Selected quad for the lemma: death_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
death_n	choose_v	lord_n	zion_n	18	3	9.4249	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A79993	The sect every where spoken against or, the reproached doctrine of Ely. As it was held forth in several sermons in the year, MDCLI. By Christopher Cob, lay-man, minister of an united people in Ely. Collected and analized for a private use, by Hampden Reeve, Master of Arts, one of that Society, and a constant hearer. Now published by the assent of the whole Society (as a short character, at present, of them and their way, till an opportunity of a farther and fuller discovery) for satisfaction in general.	Cob, Christopher.; Reeve, Hampden.	1651 (1651)	Wing C4769; Thomason E1251_1; ESTC R209173	234,596	386

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

not you that sold me c. ' I sent you into the wilderness to learn you experience that when you are converted you might strengthen your Brethren Thus you may see of what use Rings are and this is wonderful that God should so adorn the hand with his Rings To be 1. Skill'd in the works of Truth 2. To be diligent in the work of Truth And 3. To be garnish'd with this to be busied about things of worth to be exercised in things that abide for ever Let all your things saith Paul be done to edification Let nothing be out of strife or vain glory but all for the building of something that shall stand for ever But yet this son is wanting still as if the Father should say What if we clothe him with the best robe and put Rings on his hands yet if his feet be not shod too how can he go Therefore 3. This is the third thing And put shooes on his feet c. Let him be shod with the Preparation of the Everlasting Gospel of Peace The feet are the Affections which are to be wrought upon 1. To go but how why Let all your things saith Paul be done in Love There 's need your feet be prepared to serve the Lord in Love And that our loves might be prepared there 's need of shooes to put on that the feet might be enabled to go upon the bryars and thorns to endure the frost and the snow need to have the Love made strong to endure hardness Love saith Paul suffereth long and is kinde envyeth not seeketh not her own is not easily provoked thinketh no evil rejoyceth not in iniquity but rejoyceth in the Truth c. 1 Cor. 13.4 5 6. It had need be shod indeed When God said to Moses Thou shalt carry this people in thy bosom as a Mother doth her child c. Alass pleads he how can I carry all this people If thou dealest thus with me I pray thee take me away that I may not see my wretchedness He had not Love enough to carry him through There 's need of great preparations if such a service be in hand And now the Prodigal shall be made to endure to bless when he is cursed because he knows now the heart of a stranger We our selves saith Paul were sometimes strangers and aliens from the Commonwealth of Israel hateful and hating one another He having a knowledg into this was made to endure Though the more abundantly I love saith he the less I be loved That there may not be a shrinking here this is one main thing he has need of of the shooes of that which may be a fence a safeguard to his feet that no fiery darts no discontents c. may stop or overturn him But then 2. The shooes are that the Love might run the swifter without fear Withhold thy Feet from being VNSHOD saith God and thy throat from thirst Jerem. 2.25 Thou makest my Feet like HINDES FEET saith David But when the Love is cold then the heart by and by waxeth feeble and faint Ezra was astonish'd and sat seven days so because he had said The Lord was able to save them therefore said he I was ashamed to go to the King for a band of men His Love began to be feeble at last And Job sat astonish'd seven days his Love was cold he could not have offended had that been alive Great Peace have they that love thy Law and nothing can offend them How do we stand and pick and choose But when we shall be made able to say as Paul I am not onely ready to be bound for the Name of Christ but to suffer death also When so shod then shall we go boldly without fear when the Love is shod with quickness then I shall run the way of thy Commands When thou hast set my feet at liberty saith David then will the Soul readily love the Lord with all the heart and all the soul and all its strength But when it 's not quick and lively there come in the miscarriages For 1. It 's not shod to endure And 2ly then it has not quickness to speed on the work but through reasoning and disputing the case the Love waxes cold And the Prodigal shall be made to see to his cost when he returns home what his Leaden-heel'd Love was But 3. The third thing that prepares the Love is singleness solidness and faithfulness these are the shooes that garnish his feet these are the Affections to be shod with The double minded man saith James is unstable in all his ways When the Prodigal comes home and sees how double he had been before in all his ways now he is made to say It was good for me that I was afflicted for thereby I learn'd thy Law Now he can say One thing have I desired which now I will seek after That I may dwell in the house of the Lord for ever to enquire dayly in his Temple c. Now the Prodigal has learn'd this He knows what it is to put his hand to the plow looking backwards Now his Love is singly fixt upon its object but when it was not single how did he soon wander from it He was bare-foot then but when he comes home then the Father puts on his shooes they were not of his putting on but the Fathers done by his command But all along while I am speaking to you and am seeing what divided hearts you come with and the great loss that is come upon you there 's great need to pray to the Father that he would bring the shooes his Love to set the Affections right to love with rightness readiness and singleness for if He bring them not this evil and hypocritical will will be our undoing But saith God You shall finde me when you shall seek me with all your heart and all your soul He will be sought to of the house of Israel And he has not said to the house of Jacob Seek my face in vain But he that offers to the Lord for a sacrifice that which is torn or lame and has a male in his flock He abhors that mans offering He will receive none but that which is without blemish and that will make our works accepted as Paul saith Faith that works by Love and doth all in singleness of Soul That will make every thing acceptable in his sight 4. A fourth thing the Soul is to be shod with is Soberness for there may be a real singleness of spirit and yet a great headiness Therefore saith Paul let your Moderation be seen in all things For if we cannot say as Job The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away and blessed be the Name of the Lord there is not a sober love Therefore Put off thy shooes said God to Moses He was yet over-heady and not fit to walk as you may see in his strait concerning Miriam because God had stricken her with Leprosie he prays Lord heal her now But as if God

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

ravished my heart with one of thine eyes that is the thing to be beloved to find favour in his eyes Love will bear all things Love is as strong as death Love will save to the utmost and this Lot fal's on some Though Esther be an unlikely maiden one of another Country of mean degree yet she pleased the King and obtained kindnesse of him Chap. 2.9 and vers 17. and the King loved Esther above all the women and she obtained grace and favour in his sight and this is the thing that brings the Crown to her be she what she will Thou art fair my Love my undefiled Though she complains I am black yet he loveth her and Love sees no faults she is comely in his eye this is the portion of the chosen Generation 3. What a man chooseth to himself He taketh it out from other things he gathers it near to himself Thus is it with God He pulls the Brand out of the burning He takes the Poor out of the Dunghill leaves them not there and this is a sure token of choosing indeed where he leaves not a man or woman in their darkness in their bonds in their snares but pulls them out separates the Wheat from the chaff who hath translated us out of darkness into the Kingdome of his dear Son and in the Revelation it is said they were redeemed to God from amongst men and Christ saith because I have chosen you out of the world therefore the world hates you He takes his chosen ones out of their chains out of their filth out of a perishing condition cuts them off from the old stock That which he intends for a vessell of honour he takes it out of the Lump he leaves not his own in the same Lump with the rude world Now this is the great thing to be considered whether you are yet thus pulled out hath he made thee indeed to differ from the rude world art thou pulled out of the old Kingdome of Sathan where the whole world dwell in wickednesse though in severall ranks forms and degrees yet in the same Kingdome still not a new Creation made but this will make it appear he chooseth thee if thou canst say with David He plucked my feet out of the Snare he brought me up from the nethermost Hell and saith Jonah yet hast thou brought up my life from corruption O Lord my God that is his Salvation there it appears God is God We would vainly promise our selves as the whole world do to be saved by his love onely and so quietly passe our Lives in our own wills here and go to Heaven when we die but alas if ever saved we must be taken out of the condition we stick in Come out from amongst them my people that ye partake not of her Plagues Many have great words and great knowledge and light I but they are not yet translated out of the old Kingdom they remain still on the same stock but things that are chosen are taken out of the midst of other things and therefore Moses speaks to Israel Was ever such a thing known as that God should go to take to himself a people out of the midst of another people by great signes and wonders c. to take out of Snares and Bonds and Intanglements for God to say Come out of all and be you clean and be my people and I will be your God I shall inquire of you are you thus chosen are you pulled out of darkness and out of death and joyned to all the living Though in never so mean a place ne-never so despised an outcast though but a living dog yet if living if taken out of death and planted into a new Life that is the thing If there be that seed of Life it will ever be stirring and moving and bending like the Needle touched with the Loadstone set it where you will it can never rest untill it come into its right place till the Soul be brought to God Now there is a restless spirit in the Cains and lost ones but that is onely out of Torment the worm that never dyes and this restless spirit never moves towards God but runs from him but to this Centre the spirit of life ever tends to come from and out of all things unto God c. 4. Things that are chosen have no hand in their own choice All that befalls this Chosen Generation is of mercy and free goodness who made thee to differ nothing they could do could ever make a difference but the Case stands thus Two things lie together and a man passing by takes one and lets the other lie the things have no hand in it so is it in this choice of God all is done according to the pleasure of his own will see and read as you go that you may have nothing to glory and boast in nor challenge the least to thy self as if he saw some readiness or activity or towardliness in thee more then in others no he saw nothing but his own pleasure if there be any thing good in thee he put it there you have not chosen me saith Christ but I have chosen you This will make it appear free indeed when you shall be made to see there is no hand of yours in it but of his own good will begat he us No man ever begun first to seek after God but I was found of them that sought me not else no Soul would ever be saved Can a stone move upward no nothing can move to God but what came from God none can go to Heaven but the Son of man which came down from Heaven It is contrary to man who is born from beneath from the Earth to move upward his Centre is below unless he be pulled and drawn and born up and carried upon Eagles wings he falls to the Earth like a stone the natural man cannot please God he neither will nor can be subject to the Law of God and this is that God may have the glory alone in the work of Salvation as he says in Isa It shall be to me for a name and for a praise That he should save such unlikely ones and out of stones raise up children to Abraham this will seem wonderfull I did not think to have seen the Lord here saith Hagar when she had given up all for lost this will make the Soul say indeed as David doth God alone doth all 5. Things that are chosen are set apart for some speciall use a man hath some end in choosing them so was it with God in this choice he had a peculiar end and design to bring about and he chooseth some for that purpose but why are not all the world for this use True they might have been had he put in them the same spirit had he fitted the vessel to that purpose but he spends a great deal of cost and pains upon some he prepares the Vessell for that very purpose to put in new wine Old Bottles

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. F●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