THE TRYAL TRIUMPH OF FAITH OR An Exposition of the History of CHRISTS dispossessing of the daughter of the woman of Canaan Delivered in SERMONS In which are opened The Victory of Faith The condition of those that are tempted The excellency of Jesus Christ and Free-Grace AND Some speciall Grounds and Principles of Libertinisme and Antinomian Errors discovered BY SAMUEL RUTHERFURD Professor of Divinity in the University of St. Andrews REVEL 21 28. And I will give to him that overcometh the morning star Published by Authority London Printed by John Field and are to be sold by Ralph Smith at the Sign of the Bible in Cornhill neer the ROYALL EXCHANGE TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE THE LADY JANE CAMBEL Vicountesse of Kenmure Sister to the Right Noble and Potent The Marques of ARGILE Grace and Peace MADAM I Should complaine of these much disputing and over-writing times if I were not thought to be as deep in the fault as those whom I accuse but the truth is while we endeavour to gain a grain-weight of Truth it is much if we lose not a Talent weight of goodnesse and Christian love But I am sure though so much knowledge and light as may conduce for our safe walking in discerning the certain borders of divine truths from every false way suppose that searching into questions of the time were a usefull and necessary evil only yet the declining temper of the worlds worst time the old Age of time Eternity now so near approaching calleth for more necessary good things at our hands it is unhappy if in the nick of the first breaking of the morning skie the night-watch fall fast asleep when he hath watched all the night It s now near the morning-dawning of the Resurrection O how blessed are we if we shall care for our one necessary thing It is worthy our thoughts that an Angel never created as I conceive standing in his own land His right foot upon the Sea and his left foot on the earth hath determined by oath a Controversie moved by scoffers 2 Pet. 3.3 Yea and with his hand lifted up to Heaven sware by him that liveth for ever and ever who created heaven and the things that are therein and the earth and things that therein are and the sea and things that are therein that there should be time no longer Rev. 10.5 6. If Eternity be concluded judicially by the Oath of God as a thing near to us at the door now about sixteen hundred years ago it is high time to think of it What we shall do when the Clay-house of this Tabernacle which is but our summer-house that can have us but the fourth part of a year shall be dissolved Time is but a short Trance we are carried quickly through it our Rose withereth ere it come to its vigour Our piece of this short-breathing shadow the inch the half-cubite the poor span length of time fleeth away as swiftly as a Weavers-Shuttle which leapeth over a thousand threads in a moment How many hundred houres in one Summer doth our breathing clay-Post skip over passing away as the Ships of desire and as the Eagle that hasteth to the prey If death were as far from our knowledge as Graves and Coffins which to our eyes preach death are near to our senses even casting the smel of death upon our breath so as we cannot but rub skins with corruption We should not believe either Prophets or Apostles when they say All flesh is grasse and It is appointed for all to die Eternity is a great word but the thing it self is greater death the point of our short line teacheth us what we are and what we shall be Should Christ the condition of affairs we are now in the excellency of Free-grace be seen all in their own lustre and dye we should learn much wisdom from these three Christ speedeth little in conquering of lovers because we have not seen his shape at any time we look not upon Christ but upon the accidents that are beside Christ and therefore few esteeme Christ a rich penny-worth But there is not a Rose out of heaven but there is a blot and thorn growing out of it except that one only rose of Sharon which blossometh out glory every leaf of the Rose is a heaven and serveth for the healing of the Nations every white and red in it is uncomparable glory every act of breathing out its smell from everlasting to everlasting is spotlesse and unmixed happinesse Christ is the out-set the master flower the uncreated Garland of Heaven the Love and Joy of men and Angels but the fountain-love the fountain-delight the fountain-joy of men and Angels is more for out of it floweth all the Seas Springs Rivers and floods of love delight and joy imagine all the rain and dew Seas Fountains and floods since the Creation were in one cloud and these multiplied in measures for number to many millions of millions and then divided in drops of showers to an answerable number of men and Angels this should be a created shower and end in a certain period of time and this huge cloud of so many Rivers and drops should drie up and rain no more but we cannot conceive so of Christ for if we should imagine millions of men and Angels to have a co-Eternall dependent existence with Christ and they eternally in the Act of receiving grace for grace out of his fulnesse the flux and issue of grace should be eternall as Christ is for Christ cannot tire or weary from eternity to be Christ and so he must not he cannot but be an infinite and eternall flowing sea to diffuse and let out streames and floods of boundlesse grace say that the Rose were eternall the sweet smell the lovelinesse of greennesse and colour must be eternal O what a happinesse for a soul to lose its excellency in his transcendent glory What a blessednesse for the creature to cast in his little all in Christ his matchlesse Al-sufficiency Could all the streams retire into the fountain and first Spring they should be kept in a more sweet and firme possession of their being in the bosom of their first cause then in their borrowed channels that they now move in Our neighbourhood and retiring in to dwell for ever and ever in the Fountain-blessednesse Jesus Christ with our borrowed goodness is the firme and solid fruition of our eternall happy being Christ is the spheare the connaturall first Spring and element of borrowed drops and small pieces of created Grace the Rose is surest in being in beauty on its own stalk and root let life and sap be eternally in the stalk and root and the Rose keep its first union with the root and it shall never wither never cast its blossome nor greennesse of beauty its violence for a gracious spirit to be out of his stalk and root union here is life and happinesse therefore the Churches last prayer in Canonick Scripture is for union Revel 22.20
chase few men to Christ three grounds thereof p. 44 How men naturally love the Devil p. 45. Satan how an unclean spirit p. 46 It s true wisedome to know God savingly p. 47. What hearing bringeth souls to Christ p. 49. Four defects in hearing p. 50. Hell coming to our senses in this life should not cause us believe without effectuall Grace p. 51. It s good to border near to Christ p. 52. SERM. VI. Crying in prayer necessary p. 53. Five grounds thereof p. 54. Prayer sometimes wanteth words so as groaning goeth for Prayer p. 55. How many other expressions beside vocall praying go under the liew of praying in Gods accompt ibid. 8. Objections removed p 55.56.57.58 59 60. Some affections greater then tears p. 56. Looking up to heaven praying ibid. Breathing praying p. 57. That wherâ—in the least of prayer the Minimum quod sic consisteth ibid. Broken Prayers are Prayers p. 58. The Lord knoweth non-sense in a broken spirit to be good sense p. 59. SER. VII Why Christ is called frequently the Son of David not so the Son of Adam of Abraham p. 62. Christ a King by Covenant p. 63 What things be in the Covenant of Grace ibid. The parties of the Covenant p. 64 Christ hath a sevenfold relation to the Covenant 1. He is the Covenant it self 2. The Messenger 3. The Witnesse 4. The Surety 5. The Mediator 6. The Tâ—stator 7. The principall party contracter p. 64 65. Christ the Covenant it self ibid. Christ a Messenger of the Covenant in 4. particulars ibid. A Witnesse in four things p. 66. A Surety in three p. 67 68. A Mediator in three things 1. A Friend 2. A Reconciler 3. A Servant p. 69. Christ a servant of God and our servant ibid. Christ confirmed and sealed the Testament p. 70 Christ the principall consederate party ibid. The Covenant made with Christ personally not mystically proved from Gal. 3.16 The contrary Reasons answered p. 71. A Covenant between the Father the Son proved ibid. Of the Promises of the Covenant p. 73. Two sorts of Promises p. 74. Christ took a new Covenant right to God p. 75. Five sorts of promises made to Christ and by proportion to us ibid. SERM. VIII The condition of the Covenant p 77. Libertines deny all conditions of the Covenant p. 78. The new Covenant hath conditions to be performed by us ibid. Six Objections removed p. 77 78 79 80 81. A twofold dominion of gracious and supernaturall acts p. 79. We are not justified before we beleeve proved by six Arguments p. 81. A condition taken in a threefold Notion p. 83. It s not a proper condition by way of strict wage and work when we are said to be justified and saved upon condition of faith p. 85. The Freedom 2. Eternity 3. Well-ordering of the Covenant the three properties thereof p. 87 88. The freedom of the Covenant is seen in regard 1. of Persons 2. of Causes 3. of Time 4. of manner of dispensation p. 86 87. Uses of the Doctrine of the Covenant p. 88 89 90. SERM. IX Christ God and man and our comfort therein p. 91. Christ immediate in the Act of Redeeming us and so sweeter ibid. Christ incomparable p. 92. Four other necessary uses p. 91 92 93 94 95. To believers all temporall favours are spiritualized and watered with mercy four grounds thereof p. 96. By what reason our Father as a Father giveth us spiritual things by that same he giveth us all things p. 98. Mercy originally in Christ and how p. 99. SERM. X. Parents affection their spirituall duty to children p. 102. Thirteen Practicall Rules in observing passages of Divine providence p. 103 104 105 106 107 108. 1. We are neither to lead nor to stint Providence p. 103 2. But to observe God in his wayes and not to look to by-ways of providence ibid. 3. Omnipotency not laid down in pawne in any means p. 104. 4. God walketh not in the way that we imagine ibid. 5. Providence in its concatenation of Decrees actions events is one continued contexture going along from Creation to the day of Christs second coming without one broken threed p. 105. 6. The spirit is to be in an indifferency in all casts of Providence p. 106. 7. Low desires best p. 107. 8. We are to lie under providence submissively in all ibid. 9. Providence is a mistery ibid. 10. Walketh in uncertainties toward us ibid. 11. Silence is better then disputing p. 108. 12. It s good to consider both what is inflicted who ibid. 13. God alway ascendeth even when second causes descendeth ibid. SERM. XI Every temptation hath its taking power from the seeming goodnesse in it p. 109. Reasons why this was a temptation to the woman p. 110. The scope of the Temptation to make the tempted believe there is none like him p. 111. The non-answering of Christ is an answering ibid. 5. Reasons of the Lords not hearing of Prayer p. 113. Seven wayes prayers are answered ibid. Praying in Faith alwayes heard even when the particular which we suit in Prayer is denied p. 114. Faith in one and the same Prayer seeketh and knocketh and answereth and openeth to it self p. 115. The light of saving Faith and the Propheticall light of the Pen man of the word of God differ not in â—pâ—ce and nature ibid. The dearest not admitted into God at the first knock p 116. SERM. XII Naturall men and even the renewed in spirit in so far as there remaineth some flesh in them are ignorant of the mystery of an afflicted spirit p 117. Peace of conscience is a work of Creation p. 118. A reason why it s so hard to convince the deserted p. 119. Christ sweeter to the deserted then all the world ibid. Difference between Gods trying and the creatures tempâ—ing in three Positions p. 121. A Creature cannot put a fellow creature to act sin upon an intention of trying him ibid. In the actions of creatures we must know Quis 2. Quid 3 Quare Who â—ommandeth 2. What 3. And for what end In Gods actions It is enough to know Quis Who that is Jehovah p. 122. Four doubts of the tempted p. 124 125. In the sending of Christ to the lost sheep of the house of Israel there be three things considerable 1. His designation 2. Qualification 3. Commission p. 126. The Son most fit to be Mediator ibid. How Christ is qualified p. 127 His Commission ibid. It is not properly grace that we are born its grace that Christ is born p. 128. Gods hidden decree and his revealed will opened p. 129 A twofold intention in the promises ibid. How and who are to believe the Decree of Reprobation concerning themselves p. 130 SERM. XIII It s a priviledge of mercy that Christ is sent to the Jews first p. 131 Nine priviledges of the Jews p. 132. The honour and priviledges of Britain p. 133. The Redeemed called sheep upon four grounds p. 134. How passive the Redeemed are in the way to
smitten of God in the dark and so wicked men never do come lawfully out of affliction they see not God nor sin and for that cometh not out of prison by the Kings keyes but they break the Goal and leap out at a window the Land is to see all the circumstances of this bloody War in these three Kingdoms We are to put a difference between Gods afflicting one man and a whole Church Now God hath his fire in our Sion and we wonder that Wars have lyen on Germanie twenty six years and that for divers years the sword hath been on us in these Kingdoms 1. There be many vessels to be melted a fire for an afternoon or a war for a morning of a day or a week cannot do it Seven dayes sicknesse of a dying Childe putteth David to go softly and in sackcloth Years are little enough to humble proud Scotland and England God humbled Israel 400. years and above in Aegypt and kept them forty years in the Wildernesse and Judah must lye smoaking in the Furnace seventy years 2. One Temple was forty six years a building God hath taken eighty years to Reform England and many years to Reform Scotland and the Temple is not builded yet give to our Lord time hope and wait on 3. Babylon is a great Cedar that cannot fall at the first stroak it s not a work of one day or a year to bring that Princes the Lady of Nations from Her Throne of glory to sit in the dust and take the Milstones and grinde meal SERMON V. VExed with a Devil 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 She is Devilled that is fully possessed The malice of the Devill is a naturall agent and worketh as intently and bently as he can as agens maximum quod sic the fire putteth forth all its strength in burning the Sun heateth and inlightneth as vehemently as it can A Milstone fallen from the sphere of the Moon down to the earth useth no moderation or abetment in its motion The malice of Hell being let loose it worketh mischief by nature not by will Satans possession is full Peter saith to Ananias Acts 5.3 Why hath Satan filled thy heart to lye against the Holy Ghost As there is a fulnes of God Eph. 3.19 so there 's a fulnesse of the Devil as Rom. 1.29 being filled with all unrighteousnesse It is no wonder that Cavaliers and Malignants work as their Father the nature of the Father is in the son modus operandi sequitur modum essendi the manner of working is sutable to the nature of the worker hel works like Hell Ier. 3.5 Behold thou hast spoken and done evil as thou couldst Esa. 5.18 They draw sin and iniquity not with a rush or a threed but with â—ords of vanity and with a cart rope Mic. 7.3 They do evil with both hands earnestly All that malice and Hell could do of cruelty to young old to women sucking infants hath been done in Ireland and England The Devil in his element is twice a Devil he is in his own when he formeth and actuateth bloodie instruments and he aboundeth in his own sphere Satans malice its alone is great and a sinners wrath is heavier then stones and sand but when they are conjoyned as united force is stronger who can stand before them Christs Lambs have been preserved amidst Devils and men since the Creation amongst Wolves by no humane power and strength Observe That all that came to Christ have been forced through some one necessity or other either a leaprous body blind eyes a palsey a bloody issue a withered arme or a dying son and that some have been brought to Christ at least their Parents or Friends have come to Christ through reason of bodily possession by the Devil but we read of none that came through reason of the Devil 's spirituall possessing of them either by themselves or others 1. There is much flesh and much nature in us and so much sense and little spirit and little of God a blinde eye will chase thee to Christ a soul under the Prince of darknesse will not 2. We are all body and life and time but we are not all Soul and Spirit and Eternity Heaven is far from being the master Element in us 3. Misplaced love is much Ioh. 8.44 Ye are of your Father the Devil saith Christ to the Jews every childe loveth the Father Why And men love not the Devil doth not every wretch through natures instinct abhor the Devil Is not this the Mother-devotion of any wretch that knoweth nothing of God from the womb God save me from the Devil and all his works I have nothing to do with that fowl spirit It s true There 's a physicall hatred of the Devil as he is a spirit an Angel and the Pursevant of divine justice inflicting evil of punishment on all men naturally but there 's in all men an inbred morall love of the Devil as he is a fallen spirit tempting to sin here every prisoner loveth this keeper like loveth like broken men and Bankrupt flee together to Woods and Mountains an Out-law loveth an Out-law Fowls of a feather flock together the Devil and sinfull men are both broken men and Out-laws of Heaven and of one blood wicked men are 1 Ioh. 3.10 The children of the Devil they have that naturall relation of Father and Son There 's of the Devils seed in sinners there 's a spirituall concupiscence in Devils to lust against Gods Image and Glory and Satan findeth his own seed in us by nature to wit concupiscence a stem a sprouting and childe of the house of Hell It were good we knew our own misery the man resolveth a prisoner has a sweet life who loveth his own chains because made of gold and hateth them not because chains and falleth to Paint the walls of his Dungeon and to put up Hangings in his Prison and will but over-gild with gold his Iron Fetters Oh! are we not in love with our own Dungeon of sin and do we not bear a kinde love to our Father the Devill We bring in provision for the flesh and nourish the Old man as old as since Adam-first sinned Alas we never saw our Father in the face we love the Devill as the Devill fallen in sin but we see him not as a Devill but only under the embroderies of golden and silken temptations we sow to the flesh we Inne our Crop to the Devill but we know not our Land-lord and because sense and flesh is nearer to us then God we desire more the Liberties of State free commerce and peace with the King then Christs Liberties the power and purity of the Gospel that we may negotiate with Heaven and have peace with God Vnclean spirit This is the quality of this Devil An unclean Devil Now whether he be called so because he tempted the Maid to some prodigious acts of uncleannesse or because in generall he tempteth to uncleannesse of
Regenerate from both Principles are to walke in love and holinesse as Christ did the Law directing is not abolished by Grace or by love to Christ and this is no other then the reasoning of old Libertines Paul said Rom. 7.6 Now we are delivered from the Law O then said Libertines We may sin and fleshly walking shall not prejudge salvation nor condemn us v. 7. What shall we say then Is the Law sin God forbid and Rom. 5.20 Where sin abounded grace did much more abound Then said the Libertine chap. 6.1 What shall we then say Shal we continue in sin that grace may abound 2. God forbid then the Law commandeth and directeth not to sin and Christ and Grace being friends speak with the same mouth God forbid that we sin we are not so freed from the commanding power of the Law as that we sin not when we do what is contrary to Gods law we are so far under the Law as not to sin because the rule of Law is removed nay the Law backs a man while he come to Christ and to glory and Christ backs the Law and saith the Law forbiddeth you sin I say Amen Grace saith sin not and Christ also layeth new bands of love and obligation to thankfulnesse on us not to sin but removeth not the ancient bounds Grace and condemnation are opposite but not Grace and the commanding power of the Law Obj. 5. The Law is a letter of death and bondage and can never convert the soul only the Gospel doth that for in the Gospel Grace is given to obey what is commanded Therefore your Law-preachers lead men from the foundation Christ. Ans. 1. The Letter of Law without the spirit of Christ cannot convert any nor can the Letter of the Gospel or Gospel-threatnings without the spirit of Grace convert any both Law and Gospel separated from the spirit are alike in this and neither Law nor Gospel according to this reasoning should be preached Antinomians do in down right tearms teach this for they say 1. That the due searching and knowledge of the Scriptures is not a safe and sure way of searching and finding Christ. The Word saith the contrary Psal. 19.7 8 9. Act. 10.43 Rom. 3.21 Joh. 5.39 Luk. 1. 70.71 2. To do any thing by vertue of a commandement is a Law way not Gospel obeâ—dience Contrary to Psal. 119.6.43 44. v. 11. 2 Pet. 1.19 20. 2 Tim. 3.16 3. All verball Covenants and the word written is but a Covenant of Works and taketh men off from Christ And the whole letter of the Scripture holdeth forth a Covenant of works All Doctrines Revelations and spirits are to be tried by Christ rather then by the Word Those that go from the Sun must at length walk in darknesse Anabaptists of old said the Covenant of Grace was written in the inward parts and in the heart therefore there was no need of word or ministery But when Satan knocketh his knock is dumb and speechlesse he bringeth not the Word and speaketh not according to the Law and Testimony Because he is a dumb Devil Christ bringeth the word with him To all these we can say no other then that they condemn the Scriptures and the Preaching of the word Because nothing can avail us to Salvation without the spirit This is 1. to condemn the wisdom of our Lord who hath appointed that Faith should come by hearing and that the things that are written are written That we in believing might have Eternal life Ioh. 20.31 2. It s to fetter the free operation of the spirit whose winde bloweth when he listeth to the preaching of the word 3. Yea to make Christs Death Resurrection Ascension and Intercession at the right hand of God which all must be the marrow of the Evangel things meerly legall and things belonging to the Covenant of works because all those without the Grace of the spirit are meerly fruitless to many thousands Obj. 6. But repentance in the New Testament is nothing else but the change of the mind and to be of another mind then to seek Righteousnesse by the works of the law even to seek it in Christ alone and mortification is but the apprehension of sin slain by Christ and so Repentance is a part of Faith though Repentance in the Old Testament was to bewail sin and so sake it Ans. But this is to dally with Christ all mortification and dominion over our lusts that fighteth against mercy and justice and the duties of the second Table must be by this means an act of Faith and the New light of Christ in the mind believing our Righteousnesse to be in Christ And so an act of Internall worship belonging to the first Table then as the Scripture saith The sinner is justified by Faith apprehending Christs Righteousnes so might we well say that we are justified by Repentance and by mortification 2. That Repentance layeth hold on Christs Righteousnesse 3. That as to beleeve only without works doth justifie and save so to repent only that is to change the minde and apprehend Righteousnesse not in works but in the Christ without all holinesse and forsaking of sin should save us But this is to acquit men from all duties of the second Table yea and of all the first Table loving of God Praying Praising hearing c. except only we are to beleeve This is clear the way of the old Gnosticks who placed all holinesse in meer knowledge and apprehension of Gods will without love or obedience 2. Repentance is sorrow according to God 1 Cor. 7.9.10 Jam. 4.9 And eschewing evill and doing good 1 Pet. 3.11 And the Crucifying of the old man and the lusts thereof as Fornication Vncleannesse Inordinate affection evil Concupiscence Covetousnesse Col. 3. 5. And these are commanded in the New Testament as the very lesson of the Grace of God Tit. 2.11 It s true in the Old Testament the People were under Tutors and bondage but that was in regard of the carnall commandement of Ceremonies the cognizance of our bloody demerit held forth in bloody sacrifices 2. In regard lesse of Christ and the sweetnesse of the Gospel was then known and the Law chased harder the guilty to Christ. But 1. Servile obedience through apprehension of legall terrors was never commanded in the spirituall Law of God to the Jews more then to us 2. The Jews were not justified by the works of the Law more then we but by Faith in Christ as well as we Act. 15.11 Act. 10.42.43 Heb. 11. 1 Cor. 10.1 2 3. Yea we are justified as David and Abraham were Rom· 4.3 4 5 6 7 8 Yea the Iews seeking of Righteousnesse by the works of the Law is a stumbling at the stone laid in Zion Rom. 9.31.32 33. Yea its blasphemy to say Repentance in the Old Testament was a sorrow for sin and a forsaking of it as if under the New Testament we were Licensed to sin and turn Grace
hear an answer I was condemned I was judged I was crucified for sin when my Surety Christ was condemned judged and crucified for my sins and what would you have more of a man then his life it was a mans life and soul my life that my surety offered up to God for sin and I have payed all because my surety hath payed all And the truth is it is not two debts one that the believer owes to Gods justice another that Christ paid But the debt that Christ payed is our very debt sins which he did bear on his own body on the tree 1 Pet. 2.24 But though it be true in a legal sense that the surety is the broken man yet it is true only in regard of the Law punishment or Malum poenae the ill of punishment that is laid upon him For I take Dr Crisps words from his own pen Suppose saith he a Malefactor should be asked Guilty or not guilty He answereth Not guilty What doth he mean He meaneth he hath not done the Fact that was laid to his charge Then not to do the Fact of sin to Dr. Crispe is not to be guilty Now I assume But Jesus Christ did never any sinfull fact as he also confesseth then Christ was punished for sin and yet was never guilty of sin this must be the greatest unjustice in the world to punish a man for sin altogether free of the guilt of sin except Antinomians distinguish with us between sinfull guilt and penall guilt called Reatus culpae and Reatus poenae or Reatus personae seu potentialis and Reatus formalis seu actualis they shall never expede themselves Now though it be true that in Law the Debtor and the Surety be both one Legall person yet intrinsecally they are not one the broken Debtor as such may be an unjust man and the Surety a faithfull and just man so that the surety as a satisfying Surety removeth only the punishment due to the Debtor for his unjustice but he removeth not formally unjustice except he be such a Surety as Christ who can both pay the debt so remove the ill of punishment and also infuse holinesse and sanctifie and remove the evill of sin hence in justification formally Christ only taketh away the punishment of everlasting fire and eternall condemnation due to sin but he removeth not sin it self sin it self is removed in sanctification and by degrees justification taketh the sting out of the Serpent but doth not formally kill the Serpent the Serpent is killed by another act of Grace by infused and perfected sanctification justification is a forinsecall and a Legall Act and removeth the power of the Law which involveth the sinner in a curse Now the strength or the Legall sting of sin is the Law 1 Cor. 15.56 So we may judge how false this divinity is which Dr. Crispe asserteth You will never saith he have quietnesse of spirit in respect of sinne till you have received this principle that it is not the guilt of Iniquitie only but Iniquity it self that the Lord laid on Christ For it is true quietnesse and Peace of Faith with God floweth from justification Romanes 5.1 And the assurance that Christ hath pardoned sin and hath removed the penall guilt the punishment of Eternall condemnation from sin but that the conscience should be quiet that is that it should not have also a care to believe that Christ wil sanctifie throughly and perfect his good work in us is most false for though a soul be justified and freed from the guilt of Eternall punishment and so the spirit is no more to be afraid and disquieted for Eternall wrath and Hell which should never have been feared as the greatest evill in regard that sin as sin is more to be feared then Hell as Hell yet there be two other acts of disquietnesse of spirit laudable and commendable even in the Saints after they are justified and the guilt of â—ternall punishment removed as 1. The believer is to have a holy Anxiety and care of spirit I do not call it a troubled conscience to improve his faith in believing that Christ will perfect what he hath begun 2. He is to bee grieved that sin dwelleth in him and to groan and cry as a captive in fetters out of the sense of his wretched estate as Paul doth Rom. 7.23 24. Antinomians will have the justified to be so quiet in spirit as if Christ had removed sin in root and branch buds and stump whereas only the Eternall punishment and fear of Eternall condemnation is removed in justification But there is a worse thing remaining in sin after this and more to be feared and a more reall and rationall ground of disquietnesse of spirit and that is the fundamentall intrinsecall and sinfull guilt of sin which Christ never took on him and is not removed in justification but only in the graduall and successive perfection of sanctification and so being justified I am to be secure and to enjoy a sound Peace and quietnesse of spirit in freedome from Eternall wrath But yet am I to be disquieted grieved yea to sorrow that such a Ghuest as sin lodgeth in me and with me even as an ingenuous and honest hearted debtor is to rejoyce and be glad in the goodnesse and grace of his gracious surety who hath payed his debt and never to fear that the Law or Justice can go against him to Arrest and imprison him for that debt which is now compleatly paid by his surety But if the surety gave his back-bond to pay him service of love and service of sorrow and remorse for his unjustice and sinfull lavishing of his Neighbours goods which did necessitate his loving surety to hurt himself and be at a great losse for him he owes to his surety the debt of love and disquietnesse of spirit in so far as the blot of his wastry and the shame of his riotous youth lyeth on him all his dayes Antinomians conceive that there ought to be no disquietnesse of spirit no remorse no trouble of minde but that which hath its rise and spring from sins apprehended as not pardoned and from the fear of Eternall punishment to be inflicted for these sins and it is true that such a troubled and perplexed soul which is once in the state of justification is but the issue and brood of unbelief and ariseth from the flesh prevailing over the spirit in such sorrow yea or if confession of sinne arise from this spring of servile and slavish fear it is not a work of Faith except that a conditionall fear of Eternall wrath If a David fallen in Adultery and treacherous murther or a Peter overtaken with a denying of his Saviour before men shall not renew his Repentance and Faith in CHRIST is required in all the justified for the perfecting of their salvation and finall perseverance But there is another remorse and sorrow according to God required in all the justified and it
is this that though they are not to fear condemation with a legall fear so as to distrust God and be afraid of Eternall wrath yet he who is ransomed by Christ though he can never recompense the Free-grace nor pay a satisfactory ransome for so great and rich a love he is under a back-bond or a re-obligation of love service and obedience to him that ransomed him And this Law of love and thankfulnesse is not as Libertâ—â—es and others conceive a Positive and simply supernaturall Gospel-obligation for the Law of both nature and Nations require that the Captive be thankfull to the ransom payer I grant that the particular Commandments are Positive and supernaturall so the justified is obliged by this back-Bond and Gospel re-obligation to confesse sin dwelling in him to groan and sigh and sorrow under it to be troubled and grieved in spirit for sin as sin dwelling in his members and rebelling against the Law of his mind and keeping him in bondage to walk humbly and softly all his days by reason of the running Issue of sin and to strive by all means to walk worthy of Christ and this in the generall is the Law of Nature from which Christ hath in no sort exempted us Matth. 7.12 1 Cor. 11.14 Eph. 5.28 29. Now as a man having fallen from a high place upon a Rock and hath broken bones of Thighs and Legs though he be cured and can walk abroad yet all his days he haltâ—th in his walking or like one that is cured of an extream Feaver Tertian at such and such seasons some fits of the disease recurreth yet is he not to doubt of the fidelity and love of the Chirurgion and Physician who have really cured him in so far as he is in capacity in this life to be cured and therefore as he is to walk warily and with circumspection all his days caring for his crazed body so is he to be thankfull to those who recovered him and may be sad and heavy now and then that by his own folly and temerity he hurt his body for even sins pardoned as concerning their eternall guilt by our Soveraign Physician Christ in justification lay a law on us to serve our Physician Christ in these Positive Commandments of obedience love sorrow softnesse of spirit with a care to sin no more though we must needs halt and slip all our days yet not so to sorrow as to cal in doubt the reality of Pardoning Grace SERMON XX. YEa the Law from the highest bended love even from love with all the whole soul and all its strength Matth. 22. forbiddeth all sin no lesse then the Gospel of love which Gospel doth spiritualize the Law to the beleever but not abolish it the Gospel addeth a new argument of Gospel-love because Christ hath died for me therefore I 'le keep the same Law of God I was under before only now I fear noâ— actuall condemnation which is accidentall to the Law for Christ and the confirmed Angels keep the Law as a rule of life yet without any fear of actual condemnation Nor doth the Gospel more make Davids adultery not to be against the seventh Commandment to David then it maketh the Israelites spoyling of the Egyptians of their Earings Iewels to be no breach of the eight Commandment The Grace of Christ doth Priviledge the Believer from condemnation which condemnation is a meer accident which doth go and come without hurting the essence of the Law and its commanding and eternall Morall-directing power The Law saith do and live there 's no exception of this it s the will of God eternall as God is eternall and obligeth us in Heaven and for ever Rev. 22.5 But this if you doe not you shall die hath a large exception Christ my son shall die for you and this if you keep not the Law you are condemned to the believer is abolished and when we are Rom. 7. said to be freed from our first husband as the woman is freed by Law from her dead husband and may without sin marry another and we not under the Law the word Law is taken only for the Law as given to the sinner Now the Law should have been Law though sin had never been and is Law to the Elect Angels who never sinned and that is only the Law under the notion of that sad office of eternall condemnation the Law could never have been Law except it had promised eternall life to those who do the Law but it both is and should have been Law to believers in Jesus Christ to the Elect Angels and yet it doth not it cannot actually condemn them But that the Gospel maketh Adultery to be no sin to Believers is a blasphemous Assertion Then commit Adultery murther whore steel O Believer these are not sins to thee but Christs sins not thine O turn nor the grace of God into wantonnesse The Believer hath no conscience of sins that is he in conscience is not to fear everlasting condemnation that is most true because Christ hath delivered him from that wrath to come Rom. 8.1 Ioh. 5.24 Faith of eternall life by Jesus Christ cannot consist with fear of eternall condemnation for then with a legall and an Evangelick Faith one person should be obliged to believe things contradictory and yet both Faiths oblige us to give credence and assent But that the Believer hath no conscience of sin that is that he is to believe there 's nothing in him that is sin is to believe a lie 1 Joh. 1.8 9 That he is to confesse no sin and to be grieved in conscience for no sin and to sorrow for no sin that he is to be wearied and laden with no sin that he is to groan under the burden of no sin as failing against the love of him that gave a ransom for him this is a blasphemous dedolencie of conscience yea of a conscience past feeling Beloved in the Lord The Gospel forbiddeth sorrow fear and Agony of conscience in a Believer apprehending eternall wrath such a one once truly believing in Christ as the Saviour of sinners and his Saviour and now believing the contrary must believe that his Lord is really changed that he hath forgotten to be mercifull that he hath falsified and altered his his Covenant Oath and Promise this were to make God a Liar But the Gospel forbiddeth not but commandeth that the justified person sorrow for sin yea it commandeth carefulnesse to forbear clearing of the offender as being in Christ and desiring to flee to Christ indignation against himself in not forgiving himself fear of offending love and Law in Christ vehement desire to have peace confirmed zeal for God revenge to afflict the soul 2 Cor. 7.10.11 And in this sense its blasphemy to say that the Gospel taketh away all conscience of sin Believers humbled for sin are to be taken off all Law-thoughts and fear of eternall condemnation and all thoughts that sorrow is a Penance and satisfactory to offended
Debtor both to the Greeks and the Barbarians both to the wise and unwise Grace awed him as a Debt layeth fetters on an ingenious minde he cannot but out his free and honest mind in paying what he oweth 6. Gods Desertion cannot so hide and over-cloud Christ but against sense the Childe of God must beleeve yea and pray in Faith Ps 22.1 My God my God why hast thou forsaken me 2. O my God I cry by day Though sin over-cloud Christ and David fall in Adultery and blood there 's a seed of Christ that must cast out blossoms he cannot but repent and sorrow Gods Decree of grace in the execution of it may be broken in a link by some great sin but Christ cannot but soader the chain and raise the fallen sinner It shall be usefull then for the Saints when the spirit cometh in his stirrings and impetuous acts to co-operate with him and to answer his wind-blowing It s good to hoyse up sail and make out when a fair wind and a strong tide calleth sometime Grace maketh the heart as a hot Iron its good then to smite with the hammer When your spirit is Docile and there cometh a gale of Christs sweet West-wind and rusheth in with a warmnesse of heart in a praying disposition to retire to a corner and powre out the soul before the Lord as we are to take Christ at his word so are we to take Christs spirit at his work He knocketh knock thou with him His fingers make a stirring upon the handles of the bar and drop down pure myrhe Let thy heart make a stirring with his fingers also I grant wind maketh sailing and all the powers on Earth cannot make wind yet when God maketh wind the Sea-men may draw sails and lance forth God preventeth in all these the spirit beateth fire out of our slint we are to lay to a match and receive reach in the heart under the stirrings of Free-grace obey dispositions of Grace as God himself when the Sun riseth the Birds may sing but their singing is no cause of the Sun rising 2. It s no truth of God that some teach that the justified in Christ are of duty always tied to one and the same constant act of rejoycing with out any mixture of sadnesse and sorrow for so they cannot 1. Obey and follow the various impressions of the Lords absence and presence of Christs Sea ebbing and flowing of his shining and smiling and his lowring and frowning 2. The Faith of a justified condition doth not root out all affections nay not Love Faith desire and joy if there be sin remaining in the justified there 's place of sadnesse for fear for sorrow for the scumme of affections are removed by Christ not the affections themselves 3. Christ for meer triall sometimes for sin other times doth cover himself with a cloud and withdraw the sense of his favour and it s a cursed joy that is on foot when the Lord hideth his face The Love of Christ must be sick and sad I mean the Lover when the beloved is under a cloud It is not the new world with the Regenerate man here nor a Land where there 's nothing but all Summer all Sun neither night nor clouds nor Rain nor Storm that is the condition of the second Paradice of the better Adam 4. It s a just and an innocent sorrow to be grieved at that which grieveth the Holy spirit and when the Lyon roareth all the Beasts of the field are afraid Grace maketh not Iob a stock nor Christ a man who cannot weep And behold a Woman of Canaan And a certain Woman Of the Woman 1. But one person of all Tyrus and Sidon came to him 2. She was a Syrophenician by Nation 3. Her condition She had a Daughter vexed with a Devill 4. With an unclean Devill 5. The nearer occasion She heard of him 6. She adored 7. She prayed and so way is made to the conference between Christ and her And to the Triall and Miracle A certain Woman There is but one of all Tyrus and Sidon who came to Christ. 1. It beseemeth the mercy of the good shepherd to leave ninety and nine sheep in the Wildernesse and go after one which is lost Luke 15.4 And when all is done alas he hath but one of an whole hundred Christ hath not the tithe of mankinde He maketh a Journey while he is wearied and thirsty through Samaria yea and wanteth his dinner for one Woman at that draught of his net and thinketh he dineth like a King and above if he save one Ioh. 4.33 34. O sweet husbands word Jer. 3.14 I am married to you and I will take you one of a citie and two of a Tribe and I will bring you to Zion Christ taketh sinners not by dozens not by thousands its but once in all the word Act. 2. that three Thousand are converted at once but by one's and two 's Though Israel be as the sand of the Sea yet a Remnant shall but bee saved 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 9.27 Esa. 10.22 The Reliques and Refuse shall be saved only 2. Common Love scarce amounteth to Grace because Grace is separative and singleth out one of many all graced persons are priviledged persons Heaven is a house of chosen and priveledged ones there 's no common stones in the New Jerusalem but all precious stones the foundations Saphirs the windows Agats and Carbuncles all the Borders of pleasant stones Esa. 54.11 12. 3. Christs way lyeth so of two grinding at the mil of two in the field together of two in one bed Christ wil have but one Christ often wil not have both husband and wife both Father and Son but the one Brother Iacob not Esau of a whole house Christ cometh to the Devils fire side and chuseth one and draweth him out and leaveth all the Family to the devil 4. Christ knoweth them well whom he chuseth Grace is a rare peece of the choise and the floor of the love of Heaven there bee many common stones not many Pearls not many Diamonds and Saphirs The multitude be all Arminians from the womb every Heresie is a peece of the old Adams wanton wit thousands go to Hell black Hereticks and Heterodox as touching the Doctrine of themselves every man hath Grace if you believe himself Vnusquisque est in eâ heresi every man taketh Heaven for his home and heritage Dogs think to rest in Christs bosome men naturally believe though they be but up and down with Christ yet Christ doth so bear them at good-will as to give Grace and Glory Obj. 1. Gods Love is not infinite if it bee limited to a few Ans. This should conclude that there be an infinite number of Men and Angels to whom Gods Love to Salvation is betrothed in affection but his love is infinite in its Act not in its Object The way of carrying on his love is infinite Obj. 2. To ascribe
moveth God to give Christ is enough to move him to give all other things with Christ as by what right even the right of a Son a Father giveth the Inheritance to his Son by that same he giveth him food rayment protection physick there be not two Parents here but by one and the same covenant Ezech. 36.25 26. The Lord giveth to his people remission of sins and v. 30. He multiplieth the fruit of the Trees and removeth Famine In the same spirituall capacity of sons we pray that Our father would forgive us our sins and give us our daily bread Get Christ first the great ship and then all other things the cock-boat saileth after him with the same motion and wind they be not two tides and two winds that carry on the Ship and the Boat Christ injoyed by Faith traileth after him death life the world things present and things to come if God give you Christ in the same Charter all things are yours because yee are Christs and Christ Gods 1 Corinth 3.21 Christ watereth with his blessing all things if all that a Saint hath be blessed and every thing to speak so mercied and christianed even his basket his dough Deut. 28.5 His inheritance must be blessed much more all Christs inheritance must be blessed because he is the seed the Spring abstract of blessings Now Christ Heb. 1.2 is appointed the heir of all things then he is the heir of a draught of water of brown bread of a straw-bed on the earth and hard stones to be the pillow to the Saints to the children of God hell to speak so is heaven'd sorrow joyed poverty riched death inlivened dust and the grave animated and quickned with life and resurrection God save me from a draught of water without Christ peace and deliverance from the sword without Christ and the Gospel are linked and chained to the curse of God alas if men have the single creature they make no account how other things go Give us Peace upon any terms say they you may have the earth peace and the creature and the Devil to salt them to you with the curse of God Judas had the bag at his girdle but withall the Devil in his heart the creature wanteth life and blood without Christ. 2. All mercy that is graced mercy is to be sought in Iesus Christ every mercy is mercy because it s in Christ every stream is water because it s of the element of water every thing in its own element and nature is most copious water is no where so abundant as in the sea so in Christ the great treasure of heaven there is fulnesse Ioh. 1.16 but Col. 1.18 There 's a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a fulnesse in Christ but 2. A 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fulnesse that fulnesse that all fulnes And 3. that all fulnesse is not in Christ as a stranger in an Inne coming in and going out but it pleased the Father 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that it should dwell and remain in him The grace and mercy that is in Christ must be sought and no other upon these grounds 1. It s a speciall choice mercy that is in Christ For 1. No person could serve Gods ends in such a way as Christ did being so compleat as he is ◠God out of the deep of his wisdom found out such a Mediator and so graced Isaac should have been undutifull if he had refused a wife of his fathers choosing for both out of love and much wisdom he choosed her now when God out of infinite love and deep wisdom hath chosen to us an husband an head such a head such a Captaine and Leader in whom there is such fulnesse shall we refuse him and shall we not seek the best things in him Now Christ is a husband of Gods choosing Isa. 42.1 Behold my chosen one in whom my soul delighteth 2. It s not from God that we now receive mercy immediately but from Christ God in the Mediator though Grace and Mercy be every way free yet now mercy is a flower that groweth in our land in him who is our blood-friend so now we have mercy by nature as well as by good will we must have it by an act of the man Christs will and when our Writs are waxen old why seek we not that which God hath laid by for us Grace is more connaturall to us now in that it is in the bosome of our brother and ours by derivation 3. There 's a difference between mercy and purchased mercy it s payed for mercy that we receive and so more excellent then Angel mercy As some waters that run through mettals hath a more excellent vertue then those that spring from pure earth mercy is so much the more desirable that its a River issuing through that more then golden and precious Redeemer and so to us it s twice mercy to the Angels it s but once mercy Even as the Bee gathers sweetnesse out of various and diverse flowers yet it s so composed that the liquor resulting out of them all hath not any particular taste from the sundry flowers the Violet the Pink the Rose the Woodbine the Claver but it tastes of hony only so we all have meeting in Christ Wife Children Houses Lands honour to the Saints have not their own naturall taste but out of all there 's in them a spirituall resultance of some heavenly composure of Christs sweetnesse and are so sprinkled and dipt in Grace and Mercy that as fresh Rivers do borrow a new taste from the Sea when they flow in to its bosome so all earthly favours borrow a new smell and relish from the fountain Christ What doe they say then that teach that a man may have all Graces yea and poverty of spirit and yet want Christ As if these could be separated he that believeth hath the son Grace and Christ cannot be separated Ephesians 1.2 Galatians 1.3 Iohn 1.11 These by-ways sunder souls and the foundation Christ. SERMON X. MY daughter is grievously vexed with a Devill Children especially to mothers whose affections are more weak and soft are taking lovers especially being parts and substantiall shadows of our self yet four things are considerable in us to them 1. So to hold as we are willingly to let go love them as creatures only often the childe is the mothers daughter and the mothers God 2. We are to strive to have them freed from under the power of the Devill as this woman doth for they come into the world fuell for Hell Parents make more accompt all their life to make gold rather then grace their childrens Patrimony and Legacy 3. Look at them as May-flowres as born to come and appear for a space in the element of death so they sport laugh run eat drink and glister like Comets in the Air or flying Meteors in the Spheare of the Clouds and often go down to the grave before their Parents 4. Beware of selfinesse for
into wantonnesse SERMON XIV LOst sheep Lost is either understood of the common condition of all men and so because all are the Hieres of wrath Eph. 2. All have sinned and commeth short of the glory of God Rom. 3.23 and so are lost But the Scripture intituleth men by that which they are in their own esteem as Mat. 9.13 I am not come to call the righteous but sinners to Repentance this may seem to hold forth that there be some sinners and some not sinners but righteous whereas none are righteous that sinneth not Rom. 3.10 But God giveth to men the title which they give themselves and so lost here is such as are lost in their own esteem for Christs intention in comming in the flesh and dying is to seek and to save the lost Luk. 19.10 In this sense Mat. 9.13 and 1 Tim. 1.15 Christ came to save sinners otherwise all the house of Israel are lost Jer. 50.6 My people have been lost sheep Ezek. 3.4 Neither have ye sought that which was lost Nor is this to be meant of the lost considered as redemption is purchased in this notion Christ died for his enemies Rom. 5.10 the just for the unjust 1 Pet. 3.18 and so for the lost But we are here lead to this that these at whose salvation Christ hath a speciall ayme and whom he actuâ—ally converteth are first sinners And lost in their own eyes as is clear Mat. 9.13 1 Tim. 1.15 Luk. 19.10 It is one thing to be lost and a sinner and another thâ—ng to be self-lost as many are loaden who are not weary and yet none are wâ—ary but they be loaden 1. All that Christ converteth are self-sinners too but Christ converteth not all sinners Hence Christ actually calleth and sâ—veth but those who are such and so prepared now there is a preparation of order and a preparation of deserving I cannot say there are preparations in the converted by way of deserving Christ calleth not sinners because or for that they are sinners in their own sense For he hath mercy on whom he will 2. Nor are their preparations in the converted to which conversion is promised as a free reward of grace which may be called morall preparations there is no such promise in the word as this Whosoever are wearied and lost in their own eyes they shall be converted yea 3. It s hard to affirm that all who are prepared with these preparations of order are infallibly converted it s like Judas Cain reputed themselves sinners and had some law-work in their heart and yet were never converted But Gods ordinary way is to bring men into Christ being first self lost and self-condemned and that upon these grounds that proveth Gods way of working to be successive 1. Because conversion is a rationall work and the Gospel is a morall instrument of conversion therefore Christ here openeth a veine ere he give Physick he first cutteth and then cureth for though in the moment of formall conversion men be patients and can neither prevent Christ nor co-operate with Christ yet the whole work about conversion is not done in a moment for men are not converted as the Lillies grow which do not labour nor spin there be some pangs in the new birth nor are men converted as Simon carried Christs crosse altogether against their will they do hear and read the word freely nor are men converted beside their knowledge as Cajaphas prophecied nor are we to think with Enthusiasts that God doth all with one immediate rapt as the Sun in its rise inlighteneth the air The Gospel worketh morally as doth the Law Reasons work not in a moment as fire flaughts in the air Christ putteth souls to weigh the bargain to consider the field and the pearle and then buy it 2. Christs saving and calling the lost is a new creation as well as a generation A childe is not born in one day saving Grace is not Physick that worketh the cure while the sick man is sleeping Christ casteth the mettall in the fire ere he form the Vessell of mercy he must cast down old work ere he lay the new foundation 3. Conversion is a Gospel blessing and so must be wrought in a way suitable to the scope of the Gospel Now the speciall intent of the Gospel is to bring men to put a high and rich price upon Christ and this is one Gospel-offer What thinkest thou of so excellent a one as Christ What wouldst thou part with What wouldst thou do or suffer for Christ Now men cannot prize Christ who have not found the terrors of the Law So Paul finding himself the chief of sinners and in that case saved 1 Tim. 1.15 Must hug and embrace Christ and burst out in a Psalm v. 17. Now to the King eternall immortall invisible the onely wise God be honour and glory for ever ever Amen A sight of the Gallows of the Ax raiseth in the condemned mans heart high thoghts of the Grace of a Pardoning Prince to be a Tenant of Free-Grace is so sweet a free-holding that it must put a high Rate on Free Grace 4. The Clay-organs and faculties of the soul working by them cannot bear the too great violence of Legall terrors for in reviving the Spirit Isa. 57.16 If he should let out all his wrath the souls should fail that he has made Nor can they bear that God let out all his strength of love in one moment rough or violent dealing should break Chrystall Glasses Christ should break the needle when he soweth a heart to himself if he should put to all his strength too swift motion of wheels may break the Mill Christ must drive softly for a sight of the fourth part of the fire of Hell and a sight of one chamber or one window of heaven is enough at once 1. It s not enough to be fitted for the Physick and not for the Physitian The weary and laden are fit to be eased but not fitted for Christ the Physitian except they come to him and believe Faith is a thing very suitable for Christ Ho every one that thirsteth â—ome ye to the waters and he that hath no money come buy and eat Isa. 55.1 It is true in regard of all good deserving moving God to have mercy on one rather then another Jerusalem and all converted are dying in their blood and no eye pittying them Ez. 16.6 8. And therefore are none discouraged to come because of their wretched estate that is to say we cannot come we have no money But Christ inviteth these which have no money though Christ seem to exclude the woman from mercy yet Christ in wisdom holdeth forth the promise here in that latitude of Free-Grace while as he saith he came for the lost sheep that there is room for the woman and all believing Gentiles to come in and lay hold on the Covenant Sense of wretchednesse and unbelief representeth Christ as too narrow and contracteth and
other temptation 3. Hence the conscience is timerous and traverseth its wayes under the Triall when a night Traveller dare not trust the ground he walketh on he is in a sad condition he is under two evils and hath neither comfort nor confidence Isa. 50. He that walketh in darknesse and hath no light but some glimmering of star light or half moon under the earth and knoweth not the ground he walketh in Let him trust in the name of the Lord. 8. She runneth not away from Christ under desertion But 1. She cometh to him it s a question what deserted souls shall do in that case See 2. that you run not from Christ it was a desertion that Saul was under and a sad one we read of but he maketh â—â—â—fession of his condition to the Devil a sad word 1 Sam. 28.15 I am sore distressed thereâ—s a heavy and lamentable reason given why the Philistines make War against me Why That is not much they make War alwayes against the people of God Nay but here is the marrow and the soul of all vengeance God is departed from me Why Foolish man What availeth it thee to tell the Devil God is departed from thee Judas was under a totall desertion he went not to Christ but to the murtherers of Christ to open his wound I have sinned Fool say that to the Saviour of sinners the Church deserted Cant. 1. 5. betaketh her self to Christ and searcheth him out Saw ye him whom my soul loveth It s a bad token when men conceiving themselves to be in calamity maketh lies amd policy their refuge Obj. But it is a greater sin to go to Christ being in a state of sin What have I to do to go to him whom I have offended so highly Ans. To run from Christ under desertion is two deaths 1. Desertion is one and if reall the saddest hell out of hell 2. To flee from Christ and life is another death now to come to him though he should kill thee for thy presumption is but one death and a little one in comparison of the other and one little death is rather to be chosen then two great deaths 2. Consider how living a death it is to be killed doing a duty and aiming to flee in to Christ better die by Christs own hand if so it must be as by another and better be buried and lie dead at his feet as to run away from him in a heavy desertion if the believer must die its better his grave to be made under the Throne and under the feet of Jesus Christ as to die in a state of strangenesse and alienation from Christ not daring to come nigh him all the deserted ones that we read of did flee in to himself Psal. 34. Psal. 88. Psal. 39. Job 13.15 Isa. 38. 2. It s good to claime him as thy God though he should deny thee and creep into him though he should throw thee out of his sight Better kisse the sword that killeth thee and be slaine with his own hand as cast away thy confidence 25. But she came and worshipped An heavier temptation cannot befall a soul tender of Christs love then to cry to God and not be answered and to cry and receive a flat and downright renouncing of the poor supplicant yet this doth not thrust her from a duty she commeth and worshippeth and prayeth It s a blessed mark when a temptation thrusteth not off a soul from a duty and 1. when the danger and sad triall is seen its good to go on Christ knew before he should suffer and when they would apprehend him yet he went to the garden to spend a piece of the night in prayer It was told Paul by Agabus if he went to Ierusalem the Jews should binde him and deliver him to the Gentiles it was his duty to go thither he professeth he will go Act. 21.13 What mean ye to weep and break my heart I am ready not onely to be bound but to die for the name of Iesus dying could not thrust him from a duty Esther ran the hazard of death to go in to the King yet conscience of a duty calling she goeth on in faith If I perish I perish 2. In the act of suffering Christ on the Crosse prayeth and converteth the Thief Paul with an iron chain upon his body preacheth Christ before Agrippa and his enemies and preaching Christ was the crime Paul and Silas with bloudy souldiers must sing Psalms in the stocks 3. Indefinitely after the triall and when the temptation is on yet the Saints go on Psal. 44 17. All this is come on us there is the temptation the duty Yet we have not forgotten thee neither dealt falsely in thy Covenant Ps. 119.23 Princes did speak against me there is a temptation yet here is a duty But thy servant did meditate on thy Statutes vers 81. My soul fainteth for thy salvation but I hope in thy Word vers 110. The wicked have laid a snare for me yet I erred not from thy Precepts ver 157. Many are my persecuters and mine enemies yet do I not decline from thy Testimonies Psal. 109.3 They fought against me without cause vers 4. For my love they were my adversaries but I gave my self to prayer 1. It s a sign of a sweet humbled servant who can take a buffet and yet go about his Masters service and when a soul can passe thorow fire and water to be at a duty for then the conscience of the dutie hath more prevailing power to act obedience then the salt and bitternesse of the temptation hath force to subdue and vanquish the Spirit its like Grace hath the day and better of Corruption 2. It argueth a soul well watched and kept from the incursion of a house sin and a home-bred corruption for the temptation setteth on the nearest corruption as fire kindleth the nearest powder and dry timber and so goeth along Ps. 18.18 They prevented me in the day of my calamity vers 23. I was upright before him and I kept my self from mine iniquity The Devill hath a friend within us now there be degrees of friends some nearer of blood then other some the mans own predominant is the dearer friend to Satan then any other sin if pride be the predominant it s so Satan his first-born he agents his businesse by pride 3. So it may argue that the soul steeled and fortified with grace taketh occasion from the sinfulnesse of the temptation and the edge of it to be more zealous and active in duties David scoffed at by Michol said I le be more vile yet so Psal. 22.7 All that see me laugh me to scorn they shoot out the lip they shake the head 8. He trusted in the Lord c. See here a heavy temptation but his faith diggeth deeper to the first experience of Gods goodnesse vers 9. But thou art he that took me out of the womb c. As the Church mocked with this
humility is no daring grace it dare scarce seek to be a door keeper in heaven it setteth it self in hell 2. Though humility be well born of kin to sweet Iesus who is lowly and meek Yet Christ and Christ only is humilities free-hold The humble soul knoweth no Land-lord but Christ and is only Graces humble Tenant there is none to him but the Lord Jesus with his rich ransom of blood 1 Tim. 1.16 17. So there is much humility in heaven if it were possible that tears could be in heaven the humble Saints that are there should not see Christ reach out a Crown to set on their head but they should weep and hold away their head yea the glorified are ashamed to bear a crown of glory on their head when they look Christ on the face and so cannot but cast down their crownes before the Throne Rev. 4.10 3. All the Saints truly humbled cry up Christ and down themselves and in their own books are farre from Christ as any Matth. 8.8 9. I am not worthy that thou shouldst come under my roof but speak the word only and my servant shall be healed yea we gather from Jobs pleading chap. 14. that humble Saints think not themselves only below grace and mercy but also below the glory of justice and wrath Job 14.2 Man fleeth also as a shadow and continueth not 3. And dost thou open thine eyes upon such a one and bringest me unto judgement with thee 4. Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean one Not one he would say I am not only frail by condition of nature being a shadow of clay v. 1 2. But also by birth sinfull and unclean by reason of sin originall I am therefore a party unworthy of the anger of God as a Beggar is not worthy of the wrath of the Emperour or a worm of the indignation of an Angel 4. Any man is nearer God then the humble soul in his own eyes Psal. 22.24 Our father 's trusted in thee c. 6. I am a worme and no man Because humility is a soul smoothed and lying levell with it self no higher then God hath set it Ps. 131.1 I do not exercise my self in great matters or in things too high for me The proud soul hath feathers broader then his nest 5. The humble soul is a door-neighbour to Grace Christ is near a casten-down mourner in Zion to give him beauty for ashes the garments of praise for the spirit of heavinesse Isa. 61.3 Christ hath a Napkin for the wet face of a humbled sinner Christ the Chirurgion of souls hath a wheel to set in joynt the broken heart Isa. 61.1 There 's a Saviours hand in heaven to wheel in an ill-boned soul on earth Ps. 51.8 O what consolation Christ doth both seek and save the self-lost soul Luke 19.10 The Lamb one of the lowliest and meekest creatures hath a bed beside the heart and in the bosome of Christ Isa. 40.11 He shall carry the Lambs in his bosome yea he shall deliver the needy when he cryeth the poor also and him that hath no helper Ps. 72.12 The Lord giveth more grace he resisteth the proud and giveth grace to the humble Grace upon grace is for the humble Jam. 4.6 6. The humble cannot complain of Gods dispensation 1 Sam. 15.26 Humble David But if the Lord say I have no delight in thee behold here am I let him do to me as seemeth good to him That I am not fettered with the Prince of darknes is the debt of grace on me then that you are any thing lesse then timber and fire-wood for Tophet put it up in Christs compt and strike sail to Christ and stoop to him 7. Yet is the hope of the humble green at the root it shall not be as a broken tree Ps. 9.18 1. Because God shall save the humble Job 22.29 2. And hear his desire Psa. 10.17 3. Revive his spirit Isa. 57.15 4. Beautifie him with salvation Ps. 149.4 5. Honour him Prov. 15.33 6. Satisfie him Psal. 22.26 7. Guide him i◠judgment Ps. 25.9 8. Encrease his joy Isa. 29.19 9. Blesse him Mat. 5.5 and give him a sure inheritance None can extoll Crace as the humble soul 1 Cor. 15.10 Not I but the grace of God in me 1 Cor. 4. I have written that ye be not puffed up for one against another 7. For who maketh to differ from another And what hast thou that thou didst not receive 1 Cor. 1.27 28 29. Then because thou art litle in thine own eies put not thy self out of graces writing for God putteth thee in Grace is mercy given for nothing and the promise is made to the humble In the judgment of sense every one is to esteem another better then himself Phil. 2.3 Peter is to have a deeper sense of his own sinfull condition then of the sinfull condition of Judas the Traitor Though Peter being graced of God owe more charity to himself then to Iudas when Judas is a known Traitor yet should not humility decline to that extream as to weaken Faith and to say because I am unworthy of pardon therefore its presumption to believe pardon of sins Beware of Pride the Elephants neck and knees that cannot bow God must break God knoweth the proud afar off Psal. 138.6 the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gavoah is the high man the Scripture word Iam. 4.6 is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the proud man is an appearance not a reall thing and an appearance more then enough the Phrase importeth two 1. It s borrowed from men who see things near hand before they see things afar off and so more of their eyes is fixed on that which is near hand and so it s more delighted in we see things a far off with lesse delight to the sense Lorinus Quasi in transitu videre and with contempt The humble man lieth near Gods eye the proud man is further from his eye and seen in the by and with contempt by God 2. A man seeth his enemy a far off and loveth not to come near to him God hath an old quarrell against pride as one of the oldest enemies born in heaven in the breast of the fallen Angels and thrown out of heaven and it seeketh to be up at its own element and countrey where it was born as proud men are climbing and aspiring creatures But God a far off resisteth the proud and denieth grace or any thing of heaven to the proud Pharisee When God first seeth a proud man he saith Behold my enemy the lowly man is Christs friend 4. Though the woman be a dog in her own eyes and so a sinner See O sinner rich mercy that Christ should admit of dogs to his Kingdom O Grace that Christ should black his fair hands to speak so in washing foul and defiled dogs How unworthy sinners and so foul sinners that they should be under Christs table and eat his bread within
justice as we are ready to conceit of our Evangelick rejoicing and holiest works But they are to sorrow for offended love for the body of sin breaking out in scandals I may then have peace with God in the assurance of remission and removall of eternall wrath and yet not have peace with my own conscience 1. Because I may be perswaded that God in Christ hath forgiven me yet am I not to forgive my self 2. I am to beleeve that in Christ I am delivered from eternall wraâ—h and justified in Christ and yet to sorrow that I have sinned against Christs love 3. I may have peace sense of peace and Pardon in Christ and yea a necessary disquietnesse sorrow and tears that I should have been so unthankfull to so lovely a Redeemer so Christ doth commend the womans tears as a sign of love and of the sense of many sins pardoned Luke 7.44 Thou gavest me no water for my feet But she hath washed my feet with tears yet many sins were forgiven her v. 47. Hence I may 1. Beleeve the Remission of that sin for which I am to sorrow and for the Remission of which I am to pray and which I am to confesse Nathan said to David thy sin is pardoned yet the Spirit of God after that both confessed sorrowed prayed for pardon in David 2. We may comfort those that mourn for sin from assurance of Pardon and yet exhort them to be humbled and afflicted in spirit and to confesse sorrow and pray for Pardon so Antinomians rejoicing evermore after justification without sorrow remorse down-casting for sin at all is but fleshly wantonnesse I may have and ought to have a disquieted spirit and no peace with my self and yet peace with God even as the Sea after a storme and when the winds are gone and the Aire is calmed hath yet a raging and great motion by reason of wind inclosed in the bowels of the Sea and after the cool of a mighty Feaver yet are the humours in the body stirred and distempered But we are hence led to finde out resolution for divers cases of consciences after justification 1. Many dare not question their state of justification so are freed from the storms of apprehended wrath arising from the guilt of sin yet there is another storm within the bowels of the Sea arising from the indwelling of the body of guilt the storm before justification is lesse free lesse ingenuous more servile as looking to that Eternall wrath hanging over the soul for unpardoned sin this is more free and is a peaceable a gracious and heavenly storm raised not for sin unpardoned the Eternal punishment thereof but for sin as sin as indwelling not for the penall guilt and the sting of Hell in sin but for the sinfull guilt and the wounding of Christ. 2. It s unpossible this latter storme can be in the soul till the sentence of justification be pronounced as none can have the moved bowels of a son for the offence of a Father till he be a son 2. Another case is that many have an absolute loose and laxe peace and calmnesse great confidence of deliverance from Eternall wrath and so of a supposed pardon whose peace is convinced to be but a base outside and meer paintry and fairding because there is in them no storm for sin as sin and for the over-motions of boiling lusts no tendernesse to walk spiritually A Faith that eateth out the bottome and bowels of conscience of declining sin and walking with God is the justification of the Antinomians of the old Gnosticks of the naturall men all our professors are cured none or few are healed 3. Full assurance that Christ hath delivered Paul from condemnation yea so full and reall as produceth thanksgiving and triumphing in Christ Rom. 7.25 Rom. 8.1 2. may and doth consist with complaints and outcryes of a wretched condition for the indwelling of the body of sin Rom. 7.14 15 16.23 24. Then the justified that are whole not sick not pained are yet in their sins and not justified what ever Antinomians say on the contrary 4. The flesh in the justified cannot complain of indwelling sin but the flesh mixt with some life of Christ may raise a false Alaram of sins not pardoned which are really pardoned some false grief may and often hath its rise from a false and imaginary ground as a sanctified soul may praise God through occasion of a lying report of the victory of the Church of God when there is no such matter a sanctified child may spiritually mourn for the supposed death of his Father or that he hath offended his Father according to the flesh when his Father is neither dead nor offended at all So gracious affections as gracious may work spiritually upon supposed and false grounds when there is no cause as that the soul hath grieved his heavenly Father and that he is displeased when it is not so 5. Sin indwelling is a greater evill then the feared evill of ten hells and therefore there is more cause of sorrow for sin confession disquietnesse of spirit after justification then before because sin the only true object of fear and disquietnesse of spirit is both a ghuest dwelling in the soul and is more really and distinctly apprehended as a spirituall evil after the light of faith hath shown us the sinfulnesse of sin then ever it was discovered to be before 6. I doubt if justified souls are to be refuted in their complaints and fears for the indwelling of sin providing they fear not eternall wrath which fear is contrary to faith and so they fear not and sorrow not for that God hath changed the Court and the wind of his love turned in the contrary air and he hath forgotten to be mercifull 7. Faith chargeth us to believe that Grace shall at length finally subdue sin and as boat-men labour with oars to promove their course in sailing even when the wind sails and tide are doing somewhat to promove the course so doth faith which purifieth the heart set the soul on work to perfect holinesse in the fear of God and believeth also that God shall work both to will and to do It s not then good Physick for many exercised in conscience especially after their first conversion to apply only the honey and sweetnesse of consolations of the Gospel as if there were not any need of humiliation and sorrow for sin Yet it is to be cleared that 1. Sorrow for sin is no satisfaction for sin for the pride of merit is crafty and can creep in at a smal hole We think there is no repentance where there be no tears God of purpose withholdeth tears as knowing when water goes out wind cometh in 2. They are tenderly to be bound up and comforted in whom sin riseth up with a witnesse O what pity and humble on-looking should be here For a hell of pain in the body is nothing wheels racks whips hot irons breaking
to the sails in that flux of the souls way toward God But Faith moderateth and lesseneth all these in relation to the creature so the Faith which hath its direct aspect toward eternity and looketh on the shortnesse of sliding away time and the transâ—ent wheeling away oâ— the poor figure of this world 1 Cor. 7. v. 29.31 turneth all these acts into but half a face on thâ— creature and into leasurely and leaden motions or to half non-acts as if made up of heavenlâ— contradictions v. 29 30 31. Having wives having no wives Weeping no weeping Rejoicing no rejoicing Buying no possessing Vsing the world not using the world When the Saints throng through the presse and croud of the creatures for the world is a bushie and rank wood thorns take hold of their garments and retard them in their way Faith looseth their garments riddeth them of such thornie friends as are too kind to them in their journy who diggeth for Iron and Tin in the earth with mattocks of Gold What wise man would make a Web of cloth of gold a net to catch fish Expences should over-grow gains There 's much of the mettall of heaven in the soul Faith would forbid us to wear out the threds of this immortall spirit such as are love joy fear sorrow upon peeces of corruptible clay Alas is it Faiths light that setteth men a work to make the soul a golden-needle and the precious powers and affections thereof threds of silver to sow together peeces of sackcloth and old rotten rags What better I pray you is the finest of the web in the whole systeme of creation Certainly the heavens must be a thred of better wool then the clay-earth yet if you should break your immortal spirit and bend all the acts to the highest extent of your affections to conquer thousands of Acres of ground in the Heavens and intitle your soul to that inheritance as to your onely patrimonie without Christ Faiths day-light should discover to you that this finest part of that web of Creation with which you desire to cloth your precious soul is but base wool and rotten thred and though beautifull and well dyed to the eye yet Psal. 102.26 The heavens even all of them shall wax old like a garment And the wisdome of Faith knoweth a shop where there 's a more excellent suit of clothes for the soul 2 Cor. 5.1 2. And a more precious peece of the Heaven to dwell in even a House which is from Heaven with which you shall bee clothed When life shall eat up death and mortality 2. The creatures are below the affections of the believer and his affections conquer them as having the vantage of the mount above all the creatures So Paul maketh an elegant contrariety Phil. 3.19 20. Between those whose heart senses minde findeth neither smell taste nor wisedome but in earthly things for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to minde things of the earth importeth all these and those who by Faith look to Heaven and dwell there And the temporaries heart is below the world and the creatures are up in the mount above him So Mat. 13. v. 7.22 The thorns or cares of riches have the fore-start of the earth and sap above Faith or the good seed For the seed was cast in the earth when the thorns had been there before and had the vantage of the season and the soil both The first love is often strongest The Martyrs Heb. 11.35 had poor and weak thoughts of this life and would not accept and welcome life and deliverance from death but had strong acts of Faith and love toward a better resurrection It s a souls strong Faith that bringeth him to nil admirari and to wonder at nothing Never to love much nor fear much nor sorrow much nor joy much nor weep much nor laugh much nor hope much nor dispaire much when the creature is the object of all these acts there is nothing great not the worlds All things or their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to him who is possessed with that Righteousnes which is of God by Faith Phil. 3.8 9. Men that talketh with good will and all their heart of their learning books of their own Acts good Works Wisdom Court Honour valour in War Flocks Lands Gold Moneys Children Friends Travels are to Examine If Faith be not a chaste thing and that acts of whoredome with the creature and of believing in Christ are scarce consistent Let your affections move toward the creature without sound of feet 3. There must be self-forsaking in believing 1. An affirming and an ay to grace is a negation and deniall to it self 1 Cor. 15.10 I laboured more abundantly then they all Yet not I but the grace of God which was with me To deny that you are Christs or that you have any grace if Christ have any thing of his in you is not self-deniall but grace deniall and God-deniall deny the work of the spirit and deny himself It s a saying of humility Cant. 1.5 I am black and of Faith but comely as the tents of Kedar as the curtains of Solomon And Cant. 5.1 I slept but my heart waked It s Faith to hold fast your state of adoption Lord I am thine 2. When our self maketh a suit to self and putteth in a bill to the flesh O pitie thy self Rejoice O young man in thy youth It s self-renouncing to deny this request to the flesh And Faith only can give an answer to self-declining the crosse He that denieth me before men him will I deny before my Father and his holy Angels saith Christ. And another answer Faith giveth Rom. 8.12 I am not debtor to thee O flesh I owe thee nothing And its Faiths word of answer Eccles. 11.9 But know thou that for all these things God will bring thee unto judgement 3. Faith putteth the soul in that condition that self may be plucked from self without great violence as an apple full of the tree and of harvest-sap is with a small motion pluckt off the stalk Act. 21.13 I am ready 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I have my self in readinesse not only to be bound but also to dye at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus Certainly Faith saw here more in Jesus of excellency and sweetnesse then there could be of bitternes in bonds and death to self 4. There 's a deniall of the creature and a bill of defiance sent to all the lovers of the world when Ephraim is brought to this act of believing Hos. 14.3 For in thee the Fatherlesse findeth mercy Then it s said Ashur shall not save us We will not ride upon horses That creature that we trust on we ride upon it as Israel did upon the horses of Assyria and Aegypt But in this regard Faith dismounteth the believer and abaseth him to walk on foot All the creatures are ships to the believer without a bottome They are empty and weak David forbiddeth us to ride on a Prince
Psal. 146.3 4. For that horse shall faint and fall to clay God alloweth Scotland to help England but will not have the souls of his children in England to ride upon an Army of another Nation and to trust in them for salvation To make fire is not so proper to fire To give light not so kindly to the Sun as salvation is Gods only due and therefore let England in this walk on foot and trust in the Lord. 5. The fifth ingredient also in Faith is that it s bottomed upon the sense and pain of a lost condition Poverty is the nearest capacity of believing This is Faiths method Be condemned and be saved Be hanged and be pardoned Be sick and be healed Mat. 9.13 Jam. 4.7 8. Mat. 11.28 Luke 19.10 Faith is a floor of Christs only planting yet it groweth out of no soil but out of the margin and bank of the lake of fire and brimstone in regard there be none so fit for Christ and Heaven as those who are self-sick and self-condemned to Hell This is a foundation to Christ that because the man is broken and has not bread therefore he must be sold and Christ must buy him and take him home to his fireside and clothe him and feed him The chased man pursued upon death and life who hath not a way for life but one nick of a rock if he misse that he is a dead man had he a hundred lives So is the believer pursued for blood there is but one City of refuge in Heaven or out of Heaven this is only only Jesus Christ the great rock And it is true it s in a manner forced Faith and forced love cast upon Christ upon a great venture yet we may make necessity here the greatest vertue or the highest grace and that is to come to Christ. Satan doth but ride upon the weaknesse of many proving that they are not worthy of Christ which is the way of a Sophist to prove an evident truth that cannot be denied But there 's no greater vantage can be had against Sin and Satan then this because I am unworthy of Christ and out of measure sinfull and I finde it is so Satan and conscience teaching me that truth to bring me on a false conclusion therefore ought I therefore must I come to Christ unworthy as I am For free-grace is moved from within it self from Gods good will only without any motion or action from sin to put it self forth upon the sinner to the end that sin being exceeding sinfull Grace may be abundantly Grace and no thanks to Satan for suggesting a true principle Thou art unworthy of Christ to promove a false conclusion Therefore thou art not to come to Christ for the contrary arguing is Gospel-logick Satans reasoning should be good if there were no way but the law to give life But because there is a Saviour a Gospel and a new and living way to Heaven The contrary arguing is the sinners life and happinesse 6. The sixt Ingredient in Faith is that the sinner can lay hold on the Promise 1. Not simply but with relation to the precept for presumptuous souls plunge in their foul souls in fair and precious promises and this is the Faith of Antinomians for the promise is not holden forth to sinners as sinners but as to such sinners for we make Faith to be an act of a sinner humbled wearied laden poor self-condemned now these be not all sinners but only some kinde of sinners Antinomians make faith an act of a lofty Pharisee of one vilde person applying with an immediate touch immediato contactu his hot boiling smoking lusts to Christs wounds blood merits without any conscience of a precedent Commandement that the person thus beleeving should be humbled wearied loaden grieved for sin I confess this is hasty hot work and maketh Faith a stride or one single step but it s a wanton fleshly and a presumptuous immediate work to lay hold on the promises of mercy and be saved This is the absolute and loose Faith that Papists and Arminians slandereth our Doctrine withall because we reject all foregoing merits good works congruous dispositions preparations moving God to convert this man because he hath such preparations and to reject and to leave another man to his own hardnesse of heart because he hath no such payment in hand by which he may redeem and buy conversion and the grace of Effectuall calling especially they building all upon a Babel of their own brick and clay that free-will in all acts of obedience before or after conversion is absolutely indifferent to do or not do to obey or not obey to choose Heaven and life hell or death as it pleaseth as being free and loosed from all Praedetermination and fore-going motion acting or bowing of the will comming either from Gods naturall or his efficacious or supernaturall Providence And so the Papist and Arminian on the one extremity inthroneth nature and extolleth proud merit and abaseth Christ and Free-grace The Familist Libertine and Antinomian on a contrary extremity and opposition turn man into a block and make him a meer patient in the way to Heaven and under pretence of exalting Christ and Free-grace set up the flesh liberty licence loosenesse on the throne and make the way to heaven on the other extremity as broad as to comply with all presumptuous proud fleshly men walking after their lusts and yet as they dream believing in Christ. 2. The soul seeth Christ in all his beauty excellency treasures of Free-grace lapped up with the curtain of many precious promises now the naturall man knowing the literall meaning and sense of the promises seeth in them but words of gold and things a far off and in truth taketh heaven to be a beautifull and golden phancy and the Gospel-promises a shower of pretious Rubies Saphirs Diamonds fallen out of the clouds only in a night dream and therefore jeers and scoffs at the day of judgment and at heaven and hell 2 Pet. 3.1 2 3. For can every capacity smell and taste the unsearchable riches of Christ the fulnesse of God in the womb of the promises by meditating on them and sending them in their sweetnesse and heavenly excellency down to the affections to embrace them No it cannot be that words and sounds and syllables can so work upon a natural spirit If you show not to a buyer pretious and rare commodities and bring them not before the sun he shall never be taken so with things hidden in your coffers as to be in love with them and to sell all he hath and buy them Preachers cannot nay it s not in their power to make the natural spirit see the beauty of Christ Paul Preacheth it but the Gospel is hidden from the blinded man 2 Cor. 4.3 If I cannot Communicate light far lesse can I infuse love in the soul of a lost man 3. Literall knowledge of Christ is not in the power of naturall men but laying down
this ground that a Pharisee lend eyes and ears to Christ and his miracles The light of the Gospel worketh as a naturall agent for make open windows in a house whether the indweller will or he will not the fun shall dart in day light upon the house Joh. 7.28 Then cryed Jesus in the Temple as he taught saying Ye both know me and ye know whence I am And there is a covering upon the spirituall senses and faculties of the soul of naturall men that though eyes and ears and mind and soul be opened yet it s as unpossible for the naturall spirit or the Preacher to remove that covering as to remove a Mountain it being as heavy as a Mountain And therefore there be three bad signes in a naturall spirit 1. His light which is but literall is a burden to him it but vexeth him to know Christ and if a beam of light fall in on the apple of the eye of a natural conscience it s a throne between the bone and the flesh the man shall not sleep and yet he is not sick I doubt if either Achitophel or Iudas wakened with their light could sleep 2. Though a promise should dispute and argue Christ in at the door of the natural mans soul as the Gospel by way of arguing may doe much Ioh. 7.28 Ioh. 12.37 Heb. 11.1 The word of the Gospel being a rationall convincing Syllogisme as Christ saith Ioh. 15.24 But now they have both seen and hated both me and my Father Yet men may see the principles and the conclusion and hate and practically suspend the assent from the conclusion 3. Conversion is feared as a great danger by naturall men lest the promises put them on the pain and the main mill of godlinesse For men do flee nothing but that which they apprehend as evil dangerous and so the true object of fear Now when Faelix and Agrippa were both upon the wheels I cannot say that Conversion formally was begun yet materially it was the one trembled and so was afraid and fled and did put Paul away till another time then he saw the danger of Grace Act. 24. vers 25 26. The other saith he was half a Christian but it was the poorest half and he arose and went aside Act. 26.28.30.31 The naturall spirit may be convinced by the promises and have the pap in his mouth but dare not milk out the sap and sweetnesse of the promises Matth. 13.15 Their eyes they have closed lest at any time they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and should understand with their heart and should be converted and I should heal them So is it Isa. 6.10 In which words conversion is feared as an evil as is clear So one wretch said hee was once in danger to be catched when a Puritan Preacher as he said was Preaching with Divine power evidence of the spirit of God 4 The true believers soul hath influence on the promises to act upon them to draw comfort out of them Ps. 119.92 Vnlesse thy Law had been my delight I should have perished in mine affliction ver 81. My soul fainteth for thy Salvation But I hope in thy word And there 's a reciprocation of Actions here the word acteth upon the soul again Psal. 119.50 This is my comfort in my affliction for thy word hath quickned mee A dead Faith is like a dead hand a living hand may lay hold on a dead hand but there 's no reciprocation of actions here the dead hand cannot lay hold on the living hand so the living wife may kisse and embrace the dead husband but there can come no reciprocall act of life from the dead husband to her nor can he kisse and embrace her The promise may act upon the naturall spirit to move and affect him but he can put forth no vitall act upon the promise to embrace it or lay hold upon the promise But the promise acteth upon the Believer to quicken him and he again putteth forth an act of life to embrace the promise and putteth forth on it some act of vitall heat to adhere cleave to and with warmnesse of heart to love it and here the case is as when the living hand layeth hold on the living hand they warm one another mutually according to that which Paul saith Phil. 3.12 But I follow after if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus Here be two living things Christ and believing Paul acting mutually one upon another there 's a heart and a life upon each side 5. Faith under fainting and great straits can so improve the promise as to put an holy and modest challenge upon God so Psal. 119.49 afflicted David saith Remember the word unto thy servant upon which thou hast caused me to hope and the Church Ier. 14.21 Do not abhor us for thy names sake do not disgrace the throne of thy glory remember break not thy Covenant with us and the Lord commandeth that this challenge be put on him Isa. 43.26 Put me in remembrance let us plead together then he giveth faith leave to plead on the contrary with God naturall spirits faint and cannot so far own the promise as to plead with God by their right and just claime to the promise Now the fourth point concerning faith is what grounds and Warrants the sinner hath to believe 4. It s an ordinary challenge made by Satan conscience and the Arminian since Christ died not for all and every one of mankinde and all are not chosen to life eternall but only those on whom the Lord is pleased according to the free decree of Election to confer the grace of believing What warrant can the unworthy sinner have to believe and to own the merits of Christ For he knoweth nothing of the Election or Reprobation that are hidden in Gods eternall minde for Answer 1. It s no presumption in me to believe in Christ before I know whither I be chosen to salvation or not for nothing can hinder me in this case to believe save only presumption as the adversaries say but it is not presumption because presumption is when the soul is lifted up and Towred like an high building as the word is Hab. 2.4 And therefore the lifted up man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gnophel is he that hideth himself in a high Castle as every unbelieving presumptuous soul hath his own Castle the unbeliever hath either one Ophel or high Tower or other either the King friends riches or his own wisdome for his God on which he resteth beside the God that the Scripture recommendeth to us as our onely rock and soul confidence All men on earth live and do all morall actions even when they go on in a wicked life as slaves of Hell to work all uncleannesse with greedinesse upon some ground of faith though a most false and counterfeit Faith that they shall prosper by evil doing and that sin shall make
them happy so Psalm 10.3 The wicked man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Praiseth the wicked man then he must believe that wickedness maketh men praise worthy and this belief is but presumptuous confiding and resting on a Tower of his own building Now to beleeve in Christ though the decree of Election be not revealed to me is no presumption for I am not obliged before I beleeve to know that I am elected to Glory It being one of Gods secrets not revealed in the Word but made manifest to me After I beleeve and am sealed unto the day of Redemption and therefore in a humble resting on Christ though the soul know not his Election which is not revealed in the word in that condition there can be no Pride nor presumption for he is self wise and presumptuous who intrudeth into those things that he hath not seen Col. 2.18 knoweth not that which God hath revealed and so which he ought to know now the believer ought not to know that he is elected to glory he yet being an unbeleever so his knowledge cannot deviate from a rule which doth not oblige to conformity therewith as with a Rule the Pourtract of Caesar doth not erre from the samplar because it is not like a Bull or a Horse because neither a Bull nor a Horse is the due samplar 2. To warrant an unworthy humble sinner to beleeve there 's no need of a positive Warrant or of a voice to say thou art elected to glory therefore believe the word is near thee in thy mouth yea there is a commandement laid upon the humbled sinner Come O weary and loaden sinner to Christ and be eased Now when the wind bloweth sweetly and fair upon an humbled siner who is elected to glory there goeth the Spirit of the Gospel along with this Commandement and the word of Commandment and the spirit united in one acteth and worketh so upon the soul that the humbled sinner cannot be deluded and led on a rock of presumption for this spirit joyneth and closeth with his spirit and he as one of Christs sheep knoweth this to be the voice of Christ. I grant when the same command of faith cometh to the ears of a Reprobate he may upon a false ground believe or rather presume he neither being rightly humbled and fitted for Christ nor can the Reprobate know and discern the wind of the spirit breathing with the command and acting upon his spirit because that winde neither can nor doth breath upon any Reprobate and there is no need of any positive Warrant to ascertain a child of God to believe beside the commandment of Faith in lived and quickned with the spirit going along with it for that command so quickned doth put such a reall stamp of an evident testimony that he hath claime to Christ on whom the spirit and the command doth so act that he seeketh no more any other evidence to prove his claim to Christ then the Lamb needeth any evidence to prove that of ten hundred sheep this only that offereth to it her paps and milk must be its dam or mother and none of the rest of the flock But how do I know that it is the spirit that goeth along with the Commandment of believing It may be a delusion Ans. Beside that a deluding spirit for the most part doth not go every way along with the word If this spirit keep Gods order to work upon the humbled self-dispairing sinner who is willing to receive Christ upon his own condition it is not like to a deluding spirit for if the word of commandment to believe and the spirit agree in one it cannot be a delusion phancie leadeth no man to Faith 2. When objects of life work upon life they cannot deceive especially all the senses Hearing Seeing Tasting Feeling Smelling the excellency and sweetnesse of Christ going along with the word cannot be delusion a man may imagine that he seeth and heareth and yet his senses may be deceived but that all the senses especially all the spirituall senses and that a man imagineth that he liveth a naturall life and is dead is rare 3. Faith can stand upon one foot even on a generall word hence this is a Gospel word in the Prophets which requireth Faith Turn to the Lord for he is mercifull Jer. 3.12 Joel 2.13 Jon. 4.2 And because a generall promise received with heart-adherence and confidence giveth glory to God and if it be holden forth to an humbled soul who is now within the lists and bounds of Grace and for any thing that the person thus laden with sin knoweth on the contrary for the secrets of Election and Reprobation belongeth to the Lord Christ mindeth and intendeth to him Salvation therefore he is to believe 4. This would be considered that unbelief breaketh with Christ first before Christ break with the unbeliever and the Elect of God findeth no more nor any higher favour in the kinde of externall means to open the Lambs Book of life which is sealed and closed with Gods own hand then the Commandement of believing Now when our Lord maketh offer of the Kingdom of sons to slaves and casteth his Jewell of Christ offered in the Gospel in the lap and bosome of a Bastard what ever be the Lords secret Decree and purpose in so doing The Bastard is to take God at his word and to catch the opportunity of Gods love in so far and if he do it not the Gospel-offer to the Reprobate being a treaty of peace then the treaty breaketh off first upon his side for Christ cometh within a mile of mercy to meet the sinner and the sinner cometh not the fourth part of a mile yea not half a step of love and thankfull obedience to meet Christ and so Christ killeth the unbeliever with the sweetnesse of the preventing courtesie of offered mercy 5. But if the sinner be wearied and loaden and seeth though through a cloud only Christ only must help and save if not he is utterly and eternally lost What is there upon Christs part to hinder thee to beleeve O guilty wretch O saith he I fear Christ only offereth himself to me but he mindeth no salvation to me Ans. Is not this to raise an evill report and slander on the Holy One of Israel For Christs offer is really an offer and in so far its reall love though it cannot infer the love of Election to glory yet the totall deniall of this offer openeth up the black seal of Reprobation to heathens without the Church and therefore its love to thee if thou be humbled for sin 2. And have half an eye to the unsearchable riches of Gospel mercy 3. And be self-condemned 4. And have half a desire of Christ thou mayst expound love by love and lay hold on the promise and be saved An errour of humble love to Christ is no errour That which is next is a word of the Essentiall principle of true Faith and that is a proportionable
measure of grace Phil. 1.29 required in Faith men naturally imagine that faith is a work of nature hence that speech of a multitude of Atheists I believe all my dayes I believe night and day But they never believe at all who think and say they believe alwayes The Jewes asserted that they believed Moses alwayes and so oppose themselves to the man altogether born in sin Joh. 9. ver 28 29. compared with v. 34. But Christ told them they neither believed the Messiah nor Moses chap. 5. ver 35 36 37. Nature worketh alwayes alike and without intermission or freedome The Floods alwayes move the Fountain alwayes cast out streams the fire alwayes burneth the Lamb alwayes fleeth from the Wolf but the winde of the spirit doth not alwayes enact the soul to believe they are not in an ill case who wrestle with unbelief and find the heart and take it in the wayes of doubting and terrours as feeling that believing is a motion up the mount and somewhat violent facill and connaturall acts cannot be supernaturall acts of Faith It s no bad sign to complain of a low ebbe Sea and of neither Moon light nor starre light 2. It s unpossible they can submit to give the glory of believing to God in whose heart there 's a rotten principle destructive of Faith and that is an ambitious humour of seeking glory from men Joh. 5.44 Little Faith there 's in Kings Courts Faith dwelleth not in a high Spirit 3. Such as take Religion by the hand upon false and bastard motives as the Summer of the Gospel and fame ease gain honour cannot believe A thorny Faith is no Faith Matth. 13.22 A Carnall mans Faith must be true to its own principles and must lye levell with externalls so as Court ease the world and its sweet adjuncts are a measuring line to a rotten rooted Faith neither longer nor broader then time it goeth not one span length within the lists of Eternity 4. Phancy cannot be Faith such as have not Gospel knowledge of Christ cannot believe but must do as the Traveller who unaware setteth his foot on a Serpent in the way and suddenly starteth backward six steps for one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Joh. 6.66 So do they that phancy all the Gospel to be a carnal or a Morall discourse 5. Those cannot have Faith in whose heart the Gospel lyeth above ground Devils and sin having made the heart hard like the Summer streets Mat. 13.19 with daily treading and walking on them A stony Faith or a Faith that groweth out of a stone cannot be a saving Faith Thereâ—s a heart that is a daily walk in which the Devil as it were aireth himself 6. If Christ have given the last knock at the door and all in-passages be closed up and heart-inspirations gone there can be no more any sort of faith there Eph. 4.19 2 Tim. 4.2 The heart is like a dried up arm in some all the oil in the bones are spent 7. Loose walking with greedinesse argues that hell hath taken fire on the out-works of the soul. Hell in the hands and tongue as in the out-wheels must argue hell and unbelief in the heart and the in-wheels 1. Loose believers go to Heaven by miracles I dare go to Hell for a man if such an one go to Heaven who liveth prophanely and saith he hath a good heart within 2. The going in waies of blood Extortion Covetous Idolatrie belyeth the decree of election to Glory Grace leadeth no man to the East with his face and motion close to the West 3. This way of working by contraries is not Gods way God can work by contraries but he will not have us to work by contraries There 's some heaven of holinesse in the court-gate to the Heaven of happinesse 8. Faith over-looketh time Heb. 11.10 Abraham looked for another City Faith in Moses was great with childe of heaven v. 25 He had an eye to the recompence of reward Eternity of Glory is the birth of Faith Oh! we look not to the declining of our sun its high afternoon of our peece of day eleven houres is gone and the twelfth hour is on the wheels I see not my own gray haires It s upon the margin and borders of night and I know not where to lodge We are like the man swimming through broad waters and he knoweth not what is before him he swimmeth thorow deeper and deeper parts of the river and at length a cramp and a stitch cometh on arms and leggs and he sinketh to the bottom and drowns We swim through dayes weeks moneths yeers winters and are daily deeper in time while at length death bereave us of strength of leggs arms and we sinâ— over head and ears in Eternitie Oh! Who like the sleepy man is loosing his clothes and putting off the garments of darknesse and would gladly sleep with Christ Men are close buttoned and like day-men when its dark night It s fearfull to ly down with our day clothes Job 20.11 Sin is a sad winding sheet Oh! what believer faith I would have a suit of clothes for the high Court and Thron to be an Essay to see how a suit of glorie would become me Thus much for Faith SERMON XXII NOw a word of a strong and great Faith and withall of a weak and fainting Faith For the most I go not from the Text to find out the ingredients of a great Faith 1. A strong praying and a crying a Faith is a great Faith So must Christs Faith have been who prayed with strong cries and tears Strong Faith maketh sore sides in praying as this woman prayed with good will there 's an efficacious desire to be rid of a sinfull temptation as Paul prayed thrice to be freed of the prick in the flesh Their Faith is weak who dare not pray against some Idoll sins Or 2. If they pray it s but gently with a wish not to be heard 2. The womans crying her instant pleading in Faith yea 1. Above the Disciples care for her yea above Christs seeming glowmes who denied her to be his who reproached her as a dog argueth great grace great humility with strong adherence and so great faith 2. For Faith â—aileth sometimes with a strong tide and a fair wind according as the Moone hath an aspect on the Sun so is it ful or not ful when the wheels are set right to the Sun the clock moveth and goeth right The fairer and more clear sight that Faith hath of Christ the stronger are the acts of Faith it cannot bee denied but Faith hath a good and an ill day because grace is various it s no strong proof that it s not grace 3. To put Faith in all its parts in light in staying on Christ in affiance in adherance in self-diffidence in submissive assenting forth in all its acts and to lift the soul all off the earth requireth Christs high Spring-tide it s not easie to put all the powers that
is an Argument of great Faith Isa. 28.16 He that beleeveth shall not make hast he shall not be confounded with shame so the 70. traslateth it and Paul after them Rom. 9.33 As those that fleeth from the enemy out of hastinesse procured by base fear which is a shame I dare not say that the 70. readeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 festinet insted of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 confundatur but it proveth believing a valorous keeping the field without flying so continued waiting on God to be of kin to believing and the longer the thred of hope be though it were seventy years long as Hab. 2.1.2 or though it were as long as a cable going between the earth and the heaven up within the vail Heb. 6.19 the stronger the faith must be unbelief not being chained to Christ leapeth over board at first as the wicked King said in the â—â—st of unbelief 2 King 6.33 What should I wait any longer on the Lord Faith is a grace for winâ—er to give God leisure to bring Summer in his own season the reasons of our weaknes be two 〈◊〉 We see Israel their dough on their shoulders wearied and tired lately come out of the 〈◊〉 Furnace wandring without one foot of â—eritage fourty years in the wildernesse and four hundred years in Egypt Act. 7.6 This â—â—keth like poverty to believe the other myâ—â—ery in the other side or Page of Providence 〈◊〉 Glory of dividing the Red-Sea and of giving seven mighty Nations to his people and their buildings lands vineyards Gardens is a strong Faith 2. The furnace is a thing void of reason and art and so knoweth little that by it the Goldsmith maketh an excellent and comely vessell of Gold It s great Faith to believe that God by crooked instruments and fire and sword shall refine a Church and erect a glorious building and these Malignant instruments are as ignorant of the Art of divine Providence as coals and fuell are of the Art and intention of the Gold-Smith Mic. 4.12 Isa. 10.5 6 7. The Ax and the Saw knoweth nothing of Art nor the Sword any thing of Justice Prelates Papists Malignants in the three Kingdomes understand nothing of Gods deep counsell upon themselves in that God by a fire of their kindling is burning themselves and taking away the Tin and Brasse and reprobate mettall and refining the Spouse of Christ they serve a great service but know not the master of the work 11. An humble Faith such as was in this woman is a great Faith the more sins that are pardoned as it inferreth the more love to Christ Luk. 7.47 So the unworthier a soul is in it self to believe pardon in Christ argueth the greater Faith it must be a greater Faith to believe thâ— pardon of ten thousand talents then to believâ— the forgivenesse of five hundred pence Christ esteemeth it the greatest faith in Israel thaâ— the Centurion abaseth himself as one unworthy to come under one roof with him and that he exalteth Christ in his omnipotency to believe that he can command all diseases at his nod Math. 8.8 9 10. 12. A strong desire of a communion with Christ is an Argument of a strong Faith Rev. 22.20 Surely I come 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Quickly faith answereth with a hearty desire Amen even so Come Lord Jesus and 2 Pet. 3.12 These two are conjoined the one is a word of Faith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Looking for the other a word of earnest desire 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hastning after Stepha votis accelerantes the coming of the day of the Lord. Faith desireth an union with Christ and a marriage union The reason is strong Faith cometh from strong love and strong love and strong coals of desiring to be dissolved and to be with Christ Phil. 1.23 Burneth in at Heavens door love-sicknesse for glory goeth as high as the lowest step of the Throne that the Lamb Christ sitteth on and its faith and love together that desireth Christ to mend his pace and saith Cant. 8.14 Make haste my beloved and be as a Roe or a young Hart upon the mountains of spices The fervor of love challengeth time and the slow-moving wheels of yeers and moneths and reckoneth an hour for a day and a day for a yeer Psal. 101.2 O when wilt thou come to me So hope deferred is a child-birth pain and a sicknesse of the soul Prov. 13. 12. Faith with love cannot indure a morrow Faith putteth Christ to posting and leaping over mountains and skipping over hils Cant 2.8 And addeth wings to him to flee more quickly Yet is there a caution here most considerable Faith both walketh leisurely and with leaden feet and moveth swiftly with Eagles wings Faith in regard of love and desire of union with God is swift and hath strong motions for an Union Yea a love-sicknesse to be at the top of the mount to be satiated with a feast of Christs enjoyed face but in regard of a wise assurance that Gods time is fittest it maketh no haste So to wait on and to haste may stand together 2 Pet. 3.10 13. Faith effectuall by or with child of love and good works is a strong Faith 1 Thes. 1.3 Remembering your work of Faith Philem. v. 6. Faith effectuall There be bones in a strong Faith yea sap and life How many Thousands of Apples be there vertually in a Tree that beareth fruit for thirty or fourty years together So it s said of Stephen That he was full of faith and power Act. 6.8 And Barnabas Act 11.24 Full of the Holy Ghost and of Faith What is then a small Faith or a weak Faith is easily known 1. A Faith voyd of all doubting is not a weak Faith Nor yet the strong Faith Antinomians erre many wayes in this point 1. After the revelation of the spirit neither Devill nor sinne can make the soul to doubt say they Yea but the spirit of revelation was in Jeremiah who doubted when he complained Chap. 15. v. 18. to God of God Wilt thou be to me altogether as a liar and as waters that fail Chap. 20.7 8 9. v. 14.15.16 Job doubted c. 13. v. 14. when he said Wherefore hidest thou thy face and holdest me for thine enemy And Asaph Ps. 73.13 Heman Ps. 88.13 14 15. And the Church 77. Psal. Yet all these were sealed by the spirit unto the day of redemption 2. This is like the foul errour of the Arminians who with Socinians hold that as there be three degrees of believers 1. Some babes 2. Some aged so there is a third sort of truly perfect ones who do not sin from the root of concupiscence the combate between the flesh and the spirit now ceasing only they sin through inadvertence or some errour or over-clouding of their light as Adam and the Angels sinned there being no inward principle of corruption in them Hence some Liberâ—ines say These that are in Christ can no more sin and
not walk with God then the sun can leave off to give light or fire to cast heat or a fountain to send out streams in regard that the spirit acteth them to walk with God by such a necessary impulsion that destroyeth all freedom of will and if they sin they are not to be blamed because the spirit moveth them not to abstinence from sin and to holy walking But Paul a chosen vessel and a strong believer Rom. 7.14 15 16 17 c. Complaineth of the in-dwelling of sin of his carnality and the fleshes lusting against the spirit and of his captivity under sin which must argue his imperfect Faith liable to the distemper of sinfull doubtings It is also a great errour to say that to call in question whether God be my Father after or upon the commission of some hainous sins as murther incest c. Doth prove a man to be in the covenant of works Now there be sundry sorts of doubtings opposite to Faith In the renewed There 's 1. A naturall doubting and as all Popery is naturall and carnall so this strangenesse of affection by which men are unkind to Christ and never perswaded of Gods favour in Jesus Christ argueth the party to be under the law and not in Christ. This doubting may and doth in carnall men consist with presumption and a morall false perswasion that naturall men have all of them while their conscience be wakened that they shall be saved Why I am not a Murtherer a Sorcerer c. Why Or how can God throw me into Hell So it s made up of reall lies and contradictions Yet they have no divine certainty of Salvation For ask a naturall man Have you a full assurance of salvation as you say that you alwayes believe and doubt not he shall be there at a stand and answer Who can have a full assurance But I hope well I believe well night and day And so doubt Papists also and they have a lie in their right hand it cannot stand with Gods mercy or justice since I am not this and this to throw me into hell So is unbelief a lie Esa. 57.11 And of whom hast thou been afraid and feared that thou hast lied and hast not remembered me 2. There 's an occasionall doubting that riseth by starts upon wicked men out of an evill conscience of sin but it vanisheth as a cloud as in Pharaohs confession I and my people have sinned This argueth a law-spirit rising and falling a sleep again 3. There 's a finall doubting of despair like the doom past on the condemned malefactor as in Cain Gen. 4.13.14 In Saul 1 Sam. 28.15 16. All these conclude men under the law and the curse of it But there 's 4. A doubting in the believers which though a sin yet if I might have leave to borrow the expression is a godly sin Not because it is not a sin indeed and so opposit to grace and godlinesse but a gracious sin Ratione subjecti in regard of the person and adjuncts it being a neighbour to saving Grace and no reprobate can be capable of this sin no more then Pagans or flagitious and extreamly wicked men can be capable of the sinne against the Holy Ghost So beggars are remotest from high and personall treason because they have never that honour to come near the Kings Person So Davids bones not Sauls bones were broken Ps. 51.10 Humbled bones For a humbled heart is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nidcheh Broken and bruised with a fear of Gods wrath for sin And the converted souls moisture is turned to the drought of summer Psal. 32.3 4. And his bones waxen old with roaring all the day God withholding the joy of his salvation This doubting befalleth never any reprobate under the law or covenant of works and so though it be an ill thing yet it s a good sign as out-breakings of boils in the body are in themselves diseases infirmities distempers and contrary to perfect health yet they are often good signs and arguments of strength of life and much vitall heat and healthinesse of constitution That affections of the childe of God under incest murther or other hainous sins be stirred that sorrow be wakened and rise when our Father is offended and when our Lord frowneth and standeth behind the wall and goeth away is lawfull yea it speaketh tendernesse of love softnesse of heart but that they be so far wakened as to doubt and fear that the Lord be changed that he hath forgotten to be mercifull that is sinfull doubting but doth no wayes conclude that the person is under the Covenant of Works but the contrary rather that Grace sitteth and bordereth with this doubting And so that the person is under Grace not under the Law Even where Faith is strong it is not ever in the same temper Health most vigorou◠will vary in its degrees and decrease at times of 〈…〉 and yet be strong and have much of life in it Take the strong and experienced Christians life in its whole continued frame and for the most part he hath the better of all temptations but take him in a certain stage or nick of providence when he is not himself and he is below his ordinary strength even in that wherein he excelleth If a gracious temper of meeknesse like Christ was not the predominant element of grace in Moses yet it was in a great measure in him he bearing the name with him who best knoweth names and things of the meekest man in the earth Yet in that which was his flour he proved weaker then himself and spake unadvisedly with his lips Our highest Graces may meet with an ill hour Job by the testimony of the Holy Ghost is patient Ye have heard of the patience of Job And Chap. 3. We have heard of the cursing passion of Job also Believing is like sailing which is not alwayes equall often strength of wind will blow the ship twenty miles backward 2. The smallest measure of Faith The minimum quod sic is sincere adherence to Christ. Not that negative adherence simply by which some one may say I dare not for a world quit my part in Christ or give up with him Naturall spirits may have a naturall tendernesse by which they dare not quit Christ and give up with him Yet there 's no saving faith in naturall spirits but there 's in the beleever some positive adherence under or with the negative by which there 's a power of love and kindnesse making the soul to cleave to Christ There may be great weaknesse with this and great failings and yet faith unfained We have need of much charity to these that are weak in Faith A reed a broken reed may grow and Christ will not break it A buried believer is a believer if Christ have a neer relation of blood to a peece of blew clay and the dead corps of a believer seeing in his flesh there 's the seed and hope of
Christ the fountain of Heaven and though ye should know Moses David Paul in glory you shall be so taken with beholding the face of the Lamb for evermore in an immediate vision that you find no â—easure to look over your shoulder to Moses or any other For the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the Temple of it it must be sweeter when the sweet immediate hand of Jesus Christ shal pluk the soul-delighting Roses of the high Garden and hold them to your senses with an immediate touch so as you shall see behold smell and touch his hand with the rose and when he shall put immediately in your mouth the Apples of the Tree of life and the King himself shal make himself as it were your Cup-bearer for there shall be neither need of Pastor Prophet or of any Christian brother but only Christ himself to hold to your head A Cup of the water of life Rev. 22.1 2. And he shewed me a pure River of water of life clear as Christal proceeding out of the Throne of God and of the Lamb be shewed me which He The Lord God Almighty and the Lamb c. 2â— 22. He that talked with me who had a golden reed to measure the City v. 15. v. 10. He who carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain and shewed me the great City the holy Jerusalem descending out of Heaven from God no created Angel could shew to John The Bride the Lambs Wife and what is that He shewed me He made me see Is that but a naked cast of the eye or a speculation No it is more He himself who only reveals all the secrets of God And measures the Temple with a golden Reed He only gave me a drink of the water of life immediatly for to see in the holy language is to injoy Heb. 12.14 Rev. 22.4 Jer. 17.6 Psal. 34.12 Iob 19.26 And then he shewed me must be this in good sense He He the increated King himself made me or caused me to injoy Messengers carry love-Letters now there 's no need of love-Letters betweene the Lord Jesus and the Bride the Lambs wife in this condition certain it is a draught of such water at the Wel-head must be sweetest Then immediate comforts in a heavy condition must be sweetest also as in heavy desertions Word Ministery Pastors Prayer and Ordinances cannot raise up the Spirit What doth the Lord else speak in this No lesse then that mediation of means is but mediation of means and Christ is Christ means in a soul sicknesse yea Apostles Angels Watchmen fail But Christ himself with his immediate action faileth not Cant. 3.1.2.3 vers 4. Joh. 20.8.9.10.11.12.13.14.15.16.17 Christ himself immediately by himself will do in a moment that which all means all Ordinances all sweatings all indeavours cannot do I do not now cry down means and extol immediate inspirations the latter I deny not in some cases but I only compare means and Christ and is not this an experience of some who are broght to the Margin and black borders of Hel and dispairing all Creature comforts having failed them and they having received the Sentence of the second death yet Christ cometh with an immediate glimpse like a fire flaught in the air which letteth the lost and bewildered Traveller in an extream dark night see a lodging at hand whereas otherwise he should have fallen in a pit and lost himself and in a moment in the twinkling of an eye the Lord having rebuked the winds and the stormy Tempests in the soul there is a calm and peace Ps. 31.22 Jona 2.4 Christ is speedy and swift as a Roe his leap is but a stride over a whole mountain at once over many mountains hils Can. 2.8 Especially in his immediats when he coÌ„forts by himself he then maketh no use of a deputy-Sun to shine or of borrowed light the Sun himself riseth with his own immediate salvation and his own immediate wings and we see it was Christs immediate love yea comfort because immediate carrieth with it the heat and smel of Christs own hand it hath the immediate warmnesse of Christs bosom-consolation it was an act of tender mercy that came hot and smoking from the heart of Christ the immediate coal of love smelling of the perfume of the hearth it came last from and that was heaven and the bowels of Christ waters carried from a precious fountain in a vessel many hundred miles are not so sweet as at the well head because they are separated from the fountain they lose much of their vertue sometimes it is so long since the Rose was plucked that the colour and smell which it had while it grew on its own stalk is quite gone Look how inferiour Art which is but medicine for sick nature is to nature in its beauty and strength as painted Physick can neither purge nor cure so far are all means and Ordinances being but the deputies of Christ below Christ himself What is Paul What is Apollo Put all the Prophets all the Apostles all the Patriarchs all the chiefest of Saints in one floor I confesse they should cast forth an excellent smell like the utter borders of the garden of the high Paradise but all their excellency should be mediate excellency and but somewhat of Christ but alas as low as very nothing to Christ as the smallest drop of dew that sense can apprehend to ten thousand worlds of seas fountains floods We defraud our spirits of much sweetnesse because we go no further in our desires then to creature-excellency we rest on mediate comforts because mediate painted things do work but objectively only a painted meadow casteth no smell a painted tree bringeth forth no Apples the comforts and sweetnesse of the creatures have somewhat of paintry in them in comparison of Jesus Christ all reality and truth of excellency is in him and we know God marreth the borrowed influence of means Armies Parliaments Learning and all miscarry Therefore there was never a Reformation nor a great work wrought on earth but Omnipotency put forth many immediate Acts in it The Lord would not be beholding to Moses he himself divided the red Sea he would not ingage himself to fountains and vine trees but he gave them water out of the Rock he would not borrow from the earth and sowing reaping and plowing bread for his peoples food he would give them the bread of Angels from heaven immediately he would have no Engines at the taking of Jericho the blowing of Rams horns was a signe not a cause God immediately cast down the walls he would not have a sword drawn nor a drop of blood shed in the peoples return from Babylon but the Lord putteth an immediate impulsion upon the Spirit of Cyrus as if he had been in a dead sleep and he being awaked by God only sendeth the people away and the Temple must be builded again But how Neither by King nor Parliament nor Armies
for Zach. 4.6 Not by might nor by power but by my Spirit saith the Lord When Babylon is to be destroyed as the work is even now on the wheels in Britain Rev. 18.21 A mighty Angel took up the great milstone and threw it in the sea though it be a Vision by comparison yet it holdeth forth an immediate work of God in the ruine of Babylon and Angels powre their vials on the Sea on the Sun on the River Euphrates to make for the destruction of Babylon and in delivering of Lot Angels did work God himself spake to Noah for making an Ark although Angels be creatures yet the Lords action by them is more immediate then when he worketh by naturall causes when the Judges scourge and imprison the Apostles no man will speak for them the immediate power of God doth it the chains fall off legs and armes immediate providence is a key also to open the prison doors and they are saved There is a bloody war at the taking of the Ark and thirty thousand footmen of Israel killed 1 Sam. 4.10 11. But there is not a sword drawen when it s rescued The Ark cometh home its alone Gods immediate providence driveth and acteth upon two milk kine to bring it home again 1 Sam. 6.12 13 14. Who knoweth but when our strength of two Kingdoms hath failed us the Lord shall make Kine to bring home his Kingdom and Reformation to our doors were it possible that creatures could work salvation for us and freedome from the sword and sure peace in Scotland England and Ireland without God or any subordination to him let it be a deliverance from the creature only it should be no deliverance but a curse that which maketh salvation to be salvation is that God hath a finger of power and an influence of Free-grace in it O but this putteth the lustre sweetnesse and smell of Heaven on it that it is the salvation of the Lord Ex. 14.13 In regard of irresistable efficacy and successe under causes though chained to the influence of God are but Idoll-causes they lie as Cyphers and do nothing no more then a lame arm can master a sword The Lord worketh all our works for us and he is daily marring and shal further mar our Armies Parliaments Counsels undertakings to the end that more of Christ may appear in these wars then in other wars some immediate power must close and crown this glorious work in Britain God must be his alone and appear his alone and only Jehovah must be visible in the Mount to the end that bleeding England long afflicted Scotland and wasted Ireland may with one shout cry Not unto us O Lord Not unto us but unto thy name be the glory This discovereth the deceit of our confidence for when the Lord and the creature worketh together for our good Asa though his heart was perfect possibly seeth not whether he trust on the Lord or on the Physitian and yet the Scripture saith When he was diseased in his feet there was a worse disease about his heart for because he sought to the physitians he is blamed yet to seek to Physitians is lawfull but the spirit of God blameth his seeking to the Physitians and saith 2 Chron. 16.12 He sought not the Lord in his sicknesse and the reason is given 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Because he was in the Physitians So the Hebrew readeth it he is said not to seek the Lord not because he sought to the Physitians for that had not been a sin but because he was wholly the whole man soul and all in or on the Physitians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his care paines and heart was all on the Physitians so also the Greek expresse great care and diligence by the like Phrase 1 Tim. 4.15 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Give thy self to these things Seldome do we seek to God and trust in him when God and the creature are yoked together in a work that we are much bent upon as in Wars in a Reformation yea in a journey that the spirit is intent upon but in trusting on God we interpose a folding and a ply of the creature between our soul confidence and the Lord just as a pillow is put between the mans shoulder a pressing burden for fear the burden crush a bone we are afraid we give God too much to do or more then he is able to bear When we sail we seem to betrust our selves to the Lord and the Sea but the truth is often we trust more to the strong Ship then to the Sea or the Lord. Our confidence shifteth it self from under the Lord on upon the creature and the Arm of flesh so we walk often in the strength of the Lord as some walk upon Ice they walk softly and timorously upon it fearing it should break under them they put no faith upon cracking and weak Ice we are not daring and venturous in casting our selves and our burdens on the Lord. So in judgements Davids choice fell upon the Pestilence rather then the Sword Why Gods hand is sweeter and softer then the devils then the Malignants hard hand Samuel is one of the best children because he is given of God and is a child of many prayers Isaac the joyfull childe Why No thanks to nature or to Sarahs dead womb for him he is the son of an immediate promise Free-grace is rather Isaacs Father and Mother then Abraham and Sarah in ordinances a man speaketh but if Christ himself would speak O his Spikenard O his own Perfume O his own lips drop honey O his own Lebanon-like countenance Alas we think Christ is not Christ except the King help him Religion is not Religion except worldly throns bear it up the Gospel is a very immediate thing the Lilly amongst the thorns is Christs Lilly the Church stands more immediatly by Christ then any worldly thing doth God maketh the earth to bud and bring forth her fruits but the Son the soil the season of the year and nature are his under-servants God watereth the earth but by clouds Kings are indigent and very mediat and dependent creatures they need Armies Multitudes Navies Prelats Babylon Ireland France Spain Denmark Holland Moneys Friends Parliaments But Grace and the Gospel are more immediate and lesse needy The Gospel can live without all these SERMON XXVI BE it unto thee as thou wilt We see what power Christ hath over the devils Christ sent him invisible summons Let Satan be gone and he must be gone It is a proper work of Christ to oppose Satan Heb. 2.14 He took part of flesh and blood 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that he might make Satan unprofitable and idle and fruitless as the word is used Luke 13.7 Why doth this fruitlesse tree keep the ground saplesse and barren So is the word taken to make a thing of no effect Romanes 3.3 Things that make sport to children as nuts feathers toyes are called things of infants to be
Land or a Nation must be longer in the fire then one particular person Satan worketh as a naturall agent without moderation Spiritual 〈◊〉 chase â—ew or none to Christ. How men naturally love the Devil Satan how an uncleane Spirit It s true wisdom to know GOD savingly Art 5 Mark 7 What hearing bringeth souls to Christ. Three vices in hearing Simile A sight of Hell should not work Faith without Graces efficacious action It s good to border neer to Christ. Crying in Prayer necessary Obj. 1. Praying sometime wanteth words so as groaning goeth for Prayer Obj. 2. How many other expressions beside vocal prayer go under the worth of prayer in Gods accompt Obj. 3. Some affections in pâ—ayer are greater and above weeping Obj. 4. Looking up to heaven goeth for praying Obj. 5. Breathing goeth for praying Obj. 6. Wherein is that least in which praeyer may be conserved Obj. 7. Broken Prayers aâ—e Prayers The Lord knoweth nonsense in a broken Spirit to be good sense Obj. 8. Why Christ is frequently called the son of David not the son of Adam c. The Covenant Christ a King by Covenant What the Crvenant of Grace is and what things are in it Parties in the Covenant Christ hâ—â—h a seven fold relation in the Covenant of Grace 1. Christ the Covenant it self 2. Christ the Messenger of the Covenant Christ as Messenger of the Covenant maketh report to us of his Fathers â—il 2. Of himseâ—f 3. Of his father to us 4. Of us to the father 3. Christ the witnesse of the Covenant Christ witnesseth especially 4. things 4 Christ the Surety of the covenant Christ a Surety 5. Christ is the mediator of the Covenant Christ hath a threefold relation as a mediator Christ Gods servant and our servant and smitten of both 6. Christ confirmed sealed the Testament 7. Christ the principal confederate party of the Covenant The Covenant made with Christ personally Gal 3 16. Proved from reasons out of the Text. A Covenant between the Father and the Son prâ—ved Of the promises Two sorts of promises Jer. 32.38 Zach. 13.9 Christ took a new Covenant-right to GOD. Five sorts of promises made to Christ and by proportion to us in him 4. The conditioâ— of the covenant Object Dr. Crisp Christ alone exalted Ser. 6. pag. 160. Rise raign Ruine of Antinoâ— Families Er. 16. p. 4. Libertines deny all conditions of the covenant of Grace Obj. 2. The new covenant hath conditions to be performed by us Rise raign of Antinomian Er. 22. page 5 Obj. 3. A two fold Dominion of gracious and supernaturall acts Obj. 4 Obj. 5 Crispe 16.167 Obj. 6. Crispe 16.168 We are not justified before we believe Rise and Reign of Anti. er 38. p. 7. ib Err. 48. p. 9. A condition taken in a threefold notion It s not a proper condition by way of strict Wages work when we are said to be justified saved upon condition of Faith Rise and Reign Err. 36. p. 7. 5. The properties of the Covenant 1. Freedom in regard 1. Of Persons 2. Of Causes 3. Of time 4. Of manner of dispensation 2. Property of the Covenant Eternaâ—â— 3. Well ordered 6. 1. Use. Al without the covenant are under the curse of the Law 2. Use. Men try not if they be in covenant with God 3. Use. They are stable sure and cannot fail 4. Use. We may plead Mercy from the covenant 5. Use. 6. Use. Christ God and man and our faith and comfort there in 1. Use. Christ immediate in the act of redeming us so sweeter 2. Use. Christ incomparable 3. Use. 4. Use. Use 5. 2 Art To beleevers all temporal favours are spiritualized and watered with merâ—ie 3. By what reason our Father as a Father giveth spirituall things by that same he giveth us all things Mercy originally in Christ and how Parents spirituall affections and duty to their chil Simil. 1 Rule Practical Rules in observing passages of divine Providence 2 Rule We are neither to lead nor stint Providence We are to observe God in his ways 3 Rule Omnipotency not laid in pawn on any means 4 Rule God walketh not the way that wee imagine Providence in its concatenation of decrees actions events is a continued contexture going along from creation to the day of Christs second appearance and not a threed is here broken all is fair and white 6 Rule The Spirit is to be in an indifferency in all casts of providence 7 Rule Low desired are best 8 Rule Lie under Providence submissively in all 9 Rule 10 Rul 11 Rule 12 Rul 13 Rul Every temptation hath its taking power from the seeming goodnesse in it Reasons why this was a temptation to the woman Temptations scop is to mak the tempted believe there is none like him 1. The non-answering of Christ is an answer Reasons of the Lords noâ— hearing prayer How tâ— know that our prayers are answered We are heard when we are not heard praying in Faith is alwayes heard even when the particular that we aske is denyed Faith in a prayer asketh answereth it self The light of saving Faith the Propheticall light of the Prophets not different in nature space 1. Use The dearest not admitted into God at the first knock 2. Use. Naturall men and the renewed in so far as there remaineth in them flesh are ignoranâ— of the mistery of an afflicted spirit Peace of conscience is a work of Creation 1. Use. A Reason why it s so hard to convince deserted ones of the comforts of the Spirit and to bind them up 2. Use. Christ sweeteâ— to the diserted then all the world ver 24 1 Posit How God tempeth Difference between God trying men and Satan the world sin tempting men 2 Pos. A creature cannot put another creature to act sin upon an intention to try his fellow-creature 3 Pos. In creatures actions and commandements we must 1. know Quis who commandeth 2. Quid what hee comands 3 Quare upon vhat Reason he commandeth But for Gods actions and commandements it s enough Quis who doth it who commandeth it If Jehovah I am silent and must obey 1. Pos. 2. Pos 4 Doubts of the tempted 3. Pos. 1 The Designation of Christ to his office How the Son is most fit to be our Mediator Simil. 2. The qualification of Christ. 3 Christs Commission It s not properly grace that we are born it s an ast of free grace that Christ was born 1. Use. Gods hidden decree his revealed will opened A two-fold intention in the offer of the promises How and who are to believe the Decree of Reprobation concerning themselvs It s a priviledging mercy that Christ is sent to the Iews first Privileges of the Iews 9. reckned here 1. Use. The honour and priviledg of Britain Why the Redeemed are called the Sheep of Christ. 1 Reas. How passive the redeemed are in the way to Heaven 2. Rea. The Saints are most dependent creatures 3. Rea. How know we
all Ephraims prayer over again behinde his back 3. No answer from Christ is Hell to a Believer but to kisse and embrace hell because its Christs Hell is a work of much acceptance when you say He pray and die praying though I be never heard because praying is my dutie and Gods glory let me die in a dutie that glorifieth him 4. Wrestling addeth strength to armes and body praying and praying again strengthneth Faith customary running lengthneth the breath By much praying faith is well breathed Iacob is stronger in the morning when he hath prayed a whole night then at bed-time Gen. 32.26 The Angel said Let me go for the day breaketh And he said I will not let thee go till thou blesse me Then in the dawning he hath prayed harder and used his arms with greater violence then before by this hunger groweth fatter sense stronger it s here Eat and be hungry pray and desire more strongly to pray 3. Reasons of Gods not hearing prayer are 1. Superstitious and false worship Isa. 16.12 Moab wearied of his high places comes to his Sanctuary to pray but prevaileth not Wildfire cannot rost raw flesh 2. God hears not sinners Joh. 9.31 Let his prayer be sin Psal. 109.7 Yea the prayers of Britain are not heard nor their Solemn Fasts accepted for iniquity hath separated between God and us Es. 59.2 3. God heareth not whâ—n there 's a heart-love to vanity Psal. 66.18 Iob 35.15 4. God heareth not Malignants nor us when many are heart-enemies to the Cause Psal. 18.41 5. He heareth not bloudy men Es. 1.15 Now for the Saints sense maketh non answering a mercifull judgement it s here as in riches he is rich who thinketh himself rich and desireth no more So not to be answered is a plague but to find you are not answered and be sad for it hath much of Christ The Saints are heavier because God answereth not then because the mercy is denyed Quest. How shall we know we are answered Answ Hannah knew it by peace after prayer 2. Paul knew it by receiving new supply to bear the want of that he sought in prayer he is answered that is more heavenly after prayer 3. Liberty and boldnesse of Faith is a sign of an answered prayer The intercessor at the right hand of God cannot lose his own work his spirit groaneth in the Saints doth not my head accept what I set my heart on work to do Rom. 8.23 26 27. compared with Rev. 8.3 4. We are heard and answered of God when we are not heard and answered of God I pray for a temporall favour victory to Gods people in this battle they lose the day Yet I am heard and answered because I prayed for that victory not under the notion of victory but as linked with mercy to the Church and the honour of Christ So the formall object of my prayers was a spirituall mercy to the Church and the honour of Jesus Christ. Now the Lord by the losse of the day hath shewen mercy on his people in humbling them and glorifieth his Son in preserving a fallen people So he heareth that which is spirituall in my prayers he is not to hear the errors of them Christ putteth not drosse in his Censure of Gold 5. We are heard when ever we ask in Faith but let Faith reach no further then Gods will when we make Gods will our rule he will do his own will if he do not my wil it s to be noted That the creatures will divided from Gods will in things not necessary for Salvation and Gods glory is no part of Gods will and no asking of Faith Therefore Faith frequently in the Psalms prayeth and answereth Psal. 6. v. 4. compared with v. 9. Ps. 55.2 Attend unto me hear me v. 19. God shall hear and afflict them Ps. 57.1 Be mercifull unto me O God c. v. 3. He shall send from Heaven and save me from the reproach of him that would swallow me up Psal. 59. 1. Deliver me from mine enemies O my God 2. Deliver me from the workers of iniquity v. 10. The God of mercy shall prevent me God shall let me see my desire upon mine enemies Psal. 60.1 O God thou hast cast us off thou hast scattered us c. But in the end vers 12. Through God we shall do valiantly The prophecying of Faith is not dead with the Prophets Faith seeth afar off as yet to see things that God shall do either by Himself or by Angels is an act of prophecy and differeth not in nature from the propheticall light of the Prophets now the light of Faith seeth as yet the same to wit that Christ shall raise the dead and send his Angels to gather in his Wheat into his barne especially hope of glory is Propheticall 6. Patience to wait on while the vision speak is an answer 7. Some letters require no answer but are meer expressions of the desires of the friend the generall Prayers of the Saints that the Lord would gather in his elect that Christ would come and marry the Bride and consummate the Nuptials do refer to a reall answer when our Husband the King shall come in person at his second appearance 1. Vse You take it hard that you are not answered and that Christs door is not opened at your first knock David must knock Ps. 22. 2. O my God I cry by day and thou hearest not and in the night season I am not silent The Lords Church Lam. 3.8 And when I cry and shout he shuteth out my prayer Sweet Iesus the Heire of all prayed with teares and strong cries once O my father againe O my father and the third time O my father ere he was heard Wait on dye praying faint not 2. Vse It s good to have the heart stored with sweet principles of Christ when he heareth not at the first It s Christ he will answer It s but Christs out-side that is unkinde SERMON XII And his Disciples came and besought him saying Send her away c. IN the Disciples we see little tendernesse no more but send her away she troubleth us with crying forsooth they were sore slain that their dainty ears were pained with the crying of a poor woman Why they say not Dear master her little daughter is tormented with the Divel and thou her Saviour answerest her not one word she cannot but break her heart we pray thee Master heal her daughter Doct. Naturall men or Christs Disciples in so far as tâ—erâ— is flesh in them understandeth not the mystery of sorrow and fervour of affection in the Saints crying to God in disertion and not heard 1. Naturall men jeer at Christ deserted Psal 22.8 He trusted in the Lord let him deliver him Heavy was the spirit of the weeping Church a captive woman at the rivers of Babylon yet see they mock them Sing us one of the songs of Sion 2. Even the Saints in so far as
they are unrenewed are strangers to inward conflicts of souls praying and not answered of God the fainting and swooning Church Cant. 5.6 7. is pained O dear watch men saw you my Husband Heavy was her spirit but what then v. 7. The watch-men that went about the City found me they smote me they wounded me the keepers of the walls took away my vail from me in stead of binding up her wounds they returned her buffets and pulled her hair down about her ears And the daughters of Ierusalem say to the sick sighing Church pained for the want of her Lord v. 9. What is thy beloved more then another beloved c. Whereof is thy Christ made of Gold or is thy beloved more precious then all beloveds in the world Troubled Hannah grieved in spirit to Eli is a drunken woman The Angels finde Mary Magdalen weeping they leave her weeping they give her a doctrinall comfort Woman why weepest thou he is not here he is risen again 1. If a string in the conscience be broken the Apostles that were with Magdalen cannot tye a knot on it again If there be a rent in the heart so as the two sides of the soul of the woman rent asunder she poor woman still weepeth O why speake you O Angels to comfort me they have taken away my Lord. Angels what are you to me And indeed they cannot sew up the womans rented heart This is the Lords Prerogative Esa. 57.19 I create the fruit of the lips peace I know no Creator but one and I knowÌ„ no Peace-Creator but one Peace of conscience is Grace Grace is made of pure nothing and not made of nature Pastors may speak of peace but God speaketh peace to his people Ps. 85.8 2. There be some acts of nature in which men have no hand to bring Bread out of the earth and Vines men have a hand but in raising Winds in giving Rain neither Kings Armies of men nor acts of Parliament have any influence The tempering of the wheeles and motions of a distempered conscience is so high and supernaturall a work that Christ behoved to have the Spirit of the Lord on him above his fellowes and must be sent with a special Commission to apply the sweet hands the soft mercifull fingers of the Mediator with the art of Heaven Esa. 61.1 That I saith he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 should as a Chyrurgian bind up with splints and bands the broken in heart and comfort the mourners in Sion There must 3. be some immediate action of Omnipotency especially when he sets a Hoast of terrors in battle array against the soul as is evident in Saul in Iob c. 16.13 His Archers compasse me round about that is no lesse then the soul is like a man beset by enemies round about so as there is no help in the creature but he must die in the midst of them Job 6.4 The terrors of God do set themselves in array against me only the Lord of Hoasts by an immediate action raiseth these souldiers the terrors of God he only can calme them What wonder then that Ministers the Word Comforts Promises Angels Prophets Apostles cannot bind up a broken heart friends cannot while a good word come from God It s easie for us on the shore to cry to those tossed in the sea between death and life Saile thus and thus it s nothing to speak good words to the sick yet Angels have not skill of experience in this the afflicted in minde are like infants that cannot tell their disease they apprehend Hell and its real hel to them Many Ministers are but Horse physitians in this disease wine and musick are vain remedies there is need of a Creator of peace she is frantick say they and it s but a fit of a naturall melancholy and distraction The Disciples are Physitians of no value to a soul crying and not heard of Christ. Oh Moses is a meek man David a sweet singer Job and his experience profitable the Apostles Gods Instruments the Virgin Mary is full of grace the glorified desire the Church to be delivered but they are all nothing to Jesus Christ there is more in a piece of a corner of Christs heart to speak so then in Millions of worlds of Angels and created comforts when the conscience hath gotten a back-throw with the hand of the Almighty 24. But he answered and said I am not sent but for the lost sheep of the house of Israel In this answer two things are to be observed 1. The temptation coming from Christ denying he had any thing to do with this woman I am not sent for her 2. The matter of the temptation containing Christs 1. sending 2. to whom To the house of Israel 3. Under what notion The sheep of the house of Israel 4. what sort of sheep The lost sheep In the temptation consider 1. who tempteth 2. the nature of the temptation for the former It s Christ who tempteth Hence these Positions 1. Pos. God tempeth no man to sin Jam. 1.13 Let no man say when he is tempted I am tempted of God for God cannot be tempted neither tempteth he any 14. But every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lust God doth try rather then tempt 1. God cannot command sin 2. He cannot actuate the crooked faculties to sin as he that spurreth a Horse putteth the horse to actuall motion But the dislocated legge of the horse putteth in act the halting power of the horse 3. He cannot infuse sinfull habits which are as weights of Iron and Lead to incline the soul to sin 4. He cannot approve sin Satan never tempteth but upon practicall knowledge either that the wheels may run down the mount as he tempted Eve and upon that false perswasion tempted Christ to sin or then he knoweth sin hath oyled the wheels and inclinations and so casteth in Fire-brands knowing that there 's powder and fire-wood within us in our concupisence he should not offer to be a Father to the brood of Hell if he knew not that a seed and mother were within us except Christ by grace cast water on our lâ—sts and coole the furnace wee conceive flames easily 2. Pos. Neither Devils nor men nor our heart may without sin tempt or try the creature by putting it to do that which may prove sin upon any intention to try whether that creature shall obey God or not Had Abraham cooÌ„manded Isaac to kil Iacob his son to try whither Isaac loved God or no it had been a sinful tempting of him A creature cannot put his fellow-creatur upon the margin border of death such as all sin is to try if the creature hath a good head that cannot be giddy God may try duties by events He is the Potter we the Clay but clay is limited to try events upon clay by duties only and not by events duties 3. Pos. Wanton and vain reason would say Why did the