for all him or any of his commands while he is without but now if once he enter the City then they must goe whither soever he drives them some to Prison some into the Water others to the Gallowes others into the Wildernesse so though there be legions of Devils without us yet till they enter us our hearts may keepe their own motions yea though they be round about us but you 'l say They must needs go whom the Devill drives though it be into Water as the herd of swine into the halter as Judas in the Wildernesse as Legion and the Devill may easily drive when he enters and indeed may easily enter because hee is a Spirit Sirs What can possibly keep out a Spirit shut downe your Windowes lock your doores yea though your Gates were Iron and your Barres of Brasse yet will a Spirit enter and that without penetration because it s not a body 'T is said Luk. 22.3 That Satan then entred into Judas From henceforward trace him and where ever he goes you may plainly see the Devill drives him It followes immediately verse 4. And he went his way He goes Christs wayes no longer but his owne and his owne are but Satans for first he goes and betrayes his Master and then he goes and hangs himselfe He must needs goe the Devill drives him Drunkards you little thinke who drives you to the Alehouse he that drives you is got within you and therefore though you cannot see him yet you goe with him whithersoever he would have you to goe so it is with all sinners Satan's a Spirit and therefore he can enter he enters and therefore he can drive hee can drive and you must therefore needs go and hence you are driven of the Devill into the Wilderness as hee was Luk. 8.29 2ly He as a Spirit is akinne to the soule 2ly Satan is a Spirit and therefore he is as it were akinne to the soule You know the proverb concerning Birds and I may say in some sort Satan is of a feather with our soules and one wing one way Hence it is that when our soules see Satan goe before we are so mad of fluttering aftrr Beloved Satans suggestions are so alike our owne hearts motions that wee sometimes shall finde it very hard to know his footsteps from our owne Now marke If a man be in a Wildernesse and there be never so many tracts of this and that and th' other wild beast if the man light upon a print but of one mans foot oh that 's the way that he will be sure to take and Satans footsteps are so like ours that who can sometimes know the print asunder You have Peter disswading Christ from suffering Mat. 16.22 And 't is said Peter began to rebuke him and I verily thinke that Peter thought it it was his owne way and an expression of his owne hearts love to Jesus Christ and I believe the other Disciples thought it was a print of Peters feet of Peters tender affections to his Lord and Master But it seemes it was not so or primarily so 't was Satans footstep rather then Peters for Jesus turn'd him and said unto him Get thee behind me Satan verse 23. We are often going Satans way when we think we are going but our own way Therefore with ease may Satan lead you into the wildernes when wee may so easily perswade you that is your own way Thirdly Satan is a spirit 3. He as a spirit is able to converse reason with the soul and therefore able to Converse with the soul as to look our spirits as I may say in the face in their own likenesse so also to speak to them in their own language As Hannah spake with her heart when shee spake not with her lips so can Satan speak to our hearts and they to him without any opening of the lips for both are spirits As are wee so Satan is a discursive rationall spirit and as at first he disputed out the businesse with Eve and prevailed so ever since in the serpents voice though not in the serpent skin hee maintaines a like argument in our soules and this hee can do because a spirit You shall therefore finde that the same that is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eph. 6.11 the bewildrings of Satan is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Cor. 2.11 the devices of Satan so we read it but the word is that which signifies the reasonings and arguings of our hearts So then Satan seduceth us into the Wildernesse by pressing upon us our own arguments he perswades us by our own logick in the naturall language of our own hearts A Lyon may roar long enough before a man that is without the Forrest and hears him would come in to him But if instead of a Lyon a man were there calling and so the other should hear one crying in his owne voice and language that might perhaps perswade him It were vain for Satan to roar men into sin though hee be a roaring Lion but he must flatter them into it by secret whisperings in their own language to their soules If the Devill should appear and speak to the drunkard in the morning in a dog or a toad as he doth to some witches sure the Drunkard would be affrighted for that day But he speaks in the mans own hearts language Go to such a place there 's such company and such ber c. Therefore that Scripture is sadly to be thought up Ezek. 11.21 Their heart goes after the heart of their dete stable things and of their abominations Here 's one heart going after another the heart of the tempted after the heart of the temptation Our hearts in sinning going after Satans heart in tempting He projects and we prosecute his heart designes and our heart pursues the designe The temptations of Satan are destable yet they are after his heart and our heart goes after the heart of the detestable things that is after Satans heart you see the same word that signifies our Cogitations the Holy Ghost useth for Satans devices and this is because hee is a Spirit Secondly As he is a Spirit so he is an Angell and this gives him yet far greater advantage 2dly He is an Angel and therefore can present all his temptations specious and angelicall God tells them Exod. 23.20 that he would send his Angell before them and that encourages them to venture upon that Wildernesse So Satan sends his Angell before poor souls and so gets them into this spirituall Wildernesse He is an Angell and therefore all his temptations shall be guilded temptations beautified with Angells feathers Though he be a Devill yet his Apparitions to the soul shall be as an Angell even as an Angell of light 2 Cor. 11.14 'T is said of some that they draw iniquity with Cords of Vanity and sin as it were with Cart-ropes Isa 5.18 and what are these drawing Cords ver 20. they call evill good and put light for
Compositors compound who was either too penurious of pains or too pregnant of phantasie Read into the Wildernesse and into sin Chap. 1. Contents so in the Wildernesse and in sinne Chap. 2. Contents and so toties quoties know also that in the first two sheets which indeed are worst done not only through the unaccustomednesse of the Compositor but even through mine own inadvertency who little intended those sheets for the Presse when I first wrote them and through providence wanted the opportunity of revisall before they passed the Presse my character for vers was mistaken and so Chapter put for vers where more versâ—s than one of a Chapter are quoted after each other As also these two Scriptures Jer. and Isa compared are both translocated unto the end of the second Chapter where they should not be read Other Erratas such as trouble the sense are referred to their Table to be there inserted such as trouble not the sense with some pseudographies and mispointings of the Compositors to thine ingenuity to be overlooked Now if thou reap any fruit of my poor indeavours let God have thy praises who only deserves them and let mee have thy prayers than whom none can more need them who am The most unprofitable of the servants of Jesus Christ FAITHFUL TEATE ERRATA PAge 4 line 11. read self justiciaries most expressely p. 10. l. 15. r. Conviction p. 13. l. 27. r. hell bound p. 23. l. 4. after thereby insert Can. 5.1 p. 70. l. 31. r. desirous of p. 77. l. 10. r. by slacking p. 87. l. 26. for heart r. hour p. 112. l. 28. for word r. world l. 31. r. refuse my p. 136. l. 34. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 137. for a friend r. afraid p. 141 r 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 l. 10.11.12 Methods Managers Rulers p. 154. l. 28. r. cries the man did so and so p 148. l. 7 r 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 201. l 4. r. viz. Declining of p. 229. l. 1. for r. est p. 260. l. 7. r. soveraign p. 264. l. 3. r. it is not p. 275. l. 12. r. leaving p. 279. l. 24. for shining r. sinning p. 337. l. 25. for waies r. naies p. 339. l. 20. dele if p. 355. l. 26. r. third Negative Hindrance p. 385. l. 24. r. beautiful p. 412 l. 25. for and r. that p. 430. l 30. r. Psa 49. p. 432 r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 434. l. 2 r. carelessenesse p. 440. l. 9 r. is Pioner p. 445. l. 28. r. This therefore CHAP. I. Containeth the Preface sense of the Text reasons of the sense Inscription and parts of the discourse proofs of the first Doctrine Explication and Application of it in the first branch shewing the entrance into wilderness-sin to be fair and facile Who is this that cometh up from the wilderness Text. leaning upon her beloved the Text runs on I raised thee up under the apple-tree there thy mother brought thee forth that bare thee Cant. 8.5 THis Book is called The Song of Songs Preface then which is none more Rhetorical none more Spiritual teaching the soul to know Christ and it self its whole duty The whole business of the Canticles is to set forth what Christ is to the gracious Spirit what the soul is to Christ particularly what Christ is in himself what the soul is in it self what Christ hath done for the soul what the soul ought to do for Christ what affections there are in Christ to the soul what affections there ought to be in the soul to Christ This Scripture imports in what condition the soul is without Christ in what she is stated by Christ The sense of the Text. she is bewildred in her self she comes out of the wilderness leaning upon Christ That a sinful natural unconverted condition is here figured by the wilderness I urge from these three Particulars in the words First Reasons of the sense Her coming up from the wilderness is made the direct immediate primary result and effect of her leaning upon Christ I grant coming out of the wilderness of misery or affliction to be also the issue of leaning upon Christ but that is secondary and because of the former The holy Ghost allusively but lively expresseth our state of unconversion I raised thee up under the Apple-tree as if he said first Eve and after her Adam eaâ— of the Apple and fell down dead under the tree and so true was that In the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die and there they must have lain to Eternity unless I who am the resurrection and the life had raised them up from under the Apple-tree 3. The holy Spirit doth interpret his intent to be the natural estate in which every son and daughter of Adam is born there thy mother brought thee forth there she brought thee forth that bare thee This premised You see my work is Topographical to draw out the Map of the wilderness in the Text the wilderness of unconversion The first thing will be to assign it an inscription Inscription before we give it a description you may finde the title of this Map Exod. 17.1 so Numb 33.12 The Israelites if they intend for Canaan must journey from the wilderness of Sin You 'l say that name was accidental I grant it but if Canaan represent grace why may not the wilderness represent sin It would be our wisdom to warm our affections with every Scripture even Historical though they do not all alike strongly binde our judgements I mean when the allusion is nothing contrary to the analagy of Faith I finde a place as accidentally called Salem as this wilderness Sin which yet the Apostle improves as high and higher then I do this even to prove Christ to be the King of peace compare Gen. 14.18 with Heb. 7.2 The wilderness of sin We have found out the inscription T is the wilderness of sin and so call it In the Maps that I have seen of the wilderness which the children of Israel passed from to Canaan these four things I have observed Parts of the discourse which God-willing I shall follow 1. You have a character of the place situation trees wilde beasts length breadth c. and this engageth me to describe punctually this wilderness of sin 2. You have lines describing all the circuitions windings turnings returnings crossings wandrings of the children of Israel in the wilderness before they could get to Canaan and this engageth to describe the souls wandrings while in this wilderness of sin 3. You have Moses described upon Pisgah turning his back upon the wilderness and pointing towards Canaan this engageth me to discover what concernment lieth upon the sin-bewildred soul to turn its back upon sin and set its face towards Heaven 4. You have Joshua succeeding Moses and leading the Israel of God quite from the wilderness into Canaan and that engageth me to tell you That what the Law could not do in that it was
turnings verse 9. When Peter thought that he was in the steadiest way of profession his heart was winding into the way of apostacy Well might Christ say unto his Disciples What spirits you are of you know not Luk. 9.55 Discoveries of of the hearts windings 1. Sort. 1. Head They thought they were in the way of Elias his zeale but they were in the way of their owne carnall passion This I shall farther say of the windings of our hearts First You shall finde them ready to winde into any other way yea though it be the way of anothers duty rather then to keepe in their owne way that they connot indure yea to away of their owne duty at another time rather then to keepe in the way that is now their way Oh! thinkes the poore man if If I were but rich what would not I doe If I were as the chiefe Governour as the supream Power say some hearts oh what would not I doe Yea but thou art what thou art and tell me dost thou doe what is thy duty now to doe 'T is certaine if otherwise that those are but the wildernesse-windings of thy crooked heart thus Absolon 2 Sam 15.4 Oh! that I were made judge in the Land I would doe every man right If Absolon were but King he would be a Saint but in the meane time never was there a more Devilish subject So as our hearts wind off from our duty to anothers 2d Head so from one duty to another our duty but at another time As perhaps sometimes when thou art hearing and thine heart is ready to melt and thine eyes to run over Oh! thinkest thou now if I were in secret how sweetly and brokenly could I powre out my soule and perhaps in such thoughts losest thy selfe and some part of the Sermon perhaps by that time thou art come at home and in a corner thy heart is wound off againe from that frame and now oh that thou wert a hearing againe to warme thee to this purpose see farther how mistaken duty is a meanes to bewilder us whereunto somewhat is to be spoken more largely in the following discourse whither at present I referre you There are many such windings to be found in your particular experiences as many as you finde observe and shun them 2d Sort. Secondly You shall finde your hearts from whatsoever they take their rise though they be different yea contrary principles yet to winde unto the same sinfull Conclusions You say There are many waies to the wood many wayes but they meet in the wood Many waies in your hearts but they all of them winde to the Wildernesse and meet in sinne and that although they seeme not onely to be contrary one to another and yet both meet in the same part of the Wildernesse but also though the beginning of the way be quite contrary unto it selfe in the end of it 1. Head First Although the principles be quite different one from another yet doth the heart winde both to the same sinne For instance take one case that I touched upon before viz. Presumption and Despaire more different principles there cannot be yet the heart can wind into the selfesame sinne beginning at either of these I le prove it from Scripture saith one man Whatsoever I do now I shall do well enough in the end this is presumption Now what doth he conclude why therefore saith he I will sin still saith another man I see ther 's no hope for me however I repent or pray or do any thing this is despaire Now what doth he conclude therefore I will sin still Compare Deut. 29.19 with Jer. 18.12 In Deuter. God calls upon Israel to keepe in his way If any man shall blesse himselfe in his own heart saying I shall have peace though I walke in the imagination of mine own heart to add drunkennesse to thirst c. Here 's presumption And how stands the Argument thus Whatever I do I shall have peace whatever way of my heart I walke in therefore saith hee I will go on still and add sin to sin still even drunkennesse to thirst there 's the Conclusion In like manner in Jer. God calls upon the same people to walke in his waies Returne every way one from his evill way and make his waies good verse 11. And they said there is no hope but we will make every one after his own devices and the imaginations of his own evill heart verse 12. Here 's despair Now how stands this Argument thus Whatever I do there is no hope for me and therefore I will walke in the waies of mine own evill heart still No feare in the former therefore he will sin No hope in the latter therefore he wiâ—l sin Thus Presumption and Despaire though one came from the East and th' other from the West or one from the North th' other from South from the right hand th' one th' other from the left yet this heart that we speake of leads by both to the Wood and leaves men in the wildernesse of sinne How frequently and sadly doth experience confirme this Observation amongst the children of men such are the windings of the wayes of a naturall heart Secondly 2. Head As it can winde from beginning in various waies into the same Wildernesse at last so it can cursedly wind the end of the way to a contrariety to the beginning of the selfe-same way I shall mind you but of one instance for proofe of the truth whereof I shall appeale to the experience of those that know what it is to keepe watch over their own hearts and if it be so with the people of God how much more with the unregenerate And 't is this the gracious spirit being put through tentation or naturall corruption upon some piece of pride It goes solicitously to the Throne of grace that God would break its pride of spirit and give it a lowly broken tender humble heart And in it s exceedingly earnest supplications and Agonies of soule God comes in exceedingly the heart is hereby much broken the Spirit exceedingly humbled and abased and laid very low Now watch for these windings of heart that I speake of and perhaps you may too soon spie them out The poor heart begins to looke upon it self under these enlargements and to like it selfe to reflect upon its broken-heartednesse and humility and to be pleased in them and with them yea verily in plaine english to grow proud of its very humility and this as I said is to wind quite round Now as soon as ever it becomes thus wound aside you may know its in a Wildernesse by the thorns it shall meet with 2 Cor. 12.7 Thornes in the flesh there must and will be when the heart winds about to this pride in the spirit Now then if the heart be so capacious and so full of wayes and those waies so full of windings you cannot but conclude how easily the heart nay how necessarily it becomes a
presidented to us by Christ himself the onely begotten Sonne of God Satan leads him to the Wildernesse with designe could it have been to bewilder him there He would turne him as you heard before into many wayes presumption self-murder c. but Christ though he knew of himselfe the evill from the good yet to direct us too and to credit the use of the scriptures herein He looks upon his writing and turnes off all upon that account No saith Christ spare thy Counsels and get thee behind me Satan thy wayes and my Way-marks doe not agree Mat. 4.3 Go this way saith Satan no saith Jesus verse 4 It is written c. Then goe that way saith Satan verse 6. And because he temptâ— againe Jesus said unto him it is written again c. verse 7. But then saith Satan if thou wilt goe neither of the other yet goe this way and thou shalt get by it All these will I will give thee if thou wilt worship me verse 9. No saith Jesus Get thee hence Satan my writing saith I must goe another way For it is written Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him onely verse 10. Note You may sadly observe in these times how soone they that have flowne off from the Scriptures have also flowne off from all the wayes of God These are the Way-marks whereunto you doe well if you take heed 2 Pet. 1.19 3ly Take great heed unto your guide 3ly If your enemy Satan hath such advantage to bewilder then take you great heed of your friend and guide keep close to Jesus Christ 1. To his footsteps 2. To his voyce 1. His footsteps First Keepe close to the footsteps of your Guide His waies are all just and true who is the King and leader of the Saints Rev. 15 3. Therefore thou canst not goe amisse in keeping close to his foot In all the History of Jesus Christ what waies you read that he walked in those wayes walke you in I finde him much in the wayes of strict Obedience to all Gods Commandements of full beliefe in all Gods promises of selfe-denyall Righteousnesse and sobriety as to the things of men and his own things and of exact carefulnesse in all Gods Ordinances and Worship publique and private in those wayes doe you walke We may take up a lamentation for ever when wee thinke how prompt and ready we have been to follow the course of him that is God of the world and how backward and unwilling to follow Jesus Christ who is the King of Saints 'T is said of Abraham and it must be so of you sirs Isai 41.2 That God called him to his foot Oh labour thou to keepe thee there 2. His voice 2ly Keepe close to your Guides voyce If you bee sometimes as those in Isaiah Walking in darknesse and having no light if you cannot see his footsteps yet you may heare his voyce and if you walke exactly after that you may keepe your way at midnight Isai 30.21 Thine ears shall heare a word behind thee saying this is the way walke in it when you turn to the right hand or to the left Though there be legions to bewilder thee on one hand and the corrupt inclinations of thine heart within on the other yet hath God promised a voice behind thee he pursues thee with suggestions and motions of his owne spirit Onely grieve not that holy Spirit by stopping thine ears against his wise charmings Whâ—re there is such a word to say this is the way 't is fit there should be Ears to heare He that hath Eyes to see the Guides footsteps and Ears to heare his voyce and writes down in his heart those Way-marks will doubtlesse hold on in his way as the righteous Iob 17.9 Yea and as the Innocent grow stronger and stronger CHAP. XII Quest What paines Satan takes to bewilder soules opened and applyed WE come in the second place to consider Discovery of the point in the 2. Query viz. What paines Satan takes to bewilder soules The paines that Satan takes to bewilder or to turne poore soules out of the way that he may devour them in the wildernesse You know the paines a Spirit takes is incessant paines When you sleepe your soule waketh and when you sleep Satan who is a Spirit waketh Now all that incessant paines that Satan takes is onely in order hereunto 1 Pet. 5.8 Your adversary the Devill walkes as a roaring Lyon seeking whom he may devour whom resist stedfast in the faith verse 9. All his paines are to this purpose Three things I hence note unto you to our present purpose That all the paines that Satan takes he takes it as a wild beast of the Wildernesse as a Lyon of the Forrest Againe That all that paines is out of emnity to and in order to the ruine of poore soules Lastly That there is no way for your security but the holding of your ground and standing stiffely in the way where God hath set you lose your ground and you lose your soules therefore resist him stedfast in the faith The same counsel is prescribed in the same case Jam. 4.7 Submit to God but resist the Devill If God meet you in your way as he did Moses Exod. 4.24 Submit unto him but when Satan meets you in your way and would hinder your passage take heed take heed of turning aside keepe your standing sirs Resist that 's stand against him as the phrase is Ephe. 6.11 That you may be able to stand against the wiles of the Devill That is neither turne to the right hand nor to the left for flattery nor for feare of Satan but stand where you are and keepe your way and so you shall keepe out of the Wildernesse Methinks though you should be faint-hearted affraid to fight with Satan for the way yet when God thus comes after you and by a voyce behind you calls to you to keepe the Way then methinks you should bee encouraged to turne the Devill back or aside out of your way Now this is the call of Gods voice 1 Cor. 16.13 Stand fast in the faith and quit your selves like men so Eccles 5.1 Keep thy foot saith God keep thy footing Oh! this is Gods frequent counsell and therefore let us in opposition to Satan and obedience to God as David Psal 101.3 Hate the work of them that turn aside Hate thou those works and the rather for as much as the Devill loves to be imployed in the turning of souls aside For discovery whereof Discovery hereof in three heads Observe when ever Satan changeth either Postures Persons or Practises all is done in order to turn poor soules out of the way 1. 1. Head All his postures 1. When Serpent and couchant You shal find Satan in different postures throughout Scripture and all to this one purpose The first posture that ever we find the Devill in was Serpent or a creeping posture Gen. 3.1 He comes meekly and lowly as
it were upon his belly creeping and oringing to Eve and what 's the end of all but to turne their Eden into a Desart and their Paradice to a Wildernesse You may see this to be his posture in his instruments 'T is said of the wicked Psal 10.10 He croucheth and humbleth himselfe that the poor may fall by his strong ones 2ly You shall sometimes find him standing up 2. When erect when that posture shall bee more available to his purpose 1 Chro. 21.1 Satan stood up against Israel and provoked David to number the people Now what 's Satans drift in this Joab will give you an account of it in his demanding of the King verse 3. Asking the King why would he be a cause of trespasse to Israel Trespasse when doth a man doe that why you know when he turnes out of the way that he should goe in and goes in the ground wherein he should not goe then he is a trespasser Satans end therefore in standing up is to be a cause of trespasse unto Israel 3ly 3. When passant You shall sometimes find this Lyon passant Satan in a moving-posture Job 1.7 I come saith Satan from going to and fro in the earth and from walking up and down in it And why dost thinke doth Satan keepe such a walking up and downe in the earth but to keepe thee walking up and downe in the Wildernesse to turne as many as he meets out of the way and into the transgression as he did Eve and would have done Job here 4ly 4. When rampant You shall sometimes find this Lyon rampant Satan in a running and ranging posture as you heard as a roaring Lyon and going about c. and then saith the Apostle Be sure you keep your way it seemes his businesse will be to turne you out of it So that whatever posture thou art in Satan can keepe pace with thee If either thou lie in sinne or stand up to sin So then whatsoever posture thou art in Satan can keepe posture with thee It may be thou art a Crouching sinner that art not willing to sinne above-board as we say sub dio Why Satan will crouch to keepe thee company in thy dark and wildernesse Den and suit thine humour with such temptations It may bee thou art a Daring sinner and art not affraid to stand to it as Goliath that stood and defied the Armies of Israel and the God of Israel or as the proud presuming Pharisee that stood and prayed Why Satan will stand at thine elbow to strengthen thee in thy way If thou get up from creeping in sinne to stand to it Satan will get up as well as thou It may bee thou art a Rambling sinner Or ramble about in sinne thou must be first in this way and next in that thy vaine fancy runnes to and fro in the earth and thy wicked heart seekes up and downe for fresh delights and paths of sinne Why Satan will be thine attendant still his service shall be at thy command whilest thine rather is at his for he can goe up and downe and to and fro as well as thou Thou art as the Harlot Prov. 7. Now she is without now in the Corners of the streets her feet abide not in the house Why Satan will keepe thee company still It may be thou art a Ranting sinner Or rant run on in sinne that will go galloping to Hell as those Rom. 3. Whose feet were swift to shed blood and saith the Apostle They think it strange that you runne not with them into the same excesse of riot Why Satan can yet keepe pace with thee and suit his temptations to thee for he is a Rampant Lyon and thou and he art but in the wildernesse of sin together all this while Again If thou be either a crouching Saint Againe It may be the Lord hath begun his Worke upon thee and the spirit of bondage mâ—kes thee crouch under feare of Death and feare of Hell and feare of Conscience and feare of divine wrath and now thou beginnest to creepe out of the thickets of the wildernesse Now you shall finde Satan will crouch as low as thou canst crouch to meet thee with full breast either to turne thee back againe or to turne thee to the right hand or to the left or at least to stop thy progresse or if he can't doe one of these then to crush thee to pieces with loads of black temptations to blaspemous despair You whom God hath brought low when he began to bring you out of the wildernesse cannot I am sure forget the assaults of that couchant Lyon It may be God hath set thee upon thy feet Or a raised and standing Saint as the Spouse raised up under the Apple tree and thou hast got a little strength comfort and resolution for God and now thou thinkest to feele thy feet and without any doubt to be gone Truly Satan will now get up upon his feet too and stand as Rev. 12.4 before thee if he cannot beare thee downe againe yet to keep thee from stirring any farther Oh! whence are those wretched stops unto our resolutions whence is it that after we are upon our feet we move so slowly forward It may be God hath given thee a stirring Or a stirring or a moving Saint as well as a standing principle and thou must be up and downe in the wayes of God sometimes in this duty sometimes in that Why Satan can goe up and down as well as thou and will goe whither thou goest and all to bewilder thee in thy duties It may be God hath so farre enlarged thine heart Or an enlarged running Saint Satan can still keepe posture with thee as to run the waies of Gods Commandements Why truly now Satan must runne for it if he will doe any thing he must ply hard and fast with temptations and so he will bee sure to doe for hee is a Lyon rampant seeking whom hee may devoure 2ly Satan sometimes changes personages 2. Head All his personatings and all the paines that he industriously takes under different persons is to turn poor soules out of the way You have him sometimes as a Lawyer at the Bar sometimes as a Minister in the Pulpit sometimes as a Souldier in the field 1. As a Lawyer at Barre First You shall finde Satan sometimes acting the part of a Lawyer at the Barre And what is the business of a corrupt Lawyer is the business of Satan that set him on worke 'T is said Amos 2.7 They turne aside the way of the meeke that is in judgement If a man be not of a contentious spirit though he be in the way of right yet his way is turned aside so Amos 5.12 They take a bribe they turne aside the poor from their right This is Satans very businesse to turne poore soules as a Lawyer out of the way of their right And have you never seen a corrupt Lawyer sweat at
my purpose is that Ro. 2.19 â—rt thou confident that thou thy self art a guide of the blind hat teachest another and teachest not thy self that sai'st a man should not steal and thou stealest c. thou art a sad Guide indeed saith God though thou bee never so confident that thou art a Guide and indeed we use to say None so bold as blind-bayard None will take it usually more in snuff to be undervalued as to their Ministery then such lame dead standing resting Ministers 2 A civility preaching Minry 2. A Civility-preaching or practising Minister that in neither life nor doctrine goes farther whose business it is only to make their hearers good neighbours and as they call it good Townsmen living lovingly and dealing righteously truly that 's good and it may be themselves will set them a Copy therein by living peaceably and honestly amongst their Neighbours And I would all that are called Ministers would doe so well But yet let such know that they and their people for all such preaching and practising are in the Wildernesse if they come no farther There are some Ministers in the World of this stamp whose people I believe would go to Hell and dye in the Wildernesse of sin though they should do all that their Ministers bid them do When the civill man came to Christ asked him what he should do to inherit Eternal life Christ to try him Preacheth at first after their rate Mat. 19.18 19 thou shalt not commit Adultery nor steal c. and honor thy Father and Mother c. Why thus far it seems his teachers had taught him and thus far he had learnt from his youth ver 20. say you so Oh! but saith Christ Luk. 18.22 One thing thou lackest go and sell all and follow me which is the sum of the Gospell that which he had learnt was Morality but one thing he lackt and that was Divinity that was Christianity that was self-deniall self-abasing gospell-humbling gospell-repentance sell all and gospell-faith and gospell-obedience come and follow me this Doctrine he was never taught before and this he never learnt and therefore notwithstanding his proficiency in the other and due observancy of those Guides yet was hee left in the Wildernesse still and lost therâ— as you may see in the close of the story 3. A generall preaching Ministry 3. A general preaching Minister that either preacheth notions or generall things of Doctrine or else practicall truths but in a generall way Truly the reason I believe that people generally continue bewildred is Ministers preaching so much in a generall way to particular soules in their naturall condition that do not use to take home any more to themselves then we carry home into their bosoms whether almost they will or no. Surely as it is not food in generall that supports or Physick in generall that heales the body so is it not the truth in general that cures the soul but this or that food or Physick applyed to this or that body or this or that truth applyed to this or that soul You know that Drunkards doe usually sleepe under invectives in generall against Drunkennesse and be very safe too Oh! I am not the Drunkard I am but a good fellow or the like till the word come close and plain and home And truly the Guidance of a generall-preaching Minister is little more worth then the Counsell of a Country-Ideot that when a travailer should ask the way to London hee should answer London-Road and the man should reply yea but which is London-Road or which way shall I take to get into it and he should answer nay I cannot tell So they preach that sin is the way to Hel and Repentance and Faith are the way to Heaven yea but saith a poor soule which hears them preach thus generally yea but what is Faith or Repentance or how shal we do to know whether I repent or believe or no What is it to mortifie the deeds of the flesh and what is it to walk after the spirit which you say we must do and truly the Minister is come the next time to a new Text and never unties the old knot And so the poor soul is as much at a losse as ever it was Onely it knowes now that sinne will damn it and that faith would save it but how to get out of the Wildernesse of sin or how to get into the way of faith never doth the Minister shew and this is the guidance of generall Preaching A sad instance of such Preaching and an happy instance of the contrary we have at once in one Preacher upon one hearer Nathan and David Nathan he forms a curious and elegant story wherein he lively wittily reproves Davids sin to Davids very face 2 Sam. 12. the four first verses Now mark as hee Preaches in the generall so David assents in the generall and is convinced in the generall ver 5. as the Lord lives saith David the man shall die that did this Why David was the man But yet for all the beating of the very bush that David was hid in till David himself comes by particular and plain dealing to bee smitten upon the generall conviction is not worth any thing to him but himselfe lies secure in the Wildernesse of sin still But when Nathan comes to preach particularly David begins to apply particularly and when Nathan smites him he smites upon his own breast Thou art the man saith Nathan ver 7. Thus saith the Lord I did thus and thus for thee verses 7 8. and yet thou hast done thus and thus against me Thou hast slain Uriah and thou hast taken his wife to bee thy wife and thou hast despised the Commandement of the Lord and thou hast done evill c. ver 9. And therefore saith the Lord I will raise up evill against thee and the sword shall never depart from thine bouse ver 10 11. Now David begins to be startled to purpose and to be down-right in acknowledgement as Nathan was in conviction And David said unto Nathan I have sinned against the Lord. Verse 13. Whilst Nathan the cries man did soso and David cries the man shall die But when Nathan cries thou art the man David criee I have sinned against the Lord and if you read but the Penitentiall Psalms of David you shall find what a sad cry it was Particular Preaching makes penitent hearers Whilest Peter cries out Ye have Crucified c. Act. 2 36. They cry out What shal we do v. 37. We say Dolus latet in Universalibus It is easie to deceive or to be deceived by generalls A sedulous inquiry in quiry into the particulars of truth and a close application to particular Cases are the choice meanes for us Ministers to undeceive others and to be undeceived as to the state of our own soules Thus much of the third bewildring Guidance viz. of some Ministers so called Come we now to the next CHAP. VI. There are
true or false little conscience make they of a promise little conscience of paying their debts though they be able c. What shall we say to these things This is a lamentation and shall be for a lamentation Your plain proverb saith That an handful of old courtesie is worth an armeful of new Complements and indeed I think it too true in Civils sure I am that a good handful of old Puritanisme is worth many Cart-loads of new Profession It 's little to me that thou canst speak of faith or for free-grace what care I what thou holdest this is a great word I hold this or I hold that as to matter of opinion I hold that Infants are not to be baptized and I hold that they are I hold for the Presbyterians and I hold for the Independents c. Yea but friend there is something else that thou holdest thou dost not speak of thou holdest thy pride and thy covetousnesse and thine uncleannesse and thy lusts still and what care I what else thou holdest hold what thou wilt as long as sin holds thee it mattereth not much Yea This is a lamentation and shall be for a lamentation that some that were judged once to be converted have in the dark smoke of prating arguing disputing wrangling levity seemed to lose the substance of Christianitie Oh sirs If we be chaffe instead of Corne What shall we say to Jesus Christ whose Fan is in his hand and he will thoroughly purge his floore but burn the Chaffe with unquenchable fire Mat 3.12 What shall we say to our God even our God though we thinke we can so call him for he is a consuming fire Heb. 12.29 What shall we say to our time of Pilgrimage here on earth which is this Taskers casting time wherein he casts his Corne and his Chaffe together Now you Husbandmen know that the Corne when you cast it flyeth home and the Chaffe as soon as out of the showel it falls short So saith the Apostle of those professing Israelites that had nothing but Chaffe instead of Corne they fell in the Wildernesse Heb. 3.17 And therefore let us feare lest a promise being left us of entering into his rest any of us should seeme to come short Mark that expression If there be any falling short surely it will be of the Chaffe Take heed take heed empty Christians lest your soules fall in this darksome Wildernesse Heb. 4.1 And thus have I done with the Third meanes of our spirituall bewildrings viz. DARKNESSE There remaines the CHAP. XXIV Containes the fourth meanes of bewildring viz. False Lights or ignes fatui explained FOurth meanes of our spirituall bewildrings 4. Means of our spirituall bewilderings viz. False lights Ignes fatui Kinds of them viz. FALSE LIGHTS There is in nature a Meteor that vain and ignorant persons have conceited to be a walking spirit This sometimes appeares by Sea and sometimes in single flames which were the ominous fore-runners of great tempests therefore they called it Helen alluding to that pernicious fire-brand of Greece sometimes it appeared in double flames and then they called it Castor and Pollux superstitiously thinking for Heathens they were that then it was a signe of a prospâ—rous voyage whereas there is reason in nature why it should appeare single before a storme when its matter is so thick that it cannot be dissipated and in distinct flames when its substance is more tenuious and more easily parted asunder which imports a clearer aire and more free from that which is the matter of tempests Of this Meteor under this name of Castor and Pollux you have mention made as the signe of the Ship that Paul went aboard Act. 28.11 Otherwise this light appeares by land sometimes dancing on the one hand sometimes on the other hand of the Traveller in the night untill by its deceitfull guidance it hath brought the Traveller to an uncertainty and losse of his true way and then he becomes prone to follow it supposing it to be a blazing light in some house or hand and so hoping to come at some body that may lead him into his way or some house where he may enquire it at length according to its nature it is spent and extinct tending to pits or bogs to places of ruine or precipices of destruction from whence the Latines called it ignem fatuum erraticum and we frequently call it going-fire fools-fire or the like This many have been bewildred by and can bear testimony unto and there is as cleare naturall reason assigned of it as of any other known Meteor And this spiritually understood is that which I complaine of as the last occasion of our spirituall bewildrings This the Apâ—stle complain'd of as a Prophet this may we sadly lament Seducing spirits as seeing the prophesie fulfilled 1 Tim. 4.1 The spirit speakâ—s expresly that in the latter times which on all hands are confessedly ours there shall be departing from the faith and what 's that but going out of the way and what 's the occasion giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of Devils Whence these Notes 1. Satan if he cannot bewilder otherwise will doe it by Doctrines 2. He will have erring spirits to carry these seducing Doctrines up and downe 3. That poor Travellers are very prone to give heed unto them 4. They that give heed unto them will presently be seduced by them to depart from the way of truth to erre from the faith This is an expresse prophesie of our times and he that runnes through England may read it fulfilled And what can I call these temptations so aptly as going-fires or seducing lights By these Satan keeps in play or in fashion now methinks more then ever Oh! these are lights the other that I speake are bewildring Darknesses but these are bewildering lights and oh how much is light in fashion be it of what kind it will yea may I sadly say How much is that Angel in the fashion that is now transformed into it O! my brethen in these dayes seducing spirits had need be lightsome Lights they are but which is very sutable the Apostle that calls them lights calls them going-lights yea erring lights lightsome whilst they are above ground but as was said of the going fire lighting and at last going down into a darksome pit so saith Jude vers 12. Wandering starres Wandring stars for whom is reserved the blacknesse of darknesse for ever I would not friends be understood as condemning the Generation of the just whose portion I know it Caution hath alwaies been to be branded with the soul names of Blasphemy and Heresie c. Jesus Christ himselfe not excepted Of this speaketh Paul Act. 24.14 I confesse that after the way which they call Heresie so worship I the God of my fathâ—rs believing all that is written in the Law and the Prophets Oh! that I could have cause once to call them Hereticks in this sence whom the scripture calls wandering lights
Light and which the false But I know you would bee glad in such a case to carry a promise with you to the Throne of Grace to put it in suit by prayer there A promise that we shall know the true light take that and I think it worth the bearing along with you Isa 52.6 Therefore my people shall know my name therefore they shall know in that day that I am he that doth speak behold it is I. Act Faith upon this promise and God shall make thee to discern the true Light though thou be not able to dispute for it yet shalt thou be fully satisfied in it by the guidance of the Spirit Object Yea but will these Seducers say we have the Spirit as well as you and we are as sure as you and why may not we be right as well as you Answ They and we cannot be both sure and both right because we are Contradictory But that you may know which is true for both cannot be true take this a more general and precious Rule A general rule to know false light There is no true Light differing in the whole kind or contradictory to another true Light There may be a true Light yet lesser than another as in this respect there is one glory of the Sun another of the Moon another of the Starres yet are they all true Lights but then they are not contrary but subordinate the one unto the other Thus the light of a Candle and the light of the Noon-sun bâ—th are true lights for though the Sun 's doe swallow up the Candle's light as it were yet you see the Candle hath its light still But now take a Glow-worm or a Scale of a Fish or a peece of rotten wood these shine in the darke also but they are false Lights for bring them to the Candle or to the Sun and there is nothing like light in them they differ from it in the whole kinde Thus the light of the Law and the light of the Gospel and the light of Grace and the light of Glory are different Lights or distinct one subordinate to the other but not in the least contrary But bring an Errour to the Light of the Word and it is like a peece of rotten wood brought unto a Candle very darknesse ceasing altogether to be a Light So then what ever Doctrine it is that is contrary to any knowne true Light resolve upon it that that is a false Light More particularly take this threefold Rule Three particular Rules for there is a threefold known Light So then whatever Doctrine runs counter either first to the light of Nature or secondly to the light of the Spirit or thirdly to the truth as it is in Jesus cannot be a true Light 1. Then 1. The light of Nature that is so far as men goe along with the Bible without a Bible there is an undoubted impresse of Eternall Verity upon our natures some sparkes whereof yet remain after our ruines of Nature in the fall which nothing in all the Scripture is or can be contrary unto because it is a true Light as far as it goeth and for the quality of it This you read of in the Heathens Rom. 1.19 20 21. I say not that by improvement of that they might have demerited a saving measure of true light but so much they had that by the using of it they might have avoyded that grosse Idolatrous darknesse that he there speaks of for this is flatly contradictory to the light of natural reason that that which was made by me suppose an Idol should be my Maker I remember once in Ireland one went about to disswade the souldiers from opposing the Rebels for said he If one smite thee on the one cheek turn to him the other and this he called a Scripture-self Resignation mistaking that scripture and opposing it against the Law of Self-preservation written indelebly in all hearts I have also read in the History of Munster in Germany of two men that solicited two young Virgins made their Proselytes to Fornication the Maids refused the motion with disdaine telling them that their natural modesty and shame abhorred it they replyed impudently and importunately and it seemes too prevailingly that that was self and to be denyed else no salvation Now that could not be a true light because naturall conscience it selfe did abhominate it In such cases we may say as Paul 1 Cor. 11.14 Doth not even Nature it self teach you 2. The light of the Spirit that is in the Scriptures Secondly That which is contrary to the light of the Spirit of God must needs be false Light But they pretend to the Spirit as well as we and there are no immediate decisions of our Disputations how then shall wee know what judgement Gods Spirit is of in any Debate How we may know the judgement the holy Spirit Answ As by the Writings of Judge Cook we know his judgement in things of Law and by the Writings of any other Author that is personally withdrawne we see his mind so though the Holy Spirit hath withdrawne himself as to any more vocal decisions of our Controversies yet hath he not left himself without witness in that the Scriptures are expresse and expresly his 2 Pet. 1.21 The Prophecie came not by the will of man but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost Object Yea but say they we maintaine our opinion by Scripture and that 's your exposition and this is mine that 's your sense this is mine and why not mine be true as well as yours Answ There is not any intelligent Author but it is easie to gather the tendency and scope of the whole discourse Now we may very usually meet with a passage which being viewed alone and at suddaine appearance may seem to contradict the genius of the whole discourse Now if that sentence be competently capable of another sence than that which singly and suddainly it seems to beare and that other sence be fairely coincident with the plaine bent of the whole discourse in this case no man ever doubts to say that this sence so made out and orderly according with the whole is the Authors very judgement So here the Scriptures as before are the undoubted writings of the holy Spirit Sum of the Scriptures The plaine tendency of these is clearer then the Sunne viz. That salvation is from God onely through Christ and according to the Election of grace unto man-kinde once happy now lost by that lively faith which carryeth perseverant obedience in its bosome to the praise of the glory of his grace that God may be all in all This who so runs through the scriptures may read and such a scope you have called the Analogy of Faith Now then if there be any single sentence that seems to divide from the whole either you must deny the scriptures to be the Holy Spirits which is blasphemous who so
he and wherein is he thus blessed that comes to learne in Christs Schoole why verse 13. That thou maist give him rest from the time of trouble this will make thee a goodmends for the soarest whipping if thou learn the lesson of Christianity to day thou shalt have rest to morrow Thus God expresly speaking concerning this knowledge Isai 28.9 10 11. saith of it verse 12. This is the rest wherewith you may cause the weary to rest and this is the refreshing And it must needs be that the knowledge of the Lord Christ must be a refreshing knowledge to the soule upon three accounts For 1. It is a spirituall First It is a spiritual therefore a refreshing knowledge to the Spirit 't is a knowledge of spirituall things and after a spirituall manner The understanding of things carnall or spirituall things in a carnal sort cannot indeed satisfactorily refresh the Spirit The soule that knowes Christ knowes him not after the flesh but spiritually and whosoever to knows him knowes the things that God hath prepared for them that love him and what are the things prepared but Mansions adequate and eternall rest which things being revealed by the Spirit and spiritually discerned by the soule are ravishing and refreshing to the soul your hearts bear testimony hereunto compare 1 Cor. 2.9 10 14. with Jo. 14.2 2ly It is an experimentall 2ly An experimentall and therefore a refreshing knowledge They that know Christ feele Christ and the feeling of him must needs be refreshing to them 1 Jo. 1.1 Our hands have handled the word of life this experimentall knowledge the Apostle communicates as being abundantly himselfe refreshed that their joy also might be full ver 4. Thirdly To know Christ 3ly A soule Centring knowledge must needs afford rest to our understandings because Christ is the very Center of all knowledge knowing him you need go no farther knowing him you may well sit down and rest and refresh your your selves for you know enough you know all 1 Cor. 2.2 I determined to know nothing among you but Jesus Christ and him crucified so Phil. 3.10 That I might know him and the power of his Resurrection and fellowship of his sufferings If Paul as learned as he otherwise was could but reach unto this knowledge he doth not once entertaine a thought that his wearied understanding should travell any farther 2ly 2ly Of your wearied Consciences Come and leane your weary Consciences upon Jesus Christ Oh! how do some complaine of tyred Consciences and how falne would they sit down but know not where to rest themselves This was Davids sad out-cry Psal 38.3 There is no rest in my bones because of my sin Now what shall such a soule do in such a case I le tell you in Isaiahs words Thus saith the Lord God the holy one of Israel Isai 30.15 In returning and rest you shall be saved in quietnesse and confidence shall be your strength that is return to Christ and lean upon him and you shall have rest and strength from him unto the quieting of your wearied and distracted soules But how shall weary Consciences doe to refresh themselves by leaning on Jesus Christ Question How that shal be Answer I answer Bring all your Conscience fraught and laiden and unburthen it upon Jesus Christ Christ doth not bid weary and loaden Consciences to lay downe their burthens 1. Lay downe thy burthens upon Christ and then to come unto him but come unto me all ye that are weary and heavy laden which undoubtedly and peculiarly refers to Conscience-loadings and I will give you rest Mat. 11.28 That is bâ—ing your burthens to me and I le take them down 1. Vnlade the acknowledgements of your sins into Christs bosome First Let weary Consciences unlade all their acknowledgements and disgorgings of sinne into Christs own bosome immediately Thus David in the fore quoted Psalme 38.18 He resolves upon acknowledgement of his sin and this he empties into the Lords own bosome verse 9. 1. Your sinne-sorrowes Secondly As you bring your sin-acknowledgements so bring your sin-sorrowes to Christ let your faith put the Lord Christ to the same worke whereunto he is called by the Father to carry our griefes and sorrowes So Isai 53.4 Thus David Psal 38.6 When he was troubled and bowed down greatly going mourning all the day long he had immediate recourse to the Lord Christ 3ly Your wearying sighs and groanings Thirdly Let us also disburthen all wearying sighs and tyring groanes of our troubled minds into the bosome of Jesus Christ Thus David Psal 38.9 Lord all my desire is before thee and my groaning is not hid from thee Wouldst thou pray down the guilt or groan down the power of any Corruption that clogs thy poore Conscience even to the making of thee weary of thy very life then leane on Jesus Christ and thou shalt find rest Yea this I would Note unto you before I leave you that Christ doth not bid weary soules to go to the Father Note but to come to him with their heavy loadings believe it 't will be ill leaning of a tyred Conscience upon God the Father with Christ the Advocate If any man sin we have an Advocate with the Father 1 Joh. 2.1 Come not to the Father first but to the Advocate and by the Advocate to the Father If a man have a Creditor to speak with he will speake with his Surety first and if he can but engage him he can with boldnesse look his Creditor in the face But woe woe to that Conscience that comes sinful and Christlesse unto the great and righteous holy and sin-abhorring Majestie of the Lord God 2ly 2ly Take up Cordials from Christ Let thy weary Conscience take from Christs hand his Cordials as well as lay downe thy burthen on his shoulders 'T is true I am the chiefe of sinners so let repentance speak in thy soule yea But this is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation so let thy faith speak viz. That Christ came into the world to save such I shall oâ—e day fall by such a strong Corruption if Conscience-trouble say so let faith say nay but Christ came into world that he might destroy the works of the Devill c. And thus in any other case of Conscience the way to have an heart sprinkled from an evill Conscience is to draw near in the full assurance of faith unto Jesus Christ having him as an High Priest over the houshold of God Heb. 10.21 22. 3ly 3ly Your wearied affections Leane your tyred affections upon the Lord Christ and in him let them rest themselves As to know Christ is the only true stay to the understanding so to love him c. is the onely true stay to the affections Set your affections on things above where Christ sits Col. 3.1 As who should say else will they flutter about as the wandring dove without any rest at all but in Christ they
a distressed As to the 2d Hinderance Help the second distracted Conscience can beare witnesse Secondly As to the second Hindeoance viz. Few feel Christ and therefore few will leane upon him I shall leave a word or two with you to help your souls in this also First If you be desirous to feele Christ Labour to feel Christ by feeling sin labour to feel sin I believe never did any come savingly to feel Christ that have not come seriously to feel sin You never knew a soule earnestly complain for a Christ that could not earnestly complain of sinne When Christs own spirit is sent forth into our dead benummed Consciences and sencelesse hearts how doth it make us feel righteousnesse but by making us feel sin and judgement the sence of all must goe together where Gods Spirit is indeed at worke Jo. 16.8 Sirs how can we be sensible of the good of light of peace of health of plenty better then by feeling the evill of darknesse warre sicknesse poverty or the light peace or saving health that is by Jesus Christ more effectually then by the darknesse horrour and damning misery of sinne I mean when we see one by the other Isai 54.5 6. 'T is a woman forsaken and grieved in spirit in the remembrance and sence of sinne the shame and the reproach of sinne as is intimated vers 4. I say a woman thus grieved in spirit that God will call a wife of youth unto himselfe and her maker will become her Husband that is Christ will take that soule into the nearest intimacy with himselfe to lie as a wife of youth in his bosome to feele his stripes to put its hand into the wounds of his sides to feel the stirrings of his heart towards sinners that have had the nearest and closest sence of sin that have laine and can most feeling groan under the heavy load and burthen of sin Many there are that speake of the evill of sin but not feelingly and as for these if they speake of the good of Christ you may easily discerne 't is not feelingly When Paul feels sin kill him Rom. 7.9 And as a stinking troublesome tyring dead Carkass cleaving to him ver 24. 2ly By conversing much where Christ is to be found viz. in the Ordinances with the promises Then presently comes he to feele the law of the Spirit of life in Christ making him free from the law of sin and death Rom. 8.2 Secondly Would you feel Christ make then after his hand and after his heart Get you thither where these are to be found and keep you there Now Christs hand is in his Ordinances And Christs heart is in his promises There if any where there and no other where feele for them and you shall finde them How often doe you read in Scripture that Christs hands are stretched forth in his Ordinances if you have not done so You may feele Christs hands in his Ordinances turn to Isai 65.1 2. I said behold me behold me I have spread out my hands all the day and how is that but in the Ordinances unto a rebellious people which walked in a way that was not good This is otherwise expressed by his desire to gather them under his wings Luk. 13 34. Sirs would you feele for Christs Hand to leane upon or his wing to be sheltred under Be much in the Ordinances And Christs heart in his promises Againe Christs heart is in his promises Could you but get into the heart of a promise it would be like Thomas his putting of his hands into Christs sides you might feele Christs heart and how it works towards poor soules What living heart can survey the Promises without a lively sence of Christs hearts tendernesse Sirs doe you not feele how his bowels are turned and his repentings kindled within him when he saith not onely how shall I give thee up Ephraim as Hos 11.8 but also I will not execute the fiercenesse of mine anger I will not return to destroy Ephraim as he saith verse 9. And I will heale their backslydings and I will love them freely chap. 14.4 And I might transcribe a great part of the whole Bible to lead you to a sence of all those promises that plainly lead the Generation of them that seeke the face of Jacob to a sence of Christs heart though now himselfe be at rest towards poore Israel in the Wildernesse CHAP. XVI Convincing Christs lovelinesse by removing the foregoing prejudices THirdly As to the third Hinderance viz. As to the 3d. Hinderance Helpfull considerations convincing Christs lovelinesse notwithstanding any prejudices 1. Against his Port. 1. It is not of necessity but choice that his Port is so mean That few like Christ so as to make him their beloved being prejudiced against his Port Person Discourse Carriage Estate Consider 1. As to Christs wooing Port these three things For my now designe is to remove the prejudices and if it be possible to make up the match and though I woe yet will I not lye for God nor for his Son Christ Though Christ come a wooing in Port despised by the World on the Colt of an Asse the foolishnesse of preaching yet is it not of constraint but of condescension and with a rich compensation First It is let the world know not of constraint or necessity that Christ comes in so mean a Port. He could if he would come so as to convince you hereof but it is of choice that he comes so meanly I have read of one of the Roman Emperours that having been long molested by the King of an eastern Country having at length an Embassy sent him by some contemptible Messengers yet the noblest that that Country afforded the Roman Emperour thinking it were in slight asked them if their Master had none more Heroicall then they they answering they were his Chieftains he brake out in such an immoderate laughter that he dyed in it The Great and Wise and Nobles of the World thus deride the Messengers of Jesus Christ and him that sent them because of the meannesse of the Messengers But let them know that as he laughed himself to death in laughing them to scorn so may these laugh themselves to damnation before they are aware and as for us Call they us and count they us as they please Priest and croaking Calvinists and what they will yet may not we answer that our Master hath none more noble to send or that he cannot come in greater Port for Psal 18.9 10. He bowed the Heavens and came downe and darknesse was under his feet And he rode upon a Cherub and did flie yea he did fly upon the wings of the wind so Isai 19.1 Behold the Lord rideth upon a swift Cloud And this might be his Port. So might Angels also be his Messengers 1.7 Who maketh his Angels Spirits and his Ministers flaming fire Christ could goe a wooing in a whirlwind as the Lord came to answer Job Iob. 38.1
which are without Christ but by-paths that even then God Law and Conscience will arrest thee sooner or later Ps 50.16 What hast thou to do to declare my statutes or to take my Covenant into thy mouth seeing thou hatest to be reformed to be set right in the way and castest my word my Christ behind thy back But as for you that walk in this way viz. Christ if Satan interrupt you in your duties in your walking in your believing go and complain to God the King and hee will right you for this is the King of glory his high-way And the way faring man though a fool is not shut out of it Isa 35.8 Thirdly Christ is a broad way 3. Christ is a broad way What makes men so mad of going to Hell but that it is a Broad way As sure as can be whatever you fancy friends you mistake your selves and Satan guls you For Christ is the onely truly broad way You 'l say our Saviour calls sin a broad way 〈◊〉 a broad way Mat. 7.13 Note but I would have you know that Christ onely speaks your mind in it not his own the way that you count broad hee calls broad there 's elbow-room for all sin and nature with ease moves in it therefore ha calls it the broad way and there calls his own way narrow not because it is so as you shall see but because your base carnall hearts think it so It streigtheneth you in your lusts and therefore you call it narrow yet speaking of the same thing in other language he saith his Yoak is easie Easie in it self though hard to flesh and blood My meaning is this there is all spirituall and true enlargement in the waies of Christ what ever perfection you desire it 's streight it 's narrow poor and scanty untill you come to the waies of Christ Psa 119.96 I have seen an end of all perfection but thy Commandement is exceeding broad Go thou as fast as thou canst and as far as thou canst in the waies of Christ the more way thou goest the more lies before thee the more enlargement thou meets with the more thou yet discoverest therefore then onely can we run in this way when God hath enlarged our heart Psa 119.32 Surely there 's need of a broad way for the heart which is wider then the world to stand in but now for a heart enlarged to run what breadth and latitude must be there And verily to bring up a good report of this way out of the Wildernesse unto Canaan let me challenge all the world what streightnings can you with truth object unto the waies of Jesus Doth Christ forbid you to eat when you are hungry or to drink when you are thirsty to rest when you are weary or to marry when you have not continence or to rejoyce in the wife of your youth or to feast upon occasion or to provide for our family or to labour for the things that are honest or to rejoyce in all your labour under the Sun Or what is' t that Christ streightneth you in that you should ' count yours the broad way Truly sirs there 's nothing more streightning then of the Child which the mother will 〈◊〉 â—hrust its finger inno the flame Christ would not have you hurt your selves What reason is here to complain of streightning let carnall ones think or speak what they please of the waies of Christ oh then farewel our liberty yet wil the waies of Wisdom be justified of her Children and those that are sons will bear witnesse to the glorious liberty of the sons of God Rom. 8.21 indeed Christs waies are like the Temple windowes narrow without but within that 's when your soules are once in them exceeding broad if you find them not alwaies so 't is want of largnesse in your hearts but not in them 4. Christ is a pleasant way Fourthly Christ is a pleasant way pleasant waies doe much delight and suite with nost mens phansies And pray what is it endears men to the waies of dark Aegypt but onely the pleasures of sin which are but for a season Now friends the waies of Christ are pleasant all and pleasant ever Solomon therefore preaching Christ under the name of Wisdom tells you Pro. 3.17 Her waies take them all are waies of pleasantnes in the abstract there is a Fountain it seems of pleasures in them which is the very nature of them and which can never bee drawn dry You know Summer waies are pleasant waies now Christs are all Summer waies Cant. 2.11 Rise up my love and come away ver 12. the Winter is past the rain is over and gone storms of wrath spirits of bondage terrors of the Lord are over and gone the Flowers appeare on the Earth here 's delight for the eye thy soule gathers sweetnesse from the word the promises the time of the singing of birds is come here 's delight for the eare and the voice of the Turtle is heard in our Land the Holy Ghost the Turtle speaks peace to thy soul and thou hast communion with the Saints ver 13. The figtree puts forth her green figgs the Vines with their tender grapes give a good smell The ground thou goest on makes thee also to bud and blossome pleasantly wherefore saith Christ Arise my love my fair one and come away ver 14. And who would not delight to walk by the beds of spices since the Rose of Sharon Cant. 2.1 is the way to Sion and the lillie of the Vallies to the Lords holy mountain Fifthly Christ is a clean way 5. Christ is a clean way hadst thou the pleasures of ten thousands Saints yet if thou find thine heart polluted and be indeed a Christian and canst not get rid of thy corruptions these pleasures will but little cheare thee Oh! saist thou wherewithall shall a poor sould cleanse his way Oh! who will lead me into clean paths why Jesus Christ is a clean way and the onely way to walk cleane is to walk in him and with him They shall walk with me in white Rev. 3.4 I confesse we must wait for the perfecting of this in glorification but this is wrought true in sanctification You are washed you are sanctified This is the accomplishment of that promise to the Wildernesse Isa 35.8 This high way shall be called a way of holinesse and the unclean shall not passe over it Cease not to improve that promise till grace bee swallowed up of glory 6. Christs is a well-provision'd way Sixthly Christ is a well-accommodated and provision'd way Say you I do not like such a way for when a man 's hungry there 's no good entertainment to be found when weary no good lodging to be had no good accommodations no good way And truly this I do believe is the great scruple of many a soul Oh! I would willingly go to Heaven but it is a great way thither and I fear if I should set foot in the way
I should bee never be able to hold out I should faint by the way and I have never heard of any good entertainment in the way Alas friend thou judgest sure of this way by thy Wildernesse But I tell thee thou judgest unrighteous judgement Go but with me to one knows the way well and hear what he saith of the entertainment Ps 84.5 Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee in whose heart are the waies of them ver 6. who passe thorough the vale of of Baca oh that 's a bitter vale the vale of tears how comes it then to be a blessed way why they make it a well the rain also fills their pooles what 's that hee tells you ver 11. that is no good thing is withheld from them What of this why ver 7. they go from strength to strength every one of that appears before God in Sion You that travell to London weary your selves haply and grow faintish before you come to such an Inne there you bait and get fresh strength from thence you travail to your lodging Inne there you lie by morning you are as fresh haply as when you set out first at length riding from Inne to Inne and from refreshment to refreshment you keep your strength and so come to your journies end You travail Christians towards Canaan towards Sion you fear fainting Bait at Christs Iodge at Christ go from Inne to Inne from Ordinance to Ordinance you shall go from strength to strength you shall renue your strength you shall run and not be weary you shall walk and not faint Isa 40.31 at length you shall come to your journeyes end that is appeare before the Lord in Sion Seventhly Christ is a profitable way 7ly Christ is profitable way The world stirres upon that now Let one tell you never so much of a pleasant cleane provision'd broad high-way but say you What is there to be gotten in it why this way answers these desires the best the greatest surest wealth is to be traded for in this way Psal 119.14 I have rejoyced in the way marke what he calls it of thy Commandements as much as in all riches This is the way to the rich Pearle more worth then all thou hast if thou hadst ten thousand times as much Mat. 13.44 Eighthly Christ is a peaceable way If you trade 8ly Christ a peaceable way and get by your journey neare so much and though Robbert are afraid of losing it all in the bringing home be the way never so cleane so broad so pleasant this damps all but Jesus Christ is a secure way Prov. 3.17 all her paths are peace this way is the living waie Heb. 10.20 This is the waie of peace Luk. 1.79 In all this Christ is the accomplishment of that promise made to the Wildernesse Isai 35. Of a way verse 8. No Lyon shall be there nor any ravenous Beast goe thereupon verse 9. Lastly Christ is the way home And so I draw to a CONCLUSION Our Saviour telleth us Jo. 14.2 3 4 6. Christ the WAY HOME In my Fathers house are many Mansions if it were not so I would have told you I go to prepare a place for you And if I go and prepare a place for you I will come againe and receive you unto my selfe that where I am there ye may be also And whither I go ye know and the way ye know I am the waie no man cometh to the Father but by me And this brings the first and the last together in the accomplishment of that to us that God did to Israel Who led them forth by a right waie that they might goe to a Citie for habitation Psal 107.7 And 't is the lesse matter how foule the weather be to such as have found a Christ for they have found the way home When Stephen was travelling through a storme of stones he knew how to house himselfe he calls upon the Lord Jesus to receive that is to take home his Spirit to himselfe end when he had thus spoken he falls asleep Act. 7.59 60. You use to say of a Winter-journey and stormy weather 't is tedious travelling but say you it is homeward where we may be bold and shall be welcome and the wearier wee are we shall sleepe the more sweetly when we come at home and get into our owne Beds and in this case say you Home is home be it never so homely Art thou then in Christ thou shalt be taken in out of the Rain fetch'd home out of the streets from the brow-beatings of those that were mightier then thou Thou shalt enter into peace thou shalt rest in thy Bed Isai 57.2 Thou that walkest in this right way Thou art hasting homeward not to an homely home but to an heavenly to thy Fathers house to Abrahams bosome to the new Heaven the Celestiall Canaan to the Saints Rest to Jerusalem which is above and is free to the Paradice of God to the Countrie of thy kindred to thine own people and to the seat of thy Christ Therefore fear not poore penitent though thou hast been a Prodigall Art thou in Christ thou art going homeward to thy Fathers house where thy Father will come forth to meet thee and thine Elder Brother so farre from grudging that he will come along with him to greet thee the Angels to welcome thee will become ministring spirits unto thee then shall one go for the meat another for the musick a third for the Ring and a fourth for the Robe even all that heaven can afford mean while Jonathan thy friend who is in Covenant with thee whose soule cleaves unto thee will put his own Robe upon thee and his Garments even to his Girdle and then shall heaven ring with an All things are readie the Spirit shall say Come and Christ shall say Welcome eat and drink O friend yea drink abundantly O beloved Fear not poore Lazarus whose Rayment is vile even sores on thy body and rags on thy sores Art thou in Christ thou art going homeward to Abrahams bosome to a new Heaven where old things are done away and all things become new Thy vile bodie shall be there changed and made a glorious bodie like unto Christs Bodie in an heavenly new fashion Thou shalt put off Mortalitie and put on immortalitie put off corruption and put on incorruption put off weaknesse and put on strength lay off the Cross and put on thy Crown Yea let me say more the Garments that thou hadst of Gods owne making and which were well enough to serve thy turne in the wildernesse of this world thou shalt then have out-grown them and there put them off and that which is in part shall be there done away and that which is perfect shall come in its roome Thou shalt then know as thou art known and love as thou art loved thou shalt put off Hope and Vision shall succeed it and put off Faith and put on fruition Feare not poore Israelite
publick and precious interest spiritual and civil let my Text teach you to cease from Mere Man whose breath is in his nostrils for wherein is hee to be accounted of It cannot bee that God should do much by any of us for one another whilst wee make Idols one of another the Lord is God and it is his glory to have all your dependencies upon himself and hee will not give his glory to another There is not one way for a soul and another way for the Church or for a people but one way for both to come up from their Wildernesse and that one and only way is by leaning upon the Beloved Secondly Unto you as living in this quarter of the Country I have more to say than unto others I seriously tell you the Lord looketh and they that labour for the Lord among you and the holy Angels of God that have pitched their Tents about you and all the Saints that have heard of you and of the way of the Holy one in the midst of you may justly expect from you that you should become a peculiar people excelling in holinesse the Attainments of others being much more zealous of good works The Lord hath expressed more favour upon you than upon most of your Neighbours 1 In your Immunity from the sword of your Adversaries 2 The Community of the word of his grace O the many Chariots and horsemen of Israel faithfull skilfull and powerfull even unto eminency burning and shining lights with whom I professe my self unworthy to be numbred Messengers of Peace sent unto you from time to time by the God of Peace The same is the Lord of Hosts who gave you a protection and made you as Salem a peaceable habitation in times of Warre you have been as a Goshen of light when the Day of the Lord hath been darknesse round about Light hath been in your Houses even from the dawning of the day after the dark night of National Popery when Darknesse hath continued in some Neighbouring places But fire hath been on your Neighbours houses on each side of you both Norfolk and Essex and when it was making towards yea and in the very sight of Sudbury your selves are my witnesses your selves have told me and to write the same thing to mee is not grievous but for you it is profitable The wind that bloweth where it listeth blew those flames to your Neighbouring-County and town of Colchester so that the goodnesse of the Lord to you-ward and severity to them may be read in black letters in that poor place even to this day I will not say that the Lord hath dealt thus by you rather than others because you are but that you might bee better than others even as hee dealt by Israel of old and therefore if hee should now find you like them a stiffnecked and gainsaying people running from the Shepheard that hath so followed you with care and watched over you for Your good if you should yet make warre with the Lamb who hath been so studious of your Peace and unwilling to fight with you when hee smote your neighbours round about you if you should bee so foolish a people and unwise as thus to requite the Lord O Suffolk O Sudbury what should hee then do unto you Wherefore be you not unwise but understanding what the will of the Lord is concerning you that you may bee blamelesse and harmelesse the sons of God without rebuke in the midst of a crooked and perverse Nation among whom the Lord looks you should shine as lights in the world Holding forth the word of life that wee may rejoyce in the day of Christ that we have not run in vain neither laboured in vain For so is the will of God if any speak evil of you in the things they know not that with wel doing you put to silence the ignorance of foolish men Finally my Brethren bee perfect bee of one mind live in peace holding fast the form of sound words and the profession of the faith without wavering considering one another to provoke unto love and good works Not forsaking the assembling of your selves together as the manner of some is But rather Brethren warn them that are unruly comfort the feeble-minded support the weak bee patient towards all men Pray without ceasing in every thing Give thanks Brethren pray for us And the very God of Pâ—ace sanctify you wholly and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body bee preserved blamelesse unto the comming of our Lord Jesus Christ So Prayeth Your Servant by love FAITHFUL TEATE THE Author to the Ingenuous READER OUr Saviour saith of the unclean Spirit Mat. 12.43 Luk 11.24 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hee passeth through dry i. e. desert places On which Text though Beza admit of no allegory and the truth is which experience confirms that Ziim Ochim and Jiim do frequent incult and desolate places Isa 13 21 22. Yet doth as sad and more frequent experience and the very Scope of that Scripture shew that the unclean Spirit with the seaven other worse than hee do much more delight to inhabit the dry and the desert Soul where they cry to each other as the satyres of the wildernesse to their fellows Isa 34.14 Wherefore being sent of the Lord in these labours not only to spy out where Satans seat is but to beat up his very head quarters no wonder if as in 2 Cor. 7.5 without have been fightings and within fears I oft thought one had need bee both sanctified from the wombe and waxen strong in the spirit as John Baptist who should lift up his voice in this Wildernesse but knew my self to be but a child and one of unclean lips unable to allarm those bold Legions or to encounter that Old Serpent But hee that sent me said unto mee My grace is sufficient for thee shewing mee that they that were with mee were more and mightier than they that were against mee wherefore with fear and trembling through manifold Temptations most willingly though m st weakly have I followed my commission And now having studied all playnnesse in the ensuing treatise I shall briefly for the clearing of the Text preface thereunto The Wildernesse described is the WILDERNESSE OF SIN spiritually so called for I allude and no more to that Wildernesse of SIN Exo. 17.1 by contraction of Sinai which comming of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a thorny thicket is an acurate emblem of the wayes of sinne which through its greennesse though it please the beholder yet it is both tyring and tearing to the Travayler And as is the name of the Wildernesse in the Text so is it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 per Antiphrasin a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 loquutus est i. e. locus sine locutione It hath its name of much speaking whereas there is no speaking there even so is sin the most sociable way and evil men the good fellows but like Beasts of the Wildernesse are they each unto Other and
call Personal viz. The Wildernesse of the people mentioned Eze. 20.25 Meaning such Nations and persons as are like a Wildernesse to God and his people even a vexation and grief of spirit Such is that Forest whereof God threatneth to set fire Isa 10.8 and so to consume it both Soul and Body Hence that notable expression concerning the wicked Eze. 28.24 There shall be no more a pricking Bryer or grieving Thorn to Israel of all them that despised them The Fourth I may call Penal viz. the Wildernesse of affliction and desolation the consequent of sin Thus Jer. 22.6 surely I will make thee a Wildernesse and Hos 2.3 Lest I strip her and make her as a Wildernesse and a dry land The Fift Is the Wildernesse of Impenitency and Unconversion expresly mentioned Luk. 15.4 where the unconverted is called a lost sheep but as soon as convicted and converted is called a lost sheep on the Shepheards shoulder but as for the whole Rabble that continue where they were the ninty nine that need no Repentance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hee leaves them in the Wildernesse The Sixt is the Wildernesse of Conviction unto Conversion whereupon follows spiritual Consolation Compare Ezek 20.35 36 37 38 with Hos 4.14 I will bring you into the Wildernesse c. in the former I will allure her and bring her into the Wildernesse and there will I speak comfortably to her in the latter wherein is some difficulty and discrepancy amongst Interpreters Tremelius reads it Cum deduxero c. and so Junius refers it to the third verse of the Chapter that is saith hee when I have afflicted as before is threatned by bringing her into a Wilderness then will I speak comfortably to her in the Wildernesse that is in such place where shee shall think her self destitute of all help and comfort Engl. Annot. Mr. Burroughs on the place recites a Jewish Custom whereof hee saith hee hath read Their Bridegrooms and Brides used on their Mariage-days to go forth together into the fields and there to sing their Love-songs and to solace each other with conjugal delights and at length the bride used to return home into the City leaning upon her Bridegroom which Custom saith hee the Scripture seems to favour and so quotes our Text Cant. 8.5 wherein hee expresseth himself but conjecturally But why should such places bee called a Wildernesse saith hee either because they were Champain dry Grounds Or however bee the places what they will bee this is certain saith hee that by this ceremony God would mind them of his bringing them from the Wildernesse of the Land of Egypt in this hee expresseth himself dogmatically It is an excellent Reason that hee renders and his Improvement is answerable supposing the truth of the story which I would readily do did I but know that the Authority of the Relator who is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 were like the Reciters whose praise is in all the Churches Which Custom if supposed with the reason assigned doth yet leave me a sufficient ground-work to the ensuing Discourse for who knows not that the Wildernesse of the Land of Egypt is a clear type of the Desolate state of sinners by reason of sin even as the House of Egypt is of their bondage under Satan Else what enforcement lyes upon Us who never were wee or our fathers in that Egypt literally taken or in that Pharaohs house of Bondage to keep the Commandements from that preface to the Decalogue I am the Lord thy God that brought thee out of the Land of Egypt out of the house of bondage c. But I have rather judged those two Scriptures as I have laid them together to expound each other Inasmuch as it is evident that though Hoseah Prophesied before the Captivity and Ezekiel in it who being nearer the deliverance sees more into the method of its accomplishment yet both Prophets do de industriâ declare the self-same Restauration Saith Hoseah There will I comfort them c. Saith Ezekiel There will I accept them there will I accept you with a sweet savour v. 40 41. But what is the Order of the fulfilling of these Promises Why Their Consolation comes after Conversion v. 37 38. I le bring you by causing you to passe under the rod into the bond of the Covenant and I will purge out the Rebels and them that transgresse And this their Conversion how comes it but by Conviction ver 35 36. I le bring you into the Wildernesse of the people which according to Expositors is to bee understood of their Oppressors who were unto them as a thorny Wilderness and there will I plead with you face to face like as I pleaded with your Fathers in the Wildernesse c. i. e. until you remember your waies and your doings c. and loath your selves c. vers 43. And who knows not that the times of Wildernesse-dispensations i. e. sad providences spirituall or outward or both are usually the Seasons wherein God fastens Conviction or that conviction must of necessity be in order to Conversion and Conversion to solid Consolation And thus whom hee allures into this Wildernesse he doth and will speak comfortably unto The Last is the Wildernesse of Protection and preservation Rev. 12.6 And the Woman fled into the Wildernesse where shee hath a place prepared of God that is for her shelter and security For though the Wilderness properly so called bee the habitation of Dragons Isa 35.6 7. and deserts as was said bee Demoniack places yet here you have the Church secured from the Dragon by a Wilderness but it is a place of Gods own preparing Now of these several sorts of Wildernesses The two first viz. local fall not under the notion of good or evill morally considered The two last which I mentioned are evidently good and the soul is rather led into them than out of them by leaning upon the Beloved The Third and the Fourth viz. Personall and Penall are evil but not in every respect evill for as the persons of sinners are the creatures of God and the punishments of sinners are the Administrations of God they are Good But then the Fifth viz. The Wilderness of sin and of Unconversion is omnimodò et per se purely primarily intrinsically of it self and in every respect evil for it is sin only that makes any people a Wildernesse unto God and the Providences of God a Wildernesse unto any people Now then since SIN is the worst WILDERNESSE and JESUS the best JOSHVAH and since it is only by JESVS that wee are saved from SIN and primely from SIN that wee are saved by JESVS Mat. 1.21 and only by LEANING Jsa 51.5 My salvation is gone forth and on mine arme shall they trust I say only by leaning that wee are saved by him There-from I have not doubted to adhere to the sense of the Text rendred and prosecuted in the subsequent treatise I have done Only let the Reader instead of Wildernesse-sin the
men by running into a wilderness think to avoid merciless men and they fall among merciless beasts so in sin they think by drinking or whoring or swearing away conscience or the like to avoid an angry conscience and alass fall among Lions the roaring Lion on the one hand the sin-revenging Lion of the tribe of Judah on the other and so come to be torn to pieces The yong man thinks to scape the good man Prov. 7.19 bur yet is cast down and slain by the woman the woman sin chap. 26. I finde a precious Scripture Cant. 4.8 Come with me from Lebanon my spouse with me from Lebanon look from the top of Amanah from the top of Shenir and Hermon from the Lions den and from the mountains of the Leopards It s the call of the soul by Christ when the soul is upon the pinacle of temptation it looks upon sin and thinks it the most pleasant thing in the world like Lebanon like Hermon and Shenir which among the Hebrews were like the Baiae the pleasâ—ntest of all pleasant places but Christ gives it another Character then she thought of Oh! saith he Though you take them to be thus pleasant yet let me assure you the Lions den and the mountains of the Leopards are there And suppose I pray you a man were in a paradise as the case is now with us Oh! how would a Lions den or a Leopards mountain dash to pieces all thoughts of pleasures and security And therefore by way of Application If sin be thus like a wilderness promising pleasure Application producing pain promising security whilest it stirs up Lions Oh then First Look off of sin least it tempt Cant. 4 8. Vse 1 fore-quoted look from Shenir look from the top of Hermon Look off of the wilderness of sin do nor too much loook upon it because it looks so like a Lebanon Oh! that men could be perswaded to look off from sin when sin looks upon them there can no good Pro. 4.25 26. but much evil proceed from wanton and unwarrantable feeding of the eye with sin Be not so foolish as to be deceived to serve lusts counting Vse 2 them pleasures Secondly Never believe sin as long as you live Never believe sin when it flatters The wilderness is a lie fair without thorns within Psalm 4.2 How long will you love vanity and seek after lyes Selah That is observe it observe it beloved every sin is a lie Be not O be not therefore so vain as to seek after lyes never believe a liar when he speasts fairest CHAP. II. Containeth the progress in wilderness-sin dismal Lecture 2. destructive of the second branch of the first Doctrine shewing the dismalness of wilderness-sin in two things because both are barren and fruitless dry and moistureless WE come in the second place to the passage and progress in the wilderness and sin The passage and progress in both dismal and destructive 1. It is dismal in both we finde them dismal and destructive First The way of the wilderness is dismal so is the way of sin The way of the wilderness is dismal in these several respects 't is fruitless moistureless companionless comfortless wayless and husbandless and so is the way of sin 1. Fruitless First The wilderness is barren and fruitless you know the complaint Israel made of the wilderness Numb 20.5 this evil place say they its no place of seed of figs or vines or of pomgranats they do not deny but that it was a place of brambles and thorns and bryers but no place of seed grain or fruits figs or pomgranates Just thus it is with the soul under the power of sin its barren and fruitless towards God you cannot deny a sinful heart to be a place of vanity lust excess and foolishness but it is no place of seed no place for the word to thrive in it s no heart of prayer or thanksgiving obedience faith holiness hope love goodness righteousness truth which are the fruits of the spirit Eph. 5.9 But have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness chap. 11. mens works while they are in the state of sin are like the wilderness unfruitful works The wilderness Beloved brings forth thorns but a garden brings forth fruits c. we read Gal. 5.19 Of the works of the flesh but of the fruits of the spirit c. v. 22. a carnal heart brings forth works but it s onely a spiritual heart brings forth fruit Now then wouldst thou know whether thou be in this wilderness what fruit dost thou bear speak conscience the fruit of the spirit yea or no you know the sinner is represented by the barren fig-tree if thou dost not bring forth fruit the fruit of the spirit thou art a bramble of the wilderness I will not deny the wilderness to be in some sense fruitful I should wrong it if I should and so should I sin also it is fruitful so is sin but how 1. If fruitful First The fruit that the wilderness bears is wilde fruit Secondly It bears all its fruit unto it self Thirdly If it be fruitful unto any other it s rather to the Chimney then to the Table such is the fruit of sin Wilde fruits First Its fruit is wilde fruits ye know such fruits as naturally grow in forests and woods without grafting planting or pruning we use to call them as they are wilde fruits and truly all the fruits that grow upon the soul whilest its a tree in the wilderness before grace hath transplanted it are but wilde fruits The trees of the wilderness are but wilde trees wilde branches wilde roots and therefore the fruit must needs be wilde fruit so in sin The sinner himself is a wilde plant stark wilde root and branch father and son at his first conception and throughout his conversation Rom. 11.17 Thou being a wilde olive-tree wert graffed in and therefore certainly the fruit must needs be like the fruit of the wilderness Isa 5.2 It brought forth wilde grapes Ah! thinks the soul after conversion how wilde was I hitherto how vain how foolish how wildly did I use to pray how wildly did I use to carry my self in publique duties how wildly did I use to come to the Sacraments truly every fruit that groweth upon the wilde Olive-tree is a wilde fruit Secondly If the wilderness be fruitful 2. Wilderness fruitful to it self it is fruitful to its self there the fruit grows there it ripens there it falls pray who is the better for it Thus it is with thee O sinner if thou bear fruit it is for thy self God is never the better for it as I may say he gets nothing by thy estate he gets nothing by thy policy he gets nothing by thine industry if thou canst keep it none of it promotes his cause none of it maintains his poor none of it advanceth his praise behold Thou art the man that art a wilderness to the Lord
the soul needs be when the Lord shall thus forsake it There is none to plant prune or protect it no word or spirit to water it it must needs follow that it shall be laid waste and eaten up and trodden down and nothing but Briars and Thorns shall grow there How sad instances hereof have we in some that have lived long under Gospel-means But are not thereby become as a Garden Are they not as a Wilderness Yea of all others the most sharp and thorny and no wonder since they are left of the Lord and desert Is it so then that the Wilderness of Sin is so dismal because fruitless moistureless companionless Vse provisionless wayless waste and husbandless I shall onely improve this sad Consideration unto a double word of Exhortation respect being had unto the several particulars First Are we by sin become barren as a Wilderness Exhortation Labour to finde Christ as a Gard'ner to thy barren soul to make it fruitfull it is onely by grace that we can be made like Eden Isai 51.3 CHRIST is the Gard'ner that can both furnish us with fruit and make us bear fruit for this end he chooseth the grounds he gard'neth John 15.16 Of our selves we neither have fruit for our selves nor bring forth fruit to the Lord but CHRIST gives fruit and makes fruitfull He is the Apple-tree Cant. 2.3 He is the true Vine John 15.1 And yet the Dresser of the Vineyard Luke 13.7 Our Wilderness comes to nothing till it becomes his Husbandry 1 Cor. 3.9 Our souls are not comforted with Apples till we taste of his fruit Cant. 2.3 5. When we were in Paradise we were as a Paradise it was fruitfull to us and we to God Now we are in the Wilderness we are as a Wilderness sin is fruitless to us and we to the Lord. The Tree of Life made Eden a Paradise the River made it a fruitfull Paradise We lost both when we lost our selves There is now no Tree of Life with us to bear us fruit nor Water of Life to make us bear fruit But yet both are with Christ Rev. 22.1 2. And who so do his Commandments have right thereunto v. 14. Christ can set us with slips of Paradise Alas who would as they Isai 17.10 be setting their hearts with strange slips thy people shall be all righteous the branch of my planting the work of mine hand Isai 60.21 Yea and that they may be called Trees of righteousness the planting of the Lord that he may be glorified As the Garden causeth the things that are sown in it to spring forth so the Lord will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before them Isai 61.3 11. Again Christ can replenish us with fruits of Paradise Alas why should we savour those fruits unto death Rom. 7 5. from me saith the Lord is thy fruit found Hos 14.8 Even the twelve manner of fruits of the Tree of Life enough for all the Tribes and the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the Nations Rev. 22.1 2. * Compare Ezek. 47 8.12 with Rev 22.1 2. Here 's food and physick life and healing for Jew and for Gentile surely the Wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them Isai 35.1 When those waters Ezek. 47.8 Go down into the Desart But what is the wilderness the better that there are gardens in the world Or we that some strangers have such rare plants or choice fruits in remote countreys Christ hath born and doth bear fruits various and precious old and new such as wisdom righteousness sanctification and redemption with fruits of joy and peace in believing Yea his mediation and the counsel of peace between him and his Father fruit as old as Eternity his intercession and tendring himself a sacrifice for sin as soon as we had faln as a Lamb slain from the begining of the world fruit as old as the world his incarnation birth circumcision temptations sorrows sufferings death burial resurrection and ascension fruits above sixteen hundred years old his word his spirit his daily intercession and gracious dispensations fruits as new as every day These these are the fruits that Christ hath brought forth and unto which they have right that obey his call his command Come with me from Lebanon my Spouse is his call Cant. 4 8. Eat O friends is his command Cant. 5.1 Now be not thou unmannerly modest or disobediently humble take what is given come when thou art called Thou wilt be little the better though Christ be a tree of life to others unless thou come to Christ and feed upon him Oh! therefore be encouraged poor barren soul to leave the desolate wilderness and to hasten thence ere thou perishest therein why should unbelief detain thee any longer from everlasting blessedness for Blessed are they that do his Commandments for these have right to the tree of life and then will Christs fruit be sweet unto thy taste as the Spouse asserteth Cant. 2.3 and then and never till then wilt thou be able to say My Lord and my God my Savior and my redeemer for they onely can truly call the Lord our Righteousness our Advocate our Peace-maker who can look upon all that Christ did as done for themselves in particular Oh! what pleasant fruit is here laid up for the poor soul that was barren and fruitless as a wilderness even until now CHAP. V. Carryeth on the general Exhortation Labor to finde thy soul a fruitful garden unto Christ c. BUt secondly 2. Labor to finde thy soul as a fruitful garden unto Christ labor also to finde thy soul to be a fruitful garden unto Christ for though the other do not depend upon this but this upon the other yet thou wilt hardly finde the other till in some measure thou hast found this O 't is a sweet thing for the soul of a wilderness to be made a fruitful garden unto Christ Marvelously is Christ delighted with it he speaking of the Spouse Cant. 7.7 thy breasts saith he are like clusters of the grapes and row also shall thy breasts be as the clusters of the vine and the smell of thy nose like apples Oh! when believers hearts and breasts are fruitful in holiness unto Christ how marvellously is he delighted yea then Christ delights 〈◊〉 them also ch 6. v 11.12 Let us get up early saith she to the vineyards to see if the vine flourish or the tender grape appear or the pomgranate bud forth there will I give thee my loves O there Christ also manifests much love his loves that 's all his love as 't were to the soul when and where the soul brings forth fruit unto Christ when Daniel was praying then comes out the message O Daniel greatly beloved when the soul acts faith or zeal or any of the fruits of the spirit are budding forth O then Christ takes great delight in it and therefore he observes and watches the souls fruit God could tell if
Ephraim were but an empty vine so Cant. 6.11 I went down that 's Christ into the garden of nuts when Christ takes a nut-tree out of the forest and transplants it in his garden makes a sinner a convert then he observes the fruit it brings forth to see the fruit of the valley that is of the poor penitent lowly humble heart and to see whether the vine flourished and the pomgranates budded that is whether this and that and the other grace faith and humility and holiness c. flourished and brought forth unto him Therefore as Christ in the fore-quoted place calls the fruit of his garden the Spouses so the Spouse calls the fruit of her garden Christs blow upon my garden and let him eat his pleasant fruits Cant. 4.16 If thou would have evidence that Christ did in earth and doth in heaven bring forth fruit unto thee labor to finde that thine heart thy lips thy life do all of them bring forth fruit unto Christ 2. Labor to finde Christ unto thy soul a river of waters of life Secondly labor to finde Christ a river of waters of life unto thy soul since thou hast been hitherto moistureless like a wilderness when Israel was in the dismal wilderness where there was no water Psalm 78.15 16. the Lord clave the rocks in the wilderness and gave them drink as out of the great depths he brought streams also out of the rock and caused waters to run down like rivers But what 's this to me a sinner may the soul say Why the Apostle tells thee this rock was Christ these waters flowing out the rock were streams from Christ 1 Cor. 10.4 They drank of that spiritual rock that followed thâ—â— and that rock was Christ Christ is that river the streams whereof make glad the poor bewildred soul There are three sorts of streams which O that you could finde flowing from the Lord Christ 1. 1. Stream of blood Labor to finde the red stream of Christs blood Christs satisfaction and justification and reconciliation purchased thereby this is there as in many other Scriptures called Christs wine I have drunk my wine Hast thou by faith seen this rock smitten by the Lords rod and this red stream issuing out Hast thou seen Christs side lanced and the blood streaming forth for thy soul Hast thou seen this blood of the new Covenant poured forth for thee Oh! how would this stream make thy soul glad Secondly 2. Stream of milk Labor to finde the crystal stream of Christs Spirit by the other the soul is counted righteous by this it is made righteous I know the sincere heart desires as truly this as the other the other is the fountain open for sin that is the guilt the curse the condemnation this is a fountain open for uncleanness that is the defilement and pollution and both is for the house of David to wash in this is there as in other places called Christs milk and to shew that Sanctification and Justification go hand in hand one with another therefore saith Christ I drunk my wine with my milk though the wine be the first yet is it not without milky streams but they go along with it I cannot but imagine but that in the order of nature Christ Justifies before he Sanctifieth and yet I believe he never justifies but therewith he sanctifies as here wine first yet wine with milk even both together so we have Isa 55.1 the same order and the same conjunction Buy wine and milk without money and without price that is my merits and my spirit shall be both yours if you close with me though you deserve neither But thirdly Labor to finde yet other streams 3 Stream of honey even honey streams from Christ in the Ordinances this is called as often by David before so Cant. 5.1 Christs honey-comb and his honey Hast thou then found communion with Christ in prayer hearing reading or the like sweet as honey swâ—eter also then the honey-comb Canst thou say as the spouse of Christ Cant. 4.13 His lips are like lilies even like lilies dropping sweet smelling myrrhe Have those sweet streams from Christs mouth flown down thus upon thy soul surely such floods cannot choose but make thee joyful in the house of prayer 2. To finde thy soul a watered garden to Christ Now secondly Labor to finde thy soul a watered garden unto Christ The soul was in the wilderness Cant. 4.8 and she becomes a garden ver 12. and in this garden there are both springs and fountains though both shut up and sealed that 's for Christs use they are reserved who alone is found worthy to open the seals 1. The fountain of thine hâ—ad First Then let the fountains of thine head be opened unto Christ the streams of thy lips of thine eyes thy words thy tears the working of thy brains let them all stream forth towards the Lord Christ say as the prophet O that mine head were fountains and mine eyes rivers of tears Jer. 9.1 let it be with thee as with David Rivers of tears run down mine eyes because men keep not thy law Psalm 119.136 O that all our heads and eyes were as rivers streaming towards Christ and Christ onely O that our brains might work more after and more for Christ We were as a moistureless wilderness before let us even in this sense become a watered garden now Isa 58.11 2. Of thine heart Secondly Let the fountains of thine heart be opened unto Christ If God have shed his love abroad in thine heart shed now thy love abroad into Gods heart We were as a wilderness we could scarce pour out words before God before let us now Psalm 62.8 pour out our hearts before God let all our affections desire fear love joy c. stream forth towards God Thus David poured out his soul within him Psalm 42.4 3. Of thy life 3 Let the fountains of thy life stream forth towards Christ as the fountain both of Christs life and death to boot did flow out unto thee whether you eat or drink or whatever you do let all the streams of your lives run into the channel of his glory According to this threefold counsel you have mention of a threefold breaking out of waters in the spouse Cant. 4.15 A fountaâ—n of gardens there 's one sort a spring of living waters there 's another sort and streams from Lebanon there 's a third sort that is if I mistake not one in the head another in the heart a third in the conversation The fountain of the head waters the garden of the affections the spring of the heart enliveneth the fountains of the head knowledge would otherwise be a dead water and now from both together to wit head and heart there are streams from Lebanon that is Knowledge and Grace flow forth as streams into the conversation You may therefore observe comfortably that as Christ had spoken high before of the streams that flow from himself
Gods law yet run none down thine though thou thy self keep it not thou groanest under a hard heart a dry eye a feared conscience and fain thou wouldst it were otherwise with thee poor soul lean thou also upon Christ in the urging of those promises Isa 35.6 The tongue of the dumb shall sing for in the wilderness shall waters break out and streams in the desert waters of sorrow for sin streams of affection towards God if as I said in the other thy soul be hungry it shall be made fruitful if now thy soul be thirsty it shall be made springs of water and the parched ground shall become a pool see the Lords promise Isa 44.3 I will pour water upon him that is thirsty and floods upon dry ground that is saith he My spirit which shall make him spring you whose soul God hath turned can witness hereunto by your own experience 3. Promises to the solitary wilderness Thou complainst thou art a solitary wilderness that thou hast none of Christs company no communion with the Spirit no acquaintance with God urge those words of grace Isa 35.1 The wilderness c. the solitary place shall be glad though thou have been solitary Christ will if thou act faith upon these promises come to thee and be with thee and thou shalt be glad so that the voice of joy gladness thanksgiving and melody shall be found in thy soul though thou hadst been a wilderness Isa 51.3 Rev. 3.20 I will come in to him yea Isa 42.16 These things will I do unto them and not forsake them Thou complainst thou art a wilderness 4. Promises to the provisionless wilderness destitute and provisionless and art ready to say Can God spread a table in this wilderness for thy soul Is it possible that even thou shouldst be made fat and flourishing in the ways and things of God that art so lean Yes God can do it yea he hath said he will do it Those that are thus removed out of the wilderness and transplanted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of our God they shall still bring forth fruit they shall be fat and flourishing Psalm 92. 13 14. Isa 49 9 10. Mic. 7.14 He shall feed the flock which dwells solitary in the wilder as the Gene. Rev. 3.20 He shall sup with me Look what provision Christ hath the same shall be set before such a soul It is remarkable Psalm 105. The people asked and he satisfied them with the bread of heaven He opened the rock c. and the reasons rendred for he remembred his holy promise vers 40 41 42. poor soul art thou hungerbitten be Gods remembrancer of his promises and thou shalt have bread from heaven Thou complainst thy soul is bewildred 5. Promise to the wayless wilderness thy condition is wayless and thou knowest not on which hand to turn thou art in the wilderness where there is no way Hast thou not heard poor soul hast thou not understood the voice of one crying in the wilderness Prepare ye the way of the Lord make streight in the desert an high way for our God John Baptist was his prepater Christ was this way Isa 40.3 with Matth. 3.3 and this in pursuance of that promise made to poor souls in the wilderness Isa 35.8 and an high way shall be there c. Thou complainst that thy soul lieth waste and not husbanded like a desert land 6. Promises to the waste wilderness and thou art afraid that the Lord hath deserted thee and thy God forsaken thee know that the Lord hath said The desert shall rejoyce and blossom Isa 35.1 I will make her desert like the garden of the Lord the Lord will comfort all her waste places Isa 51.3 Here 's comfort indeed her judgement her will her affections her conversation all were waste there came up nothing but briars and thorns and nettles c. and thereefore justly was she desert and forsaken but now all her waste places are comforted how 's that Why her very desert is made as the garden of the Lord now is she the Lords vineyard and the Lord will husband her he will keep it and water it every moment Isa 27.3 And thus is Christ given for a covenant to the people to cause to inherit the desolate heritages therefore they shall feed in the ways and their pastures shall be in all high places They shall not hunger not thirst because he that hath mercy on them shall lead them and by the springs of water shall he guide them and he will make all his mountains a way and his high-ways shall be exalted Isa 49.8 9 10 11. Could you wish that God should speak more encouragingly to you Behold you have a strength to lean upon that can that will that stands engaged to make you of a desolate heritage such as you desire to be before the Lord. CHAP. VII Containeth the Explication of the destructiveness of the progress in wilderness-sin because of famine thorns serpents wilde beasts c. 2. Progress in the wilderness destructive YOu have heard now of the dismalness of the wilderness and so of sin We come now to speak of the destructiveness of both Therefore Secondly The way of the wilderness is destructive so is the way of sin The wilderness through which Israel journyed toward Canaan is not a more lively representation of sin in any thing then in this Multitudes of people came into the wilderness multitudes came out of Egypt yet exceeding few of them came out of the wilderness but were destroyed there multitudes of poor creatures come into the world into sin yea multitudes come out of Egypt that 's gross darkness that heaâ— of Canaan and come as many Israelites almost in sight of it almost in sight of heaven that yet perish through the destructiveness of sin The Israelites complained much of the destructiveness of the wilderness then and I presume they complain more of the destructiveness of sin now Numb 20.4 they cry to Moseâ— Why have ye brought the congregatin of the Lord into this wilderness to die there Oh! Why have you brought us out of Egypt to die in the wilderness Numb 21.5 More sadly wilt thou complain of thy parents thy sinful companions c. Oh! why did you lead me why did you bring me into sin to die in sin you have much people perishing there together Numb 21.6 you have them dying by Fourteen thousands and Seven hundreds at once Numb 16.49 what more you have them complaining and saying Behold we die we perish we all perish Numb 17.12 were sinners consciences awakened by multitudeâ— you would have them much more crying out by multitudes we die we perish we all perish they would all agree in this language if we could hear them all crying out in hell The ways of the wilderness are destructive and are the bewildring ways of sin not so Rom. 3. They are all under sin verse 7. gone out
Wildernesse Thine heart is exposed yea and disposed too to all the wayes and windings of spirit that ever entangled any soule in the world Vse and surely they are enough to bewilder thee Oh let this consideration to purpose humble thee whereever thou goest thou carriest thy wildernesse about thee Come we now to a second sort of Satans Advantages that he hath from us to bewilder us which is CHAP. IX â—pntaines the second advantage from our selves our hearts are tempters into the wildernesse opened and applyed 2d Advant Our hearts are tempted into the wilderness SEcondly Our hearts are not only a Wildernesse unto us but tempters and seducers into the Wildernesse Naturally they are a sinfull Wildernesse and as naturally doe they inveigle us into the Wildernesse of sinne And alas how easie is it for Satans devices to bewilder us since he hath such advantage of us Our hearts advise counsell and perswade us having been first perswaded by Satan Hence are the expressions of that other sort Jer. 9.14 and 18.12 and 23.17 They walke after the devices and counsels Note and imaginations of their own hearts Their hearts are their guides and they goe after their hearts Now when man followes his hearts guidance if his heart lose it selfe in sinne he must needs be lost in the same Wildernesse Mat. 5.28 Whosoever lookes on a woman to lust after her hath already committed adultery with her in his heart In this case the heart is the Baud the heart is lost first the whole man goes after it and is lost with it 'T is said of the young Man and the Whore Prov. 7. She was the first she caught him and kissed him and with an impudent face tempted him verse 13. And he goes after her verse 22. Our hearts being forwardest as Harlots tempt us and we as fooles straight-way go after them And this our hearts take up of themselves Naturally so 't is naturall to them to lead us to the wildernesse Their bent is that way Looke what way the bent of any thing in the world is that way will it goe Compare two Scriptures Hos 11.7 They are bent to backslyding from me to slide back from my counsels and calls and waies to slide back into their own waies wildernesse c. And then Prov. 14.14 The backslyder in heart shall be fill'd with his own waies Marke Backslyding that is before the peoples bent is here called the hearts own way You shall therefore finde that the Lord challengeth the heart as first in the transgression or going astray Act. 7.39 In their hearts they turned back to Egypt Our hearts subject to be tempted into the wilderness from these two reasons Now then a word or two to give you an account first that our hearts are bent to walke after the waies of the wildernesse and then that we are bent to walke after the waies of our own hearts First then The bent of our hearts is by nature to the wildernesse There are but these two things that engage the bent ones heart to one place rather then another 1. Innate affection First An innate affection I like this place the best of any place that ever I saw saith one How much is that place my darling saith another Beloved the Wildernesse of sinne is our hearts darling wee fancy no place naturally so much as this wildernesse no wayes please us so well as the wayes of sinne There is something in every particular place that suits some mans particular fancy that makes him abide there There is something in every particular sinne that suits some sinners particular fancy and that makes him dwell there still Our heart naturally suits with these wayes of sinne therefore it is that men walke in them still 2ly Cuflomatinesse Secondly A Customary aboad I have lived saith one all my dayes in the City and I doe not know how now to dwell in the Country I have lived saith another all my daies in the Country and I cannot tell how to away with the City Aire the City-noises the City-Company c. Our hearts by nature are and ever have been accustomed to the wildernesse therefore the bent of our hearts is to the Wildernesse-ward still We cannot brook dwelling in Gods holy City the heavenly Jerusalem We have not been accustomed to such manner of living such company such converse You have both these pregnantly expressed in one scripture Jer. 14.10 Thus saith God to this people Thus have they loved to wander they have not refrained their feet They have loved to wander there 's their innate affection to this spirituall Wildernesse They have not refrained their feet there is their Customary bewildring Wandring they love and wandring they are used to It suites with their phancy and it is that which they have spent their daies in and upon these two accompts it is that the bent of their hearts is towards the Wildernesse And now Secondly Our hearts prevalent in tempting us upon two grounds If the bent of our hearts be Wildernesse-ward it 's easie to conceive how they bend us towards the Wildernesse Hos 4.8 they set their heart on thoir iniquity and I will punish them for their waies Verse 9. Their waies are according to the bent of their hearts So 2 Tim. 3.6 Led away with divers lusts Lusts those are the stirrings and motions of the heart and these are the tempters to lead us away Remarkable is that Ezek. 12 21. But as for them whose heart walketh after their abominations I 'le recompence their waies upon their own heads Such therefore as their hearts are such will their waies be And that upon these two grounds First our hearts are the men of our Counsell 1. They are our Bosome-Counsellors They lie in our bosoms and therefore as to the choice of all our waies with them it is that we consult Our bosom-friends and darling relations are our hearts If man be refractory as to any way It 's policy to perswade the wife of his bosom prevail with her and 't is likely she will prevail with him Satan when hee would seduce us into any of his waies hee first makes it his businesse to overcome our hearts in our bosoms and us by them Pray thee husband go saith the wife and then he goes Pray go saith the heart and away he goes 1 Tim. 2.13 Adam was not deceived that is not first but the woman being deceived was in the transgression Two things there are here remarkable First the woman that lay in Adams bosom was bewildred for so the word signifies before the man Secondly the heart of the woman was bewildred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 before she her self 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was led to go astray The woman in Adams bosom bewildred him the heart in Eves bosom bewildred her The influence of the wife of thy bosom to perswade thee is grounded upon propriety Shee being thine own so nearly so dearly thou think'st she will not
that erred in heart therefore hee sware in his wrath that they should die in the Wildernesse that they should not enter into his rest Heb. 3.10 11. I shall conclude in the 12th Verse Take heed brethren lest there be in any of you an evill heart for the reason is implyed that will make you to depart from the living God And thus you have heard what advantage Satan hath from our selves to bewilder us by nature Our hearts are a Wildernesse by nature they are tempters into the Wildernesse of sin CHAP. X. The second sort of Advantages Satan hath from himselfe largely opened 2d Sort of Advantages Satan hath from himselfe COme we now to the second sort of Satans Advantages which he hath of himselfe in order to the bewildring of the poore soule His nuâ—â—ers Their Unity His Nature his Relations his Experience First Satan hath a great advantage as to the bewildring of soules in respect of the numberlesse numbers of satanical spirits As 1. Head His numbers The Dragon and his Angells who can number them if they doe but stand round about a poore unregenerate Creature who can but be bewildred by them When Christ asked the possessed person what his name was Mark 5. He answered saying Isid 9.3 My name is Legion for we are many verse 9. Many how many is that A legion is six thousand Satans numbers are so great that he can even spare 6000 Devils to bewilder one poore soule Now thinke with your selves if there be six thousand Counsellors about a man one saith goe this way another saith goe that way a third another way a tenth a tenth way an hundreth an hundreth way c. The proud Devil cryes goe my way the drunken Devill go my way the unclean Devill go my way the blaspheming Devill goe my way the prophane Devill goe my way the superstitious Devill go my way the transformed Devill or the Devill turned into an Angell of light goe my way The mad-merry frolick Devill goe my way and the melancholick despairing Devill go my way how can it be but that a poore soule must needs be bewildred amongst all these and five hundred times as many more for I have reckon'd but twice six unto you When six thousand tempters and temptations shal at once environ one single spirit as Legion did here this poore man can you wonder if as you read of this man Luk. 8.29 That he was driven into the Wildernesse so you finde it true of your owne soules that they are so often bewildred I observe that in some cases Satan doth as the great Turk that bears down all meerly with the numerousnesse of his Armies When poore soules shall think with themselves to be serious with God and to go indeed about the business of Conversion oh what swarms of Devills what multitudes of temptations be there even to the tyring out of such thoughts and resolutions Oh! how doe these Legions bewilder us both in prayer and meditations and indeed in every spirituall Undertaking It were easie for Satan at even hand to conquer us no wonder then if he lead us captive even whither soever he will being six thousand to one that 's great odds Secondly 2d Head His agreement unity and concord Great is Satans advantage as to the bewildring of your soules because of the accord and unity that is amongst them all So the soule be but bewildred they care not which of them doth it and indeed whoever of them prevailes to seduce meets all the rest of them in the Wildernesse As now there are millions of waies in England a way likely in every pasture and that foot-path leads to some lane that lane to some Market-town Road and that Road in time to London-Road till at length all will meet at London so amongst the millions of temptations and legions of tempters the smaller temptations lead into greater wayes and those into greater till at length all runne together into the broad way of the wildernesse of sinne for all of them conspire to meet one another there There is a marvellous strange concord amongst whole legions of Devills Oh! that there were no breaches to be seen amongst the thousands of Gods Saints You may observe that though this man were possessed with many even with a Legion yet Christ calls them all but an uncleane spirit Luk. 8.29 ver 27. He had Devills verse 30. a Legion even many Devills were entred into him yet verse 29. Jesus commanded the unclean spirit so Mark 5.8 He said Come out of the man thou unclean spirit And all the Devils besought him ver 12. and forthwith the unclean spirits went out verse 14. I observe that the Devils be they never so many agree all of them as one Hence it is that you heare but of Satan and the Devill in the singular when wee meane all those numberlesse numbers of uncleane hellish tempting damned spirits And what is it now that they are thus agreed upon or accord better in then in tempting of souls into this wildernesse He was tempted of a whole Legion 't is said of him Luk. 8.29 He was driven of the Devill into the Wildernesse It seems they all agreed in this as one Devill to lead him thither Now who can imagine but it is rather Satans businesse to lead a spiritually possessed soule into this spirituall wildernesse then to take so much paines about such a poore Gadaren to drive him into dry and desart places Whatsoever may be the literall import of this scripture sure I am that the Devills in our dayes designe and accord an hundred fold more in the bewildring of poore soules by their legion of temptations then to lead them into desolate and visibly desart places 3d. Head His nature Thirdly As Satans numbers and accord so his nature gives him advantage unto your spirituall bewildring He is a Spirit He is an Angell Hee is a Devill 1. He is a Spirit and thereâ—â—â—â— First Satan by his nature is a Spirit and this is an eminent advantage spiritually to bewilder us Eph. 6.11 Put on the whole Armour of God that you may be able to stand against the methodizings or bewildring of Satan for saith the Apostle verse 12. We wrestle not with flesh and blood but against Principalities and against spiritual wickednesses in high places Oh! if those Principalities were not spirituall wickednesses our soules should lesse need to feare their devices it were easier to stand against the wiles of the Devill But now because Satan is a Spirit therefore he is the better able to eneer into the soule the nearer related he is to the soule the more able is he to argue out the businesse with the soule First Satan being a spirit 1. He is able to enter into the soule is easily able to enter the soule When a Generall besieges a City though he cast a trench about it yet every one within it doth move in his own motion and goe his owne waies
darknesse and sweet for bitter and whence is this but because the Devill can appear as an Angell the first view of temptation is as Paradise the last view or end thereof as Hell The young man is inticed Pro. 7. with a deckt bed Coverings of Tapestry carved works fine linnen of Aegypt perfumes of Mirrhe Aloes and Cinamon fill of love solaces with loves ver 16 17 18. Fair words and shewes but flattering ver 19. and he goes after these but 't is like an Ox to the slaughter or a fool to the Correction of the stocks This then is Satans leading-influence his temptations though as Hell as Devills seem as faire as Angells Therefore I may say of Satan though he speak thee fair believe him not for there are seven abomination in his heart as Pro. 26.25 Thirdly As he is a Spirit and an Angell 3dly He is a Devil and so cares not what meanes he useth so is hee a Devill and therefore hath yet the more advantage A Devill therefore he cares not what means he useth to bewilder soules A Minister must not lie for God he must not vent a lie to save a soul But Satan will tell a thousand to undoe a soul Yea he had as live damne them with speaking false as true he is a Devill and therefore cares not what way he goes One of you shall betray me saith Christ One of us Lord might they say who could find in his heart to do so who could dare to doe so why saith Christ One of you is a Devill He can do any thing he is a Devill A Devill cares not what he saith nor what he swears in order to the ruine of a poor sool An high-way man cares not though he swear you or lye you into a wrong way telling you its right that there he may have opportunity to rob you Ioh. 8.44 When he that is the Devill speaketh a lie hee speaketh it of his own for he is a lyer and a Father of it and that because he is a Devill CHAP. XI Contains its further opening and improvement FOurthly The Relations that Satan stands in 4. Head His relations to the men of the World do greatly advantage him as to their bewildring what was 't think you that perswaded the little Ones amongst the Israelites to adventure into that Wildernesse sure it was because their Relations went Their parents went and what made their Parents go why because Moses their Prince and leader went and what was 't that made Moses go because God had told him that he would be with him and go before him as you may clearly observe in that story And verily one great advantage that Satan hath to bewilder soules is the relations that he stands in to unregenerate souls 1. He is a father to the World therefore followed readily First Satan is in relation of a Father to them Suppose you should chuse to live in a desert doe you think your Children would not be willing to bear you Company to do as you doe and be where you are surely most Children would You would follow a Father even into a Forrest though it were a place of danger you would bee loath your Father should goe alone Naturall relation teaches in such a Case to say as Ruth to Naomi Ruth 1.16 Whither thou goest I will go and where thou lodgest I will lodge And such indeed is the language of our hearts to Satan who as we are unregenerate stands related as a father to us The very reason why men doe his workes and walk in his waies Our Saviour gives Jo. 8.44 You are of your Father the Deuill and his workes you will do They do them and they will do them and what 's the reason they are of their Father The young mans Father in the Gospell bids him go into his Vineyard and he cryes I go sir Satan your Father bids you drink and rail and curse and revenge c. and the Lord knowes you goe sirs at his Command 2. He is a Prince to the world 2ly Satan stands related to them as their Prince therefore they 'l follow him into the Wildernesse What hath beene the common voice of these times What shall not I go after my King shall not I follow my Prince yea that they would though into a Wildernesse You have mention of thousands of murderers in the Wildernesse Acts 21.38 and whence was it oh oh their leader that Egyptian went before them thither So in spiritualls Eph. 2.1 2 3 You were dead in trespasses that is in your goings out of the way Wherein in times past ye walked according to the course of this world and what followes according to the Prince of the power of the air the spirit that now rules in the Children of disobedience among whom we also had our Conversation in times past c. By nature we all walk in this Course that is race or way as long as we stand in relation to and are under the power of this Prince Thirdly 3. He is the God of the World Satan stands related as a God unto them What gracious heart would not willingly follow God though he should lead them into a Wildernesse of affliction and surely Satan being their God they are soone perswaded to follow him into this Wildernesse of sin you have mention made of some that are lost spiritually 2 Cor. 4.3 If our Gospell be hid it 's hid to them that are lost If the light be hid or the guidance be in vain it is to those that are lost yea but how came they to be lost ver 4. In whom the God of this world hath blinded their Eyes c. He is their God hence it is that they are lost Fifthly Consider Satans Experience 5. Head His experience He hath bewildred all meerly men therefore hee may easily bewilder thee it gives him great advantage to bewilder thee Oh Satan is so old a serpent that he knowes all the turnings of the Wildernesse and he can soon tell when hee doth but see thee which of them all will best suit with thee It is not strange Satan should bewilder thee that hath bewildred so many thousands before thee There never was a meere man but Satan both led him into the Wildernesse and lost him there Avoid her waies saith Solomon of the tempting harlot Pro. 7.25 go not astray in her paths for she hath cast down many wonded yea many strong men have been slain by her ver 26. Take heed of comming near this Lyons Den for he hath drawn as many as ever pass'd by into it And dost thou thinke amongst all the soules that Satan hath bewildred in former ages there hath not been some one just of thy complexion and constitution if there have beene then as a last made for anothers yet if it be of the same size with thy foot it will fit thy foot So the same temptation the same way wil serve to wilder thee David was a ruddy
man of complexion and the Devill knew by a look of him what path of the Wildernesse would entangle him The Devill hath bewildred passionate folks before and proud folks before and lustfull ones before and covetous ones before c. and it cannot be but what ever the length of thy foot is that Satan by this time should have a way in the Wildernesse fitted for thee As an old cheat that will have more tricks then one that if one fail another may take and that the young fool might not know all So Satan Pro. 5.6 lest thou shouldst ponder the path of life his waies are moveable so that thou canst not know them And this is his great advantage It may be thou art a young Christian a young Saint but thou hast to doe with an Old Serpent Use If Satan have so great advantage to bewiider you And thus you have heard what advantages on all hands Satan hath to bewilder the soul I shall desire the improvement of it in a word or two You have heard that our own hearts are Wildenesses of sinne and tempters too into the Wildernesse that Satan by Legions and their ageement being a spirit himselfe and and â—n Angell and a Devill as also being a Father a Prince a God to the naturall man and lastly being an old Serpent experienced in all the windings and turnings of the Wildernesse is easily able to bewilder soules and if you be convinced then 1. Caution in the choice of your way First Be very carefull in the choice of your way Would you cleanse your way then take heed thereto Ps 119 9. My friends as you would tremble at the thoughts of following Satan as your King and God and Father in his way bee very carefull in the choice of your own waies I have observed that carelesnesse of our waies is the adding of advantage to Satan to all his advantages and 't is as if you should say Satan hath not enough already I le give him more How many are there that goe on and on and never consider in what way or to what end He that goes and considers not whither is like to be lost he knowes not where Jer. 3.12 God calls Israel a back-sliding people It followes ver 13. acknowledge thine iniquity that thou hast transgressed or gone out of the way and and hast scattered thy waies to strangers Mark that Those that are inconsiderate and heedlesse of what things they have are they that scatter them Here 's a scattering of waies to this strange temptation and that strange lust c. now what is the way to keep from scattering but by narrow looking to that which otherwise we should scatter As David saith I said I will take heed unto my waies Psal 39.1 Those then that are heedlesse of their waies are scatterers of their waies and know it sirs whatever waies you scatter Satan will be sure to gather Scatter a Sermon out of your memories and these fowls of the aire will pick it up and carry it away Scatter but a thought or any affection on a carnal or sinfull object the Devill will snatch it up and carry it away This then is the desperate folly of our hearts that by heedlesnesse wee should scatter our waies to strangers Therefore saith the same Prophet to the same People Jer. 6.16 thus saith the Lord stand ye in the waies and see and ask c. Surely many a man 's bewlldred because when time was he did not stand and ask Oh that I could bring but sinners to a stand this day whither away so fast thou galloping drunkard ranting roister What wilt not once stop before thou lightest at Hell-Tavern Wilt thou take all the wayes thou hittest upon without once enquiring whether thou art in the right way Oh! Pause a little and aske and see Perhaps there may be nere another house betwixt thee and the Wildernesse to inquire at Perhaps thou maist never heare a Sermon more or be at a publique meeting more and therefore whilest thou passest by the doore of this dayes discourse stand a while and aske and see What madnesse is it to runne preposterously into any way when a sober inquiry might find a right I am confident this is the undoing of many a soule they are never brought to a stand till Hell stops them But let us take Gods counsell to day in Gods feare to stand and ask and see and choose Two Expressions of David laid together may engage Christians hereunto Psal 119.30 I have chosen the way of truth I have stuck unto thy testimonies verse 31. And I will run the way of thy Commandements Oh! sirs Choosing Christians will be sticking Christians If you will walke in Gods wayes deliberately and of choice you 'l find in your heart to stick to those wayes yea though you mend your pace yet to keepe your way though you runne yet to stick still and then though thou see the God and King and Father of the world going another way and all the world in course following after him yea though thy naturall heart had been accustomed too and had loved the other way yet having made such a stand and in thy stand such a choice of this way here thou wilt stick notwithstanding all the other wayes 2ly Be carefull of your Way-markes 2ly Since Satan hath such advantage to bewilder you be very observant of your Way-markes you heard before of taking heed unto your waies and this must be according to Gods Word Psal 119.9 If a Father send his Sonne such a dangerous journey where there are many upon the Way whose businesse it is to turne the traveller aside that they might in a Corner make a spoile of him the young man knows not the way only the Father gives him a Paper of directions concerning it At such a place you must turne on the left hand of such a steeple and when you goe farther you must turne on the right hand of such a Wind-mill c. Now when he comes to such a place and sees such a steeeple he perceiveth the marks to be true markes a Robber enters discourse with him enquires his way tells him his way lies right with his they come neare the steeple or windmill c. The Robber tells him he must turn one way he lookes on his Note and that saith he must turne another upon this he seasonably and securely parts and avoids the danger by due observance of his Way-marks Therefore saith God to Ephraim his Son and deare Child to repenting Ephraim Jer. 31.21 Set thine heart towards the high way set thee up Way-marks My Brethren lest the lying Devill should bewilder us God hath given the Holy Scriptures for Way-marks unto us Keepe your Markes or lose your way God hath blessed be his name set down in a Paper which way we should goe and what way we should turne from both upon the right hand and upon the left And this use of the Scriptures is
Grace wrested Scripture 7th Guidance Seeming grace to turne us aside from true grace Instance SEventhly The next meanes of this sort that I shall name is Satans plotting to lead us out of the way of true and reall grace by the false guidance of seeming Grace I shall give you one instance There is not any Grace in the world that doth better accord with and more strengthen another then Faith and Humility doe mutually Yet is there not any thing whereby Satan turnes poore afflicted spirits more aside from the way of believing then the false guidance of pretensive humility As now when the soule lyeth convicted under the sence of its being in it selfe poore and wretched and miserable and blind and naked the soule hath nothing to doe next but to buy of Christ Gold tryed in the fire and white Rayment and Eyesalve c. that is whatsoever a lost sinner needs in order to salvation Rev. 3 17. And Christ tearms are without monie and without price Isai 55.1 So then such a soule is immediately enjoyned upon its allegiance to God whose Commandment it is That we should believe and upon righteous principles of Selfe-preservation freely to take as the waters of life are freely tendred and by acting faith upon a promise and with a bare hand to take hold and to leane upon Christ and so to come up from the Wildernesse Wilt thou then or wilt thou not speake thou that needest a Christ wilt thou have one Oh! saith the soule I would faine have a Christ I need him I see I am undone without him but I am naked ragged and ashamed to come to him in this dresse I am leprous and filthy my hands are not clean and I dare not with such hands take hold upon him Humility forbids me stay but till I have got better Clothes as some will say of their comming to Church and have washed my selfe and then I 'le com I am affraid and ashamed to come before And wilt thou stay from Christ till thou canst fit thy selfe for him even stay an eternity I le warrant thee thou'lt ne're be fit And is this humility thou lyest Satan 't is Pride and the height of it too even of Gospel-pride to thinke that without Christs Sumpter thou shalt be ever able to give Christ fit entertainment Soules call it humility to get something for a present for the Lord Christ as Jacob for his Lord Esau but this in thee is Pride as in him it was Policy Thou call'st it Humility but God calls it Pride Rom. 10.3 They have not submitted to the righteousnesse of God a sad word It s meere pride and stoutnesse and high-spiritednesse the wretched remainders of unbroken-heartednesse what ever Satan tells thee that onely is humility that makes thee intirely close with the Righteousness of faith with Christs Righteousnesse upon Christs own tearms 8th Guidance mistaken or wrested Scripture The eighth and last that I shall speake to is Satans bewildring us by the false guidance of mistâ—ken Scripture and this is now much in fashion and prevailing in the world Time was when ignorance was in fashion and for men to walke in blind pursuance of anothers supposed light So in Popish times many cared not for nor at all enquired into the Scripture Then for the Priest to doe as the Prelate did and the people as the Priest did was enough But our times have seene the Scriptures brought more into use and almost every one at least in profession will say as David and as it 's fit they should Psal 119.105 Thy word is a light unto my feet and a lanthorn to my paths Men will not now take things to bee so because the Minister said it but they will as the Bereans did search the Scripture and truly 't is not onely the use but the fashion now Now marke when Satan seeth that wee are so much for Scripture and that the way to bewilder us is by pressing Scripture truly as formerly hee laboured to suppresse it now he will presse it and oppresse it too Note as a Tyrant by plain torture to make the guiltlesse Scriptures to speake against themselves say you so saith Satan are you for light I 'le fit your turne by dressing my selfe as an Angell of light Satan will quote Scripture 2 Cor. 11.13 14. And thus by false glimmerings of the true but misrepresented light Satan turneth soules aside into the shady Thickets of the Wilderness even into Workes of darknesse When Satan had once observed that our Saviour kept so close to the guidance of scripture Mat. 4.4 It is written saith Christ that man lives not by bread onely Truly now Satan himselfe in the very next temptation will quote scripture too but curtelized and abused cast thy selfe downe for it is written he hath given his Angells charge to bear thee up c. abuse unsufferable â— for hee leaves out that clause that would have mar'd the logick of the temptation viz. he shall keep thee in all thy waies which casting himself down from the Pinacle could not be You have mention of some that wrest the Scriptures to their own perdition 2. Pet. 3.16 They turne the Scriptures out of the way that they themselves may with more security and freedom turn aside and this trade they take up as you see from their father the Devill I shall give you amongst many 1. An instance in two sorts of persons but a double instance the one of persons the other as to times For the first There are two sorts of persons both of which are bewildred First Such as either endeavour not at all or Secondly Such as if they doe endeavour trust to their endeavours Now Satan do usually pervert Scripture unto the seducing of them both First For such as labour not at all 1. Such as indeavour not at all Usuall iâ— is for such though they will not stand to the guidance of other places of the Scripture yet close to follow those which they mistake and carelesly to runne on in the waies of sin still There are some that never frequent Ordinances or take any paines either in publick or private with their own soules and ask them why they are so negligent in the weighty things of God and their own soules Why say they doe not the Scriptures themselves teach as Ioh. 6.44 that we cannot come to God except he draw us we do but stay for his drawing If we should take never so much paines all would do no good Without him we can do nothing as Joh. 15.5 and would you not have us stay for his coming If the spirit moveth us we shall pray and if God turn us we shall be turned and when God wills we shall believe and repent and till God please we by our endeavours can do nothing This is the language of many hearts and upon this their practice is to sit still and what is this other then to be quietly kept in the Lyons Den
2. Such as trust to their endeavours Secondly for such as endeavour but trust to what they do these are as far out as the other Ask them what will you make your prayers your righteousnesse your alms your attendance upon the word your duties your Saviour will you rest there why those as you have heard are but part of the waies of the Wildernesse still Say you so saith that soul nay but you shall never make me believe that doth not the Scripture say wash you make you clean Isa 1.16 Cast away your transgressions make you a new heart and a new spirit why will you die turn your selves and live you Ezek. 18.31 32. Doth not the Scripture say If you be willing and obedient you shall eat the good of the Land Isa 1.19 Why I have done thus and I have been thus and why should not I expect to live by what I have done and to receive what God hath promised as I have done what God hath commanded And so when the forementioned soul shall come and tell God that he is an austere Master gathering where he did not sow if he bid them do what the Scripture saith they cannot do as that wicked servant Luk. 19.21 The later wil come and boast and glory in himselfe as that wicked Pharisee Luk. 18.11 God I thank thee I have been and I have done so and so Now both these are out of the way and yet they think that Scripture is their guide as that blasphemous Papist who when he had vented his popish tenets and as he pretended and perhaps thought managed them by Scripture hee breaks out in a wretched rapture If I saith he be deceived decepisti ô Petre decepisti ô Paule Peter and Paul had deceived him Scripture had deceived him c. but amongst all the rest forgets that which was truest that the Devill transformed into an Angell of light had deceived him Querie But in this case what shall we do I confesse they are to be sadly pitied that erre and think they have the Scriptures company and countenance in their Erring although I believe there are many that pretend the Scriptures against their own light as Satan to our Saviour Answ I answer Wee are not in the least from hence to slight the true guidance of the Scriptures no more then wee should cease to drink because some abuse the good creature unto drunkennesse But now that we may come at this true guidance I shall entreat you to deal by Scripture as the Apostle saith of the Prophets 1 Cor. 14.29 Let the Prophets speak two or three and let the other judge and ver 32. The spirits of the Prophets are subject to the Prophets Let 's hear what the Scriptures can say that put the soul upon working as if it had a self-ability and le ts hear what those speake also that call the soul off from leaning upon its owne indeavours as being when it hath done all an unprofitable servant and le ts hear what a third shall judge of them both and surely if both kinds of Scriptures should seem to strive as I may so say a third would come in and say as he said vitulo tu dignus ille est both have wonne Read but Phil. 2.12.13 Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling for it is God that worketh in you both to will and and to doe of his own good pleasure You must work it out yet it is God that worketh in you It is God that worketh in you of his own good pleasure yet you must work it out yea and therefore for it is God c. 2dly As to times 2. In two sorts of times there are two sorts of them as to Gods account six daies he hath given us the seventh he hath reserved for himself Now then all the week the men of the World spend peaceably in seeking onely after the World 1. Weekdaies all the week-daies I say and they would not have you blame them for it if they hear a Lecture now and then they think that 's more then they need to do the Minister is beholding to them for their Company and God for their attendance and they 'l have Scripture to follow too Why is it not written Six daies thou shalt labour 'T is true say I but again is it not written therein thou shalt do all that thou hast to do and hast thou nothing to do for a poor soul hast thou a Family to provide for and many things to do as Martha about them and hast thou no provision to make for a poore soule of a truth this is exceeding sad 2. Lords-day Again when the Lords day comes then some in the City or in the Town sleep it eat and drink it almost all away rising that morning very late as having sate up very late the night before at work and goe that night to bed very early that they may be up soon on monday morning to follow the World They take their penniworths out of the sleep of their Apprentices all the week before and they willingly suffer their Apprentices to take their penniworths out of the Lords day morning and evening and they will tell you they have Scripture for it too why doth not Scripcall it a day of rest Again as for those that live in the Country and have other kind of affairs they think if they wait but on the publick Ordinances they do hugely well for as for all their other time they spend it in foddering or milkng or looking after their Oxen and swine and sheep and the like And doth not Scripture tell them they may do so they 'l tell you that Christ allowes it them Mat. 12.11 But doth not Christ that allowes thee to pull an Oxe out of a ditch upon the Sabbath much more require thee to pull thy poor soul out of the fire with fear and trembling Thou thinkst it is fit to look after a dumb Creature that is gone astray upon the Lords day and may perish if thou looke not after it and the Sabbath thou l't say from Scripture is a day of mercy True but doth the Scripture give thee leave in such a day to be onely cruell to thine owne soule that that may be lost and wander in the Wildernesse and never bee lookt after Oh! take heed whilest you pretend to be led by Scripture-guidance lest you become unrighteous Judges of the Scriptures in your own thoughts though God hath said That he will have mercy and not sacrifice yet how canst thou thinke that in such a day God will have mercy shown to Beasts and to Bodies and not to Souls And thus you see how Satan makes it his businesse by Scripture-guidance to bewilder soules I could multiply instances Instance in distressed Consciences Alas how doe poore distressed Conscience urge Scriptures against themselves to hinder themselves from laying hold on Jesus Christ and to the condemning of themselves and their courses
even to despair And how doe bold prophane sinners urge Scripture for themselves and for their sinnes And bold presumers to hinder their soules from being humbled unto conversion and to the justifying of themselves and their courses even unto that presumption I tremble to think and I dare not speake what I have heard in this kind lest I should put a sword into any mad mans hand whereby hee might kill himselfe unlesse I had time enough as to each particular to take it out of his hand againe I have heard Tipling Chambering long Haire painting of the face c. defended and pittifully too by abusing and by wresting holy Scriptures But surely they that sinne by Scripture-shelter will have a miserable Comforter of it in the latter end Now because there 's so much danger of being lost under a mistaken Scripture-guidance I dare not leave the Saints without a word of serious Exhortation that by frequent prayer they would effectually and frequently put in suit that precious Scripture-promise concerning the holy Scripture-guide Joh. 16.13 I will send the Comforter ver 7. and when he who is the spirit of truth shall come he shall guide you into all truth for he shall not speake of himselfe but whatsoever he shall heare that shall he speak And thus much of Satans bewildring souls by false guidances The CHAP. XVII Containes the third sort of bewildring meanes viz. Darknesse with foure generall Considerations concerning soules bewildred therein applyed Third sort of bewildring meanes viz. Darknesse THird sort of meanes of spirituall bewildrings are spirituall darknesses And nothing is more frequent then this in both kinds You 'l say Those that are bewildred are usually bewildred in the night I 'm sure so it is with sinners They that are drunk n are drunken in the night 1 Thes 5.7 And so for other sinnes for a drunken sinner is a notable resemblance of every bewildred sinner see Isai 19.14 They have caused Aegypt to erre as a drunken man staggereth A drunken man cannot keepe the way no more can erring Aegypt a bewildred people or person they stagger out of the way first on one hand then on the other and this is in the night the dark gives advantage hereunto so Ephe. 5.8 You were darknesse sometimes though now you are light in the Lord therefore walke as who should say it 's good walking now If our light be darknesse sure our walk will be a Wildernesse Therefore if Paul turne sinners from the power of Satan unto God it must bee by turning them from darknesse to light Act. 26.18 And if his Gospel be hid in others and they be lost it will be by Satans blinding their eyes lost the light of the glorious Gospell should come unto them 2 Cor. 4.3 4. It s Satans work then to casts mists and fogges and thick darknesse before the eyes of poore Creatures and so to blind their souls Now what darknesse is in Naturalls Or ignorance Note that ignorance is in Spiritualls And as Darknesse bewilders Travelling persons outwardly so Ignorance bewilders travelling soules Rom. 3.12 They are all gone out of the way Why What 's the reason verse 11. There 's none that understandeth verse 17. The way of peace they have not known so Heb. 3.10 They do alwaie erre in their heart and what 's the reason still and they have not known my waies Object But will you say if ignorance be the cause of soul-bewildrings whence is it that so many that have much knowledge and light enough to come out of the Wildernesse keep there still Solu I deny that There is not any soule that 's in the wildernesse that hath enough of true light to helpe it thence Verily all the notionall knowledge Note and brain-light in the world is little better then darknesse if not darknesse according to that intimation of Christs Mat. 6.23 If the light that is in thee be darknesse how great will that darknesse be and I would have you know that all the knowledge the head can hold is not enough to disentangle the bewildrings of the heart The Pharisees could say we see they had sooner got out of the Wildernesse if they had been blind as Christ tells them Joh. 9.41 You have a strange passage Mar. 12. by the way the Pharisees and Sadduces too were such knowing men hat they had exquisite Observations upon the Scriptures they could quote them and gloss upon them and start Queries about them and notably discourse out of them as here verse 19. Master Moses wrought thus c. Yet Christ tells these very Sadduces verse 24. You do erre not knowing the Scriptures And here 's enough in this one place to prove all that I have spoken upon this account together You that is you Sadduces that can quote Scripture and argue out of it do erre that is are out of the way not knowing the Scriptures Here ignorance or spirituall darknesse is made the very cause of spiritual be wildrings On this Theme as mainly necessary I shall somewhat insist and propound some particulars and therefore I shall prepare my way with these more generall Observations Four generall Considerations concerning souls bewildred in the daâ—k of ignorance in number foure Those that are bewildred in the dark they are they know not where they go they know not whither they stumble they know not at what they fall they know not when and thus it is with bewildred and benighted Sinners 1. They are they know not where 1. They are they know not where If you should meet a bewildred Traveller on an Heath or in a Forrest in a dark night and should aske him where he is hee might say I am here here yea but where is that truly must he say I know not well where I am Thus God demands 1 Cor. 1.20 Where is the Wise where is the Scribe where is the Disputer of this world Where Why the wise man is at the Councill you will say the Disputer is in the Schoole the Scribe is at the Deske Ah poore wretches themselves know not where they are else why doth God aske the Question so likewise Isai 19.12 saith God Where are the wise men c. I will warrant you they thought they could give a very full answer a very faire and prudent account hereof where they were what they were doing and how to come off they thought no doubt they knew well enough but God knows they know not Let me aske you therefore as God did Adam Gen. 3.9 Adam where art thou Why it may be thou wilt say Lo here I am Yea but friend where is thy soule hap'ly thou maist say my Thoughts they are after my work my businessâ— mine Affections they are after the world my Heart that is in my Coffers my Compting-house my Ware-house my Work-house on my Markets in my Barne on mine Harvest my marrow and strength are yet in my bones and my breath is in my nostrills and so I
admiration of God had cast her away I asked her if she were resolved to harbour sin and to hold her iniquity till she should die that she did so determine that she was a Reprobate The poor heart brake out into a passion of tears and said Oh! no I had rather be damned with holinesse then carry sin to heaven with me for God knows I hate it with a perfect hatred These are the souls I speake unto that are under this bewildring temptation because of their darkness in respect of the purposes of God of whom I am bold to conclude that though they bee their own Reprobates yet are they none of Gods 2ly Darkness as to Gods thoughts 2ly They are bewildred in exceeding much darknesse as to the thoughts of Gods heart toward them You know in generall we are very apt to measure every ones thoughts by our own The proud Spirit wonders that every one doth not think him worthy of that respect that he thinks himselfe worthy of and again the lowly Spirit that thinkes meanly of himselfe wonders that any one should think better of him then he doth of himselfe that any Godly Minister or Christian should think well or speak well of him when he cannot bestow a good thought upon himselfe and indeed whatever it be that we have taken up a strong perswasion of we admire that every one thinks not as we thinke Now when once poore soules come to harbour those sad thoughts that I have spoken of against themselves they are much in the dark concerning Gods thoughts being wholly disposed to measure Gods thoughts by their own When a Minister brings them a comfortable word they cannot be perswaded that God is of that mind because they are not of that mind When David brings lame creeple Mephibosheth to eat bread at his own table 2 Sam. 9.7 He can't be perswaded that he means as he saith that he should eat bread alwaies there ver 8. What is thy servant that thou shouldest looke on such a dead Dog as I am What would you make me believe that God hath any thoughts of saving such a dead soule as I am such a sinner how can it be I know mine owne thoughts that I would never find in mine heart to do such a thing for such an Enemy of mine and of my good as I have been unto God and unto his glory therefore I can never thinke it I thinke if I were as judge I should undoubtedly damne such an one as my selfe is and therefore let me alone God can have no thoughts of good concerning me Now hold a little whilest we read Isai 55.7 8â— Let the wicked forsake his waies Why what shall he get by that is there any hope of good for a wicked man Yes God will have mercy upon him Yea but saith thy soule not upon such a grievous sinner as I am yes God will abundantly pardon Do you say so O but I can never think that Yea but friend that 's an unrighteous thought and you must forsake it Let the unrighteous forsake his thoughts Forsake it why ver 8. For saith God My thoughts are not your thoughts nor are your waies my waies but as the heavens are higher then the earth so are my waies then your waies and my thoughts higher then your thoughts ver 9. So that it is a bewildring darkness for thy poor heart to conclude that God thinks no thoughts of peace towards thee because thou canst not think thy soul worthy of that peace c. For saith God I know the thoughts that I think towards you thoughts of peace Jer. 29.11 3ly Poor souls in such a day 3ly Darkness as to Gods providence are much in the dark as to Gods providential dispensations Oh! saith the soul if God intended to pardon me in the end he would never thus long keep me upon the rack if God intended to save me in the Conclusion he would never suffer Satan thus to buffet me unbeliefe to have so much power over me temptations to blasphemous thoughts and despairing words thus far to prevaile against me c. Therefore doth Eliphaz sinfully and uncharitably conclude concerning good Job Jo. 22.5 c. That his wickednesse was great and his iniquities infinite c. because ver 20.11 That snares were round about him and darkness that he could not see c. And thus think poor souls of themselves that because they are under darker dispensations as they think then any others that therefore their sins are greater and their conditions more desperate then any others Now this is darkness for this is to judge according to the appearance and not with righteous judgement Thus though God had brought comforts to Zion and tels her that he will have mercy upon his afflicted Isa 49.13 Yet because she was afflicted verse 14. Sion said the Lord hath forsaken me and my Lord hath forgotten me He would never have staid so long saith the soul but that he hath quite forgotten me he would â—ever have served me so and so but that he hath quite forsaken me Now how much darknesse there is in this kind of arguing you may easily see in the next verses though a Mother forget her Child and can that be yet I will not forget thee saith the Lord for thou art graven upon the palms of mine hands verses 15.16 4ly Darkness as to Gods justice and mercy 4ly They have exceeding darkness upon their thoughts as to the justice and mercy of God and hereby they are also bewildred They poor Creatures can not think but that God is more inclined to justice then to mercy towards them and here still they judge according to flesh blood Indeed flesh and blood saith it is the glory of a man to revenge himselfe upon them that have wronged him but the Spirit saith It is the glorie of a man to pass by an infirmitie Now this they cannot but judge that God will have more glory in damning them then in saving them therefore they conclude that they shall be damned justice must passe upon them Now such thoughts are very darknesse for verily neither is Gods delight so much in nor his glory so much advanced by taking of revenge upon his Enemies though vengeance be his and he will repay as in shewing mercy unto poore souls 1. God delights most in mercy 1. Scripture seems to hold forth that there is nothing so much of Gods heart in punishing as in pardoning as is cleare in those two known Scriptures Isa 28.21 Where judgement is called his work but his strange work his act but his strange act as if he did not know how to goe about it How shall I give thee up Ephraim c. but Mich. 7.18 God pardoneth iniquity and passeth by transgression because he delighteth in mercy he delighteth in mercy in the worke of pardoning sin in the act of passing by transgression as if hee knew not how to go about any other work how dark then
are thy thoughts that perswade thee that it will please God better to damn thee then to save thee 2ly The exerting of pardoning grace 2ly Gods glory is most in mercy sets the brightest crown of glory upon the head of the Almighty Exo. 33.18 Moses begs of God I beseech thee shew me thy glory and how doth God answer his prayer herein why ver 19. I will make all my goodness pass before thee and I will proclaime 〈◊〉 name of the Lord before thee and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious and will shew mercy to whom I will shew mercy this is Gods name and his glory If this then be the darkness wherein thou hast walked that God will have most glory in damning thee take hold upon this name of the Lord and stay thy selfe upon him as thy God CHAP. XXI Containes the third kind of bewildring darkness viz. relating to the way of reconciliation betwixt us and God in three particulars under the last whereof this question is resolved what humiliation is sufficient to reconciliation THe third last sort of bewildring darknesses attending conversion it self 3d. Kind Such as respect the way of reconciliation betwixt us and God are such as relate unto the way of Reconciliation between us God And verily though we have a desire now to make peace with God yet how shal we come at him if we be in the dark as to the way of peace The way of peace they have not known may be truly said for some season of some souls that would have peace I remember when God had hammered them by so many judgements Amos 4.12 At length he comes to a nameless judgement so sad that it seems it could not be expressed Therefore thus will I doe unto thee Thus how 's that truly I can't tell how and what of that Oh! therefore prepare to meet thy God O Israel to meet him therefore you must goe onely in that way towards him wherein he is a comming towards you if you go in any other way you I will misse of him not meet him and if you be in the dark though you desire to meet him yet may you misse of the way and so be bewildred when you would be reconciled therefore Mat. 5.25 Agree with thine Adversary quickly whilst thou art in the way with him If thou wouldest agree with God thou must be in the same way with God if thou wouldest meet him thou must meet him in his own way Now there is but onely one way of Reconciliation wherein God will draw neere unto a loâ—t soule being justified by faith through Jesus Christ we shall have peace with God Rom. 5.1 And therefore the same is our onely way of Pacification with God so Heb. 10.20 This is the new and living way Now all other are but dead waies wherein a lost soule seeks life Now what heart hath light enough at the first to see and to hit upon this new and living way I can challenge your darknesse in this respect upon this three-fold accompt 1. You think that undubtedly you must give something to God 1 Darknes we thinke we must give something to God towards your reconciliation with God Now this is very darkness for it is Gods giving of Christ unto you not your giving of any thing unto God that is the bottom of your pacification But very ready are we to thinke and Satan to perswade us that there is no comming unto God but by bringing something of our owne unto God Hence that enquiry Mic. 6.6 Wherewithall shall I come before the Lord and bow my self before him shall I come before him with sacrifices c. Oh! that 's the dark counsell of our vain hearts Bribe Justice and then you shall have its favour I speak not to streighten your hearts or hands from lending to the Lord but to direct your souls where to bottom your peace Doth your goodness extend unto him or will he take a reward to clear him that is guilty God forbid that any heart should think so and yet if many an heart were asked Wherefore are all these alms that thou givest Conscience must answer as Jacob in his course Complement to Esau Gen. 33.8 Esau said What meanest thou by this drove and Jacob said These are to find grace in the sight of my Lord he had need call him my Lord when he intimates him to be of so base and ignoble a a spirit that a Bribe should purchase pardon for a Brother Just so deal souls with God the alms they give their bounty to Saints to Ministers c. are to find favour in the sight of God But if Esau can refuse his present telling him he hath enough surely God may much more despise thy gifts be they what they will be because all things are his Psa 50.9 10. I will take no Bullock out of thine house nor Hee-goat out of thy fold for the beasts of all the Forrest c. are mine Set a side the Lord Jesus Christ and peace in believing and I dare say it would begger all the Saints and Angels in Heaven and Earth to make one Peace-offering to the Lord for any lost soul 2ly You think 2d Darkness We think we must do something for God that undoubtedly you must at least dâ—â— something as a bottom and ground to your reconciliation with God Now this is also a soul-bewildring darknesse for if it be onely what Christ hath given then it is onely what Christ hath done that can be a propitiation to God for us What will God ever be friends with me that give him nothing nor do any thing for him how shall I think that Verily flesh and blood wil hardly think it therefore as the former question was Wherewithall shall I come before God what shall I give and the answer from God comes without money and without price so the next question that dark nature prompts is this Good Master what good thing shall I do that I may inherite eternal life Mat. 9 16. What good thing shall I do Oh! we think it must be some good thing of our own doing that must be at the bottom of our salvation What good thing saith Christ keep the Law and fulfill the Gospel that perfectly for that 's the sum of Christs answer to him Now friend if thy goodness extend so far then go on to meet the Lord in thine own way But now thou that livest upon such terms if ever God take thee as Solomon took Shimei when he had gone beyond his limits from Jerusalem to Gath after his run-away servants 1 Kin. 2.39 40. The Lord will deal with thee if ever he find thine heart running after the world or after sin as he dealt with Shimei ver 44. God will call thee to a severe account upon every old score and return all thy wickedness upon thine own head judging thee by thine own mouth Think of the Pharisee who comes and tells God what he
hath done for God c. Lu. 18.12 And yet went away unstified v. 14. Think of those lost souls that shall come to Christ in the last day telling what they have done for him how they have preached in his Name and cast out Devils for him c. And yet Christ tells them he doth not know them Think of Noahs Workmen that holpe to build the Ark yet were not saved by the Ark. But you wil then say What shall we do with our doings truly I must say as to the business of justification and making your peace with God say when you have done all as Lu. 17.10 That you are but unprofitable servants 3ly But when the soul comes to be yet farther enlightned and directed 3d. Darkness We must be humbled to such a degree so as to think indeed that what it can give or what it can do are nothing indeed neither are they that which as to peace-making God requires yet is there bewildring darkness upon the Spirit when the soul comes to be of Davids mind and to speake his language Psal 51.16 Thou desirest not sacrifice else would I give it thou delightest not in burnt-Offerings then in comes the 17 v. The sacrifices of God are a broken heart and here the poor creature is at a losse and in the dark still crying out Oh! what shall I do for such a Sacrifice Now goeth he to hammer his own spirit and to see if he can break his own heart and yet it doth not please him Poore ones place this brokenness of heart in such a measure of being humbled yea David might well say indeed that he he had a Broken heart so a sacrifice which God would not despise for he watered his Couch with his tears if I could do so saith the soul I durst then think that I had a Sacrifice Yea but prophane Esau had multitude of brinish teares and yet he had no Sacrifice Heb. 12.17 Thou thinkst the Sacrifice of broken-heartednesse consists in such degrees of being humbled and till thou come to such a measure as such an one had thou darest not believe in Jesus Christ and so thou still walkest in darknesse Observe what the Psalmist sayes The sacrifices of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not the Sacrifice but the Sacrifices of God are a broken heart And here it seems that a Broken heart if it go alone and carry not along with it another Sacrifice viz. Christ can never be acceptable unto God For it is not onely expresly manifest that David looks beyond the Sacrifices of the Law by what he saith in the precedent verse but it is to me evident not onely from the clearnesse and Evangelicalness of this Psalms whole style but particularly from that particular Petition v. 7. Purge me with Hysop and I shall be clean which Hysop was of a two-fold use in the Ceremoniall Law 1. For the sprinkling of the blood of the cleane Bird a type of Christ by which sprinkling the Leper was to be cleansed Lev. 14.6 7. And 2ly For the sprinkling of the water of Separation or purification Numb 19.9 18. called therefore Holy water Chap. 5.17 because the unclcan were therewith purified It is I say to me evident that by faith David had respect to that Blood and Water that at once issued out of the side of Jesus Christ Jo. 19.34 At that time when he offered up his body once for all Heb. 10.9 That one Sacrifice offered for sins for ever v. 12. Which Blood and Water is expresly called Zach. 13.1 and I think not impertinently to this matter a fountaine opened for sin viz. that of blood and for uncleanness viz. that of water to the house of David 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for sinne and for separation that is to say separation for uncleanness expresly respecting that Water of separation which was a type of sanctification as the fountaine for sin that blood for Justification both are for the house of David Oh happy reâ—urne of the foresaid holy prayer But now where is the bleeding Bird and the running Water and the Hysop wherewith this sprinkling is to be made read but the preceding verses ch 12. â—0 I will poure upon the house of David again the spirit of grace and supplications that is the same thing that David in the foresaid Psalme calls the broken spirit the Sacrifices of God but how comes it to be so They shall look on me whom they have pierced and mourn c. there are the Sacrifices a bleeding Spirit looking to a bleeding Christ a pierced soul taking hold by faith upon a pierced Christ a broken heart acting faith for the same thing that in our Text is called Leaning is in that Text called Looking upon a broken Christ Oh these are Gods Sacrifices such as he will not such as he cannot despise such a soul hath the blood of pierced Christ for the doing away of the Leprosie and plague of sin and the water of a pierced Christ for the purging of pollutions of sin away from it and it want not the Hysop of bitternesse if you look to the end of the verse that bitter but purgative grace of godly sorrow to repentance never to be repented of whereby that Blood Water are sprinkled upon it unto Righteousneâ—s Holiness whilst it by faith continueth looking on him that was pierced or in the language of our Text leaning upon the Beloved But and if we shall think that the Psalmists expression is onely an Hebraism the Sacrifices that is to say the best or chief Sacrifice of God is a broken heart we must yet understand it of an heart Evangelically broken and so the matter of necessity returns to the same thing Know ye therefore this day Note That all the businesse and use of a broken heart as to Pacification the Atonement of the sinner unto God though as to us there may be other uses of it such as to make us to walk humbly with good Hezekiah all our dayes Isa 38.15 I say all the use of the broken heart as to pacification with God is meerly to make the penitent sinner willing to take hold on a broken Christ and when these two go together there are the Sacrifices of God Thou art in the darke if thou thinke that thy broken-heartedness makes peace with God for thee any more then any Gift or Work of thine by or of it self but broken-heartedness makes thee see what need thou hast of makes thee desirous accordingly to take hold upon Gods strength that He may make peace with God for thee Thine humblings be they as great as Esaus are no better Sacrifices to God then his teares unlesse thy broken heart hold up a broken Christ for a sin-offering for a propitiation unto God Query If you say then how shall I know whether my heart be sufficiently broken Solu I answer If thine heart whether it be harrowed or shattered to pieces more
or less according to the different fram of it or of thy conversation through Education or Restraining grace c. I say if thou be so far broken as to be truly necessitous and poor in spirit undone sensibly and undone utterly without a Christ so willing to close with a broken Christ absolutely upon his own terms let them be what they wil yet thou must have him art willing to come up to any terms rather then to go without him whether thy sorrowings have been yeares or months or weeks or daies or hours whether thy tears have been many or few whether thine humblings have been more or lesse thine heart is enough broken to take hold upon and by Christ to become the sacrifices of God even such as he will not despise Illustration And sirs let me deal familiarly with you what is that you account the breaking of a Childs spirit You have a Child some of you froward and cross it wil not eat but in what dish and with what spoon it pleaseth well saith the Parent I le break your spirit You know that a word will doe as much to one as a blow to a childe of another disposition Now the business is not how often it be whipt once or twice or thrice or whether it be whipt at all or no if so be that the child be now made thoroughly willing to lay down its own humour and will and to eat in what dish or with what spoon or after what sort the Parent will c. If that be done you account that you have broken the childs spirit So what ever the manner of Gods dispensation in humbling of the soule be whatever measure of the terrour of the Lord is known by it or unto whatever degree of affliction the soul be reduced if the soule thereby be but made unfeignedly willing to come up unto the terms of God wholly laying aside its own wisdome which is folly it s own righteousness which are rags it s own riches which are very beggery that is the broken and contrite spirit which God will not despise This is the sum of our Saviours own doctrine Mat. 16.24 If any man will come after me let him deny himself and take up his Cross and follow me That is let him disown his own terms his will his waies c. let him lay all them aside and let him take up his Cross and follow me that is though my waies and will be cross and conttary to his own and as a cross to flesh and blood yet let him follow mine and not his own this is to have a spirit Evangelically broken and such a sacrifice God will not despise CHAP. XXII Containes the third sort of Bewildring darkness vâ—z after conversion in three particulars the first whereof in this Chapter viz. Declaring our first Love THere is a third kind of bewildring darkenesses The third kind of bewildring darkenesse viz. after conversion As to our comforts 3. particulars which I refer to our after-Conversion-State which either bewilder us and make us at a losse as to our comforts or as to the exercise of our graces 1. There are darknesses bewildring us after our conversion as to our comforts And those are principally upon one of these three accounts either from the withdrawing the first light of Gods countenance or our first Love or 2. Gods darksom dispensations outwardly towards us or 3. our own dark backslidings from him First The declining of our first height of zeale for God and Gods ravishing smiles upon us the declining of our first height and heate of Love and also of the ravishing sense of Gods pardoning grace and love towards us which we sometimes have in a very high measure in our first conversion but abates oft times afterwards is as it were the setting of the Sun upon us and leaves us many times so much in the darke as to make us at a losse as to all our Spirituall comfort and brings us indeed into a second wilderness Give me leave to illustrate this by a parable A parable The first Apostacy of our hearts The state of unconversion Suppose a woman in a crosse humour leaving her husband and forsaking his house makes as she intends for some friends house that may receive her and where she may better indulge her own mind and cocker her owne will and spirit But missing of the way lights into a wilderness and loseth her selfe and anon the night overtakes her now she weepes and wailes The state of Conviction but there is none to comfort her she listens and harkneth if she might happily heare the voyce of any guide but in stead of the voyce of a man to comfort her there are the roarings of all the devouring beasts to affright her she is afraid to call out for helpe lest by such intelligence the ravenous beasts find her and seize upon her and she spends the miserable night but yet is kept alive till at length the day star ariseth First glimmerings of hope or tidings of mercy Dawnings of some comfortable hopes Conversion and that is some refreshing to her the day breakes and that is more the sun ariseth and the Lyons lay themselves downe in their dens their roaring ceaseth oh now she gets up and listens and whose voyce should she heare but the voyce of her affectionate carefull faithfull husband who had followed her with love to find her when shee was lost and how do you thinke will that voice revive her yea but when he comes to her embraceth her pitties her pardons her leads her out of the wildernesse he gives her wine Justification c. hee powres oyle into the rents which the thornes of the wildernesse had made the bryers of the wilderness having torne away her cloathes from her hee takes his own garment and casts it over her Ravishing joyes Enlargements of heart towards God he adornes he perfumes her Oh! what ravishing joyes are there now thinke you in the heart of this woman Oh! now she will returne home she will goe and dwell with him and she will never forsake him any more Yes home she must and she hath such a mind to it that sometimes she outgoes as it were her husband he doth not go fast enough for her But at length as willing as she is Drowsinesse after conversion her leggs grow weary of that fast pace and her spirits are so tyred that she draggs behind and falls asleep and there she lyes her husband looks and calls her but she is fast asleep he comes to her joggs her and awaketh her but she is immediately asleep againe being heavy with sleepe Darknesse through Gods withdrawing Bewildring after conver At length the night comes on againe and her husband withdrawes himselfe shee wakens but is neere the borders of the wildernesse still she heares yet again the roarings almost as lightly perhaps as when she was in the midst of the wildernesse she
looks she calls she feeles for her husband but he is gone yet she goeth in the darke and after him she goes but in stead of finding him loseth her selfe Now perhaps she may fear yea think yea be perswaded that the joyes of yesterday were but a dreame and that she was never at all brought out of the Wildernesse Thus she takes on perhaps more than at the beginning untill the day again breaks and her Husband that all this while observed her speaks unto her and reveales himself afresh and comforts her And now this is that she will doe she takes hold of him she followes after him and yet keeps close unto him she makes him her strength if she cannot goe he must leade her he must carry her for home with him she must she is resolved to goe Pardon the Allegory for I speake of Christ and his Church The Soul departing from the Lord as all of us did in Adam is called a woman departing from her first Husband Hos 2. It thinkes to please it selfe in sin but instead of finding a way to true pleasure hits upon this spirituall Wildernesse The Night is the darksome clouding of a convicted wounded spirit The Lyons roaring c. is the terrours of the Law temptations of Satan horrors of Conscience In this condition as I said the soul is afraid of crying out for a Guide for a God for fear of the Devil Many a such soul is more afraid of praying now than it was of cursing or swearing before This Sunset of carnall comforts this Midnight of black terrours may and often doth continue long and alwaies long enough to make the poor heart weary of the Wildernesse But God is faithfull who suffers not the soul that he loves to be tempted above what it is able but will with the temptation also make a way to escape Through the tender mercy of this God the Day-star at length visites the soul thus sitting in darknesse And here 's some glimering of comfort to the heart Yea but anon the Sunne of Righteousnesse ariseth with healing under his wings And now are the beasts of the prey laying themselves downe in their dens Satan is chained up from assaulting the Law is prohibited from condemning and Conscience begins a little to be cheared and now the soul gets up upon her feet to hear what God will say and the sound that she hears is the voice of her Beloved where art thou poore Soul come unto me and I will give thee rest And this abundantly revives her yea but by and by Christ comes and manifests himself unto her and receives her making her able by Faith to embrace him He puts his Robes his Righteousnesse upon her nakednesse his Oyle his Comforts into her wounds his Wine his Joyes revive her his Grace his Oyntments doe perfume her and now the heart that was rent and the bones which were broken doe rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory And now the soul makes too much haste home even greater than Christ seeth convenient for it crying out Oh that I were dissolved that I might be at home with the Lord Lord now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace Oh! that I had but power according to my minde what would not I doe for God This is much haste but doth this hold alwaies No verily the Spirit indeed is willing but the Flesh is weake it s not able to beare such hard travail it grows drowsie and dull and heavy with sleep I meane security or sloath or the like yea and asleep it falls under the edge of the Wildernesse though it be out of the state of sinne yet it is neare unto the terrours and actings of sin still And as soon as this soul falls asleep Christ seemes to withdraw Anon the soul is again awakened but night is come upon it It is not yet so free from the Wildernesse but it can againe heare the roaring Lyons that is 't is again afflicted perplexed troubled Satan's as loud Conscience is as loud as ever And now saith the soul alass all was but a dreame but a delusion and I was never at all brought out of the Wildernesse never savingly wrought upon Now she gets up and loseth her self in looking a Christ now she is in as much darknesse as ever as to her apprehension and this is the first bewildring darknesse after Conversion vâ—z upon the soules falling asleep in spiritual sloth and security even upon such withdrawing of its first zeale and Gods withdrawing his first smiles But when Christ hath to purpose tryed he will graciously returne unto such and restore the joy of his salvation yet perhaps never againe in such a ravishing transporting measure here though he will restore a convenient measure to support for the present yet it's like so sparingly as to keep the soul in more humble and close dependance for the future I have been the longer Made out in the Spouse because I have been telling the main of the story of this Spouse in the Canticles unto that verse which is my Text. You may observe mention of two eminent times of darknesse or benighting times to the poor Spouse Twice in the dark the first was Cant. 3.1 By night I sought him c. Being in the dark she was afraid to be any more without him The second was Cant. 5.2 when she fell asleep and Christ waited to awaken her till his locks were bedewed with the night saith the Text. Now in both these darknesses she was at a losse for her beloved Cant. 3.1 I sought him but I found him not so ver 2 so also Cant. 5.6 I sought him but he had withdrawn himselfe Here it seemes she had once found him but now she hath lost him Now suitable to this double losse Twice coming out of the Wilderness and benighted condition you have mention made twice of her coming out of the Wildernesse Cant. 3. she is bewildred and benighted and at a losse for Christ but ver 4. at length she gets at him and it followes ver 6. Who is this that comes out of the Wildernesse perfumed with all the precious powders of the Merchant Where you have to observe 1. How sadly shee was bewildred till she came at Jesus Christ 2. In how glorious and transcendent beauty she was when she by taking hold upon Christ as is said ver 4. came out of the Wildernesse Oh 't is such a bright day now that she doth not thinke of another night so much peace of conscience joy in believing so much ravishment such smoking perfumes c. Now she comes out of the wilderness and she is a perfumed Spouse But then again as you read of her second Night and second Bewildring in the fifth Chapter so of her comming out of the wildernesse the second time in our Text. Onely observe the difference and you shall find it what I said true Who is this that comes up from the wildernesse leaning upon her beloved Cant.
the Wildernesse take as some do much paines to go farther down into it Alas poor soules 't is down-hil way thou art likely to be at the bottome soon enough even in the lowest hell without running down and if any take paines this way how shall this condemne those that take no paines the other way 2. Use Caution Is the way from the wildernesse up the hill Take heed of fainting take heed of falling 2d Cautino either of these will endanger your tumbling downe the hill againe 1. Caution Take heed of fainting My Brethren 1. Take heed of fainting how conscious are we to our selves how ready are the strongest of us to faint in those forementioned up-hil wayes Now it is not the pleasure of the Lord Jesus that any should faint in the waies of attendance upon him Mat. 15.32 I will not send them away fasting lest they faint in the way Let us also be careful lest our hearts faint in any of the wayes of Jesus Christ although they be never such up-hil wayes For which cause we faint not 2 Cor. 4.16 And as we have received mercy we faint not v. 1. We shall reap if we faint not Gal. 6.9 And this is the praise of Ephesus Rev. 2.3 Thou hast laboured and not fainted In laborious up-hil services they walked without fainting Rules to prevent fainting 1. Looke not down-ward Now to helpe you herein take these two Rules 1. Look not much down-ward 2. Look much upward You have both these together 2 Cor. 4.16 For this cause we faint not v. 18. Whilst we looke not at the things that are seene but at the things that are not seen for the things that are seene are temporall but the things that he look'd at that are not seen are eternall If a man you know would go up a Spire-steeple or Beacon of great height it is very dangerous and dazeling to look down-ward his way must be to look upward all the while 1. Look not down-ward look down and faint and so fall down Observe the Apostles opposition he sets minding of earthly things that is the looking down-ward that I speak of against having our conversation in heaven Phil. 3.19 20. Carnal hearts that mind earthly things will faint in the first steps of that way that leads out of the Wildernesse for it is an up-hil way Therefore saith the Wise man of riches and things earthly Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not Prov. 23.5 That is Doe not so much as set thine eyes upon it 2dly 2. Look much upward Look much upward I will looke unto the hills saith the Psalmist Psal 121.1 I will lift up mine eyes The Apostle comparing our lives to a race or journey bids us Heb. 12.1 2 3. To looke unto Jesus c. lest we be weary or faint in our minde It would extreamly helpe us to have our conversation in heaven to be often yea alwayes looking thither whence we looke for a Saviour Phi. 3.20 This would keepe us from fainting in this up-hil way If you be risen with Christ to the top of this hill and would keep there why then set your affections upon things above Col. 3.1 2. For thus saith the Lord Isai 40.30.31 The Youths shal utterly faint the young men shall fall but they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength yea though it be an up-hil way they shall mount up with wings as Eagles they shall runne and not be weary they shall walke and not faint 2dly Caution Take heed of falling 2. Take heed of falling Is it an up-hil way beleeve it it is very ill getting a slip 1 Cor. 10. He minds us of the falls of the poor Israelites in the way towards Canaan he gives variety of instances from the 5. v. he brings all close down for our admonition vers 11. Wherefore let him that thinkes he standeth take heed lest he fall v. 12. How charily do men go up an hill in a frosty day when the wayes are slippery Oh! this is the danger 't is an up-hil way Let vs therefore labour to enter into that rest lest any man fall after the ensample of their unbeliefe Heb. 4.11 Thirdly Exhortation in two words 3ly Exhortation 1. To come up First Is it an up-hil way then pray let us up and be going let us up and repent up and beleeve up and obey up and pray and read and heare and meditate c. and that leads me to the Third main Doctrine yet before us whitherto I shall refer it Secondly Is it an up-hil way wherein is such likelihood of faintings such feare of falling Oh! 2ly To come up leaning Then labour to leane upon the beloved whilst you come up from the Wildernesse to repent and lean to believe and lean to obey and lean to pray c. and lean and this would lead to the fourth main Doctrine therefore we shall dismisse it for the present We passe on to CHAP. II. Containes the third maine Doctrine That it greatly concernes lost soules to come up from the wildernesse of sinne discovered and applyed with choice directions thereunto THe third maine Point 3d. Maine Doctrine viz. That it is the great concernment of lost soules to come up from the Wildernesse of sinne The Spouse in the Text had been in the Wildernesse but now up she gat That is the lost souls great business to come up from the wilderness and away she came and this is thy great businesse The voyce of the Lord unto such a soule is like the voyce of Christ to his chosen ones in Babylon Rev. 18.4 Come out of her my people lest you partake of her plagues Come out of the Wildernesse my poor Creatures lest you dye wlldernesse-deaths and now must the answer of thy soule be I come Lord. The Lords bewildred spouse Hos 2. takes up this main resolution as her maine worke and businesse I will return to my first husband Hos 2. v. 7. I will goe and return so the Prodigal I will arise and goe to my Father The bewildred Spouse the lost Sonne this is it that they make their great work businesse and 't is not strange that it should be so if you consider that the comming up of lost soules is the very great worke and businesse of God himselfe For this is the great business 1. Of God the Father even God the Father Son and holy Spirit 1. It is the great designe of God the Father that poor soules should come up from this spiritual wildernesse Deut. 32.9 10. Jacob is his portion he found him in the Wildernesse and led him about and instructed him you have this explain'd or if you wil seconded Thus saith the Lord God Ezek. 34.11 I even I will both search my sheep and seeke them out They have been scattered in the cloudy and darke day v. 12. Of this we have spoken I will feed them in a good pasture on the high
Mountaines there shall their fold be c. verses 13.14 Of this we spake in the last discourse I will seeke that which was lost and will bring again that which was driven away I even I saith God My friends shall the Lord God make it his owne great businesse to seeke thy lost soule and shall it not be thine the Lord forbid I would have thee know if thy soule be lost and God seek it and thou doe not thy selfe seeke it And thy neglect a despight to him if thou doe not cooperate thou offerest despight unto the Lord God When God looks for lost soules and they would not be found but the language of thine heart is as Ahabs to the Prophet 1 King 21.20 Hast thou found me O mine enemy Poor soules count God their enemy when his Word or Spirit comes so near them as to find them why this is to offer despight unto God yea then when he is offering the greatest mercy conceivable yea more then can be conceived unto thee Thou art scattered God would gather thee thou art lost but God would find thee this is his challenge against Jerusalem under which it should quite be ruined Lu. 13.34 He would but they would not If a child should lose it selfe and the father finding it should offer to bring it home againe and the child should wrangle and refuse his offer what would you call this or what would you account the child worthy of Gods goodness is a leading goodnesse and if thou refuse to be led by it thou shalt be accounted a despiser of it so saith the Holy Spirit Rom. 2.4 Secondly It is the great businesse of God the Sonne We have had occasion to shew that 2. This the great business of God the Sonne though Christ were never bewildred yet was he led into the Wilderness that he might learn to looke after lost soules This he professeth to be his businesse Lu 19.10 I came to seeke and to save that which is lost This was the errand as you have heard that the Father sent the Sonne into the world about and this he pursues as a light to them that sit in darknesse and a guide into the way of peace Lu. 1.79 And now shall it be the businesse of the Lord Jesus And thy neglect a despite to him also to seek thy lost soule and shall it not be thine own Why Thou offerest despight to Jesus Christ When Christ tenders himselfe as a new and living way and soules notwithstanding resolve to be lost still this the Apostle aggravates by them that despised Moses Heb. 10.28 and calls it a treading under foot of the Son of God v. 29. Thirdly It is the businesse of the Holy Ghost 3. It is the great business of God the holy Spirit 1. By our Ministry to bring poor soules out of the wildernesse of sinne First By our Ministry the Holy Ghost is at the charge of sending forth guides furnished with Gifts for the seeking of the lost and all that expence is hereunto this therefore the Lord sorely challengeth and severely reprehends them for that were called Shepheards that they sought not that which was lost Ezek. 34.4 And his sheepe were scattered yet none did search or seek after them vers 6. Despite done to Messengers herein is done to him that sent them And truly in pursuance of this message whatever despite you offer unto any messenger you offer it as Christ saith unto him that sent him that is the Spirit He that despiseth you despiseth me Luk. 10.16 And shall the Spirit of Grace employ so many Ministers to call thee from the Lyons Den c. to look after thy lost soule and dost thou not make it thine own work Oh! what despite is this unto him that sent them 2. By his own Secondly By his own Ministry by the ministration of himselfe his light his grace his guidance Io. 16.13 The spirit of truth shal guide you The great business of God the Holy Ghost is to be a guid to poor soules and shall it be his work and wilt thou have no care of thine own lost soule this is to do despight flatly to the Spirit of grace So saith himselfe And to neglect this is to do despite unto the spirit of grace Heb. 10.29 Consider consider it cost God the Father the losse as it were for a time of his own Sonne out of his own bosome to help lost soules It cost God the Sonne the losse of his own precious blood out of his own heart and veynes to redeem lost soules It cost the holy Spirit the shedding abroad of his gifts and graces the sending forth of multitudes of messengers to seek poor lost soules and wilt not thou make it thy great businesse also Wilt not thou be at any cost or charges to accomplish it if thou wilt not at once thou dost dispight not onely unto me or any others as poor messengers but also unto all the three that are one God Wo wo wo unto such a soul Querie What means coming from the wilderness 1. It requires But now the Querie will be what this comming up from the Wilderness meanes I shall briefly answer 1. By shewing what it requires 2. Wherein it is dispatched or attain'd 1. Then what doth this coming up c. require I answer First A life sutable to such a motion The soul can never come out of this Wilderness A new principle of life viz. raising up as long as it continues dead in sin You may call long enough to a dead Corps to come up from the Grave except you put a new principle of life into it and as long upon a dead heart to come up from sinne unlesse God put a new life into it The call of Christ to Lazarus put life into Lazarus and therefore he came up from the Grave Joh. 11.44 The call of conversion to a sinner puts life into the sinner and therefore he comes up from the Wildernesse as the two witnesses Rev. 11.11 12. The Spirit of life entred into them and then they heard a voyce saying Come up hither Hast thou heard the voyce of the Sonne unto life if thou hast not thou hast not yet stirred from the wayes of the wildernesse which are wayes of death thou must have a new life to walke in these up-hil paths for this is a new and a living way Hect. 10.20 Never think to be rid of a bewildred heart until thou get rid of a dead heart Our Text is pregnant VVho is this that comes up from the wildernesse How came that I raised thee up under the Apple tree God must raise thee up or else thou canst not come up or rather God by raising thee up makes thee to come up Secondly A motion answering such a life 2. New motions viz. comming up As the soul can never come up unless it be raised so say I there was never any soule raised up but was willing to come
the Lord Jesus although a greater then Solomon be here but who so believeth that Text in Ecclesiastes will readily close with this Text in the Canticles But as for Pharisees that can feed without feare on the feast of their own cooking and Worldlings that can battle themselves in their sinnes is it not strange that they are too strong and too lusty too fresh and too lively to leane on the Lord Jesus Christ so then 't is onely weake and weary ones that either will or can savingly leane upon the Lord Christ I crave leave to be full both in proving and pressing this practical truth 1. Lost soules that will be leaning soules 1. Weak souls may be leaning soules and onely they A fourefold account must be weak soules and they that are weak soules had need be leaning soules this truth looks both wayes and will manifest it selfe on this four-fold account 1. That God would never have engaged the strength of Christ hereunto if any strength of ours or any others on this side Christ would have served the turn 2. As long as a soul hath strength on this side Christ it will not care for leaning for strength upon Christ 3. The strength of Jesus Christ is at first laid out for this very end to weaken our strength 4. Jesus Christ will never give in of his strength until he hath weakened ours First This Proposition I shall lay down 1. Iesus Christ had not laid out his strength upon lost souls if any other strength would have served the turne That if our strength might have served to the saving of our lost souls the Lord would never have laid the strength of Jesus Christ out unto such an end Friends you may not think that that God who is so loath that your blood should be lost would be prodigal of the blood of his owne deare Sonne surely he would never have suffered Jesus Christ to have dyed in vaine Now therefore it was that Christ loved not his life unto the death that as by his wounding we might be healed as by his poverty we might be made rich so by his weakning through the flesh we might be strengthened with all might by his Spirit in the inner man which if all things else had not been too weak to have accomplished Jesus Christ would not at so deare a rate have effected it If any thing might have been supportant to our bewildred soules besides Jesus it must have been Moses I meane performances services righteousness of the Law Our strength in the Old Covenant was by doing in the New Covenant 't is by believing Now if that first Covenant could have stood lost soules in stead unto salvation Jesus Christ had not been engaged but in this the Apostle is expresse Rom. 8.3 For what the Law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh God sent his own Sonne in the likenesse of sinful flesh c. If any thing could be our strength on this side Christ it must be the Law But the Law cannot being weake through the flesh that is our carnal hearts and conversations therefore God sent his own Son Now if Christ were sent in default of other strength into the world for lost soules I hence conclude that any soule that expects salvation by leaning upon Christ must lye under weaknesse as to any and every other strength 2ly There are none but weak soules that will be leaning souls Secondly There are none but weak souls that will be leaning soules because there is no soule that hath strength of its owne that will care for the strength of Jesus Christ This you have eminently observable in the story of the woman with the bloody issue as long as she had either money in her Purse or Physitian to go to she never comes to Jesus Christ that is As long as there were any other course to be taken if security will do it or formality or any other meanes may be used our hearts naturally abhor comming to Jesus Christ But when all was gone money out of her Purse and hope out of her heart c. then she comes to Christ to take hold on the hemme of his Garment and as small a measure of leaning as that was it restored her strength unto her Luk. 8.43 44. You sometime say That you are not weak enough to lye by it though you be scarce well enough to sit up So though foules halfe-convicted are scarce well enough to live without Christ yet are there but few of them weake enough to lye by it that is to leane upon Jesus Christ Thirdly It is the businesse of Jesus Christ to weaken as wel as to strengthen souls 3ly Christ will take away thy strength before he will bestow his own To weaken the strong as well as to strengthen the weake and therefore no soule can be a leaning soule till it be a weake soule for Christ will weaken it as to its own strength before he strengthen it with his owne What David complains of in another case Psal 102.23 That God had weakened his strength in the way the same must thou say in thy soules experience for Christ weakens whomsoever he strengtheneth Thus Rev. 3.17 He takes a course to make them out of love with their own riches c. and then counsels them to buy of him And truly my friends Christ hath as hard worke of the one almost as of the other and our businesse in his Gospel is to weaken your strength as well as to strengthen your weaknesse Hast thou any selfe-strength if Christ love thee he will never leave thee till he hath weakened thee 2 Cor. 10.4 The weapons of our warfare are spiritual mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds God will pull down what is strong in thee before ever he build up what is weak in thee 1 Cor. 1.27 God hath chosen the weake things of this World to confound what is mighty weak preaching to confound mighty corruptions and strong lusts If you build a Babel strong holds of your owne of one sort or another the Lord Christ will bring them to naught he will confound them Whether thou be strong in thine own corruptions or mighty in thine own righteousness he wil weaken thy strength in the way therefore unlesse thou be weake there 's no leaning upon him Fourthly It is the way and method 4ly In thy weaknesse only will he glorifie his owne strength and onely method of the Lord Jesus to give in strength unto those that are made thus weak Hear Christs voyce 2 Cor. 12.9 My strength is made perfect in weakness saith he to Paul And hear the answer of Pauls experience ver 10. For when I am weake saith he then am I strong Yea this is the constant experience of all that receive strength in the way of Faith that is leaning upon Christ When the Apostle had spoken of so many believers and thought of more that the time would faile
hee was perfectly weary of any toyle that can be so soone fresh for the same toyle You are a little weary perhaps that use to ride to London weekly when you lye downe but as fresh you say in the morning as at first setting out Thus many an Hypocrite is a little weary of sinne for the present but saith as the drunkard Prov. 23.35 When I awake I will seeke it yet again and thus they return as the Dogge to his vomit or the Swine that is wash't to the wallowing in the mire You have heard who they are that are fit to lean on Jesus Christ the weak and the weary soules Of both these I have spoken severally CHAP. IV. Containes a farther joynt discovery of this weaknesse and wearinesse also improvement to the weakening of your Christless strength THat which I shall further doe A farther inquiry into the state of this weakness and wearinesse joyntly shall be to enquire joyntly concerning the true state of these qualifications and to endeavour to worke your hearts farther hereunto You have heard of weak and weary ones and what manner of ones they are for surely 't is not every weaknesse nor wearinesse that drives a soule to Jesus Christ Pharoah was weakened by some visitation wearied by others and there are many plagues that weaken and weary many but drive few to Jesus Christ Now then the Question yet worth our searching into will be What weakness and weariness that is which we have been speaking of and which we shall desire to work you to A three-fold Declaration of it 1. As to their kind they must be spiritual I answer They must be for the kind spiritual for extension universall for intensivenesse burthensome First That weakness and weariness must be spirituall Many there be sensible enough that their Estates are weak thyir bodyes weary c. but few that are disturbed with spirits-weaknesse or souls-wearinesse But these must be such 1. Spirit-weaknesse First This weakness must be soul-weakness Isai 35.4 Say unto them that are of a fearfull heart be strong Thy want must be heart-strength or spirit-strength for no man can soberly understand that of the carnal or corporal heart you know the scripture-Dialect When thine understanding wants strength to conceive thy will and affections to receive thy whole heart to practice the things of God as is further explained in the following verses thou art spiritually deafe and blind and lame c. that is the weakness there and here spoken of Question How that shall be known Answ By spirit-complainings But perhaps wilt thou say How shall I do to know then whether my weaknesses be spiritual or no I answer Let me but heare thy complaint and I will salve thy doubt Oh! I have a poor weak Husband saith one and weeps bitterly I have a poor weak Child saith another and wrings her hands I have a poor weake stomack that can take nothing saith a third My strength is even done I am at deaths door saith a fourth Oh! How weak is mine Estate now come to be saith a fifth Where was the Childs weaknesse 2 King 4.19 Oh! you may quickly know if you but hear him speake he cryes to his Father My head my head Now speake Conscience and tell me what thy complaint is and I 'le tell thee what thy weaknesse is Oh! there are amongst the many other mourners over weaknesse that I speake of some precious ones whose dayly groans are my soul my soul Woe is me how weak my prayers are how unfit and unable am I for any the least thing that is spiritual Thus David cryed and what wast he cryed for He cryed to be strengthened with strength in his soule Psal 138.3 In his soul mark that Sirs If you have but a weak Estate in the world and are yet more weak in spirituals I would have you narrowly to watch when as your hearts are most feelingly carryed out in prayer when you come to that Petition Thy will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven or that Give us this day our dayly bread If to the former 't is a signe that thy weaknesse is truly a soule-weaknesse and such as will spur thee unto Jesus Christ Secondly 2ly Spirit-wearinesse This Wearinesse must also be a spirit-weariness Many are wearied with their sutes of Law that never come to be wearied with their sins against the Gospel but saith Sion My soul is wearied Jer. 4.31 It is soules wearinesse and not barely so but soul-wearinesse This also you may discerne by your Complainings What saist thou herein art thou weary of the world because of poverty or iniquity art thou weary of thy life because thou continuest shining or because thou continuest suffering Thou art sick but sinfull which tyres thee most which complain'st thou of most which is most wearying to thee to go without the Creature or without the Creator You know the complainings of that holy Asaph Psal 77.1 2 3. He could not get God to hear his prayer nor to cure his soul and therefore he complained and his spirit was overwhelmed Selah that is mark that it was spirit-complaining Secondly This weakness and weariness 2ly As to their extent they must be universal 1. Weaknesse must be for the extent of it whole and universall First The weaknesse must be universall weakness as they that have Isai 35. Neither eye to see nor ear to heare nor tongue to speak nor feet to walk verses 5.6 All this is summ'd up in the fourth verse where the heart is said to be weak for heart-weakness you know is whole-weakness so saith the Apostle I will glory in my infirmities that the power of Christ may rest upon me or that I may rest upon the power of Christ weaknesses not weaknesse Paul opposeth and so must thou Christs single power to all thy weaknesses I tell you if you fail of unniversall weakness when you come to Christ you shall be sure to fail of universall strength when you come away from Christ for where ever thou hast any strength of thine own the strength of Christ shall not advantage thee and as the Lord saith to Israel concerning Egypt Isai 30.3 So say I to you That strength of yours shall be your shame and your trust under the shadow thereof your confusion You shall heare some say I confess I have but a weak memory and I am not able to discourse as many of them are but I thank God I have as good an heart as any of them all Fie fie if you have any thing good all is naught So 2ly Vniversal wearinesse Secondly Thy wearinesse must be universall which necessarily followes from what I said in answer to the first Question whereof we must be weary and therefore if thy soul have any resting place on this side Christ thy wearinesse of one sinne or another of one support or another can no wayes amount to true wearinesse 3ly As to the intensivenesse it
conceive seed Thou hast been so long barren that thou art affraid thou shalt never be able to conceive the incorruptible seed of the word of God either as to the bringing forth of Grace or Comfort in thy soule by faith thou maist have strength to receive bâ—th 1. Their Graces 1. Faith will afford strength to receive Grace whether as to Mortification or Vivificattion i. Mortifying Grace 1. Mortifying or subduing grace Wouldst thou have the strong man out of doors thy pride thy passion the vanitie of thy thoughts thy lusts of uncleannesse thy worldly lusts c. removed thou hast no way but to make Christ thy strength who is stronger then these and so to call in the Auxiliaries of heaven had David gone out in Sauls Armour undoubtedly Goliath had made him a prey but David went out in the name of the Lord Thus leane thou on the Lord Christ and then what though it be an uncircumcised corruption Note a Giant-like lust that thou contendest with The grand cause that some doe sincerely yet insuccesfully warre with those worldly lusts that war against their souls may be ignorance hereof or neglect herein Luk. 11.21 The strong man will keep his house till a stronger comes Corruption that is strong will keep thine heart till a Christ that is stronger comes It followes He that is not with me is against me and he that gathers not with me scatters verse 23. As I said of your Christlesse strength 't is Antichristian so here to War without Christ is in some sort to War against Christ and to think to gaine ground of thy sinnes in thine own strength is the way to be a loser a â—â—sterer though this vers I know hath another intendment yet is this certaine if Christ be with you as he will be whilst you be with him 2 Chron. 15.2 You shall carry the day and divide the spoyle he that spoyleth Principalities for you can vanquish sin in you Where this Josuah is Generall the field cannot be lost he that brought up the Israelites conquers the Canaanites neither can you be conquerors but through Christ Rom. 8.37 2ly Lean on Christ for Vivifying and renewing grace This is that Law of the spirit of life which in Christ makes free as you heard in the last from the law of sin and death Rom. 8.2 as who should say Vivifying or quickning Grace let there be what there can or what there will be in any soul unlesse there be the law of that spirit of life in Christ Jesus there can not be any 〈◊〉 of grace there Christ is the strength of your quickning grace and that 1. As to the root and life and habit of it 1. Of the root of it I meane grace in the soule Rom. 8.10 If Christ be in you the Spirit is life because of righteousnesse No life or principle or habite of righteousnesse which is here to be expoundâ—d by Sanctification can possibly be in you if Christ be not the strength of it in you 2. The fruits of it 2ly As to the fruit act and exercise of this root life and habit of Grace Io. 15.4 Abide in me saith Christ and I in you for as the branch cannot bring forth fruit of it selfe except it abide in the Vine no more can you except you abide in me The strength of the branch is not able to bring forth fruit but it is the strength of the Vine the branch is not able saith Christ but the Vine is able so the strength of thine habit of grace is not able to exercise or bring forth fruit unto holinesse but it is the strength of Christ for that grace which is said to be in thee and unto thee as a root is in and unto Christ but as a branch Christ is the Vine still the branch as that which immediately feeds it may in some sort be called the root of the fruit but in proper speech 't is onely the root of the Vine that is the root both of branch and fruit and the strength of the Vine is the strength both of the branch and fruit and if their in being or dependance on the Vine were but a little interrupted you should quckly see it truly so it is with Christ both as to the habit and exercise the branch and fruit of thy graces for saith Christ in the 5. verse Without me you can do nothing Mark do nothing Suppose a branch yet could there be no fruit suppose a life yet could there be no action but now oppose this phrase or compose it rather unto that of Pauls Phil. 3.13 where from occasion of the exercise of the grace of Contentation he digresseth to a generall boasting but in the Lord as to all the fruits of holinesse I can do all things through Christ which strengthneth me so that all the out-goings of our graces are and must be only in the strength of Jesus Christ 2ly Of all your comforts 2ly Leane upon Christ as the onely strength of all your comforts You have mention in Scripture of strong consolation as well as of strong grace Heb. 6.18 That we might have strong consolation We Who why we who have fled for a refuge to the anchor that is before us and have taken hold That anchor is hope that whereupon that anchor catcheth hold is Jesus the fore-runner ver 20. No strength of comfort else-where 1. Your foundation-comfort viz. Iustification 1. Christ as the strength of your foundation-comfort I meane Justification is to be leaned upon If you be justified it must be by faith by leaning and if you have peace with God and there be any strength in that peace it must be through Jesus Christ Rom. 5.1 The Hebrew Idiom puts often one substantive with another when in sence it is an adjective So in that passage Isai 45.24 One shall say surely in the Lord I have righteousnesse and strength that is strong righteousness Others may have a righteousnesse as the Pharisees c. that have not Christ but there is no more strength in it to comfort then there is in a few sparks to warm or to enlighten Isai 50.11 But they that lean on Christ for a righteousnesse have strength of righteousness 2ly 2ly All yoâ— upper comfor Leane on Christ as the bottom strength of all your upper comforts such as come in upon the account of your justification If Christ will to purpose strengthen the hearts of his Disciples as to comfort he must tell them as he doth Jo. 14.18 I will not leave you comfortless I will come to you What ever else he either leaves them or sends them they will still be comfortlesse unlesse he comes to them Miserable Comforters are Creatures to us when Christ keeps at a distance from us Comforts they may be and weak ones too as Christless righteousness hath no more substance in 't to hold out the light of comfort then a few sparks so Christless Comforts have no
that trust on Christs name Jo. 14.26 The Holy Ghost whom the Father shall send saith Christ in my name shall teach you all things and shall bring all things to your remembrance even whatsoever I have said unto you If young Preachers that know what beleeving meanes could but lean more upon Christ in this promise they need not lean so much as themselves complaine to their Notes Hath not Christ said that his Spirit shall bring to our remembrance what soever he hath said And what have we to say more If we have for ought I know our memory may be indeed most faithful to us wherein it may seem most to fail us whilst we forget against our wills what we should have omitted with our wills And how can it harme us or spoyle our Sermons if we be content to forego our fancies that we may act our faith The former may please and advance our selves the latter shall advance Christ and please the Lord. 3ly Leane upon Christ as the strength of your Wills I le grant to the Arminians that our wills are strong enough for Rebellion and too strong too even as an iron sinew but alas alas as to the strings of God even a Ephraim 〈◊〉 heartlesse Dove Wouldst thou now be strengthned there also Read Psal 110. Which is evidently spoken of Christ to whom it is affixed Heb. 1.13 ver 2. Send forth the Rod of thy strength out of Sion and then mark vers 3. Thy people shall be a willing people in the day of thy power If ever thy Will get any sanctified strength it is onely in the day of Christs power and by the sending forth his strength Fourthly Leane 4ly Of thine affections one Christ as the strength of your Affections Sirs God will never be contented with your affections unlesse he may have the strength of your affections Thou 〈◊〉 love the Lord thy God with all thy soul and with all thy strength Luk. 10.27 Now unlesse thou have Christ in thine Affections as their strength they will be too weake for God or the things of God Now if you could lean more you would love more and feare and desire and hope and joy and put forth every other affection in more strength You have the Spouse leaning upon Christ in my Text which is verse 5. And as soone as she leanâ— see how she strengthens affections you would wonder there should be such suddain virtue in leaning for veâ—â— 6. she breaks out Love is strong as death the Coals there as the Coals of fire with a most vehement flame many waters cannot quench it neither can the floods drown it if man would give all the substance of his house for love 〈◊〉 would utterly be contemned If Satan saith she should uâ— never so much meanes if the Serpent should cast his golden Apple before me it would not allure me if the Dragon should send all the floods of his mouth after me it would not affright me but that I should still zealously ardently vehemently and unto death affect the dearly beloved of my soule such was the strength of her affections and this she gat by leaning on Jesus Christ CHAP. VII Containes Answer 2d Lost soules are to leane on Christ for all their rest 2ly You must lean on Christ for all your Rest SEcondly Leane upon Jesus Christ for all your Rest Sirs There are times of refreshing from the presence of the Lord for repenting and converted souls Act. 3.19 but those are onely by the sending of Jesus Christ verse 20. Till God send Christ to thy soule never looke he should send refreshings to thy soule Observe that of the Apostle Heb. 4.3 We which have believed do enter into rest and then verse 8. If Jesus that is Iosuah had giâ—â—â— them rest c. From which it appeares that there 〈◊〉 true and spirituall rest but of Christs own giving Iosuah brought them to Canaan but it is onely Christ Jesus that could give them rest And againe that there is no way for poore bewildred soules for of such is the Apostles discouse there to come at this rest but by leaning that is by believing But more particularly leane on Christ as the resting place of your Understandings Consciences Affections whole soules when wearied with the wayes of the wildernesse of sin 1. As the rest of your understands Fiâ—st Leane upon Christ as the resting place of your Understandings he is the great Prophet of his people Secondly Consciences Leane upon him as the resting place of your weary Consciences He is the great high Priest of his people Thirdly Affections Leane upon Christ as the resting place of your tyred affections he is the Lord and Husband of his people Fourthly Leane on Christ as the resting place of your whole soules Soules he is the God and Saviour of his people For the first viz. Our Understandings I shall lay down these two Propositions First 1. Of your understandings Two Propositions 1. Proposition That there is no resting place for our understandings in the knowledge of any other thing That there is no rest for them in the knowledge of any other object but the Lord Jesus Christ I shall prove it by the most eminent instance that any age in the world could give of it and it is Solomon who gave his heart to know wisdome and to search out all things by understanding as himselfe saith Eccle. 1.13 He had moreover all Opportunities and helpes which other working heads have wanted I am come saith he to a great estate and great experience of wisdome and knowledge verse 16. And what shall the man do that commeth after the King 2.12 such a King so great so wise so studious This wisdome of his reacheth so farre as to excell all the Children of the East and people of Egypt the wisest quarters of the world yea he had knowledge of all the Trees and Plants from the Cedar of Lebanon to the Hysop of the wall yea also of all Beasts and Fowls and Fishes He had exceeding much understanding and largenesse of heart and wisdome as the sand on the Sea shore 1 King 4.29 30 33. And yet this Solomon saith of much study though undoubtedly as easie to him as to any man 'T is a wearinesse to the flesh Eccle. 12.12 And in much wisdome is much griefe and he that encreaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow Eccle. 1.18 So that both wearinesse to the flesh and toyle to the spirit is the onely rest to be expected in the confining of our understandings unto any other speculation save onely the knowledge of Jesus Christ 2d Propos That there is sufficient and ultimate refreshing to our understandings in knowing Christ But secondly Jesus Christ and the knowledge of him is the resting place of a tyred understanding Psal 94.12 Blessed is the man whom thou correctest and teachest him out of thy Law Though God take the Rod into his hand to teach him his lesson by yet blessed is
him our Nature not our Nature as it was at first but our crazy Nature our decayed Nature but doe not mistake me I say not our corrupt Nature he tooke not any thing up of our Natures wherein was sin though he took up many things wherein were the fruits of sin such are our weakness s and wearinesses as abstracted from sinne so that all that is naturall unto us as men yea as fallen men setting aside our fall still as it contained sin in it and left sinful corruption behind it is naturall to Christ I hope you can distinguish betweene infirmity naturall and sinfull at least wise it is easie to distinguish them in themselves though not so easie to distinguish them in us where Sin and Nature are so enterwoven Now as I dare not assert that there was any weakness in Christ that was sin so dare I not deny that the weaknesses that came upon us for sin such as temptations sorrows sufferings and death were properly born by the Lord Christ in that nature which was the subject of his Humiliation I mean his humane nature This is plain to me and I desire to make it plaine to the plainest of you That Christ tooke not Adams nature as it was at first though he was as innocent as Adam was at first he took fallen mans craziness not corruption infirmities not sins the whole mortality of the body but not in the least the body of death this I say is to me plaine from Heb. 2.16 He took not the nature of Angels upon him but the seed of Abraham Mark of Abraham not of Adam of Abraham that is Man in a state of imbecility and infirmity not of Adam before the fall nor of the holy Angels who were both as free from all infirmity as sinne but of decayed man as the next words doe undenyably expound it It became him in all things to be made like unto his Brethren vers 17. Mark In all things How shall we then soberly bound our thoughts herein Why the same Apostle makes the onely Exception that is to be made Heb. 4.15 He was in all points like us yet without sin And this will be proved more fully as I shall prove it more particularly 1. In our bodies First The Lord Christ in the state of his Humiliation was weak as we are It is on all hands granted as farre as I ever yet heard that Christ began to be Crucified as soon as he began to be Incarnat Now the Spirit saith expresly 2 Cor. 13.4 That Christ was crucified through weaknesse If this had not beene true that Christ had taken up the weaknesses of fallen man he could never have been crucified for the sins of fallen man And if the other be true that Christ was crucified from the wombe to the Grave then the Apostles words will prove that Christ considered meerly as man was as weak from the Cardle to the Grave as another meer man only the Divinity protected him from all actual frailties that were not fore-ordained for him Else I believe as small a matter would have crushed him in the wombe or the swathing bands as another Infant because as small a time put his life to a period when the fulness of his time was come as ended the dayes of others yea it is said that Christ was dead before them that were crucified with him This truth is no more prejudiced by this that we doe not read of his being at any time sick c. then if a man should say I have not the nature of decayed crazy fallen Adam in me because I am thus old and never yet had a sicknesse or as if he should say I am not mortall because I never yet dyed However whatsoever may be said or denyed as to the extent of this truth this may not be denyed but that crucified Christ was subjected to weaknesses for so saith the Scripture And againe to me it appeareth 2. In our souls that the whole humane nature and not onely the flesh of Christ was subject to weaknesses yet without sin I meane his soul as well as body if there be any soul-weaknesses separate from sin as surely methinks there are though I confesse I am very little acquainted with the nature of Spirits for Christ took not on him our flesh onely but our nature as is cleare in the Scripture before cited and if there be any weaknesses incident to our soules that may be possibly severed from sin and who can think but that they in this kind suffer with our bodies it seemes to me that Christ took them also on him as now if there be any naturall fainting of our hearts in prayer c. which is not sinfull but the infirmity of the soule and the fruit of our sinne in Adam rather than a sinne in us being originally perhaps from some defect in the flesh as Christ saith flesh is weak that there was some such thing in Christ yet without sinne to me seems I speak my thoughts with modest submission from Luk 22.43 44. There appeared an Angell from heaven strengthning him Observe it is not said onely discoursing with him or ministring to him as at other seasons but strengthning him and what follows truly a passage very sutable to our experiences of divine assistance in humane frailty then being in an Agony he prayed the more earnestly This is therefore the summe of my thoughts herein that all the infirmity but not the least of the iniquity of our Natures was taken up by the Lord Christ properly and assumed personally in the state of his humiliation in the dayes of his flesh Secondly 2ly Our natural wearinesses 1. Of Body As Christ took properly upon him the weaknesses so the wearinesses of our natures First Bodily wearinesse upon occasion of bodily labour Christ was as soon tyred therewith as another man of his constitution c. would have been Jo. 4.6 Jesus therefore being wearied of his journey sat thus on the well Now though it is manifest that Adam in his primitive state had labour imposed on him by the Lord I had rather say imployment for labour as importing a burthen or trouble doubtlesse it could not be I never yet met with any one that thought that Adam was subjected unto wearinesse for that is sensibly a grievance and the curse of sin as is evident Gen. 3.19 Which Curse Christ bare and undoubtedly the wearinesse of Christ here mentioned was to be reckoned as one of our griefs or grievances which are said to be born by Christ Isai 53.4 Surely he hath born our griefs c. whence I conclude that it was our decayed nature that he tooke upon him yea the curse of our natures such as weaknesse and wearinesse c. though not the corruption of our natures for it is said Gal. 3.13 That he was made a curse for us although I dare not goe on step beyond this Scripture expression herein 2ly Soul weariness 2ly Christ was undoubtedly subjected
to soul-weariness as that of the body and to both as well as wee Tell me Christians you that know by experience what is the houre of your spirituall wearinesse is it not the houre of your spirituall travaile Read what is said of Sion Jer. 4.31 I have heard the voyce of a woman in travell the anguish c. the voyce of the daughter of Sion woe is me now my soule is wearied And minde what the Lord saith of Christ Isai 53.11 He shall see of the travell of his soule Here you have Christ in soul-travell and if any shall make doubt of his soul weariness at that time let them compare the language of travelling Sion with the voyce of her travelling King Mat. 26.38 He saith unto his Disciples My soul is exceeding sorrowfull even unto death sorrowfull unto death What is that but wearinesse of his life Hitherto refers all that former tyring travell of his pilgrimage on earth where you read of his groaning in spirit and trouble in spirit Joh. 11.33 and Joh. 13.21 Sirs what do you think of the travell of his soule when he cryes out My God my God whay hast thou forsaken me Think you that this was not a tyring travell for my part I believe that never was there any one soule that knew most of the terrors of the Lord those wearying woes and tyring terrors that ever came neare unto the sufferings of Christ in degree for hee drank the very dregs of the Cup of Gods wrath his Cup of Vinegar and Gall that he drank with his bodily mouth I reckon but a shadow and type of the tedious bitternesse of his soule and well therefore might that Patheticall Poet make it the burthen of his sad song when he personates the passion of lamenting Jesus in the language of lamenting Jeremy Was ever griefe like mine And you may say to your Saviour Was ever weariness like thine Surely if eye hath not seen nor ear heard nor heart understood the glory of that REST which Christ hath purchased by that travell neither have they perceived the wearinesse that Christ underwent in that travell we shall never fully know the one till we know both nor be able to conceive of that weariness till we be able to receive that rest Onely thus we may argue in our straightned understandings That if the terrors of one sin and the guilt of one soule be so wearying to us that nothing but infinite mercy can refresh us what tyrednesse must there needs be upon the soule of the Lord Jesus Christ 2ly He did imputatively bear the tyring guilt curse c. of our sins For as the next particular tells us The Lord Christ did though not properly and so as either to be involved in the guilt or depraved by the stain imputatively beare and takes upon himselfe the sinnes of many soules even of all the Elect to beare the weight of the sin and the Lords wrath for the sin in behalfe of their soules who is therefore said 2 Cor. 5.21 To be made sin for us not for all but for us or if for all yet but for all us Isai 53.6 The Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all These are the many considered in themselves though they be but few comparatively whose sins he is said to bear vers 12. when he powred out his soul unto the death And this leads me to 2d Part It was to our weaknesses wearinesses and for our sakes not his own The second Proposition That it was our weakness and weariness rather then his own that Christ tooke on him and for our sakes rather then his own This I passe over as being the full and plain importance of Isai 53. throughout the Chapter and as necessarily deducible from what I have here already proved and therefore I shall proceed to 3d. Part. That Christ thereby became a sutable support for us The third Proposition That the Lord Christ by being subjected unto our weaknesses and wearinesses is hereby become an apt support and leaning stock unto us I have before shewed that the 110 Psalm is by the Apostle expounded of Christ which closeth with this briefe prophesie of the sufferings of Christ and the issue of them verse 7. He shall drinke of the brooke in the way therefore shall he lift up the head It 't is not said then shall he lift up his head or therefore shall he lift up his own head though that were true but indefinitely the head that is as his own so the head of those that are bowed down because his owne head was bowed down to drinke of the brook of the waters of Marah that is therefore he is become a sutable Saviour to lift up the head that is to stay to strengthen to support the hearts of poore disconsolate ones because himselfe had his own head in the brook before us for two things are here imported which are both expressed by the Apostle to the Hebrews For 1. Thereby he gat skill as knowing our weaknesses and wearinesses experimentally First That because Christ himselfe was once subject to weaknesses and wearinesses like as we are therefore he hath skill to succour us as knowing our grievances indeed known unto the Lord God are all our sufferings sorrows sicknesses c. but it is Cognitione intuitûs with a viewing knowledge Known they are to the Lord Christ Cognitione sensûs with a feeling knowledge Thus Heb. 2.18 For in that himselfe suffered being tempted he is able to succour them that are tempted So in that himself was weary and had need of refreshing in his journeyings on earth and had need of strengthning in his Agony therefore he is an accomplished high Priest able to support the weak and to succour the weary 2ly Therefore also he hath will to succour 2ly Therefore he hath as good will also because of sympathy as well as ability Thou knowest the heart of a stranger saith God to Israel because thou wast a stranger in Egypt So Christ knows the heart of an afflicted groaning troubled weakned wearied soule because it was once thus with himselfe This Antecedent and Consequence the Apostle hath both together Heb. 2.17 Wherefore it behoved him to be made like unto his Brethren in all things that he might be a mercifull and faithfull high Priest Hence is that sympathy of Christ in Heaven with sorrowing Saints on Earth whose language is as Pauls 2 Cor. 11.29 Who is weak and I am not weak take two Scriptures for it the one Isai 63.9 In all their afflictions he was afflicted and Act. 9.4 Why persecutest thou me so saith Christ to Satan when he assaults a weak Christian Why temptest thou me He was in Himselfe persecuted before now in his Saints tempted before in his own soule now in his members weak and weary before is his naturall body now in his mysticall body therefore doth his fellew-feeling engage him to faithfulness and his communion in sufferings to commiseration on
Christ followes not the vaine custom of other lovers Their discourse is Complement vain flattering many times lying Complements Christs wooing discourse is heart-discovering down-right Conviction They that heard Josephs rough speech to his Brethren at their first comming whereof they complaine to their Father Gen. 42.30 The man that is Ruler of the Land spake roughly to us would little have expected that ever Ioseph would have proved such a tender Brother to them afterwards And they that heare how coursely as flesh and blood thinke Christs wooings are worded at the first know not how to believe that Christ will make such a tender Husband afterward His first Complements are no other then such as these Soul thou art and hast been as an arrant whore all the days of thy life hitherto there 's not a place nor a time that thou canst thinks of wherein thou hast not gone a whoring from me therefore now return unto me and I will marry thee You have a large story of Christs wooing-language Ier. 3. And how begins he verse 1. Thou hast played the Harlot with many lovers And verse 2. Lift up thine eyes and see where thou hast not been lain with Course Complementing you 'l say but is this woing language Why read but the Chapter and see your selves this is the upshot verse 14. Turn O back-slyding Children for I am married unto you Nor the particular terms of it such as these Thus of his language in general and as to any particular terms of Christs woing discourse they are altogether irksome and ungrateful unto flesh and blood for they are such as these 1. You must forsake all your old friends First Saith Christ If you will marry me you must forsake and forgo all your old friends kindred and acquaintance you must come at home no more Oh! saith flesh and blood who would marry an Husband to be thus tyed in yet is this Christs expresse term Psal 45.10 Hearken O daughter and consider encline thine are and forget thine own people and thine own fathers house why where didst thou learne this wanton word or that garb or that superstition or this vanity saith Christ to the soule Why in my Fathers house I had it from the Cradle what hurt is in it I am sure my Father before me used them and all my Fathers house yet you must forsake it saith Christ or forsake me Nay if I must be so strickt and tyed up even farewell Christ will most of the world say and yet Christ himselfe persists and tells you that she that in this case hates not Father and Mother and Brother and Sister c. cannot be his Disciple Luk. 14.26 2ly You must expect many a sad day 2ly saith Christ If you will marry me you must reckon to have many a sad and sorrowfull day I must be often from home and out of sight and then must the Children of the bride Chamber mourn Therefore when the world shall rejoyce Verily then shall you mourn and lament and be sorrowful yea as the travaile of a woman when her hour is come Verily verily saith Christ it shall be so Jo. 16.20 21. Yea soul though thou be as David yet must thou water thy Couch with thy tears though thou be as Peter yet shalt thou have seasons of bitter weeping yea though thou be as the Spouse even as a seal on Christs arme his love his dove his undefiled one yet must thou be as a Dove in the clefts of the Rock mourning and in the secret places of the staires Cant. 3.14 3ly You must never look for an idle day but be alwaies carrying his yoke and burthen 3ly If you will marry me saith Christ never think to have an idle time of it never look to have a loytering life on 't Assure your selfe I marry you to work and not to play You must take my yoak and my burther Mat 11.28 And you must bid farewell to all your play-dayes in your Marriage-day and never looke for one idle day more Luk. 9.23 If any will come after me let him take up his Cross daily Marke daily and come and follow me Nay then saith the world let who will have Christ if he tell us so before he be sure to us what will he say afterward 4ly If you will marry me saith Christ 4ly You must disowne your own will you must resolve to lay down your own will You must rule your selves no longer for I will be your Lord and worship you me Psal 45.11 And that not onely in what pleaseth you but also in what crosseth your humour and thwarteth your Will Not a lock not a look not a lust nothing more then what I will give way to Luk. 9.23 If any come after me he must deny himself Nay then saith the pride and stubbornnesse of carnall hearts Marry Christ who will we will not have this man to rule over us 5ly If you will marry me saith Christ 5ly You must part with any thing your very limbs at his command You must be so much mine and so little your own that if I call for an hand or an eye or a foot you must part with it yea though it be a right hand or a right eye Mat. 5.29 30. A custom a course a fashion a fancy a lust a sin seeme it never so sweet pleasing profitable useful yet away it must bee thrown though it sit never so close and neare if I and it cannot keepe house together And thus he that forsaketh not all that he hath cannot be my Disciple Yea and if he do not hate his own life also Luk. 14.26 33. Nay now flesh and blood will stop their ears This is indeed saith Nature an hard sayiâ—g and who can hear it yet must you both hear and hearken to it or else there 's no talke of a match with Jesus Christ 4ly 4ly Few like Christs woing carryages Carnall hearts are yet more prejudiced at the woing carriages of Jesus Christ You never heard of another that useth so to woe Christ doth not onely speake hard words but withall strikes as hard blowes and indeed you shall find him but a word and a blow when that he takes the first acquaintance of any heart by way of woing He takes one soule out of one wildernesse viz. The wilderness of sin and allures it into another viz. The wilderness of affliction in spirit and there he seemes both to leave it and lose it before ever he speake comfortably to it Hos 2.14 Another soule he takes and binds fast under the spirit of bondage Rom. 8.15 as Joseph bound Simeon before the eyes of his Brethren Gen. 43.24 Another he takes and beats it blind and throwes it downe to the Earth and keeps it both without meat and drink c. and that many dayes together as he did Saul Act. 9.4 c. Others he takes and wounds them as the Keepers of the wall did the Spouse Cant 5.7 and pierceth them
smites thee that hath been so often smitten by thee Art thou pierced by Christ he was pierced by thee first therefore hast thou little reason to complaine that he hath pierced thee Zach. 12.10 They shall look on me whom they have pierced Doth his Word or Spirit wound thee how often have thy vain and vile words and impenitent and unbelieving spirit wounded him Doth his wooong Carriage now prick thee to thine heart how often have thy wandering Carriages struck Jesus Christ to the heart It s fit that thou shouldest feele what it is to be smitten since thou hast so often tryed what it is to smite And well maist thou take it quietly to be under wounds of spirit many hours yea many weeks that hast in thy sinful Conversation been wounding Christ it may bee twenty forty or threescore years 3ly It s he smites thee 3ly He that is smitten with thee that in the mean while is smitten with thee and therefore surely will not smite to hurt thee There 's no great feare that that Father will wrong his Childe that as we say smites himself while hee strikes his Child Surely in all thine Afflictions most of all spirituall which are greatest is Christ afflicted Isai 63.9 If either Satan Sinne or the Law persecuteth thee Christ will say Why persecute you me I have born suffered done and dyed for that soule therefore I will not see that soule perish but though I smite it with mine own rod yet will I not suffer you to ruine it Surely as Paul saith 2 Cor. 11.29 Who is weak and I am not weak who is in the scorching furnace of an afflicted Conscience and I burn not so will Christ say 2ly Consider Why is it that Christ smites thee 2. Consider Why he smites looke backward or forward and there is little reason to murmur on either hand 1. Look backward upon what thou wert 1. Look backward upon what thou hast been and doe not complain and art thou smitten wonder that thou art not struck down to Hell never thinke strange that thou art sore bruised as in the place of Dragons but rather that thou art not damned and so turned down into the place of Devils Lam. 3.30 He gives his Cheeke to him that smiteth him saith Jeremy of the afflicted Spirit and wherefore saith he verse 39. Doth a living man complaine a man for the punishment of his sin Art thou a sinning soul and yet a living soul oh though thou be a bruised soul thou hast small reason to complaine 2ly Look forward upon what thou art to be 2ly Look forward upon what thou art to be and complain no more and doe not count it hard that Christ hath smitten thee Friend Christ intends thee though thy heart have beene crooked and knotty hitherto for a piece of Timber in his living house for a living stone though thy heart hath been a dead and rough stone 1 Pet. 2.5 Ye are built up as lively stones a spiritual house I hope this will satisfyingly answer what is said Hos 6.5 I have hewed them by the Prophets If you will be part in Christs building you must be content with Christs hewing Againe We are called to be Vessels of mercy and these must be prepared unto glory Rom. 9.23 And whoever prepared Vessels of gold but by the Furnace let this answer Isai 1.25 I wiil turn mine hand upon thee Oh! that think you is a scaring word but why will God do it I will purely purge away your drosse and take away all your Tinne Againe You are called to be the Lords Iewels and these Jewels must be made up Mal. 3.17 The word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He will finish his Iewels And what Jeweller is there though never so sparing but will have some instrument in his hand to cut away the part or parts that are redundant and so to fit the Jewel before he finish and make it up in the ring of Gold This answers that gracious promise though to a carnall heart a bloody threatning Deut. 30.6 The Lord will circumcise thine heart to love him with all thy soul c. That is the Lord will pare it round he will take away the fleshly and carnall and redundant parts of it this will cost sharpe work to thy fleshly heart Thus will Christ deale with thee to make thee to love him when he wooes thee to love him onely be not thou as Zipporah crying out to Christ as she to Moses Exod. 4.16 A bloody Husband art thou unto me because of the Circumcision So that all the expressions that import thy future glory doe abundantly engage thee to receive with meekness 3ly Consider What these smitings shall conclude in Thine Enemies ruine and thanksgiving thy present sufferings and buffetings 3ly Consider what these smitings shall conclude in and be satisfied viz. In the ruine of thine Enemies and in the healing of thee First When God casts soules as those three Shadrach Meshach and Abednego into the furnace and the Son of God comes to take acquaintance with them and to beare them company in that Furnace as Dan. 3.25 What shall that fire doe more then burn their Enemies as verse 22. Verily upon them shall it have no power nor shall the hair of their head be singed verse 27. Thy Corruptions thy sins thy drosse thy dirt shall consume and be burnt up but it shall not be able to hurt thy soule But 2ly As for thy soule if that be bruised 2ly Thy souls healing it shall bee annointed by that balm that is in Gilead and the Physitian that is there Vna eademque manus vulnus opemque feret Christ doth use to wound us as Enemies doe and then to let us lie and perish for want of looking too neare feare so great unkindnesse from so kind a suiter no no but if sense say as Hos 6.1 The Lord hath torn and he hath smitten let thy faith say also as theirs there and he will heale and he will bind us up after two dayes that is some short season he will revive us and the third day at farthest he will cause us to live verse 2. Hearken my friends what Hezekiah can say after all his chatterings like a Crane and shatterings to pieces both which you have together Isai 38.13 14 verse 16. O Lord by these things men live and in all these things Marke all these things as if he could not be without Note or misse one blow of them and doe well is the life of my spirit so wilt thou recover me and make me to live so wilt thou as if God had as it were limited himselfe to that way of working unto the reviving of a dead heart So then either Christ must marry thee whilest a Carkasse and lay thee a dead piece of flesh in his bosome or thou must be contented to be smitten but and if thou be smitten he will verily revive thee and cause
Consider whom thou art to trust That you must take Christ Estate upon trust Consider 1. Whom you have trusted I have wondered sometimes at Bonds that have been drawne wherein the Husband hath stood engaged to his Wife as to money matters that she should trust him to be her Husband whom shee dares not trust to be her Steward or that she dare adventure her person into his hand into which she dare not venture her Estate Surely if Christ be faithfull and worthy to cammand thee wel may he command thine Estate and if thou darest trust him for thy soul well maist thou trust him for thy joynture 'T is Christs promise though but a Land of promise Christs I say that cannot lye Did you ever heare that he dealt faithlesly with any that you dare not trust him Oh the hellish the cursed nature of this unbeliefe thou darest not trust him that never proved untrusty Consult with Paul 2 Tim. 1.12 I know whom I have believed and that he is able to keep what I have committed to him against that day Secondly 2ly Vpon what grounds Upon what grounds you are to trust him for your joynture The Fathers Oath The Sons hand-writing the Spirits seal First God hath sworn as well as promised 1. The Fathers Oath that by two immutable things in which it was impossible for God to lye we might have strong consolation If thy spirit strive in unbeliefe let Gods oath end this strife for God willing to shew more abundantly to the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel confirmed it by an Oath Heb. 6.16 17 18. Secondly Christ hath written as well as spoken 2ly The Sons hand-writing and will himselfe by his own hand-writing which he never can nor will deny become thy Witnesse in this Matter Search the Scriptures saith Christ himselfe when you have to doe with the things of eternal life and they are they that testifie of me Jo. 5.39 I will give you but one Scripture instead of many urge it upon Christ and try if he can deny it to be his own words and hand-writing Joh. 17.20 21 22 23. Neither pray I for these alone but for all that shall believe through their word that they all may be one as thou father art in me and I in thee that they also may be one with us or in us that the world may believe that thou hast sent me and the glory that thou hast given me have I given them c. Mark that deed of GIFT under Christs own hand that the world may know that thou hast loved them and verse 24. Father I will that those whom thou hast given me be with me that they may behold my glory c. 3ly The Spirits seale Thirdly The Spirit hath sealed what the Father hath sworn and the Son written in his own blood Eph. 1 13 14. In whom after that ye believed you were sealed with that holy spirit of promise which is the earnest of our inheritance untill the redemption of the purchased possession shall come to the praise of his glory And now Christians upon such assurance doe but act your faith and as I have seene some London-Merchans that have purchased Lands in the Plantations beyond sea which they never saw but are taken up for them by their Factors Note they have Cards and Maps of them here so will thy faith in this Christ be the Evidence of thy things not seen and of the things that are hoped for as Heb. 11.1 And so the Joynture promised to thee shall come aforehand to be possessed by thee To the 3d. viz. You must goe into another world for it Consider 1. It lies more sutably there 1. Where thine Head is viz. Christ To the third viz. That this Canaan is beyond Jordan this Land of promise in another World I answer Thine Estate lyes where it 's most sutable and most sure for thee 1. 'T is more sutable for thee then if it lay in the world and on this side heaven for 1. It lyes where thine Head is Phil. 3.20 Our Conversation is in heaven from whence we also look for a Saviour which is Jesus Christ the Lord. Secondly It lyes where thine heart should be Mat. 6. 2ly Where thine heart should be 20 21. Lay up treasure in heaven c. for where your treasure is there will your hearts be also Secondly 'T is more sure for thee lying there 2ly It lâ—es more safely there then if it were scituate otherwhere There was never any thing that Saints enjoyed that was of this World or in common with the World but some Saints or other at some time or other have been plundered of it by the World yea so are all Saints at their going out of the world Were thy happinesse on this side Heaven thou must forgoe it when thou goest under ground But Mat. 6.20 Lay up for your selves treasure in heaven where Moths corrupt not not neither can Theeves break through and steal away The Theives of the world can steale thine the moth of death can corrupt thee but what Christ hath for thee in heaven 't is an inheritance incorruptible and that fadeth not away reserved in the Heaven for you 1 Pet. 1.4 To the fourth viz. That you must die by the way To the fourth viz. That you must dye by the way 1. 'T is all mens necessity as you journey towards your joynture I answer 1. 'T is all Mens and Womens necessity once to dye whether marryed to Christ or to the Devill whether joyntured in Heauen or in Hell Heb. 9.27 It is appointed to men once to die Sirs some must die to be dammed therefore well may you be contented to die to be saved some must dye to be actually and fully possest of Hell therefore let it not grieve you to dye to be actually and fully possest of glory Secondly 2ly 'T is thine advantage 'T is all good Men and Womens advantage though necessity to dye before they are possessed of Heaven Christ will subdue your Enemies ye Christians and bruise Satan and the last Enemy shall be destroyed and that is Death And when that is done when there is none to take your joy from you then shall it be fully giuen to you Yea when all your Enemies and those that hated you shall be chained up from ever harming you any more then shall you in their sight be possessed of all reall and glorious enjoyments in the world to come Therefore to that soule to whom to live is Christ surely to die shall be advantage Phil. 1.21 A closing word And now for a closing word unto all that I have beene sent to speak to wooe you or as Paul saith 2 Cor. 11.2 To espouse you to one Husband that I might present you a chaste Virgin unto Christ To make you LOVERS that you may be LEANERS upon Christ which was my great businesse in this Discourse Let me tell you that as
this case thou must either put the lie upon the Scripture or upon Sin I believe thou darest not doe the former and therefore why is it that thou wilt not do the latter Or 2ly At most 't is but a Spiders web Secondly If sinne have any being at all make the best of it it is but as a Spiders web A poore thing you 'l say for an House to lean upon when all it's support is in very deed by leaning on the House Take but downe the House and you need not take downe the Cobweb My Brethren if Scripture be true then the very best head that sinners can bring their work unto is but the spinning of a Spiders web a poore thing you 'l say and a very vanity for the soule which should be an house for God to dwell in to leane upon and yet read Isai 59.4 5. They trust in vanitie there 's my charge against sinners they speak lies conceiving mischiefe and bring forth iniquitie they spin Spiders webs there 's the proofe Would not he be accounted a foolish one that would not yeeld to the taking downe of a Cobweb for feare least his House should fall And what shall we account of foolish sinners that thinke that if their soules be but swept and their sinnes their Spiders webs but taken downe that then they shall fall also and that their Reformation would be their ruine Miserable madnesse why Sinne is not the House and thy Soule the Cobweb but thy Soule is the House and sinne the Spiders web Thy soule hath not it's dependence being and subsistence upon sinne but sin hath it's dependence by hanging upon thy soule It 's sad that so many cleanly and houswisely for the world that cannot indure Spider or Cobweb in their Houses should to freely suffer both in their hearts and thinke that they goe about to undoe them that would sweep them downe Oh! downe with Spider and Web and All down with Satan and Sinne too and instead of danger I 'le warrant thee decency and that thy soule shall become a Temple for the Holy Ghost to dwell in But if thou wilt still conceipt that thou canst not be or subsist without thy sin when in very deed it is thy sinne that cannot be or subsist without thee know from the mouth of the Lord Job 8.14 That thy hope shall be cut off because thy trust is a Spiders web Secondly 2ly This will be the veriest vexation of Spirit 1. If this Reed bear not up the hand it will pierce the hand This will be the veriest vexation of spirit which will easily appeare in these severall particulars 1. Sin is not of an indifferent nature If it cannot profit thee to leane upon it it will be sure to prejudice thee This is that very Aegyptian Reed 2 King 18.21 That staffe of Aegypt whereon if a man lean it will not onely breake and so shrink from under his hand but it will go into his hand and pierce it thorough Oh! what is that which leaves the deepest markes behind it in wounded Consciences and distressed Spirits but this or the like I have sinned and trusted in my wickednesse and strengthned my self in my sin When a man flees the judgements of the Lord and leanes to his sinne untill the guilt and horror thereof meet him he is compared to a man fleeing from a Lyon and going into the House 2ly The harder you lean upon sin the heavier it will lie upon you and leaning his hand on the wall and a Serpent bites him Amos 5.19 2ly The harder you leane upon sin now the heavier will sin lie upon you another day What is observed of the Irish Nations Genius that while they are Underlings they are faire and flattering but ever plotting for the Mastery and the more they are trusted or leaned unto the more easily they attaine it but their little fingers are as others loynes when they have gotten the upper hand of those that by leaning to them were prevailed upon by them this may be verily said of sinne the more you adventure to leane upon it the harder it will be sure to lie upon you 1. In the Commanding power sinne will not long bee a servant when once you come to trust it Sinne promised to be your servant at the first but you must be it's slaves afterwards Though sinne will be daily offering its service such as it is to the Saints as I remember the Irish used to doe to the English before their massacre in the late Rebellion yet the way to keepe it from Mastery is to keepe from trusting it If once you be deceived so farre as to trust it for then I am said to be deceive when I lean'd or trusted to a man and found him not according to my trust reposed in him I say if once you be thus deceived by sinne sinne will be servant no longer but you shall be presently found serving divers lusts and pleasures Tit. 3.3 2ly In the condemning power of it Sirs The more you put stress upon sinne now the more weight of horror and guilt and condemnation sinne will be sure to lay upon you afterwards You will finde Scripture more expresse to this pupose then you willingly would have it I shall give you but one proofe and thinke that enough Isai 30.12.13 Thus saith the holy One of Israel because you trust in perversenesse and staie thereupon therefore this iniquitie shall be as a breach ready to fall swelling out in an high wall whose breaking comes suddainly at an instant Your sinne will not alwaies be your Underling but if you make it your wall and leane upon it and stay thereupon it will quickly get above your head and grow higher then you and the more you leane the sooner it will swell and the harder you leane the heavier it will fall upon your heads you shall not need to call to Mountaines to fall upon you this high wall of your own building and whereunto you trusted will be weight enough upon your Consciences and vexation enough unto your spirits 3ly Lean on sin and looke that God should leave you 3ly Lean on sin and God wil leave you he that trusts in sin hath a God on this side God he makes sinne his God and then as Hos 10.3 What should a King do unto us so what should God do unto him What will he doe why he tells you Hos 4.17 Ephraim is joyned unto Idols let him alone When men are joyned to sinne that is hold sin as hard as sinne holds them and stick unto sinne as close as sinne sticks unto them God will say and they had as good he should say any thing let such a soul alone Lastly Though God leave thee for the present 4ly The harder you press upon sin the harder will God presse upon you yet will he leane the harder upon thee another day the harder thou leanest upon sinne now What a dreadfull passage is that Job 27.20 22. Terrours
speake Christs Priestly Office and that 's the first I am the way for Christ being Priest is as truly his peoples way unto the Father as being Prophet he doth bring truth or being Prince life from God unto them How Christ as Priest comes to be the souls way You 'l aske how Christ as Priest comes to be the souls way I le tell you Christ as Priest hath made a Sacrifice of himselfe before the Lord which was the onely means to make a way out of the Wildernesse I meane to bring sinners unto God So that I may be bold to say unto you here is a way out of the Wildernesse paved with the very flesh and cemented with the very blood of Jesus Christ And therefore whatever soule refuseth to walke in this way shall be found guilty of treading under foot the Son of God and of counting the blood of the Covenant an unholy thing Heb. 10.29 We must by faith walke in him else by neglect we trample on him Oh! how great a difference will there be betwixt those that walke in him and those that trample upon him in the end That Jesus Christ as Priest hath by his owne flesh and blood made his way to the Father in our behalfe see Heb. 8.12 By his own blood he entred into the holy place having obtained eternall redemption for us That Christ as Priest hath by his own flesh and blood made a way for us unto the Lord see Heb. 10.19 20. Having therefore boldnesse Brethren to enter into the holiest through his blood by a new and living way consecrated to us through the vail that is to say his flesh Here 's a way a new and living way and consecrated that is by Christ the Priest made as I said of his flesh and blood who dyed that wee might have life who came into the Wilderness that we might come out of it This is the way walke in it 5ly What kind of way Christ is Lastly for your encouragement I shall endeavour to recommend this way unto you which I have thus laid before you yea the Lord himselfe hath chalked out unto you Tell me what way poor soule wouldst thou chuse to walke in A right way say all the high-way say some a broad way say others a pleasant way say others a clean way say others a well provision'd way say others a profitable way say others a secure way say others the way home say others Is all this enough to commend a way unto you if it be not call for more You shall find all these in this way 1. Every one that journey'th is solicitous or should be to finde and so to keep the Right Way Oh! that my waies were directed saith David Psal 119.5 Now Jesus Christ is the onely right way for bewildred and lost souls to walke in for what is true of the Type viz. Israels way from the old Wildernesse is certainly most true and must needs be so of Christ the Antitype 107.7 He led them forth by a right way And the truth is Jesus Christ is so the right way that so nothing of Whoredome Swearing Sabbath-breaking Drunkenness Hypocrisie c. I say Hearing Reading Praying Almsgiving are all but wrong wayes wildernesse wayes without Christ and this is evident in the ninety nine persons just according to the righteousnesse of Scribes and Pharisees which you know was of that kind left in the wilderness Luk. 15.4 7. But what shall I then doe may the Caviller say I wonder what these Ministers would have us doe sometimes they bid and otherwile they forbid I had thought these had beene right waies indeed and if I might continue in the Wildernesse for all these why should I walk in them any more Say not so we forbid not these waies but in these we presse to make towards this way Travellers are wont when they are at a muse to take the waies that are most hopefull and probable and in them as soon as may be to enquire the way goe thou and doe likewise Jer. 6.16 Stand ye in the waies that is the wayes of the Ordinances and see and ask for the old paths that is to say of holy duties that holy men of old have walked in and ask where is the good way that way is Christ and you shall find rest to your souls It seems there is in all those Wayes one peculiar way to be sought out and walked in and that way is Christ for we have just now proved that Christ is the onely way to that soul-rest whereof the way to Canaan was but a type So that this truth is not only Gospell but according to the Law and the Prophets Wherefore never tell me of thy prayers unlesse Christ be in thy prayers or of thine Alms unlesse Christ be in them they are the waies but Christ it the way and in them you must seek him Thus did the spouse she had lost her Beloved and seeks him in the Ordinances which the Spirit thus expresseth Cant. 3.1 In the broad waies she sought him whom her soul loved that it as Divines understand it in the Ordinances ver 2. Take heed of resting satisfied in any duty but onely then and so far forth as you find Christ in that duty Thy comforts will be like the Dove fluttering upon the waters if they flutter upon thy duties thou never wilt find rest unto thy soul untill thou findest Christ and walkest in him Christ is the onely right way 2d Christ is the High-way Secondly Christ is the high way out of this Wildernesse You see Ghrist is the performance of that promise to the Wildernesse Isa 55.8 an high way shall be there an high way oh here 's encouragement An high way is free to all the poor may go on foot in it as well as Nobles ride in Chariots The poor may receive the Gospell and walk in Christ for he is the high way An high way none may interrupt in it If men walk in private paths they are trespassers and may be arrested and verily whilst the soul is void of Christ it commits daily trespasses what ever it doth even when it s eats its daily bread I need not tell you men are trespassers who walke in the waies mentioned before in the way of the wicked the way of lying the way of Baalam the way of the Adulterous c. the purblind Conscience may spy that but know friends that even your waies of duty prayer hearing c. are trespasses and you walk as it 's said aggravating the misery of those times Judg. 5.6 through by-paths whilst you go Christlese in them Now when a man walks in a by path another comes interrupts him what hast thou to do to walk here in this ground I need not tel you that when one whore 's swears c. that God Law and Conscience will interrupt him what dost thou whither goest thou but this I 'le say when he reads and praies and hears c.