my mercies are above the heavens saith Christ Psal 108.5 My sins are more in number then the haires of my head saith the soule O but my mercies saith Christ are more in number then the sand which lies on the Sea shore Psal 139.17 18. My sins have abounded saith the soule O but my grace hath much more abounded saith Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 5.20 O but my heart is as hard as Iron and the face of my sins like Brasle saith the soule O but that God that made the Leviathan is as strong as the Leviathan He esteemes Iron as straw and Brasse as rotten wood My sins are many saith the soule But were their name Legion saith Christ I could cast them out O but I am an old sinner I have a mountaine of sins But my mercies are from euerlasting saith Christ so are not thy sins and I came to levell Mountaines Luke 3.4 The more old thou art the more glory shall my free grace have all the world shall see I do not pardon thee for any service thou canst or wilt do me thou must ere long lye downe in the grave Thus the soule in this wildernesse of sorrow leanes upon the fulnesse of Gods mercies But secondly there must be freenesse as well as fulnesse or else what hath the soule to do with Christ O saith the soule I know that the least drop of Christ bloud is fully able to wash away all my guilt But oh what have I to do with Christ I am a poore creature â— the fitter object for divine charity what dowry have I for Christ to marry me Because thou hast nothing therefore I will doe it saith Christ If thou hadst any thing that thou thoughtest riches I would not have married thee saith Christ Thou art mistaken in my thoughts I do not marry thee because thou art rich but because I have a delight in thee and have an intention to make thee rich Hosea 14.4 I will heale their back-slidings I will love them freely Ezek. 16.7 8 9. Now the soule being fully perswaded of this that Christ is full of mercy and able to pardon her and free in his mercy therefore willing to forgive her and desiring nothing for her pardon but to live like a Spouse in his sight begins to leane beleeving he will pardon her But yet saith the soule I could desire to see it under Christs hand I thinke I could take his word now So she leanes upon Christs promises which are as the other Fluke of this Anchor Now saies the soule Oh that I had it but under Christs hand that my sins which I am scarce able to thinke can be pardoned may be pardoned though I staid my Jesus his leisure for the sealing of it Here she enquires for first Promises and secondly Presidents Did ever Christ promise saith the Soule to pardon such a scarlet crimson sinner as I am Yes I have saith Christ looke Isai 1.18 Though your sins be as scarlet they shall be as snow though they be red like Crimson they shall be as wooll and so Isai 55.6 7. I will have mercy upon you I will abundantly pardon you Matth. 11.29 O but where hath Christ promised freely to dispense these mercies saith the soule Christ turnes her againe to Isai 55.1 2 3. He every one that thirsteth come buy of me without money or money worth O but secondly where did he ever pardon such a sinner as I am saith the soule Christ puts her in mind of Mary Magdalen Manasses O but where one that was so neare hell as I am saith the Soule an old sinner the theefe upon the Crosse saith Christ Now it must not be understood that Christ Jesus should reveale these Promises Audibly to the Soule but 1. Either sets his Ministers a worke to declare his Charters of Grace and read the Soules pardon 2. Or else he suggests into the soule such promises in such a seasonable time which must be taken as the voyce of God to that soule Thus the soule furnished with presidents trusting upon promises wipes her eyes comes out of the wildernesse leaning upon her blessed Saviour and saying O my sweet Saviour thou that hast drawne me from the pit of hell and hast reached out thy arme for a worthlesse lost worme to leane upon thee I dare beleeve thee I now roule my soule upon thee I am shipwract but thou are my harbour and now ô what shall I do for thee O my God! I am sicke of love Thou hast rauished my heart I am thine I am thine Thus have I shewen how the Soule comes out of the wildernesse of sin and sorrow leaning upon her Beloved And here the ship is in harbour but yet ever and anon she is tossed still persecuted though not forsaken This is the most dangerous wildernesse afterwards she is often in the Corner of a Desart I must shew you how even then she leanes and how out of them she comes leaning upon her Beloved She is alwayes a dependent creature she leanes when ever she is wearied The third Wildernesse therefore is the wildernesse of afflictictions in this she leanes out of this she comes leaning upon her Welbeloved id est In afflictions she leanes Christ is her Comfort in her saddest troubles Shee leanes upon him viz. Upon his supporting grace Thy rod and thy staffe comforted me Psal 23. The staffe held him up while the rod was upon his back The rod was a comfort because of the staffe the more he had of the rod the more he had of the staffe also In afflictions the beleeving soule leans upon â—od and sayes 2 Lam. 20. Behold O Lord for I am in distresse Out of the belly of Hell she cries as Jonas chap. 2. First She beleeves that she shall suffer no more then she is able to beare 2 Cor. 12.9 My grace shall be sufficient for thee For Gods
strength is made perfect in the Christians weak nesse Secondly She believes that she shall beare no more then shall be for her good Rom. 8.28 All things shall worke together for the good of those that love God Shee hath a Promise or two here to leane upon also Job 5. v. 19. He shall deliver thee in six troubles yea in seven there shall no evill touch thee And Isa 43.2 When thou passest through the waters I will be with thee and through the Rivers they shall not over-flow thee when thou walkest through the fire thou shalt not be burnt neither shall the flame kindle upon thee She comes out also leaning trusting upon God as before that he would helpe her out if hee saw best or support her in So when she is come out she believes that God loves her never the worse neither doth shee love him any whit the worse she cries It is good for me that I was afflicted When she is in she believes she shall come out and she commeth out with as much love to her God and confidence in him as ever shee had before not being wearie of Gods service because he hath smitten her Shee sees a smile in a smiting favour in a frowne love in a lower and she is resolved though he kills her yet to trust in him shee comes out of this Wildernesse leaning A fourth wildernesse that the Spouse is in sometimes is the Wildernesse of Temptations Even in this shee leanes upon the Lord Jesus Christ They were not the Spouses of Christ The good ground Luke 8.13 Which when they heard received the Word with joy but having no root for a time believed and in time of temptation tell away The true Disciples are those that continue with Christ in tentations Luke 22.18 First they beleeve that God who is faithfull will not suffer them to be tempted above that which they are able But will with the temptation also make way to escape that they may be able to beare it 1 Cor. 10.13 They believe in that himselfe suffered being tempted he is able to succour those that are tempted 2 Heb. 18. The Saints that suffered many things were in many wildernesses Heb. 11.37 Amongst the rest were in this also and they all leaned v. 39. They received a good report through faith Yea temptation is so farre from making a childe of God let goe his hold that it makes him lay the faster hold 1 Pet. 1.6 Though now for a season you are in heavinesse through manifold temptations yet it is that the triall of your faith being much more precious then of gold which perishes though it be tried with the fire might be found unto praise and honour and glorie In temptations they leane upon God and they come out of these temptations leaning believing upon God too having found that he is able and knoweth how to deliver the godly out of all temptations 2 Pet. 2.9 A fifth wildernesse in which the Spouse of Christ leaneth upon her beloved and out of which she commeth leaning is the wildernesse of desertion And this is one of the saddest Wildernesses that the Spouse of Christ comes in and she hath an hard worke to leane here when Christ seemeth to pull away his shoulder yet even here she leanes Christ himselfe did so My God! my God why hast thou forsaâ—en me Mark the phrase Forsaken yet not forsaken the Bride-groom cries out he was forsaken yet my God! Gods forsaking us is no ground for us to forsake him If hee seems not to owne us it is no warrant nor policy in us not to owne him It is the duty of a pious soule when God clouds himselfe yet to crie My God The Bowels of the father must yerne upon the childe againe if the childe cries and will not shake him off It is a remarkable expression of Job chap. 13. v. 15. Though he kills mee yet will I trust in him How now if thou beest kill'd blest Job how canst thou trust O immortall faith I that puttest Spirits of confidence in the dust and ashes of Job Let God hide himselfe from the soule and so kill it For Gods separration of himselfe from the Christians soule is a worse death then the separation of his soule from his body Yet the soule must trust in him it must it will leane upon him The Spouse looseth not but quickens her faith in a fit of desertion That place of the Prophet is remarkable Isa 50. v. 10. Who is amongst you that feareth the Lord that obeyeth the voice of his servant that walketh in darknesse and hath no light let him trust in the Name of the Lord and stay upon his God They that feare the Lord though they may walke in a darke Wildernesse and see no such light as they were wont to see have no such comfortable enjoyments of their God as they were wont to have yet they will trust and rest themselves upon the Lord and come out of this wildernesse leaning In all the wildernesses of this life the Spouse will leane upon her Beloved yea and upon him alone in all states in all conditions upon him for directing grace upon him for quickning grace upon him for whatsoever shee hath need of either pardon or guidance or direction or assistance or comfort or heaven at all times she must trust in the Covert of his wings Psal 62.8 for all blessings The Spouse of Christ is a most dependent creature The Babe of grace is never old enough to goe alone it hangs like a childe upon the mothers hands and leanes like a Bride upon the Bride-grooms bosome Thus have I done with the Doctrinall part having shewed you how she hath had and sometimes hath her dwelling in the wildernesse and how out of every wildernesse shee commeth up but leaning and what strength there is in her Saviour to beare her up leaning upon him even in every wildernesse Who is this commeth up from the wildernesse leaning upon her Beloved Now let us see what use we may make of it And first here may a word of reproofe and a brand of folly be fastned upon divers erroneous opinions and practises First is it so that the Spouse of the Lord Christ that comes and is married to the Lord Christ comes out of the wildernesse of sinne Then this may reprove the errour and folly of those that dream of heaven and flatter themselves with the hopes of glorie but yet never regard comming out of this Wildernesse Christ came not to call the righteous but sinner to repentance These men dreame of heaven and yet never think of Repentance Christ came to seek and to save that which was lost friend how lost what insensibly lost as all of us were by Nature This is an idle construction that giddy headed Sectaries have of late devised to help themselves to heaven with The Devills are so lost yet Christ never came to save them No no friend it is those that are lost in their own apprehensions