tarries for you and unto Christ that waits upon you as Felix to Paul when his heart trembled to hear of judgement to come I will speak with you at a more convâ—â—â—ent season The Lord hath not left Churches without examples of the terrour of Christs patience in this kind who upon their beds of distresse have lamented before men Oh my time is out Call time again call timâ—again and who have besought it of God with tears as he did the blessing and cryed out What Lord wilt not give me one houre one day more and so like men sinking have caâ—ch'd hold on any thing to save them whiles others have stood upon the shoar lamenting of them the Lord be merciful to them this may be your case that neither your tears nor blood can purchase a moments time Look to it that your vessel be not found empty at the coming of the Lord it is a dying time in this Countrey and the Lord hath taken away some and those that were ready are gone into the Marriage Consider of it that faith that grace which you think you have now may prove but chaffe and stubble when it comes to be tryed in the fire of the Lords coming the best man will fiâ—de all lâ—ttle enough then be sure you misse not of it now Do not think I will pray and seek then and I hope to finde though thou art secure now think of this point When did Christ come and shut the door but when the Virgins went out to buy but woe woe to thy dead heart some here present shall seek Christ and not finde him but shall dye in their sins till arrows are in your hearts you will not cry SECT III. THat after long profession of godlinesse it is a piece of foolishnesse to have any thing then to do but to dye and so to give welcome to the Lord Jesus These Virgins when they were to dye were then to buy when they were to receive Christ were then to seek for oyle in their Vessels that so they might be ready to receive Christ but of this hereafter Oh their sad condition that have all to seek yet Be not ever seeking never findâ—ng but so seeking as that when you dye you may say Comâ— Lord I am ready SECT IV. ly THis Coming of Christ is set foâ—th from the different entertainment of the Virgins and Christs different carriage toward them 1. For his entertainment to the wise Virgins that is set down to be an entring or admittance into marriage fellowship communion and joy with the Lord Jesus which â—s amplified First From the Antecedent not cause of it and that is their readinesse Secondly The Consequent of this their Communion the Dooâ— was shut That the last end and full blessednesse of all the Elect espoused here to Christ it consists in immediate communion with Jesus Christ alone What becomes of these Wise Virgins they enter into near commâ—â—â—ion and fellowship with the Bridegroom Jesus Christ. What becomes of the souls of all the Elect when they are separated from the body and from this World the spirit returns to God that gave it so the soul returns to Chrisâ— that bought it When this World shall be burnt up what will become of the souls and bodies of the Elect when there shall be no more Sun to shine nor Kingdom to rule nor Creatures to comfort they shall ascend from the clouds up into the marriage-chamber of the Son of God and be for ever with the Lord and the Lord alone and this is their blessednesse c. Blessednesse yea the last and only blessednesse even of heaven it self Iohn 17. 23. There are variety of creatures here and in every one there is drop't some sweet but the Lords end is to make his people perfect in one how is that God in Christ communicating all his goodnesse to his Son and so living in him then Christ communicates all his own and Fathers love and goodnesse unto them and so lives in them and now they are in him and so made perfect in one as those that are thirsty for a time are refreshed with some drops or waters running in their Channels at last they come to the well-head where they partake of all together 1 Thes. 5. 10. This is the end of Christs death that we might live together with him not live only from him but live with him and together with him in beginnings here hereafter fully SECT V. BEcause God the Father hath laid up all his glory most abundantly in Christ. Col. 2. 3. Treasures of wisdome it shines in the face of Christ. 2 Cor. 4. 5 6. and all our glory also Luk. 2. 32. Glory of his people Israel Psal. 29. 19. In his Temple he uttereth all his glory in the world there it sparkles in every creature and the heavens declare it but there is but some and that common to all tongues and languages but in this Temple the Lord Jesus especially there all the Fathers glory is uttered and himself doth utter it Treasures are such things where there are 1. Precious things 2. Abundance of them 3. Hidden not open to all 4. They are sure and safe there for their owners to take and enrich themselves withall so it is in Christ there is first precious things all Gods preciousnesse and all our precious things our life our peace our joy our strength c. and secondly abundance of them thirdly hid from the world and unknown in part to the Saints fourthly but sure there for their owners and Christ is the treasure of all these treasures which are infinite as God himself is now if all our glory and the glory of God be in Christ then as privation of and separation from this glory is the last and only misery so conjunction to and communion with and fruition of this glory must be the last and great happinesse of the Elect. I would convince any carnal heart by this Argument Didst ever finde any comfort from any creature that comfort is not from it but from the Lord by it for creatures are but as cold water all their warmth is from the fire now there is but a little of the sweetnesse of God because creatures can hold but little it is so narrow a vessel but in the Lord Jesus all the goodnesse of God is gathered together there which is scattered in several creatures here nay not finâ—te but infinite goodnesse and glory therefore this is our blessednesse In regard of God the Fathers exceâ—ding great love and the purpose of God to manifest it to the sons of men this is the nature of love when one is in a blessed condition himself he will labour to bring those it loves to that condition now the blessednesse of God lies in fellowship with his son Prov. 8. 30. Now God the Father loves them dearly and would have all the world to know that he doth so and hence brings them at last into the same fellowship with
meet the Lord in Heaven as Paul that knew not whether in or out of the body 2 Cor. 12. 3. We know it here shall go out of the body as Christ is said when he went to Heaven I go to my Father and your Father so it goes forth then to Christ Eccles. 12. 7. and neither of these can be meant here for First â—his shews the 〈◊〉 of the Jewish Church long before Christs coming at least among many of them Secondly Because the shutting out vers 10. is by and at Death hence letting in is so too Now this was before 3. When the Soul goes out or it self by Faith hence Iohn 6. 35. 't is called coming to Christ and this not any Physical natural departing of the Soul out of the body but Ethical supernatural by the operations of the Soul out of 〈◊〉 self And look as the whole Soul by unbelief departs from God in Christ so the whole Soul by Faith comes again unto God by Christ. The mind sees affections make after him will fastens on him and there depends This is the first work of Faith or the first Faith the coming as in all motions there are two extreams of the Soul from a nothingness emptiness in it self to an allness and fulness in Christ And as 't is in other motions if there was a vacuum there would be motus in instanti so if there was an emptiness seen in the world and all the works of it and in all fears that all mountains were cast down Faith then would suddenly come by the Spirit to the Lord Jesus and this coming to Christ is not meant here For First These Virgins were espoused to Christ by Faith already Secondly At the first coming to Christ it goes to the Lord for life in him and from him but here having life already they go forth to live with him there the Soul goes out to meet him in the Gospel in the Promise here the Virgins go forth to meet him in Glory There the Soul goes to be justified by him here the Virgins go to be glorified with him and therefore 't is meant of a second going out of the Soul by some special acts of Faith after that it doth believe and after 't is ready for him And for Explication From whence doth the Soul go It 's chiefly going out of this world by trampling this Moon under her feet by forgetting this her Fathers house by a holy contempt of it and a holy dying to it and all the glory of it For 't is a thousand to one if Satan doth not intangle here if Lot be not taken with Sodom though burnt out there and if this going out is to enjoy the Lord in another world chiefly then going out is from the opposite terme from this world Hence Paul singles out this mercy Gal. 1. 4. Christ gave himself to deliver us from this present evil world Oh say men 't is a good world and good being here 'T is an evil world 't is so when Death comes but for present 't is best No 't is a present evil world By what acts of Faith doth it go forth There be two affections of the Soul that chiefly look to a good absent yet loving that good go forth to meet it and those are Hope and Desire like the blind man and the lame both together can make a shift to go Hope like the eye goes out and looks Desire like the feet runs out and longs The going forth therefore to meet Christ is 1. By a real expectation of him 2. By a longing desire to be with him Hope gets on the top of the world and cries Oh I see him Desire stands by and longs for him Oh come Lord. A careless blind world look not for him nor after him the Saints do Heb. 9. 28. An earthly-minded world longs not for him the Bride doth Rev. 22. 17 20. Oh come Lord Iesus come quickly by love and joy we imbrace and entertain the Bride-groom by hope and desire we go forth to meet the Bridegroom Hence many things are to be observed and yet not all I might SECT II. THat the object to which Faith chiefly looks and closeth with is the Person of the Lord Iesus 'T is the Bride-groom himself that the Virgins chiefly have to do withall they are espoused to him as in Marriage there is a giving of themselves one unto another they make themselves ready for him they go out to meet him 'T is him they love 't is him they want 't is him they look for 't is him they close withalâ— Whorish lovers look not after him but his his peace to comfort them when in horror and fear his mercy to save them from eternal flames but Virgins look to him they look to His indeed but 't is himself chiefly they care for Iohn 1. 12. to so many as received him he gave power to be Sons Iohn 6. 27. when the people followed him but it was for loaves Labour not for bread that perisheth buâ— c. for him hath the Father sealed Mat. 13. 44. The man did not buy the Treasure but bought the field 't is him Faith seeks for Ier. 50. 4. They shall seek the Lord weeping 't is him Faith chuseth and is contented with Whom have I in Heaven but thee Psal. 73. 25. 'T is him Faith glories in Isai. 45. 25. In him shall all the Seed of Israel glory SECT III. 'T Is chiefly and firstly the Person of Christ that the Father gives unto the Soul Isai. 9. 6. hence Faith laies hold on him 'T is not seemly to keepâ— Portion from any much less Orphans Portion Faith empties a man so as it makes him the poorest Orâ—han in the world now the Father cannot will not keep back his Portion but gives it him Wicked men have their Portion in this world Psalm 17. 14. and they think the Lord loves them because he blesseth them they have many moral excellencies given them which makes them honoured and lovely in the eyes of men and they have honour and that is their reward they have bread but not the staff of bread they have Ordinances but not the Lord in them the Lord gives them answer to many Prayers but never gives them himself nor his Son this is highest love But 't is his Son himself he gives to Orphan fatherless helpless creatures for the Lord is their Portion Lam. 3. 24. The portion of Iacob Ier. 10. 16. hence 't is him that Faith receives and pitcheth upon so that the Lord may deny them many outward many inward Blessings yet they have himself that 's better than all better as he said than Ten Sons Children may be Prodigals for a time but when in want they will then sue for their Portion Saints for a time may mispend all Times Talents Ordinances the Lord gives but the Lord will bring them to want and then they will sue for their Portion and the Lord will give and they
eternity this shall be their glory even an everlasting name unto them better than the name of Sons and Daughters when the wicked shall see them all at the right hand of God and gnash their teeth that themselves are shut out when the Lord and his Saints shall take infinite delight one in another Luk. 12. 37. SECT III. Quest. 4. WHy is this a Christians glory excellency and honor Answ. 1. In regard of the baseness of other things wherein men do use to glory the wise man in his wisdom the strong man in his strength the rich man in his wealth There are Three things which make these base First These things make a man not the more to be accepted of God the Lord respects not values not the worth of any man by these things and to make all the world know this he staineth the pride of all glory and chuseth the poor and foolish things of the world to confound the wise a wise man will never respect the horse the more because it carries store of rich treasures he will not fall down and reverence it for this hang Swine about with pearls who honors them the more and will a wise God respect a man the more for these things 1 Pet. 3. 5. What is that that is of great price with God Holiness is of great price with God And what though all the world honor a man and a man honoreth himself while this is wanting Secondly All these things leave a man dead under the reign of Satan power of his sin and dominion of death and hence Ier. 9. 24. Let no man glory in his wisdom c. Death is entred into your windows take any bondman bound with fetters though golden doth any man account him the more glorious a Prince that is made a vassal and slave to every base fellow is he the more glorious no So whiles men lye under the reign of death stick a man that is dead with flowers what is he the more glorious alas no! his life is gone now the Spirit of holiness is called the Spirit of life even of the life that never shall dye Rom. 8. And therefore as it is said of a Flye there is more excellency in a Gnat than in a Cedar than in the glorious heaven because it hath life which the other hath not so though men wonder at the goodly trappings of wicked men yet the poorest and most despised Christian that hath the Spirit of life is more glorious Thirdly Because these things only purchase the more credit and honor in the eyes of men and that of wicked men for 1 Cor. 5. 10. We know no man after the flesh if they do it is that which they account themselves beasts and fools for as David did Psal. 73. And what is the honor of man it is the bâ—sest thing that is for it is that which is without a man it is no excellency within the man it is but the thoughts of a mans head and heart than which what more vain what more mutable nay 't is but the dreams of a mans head for they are mistakes If all the town should dream another was a King who yet were indeed a Beggar which when they awake they see what were he the better for this Paul 2 Cor. 11. 23. how he doth glory in priviledges which were better and more goodly hangings than theseâ— this saith he I speak as a fool and what be these a Christians glory no surely Answ. 2. Because that is a Christians glory which is Christs glory First It is that glory wherein the glory of Christ consists Psal. 45. 2. Thou art fairer than the children of meâ— full of grace is thy lips and 2 Cor. 3. ult into the same image from glory to glory Indeed Christ's greatness in governing the world is his glory but it is because it is mixt with such holiness Isa. 6. 1 2 3. Phil. 2. 8 9. he humbled himself and this hath given him a name and shall be his name for ever this is that which makes the Lord Jesus lovely and amiable in the eyes of all his people Revâ— 15. 4. Who would not fear thee or thou onely art holy and so he is for all the stars receive their light and shine with it by this Sun only and so the more a Christian excels in this the more like he is to Jesus Christ and so more glorious and lovely Secondly This is that which gives him glory â— e. so far as creatures can which is to manifest it and hence 2 Cor. 8. 23. which is the glory of Christ and hence Isa. 46 13. Israel is called the glory of the Lord Isa. 62. 2 3. the righteous is called the glory and crown and diadâ—m in the hand of the Lord and as God is better than the Soul so this viz. to glorifie the Lord is better than to be glorified by the Lord. SECT IV. HEnce see one reason why men lose their honor their love and respect in the eyes of God and men their judgements are not revereâ—â—ed their persons not accepted their names and practises despised this is one reason among the rest a decay in holiness the lamp is defiled the light and lustre of it going out and who will reverence it then 't is admirable to see the complaints abroad First Look but into Families what is the reason there is so much discontent there that Servants are weary of their Masters Masters of their Servants and there is such complaints one of another little respect one of another it is for want of holiness power and life of godliness the Master saith the Servant is unruly froward surly flothful unfaithful untrusty and must not be spoken to the Servant saith his Master is passionate unkinde wants pity to his body and sometimes strikes him without cause and much more careless of his soul never instructs him but is eaten up with the world c. truly this is the cause It seems the Lord wrought upon divers in Primitive times and the Apostle gives Servants an item that they may glorifie God and adorn the Gospel of the Lord Iesus how came Ioseph into â—oâ—iphar's books oh he was very holy and very prudent and I le warrant did his Masters work better when his Master was absent than before and prayed for success in his business as Abraham's Servant Look but upon Husband and Wife it is strange to see what divisions and jars there and what 's the cause of it Wife doth not honor Husband nor Husband honor Wife how comes this oh there is little holiness seen in their private walking one with another the woman thought the man godly had I known this I would have seen you a hundred miles off c. the man also he complains of his wife I see now I am like to be troubled with a continual dropping a very fury of hell so impatient and the next neighbor hears of it nothing can please her what 's the reason of
the soul in private either to his shame or glory before Christ but the body is to be judged as well as the soul to shame before men or glory before all the world Fourthly In regard of Christ's soveraignty and excellency the coming of Christ is called his Kingdom 2 Tim. 4. 1. Why doth not Christ rule now in the world Yes but it is in the midst of his enemies his enemies rule and he rules also but there must a time come that no enemies must rule but Christ alone and this is his kingdom in a most illustrious manner for the things of Christ are said to be with us when they do in a special manner appear as the coming of his Spirit and his love so his Kingdom now Christ must reign till all his enemies are put under foot for it is not fit he should lose his Kingdom hath the Lord suffered others to reign and rule and himself to be hid and his glory lost and that so long and will he never return to his Kingdom to be glorious there to reap all his glory that he hath lost by all his enemies in the world Was there ever King that would ever endure one generation of Rebels after another and never make himself sole Sovereign however Man may suffer it yet the Lord will not he must reign And wherefore doth Christ reign It is to trample 〈◊〉 under foot his and his peoples enemies Christ sets death his enemy to destroy his enemies and keep them as in a Goal but afterward Christ will call them forth and pass an irreversible doom upon them SECT VI. SEE therefore and believe the truth of this Point as well as hear it At the first coming of Christ Heb. 11. 13. they did thus saw the Promises afar off and embraced them so see it afar off There be divers people that profess this truth that do not fully believe it for if they did they would never live as they do That look as men that know the Judge rides Circuit within half a year dare not commit any open sins so if you believed this you would make conscience of secret sins which this Judge shall judge Others there be that do believe it as they do reports that every man saith but they do not see that really to be true indeed which their hearts literally believe and hence mens hearts are not a whit moved with grief or sorrow or joy or fear at the remembrance of this day For as it is with us in reports of news out of Germany many hear things but are not affected with their misery because they do not see it acted before their eyes God presents not their sorrows and hence they are not moved but when they do see them acted then they are moved much so here Look as it is with a man awake and in sleep a man awake believes the day of Judgement and never stirs but when asleep he dreams of it and is much affected with that because he sees it acted before his eyes much more when men have not dreams but real visions or sight of it it will affect And hence set painted fire before a Malefactor it affects not but shew him really it wherein he must be burnt now it amazeth him and hence 2 Pet. 2. 11 12 14. looking for and hence Peter saith what manner of persons ought we to be and whereever there is Faith thus it will be Heb. 11. 1. it makes things absent present and things unseen evident Oh that God would shew you this truth you young men Eccles. 11. 9. you would not spend time vainly but know God You aged men whose hearts are rooted in this world Oh know that God will come and burn up your delights will you never see this day and fear it before you see it and mourn because of it Oh take heed of rash judging and condemning and suspecting and censuring other men In Pauls time Rom. 14. 10. one Brother in a Church there judged another about indifferent things in a Christ-like manner as if he had no Grace c. You shall stand before Christs Iudgement Seat saith Paul and hence Paul 1 Cor. 4. 3 4 5. accounts little of mans Judgement and bids them judge nothing c. What if Christ find that to be a lye which thou judgest to be true Many of Gods Servants lie under hard thoughts and speeches in private not only from Enemies abroad but from inhabitants at home men out of the Church censuring and judging of Members men in the Church one of another especially if they take to a side The Lord will discover hard speeches and an edition of all your hard thoughts put out in print at the last day This breaks love this breaks Church-fellowship and is the cause of breacheâ— in this Country Oh take heed of an hypocritical heart if the Lord should come to judge according to the seeing of the eyes of the outward man then well were it with many but when the secrets of the hearts shall be judged it will be terrible if there should never be a calling over of things again happy were it for many but 't is otherwise 2 Cor. 5. 10. Paul sought only to please the Lord for we must all appear c. Civil men if they can carry it so as men may not say hurt of them they think 't is well Hypocrites if they can maintain a name of Religion so as they may maintain their interest in good mens hearts it is well if they get some enlargement in duties that they are commenâ—â—â— of them well if they can get so much mercy as to get the Lord to accept of Christs righteousness for them it is well but saith Paul We laborto be accepted of him I am perswaded godly men do not think of this we think the wicked shall have all their secrets laid open but the Saints come not into condemnation 't is true not of wrath but of trial so as that their righteousness shall be laid open to all to their glory at the great day 1 Pet. 1. 6 7. And therefore get that life which Christ himself may commend that as Christ said I have not found such faith in Isrâ—el So here when thou hast spoken a good word repeated a Sermon spent a Sabbath ask thy heart is this worth shewing to all the world that though at be vile yet Christ himself will commend this Oh you will finde only acting for him will commend the act Mat. 25. 40. there is that needlework and golden Arras of Holiness which is lapt up in the Saints that Christ will open before all the world another day Oh therefore repent Act. 17. 31. Paul tells them times past were spent in ignorance without God time to come was a time of Judgement and wrath of God against all sin Oh then repent Mourn for all wrongs done against Christ You will â—â—il then if you take not your season now mourn therefore for time past and for
so Christ now Solomon reckons it as one part of his folly madness and vanity when he forsook the Lord in his degenerate condition Ecâ—les 2. 3. that he gave up his heart to vanitâ—y and to wisdom also as if that was not sufficient alone Men are not contented with the Lord alone Solomon as you heard was gone whom God appeared twice unto Davids heart was sorely assaulted Pâ—al 73. untill he wenâ— into the sanctuary of God and then saith he whom have I in earth but thee but as for others they are far from this and hence come the many murmurings and sinkings of heart why do not men sink and drown because they are not in the ark or ship and stay there alone so it is here Psal. 16. 4. their sorrows 〈◊〉 multiplied c. SECT XIII LAbor for this contentedness in spirit in four cases especially wherein the heart is apt to withdraw from the Lord First In case the Lord takes away the dearest nay all outward blessings from us men can â—ub it out with quietness of spirit when some of their money loose in their pockets is lost but when their jewels are lost their dearest blessings singled out Wife Husband Children then as Ionah the soul is almost angry with God when his gourd is smitten 1 Thess. 4. 13. without hopes again some can rub this out till they come to part with all when some of our boughs are cut and branches lopt we can be content but to have ouâ— top boughs cut off and to strike at the root too that we should remain as wâ—thered â—ry trees this can hardly be born Men can be content to follow Christ if they may carry something on their backs beside the cross some can endure â—ny thing but poverty because covetous others any thing but disgrace becaâ—â—e proud if some thing or many things be cast over-board in a storm men can be sometimes contented therewith if something escapes but when there is a wâ—aâ—k of all now to be content is as hard as to walk upon the waters Israel when they be fed and led by God all was still but when they want bread and water then they murmure and also quesâ—ion Exod. 17. 7. Is God among us now And truly it would break ones heart to see what sinkings of heart there be among us the fruits of exâ—ream pride and Christlesness and what vexations men are to themselves that men are become devils to themselves their own tormeâ—tors what cares fears griefs losses decays that their heads are dawled and their memories lost and their hearts sunk and their countâ—naâ—ces alâ—ered and the Ordinances comfortless and themselves heartless and pining away in their iniquiâ—â—es because of outward sorrows Oh consider either thou shalt shortly be with the Lord or not if not there is cause of â—ourning Oh to go home and see Abraham Isaac and Iacâ—b in Gods Kingdom and thy self shot out it were a lamentable thing indeed but if it be otherwise with thee Oh consider thou shalt be happy enough without these things in heaven and therefore though these things be lost thou shalt not lose one jot of thy happiness A man that is blessed with â—lessedness it self and yet sunk either should say Christ is not blessedness or else recover Object Oh but though I have lost my estate yet that doth not so much trouble me as to have lost friends and their love Anâ—w And what if thou hadst lost thy life and thy body were rent from thy soul if that goes to the Lord Heb. 11. They were â—awn asunder It may be thy heart hath gone from Christ Oh therefore reâ—â—â—â— for it may be this is Gods end and methinks this should make you content with any cross thou art not near enough to the Lord Oh therefore you poor Saints be not in heaviness by many temptations the Lord doth it to try your faiâ—h can you be content with him alone It was Iustin Martyrs speech Nothing else to care for Secondly In case the Lord makes outward peace and blessings to abound upon you set not now your hearts upon these things sometimes when miseries abound and there is wracks of all now the soul is glad to stand upon the rock to save its life Psal. 78. 35. When he smote them they then remembreâ— God was their rock but when the Lord begins to fill the soul with outward blessings it is then exceeding hard not to lodge them in the Lords own room and habitation for himself and the Lord is forgotten and foâ—saken also Jet 2. 1 2 4 5. But when these things are removed or with you continued yet let your hearts still be kept for the Lord for if these things were necessary you should have them in heaven but there is no need of them there but only of the Lord. Psal. 17. ult It was Davids prayer that he might be delivered from the men who had their portion in this world but I shall behold thy face and therewith be satisfied when I awake i. e. Some outward troubles now made him heavy that he slept the sleep of death saith Calvin but then he should be satisfied it was Davids argument to prove his faith Psal. 16. The Lord is the portion of my lot and cup not his crown nor kingdom 1 Cor. 7. 30. Paul mixes this with his counsels use the world as if you used it not possess as if you possessed not for the fashion of it passeth away The love of Christ sweetens these things nay the sweet of them is Christs he lets into them his love and his sweetness c. Oh the peace that comes by this means when a no outward evil detracts and no outward good thing adds to your blessedness It is so in it self Oh that it were so indeed unto you Psal. 23. Thirdly In case the soul comforts it self in hopes and desires after good things to come in this world for sometimes that which fills the heart is not things present a man findes a bottom here but he looks for things to come and so lancheth out his heart in the deep le ts the rains of his heart go strongly after things to come and so the Lord alone doth not quiet him many mens blessedness here is imaginary and chiefly because of that which is to come Oh consider when it will be found to be blessedness to enjoy the Lord alone without hope or desire of any good else to come thy soul shall say Let me ever see and love this God and none else It was the sweet affection of Paul I desire much to be with Christ he did not desire these things no not body nor life nothing else but to be with him and that not faintly but earnestly 2 Cor. 5. 1. because he was now absent from the Lord Oh the sinful lusts of menâ— men think themselves miserable if they be not satisfied and they are not satisfied because Christ is not enough alone Oh but know it he will be so shortly
to awaken thee if the word doth not SECT XII Use 3. OF Exhortation Labour to be in a readinesse awaken out of sleep and get your Garments on your loynes girt your Vessels full your Lamâ—s burning thaâ— you may be indeed ready and he Lord may finde you so as well as men think you so It is Christs Exhortation Luke 12. 40. whereupon Peter askt Did he speak that Parable only to the Disciples or of all Verse 41. he answers all especially them that know the Lords minde herein and do it not Verse 47. So you may ask me Whom do I press to make ready I answer all Two sorts I shall therefore name 1. Those who are yet unready either in whole or part 2. Those who are ready but not so ready as those should be who stand before the Lord and as themselves will wish another day they had been the wise as well as foolish may be sleepy and so unready for a time but O awake First Those who are unready and unprepared for the Lord and his coming are there any such Yes very many some there be who know they are unready and will not yet buy and yet prepare not for it because they are young enough yet or have time enough to provide for that hereafter Some others because they cry Lord Lord and look to Christ and are well thought of by the wise that think they are ready but know it all your thoughts and cares and prayers and endeavours are little enough for it even all your life and yet to prepare for this hath been the least part of many a mans life and such is the security of some that till Christ come they will not Gird up themselves to this Work SECT XIII COnsider the lamentable end of one who dies unready some not all the Lord leaves for terrours to the secure world who are as good as men risen from the dead to tell men of the vanity of their sinful courses who looking upon time past they see that it is irrecoverably lost and past away as a dreame and lost as a shadow look upon time present they feel their souls left naked their accounts not made an end come to all their hopes and comforts here their body sick their conscience trembling if not tearing their hearts hard God departed the grave opened for their filthy carkasses and Devils waiting for their secure soules And now say such What profit have I for all my vanity under the Sun Look to time to come there they see the Throne set the Lord Jesus on it their soules standing naked before him whose grace was great toward them whiles they lived but whose face now is a consuming fire and they behold eternity even that eternal black Gulf between them and the Lord and here they lie wishing they had taken their time professing now their time is lost beseeching others to take warning by them desiring the prayers of others but yet thinking though Noah and Samuel should stand before the Lord for them there is no hope Come and tell them Do not cast away mercy cast not away that blood which is worthy to be gathered up by blessed Angels in Vessels of gold lament and returne and the Lord will to you what tell you me of repenting and believing is a sick time a fit time to repent in but the Lord hath done great things for you you have thought so but there were such sins or such a sin I knew you knew not I knew it yet I loved it I had indeed some lazy purposes to forsake it but the Lord hath taken me in my seemings but mercy is infinite oh it 's my torment I have seen an end of my sinnes and now I feel the beginning of my torment happy are they that die in the Lord and thrice happy that make ready for the Lord. Consider thou hast but a short time to prepare in and the time will be then when thou dost least think of it Luke 12. 46. The Lords Arrows are now flying abroad if you did think you should be next smitten down dead you would prepare but you think the Lord delayes his coming Oh Remember that time thou do'st least think of Christ will come If unready now you will be much more unready next day grant thy time to be long you will be the more unfit the longer you delay thou hast hinderances now the longer thou livest thou wilt have more and more â—y heart will be harder every day than other SECT XIV PRay unto the Lord that he would prepare you and fit you give his Christ and fulness of his Spirit unto you which you know the Lord will give to them that ask for man like the Potters clay is no more able to prepare himself for glory than to appoint and elect himself thereunto Hence Psal. 10. 17. Rom. 9. 23. prepared to glory therefore pray not that prayer can move the Lord to it but because it is a means appointed of God to execute his eternal purposes of grace unto the Vessels of grace Acts 9. 9 11. Paul was three dayes mourning and he did not eat and drink and yet was not discouraged but kept on praying and ceaseth not till the Lord sends Ananias that he might receive the Spirit Verse 17. So say I to you Time hath been thou hast not prayed mornings evenings your sleep would not suffer you or if so yet it hath been without mourning for living without Christ abusing of Christ and the sin of your nature or if so it hath been onâ—y by fits and you could hold up your head againe before God sends Anamias with a Message of peace or that Message without the Spirit of grace Are you now prepared Oh no! oh therefore now begin this work say I am thy clay Lord and have been a broken unclean Vessel unfit for any use to hold any grace if mercies come I forget thee and grow worse if sickness I am blockish if Ordinances I despise them if thou forsakest me I forsake thee if thou drawest neare to me I resist thee if Christ be offered I reject him if not I presume and turn his grace to wantonness now Lord gather a broken Vessel if I live I shall still sin if I die I shall blaspheme if I forsake acts of sin yet lusts of sin remaine if they be quenched yet my polluted nature remaines not cleansed and the guilt cries Now Lord undertake for me begin thou the work and take the glory and here mourn till the Lord comes know the worth and prize the presence of the Spirit and then pray Iohn 14. 16. The world cannot receive it because they know it not with Iohn 4. 10. Sacrifice is unfit to be offered till by shedding blood life is taken away Be very watchful over your hearts that they grow not too gentle and handle tenderly sinnes arising after faith and profession of your interest in Iesus Christ sins of the second growth some sins grow
chuse him for outward blessings not spiritual favour and life Iohn 6. 26 27. 2. The soul hence gives it self like one espoused to her Husband to the Lord Jesus Cant. 2. 16. I am my beloveds servants give work for their wages and masters give wages for their work but Husbands and Wives give themselves one unto another Suitors also give Tokens to draw on love not themselves so servants in the Church they do for God in hope of wages and the Lord blesseth them it may be outwardly but he that is espoused to Christ gives himself Lord I can do nothing for thee give nothing to thee but I give my self to thee that thou wouldst work in me and by me Rom. 6. 13. So the Lord is a suitor to many a man that never gives himself to him he gives them some comforts some winning drawing melting meâ—cies but not himself they give him some entertainment and good words a thousand wishes as Capernaum did but not themselves but this must be if ever you look for communion with him hence David saith I am thine save me hence some made shipwrack of Faith they were not the Lords hence the Lord saith he knows who are his 2 Tim. 2. 18 19. his send their tokens again for look as 't is an evidence of much love when a man gives the dearest thing he hath viz. his whole self to the Lord Jesus so 't is also an evidence of little love when he will not give especially anothers own thou art none of thine own thou hast but little love if thou give not thy self to him without which never look for life and communion with the Lord. 3. The soul hence takes full contentment in the Lord Jesus as a Spouse hath enough would not change for all the world as Peter when he had a glimpse of Christs glory Lord let us be here or as Simeon that had been waiting for the consolation of Israel when once he had Christ in his arms Now let thy servant depart in peace I have enough now let me dye and not live to sin more and 't is certain as there 〈◊〉 in creatures that contents the heart without Christ in an unregenerate man so contrary-wise in a regenerate Iohn 3. 29. if hearing the Bridegroom is joy what is hâ—ving him indeed they take content in other things but as coming from the Husband and this you must do if ever you look for communion with him cannot you be content with the Lord alone in Heaven you shall never come there then lest you quarrel for want of something Men make nothing of this to hathe their hearts in the sun and joy in what they have and hope to have but the Lord may be gone and you grieve not why because oâ—heâ— things ease your hearts There can be no communion hereafter if you despite iâ— now SECT VII THis serves to discover the great error most common and dangerous of the whole châ—istian woâ—ld who think that they may love and embrace the world and the Lord Jesus too and â—e saved at last by him too i. e. they may not be Virgins but go a whoring from Christ and yet partake of Christ and mercy from him that look as it was in those sad dayes Isai. 4. 1. so in these dayes many lay hold on Jesus Christ they will eat their own bâ—end live on their own 〈◊〉 and wear their own apparel their own rags only let us be called by thy name Believers to take away our reproach for that is an open shame not to believe in Christ For this is the prosessed thought of some every one is a sinne and I am one and a great one too and who can say his heart is clean none can free himself from sin in this life and I cannot do it if I would and hence look on Christ to save them though sin sleeâ—â— in them you cannot have both I would but enquire hath not every man something that contents him what is it is it the love the fellowship of Jesus yet it may be at a Sacrament and it may be not for thou maist say the Lord never yet revealed his love and self unto me never yet assured me yet somewhat joyes thy heart What think you can you have the Lord and content your selves thus with other things why I trust to him I hope so it cannot be so If the Lord Jesus was a Patron of Brothel-houses a Protector of Stews you might think so some say they cannot pray to him nor prize him why something else contents then besides him but know it cannot be so I know a Saint may be taken aside as David with envy at others prosperity but when he considers of it O what a Beast he returns again The Raven and the Dove we sent forth the one came again and again the other not therefore as Ioshua 24. brought the people to these thoughts you cannot serve the Lord and other gods as Iunius notes so bring thy self to that stâ—ait O that the Lord would set on this one thing this day when I sadly weigh it it consouâ—ds me and makes me say Lord who then can be saved I know with God all things are possible but this is rare SECT VIII HEnce we may learn who they are that never shall have everlasting communion with the Lord Jesus viz. those that never were esposed to him and you may know this if never yet divorced from all others besides him Psal. 73. 25 26. I shall stay â—whâ—e here because there is never an unsound heart in the world but as they say of â—itches they have some Familiar that sucks them so they have some Lust that is beloved of them some beloved there is they have given a promise to never to forsake and also because most men do seem and think they are Virgins espoused to Christ and look for communion with him and yet not divorced from all other besides him I shall shew hence 1. When the soul is in league with the creature 2. When married to the Law I should account it happy if any be found out CHAP. V. Sheweth the Markes and Signes whereby the Soul may know whether he be in league or love with any lust or creature or married to the Law SECT I. 1 THose that never were in bitternesse and sorrow of heart for the losse of God For these two things are as clear as the Sun 1. That the losse of God is the greatest losse for 't is the utmost and last plague upon the damned in Hell My Comforts my Friends Means Heaven is gone but if God were mine I could be comforted No God is gone Hence no sorrow for any losse so much as for this Saul 1 Sam. 28. 15. God is departed from me Hence sore distressed Nay the Lord Jesus when the Father departed for a time and he knew he would return and visit him cried out My God why hast thou for saken me 2. That all men living have lost God Isa.
been Imitators and Apeâ— of God to forge and make Grace like true Grace hence deceived This being pleasing to men is the practice of most men yea all men out of Christ. And this is one great part of the inward secret subtil spiritual whoredom of the soul. Thus men may force sorrow when yet there is little true sorrow and so in other cases SECT VII THat all these works though good in themselves yet are most vile before the Lord as Christ speaks of the Pharisees Its abomination in the sight of God which is glorious before man Luke 16. 15. 1. Because hereby the soul deprives Christ of the end of his coming for all men having lost the stock and power to live the Lord hence will trust no man with it again hence puts it into a surer and better hand that thither poor blind dead creatures might fly for life when they are there live there like â—ees on their hony Iohn 6. 27. 17. 23. He might never have looked after you and will you despise him now What folly and unkindnesse is this that when your pits are dry and bottles empty and souls miserable here you will not I do not say sip when water runs by your door but not live 2. Because whatever comeâ— from self it s ever for self A man can do nothing from himself but his last end is self As 't is with water-works they rise no higher than the spring Gen. 11. 4. This Babel I have built Dan. 4. 30. And a man that hath but common Grace look as by vertue of that Grace or gift of God he may act for God because it came from God so nature and sin being moâ—e powerful than that Grace hence he never so acts for God but in the last place acts for it self as in Iehu And so a man makes himself his own Goâ— 3. Because whatever a man doth from himself he will grow proud of it Rom. 4. Not of works lest any man should boast Hence Iâ—ab sent to David to take the City that he might have the Crown This robs Christ of the Glory 4. Because whatever work is not done by vertue of the Lord Jesus is a dead work which a living God and a living Christ and a living Spirit loâ—th Heb. 9. 14. Sprinkle your Consciences from dead works Deadly works are sins dead works are good works done but not from the principle of the life of Faith but life of Nature Now as Conscience is the principle of the life of Nature So Christ is the principle of a Christian life Col. 3. 1 Iohn 5. 10 11 12. For 't is not sanctification that is the principle of life but the life it self that flows from it as from union of soul and body the soul is not the life but the principle of it hence as soon as it s out the body is dead So c. And do you not find it thus whenas you do many duties how tedious wearison are they yet must be done this is a dead work What comfort what peace is there when you have done them because not from life 5. Because what come from self comes from all sin 't is dipt and dyed and tainted and poysoned with all sin in a manner Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean 6. Because when a man will act from himself and not suffer Christ to act for him he will not have Christ to reign over him he puâ—â— down the Kingdom of God that should be within him For when a man professeth Christ is King of his Church he is now a King in name When a man feels an impossibility to rule himself and hence desireth and chuseth Christ to rule now Christ is a King by choice When the soul after this choice depends on Christ for what he chose him for and the Lord works now Christ is a King indeed Now if you will not have the Lord to reign over you you will be found enemies to the Lords Kingdom SECT V. HEnce it will follow The soul is to act wholly and only from the Lord Iesus Christ and whatever fruits of love it shows to Christ to bring them forth from Christ. Which doth not only concern them that never yet knew Christ and yet pride up themselves in what they have and do but those that be in Christ in a special manner For Iohn 15. 2. Every Branch in me that brings not forth fruit 'T is not meant of one indeed in Christ for he shall bring forth fruit but every branch i. e. by outward profession so that it brings not forth fruit but appears fair and deceives man God will cast away And without me even ye Disciples can do nothing 1. How is the soul to act from Christ only when it hath life especially the elect 2. By what means may this be done to get and keep this chastity First How is the soul to act from Christ alone when there is sanctification within 1. If the soul feel no power to act from Grace received as Saints somtimes do either after Gods deserting them or their forsaking God long or after some hardning sin then 't is clear the soul in this case is though not in a way of carelesseness to depend upon the Lord Jesus that he would quicken and help As David after his grosse fall Lord create in me a clean heart And Isa. 63. 17. Why hast thou hardned our hearts from thy fear Oh return In this case the soul is not to bring the soul to God but God to the soul. As many a Christian cannot prize not love the Lord not his waies he is not to say I will bring my soul and oâ—fer it to him but look to the Lord that he would raise up my dead affections again As the Centurion of his Servant Speak the word c. Christ marveiled at his Faith Men think when they feel nothing that they must and can work it out and hence comes one of these three things 1. Either the soul cannot love Christ when it sees such Lawes it cannot submit to And hence a Christian once said to me If the least thing was left for me to do of my self I could not love Christ but now that when brought low and can do nothing he brings all the help we need This makes the Spouse go to the bosom of her Husband Psal. 116. 6 7. Or else 2. It cannot do it for corruption in a Saint is too hard for his Grace I am but a child and thy people many 1 Kings 3. 7. Hence he must be strong in the Lord. Or 3. If it do it never hath any peace in what it doth the duties never so well done Whereas otherwise the poorest duty done from Christ witnesse Heb. 11. 4 5. as a child begoâ— of the Father he will own but other children not If any poor tired heart that heaâ—s me this day thou hast been making thy Brick and promises and vowes will not help
near Heaven too Angels were hurled down for one sin 2. Set a high price upon a little Grace a man will be exceeding humbly thankful for the giving a little of that which he highly esteems much more for giving much of what we value The poor Woman of Canaan Mat. 15. was glad of crumbs How thankful do you think she was for loaves that made her ready to receive all Be it as thou wilt so it shall be with you for if you prize a little Oh when all shall be given this will swallow you up into Grace And it 's certain there is never a mercy but 't is great if you consider him that gives it who receives it him that bought it But the most of Gods Grace in us appears to be but small hence we prize it not and hence never ready to give all to the Lord again 3. Learn to put a difference between your double being for every Christian hath a double being 1. In himself 2. He hath a subsistence in Christ. Now look upon your selves as in your selves you will ever complain there ever dead and never have your hearts ready to bless the Lord. If you only look on your selves in Christ you will be proud and never give the Lord honour I say therefore put a difference between these two for men appropriating to themselves what is Christs they rob Christ of his glory Hence Paul so humble 1 Cor. 15. 10 11. For if you look upon your self I am dead guilty damned weak here will be shame if any life or Grace this is Christs As a man on a Mount is the same man no taller only the Mountain makes him so so think of thy self Or as a mud wall the sun shines on it but in it self it is a mud-wall still all the warmth and lustre is from the Sun 4. Learn to love Grace what we love we will seek the good of more than our own and commend it First It 's the only first mover of all our good thou shouldst never have had a dram of peace or mercy Why hast it the Lord will have it so Grace pleads it may be so this is the only Petitioner at Court against the cry of sin against the cry of Justice Secondly 'T is the only support under the heaviest evills sometime God frowns and Hell smokes and Satan tempts and sin rageth and it may be no feeling of Grace no reason to shew there shall ever be any now what have you done what will you do Fly for refuge to the Promise of Grace Heb. 6. 18. It is such a Friend as holds up the head when sinking when dying holds that when all fails and against which the gates of Hell cannot prevail To him that laies hold on Grace this is wonderful Paul was a man taken with Grace hence he every where commends it I was received to mercy c. 1 Tim. 1. 13 14. 5. See how the Lord loves that thou shouldest honour it for the greatest honour Grace hath is by Faith hence they are put for one Rom. 4. 16. and the great cause why Faith stirs not is because he sees not how the Lord shall have by it the praise of his rich Grace nor how the Lord loves it should do so For if a man did see how by Faith he shall honour Grace and how the Lord is pleased with it it would draw the heart to be assured and to bless Grace for when the Soul feels it self at worst why doth it not believe I shall presume True if you have this only in your eye to save your self but if the Spirit presents the glory of Grace and this draws your will that you will glorifie Grace then you will say 't is no presumption so to do and so to believe for the Lord loves his Grace and all means for the glory of Grace Hence he will use Faith for that end to honour Grace Oh therefore see how the Lord loves to have thee honour it This gives Gods heart full rest this is that which he desires most because 't is his end This is that which all the business of the world is for Oh see how he loves it and then you will love to act thus Now set upon this last work look over all your life and like Bees gather honey from every flower and then come loaden home so do you and look over all the Lords love turn over all the leaves of it The Lord hath now called me why it's because Christ hath redeemed and why that because the Father hath chosen and why me to glorifie his Grace And why me rather than another No reason but he would This I doubt not will be the work of Heaven I am glorified because called because redeemed because elected for none other reason why and here astonished You have not christian hearts in you that will now have no care to do this work there before you are turned off the stage you poor doubting Spirits that see so much vileness and cannot be perswaded be not discouraged Wait for the Lord and say if he shall save I shall for ever love him the more Now hold here anâ— be ready to do so and it 's certain thou art a vessel of Glory ready to sing the Song of the Lamb and shalt follow him where-ever he goes CHAP. IX Concerning the Souls immediate closing with the Person of Christ as the proper Object of Saving-Faith 3. Went forth to meet the Bride-Groom SECT I. Here needs the Explication of Three Things 1. VVHo is the Bride-groom Answ. The conclusion of this Parable is the Explication of this viz. the Son of Man the Lord Jesus Christ who according to the several conditions or dispositions the Church is in appears to his Church under several relations and titles The Church is oppressed by her enemies he appears now to her as her Prince and King the Church wants wisdom light and life he appears now unto her as an head The Church hath been seeking of his love and yielding her self to the obedience of him as her Lord at last he appears more fully to her as an Husband or as a Bride-groom with whom she is to have her nearest and everlasting fellowship and communion and so here And when Christ comes to shew most special love and to have most special fellowship with his people he thus stiles himself Isal. 54. 5 6. So Iohn 3. 29. And when the Church hath tasted that love she calls him so II. What it is to meet the Bride-groom Answ. To enjoy fellowship and familiarity with him III. What is it to go forth to meet the Bride-groom Answ. There are but three wayes of going forth to meet with Christ in Scripture 1. When Soul and Body at the last Day meet the Lord in the clouds of the air 1 Thes. 4. 17. Thus the whole Church the Bride shall appear in glory to meet the Bride-groom 2. When the Soul only goeth out of the Body by the ministry of Angels to
of Glory so that light God puts into their mind is the beginning of the light of Glory Hence as in Heaven the soul sees Christ by the full light of Glory perfectly face to face so in this life the soul sees Christ really as he is yet as in a glasse imperfectly Hence we are said to see in part 4. In regard of that abundant goodnesse and love of Christ to his people Love cannot lock up secrets Ioseph hid himself from his Brethren for a time but his bowels melt he must tell them that he is Ioseph Christ may do so but his love even constrains him afterward to let them see whom he is Iohn 14. 21. I confesse its admirable love to reveal Christ in the Word and letter of the Gospel to hear of him is happinesse and if the Lord saves you you will think so too But this is common to wicked men there is a manifestation of himself as he is unto his people And now he is in Glory hence reveals himself in his inconceiveable Glory that now a mans eye sees the Lord and such things he never thought of before which eye never saw 1 Cor. 2. 9. How doth the soul see him as he is I in this case rather desire to learn than teach even from the meanest yet what is obvious I shall suggest in this weighty businesse This seeing of him appears in three particulars 1. True saving knowledge and sight of Christ consists in the sight of the glory of his person especially now caught up to Heaven and sitting at the right hand of God in all the Glory of the Father Look as at the Judgment-day the Lord shall break out of Heaven in such Glory as shall amaze all the world and all eyes shall see him that he shall not only be admired in himself but in all his Saints by all that are round about him just so doth the soul see him now though nor by the eye of sense yet by the eye of Faith though not come to judge the world yet now ruling of the world though not in the clouds yet in Heaven though his Humanity only in Heaven yet his God-heads beams filling Heaven and Earth though not yet coming in the Fathers Glory yet sitting clothed with the Fathers Glory for if a man looks on Creatures he sees Gods foot-steps of power if on Angels and Saints Gods Image of Holinesse if in Christ there God himself 2 Cor. 4. 4 5 6 7. 'T is true then Christs Glory shall be seen by the Wicked but that 's by sense not by Faith that is only in their minds but there is no shining into the heart to the kindling of an infinite esteem of him and this the god of this World hides from people Christ the Lord of another world in spight of Satan reveals to his people Before a man sees Christ there is nothing more base than Christ even to the Elect and then the wayes and work of Christ Iâ—r 2. 11. Have any Heathen changed their gods these change their glory for that which doth not profit now the Lord will be must be esteemed of his people hence will and doth reveal this Glory of his to his Saints whereas here others are blind 2. In the beholding of the Lord as he comeâ— and appears in the Glory of his Covenant for when the Lord reveals himself so as to cause the soul to believe and thereby to make it one of his people he never makes any a people but by entring into Covenant with them Hence he ever appears in his Covenant first Isai. 49. nlt. Look as when the Lord made him a people at Mount Sinai Moses came down from 〈…〉 with Tables in his hands c. So when Christ comes to make any his people he comes as Mediator of a beâ—ter Teâ—â—ament Heb. 7. 22. On Mount Sion Heb. 12. 22 24. Noâ— look as it was with the Israelites 2 Cor. 3. they had the Covenant of Christ and Christ revealed but as Moses face was covered â—o theirs wâ—s and Christ theâ—e was vailed over with the Law even the Moral Law written in stone Hence there was a vail on their hearts too they could not see Christ the end of the Lâ—w but only the Vail viz. the Law and hence looked for life by that and hence weâ—e hadened against Christ Rom. 9. 31 32. So 't is the misery and blindnesse of many people at this day they see the Lord Jesus but with his vail on for people being not able to see and priâ—e the glory of Christ immediatly the Lord appears with the law first requiring this and that and they endeavour to do it and hence if they cannot they comfort themselves with this the Lord accepts my endeavours not seeing the hypocrisie of them or else they are never at â—eace or very seldom and why because they see not to the end of that which is abolished never saw the end the Lord Jesus Chrâ—st Now therefore when the Lord reveals himself the Lord makes himself known without the vail so that when conscience cries you must do what ever is commanded or dye the Lord Jesus now comes and appears and saith therefore see what need thou hast of me who have fulfilled all Righteousness and done all Receive mâ— that have done it and thou shalt live Oh but may I now live as I â—ist Am I now free from the Law No 't is to be thy Rule and life in Heaven but I will write my Laws in thy heart and cause thee to walk in my wayes Hence the soul sees all done for him 1. In Christ. 2. All that he is to do for Christ he sees it not in meâ—ns nor in himself but in the Lords promise and here Faith hangs and hath peace For two things trouble First I have broke the first Covenant of the Law Christ appears not as one that exacts the Debt but as one that comes to enrich him when poor Secondly I cannot walk after it as a Rule Christ appears in this Covenant and promiseth to cause him to do it and hence after all departings from the Lord he will not depart further by unbelâ—ef but sees the end of the Law which is Christ that in him he may perform the Covenant and by him be strengthned to walk with him as after a Rule For the Covenant of Grace is not Christ will be rigthteousnesse to thee if thou wilt walk after the Law as a Rule but Christ will do both and this the soul sees in it's Glory else it 's no sight Hence 2 Cor. 3. Gospel is called The ministration of Glory which no carnal heart can see for the vail is taken away when it turns to the Lord and sees him The Saints only with open face behold this 'T is true for a tiâ—e they may make of Christ a Moses as Peter Luke 5. 8. Lord depart from me I am a sinful man And the Lord may deal roughly with them to huâ—bâ—e them as Ioseph did to
wrath is to come what that is they see What their escape from it is they see Hence they look for Christ when he shall appear like the rising Sun and like a Bride-groom from his chamber to comfort them 1 Thes. 1. 10. For the Devils look for this day and natural men but seeing wrath wish themselves under rocks and mountains and seek to smother it But Saints seeing themselves delivered hence calmly look for it The sense of this love makes them say Oh when will he come that I may see him with these eyes They fear not for why should they the terrour of this day 4. Because the Lord hath given unto them the first-fruits of Glory and of that day of Glory hence they look and wait for it You know the first fruits were part of the whole vintage hence they gave thanks for all because they then looked for all Exod. 23. Rom. 8. 23. We having the first-fruits of the Spirit wait for the 〈◊〉 That look as 't is with the wicked that have rejected Christ and counted his Blood â— common thing and done despite to Gods Spirit there remains nothing 〈…〉 for of vengeance so here è contra Rom. 5. 1 2 3 4 5. Being 〈◊〉 by Faith now 1. Peace with God 2. Accesse by Christ to God 3. Standing in that Grace 4. Shedding of love hence not only hope but Glory in hope of the Glory of God There is none espoused to Christ but tast this love feel the warmth of his fellowship feel the abundance of his love but 't is but in a little measure in the first-fruits hence they look for and expect the rest at his coming They are somtime full of fears what if shut out at last But when they feel the first-fruits of Glory at that day now they verily look for his coming Christ dies we know but it was not possible for him to be held long and hence rose again and then looked for Glory and then was taken up to Glory So here the Saints lie dead in the grave of sins and fears but it s not possible for them ever to be held here hence when risen with Christ they look upon things above and are waiting for Glory and at last are taken to Glory with himself That look as Iacob Gen. 49. 18. said My soul waiteth for thy salvation when the stakes and pins of this fleshly Tabernacle are loosing and so the Lord is loosing him from the excellency of this world though he minds other things yet he recalls himself My soul waiteth for thy salvation Oh Lord. SECT III. HEnce let all flesh take notice that there is such a time and day and coming of the Lord Jesus This was the Apostles Argument to prove a resurrection Christ is risen and to prove this and so the resurrection from the dead at Christs coming else is your Faith vain i. e. Expectation of him vain 1 Cor. 15. 14 17. Men think it easie to believe a resurrection and a second coming of Christ for that end but an hoverly sleight work is quickly done and an hoverly Faith is quickly wrought But when a man comes to look considerately Is there such a day indeed Is there one now in the third Heavens that will fire this whole world and gather his Saints to his Glory Now it s very hard It s usual with Satan to pierce with extremities that when they do begin indeed to close with Christ and receive comfort from him to smite them with thoughts Is there a Christ and is there such a time of coming Now of all the Arguments to convince and perswade me-thinks none like this viz. That there be a Generation of men in the world that verily look for this day and see it and have the first-fruits and beginnings of it already in their souls A number of people that once never minded it heard of it but looked not for it now to see it flesh and blood could not Satan would not reveal it hence God that cannot lie hath shewn it unto them so as they are in a manner eye-witnesses of it Men will believe eye-witnesses of any thing especially if many Such are the espoused of the Lord in all ages The things which we have heard and seen we speak But may they not be deceived and conceit that which is not True but Divine revelation of any Truth that cannot deceive for that is no fancy of the head nor delusion of Satan Now this is a secret the Spirit makes known 1. In that it fils the mind and feeds the heart with it that it carries unto God with wonderment of blessing him that ever he saw this Fancies cannot feed especially in greatest agonies Now they chuse misery on this ground rather than present peace here Heb. 11. 35. Not accepting deliverance 2. In that it works effects crosse to Nature nay to all a mans lusts in them Noah foresaw a Flood nigh but he might be deceived No 't is said he feared kept close to God and it came so here 3. This Light whereby they see it is not only sweet and Glorious and cross to heart and lusts but its sudden that as with Paul when going to persecute suddenly there fell a great Light and so he saw Christ. So when a man goes on in his sin and suddenly the Lord reveals this and that by a word else 't is a deceit which all Angels could not do before so as to see it and that none can reveal it as he sees it especially to bring this light out of darknesse this must be miraculous power and no dream But what do I speak of seeing they feel the beginnings of it in the first-fruits of it For two great things shall be at that day First Then all the Elect shall have their fill of love Secondly Triumph in Christ when in the clouds with him Have they not the first here Rom. 5. 5. The feeling of which love cannot be a Fancy foâ— it cannot conceive of it nor hold it This is an infinite love and that in the midst of the sence of sin and death That many times they are even fain to say Lord hold 2. Triumph Rom. 5. 3. and that in afflictions which make them by experience so to feel God in parâ— that they triumph for time to come 'T is â—rue at times they look down the Tower and so tremble but while they look up here then they triumph having accesse to the Grace wherein they stand So then look for it there shall be such a day and such a coming of Christ Rev. 1. 7. The Father hath exalâ—ed the Son to inesfable Glory But Lord Who sees him as these in his Glory or to come forth out of his Glory 'T is but Table-talk But behold he comes and every eye shall see him The Lord pities you and holds out bowels of love and Faith Oh receive me Oh cast away those bloody kniveâ— that have pierced me and sends his good
Spirit like his hand to draw you But Oh do you not kick his bowels do you not pierce his hands and feet daily And when you have done no tears But he cometh and you that pierce him shall see him c. Consider of it therefore you that doubt of this you that think not of this and hence live and lie in your lusts and despise him Behold he cometh SECT IV. HEnce behold the happinesse of all them that be espoused to the Lord Jesus in that their hopes are laid up in another world at the day of the coming of the Lord Jesus 1 Cor. 15. 19. If we had hope only in this life we were of all men most miserable Because none so foolish or so sensible of misery as they but our hopes stretch to another life to the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. Suppose a man had all the Crowns of the world cast at his feet but at last to be dragged before the judgment-seat of Christ and there to stand quaking What should he be the better What though Saints have all the miseries in this world but at last with these eyes they shall see the Lord and stand triumphing before him and have a real sight and certain expectation of this What people in the world so great as these What do they wait and expect for Great things which may astonish the whole Creation 1. They look for him to change their vile bodies that this their Husband at the marriage day should take away these rags make them like unto his Glorious body brighter than the Sun so that burn them cut them to peices as some by the Indians have been Lord help they see Christ loves both and hence holds sword and soul in one hand and scabberd in another c. 2. They expect he should take away all their sins and make them like unto himself engrave on their souls perfectly his own Image that their enemies they feel now they look they shall never see them more 1 Iohn 3. 2. And as no evil like it no mercy like this and no evil to Saints like this that yet they should grieve the heart of such a Husband 3. They look he should take away all sorrows and tears from them for this the Lord promiseth and begins to execute now but it shall be perfected then Isa. 25. 8 9. And hence called the times of refreshing Acts 3. 19 20. 'T is true the Spouse and Church is now sorrowful to the very heart many times but there is a time coming that they shall never sorrow more 4. They look he should take away all shame from them For no people in the world loaden with more calumnies and reproaches by the wicked and by hypocrites and hard speeches from the Godly and they doubt whether they be Sons or no. Now then the whole world shall see they are Sons and shall stand amazed at them and shall not doubt of it nor themselves foâ— the Lord shall proclaim it and they shall hear these are my Jewels And this they look for 1 Iohn 3. 1 2. 5. They then look for recompence to all their labour of love to him and his Hence 1 Cor. 15. 58. Knowing your labour is not in vain in the Lord. Hence the Apostle oft defers men for that recompence till now The Lord shew mercy to the House of Onesephorus in that day 2 Tim. 1. 18. So that some Hereticks have thought souls sleep till then They may pray and no answer seek to do good and do none Oh but the Lord will recompence then abundantly 6. They look then to be ever with the Lord 1 Thes. 4. 17. Never to be parted from him never to live without him nay never to go away from under his wing out of his bleeding bosom of love and endlesse and unspeakable compassions any more And being with him to see his Glory and never see the depth of it and to have the Lord to serve them Luke 12. 37 38. and giving whatever they call for and all this when thousand thousands shall at this time be crying for a drop of water and cannot get it Now all this they look for and more too Which is 1. Certain For hope maketh not ashamed 2. Which fills their hearts with Glory and unspeakable Glory too for it makes it so clear and certain that they have it all already for though absent hope makes it as present Rom. 8. 24. He doth not say we shall be but we are saved by hope Faith takes hold on the beginning hope on the end Oh the heavy wrath of God upon a world of poor blind ignorant men that have no hope no hope of Christ no hope of Glory unlesse a flattering dead hope What a sad thing is it to think of a number of men that are buried in the world and never to awaken until they see Christ in the clouds of Heaven coming to be revenged on them Oh me-thinks I see them falling down before the Judgment-feaâ— and crying out Oh that we had known of this day Oh alas that I had hope but not such an hope but am now deceived Oh 't is otherwise with Saints they shall find what they hoped for and infinitely more What hurt can any do them Let all the world come against them their husband will come and will kick them under his feet Let them load them with reproaches fill their hearts with sorrows and their eyes with tears their Lords coming will comfort them Let Satan tempt and a Father hide his face behold the Lord cometh that shall deliver and redeem them Oh see their blessednesse and let it draw you to make up the match with Christ that never did it yet He hath bin wooing of you longing for you and you wooing of him again Lord take me What hinders you then from striking the match and concluding it To give thy self this day to him and take him only rejoyce in him only when nothing thou dost can be so pleasing to him And now you may look and believe what one day you shall to your comfort feel And account your selves most wretched creatures until the Lord be pleased to espouse you to himself SECT V. OR hence learn what to judge of those that never look for the coming and company of the Lord Jesus but 't is with them as it was with the Israelites when Moses was gone into the Mount and stayed there long the people made their Calf and went to their feasting and rejoycing So the Lord Jesus being gone for the Spirit of life and to prepare a place of Glory it being now long since they make Idols of their Jewels and of their own excellencies and of whatsoever is glorious in their eyes in this world Or as Christ compares the secure world as it was in the daies of Noah so shall it be or as in the daies of Lot when they never knew nor look't for it though told of it so 't is with
in the glasse of the Gospel Rev. 22. 4. 2. The Lord makes many Promises of love unto his people which go to the very heart to chear them Hos. 2. 14. 3. The Lord conâ—ines not his love to looks and words though it 's wonderful to have the least of them but you may read his love in his works of love Now those works peculiar to them are first and chiefly the donation of Christ for a man in redemption to a man in vocation and then the peculiar fruits of this love exprest in peculiar operations upon the Soul and in the Soul which Gods truth in the New Covenant promiseth and Gods faithfulnesse executeth Ier. 31. 33. 32. 40. to take away the stony heart to write Laws in the heart to put fear into the heart these are the peculiar effects of this New Covenant and they are operations in a man which only the Elect feel and wonder at Grace for Ephes. 2. 4 5. According to his great love hath he quickened us together with him there is a kind of Resurrection of a mans soul when 't is brought home to Christ. And look as the bodies of the Saints shall be different at last day so when God raiseth their souls from the Dead here there is a difference now 2. In regard of the Death and Blood of the Lord Jesus which was shed not only that he might be a God unto them but that they might be a peculiar people unto him Tit. 2. 14. He gave himself for his people not only to justifie his people but also to cleanse his Church Ephes. 5. 26 27. for this hath been Gods great plot first to perfect his people in their Head and then lest there should be a golden head and feet and hands of iron and clay and because the Church is not found lovely therefore the Lord makes it lovely by little little here until it appear without spot or wrinkle at the last day Do you think Brethren that Christs Blood was shed to work no more in his people than in Hypocrites was it only shed to take away guilt of sin from Gods sight and then to let a man wallow in the sins of his own heart 'T is true there is a work of Sanctification which Hypocrites have which Christs Blood purchaseth for I beleeve all common mercy and patience comes by Christs Blood and so all common Gifts and Graces but yet Beloved there is a vast difference their wills were never changed though their minds were much enlightened hence they sinn'd wilfully The Lord never was dear to them hence secret despight grew up that at last they committed the impardonable sin Hos. 10. 26 29. 3. Because those Graces or Qualifications together with the Operations of them which are in the faithful are the same with Christs the same in kind and nature Ioh. 1. 16. From his fulnesse we have received Grace for Grace hence we are said to bear his Image and because it 's but little at first hence from Glory to Glory 2 Cor. 3. 18. Now the Lord Jesus had not only the Spirit which he had without measure but also he had many Divine qualities habits or Graces which it is blasphemy to think that they were hypocritical or common which the faithful receive from his fulnesse and wherein they are made in their measure like unto him so the Saints have not only the Spirit but also those peculiar operations of it wrought in them by the Spirit whereby they come to be made like unto the Lord Jesus Hence as there was an infinite distance between the Lord Jesus and the best Hypocrite so the likenesse that they have of the Lord Jesus makes a difference now And look as there is a difference between a Plant and a Beast a Beast and a Man so there is a glorious life which Saints have begun here in this life which none have but themselves 1 Pet. 5. 10. They have the First Fruits c. the which is meat and drink which no man knows of that lies in his hypocrisie and sins 4. If there should be no difference then these evils would follow 1. This laies a foundation of contempt of Grace and of the Beauty of Holinesse in the hearts and lives of Gods people for look as 't is in the work of the Son in Redemption if Christ should have dyed as much for Iudas as for Peter and suspended the act of Faith to apply this on the Free will of either then Iudas had as much cause to thank Christ for his kindnesse as Peter and Peter had no more cause of blessing Christ for his love in redeeming him than Iudas and what cold praises will he then give him So if the Spirit of Christ should sanctifie or call a Saint no more than an Hypocrite then the one hath no more cause to be thankful for the work of the Spirit than the other and when a man comes to look upon the work of the Spirit and the Graces of it there is cold water cast upon those this is no more than what a Hypocrite hath Christ hath not only redeemed by price but also by power from the power of Satan Sin Darknesse Delusion and not to be thankful for this is not to be thankful for the Redemption of Christ Thou shalt never have it then that dost despise the Spirit of Grace whereby thou art but commonly sanctified 2. Because this abolisheth the use of all conditional Promises made in the word for you know they are made to some qualification or work of the Spirit in a man some to Mourning Poverty Faith Hunger Lostnesse c. now if there should be no difference between seeming works in Hypocrites and these then 1. the truth of the Promises is destroyed for the Lord saith They that hunger shall be satisfied I 'le answer Hypocrites may hunger and yet not be satisfied 2. The use of these Promises should be lost for why should a man then cast his Soul upon Gods faithfulnesse in the Promise when 't is but common love to him and Hypocrites If it be replyed the one hath Christ the other nor I answer 't is very true but then I ask Who is he a Christ to it must needs be to a particular People described in the Word by their peculiar qualities flowing from their forms and subjects by which they are known and now consider Rev. 22. 19. Is God a God of the dead and not of the living only 3. Because this makes the most holy men that ever lived deceivers of themselves and others only look upon Iohn Christs beloved Disciple and bosome-companion he had received the anointing to know him that is true and he knew he knew him 1 John 2. 3. But how did he know that he might be deceived as 't is strange to see what a melancholly fancy will do and the effects of it as honest men are reputed to have weak brains and never saw the depths of the secrets of God
What 's his last proof because we keep his Commandments i. e. we have them writ in our hearts and keep them though we cannot fulfil them it makes us every way more holy Christ doth not keep them only but we through his Grace keep them thus he proves it by a work in him Now thus I reply if all works in the souls of Saints be common to Hypocrites then Iohn went upon false grounds deceived himself and all that heard him and all the Churches that ever were to this day SECT III. TO the Papists who in their writings seek to shame the Churches of Christ saying that they deny all Inherent Righteousnesse or Graces making a man just by the righteousnesse of Christ and in the mean while to remain like a Carkase or Ghost or a painted Sepulchre full of rottennesse within Three or four of these Archers that have shot these arrows I have met with whereby they wound the heart of Profession and keep the people in professed enmity and opposition against the waies of Gods Grace Now we do not only deny this but we professe that the Lord doth not only out of the riches of his Grace accept us in Christ but out of the same love sends down the Spirit of Grace not only to make us civil and moral or hypocritical but that the Lord works thereby such a change as is not to be found in the most refined Hypocrites breathing And we professe though our Justification doth not consist in this yet who-ever hath not this is not justified what-ever he may imagine in the sight of God And the Lord grant the Churches of the Lord Jesus may never open the mouths of those Blasphemers of his Name in denying all righteousnesse in our selves at all Deny it to justifie deny it not altogether Of an old Arâ—inian error for they hold and maintain an Inherent Righteousnesse but that there is no difference between the Graces of Beleevers and Hypocrites only in their continuance and that is by chance too and doubtful viz. if they hold on and for this purpose cite many Scriptures three especially that of Ezek. 18. 24. If the righteous man forsake c. which is spoken of rotten Pharisaical Hypocrites falling far short of what the Saints have And the Parable of the Seed Mat. 13. They all sprang up where 't is manifest the soyl was naught out of which they that fell away did grow And Heb. 10. 29. Blood wherewith they were sanctified which is meant of such as had some inward enlightning and lasting and external profession really not in appearance only in them yet not any saving and effectual work but thus by making Grace common they make it vile and under a colour of making all men watchful they destroy all Faith in Gods faithfulnesse and Promise especially until a man come to die Divines have many strong arguments against them and shew however there may be decaies and relapses and winter-seasons of the Saints yet ever there remains in them the Seed of God 1 Iohn 3. 9. Iohn 4. 14. The main ground of this their conceit hath been double 1. False observation in beholding many fall off that were not Stars but Snuffs glorious Professors for a time and lest they should be mad without reason herein they search the Scriptures and in four thousand years find but four or five that fell away David Solomon Hymeneus Alexander and Dâ—mas none of which if examined will serve their turn 2. A great mistake of the work of Grace together with their own experience for they conceiving Grace to be but a mean thing and not understanding it because they never felt it in themselves hence make no difference between one man and another and hence maintain apostacy from Grace I hope I need not stir you up to abhor this conceit considering what hath been said I grant indeed a man may fall away from Grace considering Grace without Christ to keep it But yet 't is in it self such a living Fountain as in it self doth not perish though it may and in respect of Christ it cannot Obj. Did not Adam fall from all his Grace Answ. Yes because he had neither the Covenant of Grace nor the Spirit of Grace nor power of Grace to support and keep him but its Gods covenant now to write his Law to ut his fear in the heart never to depart and to give the Spirit of Christ who is now risen from the dead Because I live you shall live also Iohn 14. 19. And power to keep us 1 Pet. 1. 5. So that though 't is Christ that keeps a man from falling yet the truth is he that doth fall from Grace as though it was a common fading thing or doth fall from Christ he never had Christ at all John 4. 14. The water that I shall give shall be a Spring of living water not of dead Graces yet quickned by the Spirit and helped continually And it s kept till life of Glory comes where 't is swallowed up in the Ocean of persection Hence we see the difference between the Graces of Hypocrites and Saints doth not only lie in the efficient cause viz. the Spirit of Christ barely considered in it self for then there should be no difference at all for there are not two Spirits and the same Spirit that works in the Faithful the same Spirit is in the unfaithful to work many strange works in them 1 Cor. 12. 3 4. Neither doth supernatural power of the Spirit distinguish I mean that which is above the strength of nature not that which is above the use of nature for nature crooks all Gods works to it self for the gifts of Prophecy and common joy are above the strength of meer nature but the difference lies in the work it self As 't is in creation the least speer of grasse hath the same power to make it that made Heaven and Angels Is there no difference then Yes it lies in the very work or effect of that power And as 't is in a Cedar and a Fly there â—â— more excellency in the former in some respects but the latter hath another life which the other hath not So the meanest Believer is better than the most glorious Hypocrite And look as it was with Saul when he was anointed King there was a new Spirit came upon him the Spirit of a King which common Subjects had not so when God makes us Kings and Priests unto Christ there comes another Spirit upon us which common men have not I know there is the Spirit it self in the Saints as 't is not in other men But how is it there I know 't is there by Faith but not only by this but by certain peculiar effects which are not in other men As 't is with the soul 't is in the body hence works a life which is not in any bruit creature so 't is here And hence 't is said The world cannot receive it Iohn 14. 17. Mal. 3.
long fasting till the time of extremity comes and then he pours waters on the thirsty Hence better for those never to have known 2 Pet. 2 21. and an hypocrites last end is to satisfie himself hence he hath enough a Saints is to satisfie Christ hence he never hath enough 5. Those that do neglect the Lord under this colour of receiving Christ they can do nothing themselves and Christ must do all and hence neglect the Lord secretly and sometimes quarrel with the Ministry privately when pressed to a duty or to beleeve Alas what can a man do when all the Ministers in the world have preached their hearts out at last they must bring us to Christ what else should the Apostle mean Rom. 4 5. Not to him that worketh but beleeveth is faith accounted for righteousness I must not live I must let Christ live c. And hence say they the cause of perishing is not mens wills but Gods he elects not he gives no heart such hypocrites the Lord prophesies of Mat. 7. 21. Many that say to me Lord Lord i. that advance the Lord Jesus and live in neglect of all duties and bring the Lord of glory not from his Throne in Heaven to Hell but which is worse debase him from his glory to sin to be the cover of sin and protector of it Beloved I know no surer sign of a vessel that God intends to break in peeces then this to live in this neglect 2 Tim. 2 20. Nay 't is an evidence there is no hope no living hope 1 Iohn 3. 3. He that hath this hope purgeth himself as Christ is pure Many it seems boasted of hope in Christ so do Saints but he gives this Note He purgeth himself he will not sluggishly put all on Christ. T is true 't is the mighty working of Christ that must conquer thy lusts but must this put you to neglect striving Col. 1. 29. I strive according to the working And for mine own part though I le not dispute the point at large I beleeve there is a constant assistance of the mighty power of the Lord Jesus in the souls of all the Saints 1 Pet. 1. 5. And hence 1 Iohn 4. Greater is he that is in you then in the world The Saints as they receive the Lord Jesus to rule them that he alone may be Lord and King not only in heaven but in their heâ—rts So a false hearâ— receives Christ lastly for to ease him Sometime for to ease him of the burden of Conscience sometime to ease him of the Lords work the burthen of his will and hence some at last have complained though hardly convinced of it that they could be contented the Lord should act them but their end was that hereby they might be rid of their burden and so eased by him I have heard a Question should be askt What is the difference between the workings of Gods Spirit and the Saints And that the Answer was 1. The one is by graces the other immediatly 2. The Spirits is when a man labours least quite cross to the stream of truth Take heed how you understand these points aright the depth of the most hellish villany in the world lies unâ—er them Wo to thee that canst paint such a Christ in thy head and receive such a Christ into thy heart as must be a pander to your sloth the Lord will revenge this wrong done to his glory with greater sorrows then ever any felt To make Christ not only meat and drink to feed but cloaths to cover your sloth Why what can we doe what can we doe Why as the first Adam conveies not only guilt but power So the second conveys both righteousness and strength as Christ is now triumphing by his eternal Spirit and his life is heavenly so if you be in Christ there is a Spirit of Christ whereby a never dying life is begot that can and doth conquer though it be but a spark Christ maintaining it it shall come to victory You are forsaken of Christ if you want this or else take heed this colour make you not forsake him 6. Those that neglect the means and yet look for the end in hope of future time and so neglect the present season Thus 't is with many a one the day of life and health and day of Ordinances continues and hence the sluggard cryes Prov. 24. 33. Yet a little more slumber i. I le have but a little while longer c. Hence when Conscience checks Ministers warn the Lord wooes the Spirit cries a man puts off all with this I hope it will be better And hence it falls out with them as with those Matth. 24 The Lord comes in a time they look not for him and of this many on their deathbeds have cryed out Think of this you convicted persons that know its miserable with you before God stop your breath you have nothing to plead for your neglect but hope of time Know it Gods present seasons are golden one moment worth eternity and now is the time if you neglect his season he will not regard yours God is never found in your time but in his time Oh lay these things to heart especially you that are grown weary of means that faint in your way God is not yet weary of continuing means art thou weary of gaining by means Oh consider this you that have had many hopes desires purposes but all blasted your time and means neglected Think on this you that have had marvellous affections but your spirits are gone Nothing can make you mend your pace not all Ministry and Word but you are clog'd with means Remember that Isai. 65. 8 9 10 11 12 13 14. For my people that have sought me c. SECT V. TO all those that do effectually seek the Lord in the use of means And for discovery thereof Consider 1. If ever the Lord gave you a hearâ— effectually to seek him in means you will finde mighty opposition temptations springing up one after another c. from within from without and the oppositions will make you seek him the more Hence Rom. 13. 11 12. he bids us put off the works of darkness and put on the armour of light When man desires and lies in his sloth he meets with little opposition or trouble of his own heart but here 't is otherwise therefore put on armour And I say the soul is made hereby to seek the Lord the more as the blinde man Mark 10. 48. Redeem the time because the days are evill As 't is with Mariners they will not only use fair but side and almost contrary winds to come neer the shore they are bound for let the Lord give any grace oh more of that mercy as Moses Deut. 3. 24. Let the Lord deny yet the soul cries the more let agonies come Christ prays the more let the will oppose he will yeeld himself to the Lord to cross his own will and deny himself peâ—ce makes him love and
those lusts are seated It hath been a Question What a mans raigning master sin is and many discoveries have been made of particular sins as that which riseth and awakeneth first in the morning with us that which rides and labours a man upon the Sabbath day when the Lord or sin must ride in triumph yet that is the misery of a carnal heart that when he gives his beasts rest yet such is sins tyranny he being sins beast that he shall then have no rest Now if their meaning be that some particular sin may be a raigning sin or a mans personal reigning sin then 't is true Iudas loves his bag best and Achitophel and Hâ—mâ—n his honour most and 〈◊〉 his whore most But if they mean a mans natural reigning 〈◊〉 the reigning sin then 't is not any particular sin so much as this For no sin is able to reign over any man but by commission and power from this As the Weeds can never grow â—all but by vertue of their soil where they grow Mat. 15. 19. All the boughs flourish by vertue of the root whence they grow And hence we shall see let Satan sow his seeds of pride or lust or passion in a man whose nature is changed its impossible they should come to any perfection there bâ—â—â—â—ey will die away within a time because the heart of the soil is gone and power of sin removed and hence also it comes to pass that a mans master sin may be changed Those sins that are his master-sins in his youth are not in his old age those that are at one time in one place are not in another Now there could never be such change of Governours and Vice-roys unless there were some great King that sets up one and pulls down another satis pro imperio This is therefore the raigning sin which hath taken possession of every part which hath its hand in every act which pulls down one sin and sets up another under it which gives strength to every sin that hath any which fights it out till the last This is I say the reigning sin hence think not that then the reigning sin is down when your personal sins are destroyed though it be with a most sudden and fearful destruction III. That when the Spirit of God humbles the soul indeed he strikes the head and wounds the â—eart of this sin he doth not only cut off some limbs of it not only binde it but slay it of its life and power That as 't is with some men they may have many pains gripes diseases yet live and recover again but the pangs are not so strong as to separate soul and body for then the man is gone So a carnal heart he may be troubled and have many gripes of Conscience and apply the promise Come to me you that be weary and so he may finde rest and as he recovers his peace his sin recovers its strength but when the pangs are so strong as to separate body and soul sin of nature which hath lived there now the man dies now the soul falls down indeed Now this effectual humiliation carries the soul unto Christ and hence Acts 26. 18. turned from the power of Satan to God Col. 1. 13. He hath delivered us from the power of darkness And hence Gal. 5. 24. They that be in Christ have crâ—eified the flesh as well as the affections and lâ—sts For if the Lord should only humble a man for the sins of a wicked life and some wants in the heart the Lord should only bruise Satans heel but never strike his head the Lord should slay the Aâ—alâ—kites but spare the Agag 't is true the Lord usually at first conversion sets one sin upon the soul that brings to minde many other and the Lord humbles for them and here the soul is apt to rest as many do but when the Lord comes indeed to work he cuts thus deep as now I speak 1 Cor. â—5 'T is said The Lord must reign till all his â—nemies are put under his 〈◊〉 Look therefore as this sin is the greatest enemy Christ hath so if he reigns in heaven he will be sure above all other sins to strike the head of this and disthrone this and wâ— shall find that there may be deep terrors upon the false hearted Virgins but they only assault the soul So on Saints but Christ then strikes at the sin and saves the soul Isai. 57. 16 17. And this I add there may be a great power of Christ put forth to humble the soul but mens hearts resist this and even Pharaoh was humbled but it s never saving unless it strike the very power and throne of sin and so this sin and now the soul is humbled indeed IV. That no unregenerate man ever had such a measure of humiliation as ascended to and ended in this though he may have all that Humiliation which is precedent unto this As 1. The Lord may arm first some few and then many of the sins of their lives upon them so as they may feel the most intollerable burthen of them not only to stand convinced they are most grievous sinners but to shed many tears nay to be sore troubled and distressed oh the heavy wrath that lies upon my soul Thus Saul 1 Sam. 28. 15. And hence many make heavy complaints oh the Lord hears me not Send for Moses saith Pharaoh My sin is grâ—â—â—er than I can â—ear saith Cain Nay not only so but they may feel more terrors â—han many of the Saints as the damned now for the Lord lays this burthen upon his peoples backs in measure but the Lord empties out the whole sack upon them and the ground of this is but the sting of sin or the gnawings of particular sins in the Conscience not the burthen of the sin of nature as yet 2. You will say these fell from God never looked to Christ not left their sin but I have done so I have seen the mercy of God in the Gospel the Lord Jesus hath been revealed there and I have seen sin I must part with my sin if ever I have him and so I have And this you may have you may see an excellency in Christ and be so affected with hope of his mercy and melt at the thoughts of his Love as to cast off all outward evils that thou hast or the world lives in 2 Peâ— 2. 20. So that thou maist escape these by coming to him to remove them and by seeing that else thou shalt have none of him and hence hated thou maist be of the world The reason is Christ hath only washed thy skin but never changed thy nature as yet so that you may thank God my Conscience is clear 3. You may have not only outward acts but for a time inward lusts quenched that a man hath no mind nor heart to any sinful way nor to the dearest sins he hath lived in whilst horrour lies upon him As in Iudas when God did heaâ— his
like to do so I shall sin the more by this means No the command of the Gospel comes oh come notwithstanding all this nay because of this for I will heal you of them Now this call hath two things in it 1. 'T is particular for general invitations to beleeve and come in are made particular to the Elect who else would not come in And hence Iâ—ai 43. 1. I have 〈◊〉 thee by namâ— For we shall finde that the hearts of men when they see a promise cannot think it concerns them all that hunger shall be satisfied but shall I And hence shew them 't is as particular as the Law they cannot think it is to them and hence they say sometime the word All is not put in Now that is the mighty power of unbelief a word spoken to all is regarded by none till the Lord make it particular and hence Isai. 2. Christ is said to judge the Nations now when Judges ride their Circuits they do not make Laws but only apply Laws One man is brought before them to be condemned he hopes 〈◊〉 but he is so now he trembles Another to be acquitted â—e 〈◊〉 being 〈◊〉 accused he is freed and now he rejoyceth 2. 'T is a living call or powerful call Iohn 5. 25. And hence a man may live under the calls of the Minister long and never come because 't is not made living from the Lord of life and â—ence noâ— irresistâ—ble 4. Upon this call the whole soul comes out of it self to Christ for if a man could climbe the clouds and unlock the doors of heaven and come Elias like in his body to Christ he might miss of Christ as well as those that came and followed Christ for a time with their bodies while he lived on the earth a man may come to Christ with half his soul or heart there may be some hope and some dâ—â—â—res some love and some cleaving to him and choice of him really inwardly and yet not savingly because the whole soul is noâ— here come but half of it Iames 1. 7 8. Now the whole soul then comes when all the affections and will take their flight to the Lord and fasten there When all the affections are gathered from all other things and changed and so they come to and embrâ—ce the Lord so that hope waitâ— only here when will the Lord pitty me Desires that were set on a thousand things before all long after him love only tasteâ—h him the Lord letting in some sight of the freeness of mercy hope looks out hither the Lord shewing the want but the way to it desire breaks down stone-walls and all means and the difficulty of them to have him The Lord letting the soul tast the sweetness of Jesus and his grace the soul joys and love imbraceth and the will fosters a carnal heart desires loves joyes in other things and the Lord also and so hath a false heart But the whole heart comes hither and when 't is here thinks one heart too little nay one life one soul and when any part of the affections are leâ—t any where else then the soul mourns hates that bondage is ashamed of it c. So that the stream of the whole soul runs now hither Psal. 119. 2. Ier. 3. 10. Psal. 45. 10. So 't is with the soul as with them when they were to come out of Egypâ— they would not leave childe nor hoof behinde lest there should be any occasion of return it is with the soul departed from the body it only minds the Lord it hath taken leave of all so by Faith the whole soul leaves all and comes to the Lord otherwise the soul is not come to Christ but reacheth after Christ like men that waded after the Ark but perished in the waters Their arms are not long enough their desires and love are not long enough to reach Christ the 〈◊〉 and stream of the soul is set and runs here T is with the soul as 't is with two Rivers both run with all their strength to the Sea but the great River is bigger and runs faster yet the others stream is wholly carried thither So some men may be more full of Faith then others yet both run to the Sea and as Rivers they run in their Circles this way and that way and are sometimes dammed up yeâ— end there So the souls of all Saints run to this and the other creature yet they end in the Lord at last As Peter and Iohn that ran to the Sâ—pulchre though one out-ran the other yet they came both to the Lord at last when both of them had for a time forsook him though all the world draw the soul back it cannot live without the Lord nay though the Lord beat away the soul from him yet it follows after him 5. 'T is to the Lord for himself for Iohn 6. some came to Christ for loaves and could have been glad if Christ had been King for it but did not care for himself And hence vers 27. he points and turns them to himself some came to him for higher ends therefore were his Disciples that is for life from him But when he told them There is no life unless you have the Son And eat and drink his flesh and blood or else you die it was a hard saying they could not understand nor see what that meant and hence forsook him but when they come and receive him himself now life is indeed theirs So that its Christs person that this Faith first pitcheth on as 't is in Marriage and those that come for this were never sent away Now the soul is truly come to him for himself 1. When himself gives rest to the soul in the want of all things 〈◊〉 4. 3. If friends protection strength life glory be wanting yet having him in him I have all these when all is sold away not the treasure only but the Field contents him For it looks on this as better then heaven then glory it comforts the soul that the Lord himself should be mine 2. The soul that taketh him 't is not only to make boast of him as 〈◊〉 had him nor to cover sloth and sin and delusion by him I have Christ and I have no more to care for c. but to live on him Iohn 6. 57. He that eaâ—eth me shall live by me Phil. 3. 9 10. A man takes not Christ as Medicine to ease him nor as stately hangingâ— to adom him but as bread to receive life from him For many receive Christ 〈◊〉 they do upon him and rest they say in him but they do not suck any good from him nay before they had any Christ or assurance of him they were better than now You have nothing to do with the Lord Jesus you are our of your place As in Iâ—â—hams parâ—ble the Olive and Vine would not be pulled out of their places to be set on the topâ— of other trees as Kings lest they lose their farness and sweetness
So since you have closed with Christ you have lost your faâ—ness and sweetness that once you had you are now out of your place go to your horrors and sorrows again till the Lord so give himself to you as that you may receive life from him But must all come thus to Christ with their whole soul will not part of the price serve No the whole soul must come and cannot but come 1. In regard of the Jealousie of God who is like a jealous Husband can bear with many weaknesses but will have the whole heart and they that do not shall be destroyed for spiritual Whoredom Psal. 73. 27. He should dishonour Christ else to sell him so cheap 2. In regard of the excellency of Christ The Lord draws the soul by the revelation of him Rom. 1. 16 17. Isa. 55. 3 4. Now look as men in this world when they see a seeming good their whole soul is over-powered to be drawn after it So here when such an Object is seen especially the Soul having been at his Sepulcher weeping as Iron never stirs till the Loadstone comes and then it makes to that only not to things toucht with it For as we love him because he loved us first so Christ loving the soul with all his heart and his whole heart set upon him the whole soul is â— contra set on Christ. 3. In regard else a man can receive nothing from the Lord Ier. 29. 12 13. As 't is with Conduit-Pipes let them be laid but not reach the Conduit head no water can come to that Family so here And this is the reason why men live and pray and receive nothing their hearts reach not hither Mens hearts reach but half way to Christ Tell me else did you ever not receive 4. Because else 't is indeed no coming to him but a leaning on him or toward him So as 't is with trees if not cut off quite or not pulled up quite by the roots they cannot be set in another Orchard if the tree be left with never so little twigs in the ground so here Nay the Lord accounts this worse than if a man had not come at all Ier. 3. 10. The Lord abhors a double heart that Iudas like forsakes all for the Lord but then loves the Lord and the Bag too You are not the Lords As it was with that man that quarrelled about the tree it leaned over the Pales but the root being found to be there his it was So though he lean on Christ he is none of his But do all Saints come to this measure Ponder these grounds else Object But are not our hearts partly carnal and so close with the Creature Answ. True but yet 1. So far as 't is carnal 't is lamented heavily so that they grow not there but are dying withering dayly Ier. 31. 18 19. When a mans affections grow out of the world and there is no fear nor sorrow in this respect now no Christ is there 2. The Bent and Byas of the Soul carries the whole Soul hither For I would not judge of this so much by sudden paâ—gs as by an inward bent for the whole Soul in affectionate expressions and actions may be carried unto Christ but being without this bent and change of affections it 's unsound As in Gideon they would on a hurry make him King He would not He knew it was a sudden pang which would die And the reason is the true turn of the whole Soul is not by turning old affections upon another Object but changing them first by this bent and so turning them For a carnal heart may have the first as the same eye may see the Sun and a Dunghill and the eye not changed So here Now when the whole Soul is set here it is never at rest till here But may not Hypocrites come to this 1. Then they may be blessed Psal. 119. 2. 2. Then they shall never be cast off from Christ Iohn 6. 37. 3. Then they may partake of that which the Lord only looks for For why is the Lord angry The heart is gone from him Why is the Ministry ordained but to win the whole heart to him Iohn 3. 19 20 21. Oh therefore consider whether it hath been thus with you or no! If not wo to you Oh be very careful here 'T is a thousand to one if some part of your heart be not fixt elsewhere If Christ were at Judgment and should say Come ye Blessed How glad would ye be Oh he saith now Come and take my self SECT IV. IV. Fulness of the Spirit it self in the room of Satan I Shall not speak here either concerning that fulness of the Spirit in extraordinary gifts spoken of frequently in the Acts nor yet of that Fulness of the Spirit which some Christians that the Lord sets apart to do and suffer more for him shall receive more than others For Iohn 14. 17. the Disciples had the Spirit and yet Christ promiseth to send them the Spirit And Stephen was a man full of Faith and the Holy Ghost Acts 6. 8. And Barnabas Acts 11. 14. was a good man full of Faith and the Holy Ghost But I shall speak of that Spirit which is in every Believer without which we are not Christs Rom. 8. 9. And this is that Spirit which is opposite to the evil Spirit the Prince of darkness which possesseth with craft and power all the souls of the sons of men who doth not only encamp about men 1 Pet. 5. 7 8. Nor only work within them Eph. 1. 2 3. but he inhabiteth and dwelleth in men He doth not only take men captive 2 Tim. 2. 26. but he dwells in and possesseth the souls of his Captives Luke 11. 21. And though he doth depart for a time yet v. 26. They return and dwell there Now in the room of this comeâ— Gods Spirit who v. 22. is said to be stronger than Satan which cannot be meant but of Christs Spirit That as 't is with a man whose heart is turned from the Lord he is not left only to be carried by the power of his sin but by the power of Satan also So when the whole soul is turned unto him the Lord leaves not the soul to be carried along by the power of his own Grace or Faith but the Spirit it self fills and acts that soul. And as the soul was carried by the mighty power of Satan before 't is now carried by the Almighty power of the Spirit it self Hence 1 Pet. 1. 5. Kept by the mighty power of God through Faith And hence Acts 26. 18. Turned from the power of Satan not to duties but to God himself i. e. the Spirit of God and so to close with him What is this Spirit which the Saints have I shall express my self in these three Conclusions 1. That if Adam had stood he and all his posterity should have had that poweâ— and presence and constant assiâ—tance
of the Spirit of God as that they should never have fallen nor have been able to fall in respect of the assistance of the Spirit He should have been green all the year long his Blossom should not have been blasted his fruit should never have withered And the ground is the Rule of Justice for if he falling all his posterity are forsaken of God and under the reign of sin and death and Satan Rom. 5. 18 21. Then he standing all his posterity should have had the everlasting presence of God and should have bin under the reign of the Spirit of Grace life Thus also the Covenant ran do and live 2. That the Lord Jesus the second Adam standing and rising in the room of all his people hence he doth convey and propâ—gate to all his posterity the immutable and constant assistance and presence of his Spirit whereby being once begotten of him called to him they never afterward depart from him And though weak in themselves yet assisted by this Spirit do not cannot depart wickedly again The Lord Jesus having stood they cannot fall because by vertue of his standing they have this presence of the Holy Ghost Iohn 14. 19. Because I live you shall live also John 6. 57. As the living Father sent me and I live by him c. Christ standing next to the Father lives by him we standing next to Christ live as infallibly by him And I say the ground is Christs standing For though there be many reasons why the Saints can never fall from Christ as the Spirit of Grace Covenant of Grace Intercession of Christ yet the main ground is Christs standing without the least fall from the fulfilling of the first Covenant which we having the first moment of believing kept in Christ hence the Spirit is given and the Covenant of Grace of strength And hence Rom. 5. 21. v. 17 18. And hence the Spirit is said to dwell in Believers Rom. 8. 11. And we are the Temples of the Spirit whether he dwell in them in his person personally the well is here deep but he dwells in theâ— so as he never ceaseth assisting of them so that they cannot depart from the Lord again hence Isa. 59. 21. My Spirit shall not depart from thy Seed Iohn 14. 'T is called the Spirit that abides for ever It knits the soul to the Lord and keeps it so for ever Never suffers that love-knot to be untied again When the soul is weak the Spirit helps him when careless of it self the Spirit keeps him though the soul offers to run from the Lord yet this Spirit follows him though he grieves the Spirit yet this Spirit still keeps his own house will not depart from him and so not suffer the soul to depart from the Lord. And this is the reason why the Saints never fall from the Lord though they have weak Grace poor beginnings many sins and Adam stood noâ— though with the perfect Image of God upon him because he had not this Spirit yet given though he had the Spirit of God yet not this Spirit which some call the Spirit of Adoption given to him because he had not fulfilled the first Covenant which we in Christ have which is not only the ground of our never falling but of assurance we shall never fall For what breaks a mans peace after Faith Apparition of sin in the Conscience What makes that terrible The Law Now when I see in Christ I have kept all things in the Law not only the cry and accusations of the Law and â—in are stilled but also there ariseth a holy boldness and confidence and joy even before the face of an angry God Eph. 3. 12. And as soul and body are ever knit so here c. 3. This Spirit thus assisting no unregenerate man ever hath I speak not now of keeping the soul from falling from Grace but from Christ. 1. Because the Spirit of Satan fills them he is the strong man that keeps the Palace under whose Kingdom and power they are and therefore this Spirit which destroyes the Kingdom of Satan is not in them 2. Because this was a Preâ—ogative that Adam had not though he had great Gifts and Glory otherwise So this is not the Gift which is given unto them 3. Because this ariseth and therefore is given because Christ stood and therefore those he never stood for rose for suffered for never have it 4. Therefore we shall see in experience take the best Professors living though they may come as they and others judged to the Lord and follow the Lord yet they will in time depart somtime outwardly Iohn 6. 64. There be some of you that believe not See them v. 66. And why did thâ—y depart It was not given them of the Faâ—her The Spirit never was given effectually to draw them nor yet to keep them Iâ— not outwardly at leâ—â—t inwardly and hence Hypocrites though they have marvellous affections unto Christ and so have spoke of him and commended him and seemed to be carried above all creatures and duties toward him yet himself and his mercy and his blood becomes a common thing to them and his knowledge and promise common and hence they slight and loath him and mourn not for it and so are so far from being kept close unto Christ as that they are nearer the unpardonable 〈◊〉 then him But all they have is like Ioâ—ahs gourd which suddenly riseth but there is a Worm at the root that pulls it down again And so their love dies to Ministers that Christ sent and to his Truth and Ordinances But if the Spirit doth thus Who then shall be saved for who is there that departs not When I say the Spirit doth so assist the faithful as that they never depart The meaning is not as though the soul should now never fall into any more sin or unbelief for what do the Saints more complain of then their backslidings Isa. 63. 17. Heb. 12. 1. Saints hearts are no sooner raised up but their weights grow heavy and press them down no sooner do they walk in the way but they begin to fall off But when I say so I say three things 1. Their whole heart never departs 2. They do not depart for ever 3. Though they do depart from the Lord yet the Spirit doth not depart from them as it is in common reason the same thing may go either in a straight or crooked line to the same point As a River may run in a straight or crooked line to the Sea So the Saints their springs their hearts being set a running after the Lord though they do not follow him in a straight line so as never to depart to the right hand or left yet they are so kept by the Spirit that they are continually making after him cleaving to him though with many crooked windings of their hearts this way and that way from the Lord. And therefore as it is in a wheel it
stands bent for such an end yet â—uns at one side but is turned by the skill of him that guides it into the way again and so let it run the mâ—n is with it So 't is here And because somthing is like this in Hypocâ—ites I shall endeavour to cut the thread I. Their whole hearts never do nor can depart from the Lord all thâ—ir sins and departings are against their new nature which the Lord hath given them It s against the grain which as it agravates their sin so it shews the difference between their sins and the sins of other men they may be drawn aside but it s against their wills or if so yet against the bent of their hearts which is set toward the Lord and Sion-ward they may be carried captive against their wills as Paul complained he was and made his moan to heaven of it or if with their wills yet it is against the active bent of their wills which inclines them another way 1 Iohn 3. 9. They cannot sin because the seed remains in them so that they cannot sin with their whole hearts nor depart from Christ with their whole hearts As it is with a Woman though her Husband hath her whole heart yet there is much weâ—kness and sin mixt with this love So that whatever unkindness she shewâ— it is not with her whole heart but against it and hence she is noâ— cast off So much more here Or as it is with the unregenerate man possessed by Satan though he may forsake many sinful courses take up many duties despise the World yet it is not with his whole heart And hence he is pulled back like a Bird by the leg Satan having an end of his heart and he that is unholy and unâ—leâ— will be so still So â— contra As 't is with a stone cast it up its against the 〈◊〉 of it because the nature of it is to rest in the Center and hence it comes down again It is not by internal bent but by external vis or force So sin and Saâ—â—n being cast out though they work in the soul yet they are external Agents it is not I but sin and hence it is against the bent The whole soul therefore never departs from the Lord Jesus but the Spirit keeps it there As 't is in the body of a 〈◊〉 he grows sick and inclines toward a dissolution or consumption and operations are hindred and little delight in any thing yet the soul and body are not yet parted wholly hereupon for even then they are kept close So though the heart may depart and incline towards consumption and death and little can the soul do but lie still and grieve yet the union between the Spirit and the â—oul once made is never broken For as the whole soul departed and made dis-union so the whole soul returning makes the union And hence if ever after the whole soul should depart the union should be broken and hence look on a Christian when he is himself he cannot stir nor depart partly by a spirit of fear Ier. 32. 40. Like a man in a Ship he cannot cast himself into Sea it makes him tremble to think what if I should fall in and hence keeps close in the Ship what-ever â—â—orms come what-ever calms come for he sees death before him Oh the loss of Christ and his fellowship hereafter nay here is dreadful to him Partly by a Spirit of love it constrains us that when the heart sometime caâ—es not for Christ yet the Spirit of love springs up Shall I now leave him that pitied me That brought me a Pardon when my neck was on the block c. II. When he doth depart by reason of some evil in his heart yet 't is not ever but he must return â—ooner or later to him again it was best with him then For look as 't is with Satan How doth he carry the heart from God You shall see it in Iudas John 13. He stands at the door and knocks by a sinful thought liked of vers 2. Then he enters the house by causing the will to resolve of it He doth not carry men like those Herds of â—wine against their wills but prevails with the Will to resolve thus vers 27. Hereupon Satan having a Commission carries him out and he must needs go whom the Devil drives so 't is here the Spirit in recalling the soul will have him come back 1. Pâ—â—s in secret sweet living thoughts again and makes the soul consider and remember from whom 't is fallen or who the Lord is 2. Then causeth the will to resolve of a return and then he must go whom the Spirit draws Psal. 63. 6. David remembers the Lord on his bed though now driven from all Ordinances Hence vers 7. Under thy shadow I will rejoyce Hence vers 8. My soul followeth hard after thee or cleaves to thee But David was weak and feeble how came he to do this Thy hand vers 8. upholdeth me Look as it was with Sampson when his locks were cut he was like other men and was made to grinde but they grew again and then he was like himself again So when the affections and hearts to Christ are cut they are like other men for a time but they are continually coming and growing again and then they are like themselves again And I say they must return for when the Spirit carries a man indeed there is a necessity put upon him Acts 4. 20. We cannot but speâ—k the things we have heard and 2 Cor. 13. 8. We can do nothing against but for the truth For here we shall see the broad difference between a convicted Hypocrite that knows all is amiss with him and the Saints He â—ees his falls from the Lord and is afraid in his Conscience of Misery if he doth not return and desires and endeavours for to do it but what if it be hard and it seem impossible to be better Now he falls down and thinks this is an infirmity which God will pardon and so Satan conquers him I say again not temptation but Satan conquers him For then a man is conquered when faith is conquered 1 Iohn 5. 4. then Faith is conquered when returning to Christ with the whole heart is conquered the whole heart returns not until a mans will resolves by being 〈◊〉 with a necessity of a return and staying there Now therefore the Spirit of God puts the soul upon a necessity of returning to the Lord that when the heart â—aith It cannot be that ever your heart should be better or the Lord help it must be saith the soul again and it is so I am not able to bear this evil for mercy must help and Spirit must draw and hence the soul must come Psal. 42. 7 8. The soul thinks mercy can and is willing but will it Why the Lord commands it when one waye calls in for another mercy must step in and hence my prayer is to thee Now this necessity of
return to the Lord appears chiefly in breaking down all oppoâ—â—tions against its return which are four 1. Sometime snares of the world and other things beside The Lord easeth them the Lord sends no crosses gives them their hearts desire under which Vines they rest yet if the Lord takes not all from them he puts such a cloyedness in them that the soul cannot but return to the Lord again it cannot live on such course bread things that satisfie not it had better once Eccles. 2. 3 4 11. 2. Fears and discouragements of spirit for when deliâ—vered from snares then fears come and discouragements either by reason of outward losses or the Lords anger So that the soul fears it never had never shall have any mercy that hath thus abused it and it hath thought God himself to say so and his behaviour in not hearing and helping in so long a time to witness so Yet it will return though the Lord never save it it will not sin Ionah yet looks again to the Temple when he could not come to it yet he would look to it The soul will turn up its eyes and mourn Oh that I have so abused the Lord and mercy that Love it self should be angry and frown Psal. 77. The Psalmist refused to be comforted v. 2. Nay v. 3. Though he remembred God and all his love past yet troubled this brought greater trouble yet v. 10. I 'le remember the years of the right hand of the most High Saul did not thus 3. Thoughts of impossibility and unlikelihood to get peace or pardon or victory over sin now For somtime the Saints think the Lord loves me and yet lets these evils lie here but I can get no help now especially if after many prayers I know help against all sins they cannot get and hence are humbled but against them sins that help can be got wherein the Lord hath done it for others and which make the Lord estrange himself it must be had for this temptation to a Saint is an Hypocrites overthrow Psal. 18. 21 22 23. If earth cannot help cannot Heaven What not the Spirit Word Bloud Mercy of a render-hearted Redeemer What though not now yet I will not give him over 4. When Gods Providence seems to â—ross his Promise yet they will cleave to him or return to him For many times Saints have their estates in the Bonds of Gods Promises and hence they wait for accomplishment of them but the Lord carries it quite cross to his promise to their seeming He promiseth to make alive to comfort to sanctifie to be with me and he kills sads le ts out sin never such a heart and forsakes me Oh now Faith shakes yet they will not away Heb. 11. 15 16. The Lord calls them to forsake their Countrey Abraham is a stranger there and that among Cut-throat 〈◊〉 and dwells in Tabernacles and four hundred years after his posterity being afflicted should 〈◊〉 in yet he would not return though they might God had said here I 'le blesse thee so here The murmuring Israelites fell short of this III. Whenever the soul doth depart yet the Spirit of God is ever in it and with it Psal. 73. 2. The Psalmist almost fell Why did he not Thou art ever with me thy hand v. 23. hath upheld me So that as the Spirit keeps the soul to Christ so it keeps Christ in the soul at all times And hence Saints in the closure of all their dealings with God and he with them they have seen his love working good in all that now the Soul can say lo the Lord was here and I knâ—w it not Isa. 25. 9 10. That the soul admires somtimes and hence after all sees the Lord more clearly and fully and sweetly till at last it sees him in Glory 〈◊〉 you see the Spirit that follows Saints is with them which the world wants Oh admire at the Lord if this Spirit be given that Heaven is come down into 〈…〉 That no 〈◊〉 no sins can part but it s ever putting thee in thy way again Hence when â— They are ready to quite fall off and give themselves for gone ready to be made away by temptation or to make away themselves the Lord is with them then Psal. 94. 18. At the time of parting love appears 2. Hence when they are somtime so far gone as that they mind not their return or believe not as in the wildeâ—â—ess but are well enough without the Lord the Lord before they think or desire prevents them Psal. 23. 6. Mercy and Truth followes me 3. Hence when they think the Lord is provoked that he cannot save then he is in the midst of his people Ier. 14. 11. Why art thou as a man astonied that cannot save 4. Hence at the end of life all the waies of God have been peace and all ouâ— waies though sorrowful though evil turned for good as in Ionas his deparâ—ing and by miseries we are yet humbled somthing the Lord is doing now for Eternity Micah 7. 8. Though I sit in darknesse the Lord will be a light unto me 5. Hence when the heart and strength fail and Faith is failing and the heart feels nothing but pain yet the Lord then keeps and this is comfort Psal. 63. 26. Consider therefore your estare that 1. Do depart with your whole heart from the Lord. Hath not the Lord bowed thy heart toward himself by mercies by blows But when sorrows have been past and mercies grown common and truth common thou hast started back like a broken bow which was bent backward when stretched forward And now when God calls to any duty especially when thy will and ends are crossed that is a burden and thou art drawn to that as a Fish to the dry land It is like a Feaver-fit to thee and never mournest for this But when any matter of gain and world is presented all thoughts time strength is too little there that you smell of the field or if there be any life or joy yet the lean kine eat up the fat kine Nay mournest not under that cursed bent which carries thee from the Lord. Know it thou art forsaken of the Lord. 2. That in times past had many affections but now sorrow is gone and seeking of the Lord gone and being fâ—llen seest it not but thinkest 't is with thee as with other Christians hast only the old work past and some new pangs now and then Why is it thus Ier. 8. 4 5. Will you fall and not arise Wilt let the Lord turn from you and not return Doth the Stork know when winter is near and not you your season Oh look to it What are you fallen with a perpetual backsliding Why will you not return but go away with a perpetual backsliding Know Satan hath hold of this soul. 3. You people of God wonder you at this Grace Let your experience prove it Is it not so that a Habitation of Devils should be a House of the Spirit of
from any way of the Lords and continue there he shall have storms and hence 1 Iohn 2. 3 4 5. Hereby we know him c. 4. He closeth with the whole will of the Lord as his happiness and utmost end as a man made himself his last end before and desired God and Christ only to keep his sores from aking for so I look upon all men made up of wants if the body ake with cold stomack with hunger head for want of sleep Conscience for sin all happiness lies in the easing hereof and here lies their bliss So now the soul make the life of the Lord its happiness to live unto him Gal. 2. 20. He makes it his meat and drink to do the Lords will for Iehu sought the Lord but his last end was himself as Iohn 16. 2. A man may kill and think he doth God good service but that is not his last end a carnal heart may cross his own wiâ—â— but not his own utmost end as Iudas A man may seek the Lord with delight and follow the Ordinances and fast and pray but himself is his end still Zac. 7. 5 6. Isai. 58. 4 5. As a man that goes to a City he will do your businesse but he would not go unless he had his own ends to bring about there But those that are truly sanctified make the Lord their last end and happiness It 's not only good to do the Lords will for thus men may seek the Lord as thinking it good so to do but as their blessednesse else 't is not their last end and so not sought as their last end and so 't is with the soul As a River running to the Sea many Springs run into it but it carries them down all with it so there are many occasions hindrances businesseâ— yet it carries them all down with it even the more violently the more 't is hindred Psal. 119. 126 127. Therefore love I them above gold And this expresseth it self in three things 1. In admiring at the glory of the Lord and his will and ways and accounting them happy men and blessed that thus can do and live For sometime the soul is decayed and â—allen from this or sick and weak now it accounts them happy that have health and strength to walk abroad Psal. 1. 1 2. 2. In being never at rest in his minde until now that he comes to this for therein a mans â—â—king any thing his last end appears as he made his goods his last end Luke 12. 19. Now therefore my soul be at rest for there is no seeking the Lord but self-seeking hinders Now though it be thus yet Do I make my self my last end then my minde would be at rest but if sanctified it s not at rest till now And hence Paul when he had run this race now you see him leaning upon his pillow 2 Tim. 4. 6 7. And hence Saints are loth to die and be blessed in heaven because they 〈◊〉 done so little work as yet little do the Saints for the Lord many times yet their hearts are upright for what mourn they for so much as this when they have lookt upon it oh that the Lord hath been a looser by them 3. It carries the soul thorow all difficulties with power and delight Prov. 10. 29. The way of the Lord is strength to the righteous and joy â—â—om 7. 22. I do delight in the law of God in the 〈◊〉 man Other Nations walk in the Name of their Gods we in ours Micah 4. 5. As when wealth or honour is a mans utmost end with what violence are men carried to it and hence a man thinks he hath never such good days as then when he can do much for the Lord and hence when any duty is to be done when fearful to do it or loth to perform it when the heart is dead yet beholding it with a spiritual eye that this gives Ieâ—â—vah honour oh this carries the soul headlong even into miseries Not my will 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be done This easeth the heart even in the belly of Hell and in times of the deepest desertion To this Sanctification all the Saints do come every one in their measure and if ever the soul tasted the Lords love or ever was humbled with the bitterness of sin the first voice and main care is Lord What 〈◊〉 thâ—u have me to do Nay though no assurance and it cannot joy in the Lords love yet it will in the Lords will and hence when it hath fall assurance yet finding such a vile heart if God should give it heaven with such a heart it would be death And hence when he thinks of going to Hell yet there saith he let meâ—blesse thee This Sanctification all unsound hearts do want much Reformation much affection many duties but their end is not changed though their lives be and hearts seem to be 1. Because they cannot love the Lord because the Lord doth never shed his love into their hearts 2. This was the life of Christ Iohn 8. 29. of which life they that are dead in sin never have one act though they may think they have 3. This is the end of our Election which therefore an unsound heart may as soon attain to as to elect or to be elected of God Eph. 1. 4. holy in love This may be easily known 1. Cannot a man know when he is happy 2. Cannot Peter tell Christ that he loves him 3. Cannot a man tell whether he be an Hypocrite or no For he that cannot prove his utmost end is changed must confess himself an Hypocrite yet his heart was never changed what ever assurance or peace he hath had a thing is never good till it serves its end it was made for Oh therefore look that you content not your selves with Reformation but come to this else 1. You lose all your obedience the Lord regards it not the Lord will take all from you as Vessels that are made to hold Wine and they cannot lay them by the Lord hath no pleasure in you Mal. 1. 8 9 10. 2. If you do the Lord will accept your meanest and poorest services Consider 1. Christ cast by his Robes being privie to his own worth to become obedient Phil. 2. 6 8. 2. His infinite Wisdom is in every command though thy carnal reason like it not 3. His infinite love for thy good though thou thinkest 't is for thy hurt 4. His glory though thou gettest no good at all by it SECT VI. VI. Fulness of the Spirit of Glory in the room of the world WHom the Lord doth justifiâ— those he doth glorifie Rom. 8. 30. i. e. with the Glory of another world which though it be hid for a time from others and somtimes from themselves yet they do partake of it now and it shall be revealed upon them another day 1 Pet. 5. 1. Now though Hypocrites may tast of the Word nay of the powers of the world to 〈◊〉 yet they fâ—ll short of this measure
Iehâ—vah in his arms and hence he cares not now when death comes Oh it shall be a welcome day to them And hence they wish they might sin no more or cease to be And hence they wish they could set even the whole world a wondring Was it ever heard since the world began of sâ—ch a pattern of mercy It s true the Lord indeed keeps his Servants for a time under much darkness and doubts but it 's certain even in the meanest Saint this light is sown for them and joy for the upright in heart and some work there is for the Lord to do for them and then he keeâ—s a Sabbath of rest in them But have not many Hypocrites their joyes their peace their Glory Yes they have some tasts and likeness to this but want this indeed and the difference appears in three Particulars 1. The peace and joy and assurance of that Glory which eye never saw in the Saints 't is from the witness of the Spirit of Glory not only because that God is their God but because they are his people 'T is I say from the witness of God in his Word not from themselves nor from man only that they approve me 〈◊〉 from dreams and Diabolical breathings but from the Spirit of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of it and from such a Spirit that yoâ— may know it that not only shews you God is your God and so you rejoyce because of this for thus 't is with many a carnal heart and he hath peace being iâ— horroâ— from this the Lord loves me but he makes you to rejoyce because you are the Lords people because he hath changed your heart now the peace is sound and joy is right and here I would try the peace of any man God hath witnessed pardon to thee but 〈◊〉 he shown thee thou art his If so be thankful But here is the doubt for it may be the change is not right And hence those two are ever joyned together Zach. 13. 9. Iohn 14. 20 21 22. Horror lies heavy hence love is sweet sin lies heavy hence this witness they are changed they are subdâ—ed and shall be so this is sweet also 2. The rest and peace the Saints have 't is not only from God but in him 'T is with the soul as with a Malefactor imprisoned and condemned the Jaylor comes and tells him that he hath his pardon here brought him from the King How shall it be proved whether it be a device of his own Brain or no Why if it be of the Jaylors own devising he will never lead him before the face of the King but from him he shall be carried But if the Messenger carry him before the King and sets him down before him and as it was with Ioseph his Prison-garments are put off and he stands before the King and glories in his presence now 't is 〈◊〉 So many have peace and Satan sets them at liberty but carries them from God But when there is a witness of peace from him and then you stand before him now 't is from Heaven Psal. 36. 7 8. There is peace from him and 〈◊〉 in him Psal. 37. 4. Delight thy self in the Lord and he shall give thee the desires of thy heart When 't is thus all you desire is granted 3. The peace the Saints have both from God and in God fills them with everlasting content and peace Rom. 15. 13. Isa. 11. 9. Filled with the Knowledge of the Lord at the waters cover the Sea The earth is the rest of the waters and the waters fill all its empty place So 't is here the soul is the rest of the Lord Isa. 11. 10. and he fills their empty hearts A Malefactor may dream â—e is before the King when he hath his Fetters on his legs but his dream feeds him not but when he awakes he is hungry And so 't is with many a carnal heart that is in a dream for a time but he meets not with eternal satisfaction Psal. 65. 4. Psal. 90. 14. And hence men after they have had their peace grow more bold to sin and more impenitent in sin and more worldly than ever before because they have not everlasting joy as those Isa. 35. 10. Everlasting joyes shall be upon their head whereas a carnal heart hath soon enough of God not everlasting without intermission of joy for they must have their rights and tears as well as their days and joys but everlasting without decay of joy that though they have their tears yet God wipes them away there is nothing else their joy their peace and so their hearts are for ever satisfied here As Christ when he knew it was finished now he gave up the Ghost so when the oul â—inds he is come now it dies to the world and makes its perpetual abode in him Others will have their Carrion and their stolen waters how clean soever they 〈◊〉 their mouths But have not the Saints many sorrowes reproaches persecutions Rom. 8. 18. They are not worthy the Glory to be revealed 2 Cor. 4. 17. They work a weight of Glory and in these they glory Oh the Lords Love is shed in their hearts Rom. 5. 3 5. But have they not many losses and wants and straights and then where is their joy A camal heart he murmures indeed and sinks and dies away but 't is not so heâ—e Haâ— 3. 17 18. A Saint takeâ— it out in him in the Lord it makes all the world too narrow for him Others are burnt and consumed in the fire but so is not he that hath the Son of God with him But he hath many sins and Temptations 1 Pet. 1. 5 6 7. You greatly rejoyce in the Salvation reserved for you though now your Faith have a precious trial by manifold temptations But are not the hearts of the Saints taken off from the Lord and taken up with other things No never as carnal mens are Tit. 2. 12. For Gods Grace that hath appeared to them teacheth them to deny worldly lusts as we deny children their asking They may greedily carry the soul by fits from the Lord but he denies them their fill in any Creature and calls them all to come up hither He denies them as we do Beggars entrance and if they do enter he denies them lodging they shall not have good looks from them Every vile heart hath either a proud or worldly or covetous heart and these lusts being urgent and entreiting long he cannot deny them the best room he has Oh 't is the woe of men they cannot but do thus But thus you see this world is cast out and Glory comes in to all Saints Oh this world is the cause of all sin 1. Wâ—y do men neglect duties in secret 2. Sleep at Meetings 3. Though so fair abroad yet passionate at home and storms there 4. Whence are wars and wranglings about rates and lots Oh this world 5. Whence Apostacy 'T is not
waters ceased and he had his Vineyard planted now he sleeps in his drunkenness because he knew not the strength of wine In the Virgin-Church where this sleep is we suppose this freedom from evil 2. Because there men are most free from inward pain for where there is much grief and pain there 's no rest though all the house about be still but when the house is still and the body well now t is hard but there may be rest Whiles the Christian doth live under Antichristian pollution his Conscience hath no rest and hence 't is awake there here saith the soul I want the Ordinances of God Oh that I had them Here I see sin and wickedness abounding that my childe is like to be poisoned therewith here are such and such superstitions that my Conscience cannot bear Hence Conscience is kept waking But in Virgin-Churches where the house is swept of these now Conscience is quiet and at rest now I have got a Levite into my house God is now blessing me c. Now Conscience hath laid down its burthen it falls down to sleep now they cry The Temple of the Lord 3. Because in such Churches there is most aptitude in men to spiritual fulness viz. plenty of the means there is all the Ordinances in this mountain Isa. 25. 1. Gods feast is made and fulness of spiritual gifts and graces because they have now escaped the pollutions of the world conquered the enmity of the world now have come to a good measure of grace and conquered the way of their enemies got the better of them hence as the Israelites made peace with the Canaanites not when they were too strong but too weak for them So now the Soul comes to be at rest to lay down its Warfare and to yield to a truce to a league to his lusts and distempers for a time When men are kept short of food now they awake so when the Word of the Lord and his Ordinances be rare and precious and hard to finde now a Christian can trudge after them but when men are full now they desire rest so 't is here 4. Because in Virgin-Churches there men are most apt to be overtaken with weariness A man that never walkt on in a holy way may at first setting out delight in Christ but after he hath done walking in it now he is apt to faint especially if he sows much and reaps for the present but little And hence Gal. 6. 9. You shall reap in due season if you faint not Now in Virgin-Churches these Virgins are such persons as have begun to make a profession and have made a fair progress O how difficult now is it not to be weary it's strange to see what short spirits after the Lord what large after the Creatures vve have II. Because they are the more easily overcome by this sin than by any other 1. Because it 's a sin which a man least foresees or fears The Apostle saith They that are drunk and that sleep sleep in the nigh and yet here men sleep in the open light Why so Men see it not men know it not sleep steals upon a man It 's lawful to sleep carnal security arises chiefly from the use of lawful things on which a mans heart and thoughts are spent they eate drank gave in marriage they could see no hurt therein When a man is had before Councels now a man fears to sin he knows he shall be tempted unto sin but when the Lord brings the shoulder from under such burdens now to fear out Tables our Beds our Wives our Children our Callings our Professions and the snares of these Oh it is exceeding hard 2. Because Security is so sweet a sin O sleep is sweet meat is sweet but men may be soon full of that but when sleep comes many hours are little enough to entertain that Some â—ins are sweet for a time as a short meal and away but sloth is a sweeter sin than any else besides Let a Christian ask his heart when he can take no content in Pots or loose company or Queans and can find none in the Lord yet this will give him ease viz. his sloth When he is weary of the Wold and of vvalking vvith God also yet sloth is his delight and hence he crys A little more slumbâ—r and sleep untill destruction câ—mes as an armed man When a man delights not in his Wife Children Riches Honors yet is he sometimes contentedly svvallovved up vvith his sleep and rest 3. Because Saâ—an doth make his strongest forces ready alvvay to bring a man first into this in because this makes vvay for the entrance of all sin and misery no people so happy as the Israelitâ—s vvhile they vvere awakened and up with God no misery could hurt them Ier. 2. 1 â— 3. but when they forgot him all misery came in While the strong man keeps the Palace his goods be at peace it 's his care to keep men secure and still SECT IV. LEt us therefore now examine whether this sin be not out sin in this Country if it be not begun among us if we be not sleeping yet are we not slumbering if we are not Virgin-Churches why have we the name of it if we be Virgin-Churches then make search if this be not our sin we have all our beds and lodgings provided the Lord hath made them easie to us We never looked for such dâ—ys in New-England the Lord hath freed us from the pain and anguish of our Consciences we have Ordinances to the full Sermons too long and Lectures too many and private meetings too frequent a large profession many have made but are you not yet weary if weary not sleepy not slumbering it may be on you before you are aware and you not know it and when so it is it may be so sweet that you may be loth to see it that so you may forsake it Let me knock again is it not so Let me come to every mans bed side and ask your consciences 3. Have you not forgot your God and forgot your work also the business for which you made this great undertaking Psal. 106. 12. When they were saved from the Sea they soon forgat the Lord Hath not the Lord by a stretched-out arm brought thee and thine through seas and dangers and delivered you wonderfully are not all his kindnesses forgotten all your promises forgotten When the Lord had brought the Israâ—lites out of their captivity and some hopeful beginnings were they came for the Temple the dust was precious but Gods hosue did lie waste Hag. 1. 5 6. Consider your ways no man prospered scarce in his estate God did blow upon their corn because they forgat their end What was your end of coming hither the Ordinances of God the presence of God and oh one day there better than a thousand elsewhere hath it been so No but as it is vers 9. Every man turns to his own house Every man for himself
polluted with no sin till they fell down by Security the foolish were wanting to get oyl in their vessels before but this they fell last into What into open prophaness or othe foul corruptions No but they all slumbered and slept and we read of no sin after till the Bridegroom came many sins indeed there be which like branches bud from the root but this is the main And therefore look upon the next Parable you shall see this again confirmed to shew the certainty of this point the servant that hid his talent vers 26. is called an evil servant why what evil did he he did not lavish it as the Prodigal upon others not lose it but he did not use it sluggishness was his sin hence saith Christ thou evill and slothful servant And hence the thorny ground flourished and grew and suffered all persecutions could not consume them what was their sin Mark 4. 12. compared with Luk. 21. 34. it was the cares of the world they began to dream strange fancies came before sleeping and the pillow of their security was some worldly content And this is the reason why Christ and the Apostles are also exceeding pressing to watchfulness because this is the sin that Saints are ready to fall into after they have seen Christs love and care and because this is the sin the wicked will fall into and their last sin it will be just preceding their last plague and hence the Apostle exhorts Oh sleep not you c. 1 Thess. 5. 1 2 5 6. Let me open this thus SECT II. VVE must know that the Lord in subduing a sinner to the obedience of himself it is with him as with an enemy in a City there are many strong holds of sin to which he retires and resists 2 Cor. 10. 4 5. and when one is down he flieth for shelter into another and maintains that as long as he can so it is with men Or as it is with divers fruits they have their several seasons of growing and then of withering so it is here according to the several seasons of a mans life so are his lusts growing and decaying there are the first and the last ripe fruits First Take a man that is born and bred up to some years man is a sociable creature and it is a misery to live and be alone hence the first evil he usually chuseth is evil and loose company his lusts are grown up to some years and now he desireth a match for them and first he chuseth a companion and Satan hath a mighty hand in this because as the Lord when he first sends to do his work he sends two by two to animate and strengthen one another in the work so Satan doth first joyn hand in hand together that men might corrupt one another and harden one another in wickedness this I say is the first usually hence Ephes. 2. 2. and Prov. 2. 12. Wisdom first keeps from the evil man and this sin is for a time the dearest sin for here he meets with some pastimes mirth and so much love from them that he loves this last more than all the friends he hath though they disswade him more than all the Sabbaths of God and hence he prophanes them more than Christ himself and hence when he hath many times purposes of turning to God his company with-holds him Secondly Continuing long in this sin at last he comes to fall into the sin of lust and from men he looks to women and this is as deat to him as his right eye it may be God keeps him from the act of Whoredom but wanton looks lascivious thoughts speculative uncleanness self-pollution which he commits when the candles are out and none but God sees and yet God spares him and this follows him to the Church to the streets whiles he is awake nay when asleep and thinks it is no sin for a time or if he doth Oh the horror that he hath sometimes for it Scholars of Westminster have been derected from twelve or fourteen years of age to live in this sin This is the second Hence Prov. 2. 16. first wisdom keepes from the evill man next from evil women Thirdly It may be a man marrieth and then this sin is out of season now therefore another comes in its place and that is immoderate love of and dropsie desires after the world and the wealth of it for now charge is like to encrease and it is a shame to walk in rags and hence now a man begins to look upon the estates of others and to admire at them and then he looks upon what he hath and what labor care and providence in a saving way may bring him unto and hence burieth himself alive in the earth and feeds upon clods of earth and uncertain hopes And this is the next sin which grows up though I know some men will not come to this but I speak of them that go on in the fairest way hence Heb. 13. 4 5. Whoremongers God will judge then let your conversation be without covetousness that follows Fourthly It may be at last God terrifies this mans Conscience and he begins to see What profiteth it me to win the whole world and to lose my own soul hence falls now to take up another profession to hang out another flag and to lead a new life and now pride in spiritual excellencies is his sin when glory in worldly wealth dyes pride in spiritual glory lives There were divers of the Heathen contemned the world yet pust up with pride in their morality hence Chuse no novice Bishop lest he be puffed up and fall into the condemnation of the Devil Now Le ts of mind come in when he performs duties publickly openly and now he hungers after the honor of men and sets himself to sale for it Oh saith Saul honor me When he had confessed his coveting of the cattel but pride stuck in him still And when he doth duties privately he rests in them and accounts highly of himself for them though they neither bring him to Christ but estrange him from Christ. Hence Christ chargeth when you do alms do not onely do it not to be seen of men but let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doth take no delight in this This was Simons sin Act. 8. he seeing the gifts of the Apostles would give any money for them these gifts are sweeter now than money hence such fall to some soul opinions and crotchets they can interpret Revelations and ascend to the Ministry and be the forwardest in a Town but when to do publick service respect is gone their love is gone Fifthly When this is dying in the Saints and fallen down in Hypocrites now sloth is the last thing that takes hold upon them and this is sweet What is the honor of men what is this base world now sloth and sleep is sweet Now a man first ceaseth acting and this gives rest and now being here Secondly it 's death
Ordinances the external visible signs of his presence one would think he would never come yet the Lord will come and comfort his people Isa. 61. 2. God hath sent and anointed him and the Spirit hath filled him and he is as willing himself to comfort them that mourn nay when they have the spirit of heaviness and when it is done Christ is come then that is a coming of Christ. Fourthly There is a coming of Christ when he comes in more full measure of his Spirit to his people and that in his Ordinances for there is a state and time of Christianity wherein a man is carnal and blind and the Image of Christ darkly stampt upon the soul and is exceeding weak now the Lord is said to come when he doth this Ioh. 14. 18. I will see you again and I will not leave you comfortless Orphans alone without any one to take care for you now though it be long before the Lord do come here yet come he will when the soul thinks it impossible and the thing incredible Behold thy God thy King commeth Isa. 40. 9. with 23. He shall come like the rain upon the fleece of wool Fifthly Christ is said to come when he comes to destroy and root out the enemies of his Church whether outward enemies or inward enemies Isa. 26. 21. Now grant it be long the Lord doth suffer them to prevail and to be pricking bryars to the hearts of Gods people and to the heart of Gods Spirit in his people yet he will come and hence the Church pleads this with God as an usual thing with him Isa. 64. 1 2 3. He comes when men look not for him yea he came so here and the name of God lyes upon it to make known his name to his adversaries Isa. 66. 5. Hear the word of the Lord ye that tremble at his word your brethren that hated you and cast you out said Let the Lord be glorified He shall appear to your joy but they shall be ashamed Sixthly Christ is said to come to the soul when he comes to it at death to abolish all sin and sorrow and to possess the soul of immediate fellowship with himself and at Judgement when the great mariage day shall be and the Bride made ready and the Bridegroom in their perfect glory to the view of all the world Ioh. 14. 3. Oh many a one is troubled now the Lord is gone from it mediately to comfort it Let not your hearts be troubled you have a God in his Word to believe in cleave to that and me in it but when death comes against me and enemies come against me and heart fails and eyes fails will the Lord come Yes I will come again for I go but only to prepare a place for you and make Heaven sweet and ready for you some would have all Christs coming here but there is some hereafter SECT III. BEcause the love of Jesus Christ never fails his Churches and People love will keep men from being ever absent from the thing they love Now look as it was with Lazarus whom Christ loved Iohn 11. 3. he heard that he was sick he could have come then but he lingers and stays until he be dead behold Lazarus is dead yea till he had been four days dead and then awakens him again and Lazarus must come forth of his grave to shew forth the everlasting love of the Son of God vers 4. For there are two things in Christ's love first it is pure independant and dear Prov. 8. penult hence he will not ever be absent for 1. If it be dependant then we might say as we change he changeth he was good but we have provoked him since c. 2. If independant yet 't is apt to forget he minds me not nor my prayers nor sorrows Yes it is exceeding dear and assures us of all if he in love came to suffer what will he not come to do and that when the Church is most withered Zach. 3. 1 2 3. and hence saith the Lord why sayâ—st thou the Lord hath forsaken me and forgotten me when written upon the palms of my hand Isa. 48. 14. Lest their spirit fail Oh the Lord is very tender of that he that bids parents not to be bitter to their children lest their spirits fail and be provoked will not do it himself Isa. 57. 17. he will not always contend lest the spirit fail within him and the souls that he hath made Oh remember this now how apt is the spirit of a childe of God to fail upon this what more bitter than Gods absence Because to come late is many times the best time for he comes ever in the fulness of time if he should come sooner or latter he should not come in season to his people Of unspeakable consolation to the people of God that lie under sad and heavy perplexities in respect of the Lords absence from them as for you that can bear this that say to God depart if he will this concerns not you at all and the Lord being gone you lye under sad thoughts that he will never return again yes you have now heard he will come and return again Say unto Sion behold your God cometh Object But what when I have been secure and careless withal Answ. Yes though the Virgins sleep yet the Lord will come to them for if his love did depend upon your watchfulness he might never return onely it may be longer as to these and he will awaken you some time before he doth come and truly to mourn for his absence is to awaken with him Object But it hath been thus long before the Lord come and therefore he will never come Answ. Though long yet you see he comes at last to them first the cry says so and then he comes Ministers tell you so and it is not long after nay then is the very time when so long as you look not for him as here to these SECT IV. Object BUt I know it not Answ. God keeps his best blessings and persumes them long in his own hand from his own children as Isaac David Abraham Heman Christ but it is best you know it not Hast thou been seeking the Lord for his presence that the Lord would but see and consider thee a little until thine eyes fail thee and do you think the Lord will ever forget I tell thee if Peter were in Prison prayers would deliver him and fetch Angels from Heaven to him though the Church of God lay desolate sins great yet the prayer of Daniel shall bring down words of command to make all up again If thou be in any want be careful in nothing c. He asked thee life thou gavest him long life for ever and ever nay when thou â—easest thy prayers have their cry when thy mouth when thy heart speaks not for prayers are not dead things but living begotten out of a living Spirit from a living God presented by a
Reasons are these SECT IV. HEnce do not trust men too far nor boast of any man too much especially in regard of his glorious profession and affections at the first God sends divers of his faithful servants to a place and many at first hearing are wrought upon battered down convinced mourning after peace going to Ministers delight in Ordinances now many Ministers bless God for their conversion and many a Christian is put out of doubt of it parents of their children and children of their parents one brother of another and one Christian neighbor of another whom he got out once to hear and once hearing overcame and for a time there is no other Oh take heed of boasting too much it may be they may and will fall before they have lived many years down when at their height what man was ever sought unto more than Iohn all Iudea came unto him yet at last they forsake him rejoyced but a season in that light they went also from him to Christ Ioh. 7. 26 32. yet Iohn complains none received his testimony Christ himself preached in Capernaum and 〈…〉 exalting a man they boasted in him yet onely a few Babes which the Lord wrought upon the Galathians would lose their eyes for Paul yet aâ—terward they flight him and join with false teachers against him Oh therefore pray for them and weep for them but do not trust them too far neither trust your selves too much Ioh. 8. 31. Then are ye my disciples if you continue Demas forsakes Paul all in Asia forsake me SECT V. HEnce be not offended if we see many apostatize and fall from their most eminent profession the Lord hath here foretold that after some profession their lamps will go out we do not wonder if ponds full in winter are dry in summer because it is the time and season of it and they want springs to feed them and never was there any time since the world began that there were such Apostacies as now First One man after much profession intends to follow the Lord conscience is troubled at humane inventions Oh saith he if delivered well enough though I lose never so much well he lays out all and is delivered but that which quiets conscience doth not quiet his heart and affections but his very loss for conscience makes his lusts and desires after other things break out more eagerly and men cannot now live upon Gospel only with bread and water no no you are deceived as it is with sick men they let go all their estate for recovery but when recovered they must get up their estate again this will not satisfie And thus some fall spiritually Secondly Others they sought for much in Ordinances but finding not what they looked for Ordinances are but as pictures fair a far off but when men come near them Word and Fellowship and people of God then they despise them because they find not a living God there Thirdly While God keeps men under sad temptations wants and afflictions Oh then they are humble and pray but when blest with ease and peace and plenty and honor then how lofty and secure this is better than the Lord Never such a decay of the spirit of prayer never was there such a conconfusion in the world such burning of Cities slaying of men rents of Churches God minding to stain the pride of all glory and yet never such hearts Object But to stand so long and yet to fall seems strange Answ. If soon it is a wonder but if long it is no wonder if once past growing you do not wonder if an oak be now decaying Obj. But they keep their profession still only in one thing vile the error is only in their minds a spirit of discention from the people of God Ans. Scarce shall you see one man in a hundred that is vile in every thing that falls totally the foolish Virgins did not so yet their oyl was spent and their lamps going out there was a man that was slain suddenly and his blood in his face was fresh his beauty glorious and many weeks continued without putrefaction yet life within was gone so 't is the condition of many a man by one wound or sin And hence a Physitian at Wittenbâ—rg writes of the cause of it be not therefore offended at them but wonder at the Lord that he keeps thee I know there are decaying Saints but they recover again here SECT VI. OH therefore labor for the grace that may last the bread that may last to everlasting life in all bargains and buildings men will have a special eye to that which will last if it be rotten let whosoever will take it and be sure it is so for when God doth fully awaken you you will see it is not right the foolish Virgins they though they were weâ—l before but now after some time and awakened they see it will not hold nor continue For the Lords sake be suspitious here fear lest a promise being left any fall short of it other things will not last neither Creatures nor the Lord to do you good unless you have everlasting grace It is a time the Lord is stripping the world of all ornaments your Wives Children Churches God will take your Husbands Parents Members Ministers from you yet if a heart to close with the Lord Oh this is right Quest. How Answ. 1. Take heed of any affection without first subduing the contrary lust for if you mingle them the one will choak the other this is sowing among thorns Ier. 4. 3 4. 2. Maintain it upon an everlasting root if the Lord gives you grace and you set it in your own garden it will dye no let it receive life from the promise that unchangeable love and grace and faithfulness say if that supports not I fall 1 Sam. 23. 5. Isa. 46. from gray hairs I will carry thee Psa. 23. 2 3. the Lord leads to waters he feeds But I decay yet he restores my soul Oh but he afflicts much yet his rod and staff comfort me I shall dwell in the house of God for ever Be more empty as the Lord fills you But oh the sin of this world all the creatures in the world cannot content but grace doth and hence men regard not the Lord and hence you perish and your grace shall perish also CHAP. XI Unregenerate persons may have a sence of their want of Grace SECT I. Our Lamps are out THat foolish Virgins or unregenerate persons may see and so complain of an utter want of all saving grace Look but upon this pattern they thought they were rich and had something but now they see they have nothing and hence when they search their lives our lamps are oâ—t when they search their hearts is there any Grace or Spirit of Christ or Christ by his Spirit there no our oyl is spent and hence give us of your oyl they saw nothing now The same persons that are sometimes so puft up that they
and yet they do but think so for though they hate sin yet it is unsoundly because they see not how closely their hands are knit to their sin they never did believe because they never felt their unwilling heart to close with Christ they never loved the Saints because they never felt their contempt of Saints never sought Gods glory because they never mourned under that which did stain it they never make work with their own hearts the stony and thorny ground withered because their soil was naught a heart filled with sweet affections which never felt the strength of contrary corruptions lying underneath it is an ill soil and where those affections will never prosper nor prove right and hence 2 Tim. 2. 20 21. he that purgeth himself from these things shall be a vessell of honor ever preserved never broken Do not put it to a venture it may be I may have grace and so put your salvation on the hazard of such hopes but the Lord that hath come to thee knocking open the door that he may come in and feast cry for infinite creating power and mercy to make haste and come and help thee what have you to do else but to get your old lusts purged away what do you labor for else if you have children to bring up if you have any love to them nay if swine or cattel meat you will have to feed them and satisfie them if possible and yet behold thy soul perishing for want of true spiritual refreshings SECT VI. OF Exhortat on to all young beginners and so to all others Take heed you chop not at your comfort too soon take heed you do not perish in the way that whiles seeking after the Lord and rest you fall from the Lord by security and scandal and so you perish but labor for that which will continue and last 1. Mariners when they go a voyage they will trim their vessel and search if there be not something amiss which may sink the ship at last if once out at sea they may dye before they come home and hence at first setting out are careful so do you 2. You will meet with trials enough to exercise all your grace that you will find all little enough in the issue 3. This will be your comfort at death that â—hough it be difficult yet if you have fought a good fight and run a good race there is now a crown this will make you to go out of the world wondering and go up to eternity in your triumphant Chariot of glory when you shall see on the one side here a Demas forsaking there a Iudas betraying here one Chriâ—â—ian withered there another scandalised and offended and yet the Lord hath upheld thee in thy integrity a poor creature that thoughst thou shouâ—dst never have held out at all That you may do thus two things are to be done First Be sure your wound at first for sin be deep enough for all the error in a mans Faith and Sanctification it springs from that first error of his Humiliation if a mans Humiliation be false and weak and little his Faith is light and his Sanctification counterfeit as may be seen in the stony and thorny soil if a mans wound be right and Humiâ—â—ation deep enough that mans Faith is right and his Sanctification is glorious for Christ cannot be exceeding sweet and satisfactory to the soul unless sin be first exceeding bitter and this is the reason why Christ is not sweet nor precious at first nor afterward because sin is not so better to them especially heart sins Christians shall find it the esteem and price of Christ falls whiles sin lies light and is not bitter SECT VII Quest. HOw bitter must it be Answ. So bitter as that nothing contents your heart whiles sin is with you and the Lord is gone from you Lam. 3. 49. Mine eye ceaseth not mourning till the Lord look down from heaven as a man that looks for a Prince to come and live with him he prepares rooms for all his attendants but he reserves the best lodgings for the Prince himself and they are kept empty whiles he comes So the soul entertains Creatures and Ordinances and Saints of God but yet the heart is not content but sits empty desolate whiles the Lord is gone for whiles the heart is delighted with somewhat else beside the Lord that if the Lord comes it is well if not it is merry and jolly see what the Lord there speaks Iam. 4. 8 9 10. Cleanse your hearts and he will draw nigh unto you turn laughter to mourning else you are not humbled Let Gods own people do so it stops up the fountain of Gods love and sweetness of mercy Psal. 30. 7. When carnally confident I was troubled as it is in marriage if a man knows there is familiarity between the woman and another Lover he will have none of her but when sin is thus bitter the Lord hath the garments of joy to give for the spirit of heaviness Isa. 61. 1 2. Oh therefore though it be cross to have limbs cut off and breasts feared bones broken c. yet part with all for life even this life of Christ in you which will give you full content SECT VIII Quest. HOw shall I do thus my heart will be wanton and carnal Answ. 1. Set this down for a conclusion I shall never be comforted by the Lord whiles any thing else comforts my heart i. e. for it self as hath been proved and if this was well thought of this would make a man above all other things detest his carnal content because this indeed keeps the Lord from him 2. Keep the remembrance of the bitterness of your sin and evil in it thus David Plal. 51. 3. set it ever before him for all the sweet of sin comes into the heart by a delusion first begot in the mind of some present good in it which the soul not attending to is drawn away by it â—â—am 1. 14. drawn away and enticed hence fortifie here Three things in sin which if remembred would make it bitter 1. Sentence of condemnation past upon thee by the Law of God for it which may make a soul to mourn Little 〈◊〉 do men take in their Prison-bolts 2. The death and agonies and sorrows of the Lord Jesus to acquit the soul from this condemnation this is that which may work bitterness as for a first born Zach. 12. 10 11. 3. Crossing the will and so grieving the heart of Christ now in glory as when the old world grew sensual it grieved God to the heart keep these in remembrance what pleasure canst thou take in that which makes the Lord sigh 4. The end wâ—ll be bitterness Psal. 73. 17. Secondly Take heed you miss not of that Faith which will bring in supply Heâ— 4. 1 2. Take heed lest a promise being leâ—t any fall short of that rest which comes by the promise by an unbelieving heart for many desire the
for the elects sake they are willing to spend and to be spent 2 Cor. 1â— 15. Paul wisheth himself anathâ—â—â— amor divinâ—s est exstâ—â—cus â— carries out of self Rom. â— 1 2 3. though it is true the Ministry was not blest to all yet the election obtained it Rom. 11. 7. hence the ministry is from men not Angels that there might be the more pity and so the more help Heb. 4. 2. SECT IV. 2. BUt why by the Ministry of the Gospel Because the Law cannot give life Gal. 3. 21. Now the Lord cannot make him that hath sinned not to have sinned that would be a contradiction and he that hath sinned must dye and hence there is no possibility for the Spirit to give life here hence the Spirit takes another instrument the Gospel can perswade to believe and bring to Christ where life is feared Because there is more of Christs blood here and hence more Spirit for they are all one to be cleansed with Blood and Spirit for the Lord Jesus did not by his blood purchase the unsealing of the Law but the Gospel is a secret and not known but by this means it is the New Testament which ariseth from the death of the Testator to have the neâ—â— of the Gospel printed it is by means of Christ blood but to have men sent to open it there is more of his blood therein and hence more Spirit Because there is more of Christ's love in the Gospel and where most of his love goes there his Spirit goes most it is love to make us know the Law though it be a hand-wrâ—ing against us but now when we see death to bring the Gospel and therein to entreat and wait there is great love and hence it is called the Ministry of Râ—conciliation Oh it is infinite pity to offer to take a dead â—artion up under his wings here he loâ—gs for the salvation of a siâ—ner most if we were fallen Angels he would never send the Ministry of the Gospel to us but so it is now that he hath taken the seed of Abraham SECT V. OF Instruction 1. Hence we may see the glory of the Gospel in that it is the Ministry of the Spirit of God this the Apostle professeth it exceeds in glory glorious light it scatters that which hath been hid from the wise nay from Prophets and Abraham who desired to see this day and saw it but â—â— far off hence it is called marvellous light which brings the foul to the light of that blessed face of Jesus and his glorious love which never shal be sounded to the bottom of it which damps the glory of all other things and although many great and wise despise it yet if they did know they would not despise the Lord of glory nor crucifie him but their eyes shall never see those glorious consolations and comforts promised to the people of God I will send the 〈◊〉 saith Christ which 〈◊〉 can be taken 〈◊〉 from Beleivers which in midst of all miserie comforts it is a great mercy when a man sees his sin else he would never seek for remedy but the Law canot do any thing but arrest and imprison it cannot get sin removed yet the Gospel can set at liberty which 〈…〉 prisoners Ioh 8. 32. You shall know the truth and that shall make you free I can through Christ c. Phil. 4. 13. It is a marvellous mercy to tremble before God and see and know and be affected with Gods wrath but yet if this be all the heart will sink and flye from God now the Gospel reveals Christ and so Ioh. 10. 16. his sheep he ar and follow him and the Gospel comes to hell with the Spirit to a poor sinner when he is blind captive broken mourning never so miserable now the Gospel penetrates thus low and brings the Spirit with it it makes the soul not only to see Christ but gives it him and now it is safe Oh beloved if the Spirit be glorious then is the Gospel glorious if the Ministry of men could bring in and draw with them the Princes of this world and all their wealth to serve you Angels and their Ministry nay bring Christ himself bodily to you how glorious were this but what is this to bring the Spirit into a Sty into thy Soul Oh therefore take heed of a light esteem of the Gospel as those Matth. 22. 3. which were shut out Men must speak something take heed you that have once esteemed it of accounting it a common thing it is next to the unpardonable sin of accounting the Gospel Ministers Truths Justification by Faith c. common things but see them glorious the greatest glory that ever was in the world did once lye hid under the meanest outside viz. Jesus Christ and yet the Apostles beheld his glory so the Gospel is most glorious now as being his glass and this notwithstanding is most mean in the account of many Paul is in the eyes of the Corinthian Doctors a mean man his presence was contemptible his words mean also men despised them Secondly hence see what cause they have to sit and go home to their houses lamenting that never found the Spirit conveyed by the ministry of the Gospel in life and power Lam. 1. 16. Oh the comforter that should refresh my soul is far from me if there be any hope of help it is by the Spirit and if the Spirit it is by the Ministry where the Gospel is published and the Spirit conveyed Oh thinks many a one in himself I find no such good thus long have I heard and thus oft do I hear but I come and go away as I came my heart never shaken my soul never broken my spirit never humbled nor comforted c. and therefore what care I for Ministers or Gospel it is true it is hid 2 Cor. 4. 3. but then it is from them that be lost only whom Satan hath blinded it may be the last medicine is now using as it is with many that have the last remedy applied when they be sick to death truly so it is here Heb. 6. 8. The tree or ground that brings forth bryars is nigh to cursing the condition is sad as it is there exprest it shall never see good when good comes Ier. 17. 6. Oh it was a sad complaint of Saul Oh the Lord answers me not and of the people of God Wee see no vision but you have none and lament it not if men in the old Law did not meet with the Lord in their Tent doors it was no wonder it was not usual so to do but when at the Tabernacle if they met not there with him it was sad then so here if you meet not the Lord there where he dwells it is strange not but that Saints may find the Lord absent but I speak to them that find it not and mourn not for it others shall rejoyce when they mourn for the absence of the Lord.
SECT VI. OF Confutation of those that think there is not that necessity of the Ministry to convey the Spirit But First think good Books may do the deed and hence can profit as much at home as thereby but these Virgins are not directed to books but persons though there is a good use of Books also Books are but a carkass of the living Word Secondly They that would have it by immediate revelation by elevations of the Soul to God a Familistical principle collected from the Apocrypha speculations of devout Monks received in Gâ—â—many when the Gospel was preached to overthrow it and entertained by the deceitful experiences of some as in London c. she that was conâ—erted by dreams c. indeed we are to look for the Spirit but to look for it without the Word is vile if the Apostles were living these would overthrow their doctrine Object What can man do say many you must look for the living voice of Christ the Word is but a dead letter and will only make you a Iew in letter Answ. If indeed we had only souls and no bodies then we might lay aside our Bibles but seeing it is not so look to the Word thus dispensed hence the Lord saith Hear and your souls shall live these say Hear not c. SECT VII OF Terror to all them that oppose the Ministry of the Lord Jesus and resist it the Holy Ghost being in it you resist the Holy Ghost himself and that not only where he is dropt but most abundantly poured out Acts 7 51 52. How did they resist the Holy Ghost they did but resist men No it was the Holy Ghost there for so he spake those words and the Spirit had some operation upon their hearts by those words Zach. 7. 12. Neh. 9. 30. Sometimes the Spirit puts forth its prerogative power then it is not overcome sometimes words without power and then men resist and overcome it for that is the meaning because all men resist more on less and this is enmity against the Spirit Act. 5. 39. Fighters against God which is a most sad and heavy evil for to be left to that evil to overcome the Comforter himself as he said Is it not enough to grieve man but you must grieve my God also Isa. 7. 13. SECT VIII Quest. BVt who doth resist thus Answ. 1. Some do it by filencing and persecuting of the Ministry of the Spirit which is most grievous When Amos preached against Bethel up steps Amaziah the Priest of Bethel Amos 7. 10. and first makes complaint of him to the King First that he was factious and conspired against the King And secondly That the Land was not able to beaâ— his words that he troubled the Country and Kingdom with his Doctrine viz. That we shall all dye if we receive not his Doctrine and hence he commands him to depart and flee from thence and prophesie no more there but you see what he answers I was a Herdsmaâ— and the Lord called me think not that you oppose a private spirit but the Lord 's that called me And hence see because he did but say so what his sentence is upon his Wife Children himself and upon all Israel Are there not many Amaziah's in these days do they not take the same course is not the same spirit working against the Spirit of God now what will their end be Let a man be never so peaceable in his place blessed in his work if he doth but reach Bethel nay if only the judgements of them the Altars there and Idols there Amos may prophesie in another Land but no more there but what will be the end of this see vers 17. it is a sad speech 1 Thess. 2. 16. Forbiding â—s to preach to the Gentiles that they may be saved for the wrath of God is come upon them to the utmost You know the Jews raised up persecution against them where ever they came but wrath is upon them for it evâ—n to the utmost why look as it is in hell to resist the Gospel ones self is heavy but when in hell there they wish that no others might receive it or that it might not be preached to any other that none might ever know the Lord So it is here it is greater wrath to oppose God in hell than to be opposed of God and the first they are come to Oh but they garnish the Sepulchres of the Prophets and beautifie their Temples and if they had lived in the days of the Prophets they would never oppose them Object But these are other kind of Hot-â—purs and Novices Answ. Matth. 23. 30 35. You shall have Scribes and Wise men and you shall kill them that upon you may come all the blood that ever was spilt and blood they must have who are the open persecutors of the Prophets and Saints of God first or last certainly God is remembring the tears and troubles of his banished distressed Seers 2. Some others by reviling and reproaching of the Ministry for Satan in the hearts of the wicked if he cannot hurt it with his teeth he will seek to destroy it by his tongue how was Paul censured by a company of proud Corinthians that when they had nothing against him almost yet they censure him for his manner of speaking and carriage 2 Cor. 10. 10. His lâ—tters are mighty but his presence base how was Iohn though for a time flock'd after and Christ Jesus himself was thus evilly reputed this was that which brought the total ruine of the Jews viz. mocking at the messengers of God 2 Chron. ult 16. When Paul had perswaded Sergius Paulus and Elymas gainsaid saith Paul Acts 13. 10. Oh full of subâ—ilty and child of the devil enemy to all righteousness why to all because all Grace comes to be wrought here by the Word thou shall be blind How have the Messengers and Ministers in this Country been trampled upon by some who though they have not yet been able to reach them by their power yet by vile reproaches so pursuing most of them that one would stand and wonder at the blindness and boldness not of moral men but Church-members and Professors and at the wrath of God upon them that ever they should be left to be scorners of them of whom the consciences of the vilest cannot but sometime say verily God is with you Yea Grace it sâ—lf hath been pretended to be the weapon by which the Ministers of the Gospel of Christ have been fought against and indeed the vilest opinions usually have been sheltered under Grace that hath been the Kings colours which the enemies of the Kingdom of Christ have lifted up to deceive for in places of profession not merit and works old shooes c. but Grace and Christ Matth. 24. 24. are most fit to deceive And hence if Ministers have perswaded men to believe and receive the Gospel what can we do say many God must do all if evidences and signs of a good estate
of it there is no beauty in thee why he should do this to thee there is in him beauty and excellency Oh shall not this love win thee Shall it be said another day Wherefore is all this evil come upon such a one had he not means had he not offers But this shall come against thee You would not Oh you would not SECT IV. ONly take these four Cautions concerning your consent Take heed that your consent arise not only from fear of misery for this is a forced consent and is ever naught and it appears so when the misery is past many do thus in fears of death or times of calamity Oh then the Lord Hos. 8. 1 2 3. Psal. 78. 34 35. Secondly Take heed it be not a conceit of your own making in days of peace for that which you make from your selves you will break also but that it arise from the sence of thine own insufficiency to give consent and the Lords Almighty power and infinite grace to work it and then no powers of any creature can untie that knot Many hearing of this Will you have Christ Oh yes withal my heart and force a consent by their own labor this is naught and hence Ezek. 16. 60 61. The Lord will receive that harlot but not by heâ— covenant i. e. which she undertook in her own name no the Lord must work it Ier. 3. 19. How shall I do this for thee c. Hos. 2. 19. I will â—etroth her For no creature can incline the heart to another but the Lord there is a natural antipathy between Christ and the Soul and hence we see it in many a Christian ask him Why cannot you love the Lord nor cleave to him Oh because I know not why I cannot I have no heart the truth is you have hearts that do loath him unless the Lord overcome you you can never submit indeed unto the Lord. Thirdly Look that your consent be not made according to your own terms and conditions for look as it is with a woman if she shall say she is content to love such a man but if she keeps an open Inn to entertain all strangers and love all commers or if there is one she is in league with there can be no mariage so therefore the conditions are so Receive the Lord and give your consent to love him only Prov. 8. 17. I love them that love me otherwise the match will never be made Isa. 50. 1. if you keep your wretched unruly stuâ—boâ— wâ—lls stâ—ll never hadst thou or shalt thou have the Lord Let thy sin be never so little so close as it may be sloth it is death to pray it may be 't is pride or whatever else it be you must have your hearts first divorced from them or thou canst not have Christ. Fourthly Take heed then that sence of want of dowry beauty portion in or from your selves doth not hinder you from consent for the Lord requires no such thing of you hence Mâ—tth 22. 4. All things are ready in Christ to receive from him Ephes. 5. 25. 'T is not for you to make ready to bring to him only come and the Lord doth bring his people to sence of vileness that they may do thus know that it is his Grace that makes the Lord close there SECT VIII NOW will you refuse and not let the Lord have your hearts this day First is there any thing in the Lord that should keep thee from consenting what good is there else but in him what want of perfection there his love is better than life if there be any thing in the world that can be better to thee or do greater things for thee make thy match but who can pay thy debts who can fetch thee out of prison who can put beauty on thee who ever did thee good but the Lord therefore there is none like him he will cloth thee possess thee c. Secondly is there any thing in thy self that keeps thee from consenting hast thou no need of him or consenting to him you may it is true have other creatures to adorn you as they Ezek. 16. 37 38. But the Lord will gather your lovers together and give you blood and fury in his jealousie I mean when the Lord shall come at this day to embrace comfort glorifie others thou shalt not have a smile from him Oh men now despise the Lord and his Grace and Patience tell them of a match with the Son of God they regard it not no more than a tale that is told well the Lord will bring you into horrors wherein you shall prize and be glad of this before you die even one glimpse of his love Post tenebras lucem spero After my sickness December 12. 1639. CHAP. XVIII Shews that Christ will not tarry when once his time is come and the folly of such whose work is then to do and that the blessedness of Saints consists in immediate communion with Christ. SECT I. THe coming of Christ we have heard is set forth first from the time of it viz. just then when the foolish went to buy Could not the Lord so patient and long suffering tarry a little while longer for them especially seeing they went not about any sinful work but were using the means to get that grace now which their vessels were empty of before No but the Lord deals with all men especially that live under the means as he did with these foolish Virgins That as God is long-suffering towards men whiles through ignorance of their spiritual wants and security of heart they have no hearts to use the means for supply So if once his time of forbearance be slept out he will not tarry one moment longer even when men are most diligent in the use of means for spiritual supplies when Christ hath a heart to help many people have none either to see their wants or seek for help when men have hearts thus to do then Christ hath none because his time of tarrying is out when men are worst and most secure Christs door is open to them many times when men are best and indeed awakened Christs heart and door is shut against them as it was here for what are the best endeavors of foolish Virgins what excellency is there in them that the Lord of glory should stay their leisure after long neglect of himself and loss of precious time SECT II. BE sure you sleep not out the day time of Grace especially you 1. That know you want oyl in your vessels and Grace in your hearts and mercy to your souls and think I would not die yet for a world 2. You that being asleep with these foolish Virgins dream you are rich and want nothing and would be half offended with them that should tell you to your face or bat think in their hearts that you have no grace when indeed you are poor and empty and naked Take heed you give not that answer to time that
himself in his son Iohn 17. 23. That the world may know thou hast loved me the Father out of his infinite love commuâ—icates himself to Christ and his fellowship is with the Father all know this is a dear love in mean while love to his Saints is unknown they and the wicked share all alike and the Saints have the least portion and worst part many times so that men cannot see by any outward thing any more love to them than unto others the time will come that they shall be made perfect in one as near the Lord as can be that the world may know this love c. When Absoâ—om had slain his brother and fled from his father it is said 2 Sam. 13. 39. that the sâ—ul of David longed or was consumed to go forth to him David might have said I will never look after him more so might the Lord have said to us or if he lâ—ved he might never have manifested it as David but the Lord must shew his love c. Because this is the end of all the prayers and endeavours and all the workings of the Saints in this World Suppose all glory be in Christ let a thing be never so good but if a man hath no desires after it hath no mind to it it would not be blessednesse to him but this is the end of all the prayers duties of the Saints if at last they may be with the Lord Phil. 3. 8 9. Joh. 4. 14. He shall never thirst their desires are taken off from other things â—ut only their hearts are to this If there be any pillow the Lord lets them sleep upon in this world they shall finde it hard at last and arise with a Kings head and heart and say Oh here is not my rest the best entertainment this world can give hath ever somewhat mixt with it that makes the people of God say Oh that I might be with the Lord SECT VI. Quest. SHâ—ll not the happinesse of the Saints partly lie in fellowship with â—he Saiâ—s Answ. 1. True but this is but a consequent to the former as separâ—tion from God is â—he substance of misery in hell but other things follow upon it viz. communion with Reprobates and Divels so here we have first communioâ— with Christ here is the substance of our blessednesse then this is accidenâ—alâ— and follows upon that viz. the communion with the Saints which is exceeding sweet 2. That good we shall have in communion with Saints is not from themselves but Christ in them as 2 Thess. 1. 10. Christ shall s be admired in all his Saints so Christ shall â—hen in his Saints and Angels it is the light of the Sun that shines in the Stars and they shall do nothing but set out the praises of Christ. Quest. But what blessednesse is there in this seeing it is in one thing only when a man is sâ—â—k or poor can grace refresh him can he live by that thus many carnal hearts think Answ. 1. The Lord shall then take away all fleshly appetites or desires for then our bodies shall be spiritual bodies in this life sometimes God takes away the stomack when he takes away food Christ forgot his wearinesse because he had other bread to eat 2. It is therefore blessednesse because it is in one there is First Trouble in seeking and fetching our comfort out of many things 2. Unsatisfiednesse because one thing can give no more than it hath now all things in this one thing are there together the sweet of all creatures all Ordinances nay variety of unknown mercies Prov. 8. 21. shall center here in Christ Jesus SECT VII OF marvellous Consolation to the Saints of God Now you have many wants many sorrows many temptations many sins many cares and fears of livelihood but the time will shortly come when you shall be with the Lord alone in communion with him and so out of the crowd and presse of troubles and temptations and sins and evils in this world that as he himself is above all these so shall you Iohn 14. 1 2 3. Their hearts were grieved for the losse of Christ I will come to you and take you to my self that where I am there you may be also sometimes outward losses and fears trouble thee sometimes absence of Christ from thee troubles thee hear what the Lord saith Lâ—t not your hearts be troubled for the Lord will take you to himself again John 16. 22. Christ tells them I will see you again and your hearts shall rejoyce what if he had said I will come down from heaven to you again I tell you the Lord will do so to you but that he is in a better place preparing iâ— for you and doing better things for you but he sees you for the present and you shall be with him at last The Apostle prays that they might know what is the inheritance of the Saints so I desire of the Lord for you that you may know what it is to have communion with Christ alone oh see your blessednesse c. SECT VIII 1. This Communion it shall be by sight not chiefly by faith as it is in this world Many go many Miles to the supposed Sepulchre of Christ and account their time though superstitiously yet happily spent oh but what will it be to see the Lord himself not as he was here in his abasement but in all his glory brighter than ten thousand Suns now we see 1 Cor. 13. as in a glasse where we see the glory of God in the face of Christ but then we shall know as we are known as a childe knows not the father but at ripe years it doth but as Philip said to Nathanael who said Can any good come out of Nazareth so can any such mercy come from heaven come and see him of whom all the Prophets have spoken of so then the Father and Spirit and Saints and Angels will say oh come in and see him of whom all the Prophets have written come and behold him that hath shed his dearest blood for thee that hath taken thought and care for thee night and day that hath been all thy life inâ—erceding for thee Revel 22. 4. There you shall see his face 2. This comâ—union it shall be spiritual and inward wiâ—h tâ—e soul and conscience suppose the soul should be with Christ and not have spiritual communion with him what were it the better as many â—ad when Christ was here in this world that eat and drank in his presence and yet are now shut out Oh no! the glory beauty goodness of Christ is not to be seen with bodily eyes nor tasted nor handled with ouâ— carkasses and hence Angels though in heaven with Christ's person yet look to the Gospel to hear see and enjoy the spiritual excellencies of the Lord hence Simeon when he had Christ in his arms yet now desires to depart because he should then come near him into his spiritual communâ—on Oh this the soul shall
the Spouse of Christ is made lovely by its Wedding Garment the Royal Robe of his own righteousness in the eyes of Christ for this Bridegroom though he findes his Spouse 〈◊〉 yet he being glorious and lovely himself makes it lovely and glorious Eâ—h 5. 25 26. A Queen fit for the fellowship of this King of Kings and thorow this righteousness though otherwise weak and vile yet the object of his and the Fathers infinite and endless delight in heavenly Glory now it is fit Zach. 3. 1 2 3 4 5. 2 Cor. 5. 2 3. Without this righteousness there is nothing but shameful nakedness in the best so as the soul 〈◊〉 Adam will rather seek bottomes of Mountaines to hide it from Christ 〈◊〉 to appeare before him Now examine you Saints time was that 〈◊〉 was no shame to thee though thou didst wallow in that Vomit and livedst in it and livedst by it as by thy Trade or if the Lord did keep and deanse you from foule sins and that you could pray and sorrow and kâ—ow and remember what you heard and had some good affections now you were some body in your own eyes and it may be you thought if you died then you should to heaven and Christ must needs save you who should he save else but now the Lord hath made thee poor in spirit and ashamed nay the Lord hath made thee lie down confounded because of all thy shame before him and the Lord hath made thee see a glory a riâ—ing Sun in Christs righteousness which the Gospel hath brought to light though thou wert a poor naked condemned vile creature yet the Lord hath made thee seek for it so as to esteem all things loss to be found there and now here is all thou hast to glory in as that which may make thee lovely in the Fathers sight and here the Lord hath quieted thy conscience and heart also be not discouraged nor afraid to stand before the Lord if he should send for thee this night for though thou art vile in thine own eyes yet the Lord looks upon thee as lovely The Apostle makes a question why the Gentiles are justified and not the Jewes Rom. 9. 30 31. he answers it verse 32. viz. they sought it by the works of the Law but if it be otherwise with thee that in Christ thy righteousness and strength is then thou mayst glory so that now thou shalt have peace againe against all the condemning of conscience Satan and God himself But have you seen your nakedness known and stood convinced of your viâ—eness and have heard the voyce of God condemning thee for thy sinful though civil life and been afraid and hereupon you have reformed your life lamented your course set upon some duties gone to Christ for strength against some corruptions and you have had it and you have looked about you and have been ready to say If the Lord saves not me who should he and so have sowen these leaves and skinnes together to cover your shame and now you are well being strangers to this true righteousness you shall never see the Lord in peace if you die thus Or if thus you see not Christ to be all sin is not your shame but you lie in it and holiness is not your glory and hence you esteem it not but it 's a common thing to you if that was then it would be your glory to be like Christ and to live to him Know it thou art not yet ready for thou only seest the Garment and you catch at it but the Lord helps you not by faith to put it on SECT VII 2. VVHen the soul is filled with the Spirit of Christ when there is not only some of the workings of the Spirit in the soul but the soul is filled with the Spirit for this was the wound of the foolish Virgins they had Lamps outward Profession and glorious which was a work of the Spirit and some dipping of their week in the oyle some lighter superficial changes and works of grace in their hearts but they had not oyle in their Vessel they had not plenty and fulness of the Spirit some unripe eares there were but not full and hence they were to buy when the Lord Jesus came but the wise had The blood and righteousness of Christ ever brings the plenty of the Spirit of Christ hence 2 Cor. 5. 5. earnest of the Spirit I speak not now of extraordinary fulness which Prophets and Apostles had nor of that fulness which is in glory as if we must have that here but of that which the Saints attaine to in this life every one according to his need and measure of capableness of the same the Spirit of love is not dropt but shed into the heart the Spirit of God in them is not a Spirit of some light affection dying affection but of eternal life Rom. 8. 2 3. The spirit of mourning doth not only drip upon them but it 's poured down upon them Zach. 12. 10. the spirit of wisdome doth not only give them light and knowledge but Marvellous Light 1 Pet. 2. 9. I have opened this at large only three signes now I shall give you to discerne this Spirit by SECT VIII 1. THis Spirit and fulnesse of it the Saints not only pray for but they follow their â—rayâ—rs to Christ untill thâ—ir souâ—s are sweetly satisfied with it and so it abides daily satisfying their hearts John 4. 14. The water I shall give shall be a spring so as the soul shall not thirst after more graâ—e i. e. with a tormenting thirst nor after the world the grace of God and the Spirit of God in the heart is so sweet that the soule saith Oh it is enough oh if my soul might ever be thus near the Lord indeared to him walking thus humbly thankfully cheerfully with him this should be all my desire and hence Iohn 14. 16. it is called the Com orter which dwells in them and is known by them the world knows it not Now here is the wound of others they have the Spirit convincing them of emptiness misery nakedness and they lie so and they desire but as Solomon saith Prov. 13. 4. They are forsaken of the Spirit before they finde him to be a Comforter quenching their thirsty desires making them to feele the sweetness of his Presence of his Grace Isa. 58. 11. There were divers that did pray fast draw near to God and did delight in it but they felt not what they desired at all there were some lusts their souls were leane and like parched desarts but when the heart is indeed humbled the spirit comes in and makes the bones fat and like a watered garden Oh therefore take heed you give not over till the Lord pour out in thy empty heart of the fulness of his grace 2. This Spirit ever keeps a man poor and vile in his own eyes and empty Take a man that hath no knowledge nor taste of Gods grace whiles he findes
enter into the Marriage with him I will allow some unusual exceptions against general rules and put in Asa for one and leave secrets with God but ordinarily the Lord doth not let his deare Servants dye in a sottish secure estate When Sampsons locks are cut and his strength lost he shall lie in the Mill untill they be grown againe before he dies and Solomon may run ryot but he shall proclaim his folly to all ages in the world for it in Eccles. before he dies Epâ—es 5. 26 27. Christ presents his Church without wrinckle you are to be presented by Christ to the Father and to be set before Christ without wrinckle without witherings and decayes if he loves you he will wash you that it may be so SECT II. Quest. BVT must they be so farre awakened as to wait for the Lord and desire to be with him having got Vessels full and Lamps burning Answ. Yes in some measure at least for there are awakenings to the life of glory in another world and awakenings to the life of duties in this world by the one the soul is raised out of this world to the Lord in Glory by the other the soul is raised up to duties in this world if the Lord awakens not his Saints to the first either they are not awakened truly or not throughly and effectually for till then the soul is not ready Lukâ— 12. 40. with 35. As it is with a man who is sent for to enjoy favour and fellowship of the King he is not ready for it untill he stands waiting at the door and that it is his business the patternes of mercy and Vessels of glory are ever set out in the New Testament by this Heb. 9. ult Tit. 2. 12 13. Look as it was with Simeon Luke 2. 25. He had a promise he should see Christ before he died hence he waited for the consolation of Israel so the soul having a promise of seeing Christ when he is dead it makes him wait for this time and when he wants a promise sealed though he waites not nextly yet he waites remotely that the Lord would cause him to believe it that so he might wait for it that is his end this is the meaâ—es he knows it is best to be with the Lord where is no sin but holiness he hath found him sweet in his looks in his words in his works in his hopes his first fruits but to be with him is best This is not such an high pitch which Saints come not to it is indeed such which Hypocrites come not to the Hypocrites end is to escape misery hence they desire comfort by duties that they shall be freed from it but not to enjoy Christ the Lord never tied in their souls such a knot of faith and love which works this For 1. Security of Saints 't is not the privation of life that is death but a suspension of the acts of a heavenly life there is in them love to Christ delight in him happiness in living to him pleasing of him but it is suspended by cares or contents of the world and love of ease hence a Christian is never throughly awakened till he comes to that life againe his heart is with Christ in heaven and because he cannot be there hence he stayes a while and looks and waits for it anothers security is the privation of life of empty duties arising from some vanishing affections as in the foolish Virgins which were to quiet conscience only Hence their awakening are only to that life againâ—e at the best if ever God do awaken them unless the Lord indeed convert them 2. Every thing will mightily tend to that to which its nature bends and inclines it as a stone if thrown upward will mightily tend downward Some say there is an Element of fire above because this here endeavours to ascend as being out of its place he that is of the earth he will be tending to it though awakened tâ—ough lifted up Saints will be tending upward because their nature is heavenly loving looking waiting longing 2 Cor. 5. 3 4. with 1. as Angels here be willing to stay to do the work but yet they long to be before the face of God againe because their natures are heavenly and there their proper place is Now for the Lord Jesus sake examine your selves here I hope some are awakened the Word hath done it cry of afflictions inward temptations have made you look about you and you are wearied out with your own wayes but are you not since grown secure time was the feet of the Messengers of peace were glorious but now their Message is meane Sabbaths longed for now you are weary of them heartless in them sleep with the spoon in your mouths private duties were seasons of breaking the heart refreshing and comforting from the Lord but now you neglect them sleight them and the Lord in them and are not much troubled at it because you have some excuse or other for it thy mouth was full of good questions now thou thinkest thy self more fit to teach than learn thy society was sweet as the Rose in Spring now the sweet odour of it is lost time was thou werâ— exceeding tender of the least sinne and not a day past but thy cheeks were wet in secret before the Lord now thou art grown blinde and bold and you can defile your self in all your wayes and your faith in Christ keeps you from repentance for sin time was the truth was glorious and you could make use of your Notes many a day after when you did not finde good in publick but now pen and Ink is left at home you cast your bread into corners and feed not your hearts therewith Time was you could take a rebuke kindly when you were little in your own eyes but now if you think a reproof is meant of you your hearts can swell nay now your judgement decayes What warrant for private prayers twice a day what warrant for weekly Sermons when we have six dayes to labour and one to rest in you were formerly more exact but now wiser and thus you lie and as if you were come to the end of your race already and reach not after things before you you have enough grace hence you think you shall be saved and so sit stâ—ll and now play the good Husband Oh the Covenants you have had if ever you came hither what you would do oh the esteem of the Lord afar off but now you are broken by your Voyage and your Vessel is crackt and oyle is run out and Lamp is out will you dye so if you say yes I profess you are not ready it is a question if ever you had grace if it be so and therefore bless God the Lord gives you warning this day but I feare many will not stir till Christ comes I say as she to Sampson Vp for the Philistins are upon thee so I say Security is upon thee and wrath is now gone out
up before profession as all manner of ignorance and hardness and lasciviousness and vanity now many grow terrified for these and comforted by the Gospel against these and now peace is made Oh but there are some mens natures like some fields which when they are mowen and weeded yet they have a second growth it may be as with other kinde of Weeds you may never fall to those sins you lived in once but other sins more close more spiritual like the House Luke 11. 24. swept and emptied but seven other spirits worse than the former may at last enter in Oh take heed of these for they will make your latter end miserable you know habitations of Satan are not fit mansions for the Spirit of Christ you know Vessels not only of Wood but of Gold if filthy and poysoned are unfit for Princes use till cleansed and look through all the Scriptures on the faces of the best hypocrites you shall finde some filth growing up after their Profession or together with it like blood and sacrifice mixt together Matth. 7. 23. Luke 13. 27. Not those that have iniquity but those that work it not those that work against it and are destroyers of it by little and little but workers of it If you ask me what these sins be I answer These tares and choaking Thornes as they are sown and grown whiles you be asleep so they may be seen when they are grown up if you walk in your fields and meditate on your hearts I 'le only name some 1. Pride affecting some excellency above others and thinking your self some body 2. Spiritual fulness and secret loathing of Ordinances when men are clogged with them 3. Despising known truths which like flowers were notwithstanding sweet at first gathering either concerning your misery or Christ if the Gospel were preacht to the ignorant they would take heaven with violence but thy soul now is not moved and the messengers of God that bring them despised as Galatia and Corinth did Paul 4. A spirit of contention with good people Now you cannot bear unkindnesses and they offend you c. Alexander at first stood for Paul and he opposeth Paul to his face at last 5. Boldness to 〈◊〉 in small matters commonly without sorrow begot by counterfeit assurance of Gods love 6. Seeking of God in Ordinances and working of iniquity out of them fits men have of good affections but healthful constitutions of bad ones 7. Thinking you are indeed what you would be and yet indeed would not be There be other sins but these are some of the most special which I shall now mention take heed of letting these grow or dealing gently with them for Saints may feel these but they put their hook to the roots of these Weeds and would faine pull them quite up but if you deal gently as David with the young Absolom and think God must do all I cannot part with them and hence you give way to them and though there be these sins yet I have many good signes and promises too I shall be saved and so long as they cannot destroy my soule what though they grow in my soul You perish 1 Cor. 9. 26 27. if thus it be with you Take heed you do not run away with such comforts arising from your feeding upon the promise and person of Christ without refrâ—shing the soule also with the good Will and Commands of Christ do not think your selves ready to enjoy Christ when his promise person and love is sweet which is good but his will is bitter and a burden to thy soul even thy whole soul I know 't is so to the â—nregenerate part of godly men for such men there be 1 Iohn 1. 6. To the Saints Christs love is sweet and promise sweet and therefore his Will his Work Iohn 4. 34. Bread you know not of to do the Will of him that sent me and to finish it so it is their food to do the Will of him that loves them and to finish it If a man is to remove from one Countrey to another and he cannot live upon the Bread of the Countrey nor water where he goes he is then unfit for such a Journey because he cannot live upon the bread of it Now what is that which feeds the life of Saints in glory not only Christ but living unto Christ to be perfected under the Government and Kingdom of Christ can you live upon this now in part and the first fruits of it if you can know it is then prepared for thee and thou for it if not but you live as you say upon the present sweet of the promise nay it may be upon the thoughts of old comforts but to do the Will of Christ is death not life to you and it is meerly your task for wages to do his Will not part of your Inheritance you are unfit to be with Christ Acts 21. 13. Why break you my heart saith Paul I am ready to die for the sake of Christ and to do much more So think thus Was Paul ready to die and I not ready to do my heart loaths thy Commands Lord but what the Law makes heavy the Gospel makes sweet for thy sake Lord I love thy will pray Oh thy love is sweet but let thy will be so also Labour to grow poor in spirit that when you cannot honour the Lords Will yet you may be gathering somâ—thing out of all sinnes and weaknesses to honour Gods grace the glory of grace is the last end those that be prepared for it shall enjoy it Who are those The poore who when they see they have lost their lives their soules their comforts in not doing his Will which is bitter to them yet the Lord shall not lose the honour of his grace Psalme 74. 21. The poor will be thankful What doth Paul that Vessel of grace Persecutor Blasphemer but a Saint now say Oh but the least of them but he was an Apostle but I deserve not that name but yet he is received to mercy 't is very true yet never such an example as he thinks and therefore saith he To the King immutable c. when Iacob had seen the Lord Gen. 26. ult if he shall give me food and rayment he shall be my God i. e. I shall then magnifie him he having said he would be so before and he had it in plenty So say If the Lord shall pity pardon I shall then give all to him if I had a thousand hearts tongues truly as Psalme 40. ult The Lord now thinketh on you When a Servant hath spent and lost his Masters estate and he is to give up an Account truly then he may give it with comfort when as he gaines one way abundantly though he loseth another and makes the best gaines so here SECT XV. 2. TO those who are ready but yet not so ready as is meet The Lord hath given you warning to prepare by some sharp afflictions on thy self or by the
this and that but I had these ends in them and I harboured these sins by them will conscience make men say Because now Satan to whose custody the soul is committed appears to the soul and it sees it self in his hands The best Hypocrite is never delivered out of the hands of Satan and his power he will eitheâ—r keep constant possession or if not yet he will returne againe now he will not appear in this time of peace to the soul because there is yet hope but after death then hope is past and therefore then he appeares for as the souls of the Elect are carryed to Heaven by Angels and blessed among them so è â—ontrà the souls of the wicked are in the hands of Devils 1 Pet. 3. 19. He preacht to the spirits now in Prison Theeves so long as they are not known or if known not apprehended they fear not death but when taken and laid up in prison there they know their death and there they see their Jaylour so here and as Satan did condemne and sad the heart of the humbled out-cast 2 Cor. 2. 11. so much more these when cast out from the presence of God A Caâ—tive when taken by him that hath overcome him the Conquerour appeares and sets his foot upon him especially if one eminent whom Satan hath conquered Because of the intolerable and heavy wrath of God which then doth seize upon the soul. Luke 16. I am tâ—rmentâ—d In this life though God be lost yet mens hearts are comforted with creatures and patience and common bounty as it is with skall'd legs eased in the water but now when men are dead then there is no creature to enjoy to ease the heart the body is dead and what are these things to the soul now hence the soule feels God is gone and for ever gone and now when he hath most need in great torment gone the soul feels this I say and feeling this woe it knows it indeed the beasts know their misery when they feel the Knife in their hearts Let men deceive themselves never so deeply with false imaginations yet when they feel it otherwise it shall confute them as the Generations of men in the dayes of Noah men will have some hope while patience lasts but when that 's gone then their hopes and hearts sink also whiles men be in the Vessel they hope to live but if that sink and they can see no plank nor shore but see waves and men crying c. now their hearts must needs fail them Of terrour to them who upon cleare conviction from the Word will not believe their doom their misery now Sometime the Word comes so near men and the very sin they live and lie in is pointed at found out and words and thoughts opened as if some body had told the Minister of the man and they think He speaks against me but they will not believe that sin is so black or God so angry but hope well but if they do sleight and regard not these convictions yet oh remember the time is drawing on and it is not farre of but therein you shall know the word of the Lord is more precious to him than to you you let it fall but the Lord will not 1 Sam. 3. 19. The Old World would not believe Noah the Lord therefore made their experience convince them of it I know men may be deceived but as he said in another case The word is not bound so the word which like God searcheth the secrets of thy heart and thy Hypocrisie that is not deceitful thy Scepter O Lord is a right Scepter and it cannot be crook't and bent And if man doth condemn thee know it God is greater then man and it is his glory to confirm the words of his Servants that are not Diviners South-sayers and uncertaine Prognosticators of mens desâ—inies Isa. 44. 26. but having their warrant from the Word it shall be confirmed by God himself nay that very Word shall arise though it sleeps now the Word is only left as a Witnesse Matth. 24. 14. and do you think it shall not be so if Christ lives he will confirm it Is it not better to know your condition now and be humbled for it seeing else you must know it when it is too late to know it If two have a Quarrel against each other and the one who hath the better side entreats to agree with him to acknowledge his fault be humbled he will forgive him before he comes to higher Courts where it will be tried and himself cast and such a Fine and damages be set upon his head as will utterly undo him is it not a misery for such an one so brought under to feed himself with hopes and not to listen till he hath spent all and is utterly undone and beggar'd truly thus 't is here And so I end with reminding you of the speech of God to Elies Sons 1 Sam. 2. 25. They heard not their father because God would slay them so here you will not hear Ministers condemne you because God will do it See the great folly of thoâ—e who having got some false comforts and are loâ—h to know the worst of their â—states now Isa. 30. 10. that say to the Prophets Prophesie deceits or if not they will not come to the light Iohn 3. 20. or if light come to them they hate it and put it out choak it if they do not also hate the man Shall you know your estates hereafter and will you not see them now what comfort will this be to you There is a Beast when it is hunted and weary runnes its head into the ground or bushes and thinks it self then safe though its body be all seen and that the Hunter doth not see it nor the Hounds because it sees not them So it is here What wiâ—l it profit you to hide your eyes from the Almighties search who cannot hide your selves It 's true if there was no hope nâ—w then men might comfort themselves and not dye with thoughts and fears of it till they come to dye but there is hope Oh folly not to see it now and truly this is mens frame 1. Because some think it a shame to begin now after they have been so well thought of now to strip themselves 2. Because of trouble men naturally will avoid it and hence skin their â—ores over superficially 3. Because they think it impossible or very difficult to be saved now if all should be naught that they have done already and hence rather hazard all and put it to the venture 4. Because they must maintaine their innocency and confidence What must I not believe noâ— hope well 5. Because when they have done their best they can do no more than what they do now viz. trust to Gods mercy But more particularly this appeares First When men will not see nor desire the Lord to reveal their sinne and deceits Psalme 36. 3. That 's one part of
the finding of the Pearle Maâ— 13. 45. III. He so beholds him in his Glory as that he now esteems of him in all his Glory For a Balaâ—â—â— may see the Glory of the Tents of Israel and the Star of Iacob but they esteem not of him in all his Glory The damned in Hell see a Glory in Christ else they would never grieve for the loss of him but 't is only in regard of somthing in Christ delivering Saints from sorrows they feel Nay many Reprobates under a lively Ministry shall see some Glory in Christ and in Saints to think them the happy men yet not esteem of him in all his Glory but 't is otherwise here The Lord ariseth as the Sun upon the earth which makes all things that have any Glory to appear therein and it puts a Glory on every thing that was hid before So Christ puts a Glory on every thing of himself So that 1. The soul sees a Glory in the Grace of Christ Iohn 1. 14. For the Glory of Christs Person is not seen without these excellencies Luke 1. 46. My soul 〈◊〉 the Lord. 2. A Glory in the Holiness of Christ Isa. 6. 3. Especially to consider it 's in him to make me holy 2 Cor. 3. 18. 3. A Glory in his Covenant and Promises Psal. 45. 1 2. Oh that all those Promises might be made good to me This is all my desire 2 Sam. 23. 5. 4. A Glory in the Government and Commands and Will of Christ. Oh if once I could in every thing give content to his heartâ— Psal. 19. 10. Thâ—t the soul had rather lose all than cross his will in a small thing seeing a Glory in the least Truth in casting off a Ceremony c. Zach. 6. 13. 5. A Glory in all the Ordinances of Christ. Oh how amiable are thy Taâ—ernacles oh God! Oh the Fellowship of Saints Oh the peace on Sabbathâ— 6. A â—lory in all his carriage Let him bless me with outward estate though but a little This is the allowance that Christ in Glory provides for 〈◊〉 Let him threaten me good is the Word of the Lord. Let him desert me his anger is love Oh that is Glorious Let him take all from me reproach me Moses esteems Christs reproach greater riches than Egypt which is our estate here It sees a Glory in all Christs waies and quiets it self here it is the Lord as Eli said Thus Saints see and esteem of Christ in all his Glory and we shall find a false heaâ—t ever falls short here a sincere heart never but commonly is so taken up with it that if you ask suppose you should have all Grace Holiness Promises of Christ c. Would not this be mercy Yes enough I should then boast in him and bless him for ever And hence Christ is called Lâ—ke 2. 33. the Glory of Israel because they so esteem him And Isa. 28. 5. In that day the Lord shall be a Diadem of Glory Others may in horrour priâ—e Christ above the world but 't is only to ease them IV. I add he esteems him thus 1. As his present good so that if the Lord doth withdraw or deny himself now unto him noâ—hing in this world can for the present quiet him Ier. 50. 4 5. Hence those in their judgments acknowledge Christ the greatest good and when they are dying and see he will be so at last day yet now for the present a little more liberty in sin sloath lust honour gain Lots large accomodations are 〈◊〉 You never saw him Oh vile world the Lord will one day condemn 〈◊〉 out of thine own mouth thy own will was more dear to thee than his this worlds ease better than his peace c. When you 〈◊〉 on your Death-beds you esteem him then Why Because serves your turn then Hence before you did not 2. As the greatest good Deut. 33. 26. Ier. 10. 7. Hence those that see some good in Christ and desire him and offer fair for him but prize him not as the greatest good And hence with the young man though content to part with somwhaâ— not with all they will cast their rags down at Christs feet and intreat him to take away their sins but will not cast their Crowns down the deaâ—est things they have And hence the thorny-ground-Profesâ—ors ever fall away The good things of this world which they forsook in time of persecution were dearer than Christ and hence they fall away 'T is a dishonour to a King to be valued as other men are Zach. 11. 12 13. 3. As the only good Isa. 24. 23. The Sun shall be confounded c. And though other things may steal into their hearts for a time yet they recover themselves this is the one thing Psal. 27. 4. that they beg in this life And hence do fall short 1. Those that esteem Christ as men do Merchandise they would fain have it but are loath to fetch it Men may esteem Christ as they think the only good but herein their falseness appears that they neglect means to it because they have some good else to quiet them And here is condemned all lazy Profession 2. Those that would have Christ and esteem him highly and use means for him diligently but they must have Christ and world and lust and ease too Christ to quiet their Consciences and the world their hearts Christ to rest on when their duties fail them and world to rest in when the Consolations of Christ are denied unto them The Lâ—â—d is good go up and possesse it 1. But do the Saints come to this pitch 2 Cor. 4. 3. If our Gospel be hid 't is hid to them that be lost Who are those from whom Christ is hid When is he hid When his Glory is hid I know Saints may feel a want of and mouâ—r for it but it will appear if they are the Lords at some time Nay this they will find some and much contempt remaining which they oppose yet this is here and at parting times it is seen â— But Saints cannot know this Yes as well as they can know their contempt by means of Gods Spirit he 〈…〉 carried from one contrary to another shall know it â— But Hypocritâ—â— may attain to this â— Then the â—ospel may be revealed to an hypocrite and to them that are â—ost 2. Then they may believe for to them only the Lord is precious 1 Pet. 2. 7. Then a 〈◊〉 is preâ—â—ous when we value it according to the worth of it Now the Lord is the greatest and only goodâ— and then when we esteem him so this is the 〈◊〉 of Believeâ—â— only 3. Then Christ may be a 〈◊〉 Treasure For that is our treasure which we esteem most 4. Then a carnal heart may honour Christ with one of the highest degrees of honour which consists in this high esteem Luke 1. 46. My soul magnifies the Lâ—â—d 5. Observe we thaâ— never any lost Christ but because they undervalued him
〈…〉 and take the 〈◊〉 That it shall lie upon you one day oh if Christ had had that 〈◊〉 which lust and world hath had I had had him nowâ— Examine if it be thus if you thus see and prize the Lord Jesus Oh be thankful that ever the Loâ—â— sent 〈◊〉 Messenger to 〈◊〉 Christ If not oh go and mourn Paul did sâ— three 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 9. when â—e saw nothing Oh Christ hath been long â—id from thee Oh 〈…〉 this but 〈◊〉 about for it for else that in Mat. 23. 39. shall be 〈◊〉 portion SECT III. III. Fulness of Faith in the room of Unbellef FOR 't is not unknown how strongly this sin keeps every mans Palace and that not Moses but the Lord Jesus is the stumbling stone even of the Iews the peculiar people of God When men are at their last cast that the Lord intends to wait to pity no more at last the Son comes and an unbelieving heart casts the Ballance and refuseth him After that the Lord hath tried men by miraculous preservations deliverances from Pharaohs provision at Massah then Canaan comes to be entred and men cannot enter because of unbelief This 〈◊〉 stands in open view and keeps the breach when all other sins in appearance are beaten out of the field Now there is a Spirit of Faith which comes in the room of this unbelief dispossesseth 〈◊〉 soul of the power of it for there may be some lighter stroaks of the Spirit 〈◊〉 are lighter Skirmishes with it but yet it wins the field again as in the stony ground that believed but unbelief got head again in time of persecution and temptation and then they fell away What is this Faith or that fulnesse or full measure of it I shall not speak here of Historical or Miraculous Faith The first of which is in the Devils the second in some men only that may perish afterward Nor yet of that Faith which we call of Assurance we shall not come yet to that But of that which we call justifying Faith and that which doth first unâ—te to Christ and justifie Now this Faith is the coming of the soul to Christ. This is the general For Adam had his life in himself but now 't is loâ—t in us but laid up in Christ Col. 3. 3. Now hence they that would have this life must go out of themselves to the Lord for it Now the motion of the soul between these two extreams of empâ—iness and death here to life and fulness there what is it but Faith Which Adam had not nor could have in that estate and therefore none of the Sons of Adam naturally can share in it And that this is Faith it appears 1. From Ioâ—â— 6. 35. Lam the Bread of life he that comes to me shall never hunger and he that believes in me shall never thirst 2. Because unbelief is the departing of the soul from the God of life Heb. 3. 1â— Not from a holy Lâ—w but from a living God 3. Faith is the proper effect of Vocationi or rather the chief part thereof Now look as ineffeâ—â—ual vocation is when the Lord calls but the soul never comes so effectual vocation is whereby the Lord calls and the soul answers and so comes So that to â—it still and see noâ—hing and do nothing is not Faith but sloath No Christ cannot be in thâ—t soul that is yet in himself Therefore Faith is not a passive possiâ—ility of the soul to receive Christ though that may prepare for him but the going out of a mans self unto Christ. But may not a man come to Christ that never shall have mercy from Christ Yes there mâ—â— be many lighter stroaks as in temporary Believers The world is at this day full of Faith Every man thinks and saith he believes though his Faith be weak 'T is mens Buckler against all means they know these â—ins but as long as they believe all is well And 't is their comfort in all their troubles though the Lord kills yet they will believe And I say some men have departed indeed froâ— the Lord The Gospel hath been preached and they have made out of theâ—selves to Christ but missed of him There is a Bramble-Faith that catcheth and 〈◊〉 Christ kisseth and betraies him That coming to Christ therefore whâ—ch none else have the full measure of it appears in these particulars 'T is that work of the Spirit whereby a sinner sensible of his extream nakedness emptiness and wants being called of God his whole soul comes out of himself to Christ for himself I speak not of assurance for if that were Faith all â—â—probates then weâ—e bound to believe an unâ—ruth Viz. That God the Father 〈◊〉 and Christ hath died for them 1. 'T is a work of Gods Spirit and hence 't is called the Spirit of Faith noâ— only because wrought by it but because the Spirit is in an admirable maner fastned to it and clasped to the soul and the soul to Christ by it 2. The Subject in which 't is wrought A sâ—nner sensible of his extream wants for Faith springs out of the destruction of our own excellency and ruines of it like Christ that did arise a root out of a dry ground for the Lords greâ—t plot is to advance Christ and his rich grace Now look as 't is obscured by bringing any thing of our own to it so 't is advanced by feâ—ching all from it this can never be till the soul is sensible of his nakedness emptiness and wants let Christ be never so sweet a full soul will loâ—th him and I 〈◊〉 extream want The Prodigal never comes home till he dies for hunger 〈◊〉 is the fencelessness of men and dislike of Christ thaâ— extremities only drive them hither as Iudges 5. 6. When the Midianiâ—â—s came â—hey ran â—ike beasts to their den and untill bread was taken from them they cry not unto the Lord but then they do So men have neither hearts or if so no heads to come to Christ till now and usually the Lord makes this the ground of the souls first motion towards Christ. I die here and because of my wants I therefore come Pardon â—in because great Psal. 25. 11. Be marciful becâ—â—se 't is a 〈◊〉 â—â—ople Exod. 34. 9. That so when the Lord pardons the soul may have nothing to boast off but misery and now 't is hard to beleeve But this is not all 3. It must be called of God for else the soul though never so sensible of misery could not would not duâ—st not come but it would either sink under its burden or plead against all means It shall presume as Iudas that had no look of Christ as Peter had hâ—ngs himself And hence Iâ—r 3. 23. Come unto me Their heart answered We come For this is usually the Objection of the soul when it sees the riches of mercy What have I to do with it that am so vile and have fallen so oft and rejected the Lord and am
of Glory And I say this fills them in the room of this world How arâ— men full of the world And what is the Spirit of Glory I shall 〈…〉 three Conclusions That the 〈◊〉 rest and peace of the soul it 's to be found only in the presence of God Almighâ—y in this Being of Beings Hiâ— Perfections are in â—â—â—self and hence 〈…〉 â— A 〈…〉 to the Church to be 〈◊〉 God as â—e can â— The son of 〈◊〉 to whom the Promises 〈◊〉 made And then 3. King of Ierusalem the last and least He is that house and home of his people whether in fleeting or setled condition from one generation to another Psel â—â— 1. So that the Prophet finding this to be most true I say stands astonished at men and because men had deaf ears here and their bellies could not hear he cries to the Heavens to be astonished at this Ier. 2. 12 13. This wine the Lord puts under his Lock and Key 'T is not to be found in earth in Church-Liberties you may soon see this Temple not one stone left upon another nor in Heaven simply nor in Fellowship of Angels onely 't is in the Lord drawing nigh to the soul in these and drawing the soul at last near to himself by these That all Reprobates being estranged from God and God from them are also strangers to this resty this life of God this life of Glory Eph. 4. 18. and therefore seek for it and seek it out of the Paps of the â—reature and that which is not God And thus their hearts are full of the world Psal. 17. 14. Dust they eat and upon their bellâ—es they go shift for it where they will they shall never find it in him And if they do find it any where else in this world let them fill themselves to the full for they have their portion they have their reward And hence they do â—â— unregeneraâ—e men living find their rest in somthing out of God rest to their Coâ—sciences in duties and somthing of God rest of their hearts in some Creatures either â—â—lawful or â—â—â—ful Mat. 24. 38. And there is never a carnal beaâ—â— but give him his imaginary content here and he would desire to live here as aâ—â—xile from God and to be without him if there were no Hell no plagues etc. For here is their treasure not above here are thy good things and this is the very reason why a man lives without God nay when he stands convinced 〈◊〉 nay when troubled with thoughts of this and no duties can ease him because somthing out of God is his bottom to stand upon and his rest and peace It may be meat drink health sleep occasional delights and a quiet life That as 't is with Seamen they can endure winds and weather and rent Sayls and torn Masts because they live upon that Trade another will not So 't is here Though many troubles of mind yet they ply that Oaâ— 't is their living That all those whom the Lord intends good unto those he calls in time out of this world into his eternal Glory of rest and peace out of this world into another And as their hearts were filled with another world before so their hearts are filled with the Glory of this other world now Iohn 17. 14 16. 1 Peâ— 5. 1â— And this rest and peace in God is the Glory of the Saints That look as 't is with Reprobates What is their last and great woe 2 Thes. 1. 9. 'T is separation from the Lord So this is the great Glory of the Saints to enter in to him as Mâ—sâ—â— did into the Cloud and so to rest in him I go to my God and your God Hence the Saints are said to sell away all for this Treasure for this Pearle for the Lord And so the Lord is in stead of all and better to them than all they had before They can live royally upon him having but one thing to look to and having all things 〈◊〉 this one thing and more royally than the Prinâ—â—â— of the world can upon their Lusts and earthly Treasures This is the rest and 〈◊〉 the Saints have 〈◊〉 4. 3. They that beliâ—â—â— do enter into rest God 〈◊〉 them out of the world by some bitterness of it or by some cloying and 〈◊〉 and making their hearts weary of the sweetness thereof and then they enter into Glory The Lord sees nothing can fill their hearts noâ— stop their cries 〈◊〉 him and now this Sea of Glory breaks in upon them and fills their hearts And this the Lord doth two waies according as there are two things in that good that fills the heart 1. Proportion 2. Propriety So there are two Raies of eternal Glory chiefly whereby the Lord give full rest and peace and so Glory to his people 1. He reveals the good they are to enjoy in another world in its full proportion viz. what is the riches of the inheritance of the Saints Eph. 1. 17 18. For no good satisfies till 't is known in its greatness though yet there be degrees of this For we shall see many Christians have assurance where is the joy of it Noâ— affected with it because he knowes not what it is at that time At another time his heart is above all the world because he sees what is that Glory the Saints 〈◊〉 and that he hath it it swallows him up and confounds him Why me Loâ—d And this is the reason why the Saints doubt whom the Lord hath loosned from their lusts and all things here What so vile and all that 〈◊〉 And this the reason why when doubting so that there is nothing in this 〈◊〉 that doth quiet them nothing from God that doth ease them yet their hearts are sweetly eased Their desires are after him and their delights in his company better go to Hell thus than in my sins and the thoughts of the Lord are sweet because he hath and doth secretly fill their hearts Somthing they have or do see in him Isa. 26. 8. And hence is the reason of the sorrows of them when their hearts are worst now though they have the world yet are not at rest because they have and do see somthing of this 2. He reveals by the Spirit and Light of Glory that this good is theirs their propriety The first gives rest to the soul viz the Spirit of vision incompleatly This Spirit of Faith whereby the soul knows all this good is mine this gives it compleatly Now the New Ierusalem is come dowâ—â—rom Heaven and God is among men 1 Pet. 1. 8. For if a Christian sees the greatness of this glory but not as his the soul will never cleave to the Lord indeed nor finde full rest and hence when the riches of Gods grace is revealed and the Feast set before them they do not eat because they fear they were not bidden Now both these give full peace and rest to the soul when the soul hath the Lord