and Master to guide and govern your hearts and thoughts and lives by his Laws and Statutes and is it your ordinary purpose desire and endeavour to obey him even when he commands the hardest duties and those which most cross the desire and interest of the flesh and 't is your sorrow when you break your resolutions herein then Christ is yours But if you are only content to be saved by him from Hell when you dye in the mean time he shall command you no further than will stand with your credit or pleasure or worldly estate and ends and did never heartily consent that he should rule over you nor resign up your souls and bodies to be governed and disposed by him nor took his Word for a Law and Rule of your thoughts and actions but if he would give you leave you had rather live after the world and flesh than after the Word and Spirit he is not yet yours though you may in words call him Lord and Master yet in your works you deny him He is his Friend and Disciple that keeps his commandments Iohn 15.7 14 but they that would not hearken to his voice would none of him he gave them up to their own hearts lusts Psal. 8.11 3. Have you received the Spirit of Christ The Apostle makes the former and this characters of such as have received Christ. 1 Joh. 3.24 He that keepeth his commandments dwells in him and Christ in him hereby we know that he abideth in us by the spirit which he hath given us Well then do ye obey the Laws of Christ and walk in his ways conform to his example and live the life of Jesus He that doth not thus may say he abides in Christ but he doth but say so 't is not so in truth and reallity 1 Joh. 2.6 He that saith he abides in Christ ought to walk as he walked Further Let me ask you the question the Apostle asked the Disciples at Ephesus Acts. 19.2 Whether have you received the Holy Ghost If God have given Christ to you Christ hath given you his holy Spirit For if any man have not the spirit of Christ he is none of his Rom. 8.9 1 John 4.13 Hereby we know that we dwell in him and he in us because he hath given us of his spirit The Spirit not as residing in Christ but as given to us is an evidence that we have received Christ. Well then let every one of you be now inquisitive and put such interrogatories as these to himself Have I the Spirit is he given to me doth he dwell in my soul have I the spirit of illumination and revelation Eph. 1.17 Do I see such things as I never saw before as the inexpressible vileness and loathsomness of sin the greatest beauty in holiness c. Have I the spirit of life in Christ Jesus to quicken me and raise me up from the dead Rom. 8.2 2 Cor. 3.6 Have I felt the spirit of conviction to convince me of sin righteousness and judgment Iohn 16.8 The spirit of grace and supplication stirring up to and assisting in that heavenly duty of Prayer Zech. 12.10 The spirit of holyness to sanctifie me 1 Pet. 1.2 to mortifie my sins and corruptions Rom. 8.13 and work up my heart to all holy obedience Ezek. 36.27 Am I renewed in the spirit of my mind is Gods Image repaired in me am I transformed into the same image from glory to glory as by the Spirit of the Lord Am I growing in grace perfecting holiness in the fear of the Lord Do I walk in all Gods Ways and Statutes freely regularly constantly Am I willing to sacrifice an Isaac a Benjamin an Absolom a Delilah Herodias and hew with Samuel delicate Agag in pieces or with David keep my self from mine own iniquity Is the old man dead the flesh with all its cursed retinue mortified do I detest and loath every sin in thought word and deed and that not so much for its effects as for its nature and hate it rather as Hell than for Hell Enquire what do you find of these high and gracious operations oâ— the spirit in your selves he is always an active working Spirit is he so in you Doth he raise your hearts to heavenly things and draw forth your souls to Christ O deal faithfully with your own souls let the search be deep and thorow go to the bottom of your deceitful hâ—arts bring things to an issue be sure that you be not mistaken 4. If Christ be received there will be a more earnest intent desire and breathing of soul after him he that hath once tasted the sweetness of his grace and seen the splendor of his beauty will be so far from being satisfied that he will still more and more thirst after him the more excellency the soul apprehends in him the more vehement and restless are his desires towards him Thus it was with the Spouse Cant. 2.3 4 5 â—he had a glance of him and cries out As the Apple-tree among the trees of the wood so is my beloved among the sons Here the Spouse seems to be strongly moved with affection and before her beloved had well ended his speech breaks out into an affectionate Elogy of him which she is not able to express but conquered with her own passion she sits down and breathes for comfort I sate down under his shadow with great delight and his fruit was sweet to my taste Here the soul receives and applys Christ with sweet rellish to her palate comfort to her heart He brought me to the banqueting house and his banner over me was love she still tasts more of the riches of his Grace and what was the effect of this did she surfeit with eating his fruit and banquetting no she is more ravisht with desire Stay me with flagons comfort me with apples for I am sick of love I am wounded nay slain as some Interpreters with love which by the sweet vehemency and insatiability of it makes the heart to burn and weep groan and sigh to forget all and drive away all but him on whom alone she fixeth and would rest but cannot center till she enjoy him in glory till then she is sick and weary and lives not in her self but in him in whom her life is hid As Plato defines love an ardour or flame of a soul dead in its own body and living in another One thus writes to his friend I have for the present a sick life much pain and love-sickness for Christ. O what would I give to have a bed made to my wearied soul in his bosom O when shall we meet O how long is it to the dawning of the marriage-day O sweet Lord Iesus take wide steps O my beloved come leaping over the mountains of separation O that he would fold the heavens together like an old cloak and shovel time and days out of the way and come away Well have you pain and sick-nights for Christ do your thoughts continually run on
garden Cant. 4.16 and now lo here I am to answer the longing expectation of thy blessed Soul which doth even pant and thirst after me who am the health of thy countenance and thy God Psal. 42.11 My company thou dost affect I see 't is most sweet and pleasant to thee and my company thou shalt have here I am to be with thee as thou didst pray and desire I come to eat thy pleasant fruits and bring with me the inexpressible comforts of my Spirit do thou eat and drink Yea drink abundantly O beloved 2. Be willing to be with him in reading much and often in the book of God where thou maist find this precious pearl as in a field what else saith the Prince of Anhalt is the whole Scripture but the swadling-clothes of the child Jesus the Apostle Col. 3.16 right well terms the word of God the word of Christ because he is the matter of the whole and the contents of all the Bible shadowed in the Law and shewed in the Gospel Vnam vocem habent duo Testamenta the word of the Lord contains nothing but the word which is the Lord. Austin How vainly do men look for immediate inspirations when ordinary means is afforded and others forbid the reading of the Scriptures and call Pictures and Images Lay mens books 3. Be willing to be with him in the Communion of Saints Who are a garden inclosed Cant. 4.12 in which Christ doth shew himself most graciously by their savoury speeches and holy conversations emblematizing and representing in a proportionable degree that most admirable ravishing fairness and pleasantness that is in Christ himself let these then be the excellent ones of the earth in whom is all your delight Psal. 16.3 Attend his Ordinances which are the conduits to convey Christ to us though others pretend to be above them yet keep ye under them if ye would keep Christ to put the pitcher above the rock is not the way to take water O let your fellowship be with the Father and with the Son 3. Shake off sloth ease and security indulge not your selves love not your carnal ease be not drunken with the pleasures of the flesh nor surfeit with the profits of the world nor intoxicated with pomp and honours set not your affections on things below let not down your watch be not secure nor high-minded Rom. 3.3 Cant. 5.2 3 4 5 6. you have there Christ knocking at the door of her heart with importunity and tender vehemency for admission and he moves and solicites Open my sister my spouse c. every word an argument a talent weight of love and does Christ call and knock and beg at the door of our souls to enter O what vile ingratitude is it to shut him out Doth he solicite and entreat so many ways by his Word and Ordinances Rod and admonitions and motions of his Spirit what inexcusable obstinate madness is it to drive him away Is any thing so worthy to be harboured there as he and is it not an imcomparable honour that he should vouchsafe to come under our roof She aggravates her fault because of his importunity But observe her idle excuses and vain frivolous pretences for not opening to him vers 3. I have put off my coat how shall I put it on What absurd and sluggish inconveniences does she plead making that her apology which should be her shame in casting off those garments of holiness and spiritual duties which should ever adorn her and growing weary of her nuptial robes which she should ever wear And the other is like unto it I have washed my feet how shall I defile them This is spoken after the manner of those hot Countries where they used to wash constantly before they composed themselves to a setled rest or before they sat down to eat By this custom the Church would excuse her somnolency and negligence as if there were trouble or danger in rising up to entertain him Sad shifts A Christian should endure more for Christ than a little cold or unseasonable diligence One spark of Hell will burn up all these cloaks and fair pretences In the fourth verse Christ proceeds further since knocking would not serve outward means and moral arguments will not prevail he works inwardly and effectually by the powerful visitations and motions of the Spirit which is called the finger Mat. 12.28 compar'd with Luk. 11.20 Then her bowels were moved in her or for him Here 's the great effect of spiritual visits of Christ and the close and lively workings of his Spirit in the heart then she arose and her handâ— dropped with myrrh active and vigorous endeavours should accompany inward motives and suggestions of grace the feet should make haste and the hands be diligent and operative for this is to oyl the lock and make the soul dextrous and prompt to all duties of holiness Vers. 6. You have the effect of her sloth I opened to my beloved but my beloved had withdrawn himself and was gone or he was gone he was gone which duplication is more passionate and denotes the expedition and certainty of his absence for which she is much troubled and like a sad widow wrings her hands and crys out he is gone c. my soul failed when he spake or melted or went out of me for his words which he had used to me I was exanimated and astonished O take heed of sloth 4. Hold fast the word of truth keep the mystery of faith in a pure conscience and then you keep Christ. Take heed therefore of all Opinions that are opposite and destructive to the truths of Christ he will not lodg where his truth is thrust out by errours What was it that brought ruin to the ancient Churches of Greece but this they gave way to fond opinions some to Iewish fables some to the Doctrine oâ— Balaam and of Devils and of the Nicholaitans as you read in the second or third Chapter of Revelation and Ecclesiastical History Preserve every truth of Christ according to its moment and weight the dust of Gold is precious 't is dangerous to be careless in the lesser truths Better heaven and earth should be blended together saith Luther than one dust of Gods Truth should perish If you hearken to Satan and Seducers this will be a little one and that shall be a little one till you have little'd away all the principles of faith Count not those small things as the men of the world do for which the children of God have ventured their all Martyrs were not so prodigal of their lives but they knew what they did when they durst not give place for a moment O beware of errour if you would keep Christ let men be in the eyes of the world in righteousness Saints in holiness Angels in zeal like Christ himself If damnable errours be the ground of their Catechisms and their opinions be heretical they cannot keep Christ amongst them receive and retain his faithful Ministers and
come unto me Hear and your soul shall live why do you spend your money for that which is not bread and your labour for that which satisfieth not Hearken diligently unto me eat ye that which is good and let your soul delight it self in fatness Alas ye feed on husks and chaff till you return to Christ. Isa 55.2 3 4 7. How long ye simple ones will ye love simplicity and fools delight in folly turn ye at my reproof Forsake the foolish and live and go in the way of understanding O that you were wise and would understand these things and consider your latter end O that there were such hearts in you c. O that ye knew the things that belong unto your peace in this your day before they be hid from your eyes O when shall it once be what is your resolution shall Jesus Christ be your Lord and Master or shall he not Take heed how you refuse him that speaks from heaven do not as you want Christ despise this loving invitation and make light of this gracious offer lest his wrath be kindled in his breast and you perish He that hath so long held forth his Scepter of Grace yet stands waiting for your return yet stretcheth forth his arms to embrace you yet opens his very heart to entertain you Hark he bids you come and lodg your souls in his warm bosom yet he calls by his Word yet he strives by his Spirit and follows you with checks of conscience and renews his mercies on you every morning would fain draw you with cords of love if it would be But it will not be always thus his patience will not always wait his Spirit shall not always strive with man the door of mercy shall not always stand open When once the master of the house is risen up and hath shut to the door and ye begin to stand without and to knock at the door saying Lord Lord open to us then 't is too late Luk. 13.25 O come to Christ now or never do it this day or you may never be invited again Hear now Christ bespeaks and wooes thee sinner Cast down thy weapons of rebellion surrender thy soul to me give me thy heart submit to my government I vvill pass by all thy former resistance and put up all the wrongs thou hast done me I will remember thy iniquities no more but pass an act of everlasting oblivion upon them O look unto me and be ye saved This is my business with you my beloved at this time this is mine errand to your Souls What answer shall I return from you to him that sent me The great work you know of us Ministers is to perswade men to become Christs covenanting Servants to consent to his Laws and acknowledg his Lordship our way to win your hearts is to tell you what he is some little hath been spoken but not the thousand part of the excellencies of this incomparable Lord O he is the chiefest of ten thousâ—nd his name is wonderful he is God and Man in one person he is Man that you may not be afraid of him God that he may be able to do you good He is the Lord of lords and King of kings Heir of all things Saviour of the world c. 'T is infinite condescention of love in him to treat with you or intreat your consenâ— that he may be your Lord. This being a matter of greatest importance and knowing the terror of the Lord let me perswade you for that end I intreat you to press upon your selves and improve in your retirements these considerations as motives 1. Motive Yeild up your selves to the service of the Lord Christ or you are unjust you do him open wrong Equity and justice requires that you render to all their due jus cuique tribuere is the first and most proper act of justice Tribute to whom tribute fear to whom fear honour to whom honour Rom. 13.7 It is a common principle among you which nature teacheth that you deal righteously with men owe no man any thing do no man wrong let every one have that which of right appertaineth to him And if we may not deny unto Caesar the things that are Caesars it is but right we should also give unto God the things that are Gods by so many just titles Why now you cannot without apparent wrong to Christ deny him your selves you are his and owe your selves unto him and all you have and all that you can do you are not your own but his I lay claim unto you in the name of Christ and challenge your souls and bodies to his use Dare you deny the claim or will any step out and question this title The Lord Jesus hath laid challenges to you It has been a custom in England on the Coronation day as multitudes of people were feasting in Westminster-Hall a Herald comes forth and Champion for the King and proclaimed his title to the Crown and if any questioned his title he was there ready to make it good I do now proclaim to you that Christ is your Lord and you are his Servants and challenges your service if any question his Title I will justifie it and make it good let the case come to tryal on condition that whoever is convinced shall yield subjection Let me ask you then Did not he make you and not ye your selves Psal. 95.6 and does not he preserve and sustain you and ye are the Sheep of his pasture Vers. 7 Did not Christ purchase you with his own blood 1 Pet. 1.18 Were you not the dearest purchase and was not the greatest price paid for you that ever the world heard of Well what say you to this Title Doth not justice give every one his own and are not you Christs If there be any creature in Heaven or Earth that can lay a better claim or pretend a juster Title to you than Christ then let it have your hearts and service but if the Lord Jesus have the full and sole right to you then do not so much wrong him and your own souls as to deny or withstand this just and reasonable motion 2. Give up your selves to this Lord or you are unthankful gratitude as well as justice requires this at your hands Nothing is more abhorrent to an ingenuous spirit than the brand of ingratitude to be so base and unworthy as to render evil for good ingratum si dixeris omnia dixeris call a man unthankful and you call him all that 's naught abhor it as death to be guilty or have the name of ingratitude Well now suppose a man had by some capital crime incurred the danger of the Law and the sentence of death were past upon himâ— should another step in and humble himself to beg the pardon or begger himself to buy the freedom for him Must not that man be wholly his who hath ransomed him from the Gallows This is our case Sin was our work and Death was our wages
is contrary to that which ye owe to Christ and as touching your Soul and Conscience subject and enslave your selves to no man living depend absolutely upon none but Christ and his word all our obedience to earthly Lords must be only such as this Lord allows and only in the Lord the greatest Lords in the world are but regula regulata Christ is the only regula regulans they the rule ruled he ruling 6. To inform us that Christians are Christs servants yet somewhat more or with some special exceptions Iohn 15.15 Henceforth I call you not servants for the servant knoweth not what his Lord doth but I have called you friends for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you They are not only servants but friends they call Christ Lord and Master he calls them not servants but friends not servants but free-men yea sons Iohn 8.36 The servant abideth not in the house for ever but the Son abideth ever Gal. 4 7. Wherefore thou art no more a servant but a son and if a son then â—â— heir of God through Christ. Not a servant that is under the ceremonies and bondage of the Law but a Son having received the adoption by Christ the eternal Son of God who was sent to redeem us that he might purchase and graciously communicate the right of sonship which he hath by nature to every true believer And because ye are Sons God hath sent forth the spirit of his Son into your hearts crying Abba father We are in such sort free and so set at liberty as that we must be governed by the Spirit of Christ which reigneth in our hearts and teacheth us the true service of the Father but this is not to serve but rather to enjoy true liberty as becometh Sons and Heirs 7. It teaches us that all doctrines and practices are to be abhorred which derogate from the dignity of this our Lord and Master 1. Doctrines especially the Popish which deprave our redemption purchased by this Lord by the doctrine of merits the worship due to this Lord with the doctrine of image and adoration and the Saints intercession The authority of this Lord by the doctrine of the Popes headship and pardoning of sins and many such doctrines not only of the Papists but of others nearer to us 2. The practices of vile and wicked men We should make it our business and only Plot to promote his honour and service in the world and endure nothing that would eclipse and impair his glory He who touches that should touch the apple of our eye look upon his reproach as cast upon our selves mourning for that dishonour offered to him which we cannot redress 't is against both Christianity and Humane ingenuity to suffer him to be abused whom we have undertaken to serve This neither agrees with honesty nor honour 't is indeed not only a sin but a shame Hardly is any Servant so low spirited as to think it consistent with his credit to serve a disgraced Master they that truly call Christ Lord will never endure that his glory should suffer from others much less from themselves 3. Our own unsuitable practices A servant of Christ must not be a son of Belial every one is under a yoke still Christ does not give his servants leave to sin but liberty to serve God Christ came not to free us from the Law but sin from the service of the Devil not from the service of God He came not to make the Law less strict or sin less odious or us less holy freedom from wrath and Hell is a priviledg but from duty and obedience is none because we are made free by Christ we are to be more apt and ready to discharge the duty we owe to God and man in maxima libertate minima licentia a great deal of liberty by Christ and yet the strongest ingagement to service that may be They whose lives are full of Epicurisme Atheisme worldliness 't is not a pin to chuse whether they be Pagans or Christians for acting thus heatheâ—ishly thus brutishly they do but pollute that sacred and worthy name the Apostle saith I am not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ut 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 9.21 Not without the law to God but under the law to Christ. This leads to Second use of reprehension It may serve to reprove three sorts 1. Those that endure not to hear of Christs Lordship and commands that will not acknowledg this dominion of Christ nor let him be Lord in his own house but do what in them lies to deprive him of that honour to which he hath so good a right But who deny Christs Lordship 1. They that will not hear his voice obey his call accept his inâ—itations in the Gospel he inviteth them to himself prays them to be reconciled to God through him intreats them to come and put themselves under his government and take his yoke on them and they will not hear but in effect say We are Lords we will not come at thee Jer. 2.31 We are well enough and shall do well enough without him and what needs such care and strictness He comes and waits and knocks at their doors but they slight him and will not open He prays them that they will look into their hearts mind their Souls consider their eternal condition but they quench the Spirit smother the light and resist all these motions they will not come to him nor suffer him to come into them that they may have life 2. Those that addict themselves to strong and inordinate desires of liberty which is the worst slavery that will not submit to his government quarrelling at duties rather than performing them thinking it a kind of happiness to be free and that there is no freedom but in sinning and following the bent and sway of their own hearts and being Lords of their own actions and dream of an exemption from all kind of Law but their own lusts they would he above all checks and controul and have scope and room for their own lusts Promise themselves liberty 2 Pet. 2.19 Men would have it at this to be at their own dispose and to be answerable to none that would call them to account and therefore that will not obey his laws and commands 3. Such as in a proud contempt and obstinacy against reproof and instruction do cast off all respect and obedience to Christ they cannot endure restraints are as bullocks unaccustomed to the yoke Ier. 31.18 Are all for breaking bonds and dissolving cords Psal. 2.4 Bursting the yoke altogether Ier. 5.5 They cannot endure to hear of denying their fashions renouncing their lusts and pleasures forsaking their vain worldly wanton thoughts and ways what every thought every desire every word must be under a Law So much time spent in duties such gravity in conversation such awe in their speeches No vain licentious Spirits will not be clogged and yoked thus what a weariness is
you as persons unconcerned in Prayer Sermons and compassionate workings of his soul for you God knows and you shall know there hath been a Prophet amongst you he hath washt his hands from the guilt of your blood by faithful warnings your blood be upon your own heads yea may not his blood come to be upon your heads Yea may not the guilt of the blood of the Son of God be required at your hands And have you worn out man are you not content to weary men but will you weary out God also Shall Christ weep over you as over Jerusalem and say as Luk. 19.42 If thou hadst known even thou at least in this thy day the things which belong unto thy peace but now they are hid from thine eyes Though you cannot hear your former Minister's living voice yet I send you one summons more to your eyes in his own words if this will not prevail expect to hear another manner of message from the great Jehovah Cut them down for they cumber the ground bind them hand and foot and cast them into the fire 1. Is there not yet some ignorant souls among you that have not the knowledg of God Christ Gospel mysteries And if you know not this gift of God no wonder you slight it if you know not the worth of this jewel or your need of it you cannot esteem or desire it a blind man cannot distinguish colours swallows many a gnat knows not whither he goeth God complains His people are destroyed for lack of knowledg Hos. 4 6. Solomon saith Without it the heart is not good Prov. 19.2 The Apostle saith If our Gospel be hid 't is hid to them that are lost 2 Cor. 4.3 And the Prophet saith He will have no mercy on a people that have no understanding Isa. 27.11 Alas the whole soul is misguided with this blind guide the will is perverted affections ranging conscience dictates amiss for its a witness but to what it knows and thy clock cannot go if the weights be taken off God Almighty pity you it's a shameful thing to be ignorant but it 's damnning to be wilfully ignorant yea it will aggravate damnation 1 Cor. 15.34 Oh now at last ply your work read pray confer meditate One would think the poor prisoner should take pains to learn to read that knows he must be hanged if he cannot read his neck-verse but if you be negligent God may seal you up in darkness and say if any be ignorant let him be ignorant 1 Cor. 14.38 2. Is any among you an hypocrite that makes a fair shew in the flesh that paint your outsides with a goodly garnish of common gifts and outside duties that have owned your godly Minister living and honour his memorial now dead but have not obeyed from the heart the Doctrine which he delivered or have not been delivered into the form of Gospel-doctrine that are one thing before others in meetings another thing alone and in your families that can down with some common acts of religiousness but slight self-denying flesh-displeasing duties totally unacquainted with heart-work and mortifying special lusts yea rather use duties as a cloak to cover sin than spiritual armour to fight against it Alas how many is there that were baptized in infancy join with Christians as with a party or faction slide into a profession that never came in by the door of regeneration and so deceive themselves and others Ministers judg charitably of Professors know not mens hearts and though they express their jealousie and so give faithful cautions yet encourage good beginnings and hopeful shews in such an evil day as this is but may be mistaken for who would judg him an enemy that marcheth after Christ in duties wears his colours learneth his postures hath got the word keeps his rank converseth with Saints in a religious habit and language yet such may be hypocrites and prove apostates witness Judas Simon Magus Demas Himeneus Philetus c. Oh Sirs as you love your souls see to the truth of grace the root of the matter be as good or better than you seem the heart-searching God knows your home-behaviour and sees how your principles are stated and as you would see Gods face and meet your godly Minister with comfort be sincere and single-spirited 3. Are any amongst you worldlings addicting your selves to pursue and dote upon the profits of the world That spend most of your time in lading your selves with thick clay and panting after the dust of the earth are these things satisfactory Have you ever weighed them in the ballance of rectified reason did you never hear of better things Did you ever hear that riches made men happy Have you not seen riches take wings and leave the possessor Or have you not seen the rich die as well as poor and leave their wealth behind them Alas the world was never true to any that trusted to it It 's a sad thing to see men almost pressed to death still call for more weight to see persons full of drink greedy of more and complaining they die for thirst Oh but saith Christ I am the bread of life he that cometh to me shall never hunger and he that believeth in me shall never thirst Ioh. 6.35 The enjoyment of Christ quencheth worldly thirst the Lord awake your spirits to see how vast a distance there is betwixt earth and heaven and stir up your spirits to a proportionable care about soul-concernments 4. Is there a slothful careless or discouraged soul among you that loves his ease better than life that will not take the pains to be saved or that is not resolved for heaven but in suspense as halting bâ—twixt two opinions could have a months mind after Christ were it not for the inconveniences that attend him difficulties in Religion discourage them and having much sense which bears sway distrust prevails and shouts faith to the heart so that the poor soul falls stat at Satans feet grows listless to duty as one who sees the Well dry breaks or throws away his pitcher some are ready to say as those Jer. 2.25 when God saith With hold thy foot from being unshod i. e. do not by putting off thy shoos address thy self to a slothful or an adulterous bed and thy throat from thirst i. e. forbear thy sinful thirst and desires after idols and vanities but thou saidst there is no hope it's to no purpose past cure past care I have loved strangers and after them will I go you may save a labour I am too far gone to turn now God hath cast me off I am desperate and may as well take my fill of ease and sensual pleasures for this is all the heaven I am like to have This is a dreadful case and such sinners surely understand not what it is to be damned and have not learned Christs readiness to pardon and accept penitent sinners That was a wretched answer that that blasphemous Arrian made executed at Norwich in
Queen Elizabeth's days to such as urged him to repent that Christ might pardon him desperately replied And is that God of yours so merciful indeed as to pardon so readily those that blaspheme him then I renounce and defie him horresa referens Oh that ever such an hellish word should ever be belched out of the black mouth of a living man but is not this the language of some mens hearts and lives do not some say it 's to no purpose to turn God hath given me up and it cannot be helpt I am like to go to hell and I will be damned for somewhat Oh horrible that sinners should so desperately throw away their precious immortal souls and seek to murder Christ as man by sinning as God by despairing Alas that ever sinners should so kick and spurn at the warm bowels of love or despise the riches of his goodness or sin though grace abound but men abuse grace on both hands turning grace into lasciviousness by presumption and despair but the Sun hardens clay and brings forth a stinking smell from a dirty dunghill Iustice will be glorified upon those that would not honour Christ and grace by believing But God forbid my Brethren that you should split on either of these dangerous rocks or run your souls upon the sands of sloth or sensuality Oh shall not the calls of God the death of Christ the intreaties of your Minister checks of your own conscience nothing avail for Gods sake for Christs sake for your own souls sakes look after a title to blessed Iesus here so lively described you cannot be damned at so cheap a rate as others a Gospel-hell is hotter than a Law-hell a seeming Christian shall sink lower than an ignorant heathen a lifting up to heaven in priviledges makes the fall lower in torments But you 'l say God forbid we would gladly have Christ and hope we have him and pardon by him I say Amen would to God it were so but be not deceived many that pretend to take him mistake him and so miss of him it 's not a conceit but receit of Christ that will advantage you the shadow doth not shelter except you be under it the plaister cures not unless applied the physick works not unless taken Christ is of none effect to you without faith faith will do you no good except it be unfeigned faith is not right if it divide Christ Christ is divided if not taken as Lord as well as Saviour God is resolved not to parcel out his Son by piece-meal as men sell wares in their shops cut off what every one likes and no more so he would have customers more than a good many one would have Christ as Priest to pardon not as King to govern they judg him a troublesome guest cumbersome wares if indeed he will be master and rob them of their lusts and rule them by his laws saying We will not have this man to rule over us the great controversie hath been in Nations Churches hearts whether or no Iesus must be sole Lord and Master God and Grace are for Christs preheminence God hath set his Son upon his holy hill Grace sets the Crown upon his head Satan and lust contradict it The Devil saith Luther hates that word more than any in the Bible Psal. 110.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i e. Sit thou on my right hand and a corrupt heart takes his part but his arrows shall be sharp in the hearts of the Kings enemies he will rule in the midst of them to conversion or confusion of them Oh be you Virgin-followers of the Lamb accept of him give up your selves to him and you shall find him what is here reported of him the choicest gift and best Master As for you into whose sanctified souls God hath dropt this rich and rare gift had I time and room I might say much for counsel and comfort to these consecrated ones You you above others have reason to adore free grace that gave you such a Minister who laid open the riches of Grace before you who threapt kindness upon you and was loth to leave you with a denial free-grace came with the key of Spirit and Word and opened your hearts as he did the heart of Lidia and took possession of you for the King of Glory Oh who or what were you that the highest Majesty would stand so long knocking and saying Open to me my sister my love Cant. 5.3 4 5. And when you snorted in your beds or gave him a churlish answer he put his hand by the hole of the door and caused your bowels to moâ—â— after him yea he left behind sweet-smelling myrrh upon the handles of the lock which caused you to run after him with love-sick motions till you found and enjoyed him And Oh how sweet was the enjoyment of so dear a friend Let their money perish with them said that noble Marquess Galeasius that esteem all the riches in the world worth more than one hours communion with Jesus Christ. I shall not anticipate the work of this ensuing Discourse yet give me leave to propound these few branches of counsel as a supplement to it 1. Be not mistaken in your title to this gift many are mistakes are easie and dangerous thousands of souls are like the man at Athens that laid ciaim to every Merchants Ship that came to shore the main lyes in making good your title he that boasteth of a false gift is like clouds and winds without rain Ptov. 25.14 a groundless vapour what are you better for others imagining or your own conceiting that Christ is yours if it be not found so at the day of trial your disappointment will but aggravate your torment God prevent it do you seek to prevent it by a speedy impartial search and calling in aid from heaven to discover your state and know the worst in time And as you may think you have a title to Christ when you have not so on the contrary you may at least in a temptation think you have no title to Christ and yet he may be yours your friend whom you seek may be in the house coming in at the back door when you expect him at the fore door you have him by faith though you feel him not in sense 2. Be most jealous of your selves when you have found most sensible incomes of his grace Satan like a Pirate envies and makes most at a richly laden Ship Cheats strike in with a young heir when he hath newly received his rents you are never in more danger than after your sweetest enlargements watch and pray believe and watch let your hand be on your purse and your eye on the thief he will look you in the face like an angel of light and rob you when a white devil allures you he is worse than a black devil that affrights you as one saith I love a rumbling raging devil comparatively he can do us least hurt when we suspect him most a calm at Sea doth
my husband my lot my portion Who will give me to drink of this Well of water springing up to eternal life this fountain of living waters this pure river that flows from the Throne from the heart of God Canst thou hear so much though infinitely short of his worth and not desire him Dost thou indeed believe that all this is true and yet thy soul not hunger and thirst after him Are these faithful sayings and is not he worthy of all acceptation Is it possible for a rational creature to hear of such a bottomless treasure of such a boundless pleasure and not covet the enjoyment of it O man where are thy wits What 's become of thy reason Art thou a man or a bruit If thou knewest the gift of God and what it is that is offered thee thou wouldest scorn the highest honours the sweetest pleasures the greatest riches yea trample upon all the Crowns and Kingdoms of this world for it It 's an inestimable priviledg that thou art a creature capable of so vast a happiness it 's the astonishing wonder of Heaven and Earth that God would give a Son such a Son to be thy Saviour what could he give more or better and it 's a special favour that the Gospel hath been sent to thee to reveal this great mystery to offer this excellent gift to thee and now when it is tendered wilt thou refuse it Wilt thou neglect and undervalue Christ or wilt thou not rather give it all humble and thankful acceptance Reflect upon those twelve incomparable properties and characters of this gift methinks though I have spoken but little yet I have said enough to one that will let his reason judg to draw out thy most vehement desires after this gift Yet I will add these Considerations more 1. Consider who it is that offers this gift to thee Christ is the gift of God in a peculiar and eminent manner so therefore were there no other reason thou must take it The worth greatness and excellency of the Donor is an argument to move us to take the gift we regard not so much what it is as from whom it is If thy Father or thy Prince offer a gift to thee would'st thou durst thou deny it If thy dearest Friend should send thee a token wouldest thou slight it Now look on the best of men in all his Excellencies in himself relations to thee and thy dependance on him consider in him all that faithfulness goodness greatness or any thing else that would most move thee to take a gift from his hands and there is infinitely more cause to accept this gift at the hands of God The great and glorious God the King of kings Lord of lords and God of gods the blessed Majesty of Heaven the first Cause the original Being self-sufficient all-sufficient absolutely perfect uncapable of any addition or diminution humbles himself to offer this gift to thee 'T is the high and lofty One that inhabits Eternity to whom millions of ages are but as one day who is boundless in his Being Omnipotent in his Power unsearchable in his Wisdom unconceivable in his Grace and infinite in all his Perfections He who dwells in that light inaccessible before whom the Angels the highest of Creatures vail their faces to whom the whole Creation is nothing less than nothing and vanity This God is he that made thee and all things of nothing supports all things influences all things and is all things and infinitely more than all things He is the God in whose hands thy life is and who is acquainted with all thy ways who is of infinite holiness and perfectly hates all wickedness of unlimited power able to avenge himself on thee every moment and turn thy soul and body into Hell Of infinite justice a jealous God who will by no means clear the guilty against whom thou hast sinned and been an offence and provocation to him all thy days and is thine enemy according to strict justice 't is he whose favour is life and whose frown is death and hell c. The height of a person that bestows a favour and the meanness and unworthiness of the object on whom it is bestowed as it doth exceedingly advance and heighten the Grace and goodness of him that doth it so it mightily aggravates the sin and danger of him that despiseth and refuseth it See that ye refuse not him that speaketh from heaven for if they escaped not c. Heb. 12.25 O what infinite grace and goodness is it for this great God to take so much notice of man and do so much for him What admirable wonderful condescension is it for the most High the God of Heaven and Earth that God whom the Heaven of Heavens cannot contain to manifest such respect to vile polluted dust and ashes yea to them that are rebels and traytors against his Majesty and thereby worthy of hell as once to offer his blessed only begotten Son to us as a Saviour Well may we with David be amazed at it and cry with admiration Psal. 8.14 O Lord our Lord how excellent is thy name in all the earth who hast set thy glory above the heavens And adds What is man that thou art mindful of him and the son of man that thou visitest him That so glorious a Lord should mind poor silly weak frail dying man sinful filthy polluted wretched miserable man could not but affect his heart with admiration and astonishment If a friend or neighbour thy equal do offer thee a kindness though but small how ill does he take it if thou accept it not O what horrid indignity dost thou offer to God what dishonour is it to all his Attributes if thou refuse this transcendent gift 2. Consider what it is that is offered to thee when this gift of God Jesus Christ is offered to thee To explain this fully would require the tongue nay exceed the skill of an Angel none can tell what Christ is but Christ himself all those particulars I mentioned speak somewhat of him but not the thousand thousandth part of that excellency that is in him This let me tell thee when Christ is offered to thee the greatest good that ever was that ever will be that ever can be is offered thee There never was nor can be the like offered thee 't is the best gift that ever was received or given in the world more than Heaven and Earth more than the whole world more than millions of worlds is offered thee He who is offered to thee is the Well of Salvation the Lord of Life the Author of all Consolation an Hive of sweetness a Paradise of pleasure an Heaven of joy He is the richest grace the dearest love the surest friend the highest honour the vastest treasure the exactest beauty the chiefest good the fullest felicity He is a comprehensive and universal good not one but all good riches honours pleasures friends relations health life earth heaven the world the other world all
the good of both worlds and infinitely more He is so needful a good that thou art undone without him that 's the misery of hell yea the very hell of hell He is so plentiful a good that thou art perfectly happy in him thou needest no more he is the Heaven of heavens he is the only suitable satisfying good which suits the nature and fits and fills the desires of the rational creature he can enlarge and suit all thy faculties answer and relieve all thy necessities fill up all the capacities of thy heaven-born soul. He is an everlasting good who will stay with thee and stand by thee when all other good things shall fail thee Wilt thou not now say Lord whom have I in heaven but thee and there is none on earth that I desire in comparison of thee I 'm sure he is such a gift as thou wouldest have if thou knew what thou dost as thou shouldst have if thou understood thy self and answeredst the ends of the Gospel as thou must have if thou be not eternally miserable O what dost thou think of having this gift as thine own sure by this time thy heart may melt into astonishment and thy bowels be moved within thee and thy soul cry with the Martyr in the flames None but Christ none but Christ Well what saist thou to him is not Christ worthy to be accepted and embraced Is it not worth the while to have him for thine own Whatever thou thinkest now when death shall close thy eyes thou wilt be of this mind when thy soul stands quivering on thy lips ready to take its flight into the unknown regions of the other world when Devils will be waiting to seize upon it as soon as ever it leaves the body to hale it to the unquenchable flames of Hell when thy friends relations shall be weeping and wailing by thee but unable to afford thy dying body the least cordial or thy departing soul the least comfort Ah what wilt thou do in such an hour which is hasting on thee Without Christ on whom wilt thou call to whom wilt thou flee where wilt thou rest or hide thy self from the wrath of the Lamb of God Believe it though thou maist live without him thou canst not die without him without infinite horrour and confusion Is it not thy greatest concern to have him for thine to whom thou must stand or fall for ever from whose mouth thy sentence of eternal absolution or condemnation must come and who shall judg thee to thine unchangeable state of life or death of salvation or damnation though thou maist think thou canst do well enough without him at this day having what heart can wish in the world yet what wilt thou do at that day when the world shall be on a flame if Christ be not thine Once more let me intreat thee to answer Art thou willing or not to have this gift What say'st thou canst thou find in thine heart to deprive thy precious soul of such an inestimable treasure and to leave it naked in the other world to the cruelty of Devils and the dreadful curses of the Law and intolerable wrath of God 3. Consider on what terms thou maist have this gift for thine thou maist possibly think that so boundless and bottomless a treasure must cost thee very dear and the price must be exceeding great of a pearl so matchless and incomparable much will be expected from me and I shall never be able to compass this gift But know sinner to thy comfort all that God requireth of thee is only to accept Christ heartily and thankfully canst thou desire any thing cheaper wouldest thou desire him to fall lower in his terms Nay is it possible to do so and make thee happy How can he be thine unless thou receive him for thine that is a poor favour a vile gift that is not worth acceptance what more reasonable take him for thine and he shall be thine canst thou both deny him and enjoy him refuse the gift and have it too Our emptiness is the best plea and self-denial our best price thou givest more for thy bread thy clothes thy house and for the needful comforts that are for the support of thy frail body than thou needest to give for this great and glorious Christ thou payest money for them but thou maist have him without money and without price One would think that the equity of the condition should both amaze thee and allure thee God doth not â—ell but give his Son he knows thou hast nothing and he would only have thee to know that too and be humbled under the sense of thy spiritual poverty thou maist lose a gift by offering to buy it Thy money perish with thee c. 'T is said indeed Isa. 55.1 Come buy c. for the word is used here improperly for to get attain receive procure furnish your selves c. So Prov. 3.8 and elsewhere something must indeed be done by those that partake of Christ they must come and accept of him And something parted with but of no valuable consideration in gain to God and what would be prejudicial to us and inconsistent with having this gift But God requires not of thee things impossible he doth not say If thou wilt remove mountains dry up oceans stop the course of nature create worlds and Christ shall be thine as great as good as he is he doth not say If thou satisfie my justice answer the demands of my Law merit my love and favour then shall he be thine No he himself hath done all this for thee all that he desires is that thou wouldest receive him that hath done so Neither doth he require any thing of thee that is barbarous and cruel as the Heathen Deities did of their worshippers he says not if thou wilt lance and mangle thy body as Baal's Priests did or if thou wilt go barefoot in sackcloth long and tedious Pilgrimages as the Papists do If you will offer your Children in the fire and give the fruit of your bodies for the sin of your souls as some did then he is yours Nor doth he require of thee chargeable and costly as to offer the best and chiefest of thy flock in sacrifice to him nor as he once did of the young man to sell all that thou hast and give it to the poor Nor as Idolaters lay down such a part of thy estate for thy pardon But he only requires that thou first thirst and then buy be sensible of thy want and poverty and nothingness and then open an empty hand and take Christ as thy Saviour and Lord and wilt thou not do it Canst thou deny him and thy poor soul so reasonable so equitable a request as the Servant said to Naaman If the prophet had commanded thee some great thing wouldest thou not have done it how much more then when he only saith wash and be clean So say I to thee If God had commanded the greatest things imaginable
come near Him nor his Ordinances have nothing to do with him Now will any be so stupid as to gratifie his greatest adversary to his own unspeakable prejudice Is it not horrible indignity to Christ monstrous cruelty to the soul to refuse Christ who hath done and suffered so much for him and to be led by Satan captive and blindfold into misery to slight Christs sweet invitations and yield to Satans malicious temptations Satan is that strong man that hath power over all men in nature he keeps his goods in peace in the palace of our hearts and there sports himself in carrying on the design of the souls ruin sometimes by policy sometimes by force he keeps possession Luk. 11.21 22. And wherein can a man more designedly gratifie Satan further his wicked designs and establish his kingdom yea enlarge his dominion than by siding with him against Christ who besiegeth the soul with Ordinances and Providences for Satan knows well enough that Christs rise will be his fall Christs scepter will be his destruction that when Christ a stronger than he comes he will overcome him and take from him all his armour wherein he trusted pull down his strong holds divide the spoils and deliver poor captive man out of prison and slavery O then do not so much gratifie Satan 4. If you refuse Jesus Christ offered in the Gospel you are guilty of the greatest sin and folly that can be Though for most part men think not so of it and accordingly lay it not to heart yet it is the greatest sin the sin of sins and in some sort the only sin of the world Men commonly think murder adultery theft drunkenness to be very hainous sins and so indeed they be but unbelief far worse for it is the mother of these and all other evils Take all the sins that ever were committed against any of Gods just laws and none is like to this no greater sin can be laid to ones charge than to refuse wilfully and trample under foot the Son of God Christ promises to send his Spirit the Comforter into the world and he shall convince the world of sin because they believe not on him Joh. 16.9 he means this sin alone saith Austin as if not believing in the Son of God were the only sin Indeed it is the main and master-sin O beloved little do you think who daily sit under the Ministry unwrought on by the Word of God what a grievous and fearful sin you commit and dreadful guilt you carry home with you in neglecting from day to day so great Salvation in forsaking your own mercy and in judging your selves unworthy of everlasting life when Jesus Christ this most precious gift is offered to you by chusing rather to cleave to a lust than to Christ blessed for ever and rather to wallow in the mire and mud of earthly riches and swinish pleasures than to receive this most pleasant and excellent gift rather to cast away your time in idleness pride worldliness and sensuality than in seeking after this transcendent favour rather make choice of a life made up of drunkenness whoredoms railing at godliness The greatness of this sin appears in this that it is most directly and diametrically opposite to the most fundamental Doctrine and command of the Gospel the primary and principal command of Christ is to believe in Jesus Christ 1 Ioh. 3.23 When the Jaylor being sadly convinced cryed out to the Apostles Sirs what shall I do to be saved they answered him Act. 16.31 Believe in the Lord Iesus Christ and thou shalt be saved Not to believe is accounted by God notorious disobedience and horrid gain saying Rom. 10. ult In the Law God strictly requires obedience to his just precepts Do this and live by doing these things thou shalt save thy self from hell but no man living being able to purchase Heaven at this rate by Christ he takes off this yoke so that if they will but believe on his Son they shall not be condemned by the Law and thus he treats men Since thou canst not fully obey my Law nor satisfie my Justice I 'le give thee my Son who shall do all for thee through whose perfect obedience thy imperfections may be remitted and healed only thou must believe in him and if thou wilt do but this one thing for thy soul all thy sins shall be pardoned thou shalt be received into favour adopted for my Son and in thy obedience to the rest of my commands I 'le accept the will for the deed though thou canst not perform such perfect obedience as thou shouldest yet if thou labour to do what thou canst I 'le help thee with strength from Heaven bear with unallowed infirmities c. 'T is a sin against light and much knowledg a sin against love and special mercies it binds all a mans other sins upon him it puts and keeps him under the guilt of all his sins Infidelitate manente maneat peccatum omne he that lives in unbelief dies in his sins it makes a mans actions though moral and spiritual be sinful be a man never so holy and devout do or suffer never so much none of these nor all nor whatever can be named or imagined God will not be pleased with them for without faith 't is impossible to please God yea 't is a sin that defiles all a mans outward enjoyments and temporal good things To them that are unbelieving nothing is pure wife children house In a word 't is the height and perfection of madness to refuse Christ Quis nisi mentis inops c. Heaven and earth may be astonished Angels and all Creatures may justly stand amazed at this prodigious sottishness and monstrous madness 5. If you refuse Christ you utterly undo your own souls for ever if ye miss of this gift ye must expect nothing but misery here and eternal damnation hereafter For there is no name under heaven by which you can be saved Whatever your formalities be how fair soever ye carry in the eye of the world let your profession be never so plausible 't is Christ alone that can save you If you will accept of the Lord Jesus Christ you are in the suburbs of Heaven there is but a thin wall between you and the land of Praises ye are within an hours sailing of the shore of the new Canaan when death digs a little hole in the wall and takes down the sails you have no more to do but set your foot down in the fairest of created Paradises but if you will not accept of Christ let me tell you the truth you are in the suburbs of Hell there is but the cutting of a small thred and you have your portion with hypocrites and unbelievers 1. By refusing Christ you do no less than put and fix your selves in the state of condemnation Let not this be accounted as a harsh censure of my own head for 't is the Scipture Ioh. 3.18 He that believeth on him is
accounted him Lam. 3.24 The Lord is my portion saith my soul not only her tongue but her very heart takes him and speaks him her heritage and David The Lord is my portion and my inheritance The lines are fallen to me in pleasant places yea I have a goodly heritage Psal. 16.5 6 Say with Naboth God forbid that I should give away the inheritance of my Fathers That was only for life this is everlasting a never fading ever-flourishing inheritance that subject to many hazards fire inundation robbery blasting and many casualties yea to utter loss as the end declared but this is above all such danger and detriment O be not so foolish and sottish as to part with this for all the world 10. He is thy happiness keep him for thy chief good that that can alone give contentment to thy immortal Soul is bound up in him Happy is every one that retaineth him Prov. 3.18 O terque quaterque beati c. Infinitely and for ever blessed that receive and retain Jesus Christ Prov. 8. ult Prov. 3.3 Happy is the man that findeth wisdom he is thy all and wilt thou part with all at once Thou art like to have a sad time of it when Christ goes farewell joy and peace and comfort and all that 's good 2. For direction 1 st In what manner 2 d. By what means may the Soul keep Christ. First For the manner of holding and keeping this gift 1. He must be kept in our Heads though that is not enough a full and distinct understanding of him is well but a knowledg a meer notion in the brain of Christ is but a sorry keeping you must provide Christ a better place to lodg in or he will not tarry with you Must Christ be in the head when Sin and Satan is in the heart If Christ have no room in thee but the head he is indeed no where 2. In our Mouths we must confess with the mouth yet that neither is sufficient 't is too open a room and leaking a vessel to hold this gift in to speak and talk of Christ and take his blessed name into our lips when our hearts are far from him and lives deny him is but a poor keeping of Christ if there be nothing left of Christ but what hangs on the lips he is indeed departed already 3. Keep him we must in our Houses and Societies woe unto that place when Christ departs from them when he removes his Candlesticks out of their place and takes away his holy Ordinances but alas to have Christ in publick ordinances and not in our hearts will not serve the turn 4. We must keep him in our Hearts not in the hall of the senses but in the closet of the heart let him dwell and reign in our understanding will affections and memory think on him continually love him dearly delight in him at all times As Artemesia did ever carry in her mind her dear deceased Husband Mauseolus mingling her very drink with his ashes so let us bear Christ about with us in the vessels of our hearts mingling our meat drink words and works with his sweetest remembrance So the Spouse did Cant. 3.4 I would not let him go until I had brought him into my mothers house and the chamber of her that conceived me Which place according to the consent of best Expositors is to be understood either of the Church of God in her publick Congregations which is the Mother of us all or else of the sanctified Heart and Conscience which is the dwelling-place of Christ of which he hath said Here will I rest and I will dwell in the heart of the contrite Isa. 57.15 and there we should lay him up by Faith If the head be for the world yet let Christ have the heart 5. Keep him not only by way of a holy and perpetual recordation of him in our minds and hearts but also by a constant and continued care and unwearied diligence to preserve and injoy the comfortableness and feeling of his gracious presence in your own Souls imitating herein the fair Spouse who when she had found him would by no means let him go but compelled him by a grateful violence to stay with her this was one end why he hid himself for some time from her Prius non inveniendus quaeritur ut post inventus strictius teneatur Thus Iacob held him by force and wrestled hard for his blessing and would not let him go till he had blessed him but when he had obtained that he suffered him to depart but we should never leave him no not when he hath blessed us as prizing him more than any thing he can bestow Nolo benedictionem tuam sed te so must we prize more his person than his blessings 2. The way and means to keep him 1. Leave all for him retire from the world to injoy him say of all other things when thou hast found Jesus of Nazareth let these go their way Make him a bed in thy Soul whereon he may rest that is sweet-thoughts and meditations on him and complâ—cency in him Cant. 3.7 Behold his bed which is Solomons Solomoni ergo vel Christo lectulum facimus saith Gregory cum a mundi solicitudinibus omnino cessamus dum in solo deciderio Christi libenter pausamus eique ut nobiscum pauset cor ab omni terrena cupiditate mundamus The beauty and riches of every member of the Church is resembled to the wealth and splendor of Solomons Bed wherein Christ rests in his love Be careful to keep your thoughts amongst all worldly affairs free for Christ. Religion and so Christ loves to lye in clean Sheets Go to them that want Christs gracious presence consult their experiences and they will tell you that their worldly affairs have so distracted their thoughts that Christ is not there and as their worldly cares and riches increased upon them the further distance hath Christ been from them Some while poor and low in the world have felt much more of the sweetness of communion with Christ than when they grew richer and full of cares O! who would not be content to take less of the world that they might have more of Christ. 2. Never leave him take heed of withdrawing from Christ stick close to him keep him company and he will stay with you As you do with a friend whose stay you desire so deal with Christ be much in his company in prayer reading hearing meditating and all holy duties be ambitious of more intimate communion with him dayly increase sweet acquaintance and humble familiarity with Christ. 1. Be willing to be much with Christ in Prayer talking and conferring with him as freely frequently and familiarly as the Bride with her Bridegroom Cant. 5.1 I am come into my garden my sister my spouse saith Christ q. d. It was thy hearty desire O my dear Spouse that I should come into this pleasant Garden for thou saidst Let my beloved come into his
thine eyes a crucified bleeding Saviour Hence that saying of Bernard Cui fons forte sicul es lanynam invocat Iesum non fluxit uberius What hardness of heart could ever stand before Jesus Christ or what Soul ever went to Christ and came away with a hard heart and was not melted as wax before the Sun If Christ do but strike upon the heart though it were a Rock he can make it gush out with a torrent of brinish tears 4. Barrenness Thou complainest of unfruitfulness thou receivest much and returnest little thou art dry and unprofitable make use of Christ in this case the water is not more effectual to make fruitful the barren ground than the dew of Christs Grace to fructifie a barren heart I the Lord can turn a barren wilderness into a fruitful garden Isa. 51.3 He hath promised to make the Wilderness like Eden and the Desert like the Garden of the Lord. He hath said Isa. 35.1 2 6 7 That the desert shall blossom as the rose yea it shall blossom abundantly for in the wilderness shall water break out and streams in the desert and the parched ground shall become a pool and the thirsty land springs of water Go to Christ for the fulfilling of those great and precious promises say Cant. 4. ult Lord send out thy spirit to breathe upon my Soul to blow upon my Garden that the Spices thereof may flow out c. Christ saith Except ye abide in me and I in you ye cannot bear fruit Under the term abiding is implyed making use of Christ drawing sap and nourishment from him Ioh. 15.4 5. 5. Despondency when thou art disquieted with melancholly Psal. 27.13 doubting and distrustful thoughts arising from the weakness of Grace power of Corruption and malice of Satan have recourse to Christ who hath an incomparable faculty of dispelling all these perplexed and pensive conceits that do torture thy mind He himself suffered and was tempted was a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief and therefore is able to succour us in all our temptations and troubles Heb. 2.18 and 4.15 16. Now if a man be in any trouble in outward estate or body what will he do in such a case He will go and consult with one that hath been in the like condition Do thus make use of Christ for help who hath said I will never leave thee nor forsake thee Heb. 13.5 which words of his being spoken home to the heart of a distrustful perplexed person by his own Spirit must needs be of refreshing vertue and reviving power as that light will ever spring up out of darkness and scatter those mists that darken the mind and disturb our peace 't is he that forgiveth all thy sins and healeth all thy diseases Psal. 103.3 3. Improve this gift of God as a sweet and forcible attractive and help to draw your hearts to the performance of all those duties that are required of you and to assist in the exercise of those graces that are to be found in you As 1. Faith In the want or weakness of Faith make use of Christ who must needs be very helpful for he is the author and finisher of your faith Heb. 12.2 he is infinitely able to begin increase and perfect your faith so as that it can have no other vertue or power but such as is derived only from him 'T is he by whom we believe in God who raised him from the dead his own Disciples finding their faith infirm and weak did repair to him for more strength and for a larger measure of it acknowledging him to be able and themselves impotent and unable to do it saying Luke 17.5 Lord increase our faith 2. Repentance Does any lye and groan under the guilt and burden of impenitency O let him address himself to Christ in this sad case who came into the world to call sinners to repentance not as we in the Ministry to call outwardly but to call with an effectual voice and to cause to repent Mat. 11.13 God not only gave him to the world to be a Saviour but hath exalted him to be a Prince to give repentance and remission of sins Act. 5.31 If thy heart be secure and senseless go to Christ who will freely give not sell and work in thee godly sorrow that leads to repentance unto salvation not to be repented of That repentance you frame in your selves will miserably deceive you so that Austin said that repentance doth drown more than sin when you think you can sufficiently do it your selves whereas Christ alone doth give true and acceptable repentance 3. Love Christ is the best teacher of Love that ever the world had who taught it not only by his words but by his blood by his life and by his death Wouldest thou learn to love Go to Christ if thou canst not learn it of him thou canst never learn it Love is the greatest commander of love and the most effectual argument that can insuperably constrain us to it and none ever loved at the rate and measure that Christ hath loved to stand by such a fire is the way for a congealed heart to melt and the coldest affections to grow warm A lively Faith still holding Christ the glass of infinite love and goodness before our faces is the greatest lesson in the art of love A believing view of the nature undertaking love obedience doctrine example sufferings intercession and Kingdom of Jesus Christ must needs inflame believers hearts with an answerable degree of love O steep that stiff and hardned heart in the blood of Christ and it will melt and it will change thy unkind unthankful heart in the very nature of love to come over with Thomas and by the passage of his wounds wind thy self into his heart 4. Obedience both active and passive to which Christ is both an incomparable motive and admirable pattern He fulfilled all righteousness and became obedient to the death of the Cross Lo I come to do thy will O God was his resolution when he came into the world and not my will but thine be done when he went out of it He hath said he will write his Laws in your hearts and cause you to walk in his statutes and give you one heart and one way that ye may serve him for ever Ezek. 36.27 Christs obedience is thine walking in Christ all the acts of it are exerted and performed in the strength of Christ. 5. Prayer would you know how to pray as to have your Prayer accepted and answered let Christ be made use of who is the alone Mediator that by the vail of his flesh hath made a new and living way into the holy place and sits at Gods right hand making request for you So that by him you may have free access with boldness to the throne of grace Heb. 10.19 20. Have you a friend in the Court that will plead your cause and speak a good word to the King and will you not make use of
him O Let us come boldly to the throne of grace Heb. 4.16 In Christ we have access Eph. 2.18 and 3.14 Rom. 8.34 1 Ioh. 5.4 Ioh. 14.13 If ye ask any thing in my name I will do it in time of the Law if any sinned he was to go to the High Priest who was to mediate and intercede for him to God So now we must come to Christ who mediates and makes intercession for us though we have transgressed he hath suffered though we be unworthy yet he is worthy if we and our suit be commended by one of so great worth and such interest in the Father can we doubt of success He will give us also his spirit to help our infirmities and teach us what to pray for as we ought and lead us by the hand unto God and enable us to cry Abba Father 4. Improve Christ as the purchaser and conveyer of all blessings and benefits to your Souls which they stand in need of are you empty and hungry come to him for food are you naked come to him for clothes are you weak come to him for strength if wavering for stedfastness if weary for rest 1. Let the poor needy and hungry Soul come to Christ and not lay out its money for that which is not bread but hearken unto him eat that which is good and let your soul delight it self in fastness Isa. 55.2 3. He alone will feed and fill the Soul and satiate it with his goodness He will make a feast of fat things a feast of wines on the lees of fat things full of marrow of wines on the lees well refined Isa. 25.6 O labour to â—ake in his sweetest consolations fresh every morning the Soul cannot live without some comfort or other if it finds no such sweetness in Christ it will look for it elsewhere and if it tast nothing in his ways to keep it up it will go down to earthly delights for relief 2. Let the wretched naked Soul make use of Christ and not sow together Fig-leaves as Adam Gen. 3.7 Never think to patch together a deal of filthy rags to cover thy uncleanness and nakedness Isa. 64.6 But if thou know that thou art naked then buy of Christ white raiment that thou maist be clothed and the shame of thy nakedness do not appear Rev. 3.18 Christs righteousness is a long white robe to cover thy nakedness see Ezek 16. begin the Soul according to its nativity is naked and filthy but Christ spreads his skirt over it and puts on excellent ornaments he will take away thy filthy garments and cloathe thee with change of raiment Zech. 3. begin 3 Let the weak improve Christ for strength who will perfect his strength in their weakness so that thou maist say with the Apostle When I am weak then I am strong 2 Cor. 12.9 And by his strength I can do all things Phil. 4.13 Trust not in your own strength but rely upon the power of Christ in all your performances art thou to grapple with some strong corruption or temptation and desirest to overcome it hast thou some weighty and difficult duty to perform make tryal of Christ and thou shalt find that he gives power to the faint and to them that have no might Isa. 40.29 4. Let the wavering make use of him for stability and fixedness Art thou afraid of Apostacy in these backsliding times go to Christ to stablish thee 1 Thes. 3.13 That he establish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God even our father at the coming of our Lord Iesus Christ with all his saints He is a Rock if thou build on him thou shalt never be moved Matt. 16.10 God stablisheth your Souls in Christ 2 Cor. 1.21 If you can get rooted and built up in him and established by him in the faith you need not fear though you must beware of being spoiled through Philosophy and vain deceit Col. 2.7 8. Do you fear falling away from the Grace or Truth of God then make special use of Christ who is able to establish you and keep you from falling and present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy Iude 24. 5. Let the weary Soul come to Christ and he shall find rest make use of this gift of God which is far more suitable to a wandering sin-sick soul than the softest bed to the wearied body what was prophesied by Lamech concerning his Son Noah is compleatly fulfill'd in Christ whereof Noah was a type Gen. 5.29 He called his son Noah rest for saith he this same shall comfort us concerning our work and toil of our hands Think often on that soul-refreshing promise Matt. 11 28 Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest take my yoke upon you c. Come poor restless easeless and dejected souls let others weary themselves in seeking riches and reputation in the world to you I faithfully promise rest which is the thing you want Fecisti nos domine propter te inquietum est cor nostrum donec veniat ad te 5. Improve this gift of God as a standing cordial against those failings and despondencies of spirit and make use of it in the midst of those sad thoughts and miâ—givings of heart you may be under through fear of wrath terrours of conscience and shrinking apprehensions of death and judgment 1. Is God angry doth he begin to thunder and write bitter things against thee and his waves and billows go over you so that your moisture is dried up and you almost overwhelmed with the fierceness of his wrath Now let faith recollect it self and say Well Christ is mine in whose wounds is room enough to hold and in whose heart is readiness enough to receive all that fly unto him true indeed there is a terrible storm of justice gathering over my head and ready to fall upon me but my Christ is my shelter an hiding place from the wind and a covert from the tempest Isa. 32.2 A flood of vengeance is coming but I am got into the Ark destruction near but Christ is my Passover my little Sanctuary able and willing to save to the uttermost with all kinds and degrees of Salvation Heb. 7.25 He hath trodden the wine-press alone and of the people there was none with him Isa. 63.3 O then enter into this rock for fear of the Lord and for the glory of his Majesty till the indignation be over-past When God is angry with thy soul take Christ in thine arms and come to him 2. Art thou grown strange to him and alienated thy self from him by sin none is so proper and necessary to be made use of as Christ in this case who is the peace-maker between God and man who hath not only made peace between those but so ratified and confirmed it that nothing shall be ever able to dissolve it God reconciles the world to himself by Christ 2 Cor. 5.19 not only them that were strangers but even
enemies Col. 1.21 Those that are afar of are made nigh by the blood of Christ he hath broken down the partition-wall and slain the enmity Ephes. 2 16 17 18. If thou hast some dear friend who bestows a gift on thee in token of his dear love and respect to thee and there should be afterwards some disagreeing and falling out betwixt you wouldst thou shew this gift a pledg of league and amity c. thus hold up Christ to God 3. Or though it be not thus yet thou wantest the sense and feeling of his love and art comfortless in the want of it O then make use of Christ in this case who is able to make all Consolations abound and fill thy soul with joy and peace in believing He hath said Ioh. 14.18 I will not leave you comfortless Tristatur aliquis nostrum veniat in cor Iesus Is any man sad saith Bernard let that sweetest name Jesus come into his heart and so he shall have that peace and comfort that the world cannot give neither can the world take it away from him Christ is a most soveraign Cordial apply and use him and your joy will be full 4. Or art thou terrified in Conscience and groaning under the insupportable burden of a wounded spirit art thou affrighted with accusing and condemning thoughts O go to Christ who as he can make peace in the Court of Heaven so he can create peace in thy heart and still the crys of Conscience and make a calm there also though the waves roar and the winds blow c. thy soul shall have peace in him which passeth all understanding Col. 1.20 And will say in me ye shall have peace be of good cheer let not your hearts be troubled though your hearts ake and tremble yet he is greater thaâ— your hearts who is nigh to justifie you Isa. â—â— 8 so that you may triumph with the Apostle Who is he that condemneth it is Christ that died Rom. 8.34 Expect no peace in laying aside Christ. 5. Are you afraid of death and judgment to come in this case also make use of Christ. It 's reported by Cassander that in ancient times sick and weak dying persons were directed and accustomed to make use of Christ at that time especially interposing him betwixt them and Gods Judgment saying these words Lord we put thee the death of our Lord Iesus Christ betwixt us and thy judgment But what need we look into Historians the Scriptures shew what languishing souls and drooping spirits must do Psal. 23.4 5. Though I walk in the valley of the shadow of death yet I will fear no evil c. Christ hath destroyed him that had the power of death Heb. 2.4 taken out the venome and malignity of it Death lost its sting in Christs side And now O death where is thy sting O grave where is thy victory 1 Cor. 15.55 57. Or fearest thou judgment look to Christ and thou shalt not die the second death but he will raise thee up at the last day Ioh 6.49 50. Having Christ thou maist stand in judgment and lift up thy head with joy for 't is the day of thy Redemption then the redeemed of the Lord shall return with joy everlasting and you shall appear with him in glory 4. Fourth Branch of Exhortation Be â—ery thankful for him yea let your whole soul go out in thankfulness be ever praising and magnifying God for his unspeakable mercy in Christ your Sacrifice your Redeemer your Saviour often call upon your sluggish hearts and say Bless the Lord O my soul and all that is within me bless his holy name Psal. 103.1 and 116.12 What shall I render to the Lord for this the greatest of all his benefits O be thankful not in a common ordinary formal manner but in the most lively enlarged and raised manner that is possible where the mercy is high and great the thankfulness must bear some proportion to it O let your apprehensions be widened to conceive the vastness of this mercy that your affections may be more enlarged to praise God for it O how shall we get our hearts affected with it what thankfulness can be enough for such a gift should not the whole soul be summon'd in to give its most united acknowledgment of so signal a mercy for God to give his only begotten Son to be a Saviour for sinners Here 's the wonder of wonders God never did the like before and he 'l never do the like again and blessed be his name there is no need he should It would have been admirable mercy if God would have sent some other person upon this Errand to redeem and save undone sinners If send he will why did he not send an Angel or body of Angels to try their skill and see what they could do Nay why did he not send an Angel as once he did with a flaming sword in his hand to keep off sinners from the Tree of Life O this did not comport with his gracious designs though it did too well with the creatures merit therefore he would not do it no his own Son shall be pitcht upon he is the person whom God will send Surely here was love great love great to the degree of infiniteness Millions of Angels were nothing to one Son to one such Son his first-born his only begotten Son the Son of his love who lay in his bosom had been his delight from everlasting O astonishing mercy O admirable goodness and condescention how may we cry out here Lord what is man that thou art thus mindful of him and the Son of man that thou makest this account of him Psal. 8.4 and 144.3 or as Iob 7.17 What is man that thou shouldest magnifie him and that thou shouldest set thine heart upon him Here was God so loving so as can never be expressed never be comprehended Ioh 3.16 God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believed on him might not perish but have everlasting life The Heavens and the Earth were once called upon to be filled with astonishment because of the ingratitude of a sinful people Isa. 1.2 May not now Heaven and Earth Angels and men all creatures whatsoever be called upon to be filled with astonishment because of the stupendious love of God! O Christians what influence hath this upon your dull and sluggish hearts what are you made of that you are no more in the sense of it drawn out in blessing loving admiring and adoring of God Pray if there be any holy ingenuity in you take some pains with your selves that you may be much more affected with it and give not over till you have such thoughts and affections upon Gods giving his Son raised in you as may in some measure answer to those thoughts and affections which you shall have about it when you shall be in Heaven The Angels never reaped that advantage that we do yet they were at praising-work as soon as ever Christ was born
Luk. 2.13 14. A multitude of the heavenly host was praising God saying Glory to God in the highest on earth peace and good will towards men Good Zachary so soon as his mouth was opened begun his Prophecy with Blessed be the Lord God of Israel who hath visited and redeemed his people Luk. 1.68 69. And old Simeon ended his life with praise and blessing God Luk. 1.19 'T is the duty of all Christians in every thing to give thanks 1 Thes. 5.18 because this is the will of God in Christ much more should every soul give thanks for Christ the top of all blessings the flower of all enjoyments think much of this threefold cord of obligation to praise 1. When a gift is free 2. When it is great 3. When special thanks is most due for though a man receive a benefit from another yet if he have in any measure deserved it before or it be in lieu of something to be done after it abates the thankfulness But though it be free yet if it be not much worth that lessens thanks but if it be a thing of worth yet if it be commonly to be had or given to all this will take off somewhat of the edg of thankfulness But now 1. Christ is an absolutely free gift not only undeserved but undesired and expected kindness by the rules of friendship and love in the heathens judgment doth challenge either recompence if we deal with our matches or acknowledgment where the distance is great and the greater this the greater that Now betwixt God and us the distance is infinite and if it were possible our love and thankfulness should fill up that distance and extend it self to infiniteness Let Angels and men adore and praise God for this gift to eternity in Heaven yet they must be ashamed and blush at the imagination of merit The dignity and worth of this gift must lay an infinite though sinless debt for ever on all the Citizens of Glory whether home-born and natives of the Country as elect Angels or adopted strangers as glorified Saints Christ is the flower glory and crown of free Grace 2 The gift is of unspeakable worth and excellency than which none could ever be greater none better the only begotten Son God blessed for evermore the brightness of his Fathers Glory co-equal and co-essential with the Father there could be no addition at all made to his Glory he was so high he could not be higher so great so good c. He is better than wealth or health than peace or life 3. There 's distinguishing favour in bestowing Christ on thee and not on others that which is common to all will never leave such an impression of wonder and praise but when it comes to me and us that makes deepest impression The passing by of my Father and Mother my Brother my Sister Husband or Wife Neighbour or Friend and taking me is a most endearing favour Two lye in the same womb sit in the same seat hear the same Sermon and one is taken and another left Psal. 147.12 19 20. Praise the Lord O Ierusalem praise thy God O Zion Among many other grounds and reasons that 's one in the 19. verse He shews his wâ—rd unto Iacob his statutes and his judgments to Israel he hath not dealt so with any Nation Here he speaks not of the measure as if others had the same grace revealed in nature but in inferiour degrees for he saith as for his judgments they have not known them and being full of it he concludes Praise ye the Lord Christ esteemeth this the flower of Grace and blesseth his Father for it Mat. 11.25 I thank thee O Father Lord of heaven and earth because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent and hast revealed them unto babes To consider that of all England all Europe all Adam's posterity that ever were masters of a living soul the Lord passed by so many thousands and millions and the lot of free grace fell upon me precisely by name and not on many besides no less eligible than I was O how should it ravish our hearts into admiration and praise Blessed are your eyes for they see such things that many Kings and Prophets have desired to see and have not seen them Luk. 10.23 O what thoughts will ye have of this mercy in Heaven when you shall have your souls laden with a massy weight of glory and thousands of souls spitting out blasphemies on the Majesty of Heaven out of the sense of the torment of the gnawing-worm that never dies and you consider the soul of Iudas might have been in my souls stead and my soul in the same place of torment that he is now in O the unsearchable riches of the free grace of God in Christ How should we now sing that new Song that properly belongs to all redeemed ones Rev. 14.3 and to say with a loud voice Blessing and honour and glory and power be unto him that sitteth on the Throne for ever and ever Rev. 5.8 ad finem and Rev 7.12 O how should we extol and shew forth his praises had we as many tongues as members or joints or hairs were our whole body turned into that one member yet should we not be able for this high and glorious mercy sufficiently to celebrate the praises of the most high God 5. Fifth and last Branch of Exhortation Be fruitful in Christ True thankfulness improves the gift to the Donors honour A friend gives me a token I 'le receive it for his sake a jewel I 'le keep it for his sake a Book I 'le use it for his sake a Ring I 'le wear it for his sake that is so as may best express my love and report his goodness Were we truly thankful to our God we would use and improve this gift for his sake to his glory O let it be our chief care to improve this transcendently excellent gift to his glory who gave it Let me press this Exhortation on â—ou in the words of the Apostle Col. 2.6 As ye have therefore received Christ Iesus the Lord so walk ye in him It is not enough to have or to know that we have received Christ but we are to see that we walk in him or according to him 'T is not sufficient for us to take Jesus Christ this gift of God offered in the Gospel but our deportment and carriage must be such as becomes them that have received so great a favour Christ was the greatest Legacy that ever was bequeathed to poor creatures and he and his benefits that come with him is matter of greatest weight and concernment that ever God be-trusted in the hands of dust and ashes the most rich glorious and perfect gift that ever came out of the hands of God Wherefore let us gird up the loyns of our mind and be sober and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto us at the revelation of Iesus Christ as obedient
sundry Sermons preached at St. Iames Dukes-place by Zech. Crofton The life and death of Edmund Stanton D. D. To which is added a Treatise of Christian-conference and a Dialogue between a Minister and a Stranger Sin the Plague of plagues or sinful sin the worst of Evils by Ralph Venning M. A. Cases of Conscience practically resolved by I. Norman The faithfulness of God conâ—idered and cleared in the great Events of his Word or a second part of the fulfilling of the Scripture The immortality of the Soul explained and proved by Scripture and Reason to which is added Faiths-triumph over the fears of death by Tho. Wadsworth A Treatise of the incomparableness of God in his Being Attributes Works and Word by George Swinnock M. A. A discourse of the original c. of the Cossacks The generation of Seekers or the right manner of the Saints addresses to the throne of Grace with an Exposition on the Lords-Prayer The administration of Cardinal Ximones A discourse of Family-instruction by Owen Stockton with directions for those that have suffered by the Fire An Essay to facilltate the Education of Youth by bringing down the rudiments of Grammar to the sense of seeing which ought to be improved by Syncresis by M. Lewis of Totenham An Artificial Vestibulum wherein the sense of Ianua Linguarum is contained compiled into plain and short sentences in English for the great â—ase of Masters and Expeditious progress of Scholars by M. Lewis Speculum Sherlockianum oâ— a Looking glass in which the admirers of Mr. Sherlock may behold the man as to his Acuracy Judgment Orthodoxy A discourse of Sins of Omission wherein is discovered their Nature Causes and Cure by George Swinnock Mr. Baxter's Reformed Pastor His Majesties Propriety in the British Seas vindicated Quakerism no Christianity or a through-Quaker no Christian proved by their Principles and confirmed by Scripture by I. Faldo Differences about Water-baptism no bar to Communion by Io. Bunian The Dutch-dispensatory shewing the vertues qualities and properties of Simples the vertue and use of Compounds whereto is added the Compleat Herbalist Judg Dodaridge's laws of Nobility and Peerage Dinglys Spiritual Fast. Solitude improved by Divine Meditation by Matth. Ranew A Murderer punished and pardoned or Tho. Savage his life and death with his Funeral sermon Small 8 vo A defence against the fear of death by Zach. Crofton Gods Soveraignty displayed by William Gearing The godly mans Ark or a City of Refuge in the day of his distress in five Sermons with Mrs. Moors evidences for Heaven by Edmund Calamy The Almost-Christian discovered or the false-Professor tried and cast by M. Mead. The true bounds of Christian-freedom or a discourse shewing the extent and restraints of Christian-liberty by S. Bolton D. D. The sinfulness of Sin and fulness of Christ in two Sermons by Will. Bridg. A Plea for the godly or the Righteous mans Excellency The holy Eucharist or the Sacrament of the Lords Supper A Treatise of Self-denial All three by Tho. Watson The life and death of Tho. Wilson of Miâ—dstone in Kent The life and death of Doctor Samuel Winter A Covert from the Storm or the fearful encouraged in the day of Trouble Worthy-walking press'd upon all that have heard the Call of the Gospel The Spirit of Prayer All three by Nath. Vincent The inseparable union between Christ and a Believer by Tho. Peck A discoâ—rse of Excuses setting forth the variety and vanity of them the sin and misery brought in by them by Iohn Sheffield Invisible reality demonstrated in the holy life and triumphant death of Mr. I. Ianeway The Saints encouragement to diligence in Christs service both by Mr. Iames Ianeway A discourse concerning the Education of Children Convivium Coeleâ—te a plain and familiar discourse concerning the Lords Supper both by R. Kidder The Saints perseverance asserted in its Positive-ground against Mr. Ives by Tho. Danson A Wedding ring fit for the Finger by Will. Secker The Young-mans Call and Duty by Nich. Lockyer An Explanation of the shorter-Catechism of the Assembly of Divines by Tho. Lye The Childs Delight with Pictures by Tho. Lye The life and death of Tho Hall A Plea for the Non-Conformists tending to vindicate them from Schism by a Doctor in Divinity The flat opposition of Popery to Scripture by I. N. Chaplain to a Person of Honour The Weavers Pocket-book or Weaving spiritualiz'd by I. C. D. D Two disputations of Original-sin by Richard Baxter The History of Moderation The welcome Communicant The ready way to prevent sin by William Bagshaw The Little-peace-maker discovering foolish Pride the Make-baâ—e Philadelphia or a Treatise of Brotherly-love by Mr. Gearing Reformation or Ruine being certain Sermons on Levit. 26 2â— 24. by Tho. Hotchkis The Riches of Grace displayed to which is added the priviledg of Passive Obedience and 52 proposals in order to help on Heart-humiliation by Will. Bagshaw The parable of the great Supper opened in 17 Sermons by Io. Crump A present for Teeming-women by I. Oliver Non-conformity without Controversie by Benj. Baxter The Christians daily Monitor by Iosh. Church A Treatise of Closeâ—-prayer by Richard Mayo The Religious Family by Philip Lamb. A sober inquiry or Christs Reign with Saints a thousand years A discourse of the prodigious Abstinence of Martha Taylor A Memento to young and old by Iohn Maynard The priviledg of the Saints on Earth above those in Heaven by William Hook Index biblicus multijugus or a Table of the holy Scripture wherein each of its Books Chapters and particular matters are distinguished and Epitomized The day of Grace with the conversion of a Sinner by Nath. Vencent The Greek Testament in 8 vo An easie and useful Grammar for the learning of the French tongue by Mr. Gosthead Gentleman Mr. Raworths work and reward of a Christian. The Miners Monitor or advice to those that are employed about the Mines A Protestant Catechism for little Children A Scripture Catechism by Samuel Petto A Catechism according to the Church of England Grotius Catechism Brief of the Bibles-History The Fountain sealed by Dr. Sibbs Nero Tragidea Cottons None but Christ. Cornelianum dolium The Christians earnest longing for Christs appearing preached at the Funeral of Mr. Noah Webb by Dan. Burgess Wilsons Catechism Elenchus motuum nuperorum in Anglia Cocains Poems Poor Robins Jesâ—s Croftons Foelix Sâ—elus or Prospering prophaneness provoking holy conference by Zech. Crofton Gramaticus Analyticus by the same Author Alexanders advice to his Son Artificial Embelishments H. Excellency of Christ set forth Gods Soveraignty displayed by Mr. William Gearing In small 12 s. The duty of Parents towards their Children A little Book for little Children A method and instruction for the Art of divinâ— Meditation All three by Tho. White The considerations of Drexelius on Eternity The shadow of the Tree of Life by M. M. The Psalms of David newly translated more plain smooth and agreeable to the Text than any heretofore The Prisoners Prayers Mr. Henry Lukin's Life of Faith Awakening Call to Sinners Câ—umbs of Comfort or the Lord Bacons Prayer FINIS
from uncleanness Zech. 13.1 Who is the Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world John 1.29 Christ was without spot knew no sin was born holy that he might cover the impurity of thy conception Hath sin like a poison or leprosy spread over thy whole Soul and all thy actions are impure so that there is no soundness in thee but wounds and bruises and putrifying sores Improve Christ in this case who will wash thee in his blood Rev. 1.5 bind up thy wounds and make thee partaker of the Divine nature as 2 Pet. 1.4 Though thy sins be as scarlet he will make thee white as snow If the blood of bulls and goats sprinkling the unclean sanctified to the purifying of the flesh how much more shall the blood of Christ who through the eternal spirit offered himself without spot to God purge your consciences from dead works to serve the living Lord Heb. 9.13 14 O then look unto Christ and be healed tell him as he did Lord if thou wilt thou canst make me clean No Soap nor Nitre can purge it the general deluge swept away sinners but could not wash away one sin 3. Against the bondage of sin every one is by nature a bondslave to corruption Now Christ was sent to Preach as well as purchase deliverance for captives and to open the Prison to them that are bound Isa. 61.1 2. If a number of men were taken captives by the Turks and made Gally-â—laves suppose some rich Merchant should lay down a vast sum of Money to purchase their liberty or a great Prince make way by the Sword for their escape or give some Prisoners in exchange for them and should this dear-bought liberty be proclaimed to all in general That whoever will apply themselves to him should be free from bondage How deservedly may those lye and dye in Chains that will not accept and make use of those easie terms If thou cry out O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me c Christ alone that Son will make you free Ioh. 8.32 33 34. 'T is not a feigned or fancied but a real liberty free indeed 4. Against the danger of sin Art thou afraid of such a corruption art thou annoyed with such a temptation and ready to say ah I shall one day perish by the hand of such a sin Then to prevent falling into sin and antidote thee against the solicitations of it with Paul run to Christ and beseech the Lord once and again till thou have that answer My grace is sufficient for thee 2 Cor. 12.8 9. When sin comes as a Potiphars Wife and offers thee deadly Poison in a golden Cup let Faith answer I would consent but that I am a Christian how can I do this great wickedness and sin against my Christ I cannot gratifie this or that lust but I must be disloyal to my Lord Christ. When ever temptations assault and an host incamp against thee hast to the Captain of thy Salvation as David at What time I am afraid I will trust in thee Psal. 56.3 5. Against the whole body of sin make use of Christ who came to destroy the works of the Devil Would thou have sin mortified and killed and the old man crucified nail him to the Cross of Christ that by vertue of his death sin may receive its deaths wound no corruptions can stand before Christs Cross. Rom. 6.8 Knowing this that our old man is crucified with him that the body of sin might be destroyed 1. Art thou troubled and molested with passion and transported with anger nothing so effectual to subdue and bridle that short madness as Christ. Nihil ita irae impetum cohibet sicut Iesus 'T is the property of contraries to expel one another Christ is meekness and love 2. Doth Pride that detestable sin swell thee art thou proud of wealth honour gifts friends c Nihil ita superbiae tumorem sedat sicut Iesus he is humble and lowly Mat. 11.29 3. Or that diabolical sin of envy Christ can cure thee of that rotten vice Nihil ita livoris culmas sanat sicut Iesus Who ever shewed more opposition to it than Christ who prayed that his Servants might have the same glory with him Ioh. 17.22 4. Or that idolatrous heathenish sin of Covetousness Christ alone can quench the insatiable thirst after worldly things Ioh. 4.14 Whoever drinks of this water shall never thirst Nil ita temperat sitim avaritiae sicut Iesus Thou wilt trample the Moon under thy feet and scorn to love this poor dunghil-world or be fond of these beautiful vanities and fair-fac'd nothings Lastly Dost thou feel in thy Soul the scorching heat of Concupiscence and knowest not how to rid thy self of it Go to Christ who will quickly quench that flame Nihil ita extinguit libidinis flammam sicut Iesus Christs blood is an excellent antidote against lust and will quench and not curb only that inflamation So we might add many more instances for our mortification c. 2. As a Physician to cure all Diseases Christ the gift of God is a most excellent and soveraign Remedy for all diseases and spiritual indispositions whatever the Soul ails go to Christ and he can and will help 1. For darkness and blindness none better than Christ. Do the eyes of thy mind wax dim and dark that thou canst not so well as formerly see the soulness of sin the fairness of Christ the beauty of holiness O make use of Christ who can open blind eyes and clear the sight and make you see that plainly that others can scarce perceive He can illuminate the mind anoint the eye with eye-salve Rev. 3.18 that thou maist see how naked and wretched thou art dispel all darkness and shew thee the light of life Iohn 8.12 and 12.46 If any walk in darkness and hath no light let him trust in the name of the Lord and stay himself upon his God Isa. 50.10 2. Deadness Christ is an effectual remedy against deadness and lifelesness of spirit Whither should we go but unto him who hath the words of eternal life Thou hast fallen among Thieves and they have bereaved thee of all yea of life it self why Christ is that good Samaritan which puts Wine and Oyl into thy wounded Soul Luk. 10.30 he complains that ye will not come unto him that ye may have life he is called our life Col. 3.4 O derive life and strength from him 3. Hardness Art thou infected with that sore disease of hardness of heart so that thou canst not mourn for sin nor art scarce sensible of the great burden of sin and misery nor lay to heart the evils of the times but thy heart is a Rock or an Adamant O go to Christ who can and will take away the heart of stone and give thee a heart of flesh Ezek. 11.19 and 36.26 In him this gracious promise is and ever shall be yea and Amen Soak thy heart thorowly in this promise and set before
hearts What a Christian and yet sensual A Christian and yet proud A Christian believing in Christ a man of sorrows and yet given to pleasures What a Christian and yet worldly 4. Such as serve the world and yet pretend to serve Christ Christ tells you it cannot be Ye cannot serve God and Mammon Mat. 6.24 't is impossible to join these together Those that are slaves to the Naaman of iniquity that do not only possess money but are possessed of money that with Iudas will sell Christ for thirty pieces of silver that rise early and lye down late and eat the bread of carefulness that will compass Sea and land to get gain these make gold their God their covetousness is justly termed Idolatry Col. 3.5 Alas my Brethren what is their in the world that it should be so much coveted and heaven slighted What hath the world done for its most faithful servants How oft have we heard them complaining at last O the world hath deceived me and undone me it flattered me in my prosperity and now utterly cast me off in my necessity Ah if I had served the Lord as faithfully as I have served the world he would not have cast me off at last nor have left me thus comfortless and hopeless in my depth of misery 5. Time-servers that change their Religion with the times are not servants of the Lord their Religion is like a piece of wax to be moulded into any frame according as the times alter Such as will be Superstitious if the times be so that will be devout or atheistical according to the times It was the speech of a time-server that was said to be spoken by the King of Navarre to Beza That he would lanch no further into the sea of Religion than he might be sure to return safe in the haven This is the right Picture of a time-server as many turned Protestants in K. Edward's days and Papists in Q. Maries Lastly Those that serve the worst Master that is sin 'T is indeed one thing to be a sinner and another to be the servant of sin that is one that gives himself over to the service of sin that is bound Apprentice to sin The difference was great between Paul and Ahab Paul was sold under sin but it was against his will but Ahab sold himself willingly to work wickedness How many such servants of sin are there as the Centurions servant served him if sin bid go they go such servants are swearers and drunkardâ— that are at the service of their oaths and cups This is a most shameful and pernicious service for it is to serve the Devil Ioh. 8.44 O that the world would believe this that when they serve this or that lust they serve the Devil Cyprian brings in the Devil upbraiding Christ Ostende mihi tet servos qui tibi c. Shew me if thou canst so many servants that have served thee so diligently and willingly as I can shew that have served me Can Satan give you better wages as Saul said to his followers Can the son of Iesse make you captains of hundreds and captains over thousands give you vineyardâ— and oliâ—â—yards c. 1 Sam. 22.7 Aâ—as if sin had not put out your eyes as the Philistines did by Sampson that you cannot see the vileness and cursedness of it you would nevâ—r grind in its mill for the wages of sin is death 3. Use of Exhortation two Branches 1. To all to perswade them to esteem chuse and embrace Christs service 2. To Christs servants to take care to be such servants and perform such service as shall be found good and faithful approved by Christ. 1. Is Christ such a Lord as you have heard then let every one of us be prevailed with to take him for our Lord and give up our selves to him and become his servants this day we must either resign up our selves to this excellent Lord or we cannot be true Christians 2 Cor. 8.5 this is the essence of Christianity and life of Religion and marrow of Profession To wear the badg and livery of Chriâ—â— in external profession without this is nothing but a dead carcass an empty shadow and will turn to our greater condemnation another day That which will be enquired after at the great day is not who owned Christ as Lord in profession but who honoured Christ as Lord by real subjection and resignation of themselves unto him The great question will be Whether did Christ reign over us and bring us under his Law and Dominion and upon the decision of this important question depends the everlasting state of our souls and bodies in the next world If you now say unto Christ We are Lords we will not come at thee depart from us we desire not the knowledg of thy ways or as Pharoah Who is the Lord that I should obey him He will say unto you at the last day Depart from me ye cursed I know you not nor will your crying Lord Lord then any thing avail you O then let it be your resolution now to resign your selves to this gracious Saviour take him for your Lord and Soveraign Kiss the Son serve the Lord with fear and rejoice with trembling O that your hearts would once at last say as 't is foretold of Gospel times Isa. 44.5 I am the Lords other Lords have had dominion over me but henceforth by thee only will I make mention of thy name Isa. 26.13 We will not say any more to the work of our hands nor to the lusts of our hearts to the world the flesh or to sin ye are our gods for with thee O Lord poor lost creatures find mercy Hos. 14.3 Whatever your neighbours acquaintance or kindred let them chuse whom they will serve yet we are resolved for our part we will serve the Lord Iosh. 24.15 O my friends what say you to this motion what answer give you to this invitation is it not most reasonable and considerable you are prest to come to Christ and take his yoke and bow the knee before him c. What will you do will every one of you give up himself to Christ resign soul and body to the service of this glorious Lord Have you found or ever heard of any thing in him that may deter you what iniquity have you seen in him that you keep at distance from him and walk after vanity Is he not worthy of your love not good enough to be your Master can you bestow your selves better employ your selves more profitably what sticks it at would you take time to consider of it and defer your resolutions to another day so you have done too long already and ventur'd too far by your delays To day if you will hear his voice then harden not your hearts Seek ye the Lord while he may be found call upon him while he is near He now saith hearken unto me and I will make a covenant with you even the sure mercies of David Encline your ear