a sinner truly humbled and inlightned love and joy to entertaine and rejoyce in the riches of his mercy so as beseemes the worth of it There are three passages considerable that wee may know the meaning of this Doctrine First this love and joy is no where to be found nor seene but onely in a heart humbled and inlightned For unlesse the heart be humbled it seeth no need of this grace and mercy and therefore despiseth it and is rather carried with a hatred against that grace and mercy that would purge him and troubled with a kind of wearinesse of the power of that grace that would reforme his life and conversation And though hee were humbled yet if he were not enlightned to see this mercy and goodnesse of God he cannot delight in it I know there is wilde love and joy enough in the world as there is wilde Thyme and other herbes but wee would have garden-love and garden-joy of Gods owne planting for such hypocriticall love and joy we will not meddle with here Secondly this love and joy is kindled by the Spirit of the Father for the Father learnes us the lecture and as I told you before of the mind inlightned kindles this holy fire which is rightly compared to the fire of the Sanctuary as in Lev. 9.24 There came a fire from before the Lord and consumed upon the Altar the burnt offering even those sparkes of the pillar of fire which did typifie Christ to them But whether this bee so or no I will not now dispute for as the Lord provided the sacrifice so the Lord caused the fire to come downe from heaven and hence it was that when Nadab and Abihu offered strange fire the Lord consumed them Lev. 10.1 2. so it is in this holy fire of love and joy wee may strike and endevour but our steele and our flint will not worke this indevour nor strike this fire of love and joy It is Iesus Christ from whence all spirituall sparkes of grace doe come and amongst the rest these of love and joy all other love and joy that is not wrought by the Spirit of the Father must be casheered and abandoned it cannot reach to God nor be pleasing unto him It is that which the Apostle inferres in the generall Rom. 8.8 They that are in the flesh cannot please God but it must be joy of the spirit which must please him Now though the soule truely humbled and broken that heretofore hath felt the weight and burden of his sinnes and is now separated from them so that hee dares not meddle with them hee dares as well take a Beare by the tooth and fall quicke into hell as take up those courses againe yet hee hath not power of himselfe to bee enlarged in any love to entertaine Christ or spiritually to joy in him further than the power of the Lord Iesus in the promise shall inable him thereto Suffer me to inlarge my selfe thus The soule is like an empty vessell it stands not at the dispose of sinne or it selfe but it is at the Lords disposition if the Lord will kindle any love and joy so it is for of himselfe hee cannot doe it As it is with some Gentleman in the Countrey Simile he will be content to let the King have the use of his house for a while but he is not able to provide necessaries for him because hee is a meane man therefore the King sends his provision before and then comes himselfe Iust so it is here with a poore humble broken-hearted sinner the poore soule is marvellous well content that the Lord should come and dwell in him and dispose of him but hee is not able to give him any entertainment he hath not any heat of holy affections or love or desire to welcome the Lord as becomes so great a Majestie therefore the Lord is faine to infuse love and joy that by them he may bee welcommed into the soule of the humbled sinner Now when the soule is come to this degree of sanctification then it can worke by it selfe Or thus Simile It is with a broken-hearted sinner as with a burning glasse take such a glasse it will burne any thing by the heat of the Sunne yet it hath no heat in it selfe but receives it from the Sun-beames by vertue whereof it burnes whatsoever is before it Iust so it is with a broken-hearted sinner But all stubborne sinners are like water that will not burne at all I will goe no further than the worke of preparation It is neither sinne nor selfe shall have power over mee sinne shall not and selfe cannot rule me therefore I will wait till the Sunne of righteousnesse will shine forth from heaven from the beavtie of his sanctuary and having received the beames of Gods love and favour effectually upon my soule and being warmed by the Sunne of righteousnesse I shall be able to returne the heat of love to God againe Thus the Spirit of the Father kindles love and joy in a heart humbled and inlightned Thirdly the Doctrine saith that loue and joy are kindled that they may entertaine and rejoyce in the riches of Gods mercy in the worth of it This last clause is added to discover the distinct nature of this love and joy from all the fained love and joy that all carnall and hypocriticall wretches pretend to have to Iesus Christ there is a kind of loving and joying in the hearts of hypocrites as afterward you shall heare So sayes Iudas Haile Master so the Pharisees and the people cut downe branches of the trees to welcome Christ and crid Hosanna Blessed is hee that commeth in the name of the Lord. And in Matth. 8.19 A certaine Scribe came and said unto him Master I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest And so the stony ground Matth. 13.20 did heare the Word with joy and so love and joy goe together But it is not that kind of love which came downe from Heaven nor that which will ever carrie your selves as beseeming the mercie of God in Christ for hee that said Haile Master betrayed his Master with a kisse and Christ might have said Is this thy love and joy wherewith thou welcommest me And the Scribes and Pharisees follow Christ a while and then forsake him and so they that before cried Hosanna Blessed is he that commeth in the name of the Lord within a while after they cry Crucifie crucifie him and the stony ground received the Word with joy and a while after came to nothing This is wild-fire and foolish fire as the Philosopher saith it is bred and hammered out by our owne ends and aimes but they doe not carrie themselves beseeming the riches of Gods free grace in Iesus Christ that is thus An heart thus kindled bestowes the best love and joy upon the Lord Iesus Christ because hee is the best good This is the meaning of that phrase so often intimated Whosoever loveth father or mother more than mee is
thing so there must be a beam of Gods love to fall upon the soule before it can love God againe as in Hosea 11.4 I drew them with the cords of a man even with the bands of love God lets in the cords of love into the soule and that drawes love againe to God But above all that place Cant. 2.4 marke the manner how Gods Spirit expresseth himselfe to the soule He brought me into the banquetting house Cant. 2.4 opened and his banner over me was love stay me with flaggons and comfort me with apples for I am sicke of love And so when the banner of Christs love is spread over the soule the soule comes to be sicke in love to Christ As it is in war when the Commander displayes the banner these three things are signified by it First that there is the presence of the Commander Secondly the displaying of the banner commands all to come to it Thirdly while it is held out all keepe to it Now see the excellencie of the Spirit of God in the Scripture The Church was then in some trouble but the Lord Christ brings the Spouse into his chamber nay into the wine-celler and the banner that was displayed over her was love and first Christ came as a Commander to redeeme her and to save her from all troubles and afflictions Secondly it commands the soule to come to the banner Thirdly when God displayes his love in the beautie of it in any measure then all the company of poore sinners come in unto it and so they love the Lord because the Lord hath loved them This love of God doth beget our loves in three particulars First Gods love to us begets love in us towards him and how there is a sweetnesse and a relish which Gods love le ts into the soule and warmes the heart with you shall see how the fire is kindled by and by As when a man is fainting we give him Aqua-vitae so a fainting sinner is cold at the heart and therefore the lets in a drop of his loving kindnesse and this warmes the heart and the soule is even filled with the sappinesse of the mercy of God as Cant. 1.1 2. where the Spouse saith Let him kisse me with the kisses of his mouth for his love is better than wine The poore soule though hee drinke water yet he drinkes better wine than any carnall man under Heaven the kisses of his mouth are the comforts of his Word and Spirit The soule saith Oh let the Lord refresh me with the kisses of his mouth that is of his Word and Spirit let the Lord speak comfort to the heart and this is better than wine For the Lord must doe it before hee can be apprehensive of his love yea let the Lord expresse the comfort of his precious promises in Iesus Christ to me And againe in the second verse Because of the savour of thy garments thy name is as an ointment poured forth therefore the virgins love thee Christ was the oyntment Christs oyntment is his graces and the savour or the communication of this is the expression of his love to the soule the virgins are the soules truly humbled that love the Lord. Secondly as this warmes the heart so the freenesse of the love of God thus let in and thus intimated begins even to kindle this love in the soule that it sparkles againe Rom. 5 8. see how God sets out his love to us Seeing saith the Apostle that while wee were sinners Christ died for us This commends the love of God the Lord sends to poore miserable sinfull broken-hearted sinners and saith Commend my mercie to such a one and tell him that though hee hath beene an enemy to me yet I am a friend to him and though hee have beene rebellious against me yet I am a God and a Father to him and let him not thinke that because he hath offended me therefore hee shall not receive mercie from me but here is my love and it is worth the commendation Christ died for poore sinners when they were enemies therefore if God so loved us as to dye for us when wee were sinners and enemies how ought we then to love one another But much more how ought wee to love the Lord What was it that kindled that frozen and vile and stubborne and wicked heart of wretched Saul who had a heart as hard as ice 1 Sam. 24.19 when David had him upon the hippe and might have slaine him but would not even this wrought upon the heart of Saul and kindled a fire of affections of love towards him and made him say Come againe my son David Thou art more righteous than I for thou hast rewarded me good whereas I have rewarded thee evill And thou hast shewed mee this day how that thou hast dealt well with mee forasmuch as when the Lord hath delivered me into thine hand thou killedst me not For who ever slew not his enemie when he found him at such an advantage wherefore the Lord reward thee good for that which thou hast done unto mee this day Sauls heart is all on fire with this kindnesse So when the poore sinner considers this with himselfe and saith Is the Lord so mercifull to mee who ever thus found his enemie and slew him not I that loved my sins and continued in them had it not beene just that I should have perished in them But will the Lord not only not slay his enemie but give his Sonne for mee Oh let my soule for ever rejoyce in this unconceivable goodnesse of God! Bee thy heart neuer so hard if it have but the sense of this it cannot but stirre thee to humiliation Lastly the greatnesse of the freenesse of this mercie of God being setled upon the heart enflames it This sweetnesse warmes the heart this freenesse kindles the fire and when the greatnesse of the sweetnesse comes to be valued this sets the heart all upon a fire In Eph. 3.17 18. the Apostle desires that Christ might dwell in their hearts and that they might be rooted in love but how shall we come to this that we may bee able to comprehend with all Saints what is the breadth and length and depth and height of the love of God in Christ As if the Apostle had said If I once come to see the unmeasurablenesse of Gods mercy this will blow up the soule and enflame the heart with admirable love againe to the Lord and make the soule say I that have done all that I could against the good God it breakes my heart to thinke it there was no name under Heaven that I did more blaspheme and teare in peeces more than this I have despised no command so much as the command of God and of Christ and I have grieved no spirit so much as the good Spirit of the Lord against those sweet motions that God hath let into my soule and struggled with me to plucke me from my company and to contend with me
THE SOULES IMPLANTATION INTO THE NATURALL OLIVE By T.H. Carefully corrected and much enlarged with a Table of the Contents prefixed JAMES 1.21 Receive with meeknesse the ingraffed Word which is able to save your soules LONDON Printed by R. Young and are to be sold by Fulke Clifton on New-Fish-street-hill 1640. THE CONTENTS TWo wayes God prepareth the heart for Christ Pag. 1 It is also prepared by contrition and humiliation 2 Doct. None but a broken heart is an house for Christ 3 Two lets of faith removed by brokennesse of heart 6 By faith the soule goeth out to another for all-sufficiencie 11 Use 1. Reproofe to them that would have comfort without brokennesse of heart 15. and them that dislike broken-heartednesse in others 18 Use 2 To get comfort begin in sorrow 22 Use 3 Comfort to the broken-hearted in two respects 25 Doct. The heart must first be prepared for Christ 31 Preparation for Christ standeth in three things 35 Use 1. Those reproved who thinke to have mercie and heaven upon a sudden 40 Use 2 A miserable estate to live in the old sinnes 47 Use 3 Prepare for Christ or thinke not to enjoy him 55 Motives to prepare for Christ 56 Doct. The Ministery a speciall meanes to prepare us for Christ 68 A powerfull ministery consisteth in three things 71 How a powerfull Ministery workes upon the heart to prepare it for Christ 79 Affliction prepares the heart for the Word the Word for God 88 Use 1. Much fault in Ministers that their peoples hearts are not fitted for Christ 84 Use 2 Fearfull is their estate whom a powerfull Ministerie workes not upon 88 Use 3 Let the Word be powerfull to prepare thy heart for Christ 90 Two things keep from Christ 95 What ingraffing into Christ is 99 Doct. Christ delayes not to come into an humbled heart 106 Use 1. Great comfort to each humbled soule 114 Use 2 They are of a naughtie spirit who endure not broken spirits 118 Use 3 Chuse the broken-hearted for companions 120 Use 4 Be thankefull for this great respect of Christ to thy poore soule 122 Use 5 They that would have Christ dwell in them must be willing to be humbled 125 Christ neare the soule yet not discerned for foure reasons in us 133. and for three reasons in Christ 147 Doct. Christ takes possession of every humbled soule 157 Three wayes he disposeth the heart to himselfe 168 Use 1. Reproofe of them that keepe Christ out of possession 171 Use 2 Give all to Christ whose it is 176 Doct. Love and joy by the Spirit wrought in a broken heart for embracing mercie as it deserves 180 The reason of Gods order in working these graces 187 Gods promise the ground of our love and how 195 His love to us begets love in us toward him and how 201 Use 1. Nature breeds no love to Christ 206 Saints love not duly because they rely not on the promise 211 Use 2 Comfort to them that love Christ 213. and blessednesse 216 Notes of true love to Christ 217 Use 3 Reproofe of them that love not Christ in truth 231. sorts of them 238 Enmitie against Christ shewed three wayes 240 Glozing neuters described and shamed 243 Hypocrites enemies to Christ foure sorts of them 246 247 c. Discoveries of not loving Christ 250 Hee thas wrangles against truth never loved Christ 2. arg 254 Expression of sorrow for sin limited 258 Continuall sorrow as needfull as continuall beleeving 261 Use 4 Love the Lord Jesus in sinceritie 272. meanes 273 Three hinderances of loving Christ ibid. 274 Three things in Christ to make us love him 282 Three things done by Christ for a sinner though as yet hee want assurance 286 Two meanes to bring our hearts and the promises together 291 Doct. In greatest wants true Christians have cause enough to rejoyce in God 300 Use 1. Reteine comfort in God whatsoever thou wantest 302 Use 2 Reproof to them that grow uncomfortable for crosses 304 Use 3 Make this sure God is the God of my salvation 305 Six meanes to rejoyce in evill times ibid. Doct. The sorrowful seed-time of true Christians in the exercises of humiliation and mortification yeelds them a rich and joyfull harvest 312. 313 Causes of true joy assured by mourning 314 Use 1. Sharpe Preachers make you gainers ibid. 315 Use 2 Enemies helpe the joy of Christians 315 Use 3 Esteeme none by present grievances 316 Use 4 Sow still though in teares ibid. Use 5 Be patient in suffering for God 317 Use 6 Comfort in death our owne or friends 318 Use 7 Be painfull in thy calling ibid. Use 8 Encouragement to repent of sinne and renew our repentance 319 THE BROKEN HEART ESAY 57.15 For thus saith the high and loftie One that inhabiteth eternity whose Name is holy I dwell in the high and holy place that is in heaven which is his throne and I will dwell with him that is of a contrite and humble spirit to revive the heart of the humble and the heart of the contrite ones THere are two maine parts of the preparative worke for Christ First the manner of the worke on Gods part and this discovers it selfe in these two particulars 1. In proposing Christ in the Ministerie of the Gospell as the most beautifull object which the soule can view or affect Psal 2.12 Cant. 5.9 with 6.1 2. That God doth by an holy kind of violence plucke the sinner from sinne to himselfe as in that place Iohn 6.44 No man can come to me except the Father which hath sent me draw him The second is on our part a frame and temper of the heart that God workes upon us by this holy kind of violent drawing This discovers it selfe in these two particulars 1 Contrition 2 Humiliation For the handling of these two wee have chosen this place of Scripture And I intend not to trade with every particular in the Verse but so much in it as fitteth my intendment in hand Expos That which I aime at is in the middle of the Verse I dwell with him that is of a broken heart Give me leave to open the words The great God of heaven that inhabiteth eternity in glory for the comfort of every poore broken-hearted sinner Gods two houses saith hee will dwell with him The Lord hath but two standing houses the one is in heaven in glorie the other is every broken heart and every shivered soule How he dwels in the heart Now how doth God dwell in the heart of a poore sinner The Apostle Ephes 3.17 tells us Christ dwells in our hearts by faith and it implies the constant abode of Christ by his Spirit in the soule being received and entertained by faith So that first there must bee a broken heart before there can bee faith or before Christ will dwell in our hearts to our comfort Consider what a kind of heart it must be wherein God will dwell It must bee an humble and a shivered spirit
except it be humbled and broken so those knotty proud hearts of yours must be planed and hewed before you will rest upon God for mercy or yeeld obedience to him How farre God breaketh and humbleth we will shew afterward 2. Those reproved who dislike brokennesse of heart in others 2. This may fall heavie upon the brave Spirits and boone Gallants of the world that are not able to see and approve this brokennesse of heart in others they count it a womanish and weake kinde of disposition and make a mocke of this humility of heart and when God hath wounded and humbled a poore sinner they tread upon him and follow him with desperate disgraces reproaches and discouragements I need not mention their language in this case I wish wee were freed from them What say they And are you one of these broken hearts and tender consciences Take heed how you sinne for if you doe you must weepe out your eyes and mope out your dayes in a corner even for ever Good Lord is it possible that ever there should rest such inhumane desperate divellish prophannesse in the heart of any man upon earth Let mee presse a passage or two to this end that such as are guiltie of this sinne may take notice of it as there are too many of them in this age This argues a man almost forsaken of God and I had almost said reserved to everlasting destruction There is no greater token that God never purposeth any good to that man Consider that place in Psal 69.23 24 25 26 27 28. The holy Prophet makes many fearful imprecations as though he would pluck justice from heaven Let their eyes be darkened that they see not and make their loynes continually to shake Poure out thine indignation upon them and let thy wrathfull anger take hold upon them Oh what a strange passage is this that a man that was inward with God should rend the heavens to pull downe vengeance thence for such men Who are all these Surely they were some Divels incarnate and no men that Gods Prophet would pray against Let their habitation bee desolate and no man to dwell in their tents Why what 's the matter For they persecute him whom thou hast smitten and they talke to the griefe of those whom thou hast wounded Lord saith he adde iniquitie to their iniquity and let them not come into thy righteousnesse You that are guilty of this consider it Me-thinkes it might make the soule of a sinful man to shake at the hearing of it When God hath wounded the heart and awakened the conscience and the Lord hath spoken bitter things to his heart wilt thou grieve those that God hath smitten It is an argument of a man whom God hath devoted to destruction Were a mans eyes opened and his conscience awakened it would make him tremble Thou that hast bin an enemy to the Saints of God and because the Saints of God cry mightily and dare not doe as they have done to joyne with thee in thy wicked courses wilt thou I say reproach them and lay more burthen upon them and say What you have had Sermons enow Now you are wounded and you must mourne and you must be holy The God of heaven hath spoken this by his holy Prophet David who knew those wicked wretches Though I know none such it may be for the while yet no question there be such in the Congregation He that now makes a mocke of contrition shall breake for ever and he that will not now be broken shall have the wrath of God to burne in his heart for ever in hell The Lord in mercy breake the hearts of such men and make them to say Good Lord is this the brand of a reprobate and what shall my name be blotted out of the booke of life I have persecuted such and such a man and such a woman the Lord grieved him and I grieved him too His was the sorrow but mine was the sin and shall bee my shame for ever for ought I know Another passage is Deu. 25.17 18 19. When the people of Israel came from Egypt Amalek tooke advantage against them when they were weake Remember saith the Text what Amalek did unto thee by the way when you came forth of Egypt How hee smote thee when thou wert faint and weary Therefore it shall be when the Lord thy God shall give thee rest from all thine enemies that thou shalt blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven And 1 Sam. 15.2.3 seventy yeares after the Lord remembred that For the Text saith I remember what Amalek did to Israel how hee laid wait for him in the way when he came out of Egypt Now therefore goe and smite Amalek and utterly destroy all that they have both infants and sucklings and oxen and the like What this Amalek did even so doe these wicked men When a poore soule is humbled and will forsake his sinnes and his wicked wayes and he groweth faint and feeble-hearted and wonderfull heavie burthened wilt thou now turne Amalek Wilt thou kill him that is now burthened under the heavie wrath of God and wilt thou now raile upon him Curse Amalek I will remember him saith God Take heed lest God remember thee and root out thee and thy posteritie from under heaven Nay the Lord himselfe and all the Saints doe rejoyce in the ruine and destruction of an ungodly wretch as in the example of Doeg Psalme 52.3 4 5. Thou lovest evill more than good and lying rather then to speake righteousnesse Selah Thou lovest all devouring words O thou false tongue God shall likewise destroy thee for ever hee shall take thee away and plucke thee out of thy dwelling place Selah Thou lovest grieving words Well God will serve thee in thy kind and when thou art in hell the righteous shall rejoyce over thee and say Lord this is he that grieved the hearts of such as were humbled this is he that had a proud herrt and scorned to be humbled and therefore shall everlastingly de damned The Divels themselves will rejoyce in thy torments and say What are you become like to us This is the man that scorned to bee humbled and to have his heart broken what is hee come downe to hell now The hearts of the damned shall be enlarged to glory in thy confusion Indeed if a poore soule feele any weight of sin upon him then all the Towne is up in armes against him Oh see your sinne and goe and breake your hearts for this sinne Dislike not in others what yourselves are bound to be and to doe This of the first Use 2. Vse 2 To get comfort begin in sorrow It is a word of direction and instruction how to get this grace at the hands of God goe Gods way and goe the ready way If ever thou wilt receive grace from God doe that which God doth as Hosea 2.14 Behold I will allure her and bring her into the wildernesse and speake comfortably
Lord way in the whole abilitie of it that God in all things may rule in it it doth not give God place in some things onely and say God shall rule in mine eye but not in my hand God shall rule in my hand but not in my tongue God shall rule in my tongue but not in my heart but the soule giveth way to Christ in all things whatsoever Simile A great man that is to entertaine his Prince and Soveraigne doth not put him into a corner of his house but hee giveth him all the roome and shifts out all his servants and puts out every one both friend and foe every place he sheweth him and giveth him all the keyes and lets him dispose of all things So a soule that is prepared for the Lord Iesus doth not crowd him into a corner and say I must have one corner for a covetous heart another corner for a proud heart no no but a prepared heart giveth up all to God it reserveth no privie corner in this kind but ability faculty and whatsoever it is the soule giveth up all to God that he may dispose of all A sinfull soule that is prepared is not perfectly able of it selfe thus to over-rule his heart but as it is with a man when he gives up his house for the entertainment of the King doe what he can there will be some base fellowes peeping in but he is not pleased with it it is against his mind that they should so doe and he would with all his heart have his Majesty use some meanes for the restraining of them so it is with a soule prepared for the Lord it resignes all unto him hand eye and tongue and heart and practice but yet there will bee some base lusts and sinfull corruptions there will be hypocrisie and pride and selfe-love peeping into his heart but it is against the mind of a prepared sinner it is his mind that God should root out all those and order all to his owne glory And this is the third passage so that the soule which hath broken the league with all corruptions and reserveth it selfe for Christ the soule that is willing to give way to Christ and let him overthrow all whatsoever opposeth him and do whatsoever pleaseth him that soule I say which doth not thrust Christ into a corner but gives up all unto him that soule is prepared for the Lord Iesus Christ The next thing to be considered for the opening of the point 2. Reason why the heart must be so prepared for Christ is the reason why Christ requires this preparation of the heart and this will cut the throat of abundance of carnall conceits and imaginations Men thinke that Christ will come suddenly from heaven into their hearts at a beck they think that Lord have mercy upon me will fecth him No no Christ will have the soule prepared before he wil come take possession of it and the reason is because it cannot stand with the all-soveraigne holinesse of Christ to come there It 's so in common sense there cannot be two Kings in one Throne Non capit regnum duos there cannot be two Suns in one Firmament there cannot be two Gods in one heart we cannot serve God and Mammon Some would have their soules divided and have God to be King and raigne therein to day and their sinnes and lusts to morrow or else they will have Christ raigne in one corner of their hearts and their sinnes and lusts in another but God will have all or none at all in this case either no God or one God in thy heart Our Saviour Christ Math. 12.29 disputeth How can one enter into a strong mans house and spoile his goods unlesse he first bind the strong man and then spoile his goods The strong man is sinne and Satan and the house is the heart now Christ cannot goe into the heart and exercise authority there untill he hath wrought a separation betweene the soule and these and hath throwne out this god and then the God of heaven and earth takes possession of the heart First sin and Satan must be throwne out of the soule before the Lord will take possession He that takes possession of a house if there bee any in the house besides himselfe it is not good in law if there be any take possession of the heart and beare sway there Christ will beare no rule for it cannot stand with the holinesse of Christ to have any competitor to have another beare rule with himselfe and Christ himselfe plainly determines this Matth. 6.24 Yee cannot serve God and Mammon You thinke you may have the Divell rule in you one fit and God another but you cannot serve God and Mammon one Master must be renounced before another can be received This is the argument You cannot have two Gods in the heart therefore the soule must bee severed from sinne and Satan and the lusts of the flesh before it can bee prepared for the Lord Iesus Christ before he will come in and take place in it The Use of the point is threefold Vse 1 Those reproved who thinke to have mercy and heaven all on the sudden The truth being granted and the doctrine cleered the first Use is a Use of reproofe Wee may here discover and also condemne the fond dreames and vaine imaginations of many poore sinfull ignorant creatures who have invented a new way a backe doore to carry themselves to heaven more than ever the Word revealed and it is this Men thinke that they may have Christ and mercy at command and that they may catch at and obtaine blessednesse and happinesse at unawares and on the sudden and yet notwithstanding live in sinne and continue in sinne and approve of sinne and addict themselves thereunto and then when sicknesse comes if they can but say Lord have mercy on me they must goe to heaven all on the sudden Be perswaded at length to see the folly and sottishnesse of this conceit this is not the way which the Word reveales Christ by it makes no such agreement with us unlesse a poore sinner thinke that Christ will carry him to heaven with his uncleannesse and abominable sinnes when as he hath said that no uncleane thing shall enter into the kingdome of heaven No no if the harbenger goeth not before the King will not come where there goeth no preparation before there can bee no receiving of Christ He that will receive Christ and benefit by him and comfort and salvation from him must receive him at those termes wherupon he hath offered himselfe or else he shall never receive him 2 Cor. 6.17 the text there saith Come out from among them and bee separate saith the Lord and touch no uncleane thing and I will receive you Marke here the agreement that God maketh thou must first come out from among them yea come out from thy sinnes thou must come out of thy lusts and corruptions before the Lord will
will say How doe you gather the doctrine out of the Text what ground have you for the doctrine out of the words of the Text Answ Yes it is one of the maine passages of the Text it was the scope and purpose and sending of Iohn the Baptist for the Text saith He shall goe before him in the spirit and power of Elias Who shall goe before Iesus Christ Iohn the Baptist How shall hee be fitted He shall have the spirit and power of Elias And what shall he doe He shall goe before him in the spirit and power of Elias to turne the hearts of the fathers to the children and the disobedient to the wisdome of the just to make ready a people prepared for the Lord Luke 1.17 The Lord prepares a fit workeman for this worke Iohn was to prepare a people for the Lord and therefore hee comes in the spirit and power of Elias That is hee had a wonderfull abilitie bestowed upon him by God whereby he might deliver the Word of God to mens hearts so powerfully as thereby he might fit and prepare them for the receiving of the Lord Iesus and hee made a company of desperate sinners to quake yea hee made Herod who was a sinfull wretch to stand in feare of him So then we see God fitted Iohn with a powerfull ministerie with the spirit and power of Elias and being so fitted of God hee was sent for the purpose to prepare mens hearts for the receiving of the Lord Iesus And therefore this must be a speciall meanes soundly to prepare mens hearts for the entertaining of the Lord Iesus Christ So the doctrine is cleere and plaine out of the Text. Ier. â—3 29 the Lord there speaking of his Word compares it to fire in the 28. verse the Lord was speaking of dreamers There are a company of dreamers saith he but let him that hath a dreame tell a dreame and hee that hath my Word let him speake my word faithfully Is not my word like fire ver 29. there is the power of the Word Simile Looke as it is with the Gold smith his mettall is full of drosse and hee must trie it and clense it and purifie it in the fire before it bee fit to make a vessell of so it is with the drossie soules of sinners every heart hath abundance of drosse for many sinfull abominations harbour in the poore soule of a man It must be a powerfull ministerie that is able by the power of the Lord to set fire on the hearts of men to melt their soules to pull downe their haughtie spirits thereby to fit and prepare their soules for the receiving of the Lord Iesus Christ that so they might receive comfort and consolation from him In Hosea 6.5 it is a phrase wee shall meet withall for there the Text saith I have hewen them by my Prophets The Church is compared to a Vineyard the godly to the Branches the Word to the pruning and cutting of these Branches As it was with the building of the materiall Temple of Solomon there were many sturdy Oakes and tall Cedars that were to be hewen and fashioned before they would be fit for the building so it must bee here with the trees of righteousnesse our sinfull soules some of us have sturdy hearts like Oakes and some have proud and lofty hearts like the tall Cedars of Lebanon these stout hearts and lofty spirits must bee cut downe by the axe of Gods word and levelled and fitted to lay hold upon and bee settled unto the Lord Iesus Christ Every mans soule especially those soules that belong to the election of grace are ground that must be tilled and plowed by the word of God their fallow grounds must be broken up before any seed of grace can be cast into their soules 1 Cor. 3 9. there the Apostle saith You are Gods husbandrie and therefore God by his word must plow up the weeds of sinne and corruption which are in you before he can sow the graces of his holy Spirit in your hearts And that place Acts 2.37 will make the Doctrine cleere and evident Saint Peter was a man of a stout and courageous spirit and hee spake home unto the Iewes hee tells them that God hath made that Iesus whom they crucified the Lord and Christ And when they heard these things saith the Text that is the word powerfully delivered and brought home to their soules they were pricked in their hearts and said Men and brethren what shall we doe Now they were prepared in some measure to seeke after salvation For the better understanding of this point two things are to be considered first what a powerfull ministerie is and wherein the power and efficacie of it consists secondly how this powerfull ministerie doth worke upon the soule to prepare it for Christ First what is this powerfull ministery 1. A powerfull Ministery consisteth in 3. things wherein doth the power of the ministerie and of Elias consist It is discovered in three particulars First in a particular application of the truth to the soules of men with courage When a faithfull Minister out of undauntednesse of spirit doth in a speciall and particular manner apply the Word vnto the soules of them over whom he is set this is a powerfull minâ—stery 1 Kings 18.21 there the ministery of Elias is mentioned for the Text saith Elias came unto all the people and said How long halt ye betweene two opinions If the Lord be God follow him but if Baal be God follow him It was in a time when people had departed from the Lord. Elias at this time did not come to one man alone in a corner and say You should doe well to consider of the case how it stands it is very desperate I would wish you to returne unto the Lord it will be your best course hee doth not doe thus but he came to all the people and marke how hee speakes If Baal be God follow him if the Lord be God follow him Away with this halting what neither hot nor cold A man cannot tell where to have you intend one thing or other if Baal be God why so if the Lord bee God so make something of it in this case thus hee spake to all the people saith the Text. And we shall observe the same in Iohn Baptist that had the power and spirit of Elias Matth. 3.7 hee did not goe there behind the doore to speake but hee spake to the Pharisees and Sadduces after this manner O yee generation of vipers who hath forewarned you to flee from the wrath to come As if he had said You are they that opposed Christ and set your selues against the Gospell you have hardned your hearts you will not enter into heaven your selues not suffer others to enter in Why who hath forewarned you to flee from the wrath to come Neither is this a strange course or unprofitable for our Saviour Christ himselfe useth it in Mat 23.23 from thence to the
hearts before we goe And this is the first use of the point to discover unto us what is the reason that the Ministers of God doe so little good in their places it is because this power is wanting in them Vse 2 Fearefull is their estate whom a powerfull Ministery workes not upon The second use discovereth unto us the fearefull estate and miserable condition of those that have lived a long time under a powerfull ministery and yet have not found their soules fitted and prepard for the Lord by the same it is a fearefull suspicion that God will never conferre any good to that soule he that hath lived under a powerfull ministery many yeeres and yet is not wrought upon and framed to the truth oâ— God it cannot be certainly concluded but it is greatly to be suspected that the meanes will never profit that man Looke as it is with the Master Carpenter Simile when he hath turned every peece of timber and taken what he will for his turne hee tells them that bee under him Let this be hewed and this be framed and made fit for the building afterward he finds one piece broken and another crackt and another knottie Why what saith he here is no squaring of it these peices are fit for nothing but for the burning they are fit for no place in the building Oh take heed when Gods ministers have been cutting and hewing now exhorting now perswading now cutting the heart with reproofes and yet finde here a crackt heart and there a stubborne soule that will not be squared to the Word least then the Lord should say These will never be fitted and prepared for me they are fit for nothing but for the fire Oh take heed of it he that will not be fitted for grace shall be made a fire brand in hel for ever and therefore goe home you that haue lived under a powerful ministerie and are not yet prepared go home I say and reason with your own souls plead with your own hearts and say Lord why am not I yet humbled and prepared shall I stand at this hacking and hewing and never be framed Such a man and such a man that was stubborne was wrought upon the Lord hath brought him upon his knees there was another drunkard so wicked and so profane that all the world gave him for lost many dayes a gone and yet the Lord hath brought him home and hee is become a broken hearted Christian Nay if the Devill himselfe had had those meanes that I have had and any hope of mercy he would have beene bettered by it those reproofes those instructions those admonitions which I have had would have done the Devill himselfe good But what shall I think that am not fitted and prepared for Christ by this great means Alas thou maist justly suspect that God never intends good to thy soule it is no absolute conclusion but it is a great suspition that those which have lived under a powerfull ministery halfe a dozen yeers or longer and have got no good nor profited under the same it is a shrewd suspicion I say that God will send them downe to hell therefore suspect thy owne soule and say Lord will exhortations ever prevaile will instructions doe me any good will terrours and reproofes ever strike my heart Why I have heard Sermons that would have shaken the very stones I trode upon that would have moved the very seat I sate upon the very fire of hell hath flashed in my face I have seen even the plagues of hell and if terrors can doe me good why not then those exhortations instructions admonitions and reproofs that I have often had I have had as powerfull meanes as may bee which yet never did me any good The Lord be mercifull to such a poore soule The Lord turne the heart of such a poore sinner that he may lay hold of mercy in due time Vse 3 Let the word be powerfull to prepare thy heart for Christ The third use is a use of exhortation Is it so that a powerfull ministery is able to prepare the soule of a poore sinner for the Lord Iesus Why then when you heare the word of God powerfully preached labour that the word may be so to you as it is in it selfe it is a preparing word labour you that it may prepare your hearts to receive Christ You that be hearers every one labour to saue the soule of another let the father speake concerning his children and the husband concerning his wife and his family and the wise concerning her husband Oh when will it once be when will the time come that my child may be fitted for the Lord when will it bee that my poore family my poore wife my poore husband shall bee prepared for the Lord the Lord grant that he may be prepared if not this sunday yet on another if not at this Sermon then at the next Lord humble your hearts and giue way to the word of God and suffer your soules to be wrought upon by it for the word of God is powerfull to prepare you for the Lord but the Minister must hew your hearts and hack them he must frame and fashion your soules before they can be prepared Give up your soules therefore to the word and come unto it with holy dispositions let the Ministers of God cut and hew you let them doe any thing that may do you good let the word of God fall upon you and fashion you and frame and prepare you for the Lord Iesus As it is with men when they set Carpenters on worke to build an house then they come every day Simile and aske them How doth the work goe on how doth the building goe forward When you goe home so doe you reason with your selves and aske your owne hearts how the worke of the Lord goeth forward in you Is my heart yet humbled am I yet fitted and prepared for Christ I thanke God I am in some measure fitted and humbled and therfore I hope the building will goe forward Thus try and examine your hearts whether they bee fitted and prepared to receive the Lord Iesus THE SOULES INGRAFTING INTO CHRIST Mal. 3.1 And the Lord whom yee seeke shall suddenly come into his Temple THE last day as you remember I finished the doctrine of humiliation of soule whereby the heart is prepared and the soule is emptied of it self and of all carnall confidence in any outward excellencie and so is contented to bee at the dispose of the Lord Iesus Christ But before I come to that which is to follow give mee leave to preface for my selfe that the order of the worke may bee more better and cleerely conceived and that the weake may be holpen in their condition and have their hearts enlarged to seeke unto God Now in the way of preface let me shew how farre we have gone secondly let mee shew you how I meane to goe on in this worke if God give leaue and
naughty spirit who endure not broken spirits Doth Christ come suddenly into the heart truely humbled and prepared Let us trie then and take a taste of the spirits of such men that are not able to beare nor endure the presence of poore broken hearted sinners If the servant will not lie for the masters advantage and if the child leaue his base courses and will not give a carnall father content according to his mind marke how their spirits rise against such men their hearts rise with marvellous desperate indignation against such men they cannot thinke of them with any quiet they cannot brook the sight of them if it be a servant never so loose and vile hee is regarded but the humble child is trampled upon and they say to him You had best goe to your holy brethren and to the company of such and such precise ones This is the undoubted argument of a gracelesse spirit either Christ erres or else thou art out of the way either Christ is to be blamed for his practice or thou Doth he come to such as are humbled and art thou weary of them Thou art a gracelesse soule and an enemy to the Lord of life When the people of Israel began to speake of going into the wildernesse to sacrifice to the Lord their God they did stinke and were abominable in the eyes of Pharaoh and the Egyptians indeed the Egyptians did alwayes dislike them Exod. 5.21 but now they were an abomination to them This was nothing else but a type Pharaoh is the Devill and this Egyptian servitude is our spirituall bondage under sinne How doth thy heart stand towards these poore soules Art thou carried with indignation against them It is an argument of a heart void of grace and that thou art an Egyptian to this day therefore the Lord will requite thee in thy owne kind and that thou art now weary of their society and art not able to live with them and art loath to be seene amongst them and darest not shew thy selfe to come within the compasse of a broken heart lest thy drunkken companions revile thee for the same and say art turned a Puritan now will you bee of their company and then thou swearest thou knowest them not This is a shrewd signe thou shalt never enioy the company of those poore Saints in glory Vse 3 The third use is a ground of instruction and we hence learne how to make choice of our companions Chuse the broken-hearted for companions Learne of our Saviour the broken hearted sinners are the best for society in the world and therefore reioyce thou in their company Let us not thinke much to come to such as Christ comes to let us not thinke that the basenesse of their persons or the meannesse of their estates will be any cause for us why we should discard or disdaine their company Be sure that thy soule bee farre from this carnall distemper Happily thy carnall friend will say Thou wilt disgrace thy person to keepe company with such as those are Make answer for thy selfe and against their face and say They are my betters yea the Lord Iesus Christ blessed for ever keeps company with them and shall not I doe it too The Lord Iesus desires no better company and shall I goe any further If he bee a sound broken hearted sinner it s no matter what his condition be As the Apostle Saint Iohn saith That you also may have fellowship with us 1 Iohn 1.3 Why may some say what great matter is that The Apostle saith our fellowship is no small matter for it is with God the Father and with Iesus Christ There is never a poore soule though hee goe barely and fare meanely but if his heart bee truely humbled his fellowship is with Iesus Christ which is no little matter Zech. 8.23 when the Lord had honoured the Iewes there came many citizens to them and took hold of the skirt of a Iew and said We will go with you for we have heard that God is with you So doe thou Dost thou see a broken hearted man lay hold on his skirts dwell in that house if thou canst and say I will liue with thee for ever God is with thee nay the Lord is in thee yea the company of an humbled soule is even a corner of heaven here upon earth It is so in truth and therefore let it be so in your judgements What is it to be in heaven Wee shall be ever with the Lord this is to be in heaven 1 Thes 4.17 Is this to be in heaven Then wheresoever thou art thou art with Christ thou art in heaven Whensoever thou art in the company of a broken hearted sinner thou art with Christ and therefore in heaven and whensoever thou commest into their company Christ Iesus will give thee the meeting Your fashionmungers count it a matter of credit to have Court fashions this is the Court fashion and the Court is where Christ our Lord and King is Christ dwels in such a house and in such a heart and therefore as thou dost hope to be with Christ for ever rejoyce to be with such persons this is the onely way that a man must take to chuse his company Doe good to all neighbours and all Christians and hope well of all but reioyce especially in those whose hearts are truely broken in the sight and presence of the Lord. Vse 4 4. It is a ground of thankfulnesse to all that are truely humbled before God Be thankfull for this great respect of Christ to thy poore soule Thus you ought to have your hearts stored with thankfulnesse nay to stand and wonder at the goodnesse and kindnesse of God I would have a man spend all his time this way When the Lord Iesus hath gone through many Countries and passed by many rich and honourable and great ones of the world and that he should looke in at a poore family and knocke at a poore mans doore and that hee should looke in at a poore wretched heart of a wife or of a child this is marvellous mercy If a great person especially a Prince or Monarch did looke into a poore mans house or come to visit a man in prison what would the world say Oh the like was never heard of the King himselfe in his owne person lighted there and staid there and went into the dungeon and conferred with him a great while Men would bee besides themselves if they had this favour from the King In Luke 1.43 when Mary was with child of the Lord and came to visit Elizabeth shee said to Mary Whence is this to mee that the mother of my Lord should come to mee I see no ground nor reason for this there is no worth on my part that I should looke for such favour Now if shee were so ravished with the presence of Mary the mother of Christ what maist thou bee then in regard of the presence of Christ himselfe that is come to lodge in thy
heart Thou hast cause to be ravished with admiration and to say Whence is it that not onely the mother of my Saviour but even my Saviour himselfe should come to me What to visit mee that opposed him and to visit me that have preferred my base lusts before the bloud of the Lord Iesus Christ Whence comes this It was that which Solomon tooke notice of in the first of Kings c. 8. v. 28. for when he had built the Temple and the Lord had engaged himselfe by promise to come and dwell in the same he said Is it true that the Lord will come to dwell upon the earth Behold the heaven of heavens is not able to containe him much lesse this House that I have made As it was in the materiall Temple so much more in the spirituall Temple for thy heart is his Temple Therefore thou maist reason thus with thy selfe and say Is it true will the Lord dwell upon the earth the heaven of heavens cannot containe him and shall this earth-then mud wall this earthly Tabernacle and this sinfull wretched heart Oh that the Lord should come to dwell in such a soul this is a mirrour of mercy Doe you humble soules as the Centurion did when Christ was come into his house I am not worthy saith he that thou shouldest come under my roofe but speake the word onely and my servant shall be whole So say thou Lord I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under the roofe of this sinful wretched heart only send thy Angels to visit me and thy word to comfort me but for to come in thy owne person from heaven to such a poore creature as I am the Angels must come from heaven to wonder at this mercy and to magnifie the Lord for it therfore as you haue received Christ walke worthy of him and be thankfull to the Lord for the same Vse 5 The last use of this Doctrine is for exhortation You see the meanes that God appointed for the conveyance of grace They that would haue Christ dwell in them must be willing to be humbled and mercy to you nay that Christ himselfe may take possession of you and it is the way and meanes that will never deceiue you Would you have Christ to dwell in you then be humbled and bee not wanting to your selues and then Christ will never bee wanting to you labour to get this humiliation and Christ will come immediately into your soules Have a heart but rightly disposed and without all question Christ will come to comfort and refresh thee upon all occasions You see the way to get a Saviour to come and dwell in you then walk in that way and give no rest to thine eyes or any quiet to thy heart before thou hast gotten this frame of heart Take heed of all distempers doe not thinke the time long and say I haue waited long and many a yeere and I have looked many a wishly long look and yet I cannot heare of the Lord Iesus to visit this poore perplexed heart of mine If the Lord seeme to delay in the performance of his promise say as David did Ah when wilt thou comfort me Psal 119.82 Nay lay the blame where the blame is and consider thy owne sturdinesse and vilenesse it is thy owne fault why Christ comes not thou wilt not open and therefore Christ is not come thou dost not prepare for him and for this cause it is that thou dost not enjoy the company of such a blessed Saviour at St. Peter saith 2 Pet. 3. â— The Lord is noâ— slacke as some men count slacknesse but the Lord takes the beâ—… season and is long suffering towards us When the season is wee shall have it for it is not his slacknesse The time is not long doe not thinke so hee hath not forgotten to be gracious to a poore humbled soule but lâ—oke into thy owne heart and way and see thy owne folly there Hast thou pâ—epared often and waited long and yet thou hearest no newes of a Christ and of mercy Ah goe to thine owne heart and say Surely I am in fault the wound is in my self others have received a Christ and he would have come into my heart too for ought know Nay he is as willing to come to thee as to any but thy owne hasty heart shuts the doore against him therefore be a based kindly and the Lord will come and not tarry Did you ever account of the comming of â—hrists presence to you Was the presence of Christ ever worth the having and would you not have him to come into your hearts that will bring grace and glory and mercy when he comes as Lâ—ke 19.9 when Christ was come inâ—o the house of Zacheus he said This daâ— is salvation come to thy house So that when Christ comes mercy and all comfort comes Is not Christ and salvation by him worth the having If ever you hope for Christ whip out all buyers and sellers out of the Temple and then you shall heare newes of a Saviour to take possession of you I have spoken of the meanes how to get an humble heart now let me giue you two motiues to provoke you to it Motiues 1 First consider what an vnreasonable thing it is that thou shouldest rather keepe out the Lord Iesus Christ than cast out a company of base lusts It will stick one day hard upon that mans heart when he shall see the marvellous excellency of that redemption which Christ hath wrought and the beauty of that grace which Christ workes in the hearts of his and the glory and happinesse which hee hath prepared for and will bestow upon his servants when I say in the houre of death or in the day of judgement he shall see himselfe utterly deprived of this grace in Christ he will then gnaw his owne flesh that hee hath lost heaven and happinesse it may be for one base lust The covetous man will say If I had cast away the world I might haue had Christ and mercy and the Adulterer will say If I would have cast away my base lusts and corruptions Christ would haue dwelt in my heart and would have purged my heart and the proud hipocrite will say If I had laid away my owne vanity and my owne pride the Lord would haue taken possession of my soule and hee would have brought glory and salvation and comfort Ah woe to me that ever I was borne that I would not part with base lusts and with wealth but that I was content rather to part with Christ Iesus than to forgoe these corruptions What an unreasonable thing is this he will curse himselfe one day for it 2 As it is unreasonable so in the second place what an vncomfortable thing will it bee Ah think of it in time for the time will come at the great day of account when we shall need a Saviour and crave his presence and be forced to desire Christ to come to us What a cut to our
hearts the Lord Christs baile will be taken for more debts then you owe nay the Father desires no better surety as hee himselfe saith Mat. 3.13 This is my beloved Sonne in whom I am well pleased hee doth not say with whom I am well pleased but in whom that is in him and all that come to God the father in his name Thus the Lord Iesus Christ doth and so a sinner is freed from that wrath of the Almighty Secondly the power of Satan is crushed so that he shall never more bee able to bee Lord and Ruler over the soule truely humbled but wheresoever the Lord Iesus Christ comes Satan gives way to the supreame authority of the Lord Christ and the Lord Iesus makes all to vanish and no more to appeare or have any thing to doe in the heart as hee himselfe saith in Rev. 1.18 I have the keys of Hel and of death You know that he that hath the keyes doth all he opens and shuts he lets in and puts out whom he will so the Lord Christ hath the supreame command over hell and death and he can unlocke hell gates and bring out from the gates of death any poore sinner that is wronged by Satan and therefore when the Lord Iesus Christ arose he led captivity captive as a valiant triumphant Conquerour leades a company of poore captives Now then Christ having conquered hell and death wheresoever he comes Sathan gives way and dares not meddle there any more Therefore Christ saith in Luke 10.11 I saw Sathan fall downe from heaven like lightning that is when the Scepter of Christ was set up in the Gospel then the Devill that cruell tyrant fel down on a sudden and was faine to give way and not to lay claime to the heart Thus sinne is shaken off and comes to bee casheered from that soule for whom Christ hath undertaken Sin as it were challengeth prescription to the soule but Christ having taken possession he satisfieth all quarrels and beares all the charges of whatsoever sinne makes against the soule and when sin saith I have had a possession of his soule from his very birth to this day and why should I goe out now then the Lord Iesus saith the issue is out and thus sin challengeth a right to the heart but Christ saith it is forgiven And therefore though sin be never so violent yet the Lord Iesus saith that soule is mine and was created by mee for my owne glory and howsoever sinne hath crept in yet now depart I am come to take possession of it Rom. 8.3 there the Apostle saith What the Law could not doe in that it was weake through the flesh God sending his owne Sonne in the likenesse of sinfull flesh and for sinne condemned sinne in the flesh The phrase that fits our purpose is this the Lord Christ condemned sinne The judgement of Mr Calvin is this To condemne sinne in the flesh is nothing else but thus as it is with a man that is in law when the cause goes against a man and hee is cast in that he laid claime to we use to say hee is condemned Sinne layeth a kind of claime to the soule of a poore sinner and claimeth a kind of right upon these grounds Every sonne of Adam is a child of disobedience and so the child of wrath But that man is a child of Adam and therefore the child of disobedience and consequently death and damnation is due to that man and hereupon hee is mine Now Christ answers all these pleas of sinne and makes sin fall off from the cause and saith It is true that those that are charged with the sinne of Adam and are under the power of that corruption which they receive from Adam they are the children of disobedience and so no wonder though they are subject to wrath He grants all this but yet saith hee They for whom the sinne of Adam hath bin satisfied and from whom the guilt of it removed and they for whom Christ hath conquered sinne they ought not to be condemned for they are delivered from this wrath but such is this humble soule for whom I have undertaken Is the sinne of Adam imputed I have satisfied for it doth the sinne of Adam prevaile against him by my death I have overcome sinne and hell and hee shall haue the benefit of my victorie Now sinne falls off from the claime and loseth the day If the first Adam hath sinned against God the second Adam hath suffered if the first Adam hath polluted the sonnes of men the Lord Iesus by the power of quickning hath subdued the power of corruption so that neither the guilt of sinne can be imputed nor the power of sinne prevaile against the poore sinner for whom Christ undertaketh So then it is plaine that the Lord Iesus undertakes for the soule and provides for it as in all the three particulars this is the first particular of the possession Reas 2 Secondly Christ doth dispose of the soule for his best advantage This is one specialty that a man will dispose all his occasions for his owne convenience for his owne behoofe so farre as may be for his owne benenefit and comfort So when the Lord Iesus Christ comes to take possession he will have the rule and command of the heart But when Satan that strong man armed keepes the house and sinne rules in the soule in a mans naturall condition and that the soule is at their managing and at their framing and teaching it either lyes barren and fallow or else brings forth nothing but thornes and thistles as in Ier. 4.3 Breake up the fallow grounds of your hearts and sow not among thornes for the soule naturally being ruled by sinne is overspread with thornes and is altogether corrupt and detestable and Satan and sinne rule in the heart and affections so that now the whole frame of the soule bringeth out fruits of darknesse to Satan And hence it is that the Apostle saith Rom. 6.20 When yee were the servants of sin yee were free from righteousnesse that is when yee were under the power of sinne yee did not worke for God yee did all to satisfie your owne lusts the drunkard is free from the power of sobriety and the thiefe is free from the power of justice and so the graces of Gods Spirit rule not in a man But now when the Lord hath by the power of his grace bound the strong man and cast him out by contrition and humiliation then hee takes the soule and it is in the hands of the Lord Iesus Christ and hee disposeth of it so as may bee for the comfort of the soule and for the furtherance of the glory of his rich grace In Matth. 20.15 when the servants began to quarrell because they had but every man a penny the Master said Is it not lawfull for me to do what I will with mine owne so when the Lord hath cast out corruption and saith This heart and this hand and this tongue
Sam. 23.17 When Saul had made a cunning search for David and he was fled Jonathan comes to him and chears him saying I know that my father shall not prevaile against thee but that thou shalt be King over Israel and I shall be next thee Jonathan was Sauls Sonne and he might have said I am my fathers heire and why may not I bee his successor in the kingdome but he loved David and rejoiced in his good and therefore he said Thou shalt be King over Israel and I shall bee next unto thee As if hee should say I am more glad that the Crowne shall be set upon thy head than if it were set upon mine owne for my soule is thereby comforted and refreshed So it is with a good heart that loves Jesus Christ and his grace and his Gospel in truth the happinesse glory and the honour of the Lord Jesus is the greatest good that can befall him wherefore he saith If the Lord may be honoured though I am disgraced I care not it is enough to me if may stand to behold and see it Ioh. 3.26.29 When the Lord Christ began to set forth the frame and glory of the Gospel and to baptize the Disciples of John came to their Master and said Rabbi he that was with thee beyond Jordan to whom thou barest witnesse behold the same baptizeth and all men come to him they began to be troubled because the Lord Jesus baptized and the praise went from them as if they had said There is one come that carrieth the hearts of all men after him Now mark what John answered He that hath the Bride is the Bride-groome as if he should say The Lord Christ is the Bride-groome and I am onely the friend of the Bride-groome all my care was to prepare hearts for him and hath he now gotten those hearts and hath he prosperitie then have I enough if I heare that the case goes well with him I have enough let the Lord have the praise that is due to him and let me have whatsoever is due to me 2 Sam. 19.30 when Mephibosheth had been wrongfully accused to David and David had taken away the inheritance from him and was returned in safety so that he saw the Kings face againe David began to comfort him saying Thou and Siba divide the land but marke how he replies Yea saith he let him take all for as much as my Lord the King is come againe in peace It matters not for the inheritance and for my selfe and my life I passe not fith the King is returned in peace it is enough that I enjoy thy presence which is better to me than goods life and liberty So it is with a kinde-loving heart when hee is not able to indure to see Christs honour and glory lye in the dust but if his praise be advanced then he is glad this is a good and loving heart indeed which saith Lord I have enough that Christ is mine and that his honour and glory is magnified Let the world take all if I may have Christ and see him praised and magnified Labour to bring thy soule to this pitch a minister in his place and the master in his place and every Christian in his place let it be all our care not onely to honour God our selves but let it be our comfort if God may be better honoured by others than by our selves This is our basenesse of spirit we can bee content to lift up Christ upon our shoulders that we may lift up our selves by it this too much prevailes amongst all men But be content to lye in the dust that the Lord may be praised though thou be disgraced And though every mans heart goe opposite against thee yet let this content thee if the Lord Jesus may thrive and prosper yea if any of Gods people thrive and prosper more than thou let that be thy onely joy 5. Triall More more it desires union with Christ Lastly it is the nature of sound love to covet a neere union with the thing that is loved and to have a kinde of impatiency and to be restlesse till it doe attaine the greatest measure thereof This flowes directly from the nature of love especially of this love to Christ who is the greatest good love is of a linking and glewing nature will carry the soule with some kind of strength earnestness to injoy full possession and fellowship of the thing that is loved it cannot have enough of it and it is not satisfied with it upon any occasion As it is in reason with a childe Simile happely when the father entertaines him at the table hee gives him a little sweet-meat as some Conserve or the like which is so sweet that he can tast nothing but that and his minde is still upon it that he may receive more of it the father commends this and that and praiseth a third and extols a fourth dish but yet the childe cryes More of this because hee felt the sweetenesse of it So it is with a soule that truly loves Christ when it hath tasted how good the Lord is and hath had a good looke from heaven it covets union not so much with any thing as with that riches honours profits seeme as irksome as may be in regard of that the soul desires nothing so much as this and craves more of Christ more of that mercy and holinesse and grace and love that is in him let the wicked talke what they will of the world if he have that he hath enough Psal 73.25 when David had been doating upon the world and the vanities of it see what he sayth Whom have I in heaven but thee and whom on earth in comparison of thee and then see what followes hee bids adieu to the world and sayth in the last verse It is good for me to draw neere unto God as if he had said Let the ambitious belly-gods have their pleasure drinke and swill and goe downe to hell But oh let mee have that mercy and that good which God hath provided for and will bestow upon those that love him You shall observe it Joh. 20.15 16 17. Mary was a marvellous loving woman and therefore when Christ said to her Woman why weepest thou whom seekest thou she supposing him to be the Gardiner saith unto him Sir if thou hast borne him hence tell me where thou hast laid him I will take him away She would be content to have the dead body of her Saviour rather than none at all But when the Lord Jesus had revealed himselfe to her in the 16 verse shee said Rabboni and when she saw it was he she flies upon him and with marvellous violence embraceth him for so the text is to be conceived though hee forbad her to touch him because hee was not yet ascended saying Doe I once possesse thee againe I will never part with thee any more thus she held him by the feet till he checked her because shee
you the best counsell that can be given and little deserve that outcry that is made against us Oh this is bitter preaching this man speakes not in love he would make us all despaire I thinke and Should not a Minister come with the spirit of meeknesse Yes but not meekenesse opposed to zeale meekenesse to the bruised reed or broken heart to others sharpnesse A corrosive for some is wholsomest some patients need lancing and all is well that ends well If our preaching bring you to an harvest of joy no matter though it compelled you to sow in teares And what wise man will thinke his estate either so holy or so safe as to reject teares for a womanish passion Use 2. If so Enemies help the joy of true Christians then it is a bootlesse thing to goe about to grieve or disquiet a godly Christian Thou makest him cry perhaps but to whom is it not to his father in secret who will put all his teares into his bottle and is there not a rich crop arising out of this sad and dripping seed-time A ridiculous conceit to thinke of drowning a fish in a faire and pleasant river it his owne element he is where he would bee Ridiculous also it is to attempt the making a true Christian unhappy or weary of his estate for even out of darknesse ariseth light to him out of teares joy one contrary out of another the omnipotent grace of God who promised will also doe it Indeed for carnall men you may so set them on weeping that they may dye upon it 2 Cor. 7.10 Worldly sorrow causeth death But with the godly it is not so God will ever hold them up by the chinne and lead them through all their waves to a safe and joyfull harbour Well may Julian and his fellowes mocke at this doctrine and tauntingly heape up more indignities upon the Saints but God will blesse them the more for their cursing stay but till the appointed weekes of harvest you shall see what it is to sow in teares Esteeme none by present grievances Use 3. If so then iudge not the state of whole Churches or particular members by present afflictions thinke them not presently miserable after the seed is cast into the ground it abides many a cold blast before harvest come 1 Cor. 15.36 It is not quickned except it dye much lesse multiplied in July or August you will see what is become of your Wheat and Rye In the day of judgement at farthest you will see the reward of true worshippers what confusion wil befall Papists Athiests scoffers hypocrites idolaters superstitious fooles persecutors Then yee shall returne and see a difference Mal 3.18 Now there is a difference but then it will appeare now the iudgement of God is according to truth but that is a day of the declaration of the righteous judgement of God Rom. 2.5 Sow still though in teares Use 4. To urge perseverance in the good wayes of God notwithstanding discouragements What if thou sowest in teares to God and righteousnesse what if the whole season prove a cold wet blustering time as the poore husband-man sometime findeth it What if scarce a day goe over thy head but thou either weepest or sighest or meetest some bitternesse in thy life yet is this an hopefull weeping there is an harvest comming to make amends for all None shall abide with Christ in temptation Luk. 22.28 29 but Christ will appoint a Crowne unto him And as the mother goes through all her hard labour comfortably in hope of a childe to bee borne so must the Disciples of CHRIST through all tribulations Joh. 16.20 21 22. Faint not therefore that yee may reape in due time Be strong in the grace of Christ Feare not Rev. 2.10 Bee thou faithfull unto the death and I will give thee a Crowne of life These are evill times for the discouraging of zeale and piety but remember this Text They that sow in teares shall reape in joy Use 5. Be patient in suffering for God A ground of patience in all suffering according to the will of God especially for the cause the service the faith the truth of God Seed cast into the earth is not cast away nor lost but will be improved to good advantage The husband-man willingly endures that cost adventures all to the blessing of God And such is thy sicknesse poverty trouble in the world other calamitie when thou hast made a good use of it A little patience will make thee gainer thirty fold sixty an hundred a thousand fold more if religion be the cause of thy trouble The Martyrs sowed in teares but because they carried forth precious seed they brought their sheaves backe with joy singing in the prisons and flames triumphing over their persecutors finding no ease to their mindes till they had recanted their recantations Losing their lives they saved them sowing to the spirit liberally they reaped life and immortality Comfort in death our own or friends 6. A ground of comfort against death both our owne and our friends Death is a kinde of sowing though in weaknesse mortality and dishonour 1 Cor. 15.36 Many teares are shed at the parting of friends of husband and wife of parents and children Joh. 18.14 of Pastors and people Death is the King of terrors it hath a sting and bitternesse but where Christ comes not only the sting is taken forth but the nature of it is altered there is a joyfull resurrection as a joyfull harvest to make the body rise in honour in power in livelinesse and immortality though sowne a weak and contemptible body Christianity therefore here must command moderation to our mourning Teares are naturall expressions of love and compassion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and good men they say are easily dissolved into teares But seeing religion tells of reaping in joy our hearts must thereby be fenced against immoderatenesse of grieving Be paineful in thy calling 7. If so let every one follow his particular calling painfully and faithfully though with teares Ministers in sowing the seed of eternall life in the hearts of their people Rich men in sowing upon the waters or obiects where they are never likely to finde their seed againe 2 Cor. 9.6 and poore men in praying abundantly for their Benefactors for their Preachers for their neighbours for the peace of Sion prayer is as seed cast into heaven and therefore must needs be fruitfull Therefore though praying preaching governing ordering of the family other duties be a sowing in teares accompanied with many difficulties thanklesse offices many times yet hold not thine hand morning nor evening observe not the winde nor raine he that doth shall neither sow nor reap in comfort Eccles 11.4 8. A motive it is to beginning and renewing our repentance Encouragement to repent of sinne First feare not the harshnesse of turning to God Say not a Lyon is in the way a Beare will meete me in the streets some trouble there is but soone to be overtaken with peace and joy trouble but with promise trouble but nothing to the trouble and misery which impenitent persons reserve themselves unto No sowing in teares no reaping in joy A lazie husband-man that flyes winde and weather must looke for no crop in harvest nor a lazie Christian 2. Be willing still to renew your repentance And to renew our repentance specially before the Sacrament this hath abundance of joy in it this bread strengthens mans heart and this wine makes it glad as Psal 104.15 this feast of fat and sweet things will in present make us reap in much joy though nothing to that which remaines for hereafter Presently faith is strengthened and the Joy of faith increased withall and the Christian that hath gone worthily shall walke in the strength of that banket holily and comfortably for many dayes afterward Therefore what if you sow a little in teares before-hand whilest you examine your estate be waile your unworthinesse confesse your sins sue for peace with God and to lay hold on eternall life What if due preparation cost you well the setting on endure all in hope of the harvest My brethren be awakened from security you finde your evidences for heaven somewhat muddy and that you had need renew your covenant with God and Oh that you could get the old feelings and the comforts that sometimes you had To do that renew your repentance sow a little more though in teares digest all well because you do all in hope and with a promise that they who sow in teares shall reap in joy FINIS