is better then to be curb'd in But let the Lord strike an arrow in the heart of these wilde bucks that have broke parke and pale send affliction and an Iron yoke of sorrow upon them or distresse of conscience if there be any sense and feeling left they will bemoan themselves and say I did think my liberty sweet but now I see 't is bitter in a sinful way and the Lords way was most sweet by their own confession Hence Psal 2.3 Let us break their bands c. But Oh now hence learn this truth and digest it throughly that the greatest liberty lies here do not in thy judgement think Christian liberty lies in being freed from the law as a rule of obedience in respect of the matter of it to be done nor in thy practise but know though thou didst meet with a thousand Sorrows with it and griefs yet 't is sweet Christs yoke Mat. 11.30 is easie and his burthen light What When not a hole to hide his head in when a reproach of men a worme no man when be boare the Fathers wrath Yes when he was meek under it not mine but thy will be done it was then most sweet 1 Kings 9.21 22. To be a servant to Solomon is no bondage Psalm 119 32. I will runne when thou shalt inlarge my heart Vse 2. Vse 2 Hence see the reason why the Lord hath deprived his Churches of their liberty and his government over them at sundry times and hath put them under Iron yokes and bonds and sore pressures the reason is shewn they have either openly or more secretly cast off the government of the Lord here hath been the very wound the aile of all Churches famous and glorious Psal 81.14 Oh that they had hearkened I should then soon have subdued their enemies The cause is not so hard to finde to a discerning spirit who is privy in any measure to the councels of God 1 King 9.8 9. Solomon hath a promise that the Lords eyes and heart shall be to his people which are under him but if once they slip the Coller then wo and why Because they forsook the Lord that brought them out of Egypt they had liberty but they cast it off What do you think was the moving cause of all those bloody persecutions when the blood of dogs was more precious then of Christian Churches were not they godly yes I do not doubt of it but as it was here though humbled they must be in bondage because they had cast off the government of the Lord Jesus And hence in the Apostles time evil times were come sad apostasies from the truth and because it was long before they were low enough And hence Revel 6. till the fifth seal was opened no crying as it was with Israel in bondage no prayer to purpose and because the Lord saw they would abuse all liberties if they had them And hence in Constantines time when peace came in contention came with it and so abused all that their peace was their poyson And hence in the primitive Churches they began to cast off the government of the Lord Jesus murmurings there were hence came persecution but they were a precious people and made blessed use of it And the Lord couples their chief persecution with their rest And 't is said Acts 9.31 Then had the Churches rest c. And what do you think of the reason of the long reign of Antichrist exalting himself above God and all that 's called God bringing the Church under the heaviest bondage for body and soul that ever the earth saw Men did not love the truth either speculative to guide their minds or practical to rule their wils and hence left to this day What is the cause of Bleeding Germanies wo Oh poor Germany Whence the Gospel first brake out in its full strength that now 't is a field of blood that men in woods like satyres are afraid of men and men in cities glad to eat the intrailes of Beasts and sometimes the flesh of their own babes to preserve their lives What was there no evil but the common condition of the Church to be under the crosse ask them they cannot tell what ailes them but curse the Emperour and Swedes c. Oh think of it with sorrow in secret for them that know it not themselves they have secretly I say secretly cast off the government of a merciful Christ and hence are under the hand of unmerciful men What is the cause in our native countrey notwithstanding all prayers and tears no deliverance truly men do not know it but the Lord sees it they know not how to use their liberty And for our selves what shall I say I cannot but blesse God and wonder to see how 't is with many and rejoyce to see many precious holy ones to whom one day in Gods court is sweeter then a thousand elsewhere but I must professe and cannot but mourne for others men that were eminent under bondage but never worse then here as if the Lord should say Look here be your eminent ones look and feare and mourn you ministers of my house here be the people you had thought had been converted and that of all others such a one would never a fallen so one an opinion takes him another a lot another loose company another his lust another growes proud another fierce another murmuring what should I name al Oh that my words might be healing c. Vse 3. Vse 3 Hence see what will become of us that are now under the government of the Lord if ever we cast it off either inward or outward or both We are not dearer to him then his people Israel here nay Judah When old Israel the great and numerous tribes of Israel had set up calves little Judah and Benjamin received the Priests and yet they fell and were in bondage I know we are not yet in bondage yet it is not more unseasonable to speake now then for the Lord to Solomon 1 King 9.1 Quest Quest But there being much unsubduednes in the hearts of the best how shall one know when there be such sinnes for which the Lord will cast from under his government Answer 1. Answ 1 When men do not loath their own hearts for their unprofitablenesse but loath Gods ordinances secretly and grow weary of them as of their burdens because of the unprofitablenesse of them When a people finde not that special good by them which recompenceth all losses and so prize them but lay blame on them because unfruitful to them Malachie 3.13 He speaks to a people got out of Captivity Your words have been stout against me no say they 'T is in vaine to serve the Lord what profit is there in this you must conceive they had many losses were very poor as vers 11. a temptation which a proud heart cannot indure above any here is now no profit in mourning fasting c. and Gods own people began to think so and hence
these words answers an Objection which the Jewes ever conceited of their own knowledge might make We know the Father as well as you and yet we know no such testimony that he gives Christ answers You do not know him for the certain knowledge of a thing is either by seeing or hearing now you never saw him nor heard him you have therefore no acquaintance with him So that the words contain 1 Christs fearful accusation of the Jews to beignorant of God 2. The aggravation and extent of it at no time i. e. not only at Baptisme but at no other time in any Ministery or in any Scripture c. Quest 1. What is it not to see his shape nor hear his voice Quest 1 Answ Some think they are metaphorical speeches Answ to expresse their ignorance of God Now though this be the scope and the general truth yet I conceive the Lord speaking particularly and knowing what he spake intends something particularly and it is a rule never to flie to metaphors where there can be a plain sense given There is therefore two degrees of true knowledge of God in this life or 't is attained unto by a double meanes 1. By heating of him for hence our faith comes by the Word 2. By hearing thus from him the mind also comes to have a true Idea of God as he reveals himself in the Word and Means by the Spirit Iob 42.5 I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear but now mine eye seeth thee and this is the shape here spoken of not bodily and carnal Now Christ doth professe that they did want both Carnal and unregenerate hearts neither hear Gods voice nor have a right Idea of God in their mindes but become vain in their mindes though they have meanes of knowing and their foolish hearts are darkned the wiser they be the more foolish they grow 2. At no time i.e. neither at baptism nor else in any mans Ministery nor in any of the Scriptures which you read and where the Lord speaks 3. But did they not hear the voice of God at Christs baptism and at the Mount when Christ preach't when the Scriptures were opened every Lords day and at other times amongst them Answ No they never heard it It 's a strange thing Answ that such men that read heard preach't remembred the Scriptures and could tell you mysteries in titles never heard the voice of God and yet it is most true Observat That mans men may a long time together know and heare the Word of God written and spoken Observ yet never hear the Lord speaking that Word no not so much as one word title or syllable no not so much at once at any time This was the estate of the Jewes and this is the estate of all unregenerate men Hence Christ Luke 19.41 laments and weeps over Jerusalem saying Oh that thou hadst known in this thy day c. 1. Quest How did the Jewes heare and yet not heare God speaking 1. Quest Answ There is a twofold word or rather a double declaration of the same word Answ 1. There is Gods external or outward word containing letters and syllables and this is his external voice 2. There is Gods internal word and voice which secretly speaks to the heart even by the external word when that only speaks to the eare The first the Jewes did hear at Christs Baptism in Christs Ministery and in reading the Scriptures and when they did hear it it was Gods word hey heard full of glory and so they heard the word spoken but only man speaking it the other comes to few who hear not only the word spoken but God speaking the word Rom. 10.18 19. Israel did hear but Israel did not know Christ speaks in parables Hence in seeing they did not see Luke 8.10 And this is one way how 't is true that Christ sayes They never heard his voice As 't is with a painted Sun on the wall you see the Sun and Stars but there is a difference between seeing this and the Sun and Starres themselves wherein is an admirable glory go to a painted Sun it gives you no heat nor cherisheth you not so it is here c. 2. This inward word is double 1. Ineffectual though inward 2. Effectual 1. Ineffectual is that which hath some inward operation upon the heart but it attaines not Gods end to bring a man into a state of life and thus Heb. 6.2 5. Many tasted of the good word of God yet fell away And such a heart is compared to a field which a man plowes and sowes and raine falls on it and yet the end is not attained it brings forth thistles and this many Jewes did hear and hence had some kinde of faith in Christ 2. Effectual is that which hath such an inward efficacy upon mens hearts as that God attaines his end thereby Isa 55.11 and brings men to a state of life of which Christ speaks John 6.45 and this voice none but the Elect hear and of this Christ speaks here as appears verse 38. Him whom he sent ye beleeve not Hence it is you have heard God at no time Hence he speaks of such a hearing and knowing such a hearing outwardly as is accompanied with such a hearing inwardly Joh. 14.17 so that many men may hear the word spoken outwardly but never inwardly they may hear it inwardly but never effectually translating them from state to state from death to life from life to life and glory No sense of the Majesty of God speaking nor effectual hearing of the word spoken When the Sun is down the Moon may arise but yet a man is cold and dark but when the Sun ariseth on it warmes nourisheth and cherisheth c. nothing is hid from it so it is here when the Lord speaks inwardly and effectually to the heart Reas 1. From that great distance and infinite separation of mens soules from God that though God cals Reason 1 yet they can't hear no more then men a 1000 mile off Eph. 2.1 men are dead in sin Now what is spiritual death but separation of the soul from God God from it A dead man cannot hear one word at no one time he was not dead if he could Mens minds are far from God hearts also that they are neither stricken with the sight of his glory nor sense and savour of his goodnesse but must be vaine and have worldly hearts in the Church nay adulterous eyes or if they listen God is gone from them and from his Word also Hos 5.6 Reas 2. From the mighty and wonderful strange power of Satan Reason 2 which blindes their eyes they cannot see nor hear 2 Cor. 4.4 never such clear light never such an effectual Word as that of the Apostles yet it was hid why The God of this world blinded them either he will keep such a noise and lumber in their heads that they cannot hear God speaking for the noise or else turn himself
bitter as death as sharp as arrows the Lord is pleased for the forsaking of his righteous wayes to make a mans self rip his own bowels the father against the childe the master shall be a scourge to the servant and the servant shall be a scourge to his master weary him of his life the government of the Lord in a mans heart or family being cast off Mic. 7.4 5. Trust not in a friend No greater bondage in the world then for men professing the Lord to be desperately set one against another 4. By taking from a people all that righteous power of government the Lord hath set over them when a people despising the Lord and inward government first for there all begins and so not prizing what they have nor praying for them nor subjecting to them the Lord hereupon sends some sicknesse or some other evill that they are either suddenly taken away or gradually and when they are gone all sink or else such crosse carriages that as Moses said so say they I cannot beare this people Thus Judges 21.25 Men did what was right in their owne eyes when there was no King in Israel No State so miserable as an Anarchie when every one is a slave because every one will be a master Thus Isa 3.1 2.6 Be a ruler to us No I 'le not undertake to rule So 2 Chron. 15.3 5. when without a teaching Priest then no peace at all men will not be under government of them you shall not have them they shall rest in peace and you shall then know the want of them 5. By giving them over to Satans and their own hearts lusts that seeing they will not serve the Lord they shall serve their lusts their sins that now the Lord he hath left off chastising of men and conscience shal check no more prosper saith the Lord and go on in thy sin Psal 81.12 So I gave them up to their own hearts lusts and they walked after their owne counsels Rev. 22.11 Let him that is filthy be filthy still When the Lord shall give a man over to Satan not only to winnow him to let out the chaffe and so to make the grain the purer or to buffet them as he did Paul but to insnare them and hold them that he shall not only tempt but his temptations shall take and not onely take but hold 2 Tim. 2. ult Who are taken captive by him at his will taken alive as a snare doth that now a man is beyond the reach of all means only peradventure God may give repentance Isa 1.5 Why should ye be stricken any more ye will revolt yet more and more The Lord leaves smiting and sayes Go on and prosper in thy sinne and which is the worst of all Satan shall so blinde him and harden him fill him with pride passion lying hatred of Gods people cavilling against the Lords wayes of grace slighting of his betters despising of wholesome counsell from his dearest friends that he knowes not that gray hairs are upon him And after this when God hath cast out it may be the Church doth also a most fearfull bondage that the Lord gives such a soule over unto There are two reasons of this point which I collect only from the story in this Chapt. Reason 1. Reas 1 Inregard of the righteous Judgement of God It 's just and equal that he that will not be ruled by this blessed Lord Jesus he should be ruled by his lusts he that will not be in subjection to a merciful Christ he should be in bondage to unmerciful men this an humbled heart will acknowledge as these do here Verse 6. They acknowledged the Lord to be righteous Mam being fallen it had been righteous with God to have left all men as the Angels that fell in chains of darknesse for ever But among his church and people the Lord sends the Gospel to proclaime liberty and with it sends Christ with his Spirit to come to the prison-doores of poor sinners to give repentance as well as remission of sinnes and now if they will not come out of their bondage accept of the Lords liberty 't is exceeding righteous to deal with them as we do with prisoners condemned to die if the Prince comes to the prison-doores and saies I am come to give thee thy life nay and here is pardon nay favour and to pull off thy chaines also now if he saies no I had rather be in prison every one will say it is just and as it was in the yeare of Jubile he that would not go free was to be a bondman for ever 'T is very righteous to give men their own choice 't is no wrong to let them have their own will If indeed the lawes of Christ were Draco's lawes hard and heavy there were something to object but they are most sweet and for which of all other blessings men have cause to blesse him Psal 147. ult Reason 2. Reas 2 In regard of the mercy or merciful wisdome of the Lord towards his Church and people especially his peculiar ones that hereby they keep the closer to the Lord set a higher price upon the rules and government of the Lord love his kingdome the more and the liberties thereof and use them better when they have them again so here that they may know my service c. 1. How sweet it is Experience we say is the Mistris of fooles such is the foolishnesse of mens hearts that men are many times never truly taught a truth till they are taught it by sense Prov. 5.11 and thou mourn at last when thy flesh is consumed tell a man of all the glory of the Saints they never understand it till they feel it tell men of the wo of their wayes they will not beleeve it till they see it Psal 32.9 Be not as the horse or mule that hath no understanding whose mouth must be held in with bit and bridle Hosea 10.11 Ephraim is like an Heifer that is taught Like untamed Horses that will cast their rider unlesse they be held under and backt and then they are gentle so 't is here and truly 't is long before a man can learn the sweet of Christs government hence Israel must be long in Egyptian bondage and many long miseries so that if there be either justice or mercy in the Lord he will do this and this point shall be true Vse 1. Vse 1 Hence then see that the greatest liberty and sweetest liberty is to be under the government of Christ Jesus although men do not think so hence the Lord tells them here they shall know my service they might have replyed we do know it No till they be in bonds they know it not nor cannot learn it So 't is now and hence let men observe whiles they live loosly and are guided by their own wisdome for their own ends according to their own will at peradventures at rovers as they please they do think this liberty very sweet and 't
the Lords Ordinances and prepare himself before he come and in all it hath many weaknesses yet it doth leave it self with Jesus Christ every thing that doth touch this Altar is sanctified and is not polluted But now when men shall enjoy Ordinances and make no great matter of sins in Ordinances especially if secret such is the venemous nature of sin it doth defile the earth a man doth tread on Now when men shall have these sins and know them and yet never leave themselves with Christ and lay themselves on this blessed Altar by faith they do pollute the Ordinances of the Lord. Fourthly When the soul doth not so openly manifestly drive away the Lord but when men shall come to the Ordinances and never come to the Lord Jesus in them now the Lord is cast off A great Prince that comes to a mans house though he be not driven out of doors yet if not attended on he accounts himself cast off The Lord Jesus Christ is in his Ordinances Ezek. 48.35 The Lord is there the Saints they come to God in them and are carried to him by them Therefore 't is said Acts 10.33 34. Now therefore we are all present before God to hear all things that are commanded thee of God and Psal 84.7 Every one of them in Sion appeareth before God Now the Saints and people of God when they do thus come to the Lord they finde many difficulties to break through a vallie of Baca. Sometimes their heart is turned from the Lord and sometimes God is turned from them so that now the Saints when they do come to the Lord in his Ordinances They go through the vallie of Baca that they may see God in Sion But now when men do never break through difficulties but give way to a sluggish heart when it is thus with a people it is certain the Lord is now cast off and ye do as good now as live without Christ in the world Amos 5.21 saith the Lord I hate your new Moons and Sabbaths For these fourty yeares ye never sacrificed to me vers 25. Did they not sacrifice those fourty yeares to the Lord in the wildernesse It was the very thing they came out of Egypt for that they might sacrifice to the Lord Yet saith the Lord ye did not sacrifice to me truely here was the thing they did sacrifice but to enjoy communion with a God that they did not the Lord he saw none of that and this is the frame of many a man ye never heard a Sermon ye never broke through your difficulties to come to a God in Ordinances therefore in truth though you had them yet it is as if you never had them because ye never did enjoy the Lord in them Therefore this is that I would say Oh Brethren let the Saints let it be the care of all the faithful and people of God the first thing that ye do before ye come to hear a Sermon or receive a Sacrament or to any Christian communion or other Ordinance of God Before thou do'st come indeavour it at least co bring thy soul to a God to Christ above all Ordinances and break through the difficulties heart is dead and minde is blinde and God is gone but yet break through difficulties and wrestle with the Lord in prayer and then ye will finde the blessing of the Lord. The great reason why we enjoy not that mighty presence of the Lord in his Ordinances it is this Men come to Ordinances and would enjoy Ordinances but they never broke through difficulties to come to a God When men shall come to Ordinances only and blessed be God we have the temple of the Lord truely this will do you no good in the world The 5th Degree of casting off the supreme power of Christ in his Ordinances many times when the soul cannot come to Christ the Lord comes to it Now then the supreme power of Christ is cast off when the soul is unwilling or carelesse to receive the stroke of the Eternall power of the life of Jesus into his heart but contents himself with some beginnings some sips and tastes and doth not lye under the stroke of the eternal Spirit of the life of Christ Look as it is with a company of Subjects they are in some great Town that stands it out against a Prince If the Prince send to them and they parlie with him and they are thankfuil for his gifts and glad of his parlie but yet notwithstanding they are unwilling to receive the Prince with all his power to come into the Town if they be unwilling to do that and are loath to joyn sides against the other party they cast him off from being King So it is here when men come to the Lord in Ordinances the Lord he parlies with them the Lord he sends promises and they are marvellous precious things and they have some taste of what the Lord do's send and it is sweet to them But now because they have lusts in their hearts the Lord saith make warre against thy lust and open the gates that I may come in If so be a man now out of secret love to his sin he content himself with the promises of Christ but the life of Christ he cares not for that he uses not ail meanes that he may finde that the supreme power of the Lord Jesus is now casl off and I know no difference between such a people and Capernaum they did enjoy the Gospel of God but now to entertain the Lord Jesus in his spiritual power this they were loath to come to therefore saith the Lord Wo to thee Capernaum the mighty work of Jesus Christ in their hearts this they never cared for Saith the Apostle 2 Cor. 10.5 The weapons of our warfare they are mighty through God As poor things as you think the Ordinances of the Lord to be they are mighty through the Lord When Christians shall not be willing to receive this mighty power of the Lord Jesus Christ truely now the Kingdome of Christ is cast off John 6.49 Your fathers are Manna in the Wildernesse and are dead that was outward Manna but he that eateth me shall live for ever In one word thus this is certaine a man never gets good by any Ordinance nor the Lord Jesus doth never attainc his end in any Ordinance till there bean everlasting power and life of Christ Jesus communicated by the Ordinance There saith he God commandeth his blessing Psal 133. ult life for evermore mercy for ever comforting and light for ever teaching and humbling for ever continuing and a man will never think he doth receive any good till he doth it For If a man be healed of his blindnesse and be blinde presently again what is be the better So if a man hath some flash of light in the Ordinance blesse the Lord for it The Lord quickens up the heart to walk with the Lord Blessed be the Lord for it Ay but when the heart now
labour for a broken heart in the sense of your many infirmities and weaknesses darknesse and enmity vanity and unsavourinesse the Lord will have his time to speak to such a soul Break up the fallow ground of your hearts lest my wrath break out with fire the Lord hath promised to dwell with the poor and contrite Look as it was with our Saviour Christ they brought the sick and the lame ones to him and vertue went but from Christ to heal them all Bring thy sick and blinde heart to Christ and vertue shall go forth from Christ to heal it 2. Draw near to God in the Word by looking on it as God speaking to thee We are far from God and therefore we cannot hear him draw near to him when you come to the external Word when you come to heare the Word heare it as the voice of God You heard the Word at the Word of God which you felt in you 1 Thes 2.3 I do not speak that the soule should take every thing that Ministers speak as the Word of God but that which is the Word of God take it as God speaking I am not able to expresse the infinite unknown sweetnesse and mercy and presence of God that you shall finde thus coming I know it is a common truth but I am not ashamed to tell you I have not for many a year understood this truth and I see but little of it yet ye have heard of it but ye do not understand what it is to hear God speaking When God hath an intent to harden a mans heart and to damn him either he shall have aprejudice against the man or else if he hath not a prejudice against the man there is a secret loathing of the truth in regard of the commands of it and that is all and the Lord he hardens and blindes and prepares for eternal ruine all the men in the world by this meanes that live under the meanes When the Lord spake to Samuel Samuel heard a voice but he heard it not as spoken by God but when he took Elies counsel and saw it was the Lord that spoke now he listens to the voice of the Lord and now the Lord opens all his minde to him 3. Do not trust to the external word It is a heaven on earth to hear the Word exalted a glorious thing to hear the Word of God as Gods Word but trust to the free grace of God in it and the Spirit of God in Christ to set on that Word When they brought the lame and blinde and halt to Christ they looked for the Word and the Power of it Speak the Word Lord and thy servants shall be whole so bring your blinde lame and halt soules to Christ and trust to the free grace of the Lord Iesus Christ The Work of the Lord it shall prosper in his hand so the Word of the Lord it shall prosper in his hand also Lastly so seek the Lord and so heare the Word so seek the truth and so hear the truth as that you lay up your happinesse in this world in closing with the truth and with the word Brethren what is a mans happinesse in heaven but to close with God and Christ I cannot come to God now the most that I can have of God now is in his word if it be happinesse in heaven to close with God in Christ truly then it is a mans happinesse to close with God in his word on earth and if it be your happinesse lay up your happinesse in it My son saith Solomon if thou wilt hear my word Prov. 3. let them not depart from thine eyes keep them in the middest of thy heart place thy happinesse in them So shall they be life to thy soul Vers 22. Neverthelesse Brethren let a mans soul be set upon any thing in the world when he comes to hear besides the word if he lay not up his happinesse in closing with the word truely the word it will be like a song to him The Prophet Ezekiel tells them Their hearts were gone after their covetousnesse When a man comes to hear a Sermon there is a Sermon and the Market there is a Sermon and a friend to speak withall and so many young people will go abroad to hear Sermons What is the end of it It is that ye may get wives and husbands many of you but it is not your blessednesse to close with the Lord in his word I have known some men that have had a distaste against the truth of the Lord and I have known them for many a day they have not been able to understand the truth of the Lord. When it shall be thus with a man that a mans heart is set on something else besides the word of the Lord that it is not my happinesse to close with the truth of the Lord such a man shall never understand the truth of the Lord. Though the word be sweet to you sometimes if your blessednesse do not lye in this to enjoy God Oh this Gospel of God and these Commands of God that your blessednesse do not lye in cleaving to the Lord in his word I say it is a certain truth you shall be blinded and hardned by the word For here is a Rule Whatsoever a mans heart is set on as his chiefest good the presence of that good it comes with power So here the precious Gospel of Christ when the presence of it commands the heart nothing is good enough for it and it closeth with it and with Christ in it I beseech you therefore Beloved in Christ set upon the use of these meanes think within your selves What if the Lord had left me without the word I will tell you what ye would have been Look upon these poor Indians herds of Beasts look upon others on their Ale-benches enemies to the Lord such a one thou hadst been This blessed word and woice of God every very tittle of it cost the blood of Christ written all the lines of it in the blood of Christ Oh make much of it and it will make much of you it will comfort you and strengthen you and revive you and if the word come not with power ye shall be under the power of something else if not under the power of the word then under the power of some lust What is the reason that these poor creatures that are come to the tryall for life and death that have fallen into such sins as were never heard of What is the reason that they are under the power of their lusts I will tell you what Solomon saith My son if wisdome enter into thy heart and discretion be pleasant to thy soul it shall keep thee from the strange woman sinful companion If it be pleasant here is the reason the word of Gods grace it never came with power or if it came with power powerless the word of Gods grace hath been to them and because it hath not come with