ingredient in thy Cup of Judgment for it is the greatest Aggravation of thy sin for through it Gods Name is Blasphemed If they had not known they had not had sin Pagans sin is no sin in respect of Christians If ye consider Christs Sermon Matth. 11. Ye will say Isaiah is a meak and moderate man in regard of him Isaiah calls them people of Gomorrah but Christ will have them worse and their Judgment more intolerable then theirs And that not only the profane of them but the civil and Religious like who believed not in him VVell then here is the advantage ye get of your Name of Christianity of your priviledge of hearing his VVord dayly Ye who never ponder it to tremble at it or to rejoyce in it who cannot be moved either to joy or grief for Spiritual things Neither Law nor Gospel moves the most part of you I say here is all your gain ye shall receive a reward with Gentiles and Pagans Yea ye shall be in a worse case nor they in the Day of the Lord. The civil Christian shall be worse then the profane Turke and ye shall not then boast that ye were Christians but shall desire that ye had dwelt in the place where the Gospel had never been preached It is a Character of the Nations that they call not on God and of Heathen Families that they pray not to him Jer. 10. 25. And wrath must be poured on them VVhat then are the most part of you Ye neither bow a Knee in secret nor in your Families to God your time is otherwayes employed ye have no leisure to pray twice or thrice a day alone except when ye put on your Cloathes ye utter some ordinary bâ—blings Ye cannot be driven to Family worship shall not God rank you in Judgement with these Heathen Families Or shall it not be more tolerable for them nor for you And are not the most part of you every one given to Covetousnesse your heart and eye after it seeking Gain and Advantage more then the Kingdome of Heaven Doth not every one of you as you have power in your hand oppresse one another wrong one another Now our end in speaking thus to you is not to drive you to desparation No indeed but as there was a word of the Lord sent to such by Isaiah so we bring a word unto you That which ruines you is your carnal confidence Ye are presumptuous as this people and cryes the Temple of the Lord the VVork of the Lord c. as if these would save you Know therefore that all these will never cover you in the day of wrath Know there is a necessity to make peace with God and your righteousnesse must exceed the righteousnesse of a profession and external priviledges and duties or else ye shall be as far from the Kingdome of Heaven as Sodom and Gomorrah VVe speak of Rulers sins that ye may mourn for them lest ye be Judged with them If ye do not mourn for them in secret know that they are your sins Ye are Companions with them Many fret grudge and cry out against Oppression but who weeps in secret Who prayes and deprecats Gods wrath least it come upon them And while it is so The Oppression of Rulelers becomes the sin of the oppressed themselves Hear the Word of the Lord It were a suitable preparation for any Word that is spoken to make it take imprâ—ssion if it were looked on as the Word of the Lord and Law of our God And truely no man can hâ—ar aright unlesse he hear it so Why doth not this Word of the Lord return with more Fruit Why doth not men tremble or rejoyce at it Certainly because it is not received as Gods Word There is a practical Heresie in our hearts which rather may be called Atheism VVe do not believe the Scriptures I do not say men call it in question but I say ye believe them not It is one thing to believe with the heart another thing not to doubt of it Ye doubt not of it not because ye do indeed believe it but because ye do not at all consider it It is one thing to confesse with the Mouth and another thing to believe with the Heart For ye confesse the Scriptures to be Gods VVord not because ye believe them but because ye have received such a Tradition from your Fathers have heard it from the womb unquestioned Oh that this were engraven on your Heart thaâ— these Commands these Curses these Promises are Divine Truthes the VVords and thâ— Oath of the Holy One. If every word oâ— Truth came stamped with his Authority and were received in the Name of God himself what influence would it have on the Spirits and the practices of men This would be a great Reformer would Reform more in a Moneth then Church and Staâ—e hath done these many Years VVhy are Rulers and People not Converted and Healed for all that is spoken Here it is Who believes our report VVho believes that our report is thy own Testimony O Lord When Ministers threaten you in Gods Name if his Authority were stamped on the Threatning if men did seriously apprehend it were Gods own Voice would they not tremble When the Gospel and the joyful Sound comes forth if ye apprehended that same Authority upon it which ye who are Convinced believes in the Law would ye not be comforted Finally I may fay it is this point of Atheisme of Inconsideration and Brutishnesse that destroys the multitude makes all Means Ineffectual to them and retards the progresse of Christians Men do not consider that this word is the word of the Eternal and True and Faithful God and that not one Jot of it will faill Here is a Poynt of Reformation I would put you to If ye mind indeed to Reform let this enter into your Hearts and sink down that the Law and Gospel is the Word of God and resolve to come and hear Preachings so as the Voice of Jesus Christ the true and faithful witnesse If ye do not take it so now yet God will Judge you so at the end He that despiseth you despiseth me and he that hears not you heares not me If ye thought ye had to do with God every Sabbath would ye come so carelesly and be so stupid and inconsiderate before the Judge of all the Earth But ye will find in the end that it was God whom ye knew not SERMON IX Isai 1. 11. To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices to me saith the Lord c. THis is the Word he calls them to hear and a strange Word Isaiah asks what means your sacrifices God will not have them I think the people would say in their own hearts what means the Prophet What would the Lord be at Do we any thing but what he Commanded us Is he angry at us for Obeying him What means this Word Is he not repealing the Statute and Ordinance he had made in Israel If
and doing what his Mouth hath spoken And this is established in the very Heavens Psal 89. 2. His everlasting purpose is in Heaven where he dwells And if any man can ascend up to Heaven if any creature can break through the Clouds then may his Truth be shaken His Word comes down among men Nay but the foundation of it is in Heaven and there is his Purpose established and therefore there is nothing done in time can impare or hinder it Ye think this World very sure the Earth hangs unmoveable though it hang upon nothing All the tumults confusions and reels hath been in the World have never moved it to the one side Heaven goeth about in one Tenure perpetually keeping still the same distance Nay but his Truth is more established then so Heaven and Earth depends but upon a word of Command he hath said let it be so and so it is Nay but his Word is more established of it saith Christ One jot or title of it cannot fail though Heaven and earth should fail He may change his Commands as he pleases but he may not change his Promise this puts an obligation on him as he is Faithful and true to perform it and when an Oath is superadded O! how immutable are these two When he promises in his Truth and swears in his Holinesse Is there any power in Heaven and Earth can break that double cord Matth. 5. 18. Heb. 6 18. There is no name of God but it is comfortable to some and as terrible to others What comfort is it to a godly man that trusts in his Word He is a God of truth An honest mans word is much his oath is more What shall his Word be who is a God of Truth Who though all men should be liars yet God is true Ye who have ventured your Souls on his Word ye have an unspeakable advantage his truth endures for ever and it is established in the Heavens the ground of it is without beginning the end of it without end Ye are more sure then the frame of Heaven and Earth for all these shall wax old as a garment We speak of a naked word of truth Indeed it is no naked word that is Gods Word His Works of Providence and his Dispensation to yow is a naked and bare foundation nay a sandy foundation and ye who lean so much to them is it any wonder ye so often shak and waver All other grounds beside the Word are uncertain unstable this only endures for ever The creatures goodnesse and perfection is but as the Grasse and the Flour of the Field Venture not much on your dispositions and frames thou knows not what a day may bring forth but his Truth is to all generations and it is well tryed as Gold seven times all generations have tryed it and found it better then pure Gold His Dispensations are arbitrary no rule to you he loveth to declare his Soveraignty here and to expatiat in the creatures sight beyond its conceiving but he hath limited himself in his Word and come down to us and laid bonds on himself Will he then unty them for us Give him liberty where he loves it take him bound where he binds himself How may God expostulate with this generation as these of little faith How long shall I be with you saith Christ How long will Christians tempt the Lord in seeking signs And will not rest upon his only Word and Promises O Adulterous generation how long shall I be with you and ye will not believe Is it not righteousnesse in him either to give you no signe at all or to give you a signe darker then the thing it self as he did to the Pharisees Ye will give credit to a mans word and will ye not believe Gods An honest man will get more trust of us then the True and Living God Shall he not be offended with this We declare it unto you that he is Truth it self and will not fail in his promise let that be your Castle and Refuge to enter into Mercy and Truth are two sweet companions to go along with you in your pilgrimage David prayed for them Psal 61. 7. O prepare thy mercy and truth to preserve me Who will not ly safe within these everlasting Arms what power can break through And this he promised to himself Psal 57. 3. God shall send them out c. Mercy made so many precious Promises and Truth keeps them Mercy is the Fountain and Sourse of all our Consolation and Truth and Faithfulnesse conveighs it to us and keeps it for us It is these two that go before his Face when he sits on a Throne of Majesty and makes himself accessible to sinners Psal 89. 14. and so they are the path way he walks in towards those who seek him Psal 25. 10. But this sweet and Precious Name that is as Oyntment poured forth to these who love him how doth it smell of death to those who walk contrair to him He is a God of Truth to execute his Threatnings on those who dispise his Commands and though ye flatter your selves in your own eyes and cry peace peace even though ye walk in the imagination â—â— your heart yet certainly he is a God of Truth I pray you read that sad and weighty word that will be like a Milstone about many mens necks to sink them in Hell Deut. 29. 20 21 Ye who add drunkenness to thrist whose rule of walking is your own lust and whatsoever pleaseth you without respect of his Commands and yet flatter your selves with a dream of peace know this for a truth the Lord will not spare thee he that made thee will not have mercy on thee his jealousie will smoak against thee and all the eurses written in this Book shall ly upon thee and thy name shall be blotted out from under Heaven It was unbelief of Gods Threatning that first ruined man â—â— is this still that keeps so many from the remedy and makes their misery irrecoverable The Serpent brought them to this question Hath God said ye shall die And then presently the question intertained becometh a conclusion ye shall not surely die Thus ye see how the lyar from the beginning was contrair to the God of Truth And he murdered us by lying of that God of Truth And it is the same that shuts out all hope of remedy Ye do not as yet believe and consider that curse that was pronounced against Adam but is now also inflicted upon us Therefore there is no solid belief can be of the promises of the Gospel And ye who think ye believe the Gospel do but indeed fancy it except ye have considered the true curse of God on all flesh But if any man have set to his seal that God is true in his Threatning and subscribed unto the Law Then I beseech you add not the unbelief of the Gospel unto your former disobedience He is a God of truth in Promises and Threatnings It is
strange how untoward and froward we are a perverse generation we do not believe his Threatnings but fancie we receive his Promises or else believeing his Threatnings we question his Promises But know this for a truth his last Word is more weighty and the unbelief of it is most dangerous Ye have not keeped his Commands and so the curse is come upon you do ye believe that If ye do then the Gospel speakes unto you The God of Truth hath one word more He that believes shall be saved notwithstanding of all his breaking of the Law if ye do not set your Seal to this also then ye say he is not a God of Truth ye say he is a liar And as for you who have committed your Souls to him as to a faithful keeper and acquiesced unto his Word of Promise for Salvation think how unsutable it is for you to distrust him in other lesser things Ye have the promise of this life whoever hath the Promises of the life to come Therefore do not make him a liar in these He is a God of Truth and will let you want no good thing Say to the righteous it shall he well with him what ever be Let Heaven and Earth mix through other yet ye may be as Mount Sion unmoved in the midst of many floods because of the Promises Without iniquity who doubts of that say ye What needs this be added who charges him with iniquity or sin Nay but stay and consider and you shall find great weight in this It is true none dare charge him openly or speak in expresse terms against his Holinesse yet if we judge of our own and others practices and dispositions as the Lord useth to construct of them if we resolve our murmurings impatience self-absolutions and excuses to hold off convictions into plain language if we would translate them into a Scripture-style certainly it will be found that the most part of men if not all use to impute iniquity to God and accuse him rather then take with accusations laid against themselves And therefore the Lord useth to go to Law with his people he who is the Judge of the world that cannot do unrighteously he who is the potter and we all the clay yet he so far condescends to us for convincing us as sometimes to refer the controversie between him and his people to other creatures as Micah 6. 12. He calls the mountains and the foundations of the earth to judge between him and his people and sometimes he appeals unto their own consciences and is content though judge to stand and be judged by these who were guilty as vers 3 and Jer. 2. vers 5 and 31. All this supposes that when the Lord would endeavour to convince them of iniquity they did rather recriminat and took not with their own faults This is a truth generally acknowledged by all He who is the judge of the world doth no iniquity But O! that ye considered it till the meditation of it were engraven on your Spirits the seal of Gods holinesse that ye might fear before him and never call him to accompt for his matters Who can say I have purged my heart from iniquity Among men the holiest are defiled with it and so are all their actions But here is one that ye may give him an implicit faith so to speak he is a God of truth and can speak no lie be does no iniquity and cannot do wrong to any man Would there be so much impatience amongst you and fretting against his dispensations if ye believed this solidly Would ye repine against his holy and just wayes were it not to charge God with iniquity Your murmuring and grudging at his dispensations is with child of blasphemies and he who can search the reins sees it and constructs so of it You say by interpretation that if ye had the government of your own matters or of Kingdoms ye would order them better then he doth how difficult a thing is it to perswade men to take with their own iniquity O how many excuses and pretences how many extenuations are used that this conviction may not pierce deeply But all this speaks so much blasphemy that iniquity is in God Ye cannot take with your own iniquities but ye charge his Majesty with iniquity Just and right is he Is this any new thing was it not said already that he is without iniquity and his wayes judgement But alas how ignorant are we of God and slow of heart to conceive him as he is therefore is there line upon line and precept upon precept and name upon name if it be possible that at length we may apprehend God as he is Alas our knowledge is but ignorance our light darknesse while it is shut up in the corner of our mind and shines not into the heart and hath no influence on our practice And the truth is the belief of divine truths is almost no more but a not contradicting them we do not seriously think of them as either to consent to them or deny them Is there any consideration amongst us now of Gods justice and righteousnesse though it be frequently spoken of And what advantage shall ye have if ye do not consider them O how hard is it to perswade mens hearts of this that God is just and will by no means acquit the guilty there are so many delusions drunk in in mens hearts contrary to his truth Let no man deceive you be not deceived with vain words know ye not saith our Apostle these are strange prefaces would ye not think the point of truth subtile that there needed so much prefacing unto and yet what is it even that which all men grant Gods wrath comes on the children of disobedience but alas few men consider but deceive themselves with dreams of escaping it though men know it yet they know it not for they walk as if they knew no such thing Alwayes however this is of little moment to affect our spirits now yet in the day that God shall set your iniquities before your face and set his justice also before your eyes O how sad and serious a thing will it be then If these two verses were ingraven on our hearts Gods justice and holinesse our corruption and vilenesse I think there would be other thoughts among us then there are SERMON IV. Deut. 32. 5. They have corrupted themselves their spot is not the spot of his Children c. WE doubt this people would take well with such a description of themselves as Moses gives It might seem strange to us that God should have chosen such a people out of all the nations of the earth and they to be so rebellious and perverse if our own experience did not teach us how free his choise is and how long-suffering he is and constant in his choise His people are called to a conformity with himself Be ye holy for I am holy Lev. ch 19. and 20. and to a difformity and separation from
shining into the Soul that hath cleared them but their perpetual darknesse that blindeth them I say then in the Name of Jesus Christ that ye never knew the peace of God who knew not warr with God Ye know not love who have not known anger But this is the Souls true peace and tranquillity when it is once awakened to see its misery and danger How many Clouds overspread it what Tempests blow what Waves of Displeasure go over its head But when that peace which is made in the High Places breaketh thorow the Cloud with a Voice Son be of good comfort thy sins be forgiven thee when that Voice of the Spirit is uttered presently at its command the Wind and Waves obey the Soul is calmed as the Sea after a Storm It is not only untroubled but it is peaceable upon solid grounds because of the word which speaks peace in Christ The peace of the most of you is such as ye were born and Educated withal It is not a created peace a spoken peace the fruit of the lips and so no true peace Ye had not your peace from the word but ye brought it to the word Yâ— have no peace after trouble and so it is not the Lords peace The Christian may have peace in regard of his own Salvation and eternal things and in regard of all things that befalleth in â—ime The first is when the Conscience is sprinkled with the Blood of Jesus Christ and getteth a good answer to all the challenges and accusations of Conscience and of the Law and Justice 1 Pet. 3. 21. when the Spirit of God shines into the Soul with a new Light to discover these things that are freely given 1 Cor. 2. 12. And this is the Sealing of the Spirit after believing Eph. 1. 13. When a Soul hath put to its Seal by believing Gods word and hath acknowledged Gods Truth and Faithfulnesse in his word the Spirit Sealeth mutually the Believers Faith both by more Holinesse and the knowledge of it And how great peace is this when a Soul can look upon all its iniquities when they compasse about a man and outward trouble sharpeneth and setteth on edge inward challenges and yet the Soul will not fear it hath answers to them all in Christs Blood Psal 49. 5. This is a greater word then all the world can say Many mens fearlesnesse proceedeth from ignorance of sin their iniquities were never set in order before them but if once they compassed them about and wrath like a fiery wall compasse them about also so that there were no escaping Oh it would be more terrible then all the Armies of the world Ye would account little of a Kingdom ye would exchange it for such a word as David hath upon good grounds Now I say again the Soul that hath thus committed it self to him as a faithful keeper may have peace in all Estates and Conditions And this peace floweth from that other peace There is a peace which guards the heart and mind Phil. 4. 6 7. Opposed to carefulnesse and anxiety and this Paul is Examplar for I have learned in every estate therewith to be content to want and abound c. vers 11. The Soul of a Believer may be in an equal even Tenur and Disposition in all conditions It may possesse it self in patience Impatience and Anxiety makes a man not his own man he is not himself he injoys not himself he is a burden to himself and is his own tormenter But if Souls were stayed upon God certainly they would possesse themselves dwell securely within their own breasts We may find that the most part of men are exposed to all the floods and waves of the times They move inwardly as things are troubled outwardly Every thing addeth moment to their grief or joy Any Dispensation casteth the Ballance and either weights them down with discouragement or lifteth them up with vanity and lightnesse of mind But the Believers priviledge is to be unmoved in the midst of all the Tossings and Confusions of the times Psal 128. 1 2. Ye would be as Mount Zion if ye trusted in God No Dispensation should enter into the Soul to cast the Ballance upon you Ye might stand upon your Rock Jesus Christ and look about the Estates Persons Affairs and Minds of men as a troubled Sea fleeting tossed up and down and ye stand and not be moved or not greatly moved Ps 62. 2. And this is to be wise indeed If I would describe a wise man I would say he is one man beside him no man is one with himself but various inconstant changeable He is unwise who is unlike himself who changeth Persons according to Dispensations Wisdom is the stability of thy times and Faith is Wisdom it Establisheth as Mount Zion so as a man cometh out still one in prosperity not exalted in adversity not cast down in every Estate content and this is the man who is blessed indeed This werâ— wisdom to will the same thing and nill the same thing Semper idem velle atque idem nolle I need not saith Seneca add that exception that it be right which you desire for no one thing can universally and always please if it be not good and right So I say he were both wise and happy who had but one grief and one joy Should not a Believers mind be calm and â—erene seing the true Light hath shined it should be as the upper world where no blasts no storms or clouds are to ecclips the Sun or cloud it while our peace and tranquillity is borrowed from outward things certainly it must change But a Belâ—evers peace and tranquillity of mind having its rise from above from the unchangeable word of the Lord it needeth not to change according to the vicissitudes of Providence He needeth not to care before hand because there is one who careth for him And what needeth both to care He needeth not be disquieted or troubled after because it shall turn about to his good All things shall do so Rom. 8. 28. He needeth not be Anxious about future Events because he hath all his burden cast upon another by prayer and supplication VVhat needeth he then take a needlesse burden Prayer will do that which Care pretends and cannot do and that without trouble He needeth not be troubled when things are present for he cannot by his thought either add or diminish take away or prevent There is one good and necessary thing that his heart is upon and that cannot be taken from him And therefore all things else are indifferent and of small concernment to him Now what wanteth such a man of perfect peace who is reconciled to God and at peace within himself VVhen peace guardeth the Heart and Mind within compasseth it as a Castle or Garison to hold out all the vain Alarms of External things May not all the world be troubled about him VVhat though the Floods lift up their Voice if they come not into the
he vvill do next vvait till the due time and vvhen ye see a better piece of workmanship on that ground ye shall absolve him Though God often change his work do not think he changes his Counsel and Purposes as men do No he is in one mind and who can turn him therefore he had that change in his mind when he made the work when he erected such a throne he had this in his mind to cast it down within such a space and so his change his throwing down is as perfect in his mind as his building up Ye have large and big apprehensions of temporal Kingdoms and Crowns of Government and such like as if they were great yea only things but they are not so to him all this world and its standing all the Kingdoms and their affairs are not his great work and businesse he hath an great work the bringing of many sons to Glory and compleating of Jesus Christ building of that glorious mystical building the holy Temple made up of living stones of which Christ is the foundation and chief corner stone both and it s this that he attends to most other works among men though they have more noise they are lesse concerned all these are but in the by and subservient to his great designe and like the Scaffolds of a building that are it may be sometime very needful Nay but when the building is compleated he shall remove all these he hath no more use of them Kings shall he thy nurse-fathers Kings shall bow to thee He is not much concerned in government nor in Governours but for his little flocks sake and if these were gathered all these shall have an end and the flock alone abide for ever And all his ways are Judgement This is to the same purpose his ways and his works are one and this is the perfection of his work that it is all right and equal whether they be in Justice or mercy they are all righteous and holy no iniquity in them his ways are straight and equal exact as if they were measured by an exact even rule but because we make application of a crooked rule to them we do imagine that they are crooked as the blind man judges no light to be because he sees it not How may the Lord contend and plead with us as with that people Ezek. 18. 25. Is it possible that any can challeâ—ge him and clear themselves Who will be Justified of all when he is judged and before whom no flesh can be Justified and yet behold the iniquity of mens hearts there is a secret reflection of our spirits upon his majesty as if his ways were not equal when ever we repine against them and when we do not take with our iniquity and stop our mouth with dust Behold the Lord will assert his own wayes and plead with all flesh this controversie that all his proceedings are full of equity he walks according to a rule though he be not tyed to a rule he walks according to the rules of Wisdom Justice and Mercy though his illimited soveraignty might be a sufficient ground of clearing of all his proceedings But we walk not according to a rule though we be bound to a rule and a rule full of equity Here is the equity and justnesse of his ways the Gospel holds it forth in a twofold consideration First If any man turn from his iniquity and flie unto my Son as the City of refuge he shall live he hath eternal life iniquity shall not be his ruine although he hath done iniquity O who is a God like unto thee that pardoneth iniquity Is not this compleat mercy whatever iniquity hath been aggravat it as ye can though it could have ruined a world yet it could not have ruined thee that turns in to Jesus Christ from iniquity What exception can all the world have against this or his walking according to it And on the other hand whosoever continueth in sin though he appear to himself and others never so righteous if he entertain and love any known sin and will not part with it for Jesus Christ shall not he dye in his iniquity Is there any iniquity in this that he receive the wages of his works his reward that he eat of the fruit of his own wayes and drink of his own devices But how many hearts censure this way as a rigid and strick severe dealing the multitude think it cruelty to condemne any Christened soul to put so many in hell the civil man will think it 's too hard measure that he should be ranked in hell with the prophane But certainly all mouths shall be stopped one day and he shall be justified when he judges Ye that will not justifie him in his sayings and set to your seal to the truth of the word you shall be constrained to justify him when he executs that sentence ye shall precipitat your own sentence and rather wonder at his clemency in suffering you so long This way of the Lord is equal and right in it self but it is not so to every one the just man shall walk in it and not stumble as in an even way nothing shall offend him Hosea 14. last V. Yet for as equal and straight as it is many other transgressors shall fall therein they stumble even in the noon day and high way where no offence is It 's true often his own people stumble in it as David Psal 73. and 94. Davids foot was slipping yet a secret hold was by mercy It often requires a wise and prudent man to understand it because his footsteps are in the deep waters Psa 77. 19. his way is in the depths of the sea his paths in great waters so that men must wait till the Lord expound his own wayes till he come out of the waters and make them a dry plain and this is our advantage the word sayes he is near thee in thy mouth and neither above nor beneath in the depths that thou needs neither descend nor ascend to know it Deut. 30. 11 12 13 14. But his way is in the depths and his footsteps are not known so that we ought to hold us by the word till he expound his vvork his vvord vvill teach us our duty and vve may commit unto him his ovvn vvay the vvord is a commentary to expound his vvays David lost the sight of Gods footsteps and vvas like to wander till he came to the Sanctuary and this shined as a Candle in a dark place he learned there to know the unknown footsteps and to follow them By all means embrace the Word and be satisfied with it when ye do not comprehend his Work it teaches as much in general as may put us to quietnesse all his wayes are Judgement Just and True in all his Wayes is the King of Saints If I do not comprehend how it is no wonder for he makes darknesse his covering he spreads over his most curious Engines and Pieces of
Workmanship a vail of darknesse for a season and who can behold him when he hides himself sayes Job and though he withdraw the Covering yet what am I Who can by searching find out God If I shall examine his way what rule shall I take to try it by If I measure by my shallow capacity or by my crooked way shall I have any just account of it will my Arm measure the Heavens as his doth If I examine it or try it by himself He is high as Heaven and unsearchable Therefore it becomes us to hearken to his Word and believe its sentence of his Work when reason cannot comprehend it One thing if it were deeply engraven on our hearts would be a principle of setling our spirits in all the mysteries and riddles of providence the knowledge and faith of his Soveraignty of his Highnesse and of his Wisdome should he give account of his Matters to us He is wise and knowes his Works but is he bound to make us know them His wayes are above our thoughts and wayes as Heaven above the Earth Is 55. And therefore O Grashopper in the Earth that dwells in Tabernacles of Clay do not presume to model his ways according to thy conceptions One thing is certain this is enough for Faith all his wayes are mercy and truth to these that keep his Covenant and his Testimonies Psal 25. 10. And there is no Way or Path of God so far above our reach and unsearchable as his Mercy in pardoning sin and this is only the satisfying answer to all your objections and scruples in these ye do but vent your own thoughts but sayes the Lord my thoughts are above youâ— thoughts as Heaven above Earth Ye but speak of your own wayes but my wayes are far above yours they are not measured by your iniquity and therefore David subjoyns Psal 25. Verse 11. pardon my iniquity for it is great SERMON III. Deuter. 32. 4 5. He is the Rock his work is perfect for all his ways are Judgement a God of truth and without iniquity Just and Right is he 5. They have corrupted themselves their spot is not the spot of his Children they are a perverse and crooked generation ALL his wayes are Judgement both the wayes of his Commandments and the ways of his Providence both his Word which he hath given as a Lanthorn to mens paths and his Works among men And this were the blessednesse of men to be found both walking in his wayes and waiting on him in his wayes having respect to all his Commandments and respect to himself in all his Works We all know in general that he doth all well â—nd that all his Comandments are Holy and Just â—ay but our practice and affections belie our knowledge and for the most part we stand crosse in our humours and affections and conversation both to his Word and Providence and this is our misery Great peace have they that love thy Law VVhat peace then can keep that heart and mind that is dayly at variance with his Statuts and Judgements when the heart would wish such a Command were not when it is an eye sore to look upon it Blessed are the meek it is good for a man both quietly to wait and hope and keep silence How then must that spirit be miserable that stands crosse unto Gods Dispensations and would limit the Holy One Do not often our hearts say I do well to be angry why is it thus with me But who hath hardened himself against him and prospered his counsel must stand and you may vex your self and disquiet your soul in the mean time by impatience but you cannot by your thought add one cubit to your stature you may make your case worse nor Providence hath made it but you cannot make it better by so doing so that at length you must bow to him or be broken Oh then that this were engraven on our hearts with the point of a Diamond All his wayes are Judgement that ye might be overcome with the equity of his Command and Dispensation and your heart and tongue might not move against them It was enough of old with the Saints It is the Lord let him do what seems good in hâ—s eyes Gods Soveraignty alone pondered may stop our mouth but if ye withal consider it is perfect Equity that rules all it is Divinâ— Wisdome thaâ— is the square of his Works theâ— how ought we to stoop chearfully unto them One thing ye would remember his wayes and paths are Judgement and if ye judge aright of him ye must judge his Way and not his single Footsteps ye will not discern Equity and Judgement in one step or two but consider his Way joyn adversity with prosperity humbleing with exalting take along the Threed of his Providence and one part shall help you to understand another There is reason in all but the reason is not visible to us in so small parts of his Way and Work A God of Truth Strange it is that his Majesty is pleased to cloath himself with so many Titles and Names for us He considers what our necessity is and accordingly expresses his own Name I think nothing doth more hold forth the unbelief of men and Atheism of our hearts nor the many several Titles God takes in Scripture There is a necessity of a multitude of them to make us take up God because we staying upon a general notion of God rather frame in our imaginations an Idol then the true God As there is nothing doth more lively represent the unbelief of our hearts then the multitude of Promises Men that consider such frequent repetitions of one thing in Scripture so many diverse expressions of one God may retire into their own hearts and find the cause of it even the necessity of it But while we look so slightly on these we must judge it superfluous and vain Needed there any more to be said but I am your God I am God if our spirits were not so far degenerated unto Atheism and unbelief Certainly that word Jehovah holds forth more to Angels then all the inculcated Names and Titles of God to us because we are dull and slow of heart Therefore wonder at these two when ye read the Scriptures Gods Condescendency to us and our Atheism and Unbelief of him they are both mysteries and exceeding broad There is not a Name of God but it gives us a Name and that of reproach and dishonour so that for every one some evil may be written down and it is to this purpose Moses draws them out in length that in the Glasse of his glorious Name the people might behold their own ugly face This Name is clear He is a God of Truth not only a true God but Truth it self to note his Excellency and Eminency in it It is Christs Name I am the Truth the substantial Truth in whom all the Promises are Truth are Yea and Amen His Truth is his Faithfulnesse in performing his Promises
Direction and so a ground of Consolation How inexcuseable are we who have all these expressed unto us and often inculcated line upon line and precept upon precept and yet so often divides the Word of Truth or neglects it â—â—together Most part fancy a belief of the Promises and neither consider Threatnings nor Commands Some believing the Threatnings are not so wise for their own Salvation as to consider what God sayes more but takes it for his last word Shall not Niniveh rise up in Judgement against this Generation They repented at one Preaching and that a short one and in appearance very defective And yet we have many Preachings of the Son of God and his Apostles in this Bible both Law and Gospel holden forth distinctly and these spoken dayly in our audience and yet we repent not This is a strange Preface going before this Preaching and more strange in that it is before the first Preaching of a young Prophet He speakes both to Rulers and People but he gives them a name such as certainly they would not take to themselves but seing he is to speak the Word of the Lord he must not flatter them as they did themselves Is not this the Lords people his Portion and Inheritance which he chose out of the Nations Are not these Rulers the Princes of Judah and the Lords Anoynted Were they not both in Covenant with God and separated from the Nations both in Priviledges and Profession How then are they Rulers of Sodom and People of Gomorrah Likned to the worst of the Nations And not likened to them but spoken off as if they were indeed all one When ye hear the Preface ye would think that the Prophet were about to direct his speech to Sodom and Gomorrah But when ye look upon the Preaching ye find he means by Judah and Jerusalem and these are the Rulers and People he speaks of Certainly according as men walk so shall they be named and ranked External priviledges and profession may give a Name before men and separate men from men before the World But they give no Name make no difference before God if all other things be not suitable to these He is not a Jew saith Paul who is not one inwardly but be who hath that Circumcision in the heart in the Spiâ—it and not in the Letter Outward profession and signs may have praise of men but it is this that hath praise of God Rom. 2. 28 29. Circumcision and uncercumcision baptisme or unbaptisme availeth nothing but a new creature A baptizâ—d Christian and an unbaptized Turk are alike before God if their hearts and wayes be one Gal. 6. 15. All Christians professe Faith and glory in Baptisme but it avails nothing except it work by love Gal. 5. 6. Now what Name shall we give you How shall our Rulers be called How shall ye the People be called If we shall speak the truth we feat it instruct you not but irritate you Yet the truth we must speak whether ye chuse or whether ye refuse Ye would all be called Christians the people of God But we may not call you so except we would flatter you and deceive you by flattering and murder you by deceiving We would gladly Name you Christians in the Spirit Saints chosen and precious Oh that we might speak so to Rulers and people But alas we may not call you so except ye were so indeed We may not call you Christians least ye believe your selves to be so And yet alas ye will think your selves such speak what we can Would ye know your Name then I perceive you listen to heat what it is But understand that it is your Name before God which bears his accompt of you What matter of a Name among men It is often a shadow without substance a Name without the thing If God Name you other wayes you shall have little either Honour or Comfort in it When men blesse you and praise you if the Lord reckon the among the beasts that perish are ye honoured indeed Well then hear your Name before God what accompt hath he of you Ye Rulers are Rulers of Sodom and ye people are people of Gomoâ—rah And if ye think this a hard saying I desire you will notice the way that the Prophet Isaiah takes to prove his challenge against them and the same may be allâ—dged against Rulers and people now VVe need no proof but one of both See Vers 23. Thy Princes are rebellious because though they hear much against their sins yet they never amend them they pull away the shoulder If they hear yet they harden their heart Is there any of them hath set too to pray in their Families though earnestly pressed VVell what follows Every one loves Gifts Covetousnesse then and Oppression proves Rulers to be Rulers of Sodom Shall their houses stand Shalt thou reign because thou closest thy self with cedar Jer. 22. 15. No certainly men shall one day take up a proverb against them woe to him that encreafes that which is not his and loadeth himself with thick clay they shall be for booties to the Lords spoylers Hab. 2. 6. VVoe to them for they have consulted shame to their houses and sinned against their own Soul Their designe is to establish their House and make it Eminent but they take a compendious way to shame and ruine it Alas it is too publick that Rulers seek their own things for themselves and their freinds And for Jesus and his Interests they are not concerned But are ye the people any whit better Oh that it were so But alas when ye are involved in the same guiltinesse I fear ye partake of their plagues VVhat are ye then People of Gomorrab Is not the Name of God blasphemed dayly because of you Are not the abominations of the Gentiles the common disease of the multitude and the very reproach of Christianity Set apart your publick services and professions and is there any thing behind in your Conversation but Drunkenesse Lying Swearing Contention Envy Deceit VVrath Covetousnesse and such like Have not the multitude of them been al 's civil and carried themselves al 's blamelesly and without Offence as the throng of our Visible Church What have ye more then they It is true ye are caled Christians and ye boast in it Ye know his will and can speak of points of Religion can Teach and Instruct others and so hath as it were in your minds a form and method of Knowledge the best of you are but such But I ask as Paul did the Jews in such a case Thou that teachest another teachest thou not thy self thou that makest a boast of the Law throw breaking of it dishonourest thou God Rom. 2. 17. c. 23. Why then certainly all thy profession and baptism avails nothing and will never extract the from the Pagans with whom thou art one in Conversation Thy profession is so far from helping thee in such a case that it shall be the most bitter
the Living Fountain it proceedeth from There is no other thing can be made sure all besides this is uncertain and this only is worthy to be made sure Nothing besides this can give you satisfaction Are your hearts asking within you how shall this peace be attained If you desire to know it consider these words whose heart is stayed on thee because he trusts in thee It concerneth you much to know well what this is that your eternal peace depends on Trusting in God is the leaning of the Souls weight on God the Soul hath a burden above it heavy and unsupportable and this the truster casteth upon God And so he is a loadened and weary man whom Christ exhorteth to come to him and he shall find ease for his Soul Matth. 11. 28. Prov. 3. 5. Leaning to our self and trusting in God are opposed Psal 22. 10. Trusting is exponed to be a casting upon God Psal 25. 1. It is called a lifting up the Soul to him This one thing is included in the bosome of Trusting and Believing that a man hath many burdens too heavy for him which would sink him down The Believer is such a one as Jehosaphat 2 Chron. 20. 12. O Lord we have no might against this great company neither know we what to do O Lord I have an Army of iniquities against me a great company compasseth me about An Army of Cursâ—s al 's numerous as mine iniquities both are innumerable as the Sand of the Sea I have no might against them neither know I what to do Nay the Lord is against me his wrath is like the roaring of a Lyon what can I do agaiâ—st him The first beginning of trusting in God is distrusting our sâ—lves And untill a man see his duty and burden beyond his strength his burden greater then he can bear you will never perswade him to come to Jesus Christ and lean on him We will not preacâ— any such Doctrine as to discharge any to coâ— to Christ till they be wearied and loaden For when a man conceiveth that he wanteâ— that weariednesse whither shall he go to fiâ— it Is there any Fountain but one Jesâ— Christ both of Grace and preparations to it any such be But this we preach unto yoâ— that unâ—â—l you be wearied and loaden you wiâ— not cast your burden on Jesus We need nâ— discharge you to come till you be such for ceâ—tainly you will not come This is the desperâ— wickednesse of our hearts that we will neveâ— forsake our selves till we can do no better Utill men be as David I looked on the right hanâ— and there was none would know me refuge failâ— me certainly they will not cry to God Mâ— will look round about them before they wiâ— look up above them they will cast the burdeâ— of their Souls upon any thing upon their owâ— sorrow and contrition upon their resolution â— amend upon external Duties and Priviledge upon civil Honesty until all these succumb under the weight of their Salvation and then iâ— may be they will ask after him who bare oâ— griefs I would not willingly speak of preparations to Faith because it putteth men upoâ— searching something in themselves upon fashioning their own hearts and trimming them tâ— come to Christ wheras there is nothing caâ— be acceptable to him but what cometh froâ— him But I think all that men intend whâ— speak of preparations may be gained this waâ— by holding out unto men the impossibility oâ— â—oming to Christ till they be emptied of themselves Not that the one is a thing going before to be done by us but because they are all â—ne it is one motion of the Soul to come out of â—t self and in to Jesus It is one thing really to â—istrust our selves and to trust in him And by this means when the true Nature of Faith it â—elf is holden out men might examine themselves â—ather by it whither they have it nor by the preparations of it But to come to our purpose when the Soul is pressed under burdens of sin and misery of duty and insufficiency and inability to do it then â—he Gospel discovereth unto the wearied Soul a place of reposing and rest The Lord hath established Christ Jesus an ensigne to the people these who seek unto him shall find his rest glorious Isa 11. 10. When there is discovered in us all â—mptinesse and inability yea impossibility to save our selves or perform any duty then are we led to Jesus Christ as one who is come with grace and truth in whom it hath pleased the father all fulness should dwell And the turning of the Soul over upon him is trusting in him You would not mistake this trusting in the Lord in its first and most native acting is not always perswasion of his good-will and love in particular No the Soul meets first with a general promise holding out his good-will in general and the Soul closeth with this a thing both good and true as faithful in it self and worthy of all acceptatiâ—n This is it that we must first meet with an â—ll-sufficient Saviour able to save to the uâ—â—ost all that come to him and the Souls acâ—epting of that blessed Saviour on the termes he is offered this is believing in him and trusting to him as a compleat Saviour Now when the Soul hath disburdened it seâ— upon God and set to itâ— seal to the truth oâ— tâ— promises in the Gospel for Salvation If tâ— Light of the Spirit shine to discover this unâ— it that it hath laid hold on his strength whoâ— able to save to the utmost then it becometh peâ—swaded of his love in particular and this is râ—ther the Sealing after believing then believing â—self When once men have hazarded their Soâ— upon his word and trusted in him then thâ— may trust in him for all particulars He thâ— hath given his Son for us will be not with him gâ— all things This therefore is the continual â—course of a Believer from discovered emptineâ— and insufficiency in himself to travel unto tâ— fulnesse and strength of Jesus Christ that hâ— strength may be perfected in weaknesse Yâ— when all things seem contrary and his dispeâ—sation writes bitter things against us yet ouâ— we to trust in him Job 13. 15. There is a peâ— of wilfulness and violence in Faith that will loâ— allways towards his word whatever be threâ—ned to the contrary Now from this Faith in God floweth a câ—stant dependance and stayedness on him Tâ— are stayed on him because they trusted in him â— Faith discovereth in God such grounds tâ— it may lean its weight upon him without wâ—vering and changing It considereth his poâ—er his good-will and his faithfulness Hâ— able to perform he is willing to do it and he is faithful because he hath promised His greatness and power is a high Rock higher then we that Faith leadeth us unto His love and good will in Jesus Christ maketh an open entry and ready access to that Rock And faithfulness
his hope he hath no reason to change his hope The Lord hath often done things we looked not for but we never looked for any thing according to the grounds of the word but it was done or a better then it He doth not always answer our limitations but if he give Gold when we sought Silver are we not answered Are we disappoynted There are three things that use most to disquiet and toss mens spirits sin and wrath future events and present calamities Faith establisheth the Soul on God in all these and suffereth it not to be driven to and fro with these winds It finds a harbour and refuge in God from all these If he be pursued by the avenger of blood Gods Wrath and Justice here is an open City of Refuge that he may run to and be safe If iniquities compass me about yet I will not fear but oppose unto that great company the many sufferings and obedience of Jesus Christ My coâ—science challengeth and writteth bitter things against me yet I have an answer in that blood that speaketh better things nor Abels If sinns prevail he will purge them away His Mercy is above all my â—â—n and his Vertue and Power is above my sin He hath promised and will he not do it Oftimes mens Souls are perplexed and tossed about future Events careful for to morrow this is a great torment of spirit it cutteth and divideth it putteth a man to his own providence as if there were no God But he that trusteth in God is established in this his heart is fixed trusting in the Lord he hath commited his Soul to him and why may he not his body He hath nothing but his promise for eternal Salvation and may not that same suffice for temporal He careth for me saith Faith why then should we both care about one thing He hath given his Son for me the most precious gift which the world cannot match and will he not with him give all these lesser things And thus the Believer incloseth himself within the fathers love and providence and iâ— fixed not fearing evil tidings For what tydings can be evil seing our Father hath the Soveraign disposing of all Affairs and knoweth what is best for us Present dispensations often shake men and driveth them to and fro their feet slip and are not established thou bid thy face and I was troubled But if you trusted in God and considered what is in him to oppose to all difficulties and calamities you would say I shall not be moved though the floods lift up their voice If you believed his love would not this sweetten all his dealing He maketh all work together for good Soveraignty Righteousness and Mercy are sure and firm ground to stand upon in all storms You may cast Anchor at any of those and ly secure It is the Lord let him do what be pleaseth This was enough to quiet the saints in old times Should he give account of his matters to us Sball the clay say to the potter why is it thus His absolute right by Creation maketh him beyond all exception do what he please But beside this he is pleased and condescendeth to reason with us and give account of his matters to testify to our Conscience that he is righteous in all his ways It was the ground of Jeremiahs setling Lam. 3. It is of the Lords mercy that we are not consumed It should have allayed and stayed Job know this thou art punished lesse then thy iniquities deserve who will set a time to plead with him Shall any be found righteous before him And this might stop all mens mouths and put them in the dust to keep silence seing he hath Law to do infinitely more then he doth why should not we rather proclaim his Clemency then argue him so very hard If to both those you shall add the consideration of his Mercy that all his pathâ— are Mercy and Truth unto you even when he correcteth most severely so that you may blesse him as well for Rods as for Meat and Cloathing and count your self blessed when you are taught by the Rod and the Word the one speaking to the other aâ— the other sealing its instruction If you believâ— that it were a fruit of his Love He chasteneth â—very son whom he loveth that because he will nâ— let you depart from him will not let you settâ— upon a present world and forget your Countreâ— above therefore he compasseth you about witâ— Hedges of Thorns to keep in your way And therefore he maketh this world bitter and unpleasant that you may have no continuing City If all this were believed would not the soul triumph with Paul What can separat me from thâ— love of God not past things for all my sins are blotted out and shall be remembered no more not present things for they work to good and are a fruit of his Love not things to come for that is to come which shall more declare his love then what is past Would not a Soul sleep securely within the compass of this Power this Love and Faithfulness of God without fear of dashing or sinking Now judge whither a perfect peace may not flow from all this may it not be a perfect calm when the Mountains that inviron go up to Heaven Not only doth the Soul trust in God but God keepeth the trusting Soul in peace He is the creator of peace and the preservator of it I creat peace I keep him in peace The same power and vertue is required to the preserving of a thing and the first beeing of it Our Faith and Hope in God is too weak an Anchor to abide all storms Our cords would break our hands faint and weary but he is the everlasting God who failâ—â—â— not and â—â—arieth not he holdeth an invisible grip of us we are kept by his power to salvation and we are kept by his power in peace Thy right band holdeth me saith David and this helpeth me to pursue thee What maketh believers inexpugnable impregnable is it their strength No indeed but salvation will God appoynt for walls and bulwarks Almighty Power is a strong wall though invisible this power worketh in us and about us Now Believers pity the world about you that knoweth not this peace when they ly secure and cry peace peace Alas they are a City open without walls as the plain field there is no keeper there nothing to hold off destruction Entertain your own peace do not grieve the Spirit who hath sealed it If you return to folly after he hath spoken peace to you I perswade you you shall not maintain this peace there may be peace with God but no peace in thy Conscience as long as the whoredoms of thy heart are to the fore Thou may be secure but security is worse then fear Know this that continuing in a course of sin entertaining any known sin shall trouble thy peace If God have spoken peace to thee thou shalt not lodge that enemy
and a resolution of amending this then is all your covering and ornament something done by you as many will make the wings of two good works stretch themselves out so far as to cover and hide a multitude of offences between them Therefore I declare in the Lord Jesus his Name unto you whose Conscience must go alongs in the acknowledgment and owning of your case that you have covered your selves with your own righteousnesse that you have taken as filthy rags to cover your nakednesse and sin with as your sins are and so you have made an addition to your uncleanness you are more unclean by your prayers and repentance then before And so God is of more pure eyes then to look graciously on such as you are You have gone about to establish your own righteousnesse and hath not known the righteousnesse of God and so you have come short of it you are yet persons in a state of enmity God is your Judge you are rebels It concerns you much to heed this well to judge of your own actions and persons as God judgeth of them for if God shall judge one way and you judge another way you may be far mistaken in the end If you have so good an opinion of your selves and your duties that you can plead interest in God for them and absolve your selves from such grounds And if God have not the same judgement but rather think as evil of your prayers as of your cursing and abhor the thing that satisfieth you will it not be dreadful in the end For his judgement shall stand and you will succumb in judgement since you crossed Gods mind Therefore we would have you solidly drink in this principle of Religion That man is so unclean and God so abhorreth him that whatever he doth or can do it cannot make him righteous that no good action can make him acceptable and take away the uncleanness of the evil actions and that any sinful action taketh away all the cleanness of the good actions Once believe this If I should sweat out my life in serving God and never rise off my knees If I should give my body to the fire for the truth If I should melt away in tears for sin all this is but filthy raggs and I can never be accepted of God for all that but the matter of my condemnation groweth If I justifie my self my own mouth proves me perverse God needeth no more but my good deeds to condemn me for in all justice And therefore it is a thing impossible I will never put forth a hand or open a mouth upon that account any more I will serve God because it is my duty but life I will not expect by my service when I have done all it is wholly mercy that I am accepted my good works shall never come in remembrance I resolve to be found not having my own righteousnesse I will appear among the ungodly sinners as one that hath no righteousnesse that I may be justified only by faith in Jesus Christ I say drink in this truth and let it settle in your hearts and then we would hear numbers cry O what shall I do to be saved Now as for you who have fled unto Christs righteousnesse only have cast away your own as dung and dross as filthy raggs as you have done right in the point of Justification judge so likewise after it We would exhort you to judge so of your best actions that are the fruits of the Spirit judge so of them as you have a hand in them All our righteousness Mark Isaiah a holy Prophet joyneth himself in with the multitude And the truth is the more holiness the more humility and self-abasing for what is holiness I pray you but self-denial the abasing of the creature and exalting of Christ Jesus This is the Cross that the Saints must all bear Deny your self and follow me Grace doth not swell men above others it is gifts such as Knowledge that puffeth up Charity or Love puffeth not up Men are naturally high-minded for pride was the first sin of Adam and grace cometh to level men to make the high mountains valleys for Christs Chariot It maketh men stoop low to enter the door of the Kingdome Therefore if you have attained any measure beyond others if you would prove it real grace and holinesse do not exalt your selves above others be not high minded come down and sit among the ungodly among the unclean and let not grace given diminish the low estimation of your self in your self There is a growing that is but a fancy and mens conceit when men grow above Ordinances above other Christians and can see none or few Christians but themselves such a growth is not real it s but fancy it s but swelling and wind and must be pricked to let it out A holy Prophet came in among an unclean people he did not say Stand by I am bolier then thou Such a man as can find no Christian about him even though to the judgement of all others they seek God more then he such a man hath not real solid grace his holiness is profane holiness and proud holiness for true holiness is humble holiness and in honour prâ—ferreth others There is a great fault among those who have fled to Christs righteousness in Justification that they use to come full from duties as a stomach from a honey comb Oft times we make our liberty and access to God the ground of our acceptation and according to the ebbings and flowings of our inherent righteousness so doth the faith and confidence of Justification ebb and flow Christians this ought not to be In so doing you make your own righteousness your righteousness before God for when the unsatisfaction in the point of duty maketh you question your interest so often is not the satisfaction of your minds in duties made the ground of your pleading interest Give you liberty and access you can believe any thing remove it and you can believe nothing Certainly this is a sandy foundation you ought to build nothing on performances you should be as vile in your own eyes and think your nakedness as open when you come nearest God when you have most liveliness as when he hideth his face duty withereth will filthy raggs be your ornament No Christians be more acquaint with the unspotted righteousness of the Immaculat Lamb of God and find as great necessity of covering your cleanest duties with it as your foulest faults and thus shall you be kept still humble and vile in your own eyes and have continual imployment for Christ Jesus your best estate should not puff you up and your worst estate should not cast you down Therefore be much in the search of the filthiness of your holy actions This were a spiritual study a noble discovery to unbowel your duties to divide them and give unto God what is Gods and take unto your selves what is your own The discovery of filthiness in them