price with men It is with them as it is with Glow-worms and Stars that keep their shining and are very glorious because the Sun is set so Christ is hid in his glory and whilst men are led more by sence than by faith men doat upon these things they know nothing more vain yet nothing more glorious When Christ comes a man shall see all the world the honor comforts wealth crowns greatness of it buried before his eyes and when an end of these things shall be seen now the Lord will be precious as doubtless when they saw the Ark floating upon the water happy are they that are there might they say and hence Mal. 3. ult those that said the proud were happy what was the reason of it but because of this The day of the Lord was not yet come to make up his Iewels Now when once the eye is bewitched with the glory of the world nothing causeth security sooner as strange fancies in the head work a man first asleep Psal. 73. When David beheld the prosperity of the wicked he began to dislike all Religion and to account it simplicity to be holy until at last he saw the end of these things Fourthly Because in Christs absence men feel not the evil of sin which doth befall them in their security nor yet the evil of their own hearts for if men should be presently punished and smitten by some revenging invisible hand of God upon them after every sin and as soon as first they begin to sleep you should never see the heart secure and hence the Devils live in horrors daily in apprehension of the judgment of the great day thus it will be at Christs coming then the secret things of darkness shall be brought to light but now is a time of forbearance hence a carnal heart is set to do wickedly and to go on securely Eccles. 8. 11. Fifthly Because while Christ is absent conscience lyes still most commonly and seldom is throughly awake and hence a man sleeps for conscience is the Lords witness accuser and notary now the witness then speaks most fully and clearly when the Judge is come Now however God doth awaken some mens consciences throughly in this life yet it is not universal but in few to be thorowly awakened and hence men are very secure Isa. 33. 14. Who shall dwell with everlasting burning c SECT III. HEnce we see the vileness of the hearts of men that Christ his absence which time is given to us to make us watch should make us secure that men should turn day into night a day of forbearance into a night of forgetfulness for if the Lord should not delay his coming how many thousands would be swept away before any peace made with God or before any work finished for God! now he in pity gives such days delays his coming for this end and do we thus requite the Lord 2 Pet. 3. 9. Christ himself doth his work while it is light the night cometh wherin no man can work Ioh. 12. 35 36. Now what a crossing of the Lord is this If he should come thou shouldst be consumed by him and if he doth not come you will grow secure before him Hence see the reason why the hearts of men are so secure in times of health and peace but they cry out and look about them in times of sickness and when the approach of death is near because Christ now begins to come and Christs presence is near in great terror and severity and glory but be these are afar off now the soul begins to see Christ and how he must shortly stand naked alone stript of all comforts and friends before an all-seeing God and now they look about for evidence but before the Lord would not come as yet he delays his coming I may live many years and provide thus and thus for my children c. Oh men complain of secute careless hearts and the cause is this they see not this day a coming Hence see one special way to prevent and remove security when it is fallen upon the hearts of any and that is by daily setting before you the coming of the Lord the Apostles penned this and Saints believe this 1 Thess. 1. ult I am perswaded some men have had in their dreams the visions of the Almighty of which Iob speaks and have been awakened in terror and fear even with the dream of it but how would this awaken if seen and beheld whilst indeed you are awake Many Monkish spirits have been much awakened in their superstitious way by this but the spirit of a Paul will be much more for by this means he awakened all the world to look about them 2 Cor. 5. 11. And for himself this did make him exercise himself Acts 24. 15 16. so it will be with you you will not only be awake your selves but keep all awake about you and this is not legal neither thus to do It is certain if you complain of security I dare complain against you that this is the cause you look upon the comming of the Lord as a long time off and see it not daily it converted some in scoffing Athens to the Fith much more if converted doth it awaken Let us therefore commend Three things to you SECT IV. First MAke the coming of the Lord real see it real and set it really as it shall be before your eyes Heb. 9. ult to them that look for him c. Why do not men look for him truly very few do look for him really it is only a report a noise with many men where there is the power of grace it presents things as they are which shall be so Faith is the substance of things not seen it puts them in their being it is the evidence of things not seen for otherwise it will never work upon you Especially think on these Four things at that day 1. The consuming of all things here in the world which your hearts are so ready to doat upon and of all carnal and fleshly excellencies which you trust unto 2 Pet. 3. 11. Seeing these things shall be consumed what manner of persons ought we to be If a man that is to make a sea voyage did know that whatever he brought to shore beside Gold and Pearls should be consumed as soon as he comes to shore he would not fraught his ship with those things if men were assured here is a house where you and yours shall be burnt they would set it elsewhere men come from one Country to another because sin will consume 2. The amazing glory of Christ Jesus when Christ shall come as a deliverer to refresh they sad heart and all his Saints at that day look upon Christ as sitting on the clouds of fire raising the dead then them that are alive changed in the twinckling of an eye coming with all his Angels Heaven left empty of them and Saints sitting at his right hand shining like the Sun so
this your sin makes your shame and there 's the want of holiness 1 Pet. 3. 3. man might be conveâ—ted by the Wife and the Wife by the Husband not that it is always so but usually so Secondly Look into Churches what is the reason people lose their honor much in the hearts of Ministers he respects others but not me and sometimes they think now he strikes at me and meaneth me and then the heart swells c. what 's the reason that Paul professeth he will come with a rod among the Corinthians they were babes and carnal and contentious and puâ—t up little love and life and what 's the reason he sets out the Thessalonians so 1 Thess. 1. 5. because of this they did abound and hence commended of all Saints hence want of growth and holiness they travel in birth till Christ be formed and when they cannot see that hence they are in throws for you what 's the reason Ministers lose their glory among people I confess 't is not always for decay here for Iohn in prison did not lose his holiness and hence when they despised him Christ commended him and his reward was with the Lord it was not a testimony of his unholiness but a fore-râ—nner of the end of his days as well as of the end of his work and hence when all Asia forsook Paul 2 Tim. 4. 16. it was the time of his departing now at hand But that which is the cause of it many times is want of holiness within and hence though men fee not yet the Lord will not give a false testimony nor let men do so hence neither judgements nor their speeches reverenced or because men see not the ancient Spirit of holiness hence no mourning for them in secret no holiness in speeches they smell of the field not walking as patterns before them Mal. 2. 8 9. not caring for the fâ—ock which Christ hath purchased with his own blood What 's the reason there is that complaint of want of love one man to another one member to another who are bound by covenant to it such jars divisions c. Truly nothing makes so firm an union between man and man as holiness and grace this tieth the knot and it is not holiness hid but now seen it not being seen hence comes all your breaches its impossible else such small things should make it Oh a tender heart and the life of Christ is not indeed seen a holy man exact shall never want love that in every company scatters something that like Christ goes up and down doing good healing the diseases of mens hearts there 's a man I could dye with him in my very bosom I am perswaded the decay of holiness in the lives of men is the cause why Sanctification is questioned as an evidence of Justification and hence division Thirdly Look abroad into the world what is the reason the Churches lye among the pots and are soiled with so many disgraces that though we be the people of the Lord yet we are not called so why jaâ—s divisions earthliness want of love and mercy murmurings loss of former life When Jews are shining with the glory of God Kings and all Nations shall bring in their glory to them Oh consider this sin doth make you vile in Gods eyes and mans eyes Many complain they cannot be respected nor received this is the cause of it you excell not here others take notice of your unrighteousness unholiness of life there 's some evil in their bargaining and buying and ill language from the people of God Oh therefore go home and lament this as she The glory of God is departed from Israel so do you here SECT V. HEnce see when the Lord doth honor us to do his work what little cause there is to seek honor of men nay though all the worlds glory be taken from you because it is honor enough to do the Lords work would you have more honor than Christ this was his beauty glory and honor God hath an everlasting name for you though you have disgrace by it nay though no success yet Isa. 49. 5. glorious in the Lords eye Oh it was a sweet course of Barak Iudg. 4. 9. thou shalâ— lose honor that 's all one said she Let me do the Lords work though it be in a difficult work of pursuing the Lords enemies what profit have you on the other side when you seek it in your pitchers what company c. this was Sauls sin 1 Sam. 15. 30. Oh worship and honor me nevertheless this time before the people it 's his reward and it 's the Devils sin to be puft up this pull'd down Nebuchadnezar Herod was smote with worms because he gave not glory to God but took it to himself it was a heavy speech to Eli 1 Sam. 2. 29. Because thou honorest thy sons above me this and that I will do unto thee Nay though men are so holy as to honor God with their lips yet God will blast the wisdom of the wise for it Oh therefore let this be enough and then you will not hunger after other honor for this is glory and honor enough and you have thought so when your selves Oh if I may but honor the Lord it is enough Hence see what little cause any wicked man hath to lift up his head with any glory he hath because the spirit of holiness beauty and glory is departed from them as when the Soul is departed from the body its glory and beauty is departed from them it 's withered and therefore we shall read in Scripture what names the Lord gives them as Dogs Swine Serpents a generation of vipers painted Sepulchres Devils in the time of the greatest profession as Iudas Ioh. 6. Wilde beasts and that in the greatest outward glory and hence the four Monarchies of the world are resembled to such beasts Bears Leopards c. Thus for their persons And as for their actions all they do is unclean and ignoble and hence compared to Thistles that cannot bring forth Figs or Grapes and hence Solomon compares them As jewels in a Swines snout so is a parable in the mouth of a fool it becomes them not it 's abomination in the sight of God all that which they do though glorious before men and at last day they shall rise up to everlasting contempt and it is said Isa. 66. ult their worm shall never dye and they shall be an abhorring to all flesh though they may carry it out fair for a time the fairest professors that by their Sorceries and enchantments deceive the people shall be filled with shame and as the Magicians were smitten with sores they could not stand before Moses being smitten with sores so you shall not be able to stand before the Lord at the last day and look as it is with Christ and his people their cross and shame here it is but their preparation to their crown and hence when Christ was put to the
men mourning more under it than ever yet to see no good at all in themselves this if their eyes be open they are not to say I delight in the Law in the inner man and hence a regenerate Christian is vile in his own eyes after all duties and enlargements he sees how all is defiled with a filthy heart and hence Prov. 30. 4. I am brutish and he speaks of his natural estate and in that part for else it is cross to 1 Cor. 2. 10. 2. They see nothing in themselves to commend them to God in point of Justification here all Paul's past and present righteousness is accounted dung Quest. 3. If an Hypocrite sees and feels nothing and those that are poor in spirit do so what is the difference Ans. The differences are many 1. He that is truly poor sees so much vileness as that he loaths himself Ezek. 6. But the Hypocrite if he hath any excellency remains full of it proud with it if it be gone he seeks himself again and loaths not himself 2. True poverty of spirit drives a man out of himself and all carnal contents tents as well as graces to mercy to live there and cleave there as in the Prodigal he did not only see a want but feel a need of bread I die without it Psa. 40. 9 10. But another that sees no good either is not driven out of his contents but when he sees nothing as Câ—in builds Cities or if he see 's some good in himself then he is not driven out of himself SECT V. HEnce see which is the surest and safest way of evidencing our good estate for here men now are perplexed either 't is by seeing no grace and so expecting the witness of the Spirit or by seeing some saving work of grace and so looking to the witness of the Word and waiting for the confirmation of the Spirit for seals do but confirm the Promise and Covenant if it be by seeing no grace then either by seeing no grace without having the being of it and now wait for a revelation and then 't is a delusion for he is under the condemnation of the Word and therefore far from consolation of the Spirit or by seeing no grace without seeing the being of it If so then a man must seek for a witness of the Spirit without understanding the meaning of the Spirit or of the witness of it and so a man must shut his eyes against part of the truth that he may see another part a man must see that he is beloved but not thou believer or thou called art loved or justified Oh then take heed of this way of evidence or else by now seeing grace and waiting for a witness now this is safest for when ever the witness comes it is certainly right now not a delusion Hereby we shall see the full meaning of the witness and compass of the Lords love And therefore take heed of denying all grace and seeing nothing and then wait for a Revelation and if it comes now 'tis right no such matter you may see nothing and to hell and no consolation to them that see nothing think not that this is poverty it may be a seal to a blank to such a one as the Lord never intended mercy unto that which God promiseth pray for Zach. 13. ult first to say It is my people and then the Lord is my God find that the Lord makes you his people and then say so Let all know this is never questioned whether the Spirit be the cause of witness and clearing our estate but whether by seeing nothing or shewing something here 's the mystery of it Oh that God would make you hear that are called away from the simplicity of the Gospel of Christ These foolish Virgins were wiser than many now a days in this particular they cried for oyl in their lamps or they knew they could not be accepted of the Bridegroom Oh search and try your selves throughly for you may come in time to see all your paint fall off all your guilt discovered c. CHAP. XII Of the desire of Grace that may be in Hypocrites SECT I. Give us of your Oyl c. THat foolish Virgins may and seriously do desire not only Salvation but Grace it self For these Virgins did not only desire the Lord to open to them but give us of your oyl and this they do not desire in shew but seriously for they felt a want of it our lamps are out out oyl is spent our misery is great Oh now help us with your grace This may appear in these particulars First They may feel a loss and a want of it and having some hope in this life to gain it hence may seek it thus not only the Virgins but Simon Magus Acts 8. 24. when he was convinced he was in the gall of bitterness he doth not only content himself with his own but doth commend himself to the desires of the Church and Apostles Oh pray for me that none of these things may come upon me but that I may be brought into another estate whereby I may escape all this Amos 8. 11 12. I will bring a famine not of bread but of hearing the Word i. e. you shall feel a woful want of that and of the consolation life and spirit of that and you shall go from sea to sea to find it and shall not Oh that I had taken my time will the careless ones say Secondly They may have a high opinion of it and see a marvellous excellency in it and hence may be drawn to desire it Ioh. 6. 33 34. My father gives you bread from heaven which Moses gave not and such bread as gives life unto the world then said they Lord ever give us of this bread and yet they were carnal and desires carnal arising from the sight of the excellency of it that Scribe Matth. 12. 33 34. To love the Lord thy God with all thy heart is better than all burnt offerings and sacrifices Oh that 's admiâ—able the Ordinances are good and Creatures are good but this is better As a man when he admires the world he ever desires the world though he never hath it so here as in Balaam Not only Word and Spirit may commend it and so they may desire it but the excellency of it in the lives of the Saints will commend it so as carnal hearts may desire the company and love of such men above all in the world Rev. 3. 8. Gen. 26. 28. We saw God was with thâ—e â—nd that thou wâ—rt blessed of the Lord and hence there are some desires after it 2 Pet. 2. 19. Men escape pollutions by Christ. Thirdly They have a taste of the sweetness of it and hence may desire it Heb 6. Iohn was a burning light and they rejoyced in him and all Iudea and Ierusalem flocked to hâ—s Ministery and came into the wilderness after him the savor of the grace of Christ may wonderfully
Heaven it self so they keep you from feeling the Truth of this Doctrine even of this Heaven upon earth in your own experience 3. Let all Members of Churches hence learn to have their conversation in Heaven and walk as men come down from Heaven and returning thither again and that are as it were already in Heaven Paul did thus and wept to see so many that did not thus but did mind earthly things Phil. 3. 19 20. Do not only forsake but even forget your Countrey and your Fathers house so shall the King of Glory desire your beauty Psal. 45. 10 11 Let the reproach of earthly-mindednesse cast upon the face of Christians be wiped off by your carriage being heavenly holy loosened from things below Art thou in Heaven with an earthly heart Is not Heaven good enough for thee Cannot that content thee which many have desired to see and could not see even the Lord Jesus the King of Glory in his beauty in the assemblies of his Saints 4. Take heed of pulling down this Kingdom Loyal Subjects will rather lose their lives than their Prince shall lose his Kingdom Fear not enemies without but your selves at home The enemies of the Church did never yet hurt the Church but the Church's sins Zach. 7. 14. Oh consider what mercy the Lord hath betrusted us withal that unlesse the Lord should carry us to Heaven it self immediatly on the wings of Angels he can shew us no greater outward favour in this world than to bring us into this his Kingdom of Heaven on earth I professe one daies fellowship here with a number of broken-hearted Christians either mourning together or rejoycing in their God and King together it our-bids the many years Glory of the whole world howsoever 't is hidden from the world And will you betray this Kingdom SECT V. Quest. VVHat are those things that may pull down this Kingdom Answ. 1. Ignorance of those sins which may hurt and ruine it There are common infirmities which all the faithful have in common for which the Lord pities his but there are some that are proper and personal to some particular persons Psal. 18. 23. for which the Lord is angry even with his own so there are some sins which are common Church-infirmities for which the Lord will not cast off his people but there are sometimes in several Churches proper Church-sins Now the Rule here is if these be not seen and lamented and removed if the Lord be angry for these as verily he will and yet they do not so much as know all this while what it is that hurts them these sins will canker the roots and blast the most flourishing Churches Ephesus Rev. 1. 4. had her sin Sardis Rev. 2. 1. had her sin Laodicea had her sins Rev. 3. 16. Now what if they never know these nor repent of these you know then Ephesus Candlestick must be removed and Laodicea shall be spued out of Christs mouth Oh this hath been the bane of Churches while they enjoyed their liberties they could not nay in truth would not know their aile in the day of Christs visitation of them and hence came their ruine the cause of which they saw not only it may be the remnant that escaped to whom the Lord shewed mercy could read their sins in their plagues It is a lamentable spectacle to behold the ruines of Germany and that after such great slaughter and effusion of blood they cannot tell the thing that hath hurt and doth still wast them 2. Self-seeking a Spirit of self Look as it is in a Kingdom if there be a common enemy and the body of the Army which should encounter with them be every man taken up and taking thought how he may preserve his own Tent and do not joyn their forces together for common safety it must perish and the Kingdom will be easily conquered Or as it is with the body if every member seeks to preserve it self alone and not that which preserves them all viz. the Head the body will drop down and die shortly Christ Jesus is the Head of this Body his Church Now 't is certain if ye seek to preserve your own name more than Christ's to give more content to your own lusts then to the will and heart of Christ if more careful of fetching feathers to your own nests and to shift for your selves and not to attend every man in his place the publick good of the Church and Christ in it 't is certain God will forsake you and all will to ruine quickly 2 Chron. 15. 1 2. Church-members of publick spirits are ever prosperous men They shall prosper that love thee Psal. 122. 6. That say in their hearts out of sense of Christ's love Lord what shall I doe for thee How may I be useful to thy people But if back and belly mine and thine be chief in request this will ruine you 3. League and Amity with the enemies of Christ's Kingdom or peace with our lusts it is not sin but a privy peace with sin and a secret quietnesse in sin which overthrowes Christ's Kingdom The Canaanites that were left alive because 't is said they could not drive them out how often did they vex and prick and yoke the Israel of God Those sins which you say you cannot part with and hence yield unto them and mourn not under them those will ruine Churches Some sins you have forsaken and could forsake the danger lies not here Wrath goeth out against Iehosaphat because he loved him who hated the Lord 2 Chron. 19. 2. 4. When the Church laies by her weapons No Kingdom can be kept safe in an ordinary way where all their weapons are taken from them or not used by them when their 〈◊〉 upon their borders When the Church hang by and lay aside Faith the shield whereby we defend our selves and prayer whereby we offend our enemies what safety is to be expected now in Churches Only be strong saith the Lord to Ioshuah when he went out upon that great service of the Lord Iosh. 1. 7. Eph. 6. 13. There is no more fearful sign of ruine to a Church than where the Spirit of prayer begins to fail and verily if any people under Heaven are ready to miscarry herein we that have our fill of peace and our yokes broken off from our shoulders are in most danger but if it be so look for such shakings of all hearts and Churches also as shall make you find your tongues and knees and eares and hearts again if the Lord means to dwell with you 5. Not bringing forth the fruits of the Kingdom Mat. 21. 43. Cut that Church down that cumbers the ground after many years pruning and wetting That Kingdom where there is Church-trading but no considerable gain coming in will consume quickly and die of it self Fruit is the last end of the tree All duties you do wherein you attain nor or at least aim not at your last and utmost end but make your selves
near Heaven too Angels were hurled down for one sin 2. Set a high price upon a little Grace a man will be exceeding humbly thankful for the giving a little of that which he highly esteems much more for giving much of what we value The poor Woman of Canaan Mat. 15. was glad of crumbs How thankful do you think she was for loaves that made her ready to receive all Be it as thou wilt so it shall be with you for if you prize a little Oh when all shall be given this will swallow you up into Grace And it 's certain there is never a mercy but 't is great if you consider him that gives it who receives it him that bought it But the most of Gods Grace in us appears to be but small hence we prize it not and hence never ready to give all to the Lord again 3. Learn to put a difference between your double being for every Christian hath a double being 1. In himself 2. He hath a subsistence in Christ. Now look upon your selves as in your selves you will ever complain there ever dead and never have your hearts ready to bless the Lord. If you only look on your selves in Christ you will be proud and never give the Lord honour I say therefore put a difference between these two for men appropriating to themselves what is Christs they rob Christ of his glory Hence Paul so humble 1 Cor. 15. 10 11. For if you look upon your self I am dead guilty damned weak here will be shame if any life or Grace this is Christs As a man on a Mount is the same man no taller only the Mountain makes him so so think of thy self Or as a mud wall the sun shines on it but in it self it is a mud-wall still all the warmth and lustre is from the Sun 4. Learn to love Grace what we love we will seek the good of more than our own and commend it First It 's the only first mover of all our good thou shouldst never have had a dram of peace or mercy Why hast it the Lord will have it so Grace pleads it may be so this is the only Petitioner at Court against the cry of sin against the cry of Justice Secondly 'T is the only support under the heaviest evills sometime God frowns and Hell smokes and Satan tempts and sin rageth and it may be no feeling of Grace no reason to shew there shall ever be any now what have you done what will you do Fly for refuge to the Promise of Grace Heb. 6. 18. It is such a Friend as holds up the head when sinking when dying holds that when all fails and against which the gates of Hell cannot prevail To him that laies hold on Grace this is wonderful Paul was a man taken with Grace hence he every where commends it I was received to mercy c. 1 Tim. 1. 13 14. 5. See how the Lord loves that thou shouldest honour it for the greatest honour Grace hath is by Faith hence they are put for one Rom. 4. 16. and the great cause why Faith stirs not is because he sees not how the Lord shall have by it the praise of his rich Grace nor how the Lord loves it should do so For if a man did see how by Faith he shall honour Grace and how the Lord is pleased with it it would draw the heart to be assured and to bless Grace for when the Soul feels it self at worst why doth it not believe I shall presume True if you have this only in your eye to save your self but if the Spirit presents the glory of Grace and this draws your will that you will glorifie Grace then you will say 't is no presumption so to do and so to believe for the Lord loves his Grace and all means for the glory of Grace Hence he will use Faith for that end to honour Grace Oh therefore see how the Lord loves to have thee honour it This gives Gods heart full rest this is that which he desires most because 't is his end This is that which all the business of the world is for Oh see how he loves it and then you will love to act thus Now set upon this last work look over all your life and like Bees gather honey from every flower and then come loaden home so do you and look over all the Lords love turn over all the leaves of it The Lord hath now called me why it's because Christ hath redeemed and why that because the Father hath chosen and why me to glorifie his Grace And why me rather than another No reason but he would This I doubt not will be the work of Heaven I am glorified because called because redeemed because elected for none other reason why and here astonished You have not christian hearts in you that will now have no care to do this work there before you are turned off the stage you poor doubting Spirits that see so much vileness and cannot be perswaded be not discouraged Wait for the Lord and say if he shall save I shall for ever love him the more Now hold here anâ— be ready to do so and it 's certain thou art a vessel of Glory ready to sing the Song of the Lamb and shalt follow him where-ever he goes CHAP. IX Concerning the Souls immediate closing with the Person of Christ as the proper Object of Saving-Faith 3. Went forth to meet the Bride-Groom SECT I. Here needs the Explication of Three Things 1. VVHo is the Bride-groom Answ. The conclusion of this Parable is the Explication of this viz. the Son of Man the Lord Jesus Christ who according to the several conditions or dispositions the Church is in appears to his Church under several relations and titles The Church is oppressed by her enemies he appears now to her as her Prince and King the Church wants wisdom light and life he appears now unto her as an head The Church hath been seeking of his love and yielding her self to the obedience of him as her Lord at last he appears more fully to her as an Husband or as a Bride-groom with whom she is to have her nearest and everlasting fellowship and communion and so here And when Christ comes to shew most special love and to have most special fellowship with his people he thus stiles himself Isal. 54. 5 6. So Iohn 3. 29. And when the Church hath tasted that love she calls him so II. What it is to meet the Bride-groom Answ. To enjoy fellowship and familiarity with him III. What is it to go forth to meet the Bride-groom Answ. There are but three wayes of going forth to meet with Christ in Scripture 1. When Soul and Body at the last Day meet the Lord in the clouds of the air 1 Thes. 4. 17. Thus the whole Church the Bride shall appear in glory to meet the Bride-groom 2. When the Soul only goeth out of the Body by the ministry of Angels to
inward trouble for some sins now to Christ to remove them and so to pacifie conscience if with want of Christ himself now he goes for himself 2. Those that close with Promises without Christ himself and divide between them two that strip Christ of these his Swadling-clouts make their gain of these and let himself go I confesse all a Christians wealth is laid up in Promises not in words and syllables for they are dead things but Christ in them and Gods faithfulnesse in them 2 Sam. 23. 4 5. This is all my salvation for all fulness is in Christ he is rich but what am I the better nay the more miserable for all emptinesse is in me therefore in the promise lies my peace And this is a Christians support in all troubles and hence he casts anchor here but here is his frame he layes not hold on them without Christ but by them goes to Christ and there rests Iohn 6. 45. He that hath heard of the Father cometh unto me Give children milk in the dish they cry still they must have it from the Mother and there suck so 2 Pet. 1. 2 3. Now there are others that finding some work in themselves without Christ and thinking that it 's saving and so a good signe hence are mistaken and close with it without Christ and now they think it 's well I doubt not but the Jews that be devout comforted themselves with that promise He that confesseth c. Prov. 28. 13. not understanding of it Mat. 3. Say not within your selves we have Abraham to our Father that promise kept them off from Christ Mat. 22. Some came not to the Feast some came but without a Wedding Garment 'T is with these men as 't is with men that come to buy Wines they taste them and content themselves with a taste another buyes the thing a Saint doth so another tastes the sweet and after falls to the impardonable sin Heb. 6. Or as 't is with a man that sees corn on the ground he buyeâ— the field another he gleans somewhat and contents himself with that There is in one word a double error First When a man shall close with Christ without Promises and hence seek to be seâ—ted without a Promise Hence say some you must not gather any evidence from any qualification you feel in your self Secondly When men shall snatch and nibble at Promises and misapply them not closing with Christ in them and by them I have confessed my sin and repented and run away with this without Christ. Oh time will come the Lord will say how cameâ—t thou in hither what hast thou to do to take my Promises into thy mouth to arm thy self against Christ by Promises to make a spoyl of Christs grants and let him be crucified When Saul rent off Samuels garment he said The Lord shall rend c. 1 Sam. 15. 27 28. The letter kills all Promises without Christ slay because they keep the famishing Soul from Bread it self 3. Those that close not with Promises only but with Christ himself but it 's only with the Image and fancy of him which they think is himself In true Faith the Father reveals the Son as he is or the Son reveals himself as he is and Faith hence closeth with him as he is Iohn 6. 40. But some there be that hear of him hence think what he is Hence a carnal mind imagines of him as it imagines of a King in a far Country and falls down to his Image and trusts to it and depends on it and joyes in it untill a man comes to be converted or to dye and then he sees the deceit Or if he did see him yet he can see no beauty in him to desire him There is many a man in this case that trusts to and joyes in Christ whom if he did know he would loath Iohn came preaching the Gospel to shew them Christ they all came to him and rejoyced in his light but it was but for a season for when he came to shew them there he is Iohn 1. 29. not one man stirs when he shews them Christ and vers 35. only two and chap. 3. 32. No man received his testimony This is Beloved the great sin and cause of all the rest if they had known they would not have crucified the Lord of Glory Christ is not seen hence not thought of hence not esteemed hence men boast not in him Nay 't is the great plague under meanes that in seeing they see noâ— Lord how long You say Christ never so clearly seen true but thou in seeing maist not see and if it be thus then look for ruine Isai. 6. 9 10 11 12. We say Christians want not light but life and affections Oh begg for light that will bring affections else all affections will dry up if not fed with this Spring Iohn 5. 37. What people had such means as they yet they not eyes to see 4. Those that do not close with the bare fancy of Christ but with himself but 't is not for himself and for his holinesse but only for his peace and consolations and joyes Like a sick woman that comes to the Physitian not to marry her but to heal her cure her and so comfort her Or if she doth come to marry him 't is only to satisfie her lust or to save her from trouble c. In a word they receive Christ that he may give contentment to them and not that hereby they may also give contentment unto him They close with Christ to make them happy not to make them holy But they thus closing with him think they have him and hence rejoyce exceedingly and hence have a love to him and hence some kind of communion with him and hence think they are espoused to him and more familiar with him than others and hence veriâ—y look with these five foolish Virgins to embrace the Bride-groom That look as a Saint from a false apprehension of Christ to be none of his may be very â—ad lose his joy nay his very love in the act of it nay his communion and boldnesse to go to him nay his expectation of him so from a false conceit that Christ is mine è contra Thus a man is grievously troubled with the sight of Gods anger and with horror and useth all means at last he sees only Christ can do it and hence seeks for and prizeth his love for his one ease for as horror may be his greatest evil so love to ease him may be his greatest good At last he is fully perswaded How By any work or word No but God hath perswaded and it s now sealed hence joy But now there is matter of more trouble holinesse and close walking with Christ this is troublesome he cares not for Christ to help him here but deviseth how to keep Christ and joy without holinesse Hence let a world of sin lie upon them they be not troubled with that they look up to Christ or if
say you cannot but you will find him out in Word in prayers though others be fast asleep Mat. 13. 44. When the man sells all now he buyes the field hath it and enjoyes it You would have the Lords company and fellowship I believe you But what will you give for it I will tell you It may be you will give him the hearing for it and give him a few good wishes and a few good words and a little leisure But will you turn the whole world behind your back and whatever you have out of doors that he may come in That now 't is not honour nor wealth nor life nor ease nor Heaven but him and that not only in Heaven but in his Swadling-clouts his Ordinances here beleeve it salvation is at your doors Zacheus being a low man of stature gets out of the crowd stanâ—s in the way and the Lord bids him come down Do thus when you come to any Ordinance I tell you 't is better than an host of Angels compassing thee about with praises Oh that you had the life of experience Hast not found him better than friends than means than thy self Oh that you would believe expetience 3. Make it not your task but your trade to seek for him that you may enjoy him heâ—e Make this your businesse Men make it not their main businesse to seek our Christ but only some work they must dispatch by the by They make it not their Trade but their Task which must be done Esan would have the blessing but 't is his hunting that he delights in You shall have a man that is a close worldling come and hear and joy therein but his trade his heart is after that Ezek. 33. 31. Look but on a Christian at his first conversion what great gains gets he then Oh 't is his trade to follow the Lord afterward he is idle and then feels little Mat. 13. 46. Liâ—e a merchant he ventures all and then finds Now you shall find him Heb. 11. 6. He is the rewarder not of them that seek him sluggishly but diligently What do you else seek for Why spend you your money for that which is not bread Or if there be ought else that is necessary let thy care be for him and his care shall be for thee 4. Look before thou comest to an Ordinance if there be no lust no stumbling block of iniquity that thou harbourest in thy heart or sufferest to remain in the sight of God Isa. 59. 1 2. I have know in experience and seen it in Scripture many of Gods people and others have taken on that God hides his face c. And this hath been found to be the cause either some sin not yet subdued or mortified or some sin that they have not gone for pardon of to the Blood of Christ and so unpardoned When both these have been removed the Lord hath appeared Exod. 24. 10. After the Covenant made by Blood they saw the God of Israel Ezek. 14. 3. Should I be enquired of by them that set the stumbling block of their iniquities c. Come therefore to an Ordinance that the Lord would take away thy 〈◊〉 do not come to it that you may be comforted in your sin so that though there be sin in your heart yet the Lord will not cast that in thy dish when thou comest to him to take it away It may be you know none You know not what Spirit you are of Get the Lord to discover it to thee 5. Oh be thankful and cleave the closer to Christ for a little For that 's the infinite mercy and love of Christ to his people he lets them see their end the height of Grace and Glory the Lord will bring them to but makes them feel the want of it and tast but a little but the first-fruits Now there is Satans policy to make them sleight what they have because they have not what they would have Hence Christ estrangeth himself greatly Do you thus despise my love Oh therefore cleave close to him for that little and then see John 1. 50. Thou shalt see greater things than these the Son of God and Angels ascending and descending on him Think that I feel or have the sense of any want of Grace and peace and mercy and Christ Oh 't is mercy That I have the Star oh this is mercy this brought them to Christ himself afterward Oh unthankfulnesse stops Cods heart God will never cease pouring out on thee that art pouring out praises on him for else mans kindnesse should exceed the Lords Thus you see the Means now use them and long for the Lord Jesus in them and so long as that you may meet him and do it presently else you may seek and not find him and die in your sins Iohn 8. 21. A sad and heavy speech Hath God singled you out of all people in the world to enjoy him and will you now forsake him and be eaten up with your Lots and buried in the bellies of your Beasts or sit grieving that your estates are sunk It may be Hypocrites will forsake the Lord Jesus but will you also depart Others care not for him others long not after him others give him no meeting will you depart Lord to whom shall we go Oh and long for more of him forget what is behind and hear and pray as if thou never didst so before as if but new to begin There is a plot afoot to make you loath Ordinances that so God may loath you Men that are sick and like to die can eat no common wholsom meat but are now nourished by conserves and Alchermies and Spirits of Gold So when wholsom Truths of God are despised men are deadly sick when any new-fangled device shall feed their fancy The Lord keep you from it Oh do you love and long for the Lord in them the more for his Spirit his love his Truth his Christ his company his Grace his consolations and then when death comes you shall not need to fear it but make it welcome and when Conscience shall ask Do you think to be with the Lord Oh it shall be peace in thy bosom Lord thee have I longed for thee have I sought for wept for here because I could not come to thee presently in Heaven Now Lord let me come to thee and so go triumphing to Glory SECT VII HEnce we see no Christian ought to content himself with any measure of knowledge or fellowship with the Lord Jesus here For if full perfect and immediate fellowship with him in Heaven and at last day ought to be the mark he aimes at and journies end of all his desires then he is not to sit down in the mid-way but to breath and aspire after still more and more of him Thus Paul though fully sealed with the Spirit yet he makes this his mark Phil. 3. 14 15 16. 1 Pet. 1. 10 11 12 13. The Apostle tels them the Propheâ—s looked after the Grace given
of flesh and blood cannot be at the weight of that Glory long That by works see the promise and by the promise of love behold eâ—ernal thoughts of love And hence promises are said to be given to Saintâ— before the world began Because promises to them that thirst mourn believe c. are not bare words but eternal counsels in which you see Gods purpose 2. In respect of time present by it we know our present union to the Lord Jesus 1 John 2. 4. He that saith I know him and keeps not his Commandments is a Liar Yes that is true negatively but may a man ought a man to see or know his union positively by this Ans v. 5. Many said they did know and love the Lord but he that keeps his words Oh they are sweet It s Heaven to cleave to him in every command its death to depart from any command Hereby know we that we are in him If it were possible to ask of Angels how they know they are not devils they would answer the Lords will is ours So here How do you know you have not the nature of Devils and so in state of Devils bound there till the judgment of the great day Because God hath châ—nged our vile natures and made our wills like unto his glorious will c. So for forgiveness Luke 7. 47. Much is forgiven her c. 3. In respect of the state of Glory for time to come We may know our blessed estâ—te by a work 1 Cor. 2. 9. Eye hath not seen what the Lord hath prepared for them that love him Psal. 31. 19. Oh how great is thy goodnesse laid up for them that fear thee 3 Cor. 5. 3. If cloathed with Christ whole Christ v. 5 6. He hath fitted us for this and given the earnest of the Spirit which Rom. 8. 23. are first-fruits of Glory therefore we are confident Obj. But if you look to your selves you will have peace to day and sorrow to morrow Nay we are alwaies consident and yet Paul did not now go on in a Covenant of works Now whether a man first comes to know his estate by a work word and spirit so that there are three things to evidence our happy estate or whether by two things only viz. a geâ—eral word and spirit I intend not to dispute because it makes nothing against the truth in hand Only this I say it s very dangerous to limit the Holy One of Israel especially in his freedom of working to breath light and life and divine consolation when and by what means and promise and in what measure he will Christ when he was here on earth would say somtimes thy sins are forgiven Mat. 9. 2. Somtimes be it unto as thou believest Mat. 9. 28 29. Nay be it unto thee as thou wilt Mat. 15. 28. If in these inferiour things much more in greater Christ is now gone and we have no immediate speech with him but in his Word and he is free to speak to his people according as he pleaseth and when they need And therefore let me entreat Brethren to be wary in their speeches in dashing all promises in pieces What Christian heart can see Gods Truth mangled without being angry and mourning for the hardnesse of mens hearts The Lord hath spoken peace to some mens hearts thus he that is lost shall be found He that believes in me shall never hunger and he that comes to me shall never thirst and seeing this they conclude the Lords Spirit helping them for somtime they cannot do it peace For the Major is the Word the Minor Experience and the Conclusion the Lords Spirits work quickning your spirits to it Now say some how do you know this Thus you may be mistaken for many have been deceived thus Grant that And shall a child not take bread when 't is given him though dogs snatch at it What should one do then Bring their work to the light to the triall of the Word which you know doth but two things Shews that God is And 2. What man is and so discovers and describes all hypocrise of men and all grace of men now if it will not bear the trial of the Word convince them they have gone on in a covenant of works indeed But if it will hold there take heed then of false witnesse against the Truth of God so that do not condemn the work of Christ in any man where 't is of the right stamp and hath Christs Image upon it and so pluck men from their claim to Christs love revealed in his promise But learn to difference it once and then I am perswaded the sad differences that begin to appear would soon be ended among all them that love the Truth in Christ Iesus 2 Pet. 1. 4. Whereby are given to us that have precious Faith exceeding great and precious promises The Lord gives little to his people Oh but he gives them rich promises Bonds and Bills and writings to shew for rich Grace and riches of Glory and riches of peace Oh but these promises Hypocrites may have they may be lost and hunger and thirst and believe What as those do that have their interest in these promises Why are they called precious Promises Precious promises are not common things Precious promises are not the portion of a base world Precious things God never gives to dogs and believe me you may come to know the price of them in the times of your horrour on death-bed that account them common now Oh but many rest on promises without Christ That 's all one the faithful by them come to partake of the Divine Nature of Christ of his Spirit of Divine Consolations Peace Grace and this is not building on a work or resting on a bare promise when it carries you to Christ and the everlasting embracings of him It s no matter what promise gives peace so long as it lands us in Christ. And therefore a man may know his blessed estate by a work only let me put in three Cautions 1. Take heed you do not in your judgment or in your practise go about to move the Lord to love you by your work though it be of his making For all works are fruits no causes of the Lords love for this is Popery indeed and 't is Hypocrise Isa. 58. 3 4. Why have we fasted and prayed and delighted to draw near unto God c. but look upon the work and promise and be the more vile in thine own eyes that the Lord should promise or do any thing for thee So that when you feel any saving work go not to God with expectation of any good in the name of that work but in the name of that free Grace and Faithfulnesse of God which hath moved him to make such precious promises to such as those are that have it Hast not said Solomon shall reign 1 Kings 1. 13. So here 2. Take heed you do not sit down contented with the work and quiet your selves with
buffet them that there is nothing but clouds of wrath and no Star appearing Now look to the issue and mark the upright man his end is peace and consider this Christs Kingdom is hid and he brings contraries out of contraries he makes darknesse light Hell Heaven guilt pardon weaknesse strength and calls things that are not as though they were Then think within thy self I le conclude nothing against my self but stay and wait what the issue will be which is ever glorious Iames 1. 2 3 4. 1 Pet. 1. 5 6 7. Consider hath not the Lord done thee much good already Oh consider what is then behind 6. Never enter into dispute with Satan or thine own self about thy estate but by taking and making Scripture and Word tobe the Judge of the controversie Fears come in you shall never have mercy never have power Who told you so Doth the Word say that The Lord never gave himself to me I fear it Doth the Word say so Never was any as I Doth the Word say so Or doth not the Word say God delights to pick out the vilest to send the Physitian to them that be sick I cannot see nor conceive any mercy Doth the Word say so Are not the Lords thoughts above thine I have not that peace that others have therefore the Lord intends none toward me Doth the Word say so Oh but others if they knew me would loath me Doth the Word say so When as it saith Doublesse then thou art our Father Isa. 63. 16. And bring before this Judge both sides not only what sin can say or may do against thee but what the Word of the Lord Jesus can say for thee Jer. 31. 18 20. Ephraim cries out of stubbâ—â—nesse Oh but is not Ephraim my only Son Hear Ephraim lamenting too And hearâ— nothing against a Word Look on Paul warring against Christ and yet the Law of Christ in him also Luke 24. 25. 7. In times of greatest and smallest fears remember to be humble and vile in thine own eyes worthy never to be beloved And let the Lord have his Will of thee and this will give you peace God denies mercy to that man that will be Lord of it To be sure evidence mercy then he will not and when he doth manifest it 't is then when poorest and vilest and the heart is meek and humble Isa. 57. 15 16. Mat. 11. 29. Oh the Lord opens his heart and love when once his Will is dear The Lord casts by his rod and frowns now and creates peace Thus you may come to see the work or the Lords Grace in you To Ministers to take heed of making precious things common by giving in false Signs and Evidences of love but look up to the Lord for a special Spirit here To Gods poor people and thankfulnesse Oh that he hath called thee from darknesse into marvellous light into the Kingdom of his dear Son Oh that when so many come near to mercy and fall short of it yet me to be let in Caleb and Ioshua to be let into Canaan when the rest so near and all perished Blesse the Lord for all Afflictions Fears Temptations Enemies Evils Hidings of his Face hereby he hath but tried thee and purged away thy drosse and be comforted against all reproaches of Hypocrisie and Apostacy and a proud world that casts filth in the face of Holinesse Now we are Sons of God it appears not what we shall be but we shall be like him in Glory in Grace in Honour in his Kingdom for we shall see him as he is And as for you that live and lie and bed it with your ease lusts sloath and God sends you means but the Bellows are burnt the Lead is melted and your Drosse not consumed Reprobate Silver shall men call you and God shall destroy all your confidence But you that are the Lords Oh that you could see what the Lord hath done he hath put Heaven into thy soul and his work which is more Glorious than the Creation of Heaven and Earth CHAP. XV. Shewing that the Hypocrisie of the Heart proceeds from a want of a Saving Illumination in the Understanding SECT I. THE Spring or one great cause and original of Evangelical Truth and Hypocrisie is the mind of man For here there was an apparent difference between the Virgins in their practise and in their wills as hath been shewn yet the Lord expresseth it in general thus that some of them were wise which is one part of the perfection of the understanding and some of them were foolish which is the great defect of light in the mind or understanding because the truth of the one and the falshood of the other manifested what their hearts were in their heads and minds and the Truth in the one and Hypocrisie in the other did arise and was maintained by wisdom in some of their minds and by folly in the mind of some others Folly or want of Divine Light made the one unready for Christ wisdom or having of Divine Light made the other prepared for him Not that it doth exclude the evil or change of the will and affections but because they manifest themselves and are maintained in the mind Hence I say one great reason or Original of both lies in the mind Mat. 6. 22 23. If thy eye be single thy whole body is light c. The eye or mind of a man sits like the Coachman and guides the headstrong Affections if now this be blind there will be falls and deviations into crooked waies John 3. 19 20. Light is come Now what is the condemnation Men love darknesse i. e. will be blind and having sore minds and hearts will not look up to the Sun They see not nor receive not the Truth in love and hence condemned and è contra Hence Deut. 29. 1 2 3 4. Moses sets down the causes of all their evils The Lord hath not given you eyes to see to this day They did see and hear by natural and acquired knowledge but not by a Divine created infused knowledge all that God had wrought and done for them Heâ—ce when the Lord intends to seal down the Iews under unbelief Isa. 6. 10. The Lord then said shut their eyes lest they see and so be converted The heart makes the eyes blind and the mind makes the heart fat A man that is at enmity with God the Lord sets him against himself Hence men are left of God to their own lusts Luke 19. 42 44. Oh that thou hadst known and they knew not the day of visitation Hence Deut. 32. 29. Oh that this people had been wise to consider their latter end You know 't is in the Proverbs of Solomon the frequent title of those that are sincere and falshearted the one is called wise and the other foolish Insomuch that some Divines have made a necessity of a change and turning about of the will when there is fulnesse and clearnesse of light in
with exceeding great joy I confesse they may for a time give way to their sloath and sit in their vallies and turn day into night and sleep out almost the season of means yet you shall ever find this if ordinary means awaken them not terrible Flashings and Lightnings of wrath do and in their afflictions and terrours and wounds of Conscience Hos. 5. 15. they shall seek the Lord early Ponder therefore of this cause and in a time of sorrow they shall complain for somthing viz. for their sloath This may be the greatest sin of some they live in no sin but complaint thy complaints may be fruits of sloath in not using means and this may be thy great sin Hence learn 't is not having of Means in this place nor coming hither for Means that will do you any good or evidence your safe and good estate but an effectual use and improvement of them not only the use of outward but inward means too Men that have never so great a stock may die Beggars by not improving it Deut. 29 3 4. 1. Many seeing and beholding that Sun which is set with them to be risen here in these Western Parts partly out of fear of persecution partly by Friends perswasion and company partly to enjoy Gods Ordinances have taken their flight hither But 2. Being come wish Oh that our eyes had never seen it partly through plenty of means despise and loath them partly through multitude of covering or vexing cares have no hearts to or time to use them And yet 3. Are comforted in this that they have them though they see no God in them tast little sweetnesse receive little power from them and hope to go to Heaven at next remove that have come so far for these c. I would to God it were so But oh consider 1. If you improve them not thy coming hither is but the discovery of thy hypocrisie to men and Angels for this is the stage wherein the most fine-spun hypocrisie and real sincerity shall act its part 2. Nay thou art so far from being blessed in having them thus that Gods fiercest plagues shall here approach thy dwelling The Arke among the Philistims made the Lord plague the Philistims 3. Nay this shall lay all desolate one day They cried the Temple of the Lord Jer. 7. Go to Shiloh So I say Go to the Palatinate Go to Germany France go to the places whence you came and see what the Lord hath done 4. This shall be as to Saints greatest joy when they shall look back and see all the difficulties they have passed over that here and there hearts and help failed and there I lingred but the Lord was merciful and pulled me out and they shall wonder at that Faithfulnesse and Grace so here This will be terrour and anguish that I came so far and had means and took some pains and was almost perswaded one time almost confuted another almost conquered and had yielded up all at another but oh my Lump fell down to the dust again and my soul forsook the pursuing of the Lord again and this shall be the portion of Hypocrites You may neglect and wrap up your Talents but the Lord hath a time to call you to an account what gain you make Look therefore to it it may be some of you have need to improve means you despise them in one place and hither you come for them and poor hearts eyes dim hearts hard Consciences asleep ears deaf breath gone life lost God departed and nothing left but a dead Carcase It may be some are sincere and the work of Gods Spirit is set back your Lamps are out your watchful minds and tender hearts and earnest pursuit after the Lord is gone Oh then consider what little cause you have to boast in means Men that have no part in ships look for no gain but if you have any part in the Blessiâ—â— oâ— Ordinances rest not without it Hence see what need you have of a mighty and unresistable power of the Lords Grace and Spirit to carry you an end in your Christian course if ever you come to life For if Hypocrisie discovers it self in an ineffectual use of means then you will find all the powers of darknesse resisting and seeking to surprize you here That as 't is with Thieves you shall not see not find them lying in the City 't is in vain there to offer any violence but in the way So Satan cannot step unto the Gates of Heaven to keep you from thence and hence all his power and policy lies in the way of means to keep you from thence And hence look upon the best man how many hindrances to Prayer somtime though he hath tasted the sweet of it he had rather die than pray How soon are the thoughts turned from God when we come to draw nigh to God how unable to wake one hour That if it were not the inyincible strength of a God that did support them 1 Pet. 1 5. they could never go on Tell me you poor Creatures that never were effectually carried to your end by means Do you not oft find checks for sin desires against it Christ and mercy weeping at your knees melting over you and your hearts almost perswaded Do you not find a want of Christ and Grace and Spirit and Promises and you hope it will be better Do you not find some movings towards the Lord but yet withal do you not find a dead sloathful heart slayes you again The veriest reprobate in the world may have as good an assurance of heaven as thou there may be better in Hell than thee And who can mend this long long it hath been thus Oh then feel a need of the Lords irresistable power Thou indeed hast an end but say Lord thou must carry me like a lost sheep on thy shoulders to that end Seek the Lord and his strength seek his face evermore in all means at all times but seek his strength then Col. 1. 29. I labour thus striving according to his working which works in me mightily and so I strive Oh see need of this Many of you make work with your own hearts and strive and endeavour and yet cannot stir Oh look then for this mighty working and feel a need of it SECT IV. HEnce judge what your estates are this day before the Lord. I know and believe that you prize pray for long for the end and if ever the Lord saves and pardons you you shall have cause to blesse him You may do as hath been said but never find a heart given you by the invincible wrestlings of a God to use and improve all means to that end and thus your practise in the habitual neglect of means is a clear and manifest witnesse like the day against you that you do not desire sincerely the end as you think in having so little respect to the means that conduce thereunto Did you ever see that man that did
Christian with Satans Image is the shame of a Christian but to be like our Head this is our glory though it be in sufferings 2 Cor. 3. 18. heavenly humble compassionate holy as he was and hence when God hath a mind to make Churches or Christians base in the eyes of the world he will withdraw here and when he intends to draw the world after him he will glorifie it with his glory Isai. 60. 6 7. 3. It cuts off a Christian from all hope of glory how many be there that scramble and catch at Christ and every one saith he is mine The proud man saith he is mine and hopes now verily to be saved but that hope is vain they have Christ out of them but where is Christ in them The life of Christ and the Spirit of Christ Col. 1. 27. Christ in you the hope of glory 4. Give me but one place in all the Book of God where blessedness is bestowed upon or conveyed unto any or promised but to such as have these graceâ— Blessed is he that feareth the Lord and greatly delighteth c. Psal. 112. 1 2. If there be no such thing let any man expect it if he can II. The Causes 1. A magnifying Christ and making him our Sanctification when as you heard the last day this is to deny him to be our Sanctification He becomes our righteousness by imputation of his holiness and our Sanctification by infusing of it Nay hence a man depriveâ— himself of all good in the Lord Jesus when a man denies all grace in himself and then flies for Sanctuary unto Jesus Christ â— Iohn 1. 6 7. If we say we have fellowship with him and walk in darkness we lie c. And hence it seems they denied men to have sin vers 8. boasting of fellowship with Christ vers 6. 2. Because there are say men onely immediate actings of the Spirit If this be so then there is seeing in a Christian without an eye and hearing without an ear and knowing Christ without an understanding and loving without love and living without life and feeding and eating without a mouth and then when these actings are over a Christian is like another man there is no Law remains written on his heart and so Christ should enter into his Saints like Satan into the Serpent who only acts the Serpent and when that is done he remains a Serpent again Know it the Lord Jesus his greatest work is not onely to change the acts but to change the frame of the heart not only to put new actions but a new nature into men 3. Because men know not the Spirit never felt the presence not power nor comfort of it themselves and hence men do as some Countries because themselves are black they paint the Devil whiâ—e Iohn 14. 17. The World cannot reâ—eive because it knows him not Give me any Christian living that ever found the sweetness of it but his longings were to have more of that grace to forget things behinde and reach to things before even to the resurrection of the dead whom I believe none will say want all habits of grace I look upon the Opinion as coming with a curse from God A man hath been a dry Professor long Conscience saith There is no grace in the heart and hence is troubled True saith he there is none in Saints it is in Christ and there he catcheth and deceives himself Secondly Those that do acknowledge them but any power or activity in them they deny they say there is oyl indeed in the Vessel but it helps not 't is no means to make the Lamp to burn or shine there is the life of Christ but it is a dead life they call them the graces of Christ but they are but fruitless graces I confess it if you consider them without the Spirit of Christ they are no true graces much less active or living ones but consider them thus they have a power as take the least grain of corn there is a growing power in it fructifying too in it by dying first though it actually doth not fructifie presently and though there must be rain and Sun must shine also and a providence accompanying of it so it is in the graces of Saints And hence it s called a Law of the mind there is a power of a Law as of sing and hence as Christ grew in wisdome and stature so all the members of Christ are like unto him I. The evill of this 1. This abates of the excellency of grace as from a Jewel to take away the operâ—tive vertue of it Foâ— it 's not like Christs now which is strong through God not weak which is living noâ— dead This is not like the glorious Graces of Saints triumphing This makes the Graces of Saints of less excellency then common Graces common Grace will make a man â—ide over many a sin and run exceeding fast though he fall at last A man that hath bin angry it will make him very quiet and still and is there no more power in this 2. This will make a man content himself with a bare form with a false confidence if this be true For take a man that hath bin long seeking to get strength against a vile heart and â—e finds none there is no power of heavenliness he is earthy no meekness he is proud I would say to him do you ever think to get any power of meekness love faith c. You shall never do it never have it here all your strength is immediatly from Christ look for it there in conscience a man must cease there And 't is certain all our strength is in and from the Lord but 't is dispensed mediatly Eph. 3. 16. Paul prays he may be strengthned with might in the inner man Or thus a man may not pray for strength of Grace which Paul refused not 3. Then the Saints if they be asked whether they believe or can love the Lord Jesus their answer must be no I have no power to love nor beleeve and then Peter did ill to answer so Lord thou knowest that I love thee Then Paul to say We can do nothing but for the Truth Then that Martyr that to then that said the Lord strengthen you yes saith he the Lord doth I know if the Lord withdraw his Spirit we are gone as Adam but is there not the immutable assistance of it Is there not the Promise I will never leave thee though sometimes weaker sometimes stronger 4. This will make a Christian hide and not improve his Talents he hath Grace but no power to put it forth Then suppose God gives power to see Truth one day I must not see it with this eye the next but look up to Christ and say I cannot see at all II. Causes of this 1. In opposing the outward principle of life or first principle and this second I must live on Câ—rist hence I must noâ— I have no power to act my self in any measure
with you as in former times worse now thâ—n in persecution and Sermon-proof now Oh this world Whence is hardness of heart Oh somthing of the world easeth you And whence is it that men with rich stocks are goodly things and wondred at and Holiness and walking with God and things of Heaven are nothing Oh this evil world Oh Adulterers and Adulteresses know you not that you hate the Lord and the Lord you 'T is the cause of all thy sin but see withal 't is the cause of all thy sorrow Heaven and the Glory of that would enter but for it but that it cannot because thou art full of it Oh poor Creatures take your Farewel quickly of it or the Lord will meet with you for it Cry to the Lord oh call me to come up unto thy self Thus you see the Fulness of the Spirit which the Saints have and therefore that conceit that Saints have nothing whereby to discern them let it for ever perish and rot SECT VII TAke heed you fall not short of the Grace of God of the promise and Spirit of Grace Heb. 12. 15. Oh get Oyl in your Vessels When there is much counterfeit Gold abroad every man will have his Scales and not only look and rub but he will weigh every piece he takes Was there ever more Counterfeits abroâ—d or such similitudes of the Truth Insomuch as some in their Opinions think it impossible others in their practises find it hard and very difficult to distinguish the one from the other Oh but there is a vast distance and difference As ever you look for Mercy get this Oyl in your Vessel As ever you look for peace know that you have it in your Vessel I am perswaded that there is never a soul that follows the Lord tremblingly and tenderly but when he hears of this sends up his sighs good Lord let me not fail here better never have had thy Name in my Forehead nor affection in my heart than to want Oyl in my Vessel And I am perswaded he trembles to think what if I should perish at the last And yet how many never have strong fears of failing here that have most cause so to do This Parable is directed to Virgin-Churches at the last period of the decrepit world wherein methinks the Lord Jesus speaks unto his people There is much profession affection but oâ— take heed you perish not for want of oyle in your Vessel Leâ— all your care be to get that and fear to want that wherein the Lord doth answer that fear and question and thought of his people Oh what if I should perish at last 〈◊〉 in your Vessel then and if the Lord Jesus had been of that minde that there are no inherent graces in the Saints or so dim they cannot be known or if known you are not to respect them as any signs but to look for a witness of grace upon you or out of you without respecting or looking upon grace in you he would never have recoâ—ded this Parable which to wise Virgins is to prevent those conceipts Oh therefore how many fall short here and regard not this 1. Some fall short here by trusting to and omnifying of Christ and grace regarding not any grace within they separate those things â—rom one another which God hath joyned and which a gracious heart joyns one to another They respect not sanctification faith or vocation they look to Christ and can they honour Christ enough Hence profess they that regard those things have trusâ—ed to their frames of heart and they scoffe at them that look to be justified by Faith T is such a delusion as is likely to deceive if possible the very Elect. Look as it was with the Israelites 1 Sam. 4. They were overthrown in the battel of the Philistines but what 's the cause Oh send for the Ark where the strength and presence of God waâ— but what good did the Ark do them with unhumbled hearts that looked to that and trusted to that but minde not themselves and hence when Samuel bids theâ— turâ— from their Idols and serve the Lord only now they do it so here 2. Some only look to the out-side like those that built the tombeâ— and painted the Sepulchres of the Prophets And hence if they be inwardly zealous for external Order Ceremony Ordinances carriage in garments speeches c. they think the bitterness of death is past when Agag-like they are clad with such soft raiment and hence if there be transgression here 't is sad But what if they walk wiâ—h unbroken hearts oh they respect not this And so their care being taken up in trimming and making the Vessel bright they neglect to get oyle within 3. Some fall short here by thinking this thought that that grace which is inward is also sincere and unfained And hence do not judge themselves prophane nor civil because of their profession nor yet Hypocrites because they do not make only an outward shew when as the deeâ—est hypocrisie lies under much inward affection many times And hence they take every such work upon trust without weighing it if double guilt and there is no shew of Coppeâ— put it up never enquiring where the bounds of truth and hypocrisie part And hence if they have inward comfort though by a dream they take it If upon their sick beds after trouble they have had peace they take it on trust if they have any promise of rest and peace or feel some desires love to Ordinances and Gods people they take hold on promises and trust themselves without trying without weighing Sudden work is superficial 4. Some feel a want of these things and content themselves with desires and so never come to be indeed 〈◊〉 they desire to be It s true Saints feel wants and desire supply But 1. They are never satisfied till 't is so indeed My flesh is meat indeed 2. They are humble and vile in their own eyes till the Lord help but these like Solomons sluggard desire and have not whereas in things of lesser worth they will not do so They will not only desire but indeed till the ground If one neglects to till though they answer I desire and God accepts that every one will say he is deceived their hunger is their food they build the sluggards nest of desire and there sit Oh therefore take heed you fall not short here Take heed your prayers and desires prove not lazie and unfaithful Messengers which you send to your Friends to come and help you and they go half way and no further and never fetch them to you indeed Oh therefore get oyle in your Vessels do not only fear the Lord but fear him greatly 1 Sam. 12. 18. Do not only cleave to the Lord but with the whole heart and cleâ—ve to him onely Beg this of the Lord. Look as poor people when they come to rich men that have full heaps do say let me have full measure my family is poor
eyes of the world but on God have I been cast To trust to Christ for righteousness but not for consolation is to marry a man to pay debts but not to live upon his house try if it be so or no thou feelest the Lord gone yet thy faith is not gone from him 2. If the Lord hath given thee a heart whether the Lord comes or no not to trouble thy self about success and time of coming as to minde the doing of his work against his coming that thy heart is resolved and will live to him though he never comes to thee Ioh. 2. 5. When Mary said that wine was wanting saith Christ it is not my hour then what ever he bids you do do it Heb. 10. 36. you have need of patience for all impatience ariseth from minding inordinately the success what the event will be and distracting the mind there but as a poor servant when a man thinks whether Christ come or not these sins shall down this argues love never to be forgotten Iudges 10. 16. nothing grieves the Lord and makes the Lord absent but because grieved with sin misery comes now sin is removed it may be no assurance while thou diest or livest yet if resolved my soul shall follow the Lord now it is right c. But if while the Lord is now gone your hearts are jolly and loose every way way desire you the day of the Lord it is darkness to you CHAP. VII Of Gods compassion towards wise and foolish Virgins SECT 1. SUch is the compassion of Christ to his people that deep security cannot always make the Lord to reject them and therefore we shall find three expressions of the love and kindness of the Lord to the wise and foolish Virgins also First When they not only slumber but sleep and that long even to the coming of the Bridegroom almost yet Christ spares them and doth not all this while cut them off and bury them out of his sight as men that do forget him Secondly He prevents them with awakening grace and the Lord is up when his servants be abed and is awakened for their good when they are asleep and regard not him and first by his cry he awakens them before they shake up themselves when once the Churches fall asleep they would sleep their long sleep and never awaken if the Lord should not by some cry or other prevent them Thirdly He longs for their fellowship and company though secure and therefore it is not a cry of terror and wrath the Bridegroom hath forsaken you for your secure careless course but it is a cry of grace go forth to meet him yet he is willing to have communion with you yet he desires that you would have communion with him oh come out to meet him I shall wrap up all these together because I shall be brief Wonderful was the grace of Christ toward the old world when for the space of one hundred and twenty years he waited for them who after they had been an hundred and nineteen secure yet then the same spirit that waiteth for us in these days of the Gospel preached the Lord unto them Ieremiah was very long speaking to Israel as the other Prophers in so much that the Lord professeth to send the King of Babylon against them yet the Lords heart melts cha 26. 1 2 3. Speak unto them it may be they will hearken and turn that I may repent So Ier. 3. they had polluted the Law ver 2. showres are withheld which is no great matter small evils are arguments of hearts revolted from God they did the Lord as much mischief as they could and were secure verse 3. Yet mark wilt thou not from this time cry My Father meet the Lord as thy Husband will he keep his anger for ever Nay the Lord cast off Adulterous Israel and they knew the cause yet went on securely in the same sins yet see verse 14. Turn oh back-sliding children Prov. 6. 5 6. How long c. SECT II. IN regard of the foolish there is no reason but the Lords pitty and compassion to a sinful people he hath compassion on them because he will for he doth not pity people only in respect of their miseries but in respect of their sins 2 Chron. ult 16. he sent his Prophets among them and they despised them because he had compassion on his people the cords of grace are let down to all sinners Blasphemers Opposers of God c. In regard of the wise Virgins because his Mariage-covenant with them is not suspended on any thing on his peoples part for though there is a condition which the Lord doth require of his people in Mariage-covenant yet the Lord so requires it as that he intends to work it and undertakes to maintain it and there is no evil in them but he promiseth in this Covenant to remove he will heal them of it but he will not cast them off for it hence Ephes. 5. 25. Christ loves his Church what because it had loveliness no but that he might wash it and if he loves it to this end that he might wash it then no pollution can make the Lord utterly to cast it off if he loves because of deformities that he might wash them away then none can quench his love hence no security no carelesness though deep though long so long as the Mariage-bond between man and wife contiâ—â—s so long as no sin is committed that can break this Mariage-bond so long infirmities or other distempers never separate Now no sin in them that are given to Christ can break the Mariage-bond because it is wholly undertaken on the Lords part women may commit Adultery and break their Mariage-bond because they are not kept by their Husband from that but the Lord undertakes this for his people to put his fear in their heart that they shall never depart from God Hos. 2. 19 20. I will bâ—troth thee unto me for ever and you shall know the Lord hence the Lord may humble but never utterly reject his for security in a lust SECT III. OF Direction and thankfulness to the people of God Oh! do not always fall to fits of doubts after security though deep and long as many Christians do and so are ever laying and pulling up foundations after most peace of conscience most security and then the Sea rageth again and it is hard for any man to keep his peace have you had such mercy and love and will you thus be careless and loose again believe it the Lord will break your bones if you love your beds and not give you rest till you finde it on another pillow but yet do not deny his love though you have forgot it do not say you are not Virgins because fallen asleep and that the Bridegroom will never come to meet you because you have lingred in meeting him for behold he cometh I know there is a difference between the security of the wise and foolish
is an end of it then a man is stript naked of all his greatness and honor friends blessings and when a man sees an end and is come to an end of a sinful way now all a mans delights and hopes perish the beginning of a sinful course is sweet and beautiful like pictures seen afar off beautiful but the end is gal and woormwood for every sinful secure course is sweet in appearance or indeed if only in hope and conception as in a dream when the end comes all a mans hopes perish If indeed it hath been sweet now there 's the more grief now my heart my life my blood must be taken from me and what profit is there now in this my stubborn way when a man is sinking and the boat is breaking what a miserable wretch now Lord help hence Ezek. 7. 3 6. when an end is come now they fling their silver in the streets Oh the stumbling-block of mine iniquity verse 18 19. now they shall seek peace and shall not find it verse 25. now they shall seek a vision of the Prophet verse 26. Like a man that is drawn into a fair way and is out of that his way when he comes to an end and is forsaken of all and left in a wood now what 's the profit Because at his coming there is the entrance and passage into eternity and into an eternal state of weal or wo now though the apprehension of the end of a secure sinful way may and will awaken yet when eternity is apprehended it will amaze for this time is but a little spring or river which runs into eternity and carries all men living down with it to eternity Now when men see an end of time and the beginning of eternity and themselves posting thereto it is as when a man sees himself floating upon the waters where there 's no bottom and all stay gone though he hath been long secure now he will cry out if he sees it It is with men now as it is with those that are ready to be cast down from some Towr it makes the heart tremble oh where shal I alight oh it 's impossible but if men do apprehend eternity and that also near unto them but it will awaken them it will make a stout stony-hearted Saul to run to Urim it will make Kings and Princes run to Monasteries and men to Cells and Deserts It will make the proudest Felix tremble when Paul reasons of Judgement to come It 's usually the first thing that doth awaken the people of God eternity doth amaze them and them that have fallen to all â—asciviousness Oh eternity Because of the terror at the coming of the Lord Revel 6. ult to them that be unprovided and unprepared hence it is and will be when an evil is near fear will flie out Men as men will do it unless they be walking blocks and bruits For 1. Then they are to stand naked before the Lord so great and holy 2. Then they shall have all their sins set in order Psal. 50. 21. and especially those secret sins which they never saw and whereby they did perfect their own perdition 3. Then the final sentence past never to be recalled again and they shall know it for if there might be a day to repent then some hope but if not oâ— this awakens 4. Then to be surrendred up into the hands of Devils to be kept by that Jaylor in Prison 1 Pet. 3. 19. until the coming of the great day and so to be kept in their custody and to be in their fellowship looking back and mourning for time mis-spent looking to time to come shortly to meet my body and then to be parted for ever from the Lord oh when this evil is apprehended it will awaken a man to search and look about him SECT III. HEnce see a great cause of the deep and long security of many a man and that in Virgin-Churches under all awakening means Ordinances and Providences of God men put far from them this day of death and time of Christs coming they think seldom of it come not near to it nor make it near to them sometime they complain of a dead sluggish spirit secure heart and yet remain so and wonder sometime at the reason of it why it shou'd be so why this is one reason of it either you think not of this coming of the Lord or see it not near even at the door but number many days to your selves and this is the cause of it you do not lodge in nay look to your Coffins and walk to your graves side often and so stand there and hear the cry and see the Lord a coming there will be more in what I say than what you see at first blush of this truth but this I know and the Word proves it universal security ariseth from hence As for instance 1. Why do men minde the things of the world so much that there is such care for them such eager desire after them that many times prayer is neglected Sabbaths neglected when will they be at an end God neglected Souls of wife children servants a mans own soul neglected and overgrown with nettles that there is such an high opinion dreams of worldly goods and when a man hath them then at rest because with the glutton they think they have goods for many a year and hence we shall see when a man waketh death is near to him and when it is near to a man now he thinks he hath been deceived in all the things of the world that they are not good for him 1 Cor. 7. 29. The time is short and the fashion of the world passeth away Nothing makes these things so sought after and good but only esteem now this is because men look only to things present 2. Why do mens hearts sink with the meanness of their outward condition and the troubles of it for this is security it is because of this they do not remember the nearness of the coming of the Lord it is but a little while longer and then the God I have chosen will alone be sweet and he will make me amends for all my troubles and therefore let me bear up my head a little while Psal. 39. when Davids heart began to be troubled by seeing others prosperity his own misery Lord saith he make me to know my end and the measure of my days mine age is as an hand breadth hence ver 7. Lord what hope I for truly my hope is in thee 3. Why are men puâ—t up with their own excellencies and filled with such pride and high conceâ—â—s of themselves sometimes of their beauty sometimes of their apparel sometime their friends sometime their esteem and they value themselves much by this men consider not the coming of the Lord which shall stain the pride of all glory Isa. 23. 8. and that this time is near 4. Why do people complain they cannot prize the Lord or his Ordinances as
miseries than of inward they will not regard Moses by reason of anguish of spirit this keeps off many a man either he feels only outward miseries his mind is broken with cares how shall I live with losses and crosses Family is sick Cattel die Servants are untoward and unfaithful his drink is turned to water and the English flower is gone his Friends respect him not his acquaintance grow strange these things lie more heavy than sin 2. Pray before you come for as it is in men that trade their Servants are ready to let out their commodities but ask the Master first whether he will sell them or no to you so ask the Lord first Ministers are but Servants under the Lord it is not as they will but as the Lord will dispence Matth. 11. 25. I thank thee that thou â—ast hid these things from the wise and prudent though Christ himself preached Oh therefore looâ— up to the Lord Oh Lord let not thy Gospel be a hidden thing from mine eyes I am perswaded you should see strange things and grow up more and more if thus you did When Christ told them that the Spirit should come he bids them wait for it and they continued instant in 〈◊〉 Act. 1. 4. and then the Spirit of God came upon them though exâ—raordinarily yet here ordinarily Psal. 51. Lord cause me to hear the voyce of joy and gladness that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoyce and hence the Lord complains Isa. 50. 3. Why when I came was their no intercessor as if he should say he would have given them help else Oh therefore before you come and when you come pray Lord speak pray all the week long that there may be some Sabbath mercies for you 3. Give the Lord the price of his Gospel men that come to buy must give the price Zach. 11. 12. And God will not let you have any thing without price give away all thou hast when thou comest to hear to the Lord let him pluck or take any thing from thee only let him not take away himself and his Spirit prize the least truth above all the world as indeed it is better the Lord may else deny these pearls to you Heb. 4. 2. The word did not profit because not mixt with faith and â—hat is the property of that vide 1 Per. 2. 5 6. To him that believes the Lord is precious it makes Christ precious and every truth precious and when the Lord himself is precious the Spirit is sent Joh. 14. 17. whom the world cannot receive because they know him not Oh he is not sweet not precious to them Three things are here to be laid out and given to God at the hearing of the Word 1. Thy Thoughts let a man have never so much meat if he feed not upon it never will he have spirits thereby therefore while hearing time lasts be taken up with those things you hear be in them that your profiting may appear to all you know not so much but that there is more yet to be known 2. Thy Heart Love it Christs love was so great as to shed his blood that he might purchase this Word of his Gospel for thee and wilt not thou let thy love out of thy heart to it when it is for thee 3. Labor labor for the Spirit here as for the meat that endures for ever Ioh. 6. â—7 Christ will give it you spare no pains and labor upon it to enjoy and be eternally advantaged by it Thus much of the Second thing in this Second Part of the Parable Now the Third follows viz. The Coming of Christ himself CHAP. XVI Concerning Christs Coming SECT I. NOw this coming of Christ is set forth and amplified from two things 1. From the time of his coming While the foolish went to buy he came 2. From his different entertainment of the Virgins and carriage towards them being come First The wise they went in with him to the Mariage Secondly The foolish were shut out c. By this coming of the Lord is as hath been oft said meant the coming of Christ to Death or Judgement but especially and principally his coming to Judgement as may appear by the whole series of this Chapter and the next wherein the Lord answers to the second question of the Disciples viz. the signs and â—â—me of his coming i. e. his second coming which is called his coming to judge the the world c. That there is and shall certainly be a Second coming of Christ to Iudgement This truth the Prophets have foretold Enoch Iude 14. Solomâ—n Eccles. 12. ult Rom. 14. 11. with Isa. 45. 23. The Apostles have preached thus as 2. Cor. 5. 10 and it was ever in their eye and the main part of their Ministry when they pressed people to believe in Christ as a King where is he He shall come they tell the unbelieving world Angels also have published this Act. 1. 11. and Devils beleive this who are in their chains bound over to that day and all the Saints have looked for this 1 Thess 1. 〈◊〉 and hence promises of mercy at that time are made to such Heb. 9. ult And lastly the consciences of many wicked people have confessed this Paul preacheth of Iudgement to come and Felix trembles and Heb. 6. 5. divers felt the powers of the world to come and by judgements on them have been made to know that he is the Lord. SECT II. Quest. 1. BUt when shall the Lord Iesus come Ans. In general when all the Eâ—â—ct are gathered under the wings of Christ hence Matth. 24. 22. For the elects fake those days shall be shortned i. e. an utter ruine of all had then come but for them and therefore when they are once collected the Lord will come and hence in particular Judgements the Lord doth thus only a few Elect keep a whole land from being utterly wasted Isa. 6. ulâ— 1 Cor. 15. 23 24. first Christ is quickned i. e. in soul and body raised then those that are Christs at his coming and then comes the end and hence the tares are spared lest in pulling up them the wheat also be plucked up Now as for setting down the particular time the Lord Jesus doth it not in this Chapter onely gives some signs of it by which we may give certain credit that it is not far off as of the death of a crazy man and there are two that are not yet accomplished 1. The destroying of Antichrist at least in the principal power of it and throne of it 2. The calling of the Jews Rom. 11. who must have a great day of it again which dry bones shall live and their restoring a kinde of resurrection and life from the dead Some have thought two thousand years before the Law and under the Law and under Christ and then when these six days of a thousand years a piece are ended comes the great Sabbath this is already proved to be false in the
the soul in private either to his shame or glory before Christ but the body is to be judged as well as the soul to shame before men or glory before all the world Fourthly In regard of Christ's soveraignty and excellency the coming of Christ is called his Kingdom 2 Tim. 4. 1. Why doth not Christ rule now in the world Yes but it is in the midst of his enemies his enemies rule and he rules also but there must a time come that no enemies must rule but Christ alone and this is his kingdom in a most illustrious manner for the things of Christ are said to be with us when they do in a special manner appear as the coming of his Spirit and his love so his Kingdom now Christ must reign till all his enemies are put under foot for it is not fit he should lose his Kingdom hath the Lord suffered others to reign and rule and himself to be hid and his glory lost and that so long and will he never return to his Kingdom to be glorious there to reap all his glory that he hath lost by all his enemies in the world Was there ever King that would ever endure one generation of Rebels after another and never make himself sole Sovereign however Man may suffer it yet the Lord will not he must reign And wherefore doth Christ reign It is to trample 〈◊〉 under foot his and his peoples enemies Christ sets death his enemy to destroy his enemies and keep them as in a Goal but afterward Christ will call them forth and pass an irreversible doom upon them SECT VI. SEE therefore and believe the truth of this Point as well as hear it At the first coming of Christ Heb. 11. 13. they did thus saw the Promises afar off and embraced them so see it afar off There be divers people that profess this truth that do not fully believe it for if they did they would never live as they do That look as men that know the Judge rides Circuit within half a year dare not commit any open sins so if you believed this you would make conscience of secret sins which this Judge shall judge Others there be that do believe it as they do reports that every man saith but they do not see that really to be true indeed which their hearts literally believe and hence mens hearts are not a whit moved with grief or sorrow or joy or fear at the remembrance of this day For as it is with us in reports of news out of Germany many hear things but are not affected with their misery because they do not see it acted before their eyes God presents not their sorrows and hence they are not moved but when they do see them acted then they are moved much so here Look as it is with a man awake and in sleep a man awake believes the day of Judgement and never stirs but when asleep he dreams of it and is much affected with that because he sees it acted before his eyes much more when men have not dreams but real visions or sight of it it will affect And hence set painted fire before a Malefactor it affects not but shew him really it wherein he must be burnt now it amazeth him and hence 2 Pet. 2. 11 12 14. looking for and hence Peter saith what manner of persons ought we to be and whereever there is Faith thus it will be Heb. 11. 1. it makes things absent present and things unseen evident Oh that God would shew you this truth you young men Eccles. 11. 9. you would not spend time vainly but know God You aged men whose hearts are rooted in this world Oh know that God will come and burn up your delights will you never see this day and fear it before you see it and mourn because of it Oh take heed of rash judging and condemning and suspecting and censuring other men In Pauls time Rom. 14. 10. one Brother in a Church there judged another about indifferent things in a Christ-like manner as if he had no Grace c. You shall stand before Christs Iudgement Seat saith Paul and hence Paul 1 Cor. 4. 3 4 5. accounts little of mans Judgement and bids them judge nothing c. What if Christ find that to be a lye which thou judgest to be true Many of Gods Servants lie under hard thoughts and speeches in private not only from Enemies abroad but from inhabitants at home men out of the Church censuring and judging of Members men in the Church one of another especially if they take to a side The Lord will discover hard speeches and an edition of all your hard thoughts put out in print at the last day This breaks love this breaks Church-fellowship and is the cause of breacheâ— in this Country Oh take heed of an hypocritical heart if the Lord should come to judge according to the seeing of the eyes of the outward man then well were it with many but when the secrets of the hearts shall be judged it will be terrible if there should never be a calling over of things again happy were it for many but 't is otherwise 2 Cor. 5. 10. Paul sought only to please the Lord for we must all appear c. Civil men if they can carry it so as men may not say hurt of them they think 't is well Hypocrites if they can maintain a name of Religion so as they may maintain their interest in good mens hearts it is well if they get some enlargement in duties that they are commenâ—â—â— of them well if they can get so much mercy as to get the Lord to accept of Christs righteousness for them it is well but saith Paul We laborto be accepted of him I am perswaded godly men do not think of this we think the wicked shall have all their secrets laid open but the Saints come not into condemnation 't is true not of wrath but of trial so as that their righteousness shall be laid open to all to their glory at the great day 1 Pet. 1. 6 7. And therefore get that life which Christ himself may commend that as Christ said I have not found such faith in Isrâ—el So here when thou hast spoken a good word repeated a Sermon spent a Sabbath ask thy heart is this worth shewing to all the world that though at be vile yet Christ himself will commend this Oh you will finde only acting for him will commend the act Mat. 25. 40. there is that needlework and golden Arras of Holiness which is lapt up in the Saints that Christ will open before all the world another day Oh therefore repent Act. 17. 31. Paul tells them times past were spent in ignorance without God time to come was a time of Judgement and wrath of God against all sin Oh then repent Mourn for all wrongs done against Christ You will â—â—il then if you take not your season now mourn therefore for time past and for
really and that in times of peace when he had far pastures and full cups Psal. 23. he saw the Lord as his Shepherd Ioh. 10. 1. who is known of his feeding leading restoring comforting by rods adhering to him in the valley of the shadow of death and then for outward things furnishing his table annointing his head giving necessities and superfluities he looked not only on second causes but saw God as really doing all these as carnal men see second causes doing these Nay he so sees the Lord as that he falls a wondering and indeed the Lord is never seen in his Providences till then as Manoah saw the Angel do wondrously Judg. 13. 19. Psal. 139. 14. Marvellous are thy works vers 17 18. How precious are thy thoughts â— he saw from the Lords works and gathered an idea of the thoughts of God so should we and hence when he did awake he was still with thâ— Lord the first thing that appeared was the Lord Psal. 73. 23 24 25. To the beasts the Lord is near but they cannot reflect upon their own actions much less upon the Lord The Heathens may see we are Gods off-spring and see God as a Creator at some times but let them that profess Christ see and finde out Christ as Mediaâ—or as Moses that desired to see the Lord passing by him whom he had seen a little before truly the Lord not only passeth by you but is with you proclaiming his name by the voyce of his Providence toward you patience pity love truth wisdom and yet truly this is very difficult and hard to see SECT XVI MEn see not Jesus Christ First Because second causes seem to work all this estate my friends gave me or my labor got me this house the Carpenter built for me these provisions my money bought for me and so the creatureslike broad leaves hide the boughs of the glory of God in Christ on which they grow and are opake and dense and not transparent through which the soul may see the glory of God abroad Secondly Because men have so many businesses and cares that they cannot have leasure really to see the Lord. Thirdly Because there is a malice in all mens hearts naturally which suffocates all that which may be known of him Rom. 1. 28. They delighted not to retain God in their knowledge the works of God grow vile and sordid through their commonness to them Fourthly Because men can live well enough without him hence like a childe at nurse that forgets friends and home because it is well enough without them thus mens minds are not fed with the thoughts of him Ier. 2. 6. Fifthly Because Nature never heard of a Mediator governing all their lives and comforts and all they see not all given them by the Almighty hand of Christ who hath all power given hiâ—â— in heaven and earth and who must reign not only friends till they are gathered but over his enemies also till they are subdued and to question this is to question Christ's sitting at Gods right hand He is owner of all and disposeâ— of all to the least growth of thy stature and the most careless fall of the least hair to do not only the greatest but the meanest offices of love for thee You say indeed you believe all is from Christ oh but you see it not come near therefore and see the Lord Deut. 8. 9. they were forty years a learning that Man lives not by bread nor is warmed by cloaths c. and though they had marâ—ellous wondrous works yet Deut. 29. To this day the Lord hath not given you eyes to see Oh therefore labor to see who it is that nurses you guâ—des you tends you leads you teacheth you lays you down and takes you up and let the works of Christ raise up your minds to the thoughts of Christ in heaven remembring thee in his Kingdom of glory who might forget thee and the poorer and smaller the mercy is the more do thou wonder that he should therein be a servant unto thee see all blessings growing upon this tree seated in the midst of Gods Paradise Rev. 22. 3 4. though thou layest thy head with Iacob upon stones and sorrows yet see this ladder of the Lords proviâ—ence towards thee common blessings sometimes descending sometimes taken ouâ— of thy hand and ascending and the Angels of God with thee ministring to thee but the Lord at the top of them the Lord his care his love in all and let not this be a dream but a reality to you It is a wonderful sin to be thus unmindful of Christ. 1. Because hence all whorâ—â—g from Christ ariseth Hos. 2. 8. Iudg. 2. 12. especially in times of peace 2. Hence the Lord is forced to hedge your wâ—y with thorns and to bring you to extremily of troubles that you may see the Lord Isa. 41. 17 18. nay sometime to bring ruine Isa. 5. 12 13. And truâ—y as it is a great sin so it is a very great shame Isa. 1. 2. The ox knows his ownerâ— is the Lord the owner of you and do you not know him when he comes by you and to you provides for you It is a worse thing saith Chysoâ—â—om to bâ— comparâ—d â—o a beast than to be so To let many days and streams of goodness pass by you and yet not to take any notâ—ce and still to be so far from the Lord I know in heaven this is perfected and then comes acknowledgement of the Son of God but here you may be near him I think unless the Lord did descend in cloudy pillars and of fire some men would never see him SECT XVII Secondly BE near him in his promises for Christ is near to us here also Rom. 10. 8. the word of faith is nigh thee so that you need not ascend to bring Câ—rist down from heaven c. When Parents are dead and gone children wâ—ll then search out their last Will and Testament and preserve that and keep that near them Christ draws near to his people 1. In his Promises according to his thoughts of them 2. In his performances joyning the soul immediately to himself and filling it with himself this we cannot enjoy yet the Lord laies it up in his promise which they have in liew of the performance Oh draw near not to words and syllables but to the Lord there apprehend him there as it is with the Attributes of God his Glory cannot be comprehended by us hence he manifests himself there according to our capacity God manifesting himself severally so in promises we cannot comprehend Christ as yet hence Christ manifests himself in his glory in several promises Oh embrace him there Heb. 11. 9 'T is not said that Abraham and Iacob were heirs of Canaan but heirs of the promise and Sarah first received her son in the promise so do you emâ—raâ—e Christ in the womb and bowels of the promises we live by faith in this life and hence all our enjoyment of Christ is
time be saplesse savourlesse things unto us Thirdly Because I have had strong fears lately of some unexpected trials among us and I should be glad if it might not be if the freedom from them might make us better else I say let them come But Fourthly Because 't is a rare thing among us to see such burning Lamps as look and long for Christs coming which when I consider though there be other causes yet one great one is this Oh the heart is gone away by violent lusts after these things here Oh therefore take heed of them And therefore consider 1. You shall have Christ and his fellowship if indeed you long for him Iohn 4. 10. That 's his love you are not so desirous but he is a thousand times more Thou maist desire these things and if God loves thee misse of them God will make thee poor when thou wouldst be rich base when thou wilt be honoured and when you would have honey he will give you stings and cause you have to thank the Lord too that he will not give you your portion here 2. If thâ—u hast them and dost desire them and God gives them and thou lettest Christ go thou hadst better a thousand times be without them Psal 78. 30 31. The meat was in their mouths and the wrath of God came upon them If the Lord gives thee Christ happy for ever if these things when thou dost so desire them oh wo for ever 3. The Fellowship of the Lord Jesus thou shalt never lose Death shall not part thee from that nothing shall rob thee of that but look after and long for these things they will perish and die away All flesh is grasse the Word of the Lord and the Lord himself much more endureth for ever 4. Why dost desire these things For some sweet in them Why is not all that in the presence of the Lord Jesus and enjoying him It pleaseth the Father that in him should all fulnesse dwell so that thou shalt drink as out of a pure Fountain all that is there If there be any sweetnesse here he gave it 't is much more eminently in himself Exod. 24. 11. They saw the God of Israel and eat and drank Had they meat up with them Oh no. But the sight of him was meat and drink and all unto them As therefore you desire Christs fellowship Oh long no more after these things here Hence see death is not to be feared but desired of all Saints It was an odd speech of a Heathen 'T is ill to desire death and worse to fear it he meant not because of any good in it but because we must die But death brings us into eternal Fellowship with the Lord Jesus It doth Saints more good than all Ordinances all afflictions wherein we complain we can get no good than all means It brings us into his Fellowship 1. Quickly as Christ was caught up so the Soul by Christ to himself 2. Immediatly for the next thing we shall see is Christ himself our Husband himself and then see the Kingdom and then wonder at the Lord. 3. Everlastingly never to part more Oh fear it not therefore Christ hath sweetned it to you SECT V. HEnce see a clear foundation and ground-work of longing for fellowship with the Lord Jesus in his Ordinances here This is that I shall exhort to For 1. You cannot shall not must not now go to him in Heaven nor enjoy fellowship with him nor meet him in the clouds though you do long for that day but in his Ordinances you may meet with him now And truly those whom we love and long for if we cannot go to their house or find them at home we are glad to meet with them abroad As with those who stand before Princes if we cannot be with them on the Throne or at Court we will desire to be with them in the Countrey Nay on the Dunghil Oh the Spirit of David Psal. 27. 4. One thiâ—g have I desired and that I will seek for though I never have it What is that David Is it to wear the Crown in Ierusalem Is it to have all thine enemies lick the dust of thy feet Is it to have thy Name spread and thine Honour great through all the Kingdomes of the world No but that I may dwell in the Courts of the Lords House all the daies of my life and that seeing I cannot shall not die presently and so go to see his Glory in Heaven therefore that I may see his Beauty here enjoy him here and that not for some years but all the daies of my life 2. Ought you not to long to tast and passe through the sorrows of death that you may be with him And are Christs Ordinances more bitter than death that you are loath to break through the difficulty of them that in them you may enjoy him The truth is so 't is with many a man that such is the strength of his hidden contempt of Christ and his love to his sloath that he had rather die than pray and be damned eternally than to follow the Lord in an Ordinance till he hath found him graciously How come Gods own people to lament this if there were not this 3. I remember a sweet speech of one with God That a Christian ought to prepare for a Sacrament as he would prepare to die for saith he there is but this difference when we die we then go to Christ in a Sacrament Christ comes to us What he said of a Sacrament I say of every Ordinance in every Ordinance Christ comes to us when we die we go to him Now ought you to long when you are absent from him to be with him and will you not care for him nor long to see him and enjoy him when he comes to you And so be worse than poor naked Indians Christ comes not to them no dews fall down on their Gilboahs no Manna at their Tent doors and hence they live without him and desire him not and when he comes to you do you see no beauty in him now why you should desire him Will you thus requiâ—e him for his love ah foolish children and â—â—wise 4. Truly Beloved you can have but little evidence you do desire the Lord Jesus company in Heaven at the last day that long not vehemently after him in his Ordinances now You have followed me in the regeneration saith Christ Mat. 19. 28. therefore you shall sit with me upon Thrones If Christs presence here a little of himself be burdensom What will it be in Heaven then Depart from me saith Christ I was in prison and you visited me not Shall you depart for not visiting an imprisoned persecuted sick sorrowful Christ in midst of miseries and shall not you depart for rot visiting a comforting Christ a teaching Christ an intreating embracing Christ in the midst of his Ordinances If the Lord tries you with water with a little of himself here and you care not
Their comfort for union to the Church of God 1. Covers their sin and hides it from the eyes of the world Theeves walk without suspition in true mens companies and thus they make the House of Prayer a Den of Theeves and this is some comfort For Hypocrites if they can carry it cleverly that none see though God see 't is no matter It will not be thought that a Member of a Church dares do such a wickednesse yet so it is sometimeâ— 2. Comforts their conscience in their sin men love their lusts but what no respect to Ordinances of Christ yes and so conscience is quiet and sin lives too Ier. 7. 3. Because there is much comfoâ—t in Gods Ordinances and in attending on God there not only verbal but the visible Gospel is sweet the Sacraments hence they joyn themselves as in Iohns Ministry You rejoyced for a season not only in Christ but in communion of Saints especially in dangerous times that a man fears the judgements of God will come in those places where ever they live without them And now they are quiet when got into the Cities of the Levites from the pursuer of blood 4. In regard of the Saints themselves First There is seen many times a Divine Majesty and excellency in them which hath a drawing vertue with it that many out of respect to that close with them as Gen. 26. 27 28. God makes Balaam to see Israels glory in his Tents and he cannot curse if he might have all the world but must bless them Secondly There is much charity which thinks no evil that where they see evils they cover them where there is but little good appearing they hope there is more than they see the Kings Daughter being all glorious within Thirdly There is a spirit of humility in them to think others that appear fair better than themselves until God discovers them especially if they are yet unsetled Fourthly A spirit of desire to have all as near the Lord as they can and though there be evils in them yet they hope that will make them better 5. From the Lord himself who hath First Reserved this exact separation as one part of his own glory at his Second coming Then he shall separate sheep and Goats Secondly Because some are very serviceable to his Church and so to Christ as Caput politicum both in regard of outward means of subsistance and also with edifying gifts hence into his Family he will let them come being servants and like Carriers that carry anothers money and wealth to him and then turns them out of doors Thirdly Because of a certain real yet not thorow work of the Lord whereby he draws them to some fellowship with the Church the Members and some kind of fellowship with his Son yet it not being a thorow effectual Almighty drawing they prove unsound Iohn 6. 65. Fourthly That the Lord might manifest the exceeding greatness of his wrath in some for Gods last end in all the wicked is to shew the greatnesse of it Rom. 9. 21 22. yet in some more than others and hence raiseth them up in the Church to great eminency of profession and parts and honour that all the Saints also may admire Gods Grace to themselves the more that when Two in the field one should be taken another left that they should sit in the same seats and yet some called others left and of them that are called to leave many and love me and that men of great parts and I a poor simple one to chuse such a base thing to confound the wise the mighty But as it 's said of Pharaoh what meant all the miracles all the humblings of heart and yet he would not let them go For this cause have I raised thee up Exod. 9. 16. Of all that thou hast given me saith Chriâ—â— not one is lost but the Son of Perdition that the Scripture might be fulfilled So here SECT IV. THis serveâ— to cleâ—r us in this Country from a soul aspersion that is cast out of the mouths of Pulpits upon us that we hold the Churches of Christ to have no Hypocrite in theâ— We answeâ— that though if Hypocrite could be openly and Ecclesiassâ—ally disceâ—ned they should not be received in noâ— kept in because 〈…〉 Church are not fit to make a Church yet we say there will be Tares and Wheâ—t there will be chast and corn there will be wise and foolish Virgins there will be good and bad mingled together in the Churche until the worlds end To the Watch â—en of the Churches nay to all that professe themselve to be their Brethrens keepers to 〈…〉 Virgins not to laviâ—h your chaâ—â—ty too far it 's a precious Grace and you have little enough for 〈…〉 but to bear a jealous heart and to labouâ— for a quick discerning eye to find out them that will 〈◊〉 themselves among you This was the commendation and honour of the Ephesians Rev. 2. 2. I confesse it â—s a sinful extream to cry doâ—n all the virgins as foolish when there be Five wise Satan will seek to â—reak he â—ond of Brotherly-love by soâ—ing false reports and horrible suspitions and 't is a hard thing foâ— a Paâ—â— after the Lord hath wrapt him up to the Third Heaven in Revelations not to be puâ—tup and in seeing himself at a distance from other men not to despise and condeâ—n them that have not risen so high as he especially in a discontented spirit nothing will please them A false heart when he sees more than others as he thinks now thinks highly of himself as so he great reformer of Churches and world especially if men of shallow heads and â—ence such do censure and condeâ—n all that do not magnifie them and reverence their Judgements and the dust of their feet And yet 't is another sinful extream to swallow down all flies that be in the cup and to think too charitably of every one that doth proâ—esse Children that have no children themselves will make children of clouts and then love theâ— and hence many a soul lies bleeâ—â—ng to â—eath because they have such tender Friends as will not search them An I doubt not but many in Hell â—ay say Oh that I should live among such and such and they never deâ—â— faithfully with me If a man walk â—airly should I censure him No but yet maintain a holy jealousie over them as Paul did over the Galâ—â—hiansa 〈◊〉 stands with love as it was with Iob ch 1. 5. As 't is with Chirurgions ' â—is love to cut to the quick Love theâ— because they appear to be Christs and are so to thee and this shall have a reward but yet be jealous in love because there may be that hid which was never yet seen 1. It may be thou maist save a soul and they will love thee or else thou shalt clear justice by being a witnesse against them 2. 'T is the chief work for Christ here there being
there Hence try your selves know you not Christ is in you c. And hence I never knew yet a thinking Christian deceived and hence I fear all that make not this their trade will be to seek and so to begin again Oh the Lord teacheth his people hidden mysteries by this 2. By the operation and working of it for Grace may be in the heart and yet lying asleep and raked up under the ashes not seen not felt but in the operation of it it may which is peculiar as the form is For how do we know we love or delight in any creature By the operation of love and delight How did Christ manifest to the Pharisees that they were of their Father the Devil Why his lusts they would do So how can any tell he knows the Lord or loves the Lord or beleeves in the Lord The operation discovers it Iames 2. 22. And hence Gal. 5. 6. Faith which works by Love And though hypocrites act like them yet there is a peculiar vertue in the one that is not in the other 3. By their temptations and trials Deut. 8. 2. The Lord hath led thee forty years to prove thee and shew thee what was in thy heart Rom. 5. 4 5. Tribulation breeds experience and that hope or expectation of that which shall never make us ashamed I le name no more But look as we said to them that cried out against Prayer without a Book we answer Hath a man dwelt in his own heart so many years and not known his wants to make him pray nor the Lords work of mercy to make him blesse so here 2. But if a man looks to his work this will interrupt and break his peace 1. It may and doth break and interrupt a false peace as many say yet they trust in the Lords mercy Oh 't is a presumptuous peace 2. Neglect of this yields most unpeaceablenesse even in them that are sincere You have peace and then break out into pride and passion again then question all The Spirit will sigh not sing in that bosom Psal. 32. 1 2 3. Iudg. 16. 20. Neither can you avoid the condemnation of the Word though you maintain consolation from the Spirit nor suspition of hypocrisie 3. This is the way to peace 2 Pet. 1 7 8 9. Mat. 11. 29 30. Christs yoke is easie and yields peace in life and after life too Rev. 14. 13. Their works follow them So that hereby comes double peace and rest 1. From horrour 2. From sin which is wonderful great 3. But I look to Christ I look to no work If I have him I have all True First look to have him to be comprehended by him that so you may comprehend him But because you look for all in him will you look for nothing from him Will you have Christ fit in Heaven and not look that he subdue your lusts by the work of his Grace and so sway in your hearts You despise his Kingdom then Do you seek for pardon in the Blood of Christ and never look for the vertue and end of that Blood to wash you make you without spot c. You despise his Priesthood and Blood then Do you look for Christ to do work for you and you not to do Christs work and bring forth fruit to him You despise his Honour then Iohn 15. 8. If I were to discover a Hypocrite or a false heart this I would say It is the that shall set up Christ but loath his work To have Christ is sweet as Capernaum to follow Christ is heavy Iohn 14. 21 23. 4. But if I have the witnesse of the Spirit what need I have any other difference 1. The witnesse of the Spirit makes not the first difference For first a man is a Believer and in Christ and justified called sanctified before the Spirit doth witnesse it else the Spirit should witnesse to an untruth and a lie For unbelievers are under wrath 2. If the Spirit doth not witnesse this peculiar work to be in you and clear it to you tell me how you can escape the anguish of Conscience and the terrours of Hell in your hearts unlesse Conscience be seared and blinded When the Lord shall set Conscience to ask and say I chuse none but whom I call I call none but whom I justifie I justifie none but whom I sanctifie and that not with a common but a peculiar work Is it so with you If it be dark or doubtful can you but think all your joyes have been dreams and your witnesse delusions Therefore look unto this 5. But if I should do this I should look to find some cleannesse in my self whereas I am to see nothing but ungodlinesse Goats are clean creatures 1. When you stand before Christs judgment-seat to receive pardon you are here to look upon all as unclean and your selves ungodly 2. When you come to look upon your Sanctification you are to see it as 't is mixt with sin and corruption and so cause of being abased as low as Hell for what is done yet that cleannesse and truth there is you must see too Rom. 7. He felt a Law warring against the Law of his mind yet he felt another Law too which he made an evidence of his being in Christ Rom. 8. 1. Giving all the Glory of it to Christ. Not I but Christ. And yet Paul was no Goat It s one thing to see Grace in my self another thing to look upon it as mine to clear me withall You are to see the Lords work and not appropriate it to your self And this let me say if there be no more than ungodlinesse in thee and thou seest no more thou shalt never see God in Heaven Heb. 12. 14. Nor didst never see him yet 1 Iohn 3. 6 8. Oh therefore look to a work 1. If you do not you have no peace For the Lords sake do it before fire try you or you stand scorching before the Tribunal of God 2. The sweet of it will be great as there is nothing more bitter than Christ departing with his holy presence so nothing so sweet as Christs cleaving to thee in his holy presence And truly sin was never bitter to that soul to which the work of the Lord Jesus was not sweet though it s accounted by some almost Popery to speak so To this all promises are made 1 Tim. 4. 8. Godlinesse hath them 'T is true they are made to Christ i. e. to Christ mystical 1 Cor. 12. 12. Yet to the head as the foundation and conveyer of all to the elect Eph. 1. 23. 2 Pet. 1. 3 4. If you despise work you despise Promises and so despise Christ and the Lord knowes what use you may have of them before you die SECT VI. TO the people of God in whom the Lord hath made this great change and made a difference between you and all the world Take heed of denying your work and this real apparent
long fasting till the time of extremity comes and then he pours waters on the thirsty Hence better for those never to have known 2 Pet. 2 21. and an hypocrites last end is to satisfie himself hence he hath enough a Saints is to satisfie Christ hence he never hath enough 5. Those that do neglect the Lord under this colour of receiving Christ they can do nothing themselves and Christ must do all and hence neglect the Lord secretly and sometimes quarrel with the Ministry privately when pressed to a duty or to beleeve Alas what can a man do when all the Ministers in the world have preached their hearts out at last they must bring us to Christ what else should the Apostle mean Rom. 4 5. Not to him that worketh but beleeveth is faith accounted for righteousness I must not live I must let Christ live c. And hence say they the cause of perishing is not mens wills but Gods he elects not he gives no heart such hypocrites the Lord prophesies of Mat. 7. 21. Many that say to me Lord Lord i. that advance the Lord Jesus and live in neglect of all duties and bring the Lord of glory not from his Throne in Heaven to Hell but which is worse debase him from his glory to sin to be the cover of sin and protector of it Beloved I know no surer sign of a vessel that God intends to break in peeces then this to live in this neglect 2 Tim. 2 20. Nay 't is an evidence there is no hope no living hope 1 Iohn 3. 3. He that hath this hope purgeth himself as Christ is pure Many it seems boasted of hope in Christ so do Saints but he gives this Note He purgeth himself he will not sluggishly put all on Christ. T is true 't is the mighty working of Christ that must conquer thy lusts but must this put you to neglect striving Col. 1. 29. I strive according to the working And for mine own part though I le not dispute the point at large I beleeve there is a constant assistance of the mighty power of the Lord Jesus in the souls of all the Saints 1 Pet. 1. 5. And hence 1 Iohn 4. Greater is he that is in you then in the world The Saints as they receive the Lord Jesus to rule them that he alone may be Lord and King not only in heaven but in their heâ—rts So a false hearâ— receives Christ lastly for to ease him Sometime for to ease him of the burden of Conscience sometime to ease him of the Lords work the burthen of his will and hence some at last have complained though hardly convinced of it that they could be contented the Lord should act them but their end was that hereby they might be rid of their burden and so eased by him I have heard a Question should be askt What is the difference between the workings of Gods Spirit and the Saints And that the Answer was 1. The one is by graces the other immediatly 2. The Spirits is when a man labours least quite cross to the stream of truth Take heed how you understand these points aright the depth of the most hellish villany in the world lies unâ—er them Wo to thee that canst paint such a Christ in thy head and receive such a Christ into thy heart as must be a pander to your sloth the Lord will revenge this wrong done to his glory with greater sorrows then ever any felt To make Christ not only meat and drink to feed but cloaths to cover your sloth Why what can we doe what can we doe Why as the first Adam conveies not only guilt but power So the second conveys both righteousness and strength as Christ is now triumphing by his eternal Spirit and his life is heavenly so if you be in Christ there is a Spirit of Christ whereby a never dying life is begot that can and doth conquer though it be but a spark Christ maintaining it it shall come to victory You are forsaken of Christ if you want this or else take heed this colour make you not forsake him 6. Those that neglect the means and yet look for the end in hope of future time and so neglect the present season Thus 't is with many a one the day of life and health and day of Ordinances continues and hence the sluggard cryes Prov. 24. 33. Yet a little more slumber i. I le have but a little while longer c. Hence when Conscience checks Ministers warn the Lord wooes the Spirit cries a man puts off all with this I hope it will be better And hence it falls out with them as with those Matth. 24 The Lord comes in a time they look not for him and of this many on their deathbeds have cryed out Think of this you convicted persons that know its miserable with you before God stop your breath you have nothing to plead for your neglect but hope of time Know it Gods present seasons are golden one moment worth eternity and now is the time if you neglect his season he will not regard yours God is never found in your time but in his time Oh lay these things to heart especially you that are grown weary of means that faint in your way God is not yet weary of continuing means art thou weary of gaining by means Oh consider this you that have had many hopes desires purposes but all blasted your time and means neglected Think on this you that have had marvellous affections but your spirits are gone Nothing can make you mend your pace not all Ministry and Word but you are clog'd with means Remember that Isai. 65. 8 9 10 11 12 13 14. For my people that have sought me c. SECT V. TO all those that do effectually seek the Lord in the use of means And for discovery thereof Consider 1. If ever the Lord gave you a hearâ— effectually to seek him in means you will finde mighty opposition temptations springing up one after another c. from within from without and the oppositions will make you seek him the more Hence Rom. 13. 11 12. he bids us put off the works of darkness and put on the armour of light When man desires and lies in his sloth he meets with little opposition or trouble of his own heart but here 't is otherwise therefore put on armour And I say the soul is made hereby to seek the Lord the more as the blinde man Mark 10. 48. Redeem the time because the days are evill As 't is with Mariners they will not only use fair but side and almost contrary winds to come neer the shore they are bound for let the Lord give any grace oh more of that mercy as Moses Deut. 3. 24. Let the Lord deny yet the soul cries the more let agonies come Christ prays the more let the will oppose he will yeeld himself to the Lord to cross his own will and deny himself peâ—ce makes him love and
he quickned who were dead in sins i. e. you were held as fast under the power of your sins as a dead man is under the bonds of death but now in the room of that death there is the Spirit of life and the life of the Spirit Now life is an inward principle of motion of any thing in its own place as the sun and trees and grasse and cattel You may take a stone or milstone or wheel and move it yet they have no life because this is not from an inward Principle so hypocrites may be acted and moved by the great power of the Spirit in an Ordinance yet not living but dead stil. Iohn 4. 14. the water which is the Spirit is a spring of living water in him Cisterns may have water in them but no spring that is running winter and summer 1 Iohn 3. 9. This is called the seed remaining in him which is that new creation new birth which the verse it self expounds so that he cannot sin it is against his nature now he cannot be a sinmaker Balaam could not curse the people of God and many cannot do as others do Why is it because they are born of God No but from some other respects and hence Mat. 13. 21. the stony ground fell away because they had not the root within This is called the inner man the good treasure of the heart opposite to the evil treasure of the heart of a wicked man Now as an evil man acts not only from Satan the evil spirit but the inward power of lust so the Saints Mat. 12. 35. And here I intend not to shew what this inward Principle is particularly for that I reserve to the two last points Yet least any should stumble let me speak to two sorts 1. Know some of you that there is not only external actings of the Spirit from whence we act but a new nature in the Saints 2. Let others know 1. That as before the Lord cals we are dead so after we are alive this inward principle is not perfect here Hence actions sometimes cease and when they do not yet are corrupted as laesa principia act but ever erre in their act hence have need of pardon from and acceptance in the Lord Jesus 2. That this is not in us as in Adam who did not need to borrow life of another but it stands in daily need of the Lord Jesus and hence this inward principle acts but 't is by faith the operations of which are the wagons to victual the camp continually especially in time of need and which is part of this inward principle and hence 1 Pet. 1. 5. You are kept by power and faith i. your souls graces lives are kept by the Spirit but through faith in us to salvation Let me therefore prove these three things to you for opening of this point 1. That the Spirit of the Lord Jesus is in the souls of the faithfull 2. That there is a principle of created graces or the life of the Spirit in them 3. That from this principle of the Spirit dispensing himself by his graces our lamp burns our acts of profession spring and shine forth First That the Spirit of Jesus is in the soules of the faithfull 1 Iohn 2. 27. The anointing teacheth you all things Rom. 8. 11. The Spirit that raised up Iesus from the dead dwels in us The manner of his being in us I intend not to meddle with unlesse I saw more cause I do beleeve the manner of his abiding in us and his nearnesse to all the Saints when seen of us may astonish our own spirits and shall one day confound all the world Only know as the Martyr said He is come he is come The spirit of the world and Satan is cast out 1 Cor. 2. 12. and in room of them enters the Spirit of God Secondly That the Spirit so is in the faithfull as that there is a principle of created graces in them or an inward principle of life and grace Not that these alone make this inward principle but the Spirit in us working of them working by them And truly 't is a sad thing if the proving of such a principle shall be an attributing too much to grace in us 1. Therefore to deny this is to deny Christ to be our sanctification For beside the passive obedience of Christ we are justified by his active obedience also i. e. his inward conformity to the Law and his external obedience to the Law So that graces as they are in Christ become our justification and hence he is said to be our righteousnesse No man can stand before God but by perfect holinesse but by doing whatever the Law requires and continuing so to do this is not in us this is in Christ This as 't is in Christ is properly our righteousnesse or justification Now what is our sanctification if not graces in Christ then graces received from Christ Jesus which is this inward principle now I speak of and therefore to deny this is no lesse than to say Christ is not our sanctification But saith Paul The Lord sanctifie you in soul and body and spirit 1 Thess. 5. 23. And if it were so a man may have a heart unsanctified and Christ too 2. If there should not be those graces then a Christian was not bound to adde one grace to another but then the Apostles precept should be broken 2 Pet. 1. 7 8. and so a Christian could not grow in grace for graces are perfect in Christ and the Spirit doth not grow in grace and the immediate operations of the Spirit increasing in us are not properly graces no more than the act of seeing is the eye no more then giving goods to be burned is love 3. Then we are not to pray for graces if there be no such things to be found in the hearts of Saints but Psal. 51. 10. David praies Create in me a clean heart now if it be a thing created in me 't is not the Spirit only in me for that cannot be created I doubt not but David had a clean heart but he fell in part and therefore look as there needs a creating power to make so there is a creating power to restore us again to what is lost 4. Then the Saints have none of their sins mortâ—fied for 't is as with the eye being made to see if sight goes out darkness comes in and if that be subdued sight is renewed So the Soul being made only for God and to bear his image blot out that darkness and sin comes in cast out sin the Lord and his Image and Graces come in If therefore there be no Graces in the Saints then no sin mortified truly if so then the end of Christs coming and dying is quite abolished 1 Iohn 3. 8. Rom. 6. 2 3. 5. Then the Lord should be false in his Covenant and break Oath and be forsworn for Ier. 31. 32. I 'le write my Law in their hearts Luke 1.
hath much affection and grace but when he hath it what is it but leave to adorn and beautifie himself But he lives not to the Lord another man will live to the Lord in what he does the Lord is so dear and himself so vile as that he doth thus 4. If you pray for it in Christs Name Objectâ— Many pray Answ. But when Christ and you pray together you will speed and then Christ praies when his Spirit cries at the Throne of Mercy then himself is at the Throne of Justice And his Spirit cries 1. Not for an unfit person that hath some slight change but 〈◊〉 his Saints whose hearts are endeared to him and his whole will 2. Noâ— foâ—â—â— evil or private end but the Lords 3. Not coldly but with groâ—â—s unutterable Is it thus with thâ—e Oh then how canst thou fall I Dost fear 〈◊〉 Mat. 16. 18. he shall not prevail against thee but thou shalt give the last blow and wouâ—d Dost fear the world the deceits of it Mat. 24 24. if possible the elect Dost fear the evil or good things of it Iohn 17. 13 though in the world yet Christ prays you may be delivered from the evil of it Dost fear thy sin that will separate Answ. Rom. 6. 2. How can we that are dead live any longeâ— therein 'T is a strong but a wounded but a dying enemy Dost fear the Lord thou hast walked so unworthy of him He will not break the bruised reed till judgment come to victory though little though weak Oh therefore be comforted against this in these times which are apostaâ—ical declining evil daies and bless the Lord SECT V. HEnce we learn what verdict to pass and give in concerning those men that decay and fall off from the Lord. They never had Oyl in their Vessel never had dram of Grace in their heart Thus 1 Iohn2 19. If they had been â—f us they would doubtlesse have continued with us It seems they were such men which were so eminent and excellent as that there were no brands nor marks upon them to give notice to the Churches that they were markt out for apostacy but were only discovered to be unsound by their apostacy and this was argument good enough Hence Christ when some of the Iews began to believe in him with a temporary Faith Iohn 8. 31. If my Word continue in you ye are my Disciples as if he should say your Faith is a Fancy if it continue not Look therefore as the Prophet said Zach. 1. 5. Your Prophets where are they Your Fathers where are they So say I to you Your Tears your Tenderness your Groanings your Heart-breaking Prayers c. Where are they Is it with them as with ships that are sunk and wrackt some of the ribs remain which gives you to see and say there was a fair ship but itâ—s sunk 1 Tim. 1. 19. Make shipwrack of Conscience and so lose their Faith also Some men for a time seem to keep a whole Conscience wind and water-tite they can pass through many storms yet at last it breaks and when that is lost their Faith is lost also Their Faith before God and Conscience before men both of them break Now there are two sorts of Apostates 1. Open in mens life whose falls are like the falls of a mighty tree it falls with noise and breaks down all the under-wood So their falls make a noise in all the Country where they lived and by their falls some are sadded others offended and damned 2. Secret when men are Apostates in heart Prov. 14. 14. which have chosen some sinful ways Ier. 3. When 't is with men as it was with Saul there is no commendation of him but this that he was higher by the head and shoulders then any of Israel So 't is with these in outward profession higher than others but their oyle is spent But do not many of the Saints fall openly and secretly True they may and do fall exceeding greatly But as Moses prophecying of the apostacy of Israel after his death Deut. 32. 29. yet 't is said 't is not the corruption nor spot of his children Deut. 32. 5. There is a great difference between an Hypocrites Apostacie from his grace and Saints from theirs It s one thing to fall from branch and root too another thing only for the branches to be broken off and the root not pulled up Iude 12. There are some apostacies that argue there was never a dram of grace in that soul. Saints fall down but do not fall away And of such Apostacies as argue want of grace take the following Discoveries 1. When a mans rising is the cause of his fall or seals a man up in his fall or at least the cause through his corruption Ex. gr Time was a man lived a loose careless carnal life by the Minstry of some Word or reading of some Book or speaking with some Friend he comes to be convinced of his misery and woful condition and sees no good nor grace in himself he hath been even hitherto deceived at last he comes to get some light some taste some sorrows some heart to use the means some comfort and mercy and hope of life And when 't is thus with him now he falls he grows full and falls and this rising is the cause of his fall his light is darkness and death to him and grows to a form of knowledge His rising makes him fall to formality and then to prophaneness and so his tasting satisfies him his sorrows empty his heart of sorrow for sin and his sorrows for his falls harden his heart in his falls and all the means of recovering him harden him that now if men never had had means even Sodom they would have relented before now This is a sad token of falling away and having had only lighter work it being a plain evidence that at their best they were filled with their lusts because a little light and affection satisfied them which is now turned by the power of their lust to harden them Isai. 6. 9. This is given as one sure sign of a people forsaken of God when in seeing they see not and hearing they hear not Look as it is in diseases if the Physick and meâ—t turns to be Poyson then there is no hope of recovery a man is sick to death now The Saints little measure makes them forget what is behinde Prov. 4. 18. He shines brighter and brighter till the perfect day So that let him fall he cannot be quiet there but when he remembers from whom he is fallen if once he tasted the Lord this will fetch him again and make him restless till he return But if it be so as now it is with these then the case is woful when there is such a plague on men and they know it not When a man saith to himself as the Glutton said to his soul Take thy rest for thou hast goods laid up for many years so thou hast
Those that walk in crooked waies the Lord shall lead them forth This is given as a black mark of men that are broken off from the Lord Rom. 11. 9. Let their Table become a snare When it may be no unlawful thing but lawful is that which banes them 2 Pet. 2. 22. Sheep may fall into the mire but if they lie and wallow in it it 's a Swine and all their excellencies are but Pearls in a Swines snout But when doth a man make choice of it 1. When a mans heart is set upon a lust and God blesseth and prospers him in it When God fills the back-slider in heart full of his own waies His heart is wordly and he thrives in it his heart is ambitious and he hath his Honour This the Lord gives not to his people but some rod or other upon their backs Hos. 4. 17. Let him alone 2. When a man lies long in his Fall Saints lie not long I limit no time but when day after day a man lives in it Rom. 11. 10. Let their Backs be bowed down alway Oh when a mans heart and back is bowed down alway Saints are under Christs care 5. When the Cause of a mans withering is a withering root Trees in winter cast their leaves as withered trees but others root is hurt If the branches do wither yet if the root remain it will recover again So the Saints cast their leaf and their branches wither in desertions and temptations but they preserve themselves at the root But why do others wither 'T is because their Faith withers Heb. 10. 39. 3. 12 14. Many a man withers because of his Faith He feels many wants Why lives he so Why dies he in beggery Why see Micah 3. 11. When a man is twice dead and pulled up by the roots so that the root perisheth for him is reserved the blacknesse of darknesse for ever That the means and way of enriching Saints is a way of beggery to these 't is very fatal There is some false Faith in Saints but it is not wholly such Oh consider these things No Grace What no Grace I say then no life no God no Spirit no Christ no Glory Oh mourn here See it now that you may be humbled and so saved Else you will fall worse and worse still Ier. 3. 5 6. SECT VI. HEnce see how far they fall short of saving Grace that serve the Lord by fits and starts and whose hearts follow after the Lord and make much of the Lord only in good moods Dying pangs are not eternal graces Withering Grace is flourishing and prosperous wickedness If the Spirit of Grace in the Saints be of an eternal constant nature that is not the Spirit of Grace which accompanies salvation which is alive to day but dead to morrow which a man is full of to day but quite empty of to morrow Hence the Prophet cries out Hos. 6. 4 5. Oh Ephraim what shall I do What more means can I use for thy good Why do we not get good by means Yes but thy goodnesse is like the morning dew soon lickt up by the Sun and like a cloud which passeth away which promiseth much but is scattered again The Lord knows not what to do with such men yet how many be there of such that like Ionas Gourd spring up for a time and then die the next day and they comfort themselves under the shadow thereof That take them in their Moon they are as good as you can wish more than men but out of it they are bruit beasts not men Whatever is in a godly man the likeness and similitude of it is for a time in an Hypocrite Would you have earnest prayer for a blessing look upon Esau he seeks for it with tears and mourns for it for a time Would you have following the means and that the most powerful and searching and joy in it also See Iohn 5. 35. What went they out into the wildernesse to see a Prophet a burning and shining light and rejoyced therein for a season Would you have hazarding life for Paul and Ministry of the Gospel Alexander did thus for a time Would you have people enter into Covenant with God Look upon the Israelites Deut. 29. with 31. 16. I know that after they death this people will go a whoring Would you have thankfulnesse Psal. 106. 13. They sang his praise they soon forgat the Lord. And these Affections are for a time stronger than the Saints like land-floods and because they be violent and strong they last not long But however it argues a wretched false heart Psal. 78. 37. Their hearts were not right because not stedfast in his Covenant But what man is there but changeth What body so healthful that is found alway in the same temper Do not the Saints find their hearts soon cold their joy soon quencht their affections soon spent This therefore will discourage them I answer to it two waies First They sometimes deny the constancy of Grace where constantly it is for the Spirit of Grace in us is like life for 't is eternal life It 's ever acting or remaining in the soul and this they do by reason of many mistakes As 1. They think the Grace of God in them perisheth when the act ceaseth Whereas a man may be weary of actions of life where life remaineth as in sick men A man may have a rich treasure alway with him yet not alway spend it There is a gracious frame of heart which the Lord regards chiesly which is before the act hence may be without it The wheel doth not run that it may be round but it is made round that it may run Hence when the act of running ceaseth the frame whereby its fit to run again remaineth And this is the Seed of God 1 John â— 9. 2. Many think the act of grace ceaseth when it doth not act alway upon the same object as some think because they have not the sence of Gods love alway all grace is lost when it may be there is sence of corruption at that time sometime God gives victory over temptation it riseth again Now the soul thinks the very act of grace ceaseth when yet it s now warring against the temptation sometime the Spirit of grace may lead a man to prayer and sadness sometime to a mans calling and cheerfulness The act of grace is small its dominion large 3. They think they are not constant when they are not so at all times as they are at some times As a man thinks he is unconstant at prayer because he is not all day upon his knees not heavenly minded because he is not all day long minding heavenly things Whereas the Spirit should be ready so to do and be at all times and in every worldly occasion to be sowing or reaping some spiritual good yet 't is not a season alway to be upon the Mount Somtime Moses must come down to the camp
to their own house lot accommodation provision for children and in the mean while the Lords house lies waste you build not up that the Souls of thy Brethren in Church-fellowship yea of thy family are not built up the Lords house is despised now and it 's like the Schools of the Prophets and much more Oh thought we if we had such priviledges how would we improve them but when we have them have we the same thoughts do we not forget them like men that come to a place for gold and find it not without digging they fall to lâ—â—de their ship with wood or coal that which it will bear 2. Have we not shaken off all fear almost of sin and misery Go to the Ant thou sluggard she fears and provides against a winter Do not men think that we have fled too far for the croâ—s to finde us or as if the Temple of the Lord was such a Den as no Foxes or Wolves could follow us into especially when there are causes of fear when War is proclaimed and the causes known and yet they are never feared How many men have the hand-writing of death in their Consciences against them this they confess is naught they have lived careless sluggish and have had some sence of it yet no awakening fear of the terror of the Lord when a Prince is nigh us now to commit a little lewdness is great wickedness where is the man that trembles at the nearness of God to us when a breach is made then fear enemies Divisions and breaches go before falls of Churches where is that spirit of Iehosaphat that feared and proclaimed a fast When God hath begun to smite what cause is there to fear We have been hurt and yet not laid it to heart the Lion roars shall not the people fear I believe we should not have had those Pequot furies upon us but God saw we began to sleep Where is the man that with Paul knows the terror of the Lord and hence perswades men when the enemy is ever about us there is always cause of fear and yet we fear but now and then 3. Are not our sences bound up look upon men in their fields and conversings buyings and sellings where is a daily weekly watchfulness over our thoughts and tongues Look to mens closets do men there call themselves to account can they finde leisure or need of it are not mens eyes closed up that the glory of God in the Scripture is a sealed thing Men have eyes but see not are not mens ears sealed up Some Sermons men can sleep them out mans voyce is heard but not the voyce of the Son of God Oh how many men are there that become quite Sermon-proof now adays Are not men blockish dull senceless heavy under all means they taste not smell not whereas elsewhere O how lively and spiritual are they 4. Is not the spirit of Prayer that lamp going out in the Church of God the blessedness of all flourishing Plantations in the world began by means of that and shall not continue but as it continues and if ever cause to seek for prosperity of Plantations these have need If God should take away this generation of Magistracy and Ministery what would this despised Country do and what would become of your children then no Schools for them when no Gospel left among them then every mans sword shall be against his brother and God spreading the place with darkness which through his presence is made light what little hope of a happy generation after us when many among us scarce know how to reach their children manners How apt are we like to those Asian Churches to fall into those very sins which overwhelmed them and ruined them how many fall off and in time break forth that it would make men sick to hear of their pranks what place more open to temptations of persecution and worldly delusion go up and down the Plantations where is the man that lays things to heart who hath the condition of the Country written upon his heart and presenting it before the Lord rather than his own good Oh men are silent because asleep How do sins run thorough men as water thorough a mill and men regard it not what means what deliverances have we had but oh what little thankfulness 2. Do we make progress nay is not out shadow gone back I sleep but my heart waketh it should be so but it is not so indeed 5. Have we not fallen a dreaming here what meaneth else the delusions of mens brains what a swarm of strange opinions which like flies have gone to the sores of mens heads and hearts and these are believed also and more dreams men have that are never spoken every man hath some drunken conceit that rocks him asleep dreams are quite contrary to the truths What meaneth these if men are not sleeping First Drunken dreams of the world Secondly golden dreams of grace that these things advance grace which indeed destroy grace that there is no grace in the Saints no grace in Christ no humane Nature no promise to evidence grace no Law to be a Rule to them that have received grace Who would think that ever any should so fall by a simple woman But if this be not general yet look how do men begin to dream concerning the world scarce a man but finds want or is well if he wants Oh then if I had such a lot about me such an estate how well then were I and è contra They that have it and now they take their rest Take heed saith the Lord your hearts be not overcome with cares So say I to you 6. Doth not the Lord oft awaken us yet we fall to sleep again the Lord awakened us by the Pequot Hornet yet what use is there made of that doth not the Lord oft meet us in an Ordinance but he is soon lost and gone again Is there a man that hath not had his cross since he came hither as loss in cattel and estate a dear Husband Childe Wife dead a sore and sharp sickness c. he hath been exercised with c. but do we not sleep still if it be not thus it will come fear it for time to come but if it be thus then I say no more but know it you are in your enemies hand and in such an enemies hand that if you mourn not under it will open the door either to the entrance of some gross sin and temptation or for some heavy and sudden wrath It 's sufficient for me this day to shew you where your hurt lyeth SECT V. HEnce see the reason why men are worse in Virgin-Churches than in polluted places and why it is so generally Because here are more temptations to make them all slumber and sleep here their beds are made soft here the storms are past here they are under the shadow and out of the sun and security opens the door for an enemy No
know the state of thy Brethren whom thou art to exhort what their sleepy neglects be and sins are it may be thou hast known one hath been very humble tender affected under Ordinances made many fair shews and promises of growing and thriving and sensibly complaining of his own vileness and now he is in a silent sleep Dost thou know this and wilt not speak a word to awaken him for whom Christ shed his blood who it may be will do thee as good a â—urn and make many a prayer for thee â—arnabas when he saw the grace of God exhorted them with full purpose of heart to cleave unto him much more should you when you see grace dying 2 Thes. 3. 11. Paul heard that some were idle them he exhorts to work what good might one word do Secondly if you do not know enquire with a spirit of much love how it is with them as David of his Brethren when they were gone into the fields do you not decline do you not stand still how have you found your heart since last Sermon Sabbath Fast Affliction have you got any ground against that sin you complained of last year c. Suppose you cannot do this to all yet why not to some Suppose you have no other place than when you meet them in the fields do it there Iude 20. Build up your selves c. Now here a man must know the height how high they are built already how can they lay their stones else It is one of the heavey curses of God upon the Idol Shepherd He shall not visit the hidden nor seek the young Zach. 11. 16. Thirdly If thou knowest nothing from them then relate thy own condition this is a most lovely provocation and exhortation unto another frame for one great cause that hardeneth men in their security is because they see no such living Christianity in the world But when they do now Zach. 8â— many shall take hold of the skirt of a Iew for they shall say God is with you Agrippa was almost perswaded and awakened when he heard Paul relate his conversion although there be many impostors in the world that do so Tell me are all things in peace with you the Devil is in you then What hast no temptations yet many Dost not observe how they prevail yes dost never get strength against them yes hast no good days after them yes much peace and life and presence of God! Hath the Lord given these talents to thee to be hid in a Napkin this treasure to keep and not to spend who knows but that the speaking of these may awaken others these temptations and this condition is mine these sins I find he makes a great matter of them Lord what will become of me that am hardned under them this peace they finde my Soul is a stranger to it Conscience will work thus Women should speak thus to women and men to men others were provoked by the example of the Corinthians to help others so there is a provoking power here Fourthly If this prevail not speak often to them of the sins of others in condemning others you condemn them and this will make them look about them view the fields and shew them the tares that are grown up by security and laying down these sins you strike at the root of theirs It may be you cannot tell certainly Acts 2. 40. The Lord made this one means to awaken a Belshazzer Dan. 5. 22. God turned thy Father into a beast c. to live in the woods yet thou humbledst not thy self c. How many Professors doth God deal so withal Fifthly Enter into Covenant and brotherly promise to exhort one another as David and Ionathan If any hurt be toward David Ionathan will speak of it 1 Sam. 20. Some may in Church-fellowship be more nearly knit than others to call one another to account to tell one another their fears to know of one another their progress Canst not give an account to man how wilt thou give an account to God of it I am perswaded many a man lies smoothered to death by means of this Canst not come to the light of a candle Oh how then canst thou appear before the light of the Sun Sixthly Provoke one another to frequency in Ordinances Heb. 10. 23 24. and therein consider one another dost see thy Brother in doubts or complaints call him to pray with thee dost see things go ill in Churches and men bite the bit call to fasting and prayer three or four together as Paul when he saw the ship sinking then he exhorted them Act. 27. 22. Especially when you see danger near mens hearts ready to be lost in the World In these times suppose only two or three or four should go and pray one half hour together and tell one another their wants now help here in our times it hath been so one living Christian helps others dying But yet how is this neglected as if men were resolved not only to dye sleeping themselves but to let others sleep also No you will say not my self yet it may be in your family it is so and before the Lord. What art alive to God and family where thou canst do but little common good and art dead to thy Brother it is made a sad sign of a man forsaken of God if when he thinks he shall sleep his last and be damned himself yet he would have others damned also Tell me would you have all New England lye in security as well as your selves No! do you not desire it when you use not the means that prevent it and that is mutual exhortation Oh therefore do it Ministers may preach and every man sleep still unless some awake and rouse up the rest as some when others are abed and fast asleep that lye a dreaming Some there be that though Doomsday were to morrow they would sleep Oh therefore let me perswade some one or two to fall to his work lest their security prove your undoing therefore speak oft one to another forsake not your assembling visit one another pray one for another warning one another that you may awake with the Lord one hour SECT VII LEt every man not only exhort his brother but fear this himself You have a race to run many enemies to conquer sleep not lest you fall short sleep not lest you be taken captive lest in exhorting others your selves proves Reptobates I will not tell you what I fear but Luk. 21. take heed lest your hearts be overcome be not drunk with some delight be not filled with vain cares Hence prevent it as Noah moved with fear made an Ark. First Set a high price upon those awakenings and revivings of heart that God sometimes giveth you I am sure you finde these sometimes A man that hath nothing to lose will sleep with his doors open in the night when a man hath a treasure he will be watchful to keep it all security comes from an
eternity this shall be their glory even an everlasting name unto them better than the name of Sons and Daughters when the wicked shall see them all at the right hand of God and gnash their teeth that themselves are shut out when the Lord and his Saints shall take infinite delight one in another Luk. 12. 37. SECT III. Quest. 4. WHy is this a Christians glory excellency and honor Answ. 1. In regard of the baseness of other things wherein men do use to glory the wise man in his wisdom the strong man in his strength the rich man in his wealth There are Three things which make these base First These things make a man not the more to be accepted of God the Lord respects not values not the worth of any man by these things and to make all the world know this he staineth the pride of all glory and chuseth the poor and foolish things of the world to confound the wise a wise man will never respect the horse the more because it carries store of rich treasures he will not fall down and reverence it for this hang Swine about with pearls who honors them the more and will a wise God respect a man the more for these things 1 Pet. 3. 5. What is that that is of great price with God Holiness is of great price with God And what though all the world honor a man and a man honoreth himself while this is wanting Secondly All these things leave a man dead under the reign of Satan power of his sin and dominion of death and hence Ier. 9. 24. Let no man glory in his wisdom c. Death is entred into your windows take any bondman bound with fetters though golden doth any man account him the more glorious a Prince that is made a vassal and slave to every base fellow is he the more glorious no So whiles men lye under the reign of death stick a man that is dead with flowers what is he the more glorious alas no! his life is gone now the Spirit of holiness is called the Spirit of life even of the life that never shall dye Rom. 8. And therefore as it is said of a Flye there is more excellency in a Gnat than in a Cedar than in the glorious heaven because it hath life which the other hath not so though men wonder at the goodly trappings of wicked men yet the poorest and most despised Christian that hath the Spirit of life is more glorious Thirdly Because these things only purchase the more credit and honor in the eyes of men and that of wicked men for 1 Cor. 5. 10. We know no man after the flesh if they do it is that which they account themselves beasts and fools for as David did Psal. 73. And what is the honor of man it is the bâ—sest thing that is for it is that which is without a man it is no excellency within the man it is but the thoughts of a mans head and heart than which what more vain what more mutable nay 't is but the dreams of a mans head for they are mistakes If all the town should dream another was a King who yet were indeed a Beggar which when they awake they see what were he the better for this Paul 2 Cor. 11. 23. how he doth glory in priviledges which were better and more goodly hangings than theseâ— this saith he I speak as a fool and what be these a Christians glory no surely Answ. 2. Because that is a Christians glory which is Christs glory First It is that glory wherein the glory of Christ consists Psal. 45. 2. Thou art fairer than the children of meâ— full of grace is thy lips and 2 Cor. 3. ult into the same image from glory to glory Indeed Christ's greatness in governing the world is his glory but it is because it is mixt with such holiness Isa. 6. 1 2 3. Phil. 2. 8 9. he humbled himself and this hath given him a name and shall be his name for ever this is that which makes the Lord Jesus lovely and amiable in the eyes of all his people Revâ— 15. 4. Who would not fear thee or thou onely art holy and so he is for all the stars receive their light and shine with it by this Sun only and so the more a Christian excels in this the more like he is to Jesus Christ and so more glorious and lovely Secondly This is that which gives him glory â— e. so far as creatures can which is to manifest it and hence 2 Cor. 8. 23. which is the glory of Christ and hence Isa. 46 13. Israel is called the glory of the Lord Isa. 62. 2 3. the righteous is called the glory and crown and diadâ—m in the hand of the Lord and as God is better than the Soul so this viz. to glorifie the Lord is better than to be glorified by the Lord. SECT IV. HEnce see one reason why men lose their honor their love and respect in the eyes of God and men their judgements are not revereâ—â—ed their persons not accepted their names and practises despised this is one reason among the rest a decay in holiness the lamp is defiled the light and lustre of it going out and who will reverence it then 't is admirable to see the complaints abroad First Look but into Families what is the reason there is so much discontent there that Servants are weary of their Masters Masters of their Servants and there is such complaints one of another little respect one of another it is for want of holiness power and life of godliness the Master saith the Servant is unruly froward surly flothful unfaithful untrusty and must not be spoken to the Servant saith his Master is passionate unkinde wants pity to his body and sometimes strikes him without cause and much more careless of his soul never instructs him but is eaten up with the world c. truly this is the cause It seems the Lord wrought upon divers in Primitive times and the Apostle gives Servants an item that they may glorifie God and adorn the Gospel of the Lord Iesus how came Ioseph into â—oâ—iphar's books oh he was very holy and very prudent and I le warrant did his Masters work better when his Master was absent than before and prayed for success in his business as Abraham's Servant Look but upon Husband and Wife it is strange to see what divisions and jars there and what 's the cause of it Wife doth not honor Husband nor Husband honor Wife how comes this oh there is little holiness seen in their private walking one with another the woman thought the man godly had I known this I would have seen you a hundred miles off c. the man also he complains of his wife I see now I am like to be troubled with a continual dropping a very fury of hell so impatient and the next neighbor hears of it nothing can please her what 's the reason of
of them ex gr Let a man have a full table and fair estate and outward blessings promising much and the Ordinances of God and a heart to follow God there now see him lively in the service of God but let him be brought to extremities and want of all this and fears of poverty estate wasteth poverty appears many rates come in and the wife crys out now he falls down to the earth in discontent or worldliness and his life and affection to Ordinances or the fervants of God is now gone as it is with a bird when she hath two wings she can flye but when she hath only one then she falls and the fowler takes her because it was a limb precious to her so here Thus it was with Davids servants at Ziglag 1 Sam. 30. 4. all wept till they could weep no more but here it was otherwise with David he could flye to God without those wings so when God gives a man a condition not so great as he would and the heart lusts after so much and God crosseth he cannot be content with a little or with a mean estate because his lust is his limb he cannot suffer it to be cut off or be paâ—â—d if a man hath a wooden leg he can cut it answerable to his shoo but if but a limb he must have his shooe cut answerable to his leg because it is his limb no cutting of that leâ—s oh it is dear So it is with a man that hath a lust after any thing it is dear and hence he is said to live in them and to be in the flesh but the desires after these things in a gracious heart they are blains they can be without them Oh never such a happiness if the Lord would dead them to me Gal. 5. 24. they that are in Christ have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts thereof 3. The lusts and desires in a false heart are reigning lusts and make the lusts after grace and holiness serve them but è contra in a holy heart Ex. gr A man prays for the love of God and the Spirit of grace and 't is affectionate but yet 't is ever for some lust Iam. 4. 3. a man desires grace to perfect his gifts and gifts to deck him and purchase him honor before men a man desires grace to quiet his conscience in assurance of Gods love and pardon of sin that he may live the more peaceably with his sin Isa. 58. 3 4. Now in a gracious heart the desires of these things serve the desires after grace for he desires the things of this world to be the more holy Prov. 30. 7 8. Feed me with food convenient that I may not tempt thee he desires and hath them for Israels sake 2 Sam. 5. 12. Like a Tradesman he buys and sells but it is for gain Phil. 1. 20. Oh consider of these things and if your hearts have had only such false desires as these know it that as verily as these Virgins were shut out so shall you another day CHAP. XIII The desires and endeavors of Hypocrites after Grace are not lasting SECT I. THat foolish Virgins in their first endeavors after the Spirit of Grace usually cease from seeking farther before they have got that measure and fulness of it which will continue to the last Or That there is ever a cessation in the first endeavors of carnal professors from seeking after that measure of grace which will indeed last and continue until their meeting with and appearing before the Lord Iesus Christ. For these Virgins here did seek after the Lord Jesus Christ and the Spirit of Christ and hence did get that measure which lighted their lamps for a good season and they contented themselves with this and gave over seeking untill it is too late and therefore now they say Give us of your oyl our Lamps are oâ—t These foolish Virgins when they had got somewhat they are carried with abundance of affection and profession they think themselves as good as the best and what need they seek for more and then grow secure and fall asleep until all is spent The Scripture is pregnant every where for this But let us look and see the causes of this First Sometime it is because they know not what that measure is which doth accompany salvation but they set up an imagination of their own heads which is a false image of Saving-grace and when they have that now they think all is well and they go no further Iudg. 2. 11 12. People that know not the Lord nor the poâ—er of his grace will set up other gods and serve them and there rest until it is with them as it was with those when the anger of the Lord waxâ—th hot and spoilers come now they cry unto the Lord What is the reason why many a man falls short of the righteousness which is of God viz. of Faith Because he sets up in his head a righteousness of his own and if I get that then I hope the Lord will accept me and forgive me and hence Rom. 9. 31 32. why did they miss of it Because they sought it by a righteousness which is of their own so why do many miss of Faith because they think it is an assurance or when a man rests upon Christ not considering the need of an Almighty power and hence the Apostle prays for this Ephes. 1. 19. So for Repentance why do men fall short of it they think it is when Gods anger is exprest the soul then comes to seek the Lord and findes some comfort Psal. 78. Matth. 3. and so runs away with it So for Holiness they think it is to be like others and then well they think these are the men that shall live and are happy and look as it is like it was at Babel when head and tongues were confounded one calls for a Brick the other brings him a Trowel Hammer or Tile because he did but imagine what he spake and so understood not his language So 't is here men read and hear God speak and Ministers call for Faith and knowledge of God but earthly minds cannot understand heavenly language and hence they imagine that is Faith and Repentance which indeed is not and so miss of that which indeed else would continue and this is the misery of many thousands that in seeing see not The experience of the work of grace makes men savingly to know what Grace is Iohn 5. 37 38. Now men graceless never felt it in the life and power of it and therefore cannot tell it Secondly From the nature of Common-grace the nature of which is as the Apostle speaks of lifeless knowledge 1 Cor. 8. 1 to puff up it never leaves the soul more sensible of his vileness as Saving-grace doth Ezek 16 ult and so makes a man never rest in seeking after the Lord but makes the soul feel himself full and hence the stomack is gone from seeking after more as Rev. 3.
so Christ now Solomon reckons it as one part of his folly madness and vanity when he forsook the Lord in his degenerate condition Ecâ—les 2. 3. that he gave up his heart to vanitâ—y and to wisdom also as if that was not sufficient alone Men are not contented with the Lord alone Solomon as you heard was gone whom God appeared twice unto Davids heart was sorely assaulted Pâ—al 73. untill he wenâ— into the sanctuary of God and then saith he whom have I in earth but thee but as for others they are far from this and hence come the many murmurings and sinkings of heart why do not men sink and drown because they are not in the ark or ship and stay there alone so it is here Psal. 16. 4. their sorrows 〈◊〉 multiplied c. SECT XIII LAbor for this contentedness in spirit in four cases especially wherein the heart is apt to withdraw from the Lord First In case the Lord takes away the dearest nay all outward blessings from us men can â—ub it out with quietness of spirit when some of their money loose in their pockets is lost but when their jewels are lost their dearest blessings singled out Wife Husband Children then as Ionah the soul is almost angry with God when his gourd is smitten 1 Thess. 4. 13. without hopes again some can rub this out till they come to part with all when some of our boughs are cut and branches lopt we can be content but to have ouâ— top boughs cut off and to strike at the root too that we should remain as wâ—thered â—ry trees this can hardly be born Men can be content to follow Christ if they may carry something on their backs beside the cross some can endure â—ny thing but poverty because covetous others any thing but disgrace becaâ—â—e proud if some thing or many things be cast over-board in a storm men can be sometimes contented therewith if something escapes but when there is a wâ—aâ—k of all now to be content is as hard as to walk upon the waters Israel when they be fed and led by God all was still but when they want bread and water then they murmure and also quesâ—ion Exod. 17. 7. Is God among us now And truly it would break ones heart to see what sinkings of heart there be among us the fruits of exâ—ream pride and Christlesness and what vexations men are to themselves that men are become devils to themselves their own tormeâ—tors what cares fears griefs losses decays that their heads are dawled and their memories lost and their hearts sunk and their countâ—naâ—ces alâ—ered and the Ordinances comfortless and themselves heartless and pining away in their iniquiâ—â—es because of outward sorrows Oh consider either thou shalt shortly be with the Lord or not if not there is cause of â—ourning Oh to go home and see Abraham Isaac and Iacâ—b in Gods Kingdom and thy self shot out it were a lamentable thing indeed but if it be otherwise with thee Oh consider thou shalt be happy enough without these things in heaven and therefore though these things be lost thou shalt not lose one jot of thy happiness A man that is blessed with â—lessedness it self and yet sunk either should say Christ is not blessedness or else recover Object Oh but though I have lost my estate yet that doth not so much trouble me as to have lost friends and their love Anâ—w And what if thou hadst lost thy life and thy body were rent from thy soul if that goes to the Lord Heb. 11. They were â—awn asunder It may be thy heart hath gone from Christ Oh therefore reâ—â—â—â— for it may be this is Gods end and methinks this should make you content with any cross thou art not near enough to the Lord Oh therefore you poor Saints be not in heaviness by many temptations the Lord doth it to try your faiâ—h can you be content with him alone It was Iustin Martyrs speech Nothing else to care for Secondly In case the Lord makes outward peace and blessings to abound upon you set not now your hearts upon these things sometimes when miseries abound and there is wracks of all now the soul is glad to stand upon the rock to save its life Psal. 78. 35. When he smote them they then remembreâ— God was their rock but when the Lord begins to fill the soul with outward blessings it is then exceeding hard not to lodge them in the Lords own room and habitation for himself and the Lord is forgotten and foâ—saken also Jet 2. 1 2 4 5. But when these things are removed or with you continued yet let your hearts still be kept for the Lord for if these things were necessary you should have them in heaven but there is no need of them there but only of the Lord. Psal. 17. ult It was Davids prayer that he might be delivered from the men who had their portion in this world but I shall behold thy face and therewith be satisfied when I awake i. e. Some outward troubles now made him heavy that he slept the sleep of death saith Calvin but then he should be satisfied it was Davids argument to prove his faith Psal. 16. The Lord is the portion of my lot and cup not his crown nor kingdom 1 Cor. 7. 30. Paul mixes this with his counsels use the world as if you used it not possess as if you possessed not for the fashion of it passeth away The love of Christ sweetens these things nay the sweet of them is Christs he lets into them his love and his sweetness c. Oh the peace that comes by this means when a no outward evil detracts and no outward good thing adds to your blessedness It is so in it self Oh that it were so indeed unto you Psal. 23. Thirdly In case the soul comforts it self in hopes and desires after good things to come in this world for sometimes that which fills the heart is not things present a man findes a bottom here but he looks for things to come and so lancheth out his heart in the deep le ts the rains of his heart go strongly after things to come and so the Lord alone doth not quiet him many mens blessedness here is imaginary and chiefly because of that which is to come Oh consider when it will be found to be blessedness to enjoy the Lord alone without hope or desire of any good else to come thy soul shall say Let me ever see and love this God and none else It was the sweet affection of Paul I desire much to be with Christ he did not desire these things no not body nor life nothing else but to be with him and that not faintly but earnestly 2 Cor. 5. 1. because he was now absent from the Lord Oh the sinful lusts of menâ— men think themselves miserable if they be not satisfied and they are not satisfied because Christ is not enough alone Oh but know it he will be so shortly
shall burn and never be quenched there will be colds which shall blast all your budds and blossomes and beauty c. Now to have no love of Christ to take your self to as to a shelter in these times is very heavy hence Isa. 32. 2. Christ typified by Hezekiah shall be a shadow in a weary Land which is spoken to shew the sweetness of his love and their blessedness that have him to fly to and hence their woe who want him It is said Gen. 6. 8. Noah found grace in Gods eyes not in the eyes of men for before the Flood came they did â—not see it such a favour for to have an Ark but when that came and they fled from Houses to Trees from Trees to Mountaines and waters beneath and above prevailed now they saw it somethâ—ng to finde favour in the eyes of God and their woe to want it Moses dies wondering at the happiness of the Saints in regard of this Deut. 33. 26. and ult The eternal God is thy refuge he fore-sees stormes he preserves from miseries above head so as they cannot touch the heads of the Saints if so be they do fall yet they cannot fall so low but underneath are his armes As a Child which stands alone if it be in danger to fall and others cry out Pray take heed I have my armes say they under it hence Moses dyeth with this word Oh Israel who is like unto thee happy art thou then wo to those who want this there is not one man living but he shall meet with extremities which shall make heart and spirits to faile and the powers of heaven shall be shaken every thing may forsake you but Christs love but if that also doth wo then to you If you consider the power which this privation of love hath to damp all joy and mirth in all things present it invenomes and puts a sting and poyson in all blessings and makes comforts torments to have all blessings and all priviledges and not to have Christs love with them is to have a snare a trap a stumbling block and a Recompence c. Rom. 11. 9. Men regard not wrath to come but consider of this thy blessings are woes curses and you shall one day cry Wo is me that ever I was or that ever I had any blessing Suppose a man should be enriched with bags of Dâ—amonds hung with chaines of gold fare deliciously but condemned to die this would damp all Pharaoh had a stout will Moses tells him Exod. 9. 16. For this cause God had raised him up to shew his power upon him one would have thought it should have pull'd him from hâ—s Throne and made him lie in the dust it did not because God had hardened his heart so would this if the Lord had not hardened yours Hence we shall see Saints when they lie under false feares only of loss of love those very things which are most sweet are made most bitter Psal. 77. 3. I remembred God and was troubled but what think you of those that be not indeed loved it is enough to bring down the most merry heart and highest looks for the present what are my friends mine enemies is there none to comfort me of all my Lovers If you consider the sweetness of this Love of Christ. I'â—e instance only in one particular Psal. 63. 3. Cant. 1. 3. The Elect when they are glorified and with Christ what shall be most ravishing in their eyes what shall swallow up their thoughts most oh the love of Christ his free love why should I be accepted beloved oh that ever the Lord should cast his eyes and set his heart upon such an out-cast Hence praise of the Riches of Grace Ephes. 1. is the wâ—rk of Heaven Now to be cast out of this love will must be exceeding bitter to the soul hence Mat. 7. 23. I never knew you will be daggers at the heart or the stone upon the graves mouth which shall torment for ever If you consider the nature of this want or negation of Christs love what it is 1. Degree Is for Christ not to have so much as one purpose or thought of peace and good to them not to put the least Character of their names in the Book of life that is the first degree and fountain of all other Gods love Ier. 29. 9. 2. Degree Is not to speak one word of peace and love to a man no absolute promise of life to them Psalme 50. 16. They have nothing to do to take Gods Covenant into their mouths those promises which comfort and support the hearts of the Saints against all sins all miseries belong not unto them 3. Degree Not to suffer for them not to shed one drop of blood for their lives Ioh. 17. 9. so that all their sins must lie upon them to bear and answer for 4. Degree Not to do the least good for them good things they have but through their sins and Christs ordering of it are not good for them but they are thereby fitted by patience for destruction 5. Degree Not to accept any thing which they do to him their sacrâ—fices and prayers are sins Mal. 1. I have no pleasure in you 6. Degree Not to pity them in time of their trouble but to laugh at their Calamity and to rejoyce in their Ruine and eternal overthrow Christ shall get glory from them then whom they despised so long before This may let us see what cause all the people of God have to be abundantly satisfied with the love of Christ the heart of man is naturally like the raging sea never quiet if the least windes do but arise the Saints may have unmortified affections and are very apt upon troublesome temptations to be disquieted the Saints are compared to the Apple of Gods eye and we know little things will trouble much there it 's because in losses and sorrows which befall themselves and in beholding the madness and folly of others they are very apt to look upon the anger of the Lord in them foâ— their sin which others usually do not Oh consider is it such a misery to lose Christs love and have you a share in it oh then be thankful for it and contented with it When Christ was to depart from his Disciples Ioh. 16. 22. you shall sorrow but what doth he leave with them to quiet them I will see you againe that mourn now for loss of my presence What else doth he promise them nothing else truly that is enough When David looked upon the prosperity of the wicked and that they should â—ever see light Psal. 49. 15. with 19. But God will redeem my soul from the grave not from troubles and he will receive me Some read it For he hath received me both may stand together and this was enough to him If a Traveller have lost his way and not come home to his journeys end he may be very well unquieâ— but when he is come to the end
Lord apprehend us as in 2 Sâ—m 5. 1 2 3. But by his Covenant he bindes himself unto the souls of hâ—s people Isa. 55. 2 3. which is a mighty strong Covenant as strong as Gods purpose is for 't is nothing but Gods purpose revealed Now this the Lord reveals usually two wayes 1. In the Word without the conscience knowing it so as that a man hath not assurance of Gods Good-will to him And 2. To Conscience and this two wayes 1. By prayer the soul being instant with God to reveale his good-will the Lord doth it Ezâ—kiel 36. â—7 I will yet be enquired of for this c. Zach. 13. 9. Hence the Lord asks the poor heart Will nothing content thee but the Lord I wiâ—l fulfill thy desires then the Lord hath heard thy cryes all thy sinnes shall be pardoned all those corruptions subdued c. 2. By the Ministry of the Word when the soul hath been froward in seeking the Lord but now mournes under it that it cannot finde the Lord the Lord professeth I 'le create the fruit of the lips peace Psal. 25. 14. He will shew them his Covenant c. So that the soul is for a time stablished and supported by these and the like blessed words of Grace from the Lord. Secondly By an eternal Spirit of life which as from Christ the Head comes into every member and is in them and shall be in them never forsaking them though it be grieved a thousand times in a day by them this Spirit sets on the Covenant and gives the first fruits of glory c. Isaiah 59. ult This is my Covenant my Spirit shall never depart c. Thus Christ apprehends his herein differing from Adam he was next to God and was apprehended by God But 1. It was by a Covenant of works 2. As a first cause upholding and preserving and governing the second but this Spirit which should never forsake this he had not now when by Faith we are turned unto Christ Christ apprehends us with both these armes Now è contrà you may see what is it not to be apprehended by Christ. Because they were never given unto Christ in Vocation by the Fathers drâ—wing Iohn 6. 65. And Christ takes hold on none but them they are apprehended for the Givers sake though they be worthless in themselves All lawful Marriage is by the Parents consent so here Because he knows the vileness of such mens hearts lying in their sin the falseness deceits of them Ioh. 2. ult As we use to say Such a one No I know him well enough Of sad Reproof to those who never trouble themselves with any thoughts whether Christ hath apprehended them if they have once apprehended Jesus Christ they never question whether their Faith so apprehend Christ as that Christ apprehends it Oh consider these Virgins they did thus after a sort apprehend Christ all their liâ—e but now they know Christ never loved them because they never savingly apprehended him I remember Isa. 4. 1. Seven women shall take hold of one man â—nd shall say We will be called by thy Name to take away our reproach but we will eat our own bread Soâ— many take hold upon Christ Lord let us be call'd by thy Name to take away our reproach when as they care for no part nor portion in Christ but they will eat their own bread live upon their own lusts It was Christs speech unto divers that saw him and followed him Iohn 6. as to hâ—s Disciples also Except you eat my flesh you have no life in you What doth a man aim at in eating not only that he may have Bread in his hand but he examines What vertue hath it His end is that it may grow one with him and be turned into the â—ame flesh with him and so that there may be a most rear union that can be so should all Christians study that and aim at that that the Lord may be nearly united to them and grow one with them a gracious heart prayers and mournes for want of this Oh there be many that profess What should I trouble my self with this and that grace when I have done all I can but look up to Christ True but will you not yet try whether you so look to Christ as that he looks towards you Iohn 10. 10. I kâ—â—w mine and am known of mine there is a world of false faith in the world Ier. 7. 8. When they cryed the Temple of the Lord saith he Do you sweare lye c So I may say Are you slothful in carriage discontent in families live in secret adultery and your eyes and thoughts are full of it do you break your promises and Covenant with God and men and forget the Lord in a Land of Peace care for little but that your Plough may speed and your names may rise and do you cry Christ Christ go to Sâ—iâ—h go to the Palatinate Bohemia and see what God hath done Oh but I am better oh but go to these foolish Virgins let their dead ghosts affright thee if the Lords Word cannot make thee search here A man drowning all his care will be for a hand to take him so would you if all were right but you will not so Of Examination Whether ever the Lord Jesus hath apprehended you with his dearest love as well as you have apprehended him 2 Cor. 13. 5. In all Covenants among men whereby they are to binde themselves one to another men will make it sure on both sides Christ will make you sure to him do you see that he be also made sure and fast bound and united unto you Methinks the consideration of the example of the Virgins might awaken every one unto it for if this was the frame only of some rude prophane Rout of â—arnal Protestants professing Christ with their lips but denying him in their lives it might be excusable for us but when Virgins and so many and that in these times of Christs coming to faile here this may strike a holy â—awfulness even in the best and with much feare and trembling to search themselves as it did the Disciples of Christ when they heard not many but one only should beâ—ray him for there is this union on both parts Iohn 10. 14. 2. But though there is cause to search I confess 't is very hard to finde out this blessed Love-knot the union between Christ and the soul being so mystical and secret and spiritual a work especially in this life wherein the Lord Jesus ariseth in the souls of his people not in his perfect fulness but only as the day-starre at which time there is much darkness before the rising Sun and hence the Apostle Gal. 4. 9. You have known God or rather are known of him c. 3. But yet it may be known the many examples I might alledge might prove it and the promise of Christ to his Disciples doth evince it Iohn 14. 20. They were weak for a