Mat. 7. 13 14. but then you must not look for the same journies end The Lord give you hearts to consider it and feare to tremble at it 3. And from hence thirdly you may bee instructed that it must bee something more than nature that must make a poore soule beautifull and desirably beautifull in Jesus Christs eyes It must neither bee naturall beauty will doe it nor yet naturall parts no nor natures glory nor the best of nature naturall righteousnesse Matth. 5. 20. It must be something more than flesh and bloud yea something more than flesh and bloud can helpe us with But I passe over this 4. From hence fourthly you may be instructed What an infinit love the Lord Jesus Christ hath loved his Saints with 1 Joh. 3. 1. Behold saith the Apostle with what manner of love the father hath loved you with that you should be call'd the sonnes of God Here hee sayes hearken O Daughter the Daughter of a King is honourable but the daughter of the King of Kings is much more honourable But if I may say it here seemes to be a degree of love beyond it the Kings wife is more honourable than the Kings daughter Behold therefore O yee upright in heart with what manner of love the Lord Jesus Christ hath loved you that hee should desire your beauty not only love you but if uncomely poor wretches make you beautifull according to that Ezech. 16. 13 14. nay not only so but desire your beauty not onely like it but desire it O love infinit love when David sent his servants to let Abigail know that hee desired her beauty marke how she admires at it 1 Sam. 25. 41. shee arose and bowed her selfe on the earth and said Behold let thine handmaid bee a servant to wash the feet of the servants of my Lord Doe you heare this newes O yee daughters of men doe you heare this newes that the King of glory the Lord Jesus Christ that hath no need of you that is infinitly above you hath sent me this day to tell you that hee desires your beauty Rise up O yee Saints bow your selves and say Let us be servants to wash his feet c. Let us bee the doore-keepers of his house his meanest servants No Christians you shall be his sons and daughters Nay hearken O daughters here 's more for you The King desires your beauty Spell this love at leisure and now wash your soules follow after Jesus Christ study it with your most serious thoughts live to it with strictest lives What conversation becommeth the gospell what manner of persons should you be Follow on make haste and rise and follow him singing crying as you goe O the heighth and depth the incomprehensible heighth the unfadomable depth of love wherewith the Lord Jesus Christ hath loved sinners before the beginning of the world c. And lastly 5. Can you learn a lesse result from hence than this that Saints selfe-denying despised Saints are happy creatures Terque quaterque beati blessed againe and againe Surely you have not heard mee all this while but you are preventing me in the words of the Psalmist Happy are the people that are in such a case yea blessed are the people that have the Lord for their God we may say of them O nimium dilectis Deo creatures strangely beloved of their God strangely happy in this that the King should desire their beauty Let the world scorne one let them put out the finger and barke at the moone let them mock puritanisme let the way of holinesse be every where spoken against pro hominum arbitrio let them talke so long as you gaine you dance before the ark though Michal mock out at the window You shall be more beautifull the more vile they think you it is for the Kings sake that hath desired your beauty and scornd theirs for the Kings sake that hath chosen you to obtaine everlasting life through Jesus Christ but hath ordained them to wrath and neglected their beauty One would not think now that these creatures that ravish Christs heart should offend worldlings eyes so much surely Christ should have no judgement if these were the contemptible ones of the earth the unlovely creatures Well well Christians let them mocke on after the way which they call simplicity and foolery moping c. worship thou the God of thy fathers thou shalt have thy pleasures when they shall have torments thou shalt have thy crowne and honour when the pride of their glory shall bee stained and that shall lie in the dust These children of vanity forget what Abraham though something too late to doe him good advised their brother to remember Luk. 16. 25. That in their life time they received good things and those precious Lazarus'es evill things but yet a little while and you shall be comforted and they tormented yet a little while and you shall be honoured and they shall be cursing the wombe that bare them and the paps that gave them suck cursing the honour that ruin'd them the pleasures that damned them the worldly glory which hath made them inglorious for ever yet a little while and instead of their sweet smels they shall have the stinkes of fire and brimstone and instead of their girdles rentings of heart for ever instead of their well-set haire they shall have baldnesse they shall spend more time in rending and tearing their haire than ever they did in curling or powdring it Yet a little while and instead of their stomachers they shall have girdings with sackcloth everlasting burnings instead of their present beauty But blessed shall you bee for you shall shine like the Sun in the firmament of the father for the King hath desired your beauty I have at last done with my first use of Instruction I proceed now to a second and that shall bee of examination Vse 2 Are you willing now to know Christians whether Jesus Christ cares for you yea or no whether you be desirable in his eyes yea or no heaven and hell hang upon this thing Trie whether you have forgotten your owne people and your fathers house The most men and women are afraid of the touchstone and are willing rather to take heaven for granted though they find hell for certaine but this is not safe with you Trie your selves then Christians I will helpe you a little in so good a work 1. If you have forgotten your fathers house you have first seene a great deale of folly and vanity in it Man is a reasonable creature and will never leave any thing but he will see some cause to leave it Did the Lord ever yet convince you throughly not with a Notionall but an heart conviction of the folly of your fathers house Did the Lord ever throughly convince you of your evill wayes the sinnes of your natures the customary sinnes of your lives of your education sinnes and your beloved sinnes Had you ever a through conviction of the vanity
ther not love enough of God remaining to sweeten this soure potion to make pleasant this bitter dispensation will not Christ's dying for my sinnes and washing me with his bloud make me amends for Gods present bitter dealing with mee is there not faithfulnesse in that God who hath said Hee will never leave nor forsake his people who hath said joy shall come in the morning and that light is sowne for the upright in heart But thirdly Dir. 3 Sit downe and meditate in thy hour of trouble what particular promises the Lord hath made out to his Saints under such troubles that so thy soule may close with them and thou mayest be still'd with a good word from God some of you know what it is so to bee still'd to have a disturbed spirit quieted by the seasonable comming in of a Gospell promise in an houre of straits oh how sweet is that peace say now to your selves The Lord hath here brought an houre of trouble upon me hath he no where made out a word of promise to suit my condition I dare say it there is no condition no sad dark condition that a poore Christian can be in but somewhere or other the Lord in his word hath suited the soule in that condition with a speciall promise find it out Christian it is the bladder that under the arme-holes of the soule must keep the soule from sinking in the deep waters of afflictions Peace made by Gods good words you heard before is a true peace a peace of Jesus Christ's making in the soule Dir. 4 Sit downe in thy day of trouble and weigh Gods mercies against his frowns then thou shalt find that the beame of thy soule will stand even nay it will leane to the scales where his mercies are sit down and think with thy self here 's a bitter triall a bitter affliction but have I no mercies to countervaile them The Lord hath taken away one of my children but hath hee not left me my fruitfull vine yet hee hath nipt off one of my olive branches but hath he not left me many remaining about my table he hath left mee my husband my wife yet It may be he hath taken away part of thy estate but hath he not left thee food convenient for thee If not hath he not left thee an estate in Christs love yet a sure estate in Grace and a richer reversion in glory It may be hee hath hid his face from thee for a moment for a little moment but hath he not given thee everlasting mercies Think of this Christian and doe thus and thou wilt find thy spirit will begin to bee rightly quieted Dir. 5 Study in the day of trouble how far Christ hath overcome the world the frownes of the world as well as any thing else and is not his victory thine Christian sit downe and think well here 's a bitter crosse a sad dispensation but my Saviour hath pull'd out the sting of it it comes not upon mee as a law demand O crosse where 's thy sting O hell where 's thy victory this comes not upon mee as it would have come upon another as it would have come upon a Reprobate Is 27. 7. Hath he smitten them as hee smote those that smote them the gall and vinegar is taken out of the cup Christ had that when he hung upon the crosse for mee this will helpe something to calme thy spirit to think it is a fathers rod not a sword of an enemy Dir. 6 Consider the dayes of old thus I told you before David did Psal 119. 52. and the Psalmist Psal 77. sit downe and think how God hath dealt bitterly with thee but did he never deale kindly with thee hadst thou never the shinings of his countenance Think how graciously God hath formerly dealt with thee and see what that will doe towards thy peace Dir. 7 Let reason sleep and set faith on work I told you before that in a day of trouble peace may bee brought to the spirit as a conclusion from reason I cannot helpe it and it is a foolish thing in me to feare what I cannot avoid I cannot alter this dispensation why should it trouble me c. Let Tully or Cato work out their peace upon this account let heathens that know not faith's nature or objects quiet themselves upon such considerations Christian In the day of trouble if thou wouldst have peace let reason sleep and let faith act upon the promises and providence and nature of God Dir. 8 Lastly Pray unto God to settle thy soule to send thee his peace and wait upon God in his ordinances The way of peace is in the Sanctuary True Peace is some of the water of life that must be drawn by the bucket of faith out of the wells of salvation I shall adde no more by way of direction But now lest Christians should think this of flight concernment and that if they can get their spirits quiet it is no matter what quiets them Christian know there is a great difference betwixt Peace and Peace betwixt the world's Peace and Christ's Peace betwixt adulterate and true borne Peace I will not stand at large to set them together though they would best appeare so but in short saith Musculus the worlds peace is Fusa instabilis nudis verb is ad perditionem a large peace upon no good grounds an instable peace upon no good bottome a meer verball Peace and that which will end in everlasting trouble But on the contrary consider by way of motive that the Peace which I have been describing to you which is laid up in Christ for the Saint and may be drawn from Christ by the Saint in a day of trouble is 1. A true Peace the other is no Peace a meere truce Peace made with the spirit for a while till some new breakings forth a flattred shadowy Peace a conceited imaginary Peace Peace in a Picture where is onely the resemblance not the substance This is a true Peace Peace indeed to the soule 2. This Peace is a sweet Peace a Rose without Prickles a Potion without Gall a sweetned Cup without any rubbings of Wormewood Hezekiah complained that in his Peace hee had great bitternesse It is true though in another sense concerning all the world's Peace and all morall Peace but Prov. 10. 22. The blessing of the Lord makes rich and addes no sorrow therewith This is Peace with the Lord's blessing the other is but at the best the Peace of a warme Sun there will be no sorrow added with this Peace with all other Peace sorrow will be added 3. This Peace is a lasting Peace all other Peace will fade and die Nature in time may bee out of breath of course that it can sigh and groane and weep no more But let it get but breath againe and that Peace will be disturbed Reason may tame Passion a while but let but Passion at any time get the upper hand in Reason's sleeping time or let it
They are exhorted to forget it 78. The exhortation urged by 6 motives 79 80 81 82 83. Consider 1. How will you live when your fathers house failes 79. 2. The great joyes of a married life to Christ 79 80 81. 3. There is nothing in our fathers house but is more eminently in Christ 81 8â— 4. Christ left his fathers house for us 82. 5. It is the way to be beautifull 83. 6. It shall make you desirably beautifull to the King 84. 4. Directions for such people to help them in that hard work 84 85 86. 1. With a serious eye look upon your fathers house and see what in it can be desirable 84 85. 2. While you enjoy the things of the world let not your hearts out to them 85 86. 3. Learn to live from home betimes 86 87. 4. Cry to God to part you 86. 2. Br. Of the exhortation to Saints They are exhorted more and more to forget their fathers house 87. Three directions propounded 87. 1. Direct Study the vanity of the Creature more 87. 2. Direct Converse little with your Fathers house 87. 3. Direct Be more acquainted with Jesus Christ 87. One motive urged 88. Viz. Because the King hath desired your beauty 89. In the second Sermon upon that Text John 16. 33. The Chapter and text analysed and opened p. 1 2 3 4 5. 5. Doctrines noted out of the words 5. The doctrine insisted upon propounded viz. That though in the world the true disciples of Christ must look for trouble yet Jesus Christ hath taken such order that in the midst of their troubles in him they may have peace 5 6. The method of handling it propounded 6. 5. Things to be done in order to the explication of it 6 7. 1. Br. To open what is meant by the tearme world 7. It is taken chiefely in three senses 1. For the men of the world and that either 1. largely or 2. restrictively severall waies 7 8. For 1. Many of all sorts 8 9. 2. The unregenerate only 3. The reprobates only 4. The elect only 2. It is taken For the things of the world Sometimes 1. For the whole fabric of the creation 9. 2. For the earth only 9. 3. For the vanities of the world 10. 4. For the trafique of it 10. 3. For our present state of life in the world 10. In what sense it is taken in the doctrine 10. 11. 2. Br. Of the explication What is meant by troubles and what troubles Saints must meet with 11 12. What the word signifies 11. For the kind 1. Bodily sorrowes 12. 2. Outward crosses 12. 3. Inward troubles 12. For the degree the word signifies wearing breaking crosses 13. 3. Br. From what causes do Saints troubles arise A threefold head of causes assign'd 1â— 1. From God two waies God may be the cause 1. In his just ordination 14. 2. In Gods wise providence may lie hid a cause he may bring them upon his people To 1. Try them 15. 2. Purge 3. Weane 2. Themselves may be a great cause of their own troubles 16. 1. Through the infirmities of their natures 16. 2. Through the sinfulnesse of their soules 17 18. 3. The world may be a cause of the Saints troubles 18 1. In respect of the incertainty of its comforts 18 19. 2. In respect of the malice and ill nature of it inhabitants 19. 4. Br. What is peace what is Christs peace why is it call'd his how is it laid up in him how may Saints draw it from him what paines hath he taken about it What peace of every sort is 20. What peace with God is 22. What Christs Peace is 22. What the peace of our Justification is 22. What peace of conscience is 23. Saints have peace with the whole Trinity 24. It is called Christs peace because he is the meritorious cause of it 24. What peace with the Saints is how that is Christs peace 25. Peace is laid up for the Saints in the 1. Blood of Christ 26 27. 2. Words 3. Spirit 3. Wayes by which a Christian may draw forth this peace from Christ 27 28. 1. By meditation of him 27. 2. By a beleeving application of what Christ hath spoke and done 28 29. 3. A close walking with Christ 29. Now to gaine this peace Christ hath taken great paines Hee hath 1. Died upon the Crosse for it 30. 2. Given us many precious promises ib. 3. Sent us his Spirit ib The Application of the Doctrine â— p. 31. ad finem 1. For instruction in severall branches 1. Br. Learne hence what we are to expect from the world 31. 2. Br. Learne what is the peculiar lot of the Saints while they live here below 32 33. 3. Br. What a miserable condition poor creatures are in that are out of Christ 33 34 35 36 37 38. 4 s Br. What an happy condition are those in that have a part in Christ 39 40. 5. Br. Learn hence the onely way to find true peace in a day of trouble 40 41. 3. False wayes of peace discovered by which men use to come out of trouble 41 42 43. 1. Some let Nature worke out peace 41. 2. Some drink a way trouble 42. 3. Some dispute themselves out 43. 2. Use For Reprehension Of such Christians as have a part in Christ yet walk heavily 44 4. 3. Use For Consolation to such as have an interest in Christ 46 47. 4 Use For Triall Br. 1. Whether we bee Christs Disciples or no. 47 Six Gospell Notes to know that by 47 48. 49 50. 1. If you have effectually heard Christ 48. 2. If you continue in Christs Word 48 49. 3. If you beare much fruit 49. 4. If you be humble self-denying self hating meek creatures 49 50. 5. If you beare the crosse aright 50. 6. If you love one another 50 51. 2. Branch of the Use of Triall How we may know if the peace our spirits come off a trouble with be Christs peace or no 51 52 53 54 55. It is a true peace if N. 1. If it be drawne from some Word of God 51 52. N. 2. If it ariseth from a due consideration and true application of something in the nature of God commanding it silence 53 54. 3. Things in Gods nature which considered may still a spirit troubled 1 His Will 2 His Goodnesse 3 His Faithfulnesse 53 54. How to improve each of them accordingly 53 54 55. N. 3. If it ariseth from a due meditation and application of what Christ hath done for us 57. N. 4. If it be concluded upon some former experiences 59 60. N. 5. If faith be a Commissioner in making the peace 60 61. N. 6. If it be a peace after prayer 61 62. Any Temple-peace is true 62 63. 5. Use For Exhortation 1. To such as are strangers to Christ to get an interest in him 63. 2. Motives to perswade it 63 c. Consider Your peace is 1. A false peace 63. 2. An unconstant peace 64 65. 2. Branch of Exhortation to those that have a portion in Christ 66 67 c. 1. Be not disquieted with worldly troubles 66. To this end Consider 1. Christ hath overcome the world 66. 2. Christ by your troubles is a great loser by you In his 1. Bloud 67. 2. Breath 3. Victory 68. 2. Exhortation Live much with Christ 68 69. Causes of Saints trouble notwithstanding the peace laid up in Christ for them 69 70. 1. Ignorance 69 70. 2. Negligence 70 71. 3 Exhortation to Saints Learn in all your troubles to look to draw peace from Christ 72 73 c. 8 Directions given to Christians in this case 73 74 75 76 c. 1 Dir. In the beginning of a trouble sit dowâ— and think what there is of God in it 73. 2 Dir. Then consider what there is in God to helpe thee 75. 3 Dir. Consider what promises God hath made to his Saints under such troubles 75. 4 Dir. Weigh Gods mercies against his frowns 77. 5 Dir. Study how far Christ hath overcome the world 77. 6 Dir. Consider the dayes of old 78. 7 Dir. Let Reason sleep and set faith on work 78. 8 Dir. Pray unto God to settle thy soule in peace 79. Motives to perswade Christians to look for such a peace 80 81. Consider this peace will be 1. A true peace 80. 2. A sweet peace 80. 3. A lasting peace 81. FINIS A Note of the chief Errata's of the Presse in the two last Sermons PAge 18. for mandâ—rs read manners P. 19. for nundinalitia r. nundinatitia P. 42. for courâ— r. covet P. 57. for dilectis Deo r. dilecti Deo P. 58. for they received r. he received P. 63. for quest r. quit P. 64. for intent r. extent In the last Sermon P. 28. for rather r. gather peace P. 32. for peace or lot r. peculiar lot P. 33. for ratifie r. rectifie your error P. 42. for wiled r. veiled
I Have delightfully read over this following Treatise intituled Five Lessons for a Christian to learne being the summe of five Sermons and finding them to be sound solid zealous pious powerfull and very profitably seasonable I judge them well worthy to be printed and published John Downame FIVE LESSONS FOR A Christian to learne OR The summe of severall Sermons Setting out 1. The state of the Elect by Nature 2. The way of their Restauration and Redemption by Jesus Christ 3. The great duty of the Saints to leane upon Christ by faith in every condition 4. The Saints duty of Self-denyall or the way to desirable Beauty 5. The Right way to true peace discovering where the troubled Christian may find Peace and the Nature of true Peace By John Collings M. A. And Preacher of Gods word in Norwich London Printed for Rich Tomlins and are to be sold at his house at thâ— Sun and Bible in Pye-corner 1650. THE SPOUSE UNDER The APPLE-TREE OR The state of the Elect by Nature Wherein is discovered The distance that the highest Saints by grace stand at by Nature from the Lord Iesus Christ by which they may know they have nothing to boast of but what they have received By JOHN COLLINGS M. A. Psa 51. 5. Behold I was shapen in iniquity and in sin did my mother conceive me LONDON Printed for Rich Tomlins 1649. TO THE Right HONOURABLE the LADY St John Grace Mercy and Peace Madam THe deep sense that I have had of those Engagements by which it hath pleased your Honour to oblige me to your service hath imboldned me to command these Papers to wait upon your Ladiship to pay a debt by incurring â— further one if your Ladiship shall please to honour them with Acceptation These Sermons Madam were but ordinary labours and very unfit for a publicke view in this extraordinary time It was only a Sermon before published upon the Text that tempted out these to beare it companie yet did I not part with them without some parly The world is full of Writers and the Presse as much overgrowne with Authors as the Age we live in is with Professors But as the appearing spiritualnesse of many carries with it too much suspition that they would have the spiritualnesse of a Christian meerly to consist with a luxuriant wit and the superbiency of fancy so too many Writings seeme to have forgot the plainnesse of the Gospell which they so much pretend to and would make it the worke of a Christian meerly to gape for Notions and turne Religion into speculation To be able to speake high Notions of Christ and to wrap up the mysteries of truth in Parables of wit and expression is almost growne to be thought the All of a Saint And we may sadly feare lest wee should be about to study more to admire Christ than understand him more to contemplate Saints dignity than remember the Saints duty lest we should make it all our worke as Kings and Priests to be so taken with our Honour that we should forget that we are thus of Grace Humilitie is the Saint in Great If any one thinks he knowes any thing he knowes nothing as he ought to know it The high spirit is infinitely more below Christ than he thinks himselfe above others Lest in these priviledged daies whiles so many are proclaiming before the Saints Thus shall it be done to the persons whom Christ delighteth to honour Christians should so farre admire their beautie that they should forget their dust I have been content to let these unpolished Sermons goe out to follow their Triumphs with Christiane memento quid fueris Christian remember what thou wer't It is as much a duty and will one day be found as Beneficiall to keep a Saint humble as to make him thankfull to learne him to abase himselfe as well as to admire his fellowes to shew him that all he hath is of Grace as well as to tell him what he hath in the possessions of grace and the Reversions of glory I wish professors carriages spake not too much heart-Popery as if they thought their dignity were earnings not Almes and I am sure no soule is truely thankfull that is not throughly humble This for the subject of the Sermons For the phrase Madam I remember it was Pauls glory that he came not 1 Cor. 2. 1 2 4. to the Corinthians with excellency of speech or wisdome to declare unto them the testimony of God And his speech and preaching was not in entising words of mans wisdome but in demonstration of the spirit and in power Gospell Misteries had not need be darkened with a misterious phrase It doth not please me to see Religion in a Lantskip Christ crucified was plaine English Seneca-Sermons are for the most part but like the superfluous dishes of the table that serve meerly for sight but must not be tasted Preaching surely was never ordained to tickle the eare it 's businesse lies deeper then scratching an humour Wit is the soules worst carver and pieces of wit are no better than peices of selfe Christ never intended us an interpreter for every Sermon Madam as they were preached so they are humbly presented to your Honours hands I know your Ladiships humility to bee such that it will spare an eye to look upon them though not commended by any novelty of matter or excellency of Phrase I trust thus far the meannesse of their worth will advantage the worthlesse author viz. By letting your Honour know how much that weak nothing of a preacher stands in need of an improved interest in your Ladiships prayers who so much as he is truly is Madam Your Honours most humbly obliged servant in the Lord Jesus John Collings Chaplyfield house May 21. 1649. To the Courteous and Conscientious Reader of these SERMONS Reader SOme two yeares since some friends prevailed with me to let the last of these Sermons slip out of my hands into thine What was done then was in hast which hath put me to the charge of correcting some slighty mistakes Thy courtesie to the first hath troubled thee with the second impression in which thou art againer and a loser Thou hast lost the Sermon that was then its partner the narrow handling of the subject of it not pleasing my second thoughts but thou hast gained a further addition of some more Sermons since preached upon the same Text. I have made thee a gainer in thy hand and eye the Lord make thee a gainer in thy heart If thou pleasest to read these Sermons The first part may make thee humble The second may make thee thankfull The third may make the carefull If thou learnest humility from the first thankfulnesse from the second and thy great duty of beleeving from the third I am sure thou wilt learne from all the weak nesse of a poore creature and if thy selfe beest in ought a gainer if thou wilt let the author also be a gainer of thy prayers thou hast rewarded
they shall be saved I know not which way too Christian thou wert lost and undone thou wert in Adams loines as well as any thou hadst an adventure in his ship as well as any the ship was wrackt Did the Lord ever call thee Didst thou ever yet find a powerfull worke of Gods spirit joyned with the word upon thy heart Did the Lord ever make thee in any measure to see thy lost condition Did the Lord ever yet bid thee when thou sawest thy selfe lost and wert confounded in thy owne insufficiency looke upon Jesus Christ and live Was sinne ever yet a sting to thy soule if not I doubt yea I am out of doubt Christ was never a true comfort to thee Christ was lift up as the brazen serpent now for whom was that lift up but for those that felt the smart of the fiery serpent and no way else be cured Againe Christ sanctifies before he glorifies he hath ordained us to good works and then to obtaine everlasting life though not for them this is Christs method of raising Dost thou looke to be saved Art thou sanctified Christian Is thy heart changed and thy tongue changed Beleeve it no uncleane thing shall ever enter into the new Jerusalem Christ useth to raise to holinesse before he raiseth to happinesse But I have in the former Doctrine spake so fully to this worke of Examination in relation to this thing of so great a concernment to every soule as nothing can be more that I shall now adde no more but passe on Use 4 This Doctrine may in the fourth place be applyed by way of Exhortation 1. To those that yet have no part at all in the Lord Jesus Christ 2. To those that through free grace have an interest in this Saviour and have been raised by him 1. Is there any poore soule here that is to this day so miserable as that it hath no portion in the Lord Jesus Christ Now I beseech you as an Ambassador of the Lord Jesus Christ as in Christs stead I beseech you get an interest in him You have heard he is he whom the Lord hath ordain'd to be the Saviour of the world he is the mighty one upon whom help was laid yea the only mighty one upon whom help could be laid O then above all things looke for a portion in him in whom alone you can be rich Wouldst thou be saved This all desire Glory and happinesse are fine things Omnibus in voto every man would dye the death of the Righteous and have his later end like his Wouldst thou goe to Heaven Christian he is the way Wouldst thou live he is the life yea he and none but he Be assured thou art now a child of wrath and there is but an haires breadth betwixt thee and hell thou art wounded past the cure of the whole Creation loe here is balme in Gilead If thou wilt enquire enquire returne come Were there a poore wretch sicke of an incurable disease to ordinary Physitians and Chirurgians and some rare one should come to the Towne that alone had found out the mystery in the Art of curing that very trouble he should be throng'd with Patients How is it that Christ hath no more practise he that is the great Physitian that all the creatures are Physitians of no value to him Alas the reason is too perspicuous men are sensible of their bodily troubles but their soul-troubles are not felt by them To direct thee a little to him wert thou sicke of such a disease and hadst heard of so rare a Physitian what wouldst thou aske 1. How shall I speake with him 2. What must I give him 3. How must I apply his physicke 4. What Rules of diet or walking c. must I observe 1. Dost thou aske how thou shalt speake with the Lord Jesus Christ to lay open thy soules wounds unto him And where doth he exhibite his balme I answer to thee The word is near thee even in thy mouth it is the word of faith which we preach Behold Christ keeps open shop Wisedome cries and Understanding puts forth her voice she standeth in the top of the high Places by the way in the places of the paths She cries at the gates at the entring in of the doores Unto you O men she cals and her voice is to the sonnes of men O ye simple understand wisedome and ye fooles be of an understanding heart Prov. 8. ver 1 2 3 4 5. The Lord Christ keeps open shop in every place We as the Embassadors of the Lord Jesus Christ intreat you to be reconciled to God Did ever such naturall balme goe on begging The word is neare thee there Christ offers himselfe Dost thou aske what is his price 2. He offers it freely Heare the Market proclamed and the price set Isa 55. 1 2. Hoe every one that thirsteth come ye to the waters and he that hath no money come ye buy and eat wine and milke without money and without price This is the condition bring nothing the way to have thy sacke filled as full as thou canst carry it is to bring it empty Only come and live look up and be healed was there ever so cheap a Market of so rich commodities Christian poore Christian wert thou but sensible of thy soules wants thou wouldst give as many thousand worlds if thou hadst them and they could be given as there are graines of dust upon the face of the earth to have a portion in the Lord Jesus Christ Imagine but what a poore damned wretch would give to have but so much liberty as to cast up a long looke to Heaven what a comfort it would be to them if the light of the Gospell might but shine into hell a few dayes And is mercy offered freely mayest thou be saved if thy owne cursed will were not in the way Ah Christian turne turne why should thy soule dye when there is balme in Gilead and so glorious a Physitian there Dost thou aske how must I apply his bloud 3. I answer only by Faith God so loved the world saith the Apostle that whosoever beleeveth in him should not perish but have everlasting life Nay to speake lower yet on thy part is only required a seeking of Christs face Thus saith the Lord seeke my face and live The truth of it is as the merit was Christs so the Application is his too Faith is required but it is a gift infused it is the gift of God Indeed it is an act too but as so it is Gods gift I meane the strength by which thou must act He is the Author and finisher of our faith saith the Apostle to the Hebrewes O therefore cry cry mightily unto God he will help thee doe this too Goe alone and wrastle with God and take no answer without Christ cry and take no deniall like the blind man that when the Disciples discouraged him and Christ seemed to slight him cryed yet the more earnestly till the Lord said
ascended that he might raise us O then let us likewise ascend after him setting our affections upon things which are above not upon things which are below Christ who is our treasure is ascended Let our hearts also be where our treasure is Col. 3. ver 1. If then ye be risen with Christ seeke those things which are above where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God 7. Lastly Will he yet once againe come and raise you by glorification O then Let Christ in you be the hopes of glory Looke for him he is making ready his chariot He is bowing the Heavens and comming downe He hath prepared a place for his redeemed ones and he is comming Loe he is comming to take them up into the chambers of glory that where he is there they may be also But to summe up all let me only adde 5. A fifth and last use of Consolation To all the Saints and servants of God both touching themselves and touching others 1. Touching themselves against their worldly miseries and spirit-feares 1. Art thou disconsolate Compl. Christian to thinke what a poore low estate God hath given thee in this world that thou art poore despised rejected O consider thou shalt have better in heaven The Martyrs could be comforted at their bitter breakfast to thinke they should have a good supper There is a roome prepared for thee in glory O be comforted in the hopes of glory When thou canst say I have not bread to eat yet Christ is mine I have not a foot of land yet Heaven is mine I am worth nothing yet I blesse God I have a portion in Jesus Christ It is enough Christian it is enough against thy spirit-fears be comforted Ah saith 2. Compl. a Christian my sins my great sins that my youth hath been guilty of make me feare and sit downe in bitternesse yet be comforted if thou beest changed Christ hath raised thee hee paid ransome enough for thee if thy sinnes were greater than they are It was a sad saying to remember such were some of you but it was joyfull newes to consider But now you are washed now you are cleansed c. But alas saith the 3. Compl. Christian I sinne every day my backslidings are many I sinne in my righteousnesse my best duties are sinne Consider Christian Christ is still raising thee by pleading for thee it is his work to make intercession for the Saints But alas saith the Christian If God be 4. Compl. with me if Christ be mine why am I thus why doe I walke heavily I answer Because God sees it fit for thee thou mayst be raised both meritoriously and actually though not comfortably and sensibly God will shine upon thee when he thinks good the Sun shines where it lists Ah But I feare 5. Compl. I shall fall away saith another I have a base heart full of corruption c. Dost thou feare and why dost thou so sinne Dost thou thinke Christ hath taken all this paines with thee for nothing No no be assured as Heaven is purchased for thee so it shall be given to thee Christ useth not to doe his worke by the halves I have not lost one of them saith Christ he knowes them by name they cannot be missing his worke shall not be in vaine concerning any one of his chosen ones Secondly Let Christians from hence be comforted concerning others 1. Such of their friends as they may sadly feare have as yet no portion in the Lord Jesus Christ O pray for them weep for them speake to them in the name of the Lord and yet hope that though they be not actually raised yet they may be meritoriously raised There is many a one that hath a white name in Gods Election-booke and whose name Christ hath engraven upon his hands that to us is yet a black child of wrath a stranger to the Covenant of Grace If their names be there Christ will in his owne time raise him betwixt this and the Judgment day there is a spare roome in Heaven for them 2. Art thou disconsolate to see some of thy friends in great terrors in great afflictions of spirit O rejoyce over them Christian it is probable Christ is raising of them Be assured if they be his he will raise them there is not the lowest worme that belongs to Christ but he hath provided an high place for them Not the most blubber'd-eyed uncomely Christian in thine eyes in the world but Jesus Christ hath provided an handkerchiefe to wipe all teares from their eyes Christ hath raised them and will raise them One Branch of my use of Instruction I forgate in its due place take it now in a word We may hence be instructed and let us learne how much Christ deserves our cleaving to him in the wildernesse in all trials and crosses whatsoever I take this to be the proper use of this Text. The Spouse had fancied to her selfe what the world would say of her how they would admire her dependance upon Christ when he seemed to leave her and make her sad Christ replyes in the words of the Text I raised thee up under the Apple-tree c. As much as to say And doe I not deserve all this love and a great deale more Is it for nothing that thou thus cleavest to me Remember what thou wert by Nature Remember who hath done all the good for thee that is done for thy soule I raised thee up under the Apple-tree there thy mother brought thee forth there she brought thee forth that bare thee THE SPOVSES Carriage In the Wildernesse in her leaning upon her Welbeloved Opening the temper of the Beleeving-soule in her severall Wildernesses And discovering the way of her comming out by her acting of Faith on the Lord JESVS CHRIST In a Sermon formerly preacht in Andrewes Parish in Norwich Now reprinted being corrected by the Author By JOHN COLLINGS M. A. Isa 50. 10. Who is amongst you that feareth the Lord and obeyeth the voice of his servant that walketh in darknes and hath no light let him trust in the name of the Lord and stay upon his God LONDON Printed for Rich Tomlins 1649. TO The Right Honorable his never enough Honoured Lady FRANCES HOBART Increase of Grace c. Madam SOme time since I presumed to present this Sermon to your Honours hands your Ladiships acceptance then hath emboldened mee now to present it againe with some though very small alterations It presents your Ladiship with a great piece of your Honours duty and practise Faith Madam is almost the Christians All the Life of Faith is distinctively the Christians life and if ever there were a time for a Christian to live this life surely this time in which the Lord hath cast our lot is the time The whole Church of Christ is this day in the Wildernesse the Israelites way to Canaan lay that way And for my part I look still that the Church should keep the beaten path and as all
of your evill company the vanity of your pleasures and carnall delights Did your soules ever tast a reall bitternesse in them if not I feare me you have not left them 2. Have you had another excellency discovered to your soules Had your souls ever yet a reall discovery made to you of the excellency of the wayes of holines those wayes that you once hated Doe you now see a beauty a glory in them so much that you can even stand and hold up your hands and admire that you should be blind so long A present pleasant thing will scarce bee left but upon a discovery of and an obtaining of something more excellent Christians under what notion do you look upon Christ and his wayes Do you look upon them as excellent the wayes of strictnesse as excellent sanctifying a Sabboth praying the frequenting of the communion of Saints Doe you look upon them as excellent If you doe not I feare mee you but cheat your selves with a conceit that you have forgot your fathers house 3. If you have parted with them I am afraid it cost you some teares you did not part with so many friends with drie eyes friends cannot ordinarily pats without teares but your weeping hath not beene such a weeping if it hath been true it hath not been because you have parted with them but because you abode with them so long it hath for measure been like the mourning of him that hath lost his onely begotten sonne Zach. 12. 10. but not upon the same account not because you must now part with them but because you embraced them so long See the effects of godly sorrow 2 Cor. 7. 11. it worketh carefulnesse and indignation c. Were your soules ever in such a true bitternesse for sinne that it wrought in thee an indignation against your selves that you could even eat your owne flesh to think you should ever have been such a vaine wanton wretch such a proud sinner as you have been This is a good signe you and your fathers house are parted and that at the parting you sorrowed after a godly sort 4. If ever you truly parted with it both at the parting and since too you have found something to doe with your owne spirit some struglings and combatings with your selfe Before you parted you were at a dispute with your soules shall I leave this or that corruption or shall I not and since you have been at some debates with your spirit shall I goe home againe shall I returne to such a vomit to such a wallowing in the mire even Paul himselfe found the law in his members warring against the law of his mind and bringing him into captivity to the law of sinne Rom. 7. 23. the flesh lusting against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh and these contrary one to another Gal. 5. 17. I dare almost say that that soule never conquerd sinne that is not yet in combate with it never truly overcame it that is not still in combate never yet forgot its fathers house that hath not some strong inclinations sometimes to be going to its old home againe and sometimes finds not that it hath something to doe to keep his heart from a second time embracing what it hath beene once ashamed of 5. Doe you make Christ all your delight and your sole delight is hee to you solus desideria totus desideria Are your hearts taken more with Christ than with all the world besides and so taken with your husband that nothing of him nor from him displeaseth you can you bee content with Christ alone and say with David to the Lord Thou art my portion could you quest all things else for him and is there nothing of him but seemes lovely to you doe his strictest lawes seem excellent to you Is hee excellent to you in the intent of his Kingly office as well as in the comfort of his Priestly office doth his very yoke seem easie and his burthen seem light to you 6. Do you abide with Christ as the wife abides with the husband and the branch abides in the vine every true branch abides in him Joh. 15. 4. is your dwelling with him or are you onely religious by fits the hypocrite may bee so religions but the Saint makes the Lord his dwelling place Which is that which you count your home the best of Gods Saints may have some inclinations to vanity and be sometimes trading with the world Ah! but Christ is his home Christ is his dwelling place hee thinkes himselfe in a strange place when he is not with Christ in duties of holy communion Christian which is thy element Is your soule in its element when it is conversing with things below Christ that 's an ill signe by these things you may take a scantling of your owne haarts The Lord help you in applying these things to your soules I proceed to a 3d use 3. Here 's comfort to the Saints joy to the upright in heart especially 1. Against all the uncomelinesse and indesireablenesse the Saint apprehends in himselfe There 's none so comely as the Saint in Christs eyes nor any so uncomely and ugly in their owne eyes Paul cries out O wretched man that I am Rom. 7. 24. and againe I am as one borne out of due time the least of the Apostles not worthy to be call'd an Apostle 1 Cor. 15. 8 9. It is an usuall account the Saints give of themselves ah wretched creatures poore indesireable wretches hard-hearted sinners vile persons c. Bee of good cheare Christian The King hath desired thy beauty thou art black in thine owne eyes but comely in Christs eyes Black in respect of thy merit but comely in respect of imputation comely through the comlinesse that hee hath put upon you Secondly 2. Here 's comfort against all the dirt the world casts upon you all the uncomelinesse they conceit in you who so despicable creatures in the eyes of the world as those men and women whom the Lord delights to honour these are the despised ones upon the backs of these it is that the Plowers plow and make long furrowes they are the upright in heart that they privily bend their bow to shoot at against these are the puttings out of the fingers and the liftings up of the hands upon these are laid all the scoffes of the ungodly and through their weaknesse the barkings of these dogges sometimes trouble them But Christians hath not the King desired your beauty the beauty that these wretches are so blind they cannot see Hath not the King desired it Is it desireable in Christs eyes and despised in their eyes which is the best judge think you is it not enough for you that you please your husband 3. Here 's comfort for you not only against all their scoffes but against all their low esteeme of you David saith I am small and of no reputation Christ was accounted the least in the kingdome of Heaven hee was the stone which
love to them you have heard of killing with kindnesse let the kind of death be never so sweet yet the death will be bitter Take heed not of killing the bodies alas that were nothing but of damning your childrens soules and your owne too with miscalled kindnesse 3 Obj. But wil another Christian say I have not forgot my honour and glory I am not low enough I feare to get in at heavens gate I answer first 1. This is like the melancholy conceit of her that a Divine of our owne speaks of of a woman that conceited she was so fat shee could not get to heaven it is the lownesse of mind that God looks at Lords and Ladies if their hearts be not as high as their titles may sit in heaven as well as meaner persons I doe not say they shall have chaires of state set for them but they may have a roome there it may be one or two may sit above them if there bee degrees in glory that gave them place here but as Master Rutherford sayes the least place in Heaven is Heaven though it bee behind the doore But secondly 2. Is not thy outward Pompe and glory that which thou affectest and delightest in it and huntest after Does not thy title tickle thy eare nor swell thy heart if not it can doe thee no hurt all the feare of those swelling things is lest they should breed tympanies in the soule 3. Doe you look upon the title of the servant of Jesus Christ the title of Christian as the farre more honourable title Are you of Theodosius his temper which would you rather chuse to be call'd my Lord or Madam or to be called the servant of Christ which doe you preferre if the latter it is a signe you have forgot the former though you retaine it 4. Is your outward greatnesse and pompe no snare to your soule in the wayes of God Great persons are too ready to think they are above prayers above hearing above meane Saints should such ones as they pray in their families no let their boy do it should they pray in secret and runne up and downe to lectures O no forsooth it is a dishononour to them Heaven was made I confesse for the most part for people of lesser quality 1 Cor. 1. 26 27. James 2. 5. should such as they go to private meetings no better go to a taverne there they shall only foule their soules but keep their clothes cleane But now hath the Lord given thee another spirit it is true thou art great but thy greatnesse is no such snare to thy soule thou canst pray for all thy greatnesse and heare sermons and kneele in a duty for all thy silk stockings and entertain communion with the meanest Saint yea and for a need preferre a lether dublet in honour before thy selfe Though thou beest great it seemes thou hast forgot it 4 Obj. Ah but will a Christian say I am so addicted to mirth and pleasure I must have my vagary and tickle my sense sometimes c. 1 Answ Christian dost thou love thy pleasures more than thy God that indeed were something art thou more pleased with hearing a song than hearing a sermon this sounds high But love God best and for ought I know thy eye for thy recreation may bee delighted in seeing and thy care with hearing too 2 Answ Wilt thou baulk an opportunity of communion with Christ or with his Saints for a vaine pleasure Wilt thou bee a loser in thy heart to gaine a little pleasure for thine eye or eare or any sense wilt thou misse a family duty an opportunity of hearing Gods word privatly or publiquely thy time of secret duty a time of communion with the Saints to wait upon thy pleasure In such a case I would have thee suspect thy heart otherwise thou mayest recreate thy selfe with them and yet have forgotten them 3 Answ Suppose thy pleasures have been such and are such as are in themselves sinfull as wantonnesse drunkennesse c. Dost thou love them so that thou wilt have them whether God will or no thou wilt break with God to enjoy thy lust this is an ill and a very ill signe But possibly thy pleasures are such as God allowes thee temperately used if such thou mayest so use them and yet the King desire thy beauty I have finished this branch of application I have but one word more to adde It shall be of Use 4 Exhortation Let mee now perswade with you Christians And oh that the Lord would help mee to perswade 1. with you who have not at all yet forgate your fathers house and so consequently your beauty is not at all desirable to Christ 2. With you that have begun to doe well I have a word to both sorts 1 Br. Is there alas is there any poore soule before me this day whose heart smites him and tells him that his soule is not at all yet desirable in the eyes of Jesus Christ is there any poore creature so sadly miserable possibly the world dotes on you for beauty wit parts behaviour c. but in the meane time doe your soules tell you in plaine English that you are despised in Christs eyes As though God did beseech you by mee I pray you in Christs stead be reconciled to God Ah poore soule wouldst thou be desired of Jesus Christ Hearken then O daughter and consider and incline your eare forget thy owne people and thy fathers house I know I am pleading with you for an hard thing especially for you that have all the world at will But I beseech you by the love you bear to your precious soules which shall last for ever doe it ah doe it I had need now have the Rhethorick of an Angell yea if I had yet God must perswade Japhet to come and dwell in the tents of Shem. Let mee offer but a few considerations and venture at a perswading of you and leave the issue with God 1. Consider How will you live when your fathers house failes you for the present it is a full house and you live as wee say as well as a carnall heart would wish you have pleasures and honours and riches even what you would aske the colour is in your cheeks and the marrow in your bones But will this last alwayes doth not the fashion of this world passe away and will not the fashion of your bodies passe away what will you doe in that day of your visitation These things may last a while till God comes to keep a Court in your Conscience or hee summons you to a particular judgement or layes you upon your back in a bed of affliction or comes to his last judgement But in any of these dayes poore creature what wilt thou doe when thy perfumed body shall come to stinke in the nostrils of men thy soule shall be more loathed of God a future livelihood would be thought of This will perswade a virgin to marry sometimes But besides 2. Christian Dost
thou know the joyes of a married life to Christ dost thou put no difference betwixt being a bondslave to hell and one free in Jesus Christ betwixt the enjoying the communion of the children of the Devill and enjoying the communion of Saints no difference betwixt enjoying the communion of devils in everlasting torments and the communion of God Angells and Saints in the highest Heavens where eye hath not seen nor hath eare heard nor can it enter into the heart of man to conceive what things God hath prepared for them that love him now if thy conscience bee not seared thou hast ever and anon some flashes of hell in thy face The merriest sinner of you all I believe is not alwayes free Is there no difference betwixt that condition think you and a peace of conscience and joy in the Holy Ghost Now you never lie downe in your beds but if you dare look back and consider how you have spent the day your soule is stricken with terrour and there is a dart almost struck through your liver and you dare not let your soules feed upon the thoughts but are glad to shusfle it over for feare you runne madde but if your soules would but forget these vanities ah how sweetly would you sleep and when you had spent a day in duties of hearing or praying how sweetly would your soules look back upon it Now if you were not rock't into a sleep of damnation you would scarce lie downe to sleep but you would feare lest you should wake in the morning with hell flames about your eares nor walke in the day but like the selfe-accused murtherer your eye would be over your shoulder for feare the devill should be laying hold of you then you would lie downe in peace and rise up in peace and nothing would make you afraid Is this world nothing Christian ah that the Lord would perswade you of this Besides 3. Consider Christian there is nothing in your fathers house but you shall find in Christ by a way of eminency Must you forsake your sinnes you shall be filled with the graces of the spirit of God Must you forsake a little idle vaine company you shall have the communion of Saints yea a fellowship with the father and the sonne the Lord Jesus Christ 1 Joh. 1. 3. Must you forget your pompe and glory c. you shall bee called the sonnes and daughters of God heires coheires with Christ Rom. 8. Must you forget worldly riches you shall have the riches of grace Must you forget a few vaine pleasures you shall have a fulnesse of pleasures at Christs right hand and that for ever more Psal 16. 11. Must you forget your owne righteousnesse you shall bee clothed with the righteousnesse of Josus Christ what 's lost by the exchange Christian 4. Consider againe Christ forgot his fathers house for you and yet it was worth many of yours hee forgot the glory the company the pleasures of his fathers house for you he was content for you to be a companion of fishermen yea of sinners yea of theeves when he died upon the crosse for you this he did freely he made himselfe of no reputation hee nothinged himselfe for you Hark what the Apostle sayes 2 Cor. 8. 9. you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ who though he was rich yet for your sake bee became poore that you through his poverty might be made rich Let that melting love winne you Besides 5. It is the way to be beautifull what abundance of paines poor vaine wretches take to be beautifull surely this must move Beauty is a desirable thing the vaine creatures of the earth would never else set nature with the heeles upward doe any thing to obtaine it wee should never else have so much precious time lost and so many precious soules undone with paintings and trimmings patchings and perfumings and a thousand such apish tricks but beauty is the idoll of the world to which the very soule shall be offered up in sacrifice and when all this is done the soule is amisse and the way to adorne that is to undresse all againe Hark you that desire beauty here 's the way of beauty which you have not known it is to deny your selves in all these things and whatsoever else is contrary to the law of Christ or short of him yea and this 6. Shall make you desirably beauteous that Christ shall desire you and the Saints shall desire you this is the way to ravish his heart But no more by way of motive God must doe all I know when I have spake my utmost I might tell you who it is will desire your beauty It is the King of heaven of glory and peace the King shall desire your beauty If this all this will not doe the Lord open your eyes and then I am sure it will But this is an hard work and young ones especially had need of a great deale of helpe to it and truly nature affords none all is laid up in Christ onely In order to the getting of it from Christ let me advise you Dir. 1 First With a serious eye to look upon your fathers house and see what there is in it desirable that should so bewitch one that hath not outlawed his or her reason to it Look seriously upon your sinnes will you not see a filthinesse in them Look upon your vaine company bee they what they will will you not discerne some sordidnesse or basenesse in their actions upon your honours and greatnesse will they not appeare bubbles upon your pleasures will they not appeare shaddowes You look upon these things as pictures side-wayes or at a distance that makes you admire them and runne after them come neerer to them will they not look dawbed with some uncomelinesse or other Will not the colours that look'd so sweetly afarre off stink if you bring them neere your nose Let that bee the first piece of advice Dir. 2 While you enjoy these things take heed of letting out your heart to them rejoyce as if you rejoyced not and use the world as if you used it not be not too much intent upon your fathers house converse not too much with any thing there things of the world have a glutinous quality the heart will cleave to them if you let it lie very long amongst them and if it once cleaves there will bee no wayes but either your heart must be soundly rent upon the severing or hell-fire must part them Dir. 3 Thirdly Ah Learne to live from your fathers house betimes take the wise mans counsell it was after a large survey and discourse of every roome and the vanity of every roome in our fathers house Eccl. 12. 1. Remember thy Creator in the dayes of thy youth if rottennesse enter into the bones it will hardly ever â—ut You that are young for the Lords sake think of this Ah come off your youthfull vanities before they can plead custome with your soules live from home