sin should have this for their aim designe and endeavour as we see in these spoken of here who when they come to any sense of their sin this is clearly their great designe and work verie seriously and closely pursued by them To clear and Confirm it take these Three words Consider First What state and Condition man naturally is in Secondly What God is to man in reference to that estate And Thirdly What Covenanting with God is and we will find that there is nothing which he should more seriously designe and seek after First Man is naturally an enemy to God and in respect of his malicious desperat inclination given to thwart with God whereby God stands as an enemy to him he is liable to the curse of God and God is as an armed man against him as Job speaks and he like an unarmed Child runing on the bosses of his Buckler Secondly Consider that God is not only an enemy but stands stated as such with his Curse against sinners according to that word Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things written in the Law to do them and this Curse is like the flaming Sword in the hand of the Cherubims which with terrour separats betwixt God and the sinner So that there is no access for him to God and if he have any thoughts of God he is troubled with them and all the Creatures are armed against him So that he can expect nothing but enmity from every stone of the field Thirdâ— Consider that Covenanting with God is that wheâ— by a man who is naturally at enmity with God coâ—eth to be in friendship with him and hath the faâ— of every thing altered the meditation of God sweet to him the creatures are in league with hiâ— The Angels become Ministring Spirits to him a Gods dispensations become lovely and do work tâ—gether for his good even those that are in themselves most terrible Death and the Grave becomâ— servants to him and being in Covenant with Goâ— he can triumph over them and all troubles and peâ—secutions and say that he is More then Conqueror 〈◊〉 them all as it is Rom. 8. and saith the Apostle tâ— such 1 Cor. 3. All things are yours whether Pauâ— or Apollo or Cephas or Life or Death things presenâ— or things to come all are yours and ye are Christs Is it any wonder then that at Poor Soul toucheâ— with the sense of sin be desirous and Solicitous to bâ— in Covenant with God And therefore whetheâ— we look upon it as a dutie or as an evidence of 〈◊〉 person truly humbled for sin it is very desirable anâ— should be seriously sought after The Use Serves to show That the great Scope which ye should now have before you is to have a broken Covenant made up with God It should be your main designe to put this grand business to a point that there may be no war but a standing League betwixt God and you And therefore whâ— ever they be that satisfie themselves with going about the Ordinances misken this they certainly mistake the mark The great matter is not to come to the Communion neither is it to win at somewhat of heart softness or to a little sense which are good but it 's really to be in Covenant with God to be able to say on good ground The Lord is my God My beloved 〈◊〉 mine and I am his And when he saith Return backsliding Children to be in case to answer with the heart â—ehold we come unto thee for thou art the Lord our God â—his is indeed a desirable thing and he is an unhappie man that doth not that will not heartily desire and seek after it Secondly From their very great Seriousness in going and weeping in going to seek the Lord asking the way to Zion and from their encouraging one another to Join in Covenant with the Lord Observe that where there is any Sincerity or begun work of Grace it shews 〈◊〉 self in nothing sooner then in an impulse to be at Covenanting with God and to have some clearness therein For only to be in Covenant and not to have the knowledge of it cannot give that peace and comfort which a present sad exercise calleth for therefore say they while they are going and weeping Come and let us join our selves to the Lord in a perpetuall Covenant that shal not be forgotten So then we say that a sincere and gracious work of God appears in nothing sooner then in this impulse to have the Covenant of God fixed and put out of doubt to have this at a Point is their great designe here and they are very serious in it So Isaiah 44. where vers 3. There is a Promise of the work of the Spirit in Sanctifieng and how is this work of the Spirit proved or wherein doth it appear Even thus vers 5. One shal say I am the Lords and another shall call himself by the Name of Jacob and another shall subscribe with his hand unto the Lord and sur-name himself by the name of Israel the work of Gods Spirit whâ— he comes to Sanctifie and save is such as makes a maâ— run and devote himself to God with hand heart aâ— mouth ye never saw people more quickly and wiâ— better will come to the Church at the most Solemâ— occasion then when this work is begun or there any kindly exercise about it serious Souls will 〈◊〉 ready to run with their heart to Subscribe to Gods Câ—venant when the Terms of it are laid out before theâ— Only advert to these Two things in this Observatioâ— First When I speak of entering in Covenant with Goâ— I mean of the hearts closing with him by Fai h according as he offers himself in this Gospel when he saitâ— quit and renounce your own righteousness and taâ— mine quit and abandon your lusts and Idols and giâ—â— your selves to me and I will be your God and be fortâ— coming to you in all things that concern your happineâ— here and hereafter the heart yeelds and says conteâ— Lord the offer is good and I accept of it and 〈◊〉 wives were wont as it is yet the custom to surnaâ— themselves by their husbands so doth the Soul upâ— the matter in this Covenant Subscribe I am Godâ— This is called a yeelding to God or the giving of tâ— hand to him 2 Chron. 30.8 and Rom. 10.3 It 〈◊〉 called A submitting to the righteousness of God Seconâ—ly When we speak of this impulse towards or desiâ— of Covenanting with God It 's noâ— to be understood 〈◊〉 every raw wish such as Balaam bad to be in Heaven but it is a seriously urging impulse an earnest hungâ— and thirst and an ardent longing to have this at a point It 's such a thirsting desire as all the world beside wâ— not be able to quench It makes the Soul eager in tâ— pursuit of the thing even to meet and close with Goâ— in the Covenant It 's in effect that which Matth. 5.6 is called
liberty to return to their own land Yet considering the great scope of the Words and that this liberty of the Jews is in a great part fulfilled in Christ and that the union spoken of here is such as hath in it the gathering together of all the Tribes and withall that the Covenant which they enter into with the Lord Christ is such as shall never be forgotten We must extend the words to their Ingraffing again into their own Olive when all Israel shall be saved and they shall be graffed into their own root and Stock from off which they were broken As for the Scope it 's partly off encourage the Jews This being not only a Promise of their return but also and mainly of their Repentance and of their Friendship Reconciliation with God and with one another In those dayes they that had been far from him and busie vexing one another shall come and come together Their work and business in coming is to seek the Lord and the manner of it is going and weeping Praying and repenting and although the way be somewhat dark and not so discernible to them yet they go on asking the way to Zion with their faces thitherward They ask how they may come to Him worship God again aright and perform the duties of a people inchurched to and in Covenant with him And as it were from one Post or Town to another they ask the way and get Direction from one day to another and from one duty to another And their designe in all is Come say they on the matter we were once in Covenant with God and with one another but we have been unfaithfull in both now let us amend and make up the breach in both Let us Joyn our selves to the Lord in a perpetuall Covenant never to be forgotten Let us renew our Covenant with God and let it be done firmly and surely so as it may not be broken again this looks and hath respect to Jeremiah 31.31 c. and 32.49 40. Where the Lord Promiseth To make a new Covenant with the House of Israel and with the house of Judah Cited by the Apostle Heb. 8. And it 's called Chap. 32. An everlasting Covenant Which is not so much to be understood of meer externall Covenanting as of saving sharing in and partaking of Christs Righteousness for the Pardon of sin and of their engaging to God in his own strength to be forth-coming in the fruits of saving Grace and Holiness in their practice This is in Sum the way and course which they take and is a short directory for what should be a peoples carriage when they would make up the breach of a broken Covenant with God As for the Particular Scope of this place as it relateth to Israel and Judah their returning together we shall not insist in it yet from these words we may see First That There is good ground for us to expect the Lords bringing back his scattered People the Jews and their ingraffing again into their own Olive The same God that perswaded Japhet to dwel in the Tents of Shem can perswade Shem to dwell in the tents of Japhet As they minded us Gentiles as a litle Sister and were Holily Solicitous what they might do for us we ought in gratitude to mind them as the elder Sister that they may turn again to the Lord who hath given us his faithful Word for it which cannot fail but must be fulfilled Secondly We see that Heart-melting towards God and seriousness to make up the breach of a broken Covenant betwixt a People and him conduce natively to make the hearts of those that have been divided and set at variance from one another in much warmness of love to unite and sweetly to join together It 's from this that Israel and Judah become one Stick in the Lords hand Ezek. 37. This makes them as melted mettall to run close together as it were into one Lump though it was a long continued Schisme and had much bitterness attending it yet when their hearts are touched with a Sense of sin and of a broken Covenant their former differences and animosities evanish softness of heart in the sense of by gone sin would silence many things among us that all disputings writings and Printings will not be able to do Pray for this to the Land as the most effectuall mean and way of curing out divisions and of uniting us in the Lord It Joins Judah and Israel together whose breach was much greater and of far longer continuance then ours Thirdly We see here that A peoples joining and running together in serious seeking of the Lord is very Commendable and lovely and a good token and evidence to them of their turning to God and of Gods accepting of them even as bitterness and division is exceeding displeasing to God and prejudiciall to themselves and to the Work of Grace in them This is an happy-like hopeful and promising day of Repentance and turning to God that bodeth much unspeakably much good to a land and People But we come to consider the words as they do direct unto and chalk out the way for a people returning to make up a broken Covenant with God which is the Scope And we may take it up in these Three First As it respects the frame of their hearts And O what a tender humble warm and mournfull frame are they represented to be in They shall come and go together exciting one another going and weeping with their faces towards Zion Secondly As it respects and holds forth the great designe they have and that is to renew and make sure the Covenant betwixt God them Though it was now broken and they want not challenges for it Yet they do not say we will never enter in it again Because we brake it the last time we made it But come say they let us make it the more firm and stable Thirdly As it respects and hold out their posture and the way which they take in pursuing this designe There is a going and weeping a praying to and seeking of the Lord in a word they seek and endeavour to renew their Covenant with God seriously diligently and humbly and thus they pursue their designe First then If we look to their frame we will find implyed in it 1. A guilty condition 2. A challenging and convinced condition 3. A repenting condition they are kindly affected with the wrongs done to God and desire and use means to have them righted We shall name Two or Three generall Doctrines from this First Consideration of the word though in effect it will fall in with the Last The First whereof is this That Gods Covenanted People may deal foully and falsly in his Covenant For their coming to renew the Covenant supposeth that they had broken it and it 's also implyed in their mourning and weeping and saying Come and let us join our selves to the Lord in a perpetuall Covenant never to be forgotten This needs no further
a suitable and due esteem of fellowship and Communion with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ which is commended and indeared to your Souls and to the Souls of others of the Lords People by the choice rare excellent and non-such Nature and Properties of it It being found by you all Priviledged with admission to the enjoyment thereof in your experience to be First most Real and no Chimerical fancy or a thing that hath no being but in the deluded imagination of the Person and truly saith the Apostle John 1 Jon. 1.3 Our Fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ It hath most reall effects though Spiritual Gracious Souls being more lively affected with them then their very external Senses are by the rarest and most Remarkable Objects And no doubt the more Spiritual any thing is It hath in it the greater reality and worketh the more Powerfully and efficaciously It is uncontrovertible and quite removed from all reach of rational debate that God is the greatest reality and by Proportion Communion with God Whereby nearest and closest Approaches are made to him must be very real marvellous are the effects of this Communion and that your Souls know right well as the Psalmist speaketh Psal 139 14. in another case Secondly It is an Awfull Fellowship and full of dread It impresseth the Soul with a deep yet kindly veneration of the Glorious Majesty of the great and Holy God Who as it is said Psal 89. vers 7. Is greatly to be feared in the assemblies of his Saints where they are admitted to fellowship with him and to be had in reverence by all that are about him When Jacob was admitted to very near Communion with him Gen. 28. He saith vers 16. Surely the Lord is in this place and I was not aware and vers 17. It is said of him that he was afraid and said how dreadfull is this Place this is none other but the house of God and this is the gate of Heaven Familiarity here breeds no contempt nor is it waited with any neglect or forgetfulness to keep due distance Thirdly It is a deeply humbling and Holily Self debasing Fellowship as appears in Abraham Gen. 18. who being as Gods speciall friend admitted to talk with him at an unusuall and extraordinary rate of Familiaritie Yet interlines as it were his discourse almost in every period of it with deeply self debasing acknowledgements of his being but dust and ashes and deprecatings of Gods anger for his taking upon him to speak to Him betwixt whom and himself there was so infinitly vast a disproportion so the Prophet Isaiah when he hath that Glorious Vision of the Majestie of God Chap. 6. and hears the Seraphims those purely intellectuall Creatures having their faces covered with their wings as not being able to behold the Brightness of the Glory of the most absolutely perfect Holiness of God crying in a transport of admiration each to another Holy Holy Holy is the Lord God of Hosts the Earth is full of his Glory he saith Wo's me for I am undone Because I am a man of unclean lips and dwel in the midst of a People of Polluted lips for mine eyes have seen the King the Lord of Hosts So also Job non-such in his time according to Divine testimony when he is admitted to unusual nearness to God saith Chap. 42. I have heard of Thee by the hearing of the Ear but now mine Eye seeth Thee wherefore I abhore my self and repent in dust and ashes The nearest approaches to that light wherein there is no darkness at all make the clearest discoveries of the most eminent Saints their unworthiness nothingness and vileness Fourthly It is a Transforming Fellowship and assimilats the Person Priviledged with admission to it to Him that is conversed with and with whom Fellowship is attained unto there is no real Communion with him but the result of it is some lineament of further likeness to him We all saith the Apostle 2 Cor. 3.18 Beholding the Glory of the Lord as in a Glass are changed or transformed into the same Image from Glory to Glory as by the Spirit of the Lord Communion with and conformity to God have mutual influence and Reciprocall force each upon other the more Communion with him the more likeness and conformity to him the more likeness to him the more Communion with him litle Communion with him makes litle conformity to him and litle conformity to him cannot but be attended with litle Communion with him Fifthly It is a wonderful Fellowship a fellowship that even sometimes transports in a manner the Soul admitted to it especially in any more then Ordinary way or measure into a sort of Rapture and extasy of Admiration at it Thus it did David 2 Sa. 7.18 Who saith he am I O Lord and what is my Fathers house that thou hast brought me hitherto and Solomon who being very near to God in that Solemn prayer of his at the Dedication of the Temple saith 1 Kings 8.27 But will God indeed dwell with men on earth and as it is 2 Chron. 6. vers 18. But will God in very deed dwell with men on Earth And indeed it is no great wonder that it be greatly wondered at that the Infinitly great and Holy God who inhabiteth Eternity and the High and Lofty one who dweleth in the High and Holy Place and is surrounded and attended there with an Innumerable Company of Angels of the Spirits of Just men made Perfect all of them shining in light and burning in zeal none of them wearying to do him service should humble himself so far and stoop so low so very low as to dwell also an Emphatick also with sinful though humble and contrit Creatures who dwell in Cottages of clay and whose habitation is in the dust that he who is of purer eyes then that he can behold iniquity without detestation and abhorrency should yet humble himself not only to Behold but with delight to dwell and keep fellowship with them who are in a great measure unholy and have so much of that dwelling in them which his Soul hates that the Glorious Persons of the dreadful and adorable God head should come and make their abode with such in whom so great a Remainder of stinking unmortified Corruption hath still its abode that infinitly pure and perfect light should have fellowship with them in whom there is so much darkness Sixthly It is an estranging fellowship from all Idols and what ever is displeasing to God and estranging from him Accordingly Ephraim being brought near to him saith Hos 14. v. 8. what have I to do any more with Idols and the people of God supposed to be in a good Spiritual frame and near to him say Isai 30 22. to every Idol which they cast away as a menstruous Cloth with Indignation and abhorrency get thee hence and David being admitted to very near Communion with God Psal 6. saith v. 8. To wicked men
in reference to the institution are a real confirmation of our real partaking of the thing signified and in some respect make Christ really present as the giving of a sealed Charter of a house to a man is the giving him the house or as the giving of infeofment by a bit of earth and stone being a legall confirmation is the giving of that land to the man wherein he is infeoft because as I said it 's a legall right to it and makes it present and discernible to him even so Christ is maâ—e discernible in this ordinance because we have our right to him which is in the word in a special manner confirmed to us in it for not only doth this as other Sacraments do confirm the word and Covenant in general but it hath this peculiar to it that it confirms Christs making over his dieing â—eâ—â— to us Fourthly Christ is here present and diâ—cernible and made â—o by this ordinance if we consider the Sacramenâ— as a mean whereby we have Christ Communicat to us he not only makes over himself Covenant wise but sealeth this gift and the Sacrament is a mean of Communion with him thus made over to us in which respect the believer doth and may warrantably make use of the Sacrament for his quickening elevating and strengthening to cleave closer and to grip faster to Christ for which cause it 's called the Communion of his Body and hereby we are said to be made one Body with him Not but that without the Sacrament it may be and is often so but by the Sacrament this Union and Communion is strengthened and furthered to the faith and Spiritual sense of the believer Fourthly what are the reasons why Christ will have his broken Body made thus discernible and apprehensible in this Sacrament We answer that he will have it so for these reasons First for evidencing of and bearing Testimony to his great love to his People It sayes that a dieing Christ so loves us that he gave himself to us and â—o the memorie of his death is revived and kept up He will have his dieing self in a Sacrament bestowed on his People to keep his love still fresh to them in their remembrance Secondly for the Publick Professing and testifying our faith in a dieing Saviour For in this Sacrament we profess our Faith in him and dependence on him and we say thereby and declare to the world this my Saviour died and is able to give me life which is a piece of Honour and Glory to the Mediator and a part of our dutie when we give Publick testimonie that we think no shame of a crucified Redeemer Thirdly The Lord hath for the edification and benefit of his People made himself â—o discernible in this Sacrament and there is a Fourfold edification oâ— benefit that redounds to them by it First instruction for they that cannot so well take up the Lord in the word may be some-what helped to take him up in the Sacrament as a slain Saviour and as being as needfull as meat and drink without which as we cannot live no more can we live without him and O! how manie Spiritual lessons may be haâ— by these significant ceremonies instituted by Christ Secondly There is here edification unto the faith of Gods Peopâ—e and thus it bâ—comes strengthening when not only Christ sayes in his word I have loved my Church and given my self for her and they that believe shal not perish but we have his ordinance Sealing this Its exceeding strengthening to a poor weak doubting body which could not easily believe that Christ would be so kind to a rebell when he gets a sacred Seal of his kindness it helps to Believe what is promised Thirdly It edifies as it serveth to promote the inward growth of Grace for in the Sacrament Christ is Communicat and as he is Communicat life is Communicat love to God and to one another is Communicat and in a word we cannot Imagine a Communication of Christ but it brings with it strengthening to the inward man Fourthly there is edification in respect of the believers consolation whether as to his Sense or as to his Faith the Gospel in its offer and Promises comes out and sayes men and women be it known to you that Christ is pâ—eached to you and remission of sins thorow him But the Sacrament sayes Believing man and woman there is my Body not only broken for all the Elect in generall but for thee in particular and this much silenceth the great debate whether I be elected or not or within the Covenant or not for it sayes O Man here is a slain and broken Redeemer made over unto thee upon condition that thou close with him in the Covenant as he offers himself and so when there has been some wavering and fainting in respect of consolation before it proves very strengthening of the Believers consolation considering the nature of the Ordinance and in this respect the Sacrament is as a Love-token of a kind Husband to his Spouse who when he is to remove to some considerable distance from her for a time sayes take and keep this in remembrance of me and think that I dearly love thee and will not forget thee till we meet again The second Point of Doctrine is the great duty called for from a worthy Communicant and that in short is rightly to discern the Lords Body made so discernible and as he is made discernible The Text confirmes the Doctrine for though a man had never so many good things Suppose that he had not only gifts but Grace yea and a Holy frame of Spirit yet if he be ignorant of what he is called to or a doing in this Ordinance he cannot discerne the Lords Body and so cannot Communicat worthily Hence it is that there is so much need of Knowledge without which a man can no more then a child or a fool rightly take up Christ in the Sacrament To open this a litle we shal speak a word to these three 1. To the Object to be discerned 2. To the act of discerning 3. To the reasons why this discerning is so necessary a duty First for the Object to be discerned It is Christ Jesus suffering dieing and making over himself to his Peoplâ— acoâ—ding to his Covenant It s Christ and yet Christ diâ—ing and Chriâ—â— dieing according to the Covenant from which he can never be sepa a ed and especially iâ— this ordinance in Particular considered with it's end anâ— institution with respect to the Covenant It 's Chrisâ— giving himself and in this Sacrament according to thâ— Covenant Secondly For the act of discerning It is taken Foâ— wayes the last whereof is the main 1. To discern thing in Scripture is to have distinct thoughts and apprehensions concerning it It s to take up a thing simplâ— and as it is in it self Thus to discern Christ present 〈◊〉 the Sacrament is to discern how and wherefore he is present 2. To discern a thing
in Improving the strength of Jesus Christ to prevent your turning again to folly do not undertake nor engage in your own strength but believingly lay all the weight and stresse on your Suretie Put his name in the band which ye give to God for the debt of duty Abide in me and I in you So ye shal bring forth much fruit for without me ye can do nothing saith our Lord to his Disciples John 15. But how many fail and come short here While they go about duties and either quite misken or make but very litle use of Christ many know very litle or nothing at all what it is to make use of Christ in order to the making of their peace with God but O! how very few know what it is to make use of his strength to enable them for duty to go through the wilderness leaning on their beloved Seventhly Defer not to make your Resolutions and engagements practicable There are many alace who think Shame it should be said that a Sermon had so much weight with them as to make them alter and change their course at once It may be they will consent to be religious but they must be allowed to come to it by degrees to creep toward it piece-meal but beware of that lest it prove in the Issue to be a shift of thy deceitfull heart Ponder these words well Eccles 5. Defer not to pay what thou hast vowed for the Lord hath no Pleasure in fools And in the Holy Ghosts account he is a fool that deferreth and putteth off one moment O! delayes are in a speciall manner dangerous here and Sathan will not faill to knit one delay to another Eightly Reject all Temptations to sin and turning again to folly with abhorrency say with Ephraim What have I any more to do with Idols Never think on them but with indignation and Holy disdain for ye are undone if ye but once listen to them Ninthly Be often examining if ye be like and answerable to your Communicating and to your Promises and engagements many know not how it is with them because they Examine not Tenthly Walk humbly in the sense of your weakness trust not to your own heart for he that doth so is reputed to be a fool by the Holy Ghost Eleventhly Be helping one another forward in your way to Heaven Take heed saith the Apostle Heb. 3.12.13 That there be not in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God but exhort one another dayly while it is called to day lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of Sin To be edifieing to others would through Gods blessing be edifieing to your selves and help you to be in good case to be praying with them would stir up your selves to more Seriousness in the exercise of that duty to be reproving sin in them would waken up more hatred of it in your selves and to be much Conversant in the duties of Mutual edification with them that are warm in their love to Christ to his interests and friends and diligent in the study of Holiness would readily through Grace stir you up to seek after more love and more Holiness as he insinuats in that exhortation to the Christian Hebrews Chap. 10.24 Let us consider one another to provoke unto love and good works Twelfthly And in a word endeavour to walk suitably to your light your own consciences will readily tell you that it 's best to walk so as ye may abstain from that which ye know to be sin and to be doing and delighting in that which ye know to be duty Theâ—e are very few if any duties of Religion but they are one time or another and many of them frequently laid before you and not a few shall I hope have cause of blessing God eternally that ever this Gospel-light was made to shine so clearly on them but for such of you As detain the truth of God in unrighteousness as the Apostle says some do Rom. 1 or make a prisoner of it by setting a guard of corrupt affections about it Whom God gave up to vile affections and to all sorts of most abominable filthiness because though they knew that such things ought not to have been done yet they not only did but took pleasure in them that did them I leave it with all the seriousness I can win to on you and take Instruments of witness in your consciences that ye have bad great offers and have made fair mints and come under at least seeming engagements if ye have not done so declare so much but since ye all professe that ye have engaged and some have really engaged not to turn again to folly walk suitably to your engagements as ye would not have your consciences condemning you and God who is greater then your Consciences to condemn you Many I fear have sleeping consciences and that will not now speak to them but the Conscience of every one will speak at length and not keep silence We shall now say no more but Pray that this word may be Blessed of God to you These five following Sermons were all Preached about the time of the Communion the first four within a very few dayes before it as it gradually approached the Fifth after it On Jeremiah 50. vers 4 5. In those dayes and in that time saith the Lord the Children of Israel shall come they and the Children of Judah together going and weeping they shall go and see the Lord their God Vers 5. They shal ask the way to Zion with their faces thither-ward Saying come and let us Joyn our selves to the Lord in a perpetuall Covenant that shall not bâ— forgotten SERMON I. THe repairing and making up of a breach betwixt God and a People is a matter of greatest moment and Concern and when men are serious in it O how uptaking is it to them Which is holden out to the life in these words that lay forth before us very clearly the frame and carriage of a people which formerly have dealt loosly and deceitfully in the matter of their Covenant with God when they come through his Grace to be serious and in good earnest in the upmaking of it again As for the people spoken of here they are Israel and Judah the Loâ—ds own Covenanted People who had dealt falsly and foully in the Covenant and had thereby Procured sad strokes to themselves and had divided and separated themselves from God and one of them from another Which division and separation continued lamentably long They are both here represented as coming home together Seriously endeavouring to amend and make up the breach betwixt God and them and among themselves As for the time that this relates to In those dayes and in that time saith the Lord It looks literally and according to the Cohesion to Babylons Destruction and 〈◊〉 Lords bringing down that Babylonish Monarchy by the Persian King Cyrus In which time the People of God had some
are represenâ—ed to be in here they aâ—e going we are sitting still they are weeping our eyes are dry and our hearts hard the humble mournfull way of Religion Alace is much gone from amongst us again they are renewing the Covenant but Ah! what can we say as to the securing of things betwixt God and us Are not the most part as well satisfied with their state and Condition as if there were nothing wrong nor amisse in it Alace shall we slubber and scurf over Religion and vaâ—lour selves from our selves and from oâ—hers when in the mean time our hearts and Consciences might if awake tell us that we are not in Covenant with God I know many of you will be ready to say ye are friends with God but let me ask such did ye ever know and believe the enmity did ye ever apprehend your selves to be straâ—gers to God and without the Covenant Did ye ever experimentally know any good that his word did to you as to the bringing of you under the bond of the Covenant Hath any gracious Change followed upon it The truth is many of you think that ye may go to Heaven without the word and the saving effects of it on your hearts ye found them as ye fancy always inclined to love God ye suppose that ye were alwayes in friendship with him which though there were nothing else to prove it is a manifest evidence that ye were never really in friendship with him But let me ask yet further did ye ever know what it was to make use of Christs mediation in the making up of a Covenant betwixt God and you It 's like ye will say ye prayed but ye might have done that though Christ had never come into the World and though there had been no ground for your acceptance on his account but I say again what use made ye of his mediation and sufferings I fear ye know little or nothing at all of this but ye come to him because ye imagine that he bears a good-will to all sinners and is very easie to be dealt with and that God the Father is more inexorrable and a harder partie to deal with then he as if Jesus Christ the Son were not as Just as the Father Or as if God the Father were not as ready through a mediator to accept of sinners as the Son is I would ask you yet further do ye think or can ye with any Just reason think that your Covenant is sure when ye know neither what it is nor how ye have entered into it In the Covenant as there is an offer on Gods side so there must be a receiving on yours though I grant that oftentimeâ— this to serious Souls will be unclear and it will bâ— their burden that they have not strong enough desires tâ— have it thorough and clear such Poo Souls would puâ— their darkness unbelief and undexterousness in Christ hand to be helped But it 's a sad matter that when wâ— should be praying you to close with Christ in the Covenant I must be our work and the hardest peece of it to shake many of you out of your presumption It 's unpleasure to us God knoweth to preach you out of thâ— Covenant but your Presumption Layeth a necessitâ— on us to lance you to the quick and to search down tâ— the bottom of your sores because these must be diâ—covered and laid open before there can be any Juâ— ground for the application of consolation if once 〈◊〉 could get you brought under a thorough conviction thâ— ye have been deluding your selves we might yet haâ— sweet lively comfortable and refreshfull sayes if 〈◊〉 were in this Posture Going and weeping for pervertiâ— your wayes with your faces towards Zion towards Gâ— through the Mediator ye might expect Gods blessiâ— on these Solemne Ordinances and that there should 〈◊〉 a Covenant made up with him never to be forgotten 〈◊〉 be Serious in the business and let not this opportuniâ— go by you unimproved to the best utmost advantagâ— and himself graciously help you hereunto Jeremiah 50. Vers 4.5 In those dayes and In that time saith the Lord the Children of Israel shall come they and the Children of Judah together going weeping they shall go and seek the Lord their God Vers 5. They shal ask the way to Zion with their faces thither-ward Saying come and let us Joyn our selves to the Lord in a perpetuall Covenant that shall not be forgotten SERMON II. COvenanting with God if it be real well grounded and sure is a business of incomparably greatest concern and advantage to sinners but when it is otherwise and only Imagined without any Solid ground it 's attended with the greatest disapointment and Prejudice imaginable a man in that case fancieth himself to be in a state of Friendship and favour with God while in the mean time he is an enemy to God and God an enemy to him and is there any disappointment or disadvantage in the world comparable to that It is one great end and designe of all Ordinances that strangers to God by nature may be engaged to him and made to become his Covenanted People It was for this end that Christ came into the world and laid down His life and shed his precious Blood even to bring Sinners into a Covenant of Reconciliation and friendship with God and therefore the Ordinance that is now approaching is called the new Covenant or New Testamâ—nt in his Blood The words have in them a short and sweet sum compend of the gracious frame of a People turning home to God to get a broken Covenant made up Israel and Judah having deeply declined from the blessed state and condition wherein God had once graciously put them Their return and Repentance is here both Prophesied of and promised and this is the great thing which they designe in their Returning Even to get the knot to say so of the Covenant betwixt God and them made fast and sure so as they may never any more be separated from him We shall at this time shortly name some generall Observations from the words The First whereof is this that There is nothinâ— that People who havâ— any Convictions of â—heir sin and of their distance from God should more singly aim at and Seriously seek after then to be firmly joined to the Lord in Covenant or to be in good terms with him according to his Covenant For these come to the same amount to be in good terms with God to be Reconciled to God and to be in Covenant with God by the one we come to the other this we say should be aimed at sought after by all that are naturally born enemies to God Aliens and Strangers to the Covenant of Promise without Hope and without God in the World Ephes 2.12 Compared with vers 1.2 3. where to be dead in sins and tâ—espâ—sses is expounded to be Without the Covenaâ—t But more especially those who are touched with the sense of their
Covenant Secondly they might have thought that it was a very long Journey and that they would never be able to go thorow to the end of it besides that they were under the dominion of strange Kings who were Heathens So it may be said on the matter and is often said to serious Souls that would fain believe can ye believe It will not be with you are ye not under the feet of many Tyrannous lusts And how will ye win free from them yet they resolve and must yea dare not but resolve to go forward and the reason is because they resolve to take with their guilt and to make use of the Covenant for answering and silencing of challenges and they resolve also if the Journey be long to make use of the Covenant for strength to make them hold on and hold out in it The weak Believer when such doubts are started should make use of the Promises of the Covenant such as these Faithfull is he who hath called you who also will do it 1 Thess 5.24 Return back sliding Children and I will heal your back-slidings saith the Lord and then follows Behold we come unto thee for thou art the Lord our God Jer. 3.22 They yeeld themselves to the Lord. A Third Difficultie is their ignorance they might have said we know not the way and how can we think to come where we desire and designe to be as some will be ready to say we can tell some words of the Catechisme but Alace We know not what it is to believe yet they sit not still for all this but as one Remedy of their ignorance they ask the way to Zion with their faces thitherward And if ye Ask here how can their faces be thitherward when they are a king the way And at whom do they ask the way The Gentiles amongst whom they live know it not and they have no other to ask at I answer they are hanging on God and taking their Marks and meaths of the way as he gives them from his word and there is a most sweet word for such Isaiah 35.8 where the Lord speaking of this way and calling it the way of Holiness he saith The way faring man though a fool shall not erre therein It 's the heartsomest way that can be O! but it be safe for the way-faring sinner for the seriously seeking Soul to have the face toward God for making up of Peace with him upon the one hand the Lord hedges up such persons their way with thorns that they shal not find their lovers and upon the other he constrains them to go right forward He leads the blind in a way they know not and makes darkness light before them are there not severals of you brought far thorow this day and ye know not well how He brought you to Faith very insensibly and trained you on peece and peece and yet ye cannot tell well how but ye know certainly that it was He that did it and in this Case O! but it be good singly to be given up to Gods leading and guiding who leads his flock like a shepherd who gathers his Lambs with his arm and carries them in his bosom and gentlie leads them that are with young as it is Isaiah 40.11 The Lambs would run wild and ruine themselves if left on the Hills but they are under the good Shepherds oversight and tutorie to speak so who brings home the lost sheep on his Shoulders as it was even now said gathers the Lambs with his Arm and gently leads them that are with Young which not only saith that he drives not hard lest they cast the young but that as the Nurse leads the litle Child otherwise then Ladies use to be led by a gentle touch of their hand or arm by the arm holes or by the tugs when the Child knows not how to go and cannot stand on its own feet even so leadeth he such I taught saith the Lord Hosea 11. Ephraim also to go taking them by their arms when a poor Body hath Christ a forming in the heart he will gently lead such an one and deal wonderfully tenderly with the person ye who come honestly to him may confidently yeeld and give up your selves to be his and guided by him though ye be both weak and know not the way well if ye can but cast a look to him to speak so or be sweetly silent before him allowing him to be doing and to take his oâ— way with you if you lay your selves humbly in 〈◊〉 dust and wait what he will do to you he will accoâ— that Believing The Lord is good to them that wait him to the soul that seeks him saith Jeremiah Lamâ— 25. To wait on Gods leasure is a saying much abuâ— but it is very good and commendable here It is gâ— that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the Sâ—â—vation of the Lord. Be not afraid sincere and exercâ— Souls I say be not afraid when he is as it weâ— pouring you from vessel to vessel and putting youâ— his own holy and wise ends in some confusion so ye know not well what to do or to what hand to you he is wondrous tender of you in that Case will have a speciall care that ye Mis-carry not Thâ— a very sweet Subject if we could speak suitably 〈◊〉 Himself bless it to you Jeremiah 50. Vers 4.5 Going and weeping they shall go seek the Lord their God Vers 5. They shall ask the way to Zion with faces thither-ward saying Come and let us our selves to the Lord in a perpetual Covâ—nant shall not be forgotten SERMON III. IT is like that at the first reading of these Words will approve both the designe that this People haâ—â— engaging themselves to God in Covenant and 〈◊〉 endeavour to have their engagement so solid and sure as it may not be broken any more but may hold for ever we take it for granted also that ye will Judge that the disposition and frame of Soul wherein they are while about this great Business is very becoming and â—uitable for such as have dealt unfaithfully and foully in â—he Covenant of God and are from the Conviction â—ereof stirred and put upon Resolutions to engage with â—â—m of new and to enter again into a Covenant with â—â—m we Heartily wish that it were a peece of our Exercise this night before our approaching the Table of the Lord the next day to compare the frame and Sett of our hearts with what these words hold forth this Peoples frame and disposition to be We need not now speak to the Scope of the words it being so clear and having been touched at before There is here a People Prophesied of who are to be brought to Repentance and Covenanting with God in the Latter dayes whose Spiritually good and desirable frame is described They shall go weeping and seeking the Lord each of them stirring up another having this for their designe and the Language of their hearts Come and
let us Join our selves to the Lord in a perpetual Covenant never to be forgotten That which we would now speak a litle to is Two Generals very much becoming a people who designe â—â—end to Covenant firmly with God and seeing it is â—t this time in a more especial manner our professed designe to close the bargain with him and in evidence â—hereof are if the Lord will to partake of the Signe and Seal of the Covenant as supposing it to be indeed a closed bargain or at least that it is seriously desired â—â—y us that it may be so they will not be unsuitable for â—ou to hear and make use of them The First Generall then is this that Covenanting witâ— God when People are in earnest in it will be a very up taking exercising and weighty business This is cleaâ— here if ye consider how these People go about thâ— work they aâ—e in very good earnest and there aâ—â— several evidences of it they are weeping and going theâ— are seeking the Lord asking the way to Zion with theâ— faces thitherward and every one of them Sâ—irring uâ— another to renew the Covenant and to cast the knot 〈◊〉 firmly that it may be A perpetual Covenant never 〈◊〉 be forgotten and such as may never loose or be brokeâ— again whence the generall is clear viz. that wheâ— People mind in earnest the making up of a breach betwixt God and them which is done by Covenantinâ— with him it will be an exercising and uptaking buâ—ness to them Ye may consider some Scriptures foâ— confirmation of this which will also hold out what it is and namely Matth. 11.12 The Kingdom of Heavâ—â— suffereth violence and the violent take it by force Thâ— Lord is speaking there of mens making Peace with Gâ— thorow himself the Mediator by which they are brougâ—â— to Heaven and he tells that it is a most serious buâ—â—ness that will abide them brangling to speak so aâ— using of violence Luke 13 25. strive to enter in at 〈◊〉 strait gate for many will seek and shall not be able is a narrow gate and there must be thronging and thrâ—ing to win in at it men will be put to a sort of Agoâ—â— as the word signifies consider also Pauls word 1 Câ—â— 9.24 So run as ye may obtain insinuating that the is a sort of running wherein men are not in earnest 〈◊〉 indifferent whether they get the Prize or not aâ— therefore he would have them making earnest of it as he Proposeth his own practise as an example and a Câ—pie to them I therefore run not as uncertainly so fighâ— not as one that beateth the Air but I keep under my Body and bring it into subjection lest that by any me nâ— when I have Preaâ—hed to others I my self sâ—oâ—ld be a cast away these are the expressions of a man who is in good earnest in this business and his seriousness therein is Proposed to you for a Pattern what way ye should run and fight the like word we have Philip. 3.13 This one thing I do it 's an up-taking work to me Forgetting those things that are behind and reaching forth to those things which are befo e I press towards the mark for the Prâ—ze of the high ca ling of God in Christ Jesus and vers 11. If by any means saith he I might attain unto the Resurrection of the dead every word hath it's own weight to make it out that it is so his one thing that he cares not what it cost him so be he may obtain it That which we would say further on this point shall be a word of Application in these Two or Three Uses The First whereof serves for Instruction would ye know what is required of you as a direction to dutie at this time And would ye know if things be right in your preparation for the Communion This maybe a Mark to discern and a direction on the matter even to be serious and to make it an uptaking business your One thing to be about it as such an occasion and work calls you to be And if ye shall ask wherein consists this Seriousness and uptaking exercise in Covenanting with God I shall Sum it up to you in these Four which comprehend it First The man is taken up in respect of exercise in his Conscience convictions become fresh Challenges are put home he is pricked less or more at the very heart there is something within him that gives him a Conscience-alarm that puts in his hand a Libell and assures him of an appearance before Gods Tribunal and indeed unless some thing of this be men will not be in earnest and it is clearly implied in the Text For there are here sharp Challenges that make this People weep and that extort tears from their eyes Secondly There is a seriousness in respect of the work that it hath on Peoples hearts and affections there will be a kindling of desires to have Covenanting with God at a point with a holy fear lest they miscarry in the doing of it and these put together do much take up the man and make him seek after thorow acquaintance with his own Spirit which he finds to be so fickle inconstant and back-sliding and thus apprehending the work to be great and difficult he is put in Holy fear and Jealousie over himself lest he marr the matter and make it worse with himself as it is said of Godly sorrow 2 Cor. 7.11 What carefulness what fear what indignation what vehement desire what zeal what revenge it wrought in them Now when these are tumbling to speak so thorow other in the man and he hath an inward wrestling to have the work secured and is afraid lest it miscarry Is it Possible but he will be serious and much taken up and this is also implied in the words Come say they And let us join to the Lord in a Perpetuall Covenant There is a desire to have the Covenant at a point and they fear it slip while they are casting the knot therefore they say let it be a Perpetuall Covenant never to be forgotten It 's good to fear in the very time Thirdly This seriousness is in respect of Peoples dutie It makes them pray that never prayed before to Purpose It makes them examine themselves Meditat Read and conferr that never knew before what it was to be taken up with those duties Therefore we find this People going and seeking the Lord and exciting one another they are put to their feet and to reaching forward so that they leave nothing undone whereby they may attain the end Fourthly This Seriousness appears in the manner of their going about duties there is another edge then was wont to be on their prayers Self-Judging and wrestling with God they are much like to Jacob they will not let the Lord go till he bless them they will still wrestle though it should be all the night they cannot find in their heart to part with him on any terms and
Bridegroom is there any other like to him or that can compare with him I appeal even to you Atheists and Profane Wretches that live and ly in your Lusts Is there a beloved like this Beloved hath He a match in Heaven or Earth Is He not the Kings Son and if ye ask who that is ye may hear and know from Psal 24. The King of Glory the Lord of Hosts strong and mighty in Battel and from Heb 1.3 The brightness of the Fathers Glory the express Image of his Person upholding all things by the word of his Power There is none like him but the Father and the Holy Spirit and as God he is one with them ye have both the Question and answer Cant. 5.9 What is thy beloved more then another Beloved What is yonder Christ of whom we hear so much The answer is given which we cannot stay now to Paraphase upon He is white and ruddiâ— the chiefest or Standard bearer among ten thousands Fairer then the Sons of men and if ye would know him more Particularly His head is as the most fine gold He is God His locks or his hair are bushie and black as a Raven there is not the least unseemliness even in those things that would to our thinking seem less necessary as his hair Yea his very Garments smel of Myrrhe Aloes and Cassia as it is Psal 45. His eyes are as the eyes of Doves by the Rivers of waters washed with milk and fitly set O! so lovely as his Properties are his Cheeks as beds of Spices as sweet flowers His lips like Lilies dropping sweet smelling Myrrhe his hands as Gold rings set with Berill His belly or bowels of love and affection Like the bright Ivory overlaid with Saphires His legs like pillars of Marble set upon Sockets of fine Gold His Countenance like Lebanon excellent as the Cedars O! So excellent and stately His mouth is most sweet or as the word is sweetness in the abstract never soul kissed his mouth but there was a bond thereby laid on it that it could never again part with him in a word He is altogether lovely or as the word is all desires there is nothing that Souls can desire but it is in him and there is nothing in him but what has desireableness in it This is my beloved and this is my Friend says the Bride O! ye Daughters of Jerusalem this is He he is sure no common or ordinary Beloved see if among all the beloveds in Heaven or earth there be any like Him O! Ye despisers and slighters of the Son of God put your selves to it Is there any like him to be found has he not the preference of and the Preheminence above all beloveds He is the only begotten of the Father full of Grace and truth He is the mighty God the wonderfull Counseller the everlasting Father the Prince of Peace It would well become us all to be wondering at him and to be drawing near to him to behold Him in his beauty To go forth and Behold King Solomon with the Crown wherewith his Mother Crowned him in the day of his espousals O! take a stayed view of him in his Personall excellencies and in the excellent qualifications of this Mediatory Office and it cannot be that on this ground ye will cast at the Match Will any of you dare to say it or to abide by it that ye will not Marry Christ because ye think nothing of him or because he is not worthy to be thought of We suppose none will do so If it be the Second viz. The terms That ye are not content with ye would have Christ Grace and Glory and every good thing but here it sticketh you look at it as an hard matter to be denyed to your self and to be wholly Gods to renounce your own righteousness and your lusts your Idols to be absolutely devoted to him and wholly dependent on him in your walk As the evil the slothfull Servant called him a hard Master So do many think of him though they will not down right say so much in express words But I would ask you is there any unreasonable thing here Or shall all those termes be sought after in some respect in the Marriage of a poor creature like your selves And will ye deny them to Christ 1. If you get his righteousness should ye not deny your own If ye come under the Covenant of Grace with him is there any prejudice to lay by the Covenant of works If ye get him for your second Husband and infinitly best is it any prejudice to quit your first husband the Law And in that respect is it reasonable to cast at the bargain because it is free Secondly Is it not reasonable that ye should give him the room of all things If He be able to fill the room of all let him have his room as being well worthy of it It is your advantage to quit your lusts and sinfull pleasures your covetousness Pride vanity self conceit c. To exchange all for him and if ye be not content of this condition ye say he is not worth the having 3. Is it not reasonable that ye should be devoted to him in your Conversation That ye should no longer Play the harlot but be as a chast Virgin to him Is it any advantage to you to follow your Idols that wil go betwixt you and happiness If Heaven be an advantage it is your advantage to quit them and be for Christ Or is it any Prejudice to be Holy Or will ye quit Christ because ye must be Holy Or will ye refuse him because he will not suffer you to your ruine to take your own will as formerly yea it is not only reasonable but very good and Profitable Nay there is a necessity you should be Holy and may not love to him loose your heart from sin There was another sort of consolation and other bowels of love at the first making of the Bargain betwixt the Father and the Son and it was calculated for more honourable designes and levelled to more Noble ends then any thing the Devil or the World or the flesh can Promise to you and any of you that will stand and stick at the termes that are so just equitable and every way reasonable and easie with all we take your own consciences to be witnesses that they are so and you dare not avouch the denyall of their being so If ye be content to take him to be reconciled and made friends with God by his satisfaction and to be made Holy by his Sanctifieing Spirit to be for him as he shall be for you It is a bargain and what I pray ailes you at such a baâ—gain If this be not made ye shall never be able to make such another What should ye do then but come to the wedding It 's not time to dispute or debate but to close Say O! say sincerely as those do Jeremie 3.22 Behold we come unto thee for thou
art the Lord our God When He sayes as he did to them returne ye backsliding children and I will heal your backslidings turn it over to him and say Behold we come unto thee Thirdly Are ye not content with your selves or with something in your selves Do ye indeed think and say that it is a good bargain and that the terms are very reasonable and easie and we have nothing to say against them but we have alas much to say of and against our selves The bargain pleaseth us wondrous well and so do the terms but we are not at all pleased with our selves I answer 1. May ye not then the better quit and deny your selves and take Christ in the room and place of self 2. I Ans Christ makes no such objection He bids the most Prophane the most Ignorant and Graceless wretch the most Hypocriticall dissembler that never knew what it was to be honest come and assures them that they shall be welcome if they will come indeed Object But I can do nothing I cannot keep a word word that I say to Christ I Answer Engage and consent to close with Christ on his own terms and doing and keeping shall follow to give thy consent is that which thou art now called to and he engages to help thee to perform Object But shall I take on an engagement presently to break it again I Answer If indeed thou consent thou mayest â—ail and break but the covenant will never be utterly broken nor dissolved yea thou shalt have surety for thy keeping of it Forasmuch as saith the Apostle Heb. 7.22 Jesus was made Suretie of a better Testament If ye Object and say that ye have much sin that ye are Lothsome and Abominable Subscribe this Contract and bargain and ye have a free and full discharge of all your debt I will sayeth the Lord Hosea 2 19 Betroth thee unto me in loving kindness and mercies He will pardon your iniquities There is no exact or severe seeking and searching out of the debt here where it 's ingenuously taken with but rather a covering of it He will also cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your Idols But it may be thou wilt Object And say I will rather purpose then engage because I fear I shall break it Answer But is it likely that thou wilt make good such a purpose who darest not engage Or will purposes and resolutions do the business without performing Purposes of Marriage make not the Marriage It is actuall consent and engaging which doth that But thou wilt Object And say alace I am not in a right frame I am very confused all things are wrong with me Answer What is this thou sayest Will your frame be amended without Christ will those swarms of Corruptions be beat out before thou take in the King of Glory who is strong and mighty in Battel But thou wilt Object I am not clear as to my interest Ans Wilt thou not consent till thou be clear that is as much as to say thou art doubting but that thou wilt not put it out of doubt if thou be unclear as to thy Subscription rather Subscribe write thy name over again if ye have not at all Subscribed take now the pen and do it say Lord Jesus I come to thee and will be thine Object Alace fain would I come to the wedding but I cannot come it will not do with me I would fain believe but my Faith is not Prompt and ready I Answer Is not the Covenant provided with an answer to that also It calls for nothing but for your Subscribing and if ye say ye cannot look well that it be not a shift it comes to this yea or nay and if ye say ye cannot say Yea in Faith which yet thou wouldest fain be at is there not a promise of Grace that though your hand be as it were withered if ye mint and essay you shall be enabled to stretch it forth Faith may come in the very essaying to grip him only essay it and it shall go with you Object I have essayed it often and it hath not gone with me Ans Essay it again and cast a new knot If your evidence be not clear Subscribe over again Object But it goes not with me when all is done I cannot believe I would Subscribe but I cannot writ as it were I cannot distinctly act Faith Ans What is that Our Lord stands not on that though you cannot write well do as ye can It 's strange to see how somes Subscription is almost like a scratching with Crow-toes yet it 's a valid Subscription some again will write down their mark in place of their name and that also where it is well known is admitted as valid if you cannot as it were write your name in fair and legible Letters set down some Mark if it were but two scores or lines in any form or figure If ye cannot act Faith so distinctly come on as you may if ye cannot to your satisfaction say Yea with the heart say it with the mouth striving and longing to have thy heart brought up force thy self If I may speak so to believing If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus and shalt believe with thy heart that God raised Him from the dead thou shalt be saved Rom. 10.9 Endeavour to make thy Mouth engage thine heart bind thy self fast to Christ even in a manner whether thou wilt or not act Faith with the understanding labouring honestly to bring up thy Will and affections and though ye win not now to a Faith that is distinct it shall come in a due time essay to set open the door and it shall go with you Object But my heart says all these are but fair words Ans Away with that blasphemy They are the truths of God essay then O! essay Seriously this way of Believing and ye shall find power meeting you The Pen is as it were lying by you and albeit ye cannot write well and be distinct take the Pen and Christ shall as it were lead your hand and guide it to write so as it shall Pass in Heaven for a Subscribed consent set your selves to give him a welcome and he shall account it to be a welcome Say now what more ye have to say lay out your scruples this word all things are ready will answer them all the garment is ready to be put on yea Jesus Christ is your Wedding Garment take and put him on He is the cure for all your diseases apply him for the cure of them all ye cannot certainly be clothed before you put on the garment neither can ye be Healed before ye apply the cure ye cannot by any means be rich till ye marry him But beside all these there are several other needlesly disquieting scruples there are many other shifts and alace that there should be such triffling if I may call it so such whining as it were and standing on Ceremonies to speak so