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
his hard bondage Christ Iesus had that first Testimony before that first and great tentation of forty dayes Moses and Gideon were prepared and forearmed with several signes that they might not dread those difficult undertakings they were set upon if we have well provinder'd the horse over night his Master reckons he may travel him the farther next day Expect some change of weather when thou seest the Sun rising early and shining gloriously 4. Often againe after some great and sad tryal Iacob never so much afraid of Esaus face a little before he saw Gods face and when he heard of Esau coming with his Troops to cut him off hee saw Gods host encamping at Mahanaim to secure him after the Trumpet had sounded louder and louder in Sinai terrours Moses spake and the Lord answered after the last and sorest throw the child is borne And after the great thunderclap heaven is opened and the refreshing showers fall plentifully on the thirsty earth 5. Often even when under the heat and brunt of sorest tryalls and conflicts Holy Steven standing before the Judge who condemned him and the people who shut their ears against his Apology sees heaven open and his Saviour standing up to absolve him in heaven who was condemned on earth in the midst of the fiery furnace the Son of God walked among those precious sons of men Into the dungeon where Paul and Silas were cast the Sun arose and shone out at midnight The spirit of Glory and of God never sits neerer nor rests longer upon any then upon Gods servants under their greatest sufferings 6. Sometimes again after some singular act of a well tryed obedience After that high acting of Abrahams faith and obedience in a ready offering of his son God could not hold but speaks expressely By my selfe I have sworn that in blessing I will blesse thee The like to Jacob after hee had sanctified his whole family and had taken his journey to Bethel the Lord appeared more fully and renewed the former promise and covenant with him 7. But if at none of these forenamed times then usually a while before they taste â—f death The Sun breaks out when near â—â—tting and gives the signe of the faire day â—f eternity following Moses saw not Canaan but at Nebo there saw and dyed Steâ—â—en saw heaven open at his death never before before he had been full of faith now of Assurance before of Courage now of Comfort hee had believed in Christ before â—ow hee beholds him hee was a precious Saint before now like an Angel full of glory from a lower heaven here on earth he ascendes to a higher from vision he goes â—o fruition Iesus Christ gave up the Ghost â—n peace after that bloody agony in the garden his bloudy death on the Crosse and after that double horrour of darknesse The Sun withdrawing his natural and the Father his divine â—ight from his spirit yet all ended well 8. But if not then nor before then certainely immediately upon the dissolution then is this and all the other promises not fulfilled in life perfectly accomplished therefore wee are said here on earth to embrace the promises there to inherite them Here the childe of God is heire of the promises yet as the great heire during minority hath but a smal part not the whole of his inheritance till he come to full age Death is the time to us when we come to that state There are many promises never actually and wholly fullfilled til death then are they all to the full Manyare called Blessedâ— here that are onely so by vertue of a promisâ— to be fulfilled then Blessed are the poor iâ— spirit Blessed such as mourne as hunger anâ— thirst after righteousnesse They have thâ— promise now they have the blessedness anâ— the fruition of the promise then Now juâ— ad rem then jus in re 9. Lastly after all and above all at thâ— day of judgement There shal be a rising oâ— the Sun and a rising of the Saints when thiâ— Bridegroome shal put on his glorious robe attended with ten thousands of his Saints the children of the Bride-chamber and shall be admired in all those that believe hee with his Crowne on his head they with theiâ— Palmes in their hands Then shall bee saiâ— to all that feare his name arise and stand up from the dead and Christ shall give thee light arise and shine for thy light is come Theâ— shall all feare cease teares be wiped away death and finne be svvallovved up in victory darknesse and shadows flye away And thâ— Lamb shall be the Sun this Sun shining iâ— his strength never more to set to all eternity Then shall the Sunne be ashamed and the Moone confounded when the Lord of Hostâ— shall reigne in Mount Zion and in the New Jerusalem and before his Ancients gloriously 1. This shewes that the people of God may expect and meet with sad times here both for themselves and for the Church They who can say are there any comforts like my comforts Shal there be any joys like my joyes May at present say Behold and see if there be any sorrows like my sorrows I am he who hath seen affliction by the rod of his wrath Hee hath led me and brought mee into darknesse and not into light In the world tribulation is the Churches legacy and first payment In Christ peace their last portion and ful payment 2. Yet may the godly expect glorious times also many are apt to dream of such on earth but that will not be til Christs kingdom is of this world which never was yet There are two glorious times the godly may expect 1. On earth for their souls when this glorious promise is fulfilled when this Sunne of righteousnesse hath risen on them with healing in his wings This is the most glorious day to be expected on earth All Solomons glory nothing to this The approach of God in those signal manifestations of his presence to Isaael is oft called the glory of the Lord and the greatest glory of his people 2. The other is in heaven There are glorious times to bee expected indeed when the Sun shall no more give light by day nor the Moone by night but the Lord shall be thy everlasting light and thy God thy glory These are the onely glorious times the Scripture speaks of Therefore let the over-busie and earthy Disciple take off his thoughts from Kingdomes and the right-hand and left-hand in seats of glory And think againe of the old Cup and Baptisme of Christ wherin the true professour may sooner become an Anabaptist then he is aware Baptized not baptismo flaminis but sanguinis not flaminis but flammae not with the holy Ghost but with fire 3. This informes us that the foundation of all true peace and comfort is layd in Grace The Sun of righteousnesse onely riseth on them that feare his Name Grace and
into water melting heavenly hearts into tears of love The Sun hath a productive influence which animates all seeds and Christ all graces And a Restrictive influence sometimes binding the earth with a bar of Iron that no seed breaks forth such Christ his restraining hand upon corruption that though all seeds of it in our nature it breaks not forth Again his mollifying influence dissolveth congealed mountains of snow and rocks of ice into fluid water and Christ at work upon the heart dissolveth Petram in fontem Petrum in Lachrymas turneth impenitents into Penitents unbelief into faith obstinacy into obedience Lastly The Suns admirable alterative influence causeth mines and springs of Gold and Silver to grow in the bowels and kidneyes of the earth the proper seat of clods and stones Christ hath an higher operation in the soul in that strange alteration made there in the midst of a vile earthly heart where nothing grew but stone nothing lay but mire and clods of dust there he seateâ—h mines of heavenly Treasure Faith more precious then gold and Holiness more precious then Rubies Instead of the thorn shall come up the Fir tree in stead of the bryar the Myrtle Tree And it shall be accounted to the Lord for a Name and for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off And in another place For Brass will I bring Gold and for Iron Silver for wood brass and for stone iron Here is a great alteration indeed 1. This shewes what reason the Apostle had to use those two great expressions of Christ. 1. That he filleth all in all 2. which is more That he is all in all 1. That he fils all herein he is as the Sun for his influence All that is 1. All Persons Men Angels men of meaner or more excellent encowments he fils All Ministers Magistrates c. 2. All Places heaven with glory earth with grace heâ— with terrour whole world with wisdome Power Providence omnipresence omni-influence prisons with liberty dungeons with light crosses with triumph 3 He filleth all Ordinances preaching with efficacie Prayer with prevalencie Sacraments with nourishment the Sabbath with blessings 4. Relations Magistracie withhonour fear obedience from their inferiors with love justice courage watchfulness care fidelity circumspection towards their inferiors with zeal authority boldnesse diligence towards God Ministry with ability assistance Paternal affections maternal bowels Nurses care towards their flocks and with successe in their labours Conjngall relations with love sweetnesse condescention compliance and mutuall delight in each other 5. All his peoples hearts the ignorant with knowledge the dead with life unbelieving with faith secure with fear impenitent with repentance stony with softnesse sad with comfort troubled with peace unsatisfied with certainty weak with strength wavering with stability 6. All Conditions riches with thankfulnesse poverty with contentednesse mercies with sweetness afflictions with tolerableness prisons with comforts sicknesse with patience persecutions with joyfulnesse death with peace 7. All things when he saith all you may imagine more I cannot name every one reproof with terrour conviction with fear promises with hope consolations with assurance Sacraments with comfort desires with faithfulnesse labours with fruitfulnesse 8. All in All. In all thy needs in all thy straits and in all thy fulnesse in all cases encouragements dispensations he fills thy prosperity thy adversity thy society thy solitude c. 2. The other expression is far higher He is All in all The Sun for light is all in all to make day all the world over staâ—s cannot do it his heat all in all to make summer his influence all in all to make spring and harvest So Christ is all in all Had we the united merits of all the Angels and Saints in heaven they could not help us being lapsed and fallen one poore man would begger them all to set him up had we the sufferings of all the Martyrs since the beginning of the world for the benefit and relief of one man it were too low a price for him It cost so much Christ only could bear the charges of it Christ is all in all who can cast up the summa Totalis of this reckoning To be somewhat in some case is as far as any creature can goe an Angel is somewhat in some case not all in any thing not somewhat in all somewhat in excellency of grace glory and many perfections somewhat to benefit man nothing to satisfie Gods Justice nothing to Redeem man but Christ is all and in all They are good Ministers to the Saints bad Mediators for the Saints The best creatures and graces have but one and that a finite use Christ hath many and infinite Bread is somewhat to a hungry person nothing to a sick Physick somewhat to a sick not to a person in health sight to a blind a pardon to a condemned person mony to a poor man Of Graces repentance is somewhat to a guilâ—y soul knowledge to an ignorant soul certainty to a doubting faith to a distrusting righteousnesse to a soul conflicting with strong corruptions but it is only Christ who is all in all to a poor man rich man sick found bond free living dying condemned pardoned man he is all in all to an ignorant knowing repenting believing righteous man he is all in all He is bread clothing gold eye-salve liberty pardon physician way truth light wisdome righteousnesse sanctification Redemption all in all Especialiy Christ may be said to be all in all in ten respects 1. His Teaching is All in All in the matter of our Illumination mans teaching nothing were it by Paul or Apollo Who teacheth like him 2. His Drawing is all in all in the matter of our conversion not others perswasion not our own preparation Draw me we wil run after thee 3. His Bloud all in all in the matter of our Reconciliation Col. 1. 20. Rom. 3. 23. 4. His Death all in all in matter of Divine satisfaction 1 Cor. 15. 3. 5. His Righteousnesse all in all in the matter of our Justification Rom. 3. 22. 6. His Spirit all in all in the matter of Sanctification 1 Cor. 6. 12. 7. His Intercession all in all in the matter of our Acceptation Heb. 7. 25. 8. His Grace all in all in the matter of our Supportation against sin and Satan 2 Cor. 12 9. 9. His Peace all in all in the matter of our compleat satisfaction and consolation â—ere Ioh. 16. 33 and 14. 27. 10. And his Presence all in all to our Glorification and compleat Beautitudâ— hereafter Phil. â— 23. Use 2. This informs us what singular benefit we have by the influence of Christ upon us more then if we had his corporal presence it was expedient that he should goe away both for his own glory and our advantage the spirit had not descended nor his Intercession been so prevalent if he had not departed The Suns body if it were possible to be with us
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