twofold estate under these Notions First thy nothing thy worse then nothing and these explaine thus first learne to know thy nothing the frailty of thy ourward man thy body thy mortall body look back upon the matter and composition whereof thou art made and this will help discover to thee the need of Christ The very first and perfectest man that ever was in the world except God-man the man Christ Jesus was at best in his body but Adam red earth he was but a little foulded dust that was the matter whereof he was made and into that he must againe be dissolved dust thou art and to dust shalt thou returne Gen. 3.19 Hare 's a small businesse to be proud on here 's a poore matter to glory in here 's a weake foundation to build upon for a long life and after repentance what is a dust-heap you know well a shoure of raine will dissolve it a blast of wind will scatter it and such is the matter of all our bodies a very nothing if there had not been a word more in all the Bible this had been enough to manifest the bodies mortality but the al-wisâ— God which knowes best the deceitfulnesse of our hearts to beleeve such truth against our selves would not leave it without a full discovery Hence it is that in all the course of the Scriptures the nothing of mans life the naturall being of the body here upon earth is so frequently compared to nothings that you may the better know the certainty of what I say I will pick up some here and there Iob compares man but to a flower nay not to a Flower in his full groth and in lhe time it would last but to a flower that is cut down and as if in this expression mans mortality was not yet sufficiently discribed Iob likens mans life to another nothing to a more meere nothing a shadow and as though the nothing were not yet fully cleered he adds this epethite of this nothing fleeting he sleeth also like a shadow and continueth not Iob 14.2 Here you see how sensible Iob was of all mens mortality and so of hâ—s own with the rest but mark I pray you what use he makes of this All the dayes of my appointed time will I wait till my change come ver. 14. that is I find the nothing the frailty of uncertaine and yet un-regainable life there 's no living againe to live better when a man is once dead and dissolved I will therefore take the present time I will prepare and make my self ready for the Lord that when the time which God hath determined is come I may have nothing to doe but dye David also hath many the like expressions to the same purpose but I will not insist upon them onely give a touch upon one or two and so passe Psal. 102. David equals his life but to a shadow and a shadow declining to grasse and that not greene but withered My dayes are like a shadow that declineth and I am withered like grasse ver. 11. Againe David Psal. 39. is computing the length of his life by measure and then drawes his conclusion upon it if you know not the place you will wonder much at Davids Geomatry and more at the strangenesse of his conclusion he sets all at a low rate he measures his life but at a hands bredth and cals it a nothing a vanity Behold thou hast made my dayes as an hand bredth and mine age is aâ— nothing before thee Verely not I but every man not at some low ebbe at the worst but at his best estate is altogether vanity ver. 5. But what effect did this worke upon the heart of David you shall see it put him to lay out unto the Lord for help it brings him to his prayers and now Lord what wait I for my hope is in thee ver. 7. And againe Heare my prayer O Lord and give eare unto my cry hold not thy peace at my teares for I am a stranger with thee and a sojourner as all my Fathers were O spare me a little that I may recover my strength befâ—re I goe hence and be no more seen ver. 12 13. Thus in the first place study thy nothing Secondly learne to know thy worse then nothing study to know the dangerous estate and condition of thy soule in respect of sinne recollect thy thoughts and call to mind what shall become of thy soule if thou hast not a Saviour looke to it as well as you can thou hast two weights hanging up thy soule the least of which will drag thee to hell if there be not help Thou hast the burden of originall sinne and that 's death In Adam all dye 1 Cor. 15.22 that is as we by nature come from Adam so by nature we lye guilty of his sinne and by the sinne derived from Adam we lye liable to eternall death this is one heavy weight Then againe there is yet another weight lyes upon the soule which without support will also presse it to hell and that is the burden of innumerable actuall transgressions they are given to us in Scripture under various expressions sometimes they are called sinnes sometimes iniqâ—ities sometimes transgressions but all grievous soul burdens I will but give of each an instance and so passe Thit we call sinne is a soule procuring destruction it captivates the soule leads it from Christ and Salvation and presseth it downe to hell hence is that complaint taken up by Paul Rom. 7.24 O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death that is as if Paul should have said I find the power of naturall lusts corruptions working so contrary to the will of God and the rule of his spirit that were it not for the hopes of a Saviour I was in a sad condition I was in a wretched estate for who is it or what is it in all the world that could help my soule out of hel who shall deliver me from the death and damnation which the sinne of my nature my flesh the body hath brought me to Alas the Creature cannot comfort me nothing in the world can save me but onely Iesus Christ who dyed for me and here is the hope help joy cause of rejoycing I thank God â—horow Jesus Christ our Lord ver. 25. this is sin Again these sinnes and evils which we commit are called iniquities and these are also soule-weights If you dare beleeve David he will tell you he found iniquities to be a weight yea an unsupportable weight they let him have no quiet night or day they got above him and pressed him downe he could not beare the sense of them Psalme 38.3 And hereupon David addresseth himselfe to God in prayer and urgeth this complaint as a motive to move God vvith mercy to looke upon him and novv to help for minâ— iniquities are gone over mine head they are above my strength as an heavy burden they are too heavy for me to
Ierusalem At the first victory or at the first taking of Ierusalem Nebuchadnezzar tooke the King prisoner and put the City to a fine 2 Chron. 36.6 7. But when he layd Siege the second time and tooke Ierusalem observe what a fearfull desolation he made of that glorious City He slew their young men with the sword in the house of their Sanctuary where there lives should have beene saved and had no compassion on the young man or maiden old man or him that stooped for age And they burnt he house of God and brake downe the wall of Ierusalem and burnt all the pallaces thereof with fire and abundance of the like inhumaine cruelty as you may read at large in this very chapter Againe victories fill the mouths of the wicked with blasphemy against God cause them eiâ—her wholly to deny the power and essence of God or at least to vilifie the Lord Almighty This was the very ground of Rabshakehs blasphemy when he would have drawne the people from Hezekiah and this was his blasphemie Let not Hezekiah make you trust in the Lord saying The Lord will surely deliver us and this City shall not be delivered into the hand of the King of Assyria 2 King 18.30 Whence fetches he this From the many victories his master had got which he instances in Where are the gods of Hamath and Arpad and the like Who are they among all the Gods of the Countries that have delivered their Country out of mine hand That the Lâ—â—d should deliver Ierusalem out of my hand 2 King 18.34 35. And then lastly power and pride fires on the wicked to their owne destruction because they prevaile once they thinke to prosper alwayes this was the destruction of the King of Ai and his City because Israel was routed in one assault at Ai when they had an Achan amongst them the men of Ai thinke Israel must alwayes have the worst This was discovered to Israel by Ioshuah when he made his second attempt and gave order for the laying of his Ambush They will sayth he come out after us till we have drawne them from the City for they will say They flee before us as at the first Josh. 8.5 6. And so accordingly they did even to their utter ruine at that very time as you may read in the sequell of the chapper Thus I have given you undenyable testimony of this truth but indeed I needed not to have gone so â—ar for proofe one dayes conference with the Kings caves would give you full assurance of what I said This is one of the wayes in which the King loses by getting a word of the second and I will proceed I said in the second place the King loses by that which he calls getting by the victories he gets over his Subjects but Gods Saints In all this the people of God are more fitted for deliverance and the cause is extreamely forwarded What earnest prayers are now put up What deep groanes and pleading-blood goes daily to God by this meanes The King had better to have a whole Army of men against him then the blood of one Saint These Saints which the King hath slaine fight with him night and day They are now with God in heaven and they are continually hastening and moving God to fulfill his promises and avenge their blood I pray you see how the Text is to prove this Rev. 6.9 10. I saw under the Altar the Soules of them who were slaine for the Word of God and for the testimony which they held And they cryed yea with a loud with voice saying How long O Lord holy and true doâ—st thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell in the earth You may see all this doth but helpe on the cause of God and bring iâ— the Saints faster to the Lord The harder the stroak the lowder they cry the sharper it is the more it humbles the more it fits and then is deliverance the neerer Tell me now doth not this tremble your Malignants spirits â—s not this a strange cause which the enemies themselves helpe forward and doe the Saints most good where they intend the greatest hurt Thus much for matter of reproofe 2. Vse of Admon My second use shall be for Admonition To admonish all to take heed for the time to come of so much as having an ill thought of the Cause of God or the people of God for what ever you intend for them shall befall your selves as I have already delivered and further all that ever you are ablâ— to doe cannot hinder God for going on with the worke You may counsell encourage fight and sometimes prevail too as I have shewed yet all shall come to nought and you will be found but to fight against God and therefore it was your wisest course to sit still and let Gods businesse goe on let this Church-worke we are now about goe freely on and be done This is not only my counsell for it was the advice of a great Statist in the like case When the Apostles were about Church-Worke preaching up a Reformation the Jewes made strong opposition They imprisoned God delivered This would not doe and then they thought to silence them by death they had determined to kill the Apostles But now steps in Gamaliel and tells them it was far better for them to let them alone and he gives them very good reason for this his admonition And now saith he I say vnto you refraine from these men and let them alone for if their counsell or their work be of men it will come to nought But if it be of God ye cannot overthrow it lest happily ye be found even to fight against God Acts 5.38 39. The Devill may delude you that you may think you do God great service in killing these Round-heads and destroying this factious generation Yea Christ himself said as much when he was alive he then foretold what since is come to passe John 16.2 Yet woe be to them that doe it you may thinke iâ— a strange speech but 't is true It was better for a man to have his tongue pull'd out of his head then to speake against the Saints of God It was better for one to dye then to have a hand in the death of one poor Christian And Jesus Christ makes good what I affirme for I raise my speecheâ— from his words Who so shall offend one of these little ones which beleeve in 〈◊〉 it were better for him that a milstone were hanged about his necke and that he were drowned in the depth of the Sea Math. 18.6 Now do you beleeve that this is the Word of God and that there is any truth in it Then you must conclude it is a fearfull thing to fall into the hands of the living God by hurting the Saints or hinâ—ering Gods Cause if they could Object But how shall I know that the Parliaments Cause is Gods Cause thoâ—e which joyn with them are more Gods people then on
the other side Ansâ— Alas it is the plainest thing in the world and if yet you know it not I will endeavour to cleare it and the Lord set it home upon your hearts I will not burthen your memories with abundance but only give you an infallible marke of the Child of God I pray diligently observe the words of Jesus Christ himsefe I am the good Shepheard and know my sheepe and am known of mine John 10.14 Knowne of mine will you say what 's that That is Christs Sheepe Christs flocke know him so as to heare his voyce and obey his commandâ— they will not follow strange men nor stâ—ange and unâ—arranted wayes ver. 45. They will heare Gods Word and endeavour to know Gods will in any thing and then on they goe These all speake one language looking still upon God Tâ—at which thou commandest that will we doe And whether thou sendest us thither will we goe Now then do but you consider whether of the Forces now raised in this Kingdome goes the neerest to this rule and the businesse is easily decideâ— Who is it that would submit to the Word and rule of God And who is it that would rule by prerogative Who is it that hath set upon the worke of Reformation And who it hath said they shall not and he will not Reforme furthen he pleases Who is it that are dâ—sirous to preserve the people of God and defend themselves in temple-worke by all lawfull meanes And who is it that musters up all the bloody Papists which can be got in this and other Kingdomes even making peace with proclaimed Traytors and from time to time brought them into England because they were expert murderers to destroy his owne faithfull Subjects Truely I am ashamed to rifle into the King-fins of these times and I will forbeare onely as the Minister of God in Soule-businesse I must speake out that by my silence I become not guilty of others blood The Lord helpe you to close with the truth for I protest if God should have seene it good to have brought in Christ into our Kingdome another way it would have been the joy of my soul and many others to have spoken more better for our King then now I can But I will sweeten this bitter subject with brevity and now passe into another poynt which is much more pleasing and therefore I hope length will be delight 3. Vse of Exhort The third use is of Exhortation If Gods people shall be the prevailing people if God will worke deliverance for them then be exhorted to labour after a right an intrest in Jesus Christ or else you shall have no share with the Saints You know all the old world was drownt which was not in tâ—e Arke Gen. 7.23 So all shall perish that not saved in the Aâ—ke Christ Jesus That was a Tipe of this Nay I will come neerer to you unlesse you be incorpoâ—ated into Christ unlâ—sse he be yours there is not any thing you have will doe you any good Whatsoever God gives to the Church to his Saints will not make you happy you have no part in it That which the Saints may rejoyce in for the very same you shall grieve yea it will your sorrow even the excellency of your gifts and parts will perish you Those things which are blessings to the Saints are curses to the wicked they will helpe damne them lower in hell You may thinke I goe far but I goe not beyond my rule I have the word of Jesus Christ for what I say The Scribes and Pharâ—sees were men of admirable parts much wit great learning yea they used praying and made long prayers too yet these being not sanctified to them they were but the more able to doe evill and therefore prest them deeper into hell Who unto Scribes and Pharisees hypocrites for yâ—â— devoure widdowes houses and for a pretence mâ—ke long prayers what then therefore yee shall receive the greateâ— damnation Mat. 23.14 The like you have from Christ in another place wheâ—e he upâ—raids the Cities of Coâ—azin Bethsaida and Capernaum for their security in sin notwithstanding the rich meanes of grace which God had given to them above others and therefore tells them that their judgements shall be more sharpe then others Jesus Christ begins his speech to them Mat. 11. vers. 20. But those I will refer to your examination and onely instance and explaine the 23. vers. Christs words are these And thou Capernaum which art exalted to heaven shall be brought downe to hell for if the mighty workes which have beene in thee had beene done in Sodomeâ— it would have remained untill this day Jesus Christ speaking to the other Cities gives them their doome in the former verses but here turâ—ing â—o Capernaum he speakes to her with an Emphesis But thou Câ—pernaum As if Jeâ—us Christ should say Wâ—e unto thee Corazin woâ— unto theâ— Beâ—hsaida c. but woe woe woâ— to thee Copernaum which art exalted to heaven who hast had meanes above all the rest meanes which might have brought thee to heaven such meanes as would have converted and so saved Sodome it selfe to this day even these meanes will make thâ—e most miserable and carry thee fuâ—ther into hell thâ—n Sodomes sins will doe her It shall be morâ— tollerable for the Land of Sodomâ— in the day of judgement then for thee vers. 24. I beseech you who ever you be consider this for the Lords sake take heed of neglecting abusing either meanes or gifts What a miserable case are those in which have not Christ when parts Sermons Sacraments all increase damnation On the other side is not Christ despised Christ worth the having which helpes all gives a right to all guides in all I have here a large subject to treat off and I hope you will not expect that I should be very briefe being such a Christ-concerning poynt a soule-concerning poynt but that I should fully open it before I passe I might indeed run out into many parts but I will contract my thoughts and handle onely some particulars which shall be these First I will endeavour to discover and set out the wretched estate of the wicked who are out of Christ and then come to shew the excellency of the Saints priviledges who have a right and interest in Jesus Christ I will after this lay downe some directions for the use of the Saints as certaine speciall helpes to bring a soule to Christ and close up all with some choice Motives I must begin with the lesse pleasing part the wretched estate of the wicked who have interest in Christ But this hath its use as wâ—ll as the other Nay it will helpe much to the other The danger of the one will move a gracious spirit to looke out for the other The Law saith Paul was our schoolâ—-master to bring us to Christ Gal. 3.24 That is the terrors of the Law shew us our need of Christ the law sends us to seeke