behold his last greatest and approaching change and dissolution 'T is a blessed thing to be able to graspe Christ and death in the armes at once at one and the same time and is' t not an everlasting curse to die Christlesse Search the Scriptures and you 'l find it so Finally let the Lord perswade Vse you to bee endeared to Jesus Christ ever set him in your sight looke up to him who looks downe towards you for he 's the Author and finisher of your graces would you know the usefulnesse of such right apprensions of Christ then consider these things sincerelie First 't will increase inward Joy Have you a mind to be merrie be much in this and 't will make you right glad other mirth may end in mourning but this cannot this makes the spirit rejoyce in God its Saviour as she said there are many Joy-makers as friends estates the treasures and pleasures of this life the Scriptures tell you of a joy of harvest and a Joy of heart a Joy of harvest is verie great but this brings joy Isa 9. 3. 65. 14. of heart both great and good a cordiall Joy Precious soules sow precious seed weeping but a precious Christ being the fruit they reap their crop singing some sow in teares weeping mourning sighing roaring wailing after this dearest Lord and Jesus but when they find him themselves are found to reape in joy Righteous ones what though as the Spouse you have gone about Cant. 3. seeking him whom your soules love even earlie and late by night as well as day and have long desir'd societie with him yet have not found him and your selves in him Consider he seekes as well as you ha's lost as well as you besides when hee finds you and you him you 'l hold him fast and so good is he you 'l not let him goe Christ told the Jewes that Abraham rejoyced to see his day did see it and was glad And sensuall worldlings Ioh. 8. 56. what e're you deeme of such a favour it skills not sure I am that a right sight of Christ will make a right-sighted Christian glad at heart nothing do's him so much good as this small things cause laughter in the face when the heart 's a stranger to the Joy but this as 't is the nature of great things will make the heart glad even then when the face of a man and face of times is verie sad the comforts arising hence are meat for Saints to eat which the world knowes not of and now a word to you that would glorie in something what can be your glorie which shall not bee your shame besides the knowledge of Jesus Christ God ha's said The wise man may not glorie in his wisdome neither Isa 9. 23 24. Jer. 9.23 24. the mighty man in his might nor yet the rich man in his riches Why who shall glorie then and in what shall men glorie if not in such desireable things well Jehovah hath said Let him that glorieth glorie in this that he understandeth and knoweth mee that I am the Lord which exercise loving-kindnesse Judgement and Righteousnesse on the Earth for in these things I delight God ha's shew'd you what to glorie in gracious spirits 't is in your acquaintance with him when you know and understand him aright see him as he is viz. full of loving-kindnesse Judgement and Righteousnesse one that acts as he is 't is his delight to doe such things Beleevers are you like him by looking upon him are you changed in this respect Marke well what it is you glorie delight and take pleasure in Secondly 't will strengthen patience under the crosse and chastizement for Christ doe you suffer from the hands of unreasonable men and would you be avenged of them as of your enemies looking up to Christ you 'l find he 's not yet aveng'd of his enemies do's God suffer shall not man does the head endure the contradiction of sinners against himselfe and can the members think to be free Is' t not all reason in the world that head and members should bee fellow-sharers in the sufferings of the whole bodie mysticall who dare denie it 't was a sweet saying of a faithfull witnesse to the truth of Jesus who seem'd to faint under his great triall and being offer'd a cup of spirits to sustaine him replied thus My Lord and Master had gall and vinegar given him as if he had been astonied to see himselfe fare better then Christ and indeed experienc'd Christians when you thinke in sufferings you are served ill you should consider sweet Christ was not served so well that will still your murmurings for can you suffer as much as hee ha's done I tell you nay yet farther do's the event or end of things bring cares upon you why James commands you by the Spirit to behold and see the end Iames 5. 11. of the Lord. You may thinke your troubles will end ill have an evill end but God can put a good end to ill beginnings as some things may be sweet to the taste yet bitter in the bellie so other things may be unsavorie in the first concoction which may be better in and by the second though in things naturall or corporall it is not so as Physitians have said CHAP. II. Of right Regeneration FAlne man's rising is graduall first by Grace and next by Glorie by man came the maladie and by man also comes the remedie a fruit lesse first birth may be repair'd by a second by Adam sinne entered and reigned unto death and by Adam grace entered reigning unto life 't is the second Adam that now I meane Grace can make up what nature ha's lost amend what nature hath done amisse First birth's priviledge is nothing Second birth's priviledge is all things all in all referring to felicitie Regeneration antecedes Glorification He that 's borne but once dies twice but he that 's borne twise shall not taste of the second death First-births are an Embleme of the second ther 's a certaine likenesse betwixt them both we 'l give you a hint of the whole thus FIrst naturall births bring sufferings both on the bearer and on that which is born the mother ha's her pangs and thro's and the child 's in straites too till it 's brought from the womb into the world spirituall births bring sufferings also the Spirit that brings forth is a sufferer too as well as doer it being quenched Spirituall Christians you can tell that you have often quenched the holy Spirit even in all its motions strivings and contestations within you Have not you when the Spirit ha's diswaded from evili and perswaded to good neglected its sweetest motions how seldome have you moved with the Spirit against the flesh and for the Lord aske your hearts this question obedient sonnes of God where almost is that man or woman that 's kind to the Spirit gives it good entertainment Ah Lord thy Spirit meets with hardest measure
workings is that a Christ-knowing Christian seeks most after Some are all for heads fulnesse but a right spectatour of Christ covets hearts fulnesse of Christs holy presence hearty motions towards Christ by Christs power savour more with savorie Christians then headie notions of Christ among acutest wits To discourse of Christ is sweet and good but to seed on Christ is much better Christians doe you feed and eat heartily of this bread of God Is it good to you do's it doe good in you answer for your selves you worthies of the world to come Can you say I behold the Lamb of God that takes away my sinnes as well as the sinnes of others that come to the Father by him Can you say with Job be 's my Redeemer with Mary my God Lord and Saviour my Mediatour my Intercessour and Peace-maker now blessed are you then and the eyes that see the things that you see * Lu. 10. 22 23. You are blessed with Christ's owne sweetest lips Who then can curse when Christ do's blesse Care not then for the worst of foes but be strong in the Lord thy strength and thy redeemer Now to insix this principle on your spirits note these things Experience hath a teaching and teachable vertue in it 't is the best teacher as our Proverb runs For First it strengthens memorie can put on record all the breathings movings and workings of Christ towards a Christian's soule 'T is called by Philosophers Multiplex memoria 't is remembrance upon remembrance mercies flowing into the mind of beleevers experience is the matter of multitudes of thoughts * Psal 94. 19. It makes the thoughts of God many in the minds of the good Secondly it strengthens affection too one that hath a heartie tast of the Lord * Psal 34. 8. Christ from experience ha's a heartie love to him Will you heare the voice of experience 't is this O taste and see how good the Lord is such a one 's well affected and affecting also all that follow Christ the warmth Spirit and life of such his kind of speaking is found verie taking in the hearts of sound Disciples and doth discover whence 't is whether 't would and to what it tends Thirdly it rectifies the judgement One that ha's had a through inward sensible and invisible pledge of Jesus Christ his dearest love and nearest communion with his owne soule that man or woman hath right thoughts of Christ and his owne estate also for the thoughts of the righteous are right * Prov. 12.5 And hence and onely hence 't is that he speak's right words of Christ Job's friends had not Jobs experience were not so much acquainted with God and the nature of his dealings with himselfe and his and what followes God saith they spake not right things of him as did his servant Job * Job 42. 7. All other sorts of sayings of men concerning Christ are the speakings out of a mans selfe more than God Fourthly it strengthens the will to elect Christ and Christ's things One that hath drawne water out of this well of Salvation with the well's owne bucket and ha's drunck a hearty draught of the water of life his will to speake out Christ and his goodnesse goes beyond his power And sad he is with Paul that hee cannot doe the good hee would I speake of one that hath drawne good from Christ with Christ's owne abilities ha's received him in his owne manner suffer'd him to abide in him according to his owne order And now marke well the evill of the contrary state by what a man ha's when he wants experience First 't will be but a borrowed light sight and apprehension that you 'l be proved to have used and the evill of that 's very great in these respects First 't will be your sinne for you are bound to use and improve your owne talents not to build upon another's foundation * a snare which to Rom. 15. 20. the Apostles comfort hee did escape Secondly 't will be your shame you account it a disgrace and are ashamed to be seen on this day in borrowed garments but 't will be greater cause of shame at the last day to be found cloath'd with no better perfections then the borrowed parts and acquired arts of others to have no knowledge of Christ but what is traditionall taken in from creatures like your selves What a great shame and unspeakable blushing will it cause in you then when you shall bee strip't of all your borrowed garments and shall seeme as you are there who would not be as you seem'd here Thirdly 't will bee your Judgement you Mat. 25. 24. 31. shall be judg'd for not using your owne gifts and that in a right manner Wee have a true Proverb every man shall answer for his owne sinnes and 't is as true that every man shall answer for not using his owne graces Every one shall give account of himselfe to God * saith the Scriptures of Rom. 14. 12. himselfe and his owne experiences in the Kingdome of grace Fourthly 't will be your losse you have no more then you use and so use 't is even so with us all we enjoy no more then wee doe experimentally imploy What good wilt be to me to discourse plausibly of a rich mans treasure when the meanesse of my being course of living plainly speaks 't is none of my owne and what good will all thy parts and portion doe thee when thou shalt die of this disease non-experimentall acquaintance with Christ who will know you then as little as you know him The losse will be of these things First losse of time time might be better spent relating to a mans owne benefit and respecting that Secondly losse of labour the Apostle was what hee was by the grace of God which was in him and tells you that grace was not given him in 1 Cor. 15. 10. vaine g 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 'T was not made voyd 't was not lost labour May we not truly say of experimentall sight of Christ as Job did to his friends of speaking out the truth O! how forcible are right Iob. 6. 25. words and we say too O! how forcible is a right sight of Christ Thirdly to see Christ is to see Christ as a man is seen of Christ and for the same reason to the same end 't is to know as you are knowne and to apprehend that for which also you are apprehended of Phil. 3. 12. Christ Jesus h Or rather 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If I may comprehend that for which I am comprehended First Christ sees all the turnings and windings and secrets of his peoples hearts all the first rises motions and conceptions of things within their secret parts There 's nothing in his hid from him so shall Christians see and know Christ one day and that for ever see all he is and ha's what thoughts hee ha's had of them from the beginning what
man and his comforts up then meanes is used that the soule be car'd for too that all cutting cares be cast on God for hee cares for his owne while Satan tempts to despaire another while he tempts men to presume this makes worke for grace do's not weaken but strengthen grace for vertue gets strength by wounds Adde to this pride vaine Virescit vulnere virtus glorie hearts hypocrisie formalitie sensualitie incredulitie infidelitie deadnesse of heart dulnesse in divine services frowardnesse untowardnesse unwatchfulnesse coldnesse in affections weaknesse in desires after Christ badnesse of memorie mispending mercies time talents wantonnesse abuses of Christ's love breach of bonds and Covenants relapses recidivations and the like Secondly by infusing strength sutable to oppositions some like Pharaoh's task-masters require much worke but give no abilities thereunto but Christ is no such Master if hee laies burdens on a soule he gives a heart and parts able to sustaine it Which of his servants did e're come into great straights who had not great helpes Some have slept on the cold ground and were healthfull when in publick employments for Christ whereas being wearied in their owne personall employments though they have reposed themselves on beds of downe been well fedd and warmely clad yet could they not have health and lifes vigour in them Christminding Christians have said it and ha's not he promised to lay no more on you then you are able to beare is not this a specimen that he 's a mercifull Master if afflictions bee many which surprize the Saints strength shall bee given either of bodie or mind to uphold them When the Lord foresaw that Paul should be troubled and much opposed in Acaiah be accused before Gallio Acts 18. 14. how thinke yee hee was enabled for the encounter 't was thus the Lord Christ appear'd to him in a vision saying Bee not afraid but speake and hold â—ot thy peace ver 9 10. for I am with thee and no man shall set on thee to hurt thee hee had great tryalls but hee had great strength the strength of God was with him the arme of God wrought deliverance for him In all afflictions God observes a meane is never in the extreame hee ha's said he 'l correct in measure yet will not leave men altogether Jer. 30. 11. unpunish'd he has a rodde and hee ha's a staffe as David speakes yet so pitifull is he that Psal 23. he 'l not cudgell a weakely child for that were to breake his bones because he is tender and a switch or rod may suffice O soule consider thy Saviour can tell how much thou smart'st under everie twigge he layes upon thee and how much thy heart breakes under everie blow receiv'd from him then consider would'st thou in patience possesse thy soule and selfe under all thy sufferings thy abilities and difficulties are with thee in measure given thee by measure And moreover what though sinne bee a grace-weakning vice yet if grace be afforded in proportion sinne shall perish when grace will flourish so well workes God in the soules of his servants and upon their spirits Is not this to bee built up and that upon the rock Jesus Christ who 's a ne'r failing firme foundation t is to grow according to the measure of the stature of Christ 'T is a causing of his to live onely upon himselfe and his glorious Father to live above all things even those things which would be above them and keep them under Shall I tell you yee disconsolate soules what Christ first or last will cause you to live above They 're such things as these First Christ helps his to live above corruptions would you know how 't is thus by giving soules a sight of pardoning promises as well as a sense of incensing sins and imperfect services Some pore too little others so much upon their sinnes that they have scarce a heart to ponder their Saviour or any of his sweetest sayings are listlesse lovers of the Lord Jesus Sad Soules let me tell you your sinnes doe keep you under Discouragements with feares and distrust have surpriz'd you got above you and will not this thing if allowed of make you goe drooping stooping mourning to your graves what 's of more force to kindle discomfort within your brests God would have men bee sensible of sinne stand and goe under it as under a heavie burthen but shall sense of sinne bee such as that it should hinder from the sight of the Lamb who is the meanes of escape from its evill staine filth guilt and power God forbid Secondly Christ cause's his to live above temptation and that 's thus When they in the time of greatest temptation being assaulted are made to reassault Satan and stand or else if they doe fall makes them fight even falling with their weapons in their hands when though they are slaughtered foiled and doe fall yet they cannot be overcome As hee said of persecuted Christians * Occidi poterant vinci non poterant Cyprian Deo duce non potest esse dubius belli eventus Eraz. Mar. And can the event of that fight be doubfull where the Lord is the Leader I trow not Christ makes Christians doe like himselfe in such à case retort back the Serpents owne subtill arguments to him againe When Satan alleadged Scripture to allure Christ to sinne hee alleadges Scipture to prove he should not tempt the Lord God but serve him Mat. 4. 6 7 8 9 10. so when Satan censures a soule to his face which is more even to before the face of God should he doe Do's the Tempter suggest unto thee Thou art a cast-away art wicked and therefore thy selfe and services are an abomination to the Lord that many better than thy selfe are in Hell that thou art an hypocrite doest but dissemble wilt fall away come to nothing hast sinn'd against the Holy Ghost and that thy day of grace is past 't is sweet to replie as he who art thou that condemnest 't is a Christ that died yea rather that 's risen againe who is ever at the right hand of God who also makes intercession for us Therefore Satan get thee hence for thou savourest not the things which be of God and thou should'st not thus tempt the servants of Christ who are one with him as 't were bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh and much more Thus not to give place to temptation is to overcome it and live above it 't is to bee firmely built upon the rock of ages Jesus Christ Thirdly Christ in building helps some to live above gracious evidences and that after this manner working the soule to a close with and dependance upon an absolute promise when the glorie of an evidence from the conditionall promise is eclips'd Ther 's a time when some of Gods deare children stagger betwixt the promises and conditionall performances Gracious spirits you can tell that this is your very case Alas for