to Glory as by the Spirit of the LORD 2 Corinthians 3 18 then ye are meet for Christ begging Poor Sinners are our LORDs Schollars The Lintel-stone of our LORDs School-door is a Low-stone ye must stoup Low and Lout Ye will be on your Knees with it or ye can win in Ye must be very humble else that Stone will take your head and ding you back and ye will not win in than be Fools that Christ may be your Wisdom 1 Corinthians 1 30 There is as much merit in Christ as will buy a Thousand Heavens Now if our Wooer Christ were not Kind and sought our Kindness even Words of us and brought the Love Tokens the Friendship betwixt Christ and us would soon wear out of Date grow Cold Christ ay blows at the Coal ere it wear out Christ would win a Friend yea a Foe to be kind to him He is ay thriping and claiming Kindness of us as if he were the Beggar and the Poor-man and we the King O he claims Kindness to us Then surely we need not think shame of our Friend Would ye ken for whom Christ Died and Payed even for Dyvours such as Swore themselves bare and came out of Prison upon Caution or a Cessiobonorum Poor-men that has been upon the Dyvours-stone and are far from Payment by the Dyvour-bill when there is not a finger in all your hand fastened upon your self then ye are meet for Christ For who are better met and yoaked than a Poor Sick Dying-man and a skillfull Physician Who is better yoaked than a crying Begging-sinner and a Rich Christ But oh it is ofttimes not so for Christ would give us more nor we will receive He scatters his Gold we Proud Beggars will not bow our back and lout down and gather He would fain Sell we will not Buy so there will be no blocking Let Me see thy Countenance An Allusion to Israel that was to present themselves before the LORD Thrice a Year in the Tabernacle The meaning is Walk before me It is not enough that thou believe and so dwell by Faith in the Holes of the Rock but thou must also shew thy Faith by Good Works and Prayers and Worshipping of GOD Christ loves not Professors that never wan or Love to Pray and such as hates not the World But you will see they are Believers by their Holy Living Matthew 13 The VVord of GOD is Seed sown that brings forth Thirty Sixty and an Hundred Fold Ilk Boll brings out Thirty Ilk Sermon ilk Communion should bring out an Hundred Good VVorks Beloved GOD's Land is Set at an High-price he is a Master that will have all his own from his Tennents and as the Song says Every one of GODs Sheep brings out Twins Hebrews 7 8 There is a Ground that drinks in Rain from Heaven and yet brings forth Briers and Thorns it is near a Curse Bring forth Fruit or else ye will make GOD say my Curse and GODs Mallison be upon thy Heart thou hears much and brings forth no Fruit Therefore beware Beloved a Tree that once gets a dadd with GODs Ax it will never do well again Ye shall become like the Girdle Jeremiah 13 17 which he did hide at the River Euphrates it was profitable for nothing it was marred it shall never go about GODs Wast again Beware then that ye be not Blasted Professors Fruitless Christians but be ye always in his Sight For there be some that comes never in GODs Sight they are GODs Dyvours They are aughting so much that they dar not come to GOD and Compt and Pay Outlaws and Borderers that comes not or keeps not Christs Kingdom but runs like Wild Asses and Drumadaries up and down the Mountains and snuffs up the Wind at their Pleasure I compare their Life to those that rides Post Many a Horse has Satan in his Stable and when these Out-laws has wearied their Greediness after Sin and has gotten they know not what they mount upon a Fresh-horse Some upon Pride and they ride once out of GODs Sight they run while they be in Hell in the end For the Devil is upon the Horse and the Rider GOD seeks Dear and for his Money ye must give him more than Ten in the Hunder For Five Talents he must have Ten again he must have double Stock Look what Grace ye receive by Weight render to him his own in Weight and more If his Gold want an Ounce he will cast it to you again For one Bolls sowing ye must give him Thirty again GOD would have his Servants ay keeping his Chamber if they go their own length from him he misses them Ye must not be GODs Chamber-pages and steal out of his Presence and give the Devil a Baggadge-yoaking nay he must ay see your Face and hear your Voice There be many that would serve GOD and be in Christs School but they are like Trowands that takes the Play and runs to Play sometimes with the World and the Devil and loves to sport themselves with the World and the Devil But GODs Schollars may not take the Play Let me see thy Face The Kirk might have said Dear LORD my Face Oh does Thou desire to see my Face it is very Black I am Sun-burnt Sin hath made me deformed and for my Voice it is both Harsh and Mistuned What then says Christ I think not so my Dear Spouse I think it is a Fair Face I think ye have a Sweet Voice It is Great Comfort for GODs Children when they rise many times off their Knees from Prayer with a woe heart thinking because they have no Heart nor Feeling nor Sence that GOD is offended with their Prayers and thinks little of their Works when as their Prayers and Tears and Works are accepted before GOD Ye think nothing of one Tear yet GOD puts it in his Bottle and nothing of one Sigh but GOD gathers it in his Treasure If GOD thought of us as the World does and as we think of our Selves oftentimes wofull would our Case be But GOD has not a Pleasanter Sight in the World nor the Face of a Child of GOD No Musick Delights Him more nor the Sighs and Tears Complaints and Prayers of his Children See ye not the Spirit of GOD bringing in Christ longing for a Sight of his Wife longing for a Word of her Proverbs 8. 31. Christ Rejoiceth and Sports and Plays in the Habitable Parts of the Earth and his Delight is with the Sons of Men Ye will see more of this upon the last words of this Song Take us the Foxes It 's a Speech of Christ to take the Kirk to take Convince Censure Rebuke Cut off and Excommunicat all Inordinate Livers and Offenders in the LORDs Vineyard Ezekiel 13. 4. O Israel thy Prophets are like Foxes in the Deserts Jeremiah 12. 10. Many Pastors have Corrupted My Vineyard O what can there be upon the Earth to make a Kirk Happy But it is here To hear a Kirk Sick
Chamber of Presence all Glorious Tapestry there LORD make you Ready for that Day And the Shaddow flee away or Mist This Life is all but a Night because of the Ignorance and Darkness of our Mind We see but the Portrait of the Kingdom in the Glass of the Word and Sacraments Then when that Day Dawns we shall see Him Face to Face So long as the Night is we do Nothing but by the use of Candle When the Sun rises the Candle is blown out lest we should burn Day-light The Gospel is GODs Candle to let us see the Way to Heaven But when it is Day-light and Christ Lighted to us from Heaven then shall come Light and Heat from Him Clear Light and Knowledge that shall endure for ever Our Soul here is like a House in the Night when Doors and Windows are closed In that Day the Doors and Windows shall cast up that the Sun may shine for ever upon us We shall not need to seek Communions The Lamb of GOD shall be present with you for evermore Rev. 21. I saw no Temple there for the Lord God Almighty is their Light We get but here the Parings of GODs Bread and a Four Hours Drink to speak so There the Board shall be Covered and the Great Loaf set upon it and all shall Eat and all be Welcome and the Table shall never be Drawn Ye shall have your fill of CHRIST Ye shall Drink and Drink at the Wells Head the Cup of Salvation for evermore Secondly One Night here But we know not what we are Marches are not redd betwixt GOD and Satan here We are but Silly Bodies here Earthen Vessels often in Trouble I Corinthians 1. and yet Kings Sons 1 John 3. 2. Behold now we are the Sons of GOD and it doth not yet appear what we shall be but we know that when He doth appear we shall be like Him for we shall see Him as He is A Friend from a Foe cannot be known in the Night Care not what the World think of you it is Night they cannot well see you Thirdly It is Night because of Great Trouble which besets us Luke 3. 1 2 Let us be content with an hard Bed the Morn will be a Good Day and think ye what a Comfort it will be to you when GOD puts up his own Holy Hands to your Face and to your Watry Eyes and shall Dry them with the Napkin of his Consolation Now this Short Night ly still in Peace and Sleep by Faith in GOD Be content to ly down in your Grave for a Night or Two for your Husband Christ shall be at your Bed-side soon in the Morning Turn My Beloved and be thou like a Roe or a Young Hart upon the Mountains of Bether As Psalms 71. 21. Thou did turn about and comfort me Turn about and come to me as swiftly as a Roe or a Young Hart upon the Mountains of Bether or Bithven The Mountains of Division or Separation Mount Gilead severed or parted from the rest of the Land of Judea by the River of Jordan In the which Mountains there was Pleasant Hanting here She Desires his Presence either in the Last Judgement or in his Incarnation or by the Comfort of his Holy Spirit and prays that he as Roes and Harts are not Hindered any Whit by any Craigs or Down-falls of the Rocks to Descend and Meet one with another So CHRIST would be Kind to His Love and count Mountains as Valleys and let no Craigie-way Hinder the LORD JESVS to come She can never get Her Fill of CHRIST She is so Browden on CHRIST that She ever would be at an Union with him There is Kissing Verse 7. The Place where he Dwells Chapter 2. under his Shaddow in his Wine-Celler We cannot be far enough on in going to CHRIST We can never be near enough hand him Cry ye to him come For he crys to you come and then ye will Meet Ill-Gate will not Hinder our Bridegroom to come he cares not for a Showre of Rain or a Dark Night He Loups over Hills to be at his Kirk Give ye him a Meeting Amen Let us Pray
of Love for Christ and here Christ Sick of Love for his Kirk Christs Left Hand is under Her Head and His Right Hand doth Imbrace Her She is His Fair One His Love His Dove His Vndefiled She Dwells in the Wounds of Her Lord by Faith Yet for all this His Kirk is a Vineyard that has many Foxes in it to Destroy the Vines Then we see so long as GOD hath a Vineyard there will be Foxes in it to Destroy the Vines That is Crafty-men False-Teachers Deceitfull-Workers Transforming themselves into the Apostles of Christ 2 Corinthians 1. 13. Paul Planted a Church in Ephesus Acts 20. 28. yet after his Departure Grievous Wolves entred in not Sparing the Flock Surely in this Life Marches are not redd betwixt GOD and the Devil The Devil Fyles the Score and comes over the March upon GODs Bounds Matthew 13. GOD Sows his Wheat and the Devil steals up the Rigg and with Hot-furr he Sows his Tares 1 Kings 22. In Achab's Court there is never a Honest-Man till he be Tryed The False-Knave and Truth are Door-Neighbours 1 Kings 22. In Achab's Court there is an Honest-Man that tells the King the Truth But there is Four Hundred False-Knaves that says against him and Poor-Man he must to Prison and they get leave to keep the Court for the Thief is ever the Honest-Man till he be Tryed The False-Knave and the Truth are Door-Neighbours and almost Twins born at one Time howbeit Truth be Eldest and First-born Isaiah Complains Chapter 46. Of Dumb Dogs that could never have enough Jeremiah 10. He Complains of many Pastors that Corrupted the Vineyard Ezekiel Complains of Foxes Zachariah 11. Of Idol-Shepherds Hymineus and Philetus spoke against Paul The Sadducees in Christ's Days Denyed the Resurrection And not only is there False Teachers in our Days but in the Best Kirks were and are many Foxes for all is not Fish that comes in the Net And if ye be GODs Sheep ye must not think to want Foxes to Nibble and to Work under the Earth to Destroy you Ye may not look that Christ is Master of the Fields without Blood Ye will not be long in Prosperity in the World There be a Number of Foolish People wonders that GOD brings such a Good Husband that should not hold out the Foxes from his own Vineyard They would have a Christ of Gold and a Kirk of Velvet or of Fair White Paper They think Christ's Bride should be Clade in Purple and Scarlet as the Whore of Rome is or does Wear I will shew you how Christ and his Kirk meets when the Bridegroom Wooed his Kirk Many a Black Stroak got He both of GOD and Man He was the Vine GOD and Man strake at him with Axes he Bought him Dear it cost him Blood ere he got her And think ye she has Fair Weather when she Wooes him Nay many a Cuffe gets she from the World This Fox and that Fox pulls the Skin off her She is hardly handled in this Wooing there be Stroaks on both Sides For fain would the Devil have the Contract Cancelled and the Marriage going back And let me speak to you that are GODs Young Vine make you for it the Foxes of the World will Peel the Bark off you If there be Grace in you they will do what they can to eat it up in the bud Hold your hands about the Grace of GOD be not Robbed And ye give them their Will they would pull the Skin off your Face Secondly Ye see Christ hath gotten out Letters of Caption against all his Foxes Here is a Commission obtained in Christ's Court that all that hurts Christ's Vineyard should be Apprehended and laid fast But alas the Commissioners the Pastors the Judges over-sees them But here a Comfort for you who are the LORDs Vines that are troubled with Foxes I assure you that the Kirk has Law against all her Enemies Be not casten down because the World Hates you Twenty six Hunder years syn Christ hath given out a Decreet against all his Enemies and Yours to take them Here ye have Assurance Your Enemies are Rebels and all of them under Caption Psalms 110. 6. He shall fill the Places with Dead Bodies He shall Wound the Head over them even in many Countries Ye that Complain of your Predominant Sin and thinks ye are hardned with them for these be also Foxes that do Harm the LORDs Vineyard fight against them for Christ has given out a Decreet against those that they shall be taken My Beloved is Mine These be the Words of the Contract of Marriage For there is a Covenant betwixt Christ and his Kirk Ezekiel 36. I will be Their GOD and They shal be My People But here an Doubt to be answered by these Words It would seem Christ and his Kirk are Two Different Parties in the Contract Christ upon the one side and the Kirk upon the other Is not Christ upon the Kirks Side and obliges for his Wife I Answer Christ having Two Natures has Two Contrary Considerations and yet he is one Party and we another and so Promises to us Life Eternal and we Promise by his Grace to Believe Secondly Christ is considered as Mediator GOD and Man and so he is upon our Side for the Promise is made to Him and His And he as Principal-Contractor binds for Us and we are his Assigneys So Jesus skips betwixt both the Sides because he is a Friend to both But it is certain these very Words proves him to be on our Side of the Covenant because our Beloved is Ours and we are His He is our Mediator and Cautioner bound for Us The very Words of the Covenant are spoken to Christ Psalms 87. 27. I will make Him My First-born Higher then the Kings of the Earth But he said Verse 26. He shall cry to Me Thou art My Father My GOD and the Rock of My Salvation My Mercy will I keep for Him for evermore and My Covenant shall stand Fast with Him The Enemies of Grace would have Christ a GOD folding his Fingers and a Looker on and beholding Fair Play Lyars he is more than Half-play master The Devil will not get his Name out of the Contract And Beloved see ye not but it is a Sweet Thing to have any thing to do with Christ His Chaffe is better than other Mens Corn If ye have any fastning with Christ the Cause is Won Now hold you be Christ it is a shame for him that ye fall out of the Covenant because he is Cautioner as ye know it is a shame for a Nobleman that his Poor Friend be cast in Prison for the Debt that he is obliged to pay Christ is now obliged that He fullfill the Covenant and make Good both your Part and his Part Boast not of your Selves or of your own Strength be not Proud of your Selves but ye shall have full Liberty to boast your Self of Christ Crac enough of Christ be Proud of Christ's Merits ye cannot erre there
The Debt of Faith and Obedience that we are aughting to GOD now to speak so is not our Debt but Christs and he is Cautioner for us It were a shame that a Poor Friend should be Imprisoned for his Chiefs Debt especially since he is a Rich-man and able to pay Now let us consider the Mutual Interest Christ and the Kirk has every one of another He is Mine and I am His He is my Husband and I am His Wife He is my Head and I am His Body He is my King and I am His People He is my Rich Cautioner and I am His Dyvour Now let us see what claim Christ has in the Kirk and what claim the Kirk has in Christ Now to hold upon the Comparison of this Song betwixt a Husband and a Wife for the Husband the Wife has no Sundry Goods if he be a King she is a Queen If he have a fair Inheritance it is hers also as long as he Lives If they Live ever together it is ever hers Then when she says he is mine I am his CHRIST is mine and I am his and all his his Flesh and his Blood his Death and Merits his Glory his Kingdom his Court and Credit and all is Mine and all Mine is His my Soul and Body my Sins my Trouble my Cross they are all His Christ and She is to speak so carded throw other John 15. Abide in Me and I in You Cursed be he that says not Amen to that John 17. 21. That they also may be one as Thou Father art in Me and I in Thee that they also may be one in Vs I in them and they in Me But we will labour to Reduce them the Particulars to a certain Number There be these Things Common to us betwixt Christ and Us First There is a Sibness of Nature betwixt Christ and us There be Pawns given and received betwixt both Sides He has a Pawn of Ours Our Flesh and he took that Pawn with him to heaven and he is never minded to give it again but we have as Good a Pawn of him his Spirit We were of that Flesh and Blood Hebrews 2. 14. Let us keep Christ's Pawn as long as he keeps Ours Let him not be to the fore with Us Now he keeps our Pawn for ever He will never lay down our Flesh We are never minded to lose the Pawn let him keep it for ever Long may he keep it Let us keep his Spirit For it is not his Will to loose that Pawn Let him keep it for ever Hebrews 4. 2. Christ would also be a Bairn and Partaker of Flesh and Blood Would to GOD ye would all strive to get his Pawn and to keep it well Seek his Spirit and keep it well Worldly Men Ye have little claim to Jesus GOD help you there is no Borrowing nor Lending betwixt You and Christ Secondly Community We got all his Good and he gets all our Ill that 's a Good Cooss for Us He took our Curses we took his Blessings He our Shame We his Glory He our Sins We his Righteousness He is the Kirks and the Kirk is Christs That Day GOD laid upon Christ he was shifted our from under GODs Wrath and GOD strook the Kirk's Head to let the Members go free When Christ was in blocking to buy his Kirk he knew the Faults in the Wares he kend well enough that Curse of GOD and Wrath of GOD and Hell and Sin and many Ills followed the Kirk Yet Christ wad not rew in time He said freely I will take her and all the Ills that follow her how beit she be Blind Lame yea a Cursed Bride Yet I will make her my Wife Would to GOD we could take Christ and all the faults that follow Him There be Men that will not Cooss with Christ but will keep their Will their Lust GOD was about to strike Us and had lifted to speak so his Wand to bring a Stroak of his Wrath upon Us and Christ came in and held his Hand and laid down himself and bade his Father lay upon Him Yea never saw such a Suiter as Christ he prays Us to Cooss for the better He crys to you for GODs Sake give me your Dross and ye shall get my Gold Give me your Sins and I give you My Righteousness Is it not an hard matter Men will not give their Ill to Christ and transfer and give over their Sins to Christ He says to you Give Me your Lust that I may Crucifie it and I will give you Love for it Give Me your Anger and I will give you My Zeal for it Then make a Cooss and take him at his Word ilk day be making New Blocks with Christ Deny your Folly and give it to him to Crucifie And seek ye his Wisdom you must do this ever while all Nature be away and done and nothing in you but Grace Thirdly There is a Community of Gifts and Graces betwixt Christ and Us Not a Grace we get from GOD but it comes throw Christ's hands to us So that Christ keeps the Pawns betwixt GOD and Us GOD gives Grace to his Kirk but where is it It is in Jesus Grace is laid in Pledge in the Hands of Jesus and it was made a running over Fountain For as we see in a Race the Wages or the Garland is not in the Hand of the Runners but some Friends keeps the Staikes for both So Christ keeps the Wage for the Father and Us Christ indeed is the Fountain John 1. 14 We beheld His Glory as the Glory of the Only begotten Son Some Friend keeps the Staikes for both There the Well running over But for what End Verse 16. That out of His Fulness we might all Receive even Grace for Grace So GOD gives us Life Eternal But who has this Life in Pledge Even Jesus Christ 1 John 5. 11. And this is the Witness that GOD hath given us even Eternal Life and this Life is in His Son LORD send us part of this consigned Grace Again ye send not up a Sigh to GOD but first it must be laid down in the hand of him that keeps the Pawns Revelation 8. 12. Be the Way I shall give the Vse with every Article of the Doctrine Try thy Light try thy Grace try thy Honour and Credit Riches all the Blessings that ye have The Silver the Gold whether these Blessings be Impawned in Christ's Hand or ye get them If ye get them not in Christ they are Unchristened Blessings and they want the Fashion Wo be to these Blessings that came never throw Christ's Holy Hands Again try your Prayers Sighs and Desires and your Service if ye offer them to GOD in CHRIST Many Unchristened Prayers goes to Heaven that are never Welcomed of GOD Ye must take your Communion out of GODs Hand at the nearest but out of CHRIST's Hand there should be nothing done betwixt GOD and Us but CHRIST should be at it Fourthly There is a