in the fire of affliction Observ 4. Fourthly observe that the Lords sweetness and life lies now under a vail and covering that is the reason it is so little owned in the world A feast but not seen he that will see the Lord he that will feed at this feast must not look at the things that are seen but at things not seen which lie within the vail Obser 5. Again Fifthly take notice that there is no destroying the vail but by the Lords coming forth until the substance come forth the shadows are substances No perfect destroying the vail untill the Lord be fully come forth All the Ministers in the world cannot do it Observ 6. Sixthly Observe this That all people have a vail or a covering cast over them not one excepted He will destroy the vail of the Covering cast upon All people spred upon All Nations Though the Lord be not far from every one of us yet the Vail keeps us from seeing him and whilst we lie under the vail we grope and feel after him Till God destroy this vail we have foolish fancies and false apprehensions of God What wonder seeing All nations are under the vail All have sinned and come short of the glory of God Rom. 3. 23. God suffered all nations to walk in their own ways They that remain under the vail judge their brethren that see further then themselves of Error and Heresie but they that have the vail destroyed by the Lord will not be harsh to their brethren that lie under the vail although whilst the vail and the face of the Covering was spred upon them they were so grosly ignorant as to cry out against others Error Heresie Blaspemy Observ 7. Seventhly Observe the twofold expression in the Text The vail and the face of the covering And it is not only Cast but Spred also There is exactness in it Quest If you demand what this vail is that the Lord will destroy I Answer This Creation in its purity and perfection You will say The Creation declares the glory of God Psal 19. The heavens declare the glory of God and the earth shews forth his handy work Sol. True but in a vail Christs flesh was a vail Heb. 10. 20. This Creation in its purity and perfection is a vail but when Satan the world sin and death have gotten root in it then its a thick a dark vail or a shadow of death To those that sate in darkness and the shadow of death is this light come All Gods manifestations in it are vails till he get above it and cover it which he will do He is sunk into it as a seed as he riseth up in it it is in a vail Quest But how comes this vail Who casts this vail Answ 1. The Lord He makes darkness and light he makes vails and open Manifestations 2. Satan hath cast and spred this vail 3. We have every one of us cast it and spread it and we are shrowding our selves under it as God appears and God is righteous and holy in it and we and Satan are in the same sin We are all running into the vail as much as we can But God will destroy the vail and then every eye shall see him Behold he cometh with Clouds and every eye shall see him He is not seen now but he shall be seen his manifestation is life and death Life to those that are of him who feel themselves under the vail death to those that rest and have their life in the vail There 's everlasting destruction from his presence and from the glory of his power We are a sweet Savour of Christ to God in those that perish To some we are a savour of life to others a savour of death That is the Ministry of the Spirit It follows in Verse 8. He will swallow up death in victory Observ 1. Destroy the vail and destroy death The taking away of the vail is the taking away of Death Death is dead Death upon a true account is nothing but a vail upon God who is our true life We live because he lives You heard before what this is even all this Creation in its purity and perfection but much more a vail a thicker and darker vail when sin and death and devil are gotten into it The Scripture expression is elsewhere The vail of the shadow of death Darkness and Death Light and Life are the same even Christs flesh was a vail Ordinances are vails No disparagement to Ordinances If God appear in them t is well Mans ministry is a vail if we see God in it it is but darkly If we be refreshed it is but in part This life and body is a vail while we are at home in it till it be changed and made spiritual till we be cloathed upon with our true life which is from heaven The Apostle saith While we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord While we are absent from the Lord we are absent from our life for our life is to be with him We are not perfectly quickned perfectly alive till we be cloathed upon with our life which is from Heaven Therefore take notice that the pulling down of this body is not properly death to the Saints but the destroying of death He will destroy the vail and swallow up death in victory So then that which we call life is not so indeed but death This body this present appearance is but the face of the covering and the rending of it is the swallowing up of death Let us mend our account if we can We have judged things by the outward appearance by the face of the covering by the vail now let us judge righteous judgement The flesh judgeth that to be life which the Spirit knows to be death Our friend is not dead but gone out of death into life Those that know not God but have all their life in the flesh in present appearances they live not indeed They that live in pleasure are dead whilst they live If God be our life then the less we are in these things the more we are in life If our life be in the vail when this vail is destroyed our life is swallowed up of deaths victory and the second death seizeth on us Refer this to the feast that the Lord makes it is himself that is the feast it is himself that makes the feast he dyes into our weakness and when through his death his life is manifested in us in a spirit of Love of power and of a sound minde then death is swallowed up in victory It goes into the draught we hear of it no more The Lords life manifested swallows up death in victory Death is sorrow and tears See if you can imbrace this account of death He that hath ears to hear let him hear He that hath not it may be will cry whimsey fancy and turning the Scripture into an Allegory Further it s said And the Rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth All the Saints Rebuke is whilst they are under the vail They are judged by the vail the world knows them not We live in the vail whilst we are in sorrow and tears whilst God who is our life is hid we are under the worlds Rebuke In the mean time we wait till God appear and whilst God appears not the world jears us saying Flee to your mountain Psal 11. 1. All the worlds joy is in the vail when the vail is rent then comes the second death then that is made good Son remember that thou in thy life time receivedst thy good things and Lazarus his evil but now thou art tormented and he is comforted And now have I walked in a vail and in a cloud unto you Do you not understand The time was when my self did not and it may be my weakness in expressing as well as yours in hearing It is my weakness that cannot put the vail from off your eyes Consider what hath been spoken that you may understand it rightly If it please God to bring it home as a seed sown to any of you I shall rejoyce I leave it to the blessing of God FINIS Isa 50. 1. Isa 2. 2.
everywhere but in God Furie is not in me saith God And God manifested this indignation will appear and be felt There is no rest but in the Lord and there is no entertainment in the Lord but to those whom he cals in to whom he opens the gate the everlasting ganes Who shall ascend into the Hill of the Lord And who shall stand in his holy place Who shall lie down in that Chamber And who shall meet with that repose that is in him He whom he cals in by his Spirit It was death to enter in before Ahasuerus unless he held forth his golden Scepter There is nothing but indignation from the presence of God upon every soul but that soul that is called in by God Come my people There is a People that look to enter into rest and the Gospel is preached to them and rest is preached unto them but the Apostle tels us in Heb. 4. at the beginning They entred not in because of unbelief What is this unbelief God was not in their hearts they had not this inward call there was not the life of God within them nor the rest of God within them Gods voyce is not known without unless he dwell within They entred not in because of unbelief Christ is entertained nowhere in no soul where-ever he comes and knocks he is received nowhere but where he himself dwels and opens the door It is the voyce of God in our Spirits the Spirit saying to our spirits Ye are the children of God the People of God God is your rest Come enter in sit ye down There are dreams of Rest and when we awake there is nothing but trouble There are that cry Lord Lord and when he comes he saith I know you not depart from me ye workers of iniquity We must look for a better call then a Letter call or a Ministers call We must look for the call of God in our hearts and a particular call As they said to the blind man be of good comfort he speaks to thee he calleth thee Say to my soul saith David I am thy salvation All your rest is fancy unless God hath led you into it So far forth as you see him you see truth Come my people To call our selves the People of God unless God cals us so what a poor thing is this To fancy our selves in the Chamber and Rest of God alas how sadly shall we awake Come my people enter into thy Chambers and shut thy doors about thee shut thy self in close When we are shut into God from the world and are at home in the Lord taken up in him so far forth we are safe there is no trouble no indignation no fury Fury is not in me We stand in God and have our enjoyments in him are only taken up with him but while we stand there and are gazing upon the world our eyes and hearts are drawn forth after this and after the other then comes trouble We do not see enough in God if we did he would be a covering to our eyes and a husband to us indeed as he said He shall be a covering to thine eyes When we look after any thing but him we look after trouble wrath will come in therefore shut the doors upon you Enter into thy Chambers and shut the doors upon thee and hide thy self God is our rest from trouble God is our peace God is our life do but look from him you look into death you look into trouble You that dwel in God shut up your selves in him shut the doors upon you And hide thy self Hide thy self there is no hiding from God but in God Hide thy self in Gods Rest in Gods Love in Gods Power this is a mysterie and riddle unto the world Old Adam flies from God the presence of God is indignation Old Adam is Bryars and Thorns set in battle against him Gods appearance makes him run But whither shall we go from thy presence There is no hiding from God but in God While I hid my sins saith David my bones consumed away through my daily complaint thy hand was heavie upon me He had no rest till he made back again unto God Enter into thy Chambers and hide thy self Hide thy self and that is the Saints condition here in this world to be hidden ones The world doth not know us saith John 1 Joh. 3. at the beginning We are the sons of God but the world doth not know us You are dead saith the Apostle Col. 3. at the beginning and your life is hid Hide thy self Where are they hid Why they are hid in God Our life is hid with Christ in God That that appears now is the world and Satan and Death and Hell Hide thy self for a moment Hide thy self the Saints life is not seen nor known God is the Saints life when he is hidden And this is our comfort that when we are hidden he is hidden and when he shall appear we shall appear with him in glory as it is in that same third of the Colossians Hide thy self God will have us content to be hidden for a while and truly this makes us content to be hidden that he is hidden He is our life he comes not forth till we come forth he is not in glory till we are in glory he is dead while we are dead Yet awhile and the earth shall discover her dead and shall no more hide her slain as it follows in the Text. Hide thy self Saints are Gods hidden ones Hide thy self for a moment All the sadness and darkness of the Saints is but momentanie Dost thou love God Doth thy soul make to him And knowest thou no rest but him Thou art troubled and troubled when thou thinkest of God Hide thy self for a moment Here is repose for thee and this indignation this storm will over Sometimes it is expressed for a little moment in this Prophesie of Isaiah For a little moment have I hid my face from thee It seems long to us and we cry how long It is but a moment in respect of Eternity And this is another word of ease to an afflicted soul the affliction is strong but it shall not last Hide thy self for a moment until the indignation be overpast It is a cloud that will blow over this indignation will have an end and then comes eternal Rest eternal Joy And as the trouble of the Saints is but for a moment so the joy of the world it is no longer and the moment of the Saints trouble is the moment of the worlds rejoycing and the indignation that lyeth upon the Saints shall be taken off from them and fall upon the world and that is it that is expressed in the next Verse VER 21. For behold the Lord comes out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity the earth also shall disclose her blood and shall no more cover her slain THose that dwell in the earth that have their life in the
in you Christ in you dead Christ in you alive He is alive that was dead then you live Because I live ye shall live also Look if ye know this life You are in him that is true and he in you that is true he is risen and you risen with him ascended with him and set down with him in heavenly places FINIS THE MAJESTY of GRACE OR The Soveraignty of SALVATION SERMON I. TITUS 2. 11 12. For the grace of God that bringeth Salvation hath appeared to all men teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts we should live soberly righteously and godly in this present world c. VER 15. These things speak and exhort and rebuke with all authority Let no man despise thee IN the beginning of this Chapter the Apostle is directing Titus how to carry himself in his Doctrine towards all Sexes and Ages of men But speak thou the things that become sound doctrine That the aged men be sober grave temperate sound in Faith in Charity in Patience The aged women likewise that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness c. Young men exhort to be sober-minded Exhort Servants to be obedient to their Masters c. And here he laies the ground and foundation of it which is an encouragement to Titus to set upon this preaching it should not be in vain For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men teaching us c. The grace of God shall teach with thee therefore be thou a Minister of the grace of God be thou bringing forth this grace of God which hath appeared that hath appeared in us and hath appeared in thee Thou hast a Ministry of the Spirit go thou forth in that and bring up men from the grave of ungodliness to the grace of God do thou bring forth that redemption which is come forth in Jesus Christ do thou bring forth Jesus Christ in those to whom thou preachest And what do we unless this grace go with us The grace of God which is also The God of grace unless God be in grace it is such a grace as may be received in vain I laboured more abundantly then they all saith the Apostle yet not I but the grace of God which was with me and in me The grace of God that bringeth Salvation to all men hath appeared Therefore exhort all men and teach all men and make a proof where this grace of God will further appear it hath appeared teaching us see whom it will teach besides I shall speak to the words as they lie in order and as I shall conceive may be most profitable for us The grace of God The kindness of God the favour of God as it is called in the next Chapter After the loving kindness of God appeared c. The grace of God or the God of grace Grace without God will be abused but grace from God and with God is Salvation The grace of God is God in Christ The Scripture that tels us in one place of the grace of God tels us in another place of the God of grace and the grace of God doth give God himself unto his People I am thy exceeding great reward The grace of God that bringeth salvation There is Grace and there is Salvation the Scripture speaks of but grace is not all nor salvation is not all Salvation will not satisfie him that hath the God of grace but he must have glory as well as salvation it will not satisfie an heir of heaven to be safe only but he must have a Kingdom It is your Fathers good pleasure to give you a Kingdom We must take the Scriptures in their extent There is one place speaks only of grace there is another tels us of God One place speaks only of salvation another tels us of glory God will give grace and glory Each single Scripture doth not express the whole mind of God They that will take the Scriptures by pieces and not the whole Scriptures must make account to be deceived The grace of God that brings salvation God in grace brings salvation and is salvation and there is no salvation but where the God of grace is come Gods appearing in his love owning us and manifesting himself to be our portion this is salvation In his favour is life Whosoever doth not believe the wrath of God abides upon him His anger and absence is death and destruction every man is under destruction and death till the grace of God come to him till that appear If you look for salvation where is the grace of God or the God of grace appearing The grace of God is salvation and salvation is the grace of God or the God of grace The grace of God that brings salvation There is grace that doth not bring salvation there is the grace of God in these outward things there is the grace of God in gifts this grace bids us look after salvation this grace leads unto repentance but here is the grace of God that brings salvation and that is salvation it self Here is God in grace come to us here is the grace that turns the heart from the world and sin and hell This is salvation The grace of God that brings salvation There is no salvation by Works there is no salvation by the Law salvation is by the grace of God by that grace that makes us to do the works of God by Gods working in us by Gods taking us into himself All our works are wrought in God It is the Scripture expression The grace of God that brings salvation unto all men The Apostle spake before of aged and young male and female of Servants and Governours teach them all for the grace of God hath appeared to all and for all It is come to every mans door brings salvation to all to all that God doth make any reckoning or account of the holy seed Of others it is said Thou puttest away the wicked like dross Psal 119. There is a generation of men that are in no better esteem with God then those creatures begotten of corruption Thou puttest them away like dross These are the seed of the Serpent You are of your father the Devil and his works will you do It is a poor languishing controversie that in which so many are exercised about Vniversal Redemption Let every man look whether salvation be come to him and whether he hath entertained it and embraced it and if so let him rejoyce Let every man make his Calling and Election sure and let him be a good Minister of this grace of God to others leave disputing and jangling and begin to live By denying ungodliness and worldly lusts live soberly and righteously and godly in this present world And be a pattern and example Make thy self a pattern of good works Let thy light shine before men that they may see thy good works and glorifie thy Father which is in heaven Salvation to all hath appeared Grace ever was but it appears
of us talk of grace and Salvation If we be partakers of grace and Salvation indeed then we are delivered from worldly Lusts in some degree We are taught by it to deny ungodliness and worldly Lusts We are taught by it likeness to God and not to be fashioned to this world To deny ungodliness is to deny every thing that is not like God Not to walk like men the Apostle condemns the Corinthians that they walked like men It may be 't is a strange thing to hear we should not walke like men Like whom should we walk Like the Devil Like beasts So some do No you should walk like God The grace that brings Salvation It doth not bring you to satisfie sensuality to satisfie Lusts nor to follow the creature but it brings in power it brings in and raiseth up the life of God whereby we deny these Lusts whereby we famish these Gods of the Earth God saith he will famish all the Idols And this God doth when he riseth up in us he famisheth in us the Love of the World the love of flesh This grave and hell he starves them both This grace of God that brings Salvation leads up into Heaven into God into the Spirit and satisfies and fills us in the other World And we deny our Lusts after this They that are Christs have crucified the flesh with the affections and Lusts They have done it and they are doing it 't is as good as already done for there is that power in them which will do it a greater power then is in the World 'T is the Circumcision in heart by the Circumcision of Christ 'T is dying with Christ and being buried with Christ 'T is dying to this fleshly State to this glory and these contentments It is the consecrating us to God so that he becomes our delight he is our Joy he is our riches We sought them in the flesh we sought them in the World Then we sought Corn and Wine and Oyle now nothing but the light of Gods countenance this is grace and this is Salvation And the world and the flesh which is generally sought after by us it is a vail of death It is a vail upon Christ a covering upon the life of God It is the grave and the prison of the Saints it is Babylon and the Northcountry into which we are carried The North-country far from the Sun far from light far from life When we come into flesh we are buried here we are estranged from our own life which is the life of God And the grace of God appearing that is as it were the Sun drawing nigh When the Sun comes in the Spring and Summer the face of the Earth is renewed We come into the nature of wrath but as grace returnes again so this life appears and comes forth this Sepulcher is opened and this vail is rent and the Earth gives up her dead and no longer covers her slain The flesh and World and glory thereof riches and contentment are a vail and covering upon the life of the Saints For God is life and Salvation union with him that is life indeed and the appearing of this union is life manifested That which the World and natural men do call death is indeed the swallowing up of death as 't is called Isa 25. He shall take away the vail and the covering that is upon the face of all People He shall wipe off all tears and shall swallow up death in Victory The World and flesh is a Vail and is a Vail of tears when this Vail is rent by the comming of that which is called death then life-comes indeed and death is swallowed up in it God who is our life appears Grace and Salvation is not leading us into contentments of the flesh into the abundance of the riches of the Earth 'T is not satisfying of lusts but the killing of lusts 't is bringing forth the Spirit bringing forth the life of God Godly in this present World By this will appear how far Salvation is from most men Salvation is far from the wicked as David hath it because they keep not thy Statutes Little do wicked men think there is no Salvation but in keeping Gods Statutes but that is the truth of it Salvation is conformity to God to be made like to God to deny all ungodliness and worldly lusts and the love of the World is enmity to God This is Salvation and the same is destruction to wicked men Worldly men they have their life in the Vail their life is in the World and in the flesh When God appears and throws off the Vail there is nothing to be seen by them but death and destruction And what is the second death that the Scripture speaks of but the appearance of God The manifestation of God 't is the second death 't is everlasting destruction to them that know him not that have no life but in the flesh and in the world When God appears here ends their life and here begins destruction they are destroyed from his presence That which is life and Salvation indeed is death hell and destruction to a worldly man and if he speak his heart he will say if this be salvation let me have none of it I know not what it means I know no other life but this in the flesh What saith the Apostle The life I live I live by the faith of the Son of God t is not I live but Christ that lives in me though I live in the flesh yet I do not War after the flesh though I live in the World I am not conformed to the World but transformed On the other hand the life of the World is give me Corn Wine and Oyl ease in the flesh honour in the World the life of the Saints is lift up the light of thy countenance make me after thine own heart form me according to thine own Image fashion me to thy Will teach me to deny my self It is feeding hell and destruction to satisfie worldly lusts it is life and salvation to deny these to crucifie these therefore le ts be acquainted with grace and salvation what it is Le ts not deceive our selves with names of things le ts not call evil good and good evil put light for darkness and darkness for light Le ts not call wrath and destruction grace and salvation Whoever thou art that only looks to the world and flesh and outward things thou dwellest in wrath and destruction Thou hast vexation here and the Gospel makes thee mad for it puls thee from these things and with the more power it comes forth the more hell works within thee Now begin to learn what is salvation it is to have power to deny these lusts to crucifie the flesh to be taken out of sensuality to be redeemed from among men Is this a strange thing to you then salvation is strange and grace is strange 'T is to be conformed to God to know what his good and acceptable
the death of it and if we be nothing but sin then t is our death How many be there whose life is death and their Covenant agreement with Hel is all their stability And when we come to think of ungodliness wickedness departing from God one man propounds this to himself another that to be a prophane swearer this is a course of ungodliness to be a beastly drunkard this is ungodliness to be a filthy unclean person this is ugodliness 'T is true all this is ungodliness this is base this is filthy but is here all No all worldly lusts all going out in desire after any piece of this Creation is ungodliness There is a Civil ungodliness that is modest and handsome unto the world and that is it they call providence and prudence which is nothing else but base distrust and denying God 't is nothing but Idolatry as the Apostle calls it nothing but adultery Ye adulterers and adulteresses know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity to God and then there is base and deboist ungodliness that breaks out in drunkness and whoredom and fraud and rapine and theft Nothing but the breaking forth into scabbs and boiles and blanes and botches But there is that poyson within which we see not There is the Itch as well as the Scab and Boil Itching after the world and the things thereof is ungodliness After the worlds account only what is hurtfull to the society of men is reputed ungodliness what sinks men in their peace in their wealth in their estate in their credit So the world looks upon sin as to such and such evil fruits as are hurtfull to this present state of flesh It doth not look to the offence of God to the going out from God to the leaving God It doth not know the life of God it knows only sin as it is any way prejudicial to the life of sense It doth not know sin in the root of it Let us learn so to know sin even in the root of it and that is worldly lusts hence it proceeds This is ungodliness leaving the Creator and setling our selves in the creature and setting up the creature in the place of God How many be there that are condemning uncivil courses as they are to be condemned but condemning them so as they justifie themselves as the Pharisee doth God I thank thee I am not thus and thus I am not like this Publican this harlot this drunkard Look into thy heart what thou art before God Make inquisition after worldly lusts there the root of all ungodliness the root of that thou condemnest in the Publican in the Harlot in the Drunkard This love of the World and turning from God to the world this breaks out in him look how it works in thee Perhaps thou art more civil more modest thou carriest thy self so that thou art not so unmanly For there are worldly lusts that do unman a man and make him like a beast and there are worldly lusts that are very glorious things with men But thy heart and inside are as bad as this and as great an abhorring in the sight of God God hath chosen to himself the man that is godly The Godly man is he that cleaves to God rests in God trusts God believes in God that hath all in God This is godliness let us receive this truth which is acccording unto godliness SERMON III. TITUS 2. 11 12. For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men Teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts we should live soberly righteously and godly in this present world looking for that blessed hope c. THe last thing we spake to was from the consideration that ungodliness and worldly lusts are joined together whence it was observed that all ungodliness lies in worldly lusts Ungodliness is going from God and going to the creature the friendship of the World is enmity to God is Adultery Idolatry the Devil is the God of this World going out after these things is going out after sin and ungodliness Lying thus it is impossible for a man for a son a meer son of Adam to escape ungodliness only he that is born of God only Christ that came from heaven and we through him do it Now as grace teaches what us to avoid and shun what to go from so it teaches us what to make to We should live soberly godlily and righteously in this present World to these words now Here is the lesson that grace teaches us that brings Salvation To live soberly righteously and godlily here is the place and time when it teaches us this lesson where in this present world It teaches us to live soberly righteously and godlily There is no sober man that is not a righteous and a godly man There is no righteous man that is not a sober and a godly man It teaches us to live soberly righteously and godlily And there is no sober man but he whom the grace of God that brings Salvation hath taught to be sober and there is no righteous man but he whom the grace of God that brings Salvation hath taught to be so And there is no godly man but he whom the grace of God that brings Salvation hath taught to be so Now a little to Dilate upon these three 1. That the sober man is only he whom the grace of God that brings Salvation hath taught to be so We know not how to live soberly till the grace of God that brought Salvation hath taught us What is sobriety what is it to live soberly Sobriety is opposed to two things to Madness and to Drunkenness Madness is Drunkenness and Drunkenness is Madness There 's Drunkenness by drink by Wine and Drunkenness by passion and pride there 's drunkenness by cares of the world and drunkenness by heaviness There 's fury and wrath and there 's joy too in making over much and sometimes this same drunkenness by fury and wrath and by joy do usher the grace of God that brings Salvation The grace of God it must bring us into sobriety through distempers discovering our weakness and our distempers together with the curing of them This same Drunkenness that is opposite to sobriety take it in the lump all together it is our state in the flesh with the Devil We come out of the life of God into the flesh come into the dark into a distempered state It is a bewitching drunkenness that is upon us There is a pure state of flesh that is not without distemper in comparison to the life of God There is a corrupt state of flesh that is pure distemper Our true life if we be of God is the life of God and the glory of God and all that comes short of the glory of God is distemper All have sinned and come short of the glory of God And so Madness hath seized upon all and all are under distemper till the grace of God that brings Salvation appears which
light and in this state and condition what wonder is it if the Devil work at his pleasure In such Mists and Foggs as these the Devil brings into our hearts and Congregations all manner of filth and baseness that can be exprest or thought of Fornication not once named among the Gentiles brought into a Christian congregation Vse This calls upon us not to trust to our own hearts He that doth so is a fool saith Solomon And if we walk in Churches and Congregations le ts not rest there as many do who look upon themselves and think now they are safe now they are secure they are in a Church they have many eyes to watch over them they have Shepherds and Overseers We may be all Overseers and all overseen al asleep The wise virgins slept Take heed of carnal security When we see no sin and feel no evil 't is carnal security 't is the Devils peace When we see no sin and are not either complaining of sin opposing sin fighting with sin or else chasing it driving it before us 't is carnal security 't is the Devils Cradle 't is the Devils Bed Be not high-minded saith the Apostle Let him that standeth take heed lest he fall There be many say we are Kings and we raign O how excellent is our estate This is the voice that is heard in many Churches in many Congregations when Paul stands by that hath the Spirit of God and saith I would to God it were so I would to God you did raign indeed then we should raign with you There is a worldly and fleshly walking in Church-fellowship The Devil gets into that form as he hath got into all others We will be wise to the world and yet we will be in a Church as the Apostle hath it in ver 10. of the foregoing Chapter You are wise in Christ strong in Christ you are honorable This is that that is too too much seen in Churches and Congregations But we saith the Apostle are fools for Christs sake we are weak we are despised and are content to be so 'T is Christs cross that we bear and we can rejoyce in nothing but in this that we are fools that we are weak that we are despised But we shall appear honorable When Christ shall appear we shall appear with him in glory Saints may fall asleep fall into carnal security be puft up with pride and so be under a great power of the Devil a great Snare It may be any Saints case it was a whole Churches case here and a Church that was gathered by the Apostle Is there not need that we should watch Watch and pray that you fall not into temptation Is there not need that we should watch one over another Therefore it is that Churches and Congregations are gathered that there may be watching that some may be awake while others sleep But see here what watchmen are if the Lord do not keep the City The Congregation of Saints are the City of God Here are men watchmen and all the City asleep all intoxicated all drunken and lying in carnal security the Devil and sin and death are walking among them and they are not sensible of it 'T is a sad thing to think of that there may be and are Churches that are gathered together that they may laze and drowse together that they may nourish one another in carnal security strengthen one another in the world and in the flesh that thinks t is enough there is a form of Godliness that we are in Church-fellowship and so lie down together and sleep and t is a sad thing I have no quarrel with Churches or any form but such as have not the Spirit in them Here all are asleep asleep in death You are puft up when you should mourn and here is Paul he mournes so that he wakens them all he obtaines the Spirit of God comes forth to them in the Spirit wakens them and raiseth them up in the Spirit to take vengeance upon Sathan upon this sin upon the flesh in this incestuous person Deliver him to Satan for the destruction of the flesh Ye are puft up and have not rather mourned Mark here how the Apostle charges the whole Church and judges them and they being judged he brings them to judge this incestuous person And indeed there is no man fit to judge till he hath been under judgement himself Ye are puft up First he arraigns them in the Spirit judges them brings them all to mourning and then he takes them up with him into the Judgement Seat and so they deal with this incestuous person they deliver him from Sathan by delivering him unto Sathan They deliver him to Sathan for the destruction of the flesh Another thing worthy our thoughts is this That there may be a partnership in sin We may be defiled by other mens sins by partnership by a partaking Partake not of other mens sins saith the Apostle to Timothy There is a partaking of other mens sins while we see them and are senseless of them We partake in them by any complyance or suting with them You are puft up saith he and have not rather mourned q. d. There is such a person among you thus defiled and you are not ashamed Here is the Corinthians sin and whole Churches sin as 't is laid to the charge of the Princes of Judah Jer. 36. 24. that when the King did cut the Roul that Baruch had written from the mouth of Jeremie which was the Prophet of the Lord the Princes they looked on and none of them rent their garments None of them were sensible of that contempt and rebellion against God The Apostle to the Ephesians chap. 5. calls upon us not to have fellowship with the unfruitfull works of darkness but rather reprove them Mat. 18. 15. This is that which our Savour expresses when he speaks of a brother offending Quest If thy brother offend thee saith he what 's the meaning of a brothers offending What is it If he hath done thee any hurt or wronged thee Answ Nay but this same offence by a brother is a brothers sin And this doth appear plainly by that that Christ commands If thou hast told thy brother and reproved him and so hast wrought upon thy brothers conscience that he is convinced thou hast gained thy brother So that the sin of a brother is an offence and a wounding unto all the brethren if they be awakned if they live at that time if they be not asleep as these Corinthians were If they be not in carnal security and intoxicated with pride they shall feel a wound in his wound they shall find a loss in his loss therefore he saith if he shall hear thee thou hast gained thy brother He doth not speak of any outward wrong for which men go to Law to recover them Right but when there is a sense of the wound and suffering of him that sins in thee there is a sword that pierces thy soul
do in a Saint What doth hell in a Church Deliver him to Satan let Satan go to destruction it is his place it is his portion Thus spiritual mourning or the spirits mourning is that which brings forth the spirits power and this sets the soul free and sets a Church free Now we should look what we can finde of this mourning this mourning for sin this mourning after the Lord. This is not in flesh and blood to do All the mourning of flesh and blood is that sin may be supplyed All the prayers of a natural man are that his lusts may be furnished all his mourning and complaint is when sin suffers when godliness plays upon sin then he cries then he mourns The spiritual man mourns after the Lord as 't is said of the children of Israel they mourned after the Lord. The natural man mourns for Corn and Wine and Oyl The Lord speaks in the Prophesie of Hosea of the howling of the people Did you cry to me when you howled for Corn and Wine and Oyle But that which is the main thing to be observed here is that no power or wisdom of man or any company of men any Church any Rulers any Elders can set a heart free from sin or can cleer their Congregations from sin 't is God that must do it and therefore the Apostle saith Ye have not rather mourned that he that hath done this deed might be taken away from among you When that evil is seen in your hearts and in your Churches what are you to do know that you cannot deliver your selves you are to mourn until it be done for you you are to lament after the Lord. O that the Lord would come that power would come that he that is great stronger then the strong man that he would come We are to wait for the assistance of Jesus Christ Here the Apostle speaks of mourning You have not mourned as you should do you should mourn after the Lord that he would quit you of this sin that he would rescue you in the fourth verse it is plainly set forth In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ when ye are gathered together and my spirit with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ It is not your power it is not mans power that shall rid you of the wicked one among you in your hearts or in your Congregations but 't is the Lord that must do it and therefore you must mourn after the Lord. If you be of God you will mourn after him and you will never be quiet until his power do come down to rescue you and deliver you This mourning that you may be eased of the wicked one shews that it is not in your power In the ninth of Mark Christ went up into a mountain where he was transfigured he took up one or two of his Disciples with him and the rest he left below vers 14. these Disciples left below were set upon by the Pharisees and that Sect to tempt them and to try them that if it might be they might have a victory over them a day of them now their master was away They bring to them a Father with his child that was possessed with an evil spirit that used him and handled him piteously that threw him sometimes into the fire and sometimes into the water but the Disciples were not able to cast him out here was great joy and rejoycing among the Pharisees the Pharisees thought they had had the day As they were exulting and baffling the Disciples Christ he comes down from the Mountain when he comes down he is told what the business is vers 17. O faithless generation saith Christ how low shall I be with you bring him to me and he cast him out In this story we may see how ridiculous we shall make ourselves when we offer to set upon Satan or deal with sin when we have not the Lord Jesus with us we make but sport for the Devil and sport for the world There is no going forth but in the power of Christ Dost thou see sin Canst thou go forth in the power of Christ against it If thou canst not sit down and mourn till that spirit come till that power come Sin and Satan are too strong for man and if we deal with them without God we do nothing but endeavour by sin to cast out sin and by Satan to cast out Satan To undertake any thing against sin and have not the Lord with us is altogether in vain therefore Moses saith Vnless thou go forth with us do not carry us out hence To go forth in mans power in the power of a letter of the Scripture only it is not safe God will not be offended with us if we will not go forth without full assurance of his presence with us If he give us some assurance we should desire to have better assurance It is the power of God in which we must go out against sin successfully We shall never have rest from sin and Satan till we cease from our own works There is no going forth against sin but in the power of Christ You ought rather to have mourned that he which hath done this deed might be taken away from among you Look upon hearts look upon Churches they are both the Temple of God the House of God let God rule in his own house he hath the power there The Reformation of our own hearts and of Churches it is by the power of the spirit of God It is not in man to direct his ways Man is weak he is corrupt man and Satan in this respect are one Now the question will be If there be no going forth against sin but in the power of the spirit where is this power that reforms Congregations where is this Ministery of the Spirit where are these spiritual weapons mighty through God to cast down high thoughts and strong imaginations The Answer is It is confessed that the power of the spirit of God hath been and is yet very little abroad and therefore we see men go forth against sin and Satan and effect nothing they make nothing but sport There is little savour of life or savour of death to be seen in the Ministery of men little binding or loosing little opening heaven or shutting heaven very little forgiving sins or retaining sins in mens Consciences we know very little but a noise and a form in these things Most men that take upon them to do this they are put to it because of the weakness of their Ministery whatever brags they make to go to the civil Magistrate to back them This same power of the Lord Jesus whereby sin and Satan are thrown out of mens hearts is now but in a very low manifestation and very rarely appears But what is to be done then Not that that is usually done we must not go out as vaunting that we have that which we have not as pretending the spirit and the power of Christ with us
Christ is given me both in heaven and in earth The Father comes forth in Christ and Christ comes forth in the Saints Christ comes forth in the flesh lower then the Angels He makes him lower then the Angels he comes forth as a servant while the son is under age he is kept as a servant he is made of a woman made under the Law at last the Father comes to own him as his son and Christ owns him as his Father When the time appointed of the Father comes he sends his spirit into our hearts saying 'T is your Fathers pleasure to give you a kingdom Christ hath the keys of hell and death and he exercises these keys in his Saints We at present do not know how he exercises these but we shall know how when we feel the want of them when we see our weakness and darkness and mourn after the Lord. God hath suffered the devil hell and sin to be a kinde of Cloak and covering upon himself but when he pleaseth he will come forth and command them The Saints need not the worlds power and force to go to the world for power is to go to the devil for power The Saints have power with God and therefore must needs have power over Satan And this power the Saints obtain by mourning as the Apostle hath it in the second verse Ye ought rather to have mourned Iacob wept and made supplication wrastled with God and so prevailed The Saints indeed they are great persons but few there are that know themselves We are the sons of God but the world doth not know us God hath brought forth himself and brought forth Christ in his Saints and people but that was but a first fruits to shew what he will do fully He shall come to be glorified in his Saints and to be admired in them that believe The spirit of God was withdrawn that the man of sin might appear This is that believers should do they should be looking after this power the power of the Lord Jesus What a poor thing it is to spend our time in an outward powerless profession onely If we are Christians and of Iesus Christ we cannot do so The kingdom of God is not in word but in power Do we profess Christ Where is the power of the Lord Iesus Why do lusts and corruptions reign in our hearts Why have Satan and the world such power over us Where is the power of the Lord Jesus Where is the spirit of Eliah as Elisha said when he had seen his master taken up into heaven and had received his mantle and had a promise of a doubling of that spirit Christ is taken up into Heaven He hath told us greater works then he did in that flesh should we do in his Spirit Where is that spirit Where is that power by which devils were made to tremble and submit to him 'T is time we should begin to know our selves that we are of God that we are the Temple of God the body of the Lord that we are the fulness of Christ and that in us he will manifest himself and 't is that we should look for We should be weary of a formal outward languishing profession and so bringing forth the Lord Jesus we shall make his name known O that thou wouldst bow the Heavens that thou would'st come down and make thy name known that Hell and Death and Satan and all the powers of darkness might melt before thee Resist the devil saith James and he will flie from you What is that power by which the devil is resisted 'T is the power of Christ the power of the Lord Jesus is with his people though not yet manifested we should wait for it and not rest contented with the name but look after power to command hell and death those that have commanded us We are comforting our selves that Christ hath done this for us 'T is true he hath done this for us he will do it in us The Apostle bids us stand to it in Eph. 6. You wrastle not with flesh and blood but with principalities and powers therefore put on the whole armour of God If you be true Israel you are able to deal with God and then the devil and the world are not able to stand against you Do you believe this Then wait for it The next thing I shall commend unto you is this That we must be delivered to Satan before we can be delivered from Satan For the destruction of the flesh that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord. And if this stick in your stomacks and will not go down let me offer it to you in an old expression of Divinity as they call it that is That God leads his people to Heaven by Hell We must be delivered to Satan if ever we will be delivered from Satan Satan hath carryed all the seed of God captive in the flesh 'T is under the law of sin sin and death hath captivated the whole seed of God here this seed lieth as it were dead in a swound and in this state we dream of nothing but life and happiness great enjoyments when we are captives to Satan at his pleasure God he quickens this same seed this divine nature and then they see where they are see how they were deceived what a fools Paradise they were in then they have no rest till they be delivered This is to be delivered from Satan to see that we are in Satans power So it comes to this That there must be a discovery of our state under the power of darkness before we be delivered from it Deliver him unto Satan destroy him that he may be delivered destroy him that he may be saved kill him that he may be made alive convince him of sin then of righteousness Deliver him unto Satan is quicken him and enlighten him that he may see where he is in Satans power And whereas before there was peace when the strong man kept the house it was because he did not see Satan but now he sees him there is nothing but trouble there is no rest till he be delivered This is nothing but what the Apostle saith you hath he quickened that were dead in trespasses and sins Dead in trespasses and sins here is the seed of God under the power of Satan The spirit quickned sees whereabouts it is sees that it is in hell among devils lusts death and flames and it cannot abide here The Prodigal came to himself that was the quickning of this divine seed he was well enough before at the swine-trough till he comes to himself O then he cannot endure it he cannot live here any longer We must be delivered to Satan before we can be delivered from Satan And the ground and reason of this lieth thus God hath let all his seed fall under the hands and power of death and Satan and he would never suffer this state unless he meant they should be sensible of it unless he did
intend it should be discovered unto them God he is pleased that the devil and death should possess our life and carry it away and there is no recovering of it but by going into death and into Hell God he goes in there bindes the strong man in his house and recovers his goods There is no delivery from Satan but by being delivered to Satan and this delivery to Satan is conviction of the Spirit a cleer sensible discovery that we have been in Satans power 1. Therefore the use of it is this to call upon us to entertain convictions of the spirit that discover sin and hell and death within us It concerns us to entertain these for here is our life our salvation We must be delivered to these before we can be delivered from them Be not afraid to go into Egypt saith God by Jeremy and serve the King of Babylon for God hath delivered all-into his hands God hath delivered all flesh into Satans hand 't is in vain standing out in thy knowledge in thy righteousness thou must let all go thou must be content seeing 't is the will of God to be Satans and Hells vassal to bear thy burthen to endure thy captivity and hence the Lord will bring thee forth I do not speak that any soul should entertain Sin and Satan and Hel as the world doth with delight and pleasure for 't is death to him so to do Hell is Hell to him the devil is the devil to him but yet he sees there is no withstanding of it He must come under his power and feel he is under his power and then he shall have deliverance Therefore agree with thine adversary quickly while thou art in the way If God hath delivered thee unto Satan into his power 't is but while thou art in the way Tell the devil and sin 't is your hour I am your captive but I shall have deliverance and this discovery that I am your captive is the way of my deliverance This is the way for me to be delivered out of your hands Do not stand against conviction of the spirit do not stand against God when he convinces you that you are sinful for you will never make your selves righteous This it teacheth us first 2. In the next place This is that should quiet and still the soul in such discoveries God discovers Hell and death and sin and the power thereof to our soul Qu. Alas What shall I do I shall be damned the pit will shut her mouth upon me Answ No God is now saving when thou thinkest he is destroying Psal 18. 16. David there tells his experience and how God had delivered him out of hell He sent from above he took me and drew me out of many waters he delivered me from my strong enemy and from them which hated me for they were too strong for me But see through what a condition David was brought unto this salvation ver 4. The sorrows of death compassed me and the floods of ungodly men made me afraid the sorrows of hell compassed me about the snares of death prevented me c. to the 16 ver 'T is a description of those terrible workings in the spirits and souls of Gods people which do usher in salvation and life He discovers the foundations of the earth discovers hell there There is the Revelation of Jesus Christ that last book of the new Testament and that Revelation of Iesus Christ makes all those terrible discoveries there we read of The rising up of Iesus Christ in the soul this discovers flesh and hell and sin and so destroys them This should lift up our heads when darkness comes when we think that God is destroying his Saints he is saving them 3. And thirdly it should put us upon this to consider whether we have ever been delivered to Satan or no what discoveries have we had of Satans power of sins power hells power it concerns us to look to this For the way to be delivered from him is to be delivered to him We know the old way of Ministers that this discovery must be to such a measure and for such a time we have done with that God he works how he pleases he makes deep humiliation to be the foundation of glorious salvation From the greatest discoveries of hell and death he brings forth the most abundant glory The most dangerous estate of the soul is to be in a dead Palsie The physitian coming to one that 's taken with a dead Palsie he puts him into a Feaver to cure him This way the spirit of God takes with him that lieth dead God puts him into a feaver sends fire into his bones to secure his life his soul for the destruction of the flesh that the spirit may be saved That 's another thing to be taken notice of that sin hell and death are destroyed by a discovery He was delivered unto Satan was in his power when he committed that sin now let him see where he is for the destruction of the flesh for the destruction of Satan whose kingdom is in the flesh Satan Hell and Death are destroyed in the Saints by a discovery And the reason why the discovery destroys them is because it is such a discovery as 't is 't is a discovery by quickning You hath he quickned that were dead in trespasses and sins This holy seed which is of God cannot endure sin which is death to it A discovery by the spirit is not a notional discovery as when a man or a letter shall come and tell us but such a discovery of sin and hell as makes us feel it The spirit once awakened in a Saint sin can have no entertainment there The power of the Lord Iesus delivering us to Satan that discovery destroys Satan Hell and sin cannot be entertained but in his own place and the spirit once awakened in the Saints cannot agree with hell light and darkness Christ and Belial cannot agree And that is it that concerns every one of us that minde life and peace and salvation in good earnest to make after light after knowledge not head-knowledge but heart-knowledge the light of the spirit stand up from the dead and Christ shall give you light Wait to be renewed in the spirit of your minds to grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ Let us not stint our selves to any measure or degree of knowledge Take heed of refusing knowledge because 't is new and strange but examine it Entertain strangers kindly for by it some have entertained Angels unawares Wait for the Revelation of the Spirit the teaching of the Spirit And take another thing here That there is no discovery that destroys flesh and saves spirit but that which is made by the power of the Lord Iesus 'T is not mans discovery nor the discovery that our own Reason makes 't is not a letter discovery but a a discovery of light and power by the Lord Iesus that makes an
forbearing one another in love condescending one to another bearing one with another by humble mindedness meekness Every one is for unity and every one stands that he would rule and he would set down what should be done and he complains of dissentions and want of peace because all will not come unto him when we should condescend one to another and submit one to another with all lowliness of minde Quarrellings and contentions they are very unbecoming Saints contentions about outward things Why do ye not suffer wrong saith the Apostle Controversies in matters of Religion and Differences in Judgement these differences should be soberly carried there is but one Umpire but one Judge and that 's the Spirit of God So though thou and I differ who shall resolve the Resolution is the Lords why therefore wait quietly till God reveal and God will reveal the same to him saith the Apostle Phil. 3. 16. Is there any that fear God you shall all grow up to a perfect man What God hath revealed to one he will reveal to the other Wars Contentions quarrellings brawlings they become not Saints If any seem to be contentious saith the Apostle we have no such Custom and they that live in the Spirit will own no such Custom All differences they are commended to the Spirit commended to God and so when we differ we sit down waiting until God shall teach us till the Messiah come From whence come Wars and contentions among you T is good to enquire and examine into the root of all manner of evil that is amongst us From whence comes this and from whence comes that here 's this evil here 's the other evil t is good to look into the root and spring whence every one comes We shall have a better sight of things when we see their original and when we see their principle T is the evil principle that makes a thing evil t is a good principle that makes a thing good every thing is good and evil as the principle is good or evil God is the good principle and Satan is the evil principle as God hath a hand in all all is good and to the pure all things are pure saith the Apostle to him that is defiled nothing is pure and we are not able to judge of any thing whether it be good or evil till we know the principle The same thing that is good in one is evil in another because it comes from a good principle in one and from an evil principle in another From whence come wars and contentions It concerns us to look to the root and spring of evil to see the evil and from whence it comes Again we had need to have our eyes turn'd unto the root of evils and to see that they have their root within us and their cause within us Come they not hence even from our lusts Because we have a trick of shifting off things translating them we can hide our sins like Adam The woman thou gavest me saith he The Serpent beguiled me saith she We cry out such occasions such company such evil times Satan nay God himself But let no man when he is tempted say I am tempted of God for God tempts no man to evil every man when he is tempted is drawn aside of his own lust Whence then comes evil Whence comes wars and contentions come they not hence even from your lusts They come from your lusts Men do get children and lay them at other mens doors men binde heavy burthens and lay them on other mens shoulders the Apostle here would have every man take up his own burthen and we shall never be eased of our own burthens till we first take them on our own shoulders and then Christ will say Come to me ye that are weary and heavy laden and I le refresh you and ease you he will first have us feel the weight of our own burthens and then he will ease us and take them off The Apostle James here shews the cause of all trouble that is in us when we are in quarrels and contentions we lose our peace And whence is this thank your selves saith he it is your lust Do not say that such a one is contentious look into your own hearts All the trouble that is upon us we are the Authors of it hath its root in us we may thank our selves for it Thy destruction is of thy self saith the Lord God though he doth appoint every thing and order every thing his providence is in every thing yet that that man doth he doth freely and he is drawn aside by his lust and therefore there 's no shifting it of When the Apostle is mentioning Gods taking whom he will he brings in an Objecting Then why doth he finde fault Why here is the reason why he findes fault though he hardens Pharoahs heart yet Pharoah doth harden his own heart and is carried to do that he doth by his own lust and enticed We must see in our selves the fountain of all evil and then if we be of God we shall also see in our selves the fountain of all good There is that that is born of the flesh that hath all evil in it there is this nature that comes of God that hath all good and no evil in it From whence come wars and contentions come they not hence even from your lusts Yea hence they spring and here 's the root of all Your lusts which war in your members Your lusts What 's lust earnest going forth of your hearts after the creature and here 's the work of lust which is to war and here 's the place where this warring is In your members your lusts which war in your members What are these members in which lust doth war There is a natural body which hath members and there is a spiritual body which hath also members of these spiritual bodies there are two sorts Thère is a spiritual body the body of Christ there is a spiritual body the body of Satan there 's the man Christ and there 's the man of sin These same members in which lusts war are the members of a spiritual body which Paul expresses in Rom. 7. 23. he speaks of the Law of his members which did war against the Law of his minde he complains in the next verse of the body of death of the body of sin Who shall deliver me from this body of sin for it s a spiritual body and these members are members of that body And the Apostle mentions these in the Epistle to the Colossians Col. 3. 5. Mortifie your earthly members fornication uncleanness covetousness The members of the natural body are these hands feet eyes the members of a spiritual body the body of sin the body of death Satans body are fornication uncleanness covetousness here lust wars and this is that body the Apostle speaks of 2 Cor. 9. 37. when he says I beat down my body I keep it in subjection Papists look
upon him as intending this natural body so they betake themselves to fasting whipping themselves such bitter doings but it s the body of sin and the body of death where lust doth war War against whom Against the soul saith Peter I beseech you abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul war against the Spirit the flesh lusteth against the spirit Gal. 5. as the spirit lusts against the flesh They war against God and the Spirit and God against them there is Satan death and sin in these lusts the wisdom of the flesh is enmity to God the friendship of the world is enmity to God it wars against God This is that James saith in Verse 4. from this Text Know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity to God c. These lusts do war against God they are the bryars and thorns that are set in battel against God as it is in Isa 27. 4. Who will set the bryars and thorns against me in battel I le go through them and burn them together Lusts they war against God God comes forth in his appearances these oppose him God appears in a Law why Lust stands up in a Law I must have this I must have that says Lust God he calls he would have the heart and he would have love and he would have righteousness Lust says I must have it It wars against God and think you what Lust shall get by this warfare against the great God That you shall see here in the second ver Ye lust and have not ye kill and desire to have and cannot obtain ye fight and war yet ye have not And so Lust is miserably disappointed Lust wars and fights and kills and it does not onely war and fight and kill but it preys too Lust will be Religious Lust will murther and devour and commit all outrages and it will be as civil and as Religious as any in the outward shew Ye ask too and yet ye have not and so here 's nothing but disappointment in Lust in going out to the world ye fight and war and ye have not Ye have not what ye would have ye have not enough Disappointment in respect of Satisfaction and Rest that is the lot of Lust of all desires going out from God going out to the creature go out to any thing but God ye shall never have it Ye shall have this thing ye shall have the other thing but ye shall never be happy and the thing ye seek is happiness Every man seeks it Lust calls for this thing and the other thing ye may have the thing but ye shall never be happy He sends leanness into your souls he gave them their desires and sent leanness withal into their souls There are two things that cause the disappointment of worldly and fleshly Lust The one is that it wars with God which is Omnipotent Lust crucifies him The other is because it seeks satisfaction and rest in those things that cannot afford it and so t is like the grave and hell still it cries give give It desires shadows it clasps about them it cannot desire God It desires nothing but to kill him It would kill him that is onely desirable that is onely life and onely happiness How happy are they in whom God is killing Lust How miserable are they that are serving their Lusts when will be an end of this drudgery While ye are walking on in your Lusts you 'l set upon any thing If you can't move heaven you 'l see if you can move hell You 'l try if you can get it by Prayer if you cannot you 'l get it by fighting but you shall have it neither way You do but kill your selves all the while You war against the soul you war against God and man and must needs war against your soul While that Lust lives it brings nothing but torment It s a very hell unto a man It s the very devil therefore when James prescribes the remedy he says Resist the devil and he will flie from you Serving lust is serving the devil Its drudging in hell You 'l ever be poor you 'l never be rich you 'l be drudges while you live or else be thieves and murtherers you 'l fight and war ye kill and yet ye have not God says that hee 'l famish all the Gods of the Heathen this Lust is the great God famish this and they are all famish'd and God will famish this and what will you be famish'd with it O awake rather that it may be slain you will suffer continually while you live in it whiles you are led by it it will be with you as with a man that hath a dogs stomack it will never be satisfied like one who hath a wolf in his body it will eat him and devour him there is no satisfying him Who is it that would live in peace and not in torment if you will live in peace give up your lusts submit your selves to God let him dispose of you as James expresses in that which follows Turn to God and desire nothing but him all desires and prayings which are not after God they are only stretchings out and inlargings of heart and there is nothing but filling with wind nothing but emptying it self O that God would come in and destroy all these hungry dogs and all these greedy hell-hounds these same lusts and devils You lust and have not you kill and desire to have and cannot obtain ye war and fight and have not Here 's the progress of your lust it comes to fighting The devil is a murtherer lust is angry even unto death if it cannot have what it would have it throws firebrands and arrows t is hungry and it breaks stone walls much more through flesh walls Ye lust and ye kill whom doth it kill why it kills man 't will make you kill your neighbors Ahab for the liking he took to Naboths vineyard must have the vineyard he is sick he could not live without it here was the lust of Covetousness David must not live because he was better then Saul here 's the lust of envy Saul he 'l kill him Vriah must not live because he had an handsome wife here 's lust in David Mordecai must not live because he will not stand up to Haman a pair of gallows is built for him here 's the lust of pride it hunts for the precious life of his neighbor ye kill one another and ye kill your selves O I pitty you Lust wars against the soul it sucks the very blood of body and soul it blinds mens eyes that they do not see it and these Lusts they kill one another squable one with another there is contention among Lusts which should have the mastery and as fishes in the Sea the greater devour the smaller so it is here and many a man blesses himself in a fools Paradise is overcome while he thinks he is Conquerour Ye kill But whom do these Lusts kill They kill
world and flesh have all their rest and contentment here in the creature they have left the Creator and are turned to the creature They have forsaken the fountain of living water c. The Lord comes out of his place to punish them The Lords coming out of his place his appearance is destruction to all them that run a whoring from him After indignation hath been upon the Saints then it comes upon the world Iudgement begins at the house of God Wel what shal the end of thē be that obey not the Gospel The righteous is delivered out of trouble and the wicked comes in his place saith Solomon Behold the Lord comes out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity Assyria and Aegypt and Babylon are the scourge of God upon his people When his people are chastised then he throws his rods into the fire I will punish the stout heart of the King of Assyria Isa 10. And it is a righteous thing with God saith the Apostle 2 Thes 1. to recompence tribulation to them that trouble you and to you that are troubled rest with us It is the glory of God after he hath lent his power to his enemies to take it into his own hands and to plague them to bring them under his feet While the world is rejoycing indignation shall pass from the people of God upon the world The world I count all earthly minded people that have their joy in the creatures The friendship of the world is enmity to God If their eyes were open they would little rejoyce considering what would be the end of this the end of this mirth would be heaviness God comes forth and all their Candles go out no more the voyce of the Bridegroom in thee every one that hath his life in the earth and in the creature is treasuring up wrath to himself against the day of wrath and so much Joy and Glory as they have had so much sorrow and torment shall seise upon them The Lord is come out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity The Lord shall turn his hand upon the world after he hath purged his people And this is also to be taken notice of here That there is hope unto the people of God that the bitter cup is passed from them and the indignation is going off them when God begins to take the world in hand when indignation begins to seise upon them Hide thy self for a moment till the indignation be overpast for behold the Lord comes out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth It will not last long when God hath the world in hand he is come out of his place to punish them therefore lift up your heads You that wait for God and have your hope in him lift up your weak hands and your feeble knees when God begins to afflict the world he is drawing it off from his people their yoke is breaking when the worlds neck is going into it when God begins with Aegypt then Israels warfare is accomplished when the rods are throwing into the fire then the childrens chastisement is at an end And according unto this truth the Saints have a pleasant prospect upon the world in all the trouble and distress of it In Famines Earthquakes Pestilences Wars in all the confusions and distresses thereof then they that wait for God that love him and his appearance are called upon to lift up their heads for their redemption draweth nigh Luke 21. 28. And here is the ground of it in the Text God is come forth to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity The indignation will soon be over Hide thy self for a moment A moment and all thy trouble will be at an end all thy deaths will be dead the worlds death is coming now and deaths death is coming now The Lord is come out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth Out of his place That expression cals for our observation and it hath a word before it Behold the Lord cometh out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth And this is that is held forth to us here That while the inhabitants of the earth do live in jollity and prosperity God is as it were withdrawn out of the earth gone into his place God is everywhere and what is Gods place He is every-where but now he is pleased not to manifest himself here in the earth in the world It is a kind of withdrawing into a place going into a hole hiding himself and as it were leaving things in mens hands to rule by Satan leaving the earth and men to do their will and their pleasure There is the same expression in other Scriptures beside this Micah 1. 3. Behold the Lord comes out of his place and will come down and tread upon the high places of the earth The Lord is in a retiring place as it were it is a Metaphorical speech he is everywhere he doth not appear that that we see is man and here is the Devil in them and lust in them and violence in them a time of great jollity great rejoycing great prosperity to the inhabitants of the earth What is this time God is gone into his place he hides himself he is retired He saith I will go down and see if it be so in Sodom according to the cry of it He went down and by his appearance set Sodom on fire he retires is not seen and the fool saith there is no God The heart of worldly men saith God sees not neither doth he regard God is gone into his place le ts the Devil and sin range everywhere and do what they will There is that expression in the Gospel The Kingdom of heaven is like a certain Nobleman who went into a far Country to receive a Kingdom and return So God is as it were gone into a far Country to receive a Kingdom and who hath the Kingdom now Satan hath the Kingdom man hath the Kingdom and death hath the Kingdom sin hath the Kingdom there is little to be seen in the world but these The Spirit of God was abroad mightily in the Apostles time after Christs Ascention and then he was pleased to draw in again that the man of sin might come forth and shew himself as the Apostle hath it 2 Thes 2. He that lets will let till it be taken out of the way That was that glorious manifestation of light and power in some of the people of God in those times and that did let and the man of sin could not come forth but that shall be taken out of the way and then he should come forth and this same taking out of the way was as much as Gods going into his place And so much doth that expression hold forth of Gods being in heaven according to that of the Apostle The wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all the unrighteousness
will is If grace and salvation be reckoned by us to be safe in sin and safe in the world and in the flesh we are in the Devils deceit in the deceivableness of unrighteousness among them that perish If you will have this made out to you by Scripture the Saints of God know this in their hearts and souls but will you have it in the Scripture His name shall be called Jesus a Saviour Mat. 1. Why because he shall save his people from their sins Here is salvation to be saved from sin What is sin 'T is opposition unto God breaking his Laws to be saved from falling out with God this is salvation And to be saved from sin is to be saved from wrath there is wrath and hell in sin though it be not yet come forth but it will come forth When sin hath conceived it brings forth death if you have a Saviour he saves you from your sins Another place is Acts 3. 26. God sent Christ to bless us to turn every one of us from our iniquities You look upon your selves as blessed by Christ if you be blessed this is the blessing Turning you from your iniquities enabling you to deny ungodlines and worldly lusts You may add a third place Acts 5. 31. Whom God hath made a Prince and a Saviour he speaks of Christ there to give Repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins You like forgiveness of sins well how like you Repentance where God gives one he gives the other where Christ is our Righteousness he is our Sanctification where he is both these he is our wisdom he gives us a new minde and a new heart writes his Law in our mindes this is life this is salvation here is grace and salvation teaching us to deny ungodliness t is a work supernatural as to old Adam the corrupt Man it is only in those that spring from the Spiritual man Jesus Christ they rise up in a new life and walk in it if ye walk in the spirit fulfil not the lusts of the flesh T is the Divine Nature springing up in us that doth not live the life of the flesh if a man hath no life but in the flesh that which is indeed salvation and grace is destruction and wrath to him Teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts c. What is this denying ungodliness and worldly lusts T is that which is called in other Scriptures self-denying we have a self that is nothing but ungodliness If we be Saints indeed we have two selves a divine self a spiritual and heavenly self the new Creature the Heavenly man the Divine Nature and there is a carnal self an earthly self a self that is sin in which dwells nothing that is good There is another self contra-distinct to sin t is not I but sin in me there is a self that is Christ and a self that is corrupt Adam I do not live I of corrupt Adam but Christ lives in me Here is one self never to be denied one self that is godliness heavenly lust and heavenly desire makes after God only this self is to be pleased happy is he that pleases this self and knows this self But there is carnal self the Law of the Members this is ungodliness this carries wholly from God to the World wholly to that which is not of the Father this is to be denied And this is beating down the body that the Apostle speaks of I beat down my body What 's that is it as the Papists do to whip themselves to pine their bodies no there is a body of death a body of sin this corruption in me this self I beat down there is the old man that is to be destroyed The grace of God that brings Salvation teacheth us to deny this self this ungodly self this worldly self this self that is of the Devil And it is by bringing forth another self that this self is denied if it be truly denied for there is self denying self sin denying sin lust denying lust a master lust that starves other lusts this is not the denying that the grace of God teacheth There is a lust that is kept in with bit and bridle like a horse and mule there is denying ungodliness by the power of the Law but here t is grace that teacheth us to deny ungodliness grace that brings salvation Corrupt self denies it self but in some things the Law enables us to deny our selves but in some things some ungodliness and indeed it is not the denying of ungodliness the denying ungodliness only by a carnal man it is ungodliness T is the new man that is brought forth in true righteousness and holiness There is nothing but a shew of righteousness and holiness till this new man be brought forth after the Image of God The Law it teacheth us to deny this piece of ungodlinesse or to seem to deny it at least to deny the gross act of it but to deny it in the root of it it can never do it But the grace of God teacheth us to deny all ungodliness to come out of all that is not of God all that is not like God This life of God it purges out all filth He that hath this hope purifies himself as he is pure this life it rises out of its vail and grave and covering of worldly lusts yea it riseth from under the Law This grace of God appearing is the time appointed of the Father when we shall be no more under Tutors and Governors in the condition of Servants but Sons Heirs and Free-born SERMON II. TITUS 2. 11 12. For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men teaching us c. TEaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts Denying implies soliciting ungodliness and worldly lusts will be soliciting even in those to whom the grace of God that brings salvation hath appeared After grace hath effectually appeared there will be solicitations temptations and motions to sin ungodliness and worldly lusts soliciting and tempting to return again unto them but the grace of God that brings salvation teacheth us to deny them There is sin in our Members still there is soliciting and there is very far prevailing The grace of God that brings salvation sprouting forth is often struck back into a seed into the root again There may be a bewitching of the Spiritual man as the Apostle writes to the Galatians O foolish Galatians who hath bewitched you that you should not obey the Truth There is many a blast that comes upon the Oaks and the tall Trees and there may be withering in the branches while the substance the holy seed abides in the root There are solicitations of death after grace and Salvation hath appeared and sometimes exceeding violent In so much that Paul cries out I am carried captive O miserable man Who shall deliver me Rom. 7. The reason of this is because ungodlines and worldly lusts are not quite destroyed at once But the work is