you vow Be not rash with thy mouth and let not thy spirit be hasty to utter any thing before God Eccl. 5.2 Be very sparing and slow in making but sure and timely in paying vows Psal. 67.11 Eccl. 5.4 Let your vowes promise some warrantable service as Iacob Gen. 28.21 22. General vowes made in Baptism pay daily Psal. 61.8 particular seasonably Deut. 23.21 Let your vowes be ever conditional if God will help and assist you then looking to his gracious promises beg strength and stirr up your selves to a diligent and cheerful performance Pay them not grudgingly or of necessity for God loveth a cheerful giver 2 Cor. 9.7 Frequently thus meditate Great Fount of light whose overflowing streams Lend stars their dimmer â—parks Suns brighter beams Thy mouth spoke light thy hands at first did shed it Along the skie and through the ayer did spred it So shadedst earth with curtains of the night And drewst those curtains to give days their light Then gathering all that scattered light compactedâ—t In one vast burning Lamp and strait enactedst That all less lights should beg their borrowed beams And from that â—ountain fill their narrow streams So that more spiritual and sacred ray Which riâ—ing from thy mouth gave spirits day In those first ages had no certain sphere But breath'd by thee shin'd forth from mouth to ear Aâ— length collected by thy gracious Spirit Fills all the world with light with life and spirit There I behold thy self thy Lamb and Dove Shining in grace burning in heavenly love There I my death and thine thy power my duty See and by seeing change into thy beautie Lord let thy light draw off my wandring eyes From empâ—y forms and lying vanities Oh fix them on thy self and make me see My Light in all things nothing all in thee Thou boughtâ—t me all oh make me all thine own Be all in me I all in thee alone CAP. XX. Man as man is not man but Vanitie THere is but one end to which all men aym all their thoughts desires and actions even Blessedness and but one way leading to this end knowledg but this way hath two periods 1. The knowledg of our selves 2. Of our God a truth so palpable that even heathens in their midnight without eyes could feel something of it and not only find it themselves but commend and prove it to others The whole scripture was penn'd by the Holy Ghost to this very end to be our light and guide in this way yet as far as I conceive no where so briefly and cleerly doth this Guide point out this way unto us as in that short but full sentence Eph. 2.5 Even when we were dead in sins he hath quicken'd us together with Christ. Look as it is with some double-faced pictures if ye view them on the one â—ide you shall see a beautiful pourtrait of some lovely virgin or such like if ye change your place and look on the other side ye see an Owl Ape or some deformed creature so hath Gods blessed Spirit as in Tableture drawn the picture of man If you behold him in himself in his own and old nature he is but a body oâ— death if you look on him in his new nature and in the second Adam full of glorious life One side no better than a Divel if not worse the other no worse than an Angel if not better In the first he is dead dead in sin the death of hell In the second he is alive quickned with Christ in the life of God Let this piece therefore be the last Legacie which in the conclusion of this Testament I bequeath to every one of you that you may hang it up in the best room of your heart where you may have it ever in your eye and there behold your selves 1. In your tombs dead in sins and buried in the graves of lust 2. In your resurrection quickned in and with the Lord Iesus Christ. Death consists 1. In the privation of life when life is not or is now nothing 2. In the consequents of this privation corruption putrefaction stench loathsomness Consider then the picture of your old man 1. In the rude draught the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. In the full pourtrait when all the colours and complements are added In the former Man in the first Adam howsoever magnified by himself or others considered not physically or civilly but spiritually is a base abject creature hardly to be called a creature a very privative and therefore nothing He is as we say a may be possibly he may be some thing but as yet in this estate a sheer vanitie and a meer nothing He is but Somnium hominis a dream and so are all his actions Though he mount up in exâ—ellencie unto the Heavens and his head reach unto the clouds he shall fly away as a dream and not be found chased away as a vision in the night Joh. 20.6 8. As when an hungry man dreams and behold he eats but he awakes and his soul is empty and a thirsty man dreams and behold he drinks but he awakes and behold he is faint and his soul hath appeâ—ite Isa. 29.7 8. voluptuous men in their feasts and riots do but dream that they eat drink and are merry worldlings do but dream that they find treasures and very joyful they are in gathering pocketing and chesting it but they awake and in their hand is nothing Eccl. 5.14 As a dream when one awaketh so oh Lord when thou awakest thou shalt despise their glory Psal. 73.20 Mâ—n is like to vanitie Psal. 144.4 A very small but very like and lively picture so like that as it is spoken of the blind man Ioh. 9. we may say this is he others he is very like him but himself when he hath his eyes will fully confess I am he I am a meer dream and a sheer vanitie Attentively observe that fuller picture Psal. 39.5 Mine age is as nothing before thee and verily every man in his best estate is altogether vanitie Where this emptiness of man is excellently set out in divers propositions 1. Man is vanitie You may say perhaps some men the poor are despised nay 2. Every man Indeed take him at his worst in sickness trouble c. nay 3. In his best estate In some respects it may be as subject to losses crosses death c. nay 4. In all respects Altogether vanitie But is not this an hyperbole more spoken than intended No it is an infallible truth which the Spirit of truth hath bound with an asseveration Verily Verily every man in his best estate is altogether vanitie Nay the Lord proceeds yet further and to convince our self-conceit and fond pride assures us that as men of low degree are vanitie so men of high degree are worse a lie so that high and low weighed in a true ballance are lighter than vanitie it self Psal. 62.9 A lie what great men glittering in their pomp admired by some feared by others are
our whole service to God is holiness This he frequently and straitly charges upon us Be holy as I am holy Lev. 44.45 As obedient children not fashioning your selves according to your former lusts in your ignorance But as he is holy so be ye holy in all manner of conversation 1 Pet. 1.14 15. It must be our daily work set work which we must continually ply and follow until it be perfect 2 Cor. 7.1 Much I desire if it please God to furnish me with means and you with parts to see you bred up in all humane literature that you may not be as too many a burthen only to others meer cyphars in the world to fill it up with idle numbers but much more do I longue to see you trained up in the School of Christ to be taught of him as the truth is in Iesus To put off the old man corrupt in lusts and to be renewed in the Spirit of your mind and that ye put on the new man which is created in righteousness and true holiness Eph. 4.21 22 23 24. Reason gives you a formal difference from other creatures and the polishing of it by humane learning will distinguish you from other almost brutish men but religion and pietie only maketh you Christians perfect and blessed Should I say you cannot be complete men without holiness it might seem a paradox to carnal wisdom but is a sure truth of Gods wisdom For if Philosophie will teach you that a man is a reasonable creature Theologie will assure you that man was an holy creature framed after the likeness of God without which likeness he is not perfect according to his creation It is an amiable sight to behold a mind beautified with all the lovely Ideas of humane knowledg and framed into a pleasant Garden where all the various flowers of earthly literature are planted rooted and fairly flourish But oh what a glorious Paradâ—se is that spirit of man which is grafted with all those fruitful trees of Life It is even Gods garden of pleasure in which his soul delighteth What an Heaven is that soul where all those glorious stars of Prophets and Apostles are fasten'd in the understanding and the Throne of God set up in the heart where the Lord Iesus reigns attended by all Saintly thoughts and Heavenly graces Now that you may willingly nay joyfully yield up your spirits to be this Paradise and third Heaven where God will dwell work and reign let me shew you in briefâ— 1. What holiness is 2. How excellent 3. How necessary For the 1. As it is very easy for us to know the picture if it be well drawn when we are throughly acquainted with the person whose picture it is so it will not be difficult to know what holiness is in man when we are informed what it is in God â— because this holiness in us is nothing else but the image and likeness of the divine holiness Holiness in God is that substantial and incomprehensible purity of the divine nature whereby he is wholly averse from all sinful filthiness and infinitly adverse to all filthiness of sin He is a God of pure eyes that cannot behold evil that cannot look on iniquity Hab. 1.13 nay in this respect he is a consuming fire Heb. 12.29 to Hypocrites and sinâ—ers a devouring fire and everlasting burnings â— Isa. 33.14 Answerable in our measure iâ— mans holiness For we are pure as he is pure 1 Ioh. 3.3 In man therefore holiness is that essential property of pureness whereby he is averse from all sinful uncleanness nay contrary to all impuritie of sin 1. Essential I call it only in that respect as being the form differencing the true Christian from other men the spiritual from the carnal And as in that gold with was dedicated for the work of the Temple the form or shape of the golden Cherubims was essential to that piece distinguishing it from the Candlestick snuffers c. framed of the same matter so this renewing of the Spirit of our mind which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness howsoever it be not of the substance either of body or soul yet is it essential to the new man or faithful Christian and of his being by which he is a new creature Secondly this purity or divine nature of man consists of an averse nay adverse disposition to sinful uncleanness It flieth the corruption which is in the world through lust 2 Pet. 1.4 hating it Rom. 7.15 loathing the garment stained with it Jude 23. nay themselves polluted with it Ezek. 20.43 And no sooner is this new life brought forth in man but instantly it stands as adverse to sin as life to death accounting it to be as indeed it is nay so feeling and accordingly hating it as death Rom. 7.24 a most cursed wretched divelish hellish death 2. Secondly the excellencie of holiness will clearly appear in this that it is in man Gods likeness To be like the Creatour is the highest pitch of honour to which the most aspiring ambition of the creature can look To be above God cannot enter into a reasonable thought As that excellent Father August so reason will testifie that every creature will contend for the excellencie of God and caâ—not conceive God to be a substance than which any can be better To be equal to God and independent may be the ambition of the divel his Son Antichrist or some transported with the like folly and furie which yet ordinary reason will manifestly evince can never be attained but to be like to God is the supreme honour of the creature and is not only possible to be obtained but obvious to Christians God himself proffering inviting nay intreating us to receive it And surely if any thing in God could be more excellent than other holiness were it For man verily swears by the greater but because God could not swear by a greater he swore by himself Heb. 6.13 16. but when he chuseth out any particular Attribute in himself to swear by it it is constantly his holiness See Psal. 60.6 18.35 Amo. 4.2 Holiness in God is his face and beautie frequently termed the beautie of holiness Psal. 110.3 which the faithful soul most longues after Psal. 90.17 and God stamps upon his beloved Ezek. 16.14 And as in excellent substances their excellence consists in their puritie when they are simple and unmixt with baser natures Thus in corporal substances gold the more pure the more precious and in spiritual only the pure Angels not the impure are glorious so certainly in God his holiness being the puritie of the divine essence is the glory of it He is glorious in holiness Exo. 15.11 a glory farr surpassing all thought or possibilitie of admiration in which regard those blessed Spirits which stand in his presence omitting other excellencies but ravished with the glorious beautie of his holiness cry out in heavenly ecstaâ—ies Holy Holy Holy Lord God! the whole Earth is full of his glory
eagerly followed it But when he had a while worn it was soon weary put it off and hid his head in a private dwelling 5. All earthly honour is far inferiour to that heavenly creature which is the principal part of man The spirit of man framed after the likeness of his Creatâ—ur and again restored to that glorious image infinitely transcendeth the vain and highest râ—spects it can receive from man Honour cannot ascend but descends cannot be given by an Inferiour to a Superiour When we are precious in the sight of God then anâ— never but then we are truly honourable â— Isa. 43.4 6. Lastly Honour is not only needlessâ— no way forwarding our happiness and none so happy or truly honourable as who by men are most despised witness our most blessed Saviour Isa. 53.3 but very dangerous if not deadly stopping our way to the only true glory and eternal blessedness Iohn 5.44 12.43 Let me conclude this passage also with that Poetical Philosopher Boetius Libr. 4. Metr 2. Those earthly Gods you trembling view Mounted on starry thrones Array'd with Heaven in spangled blue Guarded with armed drones With raging hearts and lightning browes Storming with thundring mouths Could you unlace their vain attires And peep into their brest With chains with gyves with tortures fires Th ' Oppressors lye opprest Clos'd in that shew and Heav'n-like shell You 'l find the kernel hell Distracting lusts with cruel twitches Rack the diâ—joynted Ghost Hope backs the heart and spurrs and switches Wrath anger â—ear and roâ—â— Hate Envy scourge with snaky wreath Griefs pressing squeese to death When then so many Tyrant Lords Reign in one single brest How can it bound with self-will'd cords Do what it self thinks best He that rules men serves lust 's a thing Much greater slave than King If then our Happiness is neither made nor patcht up by Riches Honours how much less by Pleasure CAP. V. Bodily pleasure earthly joy and mirth have nothing to do with blessedness PLeasure is the Idol and God of Epicures like Childrens Babies trickt without and trimm'd with toyes and gauds but within a rotten stick It hath a double subject either the body where properly it is called pleasure and luxury or the soul where we term it joy and mirth Neither of both if carnal and earthly can possibly stand with the blessed estate of man but are rather unreconcileable adversaries to our blessedness If we look well upon them and throughly eye them and their attendants we shall find that carnal joy and mirth dwell live and dye with grief Even in laughter the heart is sorrowful and the end of that mirth is heaviness Prov. 14.13 As we say of swine There is a great cry and little wool much crackling of thorns and little heat Eccles. 7.6 whosoever serves them they bestow their livery upon them a fools coat and cap The heart of a fool is in the house of mirth Eccles. 7.4 and will soon prefer them from the Hospital to Bedlam I said of laughter it is mad Eccles. 2.2 And what is pleasure to the body but an itching worm which when it is clawed breaketh out into a scab a vain tickling of sense till it end in an Hickup It is common to a beast and exists only in that part of man which is his beast even flesh And their fruits commonly very pernicious Carnal joy turns us out of Gods house Ier. 11.15 ranks us amongst the most lewd and wicked persons whom Gods â—pirit points out to us marked with the Deâ—ils brand who rejoice to do evil and delight â—n the frowardness of the wicked Prov. 2.14 â—leasure is to our estates here a very pickâ—urse a slie thief that unwarily steals us â—nto poverty and misery God hath blasted â—t with his curse He that loveth pleasure shall â—e a poor man and he that loveth Wine and Oyl shall not be rich Prov. 21.17 It is a palâ—ie to our bodies unsinues them and makes â—hem as an unstringed Lute or Voyal fit â—or nothing As we read of Hannibals souldiers that when they entred Capua they were more then men but dissolved with the pleasures of that rich and voluptuous City they went out less than women To the soul it is a sweet poison choakes it in the seed and birth Luk. 8.14 nourishes it to slaughter Jam. 5.5 To the whole man it is a perâ—umed grave They that live in pleasure are dead while they live 1 Tim. 5.6 dead to God dead to men dead to themselves the very soul dead in its life coffin'd and buried in the body How impossibly then can a voluptuous man live happily who is dead while he lives and lives to an everlasting and ever-living death Lastly it is much more subject to all those defects which before were mentioned that make it altogether unfit and utterly impotent to make up our happiness or to help us iâ— the pursuit of it 1. It is sheer vanity Eccles. 2 1â— nothing else but crackling of thorns under â— pot Eccles. 7.6 2. It satisfies not witness thaâ— Epicure who proclaimed a reward to Inventers of new pleasures 3. It lasts not is but for â— moment Iob 20.5 and dies in the very birthâ— 4. It is not so alluring before as loaths omâ— after enjoying witness Amnon 2 Sam. 13.15 5. It is far beneath us as being common with us to beasts And 6. needless and dangerousâ— Woe to you that laugh now Luk. 6.25 Thiâ— Chapter let me conclude also with the same Philosophical Poet. Boetius Libr. 3. Metr 7. All Pleasures ride with spurs they goar the heart And drive it first to run and then to smart Pleasures are Bees Bees have their bag and sting Those drops of sweet these streams of torment bring The bag flies with the Bee the sting remains How flitting are our joyes how lasting pains He that in honied Hive of Pleasure dwells Soon dies to Heav'n lives to a thousâ—nd hells The happiness of man therefore stands not in outward things They are all heterogenies of another nature and cannot piece or be united with us They are without us and we without them happy But there are other things which close and are within us In our bodies Beauty Strength in our spirits wisdom morality Do not these make us blessed At least do they not concurr as necessary parts of our happiness Certainly even these rather follow an happy person than constitute our happiness CAP. VI. Blessedness is not in any thing corporal or meerly moral OUR Bodies are but the houses of our spirits and houses of clay Job 4.19 As the house of a Snail it is moved and â—arried by the Inhabitant And as those â—nail-shells are some black and dusty some â—littering in divers colours so is it with these â—â—ells of our spirits Some the hand of our â—otter seems to frame of finer earth or at â—ast tinfoyls them with more lovely paintâ—â—gs some formed of more course and dirty â—etal or being not leaded have not that â—â—oss and
glittering As our houses some â—â—e dawbed with plain lome others plaistered â—ith lime and washed over Now as in our houses we look first to the materials secondly to the form the one giving strength the other beauty to our buildings so in the Body strength and beauty are the special endowments of it Beauty is but the flower of grass 1 Pet. 1.24 not all out so fair full out as fading blasted with the wind seared with the Sun smitten with every worm and if it had no outward enemy rotting in the ripening and ever slubbered in the using Sickness turnâ— it into dust death into dung the one makeâ— it untoothsome the other loathsome Favour therefore is deceitful and beauty vaiâ— Prov. 31.30 nay often dangerous Aâ— it hath cords to draw a lusting affection sâ— hath it snares to intangle us in these cords It is a fire that may scorch others and consume our selves How then should Beautâ— make happy when many thousands aâ— Absolom and his Sister Tamar might havâ— been much more happy if they had beeâ— much less beautiful 2. Secondly What is there in bodilâ— strength were it equal to Sampsons in thâ— latitude and in the longitude to Calebs Josâ—â— 14.10 11. what can the fullest dimensioâ— of strength bring with them to make 〈◊〉 happy By strength shall no man prevaiâ— 1 Sam. 2.9 The battel is not to the stronâ— Eccles. 9.11 It is not worth a smile Ier. 9.23 An Ague unbends and Age bends the strongest back It fills us with vain confidence drives us to rash attempts fails us in the execution and betrayes us to destruction Nay if we travel further into this lesser world of man and search into the bowels of it we shall find nothing in the Head or Heart City which will help to build up our happiness True indeed it is Wisdom excelleth folly as far as light darkness yet though the wise mans eyes be in his head he cannot keep off the event of fools what happens to the fool happens to the wise Eccles. 2.13 14 15. If it dwell with poverty it is followed with scorn Eccles. 9.16 It is ever married to pain and sorrow the issue of the match and grows up with it Eccles. 1.18 Some foolishness is wiser than it and utterly out-wits it 1 Cor. 1.25 And as our natural wisdom most oâ—ten perverts us Isa. 47.10 bladders and swells us oft to bursting Isa. 10.13 1 Cor. 8.1 so when it grows up in a carnal mind it turns foolishness 1 Cor. 3.19 enmity to God Rom. 8.7 and devilish Iam. 3.15 We see it ordinarily that those subtile heads which are â—utored in that Florentines universiâ—y soon commence Batcheler Machiavils and Master Devils And truly I think no wise man can discern how that can merit the name of wisdome which must necessarily first proceed fool before it can have the grace to go out wise 1 Cor. 3.18 But to help it a little joyn with this natural wisdome moral honesty and stretch them both to the uttermost extent yet will they still fall short and never reach to happiness They are like that Scribe who answered discreetly he was not far from the Kingdom of God Mark 12.34 but stopping there was never in it Morality in those ethick Sages is like the rings and jewels of running cheaters brass but fairly gilded fair stones but counterfeit They oft deceive never enrich the Owner precious to the view but bring them to the Touch of no value And as some Phidian statue exquisitely formed may seem to live breath c. yet is but a stone so lifeless is all their morality for he that hath the Son hath life and he that hath not the Son hath not life 1 Joh. 5.12 If some old Image gnawn with Rats be trickt up again with a new dress and garnished with choice colours yet are colours indeed dead as the rotten stock Such were those old heathen Philosophers Images of Virtue or rather as the Apostle speaks of Sacrifices shadows of good things Heb. 10.1 They were as all other in nature dead in sins and trespasses Eph. 2.5 And how shall the hand be living when the heart is dead the fruit good when the Tree is evil The best of them professing themselves wise became fools Rom. 1.22 Neither the wisdom of Socrates the justice of Aristides could in this life secure them from earthly calamities death banishment c. How should it help them in that other with that Judge where the Saints and their righteousness not washed in the blood of the Lamb Rev. 7.14 are all as an unclean thing and as filtâ—y raggs Isa. 64.6 As one speaks all their fair shews were splendida peccata glistering â—ins And truly sin glistering is no less filthy but more dangerous brass as all other but better polished All the former discourse let me shut up with another Poem of that Platonick Philosopâ—er Boâ—tius Libr. 3. Metr 8. When Ignorance leads fools both blind they stray How should they hitt or miss their â—nd or way We seek not grapes on thornsâ— on thistles figgs Who gathers pearls â—rom Vines or gold from twiggsâ— He that would feast his guests with Lenten dishes Draggs not dry Mountains nor thin Ayeâ— fishes He that with Ven'son would his palate please Swims not his Hounds in Brooks or hunts the Seaâ— Tethis black Closets hid with dark deep floods Men search know rifle ransack all her goods Where brightest Pearls she hoords in Oyster cells Where Coral grafts where stores her purple shells They know her Markets Fairs where when to buy Each kind of Fish where Crabs where Lobsters lye But where that good which makes man blessed lyes They have no ears to hear to see no eyes On earth â—ools hunt which far transcends the poles They tear dig delve oh are they men or moles What curse deserve such Bedlams blindâ—old wretches Tir'd let them still pursue their honours riches And prest with fâ—lse goods give them eyes to view The dross of false the glory oâ— the true If then in none of these CAP. VII Where lies the Portion of Man THE Portion or Inheritance of man which makes him blessed lies not so low as the highest creature His Treasure is not buried in earth but bagg'd up in Heaven Luk. 12.33 Heaven indeed is his Store-house but not his Portion He that is infinitely higher than the Heavens Heb. 7.26 he whom the Heaven of Heavens cannot contain 2 Chron. 6.18 he and he alone is mans Inheritance Man is the great Favourite of Heaven and of the King of Heaven and though he were made a little lower than the Angels yet his Lord most highly advanced him set the Crown upon his head crowned him with glory and honour Psal. 8.5 6. and gave him dominion over the works of his hands The gift was very great but not proportionable to the love or person of the Giver Therefore our gracious Lord after he had bestowed all his creatures upon us to be our servants gave us himself to
bloody heart of his â—alicious Brother Gen. 33.4 In brief when â—â—ey were a few a very few in number and â—rangers when they went from one Nation to â—â—other People he suffered no man to do them â—rong yea he reproâ—ed Kings for their sakes â—sal 105.12 13 14. David was sometime 〈◊〉 the paws of Bears sometime in the jaws â—f Lions encounters Goliah but is still safe â—nder Gods hand 1 Sam. 17. Saul pursues â—im hunts him 1 Sam. 26.18 20. watches â—im at his house 1 Sam. 19.11 comâ—asseth him about 1 Sam. 23.26 surâ—rises him in a Cave 1 Sam. 24.3 but â—ill he is safe under Gods wings The whole â—ountrey opposes one poor Prophet Kings â—â—inces Priests People all fight against him â—ut all cannot prevail and what the reason â—am with thee saith the Lord to deliver thee â—er 1.18 19. They smite him put him in the stocks Jer. 20. they question him foâ— his lise Ier. 26. imprison him Ier. 32. search for him to kill him Ier. 36. fliâ—â— him down into a miery sinking and stinking Dungeon Ier. 38. but the Lord is witâ— him in the stocks in prison in the dungeon his enemies are destroyed and he delivered Saints may be stoned shipwrackt often iâ— stripes above measure in prisons frequent 〈◊〉 death oft every where in perils and yet safâ— joyful happy 2 Cor. 11.23 c. They maâ— be as safe in a Lions Den as in a Palacâ— Dan. 6. as cheerful in a burning Furnacâ— as in a Bed Dan. 3. The truth is we maâ— have many changes but he changes not anâ— therefore we are not consumed Mal. 3.6 And because where so many and so crafâ—â— Adversaries walk about to devour 1 Peâ—â— 5.8 and prying into all advantages waâ—â— upon all occasions to destroy us we havâ— need of a good watch to secure us thâ— Lord himself sets the watch Psal. 141 3â— nay vouchsafeth in his own person whâ— never slumbers nor sleeps to watch anâ— ward about us Psal. 121.3 4. and 〈◊〉 countermining all their underminings blowâ— up all their projects impregnably fences ouâ— hearts and keeps them in his peace whicâ— passeth understanding Phil. 4.6 7. Object But is this true with our eyeâ— we see them in this World subject not only to much evil but often to death it self Answ. 1. Know assuredly the promise is infallible and general No evil shall befall thee Psal. 91.10 All shall work together for good Rom. 8.28 2. Many things are called and counted evil by carnal men nay by Saints in their mistaking weakness which are good Christs departure in the flesh seemed a great misery to the Apostles but they were deceived Iohn 16.6 7. Even all Saints after their blubberd eyes are cleared can see good in affliction and Gods faithfulness in his chastisements where they feared his wrath and felt his displeasure Psal. 119.71 75. 3. Death is no evil where God hath given Christ to be our Life Death is ours 1 Cor. 3.22 the gate to eternal rest a sleep in the bosome of Christ 1 Thes. 4.14 desired by Saints in a godly manner 2 Cor. 5.2 4. Phil. 1.23 and envied us by wicked enemies Numb 23.10 Object 2. Nay they are not so fenced by their Shield but that often they receive grievous wounds of spirit so that they roar for very disquietness of heart and are led captive by enemies Psal. 38.5 8. Rom. 7.23 Answ. 1. There are two sorts of wounds some of friends some of enemies some killing some healing A Surgeon will wound and lanch â— sore nay a Mother These wounds are as that of Iason Pherâ—eus whose enemy intended to kill but cured him 2. The Lord our heavenly Physician even by these wounds draineth our surrounding corruptions and purgeth our deadly and hellish filthinesâ— Peter's fall broke the heart oâ— his self-conceit and the stiff neck of his pride but he lost not one Limb of the new man Therefore Christ called it Winnowing or sifting of Wheat Luk. 22.31 The Corn falls on the Floar but is cleansed from the chaff and dross and so made fit for use And it is much to be observed that none have been more cleansed than they who have most sinned 4. This Captivity is but aâ— Iabins oppression of Israel It forces to cry who shall deliver me Compare Iudg. 4.3 with Rom. 7.24 this cry affects the soul of our Saviour grieved for the misery of his Israel Judg. 10.16 so God arises scatters our enemies and we are more than Conquerours in him that loved us Rom. 8.37 2. Secondly As he is a full defence so is he an exceeding great reward exceeding indeed not only the possibility of our deserving but the uttermost reach of any created understanding For as his love is incomprehensible Eph. 3.19 so his greatness unsearchable Psal. 145.3 He is only good Matth. 9.17 abundant in goodness Exod. 34.6 For as he is the only Fountain distilling all good into all Creatures so is he an overflowing Ocean pouring out to men not in drops but streams his Rivers of living pleasures and goodness See Psal. 36.8 9. They are abundantly satisfied with the fatness of his house he makes them drink of the Rivers of his pleasures for with him is the Fountain of life and in his light we shall see light Hence it is that his Servants wrapt and even swallowed up in this torrent with admiration and exclamation testifie Oh how great beyond expression or comprehension is thy goodness to them that fear thee which thou hast wrought for them that trust in â—hee before the Sons of men Psal. 31.19 Where can we turn our selves but we shall hear â—very Creature ready to joyn in consort with â—he Saints and to sing Thou crownest the year â—ith goodness and thy steps drop fatness they â—rop upon the pastures of the Wilderness and â—he little hills rejoice on every side The â—astures are cloathed with flocks the Vallies â—re covered with Corn they shout for joy â—hey also sing Psal. 65.11 12 13. How â—â—numerable are the Creatures in the â—eaven Ayer Earth Water and every one â—f them proclaim his goodness being in their Creation Very Good Gen. 1.28 and daily by his good Providence feasted and filled with good Psal. 104.28 It is not in vain that Gods Spirit by the Psalmist compares our defence in God to a Shield our reward to the Sun Psal. 84.11 A Shield saves us by its own gashes we cannot be wounded till our shield be pierced He is afflicted in our affliction Isa. 63.9 when men tear the faithful as Psal. 35.15 they scratch his eyes Zech. 2.8 He is persecuted in his Members Act. 9.4 All the wrongs all the stripes scoffs derisions abuses fastened upon his people lite upon him For he is the shield that bears off all The Sun is the fountain of light and not the Ayer only and every sublunary creature but even those Luminaries of Heaven have no other Tapers but what they kindle at his fire How freely and plentifully doth that great Light
whatsoever God bestows on us is in Christ and we receive it in him and whatsoever he requireth of us Christ doth it in us and we perform it in him so he all in all Col. 3.11 Hence he is often called our Covenant Isa. 42.6 49.8 Observe it in some particulars 1. He promiseth to save us from all our enemies Luk. 1.74 and gives Christ to be our Salvation Act. 13.47 He Covenants to make us blessed and gives him to be what he promiseth to give Gen. 22.18 2. He sees that we are filthy Psal. 14.3 and therefore demands of us that we wash Ier. 4.14 and be pure as he is pure Levit. 11.45 He knows how unable we are to do it For though we wash us with nitre and take much sope yet our iniquity is marked before him Jer. 2.22 As well can the Ethiopian change his skin or the Leopard his spots Jer. 13.23 Himself therefore undertakes it and covenants to wash and cleanse us from all our filthiness Ezek. 36.25 Hence he openeth a â—ountain to us even in the side of the Lord Iesus for sin and for uncleanness Zech. 13.1 gives us Christ and Christ washes us in his blood Rev. 1.5 3. He knows our foolishness My people are foolish sottish children Jer. 4.22 Tit. 3.3 that we are beasts and bruitish in our knowledge Jer. 10.14 And his infinite Wisdom can take no pleasure in fools Eccles. 5.4 commands us therefore to be wise Psal. 2.10 and often exhorts us to it Oâ— that they were wise Deut. 32.29 Again Ye fools when will ye be wise Psal. 94.10 but knows it is out of our reach Wisdom is too high for a fool Prov. 24.7 Himself therefore gives it liberally and upbraids not Jam. 1.5 gives Christ his wisdom 1 Cor. 1.24 to be our Wisdom 1 Cor. 1.30 4. The Lord knows we are Captives of Satan taken by him at his will 2 Tim. â— 26 servants or slaves to divers lustâ— Tit. 3.3 commands us to loose our â—elves from our bonds Isa. 52.2 to deliver our selves Zech. 2.7 knows we can never be free till the Son makes us free Joh. 8.36 Himself therefore proffers to be our Redeemer Isa. 41.14 and gives the Lord Iesus to be our Redemption 1 Cor. 1.30 In a word we are dead and he our life we hunger-starved and he our food Joh. 6.35 we naked and poor he our cloathing and riches Rev. 3.17 18. Gal. 3.27 we blind and even darkness Eph. 5.8 he our light Joh. 8.12 we excluded from the Kingdom of Heaven he the Door to enter us Ioh. 10.9 we straying lost sheep â— he our way Joh. 14.6 and Shepherd to conduct us 1 Pet. 2.25 we dull he the Quickening Spirit 1 Cor. 15.45 we weak and can do nothing Ioh. 15.5 he our strength through whom we can do all things â— Phil. 4.13 we altogether empty no good thing in our flesh Rom. 7.18 he our fountain and fulness of grace Joh. 1.16 Quest. 5. What special benefit do we receive by him being now made the Head and matter of our Covenant Answ. Infinite and specially that fulness even now in him which we cannot yet have in our selves and that perfection whereby our weak persons and failing actions are accepted in himâ— Thus the righteousness of the Law is fulfilleâ— in us though not yet by us Rom. 8.3 4â— for he is the end or perfection 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the law for righteousness unto every believer Rom. 10.4 we are in him unblameable in him accepted Ephes. 1.4 6. To which end he is made sin for us who knew no sin that we might be made the righteousness of God in him 2 Cor. 5.21 Secondly we receive in him a sure and immoveable estate a Kingdom which cannot be moved Heb. 12.28 a life that cannot dye for being grafted in him we cannot â—ut live because he lives we shall live also Joh. 14.19 He dyeth no more death hath no more dominion over him and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In the same manner are we dead unto sin but alive â—nto God in Iesus Christ our Lord Rom. 6.9 11. And as grafts which are implanted â—n any stock receive continual sap from â—he root and by it live and grow and as â—hey increase in bulk increase also in the nourishment which is supplyed continually unto them through their stock till they come to their fulness so the branches of this â—rue Vine make increase Ephes. 4.16 havâ—ng nourishment ministred they increase with â—he increasing of God Col. 2.19 till we â—ome to a perfect man to the measure of the â—ulness of the stature of Christ Eph. 4.13 This is that great Prerogative of the second Covenant made with the second Adam in which the Saints rejoice triumph and sing Who shall separate c. Rom. 8.35 It was granted to Adam saith August de Correp grat c. 11. that he might persevere if he would but not that he would what he might but to us who are grafted into Christ both thaâ— we may and will persevere And in the next Chapter There is now given to the Saints not only such help as was given unto Adam but such as that perseverance it self is given them not only that without this gift they could not persevere but also that by this gift they cannot but persevere This is that unspeakable comfort to our drooping souls and so strong a prop to our weak faith that being grounded on this Rock we cannot be overthrown Therefore that holy Father writing upon those words of the 88 Psalm I will build up thy Throne to all Generations sets up this Trophy and breaks out into this Triumph Christ saith he sitteth in us reigneth in us and shall reign eternally in his Saints This hath God promised if that be not sufficient this hath God sworn Because therefore the promise iâ— sure not according to our merits but hiâ— mercies we must not Preach that with fear which we must not think of with doubt What an Heaven of joy and consolatioâ— floweth from this blessed estate we indeed in nature are bent to back-sliding Hos. 11.7 and therefore he undertakes to heal our back-slidings Jer. 3.22 Hos. 14.4 In us there is an evil heart of unbelief ready to depart from the living God Heb. 3.12 therefore he Covenants to hold our hearts by his fear that we shall not depart from him Jer. 32.40 we are gadding and changing our wayes Jer. 2.36 but he changeth not and therefore we are not consumed Mal. 3.6 It is a special part of his Royal stile Keeping Covenant Neh. 1.5 Dan. 9.4 Psal. 111.5 The Covenant consists of Promises and Duties but those duties promised for whatsoever Duty God demands of us he promiseth to give and whatsoever he promiseth he â—urely and fully performeth and exhibiteth in Christ so worketh all in us and for us Isa. 26.12 much more perfectly and acceptably than we can Object But if Christ be given us as our Fountain and we replenished from his fulness how then are
But wherein consists this seeking of God In all seeking 1. The heart seeks in the desires and longings of it 2. That sets it self and the whole man on work constantly and diligently to use all means whereby we may attain what we may desire and seek The root is in the heart that blades in the desire mark 2 Chron. 15.12 15. ears and grows fruitful in the actions and earnest endeavours David seeks God How 1. His soul thirsted his flesh longed for God 2. He follows hard after him Psal. 63.1 8. so those Saints Isa. 26.8 9. in the night desire him with their soul seek him early in the morning waiting for him in the way of his judgements Again that which we seek must be the end of our seeking whatsoever we seek not for it self but for some other we seek not it indeed but that other for which we desire and seek it God must be sought for himself we must not in seeking him look to any thing beyond him when we seek our Lord as the Iews sought Christ not bâ—â—ause of the miracle but because they had eaten and were filled we seek not our God but our bellies But what are the meanâ— wherein we seek and find The Lord hath given us blessed means 1. Holy Ordinances the way of hiâ— judgements prayer the Word Sacraments See Isa. 26.8 2. A powerful Mediatour and prevalent Intercessour with God for man God and Man the Lord Iesus Christ he the only Door Joh. 10.9 the only Way by which we come to God Ioh. 14.6 His blood hath scored out our path to the Holiest a new and living way through the Veil of â—is flesh Heb. 10.19 20. 3. Faith which effectually applies both unto us The Ordinances not mingled with faith profit not Heb. 4.2 Prayer without faith God accounts howling Hos. 7.14 the word men who have no faith count babbling Act. 17.18 Christ is ours and dwells in our hearts by faith Ephes. 3.17 but without faith we are still under the curse Iob. 3.36 He then that thirsteth for God looks to Christ in every Ordinance not to serve himself of God but to serve him in all faithfulness this man seeks God Many there are which deceive themselveâ— and suppose they are not now to begin that work they have long â—ince they hope both sought and found him But have they prepâ—red their heart have thâ—y put awâ—y iniquity far from them do they not suffer wickedness to dwell in their Tabernacles Job 11.13 14. How should men seek and find God in the wayes of ungodliness the righteous Lord in all unrighteousness Can God be found in Atheism In such wayes they find God as Balaam his Angel with a drawn sword in his hand not as a Father but a Iudge and Avenger Indeed if we rejoice to work righteousness remember him in his wayes he will surely meet us in his mercy Isa. 64.5 But if we seek him after our own devices and though we walk after the imagination of our own wicked hearts yet dream we shall have peace Deut. 29.19 he will meet us not as a man Isa. 47.3 but as a Lion to tear us in pieces where none can deliver Psal. 50.22 And yet further that we deceive not our selves in a matter of such consequence we must know that this seeking of God may be considered in divers periods of it 1. When being without God in the World we seek to be initiated into his service see Act. 17.27 2. After some breach when by our misbehaviour we have caused him to withdraw his favour and to hide himself from us as Cant. 5.6 3. Even when we are in peace and amity we must still seek him labouring to get more union and communion with him in a continual waiting upon him and looking unto him Psal. 105. 4. Some perhaps will think All this is needless what necessity of seeking him when he first seeks us Luk. 15.4 8. nay finds us before we seek him Isa. 65.1 God indeed loveth us first 1 Ioh. 4.19 and in his love draws us Jer. 31.3 In infinite love he gives us his Son Joh. 3.16 Thus he seeks us lost Creatures as that Woman her lost Groat Luk. 15.8 He lights up the Gospel and sends in with it that great light offers him and in him offers us grace and happiness so he seeks and finds us as Keepers their strayed Deâ—r he sends in Hunters and they hunt us from every Mountain and every hill and from holes of Rocks he sends those Apostolical Fishers and they shall spread their Nets Ezek. 47.10 and fish them Ier. 16.16 Till which time we do but as thosâ— blind Heathens feel after him Act. 17.27 we sit in darkness he sends in his Word and calls us â—orth unto his marvelous Light 1 Pet. 2.9 we are enemies he beseeches us to be reconciled and offers us peace in Christ but further gives his chosen an heart to know him Jer. 24.7 an heart to fear him Jer. 32.39 an heart to walk in his wayes Ezek. 36.27 He circumciseth their hearts to love him Deut. 30.6 opens the heart for Christ Act. 16.14 and brings in the Lord Jesus to dwell there Ephâ—s 3.17 so he first seeks us in calling us seek ye my fâ—ce and then we when he hath given us that new heart seek him when we answer Lord thy face will I seek Psal. 27.8 He first waits to be gracious to us then we wait on him and arâ— blessed Isa. 30.18 Let me shut up this Chapter with that Princely Preacher and Prophetical Poet in this Paraphrase in Verse upon his Ecclesiast 2. I. Oh I am tir'd I faint I swoon I dye I travel all the world to find a station Where weary soulâ— may saâ—e and happy lye I search for rest feel but vexation I grope for substance grasp but vanity I seek for life and health find death damnation I meet approaching death death to eschew Toyl'd with vain sweat I wax old to renew My weary life so spend and hate what I pursue II. To Pleasures house I fail'd and safe arriv'd I lookt for Joy but â—ound a Bedlam there Into rich Mammons baggs and Chestâ— I div'd But saw them fill'd with grief with care and â—ear The Crown was but a Skep where swarms are hiv'd Of stinging thoughts it wears me wâ—ich I wear Has man no good is 't lost or aâ—â— blind Who who will point the way or cleer my mind To find what I should seek to seek that I may find III. Look as th' industrious Bee from flowr to flowâ— Jumps lightly viâ—its all but dwells in none Or as a sickly taste tries sweet and sowre Runs through a World of dishes finds not oâ—â— To please his curious Palâ—teâ— has no power To relish what it likes this bit that bone Long'd â—or and loath'dâ— thus my unquiet breaâ—â— In Earth Sâ—â—â— Ayer Heav'â— vainly 〈◊〉 But serving them is curst and serv'd by them not blest IV. Can rivers seek find reâ—â— in resâ—less Seas Can Ayer in
right and prosperous 1. That the place Where 2. That the time when 3. That the manner how be all right He that seeks Grapes of Thorns or Figgs of Thistles neither finds what he seeks noâ— indeed seeks to find for he seeks in a wrong place He that seeks Grapes of the Vine and Figgs of the Figg-tree but out of season in Winter seeks not in due time and finds nothing but his own folly He that observes time and place but neglects the right manner of seeking is still out of the way of finding The soul of the sluggard desireth and haâ—h nothing Prov. 13.4 He will not Plow by reason of cold therefore shall he begg in Harvest and have nothing Prov. 20 4â— If a man go with his Cart into the Field a place of Corn and in Harvest the time of Corn but never Ploughed sowed c. he may load all his Harvest in an empty Wayn and return with an empty belly Where then must we seek Not in our selves not in our Righteousness or works we are meer Thorns and Bryars Ezek. 2.6 The blessed fruit of the true Vine grows not in our cursed nature Nothing there but sowre and wilde grapes Isa. 5.4 Erring Israel following after the Law of Righteousness attained not unto the Law of Righteousness Wherefore Because they sought it not by faith but as it were by the works of the Law Rom. 9.31 32. Only we find and enjoy God in Christ only in Christ he is appeasedâ— 2 Cor. 5.19 only well-pleased in Christ Mat. 3.17 In him we are accepted Ephes. 1.6 By him we have access to God with confidence Ephes. 3.12 One cannot possibly come to God as a Father but by him Joh. 14.6 In him adopted Ephes. 1.5 In him begotten to an incorruptible inheritance 1 Pet. 1.3 4. In him blessed with all spiritual blessings Ephes. 1.3 But where shall we seek Christ who shall ascend into heaven to bring down the fruit of Christs resurrection and ascention for life unto us who shall go down to the deep to fetch thence the death of the Lord Iesus and apply the vertue of it to our souls The Apostle answers The word is nigh unto thee in thy mouth and in thy heart This is the Word of faith which we Preach For if thou confess with thy mouth and believe in thy heart that God raised him from the dead thou shalt be saved Rom. 10.6 7 8 9. Christ therefore is offered thee in the Word given by faith the Word brings him to thee thy faith receives him holds him leads him into the chamber of thy heart and there he dwells with thee Ephes. 3.17 As therefore only Christ brings thee into favour with God so the Word brings Christ to thee and faith grafts thee into Christ. But although the Lord Iesus Christ with his own mouth and his blessed Spirit have so frequently and cleerly testified that the Word Preached is the incorruptible seed whereby we are born again to this incorruptible inheritance Luk. 8.11 1 Pet. 1.23 Jam. 1.18 and the food strong meat and milk whereby we are nourished and grow up into our Head in this life of God yet what in the World is more despised and rejected If you look to the judgement of some professed and in name Christians they account it as those Greeks foolishness 1 Cor. 1.18 23. and therefore utterly despise it Act. 13.41 They dare deride it even in the mouth of Christ himself Luk. 16.14 how much more in the mouths of his poor messengers If you look unto their wills they are resolved against it Ier. 44.16 will not hear but reject it Ier. 8.9 If to their affections they hate it hate the knowledge of it Prov. 1.22 29. hate him that brings it Amos 5.10 yea even him that sends it Ioh. 15.22 23 24. Indeed if they would enquire of Christ and hearken unto him teaching us where to find him he would direct us Go thy way forth by the fooâ—steps of the flock and feed thy Goats by the Tents of the Shepherds Cant. 1.8 But proud fond men know not as that Eunuch Act. 8.31 the need of a Guide Their â—taff can better grope out their blind wayes Hos. 4.12 They walk after their own devices Jer. 18.12 and will have no other Counseller but their own mouth Ier. 44.17 Some again seek him at ease on their beds and so find him but in a dream Cant. 3.1 some look for him in the broad wayes of a common profession as those Iews Matth. 3.9 Joh. 8.33 They are children of Abraham Circumcised c. so many Christians They are born in the Church Baptised call Lord Lord c. but how should they find the True way in the false the narrow in the broad There they shall hear him thundering as a Iudge I never knew you Depart from me ye workers of iniquity Matth. 7.14 23. Know assuredly when the Spouse her self thus sought she found him not She sought him on her bed but found him not sought him in the streets and broad wayes but found not but when she enquired of the Watchmen she soon found him Cant. 3.1 2 3. Hear him â—herefore in his word Watch daily at his â—ates and wait on the posts of his doors and he will make thee blessed Prov. 8.34 Secondly what is the season or right time â—f seeking Gods time not ours There is â—n acceptable time 2 Cor. 6.2 a time when â—od will be found Isa. 55.6 The longest exâ—â—nt reacheth no furâ—her than the limits of this short life After death instantly follows Judgement Heb. 9.27 where the tree falls it lies 2. There is a time when the decree brings forth Zeph. 2.2 which if we prevent not we perish As far as I can discern by the word God limits a time and after the Date is out we are shut out Heb. 4.7 and specially Luk. 13.25 A time when the door stands open to give us entrance a time when the door is shut and we knock begâ— and plead hard but all in vain For though God never excluded a repentant humbled and softned heart yet when men have despised his patience forbearance and offers of grace God may justly and doth frequently give men up to hardness and leave them to their impenitency to treasure up wrath against the day of wrath Ezek. 24.13 Rom. 2.4 5. 3. There is a set time the Lords Day or as our Homilies call it the Christian Sabbath And for mine own judgement I am perswaded that as a Sabbath is the bond which holds the Church in the true Worship of God so the neglect and contempt of that Ordinance is the bane of true Religion the root of all profaneness and Atheism and the great breach wherein Superstition Errour and Schism have overflown and surrounded the Christian Churches In this matter therefore consider and ponder these few observations 1. A Sabbath is nothing else but a day of rest separated from the labours of our earthly and consecrated to the labours of our
every limb is so placed grown and proportioned that it is apted for its office anâ— for the use of the body were the Eyâ— the Spy of the body placed elsewhere thaâ— in the Watch-towre were the hand or foâ—â— turned backward how should they execuâ—â— their office and discharge their duties Buâ— when the eye the ear and every part is 〈◊〉 seated and shaped as that it is most fitted and best enabled for the work unto which it is designed and no work of the body which some part is not able to effect for it then it is seemly and lovely So what is that All-sufficiency and Omnipotency in Christ but that infinite and excellent measure in all his divine Attributes whereby he is able to do and doth all things in Heaven and earth Look then upon the Lord Iesus and behold in him 1. His Almighty eye of Wisdom and providence running to and fro through the whole earth to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect with him 2 Chron. 16.9 Consider that his Almighty ear of grace and mercy which hears â—rom the ends of the earth Psal. 61.2 and from the belly of Hell Jon. 2.2 Behold that his Almighty mouth which speaks and it is done commands and it stands fast Psal. 33.9 Take a view of the Almighty arm of his â—ower and hand of his justice effectually working and equally distributing whatsoever and howsoever he wills in Heaven and Earth subduing all things to himself and â—isposing all events and Creatures at his â—leasure As therefore it is the Comeliness of â—an that all his limbs are so ordered and â—amed that he can with all facility and agility do every work which concerns the good of the body so that which sets an excellent luster upon Christ in the eye of a Christian is that his Almightiness whereby in all his Attributes he is able perfectly to work whatsoever is necessary or convenient for his Body and Spouse and to do whatsoever he will in all the world 2. As all the limbs of the body are not a little commended to the eye by the fairness of the skin not dryed in the smoak of a burnt constitution nor drowned in the paleness of a phlegmatick complexion but every part drest in those colours of beauty red and white shining in their natural pureness so is there in Christ an excellence of spiritual purity far surmounting the exprâ—ssion of words or comprehension of thoughts in any creature This purity is nothing else but his holiness the beauty and glory of all the restâ— His wisdom is an holy wisdom his mercâ— an holy mercy His mouth aâ—m hanâ— altogether and infinitely holy Wheâ— comely proportions of body march undeâ— those lovely colours of Beauties ensignâ— how easily do they make a breach in thâ— eye conquer and lead captive the heart and swear it a willing servant to fleshly loveâ— But when the Lord Iesus looketh forth of 〈◊〉 Window when he sheweth himself but through a lattise Cant. 2. He wounds the hearts of men and Angels he ravishes the soul captivates the understanding fires the affection with unquenched longings no such hell as to be estranged from him no such Heaven as union with him We have a proverb that love will tune a very harsh and unstringed heart into poetry and singing But when the Creatures though with covered faces for who is able with open eye to behold the full blaze of his beauty look upon the face of his Holiness they are swallowed up in admiration of his excellence and fill their mouths and the world with songs of his beauty They call up one another in their Antiphones or Verses to praise him Psal. 30.4 97.12 and all men and Angels joyn in the Chorus chanting Holy Holy Holy Lord of hosts Isa. 6.3 Rev. 4.8 Clean wayes how easie and pleasant clean linnen how sweet and sightly pure ayer how wholesome pure metals gold or silver how precious what then is that purity of the divine essence how glorious in holiness Exod. 15.11 In this alone see the excellency of it It is a working beauty mightily almightily working on every obâ—ect that looks upon it How long may we behold the fairest Virgin on Earth and yet our selves be no whit the fairer But when we fasten our eyes upon this beauty of Christ it leaves the impression of the same glory and excellency upon us And as it is with that great Light the Sun it guilds the Heaven starrs earth trees and every Creature with which it converses and paints them with his light and luster so that greatest and uncreated Light that Sun of Righteousness when we behold him stamps his divine nature and glorious image upon us If Moses do but see his back only his face shines and glitters so that his Brother Aaron feared to approach him Exod. 34.30 If Christ in his humanity converses with his Father not only his face sparkles as the Sun â— Matth. 17.2 but his very rayment shines and glitters in pure whiteness Mar. 9.3 Luk. 9.29 and hence is it that when we shall see him as he is we shall be as he is 1 Joh. 3.2 Secondly Look to that relative excellency wherein we communicate with him wâ— must know that whatsoever is his is ouâ—â— also by participation when he is ours anâ— we are his He endows us with all his goodsâ— not only with these outward things Paâ—â—â— Apollos Cephas the World life death thingâ— present future all are ours 1 Cor. 3 22.â— but withall those excellencies which are iâ— himself His arm of power his hand of justice his ear of mercy his eye of Providence all is ours he with-holds nothing from us not his glory he will have us to see it and by seeing to have it Ioh. 17.22 24. Nay he so far is pleased to descend unto us that he not only gives himself for us but will himself be to us whatsoever we want We are excluded shut out from God without God in the World Ephes. 2.12 he becomes a Door to let us in Ioh. 10.9 we were strayed sheep wandring in our lost paths Isa. 53.6 he is the Way to bring us back to the Heavenly flocks and solds Ioh. 14.6 when we were darkness Ephes. 5.8 he would be our Light Joh. 8.12 we were harbourless without any continuing City Heb. 13.14 He will be our House we dwell in him 1 Joh. 4.13 for our house or mansion is not Heaven but in Heaven not made with hands but uncreated not temporal but eternal 2 Cor. 5.1 we were hungry and pined feeding on ashes Isa. 44.20 himself will be our Bread from Heaven Joh. 6.35 he our drink indeed Ioh. 6.55 we filthy and even stinking in our filthiness Psal. 14.3 he our Fountain for sin and uncleanness Zech. 13.1 we naked Rev. 3.27 he our cloathing Gal. 3.27 we in debt owed thousands of talents had nothiâ—â— to pay Matth. 18.24 he our Surety Heb. 7.22 who hath cancelled our bonds and blotted out the hand-writing
which was against us Col. 2.14 we were Captives 2 Tim. 2.26 he the Price of our Redemption Matth. 20.28 we were fools Tit. 3.3 he our wisdom 1 Cor. 1.30 we poor Rev. 3.17 he our Riches Col. 1.27 Rev. 3.18 we Vile Job 40.4 he our Praise and Glory Deut. 10.21 Luk. 2.32 we joyless our very joy madness Eccles. 2.2 he our exceeding joy Psal. 43.4 To conclude We dead Ephes. 2.1 he our Life Joh. 14.6 we Vanity at our best Psal. 39.5 and very nothing 2 Cor. 12.11 he All in all Col. 3.11 we empty he our fulness Ephes. 1.23 Oh that the Lord would embrighten our eyes to behold some sparks of this glorious excellency and our happiness in beholding it that the eyes of our understanding being opened we might know what is the hope of his calling and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the Saints Ephes. 1.18 If our God should create for us as many worlds as we could number what were all these Creatures in comparison of the Creaâ—our a drop of a bucket or the dust of the ballance Isaâ— 40.15 He is the glorious Spouse of ouâ— souls but all the Creatures his servants and in him ours Let him therefore be the Covering of our eyes unto all that are with us and with all others Gen. 20.16 upon him let us fasten our sight with all admiration and burning affection but on them in comparison of him let us look as upon loss and dung Phil. 3.8 A chaste Spouse will respect her servants and behold them in their affliction with pitty in their wants with mercy in their diligence and service with a kind acceptation but in competition with her husband if they would presume to be Rivals in his love and sharers of her heart and his bed with disdain scorn and hatred Let us therefore stir up and quicken our dull hearts with some such meditation I. How is 't my soul that thou giv'st eyes their sight To view their objects yet hast none To see thine own Earths ayers Heav'ns beauties they discern their light Fair flowers admires their several dresses Their golden tresses The Lilly Rose the various Tulip scorning The pride of Princes in their choice adorning II. They joy to view the ayers painted Nations The Peacocks train which th' head out vies With fairer eyes And emulats the heav'nly constellations The Ostâ—ich whose â—air plume embraves Kings Captains Slaves The Halcions whose Triton-bills appease Curl'd waves and with their Eggs lay stormy seas III. Pilots fixt eyes observe the Artick Bear With all her unwasht Starry trains In Heav'nly plains Night-Travellers behold the Moon to steer Her Ship sailing while Eol raves Through cloudy waves Our less Worlds sunns with pleasure view the light Which gives all beauties beauty them their sight IV. Thou that giv'st â—ight to clay to blackness light How â—rt so dull so dimm in duty To view his beauty Who quickens every life lights every light His height those Eagles eyes surpasses Thou wants thy glasses Take up that Perspective and view those streams Oâ— light and fill thy waning Orb with beams V. Then see the flowers clad in his Liveries And from his cheek and lovely face Steal all their grace See Fouls from him borrow their braveries And all their feather-painted dresses From his fair tresses See Starrs and Moon the Sun and all perâ—ection Beg light and liâ—e from his bright eyes reâ—â—ection VI. Look on his lipps heav'ns gate there open lies Thence that grace-breathing Spirit blows Thence honey flowes Look on his hands the Worlds full treasuries Fix all thy looks his heart upon Loves highest Throne And when thy sight that radiant beauty bleâ—rs And dazels thy weak eyes see with thine ears CAP. XII When our hearts are set upon our voyage we shall meet with opposition many rocks and Sirens in our passage BUT in this way to our happiness we shall meet with much opposition we cannot steal such a Nuptial if we will needs be walking in this way of life he that hath the power of death will beat us with many storms assault us with many encounters before we can land in the arms of Christ and be bedded in his bosome That great enemy of man Satan swells with spite and envy to see us presented with such an offer and ready to embrace it and therefore in his inveterate malice will not cease to cross us as he can in this blessed match and high advancement It bursts his gall to see us contracted unto the Lord Iesus us poor worms his captivesâ— pluckt out of his chains and instantly drawâ— into a covenant of marriage with the Goâ— of Heaven to be admitted to such an union and fellowship instated in such a Jointure of divine glory and eternal happiness which he hath utterly lost Oh how can it but grate his heart and be another hell unto him who is so stuffed with malicious envy and envious malice against the Lord Iesus and his Spouse But as it is with those Locusts his venemous armie so is it with their Captain Rev. 9.19 His power is in his mouth and in his tail He is a Serpent more subtil than strong or strong only by subtilty His lying tongue and â—inful stinging tail is his mighty and almost only weapon Therefore in your passage to your Heavenly Spouse he sets many crafty Bauds and painted Harlots to lay wait for you at every corner Prov. 7.12 we have great need then to stand upon our watch and to set a strong and faithful guard at our gates our eyes ears c. lest as he beguiled Eve with his subtilty so he should corrupt our minds and inveigle us by those Strumpets whose hearts are nets and snares and whose hands bands Eccles. 7.26 That old Baud the world and her Pandar Satan have painted and drest up divers Harlots which attired in all deceitfulness of cunning allurements they present to our sight and so draw away the wandring heart and eye after lying vanities The Turks Saraglio is not so furnished with Concubines as this old Baud with filthy Stumpets some enticing the mind some the heart Of the former rank are numberless but beside those Triobolax and obsolete fit now to work only in gross darkness upon blind or mop-eyed creatures she hath newly trimmed up two notable Harlots The first is that State of Rome but so varied in unwonted tires so curiously painted by her last dresses the cunning Iesuits and turchest in new fashions that we have need of purged eyes and much intention to know her and to see her leprous hide plastered with fair colours The second is that daughter of old Pelagius which by abasing the grace of God in Gods election binding his choice to the works of men and advancing the power of man in mans election flattering him with false abilities of an unrenewed will perverts the right wayes of the Lord who hedging and walling us out of our wayesâ— and conducting us only in the way of
his grace brings us to immortality and glory Whithersoever you turn you one oâ— these will be at your elbow In every corner you shall meet with the Lovers of thesâ— Harlots doating on their plaistered beauties and drawing others to the same doteageâ— Those Paramours of Rome will deeply swear that their Mistress is the Queen of the World that the Sun even the Scriptures borrows all his beams from her eyes that there is no Paradice but in her arms no Heaven but in her embraces no hope but in her anchour no faith but in her breast no truth but in her mouth that if she commands Vices and prohibits Vertues you were bound to believe that Vices were good and Virtues evil So Bellarm. De Roman Pontif. l. 4. c. 5. The other not so lofty in their boastings but as dangerous in their baits and lurings They will promise you liberty and what is more suitable and sweet to nature but make you as themselves servants to corruption Now if you should trust your own eyes and lean to your own understanding you might easily be charmed with their enchantments But if ever you mean to keep your heart intire for the Lord Iesus you must not afford one glance to these his Rivals but through the glass of his word That but else nothing will broadly display the putrid loathsomeness of these haggs and rotten puppets Be ever asking Where it is written this was the buckler of the Ancients I adore the fulness of Scripture Let the shop of Hermogenes teach us where it is written if it be not written let him fear the woe pronounced against Adders and detracters Tertul. This was the sword of the Spirit whereby our Saviour himself warded his breast from all those fiery darts of Satan and beat down all his strong assaults Matth. 4.4 7 10. But so cunning are some of these Imposters that they will challenge you at your own Weapon They have learnt this fence of their old Master the Devil who seeing our Lord standing upon this guard had presently in shew the same weapon and charged it against him It is written saith he Matth. 4.6 whereby you see how needful it is for you to have your senses exercised in the word to discern good and evil Heb. 5.14 and what necessity lies upon you to meditate in the word of God day and night Psal. 1.2 that you may breath your soul in those breathings of that Holy Spirit The enemy is crafty the issue of the combate life or death eternal Another sort of Whores that old Baud and Pandar the World and the Devil dresâ— up in another fashion to lay battery to your heart the will and affection and they arâ— as if not more dangerous than the former The first is the Lady Mammon boasting her self the only true Riches but indeed a meer slip and counterfeit brass and copper covered with tinfoyl Yet how many unstable souls hath she beguiled She hath all the tricks of a Whore first in quality secondly in action For 1. She is false and lying what content and happiness doth she promise to her Paramours yet did she never satisfie any Lover Eccles. 5.10 How should that give man content which hath no more worth than mans fancy gives it She drowns us in perdition and destruction and pierceth with many sorrows 1 Tim. 6.9 10. 2. She is inconstant and light winged and flies away Prov. 23.5 2. Her actions also whorish she hunts for the precious life of a man Prov. 6.26 No less hire will purchase her company than the price of our souls Matth. 16.26 when she hath shut us within her embraces she shuts us out of the Kingdom of Heaven As soon shall a Camel pass through the eye of a needle as a man loving riches through the strait gate of life Mar. 10.24 25. 2. A Whore sells nothing but repentance and mourning at our latter end Prov. 5.11 And what do men reap from the love of riches but weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth Jam. 5.1 The way to keep off our hearts from this false Strumpet is to fasten our eyes upon the heavenly Riches which are first true the metal not base but precious promises 2 Pet. 1.4 precious faith much more precious than gold 1 Pet. 1.7 The stamp upon them is the Image of the King of Heaven which makes them currant in all his Dominions 2. They are durable riches Prov. 8.18 they will never fail you In life and death they will follow you Rev. 14.13 He that looks upon God as his Portion and sees in what pleasant places the lines are fallen to him Psal. 16.5 6. He that looks upon Christ his Treasure Col. 2.3 and those glorious riches stored up in him will look upon all other riches as loss and dung Phil. 3.8 and think the meanest room of his heart too precious to be taken up with trash and trumpery The second Harlot is Honour Reputation and Credit with men A proud Strumpet that carryes her head aloft but the veriest dirt of all the rest yet how strong are her allurements How did she draw away those in part-believing Iews specially Rulers Ioh. 12.42 how easily did she carry them down in a stream of popularity from the fountain of life She hath a strong faction in all mens hearts to work for her but principally in those who are great in the worldâ— If ever you attain any eminence there she will prove a dangerous tentation Take heed of casting one glance toward her lest you be overcome Remember that warning of our Saviour you cannot entertain faith and her in one heart Joh. 5.44 Take heed also of being dismayed with her frowns Assuredly know she will affront you with reproach contempt disgrace If ye cleave to Christ were you Kings were you the King of Kings she would not be afraid to revile you and spit in your face David was torn with her mocks Psal. 35.15 16. because he followed that which was good Psal. 38.20 The Son of David derided by proud Pharisees Luk. 16.14 Think not being servants to be above your Master It is enough for the Disciple to be as his Master and the servant as the Lord. If they have called the Master of the house Beelzebub how much more shall they call them of his houshold Matth. 10.25 whosoever will live godly be sure of â—t shall suffer at least this persecution 2 Tim. â— 12 But take off your eye from this shadow â—nd lye of honour and set it upon that true â—lory Could you with Moses behold but â—ne spark of that heavenly advancement â—ou would with Moses account the reproach 〈◊〉 Christ greater honour than all the treasures of Egypt Heb. 11.26 If you will take up the â—â—count aright thus you will value it for indeed God himself is your praise Deut. 10.21 Christ himself the glory of his Israel Luk. 2.32 And what weight then in the ballance of any impartial judgement can the rotten breath of a mortal creature and the
and greedily catches all opportunities of conferring with his beloved and winning her heart And doth not he rise up early to draw and bring home our souls Ier. 25.4 32 33. A Lover breaks his sleeps to wait at the door of his Love and Is not his head filled with the dew and his locks wet with the drops of the night Cant. 5.2 A Lover will not break off for every denyal nor will be discouraged with many reâ—usals and doth not our Lord wait to be gracious unto us Isa. 30.18 even after we have wearied him with our unkindness Isa. 43.24 Some Lovers have ventured He given his life for his beloved Ioh. 15.13 Seeing therefore such a Lover so lovely thus wooes such wretches so loathsome let us thus answer his suit I. Me Lord can'st thou mispend One word misplace one look on me Call'st me thy Love thy Friend Can this poor soul the object be Of these love-glances those life-kindling eyes What I the Centre of thy arms embraces Of all thy labour I the prize Love never mocks Truth never lies Oh how I quake Hope fear â—ear hope displaces I would but cannot hope such wondrous love amazesâ— II. See I am black as night See I am darkness dark as hell Lord thou more fair than light Heav'ns Sun thy Shadow can Sunns dwell With Shades 'twixt light and darkness what commerce True thou art darkness I thy Light my ray Thy mists and hellish foggs shâ—ll pierce Witâ— me black soul with me converse I make the â—oul December flowry May Turn thou thy night to me I 'le turn thy night to day III. See Lord see I am dead Tomb'd in my self my selâ— my grave A drudge so born so bred My self even to my selâ— a slave Thou Freedome Life can Life and Liberty Love bondage death Thy Freedom I I tyed To loose thy bonds be bound to me My Yoke shall â—asâ— my bonds shall â—ree Dead soul thy Spring of life my dying side There dye with me to live to live in thee I dyed If then the hopes of such a match are so fair CAP. XIV What are the means to bring Christ and our Souls together AS it is in the earthly so also in this heavenly Contract The Man is the Suiter the Woman is Wooed In him is required to ask and seek in her only to accept and consent Christ loves first then we 1 Ioh. 4.19 He in love proffers himself to us and we when he hath wonn us embrace his offer with love and willingly receive him His hand whereby he giveâ— himself is his Word the Gospel written his Love-letters Preached his wooing our hand whereby we receive him is only our faith by which the Vnderstanding assents and the Will consents so the only condition â—nd demand of God for consummation of the â—ontract is Faith First therefore That Father of lights by the light of his word discovers to us thâ— person of the Lord Iesus in his nature God and Man 2. In his Offices King Priest and Prophet 3. In his Relation to usâ— Husband Head Saviour 4. In his love and actions of love Incarnation Humiliation Exaltation This light he so effectually brings home to us by the work of his Spirit that whereas heretofore we saw no beauty in him that we should desire him Isa. 53.2 now we see no beauty but in him we behold his glory as the glory of the only begotten Son of God Joh. 1.14 And so strong an impression doth it work that the Understanding convinced by Gods Spirit receives the testimonies subscribeth and seals to this truth of God Joh. 3.33 and then plainly sees confesses and with joy so judges that all things are dung and loss in comparison of the excellent knowledge of Christ Iesus his Lord Phil. 3.8 And this is the first act of faith wrought in the Understanding whereby the Apprehensive faculty conceiveth this truth and the Iudicial signs it The second is in the Concupiscible faculty â—or the same word by the same work of Gods Spirit which perswaded the Judgement â—o assent draws on the Will to consent and â—s it giveth power to the one to conceive 〈◊〉 to the other to receive Christ aright To â—his end the Word cleerly demonstrateth as â—ell the misery of man without him as the â—appiness with him and both infinite as â—oh 3.36 1 Ioh. 5.12 It sets out him in relation to us as the Vine us in relation to him as the Branches Ioh. 15.1 c. grafted in him we are cleansed fruitful ver 3 4. but without him we can do we can have nothing neither sap nor fruit but are withered and burned Joh. 15.5 6. In him and his house we flourish grow fat and the more we grow in age the more we grow in fruitâ—ulness Psal. 92.13 14. but out of him as the branches of a Vine altogether useless cast into the fire for fuel the fire devours both the ends of it and the midst of it is burnt Ezek. 15.4 Vine-branches of all other are in the Vine most useful and noble out of the Vine most base and useless It propounds him to us as an Husbandâ— us to him as a Spouse Woman was madâ— for man and without him is unfruitful anâ— useless him to us as an Head us to him aâ— his limbs and body In him we live move anâ— have our being Act. 17.28 without him wâ— are senseless dead nothing And whereas the heart is easily drawâ— with that triple cord of profit pleasureâ— preferment it evidently discovers to uâ— 1. Our gain and great advantage by him iâ— life and death Phil. 1.21 all other thingâ— loss Phil. 3.8 2. The infinite delight anâ— sweetness in his shadow Cant. 2.3 the fuâ—â— carouses out of the Rivers of his pleasures Psal. 36.8 the woe Hos. 9.12 and torments of his absence Rev. 14.10 so that our spirits refuse all comfort and are utterly overwhelmed Psal. 77.3 3. The height of honour and advancement in him Ioh. 12.26 Honos est in Honorante Honour is in the giver not receiver The more excellent the person is who gives honour the more excellent is the honour received from his hands What comparison then between the honour which comes â—rom man and the honour which comes from God only we are never truly honourable but when we are precious in his sight Isa. 43.4 In him we are Kings Rev. 1.6 and this kingdom heavenly 2 Tim. 4.18 and everlasting 2 Pet. 1.11 that cannot be moved Heb. 12.28 out of him we are Children of the Devil Joh. 8.44 and so devils Joh. 6.70 who being thrown out of Heaven and unworthy to be seated in any the very lowest place formerly designed for the Creature have a new and peculiar place prepared for them beneath all other the Deep Luk. 8.31 and bottomless pit Rev. 20.1 where they are bound up in everlasting chains of darkness Jude 6. And yet further the Word shews us the easie conditions which in this Contract God demands of us subjection
disobedient and obstinate against an heavenly and most gracious Father Isa. 48.4 Tit. 3.3 She youthful beautiful we full of the old man corrupt in lusts Eph. 4.22 Filthy even to stinking Psal. 14.3 and loathsome Prov. 13.5 She vertuous and holy we out of measure sinful and vicious And he our Spouse the true Boaz that is strength the mighty the Almighty How uneven a yoke yet our Will in all these defects received willingness in his unutterable grace and unconceivable mercy being accounted and accepted as our portion and beauty and we in the day of our espousals endowed with all his goods adorned with his beauty and crowned with his glory But is it possible that when the Husband is so rich great excellent nothing should be demanded but heart and will To make the match nothing else but after it is made all Conjugal duties required And what are they 1. Love to cleave to him in all dear affection 2. Constancy to hold us to him in all estates better worse 3. Chastity to keep our selves only to him 4. Subjection to obey and serve him But this seems a very hard and heavy burthen It is only so in seeming and to some only As in the night many things seem very terrible which in the day are very delightful to the eye As to a sick palate that meat seems very iâ—ksome which in health is sweet and pleasing so men that sit in darkness and look on these things with dimm eyes imagine rather than see many Buggs to fright and scare them when their hearts are surfeted with sinful lusts this most sweet yoke is very distastful and bitter but where there is a new Creature and the sense uncorrupted no soul is able to comprehend either the full excellency of it or to utter in any measure that little it doth comprehend Let us thereâ—ore draw nigher and take a better view of â—hese things And 1. Love is as the object very sweet â—or very bitter sometimes excessively grieâ—ous sometimes exceedingly pleasant If â—he object be loathsome love is burthenâ—ome Seven years for beauteous Rachel â—eemed but a few dayes but a few dayes for â—lear-eyed Leah would have been many years 2. Be the object very lovely but not at all loving such love is full of vexation and anguish Thus Amnons fair Sister Tamar afflicted him to sickness and leanness 2 Sam. 13.2 3. 3. If the object be worthy and reflecting our love yet if it prove unfruitful it brings often more grief than comfort Sarah's and Rebecca's beauty yielded their husbands less content than their barrenness trouble The extraordinary kindness of Hannah's husband could not in barreness so sweeten the bitterness of her soul but that all meat was distastful and no drink relished but tears 1 Sam. 1. But when all these meet when our hearts are pitched upon an object 1. Lovely and amiable 2. Kind and loving 3. Fruitful and beneficial our affection will rather need a bridle than a spur not a switch but a snaffle If then we look upon our Heavenly Spouse we shall see 1. That he is fairer than the Children of men Psal. 45.2 altogether lovely Cant. 5.16 his beauty the longing of Saints Psal. 27.4 the ravishment of Angels Isa. 6.3 from whose beams the whole world borrows its spark of beauty 2. His Love is first preventing ours 1 Ioh. 4.19 passing all not only love but expressions nay knowledge of all Creatures Eph. 3.19 3. The fruit of this mutual love exceeding much and glorious It lifts up from a despised condition Cant. 8.1 makes us honourable Isa. 43.4 It prefers uâ— from the basest drudgery in the world from the Skullery of Satan to the bed of Heaven to the union and glory of the Lord of Heaven and earth Ioh. 17.21 22. In a word it gives us perfection elevates our abased nature above the Heavens and exalts it to the uttermost extent of which a Creature is capable and therefore justly termed the bond of perfectness Col. 3.14 To love therefore him who is above measure lovely above apprehension loving whose love â—ully perfects the beloved Lover can be a burthen to none but those who hate their rest and love their burthens yet were it a burthen justly might he expect and exact of us cheerfully to bear itâ— For will not all bonds of gratitude and equity tye us to it were it a burthen for us to love him our glory life heaven it were far greater for him to love us his death hell abasement He loved us when dead and no way but by his death to be revived he loved us when sunk into hell children of wrath and Satan and never but by his descent into hell even suffering that wrath to be rescuâ—d He loved us when we were utterly fallen thrown down from the highest honour to the bottomless pit when filthy loathsome stinking and never but by his abasement from the form of God to the form of man and of a servant to be restored never to be washed but by his blood never to be reformed but by his deformity If then not for love yet for shame how should we deny to be pressed for his who was oppressed for our sake to bear his cross who hath borâ— our curse to carry the heavenly burthen if any were of his life who hath undergone the hellish load of our death and misery 2. Secondly We are enjoyned to hold us close to him in all estates better and worse This condition affrights many and makes them shrink But only flesh and blood is startled at it Christ even to a carnal eye is beautiful in his crown of glory but in his crown of thorns they think he looks not like himself they have no pleasure in him lovely on his Throne loathsome on his Cross. Alas poor souls Is it another Sun which shines in his brightness and is shadowed in a cloud The Moon interposing may ecclipse the beams of the Sun to usâ— but can it stain or diminish his glory and excellence A mask may hide but empairs not beauty Is Christ less lovely where he shews most love Look better upon himâ— eye him at the whipping post on the Cross. How do those dying looks set out to life that incomprehensible love Our wordsâ— our thoughts fall infinitely short of itâ— Here only it stands out pencild to life in full expression and offers it self to our view in just proportion How do those fires â—â— love burn in his quenched eyes what seâ—â— of love flow in every drop of that precious blood How many fountains of love and life streaming from his hands feet side open the very Cataracks of Heaven anâ— surround the World with floods of love wâ— have no eyes if we stand not dazeld witâ— this Sun of righteousness more brightlâ— shining forth in the beams of his love froâ— the Axel-tree of his Cross than from the sphere of his glory Some perhaps will confess that Christ never more manifested his love than on hiâ— Cross but yet to
take up his Cross and follow him cannot be but very grievous and painful But Love is stronger than death Cant. 8.6 and hath power to sweeten all pain to overcome and triumph over all trouble and grievance The only reason why this way of Crosses is so tedious is because there is none or too little love to sweaten it Why can Saints rejoice in tribulation but because the love of God is shed abroad in their hearts Rom. 5.3 5. For if a little Sugar can sweeten the most bitter things which are decocted in it how much more shall that infinitely sweet love of God with great pleasure relish the most distastful usages of the world when they are digested in it How else did the Apostles rejoyce to suffer shame Act. 5.41 How did Paul take pleasure in reproaches necessities in persecutions distresses for Christs sake 2 Cor. 12.10 And yet what are these things which seem so intolerable to us Certainly had they not more frightfulness in our fancy than in their own nature they could not possibly appear so fearful Take out the worst of them and view them with a quiet and setled judgement and how will we laugh at our vain terrours Scorn derision and contempt of the world how strongly do they work on mens fancies or rather mens fancies on them Who knows not that story of Socrates who when he was contumeliously abused and kicked by a Ruffian and his friends in great anger and disdain asked him why he repayed not the injury soberly demanded what revenge they would prescribe him some counselled to serve a Writ upon him some to return the like and to kick him again He pointing to aâ— Asse not remote from him answered If that Asse had kicked me should I have sued him or vied kicks with him Even moral vertue could lift up this Heathen to such an height of Wisdome that looking down upon the bestiality of such persons he even scorned that the scorn and contempt of a creature so much inferiour should reach so high as to dethrone his reason and cast it down into a bruitish passion How much higher doth Christian wisdom mount up the heavenly spirit and enable it with contempt and pitty to look down upon scorn and scorners despising their insolencies and pittying their seduced and miserable persons as no way able to reach up to that peace which it hath received in Christ and to unsettle the quiet of a soul whose conversation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is already in Heavenâ— In a word all these injuries are but so many gemms in our crown God weighing out to us for these momentary sufferings an excelling excellent eternal weight of glory 2 Cor. 4.17 May death and the grave the uttermost extent of worldly spite though it look grimm upon a carnal eye yet a spiritual can behold it as a dore of peace as rest in a bed Isa. 57.2 where we sleep in the bosome of Christ 1 Thes. 4.14 as upon an estate much better than life Philip. 1.23 Death to a Chriâ—tian is his his servant 1 Cor. 3.22 as Haman to Mordecai It may set up a gallowes â—egg us to execution but by the power and â—avour of the King of Kings is suffered nay â—ommanded to take us indeed but to divest â—s of our sackcloth our morning flesh Iob â—4 22 to cloath us with the Kings robe his â—â—ining righteousnes to mount us on his carâ—iages who rides on the Cherubims to crown â—s with the royal diadem and so to bring us â—â—to the eternal presence of the King of glory â—he truth is all that Christ asketh of us this â—ay is self denyal that emptying our selves â—f our selves and of all creatures that we â—ay be filled with him even with the fulness 〈◊〉 God oh what in this is to be feared if â—e fear not the height of our blessedness 3. The third dutie with he requires is â—â—at we should be intirely his and keep us â—â—ly unto him And this is nothing else but not to dishonour our selves by debasing our souls which he hath so ennobled to prostitute them to vile lusts and ignoble creatures to use all other things as servants and to enjoy him as our Lord. If a great Prince should set his heart upon some poor Country mayden crown her his Queen give her his subjects some to serve her in her chamber some in the kitchin and skullerie some in higher some in meaner offices what an abject baseness were it in her to take off her heart from such a Spouse and to set it upon some groom of her stable or one of the black-guard Certainly the heart which once hath tasted the kisses of the Lord Iesus is not only ravished with them but looks upon all creatures which are but our servants as dung see Cant. 1.2 Philip. 3.8 and knows well how infinitely it should be debauched by changing his least favour foâ— the highest love of the highest creatures 4. The last is obedience and service This also seems an hard condition to those who never knew what it was Libertie is very sweet How then should this be bitter whicâ— is the only libertie Gal. 5.1 the glorious libertie of the Sons of God Rom. 8.21 For 1. It is an easy nay an easing Yoke it takeâ— off all hateful Yokes and heavy burthens Isaâ— 9.4 10.27 It gives rest Matth. 11.29 Nothing commanded in this service but what the heart chuses loves freely does and delights in doing Psal. 119.45 97. 40.8 nothing but what we prefer before meat and drink Iob 23.12 But service is a great abasement Some service is more honourable than some command This obedience and service renders us Kings Exo. 19.5 6. All this service may be comprized in one word Reign Reign over thy lusts which fight against thy soul by subduing them reign over thy affections and actions by governing them in that royal law Iam. 2.8 In a word all his service is but â—oliness and holiness his likeness and our blessedness nothing but a double Heaven an Heaven within by Heavenly mindednes and â—n Heaven without by an Heavenly converâ—ation an Heaven on Earth by grace walkâ—ng with God and the Heaven of Heavens â—ereafter in glory reigning with God for â—ver Such our match such our conditions our â—oke is holiness and that the glory of God â—e is glorious in holiness Exo. 15.11 our â—oke fellow the most holy God the Prince of glory â—hus then plead with your own spirits and â—onfute the lying sophistry of deceitful flesh I. A grievous heavy Yoke bonds burthens cords Ungrateful Israel his happy reign Heaps plentie peacâ— mirth saâ—ety honour hords Lades you with gold is this your load your Lords Turns to your slaves are these the bonds yea playn Tunes groanes to songs is this your Yoke and chain Was wisest Solomon a Tyrant peace Uâ—grateful Israel thy â—alse grumbling cease Thy wealth his grievous bond his heavy Yoke thy peace II. Lord Solomon was but thy shadow he A peaceful Prince
and thou the Prince of peace The world is Israâ—ls type who blinded see Freedom in bonds and bonds in libertie Thee they proclaym an hard man hard to pleaseâ— Thy easy easing Yoke lades with disease But murthering Satan lust the soul oppressing The cheating world by pleasing most distressing These are their gentle Lords their cursed Yokes â—heiâ— blessingâ— III. Poor souls have you no eyes your eyes no light These old eyes nothing seeâ— see nothing true Get Perspectives oh help your feeble â—ight Blind eyes make night as day and day as night Turn to the light and your old eyes renew Shake off hells spectacles and better vieu Your Lords and service had you light and eyes How could you hate the truth and love these lies Despise what you admire admire what you despise IV. Their Kings are servants but his servants Kings Their rest an Iron Yoke his Yoke your rest His wounds are salves their salves are wounding stings His death brings life their liâ—e death surely brings Their â—east a pining â—ast his â—ast a feast His servants blest when curst theirs curst when bleâ—â— Poor souls be wise but if ye fools disdein To serve this Lord in rest serve those in payn Serve them in Hell who scorn with him in Heaven to reign CAP. XVI What kind of service it is which his Spouse gives unto Christ. THe hand is the bodies Steward and Faith the souls hand Both have a double office either to take in or give out to receive or distribute what God offers faith takes and gives what he demands There is a bargain driven betwixt God and man when God himself and his Kingdom is assured upon man and man and all his is passed and made over to God by way of exchange or sale Our Lord hath not only laid down a price for us even himself Tit. 3.14 and bought us as we say out and out 1 Cor. 6.20 but hath also set a price upon himself and we must come up to his full price or never have him We must buy that milk hony and feast of fat things the sure mercies of David Isa. 55.1 c. That gold tried by the fire whereby we are made rich that white raiment that eyâ— salve the riches of the Gentils the robe of righteousness the light of the world the Lord Iesus must be bought Rom. 3.18 We must buy the truth Prov. 23.23 The treasure in the field is bought and that Merchant sells all that he hath to buy the goodly pearl Matth. 13.44 46. Hence there is a mutual vouching The Lord openly voucheth us for his people and we vouch him for our Lord Deut. 26.17 18. And to make the bargain sure and infallible large and precious Earnest is given even that blessed and Holy Spirit 2 Cor. 1.22 Eph. 1.14 which binds both seller and buyer to stand to the bargain But what is the price at which God rates himself to us 1. He challengeth the soul. All souls are his Ezek. 18.4 he must have the heart Prov. 23.26 all the soul all the heart all the might Deut. 6.5 The whole body must be presented to him as a living sacrifice Rom. 12.1 He hath payd for all and so now we are no more our own 1 Cor. 6.19 20. If he call for health wealth life all must be given him Luk. 14.26 else we as that Ruler Mar. 10 goe away empty sad and hopeless But this seems to imply a contradiction for to sell for a price and to give freely are contraries Now Christ is given us Ioh. 3.16 eternal life is the gift of grace Rom. 6.23 Salvation is by gift and grace Eph. 2.8 We are freely loved Hos. 14.4 freely justified Rom. 3.23 Certain is it and cannot be denied that never any thing was more freely or bountifully given We were poor Rev. 3.17 able to give nothing unable to pay due debts and our debts infinite Math. 18.24 25. The Lord Iesus our Surety hath purchased this whole possession for us and us for God but he also most freely given us and all things with him Rom. 8.32 Nay even that which hereafter God demands of us of which only here we speak our trust in him love to him fear of him working for him all these his most free gifts He works all in us and for us Isa. 26.12 Will and deed Phil. 2.13 That therefore which we give him is his own and we cannot but confess with that holy Prophet All things come of thee and of thine own have we given thee 1 Chro. 29.14 Indeed he commands us to buy yet asks he neither mony nor mony-worth Isa. 55.1 Our righteousness bringeth him neither profit nor pleasure Iob 22.2 3. and 35.7 No good we can do reacheth to him Psal. 16.2 when we give our selves what give we but vanitie Psal. 39.5 and nothing 2 Cor. 12.11 The truth is God receives no benefit from us neither are they if we speak properly gifts to him from us but rather from him to us not only because we first receive what after we give but specially because it is a great grace and next to himself the greatest gift he can bestow on us that he will receive us or any thing from us It is our infinite blessedness and his infinite goodness that he is ours and how much less is it certainly next to that that we are his Cant. 2.16 He calls for our bodies and spirits and are they out filthy polluted abominable how unworthy of him But he calls for them to wash and cleanse them from all filthiness Ezek. 36.26 they are dead in sins he would have them to quicken them to put his Spirit into them Ezek. 36.27 they are old corrupt in lusts Eph. 4.22 he would have them to renew them Ezek. 36.26 where can they be safe but under his wings and how secure under his protection How miserable and wretched when banished from his sight but in his house how infinitely blessed Psal. 65.4 How empty in his absence but in his presence is fulness of joy and everlasting pleasures Psal. 16.11 And yet God calls it buying as well because he is pleased not only to demand it but accept it as our reasonable service and testimonie of our thankfulness As great persons lease out to some special servant or favorite a fair land for the annual payment of a pepper-corn so deals our most gracious God with us gives us Heaven and Earth and himself the Lord of both because we have found favour in his eyes and desires no other rent but our poor selves and service whose only riches it is to be his inheritance and servants Thus the same hand of faith receives from our Lord himself and his grace and gives to him our selves and service takes from him what he graciously offers and works for him by love what he justly commands Now our work and service to our Lord is by himself sometime contracted into one head or body sometime parted into three members That which in one word comprizes
great dutie Consider why you love any creature why more one than another why you should love the world riches pleasures as God a drop as the fountain It is even here too true Love descends Get your hearts baptized with fire and the holy Ghost buried with Christ into his death and raised in his resurrection that your affections may be set and settled on things not on earth but on things above even on him who is infinitly above all things who is blessed for ever and your eternal blessedness 2. Secondly the outward worship consists either in his speaking to us or our speaking to him He speaks to us either to our ears in his word or to our eyes in his Sacraments we to him either in prayers or vows Hearing is a chief part of Gods service Eccl. 5.1 The special gate whereby the Wisdom of God all knowledg and life enters Prov. 2.2 3. 1.5 Isa. 55.3 An hearing ear is Gods special gift to us Prov. 20.12 and our acceptable gift and sacrifice to him Psal. 40.6 1 Sam. 15.22 An obedient ear is a graceful and precious ornament Prov. 1.8 9. The ear the most happy factour of the soul whereby it seeks and gets Prov. 18.15 that rich merchandise which is better than silver and fine gold Prov. 3.14 But he who hath a disobedient ear or careless refusing to hear is good for nothing Jer. 13.10 and an itching ear hath certainly a rotten heart Isa. 30.9 10 11. The word of God preached is the seed in the hand of the Sower Mar. 4.14 taken out of the Granarie of the scriptures and cast into the furrows of the heart by Gods Spirit an incorruptible seed of a life incorruptible 1 Pet. 1.23 by which we are begotten unto God Jam. 1.18 And as it is the seed whereby we are born so is it the food also whereby we are nourished in that life of God as well mâ—â—k for babes as strong meat for the strong 1 Pet. 2.2 Heb. 5.12 c. It is an heavenly treasure in earthen vessels 2 Cor. 4.7 a rich Mart of all spiritual commodities where our Lord sells and we buy without mony all heavenly riches Be swift therefore to hear Jam. 1.19 value it above thousands of gold and silver Psal. 119.72 Sell all you have to purchase it Matth. 13.44 Buy the truth at any price sell it at none Pro. 23.23 Neither hear only but read it we cannot use too many ways in trading with this rich commoditie Had we as many distractions as Princes they can yield us no exemption from this dutie Deut. 17.18 Iosh. 1.8 Our frequent conversing with it and meditating in it will not take so much from our time as it will add to our opportunities Morning and evening day and night exercise your selves in it so shall ye be like â— fruitful tree planted by the rivers of water so shall ye make your may prosperous so shall ye have good success Psal. 1.1 2 3. Josh. 1.8 Nulla dies sine linea Think the day lost wherein you have mist this market 2. The Sacraments are visibile verbum Christs sermons to our eyes passion-sermons â—ou know that verse More dully stirs the mind what through th' ear passes Than what is view'd to life in the eyes true glasses They are not only teaching signs printing in our eyes and hearts the death of the Lord Iesus but assuring seals presenting and conveying unto us the grace which they represent There are many large and learned volumes printed concerning them and in every Catechise you may meet with pious instructions in this subject I will only therefore advise you concerning the Lords Supper 1. That you neglect no opportunitie so far as may be of comming to the Lords Table For is it not our communion with Christ 1 Cor. 10.16 Look as wholesome meats are the means whereby spirits are renewed strength increased union between body and soul maintained so the Supper of the Lord is his Ordinance whereby our everlasting life is confirmed our dull spirits revived and our union with the Lord Iesus Christ much strengthned Certainly the frequent use of it was the special means whereby the Primitive Churches so far excelled us in Christian fortitude resolution and every spiritual gift Above all other take heed of that carnal or rather divelish plea of hellish persons namely that they are not in charitie whereby they plainly discover how much they prefer their revenge beâ—ore their salvation and that hellish Murtherer before the heavenly Saviour Surely he that will rather nourish his malice by abstinence from the Lords Table than his fainting soul by that Bread of Heaven deserves and surely dos in his hellish fast to eat and drink his own damnation 2. Come prepared in some good measure and for that end set apart some day in that week for humiliation to afflict your souls by fasting to seek a right way Ezra 8.21 And because one especial end of this ordinance is the remembrance of our Saviour and shewing forth his death Luk. 22.19 1 Cor. 11. vers 25 26. spend much of that time in meditating upon it and principally the causes of it 1. The abhorred filthiness and dreadful naâ—ure of sin which could not be expiated or purged but by the blood of God 2. The fierce wrath of God and terrible severitie of his justice which exacted even of his most beloved Son undertaking for us the uttermost farthing even to make him Sin who knew no sin and a curse who was God blessed for ever 3. The infinite mercy of our gracious Father who gave his beloved Son to reconcile such hateful enemies and 4. The incomprehensible love of the Lord Iesus who vouchsafed to purchase our redemption at such a rate And leave not your soul till you find it abhorring it self in dust and ashes bleeding with Christ on his Cross sick of your sin and of his love and swelling with the fruit of the lips the sacrifice of praise 3. Prayer is the mouth of faith whereby it utters holy desires to God Many think they pray when they do but houl Hos. 7.14 or babble Matth. 6.7 we neither know what nor how to pray till we be instructed neither can any doctour inform us but that Spirit of adoption who teacheth us to cry Abbae Father Rom. 8.14 Gal. 4.6 He will instruct you to go unto God 1. As to a Father and therefore with all reverence and â—ubmission and 2. With all assurance and confidence 2. He is the Spirit of the Son and therefore will carry you to the Father by the Son to God by Christ. He will not suffer you to make your addresses by your selves or any creature but by that only Mediatour and Advocate Sacrifice must be brought to the Temple to the dore of the Tabernacle offered only upon Gods chosen Altar and by none but the Priest Christ is that Temple Ioh. 2.21 He the dore Ioh. 10.9 he the Altar Heb. 13.10 which sanctifies all our gifts and the â—igh Priest
whom only God accepteth Heb. 7.26 28. That blessed Spirit who baptizeth with fire will not only inflame your hearts but kindle also your lips with all fervencie of prayer Prayer is a special sacrifice and sacrifices must burn upon the Altar Prayer is our Incense Psal. 141.2 which till it burneth in the fiery censer yields no odour or sweetness That holy Spirit will quicken you to frequent and continual prayer and doth not only whisper in your ear but draw out your heart to pray always with all manner of prayer Eph. 6.18 to pray without ceasing 1 Thes. 5.17 to continue in prayer and watch in the same Col. 4.2 not to slip any occasion but to improve all opportunities which God offers us in petition thanksgiving intercession deprecation supplication No marvel if the Ancients called it the key of Heaven for it opens all to us It opens the womb Gen. 20.17 18. It opens the prison Act. 12. It opens Heaven when it is bar'd with brass Iam. 5.18 It opens Gods ears when he hath even shut them against us 2 Chro. 7.13 14 15. The Doctours call it the scourge of the Divel It drives away his tentations Matth. 26.41 Nothing in the world so prevalent For it sets even God himself on work in whose hands are all creatures and with whom nothing is impossible Gird up therefore the loyns of your minds and whet your voyces to peirce through the Heavens And oh that I could be the means to put that perpetual motion of praying and crying into your hearts Look about you and you shall see abundant matter of crying of loud crying would we advisedly behold what we see there is hardly one object of our eyes which would not skrue up our voyces a note higher and set us a roaring Look upon the dark places of the earth and they are full of the habitations of crueltie Psal. 74.20 And should not this raise up a crie Remember Lord the enemie hath reproched and foolish people have blasphemed thy name oh deliver not the soul of thy Turtle dove unto the multitude of the wicked oh let not the oppressed return ashamed Psal. 74.18 19 21. when you look into the place of judgment and wickedness is there and to the place of righteousness and inquitie is there Eccl. 3.16 will not so crying a sin force a loud crie from your hearts when you consider all the oppressions under the Sun and behold the tears of the oppressed and they had no comâ—orter and on the side of the Oppressours was power but on their side no comâ—orter Eccl. 4.1 how can you forbear to weep with those that weep when you hear the grones of widowes the sighs of the fatherless the lamentations of the hungry naked distressed can you chuse but bear a part in this doleful musick when you look on the pride wherein the land is disguised in monstrous attires the prodigious excess in riotings the general lightness and impudence of all behaviour when you hear the vollies of blasphemous tongues thundering against Heaven the stench of drunkenness infecting the ayer with plagues poxes c. the ignorance superstition idolatrie profaneness Atheism in the world the hellish contempt of God and all his Ordinances In a word a deluge of corruption overwhelming all degrees sexes ages and the wrath of God flaming in revenge against such execrable provocations where can you find hearts large enough to hold or throats wide enough to utter cries and ejulations to Heaven But had you no eyes to look abroad yet look within and you shall find more matter of crying than possibilitie of expressing See there what ignorance unbelief deadness vanitie securitie pride hypocrisie obstinacie backsliding self-love self-seeking inordinate passion what a world what an hell of wickedness couches it self in a desperately wicked heart it will stretch out your throats and force you to a loud crie and bitter Oh wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death Certainly if you have any spirit in you it will fill your hearts with a fountain and your eyes with rivers of tears Were you heathens it would drive you to send out the proclamation of Nineve into every part of body and soul Let man and beast reason and sense flesh and spirit cry mightily unto God Jon. 3.8 Let us whet these things upon our hard hearts to sharpen our dull prayers that they may pierce the Heavens and prevent the birth of that decree which if it once bring forth will prevent all prevention Pour out day and night some such petition when you have prepared your hearts by some such like meditation Oh my drowsie soul canst thou ly down with Ionah and sleep in such a Tempest Seest thou not these waves of wickedness which mount up against Heaven and sink down again into bottomless depths and is not thy spirit melted because of trouble The floods have lifted up the floods of the ungodly have lifted up their voice and canst thou be silent See how that little Bark fraught with Christ and his Spouse is filled with water nay with blood see what a storm is come down into the lake and how the waves dash into the ship whilst thy Lord and Saviour â—s asleep in the stern upon a pillow and wilt thou not with loud cries awake him See what a troubled sea is in thine own heart foming out mire and dirt and canst thou rest Are not the waters come into thy soul Sinkst thou not in the deeps where is no standing Is not the belly of hell ready to swallow thee and canst thou cease crying Heark how sin cries and wilt thou be silent heark how the Saints cry and canst thou hold thy peace If thou hast no words in thy tongue hast thou no grones no sighs in thy heart Oh my soul is thy Lord so ready to hear and art thou so slow to speak Shall his ear stand so wide open to thee and thy mouth and heart so fast shut to him Do not his commands draw thee thy necessities drive thee do not his mercies invite his promises assure thee thy povertie enforce thee Art thou a child and canst not speak He hath provided thee two Almighty Intercessours one his Son to plead for thee the other his Spirit to plead in thee How should the weakest arm faint which hath such supporters such an Hur and such an Aaron to under-prop them Oh thou my gracious Saviour who in the days of thy flesh offeredst up prayers and supplications with strong cries accent my flat heart and voice with thy sharp cryings Thou who helpest the infirmities of our utterance teach my heart to grone beyond all power of utterance And Thou who knowest the mind of the spirit and art ever well pleased in thy beloved hearken graciously to the stammerings of my Infant spirit and accept them in him in whom thou art ever well pleased 4. Lastly for vowes I can give you no better direction than his Spirit to whom
seen they hate Ioh. 15.24 and all that he loves or love him all his members Mar. 13.13 though they be their own flesh and that even to death Lukâ— 21.16 17. Excellently is this condition expressed in that metaphor wherein carnal men are called spots and blemishes 2 Pet. 2.13 A wicked Father or Childe a wicked Husband or wife a wicked Master or Servant is a spot in a familie a wicked Governour or Subject a spot in the Common wealth a wicked Minister or Professour a spot and blemish in the Church And as a spot or blemish is nothing but filthiness or a filthy nothing so is every man in his corrupted nature 2. Man in the first Adam is a child of the Divel Ioh. 8.44 and a very Divel in flesh Ioh. 6.70 Satan a filthy spirit but he filthy in flesh and spirit 2 Cor. 7.1 he a captive of the Divel 2 Tim. 2.26 a servant to sin which is the very dung of Satan Rom. 6.17 fetter'd in the very bond of it Act. 8.23 servant to corruption 2 Pet. 2.19 and to divers lusts Tit. 3.3 the hand serves one the eye another the ear a third the heart a thousand He is even cut out and mangled into a base and cursed slaverie Now the servant is more base than the Master Take good notice therefore of this estate of man Lust is the servant of Satan man the servant of lust the Divels servants servant Sin the corruption and dung of Satan man the servant of sin and corruption In a word a carnal man is the prey of Satan devoured by that roaring Lion who hath digested him into filthiness of flesh and spirit and hell the draught into which he is purged Thus then think in your hearts I. Ayeâ— oâ— her selâ— is dark and hath no light But what Heaven lends her and when angry skies Call in their debt she sinks in dungeon night Nay while she borrowes light oâ—t foggâ— arise Or storms and filch by stealth or rob by might Her lone her day in youth or childhood dies But while the present Suns with conquering ray Dispel the shades and their strong beams display She sparkles all with light and broider'd gold-array II. Such now is Man inform void empty dark A Chaos dungeon grave a starless night Rake all his ashes up ther 's not a spark To tine quencht life or kindle buried light And what he steals from others empty shark Hell with his mists depraves so robbs him quite But when his Life and Light shines in his eyes In him he lives as he and never dies Glittring in light divine he heaven stars Sun out-vies III. For as in earthly sight the bodies eye To the object bent is like the object â—orm'd So when the soul turn'd to the Deitiâ— Receives hiâ— likâ—ness it is soon tranâ—form'd To what it sees death hell and darkness â—â—y And all the spirit to Light and Liâ—â— conform'd Soul of my soul draw my souls eyes to thee Set them upon thy face make me to be By seeing Life and Light the Light and Liâ—e I see You have seen what you are in the first Adam look now on the other side of this picture and see what you may be in the second CAP. XXI Man in Christ is above other men and all creatures next the Creatour IN our selves we are 1. Dead a meer privative a nothing 2. Dead in sin meer corruption corruption of Hell what we are or may be in Christ now consider We are quickned together with Christ. Christ is that overflowing Fountain by whose fulness of grace our empty chanels are not only 1. Scoured from that choking mire which stops all passages but 2. Stored with the water of life with the fulness of God see Hab. 2.14 Eph. 3.19 But how are we quicken'd with Christ raised and sit together in heavenly places with him Eph. 2.6 Not only virtually as the fruit lies in the seed or root but in some kind actually As in the first fruits the whole field and in the Cake of the first dough the whole lump was sanctified and an actual blessing conveyed in it so Christ being raâ—sed is the first frâ—its of them that sleep 1 Cor. 15.20 the first Cake of the new lump 1 Cor. 5.7 and in him even actually in a kind are they quickened who are yet unborn As a wife or child takes possession of that land in the husband or Father which he hath purchased in their name Hence we evidently see first that the only life of man by which he is a Câ—ristian a blessed creature nay indeed by which he is a right man is not that natural and fading but this spiritual and eternal life which we have in Christ hence called the life of God Eph. 4.18 begotten by God Jam. 1.18 the life of Christ 2 Cor. 4.10 he our life Col. 3.4 and liveth in us Gal. 2.20 and the life of the Spirit he gives it 2 Cor. 3.6 And as the vegetative life of plants the sensitive life of beasts the rational life of man is nothing elss but the Act of such a soul giving the creature such a being and enabling it unto such actions so the divine and spiritual life is nothing else but that Aâ—â— of Gods Spirit dwelling in man and giving him a spiritual being a divine nature and enabling to spiritual and Godly actions or to use the Scripture phrase to live and walk in the Spirit Gal. 5.25 whereby we live in God and to God see Rom. 8.9 10. Gal. 2.20 1 Joh. 5.11 12. For without question the true life of man differs from all other life in inferiour or contrary creatures but in this natural life the faculties and actions of it man differs not from plants in growth from beasts in sense from wicked spirits in reason That form then which gave man his difference doubtless was that Image of God in which he was created perfect by the loss of which he lost the perâ—ection and truth of humane nature He therefore that hath no other but this natural life is but an half-man hath little or nothing of a man but is partly a beast in respect of sense partly a Divel in regard of his perverted and distorâ—ed reason 2. Secondly here we may easily observe that howsoever a carnal man glisters in carnal eyes honoured admired yet is he a very Abject and the skumm of the creatures so a spiritual man contrary though he seem a base thing in the eye of the world and more base in his own a reproch of men and scorn of the people Psal. 22.6 yet is he indeed the most noble and excellent creature in the world and next the great Creatour Hence the Saints in terms are called the Excellent Psal. 16.3 preferred in their excellencie before others whatsoever are their earthly advancements The righteous is more excellent than his neighbour Prov. 12.26 28.6 This is Heavens this is Gods Heraldry Now are they Sons of God and Heirs apparent 1 Joh. 3.1 But because their
these a lie How can it be The reason because nothing more deceives Greatness makes great promises but performs nothing Let the Apostle expound it If any man seen to be some thing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being indeed nothing he deceives himself Gal. 6.3 He is a lie to his own soul hence that great Apostle confesses that himself is nothing 2 Cor. 12.11 And as man himself so all that belongs to him is meer vanitie made for him and suited to him For when man had transformed himself into vanitie the Lord fitts the creatures to him which were made for him and subjects them unto vanitie Rom. 8.20 His life vain Eccl. 6.12 His age nothing Psal. 39.5 His beautie vanitie Prov. 31.30 His riches Prov. 23.6 His mirth Eccl. 2.2 All his works all his delights meer vanitie Eccl. 2.11 Object But men do not think so Answ. So much the more are they so For while they think better of themselves than they are they do but deceive themselves and are a lie 2. Though in their words they deny it yet in their works they loudly speak it and evidently discover that they do thus think For we will sell nothing under the price we value it but men sell themselves for vanitie for very nothing They sell themselves foâ— trash they lay out their mony for that which is not bread and their labour for that which satisfies not Isa. 55.2 Object But yet they are men and therefore something Answ. We speak not of man in natural respects as he consists of soul and body or in Civil as he is a Father Goâ—ernour c. but in spiritual in which regard he rather seems than is man rather a worm Psal. 22.6 as other Brutes flesh also Gen. 6.3 and that flesh but grass Isa. 40.6 the very spirit fleshly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iude 9. animals not having a spirit when in Ierusalem there was none that sought the truth there was no man among them Ier. 5.1 Observe how evidently and fully Gods Spirit concludes this argument I beheld and â—here was no man even among them no Counsellor that when I asked could answer a word They are all vanitie and their works nothing â—sa 41.28 29. He is dead and therefore not â—ruly but falsly and in appearance called â— man Man if we look upon him in his Creatiâ—n is a creature not only composed of soul and body which both are but the matter of which he is framed but made after Gods imâ—ge which is his form and differs him from other creatures Now as it ceaseth to be an â—ouse when the materials stone timâ—er c. are all safe but the form destroyâ—d so though body and soul in the matter â—f them remain intire yet when that speciâ—â—cal difference and form of man Gods image 〈◊〉 defaced he ceases to be what first he was now not man but the ruines and carkass of man In a word look as it is with childrens Babies they have a gorgeous appearance in their eyes but all is copper cast clouts torn raggs and a painted rotten stick so is it with us Our bodies and souls have some raggs and old clouts of our creation and drest with beautie learning c. are no small babes in a simple mans eye but all this shew is nothing what it shews but a very mock-man a meer vanitie and sheer nothing 2. Secondly seeing man is not only dead but dead in sin as a dead man shut up and closed in a loathsome grave we are plainly taught by God that man is not only nothing but a miserable abominable nothing He is miserable wretched poor blind and naked Rev. 3.17 supposing himself full but only swell'd with wind and indeed wholly empty conceiting himself well adorned and set out with goodly endowments but shameful in nakedness dreaming of an Eagle sight and sharpness of wit but not a blink of an eye in him a meer flash and in and with all these wants when he is most bladder'd up with a dream of happiness extremely miserable and wretched In all his pomp anâ— glory he is but as his own dung Iob 20.6 7. stinking Psal. 14.3 not the baseness buâ— excellence not of heathens but of Iacob not despised only but abhorred Amos 6.8 And lest we might think it an hyperbolical speech the Lord takes a solemn oath and swears by himself that he abhors the excellencie of Iacob Hence is it that God culls out the most loathsome creatures to be as parallels to us that in them as in a glass we might see our filth and abhor our selves we are resembled to hoggs doggs serpents to dead carkasses to sâ—pulchres full of rotten carkasses Matth. 23.27 so abominable that we infect all the creatures with which we deal all the actions that proceed from us The creature is not only subject to vanitie but to a curse for our sakes Gen. 3.17 our very blessings cursed Mal. 2.2 not our want but store not our barreness but fruit accursed Deut. 28. vers 17 18. Our days not only few but evil Gen. 47.9 our very life not only grievous but hateful Eccl. 2.17 nay our prayers our service abomination Prov. 15.8 28.9 Object If the estate of men were so loathsome it is strange that they should not see nor feel it Answ. They who have sense know and acknowledg it They loath themselves Ezech. 20.43 they abhor themselves Job 42.6 they lament themselves Rom. 7.24 But such as are blind and sensless how should they discern it And this the depth of their miserie which makes it incurable yet some glimps they have of this truth for in that they sell themselves to work wickedness and abomination 1 King 21.25 Rom. 7.14 sell themselves for oaths so vain a filthiness for drunkenness so filthy vanitie they openly testifie at what rate they prize themselves This our dead vain loathsome condition will more cleerly be manifested unto us if 1. We consider our contrarietie to God who is both the supreme Being the most pure Essence and the only Life So adverse is the corrupt nature of man to God that he hates him all that belongs to him all that he loves and all that love him Hence called enemies Rom. 5.10 haters of God Rom. 1.30 they hate his wisdom and counsel Prov. 1.29 his power Rev. 16.9 his truth Isa. 30.11 his word Jer. 6.10 his light Joh. 3.19 And as the holiness of God is his pureness glory beautie excellencie which passeth through all and to us is above all his Attributes so above all they hate this his holiness wheresoever they see any stamp or print of it His holy word his holy days his holy children As the Panther so hates man that wheresoever he sees his picture he flies upon it and with his teeth and nayls rents and tears it so these wild creatures wheresoever they see any spark of Gods image shine in man tear and devour Psal. 7.2 35.15 That Eternal wisdom Power Love Life their Saviour after they have