much of his worth which spake him a child of perdition there be more of these children in the world You Londoners have heard much and seen much of Christ more I think then any city under heaven and yet to many of you your bags and your wealth I fear are dearer then the Lord Jesus Some things are afflicting others ruining undervaluing of Christ is damnable the spots of this I will shew you Three things speak the undervaluing of Christ truth neglected sinne approv'd Christ unbelieved Light is to walk by men sleight this and sear their consciences truth is neglected when not made a rule of life Able discoursing speaks not prising of truth but practising Truth is made subordinate to self ends the plague is in the heart love is not sincere Christ is not prised above the world Many will not fully follow God because it will fully undo them to follow truth as the world approves is to prize Christ onely as the world doth Fear your own hearts snares are many within and without Christ is indeed prized when his will is obeyed Action speaks out affection If you love me keep my commandments if the heart be drawn the foot will run the crown wheel moving though but slowly the little wheels run apace the hand and the foot are but little wheels in order to the heart if this be drawn and moved though but a little the other run Draw me and I will runne after thee Draw me that is my heart and then feet and all other parts shall come Affection puts on to action O how willing to obey is that soul that sincerely loves He would go he would run he would ride post to please God no precept harsh where the heart is right Christ made chief and so is his will above an Isaac By faith Abraham when he was tried offered up Isaac God tried Abraham what was chief in his heart himself or Isaac and Abraham gives open testimony of his affection in his action Sinne approved speaks Christ undervalued Will is strong lusts overcoming and pleasing to the most and alas for such souls Christ is not prised as chief Approbatio mali est reprobatio animi Some sinne from mis-understanding God pities these some sinne from mis-affection more then from mis-apprehension they love darknesse better then light which is reprobation of mind a soul disapproving the truth which he knows What I would I understand not or I know not saith Paul when he wrought evil and he argues from hence that God and the Gospel would pity him What I do I allow not so you reade it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nosco to know I think is from this Greek word I know not Weak hearts you do many things amisse of ignorance and Christ will pity you and therefore wound not your selves But wilfull wretches you put bitter for sweet you call evil good you love vanities and follow after lies the evil courses you follow you love and approve To prise Christ and to prise sinne are inconsistent you cannot love God and Mammon You are positive in your evil way you put darknesse for light you justifie your course which is drawing of Christs bloud out of his sides and then trampling upon it and despising of it when ye haue done which is the highest undervaluing of Christ Christ unbelieved is Christ undervalued it is frowning upon one that smiles boundlesse grace limited The great things of my Law are made small things saith the Lord. Lessening speaks undervaluing it doth so respecting precepts and respecting promises Unbelief makes great precepts no precepts and it maketh great promises no promises It is the highest commendation of any dish at Christs table that you eat heartily of it Christ accounts it so it is the highest valuation of Christ that you rest upon him that you take life at his hands which he proffers Sinners would you prise Christ be invited then unto unto him by what he proffers he will pardon you he will purge you he will justifie sanctifie glorifie you if you believe on him Faith is laying Christ in your bosome and that is proper prising of a thing faith is an heart act a soul going out of every thing to God wearied with every thing as defective and fiting down in Christ as complete Then do I prise Christ indeed when I behold him as all and so appropriate him to my self when I make him my wealth my honour my righteousnesse when I have none in heaven nor none in earth but him when I have none to present to God to conscience nor to the world but him Weak hearts if guilt deterre you from Christ you will die in your sinne as undervaluers of remedy salvation is brought near to you God will not your death repent and believe the Gospel to day do this and to day shall salvation come to your house Ob. Sol. I know that believing speaks reall prising of Christ but I cannot believe To this I answer The obiection lies not merely here that you cannot believe you will not believe Humour is strong in many weak hearts grace in it self and in its means rejected and then they say they cannot believe you cannot because you will not Blame your will and bleed over the perversnesse of a proud heart beg God to bring salvation yet nearer to you nearer to your understanding nearer to your will 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 faith 't is suadere 't is that act of Christ by which he doth perswade a froward will Beg Christ to conquer thy will and then thou wilt have power enough to believe presently he will perswade Japhet I cannot stand to speak of particulars I have but one thing to speak in generall and then I have done and that is to all Gods people You prise Christ as chief and so doth Christ you Christ is your jewel and you are Christs jewels you make him your husband and you are to him as a wife They are blessed indeed which have Christs prime love upon them prime love gives out prime favours you will be fed with the finest of the wheat the fatted calf will be killed for you the best robe will be brought for you Benjamins double dish and double dainties will be set before you Prime love works out into tender mercy and tender mercy is mercy shaped to all your necessities to keep you happy against all unhappinesse Some are but commonly loved yet they live well upon it and are merry you are dearly beloved of Christ and yet you cannot live well upon this No I shall want my bread Shall ravens be fed and not dear children will not a Father a heavenly Father provide Ob. Sol. If the famine do not kill me the sword will Is not Christ a strong tower to the righteous to his dear ones is not the munitions of works your defence your castles and rocky places will hold out but a while Christ is a rock of ages he saves with an everlasting salvation Ob. Sol.
Vse Friendship is the thing we all make after only we mistake the main and are undone Whose love do you principally make after Things here below smile and your hearts are at rest No man is out with me yet God may Divine wrath works as divine love doth not very visibly You cannot discern love nor hatred saith the Holy Ghost by externals You cannot tell whether God be in or out with you by the countenance of men and the concurrence of outward things God can give great earthly things when he is greatly displeased he can give a King in wrath royall gifts and yet rage You may be kings and yet God in wrath with you men that have least friendship with God have many times most friendship with the world 't is their portion Do not lose your souls in a snare your table may be your snare the things about you may be ordered to delude you Some undo themselves with what they have others with what they want Times are hard friendship of the world needed and they fall out with God to get in with than truth sleighted to get favour with the world Ah me the man hath thrown off God God will shift well enough for himself but what will such a soul do This hard time is an affliction to hundreds and a curse to thousands Wretched hearts cannot tell what to do with themselves in straits and therefore they will rather venture upon the displeasure of God then displease a man from whom they expect something such buy a bubble deare and it speaks a very ill state I am afraid such have not tasted the blessednesse which I am upon to wit what the love and friendship of God is they sell it for so little Persons in with God would not be out with him again for all the world Blind consciences can do much sleepy consciences can do more but seared consciences can do any thing and not be stirr'd this speaks not peace not a reconciled state Reconciliation makes tender consciences 't is too much that Christ was crucified once I cannot crucifie him again Sin is slain the new man tender some friends may fall out and fight but Christ and a reconciled soul cannot The heart cannot beare a disagreement after it 's once reconciled to God much lesse strike a stroke against him The soul bleeds a fresh when Christ doth by any one 's crucifying of him much more when it doth it it self Temptations transport then a good man is not himself such cases must be spoken to alone Reconciliation makes a very tender union Sinners view these times they are very bloody God is out with us certainly how much doth it trouble you Are you not the same men you were in the same wayes you were Can a man live in his sins and be at peace with God Can a man be at peace with his lusts and with his God Securitie slayes us nothing will breake our hearts therefore God breakes our names our states our bones Wee flatter our selves but rise not to our dutie men thus in with themselves are certainly out with God 't is Englands heavie plague if it be any of yours here present abase your selves God speakes peace to the contrite if you cannot judge your selves you will be judged not justified of the Lord. Men that doat upon themselves are seldome cured of this plague till they die God lookes not as man lookes When you feast he mournes Victories speake not God reconciled What victories doe you see truth make upon mens lusts Are not men as dead hearted as stout-hearted as rotten-hearted as ever The workes of God must be acknowledged but not abused you must have other things then this or that externall victory to make a true medium to demonstrate God reconciled to you When justice kills bodies on one side it may kill as many soules on tother side wrath workes without and within Lord how many are hardened and fatned by the bloud of others Evill men understand not judgement but they that seeke the Lord understand all things Pro. 28.5 A man had need pray over one act of providence a thousand times ere he venture to interpret it once 't is the highest wisdome in the world to understand the workes of God The words of God are ambiguous the workes of God are more ambiguous yet compared they will illustrate one another but few doe this at all not one of a thousand an artist this way and hence 't is that persons and Kingdoms cry peace peace when there is no peace Wee take up words and workes by rote and ruine our selves and others If all the Kings side were slaine yet were we never the neerer peace with God if wee continue to resist his will He hath many wayes to avenge the quarrell of his Covenant and to make all sides know their owne Nationall peace and personall peace have one foundation a through imbracing of Christ as you see persons or Kingdomes pursue or faulter herein so feare or hope He is our peace which hath made two one and broken downe the wall of perdition Christ is our peace as we become one with him we become one with God and the creature Christ and we two God and we are two God and we out wee must needs be out with one another and with all the creation Christ is the knot that knits God and man together faith is the bond that knits Christ and man together some of you complaine that you have no peace surely you have no faith Broken bleeding hearts remember who is your peace-maker and how able he is at the worke Christ is the Prince of peace he commanded the Seas to be quiet so he can command your consciences Christ hath balme at command what ever the Father hath to refresh Christ hath under his dispose God rests in Christ Infinite justice resteth in him therefore the soule cannot but much more finde rest in him This is my beloved Son in whom I rest Doth God himselfe finde rest in Christ concerning sinne whose puritie is so exact And canst not thou God can object nothing but Christ answers it and canst thou non-plus Christ Satan is a sophister temptation abuseth troubled spirits such cannot see neither the sufficiency nor the willingnesse of Christ to settle their condition 'T is a trouble to Christ that you bleed so inwardly he would have but one bleed his bowels turne and beat within him to see your wounds raw and open he would bind them up and powre oyle into them and carry your soules to his lodging and lay them in the breast of his Father and your Father where is rest indeed and you will not Reconciliation is either virtually or actually considered the foundation of our peace between Christ and the Father was laid a great while agoe but actually finished between Christ and us when wee believe the first act doth ingage to the second that God is at peace with Christ O troubled soules 't is an assurance that
tittle of his will shall live though bad and good shoot at it Satan hath as large an army in the field now as ever was known bad men good men Satan is got into Judas yea and he is got into Peter Master drive gently drive warily save your skin and avoid the bloody cup and yet Christ will be too hard for both Christ wants wit and wants learning and many things else in the eyes of standers by and yet though so weak conquers God hath chose the foolish things of the world to confound the wise God should be honoured in his way the Psalmist breaks forth sweetly into blessing God from this ground that God out of the mouth of babes should ordain strength And so Deborah notes it in her song specially and sweetly how Jael a woman did a mans work and used a mans instrument She put her hand to the nail and her righ hand to the work-mans hammer Women are usuall very aucherd at mans work left-handed but Jael is right-handed at it she put her right hand c. and that which was a work-mans hammer is now a work-womans hammer and she blesses God and extols him that â—â—us trode down strength by weaknesse and turn'd a woman into a man and a man into a beast and butchered him on the ground So should we now that children are turned into men little prentise boyes made valiant to cut off the mighty and do the great works of the kingdome and little towns and villages to waste great forces Certainly we of this Land are very much behinde hand with God in honouring and praising of him according to this admirable way of working Things that are precious you will lose none of them you save the very dust of gold The manifestations of God are the most precious things in all the world the very dust of Gods feet in every path of his we should carefully keep we should talk of all his doings how much more therefore of his wonderfull doings when he doth much with nothing and much for nothing for worse then nothing to wit sinfull man How God goes in the Sanctuary and how he goes out of the Sanctuary in the family in the city in the countrey in the army upon what weak legs and with what little toes should be all written down in the heart first and then carried up to heaven for God to reade Our father loves to have his children brought home to him often to see them and their Nurse how well they prosper together You cannot present God with a more taking sight in all the world then with one of his own actions with its speciall circumstances They were under the Law to lay their hand of the head of some offerings that was to point out Christ on whom they trusted Bring an offering to God any action of God with its speciall circumstances and you lay your hand on the head of the offering you point out Christ to all the world as he whom you trusted on in your way and as he whom you would have all else to do the like and on none else and this is very sweet to God he loves to lie high in the breast of all God hath done things in England so me thinks as to be crowned for ever in every English heart by a very noise amongst the Mulberry trees he makes the mighty run and fall Not by might nor by power but my Spirit saith God 'T is by how much God gains in your hearts that you are to measure his love to you in his works With little God doth much for you if with much you do little for him in speaking of him and living to him all will end sadly at last If nothing will set an instrument in tune you break it and burn it this makes me feare our state in the midst of hope God is very good to thee England but thou continuest very bad dead inwardly dead spiritually which according to reason one would think should make death corporally Finally this way of God should be trusted in or this God which can thus work should be firmly rested on When extremities are great and little means appearing then our hearts sink now misery is mortall but of our own making for 't is all one with God to save with few as with many Nothing kills the man so long as faith keeps alive and faith can never die if the soul well consider the point in hand that any thing is enough for God to work salvation by I am much in debt but a little oile in the cruce left God can blesse a little to rise to a subsistance and to discharge off all ingagements A little of God is enough to make one very rich very strong very wise very blessed in all conditions let misery be as much as ' twill Some are disheartened from duty because opposites before them are many visible advantages very few these soules lie insnared in their own devices and dye at a distance from God which they have set themselves to keepe their body safe with a little light and an honest heart God can enable to doe much to fight with the Prince of darknesse very learned heads and very malicious hearts Did not God inable many poore women and illiterate men to befoole the bloudy Clergie of the former ages of the world and to hold faith and a good conscience in despight of all Were not them we read of in the Hebrewes out of weaknesse made strong and the point in hand tells us that this is the way of God Resolution should carry on to dutie and then let God alone to carry on in it how weake soever you are or how strong soever your enemies are A great dore was opened to Paul and there were many enemies at it he but one and weake and yet along he would and venter upon Christ to make way through them which makes one weake one stronger then a thousand COLOSSIANS 1.22 In the body of his flesh through death IN severall verses foregoing the extremitie of Christs sufferings is mentioned and yet here againe In whom we have redemption through his bloud vers 14. This is repeated and amplified ver 20. where 't is call'd the bloud of his crosse Here is the same thing repeated but with variation of termes what before was called bloud and bloud of the crosse is here called death Christ did bleed to death for sinners Christ underwent much but it workes but little upon us Often repetition of the same thing is for energies sake that what is not laid to heart at once speaking may be at second often repetition of Christs sufferings speaks lowdly this That 't is a hard thing to be kindly and throughly affected with what others undergoe for us Doctr. Jacob underwent much for Laban so did David for Nabal heat and cold but both coldly remembred such cold carnall wretches they were both Earth hath no sense this is the state of our soules naturally Can a stone
death in sin to which the death of Christ is without profit this is when the soule will goe his own way Many walke by no rule all is fish that comes to net all is contentfull that sutes to a carnall affection conscience jogges these soules sometimes and then they talke of Christ that he hath dyed for their sinnes but poore soules they doe but talke If the faith of such persons forementioned were faith indeed and no fancie the soule would be crucified with crucified Christ I am crucified with Christ They which indeed appropriate the death of Christ die with him in affection first and then in action by little and little according as the death of Christ is more and more beheld The death of Christ is of double vertue it makes a death of guilt and a death of the very being of sin The bodie of sin as well as the soule of sin is dead The bodie is dead saith the Apostle speaking of corruption Corruption keepes in a bodie all that while 't is alive all powers combine to beate out their owne way as will best carry the world afore it and winke at if not scoffe at the way of Christ this soule crucifies Christ but is not crucified with him The sin of this age is bloudy wickednesse therefore doe we bleed Surely we bleed not so much for small sin our sin is crimson and scarlet coloured wee crucifie Christ his truth his people therefore doth he crucifie us Light rises so doth malice 't is nothing to the men of this generation to speak bitterly to murther bloudily their own convictions Christ shall die at the dore rather then they will open love to him to destroy the advantage of this time A man crucified to Christ is crucified to the world you that kill not the lusts of the world you kill Christ but not believe on him and his bloud shall be upon you not to take off guilt but to bind on guilt till you die till bloud goe for bloud 'T is a very bloudy time in which we live trials murther love to Christ to one another heartie affection to Christ can hardly be found men are so taken up with their own ends Povertie is marching towards us like an armed man all is falling flesh shakes at this and treads upon Christ and treads out his bowels to keepe up such wretches as these know not their wretched condition they have not tasted of the bloud of Christ nor know what Christ is now doing Christ is now avenging the bloud of his Covenant upon all that tread upon it men that doe not so take hold of his bloud and death as to bleed and die with him in name in state in person shall bleed and die by him this time is a discovery of unbeliefe and a recompence Unsensible persons are below discipline these therefore I must let goe Where conscience bleedes the bloud of the crosse may be of use and to these in the last place I will addresse my selfe Soules are loaded and troubled about many things but where the distresse is about eternall life whether shall I live or die Whether shall I live where Christ is or not 'T will be reliefe to such a burthened heart to thinke what Christ can doe for him in this case Thou hast a tender friend in Heaven and thy soule is precious to Christ he hath shed his bloud that thou mightest not die nor more despaire Things are very well between God and Christ he hath stood in the person of many and discharged well his undertaking the favour of God is at his dispose whom he intercedes for with his bloud escape the wrath of God 'T is sad to me to see how some soules sinke they thinke peace an impossible thing for them ever to attaine What is not peace Christs Is not Heaven Christs Is not kingdome power and glory Christs That all is Christs methinkes should quiet the cryings of conscience That God is at peace with Christ should generate faith in the most complaingest soule 'T is a facile thing for Christ to procure the favour of God but how should one get Christs favour And Christ is solicitous how to get thy favour Christs favour comes farre easier to us then Gods favour did to him he doth not expect your bloud to get his favour to accept him is to gaine him his favour is free all that he expects is that poore soules would but trust him and imploy him with their estates that they would imploy him and none else to procure the love of God and eternall blessednesse Could I trust Christ with my estate I know all would be well but I cannot believe Why know this that Christs bloud hath ingaged God to give faith and every grace else unto thee what thou wouldest doe and canst not let not that deject put out that grace you have When a man cannot goe into the poole 't is hopefull to lie neere it for one or other may take him up and carry him in thither whither he cannot goe himselfe Pained soules speake of nothing but the bloud of Christ prize nothing in comparison of this hence must come thy ease if ever out of these pantings spring faith unto joy Christ takes up these creeples of a sudden and carries them into the poole of his bloud You that have the Kings evill stand in the way of the King and though you cannot cure your selves yet you will lie as faire for cure as you can In a spirituall sense be thus prudent in the middest of all your soule-paines say If ever any thing give me ease it must be the bloud of Christ if ever any thing quiet my conscience it must be Christs bloud sprinkled upon it out of these honourable thoughts of proper remedie proceedes remedie to the soule Matter of faith and matter of love should spring from this point if one had time to goe this way The bloud of the crosse speakes love in strength love as strong as death what speakes it in Christ should make it in us No such Sermon of love in the Bible nor in the Creation as the bloud of the Crosse Enlarge this your selves in deeds COLOSSIANS 1.20 Whether they be things in earth or things in Heaven DIvine friendship according to its formalitie and causalitie I have handled according to its extent I am now to pursue it to wit how farre it reaches which is noted in these last words To things in earth and to things in Heaven This Scripture is difficult yet other Scriptures compared with it will helpe us to see something into it By things in earth is meant the Elect called and uncalled By things in Heaven is meant Saints and Angels By reconciling of all these to himselfe is meant the gathering of them all into one spirituall bodie under one head the Lord Jesus Christ by vertue of which the state of fallen man is restored the state of blessed Angels confirmed all to concenter in one common blessednesse for
good conscience This is the plague of this generation faith and conscience shipwracked which is the fruit of an ill scope at first and the proper medium of a wicked procession what will not that man doe against truth and Saints which hath split his peace and fidelity with God Parts and principles miscoped render the person worse then they that have none more heady and high minded and now the man sets himselfe in a way that is not good and this goes to the heart of God he often complaines of this The more God is inraged by any course the more severely he smites the pursuer Hypocrisie is punished with pride envy and security and now is a next neighbour and a familiar worse then an open enemy more bloody I was a reproach among mine enemies but especially among my neighbours Psa 31.11 vicinis valde to my neighbours very much or most of all T is of desperate issue every way to soule and body not to soder in scope with Christ Christians should sucke this honey-combe well a fathomelesse depth of sweetnesse is in it the bent of Christ in all his dispensations is toward you his heart hangs after you affliction prosperity warre peace Magistrates Ministers Paul Apollo Cephas life death all is yours for you Things now thwart much man against man nothing against you We looke too low to sucke the sweet of this point and to be at rest in troublous times Inferiour agents looke one one way another another way and answerably oppose in their motion and kill in conflict and yet the first intention lives and obtaines The scope of the first agent in all should be eyed and rest What is Christ about To destroy his people to destroy his glory Against whom or for whom is he Is he for Babylon and Babylonish wretches which now warre against us Is he so in his intention and in his purpose possibly this or that particular action as we scan it may looke like as if it were for them but is the prime scope of God for them in all he does does his heart hang toward any Babylonish brats now afoot abroad or at home If you thinke so read Jeremy 50.31 32. Behold I am against thee O thou most proud saith the Lord God of Hosts for thy day is come and the time that I will visit theel and the most proud shall stumble and fall and none shall raise him up and I will kindle a fire in his Cities and it shall devoure all round about him How ever actions and proceedings seem to smile upon evill men yet let this beare us up the scope of all is against them I am against thee i. in my intention and plot And contrariwise however sad and blacke things may looke in mans view in order to Christians yet their scope and their intention is for them Christ is for his Churches and for his Saints in all his designes This was that which Joshua desired to know when he was in some feares which way Christ heart did bend when his Sword was drawn whether for them or for their adversaries let me but know this saith Joshua and I shall rest let things worke how they will Joshua 5.13 14. And it came to passe when Joshua was by Jericho that he lift up his eyes and looked and behold there stood a man over against him with his Sword drawn in his hand and Joshua went unto him and said unto him Art thou for us or for our adversaries and be said Nay but as a Captaine of the Host of the Lord am I now come c. Or for our adversaries coarctatoribus for them that straiten us which word speakes full to our condition there be a great many bloody wretches abroad which straiten us exceedingly in all our mercies which pen us into so few Counties and into so little trading yet it should be enough for us to know against whom the point of Gods drawne Sword is set whether against their hearts or ours whether to make an end of them or of his people which party Christ takes if you thinke he takes their side no Loâ—ki t is vehemently denied which is expressed by two words nay but or nay because as a Captaine of the Lord of Hosts am I come there is negation with its reason added which is strong negation You may sucke this point not onely to establish you against feares and dangers now apparent but to furnish you with all excellencies that Christ hath Sampsons heart was set towards Delilah and she knew it and made use of it to get out all to strip him of all not a secret about his Nazariteship but she gets it Now we know the bent of Divine affection that it is specially toward us we should make use of it to get out all the secrets of wisdome and holinesse that are in Christ So you know Christ when he had fished out this to the botome that Peters heart did indeed bend and incline specially towards him he makes use of it to draw him out to speciall and Noble service for him Doest thou love me saith Delilah then shew me this and that so said Christ to Peter Doest thou love me and is all thou hast for me then let me see it Feed my Lambs and feed my Sheepe so doe thou say to Christ Dost thou love me O Christ and doth thy heart bend principally towards mee And is all thou hast and dost for me Then let me see it feede my poore soule with knowledge t is very ignorant feede my poore soule with love with joy t is very low and sad If what thou hast given this Minister and that Minister be for me why do I profit no more by them my Teachers drop pretious things but I like a broken ciâ—â—erne hold nothing And if my messe be in their dish why cannot I put in my spoone and take it out If thy bosome O Christ be a lodging intended for me hung stately and perfumed sweetly for me why cannot I lie there alwayes Clouds and mists are scattered by the force and motion of celestiall bodies you that are celestiall creatures it must stir up the grace of God in you and move and act the forcible acts of faith at the Throne of grace if you would dispell the clouds that hide God and great good from you Vaine beliefe destroyes us not one Christian of a thousand setled in this that the Heart of God is toward him and therefore hath no heart to goe to him to make use of him no nor cannot rest upon him for any thing It cannot be that the heart of God is towards mee all things go against me Sinne prevailes conscience stings breaches within breaches without lively-hoode dies feathers fall off apace I am almost quite bare in the nest I know not where to get cloathes to put on my back when these be done no not where to get bread to put in my head when this in my hand is eaten My wife mournes my
161 162 The property of Gods motion is restlesse to good the contrary to this is diabolicall and yet in some men evils of it p. 162 163 Christ hath all fulnesse reception and fruition unto the highest blessednesse this demonstrated p. 166 167 Though Christ have all fulnesse yet empty creatures care little for him p. 168 Some have no grace nor no good nature ibid. Grace in fulnesse the felicity of life p. 169 Christs fulnesse is a Christians p. 170 We are to prize persons and things according to the worth that is in them p. 171 The properties of internall wealth p. 171 172 If persons were prized according to what is in them and not according to other things the world would be rightly ranked p. 173 How to discerne what is in men p. 174 Reconciliation defined p 176 We looke after friendship but mistake what friendship is necessary p. 179 Victories speake not God reconciled p. 180 Bleeding soules spoken particularly to from the poynt of reconciliation p. 181 Every condition in this world hath mutation p. 182 Sin the will of God and the wisdeme of God how they have their influence into the mutation of things p. 183 Mutation preaches submission p. 184 Inward mutations the saddest p. 185 That things change here should commend the life to come to us p. 186 The greatest cruelty is amongst persons hypocritically professing Christianity p. 187 Profession a thing of course ibid. Conviction makes conversion or further perversion p. 188 We should not account our persons and fortunes secure because we live amongst persons professing Christianity p. 188 189 The grounds upon which some are over credulous ibid. Mee profession demonstrated in two things p. 190 191 The proper plague of hypocrisie is searing p. 192 What the blood of the crosso meanes p. 193 All that belongs to our welfare contrived upon the crosse by Christ p. 195 Vnsensible persons neglect the benefit of the blood of Christ p. 195 196 Where conscience bleeds the blood of the crosse is of use p. 196 197 Christs blood engageth God to give faith p. 197 What is meant by reconciling all things which are in Heaven and which are in earth p. 198 The Noblest creatures are beholding to Christ p. 199 The lesse may be said for sin the greater it is ibid. Grace workes unexpressible rest to us-ward p. 200 Grace did worke more compendiously then now it doth p. 201 Mercy is infinite and works so ibid. Bounty should be admired ibid. The contemplation of Christs sweetnesse makes the marriage knot p. 202 Such as are stript of all their outward estate comforted p. 203 We are apt sinfully to forget sin p. 205 God hath espied that we forget sin and he is rousing up our memory p 207 A sad demonstration that England doth sinfully forget her sin p. 208 A sinners hand to the divels plough he may looke backe p. 209 To looke backe upon a bad life is of grace p. 210 What alienation is p. 211 Alienation should be laid to heart t is sometimes eternized p. 213 p. 214 God very inclinable to imbrace that soule which is far from him p. 215 What a blessednesse t is to enjoy the presence and fellowship of God ibid. What an enemy to Christ is p. 217 Many are now one against another possibly all against Christ p. 219 Integrity hath a double universality in it p. 220 Adversaries of the Lord called upon to cease their course p. 221 The prime seat of sin where it is and why so seated p. 222 223 Whether sin be disseated and what may demonstrate it p. 224 225 The greatest blessing in the world to get sin throughly out of the mind ibid. What is to be an enemy to Christ with the mind p. 226 227 Sinners last shift for sin is that they did it against their mind p. 228 Remedy must be speedy when sinners set to sinne with their mind ibid. What makes the action of a man wicked p. 229 230 Our life wrapt up in our motion p. 232 What to be done to right things amisse in the outward man p. 233 What goes to make up a good action p. 234 The grace of God unto life is in all respects free p. 236 God invites universally affectionately p. 236 237 God pursues prerogative altogether in his dispensations ibid. Not a creature that can engage God p. 238 The favour of God goes forth for nothing in man but the wrath of God goes forth alwaies for something in man p. 239 Grace is free in reference to all soule distresses p. 240 Grace free to carnall wretches p. 241 God in meane and low waies brings about great things p. 242 Enemies of the Lord should tremble that Christ doth great things by small meanes p. 244 245 God should be honoured in his way of doing great things by small means p. 246 247 T is a hard thing to be kindly affected with what others doe for us from what such an affection springs p. 248 249 The mortality of all earthly things p. 252 Wisedome will have no Heaven here p. 253 Every thing dying and yet carnall affection alive ibid. Christians poore in the things of this life cheered p. 254 All thing dying here but all things ever living above should make one long for that state ibid. Divine presentation opened p. 255 256 The properties of that presentation which Christ makes when he presents the soule to his Father in Heaven p. 257 258 The people of God cheered with this that they shall be gloriously presented to God p. 259 Through abiding in the faith opened p. 262 Some mens religion a principle of jugling with conscience p. 265 They have much of Christ internally who cleave close to him ibid. Man advantaged is an uncertaine creature in a good course p. 266 267 What are advantages and what disadvantages to a stedy course p. 268 269 None should be confident of the stediness of motion from any gifts p. 271 Things that would move very stedy must rise very high p. 272 What hope is p. 273 How joy comes in to the soule ibid. The soule naturally fits up much p. 274. Hope hath all senses exquisite p. 275 Hope conversant about no ill hope conversant about the Noblest good ibid. T is a heavy stroke when the soule refuseth comfort p. 276 How to know that all sinne is discharged p. 279 What positions to be held which secretly induce hope p. 277 What a double miserable condition t is in these times to be without hope p. 279 The Gospell is a grand blessing p. 281 The Gospell makes an exact discovery of man and of God p. 282 The Gospell loathed by us the evill of it p. 283 284 Great favours given we should returne answerably to him p. 285 Saving grace hath a universality in it p. 187 Christ hath vast power to do good and he cannot suspend it in order to a distressed soule p. 288 Christ is upon this designe of giving himselfe to the soule that would
saw her and blessed her yea the Queen and the core thines and they praised her The Church of Christ is here set forth as a choice one for all endowments and glory and as holding forth all this to the admiration of Christ and all beholders The daughters saw her and blessed her the Queens and Concubines praised her COLOS. 1.25 Which is given to me for you c. THere are two occult things in providence which when well apprehended make a serene sweet life to understand still wherefore God takes and wherefore he gives what bitter and sweet meane blindnesse in either loseth God God lost in his dealings the soule loseth it selfe a man knowes not in this case where he is nor what he is whether a Saint or an hypocrite a man or a beast In both these this servant of Christ was acute the perishing of the outward man the flourishing of the inward he could explaine both All things are for your sakes 2 Corinth 4.15 16. there he speakes of what misery he did beare here in the text I stand upon he speaks of what honour he did beare and he understood well the end of both both for the Church of Christ for you i. for the prosperity of Christ in the hearts of all believers Family distribution is with this designe that all the family may be the better for what any one hath An elder child that can tell how to hold a dish hath a great full messe that all the rest may sit round and eate out of his dish Wisdome folds up many things in one many vertues and influences in one Sunne for all the world such a Sunne is Christ set for the fall and rise of many We are in Christs stead and so the savour of life and death to many We are Ambassadours in Christs stead and present Jewels allowed us from our Master to any especially to his Spouse for you i. you that are married to the Lord Jesus Thus I thinke the expression imports As if the Apostle had said Great endowments and gifts are for the Church primarily for others secondarily and subordinately in order to the use and welfare of the Church some way or other Which way the heart of God bends is observable Christ doth peculiarly and principally apply himself to Saints the centre of divine donation is the heart of a Christian all that goes from God to any does but hover till it come here the marrow and juyce of every creature of every gift is squeesed out into this vessell If you see Angels sent forth those glorious gifted creatures you may stand still and prophesie where they will turne in to Abraham to Lot they may goe along by others but they turne in and host here The choice communcations which descend from Heaven they bed themselves in the brests of Gods people they may hang and hover in the braines of others but they enter into the hearts of none but these The life of Christ is the spring of all parts the gifts which you see shine in any they are but springs from this fountaine branches of this Vine and observe which way this Vine creepes about whose house sides it goes with its branches into whose bowles he squeeses their blood T is for you saith he this is the blood of the new Testament which was shed for you My beloved is gone down into his garden to the beds of spices to feed in the gardens and to gather Lillies Cant. 6.2 After Christ are we directed to goe to carry all excellencies we have where he doth and lay them down all where he is in you and therefore observe that clause Luke 10.6 And if the Sonne of peace be there then stay otherwise away and carry all away with you When things lie in suite and in petition before they come forth thus into actuall exhibitions you shall see the truth of the point in hand demonstrated which way the heart of God bends in all cases of this nature Christ doth especially and peculiarly apply himselfe to Saints Thou wilt make their heart to prepare and thine eare to intend Psal 10.17 speaking of the meeke and humble Observe how peculiarly Christ applies himselfe to some Thou wilt make their heart to prepare if their heart stand not fit to receive noble favours thou wilt make them stand fit if it be not humble enouh hungry enough depending enough thou wilt make it doe all these thou wilt overcome all unaptnesse in these soules yea all unaptnesse in thy selfe If sinne and basenesse in these creatures present themselves in thine eyes and make some impresse and influence upon thee against having to doe with them yet thou wilt make thy selfe to looke towards these yea to heed them intensly saith the originall Thou wilt make thy selfe to intend Mercy pleades with justice when God hath to doe with his and makes him come off yea come down and condescend to stoope and take a lame creature by the hand and lay his eare close to his head and speake incouraging words to put the soule in heart to speak and speed Hester what is thy request and what is thy desire come into my presence I have nothing but is for thee he lends her legs to stand upon countenance to looke upon him spirits and mouth and tongue to speake makes her to prepare and then makes himselfe to forget the confinement of himselfe to other things and to intend her Which is a brave demonstration of this thing I am upon that Christ doth peculiarly and transcendently apply himselfe to Saints You have a like place Psal 18.6 My prayers came into his face into his eares Other folkes prayers come but to Gods eares and there they vanish but the prayers of Gods people come into his eares The expression notes how the eare and heart of Christ are specially and peculiarly applied unto his people Vse Towards whom Christ doth thus apply himselfe t will be bad bending against them for any This generation is very unhappy men observe not which way Christ bends and bend after him but which way the times bend and so bend after these and so what parts and endowments God hath given them are imployed against the people of Christ and not for them One thing should by as us to wit the will of Christ but when this will not any thing will pride covetousnesse malice when a man hath lost his aime he kils a child a friend as soone as an enrmy The scope of divine distribution this should be every gifted mans aime from hence should we take our levell but we doe not Which way doth God looke To what point hath he set the compasse To what part hath he bound me and fraighted me for the Holy-land for Saints must all I have and all I can doe runne into their breasts and put in at their Haven Then thither I must steer and to no other port though greater gaine might be had if this I doe not I make shipwracke of faith and a