glory and yet as that is most tender to him so our fingers are more itching after that A man is greedy of applause and if hee looke not narrowly to himselfe is ready to take the glory to himselfe that belongs to the Lord. Thou must be the Lords glory but if thou take any to thy selfe and if thou stand on thy owne bottome thou art thy owne glory and not his therefore above all things take heede of being deceived and found guilty herein But you will say how may I come to know it First consider what thy end is in thy actions whether the demonstration of some gift God hath given thee or for his glory and if thou findest not out thy end yet consider whether in matter or manner of doing thou dost not steppe out of the way if not by this yet consider after the action is done when any thing is well performed by thee whether thy heart beginne not to swell in thee that is to thinke better of thy selfe than before that is a signe thou takest something to thy selfe that belongs to the Lord. And when a man takes that to himselfe which is the Lords hee is not the glory of the Lord. If not by this then Lastly consider whether thou art more troubled for that discredit that comes to thy selfe or the dishonour that redounds to the Lord upon thy miscariage at any time consider how thou art affected with any thing One step further you must goe and that is not onely to take nothing to your selves but likewise so behave your selves that you may be an honour to God by shewing forth the graces of Christ that the Lord may boast of you as he did of Iob Iob. 1. 8. I say thou must cary thy selfe so as the Lord may glory in thee say to Sathan of thee as he did to him of Iob seeest not such a man in such a towne in such a place how zealous he is how holy be not a shame and reproach to him but a praise hee lookes for this from his Saints and therefore weares them as signets on his right hand As great men weare diamonds and precious stones and jewels in their eares about their necks and in their rings to adorne and beautifie them so the servants of the Lord are his jewels that he weares to make him glorious in the eyes of men great men are known by their Iewells and so is the Lord by his Saints Therefore it is a great motive to keepe thy selfe unspotted of the world to cary thy selfe so that his name may be honoured and his Gospell well spoken of the glory of Christ is engaged in thy cariage let it be such as becommeth the Gospell Againe if Christ be the head of every man then try and consider from hence what thy condition is If he be the head of the Church no man within the compasse of the true Church but is a member of Christ. Consider whether thou be a member of his body one that is guided by his Spirit or no but how shall we know that First by this thou shalt find the same Spirit that is in Christ living and breathing in thee thou shalt finde the same disposition and antipathy and affections to be in thee that are in him abhorring that evill and cleaving to that good he doth for the body of the tree and the branches are not of different natures therefore consider what similitude is betweene the Lord and thee So soone as thou art a living member the same spirit is sent into thy heart and insinuates it selfe into thy soule and makes it conformable to Christ in all things As the fire insinuates it selfe into the iron and makes it like it self He that is in Christ is made a new creature and partakes of the divine nature and is like him in all things But if this be the rule I feare my condition for I finde many contrary dispositions in mee to his Word and contrary to Christ. Answ. Thou maist finde many rebellions in thee and yet the same disposition remaine in thee that is in Christ. There may be swellings in the members but yet there is a disposition of health and strength and vivacity that weares them out 1 Cor. 6. 15 16. Know you not that your bodies are members of Christ Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them the members of an harlot God forbid c. that is it is impossible it should be so it is like that speech in Rom. 6. 1 2. Shall wee continue in sinne c. how shall wee that are dead c. live any longer therein That is as it is impossible for him that is dead to sinne to live therein so it is impossible for him that is a member of Christ to be made the member of an harlot Why what say you to Davids case that fell into adultery Answ. Though he did he was not made the member of an harlot For therefore you shall finde in the 16. verse bee that is glued for so the word in the originall signifies that is adhereth to an harlot out of the inward sway of his heart gives his minde to any sinne hee cannot be a member of Christ though he that is a member may fall into many sinnes yet hee is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 glued nor knit to any sinne for then hee could not be a member of Christ for if hee bee so hee is of the same spirit or body Now it is impossible to be of the body of Christ and of a contrary body too If a man have his heart glued to any sinne he is not a member of Christ be it a matter of credit learning pleasure or delight any lust if thy heart be glued to it and thou canst not get them asunder thou art not a member of Christ. For they are not wedded to any sin but there is a divorce between every member of Christ and sinne though they may fall one upon another and touch each yet they are of a mouldering nature they will not cleave together For he that is of God is in Christ and hath the nature of Christ in him that will not suffer him to sin As take water and oyle they may violently be shaken together and they will seeme to be mixed together and to be one but they will not continue so long there is no coalition because they are of divers natures and the one remaines water still and the other oyle so he that is in Christ cannot cleave to any sinne though sin and he may touch sometime yet they are strangers they cannot stand together they cannot cleave one to another Besides consider the manner of thy obedience all that are Christs obey him after that manner that the members doe the head The headship of Christ is not an imaginary thing he is not like the politicke head of a body but he is like a naturall head that is there comes a naturall true living influence
and heavy laden c. and wee are Ambassadors beseeching you to bee reconciled These and the like are the sure Word of God upon which thy faith must bee grounded so that thou commest to say thus to thy selfe well whatsoever come of it I am sure there is a corner stone on which whosoever is built shall not be ashamed nor deceived I am sure of it from a word that the Lord hath confirmed with a seale and with an oath and therefore I rest upon it And it is not a bare word that Christ hath given to assure us of this which is a signe it is a hard thing for us to beleeve it it is no easie thing for there is added to the word a seale and it is confirmed with an oath so then that is the first thing thou art to consider whether thy faith hath beene pitcht upon som such word and whether thou hast applied that word to thy selfe or no. In the next place beside this word there is a witnesse from the spirit there is a wondrous worke of the Holy Ghost which saith to a mans heart bee of good comfort feare not I am thy salvation If you say to me what needs the witnesse of the spirit is not the Word enough if Christ declare himselfe so farre that in plaine tearmes he is willing to match with us what need the speciall witnesse of the Holy Ghost I answer there is very great neede of it because the Word of it selfe is not able to comfort and quicken and releeve us it is not able to beget in us peace and joy and righteousnesse but it is even like a dead letter it is a cold dead thing able to doe nothing with the heart of man without the Spirit this we finde by experience the clearest arguments and the most comfortable that the Scripture useth to comfort a man in distresse that hath his Conscience troubled with the apprehension of his sin and of Gods wrath they are all nothing till it please God to send his owne Spirit to beare witnes to a mans spirit You will say what is this witnesse of the Spirit I answer it is a certaine divine expression of Christ to the soule whereby a man is secretly assured without any argument or reason that hee is his salvation for you must know that there are indeede two things besides that confirme this truth to us that is the ground wee have in the Word and the effects and fruits of sanctification but both these doe it by way of argument for when a man argueth thus I see this generall proposition All that believe shall bee saved but I am one that believe therefore I am one that am contained under the generall pardon this I say is by way of argument So againe I finde in my selfe the fruits and effects of sanctification and I am sure none are sanctified but they are also justified and they have received the Spirit of Christ therefore I know I am one that belongs to him all this is but the witnesse of our owne spirits for these are but collections that our owne spirits gather as a conclusion from the premisses but now the witnesse of the Spirit the witnesse of the holy Ghost it is a distinct thing from this therefore Rom. 8. 16. it is said to witnesse together with our spirits and therefore is a distinct witnesse from our spirits that indeede witnesseth the same things but the witnesse is distinct from that of our owne spirit and that is without any argument or reason at all being a secret manifestation made to the soule whereby wee are comforted and assured that our sinnes are forgiven and that Christ is willing to match with us Now consider if thou wouldest know whether thou bee one that is matched with Iesus Christ whether thou have this double witnesse or no of the Word and of the Spirit You will say hath every one this secret testimony I answer that every one hath it in some degree more or lesse for that same in Rom. 8. 16. The Spirit witnesseth with our spirits is a generall proposition it concernes all beleevers even with every mans spirit the Holy Ghost beares witnesse but then wee must take the words in the right sense It is true in some the Spirit speakes more evidently and audibly with joy unspeakeable and glorious the flashes of comfort are much more bright and glorious to some then to others and such speciall witnesses of the HOLY GHOST are very rare and dispensed to us for some speciall purposes commonly after some great humilitation or prayer or to prepare us for some great enterprize or some speciall conflict they are even as the apparitions to Abraham and Iacob and Paul were Acts 23. 11. Be of good courage Paul thou must beare witnesse of mee at Rome c. so when he was at Corinth Paul bee of good comfort I am with thee Acts 18. 9. All these were on speciall occasions so I say there are some speciall witnesses of the HOLY GHOST when the HOLY GHOST speakes evidently and these are dispensed to us according to the good pleasure of God and commonly it is added for some speciall purpose now I say not that every one hath this kinde of testimony but every one hath so much witnesse from the HOLY GHOST as doth uphold his spirit that Christ is willing to match with him that hee hath or may have interest in him and in all the priviledges of his death this I say every one hath more or lesse although those speciall degrees of the evident speaking of the Holy Ghost are dispensed but to some and to those that have it but for a speciall time this is the first thing The second thing thou art to enquire into if thou wovldest know if there bee any such match betweene Christ Iesus and thee what thy owne consent hath beene and is which herein is not in words onely but is given then when they heart and affections doe or can make this answer that thou art willing to match with the Lord Iesus and this I give as a signe to examine thy heart by for it is not in the power of any man living to bring his heart to this consent nor is any creature able to doe it you may as well bring fire and water to agree together as to bring the heart of a naturall man to be willing to match with the Lord but it is a speciall worke of the holy Ghost that must mould the spirit a new and breake all in pieces and cast thee into a new frame that must make thee willing to come into so neare a Communion with the LORD IESUS for our spirits are quite contrary to it Onely concerning this take this caution that it is not so much what thou art willing to say in any case or condition for it may bee a man may bee willing sometimes to match out of feare or hope or out
worke beleefe You will say this miracle confirmes it in generall if the Lord should speak personally to me and say I will be thy Husband this were to purpose Beloved consider it is all one because you have this generall He bids the Gospell be preached to every Creature therefore thou art sure thou art in that number consider that the word of promise also which word you all know that Whosoever beleives shall be saved that is whosoever will take his pardon shall be saved and nothing keepes men from salvation but the refusing it therefore say not he that commits such and such sinnes shall bee damned but he that takes not the pardon shall be damned Beloved this is a matter of great consolation this is that that is our Freehold we have a sure word and this is the Gospell that wee have to preach that whatsoever the rebels bee and whatsoever the sinnes are yet they may come in and be received I but my sinnes are great as red as skarlet What if they be they shall be as snow But I have often committed them What if thou have He that sayd to thee thou shalt forgive thy brother to seaventy times seaven times sure He is able to forgive to seaventy thousand times seaven times But my sinnes are exceeding great as the mighty mountaines They shal be drowned in the bottome of the Sea that is as able to drowne mountaines as the least hill Oh! but they are exceeding many I am guilty of all variety of sinnes there is scarce any grosse sinne but I have committed it There is as great variety and multitudes of mercie to cover and swallow them You will say This is possible if my heart were soft able to repent but I have a hard obdurate heart If thy heart be hard he can take away that stonie heart and give thee a fleshy heart this hee hath promised Why now what hast thou to doe even to lay fast hold on this word as they did on the hornes of the Altar and even goe and say to the Lord Lord I will hold me here Lord it is thy word thou canst not deny it Lord if thou wilt kill mee here I will dye I will not let my hold goe I say if thou doe but take hold of this word That He justifieth the ungodly and whosoever will beleeve shall be saved if thou take this hold I assure thee my life for thine it is impossible but the Lord should in the end give thee this answere Be of good comfort thy faith hath saved thee I deny not but that the Lord may hold off for a while for a time he may keepe off and give thee hard words and say as he did to the woman of Canaan that hee is not sent to such a dog as thou art but if thou persist as she did and keepe close to this word of promise then after thou shalt receive the same answer that shee did Thy faith hath saved thee be of good comfort But you will say if it be thus this seemeth to be a very easie thing Is there no more to doe I answer yes and thou must marke diligently that thou runne not away with a false conceit now First thou must take out this pardon You know a pardon in Law though the Prince give it if it be not taken and sued out it will doe a man no good Againe this pardon hath certaine conditions thou must remember the conditions if thou wilt have the pardon thou must observe the covenants and conditions Lastly know that this pardon may be for a certaine time after which the pardon may be out of date For the first of these you will say what is it to take out the pardon Beloved it is this when a man hath seene his sinnes and knowes his need and his rebellions for that is first required as you know whosoever pleads a pardon must know himselfe guilty and then seeketh a pardon prayeth earnestly day and night and giveth not over beseecheth the Lord to forgive his sinnes and also if he stay long as sometimes he doth as we see in that Parable of the man that was in bed with his children and loth to rise yet thou must continue knocking and not give over till he give thee What is it he will give me you will say That is till he give thee a secret assurance till hee send His Spirit from Heaven to say to thy soule in thee I am thy salvation till hee give thee some secret comfort when thou hast that once then thou hast taken out thy pardon But till there be some calming of thy conscience some secret answere of the Spirit though there bee a pardon contained in the Word thou hast not taken it out for thou takest it not out till the Lord gives it out and when thou once gettest this secret hint thou hast thy pardon sued out Now let Satan and thine enemies come thou mayst be bold to plead thou hast thy pardon and it shall never bee taken from thee that is the first thing To take out thy pardon The second is there is a condition required after taking it there is this condition in it you must bee no longer rebels you must come in and be subjects and serve and obey your King I say you must remember this therefore thou must goe to the Lord and say I know well there is such a condition in the pardon I am content to enter into covenant with thee so that that which is past may bee cleared I resolve for the time to come to serve thee and feare thee and obey thee I say if thou canst bring thy heart to this purpose and resolution thou hast kept the condition But you will say How shall we doe to keepe it it is one thing to purpose but to keepe it is hard I will be bold to say take no care for that if thy purpose be sincere I say this to any let his purpose be sincere and his resolution without deceit and pretences to serve the Lord to cleave to Him as an Husband then I say the Lord hath undertaken to give thee a new heart still and hee will enable thee to keepe it bring thou a well bottomed new resolution so as to say I will give up my selfe in obedience and the LORD hath promised it is one part of the Covenant wherein hee hath promised not onely to forgive but in Ezech. 36. He will give a new heart and a new spirit bee thou but willing to take him and thou shalt bee able to doe that which thou hast undertaken Well the last thing is the time of the pardon there may bee a time when the pardon is out of date You will say what is that time Know that there is a double time one is the time that is revealed to us that are the Ministers of the Gospell that is the time of this life for wee can
that thou carest not for any thing so thou maist have him this is to have a wedding conjugall affection but this is not all that makes the marriage garment Consider besides what boldnesse thou hast in his presence for perfect love casts out feare now by perfect love is not meant onely love in the perféction that is growne to a height such wee shall not have till wee come to heaven but by perfect love is to bee understood sincere love therefore if thou wouldest know if thou have the wedding garment whether this conjugal affection be wrought thou shalt know it by the boldnes thou hast with thy husband wilt thou say thou art married to him and yet darest not speake to him but lookest on him as on a Iudge as a hard Master or a stranger that thou darest not aske any thing of or if thou dost thou knowest not whether thou shalt obtaine it there is a certaine boldnesse and familiarity goes along with this is there such a disposition put into thy heart Besides this is not all there doe withall accompany this all spirituall graces that cloathe thy soule that doe alter the habit of it for there is something understood in the similitude of a garment as importing the very cloathing that the soule weares when it hath another habit than it had before Now this cloathing is a party-coloured garment made of all the graces of the Spirit therefore if thou wouldest know whether thou have this wedding garment or no thou must looke to every grace for the Image of God is nothing else but the bundle and heape of all graces as the olde man the image of Satan and the first Adam is the heap of all corruptions so this wedding garment this Image of the new Adam it is that which consists of all the graces these must cloath thy soule And now beloved when this is done the second thing that we are to doe after this examination is To perswade every man to bee content to take Iesus Christ for his Husband If already you be in Christ wee have no more to doe but to exhort you but to continue and intend that desire and affection and love to your Husband but if upon this examination you finde you are yet strangers I say the next use we are to make of it is to bring your hearts to a willingnesse to match with him Now to perswade you to this I will pitch briefly on these three particulars First consider whether thou bee able to live without a husband or alone The truth is thou must marry of necessity or thou art undone for it is the case of every man which is said of the Captive woman in Deut. 21. when they had overcame a City if there were a woman among them to whom they had a favour they might marry her if they would if shee consented shee saved her life by it I say that is the case of every man living that when wee were all exposed to death Iesus Christ had a favour to us and we must marry him or we dye for it Now therefore when he shall be a suitor to thee consider what thou hast to say art thou able to live without him art thou able to pay thy ransome certainely thou art not able and is it not then a madnesse in thee to refuse Consider what is thy debt and consider thou art bound to pay the utmost farthing which the Lord requires at thy hands when a man considers seriously of this that every idle word every sinne of omission or that is committed is a debt and stands upon his owne score and that himselfe is not able to pay this will make a man begin to looke about him My beloved all the afflictions that wee have in this life they are but a paying the use money required for the debt the maine debt remaines intire that must bee payd at that day the day of wrath at the day of declaration of the just Iudgement of God therefore consider first thy debt and withall consider thy poverty 'T is true though thou wert in debt if thou hadst somewhat to pay it it were another matter And indeed many men are puffed up with a conceit and thinke they have something to pay and this is the case of all hypocrites that thinke they have some good workes they have done many good things they come to Church duely c. But you must know that all this will not pay your debt as it is Revel 3. I counsell thee to buy of me gold that thou maiest be rich Till a man hath a husband till he have Iesus Christ all the workes he doth are little worth I but though a man bee in debt and have not a penny to pay his debt yet there is usually a time given a man is not cast presently into prison I answer though thou bee not yet thou art in danger all the time and it is a miserable thing to live in another mans danger to bee in danger of an enemy when a man shall have many writs out against him and knowes not when the Serjeant will seize upon him I say put the case hee be not arrested yet he is in continuall feare this is thy case before thou bee under this covert before thou be matched to this thy husband Christ when thou hast him thou art safe but in the meane time thou art in continuall feare As Heb. 2. 14. it is given as a reason Why Christ tooke part with the children that he might deliver them that for feare of death were all their life long subject to bondage So that though a man bee not cast into prison hee is all his life time subject to bondage Now if it were but to be delivered from this feare and bondage that every other man is in it were a great motive to move us to this I but is there not some bayle may not a man flee from this arrest I answer no every man without Christ is like a woman that is friendlesse that hath none to stand for her that is destitute of wisedome that hath no counsell to direct her Wee are destitute of righteonsnesse we have none to speake for us we are destitute of sanctification wee have none to cleanse us from our leprosie wee are destitute of redemption therefore you know it is said Iesus Christ is made Wisdome Righteousnesse Sanctification and Redemption which implies thus much that till wee bee married to him wee have neither wisedome wee have no righteousnesse to speake for us wee have none to cleanse us wee have none to redeeme us this is the first thing to move thee to it Secondly when thou hast well pondered this first motive that thou art not able to live alone without a husband I say consider secondly the excellency of thy husband who it is that is a suitor to thee And here first looke on Christ himselfe with
Commandements are more pleasant then the satisfying of thy lusts As now take the constant disposition of thy body meate and drink is pleasant to it but indeed in a time of sicknesse not meat but something else is more pleasant yet so as the pleasantnesse of meate to one in health is the greater of the two Now this is a rule in Philosophie that those things that are agreeable to nature are jucunda per se and all times the other not so and but for a fit and so now sinne is pleasing to thee but whilst thou art in such an humour Now the things that God commands agree to the first constitution of thy soule and therefore they are the better choice and in themselves more pleasant and the obedience to them is like the obedience of the members to the head but the obedience of them to sin is the wringing them the wrong way Againe peace is pleasant Psal. 133. 1. It is a pleasant thing for Brethren to dwelt in unity Discords in a family are unpleasant Now whilst thou obeyest sinne it breakes thy peace with God thy Head and thou livest an unquiet life but as it is Gal. 6. 16. As many as walke according to the rule of Gods Commandements peace is upon them and that is pleasant Againe it brings Iesus Christ into the soule and he brings joy with him for when he comes into the heart hee comes as the Sunne into a roome with light and joy and peace I find one similitude more in the words to expresse our union with Christ and indeed the Scripture is much in expressing of this union now it is a sure rule that what the Scriptures bestow much words on we should have much thoughts on and what the Holy Ghost urgeth most we should prize most as in this union with Christ which is the foundation of our Salvation and of all graces Now different similitudes in Scripture doe expresse some new thing as is this that he is the Head and Saviour of the body It will bring to our minds some other differing notion concerning this union then the former did it will bring new light that we shall see further into the riches of this glorious mystery The point is that Christ is the Head and Saviour of his Church and of every member I adde this last for so you shall find it 1 Corinth 11. 3. That the Head of every man is Christ and this similitude shewes that the union betwixt Christ and us is more than the union of a politicke head and body so as wee are flesh of his flesh and bone of his bone as it is in the thirtieth verse of this Chapter In that Christ loves and cherisheth every one united to him as every man doth his owne flesh Put case a member bee more deformed than another there be an Vicer in it yet a man loves it because it is his flesh Hee is sensible of all the paine and ease they feele as the Head is of what the Members doe Hee communicates Sense and Motion to every man without him every man being dead and not able to moove a step in the wayes of God He guides directs counsels every member up on all occasions suggests wisedome what to doe But there are three other speciall respects in regard of which he is called an Head In regard of authority Ephes. 1. 22. God hath appointed him over all things to bee Head Hee hath committed the Kingdome of the Mediatourship to his Sonne In regard of preeminence Col. 1. 18. In regard of influence of life Ephes. 1. 23. his headship is made to consist in this in filling his body which in it selfe is a drye empty thing and he fills them all that is every corner and secondly with all that is all variety of graces so as they have nothing but what they have from him The use of these three in particular secondly in that he is a head in generall If Christ be so a head as he is a Governour and commander it is easy to know what followes then let us be obedient and live according to his lawes in those doxologies which are given to Christ this is one To him be all dominion all the dominion that is in parents over their children Kings over their people are but rivelets out of that Sea In the 9. of Isay 6. the Government is said to be upon his shoulder so as he rules all the world only with this difference that he rules his Church with an inclinative disposition as the head rules the members but others with a rod of Iron so as he brings all under his feete and makes them stoope and it is profitable for us to consider what division wee are of for First there are some of the kingdome of his sonne translated into his kingdome 1 Col. others are as Cain vagabonds lawlesse persons that are not the Lords portion and though these doe what they list yet thou must doe as by a rule from morning till night in all thy businesse undertake no action but by rule there is not the least action but there is rule for it in the generall find out that rule so use recreations eate and drinke by rule If you object that there are some things which a man may doe animi causâ so the Apostle sayes he would not for his mind sake I answer you must even doe these things by rule T is true that a man may have in his choice to doe a thing or not to doe a thing for then a thing is indifferent yet there is a rule to be lookt to in these things viz. That Christ hath given a man this liberty so men should order their speeches by rule not to be vaine at any time not in the least word But you will say this is a bondage Answer no but it is for thy benefit for the more thou walkst by rule the more peace shall be upon thee It is observable 9. Esay 7. that these two things are put together Of the encrease of his government and of his peace there shall be no end to this end to shew that as his government increaseth in mens hearts and is enlarged so as a man is made more subject to him so also peace increaseth In those that are most subject there is most peace and therefore he is called the Prince of peace for where hee rules as a Prince there is that peace which he as a mighty Prince is able to procure to you And to this purpose is that copulation of being a Head and a Saviour in the Text as I have observed before if any man goeth from out of his government hee shall find thornes unquietnesse and restlesnesse of spirit if they walke by the rule they shall have perfect peace perfect mercies if you walke unevenly with him hee will walke unevenly with you Is he a Head in regard of excellency not onely
graces are first wrought will encrease them and make them strong through the assistance of Christ accompanying it Thou shalt find this exercise will make thee strong in grace the joynts of the body bent to such a course and often imployed in it doe get an habit So it is with the Soule Other yokes the more they are borne the more they weaken but the more you beare the Yoke of Christ either in doing or suffering the more able you are to doe it Another use that we may make of this is that wee should be from hence stirred up to consider that great priviledge wee have from Christ for if he be a head to us hee is our guide hee is so an head to us as an husband is to the wife Now the husband is the guide of her youth and so Christ is our guide When a woman is young and not able to guide her selfe she had need have a guide such is the case of every man naturally but Christ when a man is in him becomes a guide unto him or as the Head guideth the rest of the members so doth the Lord all that belong to him This is a priviledge not thought of among us When wee thinke of the other priviledges this of the guidance of Christ is forgotten of us Therefore I will stand upon this great benefit which all have that are ingrafted into Christ now he guides them in all their wayes First by enlightening them so as when others are in darknesse they have their eyes in their head and see the way before them when as all others are blind and want either light or else eyes to see withall Againe he sends his spirit to bee a remembrancer to them in ambiguous and difficult cases to shew them the way they are to take and hee brings some prevalent arguments and reasons to mind to move us to doe this or that which would other wise have bin forgotten and to shew us the inconveniencies that will follow of doing this or that which would otherwise have beene hid from us He stirreth by our consciences which are appointed to be the immediate guide of us and the Lords deputy whereas otherwise they would either be still or guide amisse By taking from us wrong guides false opinions strong unruly and inordinate affections and instead of them he puts a right guide into our hearts rectifies our judgements puts in holy affections which are the rudder of the soule that turne it this way and that way Thus there is a secret guidance though we know it not that the Saints have from the Lord in all their wayes This is a great priviledge for when a man is inops consilit in a straite and exigent and knowes not which way to goe when if hee should take the wrong way it might be his undoing then to have a guide what a great priviledge is it When David was in Keilah and heard that Saul would come downe thither 1 Sam. 23. hee knew not what to doe whether to goe or stay then the Lord guided him So Abraham his servant when he went for a wife for his Masters son he knew not which way to goe for a wife for him nor whom to take then did God send his Angell to guide him as Abraham had fore told him before hee went hee told him The Angell of the Lord should goe before him The want of this you may see in Rehoboam who was in a great straite when he asked counsell of the young men but the Lord would not guide him and therefore he did that which was his ruine So Absolon when he was in bâ—â—â—â— not knowing which of the counsels given him to take the Lord would not guide him having a purpose to destroy him So it is with us there are often cases fall out wherin guidance is requisite as in the changing our estate by marriage place of living the choyse of our callings wherein to be guided or misguided is our making or undoing There is no day wherin wee have not need of his guidance in regard of one occasion or other now to have this priviledge to goe to the Lord freely and aske counsell of him and to be sure to have a ready answer from him it is a great priviledge David in al his straites went to the Lord to aske counsell and the Lord gave him counsell Saul went and the Lord would not answer him by Vrim or Thummin nor dreames nor any way The case of all that are in Christ is like the case of David if they goe to him the Lord hath bound himselfe to answer them for they have some interest in the wisdome of Christ. But the case of the other is like the case of Saul he sends them away without because they are strangers to him and therefore he is not bound to answere them And that you have such an interest consider 1 Corinth 1. 30. But you are of him in Christ Iesus who is made unto us wisdome that is God the Father hath given him to us to teach us to make us wise to guide and direct us in difficult cases when we cannot instruct our selves The like to this is that Isay. 9. 6. Vnto us a child is borne c. But what are the benefits wee shall have by that child First he shall doe miracles wonderfull things among you for his name is wonderfull Secondly hee undoubtedly shall bee your Counsellor that is I have given him to you that when you want counsell and direction you may goe to him for I have given him to you for that end This we may as truly expect of him as the Iewes did it of the Messiah as appeares by that speech Ioh. 4. 25. I know well that when the Messiah is come he will tell us all things This was the common opinion of the people the Iewes did expect this from him so may wee and therefore upon any exigent goe thou and say Lord thou hast given me thy Sonne and him to be wisedome to mee and appointed him to be my counsellor and I have need of counsell and direction and therefore Lord give me an answer and direction If wee would presse him thus he could not deny us Besides in that Christ hath made himselfe our head it is his office hee hath undertaken it it belongeth to him to guide his Church and every member of it and can hee faile in that belongeth to him That which sets the price on this priviledge is the need which we have of it none being able to guide himselfe The principle of guidance is resident in the head and is communicated to the members but upon occasion As it is thus in the naturall body so that faculty of directing us is in Christ and is communicated to us but upon occasion as wee need it hence every man vvalketh so vvisely upon every occasion as God vvill guide and direct him to doe in such a time and in such