dismounted and throwne beside his confidence and fighting on his knees overcomes his enemy Pride is such a wild Beast and such an enemy to Grace that God leaves the Canaanite within us to learn us war that it should not rise up against us to destroy us As the wise Physician leaves his Patient to conflict with a lesse distemper to break the force of a mortal Disease Object But I have had stronger and more stirring desires formerly I am cold and flat to what I was is not this a decay Answ 1 There are at first legal stirrings raised from the Lawes terrors and heightned by the quicknesse and sharpnesse of strong convictions which gall and wound the conscience such a one is as on a Rack he roars cryes out takes on he hath drops of Gods wrath falling on him which puts him into a flame as one in a feaver who cryes out Drink drink This is a diseased not right thirst And there are Evangelical stirrings and desires begotten by the Spirit raised by the Gospel cherished by the Promise These are not so loud turbulent make not like noise but argue more grace The former said Give me ease I am sick I am damned give me a pardon or I dye This saith Give me grace let me have Christ let me be renewed or I dy There was more of selfe-love in those first desires more of love to God in these 2 Hast thou not 1. Bemoyled and bemired thy selfe with the world We cannnot both prize Christ and Mammon grow in Grace and Wealth The stomack that feeds on coals and ashes and such trash must needs forsake his meat 2 Or hath not spiritual pride given thee a fall Thou seest not that need of dependance on God use of Ordinances frequency of Duties but art in conceit above all Take away the wood the fire goes out 3 Happly thou hast obtained thy desire Why should the Sponse seek fear be so solicitous when she hath found her Beloved as when she mist him Shall the children of the Bride-chamber mourn when the Bridegroom is with them Say to thy soul Now return to thy rest The Flouds stop their course when come to the Sea The stone rests when at the center Hope deferred makes heart sicl desire obtained is a tree of life A poor man condemned to dy falls down intreats weeps cryes out for his life it is granted he kisseth the pardon blesseth the Prince thanketh his friends he leaps joyes praiseth God A Month after this man is not so full of joy or grief or care yet his life is as dear to him as ever it was 4 Thou hast more work to do then thou couldest apprehend Thy desires are divided into many streames which then were confined to one object Then thou more earnestly thirstedst after knowledge prayedst more for pardon now more for a broken heart Increase of Faith power against this Lust skil to manage this calling that business and to look to the whole charge of God and the whole Armour of a Christian. One work in hand goes on faster but when wee must use the Sword and Trowel fight and build this Church work goes slowly an end Object 3. But my desires are not uniform equal sometimes up sometimes down I know not what to think on it Resp. This may bee and yet all well 1 This may come from the different actings and assistance of the Spirit which is a free Agent as the wind blowes sometimes higher then the Ship moves faster The Spirit is not as fire or other natural Agents which alway act to the utmost of their activity fire burns as much as it can at all times The Spirit not so but as it pleaseth When the Spirit moved the wheels they moved when it stood they stood When the Spirit of God came upon Samson he was more then a man when the Spirit departed he became like another man 2 Faith acts differently and the Affections are raised or abated according to the actings of Faith The more faith is acted in the perswasion of the love of God the more thou lovest prayest obeyest c. 3 Thy mind is better prepared by spiritual Meditation therefore thou art more affected at another time thou hast slackned thy thoughts and thou art more dull 4 Is not thy body or mind distempered with melancholy This makes thee as blind Samson to the Philistins sport for Satan Luther was wont to call the melancholy head the Divels bath where he could cool and refresh himselfe There are two sights which above all other please Satan 1. To see a wicked man merry 2. A godly man sad He reckons himselfe sure of both when he seeth them thus Object But I find those corruptions in my heart which I never suspected what a sad growth is this Answ. As the day lengthens the cold strengthens When thou wast alive without the Law and thy sins thou wast dead really when sin revives thou art alive As sin reigned unto death so grace by righteousness reigneth to eternal life There may be these two opposite Kings in one Kingdome reigning sin or raging rather and Grace reigning death and life reigning sin and death reigne in thy apprehension Grace and life in Gods intention Where sin aboundeth most Grace aboundeth the more in one sense that is Grace is seen and set out the more to pardon so much sin So in another sense it is as true where Grace abounds most sin abounds the more in making opposition so new so great so strange against Grace Doubtlesse the greatest Scholers have the greatest Doubts and Objections which they cannot answer and the highest Saints have the sorest temptations The more the Spirit lusteth against the flesh the more the flesh lusteth against the Spirit But what doth thy resisting of sin lamenting for it watching and praying against it signifie but that thou art fighting the Lords battles and thou must never think of putting off thy harnesse till death There is no triumphant Church on earth all the Saints are militant We must not look to see the Egyptians drowned till we are on the other side the red sea It is enough if the Lord keep a distance between them and us here that they may not come so neer as to overcome us though in continual sight to terrifie us Sin hath received his deaths wound by Christ his death and the Law of the spirit of life in Jesus Christ but in the grave it is not on the Crosse it is but it is long a dying as if it had nine lives as we say the legs and armes of it are broken it can never come downe it is fast nayled to rule over thee dying it is not dead but shortly what is now dying thou shall see dead and what now thou seest on the Cross thou shalt see in his grave when sin and death and hell shal be cast into the lake of fire All swallowed up in victory Lastly This and all the other
which is a continual dropping and causeth continual disquiet and wrangling To the other sin is in the Throne or in quiet possession as Master in the house The Amalakites and Israelites are together in the Valley fighting sometime the one somtimes the other prevailing God left the Canaanites to try his people and to learne them War He would not destroy them totally that the wild Beasts should not rise up against his people Better a thorn in the flesh and a Messenger of Satan buffetting thee to keep thee humble then a revelation and a rapture into heaven to puff thee up 6 Sin mourned under never damnes but gloried in ever damnes Oh wretched man that I am saith the godly soul. Pain could never make Paul cry Oh nor miserable that I am who shall deliver this body from death But Oh wretched man that I am who shall deliver this soul from this body of death He that could glory in all infirmities and distresses could not glory but mourne under sin 7. Sin resisted though it over-power the soul and prevail at present leading into captivity damns not I find a Law in my members warring against the law of my mind and leading me into captivity into the law of sin Samson was a Captive to the Philistims but his heart was the same he hated them as much waited and prayed for new strength to be revenged and dyed in the quarrel The Christian Combat is like that of Joab a hard charge the battle before and behind and we herein in the same distress that the old Britaines when the Romans had drawen oway their Forces to protect them against the Picts they sent to Aetius the Prefect crying out The barbarous enemy beats us to the Sea and the Sea beats us back to the enemy between these two kinds of deaths we are either murthered or drowned The Christian is often in like extremities the fear pit and snare are before him the Lion Bear and Serpent He no sooner escapes the fear of the worlds pollution but he falls into the snare of Satans Temptation and if he escape that he fals into the pit of bosome corruption Between these two he is like to be either murdered or drowned Or as Amos hath it He that flyeth from the devouring Lion the worlds raging persecution meets with a more savage Bear Satans devouring Temptation and flying both is in his own house bitten by the Serpent in the wall Between Corruption and Temptation he is hard put to it oft foiled and captived yet fetcht off safe at last Here is nothing but death before him yet death without damnation One while he saith sin betrayed and deceived me and thereby slew me another time saith sin revived temptation revived and I dyed Yet all this dying is but the dying to sin and the death of sin not that death in sin 8 Where sin is as death it brings not death It is mortuum not mortiferum Where sin lives the soul must dye If Agag be spared Saul shall not be spared Who shall deliver mee from the body of this death I may add a few other Notes from other Scriptures 1 Sin whereby the heart is broken hinders not Salvation but sin whereby the heart is hardned Pharaoh and Magus had hearts hardned by sin Peters was broken with his 2 Sin fallen into when one is overtaken damns not sin continued in is that which damns David fel Saul and Jeroboam lay in their sin 3 Sins of infirmity and inadvertency damne not such was Noahs Sins of deliberation destroy Salvation There was a City of Refuge for him that slew a man unwittingly and a pardon of course but wilful Murder had no benefit of Sanctuary Christ will be no City of Refuge to him whose presumption of pardon is his provocation to sin 4 Sin against resolution destroyes not Salvation Such was Peters denyal of his Master into which he fell through too much fear sin resolved upon damnes Such was Judas his betraying his Master which he had long plotted and had watched for an opportunity to effect 5 Sin confessed and discovered is ever covered and remitted sin covered and concealed shall be proclaimed on the house top He that hideth his sin shall not prosper Hee that confesseth and forsaketh findeth mercy 6 Sin repented of never damns sin not repented of ever damns Take the two thieves for an example the one dyed in the presence of a Saviour his impenitency made him uncapable of Salvation the other though in the same condemnation saved by meanes of his true though late repentance But upon this occasion of this rare indeed sole example of the Thief on the Crosse we may use that Proverb Many talk of Robin Hood who never shot in his bow so many speak of the Thief on the Crosse who do nothing like him He confessed Christ among enemies these deny revile him among his friends He believed in him prayed to him relyed on him these do none of these How much grace did appear in that man in so little a time 1. Zeal for God he rebuked the profane Thief 2. Charity to man whom he would reclaime Dost not thou yet fear God being in this condemnation as if he should say Cast not away thy soul there is yet hope or possibility of Salvation 3. His repentanee manifested in that self-condemning and God justifying expression We suffer justly 4. His Faith in Christ whom he justified when the world condemned him He hath done nothing amiss 5. His Prayer of faith Lord remember me when thou comest into thy Kigdom Verily there was not found so much faith in all Israel no not among all the Apostles who forsook him and fled I may call his faith a faith of Miracles as well as his Conversion a miraculous Conversion 7 Sin forsaken never sin not forsaken ever damns When Manasseh and the Prodigal returned they found the gate of Mercy open to entertain them Cast away your Transgressions and you shall not be cast away Electio aut dilectio peccati reprobatio peccatoris It is that Reprobate sin that reprobates soules But sin reprobated and rejected the soul is elected and beloved But to return from this Digression we shal proceed to a fourth Point CHAP. XXI That Christ shall certainly and timely arise upon all such as fear his Name TO you that fear my name shall the Sun of Righteousness arise Having spoken of Christ apart that he is the Sun of Righteousness and of the godly apart that they are such as fear his Name We will now bring them together and they are best when together Christ and they that fear his Name Doct. What ever the present condition and apprehension of such as fear Gods Name may be there shall be a day when Christ shall rise upon them They shall come out of the cold shade into the warm Sun and out of all their darkness into his marvellous light To the upright ariseth light in darkness
binding stone to hold all the Building together CHAP. IV. Omniscience the second Incommunicable Attribute THE next Incommunicable Attribute of Christ is his Omniscience whereof the Suns All-seeing Eye is a lively Resemblance Sol solus Oculus mundi Ocellus Dei lumen visibile numen The Sun is all eye hath thousands of beams in every place looks upon every object with so direct a face as a well drawn Picture as if it beheld none else filling the largest windowes peeping in at the least crevise or key hole the heaven above earth beneath aire between enlightned all at once with his splendor vieweth all Regions The worlds great overseer glanceth into the Dungeon and shineth with the same beauty on the poorest cottage as on Princes Palaces the noisome dunghil and the delightful Garden both are alike viewed and observed there is nothing hid from the heat thereof in it hath God placed his â—abernacle it is his Chariot wherein he rides his daily circuit What can be such an Emblem of Gods Omniscience and of that Visibile Numen Jesus Christ who is all eye whose eyes are as flames of fire whose face shineth as the Sun in his might hath his beams his eyes running to and fro and his spies out watching in every place beholding the evil and the good nothing hid from the Suns heat nor this Suns sight All things are naked and opened to the eyes of him with whom we have to do Whither canst thou go O sinner from his presence and where wilt thou hide thee from his eye darknesse and light are both alike to him secret thoughts and open acts both alike the thought afar offâ—â—e can discern as clear as we can the word spoken in our ears There is no darknesse or shadow of death where the workers of iniguity may hide themselves from him 1. What a delightfull meditation is this to him who is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whose left hand neighbour knows not what his right hand doth who shuts his doors praies in secret shuts up his Trumpet and gives Alms in secret anoints his face and fasts in secret shuts up his lips and mourns in secret as being nunquam minus solus quam cum solus and thinking nullibi tot Testes ubi sine Teste Thou art never lesse alone then when alone nor hast so many observers as when there is none to observe Gods sincere ones are his secret ones The Ark which was close made up on every side had a window in the Top open only to heaven Matth. 10. 26. Fear not nothing is covered that shall not be manifest what thou speakest in the ears shall be proclaimed on the house top and what in secret shal be rewarded openly Christ spyed out Nathaniel lying under the fig-tree as well as Zacheus on the Top of his fig tree heard Paul below in the dungeon as wel as Peter on the house top and took more notice of the Publican standing a far off out of sight then the Pharisee in the midst of the Throng The Lord will bring to light the hidden things of darknesse and make manifest the counsels of the heart then shal every mam have praisâ— of God The Sun looks as well into thy closet casement as into the large Church windows And into that closet especially Christ delights to look and dwell where as in Solomons temple the windows are of narrow lights or as some read it of windows narrow without broad within 2. Is Christ his eye as the Suns in every place what conviction warning and terror may this speak to such Atheisticall wretches as say How shall God see How doth God know Thick clouds are a covering to him that hee seeth not and he walketh in the circuit of heaven Especially such miscreants as in the Chambers of their imaginary conclude when they have shut out man they can shut out God too and having already shut God out of their hearts conclude they have shut him out of the world too Ezek. 8. 12. and 9. 9. The Lord seeth us not the Lord hath forsaken the earth Shut oh Atheist the Sun out of the world if thou canst shut it out of thy house It is impossible Hath the Sun his eye in every place and hath not God Understand then ye unwise among the people Shall not he that made the Sun all eye be all eye himselfe He that made the ear doth not he hear Dâ—th not the Watch-maker know all the wheels and every Pin in the Watch he made Doth not the Statuary know all the frame of his image and is any thing hid from him that made the heart Turpe quid ausurus Te sine Teste time There are three witnesses when thou art alone who have alwaies their eye on thee the Sun thy Conscience and the Lord Jesus fear the Sun but thy conscience more which is a thousand Suns fear thy conscience much but Christ more who is a thousand consciences The Lord threatens to search out such as are setled on their Lees with Candles that say in their hearts The Lord wil not doe good neither wil he do evil There are two sorts of candles God useth 1. Some shining 2. Some burning There are four shining Candles wicked men take no notice of 1. The candle of Gods mercies bounty patience 2. The candle of the Sun 3. Of his Word 4. Of their own conscience These are Gods first candles pleasant and shining lights if these be put out or not regarded God will set up four burning Candles that shall not be so easily blown out He will search thee out 1. With the burning candle of affliction as he did Saul wheh the Philistines were upon him this is lighted at the fire of mercy abused 2. With the burning candle of a terrifying conscience lighted at the fire of an enlightned awakened galled conscience which is sadder then the former this is a searching candle indeed with which Judas was searchched and lighted down to heâ— 3. There is a worse candle then both these the candle of death kindled at the wrath of God wherewith he searches those further then ever he did yet either by affliction or conscience the day of death is a day of wrath then doth God set up a candle that burnes till the day of Judgment The fourth candle is the saddest of all the candle of Judgment lighted from hell whereby he will search out all the sins of wicked men and this candle shall never leave burning 3. Then let thine eye be ever on him whose eye is ever on thee be an heavenly Heliotropium turn to the Sun of Righteousnesse call thy place Beer-la-hai-roâ— I have seen him that ever seeth me make thy house a Bethel the house of God and make thy heart a Beth-shemesh an house for the Sun Let thy heart be as the Sun-Dyal which receiveth the Sun in the morning and goes along with it all day
do warble and eccho out their cheerful notes to the praise of the Sun they build they breed they rejoyce many of them come stay returne with this their great Leader and Commander The waters wax warme and temperate there the fishes leap play breed and multiply But the Earth especially decked as a Bride to meet this Bridegroom cloatheth her selfe and all her family in new and divers coloured apparel and with their several New years Gifts present the worlds Benefactor with their Best that he may not come in vain to any of their dwellings Oh that wee were the Creatures Scholers or School-fellowes in this respect to acknowledge the benefits admire the perfections sing out the praises of this Sun of Righteousnesse and with our best Presents of Thankfulnesse and Fruitfulnesse shew we are loath to receive so much grace in vaine CHAP. XVII The likenesse of both in sundry Accidents WE are now come to the last thing wherein the agreement holds betweene these two Suns viz. certaine Accidents whereof 1. one greater 2. many lesse The greatest is that of the Eclipses which these two great Luminaryes are subject to The lessâ—r Luminary the Sun sometimes loseth his light and Lustre and this greater Luminary hath sometimes lost the glory and brightness of his Godhead in his Exinanition and in that self emptying abasement of his Passion The Suns Eclipse is often and ordinary but this was extraordinary preternatural and but once 2. The Sun is never totally Eclipsed in part often His body being so many times bigger then the Moon 's interposed seven thousand times bigger cannot lose all his light So Christ might be in his Person eclipsed to the unbelieving Jewes by his poverty Cross and afflictions whereby he was made lower then the Angels when some others even then saw his glory as the glory of the Only Begotten of God full of Grace and Truth 2. In his Truth by Hereticks and prevailing Errors 3. In his Regal Power when persecuting enemies and Tyrants encroach on his Churches Liberty and his Prerogative breaking his bonds and the Churches hedg But he is never totally eclipsed because his power and grace doth more then seven thousand or ten thousand times exceed all Tyrants power Hereticks Policy persecuters rage and Satans malice 3. Yet was there once never but once a total Eclipse of the Sun extraordinary it was viz. at the time of Christ his Passion Christ never had the light of his Fathers countenance wholly suspended but then in Articulo Passionis when he cryed out Eli-Eli-Lama-sabactani Such an Eclipse never did nor can happen again then did it appear Christ set his Tabernacle in the Sun that was his Chariot or Apostle The Sunnes darknesse then enlightned the world and made the Philosopher cry out Deus naturae patitur aut mundi Machina dissolvitur Either the God of Nature is now suffering or the frame of the world is dissolving then both Suns suffered and were eclipsed together and went down at noon day the Sun of the Lord and that Lord of the Sun 4. The Suns Eclipse is only caused by the interposition of the Moons dark body which hath all her light from the Sun The Sun is then obscured and the new changed Moon never else seen by day then dare shew her self It is the only interposing the Churches dark body of sin and guilt made this Sun obscured She hath no light of her owne but borroweth of him and hee was content to lose all his glory protempore that his Church and every new changed converted soul may appear before God with boldness not otherwise able to abide the tryal of his presence 5. It is a sight sad to behold when the Sun is Eclipsed and it was the saddest day and hour of darknesse that ever was in the world when Christ was put to death 6. The Sun as to us seemeth to lose his light but as to Heaven gives more And Christ never shined more bright in Heaven never gave like satisfaction to God more Joy to Angels Glory to Saints then in his Passion Then did the pleasure of the Lord prosper in his hand He that was before pleased in his Person was now more pleased in his Passion In this only expiatory sacrifice did God smel a savor of rest This was to our Saviour a day of Triumph his Cross was the Trophy of his Victory and success whereon he was lifted up and exalted then was sin death hell swallowed up in Victory The dread of this Crosse triumphed over Hell spoyling all those principalities and thereby leading captivity captive The bloud of this Crosse tryumphed in Heaven Having made peace â—â— the bloud of his Crosse Col. 1. 20. And thâ— Merit of his Crosse triumphed in the Church which ever since hath taken up those Angelical Hymnes Glory to God on high on eartâ— peace good will towards men Salvation 〈◊〉 ascribed to the Lamb that was slaine and glory to the Sun that was obscured This wâ—â— the day wherein ouâ— great High Priest weâ— in his richest Robes into the Holy of Holies with his own bloud but bearing all oâ—â— Names in his brest and all our iniquities oâ— his shoulder and hath made an everlastinâ— attonement or expiation and the greatest Holy day the world ever saw 7. The Sun eclipsed hath the same lighâ— in it self is only hid from us for a while bâ—â— recovers it self presently and shines again 〈◊〉 gloriously as before There may be misâ— and darkness interposing between us and God between Christ and the Father none between the Sun and the earth the Moon between the Sun and heaven no Moon to interpose And changes there may seeme to bâ— between us and God between Christ and the Father all is well Satan might bruise his heel Herod Iews Pilate might reproach condemne crucifie bury set a guard about the Sepulcher But if it be said Who shall bind the influences of the Pleiades with what bonds of death 〈◊〉 〈…〉 t then possible to hold the Prince of life prisoner 8. Some great Scholers have said The Suns Eclipse bodes much ill to this lower world and that the sad effects thereof are such that the world is the worse for it seven years after ere it recover it self The truth whereof I 'l not dispute but certaine I am the sad effects of this Eclipse upon the Land of Iudea where it was most visible are not yet â—â—ased but for this One thousand six hundred yeares it hath felt the miseries which followed on their Crucifying the Lord of Glory 9. Lastly The Suns Eclipse is said to Prognostick great changes downfal of Kingdomes and deaths of Tyrants c. Sure I am that this Eclipse did not foretel as a Prognostick but produce as the immediate cause the greatest changes in heaven and earth Then was Satan ruined this Eclipse was his bane When the Vyal of Gods wrath was poured on this Sun and hee had cryed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is finished
his own Righteousnesse all his Righteousness shall not be remembred Better no Righteousnesse at all then so much as to trust in Be not righteous overmuch Wee pity the ignorance of such as make the Creed a Prayer they are as much to blame who make the Decalogue a Creed Our best Righteousness makes but a bad Saviour It may be an evidence of Sanctification not an Advocate for Justification not the Surety for our Satisfaction but our Security for our Sanctification When the Moon full of her owne light goes from the Sun she loseth all and when in her wain she approacheth the Sun and keepeth following him she reneweth and increaseth her light againe to a fulness 2. There is a good Righteousness whereof there be four kinds or degrees 1. The Philosophical 2. Pharisaical 3. Evangelical 4 Divine or Righteousness of God Two of these are External two Internal all of them together make perfectly righteous before God and men 1 The first and lowest Righteousness is that we call Civil Moral or Philosophical The Righteousness of Nations taught in their Schools and practised in their Polities This alone is enough to make one to become bonus Civis but is the lowest ingredient which joyned with the other three makes also the bonus Christianus This is not to be spoken against the world is not so full of it The Prophet complaineth that God had a Controversie with his people for want of moral honesty There is neither Mercy nor Truth nor knowledg of God in the Land but swearing â—ying killing stealing and committing Adultery and bloud touching bloud Say not this is Heathenish Divinity it is Christian too but is their highest point in Divinity and our lowest where theirs ends ours is to begin It is not to be neglected then but outstripped neither to be rested in nor laid aside The Heathen shall sooner be saved with this then the Christian without it 2. of Duties Matth. 5 20. That Philosophical this Pharisaical that good this better that the effect of the Law unwritten unless on the stony Table of Mans heart this of the Law written in Tables of stone This we call legal Righteousness or Righteousness of Works which is not to be spoken against neither but countenanced Religion teacheth not to lay aside Holy Duties but perform them better not to fail in one but abound in all not to call any Duty or Commandment little This was the Righteousness of Zachary and Elizabeth who walked in all the Ordinances of God blamelesse Of this the Apostle speaketh He that doth Righteousness is righteous 3. The third Righteousness is of Graces This an inward Righteousnesse better then both the former and that which commends them This the Evangelical Righteousness made up of Evangelical Graces Faith Love Repentance Obedience good Conscience c. This the Righteousness of the Gospel or Law of Faith This exceeds the Righteousness of Philosophers and of Scribes and Pharisees They had the outward works of the Law without an inward work of Grace But this Righteousness Grace advanceth and urgeth The grace of God which bringeth Salvation teacheth us that denying ungodlinesse and worldly lusts we should live soberly righteously and godly in this present evil world And Rom. 5. ult Grace doth raign by righteousness to eternal life Yield your members servants to Righteousness unto Holiness 4. The fourth and best of all is the Righteeusness of faith or the Righteousness of Christ which commendeth all the former and exceeds them This is called the Righteousness of God for three Reasons 1 Wrought by the Son of God 2. Accepted by the Father 3. Applyed by the Spirit of God The Christians garment is made up of these four the three first insufficient without this We must not as the Souldiers make four of one but one of four dividing these and take each one of us a part the Heathen Civility Pharisees duty the Professors Piety and the Believers imputed Righteousnesse but make up a whole garment of these four quarters as the Israelites garment was to be and bound about with one border or fringe of sincerity Christ and all his followers are cloathed alike he in white sitting on a white horse Revel 19. 11. They so ver 14 And the Lambs wife hath the same garment also all in white this difference only that Christ his Garments are white as snow or wool native undied the purest white ours of linnen not white naturally but made so by washing These have washed their garments in the bloud of the Lamb and made them white CHAP. XX All the godly are such as fear the name of God BUt to you that fear my name Here we come to the third thing from the dedescription of Christ to the description of the Christian. 1. When they are at worst Such as fear his name 2. When at the best Such as grow as Calves in the Stall From the former our Observation is That it is the constant disposition of every true Christian the least of the flock the meanest in the Kingdom of Heaven to fear God and to fear his name Mal. 3. 16. There they are described to be such as fear the Lord and thought on his name Wicked men may fear man they God wicked fear death those sin they fear Gods wrath these his name The highest of the Godly can trust in his name these can but think on it sometimes The highest Saint can glory in the name of God and praise it In God we boast all the day and praise thy name for ever All that these poor Saints can do is to fear hardly say they trust in never yet could say they glory in the name of God Death is to the natural man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of all terribles most terrible The Lord is to the Spiritual man timendorum maximè timendus stiled He that is to be feared And the name of God is to the gracious heart 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Of all dreadfulls the most dreadfull That glorious and fearful name the Lord thy God The Godly are alway men of fear subject to three sorts of fear 1. To a natural fear This a good at least a lawful fear Thus Jacob professed he feared Esau and Jehoshaphat had much of this fear upon him when he understood of the many enemies that combined against him this comes from the apprehension of apparent danger when danger is great and our help little Thus may all the godly safely fear death pain poverty shame prisonment and fly sin the cause and all other evil occasions of them the Wise feareth and departeth from evil Grace destroyes not nature but reformes the evil of it 2 There is an evil fear inordinate and immoderate fear which sometimes a Godly man is incident to and overtaken with for which they are to be chidden and reproved Why are ye fearful O ye of little faith Too much fear and too little faith alway go
apprehension appointed as sheep for slaughter yet Goâ— promiseth to feed them Those who fe 〈…〉 God most may have most fear of Hell aâ—â— though they fear and fly sin they fear theâ— shall never fly damnation They have sometimes failing of eye and faintings of hearâ— rottenness in their bones yet is God thâ— God of their Salvation When the wickeâ— who make a mock at sin and sing Peace Pea 〈…〉 to themselves in life shall at death cry out Despair despair The trembling Believe who cryes Fear fear in his life shall sin 〈…〉 Hope hope in his death There is alw 〈…〉 least fear of their damnation who feaâ— damnation most and sin more the cause oâ— it A thousand times better fear withouâ— danger then security without safety 2 This secures the state of such pooâ— Believers who have only this grace of fe 〈…〉 in them without the perception of any other at present I may say to all those 〈…〉 after another as Absolom to every Israelite that came neer him yet without falsehood and flattery See thy matter is good To thee this Promise belongs believe urge pray wait for it it wil not ly the vision of it is for an appointed time if it tarry do thou also tarry The Sun shall rise upon thee one day and thou shalt see the desire of thy heart Yea the day-break is past already where this holy fear is wrought it is the gray and dark morning foregoing a fair day The Lord delighteth that is is more then ordinary pleased in such as fear him saith the Psalmist And next to the holy Angel in Heaven the humble Saint on earth is the fittest Mansion for the High and Lofty one who will dwel with him that is of a contrite heart and trembleth at his word Object But I have so many fears Answ. The more is thy security Vis in timore securus esse securit atem time Fear nothing but security and thou hast best security against fear 2 Thy fears are Religious fears thou fearest evil with fear of abhorrence God with fear of Reverence dreadst his displeasure art tender of his dishonour obeyest his Word â—uest for his favour fear not only thus fear still and thou art safe 3 Christ his method is to kill and make alive wound and heal as Joseph he speaks roughly at the first he cut down Saul at one blow to make him a chosen Vessel hee darts hell into the conscience He comes with fire and soap into his Temple and who may abide the day of his coming His eyes are as a flame of fire in his hand a fan in his mouth a two edged sword There are two notable dayes of the Lords coming the two saddest dayes of all others 1. To the godly here who in the first appearing of Christ in their Conversion are in bitternesse when they see him whom they have pierced and they mourne because of him as with the mourning for an only Son a sad unforced unfained renewed long lasting and heart breaking mourning 2. The other day is more sad when Christ shall come in the clouds then shall all Tribes wail because of him The wicked that never mourned here penitentially shall mourn despairingly But where the first mourning is past the first woe is past and the last mourning is prevented The way to Heaven lyes by Hells Suburbs and to Salvation by Shenâ—h and Bozez nothing but steep and sharp Rocks on the one side and the other The whirlewind earthquake fire then the still voice to Elias The horror of great darknesse the smoaking furnace the Lamp of fire then the Covenant to Abraham The Fullers soap Refiners fire the burning Oven then the Sun of Righteousnesse The Lord hath no readier way then to expel fear by fear hellish by heavenly therefore he takes so much paines with his people by Mount Sinai terors to drive this nayle of holy fear deep into their hearts The Lord is come to prove you that his fear may be in you fear not Therefore is the true fear of God oft prescribed as the onely remedy against all hurtful feares Fear not but fear 1 Sam 12. 20. 24. Exod 20. 20. Isai. 8. 12 13. Mat. 10. 28. Notes of this holy fear are 1. It must be a fear of Devotion Act. 2. 5. This makes truly devout puts upon the exercise of all duties of Holinesse Cornelius his fear A devout man one that feared God with all his house gave much Almes and prayed alway 2 Of diligence Work out your salvation with fear and trembling Not fear of negligence as the evil servant feared and hid the Talent Lots fear who feared and fled to the Mountains that he might escape Moses fear who was afraid fell downe fasted prayed besought God would not be put off with any denyal 3 Of dependance on God in the use of Meanes Noahs fear He by faith was moved to fear and thereupon prepared his Ark. True faith increaseth lesseneth not religious fear fear confirmes not infirmes faith Such as fear God and hope in his mercy are joyned 4. Of obedience That fear the Lord and obey the voice of his servant This is the feare of the servant not a servile fear The good servant must obey his Master with fear and trembling 5 Or Love the fiâ—â—al fear who feare the Lord and his goodnesse Hoseâ— 3. 5. 6. A sin-resisting fear Jobs fear Ioh 1 1. 7 A heart-sanctifying fear Isa. 8. 12. 3 This informs us that God is pleased to take notice of every grace even the least and lowest and every gracious inclination in any of his Servants To fear his Name is no great matter yet these have a promise To think on his Name lesse yet set down in a Book of remembrance God seâ—s down how many good thoughts a poore soul hath had As Evil thoughts in wicked men are taken notice of they are the first fruits of the evil heart Mat. 15. 19. So good thoughtâ—â—â—e they which ly uppermost and best discover a good heart A desire is a small matter especially of the poor man yet God regards the desire of the poor And calls a good desire the greatest kindnesse The desire of a man is his kindnesse A Tear makes no great noise yet hath a voice God hath heard the voice of my weeping It is no pleasant water yet God bottles it up A groan is a poor thing yet is the best part of a Prayer sometimes Rom. 8 26. A sigh is less yet Psalm 12. 5. God is awakened and raised up by it A look is less then all these yet this regarded Jonah 2. 4 Breathing yet less yet Lam. 3. 56 the Church could speak of no more Panting is less then breathing when one is spent foâ— lack of breath yet this is all the godly can sometimes boast of Psal. 42. 1. The description of a godly man is oft-times made from his least quod
he tels his neighbour in his ear he fears there is some danger there needs a little water his house is consumed while he looks on Or as in an house on fire one is a sleep you call him he stirs not you will not say how sweetly and soundly he sleeps and dyes sleeping he sleeps the sleep of death another when called riseth flyes leaps out of the flames The quiet conscience hath the more peace but the troubled hath the more safety There is an evil quiet conscience saith Bernard as wel as an evil unquiet Obj. 7. But I am so sore tempted Answ. Satan sets not on an empty Vessel brings not his Army to sit down before a Cottage or storm a Village where neither resistance will be made nor Treasure can be had But it is otherwise with thee thou hast something to lose it seems Satan desires to winnow the wheat not the chaff He tempted Peter and found him wheat he filled Judas his heart he is carryed as chaff driven by the wind he finds Judas his heart empty swept garnished he enters with a whole Legion he assaults Peter makes a breach thinks to storm the Fort he is repulsed There the strong man finds a stronger then he keeping the Castle who resists and disarmes him Saint James calls him Blessed who endureth temptation call not thou him Blessed who endureth not but escapeth temptation To tempt is sinful to be tempted is not so The Tempter God hates and the Temptation but the Tempted he loves Object 8. But where is so much corruption as I find what Grace can there be Answ. Grace and corruption are joyned together in this our imperfect state as the iron and the clay in the Image They neither so mix as to agree nor so disagree as to be parted This War is not like that of the house of Saul and David that ends after seven years but like that between Rehoboam and Jeroboam which continued all their dayes Where the house is divided Christ never stayes but where the heart is thus divided he never departs It is a hopeful signe Grace hath abounded where sin is more discovered but it is a certain sign Grace hath abounded where sin is lamented resisted abhorred There are many Diseases like the Plague or Leprosie which are not they There were three cases wherein the party suspected of the Leprosie was to be pronounced clean 1. He might have a fowle scab yet if it did not spread or increase but stand at a stay he was not unclean it is but a scab There are sad spots which may bee the spots of Gods people but they stand at a stay 2. There was a case wherein if one had a perfect Leprosie that covered all his flesh yet if it turned white he was pronounced clean ver 13. 3 If no raw flesh did appear though hee were covered with Leprosie he was also clean otherwise not Godly men may have been all covered with foule sins before Conversion but they are turued white by Repentance They fall after Conversion into some grosse sin it is a scab it spreads not Or they are covered with a world of infirmities but there is no raw or proud flesh to be seen these are clean There are three things I have alway judged hard to define 1. How far an Hypocrite may go in a way of Duty profession and in that is good and yet perish 2 How far a child of God may go in a way of sin and yet be safe 3 How low a child of God may fall in point of Grace yet be safe The maximum quod sic of an Hypocrite and the minimum quod sic of a Saint are hard to determine If you look upon the Apostle in the seventh to the Romans you may see to what sins a renewed Christian is subject yet do they not destroy Sanctification nor in the least prejudice Justification or prevent Salvation Though such a one look upon himself in such case as carnal The Law is spiritual I am carnal Denominatione sumptâ à potentiori parte There is much of the old Moon we say oftentimes seen in the new changed Moon and too much of the old man in the new heart Eight sins there you find which may stand with true not perfect Sanctification Perfect if not certain Justification Certaine and assured Salvation 1 The sin that a poor soul is sold under ver 14. The wicked sells himself to work wickedness as Ahab or gives himself over or yeilds himself servant to unrighteousnesse The godly is passive onely not consenting Sold by an unnatural father as Joseph by his brethren Samson by his wife in his bosom He was bought and sold betweene the Dalilah in his bosom within and the Philistims at the door She could not have hurt him without their force nor their force without her Treason So is the soul betrayed by Corruption to Temptation and by Temptation to Corruption When Corruption stirs within if Temptation be kept off there is lesse hurt done when Temptation comes on if Corruption be kept in there is no hurt at all but when a poor soul comes into this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where these two Seas meet there is a miserable shipwrack yet upon the broken planks of repentance and a broken heart he comes safe to Land 2 Sin not known is not the sin unto death ver 15. What I do I allow not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I know not viz. with approbation Sin approved known consented to is that which destroyes The Law did appoint Sacrifices to take away sins of ignorance none for him that did sin presumptuously If we sin wilfully after we have received the knowledge of the Truth there remaineth no more Sacrifice for sin 3 Where the sin is hated the sinner is loved What I hate that I do No wicked man hates sin he may leave but not loath it he may fear or forbare he cannot hate sin Where sin is loathed the person is loved where sin loved the person loathed All the godly loath sin and themselves for it 4 Where sin is disclaimed not excused or defended but protested against that sin damns not It is not I ver 17. and 20. h. e. not my whole I not my better I for I consent to the Law that forbids it I joyne not with sin against the Law but with the Law against my sin I delight in the Law as touching my inner man The Law and I are all one but sin and I are two With the wicked it is otherwise they delight in sin in the inner man dislike the Law they wish there were no Law the godly wish there were no sin 5 Sin only remaining damnes not sin raigning is the damning sin Not I but sin that dwells in me Sin dwels in the godly but raignes only in the wicked To the one it i◠as a busie mate or troublesome inmate that cannot be got out of doors
are subject to Relapses and new fits of Stone and of the Plague subject to many stoppings haltings and that which the Prophets câ—l backslidings These wil Christ heal as well as the former These are the five ordinary Diseases of the Godly but there are three extraordinary which befal some not all but Christ wil cure them too 1. To be sick of love A sad Disease if I may call it a Disease but a safe Disease Morbus vitalis as Luther called a Godly Ministers sicknesse Many complain of it none dye of it There be two sicknesses that are the sicknesses only of Saints 1. To be sick of love to Christ. This is no Disease but the best Constitution 2 To be sick of sin that sin revives and we dye Such are safe they shal find Gods savour sweeter then life who find sin to them more bitter then death But there are two Diseases opposite to these which are killing 1 To be Love sick to the Creature Amnons sickness cost him his life love of the world earths sickness kills all to be carnal minded is death 2 To be sin sick not of it but for it Ahabs Amnons Absaloms Hamans Disease This Hells sicknesse and the Damned have no worse 2. There is a worse Disease then that former to be Serpent stung Satan-bitten Hellbeaten buffeted wounded with fiery darts terrified with Satans rage and fowle accusations and more vexed with his ugly and odious representations accusing God to us as he did to our Parents solliciting to the perpetrating of most abhorred acts as he did our Saviour injecting blasphemous thoughts disputing and arguing thee into distrust darknesse disuse of means solitarinesse despondency yea to utter despair Yet thus are the Israel of God stung with fiery Serpents and by the brasen Serpent cured Christ came to dissolve the works of Satan and healeth those who were oppressed by the divel 3 A worse Disease then both those is to be stricken of God to have his face hid from us and his indigration lying on the soul his fierce wrath going over us and his â—errâ—rs cutting us off How doth the soul take on when this scorching Sun and scalding East wind beats upon the naked soul The poyson of these arrowes drink up the spirits Who knoweth the terror of the Lord or the Power of his wrath None can expresse it not the Damned that feel it none can conceive it but they who have lyen under it The rack Stone Gout Child birth paines nothing to this The wounded spirit who can bear Iob speaking of this said if his grief were weighed and put in the ballances it would be heavier then the sands of the Sea therefore my words are swallowed up he had not words to express it for the arrowes of the Almighty are within me the poison whereof drinketh up my spirit The terrors of God set themselves in aray against me Iob had patience to bear much Job had not patience enough to bear this but cryed out This is the saddest Disease in the world and is next door to hell yet Christ recovereth these also These three last Diseases are Opprobria Medicorum Theologorum not opprobria Christi Christ giveth ease and cureth all these Reas. 1. He is the great Physician whose curing vertue and Office is set out by those many Resemblances in Scripture 1. He is the Brasen Serpent upon which they that were stung with fiery Serpents were to look and were cured 2. He the Samaritan who when the Priest Aaron with all his Sacrfices and the Levite Moses with all Legal works of Righteousnesse passed by and looked upon unable to help took pity on the wounded Traveller bound up his wounds and took care for his cure and undertaketh to defray all charges 3. He the Tree of Life whose fruit is our meat to feed to everlasting life whose leaves our Medicine to prevent everlasting death 4. He the good Shepheard who taketh care of the whole flock of God Seeking that which was lost bringing again that which was driven away binding up that which was broken and strengthening that which was sick And lastly He the Sun Phoebus God of Physick The Sun is the universal Physician of the inferior world curing the Diseases and Distempers of the year earth aire and creatures The vernal Sun dryeth up the Ayrie Distillations driveth away the earths cold healeth barrenness cureth Rheumes Catarrhs Agues and other cold diseases in mans body How many graves doth our Autumn Sun departing dig And how many new births and resurrections doth the March and May Sun produce Christ is this Sun to the soul. Reas. 2. The Commission given him by the Father upon this his undertaking enableth and obligeth him to this Charge The Commission was sealed Isa. 61. 1 2. and openly read Luke 4. 18. The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because he hath anointed me to preach the Gospel to the poor to heal the broken hearted to preach deliverance to the Captives and recovering of sight to the blind to set at liberty them that are bruised As therefore the Disciples substituted and subcommissioned by him to do some part of this work Ministerially were enabled and assisted to heal all Diseases cleanse Lepers raise dead cast out Divels much more Christ who received the Original commission from the hands of his Father Reas. 3. His own disposition inclines him as much as his Office or Commission betrusts him He is the compassionate Samaritan the merciful High Priest How often is it said in the Gospel He was moved with compassion and healed the sick Hee took our sicknesses and bare our infirmities Bare them in his body by his Passion bare them in his soul by compassion Bajulavit Bare them as a Porter the burden which was too heavy for us to bear Christ is in his Office and Element when among languishing souls where should the Physician be but among the sick Christs Church is the Pool the proper Receptacle and Rendezvous of impotent persons Christs Church is an Hospital Nosocomion the Spittle or Colledg for the Diseased Moses Law excluded the Leprous out of the Camp Gehazi went out from Elisha's presence Uzziah was driven out of the Temple when the Leprosie appeared but Christ bringeth them into the Camp into the Church David banished the blind and lame out of his City Christ sendeth for the lame blind and halt and setteth them at his table Quest. What doth this healing imply Resp. 1. That Christ will ease the grief heal the sore as Physicians or Chiturgians do in bodily Diseases 2. Purge out the peccant humors and draw out the corruption 3 When one is healed the decumbent is revived cheered raised up so those whom Christ doth heal shall say now I am not sick the Lord hath forgiven my iniquity 4 When one is healed he hath strength in the weak part and use of the disabled part he can labor
her owne bowels Our last is not better then our first if we are changed only from an idle to an operative not believing life and from neglect of Duties go no further then to a performing and resting in Duties 2 They go not to this Physician that they may have life but may be think they may wear it out by strength of nature or power of Grace David thought once to get his peace by holding his peace and keeping silence but it would not be And a godly soul sometimes gives over by too much contentedness and despondency and saith Wo is me for my hurt my wound is grievous but I said Truly this is a grief and I must bear it Must bear it as if no remedy but patience But is there no Balm in Gilead for a wounded soul is there no Physician there with healing in his wings 3 They do not believe Christ able ready self-sufficient therefore Christ did not cure some because of unbelief 4. They think to lick themselves whole by duties and endeavours They repent mourne watch fast afflict themselves mingling Christs blood with their own It is as if a person infected with the Pestilence should think to heal himself by his spittle breath urine licking his sores All these are infected it must be somewhat without him Our tears of love may wash Christs feet not our own though tears of greatest Repentance onely Christs water washed the Disciples feet and his bloud all our hearts We are as Naaman who would not receive health upon so easie termes Wash and be clean he could not believe it He would have undergone it rather if the Prophet had required some harder service Herein we are too much of affinity with that Popish Doctrine who are not willing to give the whole glory of our Salvation to Christ and free Grace but think it too much for Christ to give all and too little for them to take all of grace free gift without any consideration of congruity if not condignity of merit 5. Or they neglect the rules and Physick prescribed as too strong too stirring and too much weakning nature Psal. 32. 3. David laid by Confession Humiliation Mortification and such strong purging Physick as not necessary for a person once justified He thought a while that once come to faith and past repentance a justified person might after so fowle acts as comfortably apply the Promise as confidently make prayers as if he had never sinned What need pardon be asked for a person once beloved But he was taught another lesson ere he regained true peace Nathan was sent to lance and cut such a ripe Impostume and to apply sharp Corrosiâ—es to take down such proud flesh The Apostle tells us in such a case there must be mortifying Physick taken we must kill sin or it will kill us Mortifie your earthly members mortifie the deeds of the body and live There must be crucifying the flesh now how much a do is there to get sin to the Cross There must be cutting off of a rotten member and how paineful that Answ. 2. They are cured and it is their mistake to think they are not For 1 They expect a perfect cure but that is not here Christ hath two Hospitals one in heaven of such as are perfectly cured another in earth for such as are under cure 2 One may be said to be healed who is at ease to what he was and when the danger of death is over although he be not yet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 every whit whole Israel was delivered when by Moses brought out of Egypt although not yet settled in Canaan Thy case is good to such as lye still in their bloud dead in trespasses and sins The blind man was much better then before when upon the first touch of Christ he saw men as trees walking the second touch of Christ made him see clearly The first touch of Christ gives a dim sight of faith the second touch at death gives the clear sight of vision 3 He is in a way of cure who complaine more of his sicknesse and paines which hee felt lesse when he was in more danger When the Plague sores break and run it is more painful and noisom then in those who dye of it What doth thy mourning for sin and resisting of it imply but thou art alive from the dead God seeth it meet to keep us humble therefore after greatest favours some Messenger of Satan thorn in the flesh or stroke in the hollow of the thigh to make us go halting and humbly to the grave God to prevent further danger sees it good to leave an Issue open of godly sorrow to carry away those humours which otherwise were more dangerous There are three Fountaines you read of in Scripture these do not all run together when one is open another is shut 1 The Fountain of sin like her 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a bloudy fountain while this runs the other are shut 2 The Fountain of godly sorrow When the hearâ— is a Spring and the eyes Conduits as Mary Mâ—gdâ—lens was then is the former fountain dryed up 3 The fountain of Grace opened for sin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Fountain of blood which is shut up and sealed to such as live in sin but opened to such as have the fountain of godly sorrow opened in them In that day there shall be opened to the house of David a fountain for sin and for uncleanness Jesus Christ is not one benefit but many Here are four promised 1. Hee is a Sun 2. of Righteousness 3. with Healing 4. with Growth He is made of God Wisdom Iustification Sanctification Redemption saith the Apostle and here the same 1. The Sun here Wisdome 2. Of Righteousness there Justification 3. Healing there Sanctification 4. Growth there Redemption He is All in All as I said before who is best resembled by those rare fruits the Cocos and the Melt whereof that divine Du Bartas thus in English The Cocos fâ—r richer Wonders yeilds Then all our groves meads orchards gardens fields What wouldst thou drink the wounded leavs drop wine Lack'st thou fine linnen dress the tender rine Dress it like flax spin it and weave it well It shal thy Cambrick and thy Lawn excel Long'st thou for butter bite the poulpy part And never better came to any Mart. Needest thou oyl then boult it too and fro And passing oyl it soon becometh so Or vinegar to whet thine appetite Then Sun it wel and it will sharply bite Or want'st thou Sugar steep the same astound And sweeter sugar is not to be found 'T is what you wil or will be what you would Should Mydas touch't I think it would be gold And in another place as much of the Melt or as others call it the Metle-tree There mounts the Melt which servs in Mexico For weapon wood needle and thred to â—ow Brick hony sugar sucket
Experience then â—â—to the next of Hope then into the highest Certainty Hope maketh not ashamed because the Love of God is shed abroad into our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us This is to have the white stone and to eat of the hidden Manna 3 In Experiences The Favourite grows great by the many favours gifts jewels Offices the Prince bestowes on him The Christian grows rich in experiences which he wears as Bracelets and keeps as his richest Jewels He calls one Eben-ezer hitherto God hath helped another Nepthali I have wrestled with God and prevailed another Gershom I was a stranger another Joseph God will yet add more and another Penuel I have seen the face of God I have been delivered from the Lion therefore shall be from the Bear from Lion and Bear therefore from the Philistin from the Philistin therefore from Saul from Saul therefore God will deliver me from evâ—y evilwork and preserve me blamelesâ— to his heavenly Kingdom This is scalâ—â—â—â—i or the growth of God as it is called a most excellent growth from a spirit of Bâ—ndagâ— to a spirit of Adoption from a spirit of stâ—â— to a spirit of love and of a sound â—ind that the soul can â—â—â— downe and say Now returne to thy rest the Lord hath dealt grâ—ciousâ—y with thee Now I know why I have believed and wherefore I have believed and whom I have believed and I know â—â— it able to keep whâ—â— I have committed to him to that day When he can say with the Samaritans Now wee believe not because of thy Report and because we have so read and heard but because we have seen and heard him himself This is the glorious growth when Thomas who was shut up in unbelief and made such sad conclusions I do not believe though you all affirm it nay worse I will not believe wilful Thomas Mr. Bradford calls him or worse I shall never believe it is impossible I should as impossible as for a Venice Glasse to fall to the ground unbroken as a distressed Gentlewoman said but was confuted shall have Christ come in to him revealing himself more familiarly singling out Thomas from all the rest and bid him believe his own eyes and hands and make proof of the love of Christ. He breaks into the highest admirations and in fulnesse of Assurance cries out My Lord and my God! Before all unbelief here all faith 4 In acceptablenesse Jesus increased in stature and wisdom and in favour with God and man This is a growth indeed So when from a state of loathing we grow into a state of loving removed out of our blood into a state of beauty of nakedness to Ornaments of deformity to comeliness as is expressed in the Prophet Abraham first a servant then a friend first Electus then Dilâ—ctus before from faith to faith here from love to love from love of commiseration to love of benevolence from benevolence to complacency What a preferment in Esther of a Captive taken into Heges custody thence into the Kings bed thence into his highest favour thence to the Crown thence to ask whatsoever she would This the honour of Angels and the rising of all the Saints from an enemy to reconciliation then a servant then a son then an heir then a co-heir with Christ then to inherit all things I will bee his God and let him ask what he will that my love and his joy may be full Thou shalt be no more termed forsaken but thou shalt bee called Hephzibah for the Lord delighteth in thee Moses at first was charged not to draw neer after Moses was singled out to draw neer when Israel must keep their distance afterward he talketh face to face with God as a friend at last he desireth and is admitted to behold the glory of God and see all his goodness pass before him as if he had been an Angel 1. This is to bee ascribed to a threefold cause 1. To the nature of Grace which as Art and Nature do with their works bringeth all her works to perfection The Workman leaves not his work unperfected Grace is as the leaven mustard seed as the corne which by natures force dies revives roots sprouts brings forth a blade then a stalk then an ear then full corn Grace as great Rivers hath slender beginnings Sin is killed by degrees God begins with a reproof reproof begets a conviction conviction grief grief growes unto hatred hatred unto loathing loathing causeth a divorce of sin that divorce death Reproof discovers sin conviction fears it sorrow lamâ—nts it hatred resists it loathing shuns it divorce puts it away So the greatest measure of Grace proceeds from a spark first a motion in the Ministry or by the Spirit begets a desire that desire cannot go but creeps in longing and wishing longing shewes it self in a tear the tear begets a Prayer that Prayer begins acquaintance acquaintance brings on experience experience more hope hope diligence diligence confidence confidence assurance assurance satisfaction Thus where ever is life is growth The least twig grows but the biggest dead branch growes not the young child growes the old picture grows not unlesse fouler and more uncomely True grace hath a seed of God in it and grows counterfeit Grace growes not unlesse as a Carcasse more unsavoury every day then other 2 This growth is helped forward by the benefit of quickning Ordinances whereby the soul is made fruitful as the watred garden Those that are trees of Gods planting by the waters side shall grow more and more fruitful They that be planted in the house of the Lord the Churches Nursery shall flourish in the courts of our God 3 But most of all is this to be ascribed to the singular undertaking promise and blessing of God Grace for all its nature might decay and when it is as Jordan in harvest overflows all his banks yet without a fresh supply it might stand still bee driven back or quite dryed up And Ordinances cannot help if God put not influence into Ordinances and put this golden oyle into those golden pipes therefore Paul looks for salvation through the supply and auxiliary Grace as additional force to help out Habitual for lack of which supply the stony ground miscarryed it lacked root below and moisture from above the root of spiritual union to Christ and the moisture of spiritual unction from Christ. Now God hath undertaken for his people where he hath begun a good work to finish it Faithful is he who hath called you he wil do it you may rely upon it 1 To apply this What thankfulnesse doth this call for from those in whom Grace is wrought It is a mercy to be prized when the poor growes rich the despised favoured the diseased strong but none to this the sinner to grow gracious to grow out of Gods displeasure into his favour when the