a good sign thou art a child of good because thou hatest the Image of the Devil XXV Dost thou prefere Gods work before thy own imployment before thy own advantage if thou dost 't is a good sign thou art a child of God this Spirit was found in Nehemiah when Samballat and Geshem sent to him he sent them word back again That he was doing a great work and he could not come down Nehem. 6. 3. Why should the work cease whilst I leave it and come down to you Oh how many thousand of professors in our age doth this one Text condemn how many professor's in our days will not onely leave Gods work when they are sent for but will leave the work of God without being sent for Men are so far from giving Nehemiah's reply that they plead for leaving Gods work to follow their own and the devil hath not forget his old trade of transforming himself into an Angel of light he can tell them 't is lawful to provide for their Family they are worse then Infidels that do not but this Nehemiah might have as many excuses as thee who ever thou art and yet Nehemiah would not leave the Lords work no he preferred the Lords work and esteemed it a great work this Christ would have all his children do Matth. 6. 33. Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness I and that 's the work that should be done in the first place before all other things try how 't is with thee if it be thus 't is a good sign thou art a child of God XXVI Hast thou in any measure overcome the World and dost thou seek the things above I put these together for they are of the same import 't is a sign thou art quickned with Christ if thou seek the things that are above and gett'st the world under thy feet this made Moses contemn the Treasures in Aegypt alas he valued it not Heb. 11. 26. so John 1. 5. 4. He that is born of God overcometh the World and as they have overcome the World so they seek the things of another Paul would have the Corinthians live in the world like Men and Women of another World 1 Cor. 7. 29. It remains that they that have Wives be as they that have none no why should they run away from them no that 's not the meaning but they should sit loose from them if God call for them be as willing to part from them in his fear without repining at Gods hand as if they had none at all And they that weep as though they wept not and they that rejoyce as though they rejoyced not and they that buy as though they possessed not and they that use this World as not abusing it Note well the Apostle doth not say you shall have no Wives nor you shall not weep nor receive nor buy nor use this World no but take heed how you have and do things in the World as if the Apostle should say I would not have your hearts set on these things We should use the World to carry us to our Fathers House but we must take heed you rest not here Arise arise Man this world is not thy rest Get wings man and fly up live like men of another world in this world such a life as this did Paul live when he said Our conversation is in Heaven Phil. 3. 20. Why Paul are not you among the Saints on earth among men on earth yes but converse in Heaven I trade about Heavenly things my thoughts Heavenly my affections Heavenly my conversation Heavenly my words they are Heavenly too they are such as are a Paradox to the Men of this world the men of the world speak of the world the world hear them but said the Apostle We are of God and they that know God hear us and they that are not of God heareth not us no poor Creatures they know not what we say 1 John 4. 5. if you speak of God the world know not what you say these are out of their reach therefore Christ said to the poor blind Jews You do not understand my speech why because you cannot hear my Word in John 8. 43. 'T was a mistery that he speak to them therefore Paul saith 3 Cor. 2. 14. The natural man receiveth not the things of God because they are Spiritually discerned Talk to him of Meat and Drink and Sleep and ease and the pleasures and sports of this life and this he heareth and knoweth this is sensual not spiritual Jude 19. This his sence understandeth talk to him of a Kingdom that consisteth of Meat and Drink this he is willing shall be his Heaven but alas poor carnal man thou art mistaken The Kingdom of God consisteth not in Meats and Drink Rom. 14. 17. But now soul hast thou overcome these sower things and is thy heart set on Heaven hast thou thy heart soaring aloft I am afraid the most professors of this age are great strangers to this and many other things that are the life of Christianity what ever specious pretences they may make yet their very practices speak it out to loud but if thou art one whose life is in Heaven then thou art one of wisdoms children For the way of life is above to the wise Prov. 15. 22. XXVII Art thou a new creature then 't is a sign thou art in Christ Are all old things done away the old Companions the old lusts the old love of the folly of this world is turned into the love of Heavenly things 2 Cor. 5. 17. It may be thou canst not shed tears so plentifully why man repentance doth not so much consist in that but is thy nature changed and dost thou abhor thy self as Job 42. 6. Dost thou find in thee a hatred to thee way of wickedness that thou wast wont to love and a love to the things of God that of old thou wast wont to hate dost thou loath sin and loath thy self for sin 't is a good sign thou art in Christ it may be formerly thou wouldst not have this man to reign over thee but now give me Christ or else I dye formerly thou wer 't alive and active in sin But now thou art dead to sin and alive to God Rom. 6. 11. Now you do not alow your selves willingly in any known sin Oh soul 't is well with thee thou art pure in heart though not perfect yet in part XXVIII Hast thou a spirit of prayer and supplication poured out upon thee when Paul was converted to Christ whom before he persecuted Ananias was bid to go and enquire for Saul of Tarsus for behold he prayeth why did he never pray before possible he might utter words before but he had not the Spirit of Prayer before there be many from the invention of memory or in a form seem to pray excellently that yet do not pray in the Holy Ghost Acts 9. 11. And you know Jude speaks of praying in the
us look back on the patience of Christ it may be it may raise our hearts a little he is not like furious man that will be gone if they will not hear at the first or second knock he will in a spleen be gone but Christ waits tell his head is wet with the Dew c. methinks this should make us willing to wait on him it may be he doth not presently answer all our requests It may be with Paul thou and I have some thorn in the Flesh that we have sought God for the taking of it away and we begin to be impatient and to say we have waited and prayed and looked long and yet 't is not taken away we looked for peace and behold no good we looked for healing and behold trouble and we begin to fret and say as Jehoram King of Israel did when trouble began to arise and the Famine increase 2 Kings 6. 33. Behold this evil is of the Lord what should we wait for the Lord any longer Ah poor soul whoever thou art I pitty thee that hast been at any time in this sad temper but stay thy self soul with this that Christ waited tell his head was wet with the Dew c. And to what end did he and doth he wait but to be gracious so he saith Is. 30 18 And therefore doth the Lord wait that he may be gracious unto you Note the force of that word therefore for that very end that he may be gracious Oh! how long hath he waited for you it may for some ten twenty thirty fourty years and yet he saith he will wait Therefore will the Lord wait not onely hath but will wait Oh why then should not we wait then for him I but dost thou find after all this waiting that Jesus Christ is come in thou wilt say it may be I would have Christ for my Saviour First Hast thou received him for thy Priest the Priest's under the Law were changed by reason of mortallity but this man because he continueth for ever hath an unchangeable Priest-hood but art thou able to say thou art willing to cast thy self on him to bear away thy iniquities I tell thee he is able to bear them there is help laid on one that is mighty and he is able to save to the utmost all that come to God by him Heb. 7. 25. And he is not one that cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities but was tempted as we are that he might the better succour them that are tempted and because of this Priest-hood We may come boldly to the Throne of Grace Heb. 4. 15. Heb. 2. 8. Alas we durst not have looked God in the Face had not Christ been our Priest and undertaken this but now we may come boldly and plead Christ with him Oh who shall condemn 't is Christ that dyed Rom. 8. 34. Yea when he let Angels go those noble Creatures yet he condescended to take on him the Seed of Abra'm he would be a Priest for poor lost man Heb. 2. 16. Yea he by this bare our iniquities into the Wilderness of forgetfulness Lev. 16. 21. And truly we had need of one to bear away not only the iniquity of our transgression but to bear the iniquities of our services he is the Antitipe of Aaron the Priest to bear away the iniquity of our Holy things Exod. 28. 38. When poor Believers are troubled with vain thoughts and their Spirits are wandring in Prayer or Hearing or Meditation or Reading These Worm eaten services the worms of evil thoughts will be creeping in and eating out the heart of our prayers yet Christ will bear away the iniquity of these Holy things yea when not only vain but wicked thoughts come in as in Prov. 5. 14. I was almost in all evil in the midst of the Congregation Yea thy very secret sins which made David cry out Cleanse me from my secret sins Psal 19. 12. Yet he is a Priest to bear away all sorts of sins The blood of Christ cleanseth from all sins Now Soul try thy self art thou willing to have Christ for thy Priest do not deceive thy self 't is not so easie to take Christ for thy Priest 't is no small matter to come of from thy self Secondly Hast thou received Christ for thy Prophet to teach thee All Gods Children shall be taught of the Lord Isa 54. 13. And a Prophet shall the Lord thy God raise up unto thee of thy brethren him shall ye hear in all things Acts 3. 22. And this was of old Prophesied by Jacob Gen. 49. 13. The Scepter shall not depart from Judah nor a Law-giver from between his feet until Shiloh come and to him shall the gathering of the people be this Shiloh was Christ and this gathering of the people to hear him begun to be fulfilled Luke 19. 48. For all the people were very attentive to hear him or as some margins have it they hanged on him Now art thou willing to hear him and to hang on his lip to be taught by him and none other and to hear no other Doctrine then what he Teaches dost thou indeed take him for thy Prophet and with the Apostle Gal. 1. 9. Dost account him accursed that brings any other news of Salvation This is a second way we should receive Christ But I proceed to the next Thirdly Dost thou receive Christ for thy King to Rule and give thee Laws as well as teach thee Isa 33. 22. The Lord is our Law-giver the Lord is our King not only King to save us but our Law-giver to rule us He is our King and he will save us we must not think to be Kings our selves Alas what can we do but he will save us save us from sins Matth. 1. 21. And he will save us from our enemies too the people of Israel did not save themselves by their own arm but by the Lords arm and by the Lords right hand Psal 44. 3. so in Hos 1. 7. I will have mercy on the House of Israel and will save them How by themselves by their own arm not so the Text tells you by the Lord their God and 't is Christ that is that horn of Salvation in Luke 1. 69 71. That will save us from our enemies and from the hand of them that hate us and it is he in Isa 63. 1. That is Mighty to save and as he will rule in the Salvation of his people so he will rule secondly in the destruction of his enemies Jam. 4. 12. As he is able to save so likewise to destroy He shall Rule his enemies with a Rod of Iron Psal 2. 9. Psal 110. 2. God will send the Rod of his strength out of Zion and he shall rule in the midst of his enemies and Vers 6. He shall wound the heads of many Countries Though the proud ones of the World say this man shall not Reign over us yet he will bring them into subjection whether they will or no have but
indeed and in truth and is not here comfort oh soul to have all the promises to be thine thou hast a right to them all 3. All things shall work together for good unto thee Rom. 8. 28. All things this is strange language will some say marry it may be will every man say will work for good but affliction will come some times and will that work for good yes David could say It was good for me that I was afflicked Psalm 119. 71. I and God will bring the evil designs of wicked men to work for the good of his Saints I might have gathered this up into particulars but spare me that but to return God will work good out of the evil will of other men to the Saints Gen. 50. 20. Saith Joseph to his brethren that sold him but as for you malicious you envious you you thought evil against me but God meant it unto good God can bring good out of evil to his Saints nay let me say more God can bring good out of the sins of his Saints I speak not this to encourage thee to sin 't is a sign thou art a child of the Devil and not of God if thou sin that grace may abouned But God makes the sins of his people serve to humble his people Oh saith the Church in Miâ— 7. 9. I will hear the Indignation of the Lord because I have sinned against him Oh it makes a soul silent from complaining yea it humbles him and so it works for good to the Saint now soul is not this a comfort when all things shall work together for good to thee 4. Thou art honourable in the sight of God Isa 43. 4. Since thou wast precious in my sight Precious by vertue of my Sons precious Blood and Covenant applyed by a precious Faith Since thou wast precious in my sight thou hast been honourable A man in the sight of Men may be honoured I but he that is Christ's is honourable and precious Yea his very Blood shall be precious in Gods sight Psal 72. 14. And is this no priviledge oh foul and doth it not comfort thee but I hasten to the next and as fast as I may towards a close of this 5. The things of this life are blessed to thee therefore David saith Psal 37. 16. A little that a righteous man hath is better then the riches of many wicked The little the righteous man hath is as gold but what the wicked man hath is like dross what compare is there between gold and dross a little gold is much better then a great Mountain of Dross and Dung alas a wicked man when he is fullest is inneed he hath some little crevice that want's filling so Job faith Job 20. 22. In the fulness of his sufficiency he shall be in strait's not only in his sufficiency but in the fulness of his sufficiency if a wicked man hath much substance yet there is a canker eat 's at the root and therefore as one observes a shilling will go as far with some as five will with some other but the righteous is blessed in this that his store is increased in the spending the little that the righteous man hath is like the handful of Meal in the Barrel and the Oyl in the Cruse that did increase in the pouring forth 1 Kings 17. 12. Oh Sirs there is many a man that hath an estate and never enjoys it he knows not which way it goes but the little â—he Godly man hath increaseth and doth him good when he eat 's and drinks in the strength of his meat and drink like Eliah goes for many days and is not this a mercy but may some say you say that we have is blessed to us but we have but a very small pittance of these things below we are fed 't is true we cannot deny but 't is as we say but from hand to mouth to that let me add 6. The day is hastning that the righteous shall inherit the Earth Much Scripture looks this way I 'le onely hint a few Mark 10. 30. Though a man loose all for Christ sake yet he shall receive an hundred fold I but when mark the next words Now in this time note that this time is meant the time of this life Matth. 5. 5. The meek shall Inherit the Earth and if my Memory fail not no less then six times is the fame thing hinted nay spoken plain in the 37. Psal how this shall be and when I shall not now stand to dispute but they shall enjoy peace in it and none shall vex and trouble them I 'le give you one Text not to trouble you with more I se 32. 17 18. The effect of nighteousne's shall be quietness and mark it this is meant of a time the Saints shall have here and if you observe it it is the time of Christ's Kingdom Verse 18. And my People shall dwell in a peaceable Habitation and in sure dwellings I but â—â—ough your dwellings may be sure yet you 〈…〉 y be disturbed no the next words saith in quiet resting places ah soul is not this comfort that thou shalt live in peace but I forbear any further proceeding on these things least they should not be born among the Godly themselves 't would be sad Sirs if any of you should fall short of this for want of faith in it but another priviledge is this 7. All your prayers shall be heard the wicked may pray as long as they live yea tell their hearts ake yet God will not hear them Esek 20. 31. As I live saith the Lord I will not be enquired of by you you what you Verse 30. Them that have been polluted after the manner of your Fathers Hear this you that plead for the Whoredom of your Fathers which whoredom is meant Spiritual whoredom oh how many are there that go on in Idolatrous and in Ceremonious ways and can give no reason for so doing but because their Fore-fathers did so hearken what God saith to you that say thus did our Fathers and shall we be wiser then our Fathers God will not be enquired of by you or hear you when you pray to him for 't is all one but now Godly Mens prayers are heard I 'le give thee Scripture for on my word I desire to urge nothing on thee and if the Word speak it tremble man to doubt it or to contradict it Jer. 29. 12. 13. Then shall ye call upon me and pray to me and I will hearken unto you and ye shall seek me and find me when you search for me with all your heart Note that ye and you what you why you that are my people that are in Captivity Verse 14. Poor soul are you in Captivity and in Bondage and in a weary Land do Task-masters impose burdens upon you doth the scorching heat of affliction come upon you why the man Christ will be as the shadow of a great Rock in a weary Land Isa 32. 2. Nay doth
the wrath of God begin to break out upon the world yet yet seek the Lord all ye meek of the Earth Why what if we do it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the Lords anger Zeph. 2. 3. Is the Lords anger breaking in upon the Nation doth he begin to frown upon us with plagues why yet seek the Lord do others dye and go down to the grave apace why seek the Lord and ye shall live Amos 5. 6. Wouldst thou have more comfort then this if thou wilt but seek him his ears are open to thy cry His ears are open to their prayers 1 Pet. 3. 12. And are thy prayers heard and will not this comfort thee a while Stay but a little and he will give thee the desire of thy heart Psal 37. 4. What 's that why that leads me by the hand to the top of all thy comfort which is the last 8. A Crown of Glory and to be for ever with the Lord art thou loaded with trouble and suffering here thou shalt have a Crown of glory shall outweigh all thy suffering for the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with that glory Rom. 8. 18. And our light affliction which is but for a moment worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of Glory Oh the Dimenssons of this glory 't is glory and 't is a weight of glory and 't is an exceeding weight of glory nay 't is a weight of glory that will last as long as eternity For 't is an eternal weight of Glory 2 Cor. 4. 17. 'T is not short that will soon begone neither is it a light and fethery thing like the things of this world that the wind will blow away but 't is a weight that will outweigh all that ever we met with in our way to it You shall have joy unspeakable and full of glory 1 Pet. 1. 8. There are things unspeakable here we cannot see nor are we able to utter the unspeakable things that are above we cannot see the beauty and that splendour of the Majesty of God I might ask you whether you do believe Blessed are they that have believed and have not seen but Faith is the evidence of things not seen If thou believest thou shalt see greater things then these greater things then these earthly drossy things nay be they the best things thou canst imagine thou shalt see greater things John 1. 50. For thou shalt see God Thou shalt see him as he is see him thou wilt say I see him now in his Creation and Providence and all his great and wonderful works I but thou shalt see him as he is that is as he is in his glory Alas his glory is vailed now but thou shall see him as he is in his glory 1 John 3. 2. Alas now we can only see him in the glass of his Word and dispensations but then Face to Face 1 Cor. 13. 12. Ah soul to be in and to see the presence of God is a Heaven on Earth nay more it would be a Heaven in Hell Oh what a transporting sight would it be to see the Vision of the Almighty to behold the beautifical Vision 't is that which hath such an influence that had Adam beheld it he had not had room to turn aside to sin as some are of opinion 't is so glorious so bright that not only Moses but the very Angels cover their Faces at surely here is the Crown of all In thy Presence is fulness of joy saith David Psa 16. 11. Possible thy fleshly part doth please it self in the presence of thy relations thy Wife thy Children thy Parents c. and thou mayst think there is reason to rejoyce in them nay it may be some may rejoyce in the presence of their companions in wickedness it may be thou may'st rejoyce in thy cups or in thy Harlots or in the presence of them that are thy Brethren in iniquity nay it may be in the company of them that help to bring thee in some of the Worlds gain though it be by lying and unwarrantable nay cursed ways oh but here is the onely true ground of rejoycing God is the chief good and he that hath him hath all and therefore in his Presence is fulness of joy 'T is a joy that strangers shall not intermeddle with Prov. 14. 10. I tell thee thy joy shall be such that strangers to God strangers to Christ and to the Covenant shall not intermeddle with these indeed may have a little shadow joy but no substantial joy a little fethery but no solid joy they may have some what may tickle the fancy but nothing that will revive the heart they may have joy but none of thy joy strangers shall not intermeddle with thy joy there is a joy peculiar to the Saints others may have joy but it may be taken from them men may take it from them but thou shalt have joy in his presence that no man shall take away John 16. 22. Wicked man may have joy as they think in their Wine and their Women but an Allarm of War the sound of a Trumpet at the Gate of their Court or the voice of Fire Fire as was but lately experienced will put a damp to all their mirth and terrifie them in the midst of laughter Oh hearken to this thou voluptuous wretch that will sell all and venture thy soul and all for a little pleasure what if when the glass of Wine is in thy hand thine enemy should stand at the door with a naked Sword in his hand and thou shouldst be made sensible of it would it not make thy countenance change and thy face to gather paleness Ah but thou that art a believer needst not fear for neither persons nor things shall damp nor take thy joy from thee here is great support for thee still soul thou that art in Christ thou that art one for whom Christ dyed shalt have all this joy and glory and much more and prethee do not take my word for it but take Christ's own word for it and with that I will conclude this use John 17. 24. Father I will thou wilt Son what wilt thou I will that they also whom thou hast given me be with me where I am to behold my Glory not be with my people and my Ministers which many place much of their happiness in I wish they do not Idolize them not be with my Angels above which is a degree higher but be with me where I am is not here incouragement that you shall be and do as Christ doth when a Child a Servant or Souldier seeth the difficulty that some times lyeth before him and he thinks he shall sink under the weight of it yet what new resolutions doth it put into him when he shall hear the Father Master or Captain say come my Children come Servants come Souldiers though the work be difficult yet still remember you are with me and you shall do