is eyther from false principles or ignorance or mindlesnesse or unbeleefe of true By inconsideration and weaknesse of assent Eve lost her hold at first It is good therefore to store up true principles in our harts and to refresh them often that in vertue of them our affections and actions may be more vigorous When Iudgement is fortified evill findes no entrance but good things have a side within us to entertaine them Whilest true convincing light continueth wee will not doe the least ill of sinne for the greatest ill of punishment In vaine is the â—…et spread in the eyes of that which hath wings Whilest the soule is kept aloft there is little danger of snares below we lose our high estimation of things before wee can be drawne to any sinne And because knowledge and affection mutually helpe one another it is good to keepe up our affections of love and delight by all sweet inducements divine incouragements for what the heart liketh best the minde studyeth most Those that can bring their hearts to delight in Christ know most of his wayes Wisedome loveth them that love her Love is the best entertainer of truth and when it is not entertained in the love of it being so lovely as it is it leaveth the heart and will stay no longer It hath beene a prevailing way to beginne by with-drawing the love to corrupt the Iudgement because as we love so wee use to judge and therefore it is hard to be affectionate and wise in earthly things but in heavenly things where there hath been a right information of the judgement before the more our affections grow the better and clearer our judgement s will be because our affections though strong can never rise high enough to the excellencie of the things Wee see in the Martyrs when the sweet doctrine of Christ had once gotten their hearts it could not be gotten out againe by all the torments the wit of crueltie could devise If Christ hath once possessed the affections there is no dispossessing of him again A fire in the heart overcommeth all fires without 3 Wisedome likewise teacheth us wherein our weaknesse lyeth and our enemies strength wherby a jealous feare is stirred up in us whereby we are preserved For out of this godly jealousie wee keepe those provocations which are active and working from that which is passive catching in us as we keep fire from powder They that will hinder the generation of noysome creatures will hinder the conception first by keeping male and female asunder This jealousie wil be much furthered by observing strictly what hath helped or hindered a gratious teÌ„per in us and it will make us take heed that wee consult not with flesh and blood in our selves or others How else can wee thinke that Christ will lead us out to victorie when we take counsell of his and our enemies 4 Christ maketh us likewise carefull to attend all meanes whereby fresh thoughts and affections may be stirred up and preserved in us Christ so honoureth the use of meanes and the care he putteth into us that hee ascribeth both preservation and victory unto our care of keeping our selves Hee that is begotten of God keepeth himselfe but not by himselfe but by the Lord in dependance on him in the use of meanes We are no longer safe then wife to present our selves to all good advantages of acquaintance c. By going out of Gods walkes we goe out of his government and so lose our frame and finde our selves over-spread quickly with a coÌ„tráry disposition When wee draw neere to Christ in his ordinances he drawes neere to us 5 Keepe grace in exercise it is not sleepy habits but Gracein exercise that preserveth us Whilest the soule is in some civill or sacred imployment corruptions within us are much suppressed and Sathans passages stopped and the spirit hath a way open to inlargeâ—… it selfe in us and likewise the guard of Angells then most neerly attend us which course often prevailes more against our spirituall enemies then direct oppo sition It stands upon Christs honor to maintaine those that are in his worke Sixthly in all directioÌ„s we must look up to Christ the quickning spirit and resolve in his strength though wee are exhorted to cleave to the Lord with full purpose of heart yet we must pray with David Lord for ever keepe it in the thoughts of our hearts and prepare our hearts unto thee our hearts are of themselves very loose and unsetled Lord unite our hearts unto thee to feare thy name or else without him our best purposes will fall to the ground It is a pleasing request out of love to GOD to beg such a frame of soule from him wherein hee may take delight and therefore in the use of all the meanes wee must send up our desires and complaints to heaven to him for strength and help and then we may bee sure that he will bring forth judgment into victory Lastly it furthers the state of the soule to know what frame it should bee in that so wee may order our soules accordingly we should alwayes bee fit for communion with GOD and bee heavenly minded in earthly busines and be willing to be taken off from them to redeem time for better things we should bee ready at all times to depart hence and to live in such a condition as we would be content to dye in wee should have hearts prepared for every good duty open to all good occasions and shut to al temptations keeping our watch and being alwayes ready armed so farre as we come short of these things so farre wee have just cause to be humbled and yet presse forward that wee may gaine more upon our selves and make these things more familiar and lovely unto us and when wee finde our soules any wayes falling downewards it is best to raise them up presently by some waking meditatioÌ„s as of the presence of God of the strict reckoning we are to make of the infinite love of GOD in CHRIST and the fruits of it of the excellency of a Christians calling of the short and uncertaine time of this life how little good all those things that steale away our hearts will doe us ere long and how it shall bee for ever with us thereafter as we spend this little time well or ill c. the more we give way for such consideratioÌ„s to sink into our hearts the more we shall rise neerer to that state of soule which wee shall enjoy in Heaven When wee grow regardlesse of keeping our soules then GOD recovers our taste of good things again by sharpe crosses thus David Salomon Sampson c. were recovered it is much easier kept then recovered But notwithstanding my striving I seeme to stand at a stay Grace as the seed in the Parable growes we know not how yet at length when GOD seeth fittest wee shall see that all our indeavour hath not
owne beames things shall bee what they are nothing is hidden but shall be laid open Iniquity shall not be caried in a mystery any longer Deepe dissemblers that thinke to hide their counsells from the Lord shall walke no longer invisible as in the clouds If this were beleeved men would make more account of sincerity which will onely give us boldnesse and not seeke for covershames the confidence whereof as it maketh men now more presumptuous so it wil expose them hereafter to the greater shame If judgement shall bee brought forth to victory then those that have been ruled by their own deceitfull hearts and a spirit of errour shall bee brought forth to disgrace That GOD that hath joyned grace and truth with honour hath joyned sin and shame together at the last all the wit and power of man can never bee able to sever what God hath coupled Truth and piety may bee trampled upon for a time but as the two witnesses after they were slaine rose againe and stood upon their feet so whatsoever is of GOD shall at length stand upon its owne bottome There shall bee a resurrection not onely of bodies but of credits Can wee thinke that hee that throw the Angells out of heaven will suffer dust and wormes meat to runne a contrary course and to cary it alwayes so No as verily as CHRIST is King of Kings and Lord of Lords so will hee dash all those peeces of earth which rise up against him as a p◅tters vessell Was there ever any fierce against God and prospered No doubtlesse the rage of man shall turne to CHRISTS praise What was said of Pharaoh shall bee said of all headdy enemies who had rather lose their soules then their wills that they are but raised up for CHRIST to get himselfe glory in their confusion Let us then take heed that wee follow not the wayes of those men whose ends we shall tremble at There is not a more fearefull judgement can befall the nature of man then to bee given up to a reprobate judgement of persons and things because it commeth under a w◅e to call ill good and good ill How will they be laden with curses another day that abuse the judgement of others by sophistry and flattery deceivers and being deceived Then the complaint of our first mother Eve will be taken up but fruitlesly The serpent hath deceived me Sathan in such and such hath deceived me Sinne hath deceived me a foolish heart hath deceived mee It is one of the highest points of wisedome to consider upon what grounds wee venture our soules Happy men will they bee who have by CHRISTS light a right judgement of things and suffer that judgement to prevaile over their hearts The soule of most men is drowned in their senses and caried away with weake opinions raysed from vulgar mistakes and shadowes of things And Satan is ready to inlarge the imagination of outward good and outward ill and make it greater then it is and spirituall things lesse presenting them through false glasses And so men trusting in vanity vanish themselves in their owne apprehensions A wofull condition when both wee and that which wee highly esteeme shall vanish together which will be as truly as Christs judgement shall come to victory and in what measure the vaine heart of man hath beene inlarged to conceive a greater good in things of this world then there is by so much the soule shall be inlarged or be more sensible of misery when it sees its error This is the difference betwixt a godly wise man and a deluded worldling that which the one doth more judge to be vain the other shal hereafter feel to be so when it is too late But this is the vanity of our natures that though we shun above all things to be deceived and mistakē in present things yet in the greatest matters of all we are willingly ignorant and mis-led The fourth conclusion is That this government is set up and advanced by Christ alone He bringeth judgement to victory We both fight prevail in the power of his might we overcome by the Spirit obtained by the blood of the Lambe It is he alone that teacheth our hands to warre and fingers to fight Nature as corrupted favors its owne being and will maintaine it selfe against CHRISTS government Nature simply considered cannot raise it selfe above it selfe to actions spirituall of a higher order and nature therfore the divine power of CHRIST is necessary to cary us above all our own strength especially in duties wherin we meet with greater opposition for there not onely nature will faile us but ordinarie grace unlesse there bee a stronger and a new supply In taking up a burthen that is waightier then ordinary if there bee not a greater proportion of strength then weight the undertaker will lye under it So to every strong encounter there must bee a new supply of strength as in Peter when he was assaulted with a stronger temptation being not upheld and shored up with a mightier hand notwithstanding former strength foully fell And being falne in our raisings up againe it is CHRIST that must doe the worke 1 by removing or 2 weakning or 3 suspending opposite hindrances 4 by advancing the power of his grace in us to a further degree then wee had before wee fell therefore when we are fallen and by falls have gotten a bruise let us goe to Christ presently to binde us up againe Let us know therefore that it is dangerous to look for that from our selves which we must have ◅om CHRIST Since the fall all our strength lyes in him as Sampsons in his haire we are but subordinate agents moving as we are moved and working as we are first wrought upon free so far forth as wee are freed no wiser nor stronger then he makes us to be for the present in any thing wee undertake It is his Spirit that actuates and inliveneth and applyeth that knowledge and strength we have or else it saileth and lyeth as uselesse in us we worke when we worke upon a present strength therefore dependant spirits are the wisest and the ablest Nothing is stronger then humility that goeth out of it selfe or weaker then pride that resteth upon its owne bottome and this should the rather bee observed because naturally we affect a kinde of Divinity in setting upon actions in the strength of our owne parts whereas CHRIST saith without me you can doe nothing he doth not say you can doe a little but nothing therefore in all especially difficult encounters let us lift up our hearts to CHRIST who hath spirit enough for us all in all our exigences and say with good Iehosaphat Lord wee know not what to doe but our eyes are towards thee The battell we fight is thine and the strength whereby wee fight must be thine If thou goest not out with us wee are sure to be foiled Sathan knowes nothing can
Christs love and tender care over those that are humbled and besides the mercy that resteth in his owne brest hee workes the l◅ke impression in his Ministers and others to comfort the feeble minded and to beare with the weake Ministers by their calling are friends of the Bride and to bring Christ and his Spouse together and therefore ought upon all good occasions to lay open al the excellencies of Christ and amongst others as that hee is highly borne mighty one in whom all the treasures of wisedome are hid c so likewise gentle and of a good nature and of a gracious d◅sposition It cannot but cheere the heart of the spouse to consider in all her infirmities and miseries she is subject unto that shee hath a husband of a k◅nd disposition that knowes how to give the honour of milde usage to the weaker vessell That will be so farre frō rejecting her because she is weake that he will pity her the more And as hee is kinde at all times so especially when it is most seasonable he will speake to her heart especially in the wildernesse The more glory to God and the more comfort to a Christian soule ariseth from the beliefe and application of these things the more the enemy of Gods glory mans comfort labours to breed misperswasions of them that if hee cannot keepe men from heaven and bring them into that cursed condition he is in himselfe yet he may trouble them in their passage Some and none of the worst Sathan prevailes withall so farre as to neglect the meanes upon feare they should being so sinfull dishonour God and increase their sins so they lie smothering under this temptation as it were bound hand and foote by Sathan not daring to make out to Christ and yet are secretly upheld by a spirit of faith shewing it selfe in hidden sighes and groanes unto God These are abused by false representations of Christ all whose waies to such being wayes of mercy and all his thoughts thoughts of love The more Sathan is malicious in keeping the soule in darknesse the more care is to be had of establishing the soule upon that which will stay it Amongst other grounds to build our faith on as the free offer of grace to all that will receive it the gracious invitation of all that are weary and heauy lad◅n those that have nothing to buy withall The command binding to beleeve the danger of not beleeving being shut up prisoners thereby under the guilt of all other sinnes the sweet intreatie to beleeve and ordayning Embassadours to desire peace putting tender affections into them answerable to their calling ordaining Sacraments for the sealing of the covenant Besides these I say and such moving inducements this is one infusing vigor and strength into all the rest that they proceed from Christ a person authorized and from those bowels that moved him not only to become a mā but a curse for us hence it is that hee will not quench the smoaking wick or flax It addes strength to faith to consider that al expressions of love issue frō nature in Christ which is constant God knowes that as wee are prone to sinne so when conscience is throughly awaked wee are as prone to despaire for sinne and therefore hee would have us know that hee setteth himselfe in the Covenant of grace to triumph in CHRIST over the greatest evills and enemies we feare and that his thoughts are not as our thoughts are that he is God and not man that there is heights and depths and breadths of mercy in him above all the depths of our sin and misery that wee should never bee in such a forlorne condition wherein there should be ground of despaire considering our sinnes bee the sins of men his mercy the mercy of an infinite GOD. But though it be a truth cleerer then the Sunne beames that a broken hearted sinner ought to embrace mercy so strongly enforced yet there is no truth that the heart shutteth it selfe more against then this especially in sense of misery when the soule is fittest for mercy untill the Holy spirit sprinkleth the conscience with the blood of Christ and sheddeth his love into the heart that so the blood of Christ in the conscience may cry lowder then the guilt of sinne for onely Gods Spirit can raise the conscience with comfort above guilt because he is only greater then the conscience Men may speake comfort but it is Christs Spirit that can onely comfort Peace is the fruit of the lips but yet created to bee so No creature can take off wrath from the conscience but he that set it on though all the prevailing arguments be used that can bee brought forth till the Holy Ghost effectually perswadeth by a divine kinde of rhetoricke which ought to raise up our hearts to him who is the comforter of his people that he would seale thē to our soules Now God dealing with mē as understanding creatures the manner which he useth in this powerfull worke upon their consciences is by way of friendly entercourse as intreaty and perswasion and discovery of his love in Christ and Christs gracious inclination thus even to the weakest and lowest of men And therefore because hee is pleased by such like motives to enter into the heart and settle a peace there we ought with reverence to regard all such sanctified helpes and among the rest this of making use of this comfortable description of Christ by God the Father in going boldly in all necessities to the throne of grace But wee must know this comfort is onely the portion of those that give up themselves to Christs government that are willing in all things to be disposed of by him For here we see in this Scripture both joyned together mercy to bruised reedes and yet government prevailing by degrees over corruptions Christ so favoureth weake ones as that he frameth their soules to a better condition then they are in Neither can it be otherwise but that a soule looking for mercy should submit it selfe at the same time to be guided Those relations of husband head shepheard c. imply not onely meeknesse and mercy but government likewise When we become Christ ans to purpose we live not exempt from all service but onely wee change our Lord. Therefore if any in an ill course of life snatch comforts before they are reached out unto them let them know they doe it at their owne perills It is as if some ignorant man should come into an Apothecaries shop stored with varietie of medicines of all sorts shold take what comes next to hād poyson perhaps in stead of Physicke There is no word of comfort in the whole booke of God intended for such as regard iniquity in their hearts though they doe not act it in their lives Their onely comfort is that the sentence of damnation is not executed and thereupon there is yet opportunity of safer thoughts
no helpe in himselfe is carried with restlesse desire to have supplie from another with some hope which a little raiseth him out of himselfe to Christ though hee dareth not claime any present interest of mercy This sparke of hope being opposed by doubtings and feares rising from Corruption maketh him as smoaking flax so that both these together A bruised reed and smoaking flax make up the state of a poore distressed man such an one our Saviour Christ termeth Poore in spirit Math. 5. who seeth a want withall seeth himselfe indebted to divine Iustice no meanes of ◅uppie frō himselfe or the Creature and thereupon mournes and upon some hope of mercy from the promise exāples of those that have obtained mercy is stirred up to hunger thirst after it This bruising is required before conuersion that so the spirit may make way for it selfe into the heart by levelling all proud high thoughts and that wee may understand our selves to be what indeed we are by nature we love to wander from our selves and to be strangers at home till GOD bruiseth us by one Crosse or other and then wee bethinke our selves and come home to our selves with the Prodigall A marvellous hard thing it is to bring a dull and a shifting heart to cry with feeling for mercy Our hearts like malefactors untill they be beaten from all shifts never cry for the mercy of the Iudge Againe this bruising maketh us set a high price upon CHRIST the Gospell is the Gospell indeed then then the fig-leaves of morality will doe us no good and it maketh us more thankefull and from thankefulnesse more fruitfull in our lives For what maketh many so cold and barren but that bruising for sinne never indeered Gods Grace unto them Likewise this dealing of God doth establish us the more in his wayes having had knockes and bruisings in our owne wayes This is the cause oft of relapses apostasies because men never smarted for sinne at the first they were not long enough under the lash of the Law Hence this inferiour work of the Spirit in bringing downe high thoughts is necessary before conversion And for the most part the Holy Spirit to further the worke of conviction ioyneth some afflictiō which sanctified hath a healing purging power Nay after Conversion wee neede bruising that reedes may know themselves to be reedes not Oakes Even Reedes need bruising by reason of the remainder of pride in our nature and to let us see that we live by mercy and that weaker Christians may not be too much discouraged when they see stronger shaken and bruised Thus Peter was bruised when he wept bitterly This Reed til he met with this bruise had more wind in him then pith Though all forsake thee I will not c. The people of God cannot be without these examples The Heroicall deeds of those great worthies comfort the Church not so much as their falls and bruises doe Thus David was bruised until he came to a free confession without guile of spirit nay his sorrowes did rise in his owne feeling unto the exquisite paine of breaking of bones Psalm 51. Thus Hezekiah complaines that God had broken his bones as a Lion Thus the Chosen vessell S. Paul needed the messenger of Satan to buffet him lest hee should bee lifted up above measure Hence wee learne that wee must not passe too harsh judgment upon our selves or others when God doth exercise us with bruising upon bruising There must bee a conformitie to our head Christ who was bruised for us that wee may know how much wee are bound unto him Profane spirits ignorant of Gods wayes in bringing his children to Heaven censure broken hearted Christians for desperate persons when as GOD is about a gratious good worke with them It is no easie matter to bring a man from Nature to Grace and from Grace to Glory so unyeelding and untractable are our hearts The second point is That Christ will not breake the bruised Reed Physitians though they put their Patients to much paine yet they will not destroy nature but raise it up by degrees Surgeons will launce and cut but not dismember A mother that hath a sicke and froward Child will not therfore cast it away and shall there bee more mercy in the streame then in the spring shall wee thinke there is more mercy in our selves then in GOD who planteth the affection of mercy in us But for further declaration of Christs mercy to all bruised Reedes Consider the comfortable relations hee hath taken upon him of Husband Shepherd Brother c. which hee will discharge to the utmost for shall others by his grace fulfill what hee calleth them unto and not he that out of his love hath taken upon him these relations so throughly founded upon his fathers assignement and his owne voluntary undertaking Consider his borrowed Names from the mildest Creatures as Lambe Henne c. to shew his tender care Consider his very name Iesus a Saviour givē him by GOD himselfe Consider his Office answerable to his name which is that he should heale the broken hearted Esay 61. 1. At his Baptisme the Holy Ghost sate on him in the shape of a Dove to shew that he should be a Dove-like gentle Mediator See the gracious manner of executing his Offices as a Prophet he came with blessing in his mouth Blessed be the poore in spirit c. and invited those to come to him whose hearts suggested most exceptions against themselves Come unto me all yee that are weary and heavy laden how did his boweis yearne when hee saw the people as sheepe without a Sheepherd he never turned any backe againe that came unto him though some went away of themselves Hee came to dye as a Priest for his enemies In the dayes of his flesh hee dictated a forme of prayer unto his Disciples and put Petitions unto GOD into their mouthes and his Spirit to intercede in their hearts and now makes intercession in heaven for weake Christians standing betweene Gods anger and them and shed teares for those that shed his blood so he is a meeke King he will admit mourners into his presence a King of poore and afflicted persons as hee hath beames of Majesty so hee hath bowels of mercies compassion A Prince of peace Why was hee tempted but that hee might succour those that are tempted What mercy may we not expect from so gracious a Mediatour that tooke our nature vpon him that hee might bee gracious hee is a Phisitian good at all diseases especially at the binding up of a broken heart that hee might heale our soules with a plaster of his owne blood and by that death save us which we were the procurers of our selves by our owne sinnes and hath he not the same bowels in heaven Saul Saul why persecutest thou me cryed the Head in heaven when the foot
was trodden on on earth His advancement hath not made him forget his owne flesh though it hath freed him from passion yet not from compassion towards us The Lion of the Tribe of Iudah will onely teare in pieces those that will not have him rule over them Hee will not shew his strength against those that prostrate themselves before him What should we learn from hence but to come boldly to the throne of Grace in all our grievances Shal our sinnes discourage us when hee appeares there onely for sinners Art thou bruised Be of good comfort he calleth thee concoale not thy wounds open all before him keep not Satans counsell Go to Christ though trembling as the poore woman if wee can but touch the h◅m of his garment we shall be healed and have a gracious answer Goe boldly to God in our flesh for this end that wee might goe boldly to him he is flesh of our flesh and bone of our bone Never feare to go to God since we have such a Mediatour with him that is not onely our friend but our brother and husband Well might the Angells proclame from Heaven Behold we bring you tidings of joy well might the Apostle stir us up to rejoice in the Lord againe and againe he was well advised vpon what grounds he did it peace and joy are two maine fruits of his Kingdome Let the world be as it will if we cannot rejoyce in the world yet wee may rejoyce in the Lord. His presence maketh any condition comfortable Bee not afraid saith hee to his Disciples when they were afraid as if they had seene a Ghost it is I as if there were no cause of feare where he is present Let this stay us when wee feele our selves bruised Christ his course is first to wound then to heale No sound whole soule shall ever enter into heaven think in temptation CHRIST was tempted for mee according to my tryalls will be my Graces and Comforts If CHRIST bee so mercifull as not to break me I will not breake my selfe by despaire nor yeeld my selfe over to the roaring Lyon Satan to break me in pieces Thirdly see the contrary disposition of CHRIST and Satan and his instruments Satan setteth upon us when we are weakest as Simeon and Levi upon the Si◅hemites when they were sore But CHRIST will make up in us all the breaches sinne and Satan have made hee bindes up the broaken hearted and as a mother tendreth most the most diseased and weakest childe so doth CHRIST most mercifully incline to the weakest and likewise putteth an instinct into the weakest things to rely upon something stronger than themselves for support The Vine stayeth it selfe upon the Elme and the weakest creatures have oft the strongest shelters The consciousnesse of the churches weaknesse makes her willing to leane on her beloved and to hide her selfe under his wing But how shall we know whether wee are such as those that may expect mercy By bruising here is not meant those that are brought low onely by crosles but such as by thē are brought to see their sinne which bruiseth most of all When conscience is under the guilt of sinne then every judgement brings a report of GODS anger to the soule and all lesser troubles runne into this great trouble of conscience for sinne As all corrupt humours runne to the diseased and bruised part of the body And as every Creditor falls upon the Debtor when hee is once arrested so when conscience is once awaked all former sinnes and present crosses joyne together to make the bruise the more painfull Now he that is thus bruised will be content with nothing but w th mercy frō him that hath bruised him he hath wounded and he must heale 2. Againe a man truly bruised judgeth sinne the greatest evill and the favour of God the greatest good 3. Hee had rather heare of mercy than of a kingdome 4. Hee hath meane conceits of himselfe and thinketh hee is not worth the earth hee treads on 5. Towards others he is not censorious as being taken up at home but is full of sympathy and compassion to those that are under GODS hand 6. He thinketh those that walke in the comforts of GODS Spirit the happiest men of the world 7. He trembleth at the word of God and honoureth the very feet of those blessed instruments that bring peace unto him 8. Hee is more taken up with the inward exercises of a broken heart than with formality and yet carefull to use all sanctifyed meanes to convey comfort But how shall we come to have this temper First we must conceive of bruising either as a state into which God bringeth us or as a duty to be performed by us both are here meant we must joyn with GOD in bruising of our selves when hee humbles us let us humble our selves and not stand out against him for then hee will redouble his strokes and let us justifie CHRIST in all his chastisements knowing that all his dealing towards us is to cause us to returne into our owne hearts his work in bruising tendeth to our worke in bruising our selves Let us lament our owne untowardnesse and say Lord what an heart have I that needs all this that none of this could bee spared Wee must lay siege to the hardnesse of our owne hearts and aggravate sinne all we can wee must looke on CHRIST who was bruised for us looke on him whom wee have pierced with our sinnes But all directions will not prevaile unlesse GOD by his Spirit convinceth us deeply setting our sinnes before us and driving us to a stand Then we wil make out for mercy Conviction will breed contrition and this humiliation Therefore desire GOD that hee would bring a cleere and a strong light into all the corners of our soules and accompany it with a spirit of power to lay our hearts low A set measure of bruising our selves cannot be prescribed yet it must be so farre as we may prize CHRIST above all and see that a Saviour must be had And secondly untill we reform that which is amisse though it be to the cutting off our right hand or pulling out our right eye There is a dangerous slighting of the worke of humiliation some alledging this for a pretence for their overly dealing with their owne hearts that CHRIST will not breake the bruised Reed But such must know that every sudden terrour and short griefe is not that which makes us bruised Reeds not a little hanging downe our heads like a Bulrush but a working our hearts to such a griefe as will make sinne more odious unto us than punishment Vntill we offer an holy violence against it else favouring our selves we make work for GOD to bruise us and for sharpe repentance afterwards It is dangerous I confesse in some cases with some spirits to press too much and too long this bruising because they may die under the wound and
way wardnesse and harsh censures herein disparaging and discouraging the endeavours of Superiours for publike good In so great weaknesse of mans nature and especially in this crazie age of the world wee ought to take in good part any moderate happinesse wee injoy by government and not be altogether as a nayle in the wound exasperating things by misconstruction Here Love should have a mantle to cast upon lesser errors of those above us Oft-times the poore man is the oppressor by unjust clamours we should labour to give the best interpretations to the actions of Governours that the nature of the actions will possibly beare In the last place there is some thing for private Christians even for all of us in our common relations to take notice of we are debtors to the weake in many things 1. Let us be watchfull in the use of our libertie and labour to be in offensive in our cariage that our example compell them not There is a commanding force in an example as Peter Gal. 2. A loosnesse of life is crueltie to our selves and to the soules of others though wee cannot keepe them frō perishing which will perish in regard of the event yet if wee doe that which is apt of it selfe to destroy the soules of others their ruine is imputable to us 2 Let men take heede of taking up Sathans office in deprauing the good actions of others as he did Iobs Doth hee serve God for nought or slandering their persons judging of them according to the wickednes that is in their owne hearts The Devill getteth more by such discouragements and these reproaches that are east upon religion then by fire and faggot These as unseasonable frosts nip all gratious offers in the bud and as much as in them lyeth with Herod labour to kill Christ in yong professors A Christian is a hallowed and a sacred thing CHRISTS Temple and hee that destroyeth his Temple him will CHRIST destroy 3 Amongst the things that are to be taken heede of there is amongst private Christians a bold usurpation of censure not considering their temptations Some will vnchurch unbrother in a passion But distempers do not alter true relations though the child in a fit shold disclaime the mother yet the mother will not disclaime the child There is therefore in these iudging times good ground of S. Iames his Caveat that there should not be too many masters that we should not smite one another by hasty censures especially in things of an indifferent nature some things are as the minde of him is that doth them or doth them not for both may be unto the Lord. A holy ayme in things of a middle nature makes the judgements of men although seemingly contrary yet not so much blameable Christ for the good aymes hee seeth in us over-looketh any ill in them so farre as not to lay it to our charge Men must not bee too curious in prying into the weaknesses of others we should labor rather to see what they have that is for eternitie to incline our heart to love them then into that weaknesse which the Spirit of GOD will in time consume to estrange us some thinke it strength of grace to endure nothing in the weaker wheras the strongest are readiest to beare with the infirmities of the weake Where most holinesse is there is most moderation where it may be without prejudice of pietie to God and the good of others wee see in Christ a marvellous temper of absolute holinesse with great moderation in this Text. What had become of our Salvation if he had stood upon termes and not stooped thus low unto us We need not affect to be more holy then Christ it is no flatterie to doe as he doth so it bee to edification The Holy Ghost is content to dwell in smoakie offensive soules Oh that that spirit would breath into our Spirits the like mercifull disposition We indure the bitternesse of Wormwood and other distastfull plants herbs onely because wee have some experience of some wholsome qualitie in thē and why should we reject men of usefull parts and graces onely for some harshnesse of disposition which as it is offensive to us so grieveth themselves Grace whilest wee live here is in soules which as they are unperfectly renewed so they dwell in bodies subject to severall humours which will incline the soule sometimes to excesse in one passion sometimes to excesse in another Bucer was a deepe and a moderate Divine Vpon long experience resolved to refuse none in whom hee saw aliquid Christi something of Christ. The best Christians in this state of imperfection are like Gold that is a little too light which needs some graines of allowance to make it passe You must grant the best their allowance We must supply out of our love mercy that which wee see wanting in them The Church of Christ is a common Hospitall in all are in some measure sicke of some spirituall disease or other that we should all have ground of exercising mutually the spirit of wisedome and meeknesse This that wee may the better doe let us put upon our selves the spirit of CHRIST The spirit of GOD caryeth a majestie with it Corruption will hardly yeeld to eorruption In another Pride is intolerable to pride The weapons of this warfare must not bee carnall The great Apostles would not set upon the worke of the Ministerie untill they were cloathed as it were with power from on high The Spirit will only work with his owne tooles And we should think what affection Christ would cary to the party in this case That great Physitian as he had a quicke eie and a healing tongue so had he a gentle hand and a tender heart And secondly put upon us the cōdition of him whom wee deale withall wee are or have beene or may bee such make the case our owne and withall consider in what neere relation a Christian standeth unto us even as a brother a fellow-member heire of the same salvation And therefore let us take upon our selves a tender care of them every way and especially in cherishing the peace of their consciences Conscience is a tender and delicate thing and so must be used It is like a Locke if the Wards bee troubled it will be troublesome to open For tryall to let vs see whether wee be this smoking Flax which Christ will not quench In this Tryall remember these Rules 1 Wee must have two eyes one to see imperfections in our selves and others the other to see what is good I am blacke saith the Church but yet comely Those ever want comfort that are much in quarrelling with themselves and through their infirmities are prone to feede upon such bitter things as will most nourish that distemper they are sicke of These delight to be looking on the dark side of the cloud onely 2. We must not judge of our selves
doe yet let us doe it since wee have to deal with so good a Lord and the more strife we meet withall the more acceptance Christ loveth to tast of the good fruits that come from us although they will alwaies rellish of the old stock A Christian complaineth hee cannot pray Oâ—… am troubled with so many distracting thoughts and never more than now But hath he put into thine heart a desire to pray he will heare the desires of his owne Spirit in thee Rom. 8. 26. Wee know not what to pray as we ought nor doe any thing else as wee ought but the Spirit helpeth our infirmities with unexpressible sighes and grones which are not hid from GOD. My groanings are not hid from thee GOD can picke sense out of a confused prayer These desires cry louder in his eares than thy sinnes Sometimes a Christian hath such confused thoughts hee can say nothing but as a childe cryeth O Father not able to shew what it needs as Moses at the Red sea These stirrings of spirit touch the bowels of GOD and melt him into compassion towards us when they come from the spirit of adoption and from a striving to be better Oh but is it possible thinketh the misgiving heart that so holy a GOD shold accept such a praier Yes hee will accept that which is his owne and pardon that which is ours Ionas prayed in the Whales belly being burdened with the guilt of sin yet GOD heareth him Let not therefore infirmities discourage us Saint Iames taketh away this objection Cap. 5. 17. Some might object If I were as holy as Elias then my prayers might be regarded But saith he Elias was a man of like passions to us he had his passions as well as we For doe we think that GOD heard him because he was without fault No surely But looke we to the promises Psal. 50. 15. Call upon me in the day of trouble and I will heare thee Matt. 7. 7. Aske and ye shall receive and such like GOD accepteth our prayers though weake first because wee are his owne children they come from his owne Spirit Secondly because they are according to his owne will Thirdly because they are offered in Christs mediation and hee takes them and mingleth them with his own odours There is never a holy sigh never a teare we shed lost And as every Grace increaseth by exercise of it selfe so doth the grace of prayer by prayer wee learne to pray So likewise wee should take heed of a spirit of discouragement in all other holy duties since we have so gracious a Saviour Pray as wee are able heare as we are able strive as we are able doâ—… as we are able according to the measure of Gracâ—… received GOD iâ—… CHRIST will cast a gracious eye upon that which is his owne Would S. Paul doe nothing because he could not doe the good hee would Yes hee pressed to the marke Let us not bee cruell to our selves when CHRIST is thus gracious There is a certain meeknesse of spirit whereby we yeeld thankes to God for any ability at all and rest quiet with the measure of Grace received seeing it is GODS good pleasure it should bee so who giveth the will and the deed yet so as we rest not from further endeavours But when upon faithfull endeavor we come short of that we would be and short of that others are then know for our comfort CHRIST will noâ—… quench the smoaking flax and that sincerity truth as before was said with endeavour of growth is our perfection It is comfortable what GOD saith 1 King 14. 13. He only shall goe to his grave in peace because there is some goodnesse though but some goodnesse Lord I beleeve with a weake faith yet with â—…aith love thee with a faint love yet with love endeavor in a feeble manner yet indeavour a little fire is fire though it smoaketh Since thou hast taken mee into thy Covenant to be thine of an enemie wilt thou cast me off for these infirmities which as they displease thee so are they the griefe of my owne heart FroÌ„ what hath bin spokeÌ„ with some little additioÌ„ it wil not be difficult to resolve that case which some require helpe in namely whether we ought to performe duties our hearts being altogether indisposed For satisfaction we must know I our hearts of themselves doe linger after liberty are hardly brought under the yoake of duty the more spirituall the duty is the more is their unto wardnes CorruptioÌ„ getteth ground for the most part in every neglect it is as in rowing against the tyde one stroke neglected will not be gained in three and therefore it is good to keepe our hearts close to duty and not to he a rken unto the excuses they are ready to frame In the setting upoÌ„ dutie God strengthneth his owne partie that hee hath in us wee finde a warmenesse of heart and increase of strength the Spirit going along with us and raising us up by degrees untill it leaveth us as it were in heaven God often delighteth to take the aduantage of our indisposition that hee may manifest his worke the more clearely and all the glory of the worke may be his whose all the strength is Obedience is most direct when there is nothing else to sweeten the action although the sacrifice bee imperfect yet the obedience with which it is offred hath acceptance 4. That which is wonne as a spoile from our corruptions will have such a degree of comfort afterwards as for the present it hath of comber Feeling and freenesse of spirit is oft reserued untill duty be discharged reward followeth worke In and after dutie wee finde that experience of Gods presence which without obedience wee may long wait for and yet go without This hindreth not the Spirits freedome in blowing upon our soules when it listeth For wee speake onely of such a state of soule as is becalmed and must row as it were against the streame As in sailing the hand must bee to the sterne and the eye to the starre so here put forth that little strength we have to dutie looke up for assistance Yet in these duties that require as well the body as the soule there may bee a cessation till streÌ„gth be repaired whetting doth not lett but fit 〈◊〉 In sudden passions there should be a time to compose and calme the soule and to put the strings in tune The Prophet would haue a Minstrell to bring his soule into frame So likewise we are subject to discouragements in sufferings by reason of impatiency in us Alas I shal never get through such a crosse But if God bring us into the crosse hee will be with us in the crosse and at length bring us out more refined Wee shall lose nothing but drosse as in Zach. 13. 9. Of our own strength wee cannot beare the least trouble and by the Spirits assistance
judgement unto victorie By judgement here is meant the Kingdome of Grace in us that Government whereby CHRIST sets up a Throne in our hearts Governors among the Iewes were first called Iudges then Kings whence this inward rule is called Iudgement as likewise because it agrees unto the judgement of the word which the Psalmi◅ft calleth judgement because it agreeth to Gods judgement Men may read their doome in GODS word what it judgeth of them GOD judgeth of them By this judgement set up in us good is discerned allowed and performed sinne is judged condemned and e◅ecuted O◅ spirit being under the Spirit of CHRIST is governed by him and so far as it is governed by Christ it governes us graciously CHRIST and wee are of one judgement and of one will he hath his will in us and his judgmēts are so invested into us as that they are turned into our judgement we carrying his Law in our hearts written by his Spirit and the law in the inner man and the law written answer as counter pa◅es each other The meaning then is that the gracious frame of holines set up in our hearts by the Spirit of CHRIST shall goe forward untill all contrary power ◅ee brought under The spirit of judgement will be a spirit of burning to consume whatsoever opposed corruption like rust eats into the soule If GODS builders fall into errors and build stubble upon a good foundation GODS Spirit as a spirituall fire will reveale this in time and wast it they shall by a spirit of judgement condemne their owne errours and courses The whole worke of grace in us is set out under the name of judgement and somtimes wisedome because judgement is the chiefe and leading part in grace whereupon that gracious worke of repentance is called a change of the minde and an after wisedome As on the other side in the learned languages the words that expresse wisdome implie likewise the generall relish and savour of the whole soule and rather more the judgement of taste then of ◅ight or any other sense because Taste is the most necessary sense and requireth the neerest application of the obiect of all other senses So in spirituall life it is most necessary that the spirit should alter the taste of the soule so as that it might savour the things of the spirit so deepely that all other things shold be out of rellish And as it is true of every particular Christian that CHRISTS judgement in him shall be victorious so likewise of the whole body of Christians the Church The government of CHRIST and his truth whereby hee ruleth as by a Scepter shall at length bee victorious in spight of Satan Antichrist and all Enemies CHRIST ryding on his white horse hath a Bow and goeth forth conquering in the ministery that hee may overcome either to conversion or to confusion But yet I take Iudgement for CHRISTS Kingdome and governement within us principallie 1 Because GOD especially requireth the subjection of the soule and conscience as his proper Throne 2 Because if judgment should prevaile in all others about us and not in our owne hearts it would not yeeld comfort to us hereupon it is the first thing that wee desire when we pray Thy Kingdome come that CHRIST would come and rule in our hearts The Kingdome of CHRIST in his ordinances serve but to bring CHRIST home into his owne place our hearts The words being thus explained that judgement here includeth the governmēt of both mind will and affections there are divers conclusions that naturally doe spring from them First that CHRISTS government in his Church and in his children is a wise and well ordered government because it is called Iudgement and Iudgment is the life and soule of wisedome Of this Conclusion there are two branches 1 that the spirituall government of CHRIST in us is joyned with judgement and wisedome 2 Wheresoever true ◅spirituall wisedome and judgment is there likewise the Spirit of CHRIST bringeth in his gracious government For the first a well guided life by the rules of CHRIST standeth with the strongest and highest reason of all and therfore holy men are called the children of wisedome and are able to justifie both by reason and experience all the wayes of wisedome Opposite courses are solly and madnesse Hereupon Saint Paul saith that a spiritual man judgeth all things that appertaine to him i◅ judged of none that are of an inferiour ranke because they want spirituall light and sight to judge yet this sort of men will bee judging and speaking ill of what they know not they steppe from ignorance to prejudice and rash censure without taking right judgement in their way and therefore their judgement comes to nothing But the judgement of a spirituall man so far forth as he is spirituall shal stād because it is agreeable to the nature of things as things are in themselves so they are in his judgement As GOD is in himselfe infinite in goodnesse and majesty c. so he is to him he ascribes to GOD in his heart his divinity and all his excellencies As CHRIST is in himselfe the onely mediatour and All in All in the Church so he is to him by making CHRIST so in his heart As all things are dung in comparison of CHRIST so they are to Paul a sanctified man As the very worst thing in religion the reproch of Christ is better then the pleasure of sin for a season so it is to Moses a man of a right esteeme A◅ one day in the Courts of God is better then a thousand elsewhere so it is to David a man of a reformed judgement There is a conformity of a good mans judgment to things as they are in themselves and according to the difference or agreement put by GOD in things so doth his judgment differ or agree Truth is truth and error error and that which is unlawfull is unlawfull whether men thinke so or no. GOD hath put an eternall difference betwixt light and darknesse good and ill which no creatures conceipt can alter and therefore no mans judgement is the measure of things further then it agrees to truth stamped upon things themselves by GOD. Hereupon because a wise mans judgement agrees to the truth of things a wise man may in some sense bee said to bee the measure of things and the judgement of one holy wise man to bee preferred before a thousand others Such men usually are immoveable as the Sun in its course because they thinke and speake and live by rule A Iosuah and his house will serve God whatsoever others doe and will run a course contrary to the world because their judgements leads them a contrary way Hence it is that Sathan hath a spite at the eye of the soule the judgement to put out that by ignorance and false reason for he cannot rule in any untill either hee hath taken away or perverted judgement he is
beene in vaine the tree falleth upon the last stroke yet all the former strokes help it forward Sometimes victory is suspended because some Achan is not found out or because wee are not humble enough as Israel had the worst against the Benjamites till they fasted and prayed or because wee betray our helps stand not upon our guard and yeeld not presently to the motions of the Spirit which mindeth us alwayes of the best things if wee would regard it Our owne consciences will tell us if wee give them leave to speake that some sinfull favouring of our selves is the cause The way in this case to prevaile is I to get the victory over the pride of our owne nature by taking shame to our selves in humble confession 〈◊〉 GOD and then â—…23 to overcome the unbeliefe of our hearts by yeelding to the promise of pardon and then 3 in confidence of CHRISTS assistance to set our selves against those sins which have prevailed over us and then prevailing over our selves we shall easily prevhile over all other enemies and conquer all conditions we shall be brought into If Christ will have the victory then it is the best way for Nations States to kisse the Sonne and to imbrace Christ his religioÌ„ to side with Christ and to own his cause in the world his side wil prove the stroÌ„gest side at last happy are we if Christ honour us so much as to use our helpe to fight his battell against the mighty True religion in a State is as the maine piller of a house staffe of a teÌ„t that upholds all 2 so for families let CHRIST be the chiefe Governor of the family 3 let cuery one be as a house for CHRIST to dwell familiarly in and to rule where CHRIST is all happinesse must follow If Christ goeth all will goe where Christs governmeÌ„t in his ordinances and his spirit is there all subordinate government wil prosper ReligioÌ„ inspireth life grace into al other things all other vertues without it are but as a faire picture without a head Where Christs lawes are writteÌ„ in the heart there all other good lawes are best obeyed none despise maÌ„s law but those that despise Christs first Of all persons a man guided by Christ is the best and of all creatures in the world a man guided by will affection next the devil is the worst The happiness of weaker things stands in being ruled by stronger it is best for a blind man to bee guided by him that hath sight it it best for sheepe and such like shiftlesse creatures to bee guided by maÌ„ it is happiest for man to be guided by CHRIST because his government is so victorious that it frees us from the feare and danger of our greatest enemies and tends to bring us to the greatest happinesse that our nature is capable of This should make us to joy when CHRIST reigneth in us When Salomon was crowned the people shouted so that the earth rang much more should we rejoyce in CHRIST our King And likewise for those whose soules are deere unto us that Christ may raigne in them also that they may bee baptized by CHRIST with this fire that these sparkes may be kindled in them Men labour to cherish the spirit and metall as they terme it of those they traine up because they thinke they wil have use of it in the manifold affaires and troubles of this life Oh but let us cherish the sparkes of Grace in them sor a naturall spirit in great troubles will faile but these sparkes will make them conquerors over the greatest evills If CHRISTS judgement sall bee victorious then Popery being an opposite frame set up by the wit of manâ—… maintaine stately â—…enesse must fall And it is falne already in the hearts of those upon whom CHRIST hath shined It is a lye and founded upon a lye upon the infallible judgement of a man subject to sin and error When that whiâ—…h is taken for a principle of truth becomes a principle of error the more relying upon it the more danger It is not only said judgment shall bee victorious but that CHRIST will bring it openly forth to victorie Whence we observe that Grace shall bee glory and runne into the eyes of all Now CHRIST doth conquer and hath his owne ends but it is in some sort invisibly his enemies within and without us seeme to have the better But he will bring forth judgement into victory to the view of all The wicked that now shut their eyes shall see it to their torment It shall not be in the power of subtile men to see or not see what they would CHRIST will have power over their hearts and as his wrath shall immediately seize upon their soules against their wills so will he have power over the eyes of their soules to see and know what will increase their misery Griefe shall be fastned to all their senses and their senses to griefe Then all the false glosses which they put upon things shall bee wiped away Men are desirous to have the reputation of good and yet the sweetnesse of ill nothing so cordially opposed by them as that truth which layeth them open to themselves and to the eyes of others their chiefe care being how to daube with the world and their owne consciences But the time will come when they shall be driven out of this fooles paradise and the more subtile their conveyance of things hath beene the more shall be their shame CHRIST whom GOD hath chosen to set forth the chiefe glory of his excellencies is now veyled in regard of his body the Church but will come ere long to bee glorious in his Saints and not lose the cleere manifestation of any ofhis attributes and will declare to all the world what he is When there shall be no glory but that of CHRIST and his Spouse Those that are as smoaking flaxe now shall then shine as the Sun in the firmament and their righteousnesse breake forth as the noone day Thâ—… Image of GOD in Adam had a commanding majestie in it so that all creatures râ—…vereneed him much moâ—…e shall the Image of GOD in the perfection of it command respectin all Even now there is a 〈◊〉 awe put into the hoasts of the greatest towards those in whoÌ„ they see any grace to shine from whence it was that Herod â—…eared â—…ohn Baptist but what will this bee in their day of bringing forth which is called the day of the revelation of the sonâ—…es of God There will bee more glorious times when the Kingdomes of the earth shall be the Lord Iesus Christs and hee shall raigne for ever then shall judgment and truth have its victory Then CHRIST will plead his owne cause truth shall no longer bee called heresie and schisme nor heresie catholike doctrine wickednesse shall no longer goe masqued and disguised goodnesse shall appeare in its owne lustre and shine in its
prevaile against CHRIST or those that relye upon his power therefore his study is how to keepe us in our selves and in the creature but we must cary alwayes in our minds that that which is begun in self-confidence will end in shame The manner of Christs bringing forth judgement to victory is by letting us see a necessity of dependance upon him hence proceed those spirituall desertions wherein he often leaveth us to our selves both in regard of grace and comfort that we may know the Spring-head of these to be out of our selves Hence it is that in the Mount that is in extremities God is most seen Hence it is that we are saved by the grace of faith that carieth us out of our selves to relye upon another and that faith worketh best alone when it hath least outward support Hence it is that wee often faile in lesser conflicts and stand out in greater because in lesse we rest more in our selves in greater wee fly to the rock of our salvation which is higher then we Hence likewise it is that wee are stronger after foyles because hidden corruption undiscerned before is now discovered and thence wee are brought to make use of mercy pardoning and power supporting One maine ground of this dispensation is that wee should know it is Christ that giveth both the will and the deed and that as a voluntary worker according to his owne good pleasure And therefore we should workout our salvation in a jealous feare and trembling lost by unreverent and presumptuous walking wee give him cause to suspend his gracious influence and to leave us to the darknesse of our owne heart Those that are under CHRISTS governmēt have the spirit of Revelation whereby they see and feel a divine power sweetly strongly inabling thē for to preserve faith when they feele the contrary hope in a state hopelesse and love to GOD under signes of his displeasure and heavenly mindedness in the midst of worldly affaires alluremets drawing a contrary way they feel a power preserving patience nay joy in the midst of causes of mourning inward peace in the midst of assaults To make so little grace so victorious over so great a masse of corruption this requireth a spirit more then humane this is as to preserve fire in the sea and a part of heaven even as it were in hell Here wee know where to have this power and to whom to returne the praise of it And it is our happinesse that it is so safely hid in CHRIST for us in one so neere unto GOD and us Since the fall GOD will not trust us with our owne salvation but it is both purchased and kept by CHRIST for us we for it through faith wrought by the power of GOD and laying hold of the same which power is gloriously set forth by Saint Paul I to be a great power 2 an exceeding power 3 a working and a mighty power 4 such a power as was wrought in raising Christ from the dead That grace which is but a perswasive offer and in our pleasure to receive or refuse is not that grace which brings us to heaven but Gods people feel a powerfull work of the Spirit not onely revealing unto us our misery and deliverance through Christ but emptying us of our selves as being redeemed from our selves and infusing new life into us and after strengthning us and quickning of us when we droop and hang the wing and never leaving us till perfect conquest The fift conclusion is that this prevailing Government shall not bee without fighting there can be no victory where there is no combate in Esay it is said hee shall bring judgment in truth here it is said he shall send forth judgment into victory The word send forth hath a stronger sense in the originall to send forth with force to shew that where his government is in truth it will be opposed untill he getteth the upper hand Nothing is so opposed as CHRIST and his government both with in us and without us And within us most in our first conversion though corruptiō prevailes not so farre as to make voyd the powerfull worke of grace yet there is not onely a possibility of opposing but a proannesse to oppose and not onely a proanness but an actuall withstanding the working of CHRISTS Spirit and that in every action but yet no prevailing resistance so far as to make void the worke of grace but corruption in the issue yeelds to grace There is much adoc to bring CHRIST into the heart and to settle a Tribunall for him to judge there there is an army of lusts mutiny against him The utmost strength of most mens indeavours and parts is to keepe CHRIST from ruling in the soule the flesh still laboureth to maintaine its owne regency and therefore it cryes downe the credit of whatsoever crosseth it as Gods blessed ordinances c. and highly prizeth any thing though never so dead and empty if it give way to the liberty of the flesh And no marvaile if the spirituall government of CHRIST be so opposed 1 because it is governmēt that limits the course of the will and casteth a bridle upon its wanderings every thing naturally resists what opposeth it so corrupt will labours to beare downe all Lawes and counteth it a generous thing not to be awed and an argument of a low spirit to feare any even GOD himselfe untill unavoydable danger seizeth on men and then those that feared least out of danger feare most in danger as we see in Balthazar 2 It is spiritual government and therefore the lesse will flesh indure it Christs government bringeth the very thoughts desires which are the most immediate and free issue of the soule into obedience though a man were of so composed a cariage that his whole life were free from outward offensive breaches yet with Christ to bee carnally or worldly mindeded is death he looketh on a worldly mind with greater detestation then any one particular offence But Christs Spirit is in those who are in some degree earthly minded True it is but not as an allower and maintainer but as an opposer subduer and in the end as a Conquerour Carnall men would faine bring Christ and the flesh together and could bee content with some reservation to submit to Christ but Christ will be no underling to any base affection and therfore where there is allowance of our selves in any sinsull lust it is a signe the Keyes were never given up to Christ to rule us 3 Because it is judgement and men love not to be judged and censured Now Christ in his truth arraigneth them giveth sentence against them and bindeth them over to the latter judgement of the great day And therefore they take upon them to judge that truth that must judge them but truth will bee too good for them Man hath a day now which Saint Paul calls mans day
wherein hee getteth upon his bench and usurpeth a judgement over Christ and his wayes but GOD hath a day wherein he will set all straight and his judgement shall stand And the Saints shall have their time when they shall sit in judgment upon them that judge them now In the meane time CHRIST will rule in the middest of his enemies in the midst of our hearts It is therefore no signe of a good condition to ◅nde all quiet and nothing at oddes For can we think that corruption which is the elder in us and sathan the strong man that keepeth many holds in us will yeeld possession quietly No there is not so much as a thought of goodnesse discovered by him but he joyneth with corruption to kill it in the birth And as Pharaohs cruelty was especially against the male children so Sathans malice is especially against the most religious and manly resolutions This then wee are alwayes to expect that wheresoever Christ commeth there will be opposition when Christ was borne all Ierusalem was troubled so when Christ is borne in any man the soule is in an uproare and all because the heart is unwilling to yeeld up it selfe to Christ to rule it Wheresoever Christ commeth he breedeth division not only I between man and himselfe but 2 betweene man and man and 3 betweene Church and Church Of which disturbance Christ is no more the cause they Physicke is of trouble in a distempered body of which noysome humors are the proper cause for the end of Physicke is the peace of humors But Christ thinketh it fit that the thoughts of mens hearts should bee discovered and hee is as well for the falling as the rising of many in Israel Thus the desperate madnesse of men is layd open that they had rather bee under the guidance of their owne lusts and by consequent of Satan himselfe to their endlesse destruction then put their feet into Christs setters and their neckes under his yoake whereas indeed Christs service is the only true libertie his yoake an easie yoake his burden but as the burden of wings to a bird that maketh her flie the higher Sathans government is rather a bondage then a government unto which Christ giveth up those that shake off his owne for then hee giveth Sathan and his factors power over them since they will not receive the truth in love take him Iesuite take him Sathan blind him and binde him lead him to perdition Those that take the most liberty to sinne are the most perfect slaves because most voluntarie slaves the will in everie thing is either the best or the worst the further men goe on in a wilfull course the deeper they sincke in rebellion and the more they crosse CHRIST doing what they will the more they shall one day suffer what they would not In the meane time they are prisoners in their owne soules bound over in their consciences to the judgement of him after death whose judgement they would none of in their lives And is it not equall that they should feele him a severe Iudge to condemne them whom they would not have a milde Iudge to rule them For Conclusion and generall application of all that hath beene spoken unto our selves We see the conflicting but yet sure and hopefull state of Gods people The victory lyeth not upon us but upon CHRIST who hath taken upon him as to conquer for us so to conquer in us The victory lyeth neither in our own strēgth to get nor in our enemies to defeat it If it lay upon us wee might justly feare But CHRIST will maintaine his owne government in us and take our part against our corruptions they are his Enemies as well as ours Let us therefore bee strong in the Lord and in the power of his might Let us not looke so much who are our enemies as who is our Iudge and Captaine not what they threaten but what he promiseth wee have more for us then against us What coward would not fight when he is sure of victory none are here overcome but he that will not sight Therefore when any base fainting seizeth upon us let us lay the blame where it is to bee layd Wee see here what wee may looke for from heaven O beloved it is a comfortable thing to conceive of CHRIST aright to know what love mercy strength we have layed up for us in the brest of CHRIST A good conceit of the Physitian we say is halfe the cure Let us not suffer Sathan to transforme Christ unto us to bee otherwise then he is to those that are his Let us make use of this his mercy and power everie day in our daily combats CHRIST will not leave us till he hath made us like himselfe all glorious within and without and presented us blamelesse before his Father What a comfort is this in our conflicts with our unruly hearts that it shall not alwaies be thus let us strive a little while and we shall bee happy for ever Let us thinke when wee are troubled with our sinnes that CHRIST hath this in charge of his Father That he shall not quench the smoaking slaxe untill hee hath subdued all This putteth a sheild into our hands to beat backe all the fiery darts of Sathan he will object thou art a great sinner we may answer CHRIST is a strong Saviour but he will object thou hast no faith no love Yes a sparke of faith and love but CHRIST will not regard that Yes he will not quench the smoaking flaxe But this is so little and weake that it will vanish and come to nought Nay but CHRIST will cherish it untill hee hath brought judgment to victory And thus much for our comfort we have already that even when we first beleeved we overcame God himself as it were by beleeving the pardon of all our sinnes notwithstanding the guilt of our owne consciences and his absolute justice Now having beene prevailers with GOD what shall stand against us if we can learne to make use of our faith O what a confusion is this to Sathan that hee should labour to blow out a poore sparke and yet should not bee able to quench it that a graine of Mustard seed should bee stronger then the gates of Hell that it should be able to remove mountaines of oppositions and temptations cast up by Sathan and our rebellious hearts between GOD and us Abimelech could not indure that it should bee said a Woman had slaine him and it must needs be a Torment to Sathan that a weake childe a woman and decrepit old man should by a spirit of faith put him to flight Since there is such comfort where there is a little truth of grace that it will be so victorious Let us oft try what GOD hath wrought in us search our good as well as our ill and be thankfull to GOD for the least measure of grace more then for any outward