foregoing Verse According as his divine power hath given us all things that pertain to life and godliness through the knowledg of Him that hath called us to glory and vertue Where four things are layd down in which these precious Promises are fulfilled Life Godliness Glory Vertue These are the exceeding great things promised to be though not yet attained For it is one thing to have a Promise given and another to see the accomplishment of it as Christ saith to his Disciples I will send you the promise of my Father the Holy Ghost was promised before but yet to be sent by Christ 1. The first thing promised to which you are called is Life as the promise was to Sarah That according to the time of Life God would surely visit her and she should conceive c. The Spirit of Life is promised to you though yet the Thing is to be accomplished For how do we lie at present in our graves like Dead men long out of minde how dry and desolate and waste because the Spirit of Life that should quicken and enliven is not come The time of Life is not accomplished but the promise is gone forth that at the set time He will surely visit Sarah and the dry womb shall conceive though Abrahams body be dead and Sarahs womb dead and all seem to work to the contrary For great is the desolation now upon us We are sealed in our graves under death but yet this is the promise That the Dead shal hear the Voyce of the Son of God and live And This is an exceeding large and precious Promise 1. Life implies in it a freedom from death a recovery and deliverance out of its power Alas to Live is another manner of thing then we have conceived it We have gone about and acted and spoke like living men but have we Lived in all this have we been yet ever acquitted and freed from fears of death The Terrors of Death made me afraid saith David Are you not yet kept all your life time under this fear of Death You can never have rest nor quiet because the Jaylor is ever at your heels you are not yet freed from him Death reigned it is said from Adam to Moses now Adam was made a Living Soul He had a life to see and know good and evil but yet he could not come at it could not reach the Tree of life a sword was set to keep him off there But the second Adam is a quickening Spirit He hath life in Himself He was raised up by the power of God never to dye more and this is life indeed Now how many in the World are there that never yet came to be Living Souls to have understanding and light to know good and evil but when brought to that yet there is no freedom from Death Death reigns from Adam to Moses to that farther light which comes in by the Law opened and read to the Soul When the Commandment came saith Paul sin revived and I dyed Death yet reigned And now to be freed from this cruel Tyrant from eternal Death and to be made partakers of Life is an exceeding great and precious mercy Who can value it 2. The Man that is alive is capable of instruction and teaching He can hear and learn from others but the Dead know nothing at all saith Solomon while we lie dead in darkness fears unbelief faintings of spirit so long we know nothing hear nothing we are capable of nothing of the minde of God All is confused and without order in this land of Death What is the reason think you there is such a stupid senceless careless Heart upon you not an ecchoing back as was in Davids Heart When Thou saidst Seek my face My Heart answered Thy face Lord will I seek Why is not this minde and quickness and breathings of Truth in you Why you are dead Death reigns sin hath dominion you are not yet freed from that body of Death For were you but alive it were impossible but you should hear the voyce of the Son of God Truth would touch you and that is the first thing to be done to give you life and then sense and hearing will follow But you are now as unsensible at times as a post in the house and therefore you come and go and come and go and nothing is done why because you are under death It is not yet the time of Life and He will make us know we cannot quicken our own souls Adam would have been reaching to the Tree of Life when his Eyes were opened to know Good and Evil I but a flaming sword is set turning every way to keep the Tree of Life and if ever Adam live again it must be upon other terms He must be raised by another power and that freely of gift For he is now a dead man and cannot quicken his own Soul unless that quickening spirit of Life be put within and here lies the great strait to lie at the mercy of another whether He will ever again give life or not and if he will yet it must be in his own time too and not ours and therefore the Church is at a strait and complains There was none could tell her how long How long we must lie in the dust in our graves before Life shall be given we know not we cannot get it out of his hand Truth would never be good and sweet if we could attain it by our reachings Many may press in to take the Kingdom by violence and stealth but the Examiner will come Friend how came you in hither But of a certain this Promise of Life is given to some of us Hear O Earth for the Lord hath spoken The word is gone forth that you shall surely be visited at the Time of Life and till this be accomplished you cannot be capable of instruction Your reason and thoughts cannot reach it but are to sit silent in your graves till Christ shall call Lazarus come forth and so life be given and put within and this will be an eternal Life never to dye any more Death is no more to have dominion but yet it reigns This is your hour saith Christ and the power of darkness and whilest this government is up and those noises of Hell are within we cannot hear the voyce of Truth till the Soul is freed from the stormy wind and tempest and a calm be made We many times go about to quicken our selves and get life at our own hands and so reach up hopes and conclusions and promises to bear up a while but alass all must down again we must to our center to our graves till the spirit of Life be put in We are asking what we should do and what is our way as if then we could easily turn and do it but alass there is a mistake in the bottom Life must first be given us and we must rest in our graves till then and sit in silence in our darkness and
troops of wickedness may come in at pleasure and overflow and overspread the Soul so that nothing at all can be seen but envy and lust malice and deceits the man is moulded and changed into the very image of the Devil I have known some men so wholy drunk up of the Devil that no Reason nor Sense nothing of parts and reasonableness hath been left but the very minde and disposition of the Devil hath been in all And this is to be undone indeed it is the very destruction And this is a sad condition sure to have the Soul thus destroyed Was ever sorrow or misery like this Is there not reason He should be feared that can destroy the Soul with such a destruction as this Look over it again 1. If God withdraws his sap that which enlivens and quickens and keeps up the Soul how surely doth all dye of it self and decay and wither And may He not withdraw if He please Is he bound to us Then 2. To be given up to beleeve lyes to lie under the power of deceit that nothing of Truth can reach the Soul how miserable is this And then 3. To be left here in the mire to be left thus wounded of Thieves and half dead and no good Samaritan to take pity nor look for cure for it to have none to care nor support nor look after it but be like a member cut off from the body how soon must that needs dye and wither And then 4. To have the anger of God so far kindled and gone forth that He will not hear any prayers or cries that shall be put up for the Soul Pray no more for this people When God will by no means be entreated to have mercy this is sad And lastly To be wholy left and given up into the hands and will of the Devil to be ruled at his pleasure and left wholy to be swallowed up of sin and ungodliness that nothing else appears but the very Image of Hell and the Devil this is a whole destruction indeed and wo to the man or woman that is thus beset that hath no place to turn to nor way for help or cure This is a destruction to be feared indeed Fear Him that can thus destroy Soul and Body Take heed saith the Apostle lest there be any profane person as Esau who for one morsel sold his birth-right and if you are not here prevented you are for ever miserable and the same thing is in you that would thus desperately throw away Life and Heaven and all for a trifle any vain lust and to be here prevented and not suffered to undo our selves is a mercy worth ten thousand worlds Therefore fear not them that can kill the Body Alass that is but a poor thing not worth the speaking of in compare of this destroying the Soul but Fear Him who can destroy with this destruction This I would have you minde That Men whom Christ counsels not to fear they can reach but the Body there they begin and there end in killing the Body But God when he sets against a man He begins with the Soul Fear Him that can destroy Soul and Body the Soul first and that may be struck at and have a wound though the Body live He begins there to strike and blast the Soul first and then the Body that will soon pine and fall and dye and come to nothing And now to the last thing Seventhly What is it to be in Hell Fear Him that can destroy both Soul and Body in Hell It hath these three degrees in it 1. To be in Hell is to be sensibly knowing that the Soul is excluded from God and hath no fellowship nor communion with him All the World are in Hell they have no knowledg nor fellowship nor union with God I but the sense is not upon them they know it not but cover themselves with a covering of falshood and lyes and hope and beleeve that God loves them when they have no ground nor know any such thing But now when any shall be awakened and rouzed and made to see their condition and sensibly know they are ignorant of God live at a distance from him and are so shut out and excluded as they cannot turn any ways to get to Him and know not whether ever they shall be brought to see the Kings face or not whether they shall be so far favored or not I say the felt sense of this exclusion from God is the first degree of Hell And this God can soon do He can soon awake and rouze and open how the case stands with the Soul that it may cry out with Cain My Punishment is greater then I can bear There are many in the world were they but brought to a strait to know their conditions would be found here in Cains case shut out from the Presence of God and therefore they hate the Light and are afraid to come to be judged by it 2. Another degree of being in Hell is when the Soul is made to feel the very Pains and Torments of Hell to go under the gnaw of that worm of conscience which continually dogs and gnaws and torments the Soul day and night The pains of Hell took hold upon me saith David the sorrows of Death encompassed me He was brought to this step of Hell to have no rest nor quiet in all his ways but he was not given over unto Death The Pit did not shut her mouth upon him Thou wilt not leave my Soul in Hell saith he nor suffer thy Holy One to see corruption That was his mercy and salvation c. 3. The last step of Hell which makes all up for as I said the children of God may and do many times pass through the two former but this makes it up to be Hell indeed when Everlastingness is added to the condition Go ye cursed into Everlasting Fire when there is an everlasting Sentence of Exclusion when the great gulph is set as Abraham answered Between us and you is a great gulph set that they that would come from you to us cannot c. This is the Hell indeed And the Time is coming that this will grow up to be more known in the World that men shall have their Hell opened and their sentence read in their own consciences For how have all things been in the dark hitherto How few of the Children of God in former days have had a clear evident and certain knowledg of their Salvation And so for the children of the Devil how few have had their consciences opened and condemnation sealed but have slept out their days sottishly and gone hood-winked to Hell But as the Truth shall get up to open Salvation to the sons of God that that is their lot and portion so certainly will it grow up for others to be divided to their own stock and kinde and go under the feeling and sense of their condemnation as the Apostle saith of some whose damnation slumbreth not And
fire and live in the water That which nothing can shake But so far as the Salvation hath wrought a work indeed the Soul can say with David Though the Earth be moved and the Mountains cast into the midst of the Sea yet in this will I be confident c. So far as I am saved I am saved Death where 's thy sting Hell where 's thy victory This condemns and judges the World That this Ark takes in no water That there should be no staggering in the Soul but like Mount Zion which cannot be moved Wilt thou still hold thine integrity said that cursed Wife I says Job till I dye I will not give up my integrity But the man be he who he will be he never so wise bold and resolute to carry it out who hath not this Assurance by a sure and tryed work in his Soul I dare lay down my life for it there are times of staggerings and doubtings within calling his condition in question do what he can Let him nail his god never so fast yet Dagon must fall before the Ark some searching word of Truth will get in between the joynts of the closest armor and pierce their confidence do what they can 6. Noah condemns the World in this That though he be safe in the Ark and hath attained a sure refuge from the Flood yet this satisfies him not he is not at rest yet but sends forth the Dove to enquire about the abatement of the waters There is a condition beyond a sure and safe condition when Christ himself the Saviour is to deliver up the Kingdom to the Father when He promises to pray the Father to send them ANOTHER COMFORTER the Spirit of Truth to abide with them for ever And this is that Dove which the Soul can now send forth to carry out its requests to God and bring tydings from him And this is that which condemns the World That they have no such intercourse with God they have no such Spirit given to make their requests known by Though they may cut themselves and cry aloud O Baal save us yet no Answer comes there is not this Dove which Noah sends forth that can bring an Olive branch of Peace in its mouth and give a sure intelligence that the waters are abated that the wrath is ceased 7. He condemns the World by the real work of saving his house He prepared an Ark to that purpose to save his house and it did the thing intended He did save them And this judges all the World who though they build much yet they save none The wall and the dawber fall together They flee from their sheep when the Wolf comes and leave their eggs in the dust like the Ostrich But Noah did the thing he did save his house He left them not in the mid way till he brings them into the Ark He travels and is pained in Soul till Christ be formed in them This is that Interpreter one of a thousand that can shew to man his righteousness and never leaves till that be done and this condemns the World That sensual and devilish part will never endure thus to stick to the work to cleave to a people through all gainsayings opposings and ill requitals Many can preach so long as they may have honor and gain and be well thought of but now take away their Money or cross their Wills let them be despised and dishonored and they can presently be gone and leave their people and rid their hands of trouble so that they will stick to none farther then they can serve themselves and their own ends and thus nothing comes of their preaching They bring their people to nothing in the conclusion I have known some Ministers my self that have been preaching these thirty years and not a man converted by them What a miserable case is this But alass they were never taught themselves and how can they teach others But the Noahs they have a charge given them over their people they cannot get from them so easily You shall not see my face unless your youngest Brother be with you said Joseph They must not leave a hoof behinde that belongs to Israel Such a charge as this is layd upon me concerning some of your Souls That if you fall short I shall bear the blame for ever The blood will be required at my hand if I deal not faithfully and bring you home if you are not saved to the utmost But the encouragement to me is That some have gone through this work Noah did save his house his labor was not in vain and the Promise to Christ is He shall see of the travel of his Soul and be satisfied Noah is rewarded for his many years labor He saves his house And if the Lord would please after all my twenty years Travel and Preaching but to give me a People that might indeed build this Ark and attain to a sure knowledge of their Eternal Condition That they shall LIVE FOR EVER It would requite me for all if some of you might come forth thus to be Judges of the World and build such an Ark of Truth as that all the Dagons and Idol-worships of the World must fall before it III. The third Effect that follows this building of the Ark is this He became an Heir of the Righteousness which is by Faith And about this three things may be considered 1. What is this Inheritance It is a very large Inheritance it is to enjoy the Lord to be joyned and made one Spirit with him The Lord is my portion saith David The Lord is my lot my refuge the lifter up of my head This is a wonderful large Inheritance Great is the Portion of his People Thus shall it be done to the man whom he delights to honor He shall have an Inheritance in Light an Inheritance incorruptible and that fadeth not away no altering of it When I awake I am still with thee saith David His Inheritance abides sure to him Many have a great Portion to look on they have a great stock of Peace and Knowledg and Hopes and Confidence I but a worm eats through the Gourd in a night Riches make them wings and flee away Thus is the hope of the Hypocrite His house falls when he comes to lean on it His great bulk of confidence is but a heap of chaff which the wind soon blows away But David could say The Lord is my Portion I have enough The Lord lives and blessed be the Rock of my Salvation 2. What is it to be an Heir To be an Heir is to be born with a right and title to an Inheritance to have an Estate fall to one by right so that it cannot be cut off it can neither be sold nor given away from the Heir Now this is wonderful To be born with such a right and title to Eternal Life such a neer Interest in the Lord that nothing can separate from him neither tribulation nor sufferings nor life
that are to be saved may dye in this Wilderness And there is an everlasting Death to be utterly cut off and separated from God And can you have any rest till you are satisfied in both these for your state and for your attainment Can you get off from that voyce within you If I sit here I dye 2. You that indeed hear this noyse in your Souls do you learn of these Lepers venture into the host fall under the hand let nothing keep you back not because you are forlorn and miserable and all overspread with sin shall this keep you back But it shall not keep back all some must enter and come as they are in their rags and unclean garments they must venture upon the swords point and if ever you get bread it must be this way not by ease and sitting still and shunning sufferings No but by venturing into the midst of the Host in taking up the Cross dayly not by picking and choosing here a bit and there a bit but if hungry indeed the whole Lamb must down and the bitter herbs nothing must be too hard 3. The manner of these Lepers going without conclusions one way or other for or against themselves this may shew you the right way of coming at a peradventure not propounding to our selves what will come on it but to venture and leave the success to another to lie before the sword and say Let him do his pleasure Lo here I am let him do what seems him good If it please him he is able he can cure and heal and save us but if not lo here we stand in his presence and lie at his mercy Thy Will be done OR Christs Amen to the bitter Cup. SERM. XV. July 6. 1651. MATTH 26.42 He went away again the second time and prayed saying O my Father if this Cup may not pass except I drink it Thy Will be done The Analysis FOur General Things observed from the words I. This Cup must in no ways pass from Christ without drinking II. Christ certainly knew this by proving and trying to the utmost to escape III. The ground why it cannot pass was the Will of God IV. Christ submits and bows to this at last Thy Will be done In this Submission of Christ seven Particulars considered 1. He submits to be betrayed by one of his Disciples that eat at his Table they took sweet counsel together this a great woe 2. Submits to be betrayed into the hands of sinners not righteous persons and here seven Aggravations considered 1. They are a multitude that which is the Betrayer of the Soul le ts in a multitude an Host swarms of ungodliness 2. They come against him with swords and staves not only swords to kill but staves to defend and prolong the misery 3. They lay hold on him sins get upon the Soul and are too strong it cannot shake them off 4. They bring him before the High Priest an Enemy and unequal Judg so the Soul brought befo e the Devil to be judged 5. When He begins to speak they flap him on the mouth so is the Truth snib'd within if it speak a word to clear it self 6. They crown him with thorns so the Truth pestred and cumbred with thorns cares fears c. 7. They seek false witness against him to put him to death so the great search in the Soul is to prove all has been deceit c. 3. Christ submits to be put to death unjustly no just thing is against him but only false accusations yet he submits to dye 4. He submits to a most base unworthy and ignominious death 1. Crucified between two Theeves Truth dies between the man and Devil 2. Buried in the field of blood the place of a skull 3. The Souldiers part his garments Lusts share the garments of Truth 5. Submits to be left of all his Disciples and Friends they all fly away so all the labours and good that ever the Soul hath done now forsake it 6. His Father hides himself from him He cries My God my God but not now my Father His bowels are hid 1. He hides himself because his Son is to dye and he will not see the death of his Child 2. He doth it that the Son may learn obedience from what he suffers Nothing so crushes the Soul as the absence of God 3. He doth it that the blow may seize whilest he is present 't is impossible the Soul should dye Three children burn not 7. That which adds to all He submits to be dumb and silent not to complain under all this and that for three Reasons 1. That he may stand to his word He had consented Thy Will be done and if now complain he contradicts all 2. Dumb to give no evil example of murmuring to others 3. That he might not lose all his recompence and reward All was brought home practically and Application made 1. To enquire every one What is my Judas that lurks and lies hid what will be my Betrayer need to know it 2. To inform what we are to meet with if we will go to life we must drink the same Cup therefore let it not be strange MATTH 26.42 He went away again the second time and prayed saying O my Father if this Cup may not pass except I drink it Thy Will be done HAving spoke several times to you of the General Points observed from the words we came at last to the fourth Point viz. After all means used by Christ to avoyd this Cup after all strivings intreatings and prayings O my Father if possible let this Cup pass yet at last submits Thy Will be done In the conclusion he bows and buckles and is ground under and made to cry out Thy Will be done And in this saying there is so large and vast and deep a thing contained that truly it swallows up all things else Heaven and Earth and all creatures are as nothing before this Will of God All things must come to buckle and be crusht and lie in the dust before it Alas it will make the sensible heart to shake and tremble and the ears to tingle to hear and see what Christ here submits unto what he gives consent to in saying this word Thy Will be done an unfathomed depth of submission and bowedness of Soul lies up in it to take up all sufferings and sorrows and miseries that can befall For more plainness I branched out the thing into seven Particulars which Christ here submits to and to which all the saved ones must consent and follow in the same steps In which seven particulars ten thousand miseries and sufferings are layd up which no heart can conceive nor tongue express what all they must pass through that go to life and shall be made to drink of the Brook in the way before they must lift up their heads 1. In this saying Thy Will be done He submits to be betrayed by one of his Disciples one of his own house lifts up himself against him
one that eat of his bread and was his familiar friend as 't is expressed in the Psalmist We took sweet counsel together and walked in the House of God as friends And this is a wonderful misery to take up Had it been an enemy I could have born it but thou my friend my familiar c. This cuts to the heart This very case befalls the Soul in which Truth is There is something that sticks near to it a friend that lies in its bosom and is nursed and favoured by it something that walks in the House of God with it and pretends to be for God and Truth and pleads hard as if all were intended for the Souls good and this will be a sad day when this very thing shall be found to be the Betrayer and yet this Christ submits to when he consents Thy Will be done 2. Fâ—rther He submits to be betrayed into the hand of Sinners And here are seven great Aggravations of misery 1. They are a multitude into whose hands he is betrayed This flattering and smooth-mouth'd Betrayer this Judas that comes with a kiss and salutes Hail Master a great multitude is at his heels he brings in a whole Troop after him Oh that you could read the thing in your selves in the work upon your own Souls For there is all this to be fulfilled if you go in the same way with Christ and tread in his steps if you drink of the same Cup as all the saved ones must for there is no other way to life but to be planted into the likeness of his death the likeness in all cases though not the very same particular Tryals that he had And now this you shall find true that when ever this Judas that betrays the Soul gets in when by his counsel or wisdom or flatterings and fair promises that cursed Betrayer gets in his foot and deceives the Soul with a kiss then he lets in a multitude of enemies against us then come in the swarmings of wickedness They compassed me about like Bees saith David Then come in all the floods of ungodliness and make the Soul afraid Then all the fountains of the great deep are broke up and come with violence ready to sweep away all before them Then the Sea brings forth abundantly all manner of creeping things Then a night presently overtakes the Soul and all the beasts of the Forrest creep forth Strange monsters and things we never saw before mire and dirt and strange wickednesses appear that we never thought had been in us This Betrayer brings out all against us We had thought we had been knowing and well seen into the ways of God but now ignorance and mists and confusion beset that the Soul cannot see nor know one distinct Truth We had thought we had been good-natured and tender-hearted and friendly however but now rage and madness and desperateness get up We had thought sure we had a will and desire towards God and were willing to be ruled and ordered by him but now the punctual fightings and opposings and resistings shew themselves that the Soul is made clearly to see it chooseth Death rather then Life All monstrous wickedness gets up when this son of perdition is to be revealed in the Soul and hath once betrayed it I would you might read these things as we go for all this a written for our learning and if this was done to the green tree then what shall be done to the dry This is no other condition then what hath befallen our fathers in their day When God hath brought them to Judgment and this work of bringing them through death to life was in hand they ever had a Betrayer that lay close and did them all the mischief and brought these Troops of Enemies against them and it cannot be prevented This son of perdition will thus act he will betray and bring the Soul to death and he lies close he is in all the saved ones and there is no other way to life but by having him cast out But he will first surely spit his poyson and play all his pranks if it were possible to undo the very Elect Such an Host such a multitude he brings with him that sometimes it agasters and amazes the man to see how he is beset what swarms of iniquities strange unthought of lusts appear And we shall all surely find this true in our selves when God shall have that work in hand of bringing us down to death the house appointed for all the living which all the saved ones must pass 2. This multitude come armed and provided against him with swords and staves and herein lies a great mystery if you were able to read it Thy rod and thy staff sustain me saith David The Enemy also he hath swords and staves to destroy and mind there are staves as well as swords Now staves are dull weapons and though they may bruise and batter yet they kill not and this is a great aggravation of the misery that the sword may not come alone suddenly to cut off and make an end but there are staves too that bruise and batter the Soul and yet touch not its life but it must hang in death And this Job cries out against O that I could find the grave then should I be at rest I but in those dayes it is said men shall seek death and it shall fly from them They cannot dye and this wonderfully adds to the misery that the Soul is wounded and cut and pierced and yet cannot reach to dye the staves keep off the sharpness of the Sword that it doth not quite kill The Sword of the spirit is the Word of God the true Light that the enemy makes use of that searches and cuts and judges and finds guilty every where and leaves no thought unjudged and this Sword would soon cut off where it let loose Thou writest bitter things against me saith Job and this though it be cruell yet it would seem easier to the Soul in that day and under that anguish if it might but go on to make an end then should I yet have comfort c. saith Job Iob 69 10. But there are staves too that keep off the blow from coming to the heart There are secret hopes from the Devil steal in and get up do the Soul what it can that so it cannot dye but lies thus miserably hattered to and fro and can get no wayes as David cries out Thou hast beset me behind and before that the Soul can neither get to God nor from God nor to death nor from death O Lord who can read the Riddle 3. This multitude lay hold on Christ and lead him away they are too potent and strong and he hath no might nor strength to withstand them This is your hour and the Power of darkness but it is the day of his weakness his wings are cut that he cannot get away He cries out I am a worm and no man a scorn and reproach
among the People and this the Soul shall find true in it self there is a time when Christ is strong and can get away from them a time when the Soul could deal with its lusts and curb and beat them in when ever they appeared and like Sampson when ever the Philistins came to bind it It could but arise and shake it self and get loose again I but there is a time when Sampsons strength is departed and the Philistins prevail and carry him by force and put out his eyes and make him grind in a mill and he cannot withstand such hold do sins lay upon the Soul They take such fast hold on me saith David that I cannot loook up and again speaking in the name of Christ My sinnes are gone over my head as a burthen too heavy for me to bear they stick close to the Soul that it cannot get loose they stick as the flesh to the bones that the Soul is no wayes able to shake off these Lions and Tygers and devouring beasts that lay hold upon it it is impossible for the soul to get them off but it â—s led captive and made to serve and follow whither this wicked rabble will lead it and here Iob cries out That which my Soul refuseth to touch is made my sorrowfull meat and so Paul cries out that he was a slave and sold under sin and that which I hate and would not do that I do saith he such a strange haling is there and leading captive by sin And this you will all have a time to find true that your iniquities will be too hard for you you will not be able to stand before them they will prâ—vail and have the victory else what need that challenge to Death and Hell where is your victory if they had not the victory once yes they surely will have the victory over all but now not to be left in Hell not to be holden of the grave but to be raised up by the same Almighty power which raised up Christ this will be the Salvation but this will be the sad day to the Soul when it shall be thus left in the hands of Sinners In those dayes they shall mourn c. We promise fair I can submit to be ruled ordered and part with this and other and be denyed of my wil and runs of heart alass you know not your heart nor the multitude and strength of your enemies They wil surely come to be too hard for you that you shal not be able to get out of their hands but a base rabble company of unworthy lusts which somtime the Soul hath scorn'd should touch it now lay hold lead it away like an ox to the slaughter and as a fool to the correction of the stocks and it cannot help it nor wring any ways out of their hands 4. They bring him to the high Priest and set him before a partial unequal judg that is set against him and right or wrong will certainly do what he can to put him to death and thus is the Soul dealt with in this day when it is betrayed into the hands of its lusts They presently lead and hale it to be judged by their own King the Devil he sits in the seat of Judgement to hear and cast the matter he who never favoured Truth was never a friend to it but a murtherer from the beginning seeking all wayes and means to destroy yet He must now be Iudge and condemn and accuse and upbraid the Soul in this day of its calamity Now Shimei comes out and upbraids and curses David Come out thou bloody man Now all the blood of Sauls house is come upon thee Alas there was another hand in it he was clear and innocent concerning Sauls blood he had spared his life when it was in his hands to slay him and had done good to Sauls house but yet this false charge must be laid in his dish and he must bear the railing and go away as guilty O Lord if your Souls be awake and do but mark the carriages within you will see what a stir this wicked Judge makes to find some false accusation or other for which he may pass a sentence of death against the Soul how doth he bestir him to prove that all that ever the soul had or did was but a deceit and in hypocrisie and no truth was in the bottome of it and this is a token you were a deceiver saith the Judg and this proves you will come to nothing you ever had a base taint in all you did a base selfish end and here the poore creature stands amazed and silenced at these cruell charges when presently this wicked Judge is upon its back and will not give a breathing time but asks an answer Answerest thou nothing to what these accuse thee of he calls for an answer in a moment when the Soul stands amazed and nonplust and knows not how to get up a sober thought or word at such an instant to plead for it self yet then they press to have the Sentence pass against the Soul as if there were nothing of truth and singleness but a dissembling hypocriticall heart in all 5. When Christ begins to speak for himself presently one smites him upon the mouth answerest thou the high Priest so why saith Christ If I have spoken evil bear witness of it but if good why smitest thou me So if you can read the Parable when ever the Soul in this day goes about to speak a word for it self though never so fairly and soberly and according to truth opening the thing as it is presently one or other of this Rabble multitude flap it on the mouth some base fear or discouragement comes in What dare you look towards God Dare you speak or plead a word for your self Are not you found guilty and deceitfull here and there And do you look for mercy so that when this work must pass of bringing the Soul to death all things must work to that purpose it may not have liberty to speak a word to clear it self how innocent and clear soever it be 6. They crown him with Thorns A Crown of Thorns indeed 'T is said of the Thorns that they choked the seed and made it unfruitful A Crown of cares and pesters come in which way to take and what to do to escape this hand and get from the blow Oh that the King of Glory should wear such a Crown as this He that was born to a Crown of Glory a Crown of Gold yet he too must be rent with these Thorns He was under cares and fears and therefore 't is said He was heard in the things he feared He looked about to his right hand and to his left to see if there were any to help but he found none This Crown of Thorns rends his head the cares and fears which in the day of his flesh did beset him Then they put on a Purple robe in derision and scorn they mock
present conditions What the Ark types out and what was signified by its three stories c. SERM. VIII The Effects consequent upon Noah's building the Ark How He saved his House by it with Considerations about the way and manner of it How this building of the Ark condemns the whole World and in what particulars How Noah became Heir of the Righteousness by Faith Where is opened what the Inheritance of the Saints is what it is to be an Heir and how the Soul comes to partake and have use of both SERM. IX How all men lay at first in one lump How the difference was put in choosing some and not others What it is to choose with several considerations touching the nature of it What it is to be of the royal Priesthood with the Priviledges belonging to it Certain Marks and Characters to distinguish the chosen Generation from all others c. SERM. X. How and in what respects the people of God may be exprest under the notion of a City Why a little City How 't is said few men are in it and in what Considerations Who the great King is and what his bulwarks with the manner of his raising them The poor wise man who he is where to be found by what certain characters he may be known and how he delivers the City c. SERM. XI What sort of People the Lords house was a type of why God will have a House built What are the true materials of it Why the Soul is backward to this work and pleads It is not time to build with an Explication of the miseries for not building on the one hand on the other the great Priviledges that attend the work SERM. XII That the way God chooseth to make out himself to his people is by a Prophet and for what Reasons How this Prophet goes neer to God and what that implies What the main things are God speaks to his people by this Prophet and would have them know viz. their present place their next Way their utmost End What the true nature of Hearing is with Considerations about it SERM. XIII Four great Dispensations or Times of Mans the Devils Christs and Gods Raign opened What the Souls several Woes are under the Devils raign What the Devils main armour is How and by what means Christ overcomes him and how he divides the spoyl with Application of all SERM. XIV The Lepers present misery opened in its several Branches and parallel'd to the Souls condition Their hopeless Case ever to be recovered hence and where the point of the Strait lay The great Submission wrought in their spirits to venture their lives with Considerations about it parallelling all to the inward work of Salvation SERM. XV. Christs great Submission in being brought to say that word Thy Will be done opened in all its Branches His betraying by Judas delivering up into the hands of Sinners unjust Arraignment ignominious Death Disciples forsaking His Father withdrawing He Dumb under all what all these Cases meant and how verified in the work upon the Soul Precious PROMISES AND THE Divine Nature Opened and Unfolded SERM. I. March 16. 1650 1. 2 PET. 1.4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious Promises that by these you might be partakers of the divine Nature having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust The Analysis THree things in general were observed from the words 1. What are these exceeding great and precious Promises 2. What is it to partake of the divine Nature 3. Who are They that are to be partakers both of these precious Promises and divine Nature Those that have escaped the corruption of the world through lust First These exceeding great and precious Promises concern four things spoke of in the former Verse Life Godliness Glory Vertue The first great Promise is of Life to have life given from the dead to receive it of God the world are all dead while living This promise of Life takes in three things 1. To be freed for ever from fears of Death now dye no more 2. To be capable of instruction Dead men can learn nothing 3. A fitness for action and employment The Living the Living shall praise c. 2. The second Promise is of Godliness a God-like mind in all like the pattern Just patient merciful holy c. 3. Glory is promised Moses face shone There is a lustre and glory in the Truth which very Enemies must own and bow under 4. Vertue a quick and lively power in Truth no dry thing but a savor of life or a savor of death The Uses were to two sorts 1. To some to enquire seriously what they seek in coming and going life or death whether a need and strait for life Then 2. If a want and stress for life yet on what terms would you have it Is it promised to you else why hope you 3. To consider what you would have life for for ease peace safety to your selves or the service of Truth 2. To others that are indeed in the grave bound in fetters of darkness and sin as if never deliverance should be to minde such that the promise of Life is surely made That Sarah shall conceive according to the time of life c. Secondly What is it to partake of the divine Nature This divine Nature is the Holy Ghost and to partake of this implies 1. An indwelling a setling abode of it not as a wayfaring man but as a well of living waters within 2. It implies a known and felt receiving of this Divinity the man made to know and feel and close with it 3. This Divine Nature where it is given and received is fruitful brings forth of its kinde and image moulds the man into it The Uses were 1. Enquire what we would come to whether ready to receive and be married to this Divine Nature else never expect children 2. To inform that the door is yet open the Promise and Call are yet to us why are we no more minding it c. 2 PET. 1.4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious Promises c. THree things in general I would this day open to you 1. What are these exceeding great and precious Promises 2. What it is to be partakers of the divine Nature 3. Who they are that shall be partakers both of the precious Promises and Divine Nature not all men all are not fitted for it but such as have escaped the corruption of the world through lust For there is a great deal in us that seems to be for God which is but lust if well examined the Heart of man is full of cheats and deceitful above measure but God will not be mocked none shall partake of his Nature and Being but such as have escaped lust He will have no fellowship with the stool of iniquity First What are these exceeding great and precious Promises Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious Promises The words have relation to the
sure we are beyond them and honester then They There is something that judges and gets above them do what they can and however they envy hate and oppose and will not stoop under it yet such a glory there is in the Truth such a lustre and shining as will manifest it self and therefore the promise is The Righteous shal shine as the Sun in the firmament 4. The fourth great and precious Promise is to be Partakers of Vertue Now Vertue is either taken for a quick and lively fresh power in any thing as when we say such an herb is full of vertue to smell on or such meat is full of vertue to taste on or else Vertue is some secret hidden power which can neither be smelt nor tasted but yet is perceived As in the Loadstone there is a hidden vertue to draw Iron c. So there is a lively Vertuous Power in the Word of Life it will take some effect or other and not return in vain for either it meets with its own kind in us and that relishes and tastes and finds a sweetness in it as David says Thy Word is sweeter unto me then the honey and the honey-comb It is a sweet smelling savour to that a savour of life unto life but if it meet with the enemy that evil principle in us that curses and rages and rends and teers the child at the sight of Jesus it is a savour of death unto death to That Who ever they are that neither taste a sweetness in Truth nor smell a savour of rest from it yet there is a secret vertue that will cut them to the heart Nabal's heart dyes and faints in him do what he can It strikes a secret blow and gets in between the joynts of the armour There is a living vertue in it and like a potion of Physick it will work one way or other either make better or worse And thus the first thing is opened to you What are these great and precious Promises And before I come to the next thing to open what it is to partake of the Divine Nature I would have this I have said well looked over by you For who of you is yet fit to be marryed to Christ He will not take another mans wife whilest we have a husband living any created thing in whose bosom we lie and take delight and pleasure so long we are not a wife for Christ and if our hearts be pulled off by force only and the way hedged up that we cannot find our Lovers this is not that which pleaseth him neither He will not marry a divorced woman but only a chaste Virgin a Heart that stands loose and clean from all corruptible things such a heart only is a fit Spouse for Christ to be Partaker of this divine Nature But 1. It concerns some of you to enquire what â—it is you seek Life or Death None of you I know will say Death you would all have Life But what then mean the bleatings the cryings and huntings after perishing Things where Death is in the pot Why are you living in the creatures in your own wills and counsels Why are you not at a strait to cry out to be saved if Life be the Thing you seek There are many Seekers in the World the Greeks seek after wisdom and the Jews they seek a sign some seek ease and quiet and rest from their torment some seek wisdom and knowledg and parts to be great and honoured but Death is in all this See then what would you have Is Life the thing you seek for or have you it already If you are partakers of Life indeed then the rest will follow Godliness will then come in a God-like mind to be just single merciful h ly like to the Pattern and then Glory will follow your good works will shine before men and then a vertue will go forth which may be savored and relished in all your words and actions But now do these things appear in us what is it we seek what would we have is Life the Thing would we have Christ to dwell in us No we would not all come so near we would have Christ a great way off at the right hand of God to save us at the last gasp when we come to dye but not live the life of the Righteous But be not deceived it is in vain to come hither if we seek not Life But then 2. Suppose a stress be upon you that indeed you would reach out to the Tree of Life because you are smit to the ground and cannot escape the hand but it will bring you to Death do what you can But now enquire upon what grounds wouldst thou have Life upon what account why dost thou hope or expect it is it promised to thee is the word gone forth from Christ that He will raise thee up at the last day what ground have you to hope more then all the world though you may seek it yet that will not do it neither Esau sought the blessing with tears And Christ saith Many shall seek to enter and shall not be able And Paul saith That Israel obtained not what they sought after but the Election obtained it There is a People which shall surely be Partakers of Life to whom the Promise is made but no other The Promise is sure to all the Seed therefore see how standest thou in all thy seeking and hoping for Life Hadst thou ever a Promise of Life given thee either to thy self witnessed to thy own Soul or given to any of his People for thee that Thou shalt Live c. For a vain thing it is to go and take Promises up out of the Scripture and make them our own Promises made to Abraham and David and the rest what are these to thee unless God make them over and give them to thee as He did to them And then 3. Enquire what would you have Life for would you have it to please your selves to live to your wills to be at ease and be freed from troubles Alas this is not a right seeking of it As Jehu answered the Kings messenger concerning Peace What hast thou to do with Peace So what hast thou to do with Life it belongs not to thee unless there be that end in it to live for anothers service and not thy own Therefore it is of great concernment to know what we are about I wonder sometimes on what uncertain bottoms you stand you know not whither you go nor what you would have in all your hearings but like the picture of a rampant Lyon on the wall come seven years hence and that is still in the same place So I have known some of you these many years to be Seekers and Professors and Talkers but you are still where you were seven years ago as carnal sensual as blind ignorant in the ways of God as much glued to the world and seeking your selves not removed a step nearer God then you were c.
out of the words I. Who are They that will kill the Body They are hinted out Vers 17 21. Beware of men And they are ranked into four sorts 1. Governors Which are set to defend and protect yet beware of these they shall be against you 2. Kings Which are set to defend and protect yet beware of these they shall be against you 3. Brethren Brother shall betray Brother to Death c. 4. Children and Children against their Parents c. This wonderful unnatural yet all made true in our own experience II. What is it to kill the Body what ways may they take to do that 1. By taking away estate and means which maintain the Body 2. By reproaches and evil reports that none will Trade with us 3. By binding our hands that we may not defend our selves 4. By ensnaring and making an evil of our words 5. By tentering the Law to the utmost that no stirring but we may be found offenders 6. By false witness as against Christ when He innocent 7. They may kill by their Law when we clear by Law of God These several ways may They kill the Body if the Lord prevent not III. The Exhortation Fear not them Why should not They be feared that kill the Body 1. Fear them not in respect of themselves For 1. They are vanity a nothing fade as the grass 2. They but instruments the sword cannot cut without the hand 3. Pity them 'T is their woe and misery to do this work 4. Before their Plots are ripe They may be cut off so Haman was and the Powder-Treason prevented in very nick 2. Fear not in regard of the Body which they can kill 1. The Body is but the outside the cask the shell 2. 'T is a perishing thing and will soon dye of it self 3. This is not to enter into glory but must first put on incorruption therefore this but a small thing to kill the Body IV. Whom ought we to Fear FEAR HIM that can destroy Soul and Body And that for these Reasons 1. He is our Maker our Being and all we have is of Him 2. He can bring down and twist away thy life and all in a moment 3. He hath no Controuler none can rescue out of his hand 4. In thy own conscience He hath many just occasions against thee 5. He will certainly bring to judgment and account for all thoughts words actions Therefore there is good ground to fear Him 6. Fear Him because there is mercy with Him VI. What is it to have the Soul destroyed what ways doth God take to bring this about Five several ways 1. By withdrawing the sap when God leaves striving and motioning the Soul dyes of it self if not fed upheld maintained 2. By giving up the Soul to beleeve lyes wholy filled with them 3. By leaving it alone without one to pity pray or care for it 4. By shutting out all prayers and means that nothing shall prevail 5. By taking away all doors and gates that all lusts and floods of ungodliness may break in and mould the Soul into the image of the Devil VII What is it to be in Hell In three Things 1. When the Soul sensibly feels it is excluded from God Many are in Hell and know it not the thing is not opened 2. To feel the torments and pains of Hell the warm that dyes not 3. To have the everlasting sentence of this condition witnessed to the Soul this makes up all the saved ones may be in the two former All summ'd up in a word of Vse 1. If possible to warn some of this woe That They may never come into this place of torment 2. To minde such as shall be saved both by hintings in themselves and witness from others yet see how neer destruction you may come 3. To counsel us to stand in awe always to fear not knowing what we may be left to lest that day come unawares c. MATTH 10.28 And fear not them that can kill the Body and are not able to kill the Soul c. I Would propound these several things to you to be considered of out of this Scripture 1. Who they be that will kill the Body 2. What it is to kill the Body 3. Why should they not be feared that can kill the Body 4. Whom ought we to fear Fear Him c. 5. Why should we fear Him what cause for it 6. What is it to have the Soul destroyed 7. What is it to be in Hell First Who are they that will kill the Body You may see in the Verses before Christ speaks to his Disciples Behold I send you forth as sheep amongst Wolves be ye therefore wise as Serpents and innocent as Doves But beware of MEN for they will deliver you up to the Councels c. And it is farther explained who these MEN be of whom they should beware Ver. 18. And you shall be brought before Governors and Kings for my sake for a testimony against them And vers 21. And the Brother shall deliver up the Brother to death and the Father the Child and Children shall rise up against their Parents and cause them to be put to death So that these MEN are of these four sorts Governors Kings Brethren and Parents 1. Beware of Kings Kings should preserve their People and Solomon saith The Glory of a King is in the multitude of his People And we can truly witness for our selves and God is our Witness that we have been and are as true faithful and loyal to the present Government of the Kingdom as any other who ever yet we know not how their hearts may be ordered to consider of us Such cases have been we know as that Kings have been let out to undo and pillage and kill their own Subjects And though we may yet truly own the many mercies and liberties we have enjoy'd by this Parliament yet who knows how Things may be turned against us such a case may be Christ bids beware of Kings 2. Beware of Governors Now Governors and Rulers are appointed of God to be a Terror of evil works but not of good They were set to be Defenders and Protectors of them that do well to defend to secure to do them right and justice against such as falsly reproach slander or any ways wrong and injure them yet Beware of men saith Christ Governors themselves shall be against you such as should defend and secure you And we have lately had some experience of this how our Governors which should have been our safeguard and protection that they have slighted our Cause and rather inclined to the false accusations of our adversaries then hear us speak the Truth for our selves nay if the Lord had not prevented it we might have been knockt on head and have lost our lives by the rude and envious multitude which were set against us 3. Brethren Brother shall betray Brother c. Beware of Brethren And how hath this been made true upon us also
nor death things present nor things to come None can pluck them out of my Fathers hand saith Christ This is wonderful 3. How came Noah to this Inheritance He became Heir of the Righteousness which is by FAITH He came to it by beleeving That is the way how this Portion is made over to all the Noahs even by Faith Though it belongs to them before yet they enjoy but as they receive and they receive as they beleeve Be it unto thee according to thy Faith They begin but with a little flock a little beleeving O ye of little Faith saith Christ but a small grain of mustard-seed A little Faith to set up with and that too of things not yet seen things out of sight out of hand and yet by improving this little how doth it grow and grow and spread to a large Tree What encrease comes of it It leaves not growing till it brings up the Soul and joyns it in to God himself till Noah is made an Heir of Righteousness And therefore O Lord that you were but brought to stick to this small beginning to beleeve the word of Prophecy which is gone forth concerning you How might it grow and encrease to a mighty and large Portion I have thus spoke many and great things to you from these words but the Sum of all hath been to this purpose 1. To shew how short you yet are where you lie and stick in the mire and have no Ark to receive you know not what shall become of you in the latter end 2. That your Souls might be put to a strait to look after such an Ark as Noah prepared such an Assurance and Security as may hold out in a Deluge such a sure certain and unquestionable estate as may stand in all storms and judg all the false ways and rotten shelters of the World And now if the Lord seize not the thing upon your hearts but it slip off like water as many words do then I know you will have no peace in your own consciences and you will never be Judges of the World nor come to Honor Noah was moved with Fear to the building of an Ark but now if that will not do it if Fear move not yet Will not such an Inheritance such a security move you as may be attained to There is a sure place there is a Rest there is a way of Wisdom which no fowl hath seen where no ravenous beast destroys which nothing can reach nor disturb The Lord seize it home upon your hearts to consider it THE Chosen generation AND ROYAL PRIESTHOOD WITH THEIR True Marks and Characters SERM. IX May 11. 1651. 1 PET. 2.9 But ye are a Chosen Generation a Royal Priesthood a Holy Nation a Peculiar People that ye should shew forth the Praises of Him who hath called you out of Darkness into his marvelous Light The Analysis I. A CHOSEN GENERATION At first all lay in one lump till the choyce made by God In choosing seven things considered 1. Men weigh and consider before they choose so God pitched on a people to be his with deliberation and advice not at random 2. Men affect what they choose what ever the thing be in it self so the Lord set his love upon a people delighted in his portion 3. Men separate and take out of other things what they choose so God pulls the Brand out of burning takes His out of all the World 4. In choosing that which is chosen hath no hand at all so God chose his people freely nothing in them to move him 5. Things chosen are set apart for some special use so the Lord had an End an use intended for the vessels of honor 6. Men promise themselves something in the things they choose so God expects fruit from his Vine Love and entertainment from his Chosen 7. Men have a special eye and care of things they choose so Gods Eye is after his Chosen in all Tryals and Sorrows II. A ROYAL PRIESTHOOD of the royal race sprung from the Lord himself of that stock Whence three things considered 1. They have an Interest in God can go to a Father not a Judg. 2. Hence great boldness to go to God fear and shame are cast out 3. Hence they prevail in what ever they ask according to his Will All was brought home to Particulars And lest all thrust in seven Notes were layd down to distinguish this Chosen Generation 1. A certain close in their Souls to Truth onely no shadows can deceive them 2. A certain weariness always upon them giving no rest in all enjoyments A want still 3. God is ever their utmost thing All others are content with Parts and Gifts c. 4. This Spirit presses on to the highest and most single way though never so sharp to it 5. This Generation have secret hintings spring at times That they belong to God 6. In greatest falls and sins no hintings as if utterly cut off because of sin 7. A witness always in their Souls That when ever they have a heart to return they shall be received The Father stands ready to receive the Prodigal He waits to be gracious this Hope ever speaks not thus with the Cains or those that belong not to God 1 PET. 2.9 But ye are a Chosen Generation c. GO round about Zion tell her Towers Mark ye well her Bulwarks that ye may tell it to the generation following For this God is our God for ever and ever He will be our Guide unto Death Psal 48.12 And again The Lord hath chosen Zion And again He will surely hear the afflictions of the afflicted and answer their cry Though they may now seem forsaken and forgotten though abjects and out-casts in the eyes of the World disallowed indeed of men but chosen of God and precious So was it with our Lord and Master and so will it be with all them on whom the Father hath set his Love in like manner However the World may look on them or they judg of themselves yet in the Eye of God 't is thus Ye are a chosen Generation c. Now there is great need to distinguish between things and things that the Trumpet may give a certain sound who are this chosen People that are thus beloved for it belongs not to all men I came not but to the lost sheep of the house of Israel Many widows were in Israel but onely to one poor widow of Sarepta was Elijah sent And it is not meet saith Christ to take the childrens bread and give it to the dogs Some are dogs as some are children and Peter tells Simon Magus plainly Thou hast neither lot nor part in this matter Lest every one should thrust in there are bounds set not All but YE are a chosen Generation Not every one that says Lord Lord shall enter Not every one that comes and hears and sits in the house among the children is of this chosen Generation of that blessed seed No but in Isaac shall
would break presently they were not intended for that use You see Saul had of this wine in him he was among the Prophets the spirit of God was upon him but the Vessel broke and all ran out and was lost so Judas he was a Preacher and went in and out with Christ and had enjoyments and seasons of Truth but the vessell had holes and all was lost and came to nothing and therefore it is said of some that they make shipwrack of faith and a good Conscience All is shattered and broken and gone as if it never had been some are compared to the Corn that grows on the house top though it be green and flourishing yet soon withers and comes to nothing It was sown there by some chance or carried by some fowl the Husbandman never intended to have a Crop from thence so may it be and hath been with many that are very green they have Light and Knowledge and parts and Forwardness I but they grow upon the house top the place was not intended for that purpose to bear a Crop the stony ground flourished for a time but soon dies for want of root ye did run well saith Paul but they were left and soon turned aside but now whoever is pitched upon by God and made a chosen vessel he is set apart for some end some service say ye saith Christ the Master hath need of him and he speaks to Ananias concerning Paul He is a chosen vessel to carry forth my name whoever of you are thus chosen and pickt and gathered by God out of the world out of relations and all your straglings Do you think God hath no end in it Is it think you you should still live to your wills as you did and walk as other Gentiles no sure it is that you may do him service be his and no more your own 6. Things that are chosen men expect more from them then from other refuse they leave behind A man when he is hungry chooseth bread and not a stone and he looks for more refreshment and nourishment from that then he would from a stone God expects not to gather grapes of thorns he looks not to reap where he never sowed the unjust Servant accused him falsly in that but if he please to take advantage he may he may come in an hour unthought of as Christ came to the Fig tree and cursed it because no fruit was on it though it is said it was not the time of fruit it seems strange but such a Lord is he if he will take the advantage if he will be extream to mark what is done amisse then who may stand He can if he please cast a man into sickness and torments of body or let loose horrours upon his Soul there is cause and advantage enough to be taken if he will make a man an example a witness of his power and severity for the Gospel hath that in it too it is to be preacht for a witness to all as well as for Salvation to some but now from his own his Chosen Generation He expects somewhat out of Love If I be a Father where is my Honour he expects fruit from you he looks for sweet grapes from his Vine he expects you should hear Sure they are my people they 'l be ordered and perswaded and prevailed with he expects better entertainment from them then from the world and though it falls out that they are the chief of Sinners and found the most ill requiting of all People I but it is their shame and their sorrow and their Sin he looks for other fruit he looks for more where he trusts with more where he trusts with Heavenly Treasure I sayd They are my People Children that will not lye and in all things he expects their moderation that at all times they stand open and ready to receive him that alwayes their Lamps be burning and their Loyns girt as those that expect their Lords coming and he is grieved if they disapoint him therefore he complains The Ox knows his Owner and the Asse his Masters Crib but Israel doth not know my people doth not consider This grieves him to be thus dealt with at their hands 7. Things that are chosen are more looked after and more carefully minded then other things they are not layd scattering about but charily reserved So doth the Lord deal with his chosen He takes them into his bosom hides them under the shadow of his wings Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints and if their Death be precious if an eye after them then in their blood if the minstration of condemnation be glorious if there be Love in that work of bringing to Death Then how much more Love will be seen in bringing them again to Life He says of his Vineyard that He watches it night and day And in the Canticles My Vineyard which is mine is continually before me There is no time he watches it not night and day take in all In the Light and in the Darkness in their sorrows and in their enlargements still he watches whether we sleep or wake yet the Keeper of Israel neither slumbers nor sleeps If they are sent into captivity it is for their good there his eye is after them If the three children are cast into the furnace there is a fourth like the Son of God He will walk with them there If Daniel be cast into the Den of Lions his God is there to shut the Lions mouths If Joseph be sold into Egypt God goes with him if he be cast into prison he is with him there and findes favor for him where ever these chosen go a special eye is after them when they wander from one Nation to another from one Kingdom to another People yet there He suffers no man to do them harm but reproves even Kings for their sakes Touch not mine anointed c. His charge is given out to secure them a guard is set about them that nothing may harm them He shall give his Angels charge over thee and they shall preserve thee in all thy ways This is his care of his chosen and this is their safety and happiness Before I come to make Use of this I would speak something of the next words A Royal Priesthood This chosen Generation is intended for that to be a Royal Priesthood to offer up Prayers and Praises to God Hitherto saith Christ you have asked nothing in my Name because as yet they were not brought to beleeve the words of Christ They knew not they were a Chosen Generation till at the last when he was about to leave them then he says to God And these have beleeved that thou hast sent me There is no coming to your Priesthood till you are first brought to know and beleeve you are a Chosen Generation A ROYAL PRIESTHOOD Royal of the royal Blood born of God sprung from that stock and kindred And hence three great Priviledges belong to
feel how utterly malignant he is and contrary to all good Do you finde it is his hour to be let loose to rend and rear and perplex and torment Do you feel indeed the pains of hell and do the sorrows of death take fast hold as David cries out they did upon him If you finde it not so now nor have ever found it yet certainly a time will come when the enemy will shew himself when the wicked one will get up into the throne and exalt himself above all that is called God a time will come of being hurried and torn and perplexed under his wicked and tyrannous reign when ye shall be made sensible where you are once for whilst you stand sensless as images and posts nothing seizes on you and you never think to see such a Day but whether you feel or believe to see it yea or not yet the Day will surely come and try all that dwell upon the whole earth 2. You that finde and feel this Day it may inform you what a vain thing it is for man to stir or move hand or foot to rescue himself or oppose this adversary Alas what is man to lift up a hand against him one that is so strong and so malignantly bent to destroy one that hath a commission and power given one that is in full possession of the house and furnished with all store of armour and goods in us Alas it is in vain to stir against him Man is too weak 't is all one as if a poor lonesome woman should have twenty or an hundred plunderers in her house ransacking and breaking up here and there alas 't is in vain for her to stand against them they may do what they will unless some other help come and rescue her so vain and impossible is it for any of you to winde out of the hands of this enemy and save your selves if another Saviour one mightier then he deliver you not 3. Therefore in the next place this might perswade you to lie down and submit to your bonds till deliverance come Answer him not a word that is the Kings command the charge of Truth but bear all his threats and vauntings and upbraidings Let all run over as God saith of Zion And thou layedst thy body to the earth for them to pass over Lie in the condition how miserable soever it be till a stronger then thou or he shall come to deal with him This is the peaceablest and most sutable way for our present conditions 4. Yet this must give some hint of hope and encouragement and cause the soul to put in and wait for a lot in this matter since there is for certain such a thing as deliverance to be for some there is a rest for the people of God Our God will come say they and will not tarry A stronger then he is spoke of that is able to deal with him and twist him about at his pleasure and this might give a little encouragement to hope But as for our parts we can do nothing in it we cannot stand against the enemy nor can we hasten the rising of Christ to deal with him Who shall say unto God What dost thou Who shall stir him up before his time May he not do what he will Is he not Lord of all Therefore no way is for us but to lie under and endure and let all the waves go over our backs till he shall command a calm and he uses to come in an unexpected time when all hope of life is gone when but meal and oyl enough is left to make one cake and then the widow concludes to die then comes the word The barrel of meal and the cruse of oyl shall not fail c. Therefore Oh that it was in your hearts to cry with one consent for this Saviour to arise this Deliverer that might turn ungodliness from Jacob All difficulties and impossibilities are nothing to him that which is impossible with Man with God is easie and possible And this might raise up a little springing of hope against all rubs and bars that lie in our way When he comes he is able to deal with this mighty enemy He comes provided His works before him and his rewards with him He will divide the spoyl and take away his armor and send that which is for death to death that which is for the sword to the sword that which is for famine to famine and that which is for captivity to captivity He keeps sure records of all and will surely visit in his appointed time O therefore that we had a heart raised and stirred to cry with one consent for this Coming of his and to give no rest night nor day but cry O come Lord Jesus come quickly till we have an answer and be delivered THE Woful Case of the Lepers OR The Soul at an exceeding Strait SERM. XIV June 22. 1651. 2 KING 7.3 4. And there were four leprous men at the entering iâ— of the gate and they said one to another Why sit we here until we dye If we say We will enter into the City the famine is in the City and we shal dye there and if we sit stil here we dye also Now therefore come and let us fall into the hoast of the Syrians and if they save us alive we shall live and if they kill us we shall but dye c. The Analysis THree things in general observed I. The present condition the Lepers are in And that was opened in five Particulars suitable to the misery of our present state 1. They were without the City out-casts no enjoyment of the Society Ordinances Blessings of the Commonweal of Israel 2. They were all overspred with leprosie might not talk with any lest infect them and how do we taint one another with our selves 3. Farther a miserable famine was upon them women eat their own children so we forced to eat what is born of the flesh our own Reason 4. They are beset with an hoast of Enemies too and this is our case at present the world are up against us 5. The light and sense of all this misery was upon them If we sit here we dye They knew and felt the heavy case they are in All this was brought home to our particular conditions II. Consider their hopeless and helpless Case to use any means to escape If we go back into the City we shall surely dye c. This applyed to our conditions in three things we are brought to something and if we go back Death will surely be in it 1. We are brought to a clear information of the vanity of all the worlds worship and the shortness of our conversation in all points 2. Made to see that all hopes and conclusions without a certain witness from God himself are short and nothing to eternal Life 3. We have professed to all and chose in our Souls a self-denying way to take up the Cross dayly and if now suffered to reason
they should not enter into his rest and so they that were invited to the Feast and draw back and make excuses see what comes of it he swears they shall not taste of his Supper I could desire you might never come hither to hear unless there be a heart indeed to go on it is not easie dallying with the truth not like going to ordinary Chuâ—hes and meeetings there you may hear many years and never be touched to the heart nor found so guilty for not going on in the Truth but it will not be so here the Word will surely take place and be either a savour of life to life or of death unto death And thus I have opened to you the present miserable condition the Lepers sit in and brought it home to our own case and the case indeed is miserable to sit down in it and if ever we rise it will be a wonderful recovery You that are sat down O consider and think of it for if you are left here it had been good for you you had never been born Then I have shewed you how they were hem'd in with Death if they go back they dye if fall to their Enemies in all appearance they dye I apply'd it to our particulars and shewed you three Things we were brought to from which if we turn back it is no less then Death 1. We have seen the end of all the Doctrines of the world an end of all the ways of false worship 2. We know how we are short and what we want and that nothing but a certainty and clear evidence of the love of God opened and sealed to our Souls and that we may be made like to him nothing else can ever content and satisfie us 3. We are come to receive and entertain the Proclamation of a self-denying way to bid farewell to ease and quiet and self-pleasing and take up the Cross dayly and if in any of these Cases we fall back we are surely undone And now to speak of the last Thing observed from the words III. THE GREAT SUBMISSION AND BUCKLING OF THEIR SPIRITS Come and let us fall into the Host of the Syrians for we can but dye Can but dye Alas and is that little How are their Souls ground to powder and their hopes layd in the dust and they venture with their lives in their hands In this Buckling of the Lepers I would observe to you three Things 1. They rise for they were set down but are made to look about and say If we sit here we dye And must they rise now This is a strange time and case to stir in what when out-casts when Lepers when almost starved when cast off on all hands I now they rise need makes the naked man run They do not stand to dispute the case as our hearts sometimes do Alas I am unclean and an out-cast and filthy and should I now look towards God But if the famine pinch'd you to the heart it would make you up and be going and not reason the case I am ragged and torn and uncomely 't is not a time to look for any message from God whilest the case is thus with me Alas Hunger stands not upon manners and modesty it says Give me bread or I dye The sore famine buckles the heart and makes it stoop to any thing It turns to the hand that smites it falls at the foot and says Let him say and do with me what seems him good Lo here I am 2. In this submission of theirs they fall into the Host of the Syrians they fall upon the sword Now the Sword of the Spirit is the Word of God with this it cuts and divides and pierces to the heart and when the Soul is brought to this pinch it bows indeed it accepts of all Let him read and say and do what he will let me hear all his mind the judging part the cutting part that which most strikes to the quick The heart is not now coy and nice and stands upon those terms of picking and choosing it says not This is too sharp and the other too cruel I cannot bear that hard saying or the other dealing No but now to the hungry Soul every bitter thing is sweet Every word of God is good saith Agur. And Paul under this buckling of heart cries out The Law is holy just and good but I am carnal c. Thus the Leper crouches down and lays his neck to the block if the sword will spare it well if not it lies to take the blow I can but dye and with Esther If I perish I perish 3. Consider the carriage of the Lepers in this great strait They rush not on furiously and desperately and say Come all shall be well they take not the Kingdom by force nor do they go utterly fainting and despairing shutting out all hopes of their lives by hard conclusions but with a sober submitted spirit they venture ready to take up what ever befalls bâ—â— whether life or whether death that they leave and conclude not the matter And in this posture doth the Soul truly buckled ever draw near to God And therefore when ever you are upon your hasty conclusions one way or other saying Sure I shall come to nothing or sure all will be well with me you say you know not what both are alike false and come not from a submitted heart that stands in the strait and gives not up all for lost in the worst time How did Josephs Brethren expostulate the case and plead with him when he seemed most harsh to them and though they buckle and own We are all my Lords bondmen we are guilty yet they plead and hang on him and cannot give over but O my Lord saith Judah let thy servant I pray thee speak a word in my Lords ears c. This is a token of a Soul that is at a want indeed Many talk of a Heaven of a God and of an eternal life but 't is but in way of complement they are not at a want indeed their Souls are not fired with a thirst for the living God but want will carry through all Though the Soul be an out-cast and the enemy reproach it and upbraids how ill it hath dealt with God and how can it ever hope for mercy yet nothing can stop or hinder it the needs press it on and the noyse continually rings in its ears If we sit here we dye Now for Use of this Consider 1. Do you indeed hear this voyce in your Souls ever living and speaking and giving no rest If I sit here I dye O that it were the Lords will to thunder it in your ears that you might ever hear it sounding If we sit here we dye Who of you have attain'd to that certainty that are sure you shall never fall short There is a two-fold Death A Death of your good and light and love and enlargements and attainments that may be come to in the Truth and here you
at him Hail King of the Jews and make a sport at his misery And thus many times the cursed Lusts within insult and triumph and mock the poor Soul when it is in this miserable strait and upon the nick of Life and Dâ—ath Can you read it 7. They sought false witness against Christ They were busie to search and enquire out all that could come against him right or wrong they matter not And if you mind in this day there will be a most strict search and enquiry made if any can come in against the Soul to prove it a Deceiver and Hypocrite in all it hath done or said for Truth Can you not read the Parable What inquisition is made by the high Priests to prove against the soul that all its best good was tainted all it hath ever done or spoke for God that all this was in deceit and a base selfish taint ran in all that there is no singleness in the bottom to carry it through This is the thing the Enemy mainâ—y aims at and this cuts to the heart as a sword to be thus upbraided and dog'd with accusations and outcries within that all was but deceit and the Soul shall come to nothing c. And this I would have you mark what will surely befall us in the day of our calamity what dealing we may look for and expect if we will follow our Master and tread in his steps Many speak much of the Death of Christ but they come not to it to know and feel it in themselves But if we never be planted together with him into his death never shall we partake of his resurrection if we come not to the same submission of heart to say Thy Will be done And in this word I told you seven Things were considerable which Christ accepts of and consents unto though the Execution was yet to come and pass upon him 1. He submits to be betrayed by one of his own House by a Disciple one of the Twelve one that goes for a Friend and had another heart given him though never a new heart 2. He submits to be betrayed into the hands of sinners a multitude come against him and there I opened to you seven particular Aggravations Now to come to the next Thing 3. He submits and yeelds to be put to death wrongfully He is falsly accused falsly judged falsly condemned They bring nothing truly but only lyes against him and yet he submits to take up death though never so unjustly condemned They lay that to my charge which I never did and therefore their Witnesses could not agree there is ever a jar will be between lyes One comes and witnesses This man blasphemed and said I am the Son of God another says This man said I will destroy the Temple of God made with hands and in three days raise one made without hands And this was a lye He had said no such thing but spake of the Temple of his Body And thus is the Soul dealt within this day false Witnesses come against it and upbraid it Well you said once you should never be moved you should never be left nor forsaken of God but that he was your Father for certain and you should be saved When alas the Soul that is to be saved never durst conclude any such thing till it be sure indeed but in its best day ever it stands in fear and jealousie what the end shall be Other Witnesses come and bring in a false charge on the other hand ' Well you said once there was no God no ' Heaven no Hell nor Life to come And this is a flat lye also The Soul to be saved could never nor durst ever say there was no God though it hath truly complained and bewailed that it knew not God nor Heaven nor the life to come it was dark and ignorant in these cases as a blind creature and this was its heavy woe and bitterness And all this while the Witnesses agree not they differ in their Tale and their Accusations are all false and unjust and groundless no one true thing is brought against him and yet he must dye still they cry Crucifie him crucifie him and he submits to take it up But what is the reason why must he dye when no just Cause is found against him 1. Because it is determined so it is the determinate Counsel of God it should be thus though brought about by wicked hands 2. He dyes for the glory of God that his Power and Might and Truth and Faithfulness might appear the clearer in raising up from the dead As Christ said of the blind man Not for this mans sin nor his parents was he born blind but for the glory of God Alas were man to dye for sin for that very cause and no other he might dye again and again ten thousand times over and never have done the work No but precious in the eyes of the Lord is the death of his Saints They dye not to satisfie for their sin but for the glory of God Did the Father lay any thing to the Prodigals charge when he came home No his sin was that he came no sooner the father was ready to receive him notwithstanding all his rags and riotous behaviour this hindered not his acceptance but his keeping away from his father that was his great sin When they accuse Christ as a glutton a wine bibber a Companion of Publicans and Harlots a Breaker of the Sabbath a Blasphemer and would put hâ—m to death for these alas they charge him unjustly he is not guilty of these So all that is layd to the charge of the Soul in that day by the Enemy all the hypocrisie and deceit and envyings and coverings and lustings alas all this belongs not to the Son of God the Truth is clear But these are the Devils goods his ware and he and his goods must perish together The Truth is free and disowns and hates all and the man take him as separate from that evil Spirit as standing alone and he is harmless and innocent only his woe add misery is to be cumbered and pestered and plagued with these goods of the Devil lodged within him But now the Accusation and Charge is never layd rightly and truly for then the Enemy must accuse himself which he will never do He never hits rightly on the sore where the Souls great woe and misery and weakness lies that is hid from these false Witnesses but they venture to speak desperate and punctual lyes if it were possible to destroy the Soul by them if you do but mind how the wheels move within when ever the man is indeed put to a strait and stands in anguish then the Lyar steps up and witnesses falsly then they say acted by this Spirit 'T is you Moses and Aaron that have made our savor stink in the nostrils of Pharaoh and his servants and you have brought us into this Wilderness to slay us with thirst It was all