owned and received and prized He shall be welcom to them then even the feet of such as bring glad tydings of peace Then will the Soul say with Abigail Let me wash the feet of the servants of my Lord the King He shall be welcom indeed in that day And this glads and rejoyces and keeps up his spirit to think on this time I had verily fainted saith David unless I had beleeved to see the goodness of the Lord in the Land of the Living That bare up his heart There is hope in the latter end saith God to Rachel that thy Children shall come again to their own borders How ever they are now in captivity and lie scattered broken as if utterly forsaken yet they shall return And for these causes Christ weeps over Ierusalem over his people out of joy where ever and in what case soever he finds them yet this joy lives in the bottom I would you might never forget these Particulars But 2. And when He beheld the City He wept Another Reason why He weeps is out of sorrow because He findes them in their blood He grieves to see Ierusalems wickedness to see her hands embrued in blood to see her killing the Prophets and opposing and fighting against her own good There is no other way for Her ever to be saved but by hearing the voyce of her Prophets and obeying them And now to thrust these away saying We will not have this man rule over us for Truth to finde the sons of peace the saved ones in this strange condition hating and striking against their own chief good and best friends This causes a weeping It is a gladness indeed to finde the sons of peace to see a Nathanael an Israelite indeed in whom there is no guile one in whom the Spirit of Life the Seed of God is planted Truth joys at this and if this be not in the bottom there is no ground for Truth to work upon No Physician goes about to take a dead man to cure If there be not a Seed of Life there is nothing for Truth to care for and pray and weep over But now where that seed is yet to finde such a Soul or such a people stoning their Prophets to finde his own Children rebelling and standing against Him this causes Truth to weep And when He beheld the City He wept c. Now this Sin hath three Aggravations in it which cause Truth to weep 1. It is an unnatural sin for them to kill their Prophets which came to instruct and inform them in the way of Life Alass in killing your Prophets you kill your selves you murther your own Souls And what murther is so cruel and unnatural as that Who shall save you if you kill your Saviour Him whom God hath sent to be a Saviour and Deliverer If you thrust away this Moses who shal bring you out of Egypt and lead through the Wilderness Nothing so unnatural as for a man to cut his own Throat such a thing is it for any to slight and contemn that Truth which comes to save them 2. It is an ungrateful Sin It is not right nor allowable to render evil for evil to hate our Enemies But to reward evil for good to return hatred for love and mercy and bowels shewed us Am I therefore your Enemy saith Paul because I tell you the truth This is wonderful ungrateful I will send my Son sure they will reverence Him but now after all to take this Son too and kill Him that was sent out of love and exceeding tenderness this is the ungratefullest sin in the World To refuse Him that speaks from Heaven that can open to you the minde and heart and love and good-will of God this Christ weeps at to finde them in so ungrateful a sin 3. It is a venturous and desperate sin That moves Christ to weep to see the hard venture what to sleep upon the top of a Mast To venture to kill their Prophets and the present offer of Grace and know not whether ever another Prophet shall be sent them or no O what a venture is it God hath truly sent me to you to warn you to come out of Sodom and to tell you God hath purposed to destroy the City and will you venture to linger in it still Had Lot stayd but one hour longer he had been destroyed with them but the Angel layd hands on him and pulled him out the Lord being merciful to him This is the next to that unpardonable sin which David prays against O keep me from presumptuous sins that I may be innocent from the great Transgression The Lord warn and prevent you and lay it to your heart to consider how guilty we are in all these Particulars how unnatural we have been and cruel to our own Souls to murther the Truth sent to gather us and then of all transgressions 't is the most ungrateful What people in all the world have been so kindly dealt with so followed and waited on and born with Line upon Line Instruction and Counsel and Love have followed us and to murther this Truth after all how ungrateful is it And then how desperate have we been and venturous in a Passion like the profane Esau to sell all for one morsel of bread to venture all at a blow and what ever comes on it desperately resolve We will not have this man rule over us Well may God say to us Because I would have purged you and you would not be purged therefore you shall not be purged till you dye Do you hear what is spoke It concerns all you are all guilty the Lord lay it not to your charge I know not a People in the World so venturing all at a cast as we have been Come Life or Death yet there hath been a punctual standing out and slighting the Call of Truth to have our wills Thirdly Another Cause Christ weeps over Jerusalem is to find her in that miserable condition of ignorance that she knew not the Things which belonged to her Peace O that Thou hadst known even Thou in this thy day c. But They knew not the day of their Visitation they knew not their time this Christ grieves at Work whilest it is day whilest you have the Light with you for the night cometh wherein no man can work But they had played in Summer they slighted their seasons and opportunities and knew them not knew not the Things belonging to their Peace Man naturally looks after the things that concern his ease but is not so minding what belongs to his peace But it is this Peace only that must stick by us in a strait in a time of need when ease and enlargements and all fail then will this Peace abide and this Christ weeps for to see their ignorance though it is well in one respect that they were ignorant I obtained mercy saith Paul because I did it ignorantly And had we done what we have done fully knowing we had sinned
not you that sold me c. ' I sent you into the wilderness to learn you experience that when you are converted you might strengthen your Brethren Thus you may see of what use Rings are and this is wonderful that God should so adorn the hand with his Rings To be 1. Skill'd in the works of Truth 2. To be diligent in the work of Truth And 3. To be garnish'd with this to be busied about things of worth to be exercised in things that abide for ever Let all your things saith Paul be done to edification Let nothing be out of strife or vain glory but all for the building of something that shall stand for ever But yet this son is wanting still as if the Father should say What if we clothe him with the best robe and put Rings on his hands yet if his feet be not shod too how can he go Therefore 3. This is the third thing And put shooes on his feet c. Let him be shod with the Preparation of the Everlasting Gospel of Peace The feet are the Affections which are to be wrought upon 1. To go but how why Let all your things saith Paul be done in Love There 's need your feet be prepared to serve the Lord in Love And that our loves might be prepared there 's need of shooes to put on that the feet might be enabled to go upon the bryars and thorns to endure the frost and the snow need to have the Love made strong to endure hardness Love saith Paul suffereth long and is kinde envyeth not seeketh not her own is not easily provoked thinketh no evil rejoyceth not in iniquity but rejoyceth in the Truth c. 1 Cor. 13.4 5 6. It had need be shod indeed When God said to Moses Thou shalt carry this people in thy bosom as a Mother doth her child c. Alass pleads he how can I carry all this people If thou dealest thus with me I pray thee take me away that I may not see my wretchedness He had not Love enough to carry him through There 's need of great preparations if such a service be in hand And now the Prodigal shall be made to endure to bless when he is cursed because he knows now the heart of a stranger We our selves saith Paul were sometimes strangers and aliens from the Commonwealth of Israel hateful and hating one another He having a knowledg into this was made to endure Though the more abundantly I love saith he the less I be loved That there may not be a shrinking here this is one main thing he has need of of the shooes of that which may be a fence a safeguard to his feet that no fiery darts no discontents c. may stop or overturn him But then 2. The shooes are that the Love might run the swifter without fear Withhold thy Feet from being VNSHOD saith God and thy throat from thirst Jerem. 2.25 Thou makest my Feet like HINDES FEET saith David But when the Love is cold then the heart by and by waxeth feeble and faint Ezra was astonish'd and sat seven days so because he had said The Lord was able to save them therefore said he I was ashamed to go to the King for a band of men His Love began to be feeble at last And Job sat astonish'd seven days his Love was cold he could not have offended had that been alive Great Peace have they that love thy Law and nothing can offend them How do we stand and pick and choose But when we shall be made able to say as Paul I am not onely ready to be bound for the Name of Christ but to suffer death also When so shod then shall we go boldly without fear when the Love is shod with quickness then I shall run the way of thy Commands When thou hast set my feet at liberty saith David then will the Soul readily love the Lord with all the heart and all the soul and all its strength But when it 's not quick and lively there come in the miscarriages For 1. It 's not shod to endure And 2ly then it has not quickness to speed on the work but through reasoning and disputing the case the Love waxes cold And the Prodigal shall be made to see to his cost when he returns home what his Leaden-heel'd Love was But 3. The third thing that prepares the Love is singleness solidness and faithfulness these are the shooes that garnish his feet these are the Affections to be shod with The double minded man saith James is unstable in all his ways When the Prodigal comes home and sees how double he had been before in all his ways now he is made to say It was good for me that I was afflicted for thereby I learn'd thy Law Now he can say One thing have I desired which now I will seek after That I may dwell in the house of the Lord for ever to enquire dayly in his Temple c. Now the Prodigal has learn'd this He knows what it is to put his hand to the plow looking backwards Now his Love is singly fixt upon its object but when it was not single how did he soon wander from it He was bare-foot then but when he comes home then the Father puts on his shooes they were not of his putting on but the Fathers done by his command But all along while I am speaking to you and am seeing what divided hearts you come with and the great loss that is come upon you there 's great need to pray to the Father that he would bring the shooes his Love to set the Affections right to love with rightness readiness and singleness for if He bring them not this evil and hypocritical will will be our undoing But saith God You shall finde me when you shall seek me with all your heart and all your soul He will be sought to of the house of Israel And he has not said to the house of Jacob Seek my face in vain But he that offers to the Lord for a sacrifice that which is torn or lame and has a male in his flock He abhors that mans offering He will receive none but that which is without blemish and that will make our works accepted as Paul saith Faith that works by Love and doth all in singleness of Soul That will make every thing acceptable in his sight 4. A fourth thing the Soul is to be shod with is Soberness for there may be a real singleness of spirit and yet a great headiness Therefore saith Paul let your Moderation be seen in all things For if we cannot say as Job The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away and blessed be the Name of the Lord there is not a sober love Therefore Put off thy shooes said God to Moses He was yet over-heady and not fit to walk as you may see in his strait concerning Miriam because God had stricken her with Leprosie he prays Lord heal her now But as if God
from this compleat soundness We complain because we cannot have our evil wills but when David was delivered O let me never taste of their dainties saith he Thus did the Father receive the Prodigal safe and sound But He received him so Which intimates That no unclean thing shall enter The Child shall be in the wilderness till he know how to refuse the evil and choose the good but we put it off and would never learn saying When God comes indeed we shall be so But we must be brought to choose the thing our wills must buckle to be of his minde not his Will to ours all this curious work was wrought in the dark I was curiously fashioned saith David in the lower-most parts of the Earth c. When the Prodigal came to himself when he first returned the Father received him safe and sound so sure was he fenced about with the Name of the Lord a strong fence indeed The Father findes him in this Name and in this he receives him as Christ saith of Mary She loved much therefore much was forgiven her So safe and sound does the Father receive him Safe in that he is free from all evil nothing can touch him and then safe in that he cannot get away and sound not having an evil tincture of an old rotten heart in him Now he has no mind to return to Sodom I remember in that day I look'd for all my fears that had plagued me and could not finde them the minde was set on fire for God alone Well may the Father be merry now to receive a son that was once forlorn that had neither clothes to his back nor meat for his belly that had no fellowship but Rogues fit for every base Harlots house taking all opportunities of destruction yet he is saved out of all and comes home safe and now for a King to entertain him thus it was a token he was a son indeed for who else could have the face to own such a Father such a case as he was now in but he ventures and calls him Father and the Father own◠him and is glad to receive him in how miserable a case soever he findes him Thus have you seen the progress of all the Prodigal's way Did you see him in his pride and bravery wiser then seven men that can give a reason full of wealth and store having got his portion into his hands and have you seen what he does with it The rich mans wealth saith Solomon is a high wall in his own conceit 't is but in his own conceit But before destruction saith he a mans heart is haughty Prov. 18.11 12. And if you see him a while after where is it all become The time comes he is glad of an husk if he could but feed with the swine but he may not And now he is put to his last shift either to dye with hunger or to return home to his Father at a peradventure whether he will receive him or no he proposes to himself if he might but be received as a servant it was far better to be so then as he was for they had no want but he starved with hunger And because he comes home thus buckled owning his shame confessing he had so sinned and was not worthy any more of the name of a son now his commanding and claiming spirit is layd down but while he comes thus he is largely entertained with abundance of mercies as hath been shewed you Now from all this you may consider these Vses 1. In the first place here might be an Use of Information or forewarning to all those that are sons or daughters of this Father That if possible you might take warning and not gain this loss to your selves by wandering If a man be a Drunkard or Swearer c. yet he will many times counsel his child that he should not follow his way And as Paul said so I say to you 〈◊〉 would you were all as I am except my bonds I would you might never have a minde to wander as the Prodigal did you see what it brought him to And all the Examples you hear of they are all written for your admonition upon whom the ends of the world are come And as you have seen the end of the World so you would see an end of Truth too were it in your power The Prodigal did not spend the Worlds but his own portion you have made an evil use of all the Creatures and will you make an evil use of Truth too O that you might learn instruction and be wise That the days past might suffice in which you have walked perversly that hence-forward you might be warned to keep out of the snare 2. It may be of Use for Instruction to let us know of a certain That where ever Pride goes before Destruction will follow after The Prodigal for his riotous living was rewarded with famine It were well if you would never venture but if you do know of a certain the Famine will overtake you Therefore as Paul saith Forsake not the assembling of your selves together as the manner of some is who are thereby hardened Where presumption goes before hardness of heart will follow Therefore it 's no marvel to see us lean and barren it is because that proud spirit has gone before which has brought it on us that promis'd you you should not be poor but sit as a Lady for ever c. We have promised our selves we would be diligent and watchful not envy nor despise any but when the heart is once out it 's hard to come in again When Davids heart had got out to look upon the woman he presently sends for her Husband then makes him drunk then sends him with a Letter to the Army to take his life away and all that he might enjoy his Wife So when the heart is once out how does it heap one lye and mischief upon another O therefore consider how you get out for if you are once gone it 's not such an easie thing to come in again The beginning of strife saith Solomon is like the breaking out of water The gap is made bigger and bigger till at last it cannot be stopt 3. And lastly This may be for Encouragement to all those Wanderers that are gone a long journey and would never think of returning that count God such an hard Master Do but consider his works of old as David did he was encouraged by it and had hope Our father 's hoped in thee saith he and were not ashamed Remember the Prodigal though a poor forlorn wretch yet he return'd to his Father as he was and see what entertainment he found Therefore now enquire with what Principle thou couldst come in Art thou dead and thy fear is thou shalt not be revived again or is thy fear because of a dissembling unsound spirit thou hast which twists about thee do what thou canst Yet see Is thy strait for a single and upright heart Doth
in all Ages save the People committed to them Moses he stands up in the gap and the anger is turned away Phinehas he stands up and the Plague ceased David he stands up and takes the sin and the blow upon himself 1 Chron. 21.17 It is even I that have sinned and done evill but as for these sheep what have they done Let thine hand be upon me I pray thee c. Thus he stands up till the destroying Angel puts up his sword till the thing be done he requests for and thus Noah and all the preachers of righteousness prepare an Ark to the saving of their House the people committed to them II. Another Consequent upon Noahs building an Ark is this by which he condemned the world all the world is condemned by it and that in these seven particulars 1. Noah beleeves Gods Word and is Warned God tels him Noah all flesh hath corrupted his way and it repenteth me I have made man wherefore their end is come before me and I will surely bring a Deluge to destroy them all now therefore look to it stay not in all the plain get away from the tents of these wicked men hasten and build an Ark to keep off the danger that thou perish not with them and he believed God 't is said c. But who will beleeve this report now if God Himself should speak or an Angell from Heaven if one from the dead should come we would not beleeve if we beleeve not Moses and the Prophets Now who will beleeve if such a certain word as this be witnessed to them Well deceive not your selves I can surely tell you from God that misery and destruction is certainly coming on if you stick in this condition if you get not an Ark a sure shelter and refuge astrong Tower to flye to you will never be able to stand therefore Knowing the terrors of the Lord we perswade you lay the thing to heart defer it no longer I but who will be warned by all this none of the world will the world within us and the world without that will go on its old way do and say what you can Charme the charmer never so wisely the Blackmore will not change his skin nor the Leopard his spots this carnall and sensuall and Devilish mind within us it wil yet feed on carrion though it be a thousand times warned it will not be warned though it be told and told and told Well this way will surely undo you if you stick on any seen things and come not to give up all and lay down your lives you will certainly be miserable and loose your lives yet this spirit in us will not beleeve but it will put the evill day far off and mock at the making of an Ark. It will plead what need is there of this ado and God he is merciful one shift or other this world will ever finde to be at ease but wo to them that are at ease in Syon c. Noah he is warned the new Heart the sensible Spirit that heares the Word and stands alwayes in awe and trembling that is warned and this is that which Judges the world for they are not 2. Noah beleeves though he be warned of things not seen as yet he disputes not with flesh and blood about the matter but beleeves and this condemns the world who would not argue But what shall we have if we leave all and what need is there of it yet till more danger appears who would build an Ark when no flood is seen and not say with Job No I am well I shall dye in my nest who that is strong and in health and hath all enjoyments about him will then beleeve a change will come Who breaks through all snares and entanglements and says Let me go stand aside all is uncertain all may soon be taken from me this life is a mortal life and all my enjoyments are nothing if the Deluge come therefore strive not to comfort me let me go about the work to prepare an Ark Who breaks through thus resolvedly No the heart stands rather to dispute Sure this man says he knows not what there 's no such danger And thus the time is reasoned out And if you will stand thus pleading till the Flood come unawares and take you yet remember I have told you these things I have dealt truly in warning you And as Christ saith all this have I said that you might be saved But yet you are disputing and reasoning Alas what can I do to help my self And thus we linger and come to nothing Sure all this which I speak to you is as a Tale that is told Lord how I feel the hardness of your heart and that the Word enters not into the stone But sure it is if the Word take no place the Blow shall the Flood will come and destroy this world 3. He condemns the world in this He sets to build an Ark alone He stays not for great and wise ones to joyn with him in the work but builds alone though all scoff and say What will this Babbler say what is this fool doing Will he bring in new Laws and Ordinances and go contrary to all Customs and Orders and Rules of our Fathers and Leaders and wise ones Well but this moves him not Do ye what you will saith Joshuah I and my house will serve the Lord I must go on saith Noah The Soul that is indeed at a strait must go through all Lets and set upon the work It must leave all Relations Father and Mother and Friends and say to all If you will not go with me I must leave you Let the dead bury their dead but follow thou me saith Christ But this is the pleading of all the world Do any of the great ones the Scribes and Pharisees beleeve on him Do the Minsters and godly Divines go this way And here they sit down saying We 'l not be wiser then all men but follow our Teachers Well saith the Soul that is indeed at a strait Go they as they will yet I must go this way there is a press within I know not what shall become of me and 't is time now to look out if neither Father nor Brother if none in the World will joyn with me yet I must go to Zion Alass I am at a strait Alass what shall become of me in the latter end This strait will surely come upon your spirits and run through all enjoyments your eating and drinking and buying and selling nothing shall give you rest And were you indeed here you would not stay for company you would look out for bread to eat were you ready to starve And who ever is thus pressed on through all to build this Ark he condemns the World who all sit down at ease And thus that world in us is condemned by that restless spirit of Truth that is always reaching and crying and pressing forward 4. This condemns the World That Noah
THE SECT Every where Spoken against Or the Reproached DOCTRINE of ELY As it was held forth in several Sermons in the Year MDCLI By CHRISTOPHER COB Lay-man Minister of an United People in ELY Collected and Analized for a private Use by Hampden Reeve Master of Arts one of that Society and a constant Hearer Now published by the Assent of the whole Society as a short Character at present of Them and their Way till an opportunity of a farther and fuller discovery for satisfaction in General LONDON Printed by J. Macock for Giles Calvert at the black Spred-Eagle at the West end of Pauls 1651 THE PREFACE OF THE PUBLISHER TO THE READER Reader HAst thou not read that in the days of Christ a Romane Senator abiding at JERUSALEM and wondering at his vertuous Life and Miracles sent to the Senate at Rome to receive Jesus for a God They put it to the Question and in the end voted That Rome could not receive Jesus for a God because He admitted of no more Gods but Himself And that whosoever would not accept of him alone upon his own terms which was to leave all and follow him was not worthy of him But the Worship of Rome consisted of many and therefore Jesus and their gods could not stand together and accordingly rejected him and left him to be tryed for his Life by the Law We have a Law and by this he ought to dye said the People Reader That People are not dead to this day And to this day whatever Man Sect or People shall profess that Name of Jesus according to his Law left in his Gospel he must be baptized into his Cup hated of all Men for that Name sake reproached persecuted The Portion of the true Remnant in all ages and in this day the very condition of this despised Sect without a name the People of ELY judged of all known of none owned of none a shame to be for it a danger to be of it a sin to be in it But well They whom Jew Greek and Roman refused do this People seek after for a God And accordingly think no relation dear unto them if possibly they may attain to his Cross and be found worthy to drink of his Cup together And for this Cause for this Profession and this Practice are they called in Question at this day in this present year 1651. both Minister and People after twenty years faithful service in the Gospel day and night declaring this Name And accordingly stand indicted as is publickly known for an unlawful and most uncivil Assembly gathered and united contrary to the Laws of this Commonwealth How unjust and erroneous this scandal is is well known to them that lie under the burthen and to him that is able to clear them in his own way and day In the mean space friendly Reader they thought it their duty in the midst of these distractions to endevor a right apprehension of their Way and Life and as much as in them lieth to remove the block of offence which is for the most part no other then Ignorance and a misunderstanding of them the very cause that too many speak too headily and fall too foully on them As for them that speak evil through malice they may go on till they be met with But because that some eminent and much honored persons with many others in afflicted conditions of spirit have earnestly desired to see some Declaration come forth in publique manifesting their Practice and Doctrine The People have given their joynt consent to print this small Volume of Sermons or Collections rather being only the faithful gleanings of a diligent hand after a full vintage as a true and some small Testimony of them by it By the Doctrine thou mayst know the People and by the People the Doctrine as a Banner of Truth displayed the Ensign stands open the Colours are flying the Motto is Love and Truth He that runs if he have eyes may read If that be not sufficient to run and read then come and see peradventure an Interpreter may be joyned to thy Charet and besides thou knowest not what good may come out of Nazareth Reader I speak as a Witness and Publisher both having made certain tryal That to be the accepted Servant of this despised People this House of mourning is an Honor this World cannot give a Mercy of Mercies to be prized before all conditions of glory in Place or Court Farewel Thine so far as thou art Theirs John Mason Esq From my Abode in the Colledg Ely August 1651. The Summary CONTENTS Of Each SERMON SERM. I. WHat the meaning of the Precious Promises spoke of is How they are concerning Life Godliness Glory and Vertue What it is truly to live and how many things belong to it The true Being of Godliness Glory and Vertue opened The Divine Nature what is meant by it and the several ways by which the Soul is made partaker of it SERM. II. How the Soul breaks off from God and procures its wound what it is to return to whom it must be and by what means it is wrought The ways God makes use of in healing the wound made by himself What is meant by reviving and how God revives with application of all to particulars SERM. III. The Parties pointed out who they are that may kill the Body how and by what means Grounds why they are not to be feared and in what respects The worth of Soul and Body considered and who is indeed to be feared What it is to have the Soul destroyed and the ways used by God to that purpose What Hell is and what it is to be in Hell SERM. IV. What the City Jerusalem means and what sort of people are typed out by it How Christ is said to come neer this City Why he weeps over it both for joy and grief and in what respects What Jerusalems great ignorance was The metaphor of a Hen gathering her Chickens under her wing largely opened and applyed Jerusalems misery hinted for neglecting her Day of Visitation SERM. V. Who Christ is what he comes down from Heaven to do in the World Considerations about the uncontroulable Will of God and the two main Branches of it How and in what relations a people are given to Christ as Children as a Sister as a Spouse Observations upon each of these What it is to be utterly lost and why all are not lost with its grounds and application SERM. VI. The whole Parable concerning the Prodigal His going out from returning home to and entertainment by his Father with all the material circumstances mentioned in that story mysteriously opened and in all cases paralleld to the like condition befalling the Soul SERM. VII What the things not seen were which Noah is warned of and how we in the present day are warned of God in the same cases How Noah was affected with this Warning and the several Considerations moving him to fear with the case paralleld to our
But then For some of you whom indeed I know and who yet lie dead in your graves fast bound in chains and fetters under darkness and fears and sorrows and are no ways able ever to get out to you this promise of Life is made That God will make the dry bones live and raise you out of your graves It concerns you to look after it For he hath promised and will perform He will surely keep his Word unto Jacob and his Covenant to Israel God will say to all that keep us down in chains and bondage Let my People go that they may serve me Let my Captives go free The time will come when he will turn our mourning into joy and fill our tongues with laughter and our mouths with praises when he shall bring back the Captivity of Israel when the Time of Life is come And now it followeth to go on That you might be made Partakers of the Divine Nature All this I have spoken of is to pass upon the Soul before there can be this partaking of the Divine Nature to be joyned in and married to it There may be somewhat of Life and Godliness and Glory and Vertue springing in the Soul but yet it may be but one alone as a chaste Virgin indeed single and loose from all and fit for a Husband but not yet married the House must be thus swept and provided and made fit but yet the King is to come to lodg in it It is yet a farther thing to become fruitful and have children in the Truth therefore the next thing to enquire into is Secondly What is it to partake of the Divine Nature The Holy Ghost is this Divine Nature spoke of Now Christ saith He will give the Holy Spirit to them that ask it only to such as ask it such as are at a strait to cry for it and only living men can cry and ask and to them he will give this Holy Spirit God communicates and gives in to the Soul a Holy Seed of his own Nature and Being as really as in the outward generation of a man A seed must first be given and received before ever a child can be brought forth So is it with the Soul a seed of God must be really planted in and sown there somewhat of his own Being and Substance left behind in the Soul to stay abide and grow and spread or else there can never be fruitfulness expected If God only come and go as a wayfaring man and take not up his abode so long we shall never be setled down to any thing truly unmovable but up and down as His coming or going away is As the Spirit came on Saul and came on Balaam so long they prophesied and spake of God and were as it were new men but the Spirit departs again and then they are as other men the same they were before But now to have God dwell in man to take up his abode This is my Rest here will I dwell for ever this is a mighty thing indeed 2. To be made Partakers of the Divine Nature as it implies an abiding and setled planting in of a seed of God so it is secondly a known and felt-thing in the Soul there is a certain close and meet of the man He receives the seed in the man is brought to hear and feel and know that God is nigh 3. This Divine Nature where it is thus given in by God and received by the man it brings forth of its own kind and Image He gives to every seed it s own body Adam begets a son in his own likeness natural and carnal and earthly and selfish having his centre wholly downwards And so the Lord He begets Children like Himself in Patience Love Singleness Justice Meekness c. Where this Divine Nature is sown it will surely grow up into the likeness of its Father it will own its Father in its countenance it will turn the man into the same mind and will and desires and if not so yet do the man what he can whether he will or not this Truth wil act stir and bring forth like it self and in this it will deal plainly and truly and shew the man where he is it will not be bribed to dawb with untempered morter and yet is merciful too tender-hearted easie to be entreated full of all good fruits c. Now then 1. This may be of Vse to enquire what it is we would come to would we receive this Divine Nature and joyn in and be marryed to it It is certain you can never have children nor be fruitful in the Truth unless you are marryed in here Though you should be Virgins and be brought to stand clear and loose from all intanglements yet you can never have children to keep your name alive in Israel you will live and dye alone without you are brought to joyn into this Spirit of Christ Though we may have Fathers and Instructers to care and provide for us yet that Promise cannot take place In stead of fathers thou shalt have childrē whom thou mayst make Princes in all Lands We can never leave a seed after us that may grow up to be Princes in the Truth to make it spread in the world and run and be glorious but at present we are far from this there is a very ill spirit in us not willing to see another thrive and prosper in the Truth We would neither enter in our selves nor suffer them that would How few of us are yet reached out to this Thing to long for and desire to be Partakers of the Divine Nature We would rather starve and live on any Husks any shifts and sharkings then come near God for a Feast our hearts choose rather a Dogs life hunger and ease Hungry indeed we are many times at a want for somewhat but if we can get but a little ease in our want we can bear it and so the strait gets off and this may discover that great ill will that is in us to the thriving and prospering of the Truth c. 2. This may inform you what the End of all is all the Promises of Life and Godliness and Glory and Vertue they all tend to this end That you might be Partakers of the Divine Nature The Door is yet open the Promise and Call is yet after you It belongs to you as it did to Ruths kinsman to marry Ruth and purchase the Inheritance but if you shall slight it and say as he did I cannot redeem it for it will spoil my own Inheritance if we shall answer so No we cannot come so near to partake of the Divine Nature to dwell with God He will be a consuming fire He will cross and spoyl all our wills and delights and designs If we shall thus judg our selves unworthy of eternal Life then Lo He turns to the Gentiles He will turn to another people for sure He will find out some that will be glad to receive Him whose
Souls will be at a strait and thirst after the living God But as yet the Door is open to you what is the reason you are no more upon it They are exceeding great and precious Promises in themselves why are they not precious to us Sure they would had we but a Heart Therefore consider of it it is offered to you and if you shall follow on to know the Lord you shall surely know Him Consider the Door is open the precious Promises are given to you of Life and Glory c. Why then are you passing away your days on such low trivial and dying things Josephs blessing was large reached out to the utmost bounds of the Everlasting Hills and why are we so scant-hearted and low in our desires Why are we not upon these great and precious Things promised and to partake of this Divine Nature and thence be fruitful in the Truth and bring forth somewhat that may stand and live for ever after us THE SOULS TRUE Wound and Cure SERM. II. March 30.1651 HOSEA 6.1 2. Come and let us return unto the Lord for he hath torn and He will heal us He hath smitten and He will binde us up After two days will He revive us in the third day will He raise us up and we shall live in his Sight c. The Analysis IN the words were intimated the three days Works of the Father Son and Spirit in their order 1. The Work of the Father to pull down and wound and thither the Return must be to Him that smiteth 2. The Work of the Son to revive After two days He will revive us c. 3. The Work of the Spirit to raise In the third day He will raise us up c. I. In this Returning three Things are considerable 1. They that return must truly know they are out of the way a true sense of that must be And that was here in two things 1. In breaking prison and running from the strait The Princes of Judah like them that removed the bound c. 2. They were out in seeking to cure themselves before the day came Hos 5.13 but a secret moth blasts all The Vses were 1. To look home whether not our own Case have we not removed the Bound run from the strait and not endured c. 2. To take us off of looking on anothers sin and keep close to our own strait lie under our own misery till delivered 2. 'T is considerable in this Return there must be counsel and calling to it Come and let us return else not stir a foot 3. This Return is to the Lord He that had wounded He will heal Many heal themselves but there is a wound too hard And these several ways God takes for healing 1. He removes the ill humor that feeds the sore Sense and Reason 2. He asswages the anguish and smart and pain of the Soul else all in vain 3. He applies a plaister of loving-kindness and mercy 4. He points the Soul to wait for the set time till that come II. The second Work is the Sons He will revive After two days He will revive us c. And that by these means 1. He takes off all bonds and chains fears and perplexities which keep down the Soul from stiring 2. He unswadles and opens Himself I am Joseph your Brother 3. He preaches Peace and Love He the Prince of Peace 4. He revives by preaching the everlasting Gospel the eternal Love and good-will of God to the Soul this enliveneth All was brought home by Vse to see how much of the work had passed on us there all the four Pa ticulars HOSEA 6.1 2 c. Come and let us return unto the Lord for He hath torn and He will heal us c. IN the former Chapter great complaint is made against Israel and Ephraim that they were Revolters that they committed whoredom and will not frame their doings to seek unto their God Vers 3 4. And this is that misery that befalls such as transgress against the Lord that received not the Truth in the love of it that obeyed not counsel the Hand of the Lord will surely meet with such He will teer and wound them There shall be no peace to the wicked When Israel was a child then I loved Him saith God then He was tender and soft and pliable to be ordered but as They called them so They went from them Hosea 11.2 As the Prophets called them indeed to come up and come nigh God then there is a going backward from Him He is bent to a back-sliding heart But Israel and Ephraim shall be sure to be dealt with and made desolate A Time comes wherein God will meet with Him The Pride of Israel testifies to his face therefore shall Israel and Ephraim fall in their iniquity v. 5. And this is our case The Pride hath been such we thought we had been Some-body and could live alone of our selves and like the Prodigal have asked to have our portion and we would be gone and shift for our selves But alass all is soon spent with riotous living and desolation and famine have come upon us rendings and teerings perplexities disquiets and troubles in all our ways I will be unto Ephraim as a Lion I will teer and go away I will take away and none shall rescue Hos 5.14 And when thus it shall be in the midst of the Land when this is the Souls condition to be rent and torn by God and then left and forsaken that He cannot be found but He hides Himself though Job go forward and backward to the right hand and to the left yet He is gone and cannot be found He feeds among the lillies â—aith the Church until the day dawn and the shadows fly away As if she should say Alass I am unclean but He feeds among the clean ones among the Lillies that are spotless the Lillies that grow without toyling and caring there are his walks but I am no company for him He is withdrawn from Me until the day dawn c. This is a hard day indeed when the Soul is left in this desolate case there is now need to think of returning The Prophet He feels the need and therefore calls to the People Come and let us return to the Lord. And so all along the Scriptures the Prophets are brought in as sensible and crying under the misery though their People were senceless and careless and stupid How do Isaiah Jeremiah Samuel Hosea and so all the Prophets stand in the gap for their people and call upon them in their desolation to come in and return to the Lord But whom do they call to return not all men not such as never was nigh to the Lord No Onely Ephraim and Israel and Judah his own people that have been once nigh and are backslidden and turned Prodigals from their fathers house Onely to such is the Call and in the worst time of all when torn and wounded and left of God
the womb as 't is said of Rebecca there 's the natural son and the spiritual son there 's the Jew and the Gentile the Jew is a natural branch the Gentile contrary to nature the Son of God and the son of man Except a man be born again he cannot see the Kingdom of God saith Christ A man viz. the will the understanding the Soul for this house the body that we carry about with us that is not the man where the Son of God dwells as Paul saith He that hath not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his Now where that Spirit is the Father brings that man to be his son to a new birth not to a new birth in the full sence for there 's a two-fold birth first there 's a birth to see the Kingdom and then a birth to enter into the Kingdom of God To the first the Prodigal was brought And this we can truly witness We are born in the house have eaten and drunk in his presence and heard him teach in our streets we have lived at his Table we have had bread enough and to spare having the world at will saith David c. But now we girded our selves in this day with Peter we could walk upon the Sea to Christ and thought our selves safe c. till at last getting up our portion we wandred from our fathers house And this Interpretation I intend to follow For though the other two are true yet if we come not to particulars what 's this to me to hear of a Jew and a Gentile without me or to hear of a Prodigal wandring from his fathers house c. if all this while I be not this man I this Prodigal spoke of I shall now go on to the several Observations rising from the carriage of this Prodigal son 1. The son said to his father c. Hence is considerable the distinct knowing that God of his mercy hath brought him to to know the Truth It 's not said that one said or that a certain man said thus but the son said to his father And herein have we exceedingly made an evil of the goodness of the Lord And it makes my heart tremble to think what want will come upon this Prodigal for it But 2. The second thing considerable in this Prodigal is this And the son said to his father Give me the portion of goods that belongs to me You shal see if you mind it another manner of carriage in him when he returns from his Prodigality Now he is upon his claiming Give me my portion but when he returns home he does not say though greatly pined with hunger kill the fatted Calf but he comes thus I am not worthy to be called thy son make me as one of thy hired servants In the days of our Ignorance how do we claim our portions looking for a reward as due to us But no greater token that want is coming then this and this is a certain thing that all our losses have come from this and will come whilest you command God and his servants saying Why do'nt he regard me more And so there is a claiming of our portions and taking them out of the hands of Truth and so we thrust our selves out of the house as the Prodigal and say He will be such a hard Master to me I had better have it in my own hand Thus hath there been an evil intreating of the Son of God Now is that presuming and desperate venturing that we are able to go alone But I would you might read all along as you go that those of you who are not fallen if possible might be warned and if you are fallen that you might learn Instruction how to return How did destruction come upon Korah for his evil reaching What are not all the Lords People holy Will you put out the eyes of these men But by and by you shall know saith Moses And indeed how did they know to their woe How did the fire of the Lord consume some and the Earth swallow up others c. Oh that you might take warning But 3ly The father gives him his deresi a sad case And he divided to them his substance When Israel murmured against God complaining of the light Manna and craving for Quails God heard their cries He gave them their hearts lust but sent them leanness of Soul When I consider the cries of our hearts those evil reachings for the Truth it makes my heart tremble lest God may take advantage in giving us our desires We think because we reach after the things of God we do well But when I think what Lot got by desiring to go to Zoar though God gave him his choyce to go yet how did his heart reproach his mouth When he had it he could not abide there but feared to dwell in Zoar Zoar now will not maintain him the time comes when neither wisdom nor knowledg nor discerning will serve the turn Though I had the gift of Prophecy saith Paul and could understand all mysteries If I had all knowledg and faith that I could remove mountains it would profit me nothing if I had not Love 1 Cor. 13.2 3. When I enjoyed the world at will when my bough was green when the dew lay upon my branch all night then I said in my prosperity I shall never be moved thou Lord of thy goodness hadst made my mountain so strong saith David I know thy works saith the Angel to the Church of Ephesus thy labour and thy patience and how thou canst not bear with them that are evil and hast tryed them which say they are Apostles and are not and hast found them lyars c. Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee because thou hast left thy first Love As if God should say I know thy gifts have not sprung from the garden of Nature but I have given them they were my Wool and my Flax but you have deck'd your Idols with them therefore they are taken away But he gives a portion to his eldest son that never shall be taken away He saith to him Son thou art ever with me and all that I have is thine But to the younger son he gives that which may be spent the common Faith as Paul writes to Titus Titus my dear son saith he according to the Common Faith But yet what a loss came to the Prodigal though truly a son Such a loss may the Soul come to to be as naked as a child that is newly born So foolish and ignorant was I saith David as a beast before thee Behold saith God I make the Earth utterly empty without an Inhabitant And then as Christ said you shall desire to see one of the days of the Son of man and shall not see them As a dead man out of mind saith David If we were aware of this it would make us afraid of what we reach after I know many of you have an aspiring mind to be high and accounted eminent
Jeremy my leanness my leanness the treacherous Dealers have dealt treacherously c. God gave Israel their hearts desire but sent leanness into their Souls How uncomely does a lean man look 'T was not so with the Spouse Let me see thy countenance let me hear thy voyce saith Christ for sweet is thy voyce and thy countenance comely she was in the banqueting house and her looks shew it How often does Christ commend her though she saith I am black yet still she is comely I look like one of thine saith David If a mans heart be down and under how feeble is his countenance but when he is up and refreshed how is he bold as a Lion The Righteous are bold as a Lion c. When we are in by-paths how do we hang down the head and creep into a corner and are loth to be seen But surely the Promise is that we shall be fat and well-liking and bring forth more fruit in old age But what a day of leanness is it now with us We spend our days in a Consumption a lingering disease has taken hold but when we shall return then shall the flesh come again as the flesh of a young child When you shall look over all the Entertainment and view it well together it will be wonderful but you must first be wearied out of all and when they shall be weary then they shall curse their King and their God and look upwards 5. The Entertainment of this Prodigal still goes on And let us eat and be merry which is more strange then all the rest and hath more in it and yet that this joy should accompany his Return who had so slighted his father and abused all his mercies now to be entertained thus this is strange The Father sets him up again amongst the Princes at his own Table Now he needs not be ashamed to sit with them in the gate when they all see how the King smiles upon him This is beyond all expression that ever he that was a begger should be so adorned so accepted and incompassed with mercies on all sides The Father calls all his friends to see his glory and invites them to this great feast Come let 's eat and be merry he calls his servants all the Angels those noble Spirits he makes them ministring Spirits But to which of them does he say Sit thou at my right hand But to man he says Thou art my son this day have I begotten thee There 's more joy in Heaven over one sinner that repents then over the ninety and nine just persons the Angels that need no repentance Those glorious Angels are made but ministring Spirits to attend dayly upon those that shall be saved But to be born of God to be co-heirs with Christ this is beyond all the Angels portions Come saith the Father let us eat and be merry But for what Cause must there be so much mirth c. It arises from these two Causes 1. From the liberty the Father had in himself And 2. From the contentedness he had in his son It signifies he was now eased of his grief for when he went out he grieved for him he had no content in that as if he had said Well my son will never be at quiet till he has had his run in Prodigality well I will let him go though with many a sad and a king heart for him He yet cries after him O Jerusalem Jerusalem that thou hadst harkened to me then had thy Peace been as a River And as David for Absalom O my son Absalom my son Absalom would God I had dyed for thee c. It appeared well that he loved him for how does he at his Return give him the best of every thing clothes him with the best robe puts rings on his hands kills the fated Calf for him and now has full contentedness in receiving his son Let 's eat and be merry as though he should say I have enough I have my son again But What particular Grounds are there of all his mirth why these three 1. Saith the father Because this my son was dead and is alive again And 2. He was lost and is found 3. Because I have received him safe and sound Here 's cause indeed of Joy if all this be true What to have recovery after banishment Here 's Joy indeed both in his recovering and in the fathers receiving him But 1. Because he was dead and is alive c. If any of you should have a child fall into a Well and in all appearance should be drowned now to have this child revive again how would you prize him above all you did before and above all your other children A man that is dead is without hearing seeing savoring of any thing A dead man is burdensom to every one yea to his dearest friends every one is weary of his company and afraid of getting a taint from him There 's no hope of a dead man Things dead turn to rottenness presently Such was this Prodigal he was dead without sense unsuitable to any society The dead cannot praise thee but saith Hezekiah the living the living they shall praise thee c. Well may the father rejoyce when he considers the case his son was in This my son was dead well might they eat and be merry at the receiving of this dead son alive again When I consider how you lie as dead men so voyd of understanding and sensless would I not rather say as Jeremy O that I had a Cottage in the Wilderness c. that I might fly away from this people and be at rest rather then to endure with you But if ever deliverance be would there not be rejoycing in me indeed to receive you as Moses drawn out of the water or as Jonah out of the Whales belly There 's cause indeed of mirth when the graves shall give up their dead and the Sea give up its dead then shall we sing in the height of Sion Why the Promise is that God will comfort the mourners But 2. This is not all neither but This my son was lost and is found A man that 's drowned in a River and cannot be found again whosoever was the friend of that man it 's a far greater grief to him if any of you have experience of it to have him lost then to have him drowned it 's a great and restless disquiet to think what is become of his friend So the father cannot find this son he is such a fugitive he goes to Heaven to Hell to seek his Church and cannot tell where to find them Such runagates are you the Lord knows not where to meet with you that he might say to the dead Arise your heart is so lost and setled upon nothing But if once Christ could but come to your graves as to Lazarus and find you there if you were but brought to a narrow compass there were hope But to be lost that 's above all your misery
the Hypocrites hope 4. Another thing that might move Noah to fear might be this lest he should slip over the present instruction and warning given him lest he should neglect the present day and then it may be too late Therefore the Soul that is sensible is afraid a jealousie strikes the heart O what would come on me if I should withstand my Mercy How were many envited to the Feast but because they made excuses and neglected the offer the door is shut and he swears They shall not taste of his Supper But now Josiahs heart was tender when the Judgments were read before him out of the Law it took place in his Soul And Mordecai says to Esther Who knows but thou wert raised up for such a time as this If now thou shewest not thy self thou mayst never have another offer And here the Fear comes in Lest the day slip and can never be recalled again and therefore Christ weeps over Jerusalem O that thou hadst known in this thy Day the things that belong to thy Peace but now they are hid from thine eyes Now see doth this Fear touch your Souls Are you struck with an awe of spirit lest you should slip away the present day of Mercy Doth it press upon you That whilest it is called to day you harden not your hearts and then the word go forth You shall never enter into his Rest Truly the venture is hard were our Souls but awakened If thou slip the nick and knowest not the time of thy Visitation He may never speak more of the things concerning thy Peace but that sad conclusion may come Now they are hid from thine eyes 5. Noah might be moved with Fear out of this consideration lest the Flood should take him unawares before his Ark was finished and therefore he sets to the work presently And Noah did as the Lord commanded him so did he lest he should be prevented and not finish his Ark in time and then all his labor and pains are lost this strikes him with fear Now consider doth it take this place upon thy spirit Doth it set thy Soul to the work presently now this very season to say Men and Brethren what shall we do to be saved Doth it make you look out for a guide to lead you on and counsel you in the work For an Interpreter one of a thousand to shew to man His Righteousness Sure the Idol gods keep the room some base lusts or hopes or promising your selves Peace or else you would be afraid and all that God intends that everlasting good to sure the strait will come That they shall not be suffered to let their eyes sleep nor their eye-lids slumber till they shall finde out an habitation for the God of Jacob. Do these things take place upon you or not if not what is the cause what hinders you are not baptized Are you sensless and carnal living in the flesh upon any seen thing Alass That is miserable the Flood will come and sweep away all of that kinde Whilest they were eating and drinking and marrying and giving in marriage unawares the Flood came Or canst thou give a good account what will be thy latter end and canst say with the Apostle We know that if this earthly Tabernacle be dissolved we have a building not made with hands eternal in the Heavens I would you could say that word indeed But O Lord when I think of it what if he should come now unawares this night where are your mindes Are you fit to go out and meet the Bridegroom Are not your Hearts either cavilling or reasoning or murmuring or hunting and lusting after somewhat or fearing and sinking under your bonds But who has a minde prepared to meet the Lord in the ayr and so be for ever with him Thus I have shewed you what the things not seen were of which Noah is warned 1. God tells him All flesh is corrupt 2. That the end of all flesh is come 3. He invites him to build an Ark to save himself And this I applyed to our present condition for Noah is dead and this is written for our instruction I told you how we have been warned in these cases And that 1. By a word that hath cryed long to us All flesh is grass 2. By the proof of our hearts 3. By a voyce of Providence letting out the world and the out-cries of men against us if it be possible to break us asunder and not leave a stone upon a stone Then I told you how the thing took place with Noah He was moved with Fear from five Considerations all which might seize upon us and cause an awful dread and enquiry in our spirits 1. To see what is our confidence and hope that we lean on Is it not born of the flesh And then though it be never so fair-spun a threed though never so wise and sober and patient and meek yet if it spring not from a good root if it be born of the flesh all is nothing You cannot love Him unless it be opened that He first loves you Now many pretend that they love God and prize and honor him do you so but are you sure that he loves you What if he shall answer you in that day when you plead Lord we have eat and drunk in thy presence and thou hast taught in our streets well but for all that I know you not saith Christ Depart from me c. How will your Love to God then stand Have you indeed an Ark prepared to receive you in the great overflowing Deluge in the day of desperate sorrow that shall come to try all that dwell upon the Earth The Day will surely come ere long now are you sure you have that which will carry you through 'T is not your Learning nor Knowing if you knew all Mysteries 't is not your Parts nor Hopes nor mans conclusions will do it Many measure themselves by themselves they are not as they were they are more strict and observant I but what then Will that carry you out And many measure themselves with others and say I am better then such and such I am not like this Publican Well but they that thus measure themselves with themselves and others are not wise saith Paul the root and principle may yet be Self and then what the better Then 2. This might move us to fear That the end of all flesh is come God will not always wink as he hath done in the days of Ignorance if he should we would never come up to any thing And will not this strike upon you an awe That the Judgment lies at the door Death is entring in at the windows and nothing of flesh nor mans Will though never so fairly painted and gilded over will be able to stand Is it not time to fear 3. Have you an Ark prepared to shelter you a sure resting place from all storms if not is there not great cause of fear and trembling I know not
And this man would never chuse to have these contrary beings live so near together If the soul be once in the Ministry of circumcision with Peter then it would by no means touch any thing common or unclean But the Promise is That the Lion and the Lamb and the Ox and the Bear shall lie down together and yet do no hurt in all the holy Mountain Yet observe there is a difference made but two of a sort of all the unclean were to be kept but of all the clean seven couple which had this in it to shew That however here sin and righteousness dwell together in the Ark yet there are more for us then against us Seven couple of the clean sort a compleat number of the righteous seed and but some few reliques of sin yet a spawn lives to keep the Soul in awe always lest it should increase and multiply and that there might ever be a crying out against this Body of Death for 't is a wearisom condition at best and full of snares These unclean Beasts cannot but be ill companions for the clean having always a devouring mind if it were possible to destroy them Then in this Ark Noah had a Dove to send out to bring tydings to him how it went abroad which had this meaning in it That who ever have indeed built this Ark attained to a certain estate of Salvation the Holy Ghost is given them to go to God for them in all straits We know not how to pray but the Spirit it self helpeth our infirmities This is the Messenger between God and the Soul in all straits and distresses What time as I am afflicted saith David I will pray unto thee O Lord if you had but a heart to consider it When your house is on fire and the Enemies at hand when you are compassed about with fears and miseries and distresses as you will be and yet no Messenger is at hand to send to enquire of God and know his meaning and what he intends and what the end shall be O how miserable is it to be left alone without this Comforter There are many that set themselves to pray and speak words but alas he hears not any for their much babbling if there be not this Holy Ghost that proceeded from him to go to him He hears not other cries and noyses Though they howl on their beds and abase themselves to Hell he matters not The Father will hear none but his own Spirit and that knows how to get nigh him to hold him fast and plead with him I will not let thee go unless thou bless me And if this Dove return once without the Olive branch yet it hath no rest but goes out again till it obtain a blessing and bring tydings of Peace Now can any of you answer that question of Peters Have you received this Holy Ghost after you believed You have believed indeed I know and it lives in your Consciences that Truth is here and God is amongst us that here are the words of eternal life But now hast thou received the Holy Ghost after this believing Else what a miserable plunge must thou needs be at when straits and Tryals come as thick as Hail and thou hast none to send to God to enquire the meaning none to intercede for thee and plead thy Cause but art left as the whole world to live in darkness and judg all things like beasts which know no farther then they feel in all that befalls them Now I would proceed to speak of the Consequents or Effects which follow this building of the Ark and they are layd down in the words to be these three 1. Noah did it to the saving of his house 2. He condemned the world by it 3. He became Heir of the Righteousness which is by Faith 1. He saved his house by it it is worth noting It is not said He did it to the saving himself though that was included in it yet a farther thing was in it to save his house The servants of God in all times have had that reward of their labor to save a People That hath been their care and work to seek up the lost sheep to turn others to Righteousness And in this saving of his houshold three Things are considerable How Noah did it 1. He saved his house that great work by being a Hearer first himself He was first warned of God himself and had an ear open to receive and learn the lesson before he can teach his house What I received of the Lord saith Paul that I delivered to you Many go to teach others and were never taught themselves Alas how can their work stand They preach they know not what nor to whom They would be Teachers of the Law not knowing the things whereof they affirm They never heard his voyce at any time nor saw his shape as Christ said to the Jews and how can they save a People They are blind Leaders of the blind and therefore wo to the Preachers that have not first learn'd of the Lord themselves and woe to the People that are left to such Guides for both the wall and the Dawber shall fall together But Noah was first warned of God himself 2. He saves his house by taking charge of them and standing engaged for them as for his own Soul Take heed saith Paul of the flock of whom the Holy Ghost hath made you Overseers The Holy Ghost lays the charge upon Gods Ministers and they are made to receive it and wait and tend and look after their People as their own Souls As Judah saith of Benjamin If I bring him not back again to thee let me bear the blame for ever Such a weighty charge they take upon them But where is now in our days such a Noah such a Preacher of Righteousness Many Preach indeed and they take the charge of a People as they say but how long Till another hundred pound a year comes and then they are gone or till some suffering and hardship or inconvenience come and then they are gone They fly at the sight of the Wolf O wicked generation God will find them out But Noah takes charge of his People they are his house his family his life and therefore sticks to the saving of them 3. That is the third thing He sticks close to them and follows on till the thing be done till he hath indeed saved them till brought them into the same condition with himself He will lay down his life for his sheep and this is a true Shepherd indeed that cries out with Moses Nay rather blot my name out of the Book of Life then that this People should be destroyed And Paul he is at a strait and could wish himself accurst from Christ for his Brethrens sake Now to have such a Saviour to stand in the gap to travel for a People and never leave till Christ be formed in them this is the great Mercy and after this sort do the Noahs
builds an Ark a whole Ark not a piece of one Now the best of the World how do they sit down contented if they get but a broken board or two or a sorry cock-boat They think all is safe then I but when the storms come and the rain beats where is the Cock-boat then Will that secure them and be a compleat shelter Many are contented with a so far saving they are not the same they were they are not like this Publican they have escaped some of the pollutions of the world through lust and this they judg enough Now Soul take thine case No but this will not do What if a people be saved out of Egypt and yet perish in the Wilderness And if there be a saving through the red Sea yet if the Soul enter not into Canaan if it fall short of Salvation if it be not saved to the utmost what will come of all Men preach much against Papists for holding there can be no perfect Assurance in this Life but the best Faith is Doubting And in effect our Divines all hold the same Doctrine They say that in the best there may be fears and doubtings concerning their conditions in times of desertion and tryals But it is not so for had they ever been saved to the utmost they should never doubt that work more If the condition be indeed once made sure it is so without all doubts and scruples 't is clear and unquestionable and can never be shaken in that point more The gates of Hell cannot prevail against it And this sure and unmovable work of Truth is that which will condemn the World If the Lord count you worthy to be the people to rest no where short till the Ark be compleatly built and a sure condition of life attained not to settle on flashes nor true stirrings of spirit nor operations not to rest in a half Salvation but to be saved throughout to the utmost That wil judg and condemn the World You may go far and be mighty in shew get a high nest and reach to the clouds but Lucifer must come from his Throne and go down to the Pit God saith of Ishmael He shall be great also He shall beget twelve Princes This flesh brings forth great and high births but yet it shall not be heir with Isaac it shall not enter and inherit Life Though it may fare deliciously and be clothed in scarlet yet a time of dying comes and then this rich man is found in Hell How many servants in my Fathers house saith the Prodigal have bread enough and to spare I but the Inheritance is not their own The servant abides not in the house for ever Therefore what shall I say to warn you As the Martyr Bishop Latimer said being to preach from those words Beware of Covetousness If I should do nothing but repeat over this Text an hour together it were preaching enough said he to them that could hear So if whole days and weeks I should onely warn you of this Take heed be sure you sit no where short of the mountain rest no where till you have an Ark built a safe condition to stick to in all storms All this warning would be little enough to warn you Thus I have spoke something of the Effects following upon Noah's building the Ark 1. He saves his house 2. Condemns the World thereby And I told you he condemned it in seven Particulars four of which I have spoke to the other are yet behinde 1. He condemned the World in taking Gods Word and being warned The wise man foresees an evil and hides himself but this carnal sensual and devilish spirit this World in us and out of us will never be warned till it be destroyed 2. He beleeves concerning things not seen He disputes not with flesh and blood as all the World do Even children can plead Alass I am young and childish what can be expected from me The strong plead Why no need of such haste I may live long And others plead ' Sure God is not so extream He is merciful and will pass by failings And thus all the World shift it off till the Deluge come And how hardly hath it gone with some of the people of God because of this lingering and disputing spirit Moses reasons and reasons till the anger is kindled against him and Lot lingers in Sodom till he is almost in the burning and thus dangerously have we ventured to dispute and reason till our Day may be over and then wo to us 3. He begins this work alone though there be not one to joyn with him in it and the Soul that is truly sensible of its want and is indeed at a strait That must look out for help if none will go with it to cry for a certainty What shall become of them yet that must That must have bread or it starves So the blinde man he cries and cries after Christ and rebuke him who will yet there 's no stopping of his mouth till the cry be answered And this condemns the World they are for company they follow the wise and learned go with the multitude but alass it never was that the great ones and wise ones of the World were the Followers of Christ not whole Colledges and Congregations No The Prophets of Balaam are four hundred and fifty they go by Troops but onely one poor despised Micaiah for the Lord and he never prophecied good to Ahab but evil This true Spirit is the Troubler of the World and judges them nothings and vanities will content them but this cries for substance for bread indeed it looks after an Ark a certain condition and nothing less will serve it 4. He condemns the World in that he builds a compleat Ark ceases not till the work of Salvation be gone through with and finished till the Soul be conformed to the Death of Christ and to the Resurrection of Christ and to the Ascension of Christ till the Soul be brought to know the heart and counsels of God concerning it Now the World are contented with halves with piece-meals with some broken scraps belonging to Salvation but have not the thing it self are not saved to the utmost They cry for Parts and Light into Scriptures and enlargements and peace of Conscience and ease and they have their peny they agreed for God gives it them but this will not satisfie the Noahs nothing but an Ark. 5. This condemns the World That Noah builds an Ark and pitcheth it within and without a sure shelter that not the least water can soak into it Now as all the World and all their Ministers can never reach to this but some crevise is open some flaw sticks to the best conditions where questionings and doubtings will get in do what they can And this cuts them to the heart That no other condition should be approved of and pass for good and safe but that which is thus pitched within and without That which will stand in the
fire and live in the water That which nothing can shake But so far as the Salvation hath wrought a work indeed the Soul can say with David Though the Earth be moved and the Mountains cast into the midst of the Sea yet in this will I be confident c. So far as I am saved I am saved Death where 's thy sting Hell where 's thy victory This condemns and judges the World That this Ark takes in no water That there should be no staggering in the Soul but like Mount Zion which cannot be moved Wilt thou still hold thine integrity said that cursed Wife I says Job till I dye I will not give up my integrity But the man be he who he will be he never so wise bold and resolute to carry it out who hath not this Assurance by a sure and tryed work in his Soul I dare lay down my life for it there are times of staggerings and doubtings within calling his condition in question do what he can Let him nail his god never so fast yet Dagon must fall before the Ark some searching word of Truth will get in between the joynts of the closest armor and pierce their confidence do what they can 6. Noah condemns the World in this That though he be safe in the Ark and hath attained a sure refuge from the Flood yet this satisfies him not he is not at rest yet but sends forth the Dove to enquire about the abatement of the waters There is a condition beyond a sure and safe condition when Christ himself the Saviour is to deliver up the Kingdom to the Father when He promises to pray the Father to send them ANOTHER COMFORTER the Spirit of Truth to abide with them for ever And this is that Dove which the Soul can now send forth to carry out its requests to God and bring tydings from him And this is that which condemns the World That they have no such intercourse with God they have no such Spirit given to make their requests known by Though they may cut themselves and cry aloud O Baal save us yet no Answer comes there is not this Dove which Noah sends forth that can bring an Olive branch of Peace in its mouth and give a sure intelligence that the waters are abated that the wrath is ceased 7. He condemns the World by the real work of saving his house He prepared an Ark to that purpose to save his house and it did the thing intended He did save them And this judges all the World who though they build much yet they save none The wall and the dawber fall together They flee from their sheep when the Wolf comes and leave their eggs in the dust like the Ostrich But Noah did the thing he did save his house He left them not in the mid way till he brings them into the Ark He travels and is pained in Soul till Christ be formed in them This is that Interpreter one of a thousand that can shew to man his righteousness and never leaves till that be done and this condemns the World That sensual and devilish part will never endure thus to stick to the work to cleave to a people through all gainsayings opposings and ill requitals Many can preach so long as they may have honor and gain and be well thought of but now take away their Money or cross their Wills let them be despised and dishonored and they can presently be gone and leave their people and rid their hands of trouble so that they will stick to none farther then they can serve themselves and their own ends and thus nothing comes of their preaching They bring their people to nothing in the conclusion I have known some Ministers my self that have been preaching these thirty years and not a man converted by them What a miserable case is this But alass they were never taught themselves and how can they teach others But the Noahs they have a charge given them over their people they cannot get from them so easily You shall not see my face unless your youngest Brother be with you said Joseph They must not leave a hoof behinde that belongs to Israel Such a charge as this is layd upon me concerning some of your Souls That if you fall short I shall bear the blame for ever The blood will be required at my hand if I deal not faithfully and bring you home if you are not saved to the utmost But the encouragement to me is That some have gone through this work Noah did save his house his labor was not in vain and the Promise to Christ is He shall see of the travel of his Soul and be satisfied Noah is rewarded for his many years labor He saves his house And if the Lord would please after all my twenty years Travel and Preaching but to give me a People that might indeed build this Ark and attain to a sure knowledge of their Eternal Condition That they shall LIVE FOR EVER It would requite me for all if some of you might come forth thus to be Judges of the World and build such an Ark of Truth as that all the Dagons and Idol-worships of the World must fall before it III. The third Effect that follows this building of the Ark is this He became an Heir of the Righteousness which is by Faith And about this three things may be considered 1. What is this Inheritance It is a very large Inheritance it is to enjoy the Lord to be joyned and made one Spirit with him The Lord is my portion saith David The Lord is my lot my refuge the lifter up of my head This is a wonderful large Inheritance Great is the Portion of his People Thus shall it be done to the man whom he delights to honor He shall have an Inheritance in Light an Inheritance incorruptible and that fadeth not away no altering of it When I awake I am still with thee saith David His Inheritance abides sure to him Many have a great Portion to look on they have a great stock of Peace and Knowledg and Hopes and Confidence I but a worm eats through the Gourd in a night Riches make them wings and flee away Thus is the hope of the Hypocrite His house falls when he comes to lean on it His great bulk of confidence is but a heap of chaff which the wind soon blows away But David could say The Lord is my Portion I have enough The Lord lives and blessed be the Rock of my Salvation 2. What is it to be an Heir To be an Heir is to be born with a right and title to an Inheritance to have an Estate fall to one by right so that it cannot be cut off it can neither be sold nor given away from the Heir Now this is wonderful To be born with such a right and title to Eternal Life such a neer Interest in the Lord that nothing can separate from him neither tribulation nor sufferings nor life
walked and been seen and found by them and the remembrance of this enforceth tears being now deprived being now in a strange Land out of this enjoyment Alass if we belong not to this City this Habitation of God if not a stone in this building it had been good for us we had never been born for without are Dogs Then again this House is to condemn the world let men be never so wise and strict and religious yet if they live alone keep all close and live to themselves the world will never be judged and convinced by this but a spirit of love and union to serve another and deny my own will as 't is said of Christ He pleased not himself and Moses chose afflictions with the people of God and Paul though he was free from all yet made himself a servant to all he made himself a servant he chose the service it was his joy to serve others And no man saith Christ takes my life from me but I lay down my life for my sheep And if we shall ever be brought to this to forsake and willingly give up all our enjoyments and liberties and enlargements and choose afflictions choose to bear anothers burthen though I am free when we shall be glad to be counted worthy to suffer for the Name of Christ when we might have ease liberty and honor and pleasures yet to say Farewel all Friends life and liberty farewel all you are nothing to me neither count I my life dear in compare of my God my Truth my Brethren that I may serve in this work and help to build this house This I say wil condemn the world their consciences accuse them that this mind is not in them they live not this life of love and union There are many that cry for corn and wine and oyl enlargements and flourishings in the Truth but all is for themselves to feed their own bellies but all this is too short this is but fruit that may be shaken a mans Soul may be lost for all this and the House of God lie waste But next III. Consider WHAT WILL GOD HAVE THIS HOUSE BUILT OF WHAT ARE THE MATERIALS OF IT All that come are not the Materials No though they make a fair shew though wise and honorable and great in the eyes of men yet this is not enough this House must be built 2. Of living stones stones that wil abide and endure not soon rot and putrifie Better is a living Dog then a dead Lion Not every one that makes a great shew and comes to hear and seems forward No no onely such which have this spirit of life in them to keep them from stinking and corruption to make them lasting stones they are the materials for this house all others will fall off in a day of tryal There were many followed Christ into Jerusalem when in his triumph and Hosanna was sung before him but very few that went out of Jerusalem with him that follow him to Golgotha to his Cross No none but a few pickt and chosen stones that have a spirit of life to make them last and endure no others are for this building but such as the Lord shall choose to it whom he takes out of many David was chose out of all his Brethren he was a fit stone for the use a man after Gods own heart he loves Truth in the inward parts and this mind he sees in David and him he pitcheth on such a company of choyce stones will he have for this house a chosen generation of lasting stones that may make a Tabernacle never to be pulled down more never to be lost The gifts and calling of God are without repentance such â—s God chooseth for materials of this building are such as are never to be lost and thrown away No man can pluck them out of my Fathers hand saith Christ not such a dead stone as Saul proved when the spirit of life was taken from him he mouldred away and came to nothing but living stones a stable enduring and fixed spirited people he looks for that are not ever hanging and waving and reeling to and fro in their minds but such as are tryed stones and will endure the storms not like Ephraim who being armed and carrying Bows yet turned their back in the day of Battel Then 2. Consider In this House are to be vessels of all sorts and sizes some to hold less and some more some to receive much and to give out and supply and fill up others He will have vessels for every service and every use none are to be barren but all useful and helpful to one another and therefore the thing is weighty and need we should consider it and lay it to heart for he will not build his House of any rubbage but onely of living and tryed stones And then all are to be of use all the vessels of his House are for his own service they are not to be looked on and baubled with and made to serve our wills and lusts Remember what befell the King Belshazzar for venturing to call for the Lords vessels to make up his mirth and jollity the hand-writing appears on the wall and makes him tremble 'T is dangerous trifling in weighty matters God will not be mocked But next consider IV. WHY DO THEY PLEAD IT IS NOT TIME TO BUILD THE LORDS HOUSE What Reasons have they These three 1. Their Ignorance hinders Thence their pleadings come It is not time to build c They knew not that the blastings and Mildews and curse that followed them in all their wayes was because this house lay waste they were ignorant whence all this evill befell them they enquired not into it Lord what is the meaning of the hand against me Why go all things thus contrary Why prosper I not in any thing I take in hand They knew not this was the cause of all Ye looked for much and it came to little and when ye brought it home I did blow upon it why saith the Lord of Hosts because of mine House that lies wast and ye run every man to his own house Vers 9. and so on And this is a great block in our way our ignorance we enquire not why am I so barren and desolate and perplexed in all my wayes Why goes all so cross to me I meet with nothing but troubles and fears and tormenting thoughts Alas it is because we live Scattered alone and follow our own Counsells our own wills are our own guides and rulers and come not to build the House of the Lord to be counselled and ordered and appointed there Hence is all our misery 2. Love of their ease hindered it was a great deal an easier way to sit at home in their own ceiled houses then to go up to the Mountain and cut wood down and bring and hew and square it to build the Lords House and who would indeed choose to venture to leave all to give up all ease and
fair he should soon be delivered and get thorow the Battel and see an end of sorrow I but he little thought of this day as Job cries out He hath given me over into the hand of the ungodly when the devil has power given to try and afflict and torment to let in what beasts he will to destroy the vineyard O wo indeed when a Leopard is set to watch over the city when the Devil is suffered to keep watch and guard that nothing can stir nor pass in or out without his leave Power is given him he hath a time to lead into captivity at his will But the day will come when he that led into captivity shall be led into captivity himself He that spoiled and wasted and cried Down with it down with it to the very ground A turn will come and then Blessed shall he be that serveth thee as thou hast served us But Oh what havock doth this murtherer make when it is his day How doth he make the earth utterly waste and empty and not a stirring of Truth may live If you minde it we cannot sometimes speak a word nor breathe a groan towards God but he flaps on the mouth presently so cruel is he when the power is put into his hand But now saith Job now I am their song they mock at me the rascal and vile rout whose fathers I would have disdained to have set with the dogs of my flock every base lowe unworthy trifling lust can now lord it over the soul and make their song on it Oh this is a woful day indeed when the enemy has power to serve himself of the soul without any controuler when he can carry captive at his will this Christ cries out against If it be possible let THIS CVP pass And here David cries out Oh let not the pit shut her mouth upon me 4. Another Wo lies in this he keeps the houe he is in possession ' The spirit that rules in the HEARTS of the children of disobedience There is a rotten and tainted sore within that is seated in the soul and sends forth such an unsavoury stink if it were possible to choak all that is good The Devil hath got the dwelling-place in the heart is in possession it is his house and therefore whence hear you of all your enemies whence come your troubles and perplexities and wars and fightings Come they not from your lusts saith Saint James Is not all the mischief from within Out of the heart come adulteries and murders and thefts an evil eye c. all comes out of the heart Whence come all the pesters and torments out of the air or from another as we often put it off No the taint is within Look not without thee for the enemy nor for the devil no but within IN THE HEART there 's the seat that 's his palace A time indeed is to be of his casting out but at present he keeps the house and therefore neither good can come in nor good come out not a breathing of Truth stir but he presently cries Get you to your tasks to your tasks that 's the word that stops all He would not let a groan live and this brings the soul into great bitterness that neither good can come into it nor a groan go out from it but presently the Devil flaps Christ on the mouth some base taint or guilt comes in and stops the rise and liberty of Truth Alas to have the Devil dwell so neer a man in his bosom this is a misery indeed Here the soul cries out Wo is me that I am constrained to dwell with them that hate peace This is the present day and time with some of you your enemies sit chief and Zion is in the dust I beseech you let the Word sink into your hearts for it will have a time to sink upon you all Consider where you are under what rule and government If under the Mans reign still then no marvel indeed you can live loose and free and gird your selves and go whither you will But a time will surely come when you shall know and feel this reign of the enemy For till this Day be over you can never indeed come under the reign of Christ the Day of Christ will not be till there be a falling away first from the Mans reigning and that man of sin be revealed the son of perdition who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God this is the time of the devils reign And until this wicked one be revealed whom the Lord Christ shall consume with the spirit of his mouth and destroy with the brightness of his coming till this you will never see that day of Christ nor come under his time of reigning 5. A fifth great Wo is this He hath goods in us his goods are in peace the Prince of this world comes and findes of his own in us though he did not in Christ And that he hath goods in us appears by that unsavoury smoak that always is coming up out of the bottomless pit their throat is an open sepulchre saith David a continual ill savour and stink comes forth As the Church is described to be full of sweets her garments smelling of myrrhe aloes and cassia and all sweet perfumes so in this condition the soul is clothed with nothing but stinking rags and polluted garments The soul that is indeed awake and sensible knows not how to endure its own stinking smell it is almost choaked and overcome with an ill savour which comes from that abundance of rottenness those goods of the Devil and wares of Hell that lie up in the heart so that the poor man knows not how to speak a word sometimes nor think a thought but an evil taint gets in first or last that spoileth all all the thoughts and inwards are so poisoned by the devil Here David cries out My wounds stink and are corrupt In mars heart is that soul sepulchre of dead mens bones full of loathsome rottenness Do you know this have you felt and seen it in your selves There is that cage of unclean birds there is the Bittern the Screech-owl the Satyr there all the beasts of the Forest creep forth there is the Lions den and all the bones he hath gnawn and scattered Our bones are scattered at the pits brink saith the Psalmist All is corrupt and become abominable there are the goods of hell packt together there he lays up envie and wrath and stubbornness and deceit and lyes Now who will believe this report Who thinks his soul and heart to be the devils shop the ware-house of hell But they that feel it feel it and they that know know and the day will surely come to finde out every man How fair soever we may speak and mince the matter and wipe our mouthes yet the fruit will discover the root Samuel will ask What mean the bleatings Though we would hide and cover the Devil never so close and paint
destruction but like the Smiths dog sleep quietly though the sparks fly about your ears the words of the Curse and the words of the Blessing all are alâ—ke nothing seiseth and this is your great misery that you cannot come near your selves to enquire how is it A deceived heart hath turned him aside that he cannot possibly come to that word to say is there not a lye in my right hand Isa 44.20 But now you that are made sensible and know where you stand and cry for bread to eat somewhat that may cure and heal and satisfie you every where you that are under the sense and pain of this felt-want and misery you clearly know these two things 1. You see how an evill taint hath gone along with you all your dayes from your childhood which you never yet were cured of and if you be not cured it will surely undo you And then 2. We are under the sense of the great thing we are short of of knowing the very inward mind and heart of God towards us how we stand in that eternall favour of his acceptance for till we shall have a clear and full certainty what these everlasting thoughts of God concerning us are whatever else we have had or may have of powers inlargings refreshings and operations of truth yet all will be too short to satisfie and set down our Souls we must still lie as the Lepers here did at a peradventure and hazard with our Lives in our hands They can but kill us c. We know not what the end will be how God will deal whether save or destroy but all our Life long we shall stand in fear of death till we are freed from him that hath the power of Death till we are satisfied by an everlasting witness of good-will towards us and that nothing shall separate us from the love of Christ and to have the sense of this shortness upon us sure it would make us stir and look about us I wonder truly how you can passe over a day a night an hour and let the case lie at such uncertainties and that you are not alwayes crying out with these Lepers If we sit here we dye if we are not freed from this selfish taint from an evil heart that hath ever been nursed up with us that will surely be our ruine and if we are not in that eternall Good will of God favoured and accepted that love which still cover a multitude of sinnes and never fail but save to the utmost if we are not found written in this book of life we surely perish And can we lie in this miserable condition to be outcasts Leprous under a sore Famine beset round with an Host of enemies from within and without for do you not see and know how the world are up and stirred against us if it be possible to break us in pieces from being a people yet have we no sense nor feeling of all this II. I told you a second thing in generall to be considered was not only the present misery these Lepers lie under but the hopeless condition of any way or means to help them They are at their wits ends If we sit here we dye if go into the City we dye if fall into the Host of our enemies we can but dye c. which implies they could promise and expect no other thing And thus are our souls hemmed in with straits on all hands If we sit where we are we certainly know and feel we are short and perish and if we turn back to the world and draw back from the place Truth hath brough us up unto there we are sure to perish and if we go on an host of enemies is before us what shall we do in this Case There are three things which Truth hath surely led us up to and if we go back again and turn in any of those Cases we are sure to fall short and dye 1. As I told you we are brought to a true light and information of our present misery in what a wretched polluted leprous case we stand what a base selfish taâ—nt is with us in all our way how short we are of the life of God and if we shall turn back from this the heart be left to reason and plead and blind it self saying sure I am not so miserable the case is not so bad as I may judge c. and so shuffle away and get off the strait This is to be undone that is certain 2. We are informed in the great thing we want that without a clear and certain witness from heaven sealed upon our spirits of the everlasting thoughts of Good will towards us that nothing else can be enough to stay and settle our Souls this we are come to to see nothing short of this will serve and this there is a true close to and cry for at times in our minds in our inward man However we are led captive yet all along the eye is open to see what we want and if here we shall be left to turn back and reason with flesh and blood and say all reach not to the same pitch why may not we be saved though we are not led up so far as some others if we get off the strait thus and turn to carelessness and security this is the way also surely to perish 3. We are brought to a Proclamation of and have begun to enter into a killing and self-denying way the Proclamation hath sounded to leave all things and take up the Crosse and follow Truth not to please our selves not to take content or sit down in any of the creatures not to have a Kingdom in this world but to walk always as strangers and pilgrims seeking another country this we have chosen according to our Light and this we have professed to the world and if we shall be left to fall back here and say This is a hard saying who can bear it to be ever dying to be killed all the day long c. and so shall turn again to vanity to the beggarly elements to make a Captain go back to Egypt to turn with the dog to the vomit c. I say to be left to this is a certain token of being undone Many of you might have dyed in peace and been truly saved formerly short of this conversation before the Light came up and the thing was called for to leave all but now to resist and withstand the light that arises in your day to rebell against the Lords call this is certainly to be undone and therefore if the Lord help you not out and bring you not up to the next step and buckle your hearts to the dust and make you lie under and submit to the hand and venture your lives and say Let him do what seemeth him good without you come to this you are undone if you shall make a Captain to return into Egypt then remember what befell He sware in his wrath that
thy Soul choose it however thou art found That 's the thing If thou canst but come in this Name of the Lord then be encouraged that he will receive thee he will make thee a feast of fat things and of wine well refined on the lees He will sit down at Table with thee and say Eat my friends eat abundantly Come and let 's be merry c. for Fury is not in him as we suppose He waits to be gracious and is more glad of one sinner that repents then of ninety nine just persons that need no repentance O therefore return thou Prodigal return say to thy Soul a thousand times over O return to thy strong hold Take hold on the horns of the Altar as thou art and be safe Say not If I were clothed I would come if I were shod and had Rings on my hands and were filled with the spirit of power then I could come But enquire Is there not life in thee Is not the principle quite dead then be encouraged for where there 's life there 's hope the Father will entertain thee But O Lord how long shall we neglect so great Salvation O Lord the thing is too much to expect That ever the sinner should be so received to stand before him spotless and blameless safe and sound But surely the Scripture has not said it in vain nor is that principle in you in vain that gasps and pants after it O therefore minde and consider that we might enjoy this portion and return from our Prodigality and the good Lord bring you in at the right door for there onely will he finde you and where 's that Why in the Name of the Lord. But so long as this pride and envy c lives we would never come to admire and say O the forbearance and long-suffering of our God! We would never clear him and own the thing as it is but this is the door by which the righteous enter and are safe Noah VVarned OF Things not Seen OR Faith piercing into Invisibles SERM. VII April 27. 1651. HEBR. 11.7 By Faith Noah being warned of God of things not seen as yet moved with fear prepared an Ark to the saving of his house by which he condemned the world and became heir of the Righteousness which is by Faith The Analysis FRom the words was observed in general I. What Things Noah was warned of by God And they were these three 1. That all flesh was corrupt how fair and specious soever to sight 2. That the end of all flesh was come though all seem'd quiet and well 3. He is warned to prepare an Ark to the saving of his house None of these things were yet seen but Noah sticks to the Word This brought home to shew we have been warned in all these Cases 1. That all flesh is corrupt We have been warned of that three ways 1. By the Word of the Cryer that hath witnessed it 2. We have proved it over and over again by Tryal in our selves 3. Warned by Providence the world let out against us and the breach begun 2. We have been warned the end of all flesh is at hand often witnessed to us That He will not always wink and bear but call to an account 3. The warning hath oft been to us to provide an Ark a sure resting place and shelter from storms to know our portion in the eternal Love II. How is Noah affected Moved with Fear c. A Fear and awe seizeth on him and that in five Particulars 1. From the warning that all flesh was corrupt All in the man sin a Fear touches the Soul Lord is the case so with me 2. Moved with Fear because the end of all flesh was come Judgment ready to seize the Flood coming this moves a Fear 3. Because he was naked and had not an Ark provided 4. Moved with Fear lest he should slip over the present day and Call 5. Lest the Flood should come before his Ark be finished And this moves the Soul and makes it haste to the work All this brought home to Particulars to enquire whether we were moved with this Fear with much power and searching III. Consider He prepared an Ark the Fear took place The Ark was a Type of Christ It had three Stories which expressed the three Conditions Christ went through and All His must follow 1. A day of weakness sufferings and Death and this lowest story all that will prepare an Ark must first build In this Death of Christ was considered 1. He dyed to all things not only unlawful but lawful just Rights and Priviledges became poor for others 2. He did it willingly and quietly not grudging none took his Life from him This the pattern of the first story of the Ark. 2. The day of his Resurrection to Life that a second story 3. His ascending into Glory answerable to the third HEBR. 11.7 By Faith Noah being warned of God of things not seen as yet moved with Fear prepared an Ark c. IN all Times God had some to whom He hath been pleased to communicate his mind about what was to befall the world and therefore he saith He will do nothing but he will reveal it to his servants the Prophets and to them the forewarning they have had from God hath not been a slight Thing an idle Tale or a Fable but it hath taken impression As with many of the Prophets how have they cryed out in bitter distress That they were pained at the very heart and their bowels shook within c. at the sight of the miseries which were to come on a People before the thing was done or any present danger in view And so here Noah is warned of God of things to come though not at all yet seen and see what place it took He was moved with fear and that fear was not in vain neither but put him upon a work He prepared an Ark to the saving of himself and his house And therefore where ever we hear of great high words of great discoveries and revealings of God to any which many now in the world pretend to and yet all they speak of takes no place upon their spirits there is no fear nor awe nor dread no paining of heart nor shaking of inwards but they can live still as loosely and vainly as ever after their own fleshly wills this is a token God hath not spoke there but speak a false Vision of their own hearts But God hath in all Ages had some to whom he hath revealed what he hath intended to do to give warning to the world before-hand that when the Judgment comes they may know it comes not by chance and hap but that he hath a hand in it So Christ to his Disciples When these things come to pass you may remember that I have told you And it is often mentioned That such and such things came to pass that the Scriptures might be fulfilled The Word which God had spoke to his servants
ravished my heart with one of thine eyes that is the thing to be beloved to find favour in his eyes Love will bear all things Love is as strong as death Love will save to the utmost and this Lot fal's on some Though Esther be an unlikely maiden one of another Country of mean degree yet she pleased the King and obtained kindnesse of him Chap. 2.9 and vers 17. and the King loved Esther above all the women and she obtained grace and favour in his sight and this is the thing that brings the Crown to her be she what she will Thou art fair my Love my undefiled Though she complains I am black yet he loveth her and Love sees no faults she is comely in his eye this is the portion of the chosen Generation 3. What a man chooseth to himself He taketh it out from other things he gathers it near to himself Thus is it with God He pulls the Brand out of the burning He takes the Poor out of the Dunghill leaves them not there and this is a sure token of choosing indeed where he leaves not a man or woman in their darkness in their bonds in their snares but pulls them out separates the Wheat from the chaff who hath translated us out of darkness into the Kingdome of his dear Son and in the Revelation it is said they were redeemed to God from amongst men and Christ saith because I have chosen you out of the world therefore the world hates you He takes his chosen ones out of their chains out of their filth out of a perishing condition cuts them off from the old stock That which he intends for a vessell of honour he takes it out of the Lump he leaves not his own in the same Lump with the rude world Now this is the great thing to be considered whether you are yet thus pulled out hath he made thee indeed to differ from the rude world art thou pulled out of the old Kingdome of Sathan where the whole world dwell in wickednesse though in severall ranks forms and degrees yet in the same Kingdome still not a new Creation made but this will make it appear he chooseth thee if thou canst say with David He plucked my feet out of the Snare he brought me up from the nethermost Hell and saith Jonah yet hast thou brought up my life from corruption O Lord my God that is his Salvation there it appears God is God We would vainly promise our selves as the whole world do to be saved by his love onely and so quietly passe our Lives in our own wills here and go to Heaven when we die but alas if ever saved we must be taken out of the condition we stick in Come out from amongst them my people that ye partake not of her Plagues Many have great words and great knowledge and light I but they are not yet translated out of the old Kingdom they remain still on the same stock but things that are chosen are taken out of the midst of other things and therefore Moses speaks to Israel Was ever such a thing known as that God should go to take to himself a people out of the midst of another people by great signes and wonders c. to take out of Snares and Bonds and Intanglements for God to say Come out of all and be you clean and be my people and I will be your God I shall inquire of you are you thus chosen are you pulled out of darkness and out of death and joyned to all the living Though in never so mean a place ne-never so despised an outcast though but a living dog yet if living if taken out of death and planted into a new Life that is the thing If there be that seed of Life it will ever be stirring and moving and bending like the Needle touched with the Loadstone set it where you will it can never rest untill it come into its right place till the Soul be brought to God Now there is a restless spirit in the Cains and lost ones but that is onely out of Torment the worm that never dyes and this restless spirit never moves towards God but runs from him but to this Centre the spirit of life ever tends to come from and out of all things unto God c. 4. Things that are chosen have no hand in their own choice All that befalls this Chosen Generation is of mercy and free goodness who made thee to differ nothing they could do could ever make a difference but the Case stands thus Two things lie together and a man passing by takes one and lets the other lie the things have no hand in it so is it in this choice of God all is done according to the pleasure of his own will see and read as you go that you may have nothing to glory and boast in nor challenge the least to thy self as if he saw some readiness or activity or towardliness in thee more then in others no he saw nothing but his own pleasure if there be any thing good in thee he put it there you have not chosen me saith Christ but I have chosen you This will make it appear free indeed when you shall be made to see there is no hand of yours in it but of his own good will begat he us No man ever begun first to seek after God but I was found of them that sought me not else no Soul would ever be saved Can a stone move upward no nothing can move to God but what came from God none can go to Heaven but the Son of man which came down from Heaven It is contrary to man who is born from beneath from the Earth to move upward his Centre is below unless he be pulled and drawn and born up and carried upon Eagles wings he falls to the Earth like a stone the natural man cannot please God he neither will nor can be subject to the Law of God and this is that God may have the glory alone in the work of Salvation as he says in Isa It shall be to me for a name and for a praise That he should save such unlikely ones and out of stones raise up children to Abraham this will seem wonderfull I did not think to have seen the Lord here saith Hagar when she had given up all for lost this will make the Soul say indeed as David doth God alone doth all 5. Things that are chosen are set apart for some speciall use a man hath some end in choosing them so was it with God in this choice he had a peculiar end and design to bring about and he chooseth some for that purpose but why are not all the world for this use True they might have been had he put in them the same spirit had he fitted the vessel to that purpose but he spends a great deal of cost and pains upon some he prepares the Vessell for that very purpose to put in new wine Old Bottles
would break presently they were not intended for that use You see Saul had of this wine in him he was among the Prophets the spirit of God was upon him but the Vessel broke and all ran out and was lost so Judas he was a Preacher and went in and out with Christ and had enjoyments and seasons of Truth but the vessell had holes and all was lost and came to nothing and therefore it is said of some that they make shipwrack of faith and a good Conscience All is shattered and broken and gone as if it never had been some are compared to the Corn that grows on the house top though it be green and flourishing yet soon withers and comes to nothing It was sown there by some chance or carried by some fowl the Husbandman never intended to have a Crop from thence so may it be and hath been with many that are very green they have Light and Knowledge and parts and Forwardness I but they grow upon the house top the place was not intended for that purpose to bear a Crop the stony ground flourished for a time but soon dies for want of root ye did run well saith Paul but they were left and soon turned aside but now whoever is pitched upon by God and made a chosen vessel he is set apart for some end some service say ye saith Christ the Master hath need of him and he speaks to Ananias concerning Paul He is a chosen vessel to carry forth my name whoever of you are thus chosen and pickt and gathered by God out of the world out of relations and all your straglings Do you think God hath no end in it Is it think you you should still live to your wills as you did and walk as other Gentiles no sure it is that you may do him service be his and no more your own 6. Things that are chosen men expect more from them then from other refuse they leave behind A man when he is hungry chooseth bread and not a stone and he looks for more refreshment and nourishment from that then he would from a stone God expects not to gather grapes of thorns he looks not to reap where he never sowed the unjust Servant accused him falsly in that but if he please to take advantage he may he may come in an hour unthought of as Christ came to the Fig tree and cursed it because no fruit was on it though it is said it was not the time of fruit it seems strange but such a Lord is he if he will take the advantage if he will be extream to mark what is done amisse then who may stand He can if he please cast a man into sickness and torments of body or let loose horrours upon his Soul there is cause and advantage enough to be taken if he will make a man an example a witness of his power and severity for the Gospel hath that in it too it is to be preacht for a witness to all as well as for Salvation to some but now from his own his Chosen Generation He expects somewhat out of Love If I be a Father where is my Honour he expects fruit from you he looks for sweet grapes from his Vine he expects you should hear Sure they are my people they 'l be ordered and perswaded and prevailed with he expects better entertainment from them then from the world and though it falls out that they are the chief of Sinners and found the most ill requiting of all People I but it is their shame and their sorrow and their Sin he looks for other fruit he looks for more where he trusts with more where he trusts with Heavenly Treasure I sayd They are my People Children that will not lye and in all things he expects their moderation that at all times they stand open and ready to receive him that alwayes their Lamps be burning and their Loyns girt as those that expect their Lords coming and he is grieved if they disapoint him therefore he complains The Ox knows his Owner and the Asse his Masters Crib but Israel doth not know my people doth not consider This grieves him to be thus dealt with at their hands 7. Things that are chosen are more looked after and more carefully minded then other things they are not layd scattering about but charily reserved So doth the Lord deal with his chosen He takes them into his bosom hides them under the shadow of his wings Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints and if their Death be precious if an eye after them then in their blood if the minstration of condemnation be glorious if there be Love in that work of bringing to Death Then how much more Love will be seen in bringing them again to Life He says of his Vineyard that He watches it night and day And in the Canticles My Vineyard which is mine is continually before me There is no time he watches it not night and day take in all In the Light and in the Darkness in their sorrows and in their enlargements still he watches whether we sleep or wake yet the Keeper of Israel neither slumbers nor sleeps If they are sent into captivity it is for their good there his eye is after them If the three children are cast into the furnace there is a fourth like the Son of God He will walk with them there If Daniel be cast into the Den of Lions his God is there to shut the Lions mouths If Joseph be sold into Egypt God goes with him if he be cast into prison he is with him there and findes favor for him where ever these chosen go a special eye is after them when they wander from one Nation to another from one Kingdom to another People yet there He suffers no man to do them harm but reproves even Kings for their sakes Touch not mine anointed c. His charge is given out to secure them a guard is set about them that nothing may harm them He shall give his Angels charge over thee and they shall preserve thee in all thy ways This is his care of his chosen and this is their safety and happiness Before I come to make Use of this I would speak something of the next words A Royal Priesthood This chosen Generation is intended for that to be a Royal Priesthood to offer up Prayers and Praises to God Hitherto saith Christ you have asked nothing in my Name because as yet they were not brought to beleeve the words of Christ They knew not they were a Chosen Generation till at the last when he was about to leave them then he says to God And these have beleeved that thou hast sent me There is no coming to your Priesthood till you are first brought to know and beleeve you are a Chosen Generation A ROYAL PRIESTHOOD Royal of the royal Blood born of God sprung from that stock and kindred And hence three great Priviledges belong to