Unjust Steward To make to them-selves Friends of the unrighteous Mammon that when they fail they may receive them into ever-lasting habitations Mat 6 19 20 Lay not up for your selves Treasures upon earth c. But lay up for your selves Treasures in Heaven The meâ— of the World have their portion in this life But as for me when I awake I shall be satisfied with thy likness Psal. 17. 14 15. Alas most meâ— first have so little desire for Heaven that next theâ— come to have as little hope of it and so at last and fain to take up with the World and for Jaâ—â—â— blessing must with Esau be content with the fâ—â—ness of the earth Gen. 27 39. Or else what meaâ— the unhandsome unhallowed and unhappy Practises of catching gripping and inhancing which have prevailed so far that now mens Covetousness hath strengthned it self with Pride lest they should be reputed less witty for how do they boast oâ— such exploits But such boasting is not good and theâ— glory is their shame for they mind earthly things Phiâ— 3 19 And they have hearts exercised with covetouâ— Practises cursed Children 2 Pet. 2. 14. But alas I findâ— one great fault in most mens accounts that theâ— never count upon the Soul They count their thousands and ten thousands and hundred thousands and the Poor soul sayes how many count you meâ—â— I stand Debter for ten thousand Talents upon your score Yea I am already destressed and what will you give in exchange for me Not a groat sayes the wretch while I havelife though after that he would give ten thousand Worlds So much there is betwixt market-dayes 5. It teacheth patience in well doing who by patience in well doing seek for Glory and Honour and immortality is eternal life to them Rom 2 7. Therefore my beloved Brethren be ye stedfast unmovable alwayes abounding in the work of the Lord for as much as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord 1 Cor 15. last And this is the Conclusion of the Apostles vindication of the Resurrection and the life to come The Saints have a long and sore service in the World But God is not unrighteous to forget their labour of love a cup of cold water shall not be forgotten And for whatsoever any have forsaken they shall have a hundred fold in this life and in the World to come life everlasting And we reckon that the sufferings of this present life are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in the Saints Therefore let us not be weary in well doing for in due Season we shall reap if we faint not Galat. 6 9. 6. It supporteth the Christians hope For if in this life only we have hope in Christ of all men we are most miserable 1 Cor. 15 19. It is certainly the interest of every good man to believe the Souls immortality and as much their Duty to live so as it may be their interest for it is not Reason and Judgement that prompt men to deny it but fear and and an evil Concience that tells them it will be ill for them The Souls immortality is the hope oâ— Israel that maketh them diligent in well doing patient in Tribulation and desirous of their change for we that are in this Tabernacle do groan being burdened not for that we would be uncloathed but cloathed upon that mortality might be swallowed up of life 2 Cor. 5. 4. The Third view of these words giveth this manifest Reflection That Communion with God is the Souls Sanctuary and Solace We have this Prayer of Nehemiah thrice Recorded in this Chap. and in the close of the 5 Chap besides frequent Addresses of the like nature such as that solemn Ejaculation Chap. 24. And that Chap. 6 14. and another in this same Chap. ver 29 Besides his ordinary attendance on publick worship and Solemn and extra-ordinary Fasting Chap. 9. By all which it is evidenâ— how Seriously and constantly Godly this renounced worthy was Like David who could say what timâ— soever I awake I am with thee And truly the Soul is either sleeping or worse when not with God Affaires and weight of Business quickned their Devotion as much as it extinguisheth ours And the matter is they were not cool indifferent Latitudinarians in Religion but men of another Spirit serious Men. And if that be true which I hilosophers have said that that is not the Man which is seen Alas what Puppyes what Mock-men are we who can be any thing but Good and Serious This Observation proven by the experience of Saints in all Generations Who sat down under the shaddow of the Almighty with great delight and his fruit was sweet to their taste Cant 2. 3. will make it self good by the strongest Reason when we have seen a little what Communion with God is and wherin it consists And 1. It stands in Reconciliation the immediate result of Justification by faith Amos 3 3. â— Can two walk together except they be aggreed Rom. 5 1. Being justifyed by faith we have peace with God and 10. v. We are reconciled by the death of his Son This giveth access to God and bringeth us near who sometimes were far off This of Enemies maketh Friends even as Abraham believed and was called the Friend of God 2. In a mystical spiritual and Supernatural Union the product of Regeneration for he that is joyned to the Lord is one Spirit and is made partaker of the divine Nature This maketh us Sons and plantâ—th us in God John 1 12 13. To as many as received him to them gave he power to become the sons of God which were born not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man but of God 1 John 4 13. Hereby we know that we dwell in him and he in us because he hath given us of his spirit and v. 16. God is love and he that loveth dwelleth in God and God in him Iohn 17. 23. I in them and thou in me that they may be made perfect in one Iohn 15 5. I am the vine ye are the branches 3. In likness of natures compliance of minds and conformity of manners 2 Cor 3 last he that hath Communion with God is changed into the same â—mage and Colos. 3. 10. is renewed after the image of him that created him 1 Cor 15. 49. As we have born the image of the earthy so must we also of the heavenly Christ is the image of his Father and Saints are the image of Christ. And how much are they of one Humour pleased in and pleasing one another The Lord is a God to the Saints mind in Heaven or earth he sees nothing to him whom have I in heaven but thee Or who is a God like unto thee Nec viget quidquam simile aut secundum And the Saint is a David a man to Gods heart What is the book of Canticles but one continued proof of this matter What
Necessity he is the person that cannot be wanted by any that would be happy Deut. 30. 20. he is thy life and the length of thy days And if any think they may do as well elswhere let them answer the question John 6. 68. Lord to whom shall we go thou hast the words of eternal Life Now this is my beloved and this is my friend O Daughters of Ierusalem Cant. 5. 16. The Lords second Motive and external allurement is his Words Words are very charming and enticeing things and how forceable are right words says Job Hence the Latines wisely give the name of verba dare to that which the Court calls a complement but the Countrey plainly calls a Cheat. Hence the way of Fishing which catcheth by the Ear applauded of the greatest Wits approven and much practised by Lovers the most ingenious because the most serious Anglers who busk their hooks with words and bait with the artificial flee of Complements Hence as the world goes he is the finest man that can say fairest to it and albeit Solomon both a Wise Man and a great Preacher and Spokes-man hath said Proverb 17. 28. even a fool when he holdeth his peace is counted wise yet with most men even a wise man if he bold his peace is counted a fool But the truth is multum ille assecutus est qui bene didicit loqut bene qui tacere non minus assecutus est he hath attained much who hath learned to speak well and he hath attained no less who hath learned to hold his peace well But to say no more in general of the allurements of Words how specially excellent are the words of the Lord to the purpose of Soul-converting and heart-alluring Zach. 1. 13. They are good words and comfortable words Jer. 15. 16. Thy words were found and I did eat them and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoycing of mine Heart Gold and Treasure is alluring unto any Honey and Apples to Delicate Persons And if it were even the mortal forbidden Fruit of the Tree of Knowledge of good and evil yet if it be good for Food and I leasant to the Eyes and a Tree to be desired it must be had if the price should be Death Gen. 3. But the words of God are more to be desired than Gold sweeter also than Honey and the Honey comb Psal. 19. 10. Psal. 119. 72 103. verses If nature could propine the World with Golden Apples as a present of her first Fruits sure those would ravish the Hearts of the greatest Potentates and would raise Wars among Princes for the possession and keeping of the Tree that bare those they would be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Apples of Strife properly and indeed And the Words of God which are the Flower and first Fruits of all fit Words are Apples of Gold in Pictures of Silver Prov. 25 11. They Nourish Solidly Comfort Cordially and Inrich Mightily How charming the Lords Words are we have famous instances in the Gospel that with his Words he catched those that were sent and intended to catch and entrap him he sent them back with this Report never man spoke like this man And here in the â—â—xt it self I will allure her saith the Lord and I will speak comfortably unto her The third chief Motive and Allurement is The Works of the Lord and his Doings He hath done for his People and is daily doing to them that which cannot but rationally entice any ingenuous Soul to be for him If God had not loved us I should have wondered at every thing he does for us Love is the chief of the wayes of God to us God loved the World God so loved the World A Wonder indeed But after that stupendious portent of his Works to us That he loved us I shall wonder at nothing he does for us For what will we not do for those we Love But again I must wonder that he loved us and in this love to us he was humbled and emptyed for us For us he came into the World For us He took the likeness of sinful flesh and the form of a servant For us he suffered Temptations Crosses and Contradictions in his Life and for us he tasted death He gave him â—â—s for us He came under the Law and Sin and the Wrath and Curse of God for us For us he drank the Cup of astonishment which would have made all the Elect tremble to Eternity Yea and he rose and was victorious over death for us â—e hath also ascended Heaven for us and there he interceeds for us he is our Friend at Court he stands in the way there that nothing pass against us and when there is hazard he warns us and by his Word and Spirit he keeps intelligence with our Souls and gives us daily accounts of the true state of our Spiritual business Thence he issues daily many favours on our behalf Psal. 103 2 and forward Forget not all his Benefits who forgiveth all thine Iniquities c. And his negative Mercies are not the least part of what he doth for us That he prevents and holds off us so many temptations suares and evils that otherwise would even over-run us and that for all these he waiteth to be gracious to us at the voice of our Cry when he shall hear it And in a word that he is so wholly taken up for us as if he had nothing else to mind but us Now to a rational ingenuous Spirit and every one that deserves to be called a Man all these will be the Coras of a Man and Bands of Love Hos. 11. 4. Yea there is some secret alluring quality in the saddest and darkest of Gods dispensations to the Soul of the Saint Hence we never find the Godly Soul more fond so to speak of its beloved and more earnest upon him than in the time of desertion which of all dispensations is the most afflicting to such an one If the Lord withdraw such an one will fall down sick of Love to him and then go tell him O ye Daughters of Ierusalem that I cannot live in his absence And if he do not come quickly skipping like a young Roe or Hart yea and if he take not the nearest way over the mountains of Bether he may come too late to lay his hands upon the eyes of his distressed Beloved Psal. 28. 1. If thou be silent to me sayes David I shall be like them that go down into the â—â—t O Lord I cannot live I value not Life if thou be not the God of my Life I have resolved I shall never be glad till thou be the health of my Countenance and make me glad with thy Works For I see little difference betwixt Sorrow and Joy if thou be not my chiefest joy And in our Text the Wilderness is the alluring place to this ungracious froward Church The fourth chief Motive wherewith the Lord allures his People is his Gifts Gifts and tokens use to pass betwixt Lovers and
Then they need consolations and then they come in season Prov. 30. 6. Wine should be given to those that are of heavy hearts When I said my foot slippeth thy mercy Lord held me up This was a mercy that came in good season 3. Their fitness As then they most need consolations so then are they fittest to receive and intertain them The Lord will not have his Consolations to run by and be spilt by pouring them out into full vessels But Blessed are they that hunger and thirst for they shall be filled I spoke before upon the second part of the Text how afflictions fits for consolations and that therefore God sometimes brings his people into the Wilderness that thus he may fit them Most sweet are the Consolations wherewith the Lord trysts his people in their afflictions 1. He draws forth to them the bowels of â—ost tender compassions In all their affliction he is afflicted Isa. 63. 9. Jer. 31. 20. Since I spoke against him I do earnestly remember him still therefore my bowels are troubled for him Zach. 2. 8. He that toucheth you toucheth the apple of his eye It is a very acceptable consolation to an afflicted person to mourn with them and to be touched with their condition And the Lord cryes alas at every touch of affliction that comes upon people Nor need they fear he shall forget them For whatever is a mans pain it will not fail to put him in mind 2. He ownes them and takes notice of them when others sight them and care not for them Psal. 31. 7. He knows their Soul in Adversities Psal. 142. 4 5. I looked on my right hand and beheld but there was no man that would know me refuge failed me No man cared for my Soul I cryed unto thee O Lord I said thou art my refuge and my portion in the land of the living Jer 30. 16 17. and forward The Lord promises with great Mercies to owne his Church because in the 17 verse They called her an out-cast saying this is Zion whom no man seeketh after Lament 1. 12. It was nothing to those that passed by to see all that she suffered But her desire is frequently throughout the Chapter Behold O Lord for I am in distress Yea and he will behold For his eyes behold the things that are equal Act. 7. 34. I have seen I have seen the affliction of my people which is in â—gypt and I have heard their groaning This is a time wherein there be few to Resent the wrongs done to the Church of God and his Saints and Servants and fewer there be to right them And therefore that Prayer is good Psal. 17. 2. Let my Sentence come forth from thy presence Let thine eyes behold the things that are equal And the Saints may have justice for the asking For he Beholds mischief and spight to requite it with his hand Ps. 10. 14. 3. He vouchsafes them a more special presence Ps 91. 15. I will be with him in trouble Psal. 23. 4. In the valley of the Shaddow of death thou art with me Isai. 43. 2. When thou passest through the Waters I will be with thee c. The Lord is ever near to those that fear him but in affliction he goes very near them They have alwayes his special presence Ps. 140 13. The upright shall dwell in thy presence But in trouble they have a more special presence His presence is either a secret supporting presence whereby his people are held up they know not how For many a time when the Saints look back upon those times wherein they said their strength and their hope is perished from the Lord and see the way that they have come they wonder how they have win through But God was with them whilst they knew it not Or else his presence is a manifest comforting presence and that the Scripture calls his visiting of his people 4. Then the Lord vouchsafes his afflicted people many a kind visit And in those visits 1. He salutes his people with Peace He will speak Peace unto his people and to his Saints in the world ye shall have trouble sayes he but in me ye shall have Peace 2. He gives a hearing to all his peoples Confessions Complaints and Petitions Lord thou hast heard the desire of the humble 3. He speaks his mind to his people both concerning their Duty and the issue of their lot The times of the Lords visits to his afflicted people are the times wherein he communicates most of his secrets to those that fear him The Soul that goes through manyfest afflictions is ordinarily the wisest and most experienced Soul Heman the Ezrahit who was so sore afflicted even from his youth was one of the wisest men in his time Speculation speaks of cases like a Geographer Experience speaks like a Traveller That sayes that which our ears have heard this sayes that which our eyes have seen declare we unto you 4. In his Visits he gives his people tokens for good He comes never empty-handed to them But gives them such things whereof they may say in their straits when he seems to have forgotten them Lord whose are these 5. And further as the original hath the words of the Text he speaks to his peoples heart He satisfies them concerning his Dispensations and convinceth them of the equity and kindness of his dealing with them He gives them such rational accounts of his dispensations as makes them say he hath taken the best way with them and makes them sing thou hast dealt well with thy Servants Ps. 119. 65. And by convincing them that good is the Word of the Lord Isai. 39. 8. He makes them say from their Heart that if variety of lots were in their offer they would choose the present O but that speaks well I will speak to her heart I will even speak as she would have me Thus he comforts by his kind visits 5. He comforts his people in affliction by being all things to them and doing all things for them Thus we find the Saints in their afflictions making applications to God with Titles suted to their condition And it is God faith the Psalmist that doth all things for me He is the Shepherd of Israel If they be scattered he gathers them if they go astray he leads them if they want he feeds them and makes them Lie in green Pastures by the still waters If they be in hazard He is their refuge Are they sad He is the Health of their countenance Are they weak or weary He is their strength and with him is everlasting strength Are they sinners and guilty He is the God of their Righteousness Is Law intended against them He pleads their cause and stands at their right hand Is the judge an unfriend to them He is their judge and their Sentence cometh forth from his presence Do Kings or others command them to be Afflicted Fined Beaten Imprisoned Confined Banished Then Psal 44. 4. Thou art my King O God command deliverances for Jacob Have they no Friends nor any to do for them He that is the kind Lord can cause men shew them the kindness of the Lord That which the Scripture calleth the kindness of the Lord. 1 Sam. 20. 14. hath as much in it as may shew us that the Lord makes men Instruments at his pleasure to shew kindness and do a good Office to his people And when the Saints and Servants of God come to count kindness I hope there will be found more of the kindness of the Lord than of men in Courtesies that are done them I am so little a Patron of unthankfulness That I shall thank him kindly and pray as our Scots Proverb is The Lord reward him that doth me good whether with his will or against it But truly when from men I meet with less kindness where I might have expected more and more where I might have expected less The Meditation of this Scripture expression To shew the kindness of the Lord hath taught me the more earnestly to ask mercies of my God and to leave the expressing and dispensing of it to himself by Means and Instruments of his own choosing He can make a Babylonian Enemy to 〈…〉 his own Servant Ieremiah well 6. To add no more for that hath all The Lord comforteth his afflicted People by Christ â—esus 2 Cor. 1. 5 This is the Saints unchangeable Consolation in all changes of Dispensations and truly our Consolations will come to a poor account if Christ be not the sum of them all in all Cases and Conditions Christless comforts will leave us comfortless Christians The Use of this point shall be for strong Consolation to the Saints in their greatest afflictions The Lord hath laid it straitly upon us to comfort his People in their afflictions Isai. 40. 1. 2. and here he takes it upon himself to be their Comforter He hath given this Name and O shee to his Holy Spirit The Comforter and shall not the afflicted People of God with these words be comforted and comfort one another But according to the rule of Scripture Comforts and Duties must be matched together Nor must we expect in the event a Separation of those things that God hath joyned in the intimation Wherefore if we would have much of the Lords heart Let us give him much of ouâ—s If we would have him comfortable to us we must be kind to him If we would have him speak comfortably to us we must give our consent to him If we would have him speak to our Heart we must be to his Heart for so the Text runneth Therefore behold I will allure her I will bring her into the Wilderness and I will speak comfortably unto her Now to the God of all Consolation Father Son and Holy Ghost be â—ll 〈◊〉 and Dominion and Praise for ever and ever Amen Written in the Wilderness 1665 FINIS See Grenhams directions for reading the Scriptures See the fulfilling of the Scriptures Remark how the Plague followed in London the next year 1660.
exchange of heartâ— are there What concentering of Affections What returns of Love What uniting Raptures â— What reflections of Beauty What Echo's of Invitations and Commendations with such likeness of voices that sometimes you shall hardly discern who speaks Moreover we find this compliancâ— universal in the Saint swaying all that was in him to the Lords Devotion his understanding is re-newed in knowledge after the Image of him thaâ— created him he understands with God from God and for God He can do nothing against the truth but for the truth He lighteth his Torch at the Suâ— and taketh his light from the Candlestick of tâ— Sanctuary the Law and the Testimony his faitâ— hath the image of Christ Iames 2. 1. It is thâ— faith of our Lord Jesus Christ the Lord of Glory And Christs Superscription Revel 3 â— These things sayeth the Amen the faithful and true witness And we have the mind of Chrisâ— Conformably his will is swayed whether for acting Lord what wilt thou have me to do or for suffering Not my will but thy will be done he is an Orthodox Monothelit And for his affections he loveth and hateth as God doth and because he doth it And finally in his conversation he is Holy as God is Holy merciful as he is mercifull and perfect as his heavenly Father is perfect Hence the old Philosophers seeing thorow the darkness of nature have said That good men are visible mortal Gods and the Gods are invisible immortal men Which as it is litterally true of their fictitious fancied Gods so with respect to the true God it proveth Symbolically that the mystery of the Incarnation is no absurdity there being such a high affinity betwixt the Divine and Humane nature in its integrity for we are also his off-spring 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Acts 17. 28. 4. In mutual claim to and interest in the Persons and things of one another the result of mutual choice gift and Covenant contract My beloved is mine and and I am his I will be their God and they shall be my People All that is in God is God and all that is in God is for his People he is a God to Israel all that his People are or have or can is for him 1 Cor. 6. 19. 20. ye are not your own for ye are bought with a price Therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit which are Gods And none of us liveth to himself neither doth any of us dy unto himself but whether we live we are the Lords or whether we dy we are the Lords And our Communion with God consisteth much in holding up a Trade and keeping a bank with God in getting from him and bestowing for him and though a man cannot profit God nor reapeth he where he sowed not yet he must have his own with the use Hath a man communion with God What hath he done what hath he given or what hath he forsaken that he had or refused that he might have had for God Numb 24. 11. Balak could say to Balaam Lo the Lord hath keept thee back from honour but we may say to some The Lord hath not keept thee back from Honour for like the Apostate Jews they love the praise of men better than God or the praise of God But Moses refused to be called the son of Pharaohs daughter esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt Heb. 11. 24 26 The Apostles forsook all and followed Christ A good bargain a thing much prized by the spirits of our time a hundred fold in this present life and in the World to come life everlasting A man may forsake all for God but he can lose nothing for God Take Galeacius Caracciolus for a sufficient witness who proved the matter Italy the Garden of the World Naples of Italy Vicum of Naples farewell all for Christ freely But now if the son of man should come shall he find faith in the earth Who believeth indeed that He who snared not his own son will with him give us all things freely Are the consolations of God small with thee Thinkest thou so meanly of God and Christ the gift of God all the fulness of God the treasures of hope the earnest of the Spirit the Riches of saith the first fruits of the inheritance Didst thou ever sing Psal. 4 7. Thou hast put more gladness in my heart than in the time that their corn and their wine increased All these things have I given thee and yet I will do more for thee if thou canst but for goe a little for me Poor Soul mayst thou not spare it 5. In fellowship of converse And therefore in Scripture it s called a walâ—ing with God before God in Christ a dwelling in his presence and walking in the light of his countenance Psal. 73 23. I am continually with thee Psal. 139. 18. When I awake I am still with thee 2 Cor. 16. 16. I will dwell in them and walk in them Rev. 21. 2. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying behold the tabernacle of God is with men and he will dwell with them and they shall be his People and God himself shall be with them and be their God Men live together for mutual comfort and help of life his comforts delight the soul and he is the God of our life Men converse together for Counsel Counsel is mine sayeth the wonderful Counseller and â—e giveth his People Counsel and therefore the Godly Souls desire is to enquire in his temple Men â—onverse together for business and O how much â—ath the Soul to do with God! Who doth all things 〈◊〉 it Men pay visits to one another and what find visits pass betwixt God and his People Men â—ast and sup together I will sup with him and he with me Rev. 3 20. Prov. 9. 2. Wisdom hath killed her beasts she hath mingled her wine she hath also furnished her Table Psal. 23 5. Thou preparest a table for me in the presence of mine Enemies Isa 25. 6 A feast of fat things a feast of Wines on the Lees of fat things full of Marrow of Wines on the Lees well refined Cant. 4. last and 5. 1. Let my beloved come into his garden and eat his pleasant Fruits I am come into my Garden my Sister my Spouse c Eaâ— O Friend Drink yea Drink abundantly O Beloved Friends Converse in Presence and Correspond in Absence and at a distance The Godly Soul cannot endure Absence or Distance from God for the Light of his Countenance iâ— better than Life But if it fall at distance it keepâ— up a correspondence In my trouble I sought the Lord and my cry came before him ever into his Ears O ye Daughters of Jerusalem you see him whom my Soul loveth tell him I am Sick of Love When my heart was over whelmed within me thou knewest my way From the ends of the earth will I cry unto thee O when shall I come and
mercy is here I will bid them look to the inner-siâ—â— for we must not judge by appearance but we mâ—â— judge righteous Iudgment There is a disappeariâ—â— white threed of mercy on the innerside of all blackest and most afflicting lots of Saints and â—â— any have not the faith to believe this in an hâ—â— and power of darkness yet I shall wish them â—â— patience to wait till they see the white threed â—yth again in its own place and till they find undenyable mercy that will not suffer it self to be mistaken tryst them upon the borders of that dark valley for mercy follows them all the days of their life Psal. 23. 6. and sometimes it will compass them round about Psal. 32 10. In a word all the very outfallings that are betwixt God and his People they are amantium irae that is but amoris redintegratio â—overs cast out and agree again and they cast not out but that they may agree again and so are God and his People mercy shall conclude all that passes betwixt them and that mercy is joyned with truth for God hath said it and he was never yet worse than his word to any but to many very oft much better You see here which confirms the point not a little what a wilde â—iece she is to whom the Lord does all this neither minding God nor his Covenant nor Commandments but courting her lovers and following her lightness and yet the Lord pursues her â—ight and litle worth as she is courts her and invites her to come home All this is strange and yet all this is but like God that the Holy One of Israel should thus like the Adullamite Judah 's friend Gen. 38. go to seek a Harlot by the way side But consider 1. That when the Lord Married her he knew all the faults that followed her and â—ook her with them all If God had not known before what she would prove it might be strange that thus he suits her but if there be any thing to be admired here it is his first love to her whom he knew to be such an one But 2dly consider where will the Lord do better Where is there any in the World that without his own undertaking would serve him otherwayes And therefore till the Lord find a better match he thinks and with all reason even as good hold him at his first choise Especially since 3. He knows of a way how to gain her And 4. sees her already rewing her courses and saying that she will return to her first husband And by all this 5. he will let it be seen that he is not so unstable and light as she is She could find in her heart to entertain others in his place and surely she was not ill to please that could take an Idol in his rooms but yet he will make it manifest to all the World that he is God and changes not and therefore he will mantain his old kindness to her and will remember the love of her espousals and the kindness of her youth For 6. Foolish as she was he had gotten more love of her in former times than he had gotten of all the World besides And thus the very case stands betwixt God and his deboarding Children and backsliding People unto this day III The third great Scripture truth that is here solemnly confirmed is this That Gods way will his People is not the manner of men 2 Sam. 7 19 Hosea 6 7. They like men transgress the Covenant and Chap. 11. 9. He like God and like himself and there is none like unto him for if any were like him he were not himself will not exeâ— cut the fierceness of his anger nor return to destroy them because he is God and not man Jer. 3 1. Theâ— say if a man put away his wife and she go from him and become anothermans Shall be return unto her again â—â—all not that land be greatly polluted but thou hast â—ayed the Harlot with many lovers yet return again â—nto me saith the Lord. Now that Gods way with â—is People is not the manner of men warrands them to expect from him things not ordinary â—or it was the greatness of his extraordinary kindness to David that made him say so of God yea â—â— warrands them to expect above expectation Isai. â—4 3. Thou didst terrible things that we looked not â—â—r Yea more it even warrands them to expect above admiration Zech. 8. 6. If it be marvelous â—â— the eyes of the remnant of this People in these dayes should it also be marvelous in my eyes saith the Lord of Hosts And the Ground of all is Isai. 55 9. Because as the Heavens are higher than the earth so are â—â—e Lords ways higher than our ways and his thoughts than our thoughts This is solemnly confirmed in â—he Text proposed where we have such a stupendious strange inference a Therefore that considering what hath been last said all the World cannot â—ell Wherefore a Therefore that if it had been left â—o all the World to supply what follows it considering what hath immediatly gone before I doubt it could have entered into any created heart to have once guessed it She went after her lovers and forgot me saith the Lord and therefore I will allure here and comfort her To this Therefore is well subjoined Behold which observation teacheth Admiration of what we cannot reach to satisfaction Only from all this let us consider whether the great sin of limiting God be not too ordinary and too litle abhorred an evil amongst us We frame to our fancy a litle modest God forsooth that must not take too much upon him and by those fancies we model our Prayers and returnes and pardons of sin and accounts of Providences and events of dispensations and all things And if that be not to have another God before the true God I have not read my Bible right nor do I understand the first Commandment But now after that I have wandered so long before though I hope not beside the purpose I am yet but entering the Wilderness SERMON Hosea 2 14 Therefore behold I will allure her and bring her into the Wilderness and speak Comfortably unto her A Wilderness is a land of darkness Ier. 2 31. and whilst I but look into the Wilderness I am surrounded with the darkness of a mysterious transition in the particle Therefore But when I begin to enter and while my foot standeth even upon the borders of darkness I see a light shining out of darkness Psal. 119. 130. the enterance of thy words giveth light it giveth understanding unto the simple This lights me over the border where being come I hear a voice which bids me Behold and beholding I see a strange Wherefore of this strange Therefore and it is this that by any means the Lord must have his Peopl's heart and be sole owner of their love without a Rival or partaker In the close of the former verse she forgot mâ— saith the
that make the true use of every dispensation that it requires that lament when the Lord Mournes that dance when he Pipes that tremble when he Roares that hearken when he teaches that answer when he calls and thus every Godly Soul is an Eccho to the voice of God The spirit says come and the Bride says come The Lord says return and the sinner says behod we come He says seek ye my face and the Soul says thy face will I seek O Lord. But as Christ says it is only he that hath an ear who will hear and as the Prophet Micah says it is only the man of wisdom that will see Gods name and hear the Rod. And I take him to have a bad ear and little skill in discerning voices that cannot give the Tune of God's present dispensations to his People in these Nations But it will appertain to the answer of the next question to give the particular notes of this tune and to hold forth the proper uses of present dispensations to the Church and Saints of God The 2d Question proponed was how are we to observe the Works and dispensations of God To the Question I answer that we are to observe the dispensations of God 1. with selfdenyal and humble diffidence of our own wisdom and understanding There is 1. so much of mystery in thâ— dispensations of God Verily thou art a good that hâ—est thy self O God the Saviour of Israel Isai 42 15 And 2dly So many even good observers Godly men have verily mistaken so far in their apprehensions of Divine dispensations Witness Job and his freinds who darkned counsel by words without knowledge Iob 38. 2. and 42 3. whereupon the Lord poses â—ob in the former place and which he freely confesses in the latter That it is needful in this point if in any to hearken to instruction Prov 3 5 7. lean not to thine own understanding be no wise in thine own eyes Humble David though wise David who for his discerning was as an Angel â—â— God 2 Sam 14. 17. would not exercise himself â—â— matter too high for him Psal 131 1. whereof the dispensations of God are a high part which hâ— acknowledges to be too hard for him to understand Psal. 73. 16. And his Son Solomon whose wisdom is so renowned taxes all rash and unadvised inquiry into the works of God Eccles. 7 10. There is no safe nor true discovery of the Works of God but through the prospect of his Word Psaâ— 73. 17. We must â—o to the sanctuary with Gods Works the Word will let us see that wicked men are seâ— upon slippery places even when they seem to stand surest Psal. 73. 18. And when their roots are wrapped about the earth and they see the place oâ— Stones while they lean upon their House and holy it fast While they are in their greenness they are cut down and as the rush they wither before any other herb Iob. 8. 11. and foreward Yea whilst the Saints look not upon their own state and Gods dispensations to them according to the Word they are ready to mistake right far I said in my prosperity my mountain stands strong and I shall never be moved thou didst hide thy face and I was troubled And upon the other hand when I said my foot slippeth Thy mercy Lord it held me up Wherefore let us ay be ready to hearken to better information in our apprehensions of Divine dispensations and particular events remembring that all men are lyars But for the general issue of things we may be well assured without all fear of mistake That it shall be well with the righteous and ill with the wicked for this is the sure word of Prophesie Isai 3. 10. 11. Yea not only shall it be well with the Righteous in the end but every thing how cross soever in the way shall conduce and concurr to work his wellfare And this is a truth that shall never fail and wherein there is no fear of mistake Rom. 8. 28. And the Scripture abounds with Noble instances of this truth But by the contrary all things how prosperous soever that fall to the wicked in his way shall in the end redound to his woe and turn to his greater misery of this likewise there are in Scripture instances not a few Learn we then to observe dispensations of particular events with humility and submission to a better Judgment 2dly We must observe the works of God with Patience if we would know the Lords going forth we must follow on to know Hosea 6. 3. In our observation of dispensations we must not conclude at a view nor upon their first appearance There is I so much of surprisal in many dispensations that often they escape our first thoughts verily says Jacob God was in this place and I knew it not Genes 28 16. when the Lord brought back the captivity of Zion sayes the Church we were as men that dreame Psal. 116 1 When the Angel delivered Peter he wist not whether that it was true that was done but thought he saw a vision Act. 12 9. There is 2 oft times much Error in our first thoughts of things that needs to be corrected by second thoughts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 second thoughts are the wiser I say ays David I am cut off from thine eyes but I said it over soon I said it in my haste I took no leasure throughly to consider the matter And therefore I will look again toward thy Holy temple I looked but I must look again I said but I must say again The Scriptures gives many instances of the Saints mistaks and errors in the first thoughts of Gods dispensations and in these patâ—untur aliquid humani they are but like men Somtimes again 3 the Lord goes thorow in his dispensations by a method of contraries he brings his People into the dark before he cause light shine out of darkness he brings them as the Text says into the driery Wilderness and there he comforts them he wounds before he heal he kills before he make alive he casts down before he raise up And therefore there is need of Patience to observe the whole course of dispensations and their connexion for if we look upon them by parts we will readily mistake in our Observation I find likwise 4. In many Dispensations a reserve the Lord keeping up his mind as it were to bait and allure his People to observe Verily thou art a God that hidest thy self O God the Saviour of Israel Isai 45. 14. O Lord we cannot see what thou wouldst be at what I do thou knowest not now sayes Christ but thou shalt know afterwards Like a man if he see his hearers slack their attention to a serious discourse he breaks off and pauses a little to reduce them to a serious attention so does God in his works to gain us to a diligent Observation Threfore in our Observation of Dispensations we would be like Abraham's Godly servant Genes 24 21.
to us Ier. 29. 5 6 7 10. Build ye houses and dwell in them c. For thus saith the Lord that after seventy years be accomplished in Babylon will I visit you and form my good word towards you in causing you to return to this place Our disposition looks like those that were to have a seventy years affliction and long continued Captivity And indeed considering Daniel 9. 13. All this evil is come upon us yet made we not our Prayer before the Lora our God c. I observe that Security and a slack disposition is the attendent or rather the presage and fore-runner of a continued Affliction And by the contrary a Spirit of restless importunity is a comfortable Prognostick of a speedy delivery See it confirmed in the instances of Daniel Nehemiah Ezra who upon the very point of the deliverance were stirred up and with themselves stirred up the People by Prayer and Fasting to ask Mercies of their God Take then the direction Isa. 62. 6 7. Ye that make mention of the Lord keep not silence and give him no rest till he establish and till he make Jerusalem a praise in the Earth And thus with patience I have got through the Wilderness and considered the intimation of the Churches condition which is the second thing in the words of the Verse In conclusion be it minded only that all that hath been said to this point doth alike concern the Church in general and Saints in particular For neither I nor any other who from this mount of contemplation do view the Wilderness at a distance can expect to have it said to us as was said to Moses of the Land beyond Iordan Thou shalt not go over into it but rather as was said to Abraham All the Land which thou seest shall be thine Arise and walk through the Land for to thee will I give it Not to speak of what we have had or at the time have none of us can promise in the Life of our Vanity that we shall not have if not at once yet successively one after another all the described parts of the Wilness for our Lot I will allure her THe third thing in the words is The Lords Design I will allure her Hence the Doctrine is That the Lords great Design in the vicissitudes of all Dispensations to his People is to gain them to himself that he may have more of their Kindness and Service The point is confirmed 1. From the account Scripture gives of Gods various Dispensations to his People Take but this Chapter for an instance he both afflicts her and comforts her and all that he may have her heart 2 From the first and greatest Command in the Law of God which is That we love him with all our Heart c. As the Law is understood to be the mind of the King so the greatest Command of God is the surest Evidence of his Will concerning this That we abide only for him and do not play the Harlot nor be for another man Chap. 3. 3. It is easie courting where we may command And in this the Lord hath he advantage of all other Lovers The Soveraignity of his Propriety in us bears him to challenge our Heart and Service without once asking our consent and to resent every repulse and refusal not simply as a displeasure but really as a wrong in defrauding him of what is his own by a just Title of many respects antecedent to our voluntary consent 2. The Lords design is so manifest in his kind way with his People that as it cannot be hidden so it seems he would have it known that every one may think him a Suter Even as when a man frequents the House of his Beloved presently by his frequency and other circumstances of his Carriage the meanest Servant of the House discovers his design Yea and the Lord is not ashamed here expresly to tell his Errand I will allure her Some men if they intend a match with and have a design upon a person they set their designs abroad either in Policy to further them and thereby to know how the person intertains such Reports that accordingly they may behave themselves in their intended Address or else in vain Glory to vaunt of them So the Lord causes the Report go loud of his blessed purpose that it may be seen he is both serious in the matter and glorious of it to have sinners love him Now the Lord allures either Morally and Externally or Internally and effectually Morally and Externally while he courts Souls with Arguments and Motives fit to take with rational and ingenuous Spirits Effectually and Internally when by the Power of Grace he makes such fit Motives and Arguments have their due weight and work upon Hearts According to this division for explication of this Blessed Design of the Lords alluring his People I shall first touch upon some of the chief Motives that are fitted to this purpose for to reach them all I presume not 2 dly I shall treat of the inward Power of Grace that makes these Motives effectual upon the Soul And 3dly shall conclude the point with Use. 1. Of motives the first is his own Glorious Excellency outshining every shadow of likness let be equality Who is a God like unto thee And that I am now upon a love designe and upon the imployment of Eleazer Abrahams servant Gen. 24 to seek a Wife to my Masters Son I am concerned as a Friend of the Bridgroome to express my self in the proper termes of such a Subject And O that my heart could indite good matter that I might speak the things that I have made concerning the King Let it then be condescended what is required by any but willing to be satisfied to commend a person to the heart of his beloved and in him you have it 1. for his Dignity and Descent he is the King and the Kings son 2. For his Induements in him are hidd all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge yea and he is full of grace and truth and if you speak of a Spirit a great Spirit Isat 11. 2. 3. the spirit of the Lord resteth upon him the spirit of wisdom and understanding the spirit of Counsel and might the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord and shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the Lord c. 3. For his Beauty he is white and ruddy the chief among ten thousand and fairer than the sons of men 4. For his Disposition and Humour he is tender compassionat loving meek condescending kind and Gracious O but the Soul may have many a good day and much sweet contentment in his Company 5. For his Estate and Fortune he is the possessor of Heaven and earth the heir of all things and there is no lack to those that have him and they have him that love him 6. For his Use and Vertue he is all and in all and in him we are compleat 7. For his
out therefore do the virgins love thee yea he â—an give a Soul-charming vertue to the very words of his name and cause the very naming of him kindle a flame of love in the Soul that many waters cannot quench thy name is as ointment that is powred forth He can open with his finger the â—stest lock that is upon the heart of any sinner Cant. â— 4. my beloved put in his hand by the hole of the â—â—or my bowels were moved for him and if it â—o not open freely he can drop a litle mirrhe from is finger upon it that shall make it easy â— rose â—â— to open to my beloved and my fingers droped myrrhe verse 5 and 6. yea without once asking liberty he â—an ravish a sinners heart and when ever he comes â—pon such a design he coms rideing in King Soâ—â—mons Chariot the midst whereof is paved with love â—â— the daughters of Ierusalem Cant. 3. 9. 10. and after the Kings Chariot follows a large train the Chariots of Aminadab waiting to convoy and bring â—p his willing people Cant. 6. 12. and if once the â—â—ul is got up into the Chariot the King bids drive the 13 verse return return O Shulamite return â—urn and then farewell thy Fathers house Psal. 5. 10. forget thine own people and thy fathers house â—ow the Chariots of Aminadab the Chariots of the â—ords willing People run upon these four wheels â— plain termes the inward power of Grace whereâ—â— the Lord allures sinners and gains them to himself consisteth and is carryed on of these Four â—1 A sound and clear Information of the understanding and Illumination of the mind as it is â—â—ten in the Prophets and they shall be all taught of God John 6. 45. out of Isai. 54 13. with Ier. 24. 7. and I will give them an heart to know me 1 John 5. 20. he hath given us an understanding that we maâ— know him that is true If a man by nature and study were never so judicious and learned yet ere he bâ— converted and effectually allured to ingage throughly in Covenant with God he hath need to be taught of God that the eyes of his understanding being opened he may know that which passes knowledge Otherways it may seem a strange saying but it is that which is noted in the Scripture of truth and the Scripture expressions of opening the eyes giving an understanding and the like make it clear That the meanest Saint and convert hath more knowledge of Christ and seeth somewhat in him that the most Subtile Seraphick Resolute or Angelick Doctor unconverted cannot see So that whatever differences there be betwixt Saving and Common knowledge there is certainly a difference even in regard of the intensive degree 〈◊〉 clearness or if it be not so let any man tell 〈◊〉 what such expressions mean 2 Cor. 4. 6 that God who commandeth the light to shine out of darkness hatâ— shined in our hearts to give the light of the Glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ and verse 3 and the Gospel is hid from those that perish for Satan hath blinded their mindes and no doubt many of these had more natural judgment and learning with more of the means also than some of theâ— that believed To conclude there is greater odd betwixt a Saint and a Rabbi than betwixt a Raâ—â—â— and an Idiot for the last two I now suppoâ— them unconverted are neighboured in Nature but Grace separats the first from them both 2. The inward power of Grace consisteth in a powerful inflection and Bowing of the Will. Psal. 110. 3. thy People shall be willing in the day of thy power the Lord findeth sinners Unwilling he worketh on them not willing and he makes them Willing The Will as I said before is the strongest hold of the Soul and the most wilful piece of the man command the Will and you command the man the New Will say Divines is the New Man and therefore the Lord is concerned to possess the Will and this he doth wherever he savingly allures a Soul for he scorns any should say that they serve and follow him against their will all his Souldiers are Volunteers his People are a Willing People I find a Godly Man once saying and all such must say it often the good which I would that I do not Even as by Conversion oft times the greatest sinner becomes the greatest Saint so the Will before Conversion the most obstinate and unplacable enemy doth afterward become the most kind and trusty friend to God for in the midst of many exorbitancies of affections and irregularities of Practice and Conversation the Will retains its loyalty and persists in its duty to the Lord and when the whole Soul is in an uproar and confusion like that of the City of Ephesus Act. 19. 32. a most lively Representation of a Soul in Perturbation wherein some cryed one thing some another for the Assembly was confused and the more part knew not wherefore they were come together All this while the Will is at ready to protest for the Lord as the superstitious Ephesians were for their Diana And when in a disorder all plead liberty I consent unto the Law says the will Rom 7. 16 and 25 with the mind I serve the Law of God 3. The inward power of Grace consists in a sweet Inclination of the Affections Deut. 30. 6. The Lord thy God will circumcise thine heart and the heart of thy seed to love the Lord thy God with all thine heart and with all thy Soul The Psalmist Prayes Psal. 119. 36. incline mine heart unto thy testimonys and Psal. 141. 4. incline not mine heart to any evil thing The Affections are ticklish things By much working and subduing with frequent turnings they become as ductile and formable as the potters clay whereof he makes a vessel as it pleases him Like those we call Good Natures they are sweet Companions but not so sure And as readily you do not leave them as you found them so you shall hardly find them where you left them nor know you when you have them or when you want them They are primi ocâ—upantiâ— they can refuse no body They welcome all comers follow all Counsels comply with all Companies And in a word they are compleat Conformists And they are courted by so many Lovers that it is much if they turn not common strumpets to the dishonour and grief of this concerned chaste Suter Who is broken with such whorish Hearts Ezek. 6. 9. Again they are like an Instrument with many Strings they make sweet Melody in Gods Service but with the least wrong touch you Mis-tune them Indeed the Saints have their affections frequently to Tune and it requires a time to do it This causes that the Affection of Grief which is the Basse of the Soul is oftest in Tune and keeps in Tune longest with the Saints Psal. 57. 7 8. When David's Heart was fixed his Harp was out of Tune when his
Faith had got footing his Affections were to seek The Case is common and too well known to the People of God In Preaching Hearing Reading Meditating Praying Praising or any other Duty of our Life the Affections oft times do not answer But Grace hath a skilful hand and is a Musician so expert that if the Tenor of the Will be but well set and the Base of Godly sorrow record well ordinary failings in the other parts shall not be much discerned 4. The inward power of Grace making outward Motives effectual consists in a Cheerful Ready Motion of the Locomotives and an actual up-stiring of all that is in a man by an Act Elicitive of the Imperated Acts of the Understanding Will and Affections So the Schools express it But to speak plainly it is Grace causing us to perform indeed and with our Hand that which it hath caused us to know will and Love with our Heart For sayes the Apostle It is God that worketh in us both to will and to do of his good Pleasure Philip. 1. 13. And if Grace assist not in this as well as in the rest this to do may make much adoe and cause even an Apostolick Spirit have a hard pull of Duty Rom. 7. 18. To will is present with me but how to perform that which is good I find not And by this their defectiveness and short coming in the point of doing the best of Saints may be convinced that of themselves they fall as far short in the other points and that it they cannot go the least step without Christs hand holding them up they could far less have walked the whole length of their Duty The Apostle's inference is remarkable to the purpose I know sayes he that in me that is in my 〈◊〉 dwelleth no good thing for to perform that which is good I find not albeit that to will is present with me So that he who of himself cannot do neither of himself can he know will or love that which is good Fail in one fail in all This consideration of it self may refute the whole and half Pâ—â—agian Popish Lutheran and Arminian Crotâ—hets in the point of Grace And this shortly is the method of Graces work Converting a Soul and alluring a Sinners heart The Understanding sayes Gods will is true the Will sayes it is good the Affections say it is sweet the Practice and whole Man sayes it is done Thy will he done and if it be thy will to save me and have me to thy self then Lord I am thine save me for I seek thy Precepts Psal. 119. 94. But in the Natural Birth we know not how the Bones do grow in the Womb of her that is with Child far less can we reach to Perfection the Mystery of Regeneration and if we know not the time when the wild Goats of the Rock bring forth nor can mark when the Hindes do Calve how shall we be able to Cast the Nativity of the Sons of God For Iohn 3. 8. The Wind bloweth where it listeth and thou hearest the sound thereof but canst not tell whence it cometh or whither it goeth So is every one that is born of the Spirit If we know not the way of a man with a maid Prov. 30. 19. how short may we well be judged to have come in our Accounts of the Lords method of courting and making Love to the Souls of his People and yet we are instructed from the Word of God to give of all these an account sufficient to Salvation with all necessary instruction and comfort And the like account the Saints are to expect from the Spirit of God which searcheth all things even the very deep things of God 1 Cor. 2. 10. The Use of this point I dispatch in these few words of Instruction 1. We are taught from this that sinners naturally are very untoward and untractable to that which is good they must be allured enticed and as it were beguiled and deceased unto that which is equally there Duty and Mercy Ier 20. 7 O Lord thou hast deceaved me and I was deceaved 2 Cor. 12. 16. The Apostle who was as a deceaver and yet true being crafty caught the Corinthians with guile It is indeed a pia fraus a Godly beguile to beguile a Soul to Heaven and to God I wish moe were thus beguiled and that many such deceavers may enter into the World nor can I say in this deceit whether the deceiver iâ— the Honester Man or the deceived the Happier 2. This teacheth Ministers the Art of Preaching They must be both serious and dexterous as friends of the Bridgroom and Ambassadors for Christ they must be so well acquaint with the laws of love as to be able a Divine blessing concurring to allure the wildest and most froward Soul A Minister would be a Seraphick lover one of the order of Peter Peter lovest thou me Lord thou knowest all things thou knowest that I love thee Peter feed my lambes feed my sheep If our way with sinners be not the most taken way let it be the most taking way and so we shall not mistake the way Many Ministers are but cold Suters for Christ and why they are troubled with an error of the first concoction they erre concerning the end they seek their own things and not the things of Christ they serve not our Lord Jesus but there own belly they eat the fat and cloath themselves with the wooll but they feed not the flock put them to tryal and it will be found they cannot read the Bible they lisp like the men of Ephraim for Shibboleth they say Sibboleth give them but to read that short text 2 Cor. 12. 14. they read it I seek not you but yours and if they read right I seek not Yours but You they are the greatest of lyars In a word they are like many in our days and those are even like them who court the fortune more than the person in this age a rich man needs not want Children let him make Images of his Silver and these shall not want matches such who for their generosity deserve as often they get the reward of a silver crucifix But as he that findeth a wife though he find her in her shirt findeth a good thing and obtaineth favour of the Lord Prov. 18. 22. So he that winneth Souls though he win not a penny with them is wise Prov. 11. 30. Truely the alluring way of preaching is ars longa a thing not soon learned but where God doth give the tongue of the learned This art hath many precepts which I am fitter to be taught than to teach and till God send the time of teaching I take this for the time of learning who are these that come up from the Wilderness both better men and better Ministers 3. We see this in the point That Religion is an alluring thing It deservs to be written in Gold Lord write it upon my heart it hath that in it which may abundantly
your lusts Iam. 4. 1. Ungodly mens lusts are like themselves for extremes they are and they are like extremes that differ alike from themselves and from the mids A varice differeth as much from Prodigality her Sister Vice as from Liberality her contrary vertue But Godliness sets a man at one with himself it is a heart-uniting thing Psal. 86. 11. unite my heart to fear thy name It makes a good understanding betwixt the understanding the will the affections and the whole man And blessed be the Peace-maker shall she not be called the Child of God 5. Is it not the great Glory of Godliness that as many do sute her as few do espouse her and she hath as many pretenders as few matches Are not all men her pretenders Do not her greatest adversaries pay her the Devotion at least of a complement Is not their great request to her like that Isai. 4. 1. only let us be called by thy name to take away our reproach Do not her greatest enemys Glory to be called her servants Call an evil man good and you cannot please him beeter for he hateth as much to be called evil as to be good And loveth as much to be evil as to be called good And it is yet as much her Glory that few do enjoy her But pray whom doth she reject are they any but the Ungodly those unworthy Persons that were brought in upon her and came to mock her nor doth she despise any that have not first despised her or should she prostitute her self to such as care not for her none get a Rejection from her without their own consent and they take it before they get it for as none are Godly so neither are any Wicked against their will Lastly Beside the promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come which makes Godliness profitable to all things 1 Timoth. 4. 8. It is the ready way even in ordinary probability to give a man honour wealth and pleasure and to continue these with him yea even in this World I would these tymes did give a better testimony to this Observation but I hope the Observation shall stand when some are fallen and shall continue when these times are past way for that these things are as naturally purchased by good and vertuous as lost by lewd and wicked practices And how shall a man have Honour who prostitutes himself to courses wherein he hath none but base and unmanly persons for his Companions Are not Pages Grooms and Lackeyes as good fellows as their Lord himself at Whoreing Drinking Swearing Carding where all are fellows Is not my Lord well Honoured when he sends his man to convoy a Whore to the Chamber who because upon the Road he uses to lead the way for his Master thinks he will do him the like service here and serves him with his own remains But who doth not Reverence the Presence and Honour the Face of a really Good man Yea many a time such an one hath more Reverence than God himself with Evil men who dare do many things in the Eyes of God that they will be loath to do in presence of such a man Yea how convincing many a time is the Carriage of a Godly man to his greatest Enemies Surely thou art more Righteous then I said Saul to David and when a Mans wayes please the Lord he maketh even his Enemies to be at peace with him Prov. 16. 7. An excellent Divine I think it is Greenhame sayes well Let not a Saint be afraid of Men for that by his Prayers he hath more Power of their Hearts than they themselves have And the Scripture sayes the same 1 Pet. 3. 13. And who is he that will harm you if ye be followers of that which is good And how well had it been with the Profane Ruffian that he had spent that Time Strength Estate and Credit for God in the way of Godliness with the sweet and sure gain of his Soul which he hath wasted in riffling and base living with the evident hazard of his Soul's ruine if that may be said to be ruined that was never repaired nor in case But be it yet that the godly man attaineth not to these advantages Temporal The Peace of Righteousness the Contentment of Soberness the Considence of Faith and the Rejoycing of Hope do more than compense all that is wanting elsewhere and cause that a good man is satisfied from himself Prov 14. 14. Now let all that hath been said be a reproof of the Worlds hard opinions of Godliness and give cheque to their unkind dealing with her as if she were a sorry Piece to be desired by none but such as would be miserable I have not yet travelled so far but that I can remember from whence I set forth In my entry upon the point I told my Erand was with Eleazar Abraham's Servant Genes 24. To seek a Wife to my Master's Son and to Espouse and bring home Souls to Christ And now to conclude Let me with them Gen. 24. 57 58. Call the Damsel and enquire at her Mouth Wilt thou go with the man And she said so be it said unto me I will go The fourth and last thing we learn from the point in a word Is to put a good construction upon all Gods Dispensations to his People for his thoughts towards them are Thoughts of Peace and not of evil to give them an expected end Jer 29. 11. And in complyance with the Lords great design in the vicissitudes of all our Lots let us learn to give him more of our Hearts For he brings his People into the Wilderness and there he allures them If these Melancholly times do but make us more tractable condescending and kind to Christ Iesus we may well expect that he will speak comfortably unto us I will bring her into the Wilness and will speak comfortably unto her ANd thus I am led by the hand into the fourth and last thing proposed to be considered in the Text. The juncture and coincidence of the Churches affliction and the Lords Consolations I will bring her into the Wilderness and I will speak comfortably un to her Hence the Doctrine is That the Lord useth to tryst his peoples sadest afflictions with his sweetest consolations He is a God that comforteth those that art cast down It is his way and use The Apostle 2 Cor. 1. 5. abounded in consolations by Christ as their sufferings for Christ abounded And reading through all the Scripture I never find the Saints more indulged with the sweet consolations of God and his kind manifestations than in the greatest afflictions Reasons of this are 1. His free love and kindness So it becomes him with whom the fatherless find mercy He loveth and preserveth the Stranger he is a Father of the Fatherless and a Husband to the Widow a Judge of the oppressed out of his holy habitation He will be known in adversity to be a Friend 2. Their necessity