is mine is it not lawfull for mee to doe what I will with them This tongue shall praise my name and shall never speake vainly and foolishly and this heart shall love me and this hand shall worke for mee I will dispose of all for the advantage of my great name Three wayes Christ disposeth the heart to himselfe This the Lord makes knowne in three particulars for wee keepe our selves to the generall that wee may not incroach upon those particular workes which are to follow I say there are three particular acts upon the soule First the Lord Iesus fits the soule for his seruice which otherwise is altogether unfit for any spirituall service the Lord Iesus puts those spirituall abilities into the soule which may make it fit for Gods turne so that it is now a fit patterne to expresse the riches of his grace in Christ Iesus As it is with a man that hath passed over some part of his possession into the hands of some prodigall sonne Simile or some naughty tenant and the land is out of heart when he taketh possession of it againe he will be sure to order it that it may be fit for use he will digge and dung and manure it that so hee may expect some fruit from it just so it is with every sinner he lies lay and that wretched heart of his never desired any good and his loose tongue never spake any good it lay fallow and it brought forth nothing but base practices but when sinne and Sathan hath driven the soule out of heart that it hath no power to doe any good then the Lord Christ comes and takes possession of the heart hee taketh it in from the common of the world and he manureth it with the grace of his spirit as it is in that phrase Rom. 11.16 Thou art partaker of the roote and fatnesse of the Olive tree Though it were a barren minde and a sinfull and corrupt heart and a wanton eye the Lord hath taken these parts of the body and soule and mannured them and convaieth such fatnes and grace that the soule becomes fit to doe him honour and to receiue comfort from him Secondly as the Lord fits the soule for his service so he maintains that fitnesse and that gracious disposition of soule and spirit wheresoever he hath bestowed it so that the soule if it be not negligent of its owne salvation cannot lose that fitnesse altogether and the Lord Iesus cannot lose that glory which hee expects from it as in Psal 16.5 The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup thou maintainest my lot The Lord Iesus allowes a portion of grace to every soule that hee comes in and he maintaines that grace Lastly he doth improue that fitnesse for the praise of his great name the Lord Christ ever receives some in-come of service and obedience and that soule ever receives some comfort and consolation from him This is the difference betweene the first and second Adam the first Adam had grace but hee neither kept it nor improved it aright he did not improve that wisedome which God had given him to repell the temptations of Satan and he did not improue his strength and ability to keepe him from falling from God but when the Lord Iesus comes to take possession of a poore soule he will not onely keepe and maintaine the grace that hee hath given him but he will quicken it and provoke that soule to doe what hee should doe in all obedience and to receive what comfort the Lord hath in store for him See this in some passages of Scripture Ioh. 15. 1 2. I am the true vine and my Father is the husbandman Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away and every branch that beareth fruit he purgeth it that it may bring forth more fruit Every poor Christian every poor woman and every poore Apprentice and little childe whom God hath called shall beare fruit hee purgeth them and so the Lord receives some improvement of his graces that he gives to those that he takes possession of So then let us gather up all If the Lord Iesus undertakes for the soule so that justice cannot proceed against him and if he doth dispose of the soule and fit it for his service and maintain that fitnesse and improue it for his glory then certainely hee doth take supreme possession of the soule and he that undertakes for the soule takes possession of the heart Vse 1 Vse 1. Reproofe of them that keepe Christ out of possession I cannot tell whether wee haue matter of lamentation or reproofe How few have given entertainment to the Lord Iesus Christ have we not cause to lament our condition that the Lord Iesus hath passed by all our coasts and is not regarded How often hath hee come to thy bed-side and besought thee to receive favour and to be reconciled to God and receive pardon from him how often hath he entreated thee to consider of that which was for thy peace how often hath he said Come to mee you rebellious children and Ah every one that will come and take of the water of life freely and live for ever Where is the man that can say Christ is come and that hee hath given entertainement to him as the man when hee had found the evidence of Gods love after much doubting Mr. Gloveâ— Martyr said He is come He is come Where shall a man finde the Lord Iesus Christ If a man should goe from house to house and from heart to heart who keepes possession doth Christ dwell in that heart and doth he rule in that soule Oh woe to us that we have suffered the Lord Iesus Christ to desire entertainement and yet would not receive him we have taken notice of him but wee would none of him Who rules in that heart The old Tyrant the old lust and corruption as pride and covetousnesse these beare rule every where both in the closet and at the table the husband and the wife and all are proud these will not out but retaine their hold there still And profanenes and contempt of God and his ordinances this is the tyrant that rules in many families and in every coast in our land The father swears and the child sweares the master reviles Gods Ministers and the servant knows the length of his Masters foot and hee railes too and the child heares it and followes the same course If these beare rule in you the Lord Iesus Christ is farre from you May I not complaine as sometime Ieremiah did Ier. 17.13 when the Lord was going from the people the holy prophet looks longly after him and saith O Lord the hope of Israel why art thou as a waifairing man So may wee not iustly complain and say Oh that Christ should come and offer himselfe and not be regarded When the Divell shall drag downe your soules to hell and destruction then you will cry after him and say Oh
thou the hope of Israel why dost thou depart In Gen. 19.2 when the two Angels came to Lot in Sodome the one was Christ Lot compelled them to go in Christ is not now unwilling but hee knockes and calls and saith Open to me my love my dove my undefiled he entreats the loose person to forsake his base practises and the covetous person to leave his oppression and to receive mercy but you suffer Christ to lye in the street and despise that word of his and will bee at your owne carving This especially falls foule upon two sorts of persons The first sort is all carnal profane opposers of the Lord Iesus The carnall Gospeller is content that Christ should undertake for him and bee his Protectort to defend him from the plague of sin but he is not content that Christ should rule in him He doth as the Inne-keeeper that receives a guest into his house to make an advantage of him for as the Inne-keeper will come to his guest and pretend great matters to him not because he would have his guest to possesse him but because hee would bee possessor of his money so the carnall Gospeller would have Christ for his owne turne hee would dispose of Christ and mercy for his owne purpose and hence come all those speeches God is mercifull and Hath the Lord Christ created men to damne them Oh but mercy is sweet and pardon is good This is thus much you would have Christ to pardon sinne that you might commit it with lesse feare and more freedome If you did see no Saviour but that you must needs be damned for it you would startle at it But you would have Christ to stand by you that you might sinne the more freely Oh be not deceived doe you thinke that Christ will come to be an underling to your lusts and a drudge to your base distempers whose condemnation is iust saith the Apostle No you are deceived you shall not have Christ a servant to carry your lusts and pleasures to heaven with you The truth is the Lord Iesus will never bring comfort nor consolation to thee that wilt not bee possessed of him either haue both or neither chuse whether you will The second sort to be reproved are a company of slie hypocrites that would part stakes with Christ and part houses with him they could bee content that hee should have some roome in the house but they will dispose of all themselues as a man that lets some roomes in his house Simile upon this condition that he may have them when he lists You willl pray against sinne provided that now and then Christ will give you leaue to practise it and you will cry out against it provided that you may have a privy seale or some secret licence for it and you will professe bitterly against base courses so you may haue some backe doore and inward lust still The Lord Iesus doth not share with any man can he have a part and the Divell a part nay hee will have either all or none It was the tricke of an adulterous heart for when there was contention for the children the harlot said 1 King 3.26 Let it be neither thine nor mine but divide it Nay saith the mother let her have all Shee was the harlot that would have the child devided So it is with an adulterous and dissembling heart that saith Let Christ have a part and the world a part let lusts and pompe have a part and Christ a part this is dissimulation with GOD and shall receive condemnation there must bee no sharing If your hearts be guilty of this I charge you in the name of the Lord Iesus consider it the Lord never came into your soules you must resigne all to him and then he will saue all he will pardon all sin and give power against it What a fearfull thing were it if the Lord should deale with you as you deale with him Suppose thou couldst be halfe damned wouldst thou be content to have thy heart go to hell and thine eye to heaven or thy body to hell and thy soule to heaven therefore that thy body and soule may both be saved resigne up up all into the hands of thy Saviour and let him dispose of all here in the kingdome of grace and then he will take all to himselfe in glory for ever Vse 2. If the Lord Iesus be the possessor of all the house then let every one haue his owne Give all to Christ whose it is doe not with draw from Christ that which is his Whose image and superscription hath the soule Christ Iesus hath the protection of it therefore let him have all Let thine eye see his works and wonder and admire at them let thy minde know Iesus Christ whom to know is eternal life but do not withdraw any thing from the true owner therof that hath purchased it full deare 1 Cor. 5.15 Shall I take the members of Christ and make them the members of an harlot God forbid Thine eye and thy tongue and thy hand and thy heart they are all Christs members he hath bought all with his blood and thou hast nothing to do with that which Christ hath bought therefore whensoever thy corruptions stirre and Satan tempts and begges for the use of thy mind or heart make answer and say Shall I take that heart that is Christs and thinke basely God forbid Shall I take the hand of Christ and worke wickednesse with it The holy Apostle is marvellous peremptory in this case as 1 Cor. 6.19 Glorifie God in your body and in your spirit which are Gods and hee hath bought you with a price your bodies and soules are the Lords hee undertakes for both therefore glorifie God in both If a man did come to your house and take the meat and drinke that you have provided and rob you of your money you would take it very hardly and say It is my owne So you are not your owne Therefore if the Divell or the world would prevaile with you and enter into the use of your heart or minde tell him they are not thy owne they are the Lords IESVS CHRIST hath come into thy heart and minde in mercy and therefore say it is the Lords let him doe what hee will with it â‚ SPIRITVALL LOVE AND IOY Gal. 5.22 The fruit of the Spirit is love ioy goodnes faith c. THE sure mercies of David which faith beleeveth love embraceth And who so getteth this field and treasure must needs go away rejoycing in so good a bargain All this and all other graces and comforts worketh one and the same Spirit directing the heart to God uniting it unto Christ and thereby comforting it abundantly All is his fruit in us At this time of loue and joy The point of Doctrine is this Love and joy by the spirit wrought in a broken heart for embracing mercy as it deserves Doct. The Spirit of the Father kindles in the soule of
way and the God of heaven goe with thee this is a worke of God that will never leaue thee and it is a badge and a proper livery that the Lord Iesus gives onely to his Saints never a meere professor under heauen ever wore it nay there was never any hipocrite under heauen to whom God did intend it but onely those whom he hath effectually called and whom hee will save therefore though thou wantest all thou hast all to comfort thee in the want of all and thou maist say I can say little for Christ my tongue falters and my memory is weake yet the Lord knowes I loue the Lord Iesus 1 Ioh. 4.7 it is the incouragement that the Apostle gives saying Love one another for love commeth of God and every one that loveth is borne of God Indeed he presseth it in regard of the love to the brethren but the arguments serve for our purpose for if the loue of the brethren come from God then the loue of God is a more speciall worke of God Therefore can you plead thus with your hearts and say The time was Lord that this wretched sinfull carnall heart of mine could find no relish in the promises of grace and I could not bring this base heart to love the Lord Iesus Christ and the promise was wearisome to me but now I thanke God I can doe that which before I could not doe I thanke God that the promise of life and the light of Gods countenance is more to me now than all the contentments of the world surely I loue the Lord Iesus Christ And is not this of God Yes I warrant theee it is not of thy selfe thou hast beene taught from heaven it was not the schoole of the flesh and the world that taught thee this lecture it is from heaven and the Spirit of the Father hath over-shadowed thee in his promise and hath kindled this sparkle of loue in thee and thou hast that which is sound and true therefore bee comforted and reioyce in it thou canst say more than any man under heaven can say that hath not this sound love in his heart And likewise blessednesse And as this is a ground of comfort so also it is a ground of blessednesse Rom. 8.28 All things worke for the bâ—st to those that loue God Me-thinkes the Apostle speakes of such a love as is wrought by the Spirit of the Father in our vocation they worke for the best to those that are called according to his purpose he minded well towards them and called them from the love of the world And therefore since nothing can harme thee goe thy way and let nothing dismay thee nor discourage thee nay goe away ever cheered I charge you David desired no more but what God was wont to doe to his children that loved his name Doe to mee saith the Text as thou usest to doe to those that loue and feare thy Name Psal 119.132 I know thou lovest them that love thee and wilt save and glorifie them in the end I desire no more but this Doe as thou usest to doe to those that love thy Name Be quieted with thy childs part thy lot is fallen into a marvellous faire ground David a King desired no more and if thou hast so much as hee had it is enough Ob. Oh but some will say this is all the difficulty if a man had this love which came from God effectually calling him it were enough and a man might have comfort in it but there is a great deale of false love and false ioy in the world therefore how shall I know whether mine be any otherwise than theirs that I may not bee deceived as they are How may I know if this be of the right stamp For if it be right love God will owne it Answ Notes of true love to Christ Now for the answer to this question let every man put his love vpon the triall and wee will say no more then that which we have ground for from the doctrine delivered Therefore examine thy loue and thy joy thus Whether dost thou welcome Christ and grace according to the worth of them Now marke this if I prove I love God then there will be joy there too for they both grow upon one root onely this joy hath a little more of the sweetnesse of Gods love in it Now whether we welcome Christ according to the worth of it it will appeare by these five particulars First observe the roote and rise from whence thy love came 1. Triall consider this and weigh it sadly for it is of great difficulty yet it is never failing and it is the narrowest search that I know of therefore looke well to it if it come from the right mint it is currant You know it is the priviledge of Kings and Princes Simile that all the coine that comes from his Mint and is coined with his stamp is warrantable but if there bee any other Mint the King will not allow of it but rather punish him that did it lust so it is with this love it is the priviledge of the Lord Iesus Christ the Sonne of Gods love to mint and to coine love that may bee currant love indeed that hee may take for good payment Therefore doth thy love come from the Spirit of the Father then it is onely fit to close with a Saviour with the Father and the Spirit and so consequently the Father allowes it Great men must bee entertained answerable to their persons Another for such a man to have poore and leane diet it is not meet for him the greatest delicates that can be doe beseeme such men of place So this leane and earthly and naturall love that growes onely out of thy owne parts and abilities or whatsoever it is it is but leane love and poore provision and suites not with God the Father nor Iesus Christ Base love and base things for base men and meane love for meane things and naturall love for naturall things but would you entertaine the Father from heaven and a spirituall Saviour then you must let your love be spirituall to welcome a blessed Saviour This besuits him Simile and otherwise he will not be entertained As it is with flowers the flowers that are of speciall planting as Ieremy speaks of the Iewes and the flowers that are inoculated by the hand of the cunning Gardiner as the Provice Rose or the like there is much care and paines about them but your ordinary hedge row Roses there is no care taken for them Iust so it is with the worke of Gods grace and all other common graces in the world there is a provice love and joy that is a love that comes from the planting and a joy that comes from the inoculating of the spirit This provice love and joy is wrought by the Spirit of God and this makes a sweet savour in the nostrils of Almighty God and of the Lord Iesus Christ and the Lord
Christ will say Oh that love pleaseth me They cannot welcome the Lord better than with this love but the other love and joy pleaseth him not Canst thou say I love the Lord because hee hath loved mee then thy love is of a right mettall and know it for ever that that God which cannot but love himselfe hee cannot but like that love which came from himselfe who is the God of all love and which comes from his owne divine nature Is thy soule affected and enlarged in love to the Lord because thou hast felt and received the rellish and sweetnesse of his grace Dost thou love and joy in God upon this ground namely upon a grounded affection of Gods loue to thee setled and sealed to thy selfe so that thou canst say The Lord hath let in the glimpse of his favour and the Lord hath said it in his truth hee lookes to him that trembles at his word the Minister said it and the Spirit saith it that my mercy is registred in heaven and my desires are received and granted Oh how shall I love the Lord My sinnes are many which I have bewailed and my sighes and sobs I have put up to heaven and at last the Lord hath given mee a gracious answer O how may I love the Lord my strength dearly Lord thou hast looked downe from heaven in love and mercy upon me and therefore my soule shall ever looke up to heaven to thee in love If it be thus with thee thy love is sound and will never faile thee but if any mans love comes from himselfe and therefore loves God that love will onely bring all to himselfe and there is the end of it A man hath a love to his parts and abilities and prayer and preaching and reading and conference and understanding and policy hee loveth these and therefore he would fain be beholden to Iesus Christ to helpe him to honour and to glorifie these parts of his This love was from his parts and brought to his parts and in the meane time the Lord Iesus lay in the dust and his glory was not regarded whereas the love that is wrought by God it alwayes doth draw the love of the soule againe to God and so love from him draws love to him This is the excellencie of this love and this is love of the right kind But if the love of parts and profits draw me to honour and glorifie parts and profits then I love my profits and not Christ Thinke of this often this is certaine this will bee the mainest difference betweene all the love of carnall hypocrites and of the Saints of God I would expresse my selfe to you thus As it is with meat which a man takes downe inwardly and digests it this breeds good bloud but that meate which a man eates and spits out againe and tarries not long with him this breeds no bloud at all So it is in the heart of a poore humbled sinner truely wrought upon to receive Christ in the worth of him and with the hypocrite A heart truely wrought upon by Gods Spirit it takes downe the promise and feeds upon it and it breeds good bloud and complexion True love is like this good bloud and true joy is like this complexion Marke this the promise of God settled upon the heart nourisheth and feedeth the heart and it breeds good bloud but the foolish hypocrite that hath a kind of flattering sweetnes this tickles the heart with vaine conceits but they never goe downe And hence it is that that love which comes from hence it is but a fading love and there is no good bloud nor no good complexion comes from it but rather corruptions and overture Secondly 2. Triall as the root of this love must be from the kindling of the Spirit so if thou entertaine thy Saviour as it beseemes him True love of Christ entertains him as a King thou must entertaine him as a King and that is thus give up all to him and entertaine none with him upon termes of honour but such as retaine to him or be attendants unto him this is the manner of receiving great Princes Love all in a Christ and for a Christ but expresse thy love and thy joy to a Christ above all he is as the King and all the rest are but as retainers and all his servants are as servants to him He that loves any thing equall with a Christ it is certaine he did never love a Christ but he that sets up any thing cheeke by joll with Christ he despiseth him and never receives him It is all one as if a man did put a slave into the same chamber with the King which is all one as to drive him away So if thou dost set up any thing with Christ thou dost drive him away with such base behaviour As in Iames 4.4 O yee adulterers and adulteresses know yee not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is an enemy of God A man cannot retaine fellowship with Christ Iesus and with the world too upon point of honour Simile As the woman that loves her husband she loveth other men as friends and neighbours and will give them very courteous entertainment and welcome them kindly but if they come to claime the love of a wife she abhorres and detests them So a loving heart that loves Iesus Christ as the Bridegroome he loves Christ onely and all for Christ and the rest as friends c. The soule wil love honors or profits or credit or parts and priviledges that they may be friends to speake for a man and to give a man occasion to speake with a Saviour as the wife loves the husband firstly and all the rest she regards onely as they may further the match this way so the Lord Christ and his grace is chiefe to the soule but the world and ease and credit these are meerely as friends to leade him to a Saviour and make him acquainted with a Saviour The soule loves the word and prayer and all Gods ordinances to speake a good word to a Saviour for him but all the rest are despised by him and if any of them come to claime the love of a soule from a Christ it hates them deadly as Luke 14.26 If any man come to mee and hate not father and mother in comparison of me he is not worthy of mee that is if father and mother stand betweene thee and Christ and would have thy soule married to them again the soule hates them This is a plaine difference betweene a sound heart and a false heart in the receiving of Christ the sound heart receives him as a favorite receives a Prince he gives up all to him Simile and lets him have the command of all but now an Inne-keeper entertains him that comes next to him he will take any mans money and will give welcome to any man if it bee the best man
with Sechem Hamors son Gen. 34.24 when he would perswade the Citizens to joine side with him he doth two things First he did commune with them in the gates and then hee shewes what undoubted good they should bee sure to get by it Shall not their cattell and their substance and every beast that they have bee ours and hereby will they consent if every one bee circumcised as they are He communed of the busines and of the good that comes by it so likewise let us commune with the good of the promises Secondly conclude that the good thou expectest shall come thereby and that all happinesse shall come unto thy soule If thou match with Jesus Christ shall not all his mercy all his excellency all his merits and love yea all his comforts and grace be thine Yes every grace of Jesus Christ and all the comforts not only of this but of a better life Wee stand demurring upon the matters of agreement if we might have a good ingagement what would wee doe lay all these aside and know that if thou wilt have Christ thou must part with all and then thou shalt finde in him what ever thy heart desires 1 Corinthians 3.23 All is yours and yee are Christs and Christ is Gods so I say to every of you if Christ bee thine then all is thine nay all the Divells malice shall promote that which shall make for thy good Therefore is this so that the Lord Jesus Christ is worthy of your love and hath deserved it is he worthy of more love then all that you have and doth he seeke it for he hath sent me this day to entreat love at the hands and hearts of all you poore sinners you then that are in higher rankes and places the Lord Christ is worthy of your affections and he doth offer love to all you that are weary and have need to every poor soule now what answer shall I return to him in the evening shall I say Lord I have tendered thy mercy and it was refused and they sleighted thy mercy and thy promise and they would none of Christ they have taken up their hearts with the world therefore they cannot give up their hearts to thee Brethren it would grieve my heart to returne this answer Christ Jesus becomes a suiter to you and doth beseech you through me to be reconciled to him and to bee blessed by him for ever Will you love the Lord Christ let him have but love from you that is all he cares for I beseech you for the Lord Jesus Christs sake if you will not love him nor his grace and mercy yet love your owne selves deny not this gracious offer lest hereafter you seeke for love and mercy and compassion and be refused and condemned for ever Therefore give up all and bid adieu to all other Lovers And because it is not in your power to love Christ goe to the Father of love and to the Spirit of love and entreat him but to strike one sparke of love from the promise and say good Lord is it true I have a base vile heart and I have contemned thee my only comfort but thou that requirest love thou that art the God of love kindle but one sparke of love in the heart of thy servant that I may love thee more than my selfe and all things here below Hitherto of the love of Christ Next we will speake of joy in God Spirituall Joy HABAKKUK 3.17 18. Although the Fig-tree shall not blossome neither shall fruit be in the vines the labour of the Olive shall faile and the fields shall yeeld no meat the flocke shall be cut off from the fold and there shall be no heard in the stalls Yet I will rejoyce in the Lord I will joy in the God of my salvation THIS Text may fitly be called Order The poore mans comfort in a deare yeare It was the Prophets stay in the great desolation which he fore-saw to be comming by the Chaldeans In the first Chapter hee complaines of Israels sinne and the Chaldeans crueltie In the second he sees a vision of comfort for the Church and the destruction of the enemies In the third he prayes for accomplishment and strengthens his faith in prayer by recounting the old dealings of God with his people Now toward the conclusion hee professeth his owne hope and confidence in God which by his example he would worke all godly men unto True hee was greatly afraid at the vengeance of God but by fearing before hand he procured a sweet securitie for time to come verse 16. That I might rest in the day of trouble And in the text he speakes more fully Although the Figge-tree shall not blossome c. Parts In the words is 1. A supposition of great evill which probably might come upon the Jewes vers 17.2 A proposition of his own unmoveable comfort amidst it all vers 18. Exposition Of the supposition In many particulars the Prophet sets forth an extreme vastation and desolation of their countrey all commodities should faile which concerned both delight and necessitie that is Corne Wine Oyle other fruits both small and great Cattell those in the fold those in the stall Sheepe and Oxen all should come short of the wonted plentie I name foure wayes whereby such misery invades a nation and the particular inhabitants First by Warre and the Sword which layes all waste where it comes as in Germany the vines cut the fruit trees rooted up the corne burnt or not sowed flockes and herds driven away Temples and houses laid in their rubbish and people slaughtered Neither Easterne nor Westerne Babylonians can affoord better termes of agreement with the Israel of God Prov. 12.10 The tender mercies of the wicked are cruell Secondly by drought or other calamities of ill weather when the yeare of restraints commeth Jer. 14.1 and then hee describes a grievous famine the former and latter raine is with-holden the sweet influence of the Pleiades is restrained Job 38.31 the heaven made as brasse the earth as iron unkindly windes devouring wormes blast mildew and other evils which we have indured Thirdly by losses and casualties which the wisedome of man cannot foresee nor his power prevent Thus the folds and stalls of Job were made empty and the like hath befallen many a rich man and may hereafter To the world-ward none can rightly be accounted blessed but hee that is fairly buried Others have wine and oyle and olives and other dainties in plentifull measure but this or that man hath lost his part and hath much adoe to sustaine his necessitie Fourthly by meere poverty and utter disability to make such provisions Some never had these fine things mentioned in the Text nor have nor are likely ever to have unlesse at other mens tables with some every yeare is a deare yeare through their whole life though some pinch them more than other A poore empty smoke-bound cottage with course bread and water out