no helpe in himselfe is carried with restlesse desire to have supplie from another with some hope which a little raiseth him out of himselfe to Christ though hee dareth not claime any present interest of mercy This sparke of hope being opposed by doubtings and feares rising from Corruption maketh him as smoaking flax so that both these together A bruised reed and smoaking flax make up the state of a poore distressed man such an one our Saviour Christ termeth Poore in spirit Math. 5. who seeth a want withall seeth himselfe indebted to divine Iustice no meanes of ◅uppie frō himselfe or the Creature and thereupon mournes and upon some hope of mercy from the promise exāples of those that have obtained mercy is stirred up to hunger thirst after it This bruising is required before conuersion that so the spirit may make way for it selfe into the heart by levelling all proud high thoughts and that wee may understand our selves to be what indeed we are by nature we love to wander from our selves and to be strangers at home till GOD bruiseth us by one Crosse or other and then wee bethinke our selves and come home to our selves with the Prodigall A marvellous hard thing it is to bring a dull and a shifting heart to cry with feeling for mercy Our hearts like malefactors untill they be beaten from all shifts never cry for the mercy of the Iudge Againe this bruising maketh us set a high price upon CHRIST the Gospell is the Gospell indeed then then the fig-leaves of morality will doe us no good and it maketh us more thankefull and from thankefulnesse more fruitfull in our lives For what maketh many so cold and barren but that bruising for sinne never indeered Gods Grace unto them Likewise this dealing of God doth establish us the more in his wayes having had knockes and bruisings in our owne wayes This is the cause oft of relapses apostasies because men never smarted for sinne at the first they were not long enough under the lash of the Law Hence this inferiour work of the Spirit in bringing downe high thoughts is necessary before conversion And for the most part the Holy Spirit to further the worke of conviction ioyneth some afflictiō which sanctified hath a healing purging power Nay after Conversion wee neede bruising that reedes may know themselves to be reedes not Oakes Even Reedes need bruising by reason of the remainder of pride in our nature and to let us see that we live by mercy and that weaker Christians may not be too much discouraged when they see stronger shaken and bruised Thus Peter was bruised when he wept bitterly This Reed til he met with this bruise had more wind in him then pith Though all forsake thee I will not c. The people of God cannot be without these examples The Heroicall deeds of those great worthies comfort the Church not so much as their falls and bruises doe Thus David was bruised until he came to a free confession without guile of spirit nay his sorrowes did rise in his owne feeling unto the exquisite paine of breaking of bones Psalm 51. Thus Hezekiah complaines that God had broken his bones as a Lion Thus the Chosen vessell S. Paul needed the messenger of Satan to buffet him lest hee should bee lifted up above measure Hence wee learne that wee must not passe too harsh judgment upon our selves or others when God doth exercise us with bruising upon bruising There must bee a conformitie to our head Christ who was bruised for us that wee may know how much wee are bound unto him Profane spirits ignorant of Gods wayes in bringing his children to Heaven censure broken hearted Christians for desperate persons when as GOD is about a gratious good worke with them It is no easie matter to bring a man from Nature to Grace and from Grace to Glory so unyeelding and untractable are our hearts The second point is That Christ will not breake the bruised Reed Physitians though they put their Patients to much paine yet they will not destroy nature but raise it up by degrees Surgeons will launce and cut but not dismember A mother that hath a sicke and froward Child will not therfore cast it away and shall there bee more mercy in the streame then in the spring shall wee thinke there is more mercy in our selves then in GOD who planteth the affection of mercy in us But for further declaration of Christs mercy to all bruised Reedes Consider the comfortable relations hee hath taken upon him of Husband Shepherd Brother c. which hee will discharge to the utmost for shall others by his grace fulfill what hee calleth them unto and not he that out of his love hath taken upon him these relations so throughly founded upon his fathers assignement and his owne voluntary undertaking Consider his borrowed Names from the mildest Creatures as Lambe Henne c. to shew his tender care Consider his very name Iesus a Saviour givē him by GOD himselfe Consider his Office answerable to his name which is that he should heale the broken hearted Esay 61. 1. At his Baptisme the Holy Ghost sate on him in the shape of a Dove to shew that he should be a Dove-like gentle Mediator See the gracious manner of executing his Offices as a Prophet he came with blessing in his mouth Blessed be the poore in spirit c. and invited those to come to him whose hearts suggested most exceptions against themselves Come unto me all yee that are weary and heavy laden how did his boweis yearne when hee saw the people as sheepe without a Sheepherd he never turned any backe againe that came unto him though some went away of themselves Hee came to dye as a Priest for his enemies In the dayes of his flesh hee dictated a forme of prayer unto his Disciples and put Petitions unto GOD into their mouthes and his Spirit to intercede in their hearts and now makes intercession in heaven for weake Christians standing betweene Gods anger and them and shed teares for those that shed his blood so he is a meeke King he will admit mourners into his presence a King of poore and afflicted persons as hee hath beames of Majesty so hee hath bowels of mercies compassion A Prince of peace Why was hee tempted but that hee might succour those that are tempted What mercy may we not expect from so gracious a Mediatour that tooke our nature vpon him that hee might bee gracious hee is a Phisitian good at all diseases especially at the binding up of a broken heart that hee might heale our soules with a plaster of his owne blood and by that death save us which we were the procurers of our selves by our owne sinnes and hath he not the same bowels in heaven Saul Saul why persecutest thou me cryed the Head in heaven when the foot
You know the Apostles prohibition notwithstanding 1 Thess. 5. quench not the Spirit These cautions of not quenching are sanctified by the Spirit as meanes of not quenching CHRIST performeth his office in not quenching by stirring up sutable endeavours in us and none more sollicitous in the use of the meanes than those that are most certaine of the good successe the ground is this the meanes that GOD hath set apart for the effecting of any thing fall under the same purpose that he hath to bring that thing to passe and this is a principle taken for granted even in civill matters as who if he knew before it would bee a fruitfull yeare would therefore hang up his plough and neglect tillage Hence the Apostle stirres up from the certain expectation of a blessing and this incouragement here from the good issue of finall victory is intended to stirre us up and not to take us off if we bee negligent in the exercise of grace received and use of meanes prescribed suffering our spirits to bee oppressed with multitudes and variety of cares of this life and take not heed of the damps of the times for such miscariage GOD in his wise care suffereth us oft to fall into a worse condition for feeling than those that were never so much inlightned Yet in mercy hee will not suffer us to be so farre enemies to our selves as wholly to neglect these sparkes once kindled were it possible that wee should be given up to give over all endeavour wholy then wee could looke for no other issue but quenching But CHRIST will tend this sparke and cherish this small seed so as hee will preserve in the soule alwayes some degree of care If we would make a comfortable use of this we must consider all those meanes whereby CHRIST doth preserve grace begun as first holy communion whereby one Christian heateth another Two are better than one c. Did not our hearts burne said the Disciples Secondly Much more communion with GOD in holy duties as Meditation and Prayer which doth not onely kindle but addeth a lustre to the soule Thirdly wee feele by experience the breath of the spirit to goe along with the ministeriall breath whereupon the Apostle knits these two together Quench not the Spirit Despise not Prophesies Nathan by a few words blew up the decaying sparkes in David Rather than God will suffer his fire in us to dye hee will send some Nathan or other and some thing alwayes is left in us to joyne with the word as connaturall to it as a coale that hath fire in it will quickly catch more to it smoaking flaxe will easily take fire Fourthly grace is strengthned by the exercise of it Vp and be doing and the Lord bee with thee saith David to his son Salomon Stirre up the grace that is in thee for so holy motions turne to resolutions resolutions to practice and practice to a prepared readinesse to every good worke Yet let us know that grace is increased in the exercise of it not by vertue of the exercise it selfe but as CHRIST by his Spirit floweth into the soule and bringeth us nearer unto himselfe the fountaine and in◅illeth such comfort in the act whereby the heart is further inlarged The heart of a Christian is Christs Garden and his Graces are as so many sweet spices and flowers which his Spirit blowing upon maketh them to send forth a sweet savour therefore keepe the soule open for entertainment of the Holy Ghost for he will bring in continually fresh forces to subdue corruption and this most of all on the Lords day Iohn was in the Spirit on the Lords day even in Pathmos the place of his banishment then the gales of the Spirit blow more strongly and sweetly As we looke therefore for the comfort of this doctrine let us not favour our naturall sloth but exercise our selves to god linesse and labour to keep this fire alwayes burning upon the Altar of our hearts and dresse our Lamps daily and put in fresh oyle and winde up our soules higher and higher still resting in a good condition is contrary to grace which cannot but promote it selfe to a further measure Let none turne this grace into wantonnesse Infirmities are a ground of humility not a plea for negligence not an incouragement to presumption We should bee so farre from being ill because CHRIST is good as that those coales of love should melt us therefore those may well suspect themselves in whom the consideratiō of this mildnesse of CHRIST doth not work that way Surely where grace is corruption is as Smoake to their eies and vineger to their teeth And therefore they will labour in regard of their owne comfort as likewise for the credit of Religion and the glory of GOD that their light may break forth If a sparke of faith or love bee so precious what an honour will it be to be rich in faith Who would not rather wa◅e in the light and in the comforts of the Holy Ghost than to live in a darke perplexed estate and not rather bee caried with full saile to heaven than bee tossed alwayes with feares and doubts The present trouble in conflict against a sinne is not so much as that disquiet which any corruption favoured will bring upon us afterwards True peace is in conquering not in yeelding The comfort in this Text intended is for those that would faine doe better but sinde their corruptiōs clog them that are in such a mist that oft times they cannot tell what to thinke of themselves that faine would beleeve and yet oft feare they doe not beleeve and thinke that it cannot bee that GOD should be so good to such sinfull wretches as they are and yet they allow not themselves in these feares and doubts And among others How doe they wrong themselves and him that will have other Mediators to GOD for them than he are any more pitifull than he who became man to that end that hee might be pitifull to his owne flesh let all at all times repaire to this meek Saviour and put up al our suits in his prevailing name What need wee knock at any other doore can any bee more tender over us than CHRIST What incouragement have we to commend the state of the Church in generall or of any broken hearted Christian unto him by our prayers Of whom we may speake unto CHRIST as they of Lazarus Lord the Church which thou lovest and gavest thy selfe for is in distresse Lord this poore Christian for whom thou wert bruised is bruised and brought very low It cannot but touch his bowells when the misery of his owne deare bowells is spred before him Againe considering this gracious nature in CHRIST let us thinke with our selves thus when he is so kinde unto us shall we be cruell against him in his name in his truth in his children how shall those that delight to be so terrible
a Prince of darknesse and ruleth in darkeness of the understanding Therefore he must first be cast out of the understanding by the prevailing of truth and planting it in the soule Those therefore 〈…〉 â—…ledge helpe Sathan and Antichrist whose Kingdome like Satans is a kingdome of darkness to erect their throne Hence it is promised by CHRIST that the holy Ghost shall convince the world of judgment that is that he is resolved to set up a Throne of governmeÌ„t because the great lord of misrule Sathan the Prince of the world is judged by the Gospel and the Spirit accompanying it his impostures are discovered his enterprizes layd open therefore when the Gospel was spred the Oracles ceased Sathan fell frâ—…m heaven like ligâ—…g men were translated out of his Kingdome into Christs Where prevailing is by lyes there discovery is victory they shall proceed no further for their â—…lly shall be manifest to all So that manifestation of error giveth a stop to it for none wil willingly be deceived Let truth have full soope without check or restraint and let sathan his instruments do their worst they shall not prevaile as Ierom saith of the Pelagians in his time The discovery of your opinions is the vanquishing of them your basphemies appeare at the first blush Hence we learne the necessity that the understanding bee principled with supernaturall knowledge for the well managing of a Christian conversation There must bee light to discover a further end then nature for which wee are Christians and a rule sutable directing to that end which is the will of GOD in CHRIST discovering his good pleasure towards us and our duty towards him and in vertue of this discovery we doe all that we doe that any way may further our reckoning the eye must first be single and then the whole body and frame of our conversation will bee light otherwise both we and our course of life are nothing but darknesse The whole conversation of a Christian is nothing else but knowledge digested into will affection and practice If the first 〈◊〉 in the stomach be not good that in the liver cannot be good so if there bee errour in the judgement it marres the whole practice as an error in the foundation doth the building GOD will have no blind sacrifices no unreasonable services but will have us to love him with all our minde that is with our understanding part as well as with all our hearts that is the affecting part of the soule This order of Christs government by judgment is agreeable unto the soule and GOD delighteth to preserve the manner of working peculiar unto man that is to doe what he doth out of judgemente as grace supposeth nature as founded upon it so the frame of grace preserveth the frame of nature in man And therfore Christ bringeth all that is good in the soule through judgment and that so sweetly that many out of a dangerous error thinke that that good which is in them and issueth from them is from theÌ„selves not from the powerfull worke of grace As in evill the devill so subtlely leadeth us according to the streame of our owne nature that men thinke that Sathan had no hand in their sinne but here a mistake is with little perill because wee are il of ourselves the devil doth but promote what ill he findeth in us But there are no seeds of supernaturall goodnesse at all in us GOD findeth nothing in us but enmity onely hee hath ingraven this in our nature to incline in generall to that which we judge to be good Now when he shall cleerly discover what is good in particular wee are caried to it and when convincingly he shal discover that which is ill we abhorre it as freely as we imbraced it before From whence we may know when we worke as we should doe or no that is when we doe what we doe out of inward principles when we fall not upon that which is good only because we are so bred or because such or such whom we respect doe so or because wee will maintaine a side so making religion a faction but out of judgement when what wee doe that is good wee first judge it in our selves so to be and what wee abstaine from that is ill we first judge it to bee ill from an inward judgement A sound Christian as hee injoyeth the better part so hath first made choice of it with Mary he establisheth all his thoughts by counsell GOD indeed useth carnall men to very good service but wthout a thorow altering conviction of their judgements He worketh by them but not in them therefore they doe neither approve the good they doe nor hate the evill they abstaine from The 2 branch is that wheresoever true wisdom and judgement is there Christ sets up his government because where wisedome is it directs us not only to understand but to order our waies aright where Christ by his Spirit as a Prophet teacheth he like wise as a King by his Spirit subdueth the heart to obedience of what is taught This is that teaching which is promised of GOD when not onely the braine but the heart it selfe is taught When men doe not onely know what they should doe but are taught the very doing of it they are not only taught that they should love feare and obey but they are taught love it selfe and feare and obedience it selfe CHRIST sets up his chaire in the very heart and alters the frame of that and makes his subjects good together with teaching of them to bee good Other Princes can make good Lawes but they cannot write them in their peoples hearts This is CHRISTS Prerogative He infuseth into his subjects his owne Spirit upon him there doth not onely rest the spirit of wisedome and understanding but likewise the spirit of the feare of the Lord. The knowledge which wee have of him froÌ„ himselfe is a transforming knowledge The same spirit that inlighteneth the mind inspireth gracious inclinations into the will and affections and infuseth strength into the whole man As a gracious man judgeth as he should so he affecteth and doth as hee judgeth his life is a commentary of his inward man there is a sweet harmony betwixt GODS truth his judgment and his whole conversation The heart of a Christian is like Ierusalem when it was at the best a City compact within it selfe where are set up the thrones of judgement Iudgement should have a throne in the heart of every Christian. Not that judgement alone will work a change there must be grace to alter the bent and sway of the will before it will yeeld to bee wrought upon by the understanding GOD hath so joyned these together as that wheÌ„soeuer he doth savingly shine upon the understanding he giveth a soft and plyable heart for without a worke upon the hart by the Spirit of God it will follow its owne inclination to that which it affecteth
Christs love and tender care over those that are humbled and besides the mercy that resteth in his owne brest hee workes the l◅ke impression in his Ministers and others to comfort the feeble minded and to beare with the weake Ministers by their calling are friends of the Bride and to bring Christ and his Spouse together and therefore ought upon all good occasions to lay open al the excellencies of Christ and amongst others as that hee is highly borne mighty one in whom all the treasures of wisedome are hid c so likewise gentle and of a good nature and of a gracious d◅sposition It cannot but cheere the heart of the spouse to consider in all her infirmities and miseries she is subject unto that shee hath a husband of a k◅nd disposition that knowes how to give the honour of milde usage to the weaker vessell That will be so farre frō rejecting her because she is weake that he will pity her the more And as hee is kinde at all times so especially when it is most seasonable he will speake to her heart especially in the wildernesse The more glory to God and the more comfort to a Christian soule ariseth from the beliefe and application of these things the more the enemy of Gods glory mans comfort labours to breed misperswasions of them that if hee cannot keepe men from heaven and bring them into that cursed condition he is in himselfe yet he may trouble them in their passage Some and none of the worst Sathan prevailes withall so farre as to neglect the meanes upon feare they should being so sinfull dishonour God and increase their sins so they lie smothering under this temptation as it were bound hand and foote by Sathan not daring to make out to Christ and yet are secretly upheld by a spirit of faith shewing it selfe in hidden sighes and groanes unto God These are abused by false representations of Christ all whose waies to such being wayes of mercy and all his thoughts thoughts of love The more Sathan is malicious in keeping the soule in darknesse the more care is to be had of establishing the soule upon that which will stay it Amongst other grounds to build our faith on as the free offer of grace to all that will receive it the gracious invitation of all that are weary and heauy lad◅n those that have nothing to buy withall The command binding to beleeve the danger of not beleeving being shut up prisoners thereby under the guilt of all other sinnes the sweet intreatie to beleeve and ordayning Embassadours to desire peace putting tender affections into them answerable to their calling ordaining Sacraments for the sealing of the covenant Besides these I say and such moving inducements this is one infusing vigor and strength into all the rest that they proceed from Christ a person authorized and from those bowels that moved him not only to become a mā but a curse for us hence it is that hee will not quench the smoaking wick or flax It addes strength to faith to consider that al expressions of love issue frō nature in Christ which is constant God knowes that as wee are prone to sinne so when conscience is throughly awaked wee are as prone to despaire for sinne and therefore hee would have us know that hee setteth himselfe in the Covenant of grace to triumph in CHRIST over the greatest evills and enemies we feare and that his thoughts are not as our thoughts are that he is God and not man that there is heights and depths and breadths of mercy in him above all the depths of our sin and misery that wee should never bee in such a forlorne condition wherein there should be ground of despaire considering our sinnes bee the sins of men his mercy the mercy of an infinite GOD. But though it be a truth cleerer then the Sunne beames that a broken hearted sinner ought to embrace mercy so strongly enforced yet there is no truth that the heart shutteth it selfe more against then this especially in sense of misery when the soule is fittest for mercy untill the Holy spirit sprinkleth the conscience with the blood of Christ and sheddeth his love into the heart that so the blood of Christ in the conscience may cry lowder then the guilt of sinne for onely Gods Spirit can raise the conscience with comfort above guilt because he is only greater then the conscience Men may speake comfort but it is Christs Spirit that can onely comfort Peace is the fruit of the lips but yet created to bee so No creature can take off wrath from the conscience but he that set it on though all the prevailing arguments be used that can bee brought forth till the Holy Ghost effectually perswadeth by a divine kinde of rhetoricke which ought to raise up our hearts to him who is the comforter of his people that he would seale thē to our soules Now God dealing with mē as understanding creatures the manner which he useth in this powerfull worke upon their consciences is by way of friendly entercourse as intreaty and perswasion and discovery of his love in Christ and Christs gracious inclination thus even to the weakest and lowest of men And therefore because hee is pleased by such like motives to enter into the heart and settle a peace there we ought with reverence to regard all such sanctified helpes and among the rest this of making use of this comfortable description of Christ by God the Father in going boldly in all necessities to the throne of grace But wee must know this comfort is onely the portion of those that give up themselves to Christs government that are willing in all things to be disposed of by him For here we see in this Scripture both joyned together mercy to bruised reedes and yet government prevailing by degrees over corruptions Christ so favoureth weake ones as that he frameth their soules to a better condition then they are in Neither can it be otherwise but that a soule looking for mercy should submit it selfe at the same time to be guided Those relations of husband head shepheard c. imply not onely meeknesse and mercy but government likewise When we become Christ ans to purpose we live not exempt from all service but onely wee change our Lord. Therefore if any in an ill course of life snatch comforts before they are reached out unto them let them know they doe it at their owne perills It is as if some ignorant man should come into an Apothecaries shop stored with varietie of medicines of all sorts shold take what comes next to hād poyson perhaps in stead of Physicke There is no word of comfort in the whole booke of God intended for such as regard iniquity in their hearts though they doe not act it in their lives Their onely comfort is that the sentence of damnation is not executed and thereupon there is yet opportunity of safer thoughts
where the life is ill governed 238 Christs government is victorious 239 1 In eveâ—…y private Christian. 240 2 In the Church in generall 248 Why the victory seemes sometimes to goe on the contrary side 250 Vse 1. Confort to weake Christians the least sparke in them if it be right will prevaile 257 1 Signes whether there bee any such grace in us as will bee victorious 260 2 Meanes to bee used that it may bee so 268 Use. 2. To admonish 1 Nations and States 2 Families 3 Every one in particular 1 For himselfe to side w th Christ to imbrace his government 286 2 His friends to side w th Christ to imbrace his government 286 Vse 3. To informe us that then Popery must downe 290 ¶ Grace shall be glory 291 Vse Deceit and error shall be shame and confusion 297 ¶ This government is advanced and set up by Christ alone 304 In all spirituall Essayes looke for strength from Christ and not from thy selfe 307 ¶ This prevailing and victory will not be without opposition 316 Because it is 1 government 2 spirituall government 3 government with iudgement 319 321. Use. It is no signe of a good condition to find all quiet 323 Wheresoever Christ commeth there will be divisions 324 Miserable are those men that stand out against him and are still under Sathans government 325 Conclusion and generall Application of all this third part 328 To incourage Christians to goe on comfortably and cheerfully with confidence of prevailing both in respect of our selves although beset with corruption and the Church although compassed with enemies 337 THE Bruised Reed and Smoaking Flax. MATT. 12. 20. A bruised Reed shall be not breake and smoking Flax shall he not quench till he send forth judgement into victorie THE Prophet Esay being lifted up and caried with the wing of propheticall spirit passeth over all the time betweene him and the appearing of IESVS CHRIST in the flesh and seeth with the eye of prophesie and with the eye of faith CHRIST as present and presenteth him in the name of GOD to the spirituall eye of others in these words Behold my servant whom I have chosen c. which place is alledged by Saint Matthew as fulfilled now in CHRIST Wherein is propounded First The calling of CHRIST to his office Secondly The execution of it For his Calling GOD stileth him here his righteous servant c. CHRIST was GODS servant in the greatest piece of service that ever was a chosen and a choice servant hee did and suffered all by commission from the Father Wherein we may see the sweet love of GOD to us that counts the work of our salvation by Christ his greatest service And that he will put his onely beloved Son to that service He might well prefixe Behold to raise up our thoughts to the highest pitch of attention and admiration In time of temptation misgiving consciences looke so much to the present trouble they are in that they need bee rouzed up to behold him in whom they may finde rest for their distressed soules In temptations it is safest to behold nothing but CHRIST the true brazen Serpent the true Lambe of God that taketh away the sinnes of the World this saving object hath a speciall influence of comfort into the soule especially if we looke not onely on CHRIST but upon the Fathers authority and love in him For in all that CHRIST did and suffered as Mediator wee must see GOD in him reconciling the World unto himselfe What a support to our Faith is this That GOD the Father the party offended by our sinnes is so well pleased with the worke of Redemption And what a comfort is this that seeing GODS love resteth on CHRIST as well pleased in him we may gather that hee is as well pleased with us if we be in Christ. For his love resteth in whole CHRIST in Christ mysticall as well as Christ naturall because hee loveth him and us with one love Let us therefore imbrace CHRIST and in him GODS love and build our faith safely on such a Saviour that is furnished with so high a Commission See here for our comfort a sweet agreement of all three persons The Father giveth a coÌ„mission to Christ The Spirit furnisheth and sanctifieth to it CHRIST himselfe executeth the office of a Mediatour Our Redemption is founded upon the joynt agreement of all three persons of the Trinitie For the execution of this his calling it is set downe here to be modest without making a noise or raising dust by any poÌ„pous comming as Princes use to doe his voyce shall not be heard his voyce indeed was heard but what voyce Come vnto me all yee that are weary and heavy laden c he cryed but how Hâ—… every one that thirsteth come c. And as his comming was modest so it was mild which is set downe in these words The bruised Reed shall he not breake c. wherein wee may observe these three things First the condition of those that CHRIST had to deale withall 1 They were bruised Reedes 2 smoaking Flax. Secondly CHRISTS carriage towards them he brake not the bruised Reed nor quenched the smoaking Flax where more is meant them spoken sor hee will not onely not breake the bruised Reed nor quench c. But hee will cherish them Thirdly the constancie and progresse of this his tender care untill Iudgement come to victory that is untill the sanctified frame of grace begunne in their hearts be brought to that perfection that it prevaileth over all opposite corruption For the first the condition of men whom hee was to deale withall is that they were bruised Reeds and smoaking Flax not Trees but Reeds and not whole but bruised Reeds The Church is compared to weake things to a Dove amongst the fowles to a Vine amongst the Plants to Sheepe amongst the beasts to a Woman which is the weaker vessell and here GODS Children are compared to bruised Reeds and smoaking Flax. And first we will speake of them as they are bruised Reeds and then as smoaking flax They are bruised reeds before their conversion and often times after Before Conversion all except such as being bred up in the Church GOD hath delighted to shew himselfe gracious vnto from their Child-hood yet in different degrees as GOD seeth meete and as difference is in regard of temper parts manner of life c. so GODS intendment of imployment for the time to come for usually hee empties such of themselves and makes them nothing before hee will use them in any great services This bruised reed is a man that for the most part is in some miserie as those were that came to Christ for help and 2 by miserie brought to see sinne the cause of it for whatsoever pretences sinne maketh yet bruising or breaking is the end of it 3 hee is sensible of sinne and miserie even unto bruising and 4 seeing
was trodden on on earth His advancement hath not made him forget his owne flesh though it hath freed him from passion yet not from compassion towards us The Lion of the Tribe of Iudah will onely teare in pieces those that will not have him rule over them Hee will not shew his strength against those that prostrate themselves before him What should we learn from hence but to come boldly to the throne of Grace in all our grievances Shal our sinnes discourage us when hee appeares there onely for sinners Art thou bruised Be of good comfort he calleth thee concoale not thy wounds open all before him keep not Satans counsell Go to Christ though trembling as the poore woman if wee can but touch the h◅m of his garment we shall be healed and have a gracious answer Goe boldly to God in our flesh for this end that wee might goe boldly to him he is flesh of our flesh and bone of our bone Never feare to go to God since we have such a Mediatour with him that is not onely our friend but our brother and husband Well might the Angells proclame from Heaven Behold we bring you tidings of joy well might the Apostle stir us up to rejoice in the Lord againe and againe he was well advised vpon what grounds he did it peace and joy are two maine fruits of his Kingdome Let the world be as it will if we cannot rejoyce in the world yet wee may rejoyce in the Lord. His presence maketh any condition comfortable Bee not afraid saith hee to his Disciples when they were afraid as if they had seene a Ghost it is I as if there were no cause of feare where he is present Let this stay us when wee feele our selves bruised Christ his course is first to wound then to heale No sound whole soule shall ever enter into heaven think in temptation CHRIST was tempted for mee according to my tryalls will be my Graces and Comforts If CHRIST bee so mercifull as not to break me I will not breake my selfe by despaire nor yeeld my selfe over to the roaring Lyon Satan to break me in pieces Thirdly see the contrary disposition of CHRIST and Satan and his instruments Satan setteth upon us when we are weakest as Simeon and Levi upon the Si◅hemites when they were sore But CHRIST will make up in us all the breaches sinne and Satan have made hee bindes up the broaken hearted and as a mother tendreth most the most diseased and weakest childe so doth CHRIST most mercifully incline to the weakest and likewise putteth an instinct into the weakest things to rely upon something stronger than themselves for support The Vine stayeth it selfe upon the Elme and the weakest creatures have oft the strongest shelters The consciousnesse of the churches weaknesse makes her willing to leane on her beloved and to hide her selfe under his wing But how shall we know whether wee are such as those that may expect mercy By bruising here is not meant those that are brought low onely by crosles but such as by thē are brought to see their sinne which bruiseth most of all When conscience is under the guilt of sinne then every judgement brings a report of GODS anger to the soule and all lesser troubles runne into this great trouble of conscience for sinne As all corrupt humours runne to the diseased and bruised part of the body And as every Creditor falls upon the Debtor when hee is once arrested so when conscience is once awaked all former sinnes and present crosses joyne together to make the bruise the more painfull Now he that is thus bruised will be content with nothing but w th mercy frō him that hath bruised him he hath wounded and he must heale 2. Againe a man truly bruised judgeth sinne the greatest evill and the favour of God the greatest good 3. Hee had rather heare of mercy than of a kingdome 4. Hee hath meane conceits of himselfe and thinketh hee is not worth the earth hee treads on 5. Towards others he is not censorious as being taken up at home but is full of sympathy and compassion to those that are under GODS hand 6. He thinketh those that walke in the comforts of GODS Spirit the happiest men of the world 7. He trembleth at the word of God and honoureth the very feet of those blessed instruments that bring peace unto him 8. Hee is more taken up with the inward exercises of a broken heart than with formality and yet carefull to use all sanctifyed meanes to convey comfort But how shall we come to have this temper First we must conceive of bruising either as a state into which God bringeth us or as a duty to be performed by us both are here meant we must joyn with GOD in bruising of our selves when hee humbles us let us humble our selves and not stand out against him for then hee will redouble his strokes and let us justifie CHRIST in all his chastisements knowing that all his dealing towards us is to cause us to returne into our owne hearts his work in bruising tendeth to our worke in bruising our selves Let us lament our owne untowardnesse and say Lord what an heart have I that needs all this that none of this could bee spared Wee must lay siege to the hardnesse of our owne hearts and aggravate sinne all we can wee must looke on CHRIST who was bruised for us looke on him whom wee have pierced with our sinnes But all directions will not prevaile unlesse GOD by his Spirit convinceth us deeply setting our sinnes before us and driving us to a stand Then we wil make out for mercy Conviction will breed contrition and this humiliation Therefore desire GOD that hee would bring a cleere and a strong light into all the corners of our soules and accompany it with a spirit of power to lay our hearts low A set measure of bruising our selves cannot be prescribed yet it must be so farre as we may prize CHRIST above all and see that a Saviour must be had And secondly untill we reform that which is amisse though it be to the cutting off our right hand or pulling out our right eye There is a dangerous slighting of the worke of humiliation some alledging this for a pretence for their overly dealing with their owne hearts that CHRIST will not breake the bruised Reed But such must know that every sudden terrour and short griefe is not that which makes us bruised Reeds not a little hanging downe our heads like a Bulrush but a working our hearts to such a griefe as will make sinne more odious unto us than punishment Vntill we offer an holy violence against it else favouring our selves we make work for GOD to bruise us and for sharpe repentance afterwards It is dangerous I confesse in some cases with some spirits to press too much and too long this bruising because they may die under the wound and
for want of incouragement See how that faithfull fisher of men S. Paul labours to catch his Iudge I know thou beleevest the Prophets and then wisheth all saving good but not bonds hee might have added them too but he would not discourage one that made but an offer hee would therefore wish Agrippa only that which was good in Religion How carefull was our blessed Saviour of little ones that they might not bee offended How doth he defend his Disciples from malitious imputations of the Pharises How carefull not to put new wine into old vessels not to alienate new beginners with the austerities of Religion as some indiscreetly O saith hee they shal have time to fast when I am gone and strength to fast when the Holy Ghost is come upon them It is not the best way to fall foule presently with young beginners for some lesser vanities but shew them a more excellent way and breed them up in positive grounds and other things wil be quickly out of credit with them It is not amisse to conceale their wants to excuse some failings to commend their performances to cherish their towardnesse to remove all rubs out of their way to helpe them every way to beare the yoake of Religion with greater ease to bring them in love with God and his service lest they distaste it before they know it For the most part we see CHRIST planteth in young beginners a love which we call the first love to cary them through their profession with more delight and doth not expose them to crosses before they have gathered strength as wee breed up young plants and fence them from the weather untill they bee well rooted Mercy to others should move us to deny our selves in our lawfull liberties oftentimes in case of offence of weake ones it is the little ones that are offended The weakest are aptest to think themselves despised therfore wee should bee most carefull to give them content It were a good strife amongst Christians one to labour to give no offence and the other to labour to take none The best men are severe to themselves tender over others Yet people should not tyre and weare out the patience of others Nor should the weaker so farre exact moderation from others as to beare out themselves upon their indulgence and so to rest in their owne infirmities with danger to their own soules and scandall to the Church The Church suffereth much from weake ones therefore wee may challenge liberty to deale with them as mildly so oftentimes directly The scope of true love is to make the party better which by concealment oftentimes is hindred with some a spirit of meeknesse prevaileth most but with some a rod. Some must be pulled out of the fire with violence and they will blesse God for us in the day of their visitation Wee see our Saviour multiplyes woe upon woe when hee was to deale with hard-hearted Hypocrites For Hypocrites doe neede stronger conviction than grosse sinners because their will is naught and thereupon usually their conversion is violent An hard knot must have an answerable wedge else in a cruell pity wee betray their soules A sharpe reproofe sometimes is a precious pearle and a sweet balme The wounds of secure sinners will not bee healed with sweet words The Holy Ghost came as well in fiery tongues as in the likenesse of a Dove and the same holy Spirit will vouchsafe a spirit of prudence and discretion which is the salt to season all our words and actions And such wisedome will teach us to speake a word in season both to the weary and likewise to the secure soule And indeed he had need have the tongue of the learned that shall either raise up or cast downe But in this place I speake of mildness towards those that are weake and are sensible of it These wee must bring on gently and drive softly as Iacob did his Cattell according to the pace and as his children were able to endure Weake Christians are like glasses which are hurt with the least violent usage otherwise if gently handled will continue a long time This honour of gentle use we are to give to the weaker vessells by which we shall both preserve them and likewise make them usefull to the Church and our selves In uncleane bodies if all ill humours be purged out you shall purge life and all away Therefore though GOD saith Zach. 13. 9. that he will fine them as silver is fined Yet Esay 48. 10. he saith He hath fined them but not as silver that is so exactly as that no drosse remaineth for hee hath respect to our weaknesse Perfect refining is for another world for the world of the soules of perfect men Divines had need to take heed therefore how they deale with these in divers particulars as first let them be carefull they straine not things too hie making those generall and necessary evidences of grace which agree not to the experience of many a good Christian and lay salvation and damnation upon those things that are not fit to beare so great a waight whereupon men are groundlesly cast down lower by them than they can hastily be raised up againe by themselves or others The Ambassadors of so gentle a Saviour should not bee over masterly setting up themselves in the hearts of people where CHRIST alone should sit as in his owne Temple How carefull was Saint Paul in cases of conscience not to lay a snare upon any weak conscience They should take heed likewise that they hide not their meaning in darke speeches speaking in the clouds Truth feareth nothing so much as concealement and desireth nothing so much as cleerely to bee laid open to the view of all When it is most naked it is most lovely and powerfull Our blessed Saviour as he tooke our nature upon him so he took upon him our familiar manner of speech which was part of his voluntary abasement Saint Paul was a profound man yet became as a nurse to the weaker sort That spirit of mercy that was in CHRIST should move his servants to bee content to abase themselves for the good of the meanest What made the Kingdome of heaven suffer violence after Iohn the Baptists time but that comfortable truths were with that plainnesse and evidence layd open that the people were so affected with them as they offered a holy violence to them CHRIST chose those to preach mercy which had felt most meroy as S. Peter and S. Paul that they might bee examples of what they taught Saint Paul became all things to all men stooping unto them for their good CHRIST came downe from heaven and emptied himselfe of majesty in tender love to soules shall not we come downe from our high conceits to doe any poore soule good shall man be proud after GOD hath beene humble Wee see the ministers of Satan turn themselves into all shapes to make proselytes A Iesuite will be every
way wardnesse and harsh censures herein disparaging and discouraging the endeavours of Superiours for publike good In so great weaknesse of mans nature and especially in this crazie age of the world wee ought to take in good part any moderate happinesse wee injoy by government and not be altogether as a nayle in the wound exasperating things by misconstruction Here Love should have a mantle to cast upon lesser errors of those above us Oft-times the poore man is the oppressor by unjust clamours we should labour to give the best interpretations to the actions of Governours that the nature of the actions will possibly beare In the last place there is some thing for private Christians even for all of us in our common relations to take notice of we are debtors to the weake in many things 1. Let us be watchfull in the use of our libertie and labour to be in offensive in our cariage that our example compell them not There is a commanding force in an example as Peter Gal. 2. A loosnesse of life is crueltie to our selves and to the soules of others though wee cannot keepe them frō perishing which will perish in regard of the event yet if wee doe that which is apt of it selfe to destroy the soules of others their ruine is imputable to us 2 Let men take heede of taking up Sathans office in deprauing the good actions of others as he did Iobs Doth hee serve God for nought or slandering their persons judging of them according to the wickednes that is in their owne hearts The Devill getteth more by such discouragements and these reproaches that are east upon religion then by fire and faggot These as unseasonable frosts nip all gratious offers in the bud and as much as in them lyeth with Herod labour to kill Christ in yong professors A Christian is a hallowed and a sacred thing CHRISTS Temple and hee that destroyeth his Temple him will CHRIST destroy 3 Amongst the things that are to be taken heede of there is amongst private Christians a bold usurpation of censure not considering their temptations Some will vnchurch unbrother in a passion But distempers do not alter true relations though the child in a fit shold disclaime the mother yet the mother will not disclaime the child There is therefore in these iudging times good ground of S. Iames his Caveat that there should not be too many masters that we should not smite one another by hasty censures especially in things of an indifferent nature some things are as the minde of him is that doth them or doth them not for both may be unto the Lord. A holy ayme in things of a middle nature makes the judgements of men although seemingly contrary yet not so much blameable Christ for the good aymes hee seeth in us over-looketh any ill in them so farre as not to lay it to our charge Men must not bee too curious in prying into the weaknesses of others we should labor rather to see what they have that is for eternitie to incline our heart to love them then into that weaknesse which the Spirit of GOD will in time consume to estrange us some thinke it strength of grace to endure nothing in the weaker wheras the strongest are readiest to beare with the infirmities of the weake Where most holinesse is there is most moderation where it may be without prejudice of pietie to God and the good of others wee see in Christ a marvellous temper of absolute holinesse with great moderation in this Text. What had become of our Salvation if he had stood upon termes and not stooped thus low unto us We need not affect to be more holy then Christ it is no flatterie to doe as he doth so it bee to edification The Holy Ghost is content to dwell in smoakie offensive soules Oh that that spirit would breath into our Spirits the like mercifull disposition We indure the bitternesse of Wormwood and other distastfull plants herbs onely because wee have some experience of some wholsome qualitie in thē and why should we reject men of usefull parts and graces onely for some harshnesse of disposition which as it is offensive to us so grieveth themselves Grace whilest wee live here is in soules which as they are unperfectly renewed so they dwell in bodies subject to severall humours which will incline the soule sometimes to excesse in one passion sometimes to excesse in another Bucer was a deepe and a moderate Divine Vpon long experience resolved to refuse none in whom hee saw aliquid Christi something of Christ. The best Christians in this state of imperfection are like Gold that is a little too light which needs some graines of allowance to make it passe You must grant the best their allowance We must supply out of our love mercy that which wee see wanting in them The Church of Christ is a common Hospitall in all are in some measure sicke of some spirituall disease or other that we should all have ground of exercising mutually the spirit of wisedome and meeknesse This that wee may the better doe let us put upon our selves the spirit of CHRIST The spirit of GOD caryeth a majestie with it Corruption will hardly yeeld to eorruption In another Pride is intolerable to pride The weapons of this warfare must not bee carnall The great Apostles would not set upon the worke of the Ministerie untill they were cloathed as it were with power from on high The Spirit will only work with his owne tooles And we should think what affection Christ would cary to the party in this case That great Physitian as he had a quicke eie and a healing tongue so had he a gentle hand and a tender heart And secondly put upon us the cōdition of him whom wee deale withall wee are or have beene or may bee such make the case our owne and withall consider in what neere relation a Christian standeth unto us even as a brother a fellow-member heire of the same salvation And therefore let us take upon our selves a tender care of them every way and especially in cherishing the peace of their consciences Conscience is a tender and delicate thing and so must be used It is like a Locke if the Wards bee troubled it will be troublesome to open For tryall to let vs see whether wee be this smoking Flax which Christ will not quench In this Tryall remember these Rules 1 Wee must have two eyes one to see imperfections in our selves and others the other to see what is good I am blacke saith the Church but yet comely Those ever want comfort that are much in quarrelling with themselves and through their infirmities are prone to feede upon such bitter things as will most nourish that distemper they are sicke of These delight to be looking on the dark side of the cloud onely 2. We must not judge of our selves
alwayes according to present feeling for in temptations wee shall see nothing but smoake of distrustfull thoughts Fire may be raked up in the ashes though not seene life in the winter is hid in the root 3 Take heede of false reasoning As because our fire doth not blaze out as others therefore we have no fire at all and by false conclusions come to sinne against the Commandement in bearing false witnesse against our selves The Prodigall would not say hee was no sonne but that hee was not worthy to be called a sonne Wee must neither trust to false evidence nor deny true for so wee should dishonour the worke of Gods Spirit in us and lose the help of that evidence which would cherish our love to Christ and arme us against Sathans discouragements Some are so faulty this way as if they had beene hyred by Sathan the Accuser of the Brethren to plead for him in accusing themselves 4 Know for a ground of this that in the Covenant of Grace GOD requires the truth of Grace not any certaine measure and a sparke of fire is fire as well as the whole Element Therefore wee must look to Grace in the spark as well as in the flame All have not the like strong yet the like pretious Faith whereby they lay hold put on the perfect righteousnesse of Christ. A weak hand may receive a rich Iewell a few grapes will shew that the Plant is a Vine and not a Thorne It is one thing to be wanting in Grace and another thing to want Grace altogether GOD knoweth wee have nothing of our selves therfore in the Covenant of Grace he requireth no more then hee giveth and giveth what hee requireth and accepteth what hee giveth Hee that hath not a Lambe may bring a paire of Turtle Doves What is the Gospell it selfe but a mercifull moderation in which Christs obedience is esteemed ours and our sinnes laid upon him and wherein GOD of a Iudge becommeth a Father pardoning our sinnes and accepting our obedieÌ„ce though feeble and blemished Wee are now brought to heaven under the Covenant of Grace by a way of love and mercy It will prove a speciall help to know distinctly the difference betweene the Covenant of workes and the Covenant of Grace betweene Moses and Christ Moses without all mercy breaketh all bruised Reedes and quencheth all smoaking Flax. For the Law requireth 1 personal 2 perpetuall 3 perfect obedience 4 and from a perfect heart and that under a most terrible curse and giveth no strength a severe Taske-master like Pharaohs requireth the whole tale and yet giveth no straw CHRIST commeth with blessing after blessing even upoÌ„ those whom Moses had cursed and with healing Balme for those wounds which Moses had made The same duties are required in both CovenaÌ„ts as to love the Lord with all our harts with all our soules c. In this Covenant of workes this must bee taken in the rigour but under the CovenaÌ„t of Grace as it is a syncere endevour proportionable to grace received and so it must be understood of Iosias and others wheÌ„ it is said they loved GOD with all their hearts c. It must have an Euangelicall mitigation The Law is sweetned by the Gospel and becommeth delightful to the inner man Vnder this gratious Covenant synceritie is perfection This is the Death in the pot in the Romane Religion that they confound two CovenaÌ„ts and it deads the comfort of drooping ones that they cannot distinguish them And thus they suffer themselves to be held under bondage when Christ hath set them free and stay themselves in the prison when Christ hath set open the doores before them 5 Grace sometimes is so little as is undiscernable to us the Spirit sometimes hath secret operations in us which we know not for the present but Christ knoweth Sometimes in bitternes of temptation when the Spirit struggles with sense of Gods anger wee are apt to thinke GOD an enemy and a troubled soule is like troubled waters wee can see nothing in it and so farre as it is not cleansed it will cast up mire and dirt It is full of objections against it selfe yet for the most part we may discern something of this hidden life and of these smothered sparkes In a gloomy day there is so much light whereby wee may know it to bee day and not night so there is something in a Christian under a cloud whereby hee may be discerned to be a true Beleever and not an Hypocrite There is no meere darknesse in the state of Grace but some beame of light whereby the kingdome of darknesse wholy prevaileth not These things premised let us know for a Tryall First if there bee any holy fire in us it is kindled from heaven by the Father of lights who commanded light to shine out of darknesse As it is kindled in the use of meanes so it is fed The light in us and the light in the word spring one froÌ„ the other and both from one Holy Spirit and therfore those that regard not the word it is because there is no light in them Heavenly truths must have a heavenly light to discerne them Naturall men see heavenly things but not in their own proper light but by an inferiour light GOD in every converted man putteth a light into the eye of his soule proportionable to the light of truths revealed unto theÌ„ A carnall eye will never see spirituall things Secondly the least divine light hath heate with it in some measure Light in the understanding breedeth heate of love in the affections In what measure the sanctified understanding seeth a thing to be true or good in that measure the will imbraces it Weake light breedes weake inclinations a stroÌ„g light strong inclinations A little spirituall light is of strength enough to answer strong objections of flesh and blood and to looke thorow all earthly allurements and all opposing hinderances presenting them as farr inferiour to those heavenly objects it eyeth All light that is not spirituall because it wanteth the strength of sanctifying grace it yeeldeth to every little temptation especially when it is fitted and suted to personall inclinations This is the reason why Christians that have light little for quantitie but yet heavenly for qualitie hold out when men of larger apprehensions sinke This prevailing of light in the soule is because together with the spirit of Illumination there goeth in the godly a spirit of â—…ower to subdue the heart â—…o truth revealed and to â—…ut a taste and relish into â—…he will sutable to the sweetnes of the truths else 〈◊〉 meere naturall Will will rise against supernaturall truths as having an antipathy and enmitie against them In the godly â—…oly truths are conveyed by way of a taste gratious men have a spiritual pallat as well as a spirituall eye Grace altereth the relish Thirdly where this heavenly light is kindled it directeth in the right way For it is
doe yet let us doe it since wee have to deal with so good a Lord and the more strife we meet withall the more acceptance Christ loveth to tast of the good fruits that come from us although they will alwaies rellish of the old stock A Christian complaineth hee cannot pray Oâ—… am troubled with so many distracting thoughts and never more than now But hath he put into thine heart a desire to pray he will heare the desires of his owne Spirit in thee Rom. 8. 26. Wee know not what to pray as we ought nor doe any thing else as wee ought but the Spirit helpeth our infirmities with unexpressible sighes and grones which are not hid from GOD. My groanings are not hid from thee GOD can picke sense out of a confused prayer These desires cry louder in his eares than thy sinnes Sometimes a Christian hath such confused thoughts hee can say nothing but as a childe cryeth O Father not able to shew what it needs as Moses at the Red sea These stirrings of spirit touch the bowels of GOD and melt him into compassion towards us when they come from the spirit of adoption and from a striving to be better Oh but is it possible thinketh the misgiving heart that so holy a GOD shold accept such a praier Yes hee will accept that which is his owne and pardon that which is ours Ionas prayed in the Whales belly being burdened with the guilt of sin yet GOD heareth him Let not therefore infirmities discourage us Saint Iames taketh away this objection Cap. 5. 17. Some might object If I were as holy as Elias then my prayers might be regarded But saith he Elias was a man of like passions to us he had his passions as well as we For doe we think that GOD heard him because he was without fault No surely But looke we to the promises Psal. 50. 15. Call upon me in the day of trouble and I will heare thee Matt. 7. 7. Aske and ye shall receive and such like GOD accepteth our prayers though weake first because wee are his owne children they come from his owne Spirit Secondly because they are according to his owne will Thirdly because they are offered in Christs mediation and hee takes them and mingleth them with his own odours There is never a holy sigh never a teare we shed lost And as every Grace increaseth by exercise of it selfe so doth the grace of prayer by prayer wee learne to pray So likewise wee should take heed of a spirit of discouragement in all other holy duties since we have so gracious a Saviour Pray as wee are able heare as we are able strive as we are able doâ—… as we are able according to the measure of Gracâ—… received GOD iâ—… CHRIST will cast a gracious eye upon that which is his owne Would S. Paul doe nothing because he could not doe the good hee would Yes hee pressed to the marke Let us not bee cruell to our selves when CHRIST is thus gracious There is a certain meeknesse of spirit whereby we yeeld thankes to God for any ability at all and rest quiet with the measure of Grace received seeing it is GODS good pleasure it should bee so who giveth the will and the deed yet so as we rest not from further endeavours But when upon faithfull endeavor we come short of that we would be and short of that others are then know for our comfort CHRIST will noâ—… quench the smoaking flax and that sincerity truth as before was said with endeavour of growth is our perfection It is comfortable what GOD saith 1 King 14. 13. He only shall goe to his grave in peace because there is some goodnesse though but some goodnesse Lord I beleeve with a weake faith yet with â—…aith love thee with a faint love yet with love endeavor in a feeble manner yet indeavour a little fire is fire though it smoaketh Since thou hast taken mee into thy Covenant to be thine of an enemie wilt thou cast me off for these infirmities which as they displease thee so are they the griefe of my owne heart FroÌ„ what hath bin spokeÌ„ with some little additioÌ„ it wil not be difficult to resolve that case which some require helpe in namely whether we ought to performe duties our hearts being altogether indisposed For satisfaction we must know I our hearts of themselves doe linger after liberty are hardly brought under the yoake of duty the more spirituall the duty is the more is their unto wardnes CorruptioÌ„ getteth ground for the most part in every neglect it is as in rowing against the tyde one stroke neglected will not be gained in three and therefore it is good to keepe our hearts close to duty and not to he a rken unto the excuses they are ready to frame In the setting upoÌ„ dutie God strengthneth his owne partie that hee hath in us wee finde a warmenesse of heart and increase of strength the Spirit going along with us and raising us up by degrees untill it leaveth us as it were in heaven God often delighteth to take the aduantage of our indisposition that hee may manifest his worke the more clearely and all the glory of the worke may be his whose all the strength is Obedience is most direct when there is nothing else to sweeten the action although the sacrifice bee imperfect yet the obedience with which it is offred hath acceptance 4. That which is wonne as a spoile from our corruptions will have such a degree of comfort afterwards as for the present it hath of comber Feeling and freenesse of spirit is oft reserued untill duty be discharged reward followeth worke In and after dutie wee finde that experience of Gods presence which without obedience wee may long wait for and yet go without This hindreth not the Spirits freedome in blowing upon our soules when it listeth For wee speake onely of such a state of soule as is becalmed and must row as it were against the streame As in sailing the hand must bee to the sterne and the eye to the starre so here put forth that little strength we have to dutie looke up for assistance Yet in these duties that require as well the body as the soule there may bee a cessation till streÌ„gth be repaired whetting doth not lett but fit 〈◊〉 In sudden passions there should be a time to compose and calme the soule and to put the strings in tune The Prophet would haue a Minstrell to bring his soule into frame So likewise we are subject to discouragements in sufferings by reason of impatiency in us Alas I shal never get through such a crosse But if God bring us into the crosse hee will be with us in the crosse and at length bring us out more refined Wee shall lose nothing but drosse as in Zach. 13. 9. Of our own strength wee cannot beare the least trouble and by the Spirits assistance
those the desire of whose soule is towards him hee that by his messengers desires us to bee reconciled will hee put us off when wee earnestly seeke it at his hand No doutblesse when hee prevents us by kindling holy desires in us hee is ready to meete us in his owne wayes When the Prodigall set himselfe to returne to his father his father stayes not for him but meets him in the way When hee prepares the heart to seeke he will cause his eare to heare He cannot finde in his heart to hide himselfe long from us If God should bring us into such a darke condition as that wee should see no light from himselfe or the creature then let us remember what he saith by the Prophet Esay Hee that is in darknesse and seeth no light no light of comfort no light of Gods countenance yet let him trust in the name of the Lord. Wee can never bee in such a condition wherin there will be just cause of utter despaire therfore let us doe as Marriners doe cast Anker in the darke CHRIST knows how to pitty us in this case Looke what comfort he felt from his Father in his breakings the like wee shall feele from himselfe in our bruising The sighes of a bruised heart carry in them some report as of our affection to CHRIST so of his care to us The eyes of our soules cannot be towards him but that he hath cast a gracious looke upon us first The least love wee have to him is but a reâ—…ion of his love first shining upon us As Christ did in his example whatsoever hee gives us in charge to doe so he suffered in his owne person whatsoever hee calleth us to suffer that he might the better learne to relieve and pitty us in our sufferings In his desertion in the Garden and upon the Crosse he was content to want that unspeakable solace in the presence of his father both to beare the wrath of the Lord for a time for us and likewise to know the better how to comfort us in our greatest extremities GOD seeth it fit we should taste of that cup of which his Sonne dranke so deepe that we should feele a little what sinne is and what his Sonnes love was but our comfort is that Christ dranke the dreggs of the cup for us and will succour us that our spirits utterly faile not under that little taste of his displeasure which wee may feele He became not onely a man but a curse a man of sorrowes for us Hee was broken that wee should not be broken he was troubled that wee should not be desperately troubled he became a curse that wee should not be accursed Whatsoever may bee wished for in an all-sufficient Comforter is all to be found in Christ. 1 Authoritie from the Father all power was given him 2 Strength in himselfe as having his name The mighty GOD 3 Wisedome and that from his owne experience how and when to helpe 4 Willingnesse as being flesh of our flesh bone of our bone Wee are now to take notice of diuers sorts of men that offend deeply against this mercifull disposition of Christ As 1. Such as goe on in ill courses of life upon this conceit as if it were in vaine to goe to CHRIST their lives have beene so ill when as so soone as wee looke to heaven all incouragements are ready to meet us and draw us forward Amongst others this is one allurement that CHRIST is ready to welcome us and leade us further None are damned in the Church but those that will Such as either enforce upon themselves hard conceits of CHRIST that they may have some shew of reason to fetch contentment from other things as that unprofitable servant that would needs take up a conceit that his Master was a hard man hereby to flatter himselfe in his unfruitfull courses in not improving that talent which he had 2. Such as take up a hope of their owne that Christ will suffer them to walke in the wayes to hell yet bring them to heaven whereas all coÌ„sort should draw us nearer to Christ else it is a lying comfort eyther in it selfe or in our application of it And 3. those that will east water themselves upon those sparkes which Christ labours to kindle in them because they will not be troubled with the light of them Such must know that the Lambe can be angry and they that will not come under his Scepter of Mercy shall be crushed in pieces by his Scepter of Power Though he will gratiously tender and maintaine the least sparke of true grace yet where hee findeth not a sparke of Grace but opposition to his Spirit striving with them his wrath once kindled shall burne to hell There is no juster provocation then when kindnesse is churlishly refused When God would have cured Babylon and she would not be cured then she was given up to destruction When Ierusalem would not bee gathered under the wing of Christ then their habitation is left desolate When Wisedome stretcheth out her hand and men refuse then Wisedome will laugh at mens destruction Salvation it selfe will not save those that spill the potion and cast away the plaister A pitifull case when this mercifull Saviour shall delight in Destruction when hee that made men shall have no mercy on them Oh say the Rebels of the time God hath not made usto damne us Yes if you will not meet Christ in the wayes of his mercy it is fit you should eate the fruit of your owne wayes and be filled with your owne devices This wil be the hel of hel whén men shal thinke that they have loved their sins more then their soules when they shall thinke what love and mercy hath beene almost inforced upon them and yet they would perish The more accessory wee are in pulling a judgment upon our selves the more the conscience wil be confounded in it selfe when they shall acknowledge Christ to be without all blame themselves without excuse If men appeale to their owne consciences they will tell them the Holy Spirit hath often knockt at their hearts as willing to have kindled some holy desires in them How else can they be said to resist the Holy Ghost but that the Spirit was readier to draw them to a further degree of goodnes then stood with their owne wills whereupon those in the Church that are damned are selfe-condemned before So that here we need not to rise to higher causes when men carry sufficient cause of their owne damnation in their owne bosomes 4 And the best of us all may offend against this mercifull disposition if wee bee not watchfull against that liberty our carnall dispositions will bee ready to take froÌ„ it Thus we reason If Christ will not quench the smoaking Flax what need we feare that any neglect of our part can bring us under a comfortlesse condition If Christ will not doe it what can Ans.
whatsoever the judgement shall say to the contrary there is no connaturall proportion betwixt an unsanctified hart and a sanctified judgment For the heart unaltered will not give leave to the judgement coldly and so berly to conclude what is best as the sick man whilst his aguish distemper corrupteth his taste he is rather desirous to please that then to hearken what the Physitian shall speake judgment hath not power over it selfe where the wil is unsubdued for the will and affections bribe it to give sentence for them when any profit or pleasure shall come in competition with that which the judgement in generall only shall thinke to be good and therefore it is for the most part in the power of the heart what the understanding shall judge and determine in particular things Where grace hath brought the heart under there unruly passions doe not cast such a mist before the understanding but that in particular it seeth that which is best and base respects springing from selfe-love doe not alter the case and byas the judgment into a contrary way but that which is good in it selfe shall be good unto us although it crosse our particular worldly interests The right conceiving of this hath an influence into practice which hath drawne me to a more full explanation this will teach us the right method of godlinesse to begin with judgement and then to begge of GOD together with illumination holy inclinations of our will and affections that so a perfect government may be set up in our hearts and that our knowledge may bee with al judgment that is w th experience and feeling when the judgement of CHRIST is set up in our judgements and thence by the Spirit of CHRIST brought into our hearts then it is in its proper place and throne and untill then truth doth us no good but helpeth to condemne us The life of a◅ Christiā is a regular life he that walketh by the rule of the new creature peace shall be upon him he that despiseth his way loveth to live at large seeking all liberty to the flesh shall dye And it is made good by Saint Paul If we live after the flesh we shall dye VVe learne likewise that men of an ill governed life have no true judgement no wicked man can bee a wise man And that without CHRISTS Spirit the soule is in confusion without beauty and form as all things were in the Chaos before the creatiō The whole soule is out of joynt till it be set in againe by him whose office is to restore all things The baser part of the soule which should bee subject ruleth all and keepeth under that little truth that is in the understanding holding it captive to base affections and Sathan by corruption getteth al the holds of the soule till CHRIST stronger then he commeth and driveth him out and taketh possession of all the powers and parts of soule and body to be weapons of righteousnes to serve him and then new Lords new Lawes CHRIST as a new Conquerour changeth the fundamentall lawes of old Adam and establisheth a government of his owne The second Conclusion is that this government is victorious The reasons are 1 Because CHRIST hath conquered all in his owne person first and hee is GOD over all blessed for evermore and therefore over Sinne Death Hell Sathan the world c. And as he hath overcome them in himselfe so he overcomes them in our hearts and consciences Wee use to say Conscience maketh a man a King or a caitife because it is planted in us to judge for GOD either with us or against us Now if naturall conscience bee so forcible what will it be when besides it owne light it hath the light of divine truth put into it It will undoubtedly prevaile either to make us hold up our heads with boldnesse or abase us beneath our selves If it subject it selfe by grace to CHRISTS truth then it boldly overlookes Death Hell Iudgement and all spirituall enemies because then Christ sets up his Kingdome in the conscience and makes it a kind of Paradise The sharpest conflict which the soule hath is betweene the conscience and GODS Iustice now if the conscience sprinkled with the blood of Christ hath prevailed over assaults fetcht from the justice of GOD as now satisfied by CHRIST it will prevaile over al other opposition whatsoever 2 We are to encounter with accursed and damned enemies therefore if they begin to fall before the spirit in us they shall fall if they rise up againe it is to have the greater fall 3 The spirit of truth to whose tuition CHRIST hath cōmitted his Church and the truth of the spirit which is the Scepter of CHRIST abide for ever therefore the soule begotten by the immortal feed of this spirit and this truth must not onely live for ever but likewise prevaile over all that oppose it for both the word and spirit are mighty in operation and if the ill spirit be never idle in those whom GOD delivereth up to him we cannot thinke that the Holy Spirit will bee idle in those whose leading and government is committed to him No as he dwelleth in them so he will drive out all that rise up against him untill hee be all in all What is spirituall is eternall truth is a beame of CHRISTS Spirit both in it selfe and as it is ingrafted into the soule there fore it and the grace though little wrought by it will prevaile a little thing in the hand of a Gyant will do great matters A little faith strengthned by CHRIST will worke wonders 4 To him that hath shall be given the victory over any corruption or temptation is a pledge of finall victory As Ioshua said when he set his foot upon the five Kings which hee conquered Thus God shall doe with all our enemies heaven is ours already onely we strive till we have full possession 5 CHRIST as King brings in a commanding light into the soule and bowes the necke and softens the Iron sinew of the inner man and where he begins to rule he rules for ever his Kingdome hath no end 6 The end of CHRISTS comming was to destroy the workes of the Devill both for us and in us And the end of the resurrection was as to seale unto us the assurance of his victorie So I to quicken our soules from death in sinne 2 to free our soules from such snares and sorrowes of spirituall death as accompany the guilt of sin 3 to raise them up more comfortable as the Sunne breakes forth more gloriously out of a thick cloud 4 to raise us out of particular slippes and failings stronger 5 to raise us out of all troublesome and darke conditions of this life And 6 at length to raise our bodies out of the dust For the same power that the Spirit shewed in raising CHRIST our Head from the sorrowes of
them all and CHRIST prevailes and then hee backes his owne graces in us Grace conquers us first and we by it conquer all things else whether it be corruptions within us or temptations without us The Church of CHRIST begotten by the word of truth hath the doctrine of the Apostles for her crowne and tramples the Moone that is the world and all worldly things under her feet Every one that is borne of God overcomes the world Faith whereby especially CHRIST rules sets the soule so high that it overlookes all other things as farre below as having represented to it by the Spirit of CHRIST riches honour beauty pleasures of a higher nature Now that we may not come short of the comfort intended there are two things especially to bee taken notice of by us I whether there bee such a judgement or government set up in us to which this promise of victory is made 2 Some rules or directions how we are to cary our selves that the judgement of Christ in us may indeed bee victorious The evidences whereby wee may come to know that CHRISTS judgement in us is such as will be victorious are 1 If we bee able from experience to justifie all CHRISTS wayes let flesh and bloud say what it can to the contrary and can willingly subscribe to that course which GOD hath taken in CHRIST to bring us to heaven and still approve a further measure of grace then we have attained unto and project and forecast for it No other men can justifie their courses when their conscience is awaked 2 When reasons of religion be the strongest reasons with us and prevaile more then rea sons fetcht from worldly policy 3. When wee are so true to our ends and fast to our rule as no hopes or feares can sway us anotheâ—… way but still we are looking what agrees or differs from our rule 4 When wee can doe nothing against the truth but for the truth as being dearer to us then our lives truth hath not this soveraignty in the heart of any carnall man 5 When if we had libertie to choose under whose Government wee would live yet out of a delight in the inner man to Christs government wee would make choyce of him only to rule us before any other for this argues that wee are like minded to CHRIST A free and a voluntarie people and not compelled unto Christs service otherwise then by the sweet constraint of love When we are so far in liking with the government of CHRISTS Spirit that wee are willing to resigne up our selves to him in all things for then his kingdome is come into us when our wills are brought to his will it is the bent of our wils that maketh us good or ill 6 A well ordered uniforme life not by sits or starts shewes a well ordered heart as in a clocke when the hammer strikes well and the hand of the Dyall points well it is a signe that the wheeles are right set 7 When Christs will commeth in competition with any earthly losse or gaine yet if then in that particular case the heart will stoope to CHRIST it is a true signe forâ—… the truest tryall of the power of grace is in such particular cases which â—…ch us neerest for there our corruption maketh the greatest head when CHRIST came neere home to the yong man in the Gospell hee lost a disciple of him 8 When we can practise duties pleasing to Christ though contrary to flesh and the course of the world And when we can overcome our selves in that evill to which our nature is proane and standeth so much inclined unto and which agreeth to the sway of the times and which others lie inthralled under as desire of revenge hatred of enemies private ends c. then it appeares that grace is in us above nature heaven above earth and will have the victory For the further clearing of this and helping of us in our tryall wee must know there bee three degrees of victory 1 When we resist though we bee foyled 2 When Grace gets the better though with conflict 3 When all corruption is perfectly subdued Now when wee have strength but onely to resist yet wee may know CHRISTS government in us will bee victorious because what is said of the Devill is said of all our spirituall enemies If we resist they shall in time flye from us because stronger is hee that is in us that taketh part with his owne Grace than hee that is in the world And if wee may hope for victory upon bare resistance what may wee not hope for when the Spirit hath gotten the upper hand For the second that is directions Wee must know though Christ hath under-taken this victorie yet hee accomplisheth it by training us up to fight his battells hee overcommeth in us by making us wise to salvation and in what degree we beleeve Christ will conquer in that degree wee will endevour by his grace that wee may conquer for Faith is an obedient and a wise grace Christ maketh us wise to ponder weigh things and thereupon to ranke and order them so as we may make the fitter choise of what is best Some Rules to helpe us in judging are these To judge of things as they help or hinder the maine as they surther or hinder our reckoning as they make us more or lesse spirituall and so bring us neerer to the fountaine of Goodnes GOD himselfe as they bring us peace or sorrow at the last as they commend us more or lesse to GOD and wherein we shall approve our selves to him most Likewise to judge of things now as we shall doe hereafter when the soule shall be best able to judge as when wee are under any publike calamitie or at the houre of death when the soule gathereth it selfe from all other things to it self Looke backe to former experience see what is most agreeable unto it what was best in our worst times If Grace is or was best then it is best now And labour to judge of things as hee doth who must judge us as holy men judge who are led by his Spirit more particularly what those judge that have no interest in any benefit that may come by the thing which is in question for outward things blinde the eies even of the wise we see Papists are most corrupt in those things where their honor ease or profit is ingaged but in the doctrine of the Trinitie which doth not touch upon these things they are found But it is not sufficient that judgment be right but likewise readie and strong Where Christ establisheth this government he inspireth care to keepe the Iudgement cleare fresh for whilst the Iudgement standeth straight firme the whole frame of the soule continueth strong impregnable True Iudgement in us advancetâ—… Christ and Christ will advance it All sinne