people which run wantonly from God doe for sometime Live in that wantonnes upon some of the Reliques of their former Injoyments so long as they will last which is but a little time for then they must Live upon huskes wish the Swine Luk. 15.15 16 17. till they are brought to Returne to their Fathers house O that all who have wantonly strayed in their hearts from their Fathers Streames wherein they were Refreshed as with marrow and fatnesse would now consider where they are and that so long as they sit downe in the practise of sinne they Live not neere the Injoyments of Saints Fourthly Sinne brings shame upon the soule and most when the heart is neerest God A Converted sinner is brought home to God with much shame seeing himselfe look so unlike God when he is brought before him But a revolted Saint when recovered hath much more Cause of shame Jer. the 3 Chap. and the 24 and the 25 verses for God hath more ground of lashing and wounding such a heart for he can tell them not onely of lying in their bloud in the day of their nativitie but of their destroying and spoyling the Earerings and Jewells he bestowed upon them As you may see in the 16 of Ezekiel beginning at the 10th verse and so to the end of the Chapter It is impossible to expresse how much the heart of a Saint blushes and what shame covers the Spirit of a soul that hath gone astray from God when it is brought again to look upon the old wonted loves and to minde againe his happiness in Gods heart He is then like the Publican Luk. 18.13 dares not looke up to Heaven or like the Prodigall Luk. 15.19 who desires to be but a servant Let me speake but this one word or two to them who have wantonly gone from God and now delight in sinne Did you know what shame will accompany your Spirit if ever God brings you home it would much imbitter that seeming sweetnes you gather from sinne There are many Effects of sinne but I shall reduce them I meane to speake of to these two heads First Sinne is injurious to God Secondly It is injurious to a Man First to God Job 22.2 3. but in that consider this Caution God as God can neither be injured by us nor receive any addition of good from us but when wee speake of Injuries wee are to looke upon God in his administrations or appearances towards us and so God may be said to be Injured 1 Sam. 2.30 and to be honored or dishonored and in that sence the Injurie to God consists in these things First It clouds his glory amongst men especially the sinne of Saints The Light Rom. 2 23 24. Life Love of God in Saints are beames of that divine body they are sparkes of that fire which purely lives in God and when this Light and Love appeares in a Saints life they are said to glorifie God and to cause men that view them to see their good workes and to give glory to God Mat. the 5.16 But when the lives of the people of God are full of darknes and sinne they doe exceedingly Cloud the beames of Gods beauty as to men Like the Clouds in the Aire which cover the Earth from beholding the Beautie of the Sunne Secondly It denies the Authoritie of God for a man that is a member of a Common-wealth not to conforme to the Lawes doth deny the Authoritie there and so those soules that acknowledge themselves related to God and yet in their lives doe practise things contrary to God they * Tit. 1.16 Jude 4. doe deny his Authoritie Thirdly Sin doth as much as in it lyes binde * Jer. 5.25 and hinder the goings out of God in his Love to doe us good as you may see Isaiah the 59.2 3. It is true when God will arise in his Majestie in glory sin is drove out before him and expelled by him and no sin * Isa 1.4 can hinder him but sinne tends and doth what in it lyes to oppose the goings out of Divine Love and in that sence he is said to be hindered Fourthly It brings blackness upon that beauty which God delights to view God loves a soule so as to beautifie him with the beautie of * Ezek. 16.14 himselfe and then he delights to view * Cant. 2.14 that beauty but so far as any of the people of God doe trade in or medle with sin or darknes so far they draw a dark Cloud over and throw dirt in the face of this beauty As for the Injuries that sin doth to the people of God it may be reduced into three heads First It is Injurious to him as he is a Christian Secondly As he is a Member of the State Thirdly As he is a Master of a familie First The Injuries that sinne doth to the people of God as they are Christians I have already spoken of and therefore shall say no more but onely speake a word or two from the two Latter Secondly Sinne is Injurious to a man as he is a member of the State that 's cleerly demonstrated in many mens practises What is that weakens the heart and tyes up the hands of many men in Authoritie from suppressing of sinne but the guilt of sinne in their owne * Rom. 2.22 23. Consciences how is it possible for any man in any office to be zealously carried out in suppressing of unrighteousnesse when they themselves are unrighteous Can a drunkard punish drunkennes or a swearer punish swearers or an oppressor punish oppressors but as they are constrained to it either by an overruling hand of providence going beyond them while it makes use of them or els the necessitie in their Imployments constraine them to it But such doing is done very coldly with a faint heart and a weake hand vice rather finding out their Authoritie then their Authoritie finding cut vice but such Actions are not honorable to the Actors in Gods sence though the Action may advance them among men It is true Providence sometimes puts on * 2 King 10 8 9 10.1.14 Isa 10.5 6 7. guilty men to suppresse and subdue guilty persons and unrighteous things but then providence doth it in going beyond them As hath not Experience proved that many men have done that which when it was done it appeared in their owne eyes and others to be very righteous yet it was so far beyond them that they themselves had been Instruments to occasion the taking away of the lives of many honest hearts for the standing for the same things but the yeare before If you aske me the reason why sinne hinders men in suppressing sin my answer is this First Because it takes away much of the face of Authoritie in the party punished by his knowing the party punishing to be guilty of the same thing Secondly It doth weaken the spirits of a man when he lies under the guilt of that which he
to others But no more of the first Reason why the best of Saints are apt sometimes to withdraw from their Rest The second Reason is taken from God God is pleased sometimes not to throw downe but to suffer Saints to fall that they may stand more firmely in Gods power and live lesse upon themselves God in this deales like a wise Father who is pleased sometimes not to hold the Childe but to let it slip that it may see it selfe to be weake and to know that his power of standing is from the father I feare many people look upon this Truth with a wrong Eye and doe conceive that sinne is not onely permitted but caused by God And they forme their Reason thus All power is of God in him wee act move and have our * Act. 17.28 Rom. 11.26 being if so then the very acting of sinne must needs be of God But as to these people I shall onely say thus much They erre not knowing the truth for the action is one thing and the pollution of the act is another thing Sin is the variation from a Rule in an Act and though actions be caused by God yet the pollution of the Act flowes from the sicknesse and soare which is in the Creature But I shall say no more of that but beg of you to be tender and carefull to avoyde the Imbracing of any such thing as to lay fin upon * James 1.13 14 15 16 17. God for he is Light in whom there is no darknesse and puritie in whom is no pollution and you may as well say that the noysome stinkes of a dung-hill doe flow from the Sunne because it smells when the Sunne shines upon it as to say the sinfullnesse of an Act flowes from God because the Act flowes from the power of God but I am confident those hearts who are Saint-like sencible of sinne will not lay sinne upon the Father though he doth sometimes suffer them to fall that they may stand the faster when he is pleased to raise them But no more in answer to this Objection nor yet to the Reasons of the Conclusion but a word or two of Use and to Conclude The first Use If it be so that the people of God are apt to withdraw from their Rest in this sence which wee have before discovered O then what cause have all the people of God not onely to walke humbly before God but with care and watchfullnesse endeavour to avoyde all occasions that may occasion their stumbling and withdrawing from * 2 Tim. 2.22 23. 1 Thes 5.22 Mark 13.33.35 1 Pet. 4.7 God Wee might use many Arguments but the thing it selfe is sufficient Know that the Estate of withdrawing is a restles Estate and the further wee goe in that Tract the way to returne will be the Larger and without Returne there is no Rest The second Use is to Exhort the people of God as to watch over themselves so to watch over each other in answer to the Apostles words in Heb. 10.25 1 Pet. 4.7 If thy Brother be fallen Restore him with the Spirit of meeknesse knowing thou thy selfe mayst also be tempted Gal. 6.1 Deare Friends the practice of many in these times are quite contrary for if they see one fallen they will rather lay him lower and unchristian him and ungrace him rather then with tendernes and teares endeavour to restore him But deare Friends I beg of you to avoyde such Imployments and rather minde what a Gospel-Spirit is and with kindnesse and care watch over each other and if you see weakness wants or faylings endeavour to heale restore and returne such hearts This Use in the second place is to Exhort you in relation to them which are not yet brought home to God if you see any run on in sinne and commit iniquitie Remember that the seed of that Serpent dwells in * 1 Cor. 6.11 Rom. 11.18 Gal. 2.20 you and know that nothing but free grace hath made a difference betwixt them and you and if they fall and you stand it is not you but the power of Christ in you And therefore this should Exhort you to humblenesse and meeknesse towards them and with humblenesse and meeknesse endeavour to disslave them by mourning over them seeing your selves in them and saying when you see them commit Iniquitie that sin should I commit were it not from love and grace which is not mine but anothers The Consideration of this would not onely cause us to walke meekly and humbly towards others but thankfully before God who hath been pleased onely through grace to make a difference The third Use Is to Comfort those poore hearts who lye under the sorrowes of their withdrawings from Rest and are apt to Conclude they belong not to it because they run so often from it Deare hearts Consider that the best of Saints sometimes are apt to withdraw from their Rest Therefore if * Psal 51.4 5. Rom. 7.23 24. David and Paul Complaine of being carried Captive by this body of sin well may you Therefore be not discouraged but know thy Condition is not alone Besides further Consider that thy Rest longs for thee as well as thou art Restless for it Further know that though thou art weake and cannot goe to that that will come to thee and when it comes it will Conquer thee with kindnesse and not upbraid * Jam. 1.5 Joh 6.37 Isa 55.1 2. Rev. 22.17 thee for thy unkindnesse and thy weaknesse will not nor cannot cause want in that to supply thine Deare Friends the Lord make your hearts consider this that hath been said and if any be fallen the Lord cause them Returne and they that do stand so stand as knowing they may fall that so they may sit fast in that seate which is a Saints Center and Rest but no more of this first Conclusion The second Conclusion in order is this Doct. That heart which is made sencible by the Lord that he is withdrawne from his rest he is Restles till he doth Returne In the prosecution of this Conclusion wee shall briefely speake to these three things First Prove it to you by Scripture Secondly Shew you the Reasons and grounds why a soule that is made sencible of his withdrawing from Rest is restles till he doth returne Thirdly A word or two of Use For the first the Scripture is very cleere The very Text it selfe shews how Restless Davids spirit was for he cryes out saying Returne unto thy rest O my soule You may see him in the same posture in the 63 Psalme and the first verse where he cryes out in the sense of the want of God saying His soule thirsted for God and his flesh longed in a dry and thirsty Land where no water war The words import much more for they Imply as much as this That his heart broke in longing and that he looked upon his condition without a sencible view of God to be without any satisfaction Like a fish
who is sencible of his withdrawing from God So also to discover in the third place the sweet Entertainment that the soule finds with God when he is brought home As I desire to declare sutable to what God hath declared to me so I desire to speake it from that Scripture in and by which the Lord was pleased to speake it forth to me by which he did very much refresh and encourage my poore and unworthy Spirit The Text is in these words following A Discovery of the sweet and unexspected Entertainment that wandring hearts meet with in their Returnes to God The Prodigalls Entertainment with his Father discovered Luke the 15. and the 20 verse And he arose and came to his Father but when he was yet a great way off his Father saw him and had compassion and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him BEloved Friends These words doe cleerly and sweetly Anatomise the tendernes of Gods affection as he is a Father and the truth is those hearts that doe by the Spirit of the Lord Really view God in these words as he is presented cannot but as a Sonne be melted and overcome in the sence of the Fathers kindnesse As for the first part of the words Concerning the Prodigalls rising and coming towards his Father I shall not say any thing having spoken at large what is there included in our former discourses I shall onely speak to the unexpected Entertainment the poore Prodigall found with the Father and that is implyed in these words But when he was yet a great way off his Father saw him and had compassion and ran and fell upon his neeke and kissed him All which doth wonderfully manifest the full free and tender kindnesse of God to unkinde Greatures Before we come to speake of the Entertainment it selfe wee might speake something of the party Entertained And as to him we might say something of his resolution to come his preamble in coming his apprehensions about his coming and how much his Entertainment did Extend all All which you may see in the dependance of these words on the foregoing verses but I shall passe over that and onely summe up all in this generall Conclusion which wee shall observe from the words as they have dependance upon the former verses Doct. That soule which is brought home to the Father through a sence of his owne wandrings meets with unexpected Entertainment with the Father when he comes If you reade the former verses you will not finde the Prodigall expecting to meet the Father before he came to the Father And for the Father to runne when he onely went And for the Father to fall upon his necke before he fell downe before his Father Nay his Father kissed him before he could confesse how unworthy he was of a kisse truly the very thoughts of this is a Cordiall sufficient to put Life to a dying Spirit and doth exceedingly advance the glory of Gods grace and Love Especially if you see how God by this Love doth not onely give unexpected Entertainment and so in that went beyond the apprehensions of the Prodigall but he did also prevent the Prodigall in his practise for the poore wandring heart being sencible of his wandrings and what a breach by it he apprehended he had made in his Interest in his Father he now resolved to doe that which all poore Soules in the like Condition doth endeavour to doe in their returning to God to prompt their expectation of their Entertainment with God they resolve to doe and say something to make way for their Entertainment As the Prodigall here in these words I will arise and goe to my Father and will say I have sinned against heaven and against thee and am no more worthy to be called thy Sonne make me as one of thy hired servants Poore soules when they have these preparations and resolutions they have some hopes that God by it may be wrought upon to manifest Love againe Dearely Beloved that God may shew you the emptines of this foundation see how God goes beyond the poore Prodigall Before ever he said any thing the Father saved him and when he did but come the Father did runne and before he ever performed his resolutions his Father transcendently answered his expectation and desires falling on him and kissed him before he fell downe in the presence of his Father Beloved the Father is God and not man he moves all but is mov'd by none preparations are wrought by him but they are no Causes moving and procuring Entertainment with him * Job 32.6 7. Psal 16.2 Effects of his Love cannot be the Cause this would all Prodigalls say in their Returnes if they were sencible what God is and they will be drawne to acknowledge it from their Injoyment of the unexpected Entertainment with the Father Poore David when he had sinned against God said He would confesse his sinne but saith he when I said I would confesse God forgave Psal 32. and the 5. So that when he did onely Resolve to confesse before it was done God did actually forgive The very same you may see in Ephraim Ierem. 31.18 19 verses he there bemones himselfe being ashamed and confounded thorough a sence of his owne unsutablenes crying out to be turned to God as knowing himselfe undone without him but see in the 20 verse what a transcendant and unexpected Entertainment he found with God Exprest in these words Ephraim my deare Sonne is he a pleasant Childe for since I spake against him I doe earnestly remember him still therefore my Bowels are troubled for him I will surely have mercy upon him saith the Lord. O what sweet soule melting Expressions are these It was an Entertainment far beyond Ephraims Expectation and as Ephraim so all poore soules who have strangely wandred from the Father and are ashamed in their Returnes to beg Entertainment even in the lowest degree They undoubtedly shall be sweetly Entertained beyond what they doe or can expect If you aske me the reasons why wandring hearts in their Returnes finde Entertainment beyond their Expectation The reasons are these First Because Gods thoughts are not our thoughts Esay 55. the 8 and 9. but as the heavens are above the Earth so are his thoughts above ours in relation to the dispensation of mercy to undone soules The confirmation of which truth is Gods intent in that Chapter and those Verses Alas the poore heart that is wounded in the sence of his owne sins and desires nothing more then Entertainment if it were but to look upon God at the doore and to be owned by him though he did not sit at the Table with him and had but asmile though not kisses and lookes of Love though no Imbraces Though as a Servant yet he would thinke himselfe happy Dearely Beloved You shall not onely stand at the doore but * Can. 2.4 Cant. 3.10 Isa 62.5 sit downe at the Table and not onely have smiles and lookes of Love but varieties of
is punished for all his prosecuting doth but pierce into his owne spirit and all his stirring doth but rouse up guilt in his owne heart and all his rubbing doth but rub upon his owne soare which doth much kill disturbe and disquiet his owne spirit which causes many men in Authoritie when they are a punishing to wish they had not knowne it and they are apt to curtayle and lessen it if not cover it And all this is occasioned as a fruit of sinne from which wee may observe thus much That none are like to be good Common-wealths men but they that are godly and honest men for them that have a chiefe Authoritie in the State or in Counties or Parishes can never suppresse vice vertuously if themselves are strangers to vertue and practisers of vice In the close of this remember but this Scripture Prov. the 28. and the first verse The wicked flies when no man pursues but the righteous is as bold as a Lyon Thirdly It is Injurious to a man as he is a Master of a familie and that thus It binds him up in Exhorting his familie to walke holily when he knowes that his familie knows that he himselfe walks unholily or can he reprove vice when he himselfe is vitious No he cannot do it If it be it is very cold poore emptie The guilt in their owne hearts produced by their unsaint like carriage doth exceedingly straiten their hearts and tye their hands not onely to themselves as reproving and correcting but also to their familie reproved and corrected for at the very best their familie who are sencible of their evills will judge it as the Devill correcting sin Therefore in the close of this let all that desire to be profitable in their families in suppressing evill and encouraging good Let them first shew it in their * 1 Tim. 6.2 Mat. 7.5 practice before they first shew it in their power But I shall say no more as to the Effects of sin though there be many more but I shall come to the reasons why sin to a Saint-like sencible heart is an Insupportable Burthen and the Reasons are these A Saint sees that sin hath brought him into a Condition so bad and so low that himselfe with all the world cannot recover him * Act. 2.37 Act. 16.30 Job 7.20 If a Christian had any crevis to behold helpe besides Christ he would have some way to uphold his heart and inable him to beare his burthen without going to Christ but sin is so large and so broad and so full of weight that it sincks all things under on this side of Heaven which goe to beare it And this a Saint sees and therefore sin to his heart is an unsupportable burthen Secondly Sin takes away the ground of patience and therefore unbearable and that it does why because though there are promises to beare all oppressions yet no promises to beare the practice of sin Therefore my former thus That Condition which is without promise is unbearable but the practice of sin as the practice of sin is without promise Ergo * Gal. 3.29 The third Reason which makes sin so unreasonable and so unsupportable to a Saint-like sencible heart is because he sees that sin is not onely a * Rom. 7.11 lye in speaking that which it will nor cannot doe but whatsoever is contrary to sins promise is brought upon him Contradiction in Expectation works distraction but no where so unsupportable as the busines of sin for there is no contradiction like that It expects joy but beholds sorrow it promised Light and Life but behold Darknesse and * Rom. 6.23 March 24.50 51. Death Fourthly That which makes sin so unsupportable to a Saints heart is this though it be the last it is not the least It is this That Light and Love which discovers a mans sins to him and by it his Lost Condition it doth sweetly make up his Losses by supplies from it selfe that makes the soule in seeing sin to see that it hath not onely sinned against Law but against that Light and Love which discovers and * Zech. 12.10 Luk 15.21 Isal 51.4 supplits And for a heart to see that he cannot lye safely no where but in the Fathers Love and for him to Reflect upon himselfe and see how much not onely below but contrary to that Love he hath lived in Oh! how much doth this breake the heart and wound the spirit I leave to that Soule that after all his owne unkindnesse hath now all his Refreshments from the sweet Incomes of the Fathers loving kindnesse he cannot choose but there see to the continuation of the Fathers nature as he is the Father yet the want of his owne as he is a Childe and he cannot but see how much hee indeavoured to kill that by which he now lives 't is impossible to declare how much the Reflection of this Love doth kill and Crucifie a Saints Spirit The knowledge of which doth make sin to be unsupportable but no more of the Reasons but a word or two of use The first Use Is an use of Information to Informe us of the miserable Condition of those who make light of sin If sin be so unsupportable to one that is made alive sure these people must needs be dead But some will object and say They blesse God they see sin and they conceive sin is cast out and subdued in them In this there may be a very great mistake for men may see sin and yet not Saint-like sencible of sinne And in some the Devill is said to goe out when he is not Cast out according to that Scripture Matth. the 12.43 44 45. But know this sin be onely gone out and not conquered it will Returne againe according to the same Scripture and if you see sin and not Saint-like you may see it and be sencible and yet nothing As Pharaoh Cain and Judas c. And therefore for feare of mistakes I shall propound two questions and give my Answer to them according to what Experience I have found in the like Case The first question is What the difference betwixt a Saint-like sence of sin and the sence of sin a man may have and be nothing Secondly What are the demonstrations to discover that sin is not onely gone out but cast out To the first The difference betwixt a Saint-like sence and a bare seeing lyes in these things First Where it is really Saint-like it is alwayes sencible of that most which is by men seene least Rom. 7.24 Psal 51. â—0 Jer. 17.9 I meane the emptinesse barrennesse basenesse and unsutablenesse of its owne heart But others who are Judas-like are sencible of that which men see most If they are but conformable to what is without they are never troubled for what is within but he that is made sencible of sin by the comings in of grace he is so sencible if God should cut off all dead branches without yet that will not
the Condition of many Saints but yet in answer to this Beloved friends I would have you Consider these things First Though it is our dutie and with it our Refreshments to lay hold upon and to make applications of Jesus Christ yet our happinesse lyes more in Christs laying hold of us * Joh. 15.16 Jud. 24. 1 John 4.10 Secondly It is Gods way many times to leave his people without the sensitive part of their Comfort and though they do believe and do know and doe see yet they are many times left without power to be sencible they * Hos 11.3 1 Joh. 5.13 see that so in the Close they may be brought off from Living upon their owne knowing and seeing God and made to Live upon Gods knowing and seeing them Thirdly Many times the people of God are hindered in applying Christ and promises because they looke upon them thorough a wrong glasse viz. thorough their owne Righteousnesse and goodnesse and when that seemes dead their eyes grow dimme for there is so much penurious proceedings in the best of Saints that they will not nor dare not touch a promise without holy hands and holy hearts Whereas wee are not to beleeve because we are holy but wee are to beleeve being unholy that wee may be holy I now remember what Mr Hocker said in the same case concerning the hinderance that Christians meet with in applying promises It is with them said he as with a man that goes to take a staffe in his hand if he puts the backe of his hand to the staffe he cannot hold it till he puts it in the palme of his hand so it is with the people of God when they goe to a promise they goe to lay hold on it with the backe side of the hand of faith and that they doe these wayes First When they looke upon themselves as they are in themselves and not looke upon themselves as they are in Christ In themselves they are altogether unworthy In Christ they are worthy In themselves they are blacke in Christ they * Can. 1.8 Eph. 5.27 are comely Secondly So they also doe when they endeavour to goe to Christ thorough a promise and not to a promise thorough Christ wherein they move by their owne strength and that 's their back-side and not by the power of Christ which is properly the hand to Lead them to the heart of all promises He is the summe of every promise and all promises are summed up in him In him we enjoy every one and without him we enjoy never a one If you would know what a promise is I shall discover my thoughts in this generall Tearme that includes all A promise is the declaration of Gods good will Christ is the principall declarer and he is also the thing declared and so he is the summe of promises and in that sence promises are summed up in him Thirdly We are said to goe with the back-side of the hand to a promise when we so looke upon corruption in us that we dare not apply promises of Life but as we see sinne dye and doe not Indeavour to apply promises that sin which is alive may dye And therefore deare Friends in the Close of this Remember two or three things that Experience hath and Experience will Confirme to all beleevers First None applyes Christ till Christ layes hold on him 1 Joh. 4.19 Secondly That no heart brings any holinesse to Christ but what they first had from a promise in Christ Thirdly It is not Gods way for us to conquer sinne and then beleeve but to Conquer sinne through beleeving 1 John 5.4 Fourthly If the apprehensions of sin getting some strength doth occasion a Saint by feare to weaken faith that gives not lesse but more strength to sinne but it is Christs way to kill sinne through beleeving Therefore beloved Friends Let me beg of you to be very serious in weighing the worth of Gods tenders and also the way of Gods tenders And know this As it is dangerous for men under the notion of beleeving free grace to give way to sinne so it is dangerous to stay from beleeving grace till wee Conquer sinne Pray take notice that God brings fullnesse to emptinesse and Light to Darknesse and Life to Death and goodnesse to * Matth. 11 28. Rom. 5.6 Isa 40.29 unworthinesse Therefore there is no Soule so emptie and so poore and so unworthy and so sinfull but there is enough in Christ to answer all And deare Friends take heed that you doe not penuriously stand out and say you will make your selves fit before you come to Christ That kinde of humilitie is great pride And you endeavour to doe that which is endlesse and easelesse Therefore Consider as the promise and your need of a promise so consider the way how to apply a promise and doe not endeavour to take hold of the staffe with the backe of your hand but the palme And for that End seriously minde what hath been said And the Lord give us to understand the truth as it is in Jesus but I shall say no more in answer to this objection nor to the Text at this time Though there are many other uses might be made of it but I shall onely at this time Conclude with the words in the Conclusion Which is That sinne to a Saint-like sencible heart is an unsupportable Burthen The restlesse Resolution of a Soule to returne to God who is Son-like sencible of his withdrawing Withdrawings from God are dangerous DEare friends I told you before that my desire was to discover to you three things First How unsupportable sin is to a heart that is made sencible Secondly How restlesse a heart is that is sencible of his withdrawings from God till he doth returne to God Of the first I have already spoke I am now to enter upon the second and of that I shall desire to speak sutable to what God hath made known in me and that Scripture which I desire to speake it from is Psalme the 116. and the 7. verse Returne unto thy rest O my soule for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee IN which words you may consider in generall two things 1. An Exhortation 2. The Reason and foundation The Exhortation in these words Returne unto thy rest O my soule The Reason and foundation in these words For the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee In the Exhortation we may consider severall things First The party exhorting that 's David Secondly the party exhorted that 's his soule O my soule Thirdly The Exhortation it selfe Returne In which Exhortation there is something implyed besides what is exprest The thing implied is that his heart had withdrawn from its rest Fourthly there is the manner of the Exhortation it is an earnest Exhortation Returne oh my soule Besides it is a spirituall Exhortation therefore he calls upon his soule We might now divide the Reason and foundation as we have done the Exhortation and from
each particular draw a Conclusion but that kinde of speaking is neither profitable to you nor satisfactory to my selfe Therefore we shall passe over the particulars and reduce all to these three Conclusions and they are these First That the best of Saints are apt to draw from their Rest Secondly that heart which is made sencible by the Lord that he is withdrawn from his Rest he is restless till he doth returne Thirdly That the knowledge of the fulnesse and bounty of God is the grand ground of moving a soule to turne to God that hath withdrawn from God Of the first Conclusion we shall speak briefely but a word or two because what is considerable to speak to we shall speak in the second Conclusion Doct. The best of Saints are sometimes apt to withdraw from their Rest In the opening of the Conclusion we shall consider these things First we shall declare the truth of this by Scripture Secondly To shew you what I meane by the people of Gods Rest Thirdly We shall declare what it is to withdraw from that Rest Fourthly Give you the Reasons and grounds why the best of Saints are sometimes apt to withdraw from their Rest First Scripture its cleare from the text it selfe for it is clearly implyed in the words for had not his soule withdrawn from its Rest he need not exhorted it to returne but yet for further proofe view at your leisure these Scriptures following * Ier. 2.13 Judges 10.10 1 Sam. 12.10 Nâ—hem 9.28 Hâ—s 11.1 2. Psal 51.4 So Paul Rom. 7. Secondly To declare to you what a Saints Rest is is that which we are to speake to now in the second place and in it we might discover to you the varieties of Rest which men have which some call a Saints Rest but it is not so but far from it First There is a worldly rest like to the Glutton Luke the 12th Chapter and the 19th verse Eat and drinke O my soule and be at rest for thou hast enough laid up for many yeares It is so with many men in these dayes they are restlesse till they have gained accommodation either for wealth or honour and when that is accomplished they sit downe and are at rest But alas this is not the rest see what God saith in the 20th verse of that Chapter Secondly There is a Naturall rest I doe not meane for the body but for the minde for many naturall men walking civilly in the forme of their fore fathers and are never within disquieted being no way from Heaven convicted and poore hearts they thinke all is well because they see no ill and they conclude themselves alive because they were never sensible they were dead These men goe out of the world as unsensible as they came in and so dye like Nabal who ended his dayes like a stone 1 Sam. 25.37 Deare friends take notice that this rest is a miserable rest and not that rest which we are to speake to Thirdly There is a Diabolicall rest some men are so swallowed up in sinnes that they are never satisfied nor at rest till they are a sinning Like unto those people in Jeremiah the 44.17 who said it was well with them when they offered up Incense to the Queen of Heaven and there are two sorts of these people The one is those who have lived so long in sin that their onely life and delight is in sinning * Iohn 10.3 4. Deut. 29.19 The other sort are those who have some inner checks of conscience by which they are disquieted and they to stop the mouth of that disquieted minde will make themselves drunk with sinning and care not what time or money they spend to purchase a little peace to expell that trouble and that houre they can purchase that mirth * Isa 22.13 Isa 56.12 or rather madnesse they are then at rest But alas the rest of these men is not onely sinfull but diabolicall their condition is much to be lamented Fourthly There is a Legall rest I call it so because it is a rest which men attaine to by their exact conformity to a Law and not by their acquaintance with the Lord. I feare that many goe on in this rest thinking all is well when alas there is no such matter They onely rest upon the rotten reed of their owne Righteousnesse and warm themselves by the fire of their owne performance but the conclusion will be restlesse for they will lye downe in sorrow Isaiah the 50. and the last verse If these sort of people are but exact in the forme of their performance in answer of a Law or Letter and that done all is well They have no rest till they doe perform and when they have performed they are at rest I would have Gods people restlesse to performe duty Iob. 22.3 Isa 64.6 but not rest in performing duty I would have their rest as I know it will carry them out to performe duty but not to rest upon their performance Fifthly There is a Pharisaicall Rest that is when men take Rest in a bare profession without any injoyment of the thing they doe professe this is pharisaicall so it is also when men in their profession walk up to gaine the applause of men * Iohn 5.42 Iohn 12.43 these people have peace when they judge themselves approved on especially by a professing people then all is well but the least censure there doth exceedingly sadden them whereas those soules which have rest in that Rest which is the Rest of Saints all the commendation of men doth not heighten it * Rom. 2.29 1 Cor. 4.3 nor the Censures of men groundlesse doth not straiten it Therefore Deare friends consider if Creature-smiles will increase your Rest and the frownes decrease it your Rest is but that which will end restlesse Sixthly There is another Rest which comes more near to the Rest of the people of God and yet it is deceiving I teare too many of the people of God rest in that Rest It is a Rest which is seemingly evangelically and a Gospel rest but it is not so and it doth consist in these things First When men who thorough a sight of the great mistakes of all other rests and doe by it condemn Pharisaicall Rest to be but beggerly and legal Rest to be very empty and the other sorts of Rests to be very foolish and this they are brought to from apprehending a higher and more glorious discovery of God in a way of free grace and Gospel-unfoldings but in this they rest and therein their rest is false in that they rest in the bare knowledge and not in the thing knowne And they are satisfied by apprehending truth so far as to condemne falshood and so rest upon the act of condemning evil but goe no further But in the close of this take notice thus much that there is many times much pride in condemning pride there and much ignorance in condemning ignorance there and thus to rest in
out of the water that doth nothing but gaspe and pant longing for his owne Element without which he cannot live It is just so with that heart which hath ever tasted of Gods Love cannot long Live without those Injoyments though sometimes the best of Saints are apt to withdraw yet when Light and Life appeares Raising up a Remembrance of the former solace it had in Divine Loves O it pants groanes and is Restles till againe it is refreshed with those Injoyments and it will say as Sampson in another Case said Give me her or els I dye At your leisure reade the fifth of the Canticles you shall see where Christ came to the Spouse in the beginning of the Chapter and put in his finger at the hole of the doore that is to say he gave in so much Light so much remembrance of former Loves which did not onely shew her where and what shee was but caused in her a Restlesnes till she found him whom her soule loved and she was so earnest in the pursuit of his society that all the oppositions reproaches and smitings of the watchmen of the Citie could not take her off but she still cryes out and tells the Daughters of Jerusalem that she was sicke of love and she was never at rest till she had found him whom her soule loved Deare Friends Look upon any place of Scripture where any soule did withdraw from God and is now by him made sencible of that withdrawing you will then there finde them very restless till they did returne If you aske me the Reasons for it they are these The first Reason is implyed in the latter End of this verse which is the reason and ground David gives his soule to Returne to God It is because God hath dealt bountifully with him That power of Life and Light that doth convince a soule of his withdrawing from God doth raise up a remembrance and sence of the former sweetnes plenty and bounty he injoyed in God Psal 77. and the 6. It is that which is cleerly seene in the Prodigalls Expressions Luk. 15. where he saith There is enough in my fathers house Deare Friends the sence of this is a conquering and over-coming power and the rather because that Light which presents this remembrance doth exceedingly plead and expostulate with the heart telling it that it was not as now when he lay in his Fathers bosome there he had bread enough he had there smiles without frownes and was alwayes danied upon the knees of his fathers kindness and was fed with marrow and fatnes and then it will ask and demand of the soule saying What dost thou here Deare Friends I am not able to tell you how these lively appearances of Gods precious plenty doth break and wound the soule That heart who ever lived under it can and will say that it is unexpressible how the heart breakes in longing after God and how the sence of his fullnes makes it Restless till it doth Returne The second Reason Why a soule is and must be Restless that is convinced of his withdrawings Is because that Light and Life which is raised up in the heart makes that part which is made sencible of his withdrawings not onely sencible of the fullnes of God but brings him into an union with God Therefore I forme my Reason thus Every thing doth and must be eager in its running to its Center God is the Center of the heart and by the soule that is made sencible he is knowne to be so Therefore it cannot but be earnest in his running to God Streames must returne to the fountaine and beames to the body O how restles are these streames which are hindered in their pursuit It must needs be much more with that heart who is brought to know himselfe one with * Jer. 3.23 Cant. 5. Mat. 11.22 God and also sencible that he is withdrawne from God The sence of this onenes and propriety in God was the cause of Davids heart-breakings after God Psal the 63. and the 1. The third Reason That Light and power which makes the soule sencible of its withdrawing from God doth not onely shew its onenes with God and a fullnes in God but also by it shews the emptinesse of all things besides God Take notice it was the Argument the Prodigall used that was that he was in an empty starving Condition truly there is very much of the sweet dealings of God seene in that discovery for God never shews this emptines but by his own fullnes and when he doth it he doth not onely shew the emptines in something but in every thing besides * Jer. 3.23 24. himselfe For he presents all things to be as they are and even those things which sin and the Devill presents pleasant and lovely I meane all the wanton practises and withdrawings from God and all glory pleasures and contents on this side God and God doth doe it in away of sweet pleading with the heart telling it when it was at home in his bosom it had all contents which was not for a moment but for ever and the last would be best and saying to the soule What are all these delights * Isa 41.21 22 23. Ezek. 23.5.22 Loves thou hast spoused with They speake faire but they end foule and if they smile in the day commonly in the night they frowne or if smile in the night in the day they frowne All content ends with the action all profit pleasure and honour ends with the person and place and what was is no more but all things are vanitie and a meere bubble Can all the contents and pleasures procure peace in the day of a storme or make thee well when sicke or give thee life one houre when dead No all things are so empty not onely in themselves but in their remembrance of thee that when thou ceasest it takes its leave as never manifesting more * Psal 37.10.17.20 Psal 34.16 Love Oh! it is not so saith the Lord with me to thy heart What I was I am and shall be for ever and the last will not be the least but the greatest O the sence of this emptines thorough the discovery of Gods fullnes makes the heart exceeding restles till it is seated in that Center Friends I could wish my soule were able to discover how taking and over-coming this kinde of dealing is with a poore broken heart but it is God alone that can make out the fullnes of this to you I shall say no more to the Reasons but speake a word or two to the Uses of this Conclusion The first use is an use of Information to informe us of two things from what we have already spoke from this Conclusion First 'T is to shew you how Restles that heart is to returne to God who is really made sencible of his withdrawings from God It is easier to keepe a streame from the fountaine or a beame from the body then to restraine
thee But I shall say no more of this use nor of this conclusion but I shall speak a word or two of the last Conclusion and so conclude Psalme the 116. and the 7. verse Returne unto thy rest O my soule for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee THe third and last Conclusion is from the ground of Davids resolution in these words For he hath dealt bountifully with me The Conclusion from thence is this That the knowledge of the fullnesse and bounty of God is the chiefe ground to turne a soule to God which hath withdrawne from God I shall speak very briefly of this because I shall have an occasion in my speaking to the third thing viz. The Entertainment a soule finds with God to speake much of the bounty and plenty he injoyes in God The word plenty implyes fullnesse without any emptinesse readinesse without any backwardnesse freenesse without reluctancy to doe that which he is a doing and upon all those accounts Gods bounty is fully and clearly demonstrated * Psa 26.5 Psal 12.7 Psal 13.6 Eph. 1.23 in the discoveries of himselfe to us for he doth not onely tender grace freely but in that holds forth a supply fully and in dispensing he doth it readily and delightfully It is the joy and delight of God to give out Love to lost heares never did any soule withdraw from God apprehending a want in him nor never doth a soule turne home againe to God but through the knowledge of the bounty and plenty that is to be injoyed in him That which moved and carryed on the Prodigal was the remembrance that there was enough in his Fathers house Luke the 15. and the 17. 'T is that which here in this Text is fully discovered for he calls upon his soule to turne saying He hath dealt bountifully with him If you look in the 5th of the Canticles you shall see that that was the ground which drew the Spouse after Christ with so much eagernesse it was the fullnesse and matchlesse excellency she saw in Christ as you may see at large from the 10 verse to the last and she tels you that he is the chiefest of 100 verse the 10 and so shee goes on and in the last verse she saith His mouth is most sweet nay he was altogether lovely this discovery of bounty and love did not onely draw the Spouse but did also cause the daughters of Jerusalem to enquire after Christ chapter the 6. and the 1 verse Where is thy beloved gone that we may seek him with thee this was the ground that caused Israel to return to God Jeremiah the 3d in the last part of the 22 verse Israel saith We come unto thee for thou art the Lord our God in the 3. verse he tells you it was in vaine to hope for salvation from the hills or from the multitude of the mountaines for in the Lord our God is the salvation of Israel which words imply as a safety in God so a sufficient supply from God So that from all these Scriptures you may clearly see That the discoveries or knowledge of the bounty of God doth draw and turne a soule to God that is withdrawne from God If you ask me the Reasons they are these First It is Gods way to conquer a soule and crucifie a soule to things below himselfe by appearing more full and glorious then all things besides him * Isa 40.15 16 17 18 21. The Sun drawes up all mens eyes to admire it from other Lights that are below it by out-shining and out-glorying every light besides it selfe The Father never comes but he brings so much in his hand and heart that the soule cannot see or enjoy elsewhere Second Reason It must needs be so for that light and life which turns a soule to God through the discoveries of God doth present and discover God to be as he is if so then it must needs be a knowledge of the bounty of God for God is bounty * Psa 113.4 5. it selfe Whosoever hath a view of God * Psal 86.8 Isa 46.9 must needs see all variety and plenty in him for it is not onely of him but so one with him that we cannot view one but we must view both for there is all variety in unity Psal 16.11 Revel 7. ult Third Reason As it is Gods way to present himselfe so and as it must needs be so because he is so so there is a great necessity for it for a soul is no sooner in his way towards God but sin and the Devil with varieties of Arguments doe endeavour to encounter the soule and presents it with varieties of objects to perswade the heart to bow downe and worship it it was the very same way the Devil took with Christ as you may see in the 4th of Matthew verse the 8. and the 9. Luke the 4 the 5 and 6 verses But take notice of all the Devil and sin presents it is not onely a lye but in the best it is but things relating to this transitory and empty being but truly did not God speak out that which the Devil and sin cannot speak out the hearts of poor creatures would very much stumble but the Father is pleased not onely to unspeak what the Devil saith but to out-speak and out-say whatsoever the Devil and sin can say and by it the Father is pleased not onely to put words into a Saints mouth but also ability in his heart by which the soule is made able to resist sin and Satan I am sure that heart which is acquainted with this condition knowes what great need and necessity there is of those discoveries to supply him with strength when he is with temptation surrounded But I shall say no more as to the Reasons Obj. Some may Object and say What hath been said to these Reasons holds forth so much as if the drawings and discoveries of God were the good we injoy by him and not the Essentiall good that is considered in him and if so that kind of Love and Life must needs be selfish An. In Answer to this Objection I shall present you with these particulers First Those hearts that thus Reason I feare are not acquainted with the discoveries of God for if they are they know it is impossible for a soule to injoy the streames but they must be swallowed up in the fountaine and it is impossible for a heart to love God for loaves and not for himselfe that is acquainted with his Loves It is not here as it is in Creature-contents for the soule is no sooner in this sense in Gods hand but at the same time he is seated and centred in Gods heart I speak after the manner of men but those hearts which Live in the Loves of God know what I mean Secondly The bounty we receive by God in a metaphoricall discourse seems to be distinct from God but in Gods sense and that Saints see the bounty of God and God is both one
Kisses and Imbraces and Entertainment far beyond thy Expectation beleeve it to be so for Gods thoughts are not thine Second Reason Every poore wandring soule in his Returne is apt to look upon God thorough himselfe if not thorough his Corruptions yet thorough the narrow measure of his owne Resolutions and Reformations and doth measure his mercy and Entertainment in the Compasse of those narrow Limits But alas that is not a glasse to behold God in or a measure to measure his mercy by Sutable to God is his kindnes and Love and sutable to that measure is our entertainment The Creatures Entertainment is sutable to its apprehension apprehension is sutable to the glasse it apprehends the object in Now seeing the poore creature eyes God his entertainment with God thorough the narrow Compasse of himselfe his Expectation must needs be low and fall much short of that which a wandring soule returned finds when he is sencibly possest with it but no more of the Reasons but a word or two of Use First Use is an use to Reprove the people of God who after they have wandered from God and are thorough reall Convictions returning home to God yet are feareful and question their entertainment with God thinking he must needs deale hardly with them who have dealt so unkindly with him * Psal 77.9 Psal 42.9 Psal 31.12 Isa 49.14 Deare Friendt I must confesse the state and condition of such poore soules is much to be pittied for they are surrounded with temptations in a double and treble sence yet give me leave to Reprove them as Christ said in another Case Matth. 22.29 You erre not knowing the Scriptures So you feare your entertainment not knowing the endeared affections that live in God when once you come to be possest with it you will Reprove your owne Spirits and say what I now say to you Was it not enough to sin against Love but must you now sin in questioning Love Was it not enough to sin in running from God but must you now sin in thinking God will run from you Was it not enough for you to sin in clouding the nature of a Sonne but must you now sin in questioning the nature of the Father O leave off those disputes and goe with boldnes beleeving that God is what he was though you are not so and know your entertainment will be farre beyond what you doe or can expect A second Use is an use of Comfort and Consolation to all poore broken Spirits who have wandred from God and thorough a sence of their own unkinde dealings with the Father they are ashamed to looke upon him and afraid to goe up to * Luk. 18.13 him and yet cannot live without him There is great Comfort to these poore broken Spirits in the Consideration of the sweet entertainment that poore wandring hearts finde in their Returne to God Know that the Father is God and not Man It will goe better with you then with Hester in her desperate attempts to the King Ahasuerus in the 5 of Hester she according to a Common Expectation looked for nothing but Death but see in the 2 and 3 verses how the King holds forth his Scepter and tells her that her Request should be granted if it were to the halfe of his Kingdome and Entertainment beyond her expectation Deare hearts know that in your approachments to the Father he will not onely hold out a Scepter to you but fall upon the neck of you and will not answer your desires to the halfe but to the whole of his Kingdome for all shall be yours and he will not onely speake words of kindnesse to you but will give you power to speak out your unkindnes before him he will not onely passe by and pardon your adulterous withdrawing from him as you may see Jeremiah the 3d at the beginning of the Chapter but he will also heale your back-slidings v. 22. And though you with the Prodigall desire to be but a Servant he will entertaine you as a Son and before you confesse he will pardon and before you acknowledge how unworthy you are of Love he will manifest Love he will not onely entertaine you expecting exactnesse in the future but he will also meet you and kisse you with the kisses of his mouth saying Thou art mine * Isa 43.1 Isa 44.1 2 Isa 45.4 and he will pay off all the old scores and arreares that are produced by your former Ramblings from a close Communion with his Love At your leisure reade those words Luke the 10.34 where you see Christ did not onely find them in their bloud wounded but he also with great pitty and love powres in oyle binds up their wounds takes them up and carries them to his owne Inne which Inne was Gospel Imbracements in the heart of God and what Entertainment was at that Inne you may see it was far beyond the Expectation of the poore wounded Soule The Case is thine I am certaine thy condition cannot be worse and know your Entertainment will be as good It was a wounded soule who was stript and left naked though he was alive yet he lay in his blood and though he was beloved yet he was very unlovely he was robbed and stript of all and had no accommodation but his owne blood and soares Deare hearts can your condition be more sad that is impossible And what encouragements or comforts can you propound to your selves but they will be doubled and trebled with God He will not onely meet you when you meet him but he will meet you before that so you may meet him he will not love you because you are lovely but he will love you being loathsome to make you lovely * Ezek. 16.8.14 Deut. 7.7 8. and he will not entertaine you when you come but he will meet you before you come and answer you before you ask O what a comfort is there to poore soules that desire nothing more then to be re-entertained with God I beseech you consider seriously what hath beene said and let not the dispute with your owne unworthy heart nor the dictates of the Devil draw a cloud over Gods kindnesse or hinder your confidence in your Entertainment God takes nothing so ungratefull as to question his kindnesse Truly it is impossible for any one though with the tongue of men and Angels to speak out the tenth part of Gods tender kindnesse and sweet imbracements to a poore unworthy heart that is gone from him and now returned againe did broken hearts know what great delight God takes in healing broken spirits * Ps 147.3 Mat. 5.3 4. Mat. 11.28 in making the poore rich and setting at liberty them that are in prison and to exalt them that are low and to recover them that are lost they would not dispute so much against the imbracements of grace and mercy At your leisure read the 66. of Esay and the two first verses the 16. of Ezekiel the 11 of Matthew and
as matter to be received And further take notice that all this he doth by bringing strength into weaknes and manifesting Light in darknes causing the glory of his Love to shine breake forth in our poore base loathsome forme thorough which he doth breake downe all the corrupt fabrick that lives in mens fancies there places the Authoritie of his owne beames of Love sweetnes wisdome and meeknes by which the Creature becomes a partaker of the Divine matter 2 Pet. 1. Thirdly Consider for whom he doth it it is to a people that are altogether worthlesse * Isa 61.1 2 Isa 65.1 2 3. Ephes 2.3 they have not onely been ignorant of him but all along have endeavoured to bring dishonour to him they are not onely one with and carry on designes for the Power Prince of darknesse but they shut their eyes against the tenders of Light and Love As you may see Joh. 1.11 Joh. 3.19 20. They are so farre from being objects to attract and draw on Love that they are altogether loathsome lying in their bloud Ezek. the 16. the 5 and 6 verses Truly it is Endles to reckon up the Creatures nothingnesse Whatsoever may be said of an Enemy of a Traytor of a Runnagate that spends all and despiseth every thing and mindeth nothing but what may dishonour God These are they whom God doth all this for and that he waiteth all the day long for and whom he in mercy finds meete and seekes before they seeke him Isa the 65. the 1 and 2. Nay he is pleased not onely to doe so but to wooe us and beseech us to be reconciled to him the 2 of the Cor. the 5. and the 20. Beloved if you doe seriously weigh what hath been said in these 3 things you will see how much God Condescends to us in dispensing mercy and grace to poore wandring Spirits and it may fitly be Expressed in this word falling which holds forth the great Condescension of God as well as the familiaritie of God And he fell upon his neck and kissed him Beloved you may observe from thence this Conclusion Doct. That it is Gods way to bring all poore hearts upon whom he casts his favour into a friendly and a neere familiaritie and communion with himselfe Joh. 15.15 Jonathan and Davids love and affection and neere communion was never more Exprest then when they fell upon each others neck 1 Sam. 20. Wherein did Josephs love appeare more to his Brethren then when he fell upon their necks to manifest his love by weeping over them and kissing of them Gen. 45.14 15. But farre beyond all this doth God manifest his Love and sweetness to poore broken hearts falling upon the neck of the soule kissing and embracing it and bringing it into a deare and neere friendly communion with himselfe at your leisure reade these Scriptures following Cant. 2.4 5. Cant. 5.1 Isa 61.10 Isa 62.5 Now Beloved I should further illustrate this Conclusion and speak more largely to it being that which is worthy of our minding and worth our beleeving and embracing I know all hearts that have tasted of this Love and Life after the bitter pangs and throws of sorrow death through a sense of their wandrings from God will freely acknowledge this and declare a hundred times more then I can here expresse But I having spoken largely of that which relates to this in the former Conclusion I shall briefly speake a word or two of the Use of this and the other Conclusion and so conclude The first is an Use of Information to Informe us from what hath been said in relation to these three last things Viz. Gods ready running forth in mercy to minde and meet poore wandring spirits in their returnes to him which is from the word Ran. 2. The great condiscention of God in dispensing grace and merey and in entertaining poore wandring soules and that is implied in the word Fell. 3. The sweet communion and near and dear discoveries of love that are given out from the Father in their returnes implied in these words He fell upon his neck and kissed him from whence we might observe many Consectaries and Conclusions that might eminently present God in his dealings with us and the high exaltation of the creature who is enriched with these enjoyments But I shall passe over all these and make brief and plaine use of them according to the dictates of God to my owne spirit and that is to informe us of these things 1. Of the great mistakes of poor broken spirits they apprehending by the Reason of their owne sin and unsuitablenesse that they have so provoked the Lord that mercy will not be easily gained O remember from what hath been said that God is not onely sweet but swift in dispensing mercy he runs mercy being not onely one with him but the delight of him Beloved take notice that he is more ready to imbrace you then you are to beg imbracements and though you can hardly goe yet he runs experience proves that he that acts in a delight is more ready then he that acts to gaine a delight O it is the joy and content of the father thus to befriend poore broken spirits in their returnes who have dealt unkindly and unfriendly with him 2. It is to Informe such hearts who through an apprehension of Gods highnesse glory and greatnesse apprehended with a sense of their weaknesse and nothingnesse apprehended so great a distance that they thinke it is impossible that ever God and they should close they see themselves unable to come up to God and they being so unkind and unsutable that they dare not conclude he will come downe to them and upon that accompt rather sit downe fearing and trembling before him then expressing faith in him O know that it is Gods way as in mercy to run forth in dispensing grace in great readinesse to meet us so it is his way and delight to condiscend to us he it is that doth manifest strength in weaknesse fullnesse in emptinesse light in darknesse O therefore let the apprehension of what hath been said take us off from all discouragements as to our entertainment with God and let us know and beleeve though we cannot come up to God God will come downe to us and it is not our weaknes nor wants that can or will hinder a poor nothing spirit from being somthing in him who is all in himself all to us 3. It is to Inform us of the sweet inrichments that poor wandring soules injoy in their returnes God falls upon the neck and kisses them that is to say they are entertained and brought into a near and dear fellowship and communion with himself O what can a soule desine more then to be made Gods bosome friend his daily acquaintance nay his near and dear darling unto whom he will give out kisses and imbraces and they shall be daily his delight The second use is an use of Comfort and Consolation to all poor wandring spirits who are carnest in their Returnes to meet the Lord yet their apprehension of the great distance from him and the consideration how much they are beneath and below him doth exceedingly discourage them O beloved if this be any of your conditions take notice for your comfort what Scripture and Experience here declares It is not our distance to him or lownesse before him or unsutablenesse to him that can hinder his dispensing of Kindnesse Love and Grace to us * Isa 1.18 Isa 38.7 Isa 44.21 22 Isa 43.25 Mat. 1.28 and he will not goe but runne and stand when we fall but he will fall on us that we may stand by him and not onely entertaine our Request when we come begging to injoy relation to him but he will enrich us with a near and dear communion with himselfe falling upon our necks and kissing us O Beloved I beg of God to give you power to beleive it and as cheerfully to entertaine that as that entertaines you But no more of this Use but a word or two of Exhortation and so conclude 3. And lastly These are to exhort all soules that are againe returned to consider what hath been said and seing God is so transcendently carried out in mercy to mind us let us be tender and carefull to owne him and know as grace transcends sin so sin becomes transcendently sinfull in transgressing and neglecting the tenders of grace At your leisure carefully and candidly read these Scriptures Heb. 2.3 Heb. 6.6 Heb. 10.26 27. O they are sad saying I beg of the Lord that you and I may never be brought to justifie the truth by woful experience O walk close with God and live up to his Loves death is near them that live below that doth God run with great readinesse in mercy to meet and mind us O what cause have we to run out to him keep neer him when he come Is he pleased to fall upon our necks let us fall at his foot is he pleased to kiss us let us chearfully imbrace him and what is commanded by him Beloved friends I beg of the Lord to make you sensible of what hath been said and not to mind the scorns of the world nor the undervaluing expressions of some who seemingly profess God as to a careful endeavour to walk close with God know it is not men but God that you must mind and consider from the consideration of the sweet entertainment that poor souls in their returns to God find with God consider I say what duty * Heb. 2.3 Ps 116.12 Rom. 12.1 2 Tit. 2.11 12.1 Jo. 3.2 3.2 Pet. 3.11 that cals for and know our time is short and our life too little to speak out his love There is much more to be said to these Conclusions and to this Use but I shall say no more but the Lord hand over the knowledge of this truth to you from his own heart that by the knowledge of it you may abide with him from his abiding with you which is the earnest prayer of him that hath declared this from what experience God hath made him find in his mistakes in wandring and from his unexpected entertainment in his returne FINIS
A TREATISE CONTAINING THREE THINGS Viz. 1. A Discovery of the unsupportable Burthen of Sinne to a heart that is Saint like sensible of Sin 2. The restlesse Resolution of a Soule to returne to God who is Saint-like sensible of his withdrawings 3. A Discovery of the sweet and unexpected Entertainment that wandring hearts meet with in their returnes to God Written by Lieutenant Collonel PAVL HOBSON Against thee onely have I sinned and done this evill in thy sight Make me to heare joy and gladnesse that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoyce Psal 51.4.8 O God thou art my God early will I seek thee my soule thirsteth for thee my flesh longs for thee in a dry and thirsty Land where no water is Psal 61.3 Ephraim my deare Son is he a pleasant Child for since I spake against him I doe earnestly remember him still therefore my Bowels are troubled for him I will surely have mercy upon him saith the Lord. Jer. 31.20 London Printed by M. S. for Tho Brewster and are to be sould at his shop at the three Bibles in Pauls Church yard near the West End 1653. THE EPISTLE TO THE READER CHRISTIAN READER Vnto whose hands these few lines of mine may come that which I beg of God both for my selfe and you is That we may both in writing and reading be made able to understand the Truth from an enjoyment ef it selfe Light is never known till it is injoyed I am very sensible that my appearing in publike may occasion many strange reasonings in many mens mindes if I had onely hearkened to that or to the reasoning of my owne spirit which did strongly importune my silence I should not a presented my Judgement and present condition to a Publique view but being by providence after a large travell and strong encounter with my owne spirit through the discoveries of my owne great mistakes and also through the sence of the great unsutablenesse of my owne soule to God I am cast into these parts where there is not many more Eyes then there is Censuring Spirits condemning the practice of many with whom I meet to discover to each other the daily Experiences that we have of the Fathers dealings with us and what power we injoy from Heaven to make an Improvement of those Mercies We are by many I say Censured as men creeping in private to divulge Vntruths and discovering things contrary to Faith in Christ and Holinesse of Life and Conversation And whatsoever miscarriages and unsutable walkings was of any of us in former times is brought as an occasion to cloud our present practice and to render us odious amongst men affirming that we dare not divulge that publiquely which we doe privately vent which occasioneth a stumbling to many precious hearts and Causes many Scandals and Clouds to be Cast upon truth by the gainsayers thereof Vpon which Consideration many Friends did desire me to present that in publique which I had delivered in private which I have here done in the same forme and manner as it was there delivered not being willing to adde any fine spunne Expressions or quaint distinctions to Court any Mans fancy to minde it but in the plaine downe-right and humble Expressions as being most sutable to them to whom I speake and to the present Condition and frame of my owne Spirit God having very much wounded my heart as for doing things dishonorable to him so doing or saying any thing that may procure honor to me amongst men that doth not punctually suite with the sinceritie and simplicitie of Truth Therefore I beg of the Christian Reader that in Reading over these few Lines that you would seriously Reade over all before you Conclude any thing to any And to minde and seriously weigh as what is spoke by whom so to whom And let not any thing that is really Truth be disowned because it is accommodated with such poore and low Expressions I am very much perswaded that those hearts who have been brought home thorough a sence of their wandrings and long for nothing so much as the Enjoyment of Gods Love and Power to Live up to it may and will finde something in this that may Refresh their poore drooping Spirits in that Condition It is to them Especially that I desire to present These And as for them I beg the same Refreshments thorough Reading as was the Cause of Speaking And as for others who may Critically Carpe at the Expression or the party Expressing I desire them to take notice that the Father hath made it a very small thing to me to be judged of Men All I beg is to have my heart kept up in daily Communion with God And to have a Life sutable to his Love for the Enjoyment of which mercies I desire of all that really Live with God to minde me as I desire to minde them in our approachments to God And that they would in Reading over these not suffer any Infirmitie they know of the Author to Cause them to aggravate or Enlarge any Infirmitie in the Expressions of the matter but that they would in Christian Wisdome and Love Endeavour to Cover and Remove both And I further desire that if any to whom these may come who have wantonly gone from God and are at present unsencible of the great necessitie of their Returning to God and of a Close walking with God That they would Candidly Reade over these few Lines It may please the Father thorough that which they may looke upon as folly to manifest Wisedome And Darknesse to manifest Light Such an Effect as this is the Earnest prayer of him that is Christian Reader Yours in that Life which Commands me to Love all but to serve none in a way contrary to that Life P. H. A DISCOVERY of the unsupportable Burthen of sinne to a heart that is Saint-like sencible of Sinne. What sinne is in a Saints sence BEloved those sayings are most sutable that flow from seeing and those seeings are Saint-like when they flow from Enjoyments And whatsoever is said or seene and not upon that accompt it may probably profit the hearer but not the speaker God by a providence hath cast mee amongst you after a large travell in a wildernes condition wherein God hath made me travish all my former tracts and mistakes in and under all Gods dealings with me and my Actings towards him God was pleased to carry me thorough Strength and Weaknes thorough good Reports and bad Reports to honour and dishonour In which Conditions I sometimes stood and sometimes fell sometimes my heart was raised up with some high Ravishments which I judged Experiences and at other times very low and in my selfe much lost After all God hath been pleased thorough a sence of my owne unkindnes to bring my heart upon its knees and to lay me very low before himselfe but hath againe by a discovery of his owne kindnes and love Refreshed mee and caused that which was made dumbe to speake now
that which is at this time most sencible in my heart to speake to you from what God hath spoke to me in my present Condition is three things The first is a discovery of the unsupportable Burthen of sinne when discovered by the light of Gods love Secondly The restles resolution of a Saint when he is Saint-like sencible of his withdrawing from God to turne to God Thirdly The gracious and sweet Entertainment the soule finds with God when that he is brought home And I shall declare it from three portions of Scripture The first from Psalme the 38. and the 4th verse the second from Psalme the 11 6th and the 7th verse The third from Luke the 15th and the 20th verse but I shall begin with the first at this opportunitie Psalme the 38. and the 4th verse For my Iniquities are gone over my head as a heavie Burthen they are too heavy for me DEare friends this Scripture I have formerly viewed and have formerly spoke something from it but I am now constrained to declare what God hath preached to mee for he hath been pleased thorough a discovery of my unsutablenes and my unkindnes by which he hath not onely broken my bones but he hath left no soundnes in my flesh I doe not meane by flesh fleshly nature but all the fleshlines of my owne Righteousnes by which formerly I refreshed my selfe with the sparkes of my owne performance and refreshed my selfe with the peace and tranquilitie I gathered from thence But now my wound is too large to be healed with such a salve but no more of that but to the words and in them you may consider in generall an affirmation wherein you may first consider the partic affirming that is David Secondly the affirmation it selfe that is twofold first That his iniquities are gone over his head Secondly They were a heavie burthen too heavie for him Thirdly You may consider the time when it was when God had shewed him so much of his own nothingnes that he had nothing left to live upon besides free love There was no rest in his Bones nor no soundnes in his flesh by bones and flesh wee are not to understand it naturally but spiritually and by flesh we are to understand it in a double sense according to these Scriptures Galatians the 5. and the 19 verse Gal. the 6. and the 12 verse Philippians the 3. and the 3 and 4 verses Deare friends wee might observe a Conclusion from the party affirming the affirmation it selfe and the time when and the manner how but wee shall draw up all into one Conclusion and that is this Doct. That sinne to a Saint like sencible heart is an unsupportable Burthen In the prosecution the Conclusion observe these foure things First the proofe of it by Scripture Secondly Consider what sin is Thirdly What a Saint-like sencible heart is Fourthly The reasons why sin to a Saint-like sencible heart is an unsupportable burthen First The Scriptures to prove the Conclusion are these In the first place view the Text which cleerly Confirmes the Truth of the Conclusion Further see Romaines the 7 and the 24 verse how Paul cryes out as a restles man under the sense of sin You may further see Psal 51. the 1 2 3. and 4 verses Jeremiah the 3. and the 25 verse Lamentations the 5. the 15 16 17 verses All which doe discover how unsupportable the Burthen of sinne is to a heart that is Saint-like sencible of sinne Deare friends wee need not much proofe to him that knowes it as I am confident every heart that is acquainted with God hath sufficient Experience of this to confirme it The daily heart-breakings in that soule who is sencible of his owne unkindnes by reading Gods kindnes doth demonstrate it But I shall adde no more but this That heart which needs Confirmation of this truth without himselfe and hath not a sufficient proofe within himselfe his Condition is sad Secondly let us Consider what sin is And in that Consideration wee will Consider three things First The nature of sinne Secondly The Concomitants of sin And Thirdly The Effects First What is sin the Apostle tells you in the first Epistle of John the 3 Chap. and the 4 verse That sinne is the Transgression of the Law had there been no Law there had been no sinne The variation from a Law is sinne To speake out the nature of sinne is almost as impossible as to speak out the nature of God For sinne in all things is contrary to God Whatsoever you can say of Darknes of Death of Hell and Devils you may say of sinne Sinne comprehends all and is one with either John in the Revelations tels us of the depth of Satans Temptation Revel 2.24 which Temptation peradventure is but the limbe of the least lust Oh! what a depth is there then in the whole body Whatsoever happines and glory is seene in Light the contrary is found in Darknes whatsoever content and freedome you finde in love Light the contrary misery and bondage you finde in Death but the perfections of all these miseries is comprehended in sinne as the body of them both That heart which is most sencible of sinne is not able to speake out the nature of sinne But I know that that heart which is Saint-like sencible of sinne and doth see sinne to present himselfe as it doth so ugly in his owne eyes thinkes sin can never be presented ugly enough and especially because they see that in sinning they doe not onely crosse Law but Love they do not onely pierce paper but the precious tenders of grace love Zech. 10. It is endles boundless to Anatomize the nature of that where not so much as nature dwels but is inslaved by it Secondly Consider the Concomitants of sinne There are many but I shall onely present so many of them as it at present in my owne view First It s that which drawes a darke Cloud over a mans eyes and hinders him in his cleare beholding of God Though a Christian hath never so glorious a view of divine Light Love that lives in God if God suffers that heart to be padling and medling with sinne and Darkness Isa 59.2 Psal 30.7 Cant. 5.2 3 4 5 6. and then the heart goes expecting to view God as before though God be as he was before an unalterable God yet there is a thick myst drawne upon the eye that he is like a man in a myst and knowes not where he is nor what he sees just like a man whose eyes are fixed upon the Sunne and there he beholds glorious objects than takes them off from that Sun and looks upon the Earth and then goes to looke up to the Sunne againe his eyes dazell that he can see neither Though it is true It is not the glory that we view in God that covers our eyes but rather the thick myst that intercepts our view of that unchangeable object And therefore the Example of
the Sunne in an Eclipse is more sutable for the Sunne at that time doth not loose its glory in it selfe but to us our eyes being Intercepted by an Earthly substance Deare friends If there be any that thinkes this Concomitants is not unsupportable I will then appeale to that heart who doth not onely love to looke but lives by looking upon Gods everlasting Love He will not onely say as the Philosopher did who onely delighted in viewing the Sunne who would oftentimes say to them that Intercepted the beames of the Sunne You take that from me which you cannot give to me But they will say O take away sinne which is not onely that which intercepts my view of that which is the comfort of my life but it is Life it selfe But I shall say no more to this particular but this O happy is that heart which is oft with God and whose eyes are fixed upon that glory Secondly It takes off a mans edge off his earnest desires after God the comings in of Heaven is that which quickens enlivens Heb. 3.13 Heb. 12.1 and sharpens the Eye of a mans affections after God And the Trading with sinne is that which deads and dulls a mans Spirit in his progresse towards God Rom. 8.10 If you aske me the reason it is this The Injoyment of Heaven is the Element of a Saints life And there is in sinne a direct Antypathy Take a fish out of the water at first he may be full of motion but when he hath moved a little upon the Earth the eye of his activitie is soone lost And though a Fowle that can soare very high yet if once it comes downe to the Element of water it flyes very heavily It is just so with a heart who is made able to fly high thorough the comings of Heaven yet if once it paddles in the filthy poole of sinne it becomes like Pharaohs Chariots whose wheeles are off The sadness of which Consequence I leave to that heart which God hath made sencible what it is to live in Divine Loves as his proper Element And what it is by sin to be made dull in his motions heaven-wards A third Concomitant Sinne alwayes brings horrour and terrour with it not onely as the Cause producing it as an Effect Isa 57.2 but as the handmaide for it lives in the very nature of it Sinne brings smiles in the hand but frowns in the heart Isa 33.14 honey in the mouth but bitternes in the bowels and though wee doe not see it and therefore wee thinke it not a Concomitant yet it is so Lightning is seene before thunder but they are both together It s true if men could heare the thunder before they see the Lightning it is possible they might avoyde it but there is a secret in nature preventing that So there is as to the other a great mysterie in Divine pleasure But I shall say no more as to this but remember when you see Lightning that Thunder will come and that heart is constrained to say it who sees both Fourthly and lastly It so far darkens the heart that it makes the heart to love that least which discovers sinne most O this is a sad Concomitant but it is so Joh. 3.19 20 21. Truly sometimes it is with a Saints heart as it is with a young Scholler that hath play'd the Truant he is afraid to goe to Schoole and ashamed to go home though he knowes not how to live abroad It is just so with a Saints heart who hath dealt unkindly with God And though he cannot live without God yet sinne hath so duld his spirit and brought such a shame upon his heart that that which discovers God most produces most sadnes and shame It is in this case as it was with Adam Gen. 3.8 9 10. When God called he was unwilling to make answer At last said I was naked and therefore was ashamed I need not minde that heart which lies under the sence of his unsutablenes what the meaning of that is He knowes the frame of his owne heart and the motion of his minde while he was Trading with sinne then he knowes he loved that least which discovered truth most and loved that most which discovered sin least The third thing in order are the Effects of sinne and they are these It disframes the heart from either harkening to Heb. 3.13 Mark 6.52 or pleading with God nay it makes the heart uncapable of performing any duty savourly that he owes to God his heart is as it were benumbd and his language lost O what sweet Exchanges of language that doth flow from that heart where God lives and sinne dyes and how savourly doth a Saint speake out God and Heaven when he lives sencibly in that Light but when there is any withdrawings from his dayly Communion with God and Heaven come to a heart then and you will finde him very unable either to say or doe especially when his Light is Eclipsed by some trading in Darknes The Effects of sinne is not so in all for those men that are onely professors and act duty in a bare forme and speake by art they are not capable of these alterations of the frames of the Spirit in being framed and unframed upon this accompt wee are a speaking off and all times are alike to them unless it be when nature is made drunke with sinne and so hath lost his abilitie and art to move in Religion so as to cover vice with seeming vertue but I shall say no more to that The second Effect in sinne It brings the heart not onely to question his Interest in God Matth. 26.70.72.74 but to question God in his truth O this is a sad Effect often seene but seldome sencibly seene The nature of sinne is to endeavour to cloud Light though it cannot conquer it and if there be so much of the Dictates of Light left in the heart as to tell it doth not doe well to deale so unkindly with God The Devill then begins to worke to make the soule question his propriety in God and so goe from him If that will not doe then to question God and truth and by that to undervalue him and as much as in us lyes to shut out of doores all dictates of Divine Light that doth any way invite the heart to return O that heart which is in this Condition is much to be lamented and I feare there are too many in these times Thirdly Mat. 5.6 13. Trading with sinne places the heart in a Station and Condition wherein the sweet Riches of Light and Love runnes not into It is true God dispensing grace makes sinners Saints and so finds them in sin when he comes * Ezek. 16.6 but for Saints to run out in the practise of sinners Rom. 5.8 they goe beside the Rivers and Streames in which God was pleased to refresh and make fat their hearts Though it is true some of Gods
satisfie him so long as there is an old Coare within but he will cry out as Paul O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from this body of sinne The people of God know that Actions without are but branches though they oppose that yet they minde the body most which is the uncleane fountaine within and therefore you shall alwayes finde them crying out of an unsutable heart quite contrary to others practice who will sometime complaine of such unsutable and sinfull acts but at that time they will say they have a good heart and a good desire alas can the streames be foule and the fountain cleere that 's impossible Secondly A Saint-like sencible heart when it is most sencible of pardon it s most earnest for power quite contrary to the other which never cryes for power but when it is sencible of a want of pardon and if any thing comes in the Imagination to prompt phansie so as to cause any conceit that it enjoyes pardon it is then not more but lesse earnest for power and so their apprehensions of Liberty doth immediately beget Loosenesse But that heart which is Saint-like sencible of sinne the more God discovers pardon the more they are earnest for power for all the discoveries of Gods love to such a heart bindes up the heart more in Gods love and the sence of his kindnes produces double indearments of their hearts to God Thirdly A Saint-like sencible heart is alwayes as thankfull to God for power as he is for pardon Rom. 7.25 1 Cor. 15.56 57. nay I dare say that that heart which ever was really wounded thorough the discoveries of his owne darknesse by the comings in of Gods Light thinkes it selfe so much bound to heaven for any sin as well as pardon that when he doth enjoy any power he is with as much Light and Love carried out to blesse God for that mercy as he is for pardon quite contrary are other hearts who see sin but not Saint-like they have some carryings out sometimes to acknowledge mercy in pardoning sin but at that time they are cold in begging power nay if they could see into their owne hearts they would see that they had a heart that would thinke it a mercy to Enjoy pardon of sin and with it Liberty to sin not lesse but more Fourthly Those hearts which sees sin Saint-like their sorrow for sin doth very much swallow up the sense of danger but others that are onely sencible of sinne by the Convictions of a Law without the Comings in of his Love they through the sence of danger are so swallowed up in horror that there is hardly any roome for a godly or a Gospel sorrow Deare friends if God would give us hearts to minde our hearts in this thing wee should see very great mistakes in Relation to this godly or Gospel sorrow but I shall leave that knowing all soules that live with God see the difference of that in their owne spirits And to make others see before God gives them Eyes it is impossible Fifthly A Saints sence of sin makes him run not lesse but more to God The other mans sence of sin makes him run not lesse but more from God The one runs like the * Luk. 15.19 20. Prodigall Sonne to his Fathers house or rather his Fathers heart The other is farre from it but it rather causes him like * Mat. 27.5 Judas to run to the place of Execution Truly in this there is a very strange Paradox that Light and Love which comes into a Saints heart doth not onely discover sin but produce much shame upon the heart upon the sence of sin and most when it drawes neerest God yet the soule cannot chuse but run to God and is never well but when it is neerest God Sixtly A saint-like sence of sin is alwayes so strict upon his watch to prevent sin that he feares the appearances of sin as well as the power but another heart is not so but no more of this but to the second question to demonstrate the difference betwixt sins going out and sins being cast out First If sin be cast out it alwayes leaves an awfull feare and care behinde it but if it onely went out it leaves a man very secure as you may see by the Text Matt. the 12th and the 45. verse Secondly That heart which Christ hath conquerd in and cast out sin for when it is sensible it is not lesse but more humble and it must needs be so for that Light and Life that did conquer sin and doth discover sin doth discover to the heart its unsufficiency as before to subdue sin now again to keep under sin that the soule cannot chuse in that sence but lye very low But it s otherwise with that heart where sin onely went out They thinke highly of themselves and are apt to sacrifice to their owne nets or like the Pharisee Luke the 18.11 I thanke thee that I am not as this Publican but alas it is not so with a heart that is sencible of sin by the commings in of Christ he judges himself the worst of Creatures * Psal 22.6 Eph. 3.8 Thirdly If sin be cast out the Light and power that cast it out teaches that soule to leane more upon Gods power and to goe lesse upon his own Legs but it is not so with the other Fourthly That heart which sin is cast out of and doth not goe out is so sencible of what is done for it that it doth not onely lye low before God and feare the appearances of sinning against God but it is much carried to blesse and give glory to God Rom. 7.25 1 Cor. 15.57 But where sin onely went out that man is not wounded thorough the sence of his own sin and weaknesse so as to give glory to God for any victory over sin but rather minde his own Industry and strength and attributes much to his owne care but little to Gods kindnesse But I shall say no more in answer to those questions but another word or two of some other uses and so conclude The second use is an use of advise to the people of God by any meanes to beware of sin I might use many Arguments but I desire you to minde what I have said before and doe not onely consider how unsupportable a burthen it will be and how much it will wound you when the Lord causes you to returne but consider withall these things following First Consider the nature of sin how low base and unworthy a thing it is you shall never see what it sayes unlesse it be in the last pangs when God makes it speake out its own nature and that is death and darkness * Rom. 6.21 Mat. 24.50 51. Secondly Consider how much it is below a Saints * Hos 14.8 spirit nay the truth is if you consider sin well as Sin it is below the Reason of a naturall man t is so poore base and
killing Law so Christ hath freed us from it and as it was meerely considered without us and not wrought in the administration of the Law in that sence we are free from it * Rom. 18.4 5. yet take notice that we are under that Law that doth engage a close walking with God and though God hath been pleased to write that Law within us yet know it is suitable to that Law which is without us I must confesse in some sence it is improper to say a childe of God as a child of God a Christian as a Christian to be under the Law and why because the Saintship of a Saint or that in us which makes us or gives us the denomination of Christians or Gods child is made up of the Law and is Law it selfe and is no further under the Law then a Law is capable to be under it selfe That holinesse purity spirituality that the Law * Heb. 8.10 without us presented to us is now wrought in us and so the power commanding is the power Conforming Now whether this be any ground for Loosenesse I leave to any soule to judge or whether this be not much more binding and admits of no Liberty to a loose walking but engages much * Rom. 7.6 more Object If the Law be within us what need we minde any thing that is without us Answ 1. The Law within us is not contrary to the Law without us as I told you before if you looke upon it in a gospell-sence that 's to say in the hand of Christ for the heart and hand is both one and any Lawes relating to Religion in another sence we are not to minde as being bound to it Secondly But the Law in a Gospell-sence soules that lie in the life of that Law cannot chuse but love it as a glasse to looke upon that which by its Light appeares lovely I meane holinesse and Righteousnesse which is one with the delight of God Thirdly I shall give no further answer to this last objection but onely thus to tell you from what experience I have formerly found that it is a great signe of a heart that 's sick when it endeavours to draw tolerations for Loosenesse from a discourse relating to a Saints Liberty Deare hearts let me conclude with this that that soul which is really acquainted with his Liberty from Divine Love is so swallowed up and so conquered by it that its never in its proper course but when it lives up to that Love And his being unbound to the Law in that sence which before I exprest doth not admit of acting loosely See Rom. 6.1 2. but acting Lively as you may see Gallat the 2. and the 19. verse I thorough the Law saith Paul am dead to the Law that I may live to God so his freedome was not the cause of his dying to God but living to God but no more of this use The next use is an use of comfort to the people of God who groane under the burthen of sin If sinne to a Saint-like sencible heart be an unsupportable burthen then it is a discovery of a Saint like sencible heart when sin is thus a burthen to it Deare hearts though it be sad to lie under the sence of sin yet it is ten thousand times sadder to sinne and not be sencible Truly though the heart be wounded yet those stripes God will heale * Mat. 11.28 Matth. 5.3 4. and they are but deare lashes of his Love in bringing out the soule into a further injoyment of Life and if any soules have cause to rejoyce t is them that mourne and for your comfort consider these things First God is more ready in Christ to take off the burthen then to lay it on see the Prodigall Luke the 15. and the 20. When the Prodigall did but come the Father ran and gave him ease before he discovered his burthen truly did groaning hearts know how much the * Jer. 31.20 Isa 63.15 Bowells of God earnes towards them and how freely Christ is held out to them and how sweetly God in promises runs out for them with freenesse to give out himselfe to them It would much refresh them doth Christ come to save it is not the Righteous * Mar. 9.13 Luk. 19.10 but sinners Doth God justifie then it is the ungodly Rom. the 4.5 Doth the Father make a Feast It was for the returne of a poore Prodigall Doth the Heavens rejoyce it is for the returne of the lost sheep Truly the people of God never mourne as sinners but then God rejoyces over them as Saints Secondly Consider not onely the readinesse of God to take off the burthen but the freeness of Christ to bear * Isa 63.3.2 Cor. 5.21 Phil. 2.5 6 7. it As upon the Crosse where he willingly submitted to the lash of the Law and the frownes of Heaven for the sins of poore undone Creatures so he doth also call upon poore hearts opprest under the burthen of sin to exercise faith in entertaining his tenders to ease their burthens and to give them rest Matt. the 11. and the 28. Thirdly Consider that thy condition is not alone all that God will crowne he thus crosses and all he makes to live he thus crucifies and all he heals he thus wounds * Isa 40.4 5. Isa 61.1 2 3. and therefore when thou art most under the burthen of sinne thinke of David not onely in this text but in the 51 Psalme and in many other places where he cries out as a man undone so did Paul Rom. the 7. so did Jeremiah so did Esay saying Woe is mee for I am undone being a man of unclean lips Esay the 5. and the 6. Fourthly Consider it is Gods way not onely by Light to discover darknesse but by discovering Darknesse and Death bring thee to Light and Life Therefore under the Cloud looke to the Conclusion and behold Light for though there be darknesse in the habitations of Aegypt there is Light in the dwellings of * Exod. 10.22 23. Micah 7.8 Israel my meaning is though there be trouble and darknesse in thy Egyptian heart yet there is enough Love and Light in the bosome of Jesus which is the place of rest for the Israelites of God to dwell in Fifthly Consider That though God in thy eyes seemes to frowne yet know that they are but the beginnings of his smiles And though in thy eyes he hath seemed to withdraw himselfe yet know it is but for a moment and he will meet thy heart with everlasting kindnesse Isaiah the 54. and the 8 verse Object But alas my trouble hath been very long and therefore I feare it is not that burthen which God is so ready to remove which makes me thinke my heart is not Saint-like sencible Answ To which I shall answer thus That it may seeme long in our eyes yet if it be Gods time it is not long Isa 54.8 Secondly Consider that though wee have stayed long
waiting for Heaven Heaven hath stayed longer waiting for us * Can. 5.2 Isa 30.18 Thirdly Know that it shall not abide one houre or moment longer then to accomplish Gods * 1 Cor. 10.13 2 Cor. 4 17 end and though it seemes a losse that losse will be a great gaine Fourthly Though thou hast stayed long thou art not alone David groaned so long till his bones were broken and there was no soundnesse left in his flesh so when God hath destroyed thy strength and thy selfe Righteousnesse which Paul calls flesh Philip. the 3. He will then come and not tarry Object But alas I cannot thinke it is with others as with mee for my sinnes are not onely sinnes before Conversion but I have often withdrawne from God since Answ Was not the Prodigall Sonnes Condition so was it not so with David which I desire you to Consider and other two or three Scriptures which God was pleased to speake much Comfort to my heart by As Jeremiah the 3. and the 1. and so on God sayes in the first verse thus much That if a mans Wife be put away for Adultery he will never returne But sayth he you have played the harlot not with a few but many yet Returne unto me and gives them this Argument afterwards For I am married to you and againe and againe three or foure times he sayth Returne unto mee for I am thy God And these Intreaties were exprest to a people that were fallen from God and he speakes to them before they Returne that they may returne If there were such heart-earnings after them before they returned what deare affection was and is exprest when a soule doth Returne Deare friends at your leisure Reade over the 26 of Ezekiel the beginning of the Chapter discovers Gods great Love to them when they were in their bloud and how he brought them home and beautified them with his owne beauty that was a time of Love In the middle of the Chapter he discovers how his people had run from him and given their Jewells unto harlots and gone a whoring from God not onely once but againe and againe Now in the latter part of the Chapter verse the 59. he declares that he might doe by them as they had done by him yet in the 60 verse he tells them he will not but he will Remember his Covenant and know further for thy Comfort that he speakes this not to a people that were ashamed but to a people that had dealt unkindly and sinned that so they might be ashamed So then if God hath discovered thy sin and made thee ashamed know that he is not lesse carried out in kindnesse to imbrace thy heart though peradventure at present thou see it not according to that in the 11th of Hosea and the first verse Object But that which sads my heart is the longer I live and the more Light I enjoy I yet still see not lesse but more deadnesse darknesse and basenesse in my owne heart Answ In my answer to this objection Consider these things First Thinke it not strange for this is a truth that all Saints finde by Experience that the more they enjoy discoveries of Light from God the more unkindnesse and darknesse they see in themselves * Job 42.5 6. Isa 6.5 and it must needs be so The darker the roome the lesser the filth is discovered The brighter the Sunne the more prospectious the motes and where the beames of the Sunne give out themselves as the flowers give out their sweet smells so the dunghill gives out his noysome smell so the more the Sunne of Righteousnesse doth arise in us though the graces in us flowing from him doe give out their sweet odours in their ready giving way to him so the noysome appearances and the ugly shapes of the old man doe appeare the more as Paul tells you Rom. the 7th and the 9th That when the Law of the Spirit or the Law of grace came sinne revived and he dyed Nay it so Revived that 's to say it was not onely discovered but also Rose up in opposition against the comings in of grace that Paul at last had little els to glory in but his Infirmities Cor. the 1. and the 12 the 9 and the 10th Sin is like a streame the more it is bunged up the more it will roare Therefore deare friends thinke it not strange but rather with satifaction sit silent in the will of God knowing it to be Gods way as with one hand to Lift up thy heart thorough a discovery of kindnesse so to lay thee low by the discovery of thy unsutablenesse and he will never leave thee till he hath discovered all the rotten Roomes in thy owne Spirit and the longer you live you will not see lesse but more for there is still more to be seene Secondly Knowing it is the Devill and sinnes way to worke not onely to Endeavour to goe on in its old Course in a gracious heart but being opposed by the Spirit of God it makes still new oppositions and doth manifest it selfe with more varieties of motion in opposing Light then it doth in that heart where nothing but darknesse dwels for there is nothing to oppose it Now when the people of God see such fresh motions of Darknesse to oppose Light they presently judge their Condition worse then it was before But they have great cause to Rejoyce who are sencible of these things and for your Comfort take notice That all Saints finde not onely by comings in of Light a greater discovery of sinne but there is really new motions of the old Man in opposition to the new which never was before and in that sence Paul saith Sin revived as well as in his seeing sinne more Thirdly In the last place Consider a Cunning practise that the Devill hath not onely in making Christians question grace because they see themselves want grace but in perswading them that all motions to sinne is sinne and for that End sometimes in halfe a quarter of an houre he will cast in a thousand severall motions of sinne and though the heart doth not Entertaine them but lyes groaning as being afraid of them yet the Devill immediately will come with applications to that heart telling him that it is impossible he should have any thing of Heaven in his heart having such unheard of sinnes there and sinnes not to be reported The poore soule thorough Ignorance groanes under this burthen concluding all is truth And so is apt to exclude all Interest in Heaven upon that accompt But deare hearts take heed of such delusions and doe but minde it and you will see many such appearances every day But I shall say no more as to the answer of that objection Object But my Condition must needs be sad and much unlike a Saint for I have not power to exercise Faith in drawing any Refreshment from Christ or Comfort in applying any promise Answ Thy Condition is not alone it is and hath been
condemning the fallacie of rest though men may thinke their spirits high they are but low and in the end it will appear restlesse and though they may be saved yet this work with many others will be burnt Corinthians the 1. and the 3. and the 12 13 and 14 verses Secondly There are many people who are exceeding restlesse till they have imbraced the external administrations of the Gospel and when they have done so they think all is done and then are at quiet Alas if Christ be not as well formed in * Gal. 4.19 you as acknowledged by you your condition is not lesse but more sad and though you thinke you are at rest your state is restlesse * Am. 6.7 But no more of false Rests though much more may be said but a word or two of that Rest which is the rest of Saints Under the Law there were varieties of rests but all rests were swallowed up in one as being the Anti-type of all those types now this rest is the Lord Jesus Christ as you may see at large in the 4th of the Hebrewes Now when we say Christ is the rest of Saints or a Saints sabbaoth we are to looke upon Christ as one with God nay very God and is that Eternall Love and Life which was and is for ever It lives in God and is communicated to the Creature by the Spirit of God that Love is very God as you may see in the first Epistle of John the 4th and the 8th For it 's true we may look upon Christ as the grand Ordinance of God and so he is the streame and not the fountaine and so he is inseriour to the Father as you may see John the 14. and the 28 verse Now so to rest in or on Christ is to rest in the streame and not in the fountaine and in a word it is to rest upon an Ordinance though it be the publique and grand Ordinance yet in that sence he is an Ordinance But a Saints rest is to rest in the sweet enjoyments of God in Christ that foundation will stand not onely now but when Christ gives up the Kingdome to the Father * 1 Cor. 15.24.27 then all streames will be gathered up into the fountaine and all beames will be gathered up into the body then a Saint will not be unseated in his Centre but will be more glorious for God will be all in all and all in him will be one with him in that glory Wee might speak very large in reference to a Saints rest both as to the Author and the matter and the sweet content a soule injoyes in that rest but what I have spoken is sufficient to discover a Saints rest to be unmoveable to be matchlesse and unalterable O happy is that heart who is lull'd asleep in nothing but in those Loves nor doth not rest in any appearance though in near relations but upon the marrow of that mercy Dear friends thus to say is good but they and they onely are happy that doe injoy it and they which doe injoy it are not able to expresse the tythe of what they injoy As it is a peace so it is a rest past all understanding * Phil 4.7 But no more of this second thing Thirdly We shall speake a word or two what it is for a soule to withdraw from its rest and therein we might be very large in reckoning up many particulars but we shall briefly declare our thoughts to it Deare friends know that all stardings from * Isa 59.7 8. Ier. 12.13 Hos 11.1 2. God either in spirituall communion or externall withdrawings from any thing that is exactly Gods way unlesse God hedged up your way from it is a withdrawing from rest nay all our runnings out to or imbracing of and living upon any thing besides God though seemingly it may have a Law to owne it yet for us so to imbrace it is to withdraw from rest nay all low and loose actions or thoughts * Pro. 24.2 Gen. 6.5 which are contrary to the minde of God is a startling from God and a withdrawing from God and so a going from rest for God is our rest all which I leave to you to beg of God to informe you and so far to overcome you that you may for ever abide with God from Gods abiding with you I am now to speak a word or two to discover the Reasons and Grounds why the best of Saints sometimes are apt to withdraw from their rest I shall reduce the Reasons to these two The one is taken from themselves and the other is taken from God As to the Reason relating to themselves we may reduce that to these two heads The first is the grand cause The second is the accidentall or occasionary cause As for the grand it is because there is darknesse sin and corruption in the best of Saints That which is the reason why some men for ever stand in opposition to God is that which doth cause the people of God sometimes to withdraw from God it is the reliques of the old man that are not yet fully crucified but still move hel-ward and death-ward to accomplish its owne ends and that this remaines in the best you may see Galathians the 5th and so also in the Romanes the 7th and the 21. which made him cry out thus the 24. O wretched man And therefore all the people of God had need not onely to watch * Mar. 24.42 Mat. 25.41 and walke humbly before God but to live much upon God for there is that in selfe which will carry the soule with a strong streame from its proper Centre Now from this grand cause there are many accidentall occasionall causes flowing from it to cause a soule to withdraw from Christ and they are these First The hearkening to or disputing with inclinations or temptations to sin this was the occasion of Eves and Adams * Gen. 3.1 2 3 4 5 6. Psa 137.9 fal To admit of a dispute with sin temptation doth very much strengthen temptation and weaken us and when the heart through the power of Christ doth make sudden resistance it doth commonly conquer with little spoyle or breach upon its owne quiet and peace A dispute of sin admits of a familiarity with sin and it gives sin opportunity to present new objects of delight which never leaves till it hath drawne the fleshly part of the creature into alabyrinth where the heart is much lost and then it hearkens unto any dictates that propound reft and content but this state is very dangerous and the heart now begins to be sick happy is that soule who is seasonably recovered for there is no end of sins promises nor no beginning of its performance till in the end it brings forth death Romanes the 9. and the 24. Deare friend minde this and the Lord in mercy give you understanding to keepe at home and not stragle abroad I meane to live much with
such a heart from his returning to God Alas God is not onely his Life and so his Center but he so lives by him that he cannot live without him Those dayes and nights wherein a heart is thus sencible of his withdrawings and hath no Refreshings in his returning they are dayes and nights of Death and not of Life to such a heart and how sad a Condition that is and how Restles that Condition is I leave to you to judge Secondly You may see from what we have already said that this restles running out to God doth arise from Gods making the heart sencible of his withdrawing Therefore this is to Informe us that the power of a hearts returning to God is of God * Can. 1.4 Joh. 6.44 Phil. 2.13 Oh what cause then have soules in that condition to acknowledge the power to be of God they cannot but cry out as David Psalme the 66. and the 16. O come see what the Lord hath done for my poore soule The mercy and kindnesse of God in this act is beyond what any can expresse but he that doth injoy it Oh you that doe enjoy it have cause for ever to speak out Gods love To convert a sinner and make him a Saint is an eminent favour but to returne and call home a Prodigall Sonne is that which speaks out much more of the power kindnesse and unchangeable love of God Oh you that have tasted of it let your life speak out Gods love and I shall say no more to you but this that Christ sayes John the 5. and the 14. Sin no more least a worse thing come unto you In the next place this may Informe us of the great mistakes of some men who in their writings and expressions declare that they are againe brought home to God but yet they are so far from being restlesse in their returne to God that they rather rest in their satisfying of others then in their assurance of their entertainment with God Alas Gods mercy is double and treble in returning such a heart to himselfe but the returnes of such are hardly single towards him but to such I shall say no more but rather with teares beg that they may be sensible of the want of sense I meane of their withdrawings from God I am sure then they will be restlesse till they doe returne Againe This is to informe us If it be so that those hearts who are withdrawne from God when made sensible are so restlesse till they doe returne then 't is no strange thing why they get so much ground of them who have all this time stood and not withdrawne Christ sayes Matthew the 19 and the 30 verse The first shall be last and the last shall be first Alas these soules that are thus recovered are exceeding swift in their returnes though know by experience what it is to capitulate with or to give entertainment to or to shake hands with sin the bitternes they have found out of their fathers heart makes them cleave close A burnt Childe dreads the fire Deare friends observe it that a child so soon as he hath gotten a knock commonly doth not onely leane to but lay hold of with both hands the Mothers knee Deare friends I speake this the rather that any of you that stand may not too much rejoyce and glory in your owne condition over them that are fallen as many in this poore Nation are who through a gathered light liberty have put themselves in it before God brought them to it and so have turned their liberty into Loosenesse These sort of people doe either belong to God or they doe not but I am confident many doe and if so God will bring them home and they will be restlesse in their returnes And take notice you that God hath made yet to stand that for ought I know these poore lost hearts may get ground on you and therefore doe not neglect your pursuite in spending time to censure them but rather double your owne diligence in your owne pursuite and endeavour with humility care and teares to recover them The second Use is an Use of Comfort to Comfort those poore hearts who are sadly fallen from God and being made sensible are restlesse in their returnes though their condition seemes in their owne eyes sad yet they have much cause of Comfort and Rejoycing and that in these things First Their condition is not alone there is not onely a David and a Prodigall but many more who have sadly fallen as well as they Secondly Consider that you are changed God is not changed for though we be unfaithfull God is faithfull and cannot deny himselfe as you may see the 2 Epistle of Timothy the 2 and the 13. Malachy the 3 and the 6 verse Thirdly Consider that there is as much readinesse in God to receive you as restlesnesse in you to be received by him Doe but view what Christ sayes about the lost sheep Luke the 15. the 5 6 and 7. verses there was greater rejoycing for the returne of that one then was for the ninety nine it was so with the lost groat and with the Prodigall more then his elder Brother Luke the 15. and 30. verse All these Scriptures hold forth the great rejoycing God takes in and the great readinesse of Gods giving entertainment to a poore soule thus returned I know the Devill doth set upon such a heart drawing Arguments not onely from the breach of a Law but their sinning against Light and Love which Arguments are of such a power and force sufficient to sinke any soule in the world were it not for the abundance of love and kindnesse given in from the Father suitably at such a season But Oh deare soules I speake to them which are in such a condition doe not be discouraged but consider not what you are in your selfe but what you are in God and at your leisure view these Scriptures Jeremiah the 3 and the 1 vers Zech. the 13 and the 1 Isay the 1 and the 18 Isa the 43. the 22 23 24 and the 25 and 26. verses Isa the 44. the 21 22. Isa 49. the 15 and 16. Jer. 31. and the 20. Read the 16. of Ezekiel from the first to the last 1 Ep. of John 2 and the 1. Mat. the 11. and the 28. Psalme 147. 3. The Third and Last Use is an Use of Exhortation to Exhort all that are thus fallen and thus made sensible that they give glory to God for giving of them a heart againe to returne it 's a double mercy Oh what hath God done for you he hath not dealt by you as you have dealt by him Ezek. the 16. the 59 and the 60. verses but he hath returned love for hatred and shewed himselfe to be a God though thou wast but a creature O praise him and prize him loose no time in speaking out his Love thou hast lost too much time already all thy dayes are too little to declare what God hath done for
unlesse you speak of Gods bounty in a providentiall sense but according to our intent in this discourse God is love and love is God according to Johns words the first Epistle of John the 4 Chapter and the 8 verse and so the bounty of God is one with God and God one with that and he that loves one must love both but not as two but one for they are one But no more to the Objection A word or two briefly of Use and so conclude The first Use is an Use of Reproofe and of sad Complaints against those that are wantonly gone from God If there be any such here give me leave to desire you seriously to consider your condition and to weigh well from what you are fallen Was there not enough in God why went you from him The truth is that saying lyes sad upon my owne spirit yet give me leave to tell you and my owne heart there is not that abroad which we find at home and whatever you may * Pro. 20.1 Rom. 7.11.1 Cor. 6.9.2 Tim. 3.13 Heb. 3.13 Isa 57.21 Rom. 6.23 be possest of through the delusions of a seeming delight in sin which prompts flesh to plead for that sinfull liberty Yet know though it may seem sweet in the palate when it comes to concoction it will be so far from communicating strength to life that it will bring forth nothing but sorrow weaknesse and death Beloved friends amongst all the people in the world that undervalue the bounty of God and goe from him none so desperately dangerous as those who have often refreshed themselves with Gospel-discoveries from whence they have injoyed much strength and by it seem to trample upon all transitory contents for these to goe again down to Aegypt * Isa 33.14 Heb. 6.6 Heb. 10.26 and to shake hands with their old enemy endeavouring to make friendship there I meane with sin and corruption their condition is very sad and they are not able to give a reason for what they doe if they would exactly and candidly examine their owne hearts they would be ashamed There is no soule that thus acts but he is worse then Esay who sould his Birth-right for a messe of pottage * Heb. 12.16 Mat. 26.15 and worse the Judas that sould Christ for thirty pieces of silver Let the sinnes that they practice bring all the honour pleasure and profit it will not be able to weigh downe Judases and Esay's portions and doe but view what was the result of them and you may see your selfe in them and a great deale worse Alas Judas sould a Christ without but you endeavour to sell a Christ within Esay sould a portion that was in some sense but earthly but yours is a heavenly Oh it is a mercy that our title in heaven stands upon such a foundation that we doe not retaine that but that retaines it selfe for us and though we like the Prodigall change abroad yet our portion with our Father is unchangeable at home Dear hearts the knowledge of this is no ground at all for loosnesse * Rom. 6.1 2. but the sence of this will exceedingly wound our spirits when we are made sensible how ill we have dealt with him that deals well with us O doe but consider your selves under a dispute with God say he should say unto you as he did unto the Church Isaiah the 5th and the 4th What could I done more to you then I have done or Hosea the 6th and the 4th O Ephraim What shall I doe unto thee O Iudah what shall I doe unto thee Adding this which in your owne hearts you must needs equcast with if you have experience of Gods bounty Did not I saith the Lord lay thee in my bosome and carry thee in my arms and * Can. 2.4 Isa 40.11 had thee often into my Wine-Celler and refreshed thee with flaggons of wine and my banner over thee was love didst thou ever come to my bosome and went away crying for want Nay whatsoever thou hadst thou mightest have had more then why wouldst thou goe from me Alas what will you answer the Lord O that the same effect upon such a discourse may be seene in you that was seene in the people of Israel the 2 of Judges the latter part of the 4 verse When the Angel had reckoned up the kindnes and goodnes of God in the former verses The Text sayth The people of Israel lift up their voyces wept I know no Arguments can divert a heart who is gone from God till God comes My own experience proves that or els I should use many Arguments but I shall at present cease onely mourning over them desiring the Lord through the discoveries of his Bounty to returne them then they will see the truth of what I have heere said But I shall forbeare and say no more to this Use The second Use Is an use to Exhort all those hearts that have withdrawne from God and thorough the discoveries of his bounty are brought home againe to God to blesse and praise God O what hath God done for your poore soules nay Consider not what he hath done but how he did it It was thorough a discovery of his owne bounty he might have done by you as you have done by him but alas he cannot he remembers the contract he made with thee in thy youth Ezekiel the 16. and the 59 and 60 verses You have great Cause for ever to speake out in your Life the kindnesse and love of God who is pleased not onely to lay up a portion in his bounty for you but thorough the discoveries of his bounty to bring you home to him when after you have done all the ill you can against him God doth most Eminently appeare in this to be a father not onely free and full but unchangeable O declare where-ever you come the unsearchable mercy and kindnesse of God how often have you frowned upon him but he still smiles upon you you have runne from him but he runs after you And though you have caused him to stand knocking at the doore begging entertainment till his head was filled with dew and his lockes with the dropes of the night Canticles the 5. and the latter part of the 2 verse O Consider this and as he hath prized you prize and praise him and remember that when he returnes you he doth not onely bring you to bounty but thorough the discoveries of bounty he returnes you The worke is his doe not onely praise him but lye low before him Considering how much you are bound to him and goe no more from God But I shall say no more to this use nor to this Conclusion but the Lord make you sencible of what hath been said Beloved Friends I did engage my selfe to make knowne to you what the Lord hath made knowne to mee as in relation to the unsupportable burthen of sinne to a sencible heart and the restles longings of a Soule to returne to God
very plĕtifully prove at your leisure read these following Isa 61.1 2. Psal 86.5 Jer. 31.2 Gods readines in mercy to mind and meet poor broken spirits will cleerly appeare if you mind consider these things First God doth not onely answer their desires when they come but he gives them a heart to desire power to come * 1 Joh. 2.6.24.1 Joh. 3.7.18 Phil. 2.4 Joh. 6.44 And were not the Father exceeding ready willing to bestow grace and mercy to poore undone Soules he would never give them a heart to seeke for it he it is that provides an eye and an object and both the mouth and the meat Secondly Power to seeke and the matter sought God doth not onely give the poore Creature power to come and a heart to desire but before ever they crave and can speake out their Request their Request is answered The power moving the Prodigall to Returne was of God and when he came to desire his Father ran and fell upon his neck and gave him an answer before he could speake Thirdly And when God doth answer he doth not onely grant a Soule what he doth demand but doth grant much more The Prodigalls Request was to be a Servant he made him a Sonne and if poore broken Spirits doe desire a looke of Love and an Enjoyment of Life they shall have the Inrichments of the Everlasting Love and Eternall Life If they beg peace sutable to what they understand they shall Enjoy a peace that passeth all understanding Phil. the 4. and the 7. Nay Beloved Reckon up what you will or what you can that is sutable to the minde of God the poore wandring Soule in his Returne shall be sure to Enjoy a double and a treble portion beyond what he can aske or thinke Joh. 14.2.1 Cor. 2.9 Isa 64.4 Fourthly Consider in the last place that which sures with the knowledge and experience of all Saints and the Scripture fully holds forth viz. When poore wandring hearts come to beg mercy and grace God never puts them off as having it not ready but he hath it alwayes ready by him Mat. 7.7 8 9 10. For supplyes in that kinde lye alwayes readie by the * Psal 87.7 Psal 84.11 Psal 46.1 Joh. 1.16 Col. 2.3 Father as being made up in him and he made up of them Beloved Consider what hath been here said in these foure things and see if it doth not fully declare the ready Runnings forth of God in mercy to minde and meet poore wandring hearts in their Returnes What can be said more to manifest his Love and sweetnes for he doth not onely answer them that aske but gives them a heart to aske and answers them before they aske and gives them more then they aske and whatsoever they desire it is ready by him to supply them If you aske me the Reasons of the Conclusion they are briefly these First God must needs be swift and ready to run forth in mercy because mercy is not onely of him but it is himselfe and * 1 John 4.16 therefore I forme my Reason thus Every thing doth and must needs runne to accomplish that which is most sutable to its owne nature But to be ready to minde and meet poore wandring hearts is sutable to Gods nature Ergo Second Reason Mercy and grace is not onely one with God but it is the great delight of God * Mich. 7.18 Isa 42.1 he takes much joy and content in shewing favour and in manifesting Love to poore broken and undone Spirits who in their owne eyes appeare as objects no way sutable to Love Third Reason He is not onely one with it secondly delights in it but thirdly he brings much glory to himselfe by it * Psa 50.15 Psal 52.9 Isa 43.7 Rom. 4.2 1 Cor. 1.20 30 31. Psal 51.4 grace appeares Eminently glorious in manifesting it selfe in poore worthlesse and graceles hearts therefore it is Gods way to manifest power in weakness to discover light in darknes to answer unkindness with great kindness and to declare his faithfulness to them who have dealt unfaithfully with him herein God appeares a God and not Man and by it all flesh are and will be forced with great acknowledgement to give glory to him Beloved friends I should now make use of this Conclusion there being many sweet refreshments held out in it to poor weak and worthles Spirits who are a returning to the Father thorough a sence of their own wandrings But I shall speak briefly a word or two of the next words so make use altogether having spoken so largely already to the former words He fell on his necke and kissed him These words are a Metaphoricall Expression but it holds forth aboundance of sweetnes as to the dealings of God with us The word falling implies the great Condescention of God to us the words upon his necke and kissing him holds forth the sweet Love familiaritie and communion with God But to both these wee shall speake very briefly And as to the word falling which as I told you holds forth Gods great Condescention to poor Creatures in his dispencing mercy and grace you may cleerly understand it that if you doe but Consider First what God is and secondly what God does and thirdly to whom he doth it As to God * Psal 95.3 4 5 6. Deut. 33.26.29 Psal 97.9 Dan. 2.47 Job 35.7 8 he is one single Simple and infinite beeing in whom all varieties of glory and good lives from which fountain all good comes unto which glory no addition can be made all stands in need of him but none can give a supply to him he hath all in himselfe and there is nothing out of him any thing but as it is made something by what flowes from him All power Love Life glory and Light lives in him he is over all in all and above all this and much more might be said of the Father But the tongue of Men and Angels are not able to declare it Secondly Consider what he doth in his Dispensing grace and mercy to poore undone hearts in which description many things might be said but briefly thus He is pleased to make * Rom. 5.6.8.10 Gal 4.5 Ezek. 16.5 6. Ephes 2.3 Revel 5.9 10. Joh. 15.15 2 Cor. 5 21 Phil 2.7 8. Slaves Sonnes and to Growne them who in all their Lives endeavour to crosse him And as to Men he appeares to Cloud himselfe to Cloath them and makes them who are Tyrants and Traytors to become Kings Princes and to make them his bosome Companions for whom he is willing to doe all and from whom he will hide nothing and Beloved minde in what way God is pleased to doe it he stoops to the weaknes and low capacity of the Creature and doth communicate things sutable to their capacity and spirit bearing as you may see Mark 4.33 And he never comes but he brings a power to beare aswell as matter to be borne a Capacity receiving as well